The Local Edition

The IRS has officially opened tax season on Monday and is now accepting and processing 2023 federal income tax returns.

Locally, Sullivan County Treasurer Nancy Buck spoke to Jason Dole about what you need to know about  upcoming tax deadlines and the county's new tax website.

Radio Catskill Reaction to Gov. Hochul's State of the State for 2024

Tim Bruno, host of Radio Chatskill, and Jason Dole, host of The Local Edition, share their reactions to Governor Hochul's 2024 State of the State address.

Karen DeWitt from the New York Public News Network provides a comprehensive recap of Governor Hochul's 2024 State of the State address.

Wayne Brown, a clinical social worker with an advocacy driven by mental health, social justice, and community well-being, delves into the topic of New Year's resolutions, exploring why people make them and if they're beneficial. 

Wayne shares his philosophy on this, emphasizing the importance of understanding motivations, strengths, and challenges, rather than simply telling his clients whether to set resolutions or not. He discusses patterns he's noticed on why individuals set resolutions, linking it to aspects of their lives they're unhappy with. He proposes working towards positive future-oriented goals, and setting meaningful and reasonable ones. 

Wayne stresses the importance of having a strong motivation for change, and understanding what one stands to gain from this change. Patricia and Wayne also touch on the role of support systems, and the way they should set and handle small, feasible goals throughout the year. 

Lastly, Wayne shares a bit about his work at Willow Grove Counseling in the Buffalo Niagara area.

In the first legislative meeting of the year, held on January 2, 2024, the new legislature nominated and elected District 2 Legislator, Nadia Rajz, as Chairperson for 2024. The decision was made following a vote of 7 to 2.

Rajz became one of the first female legislature chairs since Leni Binder in 2003.

“Thank you very much for having faith in me to do this job for the next year and onward. I'm hoping I can bring a new perspective, a breath of fresh air, into our legislative body. Thank you to all of our county employees. Without you, We would not be here. I look forward to working with our present legislators.”

Joseph Perrello, representing district 7, has been named Vice Chair of the Legislature.

And in one of the first resolutions, the legislature appointed retired Orange County Court Judge Robert Freehill as the acting county attorney.

The next legislature meeting will be the Public Safety & Law Enforcement Committee and it is scheduled for January 11 at 9 am.

HARD HARVEST – From early heat and a late freeze in the spring, to wildfire smoke and wet weekends in the summer, local farmers describe the challenges set by unpredictable weather in 2023. It’s an hour-long feature from Farm and Country and The Local Edition.

Addressing Hunger and Homelessness in Sullivan County: Martin Colavito

 Martin Colavito from Sullivan Allies Leading Together (SALT) and the Sullivan County branch of Cornell Cooperative Extension joins 'The Local Edition' to discuss the growing concerns of hunger and homelessness in the Catskills, Northeast Pennsylvania region. 

Martin shares how his organizations are working tirelessly to provide immediate relief. However, he brings to light the underlying systemic issues causing these crises, from housing displacement due to aggressive development and lack of infrastructure, to mental health and substance abuse disorders. 

Despite the severity of these issues, he believes there is hope for improvement with good leadership and collective efforts towards sustainable solutions.

00:09 Introduction and Guest Presentation
00:38 Discussing the Work of SALT and Cornell Cooperative Extension
01:01 Addressing the Rising Need for Food and Housing
03:20 The Impact of Winter and COVID-19 on the Community
04:36 The Interconnected Issues of Homelessness, Hunger, and Mental Health
06:08 The Consequences of Unchecked Development
08:53 How to Help and Final Thoughts

Reporter Sam Mellons from New York Focus joins us to discuss his article chronicling essential changes in rulings at the New York Court of Appeals. Going over the history of transformations in the court's personnel and discussing how these have influenced recent decisions, Mellons specifically highlights the outpourings concerning defendants' rights. 

He also sheds light on notable cases and new trends under Chief Judge Rowan Wilson and new addition Judge Caitlin Halligan. Mellons concludes by highlighting the possible future implications of the court's liberal shift and how it is likely to be influenced by or in contrast to the more conservative US Supreme Court rulings.

00:00 Introduction to the New York Court of Appeals
00:27 Understanding the Structure and Personnel Changes in the Court
02:29 Analyzing the Shift in Court's Rulings
03:49 Role of Judge Caitlin Halligan in the Court's Shift
05:51 Public Reaction to the Court's Shift
07:23 Examples of Recent Rulings
09:34 The Impact of New Trials for Defendants
10:23 The Court's Position in the Broader Judicial Landscape
12:21 Potential Future Trends in the Court
13:56 Closing Remarks and Future Reporting

Congressman Marcus Molinaro Discusses New York Redistricting and its Potential Impacts

A recent decision by New York's highest court to redraw the state's congressional map. Congressman Molinaro of the 19th district expresses concern over the reopening of redistricting, appreciating it for maintaining a competitive and balanced nature among districts. He urges the Democrat-controlled houses of the state legislature to not give into partisan gerrymandering and highlights the importance of prioritizing the needs of the communities he represents. The congressman also discusses the potential impact of the ruling on one of the most competitive districts, while emphasizing the importance to meet state constitution requirements and to protect communities with shared interests and backgrounds.

00:00 Introduction to the Redistricting Issue
00:00 Congressman's Reaction to Court's Decision
00:25 Implications of Redistricting on State Legislature
00:34 Concerns Over Partisan Gerrymandering
00:42 Impact on Voters and Communities
01:10 Potential Impact on Competitive Districts
01:19 Hope for Fair Redistricting Process
02:20 Closing Remarks on Redistricting Issue

Earlier this year, New York’s emerging cannabis industry had a big problem. There were hundreds of certified cannabis cultivators in the state but only about twenty licensed dispensaries, leaving many growers with a product they couldn’t even sell.

So, in July, New York’s Office of Cannabis Management started the Cannabis Growers Showcase initiative. This allowed licensed cannabis growers and processors to showcase their products at public events like the Cannabis Growers Showcase, which took place alongside the Great New York State Fair.

Local Smoke, scheduled for December 16th in Kingston New York, was set to be a similar Showcase, a Hudson Valley holiday market and celebration of the harvest. Eighteen licensed cultivators were set to participate before the Cannabis Growers Showcase Initiative ends later this month.

But now that event is not happening, and one of the organizers blames New York officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul and the Office of Cannabis Management.

That organizer, Small Farma, is a community of farmers and supporters working to further social and environmental justice initiatives within New York’s Cannabis industry.

Nicole Ricci, President and Treasurer of Small Farma, spoke to Radio Catskill’s Jason Dole…