Aaron Katersky and Peter Charalambous report for ABC News that New York Attorney General Letitia James said she will seize the former president's assets if Donald Trump does not pay the $354 million he was ordered to pay in his civil fraud case. James said, "If he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets." Last week Trump was fined $354.8 million plus about $100 million in interest after Judge Arthur Engoron said that he inflated his net worth in order get more favorable loan terms. James even said she could seize Trump's 40 Wall Street skyscraper. James said, "We are prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid to New Yorkers, and yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day." Read more about this story at ABC News.

Courtney Ward reports for News10 that New York's commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is resigning. Basil Seggos has led the DEC for more than eight years. But in a letter to staff, Seggos wrote, “This is the right decision for me and my family. It’s time for a new chapter.” Seggos is the longest-serving DEC commissioner, starting the job in 2015. Read more about this story at News10.

Today's audio daily news update.

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

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports for HudsonValley360.com that on Feb. 20 the Hudson Common Council unanimously approved a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Eli Berkowitz, a member of Hudson Constituents for Liberation, said, “It’s how it should have passed.... I’m gratified to see that local officials listened to their constituents. This sends a clear message to higher state and federal representatives that when they’re failing to act, local elected officials are listening to their constituents.” The resolution wants government leaders in Albany and Washington, D.C. to demand a ceasefire, and wants both sides to release of all hostages and political prisoners, and allow unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the protection of journalists, the end of all U.S. military aid to Israel, and a resolution to the conflict based on peaceful diplomacy. Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson signed the resolution Jan. 21. Johnson said, “This is a good first step for Hudson to join other cities who have passed similar resolutions.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that the large Catskill salvage yard off State Route 9W may get cleaned up and replaced by a lithium iron phosphate battery storage facility. Catskill Grid LLC, a project of California-based energy investor Eolian, wants to buy the 17.1-acre Post Brothers Auto Parts site at 8006 State Route 9W. A statement from Eolian said, “Currently, Catskill Grid is proposing to remove and restore the current junkyard occupying the property, including removing all vehicles and structures on site." According to the company, the northern section of the parcel, would be for “a proposed 100MW/400MWh utility scale energy storage system would be installed to add capacity and resiliency to power grids," while the southern portion of the site would be “revegetated and kept as green space.” The company also said, “There is an active freight rail along the eastern side with 20-30 rail cars per day, an active metal scrap and school bus depot to the north, a [Central Hudson] substation and power lines to the west, and a state highway and off ramp on the southern side of the parcel. The nearest residential property is approximately 400 feet from any proposed equipment in the facility. We believe that the proposed use would provide a net positive to the area and be in a parcel where the current zoning allows this use." Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the Ulster County Democratic Committee endorsed incumbent State Assemblywoman Sarahana Shrestha over challenger Gabi Madden. But Madden said she will continue to try to win the nomination during the June primary election. Madden said, “This is just the beginning of our campaign." Ulster Democrats also endorsed incumbent state Senator Michelle Hinchey from Saugerties. And the Ulster Democratic Committee also endorsed Keri Savona for county family court judge, Josh Riley for Congress in the 19th Congressional District and incumbent Pat Ryan for the 18th Congressional District, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for reelection. General election voting is in October and November. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

The Times Union reports that Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Feb. 20 more than $1.8 million in grants for 26 Hudson River projects. The work is to improve estuary improve water quality, enhance environmental education, and advance stewardship of natural resources. Hochul said, “New York state is investing in projects that will improve resiliency and protect our natural resources both in the Hudson River Valley and across the state.... These 26 local grants will provide dozens of communities support to improve recreation, expand river access and education, and preserve and protect this iconic river for future generations of New Yorkers.” Amoong the recipients, the Columbia Land Conservancy gets $75,000 for the Columbia County Countywide Conservation and Open Space Plan, which will engage a broad coalition of community partners to ensure that the countywide conservation vision responds to the needs of diverse communities, considers suitable renewable energy siting, and provides opportunities for the development of affordable housing. Bard College is getting $69,300 for a River Harmful Algal Blooms Watershed Characterization and Communication Toolkit, to develop a watershed characterization report and communication materials focused on harmful algal blooms in the Wallkill River in partnership with the Wallkill River Watershed Alliance, Hudson River Watershed Alliance, and Riverkeeper. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Cassie Abel reports for HudsonValley360.com that about 20 Round Top residents had questions about a proposed hotel, resort and spa at the former Blackhead Mountain Lodge on Crows Nest Road at a recent Town of Cairo Planning Board meeting. The Maassmann family closed and was sold the Blackhead Mountain Lodge and Country Club in April, 2023. Now Henry Courtemanche, of R House Hotel Group, and Donald Chick, of DC Hospitality, want renovate the tourist resort, with a spa, hotel, and restaurant. Round Top resident Jeanine Morick at the Jan. 4 planning board meeting was concerned about the forecast seven percent increase in traffic from the proposed resort. Morick said, “Not including weekends, there are about 50 cars that drive our road.... But with this proposed development, they’re talking about roughly 600 cars.” The proposal includes the construction of 87 new buildings, a lodge and wastewater treatment plant, and the site would include 288 parking spots, 90 individual lodging units, 26 keys for hotel guests rooms and the re-engineering of existing ponds into new waterways. Cairo Planning board Chair Joe Hasenkopf said, “It’s still early on in the process and a public hearing will happen.... I don’t want to comment on the process just yet because we have been going back and forth.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Courtney Ward reports for News10 that the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District has picked a new nickname: the Ravens. Formerly, the school sports teams were called the Indians. But state regulators mandated that all public schools eliminate mascots and team names with Native American imagery. So the southern Albany County schools now have a new nickname and logo. Read more about this story at News10.

Today's audio daily news update.

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

Max Oppen from the Mountain Eagle and Andrea Macko from Porcupine Soup report that village of Tannersville officials are talking about village dissolution. It has been more than a century since a Greene County village dissolved, but at a recent Village of Tannersville Board meeting, Mayor David Schneider proposed a resolution for the dissolution of the village and its subsequent merger with other entities. The resolution passed unanimously. Voters would have to approve the decision. The resolution says, “The Village Board of the Village of Tannersville hereby authorizes the mayor and/or his designee to commence the process by creating a committee, comprised of stakeholders, to study Village operations, analyze the potential impacts of restructuring options, formulate a plan, and vet the dissolution proposal with the public; and… that the mayor and/or his designee may retain experts and other consultants to assist the committee in its work." Tannersville is a village in Hunter, on the mountaintop in Greene County. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports for HudsonValley360.com that Chatham Central School District Superintendent of Schools Salvatore DeAngelo will retire July 1, he announced at a Jan. 30 board meeting. DeAngelo had superintendent since 2017. Mark Connolly, a social studies teacher at Chatham Middle School, encouraged the board to find a good replacement, saying at the board meeting, “We have really good teachers fleeing, dozens in the last three years, for other districts.... We have retirements coming up, we need leadership, we are looking for leadership, and we need an educational leader that will take us where Chatham used to be and where we need to get again.” Chatham schools are currently also looking for a new high school principal. Board member Muriel Faxon said, “I can’t tell you the enormous amount of time and commitment this process takes.... I’m not sure five months is enough time." Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Ryan Whalen reports for New York State of Politics that the New York State Liquor Authority has a backlog of roughly 6,000 applications, but claims it is making progress. Since November, the board says they have reviewed 272 applications, approving 67 and deeming 61 insufficient to meet the criteria. Attorney Ryan McCall said, "It wouldn't surprise me for this to be something that turns around very quickly. New York State Liquor Authority is one of the fastest adapting New York state agencies in the sense of they're able to really deal with problems quickly when they have to." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that while the number of dairy cattle in New York is about the same as a decade ago, half of the state’s dairy farms from a decade ago no longer exist. New data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture also show the dairy industry’s labor and production costs rising nearly 50 percent during the five-year period beginning in 2017. Christopher A. Wolf, a professor at the Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management, said, “The dairy industry is so important in rural New York.... You’re seeing rural areas struggling a lot more and part of it is because of the loss of these economic drivers.” The Department of Agriculture said there are 5,000 fewer farms and nearly 700,00 less acres of farmland in New York over the last decade. Justin Wilcox, executive director of Upstate United, said, “While the reality of this situation is disturbing, it comes following countless warnings from those who saw the writing on the wall.... We have watched one bad policy after another pushed through Albany in recent years making it exceedingly difficult for farms to continue feeding New Yorkers.” The number of farms nationally has declined by about 10 percent over the last decade. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Elaine Velie reports for Hyperallergic that Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she supports a proposed law that would allow district attorneys to prosecute citizens for a new hate crime, drawing graffiti. Hochul cited political speech she disagrees with as the reason for making graffiti a hate crime. Hochul drew attention to a recent incident in Scarsdale where the words “genocide supporter” were spray painted on two businesses. The hate crime designation increases an offense to a felony. New York Civil Liberties Union Senior Policy Counsel Justin Harrison said, “With hate crimes, there’s always a concern about disparate and sort of disproportionate enforcement.... That element is perhaps heightened when you look at something like graffiti, because it is going to be enforced against somebody who tries to convey their views.” Read more about this story at Hyperallergic.

Kate Lisa reports for New York State of Politics that Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Couisins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie will each appoint three members to the state Community Commission on Reparations Remedies by the end of the month. Assemblyperson Michaelle Solages said, "Black communities are at a disadvantage.... We are a victim of systematic racism and we need to break those systems down and then give us restorative justice or whatever that looks like. We demand that now." The commission has to start its 18-month work by the end of June. The group will study the cost of reparations and how to close the income inequality gap for Black people stemming from slavery. In New York, slavery remained legal until 1827, and the state continued to insure slave owners in other states for generations. Brooklyn NAACP President L. Joy Williams said the commission should look at more than just payouts. Williams said, "I need these towns to open the books and see specifically how they prohibited mortgages of Black people.... I need to see how corporations colluded with insurance companies." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Today's audio daily news update.

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