Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Apr. 29 through Sun., May 1:

Greg Hudson reported in the Register-Star the Hudson Farmers Market officially opened its 19th season, Sat., Apr. 30. The market is located in the parking lot at the corner of Columbia and Sixth streets, just north of Warren Street. The market now hosts nearly three dozen vendors from Columbia County and the surrounding area. County Chamber of Commerce Membership Director Carol Patterson was delighted with the turnout for the opening. She said it was a sign of the community’s support for the local economy.

Ariél Zangla reported in The Daily Freeman Kingston Common Council is considering a resolution in support of proposed state legislation to stop development of the Pilgrim Pipeline project. The council’s Public Safety and General Government Committee unanimously adopted a resolution in support of proposed legislation introduced last month by Assembly member Frank Skartados, Democrat of Milton. The proposal would prevent the construction of pipelines designed to transport hazardous substances or petroleum on any property under the jurisdiction of the New York State Thruway Authority. The resolution will be be voted on by Kingston's full council, Tue., May 3. The proposed 178-mile Pilgrim Pipeline would move Bakken crude from Albany to Linden, NJ, through Albany, Greene, and Ulster counties, and send refined crude back to Albany, largely along the I-87 corridor. If allowed to go forward, the pipeline would cut a 100-foot wide swath through backyards, and forests and parks throughout the Hudson Valley.

Jeanette Wolfberg reported in the Columbia Paper the Hudson City Board of Education adopted its 2016-17 school budget last month. The spending plan totals nearly $46 million and requires a 2.15 percent tax levy increase. If approved, spending will increase by slightly less than one percent in the coming year. The proposal does not call for any staff cuts, and positions vacated due to retirement would be filled, with new staff added. The district is currently in contract negotiations with its teachers and administrators. It is unclear if those negotiations will continue past July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. In addition to the budget, the May 17 ballot also includes an election to fill three vacant board seats. According to the district website, only Linda Hopkins' name will appear on the ballot. However, residents have the option of voting for up to three write-in candidates.

Claire Hughes reported at Capitol Confidential it was announced Fri., Apr. 29, the state of New York will seek federal approval to provide Medicaid coverage for incarcerated people with serious physical and mental health conditions before they are released from jail or prison. The announcement came one day after federal health officials urged states to improve Medicaid enrollment for newly released people by starting the application process while they are still incarcerated. The state is requesting the federal government allow the use of Medicaid funds to pay for medical services and coordination 30 days before release. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement, “We know that many people leaving our jails and prisons have serious mental health and substance use problems. It makes little sense to send them back into the community with our fingers crossed that they will be able to find the help they need.” One in 70 formerly incarcerated individuals is hospitalized within a week of release, and one in 12 is hospitalized within 90 days, according to the governor’s office.

Michael Ryan reported in the Windham Journal despite two previous attempts, Prattsville officials are still trying to move the town's polling site back to town hall. Town board members unanimously agreed at a recent meeting to send a letter to the Greene County Board of Elections, asking that the site be shifted from the Main Street firehouse back to the municipal building. In the latest request, council members wrote that the court room at town hall is now fully restored and operational, and able to accommodate the return of voting to that location. The polling location was moved to the firehouse following Tropical Storm Irene, which caused damage to town hall. The move request was nixed the previous two times by GOP Commissioner Brent Bogardus. The recent move request was submitted before the April 30 deadline required by election rules. No timeframe has been given for a reply from the commissioners.

Local weather forecast

Today: Showers likely, mainly before 4 p.m. Cloudy. High near 57. Monday night, a chance of showers before 9 p.m., then a slight chance of showers after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 43.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
TUESDAY: A chance of showers, mainly after 9 a.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 61. Tuesday night, a slight chance of showers after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 45.
WEDNESDAY: A chance of showers after 9 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 67. Wednesday night, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 48.

Sunrise today: 5:47 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:56 p.m.

LENGTH OF THE DAY: 14:09 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

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

CAIRO Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo (622-3120).
COEYMANS Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 18 Russell Ave., Ravena (756-6006).
LEXINGTON Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., at Municipal building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
LIVINGSTON Zoning Board meeting, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, County Rte. 19, Livingston (851-9441).
SCHOHARIE County Planning Commission meeting, 7 p.m. at county office building, 284 Main St., Schoharie (295-8770).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

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

A Nashville sports reporter was fired for delivering a Prince-themed sports report hours after the musician’s death. Fox affiliate WZTV let him go after ten years, calling his April 21 report "insensitive." In another radio miscue, a child brought to a studio for Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day on April 28, took out National Public Radio's West Coast broadcast of "Morning Edition." The child took the feed off the air for one minute and 13 seconds. Gawker got an internal email from NPR:

"This error was caused by the head of Engineering Department. As part of Take our Daughters to work day studio 42 demonstration. One of our junior journalists was somehow able to press the exact sequence, and perfectly timed live insert panel to insert studio 42 into the stream 1. I kid you not. Although labor laws prevent me from actually hiring the kid (cause he does have a future-but I gave him my card) This resulted in studio 42 being inserted into the stream, causing a lengthy impairment."

Ariél Zangla in The Daily Freeman reports that state Assemblymember Frank Skartados (D-Milton) has introduced a bill to stop development of the Pilgrim Pipeline project. Kingston city alderman, Zangla reports, are considering a resolution May 3 in support of that legislation. Currently, the Thruway Authority is reviewing an application for a two-wya pipeline for crude oil and refined products mostly along I-87 from Albany into New Jersey. “The Pilgrim Pipeline poses a serious threat to our community, with the potential to affect our drinking water, farmlands and even the tourism industry that drives our economy,” Skartados said in a press release about his legislation. There were demonstrations on May 1 at Thruway entrances along the proposed route in Catskill, Saugerties, and New Paltz. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Michael Ryan in The Windham Journal reports that Windham's East side may soon be changing, with a diesel fuel station before the planning board this week, and the possible relocation of GNH Lumber and the development of ten lots of residential housing. The planning board holds a public hearing May 5 about Crown Fuels adding a diesel fuel station on the old Police Anchor Camp, across the street from the Windham Path. “It is the gateway to the community so there will be a lot of eyes on this with its possible visual impacts,” said Planning Board Member Dave Weiman. The proposed diesel station would be unmanned and open 24 hours, large enough for 18-wheel trucks. Officials are hoping to move GNH lumber out of the flood plain in Windham, after it was damaged by the 2011 storms surrounding Hurricane Irene. Read the full story in The Windham Journal.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Sun., May 1 (3:59). (Produced by Philip Grant.)