DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Thu., Aug. 24 (9:14). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County Legislator Gene Hatton has died at age 66. He served as the Athens representative to the Greene County Legislature. He died Tue., Aug. 22, at Albany Medical Center. Hatton was born in Whitestone, Queens, and was a graduate of St. John's University. He moved to Greene County in 1973. Hatton had a career in automotive finance, and was a longtime member of St. Patrick's Church. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden described Hatton as a perfect gentleman who always listened to all points of view. “He never had a mean word but he always got his point across,” Groden said. “That was such a refreshing thing.” Athens Town Supervisor Robert Butler Jr. worked with Hatton on the town board. Butler described Hatton’s death as a huge loss to the community. “Gene was a very gracious man, he was definitely a caring man,” Butler said. “Anything he did, he did with his whole heart.” Hatton is survived by his wife Mary and two sons. Calling hours are Thu., Aug. 24, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Millspaugh Camerato Funeral Home, 139 Jefferson Hgts., Catskill. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Church in Athens on Friday at 10 a.m. Read the full story at HudsonValley260 [dot] com.

Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media seven of the eight Democrats hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. John Faso in 2018, participated in a forum Tue., Aug. 22, held at Centre Church in Windham. The event was sponsored by the Mountain Top Progressives group. Brian Flynn of Tannersville; David Clegg of Woodstock; Steve Brisee of Wallkill; Jeff Beals of Woodstock; Sue Sullivan of Plattekill; Gareth Rhodes of Kerhonkson; and Pat Ryan of Gardiner all spoke about why they are running in the Democratic primary next year. The eighth contender, Antonio Delgado of Rhinebeck, did not attend, but Nolan Vari read a statement in Delgado's absence. The candidates were questioned by the audience directly on various issues including the candidates' residency status, the opioid epidemic, drug prevention and more. The candidates were encouraged and inspired by the event. The public cares "...about jobs, they care about health care and they care about the fact they feel betrayed by John Faso,” said one candidate. Attendee Elizabeth Gross, of Maplecrest, called the forum a true collaborative effort and said the task of getting seven of the eight candidates together was not easy. “Many of the responses were heartfelt,” she said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Robert Gavin is reporting in the Times Union on the continued targeted violence occurring in the city of Hudson. On Tue., Aug. 22, 31-year-old Kevin Whitening, of North Front Street, was shot on North 3rd Street. He later succumbed to his injuries at Columbia Memorial Hospital. Three unidentified people were arrested and questioned Wednesday. Also Wednesday, a home in the 500 block of State Street was raided, but there was no indication if that action had anything to do with the shootings. Hudson Police Chief Ed Moore said the violence involves "two factions that haven't gotten along for a long time." He stopped short of calling the incidents gang-related, but said police were investigating possible outside gang influences. Moore also announced Wednesday that he has expanded all officers' shifts to 12 hours to provide overlapping coverage. State Police, Columbia County sheriff's deputies and federal authorities were assisting, he said. Read the full story in the Times Union.

Ariél Zangla reports in The Daily Freeman that three Kingston clergymen are accusing the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office of systemic corruption and racism under Sheriff Paul VanBlarcum. The Rev. Frank Alagna of Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church, the Rev. Jim Childs of Pointe of Praise Church, and the Rev. G. Modele Clarke of New Progressive Baptist Church wrote a letter to the editor with the accusations after meeting with three Ulster County corrections officers who filed a federal anti-discrimination lawsuit against two of their superior officers and the sheriff. Ulster County Corrections Officers Norman L. James, Tyrone Brodhead, Alphonso A. Lacey, and Pamela Lancaster, and former Corrections Officer Timothy Ross, filed a suit last year against the county alleging that five black officers were kept from job advancement while their white counterparts were promoted. Sheriff VanBlarcum said he can not comment on the pending litigation. “It’s a shame they would write that [letter] not knowing anything about the case,” the sheriff said. The ministers also claimed bias. “Sheriff VanBlarcum has been quite vocal about the need to strictly adhere to the law when it comes to civil infractions by our undocumented neighbors,” the letter states. “But he does no more than pay lip service to the law when his white officers are involved.” VanBlarcum said he welcomes any investigations into his office's conduct. “My doors are always open,” he said. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Melanie Lekocevic reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the the Port of Coeymans and the Coeymans Industrial Park turned ten years old with a community celebration Aug. 20. “I am in awe at the fact that this is not the dump they wanted to put here years ago,” said Judy Jeune, a local resident. “It’s a clean business, a good business that brings a lot to our town. We should encourage Mr. Laraway and others to bring more businesses like this to our community.” Instead of a dump, 450 people are employed, with eight tugboats and 40 barges along the Hudson River in Albany County. Coeymans Marine Towing recently purchased two new $2 million cranes for the port. Just weeks ago, an 8-million pound generator was assembled at the port and shipped down the Hudson to a power plant in New Jersey. A second similar generator will be assembled at the Port of Coeymans in the next couple of months. “We would like to thank the local community and its residents for their support over the past 10 years, as the Port of Coeymans and the Coeymans Industrial Park have matured and developed, bringing hundreds of new jobs and business opportunities to the region,” owner Carver Laraway said. “We look forward to building upon this relationship and continuing to be a good neighbor.” Read the full story in HudsonValley360.com.

The Daily Freeman reports that the Hudson River Greenway program has been extended until 2022, according to Assemblyperson Kevin Cahill. First created in 1991, the program is meant to develop a regional strategy for preserving scenic, natural, historic, cultural, and recreational resources while encouraging economic development along the river. New Baltimore is the only local community along the Hudson River now part of the Greenway program. The program also provides grants for communities, and locals in June received $7,500 to complete and implement a comprehensive plan in Chatham and $10,000 for Ghent to hire a consultant to audit its recently revised Commercial Zoning Code. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Local weather forecast:
TODAY : Patchy fog before 7 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High near 74. Thursday night, partly cloudy. Low around 52.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 73. Friday night, mostly clear. Low around 49.
SATURDAY: Sunny. High near 74. Saturday night, mostly clear. Low around 48.

Sunrise today: 6:13 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:41 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 13:27 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the fourth Thursday of the month.

WGXC suggests calling ahead to confirm time and location.
All numbers are in the 518 area code unless otherwise noted.

CAIRO-DURHAM Board of Education special meeting, 7 p.m. at high school, 1301 Route 145, Durham (622-8543).
CHATHAM Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Chatham (392-5821).
CHATHAM Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 488 Route 295, Chatham (392-1651).
COLUMBIA County Board of Supervisors Insurance Committee meeting, 2 p.m.; Finance Committee meeting, 3 p.m. at 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
COPAKE Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
HUDSON Community Development and Planning Agency meeting, 12 p.m. at 1 N. Front Street, Hudson (751-1044).
WINDHAM Town Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

POLITICAL EVENTS
Weekly events:
Citizen Action HV Action Night, 5:30 p.m., every Tuesday at 7 Grand Street, Kingston. Information at hudsonvalley@citizenactionny.org, or facebook.com/HVCitizenActionNY.
New Paltz Climate Action Coalition, 5 p.m., every Thursday at New Paltz Village Hall, 23 Plattekill Ave., New Paltz. Information at (845) 419-3786 or newpaltzclimateaction@gmail.com.
Faso Friday, 12 p.m., every Friday at U.S. Rep. John Faso's District Office, 2 Hudson Street, Kinderhook. Information at erinpersists@gmail.com.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Wednesday, August 23 (3:40). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)