U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Chris Gibson and others, are urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to clarify their decision against providing “Blue Water” Navy veterans with the disability and health care benefits for diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed approximately 20 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam to remove jungle foliage, it had devastating effects for millions serving in Vietnam. In 2002 the Veterans Administration determined that it would only cover Veterans who could prove that they had orders for “boots on the ground” during the Vietnam War, the exclusion affects thousands of sailors who may have still received significant Agent Orange exposure from receiving VA benefits.
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The New York State Department of Health, & Cornell University, has been designated as an Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, roughly 1 in 6 Americans are sickened by food borne diseases; 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. The New York Center of Excellence pairs the state health department and Cornell University in an effort to prevent and control food-borne diseases, they will engage 11 states from Maryland to Maine as well as local public health partners to create a regional model for food safety improvement.
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This year is the 40th year of the Chenango Arts Council, featuring “An Evening With Mark Twain” featuring Mark Mauldin Saturday Night, Council Spokesperson Diane Batson Smith explains:

(Diane Batson Smith 2-26-16)

The performance will be held at the Martin W. Kappel Theater in dowtown Norwich, Tickets are available at chenangoarts.org
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New York State has yet to formulate a plan for the whole state to follow regarding disposing of electronic appliances that contain toxic chemicals. Assemblyman Pete Lopez comments:

(Lopez 2-26-16)

Currently Many counties, such as Delaware County, will accept electronics for proper disposal after establishing their own policy, but Lopez said that many counties have no such deals or plans for those recyclable electronics.
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The Binghamton Senators will have a family fun day & post game skate with the players at their only Sunday game of the season at the Arena, Spokesman Joe Battaglini explains:

(Joe Battaglini 2-26-16)

Tickets are still available, at 722 SENS of binghamtonsenators.com.

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State Department of Taxation and Finance today announced the arrest of 2 tax preparers and 9 other individuals on charges that they filed false tax returns and claimed exaggerated refunds. The two preparers are 35 year old Heather Sweet of Johnson City, and 56 year old Rebecca Tyner of Binghamton. Sweet was charged with 8 felony counts of offering a false instrument for filing and 1 count of grand larceny. Tyner was charged with 5 felony counts of offering a false instrument for filing and 1 count of grand larceny. Both defendants were arraigned in the Binghamton City Court; the pair allegedly participated in a scheme to defraud New York State by preparing fraudulent NYS income tax returns for friends and relatives for the tax years 2008 through 2011.
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Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County will be conducting NYSERDA’s free energy workshops titled “EMPOWER Save Energy, Save Dollars” Saturday from 10:00AM to 12:00 noon at the Hamden town Hall on State Route 10. More information is available at ccedelaware.org.
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Governor Cuomo will host the 2016 Adirondack Winter Challenge at the Olympic facility in Lake Placid. The day trip will sample a variety of winter activities the Adirondack region has to offer, including hockey, skiing, bobsledding and a variety of other sports, and conclude with a dinner and presentation of awards. A Catskill challenge is expected to be announced shortly.????
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