08-24-09 Air Force One lands at nearby Stewart Air Guard Base after dropping off first family headed to Martha’s Vineyard
Air Force One pictured after landing at Stewart Airport in Newburgh Air Force One landed at the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh late Sunday afternoon after dropping off the first family for a vacation. The Obamas flew to Otis Air Force Base in Cape Cod where they got off Air Force One and flew by Helicopter to Martha’s Vineyard where they are vacationing for a week. The 105th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is based at Stewart Air National Guard Base. The former Stewart Air Force Base is also known as Newburgh-Stewart IAP and Stewart International Airport. Stewart IAP (ANG) is located in Newburgh, New York. It’s home to the 105th Airlift Wing whose mission is to provide peacetime and wartime inter-theater airlift operations using the C-5A “Galaxy” cargo aircraft. Newburgh is approximately 100 miles due south of Albany, the capital of New York State. The base encompasses 267 acres and contains 36 buildings, amounting to approximately 757,000 square feet. There is no family or transient housing. The day-to-day base population is approximately 660 personnel; however, one weekend each month the population surges to 1600 in response to Air National Guard drills. The Stewart Air Guard Base is often used to land Air force One when the president visits New York City because it is a secured facility. Empire State News
08-24-09 Upstate residents asked to help prevent tomato blight To help stem the tomato blight now affecting much of the Northeast, the City of Binghamton has asked its residents to take the following measures when disposing of tomato plants: Tomato plants are not to be placed in the yard waste collected weekly by the city. Instead, they are to be put outside in a clear plastic bag on the weekly garbage pick-up day. After being collected by the city, yard waste is converted into mulch, which is then used for a variety of agricultural and gardening gardening purposes. Isolating tomato plants from the mulch stream will assist in preventing the blight from spreading, according to officials. A highly contagious fungus that destroys tomato plants has quickly spread to nearly every state in the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic, and the weather over the next week may determine whether the outbreak abates or whether tomato crops are ruined, according to federal and state agriculture officials. The spores of the fungus, called late blight, are often present in the soil, and small outbreaks are not uncommon in August and September. But the cool, wet weather in June and the aggressively infectious nature of the pathogen have combined to produce what Martin A. Draper, a senior plant pathologist at the United States Department of Agriculture, described as an “explosive” rate of infection. William Fry, a professor of plant pathology at Cornell, said, “I’ve never seen this on such a wide scale.” A strain of the fungus was responsible for the Irish potato famine of the mid-19th century. The current outbreak is believed to have spread from plants in garden stores to backyard gardens and commercial fields. If it continues, there could be widespread destruction of tomato crops, especially organic ones, and higher prices at the market.
08-22-09 Is your mail carrier stealing your mail? . . . Washington Heights mail carrier sentenced in tax refund check sting US Mail carrier Janira Rivera has been sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay back $3 million to victims of her crime. According to a criminal complaint filed in court, from about the middle of 2007 through September 2008, Rivera conspired with Luis Mercedes to steal illegally obtained federal tax refund checks that were addressed to locations along her route. On September 2, 2008, IRS and Postal OIG special agents conducted an undercover operation in which 12 decoy checks, addressed to 295 Bennett Avenue, were placed in Rivera's mail to be sorted for delivery. The decoy checks were substantially in the same type of envelope and had the appearance of regular federal tax refunds. The apartments that they were addressed to in 295 Bennett Avenue did not exist. In the morning, postal special agents watched Rivera sort approximately 90 U.S. Treasury checks and place them in a separate satchel that was attached to her push cart carrying mail to be delivered along her route. When Rivera reached 4455 Broadway, she took out the stack of Treasury Checks and delivered them in the building. When Rivera left the building, special agents entered and opened all the mailboxes. In the mailbox for apartment 4O, 91 Treasury checks were discovered, including the 12 decoy checks. Agents then stopped and arrested Rivera. She stated that she was delivering checks for another person, who later was discovered to be Luis Mercedes. She was paid between $100 to $200 per check delivered. Over the 1.5 year period, Rivera was paid over $140,000. When special agents returned to her locker in the Post Office where she worked, they found $3,060 in cash. Mercedes was sentenced in May 2009 to 57 months for his participation in the scheme. In addition to the money that Rivera has to pay back, other special conditions were placed, including drug testing and providing DNA samples. Special conditions of supervision are not uncommon as part of sentencings. During January 2003, Francisco Vizuette, 60, Ecuadorian immigrant, filed 20 false tax returns claiming $51,207 in tax refunds. He received six months confinement and had to wear a monitoring device, which he is responsible for paying. NY State News
08-21-09 Appellate court shoots down lieutenant governor appointment
08-21-09 SPECIAL REPORT Appellate Division upheld rulings on four bounced Mt. Vernon City Council candidates; more candidates bounced off ballot as well
The four disappointed bounced candidates (l to r) Jennifer "Anne" Sampson, Debra Stern, Eileen Justino and Bishop Collie Nathan Edwers are running out of options.
The four Mt. Vernon City Council candidates recently knocked
off the September Primary ballot due to
08-21-09 Billions for school improvement to be distributed within the next few months Funding to target schools that have failed to meet achievement targets under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
During the past 6 years, schools have been identified as
poorly performing under NCLB, but little funding has been
targeted on assisting them to improve. Due to the economic
stimulus package and the new education funding bill, that
situation has changed.
08-21-09
08-21-09
Faculty member Thomas Flippin teaches guitar students at the
The Music Conservatory of Westchester will offer exciting
programs in music, musical theatre, and music therapy this
fall when their semester begins September 12th. The
Conservatory welcomes students of all ages, from young
children to senior citizens.
08-21-09
08-21-09 KAPLOWITZ REITERATES CALL FOR STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE FOR VACANCIES IN THE OFFICES OF LT GOVERNOR, COMPTROLLER & ATTORNEY GENERAL “Our state constitution should have a “25th Amendment”, akin to that of the U.S. Constitution.” -- Kaplowitz It was about six weeks ago, during the now infamous New York State Senate stalemate, when Westchester County Legislator and Board Vice Chairman Michael B. Kaplowitz (D-I, Somers), first called for an amendment to the state constitution, in order to properly deal with a vacancy of the office of Lieutenant Governor and other statewide offices. “In light of today’s ruling by the Court of Appeals, invalidating Gov. Paterson’s recent appointment of Mr. Ravitch as Lt. Governor, I think the time is appropriate for the State Legislature to begin the process of amending the constitution to include provisions for filling a vacancy in any of the three statewide offices; Lt. Governor, Comptroller and Attorney General,” said Kaplowitz. “The amendment should be akin to the U.S. Constitution’s 25th Amendment which, in the case of Lt. Governor, would require the Governor to nominate someone who would assume the office of Lt. Governor if that person is confirmed by a majority vote of both the Assembly and the Senate.” According to Kaplowitz, the replacement of Comptroller and Attorney General should be via a special election to be held within 90 days of the vacancy, in which time a temporary appointment may be made by a majority vote of the Legislature. Kaplowitz noted that the reason for different processes is that the Lt. Governor is the only position out of the three statewide offices that is part of the Executive Branch. “An amendment of the state constitution requires the vote of two consecutive legislatures. Each legislature serves one two-year term. Therefore, the time to begin this deliberation is now, so that a vote can be taken by the current legislature in 2010, and then the second vote by the next legislature in 2011,” stated Kaplowitz. “This amendment would act as a type of insurance policy for the public in the sense that it would prevent any future instances of the extreme uncertainty, chaos and gridlock that took place in the Senate a couple of months ago.”
08-20-09 NYC Club owner asked to head up fundraising events for The Naked Cowboy in his run for NYC Mayor  The Naked Cowboy
Mayor
Bloomberg’s other opponent, The Naked Cowboy, who is running
for the office of mayor, has reached out to NYC nightclub
owner, promoter and marketing genius, John JE Englebert, to
head up his fundraising events.
08-20-09 Andrus Children’s Center continues to provide school supplies for County children in need
Shop windows advertise binders and lunch bags; parents
review ‘must have’ lists buried since June’s school
mailings. It’s back-to-school time and throughout the
County, even while many are still away on vacation, shopping
lists of school supplies are being made. And for as much of
a chore as this annual ritual can be, imagine what its
demands are for low-income families within just miles of
affluent neighborhoods.
08-20-09
The Irvington Town Hall Theater
The silver screen comes to Irvington and lower Westchester
County with the launch of Irvington Town Hall Theater’s
first film series. This new venture offers a rare
opportunity to experience a diverse selection
08-20-09 Mayor Clinton I. Young speaking during the press conference in front of Mt. Vernon Hospital
Mayor Clinton I. Young, Jr. was joined by members of the
Mount Vernon City Council, 1199 SEIU United Health Care
Workers, the New York State Nurses Association and local
community leaders for a press conference on Thursday, August
20th in front of Mount Vernon Hospital to address plans to
restructure the facility.
08-20-09
08-20-09 Are you being badgered by debt collectors? Attorney general sues to shut down New York debt collection operation
08-20-09
08-19-09 Credit Card Issuers Are Making Changes in Agreements and Terms In Advance of CARD Act’s Full Implementation NYS Consumer Protection Board Releases Preliminary Results of its Campaign for Change Credit Card Reform Survey as Provisions of New Law Take Effect With the first reforms of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act poised to take effect tomorrow, the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) today released preliminary results of its survey on industry practices. Nearly 100 consumers have responded thus far to the Agency’s Campaign for Change Credit Card Reform Survey, confirming that a variety of credit card issuers are changing agreements and terms prior to the implementation of anticipated protections for cardholders. Consumers were asked to complete the survey and/or to send the CPB stories beginning on May 28, 2009, just six days after President Obama approved significant changes to the credit card industry. While the survey period extends until February 2010, when most of the key provisions of the new law become effective, the CPB conducted a preliminary review of the responses received to date. “The CARD Act represents a victory for consumers who have for years complained about arbitrary increases in interest rates, fee hikes and changes to account agreements without adequate notice, but when the new law was passed, we became concerned that the industry might impose changes in advance of the reforms to bolster their bottom line before they could no longer exercise these options,” said Mindy A. Bockstein. “Turns out we were right to be apprehensive, as the feedback we are receiving verifies that some card issuers are indeed changing terms during this interim period to impose unilateral account changes, including interest rate and late fee hikes even for those consumers whose accounts are in good standing.” More
08-19-09 Scholarship funds available for working families!
08-19-09 Students warned about identity theft as they head off to college As students prepare for the fall semester of college, the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) is reminding young consumers to protect their identities while working on their computers, using the Internet, living in their dorms or while shopping. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that the 18-29 year-old age group is one of the largest growing segments of the population to fall victim to identity theft. College students often innocently leave themselves vulnerable to identity theft by making personal identifiable information (PII), which is usually a person’s name combined with their address, Social Security number, credit and/or debit card numbers, individual account or bank numbers, available to others. For example, PII may be compromised by purchasing items through Internet sites which are not secure; by leaving offers, credit card solicitations, medical benefits explanation or other items easily accessible to roommates or others; or by not shredding documents. PII may also fall into the wrong hands by being careless with student loan information or identification numbers; and/or by talking to a trusted person within earshot of others and revealing information that, once overheard, can then be used to perpetrate identity theft.
08-19-09
THE HUDSON VALLEY
WRITERS’ CENTER TO OFFER WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS AND
YOUTH AND A FREE READING AT PELHAM ART CENTER “Pelham Art Center is very excited to begin this new partnership with HVWC. Both organizations have decades of experience offering dynamic, high impact public programs and classes to youth and adults and to beginning and established artists and writers. The public will benefit greatly from this new resource for area residents eager to improve and refine their writing skills,” said Lisa Robb, Pelham Art Center Director. Fall 2009 offerings include two courses for adults, Memoir Writing Workshop with Susan Hodara (Mt. Kisco), and Introduction to Fiction Writing with David Surface (Brooklyn) and one class for youth, Creative Writing for Youth (11 – 14yrs) with Charlotte Walsh (White Plains). “For over twenty years The Hudson Valley Writers’ Center (located in Sleepy Hollow) has advanced the art and craft of writing by providing high caliber writing workshops for professional and amateur writers. Our writing instructors are talented, published poets, fiction and prose writers,” said Jerri Lynn Fields, Executive Director of The Hudson Valley Writers’ Center. More
08-19-09 Hospice Care in Westchester & Putnam hosted its 5th Annual Caring Circle
From left to right: RJ Hutton, James Fennessy and Marcus Plummer show off their freshly painted faces
On Saturday, August 8th, Hospice Care in Westchester
& Putnam hosted its 5th Annual Caring Circle Day Camp. Over
50 children attended this year’s farm-themed camp, which is
held for children ages 3 – 19 who participate in The Caring
Circle Bereavement Programs.
08-18-09
08-18-09 The Intriguing and Controversial Revolutionary War General Charles Lee, at National Historic Site in Westchester County, September 12
Revolutionary War enigma Charles Lee, Washington’s most brilliant and controversial General, is the focus of a talk by Dr. Phil Papas -- Professor of American History at Union County College, who is at work on a biography of General Lee -- at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site, in Mt. Vernon, NY, on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 PM. The site is open that day from noon to 4 PM, and other events include the Church Tower Walk, historic children’s games and toys, and touring the and cemetery, one of the nation’s oldest burial yards. Parking and admission are free; refreshments served. Where: St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site, 897 South Columbus Avenue, Mt. Vernon, NY, 914-667-4116; www.nps.gov/sapa Directions: Hutchinson River Parkway to Exit 7 (Boston Road), and follow directional signs to the site. Free parking is available at the site.
08-18-09 Ludington Adult Day Registrants Learn from Nursing Students
Recently students in the accelerated BS in Nursing degree
program at the College of New Rochelle, along with their
instructor, Gloria Benhuri, visited the Ludington Adult Day
Services Program at Sound Shore Medical Center. Their goal
was to share knowledge gleaned from their Fundamentals of
Nursing class on the importance of water and fiber and the
benefits of exercise with Registrants of this dynamic
Program.
08-18-09 County food drive planned for August 19 and 20 Many people donate to food pantries and soup kitchens around the holidays, but what happens in August? That’s when contributions hit their lowest point of the year and agencies have trouble meeting the demand. And that’s why Westchester County is organizing a countywide food drive on August 19 and 20. It’s no surprise that many people are struggling right now. One in five Westchester residents need emergency food assistance just to get by – often juggling their food budget to pay rent or utilities. In the past three months, local food distribution agencies have experienced an increase in requests from 30 to 100 percent – and they just can’t keep up. At County Executive Andy Spano’s request, local municipalities and public libraries have joined county departments to organize food drives in their buildings or communities. More than 40 locations will offer a drop-off site for the two-day drive. Many of the locations are linking up with the county to donate to Food Bank for Westchester , which distributes to 181 local food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens, while others are partnering with a food agency in their own community. To find a drop-off site near you, visit www.westchestergov.com/fooddrive.
08-17-09 STATEMENT BY THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS RE: Today’s Budget and Appropriations committee vote to approve the proposed affordable housing settlement agreement and bond act Today, the Budget and Appropriations Committee took the first step toward ratification of this settlement and bond act by approving these measures. Our review of this matter will continue in future committee meetings. We are on track for a floor vote at our next full board meeting. We agree with the County Executive that this is the most important vote that any legislative body has had to take in the history of the county. However, notwithstanding, it is essential that we not rush into an agreement that will cost county taxpayers millions of dollars without asking the tough questions and understanding the county’s future fiscal commitment, as well as detailing the implementation of the creation of the 750 units that the stipulation agreement requires. The injection of race into the discussion of this issue from others is irresponsible and offensive. Let us be perfectly clear – the Board of Legislators has always considered the impact of race when taking action towards the creation of affordable housing. In fact, county government has been active and successful in creating and sustaining affordable housing units throughout the county and has always been committed to ensuring fair access to housing for all people.
08-17-09 |
