Gail Heinsohn is reporting in the Chatham Courier the New Lebanon Town Board recently voted to increase the salary of the town supervisor by nearly 300 percent next year, and eliminated the town bookkeeper position, as well. The move came during public deliberation on the town's 2016 budget. A comment at the Chatham Courier website by Joanna Smith provided some insight into the board's decision: The bookkeeper was identified as outgoing supervisor Mike Benson's confidential secretary. Benson lost his bid for re-election earlier this month to town clerk Colleen Teal. At the budget meeting, the board also voted to maintain funding of the fire department at the same level as the past four years and to select the "gold" health insurance contract for town employees, notwithstanding a 15 percent increase in the cost of premiums next year. The board also opted to use less of the town's fund balance than recommended by Benson. The contentious meeting adjourned to executive session to discuss pending litigation. Read the full story in the Chatham Courier.

Kenneth C. Crowe II reports in the Albany Times-Union that the Rensselaer County Legislature will vote on a proposed law that will make it more expensive for Kinder Morgan to build its proposed pipeline at a special meeting Nov. 23. This will be the fourth bill before the County Legislature to protect drinking water through regulating blasting, all because of the planned Northeast Energy Direct pipeline. "I appreciate and applaud the ability of the residents for sending a message — this pipeline is not wanted," Legislature Chairman Stan Brownell, R-Hoosick. The report says the legislation would, "require testing of drinking water within a one-mile radius of a blasting site; a two-mile radius around federal Superfund sites, which addresses the Dewey Loeffel site in Nassau; sets standards for testing groundwater used for drinking water; has no sunset clause; and allows municipalities in the county to opt in or out of coverage by the law. The pipeline is planned tp carry fracked natural gas near the towns of Schodack and Nassau from Albany County, and into Massachusetts. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150"] From NYS Assembly website.[/caption]

Rick Karlin reports in Capitol Confidential that Steve McLaughlin, current Assemblymember for 107th District, won't run to fill Chris Gibson's (R-Kinderhook) seat Washington D.C. in the 19th Congressional District. McLaughlin cited family reasons, and said he was concerned about the turnout and the national Republican party's support in a 2016 election with Hillary Clinton at the top of the Democratic ticket. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 51F; Low 34F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 53F; Low 35F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAR LEFT: The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

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

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Fri., Nov. 13. Gusty westerly winds will develop through the day and continue into the evening. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected.

Today: Isolated showers after 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 56. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Friday night, isolated showers before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Forecast for the next two days:
Saturday: Partly sunny. High near 46. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 29.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 54. Partly cloudy. Low around 34.

Sunrise today: 6:44 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:35 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:51

Public meetings
Today is the second 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 meeting (tentative), 10 a.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Thu., Nov. 12 (5:58). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/38/6p/rd/WGXCDailyNews%2020151112.mp3

Diane Valden is reporting in the Columbia Paper two lawsuits seeking to overturn the Berkshire Mountain Club approvals granted by the Copake Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals have been dismissed by an Albany County State Supreme Court judge. The court's action mean that the $80-million, four-season resort project can be built at the base of the Catamount Ski Area off Route 23 in Columbia County, near the Massachusetts border. The decisions can, however, be appealed. The cases were brought by Gert and Cynthia Alper, owners of the Swiss Hutte Inn and Restaurant located adjacent to the ski area, where the resort will be located. The project includes the construction of three buildings with 153 hotel and time-share residential units, a spa, swimming pool, restaurant and retail space to be completed in three phases over 10 years. The original timeline had construction starting in spring 2014. The earliest the project might start now is 2017. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.

Jim Planck is reporting in The Daily Mail the Greene County Legislature Public Safety Committee Mon., Nov. 9, approved the hiring of a consultant firm to help the county take the next step in moving the proposed county jail project forward. The action is expected to be approved by the full legislature next week. Committee chair and Cairo legislator William Lawrence said SMRT Architects and Engineers, an east coast firm with an office in Latham, was selected. SMRT principal Arthur Thompson was present for the meeting. Thompson said a portion of the firm's role is to develop the overall scheduling of the project, to ensure its proper construction sequence with the winter months. SMRT will also help define the physical use of the site. The story offered no indication of what the firm will be paid. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Scott Waldman is reporting at Politico New York U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson said Wed., Nov. 11, he will work against one of the major proposed natural gas pipelines that would cross New York. Gibson said developers of the Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline have offered little to the property owners whose land it will cross, and that project developers were attempting to impose their will on local communities. That pipeline would run 412 miles from Pennsylvania through Central New York to the Capital Region and into the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. Gibson said he supports the Constitution pipeline in the Southern Tier and Schoharie Valley. That pipeline is still awaiting state approval. Both pipelines cross through the 19th Congressional District. The 124-mile Constitution pipeline will run through Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie counties. The plan also calls for the upgrading of an existing compressor station. Gibson said he has three criteria that he uses to weigh support for a pipeline: Local benefits, respect for property rights and the companies' safety records. He said he felt Constitution met his standards, but Northeast Energy Direct had not. Read the full story at Politico New York.

Andrew Heaney, a small business owner from the Town of Washington in Dutchess County, announced he's running to replace Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) in Congress. Heaney has worked in his family's heating oil business, and is a volunteer member of the Millbrook Fire Department, and previously was a coach in the Taconic Little League, and is also a member of the Board of Trustees at the Dutchess Day School. His website does not list positions on issues, nor a political party. Gibson, after three terms, announced he won't run again in the 19th Congressional District.

Jim Planck is reporting in The Daily Mail the former Dunn Builders and Supply complex on Water Street in Catskill will be the subject of a public presentation by the American Dance Institute at village of Catskill Planning Board meeting, Mon., Nov. 16. The Rockville, Maryland-based performance venue and school purchased the site in August. Village of Catskill Community Development Coordinator Nancy Richards said the site plan review of the organization’s plans began at the board’s Nov. 2 meeting. Richards said, the group will return, “to inform the general public, as well as the planning board, of their plans...." Richards said the presentation will offer some insight into what exactly the American Dance Institute is. American Dance Institute Marketing and Public Relations Director Julianna Evans said Tuesday the Catskill facility will serve as a “last-stage incubator” location, where artists can come for a week or two and hone their performance, with technical support, prior to opening in New York City. Evans said, “We love the building and we just thought Catskill was the perfect location to do this. We’re excited to be in town." The planning board meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Monday at the Washington Irving Senior Center in Catskill. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 53F; Low 43F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 53F; Low 44F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAR LEFT: The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

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

Today: Occasional showers, mainly after 11 a.m. High near 54. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. Thursday night, scattered showers, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 45. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Forecast for the next two days:
Friday: Isolated showers after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 54. Friday night, isolated showers before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 37.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 43. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 30.

Sunrise today: 6:42 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:36 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:53

Public meetings
Today is the second Thursday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.
(All numbers are in the 518 area code unless otherwise noted.)

CHATHAM Village meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
COPAKE Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountainview Road, Copake (329-1234).
GALLATIN Town Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Route 7, Ancram (398-7519).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board Workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
LIVINGSTON Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 119 County Route 19.
STUYVESANT Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TANNERSVILLE Village trustees meet at 7 p.m. in their Village Hall on Route 23A.
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Wed., Nov. 11 (6:52). (Produced by Tom Roe.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/yp/d4/5g/WGXC_local_news_20151111.mp3

Jesse McKinley reports in The New York Times that Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Nov. 10 that he was using executive authority raise the $15 minimum wage for all state workers. New York becomes the first state with a $15 minimum wage for its public employees. Undet the plan, state workers in New York City would earn $15 an hour by the end of 2018; state workers upstate would not get to $15 until the end of 2021. Together, 10,000 workers or about 6.5 percent of the state’s work force gets to $15 an hour eventually. Read the full story in The New York Times.

Michael Ryan is reporting in the Windham Journal Lori Torgersen has been declared the winner of the District 6 seat, to represent Windham Ashland, Jewett and Prattsville in the Greene County Legislature. “Holy cow,” Torgersen said Tue., Nov. 10, after learning of her victor. In the final count, Torgersen, a Democrat, bested five-term incumbent Republican James Hitchcock by 10 votes. She was declared the winner on Tuesday after the absentee and affidavit ballots were tabulated at the Greene County Board of Elections. Torgersen said, “I can’t thank the voters enough for their belief in me and I thank all the people who supported me personally." Torgersen has been deeply involved in the development of the Windham Path, a walking and biking trail that is part of a long-term tourism plan. She has also played a significant role in bringing the UCI World Cup mountain bike series to Windham Mountain. Torgersen will take the oath of office on January 1. Read the full story in the Windham Journal.

John Mason is reporting in the Register-Star Hudson Common Council agreed Mon., Nov. 9, to rebid the city's proposed police/court complex and imposed a ceiling of $4.3 million on the project. The plans call for the renovation of the former Finnish Line fitness club located at 701 Union St. for a combined police station and city courthouse. The building was purchased from Bruce Finn in November 2013 for $680,000. The original estimate for the renovation was approximately $1.7 million. In April, the sole bid on the project came in at more than $3 million. At the meeting Monday, council approved architect Richard Franklin's revised plans, and construction manager Joe Rapp will now seek bids on four contracts. Bids on the construction, electrical, HVAC and plumbing contracts are due 5 p.m., January 4. Bids will be opened January 5, and construction is expected to begin in March. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Robert Gavin in the Albany Times-Union reports that Christina Ryba, the winning Democratic candidate in the 3rd Judicial District election last week, was terminated by Appellate Division Presiding Justice Karen Peters, the day before the election, for alleged "ethical missteps." Now Republican chairs in Albany, Rensselaer, and Ulster counties want an investigation. "If the presiding justice does not believe Ms. Ryba should continue as a court employee and ordered her to be fired from the state court system, then how is it appropriate for Ms. Ryba to now serve as state Supreme Court judge?" said Rensselaer County Republican Committee Chairman John Rustin in a statement. The Republicans want the state Commission on Judicial Conduct to investigate the newly elected judge. Ryba is the first African-American woman elected to the Supreme Court bench for Albany, Rensselaer, Ulster, Schoharie, Columbia, Greene, and Sullivan counties. Ryba's campaign manager Kathleen Campbell did not comment. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

Rick Karlin in Capitol Confidential, the Times-Union blog reports that tolls won't be rising in 2016 on the New State Thruway. “No toll increments will be required in 2016,” Thruway director Robert Megna said. “We’re happy to announce that today.” That's mainly because the state sent $1.285 billion to the Thruway to help with the $3.9 billion Tappan Zee bridge project. Megna also announced a seven-member advisory task force for toll hikes, including former Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings. It has been six years since the last toll increase. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

The Daily Freeman is reporting a rundown of how various local offices and services will be affected by the Veterans Day holiday.

Amtrak: Regular schedule
Banks: Closed
City of Hudson offices: Closed
County offices: Closed
Federal offices: Closed
Financial markets: Open
Greene County Transit: No service
Mail: No delivery
Metro-North: Regular schedule
Schools: Closed
State offices: Closed
Trailways: Regular schedule

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 54F; Low 40F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 53F; Low 41F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAR LEFT: The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

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

Today (Veterans Day): Rain before 9 a.m., then patchy drizzle with a chance of rain between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. High near 53. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 41.

Thursday: Patchy drizzle with a chance of showers before noon, then showers, mainly after noon. High near 55. Thursday night, showers likely, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 44.
Friday: A slight chance of showers before 8 a.m., then a chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 54. Friday night, a chance of showers before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 36.

Sunset today: 4:37 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:55

Public meetings
Today is the second Wednesday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.
(All numbers are in the 518 area code unless otherwise noted.)

ATHENS Village Board meeting, 6:30 p.m at the Athens Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
CATSKILL Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CLERMONT Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COPAKE Hamlet Revitalization Task Force, 7 p.m.; Environmental Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GHENT Planning Board Application meeting and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. both at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
JEWETT Town Board meeting, 7 p.m., at Municipal Bldg. 3547 Co. Rt. 23C (263-4626).
KINDERHOOK Town’s 9 & 9H Corridor Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
KINDERHOOK Village Board meeting and budget hearing, 7 p.m. at 6 Chatham Street, Kinderhook (758-9882).

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Mon., Nov. 9 (6:31). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/10/ab/er/WGXCDailyNews%2020151110.mp3