Today's daily news update.

A staff member at Cairo-Durham Middle/High School tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the school district announced Nov. 23. Grades 6-12 will shift to a remote learning schedule on Nov. 24. The individual was last in school on November 20. Students in grades Pre-K-through Grade 5 will continue in-person learning. The district is working with the the Greene County Department of Health. "Once the contact tracing is complete, the District will be able to make a decision on when in-person classes will resume for Grades 6-12," a message on the Cairo-Durham schools website read.

MidHudson News is reporting attorneys for neighbors of the Cricket Valley Energy Center in Dutchess County have filed an amended complaint renewing their call for the facility to be shut down. Attorneys Josh Douglass and Michael Sussman have updated their case, requesting a New York court issue an injunction to stop operations at the controversial power plant in Dover Plains until an environmental impact study can be completed. They filed the papers in March, but Cricket Valley owners never responded. Then COVID-19 hit, causing the court system to shut down. Douglass said new evidence has surfaced prompting the updated suit. "... By seeking to enjoin the unneeded Cricket Valley Energy Center...from emitting highly toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens, we hope to protect our clients and others who are similarly situated. That some have invested in harmful technology and now seek to justify continued operation through their need to recoup investment, we respond, the gig is up and your fraudulent misrepresentations should come back to haunt each of you,” Sussman said. According to Food and Water Watch, the $1.5 billion, 1,110 megawatt Cricket Valley facility would be a major new source of air pollution in the Harlem Valley, where hundreds of tons of nitrogen oxides and sulfuric acid would stay trapped. The environmental watchdog says the plant will emit six million tons of greenhouse gases every year. Read more at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a November 22 letter to top Washington lawmakers, Congress must act to extend and expand support for people who have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. He urged them to take up a package of measures meant to extend the pandemic-related unemployment programs set to expire at the end of the year. "Congress moved decisively this spring to address the economic impacts of the pandemic and should once again take action before the calendar year ends to bring badly needed support to millions of struggling Americans," Cuomo wrote. He is calling for action on supplemental benefits for individuals, as well as support for state and local governments and more. New York's unemployment rate has recovered since a double-digit percentage rate in April, but has slowed in recent weeks. The Department of Labor announced last week the state's unemployment rate hovered just under 10 percent in both September and October. The state has paid out $55 billion in unemployment benefits to 3.8 million New Yorkers since the start of the pandemic. It is not clear when or if Congress will act on any relief package before the end of the year. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

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Anyone who heard any of the local COVID-19 headlines over the weekend should be concerned. The City of Hudson issued a stay-at-home order on Nov. 19 after 15 residents contracted COVID-19 between October 30 and November 13. That's about 20 percent of all cases in Hudson since the beginning of the pandemic. The city of Hudson “strongly advises residents to stay inside their homes and avoid interaction with people outside their household,” and to avoid traveling except for work, school, or essential needs. Two students and two teachers tested positive for COVID-19 in the Taconic Hills School District last week, and the Germantown Central School District is going all remote this week. Also, the Bank of Greene County branches in Hudson and Greenport have closed because of a positive COVID-19 case. And Greene County health officials reported that two people who ate at the Barnwood Restaurant in Catskill between 12:30 and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, have tested positive for coronavirus. There were three more COVID-19 cases announced Nov. 22 in Columbia County. There were 97 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Albany County Nov. 22. Now, the coronavirus rate in the Capital Region is above three percent, which is when the state moves an area into the 'yellow zone' range with additional restrictions. If the rate stays above three percent for nine straight days, the state will push the region into the so-called "yellow zone" where schools would have to randomly test 20 percent of all people on campus weekly, limit restaurant dining to four people per table, cut religious services to 50 percent of capacity, and limit mass gathering to 25 people. As the holidays approach, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is worried. “You could see our whole scale change by the time this is over," Cuomo said. "I would not be shocked if they said on Jan. 10, Jan. 15, we’re up at 7, 8, 9, 10 percent. That could very easily happen if we are irresponsible. It could even be higher if we are irresponsible. It’s purely a function of what we do.”

Aliya Schneider is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the union representing police officers in the city of Hudson has agreed to a request from Mayor Kamal Johnson to waive raises in the coming year, among other requests in a cost-saving gesture. The union signed the memorandum of agreement on November 20, Johnson said. The union agreed to three requests: forgoing a1.5 percent raise, forgoing uniform allowances for the year and discontinuing take-home cars for off-duty officers. The Civil Service Employees Association early last week declined a similar request, refusing to skip its scheduled 2.5 percent raises for 2021, Johnson said. “Right off the bat, with the raises, we’re looking at $40,000 (savings for 2021),” Johnson said. “It’s also a good message to the city to say the police union is willing to work with the city given the finances. They have been extremely helpful in this process.” Ed. note: Johnson is a WGXC volunteer on-air programmer. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Jill Konopka is reporting for WNYT-TV as a line of cars pulled up to the Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School in Hudson, early November 21, volunteers and teachers worked to fill each car with donated desks, earbuds, books and more, all provided by the Hudson Literacy Fund. The items were provided to students learning remotely, who are without a desk at home. Ann Israel, a Hudson Literacy Fund Board member, said Staples was a great partner to help pull the project off. "The gratitude was incredible because this will change things for children because it's so hard to do remote teaching/learning to begin with and this really will change things," said Israel. The Hudson Literacy Fund's all-volunteer board is made up of teachers, community members, authors and literacy specialists. The Fund supports a variety of initiatives, including the Thumbs Up reading program, the Hudson School Libraries Enrichment Program, The Young Writers Competition and more. [Read more at wnyt dot} com.

Peter Flierl is reporting for The Columbia Paper New Lebanon Town Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling recently shared with the town's Business and Economic Development Committee that sales tax revenues for the third quarter of 2020 were up $144,000, way ahead of the same period in 2019 and 2018. Michael Tucker, president of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, and Jeff Hunt, former president and CEO of the county Chamber of Commerce, were credited for success countywide and Columbia County doing better than most other counties statewide. It was reported that 80 homes were for sale in New Lebanon in early 2020 and 50 were sold, which is driving up business in construction and remodeling, boosting businesses offering excavating, landscaping, fuel, heating and cooling systems. At the meeting Chairman Monte Wasch and committee members received copies of the New Lebanon Business Directory, a comprehensive listing of businesses in New Lebanon now available to the general public. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Today's daily news update.

The alarming local COVID-19 statistics keep piling up. Health officials in Columbia County announced nine new cases there on Nov. 21. There were 112 new coronavirus cases reported Nov. 21 in Albany County, and 24 new cases of COVID-19 in Rensselaer County. Dutchess County reported two more deaths and Ulster County reported one new death on Nov. 21. The City of Hudson issued a stay-at-home order on Nov. 19 after 15 residents contracted COVID-19 between October 30 and November 13. That's about 20 percent of all cases in Hudson since the beginning of the pandemic. The city of Hudson “strongly advises residents to stay inside their homes and avoid interaction with people outside their household,” and to avoid traveling except for work, school, or essential needs. Traveling to school, though, may not be safe, as two students and two teachers tested positive for COVID-19 in the Taconic Hills School District this week, and the Germantown Central School District is going all remote next week. Also, the Bank of Greene County branches in Hudson and Greenport have closed because of a positive COVID-19 case. The Times Union reports there is a local memorial for the over 250,000 Americans who have died from coronavirus, with cars planned to circle the state Capitol starting at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 23. The Poor People's Campaign is organizing the events that are taking place across the country. In Albany, caravan participants will gather at 1:30 p.m. at 34 Hamilton St. before leaving on State and South Swan streets to circle the Capitol.

Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Catskill Village Board November 18, adopted amendments in an effort to align the existing zoning law with the comprehensive plan. The approved amendments address building conformity, billboards and owning livestock in the village. One of the changes would return West Main Street to residential zoning, Village Trustee Joseph Kozloski said. Zoning Board Chairman Patrick McCulloch said the topic of livestock was likely the biggest issue raised during the public hearings. “People care deeply on that issue, so we are concentrating on addressing that for them,” he said. The amendments include a requirement that a property owner have at least two acres of land to keep livestock and all livestock fences and structures must conform to a 20-foot setback. The proposed amendments do not permit a landlord to place the personal property of tenants or former tenants on public streets or sidewalks. Personal property that has been placed in these areas for more than 24 hours would be subject to removal by the village. Vegetation or debris in a front yard cannot inhibit emergency access and vegetation or structures cannot interfere with pedestrian traffic; and, no building can be more than one story taller than an adjoining building. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

MidHudson News is reporting Democrat Michelle Hinchey has won the 46th State Senate District race, defeating Republican candidate Richard Amedure, Jr. “We are facing some difficult times, but I’ve always believed that great challenges lead to even greater opportunities, and that’s how, by working together, we will build a better tomorrow for all of us living in the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, and Mohawk Valley,” she said. Hinchey is the daughter of the late U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said Hinchey will “be a strong voice for our environment, our farmers, and our working families.” Hinchey will succeed Republican George Amedore of Rotterdam. Amedore announced in November that he would not run for a fourth term. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

The Daily Freeman is reporting a tiny owl found in the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree as it was being set up this week is being cared for at a wildlife center in Ulster County and will soon be released back into the wild. A worker helping to set up the tree found the little bird of prey, now named Rockefeller, among the tree's massive branches, dehydrated and hungry, but otherwise unharmed. Rockefeller is now being cared for at the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center on Route 212 in Saugerties. Ellen Kalish, director and founder of the center said the bird is an adult male Saw-whet, one of the tiniest owls. It was taken to a veterinarian this week and received a clean bill of health. Kalish said her tentative plan is to release the owl back to the wild from her Saugerties location. "I just want to make sure he's well-fed before he goes," she said. "He was a little on the thin side when he came in. He probably hadn't eaten in a number of days. So I just want to make sure that he's at his best weight and health, and then he goes." The Rockefeller Center tree, a 75-foot Norway spruce, was taken to Manhattan this weekend from Oneonta, where it was cut down two days earlier. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

The local COVID-19 numbers are staggering, with each day bringing new record totals, and more deaths. There were 15 new COVID-19 cases in Greene County announced Nov. 20. Greene County health officials said two people who ate at the Barnwood Restaurant in Catskill between 12:30 and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, have tested positive for coronavirus. Columbia County did not announce numbers Nov. 20. There were 41 cases of COVID-19 confirmed by the Rensselaer County Health Department on Nov. 20. Those 41 cases are the highest single-day total for Rensselaer County since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. Dutchess County reported its 12th death from COVID, with 53 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus. Ulster County recorded another 33 cases of COVID-19 on Nov. 20. And Albany County announced 87 new COVID-19 cases.

Today's daily news update.

The Daily Freeman is reporting the 10 counties located in the Mid- and Lower Hudson Valley gained a combined 22,000 non-farm jobs in October, continuing to recover from some of the losses caused by the coronavirus-related economic slump, according to the state Department of Labor. The regionwide total at the end of October was 942,600, up from 920,600 in September, but still sharply lower than the 1.03 million total of a year ago. Non-farm employment includes all positions in the private and public sectors, with the exception of those in agriculture. There was a slight increase in the non-farm job totals in Greene and Columbia counties from September to October, the labor department said. Greene County’s total rose from 14,000 to 14,200, while Columbia's climbed from 20,000 in September to 20,500 in October. The October 2019 totals in the two counties were 14,700 in Greene and 21,800 in Columbia. Similar increases were reported in Dutchess, Putnam and Ulster counties. Statewide, non-farm employment increased, as well. The state unemployment rate last month was 9.6 percent, a small improvement over the September rate of 9.7 percent, but still much higher than the October 2019 rate of 3.9 percent. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Natasha Vaughn is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Basilica Hudson has announced its annual Farm and Flea Holiday Market will be virtual this year. The market has been an annual event for the past eight years. Due to COVID-19 concerns, holding the traditional in-person event was not possible. So, the market will include more than 70 Hudson Valley-based businesses selling goods and services online. “This pandemic is hitting hard on our cultural and social livelihoods, so sticking together locally and putting our creative minds together is how we will get through this challenging time,” Melissa Auf der Maur, Basilica Hudson co-founder and director, said in a statement. Shoppers can choose items from local and regional vendors offering handmade items, crafts, unique food options and more. The vendors include a variety of farmers, artisans, local chefs, vintage collectors and more. Basilica Farm and Flea was awarded a $5,000 grant by the Hudson Tourism Board. Those funds were used to create the website that links seller sites and to support educational workshops and promotion of local businesses. Basilica Farm and Flea holds two markets each year, in the spring on Mother’s Day weekend and the holiday market after Thanksgiving. The virtual market can be found at BasilicaHudson [dot] org. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

MidHudson News is reporting the Dutchess County Legislature’s Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee, November 19, approved the county's proposed $502 million 2021 budget. By a vote of nine to three, lawmakers adopted the plan which includes funding for law enforcement, parks and COVID-19 relief. The committee cut $18 million in spending. The full Legislature will vote December 3, on the proposal. If adopted, the spending plan will mark the sixth consecutive year of lower taxes for county residents. “Because of the work done by this legislative body over the past few years, under the leadership of Chairman of the Legislature Gregg Pulver and in partnership with County Executive Marc Molinaro, we may be one of the only counties in the state able to say we’ve managed to cut taxes for the sixth year in a row while still securing funding for essential services during this pandemic. I am proud of the budget we’ve created and am confident it will pass with flying colors in the legislature in December,” Committee Chairman Will Truitt said. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.