Windham Command Center closes
The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Facebook page reports that the Windham Command Center -- the organizing office for storm recovery in the Greene County town -- is closing. They report that the number there (734-4938) is not any good anymore. Calls should now be made to the Windham Town Hall at 518-734-4170. The Windham Command Center on South Street will only be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. effective Sunday, September 11. Displaced residents in need of housing should call (510) 316-7636. Volunteers to help clean up should call Alyssa at (518) 947-0358.

Farms assess storm's punch
Diane Valden in The Columbia Paper reports that about 150 farms in Columbia County sustained some damage from the winds and rains of Hurricane Irene August 28, but only about 15 were damaged extensively. "Sandra Ferry, executive director of the US Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Columbia and Greene counties, told The Columbia Paper this week that a monetary estimate of farm damage in the county is still being assessed, but primarily losses were to crops of all varieties and crop land. Little harm came to farm structures and no livestock casualties have been reported, Ms. Ferry said," Valden writes. Bob Fix at the Fix Brothers Farm in Livingston told Valden they had up to 1,000 apple trees toppled or leaning. "Cherry trees fared well through the storm because the fruit had already been picked, but the apple trees were still heavy-laden. That weight combined with the saturated ground and the wind weakened already shaky root systems particularly on new orchard dwarf trees that require a support network of poles and wires to keep them upright, Valden writes. Andy Szymanowicz of Sol Flower Farm on Wiltsie Bridge Road in Ancramdale estimates they lost 15 percent of their crops. The Kinderhook Creek rose to three feet high in the corn fields on the dairy farm of State Farm Bureau Vice President Eric Ooms. “But my heart breaks for the people in Middleburgh,” said Mr. Ooms in Valden's story. “They had 20 feet of water in their barns in a matter of minutes, they are burying cows and their house is gone. To get some perspective, we got five-inches of rain, the hill towns got 15. We should feel blessed or lucky or whatever you want to call it.” Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

More storm recovery updates are below.

Elections on Tuesday
From The Daily Freeman (the Greene County Board of Elections has no information about primaries on its website), here are a list of the contested elections in Greene County Tue., Sept. 13.
• ATHENS: Five people are vying for four Republican Committee seats in District 2. On the ballot are Marilyn Farrell, John P. Farrell Jr., Herbert M. Blasewitz, Fred W. Dedrick II and Anthony T. Paluch.
• CAIRO: Six people are vying for four Republican Committee seats in District 5. On the ballot are Carrie E. Anderson, Tara A. Rumph, David Clark, Barbara L. Koerner Fox, Anthony P. Puorro Jr. and Margaret M. Lawrence. Also, Lewis M. O’Connor and Robert F. Hempstead are seeking the Independence Party line in the race for town highway superintendent; and Monika C. Fabiano is seeking the Independence Party line in the race for town clerk.
• 108TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT: Five people are vying for four positions as delegates to the 3rd Judicial District Convention on the Independence line. On the ballot are Sean W. Egan, Anthony F. Cornell, David O. Kelly, Sharon Kelly and Walter Simonsmeier. On the ballot to be among four alternates to the convention are Eileen M. Clyne, Julia L. Crawley, Phillip Lajeunesse Noreen Lajeunesse and Deborah Simonsmeier.

Gibson supportive of Obama's economic rebuilding plans
Marc Heller of the Register-Star's Johnson News Service attempts to analzye Rep. Chris Gibson's body language during President Obama's jobs speech last Thursday evening which was broadcast live on WGXC. "He even rose and clapped when Obama called on Congress to end Washington’s “political circus,” a line that drew blank stares from most of his GOP colleagues," Heller wrote. Then he cites an interview with Gibson, though he does not say who conducted the interview or where. “I think there’s common ground,” he quotes the Republican Representative from Kinderhook. “I think the president is addressing impediments to growth." Read the full story in the Register-Star.

The Power of the Press (or whatever Gossips is)
Carole Osterink's The Gossips of Rivertown was the first source to report that parking tickets were being issued on Labor Day in Hudson, after city officials previously announced it was one of the holidays on which alternate side of the street parking was suspended. First Ward Alderman Sarah Sterling read the post, and then checked in to why folks were getting parking tickets, and now, sends her this report:

In large measure due to your alert about the parking tickets issued on Labor Day for alternate side of the street violations, and with the assistance of Alderman Sarah Sterling, the matter has been resolved. Hudson Police Department Commissioner Ronald Grant Friday evening informed me that the tickets issued for that infraction were in error and all will be voided. If a ticket has been paid, a refund will be issued. I have expressed my appreciation to the Commissioner and to HPD Chief Richardson for handling the matter professionally and quickly. Last year an agreement was reached with the Common Council to suspend alternate side of the street parking regulations on five holidays. The HPD officers on duty Labor Day were not informed of the suspension of alternate side regulations, the sort of lapse to which we are all subject. The Commissioner has offered his apologies, expressed his appreciation for having the matter called to his attention, and remedied it. For the record, the holidays as conveyed to me by the Commissioner when alternate side parking [regulations] are suspended include: New Year's Eve, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve.

Read the entire story at The Gossips of Rivertown.

STORM RECOVERY UPDATES

School closings
• All Greene County schools are closed Mon. Sept. 12. An announcement about when they will open for the year will be made Monday, according to Greene County Emergency Services.
• Windham-Ashland-Jewett CSD is tentatively scheduled to open Monday, Sept. 19, according to its website.
• Hunter-Tannersville CSD has not announced any changes from Greene County's opening schedule on its website.
• Middleburgh Central School opens Monday, Sept. 19, according to its website. They will hold a special Board of Education meeting, at 7 p.m. Mon. Sept. 12, in the elementary school cafeteria.
• Schoharie CSD opens Monday, Sept. 12, according to its website.
• Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk CSD has no transportation to or from Greene County, due to Greene County's emergency order. Parent transport only, according to its website.

Tetanus clinics
The Greene County Department of Health is sponsoring free tetanus immunization clinics for adults 18 and over at the following locations:
• Monday, September 12 at the FEMA tent in Prattsville from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and also at the Lanesville Firehouse from 3-5 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 13 at the Lexington Municipal Hall in Lexington from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Mental Health personnel will be available to speak with individuals at the same time that immunizations are being offered. You can also contact the Greene County Mental Health’s main line at (518) 622-9163.

New York State Insurance Department Mobile Command Center comes to region
State Senator James L. Seward reports the New York State Insurance Department Mobile Command Center (MCC) will be in Greene County and Schoharie County this week to assist residents and business owners with questions they may have following recent storms and flooding. The mobile command center is a 50-foot long van equipped with high-speed internet access and telephone equipment that is being used to help property owners file claims and contact their insurance companies. Insurance Department personnel will also be available to answer consumers' questions. Find it:
• Monday, September 12 at 491 County Route 12, in Windham. Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (staff will leave at 7 p.m. if no activity).
• Tuesday, September 13 at Main Street, Middleburgh. MCC will park to the left of the NBT Bank and chiropractor's office and across the street from the post office. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition to the MCC, New Yorkers with questions about insurance are urged to call the New York State Insurance Department's disaster hotline, 1-800-339-1759, Monday though Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Insurance-related information can also be found on the department's website, www.ins.state.ny.us.

Emergency agriculture meeting
Cornell Cooperative Extension holds an "emergency" meeting for local farmers at 1 p.m. this Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 NYS Route 23, in Acra. "This meeting is designed to offer farmers the opportunity to access all of the different disaster relief efforts being carried on right now by the different organizations and agencies, and all in one place," according to their press release. "Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA) the Farm Services Agency, (FSA) Farm Bureau, (FB) NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, (NRCS) Soil and Water Conservation Districts, (SWCD) Farm Net, the Department of Labor, (DOL) the Department of Social Services, (DSS) Crop Insurers, the Watershed Agricultural Council, (WAC) Farm Credit East, and Cornell Cooperative Extension will be on hand to help answer your questions, and help direct you to programs within the disaster relief efforts that can best fit your needs." WGXC will also be on hand air the meeting live on WGXC 90.7-FM and wgxc.org. For more information, please call the Cornell Cooperative Extension at (518) 622-9820. If you have special needs related to program participation, please contact the Agroforestry Center in advance.

Road open
The New York Department of Transportation reports that Route 145 in the town of Cairo to the Albany County line, is now open to traffic in both directions.

Monday morning sports scores
Football
New York Giants 14
Washington Redskins 28

Dallas Cowboys 24
New York Jets 27

Tonight
New England Patriots at
Miami Dolphins 7 p.m.

Baseball
New York Yankees 6
Los Angeles Angels 5
(The Yankees now lead the Red Sox by 3.5 games for the AL East lead.)

Boston Red Sox 1
Tampa Bay Rays 9
(The Red Sox now lead the Rays by 3.5 games for the AL Wild Card.)

Chicago Cubs 10
New York Mets 6 11 innings