It was an honor to join the Guilderland family of Lt. Col. Clark along with the family's friends, veterans, Senator George Amedore, Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy, and Guilderland Town Supervisor Kenneth Runion to commemorate the extraordinary service and ultimate sacrifice of the Lieutenant Colonel by renaming a portion of Route 146 as Lt. Col. Todd J. Clark Memorial Highway.

The highway renaming was a result of legislation I sponsored in the Assembly and Senator Amedore sponsored in the Senate. Governor Cuomo signed the bill on July 2, 2015.

Applications (CFAs) for state grants due Friday, July 31. The deadline for the next round (Round 5) of the Regional Economic Development Council grants is approaching within two weeks. The Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) is now available via the REDC website.

The deadline for the CFA is July 31, 2015. These grants have gone to assisting dozens of projects not only here in the Capital Region, but across the state, and we encourage community applications.

Nail salon legislation signed. Governor Cuomo has signed legislation on Thursday announcing an important new state task force to investigate other industries for worker abuses.

The bill will apply to manicurists, hair stylists and cosmetologists. For nail salons, the bill specifically authorizes officials to shut down unlicensed operators, while adding sex trafficking and compelling prostitution to the list of criminal convictions that prohibit licensing.

It requires manicurist trainees to obtain a certificate to work under a licensed nail practitioner.

Call (888) 469-7365 for Worker Exploitation, Wage and Workplace Violations.

Route 85 Reconstruction. Construction on sections of Route 85 is set to begin in August. Work will continue over a span of two years. Below is additional information on the project from the New York State Department of Transportation:

+ Overall project is from the Thruway (just outside the city border) to I-90. It will be a two-year project.

+ Signs will be installed the week of July 27 to alert motorists of the upcoming work. Some off-road work and staging of equipment also likely to begin that week.

+ Roughly two weeks later, we begin work on the segment between the Thruway and Western Avenue.

+ The work in that stretch will break up the old concrete and replace it with a new asphalt surface.

+ Traffic in this stretch (Thruway to Western Ave.) this year will be reduced to one lane in each direction while we’re working during daytime off-peak hours. Should be no traffic impacts during commuting times, except for the stretch past Krumkill Road toward the Thruway. Traffic volumes there drop by more than half (after Krumkill Road going toward Slingerlands).

+ Next year (2016), the stretch from Western Avenue to I-90 will be fully reconstructed with a new base and new asphalt. Work on this segment could begin in 2016 in the Spring as soon as the weather becomes OK.

+ During this work (2016), Route 85 will be reduced to one lane in each direction using a cross-over traffic pattern and concrete barriers. That configuration will remain in place until work in that stretch is completed.

+ Drainage work will occur throughout the entire project length — both this year and next year.

+ Repaving ramps also included in this project.

+ Up to three weekend closures of portions of Route 85 may be needed for removal of an overhead sign that spans the width of Route 85 (either later this year or in 2016) and during construction of crossovers (in 2016). Detours through the Harriman campus will be used during these closures.

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