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A man and woman sit in a field of tall grass. In the distance, trees and mountains are visible.
The Herbicide Haunting a New York Farm Town

Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries. In a small town that one resident calls “Parkinson’s Valley,” farmers and their families are demanding that New York follow suit.

Amudalat Ajasa   ·   July 20, 2026
Eli Northrup outside his campaign office.
‘There’s an Urgency to It’: Eli Northrup Has a Plan to Push Criminal Justice Reform in Albany

Northrup, a public defender and Democratic nominee for state Assembly, says it’s time to move toward more humane and effective policies.

Chris Gelardi   ·   July 17, 2026
In the 1199 SEIU office, people work in at desks with a large 1199 SEIU: United Healthcare Workers East logo on the wall.
Union and Troubled Home Care Company Maintained Close Partnership, Records Show

Health care union 1199SEIU helped Public Partnerships LLC take over the state’s home care program, even as it warned some workers could see wage cuts.

Sam Mellins   ·   July 16, 2026
The Manhattan Psychiatric Center, seen from the Harlem River.
Albany Has Let Disability and Mental Health Oversight Boards Wither Away

Boards of Visitors are supposed to oversee state-run disability and psychiatric programs. Almost none of them have enough members.

Benjy Sachs   ·   July 15, 2026
In an AI-generated image of a photograph, five young children in a classroom interact smile up at a humanoid robot whose appearance is similar to an adult woman. In the background, four children interact with an adult human teacher.
Rural NY School District Will Be One of First to Bring Humanoid Robot Into Classroom

Starting this fall, Salamanca High School will deploy a humanoid robot and avatar teaching assistant.

Melissa Manno   ·   July 14, 2026
A photo of Marcy Correctional Facility shows a checkpoint for entering cars at a tall chainlink fence with barbed wire at the top. The area is snowy.
New York’s Prisons Are Stuck in Their Brutal Past, Independent Review Finds

A sweeping report excoriates the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for failing to protect prisoners and staff.

Chris Gelardi   ·   July 13, 2026
A woman stands outside a brick building, looking away from the camera, with her hands clasped behind her back.
New York Hasn’t Raised Housing Allowances for Needy Residents in Decades. That’s Unconstitutional, a Lawsuit Says.

New York’s housing aid can’t cover rent anywhere in the state. A new lawsuit says that violates the state’s constitution.

Spencer Norris   ·   July 9, 2026
A blue sign reading "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Buffalo Detention Center, Batavia New York" sits on the grass in front of a tall metal fence with barbed wire at the top.
ICE Is Building a ‘Hard-Sided’ Detention Facility Near Buffalo. What Does That Mean?

The agency is adding 100 beds to the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility.

Isabelle Taft   ·   July 9, 2026
Preschool-aged children sit facing away from the camera on a colorful puzzle mat of numbers, while an adult at the front of the room shows them a page from The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
$170 Million in State Pre-K Funds Went Unused by New York School Districts

Amid growing spending on universal pre-K, school districts failed to spend millions earmarked for the 2024-25 school year.

Melissa Manno   ·   July 7, 2026
Hochul Extends Program to Hire Government Workers Faster. Mamdani Opts Out.

New York City has no plans to opt into NY HELPS, which has been extended to 2028 after filling 60,000 government jobs.

Nick Garber   ·   July 6, 2026
An air conditioner
Extreme Heat Is Rising. New York’s Cooling Aid Isn’t.

New York’s free air conditioner program ran out of funding before summer, even as extreme heat becomes a deadlier threat.

Amudalat Ajasa   ·   July 2, 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul stands and waves next to a bright blue swimming pool where a few children and adults are swimming.
Budget Allows Hochul to Spend $1.5 Billion Without Normal Review

Fiscal watchdog says independent oversight is needed to avoid waste and fraud.

Chris Bragg   ·   July 2, 2026
A standing woman wearing scrubs gently cradles a seated older woman's head while she helps her drink from a glass.
Home Health Aides Win $162 Million in Wage Theft Settlement

The deal could benefit 200,000 aides, and includes at least $25 million to compensate for wage deductions that New York Focus extensively reported on.

Sam Mellins   ·   July 1, 2026
A photo of part of the Camplain Hudson Power Express Converter station, a towering white structure featuring three blocks of twelve fans each.
Could Hydropower Credits Undermine New York City’s Climate Law?

Mayor Mamdani is facing pressure to limit an avenue for large building owners to buy credits instead of cutting emissions.

Benjy Sachs   ·   June 30, 2026
Three smiling people embrace collegially in an office hallway.
A Union for Home Care Workers? Many Are Wary.

New York’s biggest health care union wants 200,000 home health aides to join up.

Sam Mellins   ·   June 29, 2026
A motel is completely engulfed in flames, and black and gray smoke pours into the sky. A lone firefighter walks in the right side of the frame.
‘A Family Trying to Survive’: Six Die at Motel Used to House Broome County’s Homeless

The Knights Inn, profiled by New York Focus and ProPublica last year, had received health and safety complaints for years.

Spencer Norris and Isabelle Taft   ·   June 26, 2026
An illustration showing the New York State of Health logo and paperwork bearing several messages around essential plan eligibility and plan termination.
New York Essential Plan Users Worry: Am I Losing Coverage?

Unclear notices have left participants unsure about the status of their insurance and what steps to take next.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 26, 2026
A student's hand using a calculator on a math worksheet.
‘Math Wars’: New York Wants to Reform Math Instruction, but Experts Disagree on How

On the heels of a “Back to Basics” reading effort, New York is launching a similar initiative for math.

Melissa Manno   ·   June 25, 2026
Winning DSA candidates at a watch party
DSA Dominates Albany Elections Despite Super PAC Deluge

The DSA made gains in New York despite super PACs spending $9.6 million in state legislative races — nearly five times the total from 2024.

Nick Garber and Chris Bragg   ·   June 24, 2026
Theirno sits at a table, looking over his shoulder out of the window.
These Young New Yorkers Thought Their Future Was Secure. They’re Facing Deportation Instead.

Under Trump, a status for young immigrants who have experienced abuse or neglect no longer offers much protection.

Isabelle Taft   ·   June 23, 2026
At a press conference, Mayor Zohran Mamdani stands speaking at a podium, behind and to his left stands Cea Weaver, director of the New York City Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. Behind them stand people holding signs bearing the words "Hold bad landlords accountable" and "Invest in stables homes."
New York City’s Most Serious Housing Violations Stay Open for Months or Even Years

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development has vowed to go after negligent landlords, but it’s wrestling with a huge backlog of complaints.

Keenan Chen   ·   June 22, 2026
A high-contrast photo of a rolled up graduation diploma closed with a tassel against an orange and black background.
New York High Schoolers Might Be Getting a New Diploma. Here’s What to Know.

At a Board of Regents meeting Monday, state officials proposed eliminating credit-based diploma requirements.

Melissa Manno   ·   June 19, 2026
A split-screen image showing a photo of New York state Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas speaking on the left and New York state Senator Jessica Ramos speaking on the right.
Mystery Donor Spends Record-Breaking $850K on Jessica Ramos’s Senate Challenger

The last-minute influx, the biggest ever for a legislative primary, is boosting her opponent, Jessica González-Rojas.

Nick Garber and Chris Bragg   ·   June 18, 2026
A child silhouetted in the foreground holds hands with an adult, who is separated from the child by a transparent layer composed of birth certificate paperwork.
Immigration Authorities Kept an 8-Year-Old US Citizen in a Brooklyn Shelter for Nearly Seven Months

A lawsuit accuses federal officials of ignoring evidence that the boy, born in Mexico, held US citizenship through his mother.

Isabelle Taft   ·   June 18, 2026
Mamdani and Hochul at a rally together
Mamdani World Readies for Next Year’s Tax-the-Rich Push

City budget gaps and an ambitious affordability agenda may require pressing Albany again for taxes and aid.

Nick Garber   ·   June 17, 2026
Advocates for survivors holding signs at a rally
New York May End Blame Game When Deciding Which Crime Survivors Get State Aid

A bill awaiting the governor’s signature would relax restrictions on who can qualify for victim compensation.

Cassi Feldman   ·   June 16, 2026
What To Do If You’re Impacted By Changes to the Essential Plan

We’ve compiled information for the 450,000 New Yorkers who will lose health care coverage on July 1.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 15, 2026
A group of about 50 people pose for a photo taken from inside a garage housing a trash compactor.
At Hunter College, Students Tackle Garbage — And a New Way of Shaping Policy

The citizens assembly model, used for public decision-making around the world, is gaining traction in New York.

Karen Loew   ·   June 12, 2026
A photo of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie walking towards the camera while looking off to the side.
Plastics Bill Died in Assembly After Blitz By Lobbyists With Ties to Heastie

A lobbyist who has been romantically linked to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie led a rally opposing the legislation a week before the speaker declined to bring it to a vote.

Amudalat Ajasa and Chris Bragg   ·   June 11, 2026
The Haggle — a New York Focus breakdown of the state budget
The Haggle

In May, state lawmakers passed a $269 billion budget after haggling for months over thousands of line items and policies affecting New Yorkers.

New York Focus   ·   June 9, 2026
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman
Super PAC Forms to Boost Bruce Blakeman, Hochul’s Republican Challenger

Millions in outside spending was a boon to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2022 opponent, Lee Zeldin, and influenced down-ballot races.

Chris Bragg   ·   June 8, 2026
A black and white photo of the New York state Capitol Buildling over a yellow-tinted background.
Bill Stalled in Assembly Could Determine Fate of Hundreds of Sexual Assault Cases

The legislation would make it easier for currently and formerly incarcerated people and child victims to sue the state over allegations of past abuse.

Chris Bragg   ·   June 5, 2026
Rows of empty seats watch a horse racing track with a lone harness racer and horse.
Hochul Moves to Protect Horseracing From Casino’s Tax Fight

State leaders are expected to pass a bill that avoids resolving how much Resorts World New York City needs to pay.

Nick Garber   ·   June 3, 2026
A website on an open laptop sucks in cash via a black hole.
Rochester’s Anti-Poverty Portal Struggles to Meet Promise

New York state has pumped millions of taxpayer dollars into an online portal that vowed to make life easier for Rochester’s neediest, but critics say it’s fallen short.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 3, 2026
A photo collage of a shopping basket full of groceries, in front of a yellow-tinted photo of a calendar with "work" written in many of the days.
New SNAP Rules in NY: What To Know If You Lost Benefits

We’ve compiled information for SNAP recipients in New York on the changing work requirements.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 2, 2026
Photo of a casino floor with rows of brightly lit video lottery terminals and a single player sitting to the left in front of a terminal.
New York’s Brand-New Casino Is in a $500M+ Fight With the State

Resorts World is floating legislation to avert more than $500 million in payments to the horseracing industry.

Nick Garber   ·   June 1, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul over a yellow-tinted photo of many tall stacks of paper superimposed onto the New York state Capitol.
What’s in the 2026 State Budget? Here’s What To Know.

Our searchable database breaks down the most consequential decisions Albany politicians made on climate, immigration, housing, schools, taxes, and more.

New York Focus   ·   May 29, 2026
Gove Kathy Hochul at a podium
State Budget Gives Prisons Half-Billion-Dollar Boost While Threatening Oversight Programs

It’s unclear whether the Correctional Association of New York will have to scale back its nascent reform initiatives.

Chris Gelardi   ·   May 28, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in the foreground, with a yellow-tinted photo of a school bus in the background.
NY Budget Brings Historic Child Care Investments — But Not for Its Workforce

Advocates welcomed the additional funding but said it falls short of need and doesn’t do enough to support workers.

Melissa Manno   ·   May 28, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in front of a yellow-tinted card explaining New York State of Health's Essential Plan.
No Solution to Health Coverage Cliff in Delayed State Budget

Despite last-ditch efforts by a coalition of lawmakers, the state failed to avert a health coverage cliff coming this summer.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   May 28, 2026
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