Katie Kocijanski is reporting in the Register-Star on recent changes at the Columbia Economic Development Corporation. On Tue., Jul. 28, the CEDC Board of Directors officially welcomed its interim Executive Director F. Michael Tucker. Tucker replaced former part-time Executive Director Ken Flood. Tucker is the former head of the Center for Economic Growth in Albany. “I hope to facilitate better oversight reporting to the Board of Supervisors and Economic Development Committee while I am here,” Tucker said. “I will be proposing an organizational structure for CEDC with the help of my staff.” The meeting also marked the departure of board President David Crawford. Crawford was presented with a bottle of gin by board member Greg Fingar as thanks for 25 years of service. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

The Daily Freeman is reporting the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice will launch its sixth season tonight (Wed., Jul. 29) in various venues throughout the town. It runs through Sun., Aug. 2. The event celebrates the human voice, with a spotlight on the U.S. The five-day festival this year will feature the world premiere of Robert Manno’s opera "Do Not Go Gentle – The Last Days of Dylan and Caitlin," a concert staging of Carlisle Floyd’s "Of Mice and Men," directed by the composer, and an evening of American songs with Frederica Von Stade, Kevin McMillan, and Lauren Flanigan. The festival also features workshops, lectures, panels, and meet-the-artist sessions. The Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice was founded by a group of opera singers in 2009. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Dan Goldberg and Brendan Cheney are reporting at Capital New York data released Tue., Jul. 28, indicated nearly half of all New Yorkers rely on a federal program for their health insurance. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the latest Medicare enrollee numbers for each state in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the program. There are 3.3 million New Yorkers enrolled in Medicare, coming in fourth nationwide behind California, Florida and Texas. About 6.3 million New Yorkers are enrolled in Medicaid, according to the state health department, the second most in the nation. The population of New York is approximately 19.7 million.

Michael Ryan reports in The Daily Mail that every effort is being made to keep the West Kill Baptist Church open somehow, as the number of church-goers have shrunk to the point where the congregration is giving up on the building. First, they offered the building to the town. A conversion to a garage was considered, but there was little interest in creating new costs for the municipality. Now, conversations are underway with the non-denominational Mountaintop Christian Church, which currently does not have its own center but shares space at the Lexington/West Kill United Methodist Church, on Route 13A. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Emilia Teasdale reports in The Columbia Paper that the five Chatahm town board members voted in favor of a Climate Smart Communities resolution July 16, making it eleigile for energy efficiency and green technology grants. “Once you sign up you can do as little you like,” said Robyn Reynolds, a representative from the Climate Smart Communities program, which does not cost Chatham anything to join. “We should go back and tie it to our Comprehensive Plan,” said Town Board member Jean Rohde of the resolution. The next Chatham board meeting is at 7 p.m., Thursday, August 20 at the Town Hall. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 95F; low 67F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 94F; low 68F.[/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 Catskill, in Greene County:

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook in the region, including Greene and Columbia counties, beginning Wed., Jul. 29. Hot and humid weather is expected. The combination of high temperatures and moderate humidity levels will result in heat indices in the mid or upper 90s in some valley locations, especially in the Hudson Valley from the Capital district southward.

Today: Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, sunny. High near 92. Wednesday night, mostly clear. Low around 68.

Forecast for the next three days:
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Increasing cloud. High near 89. Thursday night, a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear. Low around 62.
Friday: Sunny. High near 88. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 61.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 86. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 61.

Sunrise today: 5:45 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:17 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:31 hrs.

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

HUDSON Community Development and Planning Agency Board special meeting to discuss the $100,000 donation to be made to the Galvan Foundation for the Senior Center Project at 12 p.m. (noon), at 1 N. Front St., Hudson (751-1044).

Full audio of the local headlines and weather for Tue., Jul. 28 (7:40). (Produced by Neva Wartell.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/w8/rk/cy/WGXCNews_20150728.mp3

John Mason is reporting in the Register-Star under a law being considered by the Hudson Common Council, proprietors of the lodging establishments known as Airbnb's could be fined up to, or in excess of $12,000 a year if they do not register with the city. Most of these establishments are not currently subject to regulation or taxation, which troubles city officials. The proposed law, drafted by Common Council Legal Committee Chairman John Friedman, would levy a tax of four percent per day of the amount charged for short-term lodging on hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, Airbnb's and vacation rentals by owners. A registration fee to cover the city's administrative costs would also be levied. The point of the law is to broaden the city tax base, ensure that proper regulation extends to all lodging providers, to eliminate unfair competition and promote the stability of the rental housing market. The measure would also establish a city tourism board. That board would market the city as a destination for overnight and day-trip visits, among other things. The proceeds of the new tax would go to the tourism board and the city's general fund. The proposed local law will go before the full Council Aug. 10. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Scott Waldman is reporting at Capital New York a proposal to use gelled propane instead of water in fracking could be exempt from the state's current fracking ban. The gelled propane proposal calls for test wells on a hay and corn farm in Tioga County in the Southern Tier. The state's final ban on high-volume hydraulic fracturing was completed in late June. That ban centered on the risks the process posed to drinking water supplies. In hydraulic fracturing large volumes of water mixed with sand and chemicals are used to create fractures in rock that release the gas. The propane proposal uses liquefied petroleum gas and sand instead of water to split the rock. The propane is then recaptured as a gas when it rises back to the surface. The state Department of Environmental Conservation did not immediately dismiss the Tioga County permit. "As required by law, we will review the permit," a DEC spokesman told Capital New York. On Mon., Jul. 27, a coalition of environmental groups sent a letter to the DEC asking the Cuomo administration to ban propane fracking as well, or conduct a thorough environmental review. Read the full story at Capital New York.

The Daily Freeman is reporting Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is warning its customers about a new bill-payment scam. Customers are being contacted by telephone or email by individuals claiming to be with Central Hudson and stating the customer had failed to make a required deposit for services, or has an overdue bill. The caller then directs them to pay the utility bill using cash or an express wire transfer, threatening to terminate utility services if the payment is not made. A Central Hudson representative said the perpetrators are using sophisticated equipment to forge the caller ID. As a result, it may appear to the customer that Central Hudson is actually calling. The calls have been received throughout the company's eight-county service area. If a customer receives such a call, Central Hudson is directing them to hang up and call the utility immediately at (845) 452-2700. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Katie Kocijanski is reporting in the Register-Star college-bound students across the country may soon be able to jump-start their college education without the worry of student debt. U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson has introduced the Go to High School, Go to College Act of 2015. The bill would allow high school students to use federal Pell Grants to cover the cost of college courses. Gibson said student debt has been one of the pressing issues consistently raised by his constituents in the 19th Congressional District. “This bill would allow high school students to get ahead on their education while in a structured classroom setting,” the Kinderhook Republican said. The bill is included as part of the Higher Education Act, slated to be voted on later this year. If signed into law by the president, students who fall within the Pell income eligibility guidelines could take college courses while they are still enrolled in high school. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Jeanette Wolfberg is reporting in the Columbia Paper 22 veterans in Columbia County recently had to reschedule medical and other appointments, and two ended up in the emergency room, because both vans used by the county’s Veteran’s Services Bureau to transport their clients had broken down. Gary Flaherty, executive director the veterans bureau, included those facts in his report to the Human Services Committee of the county Board of Supervisors, which met earlier this month. Flaherty told the committee the bureau was using a borrowed van, and one of the vehicles was back on the road. He said  the needed repairs will strain the bureau’s budget. Supervisor William Hughes suggested that the next time the bureau needs to borrow a van, Flaherty might consider asking Coarc. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 92F; low 64F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 92F; low 65F.[/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 Catskill, in Greene County:

Today: Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High near 89. Tuesday night, patchy fog after 5 a.m. Otherwise, partly cloudy. Low around 63.

Forecast for the next three days:
Wednesday: Areas of fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, sunny. High near 93. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 65.
Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny. High near 91. Thursday night, a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy. Low around 63.
Friday: Mostly sunny. High near 87. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 62.

Sunrise today: 5:44 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:18 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:33 hrs.

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

CANAAN Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1647 Co. Route 5, Canaan (781-3144).
CATSKILL Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CHATHAM CENTRAL Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. at high school, 50 Woodbridge Ave., Chatham (392-2400).
COLUMBIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Loan Committee meeting, 8 a.m.; meeting of the full Board, 8:30 a.m. at 4303 Route 9, Hudson (828-4718).
COPAKE Agriculture & Farming Protection Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountain View Rd., Copake (329-1234).
GREENE COUNTY Tourism Advisory Committee meeting, 9:30 a.m. at 411 Main St., Catskill (943-3223).
GREENPORT Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).

Full audio of the local headlines and weather for Mon., Jul. 27 (7:49). (Produced by Neva Wartell.)

https://data.wavefarm.org/r/m5/4g/h5/WGXCNews_20150727.mp3

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Jul. 24 through Sun., Jul 26

Nina Schutzman reported in The Poughkeepsie Journal a single-engine plane crashed just after takeoff Sat., Jul. 26, west of  the Dutchess County Airport, off Jackson Road in Wappingers Falls. The pilot and a passenger, residents of Florida, were on their way to Vermont and had just stopped at the airport to refuel. There were no injuries.

Emilia Teasdale reported in the Columbia Paper the town of Chatham is now a Climate Smart Community, embracing a state program that offers guidance about energy efficiency and green technology. The goal of the program “is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save taxpayer money through climate-smart actions that improve energy independence, economic vitality and resiliency to extreme weather.” As a Climate Smart Community Chatham is now eligible to receive funding for select projects.

Rick Karlin reported at Capitol Confidential the state Department of Environmental Conservation is launching its fourth annual Asian longhorned beetle watch. The invasive species poses an ongoing threat to the state’s trees and forests. Under the program, pool owners are asked to examine what they find when they clean their pools, take pictures and then notify the DEC if they find the beetles, which apparently can end up in people’s pools. The survey takes place this time of the year when the beetles are expected to become adults, emerge from the trees they are infesting and become active outside those trees. Asian longhorned beetles have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of trees across the U.S., particularly maple trees in New York City, on Long Island, in New Jersey, Chicago, Worcester, Mass. and Clermont, Ohio. Information on ALB and the pool survey can be found at www [dot] DEC [dot] NY [dot] gov.

Robert Caims reported at the Watershed Post Delaware County will soon have a full-time prosecutor for Driving While Intoxicated, or DWI, cases following the county board of supervisors' decision to create the position last week. The STOP-DWI Coordinator Scott Glueckert said DWI conviction rates in the county have been declining. He said defense attorneys have become more aggressive in battling DWI charges in recent years as the consequences of a conviction have become more severe. Glueckert said having a dedicated prosecutor to handle these cases will help reverse the trend. Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup said he welcomes the help. The District Attorney's office last year prosecuted 172 DWI cases and has prosecuted 93 so far this year.

John Mason reported in the Register-Star the board of the Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency voted Thu., Jul. 23, not make a promised contribution to the Galvan Foundation’s creation of a senior center in the former Hudson Armory building at 5th and State streets. Galvan spokesman Dan Kent said there will be no senior center in the Armory if the agency's vote to withdraw support for the project stands. HDCPA Executive Director Sheena Salvino said making the pledged $100,000 contribution would bankrupt the agency. Mayor William H. Hallenbeck Jr. has called for a re-vote at a special meeting to be held Wed., Jul. 29.

The Associated Press reported Verizon workers in nine states, including New York, have voted to go on strike if necessary over a contract dispute. At a rally held Sat., Jul. 25, the Communications Workers of America announced that 86 percent of Verizon workers who voted in a recent poll backed strike action if required. The agreement that covers workers for Verizon's wireline business expires at midnight, Aug. 1. The unions say the telecom giant is demanding that workers sharply increase their health care contributions and make concession on pensions.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 86F; low 62F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 84F; low 63F.[/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 Catskill, in Greene County:

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for the region, including Columbia and Greene counties, for Mon., Jul. 27. There is a chance of thunderstorms Monday afternoon, mainly south of Albany. Some of the thunderstorms may have heavy downpours, which may cause ponding of water on roadways.

Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny. High near 85. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Monday night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. Partly cloudy. Low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High near 91. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 67.
Wednesday: Sunny. High near 94. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 69.
Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny. High near 90. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 63.

Sunrise today: 5:43 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:19 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:35 hrs.

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

CATSKILL Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. at firehouse near Catskill Commons (Walmart) (943-3830).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Environmental Management Council meeting, 7 p.m., 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
GERMANTOWN Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Rd., Germantown (537-6687).
HALCOTT Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 813 Route 3, Halcott Center (845-254-9920).
HUDSON City School District Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m. at Hudson Jr. High School library, 215 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson (828-4360).
HUDSON Common Council Fire and Police committee meetings are cancelled (828-1030).
NEW BALTIMORE Town Board work meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 Co. Route. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
PHILMONT Development Corp meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
STUYVESANT Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

Nina Schutzman in The Poughkeepsie Journal reported a single-engine plane crashed at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning near the Dutchess County Airport in Wappingers Falls. The pilot and a passenger, Keith and Margaret Kilgallen of Florida and were going to Vermont, stopping at Dutchess Airport to refuel. The couple were not injured. Read the full story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Melanie Lekocevic in the Greene County News reports that Coxsackie officials are talking with the Greene County IDA about a possible solar energy project that could
save $20,000 for the village and more for the schools. The company Energy in the Bank would set up panels on IDA property at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Stacey Road, adjacent to railroad tracks and across from an industrial site. “The Coxsackie-Athens schools are optimistic our partnership with the IDA, the village of Coxsackie and our energy providers will provide our district with a more economical source of electricity,” District Superintendent Randall Squier said. “The savings from making use of solar energy will allow us to use more of our operating budget on items that directly impact classroom instruction. Collaborating with the village and IDA on this project represents to our students how to be good neighbors in our community as well as stewards of our environment.” Read the full story in the Greene County News.

Local News
Click here for news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sun., July 26. PLAY AUDIO (2:20)

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Acra, in Greene County.

• Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. The chance of showers continues through 11 p.m., with a low around 60.

• Monday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83, with a low around 62.

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Sunrise 5:43 a.m.
Sunset 8:20 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 3:53 P.M. 1:23 A.M.
Mercury 5:54 A.M. 8:40 P.M.
Venus 8:15 A.M. 9:13 P.M.
Mars 4:40 A.M. 7:44 P.M.
Jupiter 7:43 A.M. 9:28 P.M.
Saturn 3:29 P.M. 1:23 A.M.
Uranus 11:24 P.M. 12:26 P.M.
Neptune 9:52 P.M. 8:55 A.M.
Pluto 6:54 P.M. 4:23 A.M.

WGXC Programming

5:05am
Radia: Reni Hofmüller
5:35am
This Week in Radio News: Don Joyce

• TELEPHONE SCAM Ryan Anglim reports in The Daily Mail that the Greene County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of a reported phone scam. Residents of Greenville and Catskill recently received phone calls from an individual claiming to be an IRS employee, Sheriff Greg Seeley said July 23. The caller demands payment of a specified amount of money, and threatens arrest if the recipient does not comply. Anyone with information should contact the Greene County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit at (518) 943-3300.

• WEATHER STATION The Daily Freeman reports that the Valatie Research Farm and Woodstock's Stang Farms will get two of the state's planned mesonet early warning weather detection systems. Nineteen locations, out of 125, have been announced so far, with real-time weather condition data available for emergency management, research, and condition-dependent industries. For more information about the system, visit the website http://nysmesonet.org.

• WEATHER STATION The NOAA Weather Radio WWF-48 Greylock station is expected to be back online August 1, according to the National Weather Service in Albany. WWF-8, at 162.525 MHz was under construction but is now, "clearing remaining administrative details including permit and lease requirements." In the meantime, weather radio is available from WXM-82 in Egremont, MA at 162.450 and WXM-68 in Ames Hill, Vermont, at 162.425.