The Associated Press is reporting a new poll shows a majority of New York voters support an amendment to the state Constitution to expand casino gambling. The Siena College poll released Mon., Oct. 21, found 56 percent of the respondents said they would vote yes when they were read the measure that will be on the Nov. 5 ballot, compared to 40 percent who would vote no. The amendment would allow up to seven non-Indian-owned, Las Vegas-style casinos in three regions of New York state. The Catskills region could get as many as two. Critics have claimed the wording of the ballot measure improperly crosses over into advocacy because it promises jobs, more school aid and lower taxes. The poll was conducted Oct. 14 to Oct. 16.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 59F; low 30F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 57F; low 34F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.

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

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

Today: A chance of showers, mainly between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny. High near 58. Tuesday night, areas of fog after 3 a.m. Otherwise, increasing clouds. Low around 34.

Forecast for the next three days:

Wednesday: A slight chance of showers, mainly between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Areas of frost before 10 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy. High near 51. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy during the early evening. Low around 34.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 54. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 33.
Friday: Partly sunny. High near 50. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 29.


Sunrise today: 7:17 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:01 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:44 hrs.

Town meetings

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


GREENPORT Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Sen. Ted Cruz Blocks FCC Chair Nomination First, a low-power FM update. Then, Sen. Ted Cruz is now effectively shutting down progress at the Federal Communications Commissioner. Cruz blocked the nomination of Thomas Wheeler for FCC Chairman Oct. 17. Previous chair Julius Genachowski left for a fellowship at the Aspen Institute last spring, and since then the commission is unable to move forward on major initiatives such as broadband expansion and spectrum reallocation. Cruz is blocking Wheeler, President Obama's nominee, he says, "until he gets answers to his questions regarding Mr. Wheeler’s views on whether the FCC has the authority or intent to implement the requirements of the failed Congressional DISCLOSE Act. Mr. Wheeler had previously declined to give specific answers, but as he’s now expressed his readiness to revisit the Senator’s questions, the Senator hopes to communicate with him soon." The bill, currently stalled in Congress, would regulate campaign disclosures, according to TechCrunch.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Orson Welles The radio artist, director, writer, etc. talks, and talks some more.
1 a.m.: Aliza Simons Saturday afternoon show live from WGXC's Acra studio, featuring Wave Farm Artist-in-Resident Aliza Simons. "The Tip Of The Crest Of The Bridge" consists of sixteen artist-built low-power FM transmitters. Each transmitter broadcasts a small segment of audio on loop. Together, these audio segments create an overarching sound collage and narrative story constructed from the seventy community radio stations visited by Simons in 2009 and 2010 while living in Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Argentina, Ecuador and the Canadian Arctic.
3 a.m.: The Dark Spectrum THE DARK SPECTRUM follows a series of electromagnetic (EM) spectrum mapping, interception and transmission performance structures, which the SPEKTR collective started exploring in 2004. Their new work in this series will focus on processes of encoding/decoding of the EM spectrum and natural/man made signals. SPEKTR will collectively spend time with a standard suite of tools: HF, VHF, UHF and L-band Receivers and Transmitters software defined radios, home-brew VLF receivers, and ELF probes complimented by software toolkits (COTS and custom coded) to decode, encode and visualize digital signals. Combined with image and audio recording devices and manipulation strategies, the collective will work together to develop new ideas and segments for a new performance focusing on the digital and encoded/encrypted signals domains.
5 a.m.: PCJ Media Network Plus: 20131022 International radio and media show. The show is produced jointly by PCJ in Taiwan and Canada. Producer/Presenter: Keith Perron.

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. Also local news, previews of events in Greene and Columbia counties, music, and more. Call in to have your say at (518) 828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues from the Wave Farm Study Center in Acra with local news, weather, and events.
4:30 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show

Some of the stories that made the news Oct. 18 to Oct. 21:

Kyle Adams reported in The Daily Mail a 25-year-old Catskill man has been honored for heroism after saving a man from a burning vehicle Mon., Oct. 14, on Route 145 in Cairo. Joseph Distefano stopped to call the fire department when he realized what he saw was a car with the driver trapped inside. Distefano managed to pull the driver from the car through the back seat and out through the vehicle's rear passenger side window. The driver, a man in his twenties, was taken to Albany Medical Center with a broken leg. Distefano was presented with commendations by the Cairo Hose Company, the town of Cairo, and the Greene County Legislature, in a ceremony Sat., Oct. 20, at the Cairo fire house. Cairo Town Supervisor Ted Banta called the feat a “remarkable act of heroism and inspiration." Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Ariel Zangla reported in the Daily Freeman the Greene County Legislature voted unanimously Wed., Oct. 16, to sell the former Villa Maria resort to The Hunter Foundation. The foundation will pay $276,000, plus 2013 school taxes for the parcel. The county took ownership of the property on state Route 23A through foreclosure proceedings and offered it for sale at an auction last year. The county ultimately rejected the bids it received. At one point, the town of Hunter considered purchasing the property, but decided it was an endeavor not very well suited to them. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Emilia Teasdale reported in the Columbia Paper the village of Chatham has hired a new police chief. The village board appointed Peter Volkmann to fill the part-time position last week. Volkmann serves as the part-time police chief for the town of Stockport as well. He will remain in that position. According to Mayor Tom Curran, Volkmann will work 20 hours per week as chief of the Chatham force, the same as his predecessors. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.

Kyle Adams reported in The Daily Mail the 50th Hannaford supermarket in the state of New York celebrated its grand opening in Cairo over the weekend. The 35,000-square-foot facility is located at 223 Main St., the former site of Slater's Great American, which closed late last last year. As part of its grand opening, the company handed out $14,000 in donations to local organizations. Recipients included the Angelo Canna Town Park, the Northern Catskill Youth Association, the Cairo Public Library and the Cairo-Durham Central School District. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 66F; low 43F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 64F; low 41F.[/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: Sunny. High near 65. Monday night, increasing clouds. Low around 43.

Forecast for the next three days:

Tuesday: A chance of showers, mainly between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny. High near 60. Tuesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 35.
Wednesday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 52. Wednesday night, a slight chance of showers before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 34.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 51. Thursday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 31.


Sunrise today: 7:16 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:03 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:47 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).

WGXC Community Council Meeting (Resheduled) at 6:30 p.m. at the WGXC Hudson studio, 704 Columbia St., second floor, Hudson. The 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. The public is invited to observe Council meetings. Every meeting includes a time for public comments at the conclusion of the meeting.

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: FCC Extends LPFM Filing Window Through Nov. 14 David Oxenford at Broadcast Law Blog reports the FCC has extended the deadline for filing applications in the LPFM window until November 14 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
12:05 a.m.: eteam, Bobby Previte, Andrea Kleine eteam will be joined by drummer Bobby Previte and writer Andrea Kleine for a reading of "Buzz Cut" that will incorporate elements of the video "The back up tapes from Moon and Mars" together with live electronic sounds and spoken words. The novella is an account of eteam's visits to the towns of Moon and Mars in Pennsylvania, which eteam views as if they were simulated environments On Earth, a training ground for eventual living on the planet Mars and Earth's satellite, the Moon. Rebroadcast of a live performances at Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson, NY, Sun., Oct. 20.
2 a.m.: All Mixed Up: The Story of the First Disk Jockey With Studs Terkel, Leonard Bernstein, Bing Crosby, Pete Seeger. Produced by Peter Bochan at WBAI in New York City. From Pacifica Radio.
3 a.m.: Guns in New York Pete Bianco interviews folks about guns at President Obama's visit to New York recently. He asks a few people associated with the National Gun Association about their thoughts on the NY SAFE act, and on lookers chime in. Also songs and sounds of guns. From A-Infos Radio Project.
4 a.m.: Project Censored: Nuclear Transmission In the first half of the program, an update on conditions at the Fukushima nuclear disaster site, plus a creative way Californians plan to keep public attention on Fukushima. In the second half, on the anniversary of the Black Panther Party's founding, Peter and Mickey talk with two original Panthers, Elbert "Big Man" Howard and Billy "BJ" Jennings, about the purposes and actions of the Party. From Pacifica Radio.
5 a.m.: This Week in Radio News: 20131021 Roundup of the week's radio news about radio waves. The Federal Communication Commission reopened in the United States this week, after 16 days without an enforcement division tracking pirate radio. Non-profit organizations applying for low-power FM stations during the FCC's Oct. 15-29 application window may be bewildered by the process that was interrupted by the shutdown, and this show features reports from Radiosurvivor.com, Broadcast Law Blog, and REC Networks about the LPFM application window in the U.S. SWLing.com considers the "record" pirate radio activity during the shutdown on shortwave bands. Meanwhile, Pacifica Radio considers leasing out WBAI's airwaves in New York City, the House stenographer shouts out on C-Span during the shutdown vote, and Edward Snowden discusses his leaks in Moscow. Plus, this week in radio history with Nixon's anti-drug song edict, and Groucho Marx. Author Douglas Kahn is interviewed by Galen Joseph-Hunter about his new book, "Earth Sound Earth Signal," a study of energies in aesthetics and the arts, from the birth of modern communications in the nineteenth century to the global transmissions of the present day.

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. Also local news, previews of events in Greene and Columbia counties, music, and more. Call in to have your say at (518) 828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues from the Wave Farm Study Center in Acra with local news, weather, and events.
4:30 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show

Melanie Lekocevic in The Daily Mail reports that voters in Athens decide on the D.R. Evarts Library budget in an election Tue., Oct. 22 from noon until 9 p.m. The proposed budget includes a $4,600 increase to upgrade computers for library patrons. “The proposed 2014 budget covers increases in core operating and facility expenses for the upcoming year,” Board President Sue Palmer said. “Beyond these, the library uses its anticipated grants and donations to cover programming, extra technology, additions to the permanent collection and capital projects.” There are also three seats on the board to be decided, with two incumbents, Jane Hale and Charles D’Agostino, seeking re-election, and no one else running. The vote is at the library at 80 Second St. in Athens. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Many public meetings from representatives for the public to attend and have input at this week.

• MONDAY Congressman Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) hosts a symposium on expanding rural broadband access from 9 a.m. to noon at Sullivan County Community College, Seelig Theatre, 112 College Road, Loch Sheldrake.

• TUESDAY Assemblymember Pete Lopez will be at Windham Mountain at 2:30 p.m. to discuss the 2014 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Then at 5 p.m., Lopez will attend an Education Forum with State Senator Cecilia Tkazyk at Kingston High School, 403 Broadway in Kingston.

• WEDNESDAY Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D–Hudson) hosts an art opening in her Columbia County district office, featuring the work of local artist Dan Rupe. Barrett hosts the opening from 5-7 p.m. at 751 Warren Street, in Hudson.

• THURSDAY Assemblyman Pete Lopez hosts a public town meeting at 7 p.m. at the Coeymans Town Hall, 18 Russell Avenue, Ravena.

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., Oct. 19. PLAY AUDIO (3:40)

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

• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57, and a low around 37.

• Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Monday night mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

• Tuesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.

Sunrise 7:15 a.m.
Sunset 6:04 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 7:10 P.M. 8:52 A.M.
Mercury 9:14 A.M. 6:42 P.M.
Venus 11:27 A.M. 8:07 P.M.
Mars 2:34 A.M. 4:07 P.M.
Jupiter 10:54 P.M. 1:54 P.M.
Saturn 8:28 A.M. 6:52 P.M.
Uranus 5:20 P.M. 5:52 A.M.
Neptune 3:55 P.M. 2:42 A.M.
Pluto 12:52 P.M. 10:21 P.M.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat who used to live in Greenport, and Rep. Chris Gibson, a Republican from Kinderhook, spoke about the transmission of Lyme disease at Agroforesty Center in Acra on Oct. 18. The two are stumping for the "Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease and Prevention, Education, and Research Act," legislation to fight the spread of tick-borne disease. WGXC's Galen Joseph-Hunter recorded the event. Click here to listen to Gillibrand and Gibson make opening remarks about the diseases impact locally. PLAY CLIP (8:31)

Local News
Local news from Wave Farm‘s WGXC 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley, New York for Sat., Oct. 19. PLAY AUDIO (1:49)

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

• Saturday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 65. Saturday night a 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 5 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.

• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57, and a low around 33.

• Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Sunrise 7:14 a.m.
Sunset 6:06 p.m.
Other celestial rises/sets
Moon 6:31 P.M. 7:50 A.M.
Mercury 9:17 A.M. 6:45 P.M.
Venus 11:25 A.M. 8:08 P.M.
Mars 2:35 A.M. 4:09 P.M.
Jupiter 10:58 P.M. 1:58 P.M.
Saturn 8:31 A.M. 6:56 P.M.
Uranus 5:24 P.M. 5:56 A.M.
Neptune 3:59 P.M. 2:46 A.M.
Pluto 12:56 P.M. 10:25 P.M.

WGXC Programming

midnight – 12:05 a.m.: Radio News: WBAI Up For Proposals
Pacifica Foundation has released a Request for Proposals to run Pacifica station WBAI in New York City via a Local Management Agreement, with a Nov. 6 deadline, according to a story in radiosurvivor.com.

Oct. 18, 2013: 8 p.m. – Oct. 19, 2013: 2 a.m.: Ed Askew, Trummors
Live performances at Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson, NY are streamed live at wgxc.org, and occasionally broadcast live on WGXC 90.7-FM. Live webstream for this show available from Wave Farm and WGXC at http://comm.free103point9.org:8000/spottydog.mp3.m3u and rebroadcast at midnight (the same night) Sat., Oct. 19 on WGXC 90.7-FM.

4 a.m. – 7 a.m.: Shortwave Hours: FCC Reopens
Three hours of shortwave radio-oriented programming, starting with solar weather, news on meteor showers and ham radio, and other reports. Other reports include:
4 a.m.: "The RAIN Report" and "Amateur Radio Relay League Audio Report." This week, "The RAIN Report" features, "some thoughts from ARRL President, Kay Craigie/N3Kn from the 2013 Hamvention." This week, from ARRL, "In this week’s report: ARRL VEC’s responds to the lifting of the Government Shutdown; ARRL Designates Six Regional ARRL Centennial Events, and Scouts take to the air for this weekend for the Jamboree On The Air." Plus shortwave sounds, recordings of pirate radio stations, and more.
5 a.m., "The Shortwave Report" with host Dan Roberts and international news via shortwave radio. This week's show features stories from Radio Deutsche-Welle, the Voice of Russia, Radio Havana Cuba, and NHK World Radio Japan.
5:30 a.m.: "Glenn Hauser's World of Radio" DX and station news countries all over the world.
6 a.m.: "Amateur Radio Newsline" This week: "Ham radio responds as a major cyclone hits India and an earthquake hits the Philippines; the IARU Monitoring Service says that Russia is again intruding into 15 meters; Sweeden gives its hams access to 472 kilohertz; AMSAT to celebrate 30 years of manned ham radio in space operations and a bit of early DX history from down-under."
6:30 a.m.: "This Week in Radio News" from host Tom Roe at Wave Farm's WGXC. This week: "Roundup of the week's radio news about radio waves. The Federal Communication Commission reopened in the United States this week, after 16 days without an enforcement division tracking pirate radio. Non-profit organizations applying for low-power FM stations during the FCC's Oct. 15-29 application window may be bewildered by the process that was interrupted by the shutdown, and this show features reports from Radiosurvivor.com, Broadcast Law Blog, and REC Networks about the LPFM application window in the U.S. SWLing.com considers the "record" pirate radio activity during the shutdown on shortwave bands. Meanwhile, Pacifica Radio considers leasing out WBAI's airwaves in New York City, the House stenographer shouts out on C-Span during the shutdown vote, and Edward Snowden discusses his leaks in Moscow. Plus, this week in radio history with Nixon's anti-drug song edict, and Groucho Marx. Author Douglas Kahn is interviewed by Galen Joseph-Hunter about his new book, "Earth Sound Earth Signal," a study of energies in aesthetics and the arts, from the birth of modern communications in the nineteenth century to the global transmissions of the present day."

7 a.m. – 8 a.m.: Saturday Morning Serial: Whistle Blowers
Songs with whistles are featured, plus other whistle blowers.

11 a.m. – noon: What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: After The Brink
From host Paul Fischer, through Pacifica Radio. "This episode has been updated with sound to reflect final deal in congress to raise debt limit/end govt shutdown...to allow some time to negotiate on new spending, taxes and sequester details. And did you know that while the rest of the government was shut down....the House Committee on Investigations...the one headed by Darryl Issa... was actually holding hearings on IRS implementation of Obamacare...and using part of the hearing to keep asking about the IRS looking into tea party applications for tax exemptions. A look at your tax dollars not at work this week....told through narration, music and soundbites."

noon – 12:30 p.m.: Noon News: Douglas Kahn
After the local news, Galen Joseph-Hunter talks with Douglas Kahn, author of "Earth Sound Earth Signal." The book is a study of energies in aesthetics and the arts, from the birth of modern communications in the nineteenth century to the global transmissions of the present day. Douglas Kahn begins by evoking the Aeolian sphere music that Henry David Thoreau heard blowing along telegraph lines and the Aelectrosonic sounds of natural radio that Thomas Watson heard through the first telephone; he then traces the histories of science, media, music, and the arts to the 1960s and beyond. Earth Sound Earth Signal rethinks energy at a global scale, from brainwaves to outer space, through detailed discussions of musicians, artists and scientists such as Alvin Lucier, Edmond Dewan, Pauline Oliveros, John Cage, James Turrell, Robert Barry, Joyce Hinterding, and many others.

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Saturday Afternoon Show: Aliza Simons
Saturday afternoon show live from WGXC's Acra studio, featuring Wave Farm Artist-in-Resident Aliza Simons.

7 p.m. – 8 p.m.: Framework: Kim Walker
This edition features works from the new framework:seasonal release, issue #6, autumn 2013, by Petra Kapš (OR Poiesis), Kim Walker, Mathieu Ruhlmann, David Velez, and Sawako, as well as new works by Matt Wellins and Lethe.

8 p.m.: Evan Cory Levine
Live performance at Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson, NY streamed live at wgxc.org, and broadcast live on WGXC 90.7-FM. Live webstream for this show available from Wave Farm and WGXC at http://comm.free103point9.org:8000/spottydog.mp3.m3u and on WGXC 90.7-FM.

Jim Planck is reporting in The Daily Mail the Catskill Town Board has approved a new three-year contract between the Village of Catskill and the Catskill Fire Department for fire protection services. The village is expected to approve the contract at its next meeting. No comment was offered during the public hearing on the contract, held Wed., Oct. 16 in Leeds. Catskill Town Supervisor Joseph Leggio said with the exception of the cost and a termination clause, the agreement remains unchanged from previous years. The contract is effective Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2016, and provides for an annual increase of 1.66 percent each year. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

John Mason is reporting in the Register Star the arraignment of local developer Frank Palladino scheduled for this week, was postponed until Nov. 6. Palladino was arrested Oct. 10 by New York State Police out of Kinderhook on charges of criminal mischief and trespass. The charges were pressed April 1 by Frank Serpico, who resides on property adjacent to land owned by Palladino on Route 9G. Serpico, the former New York City undercover cop and subject of the movie that bears his name, alleged Palladino trespassed on his property to cut down a dozen trees worth between $8,000 and $10,000. Palladino told the paper in May, some of the trees had blown down in Tropical Storm Irene, and that others were “junk trees,” and he had offered to replant them. He said he was in process of clearing his land to make a paddock for his cows. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Kyle Adams is reporting in The Daily Mail the Honda Corporation’s Project Drive-in is now over and not one New York drive-in placed among the winners, including participants Greenville Drive-in and Coxsackie's Hi-Way Drive-in. The vote-based contest awarded nine theaters nationwide a full digital upgrade. The switch from 35mm projectors to digital models is seen as life or death for movie theaters as major Hollywood studios vow to end 35mm production by the end of this year. The cost of a digital conversion is approximately $80,000, per screen. With four screens, the conversion and renovation of its projector rooms will cost Hi-Way owner Roger Babcock approximately $300,000. He has been approved for a bank loan for the work, but has not committed to moving forward with the purchase. The Greenville Drive-in is working on plans to raise the conversion funds over the winter, or it may simply continue to show old 35mm films. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 66F; low 39F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 63F; low 41F.[/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 70. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 41.

Forecast for the next three days:

Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 67. Saturday night, scattered showers, mainly between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 44.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 61. Sunday night, mostly clear. Low around 35.
Monday: Mostly sunny. High near 63. Monday night, partly cloudy. Low around 43.


Sunrise today: 7:12 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:07 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:55 hrs.

Town meetings

Today is the third Friday of the month.
WGXC is unaware of any regularly scheduled town meetings.


The day ahead on 90.7-FM

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: FCC Reopens; LPFM Window Opens As the U.S. government re-opened Oct. 17, the Federal Communications Commission began accepting applications from non-profit groups for low-power FM stations. The original application window was Oct. 15-29, and it is unclear if the FCC will shift those dates. A coalition of activist groups are asking for at least a one-week extension. Round-up of LPFM-related news from RadioSurvivor.com, Broadcast Law Blog, and REC Networks.
5 a.m.: Off The Hook: 20131018 Rebroadcast of program about computer hacking, wireless systems, and more from 2600 magazine aired first on WBAI in New York City.

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. Also local news, previews of events in Greene and Columbia counties, music, and more. Call in to have your say at (518) 828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues from the Wave Farm Study Center in Acra with local news, weather, and events.
4:30 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="233"] (nyenergyhighway.com)[/caption]

More than 70 people attended an informational meeting held by West Point Partners and the state Public Service Commission, and hosted by the town and village of Athens at the Athens Volunteer Fire Department, Wed., Oct. 16. The meeting focused on West Point's $1 billion plan for construction of a six-acre DC converter substation and buried high voltage DC transmission lines through the town and village of Athens, projected to go online by 2016 or 2017. The line would enter the river at Peckham Industries and resurface downriver in Buchanan where another converter station would be built. Residents in attendance expressed a variety of concerns about the project. Chief among them: The decision to route the lines through residential areas of the village. Residents also questioned how the project would benefit Athens or the local area, given its purpose is to deliver power to New York City. The panel of speakers included Jeremy Flaum of the Public Service Commission, Chris Hocker, Vice President of Planning for West Point and Susan Brown, Project Coordinator for PowerBridge, West Point's parent company. Athens Town Supervisor Lee Palmateer and Athens Mayor Chris Pfister moderated the event. Palmateer said he is against the proposed route, but not entirely against the project. Pfister expressed his opinion of the project and concerns about the route. PLAY clip (3:26). The 1,000 megawatt project is part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's "Energy Highway" initiative. On Wednesday, Hocker made a point of noting the project is not part of any plan to close Indian Point Energy Center, a three-unit nuclear power plant station located in Buchanan. West Point Partners is based in Fairfield, Conn. ED. NOTE: Sebren is a resident of Athens.

-- Sam Sebren

Listen to more audio:

PLAY Excerpts of remarks by Jeremy Flaum, Utility Analyst, Office of Energy Efficiency and the Environment of the Public Service Commission. (2:19)
PLAY Remarks by Chris Hocker, Vice President of Planning, West Point Partners. (4:25)
PLAY Sebren's Q&A with Chris Hocker of West Point Partners. (6:32)
PLAY Collage of residents' Q&A with Chris Hocker of West Point Partners. (5:34)
PLAY Jeremy Flaum, Utility Analyst, Office of Energy and the Environment, Public Service Commission. (56:01)
PLAY Full, unedited Hocker presentation and Q&A. (2:05:00)

For more information about the project, see this NY Dept of Public Service document: http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Common/ViewDoc.aspx?DocRefId=%7B4267045B-C627-413B-8CBE-ABA076E3176B%7D

 

[caption width="150" align="alignleft"] The Rip Van Winkle Bridge. From Wikipedia.[/caption]The Mid-Hudson Network reports in the The Daily Freeman that the Rip Van Winkle Bridge had a revenue increase of 2.56 percent from tolls for the first eight months of 2013, but a two percent decreasing in crossings. In fact, all five Hudson River bridges made more money with fewer crossings. "The combination of higher toll revenue and lower traffic volume suggests increased bridge usage by vehicles that pay higher tolls, such as large trucks," according to the paper. There were 4.5 million crossings on the bridge that links Greenport and Catskill through August. Read the full story on the redesigned website of The Daily Freeman.

Congressman Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook), who represents Greene and Columbia counties and much of the Hudson Valley in Congress, voted with Democrats and 86 other Republicans Oct. 16 to reopen the government and avoid a default on the United States debt. “As I’ve said all along, this government shutdown was completely unnecessary," Gibson said in a statement released before the vote, which was 285 to 144 to reopen the government. Jimmy Vielkind in Capital New York explains that Gibson originally voted with the G.O.P. on Sept. 19 to defund the Affordable Care Act, as a condition of providing funding for the federal government, which led to the shutdown. Just before the Oct. 1 shutdown, Gibson was one of two Republicans to switch on a last-minute attempt to keep the government open. What happened in between to cause the switch? On Sept. 22 27-year-old investor Sean Eldridge (married to Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes in Ulster County) officially announced he was running against Gibson in 2014. That was not a surprise, though, as Eldridge had long signaled a forthcoming campaign. So why the change for Gibson? “He supported the [Obamacare resistance] policy, but at some point you have to consider reality. Less than 48 hours before a shutdown, that was an unreasonable act; a bridge too far.” said Stephanie Valle, Gibson's deputy chief-of-staff, in Vielkind's column, in explanation. So Gibson ended up siding with New York Democratic Senators Kirstin Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, who also voted to reopen the government Oct. 16.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 73F; low 48F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 72F; 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: Partly sunny. High near 68. Thursday night, showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 55. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.


Forecast for the next three days:

Friday: A chance of showers, mainly before 7 a.m. Mostly sunny. High near 69. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 43.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 65. Saturday night, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 42.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 59. Sunday night, partly cloudy. Low around 36.


Sunrise today: 7:11 a.m.
Sunset today: 6:09 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:57 hrs.

Town meetings

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


ANCRAM Board meeting at 7 p.m. in Town Hall at 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
CHATHAM Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. Town Hall, 488 State Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Public Safety Committee meeting at 6 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson.
COPAKE Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting at 7:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
DURHAM Town board meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham.
GHENT Town Board meeting at the Ghent Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Common Council Economic Development Committee meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board meets at 7 p.m. Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
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

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. Also local news, previews of events in Greene and Columbia counties, music, and more. Call in to have your say at (518) 828-0290.
8 a.m.: Democracy Now! hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.
9 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show continues from the Wave Farm Study Center in Acra with local news, weather, and events.
11 a.m.: One Size Fits All: 20131017 An hour-long investigation into the idea of amplified sound, starting with Gang Of Four and concluding with Thomas Dybdahl. Full playlist available at www.facebook.com/OneSizeWGXC
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: Edgar Allan Poe Lou Reed, William S. Burroughs and MC Lars, and "Tha Bells."
4:30 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show

Kyle Adams is reporting in The Daily Mail Greene County Legislator and Catskill Village President Vincent Seeley is organizing a public forum on Nov. 1 to provide information about the pending upstate gaming act and, ultimately, to decide if Greene County wants a casino. On Nov. 5, New Yorkers will vote on the Upstate NY Gaming Economic Development Act, which would allow for the construction of four casinos upstate. Anticipating the act will pass, Greene County Legislators have agreed the county should be prepared and proactive. The meeting on Nov. 1 at Anthony’s Banquet Hall in Leeds will include Assemblyman Pete Lopez, state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk, representatives from the New York State Gaming Commission and bill sponsor Sen. John Bonacic of Mount Hope, who once represented Greene County in the state Senate. The Great Northern Catskills Chamber of Commerce will also invite business leaders with a stake in gaming and tourism. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Joe Gentile is reporting in the Register Star nearly 40 protesters demonstrated Tues., Oct. 15, outside U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson's Kinderhook office to demand an end to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Protesters shredded a symbolic $174,000 check made out to him by American taxpayers. Susan Weber, a MoveOn.org regional organizer said, “This is Chris Gibson’s congressional salary that he’s not earning because he’s voted to shut our government down." Gibson and other congressional Republicans have tied the resolution’s passage to conditional amendments to the Affordable Care Act. Landra Haber of the Chatham Democrats and a Chatham Town Council candidate, said she was disappointed by Gibson’s repeated efforts to delay implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Stephanie Valle, a Gibson spokeswoman, said she appreciated that over the last two days leaders from both parties are coming together. She added President Barack Obama and other Democratic leaders have, until recently, refused to negotiate. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Public News Service is reporting on the furor caused when New York State Education Commissioner John King Jr. last week walked out of a forum on the Common Core and standardized testing when confronted by angry parents. PLAY (2:01) In a letter dated Tues., Oct. 15, State Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk urged King to reverse his decision to cancel the series of town hall meetings, and invited him to an education forum she is hosting, Oct. 22. Tkaczyk called the event in Poughkeepsie, a "teachable moment."