Category: News

Just two days after Delta Air Lines offered $30,000 to each passenger aboard the flight that crashed and flipped in Toronto earlier this week, the airline is now confronting its first two lawsuits related to the incident and more could be on the way. The flight, operated by Delta, was carrying 76 passengers when the CRJ-900 aircraft crash-landed on Monday after noon. If all passengers accept Delta’s compensation offer, the airline will pay out approximately $2.3 million in total. However, one Texas-based passenger has already filed a lawsuit, arguing that the offer doesn’t adequately account for the physical and emotional trauma he endured. In his lawsuit, filed on Friday, the passenger described being “drenched in jet fuel,” which he claims caused emotional distress and mental anguish. He also reported suffering significant injuries to his head, neck, back, knees, and face. The crash resulted in 21 people being hospitalized, though Delta CEO Ed Bastian confirmed on Thursday that all have since been released. In an effort to address misinformation circulating online, Delta also released additional details about the flight’s crew. The company clarified that both the captain and first officer are fully certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Under international aviation treaties, passengers injured on international flights are entitled to up to $200,000 in compensation, but this amount can increase if the airline is found negligent. Passengers have up to two years to file lawsuits under these regulations. Investigations are underway and inconclusive what protocols were breached to lead to such an error landing. Once those findings come out Delta can be sure to expect more lawsuits.

A new multimedia exhibition at HVCC explores daily commutes as more than routine travel. “How We Get Here,” currently on display in the Teaching Gallery of the Administration Building, examines movement, memory, and personal experience through various artistic mediums. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Student Art League, Graphic Design Club, and Darkroom Club, featuring works in inkjet print, photography, video, and spoken word poetry. The works in this exhibition draw from a range of influences, from classic advertising to personal travel experiences and the routines of daily transit. The Graphic Design Club reimagines the Volkswagen Beetle ads of the 1960s, using nostalgia and consumer culture to reflect on modern commuting.

Some artists focus on other details that they notice during their commute, while others take a documentary-style approach, capturing the realities of students making their way to campus each day. Coordinated by Student Art League members A.J. Robert and Sara-Anne Blackwell, the exhibition includes contributions from a range of student artists with support from faculty advisors across departments. Participants include Student Art League co-presidents Mathias Mojallali and Perci Denley, Graphic Design Club president Aujai Tomlinson, and Darkroom Club president Ava DelVecchio, among others. “How We Get Here” is open to the public from February 6 to March 1. The Teaching Gallery hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. More information is available at http://www.hvcc.edu/teachinggallery.

The city that never sleeps is also the second city with the worst traffic in the world right behind Istanbul. New York City was ranked the worst city for traffic congestion for the second year in a row.
Manhattan being the borough where most of the traffic issues stem from. On Tuesday February 4, around 497,966 vehicles were accounted for in the city. Dreading traffic is a universal New Yorker experience. Reducing the overbearing traffic issue has always been something in the works and being optimized constantly. President Donald Trump had his administration order a stop on congestion pricing tolls in New York City. A nine-dollar toll on cars is imposed through a license reader. Most of these tolls are for vehicles entering Manhattan from South of Central Park on weekdays.

Though taxpayers’ money does go out to the roads we drive on and still get tolled for it. Should tolls be lowered or terminated completely. Should we continue to fund the MTA? Should the money go to highways? This passed Tuesday 2.19, Trump took to social media with “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York is SAVED.” Shortly after the announcement, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority filed a federal lawsuit to keep congestion pricing alive. Showing its effectiveness decreased congestion
by 9%. Gov. Kathy Hochul says the tolls will continue. The dispute is fluid and still being
held up in court. Hochul and the MTA are working on the city’s future and its controversial congestion pricing plan.

January 2025 is now officially the hottest January ever recorded, continuing a trend of rising global temperatures. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the month’s average temperature was 55.8°F, making it 3.1°F warmer than pre-industrial levels. This marks the 18th out of the last 19 months where global temperatures have surpassed the 1.5-degree warming threshold set by the Paris Agreement. What makes this record stand out is that it happened despite La Niña, a weather pattern that typically brings cooler temperatures. Instead, much of the world saw significant warming. Canada, Alaska, Siberia, South America, Africa, and Australia all experienced unusually high temperatures. Meanwhile, parts of the U.S., Russia, and Southeast Asia recorded colder-than-average conditions, showing the complexity of cli
mate patterns. Europe also felt the heat. It was the second warmest January ever recorded there, with southern and eastern Europe seeing temperatures more than 4°F above average. In contrast, regions like Iceland, the U.K., and northern France experienced colder-than-normal weather.

Scientists had expected 2025 to be cooler than last year due to La Niña’s influence, but so far, that hasn’t been the case. The Arctic, in particular, saw extreme temperature spikes, with
some areas hitting 54°F above normal. While these individual records may seem like outliers, experts say they are part of a much bigger trend of increasing global temperatures. In the U.S., January was colder than usual in many places, but that doesn’t mean global warming is slowing
down. A colder month in one region doesn’t change the overall upward trend in global temperatures. Data from the National Centers for Environmental Information shows that January’s global surface temperature was 2.4°F
above the 20th-century average, making it the
warmest January in recorded history. Looking ahead, there is a 7% chance that 2025 could end up being the hottest year ever. While that number may seem small, the fact that it is even a possibility says a lot about global warming.
With record-breaking months becoming
more frequent, climate experts urge for continued research, policy action, and global cooperation to slow the trend. January 2025 is another reminder that climate change is an ongoing issue with real-time impacts around the world.

Anyone who lives in a relatively urban area can tell you just how important public transportation is. Big city, small city, either one, public transportation is one of the key elements of traditional urban life. A few weeks ago, Carm Basile was revealed to be the new senior advisor for Park Strategies, a company that specializes in helping small businesses achieve their objectives. Basiles is looking to be a good fit for the job of Park Strategies, as Carm Basile has a lengthy history as the CEO of CDTA, a public-benefit company that directed and managed countless
public transportation related projects within the Capital District of New York State (You see their buses just about everywhere in the area!). Carm was a major part of the company for over four decades, leaping from regional bus operator to chief executive for fifteen years until late 2024. It is hard to deny the positive impact Basile had on
the company, overseeing the company even as it was named Best Mid-Sized Transit System in North America by the American Public Transit Association.

Basile’s extensive experience in the vast world of corporate directing and management granted to him by his time in CDTA will surely prove to be more than helpful for Park Strategies, whose entire company is about, well, business. According to Park Strategies’ official website, they assist a multitude of businesses with government relations, association management, and more, as well as offering insight and advice to smaller businesses via their business consulting services-all things that Carm Basile has no doubt dealt with a plethora of times in his past with CDTA. You don’t need to use much imagination to see how a public transport company like CDTA would have experience in those fields. Hopefully Basile’s expertise will prove to be as helpful for Park Strategies as most would expect.

Amazon is moving forward with plans to build a 3.2 million-square-foot distribution center in Montgomery County, near a New York State Thruway exit. The proposed facility, which
would be one of the largest warehouses in the state, is expected to bring jobs and economic growth to the region, but it also raises concerns about traffic, environmental impact, and long-term community effects. The project site is in the town of Florida, just off Exit 28 of the Thruway.
While Amazon has not officially confirmed the development, multiple reports state that the company is negotiating to purchase more than 200 acres of land for the facility. If approved, the
warehouse would serve as a major distribution hub, handling goods for Amazon’s growing logistics network. Local officials and business leaders see the project as a major economic opportunity. Montgomery County Executive Matthew Ossenfort called the potential development “a game-changer,” citing the promise of job creation and increased tax revenue. Similar Amazon warehouses in other parts of New York have created thousands of jobs, ranging from warehouse staff to management positions. Supporters argue that this facility could provide much-needed employment opportunities for residents and boost local businesses.

However, not everyone is on board. Residents and community groups have raised concerns about the impact of such a massive facility. One major issue is traffic. With thousands of trucks and delivery vehicles expected to move in and out of the warehouse daily, local roads and Thruway access points could see increased congestion. Some fear this could lead to safety hazards and higher maintenance costs for
infrastructure. Environmental concerns are also at the forefront. Large-scale warehouses require significant energy use, and the increased truck traffic could contribute to air pollution. Local activists are calling for thorough environmental
impact studies before any final approvals are granted. Despite the concerns, the project is still in the early stages. Amazon would need to go through multiple layers of local and state approvals before construction can begin. This includes zoning changes, environmental reviews,
and negotiations with local government officials.
If the plan moves forward, it will mark another major expansion of Amazon’s footprint in New York. The company already operates several fulfillment centers across the state, including in Schodack and Liverpool. These facilities have played a role in Amazon’s broader strategy of speeding up delivery times for customers. As discussions continue, Montgomery County residents will be watching closely. The project has the potential to reshape the local economy, but questions remain about how it will affect daily life. Public meetings and hearings in the coming months will give the community a chance to weigh in on what could be one of the biggest developments in the area’s history.