On Feb. 1, Congressperson Pat Ryan took to the U.S. House of Representatives floor and called for the CEO of Central Hudson to resign. The power company has been the subject of many complaints and several investigations for billing practices and inconsistencies.

Today's audio daily news update.

Sten Spinella reports in The Berkshire Eagle that expanding broadband and passenger rail service are the top priorities this year for the four state lawmakers who represent Berkshire County. They're also mention improving the foster care system and access to nurses and dentists in the Berkshires. State Reps. John Barrett III; William "Smitty" Pignatelli; and Tricia Farley-Bouvier; and state Sen. Paul Mark represent the county in the state legislature. In addition, Mark wants to create a green "bank" to fund environmentally friendly projects and Barrett wants to foster a more business-friendly Northern Berkshires. The county lost one representative seat in redistricting. Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

H. Rose Schneider reports in the Times Union that dangerous wind chills around minus 30 are forecast this weekend in the area. Frostbite could occur in as little as 10 to 15 minutes in those temperatures, according to experts. The National Weather Service says an arctic air mass will hit the region Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, leading to "dangerously low wind chills of minus 25 to minus 50 degrees." A low of minus 10 is forecast on Feb. 3. But wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph will make temperatures feel closer to minus 30, said Michael Main, a weather service meteorologist in Albany. "It's really the combination of these really cold temperatures behind the cold front and high winds," Main said. Besides quick frostbite, there is a danger of bursting water pipes and water main breaks this weekend. "If you don't have to be outside, don't be outside," Main said. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Porcupine Soup reports that Catskill High School students Lily Gallagher, Mia Gottesman, Molly Osswald, and Madison Mudge will perform on Friday, February 4 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The four were chosen for the elite 2023 High School Honors Performance Series. Gallagher, Osswald and Mudge perform with the Treble Choir, and Gottesman performs with the Mixed Choir. They are members of the Catskill High School Concert Chorus, the Catskill High School Treblaires, and are in the school’s Drama Club. They get to spend five days in New York City working with arts professionals, including the performance. Read the full story at Porcupine Soup.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Patricia R. Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro has introduced a bill that would create a comprehensive database of agencies that provide support services and resources available to individuals with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities. The Red Hook Republican said on January 31, the “Think Differently Database Act,”  would offer “a single point of access” for individuals and families in need of those services and resources. Molinaro said in a press release, “Currently, many individuals with disabilities, families and caregivers don’t know what services are available to them.” He said those seeking services are forced to navigate “a confusing patchwork of federal, state, and local resources to find and access the services they need.” The bill, co-sponsored by New Jersey Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherril would provide “a one-stop shop for locating resources that support and empower individuals with disabilities.” The measure would require the secretary of Health and Human Services to create a comprehensive website that includes federal and state resources available for those with disabilities, resources that connect individuals, families and caregivers with healthcare, mental health and other community-based services within state Medicaid programs and a zip code feature to help individuals locate resources in their community. One of Molinaro's children is on the autism spectrum and as a result, he devoted his efforts as Dutchess County executive to changing the way individuals, businesses, organizations and communities relate to those with special needs through his “ThinkDifferently” initiative. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

MidHudson News is reporting the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office is looking into several cases of local young people being blackmailed via social media in the past week. A perpetrator befriends a youth on social media, pretending to be someone their age. At some point, the child is asked to share explicit photos of themselves. Once the photos are shared they blackmail the child by telling them the photos will be posted and shared with others unless money is paid. In some cases, the perpetrator asks for money in the form of gift cards. So far the sheriff’s office has one case in which the perpetrator did post the photos after not receiving the money demanded. Law enforcement is asking that anyone with information about these cases, who thinks they may be a victim or knows someone who was a victim, are asked to contact Detective Cohen at 845-486-3820 or via email at jcohen [at] dutchessny [dot] gov. The sheriff’s office can also be reached via the tipline at 845-605-CLUE (2583) or dcsotips [at] gmail [dot] com. All information will be kept confidential. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

Raga Justin is reporting for the Times Union Gov. Kathy Hochul January 30, vetoed the Grieving Families Act, legislation that would have drastically amended state law related to wrongful death civil claims. In a veto message, the governor said the Legislature passed it without full consideration of its impacts, but indicated she is open to negotiating a change in the current statute. The vetoed measure would have expanded the categories of people who could seek damages related to a wrongful death to include those suffering emotional anguish as well as economic losses. It would also have extended the two-year statute of limitations to bring a wrongful death case by 18 months. The governor wrote in an op-ed published in the Daily News that lawmakers never conducted "... a serious evaluation of the impact of these massive changes on the economy, small businesses, individuals, and the state's complex health care system." In her veto message, Hochul blamed the Legislature for failing to negotiate a scaled-down bill. When asked if she believed the Legislature had done its due diligence, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins noted its long legislative history and said the measure has been discussed innumerable times. The New York Trial Lawyers’ Association had strongly lobbied Hochul and her staff in support of the legislation and only a handful of lawmakers voted no — including state Sen. Neil Breslin, the head of the Senate’s Insurance Committee. State Attorney General Letitia James voiced her support. "The wrongful death laws in New York are antiquated, regressive, and must be changed," James said last week. Read more in the Times Union.

Today's audio daily news update.

Parry Teasdale reports in The Columbia Paper that he sold his local newspaper to Capital Region Independent Media, LLC for an undisclosed amount. The company also runs The Ravena News-Herald and The Greenville Pioneer, and plans to continue publishing The Columbia Paper. The sale also ensures Teasdale's daughter Emilia Teasdale stays on as Managing Editor and Deputy Publisher. “My thanks to Parry for establishing a trusted product that Columbia County and surrounding communities rely on. As we move into this new and exciting chapter, I look forward to building on this solid foundation and will continue to deliver content that matters to the communities that we serve,” said Capital Region Independent Media Vice President Warren Dews, Jr., who becomes the new publisher of The Columbia Paper. After The Journal Register shut down The Independent, a twice-weekly paper in Hillsdale where Teasdale worked, he began The Columbia Paper in 2009. "The Columbia Paper has a weekly circulation of 2,100. Google Analytics reported that 22K visitors used the website at www.columbiapaper.com in the last 28 days," the newspaper reported about itself. Now local media only includes The Daily Mail and Register-Star newspapers from Columbia-Greene Media, the three newspapers now being run by Capital Region Independent Media, and the upstart independent Porcupine Soup in Greene County, as well as WGXC and WRIP on the radio. Read more about this story in The Columbia Paper.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the Village of Catskill may give any motor vehicle with three or more tickets from the village that are outstanding for more than 45 days a metal boot on a wheel of the car that blocks its movement. The vehicle owner also gets charged a $250 boot removal fee, village police said. And anyone who tampers with or removes a boot on any vehicle without authorization of the village will get a fine of not more than $250 or 15 days in jail. Anyone with unpaid parking tickets should contact the village clerk’s office at (518) 943-3830. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Republican Sue Serino is running for Dutchess County Executive. The former state senator from Hyde Park Republican lost to Democrat Michelle Hinchey in November. She is running for the seat recently held by Republican Marc Molinaro, who ran and won the 19th Congressional District seat, even though he lives outside that district. Serino seems to be running on her recent history. “I don’t think anybody was a bigger champion when it came to fighting (former Governor Andrew) Cuomo when it came to the nursing home debacle that he did and all the lives that were lost (during the early days of the pandemic).... I know the challenges that our seniors face, our young people. It is about jobs and helping the economy. Helping our small businesses. I am a small business owner. I get it. I know how hard it is to do business in the State of New York.” Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver, another Republican, considered running for the seat, but backed out when Serino put her name forward. East Fishkill Town Supervisor Nick D’Alessandro has filed paperwork with the New York State Board of Elections establishing a campaign fund for a possible run for the seat too. Read the full story at Mid-Hudson News.

Mike Ryan reports for the Mountain Eagle that Butternut Road in the town of Jewett is now being called “Jeremy Glick Way.” Glick was aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was taken over by terrorists in Sept. 11, 2001, and crashed into an open field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. “We feel this is a proper memorial for a great American hero,” says Jewett councilperson John Giordano. Glick has minimal ties to the area, but called his wife, Lyzbeth, who with their infant daughter was visiting family on Butternut Road in Jewett, at the Makely Farm, in the flight's final moments. “We’re going to rush the hijackers,” Jeremy reportedly said to his wife. Jewett officials say there will be a dedication ceremony later in the year. Read more about this. story in Porcupine Soup.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

The Columbia Economic Development Corp. has established an Affordable Housing Development Task Force and named Chris Brown the new housing development coordinator. Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell appointed a 12-member task force and the advisory board met for the first time January 25, and spoke about the importance of housing affordability and availability throughout the county. Brown has a wealth of knowledge, Murell said. “Before accepting this position, he worked in Sarasota, Florida, as a senior planner, a planning technician in the city of Troy and the director of operations of the Troy Community Land Bank,” Murell said. Brown said he sees his position as one of direction and support. “I’m driving the bus but the task force and the advisory board are driving the map on where we want to go,” Brown said. “I would love it if we can make the zoning as housing-friendly as possible. There’s a movement out there called ‘Community Not Commodity’ in the real estate market that says every parcel in your community is on sale to the highest bidder all the time. That’s just how real estate works. ...” Community Not Commodity backs land development policies that support community values over developer profits. It intends to build a strong, geographically diverse, multicultural coalition across Hudson to promote the public interest and policies to improve the lives of everyone. The members of the task force agreed to improve existing infrastructure, keep affordable housing in Hudson, develop a tool-planning kit for emergency housing, create more home ownership and affordable housing as part of subdivisions.

Kate Lisa is reporting for State of Politics a Schenectady cannabis shop is prepared to become the first legal cannabis store in upstate New York. Don Andrews' Upstate CBD store opened on Union Street in 2019, and is now in the process of becoming Upstate Canna Co. in the coming weeks to include recreational cannabis customers. "I love cannabis because it helped me in many different ways, and I know a lot of people who it's helped drastically," Andrews said. Recreational cannabis became legal in New York for people aged 21 and older under the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act in March 2021. Andrews, 34, a Schenectady native, will sell cannabis flower, edibles, and other products. The state Office of Cannabis Management prioritized its Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary licenses for people with prior cannabis-related offenses, and experience owning and operating a business in the state. Andrews had several prior cannabis convictions in his teens and 20s and received his conditional license in November. He owns two other stores in Schenectady County, including VapedCity Smokeshop in Scotia and a CBD location in Glenville. Three dispensaries are on track to open in the coming months in the Capital Region, including two others in Albany. Andrews' store will offer delivery, as well as in-person shopping or pick-up when it starts recreational cannabis sales. The state's first legal recreational cannabis sales started in New York City just before the new year. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

News10 Albany reports that the years-long push for New York to be the second state in the country to lower the legal blood alcohol content from [point] 08 to .[point] 05 continues, but some remain unconvinced the change will happen. Utah is currently the only state with a legal BAC of [point] 05. In New York, the proposal has been introduced multiple times during legislative sessions, including last year, but did not make it past committee to the floor calendar. A major advocate of the measure is William Aiken, President of Remove Intoxicated Drivers. Aiken points to the results of an evaluation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of Utah's reduced BAC law that went into effect in December 2018. “It was a 4-year analysis,” Aiken explained, the first time there was a substantial opportunity to conduct a study of the law’s impact. Overall, the study found reductions in crashes and no negative impact on alcohol sales. Business owners in New York are concerned about the impact a reduced BAC would have on establishments still trying to recover from the effects of the pandemic. “Having been through the worst three years you could imagine, this would be another gut punch to us,” said Patrick Noonan, owner of El Loco in Albany. Sponsors of the bill are planning to hold a press conference next week at the State Capitol. Read more at news10 [dot] com.