A special election in the Village of Kinderhook, will be held Wed., Aug. 15, at the Village Hall, 6 Chatham Street, Kinderhook between noon and 9 p.m. on the following:

"Shall the resolution of the Village Board duly adopted August 2, 2012, to create a Village of Kinderhook Sewer system to supply sewer to 35 parcels of property located in or near the Village of Kinderhook business district as set forth in the Map Plan & Report dated August 2, 2012, at a total project cost of $941,802.00, a portion of the costs to be defrayed as follows (1) a New York State Shared Municipal Services grant in the amount of $355,336.34; (2) a New York State Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $285,000.00; and three (3) parcel owner contributions in the amount of $70,000, leaving anticipated costs of the project in an amount estimated at $231,465.66, said project to be constructed at the expense of the village as a general village charge by said sewer system, be approved?"

Copies of the Map, Plan and Report for said sewer system, the boundaries and properties effected, estimated costs as well as the authorizing resolution are on file in the office of the Village Clerk of said Village located in the Village Hall, 6 Chatham Street, Kinderhook.

Greg Barber in Capitol Confidential reports that two local state legislators, Republican Assemblymen Pete Lopez and Steve McLaughlin are trying to get a tax relief bill for New York’s apple farmers. With fellow Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, the legislators who represent parts of Greene, Albany and Columbia counties are calling for a special session of the legislature to help apple farmers faced with many months of erratic weather. While they are unlikely to get a one-issue special session, other legislators have been pushing for a meeting to increase the mininum wage, rent relief, and other issues. "According to a USDA report released last Friday, the state’s apple production is down 52 percent from last year, yielding the state’s smallest crop since 1948. The reports cites erratic weather conditions — an unusually warm spring, followed by late-season freezes and this summer’s drought — as the primary reason for the $233 million industry’s sharp decline," Barber writes in the Albany Times-Union's political blog. The “Family Farmers and Apple Growers Relief Act” backed by Lopez and McLaughlin, would create a 2012 tax credit for 35 percent of crop losses, costing taxpayers $5 million. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 79F; low 57F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 79F; low 61F.[/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 showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 a.m. and noon, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Mostly cloudy. High near 79. A chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight before 8 p.m., then a chance of showers between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 62.

The forecast for the next three days:

Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 83; low arond 62.
Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny. High near 83; low around 62.
Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 p.m. Partly sunny. High near 78; low around 58.

Sunrise today: 6:03 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:56 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs., 53 min.

Town meetings

Today is the third Wednesday of the month.
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting time and location.)

CATSKILL at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill.
COLUMBIA COUNTY Human Services meeting at 4 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson.
GHENT Planning Board session at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
GREENE COUNTY Legislature meeting at 6:30 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
HUDSON Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

The day ahead at WGXC: Program note

10 a.m. @Issue -- Brenda Adams, Executive Director of Columbia County Habitat for Humanity will discuss the latest Habitat project on Columbia St. in Hudson, which will be the first energy-saving passive house built by the organization. Hosted by Victor Mendolia.

Tahir Shah discussed how the city of Hudson plays a role in his historical novel, "Timbuctoo," on the "WGXC Afternoon Show," Fri., Aug. 10 with hosts Jess Puglisi and Jack Ross-Pilkington. Click here to hear the interview.

Susan Campriello reports in The Daily Mail Catskill Village officials have agreed to put the formation of the Catskill Joint Fire District to a public vote, Aug. 28. The Catskill Village Fire Dept. currently serves the village and parts of the town. The new district will extend from the village down Route 9W to Alpha Road and Old Kings Highway to the Ulster County border; west along Route 23A to Zwickel’s Hill; and north along Jefferson Heights to the Exit 21 Car Wash and along routs 9W and 385 to the Athens town line. The new district will be governed by five commissioners and charge its own taxes. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Ariel Zangla in The Daily Freeman reports that 40 Greene County properties severely damaged by the storms associated with Hurricane Irene will be bought out in a federal program and never be built on again. County administrator Shaun Groden told the Greene County Legislature's Government Operations Committee meeting Mon., Aug. 13 that, “We took over because most of the townships did not want to get involved.” Now the county will appraise the properties for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and, eventually, clean them. See the full story in The Daily Freeman. WGXC covers the one-year anniversary of the storm with a series called "After the Flood." Tune in 2 p.m., Thu., Aug., 16, when host Ann Forbes Cooper on her show "Between the Lines," speaks with Professor Robert Titus, known as the "Catskill Geologist," Carolyn Bennett, historian of the Zadock Pratt Museum in Prattsville, and Larry Gambon, a photographer who shot extensive footage of the damage done by the Hurricane Irene. Tune in.
CLICK HERE TO PLAY "AFTER THE FLOOD" BY LONE JUSTICE

ABOVE: Local videographer Lance Wheeler uploaded, on Jan. 25, 2012, this video of the first fire at TCI in Ghent in January. He wrote:

"A stubborn industrial fire in West Ghent Wednesday night kept volunteers from four neighboring communities (Stottville, Stockport, Ghent) busy putting out a construction and debris fire near two tanker trailers of highly flammable mineral oil. The fire, at TCI, Inc., got its start in two large open dump trailers filled with construction debris. TCI provides disposal services for obsolete electrical equipment. Their web site says TCI provides environmally safe dispotal of oil filled PCB electrical equipment. The big fear, according to West Ghent Fire Chief, James Cesternino, were two tank trailers filled with low flash point, flammable mineral oil."

Mon., Aug. 13 on the "WGXC Afternoon Show," Assemblymember Didi Barrett, Ghent activist Patti Matheney, and filmmaker David McDonald talked about the public information meeting Thu., Aug., 16 about the second TCI fire, at the firehouse in West Ghent. The three spoke with WGXC's Noah Reibel, Sara Kendall, and Melinda Braathan about the Aug. 1 fire that burned almost an entire day, belching smoke that has concerned some local residents. Click here to hear the entire interview.
PLAY CLIP OF DIDI BARRETT PREVIEWING TCI MEETING THURSDAY :58

Fri., Aug. 10, John Mason in the Register-Star newspaper reported TCI of New York co-owner and Vice-President of Operations Brian Hemlock said the recycling company will rebuild at its present site, with all its employees remaining “on full payroll as we rebuild and work toward continuing operations.” The plant, on Falls Industrial Park Road, employs about 20 people recycling large transformers. The cause of the blaze is unknown, and state health officials have repeatedly said local residents do not need to worry about PCBs released by the fire.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 86F; low 59F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 84F; low 64F.[/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, mainly after 3 p.m. Partly sunny, High near 81. Tonight, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 66.

The forecast for the next three days:

Wednesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before noon, then showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Cloudy. High near 79. A chance of showers and thunderstorms Wed. night before 8 p.m., then a chance of showers between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 63.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 82; low arond 61.
Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny. High near 87; low around 62.

Sunrise today: 6:02 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:57 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs., 55 min.

Town meetings

Today is the second Tuesday of the month.
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting 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).

A few of the stories that made the news, Aug. 10 to 12

Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star Columbia County and the city of Hudson are at odds over the building permit for the county's $9 million courthouse renovation project, scheduled to begin in less than a month. In dispute is whether the county should pay nearly $39,000 for the building permit or be granted a waiver for the fee. “It is no different than anybody else that needs to get a building permit in the city of Hudson,” Mayor William Hallenbeck Jr. told the paper. “I don’t believe the permit will be waived.” Board of Supervisors Chairman Patrick Grattan is expected make an appeal to the Common Council at its informal meeting, Monday. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Susan Campriello reported in The Daily Mail Town of Cairo officials have agreed to pay a $2,400 fine for fuel storage infractions that included improper markings on storage tanks and inadequate overflow protection. The Town Board voted last week to allow Supervisor Ted Banta to sign a consent order from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and authorized payment of the fine. The state alleged ports on two fuel storage tanks on town property were improperly color-coded and one tank lacked proper means of preventing spills and a valve was missing on certain lines. It was also alleged the town removed a tank without properly notifying state officials. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Melanie Lekocevic reported in The Daily Mail Athens Deputy Town Supervisor Gene Hatton is running for a seat in the Greene County Legislature. Hatton, a Republican, is hoping to replace incumbent Chris Pfister, a Democrat. Pfister is not expected to run for a second term. Hatton, a resident of Athens for 32 years, has served on the Town Council for five years. He is also a trustee of the Athens Community Foundation, which each year funds various not-for-profit organizations that benefit Athens residents. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Billy Shannon reported in the Register Star the city of Hudson and its police department signed a four-year contract, Fri., Aug. 10. The agreement, ratified by Hudson Common Council in May, is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012. Under the contract, HPD employees hired after Jan. 1, 2012 will pay 15 percent in individual health insurance or 30 percent for family coverage. Base pay for cadets is set at $40,000 for 2012. "We were able to complete the negotiations in record time and it’s a fair contract for both HPD and the city of Hudson," said Police Commissioner Gary Graziano. Read the full story in the Register Star.

All of free103point9's "transmission arts" airtime this week -- every night from midnight to 6 a.m. and all day Saturday on WGXC 90.7-FM -- will be devoted to Conrad Schnitzler's compositions. Regularly scheduled programs will air on free103point9 Online Radio between 6 a.m. and midnight EDT during the day. From Aug. 13-Aug. 20, there will be nothing but Conrad Schnitzler during free103point9's transmission arts airtime this week on WGXC. "60 Hours of Conrad Schnitzler" are 60 continuous hours of Conrad Schnitzler's musical compositions from 1970 – 2011 (no content repeated). This work was originally presented at Audio Visual Arts (AVA) in New York City from July 27-30, 2012 as part of the Con-Mythology Series conceived and organized by Gen Ken Montgomery. Special thanks to Wolfgang Seidel, Jin Kawai, and Gen Ken Montgomery for helping compile the 60 hours and filling it with many unreleased and unique musical compositions, spanning 1970–2011.

From Wikipedia:

Conrad ("Conny") Schnitzler (17 March 1937 – 4 August 2011) was a prolific German experimental musician.... He was an early member of Tangerine Dream (1969–1970) and a founder of the band Kluster. He left Kluster in 1971, first working with his group Eruption and then focusing on solo works. Schnitzler participated in several collaborations with other electronic musicians.

PLAY CONRAD SCHNITZLER AUDIO SAMPLE 2:25

On Sat., Aug. 11, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced his pick of Rep. Paul Ryan, from the swing state of Wisconsin, as vice-presidential nominee. Ryan is best known for his austere budget plan, which was voted on by Congress earlier this year. Democrats nationally are now trying to tie Ryan's very conservative deficit-slashing plan to the local Congressmen and women who voted for it. In NY-19, the new Congressional district that includes the WGXC listening area with incumbent Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook), that may be more difficult. "Freshman Republican Rep. Chris Gibson of Kinderhook, who is in a tossup re-election campaign in a redrawn Hudson Valley-Catskills district against Democratic attorney Julian Schreibman, instead voted for a bipartisan budget proposal for deficit reduction proposed by Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee and Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette of Ohio," reports Brian Tumulty in the Politics on the Hudson blog. CJ Macklin, Julian Schreibman's new press secretary, wants to clarify that, telling WGXC that, "Congressman Gibson actually did vote for the Ryan budget the first time it went to the floor and only voted against it the second time because it didn't reduce military spending enough." He says Schreibman would not have voted for either Ryan budget.

Performance artist Marina Abramović sat down with WGXC's Galen Joseph-Hunter Fri., Aug. 10 at her Malden Bridge home, and discussed her proposed Marina Abramović Foundation for the Preservation of Performance Art in Hudson. Abramović hosted a public forum at the center, at Columbia St. and 7th St. in Hudson, on Sun., Aug. 12 at 11 a.m.. and then an open house until 5 p.m. In the interview, Abramović talks about her vision for the center, the proposed homeless shelter a block away from her proposed institute, and other local issues. She advocates for changing Columbia St.'s name back to Diamond St., and wants someone to buy the St. Charles Hotel and put a video feed from her institute in the rooms. About the proposed homeless building, she said, "You know some people see this as a disadvantage, I don't see that way. I think this as a reality we have to really see and see to see how we can actually help." Click here to listen to the full interview.
PLAY EXCERPT WITH ABRAMOVIC ADDRESSING THE PROPOSED HOMELESS BUILDING ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM HER BUILDING 1:05

• Buke & Gase, "Misshaping Introduction"
The Hudson-based duo released the first song from their "Function Falls" EP, a four-song digital-only release due Sept. 11 before their fall tour of the U.S. with Deerhoof.

• Brian Dewan, "Sophisticated Weapons" from Basilica Hudson at Basilica Music Festival Fri., Aug. 10 live on WGXC 90.7-FM. Click here to hear the Catskill artist's full set.
CLICK HERE TO PLAY BRIAN DEWAN'S SOPHISTCATED WEAPONS 2:41

• Machines, Kris Perry's project with a band of Dewan, Tommy Stintson, Gideon Crevoshay, Elvis Perkins, Melissa Auf de Maur, Ben Fundis, Chris Turco, and John Rosenthal, performed at the Basilica Music Festival Fri. Aug. 10, broadcast live on WGXC 90.7-FM.
CLICK HERE TO PLAY MACHINES EXCERPT 2:44

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 82F; low 59F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 82F; low 59F.[/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 it will be mostly sunny. High near 82; low around 59.

The forecast for the next three days:

Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, High near 84. Tues. night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 66.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. High near 81. Wed. night, mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of precipitation. Low around 61.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 84; low arond 61.


Sunrise today: 6:01 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:59 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs., 58 min.

Town meetings

Today is the second Monday of the month.
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting 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).

"Very Large Green Triangles (Edit)" from Matmos from forthcoming Thrill Jockey Records album.

"Today's Supernatural" is the first single from Animal Collective's new album Centipede "Hz," out Sept. 3 on Domino.

"Caught On Tape" from Thurston Moore and John Moloney, on Feeding Tube Records.

Bryan Eubanks live @ Studio Soto, Boston, MA, August 9th, 2012. from Keith Fullerton Whitman on Vimeo.

Bryan Eubanks live at Studio Soto, Boston, MA, Thu., August 9, 2012.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks Sat., Aug. 11 through the morning of August 12. "Perseid rates can get as high as 100 per hour, with many fireballs visible in the night sky," NASA says. There is a waning crescent moon, and perhaps some clouds, that may interfere. NASA also has a live chat and a live webcam from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. EDT, beginning the evening of Aug. 11 and continuing into the morning of Aug. 12.

Community Action of Greene County was awarded $183,930 from the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), it was announced Fri., Aug. 10, ins a $2.6 million effort to help prevent homelessness in the Capital region. Besides Community Action, 14 other organizations are receiving funds through OTDA's Solutions to End Homelessness Program (STEHP). "STEHP is designed to reduce homelessness by providing prevention services to avoid shelter placements and rapid re-housing services for those who have already sought shelter," said OTDA Executive Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Berlin.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="104"]From Wikipedia.[/caption]An Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation was found in the Catskill Forest Preserve at the Kenneth L. Wilson Campground near Woodstock, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced Fri., Aug. 10. "Because of the close proximity to known infested areas, campers should not bring untreated firewood to any of the Catskill campgrounds," said Commissioner Martens. "Untreated ash firewood that is brought into these campgrounds from as little as five miles away can greatly accelerate the spread of this insect and the death of the cherished ash trees that exist in the Catskill Preserve. Heat-treated firewood is the only firewood that is safe to transport because the heat eliminates any pests living inside the wood." EAB was first discovered in Ulster County near Kingston in 2010, and state and federal agencies initiated an EAB quarantine, which restricts the movement of ash products and firewood out of the quarantined area. Although this infestation exists within the quarantined county, this detection lies about four miles west of the previously defined area of infestation. The bug is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white, black, and blue ash. Since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, EAB has been responsible for the destruction of 70 million trees in the United States. New York has more than 900 million ash trees, representing about seven percent of all trees in the state, and all are at risk from EAB.

Julia Reischel in The Watershed Post reports that last Thu., Aug. 2, a New York State Supreme Court judge ruled against the Maetreum of Cybele against the town of Catskill with the judge denying the group's attempt at a religious tax exemption. "Catskill’s assessor has repeatedly denied requests by the group to take its property, a three-story former inn on a three-acre parcel in Palenville, off the tax rolls.... The Maetreum, led by Reverend Mother Battakes Cathryn Platine, argued that the property is the worldwide religious headquarters of the Cybeline Revival, a pagan faith. The town of Catskill contends that the property is mainly used for non-religious residential purposes," Reischel writes. Judge Richard M. Platkin wrote, "[T]he primary and predominant use of the property was to provide cooperative housing for a small group of individuals, with the religious and charitable uses of the property merely incidental to this residential use," Platkin wrote. See the full decision below, and read the full story at The Watershed Post.

Matreum v Catskill Decision

Rob Johanson and Chad Weckler previewed the Hudson MusicFest Thu., Aug. 9 on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" with hosts Ellen Thurston and Richard Roth. Over 400 musicians will perform in 30 venues in the Columbia County city from Fri., Aug. 10 through Sun., Aug. 12. The festival also partners with the Black Arts Fest (which begins with a parade at the Public Square at 2 p.m., then down Warren St.), the Basilica Music Festival (which WGXC will broadcast at 90.7-FM), and American Glory's Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival, with events in tents, restaurants, and shops throughout Hudson. Click here to listen to the interview.