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

Maria M. Silva reports in the Times Union that environmental service workers at Bard College reached an agreement Oct. 11 with the school, but building and grounds employees voted unanimously to authorize a strike. The 45 environmental service workers will vote on the tentative agreement soon. During the pandemic in 2020, all Bard College employees agreed to no pay increases, and both the building and grounds workers and the environmental service employees extended their contracts. The environmental service workers, which includes custodians and janitors, get between $2.25 and $3.50 an hour raises under the new agreement, new hires going from $15.50 an hour to $19 and eventually up to $19.50 an hour. Bard College also agreed to lift a cap on length-of-service wage adjustments, added Juneteenth as a holiday, and increased the amount of paid time off workers accrue. Robert Dickson, chair of the union’s building and grounds chapter and a carpenter at the college for 13 years, said, “While we are very excited for our coworkers in environmental services, we are disappointed that the Bard administration will not also agree to a fair contract for our members in buildings and grounds.” Dickson said the union members have authorized a strike, but the union will only go on strike if negotiations fail. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that the Ulster County Legislature is unanimously oppose double-digit electricity and gas delivery charge increases proposed by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp., the lawmakers said on Oct. 11. Central Hudson’s proposal is to raise rates by 16 percent for electricity delivery and 19 percent for gas. Majority Leader Leader Jonathan Heppner, a Democrat from Woodstock, said, “In the last two years we have heard from countless constituents about erratic billing and unexplained overcharges related to their Central Hudson accounts, with the uniform complaint that the company has been apathetic to the consequences of their actions and been slow to fix these longstanding issues.... It is not right for Central Hudson to be asking for a rate increase until their billing issues are rectified." Joseph Jenkins, a Central Hudson spokesperson, said, “Central Hudson’s rate proposal is the start of a nearly year-long process where we will work with our regulators and other key stakeholders to arrive at a plan that allows for the company to make much needed investments to continue the delivery of safe and reliable electricity and natural gas to our communities.... Our goal is to balance affordability with meeting the evolving needs of customers and the clean energy objectives of New York State.” The Public Service Commission is holding public hearings about the proposed rate increases, including one at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 17, at the Robert Antonelli Senior Center 15 Academy St. in Catskill. Central Hudson claims the new rates would add roughly $1 a day to the typical electric customer and $1 a day to most natural gas customers. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Connor Smith reports for New York State of Politics that New York took in $727.4 million in the 2022-23 fiscal year from mobile sports betting, according to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. But the year before there was also a 26 percent increase in problem gambling-related calls to the Office of the Addiction Services and Supports. DiNapoli said, “Gaming has significantly expanded in the state in the last several years.... With the ease and 24/7 availability of mobile betting apps, problem gambling and addiction are poised to increase.” Mobile sports betting revenue has come in much higher than the state’s projections, with $357 million expected, but $727.4 million actually coming in. But the mobile sports betting has hurt casinos, where bettors used to have to go, with the Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady making $2.9 million less revenue last year. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics,

Today's audio daily news update.

Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Times Union that a month ago a state Supreme Court justice found that New York's Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government was created in violation of the constitution and must suspend its work. But on Oct. 10 the state Appellate Division’s Third Department ruled the ethics panel can remain in operation while an appeal is under way. That appeal will be heard in February, and then probably eventually will be reviewed by the Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court. The initial ruling came from a case former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has brought against the ethics commission’s efforts to investigate the $5.1 million deal that produced “American Crisis,” his 2020 book about the Cuomo administration’s handling of the pandemic. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News that on Oct. 10 former Ulster County Finance Director Burton Gulnick, Jr. pled guilty in Ulster County Court to two counts of grand larceny for the alleged theft of thousands of dollars from a local not-for-profit, as well as monies from an election campaign account. Gulnick was treasurer of the Hurley Rec Center, a not-for-profit organization that provides summer activities and programs for families, including a children’s summer camp, which he allegedly stole from. Gulnick is also accused of stealing from an election campaign bank account of former Ulster County Executive Michael Hein. Gulnick will have to pay restitution of $35,000 to the Hurley Rec and $15,000 to the Hein campaign, waive his appellate rights, pay applicable fines and surcharges, and serve three years in prison. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Kate Lisa reports for New York State of Politics that an abduction of a girl from a Saratoga County state park earlier this month has lawmakers talking about adding security cameras to parks. Currently, about one-third of New York's state parks, campgrounds, and historic sites have security cameras. State Sen. Jim Tedisco said, "Forty-eight hours, they were very fortunate to get that young lady back.... We would have found this girl in an hour, two hours or three hours, if this predator didn't make a mistake. Most of the time, they don't make a mistake." Now Tedisco is introducing legislation to require all state parks, campgrounds, and recreational facilities, to have security cameras at all entrances and exits. Moreau Lake State Park installed security cameras last week after the Oct. 2 incident. Tedisco does not say where the money for the cameras should come from, and the story does not quote anyone with personal security issues with more surveillance cameras. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Liz Montgomery reports for Porcupine Soup that Greene County’s tourism center has been demolished. The center is switching spots with a Stewart's Shop as part of a redevelopment project near the interstate highway exit in Catskill. For now, the county’s tourism department and staff have moved to the County Office Building on Main Street in Catskill. Deputy County Administrator of Economic Development, Tourism & Planning Warren Hart said, “The tourism visitor center is a heavily used building and the rework of the traffic pattern on both sides of Route 23B will make going to and from all of these locations safer and easier.” A 92-room Hampton Inn hotel is also expected to go into the area that the Greene County Industrial Development Agency is calling the Greene Gateway Commercial Park. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Times Union that State Police are continuing to hide disciplinary records from public view, this time in a court battle with the New York Civil Liberties Union. The non-profit group has filed a petition in state Supreme Court in Albany to order the State Police to disclose the names of troopers and investigators in disciplinary cases that involve misconduct complaints that the agency determined were unsubstantiated. In 2020 the state legislature repealed a statute that had prevented the release of those state police disciplinary records for 44 years in New York. Bobby Hodgson, a supervising attorney at the NYCLU, said, “Our initial analysis of the State Police’s misconduct records exposed a massive number of misconduct investigations and uses of force, but that analysis was hindered by the department’s pervasive inappropriate redactions.... By keeping officer names secret, the State Police is preventing New Yorkers from having a more comprehensive understanding of systemic issues and possible patterns of officer misconduct. After the repeal of 50-a, the law specifically mandates the disclosure of officer names as part of its promise to bring full transparency to law enforcement records.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro was back in Dutchess County on Oct. 10 celebrating the new jail there that he helped get built. Molinaro campaigned for his former role as Dutchess County Executive on building a better county jail. Molinaro said, “Today, the goal we set 11 years ago has been met. Dutchess County now has a modern facility with the needed space to expand the county’s nationally renowned alternatives to incarceration and restorative justice programs, increasing public safety and delivering savings to taxpayers.” The new jail has 328 beds, far more than at the new Greene County Jail. Read more about this story in Mid-Hudson News.

Today's audio daily news update.

Brian Campbell reports at New York State of Politics that U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to temporarily halt a new provision of New York's Concealed Carry Improvement Act on background checks for ammunition purchases that recently went into effect. Gun retailers now must get a sign-off from the New York State Police instead of the National Instant Criminal background check system. Gov. Kathy Hochul was happy about the court's announcement, saying in a statement, "The United States Supreme Court has sided with common sense, denying the application for emergency relief that would have temporarily dismantled New York's nation-leading gun safety laws. This news comes following the plaintiffs' last-ditch effort to get Justice Clarence Thomas to grant the same application that Justice Sonia Sotomayor had already denied, to attempt to block the law on firearms checks that we passed last year following the Buffalo massacre and the overturning of New York's century old gun safety laws. Public safety is my top priority, and I'm committed to working with law enforcement and leaders across New York to keep our communities safe." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Alison Esposito announced on Oct. 10 that she would run for the Republican nomination for Congress in New York’s 18th District next year. That seat is currently held by Democrat Pat Ryan. Esposito lost in a bid for lieutenant governor last year with the also unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin. Until recently Esposito listed her address as New York City, but now says she is a resident of Goshen. She was born in Highland Mills. She had a 25-year career with New York Police Department before her recent efforts in politics. Esposito sounded familiar conservative Republican themes in her opening statement, saying, “President Biden and his allies in Congress have left our nation a shell of its former self.... Our southern border is non-existent, inflation has left families choosing between gas and groceries, and we have relinquished our standing on the world stage. Right now, the Hudson Valley is represented by a defender of President Biden’s failed policies. Instead of fighting for everyday hardworking families, our representative is fighting for his own self-interest.” Read more about this story in Mid-Hudson News.

The Daily Freeman reports that HUDSY TV, a Hudson Valley streaming service, is making all its content available for free. The service makes its own local movies and series shows, as well as airing others about, or set in, the Hudson Valley. HUDSY automatically canceled the subscriptions of anyone who subscribed through its own web portal, but those who subscribed through mobile or TV apps from Apple, Android, or FireTV must cancel their subscription through their respective app. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

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 at New York State of Politics that there have been rallies and protests around New York State for Israeli and Palestinian people caught in a new war between their governments. On Oct. 9, Gov. Kathy Hochul attended a Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York event in Albany at Congregation Beth Emeth reform synagogue. Hochul said, "I assure you as the governor I will make sure that we leave no stone unturned to find out how we can make sure that every single one of you is safe when you gather, because that is your God-given right to exercise your belief, your religion, your true identity." Rep. Paul Tonko, Assemblymembers Pat Fahy, John McDonald III and Phil Steck, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, and Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple also attended that event. A local Palestinian Rights Committee has scheduled a rally in support of Palestinians on Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. in Townsend Park in Albany. Ulster County Assemblyperson Sarahana Shrestha said that "the devastating violence in Israel and Palestine must come to an end.... For as long as I can remember, this conflict has shown how violence begets violence, and the only way to end the cycle is to end Israeli occupation and let Palestinians live and move freely.” The days-old war in the Middle East has been brutal so far, with the Palestinian Hamas group taking senior citizens and children hostage and killing many others, and Israel bombing buildings with civilians, and cutting off supplies to trapped Palestinians. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.