P.M. NEWS Monday 6-30-14
New York’s municipalities can block hydraulic fracturing within their borders, according to a ruling today from the state Court of Appeals. The ruling dismissed lawsuits that challenged bans enacted in the towns of Dryden in Tompkins County & Middlefield in Otsego County. The ruling occurs as governor Cuomo considers whether to lift a statewide 6-year moratorium inherited from the Paterson administration
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State DOT Officials remind motorists that the detour is in place today for those looking to travel from State route 17 eastbound to I-81 Northbound. DOT Spokesman Dave Hamburg explains:

(Dave Hamburg 6-30-14)

The first phase of the entire Prospect Mountain project is on target to be completed by the end of 2015.
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Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 50-year-old Werner Henkel of Guilford for 2nd degree Menacing, following an investigation of a domestic dispute in the Town of Guilford. Henkel is alleged to have threatened a family member with a knife during the dispute, he was arraigned & was sent to the Chenango County Jail on $10,000 bail and $25,000.00 bond pending future court action.
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State Senator Jim Seward announced legislative approval of a bill he co-sponsored that would assist mutual and cooperative insurance companies as they upgrade their information technology systems. The legislation will ease the state requirements certain insurance companies face when making computer hardware and software upgrades. The bill will be sent to the governor for his consideration.
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Citing a rising number of calls to poison control centers relating to liquid nicotine, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer called on the federal government to require child-proof caps and warning labels on containers used to refill e-cigarettes. Poison control centers in New York have received nearly 70 calls so far this year regarding accidental poisonings from the liquid. E-cigarettes contain liquid nicotine. Some of the devices are refillable, and liquid is sold in separate containers. More than half of the poison control center calls were about a child five years old or younger.
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The state Legislature continues to pass fewer bills during its annual six-month legislative session. This year, they passed the fourth fewest since 1915. The number of bills that passed the Senate and Assembly were 658 this year, compared to 650 in 2013. The fewest passed in modern times were 571 in 2011. The reason for fewer bills is because much of the legislative work is now wrapped into the annual budget. In 1969, for example, the budget was 577 pages. In 2012, it was 2,890 pages