Radio Cartoon is by Gus Murphy of Ulster County.
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Tags: Radio Cartoon
By Gus Murphy
Tags: Radio Cartoon
By Gus Murphy
Tags: Radio Cartoon
By Gus Murphy
Greene County plans to sue Friar Tuck Inn debtors
Ariel Zangla reports in The Daily Freeman that Greene County is seeking repayment of more than $90,000 outstanding on an economic development loan it had granted to the now-closed Friar Tuck Inn. Ulster Savings Bank foreclosed on the resort in April 2010 after the owners tried to file for bankruptcy protection in June 2009 and then tried, without success, to sell the property at auction the following November. At the time the property was foreclosed on, the bank was owed about $3.8 million on the resort’s mortgage. But it turns out that in 2001, the county provided a $160,000 loan which was personally guaranteed by Rocco Caridi, Frank Caridi Jr., Stephen Caridi and Salvatore Caridi, the resort’s previous owners. The most recent payment on the loan was made on April 13, 2009. On Monday, June 13, Greene County lawmakers gave initial approval to a resolution to start a lawsuit against the debtors, including the estate of Salvatore Caridi. The full Legislature is expected to vote on the resolution Wednesday. The bank is still trying to find a new buyer for the property. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.
Sweeney on his new job: ‘I want to be here the rest of my life’
Adam Sichko writes in the Albany Business Review that former U.S. Rep. John Sweeney is hoping his new job with Albany-based law firm Tully Rinckey PLLC, which bills itself as “your lawyers for life,” will now be his employer for life. “Sweeney, a Republican who served in Congress for eight years and was seen as a rising star, will be “of counsel” to the Tully Rinckey firm,” Sichko writes of the 55 year old lawyer who served eight years in Congress before being ousted by current U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand before being twice charged with DWI in the past four years. The latter incident, in 2009, involved a grand jury conviction that led to a few weeks of jail time and three years of probation, which he is in the middle of serving. “Tully Rinckey had been searching for an attorney to beef up its offerings related to congressional investigations or subpoenas,” Sichko adds. “Founding partner Mat Tully said he could not deny Sweeney’s volume of contacts, both in the Capital Region and in Washington, D.C.” Read the full story at the Albany Business Review here.
More political heat throughout Columbia County
The Register Star has two updates on the political races shaping up for this coming November around Columbia County, which are already gaining heated interest as candidates line up for party endorsements. In Stockport, where longstanding supervisor Leo Pulcher is stepping down, Bob Green reports that newly appointed Town Board Member Matt Murell has announced that he will be running for Stockport town supervisor this November. Murell spent 15 years as executive director of the Columbia County Youth Bureau before moving on to the state Office of Children & Family Services, where he retired last December as director of the Office of Youth Development. He already has an endorsement from his town’s Conservative Party, and will be “one of several vying for the nod when the town Republican Party holds its caucus, soon to be scheduled,” according to Green. In a separate report, the Register-Star notes that a GOP caucus in Chatham was held last week at the Tri-Village Fire Department, with incumbent supervisor Jesse DeGroodt, a former Democrat, incumbent board member Tom Meyn and incumbent town justice Michael Hart all getting nods, along with NAPA Store owner Robert Johnson, who will be seeking a second town board opening, and attorney Jason Shaw, who will be seeking a second justice position opening up with the retirement of judge Doris Appel. To read both stories at the Register-Star click here.
End of an era: Cement industry crumbles as Holcim departs
When does a trend, a simple observation, become a matter of history? The Daily Mail’s Doron Tyler Antrim has a story that asks Greene County legislators whether they think the cement industry that was a backbone of regional business, and jobs, can survive its recent hits. “Now, with the ceasing of operations at the Holcim plant on Monday, an era, it seems, is coming to a close,” the story notes, with most saying they don’t see the industry reviving while a few stalwarts point out the continuing viability of the limestone deposits in the area that first drew cement companies to set up shop a century ago. Read the full story in the Daily Mail.
By Gus Murphy
Tags: Radio Cartoon
The Hudson Correctional Facility as seen in its first incarnation as a Training Facility for Girls. Image from Friends of Hudson website.
Tags: Andrew Cuomo, Coxsackie Correctional Facility, Greene Correctional Facility, Hudson Correctional Facility, prison closures, state prisons
The Hudson School District has its candidates for the upcoming May 17 school board of education election with no races this year. Peter A. Rice, Jr., appointed to fill a vacant seat last September, will be filling out a three-year term while Jeri Chapman and Racquel “Kelly” Frank are running to fill the seats of Emil Meister, the current board president, and Mary Keeler Daly, who was elected last May to fill out a single remaining year on a board term. Both seats are for five years. The 2011-12 Hudson City School District budget, as approved by the Board of Education, April 11, totals $41,249,180 (an increase of less than one percent) representing a 9.8 percent tax levy increase (with major losses in state school aid). For a comprehensive report on, and analysis of the spending plan up for a vote on May 17 see Lynn Sloneker’s Unmuffled blog report here.
Tags: Hudson School Board
At 8 a.m. Sat., April 30, over 200 boys and girls from around Catskill with their parents, relatives, and friends, all marched from the Catskill Elementary School to Elliot Field in the annual Little League parade. Opening ceremonies, the nationa anthem, team and individual photos, and an entire day’s worth of T-Ball, AA, AAA, and full league games followed. Ed Dupont, Catskill Little League president, dedicated the day’s events to the memory of Michael White, a Little League player who died last year. White’s team was presented with trophies for regional victories, and T=the first pitch was tossed out by Catskill Village President Vincent Seeley, with most of the town and village’s officials, and legislators, also on hand for the event. Much was said about ongoing efforts to build new field. Two dozen plus teams, including girl’s softball, play into the latter half of June. Northern Columbia and Hudson Little League play also started in the past week.
(FOR STAFF: Best used as a bed to read the news report over. Play clip, let national anthem play, and then read item over top background sounds.)
Tags: baseball, Elliot Field, Little League, Vince Seeley
By Gus Murphy
Tags: Radio Cartoon
Mid Hudson News Network reports on a Cooperative Extension program in the southern Catskills attended by approximately 30 landowners, many of them farmers, on the benefits and concerns of leasing land for gas exploration. “State regulations don’t protect agricultural productivity,” the story quotes Ken Smith of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chenango County saying. “It doesn’t assume that natural gas development is going to happen next year or the following year, but, the reality is that they are being asked to make decisions now that are going to affect their property perhaps as far in advance as 40 or 50 years,” he said. Smith, whose county has been at the center of gas drilling leases in New York State, said his message to landowners is to make sure you know what you are getting into before agreeing to any leases. And that, he added, requires professional help, especially given that the siting of well pads and roads may threaten existing agricultural activity that can last for generations.
Tags: anti-fracking, Cornell Cooperative Extenision, gas drilling
Safety Net isn’t safe enough
Francesca Olsen reports in the Register-Star that Columbia County Social Services Commissioner Paul Mossman has teamed up with State Assemblyman Peter Lopez, R,C,I-Schoharie, to develop a proposal that would allow Columbia County to use some of its own social services funding to increase the allotment for the Safety Net program, which gives money to those who qualify for housing, food and other expenses. “The current maximum allowance for a single person, per month, via Safety Net is $350,” she writes. “Increasing the benefit level, Mossman said, will give his clients a better chance of finding affordable housing in a competitive market.” Mossman added that the effort would be tri-county, with pilot areas in Schoharie, Greene and Columbia counties all using local funding to increase the monthly allowance, probably by about $200, in a six-month program designed to close current safety net holes. Those who would be eligible would already qualify for Safety Net, and those who are currently or soon-to-be employed would get the first go at additional allowance funds.
Church-based group gets $1 million grant
Carol DeMare writes in the TImes Union that the Capital Region Theological Center, an Albany-based Christian ecumenical group whose services reach to houses of worship of all faiths, announced April 26 that it has received a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment that it will use over the coming four years to help strengthen local congregations. “We believe stronger congregations mean stronger communities,” the Rev. Sherri Meyer-Veen, CRTC project manager, is quoted in DeMare’s story. “Denominations have been in decline over the last 40 years… Ecumenical partnering is an essential must for the church of the future.” The idea is for “multiple denominations of faith and traditions to be working together,” as well as “the lessening of denominational lines to give a full expression of faith,” DeMare writes of the grant goals for the theological center, which began in 2001 as an education resource for clergy and lay church members, offering a variety of courses with local speakers and those from around the country that lasted a day or several days.
To save a tree
Carole Osterink has a pair of stories up on her The Gossips of Rivertown blog about a tree near the old Armory building at North Fifth and State Sts. that was being cut down as of Tuesday morning, April 26, when several neighbors came out in protest and succeeded in getting a stay of execution for the tree. Vigils to save the tree, whose cutters would not identify who had hired them, were being planned for the coming week. Osterink added that the tree had survived earlier cuttings and a lightning hit over the years.
Tags: Capital Region Theological Center, Lily Foundation, Paul Mossman, Pete Lopez, Safety Net
Catskill school board candidates William Fiske, Karen Haas (I), Michael Maloney and Ward Osborn at the April 26 Meet the Candidates event put on by Leadership Greene in the Catskill High School library. Photo by Paul Smart.
Casey Seiler writes in this afternoon’s Capital Confidential blog at the Times Union on petitions signed by 10,000 New Yorkers opposed to hydrofracking that were delivered to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office April 26 by a group of college students and advocates sponsored by the New York Public Interest Research Group. “Advocates argue that the DEC needs to broaden the scope of the SGEIS to look at all the potential effects of the technique, and take more time to make sure the new permit process is comprehensive,” Seiler writes. “The NYPIRG advocates, many of them college students, began chanting ‘No fracking way!’ as they strode from the LOB through the tunnel to the Capitol — a cheer briefly taken up by a class of middle-school students headed the other way.” For the full story click here.
Tags: Andrew Cuomo, anti-fracking
By Gus Murphy
Tags: Radio Cartoon
Hazardous waste collection scheduled, but under fire
Colin DeVries writes in the Daily Mail about how a planned Greene County household hazardous waste event scheduled for June 25 is being questioned by the county legislature’s Majority Leader, Keith Valentine, as too expensive. “The event, which would accept common household items that require special disposal such as cleaning products, automotive fluids, hobby chemicals and paints, has been scheduled for June 25 after being approved Wednesday night,” DeVries writes, referring to the legislature’s April 20 meeting. “Greene County Legislature Majority Leader Keith Valentine, R-Catskill, questioned the need for another event this year, given the cost.” Last year the event cost $50,000.
Nichols to run for state Supreme Court seat
Deborah Gilbert writes in the Columbia Paper that County Judge and Acting Supreme Court Judge Jonathan D. Nichols will seek election to the office of Supreme Court in New York’s Third Judicial District this coming November. “State Supreme Court justices are elected to 14-year terms and mostly handle civil cases, declaratory judgments and divorces throughout the seven counties of the Third District,” Gilbert writes. “Judge Nichols, 53, a Republican, was appointed to the county bench in 2003 by Governor George Pataki and ran for the seat uncontested later that year. He has 2 years remaining on his 10-year county term. During his time on the bench he has heard cases in county Criminal Court, Family Court, Surrogate Court and Supreme Court. He has served as an acting Supreme Court justice since 2005.”
Push to legalize same-sex marriage in N.Y. gains momentum
The Dail Freeman is running an Associated Press story by Michael Gormley about the growing push to legalize gay marriage in New York, a fight that may already be won thanks to shifting voter sentiment and a concerted, disciplined campaign. “New Yorkers opposed to gay marriage are being swamped by younger people who support it, while polls seem to show a new tactic by advocates is working in the suburbs and upstate, the more conservative region where the issue will be won or lost,” he writes. “Five states — New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts — as well as the District of Columbia have approved gay marriage laws. New York has always been a goal of advocates because of its size, high profile and unparalleled media presence… The organized effort under Cuomo is a turnaround from the surprising 2009 defeat of a gay marriage bill in the state Senate after strong approval in the Assembly.”
Tags: Andrew Cuomo, budget cuts, gay marriage, Greene County Legislature, household hazardous waste, Judge Jonathan Nichols, Keith Valentine, State Supreme Court
Today is Easter Sunday.
The National Weather Service says today will be cloudy with a few showers. High 68F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Rain showers early this evening then become more intermittent overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Tomorrow, showers early then thundershowers developing later in the day. High 64F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 8:54 a.m./Low, 3:40 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:01 a.m./7:46 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 1:40 a.m./11:39 a.m.
Birthdays
APRIL 24
Willem de Kooning, Shirley MacLaine, Shirley Temple, Tony Visconti, Barbra Streisand, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Kelly Clarkson.
By Gus Murphy
Tags: Radio Cartoon
Bumpy transition when village court closes
Andrew Amelinckx writes in the Register-Star about ways in which the shuttering of the Valatie Village Court “has resulted in a number of charges brought by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the State Police being tossed out.” Even though the county District Attorney’s Office is saying charges can be brought again, similar concerns are rising in other communities that have merged courts, such as Athens, as well as other villages looking at consolidating services or actually dissolving. Ten cases have been dismissed to date.
4 declare for school board race; forum Tuesday
Jim Planck reports in the Daily Mail that the Leadership Greene students at Catskill Central School will host a Meet The Candidates Night at Catskill High School auditorium on Tuesday evening, April 26, starting at 7 p.m. The four candidates for three seats, only one an incumbent, will be present. WGXC will be interviewing all in the coming weeks. Board members not running for reelection include incumbent BOE President Andy Jones and incumbent Vice-president Matthew Leibowitz.
ZBA Public Hearing
Carole Osterink reports in her Gossips of Rivertown blog on this past week’s Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals meeting where setback and lot coverage variances were granted for longstanding plans to build four Greek Revival homes in a vacant lot on the corner of Union and First streets. Those speaking in favor of the project noted that it would bring life to a part of town that feels abandoned. Those opposed had concerns about stormwater runoff and density of buildings within an established neighborhood.
Proposed zoning law ready for 1st audition
Doron Tyler Antrim reports in the Daily Mail that a public hearing is scheduled next week for Cairo’s proposed zoning law. “The Cairo Zoning Commission, which has worked for almost four years on the 164-page law, will host the hearing on April 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Cairo Elementary School,” he writes. “The proposed law was unveiled to the public last November. Since then, the seven-member group has held a lengthy public comment period and approved many amendments to the document, including changes to the zoning districts.”
Driver charged with ‘move over law’ violation
Mid Hudson News Network reports that a driver in Hudson has been charged with violating the state’s new “move over” law. On Thursday, April 21, they note, a trooper was conducting a traffic stop on Fairview Avenue when his right arm was struck by the side view mirror of a passing car. Bart Delaney, 36 of Hudson, was ticketed for violating the new state “move over” law as well as for operating his vehicle with an expired and suspended license. Delaney was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. He was wanted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for a navigation law warrant and was turned over to the custody of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Budget cuts impact nutrition education programs
The Register-Star is running a press release from Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Columbia and Greene Counties about how they have suspended local implementation of a statewide nutrition education program due to a drastic funding cut from the Federal Government. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-ED), known in New York state as Eat Smart New York, provides free nutrition education to limited-resource individuals and their families through hands-on lessons that aim to increase food safety practices, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and physical activity. As a result of the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the allocation to New York for this program has been reduced by 40 percent for the entire project year, which began in October 2010. Due to the size of this mid-year cut, the Cooperative Extension has been forced to immediately suspend the program, which employed five educators and reached approximately 350 program families per year in the two counties.
Tags: budget cuts, Cairo zoning law, Catskill Central School District, Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Columbia and Greene Counties, courts merger, Eat Smart New York, Galvan Partners, Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals, Meet the Candidates, move over law, village courts
The National Weather Service says there will be a steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 58F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch. A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow, cloudy with a few showers. High 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 7:58 a.m./Low, 2:39 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:02 a.m./7:45 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 1:01 a.m./10:35 a.m.
Birthdays
APRIL 23
William Shakespeare, J.M.W. Turner, Shirley Temple, Roy Orbison, Bernadette Devlin, Michael Moore, and Steve Clark.
Bidding on sewer system prepared
Doron Tyler Antrim reports in the Daily Mail that the Town of Cairo “may be ready to go out to bid on major improvements to its sewer system by the end of May.” He notes that grant writer Victor Cornelius and Alan Tavenner of Delaware Engineering updated the town board on the status of the nearly $3 million project at its April 20 meeting, most of which will be funded by a grant from the state Environmental Facilities Corp. Although the money will not be available until late June, the officials said, the town will be able to seek bids for the work before that time.
NYSERDA grants available to farmers
Kathy Kahn of HV Biz writes that the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is offering agricultural producers and businesses that use electricity to heat water to consider applying for the state’s first incentive program for solar-thermal systems. The program will provide $25 million over the next five years to promote the production of hot water from solar power. The program provides incentives of up to $4,000 per site for eligible residential customers and up to $25,000 per site for eligible commercial and nonprofit customers who currently use electricity to produce hot water. If solar thermal technology is installed before December 31, 2012, agricultural operations are eligible to receive federal tax incentives in the form of a grant which will cover 30 percent of the installed costs, as well as New York State incentives which will cover 25 percent of the installed system up to $5,000. When federal and state tax incentives are combined with this newly released NYSERDA program, incentives are expected to cover 70-75 percent of installed costs.
Public Hearing About Robinson Street
“It’s difficult to report on a meeting when you’re a participant instead of an observer, so I defer to Jamie Larson’s account of the goings-on at last night’s public hearing on the proposed Robinson Street Historic District in today’s Register-Star,” writes Carole Osterink in her Gossips of Rivertown blog, referring to a story WGXC covered this morning and has been running audio recordings from all day. “If you’re curious to know the context in which I talked about ‘rich white men,’ the full text of my presentation at the hearing can be accessed here,” she adds, with a link at her website. Osterink goes on to laud the suggestion that the City create a fund from which homeowners in historic districts could borrow as “an idea whose time has come.”
County may have to pay a fee to find a doc
Francesca Olsen reports in the Register-Star that the Columbia County Office of Behavioral Health Services “may be able to pay a finder’s fee if a third-party firm can find them a permanent psychiatrist.” The problem is a growing need for doctors and increasing competition for them. The issue came up the county Board of Supervisors’ health and medical services committee on April 19. The idea to use a third-party firm, department heads said, was being suggested only after exhausting many other options.
Robinson residents: Leave our street alone
Jamie Larson reports in the Register-Star on the April 21 Hudson Historic Preservation Commission public hearing on a proposal to declare Robinson Street in the Second Ward an historic district. Local residents came out en masse, according to Larson, to put forth their belief that the designation would drive the many low income, aging, longtime homeowners and renters from their homes. “Many stated the burden of having to maintain their houses to the historical standards of the commission would make maintaining their homes impossible,” Larson writes. “Residents from and around Robinson Street in Hudson spoke out with skepticism, disapproval and at times anger against a plan proposed by the non profit preservation group Historic Hudson to designate their neighborhood a new historic district.” Supervisor and Robinson Street resident Rev. Edward Cross, D-Second Ward, has taken a hard line on the issue, saying that he believes this is the first step in a conscious effort by Hudson’s upper class to push the poor out of the Second Ward so they can gain access to the quiet, out of the way Robinson neighborhood and eventually the properties overlooking the river where the majority of the city’s low income residents live in project housing. To create a new historic district the HPC would have to make an official recommendation to the Common Council and the aldermen would have to approve it. If approved, residents would have to get certificates of appropriateness from the HPC if they wanted to get a building permit from the zoning enforcement officer for things like putting up siding, changing windows, additions to the front or the restoration of a visible roof. The HPC does not approve plans for putting up vinyl siding but does make determinations about the appropriateness of paint color choice The next meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission is May 13.
Watershed towns race to shift hamlet boundaries
Blake Killin reports in the Daily Mail on the ramifications of a June 22 deadline within the New York City Watershed, which includes all of Greene County’s Mountaintop towns, for making changes to town’s official hamlet boundaries. Lands within such designations are exempt from New York City land acquisition policies and some of its watershed regulations. The towns are notifying affected property owners and conducting public hearings explaining the proposed changes and how they might affect property owners. “Under the 1997 Watershed Memorandum of Agreement, NYC was permitted to avoid having to filter the water from the West of Hudson Watershed by imposing regulations designed to protect the water supply of some nine million New Yorkers,” Killin writes. “Part of that agreement allowed NYC to purchase environmentally sensitive vacant land from willing sellers at fair market price.” When a Filtration Avoidance Determination came up for renewal before the federal Environmental Protection Agency last decade, NYC was told to increase the amount of money dedicated to land acquisition to $300 million.
Home improvement forecast not good for contractors
The Albany Business Review has a story about the longterm forecast for home improvement spending following an expected burst of activity this spring. According to a report released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University,contractors, hardware stores and material suppliers are facing trouble ahead. The Joint Center points to a slow recovery in the housing market and concern over the pace of economic growth nationally as reasons why home improvement spending will be tempered. Such spending dropped sharply during the recession, bottoming out at $112 billion during the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There was a mild recovery last year. But spending is forecast to fall in the second half of the year, dropping to $115.2 billion in the fourth quarter.
Cell towers on the rise
Diane Valden writes in The Columbia Paper that Mariner Tower of Maine is seeking approval for a new higher-than-usual cell tower from the Copake Planning Board. Mariner has an existing tower at the Catamount Ski Area on the New York side of the border and has just wrapped up approvals for a new 140-foot tower on the Egremont, MA, side, also at Catamount. The company is also currently building a new tower on the southwest side of Route 23 between the Martindale Xtra Mart and the Martindale Diner, just east of the Taconic State Parkway in Claverack. And the company is “actively pursuing” an appropriate cell tower site in Ancram. Mariner agent Christopher Ciolfi told The Columbia Paper this week that the company calls its communications towers “neutral hosts” that benefit the community by letting emergency services use the facility rent free, while leasing tower space to multiple users to minimize the number of towers in an area. “Four or five providers use one tower, rather than each one having their own tower,” said Mr. Ciolfi. The Copake Planning Board will take up the proposed cell tower at its Thursday, May 5 meeting.
Athens village contemplates 3.38% tax hike
Melanie Lekocevic writes in the Greene County News about a sparesely-attended Athens Village Board public hearing to gauge public reaction to a tentative budget for the coming year which includes a 3.38 percent tax rate increase. While some questioned cuts to the community’s growing cultural center, which offers art classes and numerous performances and events, Mayor Andrea Smallwood noted, “We are going to try to get that down… This is a draft budget – we are still reviewing it.”
Highway super says this winter one of ‘roughest’
John Mason writes in the Register-Star that Kinderhook Town Highway Superintendent John Ruchel has noted that his highway crew is about two weeks behind on spring tasks such as brush pickup and road cleaning. “This winter was huge,” he said. “The snow never left the ground after December. Every week there were potential weather threats.” Meanwhile, meteorologist Thomas Wasula of the National Weather Service in Albany said that this winter’s 87.2 inches of snow, measured at Albany Airport, is 14th on the all-time list, which goes back to 1885. It was 25 inches above the average snowfall of 62.7 inches. It was the heaviest snowfall since the 105.4 inches recorded in 2002-2003, and not far behind the 94.2 inches that fell in 1992-1993.
Tags: Andrea Smallwood, Catamount Ski Area, cell towers, contracting business, Copake Planning Board, historic district, Historic Hudson, Hudson Preservation Commission, land acquisitions, Mariner Tower, meteoralogy, New York City Watershed, snowfall records
The National Weather Service says today will be overcast. High 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight will be cloudy early, with off and on rain showers towards morning. Low 43F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow will witness a steady rain in the morning. Showers continuing in the afternoon. High 58F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 7:00 a.m./Low, 1:43 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:03 a.m./7:44 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 12:13 a.m./9:31 a.m.
Birthdays
APRIL 22
Immanuel Kant, Vladimir Lenin, Vladimir Nabokov, Charles Mingus, Jack Nicholson, John Waters, and Shavo Odadjian.
Apparent Change of Policy at the Register-Star
Carole Osterink writes about changes to the online version of Hudson-Catskill Newspapers, including the Register-Star, Daily Mail, Chatham Courier, Windham Journal, Greene County News, Ravena News-Herald and Mountain Eagle, forcing all readings to now register and log in to read what’s happening. “Is this a prelude to charging for online access to the newspaper?” Osterink asks, noting that the new policy will inhibit her blog, and WGXC’s Newsroom, from providing quick link to this vital news source’s timely and well-written news.
Rodgers’ residency an issue for some
Jamie Larson of the Register-Star reports of new concerns that Democratic 1st Ward Alderman candidate Timothy Rodgers, who was set to be appointed to a city commissioner of deeds position earlier this week, does not actually live in Hudson, but in the Greene County town Coxsackie. “The council decided that while they looked into the discrepancy they would vote to amend the appointment resolution to remove Rodgers’ name,” Larson writes, noting the discovery that all such appointees must either live in the city of Hudson or work in the city. If they just work in Hudson they must live within Columbia County. “Immediately when I found out I called Victor and others,” said Rodgers, adding that the rental arrangement he had been banking on fell through last week. “I am actively pursuing finding permanent residence in Hudson.” Victor Mendolia, the Hudson Democratic Party chairman and WGXC programmer (@Issue, on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM) is quoted saying that he didn’t know that just working in Hudson did not qualify Rodgers for the position. “I as a commissioner of deeds just have to witness that he is who he says he is. There’s nothing fishy about it at all,” Mendolia is quoted saying, along with his opinion that the complaints against Rodgers were political in nature.
Room at the inn for NYC chefs
Miguel Madera of the Greene County News reports on Greene County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Sandy Mathes’ recent speech to the Greenville Town Board about the IDA’s acquisition of the Freehold Country Inn. “Mathes said the purchase was made with a clean title. The IDA has already done a significant amount of site improvement including waste and automobile removals,” Madera writes. “The IDA has plans to lease the establishment to an individual with a strong background in the restaurant field.” Mathes added that the IDA has been in contact with Bridget Briggs, a cookbook author from Manhattan, and is shopping the business to various chefs in the New York City area.
Chief Boehme reinstated part time; Curran, DelRossi try go get new ideas passed
Paul Crossman reports in the Chatham Courier on the first meeting of the Chatham Village Board where the swearing in of new Mayor Tom Curran and new board member Joanne DelRossi occurred before one of the most “well attended meetings since last year’s proposed tax increase, with standing room only in the village courthouse.” One of the key issues was whether or not to reinstate retired village police Chief Kevin Boehme, the departing mayor’s brother, on a part time basis. The motion passed despite the new mayor’s objections. I’m not ready to approve this until we’ve gone through the budgeting process,” said Curran.
Music, chorus programs safe at WAJ
Michael Ryan writes in the Windham Journal on the saving of music and chorus programs in the proposed Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central budget, set to be voted on May 17. “A larger than normal-sized crowd of residents, parents, teachers and students showed up for the school board’s passage of the annual financial package which over the past few springs has provided little if any fanfare,” Ryan writes. “School superintendent John Wiktorko expressed satisfaction with the budget and the budget process, saying ‘a lot of hard work went into making sure we would continue to provide strong programming for our students in a way that is sustainable by the community.’” School board members did not take comments or questions from the public, only passing the budget and making a few appointments. More issues are expected to arise when a public hearing on the spending plan is held on May 10.
Tags: 1st Ward, Bridget Briggs, Common Council, Freehold Inn, Greene County Industrial Development Agency, Kevin Boehme, Paul Boehme, Register-Star, Sandy Mathes, school budgets, Timothy Rodgers, Tom Curran, Victor Mendolia, Windham-Ashland-Jewett School District
Lawmakers OK delinquent tax installment plan
Colin DeVries reports in the Daily Mail that an installment payment plan for delinquent taxpayers has been approved by county lawmakers after several months of discussion. The payment option, which would allow property owners to pay off delinquent taxes over a period of one or two years, was approved by the Greene County Legislature on April 20 and will hopefully relieve taxpayer burden while recapturing delinquent funds, says Greene County Treasurer Peter Markou. Terms of the installment agreement include only one installment plan per person or business, a 25 percent down payment on owed taxes, quarterly payments over a two- or one-year period, interest and fees calculated into payment plan from date of down payment, and no late additions of parcels or tax years after entering into installment agreement. If a taxpayer defaults on the agreement they are not eligible for other installment plans for two years. County lawmakers unanimously approved the measure.
Will selling Ockawamick nix town hall plans?
Francesca Olsen of the Register-Star asks what’s up with plans to build a new Claverack Town Hall on county property adjacent to the former Ockawamick School in Philmont, which Columbia County purchased in 2008. “Now that the idea of selling Ockawamick has been put on the table by BOS Chairman Roy Brown, R-Germantown, as part of a new all-encompassing office consolidation that includes buying the old Walmart property on Fairview Avenue in Greenport, will Claverack still get those two acres?” Olsen asks. “To date, no one knows for sure.” And while Claverack town supervisor Robin Andrews agrees a new town hall is needed, she said her heart’s not set on building one right away, nor is it set on the Ockawamick property as a location.
A lot of ZIP codes on chip fab resumes
Larry Rulison of the Times Union has a story that punctures some of the job hopes around the region’s new nano future. He writes that managers at the massive GlobalFoundries computer chip factory being built in Saratoga County is holding job fairs around the country and overseas as it seeks skilled workers for the manufacturing facility and is targeting cities that have loads of semiconductor-industry expertise already for its so-called “Opportunity Summits.” GlobalFoundries spokesman Travis Bullard described the influx of new people into the region for new jobs as a good thing and talked about how he himself was moved by GlobalFoundries from Austin. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company plans to hire roughly 1,400 people to work in Malta. It’s constructing a second administrative building on the site where another 500 people will work — with room for 1,000 more. Hudson Valley Community College, which has a two-year semiconductor manufacturing program to train chip fab workers, built a training facility next to the Fab 8 site. Salaries will range from $140,000 for management to $30,000 for wafer fab operators. Technicians will earn $60,000, engineers $95,000. And GlobalFoundries has room on the 223-acre site it owns for two additional factories that could create thousands of additional jobs for the area.
What’s it worth? Assessors to fan out over city
Debora Gilbert reports in the Columbia Paper about the Hudson assessment update being undertaken by GAR Associates Inc. on all residential and commercial properties. Letters went out to every property owner this week that explain the phases of the project and the goal, which is: “to create fair and equitable property assessments at 100% of full market value.” GAR and the City of Hudson expect to complete the process by the summer of 2012. “We promised we would do a reassessment,” Common Council President Don Moore said. “The state requires one on a regular basis. We had planned to do it with our own staff but we determined we couldn’t complete it by 2011. The state Office of Real Property Tax Services said we would have to extend it for another year.” In May, GAR employees will conduct an exterior visual inspection of each property to check other information on file. Property owners who do not want GAR to inspect their properties should call GAR before April 29. The company will use satellite maps to gather information about properties whose owners restrict access. The assessors do not enter houses except when an owner requests such a visit.
Man nearly run down by ex-lover
The Register-Star reports on a spat between ex-lovers that ended with the arrest of a 22-year-old woman after she allegedly tried to run a former boyfriend down with her vehicle in the Walmart parking lot in Greenport earlier this week. According to police, Brittany Gillis of Hudson waited in her SUV in the parking lot of Walmart, located off of Fairview Avenue, for her former boyfriend to leave the store just after 10 p.m. on Monday. “When she saw him coming out she put her vehicle in gear,” said Greenport Police Chief Kevin Marchetto, who added that she drove at the man and stopped just short of where he stood. Gillis then allegedly tried to back into the man’s car as he attempted to get in.
Tags: attempted murder, GAR, GlobalFoundries, Hudson Valley Community College, nanotechnology, Ockawamick, Office of Real Property Services, Peter Markou, reassessment, reval, tax payments, Walmart
The National Weather Service says today will be partly cloudy and windy. High 53F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Mostly clear tonight. Low near 35F. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, diminishing to 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow, partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 59F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Town meetings tonight
ANCRAM Board meeting at 7 p.m. in town hall on CR 7.
CHATHAM Town Board Meeting at 7 p.m. town hall, 488 State Route 295, Chatham.
COPAKE Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting at 7:30 p.m., Town Hall.
DURHAM Town board meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham.
GHENT Town Board meeting at the Ghent Town Hall, Route 66 .
HUDSON Special meeting of the Historic Preservation Committee on making Robinson Street a historic district, 6:00 p.m., City Hall,
WINDHAM board meeting 8 p.m. at Town Hall, Hensonville.
COLUMBIA COUNTY Public Safety Committee meeting at 6 p.m.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: Low, 12:51 p.m./High, 6:42 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:05 a.m./7:43 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 8:29 a.m./12:13 a.m. Friday
Birthdays
APRIL 21
Charlotte Bronte, John Muir, Max Weber, Queen Elizabeth II, Iggy Pop, and Robert Smith of The Cure.
Football in budget has small impact on tax levy
John Mason of the Register-Star reports that Ichabod Crane Central School is expecting little impact on taxes as a result of their board’s recent decision to reinstall football as part of the 2011-12 athletic budget. A total football cost of $31,000 will drop to $10,000 due to donations from the school’s Booster Club. The tax levy increase would not be more than 3.96 or 3.98 percent with the addition, versus 3.89 percent before. Cheryl Trefzger, a Booster Club member and school board candidate, said the club will be making a contribution of $15,000 to $17,000 to the revenue side of the budget. Now,Mason adds, board members are telling football supporters the burden is on them to make sure the budget passes May 17.
Punt ends fumble on state play rules
Rick Karlin of the Times Union reports that the state Health Department has stepped back from its earlier decision to post a list of summer activities it said pose a “significant risk of injury,” including Wiffle Ball, kickball or tag. “We’ve eliminated them,” Health Department spokeswoman Claudia Hutton said of the list after it made national news. She added that the regulations upon which the list was based haven’t yet gone into effect and noted that they were proposed under the prior administration. The list of supposedly dangerous activities was designed to provide guidance to operators of indoor day camps, which have previously been unregulated by the Health Department. Both state legislators and news media pundits who took up opposition to the list of sports referred to the whole effort as an example of “nanny state” actions at their worst.
Coxsackie village looking at small tax hike
Melanie Lekocevic of the Daily Mail writes that the Village of Coxsackie has unveiled its tentative 2011-12 budget, including a 0.79 percent tax rate increase. The budget was revealed during a public hearing that attracted no local residents last week. If the tentative budget is adopted, it will mean an increase of $19,622 in the general fund, from $1,346,894 last year to $1,366,515 this year. The tax rate would rise from $13.17 in the 2010-2011 budget to $13.28 this year. For a homeowner with a property assessed at $100,000, that means they would have to pay $1,328 in village taxes this year.
International nanotech conference moved from Japan to Albany
The Albany Business Review has reported on the latest development in the region’s re-branding as a key technological center by noting how SUNY Albany’s new NanoCollege will be hosting a nanotechnology conference that was originally planned for Japan. The University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering will host the International Nanotechnology Conference on Communication and Cooperation (known as INC7) on May 16-19 at the Albany NanoTech complex. The conference features international leaders in the nanotech industry and nanotech research as well as policymakers. The purpose of the conference is to strengthen the dialogue among industry leaders from Europe, Japan and the U.S. It is considered one of the key conferences to update major players in the field, UAlbany said. The keynote address will be delivered by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Leo Esaki.
Tags: Booster Club, Cheryl Trefzger, Ichabod Crane School District, kickball, NYS Department of Health, tag, University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science, village budget, wiffle ball
The National Weather Service says today will have a few showers early with scattered thunderstorms arriving for the afternoon. High 67F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 45F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow, partly cloudy skies with gusty winds. High 56F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph.
Town meetings tonight
CAIRO at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 512 Main St., Cairo.
CATSKILL at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 439 Main St., Catskill.
GHENT Planning Board session at 7pm,
HUDSON 6:30 p.m. Zoning Board of Appeals
COLUMBIA COUNTY Human Services at 4 p.m.
GREENE COUNTY Legislature meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: Low, 12:00 noon./High, 5:43 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:07 a.m./7:42 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 7:34 a.m./11:15 p.m.
Birthdays
APRIL 20
Adolf Hitler, Harold Lloyd, Lionel Hampton, Tito Puente, Edie Sedgwick, and Luther Vandross.
Hannaford likely to build when ice cream season ends
Debra Gilbert of The Columbia Paper has an update on the Hannaford supermarket planned for the town of Livingston, that that the company’s site engineer has received approval for the subdivision of an adjacent piece of property in order to add land for parking and other needs where Routes 82 and 9 meet. A state environmental quality review was put off until May, but Hannaford has heard from the state Department of Transportation, which called for left turn lanes to be added to the highways near exits. Delays in the permitting process mean that construction is not expected to begin until August allowing Happy Clown, the property’s current occupant, to stay in business through the summer.
Albany area’s unemployment drops to 7.2%
Adam Sichko of the Albany Business Review writes that new state data reveals that the core Capital Region has an unemployment rate of 7.2 percent, the second-smallest of 11 upstate metro areas. That’s 0.5 percentage points lower than it was a year ago, and below both the statewide unemployment rate (8 percent) and the national rate (9.2 percent). Only the much smaller Ithaca market had a smaller rate among upstate markets, at 5.4 percent.
New market coming to city
Jamie Larson writes in the Register-Star that a new outdoor market will be coming to Warren Street in Hudson starting May 21. Held in the lot in front of the 3FortySeven eclectic furniture and lighting emporium, at 347 Warren St., booth rentals will be open to “any who want to fill the visible space in the center of the city.” “I wanted to have the space filled,” said 3FortySeven manager Giovanni di Mola, who added that he does not see it as competition for the Hudson Farmer’s Market, opening May 7, as it will have vendors offering a wide range of products, and not just food.
Study: States’ revenues up, localities lagging
Casey Seiler of the Times Union reports that a new State Revenue Report from the Rockefeller Institute is showing strong finances for the state now, but sagging outlooks for towns and counties. The report found state tax revenues grew by 7.8 percent in the final quarter of 2010 compared to the same quarter of 2009, in line with 42 other states experiencing similar income growth. Local tax revenues, however, have experienced the reverse trend with tax collections by local governments declining by 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, mostly driven by declines in property tax collections.
Tags: 3FortySeven, Giovanni di Mola, Hannaford, Happy Clown, Hudson Farmers Market, outdoor market, property tax, Rockefeller Institute, State Revenue Report, unemployment rates
All but three of the WGXC listening area’s school districts have announced candidates for the upcoming May 17 budget votes and elections. Those who haven’t returned their ballot choices are either on Spring Vacation at present, or haven’t closed their petition process yet. Hudson, being a small city, has until April 27 to close that part of the process.
Ichabod Crane School District will see four candidates vying for three three-year seats. Incumbent board president Andrew Kramarchyk and incumbent John Chandler will be facing newcomers Cheryl Francouer Trefzger and Susan Ramos. Current board vice president John Phillips will not be running for another term.
In New Lebanon School District, there will be one candidate, newcomer Christine Sotek, for two seats left open by current board members Tim Smith and Tim Lambert, who decided to not run for another term. The district is hoping another candidate arises as a write-in candidate.
In Taconic Hills School District, there are five candidates for two seats, each with a five year term. Incumbents board vice president George Lagonia, Jr. and incumbent board member Christine Perry will be faced by Justin Kutski, Arnold T. Anderson and Steve H. Argus.
In Greenville, incumbents Greg Lampman and Roseanne Stapleton will be seeking another three year term with no opposition. Similarly, in the Windham-Ashland-Jewett School District, incumbent Teri Martin wekk be seeking for fourth five year term as a board member, unopposed.
Both Chatham Central Schools and Hunter-Tannersville Central School were on vacation this week, with their offices closed.
Eslewhere, it was earlier reported that in the Catskill School District, there will be four candidates for three Board of Ed seats carrying three-years terms including two-term incumbent Karen Haas and newcomers Michael Maloney, William C. Fiske and Ward Osborn. Current board members Andrew Jones and Matthew Leibowitz are not seeking re-election. In Germantown, four people will vie for two seats including incumbents Donald Coons and Cynthia Smith, plus newcomers Brittany Bohnsack-Dufresne and Ronald Moore II. In the Cairo-Durham School District, three incumbents and one challenger are jockeying for three, three-year seats, with incumbents Susan Kusminsky, William Alfeld and Patricia Prapolsky Ublacker seeking re-election, and challenger Elizabeth Phillips seeking to unseat an incumbent. Each of the incumbents in Coxsackie-Athens faces a challenger for his or her seat. Incumbent Joseph Garland is being challenged by Richard Jewett, incumbent Joseph Cardinale is facing Carol Ann Luccio, and incumbent Michael Petramale will face off against Bonnie Ecker.
Tags: Cairo-Durham School District, Catskill Central School District, Chatham School District, Coxsackie-Athens School District, Greenville School District, Hudson City School District, Hunter-Tannersville School District, Ichabod Crane Central Schools, New Lebanon School District, school boards, Taconic Hills School District, Windham-Ashland-Jewett School District
The National Weather Service says that today will witness a few showers early becoming a steady rain for the afternoon. High 53F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Tonight will be overcast with rain showers at times. Low 48F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tomorrow will see a few showers in the morning with scattered thunderstorms arriving in the afternoon. High 63F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Town meetings tonight
DURHAM Town Board meets at 7:30 p.m. at Town Building, 7309 State Rt. 81, East Durham.
HILLSDALE meets at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall on Main Street.
HUDSON 5 p.m. Finance Committee meeting; 7 p.m. Regular Common Council meeting at City Hall.
HUNTER at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 5748 Route 23A, Tannersville
TAGHKANIC Planning Board workshop meeting is at 7 p.m. at Town Hall is on Route 82 in West Taghkanic.
COLUMBIA COUNTY Health & Medical Services Committee at 4 p.m.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: High, 11:11 a.m./Low, 4:48 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:08 a.m./7:40 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 6:45 a.m./10″07 p.m. Tuesday
Birthdays APRIL 19 Eliot Ness, Jayne Mansfield, Tim Curry, Dar Williams, and Suge Knight.
MoveOn drops by Bank of America for Tax Day rally
Casey Seiler reports in the Times Union on a protest out front of Albany’s Bank of America offices on State Street for Tax Day, April 18. “Representatives of MoveOn.org and a number of other progressive organizations had a lovely spring day for their noontime protest’,” he writes. “Tea party groups are organizing similar events in several large cities including Chicago, though the brunt of their criticism is aimed at big government.” The group totalled about 100 and drew a single police officer, who warned organizers against using a bullhorn (not provided for in their permit) and made sure the sidewalk stayed open. “These are some of the most profitable corporations in the history of the world,” said Mark Schaeffer of Citizen Action (also Peace Action and the environmental group 350.0rg). ” … We’re fed up and we’re not going to take it any more.” Several speakers called for the reinstatement of the “millionaire’s tax” before the end of the legislative session. A crowd of 30 also protested outside a Bank of America branch in Chatham on Tax Day, according to a report in the Register-Star.
Neighbor dispute ends in man’s arrest
Andrew Amelinckx of the Register-Star reports that a Taghkanic man is in custody after firing a gun within 500 feet of his neighbor’s house. The incident was part of an escalating neighbors’ dispute, according to the New York State Police, who said that Anthony J. Barlanti, 53, was arrested Sunday after police came to investigate a 911 report of someone firing a gun near a residence. Troopers allegedly had to coax him out of his barricaded and barbed wire-fenced home. Police say the shooting was the latest incident in a dispute between Barlanti and his neighbors that stretch back several weeks. Barlanti was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class D felony; obstructing governmental administration and second-degree aggravated harassment, Class A misdemeanors; illegal discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, a misdemeanor under the state’s environmental conservation law; and second-degree harassment, a violation. He was arraigned in the Livingston Town Court and remanded to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash or $50,000 bail bond pending further court action.
New York AG threatens to sue feds if they don’t conduct fracking review in Delaware River Basin
Mid Hudson News Network reports that New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has put the federal government on notice that if it doesn’t commit to conducting a full environmental review of the impacts of fracking on the Delaware River Basin, he will sue. There are concerns that fracking to harvest natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation could pollute the New York City watershed and Delaware River Basin areas including the counties of Greene, Ulster, Sullivan, Orange, Delaware, Schoharie, Chenango and Broome. Late last year the Delaware River Basin Commission proposed regulations allowing for natural gas development by means of hydrofracking. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is currently revising a draft supplemental generic impact statement assessing environmental impacts associated with fracking. “Both the law and common sense dictate that the federal government must fully assess the impact of its actions before opening the door to gas fracking in New York,” said Schneiderman. “New Yorkers are correctly concerned about fracking’s potential dangers to their environment, health and communities, and will use the full authority of my office, including aggressive legal action, to ensure the federal government is forced to address those issues.” The DRBC, as a federally designated agency, is required by law to conduct a full review of the environmental impacts of actions that may cause significant environmental impacts, the attorney general noted. His demand is contained in a letter sent Monday to agencies that decide policy for the federal government as a member of the DRBC. Led by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agencies include the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Parks Service and the US EPA.
Report: Walnut hulls, instant coffee, and carcinogens all found in frac fluid
TheWatershed Post writes about the new report from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, and it reports that energy companies have injected instant coffee, walnut hulls, and the highly toxic cancer-causing benzene into the ground as they drill for natural gas. “Some of the components used in the hydraulic fracturing products were common and generally harmless, such as salt and citric acid. Some were unexpected, such as instant coffee and walnut hulls. And some were extremely toxic, such as benzene and lead,” the report reads. “Between 2005 and 2009, the oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29 chemicals that are (1) known or possible human carcinogens, (2)regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act for their risks to human health, or (3) listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. These 29 chemicals were components of more than 650 different products used in hydraulic fracturing. The BTEX compounds – benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene – appeared in 60 of the hydraulic fracturing products used between 2005 and 2009.”
Cloth diapers? They’ve made a comeback. And if what’s happening this coming Saturday, April 23 works out as planned, they could be on more wee fannies sooner than expected as an example of one little way in which we can all help our environment. We’re speaking about the Earth Day Diaper Exchange, an attempt to set a Guinness World Record by simultaneously changing diapers across the globe, on all continents (excepting Antarctica). According to the rules for the occasion, all entries pay a dollar to the Real Diaper Association, and ensure they’re at their local diaper changing stations, with watches all synchronized, at 12 noon EDT. On the mark, each baby will then be changed from a cloth or disposable diaper into a reusable cloth diaper that is commercially available. All babies and toddlers being changed must be 39 inches or shorter, and paired to a single adult participant. In other words… NASCAR-like changing teams are NOT allowed. Locally, there will be mass changings at New Baby New Paltz at 5 Plattekill Avenue in New Paltz, at Waddle n Swaddle at 32 Raymond Avenue near Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, at 41 E. Market Street in Rhinebeck, and at the Calvary United Methodist Church, 15 Ridge Place in Latham. “The goal of the Real Diaper Association is to put more babies in cloth diapers,” notes the Real Diaper Association, one of the U.S. sponsors of this global event with over 400 sites participating, as of press time. “To do this we aim to create a cultural shift in understanding cloth diapers-their environmental impact, their ease of use, their accessibility, and their acceptability.”
Today, April 18, is the final day for potential school board candidates, incumbents included, can file petitions for a place on ballots for the school budget votes and elections that take place on Tuesday, May 17. According to the New York State School Boards Association, candidates must submit a nominating petition to the school district clerk. The petition must be signed by at least 25 qualified district voters or two percent of the number of those who voted in the previous annual election, whichever number is greater. The petition must include the candidate’s name and residence, the vacancy in question, the incumbent’s (if any) name, the residences of the persons who signed the petition and the length of the term of office for which the candidate is being nominated. State law requires all candidates for election to a board of education to file a sworn statement with the district clerk disclosing their campaign expenses. If expenditures made by the candidate or by others on the candidate’s behalf exceed $500, a statement also should be filed with the commissioner of education. Expenditures of not more than $25 may be made without the candidate’s permission if the donor or donors file a sworn statement with the clerk and the commissioner stating that the candidate did not approve the expenditure.
What does a board member do? According to the Association website, school board members act officially only at the board table, working with other board members to create a shared vision; set student performance standards; oversee development of assessment program based on those standards; account for student achievement results; adopt the annual budget, aligning district resources to improve achievement; create a healthy environment for work and learning; build strategic partnerships; sustain the district’s progress through continuous improvement; adopt and maintain current policies in written format; hire and evaluate the superintendent; ratify collective bargaining agreements and maintain strong ethical standards. Usually, winning candidates are sworn in with the start of a new school year after July 1, although occasionally board members get seated just following an election, if they are running to fill an appointed seat. Board seats tend to be staggered for three, four and five year appointments, staggered so all board positions are never open at the same time. “Generally, school board candidates must be at least 18 years old, qualified voters in the school district and able to read and write,” the Association’s website decrees. “They must be residents of their districts continuously for one year before the election. They cannot be employed by the board on which they serve or live in the same household with a family member who is also a member of the same school board.”
Tags: school board
Controversial television personality Glenn Beck announced at the Palace Theater in Albany this past Saturday night, April 16, that he was selling his Connecticut home and moving out of the New York metro area. According to Wire Update, Beck also said there were Pro-Glenn Protesters outside the theater today. The Fox News host will be leaving the network in the coming weeks and has said he will be then setting up his own “media empire.” According to the report on Saturday’s performance, Beck noted that “I don’t know where [Obama is from] I don’t think he’s from where they issue birth certificates – I think he’s from Hell.” He then assumed what he described as a Satan voice and said, “Put your little hooves on this paper” referring to Barack Obama’s birth certificate. He said his political choices for the 2012 presidential elections were Allen West as President and Michelle Bachmann as VP. He would like to see Ron Paul as Secretary of Treasury. “The last thing I will be doing, I will be leaving New York City,” the report quotes him saying. “As we build a new media I’m not building it in New York.”
Seders feature endless variety
Jennifer Patterson has a story in the Times Union about changes in the seder, which marks the start of Passover, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the biblical story of the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt to freedom, including the release of a new haggadah, or guidebook to the readings, from Maxwell House. “The seder (meaning “order”) is one of the most celebrated Jewish home rituals, but no two households conduct it the same exact way,” Patterson writes. “For all, it’s a chance to come together, share a meal and re-enact history. Some last for less than an hour, others go on for a lot longer. Participants read from the Haggadah (meaning “telling”), which spells out the steps with songs, prayers and commentary for the spring holiday’s festive meal.” She then notes how new Maxwell House Haggadahs, offered free at supermarkets, has undergone its first major translation makeover since 1932, with antiquated “thees” and “thous” replaced by the more colloquial “you.”
Man falls at Bash Bish
The Register-Star reports that a man sustained a fall at Bash Bish Falls at 1:48 p.m. on April 17. The Copake Rescue Squad and Copake, Hillsdale, and Egremont Fire Departments responded to the scene, and the subject was transported via Lifenet helicopter to Albany Medical Center. No word on the subject’s condition is available at this time, and no further information was available.
Lawmakers supporting, not opposing, closure of one state correctional facility
Veronica Lewin has reported in the Legislative Gazette what could be good news for Columbia and Greene counties: Westchester state, county and local legislators are calling for the closure of the infamous Sing Sing correctional facility they say is doing nothing for the community. Which could take the pressure off possible closings of other state prisons, including that in Hudson or, less likely, at Coxsackie. “During his State of the State address, Cuomo called for closing a number of correctional facilities around the state,” Lewin writes. “Closing Sing Sing would eliminate approximately 1,700 to 2,000 cells, while preventing an upstate community from losing a correctional facility that its economy depends on.”
Young entrepreneurs prep for Lemonade Day
Colin DeVries reports in the Daily Mail on a Sunday, April 17 event at GNH Lumber in Greenville where area kids learned what it takes to build a successful stand for the upcoming Lemonade Day on May 1. “More than 250 children of Greene County are already signed up to sell lemonade during the nationwide event intended to promote entrepreneurship,” DeVries writes. “Now, with only a few weeks until Lemonade Day, participants are preparing their business plans, recipes, locations, and constructing an attractive stand.”
Front St. work starts Tuesday
The Register Star ran a story this past weekend announcing an earlier Tuesday, April 19 start for the road work that will reduce Hudson’s Front Street to one lane. “The milling up of the old roadway will take place on Tuesday because parking is needed on Front Street Wednesday for a large event at the Shiloh Baptist Church on lower Warren Street,” the piece reads. “There will now be no roadwork done Wednesday. The surface of the street will be rough.” The repaving of the roadway will take place Thursday, April 21 and Friday, April 22.
Tags: Bash Bish Falls, Coxsackie Correctional Facility, Front Street repaving, Hudson Correctional Facility, Lemonade Day, Maxwell House, Passover, seder, Sing Sing, state prison closings
Tonight is the first night of Passover. The full moon occurred at 2:44 a.m. this morning.
The National Weather Service says today will see a mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers this afternoon. High 61F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Showers this evening becoming less numerous overnight. Low near 45F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tomorrow, a few showers in the morning becoming a steady rain in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch
Town Meetings
ATHENS town meeting at 6:45 p.m.
AUSTERLITZ comprehensive Plan meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m., 812 Route 203, Austerlitz
CANAAN Planning board meeting at 7:00 p.m.
GERMANTOWN town board meets at 7 p.m., preceded by a 6:30 p.m. public hearing on increasing the Board of Assessment Review from 3 to 5 members
GREENE COUNTY 6:00 p.,. meetings of Government Ops and FInance committees, plus party caucuses.
Astronomical bodies
TIDES Hudson: Low, 10:20 a.m./High, 3:55 p.m.
SUNRISE/SUNSET 6:10 a.m./7:39 p.m.
MOONSET/MOONRISE 6:03 a.m./8:52 p.m.
Birthdays
APRIL 18 Clarence Darrow, Leopold Stokowski, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Kathy Acker, Conan O’Brien, and Kourtney Kardashian.
In history, today was the day Paul Revere made his famous ride or warning.
On The Air
WGXC is on 90.7-FM now, at full-power, 3300 watts. We cover all parts of Greene County except parts of the mountaintop, and all of Columbia County except for a bit of Western Columbia County south of Germantown. WGXC also covers a large part of southern Albany County. We have heard reports that the signal is getting from Delaware County to Great Barrington, from Selkirk to Saugerties, from Pine Plains to the I-90 extension.
Local weather/webcams
National Weather Service, Albany
Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page
When the computer is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information in Harlemville. Check dates and times to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was turned off.
Greene County webcams:
Catskill webcam: Thomas Cole House Claude Mirror
Nearby webcams:
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