October 2011
Albany blinks on eye tests
The plan was to allow the 2.4 million drivers in New York State who seek to renew their driving licenses each year to “self-certify” that their vision is up to par; they would no longer need a vision test performed at the many Department of Motor Vehicle offices around the state, or a note from their eye-doctor, to get a driver license renewal. Read more
Email this pageSullivan candidates endorse full disclosure
Legislators in Sullivan County are currently required to disclose the clients they receive money from. Under proposed new rules, legislators and others would be required to disclose not only those clients, but also all clients that have been referred to the firm by the official. So, for example, a legislator who works as a lawyer for a law firm would be required not only to disclose his own clients, but also those he has referred to other lawyers at the firm.
This rule was adopted by state officials earlier this year, and now a group of residents is urging Sullivan County legislators to adopt a similar rule. Read more
Do conservation subdivisions make sense in Sullivan County? Builder questions proposed zoning changes
Charles Petersheim’s new offices in Eldred reflect a measure of success that is rare in this era of economic hardship. Through his company, Catskill Farms, Petersheim has built and sold 100 homes since 2004 in various towns in Sullivan County, mostly to weekenders from the city. Read more
Highlights for Children creates new building
He calls it a barn but it’s a lot more than that.
It will be a center for the many workshops for writers and illustrators of children’s literature. Highlights for Children, which now has about two million subscribers, leads the industry of magazines produced for youngsters. Read more
Gas at a glance
Steingraber to dedicate $100,000 Heinz Award to fight hydrofracking
Ecologist and author Sandra Steingraber has been named the recipient of a Heinz Award, which comes with a $100,000 unrestricted cash prize, in recognition of her research and writing on environmental health, as reported on Truthout (www.truth-out.org/heinz-award-and-what-i-plan-do-it/1316444029). Steingraber has announced her intent to devote the award to the fight against hydrofracking in upstate New York, where she lives with her husband and their two children. Read more
Watching water quality: ‘Monitoring for Natural Gas Development’ underway
For 50 years, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) has focused its work on protecting the waters of the Delaware River Basin (DRB). In addition to a decade-long biomonitoring program and other efforts detailed earlier in this series, the DRBC has focused lately on implementing its newest program, “Monitoring for Natural Gas Development (MNGD).” Read more
Corbett unveils plan for gas fees
Tom Corbett has always been clear that he would not accept a tax on the soaring number of gas wells in Pennsylvania tapping into the Marcellus Shale. But he has now announced a plan that would allow counties to impose significant impact fees on gas wells. Read more
Wayne business park moves forward
The time for marketing the new business park has arrived after years of development and growing pains. Begun in 2002, the park had its problems like any other large public project but now that’s all behind them. Read more
Blessing the beasts to boost church involvement
Animal blessings were offered at various locations in the Upper Delaware region last weekend in celebration of St. Francis Feast Day, which occurs October 4. The event honors St. Francis, an Italian Catholic friar and preacher known as the patron saint of animals. Read more
Wine tasting event
Pairing of 3 white & 3 red wines w/ food at Summit Restaurant at Masthope Mountain, 7pm, $25 advance, $30 door. Silent auction. Benefits Lackawaxen Township Ambulance Service. 570/685-5432 or 685-2633.
