State Police said more than 20,000 tickets were issued from August 6th through August 12th as part of its “Speed Week” campaign. 10,000 tickets were issued for speeding, 200 tickets for texting while driving, 550 for cell phone use, 200 DWI’s and more than 600 tickets in violation of the “Move Over Law.”
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New York State’s private sector job count grew by 17,300, or 0.2% in July according to the State Labor Department. The State’s overall private sector job count is 7,603,300, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.6%. July marked the State’s 20th consecutive month of private sector job growth.
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New York’s public university system is the first to support a bipartisan federal effort that would strengthen colleges and universities’ assistance, for sexual assault victims while establishing penalties for non-compliance. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said that the Campus Accountability and Safety Act l creates new standards for training, and calls for an anonymous annual survey of students, to provide an accounting of campus sexual assaults at colleges and universities.
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A Grand Opening Ceremony is scheduled for August 25th for the new Skateboard Park in Keith Clark Park in Sidney. Ronnie Haag of the Sidney Youth Advocate program comments:

(Ronnie Haag 8-15-14)

Haag said that the new Skateboard Park is located between the Baseball Field & the Volley Ball Courts in Keith Clark Park.
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The Sidney central school district capital improvement projects are nearing completion. Sidney Superintendent Bill Christensen explains:

(Bill Christensen 8-15-14)

Christensen said that the baseball & softball fields would be completed in time for those 2 spring sports.
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The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will host a blood drive, sponsored by the American Red Cross & Bassett Healthcare on Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in Cooper Park adjacent to the Hall of Fame. Blood donors will receive free admission to the Museum on Saturday.
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New York state students in grades 3-8 improved their performance in math in the 2nd year of Common Core testing, but their performance in English & Language Arts was the same. This year scores also showed significant gaps between racial and economic subgroups again. Common Core is expected to be a hot political issue in the coming gubernatorial campaign, with Republican & Conservative candidate Rob Astorino and Liberal Democrat Zephyr Teachout both vowing to get rid of the Common core standards if elected.
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The Public Employees Federation endorsed Democratic candidate Zephyr Teachout over incumbent Andrew Cuomo, after contentious contract negotiations during his first term in office, and changes to the pension system for future state employees with lowered benefits. The New York State United Teachers declined to endorse a candidate in this year’s governor’s race.
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The Cancer Services Program of Delaware Otsego & Schoharie Counties will offer free health screenings to women 40 & older who are uninsured. The screening with the Bassett Mobile Mammography Coach will be at the Delaware County Fair tomorrow in Walton from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Appointments or more information is available at 1-888-345-0225.
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