Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the final environmental and financing details are being worked out and construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2022 on the Flint Mine Solar project in Coxsackie. “It has been approved by the state and it is now a matter of getting the details straightened out,” Town Supervisor Rick Hanse said. “It is in their ballpark.” The solar farm will be a 100-megawatt photovoltaic facility built by affiliates of Hudson Energy Development and Amber Infrastructure at the southern end of Coxsackie and the northern section of of Athens. The facility will generate approximately 175,000 megawatt hours of renewable solar energy, which will be converted into direct current electricity and delivered to the state electrical grid. The project was approved in August by the state Board of Electric Generation and the Environment, or the Siting Board. Patrick Doyle of Flint Mine Solar last week updated the Coxsackie Town Board about the project. He said the company is working on a net conservation benefit plan. A portion of the land where Flint Mine Solar will be sited is considered important habitat for raptors, so the company will set aside land for that purpose. “We are making a 300-acre raptor habitat, and we have to come up with a plan for how we are going to manage that,” Doyle said. With project details still being finalized, construction is not expected to start for at least another eight months. Doyle said, "“We got our approval, but we have to get our financing in place, we have to finalize our design, purchase the land and receive our final go-ahead from the Siting Board after we have met the conditions they set.” The project has been in process for nearly five years and the state’s Article 10 review process was launched in 2017. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Raymond Pignone is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media on the two candidates running for Cairo Town Supervisor, Democrat Ted Banta, and Republican and Conservative candidate Jason Watts. Banta, 50, has lived in Greene County for 19 years. He is a graduate of Fordham University and employed as a real estate broker. He previously served as Cairo Town Supervisor from 2012 to 2015. Banta defines economic development as the greatest issue facing Cairo. "Our community needs economic development, Main Street revitalization, improved infrastructure, beautiful parks and natural resources, fiscal responsibility and transparent and effective government. ....[E]conomic development, improved infrastructure and Main Street revitalization. These issues are interdependent," he said. Banta offers up an exhaustive list of accomplishments during his previous time as town supervisor, including the Sewer Capital Fund Project, the acquisition of a $3.5 million EFC zero percent water improvement loan, the development of plans for Main Street sidewalks, plus a $75,000 grant from the DEC Smart Growth program. Watts has lived in the county for more than 30 years. He has served on the Cairo Town Board since 2018. He is employed by his family's business, Watts Oil. Watts said as a member of town government for four years, he stands firm against the overreach of government. "I have the experience and ability to work with all Cairo residents no matter what their party affiliation is. I want to expand Cairo’s tax base and make town government more business-friendly. I want to encourage development and seek out new businesses. ...I will put my experience as a successful businessman to work for the town and develop ideas to spur growth in Cairo<" Watts said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

William J. Kenble reports in the Daily Freeman that newcomers to this area are often blamed for almost any problem here. The latest: Saugerties village officials claim drivers are going too fast on a one-way street used as a shortcut. “With the increase of out-of-state cars, the village is saturated every day,” Russell Street resident Luis Guillen said Oct. 18 at a village board meeting. “Cars fly down the road trying to avoid the traffic lights. Traffic has definitely increased, and there are no posted speed limits on any of the side roads.” The one-block street runs east from Partition Street to Washington Avenue and is used as a shortcut from northbound Partition Street to Main Street to avoid a traffic light. Town officials apparently believed this citizen's account and started discussing solutions. Speed bumps? “There is a liability that goes with them,” Saugerties village Mayor Bill Murphy said. “That’s why the state recommends against them. They can cause accidents, can cause damage to cars.” How about one of those signs that tell drivers whether their speedometers work? “Enforcement is key,” Murphy said. “Once a week, they can do a little radar check there and people are aware of it and it makes them slow down for a while. [And] I have no problem stenciling ‘Slow’ in the road.” What about lowering the speed limit? “If we’re going to change it to 25 [miles per hour] on Russell, we’d better change it for the others as well,” Village Board member Jeannine Mayer said. How about a sign? “We can post speed limit signs [that drivers can see] as they come around the corner,” board member Terry Parisian said. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Today's daily news update.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union that the Columbia County Health Department issued an overdose alert Oct. 18 after the county saw a "significant increase in overdoses" over the previous 24 hours. Greener Pathways can be reached at (518) 822-7437 for anyone needing Narcan, a drug that reverses overdoses. The health department also has Fentanyl testing strips available, to test drugs. Anyone who witnesses an overdose should call 911 immediately, without fear of arrest because of the the Good Samaritan law. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media about the competition for the Greene County Legislator seat in Greenville between Greg Davis and Randall Schmollinger. Davis is the incumbent, and running on the Republican and Conservative lines. He is a farrier who previously served on the Greenville Town Board. He says taxes, COVID-19, solid waste and recycling, broadband, housing, business attraction, and job growth are his main campaign themes. "Most of these issues have no easy answers. I have proven that I am willing to spend time getting the facts, doing the research and working with state, county and town leaders to solve issues," Davis said. "As a Greene County legislator, I have been part of a team that has worked hard to move our county forward while not increasing the tax burden. The Greene County Legislature has just announced another zero percent tax increase for 2022." Schmollinger is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines. He is a software engineer/tutor who has lived in the area 21 years. "There is a health care crisis in Greene County. There is no other way to say it, and our elderly residents are the most severely affected. There is no county coordination for EMS services, no real county health department, and logistical issues plaguing all levels of emergency services," Schmollinger says. "I am going to listen to the problems and the issues of my constituency. I love problem-solving, and the only way to effectively solve problems in my community is to listen to the problems of my community. Second, I am going to do my homework. Knowing the problem is only half the battle; we have to know what the solutions are." Voting begins Oct. 23 and ends Nov. 2 this year. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

The Daily Freeman reports that the Ulster County-based newspaper turned 150 years old. The newspaper published its first edition on Oct. 18, 1871 in Kingston, the city where it is still based today. Kingston Mayor Steve Noble declared Oct. 18 this year "Daily Freeman Day" in the city. The paper has seen many other local journalism ventures close in its 150 years, with less coverage of the area. The Daily Freeman itself used to cover several Greene County towns including Catskill and Cairo, but has reduced that service in recent years. In the past year the Albany's Times Union has expanded its Hudson Valley coverage, competing directly with the Daily Freeman. And the new Porcupine Soup started in Greenville, covering parts of Greene County that the Daily Freeman abandoned. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Today's daily headlines.

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

Sam Raudins is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Jeffrey S. Baker has submitted his letter of resignation as assistant city attorney to Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson, city officials confirmed on October 18. The resignation was made effective sometime in early November, according to Johnson's office. Baker has served in the administration since December 2019 when he was appointed assistant corporation attorney for the Common Council and the city planning board. "We thank him for his service to Hudson, and wish him well,” Mayor's Aide Michael Hofmann said in a statement. Baker did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The reason for his resignation was unclear. Common Council President Tom DePietro said he did not know why Baker resigned. Baker, now a sole practitioner, focuses on environmental law and land use policy. He served as counsel to Friends of Hudson during the St. Lawrence Cement fight in the early 2000s, and advised the city planning board and Zoning Board of Appeals from 2006-07. Baker retired from Young/Sommer LLC in 2019. He has advised the Common Council on various matters including the city’s “Good Cause” eviction legislation, reducing the city speed limit, expanding the use of previously used commercial buildings in the R4 district for eating and drinking establishments, among others. Note: Johnson and DePietro are WGXC volunteer programmers. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Raymond Pignone is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media on the Athens candidates in the November general election. Two men are vying for the town supervisor position: Democrat Michael N. Pirrone and Republican Michael J. Ragaini. Pirrone, 73, is a retired business and financial professional with experience in the private, public, governmental and nonprofit sectors. He has never served in elective office before. Pirrone says the most significant issue facing the town is "the amenable negotiation of a full tax value for the Athens Generating facility." If elected, he would seek to "reasonably negotiate with Athens Gen to establish their tax value." He said to establish the full tax value of the facility is the proper course of action to solidify the town's revenue base. Pirrone believes he would be a good supervisor because he fully understands the importance of a hard-working staff, making improvements to town infrastructure, maintaining lines of communication and improving efficiency. He looks forward to getting Athens Gen on the tax rolls at full value, and maintaining the town of Athens offices within the village, if elected. Ragaini was the town's code enforcement officer for18 years, and he is currently a member of the Athens Town Board. He has been a member of the West Athens-Limestreet Fire Company for 50 years and during that time he served as fire commissioner for 40 years. Ragaini worked in conjunction with the Athens Village Board to acquire fire hydrants for the fire district, and designed and built the bandstand in the village park. He said, if elected, his goal would be "to ensure we have an affordable and safe place to live, work and enjoy." Four people are looking to fill two open seats on the town board: Republicans Mary Brandow and Tony Paluch; and, Democrats Phyllis Dinkelacker and Cari Gardner. Incumbent Brandow is seeking her third term. Among her accomplishments: the hiring of a new town attorney, and a new CPA firm that is working with a new bookkeeper to bring a revitalized sense of financial integrity to the town's books and records, according to Brandow. The board also hired a new town assessor and an assessor’s clerk; she is also proud of the current effort to examine the benefits of systemic evaluation as opposed to a full revaluation. If re-elected, Brandow would "remain open to any measures that improves communication and increases the economy and efficiency in all departments." Dinkelacker, 62, has lived in Greene County for 28 years. She is employed by Central Office, Payroll for the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and she was an elected member of the Athens Town Board from 2010 to 2013. Dinkelacker said she would like to see the town do more with less. "I’d like to look into shared services. Not only between the town and village, but other towns, counties and state." Gardner, 76, has lived in the county for four years. She is a retired speech teacher, advertising executive, business manager and yoga teacher. "My sense is that many in the town of Athens feel disenfranchised. There needs to be a real effort at making this town much more responsive and transparent," she said. If elected, Gardner would help to establish meaningful legislation to improve land use while protecting trees, wetlands and wildlife. There’s a lot of room for growth in Athens. Athens is blessed with a bounty of farmland that has been nurtured by families for generations. As a community we need to balance that resource while seeking sustainable measures to deal with future climate issues, Gardner said. Paluch owns a small farm in Athens, and is retired from the railroad after 34 years as a welder He has been a resident of Greene County for most of his life. Paluch is an active member of several boards in Athens and Greene County. He formerly served for eight years on the Athens Planning Board. Paluch continues to represent the town of Athens as a member of the Greene County Planning Board. He is also an active member of the West Athens-Limestreet Fire Company and is a long-term fire commissioner of the West Athens-Limestreet Fire District. Read both stories at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Jon Campbell reports in the Democrat and Chronicle that while it seems like everyone is at least testing the idea of running for governor of New York next year, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is not part of that crowd. Asked Oct. 14 if she has intentions to mount a campaign, she said, "I do not... And I'm very grateful to serve the state of New York as their senator." Current Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she will try to retain the seat, but since she's never been tested at the top of the ticket, other Democrats, such as Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, have been traveling more and discussing the possibility of running against her. So far, Hochul is winning endorsements, including an Oct. 14 nod from the Democratic chair of Albany County. And there are all sorts of Republicans running campaigns including Rep. Lee Zeldin, Andrew Giuliani, Rob Astorino, Derrick Gibson and Mike Carpinelli. Gillibrand doesn't want to join that crowd. "I feel the issues we are debating in Washington are urgent and important, and I feel that I have the best ability to work on those issues and to serve the state in that way," she said. Read more about this story in the Democrat and Chronicle.

Today's daily news update.

Kenneth C. Crowe II reports in the Times Union that two more residential wells in Poestenkill tested positive for PFOA contamination, Rensselaer County officials said Oct. 15. Now at least four homes near the Algonquin Middle School report drinking water that exceeds the state level of 10 parts per trillion for PFOA this summer. PFOA is a toxic, cancer-causing so-called "forever" chemical which can run into drinking water from industrial uses and PFOS has been used in stain-resistant fabrics, fire-fighting foams, food packaging, and other processes. “We received results for the second round of testing yesterday afternoon and providing this information as soon as possible for residents. We continue to test wells in the town and continue to seek the source of this contamination,” County Public Health Director Mary Fran Wachunas said Oct. 15. There have been other recent local PFOA contamination reported in the drinking water in Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh in Rensselaer County, Cairo in Greene County, and the city of Newburgh. So far in Poestenkill, four of 17 wells tested have found contamination, and a third round of testing is now underway. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Emilia Teasdale reports in the Columbia Paper about Mallory Mort and Craig Simmons, the candidates running for supervisor in Ghent beginning Oct. 23 and ending Nov. 2. Mort, 64, he has been endorsed by the Democratic, Working Families, and Ghent United parties, and is currently in his second term on the Ghent Town Board. Mort is the former president of the NY Angus Association, current vice present of NY Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. a member of Protect Ghent, and a member of the county Planning Board, and the county Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board. “My two terms on the Town Board, extensive community service, and 42 years working at Gallagher’s Stud Farm have helped me understand the needs of our residents and prepared me to serve as the financial officer of the town. As town supervisor, I will pursue fiscally responsible ways to satisfy the needs and goals of our residents. I have participated in six budget processes (all falling below the state mandated cap) and I, along with the current supervisor, just completed my second successful labor union negotiation and developed an affordable health insurance solution for the town’s employees," Mort said. Simmons, 55, has been endorsed by the Republican, Conservative, and the Connect Ghent Party. Simmons has been on the Chatham Central School Board for nine years, and on NY Angus Association for eight years, and owns Simmons Automotive in Ghent. “Open governance is important to me. Ghent needs full transparency. I’d like to keep our meetings open and easy to attend for all. Zoom, for example, has proven to be a great tool for community engagement,".Simmons said. “It’s important to create programs for our seniors and youth. Building community will keep Ghent the way we all know and love." Also in Ghent this fall, Laurie Johnson and Carl Quinn are running on the Democratic and Working Families lines for the two open seats on the Town Board with Wally Engel and Scott C. Myers on the Republican and Connect Ghent lines for the Town Board four-year seats. Town Clerk/Tax Collector Michelle Radley and Highway Superintendent Benjamin Perry are also running unopposed. Read more about this story in the Columbia Paper.

Scott Fybush reports at NorthEast Radio Watch about a local shake-up on the radio waves. Dennis Jackson, the owner of several stations including WRIP in Windham, sold WQQQ (103.3-FM) that covers northwestern Connecticut and a bit of New York for $500,000 to WAMC, the Albany-based public radio network that owns a dozen full-power signals and 16 translators that reach from the Canadian border to the New York City suburbs. WQQQ had just ended a ten-year lease of the class A signal with WSHU, and had switched to an automated easy listening format. Now, though, it will be another station repeating the sound of WAMC, and taking on Robin Hood Radio. That station, WHDD (91.9-FM/1020-AM) in Sharon, CT,, bills itself as the smallest public radio station in the continental U.S., but is also on signals in the Hudson Valley (WLHV 88.1-FM in Annandale-on-Hudson) and Massachusetts (WBSL 91.7-FM in Sheffield). Now the small Robin Hood Radio will be forced to compete with one of the largest networks in the country. Read more about this story at NorthEast Radio Watch.

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

Today's daily headlines.

The Times Union reports that on Oct. 14 the Hudson Planning Board approved a housing project that includes 54 apartments for either affordable or middle income citizens. The rents there will be set according to percentages of the county's median income. Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson won his first campaign in 2019 with the need for affordable housing as his main campaign plank. "I think that, right now, we're in a tough situation, housing-wise, in the city of Hudson, where the more popular Hudson gets, the more the cost of living increases." Johnson said. "(The project) gives us a chance – a little bit of breathing room – to get the many families who are living two-to-three families to a small apartment out of those situations and into their own apartment." The entire Hudson Valley is crushed with a housing crisis, with fewer units on the market thanks to damage from climate change-fueled storms, or transferred to short-term rentals, as the lack of enough hotel rooms fuels that trend. With supply lacking, and demand increasing due to the pandemic, prices have skyrocketed to rent apartments or buy homes locally. This project, developed by the Galvan Foundation, Hudson's largest landlord, received $6.6 million in property taxes tax breaks over 30 years approved by the city's Industrial Development Agency, plus breaks on sales and mortgage recording taxes. NOTE: Johnson is a volunteer programmer at WGXC. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media four candidates are competing in the November general election to fill two open seats on the Chatham Town Board: Destiny Hallenbeck, Daniel Horst, Jody Nesbitt and Rick Werwaiss. Hallenbeck, 21, has lived her entire life in Columbia County. She is a senior enrolled at Union College, is an elected member of the Chatham Board of Education and is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines. Hallenbeck said, if elected, she will prioritize housing and broadband access. "I cannot afford to live in the town I grew up in, an issue that is not only isolated to young people starting out. I intend to start the conversation at the town board level about increasing our housing stock while also working with other towns to formulate solutions to Chatham’s housing problem..." Hallenbeck said, "Chatham raised me and I want to make sure that it is growing in a direction that works for every resident." Horst, 58, has lived in the county for 32 years. He is retired, having previously worked as a teacher, a tax assessor and having run a handyman business. Horst is running on the Republican line and previously served as the Chatham assessor for multiple terms. Horst sees "the strong division that prevents decisions that are beneficial to the majority of the town [from being made]," as the greatest issue facing Chatham. If elected, he would listen with respect, and encourage all sides to work together for the common good." Nesbitt, 51, has lived in the county her entire life. She is employed as the office manager for Chatham and Callan Family Care and is running on the Republican and Conservative lines. She ranks the completion of the comprehensive plan and the zoning plan to follow as top priorities. "I want to ensure that the comprehensive plan addresses all the residents of the community and moves Chatham forward while at the same time preserving our rich history...," Nesbitt said. Because she is honest and fair, Nesbitt believes, she will be a good town board member. Werwaiss, 56, has lived in the county for 25 years. He served as the president of the North Chatham Free Library, served on the previous Comprehensive Plan steering committee and with the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement. Werwaiss is a pig farmer and writer by profession, and has had a 30-year career in non-profit management with environmental and agricultural organizations. He is running on the Democratic and Chatham Neighbors lines. Like Hallenbeck, Werwaiss sees affordable housing and broadband access as the most pressing issues in town. He says both issues should be front and center in the Comprehensive Plan review currently underway. If elected, Werwaiss said, "I look forward to fostering a good working relationship with other board members ..." Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.