Pope Benedict XVI’s bombshell resignation could lead to the elevation of the first black pope, Cardinal Peter Turkson, who studied at St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer.

Here’s video of Pope Benedict’s reading his official resignation statement.

“Cardinal Dolan is the most appealing American candidate ever” to be pope, according to one church expert, but it’s unlikely he’ll be chosen – no matter what Rep. Michael Grimm says.

Would Gov. Andrew Cuomo back Dolan for pope? “He hasn’t asked for my endorsement,” the governor replied.

Ted Nugent, an outspoken critic of the president, will attend the State of the Union address as a guest of Republican Texas Rep. Steve Stockman.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver endorsed Julie Menin for Manhattan BP, while the UFT backed her rival, NYC Councilman Robert Jackson.

Bill Parment, a sixth-generation Chautauqua County resident who represented the state’s southwest corner in the Assembly for over 25 years, now lives in Ithaca.

Forms for pistol-permits owners to opt out of having their information public should be able starting on Feb. 15, State Police said today.

NYC City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the frontrunner in the race for mayor, called in her final State of the City address for a slew of ambitious programs to benefit the middle class, but  no new taxes to pay for them.

In January, the executive board of the Central Labor Council voted nearly unanimously for a resolution stating that its member unions would not make endorsements in the NYC mayoral Democratic primary until May.

The Senate Armed Services Committee plans to vote tomorrow on Chuck Hagel’s  nomination to be the next secretary of defense.

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi will call on the Legislature to allocate $17 million to swap out the engines on 10 of the Long Island Rail Road’s freight locomotives.

The League of Women Voters of NYS urged Cuomo to “push the pause button (on fracking) until a properly sequenced, open and deliberative review of health impacts is concluded.”

A group of New Jersey lawmakers suggests a “yes” on fracking from Cuomo would contribute to more damaging storms like Sandy.

Responding to homeowner complaints that tentative tax assessments rose despite Sandy damage, Mayor Bloomberg said the city will send someone to inspect property before the final assessments are published in May.

Bloomberg announced that 21 companies have voluntarily reduced the salt content in some of their products.

A Bloomberg-funded super PAC is about to surpass $1 million in ads in a House  special primary election in Illinois, lambasting former Democratic Rep. Debbie  Halvorson over her high marks from the NRA.

According to Michael Caputo, the long romance between Fred Dicker and Cuomo is kaput.

“(A)sked if he believed he had departed from his pro-Cuomo stance, Dicker rejected the notion he was a Cuomo friendly in the first place.”

Jimmy Vielkind writes: “Is this a permanent split, or a Dad’s-gonna-be-staying-at-a-hotel-for-a-few-nights-kids separation? We’ll know it’s the former if (1) Paladino comes on Dicker’s show tomorrow when he’s in Albany for a gun rights rally or (2) Cuomo goes on “The Capitol Connection” with WAMC’s Alan Chartock.”

Share|