WGXC-90.7 FM
Weekend in review
May 26, 2015 12:02 am
PLAY audio version of this report (4:12).
Some of the stories that made the news Fri., May 22 through Tue., May 26
The Daily Freeman reported a Memorial Day fire destroyed several vehicles and seriously damaged the structural integrity of the Department of Public Works garage in Kinderhook, Mon., May 25. The fire has been ruled accidental by the Columbia County Cause and Origin team. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital after dislocating a toe while fighting the blaze. The fire was reported at approximately 7:48 a.m. Monday and was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene. No one was in the building at the time of the fire. The garage is located behind the firehouse, on Chatham St. The building is compromised and probably a total loss, said Chief Larry Eisen.
Casey Seiler reported at Capitol Confidential Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration will switch off a controversial email policy that automatically deleted emails at state agencies and the executive chamber after 90 days. Deletion will now be “entirely manual,” said Cuomo’s representative following the so-called transparency summit Fri., May 22. Cuomo’s Secretary Bill Mulrow said the governor intends to introduce legislation that would make the application of the state Freedom of Information Law uniform across all state entities. Under the current statute, many categories of documents produced by the Legislature are presumed to be exempt from FOIL, inverting the presumption for disclosure that applies to every other state body.
Jonathan Stempel reported for Reuters a divided federal appeals court gave New York wide authority to regulate the content of custom license plates. The decision Fri., May 22, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a lower court ruling ordering the state to let an adoption advocacy group put the words "Choose Life" on its own plates. The court said the commissioner of the state Department of Motor Vehicles had "broad discretion" to decide which plates to permit, and in rejecting the proposed plates the did not violate the First Amendment free speech rights of the Children First Foundation.
Kate Seckinger reported in The Daily Mail the statewide burn ban officially ended Thu., May 21. The ban, which began March 16, was originally set to last 90 days, but on May 13, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo extended the prohibition an additional week. According to the National Weather Service in Albany, the months of April and May have been drier than average this year, but moisture in the air has now increased. Scattered thunderstorms are expected every day this week.
Some of the stories that made the news Fri., May 22 through Tue., May 26
The Daily Freeman reported a Memorial Day fire destroyed several vehicles and seriously damaged the structural integrity of the Department of Public Works garage in Kinderhook, Mon., May 25. The fire has been ruled accidental by the Columbia County Cause and Origin team. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital after dislocating a toe while fighting the blaze. The fire was reported at approximately 7:48 a.m. Monday and was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene. No one was in the building at the time of the fire. The garage is located behind the firehouse, on Chatham St. The building is compromised and probably a total loss, said Chief Larry Eisen.
Casey Seiler reported at Capitol Confidential Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration will switch off a controversial email policy that automatically deleted emails at state agencies and the executive chamber after 90 days. Deletion will now be “entirely manual,” said Cuomo’s representative following the so-called transparency summit Fri., May 22. Cuomo’s Secretary Bill Mulrow said the governor intends to introduce legislation that would make the application of the state Freedom of Information Law uniform across all state entities. Under the current statute, many categories of documents produced by the Legislature are presumed to be exempt from FOIL, inverting the presumption for disclosure that applies to every other state body.
Jonathan Stempel reported for Reuters a divided federal appeals court gave New York wide authority to regulate the content of custom license plates. The decision Fri., May 22, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a lower court ruling ordering the state to let an adoption advocacy group put the words "Choose Life" on its own plates. The court said the commissioner of the state Department of Motor Vehicles had "broad discretion" to decide which plates to permit, and in rejecting the proposed plates the did not violate the First Amendment free speech rights of the Children First Foundation.
Kate Seckinger reported in The Daily Mail the statewide burn ban officially ended Thu., May 21. The ban, which began March 16, was originally set to last 90 days, but on May 13, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo extended the prohibition an additional week. According to the National Weather Service in Albany, the months of April and May have been drier than average this year, but moisture in the air has now increased. Scattered thunderstorms are expected every day this week.