Closings and delays for Tue., Jan. 10

Red Hook Central School District | No after-school program, no evening activities.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Regular dismissal. No after-school or evening activities.

Source: timesunion.com

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Tue., Jan. 10 (9:31). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Victoria Addison is reporting in the Register-Star newly sworn U.S. Rep. John Faso has indicated his intention to support a "makeover" of the Affordable Care Act. In a recent interview, the Kinderhook Republican said he supports the parts of the legislation that guarantee coverage to anyone with a pre-existing condition and allowing children to remain on their parent's insurance until age 26. However, Faso said, the government "...came up with a federalized approach that has resulted in massive premium increases for individuals and businesses, which is making insurance unaffordable for many.” Faso wants to see association health plans offered again for small businesses. He said a more consumer friendly design is needed to help restore affordable relationships between patients and doctors. Faso also said Medicaid should be protected. He supports health savings and flex spending accounts as a way to set aside pre-tax dollars for dental, eye or chiropractic services. “The advantage of this is it puts the consumer in the position of becoming an intelligent consumer because you are always smarter about spending money when you are spending your own money,” Faso said. Asked about defunding Planned Parenthood, Faso said he agrees with the current law that prohibits the use of certain federal funds to pay for abortion except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape, but believes financial support "should be maintained for women's health services, especially to help poorer communities." Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Dan Goldberg is reporting at Politico New York one of the five companies licensed to sell medical marijuana in New York is being purchased by MedMen, a California-based marijuana management and consulting firm. The state's medical marijuana program is now one year old, and Bloomfield Industries was experiencing financial difficulties for at least the last six months. The MedMen's acquisition of Bloomfield is a change in ownership, which is permitted with health department approval. Until July 31, the new owners must offer the same products, operate under the Bloomfield name at the same facilities, and charge the same price for its products. All five companies licensed to sell medical marijuana in New York have complained of too little demand for their products, and have urged the state to loosen some of its regulations. “There are no issues of supply, there are only issues of demand. ... All of the registered organizations are experiencing financial challenges. No one has made a profit and no one is at break even yet....” said Ari Hoffnung, chief executive officer of Vireo Health, one of the five companies awarded a license. Bloomfield was felled by a combination of questionable business decisions and bad luck, Goldberg writes. The company’s 26-year-old founder, Richard Yost, started Bloomfield with a $4 million loan from his mother, whose electrical company has been accused of having ties to organized crime. Read the full story at Politico New York.

Casey Seiler is reporting at Capitol Confidential the executive director of the state Committee on Open Government has delivered an expedited advisory opinion on the the state Senate’s new rule barring the use of cellphones as recording devices within the chamber and public galleries without the permission of the Senate secretary violates the state's Open Meeting Law. Robert Freeman has concluded the rule is clearly contrary to the law. The letter backs up comments Freeman made to journalists last week following the adoption of the cellphone ban. Freeman wrote that while the Senate may ban the use of cellphones in the chamber to conduct telephonic communication, “when the cellular telephone is used to record public proceedings silently and unobtrusively, as in the case of its use in the Senate gallery," that prohibition would run contrary to the statute. Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat, said he was eager to hear the Senate leadership’s response to the advisory opinion. He noted that Republicans during the debate on the rule last week could not cite a single example of cellphone recording disrupting the business of the chamber. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Hoylman said. Read Freeman's letter, and the full story at Capitol Confidential.

Jeanette Wolfberg is reporting in The Columbia Paper on recent action taken by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. The board called for adding the unpaid 2016-17 school tax bills, plus 7 percent interest, to the county tax bills going out to property owners with unpaid school taxes in Columbia County this month. Kinder hook Supervisor Patrick Grattan, the board's former chairman, said in recent years, the county has stepped up what he called aggressive tax collection, and about 30 to 45 percent of those dunned for school taxes in January paid the bill by April. As of the last week of December, unpaid school taxes on county properties amounted to $6.7 million, compared to $6.4 million in 2015. There was $870,000 still owed on property in the Hudson City School District; and $5.8 million is from nearly 2,200 parcels located elsewhere, according to information supplied by the county Treasurer’s Office. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting nearly 1,000 gathered Sun., Jan. 8, at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock to pay tribute to Woodstock Town Supervisor Jeremy Wilber, who died Jan. 1 at the age of 66. A native of Canada, Wilber grew up in Woodstock, working as a bartender, carpenter, sewer superintendent and the town's longest serving supervisor. He was a self-taught playwright, author and literary scholar. “Long-haired, baby-faced, erudite Jeremy Wilber, with just the right amount of townie pride, Woodstock hippy magic, and a good dose of practicality, personified Woodstock in the early 1970s,” longtime friend, state Assembly member Kevin Cahill said. “As much as his style of leadership defined what Woodstock is today.” Wilber is survived by his wife and two children. His seat as town supervisor has been filled by Deputy Supervisor Bill McKenna. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Matthew Hamilton is reporting at Capitol Confidential on day one of State of the State week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo began the day in New York City. Cuomo unveiled his plans to address education, criminal justice and myriad other issues, with a special focus on the middle class. Speaking at One World Trade Center in Manhattan, Cuomo pitched a plan that would provide a record level of education funding, enacting the DREAM Act to help undocumented immigrants afford higher education, and an expansion of indigent legal services that would include a public-private partnership to provide legal representation to immigrants who struggle to hire an attorney. He also pitched his free tuition plan for middle class students who attend state colleges. In the speech the governor continued to challenge the plans of President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress, declaring New York will not stand for the dismantling of Obamacare. The governor will deliver a total of six State of the State speeches this week, culminating with an address at the University at Albany, Wed., Jan. 11. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Governor Andrew Cuomo delivers his first 2017 State of the State Address in New York City Jan. 9.

Local weather forecast:

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Wind Advisory from 3 p.m. Tuesday, through 4 a.m., Wednesday, for the WGXC listening area. South winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, are possible. Higher elevations and north-south oriented valleys will be most prone to the strongest and more frequent strong winds. Unsecured outdoor objects may become airborne. Isolated to scattered power outages due to downed trees are possible.

Today : A chance of snow, mainly after 1 p.m. Cloudy. High near 34. Tuesday night, rain, snow and sleet, becoming all rain after 1 a.m. Low around 33.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
WEDNESDAY: Scattered showers, mainly before 7 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 49. Wednesday night, a chance of rain, snow and sleet between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., then a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy. Low around 35.
THURSDAY: A chance of rain. Cloudy. High near 52. Thursday night, a chance of rain, mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 37.

Sunrise today: 7:22 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:43 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 9:20 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the second Tuesday of the month.

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

CATSKILL Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CATSKILL Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Washington Irving Senior Center, 15 Academy Street, Catskill (943-1343).
CHATHAM Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. at high school, 50 Woodbridge Avenue, Chatham (392-1501).
COXSACKIE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Reed St., Coxsackie (731-2727).
GERMANTOWN Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
HILLSDALE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Main St., Hillsdale (325-7563).
STOCKPORT Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 2787 Atlantic Ave., Stottville (828-9389).

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Monday, January 9 (3:12). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)