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.

Vince Pecoraro is reporting in the Register Star Tennessee Gas Pipeline parent company Kinder Morgan has announced it adopt an alternate route for the Northeast Energy Direct Project, thereby bypassing Columbia County entirely, though still cross southern Rennsselaer County. In a letter to the secretary of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the company said it has decided to adopt both the New York Powerline Alternative and the New Hampshire Powerline Alternative as the proposed route. The pipeline was originally proposed to be built in the area near Chatham, Canaan and New Lebanon. The pipeline is now proposed to following an existing power line corridor, deviating at Route 20 north of Niverville and follow Route 43 in Rennsselaer County before reaching Massachusetts. Read the full story in the Register Star.

[caption id="attachment_38388" align="alignright" width="300"] Environmental advocates are calling on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to make a resolution for 2015 and to get back to "established science" on climate change. Courtesy: governor.gov[/caption]

Mike Clifford of New York News Connection via Public News Service reports that it's time to start thinking about New Year's resolutions, and local environmental advocates would like to see Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo resolve to get back to science when it comes to climate change. Peter Iwanowitz, executive director with Environmental Advocates of New York, credits Cuomo with taking strong stands acknowledging the impact of climate disruption in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, but he says that has changed in recent months. Iwanowitz says New York can't afford to have a governor who is backtracking on established science. "We're very concerned to see the governor's more recent statements about there still being a debate about climate change and global warming; and specifically about whether or not humans are causing it," says Iwanowitz. Following the massive lake-effect snowstorms in Buffalo, Cuomo stated we are seeing a pattern of extreme weather we have not seen before, but added he did not want to get into a political debate about the causes. Cuomo is on record saying he believes extreme weather patterns will accelerate in coming years, but Iwanowitz says for New York to have a viable plan to restore coastal resiliency it has to take into account the impacts humans are having on climate. "We have very lofty goals; an 80 percent cut in climate-disrupting pollutants by mid-century," says Iwanowitz. But what we don't see right now is a plan of action on how we are going to get there." Iwanowitz says New York faces some critical decisions at the start of 2015. "Whether it be extraction of natural gas through the fracking process or allowing Big Oil to run Canadian tar sands through New York state and on to market. These are not trivial discussions we are engaged in right now and decisions that have to be made fairly soon," he said. PLAY AUDIO VERSION OF THIS REPORT (1:42)

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Mon., Dec. 8, New York State will participate in a pilot program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to put locally-grown produce in New York state schools. The Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables was included in the 2014 federal Farm Bill, and New York is one of eight states selected. U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, Republican of Kinderhook, said in a press release announcing the program, “Empowering school districts to purchase local fruits and vegetables gives our students fresh and healthy lunch options that help foster a deeper appreciation for agriculture and the importance of farms to our communities. I am proud to have authored this provision of the Farm Bill, and I look forward to working with farmers and educators in the Hudson Valley and Catskills to establish new farm-to-school partnerships through the USDA’s pilot program.” See the full press release below.



Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State has been selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to participate in a federal pilot program for the procurement of locally-grown produce in New York State schools. The Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables was included in the 2014 federal Farm Bill and creates a new project to procure unprocessed fruits and vegetables. New York is one of eight states selected to participate in this first-of-its-kind federal initiative, the application for which was submitted by the New York State Office of General Services.

"New York is a nationally recognized leader in the promotion and support of locally grown food, and with this selection we will ensure that students have access to fresh and nutritious locally-grown produce," Governor Cuomo said, "I thank the USDA for partnering with us to showcase the very best of New York's thriving agricultural industry.”

New York’s pilot will be administered by the State Office of General Services and will begin in Rochester. Next week, OGS will begin talking with farmers, food hubs and schools in the region about the program and how they can participate. Because many of the Rochester organizations have not worked with the USDA before, OGS will help walk them through the process.

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of the Governor’s newly-created “Buy NY” initiative, which was announced at last week’s Upstate-Downstate Agriculture Summit. “Buy NY” is a joint effort by the State Department of Agriculture & Markets, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Mental Health, Department of Health, Office of General Services and Cornell Cooperative Extension to leverage existing centralized contracts regarding the purchase of State food products, including produce and dairy products.

The USDA first established a Farm to School program to improve access to local foods in schools in 2010 and, in order to establish realistic goals to increase the availability of local foods in schools, USDA conducted a nationwide Farm to School Census. The first survey was taken during the 2011-2012 school year.

Prior to the creation of the Census, the New York State Department Agriculture and Markets surveyed more than 1,000 school food service directors across the State to gauge their interest in farm-to-school initiatives and to identify barriers and opportunities. As a result, in 2012, New York was selected as one of only five states across the country awarded funding from USDA’s first Farm to School program, immediately enabling the State Department of Agriculture and Markets to implement the best practices and opportunities identified in the survey.

Though still in the early stages, the program has already been successful: In 2013, Benton Berries, a local farm in Penn Yan, NY, made weekly deliveries of tomatoes to Binghamton, Johnson City and Owego-Apalachin school districts. Approximately 3,000 pounds of local tomatoes were served in 16 cafeterias to more than 11,500 students in total that year as a result. Also in 2013, the Binghamton City School District served approximately 12,000 pounds of local apples from Reisinger’s Apple Country, an orchard in Watkins Glen, N.Y, to 6,000 students in 10 school cafeterias.

"Inclusion in this pilot program is a testament to the hard work of numerous state agencies at the direction of Governor Cuomo to find multiple opportunities to bring more locally grown and produced products to the tables of New Yorkers,” OGS Commissioner RoAnn Destito said. “Since 2011, OGS has been working with local farmers through our warehouse in Long Island. Over 225,000 pounds of local potatoes, apples, cabbage, carrots, turnips, broccoli, corn and beets have been distributed to 36 school districts. We are looking forward to using what we have learned through that initiative statewide and will be working closely with schools and vendors to ensure this pilot is successful and becomes a permanent program.”

“I believe that the procurement of locally-produced foods in schools and institutions is nothing short of a golden opportunity for New York agriculture,” State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said. “Through this pilot program and also Governor Cuomo’s “Buy NY” initiative, these opportunities will only continue to grow. Today’s announcement is great news for my fellow farmers and youth who represent our state’s bright future.”

Provisions in the federal Farm Bill require that the selection of states included in the pilot must be based on a demonstrated commitment to building their own farm-to-school programs, the quantity and variety of local fruits and vegetables producers in the state, and the number of local education organizations serving different population sizes and geographic regions in the state.

Senator Charles E. Schumer said, “Through this innovative federal-state pilot program, New York will provide schools throughout the state with locally grown fruits, vegetables, and produce; it is a win-win for New York farmers and students. Now, New York’s agriculture will not only be farm-to-table but farm-to-school.”

Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee said, “This is great news for our schools and our local farmers. New York State is home to a strong agricultural industry that has the potential for even more growth. By connecting schools throughout the state with locally-grown food, we can give our children better access to healthy, nutritious food options, while strengthening New York’s own agricultural industry. I look forward to working across all levels of government and with USDA to continue to build on this important initiative.”

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter said, “We have taken remarkable steps as a nation toward combating childhood obesity, and this is another step in the right direction. It’s essential to set our young people on a positive course early in their lives, and that includes providing healthy, nutritious meals during school days, especially in communities where access to fresh, local produce is limited. Not only will this improve our kids’ health, but it will save them a lifetime of higher medical costs from health problems associated with obesity. Furthermore, this will be a boon to local growers, who are the backbone of the upstate economy and consistently provide New Yorkers with fresh produce options.”

Congressman Chris Gibson said, “Empowering school districts to purchase local fruits and vegetables gives our students fresh and healthy lunch options that help foster a deeper appreciation for agriculture and the importance of farms to our communities. I am proud to have authored this provision of the Farm Bill, and I look forward to working with farmers and educators in the Hudson Valley and Catskills to establish new farm-to-school partnerships through the USDA’s pilot program.”

Weather closings, delays and postponements for Tues., Dec. 9
[Updated 3:25 p.m., Dec. 9]

Berkshire Union Free School District | Delayed two hours. Closed. Berkshire Jr./Sr. High School on time.
Cairo-Durham Central School District | Closed. District offices closed.
Cairo-Durham Middle School concert | Postponed until Dec. 17.
Catskill Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Catskill Library | Closed.
Chatham Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Chatham Kids Club | Delayed two hours. Opens 8:30 a.m. Closed.
Circle of Friends (Ravena) | Delayed two hours. No morning pre-school; 2.5-hour and toddler class closed; 5-hour classes delayed two hours; daycare closing at 1 p.m. Closed. Daycare closed.
Coarc Adult Transportation | Delayed two hours. Staff report.
Columbia Christian Academy | Closed.
Columbia Senior Meals | Closed. Staff report.
Columbia County WIC Program | Delayed, Chatham WIC Program closed. Please call Hudson office 828-9668.
Columbia-Greene Partnership Academy ("The Bridge") | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District | Closed.
Early Childhood Education Ctr. | Closed.
Germantown Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed. All offices are closed and all afternoon activities are cancelled.
Grapeville Christian School | Closed. Check email for details.
Greene County Nutrition Program | Closed. No transportation. Greene Co. nutrition sites closed. No transportation.
Greene County YMCA | Open. No morning classes.
Greenville Central School District | Closed.
Hawthorne Valley School | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Hudson City School District | Delayed two hours. No morning Pre-K; no morning BOCES; no breakfast; no tutoring. Closed. All schools and offices closed.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Closed.
Ichabod Crane Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed.
KidZone preschool | Closed. No morning preschool; no after-school programs.
Mrs. Puddle Duck's Childcare | Closed.
O.K. Kids, Inc. | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Questar III Catskill Academy | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Questar III Columbia-Greene Ed. Ctr. | Delayed two hours. Closed. No morning BOCES; no New Visions classes.
Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District | Closed, District office closed. Holiday concert cancelled. Board of Education meeting postponed.
Red Hook Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Rhinebeck Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed. Board of Education meeting will take place.
Roeliff Jansen Community Library | Closed.
Saugerties Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Taconic Hills Central School District | Delayed two hours. Closed.
Tech Valley High School | Closed.
Ulster-Greene ARC (Catskill) | Delayed two hours. Open. No transportation.
UMC Daycare Norton Hill | Delayed one hour. Closed. No morning Pre-K; no afternoon Pre-K.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Centrall School District | Closed.
WGXC | Fundraising Advisory Committee meeting has been rescheduled to 6 p.m., Mon., Dec. 15.

---

Sources: Times Union, Fox 23 Albany and individual school websites.

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for snow, sleet and freezing rain, which will remain in effect until midnight Wed., Dec. 10 in the Greater Capital District, Mid-Hudson Valley, the Taconics, the Berkshires and southern Vermont. The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect. A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will spread from south to north across the region Tuesday morning. Precipitation will change to a plain rain by Tuesday afternoon, although some sleet may continue to mix in with the rain at times through the evening. A north wind of 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph are anticipated. Travel is expected to be hazardous due to snow- and ice-covered roads and poor visibility.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 34F; low 33F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 36F; low 34F.[/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 Winter Weather Advisory for snow, sleet and freezing rain, which will remain in effect until midnight Wed., Dec. 10 in the Greater Capital District, Mid-Hudson Valley, the Taconics, the Berkshires and southern Vermont. The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect. A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will spread from south to north across the region Tuesday morning. Precipitation will change to a plain rain by Tuesday afternoon, although some sleet may continue to mix in with the rain at times through the evening. A north wind of 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph are anticipated. Travel is expected to be hazardous due to snow- and ice-covered roads and poor visibility.

Today: Sleet before 9 a.m., then freezing rain between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., then rain after 11 a/m. High near 35. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Tuesday night, rain before 5 a.m., then rain and sleet likely. Low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.

Forecast for the next three days:
Wednesday: Rain and snow likely. Cloudy. High near 36. Wednesday night, snow likely, mainly before 4 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 28.
Thursday: A chance of snow before 11 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow. Cloudy. High near 38. Thursday night, a chance of snow showers. Cloudy. Low around 26.
Friday: Mostly cloudy. High near 38. Friday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 30.

Sunrise today: 7:13 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:10 hrs.

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

CAIRO Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main Street, Cairo (622-3120).
CATSKILL Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CHATHAM Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Chatham High School, 50 Woodbridge Ave., Chatham (391-2400).
CHATHAM Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at 488 Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COPAKE Land Use Review Committee, 7 p.m.; Board of Ethics, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234)
COXSACKIE Town board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Reed St., Coxsackie (731-2727).
DURHAM Chamber meeting, 7 p.m. at Town building, 7309 St. Rte. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
LEXINGTON Planning Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 3542 Rte. 42, Lexington (989-6476).
STUYVESANT Trails Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Dr., Stuyvesant (758-6248).

WGXC Fundraising Advisory Committee, 6 p.m. at 704 Columbia St., Hudson (697-7400). This group provides leadership with respect to fundraising events and major donor gifts for WGXC 90.7-FM.

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 by Mr. "Peetie Pete" Lievense.
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.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show: Garfield Moore Cellist Garfield Moore will discuss his upcoming performance, "The Romantic Cello in Song and Dance to Warm a Cold Winter Night," at Columbia-Greene Community College, Sat., Dec. 13. Plus news, weather, events, music, and more. Hosted by Jill Sutton, with Neva Wartell, and Cory McCasland.
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="495"] NOAA forecast for Tues., Dec. 9. (Courtesy noaa.gov)[/caption]

A Winter Storm Watch issued by the National Weather Service in Albany remains in effect from 4 a.m., Tues., Dec. 9, through the morning of Wed., Dec. 10, for the greater Capital District, northern portions of the Mid-Hudson Valley, northern and central Taconics, the Berkshires and southern Vermont. Heavy snow, sleet and possibly freezing rain are expected, with a maximum snowfall rate of one to two inches per hour, and north winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph possible. The region is expected to get three to eight inches of snow; greater amounts are possible further north. Snow will develop by sunrise Tuesday, south of the Capital District and spread northward during the morning hours. Rain or freezing rain and sleet are then expected to mix with the snow, with a change to rain expected sometime Tuesday afternoon from the Capital District southward. Steady precipitation will taper off by sunrise Wednesday. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is warning customers to be prepared for the possibility of severe weather overnight and throughout the day, Tuesday. The conditions predicted may cause trees and limbs to contact or fall onto power lines, causing electric service interruptions.

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Dec. 5 through Mon., Dec. 8:

Eric Anderson reported in the Times Union Ginsberg's Foods executive vice president Nancy Fuller Ginsberg was "devastated" to learn the Ghent Planning Board would want the town to lose 270 jobs. Ginsberg was responding to news of the board's rejection last week of the food distributor's long-planned $11.3 million expansion. The company is reportedly now reviewing its options. The planning board decision also puts at risk plans to develop a food hub that would give local farmers a way to ship their products directly to grocery stores, Ginsberg said. Town officials could not be reached for comment by the Times Union. Ginsberg's started as a grocery store and butcher shop in Hudson in 1909.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is calling for a comprehensive review of the state justice system after a grand jury refused to indict a New York City police officer in the Eric Garner murder case. Matthew Hamilton reported in the Times Union Cuomo said in two interviews Thurs., Dec. 4, that while a federal civil rights investigation into Garner's death is needed in the short term, changes should be discussed in the upcoming legislative session to reverse widespread public distrust of the police and courts. Asked if he would consider assigning special prosecutors to grand jury cases, Cuomo alluded to a Missouri grand jury's decision not to charge a white police officer in the shooting death of a black teenager. He said, "I don't think there's going to be any one answer. This is not just Eric Garner. It's not just Missouri. It's bigger and broader and with a fundamental genesis."

Ryan Anglim is reporting in The Daily Mail the Hunter-Tannersville Central School District may host a hotel-restaurant management program in conjunction with the Hunter Mountain ski resort. Hunter-Tannersville Superintendent Dr. Patrick Darfler-Sweeney said the idea for a program in hospitality was proposed approximately two years ago. He said Hunter Mountain is willing to partner on the project. The Hunter Elementary School building, located directly across the road from the facility, would be used to house the program. The Catskill Central district is already interested. "We see this as an opportunity for our kids," Catskill Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Farrell said. The program is expected to be run by Questar III BOCES.

Siobhan Barton reported in the Register Star the town of Livingston on Fri., Dec. 5, received a grant to document historic landmarks in the 226 year-old municipality. The funding was welcomed by residents who fear their property might be acquired by a state initiative to update and enlarge existing power lines across the state. The $8,200 grant was awarded by the Preservation League of New York. It will provide the funds to pay for a year-long archival program and field research of the area. Information collected will help determine the properties to be submitted to the National Historic Register, which may provide owners with exemptions from the New York State Energy Highway project. Pam Kline, the head of a grassroots advocacy group opposing the power line expansion, helped draft the grant proposal.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 34F; low 14F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 36F; low 14F.[/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: Mostly sunny. High near 31. Monday night, a chance of snow, mainly after 2 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: Snow likely before 10 a.m., then rain and snow combined, turning to rain after 11 a.m. High near 39. Tuesday night, rain before 3 a.m., then rain and snow. Low around 35.
Wednesday: Rain and snow showers likely, becoming all snow after 8 a.m. Cloudy. High near 35. Wednesday night, snow showers likely. Cloudy. Low around 34.
Thursday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Cloudy. High near 38. Thursday night, a chance of snow showers. Cloudy. Low around 33.

Sunrise today: 7:09 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:14 hrs.

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

ASHLAND Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Main Street, Ashland (734-3636).
CAIRO Town Board meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo (622-3120).
CANAAN Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1647 Co. Rte. 5, Canaan (781-3144).
CATSKILL Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. at the Firehouse, 1 Central Ave. (behind Walgreens) (943-3830).
CLAVERACK Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 91 Church St., Mellenville (672-7911).
COPAKE Environmental Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GREENE COUNTY Legislature County Services and Public Works committee meetings, 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
HUDSON City School District Board of Education workshop, 6 p.m.; meeting, 7 p.m. at John L. Edwards Primary School, 360 State St., Hudson (828-4360).
HUDSON Industrial Development Agency meeting, 5:30 p.m.; Informal Common Council meeting, 7 p.m. both at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Village Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Village Hall, 7955 Main St., Hudson (263-4020).
NEW BALTIMORE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 Rt. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
PHILMONT Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
PRATTSVILLE Town meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 14517 Main St., Prattsville (299-3125).
TAGHKANIC Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

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 by Mr. "Peetie Pete" Lievense.
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.: Zoom: Mail Order Monsters After saving our boxtops for soooo long to get an undisclosed mystery premium, we finally receive our package...unmarked cassettes! Join me for a misanthropic one hour retreat from the pains of the outside world! Hosted by Tyson Hauf.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

[caption width="260" align="alignright"] Pay It Forward thrift store in Catskill.[/caption]Florence Ohle, Executive Director of Greene County Community Action, was on the "WGXC Morning Show" Fri., Dec. 5, and discussed the recent update to the Pay It Forward thrift store the organization runs the store on Route 9W, just south of Route 23 in Catskill. Last summer, the group revamped the store, and sales have improved since then, which benefits the local charity. The store is open Tue-Fri, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and only accept donations on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Click here to listen to the entire interview. Click here to hear just the part of the interview about the thrift store. (3:04)

Siobhan Barton reported in the Register-Star that more than 80 demonstrators -- including several local politicians -- marched up Warren Street sidewalks Fri., Dec. 4 to the Public Square at 7th Street, protesting recent non-indictments of police officers in New York and Missouri. At the intersection of 6th St. and Warren several protesters laid in the street, temporarily blocking traffic. Police and fellow protesters, and some passersby, urged the group to get up, which they did without incident. “This needs to be protested,” Don Moore, Common Council President for the City of Hudson, said at the gathering that he plans to, “propose a resolution calling on elected officials” – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Charles E. Schumer, (D-NY) and Rep. Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) – “to conduct a civil rights investigation.” At the Public Square in Hudson, protesters shouted loud enough to be heard from the WGXC Hudson studio. [audio mp3="http://newsroom.wgxc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Protesters_outsideWGXC_20141205.mp3"]PLAY AUDIO[/audio]

Local News
Local news Click here for news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sun., Dec. 7. PLAY AUDIO (6:08)

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

• Sunday: A slight chance of rain after 3 p.m. is forecast, with mostly cloudy skies, and a high near 44. Sunday night there is a 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 10 p.m., with a low around 40.

• Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 9 a.m., with a high near 41. and a low around 18.

• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 30.

Sunrise 7:04 a.m.
Sunset 4:24 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 12:59 P.M. 12:24 A.M.
Mercury 6:44 A.M. 4:07 P.M.
Venus 7:50 A.M. 4:55 P.M.
Mars 10:37 A.M. 7:50 P.M.
Jupiter 9:58 P.M. 11:56 A.M.
Saturn 6:05 A.M. 3:55 P.M.
Uranus 1:46 P.M. 2:26 A.M.
Neptune 12:21 P.M. 11:08 P.M.
Pluto 9:26 A.M. 6:52 P.M.

WGXC Programming

Will Brunelle in Capital New York reports that Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $500 million broadband expansion program will roll out in January, according to David Salway, director of the New York State Broadband Program office. The “NY Broadband Fund” will offer grants to any broadband company that offers to match public funding to expand and improve existing infrastructure. Locally, Mid-Hudson Cable has previously turned down a $3.5 million federal grant to help roll out broadband here. Salway says this program aims for download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second (mbps) by 2018. According to Cuomo, 1.1 million New Yorkers don't have access to the state’s minimum requirement of at least 6.5 mbps download speed, and that 113,000 businesses cannot access 100 mbps internet services, which is “the minimum speed economic experts say is needed for real economic growth.” New York's Public Service Commission is expected to decide by Dec. 31 if Time Warner and Comcast are allowed to expand, and Salway says that he doesn’t believe [the merger], “would reduce [access] as much as further our goal” for expansion. Mid-Hudson Cable is an underwriter on WGXC. Read the full story in Capital New York.

Siobhan Barton is reporting in the Register Star the Greenport highway department has installed five of its snow plows with Bluetooth hands-free communication technology. Highway Superintendent Mark Gaylord reported at the town board meeting Wed., Dec. 3, the $1,500 investment will make it safer for drivers to communicate with the depot without having to take their hands off the wheel to answer their phones. The wireless technology will channel cell calls — usually drowned out by an engine’s loud roar — through the vehicle's radio. Drivers will press a radio button to accept a call, eliminating the need to search for a phone and pulling over to answer, Gaylord said. A renewal of the town's radio license, along with a change in radio bandwidth required to meet FCC standards, would have cost the town close to $20,000. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., Dec. 6. PLAY AUDIO (3:44)

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

• Saturday: Rain. High near 39, turning this evening to snow, freezing rain, and sleet before 1 a.m., then a slight chance of snow and sleet between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., with a low around 25.

• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 31, a low around 11.

• Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

Sunrise 7:10 a.m.
Sunset 4:23 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 4:58 P.M. 6:57 A.M.
Mercury 7:10 A.M. 4:14 P.M.
Venus 8:03 A.M. 5:01 P.M.
Mars 10:28 A.M. 7:51 P.M.
Jupiter 9:35 P.M. 11:33 A.M.
Saturn 5:45 A.M. 3:34 P.M.
Uranus 1:22 P.M. 2:02 A.M.
Neptune 11:57 A.M. 10:45 P.M.
Pluto 9:04 A.M. 6:29 P.M.

WGXC Programming

Off The Hook: Gabriella Coleman
Dec. 6, 2014: 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Amateur Radio Newsline: NVIS Propagation
Dec. 6, 2014: 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Saturday Morning Serial: Feedback
Dec. 6, 2014: 9 a.m. – noon
Human Machine: XistenZ
Dec. 6, 2014: 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Radia: Repetition
Dec. 6, 2014: 3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Saturday Afternoon Show: Nicolas Collins
Dec. 6, 2014: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: Conundrums
Dec. 6, 2014: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Black Lake
Dec. 6, 2014: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Framework: Nick Hamilton
Dec. 6, 2014: 9 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday Night Seance: In Memory of Johnny B. Goode
Dec. 6, 2014: 10 p.m. – 11 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Schoharie County, and the Western parts of Albany, Greene, and Ulster counties for 7 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5 through 8 a.m. Sat., Dec. 6. A storm that may begin with snow or sleet, will change to all rain later. Higher elevations, though, may have sloppy conditions at first. The rain is expected to continue all day Saturday, which has lead to the delay of at least one local event. The 17th Annual Christmas in Durham event at the Michael J. Quill Cultural Arts Center, has been rescheduled to Sun. Dec. 7, to avoid the Saturday rain. That event is Sun., Dec. 7 from 3-5 p.m. with a visit from Santa, tree lighting, and fireworks.

[caption width="350" align="alignleft"] Proposed Berkshire Mountain Club from Catamount Ski website.[/caption]Catamount Ski in Copake opened for the season Fri., Dec. 5, for the resort's 75th anniversary season. Both the New York and Massachussetts summits were accessible for opening weekend, with 12 trails and 5 lifts operating. On Nov. 20 a newly-constituted Copake Zoning Board of Appeals approved a proposal for the 150-unit Berkshire Mountain Club resort, after a slightly differently-composed board previously turned down the proposal. Hunter and Windham ski resorts both opened two weeks ago.