


Real Estate Thought It Was Invincible in New York. It Wasn’t.
This was the year that New York bit back against big real estate.
First, a slate of Democratic candidates declared that they would not take money from real estate developers. They swept into state office last fall, displacing incumbents who were friendly to the industry. Then in February, Queens officials, bucking the mayor and governor, scuttled Amazon’s plan to open a huge headquarters there, snubbing the promise of 25,000 jobs.
In June, the new Democratic majority in Albany passed historic protections for renters, reversing decades of a Republican-controlled Senate chipping away at these laws. Real estate had for so long seemed invincible. And then, suddenly, it wasn’t...
State Sen. George Amedore Won’t Seek Re-election
State Sen. George Amedore will not seek re-election in 2020, the Rotterdam Republican said in a statement released Friday.
“I truly believe in public service and giving back to the community, and it has been a great honor to serve the residents of the 46th Senate District,” Amedore said. “As I have said in the past, I did not intend to be a career politician, and at this time, this is the right decision for my family and me.”
The Technology 202: Top Senate Democrat’s New Privacy Bill Likely to Spark GOP Protests
Top Democrats’ ambitious new privacy bill has long odds of advancing in Congress. But it’s sure to spark fresh debate along partisan lines about how lawmakers should respond to tech companies’ repeated mishandling of consumer data.
The Narwhal Tusk Has a Wondrous and Mystical History
A new chapter was added on London Bridge.
For centuries Europeans sought out the “unicorn horn” — the long and straight tusk of the arctic-dwelling narwhal whale — for its perceived magical and curative capabilities. On Friday, the tusk did indeed wield a historic force, just not in the way the queens and kings who once collected the twisted and tapered ivory likely imagined.
Instead, as the deadly knife attack unfolded on the London Bridge, a man, described in news reports as a Polish chef, grabbed the nearest arms he could find for self-defense — a narwhal tusk — and headed to help stop the melee. The simple, heroic act in a way embodied the ancient lore of the larger-than-life tusk.
New York Scooter Legislation Stalls With Cuomo
As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ponders whether to sign a bill legalizing electric scooters, several cities in the state are preparing to offer the devices for rental as soon as possible.
Rochester amended its agreement with the company that operates its bike-share program to allow for scooter rentals as well. It has also prepared enabling legislation, an aide to the city’s mayor, Lovely Warren, said.
Bloomberg’s Presidential Run Complicates Johnson’s Mayoral Ambition
Michael Bloomberg’s entry into the 2020 presidential race on Sunday could complicate things for the next race for City Hall.
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who hopes to capture the 2021 Democratic nomination for mayor, was featured in a list of Bloomberg’s LGBT supporters in 2009.