Jeff Lewis

The New York State legislature is expected to wrap up its session today or tomorrow. Assemblyman Karl Brabenec of the 98th District, covering western Ramapo and portions of Orange County, says major bills that didn’t get absorbed into the state budget, and local bills, will take most of their attention between now and the end of session…

Among the bills that may or not get passed before session ends are some that deal with kids and social media, bottle refunds, the New York HEAT Act, and the COVID review commission.

Stop & Shop supermarkets in the Northeast are waiting to see if they’ll remain open or be shut down, following an announcement late last month from its parent company that it would be closing under-performing stores. There’s one off Route 303 in Orangeburg, and Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny says while she lives on the other side of town and usually grocery shops elsewhere…

WRCR market analyst Ken Mahoney of Mahoney Asset Management in Chestnut Ridge says while some stores are closing, others will get upgraded…

The company didn’t say how many of its nearly 400 stores would be shuttered. There are three other Stop & Shop locations in Rockland: New City, Nanuet and West Haverstraw.

The position of Executive Director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management does not yet appear to have been filled despite the recent resignation of its first leader, Chris Alexander, late last month. After expressing dissatisfaction with the direction of the office he was to have left the position in September, but he opted to step away early, officially as of today. New York Governor Kathy Hochul last month criticized the legal rollout of marijuana, with it leading to an unfortunately flourishing illegal sales market…

Assemblyman John McGowan of the 97th district, covering Orangetown and portions of Ramapo, says it’s not clear yet whether the governor’s overhaul of the organization will help fix the mess they’re already in…

According to the marijuana industry website, MJBizDaily.com, since the state voted to legalize recreational cannabis in 2021, only 130 adult-use stores have opened and retail licensing has been slow, leaving cultivators with unsold inventory.

A bill in Congress that would require automakers to keep AM radio in cars cleared a hurdle last week on the road to becoming law. It’s passed the House Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee on its way to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rockland Congressman Mike Lawler of the 17th district supports the bill…

The amended version of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2024 gives automakers at least two years to comply with the legislation. Versions of the bill in the House and Senate had majority support in both houses.