Assemblyman James Skoufis

A medical marijuana dispensary is open in Newburgh, New York — the first in Orange County. There was a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, but the dispensary has been open for a few weeks and has already served many clients.

Visitation continued Friday at the DiDonato Funeral Home in Ulster County for New York state Assemblyman Frank Skartados. Several assemblymembers, including Speaker Carl Heastie, were expected. Skartados died Sunday at age 62 from pancreatic cancer. People attending viewing hours Thursday remembered the Hudson Valley Democrat as a most honorable public servant.

The chair of the New York Assembly Task Force on People with Disabilities is asking the state attorney general to investigate an alleged incident of employment discrimination.

Three elected officials and environmental group Riverkeeper have asked the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation to suspend or revoke an essential permit for a power plant nearing its final stages before operation. The call comes following the March conviction of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s former top aide Joseph Percoco on bribery charges that involved state business with two companies, including the power plant.

The Brain Injury Association of New York State held a rally at the state capitol in Albany Tuesday. 

Tuesday’s conviction of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s former top aide Joseph Percoco on bribery charges involved state business with two companies. One is a power plant in Orange County that is nearing completion. WAMC’s Allison Dunne reports some lawmakers are calling on the state to revoke the plant’s permits.

A lot of plans and programs were laid out in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State Wednesday, but many lawmakers are waiting to see the details that will be coming when the governor releases his state budget later this month. Assemblyman James Skoufis, a Democrat from the 99th district, which includes Rockland and Orange Counties, says he is glad to see the governor will work to counter the effects of the GOP tax plan recently signed by President Trump, but Skoufis says his constituents, many of whom commute to New York City, could be hurt by another of the governor's proposals. 

In New York, an Orange County Hasidic village has dropped its lawsuit against another village.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill to ensure that students with disabilities have the opportunity to take part in their high school graduation ceremonies. The bill is named for a resident in the Hudson Valley.

The Cornwall campus of St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital will enhance services in a community local leaders say was disillusioned in recent years. The Orange County hospital plans to begin what’s being called “open access primary care.”

A New York state assemblyman from the Hudson Valley says a grant he helped secure will fund a study on a train quiet zone for an Orange County village.

New York state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie Wednesday announced a joint effort with Governor Andrew Cuomo to support the transition to full-day kindergarten in next year's budget for all school districts in New York that still maintain half-day programs. A few assemblymen in the Hudson Valley praise the effort.

A New York state assemblyman from the Hudson Valley is denouncing what he says are false and anonymous social media and robocall ad attacks against him. The Democrat from Orange County says the ads cross a line and he is taking action.

New York state lawmakers and parent advocates gathered at a school district in Orange County Wednesday to promote a bill to ensure all students with disabilities participate in high school graduation ceremonies.

A New York state assemblyman from Orange County in the Hudson Valley is drafting legislation to repeal a clause in the new tuition-free pubic college program for middle-class students. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Wednesday enacting the program. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne has more.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill requiring emergency medical technicians to be checked against the sex offender registry before being employed.

Two New York state lawmakers from the Hudson Valley say help is on the way for a local lake overrun with an invasive plant.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has vetoed for the second consecutive year an annexation oversight bill sponsored by Hudson Valley lawmakers.

A hospital in the Hudson Valley that was set to close its emergency department October 1, pending state approval, has put its closure application on hold.

Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney was in Orange County Thursday, calling on the U.S. Coast Guard to listen to Hudson River communities when it comes to a proposal to establish anchorage sites in the river. Maloney and local elected officials want public hearings earlier in the process.

A New York state Assemblyman from the Hudson Valley says he will seek re-election instead of running for the Senate. 

New York’s Joint Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction kicked off a series of statewide forums last week. One of the co-chairs continues to push for a number of reforms he called for last year.

A Democratic assemblyman is exploring a run for the New York state Senate seat that has been occupied by the same Republican since 1991. Assemblyman James Skoufis believes now is the time for change and new ideas in the 39th district, where Bill Larkin serves as senator. Skoufis has set up an exploratory committee enabling him to raise funds for a potential run.

An assemblyman from the Hudson Valley supports New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposals for ethics reforms, but would like to see at least one go even further, especially following corruption convictions of various lawmakers.

Governor Cuomo in his January 13 state-of-the-state address called for limiting outside income as one portion of ethics reform. Democratic Assemblyman James Skoufis would like to see even stronger wording.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood at a rail crossing in Orange County on Thursday to talk about needed safety upgrades. The Democrat says there have been too many accidents and close calls at the site and he’s urging CSX to come to the table.

Kurt Hahn is emergency manager for the Town of Cornwall and Village of Cornwall-on Hudson. He showed Senator Chuck Schumer the area along the CSX tracks in the village where a November 25 accident occurred, the most recent at the site.

(Hahn and Schumer discuss accident along tracks.)

The Orange County executive held a public forum last night as part of the county’s parallel review of the controversial annexation proposal from the Hasidic Jewish village of Kiryas Joel. The forum drew several hundred residents and elected officials.

A New York state assemblyman from the Hudson Valley has authored legislation to reinstate a tax on banking corporations.

A New York state assemblyman introduced legislation today to dissolve the Committee on Open Government and replace it with a commission that has enforcement powers. He says the bill was prompted by the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel’s alleged closed government tactics.

A public comment session on the Hudson Valley Hasidic Jewish village of Kiryas Joel’s controversial annexation proposal was held Tuesday evening — despite calls from some elected officials and area residents to postpone the session because of inclement weather. A village spokesman is defending the decision to press forward.