Bill Mahoney and Laura Nahmias are reporting for Politico New York the two Democratic factions in the state Senate will reunite as a single conference, ending years of division that helped solidify Republican control of the chamber. The new conference will consist of 29 of the Senate's 30 Democrats. Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who has led the Senate’s mainline Democrats since 2012, will retain her role and lead the new conference. Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein will dissolve his conference, forfeit his leadership role and become Stewart-Cousins’ deputy. The announcement marked the culmination of talks that began in November, when both conferences tentatively agreed to a deal designed to result in reunification following the special elections. In the months since, a number of candidates have announced primary challenges against IDC members. And Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who brought the parties together to arrange the unity deal, now has a primary opponent in Cynthia Nixon, who has repeatedly attacked him for his support of the IDC. “Together, certainly with the governor, we will be able to do all the things that we know to be important to really make sure New York stays the progressive beacon it is,” said Stewart-Cousins. Read the full story at Politico New York.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Isolated snow showers before 1 p.m. Mostly sunny. High near 40. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 23.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
FRIDAY: Snow likely before noon, then rain and snow likely between noon and 2 p.m., then rain likely after 2 p.m. Cloudy. High near 43. Friday night, rain showers likely before 8 p.m., then mixing with snow and turning to snow showers after 11 p.m. Cloudy. Low around 30.
SATURDAY: A chance of snow before 11 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy. High near 41. Saturday night, a slight chance of snow before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 24.

Sunrise today: 6:29 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:26 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 12:56 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS and POLITICAL EVENTS for Thu., Apr. 5:
Please see the WGXC Community Calendar.

While legislators are pushing a new law with much steeper fines against pirate radio operators through Congress, the Federal Communications Commission is cracking down with a new round of raids on scofflaw stations. On March 26, in Boston, transmission equipment was seized from “Big City,” which used three different FM frequencies, and “B87.7 FM,” with with Federal Marshals and the Boston Police Department. John Anderson at DIYmedia.net reports that Big City stayed on the air for most of 11 years on three channels despite 15 visits or actions from the FCC, the U.S. Attorney's office, and the U.S. Treasury. This week, sent Notices of Unlicensed Operation to three alleged pirate operations in Brooklyn. They include Parkash 1718 LLC on 105.7-FM, 108 Field Place Realty LLC on 99.3-FM, and Jean Claude Michel Nostrant Ave. at 90.9-FM, Radio World reports. The FCC also sent a letter to Angel Rigoberto on 90.5-FM in Newark, New Jersey, and visited Jerome Moultrie at Northeast 149th St. in Miami who was operating on 90.1-FM. And in Fayetteville, North Carolina this week, FCC agents warned Freddie Rodriguez, who was using the 87.9-FM frequency.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Wed., April 4 (3:55). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)

Folks near East Durham are in mourning after a fire there took the lives of five, and left a father in intensive care this week. Nicholas Mammano; his wife, Mary; and three of their grandchildren, all under the age of 12, died in the April 2 fire on Route 145 in East Durham. The children's father, John Mammano, is in critical condition at the Clark Burn Center in Syracuse. In one day, a GoFundMe page for Mammano raised $15,056 of a $20,000 goal, with donations from 268 people. Local websites are full of other fundraisers for Mammano such as East Durham road signs for sale, and burn victim awareness bracelets for donations. The Cairo-Durham school district is organizing a forum for parents and Superintendent Anthony Taibi sent out this message: "It is a difficult time for all, especially the Mammano family, and it may be particularly difficult for children to process and cope with losing their classmates in this heartbreaking tragedy. We want you to know that counselors will be at the elementary school from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the rest of the week, and after 12 p.m. as needed by calling the elementary school at 518-622-3231. We also plan to hold an informational forum for parents at 6 p.m. Thu., April 5, at Cairo-Durham Elementary School. This event is for parents/guardians and childcare will be provided. The purpose of this event is to inform you about resources that are available to you and your children, as well as services available through the district and outside agencies to help support our school community during this difficult time."

Bethany Bump is reporting for the Times Union an urgent care chain is expanding into the area with the opening April 5, of a new clinic in Greenport. Five Star Urgent Care, a private company that operates 16 walk-in clinics across upstate New York, is opening a clinic at 446 Fairview Avenue. The facility will treat non-life threatening illnesses and injuries and will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The company has been operating clinics in the central part of the state, with a few in western New York and one in the North Country. Five Star promises to get patients in and out in less than an hour. The market for urgent care clinics has expanded in recent years, with a number of providers competing to offer convenient, walk-in spaces for people looking for quick care, according to Bump. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Shane Goldmacher reports in The New York Times that Cynthia Nixon, challenging Andrew Cuomo for governor in the Democratic primary in September, says she wants to legalize marijuana in New York. “She said that if marijuana is legal, we can tax it and make a lot of money from that,” said Julie Klam, an author who attended a private fundraiser last week where Nixon said she wanted it legal. Cuomo has opposed legalizing recreational marijuana. Cuomo did sign a bill to make medical marijuana legal, but it may be the most restrictive law in the country, with few eligible. Last year Cuomo called it a “gateway drug” and said, “As of this date, I am unconvinced on recreational marijuana.” Nixon's spokesperson declined to comment on the issue. Read the full story in The New York Times.

While there is still snow in the weather forecast this week, one sign of spring locally is the opening of local drive-in movie theatres. The Hi Way Drive-In in Coxsackie opens April 6, showing "Black Panther," "A Wrinkle in Time," "A Quiet Place," "Annihilation," "Ready Player One," "Tomb Raider," "Blockers," and "Pacific Rim: Uprising" on its screens. The Greenville Drive In does not start showing movies until May 5, though it does have a music event with the Hudson Dusters performing April 26.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Wed., Apr. 4 (7:18). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Carly Miller is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Cairo Town Board unanimously decided April 2, to delay its vote on a proposed six-month ban of commercial solar farms following a public hearing on the subject. The decision came as a 2-megawatt project is under review by the Cairo Planning Board. The delay is intended to allow town board members to review and adjust the existing solar zoning law, including regulations for visual screening, lot coverage and land percentages. “The concern is whether or not the current design criteria and requirements in the zoning law would protect the town’s interest with regard to property development,” Town Supervisor Daniel Benoit said. “Hopefully, everyone will have had a chance to take a look at the zoning law and decide whether there’s enough existing protections or the changes will be simple enough to institute without a moratorium." During the public hearing, residents and board members debated a list of concerns, including decommission costs, fire safety and more. Residents remained divided during and after the hearing on the value of the potential moratorium and the benefits of solar farms for taxpayers. The moratorium was suggested when solar company Cypress Creek Renewables was considering four to five locations in Cairo, Benoit said. The issue was tabled until the May 7 town board meeting, but Benoit said a vote is not guaranteed. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Eric Anderson is reporting for the Times Union the city of Albany could get a seasonal weekend train to the Berkshires, if a plan to extend the existing Empire Service to Pittsfield from Manhattan and Rensselaer is approved. The Berkshire Flyer Working Group determined the extension would not require any significant capital investment. The total cost for operating one round trip each weekend during the summer and fall months would be $425,000. If the service attracted 2,600 passengers over that period, the cost would be reduced to $240,000. Once financing for the proposal is secured, the service could be in place as soon as 2019. Under the service envisioned, Amtrak train #255 would leave Penn Station in New York City at 2:20 p.m. and arrive in Pittsfield at 6:10 p.m. On the return trip, train #244 would depart Pittsfield at 2:45 p.m. and arrive at Penn State at 6:45 p.m. The next step is to find financial support to pay for a service launch and a one- to two-year pilot program. If the Berkshire train proves successful, the service could be further expanded, with potential additional stops in West Stockbridge, Mass. and Chatham, Columbia County. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to video record custodial interrogations with people accused of serious crimes is now in effect. The law was passed in 2017, and pertains to those charged with crimes such as homicide and violent felony sex offenses. "Recording interrogations can be critical in helping convict the guilty, free the wrongly accused and uphold faith and confidence in our criminal justice system," Cuomo said in a statement released by his office on April 3. "I'm proud that this hard-fought reform is now in effect, bringing us one step closer to a more fair and more just New York for all." Investigators must video record interrogations of anyone accused of serious non-drug felonies. The requirement applies only to custodial interrogations at police stations, correctional facilities, prosecutor's offices, and similar holding areas. According to Cuomo's office, since 2011, New York has provided more than $4.15 million to approximately 365 police agencies and prosecutors' offices statewide for the purchase and installation of video-recording equipment. Read the full press release at governor [dot] ny [dot] gov.

Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union a program to help students pay for tuition at private non-profit colleges has been expanded for those who attend for-profit institutions, beginning with the next school year. Expansion of the Enhanced Tuition Award program for students attending for-profit colleges was included in the recently approved 2018-19 state budget. The initial Enhanced Tuition Award was started last year after complaints were made that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Excelsior Scholarship for public universities and colleges put private schools at a disadvantage. The awards apply only to for-profit colleges with a physical presence in New York, so online schools like the University of Phoenix are not eligible. The programs are designed to cover tuition costs that are not paid for by other awards such as the state’s Tuition Assistance Program. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Showers and thunderstorms before 2 p.m., then showers likely. High near 56. Breezy, with wind gusts as high as 34 mph. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 27. Continued breezy, with wind gusts as high as 41 mph. A Wind Advisory will remain in effect from 1 p.m., Wednesday, through 5 a.m. Thursday. The strongest winds will occur Wednesday afternoon and evening.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
THURSDAY: A slight chance of snow showers between 9 a.m. and noon. Mostly sunny. High near 39. Thursday night, snow likely, mainly after 5 a.m. Increasing clouds. Low around 23.
FRIDAY: Snow before noon, then rain and snow between noon and 1 p.m., following with rain after 1 p.m. High near 45. Friday night, rain likely, possibly mixed with snow showers before 11 p.m., then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 29.

Sunrise today: 6:31 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:25 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 12:53 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS and POLITICAL EVENTS for Wed., Apr. 4:
Please see the WGXC Community Calendar.

Ars Technica reports that in a March 26 letter to Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged for the first time ever that the use of unauthorized cell-site simulators in Washington D.C. The devices, known commonly as Stingrays because of one brand name or International Mobile Subscriber Identity-catchers, trick mobile devices into believing they are cell towers. Once locked in, the devices can steal data, pinpoint user locations, and/or plant malware. "Overall, [The Department of Homeland Security's National Protection and Programs Directorate] believes the malicious use of IMSI catchers is a real and growing risk," wrote Christopher Krebs, DHS' acting undersecretary in the letter to Wyden. Police around the country use the Stingrays, but they usually do not admit to it. "In 2015, various federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, said that, in most circumstances, they will require a warrant when they use a stingray. Some states also impose similar requirements," the Ars Technica report says. The DHS letter says it is aware of non-police use of the devices in other cities, although it also says it does not know how to detect their usage. Activists have complained about police usage of the devices because they don't pinpoint targets, but sweep up many cell phones where they are located.

Click here to download or play a recording of the April 3 Town of Catskill meeting, recorded from a live webstream on WGXC.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Tues., April 3 (3:45). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)

Louis Nelson reports for Politico that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has lined up 16 other states, the District of Columbia, and six large cities to sue the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau over asking about U.S. citizenship on the 2020 census. Schneiderman says the citizenship question “will fatally undermine the accuracy of the population count and cause tremendous harms.” The lawsuit, filed April 3, says, “As defendants’ own research shows, this decision will ‘inevitably jeopardize the overall accuracy of the population count’ by significantly deterring participation in immigrant communities, because of concerns about how the federal government will use citizenship information.... These concerns have been amplified by the anti-immigrant policies, actions, and rhetoric targeting immigrant communities from President Trump and this Administration.” New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, with the District of Columbia, New York City; Chicago; Philadelphia; Providence, Rhode Island; Seattle; and San Francisco and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Read the full story at Politico.

William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that no members of the public commented on the proposed $2.35 million Saugerties village 2018-19 budget at an April 2 public hearing. There's a 0.64 percent spending increase of $14,867 and Mayor Bill Murphy says its the eighth consecutive year with a tax levy decrease. “I think that’s pretty impressive,” Murphy said. “Our budget is over $1 million less than it was nine years ago. Obviously, (the town takeover of) the police force has something to do with that, but we still maintained and absorbed a lot of other increases over those years.” Saugerties taxpayers would get a $1.68 million property tax levy, a 1.08 percent decrease of $18,267, under the proposal. The village board will vote on the budget at their April 16 meeting in the village Fire Department meeting room at 43 Partition St. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

WHEC reports that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) will return to his alma mater next month to deliver a commencement address. Faso will speak at The College at Brockport event on May 12. The school is in Monroe County, near Rochester. Faso has not listed the event on his Public Schedule on his website, and has not listed any events there in about six months. Read the full story at the WHEC website.