Melanie Lekocevic reports for Capital Region Independent Media in the Ravena News-Herald that the town of Coeymans in southern Albany County is one of the first local towns to consider whether they will allow cannabis sales. Cannabis is now legal in New York, and towns have until Dec. 31 to decide if they want to ban sales locally. Any town that does not take action before the new year will allow cannabis sales. Town Supervisor George McHugh said at a June 24 during an informational public hearing at town hall on the issue that he is undecided. “I have not made up my mind as to either the pros or cons of opting out or not opting out, and that is the reason for this public hearing,” McHugh said. “I don’t think anyone on this board has — we have not made up our minds. There are certainly some pros to allowing retail dispensaries. That would be in the form of taxes. However, the taxes to the locality are certainly far less than the taxes, or the tax rate, that will go to the state.” In the story, Lekocevic quotes four residents speaking at the public hearing in favor of allowing sales, and one against. Read more about this story in the Ravena News-Herald.