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The week in review

Apr 16, 2012 12:10 am
Stories that made the news in Columbia and Greene counties (Apr. 13 to Apr. 15):

Tom Casey reports in the Register Star the proposal for the Hudson Youth Center Senior Annex got a unanimous “thumbs-up” from the Hudson Preservation Commission, Fri., Apr. 13. The Commission gave its approval, expressly noting the materials to be used and the positioning and design of the building were appropriate to the historic district. “I think this is a nice use of a facility tying into another building, but it shows respect for the old historical building,” said member Rick Rector. According to Carole Osterink's account in The Gossips of Rivertown blog, the members approved the proposal, but stipulated that any major, significant changes to the design be submitted to the Commission for review. The project now moves forward to the Hudson Planning Commission for consideration on May 9. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Audra Jornov and John Mason report in the Register Star, the boards of education in both Hudson and Germantown adopted the districts’ 2012-13 school spending plans on Wed., Apr. 11. In Hudson, the board approved a $41.5 million budget and 2.78 percent tax levy increase. The Germantown board okayed a $13.7 million spending plan, along with a 5.2 percent tax levy increase. Boards in Greenville, Cairo-Durham, Catskill, Chatham, Coxsackie-Athens, Hunter-Tannersville, New Lebanon and Taconic Hills will be asked to adopt their respective budgets this week. The annual school board election and budget vote is May 15. Read the full story in the Register Star.

The Register Star is reporting Jonathan A. Mills, the man alleged to have robbed the Fairview Ave. branch of the Bank of Greene County, Mon., Apr. 9, has now been charged in Genesee County in connection with the afternoon robbery of the Five Star Bank in the town of Pavilion on Apr. 6. Mills, 24, of Rochester, is currently held in Columbia County Jail. Police believe he may have been involved in other robberies statewide, targeting banks located in Saugerties, Geneva and Rochester. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Lissa Harris writes in the Watershed Post because Hurricane Irene “caused so much death and destruction in 2011" the World Meteorological Organization has retired the name ‘Irene’ from its rotating list of storm names. It will be replaced by the name, ‘Irma.’ According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Irene was responsible for 49 deaths, and $15.8 billion worth of damage in the U.S. alone. In New York, 10 people died and the state estimates damages from the storms Irene and Lee together, total $1.6 billion. Read the full story in the Watershed Post.