Steve Hughes is reporting for the Times Union a lawsuit has been filed against Albany Medical Center, based on allegations of racial and political bias at the health facility. Albany Med fired Jamaica Miles, a local community activist, as well as two executives who played a role in hiring her, less than a month after she joined the staff. Hospital executives had expressed concerns about Miles' political views and outspoken advocacy, according to the lawsuit filed this week in state Supreme Court in Albany. According to the lawsuit. Miles was hired earlier this year to serve as Albany Med's director of community engagement. She is a Schenectady-based activist involved in racial and social justice protests throughout the Capital Region, an active member of the Working Families Party and a member of the Schenectady City School Board. Her hiring was part of a renewed commitment the hospital was pushing to engage with communities of color. But once top officials at the hospital learned of Miles' selection for the position, they moved to dismiss her, citing "extreme political views," according to the lawsuit filed by Miles and Laura Liebman, the hospital's former assistant vice president of advancement, who also was terminated. James Kellerhouse, the hospital foundation's vice president for philanthropy and chief development officer, was also fired, but is not a party to the lawsuit. Miles and Liebman’s complaint alleges the hospital and its leadership, including CEO Dr. Dennis McKenna and Dr. Vincent Verdile, dean emeritus at the hospital's medical college, violated the state's human rights and labor laws by dismissing them. The lawsuit also alleges racial bias. Albany Med issued a statement defending its actions and denied it fired Miles for any of the reasons included in the complaint. "Albany Med recently made personnel changes in its development department that had nothing at all to do with the race of any employee," the statement reads. "Albany Med is a bridge builder. We are caregivers and unifiers, bringing together diverse populations for the betterment of all. Albany Med is proud of our diverse workforce, which is reflective of the community we serve, and we are committed to the highest standards of equality and fairness in employment opportunities for all." Miles declined to comment beyond what is in the lawsuit. "Everything that needs to be said is within the filings of the court documents," she said. Read more in the Times Union.

Noah Eckstein is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Hudson Planning Board has approved the site plan for Upper Depot Brewing Co. at 708 State Street. The Upper Depot Brewing Co. is slated to open this summer or fall. Brewery cofounder Montgomery Bopp said, “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but we are pushing to get open for as much of the summer as possible.” The opening depends on receiving a certificate of occupancy and having the equipment that is needed up and working. The Galvan Foundation owns the property where the brewing company will be located. In 2019, Bopp, 34, and his business partner Aaron Maas, 32, signed a five-year lease with the Galvan Foundation. “We hope to be there for 10 years at least,” Bopp said. Both men have committed to keeping the ingredients for their beer as locally sourced as possible. Maas, a resident of Stockport, said they will obtain grain from Germantown and hops from a farm in Kinderhook. When the brewery opens, it will operate as a tasting room and there are also plans to collaborate with the city to hold live music events. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Patricia Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman former state Sen. Jen Metzger has added her name to the list of Democrats who have declared their intention to run for Ulster County executive, should Pat Ryan win election to Congress. Metzger, from Rosendale, now sits on the state Cannabis Control Board. She announced her candidacy in a tweet May 25, stating: “Should Pat Ryan represent us in Congress, I will run for Ulster County executive. The opportunities for our county to be a model of a people-centered, sustainable economy are incredibly exciting, and I would welcome the chance to bring my experience to this important job.” County Comptroller March Gallagher and Deputy County Executive Marc Rider have also announced their plan to seek the Democratic Party endorsement to become county executive if Ryan is elected to Congress. Gallagher announced her candidacy almost immediately after Ryan announced his plans. In her statement, she said she has worked with the executive and Legislature to implement “important changes” in county government. Ulster County Democratic Elections Commissioner Ashley Dittus said that under state election law, the parties will choose who will be on the ballot for the special election at party conventions. No Republicans have yet announced their plan to run for county executive. Ryan is running in a special Aug. 23 election against Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro for the 19th congressional district seat vacated by now lieutenant governor Antonio Delgado. The winner of the special election will serve in Congress through the end of the year. If Ryan wins, a second special election would be held, this one in late December to fill the remainder of Ryan’s term as county executive, which expires Dec. 31, 2023. Win or lose in August, Ryan will run again in November for election to the newly drawn 18th congressional district, and Molinaro will run in November for in the newly drawn 19th congressional district. But if Ryan loses in August and wins in November, he would remain county executive through the end of December and a special election would be held in April to fill the remainder of his term. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

ProPublica takes a deep dive into the rollout of 5G wireless technology and how that affected airplanes. The Federal Aviation Administration objected to the Federal Communications Commission’s authorization of 5G networks near airports, but the story paints both agencies as incompetent industry toadies. There is no problem with the 5G technology, but with the altimeters of planes. They are often older, and not designed for our new digital world with more radio signals whizzing all around. The FAA was concerned that altimeters on planes, used in automated aircraft landings, would accidentally receive 5G radio signals, and not give pilots proper readings. Aviation experts warned of “catastrophic failures leading to multiple fatalities," the story says. In January, an agreement was struck, with Verizon and AT&T temporarily not turning on more than 600 5G transmission towers near the runways of 87 airports and reducing the power of others. ProPublica trace the entire story revealing "profound failures" at the FCC. On July 5 the temporary agreement expires, but aviation officials say it would take at two years to replace the older altimeters. "The rhetoric of the FCC chief is almost identical to that of the industry she regulates. As recently as last month, Jessica Rosenworcel, the Biden-appointed FCC chair, dismissed aviation concerns as, in effect, a shakedown — a ploy to get telecom companies to fund a nationwide upgrade of airplane equipment," the story says. Even if another agreement is struck in July, "T-Mobile and other wireless companies are approved to roll out additional 5G service at the end of 2023, using a C-band frequency even closer to the one used by the airplane safety equipment," ProPublica reports. “The wireless companies have made it very clear they’re not going to agree to an open-ended situation,” one FAA official told ProPublica. “They seem willing to go past July 5, as long as they know how far past. But they’re making clear their patience is not infinite.” Click here to read the entire ProPublica story.

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Thomas Franck reports for CNBC that New York-based Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer failed to pass legislation introduced after the mass shooting of Blacks at a grocery store in Buffalo, two days after a mass shooting of elementary school children in Texas. Schumer "pleaded with his Republican colleagues on Wednesday to consider the bill," Franck wrote, but to no avail. The vote on the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act was 47-47, with the Senate's odd rules favoring the minority by requiring 60 votes to pass the legislation. On May 18 the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the bill 222-203 with Democrats Paul Tonko, Sean Maloney, and Antonio Delgado on the record in favor, and Republican Elise Stefanik voting against. Delgado did not actually vote for the bill, as he turned over his vote on May 10 to Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse, claiming he was "unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency." Delgado resigned May 25 to become New York's lieutenant governor, without announcing any COVID-19 infection. While Schumer was ineffective in passing legislation to slow the spate of mass shootings, on May 25 he did block a Republican bill he said, that "could see more guns in schools." The Luke and Alex School Safety Act that Schumer blocked was about collecting data to increase the presence of law enforcement on school campuses. "The truth: There were officers at the school in Texas," Schumer tweeted. "The shooter got past them. We need real solutions—We will vote on gun legislation starting with the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act." And that vote failed. Read more about this story at the CNBC website.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that on May 25, a federal court turned back a legal challenge to a New York law that makes it easier to bring lawsuits against gun manufacturers. "As we mourn the deaths of 19 innocent children lost to gun violence in Uvalde and the countless more in Buffalo and across America every day, this is a moment of light and hope. New York is proud to defend the right to impose reasonable gun restrictions that protect all of us," said New York Attorney General Letitia James. "As public officials, we were elected to solve problems and address the needs of the people. Prayers alone will no longer do, and cowardliness is not part of the job description. New York will always lead, and I urge others with a backbone to follow.” But the celebration will most likely be short, as the radical Supreme Court is expected to soon strike down New York's strict conceal gun carry provision. Gov. Kathy Hochul said on May 25 that she would call a special legislative session this summer to address the ruling if the law is overturned. In the final weeks of New York's current legislative session, Democrats are expected to tighten the state's red flag law meant to keep guns away from people deemed to be a danger. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Emilie Munson in the Times Union tracks the 76 school shooting incidents since 1971 in New York. That number comes from the Advanced Thinking in Homeland Security program at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Security and Defense, which counts a school shooting incident "when a gun is brandished, is fired, or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time of day, or day of week." By that definition, there have been four shootings at New York schools this year, in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Buffalo, and Mount Vernon. Of the known cases since 1971, 33 of the perpetrators were between 13 and 17 years old, and four were 18 years old, and eight were 21 years of age or older. Handguns were used in most of these incidents, with rifles used in four cases. "The 76 incidents produced 97 victims, most of them male students who were wounded. In nearly all the incidents, one or two people was injured or killed," Munson writes. FBI records say there were ten active shooter incidents in New York from 2000 to 2019. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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Luke Parsnow is reporting for Spectrum News the Antonio Delgado was sworn in as lieutenant governor on May 25, becoming Gov. Kathy Hochul’s second in command and the state’s third lieutenant governor in less than a year. The former Democratic congressman replaces Brian Benjamin who resigned in April following his indictment on bribery and fraud charges. Delgado was selected by Hochul to fill the vacancy earlier this month. “We have enough politicians. We really do. What we need are more public servants," Delgado said, adding that the work he's done in Congress "is work of unity." Delgado was born in Schenectady attended Colgate University and eventually graduated from Harvard Law School. He leaves the 19th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives without representation. "I am incredibly humbled, beyond words, and truly grateful to be your partner, Gov. Hochul, and every New Yorker around this journey," Delgado said. Going forward, Delgado will face two opponents in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, less than a month from now. He is running against activist Ana Maria Archila and New York City Council member Diana Reyna. Hochul is also looking to prevail in her primary contests over former New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi [SWAH-zee]. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately in primary elections, which will be held June 28. In August, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat, faces Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican, in a special election, to serve the remainder of Delgado's term. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Larry Parnass is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle that school officials in Pittsfield, MA., have announced they will postpone drills previously scheduled to take place this week to help students and staff prepare to respond to violent intruders. The decision was made "out of respect to the lives lost" in the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on May 24. Superintendent Joseph Curtis said drills had been planned for four city schools, as part of ongoing safety training, and will now be moved to early June. “Today’s horrific tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, provides a stunning reminder to all of us on how precious life is and how deeply troubled members of our society are,” Curtis wrote in the message, sent to the school community hours after the shooting. The school department is making counselors available to students who are having traumatic reactions to news of the Texas shootings. In that incident 19 children and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old man who entered an elementary school. Curtis urged parents and guardians to monitor their children’s exposure to news coverage of the attack, as well as their online activity, and to be alert to signs that they may be overwhelmed by feelings of grief, panic or sadness. The message offered updates on steps the city is taking to protect the schools from intruders, including the drills held recently. The schools have been investing in technology that promotes communication. Curtis cited new security systems that include cameras able to instantly alert police and school department leaders to emergencies. The superintendent said that every educator and administrator is equipped with a radio that enables them to communicate the presence of threats. Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

The Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition has announced that Bliss Towers residents in Hudson, will officially receive the $65,000 in back rent owed over the pandemic on May 27. The donation was made by an anonymous donor through the coalition. Quintin Cross and Claire Cousin will deliver a ceremonial check to the residents in front of Bliss Towers at 41 N 2nd Street at 2:30 p.m. Claire Cousin, coalition executive director, said in a statement, "People deserve support with no questions asked. We know that the pandemic created brand new and unconventional barriers in our community. We want to see people happy and housed. That was our goal, and it is a blessing to provide this opportunity of relief to our community." Following the announcement on May 27, there will be a cookout and activities for Bliss residents and members of the community.

Inside Radio reports that National Public Radio host Terry Gross won this year's Peabody Institutional Award. Gross started in radio in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo. In 1975 she moved to WHYY in Philadelphia as producer and host of Fresh Air, which was then a local, daily interview and music program. In 1985, WHYY expanded a weekly half-hour edition of the show nationally by NPR. "Fresh Air" became a daily, one-hour in 1987. The show became the first non-drive time show in public radio history to reach more than five million listeners weekly in the fall of 2008. The video above includes Stephen Colbert introducing Gross for the award.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that after two recent mass shootings targeting Black grocery shoppers in Buffalo and elementary school children in Texas, Gov. Kathy Hochul is not proposing to ban sales of AR-15 semiautomatic weapons in New York. But she does want to limit sales to those 21-years-old and above. "How does an 18-year-old purchase an AR-15 in the state of New York?" Hochul said from the New York State Intelligence Center in Rensselaer County where she attended a meeting on the interstate flow of illegal guns. "That person is not old (enough) to buy a legal drink. I want to work with the Legislature to change that." The Federal Assault Weapons Ban restricted the sale of the AR-15 in the United States from 1994 to 2004. But since then they are legal in this country, and the number of deaths from mass shootings has skyrocketed in the United States. Both of the shooters in Buffalo and Texas were 18-years-old. "This is something we have been discussing and we have always been supportive of this idea and would certainly be in favor of moving forward," said Mike Murphy, a spokesperson for the state Senate Majority Leader's office, about raising the legal age for purchasing the military-style weapons. But the language of such a bill will need to be carefully written, as in March a federal court deemed California's ban on people under 21 buying semiautomatic weapons unconstitutional. Hochul suggested that New York lawmakers may also take other steps to address the numerous mass shootings. "We will do more and I will not sleep at night until I know that everything has been done humanly possible to protect New Yorkers and to help them heal," Hochul said. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that State Police troopers are being sent to New York schools from now until the end of the year to conduct daily check-ins after an 18-year-old murdered 19 children and two adults at a Texas elementary school on May 24. The next day Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the police visits to schools. "I want parents who have enough to worry about in their daily lives — the cost of gas at the pump, the cost of groceries, maybe putting aside money — they have enought to worry about. Let them know the State Police and local law enforcement are there to protect them," Hochul said. But parents may worry if they read the news about the Texas shooting, because a school resource officer was at that school but failed to stop his murderous rampage. "What will it take to put a stop to these hateful, sickening acts of violence?" said Andy Pallotta, the president of the New York State United Teachers labor organization. "Our schools must be a safe place for all. As we mourn those who have lost their lives, we must also stand up and demand better for children, for parents, for educators and for communities across the nation." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

On Twitter May 24, after an 18-year-old murdered 19 children and two adults at an elementary school, local politicians offered fewer "thoughts and prayers" than at most mass shootings, and instead offered vague calls for "action." Both of the candidates for the special election for the 19th Congressional District seat used that word. "Ten days ago we saw a horrific, racist act of gun violence at a grocery store in Buffalo and today we have yet another mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas. We need REAL action to #EndGunViolence and we need REAL leaders with a backbone to say enough is enough," Democrat Pat Ryan Tweeted. His Republican opponent, Marc Molinaro, Tweeted a similar message. "It is heartbreakingly clear we need action where our words have failed and consensus where contention has divided us. I believe we all have a role to play in finding solutions and rise to the challenge," Molinaro wrote. Neither offered anything specific. Other politicians were even more vague. Rep. Antonio Delgado, who resigned May 25 from the 19th Congressional District office, Tweeted, "My heart is breaking for the parents, loved ones, fellow students, teachers, and every single person affected by the horrific and tragic shooting in Uvalde. Our kids should feel safe and secure when they go to school, to the grocery store, to the movies. We need change now." Republican Assemblymember Chris Tague, who represents Greene County and 102nd District, did not call for any action at all. "Tonight the hearts of all New Yorkers and all Americans are with the victims, families and first responders of the horrible tragedy that occurred today in Uvalde, Texas," Tague Tweeted.

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Kathleen Moore is reporting for the Times Union that the state Education Department on May 24 canceled the Regents exam in U.S. history and government, saying content in the test could add to the trauma students experienced following the Buffalo shooting. The test had already been printed and students were scheduled to sit for the exam on June 1. In a letter posted on the state Education Department website, Commissioner Betty Rosa wrote that although the exam’s content was “educationally sound” it was reviewed in the wake of the mass shooting and that experts determined some of the content could potentially compound student trauma. Rosa wrote, “While developed by NYS-certified social studies teachers more than two years ago and field-tested to confirm that the exam's content is educationally sound, the tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment.” Department spokesperson Emily DeSantis later issued a statement that suggested one question was involved. She wrote, "...[I]t is not appropriate to administer the exam with a question that could compound the grief and hardship faced by our school communities.” At the June 2022 Board of Regents meeting, the board will consider granting an exemption to allow students to graduate without taking the exam, DeSantis said. Read the full story in the Times Union.