Stories that made the news from May 17 through May 20 in Columbia and Greene counties.

Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star on the details of two proposals for homeless and transitional housing currently under consideration by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. The joint proposal submitted by the Galvan Foundation and the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, known as Civic Hudson Emergency and Transitional Housing, designated 620 State Street as the shelter site to house 30 homeless individuals at the cost of $611,015. Allowing for reimbursement of expenses, the Galvin/MHA plan would cost the county approximately $434,000 per year. The proposal calls for a live-in resident manager, program director, program assistant and two caseworkers. The plan submitted by Poughkeepsie-based Maranatha Human Services provides for three full-time advocates, a program manager, case manager and part-time housing facility manager, to support 28 housed individuals at the cost of $680,400 per year. The after-expenses cost to the county for that plan would total roughly $483,000, according to Mayberg. Maranatha did not designate a location for its shelter. Columbia County estimated the cost of housing the homeless in motels will cost $490,000 this year. Both plans require a minimum occupancy rate, 24-hour monitoring and may require residents to relinquish their food stamps. Read the full story in the Register Star.

W.T. Eckert reported in The Daily Mail officials in Columbia and Greene counties are awaiting direction from the state following the announcement Thurs., May 17, from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo that New York will end the finger imaging requirement for all food stamp applicants and recipients. The change will simplify the application process and remove a barrier to reducing hunger among the state's children and adults, Cuomo said. More than 1.4 million New Yorkers are eligible for food stamps, but do not claim them, according to the Governor's Office. Nearly 12,000 residents of Columbia and Green counties currently participate in the program. The policy change is not immediate; a notice of rule change will be filed, followed by a 45-day public comment period. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Melanie Lekocevic reported in The Daily Mail a decision by the Town of Catskill to terminate the delivery of ambulance services to the Town of Athens, June 15, has been withdrawn, and negotiations between the two towns has resumed. Athens officials agreed to pay two disputed bills for services, two separate invoices totaling $53,000 for 2010 and one for $25,000 for 2011. According to Lekocevic's account, a clash between Athens Town Supervisor Lee Allen Palmateer and a Catskill ambulance administrator two weeks ago led to the now withdrawn decision to terminate services. The major issue during the previous 18-month negotiation focused on how Athens would be charged, per call or flat yearly fee. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star Columbia County is preparing to outsource its home health care services to Buffalo-based WILLCARE for $150,000 a year. Officials told the paper the county Certified Home Health Agency lost nearly three-quarters of a million dollars last year, approximately $111,000 more than the previous year, due to outside competition from Eddy Senior Living. The county program currently serves 50 patients. The decision to outsource the program will affect 15 nurses employed by the county. The decision must be approved by the full Board of Supervisors and the state Department of Health. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Jim Planck reported in The Daily Mail Village of Catskill officials recently approved a $6.4 million budget for the coming year. Of that total, $1.2 million will go into the water fund and more than $900,000 is earmarked for the sewer fund. The tax levy will increase 1.19 percent over the current year. Village President Vincent Seeley told the paper salaries for trustees, judges, DPW workers and non-union employees will not increase. Contract negotiations with the police department are ongoing. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Nathan Mayberg reported in The Daily Mail Columbia-Greene Community College conferred more than 300 degrees before a standing room only crowd at the college, Sat., May 19. Mayberg talked to several newly minted grads, including a nursing student preparing for certification, a social science graduate going on to a four-year university and a criminal justice student employed by the village of Millerton Police Dept.  Read Mayberg's full account in The Daily Mail.

Karrie Allen reported in the Register Star on the opening of the Hannaford grocery store in Livingston, Sat., May 19. Shoppers queued up as early as 5:30 a.m. to check out the store, located on Route 82. Cars filled the store's lot and spilled over into a field across the street. Store Manager Mike Forbes greeted each customer as they entered, shaking hands. Hannaford's corporate offices are located in Scarborough, Maine; it has 49 stores in New York. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 79F; low 59F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="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, chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2 p.m. Chance of precipitation 40 percent. High near 70; low around 58.

The forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: Chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2 p.m. High near 74; low around 59.
Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High near 79; low around 56.
Thursday: Partly sunny. High near 77; low around 57.


Sunrise today: 5:28 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:17 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 49 min.

Town meetings
This is the third Monday of the month
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting time and location.)

ATHENS Town meeting at 6:45 p.m. at Town Hall, 2 First Street, Athens (734-3636).
AUSTERLITZ Comprehensive plan meeting at 7 p.m., at 812 Route 203, Austerlitz (392-3260).
CANAAN Planning board meeting at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1647 Route 5 South, Canaan (781-3144).
GERMANTOWN Town Board meets at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
GREENE COUNTY 6 p.m. meetings of Government Ops and Finance committees, plus party caucuses at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Town Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Offices, corner of routes 32 and 81, Greenville (966-8276).

School board meeting

HUDSON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, Special meeting, 7 p.m., Hudson High School library, 215 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson (828-4360).

WGXC programming note

Tune in from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today for the WGXC Afternoon Show with hosts Sara Kendall, Noah Reibel and Melinda Braathen. The show will features interviews with DW Gibson, the producer of Not Working, a portrait of America's 21st-century unemployed, and educator, author and school reform leader Deborah Meier.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="550" caption="The monolith. Photo from Opus 40."][/caption]On Sat., May 19, Opus 40, the massive earthwork in a former blue stone quarry in Saugerties, NY, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the raising of the monolith, a giant vertical stone at the highest point of the sculpture. Opus 40 is the New York equivalent to Mount Rushmore, though in North Dakota it took a father and son team 14 years to carve the president's faces. In Saugerties, Bard Professor Harvery Fite bought the land for $200 in 1938, and died in 1976, still moving rocks into a large, maze-like structure that sets in front of postcard-like view of the Catskill Mountains. For the anniversary at Opus 40, Fite's step-sons Jonathan and Tad Richards explained the full story of Opus 40's creation, and how it weathered Hurricane Irene last fall. They also described the difficulty of raising the nine-ton monolith into place.

Click here to hear news report by Tom Roe of presentation at Opus 40 anniversary. 4:40
PLAY CLIP


Click here to listen to or download mp3 recording of Jonathan and Tad Richards speaking Sat., May 19, 2012 at Opus 40, about their step-father Harvey Fite and his earthwork.
PLAY CLIP


Below, the song "Opus 40" by the Hudson Valley-based band Mercury Rev.

The Matthew 25 Food Pantry is moving to 8 Union Street in Catskill, after an electrical fire destroyed its current location at 298 Main Street, Tues., May 15. Lance Wheeler reports in The Daily Mail the pantry is asking for the community's help in recovering and is requesting food and cash donations. The blaze caused heavy smoke and water damage to the pantry's inventory, including food, clothing and supplies. It also destroyed freezers and refrigerators. Volunteers began the work of removing canned goods, cereals and clothing from the building, Wednesday. Matthew 25 Executive Director Patti Dushane told the paper the food pantry will relocate, rebuild and continue to serve the community. For more information go to matthew25foodpantry.com. Read the full acount in The Daily Mail.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star two organizations recently submitted proposals for homeless and transitional housing to the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. Maranatha Human Services of Poughkeepsie made an offer to house the county's homeless for $680,000 per year. A bid submitted by the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, Inc. and the Galvan Foundation came with a price tag of $611,015 per year. Neither plan offers a provision for homeless families; both offer accommodations for single people, only. Maranatha did not identify a location; the MHA-Galvin proposal would locate its facility in a former orphanage and an adjacent garage, located at State and Seventh streets in Hudson. The county's 2012 budget for homeless housing is $490,000. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Hudson's Lady Moon was on the BET show "106th and Park" on Wed., May 16, performing, "Never Worried."

NOTE ADVERTISEMENT FIRST, PLEASE DO NOT PLAY AD ON AIR

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 70F; low 43F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Catskill: High 70F; low 43F."][/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 will be much cooler than yesterday. Sunny; high near 69. Tonight, mostly clear; low around 40.

The forecast for the next four days:
Friday: Sunny; high near 74; low around 49.
Saturday: Mostly sunny; high near 76; low around 51.
Sunday: Sunny; high near 81; low around 55.
Monday: Partly sunny, chance of showers Monday night; high near 78; low around 56.

Sunrise today: 5:32 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:13 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 41 min.

Town meetings
This is the third Thursday of the month
(WGXC 90.7-FM suggests you call ahead to confirm meeting time and location.)

ANCRAM Board meeting at 7 p.m. in Town Hall at 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
CHATHAM Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. Town Hall, 488 State Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Public Safety Committee meeting at 6 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson.
COPAKE Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting at 7:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
DURHAM Town board meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham.
GHENT Town Board meeting at the Ghent Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644)
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

Claudie Haton and Conor Riley report in The Daily Mail on two fires at two separate locations in Catskill, Tues., May 15. Both blazes were attributed to electrical causes. At 1 a.m. an automatic alarm tripped at the Post Bros. salvage yard summoning the Catskill Fire Dept. Although volunteers saved the majority of the building, the offices and garage were gutted and a portion of the service area was damaged. A fire five years ago burned the old garage to the ground. Post Bros. owner Chris Coutu told the paper fire investigators found the blaze was caused by an electrical malfunction. In the second incident, fire engulfed the building on Main Street that houses the food pantry on its first floor. The fire broke out around 9 p.m., Tuesday. Residents of the apartment were evacuated. There were no injuries. The paper reports faulty electrical wiring was believed to be the cause. See photos of both fires in The Daily Mail.

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a "Severe Thunderstorm Watch" for Wednesday afternoon a a cold front crosses our area. All counties including and surrounding Greene and Columbia are included in the warning. Wind gusts up to 70 mph are possible, as is large hail. The storms should cross our area between 1 and 7 p.m.

The Daily Mail is reporting voters in the Catskill Central School District said "yes" to that district's $37 million spending plan for 2012-13, Tuesday. Tracy Darling, Lisa Warner and Courtney Parish were elected to the Board of Education. Voters in the Cairo-Durham Central School District approved the $27.8 school budget and also gave the go-ahead to purchase two new vehicles. Beth Daly was elected to her first three-year term on the board, and incumbents Robert Criswell and Carl Kohrs retained their seats. Voters approved the Greenville Central School District budget and elected two new members of the board, Gloria J. Bear and Patricia C. Macko. Incumbent Anne Holstein retained her seat. The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District's $25.95 million budget, with a 2.99 percent tax levy increase, was passed. Michael Petramale, Joseph “Seph” Garland, Maureen Hanse and Bart Wallace were elected to the Board of Education. The Hunter-Tannersville Central School District’s $13.16 million budget was passed. John Berger was elected to fill a three-year term on the Board of Education. Voters also approved the purchase of two vehicles. Read the stories in The Daily Mail.

The Register Star is reporting Germantown Central School District voters rejected a $13.68 million budget, calling for a tax levy levy increase of 5.2 percent. The final tally was 514, or 55.4 percent, against the proposal, to 415, or 44.6 percent, in favor. Because the tax levy increase sought was higher than the prescribed tax cap, a super-majority (60 percent) was required for passage. Ralph DelPozzo was re-elected to the school board for a third term and newcomer Faydra Geraghty was elected to her first. The Ichabod Crane Central School District $33.95 million spending plan and required 2.56 percent tax levy increase passed easily. District voters said yes to purchasing four school buses and to the transfer of two school buildings to the village of Valatie and town of Kinderhook. Barbara-Anne Johnson-Heimroth, Cheryl Francoeur Trefzger and Jeffrey Ouellette were elected to the board; incumbent Bruce Naramore retained his seat. The $41.55 million budget calling for a 2.78 tax levy increase was passed by voters in the Hudson City School District. Newcomer Tiffany Martin Hamilton was approved to fill the one-year vacancy on the board and she was immediately sworn following certification of the vote. Carrie Otty will begin her five-year term July 1. Taconic Hills Central School District easily passed its $34.81 million budget and 1.88 tax levy increase. Anna Skoda and Glenn Schermerhorn were elected to fill the two board vacancies. Voters in the Chatham Central School District okayed its $28.3 million budget and 2.22 tax levy increase. Incumbents David O’Connor and Michael Clark retained their seats on the Board of Education; Jennifer Lindberg was elected to her first three-year term on the board. Voters in the New Lebanon Central School District approved that district's $12.44 million budget with no tax increase. Incumbents Monique Wood and Tracy Bingham were re-elected to the Board of Education. Read the stories in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 82F; low 43F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Catskill: High 79F; low 43F."][/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

There is a hazardous weather outlook for today. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4 p.m. Some of the storms could be severe. It is expected to be much warmer than yesterday; high near 80; low around 45.

The forecast for the next three days:
Thursday: Sunny; high near 74; low around 47.
Friday: Sunny; high near 74; low around 49.
Saturday: Mostly sunny; high near 76; low around 51.

Sunrise today: 5:33 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:12 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 39 min.

Town meetings
This 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).

Lissa Harris is reporting in the Watershed Post the National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls, near the border between Delaware and Sullivan County, until this evening. Data available show the river is already at the minor flooding stage. At 2 p.m., the river was at 10.11 feet, with a predicted crest of 11.3 feet. Read the full story at the Watershed Post.

Columbia County

Chatham Central School District
$28.3 million budget
2.2 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

Three board vacancies/three candidates (3-year terms)
David O’Connor+
Michael Clark+
Jennifer Lindberg

Polls open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Mary E. Dardess Elementary School gym

Germantown Central School District
$13.7 million budget
5.2 percent tax levy increase; requires a super majority to pass (60 percent)

Two board vacancies/five candidates (3-year terms)
David Forman+
Ralph Delpozzo+
Nicholas Ertle
Faydra Geraghty
Stephen Savoris

Polls open noon to 9 p.m.
Germantown Central School lobby

Two board vacancies; two candidates (1, 1-year term; 1, 5-year term)
Carrie Otty+
Tiffany Martin Hamilton

Polls open noon to 9 p.m.
John L. Edwards Primary, Hudson
Greenport Pumper Company #1, Greenport
Claverack Fire House, Claverack
Stockport Town Hall, Stottville
Livingston Town Hall, Livingston

Ichabod Crane Central School District
$33.9 million budget
2.56 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

Polls open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Ichabod Crane High School gym

Two board vacancies; two candidates (3-year terms)
Monique Wood
Tracy Bingham

Polls open noon to 9 p.m.
Walter B. Howard Elementary School gym

Two board vacancies; three candidates (5-year terms)
Paul Robertson
Anna Skoda
Glenn Schermerhorn

Polls open noon to 9 p.m.
Veterans’ Community Room

Greene County

Cairo-Durham Central School District
$27.8 million budget
3.8 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

Three board vacancies/four candidates (3-year terms)
Robert Criswell+
Carl Kohrs+
Beth Daly
Sam Mozzillo

Polls open noon to 9 p.m.
Cairo-Durham Middle School

Catskill Central School District
$37.1 million budget
2.17 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

Three board vacancies/five candidates (3-year terms)
Tracy Darling
Courtney B. Parish
Lisa Warner
Maatthew Leipman
Ernest Armstead, Sr.

Polls open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Catskill High School gym

Coxsackie-Athens Central School District
$25.9 million budget
2.99 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

Four board vacancies/five candidates (1, 1-year, 3, 3-year terms)
Joseph Garland
Barton Wallace
Maureen Hanse
Michael Donahue
Michael Petramale

Polls open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Coxsackie Elementary
E.J. Arthur Elementary

Hunter-Tannersville Central School District
$13.2 million budget
2.5 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

One board vacancy/three candidates (5-year term)
Melissa Glennon
Bobbi Jo Matthews
John Berger

Polls open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Hunter Elementary School cafeteria

Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District
$10.9 million budget
1.79 percent tax levy increase; requires a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one)

One board vacancy/one candidate (5-year term)
William Martin

Polls open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School cafeteria

+Incumbent

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 59F; low 57F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Catskill: High 61F; low 54F."][/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 is expected to be much cooler than yesterday. Showers likely; rain could be heavy at times. High near 66; low around 55.

The forecast for the next three days:
Wednesday: Chance of showers; high near 75; low around 50.
Thursday: Sunny; high near 74; low around 47.
Friday: Sunny; high near 74; low around 49.

Sunrise today: 5:34 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:11 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 37 min.

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

COLUMBIA COUNTY Health and Medical Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
DURHAM Town Board meets at 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham (239-8260).
HILLSDALE Meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall on Main Street (325-5073).
HUDSON 5 p.m. Finance Committee meeting; 7 p.m. Regular Common Council meeting at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville (589-6150).
LEXINGTON Town board meeting at 7 p.m., at Municipal Building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
TAGHKANIC Planning Board workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall on Route 82 in West Taghkanic (851-7638).

Stories and events that made the news May 11 through May 13

Main Street, Cairo, is getting an upgrade, according to a report by W.T. Eckert in The Daily Mail. The major upgrade the town's sewer system has two parts: The replacement of undersized pipes that deliver waste water to the sewer plant and the addition of a third treatment unit to the plant itself. The overall cost is $2.9 million. The town of Cairo ran afoul of the New York State Department of Conservation in recent years because the treatment facility was found to be undersized.  The work is expected to be completed this summer. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Claude Haton reported in The Daily Mail the state Commission of Judicial Conduct recently ruled East Greenbush jurist Diane L. Schilling be removed from the bench for ticket-fixing. The commission found Schilling fixed a ticket for the wife of Sand Lake Town Justice Paul Toomey in 2009, and that she also acted to fix her own speeding ticket issued in 2005. At one time Schilling was employed by the Office of Court Administration, training rural judges statewide, including those serving in Columbia and Greene counties, on ethics and court procedure, Haton writes. Schilling has 30 days to appeal the commission's decision. Read the full story in The Daily Mail. The Times Union editorial page weighs in on the culture of vanity plates and how it feeds a culture of corruption, citing the Schilling case as an example. The editorial writer says the rationale behind special plates is to offer judges and other public officials the opportunity to show their pride in public service. But in reality, the Times Union opines, they are a message to police: No tickets. Read the full editorial in the Times Union.

Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star a plan to create a veterans care and resource center in Columbia County has been introduced. At present, more than 1,000 veterans travel to neighboring counties to receive assistance and treatment. Under the plan, put forward by veteran Al Wassenhove, the center would be housed at the Pine Haven facility in Philmont and could be operational by 2015. The plan has the support of Ghent Supervisor Larry Andrews, chair of the Board of Supervisors Pine Haven subcommittee. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star, the Hudson Area Library board of trustees voted last week to move the library to the Hudson Armory, located at Fifth and State streets, two blocks east of its current location. The armory is owned by Galvan Partners, LLC. The board entered into a memorandum of understanding with the GalVan Initiatives Foundation to lease a 10,000-square-foot portion of the building known as the drill hall, for 30 years, at the cost of $12 per year. The library will pay $175,000, or 35 percent, of the estimated $500,000 renovation costs; Galvan will fund the remainder. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Tom Casey reported in the Register Star on the 15th annual opening of the Hudson Farmers Market, Saturday. Market co-founder Norman Posner was on hand for the occasion, as were various politicos, including Mayor William Hallenbeck and Common Council President Don Moore. The open-air market located at Sixth and Columbia streets, attracts dozens of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to pies to craft beers.  HFM marketing committee member Chris Jones spoke about the market on the WGXC Afternoon Show, Thursday. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Lissa Harris in The Watershed Post rounds up the now-national coverage of the deaths of an elderly couple in Andes, who died from lack of cell phone service. The story was trumpeted by The Daily News Friday, May 11, a week after the accident, and then an Associated Press story ran in The Washington Post and other papers. From The Watershed Post:

Arthur and Madeleine Morris, a Manhattan couple who owned a vacation home on Woodland Hill Drive in Andes, died near their own property after their car slid off the driveway and over an embankment on the afternoon of Thursday, May 3. But neither was injured in the crash. New York State Police investigator Alan Ferrara told the Watershed Post this week that Arthur had died of asphyxiation, probably after he tried to get out of the car and slipped. Madeleine walked to a neighbor's house in an effort to get help, but sustained a head wound while walking through the woods, and died of exposure during the night.The Daily News reports that Madeleine tried to dial 911 on her cell phone nine times:

Nine times, the call would not go through — so the panicked seniors tried to escape themselves, with disastrous results. Arthur, 88, was smothered trying to crawl out of the Ford Fusion, while brave wife Madeleine, 89, trekked to a road but died of exposure after a rainy night under a tarp.

Read the full story at The Watershed Post.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 69F; low 57F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Catskill: High 70F; 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, is expected to be cooler than yesterday. Showers are likely, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. High near 70; low around 59.

The forecast for the next three days:
Tuesday: Showers likely; rain could be heavy at times; high near 66; low around 55.
Wednesday: Chance of showers; high near 75; low around 50.
Thursday: Sunny; high near 74; low around 47.

Sunrise today: 5:35 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:10 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 35 min.

Town meetings
This 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 Common Council Youth and Aging committee special meeting at 6 p.m., City Hall, 520 Warren Street, 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).

Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson announced Wed., May 9, the online marketplace is now a Certified B Corporation. A benefit, or B corporation, is a class of corporation required by law to create general benefit for society, as well as its shareholders. There are currently more than 521 Certified B Corporations in 60 industries nationwide, 43 in New York alone. Etsy will be among the largest, joining retailer Patagonia and Seventh Generation, a brand of natural household and personal care products. In a companion post to Dickerson's, Etsy blog editor Michelle Traub writes the decision to become a B corporation was driven by the belief business has a "higher social purpose beyond simply profit." Etsy has more than 15 million members and more than 875,000 online shops, and reported sales of $525.6 million in 2011. Etsy is headquartered in Brooklyn, with offices in Hudson, San Francisco and Berlin. Read Dickerson's announcement at etsy.com.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star the Columbia County Board of Supervisors voted Wed., May 9, to purchase the building at 25 Railroad Ave. in Hudson, for nearly $1.3 million. The board held five separate votes and approved the purchase, despite concerns over the environmental health of the 20-year-old building. Final approval is contingent upon receipt of an independent analysis of an environmental evaluation of the property, expected to be commissioned by the county's United Public Service Employees Union. The board majority approved the purchase for economic reasons, Mayberg writes. Columbia County currently pays more than $400,000 a year to lease the building. Read the full story in the Register Star.