All four Hudson Valley Congressional representatives voted to keep the federal government open on Nov. 14. Republicans Elise Stefanik and Marc Molinaro and Democrats Pat Ryan and Paul Tonko all voted for "Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024." The bill to temporarily fund the government until the beginning of 2024 passed 336-to-95 with 93 Republicans and two Democrats voting to shut down the government. Meanwhile, The Daily Freeman reports that the group Empire State Voices had planned a protest to demand that Molinaro do whatever he could to avoid a government shutdown on from 3-5 p.m. Nov. 15 on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge between Greene and Columbia counties. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Today's audio daily news update.

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Greene County Animal Alliance wants to build an animal shelter in Greene County, and they are looking for a space. Mark Gorelick, board president of the Greene County Animal Alliance, said, “That’s our primary concern.... Without property, it’s very difficult to get grants, and the grants are available, but it’s kind of a catch-22. You need money to start a facility, and you need a facility to ask for a grant.” Gorelick said they want the shelter to be less like an adoption center, and more focused on reducing stray populations. He said, “Cats produce very quickly, and it doesn’t take long for a feral cat colony to grow out of hand.... The goal is to reduce what’s out there through humane procedures, and then after that if there are cats and kittens that come in, working to get them adopted.... We can’t build the Taj Mahal of rescue facilities. The money isn’t there, and we’re starting small. You have to start somewhere, and we hope that it grows and gathers more support. This is not a short-term plan. This is a long-term plan for the county.” The Greene County Animal Alliance will brief the public on the project at a meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Cairo Development Foundation. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Ben Mitchell reports for News10 in Albany that the City of Hudson has a temporary amnesty program, waiving late fees and other penalties on parking tickets through December 31. There is an online link to apply for amnesty or residents can email parkingbureau@cityofhudson.org with “Parking Ticket Amnesty Program Application” in the subject line. Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson said, “We established this program to give folks with old parking tickets the chance to start 2024 off with a clean slate.... Temporarily waiving late fees – which in many cases now far exceeds the original cost of the ticket – is one tool we have to help make that happen.” Read more about this story at the News10 website.

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports in Columbia-Greene Media that on Nov. 7 the Catskill Town Board passed a $7.7 million budget for 2024 with a 2.81 percent tax levy increase. Anyone with a house assessed at $100,000, will see a roughly $21 increase in taxes. Spending is up 3.6 percent in the new budget. Catskill Town Supervisor Dale Finch said, “I think it’s a very reasonable budget.... I think we’re providing a great service to our residents, and I feel we’re doing it at a reasonable cost.” Employees who work in the town hall and highway employees are getting a 3.5 percent raise increase, and ambulance employee salaries will increase 11 percent. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Joshua Solomon reports for the Times Union that with an outbreak of antisemitic and islamophobic incidents in New York and across the country. Hochul said on Nov. 13, “We’ve not seen this level of hate crimes and fear since Sept. 12, 2001.” So Hochul has added $2.5 million for about seven 10 State Police investigators to work with an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. Hochul said of the recent rise in hate incidents toward Jewish and Muslim residents of the state, “It’s painful to see the cruelty with which New Yorkers are treating each other.” While some recent hate crimes have been fueled by recent news events. New York's Division of Criminal Justice Services reported about 1,000 hate crimes in New York last year. Of 419 reported anti-religion hate crimes, nearly all were against people who are Jewish. Previously, Hochul got former state Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to study antisemitism at CUNY schools and issue a report later this year. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that once again the U.S. Coast Guard has floated a plan to allow barges to drop anchor up and down the Hudson River between New York City and Albany, and once again public opposition has scuttled the proposal. Rep. Pat Ryan said on Nov. 13, “We won this initial victory because our community stood up and fought together.... But unfortunately, we know this success is temporary. Now is the time for all of us to double down on our commitment to stop big corporations from turning our Hudson River into a parking lot for dangerous barges.” Since 2010 there have been several proposal to anchor large vessels on the Hudson River between Kingston and Yonkers, and each time the plans were stopped by public opposition. Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, “Today’s news shows that we have the power to protect our communities if we stand up with one voice to protect our Hudson River.... The Coast Guard has done the right thing by pausing their planned policy to park dangerous barges in the Hudson River, but we must continue to support Congressman Ryan and our other federal representatives to ensure this disastrous policy is never enacted.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Kate Lisa reports for New York State of Politics that the company getting $4 million to study the state's coronavirus pandemic response needs more time. The Olson Group was supposed to release their findings in January, but say they need more time. Gov. Kathy Hochul said, "I'm frustrated at the pace that's taking so long for the COVID report to come out.... I am anxious for the results. I requested this. I want to know what they are and get them out to the public. And it's important." Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services spokesperson Colin Brennan said in a statement. "Commissioner [Jackie] Bray has been formally briefed three times by the Olson Group on progress and receives weekly updates from the DHSES project team." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

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Victor Mather and Matthew Haag in The New York Times reports that Amtrak train service on the line between New York City and Albany remained disrupted for a second day with structural issues in a parking Manhattan garage halting the trains. Amtrak service between Pennsylvania Station in New York and the Croton-Harmon station in Westchester County was stopped because of problems with the garage. Amtrak says it does not know when the building owner will fix the problems, so it is unknown when normal train service will resume. Metro-North trains are still running between Grand Central Terminal and Croton-Harmon, and Amtrak tickets are being honored on that line. Read more about this story in The New York Times.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union that the first local cannabis stores have finally opened after the state legalized the drug more than two and a half years ago. But the two stores in Hudson are only temporary pop-up shops operating only until the end of the year. Gotham Dispensary’s pop-up store is on Front Street, and Legacy Dispensers are selling cannabis on Union St. In October, New York officials opened up licensing for temporary pop-up shops to sell some of the cannabis that has been piling up with few stores officially open. So far, the only other official cannabis stores open nearby are in Albany and Rensselaer County. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Kathleen Moore reports in the Times Union that a Blue Ribbon Commission told the Board of Regents its recommendation on how to change high school graduation requirements on Nov. 13. The commission wants students to have more ways to graduate from high school, besides passing Regents exams. The state has been giving regents exams for 145 years, but they were not required until the mid-'90s and now all students have to pass five Regents exams to graduate. In recent years students have been allowed to substitute the fifth Regents exam with a career-and-technical education program or a project in arts or civics. But New York is one of only seven states in the country requiring passage of similar exams to graduate. The commission recommended no longer requiring specific courses, including algebra, and instead said students should be able to show competency in some STEM topic – which includes science, technology, engineering and math, and that students should be able to graduate early if they show competency. Commission member Sagrario Rudecindo-O’Neill said, “The commission placed a great deal of interest in increasing student flexibility. This would provide students with more opportunities to meet graduation requirements.... Increase the number of elective courses that may be used to fulfill credit requirements.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Today's daily news audio update.

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

Patrick Tine reports in the Times Union that Amtrak service has been suspended between New York City and Albany since Nov. 12 because of "safety concerns stemming from structure issues of a non-Amtrak, privately owned building above the Empire Line Tracks in New York City." The problem is with a parking garage on West 51st Street in Manhattan. Amtrak is giving out very little information about when trains will run again. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Michael Ryan reports for the Mountain Eagle that Windham Town Board members on Nov. 8 made Greene County native Richard Selner the new Windham police chief. Selner replaces Tor Tryland who retired last month. Selner takes over the part-time role with 20 years of local law enforcement history. Selner said, “I have the experience to do this job and I am familiar with this area. This is a beautiful area. I have worked the whole mountain top with the sheriff’s office.” Selner more recently worked as a welfare fraud investigator for Greene County Department of Social Services. Read more about this story in the Mountain Eagle.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Democrats took the District Attorney positions in three Hudson Valley county elections. In Dutchess County, the news outlet says Anthony Parisi is the first Democrat to ever be elected to the position. In In Ulster County, Democrat Manny Nneji, the Chief Assistant District Attorney beat Michael Kavanagh, a Republican. And in Columbia County, Chris Liberati-Conant was elected District Attorney. Now the Democrats there control the DA’s Office, Sheriff, Coroner, and both judgeships with Republicans elected to the County Clerk and County Treasurer seats. Just two years ago, the Republicans controlled every countywide office in Columbia County. Liberati-Conant said, “We’re here to make the District Attorney’s office a place of transparency, fairness, and accountability for all,” adding “Together we’ll forge a path that truly serves the people of Columbia County, no matter their background or circumstances.” Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

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.

On Nov. 7, New York's Hudson Valley Congressional representatives split their votes on whether to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Republican Reps. Marc Molinaro and Elise Stefanik and Democrat Pat Ryan voted with the majority, 234-to-188 to censure the Michigan Democrat, "for promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the State of Israel." Democrat Paul Tonko did not vote to censure Tlaib. Only four Republicans voted against the measure, and 22 Democrats, including Ryan, voted for the censure measure that was brought by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Tlaib is the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress. After the vote, she said on the House floor, "The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation.”

Spencer Conlin reports for New York State of Politics reports that protesters who want a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war held a "die-in" on Nov. 9 outside Rep. Paul Tonko's Albany office. Members of Upper Hudson Peace Action and Jewish Voice for Peace held a "die-in" at the Democrat’s office. The protesters wanted Tonko to sign onto a Ceasefire Now resolution in the House. Jewish Voice for Peace organizer Karen Carmeli said, “A ceasefire is the bare minimum that we can do stop killing civilians.... We need to stop killing civilians immediately.” So far, Tonko supports a humanitarian pause, which ceasefire advocates say is not enough. Tonko was mum on Thursday, but one of his representatives released a statement that said, “Congressman Tonko’s top concerns are avoiding further deaths of innocent civilians and facilitating the return of all hostages.... Which is why he has called for a immediate stop to the violence in Gaza and continues to call for aid workers to be allowed to deliver the food, water, medical care and resources needed in Gaza.” Protesters panned Tonko's statement. Carmeli said, “Giving them water, giving them a little bit of something to eat and then continuing to bomb them with weaponry that is provided by the U.S. government, using U.S. taxpayer dollars is unconscionable.” Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Mid-Hudson News reports that several hundred people rallied outside Rep. Pat Ryan’s Kingston office on Nov. 10, asking him to support a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Many in the crowd also want the U.S. to stop sending taxpayer money to Israel to pay for the war. The terrorist group Hamas attacked Israeli citizens on Oct. 7, in horrific acts of violence. Since then, all sorts of civilians have been injured or killed in the conflict. Mie Inouye, a member of Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America, said, “We grieve every life that has been lost in this conflict, including Israeli and Palestinian lives.... Our point is we are against war and we want to put an end to the violence and we believe that what Israel is doing in Palestine, which is they have killed over 10,000 people, half of them children, is not going to bring peace to the region, in fact, it is just going to perpetuate the cycle of violence.” Felice Gelman, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace – Hudson Valley, said she is “deeply disappointed to see my congressman line up with the same militarists who brought us the Iraq war. Didn’t he learn anything from serving?” Ryan, on social media, wrote that “Our ally, Israel, is surrounded by enemies who seek to destroy it. It has both the right and the responsibility to defend itself and its people – including rescuing hostages, reasserting control of its border, and establishing deterrence against future attacks.” Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Mike Goodwin reports in the Times Union that Rep. Elise Stefanik filed a legal complaint on Nov. 10 against state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who is currently presiding over Donald J. Trump’s civil fraud trial. Stefanik claims that Engoron has shown “inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance” while judging the case about Trump's business fraud, where he claimed properties were larger and worth more than they actually were on legal documents. Stefanik wrote that Engoron “has displayed a clear judicial bias against the defendant throughout the case, breaking several rules in the New York Code of Judicial Conduct.” But to prove her point she quotes the judge without context, Stefanik makes it sound as if the judge was talking about his own opinion, when he was clearly speculating out loud what the prosecution's opinion might be. Stefanik also cited evidence from Zillow.com in her complaint. Stefanik's complaint to the Commission on Judicial Conduct could lead to a warning, public admonition, censure, or removal from the bench. While the Trump case in question is in civil court, the former president also faces criminal cases that accuse him of concealing his possession of classified documents after he left office, trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat, and paying hush money to cover up a sex scandal. Read more about this story in the Times Union.