Weather right now



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Rain; high 55F; low 28F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Rain; high 55F; low 34F."][/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, Scattered showers, cloudy; high near 55; low around 34.

The forecast for the rest of the week:

Wednesday: A chance of showers, mainly after noon; high near 56; low around 37.
Thursday: A chance of showers, mostly cloudy; high near 59; low around 36.
Friday: A chance of showers, partly sunny; high near 54; low around 29.
Saturday: Partly sunny; chance of showers in the evening; high near 58; low around 37.

Sunrise today: 6:00 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:48 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs., 48 min.

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

GREENPORT Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).
HUDSON Common Council Economic Development Committee meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

School board meetings
SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN COLUMBIA, GREENE and RENNSSELAER COUNTIES Component district boards of education meet simultaneously for the Questar III BOCES 2012-13 administrative budget and board vote. Check with your local school board for exact location and time.

Stories that made the news in Columbia and Greene counties (Apr. 19 through Apr. 22)

Two major structure fires occurred in the area over the weekend. W.T. Eckert writes in The Daily Mail about the six-alarm blaze that destroyed the Overbaugh family home on Route 9W, south of the village of Catskill, Sat., Apr. 21. The home was empty at the time, but the fire is believed to have been started by a cigarette left in a flowerpot on the back porch. Shortly before noon Saturday, Audra Jornov writes in the Register Star, the Philmont Fire Department responded to a barn fire at 35 Summit St. That fire quickly spread and engulfed the barn and several other structures. Four people escaped injury and several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion. The fire is believed to have started from a campfire that “got out of hand due to the heavy winds and the dry climate,” Jornov writes. Read these stories in The Daily Mail and the Register Star.

Michael Ryan writes in The Daily Mail Ashland officials are moving forward on two restoration projects, which could cost the town up to $500,000. Talks are ongoing with FEMA over reimbursement for needed repairs to the new water supply system and existing water treatment facility. If FEMA approves the project, the federal agency will contribute 75 percent of the total cost; the state will provide 12.5 percent. But it will be some time before residents are drinking from fresh municipal wells dug over a year ago and later damaged by Tropical Storm Irene, Ryan writes. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Doron Tyler Antrim writes in The Daily Mail the Village of Catskill Board of Trustees is looking to reduce the police department budget by five percent. The reduction is necessary to offset increased contributions to the New York State Police and Fire Retirement System and increased health care costs. The department requested a three percent increase for 14 employees. Contract negotiations between with the police union will begin May 8. The board will revisit the police budget 6 p.m., Wed., Apr. 25 at village hall. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star the Columbia County District Attorney has assumed responsibility for the prosecution of all traffic tickets countywide, as of January. Traffic tickets were formerly plea bargained through local police departments, the County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Park Police. DA Paul Czajka tells Mayberg he expects the change in policy to provide “more fairness” to the accused, but it will also bring more money to local municipalities by instituting new ticket schedules that will allow a higher percentage of the fines to return to local municipalities. Read the full story in the Register Star.

The Hudson City School District board of registration will conduct a registration day Mon, Apr. 23, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the John L. Edwards Primary School, 360 State St., Hudson, for qualified voters in the district who are not registered under permanent personal registration, but want to participate in the May 15 school board and budget vote. Applications for absentee ballots may also be picked up at the District Clerk's office at Hudson High School beginning Monday. The deadline for submitting nominating petitions for the school board election is Wed, Apr. 25, before 5 p.m. Nominating petitions must include a minimum of 100 qualified signatures and be submitted to Frieda Van Deusen, Clerk of the Board, at the district office, located at 215 Harry Howard Ave., Hudson. For more information go to hudsoncityschooldistrict.com.

The National Weather Service in Albany is extending the Flood Watch that began Saturday through at least Monday morning, for Greene, Columbia, Ulster, and Rennselaer counties, and other areas nearby. A massive storm is moving up the east coast of the U.S. in classic Nor'easter fashion, and is expected to keep dumping rain on our area off and on through Wednesday.

Weather right now



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Heavy rain; high 58F; low 41F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Heavy rain; high 58F; low 40F."][/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

READ TEMPERATURE IN HUDSON: On thermometer in Studio A.
FAR LEFT:The temperature on the far left is from the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page.
MIDDLE TEMP: Cairo from Weather Underground page.
FAR RIGHT: Catskill from Weather Underground page.

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Catskill, in Greene County.

Today, showers likely before 8 a.m.; high near 58, low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent; scattered showers after 9 p.m.

The forecast for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Scattered showers, cloudy; high near 49; low around 36.
Wednesday: A chance of showers, mainly after noon; high near 56; low around 37.
Thursday: A chance of showers, mostly cloudy; high near 59; low around 36.
Friday: A chance of showers, partly sunny; high near 54; low around 29.

Sunrise today: 6:01 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:47 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs., 46 min.

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

CATSKILL Village board meeting at 7 p.m. at Firehouse near Catskill Commons (Wal Mart) (943-3830).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors’ Economic Development/Planning/Tourism/Agriculture/Transportation Committee Meeting, 5 p.m at 401 State St., Hudson.
HALCOTT Town meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 813 Route 3, Halcott Center (845-254-9920)
HUDSON Common Council Police Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall; Fire Committee Meeting at 6:45 p.m., at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
PHILMONT Local Development Corp meeting at 7 p.m., Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
STUYVESANT Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).

WGXC volunteer Anne Horst attended the Cairo-Durham final budget school board meeting on Thu., April, 19 at 7 p.m. in the Ciro-Durham High School auditorium. The recording is in three parts. First, the meeting opens, and after 15 minutes the board goes into executive session to discuss a retirement of a nurse in Durham. Recording two begins with acceptance of that retirement. Later in the meeting her position was funded for full-time for new person saving between $3-4,000. Third recording begins with motion from Carl Coors to cut the head bus driver position and transportation secretary's jobs in half, and to eliminate one of two managers. That passed 5 to 4. The teacher's union also agreed to pay two percent of its benefits saving the district $27,538. The board did not agree to save $40,000 by ending its long relationship with Rogers Garage and enter an agreement with the Greenville schools to share bus maintenance costs. That left a $45,000 deficit, which was balanced by utilizing money from fund balance, while the shared bus costs are still under consideration. Now the tax increase goes to voters in the towns, and if the budget does not get more than 50 percent of the vote there, more cuts will be made.
First recording. PLAY CLIP
Second recording. PLAY CLIP
Third recording. PLAY CLIP

Jon Pareles is reporting in The New York Times, Levon Helm, the drummer and singer for the Band, died Thurs., Apr. 19, in Manhattan. Helm, 71, was a resident of Woodstock. Helm's "drumming, muscle, swing, economy and finesse were inseparably merged. His voice held the bluesy, weathered and resilient essence of his Arkansas upbringing in the Mississippi Delta," writes Pareles. Following the breakup of the original Band in 1976, Helms continued to perform as a musician, and later enjoyed a career as an actor, as well. Beginning in 2004, his barn in Woodstock was the venue for a series of concerts called Midnight Rambles. Read the full story in The New York Times.

On Thursday afternoon a message at the Levon Helm Studio Web page read:

Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul.

Mid-Hudson News reports Didi Barrett was officially seated in the state Assembly chamber, Tues., Apr. 17. “I am committed to helping solve many of the issues these families currently face by focusing on real, tangible tax relief and working to create good paying, local jobs,” she said. Barrett, a Democrat from Washington (Dutchess Co.), was welcomed to the Assembly by her predecessor, Republican Marcus Molinaro. Barrett is the first woman to represent the 103rd District, according to Tom Casey of the Register Star. Barrett paid a visit the Hudson Common Council Tuesday night and invited residents and council members to visit her new offices in Albany. Barrett will be administered a ceremonial oath of office 4 p.m., Sat., Apr. 21, at the Columbia County Courthouse, Union St., Hudson. Barrett was elected to the Assembly in a March 20 special election. She must seek reelection in November. Read the full stories at Mid-Hudson News and the Register Star.

George O'Neill, the co-owner of O’Neill’s Cafe in Cairo and the former O’Neill’s Tavern in East Durham, died in January, the Keith Gurland Sextet will perform at a tribute concert for O'Neill Fri., April 27 at Gallagher's in Cairo. Last August, O'Neill phoned in to "The Irish Show" with Tony Fallon, and Fallon introduces this audio recording of George O'Neill on WGXC. PLAY CLIP 8:53



From The Daily Mail obituary:

George B. O’Neill, 67, of Livingstonville, passed away on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 at Albany Memorial Hospital. George was born in Catskill on Sept. 2, 1944, son of the late George C. and Mary Rose Bryan O’Neill. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968, and was honorably discharged from the Army Reserve in 1972. He was employed as a substance abuse counselor at Hudson Correctional Facility for several years, then for over 20 years at Summit Correctional Facility, retiring Dec. 30, 2010. George was a co-owner of O’Neill’s Cafe in Cairo and the former O’Neill’s Tavern in East Durham. He enjoyed all types of music, especially jazz.

Weather right now



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Partly cloudy; high 72F; low 54F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Partly cloudy; high 75F; 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, Mostly sunny, with a high near 70; low around 47.

The forecast for the rest of the week:
Friday: A chance of showers, high near 75; low around 53.
Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65; low around 47.
Sunday: A chance of rain during the day; likely at night. Cloudy, with a high near 56; low around 43.

Sunrise today: 6:07 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:42 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs. 35 min.; 3 minutes longer than Tuesday

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).

WGXC volunteer Sam Sebren reports and recorded audio at a film presentation and panel discussion about "Living Downstream," a film about the increasing amounts of cancer caused by ecological contamination shown at Bard College in Dutchess County, Tue., Apr. 17.

The first recording features keynote speaker, Dr. Jannette Barth, Chief Economist of The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Dr. Barth talks about myths put out by the gas industry regarding gas production and economics, and jobs. CLICK HERE TO PLAY 16:00

The second recording was a Q&A session after the film "Living Downstream" based on biologist Dr. Sandra Steingraber's book. This recording includes answers by Dr. Barth, and Dr. Mark Lytle, chair of the Environmental and Urban Studies program at Bard, and George Smith, s Bard alum who helped organize the event. The conversation turns to problems with legislation in New York and about the recent Germantown moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. CLICK HERE TO PLAY 10:00

The full program for the event is below:

"Based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., 'Living Downstream' is an eloquent and cinematic feature-length documentary. This poetic film follows Sandra during one pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links."

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="561" caption="from levonhelm.com"][/caption]Tue., April 17, the website of former member of The Band and Woodstock resident Levon Helm changed its opening page to this image and this message:

Dear Friends,
Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey.

Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration... he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage...

We appreciate all the love and support and concern.
From his daughter Amy, and wife Sandy

Levon Helm - drummer and lead singer for The Band - presides over what he calls "midnight rambles" -- concerts in his Woodstock, N.Y. barn, where he's surrounded by musical friends and family, including his daughter, singer Amy Helm. His voice may be raspy, but his energetic drumming and high-beam smile can warm the coldest winter night. Part of the Sound Tracks: Quick Hits series by PBS Arts.

more details

John Mason reports in the Register Star the Germantown Town Board unanimously approved an 18-month moratorium on hydrofracking Mon., Apr. 16, making it the first municipality in Columbia County to confront the issue so directly. A series of speakers expressed their opposition to the hydrofracking process on environmental and economic grounds. Mason reports approximately 30 people attended the hearing; four spoke in favor of the moratorium, none opposed it. The moratorium was proposed by Supervisor Roy Brown after he learned a local business owner had been approached with a request to his property for activities related to the hydrofracking process. That process involves sending a mixture of water, sand and chemicals deep into the ground to break apart rocks to release natural gas that is captured and brought to the surface. There is legislation currently pending bill before the state Legislature to give local governments the power to enact and enforce law relating to oil, gas and solution mining. Read the full story in the Register Star. Listen to the Germantown Town Board discussion of the proposed hydraulic fracturing moratorium.

On the Mon., Apr. 16 edition of the WGXC Afternoon Show, Sara Kendall spoke with attorney George Rodenhausen and Germantown Supervisor Roy Brown about hydraulic fracturing in New York. The discussion centered on the legal history and context of municipalities prohibiting “fracking" within their borders, Rodenhausen, a partner in the Hudson-based firm Rapport Meyers, defended the town of Middlefield (Ostego County) in case that resulted in a landmark decision that gave municipalities the right to ban fracking within their borders In this interview, Rodenhausen talks about the Middlefield case, and its implications for other municipalities statewide. Kendall also speaks with Roy Brown about the Germantown hearing and the proposed moratorium. The full interview can be found here.

A group gathered at the Bank of America on Main Street in Chatham, on Tax Day, Tuesday, April 17, to protest the bank's ongoing failure to pay federal corporation taxes. The "WGXC Morning Show"'s Philip Grant interviewed participant Bob Elmendorf, who said Bank of America is not friendly to its depositors; he also told Grant the institution has not been "morally or fiscally responsible." The full interview can be heard here.

 

Weather right now



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Partly cloudy; high 63F; low 46F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Partly cloudy; high 63F; 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, areas of frost before 9 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 65; low around 36.

The forecast for the rest of the week:
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72; low around 49.
Friday: A chance of showers, high near 77; low around 51.
Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65; low around 44.
Sunday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 55; low around 42.

Sunrise today: 6:09 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:41 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs. 32 min.; 3 minutes longer than Tuesday

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).

The Cairo-Durham School Board indicated they will close Durham Elementary after next year's term during their final "Budget Discussion" on Mon., Apr. 16, before voting on a final budget Thu., Apr. 19. The board also indicated it will raise the tax levy 3.8 percent, the maximum amount allowed under the state's tax cap that requires approval by 50 percent plus one in May school elections. Before the meeting last night, the Cairo-Durham School District was still $164,598 short of a balanced budget with the 3.8 percent total increase in school taxes (individual taxes will go up varying amounts, not 3.8 percent). On Monday, the board decided to close that gap first with an "inter-municipal agreement with Greenville" schools, so both districts share bus maintenance costs. That reportedly saves $40,000, leaving a $124,598 gap. To make up that amount, the board decided to, just three days before voting on a budget, ask the teachers unions for some type of concession. Board member Beth Phillips suggested that if unions took two percent less for insurance, it would make up most of the difference. Union officials were not there to respond to this last-minute request. So the school board made a back-up plan, saying that a teacher's job at both Cairo Elementary and the district's middle school, would be eliminated, and an additional $3698 would need to be taken from sports or other after-school activities, if the union's would not agree to some contract restructuring. School board President Greg Koerner-Fox repeatedly steered the conversation to next year's $2.5 million deficit. Because of that, the board indicated it will close Durham Elementary in 2013-2014, saving somewhat less then the $642,742 they would have saved by closing the school next year, which two members advocated. Koerner-Fox indicated that closing the school and negotiating further union concessions is the only solution for that $2.5-million problem, or "we will be cutting 30 teachers next year to make up the $2 million." The public was given a chance to speak after the board made their decisions, and the current Cairo-Durham bus maintenance crew heard the news they were losing their school contract from a text message and arrived to protest. A large group of pro-arts students and teachers were there, as "art and music" were considered for cuts, but the board repeatedly said Monday they were not cutting arts. Few parents begged to keep Durham Elementary open, even as the board reported one other hope. After giving up on turning Durham into a charter school, they are now hearing a "magnet" school proposal from an education company. The Cairo-Durham School Board meets at 7 p.m. Thu., Apr. 19 in the Cairo High School auditorium to vote on the budget. Tune in to a 30-minute recap of the meeting at 2 p.m. Tue., Apr. 17 on WGXC 90.7-FM. And a full recording of the meeting will be here and at wgxc.org soon.

Jim Planck reports in The Daily Mail on the effort of the Manhattan-based New York State Youth Leadership Council to raise awareness of the educational inequities for undocumented immigrants in New York state. In an effort to inform the public and advocate on behalf of the New York State Dream Act -- due for a vote by state lawmakers in June -- a group of students and their supporters have been walking the 150-mile trip from New York City to Albany. On Sat., Apr. 14, the group did the 17-mile leg up Route 9G from Bard College to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and Catskill. WGXC programmer Cory Fischer-Hoffman not only opened her home to the walkers Saturday night, but she also fed them at the Catskill Community Center. “I think it’s important that people have access to education,” Fischer-Hoffman said. “I think it’s a shame that people don’t have full rights in this country.” The federal Dream Act legislation failed to pass in 2010, but the states of California, New Mexico and Texas have passed their own version of the law. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Listen to the full program at Catskill Community Center.

Cory Fischer-Hoffman interviews walk participant Luis

Cory Fischer-Hoffman interviews walk participant Razine

Bryan Fitzgerald writes in the Times Union, Greene County priest, the Rev. Jeremiah Nunan, was placed on administrative leave after allegations that he sexually abused a minor surfaced. Nunan, 74, is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Cairo, and at Our Lady of Knock Mission in East Durham. During his suspension he is prohibited from officiating at any ceremonies, wearing clerical clothing, or presenting himself as a priest. The victim alleged Nunan abused him as a child between 1996 and 2003, and later when he was an adult, between 2007 and 2011. This is the second time Nunan has been accused of the sex abuse of a minor. In 2006, Nunan was accused of abusing a child beginning in 1967, during the time he was serving at St. Mary's Church in Hudson. Following an 11-month investigation, Nunan was cleared and restored to the ministry. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Weather right now



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Mostly sunny; high 67F; low 37F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Mostly sunny; high 68F; low 37F."][/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, Mostly sunny, with a high near 68; low around 37.

The forecast for the rest of the week:
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 62; low around 37.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68; low around 48.
Friday: A chance of showers, high near 68; low around 50.

Sunrise today: 6:11 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:40 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs. 29 min.; 2 minutes longer than the previous day

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 that made the news in Columbia and Greene counties (Apr. 13 to Apr. 15):

Tom Casey reports in the Register Star the proposal for the Hudson Youth Center Senior Annex got a unanimous “thumbs-up” from the Hudson Preservation Commission, Fri., Apr. 13. The Commission gave its approval, expressly noting the materials to be used and the positioning and design of the building were appropriate to the historic district. “I think this is a nice use of a facility tying into another building, but it shows respect for the old historical building,” said member Rick Rector. According to Carole Osterink's account in The Gossips of Rivertown blog, the members approved the proposal, but stipulated that any major, significant changes to the design be submitted to the Commission for review. The project now moves forward to the Hudson Planning Commission for consideration on May 9. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Audra Jornov and John Mason report in the Register Star, the boards of education in both Hudson and Germantown adopted the districts’ 2012-13 school spending plans on Wed., Apr. 11. In Hudson, the board approved a $41.5 million budget and 2.78 percent tax levy increase. The Germantown board okayed a $13.7 million spending plan, along with a 5.2 percent tax levy increase. Boards in Greenville, Cairo-Durham, Catskill, Chatham, Coxsackie-Athens, Hunter-Tannersville, New Lebanon and Taconic Hills will be asked to adopt their respective budgets this week. The annual school board election and budget vote is May 15. Read the full story in the Register Star.

The Register Star is reporting Jonathan A. Mills, the man alleged to have robbed the Fairview Ave. branch of the Bank of Greene County, Mon., Apr. 9, has now been charged in Genesee County in connection with the afternoon robbery of the Five Star Bank in the town of Pavilion on Apr. 6. Mills, 24, of Rochester, is currently held in Columbia County Jail. Police believe he may have been involved in other robberies statewide, targeting banks located in Saugerties, Geneva and Rochester. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Lissa Harris writes in the Watershed Post because Hurricane Irene “caused so much death and destruction in 2011" the World Meteorological Organization has retired the name ‘Irene’ from its rotating list of storm names. It will be replaced by the name, ‘Irma.’ According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Irene was responsible for 49 deaths, and $15.8 billion worth of damage in the U.S. alone. In New York, 10 people died and the state estimates damages from the storms Irene and Lee together, total $1.6 billion. Read the full story in the Watershed Post.

Weather right now



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Cairo: Sunny; high 86F; low 54F."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Catskill: Sunny; high 87F; 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, sunny, with a high near 87; low around 54.

The forecast for the rest of the week:
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69; low around 43.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 62; low around 37.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69; low around 46.
Friday: A chance of showers, high near 65; low around 44.

Sunrise today: 6:12 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:39 p.m.
Length of the day: 13 hrs. 27 min.; 3 minutes longer than the previous day

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).

Board of Education meeting

GREENVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 7 p.m. at the Middle School Library Media Center, Route 81, Greenville (966.5070).