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

The number of COVID-19 cases across the country, and across New York State, continues to skyrocket, often hitting record numbers. Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out the current dire situation in a Nov. 18 press conference. PLAY OR DOWNLOAD EXCERPT OF CUOMO PRESS CONFERENCE Now, though, the large numbers of COVID-19 cases are here in the Hudson Valley. But government officials are still taking little action to change those deadly coronavirus statistics. For instance, Cuomo says he wants police to step in and stop large holiday gatherings, and make sure folks wear masks in public. But he also says it is an honor system. "Nobody is saying knock on doors and count heads," the governor said. "But you come across a gathering for one reason or another and there’s 20 people there, you say, 'This can’t happen.'" What will happen, is that case counts will continue to rise. On Nov. 18, Columbia County officials reported 11 new cases, and Greene County officials said there were seven more across the Hudson River. There were three more Rensselaer County deaths due to complications from COVID-19 announced Nov. 18. Two were residents of the Van Rensselaer Manor, the county-run nursing home in North Greenbush. In Albany County, officials announced 96 positive cases Nov. 18, and two more deaths. Ulster County had 33 more cases announced Nov. 18, and Dutchess County has had 11 deaths in the last 13 days. Dutchess County Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian said the majority of cases now come from non-public, casual gatherings, as citizens ignore Cuomo's edict. Local schools may all be closed to in-person classes soon. Dutchess school leaders are debating moving to full remote learning through the holidays. Students in grades 7-12 in the Germantown Central School District are now on all-remote classes until at least November 30, because of a coronavirus case there. Columbia High School has also gone to remote learning, and many faculty and staff at Rensselaer, Niskayuna, Averill Park, and Lansingburgh schools are under quarantine.

Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the historic Greene County Jail building, located on Bridge Street in Catskill, is no more. Built in 1908, the structure was listed on state and national historic registries. It was closed as a jail facility in April 2018, after county officials acquired a report stating the building was structurally compromised. It has now been demolished. Razing the facility is bittersweet, Legislature Chairman Patrick Linger said. “It’s bitter for some, it’s sweet for others,” he said. “When we did the cost comparison to rehab the building, it was $3 million more than to demo and do a rebuild. So...this was by far the more fiscally responsible plan to take. But there’s a lot of history there and we’re making room now to move forward.” Meg Nowack, of Historic Catskill, said the demolition is a loss for the community. “I feel as if it was a really integral part of the grouping that sits on the corner — the courthouse, the jail, the sheriff’s office, the library and the banks were all built in the early 1900s,” she said. “It formed this great grouping that’s really important for the historic district and now this large section is going to be gone and replaced by this parking lot. That’s nothing Catskill can benefit from.” Nowack described the demolition as a historic moment. “It’s just a sad moment for Catskill,” she said. Cairo Legislator William Lawrence said, “It’s one of those things that needed to be done. I know there are people who object to the sheriff’s office coming down. The only thing that might have been salvageable is the appearance on the outside. The buildings were no value to the county or to county residents.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Emilie Munson is reporting for the Times Union President-elect Joe Biden has been announced the winner in Rensselaer and Saratoga counties, where President Donald Trump claimed victory in 2016 and Republicans have dominated down-ballot, according to election results reported November 18. In 2016, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in Rensselaer County by slightly more than 1,000 votes; neither candidate won more than 47 percent of the vote. But in 2020, Biden won the county, 52 to 46 percent, with a 5,400 vote margin, according to the county Board of Elections results certified November 18. This outcome is notable in a county that has elected Republican county executives for decades and is currently lead by Executive Steve McLaughlin, an iron-fisted GOP partisan. The county does have slightly more active registered Democrats than Republicans. Rensselaer voters have gone for a Democrat before: President Barack Obama won the county in both 2008 and 2012. "It’s not uncommon. In Rensselaer County, every election is different. We had some pretty strong victories for middle-of-the-ticket candidates," said Rich Crist, Schodack GOP chair, county director of operations and McLaughlin's right-hand man. In the county, both Biden and Trump received more votes in 2020 than Clinton and Trump did in 2016, with turnout rising to 78.4 percent of eligible voters. In Saratoga County, as of mid-week, the county had counted nearly 24,000 absentee ballots; multiple sources said approximately 1,000 more ballots remained to count. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County lawmakers approved a resolution November 16, establishing the county’s intent to be lead agency on the plan to build a new radio communications tower in Hunter, which will require a state environmental quality review. The 120-foot radio tower will serve as a relay point between the tower at Twilight Park and the tower atop Hunter Mountain. “It’s going to better facilitate the communication between down below in the valley and what goes on up here,” Hunter Town Supervisor Daryl Legg said. “That’s the whole idea of it. They needed [the tower] to fill a blind spot.” The tower will be constructed about 400 to 500 feet off Route 23A adjacent to Hunter Town Hall and 300 feet from the Mountain Cloves Scenic Byway. Construction will disturb 0.22 acres of the 1-acre parcel. Additionally, the project will affect a 0.33-acre wetland and requires approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The tower will be used by emergency services, not cell service carriers. The tower will be funded by a grant from the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, at an estimated cost of $250,000. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Today's daily news update.

Lauren Stanforth is reporting for the Times Union a new statewide survey of consumers conducted by the Siena Research Institute, found that belief in Santa Claus dipped this year for the first time since at least 2010, from 30 percent to 26 percent. And fewer people are planning to put up a Christmas tree — 67 percent of people plan to put up a tree in their home, down from 70 percent in previous years. It also appears that New Yorkers are listening to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's directive to limit the size of Thanksgiving gatherings to no more than 10 people, with 52 percent of those surveyed saying they will not be joining friends or family for the holiday next week. Only 14 percent plan to travel to visit people. Less than 25 percent of survey participants said they plan to shop locally on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, but almost 50 percent will be shopping online on Cyber Monday this year. Siena surveyed 803 New Yorkers by landline and cell phone between November 4 and 10. Read the full story in the Times Union.

A new report released November 17, by AARP NY, Asian American Federation, Hispanic Federation, NAACP and the Urban League found that older New Yorkers of color have fallen behind on rent payments and are struggling with food insecurity at far greater rates than their white counterparts during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement released by AARP New York. Specifics from the report:
▪ Half of the black tenant households statewide fell behind on their rent as of late May/early June 2020
▪ About 25 percent of black and Latino families reported not being able to pay their rent in May 2020 versus 14 percent of white households
▪ Even before the pandemic, Asian Americans in New York City consistently faced higher rates of income poverty, material hardship and health problems than whites from 2014 through 2018
▪ The number of New York City residents facing food insecurity has nearly doubled since the onset of the pandemic, from 1.2 million to nearly 2.2 million, roughly 25 percent of the population; 39 percent of black families in New York City, and 37 percent of Hispanic families are struggling with food insecurity
▪ Unemployment rates reached nearly 19 percent in April among Latinos and 17 percent among blacks
▪ COVID-19 is widening housing disparities by race and income
Among the organizations' recommendations:
▪ An independent review of the state’s handling of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities since the onset of the pandemic and a task force of stakeholders to promote models for improvement;
▪ Adequately funding cost-effective home and community-based services, which help New Yorkers age in their own homes;
▪ Enhancing enrollment in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and ensuring recipients can shop for food online and have it delivered to their homes;
▪ Ensuring a lawyer for any renter with income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty to help fight unwarranted evictions, and;
▪ Establishing a housing access voucher program for New Yorkers who are homeless or face an imminent loss of housing.
Read the full report at empirereportnewyork.com.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics House lawmakers November 19, backed a bill intended to make it easier for blocking suspicious opioid shipments. The measure comes amid concerns the opioid epidemic is continuing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a twin public health crisis brought on by stress and economic dislocation. Under existing federal law, drug manufacturers and distributors are required to only notify the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration when suspicious orders are discovered. The measure approved this week would now require manufacturers and distributors to take action to stop suspicious orders. They would also be required to keep records of the reports and notifications made to federal drug enforcement officials leading to their suspicions. The measure received bi-partisan support. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

WGXC morning headlines.

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

On Nov. 17 Greene County announced four new coronavirus cases and one more hospitalization, while Columbia County reported 11 new COVID-19 cases. The New Lebanon schools announced they are going all remote until Nov. 30 because of a COVID-19 case. Albany County reported 60 new COVID-19 cases on Nov. 17. There were 21 cases of COVID-19 confirmed to the Rensselaer County Health Department on Nov. 17, with the county's 50th death, a 61-year-old woman from East Greenbush. In an interview with WGXC on Nov. 16, Columbia County Director of Public Health Jack Mabb said New York officials have told him to begin planning for vaccine distribution by the end of November. Local medical professionals will be the first to receive the vaccine, Maab reported. Click here to download or play the excerpt of the Jack Maab interview.

Aliya Schneider is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the former president and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, Jeffrey Hunt, spoke out November 17, about his dismissal after more than four years on the job. The chamber’s executive committee voted to terminate Hunt’s employment on November 10, after it was made aware of "some irregularities within the [organization's] finances." In an interview, Hunt told Schneider that he agreed to the separation and takes responsibility for communication issues leading up to his termination. “There were some communication missteps on my part and I own up to it,” Hunt said. He did not specify the origins of the communication missteps. An internal investigation is being conducted by chamber Board of Directors Chairman Derick H. LaTorre, chamber Treasurer Matthew Mackerer and corporate counsel Matt Griesemer. Criminal charges are not currently being considered, LaTorre said. The irregularities occurred over at least the past year, he said. “Right now, it looks like there were funds used that weren’t necessarily authorized, so that’s the irregularity and what we’re trying to determine at what level that is,” LaTorre said. He would not comment on the amount of money at stake. “We’re kind of in the midst of trying to determine the full nature of it,” he added. Hunt said he planned on working at the chamber for four to five years and it has been more than four years since he began. “I think it was time for a change for me,” Hunt added. “I think the chamber is in a stronger place today than it was when I started and I have nothing discouraging to say about individual board members or the chamber itself. The organization is a wonderful organization and it will continue to grow and strive.” The board has not yet established a timeline to hire a new president and CEO. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Paul Nelson is reporting for the Times Union a jail guard fired last week for allegedly beating a man at the Schenectady County Jail was arrested November 17, and charged with assault. The incident caused the victim to be hospitalized for nearly a week. The former guard, Eugene Sellie, 28, surrendered to city police and was arraigned by Schenectady City Court Judge Mark Caruso on the felony assault charge, as well as a misdemeanor count of official misconduct. If convicted, the assault charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. The judge deemed Sellie a flight risk and set his bail at $10,000, issued a temporary order of protection banning him from any contact with the alleged victim, and ordered Sellie to surrender any firearms he has by November 24. Sellie was later released after posting bail. His attorney, Andrew Safranko, is prepared to argue that his client acted in self-defense and would ultimately fight to get his job back. The man Sellie is accused of beating, John Mannarino, suffered three broken ribs on each side of his chest, a collapsed lung and a broken collar bone. District Attorney Robert M. Carney said "if true, this is unconscionable conduct." The criminal charges are the culmination of a week-long investigation by Schenectady police at the request of Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino. Dagostino said the internal probe by his office is not over and they are continuing to interview any eyewitnesses or staff that may have been in the area where the alleged beating occurred. Read the full story in the Times Union.

The Mountain Top Cares Coalition has announced it is offering training to administer the life-saving drug Narcan at 7 p.m., Wed., Dec. 2. The medication Narcan is used to reverse opioid overdoses. The training is virtual and takes approximately two hours. All participants will be issued a Narcan kit containing the drug. Respond by email with “I’m in” to narcan [at] Mountain Top Cares Coalition [dot] com and a full packet of information and details on how to register will be provided. Training can be done at home and requires only access to a smart phone, laptop or desktop computer. The training is open to anyone and everyone. Information is available by calling 518-487-1768.

Today's daily news update.

Jeanette Wolfberg is reporting for The Columbia Paper on two recent meetings of the Hudson school board. Superintendent Maria L. Suttmeier told the board that internet service interruptions continue to be an issue. She said they have become more sporadic and often occur at the same time of the day. Some of the problems are weather-related, some equipment related, Suttmeier said in October. She said the district had switched its provider from Mid-Hudson Cable to FirstLight. In November, she added, “we’re working with other districts that are experiencing [similar] disruptions.” During the October 20 meeting, the superintendent reported instruction for all 11th and 12th graders happens online. Most 6th through 10th graders are on a hybrid schedule — two days a week in person, other days online. Most pre-kindergarteners through 5th graders attend in-person, four days a week. At the same time, many parents have opted for their children, in grades K through 10, to attend remotely. Asked by a parent if there was any way to return all students to in-person instruction, Suttmeier said it is not possible right now. She said, "[W]e don’t have the space. If there was a way to bring in students, we’d do it. I know you aren’t the only one who’s frustrated. We considered using the gym as a classroom, but we need the space to hold students when they come into school before class begins.” Suttmeier said they are looking at the possibility of bringing in the 11th and 12th graders, however. A survey has been sent to parents to gauge their interest in in-person classes and to determine if they would need transportation. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Steve Barnes is reporting for the Times Union the Doris Duke Theatre, one of two indoor performance spaces at the 91-year-old Jacob's Pillow dance festival in Becket, Mass., was destroyed by fire early November 17. The wood structure was on fire when emergency crews first arrived at 7 a.m., and the entire building was engulfed soon thereafter, according to the account in The Berkshire Eagle. Responders battled the fire but were able to save only a sign that said "Doris Duke Theatre," the paper reported. The 619-seat Ted Shawn Theatre, named after the founder of Jacob's Pillow, was not damaged. The Doris Duke Theatre was open in 1990, and had a capacity of 230. The Duke generally showcased newer, more experimental dance ensembles or those suited its black-box-style performance space, which lacks a proscenium stage and has a wall that opens to the outside. Pamela Tatge, Jacob’s Pillow artistic and executive director said in an email, "We are heartbroken and we are relieved that no one was hurt. On behalf of everyone at the Pillow, we are grateful for the firefighters and officials who have responded so quickly to this devastating emergency on our grounds. We are grateful for the outpouring of support from around the world we have already received. We will rebuild.” Read the full story in the Times Union.

William J. Kemble is reporting for the Daily Freeman Saugerties school officials will ask district residents next month to approve a $22 million capital project and to approve the inclusion of a $2 million energy contract, which would increase the state reimbursement rate to 67.5 percent. In a video conference meeting November 16, school Superintendent Kirk Reinhardt said the aid would be provided over the 15-year payback period for bonds. “There’s actually two votes that night,” he said. “One is to approve the capital project, one is to approve the additional aid on the EPC, or energy performance contract.” The capital project would include updating security measures at all school entrances, improving classroom doors to meet Americans with Disability Act standards, updating environmental systems to improve air quality, replacing ceiling tiles and installing required emergency lighting. A presentation on the capital project will be made Tue., Dec. 1. Polls will be open from noon until 9 p.m., Tue., Dec. 15, at each the district's four elementary schools. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

WGXC morning headlines.