Local weather forecast:

TODAY: A chance of snow, possibly mixing with rain after 10 a.m., then gradually ending. Cloudy Through mid-morning, the gradual clearing. High near 46. Monday night, increasing clouds. Low around 31.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
TUESDAY: A chance of rain and snow before 10 a.m., then rain likely. Cloudy. High near 45. Tuesday night, rain likely, mainly before 2 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 41.
WEDNESDAY: A chance of rain and thunderstorms before 8 a.m., the showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Cloudy. High near 59. Wednesday night, a chance of showers before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 29.

Sunrise today: 6:34 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:22 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 12:48 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS and POLITICAL EVENTS for Mon., Apr. 2:
Please see the WGXC Community Calendar.

CNBC reports that the Federal Communications Commission approved the first application to provide broadband service through satellites on March 29. Elon Musk's SpaceX applied to provide broadband services through low-Earth orbit satellites. "With this action, the Commission takes another step to increase high-speed broadband availability and competition in the United States," the FCC said in a statement. SpaceX's proposed satellite system would use 4,425 satellites with frequencies in the Ka and Ku bands, which are 12-18 GHz and 27-40 GHz, respectively. "We appreciate the FCC's thorough review and approval of SpaceX's constellation license. Although we still have much to do with this complex undertaking, this is an important step toward SpaceX building a next-generation satellite network that can link the globe with reliable and affordable broadband service, especially reaching those who are not yet connected," said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer at SpaceX, in a statement. Read the full story at CNBC.

Here's the week in the news for Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook), the District 19 Congressperson for the WGXC listening area. The Fivethirtyeight.com website currently reports Faso votes with Donald Trump's positions 87.1 percent of the time, the same as last week. Click here to download or play an audio version of this report (13:18).

• William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) told Kingston school board members March 23 that he is working on making schools safer from shootings. "I ... [endorsed] the initiative to get mental health funding that we were able to put in this omnibus [federal spending] bill,” said Faso during the meeting. “We’re working on ... a ‘red flag’ law.... This is modeled after a law in Indiana ... [which] would allow a family member or school, if there’s a particular individual that might [be] exhibiting signs of being destructive to themselves or others, that in the case of firearms they would be able to petition a court to remove the firearms. Then the judge would ultimately make the decision on whether or not they should continue to be withheld from the individual.” Friday spoke with the school administrators the day before millions of students and citizens marched around the country at protests against school shootings, organized after 17 were killed at a Florida school Feb. 14. Faso received $5,950 in 2016 from the National Rifle Association. On December 6, Faso voted for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which takes away the right of individual states such as New York to determine what qualifications a person must meet before being allowed to carry a concealed firearm in its borders. Instead, the state with the least regulation makes policy for all other states, since its concealed carry rules would be law everywhere. The International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys opposed the bill. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

• Jordan J. Michael is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media U.S. Rep. John Faso March 23, hosted a resource fair at the Greenville American Legion to provide veterans of the armed services the opportunity to learn more about available benefits. At least 18 veterans service organizations and private agencies were on hand. “This district is larger than Connecticut, so it might be difficult for some veterans to get access to proper services,” Faso said. “We owe a lot to the veterans and we can’t do enough to provide for what they have earned as a veteran.” The event was the fifth Veterans Resource Fair to be held in Faso's district, and the next event will be held in Dutchess County in April. “I’m impressed with the attitude of the people and companies providing services here,” Crane Davis, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Palenville, said. “They seem to really care about reaching out.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

• William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) is “disappointed” with President Donald Trump’s response to Russia’s alleged election meddling. “I’m disappointed in that,” Faso said during a recent interview in Kingston. “I do think that we need to be much more forthright about the fact that the Russians have malign intentions toward the United States.” On March 26 the State Department announced it was expelling 60 Russian diplomats, but not because of election interference. The expulsions came in retaliation for Russia's alleged involvement in the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in England. Faso also complained that the State Department has not spent any of the $120 million set aside to counter Russian efforts to meddle in elections and hack such infrastructure as electrical grid and U.S. aviation systems. “I think we have to be much tougher on the Russians,” he said. “I was pleased to see the Justice Department bring the action against the Iranian nationals for cyber crimes, but I’m not satisfied with the degree to which we have taken action against the Russians.” Faso says, “I have no way of knowing” whether the investigation of the President's involvement with Russia plays any part in the administration's lack of action on Russian issues. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

• Faso also appeared on Fox News March 26. Watch the clip below.


• The Daily Freeman is reporting a Kingston court has ruled the trespassing charge made against community activist and radio host Callie Jayne will be dropped in six months if she does not repeat the offense. Jayne was charged with trespassing after the operator of Seven21 Media Center alleged she was repeatedly warned to stay on the sidewalk and out of the parking lot during weekly rallies at the midtown building where U.S. Rep. John Faso has his district office. Jayne, did not admit guilt during her appearance in City Court. Judge Philip Kirschner said that “under normal circumstances,” any arrest in the next six months would result in the trespassing charge being reopened. But in this instance, Jayne can only be convicted of the charge if she stages a protest on the property, he said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.


• Millions of young people around the country marched in Washington D.C., Poughkeepsie, Albany, and elsewhere March 24 to change gun laws, organized by the students from the Feb. 14 Florida school shooting. But that was not the last action the students from Parkland, Florida are taking. They have next called for all Congressional representatives to host town hall meetings on April 7, as elected officials are back in their home districts. WGXC reached out to both New York senators and Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) to see if they would be holding town hall meetings that day. They are not. Faso and Sen. Chuck Schumer did not get back to WGXC, but both do not list any public events on their websites. A spokesperson for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand did get back to WGXC, but did not address any upcoming town halls, only listing past events. While none of the current representatives are listening to the Parkland students on this issue, six of the seven Democrats who want to replace Faso will be at a town hall-styled event on April 7 at Cooks Falls/Horton Fire Hall, at 116 Cooks Falls Rd in Delaware County. Zephyr Teachout, who ran against Faso in 2016, will moderate the forum. Candidates Pat Ryan, Gareth Rhodes, Brian Flynn, Antonio Delgado, David Clegg, and Jeff Beals are expected to attend. The Parkland students are also organizing a second school walkout on April 20.

• The Daily Freeman is reporting the 10th person looking to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. John Faso announced his candidacy March 28. Steve Greenfield, a former member of the New Paltz school board, said he will seek the Green Party nomination to challenge the Kinderhook Republican, in the Nov. 6 election. Greenfield described his approach to governing as “solve the problem” but without lobbyists. “No corporate lobbyists will ever step foot in my office,” said Greenfield, 56. “They are the problem and the easiest one to solve.” Greenfield said he is the only candidate in the group who has held office and has a legislative record and also the only one "not beholden to corporate donors or party bosses." Greenfield is a 1982 graduate of Columbia College, where he majored in economics. He has made his career in music. Greenfield served two terms on the New Paltz school board. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Here are some stories from the Hudson River this week. Click here to hear an audio version of this report. (3:39)

• The Stevens Institute reports temperatures this week in the Hudson River at Schodack Island were between 39 and 42 degrees, slightly warmer than last week.

• William J. Kemble is reporting in the Daily Freeman the state of New York has extended until May 1 the deadline for public comments on Amtrak’s plan to block the use of access roads near the train tracks on the east side of the Hudson River. Amtrak’s plan calls for keeping all existing authorized access points in Dutchess and Columbia counties, but blocking other roads traditionally used by fishing enthusiasts to access the river. “This project will deter a train [collision] with either a vehicle or human being and promote the well being of the general public by restricting pedestrian and vehicular traffic along the Amtrak right-of-way,” the company said in a written statement. The proposal calls for fences and/or gates along sections of the tracks in Rhinecliff, Rhinebeck, Tivoli, Germantown, Stockport and Stuyvesant. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, Rhinebeck Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia and Tivoli Mayor Joel Griffith have all expressed concerns about the Amtrak plan. In Columbia County, several popular fishing locations would be blocked by the fencing, including those in Germantown and Stuyvesant. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

• Adam High in The Cornell Sun reports that scientists have discovered a new species of Hudson River oyster that could help clean up the waterway. Researchers from the Hare Lab in Cornell’s Department of Natural Resources found a previously unknown species of wild Hudson River oysters near the Tappan Zee Bridge. Few wild populations of oysters have survived the pollution put into the Hudson River in the last few centuries. The filter feeders clean waterways, and wild oysters have stronger genetics than hatchery-bred oysters now being placed into the Hudson River to help clean the water. Read the full story in The Cornell Sun.

• U.S. News and World Report has a story about the annual Hudson River eel count. The Department of Environmental Conservation is looking for volunteers again this year for The Hudson River Eel Project. Each year, volunteers do a census on the population of tiny, transparent fish known as "glass eels" that swim into North American estuaries along the Atlantic coast after hatching in the Sargasso Sea. Click on the link to the DEC's American Eel Research website for more information.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in The Daily Freeman Ulster County Minority Leader Hector Rodriguez wants the county to reevaluate the county legislature’s relationship with a company that owns a building in Kingston, that had a protester arrested for trespassing in its parking lot. Community activist Callie Jayne was arrested during one of many protests against Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook), who has an office in the Seven21 Media Center building in Kingston. That building is owned by Dara Ellenbogen, the vice president and chief operating officer of Ellenbogen Creative Media, which gets $17,000 a year from Ulster County to create a live webstream of its meetings. “The way I see it and the way anybody who was there sees it, she was targeted,” said Rodriguez. “Given the fact that we’ve had this many people there protesting and the only woman who gets ticketed is a black woman says a lot.... I don’t want to do business with people who would target someone like this.” But Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk disagrees. “What happens with their private property ... has nothing at all to do with the Ulster County Legislature, the county of Ulster or the Legislature’s contract with Ellenbogen,” Ronk said. “What happens between them and Ms. Jayne and the criminal justice system is not the business of the Ulster County Legislature.” Ellenbogen and Jayne refused to comment to the paper. Kingston Court Justice Philip Kirschner dismissed the charges against Jayne earlier in the week, as long as she isn’t charged with trespassing on the property in the next six months. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Rick Karlin reports in Capitol Confidential that not everyone is thrilled with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal for full disclosure of who is behind online political and advocacy advertisements. The New York News Publishers Association says the proposal fails to define the term “online platform,” so it is unknown whether it would apply to blogs, websites that don't publish printed papers, or just newspaper's websites. “Aside from the obvious First Amendment implications of requiring news organizations to act as compliance agents of state government, the proposal raises a number of questions.” NYNPA said in a statement. “How will these organizations develop sufficient expertise in New York State Election Law to discern which advertising refers to a ‘ballot proposal,’ or would fall under the complex definition of an independent expenditure committee?” the association said in the statement. The proposal surfaced in response to Russian interference in the 2016 election with online ads and posts. Cuomo said the proposal would “ensure New York’s elections are fair, transparent and free from foreign influence.” Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

Marie J. French reports for Politico that critics say the new sexual harassment rules passed in Albany don't do much. Lawmakers just passed rules making employers liable for sexual harassment against independent contractors, consultants, and other non-employees. Many employment attorneys applauded that measure. But they were more critical of a provision prohibiting mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment claims in employment contracts, which several experts said would be overridden by federal law. "These laws will not adequately protect workers, leaving them to navigate an opaque process and in danger of retaliation," several former female staffers who have accused lawmakers of sexual misconduct and harassment wrote on Friday. "By rushing through the process of reforming our sexual harassment laws without critical input from stakeholders, especially survivors, New York will not be the national leader it aims to be." Kevin Mintzer, an attorney who has represented women in harassment claims against the Assembly, thought the legislature could have done more. “The reforms are disappointing and they appear to be mostly window dressing,” Mintzer said. “The Legislature and the governor could have taken this moment where there’s all this attention on sexual harassment to really beef up the state human rights law to change the standard which requires sexual harassment to be severe and pervasive — they didn’t do that.” Read the full story at Politico.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Sunny, with a high near 50. There could be rain and snow showers overnight Saturday, with a low around 33.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
SUNDAY: Scattered snow showers, and rain ends in the morning, with skies turning partly sunny, with a high near 43. Sunday night should be partly cloudy, with a low around 22.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44, and a low around 26.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Thurs., March 29 (2:33). (Produced by Tom Roe.)

Congressperson John Faso (R-Kinderhook) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, want the National Park Service to add additional acres to the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Dutchess County. Faso is working on H.R. 5420, which would allow the National Park Service "to adjust the boundary of the historic site beyond that of the original property," according to a Faso press release. Scenic Hudson is working on the effort too. "Under the stewardship of the National Park Service, the natural beauty and historic context of the site would be preserved for future generations, recreational opportunities for local residents will be enhanced, and the agency will have greater flexibility in managing one of its most popular sites in our region," said Ned Sullivan, the President of Scenic Hudson.

Daniel Zuckerman at Columbia-Greene Media Greene County is turning over 13 feet, 1 inch by 14 feet in a parking lot in Catskill so an arts organization can install an electrical transformer. The Legislature passed a resolution allowing Chairman Kevin Lewis (R-Greenville) to give an easement to Lumberyard Contemporary Arts to install and maintain the transformer. “They’re putting a ton of money into that property and we’re very happy to have them here,” legislator Linda Overbaugh (R-Catskill) said about the dance company, which is renovating a former lumber yard along Catskill Creek. “It’s a good thing for Catskill, it’s a good thing for Greene County.” The public will lose one parking spot in the deal, according to Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden. Read the full story at HudsonValley360.com.

Doug La Rocque in the Eastwick Press reports that Petersburgh resident Heinz Noeding is sending a letter to the state's Department of Conservation demanding a study into alternate sources of drinking water, for Petersburgh. Plastics company Taconic is blamed for polluting the water there with the toxic chemical PFOA. Noeding sits on both the Petersburgh Water District Committee and a citizens panel that is monitoring the PFOA situation. Petersburgh’s environmental attorney Kevin Young recommended that the town not sign on to Noeding's letter, as it could complicate the litigation and negotiations between the town, Taconic, and the DEC. Read the full story in the Eastwick Press.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Fri., Mar. 30 (7:12). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Steve Hughes is reporting for the Times Union a local woman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging Hudson police officers beat her while she tried to record them during an arrest. Tiffany Damon, says Chief Edward Moore and former HPD Sergeant Randy Clark injured her as she attempted to record a crowd with her phone outside of the police station in February 2017. The complaint also names several unidentified Hudson police officers who allegedly witnessed the incident. According to Damon's attorney, Leo Glickman, the incident occurred following arrests made during a police raid. Damon, who knew one of the people arrested, was present and filming the crowd. It is alleged that Clark picked up and shoved the 4-foot-11, 120-pound Damon to the ground, followed by Moore, who slammed her to the ground, as well. Other officers seized Damon's phone before returning it to her several hours later. Damon says she suffered bruising and a torn meniscus in her left knee as a result of the assault. She is seeking unspecified damages as well as court and attorney fees. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Amanda Purcell is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media voters in the Chatham Central School District in May will decide the fate of a proposed capital improvement project intended to address major infrastructure issues and an overhaul the district’s security system. Repairs are proposed for all five of the district's buildings. “The project is designed to address infrastructure issues to try to get ahead of them,” Chatham Superintendent Salvatore DeAngelo said. School officials say the project, with a $9.8 million price tag, will have no impact on local taxes. Under the proposal, the state would reimburse the district for roughly half the cost, with the second half coming from capital reserve accounts, DeAngelo said. The project includes the replacement of corroded water piping, upgrading an alarm and public announcement system, masonry repairs and a significant amount of paving work. The administration is also looking for approval to install interior and exterior video security cameras throughout the school buildings, public library and transportation center, for an additional $1.2 million. The final public information session and public hearing on the 2018-19 school budget is scheduled for 6 p.m., May 1, in the high school library at 50 Woodbridge Avenue. Voters will cast their ballots on the two propositions from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tue., May 15, in the Mary E. Dardess Elementary School gym. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Audrey Matott is reporting for the Greenville Pioneer the Greenville Town Board has started the process of enacting a six-month ban on solar farms. For nearly a year, the Greenville Planning Board has had three proposals for commercial solar farms from Cypress Creek Renewables under review. At a town board meeting March 19, Greenville resident Barbara Valicenti submitted a letter to the board, asking that town officials dig a bit deeper and review more sources on solar development before moving forward to approve large-scale solar farms. At a special meeting held to discuss the issue on March 26, multiple local residents came forward to express their concerns about the potential impact of large solar facilities, and the proposed Local Law No. 1 of 2018 was presented for consideration. If enacted, the law would halt the development of the solar farms for six months. If that law is adopted, the board would use the time to revise the current zoning law and approve standards for solar arrays. If needed, the moratorium could be extended an additional six months thereafter. The Greenville Town Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed local law 6:15 p.m., April 16 at Pioneer Town Hall. Read the full story in the Greenville Pioneer.

The Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting a teacher’s aide at the Jesse J. Kaplan School in West Nyack was arrested for bringing a loaded gun to the school, authorities said. The school, located in Rockland County, serves an autistic student body ages 5 to 21. Police said the 9mm handgun was discovered in the handbag owned by Gillian Jeffords, 24, of Warwick, Orange County. “At no point was this weapon used in a threatening manner or at no point was this weapon displayed,” Clarkstown Police Officer Peter Walker said. “The teacher’s aide was removed from the school and transported to police headquarters for further investigation.” Jefford, an employee of Rockland County BOCES [BOE-ceez], was charged with criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, a felony. She was fired after initially being suspended. Amid the heated national debate over whether teachers and other school personnel should carry guns, the Associated Press is reporting armed security officers are becoming more common in schools across the country, according to a federal study released March 29. The study found that while student and staff fatalities at school persist, students are reporting fewer instances of violence, theft and other abuse during the past decade. Armed officers were present at least once a week in 43 percent of all public schools during the 2015-16 school year, compared with 31 percent of schools a decade before, according to data from the survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. Read both stories in the Daily Freeman.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Showers likely, mainly before 8 a.m. Areas of fog in the early morning. Otherwise, cloudy. High near 50. Friday night, mostly cloudy, then gradually clearing. Low around 31.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
SATURDAY: Sunny. High near 54. Saturday night, a chance of showers, mainly after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 38.
SUNDAY: A chance of showers, mainly before 8 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 45. Sunday night, mostly clear. Low around 27.

Sunrise today: 6:39 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:19 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 12:39 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS and POLITICAL EVENTS for Fri., Mar. 30:
Please see the WGXC Community Calendar.

Popular Mechanics reports that those who worry about their privacy on Facebook, but still need to use the social media site for whatever reason, do have options. Mozilla just released a Facebook Container Extension. "Once you set up the extension, Firefox deletes all your Facebook information from itself and only connects to Facebook from inside a software "container." The practical result is that you can look through a sort of one-way mirror to see into Facebook, but Firefox keeps Facebook from looking out," Eric Limer writes in the magazine. Third-party apps that use Facebook to login won't work, and you can't Facebook like or Facebook share items in the non-Facebook world. There are other options, including blocking all of Facebook's subdomains directly (but that disables the site), or installing the Privacy Badger extension.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Thurs., March 29 (3:52). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)