DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Mon., Mar. 13 (7:35). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Some of the stories that made the news from Fri., Mar. 10 through Sun., Mar. 12:

Robert Down reported in the Times Union a Coxsackie man died Fri., Mar. 12, after driving his car into the Hudson River in an attempt to flee a state police officer he allegedly assaulted only minutes before. The body of Jeffrey Dean, 48, was recovered from the Hudson River and sent to the Greene County Coroner for an autopsy. His car was also recovered. Police say Dean was stopped Friday night at the intersection of routes 81 and 93, after which he allegedly assaulted the officer. After fleeing the scene, Dean drove off a boat ramp at Riverside Park. In the water, he left his vehicle and attempted to swim to shore. An investigation of the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the state police in Catskill at (518) 622-8600.

Jimmy Vielkind and Colby Hamilton reported at Politico New York after Preet Bharara announced in a tweet Sat., Mar. 11, he had been fired as the top federal prosecutor in New York, the first reply came from New York City Public Advocate Tish James. Her message: “Run, Preet, Run.” Bharara's high-profile investigations included probes into Wall Street and ongoing political corruption cases that touched the administrations of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and took down the Republican and Democratic leaders of the state legislature. “For him to continue working for this president would have been beneath him. ... He should remain in public office; otherwise it would be a disservice to New Yorkers,” James told Politico. There is speculation that he may run for mayor of New York this year, or possibly pursue statewide office in 2018. Steve Greenberg, a pollster for the Siena Research Institute said Bharara is still unknown to most New York voters. “The last time Siena polled on him was in June and two-thirds of New Yorkers didn’t know who the heck he was,” Greenberg told Politico. In a statement released Saturday, Bharara said, "serving my country as U.S. Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live.

Amanda Purcell reported in The Daily Mail the Coxsackie Community Food Pantry has opened at its new location, 117 Mansion Street, in the village. The pantry is now housed rent-free behind the village offices. Construction of the 840-square-foot facility began in mid-October and finished in January. Money raised by community residents paid for building materials, as well as a couple of new freezers and refrigerators. The pantry serves approximately 100 families once or twice a month, Director Charlotte Carter said. During the past decade, roughly 3,600 families and 40,000 meals were served. “About a quarter of the people who visit us come just once and we don’t see them again. About 62 percent come [anywhere from] two to five times. ... [We] are an emergency food pantry. We are not a social relief agency,” Carter said. The shelter helps residents of Coxsackie, West Coxsackie, Hannacroix, New Baltimore, Medway, Earlton and Climax.

The New York State Department of Labor announced Fri., Mar. 10, the top five trending jobs in the Hudson Valley Region for 2017 are physical therapist, registered nurse, accountant and auditor, biochemist and biophysicist and electrician. Those five job titles are likely to see greater than average growth during the coming year. They were selected by labor market analysts based on occupational survey data and the projected needs of the region.

The National Weather Service in Albany, the Daily Freeman and Associated Press are reporting a winter storm watch has been issued for the region by the National Weather Service, with a coastal storm expected to bring more than seven inches of snow, beginning overnight Mon., Mar. 13, through Wed., Mar. 15. The watch area includes portions of eastern New York and adjacent western New England. Dangerous travel conditions are possible. A blizzard watch is in effect for coastal regions including New York City and Boston, from Monday into Tuesday. Please stay tuned to WGXC 90.7-FM for regular updates and weather-related closings and delays.

Victoria Addison reported in the Register-Star Columbia-Greene Community College has the highest completion rate among community colleges statewide at 31.4 percent, according to a report by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The report ranked 35 community colleges in the state based on the number of first-time, full-time students to complete a two-year program during the three-year period from 2011 to 2014. Among 341 freshman who started full-time in the fall of 2011, 107, or 31.4 percent, finished their respective programs by August 2014. Returning and part-time students were not included in the 31.4 percent completion rate. In August, the college was named to the Best Community Colleges in New York list, ranking third based on completion, retention and transfer rates, and the net price to attend.

Columbia-Greene Media has announced it is folding the 160-year-old Windham Journal into the Thursday edition of The Daily Mail, beginning in April. The Journal will now appear inside an "enhanced version" of the paper. In the announcement published in the Journal and online Thu., Mar. 9, Columbia-Greene promised it would continue to cover the same territory, and publish regular mountaintop columnists as well as community and school events. Columbia-Greene made a similar change to the 150-year-old Chatham Courier in December. The company ceased publication of the Greene County News and River Chronicle last year, and sold the 34-year-old Mountain Eagle to the Schoharie News. In early 2016, the company also closed its Catskill printing operations, sold the building and began printing at The Daily Gazette in Schenectady.

Local weather forecast:

TODAY: Partly sunny. High near 29. Wind chill values as low as -1. Monday night, snow likely, mainly after 2 a.m. The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Storm Watch for late Monday through Wednesday evening, for eastern New York and adjacent western New England. Snow accumulations of seven inches or more are possible through Wednesday evening. Mostly cloudy. Low around 20.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
TUESDAY: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 27. Tuesday night, snow likely. Cloudy. Low around 21.
WEDNESDAY: A chance of snow showers. Cloudy. High near 28. Wednesday night, mostly cloudy. Low around 15.

Sunrise today: 6:13 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:57 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 11:43 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the second Monday of the month.

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

ASHLAND Town Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Main Street, Ashland (734-3636).
CANAAN Town Board budget workshop at 6:30 p.m.; full board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1647 Co. Rte. 5, Canaan (781-3144).
COPAKE Environmental Committee meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GREENE County Legislature County Services, Public Works, Economic Development and Tourism, Government Operations, Finance committee meetings; Democrat and Republican caucuses, 6 p.m. at 411 Main Street (Caucus Room), Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Central Board of Education budget meeting, 6 p.m.; regular meeting, 7 p.m., middle school/high school library, 4982 State Route 81, Greenville (966-5070).
HUDSON Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m. in high school library, 215 Harry Howard Boulevard (828-4360).
HUDSON Common Council Informal meeting, 7 p.m. at City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Village Board meeting, 8 p.m. at Village Hall, 7955 Main St., Hudson (263-4020).
NEW BALTIMORE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 3809 Rt. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671).
PHILMONT Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 124 Main St., Philmont (672-7032).
PRATTSVILLE Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 14517 Main St., Prattsville (299-3125).
TAGHKANIC public hearing on the 2017 preliminary town budget followed by the regular Town Board meeting, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 909 Route 82, Taghkanic (851-7638).

POLITICAL EVENTS
NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION Day of Action, 12 p.m., Mar. 13. “Justice Does Not Compromise” An action at State Capitol in Albany by the NYCLU against policies of the Republican administration. The rally will be broadcast live on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MARSHAL Training, 6 p.m., Mar. 13, at Club Helsinki, 405 Columbia Street, Hudson. Training to prepare activists to serve as marshals at demonstrations.
HOW TO RUN for Office, 12 p.m., Mar. 18. Location to be announced. Workshop training local candidates to run for office. Organized and presented by the Working Families Party.
I Stand with PLANNED PARENTHOOD Rally, 2 p.m., Mar. 18, Seventh Street Park (Town Square), Hudson. Rally for unfettered access to women's healthcare, LGBTQ health and access to abortion services. Sponsored by Indivisible CD 19 and Columbia County Democratic Committee.

H. Rose Schneider reports in The Altamont Enterprise that Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy discussed expanding internet access to Berne and Knox at his State of the County address March 6. The next day McCoy told The Enterprise that the county had put out a request for proposals to expand internet access and is working with an internet provider to arrange it by the end of the year. Hudson Valley Wireless was the only company to answer the county's request for proposals, said county spokeswoman Mary Rozak. Hudson Valley Wireless was the fifth largest recipient of the Connect NY Broadband grant program and is installing service in parts of Albany, Washington, Rensselaer, Warren and Saratoga counties, according to its website. Read the full story in The Altamont Enterprise.

Victoria Addison reports in the Register-Star that the Columbia County Board of Supervisors voted to increase the limits for alternative veterans tax exemptions to the most allowed by the state, at a public hearing March 8. Exemption levels increase from $24,000 to $36,000 for wartime veterans, $16,000 to $24,000 for wartime veterans that also served in a combat zone, and $80,000 to $120,000 for veterans with disabilities. Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War, Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II are eligible for the exemption. No one spoke at the public hearing before the vote. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Matthew Hamilton reports in Capitol Confidential that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will join a lawsuit in the Western District of Washington state against President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration on March 13. The lawsuit seeks a restraining order against the the president’s revised order. “President Trump’s latest executive order is a Muslim ban by another name, imposing policies and protocols that once again violate the Equal Protection Clause and Establishment Clause of the United State Constitution,” Schneiderman said in a statement March 9. “As the Trump White House has already said, the administration’s latest Muslim ban seeks to accomplish the same unlawful and unconstitutional outcomes as the original order. Smart, aggressive litigation by state attorneys general and civil rights advocates across the country successfully torpedoed President Trump’s first Muslim ban, and I am pleased that as state AGs, we are now marshaling our resources to fight Trump’s latest, unconstitutional decree in the Ninth Circuit.” Read the full story at The Albany Times-Union's blog Capitol Confidential.

Emily Masters reports for The Albany Times-Union that New York doubled its number of biased crime specialists with dozens of troopers finished hate crimes investigation training. New York police are working against a six-fold increase in reports of hate crimes. "We've noticed a definite uptick," State Police First Deputy Superintendent Christopher Fiore said. There have been 60 reports in the past six months, State Police spokesman Beau Duffy said, with 15 to 20 hate crime the typical average per year before this latest increase. reports in a year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has launched a State Police Hate Crime Unit, and more than 120 members of law enforcement from the state, county, and local level attended the four-day New York State Hate Crimes Investigation School last week in Albany. "These are all trained investigators, so this is additional training specific to hate crimes investigations," Fiore said. Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.

Emilia Teasdale reports in The Columbia Paper that new Ichabod Crane schools superintendent Michael Vanyo met with teachers and parents before the March 7 school board meeting. “I’m thrilled to come to Ichabod Crane,” Vanyo said. Previously, he was superintendent at the Gloversville school district since 2012 and, before that, the superintendent of the Liberty district in Sullivan County. The board, that night, was not ready to vote on moving the third grade from the Primary School to the Elementary/Middle School building and making space for a Pre-K classroom in the Primary School. The next meeting, at 7 p.m. Tue., April 4, the matter will likely be up for a vote. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

DOWNLOAD or PLAY the audio version of the local news headlines for Fri., Mar. 10 (9:48). (Produced by Philip Grant.)

Listen or download audio (1:47:38) of the Hudson Planning Board meeting held Thu., Mar. 9. Includes public hearings on the 124 N. Second Street, 34 Allen Street, 6-12 Hudson Avenue and 886 Columbia Street applications. (Meeting outline with times below.) Recorded by Jess Puglisi.

Hudson Planning Board
Thu., Mar. 9, 6:30 pm, City Hall

Call to order

Public hearings:
124 North Second Street
Whitethorne LLC, Hawthorne Valley
3:00
Public comments

3:50
34 Allen Street
Jason Wyckoff, project manager for Tony Stone

9:05
6-12 Hudson Avenue
Row houses
Walter Chatham

11:45
886 Columbia Street

14:25
Regular meeting opens
Minutes approved for February
Minutes for January approved

17:45
Discussion of public applications
124 North Second Street
Application approved

24:10
34 Allen Street
Application accepted; approved.

28:58
6-12 Hudson Avenue
Application accepted; approved.

31:42
886 Columbia Street
Application approved.

39:03
51 N. 5th Street
New application. Jason O’Toole for Galvan Foundation
Coarc Daycare center
45:30 Possible tear-down of Short Street structure to make room for parking.
48:00 Conditional use, pending better answer to parking question.

50:15
Colarusso & Son haul road project narrative
50:30 Morris and Associates recusal. Zoning issue regarding dock.
1:05:51 Pat Prendegast, consulting engineer for Colarusso.
1:07:10 Cross section of causeway. Review of historic photos of area.
1:13:00 Key concerns: Figures missing like total land area impact and truck traffic.
1:20:00 Historic versus anticipated activity.
1:25:30 Potential expansion; increased truck traffic. Trucks off city streets versus all streets.
1:30:49 Off-road alternative. Increase in waterfront activity.
1:33:30 Economic impact.
1:35:31 Payroll, property taxes, etc.
1:39:40 Hudson's role is site plan review. Is this highest and best use? Has Colarusso reviewed land for highest and best use?

Meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.

Amanda Purcell is reporting in The Daily Mail Catskill village will break ground March 20 on the Catskill Creek Walking Loop. The half-mile long pedestrian pathway will connect Water Street, the Black Bridge, West Main Street and the Uncle Sam Bridge, and feature new lighting, boardwalks, benches and pocket parks. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by July 28. Water Street may be partially closed during construction, but the road should remain open to traffic, Village President Heather Bagshaw said. Most of the project is happening on the sidewalks or inside the county and school parking lots and not in the way of traffic, she said. "I am excited for this project," Bagshaw said. "It is really going to connect both sides of the creek and connect new businesses on either end — the Lumberyard project and the expansion of Crossroads Brewing Company." Village officials hope the finished project will attract more businesses to the area. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

Rosa Acheson is reporting in the Register-Star two corrections officers were hospitalized Tue., Mar. 7, following an altercation with a 17-year-old at the Hudson Correctional Facility. Three officers were injured in the incident; two were sent to Columbia Memorial Hospital, where one was treated for a broken ankle and the another sustained a laceration to his elbow and bruised ribs, New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association Communications Director James Miller said. Both officers were eventually released. A third officer sustained minor knee, back and hand injuries. The fight began when the teenager involved was found to be wearing a hat as he was being escorted into the gym, and hats are not permitted in the gym, Miller said. When the young man refused to remove the hat, prison staff ordered him to the wall to be frisked and the altercation ensued. After the incident, the 17-year-old was transferred from Hudson, a medium security facility, to the maximum security facility in Coxsackie. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Amanda Purcell is reporting in The Daily Mail a report by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has identified the village of Catskill as one of nine New York villages under some level of fiscal stress. Over the past three fiscal years, the villages of Catskill, Andover, Pomona and Walden have been identified as in stress during each of those years. Village Trustee Vincent Seeley said the report does not tell the whole story. "Not only are we strong financially, but we are on the upswing," he said. However, Seeley said, several factors have put a strain on Catskill's finances, including health care fees and "the general cost of doing business in the village." Another factor, Seeley said, are the number of nonprofit businesses coming to Catskill. "We’re seeing a number of nonprofits take over properties in the village, which puts those properties off the tax rolls and decreases our revenue," he said. "We are fiscally sound and making good decisions financially," Village President Heather Bagshaw said. "We’re looking to continue to service the community without having to increase taxes. What we’re doing now is looking at opportunities to consolidate." Read the full story in The Daily Mail.

School closings and delays for Fri., Mar. 10:
[Updated: 8:55 a.m.]
Millbrook Central School District | Closed.
Rhinebeck Central School District | Delayed three hours Closed.
Saugerties Central School District | Delayed two hours Closed.
Sullivan BOCES | Delayed two hours. The adult program and offices will open at 10 a.m.

The Schoharie News reports that local political activists on the left are banding together for a major voter registration effort this Sunday, March 12. Volunteers will go door-to-door signing up new voters and asking for petition signatures demanding U.S. Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) hold public town hall meetings. The "Resistance Voter Registration" event is a mass canvass action organized by local Indivisible, #Resistance, and Women's March NY groups, with Citizen Action and local Democratic and Working Families Party committees. There are 12 launch locations for volunteers to meet from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., including at the Hudson Area Library Community Room, at 51 N 5th Street, Hudson; The Senior Center, 207 Market Street, Saugerties; and the Elks Lodge #2022 at 7711 Albany Post Road, Red Hook. Read the full story in The Schoharie News.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced March 9 that the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved nearly $60 million in grants and interest-free and low-cost loans for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across New York State, including in Cairo and Chatham. The Town of Cairo is getting $3.5 million ($2.1 million NYS Water Grant, and a $1.4 million zero-interest loan) to develop additional source water capacity, treatment improvements at an existing well, improvements to the existing finished water storage tank, distribution system upgrades, and installation of new water meters and meter reading equipment. The Village of Chatham gets $808,217 ($484,930 NYS Water Grant, and a $323,287 low-interest loan) to replace the village's existing open finished water reservoir with a new 400,000 gallon closed finished water storage tank and to replace the water main that services the existing reservoir.

Matthew Hamilton reports at Capitol Confidential the state’s correction officers union is upset by Gov. Andrew Cuomo comments March 7 supporting raising the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 years old. Cuomo said that putting young non-violent offenders in the adult criminal justice system, “places some of our youngest New Yorkers in a prison system where they are more likely to be assaulted, to be injured by prison staff, and to commit suicide than their peers processed as juveniles.” The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association said it was, “completely unacceptable that the governor would make misleading and disingenuous remarks about corrections officers to score some cheap political points in pursuit of his raise the age proposal.” Cuomo reacted through a spokesperson. “Governor Cuomo has always supported the hardworking men and women who work in our prison system and keep our facilities safe and during the past two years, the administration has increased staffing and invested millions in new technology and training to enhance safety and accountability for staff and inmates alike,” Jason Elan, the spokesman, said. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential.

Emily Masters is reporting in the Times Union U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told Hudson resident Elsa Martinez, Wed., Mar. 8, she would not be detained and deported. Martinez attended a meeting to discuss her immigration status at the Department of Homeland Security building in Latham accompanied by approximately 30 protesters, who cheered when Martinez emerged from the building. Martinez, the mother of five children, has lived in the United States for 27 years and owns a cleaning business. She now has a work permit and is filing for temporary protective status, a family member said. Martinez is the third member of her family recently embraced by the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement and Albany New Sanctuary Movement. Her brother Ramiro Martinez-Chacon was detained by immigration officers outside his Hudson home on Feb. 7. He is currently being held at the Rensselaer County jail on behalf of ICE. Martinez-Chacon's wife, Maria de Jesus Canterero Mercado, met with federal agents about her own immigration status on March 2, as members of local sanctuary groups rallied outside the Latham government building. Read the full story in the Times Union.

The WGXC Radical Radio 2017 Winter Pledge Drive continues! WGXC 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: A chance of snow before 1 p.m., followed by a mix of rain and snow by mid-afternoon, then turning back into snow. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny. High near 36. Friday night, partly cloudy. Low around 11. Wind chill values will drop to dangerously cold levels Friday night, especially across the higher terrain.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS
SATURDAY: Partly sunny. High near 22. Wind chill values as low as -5. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low around 9. Wind chill values as low as -2.
SUNDAY: Partly sunny. High near 25. Sunday night, mostly clear. Low around 6.

Sunrise today: 6:13 a.m.
Sunset today: 5:57 p.m.
LENGTH OF THE DAY: 11:43 hrs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
Today is the second Friday of the month.

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

COLUMBIA-GREENE Suicide Prevention Task Force meeting, 2 p.m. at Columbia County Human Services Building, 325 Columbia Street, Hudson (828-4258).
HUDSON Historic Preservation Commission meeting, 10 a.m. at Hudson City Hall, 520 Warren St., Hudson (828-1030).

POLITICAL EVENTS
HUDSON RESISTANCE Voter Registration, Mar. 12, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A canvass training and canvassing in Hudson and other locales.
NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION Day of Action, Mar. 13. Action at State Capitol in Albany by the NYCLU against policies of the Republican administration.

DOWNLOAD or play the audio version of the local news update for Thursday, March 9 (4:33). (Produced by Alanna Medlock.)