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Monday headlines and audio
May 09, 2011 2:19 am
Holcim pays $423K in fines
Doron Tyler Antrim in The Daily Mail reports that the Holcim cement plant's $423,000 bill for 311 citations there since 2008 have been paid, according to records from the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The international cement company is contesting $2,800 in fines, over that period, but has paid the rest. Antrim's story details the many infractions at the Catskill plant over the past three years. “Safety is our number one priority at Holcim,” Bernard Terver, the company’s president and chief executive, is quoted in the story in announcing last year the completion of the first company-wide safety month. “We continually emphasize the importance of safe behavior and strive to develop a mindset and culture focused on safety.” Two months ago, Holcim announced the plant closes June 13, "although the terminal will remain open for remaining customers," Antrim writes. Read the complete story in The Daily Mail.
Bike shop on Main Street opens
Doron Tyler Antrim profiles Catskill Cycles in The Daily Mail. The bicycle shop opened at at 347 Main St. this past weekend. Bryan Hunter, a former park ranger with the National Park Service, opened the sales and repair shop with mountain and road bikes, hybrids and folding bikes. Hunter is also considering a rental program, according to the story. Catskill Cycles is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Read the whole story in The Daily Mail.
Furlong's latest closure in East Durham
Furlong's bar in East Durham announced on its Facebook page this week that it is closing. "We would like to Thank All Our Friends & Patrons who have supported us for the last 24 yrs at Furlong's Pub and Motel in E. Durham, NY. Due to family health issues, we regret to inform you that we will not be re-opening Furlong's," the announcement said. "We will be listing Furlongs for sale. Thank you all for the fond memories, fun, music, & laughter. Those memories we will always treasure. All the Best! Sincerely,Tom & Yvonne Furlong." The bar hosted some performances during Irish Arts Week in East Durham each year. Recently, the Irish American Heritage Museum left East Durham for Albany.
Old Chatham Post Office faces possible closure
Paul Crossman in the Register-Star reports how some closures can affect a town's personality. Residents in Chatham, he reports are worried because the postal officials are considering closing the Old Chatham post office. Locals are worried that Old Chatham, if it loses its address and zip code in the future, might lose its identity. “There is a good chance it could close, but there is an equal chance it could not,” Post Office Operations Manager Eric Tiemann told a crowd of nearly 50 people at Chatham Town Hall last Tuesday evening. Crossman says the United States Postal Service is considering closing the Old Chatham office because they are, "currently without a postmaster and that any post office without one — and any post office with their lease running out — was part of the study. He explained that the USPS had ordered a hiring and promoting freeze for just this reason, so that they could begin deciding which post offices should be closed," Crossman writes. Read his whole story in the Register-Star.
2011-12 proposed school budgets
WNYT NewsChannel 13 lists many of the 2011-2012 regional school budgets, which will be voted on May 17.
Some local examples:
Cairo-Durham Central School District: $27.2 million, 3.45% tax levy increase, no field trips, no new technology purchases, but sports and academics remain untouched
Catskill Central School District: $37.2 million, 1.14% tax levy increase
Chatham Central School District: $27.1 million, 1.98% tax levy increase, two bus runs eliminated
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District: $25 million, 2.92% tax levy increase
Germantown Central School District: $13.9 million, 2% tax rate increase
Hudson City School District: $41.2 million, 9.8% tax levy increase
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District: $13.2 million, 1.49% tax levy increase
Ichabod Crane Central School: $33.8 million, 3.98% tax levy increase
New Lebanon Central School District: $12.4 million, 0% tax levy increase
Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District: $42.5 million, 3.39% tax levy increase, uses $500,000 from reserves
Taconic Hills Central School District: $33 million, 2.78% tax levy increase
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School: $10.6 million, 1.73% tax levy increase, uses $250,000 from fund balance.
Compare all the budgets at WNYT.
Doron Tyler Antrim in The Daily Mail reports that the Holcim cement plant's $423,000 bill for 311 citations there since 2008 have been paid, according to records from the Mine Safety and Health Administration. The international cement company is contesting $2,800 in fines, over that period, but has paid the rest. Antrim's story details the many infractions at the Catskill plant over the past three years. “Safety is our number one priority at Holcim,” Bernard Terver, the company’s president and chief executive, is quoted in the story in announcing last year the completion of the first company-wide safety month. “We continually emphasize the importance of safe behavior and strive to develop a mindset and culture focused on safety.” Two months ago, Holcim announced the plant closes June 13, "although the terminal will remain open for remaining customers," Antrim writes. Read the complete story in The Daily Mail.
Bike shop on Main Street opens
Doron Tyler Antrim profiles Catskill Cycles in The Daily Mail. The bicycle shop opened at at 347 Main St. this past weekend. Bryan Hunter, a former park ranger with the National Park Service, opened the sales and repair shop with mountain and road bikes, hybrids and folding bikes. Hunter is also considering a rental program, according to the story. Catskill Cycles is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Read the whole story in The Daily Mail.
Furlong's latest closure in East Durham
Furlong's bar in East Durham announced on its Facebook page this week that it is closing. "We would like to Thank All Our Friends & Patrons who have supported us for the last 24 yrs at Furlong's Pub and Motel in E. Durham, NY. Due to family health issues, we regret to inform you that we will not be re-opening Furlong's," the announcement said. "We will be listing Furlongs for sale. Thank you all for the fond memories, fun, music, & laughter. Those memories we will always treasure. All the Best! Sincerely,Tom & Yvonne Furlong." The bar hosted some performances during Irish Arts Week in East Durham each year. Recently, the Irish American Heritage Museum left East Durham for Albany.
Old Chatham Post Office faces possible closure
Paul Crossman in the Register-Star reports how some closures can affect a town's personality. Residents in Chatham, he reports are worried because the postal officials are considering closing the Old Chatham post office. Locals are worried that Old Chatham, if it loses its address and zip code in the future, might lose its identity. “There is a good chance it could close, but there is an equal chance it could not,” Post Office Operations Manager Eric Tiemann told a crowd of nearly 50 people at Chatham Town Hall last Tuesday evening. Crossman says the United States Postal Service is considering closing the Old Chatham office because they are, "currently without a postmaster and that any post office without one — and any post office with their lease running out — was part of the study. He explained that the USPS had ordered a hiring and promoting freeze for just this reason, so that they could begin deciding which post offices should be closed," Crossman writes. Read his whole story in the Register-Star.
2011-12 proposed school budgets
WNYT NewsChannel 13 lists many of the 2011-2012 regional school budgets, which will be voted on May 17.
Some local examples:
Cairo-Durham Central School District: $27.2 million, 3.45% tax levy increase, no field trips, no new technology purchases, but sports and academics remain untouched
Catskill Central School District: $37.2 million, 1.14% tax levy increase
Chatham Central School District: $27.1 million, 1.98% tax levy increase, two bus runs eliminated
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District: $25 million, 2.92% tax levy increase
Germantown Central School District: $13.9 million, 2% tax rate increase
Hudson City School District: $41.2 million, 9.8% tax levy increase
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District: $13.2 million, 1.49% tax levy increase
Ichabod Crane Central School: $33.8 million, 3.98% tax levy increase
New Lebanon Central School District: $12.4 million, 0% tax levy increase
Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District: $42.5 million, 3.39% tax levy increase, uses $500,000 from reserves
Taconic Hills Central School District: $33 million, 2.78% tax levy increase
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School: $10.6 million, 1.73% tax levy increase, uses $250,000 from fund balance.
Compare all the budgets at WNYT.