The Freedom to Vote Act is the newest effort by Democrats in Congress to pass a bill that can attract at least some Republican votes. Howie Hawkins, the recent Green Party candidate for President, tells WOOC's Mark Dunlea that while the voting reforms in the bill need to be adopted, the provisions killing the Presidential campaign matching funds need to be rejected. And, every ten years after the census, New York and other states must redraw the Congressional and State Legislative districts to reflect population changes. A decade ago, voters approved a constitutional amendment to try to make this more of an independent process rather than one determined by partisan political interests. Recently the commission established to oversee the process came up with two competing sets of maps for new Congressional districts, one drawn by the Democrats and the other by the Republicans. Blair Horner of NYPIRG talks with WOOC's Mark Dunlea about the next steps in the process.

The WGXC Morning Show is a radio magazine show featuring local news, interviews with community leaders and personalities, reports on cultural issues, a rundown of public meetings and local and regional events, with weather updates, and more about and for the community, made mostly through volunteers in the community through WGXC. The Catskill Makers Syndicate produce the "Better Weather" for the show. Rob Gelles produces the Columbia County history segment "Rob Around The County" and "This Month in History" for the show. Julia Joern produced the "Hudson Valley Word of Mouth" interview segment each week. The "WGXC Congressional Report" also airs here. Some reports come from our partner station, WOOC-LP in Troy, out of The Sanctuary for Independent Media. Tom Roe also cuts up local and national news with songs and sounds for the show. At 9 a.m. "The WGXC Daily," with local headlines, weather, and previews of community events, airs. At 10 a.m., national headlines from Public News Service are on WGXC. Sometimes national, state, or local press conferences, meetings, or events are broadcast live here.