Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Nov. 28 through Mon., Dec. 1:

Larry Rulison reported in the Times Union American Bio Medica, a Kinderhook company that makes drug-testing kits, is closing two manufacturing lines in New Jersey and moving production to its headquarters in Columbia Co. The move of manufacturing operations back to New York is expected to save the company $80,000 a year and is part of an ongoing cost-cutting program to offset a decline in sales. American Bio Medica employs approximately 88 people, including about a dozen who worked in New Jersey. It is unclear how many New Jersey workers would lose their jobs or if they would be offered positions in New York.

Siobhan Barton reported in the Register Star the Greenport Planning Board last week moved forward with the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties Greenport Gardens development, bringing it one step closer to approval. The housing project would provide housing to mental health consumers, in addition to affordable housing for county residents. Pending the board's final approval, the developer hopes to begin construction in May on the 66-unit project. The structure is expected to be finished in 10 to 12 months after building begins. The planning board will continue the plan review later this month. In a largely symbolic gesture, the Greenport Town Board in September voted its opposition to Greenport Gardens, indicating it was uncomfortable with the location, on Green Acres Road near Joslen Boulevard.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="182"] Kaaterskill Falls[/caption]

Max Oppen is reporting in The Daily Mail the state Department of Environmental Conservation has installed approximately 200 feet of split-rail fencing at the top of Kaaterskill Falls. Roughly 150 feet of fencing was erected at the base of the second tier of the falls, as well. DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens ordered the fencing following the deaths of two visitors to the falls over the summer. In addition to the fencing, warning signs were also installed.

The Associated Press reported former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo has been hospitalized. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office said Sat., Nov. 29, the elder Cuomo is being treated for a heart condition. A gubernatorial spokeswoman said the 82-year-old former three-term governor is in good spirits and is thankful for the best wishes and support he has received. The spokeswoman said more updates will be provided “as appropriate.”

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 46F; low 21F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 47F; low 22F.[/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: Isolated showers between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 51. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Monday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 27.

Forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: Increasing clouds. High near 34. Tuesday night, snow likely before midnight, then snow, freezing rain and sleet likely between midnight and 3 a.m., then freezing rain and sleet likely after 3 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 29.
Wednesday: A chance of rain before noon, then a chance of showers after noon. Cloudy. High near 47. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 34.
Thursday: Partly sunny. High near 42. Thursday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 28.

Sunrise today: 7:05 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:24 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:18 hrs.

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

ANCRAM Conservation Advisory Council at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
ATHENS Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at 2 First Street, Athens (734-3636).
CAIRO Town Board meeting, 6 p.m., Cairo Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo (622-3120).
CATSKILL Recreation Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Catskill Town Hall,
439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
CLAVERACK Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Church Street, Mellenville (672-7911).
CLERMONT Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors .1 [point one] Committee meeting, 1 p.m.; Finance Committee meeting, 1:30 p.m.; Economic Development Sub-committee meeting, 2 p.m.; all at 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: William S. Burroughs Five and a half hours of words by and about William S. Burroughs, on the 100th anniversary of this birth in 1914.

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 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: Delusions and Non-Verbal Confessions of a Kool-Aid Wino “You’re supposed to make only two quarts of Kool-Aid from a package, but I always make a gallon so my Kool-Aid is a mere shadow of its desired potency. You’re supposed to add a cup of sugar to every package of Kool-Aid, but I never put any sugar in my Kool-Aid because there isn’t any sugar to put in it. Let’s create our own Kool-Aid reality and illuminate ourselves by it." -- Host Tyson Hauf
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News
9:30 p.m.: LunarMoss: Earthly Tethers 2014 Can't believe it, but yet another year is drawing nigh. Tune in to hear what the soundtrack of now was. Earthly tethers. Tunes from 2014 all night long (including some great reissues, too). Hosted by Hank Flick.

Matt Bathrick in The Columbia Paper reports that Chatham’s Board of Education is exploring capital spending in advance of eventual consolidation of the the middle school building on Woodbridge Avenue into the high school and Mary E. Dardess Elementary School. Last year, voters rejected a $13.8-million capital project proposal 668-for to 481-against after the board voted to consolide in the fall of 2015. At the Nov. 18 meeting, the school board rescinded the consolidation for now. The district would save over $450,000 a year from consolidation, although that may hinge on the eventual fate of the middle school building. “I absolutely see the need for consolidation. However, I don’t think it is in the best interests of the students or education to do it without a capital project,” said member Terri Conte. “We don’t have the room.” Board member Michael Clark suggested the fall of 2015 as the deadline for a new plan to be developed. The Chatham school board hold a workshop meeting Dec. 2 and its next full meeting is Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the High School library. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

The Daily Freeman reports that opponents of the Pilgrim Pipeline -- which, if approved, would move Bakken crude oil one way and refined gas and diesel the other the Hudson Valley along the I-87 corridor -- will hold a protest at 4 p.m. Tue., Dec. 2 near the NY Thruway Bridge, at the intersection of Main St. and South Putt Corners in New Paltz. The New Paltz Climate Action Coalition and Protecting Our Waters does not want the New York State Thruway Authority to allow a Thruway easement. The Rosendale and New Paltz town boards have passed resolutions against the pipeline, noting that local emergency services would be ill equipped to handle emergencies posed by pipe ruptures or explosions. There has been little, if any, public comment, discussion, or media coverage of the proposed pipeline from anyone in Greene County. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Local News
Local news Click here for news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sun., Nov. 30. PLAY AUDIO (2:58)

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

Radia: Audiokomposter
Nov. 30, 2014: 5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.

Vince Pecoraro and Arthur Cusano are reporting in the Register Star several local school districts have been named by the New York Civil Liberties Union for maintaining enrollment policies that would have a chilling effect on an immigrant student's attempts to register. The NYCLU identified three districts in Columbia Co. and one district in Greene Co. The Chatham Central, New Lebanon Central and Hudson City districts all require entering students to produce a birth certificate. While the Greenville Central district does not require a Social Security number or birth certificate, registering students are explicitly asked immigration status questions. Under a 1982 Supreme Court ruling, states are in violation of the 14th amendment when undocumented children are denied the same educational opportunity as naturalized citizens. Schools are in violation of the law when they require birth certificates or inquire about the immigration status of a potential student or their parents. The superintendents from the Columbia Co. districts responded to the allegations, denying their districts have never refused enrollment to any potential student who was unable to produce a birth certificate. The survey, released last month, comes on the heels of a statewide study by the NYCLU in 2010 which found that one-in-five school districts were putting up illegal barriers to immigrant youth. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Ryan Anglim in The Windham Journal reports that the Mountain Library and Hunter-Tannersville schools may host Columbia-Greene Community College adult classes in the spring. Mountaintop Library Director Elane Farley said the entire plan is not confirmed yet, but C-GCC should have computer and photography classes in spring with construction on the rooms for the classes expected after Thanksgiving. The classes will not receive college credit. HTC schools currently hold four classes for college credit, if the students pay the discounted rate of $170, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Darfler-Sweeney. Read the full story in The Windham Journal.

WNYT TV in Albany reports that for anyone without a cell phone, there's a working pay phone at every Stewart's Shop locally. The pay phone is also the store phone. “There's always going to be that day that there's an emergency, that a customer's phone battery is going to be dead, they left it at home, and they know they can walk into a Stewart's and find pay phones to use,” said Maria D’Amelia of Stewart’s Shops told WNYT.

National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" host David Greene and NPR "Planet Money" correspondent Robert Smith will talk and take questions 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at The Linda in Albany. The event is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance here. The NPR hosts will speak with economic and personal finance experts, Michelle Singletary, Personal Finance Columnist for The Washington Post, and Louis Barajas, and Erin Currier who directs the Economic Mobility Project at the PEW Foundation.

WGXC has a few programming changes this weekend. On Fridays at 6:30 p.m., the revived, now-weekly "Free Speech Radio News" returns to local airwaves. Saturdays at 8 a.m. "Amateur Radio Newsline" and "Glenn Hauser's World of Radio now air, each giving a shortwabe centric view of radio news. "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" moves from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., Nov. 29. PLAY AUDIO (5:48)

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

• Saturday: Cloudy, with a high near 32, and a low around 30. Chance of freezing rain or snow after 1 a.m.

• Sunday: A slight chance of rain showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Sunday night there is a 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 1 a.m., with a low around 37.

• Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

Sunrise 7:03 a.m.
Sunset 4:24 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 12:25 P.M. Next Day
Mercury 6:39 A.M. 4:06 P.M.
Venus 7:48 A.M. 4:55 P.M.
Mars 10:38 A.M. 7:50 P.M.
Jupiter 10:02 P.M. 12:00 P.M.
Saturn 6:08 A.M. 3:59 P.M.
Uranus 1:50 P.M. 2:30 A.M.
Neptune 12:25 P.M. 11:12 P.M.
Pluto 9:30 A.M. 6:55 P.M.

WGXC Programming

The Shortwave Report: 20141129
Nov. 29, 2014: 5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.
Amateur Radio Newsline: Cube Quest Challenge
Nov. 29, 2014: 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Other Music: Michael Century
Nov. 29, 2014: 12:05 p.m. – 2 p.m.
NIRRH: Feedback!
Nov. 29, 2014: 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday Afternoon Show: Low Power to the People
Nov. 29, 2014: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: Thanks
Nov. 29, 2014: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Michael Ryan is reporting in The Daily Mail a year after the special Greene County EMT task force was established, it has presented a preliminary budget of what is needed to sustain a countywide ambulance service. At a meeting last week, the task force estimated the total amount to be $3.15 million, based on information gathered from municipalities and the county. Start-up expenses for the first year of the new system could add as much as $1.2 million to cover the purchase of ambulances, setting up sites and buying needed equipment. Task force member and county Legislator William Lawrence will talk to the county’s Real Property Tax agency to determine the best way to assess the costs across the board and with the least impact on local budgets. A member of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's staff will be invited to the next task force session, slated for January 13. They will be asked to speak about the difficulties faced as municipalities try to carry out the process of consolidation. In the meantime, the task force is expected to meet with members of the Mountaintop Supervisor and Mayors Association. Editor's note: Lawrence is a WGXC programmer. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

[caption id="attachment_38102" align="alignright" width="223"] blackfridayprotests.org map of area Wal-Mart protests.[/caption]

There are many sales, specials, and strikes scheduled for this weekend, as the holiday shopping season gets under way. In Hudson, there is an admission fee to shop among the many vendors at the Farm & Flea market at Basilica Hudson 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat., Nov. 29 and Sun., Nov. 30 near the Amtrak station. On Warren Street on Saturday, authors Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman will be at the Spotty Dog Books & Ale from 3:45-5:15 p.m. selling and signing books. On Nov. 29 in Cairo at the Red Roosters Roadhouse the 3rd Annual Small Business Saturday Holiday Happenings event is from 3-7 p.m. with 25 local small business raising money for Community Action of Greene County. Red Roosters is at 845 Main St. in Cairo. The Village of Valatie and the Valatie Economic Redevelopment Association also are sponsoring a day-long event there with a 10:30 a.m. reading of the Mayor's proclamation about local small businesses. Also, some Wal-Mart workers around the country are striking on Black Friday for higher wages, and there are support protests scheduled at several Hudson Valley Wal-Marts, including Kingston and Glenmont.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="502"] Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer.[/caption]

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 31F; low 11F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 33F; 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: A slight chance of snow showers before 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 35. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Friday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 17.

Forecast for the next three days:
Saturday: Mostly cloudy. High near 35. Saturday night, a slight chance of snow showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 25.
Sunday: A slight chance of snow showers before 11 a.m., then a slight chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 50. Sunday night, a chance of showers after 8 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 38.
Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 49. Monday night, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 27.

Sunrise today: 7:02 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:25 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:23 hrs.

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

CLERMONT Zoning Board of Appeals, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
HUDSON Historic Preservation Commission meeting cancelled (828-1030).

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
12:05 a.m.: Dark Side of the Rainbow Mash-up of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wizard of Oz" movie dialogue and sounds. Plus, The Flaming Lips try the same trick. Plus radio theatre presentations of the later Oz books.

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 Acra Studio at the Wave Farm Study Center. 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.
10 a.m.: ¿Qué cocinaré hoy?: Marlene Aguilera, Norma Marcos, Nieves Melchor Conversation about President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration that would allow 5 million people to come out of the shadows. An interview Marlene Aguilera, immigrant from Honduras, and Norma Marcos, immigrant from Guatemala, two of the leaders of the Kinship Program (formerly known as Proyecto Madres) based in Dover Plains. Plus a discussion with Nieves Melchor, one of the organizers of the Parade of Lights to be held in Millbrook, Dec. 5 and 6. Hispanics will be represented in that event this year for the first time, with a float carrying the Virgen de Guadalupe and a Mariachi band. Produced by Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News
7 p.m. Newline Radio: Holiday Special Special five-hour Newline Radio for the holidays, offering a chance for families of incarcerated people to reach out and connect with their loved ones. All WGXC programmers are invited to participate. 

[caption id="attachment_38120" align="alignright" width="300"] Central Hudson's outage map.[/caption]Power is out for many in Columbia County and Dutchess County, as almost a foot of very heavy, wet snow fell on Wed., Nov. 26. About 45,000 Central Hudson customers experienced interruptions to power service and nearly 34,000 remained without power early Thursday morning, according to Central Hudson. National Grid also has many outages in Livingston and other parts of Columbia County.

Snow emergencies

Village of Catskill snow emergency begins 8 a.m., Wed., Nov. 26. All vehicles must park on the even side of the street beginning 8 a.m. through 8 p.m., Wednesday. Vehicles must be moved to odd side of the streets beginning 8 p.m., Wednesday through 8 a.m., Thursday. Vehicles should continue to switch sides of the street every 12 hours until the snow emergency is cancelled. On Wed., Nov. 26 there will be no parking on Main St. from Greene St. to Summit Ave.

City of Hudson snow emergency begins 8 p.m., Wed., Nov. 26. Cars must be parked on the odd side of the street. No parking is permitted on the even side of the street. Vehicles in violation will be towed beginning at 11:30 p.m., Thursday, in preparation for the removal of snow on Friday. No exceptions will be given. The city will provide a snow removal checklist at a later time. When in doubt, drivers are advised to obey the signage posted by the Department of Public Works. REMINDER: Several streets within the city are exempt from the snow emergency guidelines. That information can be found online at City of Hudson [dot] org and clicking on "News" in the left-hand column.

The Village of Athens has declared a snow emergency. Alternate side of the street parking will be in effect. Starting at 1 p.m., Wed., Nov. 26, 2014, vehicles must be parked on the even side of the street. At 6 p.m., each day, all vehicles must move to the opposite side of the street until the streets are cleared or the emergency is lifted.

The Town of East Greenbush has declared a snow emergency to begin at midnight on Wed. Nov. 26 and it will end at 7 a.m. Thu., Nov. 27. Local residents are reminded that vehicles are prohibited from parking on any public streets during the snow emergency.

Sources: Times Union, WTEN-TV, and Fox 23 Albany.

Other

The Junior League of Kingston’s 2nd Annual Kingston Turkey Trot, originally scheduled for Thurs., Nov. 27, has been postponed to Sat., Nov. 29, according to The Daily Freeman.

The Hudson Turkey Trot has been rescheduled to  8 a.m., Sun. Nov. 30. It was originally scheduled for Thurs., Nov. 27.

[caption width="335" align="alignright"] From The Vane website.[/caption]Andrew Cuomo and the weather don't seem to be getting along these days. Four months ago, the governor of New York claimed the state just recently started seeing tornadoes. [audio mp3="http://newsroom.wgxc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Cuomo-says-NY-does-not-get-tornadoes.mp3"]PLAY AUDIO[/audio] (There have been 409 tornadoes in New York since 1950.) Last week, the governor gave a press conference where he defended his slow reaction to the huge snowstorm in Buffalo that left 13 dead by saying the National Weather Service was late and wrong with their forecast. Actually, several days before the storm, NWS Buffalo pointed out that the following week's pattern "has all the makings of a historic or at least well remembered lake effect event." The Weather Channel's Sam Champion did a whole segment to defend the Buffalo NWS office, saying there was “no question whatsoever” that the forecast was correct. For this week's Thanksgiving storm on the busiest travel day of the year, Cuomo is being criticized by neighboring governors for a commercial vehicle ban on I-84 Wed., Nov. 26. The Hartford Courant reports that Connecticut Transportation Commissioner James Redeker asked his New York counterpart for New York to allow “essential vehicles to reach their destination.” And Michael Riley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, told the newspaper that Cuomo is, “pretty quick on the trigger” when it comes to shutting down the interstate during many storms. “It really does screw up adjacent states,” he said of the closures. Riley’s group, as well as the Connecticut Food Store Association, Empire State Energy Association, the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, Connecticut Energy Marketers Association and the New York Oil Heating Association, all signed a letter to Cuomo asking for exemptions to the I-84 ban.

Matthew Hamilton reports in Capitol Confidential that community, faith, and labor advocates were in Albany at the Capitol Nov. 25 to call on legislators to raise the minimum wage in a pre-2015 session, as discussion of a pay raise for legislators is also being discussed. "While the minimum wage discussion isn’t anything new, talk has run rampant since Election Day that legislators could vote to raise their own pay before session starts up in January. That, the advocates say, would be unacceptable without politicians helping their constituents, too," Hamilton wrote in the story. Locally, Assemblymember Pete Lopez, who represents Greene and Schoharie counties, and parts of Ulster and Columbia County, said he would vote against a pay raise for himself. [audio mp3="http://newsroom.wgxc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/PeteLopez_ONPAYRAISES_CairoLibrary_WGXC_WaveFarm_20141120.mp3"]PLAY AUDIO[/audio] "My belief is its all voluntary, if you want to be in the position you're in, if you don't want to, if it doesn't pay enough, find something else [to do]," Lopez told WGXC at the Cairo Library Golden Jubilee on Nov. 20. Lopez said he would favor indexing legislator pay raises and the minimum wage to inflation. The state’s minimum wage is set to rise to $8.75 on Dec. 31. Legislators currently make a base salary of $79,500, which doesn’t include per diems — worth $172 per day — and other covered expenses, and averages out to $38.22 per hour if legislators worked 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Local weather forecast
Today’s forecast is specific to Catskill, in Greene County:

Thursday (Thanksgiving Day): Cloudy, with a high near 33, and a low around 23.
Friday: A slight chance of snow showers before 9 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 33, and a low around 15.
Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 35.

Sunrise today: 7:01 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:25 p.m.

Closings, delays or cancellations declared Wed., Nov. 26 (12:40 p.m.):

Cairo-Durham Central School District | All district offices are closed.
Circle of Friends (Ravena) | Closing at 12 p.m. Daycare closing at 1 p.m. No afternoon pre-K.
COARC Adult Transportation | Closing at 12 p.m.
Columbia County Senior Meals | Closed. Staff report.
Greene County YMCA | Closing at 7 p.m.
Hudson Department of Youth/Hudson Youth Center | Closed.
Flat Brook Baptist Church | Closed. Service canceled.
Kinderhook Memorial Library | Closed.
Little Wonders Early Childhood Education Center | Closing at 1 p.m.
Twin County Recovery Services | Closing at 12 p.m. No afternoon classes.
Ulster-Greene ARC (Catskill) | Open. No transportation.

Other

The Junior League of Kingston’s 2nd Annual Kingston Turkey Trot, originally scheduled for Thurs., Nov. 27, has been postponed to Sat., Nov. 29, according to The Daily Freeman.

The Hudson Turkey Trot has been rescheduled to  8 a.m., Sun. Nov. 30. It was originally scheduled for Thurs., Nov. 27.

---

Snow emergencies

Village of Catskill snow emergency begins 8 a.m., Wed., Nov. 26. All vehicles must park on the even side of the street beginning 8 a.m. through 8 p.m., Wednesday. Vehicles must be moved to odd side of the streets beginning 8 p.m., Wednesday through 8 a.m., Thursday. Vehicles should continue to switch sides of the street every 12 hours until the snow emergency is cancelled. On Wed., Nov. 26 there will be no parking on Main St. from Greene St. to Summit Ave.

City of Hudson snow emergency begins 8 p.m., Wed., Nov. 26. Cars must be parked on the odd side of the street. No parking is permitted on the even side of the street. Vehicles in violation will be towed beginning at 11:30 p.m., Thursday, in preparation for the removal of snow on Friday. No exceptions will be given. The city will provide a snow removal checklist at a later time. When in doubt, drivers are advised to obey the signage posted by the Department of Public Works. REMINDER: Several streets within the city are exempt from the snow emergency guidelines. That information can be found online at City of Hudson [dot] org and clicking on "News" in the left-hand column.

The Village of Athens has declared a snow emergency. Alternate side of the street parking will be in effect. Starting at 1 p.m., Wed., Nov. 26, 2014, vehicles must be parked on the even side of the street. At 6 p.m., each day, all vehicles must move to the opposite side of the street until the streets are cleared or the emergency is lifted.

The Town of East Greenbush has declared a snow emergency to begin at midnight on Wed. Nov. 26 and it will end at 7 a.m. Thu., Nov. 27. Local residents are reminded that vehicles are prohibited from parking on any public streets during the snow emergency.

Sources: Times Union, WTEN-TV, and Fox 23 Albany.

[caption id="attachment_38005" align="alignright" width="500"] A Huffington Post map of protests that arose Tue., Nov. 25, over the failure of a Ferguson, Mo. grand jury to indict Darren Wilson in the killing of teenager Michael Brown.[/caption]

CBS 6 Albany is reporting the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri, not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown has had a ripple effect around the country, including the Hudson Valley. Protestors in Hudson gathered on the steps of the Columbia County Courthouse Tue., Nov. 24, to share their frustration over what they say is a lack of justice. Approximately 100 people participated in that protest, without incident. The Daily Freeman reports in Kingston a group of more than 50 people rallied outside City Hall in the afternoon Tue., Nov. 25. In Albany, 350 people stood on the steps of City Hall and marched to the Leo W. O'Brien Federal Building, according to the Times Union. There were also protests in Poughkeepsie, Ithaca, and Northampton, Mass.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="287"] The proposed Berkshire Mountain Club.
(Courtesy berkshiremtnclub.com)[/caption]

John Mason is reporting in the Register Star the newly constituted Copake Zoning Board of Appeals Thurs., Nov. 20, approved the 150-unit Berkshire Mountain Club resort hotel proposal. The vote was 3 to 2. Newly appointed ZBA member, Jeffrey Judd of Copake Lake, cast the deciding vote. The ZBA was the final approval the project needed. Developer Harry Freeman said work is set to begin. However, Andy Gilchrist, attorney for the owners of Swiss Hutte, a hotel adjacent to Catamount, called the ZBA’s action illegal. He called the decision an action that “can only expose the town of Copake to litigation risk and expenses which were totally unnecessary.” Freeman said the first phase of the project will cost close to $30 million. That phase includes the construction of 66 residential hotel units, a lounge, restaurant facilities, a spa fitness club, a meeting space and an indoor-outdoor pool. Freeman said the resort will quickly become the biggest taxpayer in town, estimating $500,000 in taxes will be collected during the first phase. When all three phases are completed, Freeman said the total would go up to $1 million. Read the full story in the Register Star.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="380"] From NWS.[/caption]

• News10 TV in Albany reports the Village of Catskill has issued a snow emergency beginning Wed., Nov. 26 with all vehicles parking on the even side of the street from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vehicles should then be parked on the odd side of the streets from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Vehicles should continue to switch side of the street every 12 hours until the snow emergency has been cancelled. On Wed., Nov. 26 there will be no parking on Main Street from Greene Street to Summit Avenue.

• The New York Thruway Authority has banned tandem trailers from I-87 from NYC to exit 24 and I-90 from exit 24 to exit 33 effective 7 a.m., Wed., Nov. 26. Also at 7 a.m., all commercial vehicles will be banned from Interstate 84, in both directions, from the Pennsylvania border to the Connecticut border.

The National Weather Service says predicts anywhere from eight to 14 inches of snow beginning Wednesday morning. New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald is encouraging motorists to adjust Thanksgiving travel around the expected winter weather and to check 511NY before departing to get the latest traffic and winter road conditions. “The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year and the snow storm in the eastern portion of the state is expected to significantly impact road conditions starting tomorrow morning,” Commissioner McDonald said. “In light of the upcoming storm, motorists should consider traveling on Tuesday or Thursday.”