DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Tue., Feb. 7 (9:47). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Emilia Teasdale is reporting in The Columbia Paper on the efforts of the Chatham Village Board to increase its water and sewer rates. A workshop on the proposal was held late last month. Under the new rate structure the existing minimum use charge would be eliminated. Instead, residents would be billed every three months for the actual amount of water used. Users would be charged [point] 045 cents per cubic foot, and [point] 065 cents per cubic foot for sewer. That amount would be doubled for properties located outside of the village. Under the new plan, the Price Chopper market, which is in its own special water and sewer district, would see an increase in its water bill of approximately 41 percent, and its sewer bill would grow by 58 percent. If the board approves the rates this month, the changes will take effect in time for the first quarter billing cycle, in March. Village Clerk Barbara Henry said the proposed rates are available at her office in village hall. Her office will also send a mailer and add the information to the village website, villageofchatham [dot] com, as well as its Facebook page, Village of Chatham NY. The board will hear public comment on the proposed water and sewer rates, 6:30 p.m., Thu., Feb. 9 at Tracy Memorial Hall. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Marie J. French is reporting at Politico New York the state Department of Health has been looking for contractors to administer blood tests to approximately 15,000 residents of Newburgh, where the water supply has been found to contain the toxic chemical PFOS, but no companies have responded. Newburgh is a predominantly minority city of 30,000 residents. Local officials and public health advocates are concerned about perceived delays in the first round of testing, the waiting list of those to be tests and the lack of an overarching outreach strategy. “They need to test everyone. That’s the only way as a community we’re going to be satisfied with the outcome for our area,” said Karen Mejia, a member of Newburgh's City Council. Approximately 3,400 have expressed interest in the testing, but the department has so far tested about 740 people. The first tests were done in November, but no results have been released yet. Outreach has been a particular concern in Newburgh, where nearly half the residents speak a language other than English at home. Public health advocates believe a broad education or advertising campaign is necessary to make sure residents know about the importance of getting tested. Read the full story at Politico New York.

Rick Karlin is reporting at Capitol Confidential state Assembly Democrats are prepared for the fifth time to pass a Dream Act, which treats undocumented foreign-born students as citizens even if they were brought to the U.S. as infants. The Democrats have also announced their intention to pass a new Liberty Act that would provide immigrants with a number of protections statewide. Those protections would include the right to legal representation for anyone facing immigration charges; a prohibition against police questioning individuals about their immigration status; and a curtailment of the use of state and local facilities for detaining people. The Assembly majority acknowledged the Liberty Act is a direct response to the policies and rhetoric of President Donald Trump. The bills’ prospects in the Republican-controlled Senate are unclear at best, Karlin writes. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Closings and delays for Tue., Feb. 8:
[Updated: 8:45 a.m.]

Cairo-Durham Central School District | Delayed two hours. No morning pre-K. No morning BOCESClosed.
Catskill Central School District | Delayed two hours. No morning pre-KClosed.
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District | Delayed two hours. No morning BOCES. No breakfastClosed.
Early Childhood Learning Center | Delayed two hoursClosed.
Grapeville Christian School | Delayed two hoursClosed.
Greenville Central School District | Delayed two hoursClosed.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Delayed twothree hours. No morning BOCES.
Pine Plains Central School District | Delayed three hours. No morning BOCES.
Questar III Catskill Academy | Delayed two hoursClosed.
Red Hook Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Rhinebeck Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Saugerties Central School District | Delayed two hoursClosed.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District | Delayed two hoursClosed.

Emilia Teasdale is reporting in The Columbia Paper the Valatie Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals held a second joint meeting last week to discuss the proposal to build a carwash on Route 9 in the village. B.J. Cantele presented the boards with plans to replace the Valkin restaurant building with a 24-hour self-serve carwash. Cantele's engineer discussed testing for chemicals, hours of operation and approvals needed from the state Department of Environmental Conservation about the wetlands behind the existing building. Cantele still needs to present topographic maps of the area to address grading issues. It is believed the property is located in a 100-year flood plain, a matter that still needs to be resolved, Teasdale writes. In a letter to the board, Kinderhook Village Mayor Jim Dunham raised concerns about calcium chloride from the cars getting into the village’s aquifer. A major issue facing the proposal, Valatie Mayor Diane Argyle said, is the moratorium on water service expansion the county and state have imposed on the village. She said Cantele would have to talk to the county Department of Health about the ban. The boards must conduct a long-form State Environmental Quality Review that then must go to the DEC, a state historic review board, the village of Kinderhook, the county Planning Board and the Department of Health. The two boards will hold another joint meeting on February 22. A public hearing on the project has not yet been scheduled. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Rosa Acheson is reporting in the Register-Star Kinderhook resident Anne Schomaker was honored by the Columbia-Greene Hospital Foundation Board this weekend at its 7th annual Winter Blast held at Club Helsinki. Schomaker was awarded the first-ever Columbia Memorial Health Clara Kellner Award, in acknowledgment of her dedication to community. Schomaker is an active supporter of Habitat for Humanity, the Columbia County Historical Society and the Columbia-Greene Hospital Foundation Board. She is originally from Brooklyn, and moved permanently to Kinderhook in 2006. “I’m totally overwhelmed tonight, and so honored — I can’t imagine,” Schomaker said. The 7th annual Winter Blast drew more than 200 hospital supporters from both Columbia and Greene counties, including U.S. Rep. John Faso. Faso said he has known Schomaker for years. “She’s a tremendous, inspirational force in the community,” he said. “I can’t think of any beneficial activity in Columbia County that Anne’s not involved in.” The award is named for Clara Kellner, a longtime hospital benefactor; Kellner served as the chair of the Hospital Foundation Board. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Patricia Doxsey is reporting in the Daily Freeman Ulster County Executive Mike Hein announced last week plans to allow the spouses of veterans to be buried alongside the veteran in the Ulster County Veterans Cemetery, free of charge. Hein announced the proposal during his State of the County Address, Thu., Feb. 2. During the coming months, the administration will ask the County Legislature to adopt the policy. The county Legislature authorized the creation of the Ulster County Veterans Cemetery in New Paltz in 2008. The policy at that time allowed the spouses of veterans to be buried there if the family covered the cost. Deputy County Executive Ken Crannell said the county anticipates there will be about five burials in the veterans cemetery in the coming year. The veterans cemetery comprises about 1,000 plots in a portion of the New Paltz Cemetery on Plains Road. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Chris McKenna is reporting at The Fray both chambers of the state legislature last week approved for the second time a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow judges to revoke or reduce the state pensions of public employees convicted of a felony related to their official duties. The proposal applies to elected officials, gubernatorial appointees, judges and certain other “public officers.” The law would not result in automatic forfeiture. A judge would decide whether to cancel or cut or a pension and by how much, considering various factors including the impact on spouses and children. The measure passed unanimously in the Assembly and in the Senate only four members voted 'no.' If the proposal is signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and then put to voters in a referendum in November. Read the full story at The Fray.

Local weather forecast:

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Greater Capitol Region beginning at 7 a.m., through 7 p.m., Tue., Feb. 7. Snow and sleet are expected beginning with the morning commute. The snow and sleet will transition to sleet and freezing by the late morning into the afternoon, and eventually turn to rain by the mid-afternoon to early evening.

TODAY: Freezing rain and sleet are likely 11 a.m., then rain or freezing rain until noon, turning to rain after noon. High near 36. Accumulation of less than one-tenth of an inch possible. Tuesday night, rain. Temperatures will rise to 45 by 4 a.m.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
WEDNESDAY: A chance of showers, mainly before 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 51. Wednesday night, a chance of snow, mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 24.
THURSDAY: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy. High near 29. Thursday night, a slight chance of snow showers after 1 a.m. Partly cloudy. Low around 13.

Sunrise today: 7 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:18 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 10:18 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the first Tuesday of the month.

WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.
All numbers are in the 518 area code unless otherwise noted.

ATHENS Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 2 First St., Athens (945-1052).
CATSKILL Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CLERMONT Town Board meeting (rescheduled), 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
DURHAM Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
HILLSDALE Zoning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 2609 State Route 23, Hillsdale (325-1702).
HUDSON Conservation Advisory Council meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Hunter (589-6150).
ICHABOD CRANE Central School District Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m. at high school, 2910 Route 9, Valatie (758-7577).
LEXINGTON Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., at Municipal building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
LIVINGSTON Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, County Rte. 19, Livingston (851-9441).
STOCKPORT Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 2787 Atlantic Ave., Stottville (828-9389).
TAGHKANIC Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).