Today's audio daily news update.

The Guardian has an interactive map of the United States showing where air pollution is worse. Locally, the area just east of the Hudson River throughout the Hudson Valley has the worst air quality. The Catskill and Albany areas also have worse air quality, and from Copake south along the border with Connecticut is another zone with lower air quality, according to the map based on information from the Center for Air, Climate, & Energy Solutions. The city of Hudson, for instance, has 6.6 micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter on average from 2011-2015, according to the map. The World Health Organization considers 5 micrograms its safe level. See the map where you can plug in your zip code and find results at The Guardian website.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is looking for volunteers to help with the Department of Environmental Conservation’s annual eel count in streams and rivers from NYC to Albany County from late March through May. American eels are migratory fish that are hatched in the Atlantic Ocean and enter rivers as tiny “glass eels” each spring. The species is in decline over much of its range, and baseline studies are needed for conservation. Locally, the count takes place at the Hannacroix Creek site in New Baltimore. Anyone interested in helping should email or call Lindsey Strehlau-Howay of CCE Columbia and Greene Counties at Las549@cornell.edu, and 518-622-9820 x112. To help at any other location email or call Sarah Mount of NYSDEC at sarah.mount@dec.ny.gov, 845‐889‐4745 x106.

Chad Arnold reports in The Daily Gazette reports that two years after recreational cannabis use became legal in New York, and several months after retail stores were predicted to open throughout the state, only three have. There are two in New York City, and one in Binghamton. The owners of the Upstate Canna Co. dispensary in Schenectady say they will open their store March 31. Meanwhile, a pending lawsuit still has a judge temporarily blocking the opening of any cannabis stores in five regions of the state, including the Hudson Valley. Read the full story in The Daily Gazette.

The Times Union reports that on March 9 state officials requested to relocate a "rare and significant" Columbia County building from New York's turnpike era 30 feet to protect it from traffic and road hazards. Hillsdale's Columbia Turnpike East Tollhouse, on the north side of Route 23, used to charge passers-by on a turnpike between western Massachusetts and the Hudson River that was active between 1799 and 1906. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. The New York State Board for Historic Preservation has signed off on the move. Read more about this story at the Times Union website.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Andrea Macko reports in Porcupine Soup that three Catskill Middle School students were arrested after police say they put lithium from batteries in a toilet March 7, releasing toxic fumes into the air. Catskill Central School District Superintendent Melissa A. Barrow. said in a message to parents, “The reaction was contained to the toilet and students and staff were never in any danger. Staff closed off the bathroom and opened the window to let the room air out, and we notified police and fire services, who responded to the middle school as a precaution.... Other than the closure of the bathroom, the incident did not cause a disruption to the school day.” The Greene County Sheriff’s Office arrested the three juveniles, one 13-year-old, and two 12-year-olds. They were issued Greene County Family Court appearance tickets for second-degree arson, third-degree criminal mischief, fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree reckless endangerment, and unlawful possession of noxious material. Read more about this. story in Porcupine Soup.

Mid-Hudson News reports that New York State Attorney General Letitia James has gotten a court order on March 9 blocking ten national gun distributors from selling parts or shipping gun parts into the state. The parts in question can be used to build untraceable “ghost guns.” When James filed the motion for the court order in January, James said, “Companies that sell ghost gun parts and kits present a clear danger to all New Yorkers.... These deadly weapons are unregistered, untraceable, and do not require any background check to purchase, which means they can easily end up in dangerous hands. Once again, we are taking action to stop the flow of ghost guns into New York and to protect our communities from gun violence.” Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Diane Valden with the Columbia Paper reports that Copake is the latest locality to talk about the local affordable housing crisis. And they actually took some action too, but it was a unanimous Feb. 28 Town Board decision for a six-month moratorium on major subdivisions. While not building houses will not add affordable places to live locally, Copake Supervisor Jeanne Mettler recognizes there is a problem, saying, "This is not just a local crisis; there is a housing crisis in Columbia County, and in her recent State of the State address, New York Governor Hochul recognized this as a statewide crisis.” But so far Copake has taken no action to create affordable housing besides creating committees and working groups to study the issue. So far, town officials are not talking about building affordable housing, but instead tweaking regulations that might help others build affordable housing. Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.

Today's audio daily news update.

Chris Gelardi reports in New York Focus that not only are New York prison officials ignoring the recently passed Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, which placed strict limits on prison isolation, but the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision recently updated regulations "re-enshrining DOCCS’s longstanding disregard of the law’s foundational tenets" according to the publication. After a recent story by New York Focus about how prisoners were still being put into solitary confinement, 52 state legislators sent a letter to New York’s prison department last week criticizing DOCCS for flouting the solitary confinement law. The lawmakers wrote, "We write with ongoing grave concerns that DOCCS not only continues to violate HALT but now is failing to remedy many deficiencies in its previous regulations that we and others pointed out and that are part of the reason these violations continue to occur." The legislators also complained that prisons were allowing staff to rescind incarcerated people’s visitation privileges as punishment for any infraction of prison rules, when, before, they could only revoke visitation over drug- or visitation-related offenses. “The vast restrictions on visits and packages are abusive for incarcerated people and their children and other family members,” the letter states. “They will also likely lead to increased tension, increased violence, increased drug use, increased suicide, and worsened safety for incarcerated people and staff.” A DOCCS spokesperson would only say that the department, “will review and respond to all comments through the state’s regulatory process at the appropriate time.” New York State Senator Julia Salazar said, “DOCCS seems to think it can make up its own rules.... It can’t. It must follow the law.” Read the full story in New York Focus.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that the officials who run the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Dutchess County are looking for someone to take over the Hyde Park Drive-In for the next 10 years. The National Park Service took over the site from Scene Hudson in 2011, and now have a call for proposals from vendors interested in leasing and operating the drive-in. The land, on U.S. Route 9 in Hyde Park, was once part of the Roosevelt farm and estate. The drive-in first opened in 1950, with room for up to 670 cars and includes a single-story building that contains restrooms, a concession stand, storage and administrative space. The lease also comes with a marquee sign, ticket booth, projection screen, and a promise to keep up the building and grounds. Proposals must be submitted by April 14 to amy_bracewell@nps.gov and should include “Hyde Park Drive-In” in the subject line. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

On Wed., March 15 Rep. Marc Molinaro holds a town hall-type meeting in Ulster County at 11 a.m. at the Cedar Grove Fire House, at 4 Mower Mill Rd., in Saugerties. WGXC should be there with a live webstream at wgxc.org/listen. Molinaro has also recently held town hall-type meetings in Greene and Columbia counties, though with little advance notice, and no live webstreams. Molinaro, a Republican, began representing the 19th Congressional District in January.

The Upstater reports that the activist group called the Clean Air Coalition of Greater Ravena-Coeymans hosts two community meetings to discuss environmental concerns in southern Albany County. They will discuss the clearcutting of trees on Bronk Road, and the group’s concerns over transparency from the town and local industry, according to the organization. The public is welcome to attend either of the two meetings, which will be held from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, and from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18. Both meetings are at the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Community Library, at 95 Main St., in Ravena. For more information, visit www.cleanairalbanycounty.org or email info@cleanairalbanycounty.org. Read more about this story at The Upstater website.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that Republicans in the state may not hold a majority in the legislature to have their way with the budget, but they still want folks to know what they would do if they were in charge. Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt said on March 8. They call their plan the Rescue NY Agenda and their proposals include cuts in taxes and boosting the state's business climate. They also want to make sure that more people accused of a crime, but innocent until proven guilty, are held in jail. And Republicans say that if they were in charge they would increase efforts to combat opioid addiction and aid to veterans and military families. Democrats, because they hold the majority in the Assembly and state Senate must pass a budget for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign by the end of the month. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

The Troy Record reports that Rensselaer County schools are getting BusPatrol cameras in school buses that automatically send tickets to anyone illegally passing a school bus. The Hoosic Valley Central, Hoosick Falls Central, Schodack Central, Berlin Central, Averill Park Central, Brunswick Central, East Greenbush Central, and Wynantskill Union Free school districts have signed up for the program. East Greenbush Central School District Superintendent Jeff Simons said, “Each year we receive several reports from our bus drivers regarding cars passing our school buses when the stop-arm is engaged. We hope that the implementation of this new technology, at no cost to our taxpayers, will deter such actions on the part of drivers and keep our students safe." The same BusPatrol program was recently launched in Albany County and Dutchess County. Car owners passing a bus and spotted by the cameras get a fine of $250, with the BusPatrol company keeping part of the money. Read more about this story in the Troy Record.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports for the Times Union that the issue of whether judges can order defendants to be electronically monitored while awaiting trial is part of the election for Columbia County judge. Brian Herman, an attorney and former city of Hudson justice running for Columbia County judge as a Democrat, has made it an issue. Herman sent Republican Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell a letter asking the county's leadership to allow electronic monitoring. He wrote, "Adding electronic monitoring to a judge's toolbox allows the judge the ability to honor the full intent of New York State's bail reform bill, while giving the judge the ability to insure that those who are facing criminal charges return to court." Counties, not defendants, must pay for the program, which Greene County does with the probation department overseeing the program. Murrel wrote Herman back saying that the county's "decision to not make use of electronic monitoring for pre-trial defendants has, to date, proven effective for all involved." Besides Herman, Republican Robert Gibson, a former county prosecutor and the commissioner of the county Department of Social Services; Republican Assistant District Attorney Joyce Crawford; and Democrat Michael Howard, the county's first assistant public defender, are running for two open judge seats in Columbia County this year. Read more about this story in the Times Union