Ariel Zangla in the Daily Freeman compares the two Democrats running in the new 19th Congressional District in the Aug. 23 primary election. Jamie Cheney, 43, founded Prokanga, a recruiting and consulting firm, and owns Falcon’s Field farm in Dutchess County. She has a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Yale University. Riley, 41, is an attorney, and was general counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He has a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary. Neither have run for office before, and the winner faces longtime Republican politician Marc Molinaro, who is now the Dutchess County Executive, but does not live inside the new 19th Congressional District. “Protecting reproductive rights, enacting meaningful gun reform, and addressing the everyday ‘wallet’ issues are top priority for me,” Cheney said in a prepared statement. Cheney also named passing the Women’s Health Protection Act, and expanding background checks for gun purchases and an assault weapons ban. as priorities. Riley lists defending and strengthening democracy, revitalizing and strengthening the economy, cutting costs for working families, protecting the environment, and addressing health care as his priorities. “Our democracy is imperiled and we must protect and strengthen it, including by amending the Electoral Count Act to ensure peaceful transitions of power; restoring the Voting Rights Act to make it easier to vote, not harder; overturning Citizens United to fix our broken campaign finance system; and ending partisan gerrymandering,” Riley said in a prepared statement. “I’ve argued in federal court and I believe in my heart and soul that health care should be a civil right in America, not something that bankrupts so many families,” Riley said. “We must restore women’s access to abortion, improve access to healthcare in rural communities, and invest in mental health services.” Cheney also mentioned pocketbook issues. “We also need to help our working families who are getting crushed by inflation,” Cheney said. “This includes lowering the Medicare age from 65 to 60, increasing Social Security payouts, and bringing back the expanded child tax credit.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that two developers have made proposals to build a hotel at Exit 21 on I-87 in Catskill. “We are in the process of reviewing two hotel developer proposals,” IDA Executive Director April Ernst said at the agency’s June 16 board meeting. “We have requested more information from both of them." County agencies took other action to develop the location as a business hub. At a special meeting on July 6, the Greene County Legislature unanimously approved the sale of 2.216 acres of surplus property on Route 23B for one dollar to the Greene Local Development Corporation, a non-profit subsidiary of the Greene County Industrial Development Agency. Greene County lost money on that deal, as they bought the property last year from the New York State Thruway Authority for $421,100. Meanwhile, Greene County officials are also working with Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation to extend natural gas service from Jefferson Heights to the sites they would like to see developed near the interstate entrance. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

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Lauren Stanforth is reporting for the Times Union the Columbia County Health Department has announced that three of the county's COVID-19 patients died between July 1 and July 5. They are the first deaths in the county linked to the virus in about a month. County Public Health Director Jack Mabb said that two of the patients were nursing home residents. He added that COVID-19 infection levels have been stable and are not an immediate concern, despite the recent deaths. As of July 6, there were 12 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Columbia County, with one in the intensive care unit. Hospitalizations are statewide at levels higher than the past two pandemic summers. However, it is difficult to immediately determine death trends, as the state often releases the numbers in batches, such as after the end of weekends. For example, on July 6 the state announced there were 56 COVID-19-linked deaths between July 2 and July 5. “Much like our other 149 deaths, the vast majority were elderly,” Mabb said about the county residents who contracted coronavirus and died since 2020. He did say health officials are watching the spread of the new BA.5 omicron subvariant closely as summer continues. “What I’m hearing is it’s more contagious and may be more virulent, in terms of how potent it is,” Mabb said. “It’s going to be interesting to watch in the fall when we get back indoors and kids get back in school.” Read the full story in the Times Union.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media officials in the town of Coeymans are looking at implementing CodeRED, a mass communication notification system that would send alerts to the town's residents. Troy Harper, director of Government Strategy for OnSolve, presented the program to the town council at its June 23 meeting. CodeRED is a tool that allows government agencies to manage their communications, sending out alerts for everything from public safety emergencies to local concert events, depending on what the resident has registered for. OnSolve has more than 10,000 client communities in all 50 states and territories in the U.S. and it is the company that sends out Amber Alerts when children are reported missing, Harper said. Other communities that use the CodeRed system include Saugerties and the village of Coxsackie, among others. The cost to the town would be roughly $4,000 a year, Town Supervisor George McHugh said. The company does not sell the contact information and data it collects, Harper said. The system was first brought to McHugh’s attention by the town’s emergency management director, Bill Bruno. McHugh said it was a good way to reach more residents than through Facebook or other social media. Messages can go to either cellphones or landlines and with a landline a computerized voice would read the message to the recipient, Harper said. The town board has yet to make a decision on whether to implement CodeRED or not. Read the full story at TheUpStater [dot] com.

William J. Kemble is reporting for the Daily Freeman former Hudson school district administrator Steven Spicer has been elected president of the Kingston School Board. Spicer was chosen over serving president James Shuaghnessy on July 6, in a 7 to 2 vote. Shaughnessy has been a member of the board since 2006 and had served five non-consecutive years as president. Spicer served as the board's vice president for the past two years. He was unsuccessful in his bid for president last year. Spicer was first appointed to fill a board vacancy in February 2019, and three months later, he won a full term. He was then re-elected to a second full term in May. Spicer said the district needs to remedy the adverse effects of remote learning during the pandemic. “Our leading goal is serving the superintendent and his staff, the principals and the teachers toward closing the COVID-learning gap,” he said. Spicer said the major challenge lies mostly at the elementary and middle school level, adding that the high school graduation rate did increase in some demographic areas despite difficulties during the past two years. Spicer retired from the Hudson district in 2018, after 14 years of service. His job as principal of John L. Edwards Primary School was eliminated after that building was closed. Before serving in that role, he spent seven years as the principal of Hudson High School, from 2004 until 2011. Spicer has been a resident of Ulster County for more than 30 years. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Today's daily news update.

The Times Union reports that Columbia County has issued a tick alert, as a resident there may have contracted Powassan virus, a rare and potentially dangerous disease. Symptoms of Powassan virus can range from a mild flu to life-threatening encephalitis, a brain inflammation. The last time there was a confirmed case in Columbia County was 2018, and there have only been 27 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control from 2011 to 2020. “In Columbia County, we have learned through years of experience that a number of preventative measures can work together for protection against tick-borne diseases,” said Jack Mabb, county public health director. “It is important for residents to plan ahead before outdoor activities, be mindful of exposure while outdoors and to remain vigilant in checking for ticks both while outdoors and afterward for the best chance of prevention against tick-borne diseases.” Experts recommend light-colored clothing with a tight weave so ticks can be seen easily, and staying on cleared, well-traveled trails. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Ted Remsnyder reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Catskill Town Board backed lies and propaganda July 5, approving a new 15-year contract with Mid-Hudson Cable. The local cable and internet provider airs lies about the 2020 presidential election and the COVID-19 pandemic on entertainment channels OAN, Newsmax, and Fox. The board voted 4-0 to keep the contract with Mid-Hudson Cable. The Town of Catskill gets a three percent franchise fee from recurring cable subscriptions, cable pay-per-view purchases, and advertising sales. “It was the same standard franchise agreement we’ve had for the last 15 years,” Councilperson Jared Giordiano said July 6. “I don’t agree with raising the franchise amount, because it just makes the bills higher for the customers that have it.” In 2021 Catskill received $60,300 in franchise fees from its agreements with Mid-Hudson Cable and Spectrum. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Matt Spillane reports in the Poughkeepsie Journal that more people have voted in an online contest choosing a new design for an "I Voted" sticker, than voted in the June primary elections. Of course, anyone, not just registered Ulster County residents, can vote in this contest, and there seems to be much interest in the sticker designed by Hudson Rowan, a 14-year-old from Marbletown. Spillane describes it as "what looks like a human head on a spider's body," and the design has 94 percent of the votes so far. "It's a head with legs with colors," Rowan said, adding it has a "vibrant, psychedelic, happy, crazy theme." The contest also was held last year, but only 500 people voted then. This year Rowan's entry alone has 37,000 votes. Go to https://elections.ulstercountyny.gov/i-voted-sticker-contest/ to vote in the sticker contest. Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

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Harrison Gereau is reporting for News10 Albany in the United States, energy costs account for between 5 and 22 percent of a family's after-tax income, with the poorest Americans paying the highest of that range. To better understand the impact of energy costs relative to location and consumption habits, the personal finance website WalletHub compared the monthly energy bills in 50 states and the District of Columbia. New York was ranked 41st overall for total energy costs, with an average monthly bill of $441, according to the study. The state ranks near-dead last, coming in at number 50, in both motor fuel consumption and electricity consumption per consumer. The price of gas, on the other hand, was the eighth highest in the country. Near the top of the list was the state of Massachusetts, which ranked fifth overall, behind Connecticut, North Dakota, Alaska and Wyoming. The study found that consumers in the Bay State spend, on average, $577 per month on energy bills. Vermont came in seventh. Its residents spend around $571 a month in energy costs. The state made the top 10 for monthly natural gas costs, which racked up a price tag of $91. Read more at News10 [dot] com.

Ariél Zangla is reporting for the Daily Freeman Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said he has changed the line of succession for his office to establish the public trust and to make sure there is a clear separation between government and politics. Ryan said he amended the line of succession on July 1, placing Deputy County Executive Johanna Contreras at the top of the list to succeed him if, for any reason, he could not fulfill the duties of his office. In line behind Contreras on the amended list is Deputy County Executive Christopher Kelly, followed by county Director of Economic Development Tim Weidemann. The previous line of succession started with Deputy County Executive Marc Rider. Rider recently expressed an interest in securing the Democratic endorsement in the race for county executive if Ryan is successful in his Congressional bid. Ryan said, "...I wanted to make sure that no one who’s expressed interest in pursuing the office, were it to be open, would be in that line of succession so that the public could have confidence that the one and only goal of county government is to serve the residents of the county and that there’s no other agenda.” County Comptroller March Gallagher and former state Sen. Jen Metzger have also expressed an interest in serving as county executive should Ryan be elected to Congress. Ryan is running in a special election on August 23, against Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro for the 19th Congressional District seat vacated by Democrat Antonio Delgado. The winner of that race will serve through the end of the year. Should Ryan win that election, a second special election would be held in late December to fill the remainder of Ryan’s term as county executive, which expires December 31, 2023. Win or lose in August, Ryan will run again in November to represent the newly drawn 18th Congressional District. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that a group of Hudson residents will soon receive a $500 payment every month as the newest participants in the Hudson UP program. The universal basic income lottery to constitute the newest program cohort opened June 22, and when it closes on September 22, 53 city residents will be randomly selected to receive $500 per month for the next five years. The program started in 2020 with 25 residents and expanded to 50 recipients in 2021. After the third group is complete, the number of participants will reach 128. The program is funded by The Spark of Hudson Foundation. Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson is a supporter of the initiative and also serves with the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income network, a group of 30 mayors nationwide studying data and initiatives on universal basic income programs. Johnson said Spark of Hudson first reached out to him two and a half years ago. “... The first cohort was a joint initiative between the city and Spark. So myself and [former presidential primary and gubernatorial candidate] Andrew Yang got on a call and did a town hall for the residents about the educational component of the program. So now we’re here two and half years later in our third cohort. So we’re pushing to get as many residents as we can get registered,” the mayor said. Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood administers the Hudson UP program. Greater Hudson Executive Director Joan Hunt said people can enter as long as they meet three criteria — they live in the city of Hudson, they are over the age of 18 by September 30, and make under the median annual income of $39,346 per year. Johnson is encouraging all eligible city residents to sign up for the lottery as there’s no downside to entering. “It’s like literally winning the lottery,” he said. The lottery application is available at HudsonUP [dot] org. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that New York's Department of Health has shut down the former Acra Manor Hotel a year after it was sold to a New Jersey-based non-profit organization. “Acra Manor Resort is currently not permitted to be occupied because it has a failing wastewater disposal system,” the Department of Health said in a statement. “Sewage from the facility’s onsite wastewater treatment system was observed on the ground several times in 2021.” A Jewish organization that holds a 501c3 tax status, Tiferes Chaim, Inc. of Lakewood, NJ purchased the 16.5-acre property and resort on Old Route 23 in 2021 for $1,960,000. At the time of the purchase the new owners said they would make it a summer camp. The new owners did not respond to Porcupine Soup's request for comment. “Before the facility will be permitted to be occupied, the owner would need to have a new wastewater disposal system designed, approved, apply for a State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from DEC allowing the discharge of treated wastewater, and construct/install the new disposal system,” the DOH said. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that progressive Democrat groups Empire State Indivisible and Rockland United endorsed state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi's campaign against incumbent Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, in the new 17th Congressional District primary election Aug. 23. "I am honored to be endorsed by Empire State Indivisible and Rockland United -- two progressive organizations that champion working people across the district and New York," Biaggi said in a statement. "For years, these grassroots groups have helped support and elect progressive candidates - knocking on doors, making calls, and mobilizing voters. Empire State Indivisible and Rockland United understand that with so much at risk, we can no longer afford the status quo. This grassroots support is how I will win no matter how much is spent against me." Biaggi was also the choice recently of the New York Progressive Action Network and Progressive Change Campaign Committee, who prefer her to Maloney, who is also the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair. In the Republican primary for the 17th Congressional District, Shoshana David, Charles Falciglia, William Faulkner, Michael Lawler, and Jack Schrepel are all on the ballot Aug. 23. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

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