This is a roundup of coronavirus news and announcements from New York State and Hudson Valley and Catskills counties for Thursday, January 21 and Friday, January 22. Published in collaboration with The River. NEW YORK STATE 15,144 new cases yesterday268,001 tests yesterdayPositive test rate: 5.65%169 deaths yesterday8,846 hospitalizations (1,546 in ICUs)New York State coronavirus pageNew…
This article was co-produced with The River Newsroom There are about 70 miles of picturesque shoreline on the Hudson River’s east bank between Poughkeepsie and Rensselaer. Getting to nearly all of it involves breaking the law. In 1846, New York granted the rights to that land to an early train company for the purpose of…
As COVID-19 erupted in New York City this March, its residents fled. Hundreds of thousands of city residents relocated to New Jersey, the Hamptons, Connecticut – and Columbia County. Demand for the county’s limited housing stock shot through the ceiling, leading to intense bidding wars, huge properties snatched up within hours of being listed, and…
I’ve always been a major fan of dogs. I actually like them way more than I like humans, which is not to say I dislike humans – they’re great and all – I just like dogs way more. This can lead to some obnoxious situations. My buddy Peter has introduced me to a friend of…
Hudson moved towards banning some kinds of short-term rentals after a Common Council vote Tuesday. The bill, which still must be signed into law by Mayor Kamal Johnson, seeks to stop short-term rental operators, such as those using Airbnb, from renting out multiple properties or listing properties where they do not reside. The bill is…
In Brief – The New York State Board of Elections released new enrollment data Sunday showing how many people have registered to vote across the state since February and their chosen political party. The regular release shows which party is attracting more voters and depicts the partisan make-up of different parts of the state. Looking…
I stopped smoking cigarettes about a year and a half ago. I’ve gotten props about it since then, with friends telling me they are impressed I’ve quit one of the world’s most addictive substances. Whoa – hold the phone there. I haven’t actually QUIT anything. I’ve just shifted my depraved nicotine addition to a product…
Two polling sites in Ulster County had to pause voting over the weekend as throngs of residents cast ballots across the Hudson Valley in the first two days of early voting. This article was co-published with The River Newsroom More than 14,000 ballots were cast in Ulster, Dutchess, Greene, and Columbia counties over the weekend.…
Three women running for state Senate in the Hudson Valley have been outraising their Republican rivals as election day approaches. Democratic Sen. Jen Metzger outraised her republican challenger, Michael Martucci, more than 2-to-1. Michelle Hinchey, who is vying for an open seat against Republican Richard Amedure, outraised him more than 3-to-1. Karen Smythe, who is…
A Hudson Police Officer kept four guns – including an unregistered pistol – stashed in Hudson’s vacant former police station for more than a year. The guns were found in an open locker by other HPD officers in September 2018. The incident led to an internal affairs investigation of the officer, Jacob “Jake” Hoffman, by…
Two Hudson-based citizen groups are pushing for a complete overhaul of the Hudson Police Department with the Hudson Breathe Act of 2020. The legislation would cut the city’s spending on law enforcement by 22 percent, nearly halve the number of officers, and lays out requirements for the execution of search warrants. The legislation was put…
Democrat Michelle Hinchey is running for state Senate in the 46th District, which includes Greene County and parts of Ulster County. The race is considered tight after Republican George Amedore, who held the seat since 2014, decided to retire at the end of the year. She is facing Republican Richard Amedure, a former state trooper…
Though I’m a fan of the extreme hike – one where I end up drenched in sweat, or, better yet, injured – I’ve been going on more lackadaisical jaunts this summer. I’d always preferred extreme hikes partially because they weed out most other hikers, leaving the paths unpopulated for my viewing pleasure. But then the…
