Hinchey to introduce amendment to reinstate Glass-Steagall Act

WASHINGTON, DC — In what he describes as an effort to restore common sense and important safeguards to the financial sector, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) will offer an amendment in the House of Representatives this week that would reinstate the Banking Act of 1933, better known as the Glass-Steagall Act, in order to separate investment banking from commercial banking. Hinchey will offer his amendment to H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, with the goal of breaking up oversized banks, restoring consumer protections and avoiding future financial collapses like the one that began last year. The Glass-Steagall Act was repealed in 1999 by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which paved the way for the establishment of super-sized banks that serve as both commercial lending institutions and investment companies.

“When Glass-Steagall was repealed, it allowed individual banks to serve as one-stop shopping for commercial lending and investment banking. It was a recipe for disaster because these banks were empowered to make large bets with depositors’ money and money they didn’t really have,” Hinchey said.

Cellini asks Obama to unblock casinos

MONTICELLO, NY — Town of Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini faxed President Barach Obama a letter on December 4 urging him to allow three Native American casinos to open in Sullivan County, thereby creating thousands of jobs. The letter was sent in the aftermath on Obama’s jobs summit. Cellini wrote to the president, “We have instant stimulus in the Town of Thompson with the proposed sites of three Indian gaming casinos, which would be thousands of union jobs for construction and then thousands of permanent jobs,” he said. “This wouldn’t cost the government money at all and we could put all of our neighbors back to work.”

Highland receives grant for air quality from the Upper Delaware Council

NARROWSBURG — The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) presented a check for $8,125 to the Town of Highland on December 2, representing the final share of a $75,000 Community Projects State Grant funding program that Senator John J. Bonacic secured for the UDC’s eight New York State member towns.

A new air quality system was installed in the Highland Town Hall in Eldred to provide employees and visitors with increased comfort levels and a healthier environment. The system includes energy-efficient air conditioners and dehumidifiers and new insulation, which was found to be inadequate because of water damage.

The grant enabled the Town of Highland to significantly improve air quality in this facility used for municipal administration and public assemblies by local organizations. The town expended a total of $8,204.26 on the project.

Largest bear of 2009 taken illegally

NOXEN TOWNSHIP, PA — A bear weighing 707 pounds was killed on November 25 in Wyoming County, but according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the bear was taken over bait, which is illegal in the state. According to the commission, Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Cory Bentzoni became suspicious when he saw a truck loaded with pastries from a local store driving along Route 309 in Dallas, Luzerne County.

“As we were about one week away from the opening of the statewide bear season, I thought that something illegal might be underway,” WCO Bentzoni said. “Seeing that person drive by with an unusual amount of pastries was like watching an individual go down a row of parked vehicles testing each handle to see if it were open. Something just didn’t seem right.”

Bentzoni wrote down the vehicle license plate of the truck and found that it was registered to Charles Olsen Jr. He then instructed all Game Commission personnel operating bear check stations throughout the region to notify him if Olsen brought a bear into any one of the check stations.

Olsen brought the huge bear to the bear check station at the Northeast Region Office in Dallas, Luzerne County. Wyoming County WCO Vic Rosa was immediately contacted by the Northeast Region Office, since Olsen reportedly harvested the bear in Noxen Township, Wyoming County.

Olsen faces charges of illegally killing a bear over bait. If found guilty, he could be fined between $500 and $1,500, and lose hunting/trapping privileges for at least three years.

PA grants for small businesses

HARRISBURG, PA — Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger is encouraging small business owners to apply for Pennsylvania’s Small Business Advantage Grant Program.

Under the program, businesses can apply for a 50 percent matching grant of up to $7,500 for taking actions that save at least 20 percent annually in energy or pollution-related costs.

“The small business community is critical to Pennsylvania’s economic health and vitality,” said Hanger. “Well-designed energy efficiency and pollution prevention projects can help small businesses operate more efficiently and save money, while simultaneously improving Pennsylvania’s environment.”

DEP’s Small Business Ombudsman’s Office is now accepting applications for the grants. Funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The application deadline is January 15 or until the funds are exhausted.

Program guidelines and applications may be downloaded at www.depweb.state.pa.us, using the keyword SBAdvantage, or by calling 717/783-8411. Applications must be mailed to the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Energy and Technology Deployment, ATTN: Small Business Advantage, PO Box 8772, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8772. Applicants must hand-write and circle the word ADVANTAGE on the back of the envelope.