Listen or download audio (1:03:00) to the panel discussion on how the American Health Care Act could affect health care in New York presented by the State Department of Health and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's office at the Hudson Opera House, Mon., Jun. 26. If passed, the AHCA would leave 2.7 million state residents without health insurance and roll back protections for women, children and anyone with preexisting conditions. Recorded by Jess Puglisi.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Tue., Jun. 27 (9:58). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

News 10 in Albany is reporting that during a 24-hour period Sun., Jun. 25, Columbia County law enforcement responded to six heroin overdose calls, Chatham Police Chief Peter Volkmann said. Three of the reported overdoses proved fatal. “It’s just a horrific 24 hours Columbia County has gone through,” Volkmann said. Police attribute the spike to a bad batch of the drug possibly laced with fentanyl. “All our first responders are on high alert because we’re not sure if this wave of a bad batch is over with yet,” Volkmann said. Carl Quinn, the President of Columbia Pathways To Recovery, fears the worst is yet to come. “What’s still out there. There has to be more that’s still out on the street so I don’t think we’ve seen the peak of this yet,” Quinn said. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Department is reminding the public that under the Good Samaritan Law anyone suffering from an overdose, or anyone calling for help, will not be prosecuted for possession or for being under the influence of drugs. A free emergency Narcan training with Project Safe Point will be held at 7 p.m., Tue., Jun. 27, at Chatham High School. During the crisis, the Pathways to Recovery Helpline at 877-466-3365 is available 24/7. Read the full story at New 10 [dot] com.

Anthony Fiducia is reporting in The Daily Mail the Hunter Town Board will hold a public hearing Tue., Jun. 27, to receive public comment on the proposed dissolution of the Hunter Fire Protection District No. 1 and expansion of a new Tannersville Fire District. Following the public hearing, the board is expected to vote on the dissolution and ratify a contract with the Tannersville Fire Company to establish the consolidated district. That new district will provide protection to the village of Tannersville and the zone within the Hunter Fire Protection District No. 1. "Overall, it’s better for us down the road," Tannersville First Assistant Fire Chief Steve Tuomey said. "People may not see that for a little while, but it’ll be there." The formation of a fire district would allow the department to become its own taxing body, and would be governed by five fire commissioners appointed by the Tannersville Village Board. The consolidation plan has been in the works for slightly more than a year, Tuomey said. The Hunter Town Board public hearing on the fire district changes will be held at 6 p.m., Tue., Jun. 27, at the Mountain Top Library on Route 23A in Tannersville. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Paul Kirby is reporting in the Daily Freeman Woodstock-based attorney David Clegg is the eighth Democrat to eye the 19th Congressional District seat. The trial lawyer, church deacon and former public defender will formally announce his intention to challenge first-term Republican U.S. Rep. John Faso at an event July 9 in Kingston. “I believe that we are fighting for the soul of our country,” Clegg said in a phone interview Mon., Jun. 26. “The Republican agenda is going to hurt a tremendous amount of people in our community.” Clegg said the health care bill currently before the Senate is “a tax break for the rich. It is sacrificing people who are vulnerable,” he said. “... It is going to harm a catastrophic number of people.” Clegg is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and the University of Buffalo Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review. After law school, he served as a VISTA volunteer representing Native Americans in western Nebraska and South Dakota. Clegg served as an assistant Ulster County public defender for nine years in the 1980s and 1990s. He is currently chairman of the Ulster County Human Rights Commission. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Andrea Macko is reporting in the Greenville Pioneer Durham Town Supervisor Bill Carr Jr., and Deputy Supervisor Shawn Marriott are at odds over management of the Durham Police Department. On May 1, Carr drafted a four-page memorandum to the Town Board requesting that Marriott, a Greene County Sheriff’s deputy, permanently recuse himself from board discussions and decisions concerning the town police department. Marriott was known to be investigating the qualifications of some members of the police force. He was also looking into allegations that Durham Police Officer Michael Scarey was involved in the distribution of a graphic accident photograph to the media. Scarey is accused of handing out the photo while serving as a volunteer with the Windham Fire Department. The image in question was of the February crash in Ashland that claimed the life of on-duty Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Haverly. Carr’s memo also contained unsourced accusations of unethical behavior by Marriott as a deputy sheriff.

Anthony Fiducia is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media retiring Pastor James Slater of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Valatie was honored Sun., Jun., 25, after 31 years of service. “This is a bittersweet event but it’s nice to get everyone together,” Slater said. Slater is also a pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Stuyvesant Falls. “This is a great turnout from some wonderful people.” Lew Hotaling, who has been attending the church for as long as Slater has been pastor, said he found the farewell service moving. “We’ve had a lot of fun here today,” Hotaling said. “He [Slater] always makes things exciting.” Kelly Travers-Main, of Castleton said Slater has done a great deal for the community. “It’s going to be very hard for someone to fill his shoes,” she said. Slater said he will miss the people. “These people aren’t just members of the church, they’re my friends,” he said. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Amanda Purcell is reporting in the Register-Star antiques belong to Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards sold for more than $100,000 at Stair Galleries in Hudson, Sat., Jun. 24. More than 20 online, telephone and in-person bidders purchased a variety of items, including an Edwardian painted satinwood four-poster bed and a Nat Sherman mahogany humidor. All proceeds from the auction, plus one percent of the gallery's fees, benefited SPHERE and Prospector Theater in Ridgefield, Connecticut, which help enrich the lives of adults with developmental disabilities. Read the full story in the Register Star.

Adam Liptak is reporting in The New York Times the U.S. Supreme Court announced Mon., Jun. 26, it will decide if the Trump administration's revised travel ban was lawful, thereby setting the stage for a major decision on the scope of presidential power. Two federal appeals courts have blocked critical parts of the order. In its appeal, the administration requested that the lower court ruling be stayed while the case is pending. The court granted part of that request, saying that foreigners with ties or relationships in the U.S. would be permitted to enter, while those who have never been here or had no family, business or other ties, would be barred. The executive order in question limited travel from six mostly Muslim countries for 90 days and suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days. The rationale given for the ban was to allow government officials the time needed to address gaps in screening and vetting procedures. The court will hear arguments in October. Read the full story in The New York Times.

The WGXC Radios in Motion 2017 Spring Pledge Drive continues. WGXC programmers, volunteers and staff must raise $20,000 to keep WGXC Hands-on Radio on the air, live and local during the coming months. Call (518) 697-7400 or go online to wgxc.org [slash] donate. Thank you for supporting creative community radio in New York's Greene and Columbia counties.

Local weather forecast:
TODAY: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorms between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. The National Weather Service in Albany is reporting there is a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon ahead of a cold front. The main threats are large hail one inch in diameter or greater and/or damaging winds. Mostly cloudy. High near 71. Tuesday night, Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. Patchy fog after 5 a.m. Otherwise, partly cloudy. Low around 52.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
WEDNESDAY: Patchy fog before 7 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny. High near 76. Wednesday night, partly cloudy. Low around 55.
THURSDAY: A slight chance of showers before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy. High near 81. Thursday night, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy. Low around 66.

Sunrise today: 5:21 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:36 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 15:14 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, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill (943-2141).
COLUMBIA Economic Development Corporation Board meeting, 8:30 a.m. at CEDC office, 4303 Route 9, Hudsons (828-4718).
COLUMBIA County Board of Supervisors County Government meeting, 5 p.m. at 401 State Street, Hudson (828-1527).
GERMANTOWN Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 50 Palatine Park Road, Germantown (537-6687).
GREENE County Tourism Advisory Committee meeting, 10:30 a.m. at 411 Main Street, Room 427, Catskill (719-3270).
GREENPORT Planning Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Greenport Town Hall, 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 (tentative), 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 Paltz Climate Action Coalition, 5 p.m., every Thursday at New Paltz Village Hall, 23 Plattekill Ave., New Paltz. Information at (845) 399-247 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 Mon., Jun. 26 (3:49). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)