In Greene County, the July 4 holiday extends into the weekend, with the following events Sat., July 7:

Catskill: Patriot Day in Catskill begins with a children’s parade at 2:30 p.m., Sat., July 7 from Church and Main streets and proceeding to Cone-E Island Ice Cream. Events in the village later in the day will include a magic show, an ice cream-eating contest, music by Conehead Buddha and fireworks.
East Durham: East Durham also celebrates independence this year on Sat., July 7 with a parade at 11 a.m. on Route 145 that heads to the Irish Cultural center grounds for a day of family fun. Fireworks at dusk.
Hunter: The Bear Creek Landing Restaurant will host a fireworks display at nightfall on Saturday.

Thomas Lail stopped by WGXC's Wave Farm studio in Acra Fri., July 6 to preview two shows. Lail is opening "Notes for the Future" at Art Omi in Ghent Sat., July 7, and is hosting a four-band experimental music bill at his Valatie soundBarn location Thu., July 12. Valerie Kuehne, Joey Molinaro, Albany's Century Plants, and soundBarn, Lail's duo with Patrick Weklar all perform there at 8 p.m. Click here to listen to the entire interview and Thomas Lail's sound compositions "Memorial" and "Gunpowder" from the "WGXC Morning Show" with Tom Roe.
PLAY CLIP 27:45

Thomas Lail: Notes for the Future opening Art Omi July 7 1-4 p.m. EDT

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Photo by Noah Reibel.[/caption]Facing a demolishing deadline of July 16, Joe Gallo, president of the North Dock Tin Boat Association talked about the Furgary Boat Club on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" Thu., July 5, speaking with Richard Roth and Tom Roe. An "eccentric sportsmen squatter community," according to one Register-Star reporter, the Furgary Boat Club by all accounts has been an off-the-grid encampment with docks, between the Hudson River and the train tracks. Gallo seemed resigned on the radio to end days for the hunters, trappers, and fisherman who enjoy the use of the public land there. In 2012, Jamie Larson wrote in the Register-Star, that, "in August of 2009... while performing a deed search, the Columbia Land Conservancy discovered the land, and the adjacent waste water treatmant plant property, belonged to the state, which promptly traded it for property under the river owned by the city. Now that Hudson knows they own the land officials see development potential for the riverfront property." On the radio, Gallo said the Furgarians had run out of legal options after the group's last-ditch "squatter's rights" case was time-barred because it had not been filed within four months of a recent court ruling. He said the club is holding an open house for the public Sat., July 7, but he also said, contrary to complaints of others, that the Boat Club property is accessible to the public at all times. On "WGXC Afternoon Show" Mon., July 9, Noah Reibel will have many more interviews and stories about the Furgary Boat Club. Click here to listen to the interview.

PLAY CLIP 15:28

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="220"] Miscanthus Giganteus, from Wikipedia.[/caption]

New York State Assemblyman Pete Lopez is hoping to represent parts of Albany County for the first time, as redistricting has moved the Towns of Westerlo, Rensselaerville, and Coeymans into his new 102nd district. Lopez will speak at a Rensselaerville Tea Party meeting Fri., July 7 at the Medusa Firehouse. On Sat., June 30, Lopez was at the Cairo Library, and he spoke with WGXC about the new alternative energy initiative for farmers that he and State Sen. James Seward announced in Acra June 26 at the Agroforestry Center. The legislators are working with Aloterra Energy get farmers in Schoharie, Delaware, and Greene counties (and eventually, surrounding counties) to grow 50,000 acres of the energy crop, Miscanthus Giganteus, producing 600,000 tons of biomass annually. Click here to hear Lopez talk about the project at the Cairo Library opening Sat., June 30.
PLAY CLIP 1:14

Free Speech Radio News gives a national perspective on the high-impact hydraulic fracturing issue. Here is their report from Thu., July 5:

In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo recently said the state may soon issue a decision on whether to begin hydraulic fracking, and that the best time to do it is when the legislature isn’t in session because he doesn’t want “a political discussion.” The fracking process involves injecting chemicals deep into the ground to release gas embedded in rock. It’s under fire in several states where opponents are concerned about contaminating water supplies, earthquakes and the toxic waste created during the process. FSRN’s James Krivo spoke to New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton about her response to Cuomo’s statements.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 88F; low 61F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 90F 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 Cairo, in Greene County

Today, should be sunny, with a high near 92, low around 63.

The weekend forecast:

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms; otherwise party sunny with a high near 91 and a low of 66.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86, and a low around 60.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80, and a low around 57.

Sunrise today: 5:26 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:35 p.m.
Length of the day: 15 hrs., 9 min.

Town meetings

Today is the first Friday of the month. We know of no town meetings today.

Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star, Columbia County had the highest rate of foster care placement in New York, as of Dec. 2011. According to figures provided by the state Office of Children and Family Services, there were 144 children out of an estimated 18,000 in foster care, putting Columbia County's placement rate higher than its closest competitors — Cortland and Schenectady counties. Based on statistics provided to the paper by county Department of Social Services Commissioner Paul Mossman, the number of children in placement stabilized during the first quarter of 2012. According to DSS, 80 percent of children in foster care have been abused or neglected. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Lissa Harris reported at the Watershed Post the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently announced it is loosening the regulations that govern transportation of firewood in the state. Wood transported to sawmills and other facilities for processing will no longer be considered "firewood," and is not covered by the new regulations. Further, homeowners and other firewood users are no longer required to keep documentation of where their wood came from, unless they are burning it on state land. The regulations, intended to prevent the spread of invasive tree-killing insects like emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle, still prevent the transport of untreated firewood more than 50 miles from its source. Read the full story at the Watershed Post.

The Daily Freeman reported former Poughkeepsie Journal advertising director Jan Dewey was named publisher of  the  Journal Register Company's New York cluster of newspapers, Tues., July 2. Dewey, a resident of Dutchess County, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Freeman and JRC's other papers, including the Saratogan, The Record in Troy and The Daily Dispatch in Oneida. Ira Fusfeld, the Freeman publisher for 25 years, has been named publisher emeritus. JRC is based in Yardley, Pa. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 88F; low 61F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 90F 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, temperatures are expected to be cooler than yesterday. Sunny. High near 86; low around 61.

The weekend forecast:

Friday: Sunny. High near 90; low around 67.
Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms; 30 percent chance of precipitation. Mostly sunny. High near 92; low around 65.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 85; low around 60.

Sunrise today: 5:25 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:35 p.m.
Length of the day: 15 hrs., 10 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).

Cairo Town Supervisor Ted Banta, artist Iza Trapani, members of the town board, and other local officials were on hand Wed. July 4 to start holiday activities in the park and dedicate the new sign and playground equipment in "Three Bears Picnic Area." Banta was elected in November, and is improving Angelo Canna Park nearby the new library, and down the street from where construction began recently on a new grocery store plaza.[caption id="attachment_20465" align="alignright" width="224"] Cairo Town Supervisor Ted Banta. Photos by Tom Roe.[/caption]Click here to play report from Tom Roe of new playground equipment and a sign in Cairo.
PLAY CLIP 4:48

Jim Planck reports in The Daily Mail the Catskill Town Board unanimously approved an application for $500,000 in state grant funding to continue upgrades at Ricky Cramer Field in Jefferson Heights, Tues., July 3. The proposed addition includes the construction of a second baseball diamond, a walkway behind the existing field and an extension of the parking area. If funding is approved, the state will cover 75 percent of the total cost. The field is owned by the town and shared with Little League-Jr./Sr. Divisions, American Legion Baseball and the Catskill Central School District. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

[caption id="attachment_20384" align="alignleft" width="300"] Work on the Three Bears Picnic Area, designed by artist Iza Trapani, continued Mon. July 2, and should be completed for a dedication Wed. July 4 in Cairo's Angelo Canna Park. Photo by Tom Roe.[/caption]

ALBANY COUNTY

New York State's Fourth of July Celebration: Empire State Plaza, Eagle St. and Madison Ave., Albany 2 p.m., Wed. Food, vendors and fireworks at dusk. Performance featuring Tommy James and the Shondells. For more information, (518) 393-1000.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Old Chatham 4th of July Parade: Step off at 9 a.m., Wed., in the hamlet, Albany Turnpike and County Route 13.
Fourth of July Open House: Malden Bridge Community Center, 1087 Albany Turnpike, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wed. Reading of the Declaration of Independence, 11:30 a.m.
Peoples' Parade: The annual Kinderhook event kicks off at 11 a.m., Wed., at Rothermel Lane park, ends in village square. Sponsored by the Kinderhook Business and Professional Association.
Panfish Derby, Boat Parade and Ring of Fire: The Kinderhook Lake event Wed. includes the 22nd annual Panfish Derby for kids 15 and under; decorated boat parade at 2 p.m. from One Tree Island and create a Ring of Fire around the lake by displaying lights and flares at sundown.
Old-Fashioned Independence Day: Clermont State Historic Site, 4 Woods Rd., 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Wed. Revolutionary War reenactors, live music, games, races and a view of the Saugerties fireworks. For more information, (518) 537-4240.

DUTCHESS COUNTY


Hyde Park: A parade will step off at 10 a.m., Wed. from the Roosevelt Theatres on U.S. Route 9, and end in the back of Regina Coeli Church School. The parade’s theme is “Girl Scouts of America — Celebrating 100 Years.”
Poughkeepsie: Fireworks will be shot off from Waryas Park along the Hudson River starting about 9 p.m., Wed. They can be viewed from the Walkway Over the Hudson.

GREENE COUNTY

Cairo: A daylong festival will be held Wed. at Angelo Canna Town Park on Mountain Ave. The dedication of the Three Bears Picnic Area, designed by artist Iza Trapani, starts at 11:30 a.m. The rest of the day includes rides, a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 1 p.m., a charity softball game between town police officers and firefighters at 4 p.m., a performance by the Bobby Val Band at 6 p.m. and fireworks at nightfall.
Catskill: Patriot Day in Catskill begins with a children’s parade at 2:30 p.m., Sat., July 7, not on July 4 itself, from Church and Main streets and proceeding to Cone-E Island Ice Cream. Events in the village later in the day will include a magic show, an ice cream-eating contest, music by Conehead Buddha and fireworks.
East Durham: East Durham also celebrates independence this year on Sat., July 7 with a parade at 11 a.m. on Route 145 that heads to the Irish Cultural center grounds for a day of family fun. Fireworks at dusk.
Hunter: The Bear Creek Landing Restaurant will host a fireworks display at nightfall on Saturday.
Windham: The town of Windham's annual 4th of July parade begins on Main Street at 7 p.m. Fireworks at dusk.

ULSTER COUNTY

Kingston: Festivities, including live music, 6 p.m., Wed. at the Rondout Creek waterfront. Fireworks over the creek will start at 9:45 p.m.
Marbletown: Fireworks over Lake Mohonk, 9 p.m., Wed.
New Paltz: Festivities at the Ulster County Fairgrounds on Libertyville Road will begin with music at 4 p.m. Sat., July 7. Fireworks will be shot off at dusk.
Plattekill: Festivities at Thomas Felton Park in the hamlet of Modena begin 5 p.m., Wed. with music. Fireworks will be launched at dusk.
Saugerties: A parade will step off at 11 a.m., Wed. from Saugerties Junior-Senior High School on Washington Ave. Extension and proceed through the village. Rep. Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) will march in the parade. Fireworks begin at 9:45 p.m. at the Cantine Field sports complex.
Town of Ulster: Music provided by DJ Brian will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Wed. at Post Park.
Wawarsing: A parade will begin at noon, Wed. on Maple Avenue and follow a 1.1-mile route, ending at its start point.

Sources: The Daily Freeman, The Columbia Paper, Times Union

Al Baker reported in the New York Times under a measure passed by both houses of the State Legislature last month, the “home life and family background” of special education students must be taken into consideration when public school officials are deciding whether to place a child in a public school or pay for private schooling. Critics of the bill found the language in the bill was too broad and may allow individuals to improperly seek to challenge a student’s recommended educational placement by using a student’s religious background as the primary factor to determine placement. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's position on the measure is not clear. The Legislature has not yet sent him the bill, according to the Governor’s office. Read the full story in the New York Times.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine reported Tue., July 3 three cases of late blight in Suffolk County. He warned home gardeners and commercial growers of the potential introduction of late blight this growing season with a press release. Late blight is a plant disease that spreads rapidly from plant to plant in wet, cool weather that causes tomato and potato plants, primarily, to wilt and die. The Hudson Valley suffererd blights in 2009 and 2011, according to the department. “To help protect the State’s potato and tomato crops, the Department has once again initiated a concerted strategy to enhance the State’s detection and eradication efforts for late blight this growing season,” Commissioner Aubertine said. “While the recent hot and dry weather patterns should reduce the spread of this plant disease, commercial growers and gardeners should always be on the lookout and take the recommended precautions to protect their plants.” State inspectors have not found blight on more than 1,600,000 tomato plants and is working with Cornell Cooperative Extension to conduct outreach and follow up in the field with both growers and gardeners. Late blight is a plant disease that mainly attacks potatoes and tomatoes, although it can sometimes be found on other crops, weeds and ornamentals, such as petunias, nightshades, and tomatillos. Late blight was a factor in the Irish potato famine in the 1840’s, during which millions of people in Ireland starved or were forced to emigrate. Late blight is caused by an oomycete pathogen that can produce millions of spores from infected plants, spreading readily with wet weather and high humidity. Spores travel through the air, land on plants, and if the weather is sufficiently wet, cause new infections. Once infected, plants may wilt and die within three days. New York has battled strains of late blight in 2009 and 2011 that were particularly devastating to tomatoes. Presence of the disease, combined with wet weather those years led to a quick and devastating spread of the disease. Organic growers struggled with the disease as they have few approved control measures to use, and commercial tomato growers were challenged to apply crop fungicides in time to prevent the outbreak.

For more information about identifying late blight and how to control it, please visit http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Potato_LateBlt.htm.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 91F; low 64F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 93F low 66F.[/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, Independence Day, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny. Wed. night a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9 p.m. High near 89; low around 67.

The forecast for the next three days:

Thursday: Sunny. High near 88; low around 61.
Friday: Sunny. High near 93; low around 64.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. High near 90; low around 65.

Sunrise today: 5:25 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:35 p.m.
Length of the day: 15 hrs., 10 min.

Town meetings

Independence Day observed. All nonessential federal, state, county and local municipalities are closed. Post offices and banks are also closed today.

Rick Karlin reports in the Times Union drug maker GlaxoSmithKline will pay a record settlement of $3 billion for a series of abuses and settle charges centering on the marketing of its anti-depressant drugs Paxil and Wellbutrin, in addition to a failure to pay promised rebates to Medicaid. Part of the settlement includes a $146 million payment to the New York state Medicaid system, with some of that money possibly going back to counties. The company also pleaded guilty in federal court to improper marketing and failing to report safety concerns about the diabetes drug Avandia. In a statement company officials said the company has learned from its mistakes and has agreed to abide by a new corporate integrity compact. The British-based firm occupies the old Stiefel manufacturing plant in Oak Hill, and W.T. Eckert, reporting for The Daily Mail, spoke with Greene County Legislator Patricia Handel (R-Durham) after the settlement was announced. Handel told the paper it was disappointing to learn a company that “brought so much positive feeling” to the town and county has been “labeled as deceptive and fraudulent.” Read the full stories in the Times Union and The Daily Mail.

Jimmy Vielkind reports in the Times Union just 571 bills passed both the state Senate and Assembly this year, fewer than in any year since 1914, according to Bill Mahoney of the New York Public Interest Research Group. The two houses passed more than 600 bills in both 2009 and in 2010. The number of bills peaked under Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, who served between 1959 and 1973. New York's most prolific legislator, according to Vielkind, was Republican Sen. Roy McDonald of Saratoga. McDonald passed 35 bills through both houses over two years, including 19 in 2012. Read the full story in the Times Union.

 

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128"] Cairo: High 90F; low 66F.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125"] Catskill: High 90F 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, temperatures are expected to be warmer than yesterday. Sunny. High around 89. Isolated showers and thunderstorms, Tuesday night. Low around 66.

The forecast for the next three days:

Wednesday (Independence Day): Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 10 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 92. Thirty percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Wed. evening, before 10 p.m. Low around 68.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High near 89; low around 63.
Friday: Sunny. High near 92; low around 69.

Sunrise today: 5:24 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:35 p.m.
Length of the day: 15 hrs., 11 min.

Town meetings
Today is the first Tuesday of the month.
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting time and location.)

CATSKILL Town Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
COPAKE Park Commission meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
DURHAM Town Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
LEXINGTON Town Board meeting at 7 p.m., at Municipal building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
LIVINGSTON Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, County Rte. 19, Livingston (851-9441).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Finance Committee meets at 5 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State St., Hudson.

The Register Star is reporting two people were seriously injured this afternoon after a car rear-ended a tricycle motorcycle in Livingston. The names of the motorcyclists and their current conditions were not immediately known; the driver of the car appeared to not be seriously injured. As of 3 p.m., the intersection of Route 82 and Bells Pond Road remained blocked. Read the full story in the Register Star.