From Jimmy Vielkind in Capitol Confidential:

Rep. Scott Murphy paid $23,100 in the last three months to Global Strategy Group, a Democratic polling firm which recently paid a $2 million settlement in connection with a pay-to-play investigation. Murphy’s quarterly filing shows the payments to Global were made on Feb. 4 and 24 for polling. They were Murphy’s largest expenditures (others include payments to Act Blue, for Murphy’s fund-raisers and some travel) of the quarter, during which he raised $475,000. Global Strategy Group acknowledged to Cuomo’s investigators that they acted as an unlicensed placement agent when they arranged a meeting with Intermedia Partners and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in 2007. Intermedia’s investment from the state’s common retirement fund was increased thereafter. The firm has many marquis Democratic clients: it advised former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in his 2006 election and is currently on retainer to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Murphy has used Global as his pollster since his 2009 special election. Gillibrand’s Republican opponent David Malpass has called on her to break with Global, and other Republicans (including Doug Hoffman, the likely Conservative Party candidate against Rep. Bill Owens) are issuing similar calls.... “We have spoken with Global Strategy Group are satisfied that they have worked with the Attorney General’s office to resolve the issue,” said Josh Schwerin, a Murphy spokesman. “Furthermore, it is evident that this incident is unrelated to our relationship with the firm and our campaign will continue to employ their services.”

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WGXC: Hands-on Radio is a new community radio station for Greene and Columbia counties, New York.  WGXC’s FM signal, 90-7.FM, reaches over 78,000 potential listeners.

This is the first radio station of its kind in our area created by people who live in this community, for this community. WGXC will be an on-air arena where different and conflicting points of view can come together to share perspectives. A local “trading post” for for historic, creative, playful, and useful content. WGXC will provide the tools to make voices heard, and become a vehicle to build understanding.

We want to make local vocal. Radio is powerful. Community radio can be transformative. It’s affecting because it’s personal, and enables us to get to know one another in new ways. Radio is a companion to our daily routines; it enhances our quality of life.

It is our mission to cultivate and to preserve the unique character of our area, the voices, and conversations of Greene and Columbia county residents. “Hands-on Radio” captures the essence of this project. WGXC’s participatory environment will bring to life the idea that media is not something that is fed to us, but something we create with our own hands, hearts, and minds.

WGXC is a community-run media project, re-envisioning radio as an innovative platform for local participation with special exhibitions and events, media training for our community's youth and adults, a news blog, and a local calendar of events. Tune in or turn out with WGXC.

Visit WGXC's website at www.wgxc.org.

Woodstock rock radio station WDST (100.1-FM) has chosen 15 local bands that have a chance to perform at the station's annual Mountain Jam festival. Three bands will be chosen, and among the finalists are two well-known in Greene and Columbia counties, Voodelic (top) and Mother Fletcher. The other bands in the running are WeMustBe, The Penguin Revolution, Steve Schultz, New Clear Rhythm, Elysium Theory, Happy Windsday, Penny Racer - Say Hello To Strangers, Sasha & The Vocal Soul, Crossroads Band, Babydoll, A Sound Decision, 4 Gun Ridge, and David Kraai & The Saddle. Go here to listen to a song from each of the bands, and, once registered with WDST, to vote, deadline is Sunday Apr. 25 at 5 p.m.

From The Watershed Post:

The image above is a detail from a map from the USDA, showing growth and decline in farming between 2002 and 2007. Each red dot represents 20 farms lost during those five years; each blue dot is for 20 new farms. Read the entire article in The Watershed Post.

TomG of River Basin Sports reports on the first day of the 23rd annual River Basin Sports Striper Contest tournament going on today on the Hudson River:

Well, it didn’t take too long to get our striped bass contest off to a good start. Early this morning at the crack of dawn John Munno, our past 2006 contest winner, hit the waters of the Hudson River in the vicinity of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and discovered that yes, indeed, the stripers are here. Using herring as bait over a rock-gravel bottom in about 20 feet of water he landed a 34 incher, lost a couple of others that were hooked and then boated the first contest entry of 2010 – a 38 ½ inch beauty. Now, John knows, just as well as we here at the River Basin Sports shop do, that there is no way this fish has a prayer of finishing in the money but it was his first striper outing of 2010 and - the first contest entry of the year is always a premiere accomplishment here. Since it was the first fish to be entered we also threw it on the shop scale and saw it tip the needle at 21 lbs 13 ounces. Fishing action in the Catskill – Stockport area of the river continues to be fair to good. Slightly further south, around Germantown, decent action is also reported. We received a report from the Castleton T-way bridge area of good action there over the weekend with fish up into the low 30 inch mark. And even up in the Albany-Troy area there is decent action with a few stripers reported to be running up to around the 3 foot size although one report from there is that the herring have become a little bit spotty. Our Striped Bass Contest sign-ups concluded with a RECORD number of registrants – 604. As our participants are probably aware - we are paying back 100% of the entry monies as prizes 1 through 6 to the entrants bringing in the top six fish (length). That means that at least $9,060 will go to the winners. Read the entire article here.

Greene County Council on the Arts awarded 11 County Initiative Program awards: Bronck Museum of the Greene County Historical Society was awarded $2,200 to continue, expand and promote cultural, educational, and arts programming, including Music of History series, Heritage Craft Fair and Chilly Willy Tours; Catskill Mountain Foundation, Inc. was awarded $2,650 toward artist fees and related costs for year-round performing arts series, which includes dance, theater, classical music, pop music and family performances; free103point9 was awarded $1,200 for support of the online portion of WGXC (at the time of the application known as Greene/Columbia community radio station project); Greene Room Players was awarded $1,800 in support for 2010 community theater productions plus the Reel Teens film program; Horton by the Stream in Elka Park was awarded $1,000 toward artist fees for production of the 2010 season of free summer professional staged readings of plays, primarily by Horton Foote; Irish American Heritage Museum was awarded $500 for year two of the exhibit “The Irish in Battle” at the museum in East Durham; Music & Art Centre of Greene County was awarded $2,500 toward the 2010 season of summer concerts, Classical music series and Ukrainian folk arts workshops at the Grazhda in Jewett Center; Planet Arts was awarded $1,500 toward support for the 2010 Jazzone2one Series to be held at the Athens Cultural Center in Athens; Thomas Cole National Historic Site – Cedar Grove in Catskill was awarded $2,650 in support for the 2010 exhibition: “Remember the Ladies;” Windham Chamber Music Festival was awarded $2,500 in support of its 2010 concert series in Windham; Zadock Pratt Museum was awarded $2,000 in support for its 2010 season of programs and projects.

The Truck festival comes to Shandaken April 30 through May 2, with the Hudson Valley's Mercury Rev headlining with a chamber orchestra. For more information contact the Full Moon Resort at 254-5117.

From The Daily Freeman:

Candidates for Board of Education seats in Ulster, Columbia, Dutchess and Greene counties filed petitions [by] Monday to secure a spot on the May 18 school district election ballots.... The candidates, listed by school district, are as follows:

Columbia County
In Germantown, incumbent Teresa Repko, of Germantown, and Eric Mortension, of Gallatin, were the only candidates to file petitions early Monday. The names of the two will appear on the ballot for election to a four-year term and a one year unexpired term left by the resignation of Suzanne Pelletier.

Greene County
In the Cairo-Durham school district, eight candidates are running for four seats on the board, with three seats carrying a three-year term and the fourth seat with a one-year unexpired term. The three-year seats are currently held by board Vice President Thomas Plank and trustees Greg Koerner-Fox and Fred Zimmerman. Debra Armstrong resigned from the fourth seat. Besides incumbents Plank of Mountain Avenue, Purling, and Koerner-Fox of Indian Ridge Road, Earlton, incumbent Trustee Beatrice Clappin of Enchanted Valley Drive, Cornwallville, also filed a petition. Clappin was appointed to fill Armstrong’s seat until the May 18 election. Also running are Nicole Maggio of Halfmoon Drive, Cairo; Samuel Mozzillo of county Route 31, Purling; Dean Pectal of Gibson Road, Greenville; Patricia Ublacker of Orchard Drive, Leeds; and Jennifer Sabine of state Route 20, Durham.

In Catskill, 10 individuals will vie for three seats, each carrying a three-year term, as well as a fourth seat to fill a vacancy, which carries a two-year term. The three seats are currently held by board President Randall Griffin of Mahican Way, Catskill, and trustees Michael Bulich of Greenpoint Road, Catskill, and Lisa Warner of Bogardus Avenue, Catskill. The vacancy was created by the resignation of former Trustee Beverly Cotten. Besides the three incumbents, candidates are former board member Carol Schilansky of Elting Road, Catskill; Carthette Burnett of Main Street, Catskill; Francesca Daisernia of Leeds; Ronald Frascello of Gary Lane, Palenville; Matthew Leitman of Pleasant Drive, Catskill; Tracy Powell of Bogart Road, Palenville; and Christopher VanLoan of Rams Horn Drive, Catskill.

In the Coxsackie-Athens school district, three seats, each carrying a three-year term, are up for election, though only two incumbents are being challenged. Incumbents Mark Gerrain, of Hamilton Street, Coxsackie; Russell Nadler, of Flats Road Extension, Athens; and Beth Tailleur, of state Route 81, Climax, each filed petitions for re-election. Tailleur is being challenged for her seat by Kim VanAusdle, of Sunset Boulevard, Coxsackie, while Nadler is being challenged for his seat by Stephen Oliveira, of Schoharie Turnpike, Athens. Gerrain, the current board vice-president, is unopposed for re-election.

In the Hunter-Tannersville school district, incumbent Trustee Marc Czermerys of June Lodge Drive, Tannersville, is being challenged by Penelope Fromer, address unavailable, for a five-year term. Read the entire article here.

The Broderick Fine Art Gallery hosts the April 24 opening of "Where We Live," a show of plein air landscapes of the Northern Catskills by Barbara L. Walter. The gallery is located upstairs at Ruby’s Hotel, 3689 County Road 67 in Freehold, just off Route 32. The show runs through May 22 and gallery hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 5–10 p.m. and the opening is this Saturday from 5-7 p.m.

Saturday morning Club Helsinki announced to its Facebook members that the club from Great Barrington will open in Hudson May 1, near the corner of N. 4th St. and Columbia St. Spottiswoode & His Enemies (watch YouTube video below) will open the club that Saturday. Cellist Matt Haimovitz and his eight-piece cello ensemble, perform May 8, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus takes the stage May 30, and there will be a WGXC fundraiser at Club Helsinki June 17.

Debora Gilbert in The Columbia Paper has a detailed story that also gets the big picture about Tuesday's meeting about the future of the Bliss Towers housing complex on N. 2nd St. in Hudson. Yet, like the Register-Star story that ran before the meeting, this recap does not say where the meeting was held.

”Are you saying you are going to knock it down?” someone asked at a meeting held this week to discuss the future of Bliss Towers, the 36-year-old public housing complex. “We're entertaining the idea of replacement. Maintenance has become a headache,” said Jeffrey First, who manages the building as executive director of the Hudson Housing Authority, a program associated with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Bliss Towers, the only federal housing project in the city, needs either significant renovation or replacement. A renovation that would bring the building up to new green energy and health standards required by HUD could cost $17 million or more, over $100,000 per unit. The concrete apartment complex was built before planners designed for greater energy efficiency, water conservation and sustainable maintenance costs. The first informational meeting to discuss its possible replacement with new housing was held last September. The meeting Tuesday, April 13, brought together a roomful of green housing experts, city officials and five tenants to exchange information and ideas about the possibility of replacing the towers... But tenant Tiffany Garriga voiced her opposition to such [green energy] plans. “I don't want my kids to be squeezed because you guys want to go green,” said Ms. Garriga, who lives in a 7th-floor, 3-bedroom apartment with a view of the Catskill Mountains. She was not the only tenant present who said that high-rise construction deterred crime. She just wants officials to fix the building and add a fully equipped playground. Since it was built in 1973, repairs to the structure, boilers, elevators, windows, plumbing and roof, have cost $1.75 million. A lobby renovation in the planning stage for the past 10 years has not yet been realized. The experts in the room agreed that renovation costs are usually higher than new construction, and said it was a harder sell to get HUD to agree to renovation. Read the entire article here.

From Tom Grace in The Daily Star:

Later Thursday, Chuck Pinkey of Otego said another Tea Party Protest will be held at River Valley New Holland in Otego on Saturday, April 24. Among those to speak that Saturday will be state [New York State] Sen. James Seward (who represents Greene County], R-Milford, and two Republican congressional candidates, Richard Hanna of Barneveld and [Republican Congressional challenger in the NY-20 race against Scott Murphy] Christopher Gibson of Kinderhook, he said.

International Community Dinner and Cultural Festival at First Presbyterian Church, 4th and Warren Sts. in Hudson.


(Left, David Gallardo and Oscar Santillan performed songs of Ecuador. Center, Carline Murphy of the Haitian Community Development Project spoke about the prospects for long-term relief for the people of Haiti. Right, Jody Rael of Sun Dog Solar in Chatham spoke about sending solar ovens to Haiti.)



(Left, Hosneara Kader, Kaniz Fatima, and Salami Miah played Bangladeshi music. Right, Abby Lappen played her guitar.)

CONGRESSIONAL COMPARISON

Click here to search for Federal Election Commission finance reports from candidates from March 31.

Chris Gibson (Republican)
Receipts $108,519
Individual $102,119
PAC $1,500
Party $0
Candidate $4,900
Other $0
Cash on hand $91,826

Scott Murphy (Democrat)
Receipts $3,730,535
Individual $1,821,342
PAC $1,252,403
Party $8,807
Candidate $250,000
Other $397,983
Cash on hand $1,090,368

Lady Moon at Savoia, 244 Warren St., Hudson.
Mother Fletcher at Main St. Pub, 12 Main St., Philmont.
Smokin' Aces Blues Band at Fernwood Theater, 341 Malden Ave., Palenville.
NYC-based Girls in Trouble focused on obscure female characters in the Bible, with area songstress Ali Dineen at Spotty Dog Books & Ale.

New York State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,C,I-Red Hook) and Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) will speak at a public forum in Hudson, NY to discuss the People’s Convention to Reform New York Act (A.9157) Wednesday in Hudson. This legislation would place a question on the ballot for the 2010 elections calling for a Constitutional Convention, according to a news release from Molinaro's staff. The forum is Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Hudson Elks Club, 201 Harry Howard Ave., in Hudson.

Ninth annual International Community Dinner and Cultural Festival admission-free event includes traditional cuisine (potluck), music, and dance from diverse nations and cultures, including Haitian, Bangladeshi, Puerto Rican, Nicaraguan, African-American, Mediterranean, and African Sat. Apr 17, 2010 from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Please bring your ethnic food to share! Information at 366-2551 or 672-7901. Also, hear about efforts to rebuild Haiti, including a shipping container going there from Columbia County. (Donations welcome: tents, sleeping bags, soap, toilet paper, rice, pasta, canned fish, dried beans, and powdered milk.) At First Presbyterian Church, 4th and Warren Streets in Hudson.

From Susan Campriello in The Daily Mail:

An organic waste disposal company hopes to open a composting facility for food and yard waste on town-owned property on Route 145. The facility, which could process 3,000 tons of material a year, could be located on a roughly seven-acre portion of the former Cairo Cement Plant and quarry behind the Cairo Highway Department complex. The developer, Charles Docktor, of Catskill Mountain Organics, must enter into an lease agreement with the town in order to proceed with the facility. Read the entire article in The Daily Mail.