Ariel Zangla is reporting in the Daily Freeman Greene County government employees spoke out Mon., Nov. 17, about the lack of raises during a public hearing on pay increases for the sheriff and county clerk. The workers said the proposed $10,000 pay hikes were unfair to union employees who had not received a pay increase in more than six years and questioned why they were not afforded the same consideration. Several county employees who are part of CSEA Local 7000 addressed county legislators during the hearing, speaking about how the union workers have not received a raise despite increases in the cost of living. The employees also spoke about how comparable counties pay their employees more for the same kind of work. If the proposed raises are approved by the county Legislature, the sheriff’s salary would increase from $75,000 per year to $85,000, while the clerk’s would increase from $59,000 to $69,000. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Matthew Hamilton is reporting at Capitol Confidential the state Board of Regents was set to consider Mon., Nov. 17, a proposal to solidify a requirement that schools participate in field tests. Field tests help test developers improve future standardized tests for students in grades 3 through 12. As the Regents met, New York State United Teachers slammed the state Department of Education’s stance on mandating standardized field testing. “NYSUT has been clear that students should not be subjected to over-testing or burdened with field tests that are conducted for the main purpose of benefiting test makers,” the union said in a statement. The policy clarification before the Regents would make explicit the requirement that all schools administer field tests. The amendment under consideration is expected to be voted on at the Regents' February meeting. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Max Oppen is reporting in The Daily Mail Edward I. Kaplan has been appointed Greene County Attorney, effective Dec. 1. Kaplan will succeed Carol Stevens. Stevens, who held the position since 2001, will retire Nov. 30. Kaplan was chosen over seven other applicants for the position by a six-member committee headed by Legislator Linda Overbaugh of Catskill. Kaplan has been an attorney since 2002; he specialized in matrimonial, civil and real estate law. He has served as deputy county attorney for 11 months. County Administrator Shaun Groden said Kaplan's experience distinguished him from the other applicants. “At the end of the day it was his personal experience...That was important. We needed a good litigator, and he has extensive litigation experience," Groden said. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 27F; low 17F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 29F; low 19F.[/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 34. West wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Tuesday night, mostly clear. Low around 17.

Forecast for the next three days:
Wednesday: Increasing clouds. High near 32. Wednesday night, a slight chance of snow showers before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 21.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 42. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 23.
Friday: Partly sunny. High near 39. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 23.

Sunrise today: 6:50 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:31 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:40 hrs.

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

COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Health and Medical Committee meeting, 4 p.m.; Pine Haven Sub-Committee, 5:30 p.m.; both at 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
DURHAM Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
HILLSDALE Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall on Main Street, Hillsdale (325-5073).
HUDSON Common Council Finance Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m.; public hearing on the proposed 2015 City Budget, 6:30 p.m.; Formal Common Council meeting, 7 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville (589-6150).
LEXINGTON Town Board meeting, 7 p.m., at Municipal Building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
PHILMONT Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m., Philmont Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
TAGHKANIC Planning Board workshop meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Route 82, West Taghkanic (851-7638).

WGXC Community Programming Advisory Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m. at the WGXC Hudson studio, 704 Columbia St., 2nd Fl., Hudson (697-7400). WGXC Community Programming Advisory Committee reviews incoming program applications, conduct programming evaluations and provide feedback about the community program schedule. The public is welcome to attend. Information at wgxc.org/volunteer.

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, events, weather and more. 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
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

The Mid-Hudson News Network reports in The Daily Freeman that Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road will spend $34.6 million to buy inward- and outward-facing cameras for the cabs of their trains, recording what's going on on the tracks and in all areas of the train. The investigation of a Dec. 1, 2013 Metro-North Poughkeepsie-to-Manhattan train crash concluded that the engineer, William Rockefeller of Germantown, suffered from sleep apnea and dozed off at the controls of the Hudson Line train as it entered a 30-mph curve at 82 mph. The National Transportation Safety Board recommended installing the cameras in February, and MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Prendergast immediately directed the authority’s two commuter railroads to begin the design, engineering, fabrication, delivery and installation of on-board cameras, according to the report. Cameras will also be installed in trains’ passenger areas to, "deter to crime and providing investigative assistance," according to the story. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Mon., Nov. 17 three new appointees: Elana Sigall serves as Deputy Secretary for Education; Jay Quaintance serves as Assistant Secretary for Education; and Paola Therasse serves as a Program Associate for Education. “These individuals have a wide array of experience in education, including as teachers in the classroom, and such experience will be invaluable in improving student performance across the state," Cuomo said in a press release. "These individuals are dedicated to improving the lives of New Yorkers, and I am confident their proven records of success will be an asset to this administration as we keep moving New York forward.” Read their full biographies below.





Elana Sigall serves as Deputy Secretary for Education. An attorney, professor and former teacher, Ms. Sigall previously served as Chief Policy Officer of Division of Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners at the New York City Department of Education, where she designed, launched, led and managed a number of new offices and programs and oversaw their hundreds of employees. She is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College and at Columbia University School of Law. She also has held a number of public and private sector education policy and legal counsel positions for more than two decades. Ms. Sigall earned her A.B. from Princeton University and J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Jay Quaintance serves as Assistant Secretary for Education. With 20 years of teaching and administration policy experience in higher education, Mr. Quaintance most recently served at the State University of New York as Assistant Vice Chancellor and Assistant Provost for Community College Policy and Planning and, previously, as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges. In these roles, he provided system support to the 30 SUNY community colleges for the implementation of the SUNY strategic plan, including coordinating efforts to advance many of SUNY’s critical initiatives to ensure student access, completion and success. His policy work focused on improving outcomes of college readiness, reducing remediation, and workforce and workplace development as well as academic program review and alignment. Mr. Quaintance has an M.A. in Rhetoric and the Teaching of Writing and a B.A. in English from New Mexico State University as well as a certificate in Basic Mediation from Albany Law School.

Paola Therasse serves as a Program Associate for Education. Ms. Therasse most recently served as a general and special education teacher within the New York City Department of Education, responsible for designing, planning and implementing English Language Arts, math, reading and social studies lessons for groups of varying skill levels based on Common Core State Standards. She also developed, wrote and implemented Individualized Education Programs for children identified as special needs students. Additionally, Ms. Therasse has held a number of public sector jobs, having worked for the New York State Senate Finance Committee and the New York State Assembly Corrections Committee. She received a M.S. in Education from Mercy College and a M.A and B.A. in Criminal Justice from SUNY Albany.

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Nov. 14 through Mon., Nov. 17:

Siobhan (Shea-vahn) Barton reported in the Register Star the historic V&O Press Company building located on Route 66 in Greenport is expected to be torn down in the coming weeks. The structure formerly housed a factory that manufactured and sold metal presses. It was built in 1923. Town building inspector Jim Florio told the paper the tear-down will be completed within two weeks. The building is being demolished to make way for the muti-million dollar development project, Greenport Crossings. The site will house a bowling alley, entertainment center and hotel.

Ariel Zangla reported in The Daily Freeman on efforts underway to replace the Greene County jail. The building, located on Bridge St. in Catskill, was built in 1908 and is not in compliance with today's standards. The jail currently houses approximately 80 people. The state Commission of Correction is allowing the county to operate the jail while a 13-member task force works on ways to build a new facility. That task force is headed by Legislator William Lawrence and has so far visited other jails. The group has already decided it wants to incorporate pod housing in any new design. The task force will make a presentation to the county Legislature next year. Editor's note: William Lawrence is a WGXC programmer.

Melanie Lekocevic reported in The Daily Mail the Coxsackie Town Council had its first look at the town's 2015 budget at a public hearing last week. The $2.1 million spending plan includes a tax increase of 1.8 percent, which is below the state mandated tax cap. The proposed budget represents an increase in spending of more than $36,000 over the current year. Budget Officer Dan Westfall told the Council the increase was due to hikes in workers' compensation coverage, attorneys' fees and salaries. The budget includes a two percent salary increase for all town employees, including elected officials. The Council must act on the budget proposal before Nov. 20.

The Saugerties Post Star reported beginning Mon., Nov. 17, customers experiencing a financial hardship this winter can apply for a Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) grant through their local Department of Social Services. Eligibility for HEAP benefits is determined by income and family size. Those who qualify may also be eligible to receive additional benefits from utility company Central Hudson Gas & Electric. All Central Hudson customers who receive HEAP benefits will also be issued a bill credit of between $5.50 and $23 per month, for up to 12 months. Information on HEAP eligibility requirements and benefits is available at OTDA [dot] ny [dot] gov.

Closings and delays, Mon., Nov. 17:

Cairo-Durham Central School District
Delayed two hours; no morning Pre-K; no morning BOCES

Hunter-Tannersville Central School District
Delayed two hours.

Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District
Delayed two hours.

Source: Times Union and Fox 23 News

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 43F; low 26F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 43F; 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:

Today: Rain. High near 41. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Monday night, a chance of rain and snow showers before 11 p.m., then a slight chance of snow showers between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 27.

Forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: A slight chance of snow showers. Partly sunny. High near 35. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 17.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High near 33. Wednesday night, a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 25.
Thursday: Partly sunny. High near 41. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 24.

Sunrise today: 6:49 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:31 p.m.
Length of the day: 9:42 hrs.

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

ATHENS Town meeting, 6:45 p.m. at Community Center, 2 First Street, Athens (945-1052).
AUSTERLITZ Comprehensive plan meeting, 7 p.m. at 812 Route 203, Austerlitz (392-3260).
CANAAN Planning board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1647 Route 5 South, Canaan (781-3144).
GERMANTOWN Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
GREENE COUNTY Legislature Economic Development and Tourism, Government Operations and Finance committees, plus party caucuses, 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill; public hearings on Local Law B, Local Law C and tentative 2015 county budget, 7 p.m. at Catskill High School auditorium, 341 W. Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Offices, corner of routes 32 and 81, Greenville (966-8276).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Commission meeting, 6:30 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, events, weather and more. 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
6 p.m.: WGXC Evening News

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 1 a.m. until 1 p.m. Mon., Nov. 17. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain, in that order, are expected, with the snow changing over in the WGXC listening area around 3 a.m., and the precipitation changing to rain in the daylight. Up to an inch of snow may accumulate, morning commuters should take care, and there could be school delays or closures possible. Stay tuned to WGXC for more details.

Ariel Zangla in The Daily Freeman checks in on progress to replace the Greene County jail, which was built in 1908, and by every account, needs replacing. While the facility is no longer in compliance, the state Commission of Correction is allowing the county to operate the jail while a 13-member task force formed in February works on ways to build a new facility. Legislator William Lawrence (R-Cairo, and also a WGXC programmer) leads the task force, which also includes Jail Superintendent Michael Spitz, other legislators, and community members and county department heads. So far, the group has visited other jails, and wants to incorporate "pod housing" in any new design. Currently, the jail has about 80 inmates. Lawrence told The Daily Freeman that if the county does build a new facility, the task force would like to see it also house the Sheriff’s Office and the Greene County 911 center. “It makes sense,” Lawrence said. “There’s a lot of connection between the offices.” The task force will make a presentation to the county Legislature next year. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced Fri., Nov. 14 $183,000 in grants for 80 projects to access to Hudson River Estuary watershed, including one for the Columbia County Soil and Water Conservation District for a project in Claverack. The grants are being provided through New York’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and the Natural Resource Damages Fund (NRD), and will be administered by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP). The awards are to conserve or improve: clean water; waterway access; resiliency; fish, wildlife and their habitats; river scenery; and a vital ecosystem.
The grants include:

The Columbia County Soil & Water Conservation District -- $52,600
The district will replace an undersized culvert on Preusser Road at Hollowville Creek, which provides potential spawning habitat for brook trout. This project is part of a phased effort to remove constrictions on the stream to improve fish habitat and reduce flood risks in the Town of Claverack. Stream quality improvements will also support trout populations, which are sensitive to environmental conditions, which will benefit trout anglers.

Village of Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County -- $50,000
The village will remove fencing and invasive plant species, install signage, plant a riparian buffer and landscape a newly vacant waterfront lot to provide recreational access to the tidal portion of the Wappinger Creek. The new waterfront access will allow residents in the environmental justice neighborhood to establish a stronger connection to the estuary.

Hudson River Maritime Museum (HRMM), Ulster County -- $25,000
This project will replace three existing commercial docks on the Rondout Creek and low docks for rowing crews and kayakers. The new docks will be safer for community organizations and others who use these HRMM facilities to access the waterfront, and will also be more resilient to potential flooding.

Riverkeeper, Inc., Multiple Counties -- $10,000
The organization will use the grant for water quality monitoring on the Hudson River estuary and tributaries to help recreational users of the river understand local water quality conditions.

For more information about these grants, contact HREP at 845-256-3016. The Hudson River Estuary Program is a project of the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. Visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4920.html for more information.




Sarah Lawrence College, Westchester County -- $14,348

The college will purchase smart boards, data displays and web cams for its Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB) on the Hudson River Estuary in Yonkers. The web cams will enable CURB to connect with other regional and national educational sites and research centers. CURB also has a sandy beach, tidal marsh, two-acre park, and an interpretive center that hosts environmental education programs and community events for an underserved urban neighborhood.

Teatown Lake Reservation, Inc., Westchester County -- $11,109

The funding is for signage and promotional materials to improve access and attendance at the Kathryn W. Davis RiverWalk Center for River Ecology Education at Kingsland Point County Park in the Village of Sleepy Hollow. The project will expand Spanish language interpretation and outreach to potential users and provide information about the Hudson Estuary.

Outstanding Renewal Enterprises, Inc./Lower East Side Ecology Center, New York City -- $10,000

The funding will increase public recreation access to the East River in New York City. The waterfront access project at the Lower East Side Ecology Center includes the purchase of fishing poles and other equipment, as well as free fishing and kayaking clinics for the Lower East Side community. The programs are designed to help familiarize New York City residents of all ages and abilities with the ecology of the East River and estuary through hands-on exploration and family-friendly activities.

Town of Rochester, Ulster County -- $10,000

The town will complete an Open Space Inventory as part of Phase 1 of an Open Space Plan. The planning process is part of the Rondout Creek Restoration Plan, a collaboration with the towns of Wawarsing, Marbletown and Rosendale, and Ulster County, that will help to obtain public input on conservation priorities for the area. The Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River.

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. 16. PLAY AUDIO (3:21)

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

• Sunday: Cloudy, with a high near 42. Sunday night there is a slight chance of rain showers and snow before 11 p.m., then snow is likely overnight, with a low around 29.

• Monday: Snow and sleet before 9 a.m., then rain. High near 38. Rain and snow continues before 1 a.m., then turns to just snow, with a low around 26.

• Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 30.

Sunrise 6:48 a.m.
Sunset 4:32 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 12:44 A.M. 1:31 P.M.
Mercury 5:41 A.M. 4:03 P.M.
Venus 7:16 A.M. 4:50 P.M.
Mars 10:54 A.M. 7:51 P.M.
Jupiter 10:50 P.M. 12:49 P.M.
Saturn 6:51 A.M. 4:45 P.M.
Uranus 2:42 P.M. 3:23 A.M.
Neptune 1:16 P.M. 12:07 A.M.
Pluto 10:20 A.M. 7:45 P.M.

WGXC Programming

Radia: Bojan Anđelković
Nov. 16, 2014: 5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.
CounterSpin: Lori Wallach, Ari Berman
Nov. 16, 2014: 5:30 a.m. – 6 a.m.

The Daily Freeman reports that regular deer and bear hunting seasons in New York begin at sunrise on Sat., Nov. 15, lasting through Sun., Dec. 7. The Southern Zone season, which includes the Catskills, is New York’s most popular hunting season, with 85 percent of New York’s 550,000 licensed hunters involved. In the Northern Zone -- the Adirondacks, Tug Hill Plateau, Eastern Lake Ontario Plain and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Valleys. -- the regular deer and bear hunting season opened Oct. 25 and also close at sunset on Dec. 7. See the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Larry Rulison in the Albany Times-Union reports that New York's Public Service Commission said Nov. 12, they would again delay voting on the planned $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable by Comcast. The state PSC said it plans to vote on the deal by the end of the year. "Comcast's proposed acquisition of Time Warner is a complex transaction," PSC spokesman James Denn said. "The PSC fully expects that it will complete its review by year's end." Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

The Rip Van Winkle Amateur Radio Club meets Mon., Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Churchtown Firehouse, with a 7 p.m. Winter Skywarn training. There will also be a raffle for a Baofeng UV-82X HT dual-band 2 meter and 220 mHz radio at the meeting.

The Oral History Summer School has expanded to winter, with Oral History Winter School applications due soon. The Radio Documentary and Oral History programs run January 10-14 in Hudson. Summer 2015 workshops will be announced in December and two scholarships to the summer Oral History Intensive will be awarded to local residents, based on need and applicants’ plans to use the tools for community-based projects, according to the http://www.oralhistorysummerschool.com/apply website.

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., Nov. 15. PLAY AUDIO (3:00)

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

• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 38, and a low around 21.

• Sunday: Cloudy, with a high near 42, and a slight chance of rain and snow showers before 7 p.m., then turning to light snow. Overnight, cloudy, with a low around 26.

• Monday: Snow likely before 10 a.m., then rain and snow likely between 10 a.m. and noon, then rain likely after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 38.

Sunrise 6:46 a.m.
Sunset 4:33 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon Prev Day 1:02 P.M.
Mercury 5:36 A.M. 4:03 P.M.
Venus 7:14 A.M. 4:51 P.M.
Mars 10:55 A.M. 7:51 P.M.
Jupiter 10:53 P.M. 12:53 P.M.
Saturn 6:55 A.M. 4:49 P.M.
Uranus 2:46 P.M. 3:27 A.M.
Neptune 1:19 P.M. 12:11 A.M.
Pluto 10:24 A.M. 7:49 P.M.

WGXC Programming

Pythias Braswell
Nov. 14, 2014: 8 p.m. – Nov. 15, 2014: 2 a.m.
Low Power Hour: 20141115
Nov. 15, 2014: 5 a.m. – 6 a.m.
Amateur Radio Newsline: Argentina
Nov. 15, 2014: 6 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.
Glenn Hauser's World of Radio: Finland
Nov. 15, 2014: 6:30 a.m. – 7 a.m.
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: Lame Ducks
Nov. 15, 2014: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Saturday Morning Serial: Hunting Season
Nov. 15, 2014: 9 a.m. – noon
Other Music: Jack Schoonover
Nov. 15, 2014: 12:05 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Distract and Disable: November 2014
Nov. 15, 2014: 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Radia: Bojan Anđelković
Nov. 15, 2014: 3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Framework: Martin Clarke
Nov. 15, 2014: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Tabs Out: Howard Stelzer
Nov. 15, 2014: 10 p.m. – Nov. 16, 2014: 1 a.m.

WGXC spoke with David and Wanda Dorpfeld, well-known local historians, about their book "Legendary Locals of Greene County," released Oct. 26 by Arcadia Publishing. David Dorpfeld is the Greene County Historian, born in Catskill. Wanda Dorpfeld is a retired teacher from the Catskill School District, and serves on the boards of the Greene County Historical Society and the Heermance Memorial Library in Coxsackie. The two talked to living legends in Greene County, and researched historical figures. One fictional character, Rip Van Winkle, also figures in. The duo host a book-signing event Dec. 4 in the Vedder Research Library at the Bronck Museum in Coxsackie. Click here to hear the interview from the "WGXC Morning Show" Nov. 14 with David and Wanda Dorpfeld. PLAY AUDIO (26:34)

Barbara Reina is reporting in the Register Star a member of the Ichabod Crane Board of Education is calling for the public disclosure of all district employee salaries. At the regular meeting of the board last week, Jeffrey Ouellette raised his concerns about the Oct. 7 executive session and the subsequent public vote. He said the recent salary increases awarded to non-bargaining employees should be included in board meeting minutes. Ouellette said Ichabod Crane is the only district in Columbia County that does not incorporate all personnel agenda items and stipend information in board minutes. He said the board's practice may not be in compliance with a variety of laws, including the Public Officers Law and the Open Meetings Law. In a subsequent interview with Reina, Superintendent George Zini said all salaries are accounted for and totaled in annual budgets. He also said individual salaries of non-bargaining employees are available through the Freedom of Information Law, or FOIL requests. Zini said the board would seek a legal opinion from the school attorney. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Jim Planck is reporting in The Daily Mail the Catskill Town Board adopted its 2015 budget in a 3 to 2 split vote last week. The vote was taken following a public hearing on the plan. The $6.67 budget carries a $3.31 million tax levy, a half-percent increase over last year. The lone speaker at the public hearing was Catskill Planning Board Chairman Joseph Izzo, who spoke in his capacity as a private citizen concerning the unequal town justice salaries. Izzo said because both positions carry the same workload, he believed it was inappropriate to pay the two justices different salaries. Catskill Town Supervisor Joseph Leggio said the matter was discussed during budget workshops. He said it was believed both salaries are consistent with what the workload demands. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.