Matthew Hamilton is reporting in the Times Union the New York State Police said Wed., Jul. 13, they are reviewing a request to investigate a series of comments made online threatening the life of state Senate candidate, Democrat Sara Niccoli. Niccoli is challenging incumbent state Sen. George Amedore, a Republican from Rotterdam, in the 46th District. The threatening comments appeared on a Facebook post attacking Niccoli, whose Quaker faith prohibits her from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The post appeared shortly before the July 4 weekend on the Facebook page entitled, "The REAL Sara Niccoli." The page is similar to other pages aimed at Democrats running for the state Senate. Both the post and the page were deleted by early Wednesday evening. The post called it unacceptable that Niccoli does not recite the pledge. "Tell Sara Niccoli to honor America!" the June 29 post stated. Two Palatine Town Board members sent a letter to the state police and Gov. Andrew Cuomo requesting an investigation. The letter made reference to “hateful comments, including death threats and violent imagery.” The two officials also asked the police to reveal the identity of the Facebook page administrator. Niccoli told the Associated Press this week she believes the attacks were orchestrated by Amedore, a charge his campaign denied. Amedore told the Times Union, “If she chooses not to recite the Pledge of Allegiance based on her religious belief, that’s her choice. Just like it’s my choice to try to be a man of faith and a man of conviction, to believe in God and that Jesus is my Lord and savior.” Read the full story in the Times Union.

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Public News Service is reporting a new study suggests that allowing the use of medical marijuana cuts down on prescription drug use.

The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, analyzed national Medicare data and found that prescriptions for all painkilling medications, including OxyContin, were 6 percent lower in states with good medical-marijuana laws.

According to Kate Bell, a legislative counsel at the Marijuana Policy Project, this and other studies indicate that people are substituting medical marijuana for costly prescription drugs, "which is saving our health-care system money as well as potentially improving health, particularly since medical marijuana can help reduce the use of opioid painkillers."

A sharp rise in overdose deaths is being attributed to overuse and abuse of opioid painkillers. However, the state of New York may not see the benefits of reduced painkiller use. The state's medical-marijuana law is one of the most restrictive in the country and does not allow recommendations for marijuana to treat chronic pain, Bell said, "which means that most people who suffer from chronic pain, unless they happen to also have one of the limited number of qualifying conditions, will be unable to access the program."

Several bills to expand the state's medical-marijuana law were introduced in the last legislative session, but none was passed.

The new study can't draw a direct link between access to medical marijuana and reductions in prescription drug use, but Bell said it adds to a growing body of evidence that such substitution is common and should send a clear message to New York legislators.

"Increasing the availability of medical marijuana, particularly for patients with chronic pain, can help address the opioid crisis which is a major issue in New York as well as across the country," she said.

The study also found that states with medical-marijuana laws also saw reductions in prescriptions to treat anxiety, depression, nausea, psychosis, seizures and sleep disorders.

The report is online at content [dot] health affairs [dot] org.

Lance Wheeler shot video posted on WGXC Newsroom of the more than 200 people attending the July 12 vigil in Hudson in front of the Columbia County Courthouse about the recent police killings of black men. Speakers denounced the killings of Philandro Castile and Alton Sterling, while Hudson police monitored the rally that completed without incident. The vigil was organized by two Hudson-based groups, the Staley B. Keith Social Justice Center and Showing Up for Racial Justice.

Debby Mayer in The Columbia Paper reports that at the June 21 Germantown board meeting there was tension, "audible between board members and some residents" about filling the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee. Brittany DuFresne, deputy supervisor said the board did not have time to prepare to address the issue. “What is your process for choosing people for the committee?” said Ellen Jouret-Epstein from the audience. “What are your criteria?” DuFresne answered, “We want a wide range of residents–business owners, young people, long-time residents and representatives from the different advisory committees, such as economic development and history.... We’re also trying to figure out what the process would be regarding the consultant to the committee. That’s all we’re going to say tonight.” Instead, the process will continue at the July 26 Germantown board meeting. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Governor Andrew Cuomo gave a press conference July 13, 2016 at Hostos Community College in the Bronx.

Scott Waldman reports in Politico New York that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration proposed July 8 giving away $1 billion in a nuclear subsidy program which proponents say is a smart way to keep the air clean, but opponents say is a bailout to a dangerous, dying industry. "Either way, it will lead to higher utility bills for consumers," Waldman writes, and the state will need less natural gas in the near term, if the plan is implemented. The proposal will specifically benefit the Exelon Corporation, which said it would shut down one of the two reactors at Nine Mile Point in Oswego County and its Ginna facility in Wayne County if New York did not provide the subsidies. Waldman reports Exelon has spent $430,000 on lobbying in New York in the last two years. The Public Service Commission could consider the proposal next month. Read the full story in Politico New York.

Greg Hudson is reporting in The Daily Mail at a recent public hearing in Hunter, New York State Department of Health research scientist Pamela Young presented facts, figures and information about the new Filtration Avoidance Determination for New York City water, how it affects upstate residents, and why the existing FAD, drafted in 2007, needs to be replaced. The FAD is a federal Environmental Protection Agency waiver granted to New York City, allowing the city to avoid using filtration systems on its surface water supply coming from reservoirs west of the Hudson River. The city uses approximately 1 billion gallons of water from upstate reservoirs west of the Hudson River each day, the equivalent of 90 percent of the city’s water intake. The FAD is a series of land-use regulations imposed on lands in and around the watersheds and reservoirs where the city’s water supply originates. The purpose of the public hearings is to open a dialogue between watershed communities and state officials. “I hope this will continue to encourage a dialogue, which will lead to a better relationship between our communities and your organization,” Jewett Town Board member Michael McCrary said. He said the input of local municipalities and residents should be given fair audience throughout the process. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Local weather forecast:

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Minor urban or poor drainage flooding is possible. Mostly cloudy. High near 87. Thursday night, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 68.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
FRIDAY: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny. High near 90. Friday night, a slight chance of showers before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy. Low around 64.
SATURDAY: A slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny. High near 85. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 62.

Sunrise today: 5:32 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:30 p.m.

LENGTH OF THE DAY: 14:57 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Today is the second Thursday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.
All numbers are in the 518 area code unless otherwise noted.

CHATHAM Village meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
CLAVERACK Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 91 Church St., Mellenville (672-7911). COPAKE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountainview Road, Copake (329-1234).
GALLATIN Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Route 7, Ancram (398-7519).
HUDSON Planning Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. both at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
GREENE County Jail Construction Committee meeting, 6 p.m. at unnamed venue (719-3270).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board workshop meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
LIVINGSTON Town board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 119 County Route 19.
NEW BALTIMORE Planning board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 County Route 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
STUYVESANT Town board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
WINDHAM Town board meeting, 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Wed., Jul. 13 (7:47). (Produced by Philip Grant.)