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.

Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County is moving forward with its eminent domain proceeding to expropriate land owned by Hunter Mountain Resort the county says is needed for an infrastructure project in the village of Hunter. During the July 11 meeting of the Greene County Legislature Public Works Committee, the committee unanimously approved a resolution that directs the County Highway Department Superintendent to take the necessary steps to acquire the land needed to replace the culvert that carries county Route 83 over the Shanty Hollow Brook as well as an adjacent pedestrian bridge. The resolution, which requires approval by the full legislature, directs the highway department to to acquire the property by eminent domain if necessary, to address the structural deficiencies identified on the culvert. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said negotiating an agreement Hunter Mountain for the right-of-way, "proved difficult due to corporate red tape." Hunter Mountain Resorts is owned by Vail Resorts Inc., located in Broomfield, Colorado, which operates 40 resorts in 15 states and three countries. “Vail is such a big corporation that we actually can’t just get to anybody in Colorado to sign off on these easements,” Groden said. “...It’s just about corporate structure, if I was able to talk to the Hunter Mountain folks, I’d have no problem. But that’s all controlled by Vail now. ...[B]ecause we can’t get the corporate world to do anything, then we have to go through eminent domain.” The project is supported by state and federal transportation funding and requires two permanent easements, one through roughly 2,750 square feet of land and a second easement of more than 5,500 square feet along Shanty Hollow Brook. A county official said the infrastructure project will begin next year if the county is able to seize the property. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

MidHudson News is reporting firefighters from Greene and Columbia counties battled a fire at the Catskill Country Club on Brooks Lane in Catskill Sat., Jul. 16. Flames shot out of windows of one of the small buildings at the facility as firefighters went to work. The fire was brought under control in short order with extensive overhaul to follow. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

Larry Rulison is reporting for the Times Union the state Department of Conservation says a mysterious disease is killing beech trees in 35 counties in New York. Beech leaf disease first appeared in western New York in 2018 and later on Long Island and Westchester County. The DEC says now the same disease made it east to Herkimer County this year, bringing it relatively close to the Capital Region. Beech leaf disease currently has no cure. The disease can kill a mature tree in six to 10 years and saplings within two years. It is believed to be associated with small worms called nematodes that feed on beech leaves and buds. Scientists are not sure if the worms cause the damage that kills the trees or something else is responsible, such as a virus, bacteria or a fungus. “Many American beech trees are already heavily impacted by beech bark disease," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement. "But beech leaf disease appears to be an even bigger threat." Seggos said that the new disease will have an impact on both forests and on city and suburban streets where cooper beech trees are extremely popular for commercial and residential landscaping and to line streets. The decline of the beech tree could have far-reaching consequences, the commissioner said. DEC is asking that if the public notices the disease on beech trees in their location, they report it online at NY imap Invasives [dot] org. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the town of Ancram is newly certified as a bronze level Climate Smart community, one of six statewide. Ancram received its certification in part by installing solar panels and an electric vehicle charging station at town hall, and increasing access to renewable energy for residents and local businesses by streamlining the permitting process for rooftop solar, and running a community solar campaign, according to a statement by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Ancram Town Supervisor Art Bassin said officials have been working on this project for 10 years. He said the process began with the town board passing a resolution, and then a climate smart task force was formed to come up with and implement the items needed for this certification. The solar panels mounted on the roof of town hall were paid for by a grant from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The electric vehicle charging station was donated by Ginocchio Electric. The Ancram Community Solar Campaign is open to all town residents, where everyone is eligible for a 10 percent discount on the cost of the project, Bassin said. Established in 2009, the interagency Climate Smart Communities program provides guidance and technical support to local governments to take locally driven climate action. The first step to becoming a Climate Smart Community is to register by pledging to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. To date, 356 local governments have adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge. There are now a total of 94 certified Climate Smart Communities statewide, nine silver and 85 bronze. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup the Cairo Town Board will conduct a public hearing July 20, on a proposal to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to fund the conversion of the former American Dojo Martial Arts and Fitness Center on State Route 32 into a senior and community center. Town officials purchased the 8,000-square-foot structure along with two acres of land in late 2021 for $399,000. The plan is to use the space as a senior and community hub and replace the current Acra Senior Center. There would also be space in the rear of the building for town ambulances. “It is so we can get rid of the mess that is over in Acra,” said Town Supervisor Jason Watts. The new senior center, Watts said, would offer a meeting place for seniors as well as a new kitchen for Greene County’s senior meal program. The Acra Senior Center and property would then be sold in approximately two years. The Community Development Block Grant is offered through the New York State Office of Community Renewal. Grant applications for the senior center project are being prepared by Barton and Loguidice, an Albany-based engineering firm. The public hearing will be held at town hall and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Read more at porcupinesoup [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Ryan Whalen reports for Spectrum that officials with New York's Office of Cannabis Management said July 14 that recreational cannabis sales will begin sometime this year. Also on July 14, the Cannabis Control Board approved regulations and an application process for conditional retailers with two primary eligibility points. “The first is that they have been impacted by a marijuana related conviction," said Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander. "That is a conviction that occurred prior to the passage of the new cannabis law in New York and the second is that they have experience owning and operating a small business.” The office said it expects to initially approve 100-200 conditional cannabis retailers. New York legislators legalized cannabis in April 2021, with regulations needed in place before retail sales can begin. Read more about this story at Spectrum.

Andrea Macko reports at Porcupine Soup that it has been almost a year since the New Baltimore Service Area on the New York State Thruway shut down for renovations, and it will be almost a year before it reopens. “Right now, New Baltimore is on schedule to open in the first quarter of next year,” Jonathan Dougherty, deputy director of Media Relations and Communications for the New York State Thruway Authority, said July 14. “That is subject to change, and we will be announcing an opening date closer to that timeframe.” Fuel is for sale, but restaurants and restrooms are closed at the New Baltimore rest stop. The Capital Region Welcome Center opened in 2018 across from the New Baltimore Service Area had still has food, local produce, and merchandise for sale. New Baltimore’s service area first opened on April 3, 1957 and was renovated in 1992. The service area will include an Applegreen Market Store, Starbucks drive thru, Shake Shack, and Panera Bread restaurant when it reopens in 2023. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

Mid-Hudson News reports that New York's Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos has issued a fire danger warning as dry conditions increase the risk for wildfires. “The sunny, summer weather is giving people ample opportunity to enjoy New York’s outdoors, but it’s also increasing the risk for fires,” Seggos said. “When building a campfire, please make sure to always keep an eye on it and pay attention to the wind. And when finished, make sure the fire is fully out and cold to the touch.” Recently, the city of Kingston issued a drought alert, and the town of Williamstown, Mass. issued a non-essential outdoor watering restriction. The watering of lawns, public parks and recreational fields, gardens, flowers, and ornamental plants has been banned there until further notice. Right now most of New York is at a moderate risk for fires, meaning that any outdoor fire can spread quickly, especially if the wind picks up. Citizens should take care with campfires, or outdoor smoking. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Today's daily news update.

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

Joshua Solomon is reporting for the Times Union U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican nominee for governor, will unlikely run on the Independence Party line after the state Board of Elections invalidated nearly 13,000 signatures on his petitions. Zeldin is set to face Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in the general election on November 8. His name will appear on the Republican and Conservative lines while Hochul's name will be on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines. Zeldin's campaign submitted about 52,000 signatures, more than the 45,000 needed to get his name on the third-party line. However, the disqualified signatures left him well short after the board's ruling. The filing period ended on May 31. Zeldin's petitions were challenged by the New York Libertarian Party, who not only contested the signatures were invalid but also noted that 11,000 of the signatures were photocopied duplicates. "Republicans talk a lot about election integrity, but the Zeldin campaign attempted to fly under the radar and submit over 11,000 fraudulent signatures in an attempt to get the third line on the ballot," Andrew Kolstee, secretary of the Libertarian Party, said in a July 14 news release. The Board of Elections does not make determinations on fraud related to petition signatures so the matter is now pending in court. The board ruled that 12,868 signatures were invalid, leaving Zeldin with 39,228. If a judge overrules the board's decision, Zeldin's name could still potentially appear on the Independence Party line. On Zeldin's campaign website, it calls for people to join "Team Zeldin's Election Integrity Task Force." The website says, "Our team will be working around the clock now and into November to ensure we have fair elections, but we can't do it alone." Zeldin voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Read more in the Times Union.

Michael DeMasi is reporting for Albany Business Review the former Thompson House Resort in Windham has reopened under new ownership and with a new name. The resort, now called Wylder Windham, is the third property acquired by Wylder Hotels of Los Angeles and its first in New York. The resort on Route 296 held a soft opening July 13. John Flannigan, CEO and founder of Wylder Hotels, said the company was able to avoid the sharp decline in occupancy rates other hotels saw over the past two-plus years because its properties are focused on outdoor experiences with plenty of land, separate lodges and buildings. Spread across 20 acres, Wylder Windham includes seven lodges, inns, manors, and cottages with a total of 110 rooms; an oversized in-ground heated pool and recreation room; Babblers, a restaurant and bakery and 4,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. Two of the lodges have opened so far, as well as the pool, bakery and most of the outdoor activities; the restaurant will open soon. "We're going to be opening rooms constantly over the next two months," Flannigan said, "and should be fully completed by the end of September with all 110 rooms." Wylder Hotels bought the property in June 2021 for $2.27 million. According to the Greene County Industrial Development Agency, the total project investment is $20.1 million. Flannigan said about 30 people have already been hired. Total staffing will exceed 50 once the resort is fully open. Read more in the Albany Business Review.

The Daily Freeman is reporting the city of Kingston has issued a drought alert in connection with lowered water levels at the Cooper Lake reservoir, according to a press release from Mayor Steve Noble’s office. The alert is the first stage of the water department’s response plan for dealing with the problem. During a drought alert, all city water customers are asked to voluntarily conserve water whenever possible. “We all use water differently, so please take a minute to think about how you can conserve,” Water Department Superintendent Matthew Dysard said in a statement. He said suggestions include taking shorter showers, running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, repairing leaky faucets and toilets, and turning off the faucet while shaving, soaping hands, and brushing teeth. Conserving is voluntary at this stage, but if the reservoir continues to drop, mandatory restrictions could be imposed, Dysard said. Noble pointed out that water levels are low despite the July 13 downpour. “We ask all of our residents to be conscientious during this time and conserve as much water as possible,” he said. The town of Williamstown, Mass., this week issued a non-essential outdoor watering restriction. The watering of lawns, public parks and recreational fields, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants has been banned until further notice. Read more in the Daily Freeman.

The Climate Carnival aims to take the "not fun" conversation around climate change and make it engaging through celebration, education, and motivation. WOOC's Anna Kathawala spoke with organizer Tistrya Houghtling about the upcoming July 16 Columbia County Climate Carnival. Tistrya spoke about the events taking place and what action she hopes the carnival will inspire. For more information about the carnival, visit their website: ClimateCarnival.org.

Today's daily news update.

Ted Remsnyder reports for Columbia-Greene Media that on July 10 at least two hand-drawn signs with a hateful message appeared on residencies in Ghent in Columbia County. A handmade “Baby Killers Live Here" sign was placed on Christopher Burke's lawn. Burke said that neither him nor his wife work in any occupation related to abortion services, and they are baffled why anyone would place that sign on his property. “I’ve given the occasional few dollars to Planned Parenthood and places like that, because I believe in that freedom,” he said. “But my job is nothing related to that at all.” Michael Richardson of Hate-Watch Report, a Chatham anti-hate organization, said there is clear intent of hate in the signs. “This crosses the line,” Richardson said. “We all understand and respect and protect free speech. When you do something like this on somebody’s private property, that crosses a line and becomes hate speech.” While much about the signs is a mystery, the timing of the appearances seem related to the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing states to ban abortion. “It’s empowered people who are fringe actors to become emboldened,” Burke said. “It fits into that, so it’s not terribly shocking. I have to say we’re not losing sleep over it, but it is very disturbing.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that activists and lawmakers rallied in Albany on July 10 urging state legislators to adopt protections for tenants after the state Supreme Court struck down the city of Albany's "good cause eviction" law. Landlords and the real estate industry are strongly opposed to the 'good cause' laws that prevents a landlord from evicting a tenant who is paying their rent on time. The cities of Beacon, Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie passed similar laws, as did Hudson, though that was vetoed by Mayor Kamal Johnson. The city of Albany filed a notice of appeal of the court's decision on July 11. A few days later city officials were asking state legislators to take up their cause. "We did the right thing and now we're calling on our state legislators to do the right thing," Albany Council President Corey Ellis said at the rally. But the legislation could pass in Albany and still not become law, as Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has received significant financial contributions from the real estate industry, has shown no support of passing a statewide version of Albany's law. Read more about this story in the Times Union.