W.T. Eckert writes in The Daily Mail suspended Cairo Police Chief and Catskill Police Officer Christopher Sprague was back in court, Wed., Apr. 10. He was rearraigned in Hunter Town Court after the case was transferred from Cairo due to a conflict of interest. Greene County Judge George J. Pulver Jr has also ordered Sprague's prosecution be handled by Schoharie County District Attorney James Sacket. Sprague was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence and filing false reports, March 21, based on allegations leveled by the state police. He is expected back in court April 24. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Barbara Reina reports in the Register Star new Valatie Village Mayor Diane Argyle announced Tues., Apr. 9, she will take a voluntary cut in pay. Argyle will reduce her salary by $1,500 and return the funds to the village budget. The village board rejected trustee salary increases, as well. Also Tuesday, Argyle selected Trustee Frank Bevens to serve as deputy mayor. She also appointed resident Angelo Nero to fill the open trustee seat formerly held by Jennifer Kolb. Dominick Lizzi was appointed to the post of village historian. Lizzi was historian for 16 years, until he was removed from the position following a suspected difference of opinion with then-mayor Gary Strevell. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Thomas Kaplan reports in The New York Times Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, responding to the arrests last week of two state lawmakers on bribery charges, said Tues., Apr. 9, he would propose legislation that would make it easier for district attorneys to prosecute public corruption. The legislation would stiffen penalties for rogue politicians. Cuomo also said he would seek to make it a misdemeanor for any elected official or government employee to witness bribery and fail to report it. Cuomo's proposals were somewhat technical in nature, and the Legislature has considered similar measures for several years, but the announcement showed how the latest scandals have abruptly reshaped the legislative session. Three months ago, in the annual State of the State Address, Cuomo never said the word corruption, even though he vowed to clean up state government when he campaigned for governor in 2010. Read the full story in The York Times.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 52F; low 37F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 48F; 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:

Today: A chance of rain, mainly after 10 a.m. Cloudy. High near 49. Tonight, rain likely. Cloudy. Low around 36.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Advisory, for the listening area, beginning Friday and continuing through Wednesday. The last in a series of waves of low pressure will move eastward tonight and Friday, bringing some heavier precipitation to the area. The rainfall combined with some snow melt could lead to some minor flooding of rivers and streams.

Forecast for the next three days:

Friday: Rain. High near 46. Showers likely overnight. Cloudy. Low around 38.
Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny. High near 56. A chance of showers Saturday night, before 1 a.m., turning to a slight chance of snow showers after 4 a.m. Mostly cloudy, Saturday night. Low around 35.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 55. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 36.

Sunrise today: 6:19 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:33 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:13 hrs.

Town meetings

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

CHATHAM Village meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
CLAVERACK Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 836 Route 217, Philmont (672-4468).
COPAKE Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountainview Road, Copake (329-1234).
GALLATIN Town Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Route 7, Ancram (398-7519).
GREENE COUNTY Finance & Audit committee meets at 5 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board Workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
LIVINGSTON Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 119 County Route 19.
STUYVESANT Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TANNERSVILLE Village trustees meet at 7 p.m. in their Village Hall on Route 23A.
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: Greene County Wireless Fees W.T. Eckert is reporting in The Daily Mail Greene County officials are calling for state officials to allocate funds collected from wireless fees back to the counties to support 911 and public safety communications. The state now imposes a $1.20 public safety surcharge per month on all cell phones. Although the original intent was for the surcharge to be used for 911 operations and to help first responders communicate and respond to emergencies, a very small portion is now allocated to the county for that purpose. Greene County’s Public Safety Committee Chairman William Lawrence said the funds could be be used for emergency equipment, personnel training and continuing education. The matter will be considered by the full Legislature at its next meeting, April 17. Read the full story in The Daily Mail. NOTE: William Lawrence is a WGXC programmer.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: I Love a Rainy Night The sounds of storms, thunder, rain, and more.
1 a.m.: Joel Chadabe From Jan. 12, 2013. Joel Chadabe, composer, author, is an internationally recognized pioneer in the development of interactive music systems. He has concertized widely since 1969. Interview from "Saturday Afternoon Show" on WGXC 90.7-FM.
3 a.m.: Susie Ibarra Legendary jazz drummer Susie Ibarra will be live in the WGXC Wave Farm studio in Acra April 13 with Michael Century, Michael Century, pianist and composer, and Professor of New Media and Music in the Arts Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ahead of "Susie Ibarra's Circadian Rhythms and WorldDrum Performance" at EMPAC and in Troy, NY the following weekend in celebration of Earth Day. This show features works including Ibarra,
5 a.m.: Off the Hook: 20130411 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.

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 Prison Voices Project A follow-up on PINS and the Good Friday Vigil for those whose lives have been touched by incarceration. Learn more about the community effort to reroute the school to prison pipeline by transforming the PINS (Persons In Need of Supervision) program. The show will also feature a segment on the Good Friday Vigil that took place at the First Presbyterian Church in Hudson to honor those whose lives have been touched by incarceration.
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: Sisters of Crime An anthology series of dramas and comedies for radio. Each week a program will be made up of one radio play. Produced at KSVR Studios at the radio station KSVR-FM in Mount Vernon, Washington. The actors are from the Skagit Radio Repertory Company. The producer is Joseph C McGuire. This week: "Sisters of Crime: Angel of Darkness." Story by Edgar Wallace, Adapted by Joseph McGuire The first drama in the Sisters of Crime series featuring the Edgar Wallace novel Angel of Terror. Jean Briggersland wants money and position. With help of her father she is willing to kill her cousin, Lydia to get it. From Pacifica Radio.
3:30 p.m.: Kid's Brain Radio Live from the Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Sam Sebren and Matt Bua.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show: Dr. Willie Yee Dr. Willie Yee, President of the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association, and author Linda Zimmermann, whose most recent book is "In The Night Sky; Hudson Valley UFO Sightings From the 1930's To The Present" are guests. There will be local news and events, and the local sounds of the Catskill Community Center, host Ron Diamondstein, and whoever else drops in or calls. It could be you. Skype calls to WGXCfm or stop by the Catskill Community Center.
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="264"] (dailyfreeman.com)[/caption]

Kyle Adams is reporting in the Daily Mail the public comment portion of the proposed acquisition of CH Energy Group by Fortis, Inc. has been extended, following pressure by state Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk (KAT-chik) and others. CH Energy is the parent company of the Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation. Fortis owns utility companies in Canada and the Caribbean, and currently services more than two million customers. Tkaczyk is calling for more transparency around the sale. “The Public Service Commission is supposed to be a watchdog, protecting consumers,” she wrote in a prepared statement. “Hudson Valley families and businesses are already paying outrageously high utility bills, and they need reassurances that this proposed sale with not increase energy costs....”The $1.5 billion merger has already been approved by the CH Energy shareholders, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Public Service Commission extended the comment period by 45 days, as of April 1. Two additional hearings have been scheduled: At Civic Center Plaza in Poughkeepsie on April 17, and at Kingston Town Hall, April 18. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star farms in Livingston, Stuyvesant, Taghkanic and Red Hook will now be protected with more than $5 million in recently secured funds. The money was provided by the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program and the nonprofit organization Scenic Hudson, along with funds from Dutchess County, the Town of Red Hook and the Columbia Land Conservancy. The funds will be used to purchase easements at seven farms to protect the farmlands’ character and prevent the properties from being subdivided or sold to developers for other commercial purposes. According to Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan, each farmer can decide what to do with the money. U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson worked to help secure more than $2 million in federal funds for the easement purchases through the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program. Read the full story in the Register Star.

W.T. Eckert is reporting in The Daily Mail Greene County officials are calling for state officials to allocate funds collected from wireless fees back to the counties to support 911 and public safety communications. The state now imposes a $1.20 public safety surcharge per month on all cell phones. Although the original intent was for the surcharge to be used for 911 operations and to help first responders communicate and respond to emergencies, a very small portion is now allocated to the county for that purpose. Greene County’s Public Safety Committee Chairman William Lawrence said the funds could be be used for emergency equipment, personnel training and continuing education. The matter will be considered by the full Legislature at its next meeting, April 17. Read the full story in The Daily Mail. NOTE: William Lawrence is a WGXC programmer.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 72F; low 41F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 68F; low 45F.[/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 after 4 p.m. Cloudy. High near 64. Rain likely, mainly after 7 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 44.

Forecast for the next three days:

Thursday: A chance of rain. Cloudy. High near 47. Night rain likely. Cloudy. Low around 40.
Friday: Rain. High near 49. Night showers likely, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 37.
Saturday: Partly sunny. High near 57. Mostly cloudy, Saturday night. Low around 35.

Sunrise today: 6:20 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:32 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:11 hrs.

Town meetings

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

VILLAGE OF ATHENS Board meets at 6:30 p.m at the Athens Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
CLERMONT Planning Board meets at Town Hall at 7 p.m. at 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COLUMBIA COUNTY holds a full Board of Supervisors meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
COPAKE Resource Advisory Committee meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GHENT Planning Board Application meeting and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. both at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Planning Committee (tentative) meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
JEWETT Town meeting at 7 p.m., at Municipal Bldg. 3547 Co. Rt. 23C (263-4626).
KINDERHOOK Town’s 9 & 9H Corridor Committee meets at 7 p.m. at at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
KINDERHOOK Village Board meeting and budget hearing, 7 p.m. at 6 Chatham Street, Kinderhook (758-9882).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

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

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: Quintin Cross Quintin Cross, former City of Hudson Alderman, discusses the Section 8 housing assistance program. Plus, host Ed Fertik, a former federal government employee, will offer an expose of the well publicized federal employee pay freeze. Plus a selection of modern country music.
2 p.m.: The Work Show: Travel Edition This month, the Work Show went on the road... or maybe we should just call things what they were. We went on vacation. Among the people interviewed about their working lives, and dreams -- as well as their ideals for the future of their careers and travel plans -- were members of the Italian family our family did a home exchange with in Rome, a bartender at the Prince of Wales pub near Embankment and Charing Cross tube stations in London, and the host's seven-year-old jet-lagged son Milo David Smart. Sound and music elements include the sound of the Sistine Chapel, and its shushing guards, Lorenzo Jovanotti, Gianna Nanninni, the comic singer Renato Carasone, The Kinks and the sounds of the Queen's Royal Horseguards during their daily changing ceremony. Produced and hosted by Paul Smart
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show: Dr. Willie Yee Dr. Willie Yee, President of the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association, and author Linda Zimmermann, whose most recent book is "In The Night Sky; Hudson Valley UFO Sightings From the 1930's To The Present" are guests. There will be local news and events, and the local sounds of the Catskill Community Center, host Ron Diamondstein, and whoever else drops in or calls. It could be you. Skype calls to WGXCfm or stop by the Catskill Community Center.
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Joe Gentile writes in the Register Star the Hudson Common Council is now reconsidering its February decision to enter into a land transfer with Holcim US. The deal involved nine acres of waterfront property. Common Council President Donald Moore said Mon., Apr. 8, the company's refusal to compromise on various details has led to confusion and consternation. Moore said, “I have supported the land transfer, and still do, but I believe Holcim has not." Mayor William Hallenbeck Jr. urged caution, and requested the Council tread lightly as it moved toward a decision. The Council is expected to vote next week on a resolution to withdraw its authorization of the transfer. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Ariel Zangla reports in the Daily Freeman Greene County lawmakers have agreed to the county Probation Department’s plan to hire a part-time clerk to oversee the community service program. At a meeting of the county Legislature’s Public Safety Committee Mon., Apr. 8, legislators endorsed a resolution authorizing a budget transfer to fund the part-time position. County Probation Director Alan Frisbee said the clerk would work with municipalities and non-profit organizations to find appropriate sites for people to serve court-ordered community service. The resolution awaits final approval by the full Legislature later this month. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

W.T. Eckert reports in The Daily Mail Greene County officials have unveiled a new county Web site. The six-month project to re-imagine the county's online presence was managed by county administrator Shaun Groden. The site was redesigned to include more graphic elements and laid out to be more user friendly for easy navigation. The county worked with Greenville-based consultants KathodeRay Media on the project. Groden said he wanted the site to provide access to information the public demands, either in the work place or in their own personal life, something the old static site did not do. The new site is located at Greenegovernment.com. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 72F; low 48F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 72F; low 50F.[/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 and thunderstorms before 7 a.m., then a slight chance of showers between up until 8 a.m. Mostly sunny. High near 71. Tonight, a chance of showers, mainly after 1 a.m. Increasing clouds. Low around 47.

Forecast for the next three days:

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Cloudy. High near 69. Night showers likely, up until 10 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 46.
Thursday: A chance of showers. Cloudy. High near 56. Night rain likely, mainly after 9 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 42.
Friday: Rain likely. Cloudy. High near 52. Night showers likely. Mostly cloudy. Low around 39.

Sunrise today: 6:22 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:30 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:08 hrs.

Town meetings

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

CHATHAM Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at 488 Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COPAKE Board of Ethics, 7 p.m.; Comprehensive Planning Comm., 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234)
COXSACKIE Town board at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Reed St., Coxsackie (731-2727).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

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

12 a.m. (midnight): Radio News: FCC Considers Changing Indecency Rules The Federal Communications Commission is asking the public for input on its indecency rules.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Capturing Community Voices Wave Farm Artist-in-residence Laura Hadden and Tennessee Watson discuss their residency project, interviewing local residents about work and wages.
1 a.m.: Welcome to April Songs on April theme from Patti Smith, Prince, Stephen Merritt, Julie London, Soul Asylum, and others.
2 a.m.: Edgard Varèse Radio Broadcasts French radio broadcasts of "Déserts - Présentation pour la première modiale," "Déserts - 1950-54 - for orchestra and tape - World première with Hermann Scherchen," and others, including "Poème Electronique."
3 a.m.: Radio Net Max Neuhaus work. "Having made this vocally played instrument for Chicago led me to think about having the callers also do the mixing and grouping for themselves. Obviously I could not be in these five places mixing and grouping at once; so I decided to remove myself completely from that process and implement it as an autonomous electronic system...."
5 a.m.: Radio-Controlled Drones The latest news and opinions about radio-controlled drones are explored.
5:30 a.m.: PCJ Media Network Plus: 20130409 International radio and media 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.
11 a.m.: 20th Century Country Music: The Dolly Parton Gospel Hour Join us for a Special Edition of "20th Century Country Music." Cheer Up with Dolly Parton's 1970/1971 Gospel recordings.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Daniel Johnson reports in the Register Star the West Ghent Fire Department and Greenport Rescue were dispatched around 4 p.m., Sun., Apr. 7, to a brush fire on Route 66 in West Ghent. The cause was found to be accidental and led to nearly 22 acres of burned land. The fire came within feet of a home located on Humane Society Rd. The property sustained some damage. No injuries were reported. “When we arrived, this field was heavily engulfed in fire,” Chief Jim Cesternino, of the West Ghent Fire Department said. “Our first priority was to keep it from the house.” Cesternino said this is the first brush fire of 2013 to spread like this, but it is not that unusual for the area. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Some of the stories that made the news, April 5 to April 8, 2013:

Jim Planck wrote in The Daily Mail the Hunter Library Board of Trustees has decided to ask residents of the Hunter-Tannersville Central School District for an additional $10,000 to support the library this year. Board President Dolores Chimato said Sat., Apr. 6, the library needs additional funds to meet its operations costs. Chimato said the board made the decision to forgo an increase last year. "I just didn't feel we could ask the taxpayers to do that," she said. The increase is expected to keep the library open during its current hours. The proposition will appear on the May 21 school ballot, but it is unrelated to, and separate from the school district budget vote. The library's proposed 2013-14 operating budget is $58,000. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Mayor Tom Curran on the street
in Chatham village.
(ccscoop.com)[/caption]

Adam Shanks reported in the Columbia Paper, Chatham village Mayor Tom Curran has chosen not to reappoint Village Clerk Barbara Fischer. He plans instead to name Kathy Burke to the post, a decision that requires the approval of the Village Board. Stating the decision was a personnel issue, Curran declined to explain the decision, but did say he was acting on the advice of the village attorney. "This is a tough issue, because she is well loved in the community,” Curran said. Fischer was employed by the village for six years. Burke is a Ghent resident and currently serves as secretary of the Ghent Planning Board and secretary of the Columbia County Sportsmen’s Federation. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.

Joe Gentile reported in the Register Star Hudson Mayor William Hallenbeck Jr. has decided to eliminate the position of city Youth Department director. The department has managed just fine in the director's absence, Hallenbeck said last week. City Youth Commissioner Gerald Wood promoted recreation supervisor George Bednar, who is now acting as interim director. Bednar confirmed the funds to cover the salary for a part-time director were removed from the department's budget last fall. “When you’re losing more money for our youth than we were expending on a $60,000 a year salary, this is an issue,” Hallenbeck said. “That’s why I called for the director’s position to be taken out of the charter.” Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 72F; low 54F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 72F; low 54F.[/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 65. Monday night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 50.

Forecast for the next three days:

Tuesday: A slight chance of showers before noon. Mostly sunny. High near 72. Tuesday night, a chance of showers, mainly after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 49.
Wednesday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Mostly cloudy. High near 68. A chance of showers overnight. Mostly cloudy. Low around 55.
Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 69. A chance of rain overnight. Cloudy. Low around 47.

Sunrise today: 6:24 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:29 p.m.

Length of the day: 13:05 hrs.

Town meetings

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

ASHLAND Town Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Main Street, Ashland (734-3636)
CATSKILL Village meeting at 7 p.m. at the Firehouse, 1 Central Ave. (behind Walgreens) (943-3830).
COPAKE Environmental Committee meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GREENE COUNTY LEGISLATURE holds Buildings & Grounds, Conservation, Public Safety, Highway, Government Operations, and Finance committee meetings at 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
HUDSON Informal meeting of Common Council at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Village meeting at 8 p.m.
NEW BALTIMORE Town meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 3809 Rt. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671)/
PRATTSVILLE Town meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 14517 Main St., Prattsville (299-3125).

WGXC RADIO COUNCIL will meet at 6:30 p.m., at the Hudson studio, 704 Columbia St., Hudson. The WGXC Radio Council oversees adherence to the WGXC Policies and Station Handbook and may fine-tune such policies as situations arise. The Council reviews and approves the annual WGXC operating budget and establishes and maintains fundraising to enable the station’s survival via internal policies which do not preclude the WGXC Radio Council’s representational responsibilities, both as reflects the diversity of the communities being served within the WGXC listening area, and the make-up of the WGXC Radio Council itself. Council members serve on at least one of the following committees: Fundraising, Outreach, Policy, Programming.

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 headlines.
12:05 a.m.: Radio Stew: Radio Utopias Futuristic, idealistic visions of what radio can be from Gregory Whitehead, Brian Dewan, others.
1 a.m.: The Sound of the Voice Sometimes it is how you say it, not what you say. This show explores vocal artists such as Jaap Blonk, Gregory Whitehead, Anna Friz, and others.
3 a.m.: Golden Age of Radio: 20130408 Classic radio clips from Jack Benny, others.
5 a.m.: This Week in Radio News: 20130408 New York and other states consider privacy laws about radio-controlled drones. Prometheus Radio maps out where new LPFM stations may get created in the United States. The Brooklyn transmitter farmer Aereo can keep its thousands of mini-TV antennae tuned to local television. WBAI's "Off The Hook" discusses release of Aaron Swartz, internet activist, legal documents. And more.

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.: Law and Disorder: Guantanamo Bay Hunger Strike Attorney Omar Farah speaks with Michael Ratner about a hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay Prison with more than half of prisoners from Camp 5 and 6f participating. Farah says the hunger strike was triggered by an arbitrary crackdown by the prison administration including cell searches and a search of the prisoner's Qurans. This is viewed as out right desecration. More than half of the entire prison population has been cleared for release by every prominent national security and law enforcement agency in the US government, that includes the DOD, DHS.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Wind Advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for Eastern Greene County, Western Columbia County, Eastern Albany County, and Western Rensselear County from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. as wind gusts as high as 50 mph are possible.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 39F; low 21F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 39F; low 30F.[/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 Acra, in Greene County:

Today: A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 9 a.m., then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Winds could gust as high as 49 mph. Sunday night there is a 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11 p.m., with a low around 41.

Forecast for the next two days:

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 61, low around 44. There is a 40 percent chance of showers Monday evening.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers, otherwise mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Sunrise today: 6:25 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:28 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs., 2 mins.

Town meetings

Today is the first Sunday of the month, and there are no town meetings.
(WGXC suggests you call ahead to confirm time and location.)

The day ahead on 90.7-FM
9 p.m. – April 6, 2013: 3 a.m.: "Tabs Out Marathon"
Two episodes of the cassette show "Tabs Out." Click on title for playlist.
3 a.m. – 4 a.m.: "IEEE Spectrum: Genome Sequencing"
IEEE Spectrum Magazine's Eliza Strickland takes listeners through her personal journey explaining what genome-sequencing is, and how this technology could shape the future of medical care. From Pacifica Radio.
4 a.m. – 5 a.m.: "Project Censored: National Conference on Media Reform"
Filmmakers Christopher Oscar and Doug Hecker talk about their new documentary about Project Censored, and the film's broader critique of U-S corporate media. Then, three guests call in from the National Conference on Media Reform in Denver: Sara Van Gelder of Yes magazine, independent video journalist Josh Wolf, and Vermont Commons editor Rob Williams. From Pacifica Radio.
5 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.: "Radio Wonderland Rewind"
Sat., April 6, 2013 edition of "Radio Wonderland" by Joshua Fried.
5:30 a.m. – 6 a.m.: "CounterSpin: Tim Shorrock, Lee Fang"
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: Tim Shorrock on North Korea, Lee Fang on State Policy Network.
8 p.m. - 10 p.m.: "The Irish Show"
Hosted by Tony Fallon.

The Sacremento Bee reports that 80 proposals related to radio-controlled drones in 39 statehouses across the country, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In New York, two Brooklyn Assemblymen introduced bills in Albany this past week. Christopher Robbins in Gothamist reports about Bronx Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda's bill, which prohibits drone use to gather evidence, "except when authorized under a warrant issued by a court of record or justified by lawful exception to the warrant requirement." Sepúlveda released a statement, saying that he plans several other drone bills, "Banning drones from being armed; clearly defining what constitutes a drone; restricting the use of drones by private citizens; and streamlining the mechanisms to secure permits for responsible drone usage concerning its commercial applications." Tom Precious in The Buffalo News reports that Assemblyman Nick Perry’s legislation, would “protect New York state residents from unwarranted and unauthorized use of drones or other unmanned aircrafts to conduct surveillance upon them inside their homes or place of worship or within the closed confines of their property or other locations where a person would have an expectation of privacy.’’ The Buffalo News says the bill exempts patrols along the Canadian border to prevent illegal entry of people or drugs and other substances, and to counter a "high risk of a terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization based on credible intelligence determined by the commissioner of homeland security and emergency services.'' His proposal includes individual use for "lawful purposes, including recreational or hobby purposes.''

Philadelphia-based radio access advocacy group Prometheus Radio Project says there might be 21 new low-power FM radio frequencies available in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy market. There's an October deadline at the Federal Communications Commission for non-profit organizations to apply for low-power FM licenses that can cover entire towns. "Not all channels are usable in real-world conditions, and not all channels are in locations with actual demand for community radio," the group says. "These numbers are not gospel -- they are informed guesses made by the Prometheus technical team using FCC tools." In New York State, here are some possibilities: Rochester, up to 32 new stations; Catskill, one; Hudson, two, Kingston, four; Saugerties, three. See more information at Prometheus Radio Project.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star Columbia County lawmakers remain at odds over the appropriate way to tax residents to pay for the county's 911 operations and planned upgrades. A request by the 911 director to institute a 30-cent surcharge per month on all mobile devices registered in the county remains under consideration. The current charge being levied on landlines does not offset the department’s expenses, and that revenue has been dwindling. The state currently collects $1.20 per month from mobile phone users, but the county does not receive any of that revenue. A former supervisor who still sits on the Public Safety Committee said, “nobody wants to raise taxes, but we’re going to do it one way or the other.” Read the full story in the Register Star.

Saturday Audio
Saturday Radio Headlines with Tom Roe and Philip Grant
Headlines about privacy legislation around radio-controlled drones in NY; the possibilities for LPFM in NY; and Columbia County is considering a cell phone tax.
PLAY CLIP (3:45)

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:
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 46, and a low around 27.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of rain and snow showers before 8 a.m., then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59and a low around 38.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 58, and a low around 42. A 40 percent chance of rain Monday night.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.
Sunrise today: 6:27 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:27 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs.

WGXC Programming

On Saturdays free103point9 Online Radio airs on WGXC 90.7-FM, bringing transmission arts to the airwaves in the Hudson Valley, in New York. Tune in Sat., March 16:



Midnight – 12:05 a.m.: "Radio News: Headlines"
12:05 a.m. - 2 a.m. "Balkan Death Grip"
Live webstream at Spotty Dog Books & Ale rebroadcast from Fri., Apr. 5. Eastern European music, with between two and ten band members.
2 a.m. – 3 a.m.: "Some Assembly Required: Mr. Dibbs"
Episode 159 of mash-up show hosted by Jon Nelson. Featuring the Some Assembly Required interview with Mr. Dibbs, along with 7 tracks by the artist, and one in collaboration with 1200 Hobos.
3 a.m. – 4 a.m.: "$mall ¢hange"
DJ $mall ¢hange at free103point9 events at SmackMellonin Brooklyn Aug. 2, 2003.
4 a.m. – 5 a.m.: "Selected Songs: Negativland"
Selected songs and sounds from Negativland.
5 a.m. – 7 a.m.: "Shortwave Hours: RF Exposure"
Two hours of shortwave radio-oriented programming, starting with solar weather, news on meteor showers and ham radio, and other reports. Other reports include:
5:15 a.m.: "The RAIN Report: "Visually impaired ham Greg Rosenberg, AB9MZ, strategies for emergency preparedness for the disabled."
5:30 a.m., "The Shortwave Report" with host Dan Roberts and international news via shortwave radio. This week's show features stories from NHK World Radio Japan, Radio Deutsche-Welle, Radio Havana Cuba, the Voice of Russia, and Spanish National Radio.
6 a.m.: "Glenn Hauser's World of Radio"
6:30 a.m.: "Amateur Radio Newsline" This week: "The FCC says it is reviewing RF exposure limits in all radio services; a look at the possible candidates to be the next FCC Chairman; a UK ham's signal is heard 2000 Kilometers away with only 10 milliwatts from a Raspberry Pi transmitter; the tiny Baofeng HT becomes a paradise for makers and hackers and the story of how ham radio help to stop a civil war.
7 a.m. – 8 a.m.: "Saturday Morning Serial: April Songs"
Prince, and others sing about April.
8 a.m. – 10 a.m.: "Open Air: 20130406"
"Please Assist Us With Transmission." Anyone can contribute to the show in many ways on "Open Air." Matt Bua hosts live transmission art show about local transmissions from the Catskill Community Center. You make up the show with stories, phone calls, messages, requests, further information, and more. Please help be a part of the show. Stop by the Catskill Community Center in person. Call in at 518-219-WGXC. Tweet requests @WGXC. Skype calls at WGXCfm. Talk on Channel 6 on CB radio, we are tuning in. Features include solar weather, shortwave news, and more.
Call 518-219-WGXC or Skype calls at WGXCfm to talk on the air.
10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: "Radia: Lasse-Marc Riek"
"Radia" is a group of international radio stations, including WGXC/free103point9, interested in new and forgotten ways of making radio. Each week, one station makes a show that the rest air. This week: "Fuer Giesela" by Lasse-Marc Riek.
10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m." "Radio Wonderland"
Joshua Fried remixes New York City radio from his Brooklyn apartment every Saturday on 90.7-FM in the Hudson Valley.
11 a.m. – noon: "Framework: Mathias Delplanque"
This regular edition features Mathias Delplanque, Adrian Dziewanski, Seth Chrisman, Barry Cullen, and tracks from the new framework:seasonal spring 2013 edition, issue #4, by Yannick Dauby & Olivier Féraud, Stefan Paulun, and Francisco Lopez.
7 p.m. - 8 p.m.: "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?: Bank Scandals"
Congress reported its findings on the "London Whale" scandal; a trader who racked up more than 6 billion dollars in losses for federally insured JP Morgan Chase bank. So what happened? Also, Congress held hearings on HSBC, the bank that laundered nearly a billion dollars for drug cartels and others. So what happened? And why haven't you heard about this before? Hosted by Paul Fischer.
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.: "All Mixed Up: Tesla"
An electric Nikola Tesla mixdown featuring music from They Might Be Giants, The Handsome Family, Bright Eyes, David Bowie, Johnny Marr, Rae & Christian with Bobby Womack, Devandra Banhart, Frank Black, and The Black Keys. Hosted by Peter Bochan. From Pacifica Radio.