Leigh Hornbeck in Capitol Confidential reports Queensbury Supervisor Dan Stec is dropping his efforts to win the Republican line and challenge Congressman Scott Murphy in the 20th CD. Stec’s departure leaves Patrick Ziegler, who received the Essex County endorsement Friday night, and Chris Gibson, who was endorsed by the Saratoga County Republicans Friday. "So now it’s down to a blank-slate veteran supported by the establishment and the tea party candidate," one commenter on the Albany Times-Union blog wrote.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

(From left, Brian Kehoe, Vincent Seeley, and Angelo Amato, candidates in the Village of Catskill election.)

Current Village President Vincent Seeley, current Trustee Angelo Amato and Democrat challenger Brian Kehoe all participated in the Candidate Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and WGXC and held Saturday March 20 at 10:30 a.m. at the Catskill Community Center. The Village election will be held March 30 for the two seats on the Village Board. Sitting justice Charles Adsit has no challenger in his bid for re-election, and did not participate in the forum.

To listen to a recording of the candidate forum, click on the following link, or paste it into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/CatskillCandidateForum_WGXC_CCC_032010.mp3

Susan Campriello of The Daily Mail reports on the forum here.

Maury Thompson of The Post-Star reports David Harper, of Saratoga Springs, dropped out of the Republican race to challenge Democratic Congressman Scott Murphy in New York's District 20 on Friday. Harper endorsed Chris Gibson, who along with Patrick Ziegler and Dan Stec, are trying to win the Republican nomination. On Thursday the Ballston Republican Committee in Saratoga endorsed hometown candidate Patrick Ziegler, and the Warren County Republican Committee, which holds 9.4 percent of the weighted vote, endorsed Ziegler on Monday.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Come out to support community radio in our area! The Spotty Dog invites you to drop in on the Vernal Equinox for a day of music, arts, books, and community! 3 p.m. to late fundraiser for WGXC!

Today at Spotty Dog Books & Ale:

*Crafts with Lady Moon, suitable for the young and non-young alike! Invoke spring with some paper roses and sundry other festive crafts from this diversely talented lady. She'll be here starting at 3:00 to guide your nimble fingers!

*An array of local musicians, busking the afternoon away! Feel free to bring your own instrument and participate!

*A tasting with the LEE BROTHERS, whose latest cookbook, SIMPLE, FRESH, SOUTHERN picks up where their James Beard-award winning Southern Cookbook left off! The charming Brothers Lee will bring along some of their southern delicacies for sampling, all recipes featured in their lushly illustrated, spectacular new book. http://mattleeandtedlee.com/lee-bros/

*At 7:00, music from an array of local talent: DJ Lunar Moss (aka Hank Flick): Having invigorated the Hudson nightlife with his Thursday night "Lunar Tonic" series at (p.m.), Moss' diverse collection of vinyl will see us through the evening.

Rob Hervey, master digeridoo-trance wild man will invoke the season with his blissed-out sonic stylings. http://cdbaby.com/cd/rhervey also check out http://www.myspace.com/robhervey

Lady Moon's soulful, ever-shifting sound has recently reached new heights of ephemeral beauty. Settle in and absorb her spell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlwHO9N5YGo Evan Randall and his jazz-drenched old-time antics reimagine tunes both familiar and obscure in his idiosyncratic and unbearably endearing personal style. http://www.myspace.com/evanrandall

Matthew O'Koren's percussive stylings form the backbone of his metal band, COSMOPOLITAN, though he proves equally compelling as Alexander Turnquist's go-to man for ambient back-up. Come see him perform solo, where his wit and weirdness can be explored in full.

Brian Dewan's vocal music is of a sort that tends to reference folk music, hymns, century-old popular music and rock music, and features his genius original instruments. A pillar of insane, singular talent. http://www.dewanatron.com

Alexander Turnquist's luminous guitar is at once rousing and somnolent, a meditation in aspic. Watch his fingers make mincemeat of his twelve-string, and hear his latest compositions. http://www.myspace.com/alexanderturnquist

The Spotty Dog Books & Ale, 440 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12534
518-671-6006

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

(Scott Murphy in Valatie in Aug., 2009.)

Congressman Scott Murphy (D, NY-20) is voting yes on the health care bill on Sunday. The Representative in Congress for Greene and Columbia counties told the Glen Falls Post-Star:

"You know what we hear consistently from everybody in the district is that these health care costs and the rate their going up is just killing them. I was just talking to Todd Feigenbaum (of Glens Falls) earlier this week - you know Feigenbaum cleaners - and the premiums increased 26 percent this year for their plan. It's just unsustainable and you see those numbers and you look at it as I'm looking at my kids and what's life going to be like when they grow up. We've got to do something that's going to slow the growth of our health care costs."

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

On March 12, 2010, WGXC and the Catskill Community Center hosted a benefit at the community center that included a contra dance, and youth bands performing. Here are the recordings of those bands:

Click here to listen to Jonathan Woodin's performance:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/JonathanWoodin_CCC_WGXC_031210.mp3

Click here to listen to No Solutions' performance:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/No_Solutions_CCC_WGXC_031210.mp3

Click here to listen to Seminal Stain's performance:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/Seminal_Stain_CCC_WGXC_031210.mp3

Click here to listen to Loud Youth's performance:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/Loud_Youth_CCC_WGXC_031210.mp3

Nippertown! reports that The Hi-Way Drive-In on Route 9W in Coxsackie is opening its summer season tonight. The drive-in will be showing “Cop Out” with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan with “The Blind Side” starring Sandra Bullock. The Hi-Way Drive-In will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the screenings are scheduled to begin at about 7:30 p.m.

From Leigh Hornbeck in Capitol Confidential:

Two of the four Republicans vying for the chance to take on U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls (NY-20), grabbed endorsements this week in Saratoga County. Mechanicville went to David Harper, a Saratoga Springs lawyer and the Halfmoon committee chose retired Army colonel Chris Gibson, from Kinderhook. The Saratoga County committee meets next Saturday, March 27, to vote on a candidate.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

The Town of Cairo will hold a referendum about funding a bond issue to create a new building for the town library on April 27, the town's board decided at tonight's meeting. The bond will not exceed $3 million and cost taxpayers, at most, $50 a year. Listen to the entire meeting here:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/TownofCairo_meeting_031710.mp3

Before the public meeting, the town held a Public Hearing about the proposed library. Listen to that entire meeting here:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/TownofCairo_LibraryPublicMeeting_031710.mp3

Ken Ytaurte of Greene County won the Gibson Les Paul guitar today at the raffle drawing at Musica in Hudson. Watch the video below:


Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

The Register-Star reports that Carol Weaver will become the Mayor of the Village of Kinderhook, with 77 votes to trustee Richard Phillips, an incumbent, with 69 votes, and newcomer Brian Murphy with 75 votes. In Coxsackie, The Daily Mail reports that Republican Village Trustee John Oliver received 368 votes, Republican Trustee Dianne Ringwald received 356 votes, Democrat Darryl Proper received 289 votes, and Democrat Tony D’Arcangelis got 269 votes. The Daily Mail story implies but does not implicitly say that Oliver and Ringwald will take the two seats available. The Daily Mail also reports that in an uncontested Athens vote, incumbent Democrat Trustee Herman Reinhold received 92 votes and Democrat Gail Lasher received 103 votes. The Daily Mail reports that in Tannersville, incumbent Democratic Trustee Linda Kline got 31 votes, two of which were absentees, out of the total possible of 44 for another two year term and Democrat Leigh J.V. McGunnigle, who drew 25 votes, including two absentees. There were also 16 write-in votes in the uncontested election, with outgoing Trustee Mary Sue Timpson drawing six of them, and Tannersville resident Scott Myers getting five. In Hunter, incumbent Trustee Alan Higgins, who ran on the Hunter Pride Party, took all 33 votes, The Daily Mail reported.

Four-time Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner (Rhinebeck/Clinton) organized a "Brown Bag Lunch Vigil for Healthcare Not Warfare to bring our troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq" today from noon to 1 p.m. in front of Rep. Scott Murphy's offices in Hudson at 623 Warren St. A small crowd marched in front of the Congressman's office hoping to sway him towards a yes vote on the health care reform vote.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

The Watershed Post is reporting that Opus 40, a massive bluestone sculpture built by Harvey Fite over 37 years on an abandoned quarry, is for sale for $3.5 million. The Saugerties property includes a house with 4 beds, 3 baths, 2,860 square feet of living space, and that world-renowned earthwork. From the story:

Since Fite's accidental death in 1976, Opus 40 has been maintained and kept open to the public by his family. The current owner, Fite's stepson Tad Richards, wants to sell the property so he can retire. Susan Barnett of WAMC reported today that the town of Saugerties is looking into buying Opus 40. Special projects coordinator Vernon Benjamin hinted that it might qualify for federal stimulus funds: Opus 40 is shovel ready, so to speak, for cultural and arts organization type use. That's a bit of a shift from last week's Daily Freeman story, which reported that the town was looking for a nonprofit to take over the site. What seems clear is that Saugerties has a stake in the future of Fite's masterpiece--and that Opus 40 becoming a private playground would be a great loss, both for the town and for the cultural heritage of the region.

From Lynn Sloneker's excellent Unmuffled blog about the Hudson school system:

Superintendent John F. Howe chose to speak [at last night's school budget meeting] in general terms, emphasizing that the list of potential [staff] cuts (currently in circulation), can and will change, as he distributed an amended "draft" of that same list to members of the board, minutes before the matter formally came up on the agenda. While Howe said his plan will eliminate 52.5 jobs, he offered little of substance beyond the number. He did admit his plan was still $50,000 short of the $3.8 million mark. At the same time, Howe told the board it must be ready to "move to a resolution of this list" soon, because the district had to be administratively prepared for layoffs. In addition to the elimination of all modified sports and fields trips, Howe's proposal calls for the elimination of the New Employee Mentoring Opportunity (NEMO) Program, as well as the Alternative Learning Program. Howe acknowledged the plan will have an impact on class size. "It is bound to go up," he said. Howe said classes that now contain 18 to 19 students will increase to 23 or 24 students. Classes of 22 or 23 students will grow to 25 or 26.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Democratic Congressman Scott Murphy, who represents Greene and Columbia counties as part of NY-20, is turning out to be one of the key swing votes on the health care reform bill. Murphy voted no against the early version of the bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, as the Senate and the House attempt to reconcile two bills, his vote is being sought by protesters and other groups buying ad time.

Four-time Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner (Rhinebeck/Clinton) has organized a Brown Bag Lunch Vigil for Healthcare Not Warfare to bring our troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq tomorrow, Mar. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. in front of Rep. Scott Murphy's offices in Hudson at 623 Warren St.

The Albany Times-Union uploaded this ad that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is running on Albany TV stations, urging Murphy to vote against the bill:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkuTNNJCUZ4&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

The Times-Union has also spotted this ad from MoveOn.org, urging Murphy to vote for the bill:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv8LYdrFPOQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

From Nate Silver in FiveThirtyEight:

Unions, activist groups and Democratic thought leaders are all starting to urge primary challenges against Democrats who vote against the health care bill. In many cases, it's an idle threat. Want to primary Dennis Kucinich, for instance? It's too late: Ohio's filing deadline passed in February.

I identified 10 Democrats, however, for whom all of the following criteria are true:

1. In a state in which the filing deadline for primary candidates is April 1st or later. I assume that at least some lead time is required to launch a primary challenge. This eliminates a number of important states, including California, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
2. Not yet committed yes votes on health care. According to David Dayen's whip count.
3. In districts with a PVI of R+4 or bluer. This is a critical threshold because Nancy Pelosi could permit all non-retiring Democratic members in districts with PVI's of R+5 or redder to vote against the bill and still have (barely) enough votes for passage. Everyone in a district of R+4 or bluer would have to vote for the bill, however.
4. Been in office for less than 10 years. It's very hard to primary incumbents who have a decade or more of service time in their districts, except in the case of gross misconduct, etc.
5. Are not retiring.

Here is that list:

[Number seven Silver lists as Scott Murphy, the Democratic Congressman who represents Greene and Columbia counties as well as the rest of NY-20. Murphy voted against the first version of the health care bill that passed the U.S. House in December. Silver reports that Murphy is leaning towards voting yes on the new health care bill, and only has $700,000 in the bank to ward off a possible Democratic primary challenger if he votes against the bill, and the same amount to fight one of four Republicans who are vying to get the chance to roll with a possible large Republican tide in the fall.]

Six of the ten vulnerable Democrats are in New York State, which offers a number of advantages to primary challengers: it has a very late filing deadline, and it has a lot of mobilizing infrastructure between strong unionization, the presence of the Working Families Party [The Working Families party says it will decline their line to anyone who votes against health care. Murphy was presented on Sunday with 7,000 signatures gathered by the WFP urging him to support the bill.], and the number of activist groups working in and around New York City. It's hard to imagine that the threat of a primary challenge wouldn't be at least a little bit persuasive to NY-24's Mike Arcuri, for instance, who has just $400,000 in cash on hand and voted for the health care bill originally. The unions have also explicitly threatened a primary challenge against NY-13's Mike McMahon, although he hasn't moved off his no vote so far....

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Dear WGXC community members,

Over the last few months, we’ve been working tirelessly producing benefit events and preparing for the launch of WGXC’s FM signal on 90.7-FM later this year. Please see below for an exciting announcement regarding Prometheus Radio Project (a Philadelphia-based group that helps community stations like ours) who will help get WGXC on the air this September.

Urgently, however, we now need to ask you directly for your financial help.

PLEASE HELP WGXC RAISE 5,000 IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

As publicized, WGXC received a large matching grant from the US Department of Commerce to purchase the equipment (transmitter, antenna, etc) needed to get the WGXC-FM signal on the air. We must match this grant. Fundraising at the community level will demonstrate that we have local support for this effort that will sustain WGXC into the future. We’ve secured the means to extend our fundraising efforts towards the match into the summer, but WE MUST RAISE 5,000 IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

We are asking you to dig as deeply as you can to ensure that WGXC stays on track and can meet our matching deadline. If you are not yet a member, please consider becoming one at the highest level possible. If you are already a member, thank you, and we hope you’ll consider increasing your membership to the next level.

Founding member levels:

· ELECTRODES = 1 watt ($25 - 49)
· CAPACITORS = 2-4 watts ($50 - 124)
· CIRCUITS = 5-9 watts ($125 - 249)
· TRANSISTORS = 10 - 20 watts ($250 - 524)
· TOWERS = 21 - 40 watts ($525 - 1,024)
· ANTENNAE = 41 - 100 watts ($1,025 - 2,524)
· TRANSMISSIONS = 101 - 200 watts ($2,525 - 5,000)
Become a member by making your donation online at www.wgxc.org

Or send a check payable to

WGXC
5662 Route 23
Acra, NY 12405

Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

You can become a Founding Member of WGXC by making a donation with a credit card through Paypal below:


PROMETHEUS BARNRAISING NEWS

As part of our launch preparation efforts, Station Manager, Kaya Weidman, and Program Manager, Tom Roe, put forth an application for WGXC to be considered a candidate by Prometheus Radio Project for one of their renowned radio station barnraising events.

We are delighted to report that WGXC has been selected! What this means is that in late September, radio experts from Prometheus will descend on WGXC for a weekend of events, workshops, studio perfecting, and engineering. Events will take place across Columbia and Greene Counties. Stay tuned for further details regarding the date and schedule, and we hope to see you then. Thank you Prometheus!

Thank you for your time and attention,
Galen Joseph-Hunter, Executive Director (galen@wgxc.org)
Tom Roe, Program Director (tom@wgxc.org)
Kaya Weidman, Station Manager (kaya@wgxc.org)

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Athens's Stewart House restaurant is being sold, Dick May is reporting. "Owner Owen Lipstein has entered into a sales contract with Reggie Young of Athens, a food industry veteran who leads a small syndicate of investors," May wrote in his Seeing Greene blog earlier today. May reports the 100-seat restaurant would attempt, “a small market focusing on local products,” next door, and..."the upstairs rooms would be renovated,

'with soundproofing and modern amenities,' shaping a 12-room 'comfortable hip hotel environment.' Also, 'Further development of the facility’s garden, dock and waterside features,' would be undertaken, the centerpiece being a 60-seat, 'outdoor wood-fired pizza shack."

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Listen to a recording of Rep. Scott Murphy's Tele-Town Hall from 6:30 p.m. March 10, 2009 on WGXC Online Radio by clicking here. Rep. Murphy represents NY-20, which includes Columbia and Greene counties.

That link should open an mp3 recording in Quicktime Player on your computer. Note: This does not work in Internet Explorer, use a different browser. If you have Quicktime Player Pro, you can download the recording.

You can also paste this in to your iTunes, or whatever media player you use, under "Open URL":
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/03/ScottMurphy_TeleTownHall_WGXC_031010.mp3

WGXC volunteers are working hard to launch a 3,300-watt community radio station. More than 78,000 people throughout Greene and Columbia counties will be able to receive the signal on 90.7-FM. WGXC received its license from the FCC and a grant from the US Commerce Dept that will cover 50 percent of our equipment needs. We now need to raise matching funds in order to get on the air. So far, WGXC is 33 percent of the way towards our goal.

You can become a Founding Member of WGXC by making a donation with a credit card through Paypal below:


Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.