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Weekend in review
Jul 13, 2015 6:00 am
Some of the stories that made the news Fri., Jul. 10 through Sun., Jul. 12
Thomas Kaplan reported in The New York Times Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has suspended the portion of the Safe Act gun control legislation that would have required background checks on ammunition sales. The memorandum of understanding signed by the administration on Fr., Jul. 10, cited “the lack of adequate technology,” available to establish a workable database needed to make background checks possible. “This is a clear victory for Second Amendment rights in New York,” said Senator James L. Seward, Republican from Otsego County. Cuomo's decision was not publicized. It was the result of a deal between the governor’s office and the state Senate’s Republican majority. The Senate’s Democratic minority and the speaker of the State Assembly condemned the move.
Emilia Teasdale reported in the Columbia Paper the Chatham Town Board voted last week to deny a hardship waiver of the moratorium that prevents construction on property along the town’s unpaved roads. The waiver had been requested by Adam Slone for his tennis camp project. Slone is seeking a special use permit to build five to six tennis courts on his property on Thomas Road. He planned to host a not-for-profit tennis camp at that location for six weeks every summer. Slone has received considerable resistance to the plan from neighbors and other Chatham residents.
The Associated Press reported the New York State Police will increase its patrols in construction zones along the New York State Thruway for a five-day period beginning Mon., Jul. 13. Operation Work Brake is an effort to crack down on speeding motorists and aggressive driving in and around construction zones. During the annual campaign last year, more than 2,500 tickets were issued. More than half of them were for speed-related violations in and around active work zones.
Arthur Cusano reported in The Daily Mail the Columbia County Board of Supervisors last week approved Columbia-Greene Community College's $17.6 million budget for the 2015-16 school year. The budget includes a three percent tuition increase, which amounts to an additional $60 per semester for each student. The increase was necessary due to the declining enrollment at the two-year school located in Greenport, according to college president James Campion. Combined, Columbia and Greene counties will pay $5.19 million to fund the school next year, up from $5.09 million for the 2014-15 school year. The enrollment in the 12 school districts located in the two counties is in decline and there is an increasingly smaller pool of students to draw from, Campion said. He said the college is actively looking for ways to draw new students. He said the school's nursing and automotive programs bring in out-of-county students from nearby municipalities such as Red Hook and Saugerties. The budget will be presented to the Greene County Legislature in August.
the Athens Town Council has a new member. Tony Paluch was sworn in last week to fill the vacant seat of his wife, April Paluch. April died unexpectedly earlier this year. Tony will serve through the November election. The Athens Republican caucus two weeks ago endorsed Tony to fill out the remaining two years of his wife's four-year term. During her time on the council, Amy was an advocate for property owners’ rights, economic development, and she supported Athens as a Right to Farm community.
Thomas Kaplan reported in The New York Times Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has suspended the portion of the Safe Act gun control legislation that would have required background checks on ammunition sales. The memorandum of understanding signed by the administration on Fr., Jul. 10, cited “the lack of adequate technology,” available to establish a workable database needed to make background checks possible. “This is a clear victory for Second Amendment rights in New York,” said Senator James L. Seward, Republican from Otsego County. Cuomo's decision was not publicized. It was the result of a deal between the governor’s office and the state Senate’s Republican majority. The Senate’s Democratic minority and the speaker of the State Assembly condemned the move.
Emilia Teasdale reported in the Columbia Paper the Chatham Town Board voted last week to deny a hardship waiver of the moratorium that prevents construction on property along the town’s unpaved roads. The waiver had been requested by Adam Slone for his tennis camp project. Slone is seeking a special use permit to build five to six tennis courts on his property on Thomas Road. He planned to host a not-for-profit tennis camp at that location for six weeks every summer. Slone has received considerable resistance to the plan from neighbors and other Chatham residents.The Associated Press reported the New York State Police will increase its patrols in construction zones along the New York State Thruway for a five-day period beginning Mon., Jul. 13. Operation Work Brake is an effort to crack down on speeding motorists and aggressive driving in and around construction zones. During the annual campaign last year, more than 2,500 tickets were issued. More than half of them were for speed-related violations in and around active work zones.
Arthur Cusano reported in The Daily Mail the Columbia County Board of Supervisors last week approved Columbia-Greene Community College's $17.6 million budget for the 2015-16 school year. The budget includes a three percent tuition increase, which amounts to an additional $60 per semester for each student. The increase was necessary due to the declining enrollment at the two-year school located in Greenport, according to college president James Campion. Combined, Columbia and Greene counties will pay $5.19 million to fund the school next year, up from $5.09 million for the 2014-15 school year. The enrollment in the 12 school districts located in the two counties is in decline and there is an increasingly smaller pool of students to draw from, Campion said. He said the college is actively looking for ways to draw new students. He said the school's nursing and automotive programs bring in out-of-county students from nearby municipalities such as Red Hook and Saugerties. The budget will be presented to the Greene County Legislature in August.the Athens Town Council has a new member. Tony Paluch was sworn in last week to fill the vacant seat of his wife, April Paluch. April died unexpectedly earlier this year. Tony will serve through the November election. The Athens Republican caucus two weeks ago endorsed Tony to fill out the remaining two years of his wife's four-year term. During her time on the council, Amy was an advocate for property owners’ rights, economic development, and she supported Athens as a Right to Farm community.