Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that New Baltimore's travel plaza on Interstate 87 reopened June 29 after two years of renovations. Not all of the new restaurants are open yet, but will be soon, according to the New York State Thruway Authority. Governor Kathy Hochul also announced on June 29 fewer temporary lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways for the holiday weekend. AAA is predicting record traffic volumes this weekend, with up to 43.2 million people expected to be driving to their destinations, up four percent from 2019. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Raga Justin reports in the Times Union that Rep. Paul Tonko crowed about Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act on June 29 at the newspaper's office building in Albany. Part of what the bill does is expand the number of medical professionals who can prescribe a medication called buprenorphine from 130,000 to 1.8 million people. Buprenorphine is a drug that is now a little easier to prescribe to people struggling with opioid addiction. "There is some progress afloat," Tonko said. The Albany County Congressional representative also cited statistics from France, where they made access to drugs that can help with opioid addiction easier, overdose deaths declined nearly 80 percent, according to the National Institute of Health. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that Rep. Marc Molinaro, the Republican representing the 19th Congressional District, wants the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive study on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted educational outcomes for students with disabilities. Molinaro said, “I’m the father of four children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.... During the pandemic, parents like myself saw learning loss in their children firsthand. While many academic studies have sought to understand the full scope of these educational setbacks, very little attention has been given to the educational needs of students with disabilities.” Molinaro explained that when school staff meet with parents of a child with a disability to develop an educational plan for the student parents have the right to bring a third-party advocate, such as a therapist, lawyer, or knowledgeable family member. Molinaro is backing a bill to tell parents that. "Most parents are not aware of this right,” Molinaro's office said in a statement. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.

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H. Rose Schneider reports in the Times Union that Ingrid Amberger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany the pattern of incoming wildfire smoke from Canada will continue through this summer. Amberger said, “Since the fires are burning, the source continues to bring more smoke.... It’s going to be an ongoing issue into the summer.” Amberger said air quality advisories could come regularly from the state Department of Environmental Conservation this summer. Wildfire season typically doesn’t start until July in Canada, and predicted hot and dry weather is expected to exacerbate the problem. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Cat Syman in the Times Union rounds up where the fireworks will be going off in the area for the July 4 holiday. Pets and anyone triggered by the sounds of large explosions may use this list to avoid fireworks this week.
• June 30, 6-10 p.m. Albany hosts one of the largest area displays at the Empire State Plaza with Sheila E. performing, and food and beverages.
• July 1, 9:30 p.m. Germantown shoots off fireworks at Palatine Park after a day of live music and more.
• July 2, 7:30 p.m. Windham has a "Good Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration" with fireworks at dusk and sidewalk sales, live music, and children’s entertainment during the day along Main Street. • July 2, 9:15 p.m. Saugerties shoots off fireworks at Cantine Field. The Saugerties Fire Department also leads a parade at 11 a.m.
• July 3, 9:15 p.m, Coxsackie's Independence Day Celebration includes a farmers market, food trucks, and live music from James Dykeman and Wyld Blu earlier in the day at Riverside Park.
• July 4, at sunset Riedlbauer’s Resort in Round Top has fireworks, plus an Eagles tribute band, Already Gone, will also perform at Nussy's Bier Garten at the resort.
• July 4, dusk, Cairo's 4th of July Celebration at the Park with children's activities during the day at Angelo Canna Park.
• July 5, dusk, Catskill's 4th of July Celebration at Dutchman’s Landing Park.
• July 6 dusk, East Durham's July 4th Parade & Fireworks is two days after July 4, and starts with a parade at 11 a.m. on Route 145 at the Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural Centre.
• July 6, dusk, Village of Tannersville 4th of July Celebration shoots off fireworks at Rip Van Winkle Lake.

Hudson's Juneteenth celebration, rescheduled after the threat of rain June 17, has been moved to June 30. The Fourth Annual Juneteenth celebration in Hudson has been moved to the Lightforms Art Center from 3-10 p.m. Many of the performances are continuing, with the Resistance Revival Chorus at 6 p.m., Ifetayo Cobbins at 7 p.m., a tribute to the late Alan Skerrett at 7:15 p.m., and a "freedom dance party" at 8:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition.

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Patrick Tine reports in the Times Union that New York's departments of Environmental Conservation and Health, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that every region in the state had air on June 28 that was either “unhealthy” or “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” which includes pregnant women and people with asthma or other pulmonary conditions. The smoke is expected to linger in the air through June 30. An air quality health advisory issued by the DEC and DOH on June 28 was extended through Thursday. Experts recommend keeping windows and doors closed while the smoke is in the air. Close the outdoor air damper on window air conditioners or HVAC systems, or set HVAC systems to recirculate mode. Avoid using evaporative coolers or portable air conditioners, and keep the seals between the window and devices as tight as possible. A portable air cleaner or high-efficiency air filter can also help. A DIY air cleaner can be made by attaching one or two filters to a box fan. Wearing N95 masks for outdoor activity is also recommended. Emergency cellphone notifications will go out to New Yorkers if the air quality index exceeds the 200 threshold for 'very unhealthy' air. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Michael Ryan reports for the Mountain Eagle that Prattsville officials are considering a noise ordinance, but are uninterested in regulating short-term rentals. The Hudson Valley, and all of New York State, have an affordable housing crisis, fueled, in part, by short-term rentals. Gov. Kathy Hochul is talking about affordable housing, but not noise. Town Supervisor Greg Cross said, “We currently don’t have a noise ordinance, obviously, so if somebody calls about a noisy neighbor there is nothing we can do.” He also explained why the town is considering a noise ordinance now, saying, “We haven’t had any real problems yet but there have been some potential problems in town so we are looking at this." Cross also said, “there is no appetite on the town board to create short-term rental regulations....Some people believe there should be a fee on short-term rentals and that we should know who the property manager is in case there is a complaint, but we don’t have any enforcement mechanism.” Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.

Mid-Hudson News reports that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding Fairview Manor in Columbia County to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The property is also known as the Alonzo and Mary E. Flack House in Claverack. The brick house was built around 1870 and damaged by a fire in 1988. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

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The Times Union reports that local filming is quieter this summer than last, with the writer's strike effecting productions in the Hudson Valley. The Writers Guild of America has been striking since May 2, in a dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Last time the writers had a strike it lasted 100 days. Micah Khan, a director, writer and co-founder of the 518 Film Network said, “It used to be like a writer on ‘Lost’ would make $10K a year from residuals from their show and now they’re making 14 cents.... People are fighting for their living; they’re fighting for their ability to pay their bills and survive in an industry that doesn’t really care if they survive or not.” Debby Goedeke, Albany County film commissioner, explains the impact film productions have locally, saying, “The Association of Film Commissioners International estimates that it’s $125,000 to $165,000 a day when a production comes into a city,.... From personal experience, I believe that does happen.” Last summer the TV shows “The Gilded Age,” and “Poker Face” filmed in the Hudson Valley, and this year "Pretty Little Liars" has. “The Gilded Age” booked a combined total of 11,000 hotel rooms in Albany County, Goedeke said, noting she has felt the difference between this summer and last. “I’m sure it’s because of the writers' strike.... Though we may not be impacted in a direct way, indirectly I think we are all feeling that impact.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Mid-Hudson News reports that home sales fell 34.3 percent in the first five months of the year in Ulster County, according to the Ulster County Board of Realtors. The average selling price rose by just under 3.0 percent, rising from $406,692 in the January through May period in 2022 to $474,119 this year. Housing costs have risen dramatically in the Hudson Valley since the COVID-19 pandemic, and these statistics are among the first signs that the housing market locally is cooling. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Nick Reisman at New York State of Politics reports that New York voters have mixed views on Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Siena College survey released June 28 found. Hochul has a 42 percent favorable rating, and a 43 percent unfavorable rating. The poll found 48 percent of voters have a positive view of the job Hochul is doing as governor, and 44 percent have a disapproving view. President Joe Biden got similar results with 47 percent of voters in New York holding a favorable view of him, and 47 percent holding an unfavorable opinion. Former President Donald Trump, running for the Republican nomination, is overwhelmingly unpopular in New York with only 33 percent of those polled having a favorable view of the twice-indicted former president, while 61 percent of those polled holding an unfavorable view of Trump. The poll surveyed 817 registered voters between June 20 to June 25 with a margin of error of 3.9 percentage points. 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.

There were only a few primary elections locally in voting that ended June 27. In Greene County, there was just one contest, among two Republicans competing for New Baltimore's Superintendent of Highways nomination. Alan W. VanWormer, with 134 votes, defeated Robert P. VanEtten, with 71 votes. In Columbia County there were more primary elections. Democrats countywide chose between three candidates for County Judge, with Brian Joseph Herman winning with 1987 votes, followed by Michael C. Howard, with 1950 votes, and Mark Portin, with 1786 votes. Republicans in New Lebanon narrowly backed Peter McCagg, with 35 votes for Town Highway Superintendent, over Jeffrey Winestock, with 33 votes. The other votes were among Democrats in Hudson in three wards choosing nominees. In the first ward, Margaret Morris, with 129 votes, and Gary Purnhagen, with 71 votes, defeated, Todd Randall Martin, with 63 votes. In the second ward, Dewan A. Sarowar, with 109 votes, and Mohammed M. Rony, with 86 votes, took the nominations over Kevron Trone Lee, with 47 votes. And in the final ward, Shershah Mizan, with 76 votes, and Lola Roberts, with 73 votes, got the nominations over Daniel D. Schmeder, with 62 votes. Full disclosure: Martin is a WGXC volunteer programmer.

Lauren Stanforth reports in the Times Union that the state Department of Environmental Conservation is warning that smoke from Canadian wildfires will again invade the Hudson Valley on June 28. A wind shift following a passing cold front is bringing the smoke. Air quality advisories have been issued for western and central New York on June 28, but not in the Hudson Valley, where the air quality is not expected to be as bad. Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement, “I encourage everyone to remain vigilant, especially if you are vulnerable to air pollution, stay up to date on the latest information and take steps to protect yourself.” The Democrat & Chronicle reported that, "By Thursday, downstate regions, including the Hudson Valley, the New York City metropolitan region and Long Island, are projected to see unhealthy air levels." Reuters reports that the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says this is the worst wildfire season on record in Canada, with 29,000 square miles burning across eastern and western Canada. Air quality levels this week locally aren't expected to be as bad as early June, when there were several days of heavy smoke in the air here. Read more about this story in the Times Union.