2/25/2010

State Of County
Ulster County Executive Michael Hein announced a spending freeze in his second annual State of the County address on February 16 and warned more job cuts could be coming. He described his actions, and the speech in which he announced them, as "a call to action for all branches of government to set aside partisan politics and focus on the issues at hand," which he said included a potential multimillion-dollar budget deficit.
The county executive issued an edict to all county department heads to freeze spending not mandated by law or essential to the public's health and safety to help protect the county against such a shortfall.
Hein, who became Ulster County's first elected executive in January 2009, also pointed to his accomplishments of the past year, including the "total transformation" of the county Health Department, the implementation of a fleet manager, the installation of automated locators in virtually all county vehicles, the creation of more than 400 private-sector jobs and work to start sharing services between municipalities.
Listing items he wanted the County Legislature, which returned to Republican control after several years last November, Hein mentioned his wish to develop a plan to ensure long-term viability for the Golden Hill Health Care Center, the county-owned nursing home in Kingston; and raised the possibility of setting up a new fee structure for Sheriff's Department road patrols, separating those towns with a police force from those depending solely on the county for law enforcement.
Hein also asked lawmakers to examine the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency and Ulster County Development Corp. to determine whether they constitute the best model to deliver economic development services. and to review Department of Social Services laws and policies to protect taxpayers against fraud, waste and abuse.
The address was notably absent of specific targets, other than to re-assert everyone's need to honor the county's new Charter system of government, including better policy-setting by county legislators.
UCDC, meanwhile, has been touting its creation or saving of 611 jobs throughout the county, many in new green technologies, as questions about the agency's economics and overall efficiency have been raised in the media by members of the new Republican majority.
Stay tuned...
Onteora Sports!
Onteora's skiing and wrestling teams are on a roll.
Five members of the Onteora High girls ski team and two members of the Indians' boys squad will be making trips to the New York State alpine skiing championships, qualifying for the honors after recent Section 9 championships, which included a ninth straight crown for the girls team. Onteora was looking for their second state girls title this week at Bristol Mountain in Canandaigua, previously winning it all in 2007.
Leading the way for the Indians is senior Marlise Combe who lost the individual sectional crown by one-hundredth of a second. Joining her at the state finals will be eighth-grader Shannon Haggerty, third overall at the Section 9 meet, sophomores Isabelle LaMotte and Rachel Castellano, and junior Emily Vanacore.
In the boys state competition, it will be junior Jake Vanacore and sophomore Jacob Combe representing Onteora, with Combe having placed fourth overall in sectionals. and Vanacore ninth in 78.41.
Herb Cytryn of Oliverea is the Onteora ski team's longstanding coach.
In wrestling, three individual weight class champions led the way for Onteora High to claim the Section 9, Division II wrestling title on February 15, when the Indians scored 203 points to finish ahead of runner-up New Paltz (168) and host Highland (159).
"The team wrestled extremely well from top to bottom," said Indians coach Lou Chartrand. "We had seven guys in finals and finished our regular season at 22-5, so this was a great year."
Among notables for Onteora were Pete Hottum, Chet Cochrane, and Donnie Van Buren. Consolation final winners for Onteora included Avery Leighton, Dan Brennan and Joe Friedel.
All of the winners will compete at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships on Feb. 27 and 28 at the Times Union Center in Albany.
At The CWC...
The Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) recently approved two sizeable loans - one to complete the renovation of a major new performance space in Tannersville, the other to purchase and renovate a farm supply retail store in Delhi. They also accepted the high bid for the purchase of the former Hitching Post inn and restaurant in Grand Gorge. The property, which had been purchased by the previous owner with a CWC REDI loan, was acquired by CWC through foreclosure. It will be sold to Holly Augi-Perofsky of Jefferson, who submitted the highest offer at a January 8 bid opening.
A loan of $850,000 to the non-profit Catskill Mountain Foundation was approved in January. It will provide the resources to complete reconstruction of the Orpheum Theater by this summer. The 300-seat Tannersville theater will provide a state of the art venue for musicals, plays, and other performances staged by school and community groups as well as professional booking agents.
A low interest loan of $1,120,000 to WB Delhi, LLC was also approved by the CWC Board for transformation of the former Great American store in Delhi into a Tractor Supply Corporation retail outlet.
In other business, the CWC Board recently approved a $25,000 grant to the Town of Halcott to conduct a stormwater infrastructure planning and assessment project. The Town will contribute a 15% match for the project, which will include mapping, modeling and analyzing capacity of the Town's culverts, bridges and other stormwater infrastructure.
Another Stormwater Retrofit Program grant was awarded in February to the Town of Shandaken, which will undertake a drainage improvement project in the hamlet of Pine Hill. $10,000 of the $104,125 grant will be released immediately to produce a detailed scope of work and design of the project which is intended to address water quality issues in the Bush Kill Creek and its tributaries by better managing and treating runoff from Main Street, Bonnie View Avenue, Turnpike Road and Elm Street.
Gas Drilling...
Two of the largest companies involved in natural gas drilling have acknowledged pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel-based fluids into the ground in the process of hydraulic fracturing, raising new concerns that existing state and federal regulations don't adequately protect drinking water from drilling. Rep. Henry A. Waxman has subsequently announced that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which he chairs, is launching an investigation into potential environmental impacts from the process, which forces highly pressurized water, sand and chemicals into rock to release the gas and oil locked inside, giving drillers access to deeply buried gas deposits.
In 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency examined hydraulic fracturing and determined it can be safe as long as diesel fuel isn't added to the drilling fluids. The agency based its decision in part on a non-binding agreement it struck with the three largest drilling service companies - Halliburton, Schlumberger and B.J. Services - to stop using diesel. But the agreement applied only to gas drilling in a specific type of geologic formation: shallow coal deposits. The EPA study has since been widely criticized.
The information obtained by Waxman's group shows that B.J. Services violated that agreement and that Halliburton continued to use diesel in other geologic formations not governed by the agreement. All three companies acknowledged using other potentially harmful chemicals, such as benzene , toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.
A public forum, "The Future of Gas Drilling in New York State," is set to take place from 5:45 to 8 pm on Monday, March 8 at SUNY New Paltz. The event features a closing keynote by U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, representatives from New York City, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the gas industry.
The March 8 event is organized to allow both pro and con opinions to be expressed about gas drilling in the region, much of which is underlaid by the Marcellus Shale, considered one of the greatest such resources in the nation... and the center of a considerable swarm of controversy ever since the state has started trying to balance economic development of its energy resources against major environmental concerns, including potential compromising of the New York City watershed.
For further information about this event, contact www.scheinmedia.com or call 626-2999.
Green Incentives
A Briefing on New Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Initiatives and Funding Strategies for Municipalities is being offered this Saturday morning, Feb. 27 at SUNY New Paltz's Lecture Center, during which new financing strategies for sustainable energy projects, aimed at creating new jobs and business opportunities throughout the Hudson Valley, will be presented. Among items up for discussion will be NYSERDA's incentive programs for local governments, homes, businesses, and schools; PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) programs, which enable property owners to upgrade buildings using affordable financing options, potentially yielding positive cash flow benefits; the new Green Jobs-Green NY program, offering an array of funding opportunities for energy retrofits; Power Purchase Agreements, using third-party financing to pay for energy projects;and the Ten Percent Challenge, a framework to hasten the implementation of energy efficiency and renewables and draw attention to the Hudson Valley as a clean energy corridor.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Please go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/K97DXYP to register. The event is free, however tax-deductable donations are welcome; checks should be made payable to League of Women Voters Education Fund.
For additional information: visit www.sustainhv.org/hvsga
Resources Cut?
Six school districts in the area could lose their school resource officers under Gov. David Paterson's 2010-11 budget proposal, including Onteora.
At present, many districts around the region have town police posted in their high schools, but state troopers serve as resource officers in high schools at the Onteora, Rondout Valley, Ellenville, Marlboro, Coxsackie-Athens, and Cairo-Durham school districts. In response to the state's fiscal crisis, Paterson proposed for 2010-11 a $730 million budget for the Division of State Police - a $76 million decrease. According to the budget document, the plan calls for redeploying the state's 90 school resource officers that serve about 115 school districts to fill out state police ranks during a hiring freeze at the end of the 2009-10 school year.
Lt. Glenn Miner, the director of public information for the state police, said the last police academy class ended in the summer of 2009, and police will not train another round of recruits through the coming fiscal year. In better times, he said there have normally been two police academies per year. He said officials realize the school resource officer program has been beneficial, but without new graduates coming in, state police must account for the approximately 125 to 150 troopers that retire per year on average. Therefore, police must deploy their resources in a way that "serves the greater population.".
Losing the officer stationed at the Onteora High School "would be a terrible loss," said school district Superintendent Leslie Ford, who described her district's officer as "an extremely valuable asset." She added that the troopers have been important when discipline issues arise, and Rondout Valley Superintendent Rosario Agostaro said his district's officer often visits families with district officials if a student has a truancy problem.
Both superintendents pointed to the advantage of having an officer on campus to quickly respond to emergencies. But they also pointed to a number of other benefits to the officers' presence, including their availability to counsel troubled students one-on-one and address problems outside the criminal justice system.
Lt. James Michael, who is based at the state police town of Ulster barracks and coordinates school resource officers in Ulster and Greene counties, said the program has also helped students see police in a different light, to humanize them, in addition to helping prevent school violence and leading police to information about crimes involving juveniles.
Pine Hill Vandals
Three Brooklyn men were arrested in Pine Hill in mid-February following an alleged break-in and shooting spree in the village.
According to Gerry Pearlman, the owner of the Pine Hill Plaza, the three men broke through the glass door of his store on Tuesday, February 16th and tripped the alarm. At the same time a snowplow operator was driving past and heard the alarm and pulled in the plaza parking lot to see what was happening. The driver witnessed the three, all wearing ski masks, run from the plaza across route 28 and down the hill.
Pearlman said the gang had stolen a BB gun, but in the course of the robbery actually dropped another BB gun one of the alleged perpetrators had purchased just one day before the break in.
Using the information from the snowplow operator, and the footprints in the snow, Pearlman guessed they were staying somewhere in the village. After a couple of phone calls he reached the owners of the Pine Hill Lodge, who said that a group meeting the description was not only staying there, but were also shooting a bb gun inside the building and causing a disturbance.
In the course of the investigation it was determined that the gang had also shot windows at Tanglewood Doors on Main Street and at least one car that was parked in the village.
Names of the accused were not available at press time.
Kaaterskill Falls
A Connecticut. man died February 14 of injuries he sustained in a 60-foot fall while ice climbing on cliffs at Kaaterskill Falls in neighboring Greene County. Daniel Pawlik, 40, died at Albany Medical Center Sunday night, according to Maureen Wren, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Pawlik was ice climbing on cliffs with a group of six others. He and another climber were ascending a cliff at about noon on the south side of state Route 23A. They were ascending first to put in climbing anchors, Wren said. About 45 minutes later, a passing motorist called 911 to report seeing Pawlik's body. The motorist also notified the other climbers, who apparently were not aware Pawlik had fallen..
Pawlik sustained head and leg injuries, according to Wren. He was flown by helicopter to Albany Medical Center where he later died.
Home Grown?
Joe Stack's decision to crash a plane into an IRS office in Austin, Texas, has raised a host of questions about the possibility of homegrown terrorism... but also comparisons to a rise in anti-government activities during the early Clinton Administration years that finally saw release with a combination of the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy and strong FEMA responses to flooding disasters here and elsewhere around the nation.
What's captured as much attention as Stack's attack, recently, has been the response its engendered, with many starting to claim heroism for his act of violence.
"The very fact of what he did might energize somebody else on the borderline and might tip them in favor of going ahead and doing something similar," said Mark Pitcavage, who tracks anti-government groups as director of investigative research for the Anti-Defamation League. "The fact that there is sympathy for him and support for him suggests that that is not out of the realm of possibility."
Federal investigators are "continuing to investigate all aspects of Joseph Stack's life and the events leading up to the incident," a federal law enforcement official in Washington said, adding that "there is nothing discovered so far to indicate a larger conspiracy or international influence." Investigators in Texas told reporters they quickly ruled out any direct connections between Stack and terrorist groups or causes.
Overall, the Southern Poverty Law Center has counted 75 domestic terror acts since Timothy McVeigh blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City 15 years ago this April, and last August, the organization reported a resurgence of the "Patriot" movement that helped spawn McVeigh's attack. Mark Potok, director of the SPLC's Intelligence Report, said a new study due to be released in March will show a marked increase in anti-government activity since Barack Obama took over the White House in January 2009.
The Austin attack "comes in the context of an absolute explosion in the number of anti-government and Patriot groups and militia groups," Potok said, adding that he could not provide a more specific breakdown until the March report is completed. But already "the numbers are astounding."
"The white supremacists also agitated about Barack Obama, but we didn't see their numbers grow, just their anger," added Pitcavage, whose ADL has observed the same trend line as the SPLC. "The anti-government groups have linked Obama with all these major conspiracy theories about concentration camps and martial law - the same sorts that were swirling around before the Oklahoma City bombing. That he's going to be the instrument of the New World Order" under which, most versions of the theory have it, the U.S. government would be subsumed by an international cabal.
In the mid-1990s, a storm of anti-government actions in the West were mirrored locally by the rise of similar forces focused on a local effort to have the Catskills named a special UNESCO Biosphere region, and efforts to create a local heritage trail. Much of that anger overflowed into the region's reaction to proposed regulatory changes throughout the New York City watershed, eventually yielding the Memorandum of Agreement that brought new compliance AND development funding to the Catskills. Also occurring were numerous gatherings that drew local officials who started mirroring Far Right language in their calls for greater home rule, as well as a special Congressional Hearing about Property Rights overseen by some of the federal bodies leading agitators of the time.
All came to a quiet halt after the floods of winter, 1996 when federal FEMA head James Lee Witt visited the area and his agency's attentions, along with New York City's, helped effect a quick and full recovery.
Wild Animals!!!
It has come to our attention that one of the little-known requirements of the NYS Department of State Office of Fire Control and Prevention is a requirement for all owners of wild animals to report their presence to local authorities so EMTs and firefighters aren't faced with scary surprises.
"All persons required to report the owning, possessing or harboring of a wild animal under General Municipal Law 209-cc shall file such report with the relevant city, town or village clerk on or before April 1 of each year," reads the code, which references an online form available at www.dos.state.ny.us/fire/wildanimalslist.
So what's on the list? Lions, tigers and bears... and all forms of monkeys, foxes, wolves, wild cats. How about snakes, other reptiles and amphibians?
Turns out the only things needing reporting are all venomous snakes and constrictors and pythons that are ten feet or greater in length. Or "crocodilia five feet or greater in length." That makes us feel safer...
Stormwater? Planning board members, engineers, contractors and municipal officials interested in stormwater issues are invited to a free workshop sponsored by the Catskill Watershed Corporation Wednesday, March 10 in Fleischmanns, when "Before the Rains: Stormwater Rules Explained" will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at La Cabana Mexican Restaurant. Check-in begins at 8:30. The workshop will explain New York State and New York City Watershed regulations governing stormwater - why they matter in the pursuit of clean water, what the rules consist of and how they are enforced. When are Erosion and Sediment Control plans required for construction sites? What triggers the requirement for a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for a new building or other impervious surface? When is a certified on-site stormwater inspector needed? What are the responsibilities of the contractor, the designer, and the property owner? A preview of new standards for post-construction SWPPP design and maintenance will be offered by Carol Lamb-LaFay of the Office of Environmental Quality, Region IV, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The standards, which are expected to be implemented by the DEC later this year, will emphasize incorporating "green infrastructure" to maximize natural infiltration of runoff. Local municipal codes may have to be modified to reflect the new requirements. There is no charge for the workshop or the buffet lunch that follows, however, pre-registration is required by March 3. Go to www.cwconline.org, and click on the notice on the home page to register electronically. Call 586-1400 to obtain a paper registration form.
Newly Needed
Starting March 1, virtually every place where people live in New York state will be required to have at least one carbon monoxide detector installed. The new mandate, known as Amanda's Law, exempts only non-residential commercial establishments and buildings that have "no sources of combustion within" them.
Essentially, the new law requires every single-family home, new or old, as well as each unit in apartment buildings and complexes, to have a carbon monoxide detector.
The new law differs from past legislation in that single-family homes previously were not required to install un-its that detect carbon monoxide - a colorless, odorless and deadly gas that is the product of inefficient burning of fuel. Carbon monoxide, or CO, can be produced by wood or gas stoves, grills, fireplaces, oil or gas furnaces, gasoline-powered vehicles and appliances such as kerosene space heaters.
While the gas can go unnoticed without a detector, the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are obvious and painful. They include headaches, nausea, disorientation and fatigue.
Ultimately, carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal.
The new state law is named for 16-year-old Amanda Hansen of West Seneca, near Buffalo, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning on Jan. 17, 2009, while sleeping at a friend's house.
Amanda's Law requires carbon monoxide units to be installed in all new and existing one- and two-family homes, multifamily buildings and rental units that have fuel-burning appliances or systems or garages attached.
Most carbon monoxide detectors cost $20 to $30. The generally are sold alongside smoke detectors in hardware stores, home centers, drug stores and other retail establishments.
It's Official...
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced it will create a new climate change office to centralize access to information for government, industry, and researchers as part of an enhanced federal effort to prepare for long term, climate related changes to our planetary ecosystem. The new office, to be called the NOAA Climate Service, will be similar to the National Weather Service, also run by NOAA, and will bring together under a single leader about 550 scientists and analysts already working on climate change issues for the agency.
"As the realities of climate change become more obvious to more people, farmers, businesses, government agencies, and public health officials, are going to be turning to us for credible, useful, and relevant information," said Dr.Jane Lubchenco, NOAA's Administrator. She said the agency was committed to sharing raw data, analytical reports, and all the information it gathered, and wanted to help build confidence in the science involved.
"By providing critical planning information that our businesses and our communities need, NOAA Climate Service will help tackle head-on the challenges of mitigating and adapting to climate change" said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, whose department oversees the new agency. Its new website is www.climate.gov .
Uncle Rock!
To celebrate the release of his fourth cross-generational CD The Big Picture, Robert "Uncle Rock" Warren is bringing his band the Playthings to the Bearsville Theater on Saturday March 6th at 1 PM. Expect an interactive show aimed at all ages, with nods to David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens, The Ramones, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and others. Also on the bill: face painting, healthful snacks and special guests!
The Big Picture's 12 original songs (and two covers - Carol Burnett's theme song and Tom T Hall's "Sneaky Snake") are engaging tributes to the above-mentioned icons, with lyrics that veer from whimsy ("Leave the Bees Be") to the necessity of recycling ("There Is No Away," "Garbage Barge"), acceptance of differences ("Secret Spaceman") and the importance of shopping locally ("Stop at a Mom N' Pop").
To craft The Big Picture, Uncle Rock has upped the sonic quality while keeping it local: at the helm is Rosendale's own indispensable Dean Jones - producer, multi-instrumentalist, and, among many other musical endeavors, the man behind the acclaimed family music group Dog On Fleas. Celebrated Smithsonian Folkways artist Elizabeth Mitchell elevates the story song "There Is No Away," and revered "cellist to the rock stars" Jane Scarpantoni (Nirvana, Sheryl Crow, Psychedelic Furs) brings bowed brilliance to the table.
Before being dubbed "Uncle Rock" by his nephew, Warren performed as a bass player in many rock and roll bands, including international garage rock titans The Fleshtones. He also spent a year portraying Buddy Holly in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story in London's West End, and has co-written songs for multi-Grammy winner Rosanne Cash and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Wanda Jackson.
Recognized...
The Fairlawn Inn of Hunter, in neighboring Greene County, is the recipient of the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association's (NYSH&TA) Bed & Breakfast of Distinction Award. The winner will be recognized at the Association's 2010 Stars of the Industry Gala & Awards Banquet at the Crowne Plaza Albany, Monday, March 1.
The Stars of the Industry awards program honors employees of the hotels, motels and tourism-related businesses throughout the state who best represent the quality service and spirit of the tourism and hospitality industry.
The award recognizes the Bed & Breakfast property that demonstrates architectural excellence and distinction; reflects significance or historical preservation; plays an integral role in promoting the local tourism economy.
No New School
The application to create the first charter school in the Mid-Hudson Valley will not be refiled with the State University of New York until at least May, according to applicant Andrew Taylor.
Taylor applied to open "The Charter School of Tomorrow" at TechCity in the town of Ulster, which is within the boundaries of the Kingston school district, in May of 2009, but withdrew the proposal in July. There are two deadlines per year in which applicants can apply - one in January and one in May.
Taylor said he and the board of trustees hope to file a new application to create the Charter School of Tomorrow by the May deadline. But the group also wants to make sure the application contains all necessary elements, he said, adding that if the application is not ready in May, it will be filed later.
According to the SUNY Charter School Institute publication, if a charter school application is rejected, "the denial is final and cannot be reviewed by another authority."
The proposed Ulster County charter school would emphasize arts and technology, and Taylor said when the application was withdrawn that the Charter School Institute wanted more research conducted regarding online instruction. Taylor said at the time he hoped to refile the application this month.
The withdrawn application described the education model the school would use as a hybrid of face-to-face instruction and remote deliveries, such as online courses, that would allow educators to offer advanced placement and college-credit courses that are not available in the region's public schools.
The withdrawn application reads that the charter school initially would serve 345 students in grades five through nine, and by the fourth year, the applicants projected it would grow to serve a total of 552 students in grades five through 12.
If the application is filed in May, Taylor said the school could open in September 2011.
Keeping Cool
For some people, keeping their cool is as easy as ABC. But, some hot-headed teens with out-of-bounds rage need to learn the ABC system - action, behavior, consequence - to keep their equilibrium in confrontational situations. The Teen Anger Management Program, a service of Family of Woodstock, has been working for more than nine years with volatile teens to enable them to deal with their rage.
"The program is based on the alternative-to-violence approach of the prison system," said Jessica Robie, program director of adolescent services in Kingston and New Paltz. "We work to help teens understand that they can't control what happens to them. But, they can control their reaction and behavior, and they can, thus, control the consequences," she said.
Family of Woodstock offers groups in Kingston, New Paltz and Ellenville now, and will be starting groups at teen shelters in Kingston, Rosendale and Ellenville. The program is directed to middle school and high school students, but the age groups are separated. Referrals for the program come from across the spectrum: Schools, parents, probation, and staff at Family of Woodstock that offers a slew of programs for families and the community.
Robie said the teenagers learn intervention-to-violence techniques, starting with cues to what makes them angry.
About 150 teens come through the program every year
More information can be obtained at www.familyofwoodstock.org or 331-7080.