Sullivan County finds new public safety commissioner and more

What's new in the Upper Delaware Region August 26 to September 1

Posted 8/24/21

What's new in the Upper Delaware Region August 26 to September 1

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Sullivan County finds new public safety commissioner and more

What's new in the Upper Delaware Region August 26 to September 1

Posted

Sullivan County finds new public safety commissioner

MONTICELLO, NY — County manager Joshua A. Potosek appointed Thomas Farney as the new Sullivan County Commissioner of Public Safety, commencing September 13.

Farney possesses a master’s in public administration from Marist College and has served as a NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services instructor; a policy, procedure and compliance officer; and an emergency management coordinator. For the past 22 years, he has worked for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department, most recently as detective sergeant for its interagency counterterrorism task force, which includes a close working relationship with the FBI and the NYS Intelligence Center.

As commissioner of public safety, Farney will oversee the county’s division of public safety, which includes the office of emergency management/homeland security, the bureau of fire, the bureau of emergency medical services, and the 911 center. He’ll also be responsible for the county’s emergency operations center when activated (as it has been for the pandemic and storm events).

USDA announces $350 million in relief funding for dairy farmers

RHINEBECK, NY — In July, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) led 24 members of Congress to call on the President to reimburse dairy producers impacted by Class I mover-related losses. On Thursday, August 19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the details of the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program.

Through the program, the USDA will provide about $350 million in pandemic assistance payments to dairy farmers who received a lower value for their products due to market abnormalities caused by the pandemic. The payment rate will vary by region. The USDA will make payments through agreements with independent handlers and cooperatives.

DEP announces $1 million in small business funding

HARRISBURG, PA — Leaders from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Friday, August 20 that $1 million in 2021 Small Business Advantage Grant funding is available to small businesses and farmers who want to improve their operations through energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and natural resource protection.

Pennsylvania small business owners and farmers with 100 or fewer full-time employees can get Small Business Advantage Grants for HVAC and boiler upgrades, high-efficiency LED lighting, solvent recovery and waste recycling systems, auxiliary power units that eliminate truck engine idling, and other projects that reduce energy use. Grant funding also supports streambank buffers, fencing to keep livestock out of streams, and other agricultural stormwater runoff management projects that reduce sediment and nutrient pollution in local waters.

Small businesses and farms can apply for 50 percent matching funds up to $5,000. Information on how to apply is available at www.dep.pa.gov/smallbusinessadvantagegrants.

International Overdose Awareness Day Vigil to be held August 31

LIBERTY, NY — On the occasion of International Overdose Awareness Day, Sullivan 180 will hold a vigil in partnership with the Kingfisher Project, Sullivan BOCES and Sullivan County to honor and remember those we have lost to overdoses.

The event will take place on Tuesday, August 31 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., at Sullivan BOCES—15 Sullivan Avenue, Liberty NY. The vigil for International Overdose Awareness Day will start at 6:30 p.m., preceded by a free Narcan training class from 5 to 6 p.m. and a press conference for NaloxBox Project at 6 p.m. The event will conclude with prayers for hope and prevention at 7 p.m.

PA Game Commission takes measures against Chronic Wasting Disease

HARRISBURG, PA — On Tuesday, August 17, the PA Game Commission expanded regulations prohibiting the movement of high-risk carcass parts from deer, elk and other cervids to control the potential spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). These changes will impact hunters going out of state this fall or hunting within disease management area (DMA) 2.

There are two changes. First, hunters are prohibited from importing high-risk parts or materials from cervids harvested, taken or killed in any state or country outside Pennsylvania. Second, hunters are prohibited from moving high-risk parts outside of the established area (EA), which is a subsection of DMA 2. That includes even into the surrounding disease management areas.

Both changes also apply to deer killed in vehicle collisions that are picked up for consumption. More information can be found at www.pgc.pa.gov/CWD.

 Biden authorizes disaster declaration

WASHINGTON, DC — On Sunday, August 22, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of New York and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Henri beginning on August 21 and continuing.

Specifically, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. The emergency has been authorized for 25 counties around New York City and the Hudson Valley, including Sullivan and Orange counties.

PA adult first dose vaccinations reach 80 percent

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Monday, August 16 that 80 percent of Pennsylvania’s 18 and older population had received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination. Pennsylvania ranks ninth for first doses administered and fifth for total doses administered among all 50 states. To date, 64.3 percent of the 18 and older population are fully vaccinated.

“As COVID-19 variants spread throughout the country, it is vitally important that partially vaccinated individuals receive their second dose and individuals who haven’t been vaccinated get the vaccine today,” said Wolf.

Sullivan County Commissioner of Public Safety, Thomas Farney, dairy producers, USDA, pandemic assistance, Small Business Advantage Grants, International Overdose Awareness Day, Sullivan 180, Sullivan BOCES, NaloxBox, PA Game Commission, Chronic Wasting Disease, Tropical Storm Henri, vaccinations, delta variant

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