From William J. Kemble in The Daily Freeman:

The [Catskill] Town Board on Wednesday agreed to a $2.7 million assessment reduction for Home Depot that will keep the company’s property on state Route 23B valued at $6.28 million through 2012. The settlement was adopted during a Town Board meeting at which Supervisor Peter Markou said the case was one of several involving large commercial properties, causing potential legal costs to mount. “We have a whole bunch of certiorari cases on the books,” he said. “We’re trying to settle them rather than go to court because it’s too expensive to go to court.” Town Assessor Nancy McCoy reported in May that Home Depot had sought to have its 2009 assessment reduced from about $9 million to about $4 million. “I don’t know whether I’d call it a relief,” Markou said of Wednesday’s reduction agreement. “It kills me to do it, but fair-market value changes. You go to court and argue it, you might lose. We’ve spent a lot of money doing, and it seems to me to be the path ... of least expense.” The resolution adopted by the Town Board on Wednesday states that a “settlement proposal resolving pending tax certiorari litigation was recommended by (town lawyer) Daniel G. Vincelette ... (as) an expeditious and economic alternative to further litigation.”... Town Board members in May agreed to set the assessment on the Wal-Mart property on state Route 23A at $13.5 million, a $1.67 million reduction, covering 2010 through 2012. Other cases involving large commercial holdings in Catskill include:
• Holcim Cement Co. on U.S. Route 9W, from $10.1 million to $1.65 million in a 2008 challenge.
• Lowe’s on state Route 23A, from $7.1 million to $3.48 million in a 2008 challenge.
• Rite Aid, on state Route 23A, from $1.8 million to $500,000 in a 2009 challenge.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today that 34 nonprofit organizations in Columbia County have been awarded grants from two of its area funds: the Fund for Columbia County and the Quailwood Fund. The Quailwood Fund provides grants for the Red Rock area and the Fund for Columbia County serves the entire county. The Fund for Columbia County awarded $35,595 to 30 organizations:
Animalkind, Inc.: $1,000 to subsidize the cost of pet care, including spaying/neutering, emergency care and vaccination.
Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties: $1,000 to support the Emergency Assistance Program, which helps individuals and families access emergency resources.
Chatham Synagogue: $1,000 to construct a handicapped-accessible pathway that provides all members with access to the synagogue’s outdoor space.
Clarion Concerts in Columbia County: $500 to build a website that educates the community about the organization and provides information about upcoming musicians & concerts.
Clausson Raught Community Rescue Squad: $1,000 for NFPA 1584 compliant equipment, which prepares medical staff to relieve injuries at fire scenes.
Columbia County Community Health Care: $1,250 for “Assuring Your Wishes,” an online Healthcare Proxy registry established by the Partnership in Palliative Care, which provides discussions about end-of-life issues.
Columbia Memorial Hospital: $1,000 for a renovation project which provides the Stephen Menkes Child Advocacy Program with adequate space to accommodate the program’s increase in children’s services.
Concerted Effort, Inc.: $2,000 for the Bringing Literacy to Life project, a long-term partnership between John L. Edwards Elementary School and the Hudson Opera House, which promotes learning through the arts.
Copake Fire Company No. 1: $950 to develop a Firefighter Assistance and Safety Team.
FASNY Museum of Firefighting: $1,000 to develop an educational component for the museum’s website, including a virtual tour.
Family Resource Centers of Columbia County: $670 to produce new program brochures.
Friends of Historic St. Peter’s Fund: $1,000 to fund restoration work on the St. Peter’s Church building.
Friends of the Chatham Public Library: $1,500 for archival supplies to preserve and organize the library’s local history collection.
Friends of the First Presbyterian Church: $1,000 to repair and restore three stone pilasters at the First Presbyterian Church.
Friends of Taconic State Park: $500 to develop a major donor campaign.
Girl Scouts Hudson Valley Council, Inc.: $1,400 for adult learning opportunities which enable volunteers to help local girls build skills, knowledge and confidence to meet challenges, attain goals, and advocate for change.
Hawthorne Valley Association, Inc.: $2,300 to develop food system and resource maps, which will strengthen collective understanding of the food systems in Columbia County.
Hudson Day Care Center, Inc.: $1,500 for quality curriculum and materials.
Hudson Opera House: $1,750 for Open Studio, a free weekly arts workshop serving at-risk children and teens.
Malden Bridge Community Center: $1,000 to insulate the Malden Bridge Community Center building.
Mental Health Association of Columbia: $875 to recruit and train new volunteers for a 24-hour hotline that provides services to survivors of interpersonal violence.
The Nature Institute, Inc.: $1,000 to provide the community with no-fee educational programs and events.
New Lebanon Library: $1,200 to support diverse, educational programs for all age groups, including programs exploring literature, nature, music and world cultures.
The Olana Partnership: $1,000 for an art exhibition about Frederic Church and the American Civil War.
Operation Unite NY: $1,000 for a series of visual, performing and craft workshops for youth.
Performance Spaces for the 21st Century: $1,000 for “Celebrating Our Town,” a performance program which celebrates small town life.
Philmont Public Library: $2,200 to assist in furnishing the library’s newly constructed Cultural Center.
Roeliff Jansen Community Library: $1,000 to facilitate a series of workshops for teens which explores the graphic novel genre and provides an opportunity to create original work.
Town of Austerlitz: $1,000 to hire a preservation consultant who will assist in preserving the town’s historic structures and resources.
Walking the Dog Theater: $2,000 to support theater events that inspire, entertain and build community.

The Quailwood Fund awarded $8,800 to four organizations:
Canaan Conservation Club: $2,000 to install energy-efficient vinyl siding.
Columbia Land Conservancy, Inc.: $2,500 to support public access improvements at the Schor Conservation Area, which provides the community with recreational opportunities through hiking trails, a fishing pond, and a picnic area.
Red Rock Historical Society: $2,300 to restore and paint three plaster walls inside the Red Rock Historical Society’s building.
Red Rock Volunteer Fire Company: $2,000 to assist in the purchase of high-band VHF communications equipment.

The Fund for Columbia County and Quailwood Fund are overseen by a committee of local residents who review grant applications and award grants based on excellence of the project or service, its impact on the organization or community and the ability of the organization to carry out the project. The next deadline for grant applications for the Fund for Columbia County and Quailwood Fund is April 1, 2011. Applications are available online at www.berkshiretaconic.org/grantseekers or by calling Berkshire Taconic at 413.528.8039. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Berkshire Taconic connects donors with causes they care about by administering and investing their charitable funds. Thanks to its generous donors, in 2009 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $7 million in scholarships and grants for programs in the arts and education, health and human services, and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.

From Johanna Barr in City Hall News:

If her fundraising totals are any indication, Didi Barrett looks poised to mount a serious challenge against incumbent Stephen Saland in New York’s 41st Senate District [which covers Columbia County]. Barrett [who campaigned throughout Hudson last weekend] has raised $161,196 this cycle. Her campaign also reported that it had gathered more than 3,700 signatures. Marian Rivman, Barrett’s communications director... said the campaign’s goal for this cycle had been to raise more than $132,000, which was the amount of cash Saland had on hand when Barrett first entered the race. Saland is a 20-year incumbent who served in the State Assembly for ten years, from 1980 through 1990, before moving to the Senate. If elected, Barrett would be the first Democrat to hold the seat in 100 years. The last was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Read the entire story in City Hall News.

Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,C,I-Red Hook) will join Scenic Hudson's Seth McKee, Tivoli Mayor Tom Cordier, and others at a press conference July 28 celebrating the Village of Tivoli’s purchase of Hudson Riverfront property. This land preservation effort will secure permanent public access to the Hudson River. The press conference will take place at the Tivoli waterfront at Broadway and Friendship St. on Wednesday, July 28 at 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. along Warren St.

[caption id="attachment_2139" align="alignright" width="100" caption="Cell phone tower on CR 67. WGXC antenna will hang just below cell phone antennae."][/caption]The Cairo Town Board met for their monthly meeting tonight at town hall and approved changes to the site plan law. Cairo Planning Board Chairman Dan Benoit previously said the proposed changes were to make the site plan law easier for businesses on Main St. proposing few changes. The board unanimously approved the changes after a public hearing. WGXC also went before the board, requesting to hang an antenna for the new community radio station on an existing cell phone tower on County Route 67. Again, the board unanimously approved the request. Click here to listen to the Town Board meeting, or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/CairoTownBoardmtg_072110.mp3

Capitol Confidential is reporting that, "Republican Congressional candidate Chris Gibson’s hopes of contesting Democratic Rep. Scott Murphy for the Independence Party line have come to naught." “Very nice candidate, very nice man,” said Tom Connolly, vice chairman of the party’s executive committee, of Gibson. “But the committee decided to go with Scott Murphy, who is our candidate.” Kinderhook's Gibson will appear on the Republican and Conservative Party lines, and Murphy will be on the Democrat, Working Families, and Independence party lines in November's election to represent Greene and Columbia counties in the 20th District in New York. Read the entire story in Capitol Confidential.

[gallery columns="2"]Ira Sher introduced poet and prose writer Bernadette Mayer reading, musicians Jeffrey Lependorf and Miguel Frasconi performing original compositions on Asian flutes and glass instruments (respectively), and poet Wayne Koestenbaum reading at the second program of the "Athenian Arts Reading Series" at the Athens Cultural Center on July 17. Recorded by Sam Sebren. Click here to listen to Meyer's reading, or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/BernadetteMayer_ACC_WGXC_071710.mp3

Click here to listen to Frasconi and Lependorf's performance, or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/MiguelFrasconiJeffreyLependorf_ACC_WGXC_071710.mp3

Click here to listen to Koestenbaum's reading, or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/WayneKoestenbaum_ACC_WGXC_071710.mp3

[caption id="attachment_2104" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Friends of Hudson\'s Susan Falzon introduces Sustainable Hudson Valley\'s Michael O\'Hara at his talk on global warming at Beattie-Powers Place July 18, 2010."][/caption]Michael O'Hara from Sustainable Hudson spoke July 18 at Beattie-Powers Place in Catskill, as part of their "River. Air. Action." lecture series. Photo shows Susan Falzon from Friends of Hudson introducing O'Hara. Sorry for the loud fan sounds that make listening a bit difficult. Click here to listen to an mp3 recording of the talk, or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/MichaelOHara_BeattiePowers_WGXC_071810.mp3

[caption id="attachment_2087" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Andrew Cuomo gladhanding after campaign kickoff speech at BRIK Gallery in Catskill, 071710."][/caption]New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (Democrat) kicked off his campaign for governor with an appearance at 10 a.m. this morning at BRIK Gallery in Catskill. Click here to listen to the speech, including introductions by (Republican) Catskill Village President Vincent Seeley and (Democrat) Catskill County Legislator Forest Cotten. Or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/AndrewCuomospeech_BRIKGallery_WGXC_071710.mp3

Afterwards, Cuomo took questions from the media, including one from WGXC's Tom Roe who asked about Cuomo's position on the Farmerworker's Fair Labor Practices Act (S8127). Cuomo did not answer the question, but talked about the importance of farms to the New York economy. Click here to listen to the press conference mp3 recording, or paste the following url into your computer's media browser to listen to mp3 recording from WGXC:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/AndrewCuomomediaquestions_WGXC_071710.mp3

Watch video (need to be logged in to Facebook) of the "press gaggle" after the speech, outside BRIK Gallery, with that WGXC question about the farmworker's bill.

[gallery order="DESC" columns="2"]Mark Patton (above left), Harry and Paul Gottlieb, and Claude Haton (above right, with Paul Gottlieb on right in photo) were among the performers tonight at the Cairo Open Mic at Cairo town park, sponsored by the Cairo Library and WGXC. Click here to listen to the mp3 recording of the performances, or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/CairoOpenMic_WGXC_071610.mp3

In time for Amy Goodman's appearance Friday for WBCR in Great Barrington, the Rural Intelligence blog has a story by Dan Shaw about WBCR, WHDD (91.9-FM, in Ct.), and WGXC. The WGXC section:

By working with both established and new media, community radio stations fill a void left by newspapers that have disappeared or slashed their reporting staffs to the bare bones. “We are in a media ghetto between New York City and Albany,” says Tom Roe, program director of WGXC, which is devoted to serving Columbia County and its neighbor across the river, Greene County. “Citizen journalism is a key part of our mission, and we have a training program,” says Roe, who describes himself as a radio artist. “We have correspondents and a Town Recorder project that allows people to record important town meetings. We put it up as raw information. Victor Mendolia recorded the Hudson Common Council meeting the other night when they discussed the future of the waterfront." These radio stations have one foot in the small-town past and one in the high-tech future. “We are trying to do 1940s radio with 2010 technology,” says Roe, who sees community radio as bringing together artists, journalists and amateurs. “Orson Welles and John Cage are two of the giant figures in radio,” says Roe, who points out that five years from now most people will have Internet radio and be able to listen to anything anywhere.

On Monday, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection's plan to purchase more private land in the upstate watershed was discussed a public hearing at SUNY Delhi. Watershed Post brings you the video above. Another meeting was held Tuesday in Hunter.

Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo will be in Catskill this Saturday, July 17, at 10:15 a.m. at the BRIK Gallery, 473 Main St., Greene County Democrats announced today.

[gallery link="file"]Sam Sebren did a few interviews and made random recordings during the 36th Annual Athens Street Festival. Despite a stormy start, the day cleared up and thousands of folks came out for the fun with 100-plus vendors, three stages of live music and demonstrations, and great fireworks. Click on the link to hear: Galen Joseph-Hunter at the WGXC table; Greene County judge candidate, Dave Woodin; Mr. Twisty the balloon man; Pat Whiteman of the Athens Street Festival committee; Aidan and Julius of Athens; the water balloon race booth; Kim Hotaling of Athens; Athens-born, NYC-based Michelle Hotaling performing her song "You Shoulda;" and Herman Reinhold, Athens Trustee and Deputy Mayor. Sebren also took these photos: the Paper Hat Parade; the Balloon Water Race Booth; Galen Joseph-Hunter of WGXC sharing a tent and tables with Ron Puhalski of Athens Antiques; vendors and crowds in the park: Solid Smoke band from Albany finishing out the night on the main stage with soul and funk classics. Click here or paste the following url into your computer's media player if link does not work:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/AthensStreetFestival_WGXC_071010.mp3

Jim Planck has a terrific story in The Daily Mail about the U.S. Department of Energy hearing Tuesday night in Kingston about a proposal to route a high voltage Direct Current line from Canada to New York City. Highlights:

The project applicant, Transmission Developers, Inc. has applied for permission to run the line’s twin cables underneath the bottom of Lake Champlain, then the Champlain Canal, where it would come out of the water and circuit around the PCB dredging project above the Hudson by utilizing railroad rights-of-way, then enter the Hudson River at Coeymans and submerge beneath its bottom, and run down to the Metropolitan area, where the DC would come back on land at a converter station and be turned back into useable AC current.... Speaking at the project’s scoping session at Kingston — one of seven DOE is holding along the route — TDI President Donald Jessome told those present that an original part of the plan which had called for a companion set of cables to serve southern Connecticut by way of the Long Island Sound had been dropped.... Jessome said the project is thus now a 1,000 megawatt, $1.9 billion plan, with an in-service date of 2015.

From Julia Reischel in Watershed Post:

It's downy, it's mildew-ey, and it's out to wilt your basil, the Times Herald-Record reports:

It's called downy mildew, and it's infecting basil plants across New York, as well as other states. The disease is harmless to humans. But it turns basil leaves an unsightly yellow, as well as leaving purplish-gray spots of spores on the leaves' undersides. Eventually, the leaves die. And the disease spreads quickly, either through contaminated seeds or wind-swept spores.

The Cornell Department of Plant Pathology is asking for reports of all sightings of downy mildew, which it says first appeared in the northeast U.S. in 2008. There's no doubt about it -- it's a bad bug. Read the entire story in Watershed Post.

From Jimmy Vielkind in Capitol Confidential:

Chris Gibson has apparently raised more money in the last three months than Rep. Scott Murphy, the Glens Falls Democrat he seeks to unseat. But Murphy still has 2.5 times as much money in the bank as Gibson, a retired Army colonel from Kinderhook. Both men will report on their campaign’s donations and expenditures by Thursday. But sources familiar with each of the campaigns offered preliminary peeks at their totals. Murphy, who won a special election to replace now-Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2009, raised just over $350,000 this quarter and now has $1.3 million on hand.... Gibson raised around $487,000, a person familiar with his filing said, confirming a report posted Monday on Politico.com. He raised $108,000 in the first month of his race, according to the last quarterly filing, and now has about $500,000 on hand.... Gibson spokesman Rob Clark said the campaign is still in the process of compiling its filing, and declined to give an exact number. He said the above numbers are “in the ballpark” and said the campaign had 1,530 donors. Read the entire story in Capitol Confidential.

Tonight's Hudson Common Council meeting was about the city's LWRP (Local Waterfront Revitalization Program/Plan) waterfront plan. The meeting was recorded by WGXC volunteer Victor Mendolia. Click here to listen to an mp3 audio recording or paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/07/HudsonCommonCouncilmtg_071310.mp3

Scenes from the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill last year. This year's festival is this weekend, July 15-18. (H/T Nippertown!)