This weekend the nation witnessed a horrific episode leaving three dead and many injured at an Alt-Right rally in Charlottesville, VA. This flagrant, outrageous display of racism, bigotry and hatred is deeply troubling and unacceptable at any time and in any place. I joined many from the Capital Region at a rally Sunday in Albany’s Townsend Park to condemn white supremacist violence. Thankfully and on a related note, the Governor also signed legislation I fully supported to impose tougher penalties on those who make bomb threats to community centers.

The NY Assembly is Always in Session. This week I joined WAMC’s Karen DeWitt to discuss one of the unique aspects of my job as the Assemblymember whose district includes the State Capitol. As the Assemblymember holding the Capitol seat, it’s my job to “gavel in” every third day when the Assembly is not in session- with lots of help from my colleague, Assemblymember John McDonald! This practice dates back to 1978 when then Governor Hugh Carey appointed a commissioner he knew the legislature would not approve during legislative recess. Calling session to order- even when there are no legislators present- maintains the autonomy of the state legislature. It caught the interest of WAMC, because the U.S. Senate initiated this same practice for their August break - by not adjourning and therefore preventing President Trump from making any recess appointments.

Spectrum Appearance on In Focus with Solomon Syed. Last Sunday I appeared on Spectrum News’ In Focus with Solomon Syed to discuss the newly approved Empire State Apprenticeship Program. The program was championed by Assemblymember Harry Bronson of Rochester and aims to fill positions in businesses across the state that have good-paying middle skills jobs which are going unfilled due to the skills gap. The program airs on Spectrum News at 10:30 AM on Sundays.

New Contract for CSEA Workers. CSEA, the union which represents many state workers, received a new contract agreement this week. The agreement gives 60,000 public servants a 2% annual raise and keeps the cost of healthcare affordable. It's good to see the contract negotiations resolved amicably by all sides.

Low-Cost Naloxone to be Available at NY Pharmacies. On Wednesday, the Governor announced a first-in-the-nation program to provide no-cost or lower-cost naloxone at pharmacies across New York. Beginning August 9, 2017, individuals with prescription health insurance coverage, including Medicaid and Medicare, will receive co-payment assistance, resulting in reduced cost or no cost for this lifesaving medicine. Uninsured individuals and individuals without prescription coverage will still be able to receive naloxone at no cost through New York's network of registered opioid overdose prevention programs.

Winners at New York Food and Wine Classic. New York is quickly becoming a world-class destination for food and wine lovers from all over the world. Wineries and cideries across the state are growing our economy and contribute heavily to tourism revenue. This week marked the New York Food and Wine Classic, which highlighted the best wines, ciders and other specialty drinks from around the state. The winners of the event can be found here.

Sen. Gillibrand Visits Capital Region. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in the Capital Region this week, speaking to residents at Hudson Valley Community College at a Town Hall event. It was a well-attended and informative event to learn more about her commitment to a renewable energy future, her ideas for reforming healthcare and her concerns around the President’s rhetoric on North Korea.

Critical Portions of Route 443 in New Scotland to be Repaved. Last week, New York State Department of Transportation announced it will alter its repaving plans for Route 443/Delaware Ave to include from Van Dyke Rd in Bethlehem to the Clarksville Hamlet line. This comes after an announcement announcing the repaving of other portions of route 443 in New Scotland near the village of Berne. I want to publicly thank NYSDOT for recognizing the need to repave this critical portion of the road in New Scotland and for their prompt responsiveness to concerns I brought to their attention from New Scotland Town Supervisor, Doug LaGrange.

Community Updates

Maccabi Games Come to Albany! Hundreds of young Jewish athletes from around world were in the Capital Region this week for the Maccabi games. The Maccabi games are an internationalOlympic-style competition for Jewish athletes between 12 and 16. Competitive teams from the US, Canada Mexico and Israel participated in a variety of individual and team sports.

Albany Launches New GIS Mapping System. The City of Albany has announced the launch of a new GIS mapping system designed to help city residents find information about city services and properties. The new system is designed to help residents with everything from finding a property’s assessed value to identifying who their Common Council member or patrol officer is.

125th Altamont Fair Opens Next Week. Next week will mark the 125th opening of the Altamont Fair. The fair, which opens on August 15th, was first held in 1892. The Altamont Fair is a three-county fair representing Albany, Schenectady, and Greene counties. It is a not-for-profit, public educational, and historical society supported entirely by admissions, rentals, contributions, sponsorships, and the assistance of hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

Job Opportunities: New York State has set up a new job portal entitled Jobs Express, where thousands of private and public sector jobs are listed. Visit jobs.ny.gov for more information on how to apply for these opportunities.

As always, for the latest news or for upcoming events, please visit my office online, on Facebook, on Twitter, or my Times Union blog. If you would like to reach my office, please feel free to send us a note.