Patricia Doxsey is reporting in the Daily Freeman the Ulster County Legislature Tue., Aug. 18, adopted a law establishing a countywide “sustainable green fleet policy,” designed to reduce emissions, decrease costs and increase efficiency. Under the law, the number of county-owned vehicles will be reduced and evaluate current practice to ensure optimum use, incorporate efficiency requirements when seeking bids for the purchase of new vehicles and giving priority to purchasing hybrid and other sustainable green vehicles. The law calls for a minimum of 5 percent of the county fleet to be green vehicles by 2020. The law also requires the county to train its employees to drive efficiently and to use public transportation and telecommuting when feasible. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Rick Karlin is reporting at Capitol Confidential the Adirondack Council is calling on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to stop a shipping company from its plan to use tracks deep in the Adirondack Park as a storage and inspection area for oil train tank cars. Plans by the Chicago-based Iowa-Pacific holdings to put the tanker cars on tracks in places like Tahawus [TAH-wuss], the site of a 19th century mine and a portal into the High Peaks area, poses a threat to the area’s waterways and wild nature. In a statement released Wed., Aug. 19, the Council allege there was no mention of oil tanker storage and an oil salvage facility as a use for the Saratoga and North Creek Railway when permission was granted to reopen in 2012. The tracks lead to a 19th century iron mine that was reopened by the federal government during World War II to obtain titanium for war ships. The rail line was abandoned from 1989 through 2011. The Adirondack Park is the world’s largest, intact, temperate deciduous forest ecosystem. It is the source of most of New York’s major rivers. It is a protected landscape that attracts 10 million visitors per year. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Kenneth C. Crowe II reports in the Albany Times-Union that both Republican and Democratic legislators in Rensselaer County are backing the Drinking Water Protection Law, which is being proposed in response to the Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline that would run through Nassau, Schodack, and Stephentown. The proposed Northeast Energy Direct 36-inch pipeline would pass through Schoharie, Albany, and Rensselaer counties on its way to metropolitan Boston. County Legislator Mark Fleming (D-Troy) said, "Albany County has a very similar law. It's what should be done." Legislator Judith Breselor (R-Sand Lake) said, "We want to be sure any local law introduced is focused on preventing harmful effects from the pipeline project, and can withstand any legal challenges." Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

Shivani Gonzalez in the Albany Times-Union reports that the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors asked state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office to find out just how a $21 million project to repair six streams damaged during tropical storms Irene and Lee went over budget. Schoharie County's 16-member elected board wanted to know why the county taxpayers' share of funding for the project increased by $1.3 million because of extra engineering and construction costs. So the state came back with an audit, released Aug. 18, that found that the the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors was responsible for the project going over budget. In a response, the Board blames the engineering firm AECOM, which is not identified by name in the audit. Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 85F; low 65F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 85F; low 67F.[/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 the region, including Greene and Columbia counties. A slow-moving cold front will bring widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms overnight, Thu., Aug. 20 to Fri., Aug. 21. Some urban and poor drainage flooding may occur in some spots, with isolated flash flooding possible.

Today: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny. High near 85. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Thursday night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy. Low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Friday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy. High near 78. Friday night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 61.
Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly before 9 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 79. Saturday night, a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 64.

Sunset today: 7:48 p.m.
Length of the day: 13:39

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

ANCRAM Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. in Town Hall at 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
CHATHAM Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. Town Hall, 488 State Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COPAKE Land Use Review Committee meeting, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
COXSACKIE-ATHENS Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. at middle/high school, 24 Sunset Blvd., Coxsackie (731-1800).
DURHAM Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. in Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-6122).
GHENT Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the Ghent Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Common Council Economic Development Committee, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
WINDHAM Town Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

Full audio of local headlines and weather for Wed., Aug. 19 (9:57). (Produced by Tom Roe.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/ty/ek/1k/WGXC_local_news_20150819.mp3

Kate Seckinger is reporting in The Daily Mail the Durham Town Board Tue., Aug. 18, voted unanimously to close Catskill Creek to all activities other than fishing for the duration of the summer. The board took the action after learning about the extensive state regulations around maintaining a public beach. The portion of the creek located just across the street from the Durham town building was designated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation as the fishing area. The land on the far side of the water belongs to Thor Raxlen. Although the creek has now been closed to other swimmers, Raxlen and his family will be able to swim at that location because he owns half the creek. Councilman Jerry Cunningham said, “...I think there should be a community committee that might work on this to find a solution. There’s enough people, and if they’re willing to do it, we might be able to see how we can afford to satisfy some of these state regulations over the winter, to see what can be done about it for the future.” Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

John Mason is reporting in the Register Star Hudson Common Council voted Tue., Aug. 18, to contribute $100,000 to the senior center project, in the former armory building at 5th and State Streets now run by the Galvan Foundation. The city's donation will be made in two installments, the first half on April 1, 2016, and the second, a year later on April 1, 2017. The funds will be used to equip the center, assuming the city has taken possession of the space. The resolution approved gives a green light to the city entering into a memorandum of understanding with the foundation. Supervisor Rick Scalera, speaking as a Galvan employee and board member said, “Nobody has said the city is bound to pay. This is a moral obligation. Because of the loss of that money from the HCDPA.” The Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency had pledged financial support to the project, but retracted the offer after the center turned into a private undertaking. Contacted after the meeting, Mayor William H. Hallenbeck Jr. said, he was delighted by the news of the Council vote. "Make no mistake," he said. "The winners here are not the mayor, not the Common Council, it’s our senior citizens who will finally realize a new senior citizens center.” Read the full story in the Register Star.

Matthew Hamilton is reporting at Capitol Confidential Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office announced Mon., Aug. 17, the state has created a new emergency response system that local governments will have access to during disasters. The NY Responds system will give all 62 counties access to universal emergency management software to help local and state governments coordinate during disaster events. The system is designed to relay incident-specific information, help with local resource requests, monitor requests and provide information about other relevant incidents in the region. Counties will not have to pay for the system or its mandatory training program. Officials said the new system is more sophisticated than what local governments are currently using. In addition to the emergency management software and the addition of new emergency response vehicles, the NY Responds system will be supplemented by the New York State Early Warning Weather Detection System. Once complete, that system will use weather detection sites across the state to provide real-time data to the National Weather Service during severe weather events. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Public News Service reports, "Prisoner advocates are asking state legislators to pass a bill that would dramatically alter the use of solitary confinement in New York prisons and jails. Last year, the state agreed to settle a lawsuit challenging solitary confinement, creating sentencing guidelines that include ending disciplinary confinement for inmates who are under age 18 or pregnant. Five Mualimm-ak, director of the Incarcerated Nation Corporation, says isolation is especially harmful to prisoners dealing with mental illness and substance abuse. "There are thousands and thousands of people in New York state suffering from these conditions," he says. "If we allow them to stay even one day in solitary, it's doing damage." The Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement, or HALT Act, would further restrict the use of extreme isolation and create therapeutic and rehabilitative options. The bill currently has 38 co-sponsors in the Assembly, and 12 in the Senate. International experts classify prolonged solitary confinement as a form of torture that can cause serious psychological harm. According to Mualimm-ak, who says he spent five years in solitary confinement, besides restricting the use of extreme isolation, the HALT Act could help make treatment available to those who need it – and he says there are many. "If you removed these vulnerable populations, it would be two-thirds, literally, freed up who are in solitary right now," he says. "That will at least reallocate funds to be able to address some of those issues." Thousands of inmates are being held in solitary confinement in U.S. prisons and jails, some for decades. Federal lawsuits challenging the practice are being litigated in at least three states." - See more at: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2015-08-18/criminal-justice/advocates-push-for-legislation-to-curb-solitary-confinement/a47738-1#sthash.uAbBbU4G.dpuf
Click on that link to download audio version of this report.

[caption width="249" align="alignleft"] Photo from The Columbia Paper.[/caption]The Columbia Paper reported State Police were looking for Douglas Fithian, 82, on Aug. 17, after he was last seen at the Camphill Ghent Assisted Living Center, 2542 State Route 66, that day at about 9 a.m. Staff there discovered his GPS bracelet had been removed, and alerted police around 1 p.m.. Mr. Fithian is described as a 5’9” white male, weighing 142 pounds. He was wearing black jeans and a long-sleeve plaid shirt. Fithian may suffer from dementia and may be in need of medication. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to contact the State Police by calling 845 677-7300 or 911. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Brian Nearing in the Albany Times-Union reported that Nassau town officials aren't happy with Kinder Morgan, the company trying to put a natural gas pipeline through southern Rensselaer County. Town officials are asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to keep open a public comment period set to expire Aug. 31 so they can review a slew of new company documents filed last month. Also, on Aug. 14 town Supervisor David Fleming wrote to District Attorney Joel Abelove about a possible trespassing claim against Kinder Morgan. Fleming said survey workers from Kinder Morgan, reportedly, were on private property last week off Reno Road and had told the owner that the town had authorized their visit. Kinder Morgan wants to build a portion of the 30-inch natural gas Northeast Energy Direct pipeline through southern Rensselaer County. The newly released documents include the site plan for a natural gas compressor station on Clarks Chapel Road, a facilities arrangement plan for the station, and "non-jurisdictional facilities" planned around the state, Fleming reported. Kinder Morgan spokesman Richard Wheatley said the company will, "make sure our land representatives know at all times where they are supposed to be working and where they are not allowed to be." The pipeline is proposed to go through parts of Schodack, Nassau, and Stephentown. The original proposal ran farther south through Columbia County and into the Berkshires of Massachusetts, but moved more than 50 miles of the proposed route farther north after increasing protests there. The pipeline comes from Wright, in Schoharie County, through an existing Kinder Morgan right of way through Knox, Berne, New Scotland, and Bethlehem, then crosses the Hudson River at Schodack, then follows a National Grid power line right-of-way northeast, south of Burden Lake and to near the intersection of routes 43 and 66 at the hamlet of Alps. Then it continues north of Route 43 in Nassau and Stephentown for 14 miles before crossing into Massachusetts at Hancock. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 87F; low 66F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 86F; low 67F.[/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: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny. High near 89, and a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Wednesday night, a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy. Low around 71. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Forecast for the next two days:
Thursday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 86. Thursday night, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy. Low around 69.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely throughout the day. Cloudy. High near 77. Friday night, continued chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy. Low around 61.

Sunrise today: 6:07 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:50 p.m.
Length of the day: 13:42

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

CATSKILL Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Human Services budget review meeting, 2 p.m.; Human Services Committee meeting, 5 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
GERMANTOWN Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the Elementary Music Room, Germantown School, 123 Main St., Germantown (537-6281).
GHENT Planning Board, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
GREENE COUNTY Public hearing on the 2015-16 Columbia Greene Community College budget, 6:25 p.m.; regular meeting of the full Legislature, 6:30 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
HUDSON Zoning Board of Appeals public hearings on area variances for 730 Warren St. and 552 Warren St., 6 p.m.; full ZBA meeting, 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
STUYVESANT Zoning Revision Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Dr., Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TACONIC town meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Rte. 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).
TACONIC HILLS Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Central Office boardroom, 73 Co. Rte. 11A, Craryville (325-2800).

Full audio of the local headlines and weather for Tue., Aug. 18 (6:18). (Produced by Neva Wartell.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/1m/66/t9/WGXCNews_20150818.mp3

The Daily Freeman reports that the state Department of Environmental Conservation and state Department of Health issued an air quality advisory for Ulster, Dutchess, Delaware counties, and points south to New York City for Tue., Aug. 18. In all, Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, Westchester and Rockland counties, and New York City are warned for high ozone levels. New Yorkers are urged to:
• Use mass transit or carpool instead of driving;
• Turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas;
• Use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees;
• Close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air;
• Limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters;
• Set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures;
• Reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize smoking.
Call the Air Quality Hotline at (800) 535-1345 or visit http://www.dec.ny.gov and http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/air/ozone.htm.

Patricia Doxsey in The Daily Freeman reports that Ulster County Legislature Chairman John Parete proposed a $15-an-hour minimum wage for county employees. “If we’re going to try to save the world, we’ve got to start leading from right here,” said Parete (D-Boiceville). “It might be an awful good signal to the world that we’re progressive and we care about the people that are servicing us and servicing our county." The proposal, which would begin Jan. 1, 2016, and the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee will discuss it more in September. Ulster's full-time employees already make more than $15 per hour as of Jan. 1, so the proposal would only affect part-time workers. Currently, six part-time union employees are scheduled to be paid $14.72 an hour beginning Jan. 1. “I’m a business person,” said Richard Gerentine, (R-Marlborough). “I don’t think that we as a county should be dictating to anyone what minimum wage should be.” Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Jeanette Wolfberg reports in The Columbia Paper that Hudson school officials and parents will know where their children are this fall, as wireless radio tracking devices are installed in school buses. School officials can go to a website and see where the buses are, and how fast each they are traveling. Parents can get a mobile app to find out where the bus is. The devices will work for regular bus rides, and special field trips. The program costs $21,000 annually. The next Hudson City School Board meeting is at 7 p.m., Monday, August 24, at the Junior High School library on
Harry Howard Avenue. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Katie Kocijanski in the Register-Star reports the Germantown Board of Education increased school taxes for the first time in three years, adopting an increased tax levy of 1.37 percent on Aug. 12. District residents approved the $14,502,850 budget on May 19, 278-138. “The current levy will increase taxes $20 a year per a house assessed at $100,000,” Business Manager Cathy Gomm said. “Residents don’t get to vote on the levy, they only vote on the district’s spending plan.” The next Germantown School Board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Greene and Columbia counties both have high rates of enrollment in the Affordable Care Act, according to data compiled by Politico.com. In Columbia County, 10 percent of residents are enrolled in the new national health care program, and nine percent of Greene County residents are signed up. Albany, Rensselear, and Delaware counties had just seven percent enrollment, Schoharie and Dutchess counties have eight percent involvement, and 10 percent of Ulster County residents have joined the program. Read the full story in Capital New York.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 78F; low 54F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 79F; low 56F.[/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: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 p.m., and before 11 p.m. Before that, mostly sunny, with a high near 88, and a low around 65.


Forecast for the next two days:
Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 85, and a low around 65.
Thursday: There's a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80.

Sunrise today: 6:06 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:51 p.m.

Public meetings


Third Tuesday of the month
COLUMBIA COUNTY Health and Medical Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
DURHAM Town Board meets at 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
HILLSDALE Meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall on Main Street (325-5073).
HUDSON 5 p.m. Finance Committee meeting; 7 p.m. Regular Common Council meeting at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville (589-6150).
LEXINGTON Town board meeting at 7 p.m., at Municipal Building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
TAGHKANIC Planning Board workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall on Route 82 in West Taghkanic (851-7638).