Roger Hannigan Gilson is reporting for the Times Union a green slick of toxic bacteria has formed on a large section of the Wallkill River in Ulster County over the past several days. Commonly referred to as algal blooms, these slicks actually consist of a toxic form of cyanobacteria, which can be harmful to humans and deadly to dogs. The Department of Environmental Conservation received nine reports of the toxic bloom during the past week on a section of the Wallkill from the village of New Paltz to Sturgeon Pool in Rifton. There has been an additional report of cyanobacteria in the Wallkill tributary Rondout Creek in Rosendale, suggesting the slick might be spreading to the city of Kingston. But, according to Dan Shapley, the co-director of science and patrol for the environmental group Riverkeeper, the size of the slick is far greater. Shapley said the slick extends more than 14 miles, from the community gardens in New Paltz to Creek Lochs in Rosendale, where the Wallkill meets the Rondout. Cyanobacteria can release toxins that can cause irritation and a burning sensation when touching human skin. Ingesting or breathing in droplets of water with these toxins can lead to illness and some people experience allergic reactions and breathing difficulties when exposed, according to the DEC. The slicks can be much more harmful to dogs, resulting in stumbling, difficulty breathing, elevated heart rate, seizures, convulsions and paralysis. Dogs occasionally die from exposure, according to Shapley. Cyanobacteria develops in waterbodies when two distinct conditions exist: high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous, both of which are found in fertilizer, and warm, still water. This is not the first time the slicks have struck the Wallkill. Blooms have been reported near New Paltz dating back to 2015, according to the DEC. A bloom in 2016 affected 30 miles of the river from Montgomery in Orange County to Rosendale, and lasted for more than 50 days. Read the full story in the Times Union.

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Melissa Manno reports for the Times Union how a lack of rain this summer has stunted this year's crops of vegetables. “Our biggest struggle right now is fruit size,” said Scott Seeberger of Windy Hill Orchard in Rensselaer County. “Being an older farm, we didn’t have the irrigation system that we would have liked, and we're probably two sizes down on fruit.” The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that most of the local area is in a moderate drought. Last month, for instance, was Albany County’s sixth driest July on record, with 1.82 inches of rain below normal, according to the federal National Integrated Drought Information System. “It’s disheartening, because you know that the crop is so damaged that it’s not going to recover,” said Jim Czub, who owns WestWind Ag in Rensselaer and Washington counties. “We haven’t seen a drought like this since the first year we bought this farm in 1983 — and this is significantly worse because of the timing." He expects to get 30 bushels an acre of corn this year, rather than the normal yield of about 170-175 bushels per acre. The timing is worse because costs for fertilizer and fuel are nearly double because of global inflation and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. “The peppers are shriveling up on the plants; the beans feel hollow,” said Tessie Gifford of her farm in Gansevoort. “Just this week, when I pick eggplant it mushes — it’s spongy in my hand.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Andrea Macko reports in Porcupine Soup that Cairo Town Supervisor Jason Watts and Councilperson Tim Powers are bickering in public again. At the town's Aug. 17 meeting, Powers said, “At the August 1 meeting an executive session was called that was not on the agenda. And the reason being was for discussion of the recent lawsuit that was filed against the Town of Cairo,” he said. “Upon heading toward the [private] meeting room…” Powers said and then Watts cut him off. “Can’t have this discussion. I’m going to put you on notice right now. You cannot have this discussion,” Watts told Powers. Powers answered back: “No, I can have the discussion that you and [Councilperson Debra Bogins] banned me…” Watts interrupted saying, “We didn’t ban you.” Then Powers said, “You tried to ban me from going into executive session.” Watts responded, “No, no I didn’t.” Then Powers said, “You tried to call a vote and you both voted to kick me out.” At one point Watts said. “This is my board.” And Powers corrected him saying, “This is the people’s board.” Attorney Monica Kenny-Keff is suing the Town of Cairo and Watts, and Town Council members Debra Bogins, Michael Flaherty, and Mary-Jo Cords on behalf of Cairo resident Emmy Cross and Mountainview Enterprises, LLC, a company owned by Keff’s husband, Chris Keff. the Town acted “illegally” voting to split up more than $60,000 in U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Residential Rehabilitation Grant funds among three applicants, the lawsuit alleges. Powers was absent the night of that vote, so is not being sued. Watts and Powers frequently bicker with each other at town meetings. Read the full story in Porcupine Soup.

Ted Remsnyder reports in Columbia-Greene Media that Heather Bagshaw has quit her job as Greene County tourism director. On Aug. 6 she started a new job as the vice president of marketing with Destination Niagara USA. “Number one, it was just about a personal change,” she said. “Ultimately it was about career advancement. This opportunity affords me growth in my career, working with a great destination and team and working under President and CEO of Destination Niagara USA John Percy, who is well known in the industry. It just was a great career move for me and that’s basically the main reason. I did enjoy my time with Greene County. I love the people, but it was just time.” Bagshaw became Greene tourism director in February 2013 and was a Catskill Village Trustee from 2015 to 2018. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden sung her praises. “She worked tirelessly,” Groden said. “She automated a lot of things and brought technology to bear in the industry. We had the formation of the Tourism Advisory Committee under her, as well as the Business Advisory Committee under her. So she was very active and she was very involved in the community.” Groden said the county is looking for a replacement. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

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Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media Greenville Town Board member Joel Rauf has resigned. Town Supervisor Paul Macko read Rauf's letter of resignation during the August 15 town board meeting. “I am tendering my resignation as a member of the town board,” Rauf wrote. “I am no longer eligible to fulfill my duties as my residency is no longer in the town of Greenville.” Rauf was last re-elected to a four-year term in 2019. Rauf said in his letter, “It is my wish that the board continues with the firm belief that the town is a great treasure and that the residents want to preserve the beauty that attracts the people that continue to live and prosper in our small town.” The board unanimously accepted Rauf’s resignation “with regret,” Macko said. “If anybody knows anybody or can give us some names, we will be filling a vacancy,” the supervisor said. The board will next seek to appoint a replacement, but probably not at its September 19 meeting. There are four remaining members of the town board. In addition to Macko, the members are Richard Bear, Travis Richards and John Bensen. Read more at TheUpStater [dot] com.

Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union Massachusetts transportation officials and lawmakers are pushing Amtrak to start a regular Boston-to-Albany train schedule. According to a request filed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation with the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak could run three trains per day from Albany to Boston and back. The line currently runs one trip as part of its Lake Shore Ltd. service that runs west to Chicago. The Massachusetts Legislature recently appropriated $275 million in bond funding for track corridor improvements on the line, in addition to the $50 million appropriated in 2020. “This is a game changer for adding more rail service between Boston and Albany,” said Gary Prophet, president of the Empire State Passenger Association, which advocates for better rail service. Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker’s administration last month filed a request for the Federal Railroad Administration to consider funding for the upgraded Boston-Albany run, which also would go through Springfield, Mass. The New York state Department of Transportation supports Massachusetts' request for the federal rail agency to consider funding the expansion of service, a department spokesperson said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

The Daily Freeman is reporting Central  Hudson Gas and Electric Corp. has received final approval to rebuild approximately 23 miles of electric transmission lines in Ulster and Greene counties, the utility announced. Approval of the project by state regulators followed a review process, public meetings and hearings, and meetings with property owners, the utility said in a press release. The transmission lines, named “H” and “SB,” are located within an abutting 23-mile corridor between Kingston and Catskill. The transmission lines slated to be rebuilt were originally constructed in 1928 and are nearing the end of their useful life. The utility argues they must be rebuilt. The lines will be reconstructed within the existing right-of-way in all but one area. The exception being a small section that will take a new route to avoid a large wetland. Most existing towers will be replaced by a streamlined and sturdy single pole made of Corten steel, which features a brown, wood-like patina, the news release said. Central Hudson said the rebuild design will boost the line’s capability from 69,000 to 115,000 volts. Construction will begin in September and is expected to be finished in 2026. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

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Chris Bragg reports in the Times Union that New York State Senate Republicans are paying a $200,000 settlement to close an inquiry into the party’s alleged abuse of a campaign account. The State Board of Elections could have levied fines and penalties for more than $2 million after Republicans paid for a series of campaign-style mailers that advocated for the election of GOP candidates from a "housekeeping" bank account. Under state election law, "housekeeping" bank accounts can only be used to pay bills, rather than advocate for candidates. Senate Republicans argued the legal theory of State Board of Elections enforcement counsel Michael L. Johnson in prosecuting the case contradicted a formal opinion authored by the state Board of Elections in 2013. Losing $200,000 should hurt Senate Republicans during this current election season, as they are already behind Senate Democrats in campaign fundraising. Still, they downplayed the settlement. "The agreement with the Board of Elections enforcement counsel relates to years-old campaign activity that took place long before the current leadership took charge of the campaign committee," said Katy Delgado, a Senate Republican spokesperson. "While we believe our committee has consistently complied with New York election laws, avoiding a costly and protracted legal effort is the most responsible path forward." Read the full this story in the Times Union.

The Poughkeepsie Journal tracks the differences between the two candidates currently vying for the 19th Congressional District seat in voting that is ongoing through Aug. 23. Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and Democrat Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan are competing to fill the final weeks of Democrat Antonio Delgado's term, after he left to become lieutenant governor. Molinaro and his campaign have said Ryan is “lusting for power,” and that he will “rubber stamp” Democrat plans in Washington while Ryan has called Molinaro a “career politician” who lacks “backbone.” Ryan is also calling Molinaro a Republican, as many from the party supported an attempted coup of the government in 2021. “I took an oath to support and defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Ryan wrote on his campaign website. “I always perceived the greatest threat to be foreign, but it is clear with right-wing attacks on our democracy, women’s healthcare, and our ability to keep guns off our streets, we must stand up to domestic extremists.” Molinaro wants to distract voters from that subject, and has been focusing on the economy. “As a responsible steward of local tax dollars, I invest in programs that provide a high rate of return, and making government efficiency a priority,” Molinaro wrote on his campaign website. “I will take this same mentality to Washington and fight to reduce the burden on the people of upstate.” Abortion may be the largest issue in the campaign as Ryan approves, and Molinaro is opposed. But Molinaro claims he would not vote for a national ban on abortion. Voting continues this week at a limited number of locations in each county, and expands to all locations on Aug. 23. Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Liz Montgomery reports in Porcupine Soup that the ducks have been trucked away and the pond in the center of Greenville is empty. The lack of water is not just because of the drought, as town officials drained the remaining water to prepare for a dredging project. “Right now, we are draining the pond down and going out for bids to have it dredged,” explained Councilperson Richard Bear. Greenville officials are trying to eliminate the algae that has been overwhelming the pond in the park in the center of town. The algae has been so bad this summer, that town residents have been bringing plastic kiddie pools to the park, filling them with fresh water for the ducks. “I’m hoping by the end of September or early October we can get it done,” said Town Supervisor Paul Macko. “I suspect once the contractor starts working it can be finished in about a week or so.” Currently the town is taking bids for the work. The pond empties into the Basic Creek, so town officials are also waiting for permits to do the dredging. Macko said the town is paying for the work with federal COVID money doled out by Greene County. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

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Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that the Greene County Legislature Government Operations and Finance committees on Aug. 15 set the stage for Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden to take on a fifth three-year term in the position. Both committees voted unanimously in favor of the resolution, which was followed by a vote of the full Legislature on Aug. 17. Groden will begin his new term on January 1, 2023, and is scheduled to serve through the end of 2025. “I love my job,” Groden said. “I work with a great group of department heads and the board is wonderful to work with. We’ve got some big projects coming up. We’ve got the Justice Center and the Community Services building. Now we’ve got the work at the [Historic Catskill] Point. We’ve got some big projects, so it’s fun.” Greene County Legislature Chair Patrick Linger said the county was eager to have Groden continue in the role he assumed in 2011 following six years as County Executive in St. Clair County, Michigan. “Shaun is great at what he does,” Linger said. Groden’s salary for the three-year term will be decided as part of the county’s 2023 budget negotiations. Linger said that as long as Groden was willing to remain in his current role the Legislature was not interested in seeking alternative candidates. Groden said, “...I told them in July that I would do one more term.” However, Groden, 65, now says he has not decided whether his upcoming three-year term would be his last with the county. “Stay tuned,” he said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media Ravena Mayor Bill Misuraca has asked the public to stop using sprinklers due to concerns over drought conditions. Misuraca made the appeal during the August 2 village board meeting, but he stopped short of issuing official restrictions on water usage. “We are not at water restrictions yet, but I would ask on a voluntary level if everyone could ease up on the sprinklers,” Misuraca said. “Hand watering is fine. If you want to wash your car or pressure wash your house, it’s all totally fine but when you plug a sprinkler in and just let it blast for 10, 12 hours, it really does a number on our water plant.” The water level at Ravena's Alcove Reservoir is lower than normal due to the reduced amount of rainfall. There was also less snow than usual this past winter, which also impacts water levels. “The Alcove is very low,” Misuraca said. “I see no need to get into the danger zone with the way this weather has been. If you could, please be cognizant that we are in August, these are the ‘dog days,’ and we are going to need to be smart about the water, so please keep that in the back of your head.” The village of Coxsackie issued a similar alert on August 9. Coxsackie Mayor Mark Evans said in a statement, “Like many other communities, our reservoir is down, with the lack of significant snowfall last winter and the current dry condition we have been in. This is a precautionary move at this time.” The state on August 16 released an updated drought watch because of dry conditions. Albany, Columbia, Greene, Dutchess, and Ulster are included in the list of counties being asked to conserve water. Read the full story at TheUpStater [dot] com.

The Daily Freeman is reporting the state Department of Environmental Conservation has confirmed the first case of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease this year in a white-tailed deer that recently died in Dover Plains. The DEC is investigating reports of several other dead deer in Dutchess County, according to a press release. The virus is often fatal in deer and is transmitted by biting midges, small bugs often called no-see-ums or “punkies.” The disease is not spread directly from deer to deer and humans cannot be infected by deer or bites from midges, according to the release. The EHD virus was first confirmed in New York in 2007. In 2020, a large outbreak occurred in Putnam and Orange counties, with reports of approximately 1,500 dead deer. In 2021, the DEC received more than 2,000 reports of dead deer primarily in Ulster, Dutchess, Columbia, Oswego and Jefferson counties. Once infected, deer usually die within 36 hours. An infected deer may appear lame or dehydrated and may seek out water sources. There is no treatment or means to prevent the disease. The DEC requests that anyone who sees a sick or dying deer report it online or to the nearest DEC Regional Office or Environmental Conservation Police Officer. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

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