Today's daily news update.

FilmColumbia, Mon., Sep. 27, announced it will return October 22 through 31, following a hiatus in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a press release, the 10-day festival in Chatham, will present both independent and international features and documentaries, plus post-screening Q&As with directors and special tributes, all presented by The Crandell Theatre. The slightly reduced number of films is intended to help accommodate added health and safety measures. Those procedures include proof of vaccination for all attendees and staff, required mask-wearing indoors at all times, reduced seating capacity at the Crandell and the use of only one primary venue for festival events. Additionally, the festival will implement an individual ticketing system. As a result, no festival passes will be offered. The annual pre-festival benefit reception has been cancelled, as well. The festival kicks off on Fri., Oct. 22, with Compartment No. 6, which shared the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as well as director Pedro Almodovar’s new feature, Parallel Mothers, starring Penelope Cruz. As always, FilmColumbia’s Saturday Night Sneak, an unannounced film that traditionally joins the list of Oscar contenders announced four months later, will screen at 8 p.m. on October 30. Festival information and tickets are available at crandalltheatre [dot] org [slash] filmcolumbia. The health and safety protocols for the 2021 festival are also available on the FIlmColumbia website.

Greta Jochem is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle the city of North Adams is again trying to sell the long-vacant Mohawk Theater, located on Marshall Street, a short distance from the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The city's request for proposals to purchase and redevelop the building was published last week. “We know this is an interesting property,” Mayor Tom Bernard said, “and it’s one with tremendous potential and also potential interest. There’s been potential interest in it all along.” The property, a two-story brick building, with an assessed value of just under $437,000, according to the city, once operated as a movie house, which closed in 1991. The city purchased the building in 1996. Since then it has been a difficult property to redevelop. In 2019, the North Adams City Council gave Bernard permission to issue a request for proposals, but it specified any developer would have to preserve the theater’s marquee. That requirement remains, according to Bernard. In December, the city invited proposals to purchase and redevelop the property. Two proposals were submitted — one failed to meet the minimum requirements and the second, Bernard said, "...did not feel it was in the interest of the city.” Proposals must be submitted by Oct. 25. Read more in The Berkshire Eagle.

Michelle Del Rey is reporting for the Times Union changes to the U.S. Postal Service's express shipping, effective Fri., Oct. 1, could delay some mail going across the country. The USPS claims it has not been able to hit its promised delivery targets for years and the upcoming changes will make them more attainable, cost-effective and realistic. The new standards will increase time in transit windows for up to two days, holding up mail with longer delivery routes. First-class mail covers standard-sized envelopes weighing up to 3.5 ounces, and large envelopes and small packages weighing up to 13 ounces. Previously, delivery was promised in three business days or less. According to the Post Office, the updates “will improve service reliability and predictability” and were a “necessary step toward achieving our goal of consistently meeting 95 percent service performance.” Approximately 61 percent of first-class mail and 93 percent of periodical delivery times will remain unaltered. Louis DeJoy, U.S. postmaster general, unveiled the organization’s 10-year-plan earlier this year, which involved adjusting delivery time frames for first-class letters, periodicals and flat envelopes for up to five days. Critics of the new standards worry that they might hurt mail recipients. In a July letter, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued an opinion, writing, "...it is not clear that the tradeoff between financial viability and maintaining high-quality service standards is reasonable.” Read the full story in the Times Union.

Today's daily headlines.

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Sam Raudins is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Hudson Planning Board September 23, chose to continue its review of the A. Colarusso & Son haul road application into October. During the public meeting, the board went behind closed doors to discuss Colarusso's application in executive session for roughly one hour. When it emerged, the board had decided that more work was necessary. “We have more work to do coming out of this meeting,” board Chairman Stephen Steim said. “Tonight we are not ready to take any further action.” Previously, Steim said the meeting Thursday would be dedicated to working on the Colarusso application, which has been under review for some time. The proposed haul road would run from the Colarusso company facility on Newman Road in Greenport, through Hudson, to the Hudson River waterfront. The route is a major quality of life issue for city residents, creating concern about the safety issues and the impact of the resulting truck traffic on the urban environment and infrastructure. Colarusso is a sand and gravel mine, stone quarry and blacktop plant. The haul road proposal was first submitted in 2017, to both the Greenport and Hudson planning boards, giving rise to two years of litigation. The planning board conducted a virtual workshop in August to work on the application. The members who attended the meeting tackled the environmental quality review’s part-two questions and discussed how they could get to work on part three of the review process. The planning board will next meet on October 14. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Greta Jochem is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation board of trustees September 23, announced the appointment of Kristy Edmunds as Mass MoCA's new director. Edmunds currently is the executive and artistic director of UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance. Previously, she was founding executive and artistic director of the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art in Portland, Ore., and artistic director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Her appointment is effective in October. “I have been fascinated with Mass MoCA from the second I learned about it decades ago,” Edmunds said in a statement. “What it feels like to experience art in this place is unlike anywhere else. There’s an aliveness charging through the campus itself that manages to honor the past while being in the vivid present, and I have never been there without feeling that I discovered something astonishing. ...It is a tremendous honor to be joining Mass MoCA and supporting this outstanding team of people who maintain a creative pipeline of possibility in one place." After more than 30 years as director, Joseph Thompson announced last summer that he would be stepping down. Tracy Moore has served as interim director and Thompson transitioned to temporary consulting position at the museum in late October 2020. “...From the outset of the selection process, Kristy stood out from other extraordinarily accomplished candidates as someone with interests and aspirations that are deeply aligned with ours,” said Timur Galen, chairman of the Mass MoCA Foundation board of trustees. Read more in The Berkshire Eagle.


Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media Coeymans town officials are working with a local business to create a trail system for walking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Officials met on September 9, with the management of the Sycamore Country Club to develop a new trail from Joralemon Park through the adjoining property at Sycamore Country Club. “I met at Joralemon Park this week with our Parks Department, our Superintendent of Highways Scott Searles, and Kevin Reinisch from Sycamore Country Club,” Town Supervisor George McHugh said at a recent town board public meeting. “...We talked about the extension of the trail system that they are going to put onto their golf course for cross-country skiing, for snowshoeing, for hiking — that kind of stuff — after the golf season ends,” he said. The country club reopened its doors May 8 under new management, and the club’s restaurant will now remain open year-round, McHugh said. “It’s going to be really nice,” he said. The park and the country club will connect in the area "...between the fifth green and the sixth tee, just to the left of the memorial if you are coming from the Joralemon side or right of it if you are on the sixth tee,” McHugh said. The new managers at Sycamore are making plans for snowmobiling on the property, but the trail system is not where that will happen because the greens must be fenced off to avoid damage. The Joralemon Park project, which has been in process for several months, is coming together, McHugh added. “It is moving slowly but surely,” he said. Read the full story in The Ravena News-Herald.

The Times Union Capitol Bureau is reporting Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sept. 25, she will get the help of health care professionals from other states or countries, deploy medically trained National Guard members and request federal Disaster Medical Assistance teams if staffing shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities increase after the statewide vaccination mandate begins Sept. 27. "We are still in a battle against COVID to protect our loved ones, and we need to fight with every tool at our disposal," Hochul said in a statement Sept. 25. Hochul said she is poised to declare a state of emergency to increase the workforce and allow qualified health care professionals licensed in other states or countries, recent graduates, retired and formerly practicing health care professionals to practice in New York. Other options include deployment of medically trained National Guard members, and partnering with the federal government to bring in Disaster Medical Assistance Teams. As of Sept. 22, 84 percent of all hospital employees statewide were fully vaccinated. As of Sept. 23, 81 percent of staff at all adult care facilities and 77 percent of all staff at nursing home facilities in New York were fully vaccinated. All health care workers at hospitals and nursing homes are to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the first dose received by September 27, and staff at other sites including home care, hospice, and adult care facilities are to be vaccinated by Oct. 7. Read more in the Times Union. Columbia-Greene Media is reporting a justice of the state Supreme Court late Sept. 24, granted the union representing 5,800 Unified Court System workers in New York a temporary restraining order against the implementation of the vaccine mandate for non-judicial court system workers scheduled go into effect on the 27th. “This is a victory for the labor relations process and reaffirms that the court system is not above the Taylor Law, just like any other public employer in New York state,” CSEA Communications Director Mark Kotzin said Sept. 24. The Taylor Law grants public employees the right to organize and to be represented by employee organizations of their own choice. The decision temporarily halted the Unified Court System from going ahead with its mandate until at least October 1, when CSEA believes there will be a second hearing. The union made a charge of improper practice based on the Unified Court System’s decision to impose a change in the terms and conditions of employment without negotiating those changes with CSEA. That action requires the court system to negotiate the vaccine mandate with the union. Read more at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

The Daily Freeman is reporting Opus 40 in Saugerties has been awarded a National Parks Service, Save America’s Treasure multiyear $300,000 grant to repair and preserve the 6.5-acre bluestone sculpture at the center of the 57-acre property. “It is incredibly gratifying for Harvey Fite’s masterwork sculpture to receive this level of support and attention through the National Parks Service,” Jonathan Becker, president of Opus 40, said in a statement. The grant requires a one-to-one match, which Becker said “will incentivize the board, members of Opus 40 and the many people in the community who have been inspired by Fite’s work to mobilize in order to preserve this unique treasure.” The nonprofit organization has increased its fundraising in recent years and has received awards from various foundations and the New York State Council on the Arts. Its revenue has increased more than 400 percent, Becker said, since 2018, laying the groundwork for the conservation plan that Fite’s work requires. Details about the sculpture preservation project will be announced in 2022. Opus 40 is also working with the Tahawus Trails Foundation on trail development, site mapping and public art. Read more in the Daily Freeman.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that after starting with the Greenville Central School District in 1986, Superintendent Tammy Sutherland is now retiring. Her resignation is effective Feb. 1. “During her many years of service, our school has benefited tremendously from her roles as treasurer, assistant superintendent for business and superintendent,” the Board of Education wrote in a letter to parents. “While her accomplishments are too numerous to list, one has only to look at the campus to see how a vision can be transformed into reality.” At its September 20 meeting, the Greenville Board of Education voted for a contract with Syracuse-based education consultants Castallo & Silky, LLC to search for Sutherland’s replacement. They will get $16,000, plus up to $3,000 in expenses to find a new superintendent. The board also decided on an online survey to gather input on qualities the community wants in a new superintendent. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

Porcupine Soup reports that Hunter Mountain, a large employer on the mountaintop in Greene County, will require employees and dining guests to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Vail Resorts made the policy for all of its 34 North American resorts, including Hunter Mountain. “We are fortunate that the core of our experience takes place outdoors in vast mountain settings,” said Rob Katz, chair and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. “However, as we welcome guests from around the world to the indoor experience at our resorts, we feel it’s important to do our part to combat the spread of COVID-19.” Lifts will operate at normal capacity this year, and masks will be required in indoor settings, including in restaurants, lodging properties, restrooms, retail, and rental locations, and on buses, but not outdoors. Hunter Mountain is tentatively scheduled to open November 19, and Windham Mountain did not respond about their reopening plans. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union how a 23-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, Don Krapf, is running as an independent-minded candidate against his boss, current Sheriff David Bartlett, a Republican, in this fall's election. It is a strange election, in several ways, and if the number of yard signs in Columbia County is a proper gauge, it has generated the most interest among voters. Krapf is a Republican too, who recently left the party for this election. The incumbent, Bartlett, has been mired in controversy since last summer, when a party at the home of one of his deputies in Kinderhook ended with a local man being beaten almost to death. The ensuing investigation was first handled by others in the Sheriff’s Office with an obvious conflict of interest before being turned over to the State Police. More than a year later no trial date has yet been set for those who stand accused of the alleged assault of Harold J. Handy III. The case has resulted in rallies, a countywide campaign for justice on Handy's behalf, and a host of comments on social media. Bartlett has not been speaking to the media much since the incident. Krapf has, usually with his running mate for undersheriff, former state trooper Jackie Salvatore. Krapf says he will make her undersheriff, an unelected position. “I’ve been with the Sheriff’s Office for 23 years, and during that time, I’ve seen some real room for improvement,” Krapf said. He complained about the Sheriff’s Office “gradually and steadily moving away from community-centered policing,” but would not directly criticize Bartlett. Salvatore's constant presence in the Krapf campaign is his attempt to sound like a different kind of sheriff. “Full disclosure: I have a family riddled with alcoholism and substance abuse and know some people who have made some remarkable progress in recovery,” Salvatore told the newspaper. Krapf and Bartlett agree on one thing: both are not commenting on the beating of Harold Handy, and there is little official information about the assault case available for the public. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge reports for Columbia-Greene Media that Columbia County Democrats elected Sam Hodge their new chair on Sept. 23. The county Democratic committee voted unanimously for the 35-year-old, who was an assistant district attorney in the Bronx for seven years. "Our party is organized, engaged, and ready to put in the hard work to win," Hodge said in a statement. "We're the party that is putting forward ideas to innovate and reimagine how local governments can make our energy costs lower, internet faster, and housing more affordable. We've got the ideas, candidates, and organization to win." Voting begins Oct. 23 and lasts through Nov. 2 this fall.

Today's daily news update.

HudsonValley360.com has two COVID-19 headlines: "COVID surge at new record" about Columbia County, and "COVID infections skyrocket" about Greene County. Columbia County reported 20 new cases Sept. 20, 31 on Sept. 21, and 14 on Sept. 22. "it's troublesome to me in that the cases are spread out among the community. Again, I think this speaks to the virulence of the delta variant," said Jack Mabb, Columbia County's Health Department Director. Columbia County is now reporting 322 COVID-19 cases. The last time the county had more than 300 cases was in February, when the vaccines were first being distributed. Columbia County now has the second highest positivity rate in the Capital Region, at 6.9 percent. Only Greene County is higher, with 7.2 percent of those tested positive for the virus. There are currently 142 COVID-19 cases in Greene County. The last time there were that many cases in Greene County was Feb. 1. Officials in neither county said they were taking any new efforts, or changing any policies, to combat the rise of new cases. Read more about these stories at HudsonValley360.com.

Lori Todd reports in the Times Union about how much rain fell on the area Sept. 23. Up to three inches fell on parts of Greene County. Tannersville reported 3.2 inches of rain. Millbrook in Dutchess County reported 2.68 inches as of 4 a.m. Sept. 24. And 3.24 inches fell in Sundown in Ulster County. In Speigletown in Rensselaer County 2.4 inches of rain fell. Taghkanic led Columbia County with 1.91 inches of rain. The remnants of two hurricanes have passed over the area in recent weeks, soaking the ground. Rensselaerville, for instance, recorded 7.14 inches of rain in August. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Gabriel Poblete reports for City and State that this fall's election gives voters a chance to tweak New York's redistricting process. And while some may charge that the process is currently broken, as the 10-member state Independent Redistricting Commission just released dueling district maps along party lines, The New York Redistricting Changes Amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot probably won't change that. If approved by voters, the amendment would cap the number of senators at 63 in the state constitution. The amendment would also change approval of new redistricting maps from a two-thirds threshold to a simple majority, making it easier to whichever party is currently in charge in Albany. The amendment would also allow towns to be split in different districts. And the proposal would move up the redistricting timeline by about two weeks. “I would say this is like a very interesting part of the democratic process that most people don't pay attention to but has a huge impact on the direction of the state, the country," said Democratic state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris. Read more about this story at City and State.

Click above to download or play today's "Better Weather." Produced by Joe Demanso of the Catskill Makers Syndicate.