eedition The Daily Mail December 2 2020 by Columbia-Greene Media

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Party like it’s 2019 White House plans month of parties despite COVID, A2

The nation’s fourth-oldest newspaper • Serving Greene County since 1792

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020

Chief: Cuts would risk services

nFORECAST WEATHER FOR HUDSON/CA TODAY TONIGHT THU

By Sarah Trafton

Columbia-Greene Media Showers of rain and snow

Partly cloudy

Partly sunny and milder

HIGH 42

LOW 29

48 33

Complete weather, A2

n SPORTS

CATSKILL — The chief of the Catskill Police Department told the village’s reform committee that budget cuts to the force would result in a loss of services. The Village of Catskill Police Reinvention Collaborative discussed the role of police departments in the community and the concept of directing resources to other community needs. The group was formed in response to a state executive order in June requiring all government entities with a police agency to conduct a review of police policies and procedures

File photo

Catskill police headquarters on Main Street.

and develop a plan to improve them in a way that will address the needs of the community. The reform plan must be ratified by the village board by April 1, 2021, with certification sent to the state Division of the Budget or the village risks losing funding. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Coxsackie, Athens, Cairo, Durham, Hunter and Windham must also complete the review process. The collaborative, chaired by Village Trustee Natasha Law, consists of Catskill High School See CUTS A8

Constraints stand in way of vaccine preparation

Giants think Jones will be back Giants do not think Daniel Jones’ right hamstring injury is season-ending, PAGE B1 By Kate Lisa Johnson Newspaper Corp.

n LOCAL

High-speed chase on I-87 A Tennessee woman is charged after leading police on a pursuit from Hunter to Kingston PAGE A3

n WORLD Hopes dashed in Asia Resurgence of virus spoils plans for a Hong Kong-Singapore “travel bubble” PAGE A2

n INDEX Region Opinion State/Nation Obituaries Sports Classified Comics/Advice

A3 A4 A5 A5 B1 B4-B5 B7-B8

ALBANY — States lack the proper funding and planning to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine to all Americans, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, before sending a letter to federal leaders demanding they bolster preparations to properly immunize minority and low-income communities. Cuomo sent a letter with 54 activist groups to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Tuesday urging President Donald Trump and his administration to focus on outreach to Black, brown, Asian and low-income communities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans. Black Americans have died from the novel coronavirus at double the rate, and brown Americans one-and-a-half times more frequently than whites, Cuomo said, as minority and low-income neighborhoods remain underserved by private health care facilities. “The vaccination program Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a coronavirus briefing in Manhattan on Monday. is going to be a major governDrug Administration, which mental undertaking and it bringing to the attention of the vaccination.” Mass vaccine production is expected to approve Pfizer’s federal government what I think has to be done right,” Cuomo said Tuesday during a confer- are gross omissions I think will remains contingent on autho- vaccine in the coming weeks. In November, Pfizer and ence call with reporters. “I’m fundamentally impede effective rization from the U.S. Food and

Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office

Moderna announced their respective

experimental See VACCINE A8

Stewart’s eyes opening new store in 2 weeks By Sarah Trafton Columbia-Greene Media

On the web www.HudsonValley360.com Twitter Follow: @CatskillDailyMail Facebook www.facebook.com/ CatskillDailyMail/

Sarah Trafton/Columbia-Greene Media

The new Stewart’s Shop in Catskill is preparing to open in the middle of December.

CATSKILL — The new Stewart’s Shop on the corner of West Main Street and West Bridge Street is two weeks shy of opening, following a construction mishap this fall. A large portion of the structure collapsed in September, trapping a construction worker who sustained non-lifethreatening injuries. About two months behind schedule, the store is expected to open Dec. 16, Stewart’s spokeswoman Erica Komoroske said Tuesday. The company switched contractors following the September accident, Komoroske said, citing a failure of the

building’s trusses as the cause of the collapse. Komoroske did not immediately know the name of the new contractors. “We’re excited to open the store and we’re excited that we were able to do it in 2020,” Komoroske said. The Catskill location is part of a $45 million expansion project. “We will have built five new shops and rebuilt 12 shops by the end of the year,” she said. The store will have its grand opening sometime in January, Komoroske said, adding the company usually offers specials on gas, food and beverages for grand openings.

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See STEWARTS A8

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COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

A2 Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Weather FORECAST FOR HUDSON/CATSKILL

TODAY TONIGHT THU

FRI

SAT

SUN

White House is planning a packed season of holiday parties Josh Dawsey The Washington Post

Showers of rain and snow

Partly cloudy

Partly sunny and milder

Mostly cloudy

Rain and snow

Showers possible

HIGH 42

LOW 29

48 33

47 33

42 33

43 29

Ottawa 33/24

Montreal 38/28

Massena 37/27

Bancroft 28/21

Ogdensburg 38/29

Peterborough 34/26

Plattsburgh 40/28

Malone Potsdam 36/22 37/25

Kingston 34/29

Watertown 36/31

Rochester 39/32

Utica 36/30

Batavia Buffalo 39/31 40/34

Albany 38/30

Syracuse 38/31

Catskill 42/29

Binghamton 35/28

Hornell 38/29

Burlington 40/30

Lake Placid 33/18

Hudson 42/29

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

SUN AND MOON

ALMANAC Statistics through 1 p.m. yesterday

Temperature

Precipitation

Yesterday as of 1 p.m. 24 hrs. through 1 p.m. yest.

High

1.35”

Low

Thu. 7:07 a.m. 4:24 p.m. 7:08 p.m. 10:03 a.m.

Moon Phases

YEAR NORMAL TO DATE

Today 7:06 a.m. 4:24 p.m. 6:12 p.m. 9:10 a.m.

Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset Last

New

First

Full

Dec 7

Dec 14

Dec 21

Dec 29

33.58 36.61

CONDITIONS TODAY AccuWeather.com UV Index™ & AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature®

8 a.m. 9 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. Noon 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 3 p.m. 4 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme. The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors.

NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Winnipeg 31/18 Seattle 50/35

Toronto 39/30

Minneapolis 39/25 Detroit 44/27

San Francisco 60/45

New York 46/38 Washington 48/33

Chicago 46/27

Denver 28/16

Kansas City 47/31 Los Angeles 73/50

House aides, and prominent conservative supporters. The president and first lady Melania Trump usually make an appearance at such events, officials said. The parties are a bipartisan annual tradition, and many guests residing outside Washington visit the city for the fetes. At least two White House allies from outside Washington said they’d been invited to parties this year. There is considerable interest among Republicans on Capitol Hill in attending the parties, a senior Republican aide said. Some of the events are tours, while others are formal receptions with food and drink offerings. There will be two parties a day on some days, officials said. Many of the guests in the White House were wearing masks on Monday, officials said, but some were not. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says indoor gatherings pose more risks than outdoor congregations, and “gatherings with more people pose more risk than gatherings with fewer people.” But the CDC does not have a limit on the number of attendees for gatherings. Still, the administration’s leading scientists have asked Americans to be particularly careful over the holiday season. Anthony S. Fauci, the administration’s leading epidemiologist, warned about a rising surge in cases on NBC News’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday due to holiday events. “What we expect, unfortunately, as we go

for the next couple of weeks into December, is that we might see a surge superimposed on the surge we are already in,” Fauci said. “I don’t want to frighten people, except to say it is not too late to do something about this.” Fauci also floated some additional restrictions he said the country might have to consider. “We are going to have to make decisions as a nation, state, city and family that we are in a very difficult time, and we’re going to have to do the kinds of restrictions of things we would have liked to have done, particularly in this holiday season, because we’re entering into what’s really a precarious situation,” he said. Fauci and other public health officials have touted a coming vaccine to encourage people to be careful this holiday season. Trump has said he would oppose restrictions such as a shutdown and has not resisted attending large events, even after contracting the virus himself. A number of events at the White House have previously been linked to coronavirus outbreaks, including a ceremony for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination and an election night party. Besides the president, dozens of White House aides, including the chief of staff, the national security adviser and the press secretary, have contracted the virus. Aides say the handling of the virus is one of the primary reasons Trump lost the election.

Houston 64/40

Bloomberg

Chihuahua 57/25 Miami 74/62

Monterrey 75/35

ALASKA HAWAII

Anchorage 36/19

showers t-storms

Honolulu 84/70

Fairbanks 17/5

10s rain

Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.

Hilo 82/69

Juneau 47/40

20s flurries

30s

40s

snow

50s ice

60s

70s

cold front

80s

90s 100s 110s

warm front stationary front

NATIONAL CITIES City Albuquerque Anchorage Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Charlotte Cheyenne Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus, OH Dallas Denver Des Moines Detroit Hartford Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Kansas City Knoxville Las Vegas

Today Hi/Lo W 40/20 pc 36/19 sn 54/30 s 49/36 pc 48/32 s 38/24 s 56/32 s 40/20 s 46/35 pc 55/33 s 43/21 s 54/29 s 25/15 pc 46/27 s 44/26 pc 40/26 pc 40/19 s 53/35 r 28/16 pc 43/21 pc 44/27 s 44/30 pc 84/70 pc 64/40 r 44/26 s 47/31 c 46/22 s 60/37 s

Thu. Hi/Lo W 41/21 s 23/12 c 57/43 pc 56/44 s 54/38 s 44/31 s 56/44 t 38/18 s 48/38 s 62/45 c 49/34 pc 59/39 s 42/25 s 45/29 pc 44/34 c 43/30 pc 40/30 c 50/31 c 39/21 s 36/23 pc 43/29 pc 48/31 s 86/73 s 56/39 s 44/31 c 38/26 c 52/37 pc 56/36 s

Resurgence of the virus dashes hopes for Hong Kong-Singapore travel ‘bubble’ Kyunghee Park, Iain Marlow and Denise Wee

Atlanta 54/30

El Paso 51/30

-0s

Washington Post photo by Jabin Botsford

The Great Hall at the White House is decorated for Christmas with the theme “America the Beautiful.”

Montreal 38/28 Billings 38/24

-10s

The White House began the annual holiday party season on Monday afternoon, officials said, kicking off a spate of indoor holiday parties that commemorate various religious traditions over the season. While many public health professionals have asked Americans not to congregate in large group settings and avoid travel over the holidays because of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 266,000 Americans and infected 13 million more, the White House is expected to throw more than a dozen indoor parties, including a large congressional ball on Dec. 10, officials say. The parties will be paid for by the Republican Party, a person with knowledge of the planning said, and will cost millions of dollars. The president and the first lady are determined to have a final holiday season in the White House, officials said, and concerns about spiking cases and deaths across the country have not stopped the events. Many of the administration’s supporters have taken a skeptical view of the restrictions over the virus and are choosing to attend, officials said. Early Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for the first lady, said protocols will be taken to protect guests at the parties. “This includes smaller guest lists, masks will be required and available, social distancing encouraged while on the White House grounds, and hand sanitizer stations throughout the State Floor. Guests will enjoy food individually plated by chefs at plexiglass-protected food stations. All passed beverages will be covered. All service staff will wear masks and gloves to comply with food safety guidelines. Attending the parties will be a very personal choice,” Grisham said. Across Washington, many trade associations, groups and other political entities are not having a holiday party this year, because of concerns about spreading the deadly virus. Millions of families across the country have also canceled their plans to gather together in large groups. One White House ally said he had been invited to two parties already, while another said a formal invitation included no guidance on masks or social distancing. The events celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and other religious holidays, and the invitees include donors, lawmakers, senior staffers on Capitol Hill, family members of White

City Little Rock Los Angeles Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York City Norfolk Oklahoma City Omaha Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland Portland Providence Raleigh Richmond Sacramento St. Louis Salt Lake City San Francisco Savannah Seattle Tampa Washington, DC

Today Hi/Lo W 52/38 r 73/50 s 74/62 s 47/29 s 39/25 pc 50/28 s 65/58 s 46/38 pc 52/36 s 39/31 r 43/22 pc 62/48 pc 45/33 pc 70/47 s 38/23 pc 41/31 pc 47/35 s 46/32 pc 51/28 s 51/28 s 63/37 s 50/33 pc 39/20 s 60/45 pc 57/33 s 50/35 s 64/49 pc 48/33 s

Thu. Hi/Lo W 48/33 r 71/46 s 76/67 pc 43/29 pc 36/24 pc 49/39 pc 69/51 t 51/42 s 57/40 s 40/26 c 38/22 pc 74/57 c 50/38 s 67/44 s 41/29 pc 43/34 s 47/35 pc 49/36 s 58/37 s 56/36 s 63/35 s 44/32 sn 40/20 s 60/44 s 66/49 c 48/36 s 75/60 pc 53/40 s

Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

A resurgence of the virus is scuppering hopes of a return to normalcy in Hong Kong. A key travel bubble with Singapore was delayed for a second time on Tuesday, some international banks ordered their staff to resume working from home and Carrie Lam, the city’s chief executive, said even parties at sea are off limits. It’s a sobering reminder of how quickly circumstances can change. After a long lull with just a handful of cases a day, the deteriorating situation in Hong Kong prompted the government to impose tighter socialdistancing rules and to close schools again. The city reported 82 new infections on Tuesday. While Hong Kong’s resurgent outbreak is far less intense than in the U.S. and Europe, where cases in some places are still hitting daily records, it’s been enough to usher in a raft of new restrictions. With nightclubs and karaoke parlors closed, a hotline for residents to report parties aboard yachts and rented party boats has been set up, Lam told a weekly news briefing Tuesday. “The reporting hotline newly set up is there because we see that, after party rooms

and karaoke parlors have been made to close, there are a number of people who organize events at sea,” Lam said. “We want to target such a breach.” While Hong Kong is poised to limit public gatherings to two people, the government hasn’t capped the number of people who can meet in private. A police representative declined to elaborate on the rules on whether the measure would have any effect on private parties hosted by yacht owners, referring only to the earlier Facebook post. Meanwhile, global banks in the financial hub from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to Standard Chartered Plc are urging more staff to work from home again. Goldman Sachs will go back to a full work-from-home approach in Hong Kong starting Wednesday except for staff that have to be in the office to perform their roles, according to a staff memo that was confirmed by a bank spokesman. Standard Chartered has applied a hard split-team arrangement for functions that require work in the office, and shortened branch hours last Friday, according to a spokeswoman. “In view of covid wave 4, we strongly encourage our staff to work from home where possible,” she said.

But perhaps Tuesday’s biggest setback was the delay until 2021 of the keenly anticipated travel corridor between Hong Kong and Singapore. That’s a blow for the region’s airlines and tourism businesses seeking to start a recovery from the almost year-long pandemic. The travel bubble that would have involved rigorous coronavirus testing will be delayed beyond 2020, and the cities said Tuesday they will review the arrangement for 2021 toward late December. The pact, which would have allowed passengers to travel between the centers without a quarantine, was already postponed by two weeks on Nov. 21, a day before flights were due to start. The decision was taken “in view of the severity of the epidemic situation in Hong Kong with the number of local cases of unknown sources increasing rapidly,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement. Strict border curbs have helped Asia contain the coronavirus better than in other parts of the world, with countries from China to New Zealand limiting the entry of travelers and imposing mandatory quarantines as a way of stopping the virus at their doors. But the approach — which has seen some all but eliminate covid-19 — has

come at a heavy cost, decimating tourism with cross-border travel basically paralyzed. A rise in cases in either Hong Kong or Singapore was always a risk for those who booked tickets when the bubble plan was ann, and “hopefully” at 50% to 60% by the end of 2021, Alexandre de Juniac, director general of the International Air Transport Association, said last month.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2020 A3

COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA • THE DAILY MAIL

CALENDAR EDITOR’S NOTE: Most events and meetings are cancelled due to the virus outbreak. Please call ahead to confirm.

Thursday, Dec. 3

Woman charged after being chased through two counties By Bill Williams

n Ashland Town Planning Board 6

p.m. at the Town Hall, 12094 Route 23, Ashland n Cairo Town Planning Board 7 p.m. Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo n Coxsackie-Athens Central School District Board of Education 6 p.m. virtually in the High School Library

Monday, Dec. 7 n Athens Town Board 6:45 p.m.

Athens Volunteer Fire Department, 39 Third St., Athens 518-945-1052 n Cairo Town Board 7 p.m. Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo n Greene County Board of Electrical Examiners 1 p.m. Greene County Office Building, 411 Main St., 4th Floor, Room 469, Catskill n Greene County Legislature health services; county resources and public safety 6 p.m. Greene County Office Building, 411 Main St., Catskill

Tuesday, Dec. 8 n Catskill Town Planning Board 7 p.m. Robert C. Antonelli Senior Center, 15 Academy St., Catskill n Coxsackie Village Historic Preservation Committee 6 p.m. Village Hall, 119 Mansion St., Coxsackie

Wednesday, Dec. 9 n Athens Village Board 6:30 p.m.

Athens Volunteer Fire Department, 39 Third St., Athens 518-945-1551 n Catskill Town Zoning Board 6 p.m. Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill n Greene County Legislature tentative police reform and reinvention committee meeting 6 p.m. TBA n Jewett Town Board 7 p.m. at the Jewett Municipal Building, 3547 County Route 23C, Jewett n Windham-Ashland-Jewett CSD Board of Education 5 p.m. in the School Library, 5411 Route 23, Windham

Thursday, Dec. 10 n Athens Town Planning Board 7 p.m. Community Center gym, 2 First St., Athens n Coxsackie Village Workshop 6 p.m. Village Hall, 119 Mansion St., Coxsackie n Greene County Legislature 4 p.m. finance audit

Monday, Dec. 14 n Ashland Town Board 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, 12094 Route 23, Ashland n Catskill Village Planning Board 7 p.m. Robert C. Antonelli Senior Center, 15 Academy St., Catskill n Coxsackie Village Board 7 p.m. Village Hall, 119 Mansion St., Coxsackie n Greene County Legislature county services; public works; economic development and tourism; Gov. Ops.; finance and Rep. and Dem caucus 6 p.m. Greene County Office Building, 411 Main St., Catskill n Greenville CSD BOE business meeting 6 p.m. No in-person public attendance See website for YouTube Link to view

Columbia-Greene Media

A police chase that began in Greene County ended in Ulster County with four police cars damaged and the driver of the car being issued 21 tickets by state police, State Police Troop K Public Information Officer Steven Nevel said. Erica Overhill, 31, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was charged with seconddegree criminal mischief and first-degree reckless endangerment, both felonies; second-degree reckless

endangerment, a misdemeanor; second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation; and numerous vehicle and traffic charges, Nevel said. At about 6:50 a.m. Monday, state police in the town of Hunter attempted to stop a 2003 Honda, driven by Overhill, for a vehicle and traffic violation on Route 23A, Nevel said. The vehicle failed to stop and attempted to flee from the trooper. The vehicle continued south on Route 23A and several other Greene County

Stewart’s Holiday Match kicks off season SARATOGA SPRINGS — Stewart’s Shops is teaming up with its customers once again to raise money for local children’s charities. The Stewart’s Holiday Match campaign kicks off on Thanksgiving Day and runs through Christmas Day at all shop locations. “In these times, nonprofits need our help more than ever with increased strains on staffing, resources and budgets. We are proud to partner with our customers to help those who need it most. And every donation goes twice as far with the Stewart’s match. We care twice as much so we’ll double your gift”, said Stewart’s Shops President Gary Dake. Last year, customers donated an incredible $895,000 to the program, doubling to more than $1.79 million with the Stewart’s match. The funds were able to support 1,830 local children’s organizations across the 31 counties where Stewart’s shops are located. “The $30 million success story of the Holiday Match

roads before getting on the New York State Thruway, traveling south until getting off the Thruway at Exit 19. The vehicle continued traveling through Kingston, where the pursuit ended on Abeel Street, Nevel said. Overhill was taken into custody, Nevel said. She was released with 21 appearance tickets for Hunter Town Court. During the chase, four state police vehicles were damaged. The chase covered about 30 miles and lasted 25 minutes, Nevel said.

Bill Williams/Columbia-Greene Media

A Tennessee woman was charged after a high-speed police chase Monday on Route 23A and the New York State Thruway.

DUNKIN GOES SHOPPING FOR TOYS FOR TOTS

program continues to grow, since 1986, with the hard work of our shop partners and the generosity of our customers. Together, we will help thousands of children in our 31 county market area,” says Amy Potter, Stewart’s Director of Corporate Contributions. The goal of Holiday Match is to encourage individual giving and broaden the base of support for local charities. Stewart’s Holiday Match is a 501c3 foundation; all donations are taxdeductible. Stewart’s gladly accepts funds from groups or businesses, but only matches individual donations. Local children’s organizations are encouraged to apply for funding online at stewartsshops.com. The deadline for submission is Jan. 31, 2021. All groups applying must be locally based, benefit children under 18, and be a qualified, charitable 501c3 organization. A listing of all the local organizations that received funds last season is available online.

Contributed photo

Dunkin’ Field Marketing Manager Eric Stensland selects board games during the Toys for Tots shopping spree at Walmart in Albany on Nov. 24. The $30,000 Dunkin’ shopping spree will supply hundreds of toys for children in need and is a continuation of support from Capital Region franchisees during a holiday season challenged by the global health pandemic. Dunkin’ and Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy recently collected nearly 10,000 toys during a two-part drivethru collection event.

Tuesday, Dec. 15 n Athens Village Planning Board

6:30 p.m. Village Hall, 2 First St., Athens 518-945-1551 n Durham Town Board 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 7309 Route 81, East Durham n Greene County Planning Board 6:30 p.m. Greene County Office Building, Greene County Legislative Chambers, Room 403, 411 Main St., Catskill. Meetings are open to the public. Social Distance, masks required

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COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA • THE DAILY MAIL

A4 Wednesday, December 2, 2020

THE DAILY MAIL Established 1792 Published Tuesday through Saturday by Columbia-Greene Media

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OUR VIEW

Winter Walk tries to succeed where many have failed Winter Walk 2020 wasn’t going to be the same as the Winter Walks of yesteryear. We knew that going in. COVID-19 saw to it, but Hudson Hall organizers found a way to salvage something good from the wreckage. This year, Hudson’s Winter Walk will be spread out across 20 days from Dec. 5 to Dec. 24 instead of one night. Twenty for 2020, you might say. Winter Walk is designed for the COVID era to avoid any gatherings. Streets will remain open to prevent mass gatherings. For a typical Winter Walk, the entire length of Warren Street is closed from 5-8 p.m. on the first Saturday in December and performers use store-

front windows and Warren Street as their stages. Shops stay open late. Winter Walk normally draws 15,000 to more than 20,000 people, depending on the weather. It’s the city’s busiest night and wholly unique to Hudson. The flipside? Extending Winter Walk for 20 days is a good idea, but the mix of a fireworks show and latenight shops staying open multiplies potential for COVID-19 to spread. The potential crowds on the streets and inside local establishments are raising the concern of local health officials. Shops normally serve refreshments at Winter Walk, which adds another factor. Health officials also fear Hudson Hall is

underestimating the attendance. Holding a long-form Winter Walk doesn’t preclude enforcement of common-sense rules such as limiting the time audiences can gather for performances. At the very least, Winter Walkers should have to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing at all times for their safety and the protection of others. Winter Walk organizers are going where few other organizers have gone this year, when virtually every major event was canceled. We wish Hudson Hall the best of luck in succeeding in bringing a terrible 2020 to a bright finish.

ANOTHER VIEW

D.C. Metro may never be the same unless Congress intervenes The Washington Post

Here’s what happens to the District of Columbia’s Metro system if Congress remains inert on a new pandemic relief package: the death of transit as we know it. Weekend rail service? Canceled. Post-9 p.m. subway rides? Finished. Wait times of less than 15, 20 or even, at the subway’s end points, 30 minutes between trains? Forget it. And a robust rebound in the national capital region’s economic fortunes? Push back your timetable by two or three years, minimum. Innumerable parts of the nation’s economy are desperate for federal dollars in the form of a new rescue bill from Congress, which has been gripped by partisan gridlock for months. In a $2 trillion measure proposed by Democrats, most transit systems, including Metro, would be largely able to sustain current service levels - already significantly reduced from pre-pandemic levels. Under the vastly smaller Republican alternative, massive new cuts are inevitable. Then there is the zero option - no new funds - which, in the absence of any discernible progress on Capitol Hill, is the baseline assumption on which transit

executives must formulate their budgets. In Metro’s case, the zero option is a disaster that would deepen the hole from which the local economy must climb. On Monday, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld offered a preview of that grim horizon, which would arrive next summer, at the start of the system’s new fiscal year. By then, Metro will already have reduced its workforce by about 1,400 through buyouts and, possibly, layoffs; it would then face eliminating an additional 2,400 skilled workers of its pre-pandemic payroll of 12,000 employees, including hundreds of bus and subway operators, station managers, mechanics and engineers. Nineteen rail stations would be closed under his scenario. Bus service, already slashed by a quarter from last spring, would be cut by that much again, and more. Those service cuts, in addition to layoffs, buyouts, deferred salary raises (if employee unions agree), plus some accounting acrobatics - namely, raiding capital projects for operating funds - are Metro’s game plan for closing a funding gap now projected at nearly $500 million out of a budget of roughly $1.95 billion.

The Daily Mail welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must contain a full name, full address and a daytime telephone number. Names will be published, but phone numbers will not be divulged. Letters of less than 400 words are more likely to be published quickly. The newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and content. Letters should be exclusive to this publication, not duplicates of those sent to other persons, agencies

By the way, Wiedefeld’s plan is not even a worstcase scenario. It assumes some passenger and revenue growth next year once a covid-19 vaccine is widely available. It also assumes that Metro’s state and local stakeholders in D.C., Maryland and Virginia would hold fast and even increase their subsidies, which account for a major chunk of the system’s operating income. That may be optimistic given the budgetary pressures facing those state and local governments. Those grievous shortterm problems may be compounded in the medium term, when the region’s economy starts to recover, when Metro would try to rebuild capacity and service after having lost thousands of highly trained workers. “Ramping back up would be so unprecedented,” Wiedefeld told The Washington Post. “[It] underscores how difficult this is if we can’t figure a way to get some additional help here.” That additional help can come from just one source, Congress, which has so far shirked this most pressing responsibility. The costs of that impasse, to the jobs, lives and health of the nation, are incalculable.

or publications. Writers are ordinarily limited to one letter every 30 days.

Even handpicked justices won’t buy Trump’s claims Jennifer Rubin The Washington Post

Both President Donald Trump’s private lawyers and Justice Department attorneys - the latter of whom are often confused with the former have advanced a host of legal theories and claims that do not pass the laugh test. Whether it was Trump’s claim of “absolute immunity,” or the Republican attempt to invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act, or the administration’s efforts to exclude noncitizens from the 2020 Census, Trump’s legal teams have advanced theories that more scrupulous lawyers would have dismissed. The president’s lawyers have also made factual representations that courts have all but called misleading or false. Chief Justice John Roberts, for instance, derided claims from the administration last year about a citizenship question it attempted to add to the census. In his majority opinion, Roberts invoked his former boss, Judge Henry Friendly, who said that the Supreme Court is “not required to exhibit a naivete from which ordinary citizens are free.” Trump has three appointees on the Supreme Court, but the flimsiness of Trump’s legal claims has never been more evident. In the latest census case before the high court, Trump’s team argued for excluding noncitizens from the decennial count, despite the plain language of the Constitution. “Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their

2017 to zero-out the penalty for not buying health insurance did not indicate a desire to kill the entire law.” Oh. Trump also expected the Supreme Court to deliver the election to him but, so far, the justices have declined to take the only case within shouting distance of the high court. They have also shown no interest in taking up an appeal from a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ruling slamming Trump’s unconscionable attempt to undo the election. (Trump’s lawsuit “seeks breathtaking relief: barring the Commonwealth from certifying its results or else declaring the election results defective and ordering the Pennsylvania General Assembly, not the voters, to choose Pennsylvania’s presidential electors,” the court of appeals held.) Trump’s judicial appointees are not squishy progressives or even moderates. They will, no doubt, part company with Democratic-appointed justices (as well as the chief justice) on abortion, affirmative action and gun regulation. However, they are still judges whose personal reputations, education and training do not permit them to rubberstamp Trump’s crackpot legal schemes. These cases may not offer solace to those who fear the high court will run roughshod over precedent in furtherance of conservative ends; they should, however, remind “rule of law” conservatives that Trump and his ilk have little respect for the Constitution, however it is interpreted.

respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed,” reads Section 2 of the 14th Amendment. The Post reports: “The states and organizations challenging Trump’s plan said during Monday’s arguments that while some delay might be warranted, the bottom line is that the president’s intentions would violate history, the text of the Constitution and Congress’s command that all persons in the country be counted for apportionment purposes. . . . “Conservative Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, both appointed to the court by Trump, also told [acting U.S. solicitor general Jeffrey B.] Wall that history was working against him as Trump claimed a power no president has ever tried to exercise before.” Kavanaugh and Barrett have not gone “soft”; they simply cannot with a straight face defend Trump’s position. There are limits even for right-wing ideological justices. This sort of skepticism might seem vaguely familiar. In the ACA case heard just days after the election, Trump and redstate governors argued that because Congress had zeroed out the law’s individual mandate penalty (the “tax,” as Roberts described it), the entire statute should have been invalidated. The Post reported, “Two key members of the court - [Roberts] and [Kavanaugh] - said plainly during two hours of teleconferenced arguments that Congress’s decision in

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

America moving left and socialism To the editor: Having lived through World WarII and served as a Navy Veteran during the Korean War, I fear what is on the horizon for the people of America. The Left has accused all white people of being racists. They have attempted to destroy free speech, and are trying to take away our freedoms. I fear we are following in the steps of Nazi Germany, Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela. After Obama and the Left spent 24 hours a day for 8 years dividing our country, they are now telling everybody, “Let’s all get together.” Is anybody listening and watching to what is happening in this once free country?

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let them continue to suffer. Have we forgotten what it cost our ancestors to give us this great country of free speech, freedom, a great Declaration and Constitution? Presently, we are seeing claims of tremendous fraud in our election process. More than half of our news media remain silent, Why? Let the truth prevail, let’s hear both sides. Fair elections are crucial to a free society. If there is no fraud, the courts and the law will determine the truth, not the media. May God, who has blessed America, help us as we continue to work for preserving freedom. God Bless America JAMES T. VARELAS EAST JEWETT

Our colleges are overloaded with leftist professors, who tell our children how terrible America was and presently is. Add to this attack on freedom, the liberal-left news media that only reports one side of an issue, and the anti-god church movement by our political leaders on the left, it almost seems hopeless to maintain our freedoms. I haven’t heard of one conservative college not allowing free speech, nor have I seen conservatives rioting, killing and breaking windows while their leaders on the left want to defund the police. Most Democrat liberal cities are in serious trouble (crime & poverty) and their citizens continue to vote for leftist politicians who only want their vote and then they

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How to submit obituaries and death notices Obituaries: Are paid notices. We reserve the right to edit all copy. Funeral directors may email us the information at obits@columbiagreenemedia.com anytime. Include life background information on the deceased, a full list of immediate survivors, services and the name of the funeral home. Any questions or for rate information, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2461. Funeral notices: Are paid follow-ups to obituaries. We reserve the right to edit all copy. Funeral directors may email us the information at obits@columbiagreenemedia.com anytime. Any questions or for rate information, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2461. Death Notices: Are free notices that don’t exceed 20 words. For more information, funeral directors may call 518-828-1616, ext. 2461. In memorium ads: Are paid ads that are guaranteed to run. Call the Classified department at 518-828-1616, ext. 2461

Maureen Patricia Duggan Maureen Patricia Duggan of Catskill died on Sunday, November 29, 2020, at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, NY. Maureen was born on July 5, 1952. She was 68 years old. Maureen was the daughter of the late William F. Martin and Matilda (Quinn) Martin, born and raised in Queens, NY. Maureen worked for Allstate Insurance for 37 years before her retirement in 2012. She later worked

for GNY Insurance and most re- John and Arthur, and sister-incently, Valentine Insurlaw Georgia. She will ance. be dearly missed by all Maureen is survived of her family, and her by beloved nieces and many beloved friends in nephews, Patricia, EiNew York, Long Island, leen, John, Theresa, and the Catskill area. William, Matthew, MiMaureen will be laid chael, Keith, Bryan to rest at Saint Charles/ and their children, as Resurrection Cemwell as beloved sisteretery in Farmingdale, Duggan in-law Catherine (“KitNew York, alongside ten”) Martin, brothers-in-law her late husband, Robert Dug-

gan. Friends may check facebook.com/maureen.duggan.92 for details on a virtual memorial, to be announced soon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Maureen’s name to: Columbia-Greene Humane Society, http://www.cghs.org/ donate or Greene County Community Action Donate Money | Greene County NY Community Action.

Arnold Bowers

Mina C. Engelmann

Bernice J. Yager

Arnold Edward Bowers, “The up racing and working on cars Uncle”, 84, of South Cairo, at the Islip Speedway with his NY, passed away peacefully at brother, Gerald (Jerry) at his home on November 26, 2020. side. Arnold and Mary Ellen took Arnold was born on January many trips to the racetracks and 19, 1936 in Centereach, NY garages on the NASCAR cirto Everett and Florence Bow- cuit and enjoyed every minute ers, both predeceased. Arnold of their time together. Arnold spent most of his life also had another love, in Patchogue, NY, but John Deere tractors. moved to South Cairo He loved tinkering in his in 2010 to be closer to garage with his tractor his family after his beand anything mechaniloved wife of 36 years, cal. Arnold made his livMary Ellen passed ing driving trucks until away. he retired and moved Arnold is survived to South Cairo, NY. by his sister, Betty LiArnold will be greatly Bowers mov of Lake Grove, missed by his famNY; Gerald (Ruth) Bowily and friends both in ers of South Cairo, NY; Alan Long Island and here in South (Diane) Bowers of Fort Mills, Cairo. SC and sister in law, Maureen A memorial service to honor Bowers of Palm Coast, FL. Ar- Arnold will be held at the South nold is also survived by many Cairo Methodist Church, 25 CR nieces and nephews including 67, South Cairo, NY on Friday, Robert (Faith) Bowers; Jerry December 4, 2020 from 4:00 (Amy) Bowers; Christine Reilly to 6:30 pm. COVID 19 recomand a daughter, Susan. Arnold mendations will be in effect. was predeceased by his son, A private burial will be held in Michael Everett and his brother, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY at a later Everett (Buck) Bowers. date. Arrangements have been Arnold’s greatest love in his entrusted to Richards Funeral life was his wife, Mary Ellen, Home, Cairo, NY, and condowith whom he shared a love for lences may be made at www. NASCAR racing. Arnold grew richardsfuneralhomeinc.net.

Mina C. Engelmann, age visiting as Mina was cheerful, 90, of Cairo, NY passed away caring and loving. She enjoyed peacefully on November 28, knitting, sewing, and other 2020. Mina was born on March crafts. Aside from her shop, she 31, 1930, in Mount Vernon, NY loved cooking and baking at any and was the daughter of the late time, but especially for the holiC. Fred Metzler and Susan (Urig) days. Each year, she would bake Metzler. Mina is survived by her 15 different types of Christmas four children, Fred Engelmann cookies with her loving family. (Eileen Ferrier), Gail LeSuer, She made sure to teach several Carol Engelmann, and of her grandchildren Mina Byrne, 13 beautithe specialty of baking. ful grandchildren and Most of all, she loved 12 great grandchilbeing with her family dren. She is also surin the place she called vived by her brother “home” for 63 years. and sister-in-law, Bill Relatives and friends and Kathleen Metzler are invited to attend and several nieces and the funeral on Friday, nephews. Mina is preDecember 4, 2020, deceased by Fred, her at 10:00 A.M. at The Engelmann loving husband of 60 Resurrection Lutheran years, her son-in-law James Church, Cairo, NY. B. LeSuer, sister Claire Fisher Interment will follow in the (Jack) and brother Fred Metzler, family plot of The Cairo Cembrothers-in-law Henry (Carolyn) etery. Engelmann and Walter (Peggy) Donations in Mina’s memory Engelmann. As well as being a may be made to The Alzheimer’s wonderful homemaker, Mina Association of NENY, Pine West worked over 20 years as a wait- Plaza, Building 4, Suite 405, ress in the Malden Hot Shoppes. Washington Ave. Ext. Albany, Several years later, she decided NY, 12205-5515. to open her own business. The Funeral arrangements have Calico Hen in Cairo, NY was a been entrusted to Richards Fuplace where she enjoyed form- neral Home, Cairo, NY. Condoing relationships with her cus- lences may be made at www. tomers. Her customers loved richardsfuneralhomeinc.net.

Bernice J. Yager, 72, of Ath- stress at the old Murray Perlman ens, NY passed away on No- Dress Company in Tannersville, vember 26, 2020 at her home. The Mountain Eagle, First AmerShe was the daughter of the late ican Bank, Ulster County SherDorothy Fuller Cable. Bernice, iff’s Office, and Greene Coralso known as “Bea” or “Ber- rectional Facility in Coxsackie, nie” to her friends, and even just where she retired in 2013. Bersimply “grandma” to many, had nice’s years of hard work and an immense love for her fam- her dedicated work ethic is ily. Even through her struggles something she was proud to say with her health over she passed down to her the years, her family daughter. She would was always her priortell everyone she was a ity. She treasured any proud mom. Bernice is time she could spend survived by her daughwith them. She was a ter, Bobbi Jo, her sondedicated mother and in-law Tim, and her begrandmother. Whether it was going to all of her loved grandson, Cole. grandson’s games, ridOther survivors include ing along on vacation her step children EdYager to Myrtle Beach and ward Yager, James Lake George, or baking one of Yager and Lorraine Cannon, her amazing sweet treats; she her sisters; Elaine Rockefeller, did it with love for them. She Arlene Ferraioli, Lorraine Spanwas a 1967 graduate of Hunter hake, and Dodie Bubach. She Tannersville Central School. was predeceased by her sister, Bernice would tell stories of her fond memories from her time Betty Buffalo, and her brother, working as a waitress at Warm’s Virgil Cable. Anyone that knew Restaurant, where she would Bernice knows she loved peomeet many locals each day for ple close to her with everything their morning coffee. She also she had. She put others first and enjoyed her time working with her generosity was bigger than various entertainers at Hunter life. >Memorial contributions Mountain Festivals. Bernice was may be made in Bernice’s honor previously employed as a seam- to Haines Falls Fire Company.

William R. “Bill” Brown We lost our beloved William was a longtime member of his R. “Bill” Brown of Stottville, NY local V.F.W., where he served on November 29th, 2020, at as chaplain. Post-retirement, the age of 97. His quiet dignity, Bill was content to stay close to good humor, easy smile, and home, where he entertained his twinkly eyes endeared him to all adoring family and friends with who knew him. music, sports talk, great stories, Born on October 15th, 1923 and quick-witted jokes. It is hard to the marital union of Helen to put into words the magnitude Rose (Conine) and Thomas of his spirit. George Brown, Bill grew up in Bill now joins his parents, Stottville alongside his siblings, most of his siblings, his son WilThomas, Bruce, Mary liam who was killed in (Bartolotta), Arthur, and action in Vietnam, his Helen Brown. Followdaughter Carol, and his ing his graduation from longtime love Liz. He is St. Mary’s Academy in survived by his sister Hudson, Bill enlisted Helen, his son Robert, in the Army at age 19, son-in-law Mark, five in time to serve three grandchildren, four years during WWII, two great-grandchildren, of which were spent in and a large extended Brown Europe. An avid musifamily. Visitation will be cian, Bill was known to Thursday, December play the accordion to help keep 3rd from 5 to 7 PM at the Rayspirits light. Upon his discharge, mond E. Bond Funeral Home he was awarded the Good Con- in Valatie. Funeral services will duct and European-African- be Friday, December 4th at 11 Middle Eastern Service med- AM at St. Joseph’s in Stuyvesals. After the war, Bill returned ant Falls. Interment will follow at to Stottville and worked for St. Mary’s Cemetery on Route Lone Star Cement, followed by 9. Due to COVID restrictions, it Sterling-Winthrop. A loyal fam- asked that all attendees wear ily man full of faith, he raised his masks, adhere to 6 feet social three children, William, Robert, distancing guidelines, and sit in and Carol (Lahut), all of whom every other pew, which will be he loved beyond measure. labeled. Church seating will be Proud of his military service, Bill limited.

Jay C. Jablanski Sr. Jay C. Jablanski Sr. 63 of HudHe is survived by his beloved son, NY passed away suddenly wife Debbie (Hamm) Jablanski on Friday November 27, 2020 at of Hudson; his adoring children, Albany Medical Center in Albany, Abby Holdridge (Jeremy) of HillNY. sdale and Jay Jablanski Jr. (SarHe was born in Hudson on rina) of Stuyvesant Falls. He also January 24, 1957 the son of the leaves his loving grandchildren, late Steven and Doris (Simmons] Hailey, Riley, Bradley, Bryce and Jablanski. Matthew. His siblings Steven For the past 20 years Jay was Jablanski of Philmont and Linda employed by the New York State Jablanski Murphy of Indian Lake Dept. of Transportation in Hud- along with several nieces, nephson as a highway mainews and extended famitenance worker 2, grade ly members. Last but not 10. Previously Jay was a least his beloved canine driver for Ed. Herrington, companions Bristol and Inc. for 19 years based Charlotte and his grand out of Hillsdale. fur babies Molly and Jay was affiliated Baily. with the Copake Fire Due to COVID 19 reCompany, the Commustrictions A Celebration nity Rescue Squad and of Life will be held at a Jablanski was a lifelong member later date. of the Churchtown Fire In lieu of flowers and Company. He was an avid fan at the request of the family kindly of motorsports and attended consider contributions to the Comany NASCAR races as a fan of lumbia – Greene Humane Sociboth Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale ety, 111 Humane Society Road, Earnhardt Jr. He also was a sea- Hudson NY 12534, Mellenvile son pass holder at Lebanon Val- Fire Company, PO Box 81, Melley and one of his favorite local lenville NY 12544, Greenport drivers was Stewart Friesen. Rescue Squad, PO Box 275, Above all, his wife, children, Hudson NY or the Philmont Fire grandchildren, siblings and ex- Company, 1 Maple Ave. Philmont tended family members along NY 12565. with friends he considered as Arrangements are with the family were the most important to Peck and Peck Funeral Home of him. An outdoorsman, Jay had Copake, NY a love of hunting that he shared To send an online condolence and passed along to his children please visit www.peckandpeck. and grandchildren. net.

Supreme Court weighs child-slavery case against Nestlé USA, Cargill Peter Whoriskey

cheap cocoa produced with forced child labor,” the companies said. “The higher production costs associated with compliance with international human rights norms require [us] to sell . . . chocolate at higher prices.”

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday about whether U.S. chocolate companies should be held responsible for child slavery on the African farms from which they buy most of their cocoa. Six Africans are seeking damages from Nestlé USA and Cargill, alleging that as children they were trafficked out of Mali, forced to work long days on Ivory Coast cocoa farms and kept at night in locked shacks. Their attorneys argue that the companies should have better monitored their cocoa suppliers in West Africa, where about two-thirds of the world’s cocoa is grown and child labor is widespread. These companies “have long supported and maintained a system of child slavery and forced labor in the Ivory Coast,” according to the filings for the six Africans by Paul Hoffman and other attorneys. “This is extremely profitable. . . . They could end the system; instead they chose profits over ending their exploitation of children.” Nestlé USA “firmly believes that traffickers deserve punishment,” the company said in court filings. “This case is not about any of that.” The companies have asked the Supreme Court to toss the lawsuit, arguing that courts in the United States are the wrong forum for the Malians’ complaint and that the applicable law permits such cases against individuals but not corporations. In the view of the companies, such cases ought to be filed, not against the companies, but against the traffickers and farmers involved. “This case is about a 15-year-old lawsuit brought against the wrong defendant, in the wrong place, and under the wrong statute,” according to the brief on behalf of Nestlé USA filed by Neal Katyal and other attorneys. “The true wrongdoers are the Malian and Ivorian traffickers, farmers, and overseers.” On Tuesday, both sides faced skepticism from the justices. The proliferation of global

FUNERAL DIRECTORS Washington Post photo by Salwan Georges

Children from Burkina Faso take a break in 2019 on a cocoa farm near the village of Niambly, Ivory Coast.

supply chains in recent decades has led to recurring legal debates over the responsibility of multinational companies to monitor the adherence of their far-flung suppliers to human rights and environmental standards. Business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers have pushed back against lawsuits, including the one against Nestlé and Cargill, arguing that they are burdensome and could discourage investment in developing economies. U.S. and foreign companies have been sued 150 times over the past 25 years under the same law, the business groups said. Allowing such cases would impose “heavy legal and reputational burdens on companies that are sued on the basis that they conducted business with foreign actors accused of committing torts abroad,” their attorneys argued. There is plenty of evidence, however, that the world’s chocolate supply depends heavily on child labor, and that despite two decades of industry promises, it remains widespread. While much of it occurs on family farms, some is also arranged by traffickers who ferry in children from neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. A Washington Post investigation of the use of child labor in the cocoa industry found that representatives of some of the biggest and best-known brands could not guarantee that any of their chocolate was produced without child

labor. It featured children from Burkina Faso working in appalling conditions on Ivory Coast cocoa farms. According to a recent report sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, the world’s chocolate companies depend on cocoa produced with the aid of 1.6 million West African child laborers. Most of those laborers were involved in tasks considered hazardous, such as wielding machetes, carrying heavy loads or working with pesticides, according to the report. While connecting any child laborer with a specific company is difficult to do, human rights advocates blame the industry in general for failing to pay enough for the cocoa and for failing to institute systems for tracing cocoa beans to specific farms. “The business practices of these companies clearly have contributed to the use of forced and child labor in West Africa,” said Charity Ryerson, an attorney for the Corporate Accountability Lab who has traveled to Africa to investigate cocoa practices. She noted that some smaller chocolate companies, such as Tony’s Chocolonely, pay higher prices and take extra care to eliminate child labor from their cocoa suppliers. Those added costs can make it difficult to compete against the companies using cocoa that may come from child labor, some of the companies said. “As slave-free cocoa and chocolate companies, [we] are at a competitive disadvantage to companies that source

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A6 Wednesday, December 2, 2020

The first woman elected to the U.S. Senate By David Dorpfeld, Greene County Historian For Columbia-Greene Media

Before we leave 2020 and the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote, let’s look back on one of the trailblazers for women’s equality. That woman is Hattie Caraway (1878–1950), the first woman elected to the US Senate in 1932. As of today there have been 57 women who have served in the Senate and 26 serve today, Caraway being the first to be elected. In New York we have had two: Hillary R. Clinton (2001–2009) and Kirsten E. Gillibrand (2009–2020) who represented our district in the House of Representatives before being elevated to the Senate. Hattie Caraway was born in rural west central Tennessee the daughter of William Wyatt and Lucy Mildred Burch. In 1896 she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickson Normal College. While at Dickson she met Thaddeus Caraway. They were married in 1902 and settled in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he established a legal practice and she took care of household duties and the raising of their three boys. In 1912 Hattie’s husband was elected to the United

Courtesy of wikipedia

1914 picture of Hattie Caraway. After her husband died in 1931, she wore only black for the rest of her life.

States House of Representatives where he served until 1921 when he became a U.S.

Senator. She was not involved with the capital’s social and political life as well as the

campaign for women’s suffrage. In an article appearing in the March 27, 2012 Washington Post she was quoted as saying: “After equal suffrage I just added voting to cooking, sewing and other household duties.” Things took a dramatic turn for Hattie in 1931 when her husband Thaddeus Caraway died in office. Arkansas Governor Harvey Parnell appointed Hattie to the vacant Senate seat and she was sworn into office on December 9. In January 1932 she won a special election to complete the remaining months of her husband’s term becoming the first woman elected to the US Senate. Hattie Caraway surprised almost everyone again in May 1932 when she decided to run for a full term in the Senate. The website history.house. gov contains the following quote by Mrs. Caraway: “The time has passed when a woman should be placed in a position and kept there only while someone else is being groomed for the job.” Huey Long, popular former governor of Louisiana and U.S. Senator, helped Caraway get the Democratic nomination by stumping the state with her for seven days. Caraway won the November election along with Franklin D. Roosevelt as

U.S. President. Caraway had a special interest in relief for famers, flood control, and veteran’s benefits, all of direct concern to her constituents and cast her votes for nearly every New Deal measure. The November/December 2020 “The Saturday Even Post” said this about her, “When Caraway first ran for office, she ran on the premise that the nation could be served by an average person who knew the price of milk and bread, and who remembered there were people that had none…She never missed a Senate vote or a committee meeting.” In 1938 Hattie Caraway was reelected for a second full term. Her opponent in the primary, John Little McClellan, ran on the slogan “Arkansas Need Another Man in the Senate!” The one blot on her time in the Senate came in 1938 when she joined fellow Southerners in a filibuster against the administration’s anti-lynching bill. In 1943, however, she cosponsored the Equal Rights Amendment, a piece of legislation that had already been introduced to Congress 11 times and failed each time. The proposal simply read, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States

or any State on account of sex.” Hattie Caraway sought reelection in 1944, but she placed a poor fourth in the Democratic primary and lost to freshman U.S. Representative J. William F. Fulbright who won the election and became a powerful force in the Senate for the next 30 years. After Caraway’s tenure in the Senate, Roosevelt appointed her to the Employees’ Compensation Commission in 1946. After that President Truman gave her a post on the Employee’s Compensation Appeals Board where she served until suffering a stroke In January 1950. She died in December of the same year. Full disclosure: Eighty seven year old Rebecca L. Felton was allowed to sit in the Senate chamber for a day in 1922 as a reward for her political contributions to the state of Georgia. However, she was not elected to the position as Caraway was. The next female Senator to be elected was Margaret Chase Smith from Maine who served from 1949 to 1973. Women still had a long way to go. To reach columnist David Dorpfeld, e-mail gchistorian@gmail. com or visit him on Facebook at “Greene County Historian.”

Coxsackie resident winner of The Fortnightly Club of Central Hudson’s fall foliage Catskill to hold a holiday photo contest lights decorating contest POUGHKEEPSIE — The winner of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation’s eighth annual Fall Foliage Photo Contest’s $500 prize is Damien Calvo of Coxsackie, who submitted his photograph taken near Coeymans. Of the 17 finalists, Calvo’s photograph received 1,727 votes, the most cast by Central Hudson’s Facebook followers. In total, more than 8,000 votes were cast. “We congratulate Damien on his winning photograph, which beautifully showcases the fall colors and inspiring vistas we’re treated to here in the Mid-Hudson Valley,” said Charles A. Freni, President and CEO of Central Hudson. “We were once again appreciative of and amazed by all of the entries submitted this year, as they were truly inspiring examples of region’s spectacular fall season. We offer our sincere appreciation to the talented contestants who shared their work. “Thank you also to all who participated by voting,” said Freni. “We are proud to serve

Contributed photo

Damien Calvo’s winning image.

this beautiful and historic part of the country, and this annual contest reminds us of the privilege of living here.” The contest opened on Sept. 30, inviting Central Hudson customers to submit photographs of the region’s fall season taken within the energy company’s service area by Nov. 6. A selection of finalists was posted to Central Hudson’s Facebook page, and voters were asked to “like” their favorite of the finalists. The official voting ended at noon on Nov. 20.

Freni also reminded customers of the benefits of “liking” and “following” Central Hudson on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to receive important safety messages, energy efficiency tips, announcements on new programs and services, updates on severe weather and other helpful information. To view the images of all the finalists, go to Central Hudson’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CentralHudson or click here.

Windham-Ashland-Jewett announces 2020-21 first quarter honor roll WINDHAM — Windham-Ashland-Jewett announces the first quarter honor roll for the 2020-21 school year

PRINCIPAL’S LIST Adrian Aristy, Serena Beckmann, Piper Cohane, Noah Desgaches, Sophia Dyjak, Christian Greene, Kameron Greene, Abigail Hammel, Leon Honge, Alyson Hoyt, Adam Ismail, Erin Klein, Dylan Langdon, Erik Langdon-Potts, Tyler Lashua, Selina li, Alex Li, Luke Maeurer, Faith Montie, Grace Moran, Alexis Moss, Charles Mulholland, Sadie Otten, Jack Pellettier, Brooke Pennington, Liliana Pranzo, Hailey Quezada, Hannah Tuttle, Ariel Valencia-Ramirez, Alexis Walsh.

HIGH HONOR ROLL Jack Baldner, Priya Beckmann, Paige Brady, Cassandra Coe, James Cofield, Luke Desgaches, Nevaeh Dippold, Angelina Domena, Isabella Domena, Emma Drum, Julia Dyjak, Mervete Dzaferovic, Emily

Eilenberger, Michael Eilenberger, Morgan Fancher, Jezrell Gofmanas, Ashtyn Hansen, Nicholas Holmok, Jonah Peter Klein, Brianna Leishear, Jazmin Lopez, Katelyn Mattice, Hannah Mattice, Shayna Metzger, Matthew Morris, Amanda Nilsen, Nicole Nilsen, Isabel Pedrick, Joseph Pettignano, Rory Pranchak, Peter Pranzo, Gwaylen Sahner-Stiles, Devlin Schlosser, Jacob Schwartz, Benjamin Skilling, Emith Smith, Matthew Weiman .

HONOR ROLL Thomas Alberti, Sophia Banks, Aaron Cohen, Kyle Donahue, James Garrison, Abigail Garrison, John Garzone, Breana Hoyt, Rhianna Johnston, Caleb Lendo, Gabriel Maeurer, Daisy Mason, Augustus Mason, Rocco Morelli, Stephanie Sandleitner, Seth Schoonmaker, Harrison Smith, Jacob Smith, Michael Walsh, Jeremie Younes.

CATSKILL — The Fortnightly Club of Catskill announces that they will be holding a Holiday Lights Decorating Contest, officially kicking off on Dec. 1 running through the holidays with a Facebook Live award ceremony held on Dec. 19. The Holiday Lights Decorating Contest will be open to all residents within the Town of Catskill. “The premise behind this is enjoying the holidays with our families and still being safe,” said Fortnightly Club President Lisa Leone-Beers. “Having family time while checking out people’s magical creations. Maybe stopping by one of your favorite

coffee joints to get some hot cocoa and listen to holiday music at the same time. Or singing in the car together enjoying our beautiful town, we call Catskill, while still social distancing. COVID may have taken some things away from us this past year but not the joy of holiday magic.” The Holiday Lights Decorating Contest will be broken down into nine categories for the judges; Griswold Family Christmas, Through the Eyes of a Child, Winter Wonderland, The WOW Factor, The North Pole (Santa & Elves), Best Street Spirit, Most Traditional, Best Business Spirit, and People’s Choice. Fortnightly Members along

with a few community leaders will be helping out by judging these categories. The People’s Choice award will be voted on by the community members through the Fortnightly Club of Catskill Facebook page. Gift cards will be given out as prizes to the winners. “It’s not just about a contest, it’s about sharing your love for the holiday,” said Leone-Beers. If you are interested in participating, contact the club by email at thefestivaltrees@ yahoo.com. The Fortnightly Club encourages everyone within the town of Catskill to decorate their homes.

Berkshire Bank Foundation announces 2021 NeXt Gen Scholarship program BOSTON — Berkshire Bank, a purpose-driven 21st century community bank with locations throughout New England, New York and the Mid-Atlantic, announced its Foundation is now accepting applications for its annual NeXt Gen Scholars Program. High school seniors, college students and adults who live in or attend a school in select communities served by Berkshire Bank in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, and are pursuing an undergraduate degree from an accredited non-profit college or technical school in the fall of 2021 are eligible to apply. A total of $100,000 in scholarships will be awarded to 40 individuals. Applications will be

evaluated based on the individual’s record of volunteer service, academic success, and financial need. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a household income under $100,000 (or individual income of $50,000) to be eligible to apply. Recipients will embody academic excellence, share in Berkshire’s Be FIRST values of Belonging, Focusing, Inclusion, Respect, Service and Teamwork, and at their core possess an unsurpassed passion to improve the lives of those around them through volunteerism. Each NeXt Gen Scholar will receive $2,500 in funding to support their education efforts. “Berkshire Bank Foundation is pleased to support a new class of scholarship

recipients in 2021,” said Lori Kiely, Director of Berkshire Bank Foundation. “We have offered this scholarship for the past 11 years as part of our ongoing commitment to help students in the communities in which we operate access further education and give back to their local areas. We look forward to seeing the future accomplishments of our Scholars.” A team of more than 100 Bank employee volunteers will review the applications and select this year’s recipients. To be considered, all applications must be submitted online by 11:59pm EST on Jan. 31, 2021. To learn more about the program or apply online, visit www.berkshirebank.com/scholarships.

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Senior Living

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Wednesday, December 2, 2020 A7

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Alzheimer’s Notes: No simple answer to question Navigating Alzheimer’s and on when to claim benefits COVID-19 this holiday season By AMAC Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor, Association of Mature American Citizens

SOCIAL SECURITY MATTERS

For Columbia-Greene Media

By Marisa Korytko For Columbia-Greene Media

While holidays can be a joyous time for many families, they can be challenging for families affected by Alzheimer’s. The current COVID-19 crisis is adding even more complexities that can feel overwhelming for many families impacted by Alzheimer’s. While Alzheimer’s and dementia does not increase the risk of COVID-19, dementiarelated behaviors, increased age and common health conditions that often accompany dementia, may increase risk. The Alzheimer’s Association is offering tips to help families navigate these challenges and provide a meaningful and enjoyable holiday season. Tips for virtual holiday celebrations: n Use video call software like Zoom or Skype to gather virtually. Since it can be difficult to have conversations with larger groups over video, adding some structure to the call can help. Play a trivia game, sing carols, share pictures from past gatherings, or bake a special recipe together. Cross talk or simultaneous conversations can be challenging for people living with dementia, so consider this when planning. n If your loved one struggles with technology, ask a primary caregiver — or staff in an assisted living facility — if they can help facilitate a video call.

If that’s not possible, try recording and sending a “video holiday card” that includes a personalized message. Or connect with a simple phone call to create a feeling of togetherness. Tips for celebrating while physical distancing: n Drop off your loved one’s favorite baked goods or a care package in a way that avoids close contact, such as leaving the special delivery at the person’s front door. n Schedule your own “holiday parade” and ask family members and friends to drive by the older adult’s home with homemade signs or other festive decorations. n Indoor gatherings generally pose more risk than outdoor gatherings. Plan an outdoor visit with hot chocolate and blankets or go outside for a walk in the neighborhood to enjoy holiday lights and decorations. Tips for in-person holiday celebrations: n First and foremost, do not attend or host a gathering if you have been (or think you have been) exposed to COVID-19. Similarly, ask attendees to avoid or strictly limit contact with others for 14 days prior to your gathering. Keep in mind that travel increases the likelihood of spreading or contracting COVID-19, so consider this when inviting guests who live far away or in areas with high rates of transmission.

n If possible, opt for large,

open settings and get creative with seating options that help guests practice physical distancing. Encourage attendees to follow safety protocols during the celebration, including hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizer and masks. Avoid hugging, handshakes or close contact of any kind. n Encourage guests to bring food and drinks for themselves and members of their household only. If food will be served to all attendees, avoid buffet and family-style meals in which many people handle serving dishes and utensils. Instead, designate one person to plate dinner. n Focus on what is enjoyable for the person living with Alzheimer’s. Take time to experiment with new holiday traditions that might be less stressful or a better fit for your loved one. If they get overwhelmed in large groups, a small quiet gathering may be preferable. If evening confusion and agitation are a problem, turn your holiday dinner into a holiday lunch or brunch. For more tips, register for our “Helpful Holiday Hints for Caregivers” virtual program on December 17, at 2 p.m. Visit www.alz.org/northeasternny Marisa Korytko is the Public Relations Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Northeastern New York chapter. She can be reached at mkorytko@alz.org.

Dear Rusty: I’m almost 59 and hope to retire from working soon. Should I take Social Security as soon as possible, or wait for the maximum amount? Signed: Planning Ahead Dear Planning Ahead: I’m afraid there’s no simple answer to your question, except “it depends.” It depends on your health; it depends on your need for the money when you retire; and it depends on your life expectancy. Plus, your marital status may also influence your decision on when to claim. First of all, you cannot claim your Social Security retirement benefit until you are at least 62 years old. But if you claim at 62 your benefit will be cut by 30% from what it would be if you waited until your full retirement age (67). You actually have an 8-year window starting at age 62 and lasting until age 70 to claim your Social Security benefit. The earlier in that window you claim, the smaller your benefit will be. And the longer you wait to claim (up to age 70), the higher your benefit will be. At age 70, your benefit will reach maximum at 24% more than it would be at age 67, and 76% more than it will be at age 62. Essentially, if you are in good health, don’t urgently need the money earlier, and expect to enjoy at least “average”

RUSSELL

GLOOR longevity (about 85 for a man your age today), you will not only get a much higher monthly benefit, but also collect much more in cumulative lifetime benefits by waiting until age 70 (or as long as you can) to claim. Of course, no one knows how long they will live, but there are online tools which can assist you with estimating your life expectancy. One relatively simple and user friendly tool is available from Social Security at this link: https://www.ssa.gov/ oact/population/longevity. html. Conversely, if you are not in good health and don’t expect at least average longevity, or if you urgently need the money when you retire from working, claiming earlier may also be a prudent choice. If you are married and you predecease your wife, her survivor benefit will be based upon the benefit amount you are actually receiving, so by waiting to get a higher benefit for yourself you are also enhancing your wife’s eventual benefit as your widow, should you

pass before her. Be aware too that, should you decide to go back to work, until you reach age 67 you’ll be subject to Social Security’s “earnings test” which limits how much you can earn before Social Security takes back some of your benefits (the 2021 limit is $18,960 and if that were exceeded, they’d take back benefits equal to half of the amount it was exceeded by). The earnings limit changes annually but goes away at your full retirement age. So, these are the things you should consider in deciding when in that 8-year window to claim your benefits. I cannot directly answer your question for you, but I hope the above gives you what’s needed to make an informed decision on when to claim your Social Security benefits. This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

State Office for the Aging reminds Alzheimer’s Association announces December programs older New Yorkers that open enrollment ends Dec. 7 ALBANY — The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) reminds older New Yorkers that this year’s Medicare open enrollment period ends Dec. 7. Medicare health and prescription drug plans can make changes each year to costs, coverage, and what providers and pharmacies are in their networks. During the open enrollment period, people with Medicare can change their health plans and prescription drug coverage for the following year to better meet their needs. Plan changes take effect Jan. 1, 2021. “People’s health and financial status can change over the course of a year — particularly this year, due to COVID-19. Plans also can change what they will cover as well as adjust the cost to the beneficiary,” said NYSOFA Acting Director Greg Olsen. “It’s important for older adults to review their current plans before the end of the open enrollment period to ensure they are getting a plan that is a good value and meets their health care and prescription drug coverage needs. Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) counselors at each local office for the aging can provide older New Yorkers with the information needed to make an informed choice about a plan that is best for them.” Staying healthy is more critical than ever, particularly for older adults, who remain at greater risk for COVID-19 and other illnesses, such as the flu.

Older individuals who have had Medicare Part B (medical insurance) for longer than 12 months are eligible for a yearly wellness visit at low or no cost to develop or update a personalized plan based on their current health and risk factors. With the holiday season underway, understanding the risks and impact of the COVID-19 virus is critical for all New Yorkers to protect themselves and their loved ones. New Yorkers can take the CV19 CheckUp, a free, anonymous, personalized online tool that evaluates an individual’s risks associated with COVID-19 based on their life situation and behaviors and provides recommendations and resources to reduce those risks. Developed by BellAge Inc., the CV19CheckUp tool helps people be safer, healthier, and ensure their individual needs are met during the pandemic. Several resources are available to help Medicare beneficiaries and their families review and compare their current health and prescription plan coverage with new plan offerings: Medicare.gov has comprehensive information for people interested in signing up or changing their plans. The Medicare Plan Finder tool provides a personalized comparison of plan choices. Medicare recipients who have limited incomes and resources may qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs. Older adults may apply online or

call Social Security at 1-800772-1213 (TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778 to find out more.) 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) offers around-theclock assistance for those who want to find out more about coverage options. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. Multilingual counseling is available. The Medicare & You handbook includes a summary of Medicare benefits, rights, and protections; lists of available health and drug plans; and answers to frequently asked questions about Medicare. One-on-one counseling assistance is available from HIICAP counselors at each local office for the aging or through the HIICAP toll free line: 1-800701-0501. NYSOFA and Medicare also remind older adults to treat their Medicare number as they do their social security number and credit card information. People with Medicare should never give their personal information to anyone arriving at their home uninvited or making unsolicited phone calls selling Medicare-related products or services. If someone calls and asks for a recipient’s Medicare number or other personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1800-633-4227). Beneficiaries who believe they are a victim of fraud or identity theft should contact Medicare. More information is available at Help Fight Medicare Fraud.

ALBANY — The Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York announces virtual programs taking place in December. Registration is required. Participants will receive a video conference link to access and can sign in as a guest to enter the virtual program. RSVP at alz.org/

CRF, the 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900 or by calling Sierra Snoddy at 518-6757214. Programs are supported in part by a grant from the state Department of Health. Know the 10 Warning Signs at noon Dec. 3. Healthy Living and Virtual Activities for Seniors

During COVID in partnership with Office for the Aging at 11 a.m. Dec. 9. Legal and Financial Planning with Herzog Law Firm at 2 p.m. Dec. 15. Helpful Holiday Hints for Caregivers at 2 p.m. Dec. 17. 1:1 Conversation: Coffee with a Consultant at 3 p.m. Dec. 17.

Hiring amid COVID-19 pandemic increased at Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany ALBANY — The Albany Stratton VA Medical Center (VAMC) announced that since March 2020, it has successfully brought on new staff to help support COVID-19 pandemic efforts to care for Veterans and non-Veterans in the Capital District and surrounding 19 counties. These positions included both direct and indirect patient care positions filled at the Stratton VA, including our newest Registered Respiratory Therapists, Supply Technician, and housekeeping aids. Positions the Stratton VA continues to seek to fill include an RN position in our Community Living Center, an Anesthesiologist and a Logistic Chief. “As we recognize Veterans Day during these unprecedented times, the Stratton VA is proud to hire qualified personnel to care for our

Nation’s Veterans and support our community in response to COVID-19,” said Darlene DeLancey, Director of the Stratton VA. “VA has the most noble of missions to provide high-quality health care to America’s Veterans.” To streamline the hiring process, VA significantly reduced the amount of time it typically takes to hire and onboard new employees by implementing expedited credentialing practices to onboard highly qualified, licensed medical staff in a timely manner, lifting the bi-weekly pay cap for General Schedule (GS) employees and broadening authority for awards and incentive approvals. VA employees are actively involved in strategic efforts and hands-on assignments to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The Stratton VA

THE PUBLIC NEEDS THE TRUTH; NOT SOCIAL MEDIA HEADLINES & FAKE NEWS.

has deployed 15 employees through the Disaster Emergency Management Personnel System (DEMPS) to provide care to Veterans and non-Veterans under VA’s Fourth Mission. VA has ranked among the top employers on Forbes 2020 Best Places to Work Survey in 17 state and is featured on the Forbes 2020 Best Employer for New Graduates list. The Stratton VA is one of 1,200 VA healthcare locations across the country with more than 350,000 employees who hold more than 300 clinical and non-clinical occupations, roughly one-third of whom are Veterans. Visit www.vacareers. va.gov for more information about obtaining a meaningful career serving Veterans and to view current openings at VA.

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COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA • THE DAILY MAIL

A8 Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Cuts From A1

principal Junait Shaw, Deacon Willie Davis, Matthew 25 Food Pantry Founder Patti Dushane, Greene County District Attorney Joseph Stanzione, Rita Taylor of Hop-o-Nose, Catskill Housing Authority Chairman Sam Aldi and community members Elliot Matos and Mayra Johnson. Law read aloud questions submitted by community members on the Facebook Live video. Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition Program Coordinator Molly Stinchfield asked about the police’s role in mental health emergencies. “Why are the police first responders to mental health and addiction issues?” Stinchfield wrote. “We should be putting more money toward those services.” Police respond for safety reasons, Catskill Police Chief David Darling said. “When EMS gets a call for a mental health patient, they won’t even go in until the police get there,” he said.

Vaccine From A1

COVID-19 inoculations are nearly 95% effective. Last week, British drugmaker AstraZeneca revealed a vaccine under development with Oxford University appears to be up to 90% effective. Cuomo criticized federal lawmakers for not providing states funding to successfully distribute a COVID-19 vaccine to the American public. Health experts estimate about 80% of a community needs to be vaccinated to prevent spread. “The federal government hasn’t even funded the current deficit,” Cuomo said. “Now you think the states are in a position to fund the vaccination program? They’re not.” The state estimates a $14.9 billion deficit this year, more than a $30 billion revenue shortfall over two years and nearly $63 billion over four years, state Budget Division spokesman Freeman Klopott said in a statement Tuesday. The state is on track to spend $5.1 billion on COVID-19 pandemic response by the end of the month, he said. State budget officials have not announced estimated

The Mobile Crisis Assessment Team is not 24 hours and the county’s on-call mental health worker does not go onsite for calls, Darling said. “Those resources in Greene County are not readily available,” he said. “I wish they were. We can only use the resources that are available to use. We are not mental health personnel.” Addressing mental health crises is an issue that extends beyond the village, Darling said. “I would wholeheartedly support a mental health worker responding,” he said. “It’s not a village problem, it’s a county problem. The village cannot employ five mental health workers.” Police will always be a part of the equation, Darling said. “No matter what reform we do, police are still going to be involved in that response,” he said. Stinchfield also questioned the size of the police force. “Why do we need so many officers on duty round the clock when we also have state, county and town police?” Stinchfield wrote. “It’s a duplication of services.”

The town of Catskill does not have a police department. The 2020-21 budget for the Catskill Police Department is $1.3 million out of the village’s $4.9 million budget, or 26.5% of the overall spending plan. The department has 14 full-time employees and three part-time employees, Lt. Ronald Frascello of the Catskill Police Department said in June. First responders are spread thin throughout the county, Darling said Monday. “On any given night after 7 p.m. you might have five cars for the whole county,” he said. “There are not a lot of police officers in Greene County, no matter what anyone tells you.” In terms of allocating funding to other community needs, Darling said a budget cut would result in a loss of services. The department has a response time of three to five minutes, Law said. Another topic discussed by the collaborative was how to increase participation. Claire Cousin, of the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition, recommended the group issue an online survey similar to Hudson’s.

Elton Vandermark Jr. said some residents were afraid to come to the meeting because police were present. In attendance were Darling, Frascello and Lt. Dan Waer of the Catskill Police Department. “Police can never fix the problem if people never come,” committee member Mayra Johnson said. Darling was open to the idea of having meetings without the police. “Maybe we shouldn’t be here,” he said. Complaints could also be directed to the village board, Darling said, adding he makes the trustees aware of any complaints he receives. Collaborative members spoke about their goals for the review. “My focus is to see to it our police department understands and respects their purpose is to serve and protect the community and do it in a professional manner,” Stanzione said. “There is no perfect police department but the village of Catskill does have some things going for them. One is that they are an accredited agency.” Catskill Police Department

has been accredited for 12 years and is the only accredited agency in Greene County. Another advantage the department has is many officers are local, Stanzione said. “They understand the needs of the community,” he said. Dushane said she wants to ensure training for officers is always updated and communication improves between police and the community. “I was born and raised here,” Dushane said. “I think our police force is doing a wonderful job, but I also think there is always room for improvement.” All officers receive annual training in a variety of topics including use of force, anti-bias, de-escalation, community policing and mental health awareness for law enforcement, Law said. New officers must complete 21-23 hours of training annually and ride along with a senior officer for 160 hours before going out on their own, Law said. No-knock warrants and chokeholds are banned in the village of Catskill, Law said. “The percentage of white to minority arrests in the village of Catskill is 80% white and 20%

Black,” she said. “The last 20 years of data was reviewed to obtain this percentage.” Johnson wants to ensure the police can communicate with individuals that don’t speak English, she said. “I want to make sure everyone is treated equally and with respect,” Johnson said. The last time the department used pepper spray was January 2013 and the last time a Taser was used was November 2019, Law said. The department has not received any use-of-force complaints in the last five years, she said. “There were three personnel complaints in the last year,” Law said, adding that disciplinary action was taken. The agency does not have body cameras or dashboard cameras, Law said. The Collaborative intends to hold additional public meetings, Law said. Comments or questions regarding the review of Catskill Police Department can be sent to policereformvillageofcatskill@aol.com.

vaccine distribution costs. “The extent of the federal program isn’t fully clear, making it difficult for the state to assess costs,” Klopott said. The state’s mounting deficit caused by unprecedented pandemic spending is expected to force health care, education and funding to localities to be slashed by an estimated 20% without additional federal aid. The anticipated health care cuts will affect the number and training of essential workers necessary to distribute the vaccine, Cuomo said. For weeks, Cuomo and several Democratic leaders, including U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, have called for the Trump administration to develop a plan for public outreach and information efforts in Black, brown, Asian and lowincome areas hit hardest by the pandemic. “Their rate of skepticism is higher,” Cuomo said of residents in minority and poor communities. “You’re going to have to partner with Black churches, with public housing projects, with public information campaigns. There’s no such provision in the federal program. I believe that is discrimination either by intent or by effect, and I believe it’s illegal.”

A plan lacking those details will exacerbate the health disparity between white and minority Americans, who are more likely to have underlying illnesses, Cuomo said. New York proposed modifying the data-sharing agreement states were required to submit to the federal government before receiving COVID-19 vaccination shipments. Federal officials suggest states use Social Security numbers or driver’s license or passport information to identify each person who receives a vaccine. President-elect Joe Biden will take over the national pandemic response after his inauguration Jan. 20 and may reverse the requirement, but the Trump administration continues to mandate state officials to sign the agreement. “President-elect Biden takes over very soon, but sometimes, very soon isn’t soon enough,” Cuomo said. “They’re going to start distribution of the vaccine before President Biden takes office.” Cuomo and 54 lobbying and activist organizations, including the NAACP and National Urban League, proposed the state provide an identification system and aggregate data to track vaccinated residents without requiring a patient’s

Social Security, passport or driver’s license numbers, in their letter to Azar on Tuesday. The group requested the federal government agree to keep vaccination identification information private from other non-health government agencies. “It is in everyone’s interest for all of us to work together to encourage our respective constituents to participate in the vaccination program,” according to the letter. “The undocumented community has specific and valid cause for concern in providing unnecessary, irrelevant and sensitive information to federal agencies.” Earlier this fall, Cuomo sharply spoke against the data agreement, arguing it could dissuade undocumented immigrants from getting vaccinated, as the agreement asks states to provide identification data that could be shared with ambiguous “multiple federal agencies,” potentially including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. “This hurts all New Yorkers and Americans because a vaccination program only works if you have a very high percentage of participation,” Cuomo said. “With this plan, you are eliminating and dissuading

groups from participating and that hurts all New Yorkers — white, Black, brown, of any ethnicity or race.” The three issues with the federal government’s current vaccine distribution plan will prevent successful coronavirus immunization to the American public, Cuomo said. “The light at the end of the tunnel is the vaccination,” he said. “The vaccination process has to work to end the pandemic.” Cuomo, chairman of the National Governors Association, held a conference call with U.S. governors Tuesday afternoon. Cuomo and his top aides expect the vaccine to be widely available to the public in late spring or summer 2021. “So that is a relatively long period of time,” Cuomo said. “Although we can see the goal line, that also depends on how effective we are at distributing the vaccine.” For months, the governor has warned distributing a coronavirus vaccine to the majority of 330 million Americans at two dosages each will be a difficult task. This week, New York surpassed the 19.5 million diagnostic testing mark, or the rough number of New York residents statewide, at nearly nine months into the pandemic.

The governor projects coronavirus infections will soar through New Year’s and expects viral transmission to level off in mid-January. “I think you’re looking at mid-January for stabilization of the rate — I hope, I hope, I hope,” Cuomo said. “But, the numbers are going up.” The statewide infection rate was 4.4% excluding oversampled microclusters, up from 4.02% Monday, and 4.96% including hot spots Tuesday, up from 4.57%. New York’s infection rate is 3.9% on a seven-day average. COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 242 patients to 3,774. Sixty-six New Yorkers died from the virus Monday, up from 54 Sunday, and about 35 daily fatalities every day last week. Western New York continues to be the region with the state’s highest infection rate at 7.2%. Infections are increasing statewide with 6.2% in the Finger Lakes, 5% in Central New York, 3.4% positive in the Capital Region and 4.7% in the MidHudson region with 2.8% in the North Country. New York City reported a 3.1% positivity rate Tuesday. Tribune News Service contributed to this report.

Bipartisan group of senators prepares $908 billion stimulus plan, aiming to break partisan logjam Seung Min Kim and Jeff Stein The Washington Post

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators unveiled an approximately $908 billion stimulus proposal on Tuesday, aiming to break a months-long partisan impasse over providing emergency federal relief to the U.S. economy. Congress has faced increasing pressure to approve additional economic relief since talks between the White House and House Democrats collapsed, first over the summer and then again in the fall ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election. With negotiations among congressional leaders at an impasse, rank-and-file senators in both parties have for several weeks worked together on a

Stewarts From A1

Village Code Enforcement Officer Michael Ragaini said he anticipates inspecting the store next week. Ragaini did not know if the original contractors on the project received any citations or were fined. Perez Construction, of Catskill, was working on the site at the time of the collapse, under the direction of XCL Construction, of Cicero. An unidentified employee of Perez Construction was transported by Town of

proposal that could break the logjam. Several centrist lawmakers in the Senate - including Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., Mark Warner, D-Va., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Susan Collins, R-Maine - held a press conference Tuesday morning to push their new bipartisan agreement as a template for legislation that could pass Congress as the economy faces increasing strain from a winter surge in coronavirus cases. “Our action to provide emergency relief is needed now more than ever before. The people need to know we are not going to leave until we get something accomplished,” Manchin said, flanked by about a half-dozen lawmakers. “I’m committed to seeing this through.”

The plan circulated by the bipartisan group is light on details but seeks to reach a middle ground on numerous contentious economic issues. It would provide $300 a week in federal unemployment benefits for four months - a lower amount than the $600 per week sought by Democrats, while still offering substantial relief to tens of millions of jobless Americans. The agreement includes $160 billion in funding for state and local governments, a key Democratic priority opposed by most Republicans, as well as a temporary moratorium on some coronavirus-related lawsuits against firms and other entities - a key Republican priority opposed by most Democrats. The measure also includes funding for small businesses, schools,

Catskill Ambulance to Columbia Memorial Health after the collapse as a precaution. The man was on a ladder and was struck by a couple of boards when they fell, Catskill Police Chief David Darling said in September. “He was released the same day. He is OK,” Perez Construction owner Miguel Perez said in September. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not completed its inspection of the site, U.S. Department of Labor Regional Director for Public Affairs Ted Fitzgerald said Tuesday. Catskill Village President Vincent Seeley said the cause

of the collapse was twofold. “The reason for the collapse was due to two things — the trusses were not shored up fully, and we had high winds that day,” Seeley said in September. “It was a combination of the two that caused the mishap.” Village planners approved the new 3,996-square-foot Stewart’s Shop in May. The store is located where Mountain T-Shirt was before its demolition in August. The village planning board will hold a public hearing on another gas station, a Sunoco proposed for Route 9W, on Jan. 11.

health care, transit authorities, and student loans, among other measures. Aides close to the effort described details as fluid and subject to change. The effort still faces enormous hurdles, and most congressional aides are skeptical that the push will successfully turn into new legislation. President Trump’s negotiators have remained at odds for months with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., over multiple

critical aspects of stimulus legislation, while Senate Republicans led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were broadly uncomfortable with the amount of spending pushed at times by the White House. But the substantive efforts at a compromise in the Senate reflect growing agitation from influential senators against the hard-line stances of their respective leaders, who have struggled to reach another

round of coronavirus relief aid even as the economy continues to suffer under the weight of the pandemic. McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have publicly traded barbs, with McConnell on Monday accusing Democrats of “all or nothing obstruction.” Schumer said in a floor speech that “both sides must give” but also trashed McConnell for advancing a GOP wish-list in stimulus talks.

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COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

Texans’ Will Fuller, Bradley Roby announce six-game suspensions. Sports, B2

& Classifieds

B Wednesday, December 2, 2020 B1

Tim Martin, Sports Editor: 1-800-400-4496 / sports@registerstar.com or tmartin@registerstar.com

Nicole Sweet/USA TODAY

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center on Jan. 7.

Remember Durant? The best player in the East is back for the Brooklyn Nets Ben Golliver The Washington Post

It has been 540 days since Kevin Durant last stepped on the court during an NBA game, 540 days since the future Hall of Famer tried to save the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2019 Finals and came up lame with a torn Achilles’ tendon. During his marathon rehabilitation, Durant left the Warriors for the Brooklyn Nets, celebrated his 31st and 32nd birthdays and mostly kept a low profile. He produced a television documentary about his Maryland hometown, launched a podcast and got into a few Twitter tiffs for old time’s sake. He chose not to rush back to play in the bubble and didn’t accompany the Nets to Disney World. All told, the former MVP was virtually invisible for 17 months after occupying center stage with the Warriors for three tremendous and tumultuous seasons. The long wait is almost over: Durant and the Nets will open training camp and hold virtual media day interviews this week. Basketball observers who have given him the outof-sight, out-of-mind treatment should respond

by moving him to the front burner. Durant must prove that the Achilles’ injury hasn’t fundamentally changed his game, but his comeback is taking place under very favorable conditions. First, there’s the matter of his time away. Conventional basketball wisdom labels an Achilles’ tear as a two-year injury: the first is spent getting back on the court and the second is spent regaining mobility and pop. The NBA’s four-month coronavirus shutdown provided more time for Durant to work through that process before pushing himself in games that count. Even though the league condensed its offseason after the bubble, Durant still benefited from an extra two-plus months of recovery due to the delayed start of the 2020-21 season. Relaunching in empty arenas without fans might also help ease the pressure and expectations that any superstar would feel upon a longawaited return from a major injury. Durant can work his way up to full speed however he sees fit. The biggest factor playing to Durant’s benefit See DURANT B3

Joseph Maiorana/USA TODAY

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) is injured during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday.

Giants don’t believe Daniel Jones’ hamstring injury is season-ending: sources Pat Leonard New York Daily News

The Giants do not think Daniel Jones’ right hamstring injury is season-ending, sources told the Daily News on Monday morning. While that’s encouraging, the team was still waiting on definitive MRI results, and they will have to wait and see if Jones is able to do anything later this week to evaluate him for Sunday’s road game at Seattle. That obviously casts doubt about Jones’ availability against the Seahawks, if not longer, but it isn’t clear at the moment how

much time Jones could miss. There is at least optimism he will be back at some point this season, which is better than the worst-case scenario that certainly seemed possible given Jones’ body language following Sunday’s 19-17 road win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Judge’s Giants (4-7) have won three straight and sit atop the NFC East standings as of Monday morning, both feats they haven’t accomplished since 2016. Colt McCoy replaced Jones in Sunday’s second half and played 30 of the game’s 81 offensive snaps, his first playing time as a Giant.

McCoy, 34, presumably would get the start in Seattle on Sunday if Jones can’t go. The NFL’s COVID-19 protocols require a six-day entry testing process. And all in-person activities across the league are prohibited on Monday and Tuesday this week due to the nationwide pandemic that slammed the NFL in Week 12, most notably with an outbreak among the Baltimore Ravens’ staff and players. Judge and select Giant players are scheduled to address the media on Monday afternoon, and more information on Jones could be made available then.

Yankees face little risk in giving Sanchez another shot Kristie Ackert New York Daily News

Gary Sanchez will turn 28 years old on Wednesday. Coincidentally, that is also the day the Yankees have to decide if he is in their future plans. The catcher, coming off a horrific coronavirus pandemicshortened season, has made it a tougher call whether the Bombers will tender him a contract by Wednesday’s 8 p.m. ET deadline. Even as they have made it clear that they lost the most money in baseball during the fanless, 60-game 2020 baseball season, and managing partner Hal Steinbrenner has made it clear for over a year now he would like to get under the $209 luxury tax threshold, it is unlikely the Yankees would just non-tender Sanchez.

He is not the only Yankee who is a potential non-tender candidate. Reliever Jonathan Holder normally would not get a second look on this list, considering he was due less than $1 million last season, but if the Yankees are truly looking to tighten the financial belt his 5.86 ERA over the last two seasons may be a place to cut costs. But the Yankees take a limited risk in offering Holder or Sanchez a contract. In his second year of arbitration, Sanchez will likely get a raise on the $5 million he was supposed to get last season (prorated to $1.8 million in the plague-shortened season). Those contracts, however, are not guaranteed until spring training is complete and teams are only responsible See YANKEES B3

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Gary Sanchez of the New York Yankees reacts after striking out against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning in Game Two of the American League Division Series at PETCO Park on Oct. 6 in San Diego, California.

NFL running out of options for fitting in games amid pandemic Sam Farmer Los Angeles Times

Can an entire league be flagged for delay of game? The NFL announced Monday evening that Baltimore-Pittsburgh -- a game that was supposed to take place on Thanksgiving night -was bumped for a fourth time, to Wednesday night, a day the league hasn’t played on in eight years. NBC had to shoehorn in the game, which will kick off at 3:40 p.m. EST because of the network’s commitment to broadcasting the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. The Ravens are dealing with one of the biggest virus outbreaks of any sport, one that has sidelined at least 18 players, 10 of whom are starters, including starting quarterback Lamar Jackson and running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins. At least one Baltimore player has tested positive for nine consecutive days, prompting the NFL to cancel the team’s morning practice to make sure the inferno wasn’t still raging. “These decisions were made out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts,” the NFL said in a statement.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Kendall Hinton (2) of the Denver Broncos hands off the Melvin Gordan III (25) during the fourth quarter of a game against the New Orleans Saints at Empower Field At Mile High on Sunday in Denver, Colorado.

Last week, the Ravens disciplined a team employee for lapses that almost certainly

contributed to the outbreak. According to multiple reports, the team suspended strength and

conditioning coach Steve Saunders for failing to report coronavirus symptoms, and not consistently wearing a face covering or tracking device. With positive case numbers rising across the country, the NFL ordered all team facilities closed on Monday and Tuesday, except for teams playing on those days. The Ravens gathered for practice on both Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, but had to call off the sessions when they did not get approval from the league. Ravens players voiced concerns Monday with the NFL Players Association, pointing to mixed messages they were getting from the league -- that it wasn’t OK for them to gather or practice, but it was fine for them to fly together on a plane to Pittsburgh and play a game. That paved the way for the NFL to once again postpone the game, from Tuesday to Wednesday. The Ravens issued a statement Monday night that they had held a “safely distanced walk-through/conditioning session” at their headquarters, and plan to hold another one Tuesday. “Players arrived already prepared to work out on the field,” the team said, “and they did not enter the locker room or training room.” See NFL B3

CMYK

COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

B2 Wednesday, December 2, 2020

College basketball THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE Wednesday EAST UNC Greensboro (1-0) vs. Duquesne (0-0), at Louisville, Ky., 1 p.m. Saint Joseph’s (0-2) at Villanova (2-1), 2 p.m. La Salle (0-2) at Howard (0-3), 4 p.m. Hartford (0-1) at Fairfield (0-1), 5 p.m. VCU (2-1) at Penn St. (1-0), 5 p.m. Quinnipiac (1-0) vs. Drexel (0-1), at Uncasville, Conn., 5:30 p.m. Mars Hill (0-0) at Radford (0-2), 6 p.m. Seton Hall (0-1) at Rhode Island (1-2), 7 p.m. Delaware (0-0) at UMBC (1-1), 7 p.m. Old Dominion (1-1) at Norfolk State (2-0), 8 p.m. SOUTH Troy (1-1) at Wake Forest (2-0), 4 p.m. Eastern Kentucky (2-0) at South Carolina Upstate (0-2), 5:30 p.m. South Carolina State (0-2) at Clemson (2-0), 6 p.m. Tarleton State (1-0) at Texas A&M (0-0), 7 p.m. Presbyterian (0-0) at Jacksonville (2-0), 7 p.m. Richmond (1-0) at Charleston (1-1), 7 p.m. Southern Wesleyan (1-0) at Furman (2-0), 7 p.m. William Carey (0-0) at Southern Miss (0-1), 7 p.m. Kennesaw St. (2-0) at UAB (2-0), 7:30 p.m. Murray St. (0-0) at Middle Tennessee St. (0-2), 7:30 p.m. Hardin-Simmons (0-0) at Stephen F. Austin (00), 7:30 p.m. Dallas Christian (0-1) at McNeese St. (0-1), 7:30 p.m. Texas A&M-CC (1-1) at Texas Rio Grande Valley (1-1), 8 p.m. Arkansas St. (0-1) at Memphis (1-2), 8 p.m. North Florida (0-2) at Florida State (0-0), 8 p.m. Houston Baptist (0-1) at Southern Methodist (1-0), 8 p.m. UL Lafayette (0-1) at New Orleans (0-1), 8 p.m. Evansville (0-2) at Tenn-Martin (0-0), 8 p.m. Belmont (3-0) at Tennessee St. (0-0), 9 p.m. Illinois (3-0) vs. Baylor (1-0), at Indianapolis, 10 p.m. MIDWEST Winthrop (0-0) vs. Little Rock (1-1), at Louisville, Ky., 4 p.m. Florida (0-0) at Oklahoma (0-0), 5 p.m. Morehead St. (0-2) at Ohio St. (1-0), 5 p.m. Lipscomb (1-0) at Cincinnati (0-0), 5 p.m. Tennessee Tech (0-1) at Xavier (3-0), 7 p.m. SIU Edwardsville (1-2) at Northern Illinois (0-1), 7 p.m. Oral Roberts (1-1) at Wichita St. (0-0), 7 p.m. Western Michigan (0-1) at Notre Dame (0-1), 7 p.m. South Dakota State (1-2) at Iowa State (0-0), 7 p.m. Ball St. (0-1) at Michigan (1-0), 7 p.m. Southern Illinois (0-0) at SE Missouri St. (1-0), 7:30 p.m. Texas-Arlington (1-2) at Arkansas (2-0), 9 p.m. Dixie State (0-0) at North Dakota (0-1), 9 p.m. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-2) at Northwestern (0-0), 9 p.m. WEST Montana St. (1-0) at Pacific (1-0), 5 p.m. West Virginia (3-0) vs. Gonzaga (2-0), at Indianapolis, 7 p.m. Colorado (2-0) at Arizona (1-0), 8 p.m. Westminster (UT) (0-1) at Utah Valley (0-1), 8 p.m. Southeastern Louisiana (0-2) at California Baptist (0-1), 8 p.m. San Jose St. (0-0) at Pepperdine (1-1), 8 p.m. Incarnate Word (0-1) at Wyoming (1-0), 9 p.m. San Francisco (2-1) at Nevada (2-0), 9 p.m. Oregon St. (2-0) at Washington St. (2-0), 10 p.m. Thursday EAST Tennessee Tech (0-1) at Northern Kentucky (10), 6 p.m. Regent University (0-0) at Longwood (0-1), 6 p.m. Temple (0-0) at Villanova (2-1), 7 p.m. Hampton (0-0) at William & Mary (0-1), 7 p.m. Coppin St. (0-1) at Towson (0-3), 7 p.m. St. Francis (Pa.) (1-1) at Liberty (2-1), 7 p.m. Niagara (0-0) at Syracuse (1-0), 7 p.m. VMI (1-1) at Virginia Tech (2-0), 8 p.m. SOUTH Le Tourneau (0-0) at Rice (2-0), 3 p.m. North Carolina Central (1-1) at Wofford (2-0), 6 p.m. Columbia International (0-0) at Coastal Carolina (1-0), 6 p.m. Mercer (2-0) at Elon University (2-0), 7 p.m. St. Andrews (0-1) at Charleston Southern (0-2), 7 p.m. Florida National (0-1) at Florida Atlantic (1-2), 7 p.m. North Carolina A&T (1-2) at The Citadel (1-0), 7 p.m. UL Monroe (0-0) at Louisiana Tech (1-0), 7:30 p.m. Northwestern St. (0-2) at TCU (2-0), 8 p.m. East Texas Baptist (0-0) at Grambling State (02), 8 p.m. St. John’s (2-0) at Texas Tech (2-0), 9 p.m. Sul Ross St. (0-0) at Texas-El Paso (1-0), 9 p.m. MIDWEST Prairie View A&M (1-1) vs. Western Kentucky (21), at Louisville, KY., 6 p.m. Marshall (1-0) at Wright St. (0-0), 7 p.m. Alcorn St. (0-1) at Purdue Fort Wayne (1-0), 7 p.m. Chicago St. (0-3) at Eastern Illinois (0-2), 8 p.m. Washburn (0-0) at Kansas (1-1), 8 p.m. Nebraska Omaha (1-2) at Drake (2-0), 8 p.m. Western Illinois (0-0) at Iowa (2-0), 8 p.m. WEST Washington (0-0) at Utah (0-0), 6 p.m. Seattle (2-0) at UCLA (1-1), 8 p.m. Idaho (0-0) at Sacramento State (1-0), 8:05 p.m. Montana (0-1) at Southern Utah (1-1), 9 p.m. Arizona State (1-1) at California (1-1), 10 p.m. Texas Southern (0-2) at Saint Mary’s (2-1), 10 p.m.

Transactions FOOTBALL NCAA FOOTBALL Vanderbilt - Fired head coach Derek Mason. Vanderbilt - Promoted offensive coordinator Todd Fitch to interim head coach. BASKETBALL NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCATION Charlotte Hornets - Acquired SF Gordon Hayward, a 2023 second-round draft pick, and a 2024 second-round draft pick from the Boston Celtics for a conditional 2022 second-round draft pick, signed him to a four-year, $120 million contract. Waived SG Nicolas Batum and PF Ray Spalding. Milwaukee Bucks - Signed PG D.J. Augustin to a three-year, $21 million contract. Phoenix Suns - Signed SG E’Twaun Moore to a one-year, $2.33 million contract. San Antonio Spurs - Signed SF Keita Bates-Diop to a two-way contract.

Pro football NFL American Football Conference East W L T Pct PF Buffalo 8 3 0 .727 299 Miami 7 4 0 .636 284 New England 5 6 0 .455 229 N.Y. Jets 0 11 0 .000 152 South W L T Pct PF Tennessee 8 3 0 .727 324 Indianapolis 7 4 0 .636 302 Houston 4 7 0 .364 268 Jacksonville 1 10 0 .091 227 North W L T Pct PF Pittsburgh 10 0 0 1.000 298 Cleveland 8 3 0 .727 265 Baltimore 6 4 0 .600 268 Cincinnati 2 8 1 .227 230 West W L T Pct PF Kansas City 10 1 0 .909 348 Las Vegas 6 5 0 .545 292 Denver 4 7 0 .364 209 L.A. Chargers 3 8 0 .273 277 National Football Conference East W L T Pct PF Washington 4 7 0 .364 241 N.Y. Giants 4 7 0 .364 214 Philadelphia 3 7 1 .318 237 Dallas 3 8 0 .273 251 South W L T Pct PF New Orleans 9 2 0 .818 326 Tampa Bay 7 5 0 .583 344 Atlanta 4 7 0 .364 295 Carolina 4 8 0 .333 280 North W L T Pct PF Green Bay 8 3 0 .727 349 Minnesota 5 6 0 .455 292 Chicago 5 6 0 .455 216 Detroit 4 7 0 .364 252 West W L T Pct PF Seattle 8 3 0 .727 341 L.A. Rams 7 4 0 .636 263 Arizona 6 5 0 .545 304 San Francisco 5 6 0 .455 261 Week 12 Thursday, Nov. 26 Houston 41, Detroit 25 Washington 41, Dallas 16

PA 282 205 255 322 PA 285 253 297 325 PA 174 286 195 289 PA 238 319 298 300 PA 243 253 277 359 PA 225 280 281 300 PA 283 305 250 328 PA 304 215 258 254

Sunday’s games New England 20, Arizona 17 Tennessee 45, Indianapolis 26 N.Y. Giants 19, Cincinnati 17 Buffalo 27, L.A. Chargers 17 Atlanta 43, Las Vegas 6 Cleveland 27, Jacksonville 25 Miami 20, N.Y. Jets 3 Minnesota 28, Carolina 27 New Orleans 31, Denver 3 San Francisco 23, L.A. Rams 20 Kansas City 27, Tampa Bay 24 Green Bay 41, Chicago 25 Monday’s game Seattle 23, Philadelphia 17 Wednesday’s game Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 3:40 p.m. Week 13 Sunday, Dec. 6 New Orleans at Atlanta, 1 p.m. Cleveland at Tennessee, 1 p.m. Las Vegas at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Cincinnati at Miami, 1 p.m. Detroit at Chicago, 1 p.m. Indianapolis at Houston, 1 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Seattle, 4:05 p.m. L.A. Rams at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. New England at L.A. Chargers, 4:25 p.m. Philadelphia at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m. Denver at Kansas City, 8:20 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7 Washington at Pittsburgh, 5 p.m. Buffalo vs San Francisco, at Glendale, Ariz., 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8 Dallas at Baltimore, 8:05 p.m.

Seahawks 23, Eagles 17 Seattle Philadelphia

0 14 3 6 — 23 0 6 3 8 — 17

Second Quarter SEA—Dv.Moore 1 yard pass from R.Wilson (Myers kick), 10:56. SEA—Carson 16 yard rush (Myers kick), 5:27. PHI—Goedert 3 yard pass from Wentz (Kick failed), 0:12. Third Quarter PHI—Jk.Elliott 42 yard field goal, 7:33. SEA—Myers 44 yard field goal, 2:06. Fourth Quarter SEA—Myers 33 yard field goal, 11:08. SEA—Myers 39 yard field goal, 1:13. PHI—R.Rodgers 33 yard pass from Wentz (M.Sanders rush), 0:12. TEAM STATISTICS SEA PHI First Downs 20 18 Total Net Yards 301 250 Rushes-Yds 30-76 14-70 Passing 225 180 Sacked-Yds Lost 2-5 6-41 Comp-Att-Int 22-31-0 26-46-1 Punts 3-52.0 5-49.0 Punt Returns 4-27 2-19 Kickoff Returns 1-21 4-95 Interceptions Ret. 1-0 0-0 Penalties-Yards 8-83 9-79 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Time of Possession 32:57 27:03 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-SEA, Carson 8-41, C.Hyde 15-22, R.Wilson 6-12, Dv.Moore 1-1. PHI, Wentz 5-42, M.Sanders 6-15, B.Scott 2-7, Clement 1-6. PASSING-SEA, R.Wilson 22-31-0-230. PHI, Wentz 25-45-1-215, Hurts 1-1-0-6. RECEIVING-SEA, Metcalf 10-177, Lockett 3-23, Dv.Moore 3-(minus 6), Carson 2-18, Hollister 2-11, C.Hyde 2-7. PHI, Goedert 7-75, B.Scott 5-40, R.Rodgers 3-53, Reagor 3-11, Fulgham 2-16, Jeffery 2-15, M.Sanders 2-7, G.Ward 1-3, J.Hightower 1-1. MISSED FIELD GOALS-SEA, None. PHI, None

College football USA TODAY COACHES POLL Record Pts Prv 1. Alabama (59) 8-0 1,547 1 2. Notre Dame (2) 9-0 1,479 2 3. Clemson (0) 8-1 1,391 4 4. Ohio State (1) 4-0 1,382 3 5. Florida (0) 7-1 1,255 5 6. Texas A&M (0) 6-1 1,254 6 7. Cincinnati (0) 8-0 1,177 7 8. BYU (0) 9-0 1,073 8 9. Miami (0) 7-1 1,026 9 10. Georgia (0) 6-2 972 10 11. Indiana (0) 5-1 934 12 12. Iowa State (0) 7-2 855 15 13. Oklahoma (0) 6-2 816 14 14. Coastal Carolina (0) 9-0 625 17 15. Marshall (0) 7-0 615 16 16. USC (0) 3-0 581 18 17. Northwestern (0) 5-1 535 13 18. Oklahoma State (0) 6-2 469 22 19. Wisconsin (0) 2-1 459 20 20. Oregon (0) 3-1 343 11 21. UL Lafayette (0) 8-1 293 24 22. Tulsa (0) 5-1 228 25 23. Washington (0) 3-0 186 NR 24. Iowa (0) 4-2 125 NR 25. Liberty (0) 9-1 87 NR Others receiving votes: Auburn 75, North Carolina 68, Missouri 43, NC State 40, Texas 40, Appalachian State 33, Buffalo 29, Colorado 27, San Jose State 19, Memphis 17, Boise State 15, Nevada 14, Boston College 10, Army 6, Mississippi 3, West Virginia 2, Central Florida 1, Florida Atlantic 1.

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE Thursday’s games SOUTH Louisiana Tech at North Texas, 6 p.m. WEST Air Force at Utah State, 9:30 p.m. Friday’s games SOUTH UL Lafayette at Appalachian State, 7 p.m. WEST Boise State at UNLV, 9:30 p.m. Saturday’s games EAST Penn State at Rutgers, Noon Florida International at Charlotte, Noon Rice at Marshall, Noon Boston College at Virginia, 3:30 p.m. Tulsa at Navy, 3:30 p.m. Clemson at Virginia Tech, 7:30 p.m. SOUTH Oklahoma State at Texas Christian, Noon Texas A&M at Auburn, Noon Missouri at Mississippi State, Noon Kansas at Texas Tech, Noon Memphis at Tulane, Noon Western Carolina at North Carolina, Noon Liberty at Coastal Carolina, 2 p.m. Troy at South Alabama, 2 p.m. Florida at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. Vanderbilt at Georgia, 4 p.m. Georgia Tech at NC State, 4 p.m. Florida Atlantic at Georgia Southern, 6 p.m. Alabama at Louisiana State, 8 p.m. Miami at Duke, 8 p.m. Houston at Southern Methodist, 9 p.m. MIDWEST Texas at Kansas State, Noon Nebraska at Purdue, Noon Ohio State at Michigan State, Noon Toledo at Northern Illinois, Noon Kent State at Miami (Ohio), Noon Arkansas at Missouri, Noon Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan, 2 p.m. Bowling Green at Akron, 2 p.m. Syracuse at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m. UL Monroe at Arkansas St., 3 p.m. Iowa at Illinois, 3:30 p.m. West Virginia at Iowa State, 3:30 p.m. Indiana at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. Maryland at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Buffalo at Ohio, 3:30 p.m. Ball State at Central Michigan, 5:30 p.m. South Carolina at Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. Baylor at Oklahoma, 8 p.m. WEST Stanford at Washington, 4 p.m. Hawaii at San Jose State, 4 p.m. Colorado State at San Diego State, 7 p.m. Oregon at California, 7 p.m. Colorado at Arizona, 7 p.m. UCLA at Arizona State, 10:30 p.m. Fresno State at Nevada, 10:30 p.m. Wyoming at New Mexico, 10:30 p.m. Oregon State at Utah, 10:30 p.m. Sunday’s games SOUTH UAB at Middle Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. WEST Washington State at USC, 7 p.m.

College hockey NCAA COACHES POLL Record Pts Prv 1. North Dakota (15) 0-0-0 490 1 2. Boston College (16) 2-0-0 488 2 3. Minnesota-Duluth (2) 0-0-0 426 4 4. Denver (0) 0-0-0 382 6 5. Minnesota (1) 4-0-0 359 7 6. Minnesota State (0) 1-0-0 348 5 7. Michigan (0) 4-2-0 272 3 8. Clarkson (0) 2-1-0 181 9 9. Massachusetts (0) 1-2-1 182 8 10. Mass.-Lowell (0) 0-0-0 176 12 11. Quinnipiac (0) 0-0-0 169 11 12. Providence (0) 0-0-0 123 13 13. Notre Dame (0) 2-2-0 96 NR 14. Ohio State (0) 1-3-0 92 10 15. Northeastern (0) 0-0-0 72 NR Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 54, Bowling Green 35, Western Michigan 34.

Texans’ Fuller, Roby announce six-game suspensions Field Level Media

Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller V and cornerback Bradley Roby have been suspended for six games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Both players took to social media to announce their suspensions. “I apologize to my family, my teammates, the Houston Texans organization and the fans,” Roby said in a post to Twitter. “A few months ago I unknowingly used a product that was contaminated with a banned substance by the NFL.” Fuller announced his suspension earlier Monday in a post on his Instagram account. He, too, apologized to the Texans organization and its fans. “Earlier this year, I sought treatment from a medical professional who prescribed medication that he believed to be permitted under the NFL’s drug policy,” Fuller wrote. “As it turns out, my trust in this professional was misplaced because this medication was NOT a permitted substance under the NFL Policy on Performance Enhancing Substances. “As a result of this mistake, I have been suspended for six games for taking this prohibited medication. I want to sincerely

Tim Fuller/USA TODAY

Detroit Lions strong safety Duron Harmon (26) tackles Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller (15) during the third quarter at Ford Field on Thursday.

apologize to the Texans organization and all of my fans for this mistake. I am looking forward to putting this all behind me and returning better than ever in 2021.” Fuller, 26, had posted career highs in receptions (53), receiving yards (879) and touchdowns (eight) through 11 games this season. He is in his fifth year with

the Texans, who drafted him in the first round (No. 21 overall) in 2016 out of Notre Dame. The suspensions include the last five games of this season as well as the first game of the 2021 season for Roby and Fuller, a pending free agent. Minus Fuller, the Texans could turn to Brandin Cooks as their top receiving option. He

has 52 catches for 719 yards and three touchdowns. Roby started every game this season, racking up 37 tackles and an interception. He has started all 20 games for the Texans since joining Houston last season. He has 10 career INTs for the Texans and Denver Broncos, who drafted Roby in the first round of the 2014 draft.

Ranking the best NFL coaching jobs that could be available this offseason John Clayton The Washington Post

With five weeks remaining in the regular season, NFL owners are starting to make changes. The Detroit Lions fired coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn on Saturday, two days after an embarrassing Thanksgiving loss to the Houston Texans. Following Jacksonville’s loss to Cleveland on Sunday, the Jaguars fired GM Dave Caldwell. Coming into the season, there was a thought around the NFL that there could be several coaching changes - in part because of the fact that, after most seasons with relatively mild coaching turnover, there is more the following year. After last offseason produced just five new coaches, there could be as many as eight following the conclusion of the 2020 campaign. There could be even more turnover in the GM ranks. In addition to Detroit, the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons have already fired their coaches. The seats are hot in Jacksonville, Denver, Chicago and for the head coaches of the New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers. That’s eight possible openings - and each year, there is usually a surprise. We’ll stay away from guessing potential surprise firings and instead rank the quality of the eight actual or possible openings from the perspective of potential coaching candidates. Los Angeles Chargers: This team’s inability to hold on to big leads and close out tight games has Anthony Lynn in a tough spot. The Chargers are so much better than their 3-8 record. They have the league’s 12thranked defense, with impact players such as Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Casey Hayward and Chris Harris. Young star Derwin James will be back next year. Most of their top players are under contract. What makes this job arguably the best that could become available is that the Chargers have a really good young quarterback. Rookie Justin Herbert is the real deal. He puts up 300-yard passing games just about every week. He’s completing 66.9 percent of his passes and has 23 touchdowns vs. seven interceptions. He’s the leading candidate to be the rookie of the year. The easiest way to design a winning team is to have a top quarterback on his rookie contract and build around him. Herbert has three more years on his rookie deal. The Chargers have more than $26 million of salary cap room next year. There’s a lot to like here. Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio might have a hard time keeping his job if the Broncos lose 10 games. They are 4-7 and have a tough closing schedule that includes Kansas City, Buffalo and Las Vegas. Fangio has done his job on defense. The Broncos have a top-10 unit even without star pass rusher Von Miller, who should be back next year. The offense is another attractive part of this job. Drew Lock is still trying to prove he’s a franchise quarterback, but the offensive line is solid and Denver

has a talented, young receiving corps. The Broncos also have a lot of salary cap flexibility. Atlanta Falcons: The first team to make a move, the Falcons have been studying possibilities since firing coach Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff. After an 0-5 start, the Falcons have put together a 4-2 stretch, giving interim coach Raheem Morris a chance to keep the job. What is attractive about the Atlanta job is the foundation of quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones. The defense ranks 27th and needs a lot of work, but the Falcons have some young talent on that side of the ball and an owner in Arthur Blank who is willing to do what is necessary to win. The only shaky part of this job is the salary cap. The Falcons are $20 million over the cap, and there isn’t a lot of wiggle room among the players under long-term contracts. Chicago Bears: Coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace might be able to survive, but a five-game losing streak that has dropped the Bears to 5-6 has made things tense. There is a lot to like about the Bears’ talented defense, which isn’t at risk of losing starters to free agency. But of course there is the concern at quarterback. The trade up to draft Mitchell Trubisky clearly hasn’t worked. The trade for Nick Foles didn’t do the trick, either. So a new regime’s top task would be figuring out the quarterback situation and fixing one of the league’s worst offenses. Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson is a quarterback any coach and general manager would love to have. He’s arguably one of the six best QBs in the game. Unfortunately, the mistakes made by Bill O’Brien in constructing Houston’s roster could take a couple of years to fix. The Texans are $20 million over the salary cap because O’Brien spent $44 million per year on four wide receivers while also having a $22 million left tackle, an $11 million center and a $13 million running back. Even worse, he traded away a lot of draft choices. The Texans don’t have a first- or second-round pick next year. With Watson making $39 million per year, there isn’t much room to add free agents. The defense needs to be rebuilt. Franchise cornerstone J.J. Watt could be a cap casualty. Whoever gets this job has to be prepared to lose more than he wins for the first couple of years. Detroit Lions: Ownership really needs to get this right after having fired Jim Caldwell after two 9-7 seasons in favor of Patricia, who won 13 games over his two-plus seasons. Over the past few years, the Lions have lost more talented players than they’ve acquired, and many around the league are wondering whether a new regime would try to move on from quarterback Matthew Stafford. Wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. are free agents. The defense is among the worst in football. There is a lot of work to be done here. Jacksonville Jaguars: There aren’t many

positive boxes to check with the Jaguars. They have had nine losing seasons over the past 10 years. What has happened to them since playing in the AFC championship game after the 2017 season has been terrible, including a total deterioration of what had been the league’s best defense. Basically, the Jaguars are going to have to build from scratch. They’ll probably draft a quarterback rather than stay with Gardner Minshew. The good news is that the Jaguars have more than $60 million of salary cap room. They also have 11 draft choices, including two in the first round and two in the second. New York Jets: With apologies to the Jaguars, this is what building from scratch looks like. The Jets have one player on their 53-man roster who has been to the Pro Bowl: 37-year old running back Frank Gore. They are weak at cornerback and wide receiver. Their attempted fixes on the offensive line mostly haven’t worked out, with the notable exception of first-round left tackle Mekhi Becton. They’ll have to figure out what to do with 2018 No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold, who has not proved himself to be the team’s franchise quarterback. It’s unlikely they could get a big trade haul for him. There is some good news: They are in prime position to land Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the draft. They have nine draft choices, including two firstrounders, plus $67 million in salary cap room. So the resources to rebuild are there - it just might take a while. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot to sort out during their bye week. Most notably, Tom Brady is not getting things done downfield. He came into Sunday’s loss to Kansas City 0 for 17 on passes attempted 20 or more yards downfield. He has thrown seven interceptions in the past four games. Brady likes short, quick passes. Coach Bruce Arians likes longer, vertical throws. They need to get on the same page. Baker Mayfield made some bad throws Sunday, but give Coach Kevin Stefanski credit for making the Cleveland Browns’ offense work. He stresses running the football, and Cleveland leads the league in rushing at 161.4 yards per game. It makes life easier for Mayfield, who has had bouts of inaccuracy, and the Browns are 8-3. Defenses are figuring out that the best way to slow Kyler Murray is to blitz. The Seattle Seahawks did it. So did the New England Patriots. Murray is still good enough to complete plenty of passes, but his yards per attempt dropped to 6.4 against the Seahawks and 5 against the Patriots. The Arizona Cardinals fell to 6-5 with Sunday’s loss at New England. Don’t read too much into the Indianapolis Colts’ blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis was without several key players, including running back Jonathan Taylor, center Ryan Kelly, left tackle Anthony Castonzo and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. Without Buckner in the middle, the Colts had no chance to stop running back Derrick Henry.

CMYK

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 B3

COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

Seahawks down Eagles behind Metcalf’s big game Field Level Media

Eric Hartline/USA TODAY

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday night.

DK Metcalf made 10 catches for 177 yards and recovered a late onside kick as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the host Philadelphia Eagles 23-17 on Monday night. The Seahawks (8-3) moved a game ahead of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West, while the Eagles (3-7-1) dropped into third in the NFC East after entering the weekend with the division lead. Seattle’s Russell Wilson completed 22 of 31 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, a 1-yarder to David Moore. That score was set up by a 52-yard completion to Metcalf on third-and-13 from the Seahawks’ own 47-yard line. Chris Carson rushed for a TD after missing four straight games with a foot injury, and Jason Myers added three field goals. The Eagles’ Carson Wentz was 25 of 45 for 215 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and he rushed for a game-high 42 yards. Wentz completed a tipped Hail Mary pass to Richard Rodgers from 33 yards out with 12 seconds left, but Metcalf fell on the ensuing onside kick. Wentz’s interception came with 8:40 remaining. Trailing 20-9, Eagles coach Doug Pederson decided to go for it on fourth-and-4

at Seattle’s 15-yard line. Wentz tried to find tight end Dallas Goedert, but the pass sailed high and wide and was picked off by Seattle’s Quandre Diggs in the end zone. The Seahawks led 14-6 at the half, and it probably should have been a larger margin. Seattle turned the ball over on downs in Eagles territory on each of its first two possessions, including on fourth-and-goal the first time it had the ball. The Seahawks built a 14-0 lead – on the TD catch by Moore and a bruising 16-yard run by Carson – before the Eagles even made a first down. Philadelphia went three-and-out on its first five possessions against the Seahawks’ league-worst defense, gaining a total of four yards. The Eagles finally got their offense on track on their final drive of the half, moving 75 yards in 15 plays and capped by Wentz’s 3-yard TD pass to Goedert with 12 seconds left. The teams traded field goals in the third quarter – a 42-yarder by Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott and a 44-yarder by Myers. Myers added 33- and 39-yard field goals in the fourth.

Washington has the inside track on the NFC East crown Neil Greenberg The Washington Post

The NFC East is still the worst division in football this season yet one of its teams will earn a postseason berth, with home-field advantage, nonetheless. And with five weeks remaining in the season, it looks like the Washington Football Team is the best of the worst. Washington shoved Dallas into the division’s basement on Thanksgiving after throttling the Cowboys 4116 on the road at AT&T Stadium. The loss pushed the Cowboys’ odds to win the division from 5-to-2, the second choice, to 7-to-1, the fourth. The Football Team moved up from 9-to-2 to 2-to-1. However, they don’t have smooth sailing to a divisional title. Washington has tough games remaining against the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, but an opportunity to add some wins against

NFL From B1

With different types of coronavirus-related situations affecting NFL teams on both coasts, the league is trying to chart a path forward by keeping the schedule somewhat intact. Through the first 11-plus weeks of the season, there have been postponements but no cancellations. The biggest test has come in Week 12, not only with the pushing back of Ravens versus the undefeated Steelers, but also with a coronavirus

Durant From B1

is the new-look competitive landscape in the Eastern Conference. He returns as easily the East’s most accomplished player, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry and James Harden all out West. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is the two-time reigning MVP, but he has yet to prove his game translates to the playoffs as well as Durant’s did for Oklahoma City and Golden State. If every player in the East was fully healthy, Durant

Yankees From B1

for a percentage of the contact if the player is released during spring training. Still, with team owners claiming devastating financial losses from 2020 with no revenue from the sale of tickets, most in the industry believe that Wednesday’s deadline will have some bigger names on the list of players released -- and becoming free agents -as cost-cutting measures. But, Sanchez’s name is not

the Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and perhaps the San Francisco 49ers, who are forced to play at State Farm Stadium in Arizona after Santa Clara County, home of the 49ers and Levi’s Stadium, prohibited NFL games under its new coronavirus restrictions. The Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Seahawks on Monday Night Football, their third loss in a row, diminishing their hopes for back-to-back division titles. New York is playing the most consistent football in the NFC East (three-game winning streak) but were handed a significant setback once starting quarterback Daniel Jones went out with a hamstring injury in the second half of the team’s 19-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. If not for the injury to Jones, the Giants would have been the front runner, but Colt McCoy is a downgrade at the position. McCoy has three starts over the past five years, completing 65 of

102 passes for 653 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 78.6. Jones results this year weren’t much better (78.7 passer rating) but he was the 12th best passer of 2020 per the game charters at Pro Football Focus, who subjectively grade the plays of each player in the NFL. In other words, Jones performance was sound despite the lack of results. During McCoy’s three games of 2018 he was rated as the 32nd best passer among 36 qualified players at the position by Pro Football Focus. He was ranked 28th out of 31 passers for the week in his only start of 2019. Washington is also helped by New York’s remaining schedule. The Giants have the toughest schedule of the group and the fifth-toughest overall, per the combined winning percentage for all their opponents (.574). Philadelphia (.545) and Washington (.555) have comparable schedules. Dallas

has the fourth-easiest slate of remaining games (.389), however there might not be enough time for the Cowboys to claw their way back into the playoff picture. With five games left in the NFC East, nothing is certain except one of these teams will be crowned the division winner with as few as four victories on their ledger. It’s unlikely all teams go winless for the remainder of the regular season, however. Based on 1,000 simulations of the season that take into account a team’s actual record plus its expected record based on points scored and allowed, Washington has a 43% chance to win the NFC East this year, most likely with a 6-10 record. Then it is a dead heat between Philadelphia and New York followed by Dallas. No other division has this much uncertainty. The Green Bay Packers are minus-10,000 on the money line

to win the NFC North, meaning you have to wager $10,000 to win $100. The same is true for the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs. The only other division with the eventual divisional leader in doubt is the NFC West, where the Seahawks (minus-167) are slight favorites over the Rams (plus-175). The price of a playoff spot could be high for the NFC East team making the postseason. Non-playoff teams get picks No. 1 to No. 18 with the team earning the worst record picking first overall. Teams eliminated in the wildcard round get picks No. 19 to No. 24, again in ascending order of the worst record. Assuming the woeful NFC East participant is just fodder for the No. 5 seed (which, heading into Week 13, is the Los Angeles Rams) then it stands to reason the chance to win the division equates to the team’s chances of picking 19th in the upcoming draft.

crackdown in Santa Clara County, California, which prohibits the San Francisco 49ers -- and anyone else involved in contact sports -- from practicing or playing host to games for three weeks. So the 49ers are headed to Arizona, where they will share State Farm Stadium with the NFC West-rival Cardinals. Where the 49ers will practice is still up in the air, but their home county’s new regulations prohibit them commuting from the San Francisco Bay Area. Anyone who has traveled more than 150 miles from Santa Clara County is required to quarantine for 14 days upon return.

Paradoxically, the 49ers will be relocating to a county that over the last week has had more than twice as many reported coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents as the county they’re leaving -- from Santa Clara (172.3) to Maricopa (357.3). In consecutive weeks, the 49ers will play Buffalo and Washington on the home field of the Cardinals. But at this point, at least those games are on track to be played. Ravens-Steelers is like a discarded mattress on the freeway, getting knocked around and starting to cause a traffic jam. By taking the extreme step

of moving that game to a Wednesday -- something the NFL hasn’t done since 2012 when the kickoff opener conflicted with the Democratic National Convention -- the league has to deal with a massive ripple effect. Dallas-Baltimore, originally scheduled as this week’s Thursday night game, already had been moved to Monday night, because the Ravens can’t play two games in rapidfire succession. The NFL also moved Washington at Pittsburgh, originally scheduled for Sunday, to Monday night, when it will be the early game before BuffaloSan Francisco.

Any further postponements of Ravens-Steelers, the game that started this mess, would require more down-the-line postponements, which would impact not only Week 13 but also Week 14. With multiple teams playing on short weeks, the NFL runs a serious risk of increased injuries and a diminished product. For evidence, look no further than the game between New Orleans and Denver on Sunday, when the Broncos had to start a practice-squad receiver at quarterback because none of their four quarterbacks were available. One tested positive for the virus,

and the other three didn’t follow protocols in terms of face coverings and social distancing, and therefore were at heightened risk. The game was a debacle, an embarrassment for both the Broncos and the NFL, with Denver finishing with more interceptions (two) than completions (one) in a 31-3 defeat. “That was the craziest game I’ve ever been a part of,” Broncos tackle Garett Bolles said Monday. “It’s a game that I’ll tell my grandkids (about) one day and say, ‘Hey, I played a game with no quarterback. We had to get a quarterback off the practice squad.’”

would be the first selection in a draft of impact postseason players, topping Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Miami’s Jimmy Butler. None of those players has won a title and only Butler has reached the Finals, while Durant is a two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP who has made four Finals appearances. Brooklyn deserves credit for clarifying its positioning around Durant too. Kenny Atkinson, a development-minded taskmaster hired to guide a rebuild, was never going to be the right personality to lead Durant and Kyrie Irving on a title push. Steve Nash will face an inordinate number

of questions and doubts as a coaching rookie, but he qualifies as a clear upgrade over Atkinson when it comes to the job’s most important task: meshing with his two stars. Quietly, the Nets have assembled one of the East’s best starting lineups and bench rotations on paper, and they could be a high-powered and entertaining scoring machine if things fall into place. Brooklyn has shooting, playmaking, depth at every position and enough size to buy minutes against bigger front lines. The Nets re-signed Joe Harris, their top free agent, and acquired guards Landry Shamet and Bruce Brown in trades. If Brooklyn doesn’t consummate a blockbuster deal for

Harden, a dream scenario that was rumored in recent weeks, it will retain a number of younger pieces - Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen - to use as trade deadline chips. Survey the rest of the East’s contenders, and Brooklyn looks like an offseason winner by proxy too. Milwaukee acquired Jrue Holiday, but it bungled its attempt to land Bogdan Bogdanovic and settled for an underwhelming cast of fill-ins. Boston lost Gordon Hayward. Toronto lost Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka. Miami and Indiana essentially stood pat. Philadelphia reversed course and broke up its massive front line, giving Brooklyn a cleaner

stylistic matchup. No other major threats emerged, and no superstars moved from the West to the East. Aside from completing the Harden trade, Durant and the Nets couldn’t have asked for a better offseason. To be clear, the Nets face their own questions, most of which trace back to Durant’s decision to partner with the mercurial Irving. Can both stars return to form and remain healthy? Will they more effectively bond with their holdover teammates than, say, Leonard and Paul George did on last year’s Clippers? Will Irving’s talk about shaking up the roster last season be forgiven and forgotten by players who will see their roles

marginalized this year? Can Nash oversee a playoff-ready defense, and will Irving display improved discipline on that end? As Durant gears up in earnest, it’s worth noting that a healthy return to all-NBA form could go a long way to providing answers to most of Brooklyn’s questions. The Nets shouldn’t be burdened with major expectations or cast as contenders until No. 7 is back swishing three-pointers off the dribble, uncorking gorgeous turnarounds and moving freely around the court. But start preparing now, as Durant’s return will be one of the NBA’s top stories over the next two months. He’s a forgotten man no longer.

expected to be on that list. Yes, Sanchez had a horrible season and the Yankees certainly left the door open to speculation. “We’ll evaluate that particular position because we’ll be forced to now as we move forward,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said last month in his end-of-season press conference. He went on to explain the team would have meetings to dissect the season and discuss players. “But, ultimately that will be a subject that we have to discuss as well and it could very well be a change. “It could very well be a competition.”

That’s quite a fall from when Cashman nicknamed Sanchez “The Kraken,” after his breakout season in 2016 when he hit 20 homers in 53 games. In 2020, Sanchez’s slide accelerated quickly when new ace Gerrit Cole made it clear his preference was to pitch to Kyle Higashioka. Sanchez then earned a seat on the bench in the playoffs with his struggles at the plate. Sanchez, who had started 27 straight playoff games for the Bombers, played in just three of seven postseason games in 2020. And the fact that there were limited chances last season may well be the crux of the

argument of why the Yankees should give Sanchez, who is scheduled to play in the Dominican Republic winter league in December, another chance. “Sixty games is not a lot to make that decision on,” one American League scout said. “It doesn’t sound like they are going to go out and sign a replacement. Their priority is DJ LeMahieu obviously. I think it makes more sense for them to give him the small raise due in arbitration and see where he is in the spring.” The Yankees have been waiting to see Sanchez put it together for years now.

After restructuring their coaching staff to bring in Twins catching guru Tanner Swanson with the idea he would make Sanchez into a better receiver, the Yankees saw little improvement in Sanchez’s defense. Yankees pitchers had a 4.53 ERA in the 41 games last season with Sanchez behind the plate, compared to a 3.79 in 14 games with Higashioka. But Sanchez’s defense was never the reason he was in the lineup, it was the power in his bat that was going to give him opportunities. The problem is, Sanchez’s bat, which has been

inconsistent in the past, was just awful in 2020. He slashed .147/.253/.365 with 64 strikeouts in 156 at-bats. Still, Yankees manager Aaron Boone seemed to tip the team’s hand last week when asked about Sanchez on the YES Network. “We understand that Gary is a major talent, and while he struggled in certain areas, he’s also made amazing strides in certain areas,” Boone said. “Like with all our players, it’s important that we continue to develop (Sanchez) to be the player that so many of us believe he can be.”

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COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

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COLUMBIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION NOTICE OF MEETING Please

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will be a meeting of CITY OF HUDSON, there the Columbia Economic DeNEW YORK velopment Corporation

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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Board of the City of Hudson, New York will conduct public hearings on December 8, 2020 at 6 p.m. on a Site Plan from Enginuity Design 41-43 N. 7th Street (Tax ID #110.53-2-20) for phase 2, exterior project plans; and from 620 Union Street (Tax ID #110.53-3-51) a revised site plan application from 620 Hudson House LLC. Public Hearings shall be conducted via video/tele-conference and so there will be no physical meeting location in order to ensure the health, safety and welfare of City of Hudson residents. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/88698024789?pw d=dWdNY1RsWCs0bE pvSHZ0VU0xSUNWUT09 Meeting ID: 886 9802 4789 Passcode: Plan2Meet1 Dial by your location 1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 838 9950 7459 P a s s c o d e : 4201491351 The YouTube channel is Hudson City Zoom Meetings. The Meeting is being held in accordance with the New York State Public Officers Law and Executive Order 202.1 ("EO 202.1") issued on March 12, 2020 and Executive Order 202.15 issued on April 9, 2020, by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, which suspended Article 7 of the Public Officers Law, to the extent necessary to permit any public body to meet and take such actions authorized by the law without permitting in public in-person access to meetings and authorizing such meetings and public hearings to be held remotely by conference call, video conference or similar service. Public comment shall be permitted and all persons participating shall be entitled to be heard. Notice is hereby given that a license (Pending) for beer, wine and hard cider has been applied for by Carolyn Palmieri for Hudson Roastery to sell beer, wine and hard cider at retail in a store under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 4 Park Place, City of Hudson, Colombia County, NY 12534 for on premises consumption.

Audit and Finance Committee held on December 8, 2020 at 8:30am, for the purpose of discussing any matters that may be presented to the Committee for consideration. Due to public health and safety concerns related to COVID-19, the meeting will not take place in-person. In accordance with the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Order 202.1, meeting will be held via Zoom. The public will have an opportunity to hear the meeting live and provide comments. Comments can also be provided via email before and during the meeting to mtucker@columbiaedc.com. Please check the meeting Agenda posted on the CEDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website Yrww.coIumbiaedc.com for further instructions to access the virtual meeting and for updated information. Dated: December 1, 2020 Sarah Sterling Secretary Columbia Economic Development Corporation

Hudson Housing Authority Regular Board Meeting The Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners will hold its regular Board meeting on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 6:00pm. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the HHA Board meeting will be held remotely through Zoom Meeting. The public will have access to the Zoom link at w w w. h u d s o n h o u s i n gauthority.com or City of Hudson webpage. All prior meeting minutes are available on the Authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s webpage too. Anyone with questions regarding the meetings can call the main office at 518828-5415. Persons with special needs relating to handicapped, hearing or vision impairment or foreign language shall contact the Hudson Housing Authority Office at (518) 828-5415 prior to the date above.

Please Recycle This Newspaper Hyland Renovations LLC filed w/ SSNY 10/7/20. Off. in Greene Co. SSNY desig. as agt. of LLC whom process may be served & shall mail process to the LLC, 4 Laurel Ln, Levittown, NY 11756. Any lawful purpose. NOTICE is hereby given that an order signed by the Supreme Court, Greene County, 1st day of October, 2020, bearing Index Number 20-526, a copy of which may be examined at the office of the clerk, located at 411 Main Street, Catskill, New York, grants me the right to assume the name Katlyn Elizabeth Irwin. My present address Coxsackie, NY; the month and year of my birth are January 1984; the place of my birth is Albany, NY; my present name is Katlyn Elizabeth Lore.

COLUMBIA - INDEX NO.: E012019015236â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS. Plaintiff designates COLUMBIA COUNTY as the place of trial based upon the location of the premises herein described having tax map Section 154., Block 1, Lot 42 (PART OF), TAGHKANIC, NY, County of COLUMBIA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, PLAINTIFF, -againstMICHAEL VITO TRAMO, if living, and if he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-atlaw, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through, or under them and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff, MARC CIRILLO, if living, and if he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through, or under them and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, â&#x20AC;&#x153;JOHN DOE #1â&#x20AC;? through â&#x20AC;&#x153;JOHN DOE #12,â&#x20AC;? the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, DEFENDANTS. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff's Attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this Summons and Complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered against you and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: Syosset, New York, November 19, 2020. Roach & Lin, P.C., attorney for Plaintiff, 6901 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 240, Syosset, NY 11791. Tel: 516-938-3100. To the above named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Jonathan D. Nichols, a Justice of the Supreme Court, State of New York, dated November 16, 2020 and filed with the COLUMBIA County Clerk together with the supporting papers thereon. This is an action to foreclose a mortgage held by Plaintiff on the premises known as Section 154., Block 1, Lot 42 (PART OF), TAGHKANIC, NY, County of COLUMBIA as described in the complaint on file and commonly known as (NO#) MANOR ROCK ROAD A/K/A 138 CRARYVILLE ROAD, TAGHKANIC, NY 12521. 69256

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF

PIZZA TAKEOUT Sacred Heart- Mt Carmel Shrine (Bake at home also available) Friday,Dec 4, 2020 Call in orders 12pm-6pm - 518-828-8775 $10.00 each / Extra toppings @ $1.00 each Order Pickups 3:30-6:30pm 442 Fairview Ave- Greenport (RTE 9 between entrances Lowes/Walmart)

FIRST: The name of the Limited Liability Company is ZAMINA, LLC (hereinafter referred to as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Companyâ&#x20AC;?) SECOND: The Articles of Organization of the Company were filed with the Secretary of State on November 5, 2020. THIRD: The County within the State of New York in which the office of the Company is located is Columbia. FOURTH: The Secretary of State has been designated as agent upon whom process against the Company may be served. The post office address to which the Secretary of State shall mail process is 44 Lispenard Street, Apt. PH, New York, NY 10013. FIFTH: The Company is organized for all lawful purposes, and to do any and all things necessary, convenient, or incidental to that purpose. Dated: November 13, 2020 FREEMAN HOWARD, P.C. 441 East Allen Street P.O. Box 1328 Hudson, New York 12534 Notice of Formation of Catskill High Street LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 10/13/20. Office location: Columbia County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 187 E.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Title 5, Chapter 3, Subchapter 3 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York, a public hearing will be held via a conference call using the call in number (646) 992-2010 with an Access Code of 717-876-299 on Wednesday December 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. on the following: REAL PROPERTY PUBLIC HEARING in the matter of the acquisition by the City of New York of Fee Simple (Fee) interests, including properties in the Streamside Acquisition Program (SAP) and acquisition by the listed municipality for properties in the City-Funded Flood Buyout Program (FBO) using City funds, of the following real estate in the County of Greene for the purposes of providing for the continued supply of water, and for preserving and preventing the contamination or pollution of the New York City water supply system: NYC ID Municipality Type Tax Lot ID Acres (+/-) 4105 Town of Hunter Fee 148.00-4-28.1 38.64 9487 Village of Tannersville FBO 182.05-4-32 0.53 9586 Village of Hunter FBO 164.10-2-35 0.21 9611 Town of Hunter Fee 198.00-1-4 50.00 9595 Town of Jewett SAP p/o 114.00-2-17 2.81 9112 Town of Lexington SAP 127.04-2-2 17.07 9581 Town of Lexington SAP 128.04-1-8 3.60 9403 Town of Windham SAP 78.00-1-90 2.25 9492 Town of Windham SAP 79.00-3-p/o 23 & p/o 24 2.53 9573 Town of Windham FBO 96.14-1-12 0.30 A copy of the Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Preliminary Certificates of Adoption and maps of the real estate to be acquired are available for public inspection upon request. Please call (845) 340-7810. In order to access the Public Hearing and testify, please call 1-646-9922010, Access Code: 717-876-299 no later than 9:55 AM. If you need further accommodations, please let us know at least five business days in advance of the Public Hearing via e-mail at DisabilityAffairs@mocs.nyc.gov Vincent Sapienza Commissioner

NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FIRST: The name of the Limited Liability Company is HI-ROC, LLC (hereinafter referred to as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Companyâ&#x20AC;?) SECOND: The Articles of Organization of the Company were filed with the Secretary of State on November 12, 2020. THIRD: The County within the State of New York in which the office of the Company is located is Columbia. FOURTH: The Secretary of State has been designated as agent upon whom process against the Company may be served. The post office address to which the Secretary of State shall mail process is 298 State Route 217, Hudson, NY 12534. FIFTH: The Company is organized for all lawful purposes, and to do any and all things necessary, convenient, or incidental to that purpose. Dated: November 13, 2020 FREEMAN HOWARD, P.C. 441 East Allen Street P.O. Box 1328 Hudson, New York 12534 NOTICE OF ORGANIZATION LIABILITY COMPANY

LIMITED

FIRST: The name of the Limited Liability Company is OCKC LLC (hereinafter referred to as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Companyâ&#x20AC;?). SECOND: The Articles of Organization of the Company were filed with the Secretary of State on November 10, 2020. THIRD: The County within the State of New York in which the office of the Company is located is Columbia County. FOURTH: The Secretary of State has been designated as agent upon whom process against the Company may be served. The post office address to which the Secretary of State shall mail process is 1035 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10028. FIFTH: The Company is organized for all lawful purposes.

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

HUNTLEY GILL LLC has been formed in Columbia County to engage in any legal business, filed with the Secretary of State of New York (which is designated as agent upon whom process may be served) on 19 November 2020 with an office at 760 Woods Road, Germantown NY 12526.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSAL FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT Notice is hereby given that the planning board of the Town of Cairo, Greene County, will meet at the Town Hall; 512 Main St, Cairo on the 3rd of December, 2020, at 7:00 pm, prevailing time for the purpose of conducting a public hearing upon an application for a Special Use Permit by Al Suwara relating to property at 1136 Bross St. Cairo, NY, designated on the tax map as 101.06-3-2. The Planning Board will hear all persons interested in the subject. Social distancing procedures will be observed. Please note that your attendance at the meeting is not required, you only need to attend in the event you have an objection to the project that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like the board to consider. By Order of The Planning Board of the Town of Cairo, New York Donna M. Vollmer Planning Board Clerk for Town of Cairo

Bill de Blasio Mayor

DATED: November 10, 2020 GUTERMAN SHALLO & ALFORD, PLLC 21 North Seventh Street Hudson, New York 12534 (518) 828-5400 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSAL FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT Notice is hereby given that the planning board of the Town of Cairo, Greene County, will meet at the Town Hall; 512 Main St, Cairo on the 3rd of December, 2020, at 7:00 pm, prevailing time for the purpose of conducting a public hearing upon an application for a Special Use Permit by Autonomous Energy relating to property at 145 Silver Spur Rd. Cairo, NY, designated on the tax map as 118.003-8. The Planning Board will hear all persons interested in the subject. Social distancing procedures will be observed. Please note that your attendance at the meeting is not required, you only need to attend in the event you have an objection to the project that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like the board to consider. By Order of The Planning Board of the Town of Cairo, New York Donna M. Vollmer Planning Board Clerk for Town of Cairo Market St, Ste 202, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. The name and address of the Reg. Agent is Van Norstrand & Hoolihan, C.P.A.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S, P.C., 187 E. Market St, Ste 202, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. Purpose: any lawful activity.

NAME: KETT HOUSE PROPERTIES, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York on 08/21/2020 Office location: 609 Main St Catskill, NY 12414 Greene County. The Secretary of State of New York has been Notice of Formation of Haywood Trucking LLC, designated as agent of a domestic Limited the LLC upon whom Liability Company (LLC), Article of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on November 12, 2020. Office location: Columbia County, NY. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC to 2619 U.S. Route 9, Hudson, NY 12534. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

process against it may be served. The Secretary of State of New York shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, at c/o Carol McLaughlin 609 Main St Catskill, NY 12414 Purpose: For any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: PIO PROPERTIES LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York on 06/01/2020 Office location: 100 Paradise Lake Rd Catskill, NY 12414 Greene County. The Secretary of State of New York has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State of New York shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, at 100 Paradise Lake Rd Catskill, NY 12414 Purpose: For any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: PURELY CLEAN, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York on 08/03/2020 Office location: 518 Cairo Junction Rd Catskill, NY 12414. Greene County. The Secretary of State of New York has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State of New York shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, at PO Box 569 Leeds, NY 12451 Purpose: For any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: ALDI PROPERTIES, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York on 08/03/2020 Office location: 190 Water St. Catskill, NY 12414 Greene County. The Secretary of State of New York has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State of New York shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, at190 Water St. Catskill, NY 12414 Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

tion: Columbia County. Principal business address: 258 Island Dr., Craryville, NY 12521. LLC formed in DE on 9/11/20. NY Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: Cogency Global Inc., 122 E. 42nd St., 18th Fl., NY, NY 10168. DE address of LLC: 850 New Burton Rd., Ste. 201, Dover, DE 19904. Cert. of Form. filed with DE Sec. of State, 401 Federal St., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activity.

NOTICE TO APPEAR: TO FRANK NICODEMUS, RUTH NICODEMUS, AND/OR THEIR HEIRS AND ASSIGNS, YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED TO APPEAR ON DECEMBER 20, 2020 AT 9:30AM AT THE COLUMBIA COUNTY SUPREME COURT BEFORE THE HON. RICHARD MOTT IN THE MATTER OF CRAIG VOGEL V. FRANK NICODEMUS & RUTH NICODEMUS, INDEX NO: E012020016263, PETITIONER SEEKS JUDICIAL DISCHARGE OF THE FOLLOWING MORTGAGE: MORTGAGE FOR $15,000.00 MADE BY CRAIG E. VOGEL AND BARBARA E. VOGEL TO FRANK NICODEMUS AND RUTH NICODEMUS DATED DECEMBER 21, 1981, RECORDED DECEMBER 23, 1981 IN THE COLUMBIA COUNTY CLERKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OFFICE IN BOOK 396 PAGE 14, AND ALSO RECORDED DECEMBER 29, 1981 IN THE RENSSELAER COUNTY CLERKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OFFICE IN BOOK 1185 PAGE 385. SAID MORTGAGE ENCUMBERS REAL PROPERTY KNOWN AS STATE ROUTE 22 (OFF OF), NEW LEBANON, NY (AND OTHERS) SEC. 3. BLOCK 1 LOT 5; SEC. 217. BLOCK 1 LOT 11.1. Public hearing scheduled: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 6:00 PM at the Village Building, 119 Mansion Street, Coxsackie, NY 12051. Held by: The Historic Preservation Commission of the Village of Coxsackie.

For: Heermance Memorial Library, 1 Ely Street, Coxsackie, NY NOTICE OF FORMATION 12051, Tax ID#: 56.19OF LIMITED LIABILITY 3-20.

COMPANY. NAME: Archangelos Mixail LLC , Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York on 11/3/20 . Office location: 1617 Route 3 Halcott Center, NY, Greene County. United States Corporation INC. has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State of New York shall mail a copy of process to the LLC at : P.O. Box 934 Fleischmanns NY, 12430 Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Proposals: 1. To restore the front roofline faĂ§ade, repair and restore front and side porch roofs, flooring and decorative moldings, pillars, and architectural detail. 2. To remove and replace gutters and downspouts on the back of the building.

Details of the proposal can be discussed by calling Library Director Catherine Benson at Notice of Formation of (518) 731 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8084 or the Sweet Lane Boutique LLC Historic Preservation Sweet Lane Boutique LLC Commission at (the â&#x20AC;&#x153;LLCâ&#x20AC;?) filed Articles of (518) 731-2718. Organization with the New

York Department of State on September 28, 2020. Office location: Columbia County. The New York Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and is directed to forward service of process to 625 Pleasant Vale Road, Tivoli, NY 12583. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Qualification of On This Day LLC. Authority filed with NY Dept. of State on 10/19/20. Office loca-

Section of Law - 206 518 Property Maintenance L.L.C.. Filed 10/26/20. Office: Columbia Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: c/o Joshua Aaron Morrison, 271 Orchard Rd, Hudson, NY 12534. Purpose: General. Section of Law - 206 Powwow People LLC. Filed 9/22/20. Office: Columbia Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: Skye Hopinka, 67 Short St Apt 1, Hudson, NY 12534. Purpose: General.

CMYK

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 B5

COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

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Passcode: 769629 Roommates/ Find your local num- 332 Home Sharing https://us02web.zoom. b e r : us/j/83190079114?pw https://us02web.zoom. HOUSEMATE WANTEDd = d W t v T W 1 1 O E E v - us/u/kd82skIvUb Senior Citizen request person to share expenses of RUtMNmh3bXRlV1lCQT09 By order of the Zoning 3700 sq ft modern home, 1 mile from Hudson. Private Board of Appeals bed & bathroom, W/D. Meeting ID: 831 9007 Requesting $1,100/mo. 9114 Susan Haag, Town Must be clean, non-smoker, Clerk credit score of 650 plus. Passcode: 769629 Proof of income ReferencNovember 30, 2020 es. No pets. Call or text One tap mobile (518)965-3563.

A General Election of the Village of Kinderhook will be held on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at the Village Hall, 6 Chatham Street, between the hours of noon and 9 +16468769923,,83190 p.m. To be elected are 079114#,,,,,,0#,,76962 9# US (New York) the following: +13017158592,,83190 079114#,,,,,,0#,,76962 9# US (Washington An official notice of D.C) this election will be published and posted Dial by your location at a later date. +1 646 876 9923 US (New York) Nicole H. Heeder Village Clerk +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) Trustee - 2 year term Trustee - 2 year term

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General Help

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Please Recycle This Newspaper

College football this fall is a cruel joke and a staggering failure on the part of America’s universities Chris Jones Chicago Tribune

When the news broke Monday morning that the University of Michigan football team planned to pause all of its “in-person activity” due to “presumptive” positive tests for coronavirus, the joke went around Twitter that denying Ohio State a sixth game was the best way for the Wolverines to deny the Buckeyes their shot at the national championship. Far better likelihood of success for Michigan to surrender to the virus than actually, you know, playing its mortal enemy. Funny. Except we’re talking here about young student-athletes and a virus with potential longterm effects about which we know very little. There is the way America is dealing with COVID-19: masks, lockdowns, limited attendance at weddings and funerals, canceled holiday plans, shuttered high schools, locked-down dorms, bankrupt restaurants, dark theaters. And then there is the way American universities are dealing with COVID-19 in the realm of college football: play on and make things worse. The inconsistency -- strike that, the hypocrisy -- is nothing short of jaw-dropping. And when you think this is happening at our greatest public universities, that jaw starts bouncing on the floor. History will not be kind. Anyone clicking through the college game-day TV lineup on Saturday was treated to announcer after announcer seamlessly melding virus-cancellation speculation into the things that announcers usually address at this point in the fall, such as the strength of a team’s schedule, or the Heisman chances of the quarterback, or the fortitude of the running backs. Incredibly, the variable that matters this year is not so much the quality of the team but the likelihood that the virus will be held at bay long enough for a team in the running for the national championship to actually play out its prescribed season. The way things are going -- and let’s no longer play the game of pretending that COVID-19 has been effectively held out of these football programs, their best efforts notwithstanding -- the real tension lies there, far more than on the field.

Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh high-fives defensive players as they forced Penn State into a fourth down during the first half on Saturday at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

And surely the field is where it should reside. What the heck are we doing here? Listening to speculation about the decisions of the College Football Playoff selection committee is part of the fun of watching the game. But you know the moral compass is nonexistent when a factor over which the players have zero control is turning out to be the most notable determinant of success this fall. No individual player can do much about whether practices or games are interrupted by COVID-19 positives, and they can do even less about the extent to which the endeavors of a team they just happen to be playing (or not playing) are so interrupted. It’s stunningly unfair to everybody and it’s making a joke of the entire season. How can the selection committee meaningfully take into account games that have not been played? Actually, it’s impossible to do so in any

meaningful way, and it strikes at the heart of the one fundamentally meritocratic thing that’s common to all great sporting activities: results, often unexpected, are allowed to actually influence outcomes. Sports are not only unpredictable but they scramble existing power structures. Week in, week out. But in college football this season, it’s a bit like the International Olympic Committee is handing out gold medals for races that were never run but were decided on predicted outcomes. That’s not unfamiliar to some teenagers dealing with testing and college admissions this year, but this is way more crazy. College football, unlike most SAT sessions, is actually happening in person. The students and coaches aren’t getting the health benefits from a canceled season. And yet the season is not proceeding according to any logic or fairness. Even one of its most cheering moments, when

Sarah Fuller of Vanderbilt made Power Five history Saturday as a female placekicker, came because the team’s other specialists were in quarantine. For their health, not because of the game. Fuller, surely, would rather have made history without that caveat, which was kicked under the carpet in most of the fawning press coverage. And that wasn’t right. Nothing about this college football season is right, including it being played this fall rather than postponed until the winter or spring. An argument could be made, indeed has been made, that people need something to watch as they hole up at home. And it’s true that the NCAA is hardly alone here. The NFL is playing and dealing with many of the same issues. Across the pond, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an exception to his draconian lockdown for so-called “elite athletes,” apparently under the assumption that the health of elite athletes is less important than the average athlete, even though logic would, if anything, suggest the opposite. What is really going on here is that we’ve made the decision that some people ought to have their health sacrificed for our entertainment, as well as to keep the cash rolling into Big Ten and network coffers. It’s true that most scientists agree the virus has less of an impact on the young, but it also has a disproportionate impact on Black Americans, who just happen to make up most of the athletes playing college football. One thing any reasonable person should agree on in regard to COVID-19 is that little yet is known. Adult professionals, of course, can and should be able to make their own decisions. But the continuance of this season is utterly indefensible in college football because the athletes look to their schools for nurturing, education and protection. None of which are presently taking place. None of them. It’s unbelievable. And a moral failing of staggering proportions. Worse yet, the actual season is turning out to be about as a cruel a joke as America’s universities could ever collectively tell. Shame on them all.

For this College Football Playoff, length of schedule might trump strength of schedule Barry Svrluga The Washington Post

There will be an announcement Tuesday night, another unnecessary midstream assessment of where a handful of hopeful teams rank as they trudge toward the College Football Playoff. Unbeaten Ohio State, as is the case more often than not, will be in the discussion. And thus comes a question more pertinent than “What’s your record?” or “Who have you beaten?” It’s this: “How many games have you been able to play?” The handwringing around college football’s postseason selection process seems peak 2020, and the Buckeyes are the bell cow. The coronavirus has canceled or postponed more than 100 games nationwide, including two for Ohio State. The sport has a desperate, contortionist feel to it that seems unique to this season because the virus

has ripped through programs and programs have subsequently had to rip up their schedules. That leaves the following: 4-0 Ohio State, having played once since Nov. 7 and with only hopes of completing its schedule, being compared with, say, 6-1 Texas A&M and 7-1 Florida. Cue the cries of injustice. This kind of virus-necessitated inequity perfectly encapsulates the chaos of a year defined by a pandemic. It was predictable when the ACC began its season Sept. 10, the SEC on Sept. 26 and the Big Ten not until Oct. 23. But let’s be clear: Unfairness has always been baked into the process of determining college football’s national champion. That was true when the champ was determined by voters sitting behind keyboards and debating over beers. That remains true now, when the teams invited to participate in a three-game playoff are determined by men and

women weekly rubbing elbows in a Texas conference room. It’s all just different versions of the same argument. But there is some form of perceived injustice every year. The entire sport has long been built on figuring out which matchups would be attractive for television - and then executing them. It’s as much a part of the tradition as dotting the “i” in Ohio or rubbing Howard’s Rock on the way to the field at Clemson. To some extent, deservedness be damned. Which brings us to three elements of this year’s quagmire: the Big Ten’s bungled start to a disjointed season; Ohio State’s role in limiting its own schedule and therefore, perhaps, its opportunity; and the potential scenarios going forward. Go back to August, when the Big Ten boldly announced it would cancel its fall sports season because of the global pandemic, the first Power Five

conference to do so. At the time, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren - on the job all of eight months - said, “It became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our studentathletes to compete this fall.” The decision, to these eyes, seemed prudent. To the football-playing and -watching community, it was premature. Thirty-six days later, the Big Ten reversed course, pitching the idea of a nine-game schedule played over nine weeks - including a conference title game. In a world in which adjustments must be made as a nod to public health - in which wiggle room must be built into any plan - the Big Ten left itself with none. What has played out was predictable: eight of the league’s 14 teams with at least one canceled game. Northwestern’s game against Minnesota for this coming Saturday is already off, so the Wildcats will become the ninth school

affected. Wisconsin has played just three times. So here we are, with Ohio State - a playoff participant three times in the system’s six-year existence - desperate to play again. When the Big Ten came up with its by-the-seat-of-its-pants season, the conference decided - under duress, in an ad hoc way - that in order for a school to compete for the league title, it must play six games. Here are the Buckeyes, having outscored their first four opponents by an average of nearly three touchdowns - but with Coach Ryan Day coming off a positive coronavirus test, with practice still halted and with this past Saturday’s game at Illinois canceled because the program had reached one Big Ten benchmark, a positivity rate of at least 7.5 percent among the 170 players, coaches and other staff members.

CMYK

COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

B6 Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Deion Sanders is inspiring hope at Jackson State Candace Buckner The Washington Post

For four weeks in 2015, DeMarcus Peterson was a proud member of the Texas Southern University track and field team. He arrived on campus with a scholarship he’d earned at Prime Prep Academy, the Dallas charter school co-founded by Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Peterson remembered Coach Prime’s frequent pledge to get him and his classmates “to and through college.” He remembered receiving his offer letter from Texas Southern and one of his coaches displaying it in the school hallway for all to see. “It was, like, probably the best thing I’ve had all my life,” Peterson said. By then, he also knew Sanders’s vision for a school had flaws. Prime Prep had attracted topflight athletes from around the country, including NBA first-round picks Emmanuel Mudiay and Terrance Ferguson and Baltimore Ravens rookie James Proche . But the school’s brief existence was marred by crushing debt, administrative infighting and a trail of lawsuits. Prime Prep closed down during Peterson’s senior year, forcing him and other students to transfer. Still, Peterson had his scholarship, just like Sanders promised. He got to campus, started practicing with his teammates and relished the grind of being a college athlete. Then, one day, his coach called him into the office. Peterson was academically ineligible to run track. The university stripped his scholarship. He quit the team, found work as a lifeguard and took out student loans. Four years later, he said, he graduated with $35,000 in debt. “I was told because of the classes that I had took at Deion Sanders’s school - that he had built, that he created, that he told us that it would be accredited, which it wasn’t - those classes, unfortunately, they did not count,” Peterson said in an interview. “It kind of was a waste of time.” Years later, Peterson remains a student, still swinging shifts at the campus pool while working toward his master’s degree in sociology. And despite Prime Prep’s implosion, his old coach is back at school, too. On Sept. 21, Mississippi’s Jackson State University announced Sanders as its next head football coach. Though Sanders has never coached in college, his supporters praised the hire as a coup for the public historically Black college, which has a rich legacy but few resources to compete for talent with the South’s football powers. Sanders’s hire comes as top Black prospects, in a year defined by demands for racial equality and heightened social consciousness, are doing something they haven’t for decades: considering HBCUs over blue blood programs. Makur Maker committed to Howard University, the first five-star basketball recruit to commit to an HBCU. Noah Bodden, a quarterback with almost 20 offers, committed to Grambling State. Now, Jackson State, by bringing in a household name, believes it has made the splashiest hire for this movement. Ahead of his official Dec. 1 start date, Sanders, while staying busy hosting his podcast 21st and Prime and appearing in commercials as a Subway pitchman, has already secured six transfer players from Football Bowl Subdivision programs. “With all the attention that he’s getting, I think that part is good for Black college football, period,” said Sam Washington, the head coach at North Carolina A&T State. Through Jackson State, Sanders declined to be interviewed and did not respond to written questions about his time at Prime Prep. During his official introduction, he suggested his presence will be good not just for Black college athletes but Black college students, too: “We’re raising professionals,” he said. But it wasn’t that long ago when Sanders was making a similar pledge to young Black men at Prime Prep. A few of them remember those promises. Years later, they say the hype did not live up to their hopes. “It’s good to say I played for [Sanders]. I was an athlete for him at his school,” Peterson said. “But when you look at it, it’s just kind of a huge fallacy.” In 2012, as he announced his vision for Prime Prep, Sanders struck the posture of a missionary. He stood behind a pulpit, speaking of his “calling” to provide a world-class education for “our babies.” As a wave of assurances cascaded from the stage, parents in the pews couldn’t have known that Prime Prep, just months away from opening its two campuses, was already facing problems. Disgruntled investors had sued Sanders and the school’s co-founder, D.L. Wallace, over a previous business venture. The school’s charter school application falsely claimed to have secured donations from major corporations and proposed a lease agreement that would have allowed Wallace to profit off the publicly funded school. The Texas Education Agency rejected the agreement but approved the school anyway, apparently magnetized by Sanders; board members asked for autographs and posed for photos after he pitched the school at a TEA meeting. When the campuses opened with an estimated 535 K-12 students, the high school campus in Dallas still needed work done to the air conditioning, plumbing and boiler system. On the first day of school, the cafeteria remained closed for repairs. Prime Prep boasted of using e-learning

Cody Duty/The Washington Post

“It’s good to say I played for [Deion Sanders]. I was an athlete for him at his school,” says DeMarcus Peterson, who played for Prime Prep in Texas. “But when you look at it, it’s just kind of a huge fallacy.”

Cody Duty/The Washington Post

DeMarcus Peterson saw his track and field scholarship stripped after arriving at college with credits from Prime Prep.

software, providing a laptop to every child and offering advanced classes. But former students tell a different story. One recalled a physics teacher handing out worksheets for tests with the answers already on them. Another former student said peers used the school-issued laptops for cheating. “Students would come to class, especially football players, and class was just like recess,” Peterson said. “It was just so easy, and the teacher, he just didn’t care. It’s like he wanted to pass everybody and get everybody out of there.” After just one academic year, Sanders, whose nickname was on the rented buildings but who wielded little administrative control, wanted more power. His relationships with staffers went sideways. At a school board meeting in 2013, Sanders allegedly choked Kevin Jefferson, the chief financial officer, after inquiring about a lack of funds coming into the high school. Sanders was fired and then hired back again. Then he started demanding more compensation. “I’m going to get more money, or there ain’t going to be no school, that’s just flat out how it’s going to be,” Sanders said in a recording obtained by local reporters. Sanders called out Wallace as a “crook.” Wallace claimed Sanders tried to strangle him. (Wallace connected a reporter with an assistant, did not arrange an interview.) By early 2014, the state was investigating Prime Prep for violations related to the National School Lunch Program, which helps subsidize school lunches for low-income students. Eventually, the school was dropped from the federal program after funds did not go toward providing meals. “When we did have lunch, it was crap,” said Christian Gibson, who played football at Prime Prep. Gibson’s time at the school “was trying,” he said. “There were some times that would test you. I mean, I think I have an optimistic viewpoint on it, [but] if you ask a lot of other people [about] their experiences, they feel like they got played.” After just 2½ years, both Prime Prep Academy schools closed with more than $650,000 in debt. Six former employees sued school officials and the nonprofit that held Prime Prep’s charter. Jefferson also sued over his firing and assault by Sanders, who had pleaded no-contest to the misdemeanor charge. Prime Prep officials eventually settled the suit by agreeing to split nearly $125,000 among the former employees. The dramatic conclusion drew breathless coverage in Dallas and around the nation. But after Sanders moved on and the school doors closed, many student-athletes were left to find their own way. “I don’t know what they were promised, but . . . nobody really won in that situation,” Jefferson, the former CFO, said. “Very few people could really say that they won as a result of connecting

with Deion Sanders and Prime Prep Academy.” Before Prime Prep, Michael Curtis held a 4.0 grade-point average, served as class president and scored high on standardized tests. But he was also a quarterback in football-crazed Dallas, and his school wasn’t winning games. So he wanted out. He visited Prime Prep and got on the field with athletes such as Proche. After the workout, Curtis said, his whole body tingled with soreness, and he was convinced. So Curtis, who is White, transferred in as one of the few non-Black students at Prime Prep. “Was there an emphasis put on athletics over academics? One hundred percent!” Curtis said. “But we all went there to put an emphasis on athletics over academics.” After he joined the team, Curtis said, he and a teammate helped recruit a wide receiver from Louisiana. Although recruiting is a violation in Texas high school athletics, it happened often at Prime Prep. Sanders found one of his linemen working at a Waffle House and another playing youth football in Georgia. Sanders helped relocate athletes from the Turks and Caicos Islands, too, and several of those players lived in an apartment complex a mile away from the high school. Another student, Ja’Quan Sheals, hailed from Florida but lived with Sanders while playing football at Prime Prep. He was featured on “Deion’s Family Playbook,” a reality TV show on Oprah Winfrey’s network. Curtis knows these moves might raise eyebrows for some. But to him, they are a great example of Sanders’s benevolence. “Who else is going to do that for some kids?” Curtis wondered. “Deion’s heart is huge.” Curtis made appearances on the reality show, too, and watched his Instagram followers grow. But at the same time, the NCAA was looking into the school, and it would eventually start declaring former Prime athletes entering college ineligible, derailing many of their college plans. Cornell pulled Curtis’s scholarship, he said. He attended a junior college before landing at Massachusetts. Gibson said he attracted attention from Baylor and Colorado State but Prime Prep’s reputation was sweeping through college football. “Basically any school that needed you to play that first year, they weren’t going to recruit me, pretty much. That kind of negated a bunch of opportunities,” Gibson said. He landed at New Mexico State. Kaleb Johnson, a 20-year-old former quarterback, has attended three colleges and a preparatory school since leaving Prime Prep. Josh Bradford, who played basketball at Prime Prep, verbally committed to Indiana State but wound up in community college and couldn’t get

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a Division I school to look at him, he said. Zach Collins, who remembers seeing Snoop Dogg, Dez Bryant and LaDainian Tomlinson roam the practice fields, attended three colleges before receiving his diploma. These players all absolve Sanders of responsibility for their quixotic collegiate journeys. “Yeah, you get a bad rap because your school closed because they think somebody was taking money, but obviously, if you see how I see, . . . it’s not on Deion Sanders’s shoulders,” Collins said. “He gave us all a chance just to be with him.” Peterson, however, sees it differently. “At some point you just have to own up to it and understand you have other people who are depending on you, that’s looking up to you,” Peterson said, referring to Sanders. “You were a star on the field, and you were like a great football player. A lot of people admired that, but when we talk about academics, there’s not much to talk about.” Almost a year before America’s racial reckoning, Ashley Robinson was dreaming of a revolution. Since taking over as Jackson State’s athletic director in 2018, Robinson had tried to raise the school’s profile. He started off the field: buying a big inflatable tiger head for football players to run out of before home games, signing an apparel deal (which has since ended) with Nike and enhancing the school’s ability to stream games for alumni and fans. Then last November, Robinson was watching NFL Network when Sanders, working as an analyst, expressed a desire to coach Division I football. Robinson wondered: Why not us? Robinson contacted him, and he couldn’t believe that Sanders not only was interested but could tick off Jackson State football trivia as though he’d studied the team’s media guide. Sanders knew the school had produced four NFL Hall of Famers including Walter Payton, won 16 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and sent 99 players to the draft. Sanders said he wanted to make it 100. “[I was] very impressed with the things he’d love to do with young men and young women. And for me, that’s what it’s all about,” Robinson said. “My goal is to show people it can be done at an HBCU.” Hope blooms for football alums such as Benjy Parris. With Sanders in leadership, he said, JSU players will get a shot at the NFL. Parris watched the live stream of Sanders being introduced with excitement mixed with a tinge of jealousy: “Aww man, I wish I was playing again,” Parris said. He had played four years for the Tigers with little fanfare, but here was Sanders - escorted by the marching band and a police motorcade onto the floor of the basketball gymnasium - stepping out of a Cadillac SUV with his megawatt smile and a JSU fitted cap. “He came in very colorful,” North Carolina A&T’s Washington said. “That’s not my cup of tea, but if it works for him, so be it.” Washington, a former NFL player, has coached at HBCUs his entire 33-year career. He has had opportunities to leave but chose to stay, telling people it’s his “calling” to give young Black men the same opportunities he had. While all coaches bill themselves as molders of young people, Washington says the role of HBCU coach goes beyond lip service. “A lot of people think it’s all about Xs and Os,” he said, “and I would say that’s the least worry.” HBCUs serve vastly more low-income students than predominantly White schools, research shows, and the programs have fewer resources to support student athletes. According to Robinson, Jackson State athletics has an operating budget of $10 million to $12 million; three hours away in Oxford, Mississippi’s fiscal 2019 budget was $117 million. The lack of resources and the mandate to do more than coach are just a couple of the challenges awaiting Sanders. “You have to be a parent, a minister, a mentor,” Washington said. “Those are the little things I think that a lot of time people just don’t recognize what you go through as a coach, trying to put out fires and trying to raise young men to be productive and valuable citizens.” And as ESPN commentator Bomani Jones, an HBCU alum, pointed out, that might be especially difficult for Sanders. “Deion Sanders has typically been in this for Deion Sanders, and if that’s what it’s going to be, this is going to fail,” Jones said on a talk show. “The institutional problems that you’re going to have, the resource shortages . . . this is not going to be an easy thing for you to do.” At Jackson State, Robinson, the AD, expects every head coach to take an active role in athletes’ educations. He wants coaches to ensure their charges are attending classes and staying on track to graduate. Which makes Sanders’s experience as a charter-school founder seem especially relevant to his new job. But when Robinson talked to Sanders about the job, he said, Robinson never brought up Prime Prep. It didn’t come up during the official interview either. Robinson doesn’t like resurrecting the past, he said. “I can put it like it this: That’s something that I really don’t comment on when I get that question, but I didn’t find anything negative about that situation regarding Coach Prime,” Robinson said. “In short, that’s how I can answer that one.”

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COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

Trust issues are remnants of past toxic relationships Dear Abby, Marriage is considered to be imperative in my religion and culture. I’m 29 and still not married. I have commitment and trust issues with guys. I have been in only three relationships my entire life. Every time things are going well, I tend to self-sabotage DEAR ABBY and make excuses to push the guy away. I start arguments for no reason or create problems or issues that I fabricate out of thin air. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that my past relationships were toxic and tumultuous. I have carried that baggage into my relationship with my new partner by not believing a lot of the things he says. For example, I doubt his feelings for me. When things are going smoothly between us, I always take five or 10 steps back. It isn’t fair that I put him through the wringer, but I don’t know any other way. How can I get past this continuous issue? Problem Trusting In California

and offensive, but I compared it to the situation with Gary. Matt laughed it off and continues to use the word with no regard for me. I have started spending less time with him because of it because I don’t want him to think I condone his racist language. Is it time to sever ties with Matt? Disappointed In Maryland

The most effective way to do that would be to talk about this destructive pattern with a licensed mental health adviser. If you do, it may help you rid yourself of the “baggage” you are carrying, understand why you chose the men you did before, and make it easier to evaluate any new relationships that start to develop.

I will try. When did your first time happen? Last weekend? Last month? Last year? Whenever it was, it is in the past. Experience teaches us what works for us and what doesn’t. Learn from it, but don’t preoccupy yourself with regret over something you can’t change.

JEANNE PHILLIPS

Dear Abby, I have known my friend “Matt” for more than 20 years. We’ve been close for most of those years. Matt is gay, and early in our friendship, we had a mutual friend, “Gary,” who used a gay epithet often, even though he knew Matt is gay. It hurt Matt, but he wasn’t comfortable speaking to Gary about it, so I did. Gary not only apologized to Matt but to this day (some 18 years later), I haven’t heard Gary say that word in our company. Recently, Matt has started using the N-word. I have told him that not only is it disgusting

Pickles

Pearls Before Swine

I think so. The next time Matt uses the N-word, make clear to him that if you ever hear it from him again, your friendship will be OVER. And then follow through. Dear Abby, I feel horrible about my “first time.” It was with my boyfriend, and it happened in the back seat of his car. I had always dreamed of my first time being special, but after realizing we didn’t have many options, we decided the car was fine. Now I feel ashamed and guilty. Can you advise me? Not Like I Imagined In Texas

Dear Abby, At the checkout counter I noticed the clerk had a tattoo in the cleavage of her breasts. I could see it because of her low-cut blouse. What’s the correct protocol? Should I ignore the obvious, or should I look closer to be sure I am seeing it correctly? Should I compliment her on her nice tattoo? What exactly am I to do while she’s ringing up my purchase? Baffled in the midwest

Classic Peanuts

Garfield

I’m so glad you asked! What you should do is keep your eyes focused on the tally the computer monitor shows to be sure the checker is ringing up your purchase correctly. Zits

Horoscope

Dark Side of the Horse

By Stella Wilder Born today, you are always available for whatever new opportunity presents itself, and your life’s task will be to ensure that you are not only available, but prepared! To be the former is one thing, but the latter is absolutely indispensable to you if you expect to enjoy any lasting success — professional or personal. This means that you must not only know how to do what you may be called upon to do — and do it well — but also to maintain the emotional and spiritual stability required to go the distance when opportunity calls. While you are sure to hit some bumps on the road to professional success, you are almost always able to learn from them — and apply what you have learned to your current endeavors so that disaster can be averted and success won. Also born on this date are: Britney Spears, singer; Nelly Furtado, singer; Monica Seles, tennis player; Lucy Liu, actress; Cathy Lee Crosby, TV personality; Gianni Versace, fashion designer; Maria Callas, operatic soprano; Charles Ringling, circus mogul; Georges Seurat, painter. To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — It may take some time today to devise a way out of someone’s “trap,” but you can surely get it done — and free yourself and others. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You’re likely to find more than you might hope for when searching for bargains today. You can have what you want — and then some.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — You’re not likely to know why others are gravitating toward you today until you’re in the midst of quite a crowd — then it will all make sense. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — You mustn’t let environmental factors hold you back today. Any interference the weather presents is only psychological. ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You’ve made your plans, and now you may put them in motion, but be sure that someone claiming to be on your side isn’t really some kind of spy! TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — It’s time once again to look back and assess your recent course. Are you traveling in the right direction — and at the best possible pace? GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — You have what it takes to do things today that no one else can do — and though they may seem trivial to you, someone finds them monumental. CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You have much in common with someone who seems to be working against you — but many questions are answered when you share this suspicion. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You’re waiting for something to make a difference today, but the only thing that can do that is your attitude — after you adjust it! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You may not have it in you to do the one thing you’ve been asked to do. Instead, you can offer to make up for it in a wholly unique fashion. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — A friend questions you about your loyalties, but nothing you say is likely to change how you or anyone thinks about a current situation. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — You’re in no mood to have your suspicions verified today. Steer clear of those who may know something you don’t — at least for the time being. COPYRIGHT 2020 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.

Goren bridge

Opening lead: Six of ♦

Kong, who was South. Zen is not well known in the USA, but he has a long and successful record in Pan-Asian competition – a record spanning several decades. West avoided the fatal spade lead and chose a low diamond instead, Zen capturing East’s queen with his ace. Zen cashed the queen and jack of clubs, learning a great deal about the West hand — five spades for the overcall, four clubs, and probably three diamonds for the lead. Zen took advantage of what he learned. He led a low spade to dummy’s queen, winning the trick as West ducked his ace. Two more rounds of clubs, ending in dummy, extracted all of West’s clubs. Zen also cashed the ace of hearts, extracting West’s only heart, before leading a spade to his 10. West won with the jack but found himself endplayed. West had to lead a spade or a diamond, giving Zen his ninth trick either way. North-South earned more than 80 percent of the matchpoints available on this deal and EastWest finished second in the event. Had Zen failed to make his contract, East-West would have been World Champions!

Today’s deal is from the finals of the World Open Pairs in Montreal early this century. EastWest were in hot contention for the title when they ran into Derek Zen, an expert from Hong

(Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001. E-mail: tcaeditors@tribpub.com)

AFFECTING THE RESULT Both vulnerable, South deals NORTH ♠Q2 ♥ AJ854 ♦ 94 ♣K642 WEST EAST ♠AJ975 ♠84 ♥K ♥ Q 10 9 7 3 2 ♦ K76 ♦ Q 10 5 3 2 ♣8753 ♣ Void SOUTH ♠ K 10 6 3 ♥6 ♦ AJ8 ♣ A Q J 10 9 The bidding:

SOUTH 1♣ 3NT

WEST NORTH 1♠ 2♥ All pass

EAST Pass

Nancy

Daily Maze

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 B7

CMYK

COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA

B8 Wednesday, December 2, 2020 Close to Home

Free Range THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

Level 1

Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

COSUR PETOM FCEETF NOTBEN 12/2/20

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit

Get Fuzzyy

sudoku.org.uk

(Answers tomorrow) Jumbles: BLEAK DODGE GLOSSY ATTACH Yesterday’s Answer: With every unit rented, the owners of the apartment building were happy, — TO SAY THE “LEASED”

Heart of the City

Dilbert

B.C.

For Better or For Worse

Wizard of Id

Crossword Puzzle

DOWN 1 In __; mired by routine 2 Most famous Jay 3 Biologists & chemists

Andy Capp

Bound & Gagged

12/2/20

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

4 Umpire’s call 5 Latte topper 6 Amputate 7 “__ Been Working on the Railroad” 8 Sweat 9 Shrewd 10 Banister 11 Cut short 12 __ at; suggest 14 Become conscious again 19 __ squash; winter veggie 22 Grow old 25 From Utah to Virginia 27 Boatman’s items 28 Slimeball 29 Taj Mahal roof 30 Adding machine 31 Special tidbit 33 Quartet with one member out sick 34 __ and hers 36 Crow’s remarks 38 Luxury car 39 Glass rectangle 41 Measuring stick

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

Non Sequitur

42 Shakers’ partners, in phrase 44 Restaurant 45 Shameful mark 47 Recipe verb 48 Conceal 49 Change for a five 50 First __; baby’s triumph

12/2/20

53 Word attached to camp or web 54 Prepare to take a selfie 56 Ark.’s Gov. __ Hutchinson 57 Sedan or hatchback 59 Tenement bldg. unit

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

Print your answer here:

ACROSS 1 To boot 5 Turn over 9 __ support; shoe insert 13 Happen again 15 Wander 16 Draped garment 17 Join forces 18 Surgery 20 Corn’s location 21 Tub 23 Carve a statue 24 Horse’s comment 26 Piece of cookware 27 C to C, on the piano 29 Opposite of roundabout 32 Go higher 33 Rosebush prickle 35 __ de Triomphe; Paris monument 37 Nap 38 Arson or burglary, e.g. 39 Desperate request 40 “Ready, __, go!” 41 Employee’s delight 42 Large parrot 43 Phony; artificial 45 Sweet treats 46 MacGraw or Larter 47 Slanted edge 48 Inn 51 Actor Bruce 52 Venomous snake 55 Weave together 58 Numerical comparison 60 Bambi, for one 61 As straight __ arrow 62 Dalmatian’s features 63 Notice 64 King or queen 65 Larch or locust

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By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Rubes