The audio daily news update.

Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Times Union that on Feb. 12 Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik filed a formal complaint against Democrat state Attorney General Letitia James alleging investigation and prosecution of Donald J. Trump was biased, complaining about “highly inappropriate and prejudicial comments” against the former president during his recent trial on civil fraud charges in New York. Stefanik's complaint said, “Ms. James has pursued a personal vendetta against President Trump since he first was elected president of the United States,” Stefanik’s complaint states. “Ms. James’ comments as attorney general and as a candidate for attorney general adversely reflect on her fitness as a lawyer and implicate … (the) Rules of Professional Conduct.” The attorney general’s office declined to respond with a comment on Stefanik’s complaint. The Attorney Grievance Committee decides what happens next. Their investigations are confidential, so they could dismiss the issue without the public knowing, or they could privately issue a letter of advisement or admonition. If the committee believes there may be professional misconduct, a case could be referred to the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court for a formal disciplinary proceeding. Stefanik cites previous comments from James in her 2018 election night victory speech where she vowed to shine “a bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings.” She later pledged to “use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well.” Meanwhile, the former president and his family are awaiting a decision from Judge Arthur Engoron, about allegations Trump lied about his wealth on financial statements to banks and insurance companies. He could be fined up to $370 million and get banned from engaging future business dealings in New York’s real estate market. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that the agenda for the Feb. 15 meeting of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission says the group will vote on a 2024 Congressional map. But the public will not be able to see that map. Karen Blatt, co-executive director of the commission, said, “The map will be made available to the public on our website on Thursday, after the vote." The full state Legislature, controlled by Democrats, would have to approve the map. Congressional map lines are supposed to be drawn every ten years after the census. But New York's Congressional maps have been in and out of court several times, and now the map used for the 2022 election is being replaced. Which party controls the majority in the House of Representatives this fall may be decided in the Hudson Valley swing districts, and the new map may alter that outcome. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Teniqua Pennix and Ashley Clemens report for WNYT that at a meeting on Feb. 13 Albany County Democrats declined to endorse a candidate for District Attorney. Instead, Albany County Democratic Chair Jacob Crawford said that local defense attorney Lee Kindlon will be interviewed by the executive committee for the position of district attorney. Incumbent Albany County District Attorney David Soares had been running unopposed and expected to receive the endorsement. But he recently has been criticized for using grant money to give himself a $22,000 bonus. Soares says he did nothing wrong and released a video statement saying he does plan to return the grant money. Albany County Comptroller Susan Rizzo has contacted the Attorney General’s Office and the state Comptroller about investigating Soares. Soares and Kindlon both attended the meeting. Read more about this story at WNYT.

Today's audio daily news update.

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

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon reports in HudsonValley360.com that a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war in Gaza was introduced to the Hudson Common Council on Feb. 12, with a vote expected at the Feb. 20 meeting. The story does not say who introduced the resolution, which calls for officials in Albany and Washington, D.C. to demand a ceasefire. The resolution also the Hamas group to release of all hostages and political prisoners, for the Israeli government to allow the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, for both sides to respect the protection of journalists, an end of all U.S. military aid to Israel, and a resolution to the conflict based on peaceful diplomacy. Hudson Common Council President Tom DePietro said, “In this case, it’s important that we let our higher electives know that we, along with other municipalities, don’t agree with what many of them seem to be pursuing in terms of Middle Eastern policy.... There seems to be a slight disconnect between most people and our government.” The story does not quote any council members who oppose the resolution, and the council has received 55 letters supporting a ceasefire resolution. Full disclosure: DePietro is also a volunteer programmer at WGXC. Read more about this story in HudsonValley360.com.

On Feb. 13, the Hudson Valley representatives in Congress split their votes to impeach Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security. On the Republicans second attempt (the first last week failed 214-to-216), local Republicans Marc Molinaro and Elise Stefanik voted to impeach, and Democrats Paul Tonko and Pat Ryan voting against. This time the impeachment passed, 214-to-213. The high crimes and misdemeanors Mayorkas is accused of are unclear, though Republicans are clearly unhappy with the current immigration situation. They had a deal for immigration legislation, but scuttled it last week because former President Donald Trump wants to campaign on the immigration issue.

NBC News reports that Democrats gained a seat in the House of Representatives on Feb. 13, winning a special election on Long Island to replace lying Republican Rep. George Santos. Democrat Tom Suozzi won the special election in the Third Congressional District after the House voted to expel Santos. Suozzi, a former House member, beat Republican Mazi Pilip, a Nassau County legislator and Ethiopian immigrant who served in the Israel Defense Forces, roughly 54-to-46 percent. Now Republicans have just a two vote majority in the House of Representatives. Read more about this story at NBC News.

The audio daily news update.

Timmy Facciola reports in the Times Union that an annual Department of Environmental Conservation study found that striped bass spawned at historically low rates last year, their worst spawn in the Hudson River since 1985. In a comment to the newspaper, a DEC official said that the stock of striped bass has been “lower than desired since 2012,” and that “while 2023 was a below-average year for juvenile striped bass in the Hudson River, the values observed in recent years are within the range of normal.” But while the DEC says publicly that it is not concerned, at the Jan. 24 meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which sets fishing regulations along the East Coast, most of written comments from anglers called for extending emergency regulations put in place last year to slow population decline. The Hudson River is one of the two main breeding grounds on the East Coast for striped bass, and each spring, schools of hog-sized stripers come from the waters off the coast of the Carolinas. Conditions in the other major breeding waters, the Chesapeake Bay, are worse. Tony Friedrich, policy director of the American Saltwater Guides Association, said, “There’s no way that the Hudson (or any) other estuary system in the striped bass range can produce the number of fish that the Chesapeake can. And that’s the problem." Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Luke Parsnow reports in New York State of Politics that the Citizens Budget Commission says New York ranks first in the nation in taxes and second for spending in 2021. New York, on average, collects $135 per $1,000 of personal income per person. Only Alaska beat New York in spending, which was 50 percent more per capita than the national average in 2021. The commission's report said, “Higher than average taxes and spending is not inherently bad. New York has long chosen to levy high taxes to fund an extensive array and level of services that are relatively high cost.... The issue is whether the value proposition — are residents and businesses satisfied with what they get, what they pay for, and what they need — continues to hold and bolster New York’s future.” Many progressives in New York have advocated lately for raising taxes on the rich, which Gov. Kathy Hochul has resisted. Read more about this story in New York State of Politics.

A phantom snowstorm on Feb. 13 delayed Catskill schools two hours, and shut down Greene County Transit, even though few flakes fell. The storm was predicted to drop up to a foot of snow on the area, but then shifted south of Kingston as it approached the area. In Catskill, there was no sign of any snow when the students arrived two hours late. Anyone hoping for the white stuff to fall might not have to wait long with the National Weather Service predicting a 70 percent chance on Thursday night and a 40 percent chance on Saturday.

Today's audio daily news update.

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

The Daily Freeman reports Bard College create a new Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center with the American Association of Colleges and Universities. Bard was one of four institutions selected through a competitive process to host the new campus centers. A press release about the project said, “Guided by a common vision, each of the TRHT Campus Centers is developing and implementing a visionary action plan that engages and empowers campus and community stakeholders to uproot biases and to inspire the next generation of leaders and thinkers to advance justice and build more equitable communities.” The center will host “Rx Racial Healing Circles” where participants share personal stories to open dialogue in action. The Rx Racial Healing Circles will include the Bard Master of Arts in Teaching Program and the Bard Early Colleges in the Mid-Hudson region. Raed more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon at HudsonValley360.com that both New York's Department of Transportation and the Columbia County Board of Supervisors have now approved the Columbia County transportation coordination plan. Michael Chameides, Hudson Third Ward supervisor and chair of the Public Transportation Committee, said, “There are some pretty significant changes and improvements to the previous plan." The story does not explain exactly what those changes are, but does cite a study of bus ridership in the county. Chameides said that seniors, people with disabilities, and people without vehicles were the populations most likely to use Columbia County's transportation services and that Hudson, Kinderhook, and Livingston have the most no-vehicle households there. Columbia County public transportation had over 30,000 riders in 2022. The study also says that other transportation agencies in Columbia County use over 100 vehicles with 50 full and part-time staff to make more than 40,000 trips per year. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.

Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that state Senator Michelle Hinchey has helped get the Bank of Greene County officially designated as part of the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry. The bank was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Catskill. Hinchey said, “The Bank of Greene County is the epitome of a community-minded partner,” and that she is “incredibly proud to award this local institution a much-deserved place on the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry.” The registry began in 2020 to honor and promote New York businesses operating for at least 50 years and making significant contributions to the history of their community. Donald Gibson, president and CEO of the Bank of Greene County, said, “We are celebrating our 135th Anniversary, rang the NASDAQ Closing Bell on January 22, raised the interest rate on our e-checking account and e-savings account, and have been added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry.” Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.

The audio daily news update.

Cassie Abel reports for HudsonValley360.com that some Greene County legislators have taken an interest in a project before the Catskill Planning Board. They are worried about a proposed battery storage site on Route 9W. John Farrell, county director of Emergency Services, said at the Feb. 7 Greene County Legislature meeting that he is concerned with possible fires, and and spoken with local emergency services officials, local fire departments, and the company in charge of the facility to prepare for fires or potential emergency calls at the site. Farrell said, “I’ve spent the past month reviewing emergency plans for that location and had the opportunity to reach out to several different folks.... First, was New York State Homeland Security to talk about three accidents and I then reached out to fire coordinators in the Hudson Valley Region. Warren Hart (deputy county administration) and I met with Ed Dolan (first assistant chief of the Catskill Fire Department) and Paul Rogers (co-founder) from the Energy Safety Response Group and also Justin Adams of Eolian.” Greene County Legislator Michael Bulich, a Republican from Catskill, said, “There’s no putting the fire out, you just have to let it burn, and so you’re only trying to suppress the smoke a little bit.... Prevailing wind takes it right into the Village of Catskill. We’ll be smelling it right here.” The Town of Catskill Planning Board looks at the proposal again at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 27. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.