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Lakes to Locks Passage shines light on local ‘hidden gems’

More than 600 local travel suggestions have been submitted to the Lakes to Locks Passage website, www.lakestolocks.com.

The submissions are just in time for the summer travel season and the site is co-branded with National Geographic. It emphasizes travel and tourism opportunities that are submitted by local residents and locally-owned business owners.

The national advertising and marketing campaign is promoting the Lakes to Locks Passage that stretches from Albany to Quebec, along the interconnected waterway of the Hudson River, Champlain Canal, Lake George and Lake Champlain and includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Washington, Warren, Essex and Clinton counties. 

“This website shines a spotlight on the region’s hidden gems, those places that provide local character to a destination. It is exciting to see the local commitment to delivering a distinctive travel experience,” said Executive Director Janet Kennedy.

Aqua Ducks to meet Kayak Flotilla

ALBANY - On Tuesday, May 15, the Albany Aqua Ducks head out to Splashdown into the Hudson River to lead a flotilla that will be welcoming renowned British expeditionary Richard Harpham and adventurer/photographer Glen Charles.

The two kayakers are traveling 500 miles from Buffalo's historic Erie Canal Harbor to the Statue of Liberty, a journey that began on May 1 and ends on May 21. They are kayacking along the Erie Canal and through its 36 locks.

The two men arre carrying a container of water from the canal that they will pur into the Hudson River, symbolically linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

 

NY landowners assert right to frack for gas

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A coalition of upstate New York landowners seeking to lease land for natural gas drilling is pressing state officials to consider the rights of property owners as they make decisions on shale gas development.
    
The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York is at the Capitol Wednesday to present a "Declaration of Rights." Coalition leader Dan Fitzsimmons says landowners' rights are being trampled by those with "extreme political agendas." He referred to groups seeking a ban on high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which injects chemically treated water into wells to release gas from shale.
    
The industry and environmental groups have stepped up lobbying in Albany as the Legislature considers bills including one to ban fracking. The Department of Environmental Conservation may decide in coming months whether to allow the technology.

Super moon over Albany skyline

Super moon over Albany skyline

Paul Bourdeau took this weather photo at the Guilderland/Duanesburg town line. He captured the super moon in a photo of the Albany skyline.

If you have a weather photo you would like to send to NewsChannel 13 please send the photo, your name and where the photo was taken.

It could end up on a News Café site.

 

Schenectady and Albany counties to partner for free energy workshops

Schenectady and Albany counties will partner together to host free energy workshops for businesses and non-profits that will provide information to reduce energy use and annual energy costs.

The workshops will be held in Schenectady County on May 8 from 7:30 until 9 a.m. at The Stockade Inn and in Albany County on May 9 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Albany County Office Building.

DEC announces new recreational fishing regulations

DEC announces new recreational fishing regulations

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation new recreational fishing regulations are now effective for summer flounder (fluke), scup (porgy) and black sea bass.

The new regulations are less restrictive than current rules and specify changes to minimum size limit, possession limit and open season for all three species.

"These regulation changes reflect improvements to populations of scup, black sea bass and summer flounder," said DEC Assistant Commissioner for Natural Resources, Kathy Moser in a statement. "The scup population is particularly robust at this time, and we encourage anglers to get out on the water and enjoy the increased opportunity for anglers to bring home freshly caught fish."

Below are new regulations from the DEC.

Summer Flounder: The new regulations include a 4-fish possession limit, a 19.5-inch minimum size limit and a May 1 through September 30 open season.

State of the Air 2012

Good news today from the American Lung Association's annual State of the Air report.

18 of the 25 most polluted cities that have made the yearly list due to ozone are showing improvement this year.

They include Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and San Diego.

The nation's cleanest city to breathe in, according to this report, is Santa Fe, New Mexico.

To check out how your area fared, CLICK HERE.