Highlands Current Audio Stories

The Highlands Current is a nonprofit weekly newspaper and daily website that covers Beacon, Cold Spring, Garrison, Nelsonville and Philipstown, New York, in the Hudson Highlands. This podcast includes select stories read aloud.

Highlands Current Audio Stories is a news podcast hosted by Highlands Current, with 60 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Highlands Current hosts Highlands Current Audio Stories, a news show with 60 episodes published.

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  Episode #60

  'Real' Conservative Joins Putnam Race

  Aug 19, 20265 min

  Republican incumbent calls nominee 'grossly unqualified' A Kent woman who uses her Facebook page to crusade against critical race theory, undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ books in schools is now the Conservative Party's choice to challenge Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne for his seat. Tatiana Brahimi will replace William Spain Jr. as the Conservative's candidate for county executive in the November election. She will face Byrne, who will have the Republican and Libertarian party lines as he seeks a second 4-year term, and Brett Yarris, who will be on the Democratic and the Working Families lines. Conservatives typically back the same candidate Republicans select, and the party endorsed Byrne when he ran unopposed in 2022. But in March, the Conservative Party announced that it had nominated Spain, its chair and a former county attorney whose brother, Compton Spain, holds the position in the Byrne administration. After Spain was chosen by the Kings County Conservative Party to run for a state judicial seat in Brooklyn, the Putnam Conservatives unanimously backed Brahimi to replace him. The new candidate "best represents the principles and values of our party," said Theresa Votano, the party secretary, on Aug. 14. Those principles included crusading in 2021 against the alleged teaching of critical race theory in the Carmel school district, which landed her appearances on "Fox & Friends" and Newsmax. Posting as Tatiana Ibrahim on Facebook, Brahimi has called for aiding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation efforts because "if you are here illegally you must go"; described a planned drag show in Carmel as a "pit stop of pedos and groomers"; and labeled Black Lives Matter a "radical racist organization that supports killing cops." Brahimi, whose causes also include "pornographic books" and "Marxist indoctrination" in schools, has dismissed predictions that her campaign will divide Conservatives and Republicans to Yarris' benefit. "For too long, real conservative Republican voters have been told to settle for the same old politics and the same old choices," she said. "Not anymore." Byrne railed against the nomination. In Brahimi, he said, the Conservatives nominated a "grossly unqualified candidate" without interviewing other contenders and giving "principled conservative voters" an opportunity to be heard. "Her erratic conduct and rhetoric are well documented and should concern anyone who expects serious, stable and responsible leadership," he said. Byrne also said the nomination "appears to be the latest effort to split the conservative vote," and suggested that Democrats were involved. He accused Jennifer Colamonico, chair of the Putnam Democratic Committee, of telling Compton Spain he would be re-nominated to be county attorney if he supported Yarris. Colamonico called Byrnes' accusation "demonstrably false." "The myth that somehow Democrats and Conservatives have joined forces to take him down is a fantasy that someone is feeding him, or that he is inventing to make himself feel better," she said. The loss of the Conservative endorsement could be costly for Byrnes. In 2022, the party accounted for 681 of his 5,075 votes, or 13 percent. This year he has an opponent who will bring Democratic voters to the polls. In Putnam, Republicans hold an advantage over Democrats in registered voters, 24,723 to 22,080. But 21,235 voters are unaffiliated, and 2,777 are designated as "other." Of the other parties, 1,689 are Conservative Party members, and 292 belong to the left-leaning Working Families. Hoping to obtain a second ballot line after Conservatives nominated Spain, Byrne joined with three other Republican incumbents — Clerk Michael Bartolotti and coroners John Bourges and Michael Nesheiwat — to collect enough nominating petition signatures to appear on the Libertarian line. They did so over the objections of the Libertarian Party, which endorsed Yarris and said it had never met with Bartolotti, Bourges or Nes...

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  Episode #60

  Dutchess Bans Kratom Concentrates

  Aug 18, 20263 min

  Less potent kratom leaf still legal The Dutchess County Legislature on Aug. 10 unanimously passed a ban on the sale and distribution of concentrated and synthetic versions of kratom, stopping short of a full ban proposed last month by County Executive Sue Serino. Originally from Southeast Asia, kratom is a member of the coffee family whose leaves have traditionally been used as a pain reliever and stimulant. But in recent years, highly concentrated and synthetic derivatives of kratom have been used in products such as seltzers, gummies and pills that can be found in colorful, candy-like packaging in vape shops and convenience stores, earning it the nickname "gas station heroin." Consumers, fooled by packaging that often touts the product as "natural," often don't realize that they're buying an opioid-like drug that causes symptoms such as seizures and respiratory issues. The drug, which has been shown to be addictive and can result in fatal overdoses, is not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Although Serino wanted a full ban, the law exempts kratom in its natural leaf form, which is far less potent. The ban will take effect when Serino signs the bill, expected by the end of the month. Legislator Kristofer Munn, a Democrat who represents Red Hook and wrote the law, noted at the Aug. 10 meeting that whether something qualifies for the ban depends on its concentration. "This is not about just slapping the word 'natural' on a package, and suddenly you're free to sell whatever you want at whatever concentrations you want," he said. "It also bans synthetics. It bans other variations, and it has a sort of catch-all for future analogs if the industry decides to try to capitalize on people's misery in a different way." He noted that while Serino had urged the Legislature to pass a full ban, her version of the bill "didn't have any sponsors." "Good policy is not about making or proposing the biggest ban," said Legislator Barrington Atkins, a Democrat who represents the city of Poughkeepsie. "It's about making sure that the actions we take are supported by research. I also want folks to understand that being more aggressive does not mean being more responsible." Minority Leader Michael Polasek, a Republican who represents Lagrange, said that the legislation should be viewed as a first step. "What else should we be looking at?" he said. "I think many of us don't go into gas stations anymore. I don't even know how many things are sitting on those shelves in colorful packaging that shouldn't be there. We should be working with law enforcement, the DA's office, and the Department of Health, and asking 'If it's not kratom, what else is there?' " "Vape cartridges, vape cartridges, vape cartridges," replied Brendan Lawler, a Democrat who represents Hyde Park and the town of Poughkeepsie. "Oh my goodness, vape cartridges as a starting point."

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  Episode #59

  Hackers Hit City of Beacon Protect Yourself

  Aug 18, 20266 min

  Post personnel files on 'dark web' after ransom demand Hackers posted data this week on the "dark web" from City of Beacon computers, including the personnel files of hundreds of current and past employees. A group known as RansomHouse announced on Aug. 6 that it had gained access to the network at least two weeks earlier. It posted thousands of documents online this week after saying its ransom demands were ignored. As of Tuesday (Aug. 18), a counter indicated 7,260 people had viewed the files, which include folders titled Assessor, Building, Clerk, Finance and HR. "We are aware of reports regarding a cyber event and are actively investigating," City Administrator Ben Swanson said in a statement on Tuesday. "We have engaged our internal security team and third-party cybersecurity specialists to support the investigation and ensure our environment remains secure. As the review is ongoing, we are unable to provide more at this time." The Current reviewed the hack and found that, while the files contain information already public, such as budget documents, they also include personal and financial information for hundreds of current, former and retired city employees, including police officers and firefighters, that could be used for fraud. In addition, the documents appear to contain the contents of computers used by the city administrator, building inspector, finance director, tax assessor and human resources director, among other employees. Under a state law enacted last year, municipalities must report breaches and payment demands within 72 hours to the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the Division of Consumer Protection, the attorney general and the state police. They must also notify anyone whose data was stolen within 30 days. According to sites that track hackers, RansomHouse has targeted more than 200 companies and municipalities worldwide since 2021. Along with Beacon, its recent victims include the City of McMinnville, Oregon; Prince George's County, Maryland; and the Warren County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky. Once they have breached a network through methods such as "phishing" for credentials through email links or installing rogue software (malware), hackers demand payment. Some hackers encrypt data so it can't be accessed; others, like RansomHouse, download sensitive material and threaten to post it online. Install security software, such as that offered by avg.com, to your computer. Its free version has basic functions and can be upgraded for a fee. Also enable "two-factor authentication" whenever it's offered (i.e., you will need to request a code by text or email to log in to an account). Be cautious about any email that asks you to click on a link to update or verify information. By hovering your mouse over the link, you can see the address it will send you to. Better yet, go directly to the source. For instance, if an email appears to be from your bank, go to the bank's website to log in or call. Be especially cautious about emails that claim to have invoices or important documents attached. Antivirus software will usually flag these messages as suspicious or prevent malware from being installed, but a better strategy is to go directly to the source if you have doubts. Back up your computer regularly so that it can easily be restored if damaged or seized by hackers. You can also encrypt your hard drive using programs such as BitLocker or FileVault to protect it from unauthorized access. In online posts, RansomHouse claims it provides a service, identifying security flaws, for which it deserves compensation. Like a burglar blaming a homeowner for leaving a window unlocked, it argues the villains are companies and municipalities that don't protect their data. In a message directed at City of Beacon officials, it wrote: "Dear management of City of Beacon, we were waiting for you for quite some time, but it seems that your IT department decided to conceal the incident that took place...

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  Episode #60

  Couple Sentenced to Life in Beacon Murder

  Aug 16, 20266 min

  Convicted of killing wife's ex-husband in 2020 A former Beacon couple convicted in 2024 of killing the woman's ex-husband was sentenced last week to life in prison by a federal judge in White Plains. Jamie Orsini, 38, was sentenced on Aug. 11 and Nicholas Orsini, 36, on Aug. 13. They each were convicted of one count of carjacking resulting in death and one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit carjacking in connection with the murder of Jamie Orsini's ex-husband, Steven Kraft. According to prosecutors, on April 28, 2020, Kraft was killed after he dropped the two children he shared with Jamie Orsini at the Orsini apartment on West Church Street in Beacon. Nicholas Orsini then abandoned Kraft's car in Newburgh, and the couple began a cover-up involving burner phones to disguise the crime. Prosecutors say that the couple burned and buried Kraft's body in Amsterdam, New York, where both had grown up, although it was never found. Kraft's disappearance came six weeks before a court hearing as he planned to seek sole custody of his daughters or greater visitation. Nicholas and Jamie Orsini were each sentenced to life with the possibility of parole on the carjacking charge and up to five years on the conspiracy charge, to run concurrently. Each was ordered to pay $6,435 in restitution. In a letter to the judge before the sentencing, Kraft's aunt, Lori Kaiser, said that her nephew was "a deeply loved member of our family who joined the Marines after high school. Above all else, he loved his two daughters. … He chose to live alone in New York, away from the support of his family in Illinois, solely to remain close to his daughters and fight for custody. We believe this threat to custody is what motivated Jamie and Nick to take his life. "The defendants have left Steven's children to cope with the devastating reality that their mother and stepfather murdered, dismembered and burned their father. … Steven's murder has devastated our family. His father, my brother Dean, is barely holding on, and the lives of Steven's daughters have been permanently ruined." In a letter to the judge on July 14, the defense attorneys for Nicholas Orsini said their client, following his conviction, had "voluntarily led law enforcement to the location in Amsterdam where he believed he had buried Mr. Kraft's remains. Although the search was unsuccessful, that effort — undertaken without any promise of benefit and at his own initiative — reflects a recognition of responsibility and a sincere, if belated, attempt to provide the Kraft family with some measure of closure." They added that prosecutors had "acknowledged, at least informally, that Jamie Orsini was the driving force behind the offense and that Nicholas Orsini was not the primary instigator." He cited the fact that Nicholas Orsini's parents had divorced when he was 10 and that he had been sexually abused by the friend of a sister as mitigating factors in the crime. According to this defense account, Nicholas Orsini met his wife in high school art class, and they reconnected years later on Facebook. Orsini's mother, aunt, four sisters, brother-in-law and a lifelong friend wrote the judge to ask for leniency. Their letters, the attorney said, establish "a consistent and detailed picture of a relationship defined by psychological control, financial exploitation, physical abuse and deliberate isolation." The defense told the judge that Jamie Orsini had convinced her husband that "Kraft was sexually assaulting their nonverbal autistic daughter in the bathrooms of the fast-food restaurants where his supervised visitation took place." Orsini offered the Kraft family a "heartfelt statement of responsibility," they said. Jamie Orsini's statement to the judge was redacted at her request because, her lawyers said, it contained medical records, allegations of abuse and information about her minor children. The court ordered her to provide an unredacted copy to her husband. Following their arrests in...

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  Episode #60

  Special Report: War on Ticks Missing the target Ticks? There's an App for That Ecology vs. epidemiology

  Aug 14, 202613 min

  Can humans keep up? A dozen years ago, Holly Ahern's daughter, Kaleigh, then a college student, asked to come home for the weekend. She wasn't feeling well. Kaleigh woke up the next morning so sick she couldn't get out of bed. She felt practically paralyzed on one side of her body. After seeing two dozen specialists, someone suggested a test for Lyme disease. Although Holly Ahern is a microbiologist, she says that Lyme, which is spread through tick bites, never occurred to her. Kayleigh recalled being bitten, but it had been months earlier. "If there was one thing in my whole life I wish I could change, it would be to take me back to that first doctor's visit so that I could demand an antibiotic treatment for her until they called the cops to take me out of there," Holly Ahern says. She notes that New York is highly endemic. "You can't go outside practically without getting ticks on you," she says. "People need to know the risks. They need to understand that certain pathogens that ticks transmit are associated with long-term chronic illnesses that are awful." Kaleigh recovered, but it took three years. At the same time, Ahern decided to change the focus of her research at SUNY Adirondack to improving diagnostic tests for Lyme. She also founded the Lyme Action Network and this year joined the Dutchess County Tick Task Force. The advisory panel was created by County Executive Sue Serino, who has given so many presentations on tick awareness in schools that she's been called The Tick Lady. "It is a title I am proud of," she says. Also on the panel: Richard Ostfeld of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, based in Millbrook, and Jill and Ira Auerbach of the Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association, based in Poughkeepsie. (More members are being recruited, including from the general public; see dutchessny.gov/tick-application.) Former county Legislator Donna Bolner, who leads the panel, sees it as an opportunity to take a broader approach than that of the Legislature's Deer Tick Control Task Force, on which she sat for 16 years. "We'll be able to have people who represent groups who are being highly impacted and hear what residents need more education on," she said. "We've had a lot of people move to Dutchess County in the past 10 years, many from areas where they didn't have to think about this," says Bolner. "You're living with it now, so you need to have a good offense." Like Ahern, Bolner has a personal history with Lyme. She got it a few years after moving to Dutchess and has battled several tick-borne illnesses since. Between March and May, she found six on her skin. "I actually just finished a round of doxycycline," she says, referring to the antibiotic typically prescribed. "The ticks are prolific this year." Diagnosed for the first time in Sweden in 1909, Lyme disease is spread through ancient bacteria carried by the blacklegged, or deer, tick (Ixodes scapularis). The bacteria has been found in a 15-million-year-old tick fossilized in amber and in a 5,300-year-old mummy preserved in ice in the Italian Alps. The disease was named in 1976 by a field biologist working near Lyme, Connecticut. Over the past 20 years, there has been an explosion of ticks and tick-borne illnesses in the Hudson Valley. The most prominent newcomer is the aggressive lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), named for the white spot on the female's back. Research by the Cary Institute has found that ticks in the Hudson Valley are increasingly carrying multiple pathogens, including those that lead to Alpha-gal Syndrome (spread by the lone star tick, which causes an allergic reaction to red meat) and the Bourbon virus (recently discovered in a Long Island man, it was first diagnosed in 2014 in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in a patient who died). Earlier this year, a Dutchess County resident was infected with the Powassan virus, which is spread by blacklegged ticks. Global warming due to climate change has allowed ticks to expand their range. At the sam...

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