Mid-Hudson News reports that the Friends of the Public Square Hudson are getting a $125,000 grant to renovate the Hudson park. The Public Square in Hudson is where most parades begin, and protests happen, in the Columbia County town, and also hosts a farmers market in the warm months. The grant will be used for benches, picnic tables, drinking fountains, and support for the park’s Veterans memorial. Local Assemblymember Didi Barrett helped get the grant and said, “Preserving and rejuvenating open space like this, particularly in a dense city like Hudson, is a win-win for our community." The Friends of the Public Square Hudson is a non-profit organization formed by a group of residents to rejuvenate the park along Warren and 7th Sts. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports at HudsonValley360.com that residents at the Chatham Town Board's Feb. 1 workshop meeting said they were concerned about town board members conducting business through email. Town attorney Tal G. Rappleyea responded at the board’s Feb. 15, explaining the state's open meeting law. He said, “We have to do the notices in the paper, we have to have it open to the public, but there are also opportunities to communicate in between meetings.... Board members can do that obviously, but we can’t do it in a fashion that we’re actually having a meeting when we’re really not." No more than two board members can discuss issues on email or text messages together. Rappleyea said, “We can’t talk about numbers or possible votes, or things of that nature.... Even sending a document saying ‘here, let’s work on this and send me your comments,’ that’s going a bit too far, unfortunately, if you involve more than two board members..... You can’t have this rolling discussion where you’re doing more than just exchanging ideas.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Andrea Macko from Porcupine Soup reports that three people were convicted and fined in a 2022 deer poaching case in Earlton, in Greene County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced on Feb. 16. DEC officers saw the trio illuminate several fields and shining a spotlight on a white-tailed deer and chasing it with the vehicle. The incident led to a search of one of their homes where DEC officials found 13 deer carcasses, firearms, packaged venison, and crossbow bolts. The three were charged with possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, using a spotlight on lands inhabited by deer within 500 feet of a dwelling without permission, hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, using a spotlight while in possession of an unsecured firearm, and hunting deer after legal hours. All three were ordered to pay $4,600 in penalties in the Town of Coxsackie Court. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that the bipartisan state Independent Redistricting Commission approved new Congressional boundaries on Feb. 15, voting 9-to-1. Ken Jenkins, a Democrat and the commission’s chair, said, “I am very proud of my colleagues and their ability to come together in the spirit of compromise to work to deliver this plan.” Since the 2020 census, there have been many versions of local Congressional lines, with several struck down by the courts, and one used in the 2022 Congressional elections. The new map is generally similar to the one used in the 2022 election, which, the story says, "some political observes believe helped Republicans win several key races two years ago." Democrat Yovan Samuel Collado was the lone vote against the proposed maps. The newspaper predicts that the Hudson Valley’s 19th Congressional Distric could become slightly more favorable to the Republicans, while the 18th Congressional District could become slightly more favorable to a Democrat. The biggest change would be that Democrat Pat Ryan's 18th District would get Woodstock and Saugerties, while Republican Marc Molinaro's 19th Congressional District, would add Cooperstown, Schoharie, and Orange County’s Port Jervis. Democrat Paul Tonko's 20th Congressional District would lose portions of Glens Falls to Republican Elise Stefanik's 21st District. The state legislature needs to approve the new map for it to go into effect. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Luke Parsnow reports for New York State of Politics that on Feb. 14 New York House Republicans lost their attempt to temporarily double a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions for most married couples, also known as SALT. Republicans stripped New Yorkers of their tax deduction as part of the 2017 tax law pushed through Congress during the Trump administration. This bill brough back some, but not all, original provisions, so it was not supported by Democrats. The bill failed 195-to-225, with local Republicans Elise Stefanik and Marc Molinaro voting for, and Democrats Pat Ryan and Paul Tonko voting against. The Republican changes to the SALT cap have led to bigger tax bills for many residents of high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey, and California. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Sara Rizzo reports for News10 that organizers announced performers for the 24th Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, this year from July 17 to 21 at Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, in Greene County. Della Mae is the Artist-in-Residence, and their will also be performances from the Del McCoury Band, The Gibson Brothers, Sister Sadie, Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne, and Yonder Mountain String Band. There is more information at greyfoxbluegrass dot com. Read more about this story at News10.

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Cassie Abel reports for HudsonValley360.com that more than 100 people turned out Feb. 13 for Catskill High School’s Interact Club 22nd annual March for Peace and Justice in Catskill. The march began and ended on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, also known as West Main Street. Bee Blauberg explained why the Second Baptist Church in Catskill was where marchers met. Blauberg said, “During the Civil Rights Movement, organizers of civil disobediences met at local churches where they asked the Lord for his protection and blessing before they marched off to face Bull Connor (the Birmingham, Alabama, commissioner of public safety during the 1960s who vehemently opposed the Civil Rights Movement) and his dogs and the fire hoses of public safety.... The marchers often returned to their church, not only to lick their wounds, but to assess the effects of their protests and to plan future ones. In memory of the role played by the church, we like our protesters to start the march at a church.” The march ended with an interfaith benediction from Deacon Ron Dombrowski and Rabbi Zoe Kaz and then a “We Shall Overcome” sing-along. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Porcupine Soup reports that Saugerties court clerk Haley Whalen was arrested Feb. 13 because police say she threw away tickets for people she knew. She was charged with four counts of first-degree falsifying business records and four counts of first-degree tampering with public records, both felonies, and four counts of official misconduct, and four counts of second-degree criminal contempt, both misdemeanors. The state police say Whalen used her credentials to dismiss tickets on behalf of acquaintances. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the state Division of Human Rights has expanded the statue of limitations for filing unlawful discrimination to three years. Before Feb. 15, a lawsuit had to be filed with one year. Mental health was cited as a reason for the extension. Advocates say studies show that survivors of discriminatory experiences often have difficulty processing those incidents within one year. Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “New York State remains committed to promoting safety, dignity, and respect for survivors as the tide of hate rises across our country.... This new statute of limitations adds another layer to our collective responsibility to protect one another and create an environment that makes survivors feel safe.” Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

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Phillip Pantuso reports in the Times Union that there was a motion on the Saugerties Town Board’s agenda that would deny all state Freedom of Information Law requests for records related to ongoing investigations. But after criticism the motion was critized, it was modified to target a specific former councilperson. Kristin O’Neill, assistant director with the state Committee on Open Government, said the Saugerties proposal is “inconsistent with this statutory requirement." Saugerties Town Supervisor Fred Costello said, “It’s pretty clear upon reading it again that it’s a little bit too broad.... It’s really in response to a specific FOIL request and the terms of that request.” Costello said that the “specific FOIL request” came from former Councilperson Paul Andreassen, who wants public information about an investigation into Councilperson Mike Ivino, who last month allegedly posted a video on social media of an unclothed woman in distress in the village. Councilperson Zach Horton thought that the motion should be withdrawn, and said, “FOIL laws that are already in existence are quite clear and our board passing such a motion would be redundant in nature.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Cassie Abel reports for HudsonValley360.com that the village of Catskill will see construction begin on a new sprayground at Elliot Park in the spring. The sprayground is expected to be completed by the summer. The Catskill Village Planning Board approved plans for the sprayground on Feb. 12. Cultivate Catskill and the Fortnightly Club of Catskill raised $150,000 to build the project. The Catskill village Department of Public Works will prepare the site and set hours of operation. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Spectrum News reports that on Feb. 15, Judge Juan Manuel Merchan said Donald Trump’s hush money case will begin as scheduled with jury selection starting on March 25, marking the first criminal trial against a former president to move forward. Trump's attorneys blasted the date as election interference because Trump is running for president, and he thinks that makes him immune from criminal charges. Merchan said, "At this point I can inform you that we're moving ahead with jury selection on March 25," and he said he expects the trial to last six weeks. Trump is accused of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment then-attorney and fixer Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep an alleged sexual encounter from the public. Read the full 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.

Mid-Hudson News reports that a new report from New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found that one in five New York households pay more than half of their household income on housing. Almost three million households in the state have housing costs larger than 30 percent of their household income. DiNapoli said, “For too many New Yorkers, finding and keeping an adequate and affordable place to live has become more and more difficult.... Rising costs are stretching household budgets and forcing trade-offs with other essentials, like food and health care.” New York ranked 32nd in the nation with just a 5.7 percent increase in housing units between 2012 and 2022. DiNapoli said, “The consequences of housing insecurity are wide-ranging and while low-income renters are the most cost-burdened, these financial pressures are increasingly felt by middle class households.... Action is needed by all levels of government.” Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that Scott M. Ellis Elementary School Principal Peter Mahan retired February 13 after two decades with the Greenville school district. Mahan said, “It has been an absolute joy to serve the community of Scott M. Ellis Elementary School for over twenty years.... During that time, we have experienced tremendous change within our school and within the world. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to recruit and work with so many remarkable faculty and staff members who are fully committed to supporting children as they grow as thinkers, individuals, friends, and citizens.” Joseph Lopez is interim elementary principal through the end of the current school year. The Greenville school district is taking application for the job through Feb. 25. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports for HudsonValley360.com that the Hudson Common Council is considering a resolution opposing the use of 11 Warren St. for county offices. Common Council members complain that Columbia County could get office space almost anywhere. The building is in the city’s Downtown Revitalization District, where mixed-use commercial and residential development is favored. Previously the building was used as offices for the Galvan Foundation, Bard College and Coarc, and the Hudson Youth Clubhouse used the property for the past year. Hudson’s First Ward Councilmember Gary Purnhagen said, "When you step back, it’s just not a good use at all.... The property is very valuable and underutilized.... We could do so much more. I would like to see a development that is supported by all stakeholders, that supports meaningful retail that makes sense, and that is welcoming and provides a community use similar to what the clubhouse was doing.” Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell said, “The building has been purchased by us at a substantial amount of taxpayer money, and our plan is to stay the course." Meanwhile, the Hudson Common Council will vote on the resolution at its Feb. 20 meeting. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.