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

Pete DeMola is reporting for the Times Union that St. Peter's Health Partners began limiting visitors to its hospitals April 24, due to the increasing COVID-19 numbers. Patients will be allowed one visitor per day in their room during visitation hours, according to the new guidelines. COVID-19 patients undergoing “continuous aerosol-generating procedures” will be permitted one unique visitor per day for one hour. The guidelines are relaxed in some situations, including for those related to birth and end-of-life and hospice care. Visitors are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated and face masks are required. The visitation guidelines will be in effect at St. Peter's, Samaritan, and Sunnyview Rehabilitation hospitals, as well as the Albany Memorial Samaritan campus. The hospitals announced the restrictions as Albany County is reporting higher coronavirus numbers. On April 22, four new deaths were announced, adding to the more than 500 new cases reported in a four-day period last week. Statewide, the seven-day average is 32 new positive cases per 100,000, a level not seen since February 8. Two omicron subvariants are being blamed for the recent high case counts, which started in Central New York. In the Capital Region, newly confirmed COVID-19 cases are slightly higher than the state average, at 34 cases per 100,000 people. St. Peter's said it will also resume pre-procedural testing. Beginning this week, "any patient scheduled for a procedure at one of our hospitals will be required to undergo COVID-19 testing three days prior to their scheduled procedure," the health system said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media that construction of the Coeymans Solar Farm project is scheduled to begin around May 6. The project by Hecate [HEK-uh-tee] Energy Albany will consist of a 40-megawatt solar electric generation facility located on 428 acres in the town of Coeymans, between Routes 9W and 101. Once completed, the solar facility is expected to supply 73,000 megawatt-hours of electricity yearly, providing enough energy to power more than 10,000 average households, according to the company’s website. The farm will include photovoltaic solar panels and other infrastructure including inverters, underground collection cables, two on-site collection substations, gravel access roads, and security fencing. Work at the site will generate noticeable noise, but that work will be largely limited to the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, according to the company. Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh welcomed the project. “I am excited that the solar farm is starting construction soon and very happy that Coeymans is playing such a vital role in green energy not only with this large solar farm, but also with the offshore wind project coming to Coeymans,” McHugh said. The project was approved April 14 by the New York State Public Service Commission. Coeymans Solar Farm is expected to create more than 140 temporary jobs during the construction phase. Read the full story at TheUpStater [dot] com.

Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that the Columbia County Board of Supervisors will name the county's fire training center in Ghent in honor of Emergency Medical Services Coordinator P.J. Keeler. The board's Public Safety Committee discussed the idea at a public meeting last week. “I was approached by people who are in emergency services field, whether it be firefighters, ambulance and/or emergency medical people, some of our own department heads, that they felt it was appropriate that the board of supervisors dedicate and name the emergency training center the PJ Keeler Columbia County Emergency Services Response and Training Center," board chair Matt Murell said. Keeler has served as the county's emergency medical services coordinator for the past 22 years. an active member of the A.B. Shaw Fire Company for 46 years, a deputy commissioner of the Claverack Fire District Board of Commissioners for 13 years, a member of the Greenport Rescue Squad for 42 years, and a member of the squad’s board of directors for 40 years. The Public Safety Committee unanimously voted in favor of approving the name dedication and the full Board of Supervisors will vote on the resolution in May. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Jon Brodkin reports for Ars Technica that so far, net neutrality has been a policy that depends on which way the political winds are blowing. Net neutrality is the principle that an internet service provider has to provide access to all sites, content, and applications at the same speed, under the same conditions, without blocking or giving preference to any content. The Federal Communications Commission voted for federal net neutrality rules in 2015 when Democrats had a majority of the board, and repealed the even-playing-field-for-the-internet policy in 2017, when Republicans had the majority. Now Democrats hold the presidency and Congress, but Republicans are blocking their nomination for the deciding-vote fifth FCC member. So at the national level, Democrats cannot restore net neutrality with Republicans current blocking tactics. But, after the Republicans rolled back net neutrality regulations in 2017, Democrats passed net neutrality rules in California, and Republicans have been trying ever since to reverse that vote. But the broadband industry can't find a judge among the 29 on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to take on their case to overturn net neutrality. "It is notable that not a single judge on the nation's largest court of appeals even asked for a vote on the industry's rehearing petition," Andrew Jay Schwartzman, senior counselor for the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel agreed, writing on Twitter, "This is big. Because when the FCC rolled back its open Internet policies, states stepped in. I support net neutrality and we need once again to make it the law of the land." ACA Connects (formerly the American Cable Association), CTIA-The Wireless Association, NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, and USTelecom are trying to overturn net neutrality in California, but so far have failed. The reason the industry so badly wants to get rid of net neutrality there is that California is so large, that often if a company is forced to change a policy there, they do so nationwide. AT&T, for instance, ended across the country its "sponsored data" program in which it charged online services for data cap exemptions after California instituted net neutrality. AT&T said it ended the program nationwide because "the Internet does not recognize state borders." So far, the broadband industry representatives have gotten a February 2021 oral ruling against a preliminary injunction to block net neutrality from District Judge John Mendez, who said, "I don't find that the plaintiffs have demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits at this stage of the litigation." Read more about this story at Ars Technica.

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.

Two political prognosticators moved the re-election of Democrat Antonio Delgado to the 19th Congressional District from “Likely Democratic” to “Leans Democratic” on April 20. Both Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball and the Cook Political Report downgraded Delgado’s chances of beating Republican Marc Molinaro, currently the Dutchess County Executive, in November's election. Both analysts said the move was because of a national wave moving towards Republicans, and not about the specifics of the Delgado/Molinaro campaigns. "In a Republican wave scenario, these are the kinds of districts that could get swept up," Sabato's Crystal Ball website said about the five Democrats they were moving from likely winners, to leaning toward predicting a win. "Republicans appear to have credible recruits in these districts that are raising enough money to be competitive." National Republican Congressional Committee Spokesperson Samantha Bullock crowed about the political predictions. “Everyone can see the writing on the wall that this will be Antonio Delgado’s last term in Congress,” she said.

MidHudson News reports that Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro delivered his 2022 State of the County address on April 20 in Pine Plains, with eyes from throughout New York's 19th Congressional District looking in. Molinaro spoke about a Dutchess County future he hopes not to be a part of, as he is currently the Republican candidate for Congress, hoping to replace Democrat Antonio Delgado. “Today we are poised for more growth and prosperity because of our decade-long commitment to smart, fiscally conservative and compassionate government. To continue along this path, we must redouble our efforts to keep Dutchess County safe and affordable, creating opportunities and optimism for every County resident,” Molinaro said. He spoke about expanding mental health services, tackling the opioid crisis, funding first responders, and housing needs in the community. Molinaro previously backed off his plan to give $12.5 million in taxpayer money for a minor league baseball stadium, switching $9.5 million of the stadium money for housing needs. Molinaro plans three public forums to give residents a chance to address the needs of the community. The first is 12:30 p.m. May 3 at Office for the Aging Tri-Town Senior Friendship Center in Pleasant Valley, the second is at 5:30 p.m., May 10 at the Red Hook Community Center, and the last is 5:30 p.m. May 17 at the American Legion Post 427 in Wappingers Falls. Read more about this story at MidHudson News.

Michelle Del Rey reports in the Times Union that Republican candidate Liz Joy raised $146,575 from individuals during the year’s first quarter, while incumbent Democrat Paul Tonko raised just $84,637. Since the beginning of 2021, Joy has raised $457,185 in individual donations, while Tonko raised $409,110. “Our campaign continues to beat expectations and raise more money each quarter. We outraised (Tonko) again in individual contributions for the third quarter in a row, which shows the level of support we have from people who live and work in the 20th district,” read a statement provided by Joy's campaign. The Republican Joy lost to the Democrat Tonko by a 62 percent to 38 percent margin. Redistricting has made the district slightly better for a Republican, but it is still considered a safe seat for Democrats. Tonko's campaign did not comment for the story. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Inside Radio reports that in the federal budget just passed by Congress, with votes for locally from Democrats Antonio Delgado, Paul Tonko, and Sean Maloney, and a no vote from Republican Elise Stefanik, includes $16 million extra this year for the Federal Communications Commission. That's a 4.3 percent increase from the current year’s $374 million FCC budget. The plan is to hire 15 full-time new employees to address pirate radio enforcement, mainly because of a 2020 law passed by Congress that raised potential pirate radio fines to $2 million. That bill, sponsored by Paul Tonko, was criticized at the time for ridiculous, cartoon fines with no backing, as Congress had repeatedly defunded the FCC's enforcement bureau. Tonko received $7,000 during the 2016 campaign from the National Association of Broadcasters, who support larger fines for pirate radio operators. There has not been a major report of any pirate radio stations in the Hudson Valley in many years. President Joe Biden asked for an increase of $5 million for the Enforcement Bureau to hire the 15 new employees.

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup that Greene County elected officials are urging their constituents to actively oppose proposed environmental initiatives that they say will have "disastrous consequences on local communities." At the April 20 meeting, the county Legislature unanimously adopted a resolution detailing the alleged adverse impacts on residents and businesses that lawmakers say will occur under the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The CLCPA is one of the most ambitious climate laws in the world, celebrated by environmental groups as an important step forward in addressing global climate change. Under the act, the New York State Climate Action Council is tasked with developing a draft plan to serve as an initial framework for how the state will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions, increase renewable energy usage, and ensure climate justice. The plan was released in December and public comment will be accepted until June 10. “The Greene County Legislature supports prudent action on energy efficiency,” said Republican Legislative Chair Patrick Linger. “However, the mandates outlined by the Climate Action Council take us down a narrow, expensive and risky path, centered on limiting homeowner choice, preventing research and innovation and electrifying everything,” he said. Many others are not against the state’s proposed plan — representatives of The Sierra Club and Catskill Mountainkeeper both fully support the legislation, for instance. County lawmakers have directed the county planning office to submit the concerns and comments contained in the resolution adopted last week, as well as an accompanying climate report prepared for Greene, Delaware, and Schoharie counties to the New York State Climate Action Council.  The legislature also directed the County Planning, Public Works, and Emergency Services departments to further review the Draft Scoping Plan and provide comments as appropriate. Read the full story at porcupinesoup [dot] com.

Shayla Colon is reporting for the Times Union that Rensselaer Mayor Michael Stammel has for years retained control of a building that used to house the Rensselaer Volunteer Ambulance Service. However, the space is frequently rented for private events, with little accountability for its business dealings and finances. Stammel said he is a member of the group's now inactive board, but refused to name any others members. He also confirmed that the nonprofit forfeited its certification last year, but continues to rent out the building at 901 Third Street for parties and gatherings. That ongoing use has raised questions about the squad's finances and the lack of publicly available business records. Records on file with the state attorney general's Charities Bureau also lack details of the squad's business dealings and Stammel is the only contact listed on the group's website. A nearby resident has dubbed the Third Street building's status as an ambulance-company-turned-party-venue an "open secret." The mayor said he has been on the board for 15 years and that the building remains the property of the ambulance squad board. After failing to identify the others involved, he said the board is "reorganizing" and "fluid." Stammel also claims to be the building’s caretaker. "Anybody who wants information out in the neighborhood, they know how to talk to me," he said. Chris Kilhullen, who lives nearby, said the rentals are "consistent" and that the building was "dead" before Stammel took office as mayor at the beginning of 2020. "He rents that place out," Kilhullen said, questioning where the funds go. "Maybe he's got a big stash of money there, who knows," he said. An anonymous, former ambulance squad volunteer said that in 2014, a couple of years after a fire occurred in the building, Stammel and the organization's treasurer locked everyone out. Rensselaer City Council President John DeFrancesco says Stammel treats the building like his clubhouse. "Somehow (it) ends up being he's one of the last survivors and it (the building) really should be sold and any money split amongst everyone, but he keeps it under his wing and uses it to his advantage," he said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that the destructive southern pine beetle that kills pine trees continues to move north and was recently found in Columbia County. Department of Environmental Conservation spokesperson Lori Severinos said the destructive pests been discovered in Taconic State Park, as well as Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Schunnemunk Mountain State Park, and Hudson Highlands. They were found farther north than previously documented and in greater numbers, suggesting their range is expanding and populations are on the rise, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. The Southern pine beetle poses a significant threat to the state’s pine forests, specifically pitch pine forests such as those found in the Albany Pine Bush and Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Seggos said. Three infested pines at Taconic State Park were found near Sunset Rock during joint survey efforts and were subsequently removed and destroyed. Native to the southeastern United States, the southern pine beetle was first discovered infesting pitch pines on Long Island in 2014. Since then, it has killed hundreds of thousands of trees on Long Island alone. The insects attack primarily pitch pine and red pine but will also attack additional trees when outbreaks occur, Severino said. DEC encourages the public to report any signs of southern pine beetles encountered in pine forests by emailing photographs and location information to forest health [at] dec [dot] ny [dot] gov. The signs of an infestation include discolored needles, popcorn-sized clumps of resin anywhere along the trunk, tiny holes in the bark in a scattershot pattern and S-shaped galleries under the bark, Severino said. Read more at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Valerie White reports for Porcupine Soup that a majority of Cairo Town Board members again voted to reopen the town's recycling center on April 20, but this time they had the necessary three votes. Earlier this month a majority of the board voted to reopen the recycling center, but two members were absent, so there were not the necessary three votes in favor. This time the vote was 4-1, with only Tim Powers opposed to recycling in Cairo. He voted against the measure, he said, because Cairo has insufficient surveillance on its own citizens at the park. Garbage strewn at the recycling center in the Angelo Canna Town Park was cited as the reason to stop recycling in Cairo a year and a half ago. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

Cloey Callahan reports for the Times Union that the Town of Rhinebeck on April 11 did what few towns locally have done: they voted for an affordable housing project. A zoning amendment request by Kearney Realty and Development Group and the Housing Partnership Development Corporation was approved for construction of what will be called The Hamlet at Rhinebeck. “Housing prices are going through the roof,” said Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia. “Workforce housing is important for the vibrancy of a community, for maintaining economic balance of residents.” The project, with 18 one-bedroom units, 44 two-bedroom units, and 18 three-bedroom units across four buildings located on a 23-acre site near Route 308 and next to the Wells Manor senior housing development, still needs approval from the planning board. But with real estate prices sky high forcing local residents to move elsewhere, it was a rare step by a local government to address the Hudson Valley's housing crisis. Of course, construction will take two years, so any relief will not be immediate. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro has said that “housing accessibility is a critical need” and that the county will “work aggressively to create more workforce housing and opportunity for residents.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on April 21 that New Yorkers will be able to qualify for the maximum level of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits after the state received $232 million in federal funding. "The heart-wrenching prospect of food insecurity is one that no New Yorker should ever have to face," Governor Hochul said. "By providing the maximum level of food benefits to those in need, we can help struggling households make ends meet and keep food on the table as we continue our economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis." The program was previously known as food stamps. Now, an additional minimum payment of $95 will go to households at or near the maximum level for benefits, $835 for a household of four people. "These supplemental benefits have played a tremendous role in helping New Yorkers avoid the food insecurity exacerbated by the global pandemic," said Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Daniel Tietz. "In addition to assisting households in need, this funding is providing a welcome boost for local retailers and giving strength to our state's economy as a whole." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Today's daily news update.

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

Patricia R. Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman the WMCHealth Network is increasing the number of inpatient mental health beds in Dutchess County, two years after shutting down those same services in Ulster. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced on April 20, as part of his State of the County address, the county will partner with the Westchester Medical Center Health Network to create a Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Dutchess County. The county will commit $3 million to the project, which includes the creation of new inpatient psychiatric beds at MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie. The hospital has also committed to adding 60 new staff members to serve Dutchess and Ulster counties. WMCHealth is the parent company of HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley and it runs hospitals in Kingston and Delaware County. In a statement on April 21, Westchester Medical Center said the funding from Dutchess County “will help us expand and enhance behavioral health services both in the county and throughout the region.” WMC said the number of beds to be created and a timeframe for the increased services are still being determined. The 2020 decision by WMCHealth to eliminate its 50-bed inpatient mental health unit in Kingston infuriated community leaders and elected officials who have pressured the state to force the network to reinstate those beds. State Assemblymember Kevin Cahill, who represents Kingston, applauded Dutchess County's efforts to increase services to its residents, but said that partnership should not let the hospital off the hook for its obligation to Ulster. “...[U]nless and until there is [a] restoration of the full inpatient behavior health unit on a Kingston campus, Westchester Medical Center and Health Alliance of the Hudson Valley are in serious violation of the terms of their license to operate a facility in Ulster County,..." Cahill said. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said despite the announcement, he will continue to fight for the return of inpatient beds to Ulster County. “We need these beds in Ulster County,” he said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Tim Williams is reporting for Capital Tonight in an interview on PBS’ New York Now last week, Alison Esposito, the designated Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, publicly came out as a gay woman. The announcement is historic because Esposito could become just the second openly gay nominee for statewide office by a major party and the first for the New York GOP. New York has never elected an open member of the LGBTQ community to statewide office. Karen Burstein, who had come out as a lesbian, was the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 1994, but lost to Dennis Vacco in the general election. Despite the lack of a statewide win, there have been openly gay members of the state Legislature. Charles Maron, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that represents LGBTQ conservatives and allies, argues that despite the historic nature of Esposito’s candidacy, gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin picked her as a running mate because of her background and her community connections. Esposito was a deputy inspector at Brooklyn’s 70th Precinct prior to being selected as Zeldin’s running mate. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Cloey Callahan is reporting for the Times Union the Diamond Mills Hotel and Tavern, a boutique hotel that has operated in Saugerties for more than 10 years, is now on the market for $14 million. The hotel is located on an 8-acre parcel on Partition Street and is listed by Kingston-based Murphy Realty Group. The property, built in 1888, was the site of the Martin Cantine Paper Mill until it closed its doors in 1975. Three years later the old mill caught fire and most of the original structure was destroyed. With financial support from the Empire State Development Corporation in 2007, the parcel was developed and the Diamond Mills Hotel and Tavern opened in December 2011. The Diamond Mills Hotel has 30 rooms, a fitness center, and more than 7,000-square-feet of event space that can accommodate up to 400 seated guests. The Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar are also included in the sale. Read the full story in the Times Union.

David Shepardson reports for Yahoo Finance that the Federal Communications Commission voted April 21 4-0 to fine London-based Truphone Ltd, the owner of Montana-based iSmart Mobile phone company, $660,639 for exceeding statutory limits for foreign ownership. The fine comes, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel says, because the commission "launched an internal assessment of Russian ownership of telecommunications interests in the United States" after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The FCC now says, "it appears that Truphone’s failure to report truthful and accurate ownership information was egregious. As a result of Truphone’s failure, control of a U.S. common carrier passed to an unvetted foreign entity and associated individuals for more than seven years." FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks says the company has been indirectly owned by "a small group of Russian oligarchs since at least 2011. ... With the importance of the internet and the shifting national security environment facing our nation, protecting our communications networks has never been more critical." “Radio Sputnik,” created by the Russian government's propaganda department, is airing programming on five AM or FM stations in the United States right now. On March 15, a new FCC rule went into effect forcing U.S. broadcasters to disclose any programming provided by foreign governmental entities.

Today's daily news update.

Rick Karlin reports in the Times Union that construction begins next month on a 436-acre solar farms to date in Coeymans, in southern Albany County. “We received approval from the PSC last week on our site plan,” said project manager Alex Campbell of the Public Service Commission's sign-off. Hecate officials say the project will create 140 short-term construction jobs. Hecate is also planning the 50-megawatt Greene County Solar Facility on 800 acres in Coxsackie, Greene County, the 60-megawatt Shepherd's Run project in Copake and two 20-megawatt projects, in New Baltimore and Coeymans. Another company, Hudson Energy, is working on a 100-megawatt Flint Mine solar project in the southern end of Coxsackie and the northern section of Athens. Read more about this story in the Times Union.