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State increases renewables projection, finalizes all-electric law Two months after declaring its intention to build a nuclear plant to provide at least 1 gigawatt of power, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) has another ambitious initiative. The draft of the agency's updated strategic plan calls for wind, solar and battery storage projects to provide 7 gigawatts - enough to power between 5 million and 7 million homes - built by the NYPA or private developers. The plan is online at bit.ly/NYPA2025 and the authority will hold virtual public hearings on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20. See nypa.gov/public-hearings to register. Although none of the proposed projects are in Dutchess or Putnam counties, the number of renewable energy projects is more than double that in the NYPA's strategic plan released just eight months ago. NYPA credits the boom to funding from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included subsidies and incentives for renewable energy projects. "The last few years have seen a massive growth, not only in the wind and solar that we're adding to our system, but our ability to manufacture and train so that we have a workforce and a system that is ready to meet growing demand," said Amanda Levin, director of policy analysis for the Natural Resources Defense Council. In March, NYPA announced that it would be taking ownership of a solar energy project outside of Glens Falls. A month later, NYPA and the City of Albany announced a plan to develop a solar project on a capped landfill. That project will also be the first to participate in an NYPA program in which power is sold to low- and moderate-income families at reduced rates. But federal actions are threatening to delay the state renewables boom. The budget signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4 ended the Inflation Reduction Act's incentives for renewables, except for batteries. A series of executive orders imposed additional restrictions on renewables, including penalties for importing materials from China, a leading manufacturer of renewable energy equipment. This month, the Department of the Interior announced plans to subject wind and solar projects, including some already approved, to "further review." Due to the federal changes, Christopher Hutson, the NYPA's senior vice president of development, warned at a July 29 board meeting of the possibility that not all of NYPA's renewable projects will come to fruition, although some "may progress on their own." The IRA's tax credits for renewables won't end immediately; wind and solar projects that begin construction by July 2026 or begin service by Dec. 31, 2027, can still claim them. Hutson said the state could begin construction of some projects ahead of schedule to meet those deadlines. "Every developer in the country right now is seeking to rapidly procure equipment," he said. "It will be critical to move fast." The NYPA announcement wasn't the only big step New York took last week toward its long-term climate goals. The 2023 All-Electric Buildings Act cleared a hurdle when the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council approved required changes. The law will take effect at the end of the year, making New York the first state to require that all new buildings be powered with electricity instead of oil and gas. Existing buildings are not required to switch, even if renovated, and certain buildings, such as restaurants and crematoriums, are exempt. The law also only applies to buildings up to seven stories high. (Taller buildings have until 2028.) In 2023, Beacon passed a law banning fossil fuels in new construction projects, before the state law. About a third of New York state's greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings, according to a December report issued by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. James Hartford, co-owner of River Architects in Cold Spring, doesn't expect the law to change much for his business. As the founder of the New York chapter of the Passive House Alliance, ...

Requests include people without conviction Requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold immigrants detained in the Dutchess County jail and other Hudson Valley lockups have accelerated this year and largely target people without convictions, according to data released in July. The Deportation Data Project, a team of academics and attorneys, sued ICE under the federal Freedom of Information Act to obtain the data, which covers September 2023 through June 26. After receiving 20 "detainers" - requests to hold inmates for up to 48 hours past their release date so ICE could re-arrest them - in 2024, Dutchess has received 19 already this year, with two detainees taken into ICE custody. Nearly all the 17 men and two women - most of whom are from Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico - had pending charges but no convictions. Two were categorized as an "other immigration violator," meaning they had no convictions or charges. While federal officials have said they are pursuing people who have committed "serious" crimes, "everything we've seen about the way this administration operates tells us that they are not targeting people in any particular way," said Zachary Ahmad, senior policy counsel with the New York Civil Liberties Union. "They're, in fact, sweeping very broadly to arrest and detain as many immigrants as they possibly can." Twenty of the 51 people sought by ICE from the Orange County jail since January had criminal convictions, with driving while intoxicated being the most common serious offense, followed by two larceny convictions. Just six of the people sought by ICE from the Westchester County jail had criminal convictions - two for larceny, two for rape and the others for robbery and a traffic offense - while 37 had pending charges and two had no criminal records. The ICE requests led to four inmates held by the Putnam County jail being taken into federal custody, along with 12 from Orange and six from Westchester, according to the data. ICE issues detainers based on final deportation orders, pending deportations, fingerprint matches with Department of Homeland Security records or a person's admission to an immigration official that they are here without authorization. Fingerprints shared with the FBI enable the agency to locate people in local jails. County jails in New York state are not legally obligated to notify ICE that a prisoner will be released from custody or to honor its detainer requests, according to guidance issued in January by the state Attorney General's Office. Requests are often accompanied by an administrative warrant issued by immigration authorities, which local police are prohibited from honoring under a 2018 state court decision in a lawsuit filed by the NYCLU on behalf Susai Francis, a native of India. Attorney General Letitia James recommends that local jails only honor detainers when ICE presents a warrant signed by a federal judge. Such warrants are "something that ICE is not in the practice of providing," instead relying primarily on administrative warrants, said Ahmad. "ICE just sends the detainers, and then it's the local law enforcement that decides what to do with them," he said. "Under the Francis decision, they're not permitted to hold a person beyond their release date." William Moore, the superintendent for the Dutchess County jail, did not respond to a request for comment. Capt. Michael Grossi of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said in January that ICE is notified when detainees sought by the agency are scheduled for release, but that the jail will not hold them longer unless a federal judge signs a warrant. He said that has been the policy for at least 10 years, and under two previous sheriffs.

Owner seeks more time for approvals The long-awaited demolition and reconstruction of the dilapidated Dutchess Mall building along Route 9 in Fishkill will have to wait at least six more months. On July 10, the Fishkill Planning Board approved two new 90-day extensions requested by Hudson Properties LLC as it works to meet conditions imposed more than two years ago, in February 2023, in the board's preliminary approval of the project. Hudson Properties would like to demolish the mall's remnants and construct a 350,000-square-foot distribution facility. After getting a 90-day extension in March, Hudson Properties completed the requirements of the board's conditional approval to subdivide the property, said Christopher Fisher, an attorney for the project, in a June 25 letter to the board. With that extension expiring on July 28, the company had not completed a set of conditions from its site plan, including a stormwater-management agreement with the town and a letter of credit for $15 million in site work, such as grading, erosion control and sidewalks. Hudson Properties, which initially had until February 2024 to obtain a building permit, has been "working diligently" on the remaining conditions, said Fisher. "We look forward to getting that project underway," Jonathan Kanter, the Planning Board chair, said on July 10 after its members approved the latest extension. As approved, Hudson Properties' plan called for partnering with commercial developer Crow Holdings Industrial to build the warehouse on 28.9 acres of a 39.3-acre parcel along the south side of Home Depot. The facility would include 209 standard parking spaces, 78 loading docks and parking for 30 tractor-trailers. Under the partnership, Hudson Properties would retain ownership of the remaining 10.4-acre lot, which fronts the property on Route 9. The board required that Hudson Properties, by August 2023, obtain approvals from the state Department of Transportation for a new entrance and other upgrades along Route 9; the Dutchess County Department of Health for sewer and water upgrades; and the state Department of Environmental Conservation to build near wetlands. As that date approached, Hudson Properties notified the board that Crow Holdings had backed out and requested the first of what would become multiple extensions. Redeveloping the property has been a priority for the town. Dutchess Mall opened in 1974 as the county's first indoor shopping center. Tenants included Jamesway, Lucky Platt and Mays department stores, RadioShack and Waldenbooks. But the opening of the Poughkeepsie Galleria and other retail centers along Route 9 siphoned customers, and the mall closed in 2001. Home Depot opened in 2006. Seven years later, Dutchess Marketplace, an indoor/outdoor flea market, opened in the former department store space north of Home Depot but shut down in 2019. Two years later, Dutchess Community College opened its Fishkill campus in the building.

Could a utility owned by the public, rather than Central Hudson, deliver lower electricity costs? Many people believe it would, and last year, two state legislators introduced a proposal to make it happen by creating the Hudson Valley Power Authority. The bill outlines the process by which the state would create a "democratically governed" nonprofit corporation that would provide "low rates, reliable service, correct and easy to understand bills, clean energy, community benefits and environmental justice." The goal would be to keep residential electric bills from exceeding 6 percent of household income. It would not be the first public utility, even in New York. Along with the state-owned New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority, there are at least 50 municipal utilities in New York, mostly in rural areas. For the rest of the state, the delivery of electricity is monopolized by six investor-owned utilities such as Central Hudson, which has been owned since 2013 by Fortis, a Canadian holding company. In return for their monopolies, these utilities are regulated by the Public Service Commission, which must approve rate hikes and capital projects. Establishing the Hudson Valley Power Authority would not only lower rates but coordinate with the state's long-term climate goals while protecting Central Hudson's 1,130 employees, according to the two Democratic legislators who introduced the proposal, Sen. Michelle Hinchey (whose district includes parts of Dutchess and Putnam counties) and Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha (whose district includes the northwest corner of Dutchess). "I don't think the role of government is to empower the private sector," Shrestha said. "This would put public goods back in the hands of the public." How it could happen Shrestha and Hinchey's legislation calls for the Hudson Valley Power Authority to purchase Central Hudson and take control of a system with 315,000 electric customers and 90,000 natural gas customers in parts of nine counties, including Dutchess and Putnam. If Central Hudson refused to sell, the legislation suggests authorities could use a legal process called eminent domain to compel a sale. Tom Konrad, a chartered financial analyst who is the chair of the Marbletown Environmental Conservation Commission, is leading a plan in the Ulster County town - the Hudson Valley's first - to transition to 100 percent renewable energy. He estimates that it would cost between $2.2 billion and $3.6 billion to acquire Central Hudson, including its $1.4 billion in debt. The Hudson Valley Power Authority (HVPA) would be overseen by a nine-member board appointed by the governor and the Legislature, which would also include the business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 320, the union representing about 700 Central Hudson employees. In addition, an independent "observatory" modeled after the Paris Water Authority and composed of elected representatives and members of academic institutions would help the board with "community participation, transparency, research and accountability," Shrestha said. The newly formed utility would retain Central Hudson employees represented by labor unions and assume those agreements, including retirement benefits. After buying Central Hudson, the HVPA would be obligated to bargain "in good faith" with union representatives. The bill also aligns the HVPA with the goals of the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, directing the utility to procure 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and 100 percent renewable electricity by 2040, provided the supply is available. At least 35 percent of the benefits of clean energy and efficiency programs, such as reduced pollution through the phasing out of fossil fuel-burning plants, would be allocated to disadvantaged communities within the service area. Shrestha doesn't expect either Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins or Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie ...

Scheduled for June 28 at John Jay High School Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican whose district includes Philipstown and parts of Dutchess County (not including Beacon, which is represented by Rep. Pat Ryan), has scheduled a town hall for Saturday (June 28) at John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction. It is the fourth of four town halls he said he would hold, following those in Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com. The event begins at 6 p.m. In the list of conditions for ticket requests, Lawler's office writes: "Unfortunately, due to security concerns and threats made against the congressman, his family and our staff, there will be additional security measures put in place to ensure everyone's safety…. If our office has information indicating that you are actively planning to disrupt the Town Hall, or if you have disrupted prior Town Halls, you may be denied entry." According to the other terms, attendees may be asked to provide proof of residency in District 17; no bags, signs, noisemakers, bullhorns, megaphones or face coverings will be allowed; questions can only be asked by the person whose ticket is called and must be limited to 30 seconds; and except for members of the press, no flash photography or audio or video recording will be allowed.

From Romance to Red Flags: Dutchess Dior's chilling relationship with her baby daddy EXPOSED on FB

Another list includes Dutchess, Putnam counties The U.S. government's list of "sanctuary jurisdictions" that includes hundreds of communities, both red and blue, is confounding critics. They have noticed the list - which includes Beacon, Dutchess County and Putnam County - included misspellings, communities with small immigrant populations and those with strong support for cooperation with federal authorities. Jessica Vaughan is director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors anti-sanctuary policies and started publishing a list of sanctuary jurisdictions 10 years ago. The CIS list is different from the government's but includes Dutchess and Putnam counties. The center says its list, most recently updated on May 30, includes "cities, counties, and states have laws, ordinances, regulations, resolutions, policies or other practices that obstruct immigration enforcement and shield criminals from ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] - either by refusing to or prohibiting agencies from complying with ICE detainers, imposing unreasonable conditions on detainer acceptance, denying ICE access to interview incarcerated aliens, or otherwise impeding communication or information exchanges between their personnel and federal immigration officers." "That's one thing that I feel is missing from the [government's] list is some documentation as to why they're appearing on the list," Vaughan said. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) list is part of the Trump administration's efforts to target communities, states and jurisdictions that it says aren't doing enough to help its immigration enforcement agenda and the promises the president made to deport more than 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal authorization. What are the stakes? The DHS and the U.S. attorney general said they will send official notice to the 500 jurisdictions "regarding its defiance of federal immigration law enforcement and any potential violations of federal criminal law," according to an executive order from President Donald Trump. The list could be updated when the administration receives new information, but those that remain on the list could face serious financial consequences, including suspended or terminated federal grants and contracts by the Office of Management and Budget. It is not clear what legal actions the government will pursue. How was the list made? In response to questions, DHS reiterated that it was compiled using a number of factors, including whether the localities identified themselves as sanctuary jurisdictions, how much they complied with federal officials enforcing immigration laws, if they had restrictions on sharing information with immigration enforcement or had any legal protections for people in the country illegally. The agency noted in an email that the list will be updated regularly. But experts said it was difficult to understand the criteria. "It seems quite arbitrary because not all of these states or specific jurisdictions have a policy that limits cooperation with ICE," said Nithya Nathan-Pineau, an attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. How did communities that support Trump's policies end up on the list? Several communities said they have been outspoken supporters of the president and his stringent immigration policies and do not understand why they have been included. Among them: Shawano County, Wisconsin; Alexandria, Virginia; and Huntington Beach, California. Jim Davel, administrator for Shawano County, thinks the administration may have confused the county's vote in 2021 to become a "Second Amendment Sanctuary County" that prohibits gun control measures with it being a safe haven for immigrants. He said the county has approved no immigration sanctuary policies. What is a sanctuary city? It is generally understood to apply to state and local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. DHS said it considered "factors like complianc...

County executives dispute federal designation Officials from Dutchess and Putnam counties say they should not be listed with New York State and other localities, including Beacon, on a roster of jurisdictions the Department of Homeland Security accuses of "obstructing" the Trump administration's effort to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The list, released on Thursday (May 29) to comply with a presidential order, includes more than 500 jurisdictions, including New York state, 15 of its counties and 12 of its cities, identifying them as "sanctuaries" for immigrants who live in the country without authorization. [Update: the list was removed by DHS as of June 1 but is archived here.] Those states and municipalities, including Orange and Westchester counties and Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, are accused by the DHS of "deliberately and shamefully obstructing" federal immigration enforcement and protecting "dangerous criminal aliens." The agency demands that they "immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws," but also cautions that the list is subject to change and "no one should act on this information without conducting their own evaluation" of the municipalities. Many municipalities have disputed their inclusion on the list, including Putnam and Dutchess counties. On Friday (May 30), Kevin Byrne, the Putnam executive, said: "Let's set the record straight: Putnam County is not a sanctuary county and never will be on my watch as county executive. We have consistently worked with our partners in law enforcement and encourage the continued collaboration and sharing of information with all federal, state and local law enforcement." Despite Putnam being named by DHS as a sanctuary jurisdiction, Byrne also on Friday posted on Facebook a video in which he accuses "liberal journalists at the Wall Street Journal," which published a story about the agency's announcement, of "inaccurately" adding Putnam to the list "before gathering all the facts." He added that "the bias media is wrong and needs to get the facts straight." In Dutchess, County Executive Sue Serino said on Friday that the county has contacted its federal representatives - Sens. Kirsten Gillebrand and Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan - "for further clarity" and help getting the county removed from the list. "It is unclear how this list was developed, as DHS has not contacted us with any concerns, and the Dutchess County Legislature has never adopted any resolution relating to sanctuary jurisdiction," said Serino. On Monday (June 2), Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou read a statement at the City Council meeting: "It is absolutely not the case that the city is deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws. While the city has yet to receive any formal communication from the federal government, we remain confident the city is abiding by all applicable state and federal laws and judicial orders. Our city and our Police Department remain committed to protecting public safety, and any statements to the contrary are misleading and inaccurate." Neither Dutchess or Putnam has approved policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and Dutchess sued New York City in 2023 when it began contracting with hotels in the Hudson Valley to house immigrants. That same year, Byrne and the Putnam Legislature adopted a resolution declaring the county a "rule of law" jurisdiction and pledging cooperation with federal immigration officers to identify "arrested felons and gang-associated" individuals suspected of being in the country illegally. Beacon restricted its role in immigration enforcement during the first Trump administration, when the City Council in April 2017 unanimously passed a resolution declaring the city to be "welcoming, safe and inclusive." Its resolution deliberately avoided the word sanctuary (Trump had threatened to withhold funding from "sanctuary cities") but said that city employees and...

Proposal also would steer revenue to towns, villages Four Putnam legislators who supported lowering the county's sales tax rate acquiesced on Monday (May 19), endorsing state legislation that will maintain the current 4 percent rate and send some proceeds to Cold Spring, Nelsonville, Philipstown and six other towns and villages. Convening for a special session, the Legislature voted 7-1 to support bills introduced by state Sen. Pete Harckham and Assembly Member Matt Slater, whose districts include eastern Putnam, that would extend the 4 percent sales tax rate for another two years. Without the bill, the rate will return to 3 percent. Consumers pay a total of 8.375 percent on eligible purchases, which includes portions that go the state (4 percent) and Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (0.375 percent). The state legislation also requires that one-ninth of 1 percent of Putnam's sales tax revenue be shared with the county's nine municipalities. State lawmakers first approved the increase from 3 percent to 4 percent in 2007, at the county's request, and a series of extensions have kept it in place. The most recent extension expires Nov. 30. In April, five county legislators voted to lower Putnam's tax to 3.75 percent as a give-back to taxpayers amid a $90 million surplus in unrestricted reserves. But County Executive Kevin Byrne vetoed the reduction and announced an agreement to share with the towns and villages proceeds from the 1 percent increase if it were extended. Municipalities can spend the money on infrastructure projects, with each receiving an amount tied to its population and each guaranteed at least $50,000. Harckham and Slater endorsed the agreement, which would take effect Dec. 1 and last through Nov. 30, 2027, if their bills pass the Legislature and become law. In addition to enabling what Byrne calls "a first-of-its-kind sales tax-sharing arrangement," the extension will fund a $1 million reduction in the property-tax levy for the 2026 budget that he said would be the largest in county history. "The alternative was allowing the county's sales tax rate to drop, immediately creating a revenue shortfall of tens of millions of dollars, forcing the county to borrow, raise property taxes or both," Byrne said. Facing those same pressures, Putnam's municipalities have for years demanded a share of the sales tax revenue, something that 50 of New York's 62 counties do with their cities, towns and villages, according to the state Comptroller's Office. Dutchess' 2025 budget includes $46 million in sales tax distributions, with an estimated $6.1 million for Beacon. If the proposed revenue-sharing agreement had been in place in 2024, Putnam would have distributed $2.4 million to the towns and three villages on a per capita basis, Byrne said during a news conference last month. "I haven't heard a single constituent ask us to lower the sales tax," said Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley as the Legislature's sole Democrat, on Monday. "What I have heard loud and clear is stop the back and forth, stop the chaos and work together." Legislator Dan Birmingham, who led the effort to lower the sales tax rate, did not participate in the vote because his law firm represents three of the municipalities that would benefit from the revenue-sharing agreement. Another supporter of the cut, Paul Jonke, was the only legislator voting against endorsing Harckham and Slater's legislation, which must pass the state Legislature before its session concludes on June 12. Amid that pressure, legislators who voted for the vetoed sales tax cut last month endorsed maintaining the current rate. But they complained about being sidelined while Byrne and the municipal officials reached a revenue-sharing agreement and secured backing from Harckham and Slater. Legislator Toni Addonizio, who had voted for the cut, was among those who did not agree with how the revenue-sharing agreement was crafted. She had proposed...

Philipstown, Dutchess County affected An appeals court on Wednesday (May 7) upheld a law that will shift many county and town elections in New York to even-numbered years, including in Putnam and Dutchess - a change meant to align local elections with statewide and federal races. Democrats argue that the law, which was approved two years ago, will increase turnout in local races. Republicans sued to block it, saying it violates the state constitution and could give Democrats a partisan advantage in higher-turnout election years. State Sen. James Skoufis, a Democrat from Orange County who sponsored the legislation, said that town and county elections in odd years typically see 20 percent to 30 percent turnout, while those during presidential years can top 70 percent. The appeals court ruled that the law can take effect immediately. The decision overruled a lower court that struck down the law, enacted in December 2023. The Republican-led Dutchess Legislature voted last year to spend $100,000 to join the legal challenge to the legislation. Under the law, anyone in office before 2025 will complete his or her term, but subsequent terms will be shortened. Here's what that means locally: Two of the four Philipstown Town Board seats, which have four-year terms, will be on the ballot in 2027 for three-year terms. They will be on the ballot again in 2030 for four-year terms. The other two seats, which will be on the ballot in November, will be for three-year terms that end in 2028. The Philipstown highway commissioner and town clerk seats, which have four-year terms, will be on the 2027 ballot for three-year terms, then return to the ballot in 2030 for four-year terms. The town supervisor, who serves a two-year term, will be elected in November to a one-year term and the seat will appear on the ballot again in 2026 for a two-year term. The Dutchess County Legislature seats, which will all be on the ballot in November, will be for one-year terms, rather than two, and return to the ballot in 2026. The election for county executive, a four-year position, will occur as scheduled in 2027, but the winner will serve only three years, until 2030. The law exempts villages, such as Cold Spring and Nelsonville. In cities, such as Beacon, elections can only be changed through a constitutional amendment. The law also exempts county races for sheriff, district attorney, clerk and judges. The law does not affect the Putnam County executive, whose four-year term is on the ballot in even-numbered years and next up in 2026, or Putnam legislators, who serve three-year terms. The Associated Press contributed reporting.

Checking in with CEO of Pattern for Progress Pattern for Progress, a nonprofit think tank based in Newburgh, is celebrating its 60th year. We spoke with Adam Bosch, its president and CEO. How did the organization begin? When we were founded in 1965, the Hudson Valley was going through a lot: urban renewal in city centers, people moving from New York City to suburban areas, the beginning of the environmental movement and the seeds of innovation at places like IBM in Poughkeepsie. In addition, the U.S. Army was getting ready to sell Stewart Airbase into private hands. There was a need for an objective, independent research and planning organization. Today, we're again in a period of rapid change. We have a housing crisis in affordability and availability. We have a new wave of technology in the form of AI and remote work, and we have generational investments being made in our downtowns, bringing small cities back to life. And the pandemic drove tens of thousands of residents into the region. Our job is to look at those things, measure them and try to explain their effects on our communities and regionwide. What are you working on in 2025? We're creating community-driven plans for the reuse of buildings or parcels that have been abandoned for decades. We can set up tax credits on parcels that make them more feasible to be redeveloped as housing, mixed-use or as new manufacturing centers. The idea is to create development in our downtowns that provides progress without displacement. With housing, there's an indication that corporate actors are moving into the region. There's not a lot of data, but I'll give you my anecdotal evidence. At my house in Ulster County, I am getting two flyers per month from corporations offering to buy my house - all cash, sight unseen. We're going to trace these LLPs and LLCs to their common corporate owners and be able to quantify the extent of corporate homeownership and how it's changed over the past decade. The governor has proposed that if a company owns 10 or more properties or has $50 million or more in assets, it shouldn't be allowed to bid on a home for the first 72 hours it's on the market. In places like Arizona, Nevada, or down to the Carolinas, there are entire neighborhoods owned by a single corporation that rents homes back to people. We want to understand the effect it has on access and the cost of homeownership. What do you see as the most important issues facing the region? Housing is No. 1. There's not even a close second. We do not have enough homes to sustain the population we have, and the cost of both homeownership and rent have outpaced our growth and wages by a lot. That means housing is gobbling up more and more take-home pay. No. 2 would be workforce. We have awesome training facilities at Dutchess Community College, Orange Community College, Marist and SUNY New Paltz, but the data show our labor pool is getting ready to shrink by about 120,000 people in the next 15 years. It's the size of the workforce that's a concern in the near- and medium-term, along with what I call the "youth crunch." We have seen births - not birth rates - decline over the past two decades by about 25 percent to 35 percent in each of our counties. Dutchess is down by 25 percent. Putnam is down the most of any county. If you look at the population of infants, children and teens now and compare it to a decade ago, we have 40,000 fewer kids in the region. After that, I would say community development in terms of: Are we able to attract and retain jobs to the region? Do they pay a living wage? The other two to mention are childcare businesses shrinking by 40 percent in 15 years and outdated water and sewer infrastructure. The redevelopment of the former Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill and a transit-oriented development at the Beacon train station could add 1,600 housing units in and around Beacon. What does the community need to see from the developers? When we did a report on the adaptiv...

Infections nationwide top 1,000; most in Texas The U.S. surpassed 1,000 measles cases on Friday (May 9), including three cases reported this week in Orange County. Texas still accounts for most cases, with 709 confirmed in an outbreak that has spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. Two unvaccinated elementary school children died in West Texas, along with unvaccinated adult in New Mexico. Other states with outbreaks - which the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines as three or more related cases - include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. New York has confirmed seven cases, including three in New York City, one on Long Island and the three in Orange County. The state Department of Health said the Orange County cases involve children younger than 5 years old who recently traveled internationally. No exposures outside immediate family members are known, it said. Orange County Deputy Health Commissioner Lisa Lahiff told the Times Union that because the cases were reported to the local health department in close succession, "we believe this is not indicative of local transmission." Officials declined to say whether the children were vaccinated, citing patient privacy. Earlier this year, the state Department of Health reported that Orange County has the lowest first-dose measles vaccination rate among 2-year-olds in the region, at 64.9 percent. A rate of at least 95 percent is needed to provide "herd immunity." The Putnam County rate is 86.6 percent and the Dutchess rate is 83.1 percent. The first of two vaccine shots is recommended between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. As the virus takes hold in U.S. communities with low vaccination rates, health experts fear that spread could stretch on for a year. In 2019, the U.S. had 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have "presumptive immunity." Measles infects the respiratory tract, then spreads through the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees, according to the CDC. Most children will recover, but the infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. There's no specific treatment, so doctors try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

Republican congressman holds event in Somers Voters in Rep. Mike Lawler's suburban New York swing district, which includes Philipstown, unloaded a barrage of criticism on the Republican during a raucous town hall in Somers on Sunday (May 4), peppering him with questions around President Donald Trump's aggressive agenda before devolving into a chaotic chorus of boos as attendees were removed by law enforcement. Lawler has promised to hold town halls in Dutchess and Putnam counties in June. He hosted one in Rockland County on April 27 that was equally raucous. The event in Somers began to teeter off the rails soon after it began. The first crack emerged when Lawler, in his opening remarks, told the packed prep school auditorium: "This is what democracy looks like." Laughter crept through the crowd. A little while later, the congressman's mention of federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drew loud jeers. "So you want, for instance, petroleum-based dyes to continue?" Lawler asked in response. Republicans, in some instances, have made themselves scarce in their home districts following Trump's first few months in office, as party leadership expresses wariness of viral blowback against Republicans in vulnerable seats. Lawler, a moderate who last year won a second term and has openly expressed interest in running for governor, has instead put himself in front of voters. On Sunday, Lawler's staff required people to RSVP and set up a series of ground rules, including that attendees live in the district, not record at the event, refrain from shouting or standing, and "be respectful of one another, of staff, and of the congressman," a sign at the door read. At one point, as Lawler was responding to a question about tariffs, security and law enforcement began to surround a woman in the upper stretch of the auditorium. The crowd chanted "let her stay, let her stay" before law enforcement picked her up and carried her out. It was unclear what exactly led to her removal. "Shame! Shame! Shame!," the audience yelled. Lawler tried to get back on track: "Folks, tariffs are way more complicated than you want to make them." The crowd groaned. "Folks, enough!" Lawler said above the din. Soon after, another person was removed. Then another. In the audience, Jeanette Spoor, a 74-year-old retiree, said she wanted to ask Lawler about Social Security and Medicaid but wasn't called on during the nearly two-hour event. "You're not helping your constituents if you're making it hard for them to get help," she said in an interview. "I have no hopes for this guy." Another attendee, Kristi Thompson, 52, said she was bothered by what she said were Lawler's long-winded answers that didn't address the substance of the crowd's questions. "He claims to be available to constituents, but he isn't," she said. The crowd walked out during the final question of the night, which was about protests against Israel. Lawler began to answer but cut himself off as the room emptied out. "I appreciate everybody coming out tonight and taking the time to ask your questions and hear my answers, whether you liked them or not, or agreed with them or not, or whether you really actually wanted to listen to them or not, but I very much appreciate you participating," he said.

This month we will bring you the 2 other existing episodes of RR, plays of Shakespeare's contemporaries. Next up: The Dutchess Of Malfi Check out booksboys.com for links to our social media, merchandise, music, etc, as well as patreon.com/booksboys for the latest episodes of Playboys Extra, Darkplace Dreamers, Film Fellows, Animation Adventurers and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Towns, villages would split sales-tax revenue Putnam legislators on Monday (April 28) discussed a plan to share sales taxes with the county's municipalities - including Cold Spring, Nelsonville and Philipstown - two weeks after County Executive Kevin Byrne outlined a proposal. Members of the Audit Committee reviewed a proposal to distribute $3 million of $90 million in reserves to aid the county's six towns and three villages. The money, allocated based on population, could be used on infrastructure and capital projects and "essential services," but not payroll. Legislator Toni Addonizio suggested increasing the outlay to $5 million and allotting the same amount in 2026. She referenced a charge by Cold Spring Mayor Kathleen Foley that Putnam was "hoarding" money. "We don't want to hoard money; we want to give it out," said Addonizio. Putnam's surplus, including savings allocated to expenses, hit $134 million this year, a level which Legislator Paul Jonke called "obscene." Michael Lewis, the finance commissioner, said Monday that unspent funds from unfilled positions and inflation-driven increases in sales-tax revenue fueled the surplus. Legislator Greg Ellner said that Putnam's next annual audit, when released, will show another $8 million to $12 million in the surplus. By sending some of that money to municipalities, Putnam would join 50 of the state's 62 counties that share revenue. Dutchess, for instance, distributes 2.35 percent of sales taxes collected to Beacon, 5.41 percent to the City of Poughkeepsie and 9.5 percent to its towns and villages. A proposal unveiled by Byrne on April 15 and endorsed by the municipalities would share one-ninth of the 1 percent of sales-tax intake, which would have amounted to about $2.3 million based on 2024 revenue. It would take effect only if the state passes a pending bill allowing Putnam to continue collecting 4 percent, which it has done since 2007 when the state permitted the county to raise its rate by 1 percent. The 4 percent rate has been repeatedly extended but expires on Nov. 30. State lawmakers must pass another extension before the end of the current session on June 12 or the rate will revert to 3 percent. The total sales tax in Putnam is 8.375 percent, which includes 4 percent for the state and 0.375 percent for the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District. Legislator Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley, said she likes Byrne's proposal because it is based on sales-tax revenue. If the county came to a point "where we have no fund balance," the money would not be distributed. Montgomery, who once proposed a plan in which the municipalities would receive 50 percent of sales taxes over the amount budgeted, offered several amendments to the Audit Committee resolution: (1) that Byrne be involved in crafting the agreement, (2) that municipalities be allowed to spend on personnel "tied to short-term and public needs" and (3) that it include reporting and audit requirements. "While I appreciate the efforts in including our municipalities in the resolution that you wrote, I think it requires a lot more," she told her colleagues. "I really wish you would have considered my resolution." Foley, who was at the meeting, also expressed concerns, including that the proposal does not establish a minimum amount that municipalities would receive. Byrne's plan guarantees each town and village at least $50,000, a commitment particularly important for Nelsonville, whose 600 residents make it the county's smallest municipality. Foley called for assurances that revenue-sharing would continue beyond next year, such as the long-term agreements Dutchess and other counties have in place. Because of the surplus, the Legislature voted last month, 5-4, to ask the state to allow the county to lower its sales-tax rate to 3.75 percent, but Byrne vetoed the resolution and proponents did not have the six votes needed to override. The county executive cited the loss of a...

Two attendees ejected from Rockland town hall Many of the 700 people attending Rep. Mike Lawler's town hall on Sunday (April 27) in Rockland County clearly brought vinegar when co-moderator Brendel Logan-Charles, the deputy supervisor for the Town of Ramapo, asked, "When knows the end of this saying: 'You can get more with honey than you can with …' " Catcalls and jeering erupted as she and Teresa Kenny, the Orangetown supervisor, recited ground rules before Lawler, whose 17th District seat includes Philipstown, walked onstage in the auditorium at Clarkstown High School South in West Nyack. It was the first in a series of four town halls - Lawler has said he will visit Dutchess and Putnam counties in June, although locations and dates have not been announced. Although Republican leaders have told House members not to hold town halls because of the negative response over federal cuts being implemented by the Trump administration, Lawler said in March he would host four events to show his "independence and willingness to buck party leadership to engage with his constituents." A town hall hosted in Poughkeepsie on March 19 by Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat whose district includes Beacon, had a different tenor, although spectators expressed frustration at what they see as a tepid Democratic response to Trump. Several protestors supporting Palestine who began yelling at Ryan, accusing him of genocide, were removed. Entering to a mixture of boos and applause in West Nyack, Lawler spent 90 minutes parrying questions about cuts to federal programs and employees, Medicaid and Social Security, the Trump administration's deportation practices and the belief that Congress is failing to oppose the Republican president's decisions. Police and security guards escorted at least two people from the event and warned several others. But the warnings did not stop intermittent shouts of "liar," "blah, blah, blah" and other jeers as Lawler answered questions. Part of his final comments were drowned out by chants of "Leave her alone" as police and security guards surrounded a woman they wanted to eject. Below are most of the questions, in the order they were asked, and excerpts from Lawler's answers. Both have been edited slightly for brevity and clarity. You describe yourself as a moderate, yet you support the policies this authoritarian administration is putting forth. … What are you doing to stand in opposition to this administration, and what specifically are you doing that warrants the label "moderate"? My record speaks for itself. I have been rated the fourth-most-bipartisan for a reason, which is a simple fact that unlike many of my colleagues, I do work across the aisle; I do sit down with my colleagues. At the end of this year, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [passed in 2017 under the first Trump administration] is going to expire. If the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires, do you know what will happen? The standard deduction will be cut in half. That will be the largest tax increase in American history. The corporate tax rate is set at 21 percent and I don't support lowering it. … I do support lifting the [$10,000] cap on SALT [deduction for state and local taxes], which directly impacts all of us in this room. Tariffs are obviously something that has been a big point of discussion for many years. [Sens.] Chuck Schumer [of New York] and Bernie Sanders [of Vermont] said [in the past] they supported increasing tariffs, and part of the reason is because other countries have had significantly higher tariffs, barriers to entry and price controls on U.S. goods. You supported a budget that cut Medicaid and education in our district. How does that serve your constituents? [Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, are debating cuts to Medicaid to offset lost revenue from tax cuts.] When it comes to Medicaid, I've been very clear: I am not cutting benefits for any eligible recipient, period. The fact is that our community relies on these vital programs...

Food truck brings the farm to Philipstown Ruby Koch-Fienberg has always loved farming and food systems - an interest that led her in 2022 to earn a master's degree in food studies from New York University. "I wanted to work with farms, helping them connect more with food pantries," said Koch-Fienberg. "When this job appeared on my radar, it was the perfect fit." The job is serving as ag and food systems coordinator with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) for Putnam County, which is based in Carmel. Koch-Fienberg coordinates the extension's Farm to Truck Program, which provides free produce to Putnam County residents facing food insecurity. CCE contracts with Meals on Main Street, a nonprofit in Port Chester, to deliver food each week. Farm to Truck also drops food at pantries. On Wednesday (April 16), the Meals on Main Street mobile pantry spent 45 minutes parked at the Chestnut Ridge retirement community and the Philipstown Friendship Center for seniors. It served 85 people at the two stops, said Irma Arango, who has worked for Meals on Main Street for 15 years. Another 25 people had picked up food at the Brookside Senior Citizen Coop in Philipstown earlier in the day. The truck also makes weekly stops in Putnam Valley, Putnam Lake, Patterson, Carmel, Kent and Mahopac. "I like engaging with the people," Arango said. "I see their need and I see the smiles on their faces when they see the truck." She said clients sometimes leave thank-you notes. "People are so grateful." A Philipstown woman who picked up food at Chestnut Ridge said she relied on the weekly deliveries. "It's good for so many things, especially fresh vegetables," she said. The mobile pantry that day had milk, onions, potatoes, beets, carrots, kale, radishes, apples, baked goods and frozen salmon. The selection will grow as the season progresses. CCE launched Farm to Truck in May 2024 with a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is operated in partnership with New York Food for New York Families, a division of the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. The program supports regional agriculture by purchasing produce from about 20 farms in Putnam (including Longhaul and Glynwood in Philipstown), Dutchess, Columbia, Orange and Westchester counties. Mobile Pantry Schedule Monday: Putnam Valley 9:45 a.m. Library 11 a.m. Senior Center Wednesday: Philipstown 9 a.m. Brookside 10 a.m. Chestnut Ridge 11:30 a.m. Senior Center "We've spent more than $700,000 [on locally grown products] and expect to spend $1.3 million by the end of August," said Koch-Fienberg. She said Putnam residents made more than 3,000 trips to the food truck in March, which included many repeat customers. Nearly 300,000 pounds of produce, meat, eggs and dairy products have been distributed since the program began a year ago. Koch-Fienberg said it can be hard for people to ask for help, especially in communities considered wealthy. "Pockets of every community experience need," she said. "We absolutely have need in this county." The most recent data compiled by the United Way for its ALICE Project (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) indicates that 37 percent of households in Putnam are above the poverty level but below the annual income needed for basic survival, including savings for emergencies. Koch-Fienberg said that it's not clear if the federal grant that funded Farm to Truck will be renewed when it ends in August. "People have come become so reliant on the program, she said. "It's incredibly sad for it to have an uncertain future."

Hey yo! There has been enough shade thrown WrestleMania's way, so we are going to talk about what we LIKED about the biggest event of the year! We also chat about some of the other events that occurred over the past week including a couple of great shows from AEW. In our retro timeline we are covering the go home Smackdown to Backlash '01. Do we find out what the rules are for a "Dutchess of Queensbury" match? Guess you will have to listen to find out! Enjoy!

Endorses revenue sharing with towns, villages Putnam Executive Kevin Byrne this week vetoed a sales-tax reduction passed by the county Legislature and announced a long-discussed plan to share revenue with towns and villages if the rate remains unchanged. In a memo sent Monday (April 14) to the Legislature, Byrne called on lawmakers to convene an emergency meeting to rescind their 5-4 vote requesting the state allow Putnam to lower the county's portion of the tax on purchases from 4 percent to 3.75 percent. The reduction would cost the county an estimated $5.3 million annually. The higher rate has been in place since 2007, when the state enacted a law allowing Putnam to increase its sales tax from 3 percent to 4 percent. A series of extensions have kept the higher rate in place, but the most recent one expires on Nov. 30, requiring passage of another bill before state lawmakers end their 2025 session on June 12. Consumers in Putnam County pay 8.375 percent sales tax, which includes 4 percent for the state and 0.375 percent for the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District. With the reduction, the total tax would fall to 8.125 percent. Preserving the rate will allow the county to continue reducing property taxes and fund capital projects, Byrne wrote in his memo. Flanked by officials from Philipstown, Cold Spring, Nelsonville and Putnam's other towns and villages, Byrne also announced outside Kent Town Hall on Tuesday that if county legislators renew the extra 1 percent, one-ninth of its revenue would be distributed annually to municipalities for infrastructure and capital projects. If sales-tax sharing had been in place in 2024, Putnam would have distributed $2.4 million to the county's six towns and three villages on a per capita basis, said Byrne during a news conference. Each would be guaranteed at least $50,000. With the move, Putnam would join 50 of New York's 62 counties that share sales tax revenue with their municipalities, according to the state Comptroller's Office. Dutchess' 2025 budget includes $46 million in sales-tax distributions, with an estimated $6.1 million for Beacon. Extending the current rate will also help fund a $1 million reduction in the property-tax levy that Byrne says he will propose for the 2026 budget. The reduction would be the largest in county history, he said. Addressing the Legislature on April 1, Cold Spring Mayor Kathleen Foley accused legislators of "hoarding" money because Putnam has accumulated $134 million in savings. Speaking at the news conference, Foley said the village has stormwater impacts it needs to address and that extra revenue could also help the village manage tourism. Dan Birmingham, the legislator who initially proposed a reduction to 3.5 percent, said the size of Putnam's savings, or fund balance, justified giving residents a break. During his first stint as a legislator, from 2004 to 2012, Birmingham supported the 2007 increase to 4 percent to cover county losses attributed to the Great Recession. Now, Putnam is "sitting on top of the largest fund balance-to-budget ratio this county has ever seen," he said. When Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of the Putnam Valley, predicted before the April 1 vote that Byrne would veto the lower sales tax, Birmingham said that unless the Legislature has six votes to override a veto, "you return to the status quo" after Nov. 30 - the 3 percent rate that existed before 2007. Byrne said on Tuesday that sacrificing the full 1 percent "would not help the towns; it would hurt this county" because the annual revenue loss would total about $20 million. In 2022, the Legislature unanimously agreed to pass along sales tax that exceeded what the county collected the previous year. In what turned out to be a one-time distribution, it shared $5 million, sending $369,670 to Philipstown, $101,671 to Cold Spring and $31,945 to Nelsonville, which used its portion to study the feasibility of building a sewer system. Nelsonvil...

Program spurred by federal cuts Hudson Valley farmers reeling from cuts and freezes to federal funding will get some help from one of their own as the growing season gets underway. On Tuesday (April 8), the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in Philipstown announced it is accepting applications for private aid designed to buoy operations as the U.S. Department of Agriculture cancels grants, produce purchases for food pantries and schools and funding for other farming initiatives. Describing its Hudson Valley Farm Relief Fund as a "time-limited emergency response," Glynwood hopes to raise as much as $1.5 million to distribute to farmers in Dutchess, Putnam and nine other counties who have lost funding from nearly 20 federal programs. Applications are open through April 21 at dub.sh/HV-farm-aid. Recipients can use the funds "in the most impactful way for their business," according to Glynwood. The funding freezes and contract cancellations began after Brooke Rollins took the oath as the USDA's secretary on Feb. 13. A week later, Rollins said the agency's programs "are focused on supporting farmers and ranchers, not DEIA [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility] programs or far-left climate programs." Some of the frozen contracts were for the USDA's Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities program, which awarded grants to the Hudson Valley and three other regions to improve the ability of farmers to adapt to drought, extreme heat and other threats from climate change. Glynwood, which oversees the program, hired Zach Wolf of EZ Farms in Columbia County to develop plans for eight farms. The practices included planting cover crops, as well as integrating more trees to act as a windbreak, improving soil, water and air quality and providing perennial crops in the form of fruit. "We have partners who received letters out of the blue telling them that their government contracts - contracts that have been signed and that they were already doing work toward - have been canceled," said Megan Larmer, the senior director of programs at Glynwood. On Wednesday (April 9), U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat whose district includes Beacon, lambasted cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program, through which the USDA purchases locally grown farm products for food banks to distribute to hospitals, pantries, schools, senior centers and soup kitchens. Some of the local beneficiaries, such as the Philipstown Food Pantry, receive TEFAP-purchased food through the Regional Food Bank in Montgomery, which said it expects the cuts to cost it 200 tractor-trailer shipments delivering an estimated 8 million pounds of food from farmers. "I had to read this five times before I believed it," said Ryan of the canceled shipments. "We're all already feeling the crunch of the affordability crisis, which is made immeasurably worse by Trump's tariffs. Now he's ripping food away from hungry children - it's absolutely disgusting." Hudson Valley farmers who benefited from the federal Local Food Purchase Assistance funding are among those eligible for Glynwood's emergency aid. Along with another program facing cuts, Local Foods for Schools, LFPA funding allows food banks, schools and childcare programs to buy food from farmers. Using LFPA funding, the state's Food for New York Families program awarded $2 million in 2023 to the Regional Food Bank and $2 million to Cornell Cooperative Extension Putnam County, which has bought and distributed 290,000 pounds of farm products via pantries and a truck whose stops include the county senior center and Chestnut Ridge in Cold Spring and the Brookside mobile home park in Philipstown.

Administration promotes benefits for students, teachers Beacon school board members will vote April 22 on the district's 2025-26 budget proposal, which includes $87.7 million in spending and a 5.09 percent tax levy increase, just under the maximum allowed under a complicated state formula. The board will hold a public hearing during its May 6 meeting, and district voters will be asked to approve the plan on May 20. With the levy increase, the district could collect about $50 million in property taxes. The remainder of its revenue comes mostly from state and federal aid. Although state legislators had not approved a budget as of Thursday (April 10), Beacon is expected to receive about $31.5 million from Albany, including $21.7 in unrestricted foundation aid, a 2 percent increase. Direct federal aid accounts for about 2 percent of the Beacon district's budget, or $1.7 million. The Trump administration has threatened to cut funding to states and local districts that do not eliminate what the White House considers to be diversity, equity and inclusion programs, although New York State says it will resist. Beacon administrators plan to use the increased funding to implement summer workshops for incoming Beacon High School students and increased mental health support for students at the high school and Rombout Middle School. Math and reading teachers for struggling elementary students will be hired, as well as a part-time speech instructor at the elementary level. Teacher training would focus on "the science of reading" - a research field that investigates how children develop reading and writing skills. More than 75 percent of the budget will be spent on salaries and benefits for the district's 682 teachers, administrators and other staff. The proposed levy increase is larger than in years past due primarily to two factors: (1) debt service (about 8 percent of expected expenditures) on a $50 million capital project approved by voters last year and (2) increased residential development in Beacon. The capital project will fund sweeping improvements at all six district schools and is the first such effort to trigger a tax increase in at least 15 years. In addition, Beacon's tax base has also grown more than any other district in Dutchess County in the past five years. That growth is one of the factors in the complex state tax formula that determines how much a district can increase its levy; in Beacon it will allow the schools to add $1.2 million to the taxes collected for 2025-26. Superintendent Matt Landahl told school board members during their April 7 meeting that the district is creating individualized data sheets on budget impacts for each school. "This year is really important to give people as much information as they can have walking into their polling place," he said. While the levy is increasing, individual homeowners' tax bills may not go up by the same percentage. Development in Beacon adds taxpaying households, while assessments also impact what a homeowner owes. The district estimates that the owner of a home assessed at the median value in Beacon ($304,700) will pay $3,127 annually in school taxes - still considerably less than other Dutchess districts (see chart). "In my mind, this is an argument to go to the tax cap," Landahl said. "In our hiring and retaining employees, these are some of our closest-competing districts." If you expand the comparison regionwide, "that number just grows, if we're talking about Orange County, Putnam County and obviously Westchester County," he said. "That school tax estimate just gets bigger and bigger, compared to what we're paying here."

County receives about $65 million annually About 10 percent of Dutchess County's funding - $65 million - comes from federal funding through eight agencies, according to a newly released report by Dan Aymar-Blair, a Beacon resident who is the county comptroller. The report also calculated that Dutchess residents receive $1.9 billion annually in direct federal assistance through programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and military medical insurance. Aymar-Blair released the report, which is posted at dub.sh/dutchess-federal, following a freeze on Jan. 27 by President Donald Trump of all federal funding, causing confusion for municipal governments and nonprofits. Although a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order a few days later and ordered the money restored, the funding has been inconsistent and unpredictable. At the same time, cuts driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an ad hoc agency created by the administration and led by carmaker Elon Musk, have caused further uncertainty. "We were getting a lot of questions," said Aymar-Blair. "People had concerns about how much federal funding the county had, what it was used for, and whether it had been touched by the feds." In Putnam, the finance department and clerk did not respond to inquiries about how much of the county's funding comes from the federal government. Putnam does not have a comptroller's office. Aymar-Blair said he had expected that the investigation would reveal sources of federal funding that the county could do without, but "every single program struck me as vital to the county's functioning and to supporting the vulnerable people in our county." The county's largest source of federal funding in 2024 was $43.6 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which funds programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (aka "welfare"); the Home Energy Assistance Program; adoption and foster care; and the enforcement of child support. The county also received $2.95 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka "food stamps") and $12.9 million from the Department of Transportation, among other federal expenditures. The report said that, as of Feb. 20, the county had not seen delays in federal disbursements, but Aymar-Blair said this week that's no longer accurate. "Everything's changing all the time," he said. At a March 6 meeting of the county Legislature's Public Works and Capital Projects Committee, Bob Balakind of the Department of Public Works reported that a federal grant the county had received to study the feasibility of electrifying the county bus fleet had been frozen. A consultant hired to produce the study was already a month into the work; if the funds aren't forthcoming, the county will have to pick up the tab. A grant to install new cameras at Dutchess County Airport also was paused, although "that may have since wiggled loose again," Balakind said. He noted that 90 percent of the airport's capital funding comes from the federal government, with the remainder split between the state and county. "We're usually only stuck with paying that last 5 percent, which is great," he said. "But that federal funding is now much more volatile." There is confusion about the status of some of the $3.2 million that the Department of Housing and Urban Development pays the county after the nonprofit Hudson River Housing reported that it had been told its contract with HUD would not be renewed as of March 31. That could leave dozens of Poughkeepsie families homeless, it said. Hudson River Housing did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, the future of the Social Security Administration office in Poughkeepsie, the only one in the county, has been in doubt. The office, which had been closed for renovations, appeared on a list of government sites that DOGE expected to close. Earlier this week, Aymar-Blair said that the office's staff weren'...

Police say he embezzled at least $208,000 A Philipstown resident was arrested on Wednesday (March 12) and accused of stealing at least $208,000 from two local organizations for which he served as treasurer. In a news release, Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville said Mark A. Kenny, 61, had served as a treasurer for the civic groups, which he did not name, saying they had been victims of a crime. He said the agency's investigation began in December when one group reported that funds apparently had been stolen from its bank account over four years. An investigator learned Kenny was also treasurer of the second group and requested its records over the past five years. After a review, the sheriff said the investigator found Kenny had used funds for personal expenses such as gas, cellphone charges, dental bills, pet supplies, cigars, liquor, automotive and lawn equipment, building materials, dumpster rentals and dining at restaurants and bars in Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester and Orange counties. The sheriff said Kenny also made purchases from a restaurant distributor after he submitted a credit application in the name of one of the organizations, adding he and his wife as authorized users. The investigation uncovered cash withdrawals from ATM machines and bank branches. The sheriff said Kenny appears to have stolen at least $118,000 from one organization and at least $90,000 from the other. He was arraigned in Philipstown Town Court on three felony counts of grand larceny and released until his next court date. No further information was available; a Philipstown court clerk said the town does not release documents from any case unless a person is convicted or by special permission from Justices Camille Linson or Angela Thompson-Tinsley. Philipstown also does not upload its records to the state's electronic system. Kenny's LinkedIn profile says he is a graduate of New York University and since August has been a manager for global product risk and control at Wells Fargo. In December 2023, according to court records, he was sued by Lending Club for a $4,702 debt it said had gone unpaid.

Empire Training Center for the Arts is a new vocational venture operating out of The Chance Theatre on Main Street in Poughkeepsie, New York.Their first major fundraising event in Poughkeepsie is coming up on March 15. The Dirty Dutchess: An Evening of Vaudeville, Burlesque and Broadway is directed by Peter Flynn. Flynn is a New York based director, writer and educator and he joins us now - along with Empire Training Center for the Arts Co-Founder and Executive Director Trish Santini.

Did a live stream and was joined by Dutchess from the Boomer Bunker podcast. We had a lovely chat, and now you can listen to it if you missed the stream.

This album review contains material that may be unsuitable for children under 17 years old - but so does every episode, honestly.That Rihanna Reign just won't let up!!!!!!Happy Birthday Rihanna!!!! We - and by "we" we mean the world - can't get enough of you and your impact. Dutchess of Done, Mother of Mug, Countess of Cunt, and not to mention A HITMAKER!!!!!!!!Get ready to get RATED R... Listen in as we recant the time, place, and state of emotion we and Rih all were in when Rated R dropped. The year was 2009... it was a dark and stormy night, and... anyway press play!!!!!Watch us on The Psyce' s Youtube channel and Follow us everywhere @thepsycepodcast.

Cat is missing from her cradle, leaving the motley shocked. The Dutchess charges the group with her safe return, and Rowan as her champion in this task. Can they find her in time?

In this week's episode I am joined by Owen Brayson. Owen had a humble beginning with a neighborhood squirrel dog that turned into so much more many years later. Even when he went looking to get into squirrel dogs he stumbled a bit and was finally given some direction that put him on the right path. That path was a River Run Feist, and Dutchess was her name. She was the start of many successful years in the squirrel dog business. Unfortunatly Hurricane Katrina made squirrel hunting almost impossible and Owen was forced to get rid of his beloved squirrel dogs. Luckily he was able to pick up without missing a beat when he retired and is back at it once again. He is even hosting a number of UKC Squirrel Hunts.   Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://fullcrymag.com https://www.southernhoundhunting.com  Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde chapter 17, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: A week later, Dorian is entertaining guests at his home, Selby. He talks with Lord Henry, the Dutchess of Monmouth, and her husband about the nature and importance of beauty, and other matters. The duchess criticises Lord Henry for placing too much importance on beauty. When the conversation turns to love, Lord Henry maintains that love, like life, depends on repeating great experiences over and over again. Dorian agrees as usual with Lord Henry and excuses himself. The guests hear a groan and a thud from the other side of the room, and rush over to find Dorian laying on the ground. At supper, Dorian has sudden chills, and thinks about what caused him to fall. He was certain that he saw the face of James Vane at the window.

With the freehold holding an event for the Dutchess' arrival, a strange series of sounds draws the motley outside where the dark streets hold more than they expect.  

For the last episode of the year I decided to do something different. I did a live stream and brought some friends along for the ride. It was supposed to be a recap of 2024, but was really more of a BS session between friends. There will probably be a more standard ranty episode later this week. Guests include Mike & Tabby of the Grays Taproom, The Undercover Brother from the Bromigos Podcast Matty Mysh, John and the Dutchess from the Boomer Bunker podcast, and Jason of the Weather'd View and HorribleDesigns.com

HERE YE HEAR YE! The Grande Dame of Potomac, the Dutchess of Surry County, Mrs. Black Bill Gates, the SHE-EO of the House of Huger herself has been found guilty of being an absolute hot mess and in her own words "LIT" while driving! Naturally a gathering of DMV Divas to cover this breaking news needed to happen! Aarti and Taria discuss this mess that Karen has gotten herself into and a full week of Bravo! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/therealityispod/support

Rowan and Erin work to prepare Kelly as The Dutchess arrives at the freehold. Edie is quite surprised by an offer she receives. Dark tidings wrap the four together before the evening relents. 

49ers are 4 plays away from a very different season. They're not a bad team, they're a good team having a bad year.0:45: The 49ers aren't as bad as you think3:26: The 4 plays that would have turned the 49ers into a 10-win team:11:26: The stat that explains the Brock Purdy drop-off:19:39: John Lynch has missed on a ton of top picks and that needs to change in the next draft36:19: Holy shit. Have you read this Jets story?42:51: Nick Nash — the best Bay Area football player you've absolutely never heard of53:58: Today in history:55:46: The Dutchess joins the showSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Pella Yearbook Editor Ella Van Arendonk and current Editor Saige DeJong discuss recent recognition for the Dutchess from the Iowa High School Press Association.

Episode:  E956 PERSONAL PODCAST – Chicken Soup for the Dog    Description:  Kelly gets a triggering notice from the Doctor and Dutchess is having a hard time.    Coupled with Chaos full episodes and bonus content subscriptions are available here:  Premium Content, including Additional 90 Day Fiancé episodes, coverage of other TLC and A&E shows and even some crime news along with more personal podcast episodes are available by subscription at:    Supercast: https://coupledwithchaosnetwork.supercast.tech/    Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/coupledwithchaos    Apple: Coupled with Chaos Channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/coupled-with-chaos/id6442522170    Contacts us:  Email: Coupledwithchaos@gmail.com    Web site: https://coupledwithchaos.com    Facebook: @Coupledwithchaos    Instagram: @Coupledwithchaos    Twitter: @CoupledwChaos 

Episode: E956 PERSONAL PODCAST – Chicken Soup for the Dog  Description: Kelly gets a triggering notice from the Doctor and Dutchess is having a hard time.  Coupled with Chaos full episodes and bonus content subscriptions are available here: Premium Content, including Additional 90 Day Fiancé episodes, coverage of other TLC and A&E shows and even some crime news along with more personal podcast episodes are available by subscription at:  Supercast: https://coupledwithchaosnetwork.supercast.tech/  Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/coupledwithchaos  Apple: Coupled with Chaos Channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/coupled-with-chaos/id6442522170  Contacts us: Email: Coupledwithchaos@gmail.com  Web site: https://coupledwithchaos.com  Facebook: @Coupledwithchaos  Instagram: @Coupledwithchaos  Twitter: @CoupledwChaos 

In this episode the boys welcome The Dutchess of New Jersey and discuss the differences in the generations, recalling the way things "used to be". Sam talks about failing footwear as well as his affinity for black label porn. And we find out that the Jersey Shore really isn't all that. So, sit back put the earbuds in and have a slice.....Catch the Dutchess on The Boomer Bunker Podcast wherever you download your favorite shows!!Wanna join in on the fun and submit questions and interact with the show? Then follow us on Facebook and after you check us out and give us a like.  Ask us for an invite to Get After...The T&A Podcast.... our NEW private Facebook group!!Want some T&A??? Of course you do...everyone does !! Check out our merch here..https://www.zazzle.com/store/ta_podcastCheck us out everywhere we are by using our linktree.CLICK HERE...https://linktr.ee/tandapodcastCammo Comedy Show Podcase Military shenanigans, pranks & mistakes! Subscribe to Cammo Comedy! On all platforms!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Yvette Valdes-Smith knows firsthand how spiraling housing costs have made Beacon unaffordable to many. Yvette and her husband rented in Beacon for years, but moved to Fishkill when they realized they couldn't afford to buy a home here.  “We shouldn't have to struggle with paying our utility bills, our rent and our mortgages,” she says in our interview. “Affordability is critical to me and to pretty much every voter I've spoken to. And housing is a huge issue. It's going to require us not being NIMBY about things. We have to increase housing stock.”   Raised in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, Yvette went to college in New York, became a public school teacher and started a family before winning a seat on the Dutchess County Legislature, where she is Minority Leader. Now she's running for NY State Senate District 39 on the Democratic ticket.  In addition to housing affordability, her campaign is focused on issues like abortion rights, gender-affirming care, gun safety and youth services.  “We need more youth services,” she says. “I'm a mom. I've experienced the lack of childcare in this county. I've experienced youth programs closing or not being available. Think about summer camps, how they'll go online and they'll be gone in three seconds.”  But winning won't be easy. The current State Senator in the seat she's running for, Republican Rob Rolison, is a seasoned pol who won the spot by about 7,000 votes two years ago. In this episode, she talks about what it will take to beat him – including lots and lots of canvassing in purple and red areas of the district.  Senate District encompasses Beacon along with parts of Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties. 

Leadership by AllDavid Zeman is Chief Strategy Officer at ENT and Allergy Associates... THE Nation's Largest ENT, Allergy & Audiology Practice.He shares the incredible story of a hospital system that was struggling. Everything was chaotic until one leader introduced a simple but powerful mantra that changed everything. It united the staff work and the hospital became much better place for both the employees and the patients. You'll hear how this powerful approach redefined leadership and inspired lasting change.......now you can use this with your team.What You'll Discover in this Episode:A Challenge that Sparked Empowered Leadership.Three Steps to Foster an Engaged Team.An AI Strategy Enhance Communication and Workflow.The Connection between Hearing Loss and Dementia.How to Make Tough Leadership Decisinos.Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dzeman22/Learn more about ENT and Allergy Associates: https://www.entandallergy.com/------ENT and Allergy Associates see over 150,000 patients every month with over 300 clinicians in 50+ office locations in Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties in Long Island, New York City, northern New Jersey.-------Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Join Branden Brown at our Dutchess location for the conclusion to their Summer at Grace series!

Continue in our Summer at Grace series at Dutchess with Pastor Branden Brown!

Join us for our Summer at Grace series with Larry Dauer at our Dutchess location!

Team Alpha had stayed back to investigate Troggleshythe when the alarm bells rang, now they must hurry back to help protect the Dutchess in a way that is sufficiently spectactular to impress the cameras. You can learn more about Trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com

In this conversation, Big Bank and Erica Dutchess discuss her comedy career, divorce, and the disconnect between men and women.  Erica shares her perspective on relationships, her experiences with marriage, the difficulties of navigating relationships in the modern world.  Erica emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and not getting caught up in societal expectations, the impact of social media and the addictive nature of seeking validation online. Erica discusses her experience with a man who didn't believe in her dreams and even suggested she become a bus driver. Tune in and join the conversation in the socials below. Rate, subscribe, comment and share. Follow Perspektives With Bank on IG @perspektiveswithbank @bigbankatl @EricaDuchessSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This full moon is giving exposure and finding composure ! Rambling from Diddy to Windsor Castle and back with The Dutchess of Jersey

Celebrity gossip, Kate Middleton's diagnosis, The dodgy Dutchess' latest money-making scheme, and more! Later, we're joined by Marshall Levy, one of our faves, who returns to take us through his CPOP (Customer Point Of Possibilities) exercise. Want to improve your own coaching business? Check out Mitchell's Coaching Fest (link below). Our Bougie Bible picks include a chic Santa Monica hotel and affordable attire.☎️ LEAVE A VOICEMAIL: +1 239-300-7276 ☎️

On this Episode of The Real Talk Pill Talk Podcast we talk about Steamy StoryTimes! College is Overrated? White Toes, Get Chose! and more.... Special Guest: Wes Wes, Dutchess and Stephanie Follow me too: Tpindell & RealTalkPillTalkSupport the show

For part two of our Black Eyed Peas series, writer and critic Julianne Escobedo Shepherd returns to Pop Pantheon to dissect the brief but remarkable reign of the Duchess of Pop, Fergie. Louie and Julianne break down Fergie's brushes with child stardom via Peanuts and Kids Incorporated and her failed 90s girl group, Wild Orchid. Then they explore the sonic melange of her debut solo album,  2006's The Dutchess, which traded in everything from camp pop-rap to 80s hip house, mid-century pop-soul and A/C rock. Next they tackle Fergie's follow-up more than a decade later, 2017's Double Dutchess, her disappearance from pop, her ongoing presence as a meme queen and, finally, rank Fergie in the Official Pop Pantheon.Listen to Pop Pantheon's Black Eyed Peas Essentials Playlist on SpotifyJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 2/3 at Sultan RoomCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 2/17 at Los GlobosFollow Julianne Escobedo Shepherd on TwitterFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow Pop Pantheon on Twitter

Alison drops new music from G Jones, The Dutchess, Kaivon, SLUMBERJACK, Keys N Krates, John Summit and more! Don't forget to rate & review on all of your favorite podcast apps! Post your comments on Twitter @awonderland / https://twitter.com/awonderland #RADIOWONDERLAND