The Altamont Enterprise reports that 10 percent of people in Albany County is considered food insecure and one in seven children go to school hungry, according to the Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. A press release from his office said, “There are people in every community in Albany County that face food insecurity, from the Hilltowns to the suburbs to the cities." So the county recently announced $175,000 to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and its community partners of 40 food pantries and 16 soup kitchens in Albany County; and $75,000 to the United Way of the Greater Capital Region. In 2023, the Regional Food Bank provided 3.7 million meals to people in Albany County, but they say 1.4 million more meals are still needed. The new funding from Albany County will only provide an additional 400,000 meals, so at least another million are needed. McCoy said, “Demand in Albany County for help has gone up 30 percent since last year and we need to invest in programs that will make a difference.... Strong partnerships will help reduce the meal gap this year from 26 percent to 18 percent by providing 464,167 more meals. This is only the beginning.” Read more about this story in the Altamont Enterprise.

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Jammel Cutler reports for Columbia-Greene Media that on Dec. 1 the Hudson Muslim Youth and a group called Left in Focus held a rally near the roundabout on the Columbia County side of the Rip Van Winkle bridge to support the Palestinians. Jabin Ahmed, co-founder of Hudson Muslim Youth, said, “We’re having this rally to call for a permanent cease[fire].... We also want to end the occupation of Palestine. It’s absurd and horrifying that humanity can take a brief pause on genocide, and then it starts up again.” Bryan McCormack, of Left in Focus, spent time in the West Bank in the past decade working with a theater there. McCormack said, "My friends and loved ones are being attacked in the West Bank.... I spent time in the West Bank working with a theater organization. Their theater was occupied, and their family members had been murdered. I feel close to this issue because of the time that I spent there and because of the moral high ground of what this means.” The protesters at the roundabout wanted to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Zach Lewis of Germantown, who served with the Israeli Defense Force and is a founder of the Jewish Alliance for Israel, said he believes in the freedom of speech of the demonstrators, but only to a point. He said, “That line gets crossed when they start talking about genocide, when free speech becomes about hate speech.” Some passing cars blared music or shouted at the protesters near the roundabout. WOOC reports that on Nov. 27, the group Queers for Palestine protested outside a LGBTQ fundraiser for Rep. Paul Tonko in Albany. One of the organizers, Jen Barkan, spoke with WOOC saying, CLICK HERE TO PLAY OR DOWNLOAD BRIEF QUOTE.

News10 in Albany reports that New York State is seeing an increase in cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV. Since late October, case rates are increasing at a faster rate than COVID-19. Dr. Nosa Aigbe Lebarty, of CentralMed Urgent Care, said, “Before it used to be mostly only kids, but now it’s everyone.... Both adults, children, as well as geriatric patients. So everybody —- no one is immune to RSV at all.” RSV can be deadly if it turns into pneumonia. Dr. James McDonald, New York State’s Health Commissioner, said, “One thing I’d remind my peers who are 60 and older and have an underlying medical condition— look at the RSV vaccine for you.... One thing we did in New York that is different than in any other state, as far as I know, is we’ve allowed every pharmacy to have RSV vaccine and give it.” Read more about this story at News10 in Albany.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Metro-North Railroad trains will ban the consumption of alcohol from 4 a.m. on Saturday, December 9, through 12 p.m. on Sunday, December 10. That's because hundreds of people dressed as Santa Claus are expected to descend on New York City for drunken revelry during the annual SantaCon event. The MTA is warning there will be more officers at Penn Station, Grand Central Madison, and Grand Central Terminal to enforce the weekend alcohol restriction. Police will confiscate alcoholic beverages and issue tickets. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

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Molly Burke reports in the Times Union that more than 50 representatives in the state legislature are asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase minimum benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from $23 to $100 per month. Some recent statistics show a hunger problem in New York. The number of New Yorkers who didn’t have enough to eat over a one-week period increased by 87 percent from July 2021 to this July according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse survey. New York's Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a report in March that said about 800,000 New Yorkers experienced food insecurity from 2019 to 2021. That is about 10 percent of the state’s residents. Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas says, “It’s time that we take it seriously and act on these issues during next year’s state budget cycle,.... These solutions, universal school meals, increasing the SNAP minimum benefit, and ending the subminimum wage for restaurant-tipped workers are in direct alignment with our governor’s call to make New York a safer, affordable, and livable state.” And it is not just Democrats asking Hochul to increase SNAP funding in her budget, as the letter asking for the increase was also signed by a Republican state senator and six Republican Assembly members. And an increase in what used to be called food stamps is also popular, with a recent Siena poll showing 76 percent of Democrats, 47 percent of Republicans, and 65 percent of independents and other voters supporting a proposed increase to the SNAP minimum benefit. Hochul will propose a new budget at the beginning of the new year. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the new Chabad Jewish Center of Columbia County will host the Jewish festival of lights on December 10 in Hudson's Public Square. There will be a giant Menorah, a fire performer, and a “gelt drop” in collaboration with the local Fire Department with Mayor Kamal Johnson and other Hudson public officials in attendance. New Rabbi Mendel Kremer said, “In these challenging times, the significance of public menorahs and Jewish pride cannot be overstated.... With the impact of the recent events in Israel and the subsequent rise in antisemitism, we must stand united as Jews and proudly assert our identity without fear.” Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Matt Moment reports in the Times Union that Chatham's Joyce Goldstein Gallery hosts its final show after its founder's recent death. Goldstein died on Sept. 23 at the age of 86, and her art space will close in January with the its current show, “Horizon Line.” Local artists Susan Jennings and David Humphrey curated “Horizon Line,” saying it connects the work of more than 30 artists that appear to “hold hands” through Jan. 6 at the gallery. The Joyce Goldstein Gallery began in SoHo’s Wooster Street in 1992, and then moved to Chatham in 2005, with notices about art there at both locations featured in Artforum and the New York Times. he “Horizon Line” show reprises the theme of an exhibition at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in 2007, wherein “every work had a horizon line and (was) hung abutting works on either side with their horizons aligned to encircle the gallery.” Humphrey explains he liked, “​​The image of different artists sharing a literal horizon makes a lovely story about a collective made up of very heterogeneous artists.” The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-3 p.m., through Jan. 6. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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Maria M. Silva reports in the Times Union that for a second time, the Summit Lake Conservation Group, locals opposing a housing development in Philmont, have won an Article 78 lawsuit against the project. The Woods proposal would build 16 expensive homes on 22 acres of land overlooking the lake where eagles nest in the center of the Columbia County village. Columbia County Supreme Court Justice Richard Mott has now annulled the Planning Board’s approval of the housing project twice. Joseph Miranda, an architect and Summit Lake Conservation Group member who owns a home by the lake, said, “People don’t want to be pushed out of their homes here, and I feel like there’s a great fear of gentrification.... I hear from both renters who have been pushed into this town from Hudson and other places and they are afraid of being pushed again. I hear from people who have lived here forever … this is their hometown and they don’t want big change too fast. Unintelligent or unsustainable development is a big problem people are worried about.” Locally, there is an affordable housing crisis, with few projects building less expensive housing proposed anywhere in the Hudson Valley. This high-end housing project from Clover Reach Partners, a division of Claverack Builders, also does not address that issue. The conservation group says these homes would sell for $750,000 to $1 million if this project was allowed to proceed. The expensive homes would go on property separated from Summit Lake by an 11-acre conservation area traversed by the Joshua Essig trail, which connects the village and a dock on the south side of the municipally owned lake. The court has ruled that developers misrepresented the state’s fire prevention and building codes when they proposed a narrower road for the project than what’s required by the state, and “denied citizens the rights to fully participate in the public hearing.” Members of Philmont’s Planning Board did not return calls for comment after the second time the court undid their approval of the project. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News reports that protesters rallied in the rain on Dec. 3 at a March for Free Palestine rally in Newburgh. Among several issues, they called for Rep. Pat Ryan to support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and oppose any further additional military aid to Israel. Mie Inouye, a protest organizer, said they wanted a different plan than the current bombing. Inouye said, “It could be a two-state solution, it could be a one-state solution, we don’t have a position on that, and I don’t think it’s our goal to decide, but we know the only way to keep actually keep Palestinians and Israelis safe is to have an end to the occupation of Palestine, whatever that looks like.” An estimated 1,200 Israelis were killed during the initial attack by Hamas on October 7. The Israelis have attacked Gaza since then, killing an estimated 15,000 Palestinians so far. Several local protests and rallies have been held in Albany, Kingston, Catskill, and Newburgh since Oct. 7. Mid-Hudson News reports

News10 in Albany reports that many new cannabis retail stores are expected to open soon throughout New York state after a court injunction halting the licensing process was lifted on Dec. 1. The Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary license program is moving forward again now, after a very slow start. Christine Richardson wants to open the Royale Flower store in Albany and said this is, “Relief for us. Now we can finally move forward. We’re kind of hoping that it’s gonna be a quick process." More than two-and-a-half-years after New York legalized cannabis, less than 30 stores are open in the state, mostly in New York City. Read more about this story at News10 in Albany.

Here is this week's WGXC Congressional Report, tracking the votes, statements, positions, and campaigns of the representatives and candidates for the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st Congressional seats in New York. Democrat Pat Ryan is representing the 18th Congressional District, Republican Marc Molinaro represents the 19th Congressional District, Democrat Rep. Paul Tonko represents the 20th District, and Republican Elise Stefanik represents the 21st District. Click here to listen to this report.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that Rep. Elise Stefanik is both challenging New York’s "no-excuse" vote-by-mail law in court while also trying to get Republicans to vote by mail. Stefanik is even making a case that voting by mail should not be allowed because a judge may later disallow it. Michael Y. Hawrylchak, an attorney for Stefanik and the Republican plaintiffs, said in a complaint filed Sept. 20 in state Supreme Court in Albany, “By encouraging supporters to lock in their votes by submitting mail-in ballots, they may risk the later nullification of those votes as invalid under the constitution.” Stefanik, and other Republicans are arguing that voting by mail is unconstitutional because it was passed as a law, rather than a constitutional amendment. Attorneys for New York Attorney General Letitia James said in their court filing, "There is no express language in the New York constitution that precludes early voting by mail.” Voting by mail has gone on since absentee ballots were allowed, and many New Yorkers voted by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic, with few problems. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Early Mail Voter Act into law two months ago. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Joseph Konig and Kevin Frey reports in New York State of Politics that Congress is expected on Dec. 1 to vote to expel Rep. George Santos, the lying Long Island Republican under indictment for fraud. Santos faces 23 federal charges including for wire fraud, identity theft, lying to federal election officials, money laundering and stealing thousands of dollars from donors. Previously, a vote to expel Santos failed, as most Republicans said they were waiting for an investigation report. Local Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican, and Democrats Paul Tonko and Pat Ryan voted to expel Santos then, while Republican Elise Stefanik did not. Stefanik, a senior member of House Republican leadership, said on Nov. 29 that she still had concerns “about not respecting due process and I share many of my colleagues' concerns about that. I've always said we should let this play out and there's prosecution that's currently happening." Even without Stefanik, there appear to be enough votes to make Santos the sixth House member in U.S. history to be removed from office. Currently, Republicans hold a five-seat majority in the House of Representatives, and if Santos is expelled Gov. Kathy Hochul will call a special election that a Democrat is likely to win. Santos says the vote for his removal comes after another special day for him, saying, "It's also my 2-year wedding anniversary on Thursday. So it's kind of not cool.... So you know, I'm gonna try to just stick to our dinner reservation.” Read more about this story in New York State of Politics.

Joseph Konig reports for New York State of Politics that the U.S. House of Representatives 311-to-114 on Dec. 1 to expel Rep. George Santos. The lying Long Island Congressperson is only the sixth House member to be removed in U.S. history. Local Republican Marc Molinaro, and Democrats Paul Tonko and Pat Ryan, voted to get rid of Santos, while Rep. Elise Stefanik voted to keep him in the House. In October Santos pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, lying to federal election officials, money laundering, and stealing thousands of dollars from his campaign donors. He's also been caught in hundreds of lies, some strange ones about how is mother died and what sports he played in college. Now there will be a special election in the Long Island and Queens district early next year, in a district that voted for President Joe Biden by 10 percentage points in 2020. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Today's audio daily news update.

Joseph Konig reports for New York State of Politics that the U.S. House of Representatives 311-to-114 on Dec. 1 to expel Rep. George Santos. The lying Long Island Congressperson is only the sixth House member to be removed in U.S. history. Local Republican Marc Molinaro, and Democrats Paul Tonko and Pat Ryan, voted to get rid of Santos, while Rep. Elise Stefanik voted to keep him in the House. In October Santos pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, lying to federal election officials, money laundering, and stealing thousands of dollars from his campaign donors. He's also been caught in hundreds of lies, some strange ones about how is mother died and what sports he played in college. Now there will be a special election in the Long Island and Queens district early next year, in a district that voted for President Joe Biden by 10 percentage points in 2020. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media that after a Columbia County Board of Elections manual recount, Democrat Sally Naramore was declared the winner of a seat on the Kinderhook Town Board on Nov. 30. Naramore beat Republican challenger George J. Graham by seven votes. Naramore becomes the first Democrat to elected to the Kinderhook Town Board in 16 years. In this fall's election, Democrats also won county-wide elections for judges and District Attorney, for the first time in many years. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Jammel Cutler reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Hudson Youth Clubhouse has found a place, at least temporarily, to move after being forced out of their lower Warren St. space when Columbia County purchased the building they were using. Columbia County Youth Bureau Executive Director Dan Grandinetti said, “It’s a win-win for all. It’s within walking distance from the old location. It’s a great program, I think. It has great value and will stay intact. We were given less than a month to come up with an answer, and I can honestly say with the holidays and the short time that we were given, collectively, the county officials and county board of supervisors did our due diligence so this program of great value can remain intact.” Grandinetti highlighted help from Hudson 5th Ward Supervisor Richard Scalera and the Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition for helping find the new space. The Youth Clubhouse provides after-school activities for the city's young people. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.