Oberacker named to antisemitism working group

ALBANY, NY — State Sen. Peter Oberacker (R/C-Schenevus) announced that he has been appointed to a special Anti-Semitism Working Group by New York State Republican Leader Rob Ortt. The senate panel will hold roundtables throughout the state to hear from stakeholders and make recommendations on ways to best address the alarming rise in antisemitic incidents in New York State.

PA Senate votes to restrict diversion of transportation funding

HARRISBURG, PA — The PA Senate has passed legislation to restrict the diversion of transportation funding out of the Motor License Fund, funding diverted from highway maintenance to Pennsylvania State Police highway patrol, according to Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20). The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

DEC highlights safe hunting seasons

ALBANY, NY — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) commissioner Basil Seggos announced the 2022 hunting seasons tied 2021 for the safest-ever year, with the lowest number of hunting-related shooting incidents since record-keeping began. DEC environmental conservation police officers investigated nine hunting-related shooting incidents in 2022, including one fatality.

Adams announces monthly services for veterans

HARRISBURG, PA — Rep. Joe Adams (R-Pike/Wayne) announced that a monthly service to assist local veterans and their families is available at his district office. On the second Monday of each month, American Legion service officer William McGovern will be available in the district office, located at 2523 Rte. 6, Suite 2, Hawley, to assist veterans and their dependents. Appointments are available at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.. Those interested in scheduling an appointment should call the district office at 570/226-5959.

Emergency HEAP available

ALBANY, NY — New York State has announced that a second emergency HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) benefit is available. Award amounts include $185 for heat-related domestic needs, $400 for natural gas for heating; $585 for electric heat; $900 for oil, kerosene and propane; and $635 for wood, pellets, coal, corn or other heating fuel. Applicants for the emergency HEAP benefit must apply by calling 845/807-0142, or in person. In-person applications will be accepted at the Department of Social Services, but call ahead to confirm.

DEC investigates odors

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Department of Environmental Conservation is continuing to investigate social media reports of people in the Catskills area smelling chemical odors. While initial speculation connected the odors to the East Palestine derailment, the DEC’s initial reports indicated a local source in Orange County. 

A spill detected on February 17 in Salisbury Mills was identified as a potential source of some, though not all, of the unusual odors, according to the DEC. No imminent public health or environmental threat was detected based on the DEC’s initial readings. 

Home-repairs grant for Wayne County

HONESDALE, PA — Wayne County plans to partner with NeighborWorks NEPA to apply for the Whole-Home Repairs Program, which will provide nearly $330,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to address habitability and safety concerns, among other issues, in the homes of the county’s low-income senior citizens. For more information, click here. 

Tax credit proposed for teachers, nurses and police officers

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Josh Shapiro announced he will propose a three-year tax incentive of up to $2,500 a year for newly certified teachers, nurses and police officers in his upcoming budget address. The incentive is a tax credit designed to help address complaints from school boards, police departments and hospitals about the growing difficulty in filling critical positions in public safety, health and education, administration officials said.

Delaware Aqueduct prepares for test shut-down

NEW YORK CITY, NY — The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that from March 6 to 19 there will be a significant increase in the amount of water coming from the Croton Watershed, a group of 12 reservoirs in Westchester and Putnam counties, to feed New York City’s water supply as engineers prepare for planned work on the Delaware Aqueduct this fall. The increased reliance on Croton water is part of DEP’s largest-ever capital repair project, which calls for connecting a bypass tunnel around known leaks in the Delaware Aqueduct, the world’s longest tunnel. 

As part of the project, engineers will temporarily shut down the Delaware Aqueduct for two weeks in March as a planned test, and then for several months starting in October to make the repairs.

Sobriety checkpoints upcoming

HARRISBURG, PA — To help protect citizens from the dangers associated with intoxicated driving, the Pennsylvania State Police will conduct one or more sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols over the weekend of Friday, March 10 to Sunday, March 12.

New Jeffersonville polling place for school votes

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — The Sullivan West Central School District board opted recently to change its polling place from the elementary school on 33 Schoolhouse Rd. to the Western Sullivan Public Library branch on 19 Center St. Security for staff and students was cited as the reason by superintendent Dr. Kathleen Bressler. The new polling place will be used for the May 16 school budget vote and board election. 

No FIMFO reconsideration from UDC

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Upper Delaware Council’s (UDC) Project Review Committee (PRC) met on Tuesday, February 28, in part to discuss the Camp FIMFO project in Barryville. The UDC recommended to the National Park Service (NPS) on September 1, 2022 that the project substantially conforms with the River Management Plan (RMP), a document that guides development along the Upper Delaware River. The NPS sent the UDC a letter on February 17 stating it did not have enough information to make its own determination of substantial conformance, and requested the UDC’s help in obtaining additional information. The PRC voted not to reconsider the UDC’s recommendation from September 1. 

Clarification

The article “Short-term rental roundup” issue stated that the Sullivan County government “knows where the short-term rentals in the county are [but] doesn’t share that information with the towns.” Sullivan County has a list of short-term rentals and is willing to share that list with local governments, but had not shared that list with the Town of Cochecton as of the time of that article, according to town supervisor Gary Maas; it has since done so.