Good morning, Poughkeepsie.

Legislation sponsored by State Sen. Peter Harckham has helped redirect 110 million pounds of unsold food to ten regional food banks, aiding residents facing food insecurity.

Local groups, including the Putnam Community Action Partnership, praise the law for increasing monthly donations from about 60,000 pounds to nearly 2.8 million.

Beloved coach Jordan Bledsoe died on Sept.

25 at age 37, leaving a lasting impact in the community. Calling hours are today from 3 to 8 p.m. at McHoul Funeral Home, with a service on Oct. 1 at Fishkill Baptist Church—nearly $185,000 has been raised to support his family.

ALDI has lowered prices on nearly one-third of its products to save shoppers an estimated $86 million.

The discounts, including lower prices on chicken breast and Honeycrisp apples, went into effect on Sept. 23 and will run through Nov. 3 at Hudson Valley locations like Newburgh and Kingston.

Spirit Halloween is now open at the Poughkeepsie Galleria with its Camp Harbor Lake theme (inspired by 80s horror movies) for spooky season; shoppers can explore interactive displays and exclusive décor today.

Governor Hochul signed a law that lets school districts use utility savings over 25 years instead of 18 years to fund clean energy upgrades, supporting projects like solar panels + lowering taxpayer costs.

State Sen. Pete Harckham credited student advocates for spurring the change.

Thirteen large-scale renewable energy projects including wind, solar, and hydro received key contracts from NYSERDA to secure federal tax credits & generate 719 megawatts for the grid across upstate areas.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday that construction began on the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project to add rail capacity under the Hudson River.

The project, expected to open in 2035, will create four modern tracks for Amtrak & NJ Transit, improving service for Hudson Valley commuters.

Drivers on the Poughkeepsie side of the Mid-Hudson Bridge faced early morning alternating traffic patterns and should expect more delays tonight & over the weekend as crews repair the roadway.

Maintenance on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge ran Tuesday to prepare the road for winter.

The NY State Department of Labor announced that all online and phone unemployment insurance services will be offline for 9 to 12 days starting Monday, Nov.

2 at 5 p.m. to upgrade a system in use for 50 years while customers must continue completing weekly job search activities.

Yesterday, National Coffee Day saw local retailers offering free coffee at Stewart's Shops and Dunkin' rewards orders, while 7-Eleven, DQ, Stop & Shop, and Perkins extended deals into October & November; local coffee shops also joined the celebration to serve unique brews for coffee lovers in town.