Good morning, Poughkeepsie.

Nathan's Famous abruptly closed its Poughkeepsie Galleria location after equipment was stripped and calls (confirmed) returned no answer; Yelp now marks the spot as permanently closed, so locals must travel to Nyack for their hot dogs.

Crews began nighttime work today on the Mid-Hudson Bridge at the Poughkeepsie side to replace and strengthen the east approach deck (from the Route 9 ramps to the former toll house).

Drivers will see one lane per direction open from 6pm to 6am until the project’s completion next year.

The State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced that Breakneck Ridge, Wilkinson Memorial and Lower Brook trailheads and the adjacent Metro-North station in Philipstown will remain closed through 2026 for road construction and renovations to improve safety.

Local residents can join a paid air quality study that places small sensor monitors in homes (with a 30-minute setup and a $30 gift card incentive) to check indoor and outdoor pollutants; registration is open in the Poughkeepsie area until April 18.

Experts warn that this tick season may be one of the worst on record as last winter's heavy snowfall insulated ticks and an early warm spring boosted numbers by 25%, leaving Hudson Valley residents advised to use EPA-registered repellents (DEET, Picaridin, or IR3535) and check pets and themselves regularly.

Voting for the Poughkeepsie Journal Girls Athlete of the Week for March 30-April 5 is now open, with coaches sending game stats via email *nominations required* until polls close at 8:30 p.m. Sunday; the winner will be revealed on Monday morning.