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

Kathleen Moore is reporting for the Times Union the Albany school district is recommending that everyone wear masks indoors at school as the result of a COVID-19 surge. “Due to the significant rise in new COVID-19 cases among City School District of Albany employees and students over the past week, the district is strongly encouraging everyone to wear masks inside all buildings,” the district wrote in a letter posted online and sent to parents and guardians on April 28. In the previous seven days, the district said 72 students and staff tested positive for the virus, the most infections in one week ever, the district said. The infection rate also represented a sharp increase over recent weeks. In the first 20 days of April, there were 47 cases. For all of March, there were 48 cases, according to the district. The cases have been evenly split between students and staff. Most of them developed symptoms before returning to school and have not been in school buildings since before spring break, district spokesperson Ron Lesko said. The district is not making masks mandatory “because the state has said they’re optional for all schools in New York state,” Lesko said. Albany County has not required masks, either. On Monday, the county health department issued a public advisory recommending that everyone wear masks indoors because of a surge in cases locally. Other area school district officials expressed surprise at Albany’s recommendation and said they have no plans to follow suit. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Susan Arbetter is reporting for Capital Tonight Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins is running for governor for a fourth time. In 2010, Hawkins earned 59,000 votes, or 1.3 percent of votes cast, enough to secure ballot status for the party. In 2020, the Greens lost that status after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo pressed for a higher vote threshold for third parties. “We call it the Ballot Access Exclusion Law. It’s a party suppression law,” Hawkins said of the new threshold. Hawkins is running again with Gloria Mattera. Last week, the Green Party started gathering the 45,000 signatures they need to submit by May 31 to get them on the 2022 ballot. “I didn’t plan to run for governor again, but here I am,” Hawkins said. The Green candidates are renewing their party’s longstanding call for a Green New Deal to address the climate crisis and economic insecurity. By hiking taxes on the wealthy and instituting new taxes like the Stock Transfer Tax, the Greens are proposing an economic bill of rights that includes universal single-payer health care, a guaranteed minimum income, a $20 minimum wage, affordable housing and tuition-free public education from child care and prekindergarten through college and technical schools. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media police agencies in Greene and Columbia counties will be participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Nationwide Drug Take Back Day on April 30. The event occurs twice a year, in April and October. On Saturday, unused or expired prescription medications can be disposed of safely at several sites — Columbia County has three, Greene County four. Greene County locations include the Greene County Sheriff’s Office at 45 Haverly Memorial Drive in Coxsackie, CVS Pharmacy at 7600 Route 32 in Cairo, Coxsackie Police Department at 119 Mansion St., and at the Windham Police Department, 371 Route 296 in Hensonville. In Columbia County old and unwanted prescriptions can be dropped off at the Hudson Police Department on Union Street, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office on Industrial Tract in Greenport, and at the Chatham Police Department at Tracy Hall on Main Street. Medications will be collected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to dispose of their unneeded or old medications, so it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands,” Greene County Sheriff Pete Kusminsky said. During prescription drug take-back day in October, roughly 744,000 pounds or 372 tons, of medication were collected nationwide, according to the DEA. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Susan Ashworth from Radio World talks with Jim George, the nation's number one expert on low-power FM stations around the country. Until 2001, the Federal Communications Commission did not license FM stations under 100 watts. But in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, countless pirate radio stations showed there were plenty of spaces small FM signals could serve community interests by filling the airwaves with local voices. Congress eventually relented to the pressure from the pirates, and allowed low-power FM stations to be licensed. George began tracking the stations in 2001 with his LPFM Database website. He reports the number of LPFM stations is shrinking. "There has definitely been an uptick in cancelled LPFMs in recent years. Some can be attributed to the ongoing pandemic, but a lot of it is simply a lack of funding," George said. "Without the support of listeners and underwriting from local businesses, LPFMs cannot survive." Eight stations have shuttered just in the past month, to bring the total in the United States to 1,992. Alaska's KAQU-LP 88.1 in Sitka that featured nothing but an underwater microphone picking up whale sounds is one of the station's that has shuttered since low-power radio was made legal. In New York, George's database lists 50 stations on air currently. Locally, they include Palenvill'es WLPP-LP (102.9-FM) from the Maetreum Of Cybele, Magna Mater Inc.; Albany's WOOA-LP (106.9-FM) from the Green Education And Legal Fund Inc.; and WCAA-LP (107.3-FM) from the Grand Street Community Arts Inc.; Troy's WOOC-LP (105.3-FM) run by The Sanctuary for Independent Media; Ellenville's WELV-LP (107.9-FM) run by the Ellenville Central School District; Woodstock's WIOF-LP (104.1-FM) from Birds Of A Feather Media Ltd.; and Pawling's WPWL-LP (103.7-FM) from Pawling Public Radio Inc. George says he believes the FCC will soon accept new applications to allow more citizens access to their own airwaves. "I think the FCC is planning on opening a new LPFM filing window at some point [soon], so those of you out there who are interested in applying for a station should be on the lookout for a press release from the FCC," George said. NOTE: WGXC is a full-power station, broadcasting 3,300 watts. Read more about this story in Radio World.

Today's daily news update.

Chris Churchill reports in the Times Union that a spokesperson for Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik has denied that the Congressional representative was behind leaked recordings of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy criticizing Donald Trump and other GOP lawmakers after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The recordings showed McCarthy lied when he denied wanting Trump to resign after he encouraged a coup, and did little to stop a riot on the nation's legislature. Stefanik had been tied to the leak online without any evidence by political observers who thought she had the most to gain. The online guessers suggested the third-ranked GOP leader Stefanik could take over the top spot if McCarthy was forced out in embarrassment. Alex deGrasse, Stefanik's spokesperson, gave a good reason Stefanik could not have leaked the call. "Congresswoman Stefanik was not even in leadership at this time and was not even on these calls," deGrasse wrote in an email. "Nor were any of her staff. She wasn't even elected to House Republican leadership until months later." The phone call in which McCarthy said he wanted to ask Trump to resign and suggested a few Republican wing nuts had endangered the country with their rhetoric was on Jan. 10, 2021, four days after the coup attempt. Stefanik did not ascend to her third-ranked position until four months later. So she likely was not on the call of top Republicans with McCarthy. "There is zero truth to the rumor," deGrasse said. "It is a fact that she (Stefanik) was not on or aware of any of these calls referenced." Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Just after New York's highest court threw out the Democrats gerrymandered district maps on April 27, Republican NY-19 Congressional candidate Marc Molinaro used the news as a chance to attack the opposition. But he also made a false claim with no basis that his Democratic opponent, Rep. Antonio Delgado, master-minded the redistricting process so he could beat Molinaro. That claim has not been proven anywhere, by Molinaro, or any news report. "Antonio Delgado and the Democrats in Albany sought to disenfranchise voters through a corrupt deal," Molinaro's statement April 27 said, in part. Molinaro did not provide any proof of his claim, and no news story exists linking Delgado to the redistricting process. State legislators decided on the new districts, and Congressional representatives have no formal role in the process.

WNYT reports that the FBI has opened an investigation into the 2018 Schoharie limousine crash that left 20 people dead, and Rep. Paul Tonko wants some credit. Tonko says investigation announcement comes after he sent a letter, demanding a response to claims that FBI involvement allowed the unsafe limo to stay on the road. The rumors claimed Prestige Limousine Owner Shahed Hussain received special treatment from the FBI because of his previous work as a confidential informant. The FBI wrote Tonko back, saying, in part, "The FBI shares your concerns about this tragic limousine crash that claimed the lives of twenty people. In recent months, concerns have been raised about this incident and whether there was any FBI involvement in the investigation. As a result, the Director ordered that the FBI further review the matter. A review was promptly commenced by the Inspection Division and is ongoing. Therefore, the FBI is not in a position to provide further information at this time." Read more about this story at the WNYT website.

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 and Amanda Burke are reporting for The Berkshire Eagle the Pittsfield Police Department's internal investigation into the death of Miguel Estrella on March 25, has determined the officer who shot and killed him followed the department's use of force guidelines. The team also determined that Estrella posed an immediate threat when he came at an officer with a raised knife, at a fast pace. The preliminary report, produced by the department’s Force Investigation Team was released April 27. According to the report, Officer Nicholas Sondrini fired twice after repeated efforts to stop Estrella with less-lethal means failed and after officers had backed 120 feet away from him, into Onota Street traffic. Estrella, 22, died that night from two gunshot wounds to his torso. The department called the outcome “tragic,” but found that officers followed proper procedures. The document says police did not have the option of compelling Estrella to be placed in psychiatric care. The officers involved in the incident were identified in the report and the investigation determined that police on the scene felt Estrella’s actions ran the risk of harming a woman present. The work of the department’s investigatory team continues and a complete report will be filed in the coming weeks, according to a statement approved by Police Chief Michael Wynn. Neither Wynn, Estrella's sister or mother were immediately available for comment, Wednesday. The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office is conducting its own, separate criminal investigation into the fatal shooting. The report was released one day after a petition was delivered to the Pittsfield City Council calling for city police officers to be equipped with body cameras. The more in The Berkshire Eagle.

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup the GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare division is expected to soon become an independent company. The newly created Haleon [Hay-lee-on] will be “a world-leader in consumer healthcare,” with a portfolio of global names, including Sensodyne, Voltaren, Panadol and Centrum. Sensodyne is among the products manufactured at the GlaxoSmithKline facility in Oak Hill on State Route 145. Representatives from GSK have yet to comment on how the demerger will impact Oak Hill, but a changeover to Haleon is expected, according to sources. GSK shareholders will likely vote on the demerger in July. Under the corporate restructuring plan, GSK will retain its vaccine and pharmaceutical divisions. In late February, the English company inquired with the Greene County Industrial Development Agency about a new PILOT, or payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement. “Their PILOT ended over a year ago,” IDA Executive Director April Ernst told the IDA Board of Directors at its February meeting. “They wanted to ask about extending their PILOT or a new PILOT. I explained that the IDA doesn’t roll back taxes, we don’t harm the jurisdictions. So if they feel that their assessment is high, they should work on an appraisal or work with the town.” GlaxoSmithKline's last PILOT was part of an incentive package negotiated 10 years ago to keep company operations in Oak Hill and retain 260 local jobs. Currently, GSK is taxed at full assessment value on its multiple parcels on State Route 145 and Elliot Place. Read the full story at porcupine soup [dot] com.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics state lawmakers are being urged to approve legislation to strengthen the state's anti-drunk driving laws. One provision would lower the threshold for driving while intoxicated to {point] 05 percent blood alcohol content. The measures backed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving are meant to build on prior laws like requiring ignition interlocks for people convicted of drunk driving and making a DWI with a child passenger a felony offense. In a letter to state lawmakers released on April 27, the group cited a rise in drunk driving during the COVID-19 pandemic. And prior to the onset of the crisis, the number of drunk driving deaths increased from 256 to 283. MADD wants a stronger ignition interlock law in place, including one that would apply to drivers who are convicted of DWI, and is backing decreasing the DWI threshold from [point] 08 percent to [point] 05 blood alcohol content, a move MADD said could result in a decline in roadway deaths. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Dan Goddin reports for Ars Technica about a report published April 27 by Microsoft that says Russian hackers in six groups have launched no fewer than 237 operations in concert with the country's physical attacks on Ukraine. “As today’s report details, Russia’s use of cyberattacks appears to be strongly correlated and sometimes directly timed with its kinetic military operations targeting services and institutions crucial for civilians,” Tom Burt, Microsoft corporate vice president for customer security, wrote. Almost 40 of the hacking incidents targeted hundreds of systems using wiper malware, which deletes essential files stored on hard drives so the machines can’t boot. The wiper malware dubbed WhisperGate was used against Ukrainian government and IT sector networks in January before the invasion. Then there were DDoS attacks against Ukrainian financial institutions in February. There was another coordinated attack on February 23, the day before the invasion. On March 2 Russian hackers attacked the network of a Ukrainian nuclear power company. The report suggested Ukrainian computer users could turn on a feature called controlled folders designed to protect data in specific folders from destruction from ransomware, wipers, and other types of destructive malware. Read more about this story at Ars Technica.

Today's daily news update.

Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge reports for Columbia-Greene Media that an investigation into gender-based discrimination among Ancram town officials found "a perceived theme of dismissal and disrespective treatment towards women by many of the women who were interviewed." The report, by Attorney Elena DeFio Kean, did not find any violations of laws. The investigation was spurred by public comments in January from Jack Lindsey, chair of the Ancram Ethics Board. “As chair of the ethics board I have fielded approximately 15 calls over the past year and a half and have had numerous additional telling conversations with a number of Ancram residents, both men and women,” Lindsey said. “Uniting all of these conversations is the concern about dismissive, sometimes hostile and often inappropriate treatment of women who serve the town at the hand of certain men currently serving the town.” Kean interviewed 20 town employees, elected town officials, and volunteers for town committees and reviewed town board memos, draft resolutions, a potential code of conduct, the town handbook, the town code of ethics, and relevant emails. “The perceived dismissive behavior during meetings either through an individual’s tone, or perhaps chuckling through someone speaking, talking over people when other people were talking, which really left people feeling treated disrespectfully,” Kean said. “Concerns that the board would communicate directly with committee members if a resident complaint was received, and people feeling criticized for their work or not truly valued for the work.” Town Supervisor Art Bassin said the report would be on the agenda for the board’s May meeting, and may lead to a new code of conduct. “I think we all agree that Jack provided the community with a valuable service by raising this issue,” Bassin said. “As difficult as it must have been for him to do. And I think we’re all going to be better for this because we will figure out a way to resolve this issue going forward.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

CNN reports that on April 27 lawyers for former President Donald Trump appealed a judge's civil contempt order imposing a $10,000 daily fine for failing to comply with a subpoena from the New York attorney general. The office of Attorney General Letitia James wants records related to an investigation into the Trump Organization's finances. On April 25, Judge Arthur Engoron ordered the daily $10,000 fines so the AG's office could get documents about whether the Trump Organization defrauded borrowers, lenders, and tax authorities with false information on the company's financial statements. Alina Habba, one of Trump’s lawyers, said they had provided all requested information. “All documents responsive to the subpoena were produced to the attorney general months ago,” Habba said. “This does not even come close to meeting the standard on a motion for contempt.” But Engoron called Habba's legal arguments that all materials had been turned over “woefully insufficient” and “boilerplate.” Read more about this story on the CNN website.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that New York's highest court on April 27 voted 4-3 to reject the congressional and state Senate maps drawn by state lawmakers this year as unconstitutional. Now the scheduled June party primaries maybe altered as new district lines need to be drawn. The New York Court of Appeals found "the enactment of the congressional and Senate maps by the legislature was procedurally unconstitutional, and the congressional map is also substantively unconstitutional as drawn with impermissible partisan purpose, leaving the state without constitutional district lines for use in the 2022 primary and general elections." Republicans brought the court challenge, claiming the new districts favored Democrats and violated the state's constitutional ban on partisan redistricting. "We are confident that, in consultation with the Board of Elections, Supreme Court can swiftly develop a schedule to facilitate an August primary election, allowing time for the adoption of new constitutional maps," the majority opinion stated, suggesting a new election schedule. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Today's daily news update.