Reporting from the Uncanny Valley

A man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on State Route 9G in the Town of Rhinebeck on October 22, 2026, after law enforcement responded to a report of an armed suicidal person in northern Dutchess County. The New York State Attorney General's Office is leading the investigation, assisted by the Sheriff's Office, State Police, and the County Medical Examiner.

The Hudson Valley's Halloween season runs from a fortress in Stanford to 7,000 glowing pumpkins in Croton-on-Hudson, with a 50-year-old haunted mansion in Wappingers Falls anchoring it all. Here is where to go, what it costs, and what you need to know before you leave the house. Temperatures this weekend will drop to the upper 20s, so plan accordingly.

The Orionid meteor shower peaked Wednesday night, but the show is not over. A bright waxing Moon has complicated viewing all week, but Friday morning offers a genuine dark window of about an hour and a half between moonset and dawn. After that, the full Moon on October 25-26 effectively ends the season.

The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office reported Thursday that Route 9G between Route 308 and Route 9 in the Town of Rhinebeck is closed for an ongoing investigation. As of Thursday evening, the agency had not released the nature of the incident or any other details.

Four New York State Assembly districts cover parts of Dutchess County in the November 3 general election. One incumbent is running alone. The other three races have opponents on the ballot, but the public record across all four is thin. Here is what could be verified, district by district.

Saturday, October 24 is the last day Dutchess County residents can register to vote in the November 3 general election, and also the first day of early voting. Any registered county voter may vote at any of the seven early voting sites through November 1. Election Day polls are open 6 AM to 9 PM on Tuesday, November 3.