The National Weather Service predicts that it is going to be hot. An Excessive Heat Warning is out through this afternoon, and a Excessive Heat Watch through Friday afternoon. Thursday should be mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97, and a heat index value as high as 106. Thursday night, there is a 20 percent chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m., with a low around 73. Friday, a 20 percent chance if isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m., with a high near 96, and heat index values as high as 104.0 Friday night should be partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Saturday: A slight chance of showers and mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Sunday should be sunny, with a high near 86.

Town meetings today
ANCRAM Board meeting at 7 p.m. in Town Hall at 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
CHATHAM Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. Town Hall, 488 State Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Public Safety Committee meeting at 6 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson.
COPAKE Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting at 7:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
DURHAM Town board meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham.
GHENT Town Board meeting at the Ghent Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644)
HUNTER The Village of Hunter Board of Trustees holds a Public Hearing to discuss a proposed Un-mowed Frontage Law and will have a Special Meeting at 6:15 p.m. to discuss procedures for enforcement of building code violations. Meeting at 6 p.m. at Hunter Village Hall, 7955 Main St.
TAGHKANIC The Taghkanic Town Board holds a special meeting for the purposes of conducting interviews, together with such other and further business as may come before the board. Meeting at 6 p.m. at Taghkanic Town Hall, 909 Route 82.
TANNERSVILLE The Tannersville Zoning Board of Appeals holds a Public hearing for an area variance on the Mockin Property located at 96 Park Lane, tax map # 166.17-3-2. Meeting at 6 p.m. at Tannersville Village Hall, 1 Park Lane.
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

The skies above
TIDES Hudson: High, 8 a.m./Low, 2:17 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:42 a.m./8:22 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 11:16 p.m./ 12:07 p.m.

Birthdays
July 21 Marshall McLuhan, Cat_Stevens/Yusuf Islam, Garry Trudeau, Robin Williams, and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos present the morning news, music, other features, agriculture reporting, and more, in English and Spanish. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Norman Keyser updates the morning news, with weekend events from Joan Geitz and Ellen Thurston. 9 a.m.
TELL IT LIKE IT IS Sam Sebren and Christina Malisoff host. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
CROSSROADS Alan Skerrett hosts. Noon-2 p.m.
BETWEEN THE LINES Ann Forbes Cooper hosts. 2 p.m.
RADIO THEATER 3 p.m.
YOUTH RADIO 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Antoine Guerlain hosts. 4-6 p.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH 6 p.m.
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS 6:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more midnight through 6 a.m. Friday morning.