Local guests appearing on WGXC this week:

R.O. Blechman, animator, illustrator and long-time New Yorker contributor R.O. Blechman, who has had a place in Columbia County for decades speaks with Richard Roth on "The Passage." Thu., Dec. 10, 2 p.m.

Broadcast writer DW Gibson discusses his book, "The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the Twenty-First Century" and local gentrification on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" Thursday. Gibson is the winner of the 2015 Brooklyn Eagle Literary Prize. He serves as director of Writers Omi at Ledig House in Ghent. Thu., Dec. 10, 4 p.m.

Seth Chrisman and Nathan McLaughlin are live in the Wave Farm Study Center/WGXC Acra Studio Saturday. They are interviewed on-air, present past and future projects, and will perform live.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Sun., Dec. 6 (3:54). (Produced by Tom Roe.)

Dick Nelson in the Register Star reports that deer hunting season in New York is half over, and early statistics show a smaller kill this year. “From the start of regular gun season through the second weekend the reported take of female deer is down three percent and reported take of male deer is down 11 percent this year compared to 2014,” Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman Lori Severino said. Nelson says he's heard ancedotal evidence of fewer shots being fired in local woods. The season ends on Dec. 13, and a full report from the DEC won't be available until later. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

The Daily Freeman reports that the Greene County Highway Department received $260,000, and the Onteora Club in Tannersville was awarded $236,366 from the Catskill Watershed Corp.’s Board of Directors' Stormwater Retrofit Program. In Tannersville the money will address stormwater runoff in an area that includes 60 homes and four miles of roads along county Route 23C in the Schoharie Reservoir basin. The Greene County Highway Department will use the money to buy a new street sweeper and vacuum truck to clean streets and roads and maintain culverts, inlets, and other stormwater infrastructure in mountaintop towns. The village of Margaretville, in Delaware County, also got $99,000 to develop plans to treat runoff that carries pollutants and sediment into the Binnekill Stream and the East Branch of the Delaware River. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Patricia Doxsey in The Daily Freeman reports that while Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum may want to enlist 10,000 Ulster County gun owners, others in Ulster County aren't so comfortable asking all citizens to bring their guns when going out, in case they need to help the police. That was the message Van Blarcum posted on the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page Dec. 3. “In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world, I want to encourage citizens of Ulster County who are licensed to carry a firearm to PLEASE DO SO,” the Democrat wrote. The post was shared by 12,000 people and was mentioned in national news broadcasts. A petition was posted on the website of change.org by Tim Hunter of Gardiner with the heading, “Ulster County Sheriff Van Blarcum ... Change Your Mind or Change Your Job.” County Legislator Ken Wishnick wrote online to Van Blarcum, “I believe that encouraging ALL license holders to carry their weapons at all times is both misguided and scary." Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright also posted a message online, writing, “Though I fully support our right to bear arms and to defend ourselves, I am not convinced more guns in the hands of untrained or unskilled civilians is the answer ... nor do I believe does the sheriff,” the prosecutor wrote. “I discourage anyone from misreading the sheriff’s comments.” Ulster County Executive Michael Hein and Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti did not call the paper back with a comment. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Local weather forecast
Today’s forecast is specific to Cairo, in Greene County:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 56, and a low around 32.

Forecast for the next two days:
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 46, and a low around 29.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39.

Sunrise today: 7:10 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Sat., Dec. 5 (3:33). (Produced by Tom Roe.)

Click here to listen to or download an audio version of this report. Nia Hamm from Public News Service reports that cell phones – considered a distraction for many students – are the main tool of a free state-run English learning program for immigrants in New York. Participants simply call a phone number to listen to a lesson, which they review by answering questions though text messages. The initiative is a partnership between the mobile education venture Cell-Ed and the Office for New Americans. Jorge Montalvo, deputy Secretary of State for Economic Opportunity, says the program fills a need for immigrants, who are often prevented from learning English because of transportation, work or financial issues. "There are places in the state where there are transportation issues for people to get to an English class,” he explains. “There are also places where there are a lack of English classes or quite frankly everyone learns differently so there may not be kind of the right manner by which the person is taught, that fits for them.” So far, about 300 people have signed up to participate in the pilot since its launch back in April. This is the first state-funded program of its kind in the nation. Montalvo says the program also highlights the obvious but vital economic necessity for newcomers and immigrants to learn English by taking a more innovative approach to English learning. "If you can improve your economic livelihood with stronger capabilities to speak English and to read and write English, you're able to get a better job,” he stresses. “You can be better utilized in the work force by employers.” Developers of the program say it takes about 25 hours to finish a level of classes. New York is providing the first two levels of classes as well as a citizenship class.

Click here to listen to or download an audio version of this report. Nia Hamm with Public News Service reports that voter turnout in New York is low - really low. The state ranks 46th in the nation in a United States Election Project study. Experts say the reasons vary, but advocates are renewing calls for New York to join 33 other states that allow some form of expanded or early voting to get more people to cast ballots. The New York State Bar Association is among the groups that testified before the State Assembly to make that case. Bar Association president David Miranda said early voting and a more streamlined voter-registration process would give more New Yorkers an opportunity to participate. "In addition to increasing the time in which you can vote," he said, "making it easier to register to vote would provide a significant increase in engaging citizens with the ability to vote." The Bar Association suggested that voting should start one week prior to Election Day. It also recommended having 16- and 17-year-olds voluntarily pre-register to vote and encouraged younger adults to vote. Opponents of those ideas have indicated concerns about increasing voter fraud. The New York Public Interest Research Group is among the organizations urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to allocate money for early voting in the 2016 budget. But Neal Rosenstein, the group's government reform coordinator, said early voting should be implemented with other reforms in order to be most effective. "When we have districting, when we have rotten state campaign-finance laws, all of those things factor into voters' attitudes and views towards an election," he said. "We've got to tackle and address all of them if we really want to solve the problem and maximize turnout." The State Assembly has passed early-voting legislation, but the Senate has not - although Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced several bills to increase voter access earlier this year, including online registration and early voting. More informnation about New York voting trends is online at electproject.org.

John Mason is reporting in the Register-Star the telecommunications consulting firm hired by Columbia County has completed the county's broadband profile and has made a series of recommendations to the county Board of Supervisors. ECC Technologies found that while there is a significant amount of fiber installed in the county, it has not increased broadband coverage overall. Beginning last spring, the Monroe County-based company mapped the broadband infrastructure, conferred with public and private organizations to document broadband issues and needs, and met with service providers. The inventory revealed there are nine service providers in the county, and eight fiber owners. There are 17 cell towers and 10 public safety towers. All fiber is owned by private companies; none is in public hands. The study found the broadband coverage is fragmented, with single providers dominating their geographical sectors. While the western sections of the county have, at a minimum, basic broadband access, competition and diversity of providers is limited. In the central and eastern parts of Columbia County the services provided fall below the FCC's definition of broadband and the environment is behind other gigabit communities being developed in other parts of the country. Overall, the study found a lack of broadband in rural areas. The ECC warned that the county's broadband deficiencies have an acute impact on education, health care and economic development. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

A roundup of radio-wave related local news. ��� The National Weather Service began adding probabilistic snowfall forecasts on Dec. 1. The new forecasts will attempt to predict snow totals over the winter before storms arrive. So far, there have been just flurries falling in the WGXC listening area this fall. • WKZE (98.1-FM) holds its' Annual Holiday Party at The Rhinecliff Hotel with music from Professor Louie and the Crowmatix on Dec. 8. Bring an unwrapped children’s toy (for 6 weeks-16 years old), and all donations will benefit the children at The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Poughkeepsie. • WGXC holds an Informational Meeting and Volunteer Orientation at 1 p.m. Dec 19 at the Wave Farm Study Center and WGXC Acra Studio. All are welcome to attend this monthly opportunity to tour the Wave Farm Study Center, WGXC Acra Studio, and grounds. • The Rip Van Winkle Amateur Radio Society holds their next meeting Dec 21 at 7 p.m. at the Churchtown Firehouse in Churchtown. The group now has a fusion digital repeater on 449.925 MHz.

Local weather forecast
Today’s forecast is specific to Cairo, in Greene County:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49, with a low around 29.

Forecast for the next two days:
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 51, and a low around 31.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.

Sunrise today: 7:09 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Fri., Dec. 4 (6:12). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Michael Ryan is reporting in the Windham Journal the ongoing Hensonville water improvement project is expected to be completed sometime this month, Windham government officials were told last week. The project dates back several years, following warnings from the state Department of Health over arsenic levels in the hamlet's water system. The department said it would fine the town of Windham if stricter arsenic standards for wells were not reached. Crews have been busy since August installing new water lines along South Street. The pipeline creates a back-up water system for the town and the Windham Mountain resort. It will also improve fire protection along South Street. The water consolidation effort is expected to continue once additional funding is secured. Read the full story in the Windham Journal.

John Mason is reporting in the Register-Star a group of protesters met outside U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson’s office in Kinderhook, Thu., Dec. 3. They assembled to protest his recent vote in support of legislation which would prevent the flow of Syrian refugees into the United States. Approximately 35 men, women, children and clergy assembled on the village green, sang Christmas carols and carried signs quoting scripture. “For those of us who follow Jesus, and are preparing to celebrate Christmas, it is a moral necessity to stand against rhetoric and policies of fear and exclusion,” said the Rev. Kathryn Bielke (Bell-KEY) of the First Presbyterian Church in Hudson. On Nov. 19, Gibson voted in favor of the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015, which would impose additional requirements making entry into the U.S. for Syrian refugees nearly impossible. The bill is now in the Senate. Reached on Thursday afternoon, Gibson said the bill, supported by Republicans and 47 of the House’s 188 Democrats as well, should not have been controversial. “It requires certification from leaders to be sure the vetting process is safe,” he said. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

William Kemble is reporting in the Daily Freeman four former students of the Dutchess County BOCES (BOE-seez) welding program are moving ahead with their lawsuit over forged American Welding Society certifications. A court recently dismissed the plaintiffs' false advertising claim. Attorney Michael Sussman said he expects to appeal that decision. Sussman said the suit focuses on whether BOCES officials committed fraud by providing the program. The students contend they were given forged American Welding Society certifications after they completed a two-year program and not told of the forgery until after Dutchess County BOCES officials reached a settlement with the state Attorney General over deceptive business practices and false advertising. The four plaintiffs all have various learning disabilities. Sussman said a similar case has been filed by 20 students against Orange County Community College over certification of the radiological technician program. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Matthew Hamilton reports in The Albany Times-Union the state Assembly's Correction Committee on Wed., Dec. 2, "heard from a parade of speakers about the need for more independent oversight of the state prison system." Lawmakers were looking into a recent high-profile escape and homicide in two state prisons, and considering an independent ombudsman for the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Only activists who wanted change spoke at this hearing, with state prison officials, state Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott's office and the state correctional officers union all no shows. State officials said they would comment after investigations into the June escape from Clinton Correctional Facility and the death in April of Samuel Harrell, an inmate at Fishkill Correctional Facility, were completed. The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the corrections union, only released a statement from President Michael Powers in an advertisement that blasted Correction Committee Chair Daniel O'Donnell. "Unfortunately for Assemblyman O'Donnell, grandstanding won't make our prisons any safer. Rather than vilifying the law enforcement officers, we need leaders to get serious about breaking up the high-tech crime cartels inside our prisons," Powers said. Michael Mushlin, a professor of law at Pace Law School, commented, "In the state of New York, we need (oversight), we don't have it." Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

Patricia Doxsey in The Daily Freeman reports that Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum is afraid his staff is not large enough to react to possible right-wing domestic terrorists, or possible threats from overseas. So, after high-profile attacks on a Colorado Planned Parenthood and a California holiday party this week, he wants all Ulster County citizens who are licensed to carry firearms to bring their guns with them wherever they go. On the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, on Dec. 3 Van Blarcum wrote: “In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world, I want to encourage citizens of Ulster County who are licensed to carry a firearm to PLEASE DO SO..." so, “that if something happens, there is an armed citizen around.” The complete post from the sheriff is below.


ATTENTION LICENSED HANDGUN OWNERS

In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world, I want to encourage citizens of Ulster County who are licensed to carry a firearm to PLEASE DO SO. I urge you to responsibly take advantage of your legal right to carry a firearm. To ensure the safety of yourself and others, make sure you are comfortable and proficient with your weapon, and knowledgeable of the laws in New York State with regards to carrying a weapon and when it is legal to use it. I also want to remind all Police/Peace Officers both active duty and retired to please carry a weapon whenever you leave your house. We are the thin blue line that is entrusted in keeping this country safe, and we must be prepared to act at any given moment.
Thank you,
Paul J. Van Blarcum
Ulster County Sheriff

Local weather forecast

Today’s forecast is specific to Cairo, in Greene County:

Today: Mostly sunny. High near 47. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 29..

Forecast for the next two days:
Saturday: Sunday: Sunny. High near 55. Sunday night, partly cloudy. Low around 31.

Sunrise today: 7:08 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:15

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

HUDSON Historic Preservation Commission workshop to discuss an application for a sign to be erected on property located at 720 Columbia St, 10 a.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St, Hudson (828-1030).

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Wed., Dec. 2 (6:49). (Produced by Philip Grant.)