A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES ESTATE TAX REFUNDS AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED SPOUSES OF SAME-SEX COUPLES Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced recently that Estate Tax refunds are available to qualified spouses of same-sex couples. Refunds may be available as a result of the recent United States Supreme Court decision, United States v. Windsor, in which the Court held that section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. Taxpayers impacted by this change should contact the New York State Taxpayer Information Center at 518-457-5387. New...
SMOKING AT PLAYGROUNDS BANNED IN NEW YORK STATE On July 12, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a new law to ban smoking at outdoor playgrounds statewide from sunrise to sunset when any children under 12 are present. Sponsors say it’s meant to protect the health of children who are more vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke than adults. There is no word yet on the penalty of breaking this law. The law takes effect in 90 days. BOMBAY LOOKING TO ASSESS HOGANSBURG TRIANGLE According to the Daily Courier Observer, the Bombay Town Council is looking i...
NYS BATTLES FLOODS On Tuesday, Governor Cuomo activated the NYS Flood Helpline to aid residents affected by widespread flooding across areas of New York State. New Yorkers can call the helpline for assistance, including important local contact information for the Red Cross and Salvation Army, health and safety tips, where to go to receive a tetanus shot, what to do in case of an oil spill or power outage, mental health assistance, and for other recovery needs as well. Life threatening emergencies should be reserved for 911. NYS Flood Helpline:...
PSC LOOKING AT NEW AREA CODE WITHIN 315 The New York State Public Service Commission is revisiting a plan to “overlay” or create a new area code within the current 315 area-code territory that, according to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), is nearing capacity. Currently, the 315 area code services 18 northern and central New York counties. The PSC estimates that it will be out of phone numbers by early 2015. The commission originally explored the idea of a new area code in 2007 and came up with the overlay area code idea...
JUST PLAIN TOO MUCH RAIN All this rain is putting many in a pickle, including farmers who can’t plant or harvest, and the many people affected by the several road closures and damage due to flooding. The National Weather Service says a total of seven or more inches of rain have fallen in some parts of the North Country over the past month. Some local farmers have less than half of their annual crop planted and some can’t harvest hay because the ground is too soft for their farm equipment. As of Tuesday, five roads were still closed in Franklin...
CONSUMER ALERT: DECEPTIVE TAX COLLECTION NOTICES June 6, 2013 - Be beware of the latest scam: tax collection letters that appear to be government notices, but are actually misleading solicitations from private entities. The New York State Department of Financial Services will investigate complaints by taxpayers on suspected scams. The deceptive notices are typically sent to taxpayers with outstanding tax debt and include threatening phrases such as “state tax warrant notice” and “bank accounts and asset seizure pending.” To view samples...
GOVERNOR CUOMO UNVEILS TAX-FREE NY Albany, NY (May 22, 2013) - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently unveiled “Tax-Free NY,” an initiative that will transform SUNY campuses and university communities across the state into tax-free communities. Tax-Free NY will entice companies to bring their ventures to Upstate New York by offering new businesses the opportunity to operate completely tax-free – including no income tax for employees, no sales, property or business tax – while also partnering with the world-class higher education institu...
ASSEMBLYMAN FELIX W. ORTIZ RESPONDS TO CLEVELAND KIDNAPPINGS WITH NEW LEGISLATION Ortiz will introduce legislation to shorten the 24 hour period that law enforcement waits to post a missing person’s report. (Albany, NY) – The shocking report of three young women abducted and held for ten years in Cleveland, Ohio has led Assemblyman Ortiz to help prevent such atrocities in New York from ever happening. Typically, law enforcement officials do not issue a missing person’s report until after 24 hours of vanishing when the victim is over 18 years...
NTSB TAKES STEPS TO ELIMINATING IMPAIRED DRIVING On May 14, 2013, the 25th anniversary of our nation’s deadliest drunk-driving crash, which killed 24 children and three adults in Carrollton, Ky., the National Transportation Safety Board’s five-member board voted unanimously to issue bold recommendations to help the United States reach zero and eliminate alcohol-impaired driving. Bold steps are needed: On average, every hour, one person dies in a crash involving a drunk driver and 20 more people are injured, including three with deb...
FORT DRUM LISTED AS POTENTIAL SITE FOR MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM A New York State site could host an East Coast missile defense system, should the Pentagon determine that such a system is cost effective and necessary for national security. The Pentagon is commencing a mandated environmental study, which will help determine if a missile interceptor on the East Coast is viable to deal with threats from nations like Iran. A missile defense site could take the form of a $3.6 billion investment with at least 20 anti-missile interceptors, according to...
MASSENA CURFEW ENFORCMENT STARTED MAY 1 MASSENA – In the fall 2012, the Massena village board revised the local law for a curfew. Massena police officers began enforcement of the updated local law on May 1st. As of that date, it will be unlawful for anyone 15 years of age and younger to loiter or remain in, on or upon a public place in the village of Massena between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. There are a few recognized exemptions in the law, such as when a minor is accompanied by his/her parent or another adult authorized by the parents in accomp...
GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES ALCOA READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT PHASE OF MASSENA FACILITIES’ MODERNIZATION, SCHUMER URGES EPA TO FINALIZE R.O.D. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Alcoa is prepared to move forward with the next phase of modernizing its Massena operations. The upgrade is called for under a contract with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for the continued supply of low-cost hydropower from the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Hydroelectric Plant as part of a long-term agreement to protect a minimum of 900 jobs at the a...
ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYS YES TO IDEA OF ST LAWRENCE COUNTY CASINO Since Gov. Cuomo’s announcement proposing three new casinos in upstate New York, many St. Lawrence County officials discussed the possibility of one in St. Lawrence County at various sites, one of the favorites being the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority land. Now the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce has officially endorsed locating a casino in the county and creating that task force with a unanimous vote. WMSA news reported: In a statement yesterday...
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED FOR NYS MINIMUM WAGE HIKE New York State legislative leaders have worked out a tentative agreement to increase the minimum wage by approximately 24 percent over the next three years, according to WMSA News. Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Democrats and Senate Republicans have agreed to a deal that would gradually increase the wage from the current $7.25 to $9.00 an hour by 2016. Under the plan, the minimum wage would rise to $8.00 an hour to start 2014, $8.75 in 2015 and $9.00 in 2016. All sides agreed that the wage...
SENATE APPROVES MIXED MARTIAL ARTS IN NYS March 6th, 2013 - The New York State Senate passed legislation to legalize and regulate mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions in New York State. The bill (S.2755), sponsored by Senator Joseph Griffo (R-C-I, Rome), would allow single discipline martial arts organizations to hold professional competitions in New York State and gives the state Athletic Commission the jurisdiction to regulate professional mixed martial arts promotions, participants, bouts and exhibitions. The sport has the fastest growing...
SEACOMM WARNS OF LATEST SCAM COMING FROM 315 AREA CODE Some members have alerted us that they are receiving text messages from 315-225-5584 asking you to call and give your credit card/debit card information. Even though this is from the 315 area code, this is NOT coming from SeaComm. Do not respond to the message via text or call the number provided. Never give out your card number, expiration date, or PIN by phone, text, or email. This scam might also be coming from multiple numbers including from the 858 area code. As a reminder, SeaComm...
ONTARIO COURT: POLICE CAN SEARCH YOUR CELL PHONE IF IT’S NOT PASSWORD PROTECTED The Court of Appeal for Ontario says it’s all right for police to have a cursory look through the phone upon arrest if it’s not password protected, but if it is, investigators should get a search warrant. The court’s ruling comes in the case of a man who appealed his robbery conviction, arguing that police breached his charter rights by looking through his phone after his arrest. Kevin Fearon was arrested in July 2009, after a jewelry stall at a flea market in Toro...
POPE BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES HIS RESIGNATION AT END OF MONTH Pope Benedict XVI on Monday said he plans on resigning the papal office on February 28th. Below please find his announcement. Full text of Pope’s declaration: Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer s...
CSX PLANS NEW INTERMODAL FACILITY IN QUEBEC JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – January 25, 2013 – CSX Corporation (CSX) and its transportation and intermodal terminals subsidiaries announced an expansion of the company’s intermodal presence in the greater Montreal region and Quebec. CSX’s intermodal terminals subsidiary will build a new 36-hectare (89-acre) intermodal rail terminal in the City of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in Quebec, connecting the region with CSX Transportation’s (CSXT) 34,000-ki...
GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $665 MILLION IN UNCLAIMED LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS PAID TO DATE AS A RESULT OF STATE INVESTIGATION Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that an investigation started by the Department of Financial Services in July 2011 has resulted in more than $665 million being paid to life insurance beneficiaries who were unaware that they were entitled to money from insurance companies. Before DFS put in place new regulations in 2012, insurance companies did not regularly seek out beneficiaries to pay death benefits, but...
CUOMO ENTERS 3RD YEAR, MANY STATE OF THE STATE PROPOSALS HAVE VERY STRONG SUPPORT As he starts his third year as Governor, Andrew Cuomo continues to enjoy strong support from voters, with a 71-24 percent favorability rating (down slightly from 72-21 percent last month) and 60-38 percent job performance rating (unchanged), according to a new Siena College Research Institute poll of New York voters released. All nine of the Governor’s State of the State proposals polled by Siena received strong s...
CBSA ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY BORDER CROSSING LOCATION Earlier in the week, representatives from the Canada Border Services Agency made a presentation to Cornwall city council to move the border crossing to another temporary location. According to the cornwalldaily.com, Regional Director General for northern Ontario region, Arianne Reza told councillors the border will be temporarily moved to the canal lands. Reza said the temporary site will have four to five lanes for traffic and be able to deal with travelers and commercial trucks. The opening...
WELCOME 113TH CONGRESS, THE MOST DIVERSE IN U.S. HISTORY The start of a new session in Congress is good news, especially after the 112th Congress earned a spot in history as the most unproductive session ever. But what’s even more exciting is that this session of Congress is the most diverse in American history. The diversity in the new, 113th Congress includes more minorities, women, religions, sexual orientations, and backgrounds than ever. Included in the new members was the first Buddhist to be elected to the Senate, as well as the first Hi...
USDA WILL ALLOW MORE MEAT, GRAINS IN SCHOOL LUNCHES In response to pressure from school administrators and elected officials concerned over calorie limits on school lunches, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday that his Department will eliminate daily and weekly limits on grains and meat. Several lawmakers, including Congressman Bill Owens, wrote to the USDA earlier this year asking that the Department revisit regulations on calorie limits for school lunches, and applauded USDA’s reconsideration of the i...
ASSASSIN’S CREED III ACHIEVES CULTURAL ACCURACY By Lacey Arquette Assassin’s Creed III, a worldwide popular video game, uniquely portrays the Kanien’keha:ka language while providing a perspective of the early life in the 1700’s. The game is not only entertaining for video gamers but also historically educational. It produces a sense of cultural awareness around the world and for the native population a sense of pride. Ubisoft, which is the games publisher and developer, not only took the time and dedication to research the Kanien...
