Patricia Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman Democrat Jarrid Blades, a former Ulster County assistant district attorney, announced January 17, he hopes to secure the Democratic line in the November race for District Attorney. Blades currently works in the county Sheriff’s Office, Blades is the second candidate to announce his plan to run for the office now held by Democrat David Clegg. In early January, Michael Kavanagh announced his second bid for the seat. In 2019, Kavanagh ran on the Republican line for the office and then lost to Clegg by just 77 votes. Clegg said recently he will announce his plan for re-election next week. Blades is an Ellenville native and holds a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law. From 2017 to 2019 he worked as an assistant district attorney in Ulster County where, according to his release, he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases in courts throughout the county. Jammel Cutler is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Columbia County attorney Michael C. Howard has announced that he will seek the Democratic Party nomination to run for Columbia County judge. Howard said his background, temperament and understanding of the community makes him uniquely qualified to serve as a county court judge. "I’m looking forward to serving as a Columbia County court judge and believe that I will be able to use my experience to serve all of the litigants that appear before me,” he said. Howard is the Columbia County First Assistant Public Defender and operates a private law practice at 118 Green St. in Hudson. He has served twice as the president of the Hudson Rotary Club, served on various boards including the Columbia Golf and County Club, Columbia County Association in the City of New York and the Hudson Area Library Association. Howard is a graduate of Hudson High School and holds a degree from Brooklyn Law School.