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

Andrea Sears reports for Public News Service that a bill reinforcing the state ban on shackling incarcerated women during childbirth passed the Legislature in June, but it still hasn't become law. Full shackles include handcuffs attached to a waist chain, and foot shackles. The state banned their use during childbirth in 2009 but according to Tamara Kraft-Stolar, director of the Correctional Association of New York's Women in Prison Project, that law was virtually ignored. "We spoke with 27 women who gave birth after the 2009 statute was enacted and we found that fully 23 of those 27 women were shackled in violation of the law," says Kraft-Stolar. The new bill extends the shackling ban to the entire time of pregnancy and eight weeks after birth, and requires training of both prison staff and medical personnel. A report prepared by the Correctional Association earlier this year documented cases of pregnant women shackled on the way to a hospital to give birth, or spending hours in chains while being transported from one prison to another. Kraft-Stolar says that can lead to a number of medical issues. "Shackling can cause falls which can be very dangerous to a pregnant woman," she says. "It can even cause the fetus to die. It can delay access to emergency medical care." The bill passed the state Senate by a unanimous vote and even has the backing of the correctional officers' union. Kraft-Stolar says all that's needed now is the governor's signature. "We are very much looking forward to and are confident that the governor will take leadership on this issue and ban the barbaric practice of shackling incarcerated pregnant women," she says. Shackling women during pregnancy and childbirth is still legal in 28 states.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 70F; Low 43F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 71F; Low 45F.[/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: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2 p.m. Isolated thunderstorms are possible south of Albany. While thunderstorms are not expected to be severe, a few may produce gusty winds. High near 70. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. Friday night, showers likely, mainly before 8 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy. Low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Forecast for the next two days:
Saturday: Sunny. High near 60. Saturday night, mostly clear. Low around 38.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 68. Sunday night, mostly clear. Low around 46.

Sunrise today: 7:01 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 11:21

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).

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

David Oxenford in the Broadcast Law Blog reports that industry representatives and FCC officials keep saying that the only way to fix AM radio is by broadcasting AM signals on FM radio. FCC commissioners with fond memories of growing up with AM radio want to help bring back the format, a fool's errand since AM's sonic limitations don't make it of much use for music programming. But if AM owners could just broadcast on FM, then AM would be saved, is the logic from Washington D.C. these days. The latest proposal would allow AM station licensees to buy FM translators located as far as 250 miles away from the AM station, and then move the translator to an area where the station can be rebroadcast on FM. So buying a translator station gives that licensee the right to file for a vacant frequency in its market on a first-come, first-served basis. Class C and D AM stations may get first shot at the translator stations if word about the plan is correct.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Tue., Oct. 6 (5:35). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/yv/3t/je/WGXC%20DailyNews20151008.mp3

Jim Planck is reporting in The Daily Mail a member of the support staff at Catskill Elementary School has been accused of making a racist comment to a group of nine black elementary school students, Mon., Oct. 5. It is alleged that the woman approached the group during lunch, urging them to mix with white students. She said they should not be sitting together because they looked like a black gang "in the hood," according to one of the students. A parent of one of the children filed a complaint with the district. The employee has not been identified. Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Farrell confirmed Wednesday the matter is being looked at. She said, “The person is a support staff employee Yes, the students reported to the administrators of the building that a comment was made that had an underlying racial tone. We are in the process of completing the investigation and appropriate action will be taken.” Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Matthew Hamilton is reporting at Capitol Confidential John Faso, former assembly member and gubernatorial candidate, raised more than $600,000 in his first quarter of fundraising, his campaign announced Wed., Oct. 7. Faso announced his Congressional bid last month. Faso received more than 600 donations during the period, the campaign said. A spokesman said Faso has not donated his own money to the campaign. Filings with the Federal Election Commission are expected to be made public in full soon. Faso and Dutchess County businessman Andrew Heaney are two of four possible Republican challengers for the 19th Congressional District seat currently held by fellow Kinderhook Republican Chris Gibson. Gibson will leave Congress at the end of next year as he potentially sets his sights on the state Executive Chamber in 2018. The two other potential GOP candidates, Assembly members Steve McLaughlin and Peter Lopez, have yet to officially make a decision one way or the other. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential.

Jim Planck is reporting in The Daily Mail Coxsackie resident Debra Speenburgh was unanimously appointed to complete the term of her late husband at a special meeting of the Greene County Legislature, Wed., Oct. 7. Debra's husband, Wayne, was the former chairman of the Legislature, and represented District 2 for 12 years, up until his death last month. Speenburgh will serve through December 31, when she is expected to turn the seat over to Republican candidate Thomas Hobart. Hobart is running unopposed in the November election for a full, three-year term. Speenburgh said she is honored and pleased to complete the term. She said, “It will indeed be an honor to serve in his place....I will certainly do my best to represent Coxsackie in the months ahead.” Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Gail Heinsohn is reporting in the Chatham Courier PS21 Chatham broke ground Mon., Oct. 5, for construction of a permanent performance venue following 15 years of planning. The new Performance Spaces for the 21st Century space will be a 99-seat black box theater in the winter, which will open up to become a 300-seat open air theater in the summer. Robert Zuckerman read a letter from state Assembly member Didi Barrett, who called PS21 a “testament to the vision, passion and tenacity” of founder and board president Judy Grunberg, the board and staff. Zuckerman also announced the state Council on the Arts will nearly double a grant to PS21 for the next four years. Grunberg thanked the organization’s board and staff for their patience and perseverance during the planning process. She also thanked the Chatham Zoning Board of Appeals and the Chatham Planning Board for enduring "a lot [of stuff] with mostly good humor." Read the full story in the Chatham Courier.

Scott Waldman at Politico New York reports that when Basil Seggos, the former attorney for the Riverkeeper environmental group, takes over as the the head the New York's Department of Environmental Conservation takes over he faces a slew of divisive issues that need attention. There are at least four natural gas or oil pipelines worth billions of dollars pending before the DEC, plus a proposed gas storage project for the Finger Lakes, a proposed crude oil boiler facility for oil trains in Albany, permit renewal for the Indian Point nuclear plant, and controversy over the use of fracking products from neighboring Pennslyvania. At Riverkeeper Seggos was an investigator, in charge of "monitoring compliance with clean water laws and bringing legal cases when government wouldn’t act." Read the full story in Politico New York.

Melanie Lekocevic in the Greene County News reports that on Tue., Oct. 13 Coxsackie voters decide both the library’s upcoming budget and three seats on the Heermance Memorial Library's board. The budget is slightly larger, but there is no tax increase in this budget. In 2015 the library added some moveable bookcases and new lighting, insulation, and a general facelift. The Heermance circulates 50,000 items, holding 410 program sessions with more than 4,300 in attendance. "We held more children’s programs than any other library in Greene County,” Library Director Linda Deubert said the the last Coxsackie town board meeting. Read the full story in the Greene County News.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 66F; Low 49F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 66F; Low 51F.[/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: Patchy fog before 7 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High near 68. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 50.

Forecast for the next two days:
Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 70. Friday night, a chance of showers, mainly before 8 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy. Low around 48.
Saturday: Sunny. High near 59. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 39.

Sunrise today: 7 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:24 p.m.
Length of the day: 11:24

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).

Michael Ryan is reporting in the Windham Journal a complaint filed against the town of Prattsville and various town officials in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene has been dismissed. In a decision handed down last month, Greene County Supreme Court Judge Lisa M. Fisher dismissed all claims made against the town, supervisor Kory O'Hara, council member Bonita Chase and business owner Michael O'Hara by Dennis Hull. Hull was seeking $9 million in damages in the civil action. Fisher did rule that the allegations made against John King, a former Prattsville resident, had some merit, finding that some of King's written statements about Hull possibly constituted defamation. Hull owned and operated an Randy's Transmissions and provided vehicle towing services. He claimed that town officials authorized him to tow vehicles during the storm cleanup. Town officials denied that was the case. Hull alleged the town defamed him when a complaint letter from King was discussed during a public meeting of the town council. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Kate Seckinger is reporting in The Daily Mail following a very short public hearing, Mon., Oct. 5, the Cairo Town Board voted again to adopt its first-ever zoning law. The board's original vote was taken Aug. 20, but it was later nullified due to a legal technical error. Attorneys John Lyons and Tal Rappleyea apologized last month for the mistake they made. Lyons said they failed to provide timely notice of the board’s public hearing to bordering towns, which required the second hearing be held and a second vote taken. “Hopefully, this is it,” Cairo Town Supervisor Ted Banta said Tue., Oct. 6. “We believe we’ve followed all the procedures and complied with all the rules. Zoning is finally passed, and we’re happy about that because we believe it is what’s the best for the town.” The issues raised during the public comment session this time around were repeats of what the board heard on previous occasions, including concerns that the law would prevent businesses from expanding. Other residents requested a town board member abstain from voting on the measure due to a conflict of interest. County Legislature candidate Michael Camadine said the new law will "restrict businesses," and he told the board that he has heard "great reservations about this zoning law from many people." Banta said while some residents raised concerns about the zoning law, they do not represent the majority. “The majority of people in this town want zoning,” he said. The new law goes into effect December 1. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Scott Waldman and Bill Mahoney are reporting at Politico New York state residents are increasingly dependent on natural gas produced in other states to heat their homes, according to new federal data. The U.S. Census Bureau is reporting during the last decade, New York had the country's biggest increase in the number of households using natural gas as a heating fuel source. In 2005, 51.7 percent of households statewide used natural gas as their primary heating source; by 2014 that number had increased to 57.5 percent. At the same time, fewer state residents are using oil or kerosene to heat their homes. Most of the growth in the use of natural gas came from downstate, resulting in some of the biggest increases in the country. New York’s increasing dependence on natural gas as a heat sources comes as the state is also relying more on natural gas to produce electricity. While both trends can be seen throughout the country, it is particularly noteworthy in New York, which has a fracking ban and one of the nation’s largest deposits of shale gas in one of its poorest regions. Reliance on propane and solar as fuel sources for heat saw slight increases from 2005 to 2014. Read the full story at Politico New York.

Emilia Teasdale in The Columbia Paper does not report any opposition so far for Habitat for Humanity's plan to replace a dilapidated house at the corner of Main and New streets. Individual ZBA members expressed their support for Habitat and this project at a Sept. 23 meeting, and newly appointed ZBA member Diana Vanalstyne mentioned the other house Habitat for Humanity built, on Luther Street in Vatalie. The board now plans a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. October 28. The Columbia County chapter of Habitat for Humanity started in 1993 and has built housing for 16 families in the area. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Timothy Knight in The Watershed Post surveys Schoharie County elections this fall, where Republicans County Treasurer Bill Cherry, County Clerk Indy Jaycox, and County Judge George Bartlett do not face any challengers. All 16 town supervisor seats are up for election, and Knight looks at three races:
• Town of Blenheim Democratic Supervisor Shawn Smith beat Gail Shaffer in the town's Democratic Caucus, and faces the former Blenheim Supervisor, New York State Assemblyperson, and New York Secretary of State, again as a Republican in the general election.
• Town of Middleburgh Incumbent Democratic Supervisor Jim Buzon faces Republican Pete Coppolo, a former employee of the county's public works department.
• Town of Schoharie Incumbent Democratic Supervisor Gene Milone goes against Republican Chris Tague, who also serves as the vice-chairman of the Schoharie County Republican Party.
Read the full story in The Watershed Post.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 60F; Low 47F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 69F; Low 47F.[/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: Mostly sunny. High near 70. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 45.

Forecast for the next two days:
Thursday: Sunny. High near 65. Thursday night, increasing clouds. Low around 50.
Friday: Showers likely, mainly after 8 a.m. Cloudy. High near 69. Friday night, a chance of showers, mainly before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 47.

Sunrise today: 6:59 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:26 p.m.
Length of the day: 11:26

Public meetings
Today is the first 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, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CLERMONT Planning Board meeting at Town Hall, 7 p.m. at 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).
GREENE COUNTY Legislature committee meetings: special Government Operations, special Finance, Health Services, County Resources, Public Safety; special Legislature meeting, 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
HUDSON Industrial Development Agency meeting cancelled; Common Council Youth and Aging Committee meeting, 6 p.m.; Arts, Entertainment and Tourism Committee meeting, 6:45 p.m., all at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
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).

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

Matthew Lasar at Radio Survivor reports that BBC World Service is accepting scripts for its 25th international radio play competition. “Anyone over 18, living outside the UK – whether you’re a new or established writer" can send a 53-minute-long radio script that includes no more than six central characters, plus a synopsis no longer than 400 words. Scripts compete for an English as a first language prize, English as a second language prize, and the Georgi Markov prize for scripts that show “outstanding potential.” The BBC is the most widely distributed audio platform on Earth, so this is a chance to reach a truly global audience, with a January 31, 2016 deadline. Click here for prize information and rules.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local headlines and weather for Tue., Oct. 6 (6:05). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/jd/fh/g2/WGXC%20DailyNews20151006.mp3

Kate Seckinger is reporting in The Daily Mail Durham officials have been presented with the details of the proposed Greene County EMS plan. During a recent public meeting, the Durham Town Board learned that the plan would reduce the amount of time it takes an ambulance to get on the road by seven minutes. Under the proposal, a new countywide service would have nine ambulances during the day, and seven at night, all staffed with an EMT and paramedic. With the ambulances stationed throughout the county, local municipal units would be eliminated. Ambulance Task Force Co-chair Aidan O'Connor told the Durham board the system would dramatically improve the quality of EMS services, with the latest equipment, better backup, less competition for personnel and faster, more responsive service. Richie Lendin, the ambulance administrator in Durham, is opposed to the county plan because of the requirements he said crews will be asked to fulfill. Durham Town Supervisor Bill Carr Jr. said he is uncertain about the proposed plan, but is leaning toward opposing the inclusive county system based largely on cost. Mary Ann Ledda, of Durham, said people talk about the finances of the plan, but not the most important factor. “No one is mentioning the fact of the value of lives here,” Ledda said. “We live in a rural community where minutes matter when you have a stroke or heart attack. You’re equating a few dollars for a life. ...We live an hour from a good hospital, and if we don’t have good ambulance service, we’re going to die before we get there. This is the difference between life and death.” Town boards countywide have through November to decide if they will participate in the county plan. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.