This week on the Watershed Post's "Half-Hour News Hour" show which airs Wednesdays at 3 p.m. on WGXC, hosts Lissa Harris and Julia Reischel talk with Dan Viles. Viles is the owner of Cable Ad Net, a cable television advertising company that has launched a new over-the-airwaves TV station, WYBN TV 14, from the top of Windham Mountain. Click here to listen to the entire episode of "The Half-Hour News Hour" or click here to listen to a clip of just the interview with Viles here.

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 Chatham.
The National Weather Service says the weather in Chatham Thursday will be rainy, mainly before 4 p.m., with a high near 46. Thursday night there is a chance of showers, mainly before 11 p.m., with a low around 36. The weekend forecast:
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. West wind between 10 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38.
• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37.

Town meetings today
This is the third Thursday of the month.
ANCRAM Board meeting at 7 p.m. in Town Hall at 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
CAIRO Cairo-Durham Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Cairo Elementary School, 424 Main St., Cairo, 518-622-3231.
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 Copake Zoning Review Meeting at 7 p.m. This committee will continue to meet on a regular basis on the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the same location at 7:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
COXSACKIE The Village of Coxsackie Planning Board holds a Public Hearing for a minor sub-division for property owned by William and Betty Jane Nevins located in the Village of Coxsackie at 7 p.m. at Coxsackie Town Hall at 16 Reed St., Coxsackie. 518-731-2727
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)
GREENE COUNTY The Greene County Industrial Development Agency holds their board meeting. 8 a.m. at Greene County IDA Office, 270 Mansion St., Coxsackie, 518-731-5500
HUDSON Hudson holds a public hearing on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 4:00PM in the Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson, on the following proposed Local Laws which were adopted by the Common Council on November 30, 2011: Proposed Local Law Introductory No. 4 of 2011 - A Local Law amending the City Zoning Code to implement the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and for other purposes. Proposed Local Law Introductory No. 5 of 2011 - A Local Law amending the City Zoning Code to implement the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program by providing for Local Consistency Review. Proposed Local Law Introductory N0.6 of 2011 - A Local Law amending the City Charter to implement the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program by providing for the appointment of a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Consistency Review Board. Proposed Local Law Introductory No. 7 of 2011 - A Local Law amending the City Charter to provide for the appointment of a Harbor Master in order to implement the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. 4 p.m. at Hudson City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson, 518-828-1030
RENSSELAERVILLE The Rensselaerville Hydrofracking Committee meets at 7 p.m. at Rensselaerville Town Hall, 87 Barger Road, Medusa.
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:12 a.m./ 4:29 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 9:55 p.m. / 10:27 a.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Thu. Dec. 15:
• "Between the Lines," 2 p.m.: Ann Forbes Cooper talks with local authors Randy Treu and Ed Breslin.
• "Radio Theatre," 3 p.m.: "Involuntary Reception" by Kristin Lucas, and a work by Anna Friz's "The Clandestine Transmissions of Pirate Jenny."
• "WGXC Afternoon Show," 4 p.m.: Hosts Richard Roth and Ellen Thurston talk to local artist Wayne Coe.

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 20111219 CCC Christmas dinner
• A_OFF_PSA_20120127_henriquez_youth_fund.mp3
• A_OFF_PSA_20120301_prescription_drug_help.mp3
• A_OFF_PSA_20120315_probono.mp3

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:14
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:14
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:14
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:14
• 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

Local musicians Ann Osmond and Dennis Yerry, who go by Double Take, will be guests on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" Wednesday, Dec. 14 shortly after 5 p.m. The duo will be in the WGXC Catskill Community Center studio to talk about their performance this Sat., Dec. 17 at Gallagher’s Banquet Hall in Cairo. Hosts Peter Krug and Ron Diamondstein will talk to the duo live on the "WGXC Afternoon Show" live from the Catskill Community Center.

Drivers can expect higher tolls on five Hudson River bridges, according to several reports (including this one in today's Times Herald Record. The New York State Bridge Authority holds a public hearing at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 15 at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel; Lobby Fl., 40 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie, about the plan and, barring any significant objection, will adopt it the following Thursday, Dec. 22. The toll hike, from $1 to $1.25 with E-Z Pass, and $1.50 with cash on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and four other Hudson River crossings, would go into effect Jan. 30. For more info on the plan, the public hearing and the bridges where tolls are going to rise, visit the Bridge Authority's website: http://www.nysba.state.ny.us/

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and 14 other Senators announced Tuesday, Dec. 13, that the U.S. Postal Service has agreed on a five-month moratorium on closing postal facilities. The Senators promise, in the meantime, to pass postal reform legislation to allow the post office, to maintain service. “The U.S. Postal Service plays a vital role in every community,” Senator Gillibrand said. “In New York, more than 1000 jobs, 100 post offices and seven Area Mail Processing centers will continue serving their communities while Congress works on reforming the postal service to ensure its survival.” The Postal Service is also considering eliminating Saturday service.

The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) is permanently protecting 297 acres in Claverack, as Christopher Jones of Catskill View Farm, LLC donated the majority of the development rights on his 297-acre property. CLC created a conservation easement that protects the property from development, and allows the landowners to live on their land, and continue the agriculture there. This easement protects the Shad Swamp, a NYS DEC designated wetland, as well as an adjacent NYS DEC designated wetland system that is fed by water from the Catskill View Farm property. The Columbia Land Conservancy now holds easements on 21,745 acres.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="From WelcometoCatskill.com"][/caption]The Welcome to Catskill site scoops all local press with the results of the Catskill Elementary Student Council elections. The new Elementary Student Council: Emma Leipman, President; Anna Bulich, Vice President; Sophie Schindler, Secretary; Emily Liepshutz, Treasurer.

Per Earthsky.orgm, the 2011 Geminid meteor shower is early Wed. Dec. 14 and Thu. Dec. 15, best seen between midnight and 2 a.m. with the big and bright waning gibbous moon. You may see as many as 40 meteors per hour, according to Bill Cooke of the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office.

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 Athens.
The National Weather Service says the weather in Athens Wednesday will be partly sunny, with a high near 41. Wednesday night there is a chance of rain before 1 a.m., then a chance of sleet between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., then rain likely after 4 a.m., with a low around 34. The forecast into the weekend:
• Thursday: Rain likely, with a high near 46.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38.

Town meetings today
This is the second Wednesday of the month.
VILLAGE OF ATHENS The Village of Athens holds a Public Hearing on the proposed amendments to the Village’s Vehicle and Traffic Law at 6:30 p.m at the Athens Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
CAIRO Robert Hempstead, just elected Town of Cairo Highway Superintendent, holds a public meeting/"open highway forum" at 6:30 p.m. at Gallagher's, 513 Main St. in Cairo.
CATSKILL Board of Education meeting in Catskill High library at 7 p.m.
CLERMONT Planning Board meets at Town Hall at 7 p.m. at 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COLUMBIA COUNTY holds a Columbia County Water & Sewer District #1 public hearing in the Supervisors’ Chambers relating to the adoption of the water and sewer rates and the review of the 2012 proposed budget for the Columbia County Water & Sewer District #1 at 6:30 p.m., also a public hearing will be held at the Legislative Chamber of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors to consider the proposed acquisition of a temporary easement to be used as a temporary detour over the lands of Henry J. Meininger connecting Route 22 and River Road in the Town of Austerlitz, in connection with the replacement of BIN 3221950 carrying Upper Hollow Road over the Green River (the “Pratt Bridge Replacement Project”). Both meetings before a full Board of Supervisors meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
CLAVERACK Town of Claverack holds a Public Hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals for the on the following application(s): Schnackenberg, Jurgen: 79 Donnelly Rd. Tax Map #(SBL) 123 . – 1 – 63 . 111 Site Plan Review for construction of 28’ X 40’ barn to house hay, firewood, and utility room equipped with solar panels. The following application(s) are on the agenda for board review at the December 14, 2011 meeting of the Town of Claverack Zoning Board of Appeals: Almstead Nursery Company and Almstead Realty Company: 905 NYS Rte. 66 Tax Map #(SBL) 101 . – 1 – 53. Site Plan Review for installation of a temporary 24-foot by 8-foot office trailer. Coyote Flaco/Elle Mae: 6032 Rte. 9-H/23 Hudson Tax Map #(SBL) 131 . – 1 – 5 Area Variance for the expansion of a non-conforming use. At 7:30 p.m. at Claverack Town Hall, 91 Church St., Mellenville.
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).

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:12 a.m./ 4:29 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 8:48 p.m. / 9:55 a.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Wed. Dec. 14:
• "The Half-Hour News Hour," 3 p.m.: Lissa Harris and Julia Reischel of The Watershed Post blog cover all the news in the Catskills.
• "Live from the Red Dot Open Mic," 9 p.m.: Rob Johanson hosts an hour of live music from the Red Dot Restaurant on Warren St. in Hudson.

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 20111219 CCC Christmas dinner
• A_OFF_PSA_20120127_henriquez_youth_fund.mp3
• A_OFF_PSA_20120301_prescription_drug_help.mp3
• A_OFF_PSA_20120315_probono.mp3

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:16
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:16
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:16
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 5:00 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:16
• 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

Hudson Studio Manager
WGXC 90.7-FM
Term: Full-time, 1-year contract (with opportunity for long-term renewal)
Salary: 1,650/monthly (19,800 annually) + benefits
Website: http://www.wgxc.org

WGXC 90.7-FM: Hands-on Radio is a creative community radio station serving Greene and Columbia counties in New York’s Hudson Valley. WGXC launched its FM signal February 2011, and transmits 3,300 watts to 78,000 potential listeners in the two counties, and southern Albany County. WGXC is a creative community media project, re-envisioning radio as an innovative platform for local participation with special exhibitions and events, media training for our community's youth and adults, a news blog, and a community calendar of events. WGXC operates out of studios in Hudson, Catskill, and Acra, and is a program of the nonprofit arts organization free103point9, whose mission is to define and cultivate Transmission Arts: creative and experimental use of airwaves.


In addition to managing WGXC’s most active studio location, the Hudson Studio Manager is a leadership position that will play a major role in the day-to-day operations of the station-at-large. The Hudson Studio Manager works closely with a small passionate staff. The position will include the following responsibilities:

Operations
· Oversee the day-to-day operations at WGXC's Hudson Studio
· Manage WGXC communication and contacts
· Work with Council Coordinator to prepare council agendas
· Manage FCC filings, compliance, and Public File
· Manage WGXC reporting calendar, and budget working with staff to ensure compliance
· Ensure station policies are followed; manage proposed revisions to the policy handbook
· Coordinate weekly staff meeting

Fundraising
· Coordinate two annual pledge drives, with staff participation and support
· Assist Executive Director with development work
· Manage station memberships and merch sales

Volunteers
· Organize monthly volunteer meetings & orientations
· Maintain current volunteer information
· Connect volunteers with appropriate committees and events
· Track required programmer volunteer hours

Programming
· Assist programmers who visit the Hudson studio and need support
· Serve as emergency Day Contact on specified days

Qualified candidates will have experience in community media. Training in radio, non-profit organizational management, strong writing skills, and enthusiasm for experimental media art is desirable. Candidates must be highly organized, energetic, passionate about community and creative radio, and able to work well with a diverse range of personalities and perspectives.


Please submit a cover letter, resume, and references to info@wgxc.org.
Please reference the position title in the subject line.
Resumes will be accepted until December 23, 2011.
Only qualified candidates will be contacted. No calls please.

free103point9, WGXC’s parent organization, is an equal-opportunity employer.



*****




Employment Availalble:Archivist

Pacifica Foundation, North Hollywood, CA

The Pacifica Radio Archives is looking to hire a regular full time Archivist who will oversee the preservation and cataloging activities of a collection of 55, 000 reel-to-reel tapes.

Responsibilities include cataloging current archival holdings. Performing in-house preservation tasks including, but not limited to re-boxing and re-spooling tapes, preservation transfers, and creating derivatives from master tapes.

Required: ALA-accredited M.L.I.S. degree or a related M.A. with a specialization in audiovisual preservation with at least two years archival experience.

Preferred: Experience handling a variety of audio formats, especially ¼" reel-to-reel analog audio tape, in an archival context, experience with cataloging, including file-naming conventions; demonstrated grant writing experience; familiarity with the PBCore metadata standard; experience with word-processing and database systems (Word, Excel, etc.); Demonstrated interpersonal skills and the ability to work both as part of a small team and independently.

Please send resume to pacarchive@aol.com fax to 818-506-1084.

Brian DeShazor
Archives Director
Pacifica Radio Archives
3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West
North Hollywood CA 91604
800 735 0230 ext. 263

Lynn Sloneker at Unmuffled reports how the Audra Jornov-penned story in the Register-Star posted Monday evening falsely reports that a Hudson principal's racial discrimination complaint against the Hudson City School District and its Board of Education was "unfounded" according to the New York State Division of Human Rights. "In fact, the Division of Human Rights rendered no such opinion, and the process of adjudicating the complaint has barely begun -- the district has yet to file a formal answer to Spicer's allegations, according to statements made by HCSD Superintendent John F. Howe, Monday," Sloneker reports. The report that Jurnov says comes from the Division of Human Rights is actually from Delmar attorney Ira Lobel. "Lobel was contracted November 14, upon the recommendation of the district's labor attorney, Stuart S. Waxman, of Donoghue, Thomas, Auslander & Drohan of Hopewell Junction," Sloneker writes. "He was brought in to sort through the ongoing dispute between district administrators that led to allegations of racial discrimination, and the filing of a formal complaint with the Division of Human Rights.... At the [school] board meeting Monday [Dec. 12], Howe acknowledged the report was completed. He said Lobel's findings would be 'incorporated into the board's formal response [to Spicer's complaint]....' and subsequently filed with the Division. The district has until Friday to file that response, Howe said," Sloneker writes. So, the district is clearly still preparing a response to the lawsuit. In the Register-Star, Spicer is quoted saying: “With the exception of the pay issue and the district’s response to my receiving offensive e-mails, the report did not deny that any of the acts of discrimination happened. Mr. Lobel, the writer of the report just found the acts more of a result of 'sloppy administration,' than racially motivated discrimination,” Spicer wrote in an e-mail with Jornov, reported in the original story, which WGXC reported first without Sloneker's corrections. Read the the Register-Star story here and Unmuffled's correction here.

UPDATE: At 11:42 a.m. Tuesday the Register-Star retracted the story:

"EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story stated that New York State Division of Human Rights declared Steven Spicer's complaint of racial discrimination unfounded. This is incorrect. It was the Hudson City School District's internal investigation that was completed. The results of that investigation were that Spicer's complaints were unfounded. The state's investigation is still ongoing. We apologize for the error."

Diane Valden in The Columbia Paper reports that over 100 residents turned out at a Dec. 1 Ancram Planning Board meeting, many opposing a plan to build a 150-foot-tall cell tower near the Gallatin town line. The tower, proposed by Mariner Tower II, LLC, a co-applicant with AT&T, would at 2259 State Route 82, property owned by Stephen Tucker and Heidi Baldwin. To build the tower for the cell antenna, a waiver from the western setback requirement of 150 feet would be needed from the Planning Board. "Chris Ciolfi, Mariner Tower's representative, said that Mariner would be willing to move the tower site 200 feet south of its current proposed location to reduce the number of trees that have to be removed and lessen the visual impact of the tower on the nearest house, about 430 feet away," Valden wrote. Trouble with that plan is, they would then need two waivers, and would be closer to the Gallatin town line. Many residents speaking at the meeting said they would like better cell phone service, but do not want to live near its source. Gallatin holds a public hearing about the project 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at at the Gallatin Town Hall, Columbia County Route 7, Gallatin. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Andrea Macko in The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer (no website) reports that former Cairo Town Board member Gerry Aprea filed a lawsuit against the Greene County Board of Elections and other election officials, claiming the party committee system is corrupt. Aprea, who filed the suit with John Vidurek of Dutchess County, is seeking, "declaratory judgement, arising from a disenfranchisement of plaintiffs' right to choose our elected representatives and run for elective office as guaranteed by the New York Constitution," according to the article with the headline "Corruption at county Board of Elections?" Aprea and Vidurek are representing themselves in the case, and claim, "we have documented at least 27 cases whereas the Board of Elections has lied, deceived and even changed the titles of people running for the elected office of committeeman to the appointed positions of town committeeman."

Watch DEC's Martens on Hydrofracking on PBS. See more from NEW YORK NOW.

Barbara Reina in the Register-Star reports that the Columbia County Historical Society has come into a trove of historical documents, dating back to the 18th and 19th Century. The Society's curator Diane Shewchuk said the archive of 160 yellowing documents includes records of local mills and taverns, in Kinderhook, Chatham Center, Hudson and Valatie. A collector in Albany apparently notified local historian Ruth Piwonka that the archive was available. The Columbia County Historical Society then purchased the material with a small grant from the Kinderhook Bank. Read the full story 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 Craryville.
The National Weather Service says the weather in Craryville Tuesday will be sunny, with a high near 42. Tuesday night should be mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. The forecast for the rest of the week:
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.
• Thursday: Freezing rain likely before 10 a.m., then rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 45.
• Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Gas prices in Greene County
The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer compares Greene County gas prices, and here are the cheapest:
• Slater's Smart Shop, Cairo, $3.46/gallon
• Cumberland Farms, Cairo, $3.47
• Milk Run, Durham, $3.49
• Stewart's, Cairo, $3.49
• Race Track, Westerlo, $3.52

Town meetings today
This is the second Tuesday of the month.
CAIRO The Town of Cairo Planning Board holds a public hearing on the application of Ewald, Edward, and Peter Maassmam (Country Club Estates) for approval of a Site Plan Review, and also for approval of Preliminary/Final Subdivision plats. Said subdivisions and said site plan review is located on Bald Hill Road North, Round Top; and also on the application of Stewart’s Shop for approval of Site Plan Review. Stewarts is replacing their gas storage containers, while also erecting a new canopy with new dispensers. Said site plan review is located on 3041 County Route 23B, Cairo. Public hearing at 7 p.m. at Acra Community Center, Old County Route 23, Cairo. 518-622-9898
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).
GALLATIN The December Gallatin Town Board meeting has been rescheduled to tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Gallatin Town Hall, 1643 Jackson Corners Road at the intersection of the Taconic State Parkway in Gallatin.

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:11 a.m./ 4:29 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 7:42 p.m. / 9:20 a.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Tue. Dec. 13:
• "Conversations on a Tight Rope," 2 p.m.: Joan Geitz's monthly talk show looks at the holidays.
• "Social Graces," 3 p.m.: Dick Sabol, a retired Broadway actor and is living in our area will be on WGXC's etiquette program, hosted by Nan Marron.

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 20111217 Camphill Shepherds Play
• A OFF PSA 20120120 Anna Friz and Emmanual Madan Joy Channel on WGXC

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 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

Elaine Fernadez on her Wii the People blog, interviews Kathleen Cullen, who lives at the Hudson River Lodge in LaGrange in one room with her two teenage sons and fiancee. Hudson River Lodge is a welfare hotel for homeless people. They landed there after her apartment building was sold and the lease expired. Fannie Mae, a national mortgage finance company, bought the foreclosed building, and tenants were not given the option to stay. According to Kathleen, Fannie Mae plans to renovate the building. This is the second time in the last five years that Cullen and her family lost their home to a foreclosure. Before their most recent building was sold, the building they lived in also was foreclosed. Cullen receives Section 8 housing assistance, which allows her to pay about 30% of the monthly rent with the federal government subsidizing the rest, but ended up homeless because she was unable to find a place before her lease expired on September 30. Read all about Cullen's story at Wii the People.

The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer (no website) tracks taxes and budgets each town in Greene County, and lists which raised or lowered next year's budgets. Five towns -- Ashland, Catskill, Durham, Greenville, and Halcott -- exceeded the new two-percent state property tax cap next year. And, the unbylined story also notes, that while the county has been slashing its spending to meet budget restraints, spending rose in two departments: the Probation department added $34,845 in its personnel budget and new County Administrator's office added $29,269 to its budget. The breakdown by towns:
• Ashland: 5.6 percent tax increase
• Athens: 1 percent increase
• Cairo: .3 percent decrease
• Catskill: 4.7 percent increase
• Coxsackie: 1.2 percent increase
• Durham: 4.8 percent increase
• Greenville: 2.8 percent increase
• Halcott: 5.6 percent increase
• Hunter: .9 percent decrease
• Jewett: 1.8 percent increase
• Lexington: .6 percent decrease
• New Baltimore: 1.2 percent increase
• Prattsville: 1.2 percent decrease
• Windham: 1.9 percent decrease

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday, Dec. 9, rejected the Portland Cement Association’s attempt to weaken Clean Air Act standards, in a suit filed on behalf of Friends of Hudson, a local environmental group, and national groups such as the Sierra Club. Susan Falzon of Friends of Hudson commented in a press release from Earthjustice. “With this decision concerned citizens, particularly those in host communities, can finally breathe a little easier,” she said. Law360 reports:

"The D.C. Circuit on Friday ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider part of a rule regulating emissions from cement kilns, the third-largest source of mercury emissions, but otherwise largely rejected the cement industry's challenges to the rule. The court did not, however, stay the rule pending reconsideration, finding that "it is unlikely that significant changes will be made to the standards upon reconsideration."

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="From Windham Mountain's website."][/caption]Greene County's ski resorts got the season started this weekend, with Hunter Mountain opening Sat., Dec. 10, and Windham Mountain skiing starting Sun., Dec. 11 at 9 a.m. Catamount Ski, in Columbia County, is not open yet. "We are planning a tentative opening day of December 17 based on the current forecast, check back for updates," according to their website.