Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., March 7. PLAY AUDIO (4:53)

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

• Saturday: A chance of snow showers, mainly after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30., and a low around 22.

• Sunday: A chance of snow showers, mainly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34, and a low around 18.

• Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 35.

Sunrise 6:19 a.m.
Sunset 5:52 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 7:54 P.M. 7:06 A.M.
Mercury 5:31 A.M. 3:41 P.M.
Venus 7:35 A.M. 8:32 P.M.
Mars 7:21 A.M. 7:59 P.M.
Jupiter 2:52 P.M. 5:14 A.M.
Saturn 12:20 A.M. 9:59 A.M.
Uranus 7:29 A.M. 8:12 P.M.
Neptune 6:06 A.M. 5:01 P.M.
Pluto 3:17 A.M. 12:44 P.M.

WGXC Programming

What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: Bibi Netanyahu
March 7, 2015: 4 a.m. – 5 a.m.
CounterSpin: Murtaza Hussain, Carlos Miller
March 7, 2015: 5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.
This Week in Radio News: Net Neutrality Reaction
March 7, 2015: 6 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.
ARRL Audio News: Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015
March 7, 2015: 6:45 a.m. – 7 a.m.
Off The Hook: James Scott
March 7, 2015: 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Glenn Hauser's World of Radio: Albania
March 7, 2015: 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Saturday Morning Serial: Laura Kuhn
March 7, 2015: 9 a.m. – noon
Other Music: Tod Dockstader
March 7, 2015: 12:05 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Radia: Michael Dean
March 7, 2015: 3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Radia: Samuel Longmore
March 7, 2015: 3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday Afternoon Show: Garry Kvistad
March 7, 2015: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
This Week in Radio News: Net Neutrality Reaction
March 7, 2015: 6 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

The Albany Times-Union reports a freight train loaded with crude oil derailed in northern Illinois on March 5, the latest in a series of accidents nationwide and in Canada that have worried local officials. The BNSF Railway train derailed in a rural area where the Galena River meets the Mississippi, with giant flames and smoke fumes. Firefighters could only access the derailment site by a bike path, according to local officials. "According to the Association of American Railroads, oil shipments by rail jumped from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 in 2014, driven by a boom in the Bakken oil patch of North Dakota and Montana," the story says. Locally, oil trains run daily along the west side of the Hudson River, with many sitting in the Albany yards between I-787 and the river. In 2013, a train carrying Bakken crude derailed in a Quebec town in 2013, killing 47 people. Last month, a train carrying 3 million gallons of North Dakota crude derailed in West Virginia, leaking oil into a river tributary. New York officials have called on federal officials to tighten regulations to prevent further accidents, but have not kept their own oil train spill fund with inflation. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

Kate Seckinger is reporting in The Daily Mail Greene County has entered into a contract with Solar City to install a solar farm on approximately 20 acres of county-owned property located in the town of Cairo. Construction is expected to begin with the spring thaw and will be completed before the end of the year. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said the annual savings for the county is expected to be between $150,000 to $180,000. Groden said, “Every kilowatt of power generated is being placed on the grid for National Grid or Central Hudson to use, and then they credit us that value of the electricity.” Solar City projects the six-figure savings to the county will remain consistent for approximately 20 years. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Jimmy Vielkind is reporting at Capital New York automatically deleting email after 90 days could lead to the accidental disposal of important records, the head of New York's Committee on Open Government told Vielkind, as the Cuomo administration presses ahead with its controversial new policy. Robert J. Freeman said there should not be a fixed time governing when records are saved or discarded. He said, “...[M]y belief is the nature of the communication and its significance should determine how long it should be kept, and there likely should not be an arbitrary dividing line between retention and disposal." Freeman said he has not consulted with state legislators who are drafting bills that would establish a different retention schedule for various records or mandate their preservation for at least five years. The Cuomo administration last week fully implemented a policy of deleting any email not proactively saved for retention after 90 days. The result was a mass purge of messages from the inboxes of rank-and-file employees. The official state policy was adopted in June 2013, but gubernatorial administrations have been automatically purging their inboxes going back six years, aides to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo say. Official guidelines for employees say they should flag materials related to the awarding of state contracts or development of policies for further retention. Documents or emails that are subject to Freedom of Information Law requests are to be preserved, as are records placed on hold because of litigation. Freeman said, "Realistically,...let's face it: Mistakes are made. Sometimes if there is an automatic obliteration of records, we may lose materials that are indeed important, that have historical value, and again, there may be situations in which we cannot necessarily predict the significance of the record.” Read the full story at Capital New York.

Ryan Anglim is reporting in The Daily Mail the Greene County Legislature Resources Committee has taken a position in opposition to the elimination of state funding for non-residential domestic violence services. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's proposed 2015-16 state budget eliminates the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families non-residential domestic violence services funding. The fund currently supports Community Action of Greene County's aftercare program that supports victims leaving shelters. In 2014, Community Action sheltered 59 people in Greene County; Columbia County sheltered 120 people. All were offered aftercare services as well. Community Action has seen its federal and state funding diminish over the past several years. The resolution approved unanimously by the Resources Committee will go to the full Legislature for a vote later this month. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

After a bleak six weeks of nothing but bitter cold and snow to report, the National Weather Service finally offers some good news. After yet another bitter cold night -- temperatures early Fri., March 6 are expected to fall to zero with wind chills as low as -13 -- maple syrup weather may arrive. Maple sap flows best from trees when nights are below freezing and days are above 32 degrees. Beginning, Sun., March 8, the NWS Albany office predicts several days in a row with those conditions. Wed., March 11, a high of 44 degrees is predicted. And aside from some flurries March 7, there is no snow in the forecast.

[caption width="275" align="alignright"] Etsy's Hudson location, in the former Cannonball Factory.[/caption]Telis Demos in The Wall Street Journal reports that Etsy Inc. -- which a major branch in Hudson -- filed for an initial public offering March 4. The company is an online market for crafts and vintage items, and is valued a $1.7 billion, according to the paper. Etsy filed to raise as much as $100 million, and applied to list on Nasdaq as "ETSY." Etsy has a Hudson location in The Cannonball Factory on Columbia St. Read the full story in The Wall Street Journal.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 28F; low 6F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 27F; low 5F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.

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: Sunny. High near 22. Wind chill values as low as -5. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 8.

Forecast for the next three days:
Saturday: A chance of snow showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 32. Saturday night, a chance of snow showers, mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 23.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy. High near 38. Sunday night, a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 18.
Monday: A chance of snow showers before 11 a.m., then a chance of rain showers between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Partly sunny. High near 40. Monday night, mostly clear. Low around 19.

Sunrise today: 6:21 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:51 p.m.
Length of the day: 11:30 hrs.

Public meeting
Today is the first Friday of the month.
WGXC is unaware of any recurring public meetings scheduled for today.

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
6 a.m.: Background Briefing with Ian Masters Inside breaking international and national news. A radio program featuring international and national news, expert guests, policy makers and critics with analysis and insight on national security, foreign and domestic policy, political, cultural and social issues. This program goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard in the American media.
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show: Timothy Knight Timothy Knight, editor of the "Schoharie News," discusses his online news site's announcement of a weekly print edition starting this spring. Plus, local news, weather, events, music and more. Live from the WGXC Acra Studio at the Wave Farm Study Center in Greene Co. Hosted by Tom Roe.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. National, daily, independent, award-winning news program providing audiences with access to people and perspectives rarely heard in the U.S. corporate-sponsored media.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues.
2 p.m.: What's the Frequency Kenneth? To Bibi, or Not to Bibi? Wrong Question New day and time. It's not about Bibi. It's about Boehner and about the way Republicans are running Congress. It's about CPAC and the way Republicans are running for the White House. (Told through narration, music and soundbites.)
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News
7 p.m.: Guest DJ: DJ T-Bone A continuous mix of dance music.

Politico and other media outlets announced this week that it was news that Edward Snowden wanted to return home to America, and that he was willing to face a trial for leaking government documents if it could be a fair trial. This was not news at all, as Snowden has maintained that position since becoming a public figure after the leaks were revealed. Glenn Greenwald at The Intercept outlines exactly how wrong those new stories were. In January 2014, AP reported Snowden said in a public chat: “Returning to the US, I think, is the best resolution for the government, the public, and myself.” In a May 2014 interview with NBC News, Snowden said: “I don’t think there’s ever been any question that I’d like to go home.” So journalists don't know how to use Google or Lexis-Nexis? Hardly. This reporting of news that is not news clearly shows a prevailing narrative that the mainstream media wants to report. Marcy Wheeler at Slate is one of the few reporters this week comparing the leaks of public information to the public by Snowden and Chelsea Manning to the leak by former CIA Director David Petraeus, and the clearly unsafe actions taken by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Anyone can argue Snowden was right or wrong for leaking government secrets about how the government secretly spies on its own citizens, but clearly both leaked the documents because they thought it was their public responsibility. So far, neither has gained much by leaking the documents -- Manning is in jail, and Snowden is stuck in Russia, a purgatory of sorts. Petraeus leaked to his mistress and biographer the identities of covert officers, code-protected programs, conversations he had had with the President, and other national security secrets. At one time he was considered a possible presidential candidate, and a glowing biography was surely in his personal interest. He stored the material in an unlocked desk drawer in his study. Is he going to jail like Manning? The New York Times reports that March 3, "Petraeus has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, a misdemeanor. He is eligible for up to one year in prison, but prosecutors will recommend a sentence of probation for two years and a $40,000 fine." Hillary Clinton seems to have left secrets in a virtual unlocked drawer. The Associated Press reported that Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, had set up her own private email server at family’s home in Chappaqua, New York, a server that is probably not as secure as one the State Department would have set up for her. Clinton probably won't spend any time in jail either, and instead might be the next president.

Katie Kocijanski is reporting in the Register Star the Columbia County Board of Supervisors Pine Haven Sub-committee has chosen Long Island-based Premier Health Care Management to take ownership of the Pine Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Premier offered $6.5 million for the 120-bed facility located in Philmont. The second bidder, Bronx-based Centers Health Care, offered $5.4 million. Board of Supervisors Chairman Patrick Grattan made the announcement Wed., Mar. 4, following a 45-minute meeting of the sub-committee in executive session. Grattan said Premier met all the criteria on the request for proposal. “This includes continuing to maintain the current Pine Haven facility, retaining a majority of the current staff and an improvement plan for the facility,” he said. The matter will now go before the board's Health and Medical Services Committee, March 11. Read the full story in the Register Star.

William J. Kemble is reporting in the Daily Freeman the state Comptroller’s Office has identified Tannersville as a village under moderate fiscal stress, while three other villages in the region were designated as susceptible to fiscal stress. A statement issued last week noted the susceptible villages include Hunter and Catskill in Greene County and Red Hook in Dutchess County. The annual report by the comptroller was based on villages’ year-end fund balances, the amount of short-term borrowing, and patterns of operating deficits. Tannersville's status was attributed largely to a low fund balance and low cash availability, as well as operating deficits in each of the past three years. Hunter and Catskill both suffered from insufficient fund balances. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Brittany Horn is reporting in the Times Union thousands of students, parents and educators from across the state rallied at the Capitol Wed., Mar. 4, in support of charter schools. The event was paid for by the pro-charter advocacy group Families for Excellent Schools. The advocates came to the Capitol in support of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's latest set of education reform proposals, including an increase to the cap limiting the number of charters statewide, and a plan to put chronically under-performing public schools in receivership. Organizers put attendance at 13,000; the state police said the event, held in East Capitol Park, was permitted for 7,500. Approximately 450 buses, most from New York City, brought people from 160 schools or groups, according to organizers. Families for Excellent Schools is funded in part by the Walton Family Foundation, founders of Wal-Mart. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed to raise the statewide minimum wage to $10.50 per hour (and $11.50 in New York City) at a speech in Buffalo March 3. Currently, the minimum wage is $8.75 per hour in New York, which will rise to $9 at the end of this year. "We need to increase the minimum wage this year to ensure we continue to have a strong workforce, which is key to economic success," Cuomo, a Democrat, said. "As our local businesses continue to grow, it’s time to provide additional support for our low-wage workers to keep New York moving forward." Any proposal would have to get through the Republican-controlled state senate. “We will review the proposal while keeping in mind that the governor, Senate, and Assembly recently enacted a minimum wage increase that is still being phased in,” said Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif said in the Buffalo News.

Brian Nearing reports in the Albany Times-Union that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said March 3 that New York's farm economy had a recent revenue jump of more than 22 percent in the past five years to $5.4 billion in annual sales. The comptroller's report said farm income after expenses was $1.2 billion in 2012, a increase of nearly 3 percent in the five-year period beginning in 2007. The amount of farmland has grew slightly from 2007-2012, but there were fewer farms, and the average age of a farmer increased to 55 years old. Farm Bureau President Dean Norton said the report proved "the unmistakable conclusion that agriculture is a cornerstone of our rural economy." New York ranks first in the nation in the production of yogurt, cottage cheese, and sour cream, and third in milk. The Capital Region has about 3,500 farms occupying about 587,000 acres, according to the paper. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 22F; low 2F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 22F; low 3F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.

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: A slight chance of snow before 1 p.m. Cloudy. High near 25. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 3. Wind chill values as low as -4.

Forecast for the next three days:
Friday: Sunny. High near 23. Wind chill values as low as zero. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 10.
Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers after 1 p.m. Partly sunny. High near 32. Saturday night, a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 22.
Sunday: Partly sunny. High near 37. Sunday night, partly cloudy. Low around 22.

Sunrise today: 6:22 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:50 p.m.
Length of the day: 11:27 hrs.

Public meetings
Today is the first 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 Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
ASHLAND Planning Board meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 12094 Route 23, Ashland (734-3636).
AUSTERLITZ Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 812 Route 203, Spencertown (392-3260).
COPAKE Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
COXSACKIE Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 16 Reed St., Coxsackie (731-2727).
GHENT Town Board informational planning and working session, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
KINDERHOOK Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
STUYVESANT Board meeting workshop, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Dr., Stuyvesant (758-6248).
WINDHAM Town Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
1 a.m.: The Cutty Strange: Christina Stanley A monthly radio hour that showcases San Francisco Bay Area experimental artists and musicians. Produced by Daniel Steffey and Nick Wang. This month's episode feeatures violinist, singer, composer, and artist; Christina Stanley
2 a.m.: Selected Songs: Tod Dockstader From Wikipedia: "Tod Dockstader (March 20, 1932 – February 27, 2015) was an American composer of electronic music, and particularly musique concrète. He studied painting and film while at the University of Minnesota, before moving to Hollywood in 1955, to become an apprentice film editor. He moved into work as a sound engineer in 1958, and apprenticed at Gotham Recording Studios, where he first started composing. Dockstader's first record, Eight Electronic Pieces, was released in 1960, and was later used as the soundtrack to Federico Fellini's Satyricon (1969). He continued to create music throughout the first half of that decade, working principally with tape manipulation effects. In 1966 Owl Records released four albums of his work from this period including what many consider to be Dockstader's masterpiece, Quatermass."
4 a.m.: Bob's Slacktime: Leonard Nimoy Tonight's episode is one of Doktor Phineas Narco's usual crowning achievements of selection, editing, and soundweaving, focused on the theme of "Star Trek"--and fortunately there was some space to spare so I used this extra room to add bumpers fore and aft of Leonard Nimoy's musical side. Instead of the expected "Highly Illogical" and that damned Bilbo Baggins song, I chose a couple of things that you haven't heard as often that highlight the Leonard Nimoy whom we knew and loved and respected.

6 a.m.: Background Briefing with Ian Masters Inside breaking international and national news. A radio program featuring international and national news, expert guests, policy makers and critics with analysis and insight on national security, foreign and domestic policy, political, cultural and social issues. This program goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard in the American media.
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show Local news, weather, events, music and more. Live from the WGXC Hudson Studio. Hosted by Michelle Lewis.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. National, daily, independent, award-winning news program providing audiences with access to people and perspectives rarely heard in the U.S. corporate-sponsored media.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues.
11 a.m.: One Size Fits All: 20150305
2 p.m.: The Art of the Hudson Valley: Seamus Maynard, Sauerkraut Seth An hour of songs and stories with guests Seamus Maynard and Sauerkraut Seth. Hosted by Chad Weckler.
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: The Radiant Shell An anthology series of dramas and comedies for radio. Each week a program will be made up of one radio play. Produced at KSVR Studios at the radio station KSVR-FM in Mount Vernon, Washington. The actors are from the Skagit Radio Repertory Company. The producer is Joseph C McGuire. This week: "When scientific advances allow even the smallest of nations to threaten major countries; science itself must come to the rescue. Yet even science is confounded by the cleverness of the human mind. Edited by Jay Charles. Made with a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting. From Pacifica Radio.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show: Peter Cipkowski, Carole Osterink, Susan Simon Peter Cipkowski will preview his upcoming presentation to the Greenport Historical Society on Hudson's Lost Neighborhood, when he will be showing his grandfather's photos and home movies of South Front St. before it was devastated by urban renewal. Carole Osterink, along with Joey the Dog, will talk about the forthcoming auditions for singers to take part in the Lincoln Funeral Train reenactment in April. And food writer and blogger Susan Simon will discuss St. Patrick's Day, among other things. Plus, local news, weather, events, music and more. Live from the WGXC Hudson Studio. Hosted by Ellen Thurston and Tom DePietro, with Jake "The Intern" Ebel.
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

Internet providers were expected to sue the Federal Communications Commission over the agency's net neutrality rules, passed last week. But now The Washington Post is reporting that many have other battles to fight. AT&T wants FCC and Justice Department approval for its $49 billion merger with DirecTV. Verizon has a proposed deal with Frontier Communications that also needs federal approval. And Comcast is seeking approval from many government agences for a $45 billion merger with Time Warner Cable. "Optically, it looks bad for Comcast to say, 'We don't agree with whatever the FCC's doing,' but, 'Oh, you need to approve our merger,'" one anonymous industry analyst told Post. But 'optics' aren't usually a problem for cable television companies such as Time Warner, one the cable giants that are now key players in internet access nationwide. Bruce Kushnick of the New Networks Institute, a consumer advocacy group, told Capital New York that the industry has a tradition of charging more with imaginary fees. He points to Time Warner bills with charges for a “Broadcast TV Fee,” or “Public Access Fee,” and “Regulatory Recovery Fee.” “Made up garbage,” says Kushnick, not required by any government regulation or tax rule. Already, New York State has delayed its decision on the Comcast-Time Warner merger five times, perhaps waiting for the feds to move first. The FCC won't decide the issue until at least March 30, and then the Justice Department weighs in on the proposed merger of the two least popular companies in America, according to the University of Michigan American Customer Satisfaction Index. Remember the recording of the phone call between customer Ryan Block and a belligerent Comcast service reprsentative that went viral last summer? Customers with only a cable option for internet service, and others who want to spend less, might have a new alternative soon for internet service. Slate reports Google confirmed this week that the company will announce a wireless service of its own soon. They won't hang their own antennae on towers around the country, but partner with Verizon and AT&T's smaller rivals, Sprint and T-Mobile. The Slate writer, Will Oremus, thinks it will be, "a 'Wi-Fi first' service that could deliver adequate, if slightly spotty, coverage at a fraction of the prevailing cost." It would focus on data coverage, rather then phone and text, since anyone can use many web apps such as Skype, FaceTime, iMessage, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger over a data plan for those features.

Michael Ryan is reporting in The Daily Mail the proposed plan for a unified ambulance system covering all 14 towns and five villages in Greene County will be unveiled at the county Legislature Health Committee meeting tonight, Wed., Mar. 4. Pending the committee's recommendation, the proposal would move on to the full Legislature for approval, followed by every constituent town within Greene County. The initiative could fail overall if it is rejected by a minimum of five or six towns. The plan is projected to cost $6 million. The new countywide system would be administered by a not-for-profit entity and be coordinated through the county’s emergency call center. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

John Mason is reporting in the Register Star Hudson Mayor William H. Hallenbeck Jr., along with staff and volunteers from the American Red Cross Eastern New York Region, will be going door-to-door throughout much of Hudson Wednesday (March 4), to distribute information about home fire preparedness and prevention. Residents will also be offered the opportunity to have up to three free smoke alarms installed in their homes by appointment. The effort is in response to the house fire on State St., Sat., Feb. 27, that left 16 people homeless. The Red Cross has provided financial assistance to fire victims to buy food and clothing, and hotel lodging for several days. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Will Brunelle is reporting at Capital New York funding for public state colleges could be tied, in part, to how they attract businesses to tax-free zones developed under the Start-Up NY program. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has proposed withholding 10 percent of aid for SUNY and CUNY schools if they do not submit so-called performance improvement plans. He is also dangling $30 million in bonus funding as he pushes to move from enrollment-based to performance-based funding for the college system. One of the four points of the plan calls for schools to outline financial incentives for college presidents who provide leadership that results in commercialization of research. Cuomo has touted the program as key to reviving the upstate economy. Critics on both the left and the right say the administration is inappropriately picking winners and losers, and is not being sufficiently transparent about administration or marketing. Read the full story at Capital New York.

Closings and delays for Wed., Mar. 4:

Chatham Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Chatham Kids Club | Delayed two hours; open at 8:30 a.m.
Germantown Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Hawthorne Valley School | Delayed two hours.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Pine Plains Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Red Hook Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Rhinebeck Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Saugerties Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Taconic Hills Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District | Delayed two hours.

Source: Times Union