The Hochul Record in Full Five Days Before Early Voting, Fearless! Hudson Valley Takes the Empire Award, and One Lot of Gelato to Check Your Freezer For

The RFTUV Briefing for October 19, 2026, midday edition. The governor's record, Empire Award, and gelato recall edition: Callahan Blackwood's deep dive on rftuv.ai lays out Governor Kathy Hochul's full record five days before early voting opens October 24, with congestion pricing figures as the MTA reports them, the CDPAP consolidation and the June 2026 Justice Department suit carried as allegations in a civil complaint, not findings, the 1 billion dollar first-year saving carried as Hochul's claim, every poll attributed to its pollster as a measure of a moment, not a prediction, and three questions she has not answered: the scheduled toll rises to 12 dollars in 2028 and 15 dollars in 2031, the matching-funds dispute, and CDPAP accountability. Fearless! Hudson Valley has received the New York State Empire Award, presented by State Senator Rob Rolison on October 14, for four decades of survivor support in Orange and Sullivan counties. Plus the Lidl recall of one lot of Gelatelli Coffee and Vanilla Gelato, UPC 4 0564897 22458, Lot 085261, Best By MAR/26/2028, over potential Listeria contamination, with no illnesses reported. Hosted by Noel.

Stories:
- The Hochul record, in full, five days before early voting (rftuv.ai, Callahan Blackwood, Oct 18)
- Fearless! Hudson Valley receives the state's highest honor for its work supporting survivors (Mid Hudson News, Oct 18)
- Lidl recalls one lot of gelato over possible Listeria contamination (Lidl US announcement via FDA, Oct 16-17; Food Safety News, Oct 18)