DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Fri., Jun. 16 (9:45). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media on the effort by Columbia and Greene counties to work collaboratively in the fight against the heroin and opioid epidemic. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said the partnership is still in the early stages but is coming together. Hudson Fourth Ward Supervisor William Hughes said the merger of efforts is part of the county’s heroin and opioid epidemic response plan. A part of Columbia County’s initiative includes training in the use of Narcan, a drug that blocks the effects of opioids and reverses an overdose. Seven Hudson restaurants were represented at a recent training session hosted by Helsinki Hudson. Data provided by the Healthcare Consortium showed there were six recorded opioid related deaths in Columbia County, and eight in Greene County in 2015. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

The Daily Mail is reporting work to repair a series of slopes on Route 23A between Palenville and Haines Falls will reduce traffic to a single lane for most of the summer. Traffic is reduced to a single, alternating lane controlled by traffic signals on Route 23A between Wingate Road in Haines Falls and the Route 23A bridge over the Kaaterskill Creek entering Palenville. The department has suggested alternate routes for drivers: If heading north, consider using Route 296 to Route 23 east to Route 32. If traveling south, consider taking Route 214 to Route 28 east toward Kingston. Work is expected to be completed by August. Officials from the state Department of Transportation will be out flagging or manually controlling traffic signals during the three-day Mountain Jam event, opening at Hunter Mountain Fri., Jun. 16. Up-to-date travel information is available by calling 511, logging on to www [dot] 511NY [dot] org, or by visiting the DOT's new mobile site at m [dot] 511ny [dot] org [dot] s. Read both stories in The Daily Mail.

Bill Mahoney at Politico New York reports that journalists in Albany June 15 spotted the rare and elusive Senate Ethics committee meeting for the first time in eight years. The committee announced they will release a one-page newsletter this summer giving legislators ideas on holding community events and obeying the state’s gift law. And committee members briefly discussed changing the process of passing resolutions on the committee. June 2, 2009 was the last time the committee met. The legislator who chaired that 2009 meeting has since been sentenced to a five-year prison sentence on obstruction of justice charges, and about a sixth of the other 61 members serving at that time have been indicted. And leaders of both houses, from both parties, have been sentenced on corruption charges. Democrat Sen. Mike Gianaris said the meeting amounted to little. “The sun is out, but it was blocked from actually having any impact,” he said. “So we had a meeting, but very little in the way of actual ethics discussion took place.” Read the full story at Politico New York.

Amanda Fries in The Albany Times Union reports that on June 12 the Albany County Legislature voted 25-13 against a bill that would have stopped elected officials’ relatives from being hired to work for the county. The bill also barred former county elected officials from being hired until four years after they left their former job. Here is how legislators in Albany County voted on the measure:

For: Doug Bullock (D-Albany), Paul Burgdorf (R-Latham), Joanne Cunningham (D- Delmar), Charles Dawson (D-Glenmont), Mark Grimm (R-Guilderland), Chris Higgins (D-Albany), Lynne Lekakis (D-Albany), Frank Mauriello (R-Colonie), David Mayo (D-Latham), Alison McLean Lane (D-Menands), Richard Mendick (R-Selkirk), Joseph O’Brien (D-Loudonville), and William Reinhardt (D-Slingerlands).

Against: Robert Beston (D-Watervliet), Norma Chapman (D-Albany), William Clay (D-Albany), Brian Clenahan (D-Albany), Frank Commisso Sr. (D-Albany), Peter Crouse (R-Loudonville), Gary Domalewicz (D-Albany), Todd Drake (R-Latham), Darrell Duncan (D-Voorheesville), Gil Ethier (D-Cohoes), Dennis Feeney (D-Guilderland), Samuel Fein (D-Albany), Brian Hogan (R-Latham), Andrew Joyce (D-Albany), Raymond Joyce (D-Albany), Patrice Lockart (R-Colonie), Paul Miller (D-Albany), Lucille McKnight (D-Albany), Ralph Signoracci (D-Cohoes), Merton Simpson (D-Albany), Christopher Smith (D-East Berne), Travis Stevens (R-Knox), Richard Touchette (D-Coeymans), Peter Tunny (R-Niskayuna), and Sean Ward (D-Green Island). Wanda Willingham (D-Albany) was absent for the votee.

James Nani reports at The Fray that there may be 16 months before the 19th District Congressional election, but already there are seven candidates and one endorsement. The VoteVets PAC, a Washington D.C.-based political action committee, endorsed Democrat Patrick Ryan to take on Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook). Nani scanned federal elections records and reports, "VoteVets spent $11.4 million in the 2016 election cycle. According to OpenSecrets.org, about $9.9 million of that was spent on media buys, generally supporting Democratic or opposing Republican candidates. One of its biggest donors last cycle was Majority Forward, a nonprofit that a Politico story characterized as 'a nonprofit affiliated with Democrats’ biggest Senate super PAC.'" Rick Hegdahl, veterans outreach coordinator for VoteVets, said of Ryan, “It’s important that people in the district know that Pat has never forgotten where he came from. After serving in Iraq, he went right to work, trying to better protect the men and women still in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, he’s back in his Hudson Valley home, serving his community. That says a lot about the kind of extraordinary servant that Pat is, and that he will be, as a Congressman,” Hegdahl said. Actually, Ryan currently lives in Brooklyn but says he’s searching for a home in Gardiner, Accord, or Kingston, where he graduated high school. Read the full story at The Fray.

Sharon LaFraniere reports in The New York Times almost 200 Democratic members of Congress filed a federal lawsuit June 14 accusing President Donald Trump of violating the Constitution by making money using his presidential status to make more money on deals with foreign governments. New York senators split on the matter -- Kirsten Gillibrand signed on, and Chuck Schumer did not. The lawsuit says the president illegally profits by collecting payments from diplomats staying in his hotels, and by accepting trademark approvals from governments for his company’s goods and services. There are two other similar lawsuits already in federal court against the President. Local Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) did not sign on to the lawsuit. Read the full story in The New York Times.

Today is Day 10 of the WGXC Radios in Motion 2017 Spring Pledge Drive. 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. Your support will make all the difference. 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: Showers likely, mainly between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Cloudy. High near 67. Friday night, a chance of showers. Patchy fog after 2 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy. Low around 61.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
SATURDAY: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny. High near 81. Saturday night, a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 67.
SUNDAY: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 a.m. Partly sunny. High near 86. Sunday night, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 69.

Sunrise today: 5:18 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:34 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 15:15 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the third Friday of the month.

WGXC is unaware of any recurring public meetings scheduled for today.

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.

Sentencing Rally for Albany Bus Incident Defendants, 9 a.m., June 16, at Albany County Judicial Center, 6 Lodge Street, Albany. Hosted by Indefensible.
Training in Non-violent Direct Action, 10 a.m., June 17 at 680 Central Avenue, Albany. Participants will learn about action and support roles, handling aggression, legalities and group decision-making. Hosted by PAUSE.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Thu., Jun. 15 (8:37). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

David Zuckerman is reporting in The Daily Mail the Friends of St. Pat's group is exploring the idea of holding an anniversary event in August to draw attention its plan to reopen the historic St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Catskill. August 23 will mark the church's 132nd anniversary. "There’s not been any special celebration [since 1985]," Friends of St. Pat’s co-leader Deb Johnson said. "We just thought we would take this opportunity and make it a special day." The group will launch a new pledge drive at the end of this year. It currently has $40,000 in pledges from supporters, and more than $4,000 in the bank from various events. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany ordered St. Patrick's church permanently closed in May, citing the historic building's poor structural condition. An appeal from the diocese's order is now pending with the Vatican. Diocese Communications Director Mary DeTurris Poust said Wed., Jun. 14, there was nothing new to report. "I have no further comment," she said. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Patricia Doxsey is reporting in the Daily Freeman Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner is facing unprecedented censure for implying a county official was acting like World War II-era Nazis. The Democrat from Clinton faces the action as a result of comments made recently suggesting county Department of Public Works Commissioner Robert Balkind was "following orders like the Germans 70 years ago" in pressing forward on a plan for the county takeover of the city of Poughkeepsie bus system. Balkind is Jewish. “The context of the speech was taken as anti-Semitic,” Legislature Chairman Dale Borchet said. “It’s comparing our administration to the Nazis. That’s what has people upset." Tyner said he could have chosen his words more carefully, but that he stands behind his belief that the county administration is making “an end run around democracy” by striking the bus deal with the city. He said the move is “a racist, fascist attack” on poor people and people of color. Legislature Minority Leader Micki Strawinski said the Democrats will support censure unless Tyner “publicly and sincerely” apologizes. “We were simply aghast at what transpired,” she said. Tyner, a seven-term legislator who represents Clinton and Rhinebeck, is seeking re-election in November. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

The Register-Star is reporting Columbia County will hold its annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event Sat., Jun. 17. Old oil-based paint, pesticides and other environmentally hazardous items that cannot be disposed of at the county’s transfer stations can be brought to the event for disposal. Latex paints will not be accepted. Proof of residency will be required; there is no charge to participate. Residents with large quantities of material to dispose of must contact the county Solid Waste office before participating. Household Hazardous Waste Collection, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), Sat., Jun. 17 at Columbia County Highway Garage, Route 23B in Greenport. For information regarding proper disposal or handling call (518) 828-2737. Event is rain or shine.

In a May 10 letter to the editor in The Daily Mail, Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) wrote, "Paid phone advocates have generated calls into our offices from both inside and outside the congressional district." Former District 19 Congressperson John Hall, talking with WGXC, said June 14 that paid protesters are not calling the Congressperson. Click here to download or play Hall's comment. Hear the full interview with the pop singer with the band Orleans, and former Congressperson Hall, who performs June 16 at a fundraiser in Hudson for Triform Camphill. Faso's press representative did not get back to WGXC with a comment for this story.

Rick Karlin reports in Capitol Confidential that New York spent $21,206 per student in its schools in 2014-15, 86 percent more than the national average, according to Census data. The fiscally conservative Empire Center released a report based on the census data. They found New York spent $5,972 per pupil on “support services,” including central and school administration, which ranked seventh in the country. Read the full story in Capitol Confidential.

The Mid-Hudson News Network reports in The Daily Freeman that traffic on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge rose by 4.3 percent in April, with a 3.2 percent increase in tolls. Traffic was up on four of the five Mid-Hudson Valley bridges in April, according to the latest statistics from the New York State Bridge Authority. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) released a statement after four people were shot June 14 during baseball practice for an annual charity game in Alexandria, Va. “Mary Fran and I are praying for the victims of today’s shooting, including Majority Whip [Steve] Scalise, congressional staff, and the brave men and women of the Capitol Police. Thank you to our law enforcement and first responders who rushed to save lives,” the statement read. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also released a statement: “I am praying for the recovery of Representative Steve Scalise, the staff, and the Capitol Police who were wounded at the horrific scene this morning. God bless the police and first responders for their bravery and for taking quick action to ensure that this tragedy wasn’t worse. Our first responders put their lives on the line for us every day. They are true heroes, and in this moment of darkness, they once again displayed what is best about our country. I hope the outcome of this tragedy will be unity, where we put our partisan differences aside and recognize that we are all here for a common purpose."

Today is Day 9 of the WGXC Radios in Motion 2017 Spring Pledge Drive. 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. Your support will make all the difference. 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: Mostly sunny. High near 77. Thursday night, a chance of showers, mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 56.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
FRIDAY: Showers likely, mainly between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Cloudy. High near 68. Friday night, a chance of showers, mainly before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 59.
SATURDAY: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy. High near 79. Saturday night, a chance of showers, mainly after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 66.

Sunrise today: 5:18 a.m.
Sunset today: 8:33 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 15:15 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the third Thursday of the month.
ANCRAM Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1416 County Route 7, Ancram (329-6512).
AUSTERLITZ Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 812 Route 203, Spencertown (392-3260).
CAIRO-DURHAM Board of Education special meeting, 7 p.m. at high school, 1301 Route 145, Durham (622-8543).
COXSACKIE-ATHENS Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m. at middle school, 24 Sunset Boulevard, Coxsackie (731-1850).
GHENT Town Board meeting, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 2306 State Route 66, Ghent (392-4644).
GREENE County Legislature Finance Audit Committee meeting, 4 p.m. at 411 Main Street, Catskill (719-3200).
GREENE County Fire Advisory Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Greene County Emergency Control and Training Center, 25 Volunteer Drive, Cairo (622-3548).
GREENE County Industrial Development Agency meeting, 8 a.m. at IDA Office, 270 Mansion Street, Coxsackie (731-5500).
HUDSON Common Council Economic Development Committee meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
KINDERHOOK Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3211 Church St., Kinderhook (784-2233).
STUYVESANT Joint Zoning Law workshop, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5 Sunset Dr., Stuyvesant (758-6248).
WINDHAM Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Main St., 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) 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.

Sentencing Rally for Albany Bus Incident Defendants, 9 a.m., June 16, at Albany County Judicial Center, 6 Lodge Street, Albany. Hosted by Indefensible.
Training in Non-violent Direct Action, 10 a.m., June 17 at 680 Central Avenue, Albany. Participants will learn about action and support roles, handling aggression, legalities and group decision-making. Hosted by PAUSE.