Pete DeMola reports in the Times Union that former Coeymans town clerk Cindy Rowzee, who is running for a Town Board seat, has forced public vote on a new $7million Town Hall by collecting enough signatures to force a permissive referendum. Last month Coeymans Town Board, who are all Republicans, voted unanimously to build a new a two-story, 12,000-square-foot town hall. Rowzee, a Democrat, collected 227 signatures, enough to force a permissive referendum. Rowzee agrees a new town hall is needed but says, “I don’t know if $7 million should be spent without taxpayer input.” There was a chance for the public to weigh in on the project. “People stopped going to public hearings because they feel like they’re not being heard,” Rowzee said, “and this is a way for people to have a say in what’s happening.” Coeymans Supervisor George McHugh told the Ravena News-Herald that, “We had three public meetings on this issue and no one came, and we had two public hearings on this issue and only three people came out and voiced an opinion. I wish they had come out and voiced their opinions more, but nevertheless, this is the democratic process and I certainly support it.” Now voters will get their say in November. Read the full story in the Times Union.

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Jeanette Wolfberg is reporting for The Columbia Paper the Hudson Common Council at its meeting last month endorsed the application by the Hudson Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society for a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for the purpose of preparing the lighthouse for the construction necessary to keep it standing. Sue Senecah of the society explained the lighthouse was built in 1874 on 200 wooden pilings, packed with mud and protected by large boulders called rip rap. However, since that time the wakes of large sailing vessels have “sucked” boulders away, threatening the pilings with oxidation. To keep the lighthouse standing, the society's plan calls for protecting the pilings with new boulders, repacking them with mud and building a metal “protective curtain” around the lighthouse’s base. But first potential issues with soil and asbestos must be dealt with and permits obtained. The preliminary work will cost about $630,000. The grant the society is applying for will cover $500,000 of that total. If the grant funding is received soon, Senecah said, the project could be shovel-ready in 2023. Additional support would become necessary for the main construction, which could take a few years. Senecah said, people are discovering the lighthouse and have used it for a variety of events, from birthdays, and weddings to part of an opera. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics local governments in the state of New York will have the power to reduce the speed limits on their roads to 25 mph under legislation signed into law last week by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The measure is intended to cut down on car crashes and fatalities; it was coupled with a separate provision that increases fines for leaving the scene and failing to report a crash. The speed limit measure changes the current law that sets the default maximum speed limit in a city, town or village to 30 mph. Fines for leaving the scene of a crash without reporting it will be increased $750 to $1,000 for a first-time offense. A repeat violation could lead to a fine as high as $3,000. Hochul said, "These new laws will help prevent senseless tragedies and injuries by cracking down on erratic and irresponsible driving. Today, we are reaffirming our commitment to keeping New Yorkers safe and using every resource available to save lives." Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Alexandra Zissu is reporting for the Times Union Little Cat Lodge, a new hotel at the base of Catamount Mountain, has opened. The hotel, located on seven acres in Hillsdale, started welcoming guests on August 10. The former Swiss Hutte offers 14 alpine rooms with private terraces or patios feature beds made from maple trees sourced from Catamount’s ski slopes. Rates for the smallest rooms start at $345 single occupancy per night, during the week. Co-owner Noah Bernamoff said there were some delays in getting the kitchen finished. “We are at the 95 percent spot in terms of the whole project. The rooms themselves are 99 percent and the restaurant is 90 percent,” he said. The 45-seat Tavern, will be open in a few weeks. “We are shooting to open around Labor Day,” said Bernamoff. The chef is Jason Bond, formerly of Bondir Cambridge. Bernamoff, and his partner Matt Kleigman, have their roots in New York’s food world and the Hudson Valley, where they have been living on and off since 2013; Bernamoff is the co-owner Otto’s Market in Germantown. The Dining Room, the lodge's 70-seat restaurant, is scheduled to open after The Tavern. Little Cat is still hiring, mostly for servers, bartenders, cooks and support staff. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Liz Montgomery is reporting for Porcupine Soup the New York State Attorney General’s Office confirmed August 12, that its investigation into the death of Jason Jones at the hands of the Catskill Village Police Department last fall is ongoing. The probe began eight months ago after Jones was shot with a Taser and burst into flames in the front lobby of department headquarters on Main Street. The AG’s press office declined to comment on when the investigation could be concluded. In New York, the attorney general has the power to investigate, and if warranted, prosecute cases involving the killing of unarmed persons during an interaction with law enforcement. In late October, Jones entered the village police station and doused himself with hand sanitizer, which is combustible. He had been drinking, but it remains unclear why he went to the police station. A confrontation with police ensued, and the use of the Taser, apparently, sparked a fire. Jones died on Dec. 15, 2021, after being removed from a ventilator in an intensive care unit at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. He was on the ventilator for 48 days. Autopsy results and Jones' cause of death have not yet been released by authorities. The identities of the officers involved have not been disclosed. Jones's brother filed a wrongful death claim against the village of Catskill in February. Read the full story at porcupinesoup [dot] com.

Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media roadwork on the Taconic State Parkway will close a section of the roadway in Chatham for three days the week of August 15, said Heather Pillsworth, public information officer for New York State Department of Transportation, Hudson Valley Region. The southbound lanes, between Interstate 90 and Route 295, will be closed Tuesday through Thursday, August 16, 17 and 18, between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day, weather permitting, Pillsworth said. That area of the parkway is part of a larger work zone where all lanes are being repaved between I-90 and Route 217 in Philmont. Drivers traveling southbound are advised to follow the posted detour signs that use Upper Caddy Street, Rock City Road, Route 295 and Hartigan Road as an alternate route. The section of the parkway to be closed is much more narrow than the rest of the 13-mile work zone, Pillsworth said. Paving crews with Greenport's A. Colarusso & Son will be working on the southbound lanes and are expected to shift to the northbound lanes in the future. Southbound traffic is limited to one lane in the work areas. The roadwork will be completed sometime in the fall. Up-to-date travel information is available by calling 511 or going online to 511NY [dot] org. Read more at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Paul Kirby is reporting for the Daily Freeman Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corp. said August 12, its electrical supply cost has risen for the second month in a row in the middle of summer heat waves. Joseph Jenkins, a Central Hudson spokesperson, said the newest supply rate became effective on the 11th, when the residential price for electric supply rose from 5.83 cents per kilowatt hour in July, to 8.52 cents in August. Central Hudson’s residential price for electric supply also rose in July. “Electric supply prices tend to rise during the summer months due to increased demand,” Jenkins said. “We’ve seen sustained heat over the last few months, so this is in line with the supply price trends we usually see during the summer.” Jenkins pointed out that the state Public Service Commission and the New York Independent System Operator, which oversees the state’s wholesale energy grid, both issued reports in advance of this summer forecasting increased prices during the warmer months. The new rates were approved by the Public Service Commission as part of a three-year plan in November. That plan includes another increase in delivery charges in July 2023. Read the full story at Daily Freeman [dot] com.

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Rebekah F. Ward reports in the Times Union that New York begins accepting retail cannabis dispensary applications on Aug. 25. The first applicants must prove they, or an immediate family member, were convicted with a marijuana-related charge in New York prior to the state's legalization of cannabis in 2021, and that they've owned and operated a business that made a profit for at least two years. Nonprofits working with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people can also apply. Tremaine Wright, chair of the state's Cannabis Control Board, said that this will mean "the first sales are conducted by those harmed by prohibition." Applications will be accepted through Sept. 26, and stores may open later this year or early in 2023. "We’ve worked to make this application as simple as possible for all interested applicants, and I cannot emphasize it enough that you do not need any legal expertise to fill this application out," said Chris Alexander, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Columbia-Greene Media reports that Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced a plan to protect land and wildlife surrounding the Taghkanic Creek on Aug. 11. The Taghkanic Headwaters Conservation Plan was completed with the Columbia Land Conservancy, and community volunteers from the towns of Claverack, Copake, Hillsdale, and Taghkanic. The plan values large, connected forests and streams in the watershed to protect clean water, and wildlife such as eastern brook trout. Marissa Codey, Columbia Land Conservancy Director of Farmland, Forestry, and Land Use Programs, said, “The Taghkanic Headwaters Conservation Plan could not have been developed without the dedicated work of many local stakeholders, and we look forward to working with the broader community to protect and care for the lands and water systems within the watershed region.” Taghkanic Creek starts in Hillsdale and over 30.1 miles leads into Claverack Creek, which runs into the Hudson River. “Preserving natural connections between habitats is critical for wildlife movement, climate adaptation, and resilient ecosystems,” Seggos said. “DEC applauds the leadership of our Land Trust partners in working with local communities to create shared conservation visions for the eastern Hudson Highlands and for the Taghkanic headwaters watershed.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the City of Kingston elevated its drought emergency to stage two on Aug. 10. The Hudson Valley has not had much rain this summer and Pittsfield, Mass. has also implemented a water restriction plan due to a lack of moisture. In Kingston now, the regulations no longer allow adding water to any swimming pool, and there is no watering lawns, golf courses, ornamental shrubs or plants, though vegetables or fruits grown for human consumption can be watered with a handheld container. Large, nonresidential water consumers must reduce usage by at least 20 percent. Scattered showers are predicted next week, but the area is in need of a major storm. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

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Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media Jeff Friedman, president and executive director of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, has submitted his resignation, effective in late September. Friedman started with the chamber in February 2013, leading the group for nearly a decade. “I told the board I would stay until the end of September,” Friedman said. “They are working on a plan to search for a replacement and they are also making plans for how the chamber will operate in the interim between my departure and the new person." Friedman will join his family’s business, headquartered in Clifton Park, but he will continue living in Catskill. “My brother has a contracting company, a floor-care company, and it’s been growing steadily for quite a while,” Friedman said. “He [has] asked me to ... partner with him in the company and manage the business end.” Friedman sees the change as a return to his roots and a new challenge. “... I just decided the time was right. I spent a lot of time at the chamber and I love the job. I love the chamber and I love Greene County. I love what I do, but this was an offer and a challenge that I felt I needed to take,” he said. The search for Friedman's replacement has begun. Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Nicole Bliss said a search committee has already been established. "...If you happen to know of anyone who may be interested in such an opening, please feel free to direct them to me for consideration,” said Bliss. The president and executive director serve as a communicator, facilitator and interactive community planner; and is responsible for the development, implementation and assessment of chamber programs, projects and events to ensure each member business’s investment in the chamber meets their needs, according to the job listing. Read the full story at TheUpStater [dot] com.

Brendan J. Lyons is reporting for the Times Union that former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Aug. 10, filed a lawsuit against state Attorney General Letitia James accusing her office of wrongly rejecting his request that the state pay for his legal representation in the federal claim filed by a State Police investigator accusing him of sexually harassing and inappropriately touching her. The female trooper also named the State Police and former Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa as defendants in the case. DeRosa's legal fees are being paid by the state. In the complaint filed in the state Supreme Court in New York County, Cuomo alleged James' office on April 12 rejected his request for counsel in defense of the federal lawsuit without providing a reason. Delaney Kempner, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office, released a statement stating, that Cuomo "is trying to force New Yorkers to pay his legal bills because he believes sexual harassment was within his 'scope of employment as governor. Sexually harassing young women who work for you is not part of anyone’s job description. Taxpayers should not have to pony up for legal bills that could reach millions of dollars so Mr. Cuomo’s lawyer can attack survivors of his abuse." The matter, filed on Cuomo's behalf by attorney, Rita Glavin, includes a detailed breakdown of their allegations that the AG's investigation of sexual harassment claims against the former governor was "one-sided" and "shoddy and biased." The trooper's lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages and was filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, lists allegations against Cuomo and his administration that largely mirror those outlined in a damning report issued by the state attorney general’s office one year ago. That report concluded the former governor was a serial sexual harasser who cultivated a toxic work environment. The trooper's accusations were among the most damaging leveled against the former governor, who had urged a senior investigator on his protective detail to offer the now-31-year-old female investigator a job on the special unit that protects the governor, according to the Attorney General’s report. Read the full story in the Times Union.

MidHudson News is reporting the State Public Service Commission has approved the construction of Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation’s transmission line known as the H and SB project. The plan calls for rebuilding 23.6-miles of transmission lines in the city of Kingston, and towns of Ulster and Saugerties in Ulster County, and the town and village of Catskill. The utility said the rebuild will help meet the energy needs of local communities, address aging infrastructure, and to enhance electric service reliability. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

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Raymond Pignone reports in Columbia-Greene Media that David Darling's 17 years as Catskill village police chief ended Aug. 8 when his retirement became official. The report says the Village of Catskill Board of Trustees would name Lt. Ronald Frascello as his replacement at its meeting Aug. 10. Darling also had a 35-year career with the New York State Police, and was a U.S. Army military police patrol supervisor during the Vietnam War. He also worked one year with the Saugerties Police Department. “It’s not easy to leave something you know well, but there comes a time when you have to say goodbye,” Darling said. “I have six grandchildren and they all live locally. I’m going to spend a lot of time with them." Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.