Hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. Here are a few updates from my office:

Sexual assault legislation signed by Governor Cuomo. Proud to support the sexual assault legislation -- a good compromise, which I hope will go a long way to changing the culture on college campuses. >Read more via the Albany Times Union.

Lieutenant Col. Todd J. Clark Highway. A portion of State Route 146 in the Town of Guilderland, Albany County will be renamed the "Lieutenant Colonel Todd J. Clark Memorial Highway" (S.2290/A.2131). Lieutenant Colonel Clark, who grew up in Guilderland, was killed in action on June 8, 2013 during an attack at close range while serving as an advisor to the Afghan National Army.

It is an honor to have sponsored this bill to rename Route 146 in commemoration of the extraordinary service and ultimate sacrifice of Guilderland's Lieutenant Colonel Todd Clark. This is such a fitting way having just celebrated Independence Day and I thank the Governor for his support of this legislation, and the Lieutenant Colonel's family for their tremendous patriotism and support.

The renamed highway begins at the intersection of State Route 20 and State Route 146, and continues north to Lydius Street.

Solarize Albany. Tonight (Thursday, July 9), I am presenting at the kick-off Solarize Albany event, a community-based solar installation effort that will launch at 6 p.m. at The Linda, WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio (339 Central Avenue, Albany).

The Solarize Albany campaign is based on an approach developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) in 2007, supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and now being adopted by hundreds of communities around the Country. Costs for solar installations come down because the purchasing is done on a bulk basis to bring down costs for the commercial vender/installer and the savings are passed on to the Solarize members who sign up with the installer for solar. In addition, volunteers help people to understand solar energy. Public presentations are being scheduled, where questions about solar energy are answered. At these presentations, the specifics of how to request a solar proposal for your home are shared.

Altamont Library Summer Events. With summer now here, the Altamont Library has a number of events for you and your family. The theme of this year's Summer Reading Program is Every Hero Has A Story, and they'll be focusing on all kinds of heroes all summer: Superheroes, animal heroes, historical heroes, book heroes and above all the heroes that folks interact with every day in our lives. In July, the library has the comics drawing classes, Superhero School and community service projects for kids. The library will also have the return of Trivia Night, hosted by Mary Beth Mulligan and free concerts in the park. All the details are in the July Newsletter.

Job Opportunities: New York State has setup a new job portal entitled Jobs Express, where thousands of private and public sector jobs are listed. Visit jobs.ny.gov for more information on how to apply for these opportunities.

As always, for the latest news or for upcoming events, please visit my office online, on Facebook, on Twitter, or my Times Union blog. If you would like to reach my office, please feel free to send us a note.

Sincerely ---

Pat