The lady and Mr. Cuomo
The big story today is the trail that the first couple of New York is blazing across the state (both figuratively and literally). The governor delivers his first state of the state address this afternoon at 1:30. Here's what papers across New York are saying.
Today, Mario Cuomo's son gives his take not only on the condition of the state government, but his agenda to improve it. And during this honeymoon phase of Andrew Cuomo's administration, the State of the State -- with the bipartisan welcoming tone that it often receives -- is more like the morning after the wedding.
But along with the dire economic news, Cuomo is also expected to give a nod to liberal legislators by reiterating his support of legalizing same-sex marriage in New York. The measure passed the Assembly in 2009, but failed in the Senate.
And the Times Union, on Cuomo's decision to move the address from its traditional location, the Assembly Chambers, to the Empire State Plaza Convention Center:
Cuomo has argued that moving to the larger convention center will allow members of the public to attend, one of several symbolic actions he has taken at the outset of his administration to signal a new era of openness. But insiders view the shift as a signal to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver that Cuomo is calling the shots. Perhaps more important than the venue itself, the move has given Cuomo control of the distribution of tickets to the event -- something that used to be the province of Silver's office.
The Times Union's Capitol Confidential blog also reports that Cuomo's speech is weighing in at 82 PowerPoint slides.
Meanwhile, the governor's companion, Sandra Lee of the Food Network, has been traveling the state to talk about her signature issue: hunger. The Buffalo News reports that when Lee visited the Food Bank of Western New York she brought along a check for $10,000 from a warehouse store. She did the same in Rochester according to the Democrat and Chronicle - but she also got into a tiff with a reporter about a question about her personal life.
Elsewhere across the state:
Two travel websites, Priceline and CheapOAir, are now in compliance with rules about disclosing flights on regional carriers (Buffalo News)
Enrollment in an all-female technical education class in a Rochester suburb has quadrupled in the past year (Democrat and Chronicle)
Home prices are up, but sales are down in western New York (Buffalo News)
Lockheed Martin's clean-up of a cadmium-contaminated stream in Salina has stalled (Post-Standard)
Meanwhile in Binghamton, LM has received a $70 million contract for systems on Navy helicopters (Press & Sun-Bulletin)
Conservation and good government groups are praising Governor Cuomo's selection of Joe Martens as DEC chief (Times Union)
Time Warner rates in Rochester are going up, from 6 to 10 percent (Democrat and Chronicle)
Binghamton University tops Kiplinger's list of "best value" public colleges (Press & Sun-Bulletin)
RPI researchers say their development of "nanoscoops" could help batteries charge faster (Times Union)
Rochester's chief salesman is looking to tell the city's story to businesses (Democrat and Chronicle)
Groundbreaking on Albany's Vista Technology Campus is expected in the spring (Times Union)
Erie County's legislature has tabled a decision on a loan program for nonprofits (Buffalo News)
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