Wayne prohibits cameras at polling stations

HONESDALE, PA — The Wayne County Commissioners approved a directive that prohibited anyone from bringing a cell phone with a camera, conventional camera or videotaping equipment to polling places last Tuesday.

They approved the measure, which was formulated by the county’s attorney Lee Krause, based on a warning issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State.

“The Department of State did not issue the directive but suggested that counties may want to address this matter,” said Wendell Kay, commissioner and chairman of the county election board.

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and YouTube asked voters to make a movie of their voting experience at the polls on Tuesday and share it with them, Kay said. “The state warned that voter privacy and confidentiality may be compromised by such an activity.”

The directive applied to the news media as well as private citizens.

County nurses to picket Sullivan County Government Center

MONTICELLO, NY — Registered nurses (RNs) employed by Sullivan County plan to picket the Sullivan County Government Center at 100 North Street in Monticello and the Sullivan County Public Health Building at 50 Community Lane in Liberty from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 6.

The action is termed by the group an “informational picket.” The nurses have been working without a contract since December of 2007. The county has cut 12 RN positions from its 2008 budget, and the remaining nurses feel like their resources are being stretched to the limit.

The RNs are represented by the New York State Nurses Association. Members of other local labor unions will be picketing at the same time in support.

The 62 RNs work in public health services, the adult care center, the county jail and in community services.

Man pleads guilty to shooting wife

MILFORD, PA — William Dilger of Matamoras, 71, has pled guilty to third-degree murder after shooting his wife, Barbara Dilger, 69, at their home on October 3, 2007. Dilger told police he shot Barbara because he could not bear to see her suffering from her severe rheumatoid arthritis.

The plea concluded a year of legal maneuvers. Dilger had originally intended to mount an insanity defense.

A second charge, for unlawfully discharging a weapon, has been dropped. Sentencing on the murder charge is scheduled for January 8.

The maximum sentence for third-degree murder in Pennsylvania is 40 years.

Financial aid for weatherization available

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has announced the release of $22.4 million in new federal funds to help pay for a variety of energy efficient upgrades and appliances for low-income New York households. The money comes from the Energy Weatherization Assistance Program. New York received more funds than any other state out of the national $250 million pot of funding that was made available this week.

“This new federal funding will enable low-income New Yorkers, who otherwise would be unable to afford to weatherize their homes, to make important improvements that will dramatically bring down their monthly heating bill,” Hinchey said.

The Energy Weatherization Assistance Program pays for contractors to learn how to use sophisticated tools to weatherize homes, and then puts those contractors to work as they make improvements to thousands of older, energy-inefficient homes whose residents could not afford to make those improvements on their own.

As much as $250 million in additional weatherization funds are expected to be released in the months ahead.

Cutbacks at AIDS clinic may harm service

MONTICELLO, NY — Dr. Gary Good, who founded Sullivan County’s HIV/AIDS clinic almost 15 years ago, has been let go from Hudson River HealthCare, the non-profit medical group whose Monticello offices the clinic had joined last February. Previously the clinic had been located in Harris at Catskill Regional Medical Center.

Fired along with Good were his nurse and a data-entry worker. The HIV social worker’s hours have also been cut in half.

A representative of Hudson River HealthCare said that the cuts were made in the interests of efficiency, and that access would not be reduced. However, patients and former co-workers of Good are concerned that the cutbacks will adversely affect services.

The new arrangements call for an infectious disease doctor from Peekskill to visit the clinic once a week, with the remainder of duties taken over by a nurse practitioner experienced in HIV treatment. There are currently about 325 cases of HIV or AIDS in the county, with about 12 new cases of HIV diagnosed every year.

County announces Teamsters agreement

MONTICELLO, NY — Sullivan County has reached a tentative agreement with Teamsters’ 445 Union for a five-year contract for its membership. The tentative agreement calls for a 14.5 percent increase over five years, and a $1,250 signing bonus for all Teamsters members as of December 31, 2007, which will be pro-rated for all employees hired during fiscal year 2008. Because of this bonus, there would be no increase in 2008, but three percent increases in 2009 and 2010, a four percent increase in 2011 and a 4.5 percent increase in 2012.

Teamsters 445 Union represents more than 680 employees countywide, whose positions range from clerical positions to credentialed treatment personnel.