Katie Kocijanski is reporting in The Daily Mail the Cairo-Durham Board of Education has adopted its 2016-17 school budget. The $29 million spending plan calls for a tax levy increase of 1.19 percent. There will be no programming or staffing changes next year. Spending will increase by more than $200,000, primarily due to increased salaries and benefits for staff, business manager Jeff Miriello said. Miriello said the district did not see any increase in state aid because of declining enrollment and the drop-off in capital projects. Forty-six percent of the district's total budget is dependent on state aid. As part of the annual budget vote next month, Cairo-Durham district voters will also be asked to approve the purchase of five buses, consider establishing a capital reserve fund, and authorize the purchase of the parcel of land located adjacent to the elementary school. A public hearing on the budget will be held May 5 at the high school media center. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

John Mason is reporting in the Register-Star F. Michael Tucker has been chosen as the new president and CEO of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, effective Sun., May 1. Tucker has served as the organization's interim head since July. “Mike Tucker is perfectly poised to continue to provide leadership and continuity to CEDC,” CEDC Board President Tony Jones said. Tucker welcomed the opportunity to implement the corporation's newly completed strategic plan. Since taking the reins last summer, the CEDC has reorganized, changed board membership and rewritten its bylaws. Tucker is the president of Tucker Strategies. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Rick Karlin is reporting at Capitol Confidential upstate secessionists are meeting in western New York this year. The Divide NYS Caucus has announced its Exodus New York rally will be held May 14 in Albion, Orleans County. The group continues to advance the idea of asking voters during a constitutional convention if the state should be split into two separate Upstate and Downstate regions. Everything from Westchester and Rockland counties north would become New Amsterdam, becoming the 51st state. The area south of the line would be New York. The group hopes to get an amendment to state voters in 2017. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Matthew Hamilton in The Albany Times-Union reports that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli wrote a strongly-worded letter to the head of the federal Department of Transportation, asking officials to increase oil train safety measures. "Any train accident involving crude oil or other hazardous materials creates the risk of significant human trauma and disruption to communities," DiNapoli wrote in a seven-page letter to USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx. "The possibility of an accident on the scale of the Lac-Mégantic (Quebec) tragedy is not only a significant hazard to New York residents and environmental resources — it is also a financial threat. A higher consequence incident would not only deplete the state's mechanism for funding cleanup of petroleum spills, but could also divert funding from other vital services." Currently, many oil trains race up and down alongside the Hudson River each day in the WGXC listening area. DiNapoli, as comptroller, oversees the state Environmental Protection and Spill Compensation Fund, which holds up to $40 million for spill-related disasters. He says filings from CSX and Canadian Pacific leave, "open questions about the companies' insurance coverage for large-scale accidents." Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.

Vincent Manginelli in The Daily Mail reports that the Greene County Industrial Development Agency does use competitive bidding procedures, as a recent state Authorities Budget Office report recommends. A study by the state Authorities Budget Office released earlier in the month found municipal industrial development agencies that employ competitive bidding procedures when selecting service contracts, incur lower project costs. In 2014, New York IDAs reported that only 32 percent of procurements used competitive bidding. In New York, 33 IDAs reported that they did not competitively select any contract procurements, while ten did. Other government agencies did a bit better: non-profits defined as local authorities reported a 73 percent competitively selected procurement rate, while state authorities reported 65 percent, and local authorities 57 percent. "Locally, the Rensselaer County IDA is among those that used a competitive selection process for its audit service contracts, resulting in a $203 cost per project for 60 projects. Compare that to the Albany County IDA, which did not use a competitive selection process, and incurred a $393 cost per project for 15 projects," Hamilton writes. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

The Mid-Hudson News Network reports in The Daily Freeman that a report issued by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress shows the local value in urban farming. The study “recognizes that the demand is high, even in smaller cities like Beacon and Hudson,” said Pattern Research Associate Rebecca De La Cruz. Farmers markets, community gardens, and local supermarkets, “can make urban centers more desirable living and working space by eliminating food insecurity and addressing the prevalence of food deserts.” Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Bill Mahoney in Politico New York reports that Zephyr Teachout leads in fundraising among not just the other four candidates in the June 28 19th Congressional District primary, but she also leads among all 174 Congressional candidates in the state. Teachout took in $530,732 in contributions from January through March, according to the Federal Elections Commission reports. That is well ahead of her Democratic opponent, Will Yandik, who raised $259,670. Republicans in the District did not raise more than either Democrat: John Faso raised $220,441, Andrew Heaney raised $217,990, Bob Bishop raised $21,580, and sitting Assemblymember Pete Lopez, who stuck his toe in and out of the race, raised $405. Teachout was boosted by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who sent out multiple fundraising emails asking for $2.70 donations split between him and Teachout. The 10,657 Teachout donors included actor Mark Ruffalo and five members of the Soros family. Former Assembly minority leader John Faso has raised $220,441 in recent months and has $619,101 in the bank, and businessman Andrew Heaney brought in $217,990 and has $576,989. Teachout’s primary opponent, Livingston councilman Will Yandik, has raised $259,670 and has $202,715. Republicans Faso and Heaney, in the race longer, have more cash on hand then either Democrat now. Read the full story in Politico New York.

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Ross Goldstein from Catskill discusses the launch of his "13 Moons" book of 33 black-and-white polaroid photographs. Published locally by Publication Studios. The book launch was Tue., Apr. 26 at +Space in Catskill. Pete Lievense interviewed Goldstein on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" in the WGXC studio in the Catskill Library on April 26.

The Valatie Volunteer Rescue Squad is trying to move into new facilities, pictured above, from their website.

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Karen Loeffler, with the Valatie Volunteer Rescue Squad, discussed how to become a volunteer firefighter, and was interviewed by Holly Tanner and Justin Weaver on the "Something to Talk About" April 27 on WGXC.

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Holistic Practitioner Fran Sussman about her work and experience with Lyme disease and was interviewed by Sarah Falkner and Lauren Giambrone on the "Roots, Runners, Rhizomes" April 25.

Photo from Kayln Rock bandcamp page.

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Hudson musician Kayln Rock plays selections from her newly released album and was interviewed by Kieran Riley on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" April 25. She performs with Stephen Bluhm at Spotty Dog Books & Ale on May 28. She grew up in Hudson, New York, and has a new EP, "Heart Contagious," and a previous full-length album, "Passenger."

Photo from The Farm at Miller's Crossing website.

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Local grower Chris Cashen from The Farm at Miller's Crossing in Columbia County talks about his family farm and growing in the current dry conditions. Cashen was interviewed by Kieran Riley on the "WGXC Afternoon Show," Mon., Apr. 25.