Some of the stories that made the news Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22:

The Chatham Courier reported two write-in candidates have now been confirmed to fill the remaining seats on the New Lebanon school board following the election, Tue., May 17. Raymona Griffin received eight votes and Janet Stone received seven. Griffin will serve a three-year term, and Stone will serve for two years, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Tim Smith. In addition to Griffin and Stone, there were 37 other write-in candidates.

The Daily Freeman reported New York state has announced it will use $500,000 in federal funds to purchase a live fire training prop to help emergency personnel learn how to respond to crude oil fires. The money will go to the New York State Academy of Fire Science, which trains more than 6,000 first responders each year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced the funding decision on Fri., May 20. The administration says other efforts to address the risk of oil trains include regular inspections of rail cars and track, and joint preparedness planning by state, local and federal officials.

Greg Hudson reported in the Register-Star the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced it has ended the investigation into the death of a zebra that escaped from Bailiwick Ranch and Discovery Zoo in Palenville last week. DEC officials confirmed Fri., May 20, the zebra, a 5-month-old female, fell from a ledge to its death in Kaaterskill Clove. Since the zebra was legally purchased by its owner authorities said, no further investigation will be required. “From the DEC standpoint, the zebra was a pet,” Environmental Conservation Officer Anthony Glorioso said. “It’s no different from a person owning a dog.”

Brendan Cheney reported at Politico New York a majority of the New York Republican congressional delegation supported a House amendment to protect LGBT rights Thu., May 19. The amendment would have prevented federal funds from going to federal contractors that fail to comply with President Barack Obama’s executive order protecting LGBT employees from workplace discrimination. Seven New York Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, were among the 29 Republican votes cast in favor of the amendment. Republicans Pete King of Long Island and Chris Collins of Western New York were alone among their New York colleagues to vote against the measure. The amendment failed by one vote, 212 to 213. It was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney from the Hudson Valley.

Michael Ryan reported in the Windham Journal Windham Fire Commissioner Leslie Leman announced at a fire commissioner meeting last week that cancer is striking fire volunteers and professionals at an unsettling rate. According to statistics, one in every three firefighters is at risk of being exposed to occupational hazards that may lead to increased mortality due to cancer or lung or heart disease. Without offering specifics about the local impact, Leman told the Windham board firefighters not only breath in the toxic fumes at fire sites, they carry toxic materials home on their closing and turnout gear. Firefighters are routinely exposed to household chemicals and plastics, as well as diesel exhaust in station houses, running truck engines for maintenance. Leman said turnout gear should be cleaned thoroughly, rather than being hosed off and hung to dry. He recommended the purchase of a commercial washer, large enough to accommodate turnout gear. Leman said the large washing machine will likely be mandated sometime in the future, and offered to do the research and get cost estimates. The board unanimously agreed. Brian McQueen, a cancer survivor and director of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, will speak about the cancer issue Mon., May 23, at in the arts building at Columbia-Greene Community College, beginning at 6 p.m.

The Mid-Hudson News Network reported a study of 132 Hudson Valley municipalities found that many lack the ability to implement successful, long-term, infrastructure planning. The findings of the study were released Fri., May 20, at a Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress conference on infrastructure. Pattern President Jonathan Drapkin said it is difficult for smaller governments to do long-term planning. He said, “It’s not their fault. It’s not their decision not to do it,...they don’t have the capacity to do it. And they don’t have the money...for what a five-year plan requires." New York municipalities have until July 24 to apply for a piece of the $175 million in state Empire State Development Corp. funding through the latest round of Consolidated Funding Applications. An additional $10 million has also been set aside by the state for a downtown revitalization initiative. Communities have until Fri., May 27, to apply for that program.

Emilia Teasdale reported in The Columbia Paper the Chatham Village Board authorized the formation of the new Chatham Police Bicycle Unit at its monthly meeting, May 12. The village police department will purchase two new bikes and also have an old bike refurbished. Patrols are slated to begin in July. “I’m looking forward to it,” Chief of Police Peter Volkmann told the board. “I think it gets people talking to officers.”

Local weather forecast

Today: A slight chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny. High near 74. Monday night, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 55.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
TUESDAY: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 69. Tuesday night, a chance of showers, mainly before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 54.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 81. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 60.

Sunrise today: 5:26 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:18 p.m.

LENGTH OF THE DAY: 14:52 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

PUBLIC MEETINGS

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

CLAVERACK Town Board workshop meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 91 Church St., Mellenville (672-7911). COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Economic Development Committee meeting, 5 p.m.; Environmental Management Council, 6:30 p.m., all at 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
GHENT Zoning Review Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Industrial Development Agency meeting, 3 p.m. (828-0212); Common Council Fire Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m., Police Committee meeting, 6 p.m. (828-1030). All at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson.
NEW BALTIMORE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 Co. Route. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
STUYVESANT Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

Pakistan on May 22 accused the United States of violating its sovereignty with a radio-controlled drone strike that reportedly killed the leader of the Afghan Taliban and a cab driver in a remote border area inside Pakistan. The president of Afghanistan announced the drone attack killed Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. U.S. officials said Barack Obama authorised the strike with multiple drones, and Pakistan said the U.S. government did not inform Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister, before the strike that U.S. drones were entering Pakistani airspace for the assault, and anonymous U.S. officials confirmed there was no warning. Meanwhile, U.S. Army chaplain Chris Antal has quit sending a May 6 letter of resignation to President Obama that said, "I refuse to support U.S. armed drone policy.... I refuse to support this policy of unaccountable killing." Antal says he saw drone aircraft lined to take off when he was at a military funeral service, and, he told Public Radio International, "My heart was opened to the pain of the loss of these American lives, but to hold that with the drones... to stand there wondering who we were killing, who their families were, and how they were grieving... it just created a break in my soul." The video above is Antal discussing how the military kicked him out of Afghanistan for his views on the radio-controlled drones.

La Clínica, a mobile medical van that provides health services to uninsured, primarily Spanish-speaking residents of northern and eastern Dutchess County, will expand its services to Columbia County this year. The van will be in Hudson, Mon., May 23. Health care and counseling is provided free of charge by a board-certified gynecologist and public health nutritionist. No appointment is necessary. The clinic is seasonal, and provides annual health care visits for women, assistance for navigating the health care system and referrals for speciality care, as well as nutrition counseling and diabetes risk assessment. Transportation to and from the medical van is available. La Clínica will be parked at Time & Space Ltd., at 434 Columbia St., from noon to 5 p.m., Monday.

Matthew Hamilton in Capitol Confidential reports that State Sen. George Amedore (R-Rotterdam) will run for re-election. Amedore beat incumbent Democratic Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk in the 46th Senate District in 2014. “My priority has been to deliver our fair share of resources to the 46th district in order to properly fund our schools, ease the burden on our taxpayers, invest in infrastructure, and create economic opportunity within every community,” Amedore said in a statement. He will face Democrat Sara Niccoli, who is a farmer, and also former director of the Labor Religion Coalition, as well as the Palatine town supervisor. The 46th district includes Greene, Albany, and Ulster counties, and Montgomery and Schenectady County too. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential, a Times-Union blog.

Click here to play or download an audio version of this report.

Andrea Sears reports that the city of Albany has joined dozens of other communities in opposing the Pilgrim Pipeline.

The Albany City Council this week approved a resolution calling the proposed pipeline an environmental risk and a public health hazard. The 178-mile project would carry crude oil from Albany to New Jersey and refined products back.

Roger Downs, conservation director for the Atlantic chapter of the Sierra Club, said the resolution sends a clear signal to the pipeline's developers.

"They know that they're going to need the approval of the city of Albany by a two-thirds majority," he said, "and almost two-thirds of the Common Council voted in opposition to the pipeline."

Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings, the project developer, said a pipeline would be safer than transporting the oil by rail or on barges down the Hudson River. Several oil trains have derailed around the country, causing massive spills and, in one case, a fire that killed 47 people. However, Downs said, the crude oil is shipped to Albany from North Dakota by rail.

"If you look at the numbers, the proposal will actually increase the number of oil trains coming through Albany," he said, "and Albany has already been inundated with these trains."

He said a pipeline wouldn't necessarily eliminate oil trains and barges traveling down the Hudson Valley.

Pipeline projects that, in years past, may have been rubber-stamped by regulators now are being successfully challenged. Downs credited growing public awareness of the dangers and alternatives for the change.

"I think we're seeing more and more citizens seeing the connections between these pipelines and climate change, and they realize that there is a better energy future ahead of them in renewables."

Last month, the state of New York denied a permit for construction of the Constitution Pipeline. Another, the Northeast Energy Direct project, was canceled by its developer.

More information is online at stoppilgrimpipeline.com/resolutions.

Dan Udell put video of the May 17 Hudson Common Council meeting on YouTube.
John Mason in the Register-Star reports that Hudson's Common Council meeting May 17 was as controversial as usual, with a May 9 informal meeting discussion about a cost over-run spilling over into the latest full meeting. The city's under-construction police/court complex had an $11,500 change-order request, a funny way of saying it cost more then expected. Hudson is turning the former Finnish Line building at 701 Union St. into a new police-court-office space, at a $4.3 million cost. Incorrect drawings, and the discovery of a deteriorating foundation wall mean the project will cost more. Part of the problem, Mayor Tiffany Martin Hamilton said, was there was never a survey of the topography when the request for proposals went out. "The order came in based on specs that did not take into account the slope of the land," she said. "I don't know if it initiated from the city or (construction manager) Joe Rapp ... I don't feel like we should pay for this, but we're kind of between a rock and a hard place." The council approved the increased funds, but was confused over whether the Board of Estimate and Apportionment — the mayor, the council president and the treasurer — also needed to approve the funds. After much discussion, the council agreed to have the mayor have authority to approve additional expenditures up to a certain amount, then the BEA, then it would go to the council. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Local weather forecast

Today: A chance of rain before noon, then scattered showers after noon, are likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63, and a low around 49.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
MONDAY: Scattered showers are possible, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Scattered showers are also possible Monday night, with a low around 52.
TUESDAY: There is a 40 percent chance of showers. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 68.

Sunrise today: 5:26 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:17 p.m.



Bobby Previte and the Visitors, "Live in Europe," live from Club Moods in Zurich, Switzerland, January 25, 2016. Michael Gamble, guitar, Michael Kammers, tenor saxophone, organ, piano, Kurt Kotheimer, bass, Bobby Previte, drums.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines for Fri., May 21 (5:43). (Produced by Tom Roe.)