Today's daily headlines.

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

Felix Carroll is reporting for The Berkshire Eagle an independent group of Great Barrington residents are looking to revive a yearslong initiative to honor native son, W.E.B. Du Bois. The focal point of the effort would be a life-size bronze sculpture of scholar, writer and champion of civil rights and economic justice Du Bois (1868-1963), who was born and raised in Great Barrington. The statue would be part of a larger plaza on the front yard of the Mason Library, on Main Street. The plaza would be crafted from native marble. The library Board of Trustees again approved the location and concept on January 18. The board originally approved a similar measure in 2018. Before the project can move forward, it must be approved by the Historic District Commission, but the commission’s January 20 meeting was canceled. Because the library is town-owned, the Select Board would also have to approve accepting the statue and plaza as a gift. The Du Bois Sculpture and Education Project, as it is known, would not be financed by local taxpayer money. The library Board of Trustees appointed Trustee Lauren Clark, a downtown art gallery owner, to serve as liaison to the citizen group spearheading the project. The Du Bois Sculpture and Education Project estimates it will need to raise $350,000 for the project. It will do so through donations and foundation grants. In preparation for its meeting with the Historic District Commission, the project group has secured an architect’s renderings for the proposed plaza and bench. “In conceptualizing the sculpture, we have chosen to create a scholarly Du Bois, hands-on a favorite book, seated on a bench that arches out from the current outdoor staircase,” said Julie Michaels, chair of the group, explained in a statement. “This will create a gathering space for the town. ..." Read the full story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Diane Valden is reporting for The Columbia Paper zebra mussels have moved into Copake Lake and they threaten to wreck the place. Lindsay LeBrecht, speaking on behalf of the Copake Lake Conservation Society, came to the January 13 Copake Town Board meeting seeking financial help to fight the invasive species. Zebra mussels are an invasive, fingernail-sized mollusk native to freshwaters in Eurasia. It is estimated they arrived in the Great Lakes in the 1980s via ballast water discharged by large ships from Europe. Zebra mussels “disrupt the food chain, change water chemistry, and clog water intake and delivery systems for drinking water, irrigation and hydropower,” according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The funds sought by the conservation society would pay for a chemical treatment that targets the mussels and it would cost roughly $75,000. LeBrecht told the board that most of the lake shoreline is privately owned, but where the lake meets the corner of Lakeview Road and County Route 7, a small section of the 410-acre lake’s 5.2 miles of shoreline is owned by Columbia County. “And here is where the problem begins,” she said. The one place on the shore without monitoring is “the county corner,” LeBrecht said. Town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler noted there were a couple of issues involved in the CLCS request. The first is whether the board wants to help and the second is whether the board can do anything legally to help. Town Attorney Jonathan Tingley said generally speaking, with limited exceptions, a municipality cannot make a gift. “A donation to a private entity is problematic,” he said. Mettler asked the town attorney to research what legal options the town has and to come back next month for a continuation of the discussion. The board next meets on February 10. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup both the East Durham Irish Festival and Catskills Irish Arts Week are scheduled to return in 2022. The in-person events were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre announced last week that the 44th annual East Durham Irish Festival will take place over the Memorial Day weekend for the first time since 2019. Details of this year’s event will be announced soon. The festival features traditional Irish music, dance, food, drink, and more. It is held at the center grounds on State Route 145. The center also announced that preparations are currently underway for Catskills Irish Arts Week from July 10 to 16. Irish Arts Week is a weeklong summer school that takes place at the centre grounds and throughout the hamlet of East Durham. It celebrated 25 years in 2019. “This year promises to be a wild and beautiful gathering of traditional Irish musicians, songsters, dancers, storytellers, poets, writers and ancient handcrafters especially after the long lockdowns due to the tragic and lonely global pandemic,” organizers stated. “But as the saying goes, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’” Instructors from both Ireland and the U.S. will participate. Also on the schedule is “...Dr. Mick Moloney, ethnomusicologist, NYU professor of Irish Studies and founder of the legendary group, The Green Fields of America, who brought traditional music, song, dance and the story of the Irish culture to the stage more than 40 years ago,” organizers announced. Participants will be required to wear a mask and comply with hand-washing and distancing requirements. Information on both events is available at mjqirishcentre.com. Read the full story at porcupine soup [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media a preliminary investigation by the Albany County Sheriff's office has determined the explosion that sparked a major fire at the Coeymans marina this week was caused by an employee welding close to a waste oil tank. The explosion and subsequent fire at Coeymans Landing Marine Services injured the employee, who was airlifted by LifeNet to the University of Vermont Medical Center to be treated for his injuries. The 56-year-old man, whose name has not been released, suffered severe burns to his face and body, according to the sheriff. The incident generated plumes of black smoke that spread across the hamlet on January 20. Residents and businesses were not officially evacuated, but they were encouraged to leave the area if possible, Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh said. “The firemen went around to houses nearby and told people to close their windows and not come outside, and if they have someplace else to go, go,” McHugh said. Of major concern that day was the proximity of the flames to highly flammable materials at the marina, McHugh said. Administrators at the nearby Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School, located less than a mile from the marina, chose to hold recess inside that day and made temporary modifications to the air circulation system, according to the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school district website. Numerous fire companies from the region responded to the scene and battled frosty temperatures to bring the fire under control. Read more at TheUpstater [dot] com.

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup Catskill Mountain Housing Development Corporation is among the nonprofits and municipalities in New York to be awarded a total of $25 million in state grants to support safe and affordable homeownership. The corporation will receive $98,000 to help local seniors. “This is our 17th RESTORE award,” said Larry Krajeski, executive director at CMHDC. "We’ve received over $900,000 and assisted nearly 200 senior homeowners over a 30-year time period.” The RESTORE program targets emergency repairs for senior property owners, such as leaking roofs, heating system repairs or replacement, water, and septic repairs. Krajeski said his organization is able to respond quickly and start repair work within days of receiving the request. He said CMHDC will be ready to start taking applications for funds in early February. The awards are administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Office of Community Renewal. CMHDC administers state and federal housing programs to residents in Greene County and manages housing for seniors and disabled people in Catskill, Cairo, Tannersville and Windham. The organization also assists homeowners with needed repairs, helps people become homeowners for the first time and counsel homeowners and tenants on resolving their housing issues. Read the full story at porcupinesoup [dot] com.

Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the former Game Farm luxury camping complex, once the site of the historic Catskill Game Farm, is up for sale again. The property was sold in November 2020, for $1.9 million to Yonkers businessman Sidney Blauner and a group of investors. The 193-acre property on Game Farm Road in Catskill is now listed by the Corcoran Group with an asking price of $3.6 million. The Catskill Game Farm opened in 1933 as the nation’s first privately owned zoo. The site was home for more than 2,000 animals before it closed on October 9, 2006, after 73 years in operation. Ben and Cathy Ballone purchased the property in 2012 and converted it into the Long Neck Inn in 2019, with indoor lodging and outdoor glamping. When the property was sold 14 months ago to Blauner it was renamed The Old Game Farm. The current hotel includes The Old Catskill Game Farm Estate, a 9,000-square-foot mansion that was renovated from the zoo’s former giraffe house. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Here is this week's WGXC Congressional Report, tracking the votes, statements, positions, and campaigns of the representatives and candidates for the 19th and 20th Congressional seats in New York. Current Democrat Reps. Antonio Delgado and Paul Tonko vote with the positions of President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, according to the fivethirtyeight.com website. Click here to listen to this report.

So far at least five candidates have announced they want to replace Rep. Paul Tonko in whatever ends up being the 20th Congressional District. Right now that includes all of Albany County, and much of the Capital District, but redistricting may not be resolved for weeks, so speculation on an election without a defined district is difficult. But so far, Jack Fallon-Underwood, Justin Chaires, Cole Matthews, and Rostislav Rar are running in the Democratic primary election June 28. Nick Reisman reports at New York State of Politics that Tonko wants the lines drawn too. "I just hope we're given district lines as soon as possible because the petitioning date is just around the corner," Tonko said. "I'd like to know what my district is going to look like, and if it's divided where I'm going to go from that point on." Democrats now control redistricting in the legislature, and the article asks, "Will Democrats try to make life more difficult for [Elise] Stefanik? Or make re-election easier for [Antonio] Delgado?" Tonko's blue district, which lies between Stefanik's now red district to the north, and Delgado's purple district to the south, will be altered if Democrats attempt to help one or the other of the nearby swing districts. New York Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs said, "Republicans across the country are redrawing congressional lines to favor their candidates. Without being obnoxious in New York, if lines are drawn with communities and help Democrats then that is the course we should take." Republican Liz Joy lost to Tonko in 2020, and is also running again this year.

This week WGXC interviewed Jack Fallon-Underwood, who is among the candidates challenging Tonko in the 20th Congressional District Democratic primary in June. Click here to download or play an excerpt of the interview, or go here to download or play the entire interview.

The Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado touted his congressional record during a tele-town hall on January 18. In the three years that Delgado has been in office, he has had 18 of his bills passed and signed into law. The Rhinebeck Democrat told everyone on the telephone town hall session that each of those measures was for the benefit of his constituents in New York's 19th Congressional District. Of the 18 Delgado bills signed into law, 10 were under President Trump and eight during the first year of the Biden administration, Delgado said. “From addressing the needs of our farmers to supporting our veterans to empowering our small businesses, to protecting against toxins like PFOS, the focus is always on delivering for communities,” he said. Delgado was joined on the call by Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith, to address the latest concerns about the pandemic. Other topics addressed during the one-hour session included supporting the workforce and protecting voting rights. Delgado is being challenged by the current Dutchess County Executive, Republican Marc Molinaro. Read more in the Daily Freeman.

Click here for an excerpt of Delgado's town hall meeting (in full below).

While COVID-19 deaths continue throughout the area, new case numbers are falling in the Hudson Valley now as the omicron variant of COVID-19 seems to have peaked. Columbia County, for instance, went from 178 cases on Jan. 18, to 121 on Jan. 20, and 75 on Jan. 21, with one new death this past week. In Greene County new cases fell to 64 on Jan. 20, after many days above 100. Meanwhile, Ulster County reported another death, and Dutchess County reported two more. fatalities. But new case numbers in Dutchess County fell by more than 300. And Ulster County officials reported 7,150 on Jan. 21, down from the 7,465 cases reported on Jan. 20 and down from an all-time high of 7,569 reported for Jan. 15. Dutchess County, meanwhile, reported 2,105 active cases on Jan. 19, down 313 from the 2,418 active cases reported for Jan. 18 and well below the 8,510 all-time high reported on Jan. 8.

Today's daily news update.

Shayla Colon reports in the Times Union that Amtrak announced Jan. 21 cuts to local and national service because of staff shortages caused by COVID-19. About eight percent of Northeast regional weekly departures between Monday, Jan. 24, and March 27 will be eliminated. Two round trips between Albany and New York City were cut, and the one daily train from New York to Chicago will operate just five days a week. Amtrak reports 97 percent of employees being fully vaccinated for coronavirus, but several hundred employees have called in sick recently. “We anticipate that COVID-related impacts to staffing will continue to impact parts of Amtrak’s network and the availability of our fleet in the near term as the surge of omicron cases impacts the nation,” a spokesperson told the newspaper. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Lorna Cherot Littleway reports for the Columbia Paper about the more than 100 people who attended a counter-protest in Chatham a few days after three racists unfurled a "White Lives Matter" banner in front of the village gazebo. On Jan. 14, three masked individuals held a banner for the organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center lists as a hate group. On Jan. 19, over a hundred people rebuked the trio, holding signs reading “Chatham Says No To Hate,” “Hate Has No Home Here,” and “Stop Racism Speak Up” at the same location. “We must say loud and clear white supremacists and neo Nazis don’t have a place here,” said Sam Hodge, chair of Columbia County Democrats, who urged people to attend the event. Locally, stickers for the racist group have been spotted recently in Hudson and Valatie, and most recently in North Greenbush. Village Trustee and Police Commissioner Peter Minahan said, “I have no idea why they picked our village. We would love to know the answer to that.” Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.

Clarence Fanto reports in the Berkshire Eagle that while COVID-19 fears keep many future plans on hold, Tanglewood is moving forward with its first full schedule of concerts this summer since 2019. The Boston Symphony returns for a 10-week season of classical concerts, James Taylor will perform twice, there will be a 90th birthday salute to John Williams, and a tribute to the late Broadway songwriter Stephen Sondheim. Tanglewood is a music venue in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge in western Massachusetts. The indoor Ozawa Hall will host performances for the first time since 2019, and outdoor shows also resume this summer there, with most tickets going on sale in March. Read more about this story in the Berkshire Eagle.

Today's daily headlines.

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

Ted Remsnyder is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County Legislator Michael Bulich has proposed a measure that would allow county lawmakers to carry firearms at public meetings. The Catskill Republican made the proposal in a discussion held at a meeting of the Legislature committees on January 18. The conversation focused on a resolution stating that only members of the New York State Police, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, or any village or town police department in the county be allowed to carry firearms, concealed or otherwise, onto county property. In that discussion, Bulich argued that an exception should be made for elected officials. “I think there should be an amendment to this resolution that allows elected officials who are licensed to carry to do so if they so choose in this building,” he said. “We do come here after hours. I’m duly trained and I’m pretty confident in myself to protect myself." Bulich said later that he wants the right to defend himself if an incident occurs during a Legislature meeting. “It’s important that I’m able to defend myself, not just having security at the front desk,” he said. “I’m a law-abiding citizen with a pistol permit. I’m very comfortable with a pistol and I should be afforded that right to be able to protect myself.” Bulich pointed out that he's uncomfortable sitting with his back to the door during meetings held after 4:30 p.m. when sheriff's deputies were no longer stationed in the building. During the meeting, Coxsackie Republican Charles Martinez, seconded Bulich's motion before Greene County Attorney Edward Kaplan suggested that if an amendment was made the Legislature define which elected officials would be permitted to carry firearms. Kaplan suggested the amendment be limited to members of the Legislature, with Cairo Democrat Harry Lennon adding that it should only be applied to current members of the body. When asked, Kaplan agreed to investigate whether the proposed policy would create problems with the county's insurance coverage. The Legislature eventually approved the original resolution unanimously. Builch said in lieu of amending the newly approved resolution, that the right of a legislator to bear arms on county property could be added to their job descriptions. The lawmakers are exploring that option. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

The New York State Public Service Commission Thu., Jan. 20, announced it had approved a three-year rate plan for utility National Grid customers in upstate New York. In rendering the decision, the commission slashed the company's requested rate increase by more than 30 percent, according to a press release. “The joint proposal we adopted today allows for funding for the company to maintain safe and reliable service, while moderating rate impacts during the term of the rate plan and mitigating the impacts to ratepayers suffering the financial consequences of the pandemic,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. “Further, this agreement is consistent with our nation-leading clean energy initiatives, as well as our social and economic policies.” The decision established a three-year rate plan for electric and gas service provided by National Grid for the period July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2024. It allows revenue to increase by 1.4 percent for electric and 1.8 percent for gas in the first year, and by 1.9 percent for electric and gas in the second and third year. The approved plan keeps annual electric and gas increases for consumers between 2 and 3 percent for the next three years. National Grid provides electric service to approximately 1.6 million customers and gas service to approximately 600,000 customers in upstate New York.  

Noah Eckstein is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the city of Hudson has been awarded a $1.4 million grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation as part of its Water Quality Improvement Project program. The Hudson Common Council January 18, voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Kamal Johnson to enter an agreement with the DEC for the funding to pay for the construction of a combined sewer separation system and sewer repairs. The council vote authorized the appropriation of an additional $350,000 from the Department of Public Works Sewer Fund as the required local match for the program. “I’m ecstatic,” said Rob Perry, city Department of Public Works superintendent. The project was originally proposed in 2014 when the city was awarded $600,000 as part of a Community Development Block Grant. After a three-year environmental review, a failure to secure additional funding delayed construction. The proposed new sewer system will separate the waste material from rainwater. It will send the clean, filtered rainwater into the Hudson River and ensure the sewage is consistently sent to a separate processing plant for treatment. The city will soon put out a request for proposals to find qualified companies to complete the job of repairing the sewer systems. A firm could be accepted by February and receive short-term financing by March, Perry said. Construction would then begin in the spring and conclude in the fall. Construction will involve the excavation of Front Street between Columbia and State streets. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.