Today's daily news update.

Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media that Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said this week that hospitalizations related to the coronavirus have reached a low for the year in his county. There were nine people in area hospitals Sept. 29, with three in the Intensive Care Unit and one person on a ventilator. But at the same time, total cases were at 129, down slightly from the Sept. 11 high of the summer of 152 cases. “I think it’s reasonable to say at this point that the higher-than-expected positive cases we’ve had over the summer months will continue on into the fall and likely increase with all of us moving inside more,” Mabb said. “I hope this downward trend in hospitalizations continues. Maybe this is confirmation of what we’ve been told by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others that the variants we’re seeing now may be more contagious but less virulent.” Of the current new cases 47 residents and 13 staff had tested positive from the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing/Barnwell in Valatie. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

The Troy Record reports that Rep. Paul Tonko and local environmental groups and advocates recently celebrated at Schodack Island State Park the House passage of his New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act. The bill would invest $20 million annually to improve water quality, and increase public access to the rivers. “Our waterways stand as economic drivers while also reflecting and upholding our rich history,” Tonko, a Democrat, said. “The New York-New Jersey Watershed is America’s most populated, driving tourism and serving as a community treasure for millions of visitors and residents alike. Despite this, our Watershed remains underfunded and without key federal assistance, leaving it in greater danger from pollutants and at increased risk for floods that threaten public health, ecosystems, and industries." Tonko failed to pass what was previously called the "Hudson-Mohawk River Basin Act," but at least got the renamed measure through the House of Representatives this year as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. “This legislation is a key part of funding research and scientifically-backed efforts that will make New York’s waterways more resilient to climate change," said Jonathan Kramer, President of the Hudson River Foundation. Tonko faces a rematch with Republican Liz Joy this fall for re-election in the 20th Congressional District. The Troy Record has the full story.

Mike Goodwin reports in the Times Union that Hurricane Ian will probably not impact the upper Hudson Valley much. After moving inland Sept. 30 in South Carolina, the storm is predicted to head northwest, and then back east into the Atlantic Ocean. A Canadian high-pressure system dropping into the United States is expected to keep it away from our area. "Right now, the high pressure is winning," Andrei Evbuoma, a weather service meteorologist based in Albany, said on Sept. 29. If anything, a few rain showers could hit the southern Hudson Valley from what will then be remnants of the once-powerful hurricane. Of course, the storm has surprised forecasters a few times so far, so the predictions could be wrong. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News reports that state Senator Michelle Hinchey pinned Liberty Medals on three young Greenville brothers who saved the life of a man trapped in a burning car in August. Peter IV and Nickolas Liquari, both 14, and their brother, Dylan Liquari, 7, got the highest civilian honor that a New York resident can receive from the State Senate for their heroic or humanitarian acts. The three brothers “demonstrated the type of courage that most of us would like to think we would exemplify in a moment so dire, but few actually could,” said Hinchey. On the night of August 7, 2022, Peter Liquari III and his three sons drove up on a car crash on Route 32 in Greenville. When their dad failed to get a garden hose to reach the burning car, the boys formed a bucket brigade to control the flames until first responders arrived and saved the man’s life. “The level of selfless bravery and quick-thinking heroism these brothers, and their dad, displayed was nothing short of exceptional," Hinchey said. Read the full story at Mid-Hudson News.

Today's daily news update.

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Sharon Udasin is reporting for The Hill that the state of New York will require all new vehicles purchased beginning in 2035 to be zero-emission models, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced September 29. “We’re really putting our foot down on the accelerator and revving up our efforts to make sure we have this transition — not someday in the future, but on a specific date, a specific year — by the year 2035,” Hochul said at a press conference in Westchester County. Hochul announced a series of new electric vehicle initiatives for the state, and said that 35 percent of new cars will need to be zero-emission by 2026, and 68 percent by 2030. All new school buses purchased must be zero-emission by 2027, with the entire fleet meeting those standards by 2035, the governor said. The state Department of Environmental Conservation will be expediting its regulatory process to implement related legislation signed by Hochul last year, which would allow the state to realize those goals. Under the state’s Drive Clean Rebate program, residents can qualify for an up to $2,000 rebate in all 62 counties. The state has already issued more than 78,000 rebates and spent more than $90 million on the programs, according to the governor. Hochul also announced that the New York Power Authority just installed its 100th high-speed electric vehicle charger, as part of the state’s EVolve NY statewide charging network. Any battery-powered EV can charge at these stations in as little as 20 minutes. New York state will receive $175 million from the bipartisan infrastructure law’s $5 billion allocation for EV charging networks. Read more at TheHill [dot] com.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that less than three weeks after being sworn in, Democrat Pat Ryan passed his first bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 29. Ryan's bill would give access to VA home loans to those National Guard and reserve forces conducting active duty for training or in training pipelines for specialized areas. The “Expanding Home Loans for Guard and Reservists Act” passed 296-127, a rare bipartisan vote, and now heads to the U.S. Senate. The Veterans Health Care Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 left out National Guard service members and reservists conducting active duty for training or entering into a longer training pipeline, and this bill would close that loophole. “There’s some guardsmen and women who were and weren’t eligible even though they were serving in the same battalion, in the same unit, in the same place. It shouldn’t matter,” said Ryan, who was elected in a special election for New York's 19th Congressional District after Democrat Antonio Delgado resigned to become lieutenant governor. “This is really addressing that and righting that wrong.” Ryan was sworn in Sept. 13, and faces another election this fall, but he is running in the 18th Congressional District, after the lines were redrawn. “I feel tremendous pride I’m able to help the veterans on something so important,” Ryan said. “This is really important, especially given the intersection of rising home prices and veterans’ homelessness.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Liz Montgomery is reporting for Porcupine Soup that the world-famous dive team, Adventures with Purpose, a group dedicated to solving missing person cases, was in Greene County this week, hoping to provide information helpful to the family of Audrey May Herron. “Adventures with Purpose is in Catskill diving and searching for my mom,” Sonsia Rae Marie Elliott told the Facebook group “Missing mother of three.... Audrey May Turk Herron” on September 28. The group travels nationwide and since its founding in 2019 has solved 24 missing person cases. The group provides its services free to families. Elliott posted to the Facebook group late on Sept. 29: "Adventures with Purpose called me this afternoon and they have concluded their searches for my mom today. All bodies of water along my mom's known route home as well as every possible alternate route home were looked at. ... Neither my mom nor her jeep were found." Elliott continued, "Please do not be sorry for us! We are feeling grateful. This is super helpful information because we can rule out the theory that she went off the side of the road accidentally on her way home from work. The current investigator on my mom's case is highly motivated to solve it and I am hopeful that he will." Last month marked 20 years since Herron disappeared. Elliott, Herron’s oldest child, was only 10 years old at the time. The Freehold mother of three was last seen driving west on State Route 23 in Catskill around 11 p.m. on August 29, 2002. A nurse, Herron had just finished a shift at the former Greene County Long Term Care in Jefferson Heights. She was reported missing by her family the next morning. Neither Herron nor her black 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee have ever been found. Anyone with any information is urged to call State Police in Catskill at 518-622-8600. Read the full story at Porcupine Soup [dot] com.

Heather Bellow is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle that all Great Barrington police will be wearing body cameras by September 30, with each officer assigned their own. The department is the first in Berkshire County to order the use of body cams, and with the full support of the police union. In the days ahead, officers will get used to the new technology, and follow rules to protect the privacy of people who interact with police. Police Chief Paul Storti said, “I think a lot of good will come from it. It’s going to help with our cases. When we go to court we're going to have more evidence. Right now, we write reports based on observations out in the field.” Storti said it will also help the department with officer training and in responding to citizen complaints against officers. Other area towns are also securing the funds to pay for the cameras. For Great Barrington and its 22 officers, the price tag was just under $59,000 for the cameras and five years of data storage. Sheffield and Stockbridge are next — those departments have the equipment on order. Pittsfield police do not yet have body cameras and are exploring policies governing their use. A number of people in the city called for cameras after a city man was shot by police this year in what was later deemed to be a justified use of force, following an investigation. All state police in Massachusetts have been equipped with cameras since last year. Read more in The Berkshire Eagle.

Today's daily news update.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports for the Daily Freeman that Republican Congressional candidate Marc Molinaro is now opposing the United States sending military aid to Ukraine to fight off the invasion from Russia. “I believe that as a country we have met our financial obligation to support Ukraine resistance,” Molinaro said. Russia invaded Ukraine in February without provocation, and is accused of many human rights violations. Since the invasion Finland and Sweden have moved to join the the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as fears of Russia invading other countries has spread. The United States has sent Ukraine approximately $15.2 billion in military aid since President Joe Biden took office. “I think the president ought to marshall freedom-loving democratic societies around this world to more aggressively isolate, freeze and make abundantly clear to Vladimir Putin that he is a criminal, is a tyrant and America and democracies around the world do not accept his incursion, his invasion or his continued military efforts in Ukraine,” Molinaro said. The Republican candidate for the 19th Congressional District did not say how he would do that. Molinaro is running against Democrat Josh Riley for the new 19th Congressional District, which voting beginning Oct. 29 and ending Nov. 8. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

The Art Newspaper reports that Bard College is getting a $50 million dollar endowment gift for Indigenous Studies at the Dutchess County school. The $25 million gifts from the Gochman Family Foundation, and a matching commitment from George Soros and the Open Society Foundations, will create a Center for Indigenous Studies at Bard College as well as create an appointment for an Indigenous Curatorial Fellow at its Center for Curatorial Studies. The college is working with Forge Project, a Taghkanic-based organization focused on Indigenous art and education. Candice Hopkins, the executive director of Forge Project, will be the inaugural fellow in Indigenous Art History and Curatorial Studies at Bard, teaching and leading archival acquisitions, and curating a large exhibition on contemporary Native art. “This gift represents institutional change, which has been building at Bard and is core to the vision of Forge Project. These lands are layered with histories that are inextricably bound by the displacement and forced removal of Indigenous peoples, yet also rich with knowledge,” Hopkins said in a statement. “This gift provides the basis for the future building of this knowledge, to shift and expand discourses across fields of study, whether it be in Indigenous and American studies, art history, or curatorial practice. Critically, it also centers on the needs of Indigenous students, reducing barriers to higher education, and recognizes that students want to attend programs where they see their interests reflected.” Bard announced last week it has received $3.2 million to permanently endow the Keith Haring Fellowship in Art and Activism, an annual faculty position within the Center for Curatorial Studies graduate program and the undergraduate Human Rights Program. The endowment is made possible by a grant of $800,000 from the Keith Haring Foundation and matching funds from the Marieluise Hessel Foundation and benefactor George Soros, the college said. Read more about this story in The Art Newspaper.

If you tune in to 91.5-FM this week, you may only hear static, as WRPI in Troy is off the air for maintenance. The RPI student-run radio station posted online Sept. 28 that, "Due to scheduled maintenance, we will be shutting the transmitter off everyday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Tue., Oct. 4. As a result, there will be no broadcasting to 91.5-FM or the livestream between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Tue., Oct. 4." While RPI improves its transmitter, WGXC is getting a new transmitter, to replace the one that the station started with, which is now almost twelve years old. WGXC will need to go off the air briefly to move from the older transmitter, to the new one, but that outage has yet to be scheduled.

pic.twitter.com/dAOSCfoXXY

— WRPI Troy (@wrpi) September 29, 2022

New York's latest foliage report says there is a lot more color change this week. "In the Catskills, Greene County observers reporting from the upper elevations of the towns of Hunter and Windham predict up to 70 percent change this weekend and a mix of green, yellow, and red leaves of average brilliance. To the east, in Catskill, spotters are expecting about 25 percent color change with average shades of orange and red," it says. "Rensselaer County foliage spotters predict 15-30 percent transition in the western and southern portions of the county this weekend, while color change in the eastern and northern portions color change should range between 30-40 percent, offering some brilliant colors in the higher elevations. In Albany County, reports from Thacher State Park in Voorheesville anticipate 20 percent change with red leaves of average brilliance, plus some orange and yellow.... In Columbia County, reports from Hudson expect up to 25 percent change with yellow and orange leaves appearing," the report says.

Today's daily news update.

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

Mary Dempsey is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that the Hudson Common Council has approved a new four-year contract with the Civil Service Employees Association that runs from 2022 to 2025, which includes a $1,500 signing bonus for each union employee. The previous contract expired on December 31, 2021. The Common Council unanimously approved the pact at its Sept. 20 meeting. “We were in negotiations for four months,” Mayor Kamal Johnson said. “It was an easy contract to go through and everything worked out fine. The CSEA members make up the bulk of city employees.” Union members will receive a retroactive 2.5 percent pay raise for 2022, effective January 1; a 3.25 percent increase in 2023; a 3 percent raise in 2024; and a 2.5 percent increase in 2025. The retroactive increases will be paid for by a contingency fund the city set up, as well as money from the municipal fund balance. This is the first contract to include a signing bonus in the past 15 years. Council President Thomas DePietro said, “It’s more of a retention bonus. We’ve had a significant number of people leaving.” Under the agreement, city employees who opt out of the municipal health insurance plan will get increase from $3,500 to $5,000. “The increase is in line with the increase in the cost of our health insurance plan,” DePietro said. They, the employees who opt out, are saving the city a lot of money, he said. The agreement also makes changes in the holidays the city acknowledges, adding Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the day after Thanksgiving and removing Lincoln’s Birthday. “I like to think we are a pro-union city and we value our city employees,” DePietro said. Note: DePietro is a WGXC volunteer on-air host. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Diane Pineiro-Zucker is reporting for the Daily Freeman that Saugerties Town Judge Claudia Andreassen has agreed to resign mid-term, effective September 30, following a more than two-year investigation by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. According to a press release from the commission, at various times over the past two years, Andreassen was told the commission was investigating, “a total of six complaints against her, among other things.” The commission was especially concerned about Andreassen’s allegedly “adversarial relationship” with town police. She was also accused of being “discourteous toward” and making “disrespectful comments about court staff and courtroom spectators,” according to the release. The commission said Andreassen also “attempted to effectuate certain staffing decisions without involving her co-judge or the town board,” “violated various prohibitions on campaign activity by judges,” and “failed to maintain professional competence in the law.” Andreassen, a Democrat, agreed to resign and never to seek or accept judicial office at any time in the future, according to a September 2 agreement. The agreement was signed by Andreassen, her attorney Deborah A. Scalise, and the commission’s administrator. Asked to comment on Andreassen’s apparent adversarial relationship with police, Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra said in an email, “My only comment in this matter is that the documents provided speak for themselves." Andreassen is a former Ulster County probation officer, but not an attorney. She served as town judge since she was appointed in 2012. Her current term would have expired on Dec. 31, 2024. In a written statement, Andreassen said, “...I was tired of trying to do the job that I was elected to do and having to deal with the constant interference and intrusion by the town’s executive, legislative bodies, and appointees. All of whom were attempting to undermine the independence of the judiciary. I no longer have the energy to correct inaccuracies. I just want peace.” In a statement, Robert H. Tembeckjian, commission administrator, said, “...The multiple complaints against Judge Andreassen were serious, and her permanent departure from the bench was appropriate.” Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.