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.

Chatham-based cookbook author Zachary Pelaccio discussed his new Hudson restaurant, and his appearance Sat., Aug. 11 at Hudson Farmers Market on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" Thu., Aug. 9. Pelaccio is known for his Fatty Crab restaurant in New York City. The Hudson restaurant does not have a name yet, but will open this fall in the former Verdigris space on Third St. Saturday, Aug. 11, Pelaccio will make an appearance at the Hudson Farmer's Market. Click here to listen to the interview with WGXC's Ellen Thurston and Richard Roth.

James Occhino discusses his salon at the Ancram Opera House, on the topic of the end of the world. The evening also includes music from Sheri Bauer-Mayorga. Click here to listen to the interview.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 86F; low 66F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 91F low 68F.[/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 Purling, in Greene County

Today, Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after noon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a high near 80, low around 67 Friday night.

The forecast for the weekend:

Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after noon. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy. High near 83; low around 67.
Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84; low around 59.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83, a low around 56.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83, a low around 60.

Sunrise today: 5:58 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:03 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 5 min.

Town meetings

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

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

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="260"] Photo by Jeffrey Lependorf.[/caption]

The Columbia County Board of Supervisors welcomed Bill Black, the Director of Columbia County Emergency Management, and a team of experts at its meeting Wed., Aug. 8, to discuss the fire at the TCI plant in West Ghent last Wed. Aug. 1. A few supervisors questioned the communication response to the fire and potential chemical exposure, while others called for the county to spend $50,000 to upgrade to an automated phone calling reverse 911 system. WGXC's Lynn Sloneker recorded the presentation in two parts.
PART ONE HERE 49:10
PART TWO HERE20:25

(Part two contains supervisors asking questions, and is perfect for airing in total.)

Bill Black started off the presentation with a timeline of how the incident occurred, which started with a call around 10:20 p.m. to local firefighters about a blaze at TCI. He included the detail about a 911 call around midnight that turned out to be a "home invasion" less than a mile from the scene. (Click here to hear that excerpt, 1:16) At one point, the Sheriff's Office thought they had a band of five armed suspects headed into the scene of the fire. At the same time firefighters were uncovering evidence of possible chemicals in the building, and they pulled back "erring on the side of caution" to protect the first responders. "There wasn't enough foam in the county to put that fire out," Black said, also describing several explosions throughout the night at the site, like none he has ever seen in 30 years on the job. Columbia County Sheriff David Harrison Jr. and Lieutenant Thomas Lanphear, Columbia County Fire Coordinator John Howe and state health department officials also spoke.

Talk turned to emergency communication and public outreach. CCEMO admitted they had no system in place to notify all county residents in this or any future emergency. It was noted that people living in Berkshire County in Massachusetts and Rensselear County in New York were notified by robocalling systems. Robin Andrews, Claverack Supervisor, said that though she could smell the fire overnight, she was not notified until 6 a.m. The CCEMO said they were already in the process of bringing a proposal to the Public Safety Committee to upgrade to some sort of emergency notification reverse 911 system. The cost to upgrade their current NY-Alert system (which the CCEMO did not have the password to until the day after the fire) or purchase some other automated phone calling reverse 911 system would be between $35,000 to $50,000 per year. While the public could not question the officials, some of the supervisors had statements or queries for Black and the Dept. of Health and other experts present. "This was the most incredible wake-up call for our communication systems," Hillsdale's Art Baer said. "We blew it," Claverack's Andrews said. "We need to own up to it." (Click here to hear that excerpted audio clip.) Elizabeth Young, from Taghkanic, wanted to know what farmers should do and why special care to notify agricultural interests was not taken. Supervisors said they will hear a proposal at a Public Service Committee meeting in two weeks to upgrade the communications system and vote on it in a special session a few days after that.
PLAY BILL BLACK EXCERPT ABOUT SIMULTANEOUS HOME INVASION 1:16
PLAY ROBIN ANDREWS, CLAVERACK SUPERVISOR, ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY :50

Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-NY103rd) has announced an informational meeting for residents of Columbia County on the Aug. 1 fire at the TCI NY facility in West Ghent. According to a statement released by her office Wed., Aug. 8, Barrett has requested representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Dept. of Health, Dept. of Agriculture and Markets, Dept. of Environmental Conservation and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services attend to address community concerns over the possible release of PCBs, dioxins and volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere during the event. “We look forward to having as many of the federal, state and county agencies that responded to this fire and conducted the subsequent testing to join us for this meeting to share more detailed information and answer questions of the local residents," Barrett said. The meeting will be held 6:30 p.m., Aug. 16 at the West Ghent Volunteer Fire Department station, located on Route 9H, near the entrance to the Columbia Co. Industrial Business Park. And tonight Bill Black, Director of Columbia County Emergency Management, will discuss various issues raised by the TCI fire at the regular meeting of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, at 7:30 p.m. at 401 State Street in Hudson.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="185"]Cellist Yehuda Hanani from his Close Encounters with Music website.[/caption]Yahuda Hanani, artistic director of the Great Barrington-based Close Encounters With Music, discussed the upcoming High Peaks Music Festival in Hunter and Tannersville on Wed., Aug. 8, with WGXC host Ron Diamondstein. Hanini is an internationally renown musician who has collaborated with Aaron Copland, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Itzhak Perlman, and many others. He will perform Sun., Aug. 19 with Jennifer Rivera, mezzo-soprano; Michael Chertock, piano; Stefan Milenkovich, violin; Erik Anderson, cello; and Dianna Anderson, piano at the Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Route 23A, in the Village of Hunter. Click here to listen to the interview.

Dianna Lefas discusses her play "Petals from the Wild Rose Tree" showing this weekend at the Mountain View Studio in Woodstock on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" with Peter Krug. Click here to listen to this interview.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 86F; low 66F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 91F low 68F.[/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 showers, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny. High near 87; low around 68.

The forecast for the next three days:

Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after noon. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy. High near 83; low around 67.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 2 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy. High near 80; low around 60.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 82; low around 60.

Sunrise today: 5:57 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:04 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 7 min.

Town meetings

Today is the first Thursday of the month.
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting 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 at WGXC: Program notes

10 a.m. Tell It Like It Is
12 p.m. Crossroads in Rhythm
3:30 p.m. Catskill Youth Show
4 p.m. WGXC Afternoon Show Representatives from the Hudson Music Festival, Rob Johanson and Chad Weckler, will discuss the weekend-long sound series with hosts Ellen Thurston and Richard Roth. (Johanson and Weckler are also volunteer hosts on WGXC.) Cookbook author Zac Pelaccio, author of "Eat with Your Hands," will discuss his book and opening a new restaurant in the former Verdigris space on S. Third between Warren and Union St. in Hudson. And James Occhino talks about "a three-hour party studded with performances and stimulating talk" called the End Times Salon at the Ancram Opera House. Also Ellen Thurston will preview other Columbia County events this weekend, news, music, and other features.
7 p.m. The Jazz Disturbance
9:30 p.m. 69: Japanther vs. The Magic Stranger In memory of the Sharon Tate Murders on August 9, 1969 Japanther might join The Magic Stranger in the WGXC Acra studio to re-enact the event or channel Charlie.... or just play some records.

Susan Campriello writes in The Daily Mail that the speed limit on a stretch of roadway outside Cairo-Durham High School/Middle School will soon be lowered to 45 mph, but Durham town officials believe the reduction is not enough to make safe turning into the school complex. The reduction comes just more than a year after Cairo-Durham student Erika Cook was killed when the vehicle in which she was riding collided with another while turning left into the complex, according to authorities. In June, the town was informed that the speed limit would be reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph along a hilly three-mile stretch of Route 145. But Durham Town Supervisor William Carr, Jr. does not think the state Department of Transportation's proposal will alleviate the significant risk that exists at intersection during the brief peak traffic hours at the beginning and end of the school day. He wants the department to create a “flashing light school speed zone” for 1/4 of a mile in either direction of the school complex and that the zone — with a speed limit of 30 mph — be operational during peak periods of traffic. Full details on this story can be found at The Daily Mail.

Melanie Lekocevic reports in The Daily Mail that demands for a noise ordinance in Athens may be growing. Calls for laws limiting volume and times when loud music can be played were originally confined to residents and businesses near the riverfront, but according to Lekocevic, the idea is now gaining interest in neighboring areas. The issue first arose when a small group of neighbors went before the village board to complain about music played late at night at the Dionysos Restaurant. Mayor Andrea Smallwood, who tried to broker a truce between neighbors and Dionysos at a previous meeting, recently said a balance between the two parties is needed. Local municipalities with noise ordinances in effect include the Town of Athens, the town and village of Coxsackie, Hudson, Catskill and Tivoli. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

James M. Odato reports in the Times Union regulatory documents have surfaced that show frequent movement of substantial quantities of oil containing relatively high levels of PCBs from TCI Inc. in West Ghent. Odato spoke to the company's former controller, Francis Vecellio of Kinderhook, Tues., Aug. 7. Vecellio downplayed any possible health and safety concerns over the material. "It's like diesel fuel," he said. "It's not good to stand next to an idling school bus. It wouldn't be a good to be standing there and breathing the fumes from that fire, but it's not a hazard to anyone." The regulatory reports for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Conservation show TCI reported eight transactions involving about 50,000 pounds of transformers, fluids and other materials containing PCBs, including big shipments of petroleum oil or other liquid containing levels of 50 parts per million to 500 ppm, which is considered a hazardous concentration. The company also reported it transported 2,700 pounds of "solid waste that exhibits the characteristics of ignitability" this year. Vecellio said the TCI client list included National Grid, Nstar and municipal utilities. Read the full story in the Times Union.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="304"] "Body and Soul" from Kevin Van Hentenryck.[/caption]

While studying acting in New York in the 1970s, Kevin Van Hentenryck became tuned into the ancient art of stone carving upon viewing Ken Russell's 1972 film, "The Savage Messiah." Nearly forty years later, he channels his passion and skill into the annual Hunter Stone Carving seminar, which is a free introductory seminar open to the general public. For two weeks every summer, students of all ages and skill levels join Van Hentenryck at his encampment on Route 23 to learn the tools and work on individual and collaborative sculpture projects. This year's seminar ran July 21-Aug. 4, and the results can be viewed on Route 23 approaching Hunter. For information about Van Hententryck and his art, kevinvanhentenryck.com/ This report and interviews were recorded by Noah Reibel and Jess Puglisi. Produced by Jess Puglisi. Click here to listen to full report (16:00)

Thomas Kaplain is reporting in The New York Times in the wake of mass shootings in Colorado and Wisconsin and an uptick in gun violence in New York City, lawmakers are planning a new push in Albany to win approval of tighter gun laws in New York state. One measure introduced last week would require background checks of anyone buying ammunition. Another, being drafted this week, would limit the purchase of firearms to one per person per month. Supporters of the measures said they would fill several gaps in New York’s gun laws, which are already among the toughest in the country, and make them more complete than any other state’s in discouraging gun crime. But Jacob J. Rieper, the vice president for legislative and political affairs of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said lawmakers were trying to capitalize on the mass shootings to push their own agendas. “They’re trying to throw out a bunch of stuff basically to see what sticks,” Mr. Rieper said, adding, “Since when has taking guns from decent people prevented bad people from committing crime?” Read the full story in The New York Times.

Lissa Harris is reporting at the Watershed Post, according to a recent editorial by Times Union columnist Fred LeBrun, a gubernatorial plan to greenlight hydraulic fracturing in New York state by fall is a done deal. Top state officials are in the process of briefing select environmental groups on a plan to be publicly released in a couple of weeks. It is a plan that endorses hydrofracking, initially on a limited basis, supposedly under the tightest regulatory and permitting requirements in the country. LeBrun's column is based on insider knowledge and contacts with anonymous sources within the Cuomo administration. No public version of Cuomo's gas drilling "roadmap" -- which both The New York Times and the Times Union characterize as a limited initial phase, and is restricted to towns that explicitly embrace shale gas drilling -- has been released. According to LeBrun, the Cuomo administration has concluded it cannot rely on the strength of existing laws and current DEC funding in this area to adequately protect the state, its citizens and resources. For fracking to go forward, the Legislature will be called on for additional DEC funding and to pass a package of yet unspecified regulatory bills. Read the full story in the Watershed Post.

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the Public Health and Health Planning Council, expanded the existing list of prohibited drugs and chemicals to include dozens more substances that are now used to make synthetic drugs, in an effort to crack down on so-called "bath salts" use. "The regulations will allow for the first time an owner of an establishment and/or an employee selling synthetic drugs to be charged with possession of an illicit substance. Further, to support enforcement, the regulations will increase the criminal penalties for those who violate the rules. Violators will face fines up to $500 and potentially up to 15 days in jail," read a statement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office. "Bath salts and other synthetic drugs pose a direct, serious threat to public health and safety, and we must do everything we can to remove these harmful substances from sale and distribution in New York," Governor Cuomo said. In 2012, there have been 191 emergency room visits in New York this year, 120 occurring this past June and July, according to Cuomo's office. According to the New York State Poison Control Center, there were 321 calls about bath salts through the first six months of 2012.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 93F; low 64F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 91F low 68F.[/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 isolated showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Mostly sunny. High near 91; low around 66.

The forecast for the next three days:

Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. High near 85; low around 67.
Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy. High near 85; low around 67.
Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy. High near 79; low around 67.

Sunrise today: 5:56 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:06 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 10 min.

Town meetings

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

Programming notes

10 a.m. @Issue hosted by Victor Mendolia. Discussion will focus on the Galvin Quarters proposal.
12 p.m. The Schoemer Show
2 p.m. Work Bonnie Marranca, of Catskill and New York, and the former president of WGXC's parent organization, free103point9, discusses the benefits of working vacations, time away from the internet, and a relaxed workaholism. Music by Philip Glass, John Cage, Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy, the Boban Markovic Orchestra, Laurie Anderson, and the Ornette Coleman Quartet. Hosted by Paul Smart.
3:30 p.m. Radio Explosionl
4 p.m. WGXC Afternoon Show, hosted by Ron Diamonstein and Ron Krug. Dianna Lefas discusses her play "Petals from the Wild Rose Tree" showing this weekend at the Mountain View Studio in Woodstock with co-host Peter Krug. Co-host Ron Diamondstein has another interview, and the duo preview events, read the news and listen to Jill Sutton's music. Live from the Catskill Community Center.
7 p.m. The Old Soul Radio Show
9 p.m. Live from the Red Dot
10 p.m. Vinyl Rundown

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="270"] Japanther, in the Wave Farm Study Center during their free103point9 artist residency.[/caption]

Japanther perfom Tue., Aug. 7 in Albany at Valentine's, and they started the day at midnight on WGXC. The Brooklyn duo of Ian Vanek (drums), and Matt Reilly (bass) are artists-in-residence this week at free103point9's Wave Farm in Acra. The group made a WGXC station ID/theme song that you can listen to here. Japanther is an art project, established by Reilly and an Vanek, then students at Pratt Institute, who played many shows with free103point9 in the late 1990s. Japanther was featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial and the 2011 Venice Biennale, and has collaborated with artists such as gelitin, Penny Rimbaud, Gee Vaucher, Dan Graham, Eileen Myles, Kevin Bouton-Scott, robbinschilds, Dawn Riddle, Claudia Meza, Todd James, Devin Flynn, Ninjasonik, Anita Sparrow and Spank Rock.
PLAY INTERVIEW WITH JAPANTHER 7:43
PLAY JAPANTHER'S WGXC STATION ID 3:27