More TGIF tidbits

Members of Congress voted themselves a 2.7 percent cost-of-living pay increase starting later this year. U.S. Rep. John Hall, D-Dover Plains, who voted against the $4,400 a year increase, said he would donate the extra pay to charity. He'll decide which charity later this summer, before the increase takes effect Oct. 1.

Meanwhile, Hall also drew fire this week from potential election opponent Kieran Michael Lalor of Peekskill, who criticized Hall for not staking a clearer position on immigration. Lalor touted his own hard-line approaches to cracking down on illegal immigration. He is considering a run for the Republican nomination to challenge Hall in November 2008.

In Dutchess County politics, a proposed domestic partnership registry is back on the county Legislature's agenda. Republican leaders had pulled the legislation creating the registry, citing a missing dollar figure, but Democratic sponsors submitted a revised copy with the figure. It is scheduled for discussion Thursday at the Government Services & Administration Committee meeting.

And finally, expect to see local party faithful scurrying about town the next few weeks as they gather signatures by the July 19 deadline for nominating petitions. You might say the election season doesn't officially start until the close of business that day. Or you might say the last election season never really ended.

Have a good weekend. Straw Poll will return on Wednesday.