William J, Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman land preservation groups statewide were awarded $1.4 million in statewide conservation funding, Thurs., Apr. 25. The grants were announced by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which said 57 nonprofit land trusts across the state would receive financial assistance through the Conservation Partnership Program. The grants announced included more than $50,000 for Columbia County groups and $15,400 for Greene County groups. Scenic Hudson was awarded $38,000 to work with land trusts in Ulster and Columbia counties on trail enhancements. The money is to be used in conjunction with funding  provided by the land conservancies. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 59F; low 32F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 64F; low 36F.[/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 62. Tonight, mostly clear. Low around 34.

Forecast for the next three days:

Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 68. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 41.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 71. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 43.
Monday: Sunny. High near 68. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 45.

Sunrise today: 5:56 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:50 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:53 hrs.

Town meetings

Today is the fourth Thursday of the month.
(WGXC suggests you call 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 Regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission (tentative), 10 a.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson  (828-1030).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

Midnight to 5:59 a.m.: Free103point9 Transmission Arts overnight

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Headlines Radio and media headlines.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Thelonious Monk The jazz pianist's work is explored.
1 a.m.: Video Game Sounds Sounds from video games, and songs inspired by video games. From Seth Price and others.
3 a.m.: Spectral Australian sound artist Joyce Hinterding's hour-long work.
4 a.m.: Bob's Slacktime Funhouse: Terror Kicked off by the immortal and clichéed words by FDR, there is music by Oingo Boingo, Art, the Funky Bardos, Bob from "Sesame Street," Klaus Flouride (that's the way he spells it), Ed's Redeeming Qualities, the Flying Lizards, Elements of Style, Magazine, Ultravox, the Art of Noise, the Misfits, Guadalcanal Diary, the cabaret-act duo Joe & Eddie, Mark Stewart & The Maffia (ditto on that spelling, too), and a duet between Lydia Lunch and Clint Ruin on "Don't Fear the Reaper," this show is chock full of timely weirdness. Add a dollop of mind-blowingly dark topicality by MisteRogers (of all people!) and rants by Jack Van Impe, Garner Ted Armstrong, Bob Tilton, the lisping Peter Barkhuisen, and Jimmy Swaggart raving about "that black night in Massa-two-shitts!", and mix it all with background sounds like quirky movie themes by Laika & the Cosmonauts and sweeping cinematic textures from Pink Floyd's underrated "Atom Heart Mother" suite
5 a.m.: Sea Change Radio: Ceres Conference Preview The Ceres Conference is an annual gathering where organizations as different as the Sierra Club and Shell come together to discuss ways to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. On the eve of the conference which takes place May 1st and 2nd in San Francisco this year, we thought it would be worthwhile to get a sneak peek at some of the Ceres speakers.
5:30 a.m.: Robert McChesney on Digital Disconnect McChesney speaks about his new book, "Digital Disconnect: How Capitalism is Turning Internet Against Democracy" (New Press), explaining how the political economy has impacted the internet and punctured earlier illusions; how rather than empowering people, the corporate internet giants with their monopolies are collaborating with the government to know everything about our private lives while increasing their profit margins. He cites role of social media and demise of the traditional media, suggesting public investments be made to develop new, trained, internet journalists. Interviewed by Jeff Blankfort, via Pacifica Radio Network.

6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.: WGXC Hands-On Community Radio

6 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show Hosted by Philip Grant. Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. 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 continues with local news, events, music and more, with host Philip Grant.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Kyle Adams reports in The Daily Mail the village of Catskill has drafted its 2013-14 budget. The total spending plan comes in at nearly $6.5 million, and requires a 1.8 percent tax levy increase, resulting in five-cent increase in the tax rate. Some of the largest spending increases come from employee benefits and salaries. Village President Vincent Seeley credits the village’s ability to keep taxes down to responsible spending, aggressive debt reduction and some lucky development. Appearing on the WGXC Afternoon Show, Wed., Apr. 23, Seeley discussed the budget process and the importance of investing tax dollars wisely. PLAY clip (1:38). The village budget will be presented to the public May 14. Ron Diamondstein's full interview with Seeley can be found online at wgxc.org/archives.

W.T. Eckert reports in The Daily Mail suspended Cairo Police Chief Christopher Sprague was back in Hunter Town Court with his attorney for a brief conference, Wed., Apr. 24. Hunter Town Judge William M. Simon said it was his understanding the case could be presented to a grand jury, but there is also a possibility the charge may be reduced and disposed of in town court with a plea. Sprague's legal counsel declined comment. The parties will appear in court again, June 5. Sprague was arrested last month on charges of tampering with evidence and filing false reports. The case was moved to Hunter Town Court and the Schoharie County District Attorney’s office was appointed special prosecutor due to conflicts of interest. Sprague is currently free on his own recognizance. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Kyle Adams reports in the Chatham Courier Mark Vinciguerra, former director of circulation at the Albany Times Union, has been named publisher of Hudson-Catskill Newspapers. He will step into the position sometime in May. “I think that we’re very lucky to get someone of Mark’s caliber to join the team,” said John B. Johnson, general manager of the Johnson Newspaper Company, which owns Hudson-Catskill Newspapers. “He has a wonderful track record at the Times Union of putting the customer and client first...." As publisher, Vinciguerra will oversee the Register-Star and The Daily Mail, both dailies, plus weeklies Chatham Courier, Windham Journal, The Mountain Eagle, Ravena News-Herald and Greene County News. Vinciguerra will fill the vacancy created following the December death of Roger F. Coleman. Read the full story in the Chatham Courier.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 61F; low 34F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 64F; low 37F.[/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 62. A slight chance of rain showers after 1 a.m., mixing with snow after 4 a.m. Partly cloudy. Low around 35.

Forecast for the next three days:

Friday: Mostly sunny. High near 62. Mostly clear, Friday night. Low around 33.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 69. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 41.
Sunday: Sunny. High near 72. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 42.

Sunrise today: 5:57 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:48 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:51 hrs.

Town meetings

Today is the fourth Thursday of the month.
(WGXC suggests you call 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 Financial Review Committee at 1 p.m., Budget/Salary Committee at 2:30 p.m. and Salary Review Committee immediately following Budget/Salary, 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).
HUDSON HCDPA meeting (tentative) at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (571-1044).
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

Midnight to 5:59 a.m.: Free103point9 Transmission Arts overnight

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Saving AM Radio While the United Kingdom considers eliminating AM radio, in the U.S. the Federal Communications Commission is considering several option to save AM radio. David Oxenford at the Broadcast Law blog has a report about AM radio's possible revival.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: New Music April 2013 New sounds from Godspeed You Black Emperor! and others.
1 a.m.: Selected Songs: John Cage Hours of John Cage talking, performing, and being.
5 a.m.: Off the Hook: Surveillance After Boston 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 5 a.m. rebroadcast. This week: After the Boston bombings, there seems to be a new embrace of the surveillance state.

6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.: WGXC Hands-On Community Radio

6 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show Hosted by Philip Grant. Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. 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 continues with local news, events, music and more, with host Philip Grant.
10 a.m.: Prison Voices Project: Prison Bus Tune in to hear about an exciting new initiative to brings together food justice and prison justice. Wassaic Community Farm is launching their Prison Bus CSA. After years of collaborating with Political Prisoner, Herman Bell -- young farmers and activists are growing food for family members of those incarcerated in Sullivan, Eastern, and Woodbourne Correctional Facilities. Family members pay $50 for a box of organic produce (which they can pay for on EBT/food stamps) and they get a free trip from New York city to visit their loved ones in prison (on a bus, soon-to-be-converted to run off of veggie oil). Farmers and organizers Erika Bruner and Jalal Sabur speak about their project and the show also features audio from the freedom archives on Herman Bell.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Hudson schools Superintendent Maria J. Suttmeier has announced the creation of the Columbia-Greene Partnership Academy. The academy -- also known as "The Bridge" -- will be the product of a collaboration between the Hudson City, Catskill Central and Berkshire Union Free school districts. Suttmeier made the announcement at the Hudson Board of Education meeting, Tues., Apr. 23. Berkshire Superintendent Bruce Potter was in attendance for the announcement. According to a statement released following the meeting, The Bridge "will focus on students who could benefit from more individual attention and creative approaches to learning." The alternative learning program is expected to accommodate 50 students. It will be staffed by teachers holding dual certifications in general and special education. The academy will not be housed on existing school property, but it will be located within the city of Hudson. Suttmeier reported she is in conversation with the Galvan Foundation to secure space in one of its buildings. The program is projected to launch in September.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star the Columbia County Supervisors are considering a policy change to allow supervisors, some elected officials and county officials with pistol permits to carry handguns on county property. County employees are currently prohibited from carrying most weapons on county property. The County Government Committee voted Tues., Apr. 23, to approve the policy change. Hudson Supervisor Ed Cross was the lone dissenter. “I have mixed feelings about it,” Cross said. The issue now goes to the full board for consideration. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Thomas Kaplan reports in The New York Times in the aftermath of two New York State legislators being charged in two separate, unrelated corruption scandals this month, more than 80 percent of voters say they believe additional lawmakers are likely to be accused of ethical wrongdoing in the near future. According to a poll by Siena College, released Mon., Apr. 22, voters polled had a high level of suspicion about state government. Roughly one in three said they believed it was likely their own state senator could be arrested on corruption charges, and about the same number of voters believed it was likely their assembly member could be arrested. More than half of voters surveyed said they were distrustful of, and cynical about New York politics. Steven A. Greenberg, a Siena pollster, said, “Clearly, the recent arrests have eroded confidence in the Legislature.” Read the full story in The New York Times.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 72F; low 37F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 72F; low 39F.[/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 Hazardous Weather Outlook for the region today and tonight. There is a slight chance of non-severe thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening associated with a cold front. Any thunderstorms that form will move from west to east at 30 to 35 mph. Some wind gusts around 40 mph may occur with the thunderstorms.

Today: Mostly sunny. High near 70. Tonight, showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, turning to showers between midnight and 3 a.m. Low around 43. 

Forecast for the next three days:

Thursday: Sunny. High near 62. A slight chance of rain showers after 2 a.m., mixing with snow after 5 a.m. Partly cloudy. Low around 34.
Friday: Partly sunny. High near 63. Mostly clear, Friday night. Low around 35.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 66. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 39.

Sunrise today: 5:59 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:47 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:48 hrs.

Town meetings

Today is the fourth Wednesday of the month.
(WGXC suggests you call ahead to confirm time and location.)


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

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

Midnight to 5:59 a.m.: Free103point9 Transmission Arts overnight

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Senate Radio-Controlled Drone Hearing Highlights of the U.S. Senate hearing on radio-controlled drones.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Computer Malfunctions The sounds of error are tuned in.
1 a.m.: Vital Weekly: Machinefabriek Vital Weekly 878:
2 a.m.: Solar Cells/Solar Connectors Works from Conrad Schnitzler.
3 a.m.: Noise from Providence Classic radio with Ginger Rogers. Show airs on WBAI in New York City, via Pacifica Radio Network.
5 a.m.: Shortwave/Pirates: Rave on Radio From "PiratesWeek," a look at the FCC activities in the United States against pirate broadcasters. ‭Select postings from the Free Radio Network, HF Underground and note stations logged per the Free Radio Weekly. ‭Off Air Recordings include the stations of: Rave on Radio. BPL story from the International Radio Report. Then, from "The RAIN Report," Ed Mitchel/KB6VFR speaking on Airborne ATV Video Review.

6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.: WGXC Hands-On Community Radio

6 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show Hosted by Philip Grant. Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. 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 continues with local news, events, music and more, with host Philip Grant.
10 a.m.: The Right Opinion: Hudson Mayor William H. Hallenbeck Jr. Hudson Mayor William H. Hallenbeck Jr. will join host Ed Fertik to discuss issues of importance to the city of Hudson and Columbia County, and the importance of small cities to our society. Plus a tribute to country music performer Alan Jackson. Like all shows on WGXC, listeners are urged to call in with a question or comment. Call (518) 828-0290 or Skype wgxc90.7 to ask the mayor a question.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show: Vincent Seeley Greene County Legislator and Catskill Village Board Trustee Vincent Seeley will be in the studio to discuss a number of topics of interest. We will have a rundown of local news and events, plus a song or two. Hosted by Ron Diamondstein at the Catskill Community Center.
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="297"] (Facebook)[/caption]

Ann Gibbons reports in the Daily Freeman the Port of Call has reopened. The Catskill waterfront restaurant has been closed since it sustained damage during Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. Owner Frank Guido said the building structure made it through the storm, but the docks and the tents on the restaurant's deck were swept away. As a result of the subsequent flood, he had to replace all the windows and doors, and put up new walls, and also replaced food items, liquor, stoves, refrigerators, air conditioning and computers. Guido said the cost for the damage and restoration totaled in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. He credited the Bank of Greene County and Greene County for supporting him during the recovery period. "I couldn't have done it without them," he said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Brian Hubert reports in The Daily Mail the Cairo-Durham Board of Education has not yet adopted its proposed 2013-14 school budget. The plan under consideration totals $27.8 million and requires a 4.23 tax levy increase, the maximum allowed under the state tax cap formula. The proposal eliminates 9.9 positions in eight elementary areas, including English, math, art and music. A $400,000-plus boost in state aid allowed the district to stave off greater cuts in staff and programs, according to Business Manager Lissa Jilek. Districts must finalize spending plans no later than April 26, according to state law. The Cairo-Durham board, along with all other Boards of Education in Columbia and Greene counties, will meet simultaneously tonight. In addition to local business, the boards will conduct the annual Questar III BOCES administrative budget and board vote. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star the Columbia County Board of Supervisors is considering eminent domain proceedings against Meadowgreens Golf Course in Ghent. County officials wish to acquire more than 16 acres of property plus a 90-acre navigation easement for a runway protection zone at the Columbia County Airport. The property ownership group’s principal owner Carmen Nero, said recently the county’s offer was too low. The members of the Economic Development Committee of the Board of Supervisors was advised, Mon., Apr. 22, eminent domain would be the next step. The committee did not act on the matter. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 55F; low 37F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 55F; low 36F.[/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 cloudy. High near 56. Partly cloudy tonight. Low around 38.

Forecast for the next three days:

Wednesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny. High near 72. Night showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy. Low around 41.
Thursday: Chance of showers before 8 a.m. Mostly sunny. High near 60. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 37.
Friday: Mostly sunny. High near 60. Mostly clear, Friday night. Low around 38.

Sunrise today: 6 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:46 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:46 hrs.

Town meetings

Today is the fourth Tuesday of the month.
(WGXC suggests you call ahead to confirm time and location.)


COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors County Government Committee meeting, 5 p.m., at 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
GREENPORT Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).

School board meetings
SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN COLUMBIA, GREENE and RENNSSELAER COUNTIES Component district boards of education meet simultaneously for the Questar III BOCES 2013-14 administrative budget and board vote. Check with your local school board for exact location and time.

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

Midnight to 5:59 a.m.: Free103point9 Transmission Arts overnight

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Headlines Radio and media news.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Midnight "Midnight Mauraders," "Midnight at the Oasis," "Midnight Train to Georgia," and more.
1 a.m.: Other Music: County Radio Country songs, about radio. From George Jones to Kellie Pickler.
3 a.m.: Golden Age of Radio: Ginger Radio Classic radio with Ginger Rogers. Show airs on WBAI in New York City, via Pacifica Radio Network.
5 a.m.: Drone Report Recent news stories about radio-controlled drones.
5:30 a.m.: CJ Media Network Plus: 20130423 International radio and media show. The show is produced jointly by PCJ in Taiwan and Canada. Producer/Presenter: Keith Perron.

6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.: WGXC Hands-On Community Radio

6 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show Hosted by Philip Grant. Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. 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 continues with local news, events, music and more, with host Philip Grant.
10 a.m.: Your Friendly Neighborhood Economist: Ship of Fools In this installment, Your Friendly Neighborhood Economist explains the Affordable Care Act and what it means to you and discusses the Federal Budget. Also, local regional and national economics news pre-digested for your enjoyment. Hosted by Tom Masterson.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Some of the stories that made the news, April 19 to 22:

William J. Kemble reported in the Daily Freeman opponents of the proposed $1.5 billion takeover of CH Energy Group by Fortis Inc. of Canada say comments about the merger by state Sen. George Maziarz should be disregarded because he has received political contributions from CH Energy and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. The request from the group Citizens for Local Power came after the Niagara County Republican, who chairs the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, had an Op-Ed in favor of the deal published in an area newspaper. Maziarz received contributions from Central Hudson during the time the Fortis takeover was being reviewed by the New York Public Service Commission. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="280"] The cement silos at Silver Point on Duck Cove.
(sailblogs.com)[/caption]

Jim Planck reported in The Daily Mail Lehigh Northeast Cement Company has been fined $50,000 by the state Department of Environmental Conservation as the result of two cement dust landfills leaching contaminants into wetlands near Duck Cove on the Hudson River south of Catskill. A company spokesman said Lehigh, under guidance and approval from DEC, has taken several steps to contain and treat the leachate. Riverkeeper attorney and Chief Investigator Josh Verleun said Fri, Apr. 19, the agency has been monitoring the matter since 2008 after first reporting it. He said, "We’re very happy to see that progress continues to be made." Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Katie Kocijanski reported in the Register Star it is all but certain the Village of Chatham will reduce its Police Department to part-time status this year. Mayor Tom Curran said at a public hearing last week he believes the village can operate successfully with a part-time force. The Columbia County Sheriff's Department and the New York State Police will work with the village to help patrol the area, he said. Other municipalities that currently have a part-time force include, Germantown, Philmont, Greenport and Stockport. Curran said the village's proposed 2013-14 budget would reduce taxes by five percent. He is also recommending improvements to infrastructure, more beautification projects and a new entry sign to the village. A village budget workshop will be held Tues., Apr. 23. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 57F; low 28F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 57F; low 32F.[/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 56. Partlyly cloudy overnight. Low around 34.

Forecast for the next three days:

Tuesday: Partly sunny. High near 55. Tuesday night, a slight chance of showers before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 38
Wednesday: A chance of showers after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny. High near 65. Showers likely between 8 p.m. and midnight. Mostly cloudy. Low around 42. 
Thursday: Partly sunny. High near 59. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 38.

Sunrise today: 6:02 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:45 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:43 hrs.

Town meetings

Today is the fourth Monday of the month.
(WGXC suggests you call ahead to confirm time and location.)


CATSKILL Village board meeting at 7 p.m. at Firehouse near Catskill Commons (Wal Mart) (943-3830).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Economic Development / Planning committee meeting at 5 p.m., 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
HALCOTT Town meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 813 Route 3, Halcott Center (845-254-9920)
HUDSON Common Council Police Committee meeting at 6 p.m.; Fire Committee meeting at 6:45 p.m., at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
PHILMONT Local Development Corp meeting at 7 p.m., Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
STUYVESANT Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

Midnight to 5:59 a.m.: Free103point9 Transmission Arts overnight

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: Headlines Radio and media news.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Earth Day in Troy Sounds of the Earth Day performances from Susie Ibarra, and many others, Sun., Apr. 21, around the campus of RPI.
1 a.m.: Other Music: Hazel Dickens Special on American bluegrass singer, songwriter, double bassist and guitarist Hazel Jane Dickens, just before anniversary of her death, April 22, 2011. From Tennessee Watson, an Artist-in-Residency at Wave Farm, working on the Wage/Working project.
3 a.m.: Bobs Slacktime Funhouse: Identity Sounds are provided by Joy Division, Screeching Weasel, the Uncalled Four, Oingo Boingo, Sumo Cyco, the Pajama Slave Dancers, Darby Crash, Lou Reed, X-Ray Spex, Primus, Landscape, Nick Cave, and others.
4 a.m.: Lyrid Meteor Shower Space sounds, and music to watch the annual Lyrid Meteor Shower.
5 a.m.: Project Censored: Cell Phone Dangers Are cell phones hazardous to your health? Hear from Dr Devra Davis and electronic engineer Lloyd Morgan, both with the Environmental Health Trust. From Pacifica Radio.
5:45 a.m.: This Week in Radio News: 20130422 Round-up of radio-related news.

6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.: WGXC Hands-On Community Radio

6 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
7 a.m.: WGXC Morning Show Hosted by Philip Grant. Morning news, music, interviews features and agriculture reporting. 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 continues with local news, events, music and more, with host Philip Grant.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 28F; low 19F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 25F; low 18F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Acra, in Greene County:
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 52, and a low around 26.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56, and a low around 34.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain, with a high near 54.

Sunrise today: 6:03 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:44 p.m.

WGXC Programming

Midnight – 5:30 a.m.: "NRFF Art's Birthday Broadcast"
From Jan. 19, 2013 broadcast: "Art's Birthday" is an annual event first proposed in 1963 by French artist Robert Filliou. He suggested that 1,000,000 years ago, there was no art. But one day, on the 17th of January to be precise, Art was born. According to Filliou, it happened when someone dropped a dry sponge into a bucket of water. Filliou proposed a public holiday to celebrate the presence of art in our lives. In recent years, the idea has been taken up by a loose network of artists and friends around the world. Each year the Eternal Network evolves to include new partners - working with the ideas of exchange and telecommunications-art. In 2013, for the 1,000,050th birthday of art, the Experimental Sound Studio hosted the radio collaboration NRRF Radio in the Audible Gallery from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., January 17 (GMT -6) -- transmitted to the neighbourhood via FM (87.9) and to the world streamed live over the internet. This is a rebroadcast of that show. Listening and exchanging with birthday streams circulating internationally, infiltrating available bands with tenacious earworms and parasitic refrains, powered of course by lurid birthday cake. Glue Banta, Jonny Farrow, Anna Friz, Stephen Germana, Jeff Kolar, Peter Speer, and guests bring the noise.
5:30 a.m. – 6 a.m.: "CounterSpin: Nicole Woo, Erin Grant"
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: Nicole Woo on chained CPI; Erin Grant on abortion accessibility.
6 a.m. – 8 a.m.: "In Case You Missed It: Between The Lines, The Hudson Valley Tap Show"
A rebroadcast of this month's "Between The Lines" with guests Catskill-based fine arts photographer Art Murphy and Nina Sklansky, a Catskill resident who has launched a Web site, marketing campaign and attracted a team of like-minded souls, all intent on promoting the village of Catskill. Also, "The Hudson Valley Tap Show" with Keegan Ales of Kingston, NY.
8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.: "Children's Storytime: Dogs"
This week's show focuses on stories about Dogs.

Rick Karlin at Capitol Confidential reports that the New York Public Service Commission approved "a 1,000 megawatt (MW) transmission line stretching 330 miles from the Canadian border to Astoria, Queens, primarily through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River, with some segments on land, primarily in railroad or state highway rights-of-way." The transmission line will be built by TDI, a company which is part of the Blackstone Group private equity and hedge fund. The PSC wrote, "A critical factor in the Commission’s decision to approve the project is the fact that the financial risk to ratepayers is minimized since ratepayers will not be required to assume the financial risks to build the project; ratepayers will be protected from construction and operation costs." In this area, the the four, five-inch-diameter high-voltage direct current cables were moved away from Columbia County’s residence-dominated shoreline to Greene County land, re-entering the Hudson River in the town of Catskill across the river from the Germantown/Livingston/Greenport border. The Commission’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 10-T-0139 in the input box labeled “Search for Case/Matter Number.” Read more at Capitol Confidential.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="288"] (dailyfreeman.com)[/caption]

The New York State Public Service Commission held its final public hearing in the Hudson Valley Thurs., Apr. 18, on the proposed $1.5 billion acquisition of the Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation by Fortis Inc. Fortis, a Canada-based corporation, is estimated to be worth $1.44 billion. The company has been acquiring utilities in the Northeast and the Caribbean. The acquisition proposal under consideration would bring about the indirect acquisition of Central Hudson through the merger of its parent company, CH Energy Group Inc., with a subsidiary of Fortis. Nearly 90 people were in attendance at Kingston City Hall for the second of two hearings held by the Commission on the issue. Among the speakers Thursday night, none spoke in favor of the takeover, and no one from Fortis offered public comment. Citizens voiced many concerns, including the lack of information available about the details of the merger. Many attendees demanded an additional extension of the comment period. Others alleged Fortis has a poor environmental record, and that local jobs would be lost. The Commission may approve, approve with changes, or reject the proposal in whole or in part. The public comment period ends May 1.

PLAY Elisa Ball, Kingston Alderwoman and spokesperson for state Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk (2:41)
PLAY Jeanne Walsh, Supervisor for the Town of Rosendale (4:01).
PLAY Betty Pritcha, a teacher speaking for the first time at a public hearing (5:02).
PLAY Manna Jo Green, Environmental Action Director of Hudson Sloop Clearwater (6:20).
PLAY John Speedling, President Coordinator, Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation (HVALF) AFL-CIO (3:18).
PLAY John Kaiser, President, IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 320 (2:38).

UPDATE (Apr. 26): PLAY Public comment collage, Apr. 18 PSC public hearing (13:32).

-- Sam Sebren