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.

Lauren Stanforth reports in the Times Union, a new database released by the Empire Center for New York State Policy indicates the Capital Region has the lowest tax rate in the state. The median tax rate is $23.14 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The database shows that municipalities with decreasing property values and populations have the highest rates, Stanforth writes. The cities with the highest tax rates are Binghamton, where taxpayers pay $52.34 per $1,000 of assessed value, followed by Fulton (Oswego County) and Gloversville (Fulton County). The town of Catskill has the 10th highest tax rate in the Capital Region, with an effective rate of $32.28. The city of Hudson ranked 54th among 75 cities statewide, with a tax rate of $30.16. The list does not include New York City and Nassau County because of their complicated tax classifications. Read the full story in the Times Union.

The United States Postal Service announced Wed., May 9 that it would keep open post offices scheduled to close, but would reduce hours at many more offices, including more than two dozen locally. "The new strategy would be implemented over a two-year, multi-phased approach and would not be completed until September 2014. Once implementation is completed, the Postal Service estimates savings of a half billion dollars annually," a USPS press release said. Local post offices affected locally are listed below, with current and future hours listed:
• BERNE PO 12023-9998
8/6
• CANAAN PO 12029-3817
8/6
• CLIMAX PO 12042-2100
8/4
• COEYMANS PO 12045-9998
8/4
• COEYMANS HOLLOW PO 12046-2104
8/2
12050-9998
• COLUMBIAVILLE PO 12050-9998
8/4
• EARLTON PO 12058-9998
8/6
• EAST BERNE PO 12059-2145
8/6
• EAST CHATHAM PO 12060-9998
8/6
• HANNACROIX PO 12087-9998
8/6
• KNOX PO 12107-9998
8/4
• MALDEN BRIDGE PO 12115-9998
8/4
• MEDUSA PO 12120-9998
8/4
• NEW BALTIMORE PO 12124-9998
8/6
• NORTH CHATHAM PO 12132-9998
8/4
• OLD CHATHAM PO 12136-9998
8/6
• RENSSELAERVILLE PO 12147-9998
8/4
• SCHODACK LANDING PO 12156-9998
8/4
• SPENCERTOWN PO 12165-9998
8/6
• STOTTVILLE PO 12172-9998
8/6
• STUYVESANT PO 12173-9998
8/6
• STUYVESANT FALLS PO 12174-9998
8/4
• ACRA PO 12405-9998
8/4
• ASHLAND PO 12407-9998
8/4
• CORNWALLVILLE PO 12418-9998
8/4
• ESOPUS PO 12429-9800
8/4
• FREEHOLD PO 12431-9998
8/6
• HAINES FALLS PO 12436-9800
8/6
• HALCOTTSVILLE PO 12438-9800
8/4
• HENSONVILLE PO 12439-9998
8/4
• JEWETT PO 12444-9998
8/4
• LEXINGTON PO 12452-9800
8/4
• MALDEN ON HUDSON PO 12453-9800
8/4
• MAPLECREST PO 12454-9998
8/4
• PRESTON HOLLOW PO 12469-9998
8/4
• ROUND TOP PO 12473-9998
8/6
• SOUTH CAIRO PO 12482-9998
8/6
• ANCRAM PO 12502-9998
8/6
• ANCRAMDALE PO 12503-9998
8/6
• COPAKE FALLS PO 12517-5324
8/4
• ELIZAVILLE PO 12523-9998
8/6
• LIVINGSTON PO 12541-9800
8/6
• MELLENVILLE PO 12544-9800
8/4
• RHINECLIFF PO 12574-9800
8/6

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 61F; low 41F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Catskill: High 61F; low 46F."][/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, with a 40 percent chance of rain. Patchy fog before 10 a.m.; high near 66; low around 44.

The forecast for the next three days:
Friday: Mostly sunny; high near 68; low around 44.
Saturday: Sunny; high near 78; low around 46.
Sunday: A chance of showers; high near 75; low around 52.

Sunrise today: 5:39 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:05 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 26 min.

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

CHATHAM Village meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
COPAKE Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountainview Road, Copake (329-1234).
GALLATIN Town Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Route 7, Ancram (398-7519).
GREENE COUNTY Finance & Audit committee meets at 5 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board Workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
LIVINGSTON Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 119 County Route 19.
STUYVESANT Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TANNERSVILLE Village trustees meet at 7 p.m. in their Village Hall on Route 23A.
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

W.T. Eckert reports in The Daily Mail on the Cairo-Durham school board candidate forum held Tues., May 8. The event was sponsored by the Cairo-Durham High School participation in government classes. All four candidates in the May 15 election appeared; they are competing for three open seats. Robert Criswell, Carl Kohrs, Beth Daly and Sam Mozzillo were questioned by the public on a variety of topics, including, the planned closure of Durham Elementary School, district unions, lobbying the state for aid restoration, the role of board members and strategies for raising money locally to offset cuts at the federal and state levels. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

The Columbia County Board of Supervisors may vote on the purchase of the building located at 25 Railroad Ave. (Hudson), Wed., May 9, according to account written by John Mason, in the Register Star. The 28,000 sq. ft. building is owned by Anthony Concra has housed the county Department of Social Services since 1991. The board's nine-member Special Negotiations Subcommittee will meet prior to the meeting of the full board to decide if the matter will move forward for a vote. Objections to the purchase have been raised based on environmental concerns. From the 1940s to the mid-1980s, the property was a fuel storage depot, and at some point was the site of a petroleum spill reported in 1992, Mason writes. There is currently an indoor air quality monitoring system in place in the building. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Larry Rulison and Jimmy Vielkind report on President Barack Obama's visit to Albany, Tues., May 8 in the Times Union. The President used his third trip to the region as an opportunity to offer a to-do list for Congress that included tax incentives and action to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling. Obama appeared at the University of Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. "Now I want what's happening in Albany to happen all across the country — places like Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh," Obama said. "I want to create more opportunities for hardworking Americans to start making things again, and selling them all over the world stamped with those proud words: Made in America. That's the goal." During the course of the 22-minute speech, Obama called on Congress to make it easier for homeowners to refinance their mortgages; create or extend tax credits for businesses that expand from overseas operations; and create a job corps. The NanoCollege is currently undergoing a $4.8 billion expansion, and officials reportedly hope the presidential visit could help convince the administration to establish a Department of Defense presence in the school. Read the full account of the presidential visit in the Times Union.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="128" caption="Cairo: High 70F; low 50F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Catskill: High 70F; low 52F."][/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 warmer than yesterday, chance of showers, possible thunderstorms after noon; high near 70; low around 51.

The forecast for the next three days:
Thursday: A chance of showers; high near 64; low around 43.
Friday: Mostly sunny; high near 69; low around 44.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75; low around 46.

Sunrise today: 5:40 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:04 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 24 min.

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

VILLAGE OF ATHENS Board meets at 6:30 p.m at the Athens Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
CLERMONT Planning Board meets at Town Hall at 7 p.m. at 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COLUMBIA COUNTY holds a full Board of Supervisors meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
COPAKE Resource Advisory Committee meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GHENT Planning Board Application meeting and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. both at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
HUDSON Planning Committee meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
JEWETT Town meeting at 7 p.m., at Municipal Bldg. 3547 Co. Rt. 23C (263-4626).
KINDERHOOK Town’s 9 & 9H Corridor Committee meets at 7 p.m. at at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
KINDERHOOK Village Board meeting and budget hearing, 7 p.m. at 6 Chatham Street, Kinderhook (758-9882).

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="373" caption="The interior of the MAI will feature an enclosed space slightly smaller than a tennis court. Courtesy OMA"][/caption]

Artist Marina Abramović unveiled plans for the $15 million Marina Abramović Institute for the Preservation of Performance Art at the Museum of Modern Art PS1 in Long Island City, Mon., May 7. The mission of the MAI is to cultivate new kinds of performance while functioning as a living archive, preserving and hosting performances of historic pieces. WGXC was part of a small Hudson contingent to attend the event. The Belgrade-born, self-proclaimed "grandmother of performance art," called it "a big day for me," and said the city of Hudson was "really the right place and the right location." Abramović expects the institute to open in 2014. Listen to the full broadcast, including presentations by OMA project architect Shohei Shingematsu and MAI director Serge Le Borgne here. Tom Roe discussed the project with Hudson Supervisor Sarah Sterling immediately following the presentation. That interview can be found here.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Rain; high 57F; low 50F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Rain; high 59F; low 55F."][/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, the rain could be heavy at times; chance of rain 90 percent. High near 62; low around 54. Chance of precipitation tonight is 80 percent.

The forecast for the following three days:
Wednesday: A chance of showers; high near 72; low around 50.
Thursday: A chance of showers; high near 64; low around 43.
Friday: Mostly sunny; high near 69; low around 44.

Sunrise today: 5:41 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:03 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 22 min.

Town meetings
This 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).

Stories and events that made the news May 4 to May 6

Michael Gormley reported for the Associated Press President Barack Obama will visit the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University at Albany, Tues., May 8. It was previously announced the president would visit GlobalFoundries, a computer chip manufacturer located in Saratoga County. No explanation for the change in plans was offered. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Reporting for the Associated Press, Mary Esch writes Wolf Lake, located in the Adirondack High Peaks region, has been impacted by climate change. Scientists working at the Adirondack Ecological Center in Newcomb, Essex County, in the 23-square-mile Huntington Wildlife Forest, recently conducted a study of the freshwater lake and determined the length of time it is covered with ice each winter has declined by three weeks since 1975. The change may alter the lake's ecology and harm cold-water species such as trout, Esch writes. The lake is considered one of the most pristine freshwater bodies in the northeastern U.S., having escaped pollution and the ravages of invasive plants and animals. The study was published online by the journal, Climatic Change. Read the full story in the Boston Globe.

Michael Ryan writes in the The Daily Mail after four months on the job, Prattsville sole assessor Kim Cammer has recommended the town undertake a full revaluation, given the lack of viable tax records available, nine months after Schoharie Creek swept through the municipal building on Aug, 28, 2011. The damaged records are in the process of being recompiled and reorganized by a restoration company in Pennsylvania. Prattsville last conducted a reassessment 20 years ago, in 1992. The revaluation is expected to begin sometime later this month. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

W. T. Eckert reports in The Daily Mail the Greene County Legislature has come to the aid of the Prattsville Little League. On Wed., May 2, Chairman Wayne Speenburgh prevailed upon fellow lawmakers to reach into their district budgets to help the league recover after Tropical Storm Irene swept away equipment and the Everett Conine Memorial Field in August. The legislators agreed to contribute a total of $7,000, which will be used to replace uniforms and equipment, the field pavilion, concession stand and storage shed. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Audra Jornov reports in the Register Star the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently awarded the Town of Greenport the necessary funds to repair the damage done to Mt. Merino Road by Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011. The town applied for emergency assistance in the amount of nearly $50,000 in Oct. 2011. The town must await approval of the project by the New York State Emergency Management Office before work can commence. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Hudson was the site of two major events over the weekend. The second annual Ramp Fest was held at Basilica Hudson, and according to Nathan Mayberg, writing for the Register Star, the crowd was double last year's, and the food was nearly gone by mid-afternoon. Jeff Gimmel, owner of Swoon Kitchenbar, organized the event for the second year, with Allison Riley. Read Mayberg's full acount of Ramp Fest in the Register Star. Mayberg also reports on the Hudson Children's Book Festival, held Sat., May 5, at Hudson High School. Hundreds of children and their parents attended, bought books, met authors and listened to a variety of speakers, including keynote Walter Dean Myers, the Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Myers urged parents to read to their children starting at a young age. The Register Star is one of the festival's co-sponsors. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Weather right now


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Chance of rain; high 72F; low 48F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Chance of rain; high 63F; low 50F."][/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, increasing clouds; high near 72. A chance of rain before midnight, then a chance of rain and thunderstorms between midnight and 1 a.m., then rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m.; low around 50.

The forecast for the following three days:
Tuesday: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm; high near 63; low around 56.
Wednesday: Rain likely, mainly after 2 p.m.; high near 70; low around 50.
Thursday: A chance of showers; high near 64; low around 43.

Sunrise today: 5:42 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:02 p.m.
Length of the day: 14 hrs., 20 min.

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

ANCRAM Conservation Advisory Council at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
ATHENS Town meeting at 7 p.m. at 2 First Street, Athens (734-3636).
CLAVERACK Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Church Street, Mellenville (672-7911).
CLERMONT Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
HUDSON Informal meeting of Common Council at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
TAGHKANIC Town meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Route 82,West Taghkanic (851-7638).

School board meeting

HUDSON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Special meeting and public hearing on the 2012-13 budget, 7 p.m., Hudson High School library, 215 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson (828-4360)

 

W.T. Eckert reports in The Daily Mail New Baltimore resident Shelly Van Etten has been denied access to public records. Van Etten, a member of the town zoning board of appeals and a business owner, submitted a Freedom of Information Law request for the answers to five questions submitted by town planning board candidates. The request was denied and Van Etten has appealed twice. The town says the answers are personnel records, but New York State Committee on Open Government Executive Director Robert J. Freeman disagreed. “I think that Jane Q. Public is being bullied,” Freeman said about Van Etten's records battle. New Baltimore Town Attorney David Wukitsch told the paper Freeman interprets the law very broadly because "he believes that almost everything is in the public domain. We view it a little more narrowly.” Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Lissa Harris reports in the Watershed Post an oil spill was discovered Sun., Apr. 29, on the Pepacton Reservoir. Questioned by Harris, Wed., May 2, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection said the spill is no more than 100 square feet in surface area and the agency is working with its emergency response contractor to conduct more extensive underwater investigations. As part of normal operations, no water has been diverted from the Reservoir since April 19. The spill was likely a small amount, Harris writes. The reservoir is part of the New York City Watershed; the East Delaware Aqueduct begins on the southern edge of the reservoir. Read the full story in the Watershed Post.

 

Tom Casey writes in the Register Star questions have emerged about special parking privileges extended to Hudson police officers. Third Ward Alderman John Friedman announced during the meeting of the Police Committee Mon., Apr. 30, he received calls and emails from constituents about the matter. A Warren St. business owner reported witnessing a city parking enforcement officer attempting to ticket a vehicle, but found they were unable because the device used to scan registrations could not ticket private vehicles registered to police officers. Hudson Police Commissioner Gary Graziano and Chief Ellis Richardson were not in attendance at the meeting. Contacted later by the paper, Graziano said he will address the matter at next month's committee meeting. Read the full story in the Register Star.