Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media utility prices are expected to increase in March, for the second time in two months. In February, Central Hudson warned customers to expect higher electricity and natural gas prices because of a variety of factors. On March 1, the company issued a second statement saying prices will go even higher and customers can can expect them to remain that way for much of 2022. The higher rates are due to strong demand for energy worldwide and global events, particularly the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. In a statement the company said the supply price for natural gas has risen 24 percent since February. The impact on individual customers’ bills will vary depending on the weather, their energy usage, and the billing cycle, according to the company. Prices for other forms of energy have also been affected. Heating oil and gasoline prices are also about 40 percent higher than one year ago. Gov. Kathy Hochul on March 1 announced the state’s Public Service Commission is requiring New York’s major electric and gas utilities to increase their outreach and education efforts to notify customers of the impact on utility bills. There are also state programs to assist residents with paying their utility bills, such as the Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP. HEAP can provide up to $751 to eligible homeowners and renters depending on income, household size, and how they heat their home, according to the governor’s office. Read the full story at the upstater [dot] com.

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The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports that New York's Republicans endorsed Rep. Lee Zeldin as their candidate for governor March 1 at a convention on Long Island. Businessperson Harry Wilson, of Johnstown; Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and Rob Astorino, the two-term Westchester County executive, have also announced they are running for the Republican nomination, but were not endorsed at the party convention. “I’m not running to be an emperor or governor, I’m running so the people feel they are back in control of their government again,” said Zeldin, who voted against certifying last year’s presidential election results hours after rioters attempted to overthrow the government. Whichever Republican wins the June primary will take on either Gov. Kathy Hochul, or Rep. Tom Suozzi , or New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who will face off in the Democratic primary election. Read more about this story in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

MidHudson News reports that Putnam Hospital is the latest Hudson Valley hospital to give up birthing services. In 2019, Columbia Memorial hospital in Hudson stopped doing deliveries. The Putnam County hospital, unlike the Hudson hospital, says they want to start birthing services back up as soon as possible. “We recognize the value of these services to residents of Putnam County, and we are dedicated to making this suspension as short-lived as possible, supporting all affected patients and staff throughout this transition,” said Dr. Mark Hirko, President of Putnam Hospital. Columbia Memorial has not announced any plans to resume deliveries in Hudson. Previously, the Hudson hospital had been bringing 300 new humans into the world before they stopped birthing services.

Porcupine Soup reports that Mary Lou Nahas of Oak Hill was named the 2022 senior citizen of the year and Linda Sutton of Cornwallville the outstanding contribution by a senior citizen award from the Greene County Legislature. Nahas has worked with the Greene County Historic Society since 1998 and, in 2000, organized the Durham Historical Preservation Committee and served as secretary for 20 years. Also, since 2004, she has worked with the Oak Hill Preservation Association. Sutton helped create the Patrick Kellegher Field at the Irish Cultural Center in Durham, and, since 1989, has been a member of the Association of the Preservation of the Durham Valley. Sutton also organized the Durham Historic Preservation Commission in 1990. Both women have a long list of other local works. Nahas and Sutton will be recognized at a Greene County Legislature meeting in May and later this year, they will be recognized by New York State at a special ceremony as part of the 2022 Older New Yorkers Day celebration in Albany. Porcupine Soup reports

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Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Mountain Jam music festival will return in the summer of 2023, but not at the festival's original location at Hunter Mountain. In a one-sentence update on the Mountain Jam website, festival organizers have announced the event will return to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Sullivan County, in 2023. The festival was founded in 2005, by Radio Woodstock President Gary Chetkof in partnership with Gov’t Mule singer and guitarist Warren Haynes. The event then ran for 14 consecutive years at Hunter Mountain. The 2018 festival, the last to be held in Hunter, was headlined by alternative country artist Sturgill Simpson, contemporary British rock act alt-J and Hawaiian folk singer Jack Johnson. The 2020 edition of the event was canceled due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. After declining to present festivals in 2021 and 2022, Mountain Jam will now return during the summer of 2023. Hunter Town Supervisor Sean Mahoney said February 28, there is still uncertainty about holding q largescale gathering like Mountain Jam due to COVID. “Given the pandemic, we didn’t really know whether or not live events of that scale were going to come back in general,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s not coming to Hunter, but that’s a Vail Resorts decision. ...” Vail Resorts is the owner of Hunter Mountain. Mahoney said, “Hunter Mountain was an amazing venue for Mountain Jam and Taste of Country. So we’re holding out hope for the future that events of that style and type come back to the area. The town of Hunter will be willing to support them anyway we can.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

MidHudson News is reporting beginning March 1, anyone shopping in Dutchess County shops and stores will not have to pay sales tax on clothing or footwear items costing less than $110. The sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear was adopted as part of the county's 2022 budget. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Starting Tuesday, residents and visitors will now pay less when they need to make essential clothing and footwear purchases. Combined, we are delivering $20 million in sustained tax relief.” In New York, clothing, footwear, and items used to make or repair exempt clothing which are sold for less than $110 per item or pair are currently exempt from the state’s four percent sales tax. Dutchess County is one of only nine counties in New York to eliminate county sales tax on clothing and footwear items and the only county in the mid-Hudson Valley region to do so. Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver said, “At a time when many costs are going up for families, I am very proud that Dutchess County government is doing all we can to lower costs for our residents.” County retailers were notified of the sales tax change by the state Department of Taxation and Finance. Specific details of the exemption are available online. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper the Kinderhook Town Board on February 7, approved a motion to support the Community Solar Campaign recently okayed by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. The town plans to build on the county plan to offer solar energy to residents. Kinderhook’s plan is similar to what other municipalities in the county have adopted, but instead of the board or the Climate Smart Committee vetting solar companies the town will use the companies vetted and approved by the county. Community solar projects are an array of solar panels installed in a sunny, offsite location, which allows residents and businesses to benefit from solar if they cannot (or choose not to) install panels on their own properties. Participants in community solar projects get credits toward their electricity bill by subscribing to a local clean energy project. Once a town approves a provider of the community solar, the town can publicize the company and there are grants available for the municipalities for getting residents to sign-up. Kinderhook could be eligible for a $5,000 grant if 10 households sign-up for the program. The towns of Chatham and Austertlitz have started Community Solar programs, as well. At the Board of Supervisors’ meeting on February 9, the board approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with Astral Power and Nexamp. The resolution allows the county Climate Smart Community Task Force to initiate a campaign to publicize and promote Community Solar opportunities. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

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Nick Reisman reports for Spectrum News that New York state's pension fund won't invest in Russian companies moving in the future, and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office is reviewing what getting out of current investments in Russian interests, his office said on March 1. Currently, New York's pension fund includes about $110.8 million in investments in Russian companies. Russia recently invaded Ukraine without provocation, and with much condemnation from around the world. “Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine has led to unprecedented sanctions against Russian companies and individuals,” DiNapoli said. “While American sanctions already prohibit investments in many Russian companies, I believe it is prudent to freeze purchases in all Russian companies due to the situation’s unpredictability and the likelihood that conditions will deteriorate. This will ensure that the Fund does not increase its minimal exposure to the Russian economy while completing its divestment review, consistent with my fiduciary duty." On Feb. 27, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order to end state contracts and sever business links with Russia and Russian-backed entities. Read more about this story at Spectrum News.

The Guardian reports that former President Donald Trump and his two eldest children filed an appeal Feb. 28 of a judge’s decision requiring them to answer questions under oath in New York state’s civil investigation into Trump business practices. On Feb. 17, Manhattan judge Arthur Engoron ruled the Trumps had to testify by March 10. New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, says she has evidence Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, used “fraudulent or misleading” valuations of assets such as golf courses and skyscrapers to get loans and tax benefits. Trump faces both civil and criminal charges on the matter and his lawyers argue that having him sit for a civil deposition is an improper attempt to get around a state law barring prosecutors from calling someone to testify before a criminal grand jury without giving them immunity. Read more about this story in The Guardian.

Nick Reisman reports at New York State of Politics that two Democrats in Albany want to tax ammunition production in New York to fund for gun violence research. State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblyperson Pat Fahy introduced the measure in the state legislature. “As we seek to address New York’s rise in gun violence, it’s incumbent on us as legislators to identify fact-based approaches that will save lives and bring peace to our communities," Gounardes said. "By taxing ammunition, we are fairly funding research that will help us build smart and effective policies." New York recently created a research fund for studying gun violence, which is part of the state Department of Health and the State University of New York. The tax on ammunition would go there. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Today's daily news update.

Today's daily news update.

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While it might seem to some as if COVID-19 is over, officials from both Greene and Columbia counties both reported additional deaths from the virus on Feb. 28. The Greene County Public Health Department reported another death and 35 new cases on Feb. 28. There were 84 active cases and 12 hospitalized from there. Across the Hudson River, Columbia County officials reported another COVID-19 death Feb. 28, and 17 more cases. There were 33 active cases there, and 15 people currently hospitalized with coronavirus from Columbia County.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection on Feb. 28 released a statement warning residents about a fraud in which consumers receive in the mail a package they did not order. Known as a brushing scam, the swindle targets a recipient and turns them into a “verified buyer” for the purpose of writing fake positive online reviews of merchandise using the recipient’s name. The fake reviews boost or inflate the products’ ratings and sales numbers, which scammers hope results in an increase of actual sales. They also compromise the consumer's personal information at the same time. Acting Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said in a statement, “Receiving packages you did not order at your front steps does not mean it is your lucky day, but most likely, it is coming from someone using your personal information for their financial gain. Don’t fall for the brushing scams that are using you as bait to boost their online ratings with fake information.” To avoid being a victim of brushing scams, the Division of Consumer Protection offers the following tips: Recipients are under no obligation to pay for unsolicited merchandise and can consider it a gift. If a person does not want the item, it can be donated or simply disposed of it. The item does not have to be returned. Report it. If the item received is organic, report it to the USDA; other items should be reported to local authorities. Notify the retailer. If the package received is from a third-party retailer, ask them to remove any reviews under your name. Monitor your accounts. Your personal information may have been compromised. Examine your online shopping accounts and credit card bills for signs of unusual activity and check your credit report. Finally, change your password. More information is available by calling the DCP Helpline at 800-697-1220, or by visiting the state Division of Consumer Protection website.

Cloey Callahan reports in the Times Union that Ulster County has plans to turn its former county jail site into a neighborhood of mixed-income, intergenerational and workforce housing. The idea is to take a vacant building and address the ever-increasing demand for affordable housing across the entire Hudson Valley. “We’ve had the perfect storm around housing,” said Kevin O’Connor, CEO of Kingston-based RUPCO, a community organization that aims to make affordable housing accessible in Ulster County. “It’s created an absolute housing crisis. The phone rings every day at RUPCO,” he continued. “People are in desperate need of housing, and we have little to no resources.” There have been very few affordable housing projects approved anywhere in the Hudson Valley in recent years, as most rents and prices skyrocket from an influx of newcomers, and more rooms and houses are taken off the market for short-term rentals. Meanwhile, Ulster County's old jail has been vacant since 2007. The county's new plan, would replace that empty structure with 80 units of senior housing and 80 units of workforce housing that are affordable at a range of 30 to 130 percent of area median income. The housing units would include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. And the development will also include a community building, with a gathering and fitness space for residents and local organizations. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics that New York Republicans on Feb. 28 designated Paul Rodriguez as their candidate for state comptroller, in support of his bid to challenge incumbent Tom DiNapoli in November. Rodriguez in his acceptance speech pledged to be a "champion for the taxpayers" if elected. He last ran for office in 2021, when he was the GOP's New York City comptroller candidate. Rodrigeuz also vowed to shift the policy of DiNapoli's office to leverage the state pension's billions of dollars to achieve change from private-sector firms New York invests in. "The state pension fund should not be used to virtue signal and certainly should not be used to destroy industries like natural gas," Rodriguez said. DiNapoli has served as state comptroller since 2007 when he was selected by state lawmakers to replace Alan Hevesi. DiNapoli has since become the longest-serving Democratic official in the state. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.