Kyle Adams is reporting in The Daily Mail various homes in Greene County will be repaired free of charge this week courtesy of Reach Workcamp youth volunteers. The teens come from all over the Northeast to spend one week providing free labor to help the elderly, handicapped and low-income residents complete home repairs and renovations. Organized by local churches, the volunteers provide weatherproofing, painting, and building or repairing porches, flooring and roofing. A total of 440 youths and chaperones are working on 36 homes in Acra, East Durham, Round Top, Cairo, Leeds, South Cairo, Cornwallville, Oak Hill, Durham and Purling this week. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Joe Gentile is reporting in the Register Star plans are underway to sell the former Ockawamick (AH-kah-wahm-ick) School on Route 217 in Claverack. The Columbia County Board of Supervisors purchased the 24-acre property in 2008 for $1.5 million. A current appraisal placed the property's value at $700,000. The board will be asked to approve a resolution declaring the building and grounds as surplus next month. The property would then be sold at auction to the highest bidder in September. The buyer would be responsible for all costs related to the sale. Ockawamick has served as an informal storage unit for county office furniture and courthouse items since 2010. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 90F; low 62F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 90F; low 64F.[/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's Storm Prediction Center has placed all of eastern New York and western New England at a slight risk for severe thunderstorms through the evening of Wed., July 23, as a cold front moves across the region. Some of these storms will become severe. The main threat will be from damaging wind gusts and cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy downpours so there is the threat of minor flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas. Thunderstorms will diminish in coverage and intensity Wednesday evening as the cold front slides south of the region.

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High near 88. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. Tuesday night, showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Cloudy. Low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Forecast for the next three days:
Thursday: A slight chance of showers before noon. Mostly cloudy. High near 77. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 55.
Friday: Sunny. High near 83. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 57.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 84. Saturday night, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 64.

Sunrise today: 5:40 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:23 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:43 hrs.

Town meetings
Today is the fourth Wednesday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.


ATHENS Village meeting at 7 p.m. at Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
CAIRO at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo (622-3120).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Public Works Committee at 6 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
HUDSON Common Council Public Works Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m.; Legal Committee meeting, 6:15 p.m., at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUDSON Development Corporation meeting at 12 p.m. (noon) at 1 North Front St., Hudson (751-1044).
KINDERHOOK Historical Committee meeting at 7 p.m., Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
1 a.m.: Vital Weekly: Sawako Episode 941 of weekly experimental new music show, by folks formerly behind Staalplaat. Click on title for playlist 941.
2 a.m.: Tabs Out: Aaron Dilloway It’s the Tabs Out 50th Episode Block Party! Games! Prizes! Excitement! Tapes! We opened up the Tabs Out Hotline and took some on-air calls, Frasier style, and kicked out jams by Aaron Dilloway, MICROFL▼RSCNCE, Rug, Roofer’s Nest, Methadrone, God Is Black, 555, Jump Rope, Hybrination, Wes Tirey, DJ DJ Tanner, Forma, Orbits, Caroline Says, Underwater Escape From the Black Hole, Goliath Bird Eater, LXV, Macho Blush, and Kyle Landstra.

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. Hosted by Pete Lievense.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues.
11 a.m.: Zoom: '69 A special episode: In Chapter 69, host Tyson Hauf welcomes the Magic Stranger, host of '69. See what kind of invisible landscape these faux cartographers can muster! Live from the Hudson studio.
2 p.m.: Barbershop Talks: Hudson Block Party, Social Justice Leadership Academy Discussion about the upcoming second annual block party sponsored by the Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood and the Staley B. Keith Social Justice Center. Students from the Social Justice Leadership Academy stop by the studio, plus talks about "the Decision." Hosted by Kamal Johnson and Vern Cross.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Feature Story News

Audrey Matott is reporting in The Daily Mail Cairo-Durham Central School District Superintendent Mary Fassett was relieved of her duties as of Fri., July 18. No formal statement has yet been released by the district or the Board of Education. A comment posted on Facebook Sun., July 20, indicated Fassett was escorted out of the central office, Friday. A call to the district office Mon., July 21, was returned by Cairo-Durham High School Principal Anthony Taibi (TAI-ea-bee), who confirmed he has been named acting superintendent. Information on the details of Fassett's sudden departure were not forthcoming. The board is expected to take further action at its Aug. 5 meeting, Taibi said. A former Superintendent of the Downsville Central School District, Fassett assumed the top spot at Cairo-Durham in Dec. 2012. Last month, the board extended her contract for an additional year, until June 30, 2017. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Joe Gentile is reporting in the Register Star Columbia County could lose the Eat Smart New York Nutrition Education program. A $5 billion reduction in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has limited the county's ability to participate in the program. Community Health and Wellness Team Coordinator Becky Polmateer called the the loss a blow to the county. Eat Smart New York helps sponsor classes and events on how SNAP recipients can still eat nutritiously, as part of the former food stamps program. The SNAP program is administered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties. Cornell Cooperative is now exploring other funding options for the program, possibly through the Galvan or Dyson foundations. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Brian Nearing is reporting in the Times Union the U.S. Environmental Agency is revamping its $2.5 million water treatment system at the toxic Dewey Loeffel Landfill. The upgrade will remove an additional type of pollution not addressed when the system first began running last winter. The system will now remove a stabilizer and solvent that is also a component of some cosmetics, detergents and shampoos. The upgraded system is scheduled to be in place by November. In a statement, the EPA said the water treatment rate at the facility will be reduced while the additional equipment is installed. Afterward, the treatment rate will be increased and water will be sampled at least three times before any discharge into the Valatie Kill is approved. The system is meant to cleanse toxins seeping through water beneath the 16-acre, unlined dump, which contains about 46,000 tons of PCBs, solvents and other toxic chemicals. Dewey Loeffel operated from 1952 to 1970, when it was closed by a court order. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 87F; low 66F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 87F; low 67F.[/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 showers after noon. Patchy fog between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High near 88. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 67.

Forecast for the next three days:
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11 a.m. Mostly sunny. High near 89. Wednesday night, showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 68.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 79. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 57.
Friday: Sunny. High near 83. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 59.

Sunrise today: 5:39 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:24 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:45 hrs.

Town meetings
Today is the fourth Tuesday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.


COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Insurance Committee meeting, 9 a.m.; County Government Committee meeting, 5 p.m. at 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
GREENPORT Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).
HUDSON Development Corporation 7th Street Park meeting RESCHEDULED to 6:30 p.m., AUG. 7 at 1 North Front St., Hudson (751-1044).

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 Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Pete Lievense.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Feature Story News

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., July 18 through Mon., July 21:

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="293"] The burning TCI facility in West Ghent, Aug. 2012.
(Courtesy Times Union)[/caption]

Matt Bathrick reported in the Columbia Paper Ghent Town Attorney Ted Guterman announced Thurs., July 17, the lawsuit initiated last year by the electrical transformer recycler TCI of NY LLC has been settled. The settlement requires TCI to withdraw its application to rebuild at the West Ghent site, and to have all transformers currently stored there removed by the end of this year. It also requires TCI to drop all claims made against the town of Ghent. Guterman said the state Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the transformers currently at the site were constructed after 1990, which means they do not contain PCB oil. A massive fire destroyed the company's facility on Falls Industrial Road on Aug. 1, 2012. In July 2013, TCI took legal action against the town, claiming officials were exceeding their authority and blocking the company from rebuilding. TCI currently operates at a leased site in Coeymans, Albany County. The company is building a new permanent facility at that location.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="160"] Claude Haton
(Courtesy Facebook)[/caption]

Raymond Pignone, Managing Editor of The Daily Mail reported award-winning local photographer and journalist Claude Haton has died at the age of 57. Haton succumbed to an apparent heart attack at his home in Round Top Sat., July 19, his sister Claudette said. Haton covered a variety of stories during a career that spanned more than three decades, from fire and floods to profiles of war veterans and 100th birthday parties, school events and parades. Haton received an Associated Press award for his photographs of the Feb. 1989 tire fire in Catskill. Haton was also a musician and served as a volunteer firefighter with the Round Top Fire Department. A wake will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fri., July 25 at Richards Funeral Home in Cairo.

Joe Gentile reported in the Register Star the search for a new social services commissioner in Columbia County is under way. The committee charged with identifying and hiring the new department head has approximately 50 resumes from candidates within the Hudson Valley and beyond to sort through three weeks following the retirement of Paul Mossman. The search committee is looking to identify and hire Mossman's replacement sometime in early to mid-September. Deputy commissioner Kary Jablonka is currently serving as the department's interim commissioner.

Kyle Adams is reporting in The Daily Mail women farmers from all over New York came to Greene County, Sun., July 20, to attend a forum hosted by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER-sten Jill-ah-brand), state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk (KAT-chik), and the New York State Beginning Women Farmers Program. Approximately 40 people attended the discussion, which focused on the unique challenges and obstacles faced by female farmers and how the state and federal governments can help. Among the issues discussed: Access to and protections for farmland, access to capital for new or expanding farms, migrant labor and excessive regulation. Nationwide, the number of farms run by women increased from 5 percent to 14 percent from 1978 to 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is estimated that 25 percent of all farmers in the northeast are women, the highest concentration anywhere in the country. The event was held at the Crossroads Brewing Company in Athens.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 83F; low 52F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 82F; low 52F.[/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 showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny. High near 83. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Monday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 63.

Forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10 a.m. Mostly sunny. High near 87. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 67.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny. High near 89. Wednesday night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 67.
Thursday: A chance of showers before 2 p.m. Partly sunny. High near 81. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 59.

Sunrise today: 5:38 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:25 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:46 hrs.

Town meetings
Today is the third Monday of the month.
WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.


ATHENS Town meeting at 6:45 p.m. at Town Hall, 2 First Street, Athens (734-3636).
AUSTERLITZ Comprehensive plan meeting at 7 p.m., at 812 Route 203, Austerlitz (392-3260).
CANAAN Planning board meeting at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1647 Route 5 South, Canaan (781-3144).
GERMANTOWN Town Board meets at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
GREENE COUNTY 6 p.m. meetings of Government Ops and Finance committees, plus party caucuses at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Town Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Offices, corner of routes 32 and 81, Greenville (966-8276).

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 Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Pete Lievense.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Feature Story News

Ned P. Rauch reports in The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News that a rock slide that covered some Metro-North Railroad tracks between Peekskill and Garrison on the Hudson line July 19 suspended all service, with no official word when it will be restored. Metropolitan Transportation Authority police Lt. Ray Skopin said crews were working on a retaining wall at 4:30 p.m.near the Westchester County border when rocks spilled onto the tracks and blocked all train traffic. No one was injured. Read the full story in USA Today.

UPDATE: The Metro-North Railroad said train service resumed around midnight Saturday/Sunday after hours of repairs to the tracks between the Garrison and Peekskill stations on the Hudson Line.

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sun., July 20. PLAY AUDIO (1:27)

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

• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78, and a low around 56.

• Monday: A slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 82, and a low around 60.

• Tuesday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

Sunrise 5:37 a.m.
Sunset 7:26 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 12:49 A.M. 3:06 P.M.
Mercury 4:12 A.M. 7:13 P.M.
Venus 3:39 A.M. 6:47 P.M.
Mars 1:20 P.M. 12:05 A.M.
Jupiter 5:54 A.M. 8:36 P.M.
Saturn 2:52 P.M. 1:12 A.M.
Uranus 11:38 P.M. 12:28 P.M.
Neptune 10:09 P.M. 9:07 A.M.
Pluto 7:07 P.M. 4:39 A.M.

WGXC Programming

Framework: Jonas Gustafsson
July 20, 2014: 4 a.m. – 5 a.m.
"Framework" is a show about field recordings, found sounds, and acoustic ecology. This regular edition features works by Toy.Bizarre, Martin Clarke, Sala, Jonas Gustafsson, sounds from the Aporee Maps, and an intro recorded by Stéphane Marin.

CounterSpin: David Alexander Bullock, Ralph Nader
July 20, 2014: 5:30 a.m. – 6 a.m.
This is the 20th year of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting's media analysis radio show, hosted by Janine Jackson, Steve Rendall, and Peter Hart. This week:: "David Alexander Bullock on Detroit Water, Ralph Nader on Export-Import Bank."

Rick Karlin is reporting in the Times Union a state workers union has filed a grievance over the Cuomo administration’s use of surveillance cameras to gather evidence in cases of employees allegedly taking time off from work improperly. The Public Employees Federation filed a grievance this month with the Department of Environmental Conservation. It alleged that using cameras to track work habits violates a section of its labor contract. DEC managers say the devices are used to verify the comings and goings of state workers. The number of other state agencies using surveillance cameras is not known. The PEF represents many of the state’s white-collar workers, also known as the professional, scientific and technical staff. Read the full story in the Times Union.

[caption width="300" align="alignleft"] A DJI model radio-controlled drone.[/caption]The Daily Freeman reports that David P. Beesmer, 49, from Lake Katrine in Ulster County was charged with unlawful surveillance after flying a camera-equipped, radio-controlled drone near windows at a medical building, state police said July 16. Beesmer was charged with the felony July 15 after operating the drone equipped with a video camera near the Mid-Hudson Medical Group building on U.S. Route 9W, according to his Facebook page. He was using the drone to view examining rooms in the medical facility, according to police. On his Facebook page, Beesmer called his action a “huge error in judgment” and said he merely wanted to capture video of the new building. The radio-controlled drone was a DJI model equipped with a silver camera. Beesmer was released with a ticket to appear in Ulster Town Court. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Thirteen U.S. Senators were among thousands of Americans commenting to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposed rulemaking on its Open Internet order, otherwise known as "net neutrality." New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with eleven other Senate Democrats, called on the Commission to reclassify the transmission component of broadband internet access as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. In a letter sent to the FCC July 18, the lawmakers asked the FCC to use its authority to, “prevent broadband providers from creating internet fast lanes for those who can pay, leaving others stuck in traffic.” The FCC is currently considering a proposal that could allow broadband providers to charge websites, applications, and services more for faster delivery times to consumers. “Broadband is a more advanced technology than phone service, but in the 21st century it performs the same essential function.... Accordingly, it would be appropriate for the FCC to reclassify broadband to reflect the vital role the internet plays in carrying our most important information and our greatest ideas.” The public comment period on net neutrality ended July 18.

[caption width="176" align="alignright"] Edward Snowden, from Wikipedia.[/caption]Edward Snowden will be live on WGXC Sat., July 19 at 2 p.m., talking from Russia to the Hope X Conference that Wave Farm Radio and WGXC are broadcasting this weekend. Tune in right after Daniel Ellsberg's talk at 1 p.m. at the hacker conference in New York City. Next Saturday, tune in for Stephen Merritt of The Magnetic Fields. WGXC will feature an interview with the now Hudson-based musician, and a recording of his solo show July 25 at Helsinki Hudson.

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., July 19. PLAY AUDIO (4:08)

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

• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78, and a low around 55.

• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78, and a low around 54.

• Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 83, and a low around 62.

Sunrise 5:36 a.m.
Sunset 8:26 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 12:13 A.M. 2:04 P.M.
Mercury 4:10 A.M. 7:10 P.M.
Venus 3:38 A.M. 6:45 P.M.
Mars 1:22 P.M. 12:08 A.M.
Jupiter 5:56 A.M. 8:39 P.M.
Saturn 2:56 P.M. 1:16 A.M.
Uranus 11:42 P.M. 12:32 P.M.
Neptune 10:13 P.M. 9:11 A.M.
Pluto 7:11 P.M. 4:43 A.M.

WGXC Programming

Amateur Radio Newsline: WRTC2014
July 19, 2014: 6 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.
Off The Hook: Hope X
July 19, 2014: 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: Optics
July 19, 2014: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Radia: Martin Anastasovski
July 19, 2014: 3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Radio Readings: Oral History Summer School 2014
July 19, 2014: 3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday Afternoon Show: Sonic Delights
July 19, 2014: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

The Register Star is reporting New York State Assembly member Didi Barrett of Hudson, announced Thurs., July 17,  she will seek re-election in November. In a statement released on Facebook, Barrett reported she collected nearly 2,000 signatures, triple the amount required, on nominating petitions submitted July 10. Barrett was first elected to represent the 106th Assembly District in 2012. She cited her opposition to high-voltage power lines, introducing and passing Lyme disease legislation, and voting against all tax increases, among her first-term accomplishments. Barrett also voted to pass the Women’s Equality Act. Barrett's challenger on the Republican and Conservatives lines is Michael N. Kelsey. Kelsey is a life-long resident of Dutchess County and is currently serving as a member of the Dutchess County Legislature.

Barrett's 2014 Campaign Announcement (2:25):

Kyle Adams reported in The Daily Mail Greene County Treasurer Peter Markou has announced his office will soon commission an audit of 700 county employees with health benefits to verify dependent eligibility. The audit will evaluate the authenticity of dependent claims on health insurance forms. Markou said, "My expectation is that we're going to find some real savings here." The cost of the audit is as yet unknown. Markou made the announcement at a meeting of the county Legislature's Finance Committee early this week. The county currently spends approximately $11 million on employee health benefits, including retirees. The audit will begin sometime in August or September and is expected to take 90 days to complete. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 80F; low 58F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 79F; low 58F.[/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: Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, sunny. High near 81. Friday night, clear. Low around 54.

Forecast for the next three days:
Saturday: Patchy fog between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Otherwise, increasing clouds. High near 79. Saturday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 56.
Sunday: Partly sunny. High near 80. Sunday night, partly cloudy. Low around 58.
Monday: Mostly sunny. High near 85. Monday night, partly cloudy. Low around 64.

Sunrise today: 5:35 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:27 p.m.
Length of the day: 14:51 hrs.

Town meetings
Today is the third Friday of the month.
WGXC is unaware of any recurring meetings scheduled for today.

The day ahead on WGXC 90.7-FM
1 a.m.: Taran's Free Jazz Hour: Blaise Siwula Episode 20 of 2014 of two-hour free jazz show that airs on eight European radio stations and Wave Farm Radio and WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, in New York, in the United States. Click on title to access the playlist.
3 a.m.: Selected Songs: Charlie Haden Charles Edward "Charlie" Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman, pianist Keith Jarrett, and his Liberation Music Orchestra, a group he co-led with pianist Carla Bley.
5 a.m.: Aaron Swartz  "The Story of Aaron Swartz" film is discussed on "TUC Radio." This program is based on the soundtrack of the 2014 movie: "The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz." His death at age 26 in 2013 made the internet light up with grief and also anger at a judicial system that haunted and hunted him. He was facing 35 years in prison and $1 million in fines for bulk-downloading from a site, JSTOR, that was freely available to Massachusetts Institute of Technology students.

10 a.m., July 18 to 7 p.m., July 20: Hope X 2014 Hope X will take place on July 18, 19, and 20, 2014 at the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City, with portions broadcast through Radio Statler to Wave Farm Radio (1620-AM) and WGXC (90.7-FM). H.O.P.E. stands for Hackers On Planet Earth, one of the most creative and diverse hacker events in the world. It's been happening since 1994. Hope X has three days and nights of provocative and enlightening speakers, and all sorts of hacker projects and assorted fun stuff. In the past we've had huge hackerspace villages, film festivals, Segway rides, lock picking villages, a wide variety of vendors, art installations, live video, vintage computers, robots, an amateur/ham radio station, electronics workshops, book signings, and the country's biggest supply of Club-Mate. Radio broadcast schedule will be announced July 17. Speakers and performers include Edward Snowden (via video link), Andrew Yoder, Barton Gellman, Daniel Ellsberg, Joshua Fried, Eleanor Saitta, Ranga Krishnan, Thomas Drake, and many others. http://www.hope.net/ http://radio.hope.net/

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 Acra studio at the Wave Farm Study Center. Hosted by Tom Roe.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues.
10 a.m.: ¿Qué cocinaré hoy?: Emma Kreyche, La Voz 10th Anniversary Conversation about the tenth anniversary celebration of "La Voz" magazine, set to take place Aug. 12 at Bard College's Spiegeltent. An interview with Emma Kreyche, from the Workers Justice Center of New York, about the new program to empower local leaders on labor rights, called promotores; the community ID initiative, now expanding to Saugerties; and the crisis of the unaccompanied children who arriving in the U.S. at unprecedented numbers. Hosted by Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores Lobos.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Feature Story News

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="287"] Athens, N.Y.
(Courtesy cruisingonmonarch.blogspot.com)[/caption]

Melanie Lekocevic is reporting in The Daily Mail on public reaction to a proposed public nuisance law in the village of Athens. The law would expand the powers of village government to oversee and penalize abandoned or damaged properties, and homes where illegal activities are taking place. Officials argue the legislation is needed to ensure a certain quality of life is maintained. Dozens of critics, concerned with implementation of the law, turned out for the recent public hearing. Some said the proposed law would put too much power into the hands of village officials. There was also concern that power would be misused. Others argued existing laws were sufficient, if they would be enforced. Following the public hearing, the Village Board chose to table the measure. Mayor Chris Pfister said the law will eventually come back to the board for a vote. He said, "...it will be a good thing for the community and a necessary tool." Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

The Taghkanic Democratic Committee has endorsed Linda Swartz for Town Board and Peter Frank for town justice, according to a statement published in the Register Star. Swartz, who is unaffiliated with a political party, will face Republican Carolyn Sammons in the November election. Swartz is a member of the Taghkanic Zoning Commission and the town’s financial advisory committee. She has been among the leaders of the opposition to the proposed development of a commercial gravel mine in a non-industrial area of the town. She is a retired state Department of Transportation official. Frank is a certified mediator active in Catskill, Albany and New York City. He is also a television and film editor. Frank agreed to have his name placed on the ballot until the replacement committee can bring forward a new nominee. He has until Aug. 22 to decline the nomination.

The Times Union is reporting a recently completed million-dollar renovation project at a local state park is set to be unveiled. The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is showcasing the $1.1 million in improvements made at the Copake Falls section of Taconic State Park in Copake. The project improved the park's entrance road and other infrastructure. An old parking lot was replaced with a lawn for picnicking, as well. The renovation was one of more than 100 launched two years ago at state parks and historic sites across New York as part of a $420 million improvement project. State parks officials are holding a ceremony Fri., July 18, at the new overlook area next to the main parking lot.