Acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker declared influenza prevalent in New York State Dec. 11. That means -- because of new regulations -- health care workers who are not vaccinated must now wear masks in areas where patients are typically present. "By requiring those who are not vaccinated to wear masks while around patients, we’re doing all we can to protect the most vulnerable, like the sick and the elderly,” Zucker said in a press release. The regulation, passed last year, was amended effective November 19, 2014 in response to feedback from affected health care entities. The amendments clarify definitions, bring documentation requirements in line with those for other vaccines, simplify data collection, and allow for removal of masks when health care workers are accompanying patients in the community, providing speech therapy services, or communicating with persons who lip read. The Dept. of Health recommends that everyone six months of age or older receive a flu vaccination. Healthy children between the ages of two and eight are recommended to receive the nasal spray flu vaccine. If the nasal spray vaccine is not available, the flu shot can be given instead. Those under six months cannot get a flu vaccination. For additional information about influenza, including how it is monitored in New York State, visit the Department of Health web page at: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/seasonal/.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 31F; low 26F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 33F; low 27F.[/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: Scattered flurries before 11 a.m., then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 34. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Friday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 26.
Forecast for the next three days:
Saturday: Partly sunny. High near 36. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 25.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 41. Sunday night, partly cloudy. Low around 29.
Monday: Mostly sunny. High near 42. Monday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 31.

Sunrise today: 7:15 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:08 hrs.

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, 10 a.m. at 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
1 a.m.: Taran's Free Jazz Hour: Anna Holmer Episode 32 of 2014 of two-hour free jazz show that airs on eight European radio stations and Wave Farm Radio and WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, in New York, in the United States. Click on title to access the playlist.

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: Patrick Kiley, Christin Ripley Local interviews, local news, regional events, music and more, live from Wave Farm in Acra in Greene County. At 9 a.m., host Tom Roe is joined by Patrick Kiley and Christin Ripley of Publication Studio Hudson, which is located at 460 Main Street, Catskill, NY. PS Hudson is a member of the Publication Studio network of twelve other independent studios in North America and Europe which also approach the work of publication as a political strategy: the creation and fostering of public life and discourse, again and again, through bookmaking and other means. Kiley and Ripley will discuss PS Hudson's programs and vision, including the upcoming event "Stone Symposim III" with Matt Bua and Glenn Kreisberg in celebration of the book launch of "Talking Walls: Casting Out the Myth that All Stone Walls of the Northeast were Built Post-Colonially" taking place on Saturday December 13, 2014 at 8 p.m.
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.
10 a.m.: ¿Qué cocinaré hoy?: Mirna Quesada, Adan Rivera Discussion of a series of upcoming events to be held in the area, including celebrations to the Virgen de Guadalupe in Hudson and in Stuyvesant Falls. Interview with Mirna Quesada, a Mexican from Puebla who runs a family business in the Hudson Valley, and who shares her plans to refrain from building a great deal this holiday season. Plus a discussion with Adan Rivera, from Puerto Rico, who works at the Children's Home of Kingston. And the recent story in La Voz magazine about El Sistema de Orquestas de Venezuela, its positive impact in the youth around the world, including the United States, where it has recently started through Bard College, Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra and Longy Conservatory of Music. Hosted by Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

[caption id="attachment_37352" align="alignright" width="300"] Rep. Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) on election day in front of the Saugerties Senior Center.[/caption]Matthew Hamilton reports in Capitol Confidential that Rep. Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) didn’t rule out a run for statewide office in a Dec. 10 radio interview. “That’s not something I’m planning on,” the 19th Congressional District representative told Fred Dicker of a run for governor on “Live from the State Capitol!” “But you never know. (We’ll) take it one day at a time here and focus on our service.” He said he was "disappointed" in Rob Astorino’s loss in the governor's race, noting that the counties he represents choose the Republican over Andrew Cuomo. Gibson said he was outspent against Democrat Sean Eldridge in a district that Barack Obama won by six points in 2012 by appealing to independents and Democrats. “From a political science perspective, this race was absolutely an aberration,” Gibson said. “From a textbook standpoint, when you look at a district that is one of three in the country that Charlie Cook (of the Cook Political Report) describes as a Democratic seat held by a Republican, and then you factor in the money, when you put those two forward, political scientists would tell you, ‘Well this one is not going to go for the Republican. The Democrat is going to win.’” Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Julia Reischel in The Watershed Post reports that there's a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thu., Dec. 11 at the Prattsville Community Church about replacing the steel truss bridge that carries Route 23A over the Schoharie Creek in 2016. The New York State Department of Transportation wants to replace the bridge, which was built in 1949, and was repaired in 2012 after workers found a crack in its steel, after floodwaters during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 overcame the bridge. "The idea would be to put something where the existing structure is, and then remove the old structure," he said. "That would impact traffic as minimally as possible." The Prattsville bridge is one of 105 bridges across New York that will be repaired or replaced using $518 million in funds from FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Another bridge in Prattsville, which carries Route 23A over Huntersfield Creek, is also slated for repairs under the program, as are the Route 42 bridge over the Westkill in Lexington and the Route 296 bridge over the East Kill in Jewett. In Columbia County, in Hillsdale, the Route 22 bridge over Roeliff Jansen Kill and in Claverack the Route 9H bridge over Taghkanic Creek are also in the program. Read the full story in the Watershed Post.

Brittany Horn is reporting in the Times Union state Education Commissioner John King Jr. has been named senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. King disclosed his upcoming move to the nation's capital Wed., Dec. 10. As New York education chief since 2011, King championed the Common Core initiative to raise state standards and pushed for expanded technical education through P-TECH schools. In his new federal role, he will help manage operations and implement initiatives in the U.S. Department of Education. King said in a statement, "As a kid whose life was saved by the incredible teachers I had in public schools in Brooklyn, I'm proud to have served my fellow New Yorkers." King was the state's first black and Puerto Rican commissioner. King has often cited the mentorship of his fourth-grade teacher, Alan Osterweil, at P.S. 276 Louis Marshall in Brooklyn for saving him after the death of both his parents. He went on to graduate from Harvard University and attend graduate school at Yale University and Columbia University, where he obtained his doctorate in education. The Board of Regents will create a search committee next week for King's successor. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Closings and delays for Thurs., Dec. 11


Berkshire Union Free School District | Delayed two hours. Berkshire Jr./Sr. High School delayed. The Columbia-Greene Partnership Academy ("The Bridge") delayed.
Cairo Durham Central School District | Delayed two hours. No morning Pre-K. No morning BOCES.
Catskill Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Chatham Central School District | Delayed two hours
Chatham Kids Club | Delayed two hours. Open at 8:30 a.m.
Circle of Friends (Ravena) | Delayed. Five-hour delayed two hours. Daycare delayed two hours. Two-and-a-half hour morning class closed.
Columbia Christian Academy | Closed.
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Early Childhood Learning Center | Delayed two hours.
Germantown Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Greene County YMCA | Open. No morning classes.
Grapeville Christian School | Delayed two hours.
Greenville Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Hawthorne Valley School | Delayed two hours.
Hudson City School District | Delayed two hours. No morning Pre-K. No morning BOCES. No breakfast. No tutoring. All offices delayed.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Ichabod Crane Central School District | Delayed two hours.
KidZone preschool | Delayed one hour.
Mountain Road School | Closed.
New Lebanon Central School District | Closed.
O.K. Kids, Inc. | Delayed two hours.
Questar III Catskill Academy | Delayed two hours.
Questar III Columbia-Greene Ed. Center | Delayed two hours. No New Visions classes.
Red Hook Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Taconic Hills Central School District | Delayed two hours.
UMC Daycare Norton Hill | Delayed one hours. No morning Pre-K.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District | Delayed two hours.

---

Sources: Times Union and Fox 23 Albany.

The Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting wild turkeys that had overrun the grounds of the South Beach Psychiatric Center on Staten Island have a new home at a sanctuary in Catskill. Brian Shapiro, the New York director of the Humane Society of the United States, facilitated the move of the birds, which he said otherwise would have been euthanized. The turkeys are now living at a new sanctuary, And-Hof Sanctuary for Farm Animals, created by Kurt Andernach. The U.S. Department of Agriculture collected the birds from the hospital grounds and transported them to Catskill. The state Office of Mental Health and Department of Environmental Conservation worked with Shapiro to move the birds to their new home. Last year, 28 wild turkeys were rounded up at the same hospital grounds and brought to the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="311"] A national expert says an investigative report from the U.S. Attorney on abuses at Rikers Island has been one of the year's best developments for juvenile justice in New York. (Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)[/caption]

Public News Service is reporting a national expert says the culture of lawlessness on Rikers Island ranks as the worst he has seen in 30 years of study, but he ranks a recent report on the facility as one of the best developments for New York juvenile justice in 2014. Mark Soler, executive director with the Center for Children's Law and Policy, says it's unusual for a U.S. Attorney to conduct this kind of investigation. He says the report by Preet Bharara shines a spotlight on routine violence by staff against juveniles being held, many pre-trial, on Rikers Island. "The culture of violence described in the U.S. Attorney's report is shocking to the conscience," says Soler. "There is no question there needs to be very strong measures taken to stop those abuses from going forward." The report issued in August found, of the 700 teenagers currently housed at Rikers, as many as four in 10 were exposed to use of force by guards on at least one occasion. One reform recommended in the report is phasing out solitary confinement for juveniles at Rikers. Soler says guards do sometimes need to separate violent teens from others, but he says that separation should be temporary. "There's nothing wrong with staff putting a child in their room for a brief period of time when the child is out of control," Soler says. "The issue is when the facility starts assigning extremely long periods of time; it's cruel and unusual treatment of the young people." Soler says there is good reason to believe the lawlessness at Rikers detailed in the report will see corrective action. "Where staff were regularly abusing young people who were there the U.S. Attorney seems determined to make sure that stops in Rikers," says Soler. He adds, Mayor Bill de Blasio also appears to be fully behind making the changes needed. PLAY AUDIO VERSION OF THIS REPORT (2:17)

William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that the Rhinebeck Town Board -- though on the other side of the Hudson River -- passed a resolution Dec. 8 opposing the proposed 178-mile Pilgrim Pipeline. The pipeline would carry Bakken crude oil from Albany to New Jersey and send refined oil products back to Albany, largely along I-87. In Greene County, the proposed project veers east of Route 9W west of Sleepy Hollow Lake, and then back near the interstate around Leeds-Athens Road. After Catskill, the pipeline veers west of the interstate briefly around Cauterskill Road. The Rhinebeck board voted 4-0 vote, with Councilman Joseph Gelb absent, not to support the proposal. “Bakken oil is a particular volatile sort of oil that is produced via fracking, which is a technology that we’re all increasingly familiar with,” Jessica Scott, a member of the group Citizens for Local Power said. “Bakken has led recently to some pretty dramatic incidents with rail accidents that (have) led to a loss of life because of its particularly volatile nature.”resources.” Last week, the Rochester Town Board in Ulster County adopted a resolution that supported the town boards of Rosendale and New Paltz, which have formally objected to the pipeline proposed to run through their towns. Pilgrim Pipeline Transportation of New York earlier this year sent right-of-entry and survey permission agreements to some Rosendale residents, who were told the company must conduct a survey for environmental and archaeological information. If the pipeline is accepted, some properties would be taken over by emminent domain. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 33F; low 24F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 34F; low 25F.[/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 chance of snow showers. Cloudy. High near 36. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. Thursday night, a slight chance of snow showers. Cloudy. Low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Forecast for the next three days:
Friday: A slight chance of snow showers. Cloudy. High near 37. Friday night, a slight chance of snow showers before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 25.
Saturday: Partly sunny. High near 37. Saturday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 27.
Sunday: Partly sunny. High near 41. Sunday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 31.

Sunrise today: 7:14 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:08 hrs.

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.)

CAIRO-DURHAM Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m. in the middle school cafeteria, 1301 Route 145, Cairo (622-8543).
CHATHAM Village Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
CLAVERACK Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 91 Church St., Mellenville (672-7911).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Salary Review Committee meeting, 5 p.m. at 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
COPAKE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountainview Road, Copake (329-1234).
GALLATIN Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Route 7, Ancram (398-7519).
GREENE COUNTY Finance & Audit Committee meeting, 5 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m. in the middle/high school library, Route 81, Greenville (966-5070).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board Workshop meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
LIVINGSTON Town board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 119 County Route 19.
NEW BALTIMORE Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 Co. Rte. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
PHILMONT Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
STUYVESANT Town Board meeting, 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).

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
2 a.m.: Alexander Turnquist, Sam Moss Dec. 10 performance at the Spotty Dog in Hudson, N.Y. Alexander Turnquist was a last-minute fill-in for snowed-in Liv Carrow. http://sammoss.net/ Sam Moss is a songwriter and string player. In fall 2013, he released his eighth solo album, No Kingdom. Moss has also released two albums with the old-time duo, The Howling Kettles, and compiled Imaginational Anthem Volume Five for Tompkins Square Records. In fall 2012 he was in residence at The MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, NH.

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 News, weather, events, music and more. Live from the Hudson studio. Hosted 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.
10 a.m.: Prison Voices Project: Ferguson to New York Update on some of the protests around the police killings of Mike Brown, Eric Garner and others. The show will highlight related stories and discussions around the killings, connect the plot of political prisoners and announce some upcoming events in the area.
2 p.m.: The Passage: Bhante H. Gunaratana An informal talk by Bhante H. Gunaratana on the way to achieve world peace. (Hint: it won't happen overnight). With music by Joy Division, Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, and St. Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century writer, composer, abbess, Christian mystic and polymath. Produced by Richard Roth.
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: In Search of Captain Cat of Llareggub This edition of Radio Theatre features radio artist Colin Black's new work "In Search of Captain Cat of Llareggub," in which Black takes a character from Dylan Thomas's 1954 radio drama "Under Milk Wood" and creates a new fictional reality, or, as he puts it, "a space where the sea sings of the living, the dead and the imagined."
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News: New York Public Service Commission Local news headlines, national news headlines from Public Service News, weather, and more. In today's interview, we tune in today's Public Service Commission meeting in Albany. The meeting was webcast Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m. We tune in highlights. On the agenda, Charter Communications cable franchise in Austerlitz.

James Macpherson of the Associated Press reports in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that on Tue., Dec. 10 North Dakota regulators set new rules requiring oil companies shipping millions of gallons of crude a week by rail to reduce the oil's volatility before it's loaded onto train cars. Bakkan crude oil from North Dakota now comes through Albany rail lines. "Oil trains that carry North Dakota crude through the U.S. and Canada were involved in at least 10 major accidents in less than two years, including an explosion in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, that killed 47 people," the story reports. North Dakota State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms said that now all crude from the state's oil patch would have to be treated by heat or by pressure to remove certain liquids and gases before being loaded onto rail cars effective April 1. Locally, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens and State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald issued a press release, writing, “New York State is pleased North Dakota has taken aggressive action to increase the safety of transporting crude oil across the state and nation. Reducing the volatility of Bakken crude at the source protects public health, protects the environment and provides an additional safeguard for New Yorkers and communities across the country. We thank North Dakota for taking swift action.”

[caption id="attachment_38508" align="alignleft" width="300"] More than 4 million caregivers now can find online support at a new website www.aarp.org/iheartcaregivers, a place to share stories and tips on caregiving. Photo credit: Fred Froese.[/caption]Mike Clifford for New York News Connection via Public News Service reports that the more than 4 million family caregivers in New York can be so busy caring for others that, during the holidays, they end up feeling isolated and alone. advocates say. Whether they are caring for a family member, neighbor or friend, said Laura Palmer, associate state director of advocacy for AARP New York, these caregivers often don't know when their next break will come. But now, when they do take time out, they can find support at a new website for caregivers. "Whether it's 2 a.m. in the morning or 11 p.m. at night," she said, "the Internet is 24/7, just like family caregivers. They can really find a place to connect with other people who have something in common with them." Palmer said there are dozens of stories and photos of New York caregivers already posted on the I Heart Caregivers website, along with many more from around the nation. The site includes caregiving tips, resources and information about pending legislation. There's also a spot to share your own photo and story. Palmer said family caregivers often provide a crucial link in making sure that a patient has a successful discharge from the hospital. She said a bill pending in Albany - Senate Bill 7676, the "Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable Act, or CARE Act - focuses on getting that help. "It would ask the hospital to offer some basic training to the caregiver if there are aftercare tasks," she said, "for instance, taking care of a wound, or maybe a change in diet, or managing medication." The measure also would allow patients to designate a caregiver, and would require hospitals to notify the caregiver of that patient's plan prior to discharge or transfer to another facility. PLAY AUDIO VERSION OF THIS REPORT (1:49)

Siobhan (Shea-vahn) Barton is reporting in the Register Star Philmont Village Board members Mon., Dec. 8, introduced a petition bearing 200 signatures calling for Village Justice Russ Immarigeon to vacate his position. “We don’t feel that he is enforcing the law,” Trustee Barbara Sagal told the paper. “We’re not too pleased with him,” Mayor Clarence “Skip” Speed said. “The village board, police department, the sheriff, the DA — everybody wants him out.” At issue is Immarigeon's decision to release prior to trial two Philmont residents with drug charges pending against them. The following day the same two people were arrested and charged in Albany in a separate matter. Speed said he is prepared to offer the judge $5,000, a full year's salary, to resign. Immarigeon was elected justice in 2013. Trustees are discussing whether to abolish the Philmont court or hold another election, if Immarigeon is removed. In the event the Philmont court is eliminated, its functions would most likely be subsumed by the Claverack Town Court, the mayor said. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Audrey Matott is reporting in The Daily Mail Jeff Baldwin was elected to the Cairo Hose Company Board of Commissioners, Tues., Dec. 9. He will replace Patricia Asaro, whose five-year term expires Dec. 31. Baldwin received 71 votes, while write-in candidate Greta Metzler received 59 votes. Metzler’s nominating petition was tossed out last week after the commissioners decided that because some signatures were listed with post office box addresses, rather than street addresses, she had failed to produce the requisite number of valid signatures. As a result, Metzler’s name did not appear on the ballot. Baldwin declined to comment following the election. Metzler expressed gratitude to her supporters and wished Baldwin a successful term. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Closings and delays for Wed., Dec. 10
[Updated 7:45 a.m.]


Berkshire Union Free School District | Delayed two hours. Berkshire Jr./Sr. High School delayed. The Columbia-Greene Partnership Academy ("The Bridge") on time.
Cairo Durham Central School District | Delayed two hours. No morning kindergarten. No morning BOCES. Closed. No after-school events.
Catskill Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Chatham Central School District | Delayed two hours
Chatham Kids Club | Delayed two hours. Open at 8:30 a.m.
Columbia Christian Academy | Closed.
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Early Childhood Learning Center | Delayed two hours.
Germantown Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Greene County YMCA | Open. No morning classes.
Grapeville Christian School | Closed.
Greenville Central School District | Closed.
Hawthorne Valley School | Delayed two hours.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Ichabod Crane Central School District | Delayed two hours.
KidZone preschool | Delayed one hour. Preschool open at 10 a.m. Closed. No afternoon activities.
Mountain Road School | Closed.
Mrs. Puddle Duck's Childcare | Delayed two hours. Open at 9 a.m. Closed.
New Lebanon Central School District | Closed.
O.K. Kids, Inc. | Delayed two hours.
Questar III Catskill Academy | Delayed two hours.
Taconic Hills Central School District | Delayed two hours.
UMC Daycare Norton Hill | Delayed two hours. No morning Pre-K. No afternoon Pre-K.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District | Closed. K-6 concert rescheduled to 6:30 p.m., Dec. 16. The Audit Finance Committee meeting has been rescheduled to 5:15 p.m., Dec. 16. The Board of Education meeting has been rescheduled to 5:45 p.m., Dec. 16.

---

Sources: Times Union and Fox 23 Albany.

After being criticized on weather and climate issues lately, Governor Andrew Cuomo released a long press release Dec. 9 detailing the state's response to the current Nor'easter. With eight to ten more inches of snow forecast before a Winter Storm Warning ends at 7 a.m. Thu., Dec. 11, Cuomo released 1,000 words detailing:
• The New York State Thruway Authority has 345 large and medium sized snow plows, 555 snow plow operators and 116,000 tons of salt deployed across New York state for storm response and recovery efforts. The Thruway is deploying 12 heavy plows from the lower Hudson Valley.
• About 600 customers statewide lost power by the afternoon of Tue., Dec. 9, and 110 additional line crews are standing by in Central Hudson’s service territory. The New York State Public Service Commission is extending its call center helpline hours on Wed. Dec. 10 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 1-800-342-3377.
• The Governor is urging motorists to stay home if possible, but check online at for travel information.

Read the full press release below.




Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued an update on the winter storm currently traveling through New York State. The Governor reminds New Yorkers to use absolute caution when traveling due to black ice conditions in areas and urges them to take extra precautions during the evening commute home. Given the black ice and possibility of rain changing to snow over the course of the day, those who are able to leave work early are encouraged to do so.

Throughout the day, a significant winter storm will bring moderate to heavy snow and mixed precipitation throughout the State. Snow accumulations of 8 to 13 inches of heavy, dense snow is expected in northern areas of the Adirondacks, with 6 to 12 inches expected in the western and southern Adirondacks, Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys, Eastern Catskills, Helderbergs and the Lake George Region. Snow could be heavy at times with accumulations of 1 to 2 inches per hour. The immediate Capital District will see mixed precipitation and transition to rain in the afternoon. Heavy rain and winds in the New York City area could bring minor to moderate coastal flooding and urban flooding in low lying areas.

“I urge all drivers to exercise caution and check conditions before getting on the road,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are proactively deploying as many resources as necessary to assist communities in the storm’s path to prepare for and manage whatever Mother Nature brings.”

The New York State Emergency Operations Center has been activated as of 8 a.m. in response to the winter storm with the following agencies: Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Military and Naval Affairs, Department of Transportation, Division of State Police, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Office of Information and Technology Services, Thruway Authority, and the Public Service Commission.

The Division of State Police Troop Emergency Management personnel have been pre-designated to staff the State, Nassau and Suffolk County Emergency Operation Centers (EOC). Weather related incident reporting procedures are in place for the duration of the storm. All specialty use vehicles and equipment have been staged for deployment as needed. They continue to closely monitor road closures and restrictions with the Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority.

The New York State Thruway Authority has a total of 345 large and medium sized snow plows, 555 snow plow operators and 116,000 tons of salt deployed across New York state for storm response and recovery efforts. The Thruway is deploying 12 heavy plows from the lower Hudson Valley and 5 heavy plows from the Rochester area, to supplement existing forces in Syracuse and the Mohawk Valley. Thruway-contracted tow operators are deploying heavy and light tow trucks at key locations between Syracuse and Albany to ensure quick responses to any accidents.

The New York State Department of Transportation has 1,444 plows and 3,629 trained operators and supervisors available statewide to fight the storm. The Department has deployed 45 plows and 96 operators and supervisors to the Binghamton and Hudson Valley regions from other parts of the state, and other crews are on standby to deploy if needed. NYSDOT has activated towing services to assist motorists, which have been stationed at key locations, including along I-84 and Route 17 in the Hudson Valley. The Department has more than 400,000 tons of salt on hand for this storm.

Mass Transit

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has posted crews to monitor for weather effects on subways, buses, bridges, tunnels, Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road. All bus routes are experiencing weather-related delays due to heavy rain and flooding conditions on local streets as well as area highways and parkways. The subway system is monitoring for high wind gusts as well as flooding and fallen trees on outdoor portions of the system, and is covering areas prone to flooding and signal failures. Motorists are asked to drive at reduced speeds on all seven MTA bridges because of wet roadways and to use particular caution because of the risks posed by high winds. Pedestrian walkways at some bridges are subject to closure due to high winds.

Airline Travel

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey urges air travelers to check with their carriers before going to the airport to confirm whether their plane will depart as well scheduled departure times. The agency also may impose speed restrictions on its crossings if weather conditions warrant. For up-to-the-minute updates on Port Authority crossings, airports and the PATH system, travelers are encouraged to sign up for Port Authority alerts at http://www.paalerts.com/.

Power

As of 1:30 pm, there were approximately 600 electric customers statewide without service due to the storm. All trouble jobs have crews assigned to make repairs. There are 110 additional line crews that have arrived in Central Hudson’s service territory. Approximately 60 additional line workers are en route to New York State Electric and Gas Corporation’s Eastern Division, which includes Brewster, Mechanicville, and Plattsburg. NYSEG is also moving additional line workers from its Western Divisions east, and National Grid has 50 additional line workers in its Western Division available if needed.

The New York State Public Service Commission is extending its call center helpline hours on Tuesday, December 9 until 7:30 PM, and will continue the following days from 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM as needed, to assist consumers in storm preparation and response efforts. The helpline number is 1-800-342-3377.

Public Service Commission staff will continue to monitor the utilities’ efforts throughout the storm and during the restoration period. The utilities are prepared to respond to power disruptions throughout the event.

Planning Ahead

Governor Cuomo urged New Yorkers to plan ahead by stocking supplies such as flashlights, batteries, food and water in the event power outages or hazardous weather prevents the public from leaving their homes. Additionally, if travel is necessary, prepare vehicles with supplies such as a shovel, warm clothing, blankets, a flashlight, batteries and booster cables. A full list of emergency supplies for homes and vehicles, as well as additional safety tips can be found here.

New York State provides a travel advisory system that features real-time travel reports and road conditions, which can be accessed by dialing 511, online at www.511ny.org, or via a downloadable smart phone app. The web site features a color-coded map indicating which state roads are snow covered, ice covered, wet, dry, or closed to help travelers determine if travel is advisable. It also provides link to airport, rail and transit information.

The New York State Thruway Authority encourages motorists to sign up for TRANSalert e-mails which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway. Motorists can sign up for TRANSalerts by following this link: http://www.thruway.ny.gov/tas/index.shtml. Thruway travelers can also get real-time updates by following @ThruwayTraffic on Twitter or by visiting http://www.thruway.ny.gov to see an interactive map showing traffic conditions for the Thruway and other New York State roadways.

Scott Waldman reports in Capital New York that the state Public Service Commission (PSC) once again delayed making a decision on the proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner, releasing an agenda for a Dec. 11 meeting without the vote. But since Thursday's meeting is the last of the year, it may be approved as, "if the commission declines to vote on the merger by December 31, it could automatically take effect," the story says. Critics of the merger have said it may create a monopoly that will drive cable and internet prices higher. It is the second time the PSC has delayed a decision on the matter, and it could still vote on the merger by the end of the year if it calls a special session or issues a one-commissioner order. Thursday's meeting will be webcast live. Read the full story in Capital New York.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 35F; low 27F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 36F; low 28F.[/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:


The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for the Mid-Hudson Valley, central and southern Taconics, southern Berkshires and northwestern Connecticut for Wed., Dec. 10. Periods of a wintry mix Wednesday morning will eventually change over to a light snow in the afternoon and evening.

Today: Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 3 p.m. High near 35. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. Wednesday night, snow. Low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Forecast for the next three days:
Thursday: A chance of snow showers before 1 p.m., then mixing with rain and then back to snow after 4 p.m. Cloudy. High near 37. Thursday night, a slight chance of snow showers. Cloudy. Low around 19.
Friday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 36. Friday night, a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 28.
Saturday: Partly sunny. High near 39. Saturday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 28.

Sunrise today: 7:13 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:09 hrs.

Public meetings
Today is the second 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).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Budget workshop, 6:15 p.m.; Board of Supervisors meeting, 7:30 p.m. at 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
COPAKE Hamlet Revitalization Task Force, 7 p.m.; Environmental Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
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 Application meeting and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. both at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Planning Board meeting, 6 p.m. 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).

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 News, weather, events, music and more. Live from the Hudson studio. Hosted 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.
10 a.m.: The Right Opinion: Patrick Grattan Patrick Grattan, Chairman of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, will discuss a variety of issues, including the county's plan for the Pine Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the county airport and more. Columbia County Clerk Holly Tanner will participate in the conversation, as well. Hosted by Ed Fertik.
12 p.m. (noon): The Bedazzled Radio Hour: Ian McLagan A tribute to Ian Patrick 'Mac' McLagan (May 12, 1945 to Dec. 3, 2014). McLagan was a keyboard instrumentalist, best known as a member of the English rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s. Songs by Small Faces, The Faces, The Rolling Stones, Nikki Sudden, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan, P.P. Arnold, Billy Nichols, Dumptruck, The Rich Kids and others will be featured. Hosted by Spike Priggen.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Storm Warning for western Greene, Ulster and Albany counties, including the towns of Hunter, Tannersville, Windham, Ellenville, Woodstock and Phoenicia, through 7 a.m., Thurs., Dec. 11. Moderate to heavy snow with brief periods of sleet and freezing rain are expected. Snow accumulations of 7 to 14 inches Tuesday night, with an additional accumulation of 2 to 4 inches through the day Wednesday, into Wednesday night are possible. The snow will mix with some sleet, freezing rain and rain Tuesday night. An additional period of snow will occur Wednesday afternoon into overnight, before tapering to snow showers by Thursday morning. The severe weather conditions will make travel dangerous. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is warning customers these conditions may cause trees and limbs to contact or fall onto power lines, resulting in electric service interruptions. Central Hudson reports approximately 115 mutual aid line personnel and support staff from Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania have arrived to assist local crews, as needed.

Audrey Matott is reporting in The Daily Mail on the controversy that has arisen over the the Cairo Hose Company Board of Fire Commissioners election scheduled for today, Tue., Dec. 9. Candidate Greta Metzler's petition was tossed out last week after the current board decided that because some signatures were listed with post office box addresses, rather than street addresses, the petition did not carry the requisite number of valid signatures. As a result, Metzler's name will not appear on the ballot, leaving Jeff Baldwin the only candidate for the open seat. Baldwin is a member of the fire company. Metzler is not. She is a teacher employed by the Cairo-Durham Central School District. Cairo Hose Company Fire Chief Gerry Buckley said the invalidated Metzler petition originally had 30 signatures, but even after the elimination of the disputed signatures, the document still met the 25-signature board of elections requirement. Buckley said, “If they wanted to run a fair election they should have left her name on the ballot.” A campaign is underway to urge voters to write Metzler's name in on the ballot. The election takes place 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cairo firehouse. All registered voters within the Cairo fire district are eligible to vote. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.