Progressive activists and proponents of net neutrality are now openly questioning why the Joe Biden administration is doing so little to support its nominee to the Federal Communcations Commission, Gigi Sohn, Common Dreams reports. The digital rights group Fight for the Future tweeted May 5 that, "Joe Biden and Sen. [Chuck] Schumer promised to restore net neutrality. But instead they're sitting on the sidelines while Big Telecom mounts a massive dark money funded smear campaign against their nominee to the FCC, Gigi Sohn." Net neutrality is creating an even playing field for the internet, not a place where the companies with the most money get the fasted speeds. Fight for the Future director Evan Greer said May 5 said the Trump administration's FCC, "repealed it, Dems promised to restore it, and they've so far failed to do so by caving to industry pressure and slow-walking" Sohn's nomination. "The only reason for this is corruption. Plain and simple," Greer said, adding that it is a "good time to remember that Comcast, AT&T, Verizon etc. are huge donors to Democratic leadership and candidates. They've got their hands all up in there." The Obama administration passed net neutrality in 2015, and Sohn was largely the author of those rules. Now she's being attacked by the the Fraternal Order of Police, who claim her, "forceful advocacy of end-to-end encryption and 'user-only-access'" and employment history, public policy stances, and social media activity "indicated serious animus towards law enforcement officers and the rule of law." Techdirt founder Mike Masnick says that, "The smear campaign against [Sohn] has been beyond ridiculous.... Everyone who knows anything about her knows that it's pure nonsense, that she's beyond qualified, and that she will do an amazing job. The smear merchants are doing it because they know she'll do a good job." Karl Bode, writing in Techdirt, blamed the Democrats. "It took the Biden administration nine months to even nominate Sohn, giving the telecom industry… ample time to galvanize opposition." The Biden administration also isn't defending Sohn publicly, or pushing to move the Senate confirmation voting process forward. "The phony appeal of authoritarianism can only be defeated if the [Democratic National Committee] shakes off corruption and truly represents the public interest," Bode added. "You don't accomplish this by letting a hugely popular media and telecom reformer drown under unopposed GOP/telecom propaganda attacks."

Here is this week's Hudson Valley Congressional Report from WGXC, tracking the votes, statements, positions, and campaigns of the representatives of the Hudson Valley in Congress and the candidates who want to replace them. Current Democrat Reps. Antonio Delgado, Paul Tonko, and Sean Maloney vote with the positions of President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, according to the fivethirtyeight.com website. Republican Elise Stefanik voted with Biden's positions 18 percent of the time. Click here to listen to this report.

Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Nicholas Fandos report in the New York Times that Gov. Kathy Hochul picked Rep. Antonio Delgado as her new lieutenant governor. The choice is considered strange for two reasons: typically a governor/lieutenant governor ticket includes one candidate representing New York City's large population, and the choice makes it much more difficult for Democrats to hold onto Delgado's 19th Congressional District. Delgado, though, is not mired in controversy, an important consideration for the replacement of Brian Benjamin, who was indicted on federal bribery charges last month, leading to his resignation. Democrats voted May 2 in Albany to change state election law, allowing Benjamin to take his name off the ballot, and Delgado to put his name on the ballot. “Having won competitive primary and general elections for Congress, Representative Antonio Delgado is a battle-tested campaigner who has the experience to serve New Yorkers and the work ethic to get our party’s message out to voters, unite communities and lift up Democratic candidates statewide,” Hochul said. In the June primary election Delgado gets two Latina women opponents, Diana Reyna, a former New York City Council member, and Ana María Archila, a progressive activist. Which Democrats might run for Delgado's NY-19 district is unclear. So far, Gareth Rhodes, a former state official, who previously attempted to win the seat, has ruled out running for the seat now. The New York Times reports that according to two people familiar with his thinking, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan is seriously considering running for the now-open seat. Republican Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County Executive who ran for governor in 2018, will run against whichever Democrat emerges for the seat. Read more about this story in the New York Times.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision announced May 3 to make Rep. Antonio Delgado lieutenant governor adds another vote to a summer of elections in New York, with all sorts of cascading effects across ballots. Delgado will take the state oath of office this month at a date to be determined. "The only question is the exact timing he will resign from Congress," Hochul said. "There is work to be finished before he assumes these responsibilities." The day before, former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, recently indicted on corruption charges, removed himself from the ballot after the Legislature passed a law to allow political nominees charged with a crime to vacate a party ticket. So now Delgado will appear on the ballot for the statewide primary election for lieutenant governor scheduled for June 28, as Hochul's running mate. Then, Spectrum reports, a special election for Delgado's 19th District seat must be set within ten days of the resignation and must be held within three months. Marc Molinaro, the Republican Dutchess County Executive who is already running for the seat, will likely be on the ballot then against an at-this-point unknown Democrat. “You left an open seat in Congress,” Assembly Member Maritza Davila of Brooklyn told City & State about Hochul's decision. “This is what we're trying to avoid.” She said she feels confident that the seat will return to Republican hands now. “She has to live with her own choices,” Davila added. Other Democrats were more optimistic about retaining the seat. “We have strong Democratic candidates, I’m sure, looking at that seat,” state Sen. Brad Hoylman of Manhattan told City & State. “I would expect a worthy successor in the Democratic nomination.” State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs told City & State that the party has several potential candidates in mind for the seat, but declined to say who exactly. Two local politicians are floating their names so far. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, who lost to Delgado in the Democratic primary in 2018, hinted at trying again in a May 3 Tweet. "After last night's devastating news, it’s clear that now more than ever we need champions in Congress who’ll protect fundamental rights and freedom and fight back against Washington extremism," Ryan wrote, referring to the news that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade. "So, stay tuned." Anonymous sources also claim state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, of Saugerties, may run for the seat. "She's assessing where she can best help our communities - whether that's in Albany or Washington," a source with knowledge of the senator's plans said. Hinchey, in her only election, turned the 46th Senate District in the Hudson Valley from Republican-control to Democrats in 2020. "Everything is on the table," the source added. Both could run, and because redistricting has been thrown out and maps are being withdrawn, the primary election for Congressional seats will now happen in August. And if a current office holder such as Ryan or Hinchey runs for the Democrats, they will need to find a replacement. Hinchey, right now, is running for re-election this fall against Republican Rich Amedure.

Source with knowledge says that Democratic leaders in NY-19 have lined up behind Ulster County Pat Ryan for the special election to replace soon-to-be Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Ryan would face off against Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro

— Rebecca C. Lewis (@_rebeccaclewis) May 6, 2022

Kate Lisa is reporting for State of Politics state Sen. Michelle Hinchey announced on May 6 that she has chosen to seek re-election to a second term in the state Legislature's upper chamber, ending speculation that she would launch a congressional run. Hinchey, a Democrat from Saugerties, said earlier in the week she was thinking about seeking the Democratic nomination in the 19th Congressional District after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the appointment of U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado as the state's lieutenant governor. Delgado, a Democrat from Rhinebeck, has held the seat since 2019 and will step down soon, with a special election for the seat, and then another in November. Hinchey announced her plan to seek re-election on Twitter. "I ran for office because that’s how I could best serve my community — to give upstate residents a real seat at the table," Hinchey said. "When scenarios change, reflection on where the work is best continued, where you make the biggest difference and what’s truly at stake is brought to the forefront. But, with the events of this week and the impending and detrimental Supreme Court decision to overturn a person’s right to choose, it’s never been more clear that state governments are where the work is most important. With our federal government in turmoil, states are now the active battlegrounds in our fight to protect our democracy and to ensure equitable and just policies that protect all of us," she wrote. Retired state trooper Republican Richard Amedure, of Rensselaerville, announced in March that he is running against Hinchey for a second time. He lost his bid for the seat in 2020. Hinchey did not endorse another Democrat for the congressional nomination. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat who lost the congressional nomination to Delgado in a 2018 primary, was the first person this week to announce that he is considering a run for the federal seat. On Twitter May 6, Ryan said he will make the decision to run for Congress soon, and supported Hinchey's Senate campaign. Also on May 6, City & State New York reporter Rebecca C. Lewis wrote on Twitter that a, "Source with knowledge says that Democratic leaders in NY-19 have lined up behind Ulster County Pat Ryan for the special election to replace soon-to-be Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado." Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

MidHudson News reports that May 6 New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Newburgh, talking about how far the U.S. could go to help Ukraine against the Russian invasion. “The reason we don’t want to escalate the war is because Russia has many nuclear weapons which they can easily launch against New York State, Washington DC, against California; any state in the country could be a target.” She says the U.S. is doing everything it can to help. “We are trying to give Ukraine the tools to win,” she said, also saying she is in favor of more sanctions against Russian oligarchs and military leaders. But Gillibrand did not blame the rising gasoline prices here on the war in Ukraine, saying the U.S. no longer buys oil from Russia. Instead, she blamed the high prices on oil company price-gouging wants a Congressional investigation. Read more about this story at MidHudson News.

Source with knowledge says that Democratic leaders in NY-19 have lined up behind Ulster County Pat Ryan for the special election to replace soon-to-be Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Ryan would face off against Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro

— Rebecca C. Lewis (@_rebeccaclewis) May 6, 2022

Kate Lisa is reporting for State of Politics state Sen. Michelle Hinchey announced on May 6 that she has chosen to seek re-election to a second term in the state Legislature's upper chamber, ending speculation that she would launch a congressional run. Hinchey, a Democrat from Saugerties, said earlier in the week she was thinking about seeking the Democratic nomination in the 19th Congressional District after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the appointment of U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado as the state's lieutenant governor. Delgado, a Democrat from Rhinebeck, has held the seat since 2019 and will step down soon, with a special election for the seat, and then another in November. Hinchey announced her plan to seek re-election on Twitter. "I ran for office because that’s how I could best serve my community — to give upstate residents a real seat at the table," Hinchey said. "When scenarios change, reflection on where the work is best continued, where you make the biggest difference and what’s truly at stake is brought to the forefront. But, with the events of this week and the impending and detrimental Supreme Court decision to overturn a person’s right to choose, it’s never been more clear that state governments are where the work is most important. With our federal government in turmoil, states are now the active battlegrounds in our fight to protect our democracy and to ensure equitable and just policies that protect all of us," she wrote. Retired state trooper Republican Richard Amedure, of Rensselaerville, announced in March that he is running against Hinchey for a second time. He lost his bid for the seat in 2020. Hinchey did not endorse another Democrat for the congressional nomination. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat who lost the congressional nomination to Delgado in a 2018 primary, was the first person this week to announce that he is considering a run for the federal seat. On Twitter May 6, Ryan said he will make the decision to run for Congress soon, and supported Hinchey's Senate campaign. Also on May 6, City & State New York reporter Rebecca C. Lewis wrote on Twitter that a, "Source with knowledge says that Democratic leaders in NY-19 have lined up behind Ulster County Pat Ryan for the special election to replace soon-to-be Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado." Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that the contract between the town of Greenville and the Greenville Rescue Squad will expire on December 31, and ambulance officials are concerned over what they say is a lack of communication with the town board. Last week, the rescue squad's Board of Directors met with he press to talk about the future, the proposed contract, and why operational costs are on the rise. Rescue Squad Chairman Theodore Nugent, Jr. said that in November 2021, the rescue squad presented the town with a new five-year contract. “...We laid out costs over five years. It was given to the town board in executive session and somehow those numbers along with the cost per thousand ended up on Facebook. So that was kind of concerning and upsetting to us. ...,” Nugent said. The squad has not received any feedback from the board on the proposal since. “We have asked for some response… to this date, we have not heard anything back,” Nugent said. Town Supervisor Paul Macko said no one from the squad has attended a town meeting in months and noted that a rescue squad update is a standing agenda item at the board’s monthly meetings. Macko said In 2022 the town paid the squad just under $404,000. The squad's request for 2023, is more than $545,000 and the total increases yearly over the life of the contract, to $607,800 in 2027. “We have no issue with the service they provide, they are excellent,” Macko said. “But it is our objective as the town board to do this as [affordably] as possible.” Nugent said the amount paid by the town does not even cover payroll expenses and the squad relies on third-party billing to balance its budget. “This board and this agency are not trying to burden the taxpayers. We are taxpayers, too,” he said. So far in 2022, Greenville Rescue Squad is responding to an average of 50 calls per month. Macko said he would like to negotiate with the squad and would be getting in contact with Nugent. Read more at porcupinesoup [dot] com.

Noah Eckstein is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that the Hudson Industrial Development Agency has decided it will withhold approval of any prospective hotel applications for the next 90 days. This will allow the IDA time to compose evaluation criteria on how to decide whether a prospective hotel or business is appropriate for the city of Hudson. The agency’s board voted unanimously to extend the time period for applications at a public workshop last week. Ryan Wallace, IDA chairperson and Third Ward councilmember said, “...[W]e want to ensure that the IDA Board has the opportunity to discuss, refine and hopefully approve the new criteria so that we can use it to fairly evaluate these hotel projects that are coming before us while doing right by the immediate and neighboring communities.” The IDA promotes, encourages, attracts and develops job opportunities and economically advantageous commerce and industry in the city of Hudson. The agency also offers businesses needs assessment, site selection, financial incentives and access to other public-sector programs. The IDA will continue to accept applications, but they will not be voted on officially until after the 90-day window closes. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Luke Parsnow reports in New York State of Politics that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now considers Columbia, Albany, and Rensselaer counties as having "high" community levels of the coronavirus. The CDC now recommends citizens now wear masks inside in public. In all, New York has 36 counties as having "high" community levels of COVID-19. The rest of the Hudson Valley's are considered at medium risk right now, with only three New York counties considered low risk. Albany County reported May 6 its highest COVID-19 hospitalization rate since mid-February. “This is one of the most concerning updates I’ve provided in a long time," said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. "The daily average of new COVID infections continues to increase and has now trended above 200; the number of residents currently in the hospital with the virus is now the highest it’s been since Feb. 17; and sadly, individuals continue to succumb to COVID complications.” Read more about this story in New York State of Politics.

Ted Remsnyder reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Greene County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee approved $250,000 in funding for body and car cameras for Greene County Sheriffs during its meeting May 4. Next, the full Legislature is expected to vote for them. “It started two years ago when we had the police reform committee,” Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said. “It was a recommendation that came out of the police reform committee and then during the next year’s budget cycle, the board turned down the request to go to body cams. Now (Sheriff) Pete Kusminsky has brought it back up because there’s a general assumption that any accredited agency will pretty much be mandated to have them now. So that’s pretty much being forced.” Groden was pitching the cameras as police helpers. “I think more often than not it exonerates an officer versus not. Particularly with the car cameras, because we’ll have one that actually shoots to the back seat. So if you try to bang your head against the back window and they say, ‘Hey, I got beat up.’ It’s going to be filmed,” he said. It will cost Greene County the county, under the proposal, $29,940 for 60 body cameras, $106,650 for 27 police car camera kits, and $25,299 installation in 38 police vehicles, the story says. Groden says Greene County will hire someone to edit and process the camera recordings. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Rebekah F. Ward reports in the Times Union that since former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned, the state has been moving at a similar pace to begin recreational cannabis sales. The New York legislature voted for legalizing cannabis, and Cuomo signed the measure, a year ago. But then the Cuomo administration did little to build the state infrastructure to begin retail sales. Cuomo never appointed regulators to begin the process, which Gov. Kathy Hochul did after she took over last August. "They are taking time to be intentional," said Imani Dawson, an activist who pushed for legalization. "States that move really quickly tend to overlook things that they have to then go back and fix in hindsight, or they are dealing with unintended consequences." Arizona only took three months from legalization to sales, while Maine took four years. There, Gov.Paul LePage opposed legalization. "Gov. LePage vetoed a lot of things, because he didn't want it to happen," said Heather Trela, a marijuana policy researcher at the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government. "And then the pandemic hit, and that certainly delayed their initial plan." Officials have predicted that retail sales will begin in 2023 in New York. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Today's daily news update.

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

Larry Parnass is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle that the Pittsfield, Mass. chapter of the NAACP is calling on the city's elected officials to overhaul who responds to people in the throes of a mental health crisis and shifting that responsibility away from police. The group is making the appeal in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Miguel Estrella on March 25. “Change cannot wait. Our communities of color continue to experience trauma as a result of law-enforcement officers' actions and the inaction of our elected leaders. It is irresponsible and dangerous to allow these circumstances to persist,” the NAACP said in a statement May 5. Dennis Powell, chapter president, said in an interview the group's leaders believe much more can be done to prevent violence. “We never thought this would happen in our community, but it has. We have to come to some solution,” he said. The group has asked public officials, both municipal and state, to take specific steps, including conducting an assessment of the police department's functions, led by people named to an advisory commission who represent the city’s diversity and have lived experience of the issue. The NAACP argues that city officials should not rely mainly on police to respond to mental-health calls and points to programs elsewhere in Massachusetts and in Eugene, Oregon as examples of successful alternative programs. “There are many [alternatives in] responding to non-violent emergency calls every day in this country,” the group said. Powell recently joined the city’s Police Advisory and Review Board. He said that group also intends to consider reform in how Pittsfield responds to people in crisis. Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that two months after the Cairo Town Board approved the dispersal of almost $62,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant funding, town board member Tim Powers called for the board to amend the resolution it passed on March 7. Powers presented that amended resolution during a public meeting May 2, claiming the measure would correct the public record on the board’s decision to grant $50,000 to the Cairo Development Foundation and $5,930 apiece to Mountainview Enterprises and Emmy Cross as part of the HUD Residential Rehabilitation Grant. As Powers began to read the amended resolution, Town Supervisor Jason Watts interjected. “We’ve talked about this every meeting so far, Tim,” Watts said “We’re going to until I get a vote on it,” Powers replied. Powers voting yes on the resolution and the rest of the board abstained. After the meeting, Watts said that legal action has been taken against the town as a result of the HUD funding. He said each of the parties involved is suing the town. Powers said he will wait to see the minutes from the May 2 meeting before deciding if he will present his amended resolution to the board again. In the original March 7 resolution, Delaware Engineering was authorized by the town to act as a residential specialist for the HUD funding so it could determine the appropriateness of the various applications the town received for the money. Powers did not attend the meeting where Watts and board members Debra Bogins, Michael Flaherty, and MaryJo Cords voted unanimously to approve the dispersal of the HUD funding. “Delaware Engineering made their recommendations to this board and the numbers were all changed, but the resolution itself wasn’t,” Powers said. Under Delaware Engineering’s recommendation, the Cairo Development Foundation would have received $22,680, Emmy Cross would have received just over $18,500 and $17,000 would have gone to Mountainview Enterprises. The original HUD grant dates back to 1998, and the town collected almost $12,000 in interest on the original $50,000 grant over the past 24 years. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Rick Karlin reports for the Times Union that a state appeals court on May 5 ruled in favor of the town of Guilderland and Crossgates Mall in a case brought by an environmental group in its attempt to stop the construction of the first Costco Wholesale store in the Albany region. The five-judge panel of the state Appellate Division, Third Department ruled unanimously that the Guilderland Planning Board took the required "hard look" at the environmental impacts of the project, which includes building a 160,000-square-foot store on Western Avenue and a large apartment complex on Rapp Road. The judges also rejected the procedural challenges raised by nonprofit Save the Pine Bush Inc. along with claims about the lack of a quorum when the planning board met in 2020 to vote on the environmental impacts and site plan approval. Town Supervisor Peter Barber said the next step will be special use permit review by the zoning board of appeals. The Syracuse-based owner of Crossgates, Pyramid Management Group, has emphasized how important the Costco store and the apartment complex are to the continued success and viability of the mall. Save the Pine Bush Inc. is a volunteer group dedicated to saving the rare pine bush ecosystem in New York, a habitat for the endangered Karner Blue butterfly. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

On May 6, 1937 one of radio's most famous broadcasts was recorded. The hydrogen in the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg burst into flames as the new airship attempted to land in Manchester Township, New Jersey, killing 36 people. Herbert Morrison's eyewitness report for radio station WLS in Chicago of the Hindenburg disaster was not broadcast live, but recorded for a report that was broadcast the next day, and has lived through the ages. It aired on other radio stations, and the audio was dubbed onto newsreel footage and shown in theaters. While the scale of the sinking of the Titanic was slightly larger, this was the first major disaster with a narrator calling the play-by-play, with a visual recording synched. Few people at the time had ever witnessed or listened to 36 people die at once in a terrifying scene that rivals today's Hollywood special effects. And Morrison's radio narration was the first time listeners heard someone in real time explaining what was happening during a deadly disaster, not explaining it afterwards. Watching the Challenger space shuttle disaster, or the World Trade Center fall, are modern day broadcast comparisons. While today's anchors and correspondents can keep calm in most any circumstance, Morrison's call of the accident is more human, as he is clearly overwhelmed by what he is seeing, making the "oh the humanity" phrase ring through the years.

Here is the transcript from Wikipedia:
"It's practically standing still now they've dropped ropes out of the nose of the ship; and (uh) they've been taken ahold of down on the field by a number of men. It's starting to rain again; it's... the rain had (uh) slacked up a little bit. The back motors of the ship are just holding it (uh) just enough to keep it from...It's burst into flames! Get this, Charlie; get this, Charlie! It's fire... and it's crashing! It's crashing terrible! Oh, my! Get out of the way, please! It's burning and bursting into flames and the... and it's falling on the mooring mast and all the folks between it. This is terrible; this is one of the worst of the worst catastrophes in the world. Oh it's... [unintelligible] its flames... Crashing, oh! oh, four or five hundred feet into the sky, and it's a terrific crash, ladies and gentlemen. There's smoke, and there's flames, now, and the frame is crashing to the ground, not quite to the mooring mast. Oh, the humanity, and all the passengers screaming around here! I told you; it – I can't even talk to people, their friends are on there! Ah! It's... it... it's a... ah! I... I can't talk, ladies and gentlemen. Honest: it's just laying there, a mass of smoking wreckage. Ah! And everybody can hardly breathe and talk and the screaming. I... I... I'm sorry. Honest: I... I can hardly breathe. I... I'm going to step inside, where I cannot see it. Charlie, that's terrible. Ah, ah... I can't. Listen, folks; I... I'm gonna have to stop for a minute because I've lost my voice. This is the worst thing I've ever witnessed."
— Herbert Morrison, Transcription of WLS radio broadcast describing the Hindenburg disaster.

Today's daily news update.

Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge reports for Columbia-Greene Media that COVID-19 has come roaring back in Columbia County, with 67 new cases announced May 2, 57 new cases May 3, and 34 more on May 4. “It’s twice what we would have on a Wednesday two weeks ago,” Columbia County Department of Health director Jack Mabb said. “So it’s way up there right now.” The positive tests results are from testing facilities and pharmacies, not from home tests. “We have clusters everywhere right now,” Mabb said. “It’s safe to say there are clusters everywhere. It’s not endemic to one segment of the population. It’s popping up all over and I think it’s because we’re out in public, we’re doing our thing, and I think people have moved on and said whatever it is going to be what it is.” Mabb reports that 17 county residents are currently hospitalized with the virus, and two of them are in the intensive care unit. Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell said that the county is taking no action because of the outbreak. “At this time were monitoring the situation,” Murell said. “We’re not prepared to take any action as of yet. Obviously, we’re hoping it is a spike and it will go back down. We are monitoring this on a daily basis.” The county is vaccinating every Thursday from 3-5:30 p.m. at Columbia-Greene Community College, and also from 9-11 a.m. May 7 at the Hudson Firehouse. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

MidHudson News reports that Ana Maria Archila, who is running for lieutenant governor, was in Kingston on May 5, two days after Gov. Kathy Hochul tapped local Congressional representative Antonio Delgado for that role. Appearing at a rally calling on the state to adopt good cause eviction legislation, which has been adopted locally in Newburgh, Beacon, and Kingston. Hudson passed its own good cause law, but Mayor Kamal Johnson then vetoed the legislation, and then the Common Council failed to pass a replacement bill. Archila is the co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy, a progressive advocacy group, and is running mate for Jumaane Williams in the 2022 New York gubernatorial election. A week ago, with former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin indicted for corruption and not running, but with his name on the ballot, her prospects for winning seemed brighter. Since then, though, the legislature passed a law to allow Benjamin's name to be taken off the ballot, and Hochul appointed Delgado as Lt. Gov. “When the governor, instead of using her power to address the needs of New Yorkers who are facing an affordability crisis, she uses her power to change election law at the last minute so that she can announce a new running-mate after failing to vet her first original lieutenant governor,” Archila said. “It is clear that the game is stacked against other candidates who do not have the power to change the rules of the game.” Read more about this story at MidHudson News.

Bill Conners reports in the Poughkeepsie Journal that the Department of Environmental Conservation is considering expanding turkey hunting. The proposed changes include changing the minimum shot size from No. 8 to No. 9, and starting a spring turkey season in Suffolk County on Long Island in spring 2023. "Wild turkey restoration is one of the greatest success stories of modern wildlife conservation," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "In New York, DEC's management and protection of wild turkeys has allowed the birds to maintain self-sustaining populations in all suitable habitats of the state. This regulation change would expand hunting downstate, ensuring New York remains a premiere destination for turkey hunters in the northeast." Recent advances in shotshell technology that use heavier metals such as tungsten alloy, tungsten-iron, or bismuth are said to be more humane, and allow for smaller shot size. This month is the spring turkey hunting season north of New York City. Public comments on proposed changes to turkey hunting rules can be made through June 5 by email to wildliferegs@dec.ny.gov with "Proposed Turkey Regulations" in the subject line or by mail to Joshua Stiller, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754. Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.