Category Archives: News

Read the latest local news from Columbia County and surrounding areas.

As Hecate project grows, so do objections

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE—The Copake Town Board has unanimously approved a resolution formalizing its opposition to the installation of an industrial-sized solar facility in Craryville and has called on the agency that will review the project application to deny it.

Another update that came to light at the Town Board’s October 28 special meeting was that the developer’s project area seems to have moved and grown.

The Town Board conducted a second special meeting via Zoom to update and provide information to the public about Hecate Energy’s proposal to build a 60-megawatt solar facility in Craryville, a hamlet in the town’s northwest corner. Read more…

Police reform? County panel starts work

by JEANETTE WOLFBERG

HUDSON—Columbia County has formed a Police Reform Panel. Governor Cuomo’s executive order requires local governments to review police “strategies, policies, procedures and practices, develop an improvement plan to address the particular needs of the communities served, and promote community engagement, foster trust, fairness, and legitimacy and to address any racial bias,” according to the Panel’s website.

The county panel consists of three divisions: the Community Input Panel (31 members), the Elected Official/Law Enforcement Panel (22 members), and the Plan Review Committee (14 members). Some individuals are in more than one division. The Community Input Panel held its first video conference October 20.

The Columbia County Police Reform Panel will consider the Sheriff’s Office as well as departments of Greenport, Philmont, and Stockport police, reported Matt Murrell (R-Stockport), chairman of the county Board of Supervisors. The City of Hudson and the Village of Chatham have their own police reform committees. Read more…

And the count goes on

by PARRY TEASDALE

ELECTION BAR

GHENT—They are still counting. For now, all results from the 2020 General Election in Columbia County, not to mention most of the rest of the United States, are unofficial.

Vice President Joe Biden received more votes that President Donald Trump in the county, according to the Columbia County Board of Elections website https://sites.google.com/a/columbiacountyny.com/elections/home-1

Statewide, New York voters went for Mr. Biden and his running mate, Senator Kamala Harris. Read more…

They took early opportunity to exercise their right to vote

by DAVID LEE

Sunday, October 25 brought the second day of early voting throughout New York state. Columbia County’s early polling site is at the county office building at 401 State Street in Hudson. The stream of voters was steady all day. Inside there were two stations where voters checked in, digitally signed their names and had ballots printed. Voters then filled out their ballots and inserted them into one of two scanners. The line of voters extended around the block down to Columbia Street, with voters saying that they spent no more than about 20 minutes waiting. During the five hours that the polling site was open Saturday, 636 votes were cast. Early voting continues through Sunday, November 1 at the office building. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3 at polling places around the county. Photo by David Lee

County picks Biden; Delgado looks to have held House seat

by PARRY TEASDALE

GHENT—The counting continues. For now all results from the 2020 General Election in Columbia County, not to mention most of the rest of the United States, are unofficial.

Vice President Joe Biden received more votes that President Donald Trump in the county, according to the Columbia County Board of Elections website https://sites.google.com/a/columbiacountyny.com/elections/home-1

Statewide, New York voters went for Mr. Biden and his runningmate, Senator Kamala Harris.

First term Congressman Antonio Delgado, a Dutchess County Democrat, won the in-person vote in the race for the seat in the House of Representatives from the 19th District. He appears to have turned back a challenge from Republican Kyle Van De Water, who also lives in Dutchess County. The 19th District includes all of Columbia County and all or parts of 10 other counties in the mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Read more…