United Way chief predicts banner 2011
Raymond Pignone writes in the Daily Mail that United Way of Columbia and Greene Counties is predicting a banner year, with Executive Director Brad Poster saying the nonprofit began the year by granting funds to 37 not-for-profit agencies in its two counties. UWCG’s biggest corporate donors are Save-A-Lot in Greene County and UPS in Columbia County. All of the funds collected by UWCG are distributed only to agencies in Greene and Columbia counties, Poster said.

Troopers issue 55 tickets enforcing new move over law
Mid Hudson News Network reports about the enforcement actions of the State Police this past weekend, April 9 and 10, on the Taconic Parkway. They handed out 55 tickets in the towns of Clinton, Stanford and Milan enforcing the new Ambrose-Searles Move Over Act that requires vehicles passing emergency vehicles with their flashing lights on move as far away from them as they can. That means on the Taconic, if a State Police car is on the right shoulder of the road, passing motorists are supposed to move over to the left lane, if possible.

Six charged with illegally taking walleye
Scott Waldman of the Times Union writes that six men were charged with illegally taking walleye from the Catskill Creek, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. "An officer saw the men 'snagging,' a term for dragging a large hook through the water until it catches a fish, on April 3," Waldman reports. "Police said they found a cooler where the men were keeping the fish, mostly pregnant females averaging more than 11 pounds and 27 inches long. State Police helped with the investigation. Walleye season runs from the first Saturday in May to March 15. Those who catch the fish out of season face 15 days in jail. "The walleye are particularly at risk this time of year because the fish are spawning," DEC Regional Director Gene Kelly said in a statement. "The Catskill Creek is one of the largest walleye breeding areas in the region and it's imperative that we protect these vulnerable breeding fish." The six men were from the Capitol Region.

Bankruptcy filings drop 15% in 1Q
The Albany Business Journal reports that bankruptcy filings in the Albany court district dropped 15 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to new data posted on April 11. Almost 200 fewer cases were filed when compared to the first quarter of 2010, for a total of 1,086 new cases. The total is lower than levels in 2010 and in 2009. The data is for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court division based in downtown Albany, which covers 12 counties including the Capital District and upper Hudson Valley..

Mid-Hudson bridges are very safe, says bridge chief
Mid Hudson News Network reports that the New York State Bridge Authority’s five bridges across the Hudson River are well maintained and safe, according to Executive Director Joseph Ruggiero. “All of our bridges receive what we call a rating of a five, the highest rating that can be achieved for the older bridges that the Bridge Authority owns; that’s due to our maintenance program being proactive versus reactive and the next 20 years several of our bridges will approach their 100th anniversary of service and the diligence that we apply to our maintenance is even more critical to make sure our bridges continue to provide safe and reliable service,” he said. The Authority operates the Bear Mountain, Newburgh-Beacon, Mid-Hudson, Kingston-Rhinecliff and Rip Van Winkle bridges. More than 58 million vehicles crossed the bridges in 2010.