Major Disaster Declaration Secured by the State for Devastation Caused by Hurricane Beryl
Aug 30, 2024
Last month, severe storms barreled across the North Country, devastating parts of Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Yesterday, Governor Hochul announced her request to declare the situation a major disaster has been approved by President Biden, providing...
Blankenbush on Flooding Across District 117
Aug 10, 2024
“My Assembly District is towns and villages in Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida and St. Lawrence Counties. Although all counties had detrimental impacts from the most recent storm, this time St. Lawrence was hit the hardest, followed by Jefferson, Lewis and...
In The Wake of Devastating Storms, Volunteer Fire Departments Are More Important Than Ever
Jul 29, 2024
Over the past month, torrential storms and extreme weather have devastated Lewis County. Without the support of our volunteer fire departments across the county, the devastation could have been exponentially worse. This is a prime example of the importance...
Blankenbush Reacts to Prison Closures in New York
Jul 18, 2024
Today, President Summers and Executive Vice President Keough announced the closure of the Great Meadow Correctional Facility as well as the Sullivan Correctional Facility. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced these facilities...
The “Emergency Response” Standard Would Devastate Volunteer Fire Departments
Jul 12, 2024
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for creating rules and regulations to keep workers safe in private and public industries across all 50 states in the US. While good work is done to protect workers, the newly proposed...
Fun in the Sun!
Jun 24, 2024
Summer is finally here, and with it comes a slew of outdoor activities across our district. Up here in the North Country and the Mohawk Valley, our counties dotted with small villages are distinctly different from the rest of the state. From fantastic...
Blankenbush Pushes for EMS Proposals to Be Passed in Assembly
Jun 6, 2024
Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C-Black River) co-sponsored legislation that would authorize reimbursements to medical service agencies for providing emergency medical care to Medicaid enrollees. While five proposals like this have passed through the Senate,...
Legislative Session Reflection
Jun 5, 2024
Once again, June is here and the Assembly session has come to an end. I just returned to my home in Black River, and to my District office. As I return, I wanted to take the time to reflect on this legislative session.Over the past few months, I have...
Criminal Competency Complex
May 30, 2024
In New York, the process of competency restoration is used when an individual who is convicted of a crime is found to be incompetent to stand trial due to active mental illness or disability. In that case, the defendant cannot be tried until they have...
Memorial Day: A Day of Remembrance
May 23, 2024
On the last Monday of May, Americans across the nation get together to celebrate with their families; enjoying each other's company. While many Americans treat this day as a day of celebration, it should be treated equally as a day of remembrance. As...