Jimmy Vielkind in Captiol Confidential reports that the Empire State Plaza skating rink in Albany will open to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday, after being closed for over three years. Skate rental and hot chocolate will be free on New Year's Eve. The rink is open until 8 p.m., and at 2 p.m. Saturday the Albany Figure Skating Club conducts figure skating demonstrations, and its members will be around all day to offer lessons, and will be open through March. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Weather right now
Hosts: Please announce the current temperature in Hudson, which is in Studio A in Hudson. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Please credit the above temperatures: From the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page; and from Cairo and Catskill Weather Underground pages.
On the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page, when the computer at Hawthorne Valley is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information live from Harlemville. Check dates and times at bottom of image to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was last turned off. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Cairo, in Greene County.
The National Weather Service predicts Cairo may see a little light snow before 10 a.m. Otherwise, Friday will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Friday night there is a 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after 9 p.m., with a low around 35. The weekend forecast:
• Saturday: Showers likely, mainly before 7 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 45.
• New Year's Eve: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
• New Year's Day: A chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.
• Monday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high near 38.

Town meetings today
This is the fifth Friday of the month, and meetings are rarely scheduled on the fifth weeks of the month.
LIVINGSTON Livingston Year-End Meeting at 8 a.m. at Livingston Town Hall, 119 County Route 19, Livingston. 518-851-9441

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:20 a.m./ 4:37 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 10:36 a.m. / 11:13 p.m.

Sports scores and schedules
(Hosts: Read scores in the a.m. only, and schedules in the p.m.)
Scores
New York Knicks 82 at Los Angeles Lakers 99
Schedules
Sun., Jan. 1, Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants. Winner goes to playoffs as NFC East Champion.
Sun., Jan. 1, New York Jets at Miami Dolphins. If the Jets win and the Bengals and Raiders lose, the Jets might make the playoffs.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Fri. Dec. 30:
• "Astrology," 3 p.m.: A.T. Mann rings in the New Year in astrology.

Audio clips for WGXC programmers
This information is not meant to be read on-air.
The information below are options of pre-recorded material hosts can choose to play.

Audio clips to play


New PSAs/STATION IDs
• A_OFF_PSA_20111231_new_years_eve_cal.mp3
• A OFF PSA 20120128 Post Office Stories

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 4 p.m.: International Network News (INN), through Audioport
• 5 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News headlines, through fsrn.org
• Midnight: International Network News (INN), through Audioport

Vincent Seeley, Catskill Village President, called in to the "WGXC Afternoon Show" Wed. Dec. 28 to announce a fundraiser Jan. 9 for Charles Swain Jr.’s home at 17 Henry St., which burned down Dec. 20. The fundraiser, at Tatianas restuarant in Catskill, will rise money for the families displaced by the fire. Listen to an audio clip of the interview with Seeley on WGXC. PLAY CLIP

Here's a quick forecast of the coming year in New York state politics, courtesy AM New York's 2012 forecast. The legislative redistricting process is bound to set off some sparks. State lawmakers must redraw legislative boundaries based on new population data, but Cuomo has threatened to veto their maps because he wants an independent redistricting panel to do it. All 150 seats in the state Assembly and 62 seats in the state Senate are on the line in the Nov. 6 election. Whether the state will hold special elections before then to fill empty seats remains an open questions. Democrats in Columbia and Dutchess county say they're currently interviewing candidates to fill the Assembly seat for New York's 103rd district, which includes most of Columbia County. The seat was vacated Marc Molinaro, who takes up his new post as Dutchess County Executive in 2012. Their could be a special election in the district, or the seat could remain vacant through the forthcoming legislative session, and the seat could be eliminated in redistricting.

Emily Maltby writes in The Wall Street Journal about "cash mobs," a grassroots effort to use social media sites to support local businesses. Unlike "Small Business Saturday," an event with corporate sponsors like American Express, cash mobs spring up organically through social media outlets and have no corporate sponsor or formal advertisements. The Occupy movement appears divided about "cash mobs." Some affiliates have embraced the idea while Occupy Cleveland's website notes that a cash mob, "isn't a political or social organization... or meant to be an answer to economic crisis." Read Maltby's article in WSJ online.

Jim Planck reports in The Daily Mail about a region-by-region report on the effects of climate change in New York. Columbia University, the City University of New York, and Cornell University were involved in producing the large study for the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The report concludes that New York State’s climate is changing and divides the state up into seven regions. The study examines the impact of climate change on water resources, coastal zones, ecosystems, agriculture, energy, transportation, telecommunications, and public health and recommend measures for remediation. The report concludes that region #7, which includes Columbia County, will likely see a steady increase in precipitation in the future. It also contains a warning for communities, like Hudson, that rely on a single stream for much of its water. “Only six water supplies in the state appear to rely solely on a single small stream,” it says, noting that two of them are local -- the City of Hudson and the Village of Saugerties. “Without secondary sources,” it states, “these run-of-the-river systems with small drainage basins are considered to be at risk for occasionally running out of water under conditions of climate change.” Read Planck's article in The Daily Mail<./a>

Weather right now
Hosts: Please announce the current temperature in Hudson, which is in Studio A in Hudson. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Please credit the above temperatures: From the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page; and from Cairo and Catskill Weather Underground pages.
On the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page, when the computer at Hawthorne Valley is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information live from Harlemville. Check dates and times at bottom of image to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was last turned off. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Ghent, in Columbia County.
The National Weather Service predicts Ghent will be mostly sunny, with a high near 30 on Thursday. Wind chill values as low as -1. West wind between 10 and 13 mph becoming light. Thursday Night: A chance of snow showers, mainly after 4 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 23. The weekend forecast:
• Friday: A chance of snow showers before 11 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow showers between 11 a.m. and noon, then a chance of rain showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41.
• Saturday: A chance of rain and snow showers before 1 p.m., then a slight chance of rain showers between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow showers after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39.
• New Year's Eve: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.
• New Year's Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 44.

Town meetings today
This is the fifth Thursday of the month, and meetings are rarely scheduled on the fifth weeks of the month.
STOCKPORT Stockport Year-End Meeting at 6 p.m. at Stockport Town Hall, 2787 Atlantic Ave., Stottville.

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:19 a.m./ 4:36 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 10:10 a.m. / 10:13 p.m.

Sports scores and schedules
(Hosts: Read scores in the a.m. only, and schedules in the p.m.)
Scores
New York Knicks 78, Golden State Warriors 92
Schedules
Thu., Dec. 29, New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Thu. Dec. 29:
• "Tell It Like It Is," 10-11 a.m.: Replay of Helen Caldicott's talk at Time and Space Limited in Hudson Nov. 29.
• "Sound Forms," 2-3 p.m.: Host Peter Wetzler has a rare interview with Richard Robbins, composer on many of the Merchant-Ivory films.
• "69," 9:30-midnight: The Magic Stranger offers a tribute to Alex Chilton.

Audio clips for WGXC programmers
This information is not meant to be read on-air.
The information below are options of pre-recorded material hosts can choose to play.

Audio clips to play


New PSAs/STATION IDs
• A_OFF_PSA_20111231_new_years_eve_cal.mp3
• A OFF PSA 20120128 Post Office Stories

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 10:52 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 4 p.m.: International Network News (INN), through Audioport
• 5 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News headlines, through fsrn.org
• Midnight: International Network News (INN), through Audioport

Western Greene County, Western Albany County, and Western Ulster Counties are all under Wind Advisories from the National Weather Service through this evening. A Wind Advisory means that winds of 31 to 39 mph are possible, with gusts of 46 to 57 mph possible. Winds that strong can make driving difficult.

William Magee, D-Nelson, who represents the 111th District in Albany, in the Utica Observer-Dispatch, has a guest column where he discusses two bills for farmers that did not get passed in the last legislative session. Magee hopes they will gain favor in 2012. One bill would authorize the creation of farm breweries for the manufacture of beer, A.7449-A. Another would enhance farmers’ ability to market their products directly to consumers by encouraging the development of retail farm operations, such as roadside stands and on-farm markets, A.6282.

Kristi Berner in The Columbia Paper reports that Fran Martino of the Greater Stockport Creek Watershed Alliance says her organization tested water at 35 locations in the watershed last summer, "and that 21 of them were rated 'unacceptable' due to excess pathogens, which included fecal matter from animals and humans," Berner's report said. The Stockport Creek Watershed is the second largest tributary to the Hudson River, starting in the Berkshires. The alliance is looking for volunteers to help with future tests and with stream cleanup and tree planting, among other things. For more information visit the website www.stockportwatershed.com.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="372" caption="From New York Military Forces Honor Guard."][/caption]The New York Military Forces Honor Guard performed 10,500 military funeral honors in 2011, more than at any time since it was created in 1999. Last year the Honor Guard provided honors at the funerals of 10,415 Soldiers, service members, and veterans. As of Dec. 23, Honor Guard members had participated in funerals for 10,564 veterans, said Don E. Roy. More than 90 percent, were for veterans of the Second World War, Roy said.
So far in 2011, the breakdown for each regional office is:
• New York City, 1,638;
• Long Island, 3,677;
• Hudson Valley (Newburgh), 853;
• Capital Region, 821;
• Binghamton, 455:
• Buffalo, 1267;
• Rochester, 652;
• Syracuse, 781;
• Finger Lakes (Bath), 420.

Weather right now
Hosts: Please announce the current temperature in Hudson, which is in Studio A in Hudson. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Please credit the above temperatures: From the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page; and from Cairo and Catskill Weather Underground pages.
On the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page, when the computer at Hawthorne Valley is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information live from Harlemville. Check dates and times at bottom of image to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was last turned off. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Hudson, in Columbia County.
The National Weather Service predicts there may be a little rain or snow showers Wednesday. Otherwise mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Breezy, with a west wind 11 to 14 mph increasing to between 21 and 24 mph. Winds could gust as high as 36 mph. Wednesday night should be partly cloudy, with a low around 16. The forecast for the rest of the week:
• Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 33. West wind around 10 mph.
• Friday: A chance of snow showers before 10 a.m., then a chance of rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 43.
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39.

Town meetings today
This is the fourth Wednesday of the month.
ATHENS Village meeting at 7 p.m. at Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
COLUMBIA COUNTY Public Works Committee at 6 p.m. at County Office Building, 401 State Street, Hudson.
GREENPORT Special meeting, agenda unknown. 11 a.m.
HUDSON Department of Public Works Committee meeting at 6 p.m.; Legal Committee meeting starts at 6:45 p.m at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
KINDERHOOK Historical Committee meeting at 7 p.m., Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:19 a.m./ 4:35 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 9:43 a.m. / 9:12 p.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Wed. Dec. 28:
• "Tony Fallon live from Blackthorne Resort," 7-9 p.m.: Tony Fallon, host of "The Irish Show" Sundays at 8 p.m. on WGXC 90.7-FM, hosts a special live night of music from the Blackthorne Resort in Durham. Tune in for unexpected guests, Irish music, stories, and more.

Audio clips for WGXC programmers
This information is not meant to be read on-air.
The information below are options of pre-recorded material hosts can choose to play.

Audio clips to play


New PSAs/STATION IDs
• A_OFF_PSA_20111231_new_years_eve_cal.mp3
• A OFF PSA 20120128 Post Office Stories

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 3:28 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 3:28 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 3:28 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 3:28 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 4 p.m.: International Network News (INN), through Audioport
• 5 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News headlines, through fsrn.org
• Midnight: International Network News (INN), through Audioport

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="296" caption="Sonny Rollins. Photo from CBS by John Abbott."][/caption]Germantown's jazz legend, saxophonist Sonny Rollins, was honored last week at the Kennedy Center, and that ceremony with President Barack Obama airs at 9 p.m. tonight on CBS television stations across the country. This is the 34th-year of such awards, and Yo-Yo Ma, Meryl Streep, and Neil Diamond are among the other honorees.

Emilia Teasdale in The Columbia Paper reports that Kinderhook has received a grant for $285,000 from the state to connect 33 properties in the business district to the sewer in Valatie. Kinderhook Mayor Carol Weaver announced the award at the village meeting on December 14. The money is part of the nearly $63 million awarded to different municipal projects throughout the region through the Capital Region Economic Development Council. Estimates put the total cost of the project at over $700,000. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been increasingly vocal about his desire to open state-run casinos in New York. In a year-end interview with the New York Daily News, Cuomo said he'd support a casino in New York City. "I’m not excluding any locations at this time," he told the paper, "New York City is a real location, Albany is a real location. Buffalo is a real location." There are five Indian-owned casinos currently operating in upstate New York. There are none in New York City. A recent Quinnipiac poll shows a majority of New Yorkers support casino-style gambling in the state, but the creation of state-run casinos requires a change in the state's constitution. For that to happen, two consecutive legislatures would have to agree to an amendment and put it forth to a public referendum. Read the full story in the Daily News.

The Register-Star reports that Taconic Hills Superintendent Mark Sposato announced his retirement at Wednesday's Board of Education meeting. The Star's John Mason says the announcement came as a surprise since Sposato is only three years into a five-year contract. He told the board his wife has taken a job Florida and so his family is moving. His contract requires he give two-months notice. Sposato says he will finish out the school year and his retirement will be effective September 8, 2012. Read the article in The Register-Star.

Weather right now
Hosts: Please announce the current temperature in Hudson, which is in Studio A in Hudson. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Please credit the above temperatures: From the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page; and from Cairo and Catskill Weather Underground pages.
On the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page, when the computer at Hawthorne Valley is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information live from Harlemville. Check dates and times at bottom of image to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was last turned off. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Hudson, in Columbia County.
The National Weather Service predicts it will rain, mainly after 5 p.m. Tuesday in Hudson, with a high near 44. Tuesday night the rain continues, mainly before 1 a.m. Low around 36. The forecast for the week:
• Wednesday: Scattered rain showers before 1 p.m., then a slight chance of snow showers. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 38.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.
• Friday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 40.

Town meetings today
This is the fourth Tuesday of the month.
GREENPORT Unknown "special meeting" at 11 a.m., Planning Board meeting at 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).
STUYVESANT The Town Board of the Town of Stuyvesant has rescheduled the December Town Board meeting to 7 p.m. at Stuyvesant Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant. 518-758-6248

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:19 a.m./ 4:35 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 9:12 a.m. / 8:08 p.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Tue. Dec. 27:
• "4th Tuesday Opera Scene," Noon-2 p.m.: Ed Beaty surveys the opera scene.

Audio clips for WGXC programmers
This information is not meant to be read on-air.
The information below are options of pre-recorded material hosts can choose to play.

Audio clips to play


New PSAs/STATION IDs
• A_OFF_PSA_20111226 Catskill High School Cat Camp.mp3


Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 4:43 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 4:43 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 4:43 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 4:43 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 4 p.m.: International Network News (INN), through Audioport
• 5 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News headlines, through fsrn.org
• Midnight: International Network News (INN), through Audioport

Space.com reports that Christmas may be over, but you can expect one more show of lights tonight, as, shortly before sunset -- around 4:30 p.m. or 5 p.m. -- Venus will be shining brightly toward the west, and to the right of it will be a sliver of a crescent moon. As the sky goes black, a shadowy image of the full moon will materialize within the horns of the lunar crescent, according to NASA Science News service. This is caused by earthshine, or sunlight reflecting off the earth and onto the moon. Earthshine is also known as "The Da Vinci Glow," after Leonardo da Vinci, who is said to have first solved the mystery of the phenomenon. Jupiter will also be brightly lit tonight so Jupiter, Venus and the Moon will, in ascending order, be the three brightest objects in the sky, even piercing city lights and thin clouds according to NASA. Everyone should be able to see them where there's a clear sky. With a simple triangular sweep, you can see the clouds and moons of Jupiter, mountains and craters on the Moon, and the fat gibbous form of Venus.

Michael DeMasi in The Business Review reports that a deal for a Hannaford shopping center on Route 9 in Columbia County topped a list of real estate deals in an 11-county region around Albany in 2011. Kinderhook LLC paid $9.49 million to Widewaters Kinderhook Co. for the 19.1-acre shopping center. The report is based on information provided by the New York State Board of Real Property Tax Services. Widewaters is the company that developed Greenport Commons, the Fairview Ave. shopping center with Wal-Mart, Kohl's, and other stores. Read Demasi's article in The Business Review.

The Daily Freeman rounds up holiday closings:
Here’s a rundown.
• Amtrak: Saturday schedule Monday.
• Banks: Closed Monday.
• County offices: Closed Monday.
• Federal offices: Closed Monday.
• Financial markets: Closed Monday.
• Greene County Transit: No service Monday.
• Mail delivery: None Monday.
• Metro-North: Saturday schedule on Monday.
• State offices: Closed Monday.