Governor Cuomo said yesterday that the state will have to file for an extension for Thursday’s deadline on hydrofracking rules, which could mean the DEC would have to issue an updated set of proposals. Joint Landowners Coalition of New York president Dan Fitzsimmons said that the delays might be costing the state millions of dollars in tax revenue:
(Dan Fitzsimmons)
The coalition issued a statement claiming that they are cautiously optimistic that an end is in sight to the over four and a half year long regulatory process & they are encouraged that the Governor and DEC have a plan to avoid expiration of
the regulatory review process.
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The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office arrested 27-year-old Shawn Wheeler of Earlville on an active Bench Warrant for failure to pay fines. Wheeler was arraigned in the Village for Sherburne Court and was released on his own recognizance after he paid his fines.
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State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a court victory in defense of the State’s gun safety laws. In a unanimous decision, a 3-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected a constitutional challenge to New York’s handgun licensing statute, ruling that the law requiring individuals to demonstrate “proper cause” to obtain a license to carry concealed handguns in public does not violate the Constitution’s Second Amendment.
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The Chenango county sheriff’s department arrested 46-year-old Michael Stevens of New Berlin for Possession of a Loaded Firearm in a Motor Vehicle. Stevens was charged after deputies uncovered a loaded rifle following a traffic stop in the Town of New Berlin. Stevens was issued an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of New Berlin Court at a later date.
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Newly re-elected congressman Chris Gibson, stated that he has joined a growing number of Republicans in congress to abandon the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” forwarded by party leader Grover Norquist last year. Gibson represents Otsego & Delaware Counties in his new district, he had signed the pledge last year, but he said that he recognizes the need for more flexibility in his position. Richard Hanna represents Chenango & Broome Counties in Congress and recently won re-election as well, he did not sign Norquist’s pledge last year, and will not sign it this year.
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State Police conducted graduation exercises Tuesday for its 2012 Basic Canine Handler School, at the State Police Academy in Albany. The 12 graduates include members from the New York State Police, Albany County Sheriff’s Department, Otsego County Sheriff’s Department and the Schenectady Police Department. The graduation is the culmination of 20 weeks of training at the Division Canine Training Facility located in Cooperstown, the state now has 74 Canine Units counting these weeks’ graduates. Among those graduating teams, Otsego county sheriffs department Deputy Keith Sheldon and his canine partner “Ricky”
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The Oneonta city planning commission will hold their next meeting this evening. The commission is scheduled to hear 3 cases; the meeting begins at 7:00 PM in the 2nd floor common council chambers at Oneonta city hall.
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