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Wednesday headlines and audio
Jun 08, 2011 12:07 am
IDA discusses PILOT for Flanders
Jamie Larson reports in the Register-Star about how the new Flanders air filtration company purchasing the former Kaz Industries building on Route 9 in Greenport may get a tax break from the Columbia County Industrial Development Agency. The county IDA approved a resolution Tuesday morning June 7 to begin the process of, "awarding Flanders a 10-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement that would forgive 25 percent of the company’s annual taxes dependent on the property’s assessed value, which is currently around $4 million, though the purchase price, when finalized, is expected to be $3.2 million." The PILOT will reduce Flanders’ annual taxes from roughly $84,000 to $61,000. The North Carolina company to be known as Precisionaire of Hudson New York agreed to provide 180 full time jobs, but says it may hire more than 200. Columbia-Greene Workforce Employment Career Center has been tracking a percentage of the employees that were laid off when Kaz moved its operations to Mexico, and will contact those workers about a planned job fair. Larson says the company decided on Hudson, "to move its residential product line closer to their Northeast distribution centers." Read the full story in the Register-Star.
Gibson among top 10 House freshmen staff salary spenders
Sarah Tung in Capitol Confidential, the Albany Times-Union's political blog, reports that Rep. Chris Gibson, Republican from Kinderhook, spent $202,705 on staff expenditures in the first quarter, ranking eighth among House freshmen who spent the most on staff salaries, according to a recent analysis conducted by Colorado Pols. “Each office is given the discretion with how to spend that budget,” Gibson spokewoman Stephanie Valle explained to the newspaper. “(We) prioritize our overall spending to make sure the constituents have access to (qualified) staff.” Read the entire item in Capitol Confidential.
Strawberry Season is Officially Here In New York State
The New York State Berry Growers Association says Father's Day usually marks the beginning of the New York strawberry harvest, which lasts about a month. The group's website lists some, but not all, local strawberry sources. Pickyourown.org lists other spots in Greene and Columbia counties. The growers association says that when the strawberries run out in July, local raspberries and blueberries should be ready. Some local strawberry sources:
GREENE COUNTY
• Story Farms, 4640 Route 32, Catskill, NY 12414. 518-678-9716
COLUMBIA COUNTY
• Thompson-Finch Farm, 750 Wiltsie Bridge Road, Ancram NY, 12502. Phone: 518-329-7578. Open: Strawberry picking begins in early June and goes through July 4; Open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organic.
• Samascott Orchards, 5 Sunset Ave., Kinderhook, NY 12106. 518-758-7224, samascottorchard@aol.com
New York flags at half-staff Thursday
Governor Andrew Cuomo directed flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Thursday, June 9 in honor of a soldier from Cohocton who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 4. Army Specialist Devin Snyder died of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device struck her vehicle during a mounted patrol in Lagham province. She was assigned to the 164th Military Police Company, of the 793rd Military Police Battalion, part of the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I express our sympathy to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers of Specialist Devin Snyder," Governor Cuomo said. "We join with them in mourning her death and honoring her dedication and service to our nation."
Roe Jan Library now open Sundays
Copake's Roeliff Jansen Community Library is now open on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., only the second library in Columbia County open Sundays. “Sunday hours are helpful for students and anyone who works weekdays,” said library director Carol Briggs in a press release. “Since we started construction we’ve had many requests from weekenders for Sunday hours so they more easily can take advantage of our great new facility.” The library opened a new building last November, and since then visits to the library have doubled and over 500 new library cards have been issued. The library is located at 9091 Rt. 22 in Hillsdale, approximately one-half mile south of the light at the intersection of Rts. 22 and 23.
WEDNESDAY AUDIO CLIPS
Click on title of each item to play audio mp3 clip.
• Joan Kutcher interview about Mountaintop Arboretum.
Interview by Ann Forbes Cooper on WGXC Afternoon Show. Joan Kutcher talks about summer activities at the Mountaintop Arboretum in Greene County.
• Patrick Milbourne and Sasha Chermayeff interview.
Interview by Ann Forbes Cooper, Richard Roth, and Tom Roe. Milbourne's M Gallery in Catskill has an opening this Saturday for an exhibit, "Hudson Valley Art and Wine," with art from Chermayeff.
• Peter Pehrson interview about proposed Hudson Food Co-Op.
Interview by Richard Roth and Ellen Thurston. Pehrson is spearheading efforts to bring a Hudson Food Co-Op, with a meeting June 14 at First Presbyterian Church in Hudson.
Jamie Larson reports in the Register-Star about how the new Flanders air filtration company purchasing the former Kaz Industries building on Route 9 in Greenport may get a tax break from the Columbia County Industrial Development Agency. The county IDA approved a resolution Tuesday morning June 7 to begin the process of, "awarding Flanders a 10-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement that would forgive 25 percent of the company’s annual taxes dependent on the property’s assessed value, which is currently around $4 million, though the purchase price, when finalized, is expected to be $3.2 million." The PILOT will reduce Flanders’ annual taxes from roughly $84,000 to $61,000. The North Carolina company to be known as Precisionaire of Hudson New York agreed to provide 180 full time jobs, but says it may hire more than 200. Columbia-Greene Workforce Employment Career Center has been tracking a percentage of the employees that were laid off when Kaz moved its operations to Mexico, and will contact those workers about a planned job fair. Larson says the company decided on Hudson, "to move its residential product line closer to their Northeast distribution centers." Read the full story in the Register-Star.
Gibson among top 10 House freshmen staff salary spenders
Sarah Tung in Capitol Confidential, the Albany Times-Union's political blog, reports that Rep. Chris Gibson, Republican from Kinderhook, spent $202,705 on staff expenditures in the first quarter, ranking eighth among House freshmen who spent the most on staff salaries, according to a recent analysis conducted by Colorado Pols. “Each office is given the discretion with how to spend that budget,” Gibson spokewoman Stephanie Valle explained to the newspaper. “(We) prioritize our overall spending to make sure the constituents have access to (qualified) staff.” Read the entire item in Capitol Confidential.
Strawberry Season is Officially Here In New York State
The New York State Berry Growers Association says Father's Day usually marks the beginning of the New York strawberry harvest, which lasts about a month. The group's website lists some, but not all, local strawberry sources. Pickyourown.org lists other spots in Greene and Columbia counties. The growers association says that when the strawberries run out in July, local raspberries and blueberries should be ready. Some local strawberry sources:
GREENE COUNTY
• Story Farms, 4640 Route 32, Catskill, NY 12414. 518-678-9716
COLUMBIA COUNTY
• Thompson-Finch Farm, 750 Wiltsie Bridge Road, Ancram NY, 12502. Phone: 518-329-7578. Open: Strawberry picking begins in early June and goes through July 4; Open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organic.
• Samascott Orchards, 5 Sunset Ave., Kinderhook, NY 12106. 518-758-7224, samascottorchard@aol.com
New York flags at half-staff Thursday
Governor Andrew Cuomo directed flags on state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Thursday, June 9 in honor of a soldier from Cohocton who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 4. Army Specialist Devin Snyder died of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device struck her vehicle during a mounted patrol in Lagham province. She was assigned to the 164th Military Police Company, of the 793rd Military Police Battalion, part of the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I express our sympathy to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers of Specialist Devin Snyder," Governor Cuomo said. "We join with them in mourning her death and honoring her dedication and service to our nation."
Roe Jan Library now open Sundays
Copake's Roeliff Jansen Community Library is now open on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., only the second library in Columbia County open Sundays. “Sunday hours are helpful for students and anyone who works weekdays,” said library director Carol Briggs in a press release. “Since we started construction we’ve had many requests from weekenders for Sunday hours so they more easily can take advantage of our great new facility.” The library opened a new building last November, and since then visits to the library have doubled and over 500 new library cards have been issued. The library is located at 9091 Rt. 22 in Hillsdale, approximately one-half mile south of the light at the intersection of Rts. 22 and 23.
WEDNESDAY AUDIO CLIPS
Click on title of each item to play audio mp3 clip.
• Joan Kutcher interview about Mountaintop Arboretum.
Interview by Ann Forbes Cooper on WGXC Afternoon Show. Joan Kutcher talks about summer activities at the Mountaintop Arboretum in Greene County.
• Patrick Milbourne and Sasha Chermayeff interview.
Interview by Ann Forbes Cooper, Richard Roth, and Tom Roe. Milbourne's M Gallery in Catskill has an opening this Saturday for an exhibit, "Hudson Valley Art and Wine," with art from Chermayeff.
• Peter Pehrson interview about proposed Hudson Food Co-Op.
Interview by Richard Roth and Ellen Thurston. Pehrson is spearheading efforts to bring a Hudson Food Co-Op, with a meeting June 14 at First Presbyterian Church in Hudson.