DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Mon., Dec. 19 (6:48). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Dec. 16 through Sun., Dec. 18:

William J. Kemble reported in the Daily Freeman incoming U.S. Rep. John Faso is urging President-elect Donald Trump to "...bend over backwards" to reassure the public that his financial entanglements will not harm the country. The Kinderhook Republican said the public has a right to know what conflicts of interest exist. “This is a more complicated question than if someone were a wealthy individual who held a large stock portfolio, for instance,” Faso said. Faso said the public should feel assured that Trump is not taking the matter lightly. “I haven’t quite figured out how it can be dealt with in a reasonable way, but I think they need to make these efforts and do it in a serious way,” he said.

Hudson Police made headlines around the country and overseas when they responded to a report of a woman frozen inside a locked car on City Hall Place, Fri., Dec. 16. Hudson officers and the Greenport Rescue Squad arrived after receiving a call from a passerby who said there was an elderly woman "frozen to death" inside a Subaru parked on the street. A police sergeant broke open the vehicle's window only to discover the woman was in fact, a CPR training Manikin. In a statement released after the incident Friday, Hudson Police Chief Ed Moore said, "...All citizens of Hudson should be put on notice that if you park your locked vehicle on the street on a sub-zero night with a life-size, realistic mannequin seated in it...we will break your window. I commend everyone who responded with the intentions to help an elderly woman." The story, "Police rescue 'frozen' woman who turns out to be mannequin," was picked up by the Associated Press, Fox News, The UK Daily Mail, CNN, and other outlets, Saturday and Sunday.

Matthew Hamilton reported at Capitol Confidential the state submitted an emergency regulation Fri., Dec. 16, requiring the homeless be sheltered when the temperature drops to 32 degrees or colder. The emergency regulation continues an executive order issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last January. Under the regulation, police must perform assessments of the homeless to determine if they are competent to seek shelter on their own. If they are deemed incompetent, the person must be immediately sheltered. The rule also requires shelters to take the necessary steps to extend their hours to keep the homeless indoors longer when temperatures are below freezing. The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance estimates the rule will cost the state approximately $3.4 million this winter.

Emilia Teasdale reported in The Columbia Paper that 50 people dealing with addiction have successfully sought and found treatment through the Chatham Cares 4 U program since it began in early 2016. Chatham Police Lieutenant Joseph Alessi updated the Village Board on the program at the board meeting last week. Under the program anyone can come to the Chatham police station and request help with their addiction to opiates, turn over drugs or drug paraphernalia for destruction with no questions asked, without being charged. Alessi said the Chatham Police Department has received $1,200 in donations for the program, as well as clothing, blankets, chairs and a refrigerator.

Gregory Hudson reported for Columbia-Greene Media a bill to combat elder abuse will be introduced in the state Assembly in January. The measure is sponsored by Assembly members Steve McLaughlin and Pete Lopez. The legislation would provide important rights to families with a loved one under the care of a guardian, and increase the accountability of those guardians to family members. Existing state law does not always provide families with legal recourse in the event of abuse. McLaughlin said the proposed bill "...would allow family members to petition if they are denied visitation rights and entitles them to health care information related to their loved one."

Columbia-Greene Media announced last week that the Chatham Courier will now appear as supplemental material included in an "enhanced" Thursday edition of the Register-Star. In a statement included in the Thu., Dec. 15, edition of the Courier, Columbia-Greene Media wrote, "The same local, original content found separately in the Chatham Courier for over 150 years will now be printed on dedicated pages inside the Register-Star." The media group called its decision "a bold move to hyper-local" coverage. The Courier will continue to cover the towns of Chatham, Canaan, Austerlitz and New Lebanon; the village of Chatham; and the Chatham and New Lebanon school districts. The Schoharie News announced last week its plan to acquire Columbia-Greene's Mountain Eagle newspaper, effective January 13. Columbia-Greene Media reduced the staff at many of its smaller weekly papers earlier this year.

Greg Hudson reported in The Daily Mail the Hunter Foundation has announced it will provide the village of Tannersville with needed matching funds for the $500,000 state economic development grant awarded last week. Mayor Lee McGunnigle said the grant would go towards development around Rip Van Winkle Lake in the village. "We’re going to make a lot of impact," Hunter Foundation co-chairman Sean Mahoney said. The foundation and village partnership began last year, when the foundation matched an initial $150,000 state grant. Mahoney said the development will focus on a trail system to connect Main Street with Rip Van Winkle Lake, along with the continued development at the lake itself. Mahoney said plans include the development of an outdoor performance venue on the lakefront, as well.

Recorded and uploaded by Dan Udell, this is the full Dec. 14 meeting of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, featuring the award of recognition to Arthur Koweek for 50 years of service to the County.

Local weather forecast:

Today: Sunny. High near 25. Monday night, mostly clear. Low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -1.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
TUESDAY: Sunny. High near 33. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 20.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 39. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 24.

Sunrise today: 7:19 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:25 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 9:05 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Today is the third Monday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.
All numbers are in the 518 area code unless otherwise noted.

ATHENS Town Board meeting, 6:45 p.m. at community center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1052, ext. 2).
DURHAM Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
GREENE County Legislature Economic Development and Tourism, Operations and Finance committee meetings, Republican and Democratic caucuses, 6 p.m. at 411 Main Street, Caucus Room, Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 11159 Route 32, Greenville (966-5055).
HUNTER Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville (589-6150).
PHILMONT Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m., Philmont Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Commission meeting, 3:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Route 82, West Taghkanic (851-7638).

Matthew Hamilton reports in Capitol Confidential that sources indicate former President Bill Clinton will be at New York's Electoral College vote in the State Senate chamber in Albany Mon., Dec. 19. The Clinton camp has not confirmed the visit but Clinton is an elector, and Secret Service agents were spotted around the Senate Dec. 16. New York is expected to cast its votes for Hillary Clinton, while more electors in other state capitols will most likely vote for Donald Trump. Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union's blog, Capitol Confidential.

U.S. Representative Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) gives a public exit interview at 6 p.m. Mon., Dec. 19 at SUNY New Paltz. Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner will conduct the interview in Student Union Room 62-63, and then Gibson will take questions from the audience. Gibson has little time before Kinderhook's John Faso takes over the job. Faso, meanwhile, took to Twitter Friday, writing, "U.S. must be firm in its resolve that provocative actions like this from the Chinese Navy will not be tolerated." The U.S. is demanding the return of an underwater drone seized by a Chinese warship in the South China Sea.

Emilia Teasdale in The Columbia Paper reports that 50 people dealing with addiction have successfully found treatment through the Chatham Cares 4 U (CC4U) program according to Chatham Police Lieutenant Joseph Alessi announced to the Village Board last week. The program began earlier in the year, allowing any person who enters the Chatham Police station to request help with their addiction to opiates and turn over drugs or drug paraphernalia for destruction with no questions asked, and no charges. Lt. Alessi said the Chatham Police Department had received $1,200 in donations for the program as well as clothing, blankets, chairs, and a refrigerator. “We are accepting anything, but we are not asking for anything,” Lt. Alessi said at the December 8 meeting. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Carmen Chau at WTEN 10 News in Albany reports that, as of Dec. 15, marijuana is officially legal in Massachusetts. Not for sale yet, but the voter-approved law now adults 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of marijuana outside the home, up to 10 ounces inside the home, and to grow up to 12 marijuana plants per household. The state is still working out details on regulations allowing sales in the state. Read the full story at WTEN 10 News in Albany.

Kyle Hughes for NYSNYS News reports in the Troy Record that former U.S. Rep. John Sweeney of Clifton Park is joining President-elect Donald Trump's transition team. Sweeney -- and the GOP chairs from Erie, Nassau and Onondaga counties -- were announced to Trump's team Dec. 15. “It’s an honor to be asked to serve, and I hope to be helpful and make sure that the most qualified, best people are appointed to positions where they can best serve the American people,” Sweeney said Dec. 15. “I hope that my experience both in the state government and in the federal government … will add to the depth of knowledge that I’ll be able to bring as I’m asked to do whatever tasks I’m asked to do.” Sweeney was also state labor commissioner and an aide to former Gov. George Pataki. He served four terms in the U.S. House, representing Greene and Columbia counties, before being defeated by Kirsten Gillibrand in 2006. He lost that election in a flurry of bad news: being named among "The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress;" a domestic abuse charge; and photos of him drinking at a college fraternity party. Read the full story in the Troy Record.