Reports out of Washington today suggest that a 1-year extension of the 2008 farm bill will be implemented before midnight tonight, which would save dairy farmers from getting a lower price for their milk and consumers from paying 8 dollars or more a gallon retail. Chenango county farm bureau president Bradd Vickers told WCDO news that congress should have passed a new 5-year farm bill months ago:
(Bradd Vickers)
A new farm bill is put together every 5 years in Washington; the new congress will have a year in 2013 to get a new measure passed to protect one of the nations largest industries.
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A new sales tax exemption designed to encourage solar energy use and a law to provide new protections for domestic violence victims are new state laws that take effect tomorrow. Other measures that take effect on New Year’s Day include laws that help craft brewers distribute their products, prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, and authorize new ways for colleges to provide health insurance for students.
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State Troopers arrested 48-year-old Robert Quinn of Kirkwood for 4th degree Criminal Mischief and 2nd degree Harassment, from a dispute on Johnson Road in Kirkwood. Quinn was issued an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Kirkwood Court on January 10th, he was then turned over to the Village of Deposit Police Department, which had an active arrest warrant for him on separate charges.
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Commerce Chenango announced that its economic development affiliate, Development Chenango Corporation, has been awarded $250,000 to establish a Main Street grant program in the Village of New Berlin. The $334,000 program will make improvements to 6 commercial buildings that will be renovated. The New Berlin Main Street grant was 1 of 5 projects announced during Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council awards ceremony, other awards include a $275,000 grant to Sunrise Family Farms in Green, $30,000 to Greene for a sewer collection engineering study; nearly $100,000 to DCMO BOCES for training unemployed individuals for health-related careers; and a $2.3 million Recharge New York power allocation for an expansion project by Golden Artist Colors in Columbus.
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State Police investigated a fatal motor vehicle collision, which occurred on Sunday afternoon on State Route 366 in the Town of Dryden. Troopers reported that 20-year-old Victoria Howell of Groton lost control of her vehicle and entered the eastbound lane, striking a vehicle operated by 48-year-old James Caywood of Elmira. Ms. Howell was transported to Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca where she died from her injuries, Caywood was not injured in the collision. No charges have been filed.
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State Police at Oneonta arrested 24-year-old Alexandria Johnson of Maryland, for Driving While Intoxicated. Johnson was issued tickets returnable to the Town of Maryland Court on January 8th.
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3 state lawmakers will appear at swearing in ceremonies in Oneonta on New Year’s Day. State Senator Jim Seward and Assembly members Bill Magee and Claudia Tenney will be sworn in to office during an event at Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street. The event will begin at 1:00 PM, Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller will be master of ceremonies.
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