Ilya Marritz

Chain stores extended their reach in New York City in 2010. A new survey finds the large retailers have increased the number of outlets by four percent from 2009, up to 6,595 total stores.

The term "fracking," short for hydraulic fracturing, has moved from an obscure type of natural gas extraction to an issue debated by environmentalists, government officials and movie stars. And recent action by outgoing New York Governor David Paterson placed the decision of how to regulate the practice in the hands of the next Governor, Andrew Cuomo.

The last three horse betting parlors in the city will close their doors Monday, after New York lawmakers failed to agree on a rescue plan for Off Track Betting.

About sixty betting parlors closed this week after New York state lawmakers failed to pass a rescue plan for New York City's financially troubled Off Track Betting Corporation. Just a few parlors have kept their doors open.

A multi-state agency with responsibility for keeping the Delaware River clean has proposed rules for natural gas drilling in areas north and west of New York City.

Now that New York City Off Track Betting is closed, those owed money by the bankrupt corporation are tallying their losses. 

Two controversial nuclear reactors north of New York City got a thumbs up from federal officials evaluating the likely environmental impact of keeping the reactors running into the 2030s.

Bulldozers and cranes have returned to many neighborhoods of New York, but the number of stalled construction projects continues to grow. A new report counts nearly 700 sites where builders have all the necessary permits, but are not putting shovels in the ground.

Governor Paterson says he hasn't decided whether to sign into a law a bill that would make New York the first state in the nation to temporarily ban a controversial natural gas drilling technique. Late Monday night, the Assembly in Albany voted by a wide margin to approve a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking.'

A vital lifeline for the jobless is starting to slip away. Extended unemployment benefits, running beyond the traditional 26 weeks, will end for millions of Americans if Congress does not approve additional funding.

Holiday shopping season doesn't begin in earnest until after Thanksgiving, but some people are getting an early start at Union Square, where the holiday market opened a week earlier than usual.

Unemployment dipped slightly in New York City last month, as all five boroughs saw job growth.

Since the beginning of the year, New York City has added 34,000 private sector jobs. But some industries are lagging -- among them couriers and messengers. In leaner times, delivery businesses are slimming down and innovating to stay afloat.

Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo is signalling he won't approve the use of a controversial gas drilling technique until he's seen "bona fide" studies showing it can be done safely.