Hello Hudsonians, and happy belated Cinco de Mayo. 

Spring is here, and so are our latest sharp takes on the (many) moment(s). 

Here’s the latest Special Report, Guest Op-Ed, and Editorial: 

1. Special Report: Half the Kids. Twenty Times the Budget: Who's really benefitting from this boondoggle? Read the full report here and follow our Instagram for daily breakdowns of this seven-section report. Special thanks to many of our readers who contributed to this Special Report. 

Friendly reminder & request: agreement is welcome. Disagreement is vital. Nuance is rare and therefore prized. Common Sense exists to sharpen arguments, not settle them. Submit your Guest Op-Ed HERE. 

2. New Series: Making Sense of Access: Can every differently abled Hudson resident live freely in their own city? We're publishing unvarnished perspectives from those navigating Hudson's streets and systems daily. We open with “In The Shadows,” a Guest Op-Ed by Papillon, a differently abled Hudson resident.

3. Hoop Dreams & Charter Schemes: Professional and even small basketball teams have managers (or GMs), a coach, and a mascot. Someone to make long-term decisions, someone to manage the game, and someone to excite the crowd. Our latest Editorial takes lessons from Hudson’s Bluehawks for the city’s charter reformers…

4. After our Shallot Satire joking about Sam Hodge dropping out of the Columbia County race caused more pandemonium than the moment itself, we decided a change is needed. Introducing: Common Sense’s New Color Coded Content. Our content is now clearly labeled to distinguish Editorial, Guest Op-Eds, and Satire. A reminder that you can read more about us, our values, and our content here.

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI): 

• The Shallot Satire: City of Hudson Officially Declares April "Conservative+ Coming Out Month: From Betsy Ross flags to Bengalis, is Hudson finally winning the battle to protect New York’s most endangered demographic; conservatives? Read the full Satirical piece here.

• The FB Mob Sequel: HCHC Slanders for Legitimacy & Recap of Hudson's Actual Criminal and Civil Scandals for the New Mayor and New Residents: Indeed, following a minor midday parking lot accident where a Common Councilmember struck a building wall, in which police reported no injuries, filed no charges, and declared the incident resolved, the advocacy group HCHC submitted multiple FOIL requests to city departments and consistently misrepresented the issue, and falsely accused HPD, the County DA, and city Hall of a "cover up". The matter quickly escalated into a full-blown Facebook Mob 2.0 (in case you forgot, catch up on the first iteration of the Mob here).

• The Hudson Media Ecosystem: Signal, Noise, and the Cost of Truth: We answer pressing questions, such as What is the best dollar spent on local journalism? How many paid Substacks, podcasts, and blogs can 12534 support? And the rise of the Hudson Valley "insider" swag?

• The Shallot Satire: Sam Hodge Endorses Barrett for Assembly (Again), After 4 to 1 Vote County Democrats (CCDC) Shellacking: Sam Hodge “officially” (read: the Shallot Satire) suspended his Assembly primary challenge against Didi Barrett, after losing the Columbia County Democratic Committee endorsement vote 4 to 1. Hodge pivoted to endorsing Barrett for the second time in two years, calling her a "champion" for the region despite his brief stint as her opponent.

• Reprint: Protect Public and Civic Spaces – Council President Margaret Morris: A longtime 4th Ward Resident, Carla Sadoff writes that the City of Hudson “is watching,” and warns that Hudson’s reputation depends on leaders shutting down misinformation and setting a calmer tone.

• Coming Soon: The 12534 Directory: A functional directory mapping the individuals who drive Hudson's conversation: charter reform, tax policy, local commerce, and municipal power. Not a social network. 

What’s Next? Now that we have new Color Coded Content, we’ll be publishing more regular Special Reports (we see you, HHA…), more Fact Sheets, and, in true Common Sense fashion, more Editorials and sharp takes on the moment.

Stay sensible,

- The Editors and Contributors
Hudson Common Sense