Melanie Lekocevic reports in the Greenville Pioneer that Greenville Town Supervisor Paul Macko wants to install two new surveillance cameras in the town park after two alleged robberies there recently. “We have had some issues with some activity in the park and it seems to be going on where we don’t have cameras, like behind the South Barn, where the dog park is,” Macko said at the November meeting of the town board. “I would really like to buy some cameras and see if we can install them.” But the internet coverage in the park may not be enough to support W-Fi cameras. Still, Town Councilperson Travis Richards made a resolution for spending up to $500 on two more cameras and related equipment, which the board adopted unanimously. Macko said, “I am hoping that around the holidays there will be some buys and we can get the equipment we need, and then first thing in the spring we would get them installed.” Read more about this story in the Greenville Pioneer.

MidHudson News reports that Libertarian Larry Sharpe is running for governor in New York again. In 2018, Sharpe received 95,033 votes of the nearly 6.1 million cast in the gubernatorial race, finishing fifth. Sharpe spoke about some issues important to his campaign. "We don’t have a gun problem,” he said. “All we have is black market in guns and ammunition.” He also claimed, “Public education is a disaster. It is corrupt without question. We ought to change how we fund it. Democrats and Republicans have many choices for governor next year. Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Long Island Democratic Congressperson Tom Suozzi are in the Democratic primary. Republicans so far have five candidates to choose from: Long Island Congressperson Lee Zeldin; Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; former Westchester County executive Rob Astorino; Lewis County Sheriff Mike Carpinelli; and contractor and podcast host Derrick Gibson. Read more about this story in MidHudson News.

Today's daily headlines.

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

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that on Dec. 5 Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith issued a public health advisory “strongly recommending” all county residents to wear masks in public spaces regardless of vaccination status. COVID-19 cases counts have been reaching pre-vaccine levels locally and in other parts of the United States, as the new omicron variant reaches these shores. “All individuals, regardless of vaccination status or past COVID-19 infection, should wear a mask at all times when indoors and in a public setting, including at groceries, building lobbies, offices, stores, and other common or shared spaces where individuals may interact,” Smith said in a press release announcing the advisory. “All employers in Ulster County should require their employees to wear a mask while working indoors, and while in close contact with the public or co-workers.” Last week Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan declared a state of emergency through Dec. 28 in Ulster County because of all the recent coronavirus cases there. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Noah Zweifel is reporting for The Altamont Enterprise that in the hilltowns of Albany County, only Rensselaerville and Westerlo have so far proposed local laws to opt-out of allowing cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption facilities to operate, while Knox and Berne have yet to publicize drafts. Municipalities statewide have until Dec. 31 to opt-out of the provision contained in New York’s cannabis legalization law. Knox Supervisor Vasilios Lefkaditis said the issue will be on the town board’s December agenda, and that his “personal feelings” are that he’s “not against” allowing cannabis facilities to operate in the town. Berne Supervisor Sean Lyons said the Berne Town Board will discuss the topic at its December meeting. His recommendation would be to take no action right now. “If we do nothing, we opt-in for the time being,” Lyons said. “After the N[ew] Y[ork] cannabis board meets more and develops more of the N[ew] Y[ork] structure. They will give more time to opt-out in 2022," he said. An Office of Cannabis Management Spokesperson Freeman Klopott said, "Towns that opt-out can always opt back in after the deadline.”  Should officials in either Berne or Knox choose to opt-out, they will need to propose a law stating as much and hold a public hearing before they can move to adopt the law. Westerlo, which is proposing to block both dispensaries and on-site consumption facilities, is expected to hold its first public hearing on its opt-out law on Dec. 7. Rensselaerville, which also proposed to block both types of facility, held a public hearing on Nov. 10, where no residents weighed in. Read the full story in The Altamont Enterprise.

Susan Arbetter is reporting for Capital Tonight Hoosick Falls officials have been searching for a permanent clean water source after dealing with PFOA contamination. On Fri., Dec. 3, the state Department of Environmental Conservation released its final plan to find a permanent replacement. Two companies, St. Gobain and Honeywell, were responsible for the contaminating the original water source, which ultimately led to a Superfund designation. Under the DEC plan, two new groundwater supply wells will be developed and existing test wells south of Hoosick Falls will be converted to production wells. Resident Jennifer Plouffe has lived in the village since 2015, and she is skeptical about plan released by the DEC. Plouffe had hoped the DEC would site the Tomhannock Reservoir as the village’s new drinking water source. She notes that the entire area is heavily polluted with PFAS and other chemicals and as a result, identifying an alternate water source is a challenge. Every time the water is tested, contamination is found, she said. “So, it’s very hard for me to trust that these test wells that they’re going to be turning into resources for drinking water for folks won’t become re-contaminated." According to the DEC’s announcement, “in addition to the implementation of the new, clean drinking water supply, DEC continues to require Honeywell and Saint-Gobain to identify and address the sources of PFOA contamination in this community.” Brian Bushner, co-chair of the Hoosick Area Community Participation Working Group said in a press release, “This has been a long time coming but the group is comfortable that the process was as complete as possible and the decision reflects community priorities.” Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Mid-Hudson News is reporting 55 weapons, including 15 handguns and six assault-style weapons, were turned in to law enforcement at Beulah Baptist Church in Poughkeepsie on December 4. The weapons were exchanged for pre-paid debit cards through a gun buyback event sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General. A similar event in June resulted in 80 weapons being taken out of circulation. The program has been endorsed by Poughkeepsie Police Chief Tom Pape. He previously said, “Our city has been subjected to several instances of gun violence and our officers are appreciative of the attorney general’s efforts to take deadly weapons off the streets.” The program allows people to turn in any type of firearm without being questioned by police, and no ID is required. In exchange , the person receives a pre-paid debit card with a value based on the type of weapon surrendered, ranging from $25 to $250. Assault rifles are valued at $250, with handguns valued at $150, rifles and shotguns valued at $75, and non-working or antique firearms valued at $25. “The City of Poughkeepsie Police are working tirelessly to reduce gun violence, and this is one effective program,” said attorney general Letitia [Lah-TISH-ah] James. “The partnership between local law enforcement and the OAG (Office of the Attorney General) is working and I will provide any support necessary to aid programs that keep the community safe.” Read more in the Daily Freeman.

The Cornwallville Residents for Rural Preservation group, or CRRP, Sat., Dec. 4, announced that it had commenced an Article 78 proceeding against the Durham Town Board and Bosque Development, in an effort to overturn the town board's finding that Bosque's proposed housing development would have no significant adverse environmental impacts. The group said in a press release, it had filed the petition on November 24, in State Supreme Court. The Durham Town Board is currently considering Bosque's proposal to subdivide 95 acres of land that border Strong and Cornwallville roads. The project includes the construction of 12 high-end homes and a farming operation within the Cornwallville Historic District. The board, on October 27, issued a “negative declaration” under the state’s SEQRA law, and declined to require an Environmental Impact Statement from the developer, despite widespread community opposition to the project. "CRRP members have raised serious concerns about the proposed subdivision throughout the town’s review process, sending numerous letters to the town board, speaking at town board meetings, submitting a petition against the project signed by 271 residents, and providing expert opinion on the environmental impacts," according to the press release. CRRP is asking the court to void the town board's negative declaration and asked that a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement be prepared. The return date for the Article 78 Petition is January 14, in State Supreme Court in Greene County. A second public hearing on the project will be held on December 11, in the former Durham Elementary School. The public may also attend remotely via telephone at 1-503-300-6830 conference code 114503. CRRP members Karen Beckingham and Dan Clifton will discuss the Bosque Development proposal on WGXC Morning Show, at 9 a.m., Wed., Dec. 8.

Kate Lisa is reporting for the Johnson Newspaper Corp. Republican Dean Michael, 61, a member of the Clinton Town Board, has announced his plan to challenge incumbent Democratic Assemblymember Didi Barrett in 2022. This will be Michael's second try; he lost to Barrett in 2020 by approximately 10,000 votes. Michael said his campaign was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We couldn’t go door-to-door, we couldn’t have events,” he said. “I don’t think I had a fair opportunity to really reach out to the voters to express the differences between us.” Barrett has represented the 106th Congressional District since 2012. She has yet to announce her intention to seek re-election for a seventh term representing parts of Dutchess and Columbia counties. Michael is running to reverse the criminal justice reforms, stricter environmental regulations and other policies implemented under the majority Democratic control of the Legislature and Executive Chamber, impacting public safety, agriculture and the economy, he said. Michael is opposed to the most recent COVID-19 vaccine mandates imposed by state officials. “I believe in civil liberties,” he said. “I’m not an anti-vaxxer, I just think it should be a personal choice. I absolutely support people and their right to choose. [These mandates] are a broad brush without taking personal instances and medical conditions into consideration that can be detrimental,” Michael said. He has decided not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, but says he had COVID-19 a year ago, touting his natural immunity as the reason. If elected, Michael said, he would advocate to change the state’s bail reform and discovery laws. “Nobody should sit in jail. No one should sit in jail not being able to post $100 or $200 bail. But granted, I think we can come up for a solution for that. Judges should have the discretion if someone is going to repeatedly hurt themselves or someone else, this should be easier decisions for a judge to make,” he said. Michael previously ran on the Republican, Conservative and Libertarian lines. He is a 1979 graduate of John Jay High School, holds an associate degree in communications from Dutchess Community College, a bachelor’s from Marist College in integrated studies and applied business and accounting with a paralegal certificate, and a Master’s in Business Administration from SUNY Empire State College. Michael owns and runs Hometown Premier Agency real estate and insurance company in Pleasant Valley. He has been self-employed for more than 30 years. Read more at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup firefighters were called to the Greenville Post Office on State Route 81, early December 3, after employees reported seeing smoke coming from a parcel. Unknown at the time, the package contained two boxes of strike-anywhere matches, firefighters said. According to Greenville Fire Chief Kip Drollette, no one was injured and no damage was reported to the building. “Just some smoke,” he said. “We vented the building, and all was back to business as normal.” According to the U.S. Postal Service website, mailing self-strike matches is prohibited. “Strike-anywhere matches will light from friction against any surface,” the USPS states. “Strike-anywhere matches may not be mailed ...” Safety matches with treated match heads that will only ignite when struck against a specially prepared surface may be mailed domestically, but must be sent via ground transportation. Postal officials in Albany did not respond to a request for comment. Read more at porcupine soup [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Ted Remsnyder reports for Columbia-Greene Media that Greene County has a lingering shortage of emergency medical technicians to work on first responder crews. Local EMS agencies say staffing is a major issue. “I’m sure each agency could use three to five more EMTs,” said Greene County Legislature Chair Patrick Linger, a Republican from New Baltimore. The issue is not pandemic-related. “I think it was 2013 when they started the first Greene County Ambulance Task Force,” Linger said. “This issue has been around for a very long time. There was a task force set up and they did a lot of mulling over data and they came up with a plan to move forward. Four years ago it had boiled down to two separate proposals, one for the mountaintop and one for the northern end of the valley. We had Catskill, Cairo and Durham at the time did not want to take part in the system, which kind of split the county in half. At the end of the day, when tallies and votes were taken by the town boards that would have to agree to move into that type of program, there was not enough support for it and it died on the vine.” The state used to provide reimbursements for EMS training, and Coxsackie Legislator Thomas Hobart suggested Greene County might have to do that now. “I think ultimately as a Legislature, we should consider a scholarship fund in order to get the people who have been deterred because of the costs of it, to make them whole,” Hobart said at a Dec. 1 meeting of the Public Safety Committee. “At least that’s a start in the right direction to provide services to all of the agencies and to ultimately the people of Greene County.” It may take more money than just training costs to lure people to the profession, as most EMTs in the county make barely over minimum wage. “I don’t understand why the wages are so low,” Durham Legislator Patricia Handel said. “It’s such a needed service that I’m incredulous.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

William J. Kemble reports for the Daily Freeman that the Town of Ulster board voted Dec. 2 to allow cannabis sales, but prohibit consumption lounges. “I think that New York state has not outlined or put any details into any of this on-site consumption,” board member Eric Kitchen said. “So the town really has no guidelines to follow.” New York legalized cannabis in April, and municipalities have until Dec. 31 to opt out of having retail sales or consumption lounges within their borders. Sales aren't expected to begin until sometime in 2022. The board voted to limit sales to the town’s Highway Commercial and Regional Commercial districts. The board also decided to limit cannabis sales to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, and restrict shops from being closer than 1,500 feet from each other. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Rebekah F. Ward reports for the Times Union that this week Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill making the slaughter of thoroughbred and standardbred race horses in New York a misdemeanor beginning next month. But the practice will be allowed to continue as horses outside the racing industry are often shipped on livestock trucks through New York, alongside thoroughbreds, to be slaughtered for human consumption in Canada. But anyone slaughtering a race horse in New York will now get fines up to $1,000 per horse. And racehorses, who are now tattooed inside their inner lip for identification, will also get a microchip implanted to track their wherabouts. “Greater oversight, including ensuring there is appropriate funding available for aftercare, microchipping to track ownership, and holding owners accountable in instances of slaughter, are all critical to improving the racing industry and future fate of horses,” said state Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Today's daily headlines.

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

The COVID-19 bad news came in a torrent on Dec. 2. The omicron variant arrived in New York, with at least five cases announced. In Massachusetts, COVID-19 case totals increased 154 percent since Nov. 2, and hospitalizations have nearly doubled. The case counts in Massachusetts are now almost exactly the same as a year ago, before any vaccines were available. Back in New York, Albany County announced three more deaths, and 202 more cases on Dec. 2. Ulster County announced two more coronavirus deaths Dec. 2, for a total of six deaths this week. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan addressed residents about just how bad things are now on Facebook Dec. 2. CLICK HERE TO PLAY BRIEF EXCERPT OF RYAN'S ADDRESS. Rensselaer County confirmed 182 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 2. Columbia County reported 40 more cases on Dec. 2, and Greene County added 37 more cases Dec. 2, and 59 more on Dec. 1. On Dec. 2 the the state reported that Northern Dutchess Hospital is facing bed capacity issues, and if they do not add open beds by Dec. 3, New York officials will require the hospital to postpone elective surgeries and other procedures. And the Valatie Community Theatre postponed performances of "It’s a Wonderful Life" after a cast member tested positive for COVID-19. The theatre said they will attempt a production after Christmas.

Roger Hannigan Gilson is reporting for the Times Union that Hughes Energy Group has proposed the construction of a biofuel production facility in Prattsville, hoping to build a new kind of waste processing facility. But the company must now create an elaborate plan to study and minimize its potential environmental impacts, according to a decision by the state Department of Environmental Conservation on December 1. Hughes wants to construct a 115,000-square-foot plant it says will help New York reach its climate goals by annually converting 176,000 tons of sorted garbage into a fibrous material that could replace paper products and coal. The process would cut down on methane, a greenhouse gas produced by rotting organic material, by diverting trash from landfills and turning it into reusable products, the company says. However, environmental groups and residents have pushed back on the plan with increasing intensity, arguing there are too many unknowns with the new technology and worrying about the plant's impact on the Catskill Mountains and the New York City reservoir system. The plant would be located less than 2,000 feet from Schoharie Creek, which feeds into the Ashokan Reservoir that provides water to most of New York City and about 1 million people in the Hudson Valley. The DEC is now requiring Hughes Energy to study and plan how to minimize possible adverse environmental impacts, including on water resources, noise, odor, traffic, and public infrastructure. Hughes Energy CEO Dane McSpedon said he had "no issue" with the DEC plan. The regional environmental group Riverkeeper applauded the DEC's decision to have Hughes address the five potential impacts. The waste received by the plant would initially come from transfer stations. It would be trucked to the plant, where other hazardous materials would be removed by being loaded into giant autoclaves. This waste, which would still be 16 percent plastic, would be heated in the autoclaves to 250 degrees and pressurized, causing plastics to shrink and coagulate together. The autoclaves turn the organic materials into a fibrous mush; metal, cloth and the plastics would be recycled elsewhere. The mush would then be dried and used to replace paper, coal, or wood pellets. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media that some residents who owe back payments for their water and sewer bills could be eligible for federal funds intended to help customers avoid service interruptions. Gov. Kathy Hochul November 29, announced that $69.8 million in federal funding is now available to help low-income New Yorkers pay drinking water and wastewater bills that are in arrears. The program is administered by the state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The program is called the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program; the funds will provide income-qualified individuals and families with up to $2,500 for drinking water bills in arrears and $2,500 for wastewater bills in arrears, Hochul said. The state’s moratorium on service shutoffs, imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, will expire in late December and regulated utilities have agreed to hold off on service disconnections through the New Year’s holiday, but service shutoffs may resume after that. Eligibility for the program is determined by household income and size and the amount that is past due. Information is available at the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance website. Read the full story in The Ravena News-Herald.