Gov. Cuomo signed a bill that will allow county election boards to replace hand-written tallies of vote results with computerized, portable memory devices. The memory devices that connect to voting machines will be available for the November general elections in New York City, which includes the mayor’s race. Before the new system, local poll workers took tabulated results produced by electronic voting machines for each race by election district and added up the total votes. The information was then sent to county board offices, where it was entered manually into official databases. Cuomo says the traditional process produced errors and delays
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Local governments in New York had a nearly 9 percent increase in full and part-time employees in the past fiscal year, but the average salary dropped. The Empire Center for New York State Policy found the average salary for workers in county, city, town and village offices, in New York State, dropped last year: from $55,431 to $52,207
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The New York State Police are urging parents to teach their children safety tips before they head back to school. Children are at greater risk during the back-to-school period because they tend to be thinking more about seeing old friends and new teachers than watching for cars and trucks. Others are going to school for the first time. To help protect children, State Police offer six pedestrian-safety tips:
Look all ways before crossing the street.
Cross only at corners.
Obey police officers, school crossing guards, and traffic signals.
Watch for turning cars.
Be especially alert in bad weather.
Play away from traffic
For more information go to troopers.ny.gov
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The New York State fair began yesterday in Syracuse. Highlights this year include new midway rides, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Luke Bryan and Toby Keith in concert, a performance by ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham, hot air baloon rides, The Neverless Nocks motorcycle exhibition and the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. The New York State Fair runs through September 2nd. For more information go to nysfair.org
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Delaware Ave in Sidney, between K Mart and County route 39, will be closed, starting Monday morning at 7 and continuing through Wednesday afternoon next week for a culvert installation. Residents should seek an alternate route during this time
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A new television ad campaign to promote New York State wines and further grow the Taste NY experience was launched this week. The 30-second ad was developed in response to input received at the State’s Wine, Beer, and Spirits Summit where the Governor pledged to support New York’s position as a leader in wine production and boost tourism to grow the economy Upstate. The ad, which features rave reviews from wine critics around the country, encourages wine enthusiasts to buy locally made and produced products. Read more at Taste.ny.gov
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Individuals and small businesses can begin enrolling in health and dental plans on October 1. Enrollment can be done through the New York Health Benefit Exchange, and is part of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The exchange is meant to assist more than one million uninsured New Yorkers enroll in health programs. There are 16 health plans and 10 dental plans to choose from. For more information, go healthbenefitexchange.ny.gov