William J. Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman that votes in Saugerties will decide this fall whether their tax collector will be chosen by appointment or continue as an elected four-year term picked by voters. The last two tax collectors in Saugerties were appointed, after Julie Dunn resigned in August 2022. Jill Zarcone was appointed but left after a few months months to take a private sector job. Town Board members then picked Diane Friedman to fill the position. Now they have voters both picking a tax collector in voting in October and November, but also a ballot question taking away their power to choose the tax collector. So the winning candidate would have to voluntarily not accept the position or to step down. More confusing still, Zarcone's name is on the Democrats ballot line even though she has bowed out, and Friedman is on the Conservative Party line. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Today's daily news audio update.

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Raga Justin reports for the Times Union that the Public Employees Federation, New York’s largest public sector union, voted late last week for a new three-year contract with three percent raises annually for thousands of employees. The promised raise will affect over 50,000 of the professional, scientific and technical state workers, including nurses, social workers, doctors, engineers, and parole officers that the union represents. The Public Employees Federation also secured 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave in the deal. Gov Kathy Hochul approved, saying, “This contract fairly compensates the hard-working members of the Public Employees Federation who provide critical expertise to benefit New Yorkers each day.... I’m grateful to (PEF President Wayne Spence) for his partnership to help get this agreement finalized and to ensure that New York workers' pay and benefits reflect their important contributions to our state.” A current shortage of employees and more than 26 percent of the state government workforce eligible for retirement within the next five years means many others could benefit from the contract, since the state will have many job openings. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

William J Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman that Saugerties Town Supervisor Fred Costello says the state Attorney General’s report that recommended firing a Saugerties police officer for sexual harassment played a role in putting Chief Joseph Sinagra on paid leave. The town board voted last week unanimously to put Sinagra on paid leave while they investigate an unknown issue, but did not say what that issue is. But on July 28 Costello confirmed that the attorney general's report has a role in the situation, saying, “Yes, I feel it is. We don’t know until we get it, though, … For now, we have more questions than answers.” The 15-page report from Attorney General Letitia James’ Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office released July 7 found that Saugerties Police Officer Dion Johnson, “engaged in a pattern of misconduct involving inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature” and called on Saugerties to “terminate him for these actions.” The report also said that the police department’s “disciplinary actions did not match the gravity of the misconduct.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Michael Woyton reports for Patch that the Ulster County Fair opens August 1. That comes just after the Greene County Youth Fair closed in Cairo, and a few weeks before the Columbia County Fair opens in Chatham. The fairs all offer a variety of animal exhibitions, amusements, and rides, and performances, The Ulster County Fair has Lee Greenwood and the Kentucky Headhunters performing, and The World’s Smallest Rodeo, and a fireworks display on Aug. 2. Most days it is open from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m., except for closing day, Aug. 6, when it closes at 8 p.m., and opening day, when the hours are 4-10 p.m. Read more about this story in Patch.

Today's audio daily news update.

Mid-Hudson News reports that on July 31 Central Hudson Gas and Electric proposed an approximately 16 percent increase on the average residential electric bill and approximately 19 percent increase on the average residential natural gas bill beginning in June 2024. The utility, currently under fire for estimated billing irregularities, says it needs the large rate increases to replace aging infrastructure. Central Hudson just announced it will have outside overseers watch the utility's billing, and will return to reading meters, rather than estimating bills. Customers of Central Hudson reported late, and very large bills, since the utility switched to estimated billing. The Public Service Commission would need to approve a rate increase. Read the full story at Mid-Hudson News.

Jammel Cutler reports in Columbia-Greene Media that the Columbia County Farmworker Housing Program awarded Klein’s Kill Fruit Farms Corporation in Germantown $250,000 to improve housing conditions for its farm workers. The program replaces existing farm worker housing where workers lived in such close quarters that COVID infections could be spread. Now 14 farm workers from Jamaica will share the new housing that features two kitchens, six bedrooms and three bathrooms. Russell Bartolotta, president and CEO of Klein’s Kill Fruit Farm, said, “You can only put so many people in it.... We went by the regulations of the state for how many men we can put in there. Some guys have been coming here for 25 years. I know them like I know my relatives, guys that are in their 50s now. I have known them since they were in their 20s. We have the same worker retention year after year. They want to come back. Their heat, electricity and rent are paid for. It costs $1,400 a man to fly them back and forth. We have to pay for their visas.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that the New York State United Teachers union and several state lawmakers are urging schools to opt-in by Aug. 31 to a program providing meals free of charge to students regardless of their family's income. Lawmakers have $135 million for the program, to continue a federal program that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. State legislators claim that an estimated 81 percent of New York students will benefit from the school meals program. 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.

Nancy Kern reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Catskill Central School District has changed its elementary school day schedule this coming year. The school is eliminating its traditional 42-minute bell schedule for a flexible approach focused on students’ needs and teacher prep time. Teachers get an additional 237 minutes of prep time under the plan that was approved at the board's July 26 meeting. Teachers explained at the meeting that if a student was having trouble with a specific math concept but are quickly mastering a language arts topic, a teacher could lengthen the math periods one or several days for that student, while shortening their time in language arts. Teachers will need more prep time to make customized lesson plans, rather than just one plan for the entire class. Math teacher Cherie Dottino said, “That same prep hour looks like four groups, differentiated for every student, all of them learning exactly what they need to learn, so while it’s much better for our students, it requires a lot more planning time and preparation.” The school is also adding time to study for the state’s mandated standardized tests. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Rep. Pat Ryan wants Congressional hearings about the potential risks posed by the network of lead-sheathed telecom cables across the country. A recent Wall Street Journal story said hundreds of communities across the country including Wappingers Falls in Dutchess County have lead telecommunications cables leaching into the ground. In Wappingers Falls one lead cable runs along the perimeter of a children’s playground and basketball court. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that children avoid soil containing more than 400 parts of lead per million, but samples taken on the local playground tested at 850 parts per million. Ryan says Verizon, AT&T, and US Telecom are avoiding answering questions about the lead cables’ location and remediation plans. Ryan said, “This week, Verizon and AT&T reported billions in profits, yet when it comes to answering questions about toxic lead cables, they’re silent. If they won’t be honest with the American people and take accountability, we will compel them to.... In particular, it’s outrageous that these companies denied the public health impacts of their negligence, which flies in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence that even trace amounts of lead can pose serious health risks for children. I’ll keep fighting until the last lead cable is safely removed.” Read the full story at Mid-Hudson News.

Jammel Cutler reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the Salvation Army thrift store on Fairpoint Ave. in Greenport closed July 29, after 30 years of discount sales. The Salvation Army Maj. Joy Labbe did not return the newspaper's calls, so it is unknown if a new store could open elsewhere, or what will happen to the ten employees at the now-closed thrift store. The store was the largest thrift shop between Albany and Kingston, and many people shopped their for low-cost clothing and home goods. Mellissa Santos of Greenport said, “I come here often to buy clothes for my kids, and sometimes even myself.... Our family doesn’t have a lot of money, so this store closing is going to hurt us. We are grateful that there is a Goodwill Store and donation store in the plaza next door, so we won’t suffer too much.” Harvey Bautista of Hudson said, "This store is very important for low-income folks. Ever since the start of the pandemic, I come here to buy household items. This place helped me out when I was out of work for a while.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

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.

Amanda Salazar reports for City and State that New York's Republican primary for president is not until April 30, 2024, but two Republican Congressional representatives in the state have already endorsed their picks. Long Island’s George Santos, accused of all sorts of lies, and the North Country’s Elise Stefanik have both endorsed former president Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. The publication surveyed the rest of the Republican New York Congressional delegation, including Marc Molinaro, but they declined to endorse anyone this early in the process. Trump, already indicted in two cases and expecting a third imminent indictment, could be at trial or in jail by the time the primary date approaches. Republican strategist William O’Reilly said, “There’s no benefit whatsoever to endorsing Donald Trump early, and I would expect most Republican members from New York to keep their powder dry as long as humanly possible.... Trump is without doubt the prohibitive favorite in the primary as of today, but there’s an awful lot of time between now and then. I’d expect most endorsements to come just days or weeks before the New York presidential primary next year.” Read the full story in City and State.

Fox News reports that Rep. Elise Stefanik is all in on impeaching President Joe Biden. Stefanik said, "Oh, absolutely. I'm in conversations with Speaker McCarthy and all of our members. The important thing to know about an impeachment inquiry is that ensures that the House is at the apex of its power and oversight responsibility. It means that our subpoenas have the most power possible when it comes to litigating this out in court because we know getting the facts is not going to be easy." Her comments say what impeachment would do for House Republicans, not what Biden did that deserves being impeached. On that issue, she only said something about, "illegal money laundering, the fact that nearly 20 Biden family members have profited illegally." Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said this week that he may consider an impeachment inquiry of Biden over claims of financial misconduct. Stefanik, also a Republican, represents the 21st Congressional District, including Rensselaer County. Other Hudson Valley representatives have not joined calls to impeach Biden. Read more about this story at the Fox News website.

Today's audio daily news update.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that Patrick Phelan, executive director of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, denounced Saugerties officials on July 27, for not explaining the reasons for putting Police Chief Joseph Sinagra on paid administrative leave. Phelan said, “Currently, we are waiting for information.... As far as we know there has been no reason given for placing Chief Sinagra on administrative leave.” Sinagra was recently sworn in as President of the NYS Association of Police Chiefs. Phelan said he spoke to Sinagra on July 26 and the chief told him he did not know why the town board put him on leave. Sinagra could not be reached for comment by the newspaper on July 27. The Town Board voted to hire former Police Chief Lou Barbaria as interim chief at $50 per hour. Earlier this month, the state Attorney General’s Office recommended that the Saugerties police department “seek to terminate” Saugerties Police Officer Dion Johnson because of sexual assault and harassment complaints. And, Sinagra’s brother, Philip Sinagra, Jr., a “volunteer officer” with the Saugerties Police Department and a part-time officer in Woodstock, was named in a federal complaint by four Woodstock police officers and a former dispatcher who allege that Woodstock Police Department tolerated sexually charged comments by Sinagra, Jr. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Fox News reports that Rep. Elise Stefanik is all in on impeaching President Joe Biden. Stefanik said, "Oh, absolutely. I'm in conversations with Speaker McCarthy and all of our members. The important thing to know about an impeachment inquiry is that ensures that the House is at the apex of its power and oversight responsibility. It means that our subpoenas have the most power possible when it comes to litigating this out in court because we know getting the facts is not going to be easy." Her comments say what impeachment would do for House Republicans, not what Biden did that deserves being impeached. On that issue, she only said something about, "illegal money laundering, the fact that nearly 20 Biden family members have profited illegally." Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said this week that he may consider an impeachment inquiry of Biden over claims of financial misconduct. Stefanik, also a Republican, represents the 21st Congressional District, including Rensselaer County. Other Hudson Valley representatives have not joined calls to impeach Biden. Read more about this story at the Fox News website.

It has been a summer of plagues in the Hudson Valley, with floods, heat, smoke from Canadian wildfires, and an invasion of spongy moths. Now Mid-Hudson News reports that West Nile virus in mosquitoes has returned to the area. West Nile virus was found in a mosquito pool in the Town of New Windsor, in Orange County this week. So officials are alerting residents to get rid of any standing water they can, as mosquitoes can breed in any stagnant water that lasts more than four days. With all the rain recently, there is a lot of standing water in the Hudson Valley, which means a lot of mosquitoes. Besides eliminating standing water, officials recommend wearing appropriate clothing, and using bug repellent sprays when outdoors. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.