Sarah Trafton reports in Columbia-Greene Media that among the local swearings-in in town halls this week, nowhere is there more change than in the Greene County Legislature. There, five new members took the oath of office Jan. 2, with Republicans expanding their majority from from 8-6 to a 12-2. Patrick Linger (R-New Baltimore) is the new chairperson of the legislature, replacing Kevin Lewis (R-Greenville) who did not seek re-election. In Columbia County, Bernadette Powis was sworn in as Columbia County’s new coroner at the Jan. 2 Columbia County Board of Supervisors meeting. Local State Senator George Amedore, a Republican, was named minority chair of the Housing, Construction, and Community Development committee and the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities committee in Albany. State Senator Daphne Jordan (R-Halfmoon) was named the Ranking Minority Member on the Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering committee, and the Ranking Minority Member on the Senate’s Native American Relations subcommittee. And Helen Rose Schneider reports for The Altamont Enterprise reports that "Aline Galgay, who did not seek reappointment as Westerlo's town attorney, was appointed the prosecuting attorney for traffic court. Galgay is also representing Steve Pfleging, who will appear in Westerlo's court for stealing town funds in Rensselaerville while supervisor."