Jeanette Wolfberg reports for The Upstater that a majority of Columbia County Supervisors think it is just fine to have judges without law degrees. The State Senate recently passed a bill requiring town and village judges in “high volume” courts to have law degrees, and many local politicians are upset that someone ruling on a local case might be well acquainted with the law. On October 11, a majority of the Columbia County supervisors voted to urge the state legislators and governor to reject the bill. Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell said, "I don’t want the state to tell us how local courts should go." Hudson Supervisor Michael Chameides and New Lebanon Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling were among those who did want judges to have law degrees saying, “I’ve been against resolutions that say, ‘New York State, you’re doing it wrong.’ I don’t think we should get involved in state legislation that does not affect us.” Read more about this story in The Upstater.

Mid-Hudson News reports that sales of single family homes have dropped dramatically in Ulster County this year. The Ulster County Board of Realtors says that in the first three quarters of 2023 home sales fell by almost 23 percent from the same period last year. The average selling price was up by 5.6 percent, from $475,244 in the first three quarters of 2022 to $502,039 during the same period this year. And the trend might be growing. In just September this year, sales fell by 21.6 percent. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Kate Lisa reports for New York State of Politics that state lawmakers held a hearinf Oct. 30, wondering why New York's legal cannabis industry has had so many problems getting started. The state has issued has more than 460 retail licenses issued to business owners, but only 27 legal dispensaries open two and a half years after legalization. Senate Cannabis Subcommittee chair Jeremy Cooney said there's at least 250,000 pounds of cannabis legally grown in New York last season that's unsold and losing potency. Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander told lawmakers on Oct. 30 that, "Obviously, the retail footprint is not sufficient at this moment, and I don't run from that fact.... We've got to open more stores." Clearly there more illegal cannabis stores in New York than authorized outlets. OCM says it has raided about 300 illegal stores in the five months since it got more enforcement power. Cooney also said, "If we do not speed this process up, if we do not address the lack of retail access in the state, both upstate and downstate, then the illicit market will continue to overcome and overtake the legal market. We've seen that in other states, we can't let that happen here in New York." Read more about this story in New York State of Politics.

Lana Bellamy reports in the Times Union that the town of Hurley's closed landfill in Ulster County has been added to the state’s list of Superfund sites, which means access to more than $1 million of state remediation funds to clean up PFOS and PFOA at the site. The site is listed as “Class 02,” meaning it presents a “significant threat to public health and/or the environment,” because of PFOS and PFOA contamination. The so-called forever chemicals don't easily break down and are toxic to humans. The Hurley landfill operated from the 1960s to the mid-1990s. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

The Daily Freeman reports that CSX will close a railroad crossing in Saugerties next week for repairs. The railroad crossing on Ulster Avenue, also called state Route 212, will close for repairs on Monday, Nov. 6 until Nov. 8. The “roadway and crossing will be closed, all traffic should seek an alternate route. CSX will keep us up-to-date if there are any changes to the repair schedule,” police said. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Today's audio daily news update.

Jammel Cutler reports for Columbia-Greene Media that on Oct. 25 the Columbia County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee unanimously agreed to make the First Reformed Church of Hudson a warming shelter for the homeless on cold winter days. The full Board of Supervisors are expected to vote on the issue on Nov. 8. Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell said, “I hope it works out. this is the first time we’re trying it.... People can come out of the cold and get a warm meal and possibly have a place to stay for the night. It can house up to 10 to 15 per bunk, and it will be an alternative for our homeless population.” Social Services Commissioner Robert Gibson said the warming shelter would open during Code Blue declarations, when it is extremely cold. Gibson said, “The Code Blue population won’t come in or apply, or they have some issues in the past.... Maybe they’re under a sanction from one of the state agencies. They’re usually suffering from a multitude of issues. We’re probably looking at somewhere between 10 and 15 people that will be housed using Code Blue funding.” Gibson said the program will cost between $190,000 to $200,000, and he hopes the program can start at the beginning of 2024. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that cannabis fans, marijuana-growing farmers, and towns expecting tax revenue all want the same thing to happen in New York. Farmer Tessa Williams said, “I would plead with Gov. Hochul to open stores....We need stores to open.” Two and a half years after cannabis was legalized in the state, very few stores are legally selling it, and none locally. About 300 farmers across New York have grown much cannabis that is slowly going bad. As of Oct. 26, there are only 21 retail cannabis dispensaries open across the state, most in New York City. The closest locally is in Albany. Williams says her 220-acre Empire Farm in Columbia County invested $3 million to start growing cannabis, and has been stuck with the crop. Williams says, “We’re farmers, we pivot,” so they began selling the crop at events, after Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration loosened rules recently to help famers with their glut of cannabis. Hochul's administration also recently further opened the application process. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that Greenville Central School District students will no longer have to pay for school meals beginning Nov. 1. A free breakfast and a free lunch are now available to all students there. The district said in a statement, “After a lengthy application process, the district was approved to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision after the U.S. Department of Agriculture expanded access by schools to the federal CEP of the National School Lunch Program.” Before, at least 40 percent of students had to live in households participating in certain income-based federal assistance programs to be eligible for the free meal program, but that was lowered to 25 percent recently, allowing Greenville to participate. Catskill, Cairo-Durham, and Hunter-Tannersville schools already partipate in the program. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media that on Oct. 26 New York's Office of Renewable Energy Siting granted a draft permit to Hecate Energy for the large Shepherd’s Run Solar Farm in Copake. The Office of Renewable Energy Siting said the project complies with environmental laws and follows state regulations and conditions. The office is a relatively new state body, designed to get renewable energy projects needed statewide easier approval when they often face local opposition. That was the case in Copake, Town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler vowed to continue that opposition against a final permit for the project. Mettler said, “Despite years of opposition by all levels of local government and most of Copake’s residents, ORES has chosen to ignore the community’s concerns and issue a draft permit for the proposed Shepherd’s Run Solar project.... In doing so, ORES recommends waiving local laws intended to protect wildlife, agriculture, wetlands and community character. The town disagrees strongly with ORES’ decision to elevate the interest of a private developer over the prospect of serious adverse impacts." In May, In May, Copake and a dozen other municipalities failed in state Appellate Court with a lawsuit alleging ORES fast-tracks the siting process and violates the state Environmental Quality Review Act. Shepherd’s Run is a 60-megawatt solar energy farm near the 115 kilowatt substation owned by New York State Electric and Gas in Craryville. Now the Office of Renewable Energy Siting, "staff takes the position that the proposed facility, together with the uniform and site-specific standards and conditions contained in the draft permit condition, would comply with applicable laws and regulations." Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Michael Ryan reports for the Mountain Eagle that Windham town officials are considering enacting zoning laws, and will have a public information session on the issue on November 30. The town has eleven members on a Windham Zoning Commission considering what the regulations could be. John O’Grady, who is on the commission, said, “This needs to be a slow and thorough process.... I haven’t seen anything controversial come up so far, and the town already has many elements of zoning in place with subdivision laws.” Town officials are handing out a flyer on the matter that says at the public information session, "You will learn more about what zoning is, hear what the newly formed Zoning Commission has been working on and have an opportunity to ask questions. This is the beginning of a lengthy planning process that will require careful analysis and considerable public outreach. Your feedback is important so please come, learn more, and stay involved.” Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Gillian Friebis reports for News10 in Albany that corporal punishment is now completely banned in New York schools. Hitting students in public schools has not been allowed since 1985, but was allowed in private schools until Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill on Oct. 25. Corporal punishment is currently legal in public schools in 17 states, and only New York, New Jersey, Iowa, and Maryland explicitly ban the practice in all schools. 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.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the Cook Political Report is forecasting that the Congressional elections in New York's 17th and 19th Congressional Districts as "toss-ups." Republicans Mike Lawler and Marc Molinaro unseated incumbent Democrats in 2022 in those districts, helping to give the GOP a five-seat majority. The Cook Political Report is also saying that Democrat Pat Ryan's 18th Congressional District “leans Democrat.” So far each of the three incumbent candidates has at least one opponent. Attorney Josh Riley, a Democrat, is running again after losing to Molinaro in 2022. Democrat Mondaire Jones is challenging Lawler, and Republican Alison Esposito wants to unseat Ryan. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Phillip Pantuso and Joshua Solomon report for the Times Union that Rep. Marc Molinaro has become a key player in deciding who will be the next Speaker of the House. For three weeks, Republicans in Congress have been unable to determine who should be their speaker, effectively shutting down the government. The House of Representatives cannot take any action without a speaker. Molinaro said, “I’ll be very, very candid: These have been distressing, disappointing weeks.... The temperature has been turned up, emotions and harbored ill will remain, and we are surrounded by individuals and groups of members who are more interested in seeing someone or something lose than making sure the people we represent win.” Molinaro voted two times for Rep. Jim Jordan, an ultra-conservative member who worked to undermine the legal and fair results of the 2020 presidential election. Then Molinaro said he was backing the speaker pro tempore, Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, but instead voted for Republican Lee Zeldin, who is not in Congress and lost New York's governor election last year. Molinaro only won his 19th Congressional District election in 2022 by about 1 ½ percent. A court will rule next month whether the District will remain drawn to favor Republicans or altered to favor Democrats. So Molinaro has little room for error in next year's election. He said, “There is animosity, there’s anger, and there’s bitterness.... I want to be clear: I’m a red-blooded Italian; I’ve got a lot of emotions. But I did not come to Congress to express my feelings to my colleagues. And so I don’t necessarily embrace this as a governing philosophy.” For now, though, dysfunction is the governing philosophy of House Republicans. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Republicans in the House of Representatives on Oct. 25 finally elected a new Speaker of the House, after failing several times to agree on a leader. Louisiana-based Rep. Mike Johnson was elected 220-to-209, with local Reps. Marc Molinaro and Elise Stefanik voting with the other Republicans. Stefanik even introduced Johnson, though she did the same with past nominees who failed, such as Rep. Jim Jordan. Click here to download or play a short excerpt of Stefanik's speech. Stefanik backed the party's nominee in each of the previous Speaker votes, whil Molinaro voted two times for Rep. Jim Jordan, an ultra-conservative member who worked to undermine the legal and fair results of the 2020 presidential election. Then Molinaro said he was backing the speaker pro tempore, Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, but instead voted for Republican Lee Zeldin, who is not in Congress and lost New York's governor election last year. Johnson, the nominee the Republicans finally agreed on, also voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results which were free and fair.

Rick Karlin reports in the Times Union that Rep. Pat Ryan has written to the U.S. Coast Guard asking for more information about why the military branch, which regulates Hudson River navigation, changed its rules, allowing large ships and barges to anchor in spots closed because of local complaints and environmental concerns. Ryan said, “Indefinitely parking dangerous oil barges on the Hudson is a threat to the health and safety of our kids, the more than 100,000 people who rely on the river for their drinking water, and our entire ecosystem. I’m demanding the Coast Guard uphold the anchoring ban on the Hudson." Three years ago, local activists and environmental groups successfully lobbied to block large ships and barges from parking in the Hudson River locally. Over the summer, the Coast Guard changed the boundaries of the Port of New York, allowing large barges and ships to anchor north of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. In August Ryan wrote to Capt. Zeita Merchant, sector commander for the Coast Guard, saying, “As a member of Congress representing the Hudson River, I am concerned with the impact that this change would have on my constituents, the natural resources of the region, and the importance of the Hudson River in facilitating commerce.” The Coast Guard, in its reply, said that they were looking to clarify boundaries and regulations regarding the Port of New York, but Ryan said that answer was inadequate. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Kayla Epstein reports for BBC News that Rep. Marc Molinaro was among four New York Republicans introducing a measure on Oct. 26 for a vote of expulsion next week for fellow New York Republican George Santos. The Long Island representative is known as the most prominent liar in all of Washington D.C., no mean feat. Santos is also facing 23 criminal charges. Santos denies the charges of wire fraud, identity theft, lying to Congress, money laundering, and credit card fraud, and insists he will not resign. Santos wrote on social media on Oct. 26, "1. I have not cleared out my office. 2. I'm not resigning. 3. I'm entitled to due process and not a predetermined outcome as some are seeking." Molinaro and Reps. Anthony D'Esposito, Nick LaLota, and Mike Lawler introduced the bill to force Santos out of the House Representatives. The quartet of New York representatives all come from districts Joe Biden won in 2020. Molinaro said, "George Santos is a liar and a fraud who should not be a member of Congress. Since he won't resign and with the House Ethics Committee not moving at the pace we had hoped, we're adjusting our approach and pushing forward a resolution to expel him." If Santos is forced out, the Republicans majority in the chamber would be reduced to four. Read more about this story at the BBC News website.

Today's audio daily news update.

Diane Valden reports in The Upstater that Columbia Memorial Health’s Copake Rapid Care Center at 283 Mountain View Road may reopen. Copake Town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler said at an Oct. 12 meeting that what was the only medical care facility in southeastern Columbia County would reopen in January. The facility has been closed for almost a year, with officials citing problems staffing the center, and financial issues. Officials in Copake, Hillsdale, Ancram, Gallatin, and Taghkanic have asked for the facility to reopen. Officials from those towns met with hospital officials that their residents would be forced to travel 30 minutes or more to Hudson, Great Barrington, MA, or Sharon, CT. And, in another development, Columbia Memorial Health spokesperson William Van Slyke said, “The CMH Foundation is now accepting donations specifically to support Copake Rapid Care services. Any donors wishing to contribute can simply indicate in the memo section of their check that the funds are for Copake Rapid Care, and anyone donating online will find a dropbox on the donation page that identifies the Copake Rapid Care Center.” Read more about this story in The Upstater.

Molly Burke reports in the Times Union that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed bills on Oct. 25 strengthening rights of owners of manufactured and modular homes. Hochul said the homes are a "key source of affordable housing" in New York. Hochul said, “This legislative package is our state’s latest tool to support New Yorkers in manufactured home parks — a key source of affordable housing in our state.... I thank the bill sponsors for their partnership in supporting this critical path to affordable homeownership for countless New York families.” One bill strengthens the right of first refusal for owners of manufactured homes. Another bill authorizes mortgages and mortgage pool insurance for modular and manufactured homes. Read more about this story in the Times Union.