Kate Lisa reports for New York State of Politics that in January Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed building 800,000 new units across New York to address the affordable housing crisis. But the legislature did not go along with her plan. Instead, Hochul announced on Aug. 1 a plan to build 800 affordable housing units in and around New York City. Hochul said, "Opening up more housing, all levels of housing – low income, affordable, mixed use market rate, it doesn't matter; we have such demand for housing in this state.... if we don't provide the availability of all these options - and government has a role to play with the private sector and the community – if we don't do our job there, then that's going to be a reason people leave." Hochul is spending $406 million to build 800 units of affordable housing in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Suffolk and Westchester counties, but not upstate. Hochul also spoke about the legislators who blocked her original proposal for 800,000 units, saying, "Change is hard.... It takes time, but I think what's important is that legislators hear from the people who live in these communities. ... People need a safe, affordable place to live. And we have a responsibility. And I'm not going to sit by and let time march on without doing something because this is a crisis." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics

Raga Justin reports in the Times Union that a Black former corrections officer, Vitolio Jeune, is suing his former co-workers and high-ranking members of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, alleging racial harassment and that he was beaten by other officers at a Washington County prison. He also claims he was fired after filing a complaint about the incident. Jeune's lawsuit says of white corrections officers, that, “they do not like Black correction officers being assigned to Great Meadow because, according to them, Black workers are slackers and lazy.” He says he also heard physical threats, name-calling, and taunts about his Haitian accent from other officers in a complaint filed in state Supreme Court in Albany County. “This attack was perpetrated by individuals senior to plaintiff and considered to be plaintiff’s superiors and was witnessed by correction officers who failed to intervene,” the lawsuit states. Officials with New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union which represents correction officers, declined to comment, and state department of corrections officials did not respond to a request for comment. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Raymond Pignone reports for Columbia-Greene Media that Club Helsinki, a music venue in Hudson, has been sold. The club, which mostly hosted oldies acts rather than new bands, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and never reopened. The old owners did not say why it closed, and the new owners, the Galvan Foundation, aren't revealing much either. Galvan Vice President of Initiatives Dan Kent said, “We do not have any comment at this time, but I will be sure to reach out once we are ready to announce our plans.” The story does not say anything about the financial deal. The Galvan Foundation owns many of Hudson's buildings, more than any other single landlord. A few local bands performed at Club Helsinki when it was open, but most acts were aimed at baby boomers. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

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Kevin Frey at New York State of Politics reports that Reps. Marc Molinaro and Elise Stefanik, the Republicans representing local Congressional distritcs, are considering voting to impeach President Joe Biden. Stefanik, who chairs the House GOP Conference, talked about wanting to impeach the Democrat president on Fox Business last week, saying, “I’m in conversations with Speaker McCarthy and all of our members." Molinaro, who represents the 19th Congressional District said, "Having served every day of my adult life in New York state politics, I can smell corruption. And frankly, the administration would be well served to answer the questions, be transparent and provide their response to the committees that are inquiring.” Republicans have not exactly said why they would impeach Biden, but it seems to have something to do with financial issues with his son Hunter. Another Hudson Valley Republican Congressperson, Mike Lawler, who represents the 17th District, said, “Are the [investigations] producing enough facts and evidence that warrant taking it to the next step? I don’t think it’s there at the moment.” Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that workers at least five upstate New York farms have voted to join the United Farm Workers union, but the farms are trying to stop them. The New York Farm Bureau and owners at the farms where the unions have formed say temporary workers with H-2A visas cannot organize or bargain collectively. Now New York’s Public Employment Relations Board will decide, using the 2019 changes to the state’s farm labor laws as a partial guide. Their decision, which will affect nearly 10,000 temporary visa workers, may be appealed to the courts. The Legal Aid Society, the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a brief with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board saying, “This could carry the effect of introducing a subclass of workers subjected to diminished working standards and would lead to the depreciation of market wages for agricultural workers across the board, the exact outcome the H-2A regulations attempt to avoid." Read more about this story in the Times Union.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.