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Register-Star WEEKEND Serving Columbia and Dutchess counties since 1785 Copyright 2021, Columbia-Greene Media All Rights Reserved Price $2.50 Volume 237, No. 31 Saturday-Sunday, February 13-14, 2021 n FORECASTWEATHER FOR HUDSON/CA TODAY TONIGHT SUN Administration ‘froze’ over data By Kate Democratic lawmakers in a pri- The New York Post first re- Johnson Newspaper Corp. vate Zoom call this week that the ported DeRosa’s statements ALBANY — Many state administration intentionally Thursday after obtaining a Mostly cloudy Snow late, A little snow, Democrats publicly joined Re- underreported the total nursing recording of Wednesday’s two- and cold 1-2” up to 1” publicans’ cries Friday for an home fatality count out of fear of hour closed virtual meeting be- independent investigation into political retaliation from Presi- tween Cuomo’s top aides and HIGH LOW 34 the state’s delay in releasing CO- dent Donald Trump and federal several Democratic legislators, VID-19 death data in New York prosecutors. including Sens. Rachel May, 26 22 21 nursing homes and rescinding “...Basically, we froze, be- who chairs the Aging Commit- Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s broad- cause then we were in a position tee; Gustavo Rivera, the Health Complete weather, A2 ened authority lawmakers where we weren’t sure if what Committee chairman; and

C1 Saturday - Sunday, February 13-14, 2021 - we were going to give to the De- MEDIA granted at the start of the coro- COLUMBIA-GREENE Skoufis, who chairs the Inves- navirus public health emergen- partment of Justice or what we tigations and Government Op- cy last March. give to you guys,” DeRosa said erations Committee.

2021 GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES Best motion picture — drama Legislative leaders in both to Sen. James Skoufis, D-Wood- “The Father” The state’s reported total “Mank” “Nomadland” “Promising Young Woman” “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Actor in a motion picture — drama Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal” , “Ma Rainey’s bury, according to a partial tran- Golden Globes Black Bottom” chambers are discussing the , “The Father” of COVID-19 deaths in con- kick off awards season Feb. 28 Gary Oldman, “Mank” Tahar Rahim, “The Mauritanian” Actress in a motion picture — NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED: drama HFPA leans on buzz from a , “Ma Rainey’s Black Bot- tom” cultural powerhouse: TV Andra Day, “The vs. Bil- lie Holiday” potential for an independent script from the governor’s of- By LORRAINE ALI Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman” Frances McDormand, “Nomadland” gregate care facilities has in- Times ere’s what Wednesday’s Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Golden Globe nominations Woman” tell us: delivered Best motion picture — — and ma- musical or comedy the blockbusters efi lm” H ny of the conversation pieces “Borat Subsequent Movi “Hamilton” — of 2020. , less so. “Music” Long considered the lower form of en- “Palm Springs” probe into the state’s COVID fice. “What we start saying was tertainment, the COVID-19 pandemic “” creased nearly 60% over the last and its stay-at-home rules hastened Actor in a motion picture — TV’s challenge to fi lm as the more rel- musical or comedy evant (and, frankly, fun) medium. It took James Corden, “The Prom” a decade or more of platform fragmen- , “Borat Subse- tation and a boom of creative, daring quent Moviefi lm” and sometimes deeply fl awed program- Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton” Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office Courtesy of HBO/TNS Dev Patel, “The Personal History of ming, but it’s safe to say that television is earned four nominations. now the bolder, sexier, more glamorous David Copperfi eld” deaths in congregate facilities going to be used against us while (left) and ’s “The Undoing” Andy Samberg, “Palm Springs” medium than fi lm. Just ask Nicole Kid- Actress in a motion picture — two weeks to 15,049 people in man (nominated for “The Undoing”), musical or comedy (“Mrs. America”) and ev- THE DETAILS Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent ery other “movie” star who’s made the Moviefi lm” WHAT: The Golden jump. Kate Hudson, “Music” upended a generations- Globe Awards The fl ip has Michelle Pfeiff er, “French Exit” archy, and nominations in the WHEN/WHERE: Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, left, and Gov. Andrew old hier Rosamund Pike, “I Care a Lot” 8 p.m. Feb. 28 on Globes’ top categories are further proof. Anya Taylor-Joy, “Emma” watched drama NBC Chances are you’ve Supporting actor in a motion after Secretary to the Governor we weren’t sure if there was go- Tina Fey ees “The Mandalorian,” HOSTS: cture INSIDE TODAY! Melissa DeRosa admitted to ing to be an investigation.” See CUOMO A2 Cuomo at a June 18, 2020 COVID-19 briefing in Manhattan. n SPORTS Energy project to wind Hamlin eyes 3rd Daytona win through county One aspect of the Daytona 500 is old hat By Natasha Vaughn state’s energy infrastructure,” Transco website. Columbia-Greene Media Cuomo said. “These projects “They are basically taking to Denny Hamlin New York state has ap- are essential to helping create the transmission line, which is – winning it. proved a large-scale energy our new green-energy super- in their right-of-way, and they PAGE B1 project that will run partially highway that will move elec- are taking the old lattice tow- through Columbia County. tricity to high demand areas ers down,” Claverack Town Gov. Andrew Cuomo an- efficiently while also reducing Supervisor Clifford “Kippy” nounced Thursday the state costs and helping to create Weigelt said Friday. “And they n OBITUARY Public Service Commission new jobs.” are going to put up new steel gave the green light to the New The project will be con- towers and they are going to York Energy Solution electric structed on existing trans- be redoing our substation, transmission upgrade project. mission corridors or on ad- which is over by the town ga- When completed, the jacent utility-owned land rage.” 54.5-mile project is designed in the towns of Stuyvesant, The state and project coor- to alleviate electricity bottle- Stockport, Ghent, Claverack, dinators are going to confer necking and allow for greater Livingston, Gallatin and Cl- with local farmers who work use of clean energy produced ermont in Columbia County. on land between the existing upstate. The project will run through structures, Weigelt said. The project upgrade will Schodack in Rensselaer Coun- “They are working together remove and replace existing ty and Milan, Clinton and to make sure nothing is inter- 80-year-old electricity trans- Pleasant Valley in Dutchess rupted for the farmers,” Wei- mission structures with fewer, County. gelt said. “[It] is very nice of Jazz-rock fusion more modern towers, accord- New York Energy Solution them to work with them.” pioneer dies ing to the project website. It is being constructed by New The project will cover about will also rebuild an existing York Transco, an owner and 7.3 miles in Claverack, 8 miles Chick Corea, the versatile switching station in Claverack, developer of energy trans- in Stuyvesant, 4.5 miles in pianist who made jazz build a new 55-mile overhead mission facilities in New York Stockport, 0.8 miles in Ghent, electric and eclectic, dies line from Schodack to Pleas- state, according to the com- 0.7 miles in Clermont, 1.2 ant Valley, construct a new pany’s website. The company miles in Gallatin and 8.3 miles in Florida at 79 switching station in Schodack is owned by the unregulated in Livingston, according to the PAGE A5 and a new capacitor bank sta- affiliates of National Grid, Con New York Transco website. tion in Pleasant Valley. Edison, AVANGRID and CH “This is a project that’s “New York is leading the Energy Group. been going on for quite a n LOCAL nation in developing a green Construction is expected to while,” said Stuyvesant Town economy with key invest- begin in March and be com- Supervisor Ronald Knott. “It Courtesy of New York Transco ments to enhance the reli- pleted by the end of 2023, The route the energy project will follow through Columbia Virus advance See PROJECT A2 County. holds steady ability and resiliency of the according to the New York Greene County’s COVID death toll stable, while Columbia County adds one more fatality State defends prison closings amid opposition PAGE A3 By KATE LISA & ALEX GAULT 18 correctional facilities without Johnson Newspaper Corp. laying off employees since 2011, WATERTOWN — The head saving $292 million. n INDEX of the state Department of “Based on the continued de- Corrections and Community cline of the incarcerated popu- Region A3 Supervision defended the deci- lation, we anticipate additional Opinion A4 sion to close three upstate New facility closures in the upcom- State/Nation A5 York prisons at the end of March ing two fiscal years,” DOCCS Obituaries A5 to save $89 million as part of a Acting Commissioner Anthony Sports B1 squabble with representatives Annucci said Wednesday dur- Classified B6 Wednesday during a hear- ing his opening testimony. Comics/Advice B7-B8 ing about the state’s proposed Lawmakers questioned 33 2021-22 budget. witnesses as part of a bicameral On the web North country representa- hearing on public protection in www.HudsonValley360.com tives remain opposed to the Cuomo’s executive budget pro- posal for Fiscal Year 2021-22 — closures. the state Legislature’s ninth of The number of state prisons 13 this month. Follow: will be reduced to 50 facilities @HudsonRegisterstar The closures of Watertown, this spring with the imminent Gowanda and Clinton Annex closing of Watertown Cor- Facebook will result in an annual savings rectional Facility, Gowanda of about $89 million and a re- www.facebook.com/ Correctional Facility in Erie HudsonRegisterstar/ duction of about 2,750 beds, ac- County and the Clinton Annex cording to DOCCS. at Clinton Correctional Facil- Kara Dry/Watertown Daily Times “We’re in an enormous ity in Dannemora by March 31. Watertown Correctional Facility in Watertown. situation with the budget,” An- Clinton Correctional will not be nucci said. “The budget direc- closing. Gov. Andrew Cuomo The number of incarcerated Cuomo took office in 2011 — high of 72,773 in 1999. tor is very hard-pressed to find handed down the decision late New Yorkers has decreased by the lowest total since 1984, and The significant population last year. more than 22,000 people since a 54% decline since the all-time decline caused the state to close See CLOSINGS A2