DEC proposes regulations allowing crossbows for big game hunting
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced Thu. June 2 proposed changes that would allow the use of crossbows for big game hunting and eliminate a permit requirement for certain physically disabled hunters to use special archery equipment during any big game or small game hunting season. "The proposed changes will provide our sportsmen and sportswomen additional opportunities while hunting afield this coming fall," Commissioner Martens said in a press release. "The popularity of crossbows is growing in New York and the use of modified equipment is in high demand to meet the needs of our hunters who are temporarily or permanently disabled." The proposed regulations implement new legislation authorizing DEC to allow hunters to take big game (deer and bear) with the use of a crossbow during regular big game hunting seasons in areas where a shotgun or muzzleloader is permitted, and during all late muzzleloader seasons. In accordance with the new legislation, crossbows cannot be used during the early bear or archery seasons or in any of the "archery only" wildlife management units. Hunters may use a crossbow only after they have completed required training in the safe use of hunting with a crossbow and responsible crossbow hunting practices. DEC has proposed implementing the training requirement via on-line education tools, and in the upcoming 2011-2012 New York State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Hunters would be required to carry afield a certificate verifying that they have completed this training. A detailed description of the proposal and instructions for providing comments are available at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html. The proposed rulemaking can also be viewed in the May 25, 2011 publication of the New York State Register at http://www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register.htm. DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposal through July 11, 2011.

Columbia County homeowners can learn about tax credits
The Preservation League of New York State holds a free workshop in Hillsdale to help homeowners take advantage of a tax credit for repairs to older buildings. The Hillsdale Historic Preservation Committee is sponsoring the workshop, at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 9 at the Mount Washington House, 2627 Main Street, Rt. 23 in Hillsdale. The New York State Historic Homeowner Tax Credit Program will cover 20 percent of qualified rehabilitation costs of owner-occupied historic houses, up to a credit value of $50,000. Staff from the Preservation League will review the basic guidelines of the program and answer questions about the application process for homeowners. For more information, call 518-325-5260.

Have hazardous items? Come Saturday
John Mason in the Register-Star reports that Saturday Columbia County residents can turn their hazardous waste products over to the county Department of Public Works from 8 a.m. to noon at the County Highway Garage on Route 23B in Greenport. Proof of residency is required. Materials that will be accepted include:
• From the workbench: Oil-based paints, stains, varnishes, wood preservatives, solvents, adhesives, and lighter fluids.
• From the garage: Fuels, gasoline, kerosene, engine degreasers, brake fluid, carburetor cleaner, car wax, polish, roofing tar, driveway sealer, and swimming pool chemicals.
• From the yard: Poisons, insecticides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, weed killer, mothballs, flea control products, pest strips, and aerosol cans.
• From the house: Rubber cement, airplane glue, fiberglass resins, photo chemicals, chemistry sets, furniture polish, floor and metal polish, oven cleaner, drain & toilet cleaner, rug and upholstery cleaner, hobby and art supplies, household batteries and spot remover.
The county will not accept latex paints. No radioactive waste, commercial/industrial or agricultural wastes, fire extinguishers, infectious and biological waste, prescription medicines, syringes, asbestos, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, and non-contaminated motor oil or antifreeze. No 55-gallon drums or empty containers will be accepted. Residents with large quantities — full pickup or van loads — of material must contact the Solid Waste Administrative Office prior to participating. Questions regarding the collection should be directed to the Solid Waste Administrative Office at 518-828-2737. Read the entire story in the Register-Star.


AUDIO CLIPS FOR FRIDAY
(Click on the titles to hear mp3 audio recordings.)

• Betsy Palmieri, Dir. Of Hudson Valley Community Coalition.
Interviewed by Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos. Interview from WGXC Morning Show, about how Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wed. June 1 suspended participation in the Federal Secure Communities Program. The program is being suspended because of, "mounting evidence that the program is not meeting its stated goal and has serious consequences for witnesses, victims of crime and law enforcement," according to a press release from the Governor's office. "There are concerns about the implementation of the program as well as its impact on families, immigrant communities, and law enforcement in New York," Cuomo said in the press release. Palmieri talks about the program's impact on the Hudson Valley.

• Preview of this weekend's events.
Hosted by Ellen Thurston and Joan Geitz. Each week Thurston previews Columbia County events, and Geitz looks at Greene County events.

• Yehuda Hanani: 20110602
Interview by Richard Roth. Yehuda Hanani is a world-class cellist who lives in Spencertown and is performing at Fiesta! June 4 at Tanglewood with Michael Chertock, Arti Dixson, and Bill Schmmel.

• Ellen Bernstein of Pastors for Peace.
Interview by Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos on WGXC Morning Show. Interview about changes in Cuba. Bernstein will be speaking Sunday, June 5 at New Paltz Village Hall at 6 p.m.

The National Weather Service predicts it will be sunny today, with a high near 72, and a regular breeze. Friday night should be clear, with a low around 45. Saturday, again the prediction is sunny, with a high near 76, and less wind. Saturday night there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low around 55. Sunday there is a 30 percent chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon, with a high near 77.

Opening
Grand opening of the newly refurbished Promenade Hill Playground at 4 p.m. The renovations were provided by the Columbia County Healthcare Consortium, the Hudson Rotary Club, and the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, working with the City of Hudson Department of Public Works. Promenade Hill is located at Warren and Front Sts.

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 4:13 a.m./Low, 11:31 a.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:26 a.m./8:21 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 6:52 a.m./10:08 p.m.

Birthdays
June 3 Allen Ginsberg, Chuck Barris, Curtis Mayfield, Suzi Quatro, Lawrence Lessig, and John Hodgman.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Mark Lacoy and Casson Kennedy present the morning news, music, other features, agriculture reporting, and more. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Tom Roe updates the morning news. 9-11 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
PURE MOODS Shannekia McIntosh hosts. Noon-2 p.m.
QUE COCINARE HOY? Spanish-language news and features from Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos 2 p.m.
ASTROLOGY With A.T. Mann. 3 p.m.
KNOCK ON WOOD Steve Charney hosts this comedy show. 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Shanekia McIntosh hosts 4-7 p.m.
HOTLINE RADIO L. Dot Dinero, The Guy, and others. 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more through 6 a.m. Sunday morning.

Ann Gibbons in The Daily Freeman has a long interview with Catskill artist Dina Bursztyn, who just wrote her first children’s book, “The Land of Lost Things."

WGXC's Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos interviewed Betsy Palmieri, Dir. Of Hudson Valley Community Coalition Thursday morning on the WGXC Morning Show, about how Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wed. June 1 suspended participation in the Federal Secure Communities Program. The program is being suspended because of, "mounting evidence that the program is not meeting its stated goal and has serious consequences for witnesses, victims of crime and law enforcement," according to a press release from the Governor's office. "There are concerns about the implementation of the program as well as its impact on families, immigrant communities, and law enforcement in New York," Cuomo said in the press release. Celeste Katz in The New York Daily News writes, "States in the program automatically send the fingerprints of everyone booked to Homeland Security. Federal officials say it helps locate and deport dangerous criminals. But critics charged the program results in the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants before they are even charged with a serious crime - much less convicted." Illinois pulled out of the program a few days ago, and now New York is out too .Palmieri talks about the program's impact on the Hudson Valley. Palmieri speaks about the program in the Hudson Valley. Click here to listen to mp3 audio recording of the interview.

Ellen Bernstein, acting co-director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, will discuss the present situation in Cuba, concentrating on the recent proposed economic reforms, the Obama Administration's Cuba policy and related topics, including Cuba's famed Latin America School of Medicine. This free public event is sponsored by the Caribbean and Latin America Support Project (CLASP) and begins at 6 p.m. at New Paltz Village Hall, 25 Plattekill Ave., a block south of Main St. An optional potluck starts at 5 p.m. Information, (845) 255-0113. Thursday, Bernstein took a few moments to chat on the phone with WGXCs Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos on the WGXC Morning Show to preview the talk. Click here to listen to the mp3 recording of the interview.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="135" caption="Yehuda Hanani, from Close Encounters with Music website."][/caption]Saturday evening at Tanglewood, the Western Mass. mostly classical music venue, Spencertown cellist Yehuda Hanani performs with Michael Chertock on piano; Bill Schimmel on accordion; Arti Dixson on percussion; with soloists from David Parsons Dance performing Astor Piazzolla’s Grand Tango; Jorge Martín’s hypnotic Ropa Vieja and works by Ginastera, Villa-Lobos, and Granados with Michael Chertock’s Grand Piano. Thursday Hanani called in an spoke with WGXC's Richard Roth about the show and his work. Click here to listen to mp3 audio recording of the interview.

Windham Mountain is investing $2.4 million in improvements, mostly in snow-making equipment. They are buying new grooming tractors and an arsenal of snow-making guns that use less energy than previous models used at the resort. Windham is also installing a side-by-side racing Zipline in the resort’s Adventure Park, and renovating the base lodge and the Club at Windham Mountain. “Snow quality is at the core of [the experience at Windham]," Tim Woods, the resort’s president and general manager, says. "This investment will further improve what’s already a great skiing and snowboarding experience while reducing Windham Mountain’s energy demand.”

Gibson supports Ryan's budget
Kinderhook's Congressman Chris Gibson sits down for a long interview with the "All Politics is Local" column in the Post Star, and says he believes the plan proposed by Republican Congressman Paul Ryan will prove popular. “As it relates to the Republican budget, look, we’ve talked about this before. I support it because it’s pro-growth and it’s fiscally responsible," Gibson says in the interview. "When you talk about Medicare — look the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) and the trustees of Medicare itself have said publicly that the program’s going to be broke in a decade. We’ve got the only proposal that saves Medicare." Read the entire story in the Post Star.

Cuomo Q&A: ‘We’re making progress’
Rick Karlin reports from a press gaggle with Governor Andrew Cuomo at SUNY Stony Brook Wed. June 1. With ten working days left before the legislature is scheduled to leave town, the question in Albany is will they reach deals on all the issues they are attempting to finalize. “We’re working on rent, ethics — all of these matters are being discussed," the Governor told the assembled reporters. "We do not have a three-way agreement yet on these issues — not on ethics, not on rent. We announced a three way agreement on a property tax cap, and we’re working through the details. … I’m optimistic that we are going to have accomplishments by the end of the session. … People make decisions when they have to make a decisions.” Read the entire story in Capitol Confidential, the political blog of the Albany Times-Union.


[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="245" caption="State Senator Steve Saland with Hudson school Superintendent Jack Howe at the Hudson Children's Book Festival. Photo from Saland's website."][/caption]Saland 'bully' bill passes Senate
State Senator Steve Saland, who represents Columbia County, got a bill through the New York State Senate Wed. June 1. S4921-2011, "Prohibits bullying on school property and enacts the "Law to Encourage the Acceptance of All Differences (LEAD)." The bill now heads to the Assembly and then perhaps the Governor unless someone stands up against it.

The National Weather Service predicts the most spectacular weather week of the year so far:
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 68. (Maybe a little breezy.)
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

Town meetings today
ANCRAM Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m., town hall, 1416 County Rte. 7, Ancram (329-6512).
AUSTERLITZ Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 812 Route 203, Spencertown (392-3260).
COPAKE Planning Board meets at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GHENT Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
KINDERHOOK Zoning Board of Appeals meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 3:40 a.m./Low, 10:50 a.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:27 a.m./8:20 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 5:54 a.m./9:20 p.m.

Birthdays
June 2 Milo O'Shea, Charlie Watts, Cornel West, Pedro Guerra, Raul Ibanez, and Lydia Lunch.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Mariel Fiori and Antonio Flores-Lobos present the morning news, music, other features, agriculture reporting, and more in both Spanish and English. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Tom Roe updates the morning news, and Ellen Thurston previews weekend events. 9-10 a.m.
TELL IT LIKE IT IS Rebroadcast of interview with Susan Falzon. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
CROSSROADS Alan Skerrett hosts. Noon-2 p.m.
THE ART OF THE HUDSON VALLEY Theatrical performance discussion with scheduled guests David Anderson of Walking the Dog Theater, Laura Margolis of Stageworks/Hudson, Liv Cummins of Columbia Arts Team, John Peterson of The Two of Us Productions and Keith Nelson of Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. Your host is Chad Weckler. 2 p.m.
RADIO THEATER Rip Van Winkle and more. 3 p.m.
YOUTH SHOW Loretta and Karen Schoemer. 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Antoine Guerlain hosts 4-7 p.m.
THE JAZZ DISTURBANCE Hosted by Cheryl K. 7 p.m.
69 The Magic Stranger plays psychedelic music from 1969. 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more.

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 5 p.m. for Greene and Columbia counties. They say "damaging winds and large hail" are possible with the line of storms descending with a cold front from the Northwest. Watch radar images here.

Discussion about a new nuclear plant along the Hudson River and possibly in Greene County has quieted lately. But after the Japanese nuclear disaster earlier this year, activists have been exploring ways to shut down the Indian Point nuclear plant south of our area. As the plant's licenses come up for renewal, more folks seem interested in the public hearings the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) holds about plant issues. Tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Colonial Terrace, 119 Oregon Road in Cortlandt Manor the NRC holds a public hearing to discuss, "the NRC's assessment of safety performance at Indian Point for 2010.... The NRC will respond to questions on specific performance issues at the plant and our role in ensuring safe plant operations."
•The NRC's annual assessment letter regarding the performance of lndian Point Units 2 and 3 during 2010 can be found in ADAMS with Accession Number M1110620464. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at: http://nrc.qov/readinq-rm/adams.html
•Additional information relative to the NRC's annual assessment process and the safety performance of lndian Point Units 2 and 3 can be found on the NRC's website at:
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/index.html
•The NRC's Policy Statement, "Enhancing Public Participation in NRC Meetings," effective May 28, 2002, applies to this meeting. The policy statement may be found on the NRC website, http://www.nrc.qov/readinq-rm/doc-collections/commission/policv/67fr36920.htm1 and contains information regarding visitors and security.

Hudson School Board reverses itself again
On May 17 voters in the Hudson school district voted 1249 to 424 to reject the proposed school budget that included both an almost ten percent tax increase and more jobs cut than most other area districts. A few minutes after that vote was tallied, the School Board voted 4-3 to ignore the public poll and accept the budget anyway. Then, six days later, one board member, Peter Merante, changed his vote, and the board then held three meetings to come up with a new budget. Now, Tuesday, May 31, according to multiple sources, at that third meeting, Jeri Chapman changed her vote, siding now with Emil Meister, Jeff Otty, and Mary Daly to ignore 75 percent of local voters and accept the original budget. The inevitable public outrage has already begun: "Unbelievable" is the headline at The Gossips of Rivertown blog, and Lynn Sloneker's Unmuffled Twitter feed reads, "Chapman takes the easy route and goes with Otty, Meister and Daly to defy voters. HCSD taxpayers on hook for 9.8 more." 9.8 percent is the tax increase those in the district now face.

Newton Hook rail crossing gets a reprieve
Brian Nearing in the Albany Times-Union reports a Stuyvesant railroad crossing that is the only access point for five homes along Hudson River in an area called Newton Hook will remain open at least through 2012 as the state decides what to do about safety concerns. The state Department of Transportation (DOT) last year discussed closing the rail crossing that connects Newton Hook to Route 9J because the train crossing, after 150 years, was now considered too close to the highway. The DOT just completed aerial mapping of the area and will come up with alternatives to closing the intersection "probably sometime next spring," said DOT spokeswoman Carol Breen. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.

A New Candidate for the First Ward
Carole Osterink in The Gossips of Rivertown and the Register-Star report that Timothy Rodgers is no longer seeking the Hudson First Ward Alderman seat currently held by Geeta Cheddie, who has not announced whether she will run again. In Jamie Larson's story in the Register-Star Rodgers claims the controversy surrounding his planned move to Hudson from his current home in Athens had nothing to do with his bowing out. “I’ve decided to withdraw from the alderman race due to the fact a new candidate is in the race. I give him my full support," he told Larson. "I feel he is a better fit for the ward at this time and would do exactly what I would do.” Osterink is the first with the full name of this new candidate: David Marston, a First Ward resident and community activist.

Mortenson makes bid for super
A staff report in the Register-Star says that Eric Mortenson is seeking the position of Gallatin town supervisor in the November elections, though the story does not identify what party he is affliated with. He is co-operator of Pulver's Glass in Hudson and on the Germantown Central School Board, and has served on the Southern Columbia Little League Board. “It really bothers me to hear our leaders telling their employees or the taxpayers that we all have to make concessions for the greater good but then never giving up any of their own perks,” he is quoted in the story, saying he would reduce the supervisor’s pay by 67 percent if elected, and donate the remainder to the Pavilion Fund. To contact Mortenson, email eric.mortenson [at] hotmail.com. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Lottery awards $15,000 cash to Hudson woman
The Columbia Paper reports that Margaret Snyder of Hudson won $15,000 in the Win 4 New York Lottery drawing May 20. She purchased the winning ticket at the Xtra Mart on Route 23 in Martindale. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

The National Weather Service predicts scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10 a.m., with some severe, with large hail and damaging winds. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 91. Wednesday night should be clear, with a low around 54. Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Then a spectacular weekend forecast:
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Town meetings today
CAIRO Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main Street, Cairo (622-3120).
GHENT Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, P.O. Box 98, Ghent (392-4644).
GREENE COUNTY Meetings for Human Services, Health, and Education Committees at 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENPORT Town Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, 600 Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).
HUDSON Hudson Common Council Youth & Aging Committee meeting, 6 p.m., and Arts, Entertainment & Tourism Committee meeting at 6:45 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
LIVINGSTON Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, County Rte. 19, Livingston (851-9441).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 3:45 p.m./Low, 10:08 a.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:27 a.m./8:20 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 5:04 a.m./8:27 p.m.; New Moon: 4:04 p.m.

Birthdays
June 1 Morgan Freeman, Ronnie Wood, and Marilyn_Monroe.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant presents the morning news, music, other features, agriculture reporting. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant and Norman Keyser update the morning news. 9-10 a.m.
@ISSUE Victor Mendolia talks with Trixie Starr aka Rich Volo about the upcoming Hudson Pride weekend. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
THE SCHOEMER SHOW Karen Schoemer . Noon-2 p.m.
THE PRISON SHOW Kaya Weidman talks about prison issues. 2 p.m.
YOUTH SHOW 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Tom Roe hosts 4-7 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more.

WGXC Cairo reporters Joan Geitz and Tony Fallon reported from the scene of a house fire at 93 Jerome Ave. in Cairo Tuesday afternoon. The house burned down completely, and the family and dog got out unscathed. The family cat was still unaccounted for at our latest report. Firefighters from Leeds, Catskill, Cairo and other towns came to help.

By Gus Murphy

WGXC Town Recorder Joan Geitz captured the performance of "A True Story by Mark Twain" at the Hudson Opera House Sun. May 29. Presented by Dr. John Cooley with Carline Murphy and Azouke Legba, "A True Story" was told to Mark Twain and his family in 1874 by their cook, Mary Ann Cord. They were so moved by Mrs. Cord's slave narrative of cruelty, family loss, and survival, that Twain reconstructed it on paper, "repeated word for word as I heard it." Co-sponsored by the Hudson Opera House and The Olana Partnership. A True Story was published in Atlantic Monthly magazine in November, 1874. Mary Ann Cord, born into slavery in Virginia in 1798, came to Elmira, New York after the Civil War, and worked at Quarry Farm, the Clemens' summer home, until her death in 1888. Click here to listen to mp3 recording of the performance.

WGXC Town Recorder Sam Sebren recorded a debate on hydraulic gas fracturing sponsored by Ulster County Legislature recorded at SUNY-Ulster student lounge Wed. May 25 between natural gas industry representative Scott Cline and Ronald Bishop, a chemistry and biochemistry professor at SUNY-Oneonta. The two sides of the controversial "fracking" debate are rarely in the same room. Read a story by William J. Kemble in The Daily Freeman about the Stone Ridge event here. Or listen to the audio mp3s by clicking on them:
•Audio recording of the debate.
•Audio recording of question and answer session.

Lance Wheeler made this YouTube video of the crash of a glider near the Freehold Airport on Sat. May 28, and sent it to several local news organizations, including WGXC.

Cairo American Legion holds Memorial Day ceremony
WGXC recorded the Memorial Day Ceremony put on by the American Legion Mohican Post #983 from Cairo Mon. May 30 in Angelo Canna Park. Click here to listen to an mp3 recording of the ceremony.[caption id="attachment_11964" align="alignright" width="450" caption="Cairo American Legion Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony. Photo by Tom Roe."][/caption]

Crews at the ready, but Phase II of Hudson River dredging delayed by Spring flooding
Paul Post in The Saratogian reports General Electric's dredging crews return upstream on the Hudson River this week, restarting a PCB cleanup project delayed this spring by Hudson River by nearly a month. "River flows need to come down on a sustained basis," said Mark Behan, a GE spokesman, in the story. "There’s still fluctuations over the last day or so. We’re monitoring it daily." GE must clean up 40 miles of river bottom from Fort Edward to Troy. The company discharged PCBs into the Hudson from the 1940s to 1977. In 2009 the company removed 283,000 cubic yards of PCB-laden sediment from the river. After studying that sediment, in December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported more than twice as many PCBs as originally predicted in the Hudson River. Read the full report in The Saratogian.

Stewart’s recalls some ice cream
The Columbia Paper reports that local Stewart’s Shops recalled 19 ice cream items manufactured in its Greenfield plant since May 19 because "foreign material" may have gotten in the ice cream. The following flavors, sizes and product codes may be affected: No Sugar Added, pint , 1136; Cookie Whirled, 3 gallon, 5/17/2011; Mint Chip, half gallon, 1137; Crumbs along the Mohawk, half gallon, 1137; Crumbs along the Mohawk, pint, 1138; Vanilla Chocolate, half gallon, 1138; Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, half gallon, 1139; Peanut Butter Pandemonium, half gallon, 1139; Rainbow Sherbet, 3 gallon, 5/20/2011; Rainbow Sherbet, half gallon, 5/20/2011; Chocolate Trifecta, half gallon, 1140; Chocolate, half gallon, 1143; Chocolate Marshmallow, half gallon, 1143; Black Cherry, pint, 1144; Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, pint, 1144; Mint Cookie Crumble, 3 gallon, 5/24/2011; Mint Cookie Crumble, half gallon, 1144; Rainbow Sherbet, 3 gallon, 5/25/2011; Rainbow Sherbet, half gallon, 1145. "All of the above flavors were distributed in cartons or boxes bearing Plant #36-3918 directly to Stewart’s Shops in New York and southern Vermont. Anyone who has one or more of these items with the above mentioned product code, should return it to the shop where it was purchased for a full refund. Consumers with questions can contact Stewart’s Shops Consumer Affairs at (518) 581-1201 X 2130.," the story reports. Read the full report in The Columbia Paper.

Pulcher out, successors line up
Mike McCagg in ccSCOOP reports Stockport Supervisor Leo Pulcher will not seek reelection in November because his wife has been battling a serious illness. “If I weren’t up for reelection, I would probably resign,” said Pulcher, who has held office for a decade. “Family comes first.” McCagg considers who might replace Pulcher, a discovers a startling statistic: "A vacancy on the Town Board earlier this year drew 13 applications, one for about every 220 residents in the town." McCagg names board member Matt Murrell, Stockport fire chief Jeff Seymour, and Ernie Belanger, as those who might run for Pulcher's seat. Read the whole story in ccScoop.

The National Weather Service predicts Tuesday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Tuesday night there is a 20 percent chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms after 9 p.m., with a low around 62. Wednesday there is a better likelihood of scattered showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 84. The forecast for the rest of the week:
Thursday: Sunny and breezy, with a high near 72.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 68.

Town meetings today
HUDSON Hudson School District Board of Education Third Special Budget Workshop to continue discussion of cost savings and reduction ideas for the 2011-12 proposed school budget. Agenda:
1.0 Pledge of Allegiance; 2.0 Call to Order; 3.0 *Acceptance of Agenda; 4.0 Discussion of Proposed 2011-2012 Budget; 5.0 Public Forum; 6.0 *Adjournment. Meeting at 6 p.m. at Junior High School Library, Harry Howard Ave.
HUDSON Meeting to discuss the possibility of a dog park in Hudson, called by Alderman Sarah Sterling at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
STUYVESANT Town of Stuyvesant Zoning Board of Appeals holds a Public Hearing regarding the application of James Kromer for KVEE LLC, 418 County Route 26A, Stuyvesant, New York, for a variance to place a house on a parcel of land not meeting the zoning requirements. At 7 p.m. at Stuyvesant Town Hall, 5 Sunset Dr., Stuyvesant.

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 3:06 p.m./Low, 9:24 a.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:28 a.m./8:19 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 4:21 a.m./7:29 p.m.

Birthdays
MAY 31 Walt Whitman, Joe Namath, Jim Craig, Wesley Willis, and Colin Farrell.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant presents the morning news, music, other features, agriculture reporting. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant and Norman Keyser update the morning news. 9-10 a.m.
DIFFICULT HISTORIES Norman Keyser has Jason Martin live in the studio for a live performance. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
VOCAL CHORDS Andrew Sosnowski is vocal about music. Noon-2 p.m.
IMPRINT Terry Doyle's Hudson Valley music show. 2 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Richard Roth hosts 4-7 p.m.
JMOORE Jeff Moore hosts. 7 p.m.
BATTLEFIED EARTH Dan Seward hosts. 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more.