DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Mon., Apr. 3 (7:52). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Mar. 30 through Sun., Apr. 2:

Politico New York reported the state budget is now later than it has ever been since Andrew Cuomo became governor. Negotiations remained stuck over the $150 billion plus spending plan on Sat., Apr. 1. A Cuomo spokesman declined comment on the status of the talks, but the issues said to be holding up approval include: raising the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18, reviving a New York City housing subsidy program and the amount of money going to public schools. Cuomo declared the weekend a grace period after the midnight deadline was missed Friday. By Monday. Cuomo is prepared to issue the first emergency spending resolution. State payroll comes due on Tuesday.

The Daily Freeman reported a small plane with four people on board flipped over while landing at Sky Acres Airport in Union Vale, Dutchess County, Sun., Apr. 2. One passenger suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized as a result. State police said the Cessna was attempting to land on Runway 17 when it ran off the east shoulder and came to rest overturned in a small pond. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

Emilia Teasdale reported in The Columbia Paper village of Chatham Police Chief Peter Volkmann recently announced additional special services available through the Chatham Cares 4U program. Speaking at the Hudson Library last weekend, Volkmann told the crowd that after person is placed in treatment through Chatham Cares, the person's family can now request the services of a detection dog to check their home for drugs. The dogs are there to “check the house to make sure it’s safe,” he said. Volkmann, who heads the part-time village police department, started the Chatham Cares 4U program last summer. Based on a program in Gloucester, Mass., anyone struggling with addition can come to the village police station and request help. The police then locate a treatment bed for the person and provide transportation to the treatment center at no cost. People seeking help are not arrested, as long as they are not the subject of any outstanding warrants. To date, the program has helped more than 80 people find treatment.

Pat Doxsey reported in the Daily Freeman the Ulster County Legislature will hold two public hearings Tue., Apr. 4, on two proposed local laws. One of those laws would regulate pet breeders in the county. The second would make cyber-bullying by minors a misdemeanor offense. The Legislature voted last month to enact both measures. Under the new pet law, breeders in Ulster County would be required to obtain a permit and comply with minimum standards of care. The law is intended to keep puppy mills out of Ulster County. The cyber-bullying law would make it a crime for a person to electronically transmit information not of public concern that they know will inflict emotional harm. Violators of the law under the age of 16 are to be charged as juvenile delinquents and prosecuted in Family Court. Violators over the age of 16 would be charged with a misdemeanor. A first-time offender could be sentenced to probation for the crime; repeat offenders could face jail time. The hearings will be held beginning at 10 a.m. in the legislative chambers of the Ulster County Office Building in Kingston.

Daniel Zuckerman reported in The Daily Mail Greene County officials are considered alternatives to incarceration during a recent county Legislature workshop on the proposed county jail project. District Attorney Joseph Stanzione said some of the individuals now incarcerated in the existing county facility are people he wants to see eligible for drug court, a program used in conjunction with probation intended to keep offenders out of the prison system. Another eligible group are those charged with felonies, but not considered a general danger to society, Stanzione said. “We’ve got people — talented people, addicted to drugs,” he said. “They have the possibility of rehabilitation.” The Drug Court program has 20 participants at present and has been in place for 10 years. Another alternative to jail time for misdemeanor charges is community service, Stanzione said.

Rosa Acheson reported in the Register-Star a bus will soon be available to the elderly and disabled in Columbia County get to medical appointments and community outings. The American Joint Care Foundation will soon provide a 14-passenger van with space for six wheelchairs. The foundation currently has a vehicle to assist residents of the Whittier Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in getting to appointments and events. The Happy Bus fundraiser was held at Whittier last week. Funding is being sought from the state Department of Transportation Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program. The foundation must raise 20 percent of the $70,000 bus purchase price, or $14,000, to be approved for the grant. The event in March was one of five fundraisers held to help with the purchase.

Daniel Zuckerman reported in The Daily Mail that work resumed last week on the $12.5 million Catskill sewer project on Brooks Lane in Jefferson Heights. Winter weather halted the project in December. Delaware Engineering Designer Travis Smigel says they restarted there because of traffic to the Catskill Golf Resort. "Obviously with golf season kicking off, we want to get that done soon before all the traffic comes," he said. Smigel also warned drivers may see delays from Route 23B to the entrance to the New York State Thruway and the Route 23B overpass because of the sewer construction this spring. The story says the project, "will initially cost the average single-family home in the new sewer district between $800 to $900 a year to pay back the incurred debt." Catskill Town Supervisor Doreen Davis could not say March 30 what the exact increase in water bills will be after the project is completed. "As you work through this, there will be costs that will be incurred," Davis said.

On April 7, the Mountain Eagle will distribute 20,000 free issues of its "Spring quarterly edition" to every household in Schoharie County, and to many others in eastern Delaware and northeastern Greene counties. The Schoharie News recently bought the 34-year-old Mountain Eagle newspaper from Columbia-Greene Media. Columbia-Greene Media also recently shuttered The Windham Journal, folding it into the Thursday edition of The Daily Mail beginning in April.

Click here to listen to WGXC's Congressional report, a look back at the week in news for Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook). Last week, Faso announced he was voting for the Republican healthcare plan before the bill was pulled from the House floor. Faso explained this week why he would have voted for the bill, and then veered left, voting with Democrats on several bills that passed with overwhelming Republican support.

Click here to hear all about Rep. John Faso's week in Washington D.C.

Patricia R. Doxsey reports in The Daily Freeman that U.S. Rep John Faso (R-Kinderhook) believes his constituency is evenly divided on health care without providing any facts to support that claim. It is true that Faso's Congressional district is closely split between Republicans and Democrats, and he says, “I would say that my constituency is pretty divided on this whole [healthcare] question. A lot of people want to see the A.C.A. or a single-payer system, and just as many people, in my view, want to see us get rid of the A.C.A. I’m trying to listen to both sides.” Faso’s office reports 54,000 telephone calls and emails from constituents since he took office Jan. 3. Faso's office, unlike many other representatives, refuses to release specific numbers on the opinions of his phone callers, but Faso has conceded that “most of the calls” are in favor of keeping or improving the current healthcare system. Faso has refused to hold town hall meetings, but activists have held one for him, and also several protests, marches, and rallies, with most attending opposed to repealing the current healthcare system. In January, Faso polled subscriber's to his online newsletter, asking, “Do you support the reform of the Affordable Care Act to lower costs and expanding access to health care?” 432 computers responded “yes,” 406 responded “no,” and 95 claimed an “undecided” status. That very unscientific online poll is the only fact Faso has said that backs up his claim that his constituents are divided on the healthcare issue. Last week, Faso voted for the new Republican healthcare plan in committee, and announced he would vote for it on the House floor before Republican leadership pulled the bill because it was not going to pass. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.

Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) was one of 15 Republicans voting with Democrats March 28 on SJ Res 34, a bill that gives internet service providers access to internet browsing histories. Republicans passed the bill that rolls back previous privacy rules by a vote of 215-205. The Senate voted last week 50-48 along party lines in favor of the measure. The bill prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from addressing the issue again, and President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill. Previously, ISPs would need permission before collecting data on a user's online activity.

Maury Thompson at The Post Star reports that for the second day in a row, Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) broke with Republicans and voted with Democrats in a losing cause on March 29. Faso was one of seven Republicans voting against legislation to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from finalizing a rule unless the scientific evidence used as the basis was specifically identified and made available for public review. HR 1430 passed by a 228-194 despite privacy objections. “This bill could negatively impact the EPA’s efforts to make scientifically informed policy decisions,” said Elise Stefanik, another upstate New York representative voting against the measure. Read the full story at The Post Star.

The Los Angeles Times and others reported that Vice President Mike Pence cast a tie-breaking vote March 30 to advance legislation from the U.S. Senate that rolls back rules preventing states from withholding federal funds to Planned Parenthood. The House passed the same measure Feb. 16, but Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) was one of only two Republicans to vote against the measure, which passed 230-188. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Partly sunny. High near 58. Monday night, rain, mainly after 11 p.m. Low around 45.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
TUESDAY: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 48. Tuesday night, a chance of rain before 2 a.m. Cloudy. Low around 38.
WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny. High near 55. Wednesday night, a chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy. Low around 39.

Sunrise today: 6:32 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:24 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 12:51 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the first Monday of the month.

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

ATHENS Town Board meeting, 6:45 p.m., Athens Community Center, 2 First Street, Athens (945-1052, ext. 2).
ATHENS Zoning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Athens Community Center, 2 First Street, Athens (945-1052).
CAIRO Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at town hall, 512 Main St., Cairo (622-3120).
CLERMONT Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1795 Route 9, Clermont (537-6868).
COEYMANS Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 18 Russell Ave., Ravena (756-6006).
DURHAM Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at town building, 7309 Route 81, East Durham (239-6122, ext 1).
GREENVILLE Board of Education budget meeting, 6 p.m.; full meeting 7 p.m., at high school, Route 81, Greenville (966-5070). HUNTER Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville (589-6150).
LEXINGTON Town Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., at Municipal building, 3542 Route 42, Lexington, (986-6303).
LIVINGSTON Zoning Board meeting, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, County Rte. 19, Livingston (851-9441).
SCHOHARIE County Planning Commission meeting, 7 p.m. at county office building, 284 Main St., Schoharie (295-8770).
TAGHKANIC Zoning Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

POLITICAL EVENTS
Healthcare is a Human Right Rally and Day of Action, 10 a.m., Apr. 4, at West Capital Park, State and South Swan streets, Albany. Hosted by Campaign for New York Health.
Capital Region Community Action Fair, 5 p.m., Apr. 4, at Proctor's, 432 State Street, Schenectady. More than 20 community and social justice organizations will be on hand to discuss the work they do, services they provide, and how volunteers can contributer time, talents and resources.
Town of New Paltz public hearing on proposed sanctuary city law, 7:30 p.m., Apr. 6 at New Paltz Community Center, 3 Veterans Drive, New Paltz.
Day without Immigrants Strike, May 1, details to come. No work, no school and no shopping for a day.
People's March for Free Press, 12 p.m., May 13, at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, New York. March and rally in support of the press and free speech.

Weekly event:
Faso Friday, 12 p.m., every Friday at U.S. Rep. John Faso's District Office, 2 Hudson Street, Kinderhook. Info at erinpersists@gmail.com.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for the weekend of April 1-2, 2017. (5:18). (Produced by Tom Roe and Neva Wartell.)