Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that after absentee ballots were counted in the March 21 Tannersville Mayor election, David Schneider led McGunningle by two votes, 103 to 101. But McGunningle has one chance to tie the election. On March23, the Greene County Board of Elections reported that they are waiting for two cure letters. Cure letters are from voters to correct or clarify errors on an absentee ballot envelope. So far they board has two, which could make a difference in the race, and other voters have until March 29 to be get more cure letters to the board of election. After that, the board will make a ruling on those ballots, and the election will be decided. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Tim Williams and Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics the Commission on Judicial Nomination has released their new list of candidates for chief judge of the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. The State Senate blocked Gov. Kathy Hochul's pick off the first list, Hector LaSalle. The new list of possible nominees includes the current acting chief judge (Anthony Cannataro); two current Court of Appeals judges (Rowan Wilson and Shirley Troutman); two presiding justices of the state’s intermediate courts (Elizabeth Garry and Gerald Whalen); and two lawyers (Caitlin Halligan and Corey Stoughton). Now, Hochul needs to choose one from this list, and get their nomination through the Senate. Read more about this story in New York State of Politics.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that Republicans Marc Molinaro and Elise Stefanik and Democrats Pat Ryan and Paul Tonko split their votes on a show bill about parental control of education. Republicans call it the Parents Bill of Rights Act, and it has no chance to pass the Senate or be signed into law by President Joe Biden. Molinaro, who represents the 19th Congressional District, said, “This bill originated from the simple idea that parents should have a say in their child’s education.... I worked so this bill was reasonable, preserved protections for children, and included measures that ensure parents know what’s being taught in schools.” Ryan cited the five Republicans voting against the measure, saying, "“Democrats and Republicans alike opposed this bill because it is a radical federal overreach that bans books and attacks LGBTQ+ students.... It is deeply disappointing that so many of my Republican colleagues went along with this political stunt, rather than working on actual improvements to our education system. I’m focused on the real issues impacting our public schools, like getting guns out of our children’s classrooms, raising pay for teachers and reducing food insecurity.” Molinaro bragged about how he voted against several more radical amendments to the bill. A statement from his office said, “Rep. Molinaro also voted against significant Republican-led amendments – preventing them from being attached to the final bill. These amendments would have burdened schools with significant costs, interfered with state and local educational decisions, and established Congress’ support to suspend all major functions and programs provided by the U.S. Department of Education for K-12 education." But Democrats introduced a motion so that the bill could not lead to book banning. But Molinaro voted against that amendment. But the bill is filled with all sorts of radical amendments. Rep. Lauren Boebert, for instance, successfully backed amendments to require schools to report when transgender girls join girls’ athletics teams and if trans girls are allowed to use girls’ school restrooms or locker rooms. The bill, if it were to become law, would also require elementary and middle schools to get parents’ consent to change a child’s gender designation, pronouns, or name. Tonko said, "This bill tramples on the rights of parents, students, and teachers alike.... This bill would force schools to submit to 'inspections' of every book in their libraries and every piece of assigned reading material to ensure they comply with draconian standards." But, since it is a show vote that won't pass this Congress, Molinaro and Stefanik aligned themselves with radical Republicans in voting for the bill. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media that after absentee votes were counted on March 23, David Schneider beat incumbent Tannersville Mayor Lee McGunnigle by two votes and incumbent Athens trustee Joshua Lipsman beat Anthony Proper by nine votes for the second open trustee seat in the riverside village. The Democrat Lipsman had trailed the Republican Proper before the absentee count. In Tannersville, Schneider defeated McGunnigle 103 votes to 101 votes. Read the full story at HudsonValley360.com.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that lawmakers in the state Senate this week unanimously passed a bill requiring utility companies in the state to perform actual meter readings. The measure was backed by state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, who said, “Utility companies are using estimation formulas that are not based on past usage, making it impossible for New Yorkers to afford, let alone trust, their utility bills. My legislation to ban the practice will help ensure that this never happens again while bringing needed transparency and accountability to the utility industry as a whole in New York.” Central Hudson, in Hinchey's district, has been widely criticized for estimated billing practices. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

The For the Many and Community Voices Heard activist groups occupied Assemblymember Didi Barrett’s Albany office on March 22, because of her refusal to support Good Cause Eviction. Police turned up to the office, but the activists did not report any arrests. The Good Cause Eviction legislation would make it illegal for landlords to evict tenants unless they violated the lease agreement. “Barrett has refused to personally meet with tenants about the housing crisis in the Hudson Valley—especially in the City of Hudson,” said For the Many Political Director Brahvan Ranga. “Her constituents brought her eviction notices to let her know if she continues to evict us from our homes, then we’re going to evict her from office.”

Alex Gault reports in the Adirondack Daily that Republican Jill A. Lochner announced she is running for the 21st Congressional District seat currently held by Republican Elise Stefanik. Stefanik has long said she would only run for five two-year terms, which would end her term in Congress in 2024. Stefanik’s campaign team did not return a request for comment on whether she would not run again. Lochner said she wants to bring a moderate Republican voice to the district, which now includes Rensselaer County. “One of the big reasons I’m running, it’s not only (Stefanik), it’s some of the Republican Party in general, it’s become disappointing to me,” she said in an interview in Glens Falls on March 23. “The loudest, angriest voices get all the attention, and it gives a bad impression.” Lochner says she favors fiscal conservatism, small-government, and is supportive of business. She does not support Donald Trump, and says she is pro-choice. “I actually struggled with infertility, and my husband and I had to do IVF treatments,” she said. “In that process, it becomes very obvious how precious life is and how difficult it is even to get there when you want it so badly.” Read more about this story in the Adirondack Daily.

Raymond Pignone reports in Columbia-Greene Media that right-wing environmental groups Neighbors 2 Neighbors, Smarter NY Energy and the Empire Center for Public Policy hold a New York State Climate Act Town Hall on March 26 at Columbia-Greene Community College hosted by Columbia County Clerk Holly Tanner with former state Sen. Daphne Jordan, both Republicans. Local Democrats are saying the groups are "circulat[ing] myths and misinformation about electrification,” County Democratic Party Chairman Sam Hodge said. “These three provocateurs are facilitating the disinformation campaign in Columbia County against the New York State climate plan.” Tanner, in an email. said both climate deniers and those who want to save the planet for humanity should be heard, saying, “All sides of the issue should be heard, I agree, so that people can be informed about what their government is doing — government for the people, by the people. I did not organize this event. I was asked to help moderate the event, having done large Town Hall meetings for other topics.” Read the full story at HudsonValley.360.com.

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Columbia-Greene Media reports that the company that owns the The Daily Mail and Register-Star newspapers is selling them to another, similar small regional newspaper group. Johnson Newspaper Corporation announced March 22 plans to sell the two newspapers, and the website HudsonValley360.com, to The Daily Gazette Holding Company. The two newspapers and the website make up the largest media organization in the center of the WGXC listening area. It is a family sale between the Johnsons and the Linds. The Johnson family-owned Johnson Newspaper Corporation also publishes The Watertown Daily Times, Courier-Observer, St. Lawrence Plaindealer and Ogdensburg Journal newspapers based in Watertown. The Daily Gazette Holding Company, buying the local papers, is owned by the Lind family, and publishes The Daily Gazette in Schenectady, The Gloversville Leader-Herald and The Amsterdam Recorder newspapers. The Register-Star claims to be the nation’s second-oldest daily newspaper, and began publishing in 1785, while The Daily Mail claims to be the eighth-oldest newspaper, and first published in 1792. Read the full story at HudsonValley360.com.

Mid-Hudson News reports that in addition to taking rooms out of the long-term housing market, short term renters in Ulster County are not all great about paying their taxes. Ulster County Comptroller March Gallagher says they've been researching the number of local rentals and said, “We compare those against our registrations and low and behold, there is a significant number of properties – 948 non-compliant short-term rentals were identified. Eight-hundred and fifty-two of those had rented within the last year and 58 percent of those had rented within the last 60 days.” Airbnb has a system to collect room tax and remits it to the Ulster County government, but other short-term rental companies do not have similar systems in place. Gallagher estimates Ulster County lost between $65,000 and $1 million last year from missing rental taxes. So far the county has spent about $38,000 to begin to track that money down. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Nick Reisman reports at New York State of Politics that New York's unemployment rate did not change in February, staying at 4.2 percent, the state Department of Labor said on March 23. The private sector added 21,200 jobs, but New York's unemployment rate is worse than the national rate of 3.6 percent. New York's labor force participation rate is still below pre-pandemic levels. Read. more about this story at New York State of Politics.

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Raymond Pignone reports in Columbia-Greene Media that State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said March 22 that the village of Coxsackie is under “moderate fiscal stress.” Coxsackie was the only local municipality under stress according to DiNapoli. Coxsackie Village Mayor Mark Evans played down his warning, saying, “A ‘moderate’ score given the economic conditions we have at this time is not a bad thing.... The state Comptroller’s calculations to get these scores are out of our control and I’d love to see it better, but I’m comfortable with what we received.” DiNapoli said the end of federal pandemic relief was causing stress in some of the towns and villages in New York. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Michael Ryan reports in the Mountain Eagle that in Jewett, in Greene County, the town board last week approved a six-month moratorium on new solar-powered projects while they reconsider their current solar laws. Town Supervisor Greg Kroyer said Jewett will “reconsider our current solar law and very possibly draft a new law that addresses all aspects of larger solar farms.... Currently, we don’t allow anything that is not small scale.... We don’t want [large solar farms] period, but we believe that might not fly if we got challenged. Everything is so solar [focused] now with the State they might overturn our local jurisdiction.” The town planning board will write the revisions, and Kroyer said, “They have had a couple of subdivision applications that have required a lot of attention. They are working off templates from a couple of other towns to prepare a final draft and they aren’t quite ready." Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Heather Bellow reports in The Berkshire Eagle that the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has ruled that in 2022 the Great Barrington Select Board violated the state’s open-meeting laws, working beyond public view on the town’s proposed short-term rental bylaw. Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Carnes Flynn said in a March 14 letter that the board had essentially created a subcommittee when board Chair Stephen Bannon and Vice Chair Leigh Davis met with Christopher Rembold, Assistant Town Manager and Director of Planning, to work on the short-term rental rules. Flynn said, “Although the Board did not take a formal vote and did not use the word ‘subcommittee,’ the Board discussed at length having two members work with Mr. Rembold.” All board votes and rulings remain in place, but the board must now create minutes for the meetings of the three officials. And Flynn said if they did it again it would “be considered evidence of intent to violate the Law.” Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

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Raymond Pignone reports in Columbia-Greene Media that in Philmont there's a battle over the environment with a resolution to disband the village’s Climate Smart Task Force. On March 13 30 climate-denying conspiracy theorists presented a draft resolution asking about dissolving the climate smart task force. Only a trustee can introduce a resolution in Philmont, though. Michael Richardson of the activist group Rivers & Mountains GreenFaith said, of the folks offering the resolution, "Of those 30 people, many of them are not from Philmont.... Many of them were from Stand Up Massachusetts, an extreme libertarian group from Great Barrington, and Neighbors 2 Neighbors.” The resolution seems to deny the fact that burning fossil fuels is changing the climate. The right-wing environmental groups are mobilizing elsewhere in Columbia County. Neighbors 2 Neighbors, Smarter NY Energy and the Empire Center for Public Policy hold a New York State Climate Act Town Hall on March 26 at Columbia-Greene Community College hosted by Columbia County Clerk Holly Tanner with former state Sen. Daphne Jordan, both Republicans. Richardson said the event is "like the Marlboro Man telling you that if you smoke these cigarettes, you’ll turn into a cowboy.” Read more about this story in Columbia-Greene Media.

Porcupine Soup reports that the village of Hunter won't provide the election results, but they say Alan Higgins defeated incumbent Mayor Michael Papa in the March 21 election. Higgins resigned and Papa ran for his seat and won, but Higgins was not happy with Papa's term and called him a bully in his campaign to retake the seat. The town also says Jason DiLeo got more votes -- they don't say how many more -- than Tyler Kelaher and Abraham Stefansky to take the board of trustees seat in Hunter. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.