Report: Owner of New York minor league football team upset team offered Vick contract

ALBANY, N.Y. — The owner of a minor league football team that offered Michael Vick a contract told a newspaper he didn’t know about the publicity stunt and would not have approved it.

NY budget official predicts end to recession later this year, but doesn’t expect major rebound

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state budget officials predict the national recession will end sometime in the third quarter of 2009.

New York minor league football team offers jailed QB Michael Vick a contract

ALBANY, N.Y. — Michael Vick has a place on a minor league football team if he can get reinstated by the NFL.

Wake held at Long Island funeral home for victims in NY family’s murder-suicide

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — Mourners shared tearful hugs outside a Long Island funeral home Monday where flowers blanketed the closed caskets of a mother and her two daughters brutally slain last week by the family patriarch, a shocking crime that has friends and relatives grasping for an explanation.

NY AG sues home warranty company, claims it cheated consumers nationwide

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York attorney general says a New York City-based home warranty company cheated customers in at least 32 states out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Suburban NYC family settles music piracy tussle for $7,000 after 4 years

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — After battling a suburban family for four years over music downloads, the recording industry has agreed to accept $7,000 — paid in installments — to settle its federal piracy lawsuit.

Twilight Adirondack hike shows, black forest, blue lakes, lights of Montreal

SARANAC, New York — The firetower looms white against cobalt sky at twilight atop Lyon Mountain, the thin walls around the tower’s observation deck rattling in strong, chilly gusts of spring wind.

Corning 1Q profit tumbles 99 pct to $14M but beats Wall Street forecast

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Specialty glassmaker Corning Inc. said Monday its first-quarter profit fell 99 percent on slumping sales and a charge for previously-disclosed job cuts.

Buffalo QB Willy agrees to rookie free-agent deal with Ravens after going undrafted

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Quarterback Drew Willy has agreed to a rookie free-agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens after the University at Buffalo’s leading passer was overlooked in the NFL draft.

Lawyer: Mom accused of endangering kids by putting them out of car simply drove around block

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The woman who allegedly ordered her squabbling young daughters out of her car and drove off without them quickly returned to the scene expecting to pick them up, her lawyer said Friday.

NY breeder’s farm gives away unwanted horses; owner Paragallo charged with cruelty

ALBANY, N.Y. — Horse lovers from around the country are hauling away sickly horses from thoroughbred owner Ernie Paragallo’s upstate New York breeding farm.

Democrat Scott Murphy wins NY’s 20th Congressional District after Republican Tedisco concedes

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — Almost a month after a special election in a heavily Republican congressional district, the Democratic candidate claimed victory Friday when his GOP opponent conceded in a race that focused attention on President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan.

Democrat Scott Murphy wins NY’s 20th Congressional District after GOP opponent concedes

ALBANY, N.Y. — Almost a month after the election, Democrat Scott Murphy has won the race for New York’s 20th Congressional District. Republican James Tedisco has conceded.

Rochester, NY-area woman guilty on 103 counts for role in illegally removing body parts

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — An upstate New York woman who helped illegally remove bone and tissue from corpses in 2005 has been convicted on 103 counts.

Watchdogs want NY ethics panel to review damaging leaks about Caroline Kennedy

ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York state ethics panel is reviewing a request from three watchdog groups asking for an investigation into whether the Paterson administration leaked personal information about Caroline Kennedy when she was under consideration for the U.S. Senate, a commission spokesman said Friday.

NY investment adviser indicted on charges of masterminding $413 million Ponzi scheme

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — An investment firm owner masterminded a $413 million Ponzi scheme that fleeced more than 6,000 people, a federal indictment charged.

Watchdogs want NY ethics panel to review Paterson administration’s leaks about Kennedy

ALBANY, N.Y. — Three watchdog groups are asking a New York state ethics panel to investigate the Paterson administration’s leaks of personal information about Caroline Kennedy.

New York Power utility considering offshore wind power development in Great Lakes

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A New York state utility is exploring whether it is possible to put electricity-generating wind turbines in the Great Lakes, rather than inland or along the shoreline.

State troopers charge NY driver after he’s clocked going 134 mph on upstate road

PAWLING, N.Y. — State police said a 23-year-old man clocked driving at more than 130 mph on an upstate New York road is facing multiple traffic charges. Police said a trooper spotted Michael DiBernardino’s 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer doing 134 mph in a 55-mph zone Tuesday afternoon in the Dutchess County town of Pawling, near the Connecticut border 65 miles north of New York City.

NY Lottery: Mega Millions states consider selling Powerball tickets to increase revenue

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York lottery hopes to start selling Powerball lottery tickets to boost revenue for the cash-strapped state.

NY state tax worker accused of stealing taxpayers’ identities, running up $200,000 on accounts

TROY, N.Y. — A former New York state tax department worker was accused of stealing the identities of thousands of taxpayers and running up more than $200,000 in fraudulent charges.

NY state tax worker accused of stealing identities, running up $200,000 on others’ accounts

TROY, N.Y. — A former New York state tax department worker is accused of stealing the identities of taxpayers and running up more than $200,000 in fraudulent charges on their accounts.

NY comptroller bans placement agents, lobbyists from steering pension fund investments

NEW YORK — Amid a growing corruption scandal, New York’s comptroller on Wednesday barred investment firms soliciting business from the state pension fund from employing lobbyists known as placement agents.

Mother accused of ordering her arguing daughters out of car, then driving off

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Usually, it’s an empty threat: “If you kids don’t stop fighting, I’m going to stop this car right now and leave you here!” But a mother from an upper-crust New York suburb went through with it, ordering her battling 10- and 12-year-old daughters out of her car in White Plains’ business district and driving off, police said Tuesday.

English classes for Binghamton immigrants resume for 1st time since gunman’s rampage

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — English classes for immigrants in Binghamton, N.Y., have resumed for the first time since a gunman’s deadly rampage nearly three weeks ago.

Police report on Madonna’s Hamptons horse fall: No word on paparazzi presence

BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y. — A police report on Madonna’s fall from a horse in the Hamptons is silent on whether paparazzi scared the animal, as her spokeswoman has said.

Flight 3407 fundraiser planned after Mangione’s NY gig; 2 band members among victims of crash

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jazz musician Chuck Mangione’s (man-jee-OH’-nees) performance in Buffalo, N.Y., next month will be followed by a fundraiser for the victims of Flight 3407, including two members of his band.