These tracks are in heavy rotation this month on WGXC.


Radio Mauritanie [MTN]: 3 Jan 2012 [0005UTC] - 7245 kHz [#1] Recorded by shortwavemusic.

"Elemental Force (excerpt)" by Scanner.

"Light Cones (excerpt)" by Radio Shock. Excerpt from new in-progress Radio Shock sounds.

"Battledome" by Tropicbends.

Thank You - Mother's Nose from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Saturdays WGXC 90.7-FM features transmission art from free103point9, an Acra-based non-profit arts group that works with artists who use the radio in their work. Tune in for radio art, radio theatre, creative composition, field recordings, free jazz,noise, mash-ups, and other experimental sounds. Here's the schedule for Sat., Dec. 8, 2013:

5 a.m. – 7 a.m.: "Shortwave Hours: 20121208"
5 a.m.: "The RAIN Report:"Short 2012 Hamvention interviews with Don Whiteman, KK9H and Mark Klockson, WA9IVH (11 minutes)."
5:30 a.m., "The Shortwave Report" with host Dan Roberts and international news via shortwave radio.
6 a.m.: "Glenn Hauser's World of Radio"
6:30 a.m.: "Amateur Radio Newsline"
"Hams provide emergency communications as a massive typhoon hits the Philippines; The IARU Region 3 Monitoring System notes an increase in the number of intrusions into the amateur radio bands; hams in Taiwan say that they are in need of additional operating spectrum and the FCC plans to hold several hearings on the communications breakdowns caused by Hurricane Sandy."

8 a.m. – 10 a.m.: "Open Air: 20121208"
Live from the Catskill Community Center. Host Matt Bua will take calls and suggestions, and accepts walk-in guests live at the Catskill Community Center. Also weather radio, solar radio, the ski report, and more. Feel free to call in 518-291-WGXC. Tweet song requests @WGXC.

10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: "Radia: An Interruption"
"An Interruption" recorded live by Radio Helsinki for Radia. "Radia" is an international group of radio station interested in new and forgotten ways of making creative radio. Each week, one station in the network asks an artist to make a radio work that can be heard around the globe. This week: A live on air improvisation by Michael Fischer based on textfragments by Lucas Cejpek, dealing with interruption. The texts are part of a work in progress, a dictionary of a single word, which is interruption.

10:30-11 a.m.: "Radio Wonderland"
Joshua Fried remixes NYC radio live from Brooklyn every week on WGXC.

11 a.m. – noon: "Framework: Marcus Beuter"
This edition of framework:afield has been produced in Germany by Marcus Beuter. For more information see his website at http://www.marcusbeuter.de.

Noon – 2 p.m.: "Nam June Paik Tribute"
"Nam June Paik: Global Visionary" opens Dec. 13 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. This show will tune in some of the Korean artists sound and video works.

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: "PiratesWeek: KRAP, LPFM"
Monthly, formerly weekly, overview of shortwave and FM pirate radio. Pirates in the news this week include an article about David Tedder of Longview started the low-power “pirate” station KRAP, which broadcasts on 107.9-FM. Reports of dozens of raids against pirate radio stations in Islington and Hackney. A new pirate-themed movie is out titled "Young Soul Rebels." FCC announces first opportunity for small community radio stations in 12 years as heard on International Radio Report. Select postings from the HF Underground and note stations logged per the Free Radio Weekly. Off Air Recordings include the stations of: WMPR, Channel Z, Radio Ronin Shortwave, Insane Radio, 2012International.

3-4 p.m.: "The Human Machine"
Max Goldfarb's take on the melding of man and machines.

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: "Saturday Afternoon Show: Week in Radio News"
Tune in as host Tom Roe recounts important radio-related news. Plus a few Free Speech Radio News reports from this week about the Federal Communications Commission and radio-controlled drones being used in the United States. Plus music, weather, the ski report, and more.

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.: "The Wringer: Weather Manipulation"
For "The Six O'Clock Story" we sample the show "The Wringer" from WHCL at Hamilton College in New York. Host Peter Bianco speaks with Dr. Rosalie Bertell, author of the book "Planet Earth the Latest Weapon of War." Talk turns to weather manipulation, radiation, and the hole in the ozone layer. Dr. Bertell reminds us that it was not caused by our hair sprays and under arm deoderant but by the millitaries detenation of a nuclear weapon on the upper atmosphere. Hosted by Pete Bianco on WHCL, out of Hamilton College, Clinton, NY.

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.: "Stone Symposium"
"An Open Discussion about the Unknown Origins of the Engineered Stone Landscape in the Catskill Area and Beyond." Featuring a presentation by Glen Kreisberg, Vice President of New England Antiquities Research Association. Other participants include Harry Matthews, Stone Balancer from the Hill Falls road area; Jared Handelson, resident of Kiskatom who’s been interested in the Lithic sites in the area and around the world; Laura Anderson, moderator; and Matt Bua, recent Kiskatom resident who realized all stone “walls” in the area we’re not built post-colonially. Open to the public to attend in person or listen to on the radio. More information and photos here.

9 p.m. – 10 p.m.: "Turning the Dial the Night John Lennon Died"
This show will tune in New York City radio the night the former Beatle was shot (from. WFMU recording), and other solo works and Beatle songs. This show also plays an excerpt of Howard Cosell announcing the news during "Monday Night Football."

Educator and former Taghkanic Town Councilman Anthony LaSalvia spoke on the subject of hydraulic fracturing, Thurs., Dec. 6, in a public forum held at Congregation Anshe Emeth in Greenport. This was the second of two informational meetings held by the synagogue on the controversial gas extraction process. LaSalvia showed the short film "The Sky Is Pink" by Josh Fox, and offered a 40-minute PowerPoint presentation, followed by a question and answer session with 35 audience members. LaSalvia, representing the anti-fracking viewpoint, made a few references to the event held the previous week featuring speaker Karen Bulich Moreau, executive director of the New York State Petroleum Council. Moreau spoke from the pro-fracking viewpoint. LaSalvia told the crowd he spoke with Barbara Coyle of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, early in the day, Thursday. Coyle leased her land to a gas company, but was now selling her property and leaving the state because of the devastating impact of fracking on the community. A blowout of a Chesapeake Energy Company gas well in the town of Leroy in 2011, spilled toxic fluids into a creek. LaSalvia used Coyle's story as a concrete example of some of the points he made about the negative impacts of fracking. Conversations continued over refreshments served following question and answer session. Rabbi Daniel Fried said attendance for the anti-fracking event was substantially larger than attendance at the pro-fracking meeting. -- Sam Sebren

PLAY CLIP (13:44) Audio excerpts from presentation by Anthony LaSalvia at Congregation Anshe Emeth.

PLAY FULL PRESENTATION (48:37) Audio of presentation by Anthony LaSalvia at Congregation Anshe Emeth, with introductions by Rabbi Daniel Fried and Dr. Lawrence Kadish.

Kyle Adams reports in The Daily Mail the Cairo-Durham Central School District has a new superintendent. The Board of Education Thurs., Dec. 6, appointed Mary Fassett to the district's top post. Fassett will begin work Dec. 17. She is the former Superintendent of Schools for the Downsville Central School District. She also previously worked for the Fort Ann Central School District and the Mechanicville Central School District. Board president Greg Koerner-Fox said Fassett was the unanimous choice, given her teaching and administrative experience. Fassett said she was impressed by the combined potential of the Cairo-Durham district and its community. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="113"]Windham Mountain's Ullr Festival is Sat., Dec. 8.[/caption]Last week's minor snow coating was enough to get two of the area's ski centers started. That snow melted away, but the cold is back, and there are light snow showers predicted throughout the weekend at higher altitudes locally. Windham Mountain, which holds its Ullr Festival Sat., Dec. 8 for a mythological Norse ski god, has eight trails with one lift open, with a base of 10-26" of mostly manufactured snow. Hunter Mountain is open along the Hellgate, 7th Ave., Kennedy Drive, and Fifth Avenue lines with a six-passenger chair lift operating over 6-48" of mostly manufactured snow. Catamount Ski is not open yet but their website says, "we're making snow on ten trails.... Check back for opening day updates." Click here to play WGXC Ski Report.
PLAY CLIP (1:02)

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 41F; low 34F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 37F; low 34F.[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

Today: Rain likely, mainly after 3 p.m. Cloudy. High near 39. Tonight rain. Low around 33.

The outlook for the next three days:

Saturday: Rain before noon, then showers likely between noon and 1 p.m. High near 45. Slight chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy. Low around 33.
Sunday: A chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy. High near 47. Rain likely after 1 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 38.
Monday: Rain likely. Cloudy. High near 57. Showers likely overnight. Cloudy. Low around 37.

Sunrise today: 7:11 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:24 p.m.

Length of the day: 9 hrs., 13 min.

Town meetings

Today is the first Friday of the month.
WGXC is unaware of any regularly scheduled meetings today.

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.: 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. Philip Grant, host.
10 p.m. Imprint : Pesky J. Nixon This week's show features an interview with New England folk outfit Pesky J. Nixon.
11 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
2 p.m.: ¿Qué cocinaré hoy?: Esteban Guerrero What's cooking today? Antonio Flores Lobos and Mariel Fiori discuss holidays plans and talk with Esteban Guerrero, about celebrations to honor Virgen de Guadalupe.
3 p.m.: Making Contact: Michelle Alexander Professor Michelle Alexander, author of ‘The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness’ makes the case that the US criminal justice system’s policies can be traced directly back to slavery. The targets, then and now, are African Americans. WGXC broadcasts 'Making Contact' through the National Radio Project and Pacifica Audioport.
3:30 p.m.: Knock on Wood Episode 86: Shrinkage Seems everything's shrunk in the laundry. And we mean everything. Also: Bing,Bong The Subway Song-Bunky and Jake/ Indoor Pool-Phyllis Diller/ Hibernation-Jay Mankita/ Rock And Roll Classroom-Conception Corporation.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News
7 p.m.: Guest DJ Lamar

Rick Karlin is reporting at Capitol Confidential on the role phone surveys are playing in the closely contested 46th Senate District race between Republican George Amedore and Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk (KAT-chik). It is alleged phone calls were made to voters whose ballots were being contested. Callers told the voters Amedore's team was contesting their right to vote. One absentee ballot voter, a Democrat, reported calls on three occasions from a Richmond, Va.-based company asking who they voted for. The majority of objections filed and now being litigated were raised by Republicans, contesting likely Tkaczyk voters. The Daily Gazette reports in the legal battle, regardless of what acting Supreme Court Judge Guy Tomlinson rules, it is likely his decision will be appealed to the Appellate Division, and a winner will not be known until 2013. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

W.T. Eckert reports in The Daily Mail the Greene County Legislature Wed., Dec. 5, approved the county's 2013 budget, totaling slightly more than $100 million. The plan, which requires a 2.7 percent increase in the tax levy, encountered only slight opposition. The spending plan includes an increase in the county's contribution to the state retirement system, a larger general fund balance and additional funds for the county road fund. Democrat Chris Pfister of Athens said that while he agreed with the content of the budget he voted against the plan because of the process. He said lawmakers were not given ample opportunity to discuss the budget as a group. Republican Joseph Izzo of Catskill voted in support of the plan, but agreed with Pfister, saying details of the budgeting process need to be addressed. Legislature Chairman Wayne Speenburgh called the approved budget very good for the taxpayers of Greene County. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Gail Heinsohn reports in the Register Star representatives of TCI NY appeared before the Ghent Planning Board Wed., Dec. 5, on an application to rebuild its transformer dismantling operation. The application includes a plan for office space identical to the one approved last summer to house special lab facilities. That plan was approved Aug. 1, hours before a massive chemical fire destroyed the facility, located on Route 9. The plan also calls for a state-of-the-art fire suppression system, exterior lighting, a parking lot for 18 employees and a truck scale to facilitate the flow of truck traffic in and out of the facility. The board will take up the TCI application again at its January meeting. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 39F; low 28F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 36F; low 25F.[/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 37. Partly cloudy tonight. Low around 22.

The outlook for the next three days:

Friday: A chance of showers, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 44. Showers likely, mainly before 9 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 33.
Saturday: A chance of showers. Cloudy. High near 51.Low around 38.
Sunday: A chance of rain. Cloudy. High near 50. Low around 37.

Sunrise today: 7:10 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:24 p.m.

Length of the day: 9 hrs., 14 min.

Town meetings

Today is the first Thursday of the month.
(WGXC recommends 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 Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
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

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. Philip Grant, host.
10 p.m. Tell It Like It Is: Barefoot Running Hosted by Christina Malisoff.
11 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
2 p.m.: The Art of the Hudson Valley: Julie Casper Roth and Isabel Barton Julie Casper Roth is an award-winning filmmaker and video artist and resides in Albany County. Isabel Barton is a writer, photographer and filmmaker, and received the National Award for Photography in her native Venezuela in 1972.
3 p.m.: Radio Theatre: Enthusiasm! "Enthusiasm! The Dombass Symphony" (1930) is possibly Dziga Vertov's most revolutionary achievement: A symphony of abstract industrial noise for which a specially designed giant mobile recording system was constructed (it weighed more than a ton) in order to capture the din of mines, furnaces and factories. For Vertov, the introduction of sound film didn't mean talkies, but the opportunity to collage, montage and splice together constructions of pure environmental noise.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News
7 p.m.: The Jazz Disturbance: Dr. Jeff Monkash Guest DJ Dr. Jeff Monkash will be in the Hudson studio with selections from his vast jazz library. Monkash is a gastroenterologist, celebrating 30 years of practice in Columbia and Greene counties. At one time Dr. Monkash hosted “Profiles in Jazz” in the 1980s in Hudson. Hosted by Cheryl K.

The Times Union is reporting New York's Hudson Valley has been named one of National Geographic Traveler's 20 best places to visit in 2013. The magazine calls the valley a "must-see" for international travelers. The magazine lauds the region's cultural pedigree, from the Clearwater Festival to Woodstock, as well as the valley's many mom-and-pop shops and world-class restaurants, as well as the newly expanded Hudson River School Art Trail. Read Sascha Zugere's full story in National Geographic Traveler.

William J. Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman an anticipated vacancy on the Catskill Town Board is drawing interest from a variety of candidates. The seat will be vacated Jan. 1 when Councilman Kevin Lennon is sworn in as a Greene County legislator. Town Supervisor Joseph Leggio said Tues., Dec. 4, Ronald Dombroski Jr. and Christoper Sutherland have submitted letters of intent, and at least three other people have made verbal requests for consideration. The individual appointed will serve the last year remaining of Lennon's four-year term. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Barbara Reina reports in the Register Star a new business may soon be moving into the former Walmart building at 315 Fairview Ave. in Greenport. Premier Riverview, a Mount Vernon-based company, is expected purchase the building in February. A warehouse operation of Premier Brands of America will move into the back of the building sometime the following spring. The company is expected to create 25 local jobs in its first year of operation. Premier will make the retail space in the front of the building available for lease. The company is the manufacturer, packager and marketer of health and beauty products. Read the full story.in the Register Star.

 

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star Columbia County was recently cited by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a leaking tank located on the 24-acre site of the former Ockawamick (AH-kah-wah-mik) School in Claverack. As a result of the action, the county must now monitor the tanks on an ongoing basis for an undetermined period of time, requiring an upgrade to the monitoring system. It is unclear how many fuel tanks are buried on the property. The county purchased Ockawamick in 2008, at the cost of $1.5 million. The building is currently used to store supplies. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Larry Rulison reports in the Times Union Central Hudson Gas & Electric, the Poughkeepsie-based utility, has announced the start of this winter's Essential Services program. The program helps electric customers behind on their bills during the winter months. Under the program, customers with past due accounts are not disconnected. Instead, a special piece of equipment is attached to their electric meter that allows a limited amount of electricity each day to operate a heating system, some lights and some appliances. The utility serves customers in Greene and Columbia counties, and portions of southern Albany County. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 46F; low 27F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 46F; low 25F.[/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 before 8 a.m. Partly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 37 by 5 p.m.. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 23.

The outlook for the next three days:

Thursday: Sunny. High near 40. Partly cloudy overnight. Low around 23.
Friday: Partly sunny. High near 44. A chance of rain. Cloudy. Low around 38.
Saturday: A chance of rain. Cloudy. High near 50. A chance of rain overnight. Cloudy. Low around 44.

Sunrise today: 7:09 a.m.
Sunset today: 4:24 p.m.

Length of the day: 9 hrs., 15 min.

Town meetings

Today is the first Wednesday of the month.
(WGXC recommends 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 Tentative Hudson Development Corporation meeting at 2 p.m. at 1 North Front St., Hudson (751-1044). Hudson Common Council Youth & Aging Committee meeting, cancelled; Arts, Entertainment & Tourism Committee meeting, cancelled.
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

1 a.m. Vital Weekly: 20121205
Track playlist for "Vital Weekly" 859:
0014 Ulrich Troyer - Song For Heide
0320 Bernard Falaise - Nuire
0612 Grzegorz Bojanek - Remaining Motionless
0912 BioMechanica - BM01-05
1216 Adam Beckley - Avner
1516 Tiziano Milani - Dark, Dark My Light
1822 Muennich & Esposito & Jupitter-Larsen - The Wraiths Of Flying A
2125 Star Turbine - Life Forms
2432 Ypotryll - A Blue Mantle Under The Stars
2735 Threha Sektori - Desproarehn
3037 The Infant Cycle - Pool Skin
3335 Alexandre St.Onge
3632 An Moku - Stockwerk
3934 Cremaster & Angharad Davies - Bruine
4238 Piano Interrupted - Hedi

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. Philip Grant, host.
11 a.m.: Al Jazeera English
2 p.m.: Prison Voices Project: The War on Drugs This month's show features spoken-word artist and poet, Derek Anderson. Derek was recently released from prison, after spending 31 years behind bars. The show weaves together an interview with Derek, spoken word, performed by him, and a musical tribute to one of Derek's favorite groups, Philadelphia musicians, The Roots. Hosted by Cory Fischer-Hoffman.
4 p.m.: WGXC Afternoon Show
6 p.m.: Al Jazeera English
6:30 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News

Michael Gormley is reporting for the Associated Press Republicans and the Independent Democratic Conference struck a deal Tues., Dec. 4, to take control of the state Senate in an unprecedented power-sharing deal. The announcement by Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos and IDC leader Jeffrey Klein dashed the hopes of the traditional Democratic conference from taking the near absolute control of the majority. Democrats won more seats than Republicans in the November elections. “Welcome to ‘The Twilight Zone,“’ said Doug Muzzio, political scientist at Baruch College. “But my gut tells me this might work out better than anyone anticipated.” The deal struck will give the GOP and independent Democrats shared control of moving legislation and negotiating a state budget with the Assembly speaker and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star more than six months after the Columbia County Board of Supervisors voted to purchase the Department of Social Services building located in Hudson for nearly $1.3 million, lawmakers are debating how much to invest in building renovations. The list of improvements includes an overhaul of the phone system, the replaciement of fixtures in the bathrooms and upgrades to the heating and ventilation system. The supervisors are currently mulling a proposal to commission a plan for those renovations. The cost of the plan is currently at issue . A full discussion of the project will occur in January. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Jimmy Vielkind reports at Capitol Confidential Republicans have subpoenaed residency records in the 46th Senate District race between George Amedore and Cecilia Tkaczyk (KAT-chik). Acting Montgomery County Supreme Court Justice Guy Tomlinson heard arguments Mon., Dec. 3, on the best method for counting 887 disputed ballots. Objections were filed against 75 percent of those ballots by the GOP. The judge has agreed to consider objections to the applications for absentee ballots, based on information voters may have failed to include pertinent information on the ballots. and voting residency questions, as well. According to a statement released by the Amedore campaign late Monday, Tomlinson reserved ruling on the motions until the legal debate over absentee and affidavit challenges begin Tuesday morning, in Fonda. The review will start with Schenectady ballots and then move onto Montgomery County. Read the full stoy at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.

Karrie Allen reports in the Register Star the Chatham Town Board has approved the town's 2013 budget, totaling $3.6 million, along with a requisite tax increase of 4.85 percent. The board was looking at an anticipated tax increase of 29 percent when budget talks began. Projects for the upcoming year include the replacement of a fleet of 10 new vehicles for the town highway department and a rebuild of the pavilion at Crellin Park. The town intends to borrow a total of $1.5 million to cover the cost of those two projects. Read the full story in the Register Star.