The Village of Sidney received $1,176,500 in Consolidated Funding Application grant assistance through the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council for 5 projects from 3 State agencies, to advance implementation of the Village’s Long Term Flood Recovery Plan and New York Rising Reconstruction Program. Sidney Village Mayor Andy Matviak comments:

(Andy Matviak 12-12-14)

Matviak said that the details will be released in the coming weeks, one of the grants issued for the Sidney Village recovery plans, was the largest one awarded in the state.
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The Chenango arts council will hold a number of free holiday related events at the martin W. Kappel Theater in downtown Norwich tomorrow. Council director Diane Batson Smith explains:

(Diane Batson-Smith 12-12-14)

The gift shop at the Arts Council Facility at 27 west Main Street will also be open tomorrow during the line up of Christmas performances.
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Acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker today declared influenza prevalent in New York State. Health care workers who are not vaccinated against influenza must now wear masks in areas where patients are typically present. The regulation was first in effect during the 2013-2014 influenza season & was amended last month in response to feedback from affected health care entities. More information about influenza is available at health.ny.gov.

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State Education Commissioner John King will step down as the state’s top-ranking education official for a job in President Obama’s administration. King will leave the state Department of Education to become senior advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. King’s resignation will take effect at the end of the year. King has served as state commissioner since he was appointed by the Board of Regents in May 2011
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The State Health Department won the America’s Health Rankings Champion Award, from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and the United Health Foundation. The award recognizes state health departments that successfully improve health outcomes in their jurisdictions. New York was recognized for consistently improving health outcomes. A highlight of New York’s success is the state’s cancer mortality ranking, which improved 24 positions, from 35th in the nation in 1990 to 11th in 2013
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A recent change to the state’s cap on carbon-dioxide emissions has driven up the price for pollution allowances. New York agreed last year to lower their individual caps with the hope of upping the price of allowances that are auctioned off to power plants that produce emissions. An auction earlier this month pushed New York’s total share to $108 million for the fiscal year, $19 million more it had budgeted for. For New York, the question now becomes what to do with the extra money. It is required to be spent on programs that promote energy efficiency and cut down on greenhouse-gas pollution, but there’s no plan in place yet for what types of programs to fund with the $19 million and growing surplus.