Why Does It Feel Like Columbia County Is Stuck in The 20th Century? OR "The Path of Civilization Is Lined With Tin Cans!" (E. Hubbard)

 

Back to one of HUDseen's favorite topics: garbage. And streets. And safety. And bicycling. And how Hudson City Hall and officials in Columbia County can't seem to pay attention to important details. You know, all the fun stuff to read and complain about!

How About Some Facts, HUDseen? What Kind Of "News Source" Are You Anyway?

HUDseen recently implied -- with a picture but NO ACTUAL EVIDENCE -- that the bodega at 2nd and Warren had closed for good.  It sure looked that way to me and there was no sign on the front indicating otherwise.  Thankfully, it turns out that the store merely underwent some much need renovations. (Galvan owns the building).  Apologies for offering misinformation (NOT disinformation!), but I like that place, and I guess my emotions got the better of me.

I just hope the bodega hasn't changed anything about their $7.00 turkey sub!  (I haven't been inside since it reopened).  For years, the turkey sub has been a nearly weekly lunch for me.  It has been consistently tasty, made fresh with all the trimmings whatever you want or don't want, large, less than ten dollars (!!!!), and IT IS NOT MADE WITH BOAR'S HEAD BRAND MEAT OR CHEESE!  In other words, this bodega offers, among other necessities, an affordable meal that Hudson desperately needs.  I'm likely not the only one in town who is relieved that this bodega has not closed. 

Perhaps the updated store will no longer offer cigarettes or tobacco products of any kind!  Wouldn't that be wonderful!

(For how many more years will the former Star Market in the 500 block of Warren remain empty?)

What Is It With Some Dog Owners In Hudson? Is It Time For Dog Poop DNA Testing?

This is the same location that a recent HUDseen article focused on showing several full dog poop bags on the ground in late November.

Introducing The Real Mayor of Hudson! [A rare HUDseen reposting for those who missed it the first time!]

I am reposting this article which was originally published on September 11th -- just prior to HUDseen's short hiatus -- to be sure every reader has a chance to read it.  I recently heard from a reader that another HUDseen reader had not been aware of this article because my blog went blank for a few months soon after it was published.  I'd hate to think anyone in Hudson doesn't have a chance to read this because it got lost in the shuffle.  If you have read it already, thank you.  Now go and spread the word to vote this guy out of City Hall and get us a city manager instead!

Two weeks ago, I spoke with that "other reader" who eventually did get to read the article.  His reaction to the article was pointed:  "Kamal should resign because of this."

Here it is, in early 2025, unchanged from nearly 4 months ago:

There's so much to say about this issue, so I will try my best to keep it short.  It's difficult to think this is happening in the year 2024, but it is, and the story needs to be told.

Our mayor's personal vehicle was issued seven parking tickets last year, 4 for parking on the wrong side of Union Street overnight and 3 for meter violations on Warren Street during the week.  He didn't pay for a single one of those 7 tickets. 

How Much Did This Failure Cost Us? Has Rob Perry or His Foreman Learned Anything From It?

On Wednesday, December 18th, I noticed a DPW crew filling in a large hole in the westbound lane of Columbia Street at 4th Street that had been excavated several days earlier and where, during the same time, trucks and cars had not been allowed to drive while work was taking place (one lane was available through the intersection).  That day or the next, I believe, the final coat of asphalt was installed.  Trucks, tractor trailers and cars soon began rolling over it.  DPW was done with that project, it seemed.

Is This Why National Grid Is Requesting A Rate Hike From The NYS Department of Public Service?

 

I wonder how much money National Grid spent this past August "repairing" the huge sinkhole along the de facto public trail on their property behind Oakdale Lake.  Workers, machinery, gravel and fill, days of work, yellow caution tape and dozens of NO TRESPASSING signs (which all soon disappeared) all add up to a few dollars, don't it?  Oh, and don't forget the magenta paint sprayed on the trail (on the fucking dirt!) from the spray paint can that ended up in the turtle pond that they PARTIALLY own.  That paint vanished a lot quicker than the floating can in the pond did, surprise fucking surprise!  (read here: Paint in the Pond!)

What Is Rob Perry Paid Over $117,000 To Care About? And Why Do We Even Have A Mayor?

If memory serves me well, the city recently spent $800,000 to replace a Civil War-era stone sewer under and near Union Street's 400 block that had been the cause of at least a few regularly flooding basements in the middle of the block. Our DPW Superintendent, Rob Perry, was forced by the NY State DEC to hire contractors to figure out the problem and replace the ancient sewer that he eventually admitted at a council meeting or two of not being aware of.