Good morning, Poughkeepsie.

The Joe DiMaggio Lodge 2248 Son's of Italy Italian Festival is scheduled for May 21-24 at East Fishkill Recreation on Rt.

376 in Hopewell Junction, offering daily live music + carnival rides, games and fair foods with fireworks on Sunday night and free entry with parking.

On Earth Day, April 23, 2026, Central Hudson invested $200K in Dutchess Community College to build a new 9,200 sqft lab for HVAC and building trades training at its Fishkill campus (Center of Excellence for Business, Industry and Innovation) to boost clean energy and advanced manufacturing workforce skills.

New York officials urge residents to turn off non-essential outdoor lights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. during the spring migration season (April 15-May 31) to protect birds using natural constellations for navigation and reduce fatal collisions with buildings.

Governor Hochul announced a plan that will let bars and restaurants extend service until 4 a.m. during live matches and will allow event organizers to use a World Cup One-Day Permit for outdoor watch parties this summer — easing rules and hosting fan festivals from mid-June to mid-July.

Dutchess County will start a six‐month gas tax cap on June 1 that waives a 3.7% sales tax on gas over $3 & Ulster County has approved a tax holiday from June 1 through Aug.

31 that drops a 4% tax on gas and diesel.

Ulster County passed a measure that will waive its 4% sales tax on gas and diesel priced above $3 per gallon from June 1 through August 31 — lawmakers expect up to $725,000 in savings for motorists, though some remain concerned the benefits will not fully reach consumers.

Two food recalls remain active in the area.

Lundberg Family Farms White Jasmine Rice was recalled in early April for potential foreign material contamination — and Trader Joe’s frozen fried rice products are being recalled for possible hard white glass contamination; return affected items to the store for a refund.

Health officials say a highly-mutated COVID variant called Cicada - with up to 75 mutations - is being tracked in New York through wastewater tests and traveler checks; early data shows more children are affected, though the variant does not seem to cause more severe illness.

Mother’s Day Buffet

11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. — The Grandview — $60.95 — Treat Mom to a gourmet buffet with scenic views of the Hudson River featuring hand-carved meats and gourmet entrées.