Dan Clark

New York state will begin enforcing its ban on single-use carry-out plastic bags next month after a brief hiatus of the law due to a legal challenge brought earlier this year, when those bags were temporarily allowed to be used by stores without any repercussions.

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said Friday that, because it won that legal challenge in August, the agency will begin enforcing the law on October 19.

The state’s largest teachers union filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Division of Budget over more than $5 billion in state spending that’s expected to be withheld from school districts as the state grapples with an unprecedented budget crisis.

New York state is considering the possibility of making the flu vaccine mandatory for students attending school this year for in-person learning, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said Thursday, as public health officials urge the public to get vaccinated for the disease.

As the state enters this year’s flu season, public health officials have encouraged vaccinations to cut down on the number of flu tests that will have to be conducted.

The war of words between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump escalated again Monday, with both accusing the other of attempting to destroy the economic viability of New York City, and the state, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump, in a tweet, urged Cuomo to reopen the rest of New York City, which still remains closed to indoor dining, while Cuomo called on Trump to support federal aid for the five boroughs.

New York State has closed its first public college to in-person learning after 105 individuals on campus tested positive for the coronavirus, SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said Sunday, and a handful of students have been suspended for contributing to that spread.

Jim Malatras, the president of SUNY Empire State College who’s doubled as a key state official involved in New York’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been chosen as the next chancellor of the State University of New York.

The SUNY Board of Trustees voted nearly unanimously to install Malatras into the position, which has been vacant for the last few months since Kristina Johnson resigned.

Bowling alleys will be allowed to reopen statewide on Monday, with special precautions, while gyms and fitness centers will finally be issued protocols and guidance for how to bring guests back to their facilities, and when that could happen, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.