Good morning, Poughkeepsie.

1450 Mokha, a new Yemeni coffee shop at 3434 North Road, is opening today with a ribbon cutting (with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce), 50% off drinks, free giveaways and a raffle for a MacBook and iPad.

A well-known Fishkill restaurant, AMA Wood Fired, closed unexpectedly earlier this month and an Instagram post on Wednesday confirmed it will reopen as Element Kitchen with a new concept based on fire, earth, water + air.

Details on new ownership and the menu were not provided.

Florrie Kaye's Tearoom in Brewster offers a traditional British tea service (a nod to a family tradition) with finger sandwiches, desserts, and 105 tea varieties.

The tearoom is open Tuesday through Sunday and welcomes walk-ins.

Attorney General Letitia James and the New York Community Trust announced $505,000 in grants from a toxic weedkiller settlement for pollinator projects in underserved communities across Hudson Valley and Long Island.

The awards funded new gardens, habitat restoration, and environmental education programs, supporting local conservation efforts.

Researchers at Old Dominion University have built the TickBot (a small robot that drags permethrin-treated cloth to kill ticks) to help Hudson Valley residents manage tick infestations; the device is still in testing and will eventually be available for home use.

New York State health officials said the new federal childhood vaccine guidelines will not change the current immunization practices, as they cited a lack of new scientific evidence and safety concerns over splitting vaccines for children.

Nurses and technicians from MidHudson Regional Hospital held a picket on Route 9 on Friday, Aug.

13, calling for fair contract updates (organized by the 1199 United Healthcare Workers Union).

Researchers at Old Dominion University are testing TickBot—a small, four-wheeled robot that drags a permethrin-soaked cloth across Hudson Valley yards to kill ticks.

The team hopes local homeowners can soon use this targeted approach to reduce tick problems.

A new analysis shows New York's hottest housing markets span beyond major cities, with upstate areas including Poughkeepsie's 12603 facing strong buyer competition and higher prices — homes sell quickly and command notable premiums.

The report highlights competitive trends in regions outside the big cities.