Community members will honor those who died in the American Civic Association shooting five years ago with a special ceremony Saturday at 1:00 PM. Those in attendance will remember the 13 victims of the ACA shooting, at the downtown memorial on the corner of Clinton and Front streets in Binghamton. The ACA Memorial includes a central granite column with a glass shaft rising from the center that is illuminated at night. Symbolizing the tragedy’s rippling effect in the community are 13 sculptures of illuminated birds in flight.
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The Chenango County Sheriff’s department arrested 36-year-old David Tennant of Rome for grand larceny and conspiracy. Tennant was taken into custody by Chenango county deputies at the Oneida County Jail, to bring him into custody for an active arrest warrant out of the Town of Norwich Court, stemming from an incident in the town of Norwich at an area business. Tennant was arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court, and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $2,000 cash bail.
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Thousands of New York parents refused to have their children take the statewide English assessments that were given this week. Parents are protesting the state education policy that puts a lot of emphasis on testing & interferes with time in the classroom for actual learning. Results of the 3-day assessments don’t count toward student averages, but they do factor into teacher and school evaluations. It is estimated that more than 25,000 of the more than 1 million third- through eighth-graders in the testing pool, skipped this week’s tests.
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U.S. Senator Charles Schumer wants the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether utilities or power producers artificially inflated upstate New York electric rates in recent months. Rates spiked the most this winter for National Grid customers by an average of 60 to 75%, and average rates rose10 to 15% for NYSEG. Utilities blamed raises in the wholesale cost of electricity and said they have no control over those prices. NYSEG suggested customers struggling with rising rates sign up for their budget-billing plan.
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The state Education Department, and the inBloom student-data project, are undergoing an involuntary uncoupling. The Education Department is acknowledging that it will end controversial plans, to store identifiable student data in a Web-based cloud, created by inBloom, a nonprofit funded by the Gates Foundation. State lawmakers passed legislation that prohibits the department from giving student information to entities that collect and store data for use in a data dashboard or portal. The state is also required to make sure that student data already uploaded is deleted.
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Delaware County Sheriff Tom Mills announced that his department will be giving away bicycle helmets for their summer 2014 safety program:
(Sheriff Tom Mills 4-4-14)
Sheriff Mills said that his office has about 360 helmets to give away; he said that it is also recommended to replace old banged up helmets in order to insure the riders continued safety.
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The Binghamton Senators announced that the annual Face Off Against Cancer presented by Lourdes Hospital would take place tomorrow at the Broome County Arena at 7:05p.m. Fans attending the game are encouraged to visit the various cancer awareness displays and meet the 2014 American Cancer Society Relay for Life teams that will be present throughout the arena concourse. During the 1st intermission, cancer survivors will participate in a Survivor’s Lap around the ice. Tickets are available through the Arena Box Office and www.ticketmaster.com or at 1-800-745-3000.
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THE BAINBRIDGE TOWN HALL THEATRE WILL PRESENT THE OUT OF THE WOODWORK PLAYERS PRODUCTION OF ‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’ TONIGHT AND TOMORROW AT 8:00 PM AND SUNDAY AT 2:00 PM. ADMISSION FOR ADULTS IS $8 AND CHILDREN $6. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 563-2582.
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