Joe Gentile is reporting in the Register Star the Copake Town Board Thurs., Jan. 23, passed legislation to regulate slaughterhouses in the small farming community. Board members unanimously adopted the law following a public hearing where local residents debated the environmental costs and economic benefits of amending the local zoning law to permit farmers to commercially slaughter poultry and rabbits on their own farms. Local regulations apply to any facility that slaughters between 1,000 and 8,000 poultry birds and rabbits, or 256 to 2,000 turkeys, per year. The animals must be raised for at least 75 percent of their lifespan on the property before being slaughtered, according to the law. Town Supervisor Jeff Nayer said he believed the law effectively balanced the interests of residents and farmers, alike. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Barbara Reina is reporting in the Register Star the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thurs., Jan. 24, effective immediately, treated toxins will be released into the Valatie Kill from a newly completed water treatment plant at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill federal Superfund site in Nassau. The release of treated discharges is part of a $2.5 million water treatment plant project at the site to collect and remove contaminated groundwater and leachate by treating the contaminants and discharging them into the water. Kinderhook Town Supervisor Pat Grattan and Valatie Village Mayor Diane Argyle both told the paper they did not receive any information on the EPA decision. The EPA has ignored multiple requests by state and local officials for a comprehensive public health study to be conducted before the treated toxins were discharged into the kill, Grattan said. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 18F; low 11F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 17F; low 11F.[/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 16. Wind chill values as low as -16. Friday night, a chance of snow showers, mainly after 5 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -7. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Forecast for the next three days:
Saturday: Snow likely, mainly after 8 a.m. Cloudy. High near 28. Wind chill values as low as -5. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Saturday night, a chance of snow showers, mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 7. Wind chill values as low as -5. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.
Sunday: A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny. High near 23. Sunday night, a chance of snow showers. Cloudy. Low around 14.
Monday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 29. Monday night, partly cloudy. Low around -4.

Sunrise today: 7:15 a.m.
Sunset today: 5 p.m.

Length of the day: 9:45 hrs.

Town meetings

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

CLERMONT Zoning Board of Appeals, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
HUDSON Historic Preservation Commission Public Hearing to receive public comment on an application submitted by Galvan Initiatives for new construction at 215 Union Street in the city, followed by the Commission's regular meeting at 10 a.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Headlines Radio news about radio waves.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Prince's Computers Matthew Hall at The Awl notes Prince's long-term relationship with computers. Tune in "Computer Blue," "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)," "My Computer" (with Kate Bush), "Emale," "Batdance," Plus clear reference points: Funkadelic's "No Compute," and Afrika Bambaata’s "Looking For The Perfect Beat." Plus The Time's "777-9311."
1 a.m.: Taran's Free Jazz Hour: Alan Purves Episode 1 of 2014 of two-hour free jazz show that airs on eight European radio stations and free103point9 Online Radio and WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, in New York, in the United States. Click on title to access the playlist.
5 a.m.: What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: NSA Surveillance New proposals from Pres. Obama on NSA surveillance and data collection are out. Now what? Told through narration, music and soundbites. Hosted by Paul Fischer, through Pacifica Radio.

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 Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. Hosted by Phil Grant. Call in with your views at 518-828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show The Morning Show continues with local news, weather and events.
10 a.m.: ¿Qué cocinaré hoy?: Manuel Castro, Fanny Prizant Peruvian-born journalist and activist Fanny Prizant discusses her life as an immigrant, and her local television show. Also Manuel Castro, from the New York Immigration Coalition, talks about the campaign to provide driver licenses for undocumented immigrants in New York. Hosted by Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores Lobos.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show: Chris Freeman Multi-media artist Chris Freeman will be in the Hudson studio to talk about his work as a painter, photographer and production designer. Plus, news, weather, music and more! Hosted by Mark Bailey, Gregor Trieste and Jack Ross-Pilkington.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="256"] Cairo-Durham Elementary School
located in Durham.
(Courtesy cairodurham.org)[/caption]

Jessica Mosier is reporting in The Daily Mail members of the Durham community came out Tues., Jan. 21, to voice concerns to the town board over allegations plans are underway to close the former Durham Elementary School building. Talk of the closure has been circulating since a released Dec. 2013 report was posted on Facebook. The document included reports from various school personnel, including Superintendent Mary Fassett, building principals and the transportation department. Town Supervisor William A. Carr said Tuesday said that while the town board has no jurisdiction over the building's fate, there is an element of overlap between the Town Board and the Board of Education on this issue. Carr said any decision to re-purpose or close the school will have a significant impact on the town, including a negative effect on property values. Carr suggested those concerned find out what action the school board is actually considering. He said, "...I have to believe they are conscientious people,...and I have to believe they have the kids best intentions [in mind]." The Cairo-Durham Board of Education meets 7 p.m., Thurs., Jan. 23. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Adam Clayton is reporting in the Register Star at a meeting of the Taconic Hills Board of Education, Wed., Jan. 22, Superintendent Neil Howard reported he has been in contact with Columbia County Sheriff David Bartlett about having a School Resource Officer assigned to the district. Howard said Bartlett originally planned to budget for two officers, to split their time between four districts. Howard said, "I felt we could do better than that." Howard said he believes with enough advance planning the school district could pay half the cost for an officer dedicated full time to Taconic Hills. Concerns over student safety in the district have been heightened since a rumored threat of violence on Dec. 16. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Ariel Zangla writes in the Daily Freeman a contract to install a steel communications tower on property provided to Greene County by Windham Mountain has been given final approval. The Greene County Legislature last week adopted a resolution awarding the construction job to CDE Electric of Cairo. The resolution was adopted in a 13-0 vote with Legislature Chairman Wayne Speenburgh absent. The tower will be installed after the snow melts, County Administrator Shaun Groden has said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 17F; low 2F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 17F; low 3F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.

FAR LEFT: The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

Local weather forecast
Today’s forecast is specific to Catskill, in Greene County:
Today: Scattered flurries. Mostly cloudy. High near 15. Wind chill values as low as -5. Thursday night, mostly cloudy. Low around -1. Wind chill values as low as -14.

Forecast for the next three days:
Friday: Mostly sunny. High near 15. Wind chill values as low as -15. Friday night, a chance of snow showers, mainly after 3 a.m. Increasing clouds. Low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -5.
Saturday: Snow likely, mainly between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Cloudy. High near 26. Saturday night, a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 5.
Sunday: Partly sunny. High near 23. Sunday night, snow likely. Mostly cloudy. Low around 13.

Sunrise today: 7:15 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:59 p.m.

Length of the day: 9:43 hrs.

Town meetings

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

CHATHAM Village Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
COLUMBIA COUNTY .1 (point one) Committee at 1 p.m.; Finance Committee at 2 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
COPAKE Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GERMANTOWN Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
STUYVESANT Greenway Committee meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
WINDHAM Town Board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Headlines Radio news about radio waves.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Sam Sebren Remixed Sam Sebren's Oct. 12, 2013presentation about transmission art and radio art is remixed by Tom Roe.
1 a.m.: Sound Forms: Marathon As Peter Wetzler's "Sound Forms: Conversations with Composers" returns to the airwaves, listen back to four past shows focusing on the works of Pauline Oliveros, Richard Robbins, Henry Lowengard, and others.
5 a.m.: Off The Hook: 20140123 Do not call during rebroadcast. Off The Hook, from the hacker zine 2600, airs every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET in New York City on WBAI 99.5 FM, and is rebroadcast the next morning at 5 a.m. on WGXC and free103point9 Online Radio. It is simulcast online via streaming MP3 and via shortwave on WBCQ The Planet at 5110 KHz. Join #offthehook on irc.2600.net to chat during the show. Email show at oth [at] 2600.com. Do not call during the rebroadcast. Rebroadcast from Jan. 15, 2013.

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 Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. Hosted by Phil Grant. Call in with your views at 518-828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show The Morning Show continues with local news, weather and events.
10 a.m.: Prison Voices Project: Fight for Parole Justice Milk Not Jails, the Center for Law & Justice, New York State Prisoner Justice Network, Capitol Area Against Mass Incarceration, and NYInsideOUT delivered and installed an exhibit of more than 100 letters from people in prison and their families recounting their experience with repeated denial of parole in New York state. Tune in to hear excerpts from these letters and coverage of the campaign to pass the SAFE Parole act. Hosted by Cory Fischer-Hoffman.
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: Chicken Hearts Arch Oboler's "Lights Out" radio show is featured, with an episode called "Drop Dead Chicken Heart," and Bill Cosby's "Chicken Heart" track about listening to that "Lights Out" radio show, and setting the couch on fire, to stop the chicken heart on the radio. Plus Charles Mingus' "Eat That Chicken" and Cibo Matto's "Know Your Chicken."
3:30 p.m.: Kids' Brain Radio Live from the Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Matt Bua and Sam Sebren.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show Live from the Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Peter Krug and Jillian Sutton.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="154"] Thomas Cole, 1846[/caption]

Kyle Adams is reporting in The Daily Mail the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill announced this week it will receive a massive collection of the artist’s letters and other documents. The collection includes thousands of letters, slides of Cole’s drawings and paintings, exhibition records, articles and reviews of his work. “We’re thrilled,” Cole House Executive Director Elizabeth Jacks told the paper. The documents were compiled by Cole scholar Ellwood Parry. Parry sold the collection and it was later purchased by Michael Altman of Michael Altman Fine Art in New York City. Altman donated the materials to the Cole House. The archive will not be opened to the public. It will be kept as a resource for Cole scholars and staff of the Cole House. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

The Athens Citizens Development Committee presented a Freedom of Information Law request to the Athens Town Board during the board's regular meeting, Tues., Jan. 21. Approximately 15 members of the public were in attendance. The group is seeking information concerning the West Point Partners proposed project for buried dC power lines and converter station in Athens. Group spokesman Ralph Favicchio questioned the board about a resolution opposing the proposed route of the cables through the village and the proposed siting of the converter station on land zoned rural residential/open space conservation. Town Supervisor Joseph Iraci responded to Favicchio's concerns, explaining the nature of town officials' interaction with West Point to date PLAY (:35). [Ed. note: Sebren is a founding member of ACDC.]

-- Sam Sebren

Full audio
(Recorded and produced by Sam Sebren)

• Favicchio addressed the board about the West Point converter station and questioned the benefits of the project. Responses from board member April Paluch and Iraci. PLAY (4:30)


• Full presentation by ACDC PLAY (23:23)

Casey Seiler is reporting in the Times Union Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's executive budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins in April holds the growth in state spending below the 2 percent mark that has stood as his benchmark for past budgets. Under the plan, growth in state operating funds spending would be held to 1.7 percent. Growth in all funds spending, which includes federal dollars that flow to the state, would be held to just 1.3 percent. The budget presented Tues., Jan. 21, includes cuts in spending for a number of state agencies including the Department of Health and the Department of Labor. The costliest item in the list of tax reform proposals is the $400 million property tax freeze, which would benefit taxpayers in localities that keep their own budgets within the rate of inflation. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Delayed openings, Wed., Jan. 22

Hunter-Tannersville Central School District | Delayed two hours.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District | Delayed two hours.

Sources: Times Union and Fox23 Albany

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 13F; low 2F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 13F; low 3F.[/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 Wind Chill Advisory for the Capital Region, central Mohawk Valley, northern Taconics, northeast Catskills and southern Vermont, remains in effect until noon, Wednesday. Dangerously cold wind chill readings of 15 to 29 below zero are possible. North winds of 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph are possible.

Today: Sunny. High near 13. Wind chill values as low as -21. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around -4. Wind chill values as low as -16.

Forecast for the next three days:
Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High near 16. Wind chill values as low as -15. Thursday night, cloudy. Low around -1. Wind chill values as low as -15.
Friday: Mostly sunny. High near 17. Friday night, a slight chance of snow showers after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 11.
Saturday: Snow showers likely. Cloudy. High near 30. Saturday night, a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 7.

Sunrise today: 7:15 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:59 p.m.

Length of the day: 9:41 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 Public Works Committee at 6 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson.
HUDSON Common Council Public Works Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m.; Legal Committee meeting starts at 6:15 p.m at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUDSON Development Corporation meeting 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 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Police Surveillance Radio news about radio waves. "Democracy Now!" reports about surveillance reforms; "Feature Story News" reports about the LAPD plan to put video cameras on police.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: President Obama's NSA Speech Remixed At a major speech Jan. 17, 2013 outlining revisions to U.S. intelligence operations, Barack Obama announced a number of new procedures for the NSA, including an end to the phone tapping of world allies. Tom Roe remixes the speech live from Wave Farm.
1 a.m.: Vital Weekly: Machinefabriek Episode 915 of weekly experimental new music show, by folks formerly behind Staalplaat. Click on title for playlist 915.
2 a.m.: Selected Songs: Forcefield From Wikipedia: "Forcefield was an American noise band and art collective, founded in 1997 in Providence, Rhode Island, closely associated with Fort Thunder. Known for performing in colorful full-body knit-wear of their own design, the band rarely played outside of Rhode Island but did one US tour with their Fort Thunder roommates Lightning Bolt. Members included Meerk Puffy (Matt Brinkman), Gorgon Radeo (Jim Drain), Patootie Lobe (Ara Peterson), and Le Geef (Leif Goldberg). The group become more widely recognized after being included in the 2002 Whitney Biennial, but disbanded shortly afterwards. According to writer Rachel Kushner, the group's Whitney Biennial installation was "a pandemonium of ear-cracking sound, seizure-inducing films, and bewigged mannequins sheathed in the collective's trademark knit Afghans, which look like they were produced by a team of Taylorist acidheads with industrial looms." Third Annual Roggaboggas, the soundtrack accompanying their Biennial show, was released as a CD by Load Records in 2003. Later that year, Bulb Records put out the posthumous Lord of the Ring Modulators. In addition to performing, the group produced a number of single channel video works to be projected behind them during performances. The videos are both serious and sublime, while simultaneously maintaining a sensibility of deadpan humor and menace."
3 a.m.: Bob's Slacktime Funhouse: Rock For BSTF #722, I did a strained parody of mainstream rock radio. With my limited vocal range, I just bellowed my way through it, adding echo effects here and there and peppering a few sparse goofy SFX around.
4 a.m.: Aaron Swartz Excerpt from "Democracy Now!" about internet activist Aaron Swartz. From "Democracy Now!": "One year ago this month, the young Internet freedom activist and groundbreaking programmer Aaron Swartz took his own life. Swartz died shortly before he was set to go to trial for downloading millions of academic articles from servers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology based on the belief that the articles should be freely available online. At the time he committed suicide, Swartz was facing 35 years in prison, a penalty supporters called excessively harsh. Today we spend the hour looking at the new documentary, "The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz." We play excerpts of the film and speak with Swartz’s father Robert, his brother Noah, his lawyer Elliot Peters, and filmmaker Brian Knappenberger."
5 a.m.: Shortwave/Pirates: Nicholas Garner/N3WG From "ARRL Audio Report": "With Guest Host Katie Allen, WY7KRA* In this week's report: Amateur Radio Showing Steady Growth in the US; ARRL Education & Technology Program Offers Grants to Four Schools; The IARU Region 1 Monitoring System Notes a New Russian Over-the-horizon Radar on 20 Meters." And then, "The RAIN Report," this week: "Nicholas Garner, N3WG, talks about controlling ham radio from a smart phone."
5:30 a.m.: PCJ Media Network Plus: 20140122 International radio news, moved from its normal time slot this week for the radioCONA transmission.

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 Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. Hosted by Phil Grant. Call in with your views at 518-828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show The Morning Show continues with local news, weather and events.
10 a.m.: The Right Opinion: Melody Burns Radio host Melody Burns will be in the studio to discuss the future of conservative talk radio, her personal issues with WGDJ-AM Talk 1300 in Albany and her political activism. Until she was taken off the air last year, Burns was the only conservative woman talker on the radio in the Capital District. Hosted by Ed Fertik.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show Live from the Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Peter Krug and Jillian Sutton.

Public News Service is reporting a new report finds that a lack of a consumer utility advocate office, leaves New Yorkers paying some of the highest rates in the country. Mike Clifford has the story: PLAY (2:15). William Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. says it agrees with the AARP study. A Central Hudson spokesperson said the Poughkeepsie-based utility agrees the state needs to establish an office that can speak for consumers. “A Citizens Utility Board operated in New York until the 1990s, and Central Hudson would support the formation of a similar office today,” he said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Barbara Reina is reporting in the Register Star Niverville resident Helen Regina Rose has been nominated as a candidate for one of four vacant seats on the New York State Board of Regents. Rose has been nominated to represent Judicial District III, which includes Albany, Columbia, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties. The seat carries a five-year term. Rose was nominated by New York State Allies for Public Education, which is coalition of parents, educators and community members that have petitioned Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to stop student data collection and standardized testing, which they view as excessive. Rose was a teacher for 22 years in the Ichabod Crane School District, where she also served eight years as the teachers’ union president and six years as a board of education member. Candidates will be interviewed by state Assembly Education Committee members before the final vote by the state Legislature. The Board of Regents is responsible for the general supervision of all educational activities within the state. It presides over the State University of New York system, as well. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Kyle Adams is reporting in The Daily Mail Lt. Ronald Frascello, the provisional lieutenant of the Catskill Police Department for the past year, has been appointed the department’s permanent, full-time lieutenant by the Catskill Village Board. Frascello, who has been with the department since 1996, was appointed provisional lieutenant in September 2012. As lieutenant, he is second in command under Police Chief David Darling. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 12F; low -1F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 13F; low 0F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.

FAR LEFT: The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

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

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Wind Chill Advisory for the Capital Region, central Mohawk Valley, northern Taconics, northeast Catskills and southern Vermont, effective 6 p.m., Tues., Jan. 21, through noon, Wed., Jan. 22. Dangerously cold wind chill readings of 15 to 25 below zero are expected. The combination of wind and very cold temperatures Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will produce low wind chill values.

Today: A chance of snow, mainly after 3 p.m. Cloudy. High near 15. Wind chill values as low as zero. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of around one inch possible. Tuesday night, snow likely before 11 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 5. Wind chill values as low as -12. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Forecast for the next three days:
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny. High near 11. Wind chil values as low as -13. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around -1. Wind chill values as low as -10.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High near 19. Thursday night, cloudy. Low around 2.
Friday: Mostly sunny. High near 19. Friday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 12.

Sunrise today: 7:17 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:56 p.m.

Length of the day: 9:39 hrs.

Town meetings

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

COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Airport Committee meeting at 3 p.m., Economic Development Committee meeting at 5 p.m., Government Committee meeting at 6 p.m., all at 401 State St. in Hudson (828-1527).
DURHAM Town Board meets at 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
HILLSDALE Meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall on Main Street (325-5073).
HUDSON Finance Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m., Regular Common Council meeting at 7 p.m., both at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville (589-6150).
LEXINGTON Town board meeting at 7 p.m., at Municipal Building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
TAGHKANIC Planning Board workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall on Route 82 in West Taghkanic (851-7638).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio Stew: radioCona REuseCityREuseRadio City at Night Radio Cona broadcasts from Slovenia. Wave Farm Radio and WGXC will re-transmit these broadcast through Jan. 20 live each day at 1 p.m. ET (-5 UTC). radioCona REuseCityREuseRadio is a research/exhibition project that takes place across an FM frequency, a gallery, and urban space. It focuses on parallel possible uses of the city and radio frequencies. It brings together and presents a selection of works combining the medium of radio or sound with a certain site or place, with a special focus on nighttime. Monday 20 January, Tobačna 001 and radioCona. 7:20 p.m. Slovenia time (+1 UTC): lectures Jeff Kolar: ALERT! Transmission, Playback and Remix. Volkmar Klien: Sounds and their Consonances. 8:30 p.m.: performances. Jeff Kolar: GSM Buzz. Volkmar Klien: Zeugnisse vergangener Lebensformen. Tune in on Wave Farm Radio live, with WGXC rebroadcasting from midnight to 6 a.m. Mon., Jan. 21.

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 Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. Hosted by Phil Grant. Call in with your views at 518-828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show The Morning Show continues with local news, weather and events.
2 p.m.: Hudson Valley Tap Show Betsy Cothren, Randy Finley Host Ken Landin interviews home brewers Betsy Cothren and Randy Finley.
3 p.m.: Social Graces: Kim Bach Host Nan Marron interviews Kim Back of Verdigris Tea.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show Live from the Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Peter Krug and Jillian Sutton.

Some of the stories that made the news, Jan. 17 to Jan. 20:

Celebrations of the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were held in both Catskill and Hudson this weekend. On Sat., Jan. 18, more than 50 people participated in a candlelight march for peace and justice from St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Catskill to the front steps of the Greene County Courthouse, followed by a ceremony at the Second Baptist Church. Catskill Central School District Superintendent Kathleen Farrell was the keynote speaker. The Hudson Interfaith Council's annual event drew a capacity crowd at Shiloh Baptist Church, Sun., Jan. 19. The evening featured music from the Shiloh and Hudson High School choirs. The Rev. Jeanette Johnson of Payne A.M.E. Church in Chatham provided that event's keynote address.

The Daily Freeman reported acting Greene County Legislature chairman Kevin Lewis was injured in a motor vehicle accident Thurs., Jan. 16. He was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, according to county Administrator Shaun Groden. Lewis, a resident of Greenville, was transported to Albany Medical Center following the accident. He was a passenger in a septic service truck that overturned at the intersection of Route 23 and Bross Street, after a collision with a passenger vehicle. The investigation into the accident is continuing.

Diane Valden reported in the Columbia Paper the town of Copake is considering a draft local law to allow and regulate slaughterhouses. The Town Board will hold a public hearing on the new law at a special meeting, Thurs., Jan. 23. The potential amendment to the Town Zoning Code came about at the request of the owners and operators of Pigasso Farm. The farm raises a variety of animals for meat, including chickens, pigs, cattle, lambs and turkeys. Pigasso currently ships the animals and poultry to an off-site slaughterhouse for processing. Pigasso wants to process 2,800 chickens and 40 turkeys per year at the farm. Under the proposed law, the processing facility must be located on the same premises as a farm.

John Mason reported in the Register Star Hudson's Ferry Street Bridge recently had its weight limit downgraded from 5 tons to 3 tons by the New York State Department of Transportation. Public Works Commissioner Robert Perry said most passenger vehicles will still qualify under the new limit, but loaded trucks and vehicles pulling trailers will now have to use the Broad Street entrance to access Henry Hudson Waterfront Park. The bridge, built in 1905, is in the process of being sold to Amtrak by CSX. According to the DOT report, the structure has suffered significant deterioration over its lifetime. Mayor William H. Hallenbeck Jr. said the city is willing to seek out funds to fix and/or replace the bridge. He also told the paper the city is currently negotiating with Amtrak to purchase the bridge. Judges are needed for Odyssey of the Mind.

Kenneth C. Crowe II reported in the Times Union Region 4 of the creative problem-solving student competition is in need of more than 60 judges for the tournaments among schools from Greene, Columbia and Rensselaer counties. Judges must be 18 or older, and will be required to attend a training session on Jan. 25 or Feb. 5. The competition will be held Sat., Mar. 8, on the campus of the Rensselaer City School District. For information, contact Arlene Sampson at A Sampson [at] questar.org, or 479-6843.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 37F; low 8F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 38F; low 9F.[/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 (Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday observed): A chance of rain and snow showers before 4 p.m., then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 38. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Monday night, a slight chance of snow showers before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 9. Wind chill values as low as -2. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: A chance of snow, mainly after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 15. Wind chill values as low as -3. Tuesday night, a chance of snow, mainly before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 4. Wind child values as low as -12.
Wednesday: Mostly unny. High near 14. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 6.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High near 19. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 6.

Sunrise today: 7:20 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:51 p.m.

Length of the day: 9:31 hrs.

Town meetings

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
All nonessential federal, state, county and local municipalities are closed. Post offices, banks and school districts are also closed.


WGXC Community Council Meeting at 6:30 p.m., at the Hudson studio, 704 Columbia St., 2nd Floor. WGXC Community Council is a group appointed by the Wave Farm Board of Directors.* The Council serves in a significant advisory capacity to station management. It represents and reflects both the diversity of potential listeners served within the WGXC 90.7-FM coverage map, as well as the station’s active constituents. In addition to representation, the Council provides fundraising leadership and support to enable the station sustainability and growth. Members serve on at least one (and no more than two) of the following committees: Fundraising, Outreach, Programming, and Policy and Internal Affairs. The public is invited to observe Council meetings. Every meeting includes a time for public comments at the conclusion of the meeting. For more information, contact Lynn Sloneker lynn [at] wgxc.org. *Transmission arts organization free103point9, aka Wave Farm, is the license holder of 90.7-FM and parent organization of WGXC. PLEASE NOTE change in location. The Council will meet this month at the Hudson studio.

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio Stew: radioCona REuseCityREuseRadio City at Night: Jeff Kolar Radio Cona broadcasts from Slovenia. Wave Farm Radio and WGXC will re-transmit these broadcast through Jan. 20 live each day at 1 p.m. ET (-5 UTC). radioCona REuseCityREuseRadio is a research/exhibition project that takes place across an FM frequency, a gallery, and urban space. It focuses on parallel possible uses of the city and radio frequencies. It brings together and presents a selection of works combining the medium of radio or sound with a certain site or place, with a special focus on nighttime. Monday 20 January, Tobačna 001 and radioCona. 7:20 p.m. Slovenia time (+1 UTC): lectures Jeff Kolar: ALERT! Transmission, Playback and Remix. Volkmar Klien: Sounds and their Consonances. 8:30 p.m.: performances. Jeff Kolar: GSM Buzz. Volkmar Klien: Zeugnisse vergangener Lebensformen. Tune in on Wave Farm Radio live, with WGXC rebroadcasting from midnight to 6 a.m. Mon., Jan. 20.

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 Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. Hosted by Phil Grant. Call in with your views at 518-828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show The Morning Show continues with local news, weather and events.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show

[caption width="225" align="alignleft"] From the New York DEC's website.[/caption]Ariel Zangla in The Daily Freeman reports that the state Department of Environmental Conservation may expand black bear hunting in the Catskills and part of the Hudson Valley to manage the growing population. The plan may add an additional September gun season, for a statewide population of 6,000-8,000 bears with about 30-35 percent in the Catskills, according to the DEC. “Once limited to small, isolated populations in only the most inaccessible mountain regions of the state, conservative bear management has allowed black bear populations to increase dramatically in number and distribution in recent years,” the department says on its website. “However, as bear populations increase and more people choose to live and recreate in areas occupied by bears, human-bear conflicts also increase. Thus, managing bear populations is critically important, and managers are challenged to balance diverse public interests in bears with concern for public safety.” The DEC has a draft plan for bear management at http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/bbplandraft2014.pdf bit.ly/1azHyo3. The public can comment on the plan until Feb. 21. Comments can be mailed to NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife, Bear Management Plan, 625 Broadway, Albany, N.Y., 12233-4754 or emailed to fwwildlife@gw.dec.state.ny.us with “Bear Plan” in the subject line. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

With the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, this is another long weekend on the local slopes. Windham Mountain has 33 groomed trails, with seven lifts, over 6-48" of snow, and is open until 8 p.m. through Sunday night. For MLK weekend they are hosting a U2 cover band called Joshua Tree with DJ Brian, Johnny Moon and Starz, and others, with fireworks Sat., Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. Not to be outdone, Hunter Mountain has a laser light show, but a Bon Jovi cover band. They also have 14-62" of snow on 43 trails and seven lifts running. Catamount Ski in Hillsdale has 27 of 34 trails open, with four of six lifts running over 12-30" of snow.