The Daily Freeman reports that an air quality alert is in effect May 28 for Ulster, Dutchess, Greene, and Columbia counties by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. High levels of ozone are expected, and the alert is through 11 p.m. Sat., May 28. The day before, Dutchess and Ulster counties also had an air quality alert.Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Noam Scheibermay reports in The New York Times that Verizon and its striking employees reached an agreement May 27. The Labor Department said both sides were translating the agreement into language that can be ratified by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who have had nearly 40,000 workers on strike. Read the full story in The New York Times.

William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that many speakers at a state Public Service Commission hearing May 26 about the state's energy policy did not like the current plans to use nuclear power. Sixteen people attended the public hearing about the state’s “Reforming the Energy Vision” plan. The plan includes wind and solar power systems, creating microgrids for communities and developing bioenergy sources, and nuclear power as ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 40 percent by the year 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner, said, “We’re talking about real kids getting real cancer from nuclear reactors that you are promoting. We’re talking about real mothers dealing with real infant mortality issues and their babies dying from the nuclear reactors that you and your organization are promoting.” Kenneth Panza, a former Woodstock town councilman, was the only speaker who supported nuclear power plants. “The Ginna and FitzPatrick nuclear plants [both near Lake Ontario] combined represent about 1,500 megawatts of capacity and will generate about 12,000 [gigawatt hours] of zero-carbon electricity,” he said. “If these plants close, this amount of zero-carbon generation would increase the already formidable requirement for renewable generation by 36 percent.” Jennifer Metzger, a Rosendale town councilwoman and co-founder of the group Citizens for Local Power, said “It’s also about the impact of fossil fuel infrastructure on our communities. ... The town of Rosendale is fighting a project to build pipelines carrying fracked and volatile Bakken crude oil through our lands and water. We and other communities along the [Pilgrim] path will bear the risk for a project that directly contradicts New York’s climate and energy goals.” read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Jordan Carleo-Evangelist reports in The Albany Times-Union that the proposal to criminalize refusing additional security screenings at Albany International Airport met with much opposition at a public hearing May 24, and County Attorney Daniel Lynch says the proposal likely violates the Fourth Amendment. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple requested the law at the request of the Transportation and Safety Administarion's upstate airport security director. Apple believes terrorists should not be able to test security procedures, by leaving lines when asked for additional screenings. The County Legislature's Public Safety Committee tabled the legislation after hearing the opposition at the hearing. Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.

The Pew Research Center is reporting a majority of American adults get their news on social media, according to a study conducted early this year by the center. Among the 62 percent who get their news from Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and Tumblr, 18 percent do so often. Facebook is by far the largest social networking site, reaching 67 percent of all U.S. adults. The two-thirds of Facebook users who get news via the site, amount to 44 percent of the general population. Pew found social media news consumers still get news from other sources. Roughly two out of ten Facebook users also get their news from radio, and about three-in-ten tune in local TV. Read the full story at Journalism [dot] org.

Local weather forecast

Today: There is a 30 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Saturday, otherwise it will be partly sunny, with a high near 85, and a low around 67.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
SUNDAY: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are more likely Sunday, mainly after 8 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 84, and a low around 64.
MONDAY: There is a 60 percent chance of showers or a thunderstorm on Memorial Day. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76 is the forecast.

Sunrise today: 5:22 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:22 p.m.



DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Fri., May 27 (2:41). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)