Steve Hughes reports in the Times Union that a second Albany County resident has been reported infected with the monkeypox virus. That brings New York's total case count to 1,617, according to state health data posted Aug. 2. Albany County has reported two cases, and Greene and Columbia counties have recorded one case each since the outbreak began earlier this year. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency on July 29 because of the outbreak. That declaration widened the pool of eligible individuals who can administer monkeypox vaccines, including EMS personnel, pharmacists, and midwives. So far, though, monkeypox testing is difficult to come by locally. "Several local urgent care centers and health care providers contacted by the Times Union last week indicated that their physicians were not prepared to perform a monkeypox test, which involves swabbing a suspicious blister and sending it to a lab," the story says. Meanwhile, Columbia County got its first batch of 40 doses of the monkeypox vaccine from the New York State Department of Health, officials said Aug. 1. “The way the state is working at the moment — and this may change when more vaccines become available — is that the only way a county gets the vaccine is if they have a positive,” Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Maab said. “So we had our first positive two weeks ago and they send you 40 doses. So I was just on a call on Friday with other counties and Albany County and Sullivan County had two positives so they got 80 doses each.” Monkeypox spreads through skin-to-skin contact. Greene County has not received any monkeypox vaccine as of Aug. 1. “Now we just play the waiting game,” Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said. “I guess I would fully expect to have more positives. We’re not that far from the city and we are a tourist location.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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The Daily Freeman reports that the city of Kingston declared a drought emergency on Aug. 2, with water restrictions. The water level at Cooper Lake reservoir, the city's source of drinking water, is low, and little rain has fallen this summer in the Hudson Valley. The city is ordering all leaks be fixed, and banned washing sidewalks, buildings, driveways, steps, or other outdoor areas. and washing of cars or other vehicles, except for at commercial vehicle washing operations that recycle 50 percent of the water used. Also, fountains, waterfalls, and reflecting pools that do not use recycled water must be turned off. And the watering of lawns, golf courses, or ornamental shrubs, plants, or trees is limited to between 9 and 10 p.m. “With only a few months of water remaining in the reservoir, I urge our residents to do what they can to conserve water in the months ahead,” said Mayor Steve Noble. The drought emergency announcement comes a few weeks after Kingston declared a drought alert on July 14. The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that the Hudson Valley is currently "Abnormally Dry." Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

New York's Board of Election website says that "voting for the August Primary will take place August 13, 2022 to August 21, 2022. New York is a closed primary state." But that second sentence may not be true for this election. New York State of Politics reports that, "A loophole caused by redistricting litigation currently allows for already registered voters in New York to change their political affiliation up to and the day of the August 23 primary." When the legislature redistricting plan was struck down earlier this year and new election dates set, a state Supreme Court judge set a new date, July 29, for unregistered voters to register in person or postmark their registration for mail in order to vote in the primary. But the judge did not set a new date to change party affiliation. So a registered voter could go to their polling place during the voting period and ask for a form to change their affiliation, and then vote in the that primary election. But the story says sources say state Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister, who issued the original redistricting decision, may close the loophole. But for now, the Aug. 23 primary is an open election. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

John Cropley reports for the Daily Gazette that all Amtrak service has been restored after emergency repairs to a decrepit Albany warehouse that had falling debris landing over the train tracks. Chunks of concrete fell off the Central Warehouse building near Interstate 787 onto the elevated right of way that carries trains into northern Albany, with Amtrak halt service there July 29. Contractors for the city of Albany removed a smokestack and loose concrete from the south-facing facade, near the tracks over the weekend, and will reinforce the outer layer of the southern wall to the main structure. “These actions have abated the threat to public safety and allowed Amtrak to restart train service across the Livingston Avenue rail bridge,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. Read more about this story in the Daily Gazette.

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Andrea Macko reports in Porcupine Soup that Town of Coxsackie officials are taking legal action to close a massive tire dump there that they claim is not only illegal but also a public health hazard. Coxsackie filed in New York State Supreme Court against Green Tire Recycling, LLC on July 5. The tire dump is at 1113 and 1131 State Route 81 in Climax in Cocksackie, and can be seen from the road. The lawsuit says that it is “causing a disturbance with the subject property neighbors, severely and negatively impacting their lives and homes and creating a public health hazard.” The complaint says the tires started piling up in September, 2020. Coxsackie says the tire dump violates New York State Property Maintenance Code, New York State Fire Code, Coxsackie Town Code, and Coxsackie Town Zoning Law. In February 2021 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation cited one of the owners, Shane Foster, “for operating a tire handling facility without a permit.” Coxsackie is asking the court for and order to “permanently cease and desist the illegal use(s) of the property as a tire dump, junk yard and/or handling facility” and to clean up the property. State Supreme Court Justice Richard Mott gave Green Tire Recycling, LLC, and its owners until July 29 to respond to the Town’s claims., but court records show no response was submitted, and Mott has not yet ruled on the case. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Kate Lisa reports in Columbia-Greene Media that not only is Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro's car usage part of countywide audit, but his election campaign has not filed the donation of a campaign vehicle from a longtime supporter with the U.S. Federal Elections Commission as required. Last September, Molinaro announced he is running for the 19th Congressional District seat. Molinaro's campaign rents a Jeep Grand Cherokee leased to Sean Mahoney for $35 per day. The Federal Elections Commission requires in-kind contributions be reported once the contribution exceeds $200. It would take six days for Molinaro's car to cross that threshold, but Molinaro's campaign has not included the vehicle as an expense in its three required quarterly filings with the FEC since the campaign began Sept. 21, 2021. Now Molinaro's campaign says the rental car contribution will be reported to the FEC in its next filing. “Throughout the campaign, Marc has used either the donated vehicle or his personal car for all campaign related events,” according to a statement from Molinaro’s campaign. “The filing will be complete and in compliance with FEC guidelines by the pre-election filing deadline Aug. 11 when the donor provides the campaign all the necessary information that has been sought for the several months.” Molinaro's campaign would not say why it had not filed the contribution with the FEC until a reporter asked about the donation. Molinaro, a Republican, is going against Democrat Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan in an Aug. 23 election to fill out the rest of Democrat Antonio Delgado's term in Congress. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that two polls released Aug. 2 show Democrat Kathy Hochul leading Republican Lee Zeldin in the election for governor. A Siena College poll has Hochul leading Zeldin 53 percent to 39 percent, while an Emerson College survey has Hochul with a 51 percent to Zeldin's 35 percent. Hochul is currently governor, having taken over after Andrew Cuomo resigned. Zeldin is a Long Island Congressman, who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results. In both polls, Hochul and Zeldin are virtually tied among men, but Hochul leads substantially among women. The Emerson College poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters from July 26-28 with a three percentage point margin of error, while the Siena College poll questioned 805 likely voters from July 24-28 with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

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Chris Bragg reports in the Times Union that a major donor to Gov. Kathy Hochul's election campaign is getting a multi-billion dollar state contract. Russ Maxwell, the president of Medical Answering Services, recently won a state contract worth about $5 billion over a five-year period from the state Department of Health. Maxwell’s company will be arranging rides to medical appointments for Medicaid patients for the money. Maxwell paid $4,500 for food, catering, and flowers for an April 24 fundraiser for Hochul, who is a Democrat. Maxwell also gave Hochul an additional $10,000 that day, and his husband Morgan McDole, gave $20,000. Then, three days later, Maxwell gave $10,000, and McDole $20,000, to the state Democratic Party. Cort Ruddy, a spokesperson for the Department of Health, said Hochul's office was not involved in awarding the contract. "The Department of Health has contracted with this vendor for more than a decade to provide critical transportation services to Medicaid patients and, after a competitive bidding process, awarded this vendor a procurement authorized under the state fiscal year 2020-21 budget to provide non-emergency medical transportation brokerage management services for New Yorkers enrolled in the Medicaid program," Ruddy said. "The Executive Chamber does not provide input on procurements managed by the department and had no involvement in the selection of the awards.” Maxwell and McDole also donated nearly $54,000 to Hiochul's election efforts when she was lieutenant governor. Since she became governor, the couple have given $81,000 to Hochul’s campaign, and $30,000 to the state Democratic Party. And Maxwell, since September, has given $2,000 to the campaign of U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island, the Republican attempting to unseat Hochul in November’s general election. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that New York's pension fund grew at a 9.5 percent rate in the last fiscal year, growing to $272.1 billion, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office reported on Aug. 1. “There has been tremendous volatility in the markets in recent months, but thanks to the state pension fund’s diverse investments, it finished the year above our assumed rate of return,” DiNapoli said. “Still, the turmoil in the markets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent shockwaves through the financial world with repercussions that are ongoing. With inflation and supply chain issues continuing to impact the economy, we expect a challenging investment environment for the foreseeable future.” New York's pension fund paid out $14.7 billion in retirement and death benefits during the last fiscal year, which ended March 31. DiNapoli's office predicts that the long-term rate of return for the pension fund is 5.9 percent. Read more about this story in New York State of Politics.

Emilia Teasdale reports in the Columbia Paper that on July 21 the Ghent Town Board approved using $180,000 of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to complete a plan to make broadband internet access available to all residents. Town Board member Patti Matheney said she hoped the broadband would be provided by the end of the year through Mid-Hudson Cable and Consolidated Communications. Matheney also said it took seven years to bring broadband to everyone in Ghent. “We have worked really hard to get this accomplished,” she said, adding that now, “I want the county to do their part” in making broadband available. In all, Ghent received $420,000 American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds. Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.

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Kate Lisa reports for Columbia-Greene Media a two-part series about Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro's official vehicle usage. Molinaro, now the Republican nominee for the 19th Congressional District, attempted to purchase a new county vehicle in 2020 for himself three years early under the incorrect county department, the story says. But the Dutchess County Comptroller’s office flagged the purchase and stopped it. The Dutchess County Comptroller’s Office is auditing its fleet of vehicles. “We’ve been looking at some of the payments and had questions from various sources,” said Dutchess Comptroller Robin Lois. “We’ve been trying to find particular policies and procedures in place, and some of them seem to either not be existing or be different among different departments.” Molinaro currently drives a 2021 black Chevrolet Tahoe Premier, a luxury SUV paid for by taxpayers. “The county executive is provided an SUV for the purposes of responding 24 hours a day, seven days a week during emergencies and otherwise,” Molinaro said. “It is customary and common practice for municipalities to issue vehicles to certain administrators.” In 2020, though, Molinaro attempted to get himself a new vehicle, and did so in an unorthodox manner. “The CE is not a law enforcement officer, nor is his vehicle registered as such,” former Dutchess Deputy Comptroller Karl Schlegel wrote in an email March 5, 2020 to other county employees obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request. “Not only can this vehicle not be charged to this bond, and I question the use of this bid to purchase a vehicle for this department...Additionally, according to Auto Center records, the county executive is currently issued a 2018 vehicle with a five-year life. Why is his vehicle being replaced within two years?” Molinaro boasts that he does not have a police driver or security staff, but he did attempt to get a new vehicle early. “It seems excessive and unnecessary,” Lois said of the cost of the executive’s vehicle agreement. “Particularly when compared to the rest of the county vehicles that are in use and the cost of those vehicles.” A second part of this story is due Aug. 2. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Barbara Reina reports in the Times Union that the environmental activist group Scenic Hudson is pushing state and federal officials to complete the Natural Resource Damage Assessment for the Hudson River, after General Electric dumped highly carcinogenic chemical compounds known as PCBs into the waterway. GE has spent almost $2 billion taking about 1.3 million pounds of PCBs from the Hudson River. “They’ve been working on this assessment for 20 years,” said Hayley Carlock, Scenic Hudson’s director of environmental advocacy and legal affairs. “We are having conversations with federal and state trustees over the next few weeks about the report and how it may be informing their thinking.” About 18 months ago the environmental group released a report estimating that GE's damage to the Hudson River from carcinogenic PCBs cost $11.4 billion. Scenic Hudson wants to exert leverage on Gov. Kathy Hochul “to bring these parties together, sit down with GE, resolve this and give the people a sense of relative optimism about the recovery of the river,” said Carlock. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

WNYT quotes New York Senator Chuck Schumer, in Albany Aug. 1, crowing about the passage of his federal semiconductor incentive, scientific research, and technological competitiveness bill last week. Click here to play excerpt of Schumer speech. Currently, only 12 percent of semiconductor chips are manufactured in the U.S, compared to 37 percent in the 1990s, and the bill is aimed to reverse that trend with over $75 billion in federal spending. Read the full story at the WNYT website.

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