WEDNESDAY • Today, Wednesday, April 10, is the 100th day of the year. On this date in 1710, the Statute of Anne, the first law regulating copyright, went into effect in Great Britain. The National Weather Service in Albany predicts that rain returns to the region today through Saturday, with the most likely extended periods on Thursday evening and Friday.

TODAY'S HEADLINES
IN ALBANY New York State of Politics reports that state legislators blew past their April 1 deadline, and still have not approved a state budget for next year. New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins explained that legislators in Albany have yet to agree how to help the affordable housing crisis with the budget. PLAY OR DOWNLOAD EXCERPT OF STEWART-COUSINS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS.

IN CATSKILL • Michael Ryan in Porcupine Soup reports that construction on the new wing of the the Greene County Courthouse will continue through next year. There will soon be less parking in the village of Catskill, as the the $28.8 million construction project is taking over the lot across Main St. from the courthouse, for storage and vehicles. The digging for the project has unearthed old sewer and stormwater pipes. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said, "They were deeper and bigger than we thought. We thought they were 12-inch pipe. They are 24-inch. The reality is there is little to no paperwork after 100 years." Expect construction to disrupt the village through June of 2025.

IN ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON • The Daily Freeman reports that the Bard Prison Initiative is getting $4.5 million in federal funding to broaden its college-in-prison work across seven state prisons as well as its reentry and alumni programs throughout the state. Bard College President Leon Botstein said, “The Bard Prison Initiative has led the nation in shaping the way we think about higher education for incarcerated people and its role in changing the impact of imprisonment for the better, inside the prison system and beyond.” Currently, the Bard Prison Initiative enrolls more than 400 incarcerated students in degree-granting programs. The program “begins working with students to plan their reentry at least a year ahead of release and then works with students and alumni as they transition back into the community and throughout their careers. Reentry services at BPI include continuing education, career development, housing services, and mental wellness.” The Bard Prison Initiative reports recidivism rates from their students who earn an associate’s degree is 8.7 percent, and their students with a bachelor’s degree rate of return to prison is only 3.1 percent. That is much better than the national recidivism rate, which is above 60 percent.

IN ALBANY Campaign ads will soon flood the local television airwaves, as there will be big spending this year on Congressional elections. Republicans flipped several New York seats in 2022, helping them take over the majority in the House of Representatives. Locally, incumbents Democrat Pat Ryan, and Republican Marc Molinaro are expected to have competitive races, while incumbents Democrat Paul Tonko and Republican Elise Stefanik are expected to win easily as usual. New York State of Politics reports that the Democrat-aligned House Majority political action committee is reserving roughly $21 million worth of TV ad time in New York before the November elections. That includes $1.19 million in spending in the Albany television market.

TODAY'S LOCAL EVENTS
IN CATSKILL • The monthly Nonchalant variety show is back from 7:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, April 10, at The Avalon Lounge in Catskill with video, films, sound, and more.

IN KINGSTON • Also on Wednesday, April 10, Philadelphia/Michigan-based musician Rosali peforms at Tubby's in Kingston with Verity Den opening from 7-11 p.m.

TUNE IN TONIGHT
8 P.M. ON WGXC • Catskill's Neva Wartell delves into the music of Brazil that has been deeply rooted in African as well as indigenous traditions on "Music For the Masses" at 8 p.m. at wgxc.org and 90.7-FM.