A “Protect Our Schools” demonstration will be held in Oneonta Thursday as part of a state wide awareness campaign, to let Governor Cuomo know that parents & teachers feel that school are underfunded, over-mandated and that they fear an eventual statewide take-over of schools. Area schoolteacher Michelle Decker comment:

(Michelle Decker 3-23-15)

Kjersti Van Slyke-Briggs is an area parent that co-founded an area grassroots campaign regarding common core & increased testing of students, she told WCDO News of the purpose of Thursday’s event:

(Kjersti Van Slyke Briggs 3-23-15)

The demonstration will begin at 4:30 Thursday at the former Center Street School In Oneonta, more information is available at NYSAPE.org.
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Governor Cuomo & Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have agreed to an ethics reform package for the legislature to follow, which may lead to getting another budget completed on time. Assemblyman Pete Lopez said that republicans in both houses feel that ethics reforms should be tackled separately from the budget process:

(Lopez 3-23-15)

Conference Committees are tackling the differences in the budgets passed in the Senate & Assembly, both of those plans spend substantially more than Governor Cuomo’s Budget Proposal.
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The 11th annual American Cancer Society Tri-Town Relay For Life will be held at the General Clinton Park in Bainbridge on Saturday May 9th this year. The 2015 theme is Hero’s of Hope & this year’s event will be ONE day only, running from 11am to 11pm. Officials announced that it is not too late to become involved by either registering a team or volunteering, more information is available at relayforlife.org/tritownny or at the next meeting on Monday April 6th at 5:30 at the United Methodist Church, Liberty Street in Sidney.
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The Delaware County Republican Committee has endorsed Porter Kirkwood for Family Court Judge. Kirkwood currently serves as Delaware County Attorney. The Delaware County Family Court Judgeship is a new position that was created by the Governor and State Legislature in 2014 in an effort to relieve the backlog of cases in Family Courts around the State. 25 new Family Court Judgeships were added in New York. No Democratic Party Candidate has been announced.
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The Guilford town planning board has cancelled their meeting originally scheduled for this evening. The meetings will return to the normal schedule of the 4th Monday of every month in April, more information is available at 895-9966
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The Oneonta Common Council announced 2 meetings for today. The facilities-technology- operations-community improvement committee will hold their next meeting at 4:00 this afternoon, the finance & administration committee will hold their next meeting at 5:00 PM, both meeting will be held in the common council chambers at city hall.
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