Click above to download or play the audio version of the local news for Wed., Feb. 26. Produced by Philip Grant.

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

Rick Karlin reports for the Times Union that toxic forever chemicals PFOA and PFOS in firefighting foam were burnt in a kiln in Cohoes in Albany County in 2018 and most of 2019, and Norlite LLC plans to resume burning the chemicals this summer. Assemblymember and former Cohoes Mayor John McDonald, current Cohoes Mayor William Keeler, Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan, and the mayors from Troy and Watervliet, Patrick Madden and Charles Petrocelli, met with Norlite officials on Feb. 25. The company says is plans to do test burning soon. "While I understand there is not yet good scientific evidence on whether it is safe to incinerate materials containing PFAS chemicals, it makes no common sense to do that research and testing in an urban setting like Cohoes, particularly with 70 families living at Saratoga Sites, in the shadows of the incinerators,” Keeler said, calling for a moratorium on the burning. Environmental groups including Earthjustice and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit in federal court last week to stop the incineration. Norlite is a subsidiary of the Tradebe USA waste disposal company. Firefighting foam was also used at a training center in Cairo in Greene County that poisoned the water there with PFOS.

Jeff Rusack reports for WKBW that the giant Hecate Energy solar farm proposed recently near State Route 23 and County Route 7 in Craryville may have an easier time getting approval if Gov. Andrew Cuomo's 2020 state budget is passed. On Feb. 21 Cuomo's office amended his proposed 2020 budget to include a renewable energy permit office. The Craryville proposal is already avoiding much local scrutiny and approval under the Article 10 process designed to streamline a decision for large scale projects. This budget proposal from Cuomo would allow even more state control with the would-be Office of Renewable Energy Permitting, and likely lead to a faster approval of the 60-megawatt photovoltaic solar array proposed for some portion of 900-acres in Craryville that company officials claim will power 60 percent of Columbia County’s 25,000 households. Cuomo is trying to get 70 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. State officials say there will not be a total loss of control with the budget proposal. “Municipalities will have an opportunity to advise the Office on compliance with local laws and the Permitting Office will consider and may apply local laws in light of the State's clean energy and environmental goals under the CLCPA,” a press release from Cuomo's office read. Read more about this story at the WKBW website.

Jeanette Wolfberg reports for the Columbia Paper that about 50 motion-activated cameras at the Hudson Housing Authority's Bliss Tower and Columbia Apartments in Hudson are “ready to fail.” Executive Director Tim Mattice says the 20-year-old cameras do not have “enough memory to keep track of things,” and are “not providing the correct resolution.” The Hudson Housing Authority did not decide what to do about the aging cameras at its Feb. 12 meeting, but said don't expect the Feds to come to the rescue. While the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regulates public housing such Bliss Towers, they do not regulate security systems. “HUD has nothing to do with the security of the building,” Mattice said. The Board of Commissioners of the Hudson Housing Authority meets next at 6 p.m., March 11, at the Bliss Tower Community room. Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.

WSYR in Syracuse reports that state election officials are considering ballot-marking machines that critics say are the most expensive option, and least secure to hacking. New York’s election commission is considering the Express Vote XL machines for certification by the state, at a time when election security around the country is being questioned. “Instead of looking for a machine that’ll improve that, that’ll change that from happening, that’ll actually provide more access to our community. We are opening the doors for a machine that we have too many questions about,” said Assemblyperson Catalina Cruz. The Express XL machines print out a receipt for voters that they cannot read, only a computer can identify who was voted for by reading the barcode. So voters can’t verify that their vote was cast for the intended candidate. Read more about this story at the WSYR website.

The daily news update.

Abby Hoover is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson February 21, vetoed plans for a housing vacancy study of the city, nixing a Common Council resolution that authorized a survey to determine Hudson's eligibility to opt into the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974. In killing the plan, Johnson said he was doing so because "...it is highly unlikely that Hudson's vacancy rate would qualify the city for participation in the [act]." Johnson cited a preliminary 2018 inventory of rent-regulated housing stock prepared for the Housing Task Force, which estimated that 21 percent of city residents currently live in “low-income, permanently affordable, rent regulated housing.” Under the ETPA, if a city’s vacancy rate is under 5 percent, its rental market is considered stressed, and the city can declare a housing emergency. The resolution did not authorize funding, Common Council President Tom DePietro explained on the night of the vote; it only requested the mayor commission the survey. The council approved the resolution at its February 18 meeting, with 1st Ward Alderwoman Jane Trombley and 5th Ward representatives Dominic Merante and Eileen Halloran dissenting. Second Ward Alderwoman Tiffany Garriga proposed the resolution. She said she brought the process forward because she felt it was the right thing to do, and called for more action and less talking from her fellow council members. “Elected officials from the Democratic party control all levels of government in this city, and say they are for affordable housing and housing justice,” Garriga said. “If you are so, then show it.” Ed. NOTE: Johnson and DePietro are active WGXC volunteer programmers. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

WNYT-TV is reporting four students and a bus driver were hurt in a bus rollover accident at 7:45 a.m., February 25, on Church Avenue in Germantown. The driver and 20 students, on their way to classes at the Germantown Central School, were on board. The incident occurred mid-way through the morning run. Germantown Superintendent Sue Brown held a news conference just before noon, and reported that four students and the driver were all taken to local hospitals. Sixteen students were transported to school and evaluated by the school nurse. What caused the bus to go off the road remains unknown; the New York State Police are investigating. Brown said the district does not own its own buses. She said the driver and bus involved are with Zanchelli Bus Lines in Germantown. The school has made counselors available for all students. According to a statement released by the state police, an inspection of the vehicle is being conducted by the New York State Department of Transportation and the Troop K Commercial Vehicle Enforcement unit. Read the full story at WNYT [dot] com.

Kate Lisa is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media Coeymans town officials have announced plans to build a new, $2.5 to $3 million town hall on Route 9W in large part to provide additional space for the Coeymans Police Department and the Albany County Sheriff's Office substation. Town Supervisor George McHugh discussed the project for the first time during the February 13 town board meeting. “We’re looking at a brand new town hall and looking at creative ways to finance that so there would be no tax increase and we’d [the town] still be able to buy it,” McHugh said. Lawmakers are looking at two available properties near the intersection of Route 9W and county Route 101 as the potential site for a new 10,000-square foot municipal building. Wayne Flach, the owner of Flach Industries and Glenn Davis Valve Solutions, is now in discussions with officials about the potential for building the facility and for the town to enter into a lease-to-own agreement. “The option to buy would be anytime,” McHugh explained. “We could lease it for a year and buy it, or lease it for 10 years and buy it.” The supervisor has plans to finance the multi-million-dollar project with minimal or no tax increase. Going forward, McHugh anticipates additional revenue for the town from host benefit packages. “When you have big industries coming in, the benefit of that is we can negotiate host benefit packages from them... which could be substantial enough to pay the debt service on the new town hall,” he said. If a new building is built, the town would likely put the existing town hall up for sale. Officials plan to meet with Flach and architects about the design plan by the end of February. Read the full story in the Ravena News-Herald.

Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union plans for the 124-mile gas Constitution Pipeline have been scrapped by the companies that wanted to build it, writing the project off to the tune of $354 million. The line would have run from the Pennsylvania border near Binghamton to Schoharie County and then link to existing lines. The project was proposed by the Oklahoma-based Williams Companies and partners, and had approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. However, New York state had yet to approve the water permits needed because the line would have crossed multiple streams and wetlands. The project was proposed in 2013 with a cost estimate under $700 million, but legal challenges and delays drove the price up by almost 40 percent. Environmentalists said they were glad Williams was dropping the planned pipeline. Riverkeeper, Earthjustice and other groups had opposed the plan. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Click above to download or play the audio version of the local news for Tue., Feb. 25. Produced by Philip Grant.

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

Spectrum News reports that Governor Andrew Cuomo is upset about the federal government canceling a major health care grant. New York State was set to receive about $600 million this year, and up to $8 billion total from the federal government. Cuomo sees it as the latest attack by the Trump administration on New York mentioning the Trusted Travelers Program, the changes to state and local tax deductions, and blocking of funds for the MTA as other instances when retribution was taken against New York. "I've never seen politics to this extreme. I've never seen government through a self-serving political lens like this, but that's what it is," Cuomo said. "At some point, it has to stop. And the line in the sand has to be health care." Read more about story at the Spectrum News website.

Sarah Trafton reports for Columbia-Greene Media that Coxsackie's Hi-way Drive-In on Route 9W is up for sale. A new buyer can get the four screens and 600 parking spaces on 13 acres for $975,000. The theater was built in 1960, and purchased by Roger and Sharon Babcock in 1996. “I’m 73 as of tomorrow,” Roger Babcock said. “It’s about time to retire.” He started working at the drive-in's box office in 1971 and Sharon Babcock started at the theater in 1975. They say they are hoping to find a buyer to keep the drive-in open. “I hope they keep it a drive-in,” Coxsackie Town Supervisor Richard Hanse said. “It’s one of the few remaining in the country.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

NBC New York reports that the New York State Police -- one of the only forces in the country without body cameras -- will get them soon as a pilot program for state troopers is set to begin. An Associated Press survey recently found that New York State Police are the country’s largest law enforcement agency not equipped with body or dashboard cameras. Kevin Bruen, first deputy superintendent of the New York State Police, did not provide details of the plan. At one time, New York State Police used VHS cameras and then digital cameras on a few vehicles said the VHS cameras were too expensive and the digital cameras required “costly maintenance.” Read more about this story at the NBC New York website.

Cayla Harris reports at Capitol Confidential that Democratic committees in Schenectady, Albany, Greene, Montgomery, and Ulster counties have all endorsed Michelle Hinchey for the 46th state Senate District. That means the daughter of late Congressperson Maurice Hinchey has been endorsed by all of the Democratic committees in each county in the district over Democrat Gary Greenberg, a longtime child victims advocate from New Baltimore. Incumbent state Sen. George Amedore, a Republican from Rotterdam, decided not seek re-election in 2020, and so far Republicans do not have a candidate. Democrats believe they have a good chance to win the seat in 2020. The last time a Democrat won the seat was in the presidential election of 2012, when there is a higher voter turnout than other years. Petitioning begins Feb. 25 for the primary, and Greenberg says he will continue his campaign even though the “political bosses” have “rigged the endorsement” for Hinchey. “The voters decide elections not the bosses and Albany insiders,” Greenberg said. “I look forward to circulating my petitions, meeting the voters, learning the issues that matter and [continuing] my efforts to get elected in a grassroots campaign to serve the people and get results, as I have always done.” Hinchey has raised nearly $100,000 for her campaign compared to Greenberg's $20,000. Read more about this story at Capitol Confidential.

The daily news update.

Abby Hoover is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Galvan Foundation announced February 21, its plans to construct an 80-unit mixed-income rental housing project at 7th and State streets in Hudson. The project is set to break ground this fall. Mayor Kamal Jonhson has been collaborating on the proposal as part of the Strategic Housing Action Plan approved by the city in 2018. The Galvan-owned property will be home to a new four-story building with 8,500 square feet of commercial space and a green design, according to a statement from the foundation. Dan Kent, Galvan's vice president of initiatives said there is no plan in place yet for the commercial space, but he suggested a gym, retail or restaurant. Kent said the foundation will convert the vacant 3,700-square-foot train depot into a brewery. The city will not have any financial obligation to the project, Johnson said. The building will offer studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units ranging in price from $440 to $1,470 per month. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

David Lee is reporting for The Columbia Paper the Columbia County Board of Supervisors February 12, held a public hearing on a proposed new local law which would have established new immunization requirements for camps located in the county. But before the supervisors heard any comments, the chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee announced the proposed legislation would be tabled and no new county vaccination requirements for campers would be imposed in 2020. The measure would have mandated that both campers and employees have the same regimen of vaccinations as required by public and private schools, and was presented as an extension of the state school immunization requirements that went into effect in December. That law eliminated religious and personal exemptions, as well as some medical exemptions previously available. The board meeting on the 12th was attended by people ready to comment on the proposed law and the majority of them had come to voice opposition to the new regulations. Approximately 10 people spoke even after Supervisor Robert Lagonia, chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, said the law would not be reconsidered this year. Those who spoke expressed dismay with vaccination laws in general and anger with the new state law removing religious exemptions, seeing it as overreach. Lagonia said the matter will go back to committee and the members will take the public's comments into consideration before deciding how to proceed. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.