Karen Freifeld and Jim Finkle report for Reuters that New York state announced Feb. 16 regulations requiring banks and insurers to meet minimum cyber-security standards and report computer hacking. The effort to fight cyber crime goes into effect March 1. "These strong, first-in-the-nation protections will help ensure this industry has the necessary safeguards in place" to protect businesses and clients "from the serious economic harm caused by these devastating cyber-crimes," Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. The rules were delayed in December, then weakened "after financial firms complained they were onerous and said they would need more time to comply," according to the story. Banks and insurers must also scrutinize security at third-party vendors they work with. Read the full story on the Reuters website.

Debby Mayer reports in The Columbia Paper that a late frost last spring led to smaller local apple crop, lowering the number of migrant workers in Germantown last fall. That resulted in fewer English-as-a-Second-Language students in the town's schools. So that cold front is now allowing the Germantown schools to use funds budgeted for an ESL teacher to hire a social worker. “We’re seeing an increased need in students this year, for this service,” said Superintendent Susan L.S. Brown. Other districts, she said, are also reporting increased needs for social workers. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

The Daily Freeman reports that Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Feb. 16 $8 million for the state-owned Belleayre Mountain Ski Center facility in Ulster County. Cuomo said in a press release that the funding, “will enhance the current facilities at Belleayre Mountain with the installation of a new, high-speed gondola, multiple lodge expansions, and the addition of modern amenities for both lodges at the resort.” Local representatives in Albany state Senator James Seward (R-Milford) and state Assemblyperson Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston) had complained that Cuomo’s latest budget included $20 million for the Gore and Whiteface ski areas in the Adirondacks, but nothing for the ski resort in Shandaken. Seward said he was, “extremely pleased that the governor is righting a wrong and proposing a significant state investment in the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.” Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

New York residents and non-residents are permitted to fish for free this weekend without a fishing license at any of the state’s 7,500 lakes and ponds or 70,000 miles of rivers and streams. Governor Andrew Cuomo also designated June 24-25, September 23, and November 11 as free fishing days. Anyone ice fishing this weekend be warned though, as there have been several snowmobiling and ice fishing accidents on thin ice this winter. Warmer temperatures are expected this week, which will only weaken any ice further.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Fri., Feb. 17 (8:30). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Rosa Acheson is reporting in The Daily Mail earlier this week New York State Police warned Hudson Valley residents about the "Yes" telephone scam. State police are advising people to immediately hang up the telephone if they receive a call from an unfamiliar voice asking, "can you hear me," or any other question that would provoke a "yes" response. The response is recorded by the caller and used to place unauthorized charges on the call recipient's credit card accounts. The swindle has been reported in other states, and recently reported in Pine Plans. “If people receive the phone call, we encourage them to contact the Federal Trade Commission,” Trooper Melissa McMorris, said. “They are tracking it.” The Federal Trade Commission advises call recipients to hang up immediately on any unwanted calls, even if they are unsure of the caller’s intentions. Avoid engaging with unwanted callers in any way, the spokeswoman said. The FTC New York office can be reached at (212) 607-2829. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Victoria Addison and Amanda Purcell are reporting in the Register-Star on U.S. Rep. John Faso's reaction to National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's departure from the new Republican administration this week. President Donald Trump demanded Flynn's resignation, Mon., Feb. 13, after allegations surfaced in the press that he misled key members of the administration about his telephone calls with Russian officials. Faso said he does not believe the alleged discussions between Flynn and Russia are surprising. "I think that it shouldn’t be surprising that an incoming national security advisor would have discussion with representatives of other countries — that is not uncommon," Faso said. "What is surprising is that he apparently misled the vice president and others as to the substance of those discussions, so I think his resignation was appropriate." Despite what transpired, the Kinderhook Republican said Flynn was an appropriate choice for the national security advisor position. He said any investigations into Flynn and the Trump administration’s involvement with Russia should be handled within the Senate Intelligence Committee, and not by a special prosecutor. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Emilia Teasdale is reporting in The Columbia Paper Kinderhook Mayor James Dunham is questioning whether the village needs a mass gathering law in light of recent protests staged in front of U.S. Rep. John Faso's district office, located on the village square. The village currently has no mass gathering law. The newly elected Republican lives near the village center and protesters marched from the square to his home and talked to him on the sidewalk in front of his house for approximately 45 minutes on January 28. The event was organized to protest Faso's position on repealing the Affordable Care Act. Dunham said the organizers of the protest contacted him about their plans a few days before the gathering. He said his main concern was that “things got off safely and peacefully, which they did.” Under the current law, users of the village bandstand must provide insurance, but events like the protest held last month do not. Dunham said he has contacted the state Conference of Mayors about laws in other municipalities. “I want to talk to [Village Attorney] Rob [Fitzsimmons] further about it and give it some thought,” Dunham said, referring to a local law. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

WRGB CBS6-TV in Albany reports that two tires fell off a school bus full of children in Germantown Feb. 14. There were no injuries when the Pulcher Transportation bus lost the tires on Maple Lane. The Germantown school district and Pulcher Transportation are reviewing bus records with the state Department of Transportation to figure out what happened. DOT documents show in 2013-14, out of 14 inspections, four Pulcher buses were taken out of service. The next year no vehicles taken out of service after 13 inspections. Last year two buses were pulled from service out of 15 inspections. Pulcher Transportation did not return calls from the TV station. Read the full story on the WRGB CBS6-TV website.

Robert Downen reports in Capitol Confidential about the impact on local farmers from recent Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids and arrests. “ICE raids have been an ongoing concern for farmers and their migrant employees for many years. With the added attention on enforcement from the Trump administration, those concerns are certainly heightened,” New York Farm Bureau spokesman Steve Ammerman wrote in an email Feb. 13. “While we recognize that border security is essential, an enforcement-only approach to immigration issues in this country will leave farms with a diminished workforce and will lead to more food being imported into the U.S.” There have been at least four arrests by ICE in Columbia County in the past week. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Casey Seiler reports in Capitol Confidential that holding town hall meetings is one of four recommendations of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro) in her report released Feb. 15 “Millennials & the GOP: Rebuilding Trust with an Untapped Electorate.” Stefanik, like other local Republican representatives, has been ducking town halls this winter. On Feb. 13, about 80 people demonstrated outside Stefanik's Glens Falls district office asking for the Congressperson to meet with constituents in a town hall forum. Locally, John Faso (R-Kinderhook) has yet to hold a town hall meeting despite numerous requests and protests outside his offices in Kingston, Delhi, and Kinderhook. Local activists have organized and invited Faso to their own town hall meeting 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Kingston City Hall. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

The Associated Press reports there have been at least ten snowmobile deaths this winter in the Northeastern United States, and the mild temperatures may be the cause of most of them. Most of the accidents have taken place in New York, and most were the result of riding over thin ice. "There is more unsafe ice this winter," said Col. Andrew Jacob of the New York Forest Rangers. "In most places of the state we haven't had the bitter cold, below-zero weather you need to get really thick ice." Currently there is a search in Lake Champlain for the body of one of two Vermont men who rode across the lake Feb. 9, with one body found Feb. 15. Warmer temperatures are forecast this week throughout the area. Read the full story at AP.org.

Today is Day 3 of the WGXC Radical Radio 2017 Winter Pledge Drive. During the coming days, WGXC programmers, volunteers and staff must raise $20,000 to keep WGXC Hands-on Radio on the air, live and local during the coming months. Your support will make all the difference. Call (518) 697-7400 or go online to wgxc.org [slash] donate. Thank you for supporting creative community radio in New York's Greene and Columbia counties.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Mostly sunny. High near 35. Friday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 17.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 48. Saturday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 33.
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 47. Sunday night, partly cloudy. Low around 30.

Sunrise today: 6:47 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:31 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 10:44 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the third Friday of the month.
WGXC is unaware of any recurring public meetings scheduled for today.

POLITICAL EVENTS
NATIONAL GENERAL Strike, Feb. 17 through Feb. 20, nationwide. No work. No school. No shopping. A peaceful display of resistance and solidarity.
TRAINING for the Resistance workshops, 1 p.m., Feb. 19 at 45 Maple Street, Springfield, Mass. Hosted by Western Mass. Jobs with Justice.
NOT MY PRESIDENT'S DAY Rally, 12 p.m., Feb. 20, on the SUNY New Paltz campus at the JFT Concourse. Organized by Move Forward New York.
PAUL TONKO Town Hall, 5:30 p.m., Feb. 20 at Schenectady County Community College, 78 Washington Ave., Schenectady.
JOHN FASO Appearance, 8:30 a.m., Feb. 21 at Miss Monticello Diner, 406 Broadway, Monticello. Faso will discuss his first 50 days in office during a small business forum. Ticketed event.
JOHN FASO Fundraiser, 5:30 p.m. at Fort Orange Club, 110 Washington Ave., Albany. Rescheduled from Feb. 9.
Unofficial JOHN FASO Town Hall, 6 p.m., Feb. 24, at Kingston Town Hall. Organized by Citizen Action of the Hudson Valley. Local activists organized this town hall event for Faso. The first-term Congressman is not holding public meetings with his constituents.
MAKE FASO LISTEN March, 2 p.m., Feb. 25, at U.S. Rep. John Faso's District Office, 2 Hudson Street, Kinderhook. Organized by Indivisible CD19NY.

One year ago, on Feb. 16, 2016, Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) had a very different view on presidential executive orders

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Thu., Feb. 16 (10:09). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Rosa Acheson is reporting in the Register-Star the Columbia County Board of Elections announced Tue., Feb. 14, the completion of a realignment of the city of Hudson voter database. The work was done following voter approval in November of an amendment to the City Charter that changes the city ward boundaries. The new local law redrew the boundaries to divide the five wards equally, based on population. The Board of Elections conformed the city election districts to reflect the new boundaries. Each ward now has fewer than 950 voters. "This realignment means we now have five election districts instead of six," Democratic Commissioner Virginia Martin said. "It’s less costly for us to manage five; it will be less expensive for us to administer and will be easier for our election inspectors to administer as well." Polling locations for each ward remain unchanged, Martin said. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Roger Gilson reported in the Register-Star three men charged with driving drunk were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers while appearing in Hudson City Court, Wed., Feb. 15. Their detention was confirmed by Hudson Chief of Police Edward Moore and the men's attorney, Michael C. Howard. "ICE was apparently aware that three people were picked up and then came down and detained them," Moore said. Moore was not sure what happened to the men after they were detained or where they were taken. Howard said the men had been charged, but not convicted of the alleged crimes before they were taken into ICE custody. "Due process requires that you have some sort of conviction," Howard said. "Now, they’re saying you just might have to have committed a crime … that’s a huge, huge, problem. This is a catastrophic shift in immigration policy, so while we talk about executive orders … banning Muslim entry, in our little community, we have tons and tons of agricultural workers and restaurant workers, and all those people are subject to deportation." Howard said ICE regularly calls and checks the docket at Hudson City Court, and other town courts in Columbia County. He said, "They look for Hispanic names and names that might appear to be Bengali or Pakistani … and if those people are charged with offenses, they call and try to find out about it." ICE did not respond to the paper's request for comment. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Matthew Hamilton is reporting at Capitol Confidential the actual price tag for hundreds of federally illegal state tourism signs erected along major state highways is $8.1 million, officials said Wed., Feb. 15. The previous cost estimates for the signage were just $1.76 million. State Department of Transportation Commissioner Matthew Driscoll said during a joint legislative budget hearing on transportation in Albany that fabrication and material costs for 374 I Love NY signs were $3.1 million, and installation cost another $2.3 million. An additional 140 signs erected along the Thruway cost a total of $2.7 million, acting Thruway Authority Executive Director Bill Finch later told lawmakers. He said roughly $500,000 was spent on materials. State and federal officials are negotiating what comes next. Driscoll denied reports that the signs will be coming down soon. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential.

Steph Solis is reporting in USA Today businesses nationwide are prepared to close Thu., Feb. 16, as immigrants boycott their jobs, classes and shopping. Immigrants in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin and other major U.S. cities plan to stay home as part of a strike called "A Day Without Immigrants." Organizers are urging participation in response to the Republican administration's crackdown on immigration, including plans to build a wall along the country's southern border and the immigration ban on nationals from select Muslim-majority countries. It is unclear how many immigrants will participate in the walkout. Read the full story in USA Today.