Emilia Teasdale reports in The Columbia Paper that Patsy Leader, Sally Hogan, Bernadette Powis, and Jake Samascott are running for four spots on the Kinderhook Town Council. Town Supervisor Patrick Grattan, Highway Superintendent John Ruchel, and Town Justice Lisa M. Mills are running unopposed. Leader and Hogan are running on the Republican, Conservative, Independent, and Reform party lines, and Powis and Samascott are running on the Democratic and Good for Kinderhook ballot lines. Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. Read about the candidate's views ahead of the vote in The Columbia Paper.

Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) voted against the Republican tax cut framework Oct. 26 that passed narrowly. Faso voted against the plan with several other New York Republicans who have voiced disapproval for the proposal to eliminate deductions for state and local taxes. That would mean a large tax increase for New Yorkers. The proposal would also create large tax cuts for the very rich. The vote, which needed 215 votes and got 216, means the tax cut proposal only needs 51 votes in the Senate, rather than 60, making it much easier to pass. The only New York Republicans to vote in favor of the budget resolution were Reps. Chris Collins of western New York and Tom Reed of the Southern Tier. No Democrats voted for the bill.

Yaron Steinbuch reports in The New York Post how Massachusetts, or even New York, could change its time zone policy. A Massachusetts committee will announce Nov. 1 whether to recommend shifting the bay state to the Atlantic Time Zone, rather than the current Eastern Time Zone. The eastern part of Massachusetts goes dark very early in the winter, so if the committee, and then the legislature and governor approve the change, it would be dark at 5 p.m. in New York, and, at the same time, 6 p.m. across the border. A bill in New York, though, could alter time too. A06937, currently before the Assembly's Government Operations committee, would eliminate Daylight Savings Time in New York. Read the full story in The New York Post.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced more than $7.6 million criminal justice programs across the state, "to help them break the cycle of recidivism." The Columbia County Probation Department is getting $45,000 for pre-trial expanded release. "These programs help individuals re-enter society and break the vicious cycle of recidivism in New York," Cuomo said. "By helping New Yorkers turn their lives around, these programs help strengthen communities, and protect public safety across the Empire State."

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Thu., Oct. 26 (6:27). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Anthony Fiducia is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media on the status of two major infrastructure projects in the town of Cairo. Town Supervisor Daniel Benoit said the construction of a sidewalk from Cairo Elementary School to the Hannaford market on Main Street, as well as the planned upgrades to the town water system will help attract businesses to the town. “Anytime you create an improvement in infrastructure it makes it more inviting for businesses to come,” Benoit said. “This way they know what the capabilities of the town infrastructure are.” Benoit said both projects are proceeding on schedule. The sidewalk project is awaiting a scope and fee document from the project's engineering firm, and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in August 2018. The water system work includes establishing a new additional water source, replacement of necessary water pipes, all meters and the existing water tank. Installation of the meters, first stage of the water infrastructure work will be completed by the end of the year, Benoit said. The town is also looking for an additional water source. Drilling is underway and testing of a well near the town reservoir at the Cairo nature preserve is scheduled. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

The Daily Freeman is reporting volunteers from the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, local churches and other organizations next month will collect non-perishable food donations to benefit Hudson Valley food pantries and soup kitchens. On Sat., Nov. 11, more than 1,000 scouts in Ulster and Greene counties will hold their annual Scouting for Food drive to support 42 food pantries and soup kitchens. Scouts will distribute grocery bags donated by ShopRite to more than 40,000 area homes on Sat., Nov. 4, and then return Sat., Nov. 11, after 9 a.m. to pick up those bags filled with food. Items wanted include canned vegetables, meats, soups, fruit, pasta cereals and baby food. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the town of Greenville will hold a public hearing next week on solar farms proposed to be located in Greenville and Freehold. Cypress Creek Renewables intends to spent $15 million to construct seven community solar farms in Greenville, Cairo, Catskill and Coxsackie. The company estimates its projects will create 200 construction jobs and generate $1 million in local tax revenue. Cypress Creek representatives have been working with the Greenville Planning Board for nine months on the proposed 2-megawatt Freehold project that will be able to power 300 to 500 homes. Greenville Deputy Planning Board Chairman Don Teator said overall the response he has heard from residents has been positive. Following the public hearing, the planning board will submit the second part of the State Environmental Quality Review. Any identified major impacts will be dealt with during the third part of SEQRA, Teator said. “There are some impacts that have to be addressed,” Teator said. “I don’t see us declaring a major impact that Cypress hasn’t already foreseen.” Construction of the solar farm is expected to take anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks, and could begin in early 2018. The public hearing will be held Wed., Nov. 1 at Greenville Town Hall, 11159 Route 32, Greenville. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

William J. Kemble is reporting in the Daily Freeman the Rhinebeck Town Board will hold a public hearing next week on its plan to dissolve the town's three-member elected Board of Assessment Review in favor of a single appointed assessor. The town is currently facing a townwide revaluation, which is expected to cost the town somewhere around $350,000 to $400,000. Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia said hiring a full-time assessor will allow valuations and tax rolls to be kept current, thereby eliminating the need for townwide revaluations, and the associated costs, in the future. The public hearing will be held 5:30 p.m., Thu., Nov. 2, at Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market Street, Rhinebeck. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

The WGXC 2017 Fall 2017 Harvest Pledge Drive continues. WGXC programmers, volunteers and staff must raise $25,000 to keep WGXC Hands-on Radio on the air, live and local during the coming months. Your support will make all the difference. Call (518) 697-7400 or go online to wgxc.org [slash] donate, and make your commitment to programming curated by humans, not algorithms, that is responsive to your needs and interests. Thank you for supporting creative community radio in New York's Greene and Columbia counties.

Local weather forecast:
TODAY: A slight chance of rain after 9 a.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 57. Thursday night, a slight chance of rain before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 39.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
FRIDAY: Sunny. High near 61. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 37.
SATURDAY: Sunny. High near 66. Rain likely overnight. Mostly cloudy. Low around 52.

Sunrise today: 7:22 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:56 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 10:33 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS and POLITICAL EVENTS for Thu., Oct. 26:
Please see the WGXC Community Calendar.

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce committee held an oversight hearing for the Federal Communications Commission Oct. 25. Representatives asked the commissioners about President Donald Trump's threats to pull licences of broadcasters he disagrees with, among other issues. Click here to hear a report about the hearing.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Wed., Oct. 25 (3:45). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)