Saturday, October 31, 2020

COVID-19: The Month in Review

If Halloween, the return of standard time, and the election weren't unsettling enough, here are a couple of bar graphs that Gossips has been maintaining for the month of October, based on the information provided daily by the Columbia County Department of Health. The first shows the number of new cases of COVID-19 reported each day. The high point here was October 25, when there were sixteen new cases. 

The second bar graph shows the number of active cases reported by the CCDOH. We started the month with four active cases, and we are ending the month with seventy. Thursday, October 29, was the day with the highest number of active cases, when there were seventy-five. 

COPYRIGHT 2020 CAROLE OSTERINK

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health just released its numbers for today. After no new cases yesterday, the CCDOH is reporting three new cases today. Since yesterday, there have been five recoveries, so there are two fewer active cases today than yesterday. Eighty-six more county residents are in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, but the number in precautionary quarantine remains at zero. Since yesterday, there has not been another death from COVID-19 in Columbia County.

With three positives out of a reported 1,428 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 0.2 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.2 percent--that is, 48 positives out of 3,992 test results.

If You Missed the Chance Last Sunday

If you didn't make it to Historic Hudson's open day at the Dr. Oliver Bronson House and Estate last Sunday, you can catch up on what you missed and learn about Historic Hudson and its advocacy for this National Historic Landmark and the proposed public access park on Trixie's List: "The Dr. Oliver Bronson Estate." 



Photo: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects

Friday, October 30, 2020

It Can Be Done . . . Twice

In August, Gossips linked to an article in the Albany Business Review reporting that the Albany Planning Board had denied Stewart's Shops permission to build a gas station and convenience store at the corner of Washington and Colvin avenues. The proposed project involved the demolition of a former Key Bank building and two two-family houses.

Photo: Times Union
Stewart's revised its proposal, "in hopes of mollifying neighbors and Planning Board officials," and presented it to the Planning Board a second time. The Times Union reported yesterday that once again the Planning Board unanimously denied approval for the project: "Albany Planning Board rejects proposed Stewarts."
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COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. The good news is there are no new cases of COVID-19; the bad news is there has been another death. There have also been two recoveries, reducing the number of active cases by three to 72. One fewer person is hospitalized with the virus, but the number in the ICU remains the same. Although there have been no new cases, there are six more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, and as was the case yesterday no one is in precautionary quarantine.

With zero positives out of 434 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 0.0 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.7 percent--that is 51, positives out of 2,940 test results.

Where the New Cases Were This Week

As it does every Friday, the Columbia County Department of Health has released its breakdown of COVID cases by municipality and nursing home. In the past week, according to the differences reported on this list, there have been 53 new cases of COVID-19. Eighteen of those have been at Ghent Assisted Living, but there were new cases elsewhere in the county as well. Ghent and Stuyvesant each had five new cases; Greenport, Hudson, Livingston, Niverville, and Livingston Hills Nursing Home each had three new cases; Germantown and Stottville each had two new cases; Canaan, Claverack, Gallatin, New Lebanon, Taghkanic, and Valatie each had one new case.  

As always, in the list below, the first number is the number of cases reported last Friday, and the second number is the number of cases reported today. Strangely, in a couple of instances, today's number is less than last week's number. These are the total number of cases since the first case was reported in Columbia County in March 20. The number of active cases in the county today is 72.

Ancram  5 | 5
Canaan  12 | 13
Chatham  28 | 28
Claverack  33 | 34
Clermont  8 | 8
Copake  25 | 25
Craryville  3 | 3
East Chatham  1 | 1
Elizaville  3 | 3
Gallatin  3 | 4
Germantown  9 | 11
Ghent  26 | 31
Greenport  41 | 44
Hillsdale  17 | 17
Hudson  53 | 56
Kinderhook  48 | 47
Livingston  22 | 25
New Lebanon  10 | 11
Niverville  2 | 5
Philmont  9 | 9
Stockport  8 | 7
Stottville  1 | 3
Stuyvesant  20 | 25
Taghkanic  8 | 9
Valatie  20 | 21
Nursing Homes
Barnwell  143 | 143
Ghent Assisted Living  27 | 45
Livingston Hills  2 | 5
Pine Haven  51 | 51

Following Up on a Story

Back in August, Gossips linked to a story reported by Bill Williams in the Register-Star about a UPS driver who had suffered an apparent drug overdose while making deliveries in Hudson and was revived by a Hudson police officer, who leapt into the moving delivery truck, turned off the ignition, and administered two doses of Narcan. A few days later, commenting on Gossips post about police reform, a reader identifying himself/herself as "Good Grief" claimed that the UPS driver has suffered a diabetic seizure. 


The link I posted in response to Good Grief's comments was to a Register-Star article reporting that, according to UPS, the driver in question was "no longer with the company."

Today, the Hudson Police Department issued the following press release with new information about the incident.
An ongoing investigation into an accident involving a UPS truck in the City of Hudson has led to additional charges for the driver.
On August 21, 2020, HPD responded to a call that a UPS truck had struck several cars in the area of Dock Street and had left the scene. HPD Officers Jessica Mausolf and Randy Strattman located the truck near Bliss Towers, and observed the operator appeared unresponsive and possibly intoxicated. Officer Strattman ran alongside the moving truck, boarded it, and was able to bring the delivery truck to a stop.
The operator, JOHNATHAN L. MILLER, age 36 , of Tannersville, NY, was administered first aid at the scene and was admitted to Columbia Memorial Hospital. He was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree (vape pen with suspected concentrated THC), numerous traffic violations, and was issued tickets.
On 10/29/20 HPD received a report from the New York State Police Laboratory that indicated levels of Benzodiazepines and Marihuana in MILLER’s blood at the time of the accident. He was issued an appearance ticket for Driving While Ability Impaired (Drugs) and is to reappear in Hudson City Court on 11/10/20.
“I received a couple calls from some downtown residents who witnessed the event. They expressed their gratitude to Officer Strattman for taking such a risk. When you factor in the good weather on an August morning, near a playground, the potential for disaster was high.” Chief 

News from the Planning Board

The Planning Board had a special meeting this past Tuesday, at which, after a public hearing during which no one spoke, the board approved permanently expanding the use of the outdoor space at BackBar, 347 Warren Street, and gave site plan approval to the proposal to convert 735 Columbia Street into a brewery and restaurant. The vote to approve 347 Warren Street was unanimous. In the vote to approve 735 Columbia Street, there was one dissenter.

Planning Board member Larry Bowne objected, as he had before, to the plan to put parking in front of the building, arguing that it was "suburban" and it would be more appropriate if this space were used for outdoor seating. He declared it a "really bad site plan" and alleged that the applicant did not "treat seriously our concern." He also warned his colleagues, "The choices we make shape the fabric of the town."

Stephen Steim told Bowne, "I get the point you're making, and to an extend, I agree." Clark Wieman said he appreciated Bowne's concern, adding, "Many of us are urbanists." Still, when the resolution to approve came to a vote, only Bowne voted against it.

Also at the meeting on Tuesday, the Planning Board opened the public hearing on the proposal from Verizon to install wireless communications equipment on Providence Hall, 119 Columbia Street. In the presentation that preceded the public hearing, the attorney for Verizon showed viewshed photographs to demonstrate that the proposed antennas would not be visible from most locations in the neighborhood. The photographs, all of which were leaf-on, showed that the antennas would not be visible from two locations in the Hudson Historic District--Warren and Second and Warren and First--because they were hidden by trees. 

Mike Musso from HDR, the engineer who has been retained as a consultant to the Planning Board for this project, spoke of the site's proximity to a historic district, noted that SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office) needed to weigh in, and talked about "means and methods of stealthing or screening the antennas," which as they are proposed are white. He also clarified that, although the Planning Board cannot deny the application based on health concerns if the project meets the standards set by the federal government, whether or not it meets the standards was something he had been tasked to evaluate.

There were questions about the process by which Providence Hall was chosen as a site. This same proposal was made three years ago, but then the site was changed to Bliss Towers. For reasons that are not entirely clear, mounting the antennas on Bliss Towers proved problematic, so the site has shifted back to Providence Hall. It is not clear what other sites, if any, were considered before settling on Providence Hall. As Planning Board member John Cody put it, "Two buildings across the street from each other doesn't suggest that you looked very hard." Musso pointed out, "There are artifacts in the application that indicate Athens was the first place they looked." There are also "artifacts in the application" that suggest that Athens is the intended coverage area, although Musso told the board, "This facility is predominantly going to serve lower Hudson."

There are other issues surrounding this application. Section 284-17 of the city code indicates:
Prior to the approval of any application for a special use permit for wireless telecommunications facilities, a public hearing shall ne held by the City, notice of which shall be published in the official newspaper of the City no less than 10 calendar days prior to the scheduled date of the public hearing. In order that the City may notify nearby landowners, the application shall contain the names and addresses of all landowners whose property is located within 500 feet of any property line of the lot or parcel on which the new wireless telecommunications facilities are proposed to be located.
The problem with this directive is that the people who live in Providence Hall, the very people who are most likely to be impacted most by the proposed antennas, were not notified. According to a Gossips source, notices were not sent to the individual residents of the building. Instead one notice was sent to the building and posted "unobtrusively" on a bulletin board in a common area. A few residents did see the notice, and one of them read a statement during the public hearing on Tuesday. Gossips was able to get a copy of the statement. Because it is a voice not always represented in civic discourse in Hudson, the statement is transcribed in its entirety below:
I have lived at Providence Hall for over 13 years. It is a decent place to live. Having grown comfortable here I will say without being overly sentimental that I hope to live out my life here. However I was very disturbed to find out only recently about Verizon's proposal to build a 5G cellular tower on the roof of the building which I have called home for so long. I live on the top floor here--the 5th floor. To think that this monstrosity will be a scant 10 feet above my head causes me a great deal of anxiety and concern.
Would Verizon think of erecting such a dangerous, radiation emitting tower on top of a school? Then why even consider building it on top of a structure that is home to over 100 elderly and/or disabled people? It's almost as if they are saying that we, the people, don't count or don't matter. This is unconscionable. The entire community of Hudson should rally to the cry of: not on my roof, not in my backyard, not anywhere near a residential community. Especially in such a non-gentrified, impoverished, almost forgotten area of the city.
People know about Verizon. Perhaps not so much about the corporation which owns P[rovidence] H[all]. It's called Arbor Management and it's headquartered in the state of Delaware. Delaware is called the corporate state because corporations pay no corporate taxes there. 
Arbor Management owns 2 properties in town--P[rovidence] H[all] and Schuyler Court, both on lower Columbia Street. They also own several dozen other Section 8 properties throughout the entire northeast region of the country. 
Between these 2 local, extremely lucrative properties Arbor Management rakes in almost $2 million in income per year. And they pay no property taxes. In essence, they have a free ride. They don't contribute to the local economy or tax base.
P[rovidence] H[all] is owned and run by a for-profit corporation. It is not a charity. Simply taking a cursory look at the numbers, one can see that this is an extremely profitable business for Arbor Management. And now, by prostituting their building, i.e. renting out the roof to Verizon, we see the ugly, selfish motive of corporate greed. Arbor Management gives hypocritical lie to the very name of the building. There is absolutely nothing providential about this insatiable lust for ever increasing profit. Especially when the health and safety of thousands of people are at stake. Shame on them. And shame on anyone in authority who condones this proposal!
I can remember 20 years ago when this community rallied and fought against the cement plant. Against seemingly overwhelming odds, this town stated unequivocally--not in our backyard! And we, the people, won that battle. Let us come together once more in the same spirit of togetherness and defeat this monstrous proposal. Let not the unholy alliance of corporate greed and hypocrisy be consummated!
At the meeting on Tuesday, Rick Suhocki, an engineer for Verizon, denied that what was being proposed was a 5G site. Rather he asserted that it was a 4G site, and there were no plans to make it 5G. He maintained that if they wanted to upgrade to 5G, they would have to go through the permitting process again.

The public hearing on the proposal will continue at the next Planning Board meeting, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 10.
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Yes, Virginia, There Will Be a Winter Walk!

As the weather grows colder, and the holidays approach, the question in many people's minds is, "Will there be a Winter Walk?" COVID-19 has changed so much in our lives, could it be that a holiday festival the people of Hudson and Columbia County anticipate and embrace each year could be a casualty of the pandemic?

Since 1997, Winter Walk has been a beloved part of the holiday season in Hudson. Only once, in 2003, when a winter nor'easter dumped two feet of snow on Hudson, did Winter Walk ever not occur on the first Saturday in December. (That year, it was postponed a week.) With that history, Hudson Hall, which has produced Winter Walk for lo these twenty-three years, sought a way to carry on the tradition to the twenty-fourth year, during this challenging time, while keeping the community safe. Today, Hudson Hall is thrilled to announce Winter Walk 2020: The Hudson Safe Edition.

Instead of closing off Warren Street for a blowout celebration involving tens of thousands of people on a single evening, Winter Walk 2020 will begin on Saturday, December 5, and continue through the month of December. Many of the things everyone has come to expect from Winter Walk--holiday lights, lavishly decorated shop windows, Santa's Village in Seventh Street Park, holiday shopping in unique local shops, fireworks that light up the winter sky, and an appearance by Santa himself--will all be part of Winter Walk 2020, re-imagined for the pandemic.

On Saturday, December 5, the evening will begin with Sax O Claus, a Winter Walk regular, strolling down the street playing cool jazz on his saxophone--a truly Hudson style Santa. Throughout the evening, folks can enjoy, as the event's name suggests, a winter walk along Warren Street, enjoying the festive sights, doing some holiday shopping, and greeting friends--at a safe distance. At Seventh Street Park, families can visit Santa's Village, a Hudson tradition for decades. The evening will conclude, as always, with a festive fireworks display over Promenade Hill, which people can watch in place, safely distanced.

The festivities of Winter Walk 2020 will not end with the fireworks finale on December 5. They continue in the following weeks. At Hudson Hall, there will be timed-entry, by reservation Zoom visits for children with Santa Claus, in a room decorated especially for the jolly old fellow. In Seventh Street Park, there will be the lighting of the Christmas tree and the nightly lighting of the candles on the Hanukkah menorah, and there will be a virtual Kwanzaa celebration. Throughout December, everyone can enjoy nights of evening shopping on Warren Street to find the perfect holiday gifts and, as always, dining in Hudson's celebrated restaurants.

So, find yourself a suitable holiday mask and get ready to enjoy the warmth and excitement of the holidays in Hudson, while staying safe and distanced, during Winter Walk 2020: The Hudson Safe Edition.

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Some Insight into Recent COVID Infections

Late this afternoon, Matt Murell, chair of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, issued this press release:
NEW COVID-19 CASES KEEP COMING
On Thursday morning, Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb reported nine new cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing to 256 the number of individuals now under mandatory quarantine as a result of active cases.
Twenty-one Columbia County residents are currently hospitalized, with two receiving treatment in the ICU.
At Ghent Assisted Living, Ghent, 45 residents and 11 staff have now tested positive for COVID-19. Four individuals have died as a result of the outbreak that hit the facility last week.
The county Health Department has recently received several complaints regarding the wearing of face masks in business establishments and a local church, Director Mabb said Thursday, noting that the complaints will be investigated and possibly subject to fines under the governor's new executive order.
"This virus spreads quickly and easily, and we all need to keep that in mind," said Director Mabb. "To try to do everything we can as citizens to keep the spread as low as possible is a simple thing. If you go into a business, put on your mask. It's that simple."
"I would like to remind business owners that they were allowed to re-open earlier in the year under certain guidelines established by the governor," said county Chairman Matt Murell. "Those guidelines, which remain in place, include enforcing the wearing of masks and maintaining social distance in their establishment. None of us want to see a business, or businesses, shut down should COVID-19 strike their business and force a 14-day shutdown."

Be Careful Where You Park This Weekend

According to weather.com, we may get a few hours of snow tomorrow, but since the temperature will never go below freezing, it's unlikely the snow will amount to anything more than a dismal, sloppy mess. 


Still, in an abundance of caution, Mayor Kamal Johnson announced on his Facebook page today that alternate side of the street rules for overnight parking, which he suspended on October 15,  will be back in effect this weekend. 

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today, and the news is unrelentingly bad. Since yesterday, there have been nine new cases of  COVID-19 and seven recoveries, increasing the number of active cases by two to 75. Two more people are hospitalized with the virus today than yesterday, but one fewer is in the ICU. Nine more county residents are in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, increasing the number to 265, but no one is in precautionary quarantine. The good news is there has not been another death since yesterday.

With nine positives out of 528 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 1.7 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.8 percent--that is, 53 positives out of 2,907 test results.

Tomorrow, the CCDOH publishes its breakdown of positive cases by municipality and nursing home. Perhaps those numbers will provide some insight into where in the county the new cases are occurring.

Cross Over the Bridge

The Ferry Street Bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since early October 2014, when Bill Hallenbeck was mayor. Funds for rebuilding the bridge were secured in April 2016, when Tiffany Martin was mayor. At that time, it was projected that, according to the timeline determined by the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT), construction of the bridge would begin in 2020. A preliminary design for the bridge was presented at a public meeting in October 2018, when Rick Rector was mayor, and public comment was solicited.


The next step in the process was to be final design, but for a number of reasons, chief among them being the pandemic, the process was delayed.

At the Common Council Public Works and Parks Committee meeting last night, Rob Perry, DPW superintendent, shared the good news that the NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) determination had been made, and DOT has given its approval to proceed to final design. This step in the process involves another round of public input.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2020

New York and the Rest of the Country

Governor Andrew Cuomo's NYS Coronavirus Update for today contained this graphic: a map that shows the positivity rates in all fifty states.

Those with the highest positivity rates--over 20 percent--are Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Alabama. New York, with a positivity rate of 1.39 percent, is second only to Maine in having the lowest positivity rate.

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health released its numbers at 5:00 p.m. today, and among statistics was the sad news that there has been another death from COVID-19 in the county. Also, since yesterday, there have been four new cases of COVID-19 and one recovery, increasing the number of active cases by two to 73. The number of people hospitalized with the virus and in the ICU remains the same as yesterday, but there are 124 more county residents in mandatory quarantine. No one is in precautionary quarantine.  

With four positives out of 419 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is just under 1 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.8 percent--that is, 49 positives out of 2,781 test results.

Of Interest

A new listing appeared today on the Columbia and Northern Dutchess Multiple Listing Service and on Zillow: 345 Allen Street, the Hudson residence of T. Eric Galloway and the first property he acquired in Hudson back in 2001.

In last year's reval, the house was assessed at $1.4 million and the carriage house at $500,000, for a total of $1.9 million. On July 17, 2020, Galloway filed an Article 7 lawsuit against the City of Hudson claiming that the house was worth $695,000 and the carriage house $175,000, for a total of 870,000. The asking price for both has been set at $1,350,000.

Sidewalk Accessibility Audit Begins

The state of our sidewalks has been a topic of concern and discussion for at least the past two decades. For almost two years now, the Common Council Legal Committee has been working on legislation to effect improvements to sidewalks throughout the city. It was set aside to focus on short term rental regulations, but now it is likely to be front and center once again. Needless to say, the sidewalks present a huge problem for ADA compliance in the city.

On Monday, it was announced on the City of Hudson website that the City was hired the architectural firm of Hyman Hayes Associates to audit the sidewalks "to ensure accessibility." Not all of the sidewalks will be evaluated. The audit will be limited to "sidewalks between key areas of service." The key areas of service are defined in this way:
The sidewalk audit will review sidewalks between Henry Hudson Riverfront Park, Promenade Hill Park, City Hall, the Youth Center, the Senior Center, Oakdale Park, the Central Fire Station, and the Police Station. The audit will report on sidewalk and curb ramp barriers and will list the location of the barrier, the barrier, and how the barrier is not in compliance with ADA standards. 
The audit is required by the October 2019 settlement agreement between the Department of Justice and the City of Hudson as a consequence of the lawsuit that was brought against the City. To read the entire announcement about the audit from the mayor's office, click here.

Hunkering Down and Staying Home

As the COVID infection rate rises and the number of people in mandatory quarantine grows, trips to the supermarket may once again become dreaded excursions. There is an alternative. Rolling Grocer 19, at 6 South Second Street, is now offering contact free curbside pickup four days a week.

From 1 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, you can place an order by phone and pick it up the same day. The catalog of what's on offer can be found here. The phone number is 518 697-7672. More information can be found here.

Stay Home, Stay Safe

On Tuesday, California was added to the Travel Advisory list. Anyone traveling to New York from California must quarantine for fourteen days upon arrival here. Massachusetts also meets the criteria for the travel advisory, but because Massachusetts, like Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey which met the criteria last week, shares a border with New York, quarantine is not practically viable. Nonessential travel to Massachusetts, however, is highly discouraged.
 
Here is this week's list of restricted states and territories. There are forty-one.
  • Alaska 
  • Alabama 
  • Arkansas 
  • Arizona 
  • California
  • Colorado 
  • Delaware 
  • Florida 
  • Georgia 
  • Guam 
  • Iowa 
  • Idaho 
  • Illinois 
  • Indiana 
  • Kansas 
  • Kentucky 
  • Louisiana 
  • Maryland 
  • Michigan 
  • Minnesota 
  • Missouri 
  • Mississippi 
  • Montana 
  • North Carolina 
  • North Dakota 
  • Nebraska 
  • New Mexico 
  • Nevada 
  • Ohio 
  • Oklahoma 
  • Puerto Rico 
  • Rhode Island 
  • South Carolina 
  • South Dakota 
  • Tennessee 
  • Texas 
  • Utah 
  • Virginia 
  • Wisconsin 
  • West Virginia 
  • Wyoming

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today, and the news just keeps getting worse. There has been another death from COVID-19 in Columbia County, bringing the total number of deaths from the virus to 40. Since yesterday, there have been thirteen new cases of COVID-19 and two recoveries, increasing the number of active cases by ten to 71. The number of people hospitalized with the virus remains the same as yesterday, but today two more are in the ICU. The number of county residents in mandatory quarantine has increased by 41 since yesterday, but no one is in precautionary quarantine.

With thirteen positives out of 592 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 2.2 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.8 percent--that is, 48 positives out of 2,658 test results.

Just One Day Left

The Hudson Area Library's Virtual Art Auction ends tomorrow, October 28. 

Don't miss the opportunity to acquire a work of art while supporting the library and the local artist who created it.

Click here to view the art and make a bid.

Reminder: Planning Board Meeting Tonight

The Planning Board meets tonight at 6:00 p.m. Two public hearings will take place during this meeting: the first on the proposal to make BackBar's expanded outdoor dining space at 347 Warren Street permanent; the second on the application to install wireless communications equipment on the roof of Providence Hall, 119 Columbia Street.

The Planning Board is also expected to render a decision on the proposal to convert the former gas station and auto repair center at 735 Columbia Street into a brewery.

Click here to access to Zoom meeting. The agenda for the meeting can be found here.

HudsonUP Launch Announced

HudsonUP, the universal basic income pilot program founded by The Spark of Hudson and the Humanity Forward Foundation, announced its launch today with the following press release:
Participants for the HudsonUP universal basic income pilot have been selected and are set to receive $500 each month for the next 5 years starting on November 1, 2020.
The pilot received nearly 500 submissions from with the Hudson, NY city limits. Selection was completed by way of a weighted randomization. Selection was randomized with weights applied to submissions to account for equity factors. The selection process was overseen by a team of independent researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The participant group reflects the tremendous diversity of the city--half are Black or African American, 34% identify as white, 12% are Hispanic, and 4% are Asian. The sample includes more women than men--around 70% are women, 23% are men, and 7% are non-binary, non-conforming or transgender.
Participants were notified at the end of last month and are on-track to receive their first UBI payment by the start of next month. There will be no limits placed on how participants are able to spend the money. . . . 
Hudson native and non-profit management professional, Joan Hunt will be stepping into the role of HudsonUP Pilot Director to oversee the overall communications strategy and day-to-day operations of the program. Ms. Hunt will be the primary contact for the pilot's participants and will serve as the chief spokesperson for the program. "I look forward to witnessing firsthand the positive effect basic income can have on individuals and on the Hudson community broadly," said Ms. Hunt, "and I'm honored to be taking on the role of HudsonUP Pilot Director to help tell the story of UBI in Hudson to the country and to the world.". . . 
The entire press release can be found here.

Make a Plan to VOTE

Election Day is now just a week away. If you're thinking of voting by absentee ballot, today is the LAST DAY to request your ballot. There are four ways to do it:
Concern about exposure to COVID-19 is sufficient reason to request an absentee ballot.

Monday, October 26, 2020

News About the COVID Situation in the County

Matt Murell, chair of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, issued a press release today, part of which is quoted below. The entire press release can be found on the Board of Supervisors Facebook page.
COVID-19 POSITIVE CASES ON RISE AROUND COUNTY
Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said Monday that 45 residents and eight staff members of Ghent Assisted Living, Route 66, Ghent, have now tested positive for COVID-19. Two individuals have died as a result of the outbreak that hit the facility last week.
"In addition, there are a number of clusters popping up around the county," said Director Mabb. "There are now 62 active cases in the county, with 99 in mandatory quarantine. Nineteen are hospitalized."
At the Ichabod Crane Central School District, one elementary student has tested positive for the virus, with approximately 20 individuals in mandatory quarantine as a result. On Monday, the district shut down and was deciding whether or not to open the remainder of the week. It has also begun the process of contact tracing.
Director Mabb recited a number of positive cases showing up around the county: one Livingston Hills resident, one at the Fireman's Home, one county worker, and a private day care provider conducting testing because of their connection to the school community.
"There seems to [be] a critical mass with this virus when it gets into the community. Any one of these cases could blow up on us, or not. But I think we have a handle on it right now," said Director Mabb. . . .

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. Sadly, there has been another death from COVID-19 in Columbia County, bringing the total to 39. Since yesterday, there have been three new cases of COVID-19 and three recoveries, so the number of active cases today is 61. There is one more person hospitalized with the virus today than yesterday, but there are five fewer county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, and none is in precautionary quarantine. 

With three positives out of 331 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 0.9 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.7 percent--that is, 40 positives out of 2,343 test results.

Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

Just eight days before Election Day, here's what happening in Hudson this week.
  • On Monday, October 26, early voting is available from noon to 8 p.m. at 401 State Street.
  • At 1:00 p.m. on Monday, October 26, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment (BEA) meets to review anticipated revenue for 2021.
  • Also on Monday, October 26, the Common Council Fire Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. and the Police Committee meets at 6:00 p.m. The link to each meeting will be posted on the City of Hudson website prior to the start of the meeting. Scroll down to the calendar.
  • Early voting on Tuesday, October 27, is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 401 State Street.
  • On Tuesday, October 27, the Hudson Development Corporation (HDC) holds its monthly meeting at noon. Click here for access to the Zoom meeting.
  • Also on Tuesday, October 27, the Planning Board meets at 6:00 p.m. The agenda for the meeting is posted here and includes public hearings on making BackBar's expanded outdoor space permanent and on installing wireless communication systems on Providence Hall.  
  • On Wednesday, October 28, early voting at 401 State Street is from noon to 8 p.m.
  • Also on Wednesday, October 28, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment (BEA) meets at 1:00 p.m. The proposed 2021 budgets for the cemetery and water and sewer will be considered. The link to access the Zoom meeting will be published on the City of Hudson website prior to the meeting. Scroll down to the calendar.
  • On Wednesday, October 28, the Common Council Public Works and Parks Committee meets at 5:00 p.m. and the Legal Committee meets at 6:15 p.m. The link to each meeting will be posted on the City of Hudson website prior to the start of the meeting. Scroll down to the calendar.
  • On Thursday, October 29, early voting is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 401 State Street.
  • On Friday, October 30, early voting is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 401 State Street.
  • Also on Friday, October 30, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment (BEA) meets at 1:00 p.m. The topic of discussion at this meeting is yet to be determined. The link to access the Zoom meeting will be published on the City of Hudson website prior to the meeting. Scroll down to the calendar.
  • On Saturday, October 31, early voting is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 401 State Street.
  • On Sunday, November 1, early voting is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 401 State Street. Sunday is the last day of early voting. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, the polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. The polling places in Hudson on that day are as usual: First, Second, and Third Wards vote at St. Mary's Academy, 301 Allen Street; Fourth Ward votes at 401 State Street; Fifth Ward votes at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street.

Sunday, October 25, 2020

COVID-19 Update

Typically on weekends, the Columbia County Department of Health posts its numbers around noon. Today, the numbers were not posted until 4:30 p.m., and they are not good. Since yesterday, there have been sixteen new cases of COVID-19 and just one recovery, increasing the number of active cases by fifteen to 62. Five more people are now hospitalized with the virus, but the number in the ICU remains at one. There are ten more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than there were yesterday, but no one is in precautionary quarantine. The good news is there has not been a death from COVID-19 in Columbia County since October 14.

With sixteen positives out of 260 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 6.1 percent. That may put us just shy of becoming a hot spot, but so far the CCDOH has provided no information about where in Columbia County this spike is occurring. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.8 percent--that is, 42 positives out of 2,292 test results.

Today's the Day!

Historic Hudson opens the grounds of the Bronson Estate for public visitation from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Photo: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects


Come and enjoy a beautiful fall day in a spectacular landscape. Wear a mask (it's required) and enter on Worth Avenue.

Saturday, October 24, 2020

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. Since yesterday, there have been six new cases of COVID-19 and no recoveries, increasing the number of active cases to 47. One more person is hospitalized with the virus, and one remains in the ICU. There are 28 more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, but no one is in precautionary quarantine. There has not been a death from COVID-19 in Columbia County since October 14.

With six positives out of 376 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is 1.6 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.2 percent--that is, 29 positives out of 2,411 test results.

Early Voting

Early voting in New York began today, and this was the scene at 401 State Street, the only polling place in Columbia County, when I passed by there today at about 12:50 p.m., a little more than an hour before the poll was scheduled to close.

Early voting continues for the next eight days. Here is the schedule:
  • Sunday, October 25, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Monday, October 26, noon to 8 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 28, noon to 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Friday, October 30,  9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, November 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Not to Be Missed

An article getting lots of attention on social media is this one from the Times Union: "Hudson makes top-25 list for small-town millionaires." In the subtitle. the Times Union attributes the phenomenon to "hip" factor and COVID-19.

This Morning with the HPC

This morning's meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was taken up almost entirely by a single property: 121 Warren Street.

There is evidence, discovered in old newspapers, that the house was built in 1789, just a few years after the founding of Hudson. The current owner wants to replace the windows, which are late 20th-century replacement windows, remove the vinyl siding, and put on new primed pine siding. The goal of the work is to "improve the appearance of the house and make it safe."

At its last meeting, the Historic Preservation Commission asked that a significant piece of the vinyl siding be removed from the front and the east side of the building so it could be assessed what lies beneath. This was done, and at today's meeting, the applicant had photos to show what was under the vinyl siding. The commissioners were hoping to find brick, but what was uncovered was clapboard on the front and novelty siding on the side. 



The proposal from the applicant was to clean up the clapboard and the old novelty siding and put new wood siding on top of it. 

Chip Bohl, architect member of the HPC, observed, "There is a lot to discover with this building," suggesting that the removal of the vinyl siding may reveal the original window and door pattern which is not visible now. He expressed concern that new wood siding would cover the original fenestration just as the vinyl siding does now. He also maintained, "If wood siding is placed on top of wood siding, the new siding will have a different relationship to the window trim and the corner board trim." 

HPC member Phil Schwartz commented, "I don't recall people putting wood siding over wood siding. Typically, it is repair and replace where necessary [when vinyl or aluminum siding is removed]." HPC member Paul Barrett added that he would like to see as much of the original clapboard restored as possible. The applicant protested that he had neither the time nor the budget to do a complete restoration of the exterior of the house. He said if they couldn't put the wood siding they wanted on the building, they should simply put the vinyl siding back up after they had replaced the windows. He did however agree to acknowledge and preserve any historic details uncovered when the vinyl siding was removed.

When it came time to vote on granting a certificate of appropriateness, three members of the commission--Phil Forman, Hugh Biber, and Barrett--voted to approve; two members--Bohl and Schwartz--voted to deny. Forman, who chairs the HPC, declared that the motion had carried, but he was corrected by legal counsel. A majority must be a majority of the entire seven-member commission not just a majority of the five members present. so four members needed to vote in favor of the proposal. 

It was then noted that HPC member John Schobel had been trying to get into the meeting but couldn't because the meeting was in lockdown after a Zoombombing episode. It seemed some thought Schobel might cast the fourth vote needed for approval, but that didn't happen. After joining the meeting and being updated by Forman, Schobel told the applicant, "I would rather see the house enveloped in vinyl until you are able to do a proper restoration." He suggested the possibility of restoring only the facade of the building and reinstalling the vinyl on the sides and at the back. Schobel told the applicant and his colleagues, "To envelope the entire structure in a new layer of siding doesn't promulgate our mission."

Schwartz then asked rhetorically, "How is it cheaper or more efficient to buy a whole truckload of wood instead of power washing what's there and painting it?" Schobel told the applicant that he had removed all the siding from his house, which is considerably larger than 121 Warren Street, and only had to replace six boards. 

Schobel pointed out that HPC could grant a certificate of appropriateness to remove the vinyl siding and install the new windows. Re-siding the house would require a certificate of appropriateness but putting the vinyl siding back would not. The commission then voted unanimously to grant a certificate of appropriateness for removing the vinyl siding and replacing the late 20th-century replacement windows with six over six, double hung windows. After the vote, Schobel reiterated that, if anything of interest is discovered when the vinyl siding is removed, the applicant must return to the HPC.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CAROLE OSTERINK

Where the New Cases Were This Week

As it does every Friday, the Columbia County Department of Health has released its weekly breakdown of COVID cases by municipality and nursing home. In the past week, there have been 28 new cases of COVID-19. Fourteen of them have been at Ghent Assisted Living. Elsewhere in the county, there have been three new cases each in Claverack, Kinderhook, and Livingston, two in Chatham, and one each in Greenport, Hillsdale, and Valatie. Hudson has seen no new cases this week. 

As always, in the list below, the first number is the number of cases last Friday, and the second number is the number of cases today. These are the total number of cases since the first case was reported in Columbia County on March 20. The number of active cases in the county today is 41.
Ancram  5 | 5
Canaan  12 | 12
Chatham  26 | 28
Claverack  30 | 33 
Clermont  8 | 8
Copake  25 | 25
Craryville  3 | 3
East Chatham  1 | 1
Elizaville 3 | 3
Gallatin  3 | 3
Germantown  9 | 9
Ghent  26 | 26
Greenport  40 | 41
Hillsdale  16 | 17
Hudson  53 | 53
Kinderhook  45 | 48
Livingston  19 | 22
New Lebanon  10 | 10
Niverville  2 | 2
Philmont  9 | 9
 Stockport  8 | 8
Stottville  1 | 1
Stuyvesant  20 | 20
Taghkanic  8 | 8
Valatie  19 | 20
Nursing Homes
Barnwell  143 | 143
Ghent Assisted Living  13 | 27
Livingston Hills  2 | 2
Pine Haven  51 | 51 

COVID-19 Update

Late this afternoon, the Columbia County Department of Health released its numbers for today. Since yesterday, there have two new cases of COVID-19 and one recovery, increasing the number of active cases by one to 41. Three more people are hospitalized with the virus today than yesterday, and one is now in the ICU. There are twenty more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, but again today no one is in precautionary quarantine. It has now been nine days since there has been a death from COVID-19 in Columbia County.

 
With two positives out of 401 test results received, the positive percentage rate for today is o.5 percent. The seven day rolling average, according to Gossips' calculations, is 1.2 percent--that is, 28 positives out of 2,366 test results.