Click here for the NCPR story 

Rangers rescue teenage with leg injury

Town of Keene, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 20 at 9:15 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an unstable lower leg injury on Cascade Mountain. The 16-year-old from Mountaindale rolled their ankle just above the tree line. New York State Police (NYSP) Pilot Sergeant Beck flew Forest Ranger Lieutenant Praczkajlo and Ranger Adams to the scene. Lieutenant Praczkajlo lowered Ranger Adams down to the teenager. Ranger Adams splinted the injury and harnessed the subject. Ranger Praczkajlo performed a successful hoist. Sergeant Beck flew them to the hospital. The incident was clear at 10:09 a.m. Video of the hoist is available to download (video).

Cascade Mountain rescue

Rangers rescue hiker in shock near Marcy summit

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On October 20 at 4:10 p.m., Essex County received a 911 text from a hiker who said they were freezing and in shock near the summit of Mount Marcy. The hiker fell, refused to move due to stress, and became hypothermic. Forest Ranger Jeffery made phone contact and explained that if they didn’t get out of the wind, they could die from hypothermia. New York State Police Pilot Sergeant Beck flew three Rangers to the scene. Forest Ranger Lieutenant Praczkajlo inserted Rangers Adams and Jeffery. Rangers warmed the subject from Schenectady and hiked them down to Marcy Dam Outpost. Ranger Jeffery provided an ATV ride to their vehicle. The incident was clear at 10 p.m.

Mount Marcy rescue 

Rangers rescue four lost hikers Read more »

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL of October 2026 minutes
5. OPEN FLOOR TO PUBLIC HEARING
6. APPLICATIONS:
   1. File # P-2026-012 – Boundary Line Adjustment – Parcel ID# 279.-2-45 – 683 Calkins Rd. – William Everett, President of Everett Orchards, LTD – APPLICANT PROPOSES TO SUBDIVIDE OFF 0.62 ACRE PARCEL FROM TAX MAP ID# 278.-1-17.1 AND 0.73 ACRE PARCEL FROM TAX MAP ID# 279.-2-42, (BOTH TAX MAP PARCELS OWNED BY EVERETT ORCHARDS, LTD) AND BOTH THE 0.62 AND 0.73 ACRE LOTS WILL BE MERGED WITH TAX MAP ID# 279.-2-45.
   2. File # P-2026-013 – Minor 2-Lot Subdivision – Parcel ID # 290.-1-23.1 – 889 River Rd. – Estate of James W. Allen – CONVEYANCE OF 37.4 ACRES OF TAX MAP# 290.-1-23.1 (276.9 ACRES), TOGETHER W/1 ACRE OF TAX MAP# 32.-1-13.1 IN TOWN OF AUSABLE (38.41 ACRES TOTAL), FROM THE ESTATE OF JAMES ALLEN TO MARY BETH NELSON, TO BE MERGED WITH HER ADJOINING 1.37 ACRE LOT, TAX MAP# 302.-1-13.2 (TOWN OF AUSABLE), FORMING ONE 39.78 ACRE PARCEL. REMAINING LANDS OF THE ESTATE: 241.37 ACRES.
7. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
8. CEO REPORT for October 2026
9. ADJOURNMENT

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL of October 2026 minutes
5. OPEN FLOOR TO PUBLIC HEARING
6. APPLICATIONS:
   1. File # Z-2026-114 – Area Variance – Samuel Groshans – Parcel ID# 291.-1-36.3 – 455 Calkins Rd. – REQUEST TO KEEP A SMALL BACKYARD FLOCK OF UP TO 12-16 CHICKENS FOR PERSONAL USE ON 2.71 ACRE RESIDENTIAL PARCEL.
   2. File # Z-2026-115 – Commercial Interpretation – Lake Champlain Transportation – Parcel ID# 258.-2-2.3 – 4016 Rt. 9 Plattsburgh – CODE OFFICER STATED THAT SECTION 502 APPLIES TO THE PERMITTED RESTAURANT USE. FURTHERMORE, AS THE FACILITY IS PRE-EXISTING, SECTION 312 WOULD ALSO NOT APPLY ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT.
   3. File # Z-2026-116 – Commercial Interpretation – Lake Champlain Transportation – Parcel ID# 258.-2-12 – 3984 Rt. 9 Plattsburgh – CODE OFFICER FEELS SECTION 502 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO THE MARINA AND CAMPGROUND BATHROOMS. APPLICANT FEELS THIS IS A “PERMITTED” USE AND IS NOT “PRE-EXISTING NON-CONFORMING,” THEREFORE SECTION 502 WOULD NOT APPLY.
7. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
   1. Tabled App – File # Z-2026-113 – Commercial Interpretation – Lake Champlain Transportation – Pertains to multiple parcels including: 258.-2-2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 12, 13.1 – 3984, 4013, 4016 Rt. 9 Plattsburgh – APPLICANT DISAGREES WITH CO THAT SECTION 500 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO THE MARINA & RESTAURANT. APPLICANT FEELS THESE USES ARE “PERMITTED” AND ARE NOT “PRE-EXISTING NON-CONFORMING.”
8. CEO REPORT for October 2026
9. ADJOURNMENT

L-R – AHI Executive Director Karen Ashline, Thayer and AHI Leadership Summit Keynote Speaker Erika Flint of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization.

Recognized for helping people through collaboration

October 29, 2026 – Plattsburgh, NY – Ken Thayer’s ability to bring diverse organizations together to help North Country residents has made a lasting impact on the health and well-being of the community. His work was recently recognized with a Rural Champion award from Adirondack Health Institute (AHI). Thayer serves as Director of Community Integration for the University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH).

The Rural Health Champion Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and a lasting commitment to improving the health and well-being of rural communities across New York’s North Country.

In her nomination of Thayer, Clinton County Director of Community Services and CEO of the Community Services Board Richelle Gregory offered “While his title is Director of Community Integration, that description barely captures the role he plays throughout our region. Ken is the connective tissue between the hospital and the community, bringing together health care providers, public safety, behavioral health, schools, nonprofit organizations, local government, and countless community partners to improve the health and well-being of those we serve. He understands that rural healthcare extends far beyond.”

“Kenny understands that no single organization can meet every community need alone,” said Alice Hyde Medical Center and CVPH President Michelle LeBeau. “His commitment to bringing partners together around a common purpose is a shining example of what can be accomplished when we work together as community to benefit those in need.”

Thayer was presented with the award at the AHI Leadership Summit in September. The annual event brings together health care leaders, community partners and stakeholders from across the region to share best practices, discuss emerging challenges and explore innovative solutions to improve health and health care services.

Staff and leaders from CVPH also presented quality initiatives at the gathering held in Lake Placid:

• Bridging the Gap: Leveraging an Accredited Nurse Residency Program to Strengthen Rural Nursing (poster) presented by CVPH Director of Nursing Research and Clinical Practice Abby Bennett and CVPH Director of Nursing Excellence and Program Development Stephanie Drown, highlighting how nurse residency programs help support and retain new nurses as they transition into practice.
• Building an Alternate Level of Care Unit: A New Model for Patients Awaiting Long-Term Placement, presented by CVPH Nurse Manager Andee LaMora and Drown exploring an innovative approach to caring for patients who no longer require acute hospital services while waiting for long-term care placement.
• Building a More Equitable Healthcare Workforce: CVPH’s Advanced Practice Providers’ (APP) Transition to Practice Program, a breakout session led by CVPH Emergency Department APP Manager Maurice Paquette and Drown focusing on preparing and supporting advanced practice providers as they begin their careers.
• Breaking the Ward Walls: Leading Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Inpatient Diabetes Care, a presentation by Frankie LaPierre, RN, CDE of CVPH, highlighting the importance of teamwork and collaboration in improving outcomes for patients with diabetes.
• Beyond the Snapshot: How Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Data Drives Real-Time Collaborative Care, a breakout session led by LaPierre examining how CGM technology supports more informed and coordinated patient care.

AHI is a regional nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of people living in the Adirondack and North Country regions of New York. It brings together health care providers, public health agencies, behavioral health organizations, community groups and other partners to address regional health challenges and improve access to care.

Click here for details 

Peru, NY 10/29/26, Bear Swamp Rd. – Contractors are putting finishing touches on Dunkin’s partial upgrade this afternoon. One worker told the Peru Gazette the store will reopen at 5 a.m. Friday. He said they changed the counter, installed new product signs inside and at the drive-thru, and painted the meeting room. The restaurant closed about October 15.

Thomas DiNapoli

October 28, 2026, (NYS Comptroller News Release) – The owner of an Ulster County medical transportation service company today pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the second degree for stealing $227,000 by unlawfully billing the Medicaid program by inflating charges and billing for services that were never provided, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji announced today.

Mohammad A. Khan, 69, the owner of Atlas Limo pleaded guilty in Ulster County Court before Judge Bryan Rounds and paid $227,000 in restitution. Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 4.

“Khan falsified bills and bribed patients to defraud Medicaid, bolstering his own profits at the expense of New Yorkers,” DiNapoli said. “Now, thanks to my partnership with District Attorney Nneji, he is facing the consequences of his actions. Millions rely on Medicaid for their health care needs. I will continue to partner with law enforcement throughout the state to root out fraud and protect the integrity of the program.” Read more »

Click here for the link to Sea Grant Lake Champlain

Click here for the VTDigger story 

Dale Perry

L-R Jeff Favaro, Dale Perry, Jamie Gilmore, Jamie Favaro

Cadyville, NY – On October 3^rd, the Cadyville Fire Department had the distinct honor of carrying a special guest to Honor Flight #75 from his hotel room on Smithfield Blvd.  U.S. Navy Vietnam Era Veteran (1966-1972) Dale Perry of Ft. Edward, NY had made a special request through Flight Leader Mike Parsons to ride in a fire truck.  He said he had always wanted to go for a ride in a fire truck and had never had the opportunity.  Mike reached out to friends with the Cadyville Fire Department, which always participates in the Honor Flight activities, to see if they could help.

Chief Jeremy Favaro made all the arrangements including an extra string hooked to the air horn lanyard so Dale could blow the air horn during the trip to the airport.  Dale asked how much he could blow the siren, driver Jeff Favaro told him “don’t stop”.  Dale had the ride of his life.

At the October meeting of the Cadyville Fire Department the members voted unanimously to Make Dale an Honorary Member of the department.  On October 23^rd, Members Jeff Favaro, Jamie Favaro and Jamie Glimore met up with Flight Leader Parsons while he was doing a flag presentation to Dale in Fort Edward.  The Fire Department members presented Dale with his Honorary Membership Certificate along with a fire department coat and hat.

744 Licensed Adult-Use Retailers Open for Business Statewide

NYS News Release of October 27, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York’s regulated adult-use cannabis market has surpassed $4.1 billion in retail sales since adult-use sales began in December 2022, marking a major economic milestone for the state’s burgeoning cannabis industry. This achievement reflects the growing number of New Yorkers choosing to purchase cannabis through the legal market and the contributions of licensed cultivators, processors, distributors, retailers, entrepreneurs and workers who are building an equitable and thriving industry. New York currently ranks third in adult use retail sales nationally. 

“When New York legalized adult-use cannabis, we made a promise to build an industry that is safe, fair and creates real opportunity for the communities hit hardest by decades of failed drug policies. Topping $4 billion in sales shows that promise is a reality,” Governor Hochul said. “Hundreds of licensed dispensaries are now open across the state, most licenses have gone to equity entrepreneurs, and cannabis revenue is going back to communities that need it most. We will keep shutting down illegal shops, stand up for small businesses that play by the rules and ensure this industry continues on a path of growth and equity.”

New York’s Cannabis Market at a Glance

• $4.1 Billion +: Retail sales to date
• $1.41 Billion: Retail sales through the third quarter of 2026
• 2,351: Cannabis licenses issued statewide
• 1,039: Licensed adult-use retailers statewide
• 2,257: Storefront Inspections to date
• 738: Padlocked and closed illegal cannabis storefronts to date
• 1,615: Notice of Violations Issued
• $276,853,531: Estimated value of illegal products seized
• 744: Licensed adult-use dispensaries open and operating
• 56%: Share of adult-use licenses awarded to Social and Economic Equity applicants
• 5 Adult Use License Types: Cultivator, Processor, Distributor, Micro-business and Retail Dispensary

2026: Building Beyond the Market 

Reaching $4.1 billion represents more than growing sales. As the market has expanded, the state has continued building the infrastructure around it, supporting businesses, advancing social and economic equity, progressing scientific research and public education, protecting the regulated marketplace and reinvesting cannabis revenue into communities. 

Protecting New York’s Legal Cannabis Market 

As New York’s regulated cannabis market has grown, the State has continued to strengthen enforcement against unlicensed activity to protect consumers, support licensed businesses, and uphold the integrity of the legal market. These efforts include expanded enforcement tools and increased coordination among the Office of Cannabis Management, state agencies and local partners to identify and shut down illegal cannabis operations. 

2026 Enforcement at a Glance 

• 352 Enforcement Inspections: Storefronts inspected across New York State.
• 191 Storefronts Closed: Illegal Cannabis shops closed and padlocked
• $125 Million of Illicit Cannabis: Estimated value of illegal products seized

These efforts complement OCM’s oversight of licensed businesses and help protect consumers while supporting a more level playing field for businesses operating within New York’s regulated cannabis market. 

Putting Cannabis Revenue Back Into Communities 

The economic impact of New York’s cannabis market extends beyond businesses and retail sales. Through the Community Grants Reinvestment Fund (CGRF), the State is reinvesting a portion of revenue generated by the legal cannabis market into communities disproportionately affected by prior state and federal drug laws and policies. 

• $35 Million: Total amount committed through the CGRF to date
• $5 Million: Awarded to 50 community-based organizations during the first funding round.
• Community Based Investments: Supporting programs focused on youth development, workforce development, housing, mental health, harm reduction, and other community needs.

The CGRF puts one of the central commitments of New York’s Cannabis Law into action: ensuring that the growth of the legal cannabis market creates opportunities and delivers meaningful benefits to communities across the state. 

Creating New Opportunities Through Cannabis Showcase Events 

New York also expanded opportunities for licensed cannabis businesses through Cannabis Showcase Events, providing additional ways for licensed businesses to connect with adult consumers and showcase New York cannabis products. 

Building on legislation signed by Governor Hochul, Cannabis Showcase Events allow licensed adult-use dispensaries to partner with licensed cultivators and processors to showcase and sell regulated cannabis products at approved events, including pop-ups, farmers markets and public markets. This summer, the Governor signed legislation authorizing licensed microbusinesses to participate in showcase events. The events create additional opportunities for New York cannabis businesses to reach consumers, introduce products, build brand recognition and generate sales beyond traditional retail locations. 

November 4^th, 5:30 pm, Plattsburgh Public Library, 19 Oak Street, Plattsburgh. “Lost Plattsburgh: Our Missing Architectural Roots”. Focusing on the architecture and importance of Plattsburgh buildings destroyed by fire or willful act and picking up where Allan Everest left off in Our North Country Heritage (1972), the presentation discusses how their loss has left a lamentable gap in our nineteenth- and twentieth-century history. With Dr. James M. Lindgren, Professor Emeritus, SUNY, Dept. of History.

November 5^th, 1:30 pm, Pine Harbour, 15 New Hampshire Street, Plattsburgh. Portraits from the turn of the 19th century and the stories they might tell. CCHA has 18,000 portraits in their collection taken between 1890 and 1920, and some of the most unusual and interesting will be shared along with the known or occasionally speculated background behind the photo. With Helen Nerska, CCHA Director.

November 10^th, 6:30 pm, Lake Forest Retirement Center, 8 Lake Forest Drive, Plattsburgh. A Photo Peek at Old Plattsburgh. Using photos from the CCHA collection, see ‘then and now’ photo comparisons of landmarks in downtown Plattsburgh. Come and see what you might recognize and share stories about these special spots.  With Helen Nerska, CCHA Director.

November 12^th, 2:30 pm, Peru Free Library, Peru Remembering Clinton County’s World War 1 Veterans and the Hometown celebrations which welcomed them back. The 2-volume publication, researched and created by CCHA Past President Noel Stewart and designed by Champlain historian David Patrick, documents the County veterans who fought in the Great War and those on the homefront who supported the county soldiers and gave them a grand welcome home.  Presented by CCHA Director Helen Nerska.

November 16^th, 6:00 pm, Chazy Public Library, 1329 Fisk Road, Chazy. Redford Glass Uncovered. The presentation with CCHA Director Helen Nerska will take participants back to a period more than 200 years ago to learn about the short-lived history of the Redford Glass Company.  Although the company was in business for only 20 years they produced products that demonstrated unique skilled craftsmanship and that survive to this day.  By the end of the presentation participants will see how the Company, that was once famous and esteemed for its crown glass windowpanes, has become synonymous with unique and priceless glassware.

November 20^th, 12:30 pm, Plattsburgh Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine Street, Plattsburgh. A Jury of Your Peers.  Women received the right to vote across the nation in 1920 but not the right to be on a jury until years later. Learn the struggle for and gradual acceptance of women on juries. With Helen Nerska, CCHA Director.

For more information, contact Helen Nerska, Director, Clinton County Historical Association.

Plattsburgh Public Library continues its monthly speaker series, Lifelong Learning for All, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the library auditorium on the second floor. The series brings local experts to the library to share their knowledge with the community. All are welcome. Each session includes a half-hour presentation followed by Q&A and discussion.

On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., Dr. James M. Lindgren, Emeritus Professor of History at SUNY Plattsburgh, will present “Lost Plattsburgh: Our Missing Architectural Roots.”

The presentation focuses on the architecture and importance of Plattsburgh buildings destroyed by fire or willful act, and on how their loss has left a lamentable gap in the city’s nineteenth- and twentieth-century history. The talk picks up where Allan Everest left off in his 1972 book Our North Country Heritage.

Dr. Lindgren returns to the series after his August presentation, “Exploring Plattsburgh’s Point.”

Attendees may also want to visit the library’s exhibit on urban renewal in Plattsburgh, which is now on display on the main floor.

About the Speaker:
Dr. James M. Lindgren is an internationally recognized scholar of the historic preservation and museum movements in the United States. He is the author of Preserving Maritime America (University of Massachusetts Press, 2019), Preserving South Street Seaport (NYU Press, 2014), Preserving Historic New England (Oxford University Press, 1995), and Preserving the Old Dominion (University Press of Virginia, 1993), along with some sixty other publications. He taught courses on historic preservation, history museums, and historic sites at SUNY Plattsburgh for thirty-seven years and received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship. He earned his Ph.D. in History from the College of William and Mary and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Read more »

Longer stays and increased visitor spending drive year-round economic benefits

LAKE PLACID, NY (October 28, 2026) – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), the destination marketing and management organization based in New York’s Adirondack Park, reports that visitor spending across Essex, Hamilton, and Franklin counties is on track for a record year in 2026.

According to New York state data, county tax revenue from lodging, restaurants, and attractions is experiencing significant increases in 2026 compared to 2025. Essex County leads with an overall 10.9% increase, followed by Franklin County at 6.3% and Hamilton County at 3.91%. Revenue increases reflect continued traveler interest in visiting the Adirondacks and the impact of strategic marketing and destination management programs designed to strengthen local economies, support businesses, and encourage sustainable visitation throughout the year. Read more »

DEC Photo

Prohibits use of live bait in all but 146 waters 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced proposed regulations to protect populations of Adirondack brook trout, New York’s state fish. The proposals simplify harvest regulations for Adirondack brook trout ponds and prohibit the use of live baitfish in the Adirondack Park in all but 146 waters.  

“DEC is adopting these measures to provide high-quality angling opportunities while also protecting the state’s precious Adirondack brook trout ponds from the harmful effects of unwanted baitfish introductions,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “The changes would make fishing regulations easier to understand, while also ensuring the perpetuation of this important resource for generations to come.” 

There are more than 400 managed brook trout ponds in the Adirondack Park. Introduction of baitfish into those ponds represents the primary threat to ponded brook trout populations across the Adirondacks. Baitfish compete with brook trout, resulting in the loss of wild self-sustaining populations. Ponds that are victim to an introduction must be reclaimed with a chemical piscicide and restocked, which is costly and sometimes impossible due to size constraints or other considerations. To date, the State’s baitfish regulations have not adequately protected Adirondack brook trout ponds from either inadvertent or intentional introductions of unwanted baitfish. 

Currently, baitfish are allowed in the Adirondack Park except for 1,211 waters where possession is prohibited. The regulatory structure for these prohibitions is a mix of specific waterbody references, as well as references to waters within a land classification (i.e. Saint Regis Canoe Area), which can be confusing and burdensome to anglers.   

The proposed rule prohibits the use of live baitfish within the Blue Line of the Park and allows for only a small number of exceptions (146 waters). This approach is straightforward and much easier for anglers to understand. It also clearly communicates the serious threat of baitfish introductions to ponded brook trout populations.  

In addition, in this proposal, special harvest regulations that exist on 24 of the approximately 430 brook trout ponds DEC manages are being eliminated. These special harvest regulations have not resulted in a demonstrable benefit compared to the existing statewide regulation of five brook trout per day, any size. Eliminating these unnecessary special regulations will provide the simplicity and consistency needed to promote compliance and provide greater angler enjoyment. 

The proposals are commensurate with DEC’s Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan (PDF), which was finalized in December 2025 after extensive outreach and public comment opportunity.  

Westcott Rd

Westcott Rd

Click here Westcott Road Advertisement for bids 101726

Click here to view the Peru Gazette meeting video 

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Letitia James told reporters she supports a bill that would undercut her office’s efforts to dismiss prison sex abuse claims.

Click here for the New York Focus story 

New York Focus Summary

New York’s next governor will inherit a state prison system troubled by interconnected challenges: aging facilities, staffing woes, deaths behind bars, and chronic violence by both prisoners and guards, as well as ongoing policy battles in the courts and the state legislature.

Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul and her underdog opponent, Republican Bruce Blakeman, offer different visions of how they would lead the embattled Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Hochul has worked to appease both prison reform advocates, who want more humane facilities, and corrections officers and others seeking to preserve the system’s more punitive structures. That’s largely involved following the lead of her DOCCS commissioner, Daniel Martuscello — despite calls from reformers, guards, and neutral observers, like the Albany Times Union editorial board, to replace him.

⸻

📌 ON STAFFING

Last year, Hochul defended the firing of 2,000 officers who walked off the job — striking in part to demand that the state repeal the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, which limits the use of isolation as punishment. She later signed an executive order temporarily banning those fired officers from being hired by other state agencies. Since the strike, the governor “continues to make unprecedented investments in recruitment and retention,” according to a spokesperson.

In addition to reinstating the officers who were fired, Blakeman says he would hire more prison guards.

⸻

📌 ON HALT

Hochul stood by Martuscello as he paused enforcement of HALT. (A federal judge has since mostly reversed that move.)

Blakeman says he would repeal HALT. The corrections officers’ union has backed him— the first gubernatorial endorsement in the union’s history.

⸻

📌 ON PRISON OVERSIGHT

At the end of 2025, Hochul signed a watered down version of prison oversight legislation that reform legislators had compiled in response to guards’ fatal beating of Robert Brooks. The package boosted the installation and use of surveillance camerasin prisons; expanded the state’s corrections watchdog agency; and required DOCCS to publish quarterly reports on the status of internal investigations. It excluded other proposals aimed at reducing the prison population, frustrating some advocates.

Blakeman, meanwhile, has called Hochul “the most pro-criminal governor in the United States.” He said her parole board appointments and lukewarm support for bail reform and Raise the Age youth justice legislation have made the state less safe. Alongside his tough-on-crime talk, Blakeman has said prisons should offer more programming, like career training.

⸻

📌 ON AGING FACILITIES

On top of reform questions, the next governor will also have to decide what to do about the prison system’s aging facilities. In September, the state quickly withdrew a request seeking proposals for a new 3,000-bed prison after blowback from lawmakers. The project is likely to reappear, one expert told The Block.

A spokesperson for Hochul’s office said that while the state isn’t currently building a new prison, “we are taking proactive steps to best inform renovations or replacement projects that may be necessary as New York’s prison infrastructure, some of which is more than 200 years old, continues to age.” Blakeman didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.