DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Tue., Jul. 25 (8:20). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Anthony Fiducia is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Cairo Police Department has launched an investigation into the slashing of seven hometown hero banners on Main Street. “We’re working on some discoveries that we’ve made, but nothing that we can share as of right now,” Cairo police Sgt. Richard Busch said Mon., Jul. 24. The police were initially notified of the vandalism on July 18. In all, seven banners were damaged. The hometown heroes program was started in 2013 by the Cairo Historical Society. The banners honor residents of Cairo who have served in the military. Cairo Historical Society President Sylvia Hasenkopf suspects the culprit is young with no real ties to the community. “It was probably some sort of prank,” Hasenkopf said. “But, to the families involved and the community at large — it’s painful.” Anyone with additional information on the vandalism is asked to contact the Cairo Police Department at (518) 622-2324. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Greene County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of the newest telephone scam targeting older adults. The swindle involves the targeted person receiving a call from someone pretending to be a grandchild, pleading for help, asking that a gift card be sent to help them out of bad situation. The sheriff warned of the scam in a Facebook post, Fri., Jul. 21. “This type of scam is something we’ve been familiar with,” Greene County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Adam Brainard said. “I’m sure it would alarm the person who would just do it [hand over money] rather than look into it.” The perpetrators request gift cards because the cash transfer is immediate and the cards are difficult for police to trace. Anyone receiving such a call is advised to contact the sheriff's office. Scams like these are difficult to trace because the vast majority of the calls originate overseas, Greene County Sheriff Greg Seeley said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Matthew Hamilton is reporting in the Times Union Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order Mon., Jul. 24, directing state agencies to make voter registration forms available to the public and to offer assistance in filling them out. The action is an effort to boost participation in elections. Voter turnout in New York generally is near the lowest in the nation. One organization put New York's turnout in the 2016 presidential election at 41st in the country. Cuomo's order requires agencies to mail or provide electronic voter registration forms to anyone whose contact information is on file. Previously, only the state Department of Motor Vehicles and certain social service agencies could do that. Cuomo also ordered SUNY and CUNY to review campus voter registration practices to ensure that steps are being taken to increase voter registration rates among young adults. Read the full story in the Times Union.

The Daily Freeman is reporting Bryan Frisbee of Coxsackie has been appointed to the board of directors of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties. The announcement was made on July 11. Frisbee will fill a vacant position on the board through December 31. Born and raised in Coxsackie, Frisbee graduated from Coxsackie-Athens High School and LeMoyne College in Syracuse. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing. He is an insurance professional and co-owner of the Frisbee Agency in Catskill. The agency specializes in insuring farms and agriculture-related businesses. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Patricia Dorsey is reporting in the Daily Freeman two Dutchess County residents have been named to a new committee that will recommend updates to the county’s ethics law, and formulate a plan for an independent redistricting process to take place after the 2020 U.S. census. The seven-member bipartisan committee, jointly established by Legislature Chairman Dale Borchert and County Executive Marc Molinaro, was announced last week. Molinaro said Dutchess County Judge Gerald Hayes and Professor Richard Reitano have agreed to serve. The third nomination from Molinaro is forthcoming. Borchert will appoint four members to the committee. As part of the redistricting review, the committee would also be responsible for recommending any changes to the number of members of the Legislature and to legislative salaries. The committee will issue a report, including recommendations on both topics by July 2018. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

MidHudsonNews [dot] com is reporting the rail-bikes expected to start operating on a six-mile western stretch of the Ulster Rail Trail have been delayed. A rail-bike is a pedal powered vehicle that rides on railroad tracks. The delay was attributed to ongoing track work. County Executive Michael Hein said when the rides do start up, they will add to the developing tourism industry in the county. Revenue from tourism in Ulster County is nearly $550 million per year. The rail-bikes are now expected to start operating in the spring of 2018. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced Mon., Jul. 24, it is seeking New York residents willing to help count wild turkeys this summer. The DEC has conducted the Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey since 1996, to estimate the number of young wild turkeys born per hen statewide during the past year. The index helps the DEC to gauge reproductive success and predict fall harvest potential. During the month of August, survey participants record the sex and age composition of all flocks of wild turkeys observed during normal travel. “I encourage everyone to take the time to record their observations of turkeys while exploring the forests and fields in their communities or while driving through our state’s beautiful landscapes this summer,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement. The Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey form, along with instructions and the data sheet, can be downloaded directly from the DEC website at DEC [dot] NY [dot] gov.. Survey cards can also be obtained by contacting a regional DEC office, calling (518) 402-8883, or by emailing wildlife@dec.ny.gov. Participants are also able to submit observations on-line.

Local weather forecast:
TODAY : A chance of showers, mainly before 3 p.m. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy. High near 65. Tuesday night, patchy fog after 11 p.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy. Low around 55.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 77. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 62. THURSDAY: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. High near 78. Thursday night, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy. Low around 64.

Sunrise today: 5:42 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:21 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 14:38 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the fourth Tuesday of the month.

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

CANAAN Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1647 County Route 5, Canaan (781-3144).
CATSKILL Planning Board meeting,is cancelled (943-2141).
COLUMBIA Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors meeting, 8:30 a.m. at CEDC Office, 4303 Route 9, Hudson (828-4718).
COLUMBIA County Board of Supervisors County Government meeting, 5 p.m. at 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
GERMANTOWN Waterfront Advisory meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
GREENPORT Planning Board workshop meeting, 6:30 p.m.; regular meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 600 Town Hall Drive, Hudson (828-4656).
GREENVILLE Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 11159 Route 32, Greenville (966-5055).
HUDSON Development Corporation meeting, 12 p.m. at 1 N. Front St., Hudson (751-1044).

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 Waltz 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 headlines for Mon., Jul. 24 (8:18). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Jul. 21 through Sun., Jul. 23:

Bill Williams reported for WCTW-FM, The Cat, Hudson Police Officer Mishanda Franklin-Cox will compete in the World Police and Fire crossfit competition next month. Franklin-Cox recently participated in the regional Police and Fire games and earned a high enough score to qualify for the world games, where she will represent the city of Hudson. The World Police and Fire Games will be held Aug. 7 through 16 in Los Angeles. Approximately 10,000 athletes representing law enforcement and firefighting agencies worldwide are expected to compete in more than 70 events.

The Daily Freeman reported beginning Aug. 19, callers in the 518 area code must dial all 10 digits of a number when making any call, as the new 838 area code goes into effect. New phone hookups will be assigned the 838 extension, but everyone must now dial either 518 or 838 to complete a local call. Existing phone numbers will not change, and anyone with an emergency can still dial 911 to reach emergency services.

Debby Mayer reported in The Columbia Paper Germantown High School has a new principal. James DiDonna of Hurley signed a four-year contract with the district, effective July 1, through June 30, 2021. DiDonna replaced longtime principal Karol Harlow. DiDonna is a native of Kingston, and holds degrees from Fordham University and the College of St. Rose. He worked in finance in New York City before returning to Kingston in 1999 to teach elementary school. DiDonna then transitioned to administration, first as an assistant high school principal in the Ellenville district for five years and later as middle school principal in the Pine Plains Central School District for five years, before taking the job in Germantown.

Rick Karlin reported in the Times Union the members of Albany’s union movement this week marked the passing of one of its leaders, Josephine Sano, who passed away at the age of 97. Sano taught social studies in the Albany City School District for 44 years. After becoming a teacher, Sano became involved in the teachers’ union. “She was smart and tenacious,” said Paul Cole, secretary treasurer emeritus of the state AFL-CIO. Sano was instrumental in helping merge two separate statewide organizations, forming them into what is now New York State United Teachers. The union eventually grew from about 200,000 to 600,000 active and retired members.

John Ferro reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal a recent paper has revealed that suicide is an indicator of a trend in Lyme disease cases that is often overlooked. The report, published in June, suggests that suicidal thoughts in patients with Lyme and other associated diseases may provide context for the thousands of unexplained suicides in the United States each year. More than 44,000 people took their own lives in 2015, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The paper's author, New Jersey-based psychiatrist Dr. Robert Bransfield, estimates that as many as 1,200 of those suicides may be attributed to Lyme and associated diseases. He also found more than 14,000 incidents of self-harm and 31,000 suicide attempts were also ascribed to Lyme. "...Failure to adequately diagnose, failure to adequately treat and the progression of the disease over a span of many years often leads to suicide," Bransfield said. He suggested the risk is greater among veterans and outdoor workers who are more likely to be exposed to ticks. Dr. Daniela Stokes, a Poughkeepsie-based infectious disease specialist, said there is a strong association between a manifestation of Lyme in brain tissue and suicide. She said late Lyme is now considered one of the triggers for psychiatric illness, among those with a genetic predisposition.

Anthony Fiducia and Richard Moody reported for Columbia-Greene Media the town of Hillsdale in Columbia County, and the village of East Nassau in Rensselaer County have submitted a petition to the state Public Service Commission requesting a rehearing and clarification on the conditional approval of the merger between internet provider FairPoint Communications and Illinois-based Consolidated Communications. The PSC approved the merger in June, with specific conditions, including mandatory investment in network reliability and improvements to service quality. Among other things, the petition asks the PSC to require Consolidated to meet with stakeholders, including petitioners and public officials, before the merger is finalized. “This is an opportunity to get things right,” said Peter Cipkowski, town supervisor of Hillsdale. “FairPoint has uneven service. We want to ensure that there’s a plan in place to serve everyone.” Cipkowski said the town is recommending funds be used to upgrade technology, taking all homes into account, more community involvement and public transparency on updates, and that Consolidated follows through.

Jimmy Vielkind reported at Politico New York former 19th Congressional District candidate Zephyr Teachout has been nominated for a seat on the Democratic State Committee. The Fordham law professor also challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the 2014 primary. “...I’m thrilled to take this position. There’s a lot I need to learn about the inner workings of the party, but I plan to work with the progressive caucus,” Teachout told Politico. Teachout was nominated for a seat in the 106th Assembly District, which covers parts of Dutchess and Columbia counties between Hudson and Poughkeepsie. She will succeed the late Doris Kelly. Teachout is expected to sworn in this week when the state committee gathers near Albany.

Daniel Zuckerman reported for Columbia-Greene Media the Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning wants visitors to experience the area through virtual reality headsets. As part of the project, called “Virtual Reality Video Experience for the Catskills,” the county would receive 15 virtual reality headsets to place at high traffic venues such as resorts, county visitor centers and major area attractions. The headsets would allow visitors to view videos of the area, showing outdoor experiences such as hiking, art and cultural locales and winter sports. Under a proposed resolution from the legislature, two types of headsets would be purchased. The price tag on the program is $100,000. The county will submit grant application on behalf of the entire Catskill Region with the Capital Region Economic Development Council to fund the program.

Local weather forecast:
TODAY : Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Cloudy. High near 65. Monday night, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 58.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS:
TUESDAY: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 69. Tuesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 57. WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. High near 77. Wednesday might, mostly cloudy. Low around 61.

Sunrise today: 5:41 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:22 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 14:40 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the fourth Monday of the month.

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

COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Supervisors Economic Development Committee meeting (Broadband update), 5 p.m., at 401 State St., Hudson (828-1527).
GHENT Zoning Review Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
GREENE County Legislature budget workshop meeting, 5:30 p.m. at 411 Main Street, Fourth Floor, Catskill (719-3200).
HUDSON Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. in junior high school library, 215 Harry Howard Avenue, Hudson (828-4360).
HUDSON Industrial Development Agency meeting, 1 p.m. (828-0212); Common Council Fire Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m., Police Committee meeting cancelled. (828-1030). All at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson.
NEW BALTIMORE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 Co. Route. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
STUYVESANT Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive, Stuyvesant (758-6248).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

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 Waltz 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.

Here's the week in the news for Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook), the District 19 Congressman for the WGXC listening area. Fivethirtyeight.com currently reports Faso votes with Donald Trump's positions 89.5 percent of his votes. Click here to download or play an audio version of this report.

• James Nani reports in the Times Herald-Record that two Democrats running for the Congressional seat currently held by John Faso (R-Kinderhook) raised more money than the incumbent in the last quarter filing period. Greene County Democrat Antonio Delgado of Dutchess County raised $350,950.21 from April 1 to June 30, and now has $590,319.30 in his campaign account. Brian Flynn, 47, of Hunter, raised $573,680.77, during the second quarter, but most of that came from $500,000 Flynn loaned his own campaign. Faso raised $337,096.16 more than the $276,105.58 he raised in the first quarter. Faso spent $110,908.75 during the second quarter, with a $495,875.08 campaign balance, according to Federal Election Commission records. Patrick Ryan raised $213,291.60 and has $205,416.93 on hand. Gareth Rhodes of Ulster County raised $134,962.78 with $125,258.76 in his campaign coffers. Sue Sullivan of Ulster County raised $54,519.77 in the quarter and has $39,882.24 in her account. Steven Brisee of Ulster County raised $6,494.25 with $1,093.01 in his account. Jeffrey Beals of Ulster County has no report filed on FEC website. Dave Clegg of Ulster County filed to run for office after the federal deadline.

• Richard Moody in Columbia-Greene Media reports that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) is all for the latest budget proposal released by the U.S. House Republican majority July 18 even if it is based on something that might not come true. The House proposal, which claims to balance the budget in ten years, assumes that the Affordable Care Act is repealed and replaced with something that costs the government much less. So far Republicans, despite holding both houses of Congress and the presidency, have been unable to repeal or replace the current healthcare system. “We need serious reforms to get our country back on the right fiscal path, and I believe that is the spirit of this budget proposal,” Faso told the newspaper. Read the full story in HudsonValley360.com.

• Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) voted to loosen environmental regulations for pipelines this week, but voted against most Republicans on a measure that would lessen ozone regulations. On July 19 Faso voted for the "Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act" with 234 other Republicans on a measure that passed 248-179. The day before he was one of 11 Republicans voting against the "Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017," which passed 229-199.

• Dan Freedman reports in the Albany Times Union that Rep. John Faso's amendment to the Republican plan to cut taxes and healthcare is as dead as the bill. Faso's bill with Western New York Republican Chris Collins would have shifted Medicaid costs from New York counties to the state. "I don't think a Republican-only approach can pass, based on the last six months," Faso said July 20. "I'm intensely practical." Faso also told the paper that he is not worried about Democrats using his support for the bill that cut taxes and healthcare against him in 2018. "Everyone has a First Amendment right, but the country is facing extraordinary financial turmoil and my objective here is to try and do the right thing," he said. "The election is 17 months away." Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.

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

• The Stevens Institute reports temperatures this week in the Hudson River at Schodack Island have been between 74 and 78 degrees.

• Marie J. French reports in Politico.com that more than 100 people turned up at a hearing about General Electric cleaning up chemicals from the Hudson River at the Saratoga Hilton July 19, many urging the Environmental Protection Agency to continue the work. Earlier this year, the EPA said it was done removing PCBs from the upper Hudson River even though it will take more than 55 years before all local species of fish from the Hudson River are safe enough for some people to eat once a week. An EPA official claimed, at the second of two public hearings about the end of dredging, that the agency's work is not done. “We’re not abandoning the cleanup,” said Gary Klawinski, EPA's director of the project. “If at some point in the future we see there’s an issue, we’ll evaluate if something needs to be done.” That did not satisfy many of the environmental officials and advocates in the audience. “The EPA should abandon the current wait and see approach,” said the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Kevin Farrar. “This is unacceptable. In short, this is garbage… We have to rely on the state to use its resources to make GE shareholders foot the bill and restore our river,” Sierra Club president Aaron Mair said, to applause from the audience.Read the full story in Politico.com.

• Mid-Hudson News is reporting the U.S. Coast Guard announced last month it will conduct a ports and waterways safety assessment of the Hudson River beginning this fall. The process, intended to seek information from the public, is a "disciplined approach to identify major waterway safety hazards, estimate risk levels [and] evaluate potential mitigation measures...," according to a released statement. It will begin with workshops in two or more locations, Coast Guard spokesperson Chief Warrant Officer Allyson Conroy said. Conway said, "We will be gathering qualitative and quantitative data to help us decide what the risks are on the river.” Conroy could not put a timetable on completion of the process. Members of the public who wish to be considered for participation in the workshops are asked to email: Hudson River PAWSA [at] uscg.mil by July 21, with name, contact information, connection to the waterway, experience and related skills. Read the full story at Mid-Hudson News [dot] com.

• Christopher Cameron reports in AM New York that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are installing “eelevators” in New York to help young American eels access the waters above dams. “We designed an eel ladder that could literally be lifted and raised [out of the water],” Chris Bowser, coordinator for education at the DEC Hudson River Estuary Program, said. “We haul them up, we let them go, and then we lower the thing back down.” There have been citizen science programs working with the DEC that have caught, counted, and released more than half a million young eels in the tributaries of the Hudson River since 2008. “Imagine the Hudson River in early springtime, when the water’s just warming up,” Bowser said. “Along comes this migration of millions of Sargasso Sea-flavored snacks into the estuary at exactly the time when the river needs those nutrients the most.” Read the full story in AM New York.

• Brian Nearing reports in the Albany Times Union that overnight rains July 17 caused large combined sewer overflows from Troy (5.4 million gallons), Albany (3.8 million gallons), and Halfmoon (648,000 gallons). About 1.3" of rain fell July 17 in Albany, causing the spills. A $45 million sewage treatment facility is still four or five years from starting up, according to Joe Coffey, Albany city commissioner for water and water supply. Until then, large amounts of sewage overflow will continue to end up in the Hudson River. Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.

• This week the City of Hudson Wastewater Treatment Facility had ten-and-a-half-hour combined sewer overflow into the Hudson River July 17, and another two-and-a-half-hour release of 50,000 gallons of "combined sewer overflow." Hudson had another eight hour release July 14.