City picks GAR for reval after last year’s controversy
Jamie Larson reports in the Register-Star that the city of Hudson is trying again to underfgo a reassessment of local tax values, this time working with the real estate appraisal firm GAR Associates. In 2010, the release of the Hudson assessment roll lead to a much higher than average number of grievances, a lawsuit from a group of building owners and residents crying foul about the values of their homes. That reval was attempted in house. "GAR project manager for the Hudson reassessment, David M. Barnett, said that they aim to be as transparent and public with their process as possible, reaching out to home owners, providing them with information and resources and holding public workshops to explain the process," Larson writes. "Common Council President Donald Moore said that GAR’s bid on the project was accepted for a number of reasons but their stated commitment for community outreach and involvement was a big part of why they were selected." There will be no major revaluation in 2011. The results of GAR’s assessment will be released in 2012.

Board still working to finalize school budget
Michael Ryan reports in the Windham Journal on ongoing talks to determine a 2011-2012 school budget for the Windham-Ashland-Jewett school district. "A draft version of the budget, released by the board of education in early February, showed that the total for mandated expenses and contractual commitments represents a leap of $348,000 from a year ago," Ryan writes. "Combine that with an anticipated $263,265 decrease in State aid and it is small wonder WAJ administrators have been searching every nook and cranny for ways to ease the seemingly inevitable pain for taxpayers." Board of education members are expected to approve a spending package in late April, giving them less than a month to figure out what goes and what stays before sending the numbers to taxpayers for a May 17 vote.

Delayed Master Plan for Martin Van Buren
Mike McCagg reports in CCScoop that a long overdue master plan for the Martin Van Buren Historic Site in Kinderhook is still on the drawing boards, but has been delayed by federal budget impasses. "The first-ever general management plan for the three-decade-old historic site – the site known as Lindenwald that was home of the eighth president of the United States - was expected to be made public in late 2010, but now is on hold until later this year – at the earliest," McCagg writes. "Site Superintendent Daniel Dattilio said funding for the plan is still in place, but cut backs among planners and agency personnel at the national level has delayed the work."

Town awards $93,000 re-val bid
Melanie Lekocevic writes in the Greene County News that the Athens Town Council recently awarded a $93K bid from Appraisal Consultants to perform a revaluation of the town and village. The motion was approved by a 3-2 vote. The Town Council awarded the bid after four re-val companies submitted bids in response to the RFP, or Request for Proposal. Appraisal Consultants was the lowest bidder. "Supporters of conducting a townwide revaluation, or re-val, say it is a way to level the playing field and make sure all property owners are paying their fair share in property taxes," Lekocevic writes. "Over the years, property values change and some may be paying too much, while others may be paying too little."

Lebanon Valley Speedway owner’s plan for motocross still not on track
Gail Heinsohn has a story in the Chatham Courier about pending questions regarding an application to build a motocross track on land adjacent to the Lebanon Valley Speedway. The application was put in to the Stephentown Zoning Board of Appeals in Rensselaer County last year for a variance for about 10 acres of residentially zoned property, to be turned into a “world-class” motocross facility, with a goal of attracting 30,000 spectators. The land contains state-regulated wetlands and archeologically significant areas.

Fire breaks out in Hudson
Jamie Larson reports in the Register-Star on the fire in Hudson this morning at 754 Columbia Street, within site of the WGXC studios. The fire occurred in the second floor apartment of the building next door to Melino’s Pub at around 10:00 a.m., Larson reported. The apartment sustained significant visible damage to the exterior side wall. Firefighters used a chain saw to cut into the roof and the blaze was put out within a half hour. It was unknown what damage local businesses sustained as of this newscast.

By Gus Murphy

ICC passes budget — and football
John Mason reports in the Register-Star on the passage of a budget by the Ichabod Crane Board of Education in Kinderhook, and how the possibility of losing the local football team became the major point of contention at a crowded meeting on Tuesday night, April 12. ICC has ended up with a 3.9 percent tax levy increase to go before voters on May 17. As in Hudson and other local school districts, the board split - 5-3 in ICC's case - in their final budget vote on a spending plan that includes the closing of two schools, the elimination of 32.5 positions, and the discontinuation of the district's pre-K program. The matter that divided them, however, was the last minute addition of $31,000 for the varsity and junior varsity football program, Mason points out, which was also the issue that drew 9- minutes of impassioned speeches from district residents.

Unspent county grants total $375K
Colin DeVries of the Daily Mail writes that Greene County lawmakers have approved the transfer of about $375,000 in unused public safety grants, with legislators encouraging the funds be put to use before its too late. Four grants, awarded to the county Department of Emergency Services and the sheriff’s office, remain in county coffers while the projects they were intended to fund are still in progress. Two grants were awarded to emergency services in May 2009 and May 2010, totaling $299,972, for “support, planning, equipment, training and exercise needs associated with preparedness and prevention activities for terrorist events using weapons of mass destruction involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive materials.” As of Dec. 31, 2010, $239,449.43 of those Homeland Security grants remained. Two other U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants awarded in March 2010 and August 2010 to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office totaled $89,750 for a “prevention initiative consistent with the local Counter Terrorism Zone strategy, and “to create, train and outfit a countywide dive team to ensure a quick response for water-related incidents.” As of Dec. 31, 2010, $71,464.13 remained between the two grants. Finally, a U.S. Department of Justice grant of $80,000 was awarded for an emergency services radio study, accepted by the county legislature in October 2009. As of Dec. 31, 2010, $61,064.80 of the grant remained unused.

Valatie plans 10% tax cut in new budget
Emilia Teasdale of the Columbia Paper reports that the Valatie Village Board reviewed a proposed $706,905 annual budget proposed some major spending cuts at their most recent budget meeting, working to lower property taxes by 10%. Their areas of saving include closing Village Court, making lower interest payments on loans, and removing the position of deputy village clerk. "Discussion became heated over the Fire Department budget," Teasdale writes, noting how the Fire Company wanted to set aside money for future equipment purchases.

Lack of county historian stirs debate in Dutchess
The Daily Freeman has a story about how debate arose at a legislative meeting in neighboring Dutchess County Legislature over the lack of a county historian. The position, appointed by the county executive, has been vacant for three years and the issue came up during a routine resolution vote declaring Oct. 23 through Nov. 1 to be officially known as “Dutchess County Heritage Days." Legislature Minority Leader Sandra Goldberg said designating Heritage Days without a historian is doing it backward. Republican majority members responded that there were enough historians in the county already.

Library on way to magic number
Doron Tyler Antrim reports in the Daily Mail that the Cairo library board of trustees has noted that it is already quarter of the way toward reaching the $100,000 local match required as part its acceptance of a federal loan and grant package to build a new public library. The money has been collected from donations and fundraisers that library officials and volunteers have organized since last year, and does not include the donation of in-kind services, which have been estimated at about $15,000.

BOE merges 3rd ward districts
Jamie Larson writes in the Register-Star about the Columbia County Board of Elections' decision to combine two Third Ward voting districts in the city of Hudson. The change reduces the number of poll workers and procedural steps needed during elections and was announced at the informal meeting of the Hudson Common Council on April 11 in terms of its savings of $4,000 per year. According to state law, a voting district has to have fewer then 1,150 active voters in it. The new combined Third Ward district has 681, leaving Hudson's Fifth Ward the last one split into two voting districts, with a total 1,280 active voters.

The National Weather Service says today will see rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 53F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch. There will be showers this evening becoming less numerous overnight. Low around 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 68F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.

Town meetings tonight
VILLAGE OF ATHENS meets at 6:30 p.m at the Athens Community Center, 2 First St., Athens
CLERMONT Planning Board, town hall at 7 p.m.
COLUMBIA COUNTY holds a full Board of Supervisors meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. at 401 State St. in Hudson.
COPAKE Resource Advisory Committee Meeting at 7 p.m.
GHENT Planning Board Application meeting and Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. for each
CITY OF HUDSON Planning Committee meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
JEWETT Town Meeting at 7:00 p.m., town hall.
KINDERHOOK Town's 9 & 9H Corridor Committee at 7 p.m.
KINDERHOOK Village Board meeting and budget hearing, 7 p.m.

Astronomical bodies

TIDES Hudson: High, 10:57 a.m./Low, 6:22 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:18 a.m./7:34 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 3:24 a.m./2:27 p.m.

Birthdays
APRIL 13 Guy Fawkes, Thomas Jefferson, James Ensor, Jacques Lacan, Al Green, and Amy Goodman.

Registry to chart gas-drilling chemicals
The Ithaca Journal reports that a pair of state groups has launched a registry for chemicals used in extracting natural gas through hydraulic fracturing. The on-line registry makes it easier for the public to find out what chemicals are being used to extract natural gas in nearby wells. But participating drillers will continue to withhold information about chemicals they consider proprietary. The process known as "fracking" unlocks reserves of natural gas trapped in deep rock formations using the high-pressure injection of water, sand and chemicals to break up rock and release the natural gas. Twenty-four drillers have volunteered to also post that data on the registry, called FracFocus.org, so the public can find information about most of the chemicals used in nearby wells, excepting those termed "trade secrets." The fluids used in the process were exempted from federal oversight by a 2005 law. There are proposals in congress to give the Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate the fluids and require drillers to disclose all of the chemicals used. The EPA is conducting a study of the process. Initial results are expected to be released by the end of 2012.

White paper says government efficiency is the name of the game in the Hudson Valley
Mid Hudson News Network has a story about a new Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress white paper on government efficiency that suggests that consolidation is not necessarily an answer to Hudson Valley governmental inefficiencies. The white paper suggests a spectrum of options including shared services, collaborations and possible consolidations. It also notes that New York City, with over 8 million people, has one mayor, one police department and one fire department. In the Hudson Valley, meanwhile, there are nine counties, 13 cities, 137 towns, 88 villages, 123 school districts, 220 fire districts, 53 drainage districts, 114 fire protection districts, 227 lighting districts, 32 park districts, 24 refuse and garbage districts, 329 sewer districts, 238 water districts, and another 102 miscellaneous districts. That totals 1,709 units of government and special districts for a population of 2.4 million. Got that all?

Suicide prevention efforts on the rise after recent spike in suicides
CCScoop's Mike McCagg writes about the apparent rise in Columbia County suicides over the past year, and a study begun in 2008 - when a record 20 such tragedies occurred -- that is now nearing completion. “There is a list of 15 recommendations that will be made (in that report) and to the extent that we have resources, we are going to systematically implement them,” said Michael Cole of the Columbia County Department of Mental Health. "It will make an impact to have decentralized services, to have resources available to where people live. If you look at it, a third of the population of Columbia County lives within five miles of Valatie. If we can have a clinic there, that would be significant."

Tax cap finger pointing
Rick Karlin reports in the Times Union on the new wars regarding a proposed property tax cap, suggesting that Senate Republicans jumped a bit early into blaming Assembly Democrats for killing any plans for the foreseeable future. The Senate, along with the state Association of Realtors and other lobbying groups, are pushing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to bring the issue to the Assembly floor for a vote, even though it doesn't have needed support. The fuel? Cap supporters are saying greater school budget cuts are needed to save people from still-high taxes.

Police: Slew of violent domestic incidents in Hudson
Andrew Amelinckx of the Register-Star notes that the Hudson Police Department has made a number of arrests within the past week stemming from domestic incidents, then charts the basic details of each case. The situations involved men breaking women's fingers and arms, smashing vodka bottles in lovers' faces, and use of knives and threats. All the incidents were reported by the Hudson Police Department in one release on April 11.

The Watershed Post reports on the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program's annual Ashokan Watershed Conference held Saturday, April 9 and its region-wide subject: "Flood Resilience for Towns, Businesses and Landowners." Julia Reischel focuses on talk of the effects of climate change on weather, "extreme precipitation events," and flooding. "Storms are getting more severe, rainfall is getting heavier, droughts are getting dryer, and flooding is getting worse," she summarizes a speech by Dan Zarrow, a meteorologist at Cornell University's Northeast Regional Climate Center seen in the above video. "The northeast US is the most sensitive region of the country to climate-change induced-extreme precipitation increases," according to Zarrow. He added that the Climate Center's new interactive website, www.precip.net, says that "100-year-storms" now happen about once every 50 years.

Meanwhile, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County will be hosting a Science and Management Forum on Regional Freshwater Issues, on Saturday, April 16 from 9am to noon. Attendees will be provided with insight into the state of our groundwater supplies, ways of protecting sensitive wetlands, and pressures that threaten freshwater ecosystems, including pollution, development practices, and invasive species. Special attention will be given to green infrastructure and stormwater management, as well as some of the same climate change issues that came up at the Ashokan Conference. The forum is free and open to the public, but RSVP is required. Participants can register online at www.caryinstitute.org/freshwater.html or call (845) 677-7600 x171. The last two Science and Management Forums filled to capacity; early registration is recommended.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="William Morgan Davies and Louisa Maria Dickerman, Violet Snow’s great great grandparents, on their wedding day... Before he joined the Civil War as a Union private. Image from Woodstock Times."][/caption]Violet Snow, journalist and tracking specialist, has started off on a journey to trace her own connections to the Civil War. This past week, the Woodstock Times ran a piece in which she writes about her discovery of a bare bones journal by her great-great-grandfather. William Morgan Davies, of the 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was an immigrant Welshman whose troubled times as a foot soldier in General Ulysses S. Grant's armies in Tennessee, and later as a prisoner of war at infamous Andersonville Prison, eventually led to a troubled marriage that saw him divorced by the family he started in this country. "Twenty years later, when he took a horsewhip to his wife, the family attributed his rages to the effects of his war experiences, especially his time in Andersonville," Snow writes. "I’m wondering how the trauma of the Civil War is handed down through the generations. Along with the suffering of imprisonment under more or less intolerable conditions, did the stoical Davies experience survivor guilt as men around him died every day? What did he have to do to stay alive in that hell? Does my own tendency toward exaggerated anxiety and guilt have any relationship with his pain? And it’s not just about my family. The more I read about the war and Reconstruction, the more I think about the trauma that underlies modern U.S. politics." She is currently searching through the south, retracing her great-great-grandfather's battle-weary steps set in motion by the outbreak of the Civil War 150 years ago this Tuesday, April 12. She says it comes from new spiritual studies that suggest our nation is marred by its failure to honor, or even try to understand, its ancestors. "Jackson, Clinton, Bolton, Vicksburg, the Black River — where are these places?" she writes. "I don’t know what kind of resonance is waiting for me, but something important is there... I am realizing that the ancestors have tremendous power for us." More when Violet returns...

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Asli Karahan-Ay"][/caption]Dick May has an interesting piece up on his April 9 Seeing Greene blog, about a new Greene County resident who has been named one of 190 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum, better known by the place the WEF meets each year in Davos, Switzerland. Asli Karahan-Ay recently bought a historic home locally with her husband, Evren Ay, and was chosen for her work at the international bank, UBS, where she serves as executive director of the office of the chief executive officer, and previously served as director of UBS' investment bank division. The YGL class of 2011 is composed of 190 people under the age of 40 from 65 countries. Included with Karahan-Ay in the North American contingent of honorees are novelist Dave Eggers, Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Fox commentator and former Bush press secretary Dana Perino, and former Senator and current Democratic Party organizer Harold Ford Jr. Below is a video of David Aikman, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders, explaining this year's selection process and what makes this incoming class of Young Global Leaders unique.

WGXC Radio Council member Max Goldfarb recorded the Hudson City School District budget meeting on Monday night, April 11. There, a 9.8 percent tax levy increase, including the loss of 27 employees, passed by a narrow 4-3 board majority. Even if the budget gets voted down May 17, the district has the option to adopt the budget as is, according to Daniel Barrett, the district’s business manager. HCSD board members Peter Meyer, Peter Rice and Elizabeth Fout voted against. Both Rice and Meyer believed the vote should have been put off for one more week with the intention of taking another look at the numbers.

Sound clips featured District Superintendent Jack Howe, who grew up in the district, as the main voice. They include an introduction of the basic numbers, a discussion of state aid figures, and what the HCSD administration saw itself working with, and towards; Board member Elizabeth Fout, who voted against the spending measure, raising other ways of cutting costs at one point, including the cutting of days the buildings were open; and Howe outlining future steps, following the budget's passage by the board, including ways in which job cuts could be re-addressed in the future.

For now, we present some talk of the proposed elimination of a specific social studies teaching position: Board_Ed03_4_11


And finally, some back and forth regarding the costs of transportation, a wild card in recent years: Board_Ed06_4_11

Nomad market finds home on Church St.
Doron Tyler Antrimreports in the Daily Mail that the Catskill Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday, April 11 to relocate the community's seasonal farmers market to the county parking lot along Church Street, perpendicular to where it was last year. The move is a change of opinion since Saturday, when village officials met and agreed the market would remain on Main Street this year, although with a new look. It was decided it would be unsafe to have traffic and kids events simultaneously. The proposal now needs approval from the Greene County Legislature.

Word from the BOE Meeting
Carole Osterink of Gossips of Rivertown was the first to report on the June 11 Hudson City School District Board of Education meeting, noting how they voted to accept the proposed budget, "which at $41,249,180 involves the elimination of 26 positions and a 9.8 increase in the tax levy." Four board members--Emil Meister, Jeffrey Otty, Mary Daly, and Peter Merante--voted to accept the budget; three--Peter Meyer, Elizabeth Fout, and Peter Rice--voted against accepting it. "When asked by an audience member what would happen if the voters rejected the budget, three options were explained: (1) the BOE could propose the same budget for a second vote; (2) the BOE could further reduce the budget and propose a new budget; (3) the BOE could go directly to contingency, which would mean that the budget now proposed would be the budget, since a 9.8 percent increase is within the parameters allowed bu the state for a contingency budget." We will have more from this event, with audio, in the coming hours.

Lawsuit could slow Greenport Crossings project
John Mason of the Register-Star reports that despite receiving an unprecedented 20-year tax abatement agreement from the Columbia County Industrial Development Agency,the Greenport Crossing complex is facing a $1.5 million lawsuit. "Developer Harbalwant Singh, in the midst of a brownfield cleanup, said he has decided to forgive both the parties named in the suit and will be dropping it," Mason writes. Singh sued the man he bought the property from for allegedly lying to him about environmental factors on the property. He now says he will forgive the lie and drop his lawsuit so development can proceed.

Drilling foes make point
Brian Nearing reports on the April 11 anti-fracking rally in Albany in the Times Union, noting that "several hundred people descended on the state Capitol to urge lawmakers to reject horizontal hydrofracking, which delivers a high-pressure mix of water, chemicals and sand to free natural gas trapped in shale formations deep underground." He observed the presence of Josh Fox, director of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Gasland," among a crowd of about 450 people who had signed up to lobby lawmakers against horizontal hydrofracking. The drilling technique remains under study by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. A decision on rules to control the practice could be released sometime this summer after about three years of study... "Also Monday, the gas industry -- which defends the process as safe -- wrote to the governor to ask that he speed up the DEC review," Nearing continues. "The state, the industry says, is missing revenue available in states that allow the process, including Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia." "New York cannot afford to allow protests rooted in misinformation to halt the tremendous economic development activity that awaits our state," wrote Brad Gill, executive director of the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York, which represents about 400 energy companies. Also, several Democratic state lawmakers on Monday announced a package of proposals, from an outright ban on hydrofracking to strict controls on the chemicals, some toxic, used in the process as well the large amounts of tainted wastewater that hydrofracking creates.

Gibson calls economy a bipartisan problem
Michael Ryan reports in the Daily Mail that U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson of Kinderhook, R-20th, called the economy "a bipartisan problem" during his town hall meeting in Windham on April 11, where he was joined by State Senator James Seward, R-Milford. Asked to respond to the nuclear power plant emergency in earthquake ravaged Japan and the role of nuclear power in America, the congressman reiterated that he remains a proponent of nuclear power... "when it is done right." “I strongly support all renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geo-thermal but at the end of the day, when you realistically look at what we consume as a nation, I say let the science go forward," he said. "If a community doesn’t want nuclear, it shouldn’t be forced on them. There are communities that will want it.”

Gasoline prices continue upward surge
The Daily Freeman notes what we all have noticed: average retail gasoline prices in New York have risen 8.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.92 per gallon on April 10. This compares with the national average, which increased 7.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.74, according to gasoline price websiteNewYorkStateGasPrices.com. Including the change in gas prices in New York during the past week, prices April 10 were 95.4 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 18.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 21 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 87.2 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.

Close the creek?
Following up on his own story, Colin DeVries of the Daily Mail writes that area sportsmen have called for a 45-day stay on fishing the Catskill Creek in order to save the fish’s sensitive spawning habitat. Six men were charged with illegally catching walleye there earlier this month and Walter Bennett, president of the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Greene County, addressed county lawmakers on April 11, urging support to close a section of Catskill Creek from March 16 to April 30. Walleye season is from the first Saturday in May through March 15 of the following year.

The National Weather Service predicts rain showers early becoming a steady light rain for the afternoon. High 59F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch. Tomorrow: a steady rain in the morning. Showers continuing in the afternoon. High 53F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch.

Town meetings tonight
CHATHAM Planning Board meeting, 7:00 p.m.
COPAKE Board of Ethics, 7:00 p.m.; Comprehensive Planning Comm., 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall
COXSACKIE Town board at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Reid St.

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 9:48 a.m./Low, 5:26
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:19 a.m./7:33 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 2:15 a.m./1:14 p.m.

Birthdays
April 12 Muhammad At Taqi, Lily Pons, Tiny Tim, Herbie Hancock, David Letterman, and Vince Gill.

United Way chief predicts banner 2011
Raymond Pignone writes in the Daily Mail that United Way of Columbia and Greene Counties is predicting a banner year, with Executive Director Brad Poster saying the nonprofit began the year by granting funds to 37 not-for-profit agencies in its two counties. UWCG’s biggest corporate donors are Save-A-Lot in Greene County and UPS in Columbia County. All of the funds collected by UWCG are distributed only to agencies in Greene and Columbia counties, Poster said.

Troopers issue 55 tickets enforcing new move over law
Mid Hudson News Network reports about the enforcement actions of the State Police this past weekend, April 9 and 10, on the Taconic Parkway. They handed out 55 tickets in the towns of Clinton, Stanford and Milan enforcing the new Ambrose-Searles Move Over Act that requires vehicles passing emergency vehicles with their flashing lights on move as far away from them as they can. That means on the Taconic, if a State Police car is on the right shoulder of the road, passing motorists are supposed to move over to the left lane, if possible.

Six charged with illegally taking walleye
Scott Waldman of the Times Union writes that six men were charged with illegally taking walleye from the Catskill Creek, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. "An officer saw the men 'snagging,' a term for dragging a large hook through the water until it catches a fish, on April 3," Waldman reports. "Police said they found a cooler where the men were keeping the fish, mostly pregnant females averaging more than 11 pounds and 27 inches long. State Police helped with the investigation. Walleye season runs from the first Saturday in May to March 15. Those who catch the fish out of season face 15 days in jail. "The walleye are particularly at risk this time of year because the fish are spawning," DEC Regional Director Gene Kelly said in a statement. "The Catskill Creek is one of the largest walleye breeding areas in the region and it's imperative that we protect these vulnerable breeding fish." The six men were from the Capitol Region.

Bankruptcy filings drop 15% in 1Q
The Albany Business Journal reports that bankruptcy filings in the Albany court district dropped 15 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to new data posted on April 11. Almost 200 fewer cases were filed when compared to the first quarter of 2010, for a total of 1,086 new cases. The total is lower than levels in 2010 and in 2009. The data is for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court division based in downtown Albany, which covers 12 counties including the Capital District and upper Hudson Valley..

Mid-Hudson bridges are very safe, says bridge chief
Mid Hudson News Network reports that the New York State Bridge Authority’s five bridges across the Hudson River are well maintained and safe, according to Executive Director Joseph Ruggiero. “All of our bridges receive what we call a rating of a five, the highest rating that can be achieved for the older bridges that the Bridge Authority owns; that’s due to our maintenance program being proactive versus reactive and the next 20 years several of our bridges will approach their 100th anniversary of service and the diligence that we apply to our maintenance is even more critical to make sure our bridges continue to provide safe and reliable service,” he said. The Authority operates the Bear Mountain, Newburgh-Beacon, Mid-Hudson, Kingston-Rhinecliff and Rip Van Winkle bridges. More than 58 million vehicles crossed the bridges in 2010.

Environmental groups from across the state are heading to Albany the morning of Monday, April 11 for a rally against high-volume hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region that spans the southern half of New York and parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The Hydro-Fracking Day of Action, according to Citizens Campaign for the Environment, begins with a 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. rally on the Capitol Lawn with activists and advocates from throughout New York; then a 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. series of visits to individual legislators to "educate New York's lawmakers about the dangers of dirty drilling." According to an Associated Press story on the rally found on the website for the Times Herald-Record, "opponents fear the technology commonly called 'fracking' may lead to contamination of water supplies. New York has had a moratorium on permits for high-volume fracking since it initiated a comprehensive environmental review of it nearly three years ago. Fracking involves the high-pressure injection of chemically treated water into a gas well to crack surrounding shale and release trapped natural gas. The industry says fracking is well-regulated and safe." Among the speakers at Monday morning's rally will be Josh Fox, director of the anti-gas industry documentary "Gasland," and actor Mark Ruffalo, who has recorded station welcomes for WGXC.

Hannacroix Creek dumper caught
Colin DeVries reports in the Daily Mail that a 79-year-old Coxsackie man was charged with illegally dumping into the Hannacroix Creek on Saturday, April 9, state police said after a report of a suspicious person dumping household garbage into the creek was reported to them. Lawrence J. Burke was found traveling in his vehicle on County Route 61 and ticketed by police. Police said Burke had dumped a bag of household garbage, containing rancid meat, into the creek. The bag was located and returned to Burke, who was ordered to properly dispose of the refuse.

NYSP makes arrest in underage drinking investigation
The Register-Star reports that a 19-year-old has been charged with second-degree obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor, after the New York State Police at Livingston arrested him April 8 following an investigation March 18 by the State Police at Kinderhook, who looked into a report of an underage drinking party being held at a private Kinderhook residence. Troopers located an 18-year-old female described as “obviously intoxicated” and turned her over to her parent. Continued investigation into the incident led to the Friday arrest, with police alleging that Pinkowski intentionally interfered with the troopers’ official duties. He was arraigned in the village of Kinderhook court and released, pending court appearance on April 19.

Goodbye, but not forever
Andrew Amelinckx reports on a ritualistic walking of a labyrinth on Sunday, April 10,to honor Benedicta Bertau, the co-artistic director of Hudson's Walking the Dog Theater. Bertau, who is originally from Germany, is leaving the country for an unknown amount of time while her immigration status is determined. She and fellow Walking the Dog Theater director David Anderson created the labyrinth on the Philmont Village Green two years ago. "Friends came out to say good-bye to Bertau and help clean up the labyrinth, raking leaves and twigs off the stone structure," Amelinckx writes. "While Bertau is gone—she said it could be up to a year—WTD will continue to produce shows." Bertau has been in the U.S. for six years working with WTD under a H1-B visa, a non-immigrant visa that allows non-residents to work in specialty areas. A lawyer is trying to help her secure a green card, but while the process unfolds she will have to be outside the country.

Greene County ski season officially ends
Colin DeVries writes in the Daily Mail about the end of the ski season up at Hunter Mountain, who called it quits for the snow on Sunday, April 10, with ski center reps calling the past year “fantastic.” Hunter Mountain ended its 2010-11 ski season with some mud-skimming revelry a week after Windham Mountain closed on April 3. Also closing on April 10 was state-owned Belleayre Mountain Ski Resort in Ulster County, which faced major state budget cuts and accompanying job losses earlier in the season. Catamount, located in Massachusetts between Hillsdale, NY and Egremont, MA, closed in late March.

The National Weather Service predicts today will be cloudy and windy with a thunderstorm or two possible this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tonight, mostly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 57F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow, showers early, becoming a steady rain later in the day. High 64F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.

Town meetings tonight
CATSKILL Village meeting at 7:00 p.m. at the Firehouse, 1 Central Ave. (behind Walgreens). Final decision on Farmer's Market tonight.
COPAKE Environmental Committee at town hall at 7:00pm,
HUDSON Common Council workshop meeting at 7 pm
HUDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT Special meeting at 7:00 p.m. to discuss and pass a budget
HUNTER Village meeting 8:00 p.m.
NEW BALTIMORE Town meeting at 7:30 p.m.
PRATTSVILLE Town Meeting
GREENE COUNTY LEGISLATURE holds Buildings & Grounds, Conservation, Public Safety, Highway, Government Operations, and Finance committee meetings at 6:00 PM.

Astronomical bodies

TIDES Hudson: High, 8:44 a.m./Low, 4:23 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:21 a.m./7:31 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 2:13 a.m./12:04 p.m.

Birthdays
APRIL 11
Dean Acheson, Christopher Smart, Joel Grey, Vincent Gallo, and Lisa Stansfield.

Farmers market to stay on Main, but look will change
Doron Tyler Antrim reports on the latest iteration of the Catskill’s farmers market, which now seems poised to will remain on Main Street with traffic flowing through it. The decision — which is not finalized, but was generally agreed to during a discussion among village officials and several business owners on Saturday, April 8, — will see vendors moved to the parking spots on the west side of the road with traffic cones or barriers placed in the road. Board action is expected at an official village meeting on Monday evening, April 11.

More charges for alleged burglar
Andrew Amelinckx of the Register-Star reports that the case of an alleged Columbia County burglar keeps growing, with new charges being added to those already filed against the HIllsdale man behind bars since October. Authorities now believe Samuel Sampson, 39, is responsible for as many as 50 area break-ins, going back to 2009. He was originally arrested by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Oct. 29, the result of a two-year investigation with the New York State Police in Livingston into a series of break-ins in Hillsdale, Austerlitz, Philmont, Claverack and across the border in Massachusetts. Sampson was initially charged with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property and second-degree assault, both class D felonies. Amongst his loot were four long guns, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Making food available for bears will lead to problems, state warns
The Daily Freeman is running a state Department of Environmental Conservation reminder discouraging human encounters with black bears. “Typically, black bears are timid and will avoid all contact with humans,” said Willie Janeway, the agency’s Region 3 director who lives in Columbia County. “However, bears will become a nuisance and can cause significant damage if they believe they can obtain an easy meal from bird feeders, garbage cans, Dumpsters, barbecue grills, tents, vehicles, out-buildings or houses. Taking preventative action early and consistently is crucial to avoid chronic bear problems.”

South Bay Dumping Update
Carole Osterink updates her own Gossips of Rivertown report by noting that the trucks seen dumping leftover cement in South Bay Friday were located, then reported to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Hudson Police Department. At about 5:30 on Friday afternoon, April 8, Gossips received a report that "two men with pickup trucks, pickaxes, and shovels" were removing the cement from the marsh. Way to go!

Hudson Valley farmers face development pressure
Bill Fallon of HV Biz writes about a new study that reveals that the Hudson Valley is faced with intense development pressure that is pressuring its agricultural heritage. "Farming endures, according to the data, despite a 10 percent loss of farmland in a five-year period, with a corresponding 21 percent increase in the cost of food production," Fallon writes about “The State of Agriculture in the Hudson Valley," a report by Glynwood, a Cold Spring-based organization devoted to saving Hudson Valley farming. "Perhaps the greatest impediment to small- and mid-size farm viability is the absence of processing and distribution infrastructure necessary for farmers to get their products to market, according to the report. It also documents how the industry is changing as farmers adapt to a shifting economy and to different market opportunities." Yet there are some bright lights on the horizon, according to Glynwood, notably the diversity of markets in the region and the region’s proximity to major urban areas:

The National Weather Service says today will be mainly cloudy. High 63F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight will witness showers early with isolated thunderstorms overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms possible. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 7:44 a.m./Low, 3:10 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:23 a.m./7:30 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 10:58 a.m./2:13 a.m. Monday

Birthdays
APRIL 10 Joseph Pulitzer, Max von Sydow, Nick Auf Der Maur, Bunny Wailer, Haley Joel Osment, and Eddie Hazel.

The new state budget has already meant one change for anyone fishing for striped bass on the Hudson River: you no longer need a license. Fri., April 8, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced that, "a recreational marine fishing license is no longer required to fish in the marine district of New York, including fishing for migratory fish from the sea (e.g. striped bass) on the Hudson River below the Troy Dam." Anglers no longer need to purchase licenses through DECALS, the online license sales system. Legislation included in the final state budget directs DEC to establish a no-fee registry to take the place of the marine license, but that won't be in place until June. The DEC will also provide refunds to holders of lifetime recreational marine fishing licenses later this year, with an announcement about that process coming soon.

City reactions to consolidation plan are mixed
Jamie Larson of the Register-Star reports on the reaction amongst Hudson reactions to the announcement by Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Roy Brown that the county would be consolidating services at the old Wal Mart building in Greenport and moving out of most of its city offices. "Hudson officials have expressed repeatedly that if the county vacated the Railroad Avenue building the city would purchase it for use as a new city court and police department," Larson writes. "Mayor Richard Scalera said he asked Brown that the relocation of DSS be expedited so Hudson can move forward with its plans for the old building as the city is under an order of consent from the Justice Department to improve its court facilities."

Vols needed to inventory ash trees
Jim Planck of the Daily Mail writes about an ongoing effort "to get a handle on just where and how bad the Emerald Ash Borer — a Chinese invasive insect species that is on a path to decimate America’s ash trees — has gotten a toehold in Greene County" via an inventory of ash trees on the streets of Catskill on Sunday, April 17. The action will be overseen by the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP), a gathering of stakeholder groups from across the Catskills, which operates under the umbrella of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, in Arkville, with everyone meeting in front of Village Pizza II on Main Street at 1:00 p.m.

Cuomo: Let’s talk about school performance
Rick Karlin of the Times Union reports on Gov. Andrew Cuomo expandeing the tax cap debate by saying that education funding should be based more on performance of teachers and school systems, instead of giving out money based on formulas based on wealth, enrollment and other factors. “We are talking about the tax cap,” he told Susan Arbetter on the Capitol Pressroom, “And you’re going to hear me talking about something else which I have talked about but I’m going to talk about more which is performance in government, output.” He went on to note that over the past 15 years school funding has doubled while enrollment has dropped about 6 percent. At the same time, he said, using state Education Department statistics, there are 9 percent more teachers and 30 percent more supervisors.

The National Weather Service says today will have plenty of sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High near 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight, cloudy skies. Low 46F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow, cloudy in the morning, then off and on rain showers during the afternoon hours. High around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 6:51.m./Low, 2:07
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:24 a.m./7:29 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 9:57 a.m./1:30 a.m. Sunday

Birthdays
April 9 Eadweard Muybridge, Paul Robeson, Jean Paul Belmondo, and Albert Hammond, Jr.

Tune in today
TRANSMISSION ARTS Max Goldfarb and Galen Joseph-Hunter explain "radio art." 10 a.m.-8 p.m.