Tag Archives: New York state

TGI Fridays Abruptly Shutters Dozens Of Locations

CNN Business reports: Some fans of TGI Fridays were likely surprised this week when they found their local restaurant permanently closed because the chain abruptly shut down dozens of locations around the US. The chain said in a release that it closed 36 “underperforming” restaurants as part of its “ongoing growth strategy,” which also includes also a shakeup of its …

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29 NYC Council Members: Ban Trump From NY Ballot

Gothamist reports: More than two dozen New York City councilmembers in a letter on Wednesday called on the state Board of Elections to withhold Donald J. Trump’s name from the state’s 2024 presidential primary and general election ballots. The letter, signed by 29 council members, all Democrats, represents a majority of the 51-member Council, and follows a similar effort initiated …

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New York State Trial Could Mean The End Of The NRA

Courthouse News reports: Wayne LaPierre’s more than three-decade reign as the CEO of the National Rifle Association has been marred by controversy. Besides a number of corruption scandals with LaPierre at the helm, today’s NRA faces issues like declining membership and revenue. But it’s a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James that could prove to be the gravest …

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FBI Launches Terror Probe Into Fatal Upstate NY Crash

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports: Rochester police are investigating the fatal fiery crash that killed two people and wounded five others outside the Kodak Center on West Ridge Road in Rochester early Monday morning. The New Year’s Day crash occurred within the first hour of 2024, shortly before 1 a.m. A large sport utility vehicle traveling east on West …

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NY Post: Trump Org Faces Potential Ruin This Month

The New York Post reports: The former president is facing $250 million in penalties and a ban on doing business in New York when the judge overseeing his civil fraud trial delivers a verdict in the case later in January. The Manhattan Supreme Court trial — which has been on hiatus since Dec. 13 — is set to resume with …

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GOP Seeks To Stop Mail-In Early Voting In NY State

The Albany Times-Union reports: A state Supreme Court justice has rejected a request from U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik and the Republican Party to temporarily suspend a new state law that allows any registered voter in New York to cast their ballot early by mail. Republicans immediately appealed the ruling state Supreme Court Justice Christina L. Ryba. The case, in which …

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Dems To Spend $6M To Flip Back Santos’s House Seat

NBC News reports: The Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC is putting down $5.2 million in initial reservations for TV and digital ads to try to win the House special election to replace the expelled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., the group told NBC News. The group said it will spend $3.7 million on TV and $1.5 million on digital platforms, along with …

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New York State To License 500 More Weed Dispensaries

Gothamist reports: New York cannabis officials will be handing out up to 1,445 new business licenses in the coming weeks, including at least 500 for dispensaries. Other licenses will go to marijuana growers, processors, wholesalers and microbusinesses after the application window for licenses closed earlier this month. In this new round, the state is prioritizing businesses that already have leases …

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Second GOP Rep Reports Xmas Swatting Incident

The Auburn Citizen reports: U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams was the victim of a “swatting” incident on Christmas Day, Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck told The Citizen. Members of Schenck’s office and the New York State Police responded to a report of a shooting at 2 p.m. at Williams’ home in Sennett, Schenck said. The call was made to the Cayuga …

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NY Teen Charged With School Mass Shooting Threat

The Long Island Press reports: Suffolk County Police have arrested a 17-year-old for threatening to “shoot up” Sequoya High School in Holtsville, according to District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office. Tierney’s office said in a news release that police had been made aware of an email sent to school administrators threatening to “shoot up the school” and warning them to “be …

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Trump Loses Fifth Attempt To Boot NY Fraud Case

The Messenger reports: For at least the fifth time, former President Donald Trump on Monday lost an attempt to dismiss his civil fraud case through a maneuver seeking a directed verdict in his favor. In tossing Trump’s latest challenge, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron reminded the former president that “a lie is still a lie.” “At least five times …

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Trump Appeals NY Gag Order To State’s High Court

Reuters reports: Donald Trump on Friday appealed a gag order restricting the former U.S. president from publicly talking about court staff in his New York civil fraud trial to the state’s highest court. Trump unsuccessfully appealed the order to a mid-level appeals court, arguing it violated his right to free speech. The mid-level court, known as the Appellate Division, on …

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NY GOP Taps Israeli Veteran To Run For Santos’s Seat

The New York Times reports: Republicans battling to hold onto the New York House seat vacated by George Santos chose on Thursday another relatively unknown candidate with a remarkable biography but a thin political résumé to run in a special election next year, according to three party officials briefed on the decision. After extensive vetting, Republican leaders selected Mazi Melesa …

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Good News For Dems: NY Must Redraw US House Map

The New York Times reports: New York’s highest court ordered the state to redraw its congressional map on Tuesday, delivering a ruling that immediately threw New York’s political landscape into chaos and reopened a process with sweeping national implications. State Democrats are now widely expected to try to shift anywhere from two to six Republican-held seats, from Long Island to …

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Fraud Trial Defense Witness Billed Trump Around $877K

The Messenger reports: Donald Trump nodded approvingly toward his attorney after his final defense expert testified on Thursday that the fraud case against the former president, his family and his business lacks any evidence. “My main finding is that there is no evidence whatsoever of any accounting fraud,” Eli Bartov, a research professor of accounting at New York University’s Stern …

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NYC Man Wins $10 Million Lottery For Second Time

The New York Post reports: Some guys have all the luck. A Brooklyn man won $10 million on a scratch-off this week — a little over a year after he won his first $10 million playing the New York Lottery, the lottery said. Wayne Murray got a top prize Tuesday while playing the New York Lottery’s 200X scratch-off game. Last …

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Dems Tap Ex-Rep. Tom Suozzi To Vie For Santos’ Seat

Gothamist reports: New York Democrats are betting on former Rep. Tom Suozzi to flip the newly vacant seat recently held by disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos from red back to blue. Nassau County and state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs and Queens County Democratic Party Chair Rep. Greg Meeks announced the decision in a Thursday afternoon press release, touting …

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Today: Trump Attends Defense Testimony In Fraud Trial

CBS News reports: Former President Donald Trump is expected to attend proceedings Thursday in his New York civil fraud trial as his defense calls its final expert witness to the stand. Trump has attended the trial, which began on Oct. 2, eight previous times — including for his Nov. 6 testimony. That day, he clashed with the judge, Arthur Engoron, …

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NY Gov Sets Election To Replace Santos For Feb. 13th

CNBC reports: The special election to fill expelled Rep. George Santos’ House seat will be Feb. 13, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday. Until then, House Republicans will be down a vote, leaving them with an even narrower majority in the chamber than usual. “As Governor, I have the solemn responsibility to call a special election to ensure the …

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Trump To Appeal NY Gag Order To State’s High Court

The Messenger reports: Donald Trump’s legal team on Monday sought to appeal a gag order barring the former president from speaking about a judge’s law clerk to New York’s highest court. An intermediate appellate court last week reinstated the gag order blocking Trump and his attorneys from making any statements about Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s staff. Since that …

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