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Weekend in review
Jul 29, 2013 6:52 am
Some of the stories that made the news July 26 to 29:
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The Two Row Wampum Campaign launched near Albany, Sun., July 28.[/caption]
The Mid-Hudson News Network reported more than 200 paddlers, Native and non-Native Americans, on Sun., July 28, began their journey down the Hudson River near Albany to New York City. The rowers will travel in two lines to honor the Two Row Wampum, the beaded record of the first treaty between the first European settles 400 years ago and the Iroquois Confederacy. The group will land in Coxsackie, Mon., July 29, and arrive at Catskill Point Park, Tues., July 30. The group will arrive at its final destination, at the World Financial Center and North Cove Marina in New York City, Sat., Aug. 10, for that city’s Two Row Wampum Festival. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
Melanie Lekocevic reported in The Daily Mail an agreement has been reached between Lafarge Ravena and the state and federal governments that will give the company more time to build the dry kiln that is part of its ongoing modernization project, in exchange for funding the company will provide for environmental projects and other concessions. Lafarge North America has agreed to provide $1.5 million to fund projects designed to reduce air pollution in Ravena and the surrounding area and to upgrade the existing plant’s operations to cut down on pollution the plant currently emits. In exchange, the government agreed to give Lafarge more time to complete construction of a dry kiln to replace the two existing wet kilns. The goal of the agreement is to improve air quality in the community, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said, while at the same time supporting the local economy by keeping jobs intact. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.
Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Patrick Grattan is looking to increase the collection of back taxes and other funds, and has proposed the hiring of two new staff members for the county attorney's office for that purpose. The new positions will assist the seven county attorneys who work in the office. The positions were approved by the board’s Finance Committee, Thurs., July 25. Tax collection in the county has more than doubled what was budgeted this year. Read the full story in the Register Star.
The Associated Press is reporting billions of gallons of untreated sewage flow into New York waterways annually, but it remains difficult to tell when and where to avoid contact despite a new law mandating prompt public notice. Overflows of combined storm water and human waste from municipal sewer plants occur often after heavy rains into big rivers like the Hudson, Mohawk and Niagara as well as smaller tributaries and other waterways. The law, effective May 1, requires municipal plant operators to notify health officials within two hours of a spill and the public within four hours. The Department of Environmental Conservation has received 447 reports of releases of untreated or partially treated sewage under the new right-to-know law, an agency spokesman said. The DEC estimates $36 billion is needed over the next 20 years to repair and upgrade sewer systems at 643 municipal treatment plants statewide. Read the full story in the Times Union.
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The Two Row Wampum Campaign launched near Albany, Sun., July 28.[/caption]The Mid-Hudson News Network reported more than 200 paddlers, Native and non-Native Americans, on Sun., July 28, began their journey down the Hudson River near Albany to New York City. The rowers will travel in two lines to honor the Two Row Wampum, the beaded record of the first treaty between the first European settles 400 years ago and the Iroquois Confederacy. The group will land in Coxsackie, Mon., July 29, and arrive at Catskill Point Park, Tues., July 30. The group will arrive at its final destination, at the World Financial Center and North Cove Marina in New York City, Sat., Aug. 10, for that city’s Two Row Wampum Festival. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
Melanie Lekocevic reported in The Daily Mail an agreement has been reached between Lafarge Ravena and the state and federal governments that will give the company more time to build the dry kiln that is part of its ongoing modernization project, in exchange for funding the company will provide for environmental projects and other concessions. Lafarge North America has agreed to provide $1.5 million to fund projects designed to reduce air pollution in Ravena and the surrounding area and to upgrade the existing plant’s operations to cut down on pollution the plant currently emits. In exchange, the government agreed to give Lafarge more time to complete construction of a dry kiln to replace the two existing wet kilns. The goal of the agreement is to improve air quality in the community, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said, while at the same time supporting the local economy by keeping jobs intact. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.
Nathan Mayberg reported in the Register Star Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Patrick Grattan is looking to increase the collection of back taxes and other funds, and has proposed the hiring of two new staff members for the county attorney's office for that purpose. The new positions will assist the seven county attorneys who work in the office. The positions were approved by the board’s Finance Committee, Thurs., July 25. Tax collection in the county has more than doubled what was budgeted this year. Read the full story in the Register Star.
The Associated Press is reporting billions of gallons of untreated sewage flow into New York waterways annually, but it remains difficult to tell when and where to avoid contact despite a new law mandating prompt public notice. Overflows of combined storm water and human waste from municipal sewer plants occur often after heavy rains into big rivers like the Hudson, Mohawk and Niagara as well as smaller tributaries and other waterways. The law, effective May 1, requires municipal plant operators to notify health officials within two hours of a spill and the public within four hours. The Department of Environmental Conservation has received 447 reports of releases of untreated or partially treated sewage under the new right-to-know law, an agency spokesman said. The DEC estimates $36 billion is needed over the next 20 years to repair and upgrade sewer systems at 643 municipal treatment plants statewide. Read the full story in the Times Union.