Bay bridges

Carole Osterink was at last night’s informal Common Council meeting in Hudson and reports that Holcim attorney Donald Stever and O&G’s Kenneth Faroni sent a letter in response to one from CC president Donald Moore, and anyone following the current waterfront discussion in Hudson will find it and the comments on Osterink’s Gossips of Rivertown blog fascinating. Osterink also says that, “Mayor Scalera reported that CSX had agreed to repair the Ferry Street bridge in time for the Flag Day parade. They will replace the rotted planking ‘to get through the weekend’ and put plywood on the footbridge. CSX also said they would ‘try to put it in some capital plan.'” NY Senator Chuck Schumer will attend the Flag Day parade, and Osterink says Scalera will show him the bridge then, and ask for help.

Let the long weekend begin

This weekend:

THU-SAT
Upstate II at Nicole Fiacco Gallery. Melora Kuhn, Catherine Mosley, Erik Schoonebeek, and Allyson Strafella. Tue-Sat, noon-6 p.m.

Dots, Lines and Figures at Carrie Haddad Gallery. Michael McLaighlin, Ben Shecter, Donise English, and Jeff Briggs.

“Maii:” The Wonder of Water by Diata Diata International Folkloric Theatre with the Hudson Opera House, an original play by Pamela Badila at 7 p.m. at Hudson Intermediate School.

FRIDAY
Cairo Open Mic sponsored by WGXC and Cairo Library. 7-9 p.m., with jam until 9:30 p.m. at Gallagher’s, 513 Main St. in Cairo.

FODfest jam honoring Daniel Pearl at 8 p.m. Club Helsinki, Hudson.

SAT-SUN
33rd Annual East Durham Irish Festival includes the Elders from Kansas City; Black 47 and Shillelagh Law from New York City; Barleyjuice from Philadelphia; and Hair of the Dog from Albany, N.Y.; Contemporary Irish Music featuring The Andy Cooney Band; the New York Showband with Tommy Flynn and Jameson’s Revenge from New York City; Searson from Ontario, Canada and the Kitty Kelly Band from Albany, N.Y. are just a few of the bands that will be performing. Pipe Bands and Irish Step Dancing Schools are an added feature each day.

SATURDAY
Tannersville Rubber Duck Race, Crazy Boat Race & Festival 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Gooseberry Creek in the Village of Tannersville ending by the Rip Van Winkle Lake. Free admission.

Pine Smoke Lodge/Cruudeuces/Fossils From the Sun/Jefferson Pitcher at Upstate Artists Guild, Albany.

Just Wear White Memorial Day party from Trixie with DJ Gio at Red Dot, Hudson. 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., $10 includes free drink.

SUNDAY
Memorial Day Parade, 2 p.m., Main St., Catskill.

Music From China, a New York-based ensemble that specializes in both traditional and contemporary Chinese music. 2 p.m. at Hudson Opera House. $7 per person or $20 for the entire family!

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus at 8 p.m. at Club Helsinki, Hudson.

Bella’s Bartok performs at Blue Plate Restaurant in Chatham at 9:30 p.m., $5.

MONDAY
Cairo Memorial Day Observance
Sponsored by American Legion Post #983, Town of Cairo, and WGXC.
9 a.m.: WWI Monument Wreath-Laying, Main St. Fountain.
9:15 a.m.: WWII Monument Wreath-Laying on Library Lawn.
9:30 a.m.: Doughnuts and coffee at Cairo Fire House.
11 a.m.: Parade steps off near Great American.
Noon: Memorial Service in Angelo Canna Park.
12:30: Refreshments and music at Pavillion.
WGXC will provide sound system.

“Maii:” The Wonder of Water

Diata Diata International Folkloric Theatre in part with the Hudson Opera House present “Maii:” The Wonder Of Water. An original play by Pamela Badila respecting the essence and purity of many different exaggerated aspects of water. Free admission. Thu-Sat at 7 p.m. at Hudson Intermediate School.

Assessing the assessor

Garth Slocum via City of Hudson.

Sam Pratt reports that Hudson assessor Garth Slocum and one of the Hudson city attorneys who lives in Spencertown, and perhaps others, are serving as officers of the city of Hudson illegally. Pratt first finds the rule:

“Section C2-4 of Hudson’s Charter says that to “be eligible to any City office under this Charter,” a person must be an elector of the City. Or, if the person is not a Hudson voter but wishes to serve in an appointed position, then s/he must meet two requirements:
1. The appointee must live “within 15 road miles” of Hudson; and
2. “Be a taxpayer on the real property assessment rolls of the City of Hudson.”

Then Pratt looks at Slocum’s particulars:

“Slocum lives in Chatham, well within the 15 ‘road miles’ of Hudson…. But Slocum’s name does not seem to show up in the Hudson 2010 tentative roll as a local taxpayer. The question, then, is: Does he own some property through a corporate name? And if so, would that qualify?”

And then he wonders how many other officers of Hudson do not qualify. Read the entire story at Sam Pratt.

Rock ‘n’ Roll radio

Ryder Cooley created this poster for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Benefit Show for WGXC Community Radio at Club Helsinki June 19:

Incident Report: Anthony Graves

Little Assemblies
May 17 – June 21, 2010 at Incident Report, an experimental viewing station for visual projects, 348 Warren St., Hudson.

Anthony Graves, an artist and writer based in Ithaca and Brooklyn and visiting lecturer at Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning, contributes the current Incident Report: Thinker in the Marketplace contains a silkscreen of excerpted text from Hannah Arendt’s Life of the Mind, and a copy of Richard S. Sloma’s No-Nonsense Planning (1984), two instances of ‘thinking in the marketplace.’ 1989 refers to publication date of Deborah Hoover’s Supporting Yourself as an Artist, as well as a decisive year in the attacks on the NEA. (This was the year the Mapplethorpe exhibition was cancelled at the Corcoran.) The Bad Comrade is a reference to Russian Constructivists’ notion of socialist commodities or objects-as-comrades, ascribed to Aleksandr Rodchenko.

GhostWALK Hudson Ghost Story Writing Contest

GhostWALK Hudson Ghost Story Writing Contest for youth ages 11-18, due June 1. Winning tales published in August in Register-Star and Chatham Courier newspapers, and performed live by teen actors from Walking the dog Theater’s Afterschool Drama program in November 5’s GhostWALK Hudson tour. A panel of judges will look for the best and/or scariest stories written by Columbia County youth, which young actors will then bring to life in various “haunted” buildings in Hudson as part of the GhostWALK Hudson Tour on November 5, 2010. The winning story will be told in the select locations, evoking some of the history of our community. Judges include playwright James Farrell, Register-Star reporter Andrew Amelinckx, novelist Rebecca Stowe, author David C. King, playwright Susan Willerman, columnist Kate McLeod; Emily Arnold McCully; Mike Bowman; illustrator and author Jacqeuline Rodgers; and young adult fiction writer MJ Caraway.

Fifth Annual Hudson Valley Songfest and Music Expo

Aspiring songwriters mix with music business pros in educational workshops, panel discussions, and song critiques. Event culminates in special evening concert featuring Ellis Paul, this Saturday, May 22, at Columbia-Greene Community College.

Thurston named Hudson Citizen of Year by Rotary

Hudson Rotary Club named Ellen Thurston as 2010 Hudson Area Citizen of the Year, according to GoToHudson.com. Ms. Thurston is Third Ward Alderman and Majority Leader of the Hudson Common Council, Vice President of the Hudson Opera House Board, and for years was the principal organizer of Winter Walk. Her events calendar, “Much to Do About Hudson” is a must, for anyone wanting to know what’s happening in Hudson and beyond. There will be a reception in her honor to be held at the Hudson Opera House on Thursday, May 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. Although not required, please RSVP to the Hudson Rotary Club by contacting Joel Allen at hudsonallens@verizon.net or (518) 828-4729.

A Rock ‘n’ Roll Benefit Show for WGXC Community Radio at Club Helsinki

J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices, just plain country from Brattleboro.

The Weight: American rock ‘n’ roll from Brooklyn

Happy Birthday: Sub-Pop recording artist from Brattleboro.

9 p.m., Sat. June 19 at Club Helskini, 405 Columbia St., Hudson, NY 12534
Tickets are $10 for WGXC Founding Members in advance; $12 for others in advance; and $15 for all at door. All proceeds will go to help launch the very exciting new community radio station for Columbia and Greene counties, WGXC. Check out http://www.wgxc.org for more info.

On Saturday, May 19, three bands will take the newly-opened stage of Club Helsinki by storm. Comprising an unrelenting cross-section of American music today, all three acts have more than just old friendships in common: None of them have left a stage in the last year without everyone in the room sweaty, wild-eyed, and screaming for more. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see three bands that are truly shaking the foundations of independent music, all on one stage.

Because of their love for independent community radio, these bands are travelling all the way to Hudson to play this blowout benefit for this area’s soon-to-be very own community radio station, WGXC: Hands-On Radio. The station is gearing up for its grand launch onto the airwaves this fall, and just needs to raise the remaining bucks to do so. So come out, get moving, and help make it happen.

for more info check out:
http://www.wgxc.org

The Weight: If this doesn’t move your body, all hope is lost. “While there’s certainly no shortage of classic rock / Americana revival bands in Brooklyn these days, The Weight… have the drawl and enthusiasm to make the rest sound like they’re reading off cue cards.” -Vice Magazine

Happy Birthday, with their self-titled debut on Sub Pop records (L7, Nirvana, Reverend Horton Heat, etc.) are making waves. Poppy, sour-bubblegum waves. The kind that makes you keep chewing even though it makes your mouth water too much, your eyes tear, and your feet propel your body up and down off the floor. The kind of wave that makes you smile and dance until it hurts. A lot.

J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices play old-fashioned Honky Tonk. Period. If you wanna two-step, if you wanna cry in your drink, or if you just like scruffy young fellas in Wranglers, find them in a low-lit roadhouse near you.

BUY TICKETS THROUGH BROWN BAG TICKETS:
WGXC Founding Members get a discount. Type in “wgxc” in discount box.

Author interviews from HCBF

WGXC’s Emily Bennison made recordings of children’s authors during the Hudson Children’s Book Festival. Click on the author’s name to listen to an mp3 audio interview.

Anne Broyles
Ann Jonas
Barbara Slate
Danielle Joseph
Donald Crews
Ellen Jensen
Gail Carson Levine
Zetta Elliott

Hudson school notes

Lynn Sloneker’s Unmuffled keeps the closest eye on the Hudson school system. Several recent items:

From “Rumor Patrol: Rees running?: Board member Patricia Abitabile – re-elected to a second term in 2009 – submitted a letter of resignation from the board, effective June 30, during a closed door session, April 27. Abitabile’s decision to quit was announced to the public in the Saturday edition of the Register-Star. The matter will be discussed at the meeting of the full board 7 p.m., May 10 in the cafeteria of Hudson High School.

From “On the agenda…”: The Claverack building and the former Greenport School were concurrently declared surplus property by the BoE on March 31, 2009, and a proposal to sell the buildings was approved by taxpayers in May 2009. Despite the 2009 voter directive, the board continues to approve funding for the renovation and repair of the Claverack building, as well as for instructional use.

From “Rumor Patrol: Rees running?: Former Hudson City School District Board of Education President Frank Rees may be a last-minute addition to the field of candidates vying for two open board seats in the district’s annual election set for next week….According to several sources, Mrs. Rees was actively soliciting signatures in support of her husband’s candidacy from school faculty and staff last week.

Columbia County assesments online

From Carole Osterink’s The Gossips of Rivertown:

Assessments–the actual assessments for 2009 and the tentative assessments for 2010, for all properties in Hudson as well as the rest of the county–are now available online, accessed from the Columbia County website. Starting today, May 11, Garth Slocum, assessor for the City of Hudson, will be available at the Central Firehouse, 77 North Seventh Street, to meet with people to discuss their assessments. He will be there every weekday except Wednesday up until Grievance Day on May 25. Today he’s not expected to be at the firehouse until 11. I have been told that henceforward he will be there from 9 to 12:30 and again from 2:30 to 5. No appointments are necessary.

Hudson Farmer’s Market opens today

WGXC’s Kaya Weidman will have a table about community radio at the first day of this year’s Hudson Farmers Market, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in the parking lot at the corner of Columbia and 6th Sts. Master Gardener Donna Peterson will be available on the market’s opening day to help customers choose and care for the right plants for Mother’s Day gifts or for the start of the new growing season.

Hatala drops out of Hudson school board race

Joshua Hatala

Lynn Sloneker at Unmuffled reports Hudson City School District Board of Education candidate Josh Hatala notified Superintendent John Howe that he was withdrawing his name as a candidate for election to a seat on the Board of Education at the May 18, 2010 Annual Budget and Election Vote. Hatala wrote on his candidate Facebook page, “Due to scheduling conflicts in the fall I will not be able to continue running for school board. I hope to take up the opportunity to run in the next election. I would like to suggest you think about voting for Justin Cuckerstein, a Hudson High School teacher who is losing his job due to budget cuts. He knows the inner workings of the school and truly cares about the kids and community.” Sloneker reports New York State Education Law requires that the deadline for submitting nominating petitions be extended to Tuesday, May 11, 2010 until 5 p.m., due to Hatala’s withdraw. “Official absentee and Election Day ballots will not be finalized until after the nominating petition deadline on May 11, 2010. In the event additional nominating petitions are submitted to the Board of Education Clerk by the deadline, another drawing must be conducted for the candidates’ positions on the ballot. The drawing will be held in the Hudson City School District Central Office on May 11, 2010 at 5:15 p.m. if necessary. Nominating petitions are available from the Clerk of the Board at the District Office at 215 Harry Howard Avenue, Hudson,” Sloneker reports. Carrie Haddad, Cukerstein, Peter Merante, and Mary Daly remain in the May 18 election for two seats.

Greene weekend

FRIDAY

Sheila Jordan/Cameron Brown (photo, at right) Duo perform jazz at 8 p.m. at Gallagher’s, 513 Main St., Cairo. $25.

SATURDAY

Hudson Farmer’s Market reopens for the season from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at parking lot at Columbia and 6th Sts., Hudson. WGXC will have a table at the market.

Lex Grey and John Pinder with Crooked Toe at Wine and Cheese Festival (fundraiser for Catskill Village parks) 1-6 p.m. at Beattie Powers House, Catskill.

Smokin’ Aces at the Prattsville Tavern’s Pig Roast and BBQ at 2 p.m., $10 donation to Ashland Fire Department.

Avondale Airforce, Billy Mitchell, Naked on the Woodstock green, free, May 8, at 3 p.m.

Hudson hate crime?

Andrew Amelinckx reports in the Register-Star about 40-year-old Hudson resident David N. DiBlasi, charged with a hate crime for allegedly assaulting a 29-year-old man because of his sexual orientation in the Seventh Street Park in Hudson at 2:52 a.m. Saturday morning. Hudson Police Officer Rodney Waithe charged DiBlasi with third-degree assault — hate crime, according to the story. “He was arraigned in Hudson City Court and remanded to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or $2,000 bail bond and will appear again in court at a later date,” Amelinckx writes. Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

WGXC at Hudson Children’s Book Festival

WGXC's Kaya Weidman records NY State Senate candidate Didi Barrett at Hudson Children's Book Festival.

Just as WGXC’s Kaya Weidman was about to sit down and interview Fidel Mareno, who was going to talk about Native American rights and the American Indian Pow Wow Aug. 14 in Stephentown, Didi Barrett showed up. We had asked the Democratic candidate for New York State Senate representing Columbia and much of Dutchess counties (a seat held by Republican Steve Saland) to stop by our table in Hudson High’s gym, but everyone arrived at the same moment, and then a recorder failed. Indeed, it was a whirlwind day with so many folks stopping by the WGXC table at the festival, which was even busier then in its first year. Eventually we got another recorder working, and a conversation between Barrett, Mareno, and WGXC staff ensued about absentee voting, Native American rights, and other issues.

Fidel Mareno speaks with Didi Barrett at the Hudson Children's Book Festival.

WGXC's Kaya Weidman records Robert Yellow Fox at Hudson Children's Book Festival.

Later Weidman sat down with Robert Yellow Fox, and spoke about Eagleton School, a private year-round residential, psycho-educational treatment facility for boys and young men ages nine (9) to twenty-two (22) years, with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Development Disorder, Communication and Cognitive Delays, Behavioral Disorders, Emotional Disorders, and Learning Disabilities. Listen to their discussion here or paste this link:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/05
/RobertYellowFox_HCBF_WGXC_050110.mp3

WGXC’s Emily Bennison also made recordings of children’s authors during the event. Click on the author’s name to listen to mp3 audio interview.

Anne Broyles
Ann Jonas
Barbara Slate
Danielle Joseph
Donald Crews
Ellen Jensen
Gail Carson Levine
Zetta Elliott

Opening events

Recommended happenings.
FRIDAY
Sideshow clothing store opening at 7 p.m. with Bleeding Hearts belly dancers, Evan Randall, and Stephen Bluhm. 707 Warren St., Hudson.
Avondale Airforce and Battle Ave Tea Club at 9 p.m. at Market Market Cafe, Route 32 North, Rosendale. $5.
Mick Taylor Band and Voodelic at 9 p.m. at Bearsville Theater, 291 Tinker St. (Rt. 212), Woodstock.
SATURDAY
Hudson’s Children’s Book Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with hundreds of authors and WGXC, Hudson High.
“Upstate II” opening, 6 p.m. with Melora Kuhn, Catherine Mosley, Erik Schoonebeek, and Allyson Strafella at Nicole Fiacco Gallery, Hudson. Through June 5.
“Double Duos” 7 p.m. talk, 8 p.m. performance featuring Michael Benedict (vibes), Keith Pray (alto sax), Mike Lawrence (bass) and Brian Patneaude (tenor sax) at the Athens Cultural Center, 24 Second St, Athens.
RE:Vision Forward Motion Theater 8 p.m. at Hudson Opera House.
Club Helsinki in Hudson opens at 9 p.m. with Spottiswoode & His Enemies.
SUNDAY
“Remember the Ladies” open house at noon at Thomas Cole House. Free.

Five candidates for two Hudson school board seats

Five candidates are vying for two seats for the Hudson City School District, Board of Education: Carrie Haddad, Joshua Hatala, Justin Cukerstein, Peter Merante, and Mary Daly. Unmuffled says:

Daly is the only incumbent in the field. This is her third run for the board. Her first attempt, in 2004, was unsuccessful; she was subsequently elected in 2005. One vacancy is the seat formerly held by Jack Mabb, who resigned from the board following his election as Stockport Town Justice in November 2009. That opening is for a one-year term, and the winner will be seated immediately following the election. The second opening — Daly’s current seat — is for the standard five-year term, effective July 1. In addition to electing two members of the BoE on May 18, voters will also be asked to approve the district’s $41 million spending plan for the 2010-11 school year and approve a $6 million bond referendum to finance a major roof replacement on four of the district’s five buildings. Read the entire story at Unmuffled.

Next DSS meeting is Thursday at 4:15 p.m.

Franceseca Olsen in the Register-Star reports that Columbia County Board of Supervisors’ Space Utilization Subcommittee, which is trying to find a location for Department of Social Services within 60 to 90 days, meets today at 4:15 p.m. at 325 Columbia St., Hudson. Olsen reports that at a Columbia Economic Development Corporation meeting this week, BOS Chairman Roy Brown, R-Germantown, and Supervisor (and county budget/corporate compliance officer) Art Baer, R-Hillsdale, “vocally opposed the CEDC’s plan to use $14,000 to fund a study of the economic impact on moving DSS out of Hudson.” The CEDC will pay Camion and Associates from New York City, “for the purpose of conducting a study on the economic impacts derived from the location of … DSS.” Read the entire story in the Register-Star.

UPDATE: Register-Star’s Olsen attended meeting and says, “the Board of Supervisors’ Space Utilization Subcommittee Thursday evening… voted unanimously to, ‘limit site selection to only within the city of Hudson without documenting the need for DSS to remain within the city limits.'”

Molinaro announces re-election campaign Friday

Marc Molinaro will announce he is seeking re-election for the 103rd Assembly District with three events on Friday, April 30 in Dutchess and Columbia counties. Molinaro will be at Promenade Hill (intersection of Front and Warren Sts.) In Hudson at 11 a.m., at Tivoli Commons (86 Broadway) at 12:30 p.m., and in Pleasant Valley at GE Masten Feed (1 West Rd.) at 2 p.m.

Historic Hudson

211 Union St., Hudson from The Gossips of Rivertown.

Carole Osterink continues her tour of properties in Hudson owned by Eric Galloway, whose group the Lantern Organization was proposing developing a building with “permanent supportive housing” for the mentally disabled, the homeless, and those with substance abuse problems on the corner of Warren and Fifth Sts. in Hudson. Read about the empty lot at the corner of Fourth and Columbia Sts., 345 Allen St., and 620-624 State St., but the post about 211 Union St. is the most interesting so far:

This is 211 Union Street, the birthplace of Hudson’s most illustrious native son: General William Jenkins Worth. (How many people have three cities, a lake, a village, and a county named after them?) It’s surprising that such a significant Hudson landmark is in private hands, but it is. It’s owned by the Galvan Group–named for Eric Galloway and his partner, Henry van Ameringen. William Jenkins Worth was born in this house on March 1, 1794–just a decade after Hudson was founded. His father was Thomas Worth, one of the original Proprietors, and his mother was Abigail Jenkins. Read the entire article in The Gossips of Rivertown.

Forward Motion into Hudson Saturday

Forward Motion Theater returns to the Hudson Opera House at 8 p.m. Sat. May 1 with “RE:Vision,” a collaboration of live performances weaving multimedia and dance from a fresh critical perspective. The evening features seven independent works by artists combining choreography, live mix video, film, dance, spoken word, costume, and music. Tickets are $15 per person, $10 students. Artists include: video artists Wetcircuit and Mikhail Torich, musician Aerostatic, and choreographers Urban Wash Dance Company and Blind. Five artists collaborate creating an evening of seven independent works. Forward Motion Theater is a New York City-based dance-theater-media company founded in 1995 by choreographer Eric Dunlap and media artist Holly Daggers. The mission of FMT is to explore the combination of movement and technology through both live performance and digital media. Works with themes ranging from science fiction, spirituality, and the mutability of the human form are realized through innovative stage and lighting effects and formalized composition. Current projects include both live theater and new performance venues through video and the web. Wetcircuit is Holly Daggers, a New York City-based VJ and Media Artist who creates and composes visual media in real time. Performances include concert VJ for Busta Rhymes, James Brown, Page McConnell, Moby, and T.I., and was voted a Top 20 VJ worldwide by DJ Magazine, UK. She has designed interactive video installations for the Museum of Modern Art and Chelsea Art Museum. Holly collaborates with musicians and choreographers presenting her media performances in both art gallery and theatrical settings, and has opened her shooting studio to create dance on video as a hybrid performance venue. Aerostatic is Terry Golob and Michele Darling. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Aerostatic utilize artifacts of sound generated by digital and analog processing in conjunction with a variety of interactive technologies, to compose and design audio environments for film, installations and music performance. Their work has been featured in shows and festivals in the United States, England, Argentina and Australia. Urban Wash Dance Company is a fusion of dance and technology married to social and political consciousness. Movement vocabulary is derived from multidisciplinary sources enhanced by a high degree of athleticism. Urban Wash Dance Company is made up of dancers, video artists, DJs, and organized by Rebekah J Kennedy, Artistic Director/Choreographer. Performances and choreography have been featured throughout the United States. Mikhail Torich is an international music video director, cameraman, photographer and visual artist shooting in Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States. Blind is dancer and choreographer Eric Dunlap. Based in New York City, Eric toured internationally as a principal dancer with Alwin Nikolais / Murray Louis Dance. He has worked with various companies such as Peter Pucci Plus Dancers, Rebecca Sten/Perks Dance Music Theater, Sarah Skaggs Dancer/Higher Ground Projects, Pilobolus, and Pink Inc., appeared on NBCs Today Show and is currently a member of the New York City Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Eric graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts and is a black belt in Aikido.

Another busy Saturday

TAP New York with 30 regional breweries representing over 100 individual beers at Hunter Mountain Saturday and Sunday.

“Where We Live” by Barbara L. Walter opening at The Broderick Fine Art Gallery above Ruby’s Hotel April 24 from 5-7 p.m.

“Polaroids” show opening with William Wegman, Mark Beard, Tanya Marcuse, John Dugdale, Jeri Eisenberg, and Melinda McDaniel at Carrie Haddad Photographs in Hudson Saturday, 6-8 p.m.

The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus performs with Walking the Dog Theater Ensemble at Space360 in Hudson Saturday.

Black Lake — Hudson’s Slink Moss with two friends from NYC — perform at Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson at 8 p.m.

The Tommy Sharp Experience and Evan Randall perform at 9 p.m. Saturday at Savoia, 214 Warren St., Hudson.

Mother Fletcher plays at The Black Swan in Tivoli Saturday night.

Pinetop Perkins comes to town

Blues legend Pinetop Perkins performs on May 1 at 7 p.m. with Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, and Pura Fe’ in the Arts Center Theater at the Hudson campus of Columbia-Greene Community College. Perkins is one of the last great Mississippi bluesmen still performing and has been playing since 1926, with a unique piano style that has influenced three generations of musicians.

Molinaro talks in Hudson at Space360

Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,C,I-Red Hook) brought State Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) to a public meeting of about 20 people at Space 360 in Hudson today at 5:30 p.m. The two Assemblymen mingled with the guests including Catskill Town Supervisor Peter Markou, Columbia County Planning and Economic Development Commissioner Ken Flood, and Bill Jacoby, whose NYC-based Wind Products is looking to manufacture wind-power generators in Columbia County in two years. Molinaro spoke with a WGXC reporter for five minutes before a public question-and-answer session with Kolb that lasted over 30 minutes. Audio mp3 recordings of the interview and questioning are below. The event preceded Molinaro and Kolb’s public forum to discuss the People’s Convention to Reform New York Act at the Hudson Elks Club.

Marc Molinaro

Click here to listen to mp3 recording of WGXC interview with Marc Molinaro or paste this url into your media player:

NY State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Catskill Town Supervisor Peter Markou, and State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro at Space360.

Click here to listen to mp3 recording of Marc Molinaro and Brian Kolb’s public meeting question-and-answer session at Space360 on Wed. Apr. 21 or paste this url into your media player:

Incident Report No. 32: Carla Herrera-Prats

Incident Report No. 32: Carla Herrera-Prats
Remesas – Sending Money Back – Hudson 12534 on view April 19 – May 17, 2010 in the window at 348 Warren St.

“In 2003 I started photographing establishments that provide money-transfer services, from barbershops and shoe stores to businesses specializing exclusively in check-cashing and money transferring. I am interested in the physicality of these places where, among other things, the second largest source of foreign income to Mexico is transacted. I have amassed an extensive archive of these pictures, with each one containing the store location and the name of the few source companies that collect fees charged for each money transaction (such as Western Union or Money Gram).”

Incident Report is an experimental viewing station for visual projects, located in Hudson, NY. We are a model of portability, non-site, no-budget and low-maintenance. We offer an interface between the many publics of the street, and the concepts and issues generated by artists and social thinkers in a wide yet coherent spectrum. For more information, contact: officer@incidentreport.info

Hudson schools need new board members to finish the race

Unmuffled has two items today about the Hudson School District:

Nominating petitions for two open seats on the Hudson City School District Board of Education are now circulating. One vacancy is for a one-year unexpired term and the other for a five-year term. The first seat has been vacant since Nov. 2009, following the election of Jack Mabb as Stockport Town Justice and his subsequent resignation from the board. The second seat is currently held by Mary Keeler Daly. “Three or four” petitions have been picked up from the district office, according to Frieda Van Deusen, Clerk of the Board. But there could be more than four in circulation, she said last week. “Not everyone gets a petition from me,” Van Deusen said. At least two petitions are in the hands of Hudson City Democratic Committee Chairman Victor Mendolia. Working in partnership with board member Peter Meyer and Columbia County Democratic Committee First Vice Chair Cyndy Hall (a retired HCSD teacher), Mendolia is fielding Hudson residents Carrie Haddad and Joshua Hatala as candidates. Mendolia has been soliciting signatures on behalf of both candidates throughout the district.

Maybe the new board members could do something about this:

The Hudson High School track team went down to defeat Tuesday, but not because opponent Taconic Hills High School out-performed the Bluehawks on the track. Instead, the team was beaten by its home venue, when officials declared portions of the facility dangerous for competition. Despite an almost clean sweep of the running events, the HHS varsity team lost overall after officials awarded THHS the top three spots in the shot put and discus when the areas used for field events were deemed unsafe by the referees. The meet Tuesday was the first of only two home meets for Hudson scheduled during the 2010 season. Over the past three to four years, an increasing number of Patroon Conference schools have refused to compete at John Barrett stadium. Varsity boys track coach Sean Mulvey is expected to request that the one remaining home meet be relocated to the Emma Willard campus, located in Troy, 40 miles from Hudson.

Read the entire article at Unmuffled.

Molinaro, Kolb to meet public at Space360

Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,C,I-Red Hook) brings State Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) in hosting a “Meet and Greet with Legislative Leaders” in Hudson on April 21. Molinaro and Kolb will meet with Chamber of Commerce guests at Space 360, 360 Warren St. in Hudson from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The event will precede Molinaro and Kolb’s public forum to discuss the People’s Convention to Reform New York Act, which will be open to the public and take place at the Hudson Elks Club at 7 p.m.

Club Helsinki opens May 1

Saturday morning Club Helsinki announced to its Facebook members that the club from Great Barrington will open in Hudson May 1, near the corner of N. 4th St. and Columbia St. Spottiswoode & His Enemies (watch YouTube video below) will open the club that Saturday. Cellist Matt Haimovitz and his eight-piece cello ensemble, perform May 8, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus takes the stage May 30, and there will be a WGXC fundraiser at Club Helsinki June 17.

Tenants, experts ponder fate of Bliss Towers

Debora Gilbert in The Columbia Paper has a detailed story that also gets the big picture about Tuesday’s meeting about the future of the Bliss Towers housing complex on N. 2nd St. in Hudson. Yet, like the Register-Star story that ran before the meeting, this recap does not say where the meeting was held.

”Are you saying you are going to knock it down?” someone asked at a meeting held this week to discuss the future of Bliss Towers, the 36-year-old public housing complex. “We’re entertaining the idea of replacement. Maintenance has become a headache,” said Jeffrey First, who manages the building as executive director of the Hudson Housing Authority, a program associated with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Bliss Towers, the only federal housing project in the city, needs either significant renovation or replacement. A renovation that would bring the building up to new green energy and health standards required by HUD could cost $17 million or more, over $100,000 per unit. The concrete apartment complex was built before planners designed for greater energy efficiency, water conservation and sustainable maintenance costs. The first informational meeting to discuss its possible replacement with new housing was held last September. The meeting Tuesday, April 13, brought together a roomful of green housing experts, city officials and five tenants to exchange information and ideas about the possibility of replacing the towers… But tenant Tiffany Garriga voiced her opposition to such [green energy] plans. “I don’t want my kids to be squeezed because you guys want to go green,” said Ms. Garriga, who lives in a 7th-floor, 3-bedroom apartment with a view of the Catskill Mountains. She was not the only tenant present who said that high-rise construction deterred crime. She just wants officials to fix the building and add a fully equipped playground. Since it was built in 1973, repairs to the structure, boilers, elevators, windows, plumbing and roof, have cost $1.75 million. A lobby renovation in the planning stage for the past 10 years has not yet been realized. The experts in the room agreed that renovation costs are usually higher than new construction, and said it was a harder sell to get HUD to agree to renovation. Read the entire article here.

Using the word “lobby” to describe the current entrance to Bliss Towers is sadly comical.

Saturday night rocks

Lady Moon at Savoia, 244 Warren St., Hudson.
Mother Fletcher at Main St. Pub, 12 Main St., Philmont.
Smokin’ Aces Blues Band at Fernwood Theater, 341 Malden Ave., Palenville.
NYC-based Girls in Trouble focused on obscure female characters in the Bible, with area songstress Ali Dineen at Spotty Dog Books & Ale.

Molinaro hosts public forum Wednesday in Hudson

New York State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,C,I-Red Hook) and Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) will speak at a public forum in Hudson, NY to discuss the People’s Convention to Reform New York Act (A.9157) Wednesday in Hudson. This legislation would place a question on the ballot for the 2010 elections calling for a Constitutional Convention, according to a news release from Molinaro’s staff. The forum is Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Hudson Elks Club, 201 Harry Howard Ave., in Hudson.

International Community Dinner and Cultural Festival Saturday

Ninth annual International Community Dinner and Cultural Festival admission-free event includes traditional cuisine (potluck), music, and dance from diverse nations and cultures, including Haitian, Bangladeshi, Puerto Rican, Nicaraguan, African-American, Mediterranean, and African Sat. Apr 17, 2010 from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Please bring your ethnic food to share! Information at 366-2551 or 672-7901. Also, hear about efforts to rebuild Haiti, including a shipping container going there from Columbia County. (Donations welcome: tents, sleeping bags, soap, toilet paper, rice, pasta, canned fish, dried beans, and powdered milk.) At First Presbyterian Church, 4th and Warren Streets in Hudson.

Store follows club to Hudson

Club Helsinki has inspired at least one musician, Evan Randall, and now, apparently, a store, to make the move from Great Barrington to Hudson, per Rural Intelligence:

When Club Helsinki closed last year, “It broke my heart,” says Meri Avratin (left), who had been a bartender there for over seven years. “I still miss it. For me, it was the cultural epicenter of the Berkshires, and I loved being part of it.” With the center ring suddenly dark, Avratin cast about for something new to do, and, a year ago, she opened Sideshow Clothing Co., purveyors of vintage and used clothing for men and women, in Sheffield, MA. Recently, she relocated her store from the tiny space it had occupied on Route 7, just south of Great Barrington, to a much larger storefront across from the park in the 700 block of Warren Street in Hudson. Read the entire article on Rural Intelligence.

IDA denies Kohl’s tax break

From Francesca Olsen in The Register-Star:

The Columbia County Industrial Development Agency unanimously denied a request Tuesday morning from Widewaters Development Corp. on behalf of the Kohl’s department store chain for a 15-year payment in lieu of taxes. Read the entire article at The Register-Star.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Defrosted audio

“Defrost” was a fundraiser for WGXC March 20, 2010 at Spotty Dog Books & Ale with a number of amazing performances. Really, this was a special night with some incredible performances. Below are links to mp3 audio recordings of performances that night. They may not play in Internet Explorer, try a different browser. You may need Quicktime Pro Player to download files.

Rob Hervey performed first, and you can hear all but the very beginning of his performance here, or by pasting this url into your media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
RobHervey_SpottyDog_WGXC_032010.mp3

After Hervey, DJ Lunar Moon (who can be heard Thursdays at PM Wine Bar) kept everyone happy until Evan Randall (pictured, above right) performed. Listen to his mp3 here, or insert this code:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
EvanRandall_SpottyDog_
WGXC_032010.mp3

Catskill’s Brian Dewan (right) followed with a set that included “Our Ever-Improving Village,” which one could surmise draws locally for some of its descriptions and metaphors. Dewan is pictured at right, and his set’s mp3 can be heard here, or by inserting:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
BrianDewan_SpottyDog_WGXC_032010.mp3

Lady Moon kept the auto harp flava going, with her set here, or here:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
LadyMoon_SpottyDog_WGXC_032010.mp3

Matthew O’Koren (below, right) did some comedy while standing up, which you can hear here, or here:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
MatthewOKoren_SpottyDog_
WGXC_032010.mp3

Alexander Turnquist (below) finished up the night on guitar, with some vibes help from O’Koren. Click <a href="http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/AlexanderTurnquistMattOKoren_SpottyDog_WGXC_032010.mp3
“>here to listen to the mp3, or insert:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
AlexanderTurnquistMattOKoren_SpottyDog_WGXC_032010.mp3

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Bliss Towers meeting

The first line of Jamie Larson’s story in the Register-Star about the Bliss Towers renovations never gets proven: “Residents and city officials agree: Hudson’s 30 year old, 11 story, 132 unit low-income housing high-rise built during the height of the Urban Renewal program in the 1970s, is obsolete.” Larson never produces one person to verify that statement. Who are these people that agree? In Hudson? Who says it is obsolete? Why not ask someone who lives there? Then Larson says, “On Tuesday, Omni Housing Development will hold an informational planning discussion with local officials and developers to discuss what they hope will be a more socially and environmentally responsible low-income housing system to replace the aging tower.” The story never says where the meeting is, or what time it is on Tuesday.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Lequin/Morini/Kelly at Hudson Opera House

Incident Report and WGXC presented three performances at Hudson Opera House last night: Canada’s Julie Lequin, and Hudson’s Tom Morini and Jeremy Kelly. Kelly went first and performed with Geoff Macioleck (left in photo), and was followed by Morini solo at the piano. Lequin finished things up, and her audio would not make sense without the video she played with it, so we will not post an mp3 of her performance. Lequin’s “Car Talk” installation is viewable/listenable at Incident Report’s 348 Warren St. location through April 19.

Click here to listen to mp3 of Tom Morini’s performance, or paste this into your media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
TomMorini_HOH_WGXC_041010.mp3

Click here to listen to mp3 of Jeremy Kelly and Geoff Macioleck’s performance, or paste this into your media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
JeremyJeff_HOH_WGXC_041010.mp3

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

Hudson changes

As we reported Friday, Jean Deux Books & Records is moving out of its current space at 339 Warren St. April 17 after the landlord raised the rent dramatically. In its place, a reclaimed lumber store will open, we hear. Jean Deux is contemplating taking over the building next to Strongtree Organic Coffee Roasters across from the Amtrak station. At the other end of Hudson, several sources suggest there is a falafel restaurant opening at 11 N. 7th St. on the park, where a construction permit dated April 6 hangs. There is now a Facebook group for the restaurant. And the Times-Union reports Mexican Radio is opening a Schenectady outpost, to add to its original Manhattan location and its spot at 537 Warren St. And Sam Pratt says Baba Louie’s (of the 517 Warren St. and Great Barrington locations) will open another outpost in Pittsfield.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

WGXC in Hudson Saturday

WGXC staff will be in Hudson on Saturday, first in front of Jean Deux Books & Records at 339 Warren St. (though they just lost their lease and will be out of this space April 18), giving out information about community radio and taking Founding Memberships from 1-4 p.m. Then, at 6 p.m. we move to the Hudson Opera House, where WGXC and Incident Report present Incident No. 31: Julie Lequin One Night Performance of Top 30, with special guests Tom Morini, Jeremy Kelly on Saturday, April 10, from 6-9 p.m. The performance of Top 30 combines live presentation with video projection. Admission is free. Incident Report is an experimental viewing station for visual projects, located in Hudson, NY. We are a model of portability, non-site, no-budget and low-maintenance. We offer an interface between the many publics of the street, and the concepts and issues generated by artists and social thinkers in a wide yet coherent spectrum. Installation of Jule Lequin’s “Car Talk”: March 22 – April 19, 2010 Knitting together excerpts from the NPR show of the same name and my own fabricated responses, Car Talk presents a fictional conversation between myself and the two radio icons discussing my linguistic troubles, my Québécoise identity and life as an artist. Also one-night performance of Lequin’s “Top 30,” April 10 with special guests Thomas Morini and Jeremy Kelly. WGXC live broadcast on WGXC Online Radio at http://www.wgxc.org. Performances at the Hudson Opera House: April 10, 6-9 p.m. @ 327 Warren Street – Hudson, NY. One Night Performance of Julie Lequin’s, Top 30 With Special Music/Sound Performances by Jeremy Kelly and Thomas Kiko Morini.

Click on WGXC or WGXC Newsroom for more information. Send news, tips, etc. to news@wgxc.org.

George Quasha: Axial Drumming & Preverbs

Video, drum performance, and text (preverbs) by George Quasha. First full live performance of “Axial Drumming with Preverbs” using digital LED of Preverbs text (presentation design by Susan Quasha) on the occasion of a benefit fundraiser at Nicole Fiacco Gallery in Hudson, New York, for WGXC radio station –“Hands-on Radio 90.7 FM” (see http://www.WGXC.org). Event organized by Paul Smart and Max Goldfarb for WGXC.

Barrett campaign announcement

Didi Barrett announces her campaign for NY State Senate in Poughkeepsie, NY April 7, 2010 in the video above. Later in the day, she also announced her candidacy at the Columbia Courthouse in Hudson, with about 50 onlookers, the Register-Star reported. Barrett so far is the first Democrat to announce a challenge for the 41st New York State Senate seat held by Republican Steve Saland that covers Columbia County, and Dutchess and other nearby area.

Bindlestiffs take Hudson, Helsinki opens

The Bindlestiff Cirkus is back in their hometown including at Hudson’s Club Helskinki, which appears will be open at least by May 30 judging from this press release from the clowns of Bindlestiff:

*Saturday April 24- with Walking the dog Theater‘s Improv Theater Ensemble at Space 360, Hudson 8 p.m., $20 (more details below)

Sunday, May 30 and Friday, June 25: Bindlestiff Cirkus Cabaret- featuring a different cast of special guests each show, from NYC’s circus, burlesque and variety community- accompanied by live original music! At the brand, spanking new Club Helsinki, located at 405 Columbia Street, Hudson showtime 9 p.m., tickets $15 (more details below)

the more details below:
SATURDAY APRIL 24 – a benefit performance for Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc. and GhostWALK Hudson,
with Walking the dog Theater’s Improv ensemble
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus co-founders and variety artists Keith Nelson and Stephanie Monseu team up with Walking the dog Theater’s OFF LEASH! Improv Theater Ensemble for an evening of circus and improvisation at Hudson’s Space 360 on April 24th at 8 p.m. Bindlestiff will bring to the mix a few of it’s signature acts, featuring a twisted take on physical comedy and prop manipulation, in addition to some new, original collaborative fun with Walking the dog Theater’s Improv cast. Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc., based in Brooklyn and Hudson, NY, is a non-profit performing arts organization dedicated to increasing the knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the history of circus, sideshow, vaudeville, and related arts through activities including performances, lectures, print media, and workshops for the general public as well as creating opportunities for cultural exchange and fostering a sense of community. Walking the dog Theater, a keystone of Columbia County’s artistic community, has been at the forefront of collaboration and support for other local arts groups, offering benefit performances of it’s monthly OFF LEASH! Improv Theater Ensemble to raise funds and awareness for local artists and organizations. March’s performance benefitted the Awgawamuck Project for the Fine and Practical Arts, a new educational-therapeutic initiative based in Philmont. Aprils’ show will benefit Bindlestiff- Hudson’s own Cirkus and Walking the dog Theater’s partner in GhostWALK Hudson. To find out more about Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, please visit http://www.bindlestiff.org
Suggested donation: $20.
Location Space 360, 360 Warren Street in Hudson . For more information, please contact: David Anderson david@wtdtheater.org (518) 610-0909.

SUNDAY MAY 25 AND FRIDAY JUNE 30
BINDLESTIFF FAMILY CIRKUS CABARET
Where: Club Helsinki 405 Columbia Street, Hudson, NY
When: May 30 (Sunday) and June 25 (Friday), 2010
Showtime: 9 pm Doors: 8 pm
Admission: $20 ($5 discount for clowns in make-up)
Info: 1-877-BINDLES bindlestiff.org clubhelsinkiweb.com

On May 30 and June 25, The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Cabaret comes to Club Helsinki’s brand new home in Hudson, NY. The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Cabaret features new, phenomenal acts each show from the world’s best artists in the disciplines of Circus, Variety, Burlesque, Sideshow, and Physical Comedy. Live, original Cirkus tunes by our Maestro of Musical Mystery. Expect jugglers, clowns, acrobats, and trapeze artists to share the stage with musicians, magicians, dancers, daredevils, and more. Each show features a unique combination of acts, but all promise a legendary lineup of circus feats, sideshow marvels, and world-class entertainers. The New York Times said of the BFC Cabaret: “It’s old-fashioned variety entertainment of the sort Ed Sullivan so astutely scooped up, but with twists.” Every show features Ringmistress Philomena and Kinko the Clown, a/k/a Bindlestiff co-founders Keith Nelson and Stephanie Monseu, along with an amazing lineup of guest stars.
With the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus’ first Winter Cabaret in New York City 1995, and subsequent national tours, the stage was set for today’s far-reaching vaudeville and burlesque revival. Since then Bindlestiff has become a legend in the New York and national performance scene. The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus has featured over 400 guest variety artists; supported and presented original theatrical shows by other artists working in the variety arts field; launched Bindlestiff’s Cavalcade of Youth, a mentoring program and showcase for young performers; brought vaudeville back to Times Square; fostered new variety artists and new acts by established performers at its monthly Open Stage; and toured nationally for 14 years. Since Bindlestiff co-founders Monseu and Nelson moved to Hudson in 2005, they have been teaching circus arts classes and workshops in the area, producing Bindlestiff Cirkus shows for youth and adults, and collaborating with local arts groups and organizations like The Basilica Industria, Time and Space Limited, Columbia County Council on the Arts, Perform Columbia, the Hudson Opera House, Operation Unity, Walking the dog Theater, The Hudson Department of Youth and the Morris Memorial.
For more information:
1-877-BINDLES HTTP://WWW.BINDLESTIFF.ORG

Hudson Children’s Book Festival

Last year WGXC made recordings of local authors and fair attendees, and this year we hope to have a table at this great event.

Murphy posts appropriation requests online

U.S. Representative Scott Murphy (D, NY20), who represents Greene and Columbia counties, has posted his appropriations requests online. The projects from Greene and Columbia, and nearby, include:

Preservation of Manufacturing Jobs through Renewable Energy and Creation of a Center for Sustainable Manufacturing, Hudson, New York
Amount: $1,000,000
On behalf of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, I requested that the FY 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill contain $1,000,000 to establish an investment fund for environmental sustainability projects focused on alternative energy. This project would also provide technical assistance to manufacturers increasing their facility energy efficiencies. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because this investment will increase the use of alternative energy sources among manufacturing companies and small businesses, spurring job growth and technology innovation.
Recipient: Columbia Economic Development Corporation
4303 Route 9
Hudson, NY 12534

New York State Solar Electric Incentive Programs, Copake, New York
Amount: $35,100
On behalf of the Town of Copake, I requested that the FY 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill contain $35,100 to procure and install solar panels on the roof of the Copake Town Hall, adding rows of photovoltaic modules equating to a total rated power of 24.0kw (240v). This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because this investment grows the solar industry, an important sustainable energy source, and stimulates our economy by creating jobs in solar manufacturing and installation.
Recipient: Town of Copake
230 Mountain View Road
Copake, NY 12516

Generator for Emergency Shelter, Livingston, New York
Amount: $19,000
On behalf of the Town of Livingston, Columbia County, I requested that the FY 2011 Homeland Security Appropriations bill contain $19,000 to procure equipment needed to provide electricity and heat to the Livingston Town Emergency Shelter during emergency conditions. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because this investment assures public safety and shelter to citizens during times of emergency.
Recipient: Town of Livingston
119 County Route 19
Livingston, NY 12541

The Village of Red Hook Water Project, Red Hook, New York
Amount: $1,000,000
On behalf of the Town of Red Hook, I requested that the FY 2011 Interior & Environment appropriations bill contain $1,000,000 for the installation of an alternative well field and controls. This is the first step in a plan to rehabilitate the Village’s water infrastructure and provide the Village of Red Hook with a reliable source of drinking water. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will ensure that the people of Red Hook have access to reliable and safe drinking water.
Recipient: The Village of Red Hook
7467 South Broadway
Red Hook, NY 128571

Remediation of Vanderburgh Cove Wastewater Project, Rhinebeck, New York
Amount: $233,750
On behalf of the Town of Rhinebeck, I requested that the FY 2011 Interior & Environment appropriations bill contain $233,750 for the engineering and replacement of two Bioclere units at the existing water treatment facility. The project will ensure that residents can continue to enjoy affordable, environmentally safe wastewater collection and treatment services. Failure of the system threatens the Hudson River Estuary, as well as several local drinking water systems. This is a valuable use of tax payer funds because the project will ensure continued wastewater treatment services and will ensure the safety of the area’s drinking water.
Recipient: Town of Rhinebeck
80 E. Market St.
Rhinebeck, NY 12572

Camphill Ghent Elder Care Initiative, Copake, New York
Amount: $250,000
On behalf of Camphill Village, I requested that the FY 2011 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill contain $250,000 for initial construction of building an elder care community in Ghent to provide care for seniors of all levels of income and ability. This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because community care best addresses the needs of seniors who require specialized care at dramatically less cost to the individual and the healthcare system.
Recipient: Camphill Village USA
84 Camphill Road
Copake, NY 12516

Ambulance Replacement, Copake, New York
Amount: $123,895
On behalf of the Clausson-Raught Community Rescue Squad, I requested that the FY 2011 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill contain $123,895 to purchase a new ambulance to replace the current outdated unit that is no longer functional. This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will provide critical and prompt emergency medical service to the more than 15,000 people served in the community where those services are currently unavailable.
Recipient: Clausson-Raught Community Rescue Squad
283 Mountain View Road
PO Box 327
Copake, NY 12516

Columbia Memorial Hospital Technology Advancement and Electronic Health Record Program, Hudson, New York
Amount: $1,000,000
On behalf of Columbia Memorial Hospital, I requested that the FY 2011 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill contain $1,000,000 to help develop the hospital’s electronic health record system. This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because electronic medical records improve patient access to critical health information, reduce medical errors, and drive higher-quality and lower-cost care through the health care system.
Recipient: Columbia Memorial Hospital
71 Prospect Street
Hudson, NY 12534

Northern Dutchess Hospital: Master Facility Plan, Rhinebeck, New York
Amount: $1,000,000
On behalf of Northern Dutchess Hospital, I requested that the FY 2011 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill contain $1,000,000 for construction of a medical and surgical addition as well as renovation of the oldest in-patient area in the hospital. This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will ensure continued safe access to health care for the surrounding rural communities.
Recipient: Northern Dutchess Hospital
6511 Springbrook Avenue
Rhinebeck, NY 12572

New Cairo Library Construction Project, Cairo, New York
Amount: $400,000
On behalf of the Cairo Public Library, I requested that the FY 2011 T-HUD Appropriations bill contain $400,000 for the planning, design, and construction of a new library in Cairo, New York. The current library facility serves as a central location for library resources, community programming, tax forms, internet, etc. However, the facility is inadequate to meet the growing demand. This is a valuable use of taxpayer dollars because the library serves as an important resource for this rural community and will increase quality of life in Cairo.
Recipient: Cairo Library
512 Main St.
Cairo, NY 12413

The Claverack Free Library and Reading Room Project, Claverack, New York
Amount: $200,000
On behalf of the Claverack Free Library and Reading Room, I requested the FY 2011 T-HUD bill contain $200,000 to remodel the existing Claverack Firehouse into the Claverack Free Library and Reading Room. Funds would be used for design, engineering, hazardous material remediation, and construction. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the new facility will allow for the expansion of traditional library services, including internet access, to the local community, as well as serve as an anchor public facility within the town’s commercial core.
Recipient: Claverack Free Library
629 State Route 23
Claverack, NY 12513

Columbia Economic Development Corporation Broadband Consortium Project, Hudson, New York
Amount: $100,000
On behalf of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, I requested that the FY 2011 T-HUD Appropriations bill contain $100,000 to develop a Broadband Improvement Plan in order to attract new businesses to Columbia County. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the development of broadband infrastructure is critical the economic development of the entire region.
Recipient: Columbia Economic Development Corporation
4303 Route 9
Hudson, NY 12534

Washington Hose Fire Company Renovation Project, Hudson, New York
Amount: $500,000
On behalf of the City of Hudson, I requested that the FY 2011 T-HUD Appropriations bill contain $500,000 for the planning, design, and renovation of a 150 year-old vacant firehouse. The renovated building would be used as a tourism center and house offices for the Chamber of Commerce and local economic development organizations. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will rehabilitate a vacant, historically significant building while attracting new economic development in downtown Hudson.
Recipient: City of Hudson
520 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534

The Mellenville Grange Hall Restoration Project, Mellenville, New York
Amount: $83,160
On behalf of the Mellenville Grange, I requested that the FY 2011 T-HUD Appropriations bill contain $83,160 to restore and repair the leaking slate roof of the historic Grange Hall building. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will allow the Grange to preserve its historic structure, as well as continue its community service work in this rural community.
Recipient: Mellenville Grange #1255
803 Gahbauer Rd.
Mellenville, NY 12544

See the complete list of requested appropriations here.

Hudson, Athens get boat launch funds

The New York Environmental Protection Fund’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program will provide $38,542 for the city of Hudson to construct a canoe/kayak launch at the southern end of Henry Hudson Riverfront Park with a secure storage rack for canoes/kayaks will be provided and $22,500 for the village of Athens to construct a dockage system for non-motorized boaters to complete its Fourth Street boat launch, The Business Review (Albany) reports.

Rasputina’s new record with local roots

From The 12534 via Frantik magazine:

Rasputina has announced the June release of their seventh full length album, Sister Kinderhook, recorded in Hudson, NY

….produced by band founder Melora Creager and mixed by Creager and Brian Kehew. The album was recorded at Filthy Bonnet studios in Hudson NY by Melora (lead vocals, cello), Daniel deJesus (cello) and Catie D’Amica (percussion). The band will be touring North America this July.

Pay raises for Columbia County employees

The Register-Star reports that the Columbia County Board of Supervisors voted for a two percent pay raise for county employees Wednesday night. Supervisors voting “yes” on the pay raise were: Chairman Roy Brown, R-Germantown; Jeffrey Braley, R-Austerlitz; Reggie Crowley, R-Copake; Deputy Chairman Larry Andrews, R-Ghent; Art Baer, R-Hillsdale; Ed Cross, D-Hudson2; William Hallenbeck Jr., R-Hudson3; Deputy Chairman Bart Delaney, R-Hudson5; Pat Grattan, R-Kinderhook; Kevin McDonald, R-Livingston; Leo Pulcher, R-Stockport; and Valerie Bertram, R-Stuyvesant. Voting against: Art Bassin, D-Ancram; Robin Andrews, D-Claverack; Ray Staats, D-Clermont; Minority Leader Jesse DeGroodt, D-Chatham; Lynda Scheer, R-Gallatin; Ed Nabozny, I-Greenport; John Musall, D-Hudson1; William Hughes, D-Hudson4; and Margaret Robertson, D-New Lebanon.