Joseph Spector reports in the Poughkeepsie Journal that Ulster is the only local county that has said so far that it will mandate a five-cent charge on paper bags when New York's ban on plastic bags goes into effect. Starting in March, plastic bags won't be in local grocery stores, and counties can decide for themselves whether or not to add the nickel fee for paper bags. Last year Ulster County passed its own plastic-bag ban with a five-cent charge for paper bags that goes into effect July 15. No other local county has made a decision on the issue yet, according to a survey of local leaders by the USA Today Network in New York. Dutchess County has its own plastic bag ban going into effect soon, but has not addressed paper bags. "If the county Legislature decides to reexamine this issue," Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, "public engagement and discussion must take place prior to a decision being made to adopt a fee on the use of paper carryout bags." Officials from Albany, Greene, and Columbia counties said they did not know which way they would go on the issue, and officials from Rensselaer County did not respond. Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.