Opinion

Gun owners, outdoor sportsmen and women, and stores selling firearms and ammunition are now subjected to some troublesome procedures and protocols after new regulations went into effect on Sept. 13. The crux of the changes pertains to the way background checks will be conducted, as well as new fees associated with buying guns and ammunition […]

We can no longer pretend that climate change is just a theory or that it’s a problem for the future. From deadly fires in Hawaii to devastating floods in the Northeast to record heat waves across much of the country, we see constant reminders of what a warming climate can do. But how can we

The national unemployment rate reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) rose from 3.5 percent to 3.8 percent in August as an additional 514,000 Americans said they could not find work in the BLS’s household survey. Now 6.3 million Americans are said to be unemployed, the highest in more than a year. But

One of the hardest things to watch as Congress has evolved over the past decade or more is the extent to which its oversight muscles have atrophied. Sure, committees on Capitol Hill still haul members of the administration in front of them to ask uncomfortable questions. But while there has always been a tinge of

The migrant crisis in New York continues to escalate. There are now more than 100,000 migrants whose records, including things like vaccination status for those about to be enrolled in our public schools, are a complete mystery to local and state officials. Estimates show New Yorkers are looking at a multi-billion-dollar bill to cover expenses

[August’s] Camp David summit of the leaders of the United States, Japan, and South Korea brought welcome positive news in the world of foreign policy.  President Joe Biden hosted Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, and Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan. Perhaps surprisingly, it was the first time the leaders of

The New York State Board of Parole will be deciding two important matters in the coming weeks, and I want to be clear how fervently the Assembly Minority Conference stands with the families of the victims of these heinous crimes. The two killers, Juan Peinado, who brutally murdered a 12-year-old boy in 1996, and George

Given everything that’s been taking place on Capitol Hill, I’d guess you missed the announcement a few months back that the House Civility Caucus has been revived. It would be hard to call this earth-shattering news — but in our current political climate, it’s a notable measure of hope. The House Civility Caucus first came

One of the most-anticipated events of the year, the New York State Fair, opened on Aug. 23 in Syracuse and runs through Sept. 4. The annual Central New York tradition features exciting new acts and exhibits, and this year’s fair is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience for all ages. For more than a century,

Americans are pessimistic about our democracy, according to a recent poll. It’s a worrisome finding. Of course, it’s easy to watch the news and conclude our government isn’t working. But we must not get to the point where we think we can’t solve our problems in a democratic fashion. That’s a danger line. The poll,