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Lawmakers leave for spring break with another on-time budget

Lawmakers were able to agree on a $132.6 billion spending plan for the state, before they left Albany for a two-week break.
Matt Ryan
/
WMHT
Lawmakers were able to agree on a $132.6 billion spending plan for the state, before they left Albany for a two-week break.

Good morning, and happy April!

The state has an on-time budget for the second year in a row.

New York  is plugging into solar research.

Plus, lobbyists all but give up trying to get wine into grocery stores.

State government

Lawmakers have left Albany for their two-week spring break, but they managed to pass an on-time budget before their departure (Rick Karlin, Times Union).

When they return, legislators are expected to take up issues like minimum wage increases, and an overhaul of the state's campaign finance law (Jon Campbell, Gannett).

Need a new set of wheels? New York is getting into the used car business. It's selling more than 450 old cars on eBay (Joseph Spector, Gannett).

Governor Cuomo isn't a fan of selling wine in grocery stores, so lobbyists have all but given up on it (Tom Tobin, Gannett).

Energy

The New York Power Authority is launching a five-year, $30 million dollar solar research initiative (Associated Press).

New rules set by the Obama administration would effectively prohibit new coal-fired power plants, in favor of natural gas development (Mark Drajem, Bloomberg).

Economy

A once-vacant landscape near the University at Buffalo is being transformed by multi-million dollar housing projects (Sandra Tan, Buffalo News).

A new cut in state sales tax didn't seem to have much effect on shoppers in Western New York over the weekend (Richard E. Baldwin, Buffalo News).

The developers of a Syracuse mall are facing scrutiny for how they spent over a million dollars in federal taxpayer funds (Mark Weiner, Post-Standard).

In a deal struck with a timber company, the state will keep close to 3,000 acres of the Adirondack Park open to recreation (Associated Press).

Technology

Ever cheat in a game of chess? Beware, a Buffalo professor is trying to outmaneuver cheaters (Daniel Robison, Innovation Trail).

Research In Motion Ltd., the maker of Blackberry, is trying to stay afloat as it targets business clients over everyday consumers (Hugo Miller, Bloomberg).

At event near Albany last week, executives at computer chip manufacturer GlobalFoundries thought it was worth explaining to the layperson exactly what their product is and how it's made (Larry Rulison, Times Union).

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WMHT/Capital Region reporter for the Innovation Trail.