Nick Reisman reports at New York State of Politics that 25 percent of newspapers in the country closed in the last 15 years. Democrat State Senator Rachel May is proposing a bill to help readers see more local news in New York through grants and partnerships with the state's public colleges and universities. “The decline of local news sources has left our residents and communities without access to critical information,” May said. “Local news has always been the tether that keeps people engaged, informed, and connected to where they live and those around them. Whether it’s the local Little League’s scores, the conversation at this week’s Town Board meeting, or the location of the next local vaccine clinic, this information is vital to a thriving community. This legislation will help begin to rebuild trusted local news sources across the state so that we may all be better informed on what is taking place in our towns and neighborhoods.” Locally, the radio stations owned by iHeartRadio dropped news coverage recently, and the Watershed Post's online reporting ended. The Register Star, Daily Mail, and Daily Freeman have all cut back coverage too. In the past year, though, the Times Union has expanded Hudson Valley coverage, and the Porcupine Soup online newspaper started in Greenville. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced Nov. 18 that all residents 18 and older are in the state are now eligible to get a COVID-19 booster shot. The booster shots are only available six months after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two months after receiving a Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine. In Massachusetts, more than 70 percent of residents are fully vaccinated. Currently in New York, anyone aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions or who are "18-64 years who believe they are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting," may receive the booster shot. In New York, currently 67.7 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated. Read more about this story in The Berkshire Eagle.

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

Today's daily headlines.

COVID-19 is roaring back locally, with Columbia County schools reporting COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled since Oct. 1. The number of active coronavirus cases in Ulster County jumped 118 percent since Nov. 4 and in Dutchess County, case counts are up 62 percent since Nov. 1. Now Sam Raudins reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Public Works Department in Hudson canceled the Nov. 18 collection because of coronavirus. A staffing shortage because six of 16 department employees tested positive for the coronavirus Nov. 15 means no recycling pickup in Hudson until the day after Thanksgiving. “Recycling doesn’t go bad,” Superintendent of Public Works Rob Perry said. “If they hold onto it for a week, it’s not a public health issue.” Perry has not said yet if garbage collection will be disrupted next week. “I’m cautious about garbage pick-up Monday and Tuesday,” Perry said. While there are fewer employees available because of COVID, there has been more recycling in Hudson since the pandemic began. The city used to collect between six and seven tons of recycling per week, but now it us up to 11 to 12 tons since March 2020. Perry guesses that is because of new residents, and many more delivery packages. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Cloey Callahan reports in the Times Union that the town of Red Hook in Dutchess County is the latest local municipality to regulate short-term rentals that are partially to blame for skyrocketing local rents and housing prices. For years, local officials say the Hudson Valley needs more hotel rooms for visitors. That's led to more homeowners converting spaces to short-term rentals, which leads to fewer spaces for people to live full-time. Plus, some counties such as Greene, have lost buildings in the past ten years. And while the housing supply gets smaller, the demand has increased, with more people moving into the area looking for a place to live. Towns and villages could build affordable housing to help, but few are, so regulating short-term rentals has happened in Hudson, the village of Catskill, Woodstock, and other towns and villages. The proposed Red Hook law would require short-term rentals to register with the town for a permit to operate. While Woodstock capped the number of similar permits, Red Hook's proposal would not. But they are limiting permits to homeowners who use their home as their primary residence. And they are limiting the permits to four bedrooms in residential districts, and eight bedrooms in rural districts. Robert McKeon, Red Hook’s Town Supervisor, explained that the town is less concerned with skyrocketing rents, and more interested in stopping nuisance short-term rentals. “We want to be mindful of the fact that if there is someone operating a short-term rental on the block, that we have the obligation to ensure for the other houses, there is not a negative impact on them,” said McKeon. Red Hook will hold a public hearing at 7:35 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Town Hall on the short-term rental proposal. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

The Daily Freeman reports that with unemployment figures low, inflation is the leading economic complaint of politicians these days. On Nov. 14, New York Senator Chuck Schumer urged the Biden administration to employ the emergency petroleum reserves to to lower gas prices. "We're here today because we need immediate relief at the gas pump and the place to look is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve," Schumer said. On Nov. 17, Rep. Antonio Delgado echoed Schumer's ask. “These price spikes are particularly harmful for working people and our small businesses, who are less able to absorb higher energy costs,” Delgado wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden. "I urge you to release inventory from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help immediately stabilize gas prices and help those Americans in places like upstate New York who depend on heating oil, natural gas and propane to heat their homes in the winter.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Bill Conners reports in the Poughkeepsie Journal about the new rules for deer and bear hunting, as the season opens Nov. 20. First, the opening is different, now one-half hour before sunrise, which will be roughly 6:53 a.m. locally. There are also new safety rules requiring hunters to wear fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink. They include:
• A minimum of 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material worn above the waist and visible from all directions; or
• A minimum of 250 square inches of patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink consisting of no less than 50 percent fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink worn above the waist and visible from all directions; or
• A hat or cap with no less than 50 percent of the exterior consisting of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material and visible from all directions.
Last hunting season there were 22 firearms incidents, three of which were fatal, and one human death involving a treestand. Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

William J. Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman that Rhinebeck village residents voted Nov. 16 to block cannabis sales and bars. New York legalized cannabis in April, but municipalities have until Dec. 31 to block sales and/or bars where consumption is allowed. Rhinebeck residents voted 185-115 against sales, and 235-63 against consumption sites. The Rhinebeck Town Board in September voted 4-1 against cannabis sales, so there won't be any cannabis stores in the Dutchess County town any time soon. Towns can later allow sales, but they must block them by Dec. 31, or they are allowed. State regulators are still working out cannabis rules, and no store is expected to open in the state until at least next year. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Shana Liebman reports in the Times Union that chef Hannah Wong has moved from New York City to Kinderhook, and opened a building with two restaurants, a bar, and a general store. Wong has turned the Kinderhook Knitting Mill, a 19th century knitting factory, into a food spot. Morningbird began serving lunch last week in the building, and is a a daytime coffee, tea, and lunch spot. Next year a cocktail lounge called The Nest and a new Indo-Dutch restaurant, the Aviary are scheduled to open. In December OK Pantry, a general store and soda fountain, and the Kinderhook Bottle Shop will open at 4 Hudson Street in the Columbia County town. “I had never thought about living upstate before,” said Wong, who grew up in New Jersey. “It just so happened that this was a good time in my life to make a move. I just packed my bags and moved up in the summer.” She says more New York City chefs may be on the way. “Definitely a few chefs I know are starting to spend more time upstate,” she said. “And that’s pretty exciting.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union that singer Mariah Carey's estranged sister Alison Carey, 60, is living in Greene County and struggling to survive. Her $794 a month in Supplemental Security Income was recently reduced to $30, she says because of an error. The Social Security Administration believed Carey was in a "medical facility" from April through July, when her friend and advocate David Baker said she was only there a month. "I don't know how he's been doing it ... he's been doing everything he can to help me, I really appreciate that," Carey said about Baker. Carey says she has struggled with homelessness and has a brain injury from a home-invasion robbery. Baker says they have appealed to the Social Security Administration, and tried to get help from Sen. Chuck Schumer's office. Carey is estranged from her very famous sister, apparently over childhood issues. In a 2020 autobiography, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey," the singer alleged Alison "drugged" a 12-year-old Mariah with Valium and offered her cocaine and that the 20-year-old Alison gave Mariah third-degree burns and attempted to recruit her as a sex worker. Then Alison filed a summons in Manhattan Supreme Court this February stating her intent to sue Mariah for $1.25 million for defaming her in the book. That summons said the "outrageous claims" in the book were made "knowing that [Alison] is profoundly and permanently damaged as a result of being forced by [Carey's mother], while a pre-teen, to attend terrifying middle-of-the-night satanic worship meetings that included ritual sacrifices and sexual activity." So far, Alison Carey has not filed an official complaint, so no court date is pending. a href="https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/mariah-carey-sister-social-security-16621856.php">Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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

Today's daily headlines.

It is November, and just like last year, coronavirus cases are roaring back in time for the holidays. The Daily Freeman reported Nov. 15 that the number of active coronavirus cases in Ulster County jumped 118 percent since Nov. 4. In Dutchess County, case counts are up 62 percent since Nov. 1. Sam Raudins reports for Columbia-Greene Media that in Columbia County schools, COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled since Oct. 1. In Chatham schools there have been 29 cases since the school year began, in a district with about 950 students. “The district will communicate directly with families affected by confirmed COVID-19 cases, such as close contacts to positive cases, but we will not email the entire school following each individual case,” according to a district statement on its website. “We continue to work closely with the Columbia County Department of Health and follow their guidance each time there is a positive case reported to us.” Ichabod Crane Central Schools report 106 cases this school year as of Nov. 15. “Ichabod got hit pretty hard,” Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said after the school year began. “That’s a lot for that size school district. I think that there is still that concept out there that some people just really do spread it more quickly and more readily than others.” Greene County, meanwhile, announced 21 more cases Nov. 16. No local official in any county has taken any action, or changed any COVID-19 policy to slow the spread of the disease in many months.

Brendan J. Lyons is reporting for the Times Union the state inspector general's office is investigating allegations of widespread cheating in the state's driver permit program, involving a scheme to illegally obtain driving credentials for undocumented people. It is further alleged that those involved may have used the licenses to establish residency and receive unemployment benefits under the state's newly established Excluded Worker Fund. Investigators from the inspector general's office visited the Albany office of the state Department of Motor Vehicles in October and interviewed employees about suspected rampant cheating that took place in a licensing program enacted during the coronavirus pandemic that allowed people to take the driver's permit test online. The investigators told DMV workers they suspected people had been paying $3,000 or more to have someone take the online driver's permit tests for them, and were also using fraudulent residency documents and fake mailing addresses. A spokesperson for the inspector general's office this week confirmed the office "has an ongoing investigation into possible misuse of the DMV's driver's permits program," but declined further comment. In early October, advocates complained that too many New Yorkers were being frozen out of the program. It is unclear when the suspected fraud was detected, or whether the Department of Labor is involved in the inspector general's investigation. The agency did not respond to questions about the matter. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who was a leading sponsor for the creation of the Excluded Workers Fund, could not immediately be reached for comment. At the time the legislation passed in April, Ramos had said it would benefit about 500,000 workers who had been ineligible for unemployment assistance. Read the full story in the Times Union.

William J. Kemble is reporting for the Daily Freeman the Saugerties Village Board has approved the bonding of $571,000 to cover the cost of dredging the Blue Mountain Reservoir. The bonding, approved November 15, will have a five-year payback period. Village Water Superintendent Mike Hopf said the dredging is expected to remove approximately 18,000 cubic yards of silt and add 4 to 6 feet of depth to the reservoir. The project is scheduled to begin before the summer of 2022 and should be completed by October. Hopf said the work will go out to bid in the next month or two. The reservoir draws its water from the Plattekill Creek and has a capacity of 12 million gallons. It has not been dredged since 2008. Hopf said, “silt and debris [are] starting to affect the intake area,” and that during the last heavy storm, "...the intake became impacted with leaves and debris," which can have an impact on the quality of the water. The village of Saugerties water system has 4,200 connections in the village and 5,500 in the town. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Sara Rizzo is reporting for news10 [dot] com an elderly man was rescued from his Hudson residence on November 15 after the city police received a call from the US Postal Service. A postal carrier was concerned that a man on his route had not picked up his mail in more than three days. When officers arrived at the residence, they knocked on all the windows and doors and got no response. The officers spoke with neighbors and learned that no one had seen the man for days. Police officers entered the house through a window and found the man lying next to the front door on the living room floor. The man was conscious but needed immediate medical attention. Police said it appeared the man was on the floor for a long time before being found. Police identified the man as 79-year-old Paul Schuman. He was transported to Albany Medical Center for emergency medical treatment. Adult Protective Services and Hudson Code Enforcement are working with police to contact Schuman’s family members. Those who might have information about Schuman's next of kin, are asked to contact the Hudson Police Department at (518) 828-3388. Read the full story at news10 [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Times Union that an anonymous 32-year-old Rensselaer man claims someone forged their signatures on the voting documents, and that the absentee ballots applied for on behalf of him and his wife were fraudulent as he has never voted in an election or applied to vote by absentee ballot. The man claims he has never met Rich Crist, the Republican operative listed on the absentee applications as the person authorized to pick up the couple's ballots from the board of elections. Crist is the county's operations director, and works closely with Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin. The two ballots are currently part of 120 ballots in a court battle over an election where the Republican is leading the Democrat by just 11 votes. Incumbent Rensselaer Mayor Michael E. Stammel leads Democratic challenger Richard J. Mooney by 11 votes so far in the contested election. Crist refused to directly address the man's allegations. "This is an issue we look forward to having resolved as the review of ballots for the Rensselaer city elections continue," he said in a statement. The anonymous man said that he told state police investigating the issue that his wife's first name was misspelled on one of the election documents. The man also claims that the Republican mayor called hims Nov. 14. "I told him me and my wife would not be talking about this matter, and his exact words were (that) it would be in my best interest just to say that this vote was mine and just that nothing was done wrong," the man said. "To tell you the truth, me and my wife know nothing about this — we don’t know why ballots were applied for in our name; we didn’t take part in the election. ... It’s now affecting our lives. We want nothing to do with it. We didn’t vote. We don’t vote. I don’t like either of the candidates." Stammel said he did call the man, but claims he made no threat. "I said nothing about his best interest," Stammel said. "It might have been I said if you did vote for me and you want your ballot counted, it would probably be best to sign this affidavit when the guys contact you." Rea more about this story in the Times Union.

Bill Mahoney reports in Politico that New York state's Joint Commission on Public Ethics on Nov. 16 revoked the approval for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to publish his 2020 memoir a year after the book was published. Now Cuomo must reapply for authorization and, if denied, the board could take the $5.1 million Cuomo was paid for being the author of “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic.” "These JCOPE members are acting outside the scope of their authority and are carrying the water of the politicians who appointed them,” Cuomo flack Rich Azzopardi said. “It is the height of hypocrisy for [Gov. Kathy] Hochul and the legislature's appointees to take this position, given that these elected officials routinely use their own staff for political and personal assistance on their own time.” Cuomo resigned this summer after being accused of sexually harassing 11 women. But revoking the book approval comes after evidence emerged that state workers helped Cuomo with the book on state time. Cuomo insists they were volunteering. Read more about this story in Politico.