Rachel Silberstein is reporting for the Times Union Albany Med Health System and Columbia Memorial Health boards announced October 10, CMH President and CEO Jay P. Cahalan [Cah-HAY-lan] will retire by the end of the year. He will be succeeded by the hospital's current chief operating officer Dorothy M. Urschel. Cahalan has led the hospital since 2013. During his tenure he changed the way CMH delivered care by developing a network of community-based primary and multi-specialty providers in addition to hospital-based services, officials said. He was instrumental in the acquisition of the Greene Medical Arts Center, which preserved access to specialty care in Catskill, and the addition of physician practices in Tannersville, Coxsackie, Cairo, and Catskill to CMH. He was directly involved in significant additions to the main Hudson campus, including the construction of the Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation Medical Office Building and the Kneller wing. CMH also extended new medical services to Valatie and Copake during Cahalan’s tenure. In 2016, CMH was affiliated with Albany Medical Center. The two hospitals became the first members of what is now the Albany Med Health System. In 2019, CMH terminated its childbirth services, forcing pregnant women in Greene and Columbia counties to travel to Albany for labor and delivery. Cahalan sat on the Greene County Rural Health board, and will remain a member of the boards of the Bank of Greene County and the Kaaterskill Commons. Urschel began her career as a critical care nurse and thoracic surgery nurse practitioner at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also worked as an acute care cardiac surgery nurse practitioner with Kaleida Health in Buffalo. Urschel came to CMH in 2020 as chief operating officer. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Heather Bellow is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle tobacco, seashells, cedar and pollen are some of the earthly offerings cast into the Housatonic River on October 10, after more than 100 people prayed into them. An Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration began at the Great Barrington Town Hall Gazebo with singing and speaking before the preparation of the offering ended with a sacred ceremony and meditation at the river. It was a prayer to heal the river, suffering as it has from industrial pollution. “The water will know everything that we have been praying about, talking about,” said Jake Singer, Navajo Medicine Man, Sundance Chief and activist for Native American veterans. “The water is our mother.” They also remembered the slaughter of two dozen Narragansett people. and thought of Native American women and girls who are 10 times more likely than anyone else to go missing or be murdered. The gathering came after a third annual weekend of events organized by the Alliance for a Viable Future. The Alliance’s Founder and Executive Director, Lev Natan said a delegation of Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians and 15 tribal nations came together for the first time. So did the Northeast Indigenous Climate Council. For one of the nations, the weekend marked a gradual and recent homecoming after being pushed out of what is now the Berkshires, 250 years ago. Shawn Stevens, also Standing Eagle, chair of the Language and Culture Committee for the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans, said, “When we were made to leave these lands, we were not appreciated — we were not wanted here. But now when we come back we find an overwhelming group of people with open arms walking with us back, wanting us back, wanting to know our history, wanting to know our culture, wanting to know what wasn’t taught in schools back then.” Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Today's daily news update.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Town of Lloyd Justice Court Judge Terry Elia was “censured” by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct on Sept. 28. A disciplinary censure is the second-highest punishment the commission can administer, just below removing a judge from the bench. Elia was censured for potentially racist social media posts. Elias "liked" several questionable posts on social media and shared a post with a picture of a Civil War soldier and the caption “Because Black Lives Mattered.” Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian said, “A judge must be and appear impartial, or public confidence in the integrity of the courts may be compromised. Extra-curricular alignments with law enforcement entities, even in a good cause, can be problematic. So, too, must a judge avoid partisan politics, except when running for judicial office.” The judge agreed that she made mistakes. "I made certain errors relating to my conduct in my private life (via social media and volunteer work) which may negatively impact the public’s perception of the judiciary,” Elia said through a statement from his attorney, Deborah Scalise. “For that, I am very sorry.” Read the full story at Mid-Hudson.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that the state is attempting to get citizens vaccinated this fall for COVID-19 and the flu, and are launching a public awareness campaign. “This fall, we have a simple message to New Yorkers: get your shots,” State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “We know that both flu and COVID-19 transmission will increase during the fall and winter seasons, and that both vaccines provide meaningful protection against getting very sick or being hospitalized. Vaccination for both flu and COVID-19 is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, and can be given during the same appointment. Everyone 12 and older should check whether it is time for a COVID booster. For those who are unsure where they are in their COVID-19 vaccination journey, talk to a health care provider or pharmacist who will help make sure you get the recommended doses.” There is a link here on the WGXC Newsroom to find an open appoint to get vaccinated. Read the full story at New York State of Politics.

Kate Lisa reports for Spectrum News that New York's first cannabis crop is coming in now, and officials say it is large enough for the retail stores opening later this year. "We know now, having toured the state, that the crop will be ready, that it will be high-quality, that it will be sun-grown," Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander said Friday. "And before the end of the year, we'll have some of our dispensaries open." That's all state officials will say about the opening, that it will happen sometime in 2022. Gov. Kathy Hochul has also said about 20 dispensaries will open each month after the initial launch. "We can't be more specific than that," Alexander said. "It will be in a rolling wave, though. We'll have them keep coming online as they continue to be secured and built out." Meanwhile, nationally President Joe Biden is asking for a review of how marijuana is viewed under federal drug laws. Read the full story at Spectrum News.

Today's daily news update.

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Fernando Alba reports for Syracuse [dot] com that a drought watch for most of upstate New York was lifted as of Oct. 8, state officials said. Columbia, Greene, Albany, Rensselaer, and Schoharie counties are among the 34 counties that returned to normal designations, according to a state Department of Environmental Conservation news release. Recent rainfall and higher levels of ground and surface water led to the watch being lifted, according to the DEC. The DEC continues to encourage New Yorkers to limit water waste by fixing leaks and choosing efficient water fixtures, officials said. Dutchess, Nassau, and Ulster counties are still under drought watch — the first of four drought advisories issued by the DEC. Water restrictions are not in place for the counties under a watch, but residents are encouraged to conserve water by watering lawns only when necessary, raising lawnmowers to keep grass longer and using a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks. In August, 49 counties from western New York to the Hudson Valley were under a drought watch. Read the full story at Syracuse [dot] com.

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that the Village of Athens was chosen along with 26 other municipalities to participate in a state program to upgrade wastewater infrastructure facilities. "The State's Asset Management Program advances resources and expertise to help municipal leaders establish robust programs to maintain and upgrade essential wastewater infrastructure systems," Governor Kathy Hochul said on Oct. 7. "By evaluating flood resilience needs, these local asset management programs will help our communities mitigate the effects of climate change and better prepare for the future." Funding for the program comes from New York's Clean Water Infrastructure Act. Read more about this story at the Porcupine Soup website.

Brendan J. Lyons is reporting for the Times Union that New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen formally resigned on Oct. 7, just days after Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed that her office was looking into allegations against him. The governor's inquiry included reports that he allegedly shielded a former human resources official from internal complaints due to their close working relationship. His resignation is effective in two weeks. In another, unrelated State Police matter, Thomas H. Mungeer, the longtime head of the agency's union, was placed on leave by its board. Hochul acknowledged last week that she had directed her counsel's office to look into numerous allegations that have been swirling around Bruen for several weeks, including in posts made on private social media websites that are reserved for current and former State Police members. Bruen was appointed by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as superintendent in June 2021, two months before the former governor resigned. Following news of Bruen's resignation, Hochul released a statement thanking him for his service and announcing that First Deputy Superintendent Steven Nigrelli will serve as acting superintendent on an interim basis. The exit of Mungeer, who has led the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association since 2009, was unexpected. The PBA board met in executive session on October 6 and voted to place him on leave, according to State Police sources familiar with the matter. The board is reportedly examining expense reports as well as the union's insurance contracts. The PBA, which represents more than 3,600 members, recently appointed a new treasurer. The PBA's longtime counsel Rich Mulvaney submitted his notice of resignation last week, as well. Read the full story in the Times Union.

The Daily Freeman is reporting the deadline to register to vote in the November general election is Fri., Oct. 14. State residents can apply in person at the New York Department of Motor Vehicles offices when they complete a driver license, learner permit, or non-driver ID transaction, the department said. Those who already have a license, permit or non-driver ID can visit the DMV website to apply to register or update the information they have on file with their local board of elections. Applications must be submitted no later than October 14. The cut-off to apply to register at an office is the close of business, and the deadline to submit an application online is 11:59 p.m. Applications submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than October 14 and received by a Board of Elections no later than Wednesday, Oct. 19, to be eligible to vote in the November 8 general election. Residents can also register in person at their local Board of Elections. Those who were honorably discharged from the U.S. Military or have become naturalized US citizens after October 14 may register in person at the board of elections up until October 29. Read more in the Daily Freeman.

Liz Montgomery is reporting for Porcupine Soup Coxsackie village officials are pondering the use of their eminent domain power to acquire the old American Valve Manufacturing Company property at 170 Mansion Street. Cleanup of the 15-acre Superfund site ended nearly 20 years ago and the village is again looking at the property, this time for use as a dog park and other municipal uses. According to county property records, American Valve is still the owner. Mayor Mark Evans said at a public hearing in September, the vacant land has been remediated, but digging is restricted to no more than three feet, thereby limiting what can be done with the property. The village is looking to use six acres on the northern side of the parcel. A three-year state Superfund remediation of the site was concluded in early 2004 after then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued American Valve to finance the cleanup of the lead and toxic solvents left behind when the business was relocated to North Carolina. From 1920 until 1988, American Valve operated a valve manufacturing and assembly business at the location, leaving the parcel contaminated by lead, and the toxic solvent perchloroethylene that tainted the soil and groundwater. According to Evans, should any future remediation be required at the site, the state of New York is responsible. “The contamination will be there forever, but the issue is if it starts to percolate to the surface the village is not held liable,” Evans is quoted as saying. When a developer was interested in purchasing the property for housing a few years ago, Evans said residents along Mansion Street and Spencer Boulevard appealed to officials to obtain the property. “...In order to move forward, the village has to have some type of stated purpose for obtaining the land,” Evans said. “Thus far, the village is working under a dog park or some other type of municipal benefit. That’s where the Village is headed.” A second public hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 11. Read the full story at porcupinesoup [dot] com.

Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officers are looking into an attack by a black bear on a pet donkey, that left the donkey dead. The incident occurred in Claverack, during the early morning hours of Oct. 4, said DEC spokesperson Regina Willis. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to the scene, at a home on Shasta Drive. Those officers then requested the DEC investigate. The donkey was killed in an enclosed, fenced-in area on the property. The bear later returned to the scene that night and cornered three other donkeys n the pen, before the owner was able to scare the bear off, Willis said. The owner ran out of the house yelling at the bear; it ran and jumped a five-foot-high fence and left the property. However, Willis said the animal may still be in the area. "To the DEC’s knowledge the bear is still on the landscape,” she said. Instances of black bears attacking livestock is rare, but DEC does occasionally get calls about it happening, Willis said. Shasta Drive, located of Fish and Game Road, is a short rural, residential road, with fewer than 10 homes. DEC advises residents that encounter a black bear to use noise to scare them away, stay calm, and leave slowly.; don’t: approach, surround, or corner a bear; run from a bear; or throw anything at an approaching bear. If the bear is encountered in a building: provide it with an exit and leave the doors open. If a bear approaches, speak in a loud, calm voice with arms raised, while backing away. And if a bear makes contact, fight back with anything at hand. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Here is this week's WGXC Congressional Report, tracking the votes, statements, positions, and campaigns of the representatives and candidates for the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st Congressional seats in New York. Current Democrat Rep. Paul Tonko, from the 20th District, votes with the positions of President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, according to the fivethirtyeight.com website. Republican Elise Stefanik, currently representing the 21st District, votes with Biden's positions 19.3 percent of the time. Democrat Pat Ryan just began representing the 19th District, and has yet to be included in the rankings. Click here to listen to this report.

The Troy Record reports that Rep. Paul Tonko and local environmental groups and advocates recently celebrated at Schodack Island State Park the House passage of his New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act. The bill would invest $20 million annually to improve water quality, and increase public access to the rivers. “Our waterways stand as economic drivers while also reflecting and upholding our rich history,” Tonko, a Democrat, said. “The New York-New Jersey Watershed is America’s most populated, driving tourism and serving as a community treasure for millions of visitors and residents alike. Despite this, our Watershed remains underfunded and without key federal assistance, leaving it in greater danger from pollutants and at increased risk for floods that threaten public health, ecosystems, and industries." Tonko failed to pass what was previously called the "Hudson-Mohawk River Basin Act," but at least got the renamed measure through the House of Representatives this year as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. “This legislation is a key part of funding research and scientifically-backed efforts that will make New York’s waterways more resilient to climate change," said Jonathan Kramer, President of the Hudson River Foundation. Tonko faces a rematch with Republican Liz Joy this fall for re-election in the 20th Congressional District. The Troy Record has the full story.

On Sept. 30, Congress took their final votes before representatives headed home to campaign in fall elections. On that final day of voting, local Democrats in Congress, Sean Maloney, Pat Ryan, and Paul Tonko, voted for cheaper insulin with the "Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6833) Affordable Insulin Now Act and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8987) Fairness for 9/11 Families Act" amendment, while Republican Elise Stefanik voted against lowering the cost of insulin The measure passed 230-to-201. All four local representatives agreed to vote for the "Preventing PFAS Runoff at Airports Act" which passed 381-to-42 on Sept. 29. The same day, only the Democrats voted for the "Mental Health Matters Act," with Stefanik voting with all but one other Republicans against, in a measure that passed 220-to-205.

Zach Hirsch reports for North Country Public Radio that Rep. Elise Stefanik claims she brings $600 million into her 21st Congressional District, but that figure is misleading. Scott Horton, the town supervisor of Caroga in Fulton County, supports Stefanik’s record on agriculture and veterans issues. But he says he applied for federal grants through Stefanik's office to help with the repairs to a fire-damaged town hall and got rejected twice. “It was not supported by the Congresswoman and I think it should have been,” Horton said. Correction officers at the federal prison in Ray Brook say the local prison workers' union has tried to meet with Stefanik to talk about staffing issues, but she has not talked with them. While many supporters quoted in the story praise Stefanik for help winning federal aid, she also takes credit for money she did not help to secure. A recent press release titled “Stefanik Delivers Over $586,000 for NY-21 Fire Departments” but in the fine print, the release acknowledges that Stefanik only helped some of the fire departments. Stefanik also has taken credit for projects she opposes. Last year Stefanik described the American Rescue Plan Covid relief package as “filled with pork projects, special interest giveaways, and the Far-Left’s policy wish list.” But after it passed she sent out a press release celebrating a grant for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe with over $850,000 from the relief package that she voted against. A spokesperson for Stefanik would not directly comment on any of these issues, changing the subject instead. Starting in January, the 21st Congressional District will include Rensselaer County. Read the full story at the North Country Public Radio website.

Patricia R Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan will sit down by himself for the Daily Freeman on Oct. 21, as Republican Colin Schmitt has refused to participate in the candidate forum the new 18th Congressional District seat. Ryan, a Democrat and former Ulster County executive, currently represents the 19th Congressional district, after defeating Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro in an August special election. Ryan agreed to the Daily Freeman's request to participate, while Taylor Weyeneth, Schmitt’s campaign manager, declined several invitations by the Freeman. “Assemblyman Schmitt is committed to making sure that voters in every county in NY-18 have an opportunity to attend a candidate debate this fall,” Weyeneth said in a Sept. 24 email not accepting the invitation for this opportunity to debate. Schmitt did participate in a similar event with Ryan Sept. 27 sponsored by the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce. Anyone who wants to submit questions for Ryan for the event, should send them to pdoxsey@freemanonline.com before Oct. 19. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics Democratic congressional candidate Josh Riley holds a 5 point advantage over Republican Marc Molinaro in the 19th Congressional District race, according to a Spectrum News/Siena College poll released October 6. The poll found Riley with 46 percent of the vote compared to Molinaro's 41 percent, within a 5 percentage-point margin of error of a survey of 470 likely district voters from September 25 to 28. The congressional seat includes parts of the Hudson Valley, Southern Tier and Central New York and is among a handful of House districts in New York that could determine control of the chamber in the November midterm elections. The poll showed Riley with more support from independent voters than Molinaro, 46 to 40 percent. A majority of voters have no opinion of or do not know enough about Riley, a first-time candidate. According to the poll, a majority of voters in the district hold an unfavorable view of President Joe Biden and Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat is in a close race against Republican candidate Lee Zeldin. The majority of voters in the district do not like the direction the country is heading. The cost of living and inflation concerns were cited by 52 percent of survey respondents as the top issue in the race, followed by threats to democracy at 31 percent and abortion at 28 percent. “We’re encouraged by today’s poll results, but taking nothing for granted,” said Riley Campaign Manager Coby Eiss. “... Voters are ready for a change from professional politicians like Marc Molinaro, and Josh is running to bring new leadership that puts people over profits.” Molinaro's campaign manager Will Dawson, however, declined to say much other than the campaign was focused on Election Day not polls. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Here is a roundup of the biggest environmental stories locally this week from the WGXC Newsroom. Click here to download or play this week's environmental news from WGXC.

Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper that the Valatie Planning Board's public hearing on an application from Seaboard Solar for a solar panel project on Running Creek Road, in Kinderhook and Stuyvesant, opened on September 15. Pedro Rodriguez, from Seaboard, based in New Milford, Conn., presented the plan at the meeting. The proposal calls for the use of about 65 acres of a 140-acre farm for solar panels. Rodriguez said Seaboard Solar will buy the land and has an agreement with the farmer to continue farming the parcel. Steve Wilson from Bohler Engineering presented images of what the site would look like with tree cover around the panels and how far the panels are from the nearest house. Several neighbors attended the hearing and expressed their concerns about the project. They questioned the decision to install them on what they called “prime farmland” and had concerns about chemicals from the equipment contaminating their water. There was also a discussion about the upkeep of the current solar panel farm on Route 9 and what the company would do with damaged panels. Residents also had concerns about the potential for fires at the installation. Rodriguez said in the 10 years he had been with the company there had never been a fire at any of their sites. He also said his company has created a decommissioning account for when the time comes to remove the panels in 25 or 30 years. The board adjourned the public hearing to be reopened October 20. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Heather Bellow is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on October 3 was investigating the source of an oil slick on the Housatonic River. The source of the pollution was believed to be located north of the Elm Street bridge in Pittsfield, where the slick was first seen late last week. Three members of the DEP’s emergency team were present Oct. 3, looking down at the river, where the sheen of some type of fuel could be seen. Pittsfield resident Maria Vasquez was taking a walk along Elm Street on Sept. 30 when she spotted something in the river she had never seen before. “I’ve never seen a slick there,” said Vasquez, who is familiar with the area near the road bridge where the river flows southwest. On Oct. 3, the DEP workers declined to be identified, but said they had just been called about the contaminant and were about to start tracing it north to figure out where it came from. Vasquez said the area has always teemed with wildlife such as ducks and raccoons, and she once saw a bobcat cross the river. She found the presence of pollution troubling. “That’s really sad to see,” she said. Read more in The Berkshire Eagle.

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that the Greenville pond has been emptied. Work continues on the pond, in Veterans Park in the center of town, to eliminate the algae that covered the water this summer. Greenville is removing up to 1,250 cubic yards of materials from the pond, the first time it has been dredged since 1997. Halstead Excavating, Inc. is getting $42,800 of Greenville's federal COVID-19 funding for its work on the pond. They'll use what they dredge from the pond to fill in low areas of the park, according to Town Supervisor Paul Macko. Read the full story at Porcupine Soup.

Lissa Harris reports for the Times Union about how New York will spend the $70 billion its getting from the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. That money from the federal legislation signed by President Joe Biden in August will be spent between now and 2050. Much of the bill addresses the climate crisis, with both direct funding and incentives for citizens and companies to move to renewable energy sources. New York residents will get large new tax credits, and much funding, for purchasing heat pumps, electric vehicles, and other climate-friendly technology. Electricity producers throughout the country will get tax credits for investing in and producing wind, solar, nuclear, and other forms of zero-carbon energy. That should keep the businesses producing wind turbines at the Port of Albany busy. The funding and incentives could also lead to more windmills on the sides of mountains in New York. Previously climate planners assumed New York would import most wind power from out of state. But the new federal incentives may lead to more local windmills. New York State Energy Research and Development Authority analyst Carl Mas believes that the Inflation Reduction Act funding won't move New York to green energy faster, but it will make things cheaper for residents. “Because our policies and our adoptions are so aggressive, we aren’t estimating that it accelerates the achievement of our goals,” he said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Today's daily news update.

Diane Pineiro-Zucker reports in the Daily Freeman that the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating the racist, white supremacist flyers left in “a handful” of River Road mailboxes earlier this week. Detectives “have yet to classify (the flyers) or put a label on it. That’s why we’re working with the (FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force) and the FBI to see if this is a hate group,” said Lt. Joseph Sciutto on Oct. 6. He claimed the incident was “isolated” with the racist literature put in just five mailboxes. But around the same time racist literature was also thrown on to porches and lawns in Chatham in Columbia County. The Albany Times Union reported that the flyers in Chatham and in Ulster County were distributed by White Lives Matter New York and the Chatham notices said, “White New Yorkers take notice!” and “The WLM NY Colonial Guard is here to stand for you! Are you ready to join them in Activism and earn YOUR patch?” The Southern Poverty Law Center defines the group as an extremist neo-Nazi movement that sprung up in response to Black Lives Matter. Since 2021, the White Lives Matter flyers have been spotted in several locations around Columbia and Greene counties, according to Hate-Watch Report, which tracks the racist groups locally. White Lives Matter also held a rally in Woodstock in February, where about a dozen white supremacists turned up on the village green. And on the same day in May of a mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket White Lives Matter hung a banner above Interstate 90 in Chatham. Ulster County Deputy County Executive Chris Kelly issued a statement this week saying, “There is no place in Ulster County for white supremacy and racially- or ethnically-motivated extremism; Ulster County government will not tolerate hate in our community.” Sam Hodge, chair of the Columbia County Democrats. released a statement after the Chatham incident, saying, “The white supremacists peddling this disgusting and vile hate speech do not represent our community. Anonymously throwing sandwich bags with hateful propaganda is cowardly. We won’t be intimidated."

Lissa Harris reports for the Times Union about how New York will spend the $70 billion its getting from the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. That money from the federal legislation signed by President Joe Biden in August will be spent between now and 2050. Much of the bill addresses the climate crisis, with both direct funding and incentives for citizens and companies to move to renewable energy sources. New York residents will get large new tax credits, and much funding, for purchasing heat pumps, electric vehicles, and other climate-friendly technology. Electricity producers throughout the country will get tax credits for investing in and producing wind, solar, nuclear, and other forms of zero-carbon energy. That should keep the businesses producing wind turbines at the Port of Albany busy. The funding and incentives could also lead to more windmills on the sides of mountains in New York. Previously climate planners assumed New York would import most wind power from out of state. But the new federal incentives may lead to more local windmills. New York State Energy Research and Development Authority analyst Carl Mas believes that the Inflation Reduction Act funding won't move New York to green energy faster, but it will make things cheaper for residents. “Because our policies and our adoptions are so aggressive, we aren’t estimating that it accelerates the achievement of our goals,” he said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that the Greenville pond has been emptied. Work continues on the pond, in Veterans Park in the center of town, to eliminate the algae that covered the water this summer. Greenville is removing up to 1,250 cubic yards of materials from the pond, the first time it has been dredged since 1997. Halstead Excavating, Inc. is getting $42,800 of Greenville's federal COVID-19 funding for its work on the pond. They'll use what they dredge from the pond to fill in low areas of the park, according to Town Supervisor Paul Macko. Read the full story at Porcupine Soup.