Roger Hannigan Gilson is reporting in the Register-Star the Greenport Town Board Wed., Jun. 1, unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on the construction of new solar farms. The moratorium will not impact ongoing construction of the Middle Road and SunStream Hudson solar farms. The board's action will not affect the placement of solar panels on homes and businesses, or free-standing solar panels covering less than one-quarter of an acre. The ban was needed because there is nothing in the town's laws to address the creation of solar farms, town supervisor Ed Nabozny said. He said Greenport is open for business, but the town needs some time for its planning board to create and implement guidelines for the construction of new farms. Nabozny said he intends to address in the coming months the possible need for fencing around farms and what will happen if, or when a farm goes out of business or moves, among other things. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Kate Seckinger is reporting in The Daily Mail Jim Bryfonski, owner of the former Jim's Lunch on Main St. in Catskill for nearly 50 years, is celebrating his 100th birthday, Fri., Jun. 3. Bryfonski was born in his family home on West Main Street, and has been a resident of Catskill his entire life. He is a graduate of St. Patrick's High School, a lifetime member of the Catskill Citizens Hose Company number 5 and a member of the Elks Club. Bryfonski worked at the 9W dinner and in a restaurant on Bridge Street before he opened Jim's Lunch at 325 Main Street, then the site of the Catskill bus terminal. Governor Nelson Rockefeller ate there and the restaurant is featured in the 1985 film “Hard Choices,” Bryfonski said. “I did all the short order work.... I always loved it – I always loved serving people. I knew everybody … I still miss them,” he said. Bryfonski has seen a lot of changes in Catskill during his lifetime. He remembers when Main Street was made of brick and Bridge Street was dirt, and when the Rip Van Winkle Bridge opened in 1935. "I was the second one on the bridge," Bryfonski said. He crossed ahead of then Gov. Herbert Lehman, who followed two or three cars behind. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Paul Kirby is reporting the Daily Freeman newspaper is selling the building it has occupied for more than 40 years. Freeman Publisher Robert O’Leary said Thu., Jun. 2, the newspaper operation would continue regardless of where employees are eventually based. O'Leary said the newspaper will continue to deliver the news every day, and emphasized that the Freeman is doing well financially. He said, “By every metric, the Daily Freeman is thriving.” Twenty Lake Holdings, a real estate asset management firm and owner of the building, has decided to sell 79-97 Hurley Ave. in Kingston, where the Freeman has been housed since 1974. The asking price for the 26,000-square-foot building on three acres is $1.7 million. O’Leary said the Freeman would prefer to stay where it is, possibly leasing space from new owners. If that proves impractical, the paper would ideally remain in Kingston, or perhaps move to the town of Ulster. The Freeman has 30 employees. The newspaper has not printed in the Kingston building since late 2010. Beginning in 2013, the Freeman began printing on the Times Union's press in Colonie. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Matthew Hamilton in Capitol Confidential reports that Congressional candidate Andrew Heaney is attempting to make a campaign issue out of the fact that the New Paltz Town Planning Board does not recite the Unites States Pledge of Allegiance before their meetings. “We need to say the pledge of allegiance, keep dangerous people from countries like Syria and Iran out, and protect our right to bear arms,” Heaney says in a new advertisement. “We either have a country, or we don’t.” No word on loyalty oaths from his Republican opponent, John Faso, in the June 28 primary for the 19 Congressional District seat currently occupied by Chris Gibson. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

State Senator George Amedore spoke via phone with Tom Roe at Wave Farm, Thu., Jun. 2, to discuss several bills in the Legislature and the chance for ethics reform. He discussed a bill to ease regulations on cideries, one honoring former Greene County Legislature Chairman Wayne Speenburgh, and efforts in Albany for ethics reform and to address the heroin epidemic.

Click here to download or play this interview.

The bill Senator George Amedore (R-Rotterdam) wrote to close the cider loophole (S.5341) passed the Senate June 1, and moves on the the Assembly, where it is sponsored by Assembly member Patricia Fahy. The bill would allow farm-based cideries to sell New York State wine, beer, and spirits by the glass for consumption on premise, the same recent rules passed for wineries and breweries. Now apple farmers can make some extra income and promotion. “We want to do everything possible to encourage the expansion of New York’s farm beverage industry,” Amedore said in a statement. “Allowing farm cideries to sell other New York State produced beers, wines, and spirits encourages cross promotion of all the great products New York State has to offer, and will help this important piece of our economy continue to grow and flourish.” Amedore got another bill through the Senate June 2, one that would designate a portion of State Route 23 in the towns of Ashland and Windham in Greene County as the “Wayne C. Speenburgh Memorial Highway.” Speenburgh was a longtime Greene County Republican politician, who served as leader of the legislature before his recent death.

Today is Day 2 of the WGXC All Together Now! 2016 Summer Pledge Drive. During the next two weeks, 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: A chance of showers, with non-severe thunderstorms also possible after noon. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy. High near 78. Friday night, a chance of shows and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers between midnight and 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 59.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 80. Saturday night, showers likely, mainly after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 61.
SUNDAY: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 72. Sunday night, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy. Low around 61.

Sunrise today: 5:20 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:27 p.m.

LENGTH OF THE DAY: 15:07 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

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

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Thu., Jun. 2 (3:07). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)