Category: Government

The Hill Country Observer covers local leaders, elections and elected officials, town and city councils bodies including libraries, schools, planning and other town boards, and all kinds of conversations and decisions that matter to our communities.

  • Issue:

    Local House race could be bellwether

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    National parties eye Delgado’s seat in battle for Congress       U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, left, faces a potentially strong challenge from Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, right, as he seeks a third term in New York’s 19th Congressional District.   By MAURY THOMPSONContributing writer   The Hudson Valley congressional race taking shape between read more

    Local House race could be bellwether
  • Issue:

    Zombie candidates prompt calls for change

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    Third party decries hostile takeover of ballot line in some local races By MAURY THOMPSONContributing writer SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. In the days leading up to the Nov. 2 election, leaders of the local Working Families Party delivered an unusual campaign message to Saratoga Springs voters: Ignore the party’s candidates for city offices, they said, and read more

    Zombie candidates prompt calls for change
  • Issue:

    Election 2021

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    Here are the results of the key races and ballot questions decided by voters in the Nov. 2 elections in Massachusetts and New York. A guide to political party abbreviations is in the box at right. In the tables below, incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*), and winning candidates are in bold type. A read more

    Election 2021
  • Issue:

    Farming for a greener future

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    New effort guides investment in region’s local food system   The sheep at Studio Hill Farm in Shaftsbury, Vt., are rotated frequently to new grazing areas. Photo by Joan K. Lentini   By TRACY FRISCHContributing writer SHAFTSBURY, Vt. Jesse McDougall became a farmer a decade ago by twist of fate. He and his wife, Caroline read more

    Farming for a greener future
  • Issue:

    Redistricting reform swiftly reaches partisan deadlock

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    New York panel offers competing maps amid predictions of failure New York’s new Independent Redistricting Commission has put forth two alternatives for redrawing the state’s congressional districts. The map above was crafted by the panel’s Democrats, the one below by its Republicans.     By MAURY THOMPSONContributing writer   New York’s new Independent Redistricting Commission read more

    Redistricting reform swiftly reaches partisan deadlock
  • Issue:

    Farmers reel as organic dairy giant dumps them

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    Advocates seek action to aid dozens of farms in Vermont, New York   Several dozen organic dairy farms in Vermont and upstate New York, including 17 in Washington County alone, are looking for new buyers for their milk after Danone, the multinational corporation that owns the Horizon Organic brand, announced it will stop buying from read more

    Farmers reel as organic dairy giant dumps them
  • Issue:

    Redistricting reform that fails by design

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    Sometimes a flawed effort at political reform is still better than no reform at all. And as recently as a few months ago, some of us hoped that would be the case with New York’s new Independent Redistricting Commission. But as summer has turned to fall and next year’s deadlines for redrawing New York’s political read more

    Redistricting reform that fails by design
  • Issue:

    Will diversity revive Rutland?

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    After bitter 2016 debate, city slowly welcomes refugees, asylum seekers   Terese Black, president of Bridge to Rutland, and Ellen Green, the group’s executive director, stand next to a display of photographs of people seeking asylum in the United States. The organization helps to bring asylum seekers to Vermont and to support them while their read more

    Will diversity revive Rutland?
  • Issue:

    Election 2021

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    Here are the major local candidates and referendum questions on ballots for the Nov. 2 election in New York and Massachusetts. A guide to political party abbreviations is in the box at right. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*). A brief summary follows the candidate listings for each county. Because of space limitations, municipal-level read more

    Election 2021
  • Issue:

    Political clock ticking for new governor

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    As 2022 race looms, Hochul enjoys ties forged in local visits New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who took office Aug. 24 after the resignation of Andrew Cuomo, is well known to local political leaders. Courtesy photo     By MAURY THOMPSONContributing writer   New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who took over Aug. 24 after the read more

    Political clock ticking for new governor