Good evening, Capital Region and Hudson Valley. We’re wrapping up the day for you with some of the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.
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It will be cold and blustery Friday with a mix of sun with lake snow re-developing for parts of the Mohawk Valley and Adirondacks.
The weekend is looking cold and mainly quiet with highs in the 20s.
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Today’s Big Stories
1. Deep dive into new laws going into effect in New York state
Capital Tonight host Susan Arbetter offers an overview of the most consequential laws this year.
2. Keys to being mentally and physically healthier in the New Year
A new year means many of us will be making resolutions and being mentally and physically healthier is one of the most popular. But getting into the gym and focusing on health can be intimidating for those who are just getting started or just getting back into it.
3. Cities around the world welcome 2026 with thunderous fireworks and heightened security
From Sydney to Paris to New York City, crowds rang in the new year with exuberant celebrations filled with thunderous fireworks or light shows, while others took a more subdued approach.
4. Fire at Swiss Alpine resort bar during New Year’s celebration leaves dozens feared dead, 100 injured
A fire ripped through a bar’s New Year celebration in a Swiss Alpine resort less than two hours after midnight Thursday, with dozens of people feared dead and about 100 more injured, most seriously, police said.
5. New York minimum wage increasing again starting Jan. 1, 2026
The minimum wage in New York state is set to increase by 50 cents on Jan. 1, 2026. The state’s minimum wage will increase from $16.50 an hour to $17 per hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County. For the rest of the state, it will increase from $15.50 to $16 an hour.
6. Health experts urge older adults to stay ahead of illness with regular checkups
Preventative health care isn’t about treating an illness – it’s about preventing it. As we head into the New Year, health officials at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield are reminding people, especially those 65 and older, to get regular medical checkups.
In Case You Missed It
This Dictionary.com page shows the newest word of the year “6-7” on a computer screen, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
Respondents to an annual Michigan college survey of overused and misused words and phrases say ” 6-7 ” is “cooked” and should come to a massive full-stop heading into the new year.
Those are among the top 10 words on the 50th annual “Banished Words List,” released Thursday by Lake Superior State University. The tongue-in-cheek roundup of overused slang started in 1976 as a New Year’s Eve party idea, and is affectionately called the list of “Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.”