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Roger Hannigan Gilson is reporting for the Times Union Democrat Pat Ryan massively outraised his Republican opponent Marc Molinaro last quarter as the two county executives enter the final month of campaigning before the August 23 special election. They are vying to fill the vacant 19th Congressional District seat, formerly held by Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Ryan, the Ulster County executive, raised nearly $1.1 million in the three months ending June 30, compared to the $471,000 raised by Dutchess County Executive Molinaro, according to Federal Elections Commission filings released late week. But because Molinaro started raising money before Ryan, he has a larger stockpile of money than his opponent. Molinaro filed his first set of contributions with the FEC in October and has raised a total of almost $1.5 million. The majority of each candidate’s fundraising came from individual contributions, each of them also received money from political action committees. Ryan raised just over $56,000 from political committees while Molinaro raised $48,000, which included $10,000 from a PAC connected to Peckham Industries, a mining and road-construction company in Greene County. Ryan and Molinaro are both raising money for the 19th district special election and the midterms, as well, with Ryan vying to represent the new 18th Congressional District and Molinaro looking to represent the new 19th district. Heading into the final month of campaigning, Molinaro has an advantage on spending, with just over $1 million cash on hand compared to $576,000 for Ryan. Read the full story in the Times Union.

William J. Kemble is reporting for the Daily Freeman the effort of Champlain Hudson Power Express to lay a 1,250-megawatt electric transmission line in the Hudson River has received objections from seven municipalities in Ulster and Dutchess counties concerned about potential harm to their water systems. Rhinebeck Village Mayor Gary Bassett said last week that talks over who would oversee testing and monitoring in advance of jet-plowing a trench in the Hudson River bottom have reached an impasse. The Hudson 7, a group of municipalities that draw their drinking water from the Hudson River include the town of Esopus, the town and village of Rhinebeck, the town and city of Poughkeepsie, and the towns of Lloyd and Hyde Park. Their water systems serve a total of 100,000 combined customers. Champlain Hudson Power Express has defended its use of jet plowing as a way to keep sediment from spreading when creating a seven-foot-wide trench in the river to lay a power line. Bassett said other significant disagreements were over how many harmful substances would be included in the tests, and over monitoring of the tests. Champlain Hudson Power Express officials said details are still being finalized. The company’s statement said state and Dutchess County health officials have been involved in discussions about the water intakes. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Maura Rosner is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Quarry Steakhouse on Route 26, once one of Coxsackie’s most popular restaurants until three years ago, will be demolished, town officials said. For many years, the Quarry Steakhouse — under the ownership of the Merchant family — was the site of numerous fundraisers and celebrations, from Girl Scout parties to political dinners. The town board in June voted unanimously in favor of demolishing the fire-damaged structure. The board informed the current property owner, Long Island businessman Joseph Pasqualone, of its decision shortly thereafter. In its current condition, the property violates of the town of Coxsackie’s unsafe buildings code, according to the letter. Under that code, structures damaged by fire, as well as unsafe fire-damaged buildings must be demolished, or repairs initiated within 30 days of the fire. Coxsackie town officials have received many complaints and the property has been inspected in accordance with the town code. Town Code Enforcement Officer Edward Pebler has deemed the building unsafe and in danger of collapse. The restaurant has been closed since it was sold in 2018. “It’s very sad,” Town Supervisor Rick Hanse said three years ago. “We had a lot of very enjoyable times there over the years and it’s a sad thing to see the source of so many great memories go up in smoke.” The Quarry Steakhouse was originally established by former Coxsackie Mayor Henry Rausch on his 20th birthday in April 1973. The following year, a banquet hall was added on to the restaurant. In 1984, the restaurant was sold to the Merchant family, who operated it for the next 34 years. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Chris Bragg reports in the Times Union that entrepreneur Charlie Tebele's family has donated nearly $300,000 to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s election campaign. Since December, Tebele's company Digital Gadgets LLC received $637 million in taxpayer funds to provide the state Department of Health at-home COVID-19 test kits. There was no competitive bidding before the taxpayer money was paid out. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's OpenBookNY website has no record of a formal contract being signed between Digital Gadgets and the Department of Health. "These purchase orders did not come to (DiNapoli's office) for review and approval," said Jennifer Freeman, a spokesperson for DiNapoli's office. Another official says the company came through with the test kits. "Digital Gadgets successfully delivered all the tests the state needed within the requested timeline," said Bryan Lesswing, a Hochul senior advisor. Lesswing claims that Digital Gadgets was picked because they were the only company that could provide many tests before schools reopened in early January 2022. Previously, Digital Gadgets failed to fulfill large COVID-19 contracts with New York City, and with the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced July 18 more than $38 million for the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants program, including several in Columbia County. The 40 awarded projects will protect a total of 11,772 acres of farmland. "We must continue to protect New York's precious farmland so our agricultural footprint can grow and so our producers can thrive for generations to come," Hochul said. "I am proud that we supported the Farmland Protection program in this year's budget with an increased allocation, demonstrating our commitment to York's agriculture industry. As a result of the funding being provided today, we are protecting nearly 12,000 acres of farmland for continued agricultural use, including right here on Long Island." Columbia Land Conservancy and the Scenic Hudson Land Trust are getting $1,282,865 to protect 216 acres of the Samascott Orchards-McIntosh LCC, $893,925 for 316 acres of Samascott Orchards-Mutsu LLC in Kindeerhook, and $1,399,453 to protect 366 acres on Grazin' Angus Acres. The Dutchess Land Conservancy is also getting $752,564 to protect 150 acres on Masters Farm in Columbia County, and three grants for $923,757 to protect 187 acres on Cedar Ridge Farm, $1,460,944 to protect 144 acres on Obercreek Farm, and $615,299 to protect 109 acres on Primrose Hill Farm in Dutchess County.

Marina Villeneuve reports at NBC New York that Gov. Kathy Hochul has $11.7 million in campaign cash in the bank, while Republican challenger Lee Zeldin has just $1.6 million. The state’s Republican party had about $80,000 in the bank as of July 11 while the Democratic Party has $376,000 to spend before the November elections. Hochul has gotten most of the money from real estate developers, hedge fund managers, health insurer Fidelis, and unions representing New York City hotel and restaurant workers. Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, Hochul's running mate, received $943,000 in television ads from Protect Our Future, a group funded by crypto firm FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. Hochul has not yet signed a two-year, limited moratorium on digital currency mining at fossil fuel power plants that the legislature has passed, Zeldin’s top donors include FTX’s co-CEO Ryan Salame and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone. Zeldin voting against certifying the 2020 presidential election results, even though there is no proof of major election fraud. Read the full story at NBC New York.

Today's daily news update.

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

Mike Goodwin is reporting or the Times Union the National Weather Service confirmed over the weekend that an EF-1 tornado caused some of the damage when thunderstorms swept across the Hudson Valley on July 13. The storm brought windspeeds of 90 mph and traveled for about a half mile in an area two miles to the west of Kingston. Thunderstorms moved across the valley, leaving many utility customers without power. The tornado hit around 8:49 p.m. and was approximately 300 yards wide. The weather service reported the tornado touched down near Route 29 between Davis Street and Hillside Drive. The tornado moved southeast to just west of the NY State Thruway crossing a subdivision where it uprooted and snapped trees, displaced a car canopy and removed some shingles from a house. The storm produced widespread wind damage across parts of eastern Ulster County, including Kingston, Hurley and Marbletown. Hail from the storm stripped leaves off trees. In Lenox, in Western Massachusetts, the windstorm reached 85 mph, topping the hurricane strength standard there, according to the Berkshire Eagle. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Diane Pineiro-Zucker is reporting for the Daily Freeman that the New York State Police have missed the deadline it set to indicate whether the agency would comply with the Daily Freeman’s request for records under the state’s Freedom of Information Law. The request, for the name and rank of all state police personnel patrolling in Ulster and Greene counties, is still awaiting a response, despite multiple asks since December 2021, and a recent administrative appeal. The Freeman's original correspondence asked for “a record of complaints, lawsuits and investigations and their outcomes (including written and video records of such outcomes), whether or not they resulted in disciplinary action or reprimand, from 2019 to the present” from Troop F, Zone 3, under the state Freedom of Information Law. Troop F, Zone 3, patrols Ulster and Greene counties. Initially, state police Major William H. Gorman said the request had been forwarded on to the appropriate official in the agency. Disciplinary records for police, firefighters, and corrections officers in New York have theoretically become more accessible since the repeal of state Civil Rights Law in response to nationwide demands for transparency concerning police records. To date, the Kingston and Saugerties police and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office have complied with the same request. Ultimately, state police said the ask was too burdensome. In response, the paper made a more limited request for the names of troopers who patrol the region. The town of Ulster police have also failed to comply with a Freeman FOIL request for a record of complaints, lawsuits, and investigations and outcomes since 2019. That request was submitted in February. An appeal has been filed in that matter, but no response has been received to date. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media that the Coeymans Town Board unanimously has approved a bond resolution to build a new town hall. The resolution permits the town board to construct the building at a cost of up to $7 million and to borrow a maximum of $4 million to pay for it. The July 14 vote starts the clock on a 30-day period during which a member of the public can submit a petition to put the project out to a permissive referendum, possibly triggering a public vote. The plan is to demolish the existing town hall at 18 Russell Avenue and replace it with a new two-story, 12,000 square foot building on the same lot. Once construction is complete, the old building would be torn down and a new parking lot would take its place. The board opened the public hearing at its June 23 meeting and continued the hearing during its July 14 meeting. Town board member Stephen Schmitt asked about the estimated $6 million cost of the project and if there were less expensive options. “Are we comparing Cadillac Escalades or is there a Honda Pilot version of a town hall?” he asked. McHugh said the town looked at several options including upgrading the current building, leasing space in the existing village hall building, and building on another plot of land within the town. The board determined, in conjunction with the project’s engineers, that building a new structure would be the best option. McHugh said 30 town employees work in the building, residents use the building daily, and there is a need for a new building. He pointed to mold and leaky pipes in the current town hall, which was originally an American Legion Post. Additional public hearings and a finalized building design are expected in the coming months. Read more at The UpStater [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Robert Gavin reports in the Times Union that the former town supervisor of Prattsville in Greene County, Kory O'Hara, pleaded guilty July 18 to pocketing nearly $25,000 in storm aid allocated after the destruction of Tropical Storm Irene. O'Hara pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud before Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick Scullin. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison or as low as zero to six months behind bars, and he agreed not to appeal any sentence of 14 months or less. And O’Hara must repay $24,915 in restitution. The August, 2011 storm decimated Prattsville, destroying many buildings in the town in a rush of floodwaters. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Ariel Zangla reports in the Daily Freeman about the fundraising totals reported by various Hudson Valley Congressional candidates for the Federal Election Commission July 15 deadline. There are several elections being voted on Aug. 23 and in November for Congress. First, Democrat Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan and Republican Marc Molinaro face off to fill the final weeks of the term of Antonio Delgado, who resigned from the 19th Congressional District seat to become Lt. Gov. earlier this year. Ryan is also running in a Democratic primary that same day for the newly drawn 18th Congressional District seat against Moses Mugulusi. The winner of that election faces Republican Colin Schmitt in the general election. Josh Riley and Jamie Cheney are also in a Democratic primary on Aug. 23 for the new 19th Congressional District. The winner of that election faces Molinaro in the general election, even though he does not reside in the new 19th Congressional District. Molinaro reports he raised $1.5 million since announcing his campaign at the end of 2021, and has $1 million on hand. Ryan says his campaign has raised more than $1 million in just two months, and raised "more money in six weeks than Molinaro did in six months." Mugulusi did not provide information about his campaign’s fundraising to date. Schmitt, a state assemblyperson who resides in New Windsor, reported raising more than $340,000 in the second quarter of 2022 and says it has more than $600,000 cash on hand. Riley’s campaign says it has raised more than $1.2 million since launching last November, and has more than $790,000 cash on hand. Cheney’s campaign said it had brought in more than $500,000 since launching just over five weeks ago. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Noah Zweifel reports for the Altamont Enterprise that the Albany County Department of Soil and Water Conservation District is giving the Town of Westerlo a $30,000 grant to restore the bank of the Basic Creek where it runs through the Westerlo Town Park. The town will add riprap, a barrier of loose stone, to between 300 and 400 feet of the riverbank with the worst of the erosion. “This grant allows us to … try and keep as much of the park as possible,” Westerlo Supervisor Matthew Kryzak said. “There’s a lot more work that needs to be done to protect the park and the erosion of the stream bed and things of that nature, but this $30,000 grant is an excellent start." Read more about this story in the Altamont Enterprise.

Today's daily news update.

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

Chris Bragg is reporting for the Times Union a group of state Senate legislative staffers announced last week that they are in the process of forming the New York State Legislative Workers United, or the NYSLWU. The staffers recently delivered a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins requesting support for their efforts to organize their Senate workplaces. "At this stage, our intention is merely to make ourselves known so that we can continue to organize in public without fear of retaliation," the group told Stewart-Cousins. "We look forward to embarking on this process with you, and eventually sitting at the table to collectively bargain for a contract that recognizes the value and level of service we bring to the New York State Legislature."A Stewart-Cousins spokesperson confirmed the letter had been received and that it will be reviewed, The effort in the state Senate follows the successful unionization of the New York City Council staffers, U.S. Congressional staffers, and legislative staffers in Massachusetts. It is unclear whether Senate leadership will voluntarily agree to recognize the union though some members were supportive of the efforts. "Every worker deserves a union, and legislative staff work extraordinarily tough jobs without job security," tweeted Democratic state Sen. Julia Salazar. "I support the state senate staff who are organizing." Legislative jobs do not carry the same civil service protections as many executive branch positions do. While the NYSLWU says Senate staffers are allowed to unionize under the state's Taylor Law, that was questioned last week by Ken Girardin, a fellow at the fiscally conservative Empire Center for Public Policy. He said that unlike staffers in the executive branch, the 1967 law does not authorize legislative employees to collectively bargain. Read the full story in the Times Union.