Steve Hughes reports in the Times Union that the Albany County Legislature voted 28-10 Nov. 8 to amend its Human Rights Law to prevent employment discrimination based on hairstyles. Wearing turbans or headwraps is now protected in Albany County. The change came after Democrat Norma Chapman said one of her constituents in the West Hill area of Albany told her that she was forced to remove her head wrap at work and was ridiculed for how her hair looked. “I had to bring it to the body because they were being discriminated against through their jobs,” Chapman said. Some Republicans were opposed to the change. “There is a state law that deals with this and I think that if this a problem, it should be amended at the state level,” Paul Burgdorf said. The legislature had headwear on its mind during the meeting, also approving a measure requiring helmets for residents who ride electric scooters or bicycles with a fine of up to $100. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Joseph Spector reports in the Poughkeepsie Journal that the Federal Trade Commission signed off on the merger of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets on Nov. 8. Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets first announced the planned merger in February 2021. Price Chopper/Market 32 is based in Schenectady and operates 130 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores, employing 18,000 people. Based in Williamsville, Tops Markets operates 162 grocery stores; they are the largest private, for-profit employer in western New York with more than 14,000 associates. In Greene County, Tops has stores in Greenville, Tannersville and Coxsackie. Price Chopper has a store in Catskill. The Federal Trade Commission and the state Attorney General's office are mandating that the company sell off 12 stores to ensure competition in those parts of New York. Read more about this story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

The Troy Record reports that Nov. 11, Veterans Day, is the latest free fishing day from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. “We thank all of New York’s veterans for their service to our county and hope that the upcoming free fishing day provides an opportunity to spend time with family and friends or even the chance to introduce someone new to the sport,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “This year, anglers can expect expanded fishing opportunities throughout the State thanks to our recently implemented Trout Stream Management Plan and take advantage of a catch-and-release trout season on inland trout streams.” The state’s new catch-and-release trout stream season opened on Oct. 16 and runs through March 31. During this season, anglers must use only artificial lures and immediately release trout they catch. Read more about this story in the Troy Record.

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Kate Lisa is reporting for Johnson Newspaper Corp six upstate correctional facilities will close next winter after union officials representing state corrections staff met with the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision leaders early November 8. The six prison facilities to permanently close in early 2022 include Downstate Correctional, in Fishkill, Dutchess County; Ogdensburg Correctional, in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County; Southport Correctional, Pine City, Chemung County; Rochester Correctional, Monroe County; Willard Drug Treatment Campus, Seneca County; and Moriah Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility, in Mineville, Essex County. DOCCS spokesperson Thomas Mailey said, “New York state continues to be at the forefront of some of the nation’s most progressive criminal justice reforms by spearheading smart and fair policies that have resulted in a drastic decline in the incarcerated population.” Mailey said DOCCS had carefully reviewed operations at 50 correctional facilities statewide for potential closure. The review was based on a variety of factors including, physical infrastructure, program offerings, facility security level, specialized medical and mental health services, the proximity of other facilities and more. “If people have been paying attention to the past decade of poor decisions made by our elected leaders in Albany, today’s news shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone,” New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association President Michael Powers said in a statement. “The state’s progressive policies are costly and need to be funded somehow. Sadly, it’s at the expense of the hard-working men and women of NYSCOPBA.” As of November 8, the total incarcerated population in state correctional facilities was 31,469, a reduction of more than 12,700 people since Jan. 1, 2020, and a 56 percent decline since 1999, Mailey said. DOCCS will offer impacted employees voluntary transfer or priority employment at other facilities and state agencies following the closure, and does not anticipate related layoffs, he said Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

The Ravena News-Herald is reporting New York Assemblymember Chris Tague is asking his constituents in the 102nd Assembly District to take a new survey issued by the New York State Public Service Commission to evaluate the availability, quality and pricing of broadband internet service statewide for households and businesses. Constituents are requested to complete both the internet speed test and the survey on the Public Service Commission’s website to help the PSC develop a detailed internet access map and produce a report of findings and recommendations. The commission’s report will be submitted to the governor as well as Senate and Assembly leaders in May 2022. Those officials will then be able to act upon its recommendations to improve internet service in underserved areas. Residents should go to empirestatebroadband [dot] com, take the speed test, followed by the survey. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete. Read the full story in The Ravena News-Herald.

The New York State Office for the Aging on Mon., Nov. 8, released a presentation recognizing 90 senior honorees statewide for their volunteer service in celebration of Older New Yorkers' Day. Four community volunteers from Columbia and Greene counties were recently honored by the NYSOFA . Barbara Caldara of Earlton, Pat Collins of Chatham, Duncan MacPherson of Freehold and Shirley McThenia of Stockport were nominated by their respective county Offices for the Aging for recognition. A registered nurse, Caldara stepped up to volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic. She created a spreadsheet of volunteers, assisted at weekly testing sites, and began contact tracing in Greene County. She spent days working in full PPE on the front lines to help public health staff. She has also recently been assisting with vaccine administration in multiple roles. Collins has been a regular volunteer for the Columbia County Office for the Aging's Meals on Wheels program since 1997, delivering meals in the Chatham area. A cancer survivor, she is also a volunteer with the American Cancer Society and has also helped patients with transportation to medical and treatment appointments. MacPherson helped his recently widowed neighbor with her daily routines, including housekeeping when she experienced health issues. He continues to help as a community volunteer while also continuing as a caregiver. In her 30-plus years of volunteerism, McThenia has been an active member of the Columbia Memorial Hospital Auxiliary since 1989, serving in all capacities, including a six-year period as president. She currently oversees the hospital’s patient/registration desk and schedules the volunteers who manage it. She also volunteers her time at "The Second Show," the Warren Street thrift store operated by the hospital auxiliary, is an active member of the Stockport Fire Department, and a key fundraiser for the Stockport Youth Program. Statewide, more than 935,000 people age 55 or older contribute roughly 495 million hours of service to their communities annually. This translates into a yearly economic output of $13.8 billion. Read more at aging [dot] ny [dot] gov.

Abigail Rubel reports in the Times Union that the state Gaming Commission announced Nov. 8 that it awarded mobile sports betting licenses to Bally Bet, Bet MGM, DraftKings Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, PointsBet, Resorts World, Rush Street Interactive, Wynn Interactive, and FanDuel Sportsbook. The announcement came earlier than the Dec. 6 deadline, as officials hope to have legal sports betting up and running in New York in time for the Super Bowl. It will take 90-120 days between the awarding of the licenses and the beginning of betting here, as state officials also issue ancillary licenses to vendors who provide geolocation services to make sure that bets are placed in New York, and as the betting apps are tested. New York is taxing 51 percent of the revenue from the vendors. Currently, sports betting is allowed at casinos in New York, and legislators approved legalized mobile sports betting in April as part of the state budget. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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Columbia County's Director of Public Health Jack Mabb said there will be COVID-19 vaccinations for younger children in local schools beginning next week, in an interview on WGXC Nov. 8. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a smaller dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages five through 15 years. On Nov. 15, the Columbia County Department of Health holds a vaccine clinic in the Hudson schools from 4 to 7 p.m., and one at Taconic Hills from 3 to 6 p.m. On Nov. 16 there will be vaccine clinics from 4 to 7 p.m. at schools in Germantown and New Lebanon. And on Nov. 17, the Chatham fire house will give out vaccines from 3-6 p.m. for students from the Chatham and Ichabod Crane schools, as well as the public. Mabb said the sign-ups for the vaccines for children are available through the schools. Click here to play a short excerpt of Mabb explaining how to get children an appointment for a vaccine dose.

Brendan J. Lyons and Rebekah F. Ward report in the Times Union that the State Police are investigating allegations of widespread absentee-ballot fraud in Rensselaer County in this fall's elections. Several election contests in the city of Rensselaer remain undecided could be affected by the investigation. There were a high number of absentee ballots issued to political operatives and campaign volunteers on behalf of voters who authorized the individuals to handle their ballot in the county, and operatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties are pointing fingers. In the city of Rensselaer, Republican incumbent Mayor Michael E. Stammel and Democratic challenger, former Mayor Richard J. Mooney, are separated by a handful of votes, so the outcome hinges on the absentee votes. A criminal complaint filed by Todd Rutecki, a campaign volunteer for the Democrat Mooney has sparked the investigation. Shawn Redden, a local mason, claims he never authorized anyone to apply for an absentee ballot on his behalf. But public records show an absentee ballot application allegedly signed by Redden was time-stamped at the county Board of Elections on Oct. 21. That application gave Teresa Merriman authorization to pick up a blank ballot for Redden. She is a clerk on the county legislative staff where Stammel, the Republican candidate, also serves as chairman of the Legislature. Merriman was registered to pick up 45 ballots on behalf of Rensselaer voters under name variations including "Teresa Merriman," "Terri Merriman" and "Terri Mahar." Merriman did not say exactly why she used so many different names on the applications. "I am a lifelong resident of Rensselaer and some residents know me by my married name of Merriman and some know me by my maiden name of Mahar," she said in a statement. "I have worked on campaigns for two decades and have always conducted myself honestly and ethically." Ed McDonough, the Democratic elections commissioner in Rensselaer County, said about 66 absentee ballots were handled on behalf of about 90 residents of an elderly care residence in north Troy, but he claims some of those residents felt pressured to sign the absentee ballot applications. "We started getting phone calls from people, more so friends of residents, who were reaching out on their behalf because the residents were feeling intimidated by (the candidate) to actually get the ballot and give it to (the person)," McDonough said. "I reached out to the state Board of Elections and I said I had spoken to three different people; however, of the three people, none of them were willing to file a complaint." Rich Crist, a Republican political operative in Rensselaer County, said the Republican Party focused on getting as many absentee ballots as possible. "This is part of our overall campaign effort, where our candidates knocked on thousands of doors, made many calls and-or sent messages to reach out to voters, and made a significant effort to get voters to the polls or have their votes registered, recognizing the pandemic might cause some to be hesitant and that rules and laws had been changed to accommodate those concerns," Crist said. Republicans are also questioning an absentee ballot submitted by Mooney's brother, John on behalf of a 46-year-old Rensselaer man who has been hospitalized for COVID-19 and was on a ventilator when he would have signed the application on Oct. 25. Beau Duffy, a spokesperson for the State Police, on Nov. 5 confirmed that their agency is "investigating a ballot fraud complaint involving the election in the city of Rensselaer. (I) can't go into further detail since the investigation is open." Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Times Union that the criminal complaint filed in Albany County against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo includes a transcript with a misstatement by the alleged victim, Brittany Commisso. The Albany County Sheriff's Office filed the criminal complaint against Cuomo two weeks ago, even though the Albany County District Attorney was unaware that would happen. Albany County District Attorney David Soares says that his office was still "in the middle" of investigating allegations of sexual harassment against Gov. Andrew Cuomo when Sheriff Craig Apple announced a criminal complaint. Soares office now says that criminal complaint is "potentially defective" and that he has turned over potentially "exculpatory" evidence to Cuomo's defense counsel. But Apple's criminal complaint, "includes an excerpt from his alleged victim's sworn statement to investigators with the state attorney general's office in which she misstated the sequence of events that she said unfolded in the governor's private office last December," according to the Times Union. The criminal complaint does not include her corrected statement in that same interview. Commisso alleges that Cuomo reached under her blouse, touching one of her breasts over her bra last year in the governor's mansion. Cuomo is now scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 6, after Soares successfully asked for a delay last week. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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Kate Lisa reports for Johnson Newspaper Corp. that Gov. Kathy. Hochul signed a bill Nov. 3 prohibiting double bunking in New York's 50 correctional facilities. “Double-bunking is an outdated and dangerous practice that has absolutely no place in our current prison system,” Assemblyperson D. Billy Jones said Nov. 4 in a statement. “For 20 years, I worked as a corrections officer and experienced firsthand the stress and painstaking hard work this job entails.” Jones also thinks the new law will keep correctional officers safer, while the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents the state’s 18,000 corrections officers, is more interested in the jobs they believe the law will save. “We’re hoping a well spaced-out inmate population will be a much safer model and safer working conditions where I don’t think you’d have to close any facility,” NYSCOPBA President Michael B. Powers said Nov. 4. “We deem this as quite a victory, and we’re hopeful, quite frankly.” Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and now current Gov. Hochul, have planned to close some of the state's prisons this year. The 2021-22 state budget permits the governor to permanently close facilities with a 90-day notice through the end of March 2022, so Hochul faces a Dec. 31 deadline to announce closures. Read more about this story in the Livingston County News.

Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the town and village of Chatham are each weighing the possibility of opting out of cannabis sales, at least for the time being. The village will hold a public hearing November 8, to discuss the village opting out of a retail dispensary and on-site consumption of cannabis to give the village board time to review the question. The town will hold a public hearing Nov. 18 to discuss passing a local law for the town to opt out of allowing on-site cannabis consumption sites, only. “By us opting out — our early call if you will — the board desires to spend a little more time researching what might be a good fit for the village,” village Mayor John Howe said. “And it gives us the option to opt back in which we may very well do early next year.” Under state law if a municipality does not opt out of the law by the end of this year, it is automatically opted in, and does not have the opportunity to opt out after, Howe said. If officials are told at the hearing that residents want the village to go in a different direction, the mayor said, the board will take that under advisement. “I don’t think anybody from the board at this point is opposed to recreational marijuana the way it’s written,” Howe said. The town of Chatham is also in the process of considering legislation related to cannabis sales. Unlike the village, the town is considering opting out of allowing the consumption sites but not the retail dispensaries. “I personally would allow consumption sites, I don’t think it’s any different than a tasting room at a distillery,” Chatham Town Supervisor Donal Collins said at the town board meeting last week. The town sent a draft copy of its proposed local law to the Columbia County Planning Board for review. “What we did, we would allow the dispensaries and I imagine we’ll look to our zoning law for now to address that,” Collins said. New York enacted the state cannabis law in March 2021. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Michelle Del Rey in the Times Union counts where in the Capitol Region money from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress this week will go. Columbia County's airport, for instance, will get just under $1.5 million, while the Albany International Airport gets just under $30 million. Some of the $65 million to expand broadband internet access will go to rural New York communities. New York will get $688 million to replace upstate Amtrak railcars. “The bipartisan infrastructure is a record deal and a once-in-a-generation investment in New York infrastructure,” Schumer said in a press release. “A building and jobs boon for construction projects from Westchester to Watertown, and everywhere in between is now brewing.” Local Democratic Representatives Antonio Delgado, Paul Tonko, and Sean Maloney all voted for the infrastructure bill, while Republican Elise Stefanik voted against the spending, saying it prioritized “large Democrat cities over rural America as part of Democrats’ radical agenda to impose the largest tax increase in our nation’s history.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media an incident at Ravena's Mosher Park, described as a melee by Coeymans Police Chief Douglas Keyer, has put the spotlight on safety in that park. Keyer told the Coeymans Town Board at its Oct. 28 meeting that a fight at the park had erupted on October 14. “Several teenagers got engaged in a physical altercation, which led to Albany County Dispatch being called,” Keyer told the board. “Our car responded, sheriff’s department deputies responded.” The dispute took place during a Pop Warner football practice, Keyer said. “An adult male was struck. No charges were requested,” he said. “One young female unfortunately was the victim of physical contact. Again, no charges were wanted to be levied.” There was criticism from some in the community about the response time from patrols, Keyer said. The Coeymans PD and the sheriff’s department contacted those people to address their concerns, he said. Deputy Mayor Nancy Warner was disappointed that no one stepped in to defuse the situation the day of the fight. “... If you see something, say something or do something," Warner said. Town Supervisor George McHugh asked about safety at the park. “Is the sentiment that Mosher Park is a dangerous area?” McHugh asked. Keyer was careful to point out that the incident on October 14 was an anomaly. Keyer did urge city officials to improve lighting at the park. “We found that the issues are typically happening where there is no light, so I think that improving the lighting over there and keeping it on all night will improve things,” the chief said. Read the full story in The Ravena News-Herald.

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