Karrie Allen is reporting in the Chatham Courier the Chatham Central School District has determined the cause of elevated lead and copper levels in school water are likely due to the fixtures. The district will take immediate action in locations where those levels are the highest. More than 100 fixtures in three school buildings tested high for lead and copper. More than half of the fixtures were located in science labs. The worst readings were found in rarely, or never-used locations, such as pedal and eyewash sinks. The district will take immediate action to replace fixtures where the water is used for drinking or food preparation. At places where fixtures are not immediately replaced, the district will continue to flush and keep signs up, such as in science labs and bathrooms. Drinking water will be provided where necessary. The remedial cost could be nearly $35,000, plus an additional $70,000 for sampling and replacing remaining fixtures. A full report can be found online at Chatham Central Schools [dot] com. Read the full story in the Chatham Courier.

Jeanette Wolfberg is reporting in the Columbia Paper the Columbia County Board of Supervisors last week accepted the Columbia-Greene Community College's $167 million budget for the 2016-17 school year. The supervisors unanimously approved the pending plan following a five-minute public hearing. The county will contribute $2.9 million toward the college's operating costs in the coming year. During the hearing, Supervisor Bill Hughes of Hudson acknowledged the college's special role in the community. He said, “I’m hoping that the state and federal government will contribute more, but for now it’s up to the county. I support the budget 100 percent.” Board Chairman Matt Murrell invited members of the public to comment, but none did. At the same meeting, Murrell announced the creation of a board Education Subcommittee to focus on the college. Murrell appointed Hughes and Supervisor Arthur Bassin of Ancram, county Controller Ron Caponera and Treasurer P.J. Keeler to the subcommittee. The subcommittee will report to the Finance Committee. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.

Greg Hudson is reporting in The Daily Mail the Hunter Town Board heard from the organizers of the Highlander Rugby Football Club Tue., Jul. 19, about the possibility of holding an annual rugby tournament in the town. Highlander founder B.J. Weber, of New York City, pitched the idea, and asked for the town's support. The event could involve dozens of teams from across the country and around the world, he said. The Highlander rugby club was founded in 2013 to play Sevens, a smaller-scale variation of the traditional game, which involves seven players playing two, seven-minute halves. Weber said the tournament would feature various levels of competition, and perhaps include youth games, as well. It would be held in either the first or second week of June. “I really think this is an opportunity which will benefit local businesses and help the economy by bringing all these players and fans to the area to watch some amazing sporting events," Weber said. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Photo by Kelly Benjamin.

WGXC correspondent Kelly Benjamin talks to protesters outside the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, including Medea Benjamin from Code Pink.

Click here to download or play this interview.

Daniel Zuckerman and Victoria Addison are reporting in the Register-Star the state Department of Environmental Conservation has issued a drought watch statewide, for the first time since 2002. Lloyd Zimmermann, owner of Black Horse Farm in Athens, is taking the drought seriously; he said conditions are especially bad in Greene County. Zimmermann recently invested in an irrigation system and has an abundance of water to be used for crops, but said the cost was significant. "The price of produce will be high. I have no doubt,” he said. Zimmermann fears a prolonged drought could lead to local farms closing and would be particularly hard on young farmers. “Economically it will hurt the area and the state. We can’t afford to lose anymore farmers.” he said. Katy Lince, head gardener at Liberty Farms in Ghent said she has been dealing with the side effects of the drought since the end of June. Liberty grows a wide variety of organic vegetables and flowers, including beans, carrots, lettuce, sweet corn and spinach. Lince is concerned about the drought watch, even though it is not as bad as it could be. “My crops are already experiencing stress, so I’m already worried about it,” she said. Ron Bulich, owner of Creekside Farm in Leeds, said that while the drought will be bad, it is not much different from what the farm withstood last year. Still, because of the unusually warm winter Creekside was not able to grow peaches or plums this year. Bulich said the farm has nine miles of irrigation, but he worries about the potential for large storms ruining crops. “I’d rather have not enough water than way too much,” he said. At Holmquest Farms in Hudson, manmade ponds on the property are being used to water crops. “Sweet corn needs quite a bit of water when it’s in different stages. We are watering out of the pond, but right now the ponds are getting really, really low,” said farmer Terri Holmes. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Real Clear Politics reports the results from a Quinnipiac poll released July 19. It shoes Democrat Chuck Schumer leading Republican Wendy Long by a 60-28 margin in the U.S. Senate election. For president in the state, the poll says 45 percent of New Yorkers support Democrat Hillary Clinton, 33 percent for Republican Donald Trump, six percent for Libertarian Gary Johnson, and four percent for the Green Party's Jill Stein. See Real Clear Politics for details.

Matthew Hamilton in Capitol Confidential reports that Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he will speak at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia next week. “Prominent speaking role is the president and is the vice president,” he told reporters in Binghamton after an unrelated event. “I’m not going to be the presidential or the vice presidential nominee. I’m sure I’ll have a speaking role. I’ve had a speaking role in the past conventions. But this is going to be about Hillary Clinton and whoever she picks as vice president.” So far, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Donald Trump and his relatives, have been the only prominent New York Republicans to speak this week at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Lorna Cherot Littleway reports in The Columbia Paper that Hillsdale will host “The Old Tones Roots Music Festival" at the Cool Whisper Farm on County Route 21 in September. On July 11 the town’s Planning and Zoning boards approved the Sept. 8-11 festival, though Town Supervisor Peter Cipkowski said they are still discussing “strengthening liability coverage.” The Foghorn Stringband, Tuba Skinny, Jesse Lége and Bayou Brew, Raya Brass Band, and Ancramdale's The Hayrollers are among the performers at the festival. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Wed., July 20 (3:51). (Produced by Laura Zelasnic.)