Hudson Mohawk Magazine

For this week's Labor Talk segment, Hudson Mohawk Magazine's Roaming Labor Correspondent Willie Terry reports on three labor struggles: the Bessemer, Alabama Amazon workers's struggle for a union, the lockout of Major League Baseball players, and the 1199 SEIU striking nursing home workers.

Home and community-based services in NY's Medicaid program have been dramatically underfunded for decades. A new report shows that it is getting worse, with 74% of seniors and people with disabilities unable to retain home care workers in 2021. Bryan O'Malley of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of NYS talks about the Fair Pay for Home Care legislation, which would set the minimum pay for such workers at 150% of the state minimum wage. With Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Radio Network

On Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 6 PM, the Poor People's Campaign will hold a virtual Truth Commission on Hunger and Homelessness with testimony from individuals directly impacted by such issues. The Rev. Molly Dowell Baum of the First Presbyterian Church discusses the event and campaign with Mark Dunlea of the Hudson Mohawk Radio Network. (register at https://bit.ly/3xRJx6K)

COVID-19 had a big effect on musicians and bands. Now that shows are cautiously returning, many favorites are coming back to the area. Moses Nagel spoke with Pete Donnelly of local rock legends, The Figgs, about their first shows back in the Capitol Region since 2019.

Last month, the world’s leaders conducted the 26th COP – the climate international summit – in Glasgow. The two week event ended without the deep cuts in greenhouse emissions that scientists had pleaded for. Here in New York, the state is still in the process of implementing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act that state lawmakers approved 2 and a half years ago. On Tuesday, the Climate Action Council set up to develop a plan for state action on climate met to finish its work on the first draft. Andrea Cunliffe talked to Mark about how climate change policy is developing in New York.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine,

Mark Dunlea talks with Andrea Cunliffe about what is going on with climate at the state level;

Then, our peace segment is a report about the latest action against Killer Drones;

Later on, Brendan Maslauskas Dunn provides a report on homelessness in Utica;

After that, Aileen Javier gets an update from Angela Kaufman about the fight over the future of the Lakeview Mobile Home Park in Saratoga;

Finally, Willie Terry talks with Deacon Jerry and Elvira Ford about their award from TRIP for their work helping underserved youth.

​Since our last conversation with Angela about Lakeview Mobile Home Park, one resident already left due to the stress at the park. The park has few trees left. Two trailers were demolished on site and debris still around making the park look like a dump site. The resident's concern about the owner's agenda to drive people out and build boat storage is becoming a true story. The retaliations against her by the Lakeview Mobile Home Park owner have escalated. It has gone from trying to claim Angela's driveway, doubting her professional credentials, to calling her "psycho" to interrupting the visit of Yvonne Maldonado, an organizer from Manufactured Home Action. MH Action is a nonprofit consisting of peers who live in manufactured home parks, their focus is organizing and strengthening protections for residents via legislative protection. She went to the park to provide the residents with information about their rights as mobile home owners. Yvonne could not outreach the residents due to the manager following her around.

"This is a matter of environmental and housing justice and no matter what happens I will continue to challenge what he is doing" - Angela Kaufman

For additional information about Manufactured Housing Action please go to: https://mhaction.org/

To keep informed about Lakeview Mobile Home please visit: https://www.facebook.com/Save-Lakeview-Mobile-Home-Park-107544068073942

Interview by Aileen Javier​

On November 15, 2021, the Hudson Mohawk Magazine Network Roaming Labor Correspondent Willie Terry attended the Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, "Celebration of Strong Community Event."

They honor Deacon Jerry and Elvira Ford for their determination and care of our underserved youth. Jerry and Elvira founded "Team H.E.R.O. – Helping Everyone Recognize Opportunities" in 2008. Team H.E.R.O.'s mission is to support black and brown children and young adults in South Troy to realize their full potential. In this Community segment, he interviews friends of Jerry and Elvira about their award.

Angela Kaufman discusses with HMM how retaliations against her by the Lakeview Mobile Home Park owner have escalated. It has gone from trying to claim Angela's driveway, doubting her professional credentials, to calling her "psycho" to interrupting the visit of Yvonne Maldonado, an organizer from Manufactured Home Action. MH Action is a nonprofit consisting of peers who live in manufactured home parks, their focus is organizing and strengthening protections for residents via legislative protection. She went to the park to provide the residents with information about their rights as mobile home owners. Yvonne could not outreach the residents due to the manager following her around.

"This is a matter of environmental and housing justice and no matter what happens I will continue to challenge what he is doing" - Angela Kaufman

For additional information about Manufactured Housing Action please go to: https://mhaction.org/

For more information about Lakeview Mobile Home please visit: https://www.facebook.com/Save-Lakeview-Mobile-Home-Park-107544068073942

Interview by Aileen Javier

For our weekly report by Hugh Johnson, retired Meteorologist, we talk first snow, upslopes, and measuring sunlight.