Today's daily news update.

Raga Justin is reporting for the Times Union the state inspector general December 1, said incarcerated black and Hispanic people are significantly more likely to experience disparities in disciplinary treatment, and directing the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to require annual anti-bias training along with other recommendations. The IG's office analyzed data on violations leading to disciplinary write-ups that can result in punishment for people who are accused of infractions of institutional rules. The report covers a six-year period from 2015 to 2020 and was prompted by a 2016 New York Times story that documented a systemwide imbalance in how individuals in prisons are disciplined by DOCCS staff. "Sadly ... although racial disparities may not start at the prison gates, unfortunately, they also do not end there," state Inspector General Lucy Lang said in a statement. "We are hopeful that shining a light on this continuing inequality will contribute to changes in policy and practice that prioritize equal justice and dignity for incarcerated New Yorkers." Lang said her office has continued monitoring data for racial disparities since 2015, finding that such discrepancies are widespread and persisted until at least 2020. According to the report, an incarcerated black man was nearly 22 percent more likely to be issued a disciplinary report than an incarcerated white man, while a Hispanic individual was 12 percent more likely. Of the DOCCS employees who issued 50 or more disciplinary reports, 226 of them issued those reports to only non-white people. Disciplinary infractions are rated as minor, moderate, and severe, and each comes with a set of penalties, including loss of privileges or confinement. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school district is asking its voters to approve in January a proposed $15 million capital project. “We approved a referendum and bond for a construction project,” Superintendent Brian Bailey said at the November meeting of the board of education. “January 9 is our target date for the vote. We have a lot to accomplish between now and then.” The district is planning to conduct outreach to the community, including mailings, and hold a public event in the weeks leading up to the vote to explain the project and the need for it. Community mailings are projected to go out in mid to late December, and will explain the scope of the proposed capital project and the impact on local taxpayers, Bailey said. “The impact on a $300,000 house is $15 a year,” he said. “That will likely help our residents feel more confident in the impact on their lives if we choose to do this referendum.” Bailey and John Sharkey, from Rhinebeck Architecture, explained the scope and budget of the proposed project at the October board of education meeting. “We are a fortunate district in that for every dollar we spend, the state helps match funds at 72 percent, so if we spend a dollar, they pay 72 cents of that dollar when we are spending it on construction,” Bailey said. The project was broken down into three categories — must-do, should-do and nice-to-do projects, he said. “...[W]e’re at a construction cost of $12,021,000, but to that you have to add incidental costs to the district,” Sharkey said. “We usually keep them at around 20 percent but because of escalation and price increases, we’re using an incidental cost of 25 percent and so the overall project cost would be $15,026,250." District voters go to the polls on January 9, and if approved, construction is expected to take place during the summers of 2024 and 2025. Read the full story at The UpStater [dot] com.

Liz Montgomery is reporting for Porcupine Soup the Cairo-Durham school district has announced the opening of its Wellness Center to district adult residents, faculty and staff, beginning next month. The center is located at Cairo-Durham High School on State Route 145. The center features areas focused on cardiovascular exercise ― treadmills, stair-climbers, upright bikes, rowing machines ― circuit and strength training machines and free weights, and more to maximize the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of getting quality exercise. The facility will be open to the public, at no charge, beginning January 3, from 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Wellness Center is closed on legal holidays, school vacation days, select special events and any school maintenance shutdowns. Anyone interested in accessing the center will need to complete a participant information form, physician’s medical clearance form, and informed consent and assumption of risk agreement. These forms and more can be found at CairoDurham [dot] org. Any questions on the forms can be directed to Nyrelle Colon at 518-622-8534, ext. 25010 or NColon [at] CairoDurham [dot] org. Read the full story at porcupine soup [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Andrea Macko reports at Porcupine Soup that the Sullivan-Teator VFW Post 770 in Catskill is getting an upgrade thanks to a $50,000 state grant secured by state Senator Michelle Hinchey. The veterans’ organization will maximize energy efficiency and reduce utility bills at their Main Street building with the grant. "We will be replacing all the windows and doors in the building along with the furnace, water heater, and central air conditioning systems, which will all serve to keep our energy usage down, resulting in lower energy costs for our post and allowing our post to give more back to both our veterans and the local community,” said Jason Borgen, quartermaster at Sullivan-Teator VFW Post 770. The VFW's home on Main Street was built before the Civil War. “Our local VFWs do so much to support veterans and our communities, and I’m happy to secure funding that will help Catskill Post 770 focus on that mission while keeping their energy use and utility costs down," Hinchey said. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

Mike Gwizdala reports in the Troy Record that on Nov. 29 the Rensselaer County Legislature approved the 2023 county budget 16-2, with Democrats Peter Grimm and Cindy Doran both voting “no.” There's a one-percent tax reduction in the budget, the fifth year in a row of property tax cuts in the county. The main difference in this budget is that many programs and facilities run by the county will be shifting locations. The Reimagine Rensselaer County Facilities effort will move a number of offices into 99 Troy Rd., in East Greenbush, while many of the county's human and social services functions are going to the current County Office Building on Seventh Avenue in downtown Troy. “The county is reducing our reliance on rented space and providing a foundation to ensure continuity and efficient delivery of services. Services that will be provided by the county for future generations deserve a permanent and proper home,” Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin said. Neither the story in the Troy Record nor a very similar accounting on the News10 website give the total of the 2023 Rensselaer County budget. Read the full story in the Troy Record.

Mike Benischek reports in the Poughkeepsie Journal that the gasoline sales tax holiday in Dutchess and Ulster counties ended Dec. 1. Gasoline prices had been dropping locally recently, but the end of the tax holiday will mean slightly higher prices at the pump in those counties. Dutchess County returns to collecting a 3.75 percent tax per gallon, while Ulster County goes back to collecting a 4 percent tax per gallon. For six months, both counties collected a flat rate of eight cents per gallon, in an effort to lower prices for consumers during a period of high inflation. The state allowed counties to forgo their share of the gasoline tax, with Dutchess and Ulster counties opting in, while officials in Greene and Columbia counties choose to keep the gas tax as is. The American Automobile Association says gas prices are generally falling. “Increasing supply and fewer drivers fueling up have pushed pump prices lower,” AAA wrote. “As demand remains low and stocks grow, drivers will likely see pump prices keep falling.” Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

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Today's daily news update.

Phillip Pantuso is reporting for the Times Union the state Thruway Authority Mon., Dec. 5, will propose the first widespread toll hikes for E-ZPass holders since 2010. If approved, New York E-ZPass users will see a 5 percent increase in tolls beginning Jan. 1, 2024, with a second 5 percent increase in January of 2027. A proposed 50-cent annual increase for the Mario Cuomo Bridge would go into effect over a four-year period from 2024 to 2027, increasing the base-rate toll on the bridge from $5.75 to $7.75. The news was first reported by LoHud [dot] com and confirmed by Thruway Authority spokesperson Jonathan Dougherty. Even if the increase gets the go-ahead, the tolls on the Thruway, one of the busiest toll highways in the U.S., will be among the lowest in the country compared to similar toll roads, Dougherty said. An analysis by the engineering firm Stantec determined that "there are additional revenues required for the Authority to fulfill its system-wide operating, debt service, and capital needs," Dougherty said in an email. If approved by the board of directors, the proposal will begin a lengthy public process that will include public hearings, a public comment period, potential revisions and ultimately final consideration by the board of directors within the next year. The last toll increase was on Jan. 1, 2021, when the Authority increased rates for non-E-ZPass customers and for all drivers on the Mario Cuomo Bridge. The state Thruway Authority receives no state, federal or local tax dollars to support its operations. Read more in the Times Union.

MidHudson News is reporting Ulster County State Supreme Court Justice David Gandin, November 30, signed an order temporarily blocking implementation of Kingston rent control as adopted by the Kingston Rent Guidelines Board. Genevieve Rand, statewide housing organizer for Citizen Action of New York said her organization is confident the decision will ultimately be upheld in court, but this order “will cause irreversible harm to countless tenants in Kingston.” She said it was “disgusting that the real estate industry funds this campaign to deter tenants from asserting their right to safe, stable housing and other cities from enacting policy to protect that right.” Rand said the justice’s order “means that the renters of Kingston will lose an important step toward housing security that was legally afforded to them. Instead they will struggle with unaffordable rents now and in the future, leading to housing instability and, in some cases, homelessness.” Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

Emilie Munson is reporting for the Times Union the demand for food and cash assistance for New York residents spiked recently to levels not seen in years, state data shows. Experts said the rising need is likely fueled by inflation, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and workforce and the winding down of many pandemic-assistance programs that helped keep people fed and housed for the past two years. "The number of people coming in to apply for benefits [this fall] is astronomical," said Albany County Department of Social Services Commissioner Michele McClave. "Not all are eligible, but they feel a need." More than 530,000 state residents received temporary cash assistance in September, a level higher than any month since March 2018, according to the latest data from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Likewise, the number of people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, was greater in the spring and summer than it was at any other time over the past several years. While data for October and November are not yet available, McClave and other officials said they have seen high demand continue. Local food pantries are also observing a substantial surge in hunger cases. In a survey of Capital Region food pantries this fall, 83 percent said they were feeding more people this year than last and nearly half raised concerns about having adequate funding or being able to source products, according to the Food Pantries for the Capital District, a coalition of 70 food pantries in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties.SNAP benefits are used to buy groceries. Cash assistance helps families with children and certain eligible individuals cover their expenses. Recipients must meet strict criteria to receive the benefits and may be required to have a job. The government programs provide benefits through a combination of state and federal money. Read more in the Times Union.

Today's daily news update.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that former Prattsville Town Supervisor Kory O’Hara is asking for probation for the financial fraud he admits to, taking grant money in the wake of Hurricane Irene. Federal prosecutors are in partial agreement over that proposed sentence. While he could be sentenced for 20 years in prison, O’Hara is asking for one year of probation from Justice Frederick J. Scullin, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office is recommending one to five years’ probation. O’Hara admits that between 2013 and 2015, he obtained false invoices from Stephen Baker, the owner of Moore’s Homes in Prattsville, faking construction work performed on his automotive garage, O’Hara’s Service Station. Baker returned all of the money from O’Hara, who submitted the false invoices to fraudulently obtain $24,915 in grant proceeds. At the time, Prattsville businesses were getting all sorts of grants after the remnants of Hurricane Irene wiped out much of the town in 2011. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck wrote a memo to the court that said O’Hara, as town supervisor, knew “full well that grantees were required to pay for projects in full and provide proof of payment before collecting grant proceeds under the New York Main Steet Program." In July, O’Hara pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and agreed to $24,915 in restitution to get all the other charges against him dropped. O'Hara's lawyer suggested that local reporting of O'Hara's fraud will stop him from any future crimes. “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 the full story at Porcupine Soup.

Paul Kirby reports for the Daily Freeman that Central Hudson is considering reducing estimated billing, after many complaints from customers, and a current investigation of the company's business practices from the Public Service Commission. “We have heard our customers’ concerns on this issue and are in the preliminary stages of evaluating pathways to potentially reduce the frequency of estimates on customer bills,” the company told the Daily Freeman. “We understand that more recently, billing estimates have become a source of stress and confusion for our customers — especially during this time of heightened energy market volatility.” In 2016, Central Hudson switched from reading meters every other month, to sending out monthly bills with half estimated based on the time of the year and previous consumption. And moving to fewer estimated bills will mean higher charges for customers. “There are significant costs associated with transitioning away from bi-monthly estimates — either via technology or additional manpower — and we want to ensure we’re meeting our customers’ needs in a financially responsible way. We are in the early stages of this process, so we don’t yet have a time frame for when any changes would take place," a Central Hudson official wrote to the newspaper. The change from Central Hudson may have come partially from a bill in the state legislature pending from state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, a Democrat from Saugerties, that would require the utility to stop the estimated billing practice unless meters can’t be read. “My bill to ban estimated billing passed the Senate unanimously last year but did not make it through the Assembly, and it is among my top priorities to get it passed through the full legislature this session to protect peoples’ wallets and bring transparency to the utility industry as a whole in New York,” Hinchey said in a statement. “What we know, based on the lived experiences of thousands of constituents here in the Hudson Valley, is that utility companies are using proprietary estimation formulas that are clearly not based on previous usage, making it impossible for everyday New Yorkers to afford their bills.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Steve Benen reports for MSNBC that Rep. Elise Stefanik is keeping up her full-throated defense of former President Donald Trump, but is so far mum on his dinner with a leading figure among white supremacists and anti-semites. After Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith to oversee the criminal investigations into Trump, the former president ordered his backers to defend him saying, “You people have to fight. You have to fight. You have to be strong.” So on Nov. 29 Stefanik told the far-right Breitbart News that, “The facts are clear: Jack Smith is compromised.... Joe Biden’s weaponized DOJ has launched an illegitimate special counsel to investigate his number one political opponent.” She said when Republicans take over the House of Representatives in January, they will launch a counter-investigation, although she did not say exactly what they would investigate. Meanwhile Stefanik is quiet so far on Trump's dinner meeting with notorious anti-Semites Kanye West and Nick Fuentes. PBS News Hour asked 57 Republican lawmakers for comment on that meeting, and Stefanik is one of many not responding with any comment about the former president meeting with fringe political figures with hateful political views. Stefanik represents the 21st Congressional District in New York that includes Rensselaer County. Read more about this story at the MSNBC website.

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

Today's daily news update.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports for the Times Union that the trial of four people charged with unlawful imprisonment and assault for the alleged 2020 beating of local mechanic Harold Handy was abruptly adjourned November 28, after a private discussion between the judge and the district attorney prosecuting the case. Columbia County Judge Richard Koweek's decision was made without any input from defense counsel. The matter is now unlikely to go to trial before next year. Neither Koweek nor DA Paul Czajka [CHAI-kah] would speak afterward about the circumstances that led to the private confab or what prompted it. The four defendants — Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy Kelly Rosenstrach; her husband, businessman Alex Rosenstrach; IRS agent Bryan Haag; and local contractor Corey Gaylord — were indicted on gang assault charges following an incident in the Rosenstrach home in the early morning hours of July 5, 2020. The top charges, carrying the potential for lengthy prison terms, were dismissed by Koweek in December. Gaylord's attorney, Stephen Coffey, said the adjournment followed a request by Czajka for a private discussion between himself and the judge. "They (talked) for about 20 minutes, and then the judge came out and said that the case was now adjourned — did not give a reason, except he said, 'This was pursuant to my discussion with Mr. Czajka,'" Coffey said. The reasoning for the adjournment was sealed by the court, according to Coffey. Handy's personal counsel, Paul Freeman, said his office was trying to figure out why the case was adjourned. "We were told the determination to adjourn — for whatever reason — is sealed, and so they're not releasing the rationale or reasons," he said. Haag's attorney, Paul DerOhannesian [Deh-ROH-hann-eesian] II, plans to make a motion to unseal the minutes of the ex parte [par-tay] communication "to get more insight" into why the decision was made, he said, but it would be up to Koweek whether to grant the motion. It is also up to the judge's discretion whether to make the minutes publicly available or only available to the defense. Neither Czajka or Koweek responded to inquiries. A new trial date has not been set, but there is a conference on the schedule for February. Read the full story in the Times Union.