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Roger Hannigan Gilson reporting in the Times Union that officials and utility customer advocates in the Hudson Valley said Central Hudson Gas and Electric's billing has improved since the disastrous rollout of new billing software in September 2021. But some customers still complain of inflated and inaccurate billing, while others say they have not received a bill for months. A Central Hudson spokesperson said the utility is working to resolve these issues, and that the current problems with billing were because of issues caused when customers were switched back to Central Hudson from renewable energy provider, Columbia Utilities. The Public Service Commission has launched an investigation into the software rollout and related billing issues. Central Hudson itself is under investigation by the state Public Service Commission because of the billing problems that began last fall. Saugerties Town Supervisor Fred Costello said residents were having the "same billing issues" as they did last fall and winter, but "the magnitude is way less." After Central Hudson started using the new billing software, customers began receiving wildly fluctuating bills, some of which could bankrupt the average utility customer. Customers described their bills doubling or tripling in one month with no explanation; Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey was back billed $708,000 by Central Hudson in March for his residential service. As of this week, the commission had received more than 4,200 comments from Central Hudson customers describing issues with the utility. Costello said the most common issue in Saugerties was customers not receiving bills for months, then getting many bills at once, all due at the end of the month. According to Central Hudson Assistant Director of Media Relations Joe Jenkins, the reason for the "majority of customers" now experiencing issues is that the state excluded Columbia Utilities, a local energy supplier, from the energy marketplace. Columbia Utilities had promised to deliver 100 percent renewable energy to customers at fixed rates by buying energy in bulk. Ten Hudson Valley communities, including Saugerties, Beacon, and Poughkeepsie, signed up, but in April, the company filed notice with the Public Service Commission that it wanted to pull out of the contract. In June, eight towns, the Public Service Commission and others filed a lawsuit against Columbia Utilities for reneging on its agreement, according to court documents. Jenkins said on Oct. 19 that "virtually all customers" that were switched back to Central Hudson from Columbia Utilities had their bills delayed, but he expected all back bills to be delivered by mid-November. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Ulster County elected and law enforcement officials and substance abuse prevention personnel gathered October 20, at the county Law Enforcement Center in Kingston to celebrate a new federal $1.3 million grant to help the county cope with the ongoing opioid epidemic. “I think it’s important to recognize the importance of what we are doing here to help people,” said Sheriff Juan Figueroa. Former Ulster County executive, now Congressperson, Pat Ryan sought help during his administration to try and slow the opioid epidemic. “We had to declare a public health emergency in 2020, for fentanyl to raise awareness of just how deadly and lethal it can be, and how seriously need to take that,” he said. Between January 2021 and August 2022, the county’s Opioid Response as County Law Enforcement unit had 683 referrals for treatment and distributed 1,835 Naloxone kits to treat overdoses. The grant will help the county fund new positions to fight the county’s opioid problems. Read the full story at Mid-HudsonNews [dot] com.

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that this month, the U.S. Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission of price changes to take effect January 22, 2023. The new rates include a three-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 60 cents to 63 cents. The proposed increases will raise First-Class Mail prices by approximately 4.2 percent to offset the rise in inflation. The price for 1-ounce metered mail will increase to 60 cents, and the price to send a domestic postcard will increase to 48 cents. A one-ounce letter mailed to another country would increase to $1.45. The single-piece letter and flat additional-ounce price will remain at 24 cents. The Postal Service is also looking to adjust the price charged for Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, money order fees, and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item. The post office raised rates most recently on July 10. That increase included a two-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 58 to 60 cents. Read the full story at porcupine soup [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Erik Lazo in the City and State reports that voters decide on Proposition 1, New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act when voting between Oct. 29 and Nov. 8. The proposal would allow New York State to borrow up to $4.2 billion dollars to improve and restore New York’s natural resources, while reducing climate change impacts. The state legislature approved the act in April, but voters must also sign on. Historically, New York voters have approved similar bond measures to establish state parks and land preserves and reduce industrial pollution and increase air and water quality. This one would prepare the state for the changing climate, with funds for zero emission school buses, flood risk reduction, water quality improvement, and other spending. Jessica Ottney Mahar, New York director of policy and strategy at The Nature Conservancy, an environmental organization said, “If passed by voters on November 8, Prop 1 will improve public health by upgrading the state’s antiquated 100-year-old pipes and water infrastructure, fund projects to mitigate climate change and flooding, and create tens of thousands of local jobs. New Yorkers have a chance to protect their state from an increasingly dangerous climate future, by voting ‘yes’ on Prop 1.” Read the full story at City and State.

Kathleen Moore reports in the Times Union that about 100 Guilderland High School students walked out of class Oct. 18, protesting a racist school climate that administrators say they have known about for several years. On Oct. 14, two students with their faces painted black attended a school football game. Students were encouraged to wear black in a school spirit effort, but the students in black face triggered another student to begin chanting “Black lives matter.” Then the two students wearing face paint mocked the chant, according to the accounts of several students. The story also says that, "at least one of the students wearing black paint made derogatory comments to them at the game and later posted racist statements on social media." Superintendent Marie Wiles confirmed the incidents described by students, but said she could not comment on any disciplinary action. But Wiles did say she was not surprised. “Not long after the killing of George Floyd, we had some graduates who reached out to me and shared similar stories about their experiences here,” she said. “They were a powerful catalyst for our district to start doing a lot more purposeful work around diversity, equity and inclusion.” Wiles met with the students who walked out in the school lobby and is planning small-group listening sessions. “What I heard on Tuesday underscored for me the need for us to be even better listeners to all our students,” she said. “We need to truly understand what their day-to-day experiences are in this building.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

New York's foliage report says that some areas are past-peak this week, while others will see peak colors. "Foliage throughout the Catskills will be mostly past-peak this weekend. In Greene County, the Town of Catskill will be at peak, with nearly complete leaf change and very brilliant orange, yellow, and red leaves," the report says. "Spotters reporting from the upper elevations of the county in Windham report that foliage is now past-peak, but some bright patches of red, yellow, orange, and purple leaves remain. Ulster County observers in New Paltz expect peak colors this weekend with 90% leaf change and a bright mix of yellow, orange, and green leaves, while spotters reporting from Belleayre Mountain Ski Area in Highmount expect conditions to be past-peak with nearly complete change and very brilliant seasonal colors. In the Hudson Valley, most of Columbia County will be at peak, with communities like Hudson featuring around 70% leaf change with bright and bold shades of orange, gold, bronze, and amber, along with some fiery reds." See New York's foliage report for complete details.

Today's daily news update.

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

Mary Dempsey reports at Columbia-Greene Media that Hudson's Promenade Hill Park is set to officially reopen on October 25, 17 months after construction began and nine months later than originally planned. “All of the work at the park will be finished at the end of this week,” Mayor Kamal Johnson said October 18. The construction project will wind down this week with National Grid on site to install the lighting and other finishing touches. The park refurbishment project includes a redesigned lower plaza and upgrades to the playground area. The lower portion of the park has been redeveloped and includes an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant walkway to the upper promenade. A spray shower was also added to the park. The lower portion of the park and the playground have been closed since construction began last year. The park project was first budgeted at $1.1 million, but that number quickly increased after the lowest construction bid submitted was $585,500 over budget. The funds for the park came from the city’s $10 million state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant along with private contributions from the H. van Ameringen Foundation and the Colarusso family. The park’s redevelopment was necessitated by a 2019 settlement the city reached with the U.S. Department of Justice over updating some of the city’s infrastructure to bring it into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Read the full story at Hudson360 [dot] com.

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that French cement producer Lafarge has pleaded guilty in federal court to supporting Islamic terrorist groups. Lafarge maintains a plant in Ravena. The company is a global building materials manufacturer headquartered in France, and Lafarge Cement Syria, a Lafarge subsidiary, pleaded guilty on October 18, to providing support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, as well as the al-Nusrah Front, both U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations. Immediately following the guilty pleas, U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz, II sentenced the defendants to terms of probation and to pay financial penalties, including criminal fines of $90.78 million and forfeiture of $687 million, totaling $777.78 million. The charges arose out of Lafarge executives’ scheme to pay terrorists in exchange for permission to operate a cement plant in Syria from August 2013 to October 2014, which enabled Lafarge to gain approximately $70.30 million in revenue. “In the midst of a civil war, Lafarge made the unthinkable choice to put money into the hands of ISIS, one of the world’s most barbaric terrorist organizations, so that it could continue selling cement,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “Today, Lafarge has admitted and taken responsibility for its staggering crime. Never before has a corporation been charged with providing material support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations." Lafarge executives intentionally structured their agreements with ISIS to compensate the organization based on the amount of cement that LaFarge was able to sell ― effectively, a revenue-sharing agreement ― to incentivize the terrorist group to act in LaFarge’s economic interest, the U.S. Justice Department charged. Lafarge was purchased by Switzerland-based Holcim in 2015. The Ravena plant, which opened on State Route 9W in 1962 and still operates under the name Lafarge, describes Holcim as its “parent company.” The DOJ noted that former Lafarge executives concealed their conduct from Holcim and its auditors before and after Holcim acquired the company. Read more at porcupine soup [dot] com.

Scott Stafford reports for The Berkshire Eagle that beginning November 1, in Massachusetts it will be a state code violation to put textiles and mattresses in the trash. By adding textiles and mattresses to its disposal ban, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is prohibiting those items from being deposited in landfills. The ultimate goal is to reduce the amount of waste buried in the still available space in landfills, according to DEP officials. John Fischer, DEP deputy division director for solid waste, said that “95 percent of textiles recovered can be reused.” The DEP’s final 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan establishes goals to reduce disposal statewide by 30 percent — from 5.7 million tons in 2018 to 4 million tons in 2030. Massachusetts residents and businesses dispose of roughly 230,000 tons of textiles every year, even though nearly 95 percent of it could be reused or recycled instead of thrown away. About six percent of the waste delivered to combustion facilities for disposal is made up of clothing, curtains, towels, and other fabrics. Massachusetts has five landfills left and three will be closed by 2030. Textiles that should now be recycled include pants, shirts, skirts, dresses tops jackets, pajamas, doggie beds, hats, gloves, shoes, blankets, sheets, pillowcases, and mattresses. A list of places in Massachusetts that will accept textile goods for repurposing or recycling is available at the DEP website. Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Today's daily news update.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that Republican Marc Molinaro reiterated his opposition to abortions after 17 weeks in an interview with the newspaper this week. He also said he was “pro-life” but believes the procedure should be “rare, safe, and legal.” Molinaro, the Dutchess County Executive, is running against Josh Riley, a Democrat from the Ithaca area, to be Congressional representative of the new 19th district, which now stretches from the Hudson Valley and Catskills to Tompkins County in western New York. The abortion issue was credited by many for Molinaro's loss to Democrat Pat Ryan in a special election in August for the old 19th Congressional district. Now Molinaro is saying, “I will not support Congress taking action to ban abortion nationwide." Fellow Republican Lindsey Graham, a Senator from South Carolina, has proposed a nationwide ban on abortion after 15 weeks, and Molinaro has not commented on how he would vote on a 15-week ban. Molinaro claims Riley has been intentionally distorting his position on abortion to, “frighten women into thinking that I don’t care deeply. I do,” Molinaro said. “I want us to have a sensitive conversation about what we think the limits (on abortion) ought to be and what the consequences of those decisions are.” Molinaro says of his possible future votes to limit womens' medical conditions that, “I know that we’re not going to necessarily come to an absolute agreement, but I do believe there’s some commonality.... I think there is some common ground.” Voting begins Oct. 29 and ends Nov. 8. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Rick Karlin reports for the Times Union that Amazon workers in Schodack voted this week 406-206 against joining the Amazon Labor Union. Heather Goodall, the Amazon worker who organized the union vote, said she thought their organizing efforts led to a recent $1-an-hour raise and said she is looking into labor law violations at Amazon’s Schodack fulfillment center, a one-million-square-foot warehouse where workers sort packages and prepare items for shipping. “I want to say thank you ... we had faced a lot of adversity over the last couple of weeks,” Goodall told a small group of reporters gathered outside the Leo W. O’Brien federal building in Albany where the National Labor Relations Board oversaw the vote count. "We’re going to go ahead and remain strong.” Amazon corporate spokesperson Kelly Nantel said, “We’re glad that our team in Albany was able to have their voices heard, and that they chose to keep the direct relationship with Amazon as we think that this is the best arrangement for both our employees and customers." Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Melissa Hale-Spencer reports in the Altamont Enterprise that Albany County is surveying residents on how to spend $29.6 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The money is meant to help with the economic fallout from COVID-19, public health, support of essential workers, and certain kinds of infrastructure. “While the first tranche of federal dollars was critical to addressing sales tax revenue shortfalls to ensure county government could properly respond to the pandemic, we must now look ahead to the types of projects that will allow us to continue moving forward, stronger than before,” said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy while announcing the survey. Albany County residents can go to albanycountyarpa.org/survey to fill out the survey by Nov. 16. Read the full story in the Altamont Enterprise.

Heather Bellow reports in The Berkshire Eagle that bird feeders are not illegal in Great Barrington. The Western Massachusett town did recently pass a new wildlife feeding bylaw. The new rule allows bird feeders, but says all food sources such as bird feeders or unsecured garbage should be removed within 48 hours if it is drawing a bear or other wildlife into a yard or neighborhood. Birds, though, are allowed to keep eating. But if a homeowner disregards a warning about unwanted wildlife outside dining then fines kick in, with a first at $50; a second and beyond at $200. “This regulations shall not be interpreted so as to prohibit bird feeders or bird feeding,” the new bylaws reads. “If a bird feeder or bird feed is determined to be the feeding source for nuisance wildlife, causing an attractant issue, or a public safety threat the bird feeder and seed debris shall be removed within 48 hours.” Great Barrington Board Chair Michael Lanoue said the law is for repeat offenders. “The whole thing is kind of unfortunate,” he said. “It’s usually one or two people.” Read more about this story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Today's daily news update.

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