There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
- Unknown
Cheating to get ahead might get you the grade or promotion, but in the long run it really sets you back. Intelligence, creativity, hard work, and solid character--the things that propel you forward--are not fostered by taking the easy way out. You don't earn anything by short-cutting your work. You're only cutting your potential short. Sure you might feel relieved that a stressful task has passed, but an undeserving sense of relief doesn't compare to the gratification of knowing that you completed your own work. If something in your life is difficult, meet it head on and earn the satisfaction of earning a job well done--with honesty and integrity.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Keepers of the Castle
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| Stone Castle Inn owner Tom Riordan, center, and his staff at the historic restaurant’s grand reopening Friday. Photo by Doron Tyler Antrim |
Officials, dignitaries help reopen historic restaurant
By Doron Tyler Antrim
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
CAIRO — The owner of Cairo’s Stone Castle Inn bar & grill was praised Friday by county and town officials for his efforts in turning around the building — the former home of the Stone Tower Restaurant — and providing a new option for local dining.
Tom Riordan, who moved to the U.S. from Ireland in 1984 and ate at the Stone Tower many times before it ceased operations, purchased the building in 2009 with the intent of reinventing the space.
With the help of funding from the Greene County Department on Economic Development, Tourism & Planning and other loans, Riordan has indeed transformed the space.
“Everything needed work, from the roof to the floors,” Riordan has said previously. “The floors were buckled and needed to be replaced. The roof leaked and had to be redone.” The kitchen and bathrooms have been rebuilt and workers were able to restore the original bar and stone fireplace.
Some things from the old restaurant have been recycled, including a pot holder that’s now employed as a chandelier. “We just couldn’t throw it out,” Riordan said.
During an event at the restaurant Friday, Riordan was congratulated for his work and his decision to pick Cairo.
“I’d like to thank Tom for choosing us for his establishment,” said Roxy Raffa, president of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce.
Warren Hart, director of the county’s Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Planning, congratulated Riordan and his staff for their “wonderful restaurant,” adding that restaurants play an important role in the county’s economy. “We all know we’re a tourism county,” he said.
Hart said his department has provided the Stone Castle Inn a $60,000 loan through its Quantum Fund and funded exterior work on the building last year with a $7,500 grant from its Main Street Revitalization Program.
Riordan thanked the “support and patronage” of the community and saluted the county and town of Cairo, including Dan Benoit, chairman of the town planning board and board member Ray Pacifico.
Riordan said his future plans for the property include paving the parking lot and outdoor lighting and seating.
He has hired eight staff, including general manager Jonathan Kearney, who handles the day-to-day operations.
Riordan, 55, who works full-time in real estate in New York City, owns a weekend home in East Durham and says he plans to retire here.
County Legislator Harry Lennon, D-Cairo, one of several legislators who attended the event, said everyone is “looking forward to (the Stone Castle’s) success.”
The Stone Castle Inn is located on Route 145, less than a mile from the intersection with Route 23. It’s open seven days a week starting at noon and serves lunch and dinner. It can be reached at 518-622-9177 or at stonecastleinn@gmail.com. It’s also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Stone-Castle-Inn-Bar-Grill#!/pages/Stone-Castle-Inn-Bar-Grill/112759245459685.
-Miguel Madera contributed reporting
Tom Riordan, who moved to the U.S. from Ireland in 1984 and ate at the Stone Tower many times before it ceased operations, purchased the building in 2009 with the intent of reinventing the space.
With the help of funding from the Greene County Department on Economic Development, Tourism & Planning and other loans, Riordan has indeed transformed the space.
“Everything needed work, from the roof to the floors,” Riordan has said previously. “The floors were buckled and needed to be replaced. The roof leaked and had to be redone.” The kitchen and bathrooms have been rebuilt and workers were able to restore the original bar and stone fireplace.
Some things from the old restaurant have been recycled, including a pot holder that’s now employed as a chandelier. “We just couldn’t throw it out,” Riordan said.
During an event at the restaurant Friday, Riordan was congratulated for his work and his decision to pick Cairo.
“I’d like to thank Tom for choosing us for his establishment,” said Roxy Raffa, president of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce.
Warren Hart, director of the county’s Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Planning, congratulated Riordan and his staff for their “wonderful restaurant,” adding that restaurants play an important role in the county’s economy. “We all know we’re a tourism county,” he said.
Hart said his department has provided the Stone Castle Inn a $60,000 loan through its Quantum Fund and funded exterior work on the building last year with a $7,500 grant from its Main Street Revitalization Program.
Riordan thanked the “support and patronage” of the community and saluted the county and town of Cairo, including Dan Benoit, chairman of the town planning board and board member Ray Pacifico.
Riordan said his future plans for the property include paving the parking lot and outdoor lighting and seating.
He has hired eight staff, including general manager Jonathan Kearney, who handles the day-to-day operations.
Riordan, 55, who works full-time in real estate in New York City, owns a weekend home in East Durham and says he plans to retire here.
County Legislator Harry Lennon, D-Cairo, one of several legislators who attended the event, said everyone is “looking forward to (the Stone Castle’s) success.”
The Stone Castle Inn is located on Route 145, less than a mile from the intersection with Route 23. It’s open seven days a week starting at noon and serves lunch and dinner. It can be reached at 518-622-9177 or at stonecastleinn@gmail.com. It’s also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Stone-Castle-Inn-Bar-Grill#!/pages/Stone-Castle-Inn-Bar-Grill/112759245459685.
-Miguel Madera contributed reporting
Friday, March 11, 2011
Are you a good friend?
Even if you aren't an antique lover, you can probably appreciate old things. The most worthwhile, long-term investment you can make is investing in relationships. A healthy, edifying friendship can have a huge impact on your well-being, character, and even your success. Old friends have seen us through celebrations, grief, births, graduations, marriages, and so much more. They love us for who we are--warts and all! Think about the most formative friendships in your life and consider writing a note of appreciation to each of your friends. Maybe there are some buddies that you need to reach out to because they have a need, or others you just need to reconnect with. Your gratitude shows them that they are cared for, which everyone needs to know.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thought for the Day.....
Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets burned.- Buddha
Monday, February 14, 2011
Powerball Winner!
Luck of the Irish
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| Stephen Kirwan of Purling and his wife Catherine accept a check for $122 million during a news conference in Albany Friday. Stephen Kirwan purchased the winning Powerball ticket at the Clothespin Laundromat in Catskill last month. Photo by Doron Tyler Antrim |
Retired fireman from Purling introduced as Greene’s first Powerball winner
By Doron Tyler Antrim
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Chalk it up to the luck of the Irish.
Wearing a shiny green hat complete with a shamrock, Stephen Kirwan of Purling was announced Friday as the winner of the $122 million Powerball jackpot.
Kirwan, 68, whose home on Bailey Road burned down last winter, says some of the winnings will go to rebuild it.
He has opted to take the one lump sum payment of more than $61 million, or $40.4 million after taxes.
He and his wife Catherine, 61, accepted their prize during a news conference in the Empire State Plaza in Albany.
“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Kirwan said. “I guess I got a lifetime of luck all at once.”
On Jan. 22, Kirwan entered the Clothespin Laundromat in Catskill to purchase a Quick Draw ticket when he decided to play Powerball, too. That turned out to be a wise choice as he discovered the next morning.
“I sat at the kitchen table on Sunday morning and checked my numbers in the paper as usual,” he said. “I checked those numbers three times before I finally turned to my wife and said ‘I think I won.’”
Kirwan picked his numbers at random. “They don’t mean anything,” he said.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 195 million.
Kirwan claimed the ticket Feb. 7.
The Kirwans have two children, 26-year-old Stephen Kirwan Jr., who owned the former Kirwan’s Game Store in Catskill, and 25-year-old Christine Kirwan.
After moving to Purling in 1987 after 24 years with the New York City Fire Department, Kirwan began working at Stiefel Labs in Oak Hill. He retired in 2004.
While speaking to reporters following the news conference, Kirwan said he has no plans to leave Purling. “I’m comfortable where I am,” he said.
Kirwan has no definitive plans for how much of the money will be spent, but said he wants to treat his family to a cruise.
Kirwan purchased the ticket for $5. The winning numbers were 30-31-34-45-51 plus Powerball 23.
This isn’t the first time Kirwan has won money from the Lottery. He said he once won $800 from Take 5.
A married couple from Wilton, Saratoga County also accepted a Powerball prize Friday totaling $48.8 million.
Jeffrey and Christine Pintuff, both 58, have opted to take the one lump sum payment of $24.8 million, or $16.4 million after taxes.
The $1 Quick Pick ticket was purchased on Christmas Day at the Stewart’s Shop in Wilton.
The Pintuffs claimed their ticket Feb. 1.
Powerball is played in 42 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Wearing a shiny green hat complete with a shamrock, Stephen Kirwan of Purling was announced Friday as the winner of the $122 million Powerball jackpot.
Kirwan, 68, whose home on Bailey Road burned down last winter, says some of the winnings will go to rebuild it.
He has opted to take the one lump sum payment of more than $61 million, or $40.4 million after taxes.
He and his wife Catherine, 61, accepted their prize during a news conference in the Empire State Plaza in Albany.
“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Kirwan said. “I guess I got a lifetime of luck all at once.”
On Jan. 22, Kirwan entered the Clothespin Laundromat in Catskill to purchase a Quick Draw ticket when he decided to play Powerball, too. That turned out to be a wise choice as he discovered the next morning.
“I sat at the kitchen table on Sunday morning and checked my numbers in the paper as usual,” he said. “I checked those numbers three times before I finally turned to my wife and said ‘I think I won.’”
Kirwan picked his numbers at random. “They don’t mean anything,” he said.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 195 million.
Kirwan claimed the ticket Feb. 7.
The Kirwans have two children, 26-year-old Stephen Kirwan Jr., who owned the former Kirwan’s Game Store in Catskill, and 25-year-old Christine Kirwan.
After moving to Purling in 1987 after 24 years with the New York City Fire Department, Kirwan began working at Stiefel Labs in Oak Hill. He retired in 2004.
While speaking to reporters following the news conference, Kirwan said he has no plans to leave Purling. “I’m comfortable where I am,” he said.
Kirwan has no definitive plans for how much of the money will be spent, but said he wants to treat his family to a cruise.
Kirwan purchased the ticket for $5. The winning numbers were 30-31-34-45-51 plus Powerball 23.
This isn’t the first time Kirwan has won money from the Lottery. He said he once won $800 from Take 5.
A married couple from Wilton, Saratoga County also accepted a Powerball prize Friday totaling $48.8 million.
Jeffrey and Christine Pintuff, both 58, have opted to take the one lump sum payment of $24.8 million, or $16.4 million after taxes.
The $1 Quick Pick ticket was purchased on Christmas Day at the Stewart’s Shop in Wilton.
The Pintuffs claimed their ticket Feb. 1.
Powerball is played in 42 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The art of maple syrup production
The art of maple syrup production
By Doron Tyler Antrim
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
A seminar about maple syrup production was held Saturday at the Agroforestry Resource Center.
Steve Childs, New York state maple specialist with Cornell University, delivered the talk to about a dozen people, some of whom said they’re looking to get into the activity for the first time — a group Childs called the “backyarders.”
It’s good to start by knowing what trees are best.
All types of maple trees can be tapped, Childs said, including sugar, black, red, silver, striped and box elder. Some are preferred more than others, though. Childs said the black maple, which gets its name from its black-colored buds, is primarily used. It lives the longest and yields the sweetest sap, he said.
Red, silver, box elder, norway and striped maples are secondary because they tend to have lower sugar content, which makes for a lengthier boiling process. (The sap must be boiled to remove the water.)
Although maples generally feature vertical bark, there are many varieties. The branches — reddish-brown in color and with sharp buds growing opposite one another — are a better giveaway. The trees have five lobes, but each variety has its own slightly different characteristics.
Knowing when to tap a tree is also important. In this case, temperature rules everything. Explaining that maples “will not do much until they can warm up,” Childs told the audience they should watch weather forecasts closely to see when temperatures will rise above freezing for a sustained period.
He said the generally followed timetable to begin tapping is from Feb. 15 to March 1.
The timing is everything, according to Childs, because tapping too early will result in dried up holes. Meanwhile, the producer will lose out on the first good flow of sap by tapping too late.
It’s only required that a hole be drilled 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, although it must be at an upward angle. The holes can be either 5/16 or 7/16 of an inch wide. A spout placed in the hole holds up the bucket that collects the sap.
Holes should be drilled at about shoulder height. Avoid tapping in bark splits, Childs warned, as this will cause leakage and other problems.
It’s recommended there be only one tap for a tree 10 to 17 inches in diameter, two taps for a tree 18 to 24 inches in diameter and three taps for a tree 25 inches or more.
It’s important to pay attention to the color of the shavings during the drilling process, Childs said. If the shavings are light in color, then the wood is healthy. If the shavings are dark, it may mean the area has been tapped before and thus should be avoided.
If a tree can sustain being tapped more than once, it’s important to space out the holes at 1 1/2 inches apart and slightly above or below the first hole.
The sap should be collected daily or several times a day in food-safe containers, Childs said.
Although most think of the iconic galvanized buckets as the way sap is collected, tubing is a modern alternative that Childs said can be less expensive and less arduous for the small producer. The tools required in an operation using the tubing method can be expensive, though.
The tubes connect to the spouts in the tree and funnel the sap to collecting vats.
Filtering the sap is a must do, Childs said, because insects and other pests are frequently found in the buckets. The sap must be processed immediately to avoid fermentation. It must be kept cool and out of the sun.
It is then boiled to remove the water.
In order to be qualify as syrup, it must have a 66 percent sugar content.
In order for the syrup to be sold commercially, it must be filtered for nontoxic minerals. The syrup is extremely hot, 180 degrees, when it is put in a jar.
Childs said vacuum technology and a reverse osmosis device are tools that can make producing syrup a profitable enterprise because they drastically cut the time needed for boiling.
Anywhere from 7 to 25 gallons of sap can be collected from one tap, Childs said. And from that between 1 pint and 1/2 gallon of syrup will be made. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup.
Saturday’s program was the latest in Cornell Cooperative Extension’s winter lecture series, which runs into March.
On Saturday, March 19, the resource center will host Maple Fest, a free event where the public can learn about producing maple syrup and view demonstrations. Taste testing will be available. Vendors will also be selling locally made maple sugar products. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information about maple syrup, visit the Maple Producers Associations’ website at http://www.nysmaple.com/ or Cornell Cooperative Extension’s maple syrup resource page at http://www.cornellmaple.com/.
Steve Childs, New York state maple specialist with Cornell University, delivered the talk to about a dozen people, some of whom said they’re looking to get into the activity for the first time — a group Childs called the “backyarders.”
It’s good to start by knowing what trees are best.
All types of maple trees can be tapped, Childs said, including sugar, black, red, silver, striped and box elder. Some are preferred more than others, though. Childs said the black maple, which gets its name from its black-colored buds, is primarily used. It lives the longest and yields the sweetest sap, he said.
Red, silver, box elder, norway and striped maples are secondary because they tend to have lower sugar content, which makes for a lengthier boiling process. (The sap must be boiled to remove the water.)
Although maples generally feature vertical bark, there are many varieties. The branches — reddish-brown in color and with sharp buds growing opposite one another — are a better giveaway. The trees have five lobes, but each variety has its own slightly different characteristics.
Knowing when to tap a tree is also important. In this case, temperature rules everything. Explaining that maples “will not do much until they can warm up,” Childs told the audience they should watch weather forecasts closely to see when temperatures will rise above freezing for a sustained period.
He said the generally followed timetable to begin tapping is from Feb. 15 to March 1.
The timing is everything, according to Childs, because tapping too early will result in dried up holes. Meanwhile, the producer will lose out on the first good flow of sap by tapping too late.
It’s only required that a hole be drilled 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, although it must be at an upward angle. The holes can be either 5/16 or 7/16 of an inch wide. A spout placed in the hole holds up the bucket that collects the sap.
Holes should be drilled at about shoulder height. Avoid tapping in bark splits, Childs warned, as this will cause leakage and other problems.
It’s recommended there be only one tap for a tree 10 to 17 inches in diameter, two taps for a tree 18 to 24 inches in diameter and three taps for a tree 25 inches or more.
It’s important to pay attention to the color of the shavings during the drilling process, Childs said. If the shavings are light in color, then the wood is healthy. If the shavings are dark, it may mean the area has been tapped before and thus should be avoided.
If a tree can sustain being tapped more than once, it’s important to space out the holes at 1 1/2 inches apart and slightly above or below the first hole.
The sap should be collected daily or several times a day in food-safe containers, Childs said.
Although most think of the iconic galvanized buckets as the way sap is collected, tubing is a modern alternative that Childs said can be less expensive and less arduous for the small producer. The tools required in an operation using the tubing method can be expensive, though.
The tubes connect to the spouts in the tree and funnel the sap to collecting vats.
Filtering the sap is a must do, Childs said, because insects and other pests are frequently found in the buckets. The sap must be processed immediately to avoid fermentation. It must be kept cool and out of the sun.
It is then boiled to remove the water.
In order to be qualify as syrup, it must have a 66 percent sugar content.
In order for the syrup to be sold commercially, it must be filtered for nontoxic minerals. The syrup is extremely hot, 180 degrees, when it is put in a jar.
Childs said vacuum technology and a reverse osmosis device are tools that can make producing syrup a profitable enterprise because they drastically cut the time needed for boiling.
Anywhere from 7 to 25 gallons of sap can be collected from one tap, Childs said. And from that between 1 pint and 1/2 gallon of syrup will be made. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup.
Saturday’s program was the latest in Cornell Cooperative Extension’s winter lecture series, which runs into March.
On Saturday, March 19, the resource center will host Maple Fest, a free event where the public can learn about producing maple syrup and view demonstrations. Taste testing will be available. Vendors will also be selling locally made maple sugar products. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information about maple syrup, visit the Maple Producers Associations’ website at http://www.nysmaple.com/ or Cornell Cooperative Extension’s maple syrup resource page at http://www.cornellmaple.com/.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Puppy Mill
NEW: Ashland puppy mill busted
By Doron Tyler Antrim
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
ASHLAND— Twenty Golden Retrievers, some as young as two months, were rescued from a mobile home in Ashland Tuesday following a raid by investigators from the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.
All of the dogs were found to be emaciated, according to CGHS, some weighing only 11 pounds.
“We caught these puppies just in the nick of time,” said Ron Perez, CGHS president. “Had this gone on for another week I’m certain some of the younger pups would have succumbed to starvation.”
The home is located at 580 Sutton Hollow Road. Authorities said the owners, George Leary and Emaretta Marks, will be facing charges.
Further details about the couple were not available. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office was not immediately available for comment.
In an interview, Perez said the dogs were confined in the mobile home and that this was a case of “horrible backyard breeding.”
Ashland Dog Control Officer Bruce Feml alerted the humane society about the situation.
All the dogs have been removed from the property and have been examined by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and Dr. Danielle Sand of the Chathams Small Animal Hospital.
The 20 dogs range from two to 10-months old. They will be available for adoption. Anyone interested in adopting can contact the humane society at 518-828-6044.
All of the dogs were found to be emaciated, according to CGHS, some weighing only 11 pounds.
“We caught these puppies just in the nick of time,” said Ron Perez, CGHS president. “Had this gone on for another week I’m certain some of the younger pups would have succumbed to starvation.”
The home is located at 580 Sutton Hollow Road. Authorities said the owners, George Leary and Emaretta Marks, will be facing charges.
Further details about the couple were not available. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office was not immediately available for comment.
In an interview, Perez said the dogs were confined in the mobile home and that this was a case of “horrible backyard breeding.”
Ashland Dog Control Officer Bruce Feml alerted the humane society about the situation.
All the dogs have been removed from the property and have been examined by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and Dr. Danielle Sand of the Chathams Small Animal Hospital.
The 20 dogs range from two to 10-months old. They will be available for adoption. Anyone interested in adopting can contact the humane society at 518-828-6044.
Monday, February 7, 2011
NY Police Cars.
NY fleets of police, other vehicles get scrutiny
By Michael Virtanen
The Associated Press
ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo publicly rejected $20,000 raises for 28 State Police top brass in mid-January, “shocked,” he said, that the bumps were made quietly in the last days of the Paterson administration as it ordered 900 layoffs. Government, like New York families, has to learn to do more with less, he said then.
Yet few New York families get a company car used for commuting, the way 1,400 state police command officers and investigators did, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.
In response to the inquiries, the administration says it’s looking at whether the government needs to buy, fuel and maintain nearly 60,000 vehicles in state fleets. They include nearly 3,500 trooper cars, almost half individually assigned to investigators and command officers because they may get called to duty from home, although some seldom, if ever, do. State police said they don’t keep track of recalls to duty from home.
“As part of the budget process, everything will be looked at to see where money can be saved and systems can be made more efficient,” said Cuomo spokesman Richard Bamberger.
For now, the fleet policy continues as Cuomo proposes a budget with 10 percent cuts in general fund operating costs, including $60 million cut from the State Police and no training class for new troopers for a third year.
The Budget Division in 2009 issued a directive that prohibits personal use of state cars, except at certain times when it’s “ancillary to official business.” It allows “occasional commuting purposes within a reasonable distance, where the vehicle is mainly used for agency business.”
The last official count, by then-Comptroller Edward Regan in 1992, found half of 163 troopers surveyed were recalled between one and 12 times in one year, while 10 percent were never recalled. Also, half the 1.8 million miles driven in 1991 in 180 vehicles — 150 assigned to individuals and 30 headquarters pool vehicles — were for commuting. The auditors found it was “more a custom than a practice based on need,” and that police officials told them the practice had evolved “into an unwritten condition of employment.”
Then-State Police Superintendent Thomas Constantine replied in a letter that it was not policy to provide transportation as a condition of employment, that vehicle assignments would be reviewed as positions were refilled, and command officers are always on call.
With the force down to 4,700 officers, losing about 300 positions to attrition and no rookie classes the past two years, the agency has a $34.5 million budget this year for the fleet of 3,475 vehicles, including gas, maintenance and almost half for buying new cars.
That includes 1,295 marked and 36 unmarked vehicles that are shared by patrol troopers, 1,287 assigned to investigators, 147 for undercover work, 236 to commissioned officers, 197 trucks and vans, and 277 pool cars, according to the agency.
The agency said regulations are a factor.
“Top State Police officials are required to be available for duty at any hour and regulations prohibit a response to a call in a personal vehicle,” spokesman Lt. Glenn Miner said. “As part of the budget process, the State Police will be taking a hard look at all of its policies and resources with a focus on finding efficiencies, but will also maintain its primary role of protecting all New Yorkers.”
The Internal Revenue Service exempts from reporting as fringe benefits the authorized use of police vehicles for commuting. Promotions often mean transfers to other duty stations and can mean long commutes when troopers don’t uproot their families.
The New York State Police Benevolent Association, which represents troopers, sees no reason for cutting back as long as cars are legitimately being used, but most PBA members don’t have the rank or position to have one, said union Second Vice President Daniel Sisto.
Calls to the New York State Police Investigators Association were not returned.
Yet few New York families get a company car used for commuting, the way 1,400 state police command officers and investigators did, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.
In response to the inquiries, the administration says it’s looking at whether the government needs to buy, fuel and maintain nearly 60,000 vehicles in state fleets. They include nearly 3,500 trooper cars, almost half individually assigned to investigators and command officers because they may get called to duty from home, although some seldom, if ever, do. State police said they don’t keep track of recalls to duty from home.
“As part of the budget process, everything will be looked at to see where money can be saved and systems can be made more efficient,” said Cuomo spokesman Richard Bamberger.
For now, the fleet policy continues as Cuomo proposes a budget with 10 percent cuts in general fund operating costs, including $60 million cut from the State Police and no training class for new troopers for a third year.
The Budget Division in 2009 issued a directive that prohibits personal use of state cars, except at certain times when it’s “ancillary to official business.” It allows “occasional commuting purposes within a reasonable distance, where the vehicle is mainly used for agency business.”
The last official count, by then-Comptroller Edward Regan in 1992, found half of 163 troopers surveyed were recalled between one and 12 times in one year, while 10 percent were never recalled. Also, half the 1.8 million miles driven in 1991 in 180 vehicles — 150 assigned to individuals and 30 headquarters pool vehicles — were for commuting. The auditors found it was “more a custom than a practice based on need,” and that police officials told them the practice had evolved “into an unwritten condition of employment.”
Then-State Police Superintendent Thomas Constantine replied in a letter that it was not policy to provide transportation as a condition of employment, that vehicle assignments would be reviewed as positions were refilled, and command officers are always on call.
With the force down to 4,700 officers, losing about 300 positions to attrition and no rookie classes the past two years, the agency has a $34.5 million budget this year for the fleet of 3,475 vehicles, including gas, maintenance and almost half for buying new cars.
That includes 1,295 marked and 36 unmarked vehicles that are shared by patrol troopers, 1,287 assigned to investigators, 147 for undercover work, 236 to commissioned officers, 197 trucks and vans, and 277 pool cars, according to the agency.
The agency said regulations are a factor.
“Top State Police officials are required to be available for duty at any hour and regulations prohibit a response to a call in a personal vehicle,” spokesman Lt. Glenn Miner said. “As part of the budget process, the State Police will be taking a hard look at all of its policies and resources with a focus on finding efficiencies, but will also maintain its primary role of protecting all New Yorkers.”
The Internal Revenue Service exempts from reporting as fringe benefits the authorized use of police vehicles for commuting. Promotions often mean transfers to other duty stations and can mean long commutes when troopers don’t uproot their families.
The New York State Police Benevolent Association, which represents troopers, sees no reason for cutting back as long as cars are legitimately being used, but most PBA members don’t have the rank or position to have one, said union Second Vice President Daniel Sisto.
Calls to the New York State Police Investigators Association were not returned.
Economic forum for the Catskills.
Making money off the Catskills; CCCD sets economic forum
 |
| Castle Point, in the nearby Ulster County parklands of the Shawangunk Ridge, is representative of one type of landscape that brings visitors -- and money -- to the area. (Contributed photo) |
By Jim Planck
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
It’s no secret that the Catskill Park Forest Preserve brings people to the area for outdoor recreation, to greater and lesser degree, during every season of the year.
And the economic benefits of having open space and parkland are always mentioned when the interests of municipalities, developers and environmentalists coincide in anything from a review at a planning board meeting to a community visioning workshop held to focus on the future.
It’s also no secret that it’s hard to get a specific grasp on exactly what should or should not be done to use parkland to improve a community’s economic health.
That answer, however, will be provided by the Arkville-based Catskill Center for Conservation and Development on Friday, Feb. 18, 1:30 p.m., at the Ashokan Center, in the Central Catskills community of Olivebridge.
The presentation -- “Economic Benefits of Parkland,” and which includes a group discussion -- is conducted in conjunction with Catskill Mountainkeeper and Catskill Heritage Alliance, with the three groups acting together in partnership as Catskill Cornucopia.
CCCD spokesperson Jonathan Mogelever said Friday the session offers an excellent opportunity to learn about parkland economics.
“Research in the Adirondack and Shawangunk Mountains,” said Mogelever, “shows that public lands are clearly beneficial to the economic health of local communities.”
“Learn how we in the Catskills can adopt the lessons of important studies from the experts who conducted them,” he said.
Those experts are Kenneth Strike, author of “Adirondack Park Regional Assessment Plan: An Appraisal,” and Brian Zweig, who conducted the “Study of the Economic Impact on the Local Economy of Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Mohonk Preserve, and Sam’s Point Preserve.”
Of the latter, Mohonk Preserve Executive Director Glenn Hoagland noted that it “provided clear, objective data on how public lands impact the economies of municipalities in and around the Shawangunks.”
“There is great value for other regions -- such as the Catskills,” said Hoagland, “to observe from this project.”
Mogelever also stressed the value of the upcoming presentation’s content.
“We are delighted,” he said, “to have (Strike and Zweig) here to discuss the economic impacts of public lands on communities, how these impacts are calculated, what the actual benefits are, and the questions to focus on when considering how public lands help strengthen local economies.”
And the economic benefits of having open space and parkland are always mentioned when the interests of municipalities, developers and environmentalists coincide in anything from a review at a planning board meeting to a community visioning workshop held to focus on the future.
It’s also no secret that it’s hard to get a specific grasp on exactly what should or should not be done to use parkland to improve a community’s economic health.
That answer, however, will be provided by the Arkville-based Catskill Center for Conservation and Development on Friday, Feb. 18, 1:30 p.m., at the Ashokan Center, in the Central Catskills community of Olivebridge.
The presentation -- “Economic Benefits of Parkland,” and which includes a group discussion -- is conducted in conjunction with Catskill Mountainkeeper and Catskill Heritage Alliance, with the three groups acting together in partnership as Catskill Cornucopia.
CCCD spokesperson Jonathan Mogelever said Friday the session offers an excellent opportunity to learn about parkland economics.
“Research in the Adirondack and Shawangunk Mountains,” said Mogelever, “shows that public lands are clearly beneficial to the economic health of local communities.”
“Learn how we in the Catskills can adopt the lessons of important studies from the experts who conducted them,” he said.
Those experts are Kenneth Strike, author of “Adirondack Park Regional Assessment Plan: An Appraisal,” and Brian Zweig, who conducted the “Study of the Economic Impact on the Local Economy of Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Mohonk Preserve, and Sam’s Point Preserve.”
Of the latter, Mohonk Preserve Executive Director Glenn Hoagland noted that it “provided clear, objective data on how public lands impact the economies of municipalities in and around the Shawangunks.”
“There is great value for other regions -- such as the Catskills,” said Hoagland, “to observe from this project.”
Mogelever also stressed the value of the upcoming presentation’s content.
“We are delighted,” he said, “to have (Strike and Zweig) here to discuss the economic impacts of public lands on communities, how these impacts are calculated, what the actual benefits are, and the questions to focus on when considering how public lands help strengthen local economies.”
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Lunar New Year
Marking the Lunar New Year
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| Buddhism's faithful, and many others, marked the beginning of the Lunar, or Chinese New Year this week with offerings and prayers at temples across the world. The Mahayana Temple in South Cairo was no exception as many adherants trekked to the site to worship, burn incense and make food and flower offerings before the various deities. While Feb. 3 is the official date to usher in The Year of the Rabbit, celebrations take place throughout the week. Above, a couple from Cobleskill make their offerings before a trio of bodhisattva in the main temple on Friday. In the inset photo, a group of women prepare incense offerings to Skanda, also know as Wei Tua, the leader of the celestial guard that protects Buddhist monastaries. Photo by Claude Haton |
Buddhism's faithful, and many others, marked the beginning of the Lunar, or Chinese New Year this week with offerings and prayers at temples across the world. The Mahayana Temple in South Cairo was no exception as many adherants trekked to the site to worship, burn incense and make food and flower offerings before the various deities. While Feb. 3 is the official date to usher in The Year of the Rabbit, celebrations take place throughout the week. Above, a couple from Cobleskill make their offerings before a trio of bodhisattva in the main temple on Friday. A group of women prepare incense offerings to Skanda, also know as Wei Tua, the leader of the celestial guard that protects Buddhist monastaries.
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