WNYT reports that former Prattsville Town Supervisor Kory O’Hara was sentenced Dec. 8 to one year of probation and a $25,00 fine and restitution for wire fraud. O'Hara pleaded guilty in July to the scheme to get grant money for work that was not done in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. O'Hara admitted to obtaining false invoices from a home business, claiming to show work done on his automotive garage and service station, when the work was not done by that company and O'Hara kept the money. O'Hara's lawyer recently asked the judge in the case for just probation, saying the publicity of the case was punishment enough. “The local press has caused him to lose customers and affected his reputation in Prattsville," O’Hara’s attorney Lauren Owens said. "O’Hara has been adequately deterred from any future criminal conduct and there is no need to protect the public from any future crimes by Mr. O’Hara." Read more about this story at the WNYT website.

Joe Mahoney reports in the Press Republican that Rep. Elise Stefanik was the only member of the House Republican leadership team to vote on Dec. 8 in favor of a final measure giving federal recognition to same sex and interracial unions. Only 39 Republican representatives voted with all 219 Democrats for the Respect for Marriage Act. Stefanik spokesperson Palmer Brigham said the congresswoman’s vote is in line with “her views on how states should respect concealed carry permits and military family spousal licensing.... Just as she believes concealed carry permits should be recognized from state to state, this bill will ensure if a marriage is recognized in one state, it is recognized in another,” Brigham added. “This bill includes important provisions to uphold religious liberty and not encroach on the sincerely-held beliefs of Americans.” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican who begins representing New York’s 19th Congressional District in January, said he would have supported the legislation. Democrats Paul Tonko and Pat Ryan also voted for the bill. Read the full story in the Press Republican.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union that Gov. Kathy Hochul last week.signed a new law mandating that fees paid to New York by solar companies that convert agricultural land into solar farms will now go toward preserving other farmland. The fees previously went into the general fund. But now the money goes to the Agricultural and Farmland Viability Protection Fund, created by a bill sponsored by state Sen. Michelle Hinchey. The Saugerties Democrat got the bill unanimously accepted n both the state Senate and Assembly last summer. Since 2000, 750 large commercial or industrial solar projects have been funded through the state, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency. “(I) look forward to ensuring that we continue to work to create a future centered on locally sourced, healthy food and incentivize smart solar development without eliminating our finite agricultural resources,” Hinchey said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

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Catskill schools announced on Dec. 8 that after a week out of school because of a water main issue, middle school students return to classrooms Dec. 12, but in the high school. "Grade 6 students will be occupying the former space of the Catskill Academy. Grade 7 and 8 students will follow their normal schedules to reassigned rooms at CHS," Interim Superintendent Thomas Bongiovi wrote on the school district's website. "That Monday, December 12, CMS/CHS will operate on a two-hour daily schedule where classes will begin at 9:35 a.m. (CES will still be running on their normal schedule). All students will enter the main entrance of CHS." The water main issue closed the middle and high school on Dec. 5, and had middle school students studying remotely the rest of the week. See the Catskill schools website for more information.

Jammel Cutler is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media a ransomware attack disrupted email services at Hudson City Hall this week. The attack was launched on December 2, officials said. “It’s a data breach issue that happened with Rackspace, which provides our email hosting,” Mayor's Aide Michael Hofmann said. “Rackspace identified the issue and took action to shut down the hosted web environment. They cut off access to emails entirely. As far as we know, there were no breaches in any of our security data,” he said. As a result of the attack, City Hall is moving on from Rackspace to Microsoft 365, Hofmann added. A ransomware attack locks and encrypts the target’s data and important files, and then demands payment to unlock and decrypt that data. Recently, companies in Texas and France have seen increases in ransomware problems. The attacks can have devastating consequences on businesses, resulting in the loss of essential data and long operational downtime. Rackspace Technology, a Texas-based computer cloud company, issued a statement on December 7: “... Our investigation is still in its early stages, and it is too early to say what, if any, data was affected. If we determine sensitive information was affected, we will notify customers as appropriate. Based on the investigation to date, we believe that this incident was isolated to our Hosted Exchange business." Hudson was a ransomware target in 2016 when the Hudson City School District fell victim to a similar attack. Ransomware is considered a cybercrime and is punishable by 20 years in prison and fines of upwards of $1 million. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Greg Dahlmann is reporting for the Albany Business Review Siena College has named Charles F. Seifert as its next president. The college’s board of trustees approved the appointment last week. The appointment is effective June 1, 2023. The school's current president, Chris Gibson, announced in September he would be retiring at the end of the current academic year after three years in the job. Seifert is currently serving as the dean of Siena’s school of business. He has also served as an interim vice president for academic affairs and executive director of the college’s Institute for Leadership Development during his 26-year association with the college. Seifert's career has included time working in banking and finance, and he was the chief financial officer of the former Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce during the 1990s. Seifert originally joined Siena as an adjunct faculty member in 1996 to teach business and management courses. He became a full professor in 2007. Thomas J. Baldwin Jr., chair of the board of trustees, said of Seifert in a statement. “By his absolute devotion and service to Siena, impeccable credentials, and a strong track record for leadership, he has distinguished himself so clearly for the presidency of Siena College." Read the full story in the Albany Business Review.

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Deborah E. Lans reports for the Columbia Paper that on November 9, the County Board of Supervisors appointed an Affordable Housing Task Force to help develop and implement a county-wide comprehensive plan for affordable and workforce housing. The task force includes co-chair Supervisors Brenda Adams (D-Canaan) and Ron Knott (R- Stockport), plus Dan Barufaldi, Ghent Planning Board member; Robert Gibson ; County Social Services Commissioner; Bill Hughes, community leader; Meredith Kane, Roe Jan Housing Task Force member; Kirk Kneller, Kneller Insurance; Brandon Mullins, building code inspector-Livingston/Germantown; Rob Perry, City of Hudson Public Works; Tim Stalker, County Planning Board member; Kelly Sweet, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation; Dennis Wedlick, Barlis/Wedlick Architects LLC. The supervisors also appointed an Advisory Resource Committee with William Gerlach, Columbia County Chamber of Commerce; William Fischer; Columbia County Fair Housing officer; Al Bellenchia, Columbia County Habitat for Humanity; Lisa Gallina, Columbia Greene Cornell Coop Extension; Claire Cousin, Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition; Christopher Nardone, Columbia-Greene Workforce NY; Michelle Tullo, City of Hudson-Housing Justice coordinator; board representative Columbia Greene Association of Realtors; Adam Bosch, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress; and Michael Borges, of the NYS Rural Housing Coalition. The Columbia County Economic Development Corporation, meanwhile, is interviewing candidates for a housing coordinator position, as the county focuses on the affordable housing crisis locally. Experts cite low building inventory, high prices and demand, and incentives for landlords for short-term rather than long-term rentals, causing the housing crisis. Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.

Mike Ryan from the Mountain Eagle reports in Porcupine Soup that the Jewett Nutrition Center is once again serving hot meals to needy local seniors. The Center closed for three months because of staffing shortages. “We consider this an essential service. It’s part of what we need to do for our elderly residents. We want to send the message we are open for business again. It is nice to see everyone back here,” Jewett town supervisor Greg Kroyer said. The Jewett Nutrition Center has been cooking since 1984, serving hot meals in person and delivering food to those who cannot get out. “Having this program means older homebound people know they are not alone, that someone is looking out for them. Sometimes the only other person they see in a day is one of the volunteers,” said Pat Merwin, the former program head chef and Jewett town clerk. The center makes 40-50 meals per day on weekdays, mainly for the homebound, and this year served 80 on Thanksgiving. “It was great. We actually ran out of turkey,” said head chef Gayle Ruvolo. “It is so nice to see people coming in again. What we do here is very important.” Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Kate Lisa reports for New York State of Politics that 13.9 percent of New Yorkers, or 2.7 million people in the state, live in poverty, according to a report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office released Dec. 8. Nationally, 12.8 percent of people live in poverty in the United States. Living in poverty is defined by making less than $13,788 for one person and $27,740 for a household of four. “While economic hardships existed long before the pandemic, it deepened the financial stress experienced by many households,” DiNapoli said in a prepared statement. “We saw what a large and broad federal response achieved, as the country made historic progress in the fight against poverty. Continued federal resources, along with a greater equity in state services, can help improve the lives of New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.” The child poverty in the state declined from roughly 21 percent in 2010 to 18.5 percent in 2021, but poverty rates increased for seniors during the same time period, the comptroller said. New York ranked 13th among all U.S. states in poverty, and had a higher rate than neighboring states and most large states, according to the report. Read the full story at New York State of Politics.

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Roger Hannigan Gilson is reporting for the Times Union the Public Utility Law Project, a group that advocates for utility customers, filed a motion on December 5, with the state Public Service Commission requesting a prudence review, which would determine if Central Hudson Gas and Electric spent money inappropriately in a way that harmed its customers. The group also wants "every individually identified problem" found by the prudence review to result in a fine "to be returned directly to the company's ratepayers," according to the motion. The PSC is investigating Central Hudson's billing practices, as is a state Senate committee chaired by Sen. James Skoufis. Widespread problems with billing were reported starting in September 2021 when Central Hudson switched to a new billing system. The company appears to be rectifying its billing issues, but the amount of money owed to the company in back payment has changed little from the- summer. In October, nearly 19 percent of Central Hudson's residential customers owed more than $64.5 million, or roughy $1,110 per account, according to Central Hudson's Collection Activity Report. Public Utility Law Project Executive Director Laurie Wheelock said her organization filed the motion requesting a prudence review because "we were so troubled. ...It's just very concerning — it's been well over a year now." Wheelock's organization is concerned about the taxpayer-funded utility customer subsidies, such as the Home Energy Assistance Program, and whether those funds were properly received and used by Central Hudson to help low-income residents. The group is also troubled by the possibility that Central Hudson could pass fines resulting from either the investigation or the prudence review onto ratepayers. The PSC said the investigation into Central Hudson's billing practices was ongoing, but could not provide a possible completion date. The second investigation, undertaken by the state Senate's Investigations and Government Operations Committee, is close to being completed, and the final report is expected in early January. Read more in the Times Union.

Michael DeMasi is reporting for Albany Business Review the planned $100 million expansion of the Albany International Airport terminal is expected to break ground in late spring 2023 and be completed by late 2024. The Albany County Airport Authority December 5, formally accepted a $60 million state grant toward the construction budget. Federal infrastructure and airport improvement funds will cover the remainder, according to spokesperson Doug Myers. The CHA engineering firm of Colonie will design the project. The drawings and specs have not been finalized, so the project has yet to be put out to bid, Myers said. The expansion will be built in front of the 290,000-square-foot building in the area of an existing pedestrian bridge that connects the terminal to a parking garage. That bridge will remain in place until construction is completed. The 30,000-square-foot expansion will allow more room for the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint on the second floor of the terminal, along with a bigger area for picking up or dropping off passengers. The space will also accommodate more concessionaires, such as food vendors. The airport authority also approved hiring Fennick-McCredie Ltd. of Boston to design two more boarding gates in Concourse A. The concourse expansion is part of the airport's long-term strategy to attract more airlines. The larger concourse will include a new business center, "quiet room" to accommodate people with special needs, and a children's indoor playground. Federal infrastructure funding will cover part of the cost. Read more in the Albany Business Review

David Robinson is reporting for the Poughkeepsie Journal New York state Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett submitted her resignation last week. Bassett will return to her role in academia at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health effective January 1. She served just over one year as the state's top health official. "This was a very difficult decision," Bassett said in a statement, noting she has "tremendous admiration for the work our staff has done during a very difficult year responding to COVID, mpox [monkeypox], polio and the day-to-day challenges of protecting New Yorkers’ health." Bassett said she was leaving now so the next commissioner can have the chance to serve a full four-year term under Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was elected in November to a full term since she replaced Gov. Andrew Cuomo in August 2021. Basset replaced Dr. Howard Zucker, who resigned several months after Cuomo. "I am deeply grateful to Dr. Bassett for her service to New Yorkers and for her leadership during one of the most challenging public health eras of our lifetimes," Hochul said in a statement. The governor's office did not immediately answer questions about its plans for appointing the next health commissioner. Read more in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

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The Greenville Central School District reported on social media that the vote on their $14.48 million capital project Dec. 6 passed 398 to 112. “I’m excited to announce the passing of our capital project by a margin of 398 yes votes to 112 no votes, and the addition of a high school student member of the Board of Education by a margin of 413 yes votes to 93 no votes,” shared Superintendent Michael Bennett wrote online. “We’d like to thank the Greenville Central School District community for coming out to support the capital project that will significantly improve many of the teaching and learning spaces at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. We look forward to the day students will have the opportunity to learn, and our educators will have the opportunity to teach, in these new spaces.” Work is expected to begin in May of 2024, mostly on Scott M. Ellis Elementary School.

Melissa Manno reports for the Times Union that the Hudson Opera House, Crandell Theatre in Chatham, and Thomas Cole House in Catskill were among 69 statewide winners of $15 million for tourism facility capital improvements. The funding comes from the Regional Economic Development Councils as part of the Market New York program. The Hudson Opera House, Inc. is getting $66,500 for marketing the Hudson Jazz Festival. The Crandell Theatre will receive $323,000 towards restoration efforts and to publicize the FilmColumbia film festival. The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is getting $120,000 to promote the “Women, Land + Art: Showcasing the Hudson River School for Contemporary Audiences” exhibit. Locally, Kite's Nest in Hudson was the big winner, getting $1,600,000 to transform a two-acre formerly industrial Hudson Riverfront property into a campus for education, youth employment, environmental justice, and the arts. And the Town of New Lebanon is receiving $20,000 for assistance for a Renovation Project Action Plan for the Town's main commercial corridor. Read more about this story in the Times Union.