WGXC's Philip Grant has compiled information for voting in elections Tuesday, May 17. Links to local news stories, interviews, audio clips, and other information to consider.

Columbia County

Chatham Voting 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at Elementary school.
•Candidates hope to fill board seats
Paul Crossman's story in the Register-Star is about candidates for the Chatham Central School Board and New Lebanon Central School District.
•Schools chief says contracts trigger pay hikes
Emilia Teasdale in The Columbia Paper reports on the budget.

Germantown Voting noon-9 p.m.
•District will vote on $14 million budget plan
Jamie Larson in the Register-Star reports on the budget.
•Four hopefuls vying for two spots on school board
Jamie Larson profiles the candidates in the Register-Star.

Hudson Voting noon-9 p.m. at J.L. Edwards School, Greenport #1 Pumper Co., Claverack Firehouse, Stockport Town Hall, and Livingston Town Hall.
•@Issue: Hudson School Board radio program mp3 file.
May 11, 2011, WGXC show hosted by Victor Mendolia and Deborah Gilbert. With guests Jack Howe, Superintendent of Hudson schools; school board member Peter Mayer; Unmuffled blog writer Lynn Slonecker; and others.
•Unmuffled blog by Lynn Slonecker.
Continuing, exhaustive coverage of the Hudson school system and education in general.
•No opposition for HCSD Board of Ed candidates
Audra Jornov in the Register-Star reports that three candidates are vying for three seats in Hudson.

Ichadbod Crane School Board Voting 8 a.m.-9 p.m. at Ichabod Crane High School gym.
•Debate over football funding clouds ICC budget outlook
Emilia Teasdale reports in The Columbia Paper about the $34-million Ichabod Crane school budget proposal, with a 3.98 percent tax levy increase, which includes $31,000 for the football program.
•At least 5 seek 3 seats in Ichabod Crane District
A staff report in The Columbia Paper profiles the five candidates running for three seats on the Ichabod Crane School Board of Education.
•ICC board candidate John Chandler
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•ICC board candidate Landra Haber
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•ICC board candidate Andrew Kramarchyk
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•ICC board candidate Susan Ramos
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•ICC board candidate Cheryl Trefzger
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.

New Lebanon Voting noon-9 p.m. at W.B. Howard Elementary School
•Candidates hope to fill board seats
Paul Crossman's story in the Register-Star is about candidates for the Chatham Central School Board and New Lebanon Central School District.

Taconic Hills Voting noon-9 p.m. at Taconic Hills Veterans Community Room.
•TH cuts workforce to save tax rate
John Mason in the Register-Star reports on the Taconic Hills School District's $32,046,446 budget.
•TH school board candidate — Steve Argus
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•TH school board candidate — Arnold Anderson
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•TH school board candidate — Justin Kutski
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•TH school board candidate — George W. Lagonia Jr.
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.
•TH school board candidate — Christine Perry
John Mason profiles the candidate in the Register-Star.


Greene County

Catskill Voting 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Catskill High School gym
•Catskill School Board Meet the Candidates Forum mp3 file.
April 26, 2011. WGXC recording by Philip Grant. Forum at Catskill High School.
•Catskill school budget keeps sports, activities
Ariel Zangla in The Daily Freeman reports on Catskill's proposed $37.2 million budget.
•Four candidates seeking three seats on Catskill school board
Ariel Zangla in The Daily Freeman profiles Karen Haas, William Fiske, Michael Maloney, and Ward Osborn.
•District to decide 3 seats in Catskill
Jim Planck in The Daily Mail also profiles the candidates.

Cairo-Durham Voting noon-9 p.m. at Durham Middle School cafeteria.
•4 candidates battle for three seats in C-D
Doron Tyler Antrim in The Daily Mail profiles the candidates -- newcomer Beth Phillips, and incumbents Susan Kusminsky, Bill Alfeld, and Pat Ublacker -- and reports on two propositions on the ballot:
•Would authorize a $2,000 increase in the appropriation for the Cairo Public Library, from $18,500 to $20,500.
•Would authorize the purchase of nine new 66-passenger school buses at a cost of more than $925,000. More than three-quarters of the cost would be returned to the district in the form of state aid. If approved, the proposition will allow the district to replace buses with between 50,000 and 150,000 miles in the past 10 years.

Greenville Voting 1 p.m.-9 p.m. at Scott M. Ellis Elementary School
•School board summaries: Greenville Central School District
Miguel Madera in The Daily Mail writes about unchallenged candidates Paul Lampman and Roseanne Stapleton.

Coxsackie-Athens Voting 1 p.m.-9 p.m. at either Edward J. Arthur Elementary School, Athens or Coxsackie Elementary School.
•Voters to decide on $25.1 million budget
Melanie Lekocevic writes about the school budget meetings in the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District in he Greene County News.
•Community gets to Meet the Candidates
Melanie Lekocevic covers the Meet the Candidates event May 10 in Coxsackie.
•6 candidates vie for 3 open board seats
Melanie Lekocevic in The Daily Mail reports three newcomers challenge three incumbents in the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District.

Windham-Ashland-Jewett Voting 1 p.m.-9 p.m. at the school cafeteria.
•Budget hearing draws little comment or concern
Michael Ryan's report in The Daily Mail about the budget.

Hunter-Tannersville Voting 1 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Hunter Elementary School cafeteria.
•Budget, one candidate on Hunter-Tannersville ballot
Ariel Zangla in The Daily Freeman reports on the Hunter-Tannersville election and $13.2 million budget.
•School board summaries: Hunter-Tannersville Central District
Jim Planck writes about unopposed incumbent Brian Byrne.

Albany County

Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk
•Eight candidates vie for three Board of Ed seats
Hilary Hawke profiles the candidates in The Ravena News-Herald.

"Hudson.Water.Music." is the name of this summer's Hudson music series, Wednesday evenings in July and August at the Henry Hudson Riverfront Park that's between the Amtrak train station and the Hudson River. Rob Caldwell of the Musica instrument shop in Hudson curated the series, and the blog created for the series lists the instrumentation of each act.

JULY 20: Sweet Soubrette and The Edna Project
Ukulele/Violin/Bass/Marimba; Mandolin/accordion/guitar/piano

JULY 27: Hellvar and The Newborn Trio
Icelandic electronica/new wave band; Jeffery Lepedorf, Asian flutes from Japan Korea and China – shakuhachi, tanso and xiao with glass players Miguel Frasconi and Katie Down.

AUGUST 3: Mother Fletcher and Bongo Roots
Hudson-based ska and reggae bands.

AUGUST 10: Taina Asili y la Banda Rebelde and Yukari Roja
Afro-Caribbean beats, Jamaican reggae, American rock, Brazilian samba, Spanish flamenco and urban hip-hop; and Japanese pop.

AUGUST 17: Arborea and Szelrozsa
Guitar, harmonium, dulcimer, banjo, ukulele, and flute; flute, fiddle, clarinet, mandolin, guitar, bass, and accordion.

Hamlet expansion plan draws little comment
Michael Ryan in the Windham Journal writes an in-depth story about development in Windham that looks 40 years into the future as the town looks to expand now. Town board members recommended that 2,797 acres be added to the 1,148 acres set aside as off limits to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which is buying land in the Catskills to protect the New York City watershed. Lands the DEP controls through fee simple or conservation easements are permanently restricted from development, and the Coalition of Watershed Towns, an advocacy group for towns and villages throughout the watershed, has a study that says the town of Windham has a land area of 29,009 acres, but might only have 1,100 acres of land that could be developed by 2048. As of July, 2009, the DEP had locked up 2,889 acres in Windham and could purchase an additional 2,127 acres between now and the end of 2022, if the current trend continues, the CWT report states. “If you are an ordinary landowner in this town, you are practically precluded from developing your land anyway by having to jump through all the [watershed regulatory] hoops, and what I want to know is will we be subjected to future regulations promulgated by this board?” said Stanley Christman, from Christman’s Windham House resort, at one of the public hearings about the land acquisitions. Read the whole story in the Windham Journal.

Columbia County's population ages: Now the third oldest in NYS
Mike McCagg in ccSCOOP News reports the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 results show Columbia County’s median age is 45.3 years, the third-oldest median age in New York State. "The county’s median age is seven years older than the state median age of 38," McCagg writes. "But, while the state’s median age grew by three years since the 2000 census, the median age of Columbia County’s population advanced five years in the past decade, up from 40-years-old at the turn of the century." Those aged 45-49 accounted for 8.4 percent of the county population, as did those aged 50-54, and 55-59-years-olds made up 8 percent of the population. Those 60-64 made up 7.5 percent of the population. Of younger demographics, the 40-44 age group, with 6.9 percent, and the 15-to 19-year-old age group, with 6.6 percent of the population, led. The Associated Press reported last week that a NY1-YNN-Marist College poll finds one in three New Yorkers under age 30 plans to move to another state at some time, while one in four adults overall plans an exodus from the Empire State within five years.

Ethics panel reprimands councilman
Hilary Hawke in The Daily Mail reports that the Greene County Board of Ethics admonished New Baltimore Councilman Art Byas for violating the town’s code of ethics. From the story:

According to documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Town Attorney David Wukitsch read into the public record a letter from the county board censuring Byas. The letter was addressed to 11 New Baltimore complainants including the highway superintendent, the assistant highway superintendent, the town clerk, the town supervisor’s husband and six other town employees. It stated Byas obtained private information — social security numbers — of 54 town employees in an email. It went on to state Byas admitted to having the information and had refused to return or destroy it.

The story says county ethics board members say Byas did not respond to their questions and they had “no other choice” than to base their findings on a Nov. 24, 2010 Daily Mail article. Three New Baltimore councilmen, including Byas, wrote a letter to the editor of The Daily Mail published on Dec. 4, 2010, that claims the Nov. 24 article is full of inaccuracies. “How can the Greene County Board of Ethics issue a ruling based on an inaccurate article without making direct contact with me, or attempting to subpoena me?” Byas asks in The Daily Mail's latest article on the subject. Read the entire story in The Daily Mail.

Hudson River fishing report
River Basin Sports in Catskill continues its striped bass contest, and continually updates its website with the latest fishing conditions. Its current report says:

"The river, at 57 degrees, is still running off color with plenty of debris floating down – gotta be careful out there!... Latest fishing reports we’ve received show the Kingston area to be on the slow side; Glasco flats, just to the south of Saugerties, has been good; Malden to Cheviot has been good; Germantown, very good; upper Catskill Creek (head of tidewater), excellent; Stockport, very good; 4 Mile Point to Coxsackie, excellent; New Baltimore to Coeymans fair; Bethlehem spotty but improving; Albany to Troy poor but with water conditions improving and herring abundant. With the water temp running about five degrees below the optimum for spawning it looks like we should get another two weeks or more of good fishing before the run starts to dwindle away."

Greenville High School announces top ten graduates of 2011
A staff report in The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer (no web site) lists the top ten graduates at Greenville High School this year: 1) Vaeldeictorian Emily Bobrick; 2) Salutatorian Kerry Brown; 3) Michelle Jackson; 4) Matthew Marshall; 5) Dixie Oullette; 6) Patrick Ostoyich; 7) Scott Goodfellow; 8) Marta Kelly; 9) Bonnie Harvey; and 10) Steven Nevins.

Fresh starts
Scott Baldinger in the Word on the Street blog covers the changes in Hudson's home furnishing stores of late. He reports that Chris Lehrecke, who creates contemporary light fixtures, tables, and shelving with wood, has moved from 428 to 415 Warren St; Lillie K. Traders has been "sprucing up" 444 Warren St.; and Hudson Home's building at 356 Warren is getting a new coat of paint. Read the entire post on Word on the Street.

AUDIO CLIPS

• A Very Incomplete Calendar
Terry Doyle's weekly roundup of area music events for his "Imprint" show about Hudson Valley music on Sundays at 11 p.m. on WGXC. Click here to listen to the mp3.

The National Weather Service predicts scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon today, with a high near 61. Showers remain likely through Thursday. Monday night a low around 52 is predicted. Tuesday, a high near 63 and a 60 percent chance of rain.

Town meetings today
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).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 2:21 a.m./Low, 9:10 a.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:39 a.m./8:06 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 7:38 p.m./4:40 a.m.

Birthdays
MAY 16 Studs Terkel, Liberace, Betty Carter, Jonathan Richman, and Debra Winger.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Tom Roe presents the morning news, and other features, agriculture reporting, and more. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant and Norman Keyser read the news, plays music, and more. This morning they will preview the May 17 school board elections. 9-11 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
CLASSICAL MUSIC Lincoln Mayorga hosts. Noon-2 p.m.
GREENHORN RADIO Agriculture. 2 p.m.
ROOTS, RHIZOMES, AND RUNNERS Sarah Falkner and Lauren Giambrone host. 3 p.m.
YOUTH RADIO 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Kaya Weidman and Greg Osofsky host. 4-7 p.m.
STONE WALLS AND STEEL BARS: The bluegrass show with Cowboy Jim. 7 p.m.
LUNARMOSS DJ Lunar Moss plays mostly vinyl. 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more. Overnight through 6 a.m. Sunday.

By Audrey Malloy, 10th Grader
With something such a big part of students’ lives, you'd think they would know a little more about their own school's budget. Every day, they use the staplers, the bathrooms, the Snapple machines, and the instruments provided for by that budget. But it's shocking to learn how little they really know.

When asked, informally by this reporter, less than one-fifth of the students in this reporter’s school knew how much the proposed budget for this year is, and even less, 1 out of 50 I’d guess, knew when the budget vote is being held (Tomorrow, May 17, is the statewide date). A handful of interviewed students had formed opinions on the budget, but mainly from the influence of their parents discussing it around them at home, and not so much real information.

The fact of the matter is that the school doesn't provide the students with information about the budget, nor does the media. However, if it would be cut, these students’ lives would be drastically changed.

Sophomore Violet Lasdun is one of the many who don't have a clear opinion. “I'm not qualified to give a factual opinion, but from the surface, I'd say the budget is best left to those who understand the economics of our community,” she said. “However, I'm not fully sure the school board is qualified for this either, because they seem to be more interested in paying lower taxes than bettering the education of our youth.”

This may sound harsh, but remember it's coming from one of the many students who aren't fully informed about our budget.

Senior Ian Flournoy is against the budget cut, with a view many agree with. “I'm not certain of the exact number, but whatever that figure may be, it's limiting creativity. Instead of reinventing old programs to better add to the education experiences, we're looking for programs we can cut from the budget to 'just get by,'” he said, one of the few students who have actually attended board meetings. “It's just too limiting. I can complain all I want about how it's not enough to facilitate creativity, but I have no proposed plan of action to change it.”

Junior Evan Wolff is another student dedicated and interested enough to attend meetings. “I am proud of it. sure, it does eliminate a lot of jobs but in the grand scheme of things it will not affect day to day school life. Most of the clubs will still exist as well as sports,” he said before bringing up the subject of teachers who might be facing lay offs “I think the cuts are a necessary move, not only because of the budget but because the number of students in our school is going down.“

Freshman Garland Berenzy feels as though we should reevaluate the means of our spending. “In my opinion, educational values and the safety of the students should be put before anything else,” he said in response to the controversial installment of video cameras in the hallways od several local schools. \

Senior Zak Apolito cut straight to the chase. “I think that [the cameras] could be helpful, but in my experience, not enough happens for them to be worth the money.”

I found many students felt this way.

However, senior Taylor Armstrong has faith in them. “I think the cameras can be seen as an invasion of privacy, but I do believe that, if used properly, they will greatly benefit the school.”

This turned out to be a statement many agree with. When the cameras were first installed, a wave of discomfort washed over the school. Would they be watching everything? Listening to all of our conversations? However, once we discovered that it wasn't a live stream from the restrooms, people became more at ease.

Audrey Malloy is a sophomore at Onteora High School in 10th Grade. She is finishing up a mentorship program with WGXC and several other local publications. This work, original to WGXC, will eventually have audio and visual components accompanying it.

Google Grief
Carole Osterink in The Gossips of Rivertown reports that David Robinson, Commissioner for Public Works for Columbia County, unveiled plans for alterations to the Columbia County Courthouse at the Hudson Planning Commission Wednesday, May 11 (see image, from her blog). The issue came up again this morning, Friday, May 13, at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting where the HPC decided it, "would hold a public hearing before granting a certificate of appropriateness, so that everyone interested in the building could see and comment on what is planned," Osterink writes. Read the entire story at The Gossips of Rivertown.


Police link CO to Hudson Correctional Facility escape
Audra Jornov in the Register-Star reports that Joseph Scalera, 55, of Claverack was arrested and charged with first-degree falsifying business records and fourth-degree criminal facilitation for falsifying a log book at the Hudson Correctional Facility to conceal the location of two inmates on April 2, the same day that those inmates escaped briefly from the facility. "Scalera was arraigned in Hudson City Court before Judge Richard Koweek and was remanded to Columbia County Jail on $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond," the story says, though it does not say when that arraignment happened. Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

Lull seeks top post
An unbylined story in the Register-Star says that Maria Lull, Town councilwoman in Chatham, is seeking the Republican, Conservative, and Independence Party ballot lines for town supervisor there. Lull is a 34-year town resident who lives in Chatham Center, and co-owned a real estate brokerage in Chatham for 15 years. Lull was elected to the Town Board in 2009 and served on the planning board, partially as Deputy Chair, for 13 years. Lull also served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Capital Improvements and the Chatham Ethics Committee. “There is simply too much government,” Lull said in the story. “When the town of Chatham proposed an additional 2 percent real property transfer tax on top of the county transfer tax on property sales, I opposed it and worked to secure a grant from the New York State Association of Realtors of $25,000 to underwrite a campaign against it. We don’t need more taxes, we need less spending." The Republican caucus is 7 p.m. June 7 at the Tri-Village Fire House, County Route 13 in Chatham Center. Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

Valentine defense lawyers want more time to confer
Doron Tyler Antrim reports in The Daily Mail that defense attorneys representing Keith Valentine, the Republican majority leader of the Greene County Legislature, and his wife, Cynthia, against charges they allegedly served alcohol to minors at a July Fourth party last year, requested a delay until May 25 to consider information with their clients that may be presented in court. The Valentines have been charged with unlawfully dealing with a child, a misdemeanor, and a county local law violation for allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors. In March, Antrim says Hunter Town Justice William Simon said plea negotiations broke down after the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office offered to drop the misdemeanor charge in exchange for a guilty plea to the local law. "The deal was not accepted," Antrim writes. Valentine voted for the local law he is charged with violating in the Greene County Legislature. Read the whole story in The Daily Mail.

BOS votes to take over office project
John Mason in the Register-Star reports that the Columbia County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday, May 11 to take over the plan to turn the abandoned Walmart building into a county office building from the Columbia County Capital Resource Corporation. Mason explains, "Up until now, the assumption has been that the CRC would buy the former Walmart building, send out requests for proposals, have the building designed and renovated, and lease it to the county." Now Board Chairman Roy Brown, R-Germantown, thinks the county will spend less money if they buy it themselves for somewhere between $8 and $16 million. Sixteen supervisors voted to spend that money, three opposed the proposal, and four abstained. Pat Grattan, R-Kinderhook, William Hughes Jr., D-Hudson4, and Edward Cross, D-Hudson2, voted against the measure, and Supervisors Reginald Crowley, R-Copake, William Hallenbeck Jr., R-Hudson3, Kevin McDonald, R-Livingston, and Margaret Robertson, D-New Lebanon, abstained. Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

Lexington votes to move forward with wastewater system
Michael Ryan writes in the Windham Journal the Town Board in Lexington voted 4-1 May 3 to move forward with the pre-construction phase of a multi-million dollar wastewater treatment system. The Catskill Watershed Corporation, administrators of a $9.1 million block grant being provided by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for the project, had previously given the town a May 6 deadline on the project. Councilman John Berger cast the lone dissent, saying “They spent $125,000 [on the Study Phase] incorrectly as far as the town of Lexington is concerned. They should correct their work then ask for more money.” Read the whole story in the Windham Journal.

Columbia County libraries win state grants too
WGXC reported yesterday that New York State Senator James Seward announced library construction grants for Cairo, Catskill, and Haines Falls in Greene County, and now Senator Steve Saland (R, I, C - Poughkeepsie) reports on $361,332 in public library construction grant funds coming to Columbia County. Grant recipients in Columbia County include:
• $75,000 - Claverack Free Library and Reading Room Association: For new space creation in previously acquired building and new mechanical and electrical system.
• $31,673 – Hudson Area Association Library: To create a handicapped access entry, new gas supply, and improve mechanicals.
• $22,000 – New Lebanon Library: For structural restoration of basement and steel supports, elevated concrete footings, new wiring and controls for HVAC system tie in with geo-thermal system, removal of old system, restoration to ceiling and floor, and the creation of new workspace in attic.
• $97,459 – Roeliff Jansen Community Library: New space creation for improved service to children and educational activities. Green projects include energy conservation through daylight sensors, new solar photocells, and daylight harvesting.
“New York’s public libraries are in urgent need of renovation and upgrading. Many of New York’s local public libraries are unable to accommodate users with disabilities, are energy inefficient, cannot provide Internet and computer and other electronic technologies to users because of outdated and inadequate electrical wiring, and do not have sufficient space,” Senator Saland said in a press release. “The funds will enable our libraries to finance the construction of additions to existing buildings and renovate existing space, providing improved space for all residents in our communities.”

PJ Keeler Announces Candidacy for Columbia County Treasurer
Claverack resident and local businessman Paul (PJ) Keeler Jr. announced he will run for Columbia County Treasurer, after the May 5 announcement that longtime treasurer Kenneth Wilber won't run for another term. Keeler seeks the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party lines that Wilber formerly held for 16 years. Keeler is President and Owner of KD Cards, Inc, with Hallmark stores in Greenport and Catskill since 1972. He has served the Greenport Rescue Squad since 1980, a member of the Columbia County Ambulance Association/EMS Advisory Board since 1999, and the A.B. Shaw Fire Company since 1976. He also serves as the Columbia County EMS Coordinator, a position he has held since 2000. Keller has been on the Boards of several community organizations, including the Columbia County Healthcare Consortium, the Claverack Library Building Committee, the Claverack Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners, the Philmont Rotary Club and the Hudson Jaycees. “My business experience, my familiarity with county government, my relationship with the business community, and my years of public service working with emergency services and the County Board of Supervisors in improving the quality of life for all of our residents uniquely positions me to be County Treasurer,” Keeler said in a press release. “I am committed to working with the Board of Supervisors, the business community, and most importantly, the residents of Columbia County to enhance revenues, control expenses, and minimize the impact of these difficult economic times on our communities."

Today is Friday the 13th, a day thought unlucky by some from generation to generation. Wikipedia explores several theories about why Friday the 13th is considered unlucky, but most trace back to Oct. 13, 1307, the day King Phillip of France arrested and killed off the Knights Templar.

The National Weather Service predicts a partly sunny day, with a high near 71. Tonight, a chance of showers, mainly after 11 p.m. Patchy fog after 2 a.m. Saturday a 40 percent chance of showers, with a high near 66. Showers likely, Saturday night and Sunday.

Town meetings today
HUDSON Historic Preservation Commission at 10 a.m., 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 11:42 p.m./Low, 6:44 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:41 a.m./8:03 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 3:53 p.m./2:55 a.m.

Birthdays
MAY 13 Joe Louis, Harvey Keitel, Stevie Wonder, Stephen Colbert, and Buckethead.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Mark Lacoy and Casson Kennedy present the morning news, and other features, agriculture reporting, and more. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Tom Roe reads the news, plays music, and more. 9-10 a.m.
DIFFICULT HISTORIES Norman Douglas and Andrew Amelinckx talk to folks about their stories. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
PURE MOODS Shannekia McIntosh plays many styles of music. Noon-2 p.m.
QUE COCINARE HOY? 2 p.m.
KNOCK ON WOOD Steve Charney and Harry present comedy, music, and more, and special guest Tom Paxton. 3 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Tom Roe hosts. 4-7 p.m.
HOTLINE RADIO 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more. Overnight through 6 a.m. Sunday.

Secondary grades score low on tests at HCSD
Audra Jornov in the Register-Star reports that, "three of every five students in the secondary level of the Hudson City School District are not making Adequate Yearly Progress for English Language Arts and four out of five did not make AYP for mathematics, according to the 2010-11 New York State School Report card for the district." Hudson's graduation rate is 68 percent, well below the state's goal of 95 percent. “It’s difficult because we get compared to other school districts in Columbia County but we are not alike,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Maria Suttmeier in Jornov's story. “We have a lot of challenges and we have a lot of students in large subgroups so we need to meet more requirements for larger subgroups. Hudson is unique.” May 17 are school elections, but there are no seats under contention in Hudson. Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

For Main Street, it’s a brand new Game
Doron Tyler Antrim reports that Catskill's Main Street will soon have a slightly different look as Stephen Kirwan Jr., the operator of Kirwan’s Game Store, bought the building that housed Looking Pretty and Van Gorden & Co., and plans to replace the stores with a new game shop and a bakery. "This will be the fourth incarnation of the game store since its inception," Antrim reports, noting it was last in the space that used to be the Muddy Cup coffee shop. The stores will close June 5 to make way for the new businesses. Kirwan’s father, Stephen Kirwan Sr. of Purling, was the winner earlier this year of the $122 million Powerball jackpot, taking home a lump sum payment of more than $61 million, or $40.4 million after taxes. Read the whole story in The Daily Mail.


CLICK ON THESE HEADLINES TO HEAR AUDIO MP3 FILES:

Karen Diperi interview on WGXC Afternoon Show.
Interview by Tom Roe on WGXC Afternoon Show of Karen Diperi, a Copake resident advocating for a bike lane to be added to a road construction project in Copake. A Copake Town Board meeting Thur. evening May 12 at Copake Town Hall will address the issue. May is National Bicycle Month and "Bicycle Built for Two" is in Campcaster.

Michelle Apland and Devin Franklin from Flying Deer Nature Center interviewed on WGXC Afternoon Show.
Interview by Tom Roe on WGXC Afternoon Show of the folks who run the Flying Deer Nature Center in New Lebanon, a wilderness school that teaches about nature, and is holding a large fundraiser May 14 at Sundog Solar in Chatham.

Sandy McKnight interview about Hudson Songfest 6.
Interview by Tom Roe on WGXC Afternoon Show. Hudson Songfest 6 is a series of workshops and performances for music industry professions, held this year May 14 at Helsinki Hudson.

The National Weather Service predicts today will be sunny, with a high near 72. Tonight, mostly clear, with a low around 45. Friday a slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. is forecast, with a high near 71. Friday night the chance of rain grows from 20 to 30 percent, with a low around 50. Saturday there is a 40 percent chance of showers, with a high near 64.

Town meetings tonight
CHATHAM, Village meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
COPAKE Town Board meeting will discuss possible bike lane in road construction project at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mountainview Road, Copake (329-1234).
COXSACKIE The Village of Coxsackie Planning Board holds a Public Hearing to consider a minor sub-division of property belonging to Paul and Rose Marie Craw located on South River Street in the Village of Coxsackie. Also to be considered on the same night is a Special Use Permit for Jennifer Dunne and Richard Moore located at 21 Freleigh Place in the Village of Coxsackie. 7 p.m. at Coxsackie Town Hall, 16 Reed St., Coxsackie.
GALLATIN Town Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Route 7, Ancram (398-7519).
GREENE COUNTY Finance & Audit committee meets at 5 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
HUDSON Industrial Development Agency meeting at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board Workshop meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 4 Church St, Niverville (784-2233).
LIVINGSTON Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 119 County Route 19.
PHILMONT The Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of Philmont holds a Public Hearing to consider the following: The application for an interpretation of Section 160 of the Philmont Village zoning code for the keeping of chickens in the Village of Philmont, by Chris Hoppe, 61 Summit Street, Philmont; and, for the application for an area variance by Andre Juste for 6 feet setback relief for a proposed in-ground pool and deck and for relief for lot coverage as the pool and deck may exceed the 30% lot coverage limit by approximately 2% located at the property of 32 Church Street, Philmont, NY 12565, Tax map # 112.12-1-70.200, in a Hamlet 1 zone. The applicant is requesting relief from the 30-foot setback requirement and lot coverage requirement as required pursuant to section 160-8-D, Table 3 of the Philmont Village zoning code. 7 p.m. at Philmont Village Hall, 124 Main St.
STUYVESANT Town board meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TANNERSVILLE Village trustees meet at 7 p.m. in their Village Hall on Route 23A.
WINDHAM Town board meets at 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 11:30 p.m./Low, 5:51 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:43 a.m./8:02 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 2:40 p.m./2:25 a.m.

Birthdays
MAY 12 Katharine Hepburn, Archibald Cox, Burt Bacharach, Yogi Berra, George Carlin, Gabriel Byrne, and Tony Hawk.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Mark Lacoy and Casson Kennedy present the morning news, and other features, agriculture reporting, and more. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Christina Malisoff reads the news, and Ellen Thurston and Joan Geitz present weekend events. 9-10 a.m.
TELL IT LIKE IT IS Christina Malisoff and Sam Sebren welcome Susan Falzon, Director of Friends of Hudson, in the studio to talk about a lobbying event she just returned from in Washington D.C., "50 States United for Healthy Air," coordinated by EarthJustice. Also joining "Tell It Like It Is" in the studio will be Ron Perez, President, CEO, and Investigator for the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA and Katrin Hecker, Executive Director of Animal Kind, to discuss issues of spaying and neutering, emergency rescue, and abandonment and cruelty cases of animals in Greene and Columbia counties. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
CROSSROADS Allan Skerrett plays all jazz, R&B, and other styles. Noon-2 p.m.
PASSAGES Richard Roth hosts. 2 p.m.
RADIO THEATER Dan Seward presents a a play with Robinson Crusoe and Osama Bin-Laden. Plus Gregory Whitehead, 31 Down, Tianna Kennedy, Anna Friz, and more. 3 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Tom Roe host an in-studio interview and performance with The Grand Slambovians, who will be performing at Helsinki Hudson on Saturday, May 14. 4-7 p.m.
THE JAZZ DISTURBANCE Cheryl K hosts with special guest Burrill Crohn, who has made documentaries, mostly about music, for over 30 years. He wrote, directed, and produced the seven-part "Women in Jazz" series and the five-part "History of Jazz" series. He was a consultant on two Academy Award-nominated documentaries, "A Great Day in Harlem" and "Genghis Blues." Crohn’s latest project is "Playing with Parkinson’s," a documentary about musician Sangeeta Michael Berardi, as he faces Parkinson’s disease. Further information, and excerpts from some of his documentaries, can be found at www.burrillcrohn.com. 7 p.m.
69 The Magic Stranger plays psychedelic music from the summer of '69. 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more. Overnight through 6 a.m.

The Cairo Public Library was awarded $167,544, the Catskill Public Library $23,000, and the Haines Falls Free Library $100,000 in public library construction grants from New York State, State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) announced Wed. May 11. "Our libraries are vital to our communities, especially in these tough economic times," Seward said. “Libraries are also some of the most historic landmarks we have and are in need of repairs and upgrades to ensure their future viability and accessibility.”

WGXC volunteer Joan Geitz calls in from Cairo saying a fire on Main St. has shut down the town library and Town Hall, and blocked off Main St. The fire, next door to 526 Main St., started a little after 12:30 p.m., according to Geitz, who says firefighters were initially concerned about a propane explosion. WNYT updates this story, writing that the fire was at 530 Main St., and that Cairo Fire Chief Gerald Buckley told the station the woman living in the house, a widow of a Cairo firefighter, was not home at the time. Two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and exposure for the fire, which the chief said appeared to be started by accident in the attic.

The River Basin Sports annual Striped Bass contest is ongoing, and these images show the current leader and leaderboard. Randy Brockett of Middletown used fishing chunk bait to hook the current leader near the Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge. Check the Catskill-based River Basin website for fishing reports.

Cheddie: Not Rodgers’ neighborhood
John Mason in the Register-Star reports that Hudson First Ward Alderwoman Geeta Cheddie filed a complaint with the Hudson Police Department against Timothy Rodgers and Victor Mendolia for filing false information with the City Clerk’s Office. In applying to be a city commissioner of deeds, Rodgers stated that he lived at 15 Allen St., and Mendolia notarized that statement, Cheddie said. From the story:

Rodgers has been endorsed by the city Democratic Party to run for First Ward alderman; although he has been working in Hudson for two years, he lives in Greene County. Mendolia is the city Democratic Party chairman. Cheddie, who lives in Hudson, was not endorsed by the party. On April 19, Rodgers was nominated to be a commissioner of deeds at the regular meeting of the Common Council. Cheddie abstained from voting on the basis that Rodgers’ listed address of 15 Allen St. was not where he was currently residing. The council voted to amend the appointment resolution to remove Rodgers’ name. Subsequently, according to Cheddie, City Attorney John Connor Jr. was asked to investigate. He sent a letter to Rodgers at the listed address, and the Post Office returned the letter with the envelope marked “Vacant.”

“I believed the information filed with the city clerk was incorrect, and I’d like something to be done about it,” Cheddie said Tuesday to Mason. “I don’t think it’s OK for people to knowingly file false documents with the Common Council and pass law from it." Mendolia is a host of @Issue at 10 a.m. Wednesdays on WGXC, and has told WGXC he has no comment yet on this story, and that he may be arraigned today. He did not get back to Mason in time for his story, so Cheddie gets the last word here: “The commissioner of deeds is a serious responsibility,” she said. “I am a commissioner of deeds. You witness signatures. You swear to tell the truth, that the person standing before you is who they say they are and that they live at that address." Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

Safety panel approves 3 bridge jobs
Jim Planck in The Daily Mail reports the Public Safety Committee of the Greene County Legislature approved three bridge construction projects Monday May 9. Legislators agreed to replace the Caniff Road bridge over the Jan de Bakkers Kill, off County Route 41 in Cairo, for $130,444, with Wm. J. Keller & Sons Construction Corp., of Castleton. The same company gets $156,822. for the rehabilitation of the bridge on County Route 12 in Windham that crosses the Batavia Kill just before Route 23 and the repair of the bridge on Scribner Hollow Road over the East Kill, before the road joins County Route 23C in East Jewett. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Local State Senators busy
On Tuesday, May 10, S697, sponsored by Sen. Steve Saland (who represents Columbia County in Albany) passed 61-0. The bill would create, "a state trooper highway memorial task force to develop and establish guidelines for recognition of members of the division of state police who have died in the line of duty; such recognition shall be by means of dedicating a portion of the state highway system, or the placement of a memorial plaque or marker along a state highway."... State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta), who represents Greene County will meet with seniors in Mr. Dave Carlson’s “Participation in Government” class at Coxsackie-Athens High School today, Wed. May 11 at 12:50 p.m.


The Felice Brothers release new album
The Felice Brothers new album "Celebration, Florida" was released Tue. May 10, and the Hudson Valley band will be on-air on WDST 100.1-FM next Tuesday May 17. The band recorded the new album in the gymnasium and theater of Beacon, NY’s old high school. The "unofficial" video for the song "Fire at the Pageant" from the new album is on YouTube (below).





DAILY AUDIO

Ian Stewart, the chair of Claverack Historic Preservation Society.
Interview about Historic Hamlet Walk in Claverack Sat. May 14 that begins at 10 a.m. At A.B. Shaw Firehouse in Claverack. Interviewed by Richard Roth and Ann Forbes Cooper.

Bryan Hunter, owner of new Catskill bike shop, interviewed on WGXC Afternoon Show.
Hunter just opened Catskill Cycles last weekend in Catskill, where he sells new bikes and repairs older rides. Interviewed by Ann Forbes Cooper and Richard Roth.

Kevin Dorn of Jazz 72 interviewed on WGXC Afternoon Show.
Drummer for the band Jazz 72 that is performing in Greenville May 13 through the All Arts Matters arts organization. Interview by Ann Forbes Cooper and Richard Roth.

Agie Seife from Temple Israel in Catskill.
Interview by Ann Forbes Cooper and Richard Roth on WGXC Afternoon Show, about the temples latest public events and activities.

The National Weather Service predicts a sunny day, with a high near 73. Wednesday night mostly clear, with a low around 44. Thursday should also be sunny, with a high near 76. Thursday night, a low around 51. Friday there is a 20 percent chance of showers after 2 p.m.

Town meetings tonight
VILLAGE OF ATHENS meets at 6:30 p.m at the Athens Community Center, 2 First St., Athens (945-1551).
CATSKILL The Town of Catskill Zoning Board of Appeals holds a Public Hearing about whether to allow the placement of an above ground swimming pool on lands owned by Robert Light Cap located at 158 Jefferson Heights Road. 6 p.m. at Catskill Town Hall, 439 Main St.
CLERMONT Planning Board meeting and public hearing and SEQRA review on the proposed boundary line alteration to add frontage from several parcels in town (Parcel Tax ID#181.03-2-7 to Parcel Tax ID#181.00-1-31, also add .16 acres more or less to Parcel Tax ID#181-03-2-7 on the south and east from Parcel Tax ID#181.00-1-31) at Town Hall at 7 p.m. at 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COLUMBIA COUNTY holds a full Board of Supervisors meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
COPAKE Resource Advisory Committee Meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234)
GHENT Planning Board Application meeting and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, and Public Hearing, to consider the Appeal by the Kinderhook Sportsmens Club for an area variance to add 460 sq. ft extension to the rear of the existing main building in addition to roof replacement. 7 p.m. for each at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644)
CITY OF 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 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).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 9:30 a.m./Low, 4:54 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:44 a.m./8:01 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 1:29 p.m./1:55 a.m.

Birthdays
MAY 11 Irving Berlin, Salvador Dali, Robert Jarvik, Mort Sahl, Eric Burden, Butch Trucks, and Tim Blake Nelson.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant and Kieran Reilly present the morning news, and other features, agriculture reporting, and more. Agriculture recordings featured today. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant reads the news, play music, and introduce local recordings, and more. There may be a recording of Chatham Planning Board meeting played. 9-10 a.m.
@ISSUE Hosts Victor Mendolia and Deborah Gilbert (from The Columbia Paper) will discuss the May 17 School Board election and school budget vote. Guests will include Hudson Superintendent of Schools, Jack Howe, School Board Member Peter Meyer, and Lynn Sloneker, the author of the Unmuffled blog. 10 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
THE SCHOEMER SHOW Karen Schoemer plays all sorts of music. Noon-2 p.m.
WGXC YOUTH SHOW Radio Explosion! hosts the show on Wednesdays. 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Tom Roe hosts with an interview at 4:15 p.m. with the folks who run the Flying Deer Nature Center in New Lebanon; and at 5:15 p.m. with Sandy McKnight, talking about Hudson Valley Songfest 6 Saturday at Club Helsinki. 4-7 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more. Overnight through 6 a.m.

Abrahm Lustgarten in ProPublica reports about a scientific study that seems to prove what viewers of the movie "Gasland" saw on film: some water near hydraulic fracturing natural gas drilling can be lit on fire. The peer-reviewed, study published Mon. May 9 was conducted by four scientists at Duke University. "They found that levels of flammable methane gas in drinking water wells increased to dangerous levels when those water supplies were close to natural gas wells," the story says. "They also found that the type of gas detected at high levels in the water was the same type of gas that energy companies were extracting from thousands of feet underground, strongly implying that the gas may be seeping underground through natural or manmade faults and fractures, or coming from cracks in the well structure itself." Hudson Valley Congressman Maurice Hinchey, who represents an area south of the WGXC listening area said in the story, "This study provides eye-opening scientific evidence about methane contamination and the risks that irresponsible natural gas drilling poses for drinking water supplies.... It provides yet another reason why more study of the environmental and health risks associated with hydraulic fracturing is needed." Read the entire story in Pro Publica.

The Sunshine on the Hudson blog has video from the Mon. May 9 meeting in Stuyvesant with Robert Freeman of the Committee on Open Government. Freeman offers opinions on New York's FOIL law, Open Meetings law, and takes questions from folks gathered at Town Hall.

Untitled from glencadia on Vimeo.

Untitled from glencadia on Vimeo.

Untitled from glencadia on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/23515784

Untitled from glencadia on Vimeo.

Compost fee will go up five-fold
John Mason has a fascinating story in the Register-Star, tracking the specific costs of the Kinderhook compost system, as the town board voted to raise fees for that service from $10 a year to $50 on Monday, May 9. He traces all the parts of the process: Denbesten Enterprises has a contract to grind materials up at the compost site at Robert Mitchell farm at Merwin Road and Route 203. Van Wie’s slaughterhouse uses the compost to mix with its animal renderings as an aid in decomposition, Mason reports. He outlines how the compost issue divided board members, perhaps along political lines. “The town pays for pickup,” Councilman Glenn Smith said in the story. “Kinderhook village residents pay for the compost site. This is unequitable for the village of Kinderhook.” Kinderhook Supervisor Pat Grattan agreed and added that even with the increased fees, “we’ll still have a $10,000 shortfall [at the site]. I feel the fee should be $50; I feel it’s unfair for people who don’t use it to be charged.” Councilman Peter Bujanow, who has been holding a series of community meetings of his own that seem to indicate he might challenge Grattan for Supervisor, said, “We’re creating less incentive for people to recycle." Mason says that residents Bujanow has spoken with, are “very upset about the $50 charge.” Read Mason's excellent story in the Register-Star.

Library board: We must move
Jamie Larson in the Register-Star writes that the Hudson Library Board of Trustees passed a resolution that the library look for a new home. The current library building at 400 State St., "was built in 1818 and before becoming the library in 1959 it housed the homeless, was a insane asylum, a female academy, a private residence and an orphanage," Larson writes. "In 2004 the city took ownership of the library from the Hudson City School District which was mandated to vacate the structure by the Department of Education. A public debate then raged over whether to stay in the historic building or move to a new home. Inevitably the old building won and since has received numerous private and state grant funds for renovations." UPDATE: Carole Osterink in The Gossips of Rivertown clarifies some of the reporting in the Register-Star:

"The City never took possession of the building, in 2004 or at any other time, and the Department of Education never mandated the Hudson City School District to vacate the building. The Hudson Area Association Library bought the building from the Hudson City School District in 2005 for $300,000, and they did so only after the building had been examined by a structural engineer with particular expertise with historic buildings and determined to be sound. The $300,000 came from HUD grant money which had been returned by two grant recipients who decided, after being awarded the grants, that they didn't want to conform to HUD requirements after all. There is a mortgage on the building held by Hudson Development & Commmunity Planning Agency (HCDPA) which stipulates that the $300,000 never has to be repaid so long as the building continues to be used as a library."

Bush funds breathe new life into Family Literacy effort
Debora Gilbert in The Columbia Paper reports that the Barbara Bush Foundation is awarding the Hudson Family Literacy Program (HFLP) $65,000, saving the program that was running out of funding. The program is one of nine the Foundation is funding, out of 400 applicants. "HFLP serves 30 non-English speaking families with young children in Hudson, a total of over 100 clients," Gilbert writes in the story. "Many families are recent immigrants from non-English speaking countries. Bengali families make up the majority of clients in the program, which also serves the Latino and Haitian families." Read the entire story in The Columbia Paper.

Tweets from a school board meeting
Lynn Slonecker of the Unmuffled (which was recently redesigned) blog had these live Tweets from the Hudson School Board meeting Monday, May 9:
# HCSD budget public hearing...six minutes to start, seven people waiting in HHS cafe.
# If you blinked you missed it...five-minute, one comment public hearing...finished at 7:05 p.m.
# Interesting change in admin spin on accountability. No longer 'unfunded mandates;' it's now all about mandated spending.
# 1-hour presentation on state report cards. Just adjourned for ES [Executive Session] #1. Guessing purpose...tenure. Principals followed BoE out.
# Still to come (presumably after ES #2): More than $70K in extracurricular sports appointments.
# Approved: $3500 to transport students from MC Smith to high school for swimming class over a one-month period.
# Also...$8200 for SpEd transport (one month), $2245 for SpEd health svc contract, tax refunds and three field trips.

Slight tremor
The United States Geological Survey reported a small earthquake, measuring 2.5 on the Richter scale, in southern Quebec, Canada at 10:46:44 a.m. Monday, May 9.


From Lissa Harris in The Watershed Post:

Can't tell a beech from a birch? There's an app for that. Last month, scientists from Columbia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian released Leafsnap, a free iPhone and iPad app that promises a simple way to identify Northeastern U.S. tree species from their leaves. Unlike other field guides -- even digital ones -- Leafsnap doesn't rely on users picking from a list of characteristics to puzzle out which species they're looking at. Instead, it relies on visual recognition technology -- a kind of software that's also used to identify faces, and has been advancing rapidly in recent years -- to match a photo of a leaf taken in the field with species in Leafsnap's database.

Read the entire story in The Watershed Post.

From The Daily Freeman, the press release Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand put out today about high-speed rail funding:
Gillibrand Rail Funds 2011-05-09

The National Weather Service predicts today will be sunny, with a high near 71. Tuesday night should be partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Wednesday may be mostly sunny, with a high near 71 again. Thursday and Friday more of the same is expected, with lots of sun and highs around 70 degrees.

Town meetings tonight
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).

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 8:29 a.m./Low, 3:52 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 5:45 a.m./8 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 12:19 p.m./1:23 a.m.; First Quarter moon begins at 3:34 p.m.

Birthdays
MAY 10 Fred Astaire, Maybelle Carter, Sid Vicious, Rick Santorum, Bono, Young MC, and Craig Mack.

Tune in today
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant and Kieran Reilly present the morning news, and other features, agriculture reporting, and more. 6-8 a.m.
DEMOCRACY NOW! Hosted by Amy Goodman. 8 a.m.
WGXC MORNING SHOW Philip Grant reads the news, play music, and introduce local recordings, and more. 9-11 a.m.
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH International news. 11 a.m.
VOCAL CHORDS Andrew Sosnowski plays vocal music. Noon-2 p.m.
COUNTERSPIN Media show from FAIR. 3 p.m.
WGXC YOUTH SHOW Youth-produced radio. 3:30 p.m.
WGXC AFTERNOON SHOW Richard Roth and Ann Forbes Cooper host. 4-7 p.m.
LONG HAIRS Antoine Guerlain plays music. 7 p.m.
BATTLEFIELD EARTH A Demographic of One. Dan Seward plays music. 9:30 p.m.
TRANSMISSION ART Radio theater, experimental sound, field recordings, radio art, mash-ups, shortwave radio news, and more. Overnight through 6 a.m.