Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 39F; low 19F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 43F; low 21F.[/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 has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 4 a.m. to noon, Monday, for freezing rain, snow and sleet.

Today: Snow and sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain before 10 a.m., then rain. High near 43. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. A chance of rain and snow showers overnight, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 31. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Forecast for the next three days:

Tuesday: Partly sunny. High near 44. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 23.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High near 38. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 24.
Thursday: Partly sunny. High near 40. Mostly cloudy. Low around 26.

Sunrise today: 6:56 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:24 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:28 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).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

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

12:02 a.m. Radio Stew: Raymond Scott and the Tree Frog Collage of field recordings of a Jamaican tree frog and Raymond Scott's "Lullaby" are tuned in after the radio news.
1 a.m. Vital Weekly: 20130211 Tracklist/timelist for Vital Weekly 868, a weekly experimental new music show, formerly by folks behind Staalplaat
2 a.m.: Radio Radio: Sianed Jones & cris cheek Episode of "Radio Radio" from Ubuweb.Sianed Jones & cris cheek are poets, musicians and multi-media artists who have collaborated on the Slant series of CDs and performances. For "Radio Radio" they present and discuss several versions of their book/CD/performance project Navigations in Sound and discuss how in-situ studies of ethnopoetics have contributed to their own performance styles. "Radio Radio" is a sixteen-part series of forty-five minute broadcasts hosted by Martin Spinelli which asks an honest question: Is there really a place on radio for experimentation?
3 a.m.: Some Assembly Required: Emergency Broadcast Network Episode 169 of mash-up show. Featuring work by Animals Within Animals, BRATmix, Daniel Steven Crafts, DJ Danger Mouse, Emergency Broadcast Network, Furious, Go Home Productions, Doug Kahn, Christian Marclay/Otomo Yoshide, Negativland, Party Ben and Carl Stone.
4 a.m.: Radio Stew: Slow Ride Slowed-down songs are featured. Rebroadcast from Jan. 15, 2013.
5 a.m.: PCJ Media Media Network Plus: Weekly show about the media.
5:30 a.m.: Radia: Lisbon Concert "Radia" show 410 for percussion on 24 tuned suspended mirrors, recorded voice, alto saxophone, cello, cymbals and electronics. Radia is an international network of radio stations interested in new and forgotten ways of making radio art. Each week a different station takes a turn creating a show for all the others. This episode: A series of letters that come from a far away place and time. The narrator describes his research voyage on a planet with strange geological formations: The Cones. Alone, he writes this letters to W and keeps us aware of his mental deflections induced by the odd landscape. Using parts of this text PARQUE presented a concert-installation at Culturgest, Lisbon in 2008. Nuno Torres: alto saxophone; Ricardo Jacinto: cello and percussion; Nuno Morão: percussion/melodica; João Pinheiro: percussion/vibraphone; Dino Récio: percussion; André Sier: electronics; Murray Todd: voice. Text (Excerpts from “The Left Hand”, 2006) by Hugo Brito. Recording: Pedro Magalhães. Mixing: Pedro Magalhães and Ricardo Jacinto (Golden Poney Studios). Mastering: Rafael Toral. Radio Zero coordination: Paulo Raposo.

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

6 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.: Al Jazeera English
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 Greene County has been notified it will not receive Individual Assistance funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for damage resulting from Hurricane Sandy. A letter from the agency dated Jan. 28 stated the damage sustained to the dwellings in Greene County was not of the severity and magnitude to warrant inclusion under the program. The county did qualify for approximately $215,000 in Public Assistance funding, which administrators are now in the process of distributing to the appropriate county, town and village entities, according Greene County Emergency Services Director John Farrell. The claims denied were submitted for properties located in low-lying areas in Catskill, Athens and Coxsackie, the hardest hit by the tidal surge during the October storm. The county has 30 days to appeal the decision. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Kyle Adams reports in The Daily Mail the Cairo-Durham Board of Education announced its decision about the use of the Cairo and Durham elementary schools, Thurs., Feb. 7. Under the new grade level realignment plan the Durham building will house Kindergarten through second grade and the Cairo building will hold grades three through five. Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) will remain at the Cairo building. The plan is projected to save the district more than a half million dollars, in the face of a projected $2.4 million deficit for the coming school year. Under the accompanying transportation plan, no child will be on a bus for more than an hour and there will be no loss of instructional time due to busing, according to Superintendent Mary Fassett. The specifics of scheduling, programs and services and other details of the new plan are pending and will be presented at a later time. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Snow emergencies, closings and cancellations declared for Fri., Feb. 8

Snow emergencies
ATHENS / The Village of Athens has issued a snow emergency beginning 10 a.m., Fri., Feb. 8 through Sun., Feb. 3. Snow emergency parking rules are in effect.
HUDSON / The City of Hudson has declared a snow emergency beginning 8 a.m., Fri. Feb. 8. More information on the snow emergency can be found online at the city Web site.

FRIDAY Closings/Cancellations

COLUMBIA COUNTY
Berkshire Union Free School District / Closing at noon. Day program only.
Catholic Charities of Columbia County / Closing at 2:30 p.m.
Chatham Central School District / Closing early. Elementary 11 a.m.; middle school 10:45 a.m.; high school 11:10 a.m.
Chatham Kids Club / Morning program open; afternoon program closed.
COARC Adult Transportation / Closing early at 1 p.m. Annual Polar Plunge fundraiser scheduled for Saturday is postponed to Feb. 23. The workshops (A runs) will be sent home first today.
Columbia County Farmland Protection Plan Public Meeting scheduled for Sat., Feb. 9 at Ancram Town Hall has been cancelled. The meeting will be rescheduled at a later date. Please check for updates on the Columbia County Web site under the Farmland Protection link.
Columbia County Senior Meals / Closed. Staff to report.
Columbia County WIC Program / Closing at 2 p.m.
Columbia-Greene Community College / Closing at noon.
Germantown Central School District / Closed.
Hudson Area Library / Closed.
Hawthorne Valley School / Closed.
Hudson City School District / Closed. No after-school events.
Hudson Day Care Center / Closed.
Ichabod Crane Central School District / Closing early. High school, middle and elementary 10:30 a.m.; primary 11:30.
Learning Essentials Daycare / Closed.
Mountain Road School / Closed.
New Lebanon Central School District / Closing early; elementary at 1:15 p.m., high school at noon.
Questar III Columbia-Greene Educational Center / Closed.
Taconic Hills Central School District / Closed. Aquatic and Fitness Center closed entire weekend.
Twin Counties Recovery Services Inc. / Closing at noon.

GREENE COUNTY
Cairo-Durham Central School District / Closed.
Catskill Central School District / Closed. No after-school program; district offices closed.
Circle of Friends (Ravena) / Closing early at 11:30 a.m. No transportation. Day care open: 4-hour closing at 11:30 a.m.; 2.5-hour morning open; no 2.5-hour afternoon class.
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District / Closed. Offices will close at noon. No after-school events.
Early Childhood Learning Center / Closed.
Grapeville Christian School / Closed.
Greene County Nutrition Program / Closed. No transportation. Greene County nutrition sites closed.
Greenville Central School District / Closed.
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District / Closed.
Questar III, Catskill Academy / Closed.
St. Mary's (Coxsackie) / Closed.
Ulster-Greene ARC (Catskill) / Open. No transportation.
UMC Daycare Norton Hill / Closing early at noon. No morning Pre-K; no afternoon Pre-K.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District / Closed. No after-school events.

SATURDAY Closings/Cancellations

COLUMBIA COUNTY
Art OMI / Saturday workshop canceled.
COARC / Annual Polar Plunge fundraiser scheduled for Saturday is postponed to Feb. 23.
Columbia County / Civil service exam center closed; School Safety and Security Officer exam postponed to Feb. 16.
Columbia-Greene Community College / Closed.
Twin Counties Recovery Services Inc. / No Saturday classes.

GREENE COUNTY
Greene County YMCA / Closed. No morning or evening classes.

OTHER
The state civil service exams scheduled for Saturday have been canceled, and all state test centers will be closed. The exams have been rescheduled for Sat., Feb. 16. For more information, call (518) 474-6470, or go to www.cs.ny.gov.

Source: cbs6albany.com (WRGB-TV Channel 6)

A major winter storm is expected to impact the Northeast and New England Fri., Feb. 8 into Sat., Feb. 9. As much as one to two feet of snow is forecast from the New York City metro area to Maine. This, in addition to wind gusts as high as 60-75 mph will significantly impact transportation and power. Coastal flooding is also possible from Boston northward. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow, 6 a.m. Friday, to noon, Saturday. for all of east central New York, southern Vermont and western Massachusetts. Snow accumulations of 8 to 16 inches are expected in the Capital District, eastern Catskills, Mid-Hudson Valley and the Taconics. The storm will escalate through the day; the heaviest snowfall will occur Friday night. The NWS has forecast a second storm, including freezing rain, may hit the area during the day, Monday. At a press conference, Thurs., Feb. 7, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be activated at 12:00 p.m., Friday to monitor the storm and coordinate response efforts. Cuomo warned of potentially significant and prolonged transportation disruptions, power outages and other impacts throughout metro-New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 30F; low 12F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 32F; low 14F.[/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: Snow. High near 31. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of two to four inches possible. Tonight, snow could be heavy at times. Low around 19. Winds around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of 7 to 11 inches possible.

The outlook for the next three days:

Saturday: Snow likely, mainly before noon. Cloudy through mid-morning, then gradually clearly. High near 29. Blustery, with winds of 18 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. New snow accumulation of one to three inches possible. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 4. Wind values as low as -5.
Sunday: Sunny. High near 32. Slight chance of snow after 1 a.m. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 19.
Monday: Snow likely before 10 a.m., then sleet between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., turning to drizzle after 1 p.m. Cloudy. High near 28. Mostly cloudy overnight. Low around 32.

Sunrise today: 7 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:20 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:20 hrs.

Town meetings

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


HUDSON (Tentative) Historic Preservation Commission at 10 a.m., 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

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

12:02 a.m. Scanner: A Retrospective in Seven Parts This seven-part series focuses on the extraordinary work of Scanner (British artist Robin Rimbaud) who traverses the experimental terrain between sound, space, image and form, creating absorbing, multi-layered sound pieces that twist technology in unconventional ways. From his early controversial work using found mobile phone conversations, through to his focus on trawling the hidden noise of the modern metropolis his restless explorations of the experimental terrain have won him international admiration. free103point9 is delighted to be working with the artist on this special broadcast event February 3-9, from midnight to 6 a.m. Each night, the broadcast will focus on a specific theme including live performance, sound installation, dance scores, film scores, composition and radio works.

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

6 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.: Al Jazeera English
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="213"] Terry Doyle[/caption]

Terry Doyle, host and producer of 'Imprint', broadcast weekly on WGXC 90.7-FM, died Wed., Feb. 6, at his parents' home in Middleburgh, N.Y. Doyle was hospitalized for a heart attack during the week of Jan. 28. A resident of Delhi, Doyle is survived by his parents and five brothers and sisters, WIOX 91.3-FM radio host Glen Pedersen said, Thursday morning. Pedersen said funeral arrangements are pending at this time. In addition to "Imprint," Doyle also hosted "Crackle" on WIOX, Wednesday through Friday afternoons. In December, Doyle was honored for his volunteer service to the 28-month-old Roxbury, N.Y. station. "Terry has gone above and beyond — running three miles in the rain from his home to the station to assist in crisis coverage, tracking down elusive newsmakers, performing marathon stand-by duty whenever needed...Terry has been the station’s biggest ambassador and more," said Joe Piasek, WIOX's executive producer and managing consultant. The 2012 “Doylie” (designed with Terry in mind) will be awarded annually to others on the station’s staff who continue to go above and beyond.

John Mason reports in the Register Star TCI of New York President Brian Hemlock appeared before the Ghent Planning Board, Wed., Feb. 6. Hemlock answered questions posed by board members in January, in addition to some new ones. TCI is in the business of transporting and dismantling decommissioned electrical transformers. Its facility on Falls Industrial Road was destroyed by fire, Aug. 1. The company is now seeking permission from the town to rebuild. On Wednesday, board members raised several issues including the lack of a fire suppression system in the building and the company's failure to disclose its relationship with independent contractor Power Substation Services to town officials. Fire investigators determined that PSS was the likely cause of the fire. "You guys really have a credibility problem," said one board member. TCI will be the subject at a special joint meeting of the Ghent Town, Planning and Zoning boards, 7 p.m., tonight at Ghent Town Hall. Read the full story in the Register Star.

The National Weather Service is reporting forecasters are growing more confident that a major winter storm will impact parts of the Northeast and New England Fri., Feb. 8, into Sat., Feb. 9. This Nor'easter-type storm system will bring strong winds and heavy snow to the region. The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Watch for east, central New York and western New England, beginning Friday morning through late Friday night. Heavy snow is possible, with accumulations of nine inches or more into Friday night. Winds are expected to reach 10 to 20 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph. Snowfall rates may exceed one inch per hour, Friday evening. The snow will taper off Saturday morning.

Kyle Adams reports in The Daily Mail the Heart of Catskill Association will kick off the seventh year of its “Cat’n Around Catskill” program with an artist and sponsor reception Sun., Feb. 10, at the BRIK Gallery on Main St. The program installs uniquely painted cat sculptures throughout the village for the duration of the summer, culminating in an auction and gala in the fall. It has become popular among tourists and is a signature event for HOCA. Many local businesses have come forward as sponsors and have committed to review designs from local artists, according to HOCA President Tina Gagliardy. Once artists and sponsors are matched, HOCA will order the bare fiberglass cats and then provide them to the artists for decoration. There will be a twist the program this year: The addition of dogs. “We just thought we’d change it up a little, so like for every five cats we’re going to throw in a dog,” she said. “So it’s going to be called Cat’n Around Catskill in the Dog Days of Summer.” The pieces will be on the streets by Memorial Day. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 32F; low 19F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 32F; low 21F.[/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 25. Tonight, a chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Cloudy. Low around 20. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New snow accumulation of less than inch expected.


The outlook for the next three days:

Friday: Snow. High near 30. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of two to four inches possible. The snow could be heavy times, Friday night. Low around 21.
Saturday: Snow likely, mainly before 9 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 27. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 3.
Sunday: Sunny. High near 32. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 20.

Sunrise today: 7:01 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:18 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:17 hrs.

Town meetings

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


ANCRAM Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
AUSTERLITZ Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 812 Route 203, Spencertown (392-3260).
COPAKE Planning Board meets at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GHENT Joint Meeting of the Town Board, Planning Board, and Zoning Board concerning TCI  at 7 p.m., Ghent Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Common Council Legal Committee meeting at 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
KINDERHOOK Zoning Board of Appeals meets at 7 p.m. at 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

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

12:02 a.m. Scanner: A Retrospective in Seven Parts This seven-part series focuses on the extraordinary work of Scanner (British artist Robin Rimbaud) who traverses the experimental terrain between sound, space, image and form, creating absorbing, multi-layered sound pieces that twist technology in unconventional ways. From his early controversial work using found mobile phone conversations, through to his focus on trawling the hidden noise of the modern metropolis his restless explorations of the experimental terrain have won him international admiration. free103point9 is delighted to be working with the artist on this special broadcast event February 3-9, from midnight to 6 a.m. Each night, the broadcast will focus on a specific theme including live performance, sound installation, dance scores, film scores, composition and radio works.

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

6 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.: Education News: Racism, Class and the Attack on Public Education In this episode we spend the hour listening to a talk by Brian Jones titled "Still Separate, Still Unequal: Racism, Class and the Attack on Public Education." He was speaking to a group of teachers and parents in New York City this past February as part of Black History Month. Brian has worked as an elementary school teacher in Harlem and is currently a fourth grade public school teacher in Brooklyn, NYC. Brian participated with the Grassroots Education Movement (GEMNYC) to produce the documentary An Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman in 2011. This documentary was a response to the widely publicized film Waiting for Superman, produced by Participant Media, which also produced An Inconvenient Truth. Education Radio episode 5 "Exposing the Myth of Education Reform" from September of last year highlighted Jones' work on this documentary and can still be heard on our blog. In his talk, Brian draws connections between attacks on labor and attacks on public schools. He suggests education reformers' emphasis on test scores, teachers and outcomes is about "excellence" (using their words), but not equity. Brian addresses the increasingly undemocratic process by which these neoliberal reforms are being implemented, and the potential power of true solidarity between parents and teachers. WGXC broadcasts this program via the Pacifia Audioport
11 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
2 p.m.: The Art of The Hudson Valley: Jonathan Gould, Tony Fletcher Local authors Jonathan Gould and Tony Fletcher join host Chad Weckler in our Hudson studio. Tony Fletcher has written many books, among his profiles include Keith Moon, The Echo and The Bunnymen, R.E.M. and The Clash. His current book is “A Light That Never Goes Out: The Enduring Saga of the Smiths.” Gould's book “Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain and America” takes an in-depth look at the lyrics and music of the Beatles. He is currently writing a biography of Otis Redding.
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: Winter Sports Electromatic Radio presents a "Winter Sports" episode. "It's thrills, spills, and frosty buckets of gore as Matt and Grey go on location to cover the 67th Annual Drakesville Winter Sports Festival!" Show is available through A-Infos Radio Hosted by Tom Roe.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Jimmy Vielkind reports at Capitol Confidential Republican Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin has apologized for his comments Tues., Feb. 5, comparing Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to Adolf Hitler. He said his statement was made "in the heat of the moment" and was an "honest mistake." The offending remarks came during a press conference calling for bills to be more fully aired before they are voted on, prompted by the recent passage of the NY SAFE Act.

McLaughlin's full statement (1:20)

Jimmy Vielkind is reporting at Capitol Confidential investor Sean Eldridge known in political circles for his advocacy of marriage equality and public financing of political campaigns, is considering a run against Congressman Chris Gibson. Eldridge filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission earlier this month. Born in Canada, Eldridge runs Hudson River Ventures, a firm headquartered in Kingston. He is married to Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes. Eldridge filed a statement of candidacy and has hired a political consulting and advertising firm. A staffer with the firm said the 26-year-old is seriously considering a run for the seat. The 19th Congressional District encompasses 11 counties, including Columbia and Greene. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

The Associated Press is reporting New York will expand a quarantine on ash wood products across most of the southern part of the state to combat the spread of the invasive emerald ash borer. The beetle's larvae have destroyed tens of millions of trees as it has moved steadily east from Michigan, where it was discovered in 2002. New York now prohibits untreated firewood from entering the state, and it is forbidden to move the wood more than 50 miles from its source within the state. The new quarantine will take effect May 1. The state quarantine is now in place for the entirety of Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie, Ulster and 28 other counties. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Joe Gentile reports in the Register Star Hudson Mayor William Hallenbeck Jr. Tues., Feb. 5, announced the retirement of Police Chief Ellis Richardson. “On behalf of the people of Hudson, I thank the chief for his service,” Police Commissioner Gary Graziano said in a statement released by the Mayor's Office. Hallenbeck described an appreciation for the chief’s unparalleled “level of professionalism.” Richardson was the first African American to head the HPD in its 225-year history. A 27-year veteran of the force, he served as a juvenile aid officer, a D.A.R.E. officer and HPD lieutenant. His retirement is effective within the next three weeks. The paper did not reach out to Richardson for comment. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Russ Buettner reports in The New York Times on New York's chief judge Jonathan Lippman's annual State of the Judiciary speech, delivered in Albany, Tues., Feb. 5. Lippman called the bail process in New York unfair to the poor, and said the system is susceptible to allowing dangerous suspects to be set free. Lippman called for an overhaul of the bail system to bring the state closer in line with the rest of the country. He said New York was one of four states that does not permit judges to consider public safety when making a bail determination. Lippman also said the bail system was stacked against those accused of minor crimes, keeping them in jail at great personal hardship and weakening their resolve in plea negotiations. He also called for the expansion of supervised release programs that monitor defendants awaiting trial and provide them access to social services, like programs to help overcome drug and alcohol abuse. Read the full story in The New York Times.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 36F; low 10F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 34F; low 10F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.
FAR LEFT:The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

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

Today: A slight chance of snow showers, before 10 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 34. Tonight, partly cloudy.. Low around 7.

The outlook for the next three days:

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High near 26. Light snow likely, Thursday night/Friday morning. Cloudy. Low around 21.
Friday: Snow. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. High near 34. Snow, Friday night. Low around 19.
Saturday: A chance of snow showers before noon. Mostly sunny. High near 27. Low around 5.

Sunrise today: 7:03 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:17 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:14 hrs.

Town meetings

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


CAIRO Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main Street, Cairo (622-3120).
GHENT Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, P.O. Box 98, Ghent (392-4644).
GREENE COUNTY Meetings for Human Services, Health, and Education Committees at 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENPORT Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, 600 Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).
HUDSON Hudson Common Council Youth & Aging Committee meeting, 6 p.m., and Arts, Entertainment & Tourism Committee meeting at 6:45 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
LIVINGSTON Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, County Rte. 19, Livingston (851-9441).

The day ahead on 90.7-FM

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

12:02 a.m. Scanner: A Retrospective in Seven Parts This seven-part series focuses on the extraordinary work of Scanner (British artist Robin Rimbaud) who traverses the experimental terrain between sound, space, image and form, creating absorbing, multi-layered sound pieces that twist technology in unconventional ways. From his early controversial work using found mobile phone conversations, through to his focus on trawling the hidden noise of the modern metropolis his restless explorations of the experimental terrain have won him international admiration. free103point9 is delighted to be working with the artist on this special broadcast event February 3-9, from midnight to 6 a.m. Each night, the broadcast will focus on a specific theme including live performance, sound installation, dance scores, film scores, composition and radio works.

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

6 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.: Africans A-Liberate: The Political Songs of Bob Marley An hour-long special honoring the more overtly political music of Bob Marley and The Wailers.
10 a.m.: @Issue: Carole Osterink Blogger and former Hudson alderman Carole Osterink will be the guest for the full hour. Hosted by Victor Mendolia. Mendolia is the chair of the Hudson City Democrats and the first vice chair of the Columbia County Democratic Committee.
11 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show Broadcast live from the Catskill Community Center. Hosted by Ron Diamondstein.
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Brian Nearing reports in the Times Union Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens appeared before state lawmakers Mon., Feb. 4. The DEC head was there to discuss the agency's proposed 2013-14 budget, but spent three hours being grilled on the subject of natural gas hydrofracking. The questioning took place in a hearing room packed by hundreds of hydrofracking opponents. Sen. Tony Avella, a Queens Democrat and proponent of a hydrofracking ban, took Martens to task for an unreleased DEC assessment of the potential human health impacts of the practice. Martens repeated past statements that his agency has no timetable to finish its proposed shale gas drilling rules, which could require changes based on potential findings from a state Health Department review. Marten's testimony came as the Siena Research Institute released its latest polling on public attitudes toward hydrofracking, which continued to roughly divide New Yorkers down the middle — with 40 percent opposed, 40 percent in favor, and the rest unsure. The poll found those opposed to the process will be more upset if the technique moved forward than fracking supporters will be if it does not. Hydrofracking is a drilling technique which uses a high-pressure blend of chemicals, water and sand to break up gas-bearing rocks deep underground. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Jimmy Vielkind is reporting in the Times Union Republicans in the state Assembly have proposed amending the state Constitution to forbid legislative activity after midnight. More than two dozen legislators gathered Tuesday morning for a press conference to push for the amendment, which would make it harder for a governor to waive a required three-day waiting period for bills with a "message of necessity." Legislators were spurred to action after Cuomo's push for a gun control measure was voted on less than 24 hours after it was unveiled. "We're told, basically, to shut up and vote," said Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin. "If that's not dictatorial, I don't know what is. Hitler would be proud. Mussolini would be proud of what we did here. Moscow would be proud. That's not democracy." A spokesman for Democrats condemned McLaughlin's Hitler comparison as "highly offensive and beneath a member of the State Legislature." Read the full story in the Times Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 32F; low 19F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 30F; low 21F.[/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 28. Tonight, light snow is likely, between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 19. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch is possible.


The outlook for the next three days:

Wednesday: A chance of light snow, mainly before 9 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 39. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch is possible. Mostly clear overnight. Low around 13.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High near 31. A chance of snow, Thursday night. Mostly cloudy. Low around 23.
Friday: Snow likely before 2 p.m., then rain and snow likely. Cloudy. High near 36. A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 11.

Sunrise today: 7:04 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:16 p.m.

Length of the day: 10:12 hrs.

Town meetings

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


The day ahead on 90.7-FM

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

12:02 a.m. Scanner: A Retrospective in Seven Parts This seven-part series focuses on the extraordinary work of Scanner (British artist Robin Rimbaud) who traverses the experimental terrain between sound, space, image and form, creating absorbing, multi-layered sound pieces that twist technology in unconventional ways. From his early controversial work using found mobile phone conversations, through to his focus on trawling the hidden noise of the modern metropolis his restless explorations of the experimental terrain have won him international admiration. free103point9 is delighted to be working with the artist on this special broadcast event February 3-9, from midnight to 6 a.m. Each night, the broadcast will focus on a specific theme including live performance, sound installation, dance scores, film scores, composition and radio works.

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

6 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.: Al Jazeera English
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News