Mohawk Valley Voice News to Know | November 5, 2026 | Morning edition
A budget presentation in Madison County, approaching grocery-order deadlines in Ilion, a Vernon rabies alert and local water-project grants lead this morning’s four-item briefing.
Cover: Original editorial graphic by Mohawk Valley Voice.
1. Madison County budget presentation is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Madison County’s Board of Supervisors is scheduled to begin its annual session at 11 a.m. Thursday, November 5, with a budget presentation in the board chambers at 138 North Court Street, Wampsville.
The county’s official schedule directs viewers to its YouTube channel for the livestream. Today’s presentation is separate from the county budget hearing, listed for 11:05 a.m. November 19, and the planned budget-adoption session on December 1. The schedule does not establish what supervisors will approve.
2. Ilion Food $en$e cash orders end Friday; online orders close Monday
Shoppers using the Ilion Food $en$e site can place November cash orders at the Presbyterian Church, 90 Morgan Street, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. through Friday, November 6. The online deadline is Monday, November 9, according to Herkimer County’s November 2 notice.
The standard November package costs $20.50. Food $en$e is a food-buying program, not a free distribution. The Food Bank of Central New York’s ordering site accepts online card and SNAP/EBT payments; select the participating pickup location before ordering.
Ilion pickup is 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, November 20, at the same church. The county says packages cannot be held beyond pickup time. If you cannot attend, give your receipt to someone who can collect for you. Questions can go to Catholic Charities at 315-894-9917.
3. County reports a rabid raccoon in Vernon
A raccoon in Vernon tested positive for rabies on November 4, the Oneida County Health Department said in an official release that day. The animal was submitted to the state’s Wadsworth Center on November 3. Two dogs that were exposed received booster vaccinations.
The department advises residents to stay away from wild or stray animals behaving unusually and to contact an animal-control officer for help. Questions about a possible rabies exposure can be directed to the county at 315-798-5064, available 24 hours a day. Do not try to handle a suspect animal yourself.
4. Herkimer and Oneida projects receive water-quality grants
The state Department of Environmental Conservation highlighted four Herkimer and Oneida County awards in a November 4 regional update:
- Herkimer County Sewer District: $10 million for wastewater improvements, including the Frankfort pump station and a switch from chlorine to ultraviolet disinfection.
- Herkimer County: $50,000 to study replacement options for an eroding culvert on Elizabethtown Road.
- Annsville: $2 million to replace an undersized Florence Creek culvert and improve stream flow and aquatic passage.
- New Hartford: $378,342 for a vacuum truck to clear stormwater catch basins.
These are grant awards for planned work, not reports that construction is finished. The regional release follows the governor’s October 30 statewide announcement. The November 4 update does not give completion dates for these four local projects.
Official source pages checked November 5, 2026. Times are Eastern. Meeting schedules, ordering arrangements and project plans can change; consult the linked sources for updates.