Richard Moody reports for Columbia-Greene Media that new Columbia County Coroner Bernadette Powis says her medical background will provide a different aspect to the role after she defeated Carmen Martino, a retired state trooper, Nov. 6. “I think investigations would be improved with a medical perspective,” Powis said. “Law enforcement is already at the death scene. Having a medical professional will be having a different set of eyes. It adds to what will be shared with a private physician.” Although doctors do the autopsies, she previously was a medical and psychiatric nurse practitioner for 35 years. Powis, a Democrat from Kinderhook, beat Martino, a Republican from Ghent, 12,883 to 11,584 in the special election. Martino had been temporarily appointed coroner Aug. 9 by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors after Dr. Andrea “Cricket” Coleman resigned in July. Read the full story in HudsonValley360.com.