Tappan Zee plan will be announced in May

By Dylan Skriloff

Officials have announced that a plan for the future of the Tappan Zee Bridge will be in place by May. State Transportation Commissioner Astrid Glynn also said the environmental review for the bridge and adjoining I-287 corridor will be split in two; one review will continue for the evaluation of plans to improve the thruway corridor, identifying the best choice for a mass transit route and making a final plan for the. The other review will look at integrating the chosen mass transit option into the communities in the region, including route specifics and transit station locations and designs. A final decision on the first EIS document will kick off work on the second, Glynn said.

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Hudson Correctional closing - 250 jobs gone

BY Greg Draiss

Just as Governor Spitzer announced one billion dollars in funding for struggling upstate cities, the state is closing correctional facilities and eliminating hundreds of jobs. The largest closing announced is the Hudson Correctional facility in the Columbia County city of Hudson. Hudson is a city already struggling to deal with factory closings and job loss over the last two decades which saw the city lose many strong middle class jobs. Mayor Richard Scalera said he will petition state representatives to stop the closing calling the move to close the prison as devastating to an already struggling city.

Hudson has undergone somewhat of a gentrification in recent years. Warren Street the cities main East West thoroughfare has become antiquers’ paradise with products and prices resembling New York City offerings. In addition a slew of upscale restaurants complements the trendy antique shops.

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