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Friday headlines

Jun 17, 2011 12:21 am
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="245" caption="State Senator Steve Saland with Hudson school Superintendent Jack Howe at the Hudson Children's Book Festival. Photo from Saland's website."][/caption]In Gay Marriage Debate, a Republican Is Pivotal
Nicholas Confessore and Danny Hakim in The New York Times say New York State Senator Steve Saland, the lawmaker who represents Columbia County, "has not decided whether to allow a vote on legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in New York State." The Times says Saland, along with Senator Andrew J. Lanza of Staten Island and Senator Kemp Hannon of Long Island, met with Governor Andrew Cuomo about their concerns, "that churches and other religious institutions that do not approve of gay marriage could face legal challenges or regulatory conflicts if same-sex marriage is legalized." Currently 31 of a necessary 32 state senators have publicly said they will vote for the bill, which passed the State Assembly Wed. June 15, and will be signed by Cuomo and made law if one more Republican senator changes his position. All week, Senators have said they expect a vote on Friday. Read the full story in The New York Times.

Lafarge updates planning board on modernization project
Hilary Hawke in The Ravena News-Herald reports that Lafarge representatives Senior Project Manager John Light, Engineering Manager Marc Desimon, Environmental Manager John Reagan and Plant Manager Martin Turecky met the Town of Coeymans planning board recently, with an artist's rendering of the cement plant proposed modernization plan. Reagan said Lafarge "was not quite ready" to apply for building permits. "We have been working on this for three years," Reagan said. "We have held informational sessions, public meetings, undergone a public comment period and taken part in the DEC legislative hearing." Hawke writes that the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to submit comments to the DEC within the next few weeks and DEC will then issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). "We want to know about the landscaping," said Planning Board member Joe Kapusta told the Lafarge representatives. "We want an up-to-date, state-of-the art plant," Board member Buddy Irwin said, "but we also want attention paid to the appearance of the Route 9W corridor." Hawke also reports that Callanan Industries, a supplier of paving materials and construction services just west of Lafarge, will be move out during construction of the new Lafarge plant. "It is not clear if they will reoccupy the premises once the modernization is completed sometime in 2014." Hawke reports that the redone plant's production will increase from roughly 1.7 million tons to 2.8 million tons each year. "Reagan said the modernization project will create roughly 800 construction jobs and once completed the new plant will employ the roughly the same number of workers as now, 180." Read the entire story in The Ravena News-Herald.

Rodgers arrested
Carole Osterink in The Gossips of Rivertown blog reported two days before anyone else that Tim Rodgers, one-time candidate for alderman in the First Ward, was arrested Wednesday at his SEIU office on Warren Street by the Hudson Police Department and charged with a misdemeanor for filing a false document. Current First Ward alderman Geeta Cheddie's complained to police after Rodgers signed applied to become a commissioner of deeds, citing a home address of 15 Allen Street, a building where he says he expected to be leasing an apartment. But the agreement with the building's owner fell through, and Cheddie filed the complaint. Rodgers, was endorsed by the Hudson Democratic Committee as a candidate for First Ward alderman, an endorsement Osterink says Cheddie sought, recently withdrew from the race (David Marston is the new Democratic candidate). Last week, it was announced that Cheddie has been endorsed by the Republicans. Rodgers was arraigned Wednesday before Judge Richard Koweek, who says he will recuse himself from the case, since he was recently endorsed by the Democrats for another position. Rodgers was released on his own recognizance and will appear again on July 6 before Judge Mark Portin. Jamie Larson in the Register-Star adds this detail: After the arraignment, Rodgers was stopped on Warren Street and arrested again by HPD for driving with a suspended license. Read the entire story in The Gossips of Rivertown.

It's Copake's time to chime
Kelly Criscione writes in the Times Union Copake residents raised $42,000 in less than a year to restore the town clock and war memorial. The clock, created after the death of World War II soldier and Copake native Steven McIntyre, originally cost $2,600, when built in the 1940s. The memorial, that now once again chimes on the hour, contains the names of 168 Copake veterans from the first and second world wars, and its image is used on town letterhead, police uniforms, and the Copake flag. Read the entire story in the Albany Times-Union.

Town unveils new design for rehabbed senior center
Melanie Lekocevic in the Greene County News reports that the Town of Coxsackie Mon. June 13 unveiled plans to refurbish the Coxsackie Senior Center that is in the former Knights of Columbus building on Mansion Street. The the town purchased the building last year with a $150,000 grant through former Assemblyman Tim Gordon’s office, and the renovations are covered by a $400,000 grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal, Division of Housing. The plan includes upgrades of the plumbing, heating and electrical systems, switching from oil heat to natural gas. If money is left over from the grant, the town may add pathways from McQuade Park. Construction is expected to take about four months, and the town is considering the fire department, and the QWL building off Rte. 9W for temporary programming during construction. Read the Greene County News for the full story.

Empire State Baseball League scores
Thursday: 13U Coxsackie Owlz - 10 Schenectady #1 - 2
The 13U Coxsackie Owlz (4-1, 5-2) overwhelmed Schenectady #1 on Thursday 10-2. Seaver Martin and Elliott Palmateer each went 3-4 with a double and 2 RBIs, to lead the Owlz with Kyle Roberts adding two hits and pitching for the win with relief help from Chris Zwoboda. Roberts went 5 2/3 innings giving up two runs, one earned on four hits, two walks and nine strike outs. Zwoboda finished the game giving up a hit and one walk while striking out three.
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