TRR photo by David Hulse Governor Pataki’s senior Indian casino advisor Greg Allen tells Sullivan County Legislators on Friday, January 7 that the only alternative to five casinos is none.

Five or none

Pataki spells out a “take it or leave it” deal for Sullivan

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO, NY—Not only is Governor George Pataki expecting local support for his controversial plan for five Indian gaming casinos in Sullivan County, he wants that support to be unanimous, Pataki advisor Greg Allen told the county legislature during a January 7 appearance.

“There’s going to be a battle in Congress. Republicans, Democrats…Sullivan County, Cayugas and the rest…. New York has to speak in one voice to get it through. This is a statewide issue,” Allen said.

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Celebrating eagles on the Delaware

Those who’ve been watching for eagles agree: activity along the Upper Delaware River has been pretty quiet lately. The majority of migrating eagles have not yet arrived from Canada, according to Lori McKean, founder and director of the Eagle Institute in Lackawaxen, PA. McKean said the recent mild weather could be the cause.

Peter Nye, an endangered species biologist at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, flew by helicopter over Sullivan County on Tuesday morning, January 11, just before the daylong snowstorm began. “Very quiet, eagle-wise,” Nye reported. He did see 66 eagles flying over the Mongaup reservoirs.

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Railroad seeks county tax breaks

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO, NY—Sullivan County doesn’t want to buy a railroad, but the county is investigating tax breaks to try and keep the trains rolling on the Southern Tier line that shadows the New York-Pennsylvania border between Port Jervis and Binghamton.

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Other stories in this issue:

• Coalition pleads for Point Mountain park
• Players at odds over five-casino deal
• Pike room tax and tourism
• Damascus planners propose new subdivision method

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S