westerlo public hearing (first half in video to be posted) https://t.co/vVex6j0IQx

— Helen Rose Schneider (@Schneidlee) March 21, 2017

Westerlo, in southern Albany County, had a town meeting March 21. Helen Rose Schneider from the Altamont Enterprise posted this video on Periscope.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Wed., Mar. 22 (9:31). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Greene County
Athens village results
Mayor, Peter Alberti wins with 272 votes, with Catherine Censor receiving 171 votes.
The Village Board of Trustees vote has Shannon Spinner leading with 236 votes, and Marla Butler, also getting enough votes to win a seat, with 235 votes. Stephan Bradicich had 210 votes, and Amy Goldberg had 191 votes.
Catskill Village results
Joe Kozloski 280, Peter Grasse 214, with 88 absentee ballots.
Coxsackie village results
Mayor, Mark Evans, with 325 votes, beats, Sal Bevilacqua, with 241 votes, with one "unqualified" write-in.
Village Board of Trustees, Stephen Hanse, with 313 votes, and Donald Daoust, 305 votes, win the seats. Deidre Meier, with 273 votes and Wayne Parks, with 248 votes, did not win.
Tannersville village results
Mayor Lee McGunnigle, with 79 votes, won the seat, with 56 "unqualified" write-ins.
Village Board of Trustees, David Kashman, with 98 votes, and Gregory Landers, with 83 votes, win seats. Gina Guarino also got 48 votes, with 2 "unqualified" write-ins.
Columbia County
Chatham Village results
Mayor, Tom Curran 107; Write-in 1
Trustee, Jay Rippel 101; Write-in 1
Trustee, Michael Wollowitz 100; Write-in 1
Village Justice - Write-Ins: Walter Simonsmeier 42, Wayne Coe 1, Daniel Brackett 5, Bill Hogencamp 1, Labinsky 1, Mitchell Khosrova 1
Kinderhook Village results
Village board of trustees both David Flaherty, 51 votes, and and Dale Leiser, 52 votes, win seats.
Philmont Village results
Mayor, Clarence Skip Speed, 51 votes, and write-in candidate Linda Mossman, 1
Village board of trustees both Doug Cropper, 49 votes, and Larry Ostrander, 46 votes, win seats, with Barbara Sagal receiving one write-in vote.
Valatie Village results
The three incumbents were all reelected without opposition. Mayor Diane Argyle received 43 votes. Village Board of Trustees, Frank Bevens received 42 votes and Larry Eleby had 45 votes. A total of 48 votes were cast.

Rosa Acheson is reporting in the Register-Star the Hudson Housing Authority has a new executive director. Anthony Laulette starts his new job Mon., Mar. 27, after working for the Buffalo Housing Authority since 2009. During that time, Laulette, 43, worked his way up from a housing aide to an associate management analyst role. "As with any transition to this level, there’s a lot to learn," Laulette said. "I’ve been down to Hudson a couple times and it’s a beautiful, small city." Laulette said he looks forward to carrying out the Hudson Housing Authority's mission in conjunction with the Board of Commissioners. He said meeting regularly with residents of Bliss Towers is a high priority. Laulette also said the proposed federal budget is of particular concern right now. "There are home fronts that would get eliminated; it’s particularly concerning to me, because besides the cuts to pubic housing, there are other cuts that would impact low income residents — Medicaid, Meals on Wheels — it’s going to be an uphill battle, but it won’t be impossible," he said. Laulette replaces Hudson resident Tracy Brown, who will now return to her role on the Board of Commissioners. Brown served as interim director following the retirement of former executive director Jeffrey First in December. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

The Daily Freeman is reporting U.S. Rep. John Faso will vote in favor of the GOP health care bill when it comes to the House floor, his office said Tue., Mar. 21. “Yes, he plans to vote in favor of the AHCA,” Faso spokeswoman Courtney Weaver said. Weaver's comments were the first public acknowledgment that the first-term Kinderhook Republican will support the American Health Care Act. Faso previously said he favored repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. The vote on the health care bill is expected Thursday. Capitol Confidential is reporting In the days leading up to that vote an amendment to the AHCA is being pushed by Faso and fellow New York Republican Chris Collins. That measure would require the state to pay the Medicaid costs currently shouldered by counties in New York. If passed, the cost of that shift would be $2.3 billion if and when it takes effect in 2020. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday Congressional Republicans have “declared war on New York” by making the Medicaid change. He said the Faso-Collins Amendment would jeopardize health care for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and force hospitals and nursing homes to close their doors, leading to thousands of lost jobs. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.

Senate GOP @LeaderFlanagan says he is skeptical of the federal proposal to have the state assume Medicaid costs https://t.co/kxtE2Ua9HX pic.twitter.com/c7mkvFwQqt

— Capital Tonight (@CapitalTonight) March 21, 2017

House Majority Leader Paul Ryan hopes to get a vote on the American Health Care Act, or Trumpcare, by this Thu., March 23. Last week Rep. John Faso (R-Kingston) got the bill out of his committee, casting the deciding vote. Faso hasn't said yet, but there's no reason to believe he will not vote for the bill when it reaches the House floor. Paul Kirby at the Daily Freeman rounds up other opinions around the Hudson Valley about the proposed replacement to the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Last week Ulster County Executive Michael Hein issued an executive order to create a report on the impact if the Affordable Care Act is repealed. David Scarpino, president and chief executive officer of HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley, with two hospital campuses in Kingston, said, “We would be concerned about any federal cuts that affect safety-net hospitals, such as cuts in Medicaid reimbursements, because of the fragile financial condition of those institutions, including ours.” Health Quest operates the Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, among other facilities, and Chief Financial Officer Gary Zmrhal said, “There should be no hurry,” Zmrhal said. “I don’t know why they are rushing into this thing when it is so important to the country. ... They should take one step at a time." Director Karen Scharff of Citizen Action, an activist group in Kingston, said, “Congressman Faso will have to decide whose side he’s on this week. Will he vote to give billions in tax breaks to insurance CEOs and the super-rich, or will he protect our health care?” Read the full story at the Daily Freeman.

Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Albany Times Union that the Glens Falls law firm that negotiated a settlement agreement with the corporations blamed for polluting Hoosick Falls' water supplies, has bought out the law practice of the village's attorney. John R. Patterson Jr., the village attorney, recommended the firm that is now buying his law practice, to the village board. Village Trustee Kevin O'Malley said, "I think we should have known and probably the public should know at some point." The Glen Falls firm would also get $300,000 in fees if the currently-tabled settlement with the town and Saint-Gobain and Honeywell is approved. Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.

Bethany Bump reports in the Albany Times Union that 30 percent of the Meals on Wheels program in Rensselaer County and 19 percent in Albany County is paid for with federal money. President Donald Trump's initial budget announced last week would eliminate federal funds. Rensselaer County spokesperson Chris Meyer said, "I really don't want any seniors to wake up and read this and think these programs are in jeopardy.... We've made a committed effort over the years to maintain this program, and will do what we need to keep them intact."

Olivia Beavers reports at The Hill that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman hired a prosecutor who served under fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara to focus on public corruption cases. A Wall Street Journal report said Howard Master will also focus on investigations related to President Donald Trump, who recently fired Bharara and most other U.S. attorneys. Schneiderman has previously litigated against Trump on a fraud lawsuit over Trump University and joined colleagues in other states challenging Trump’s immigration ban and climate change plans. Read the full story at The Hill.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Wind Advisory until 6 p.m., Wednesday evening. Northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph will develop before daybreak and continue through late afternoon. Scattered snow showers, mainly in the early morning, are expected. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny. Temperatures will fall to 21 by 11 a.m. Wednesday night, clear. Low around 12.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
THURSDAY: Sunny. High near 38. Thursday night, increasing clouds. Low around 21.
FRIDAY: A chance of snow before 11 a.m., then rain and snow likely between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the rain likely after 2 p.m. Cloudy. High near 42. Friday night, a chance of rain. Cloudy. Low around 40.

Sunrise today: 6:53 a.m.
Sunset today: 7:10 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 12:17 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the fourth Wednesday 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 Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at community center, 2 First Street, Athens (945-1052).
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 Airport Sub-committee meeting, 4 p.m.; Public Works Committee meeting, 5 p.m., both 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).
COXSACKIE Town Board meeting, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 16 Reed St., Coxsackie (731-2727)
HUDSON Common Council Public Works Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m.; Legal Committee meeting, 6:15 p.m.; both at City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
NEW LEBANON Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m. at junior/senior high school, 14665 Route 22, New Lebanon (794-7600).
WINDHAM Town Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville (734-4170).

POLITICAL EVENTS
Legal Issues Facing Transgender Individuals (LGBT Law Series), 6 p.m., Mar. 23, at Albany Law School. A free program addressing legal issues in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, presented by the LGBT Pro Bono Project of Albany Law School, Pride Center of the Capital Region and In Our Own Voices.
Capital District SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE Coffee Chat, 6:30 p.m., Mar. 23, Albany Public Library, Arbor Hill/West Hill Branch. Public discussion of the SURJ Wear Out the Silence campaign.
Repealing and Replacing the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, 10 a.m., Mar. 25, 360 Warren St., Hudson. Free, open meeting to outline the health insurance delivery system.
BLACK STORIES MATTER Live, 7:30 p.m., Mar. 25 at Pointe of Praise Church, Kingston. Free admission. Performance featuring true stories from people of color about the experience of being black in America.
Stop the NORTHERN ACCESS PIPELINE Rally, 12 p.m., Mar. 27 at DEC Building, 625 Broadway, Albany.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Tuesday, March 21 (3:29). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)

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