Today's audio daily news update.

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

Tiffany Greenwaldt- Simon reports at HudsonValley360.com that a free vending machine that dispenses overdose-reversal medication, and fentanyl and xylazine test strips began operation in Hudson on Jan. 31, the first of its kind in the Twin Counties. The Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene, Medication for Addiction Treatment and Electronic Referrals, and Catholic Charities Care Coordination Services placed the machine at at 713 Union St. in Hudson. Candace Ellis, executive director of Catholic Charities Care Coordination Services, said, “People who use drugs deserve access, they deserve support, and they deserve kindness as we work to negate the risks associated with drug use.... A lot of the drugs that are in the drug supply right now are adulterated with other substances including fentanyl and xylazine. We want to be able to protect our clients and the community." To use the machine, individuals have to enter an authentication code found on the outside of the machine, their birth year, and their ZIP code. The items are free and up to three items can be dispensed at a time. In Columbia County last year 51 people overdosed with 37 hospitalizations and eight deaths. In Greene County, there were 81 overdoses in 2023. Full disclosure: The Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene produces the youth program "Clubhouse Radio" on WGXC. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that Rep. Pat Ryan raised $3,147,028 in campaign money in 2023. Federal Elections Commission reports show Ryan, a Democrat representing the 18th District, had $2,121,915 on hand as of Jan. 1. By contrast, Republican Alison Esposito, a retired New York City police officer and unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022, had no filing for the year by the Jan. 31 deadline, according to the Federal Elections Commission, after she announced her campaign for the Republican nomination for the 18th District in October. The other Republican in the 18th District primary election is Lovleynn Gwinn, a New York City real estate broker who is an Asian Pacific Islander from Hawaii, who raised $14,033 last year and spent $9,240. In the 19th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro is running for his second term and raised $2,196,509 in 2023 and has $1,618,916 left over as of Jan. 1. Democrat Josh Riley, who lost to Molinaro in 2022, raised $2,057,381 last year and has $1,468,507 on hand. Democrat Daniel Buttermann is also running, but did not file any financial reports for 2023. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Today is Groundhog's Day and the most famous four-footed meteorologist Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this morning at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania. That, legend has it, means an early spring is on its way. CBS News reports that the groundhog in that town has been right 39 percent of the time going back to his first recorded prediction in 1887. Human meteorologists predict that locals will see their own shadows for the first time in almost two weeks, as the sun comes out this weekend.

The audio daily news update.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that Rep. Marc Molinaro plans to vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, although the story does not cite a specific reason why. Molinaro said, “I’ve had to manage complex government responsibilities as a former Village Mayor and County Executive.... If he worked for me – and he wouldn’t – I’d have fired him.” On a social media post he said, “Upstate New York is a much more dangerous place with Secretary Mayorkas leading President Biden’s homeland security.... Since Secretary Mayorkas won’t do his job and address the border crisis or even acknowledge its existence he should not have this job.” Molinaro, a Republican, represents the 19th Congressional District. Pat Ryan, a Democrat, represents the 18th District and disagrees with Molinaro, saying, “I’ve been clear since day one: we have a crisis at the border, and we need all hands on deck to fix it.... That’s why I called on the President to declare a state of emergency in New York last May, alongside Congressmen (Mike) Lawler and Molinaro.... But the far-right House leadership under Mike Johnson and Elise Stefanik would rather use immigration for political gain than take action to actually fix the problem.” Ryan complained that Republicans won't vote on his Dignity Act, what he calls comprehensive “bipartisan immigration legislation – they refuse to vote on it..... I wrote an amendment to crack down on fentanyl trafficking – they refuse to pass it.... We’re ready to pass a federal budget that will increase border security – they refuse to even consider it. It’s cynical, disappointing, and everything that’s wrong with American politics.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Heather Bellow reports in The Berkshire Eagle that the Town of Great Barrington will hire an investigator to figure out exactly why police searched a middle school classroom after receiving a complaint about a book. The Select Board unanimously voted on Jan. 31 for the investigation and to make a report of the findings public “to the extent permitted.” The teacher whose classroom was searched asked for the investigation. The Berkshire Hills Regional School District said last week that its insurance company had selected a Boston-based law firm to handle a potential investigation into the matter. On Dec. 8 someone complained to police that there was sexually explicit material in the illustrated novel, “Gender Queer,” at the school, and police came and searched the classroom. The anonymous complainant also said they had overheard the teacher telling students “don’t tell your parents” and said they observed a student sitting on the teacher’s lap, according to the police report. Read more about this story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Courtney Ward reports at News10 that local politics got a shakeup Jan. 31 at a meeting of the Albany County Democratic Committee when New York State Sen. Neil Breslin announced he is not seeking re-election. Many Democrats then announced their support and endorsement for Assemblyperson Patricia Fahy to replace him. Fahy, said she is deeply grateful for the endorsement, and if she gets the nomination, she would run for Breslin’s seat this fall. Breslin is 81, and is currently the longest serving tenured member of the state senate. Read more about this story at News10.

Today's audio daily news update.

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

New York State of Politics reports that New York Assembly Republicans spoke out Jan. 31 at the state Capitol against the possibility of five prison closures in the state this year. Gov. Kathy Hochul's new budget proposal would allow the state to close up to five correctional facilities with 90 days notice. Republican Assemblyperson Chris Tague, who represents Greene and Schoharie counties, said. "These proposed actions will only worsen the safety and security of our communities, other inmates, corrections and civilian employees that work and live within our prison system." The closures could also save $77 million in the 2025 fiscal year and $128 million the following year, according to the state Division of Budget. State officials say that since there are fewer prisoners now, they need fewer prisons. But that means fewer jobs. Randi DiAntonio, vice president of the New York State Public Employees Federation, said, "Staffing is a problem in every agency across the state, but instead of proposing closures, why don't we propose ways to bolster recruitments and retention?" Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Mid-Hudson News reports about the June Democrat primary election between incumbent Assemblyperson Didi Barrett and Claire Cousin, a City of Hudson representative on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. Cousin has been a longtime critic of Barrett's lack of action on affordable housing issues, and wants the votes from the 106th Assembly District to move to the left. Cousin said, “I’m running to be an organizer in office, who will work with people inside and outside of Albany to pass transformative legislation on housing, climate and education.... I am a working-class person, a tenant, a local legislator, I’m a mother of three kids who live in this district and who are growing up in this district.” In a recent story about being endorsed by Columbia County Democratic Party Chair Sam Hodge and Dutchess County Democratic Party Committee Chair Michael Dupree, Barrett said, “Addressing the affordable housing crisis is one of my highest priorities." Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Porcupine Soup reports that electrical trades, education careers, and firefighting courses will be added to Questar III BOCES Career and Technical Education programs for the 2024-2025 school year. Questar III BOCES Associate Superintendent Dr. James Niedermeier. said, “We’re constantly listening to what our local job market is seeking.” Questar III already offers an EMT program, and the firefighting class will be a one-year complementary program that that. Questar III is also discussing the cosmetology, criminal justice, and culinary arts by adding additional sections. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

The audio daily news update.

Dan Clark in the Times Union looks into what would happen if former President Donald Trump picks Rep. Elise Stefanik as his vice-presidential candidate. Stefanik, who represents Rensselaer County and the rest of the 21st Congressional District, would be the first nominee for vice president from New York since former Buffalo-area Rep. Jack Kemp was picked by Bob Dole in 1996. And local Republican leaders would get to hand-pick her replacement in Congress. Martin Connor, who’s considered one of the state’s top election attorneys, said, “Someone nominated for an office who is later nominated for a different office may decline the first office." Stefanik would first have to win her June 25 primary election to be the Republican nominee in her district. Jill Lochner, who has worked in early childhood development, announced a run for the Republican nomination last year, but Stefanik is the incumbent. Then, Trump could announce Stefanik as VP anytime, but she wouldn’t officially become the party’s nominee until July, when the Republican National Convention is scheduled for Milwaukee. After her running for vice-president is filed with New York State, Stefanik would have until “not later than the third day after the filing” to formally decline her nomination for Congress. Then, a majority of the members of the local Republican committees in each county of Stefanik's district would meet and vote on a new Republican nominee for the 21st Congressional District. Of course, all this is based on Trump picking Stefanik, which may be a long shot, as he recently publicly mispronounced her last name. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Breanna Fuss reports for New York State of Politics that New York's Farm Bureau's top priorities for 2024 include the switch to electric power, producer responsibilities, funding, and getting food into New York schools. The Farm Bureau wants New York to expand the Nourish New York and Healthy School Meals for All programs where pantries and food banks and school breakfasts and lunches are full of locally-grown food. The bureau also wants legislation that would allow direct-to-consumer shipping for all New York-produced farm beverages, including beer, cider and spirits. The Farm Bureau is pushing back against going fully electric until, they say, there are reliable battery-powered tractors and machinery for farms. David Fisher, president of the New York Farm Bureau, said, "We just need a common sense reliable energy policy and not go too far, too fast.... We must get this right for the sake of food production." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Michael Ryan from the Mountain Eagle reports that the Town of Windham will consider a dog park at the Windham Path, along State Route 23, with a Feb. 1 public hearing. Town Supervisor Thomas Hoyt said, “This is something that has been on a backburner for a year or so.... There were other things going on back then, like the new ambulance building, and now interest is being shown again." Now the town has a full proposal that includes a walking path around the perimeter, shade trees, drinking fountains, lighting, and agility equipment. Hoyt said an unnamed private group is raising money for the park, but said a combination of funding sources could emerge. Initial estimates for the park are between $37,700 to $50,900. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

Today's audio daily news update.

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