Dear eNews Reader,
I hope you had a happy and healthy holiday season. I visited family and friends, and took a little time off. Our new Legislative Session just got underway in Albany, which means I’ll be spending a lot of time there until mid-June. As always, the needs and interests of the community are at the forefront of my efforts. I am very mindful that while there are signs of progress, we still have a lot of work to do.
Donna
1. Endicott Police Law Enforcement Training Center Unveiled
The new Endicott Police Law Enforcement Training Center was unveiled last month, funded with a $350K Assembly grant I was able to secure. The old ballistics range was completely remodeled allowing officers to train with rifles as well as handguns. It also has the latest virtual reality technology, allowing for more realistic training experiences. The state-of-the-art system will allow officers to train in a wide variety of scenarios, and cross-train with mental health crisis teams and school districts. The Center is available to all law enforcement agencies in the Southern Tier region and has received very positive reviews. Read more here.
2. Holiday Giving Box Surpasses Goal
With overwhelming support from the community, we were able to far exceed our goal of $16,500 to provide 275 Holiday Giving Boxes to local families for the holiday season. Each box included a turkey, side dishes, locally grown potatoes, carrots and onions, as well as cookies purchased from Sinfully Sweet, a local bakery and a booklet of recipes. A heartfelt thanks to CCE Broome, CHOW, Broome-Tioga BOCES, The Leadership Alliance, the County Executive, and all the volunteers for their hard work. A very special thank you to all who donated. Being able to prepare a healthy holiday meal for one’s family is something many take for granted. We’re looking forward to reaching even more people next year.
3. Student-Produced Craft Beverages to be Served at SUNY Broome Culinary & Event Center
The Governor signed our legislation allowing craft beverages produced at SUNY Broome’s campus labs to be sold at the Culinary & Event Center in Downtown Binghamton. Previously, all products had to be disposed of due to restrictions on their alcohol production license. Now, students producing beer at the Brew Lab will soon see their products served at events, giving them a more complete educational experience. Eventually spirits from the Fermentation Distillation Lab will be available as well.
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- Photo credit: Matt Ebbers, SUNY Broome
4. Seeking Alternatives After Veto of Roosevelt Building Aid Legislation
After the disappointing news that our legislation for Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School was vetoed, Senator Webb and I issued the following statement:
“We are disappointed that our legislation for Roosevelt Elementary was recently vetoed. It would have expedited the state revenue needed to renovate and reconstruct the school. The veto memo contains a pledge from the Governor to work with us on an alternative way to help fund the project through the state budget process. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the Roosevelt Elementary community and to creating a safe and healthy learning environment for the students on the Northside. We are continuing to meet with the school district as this is a top priority of our offices. A heartfelt thank you to the community for their support; we would not have come this far without their advocacy.”
5. DEC Responds to Letter Regarding Southern Tier Solutions
In November, Senator Webb and I sent a letter to the DEC requesting information on Southern Tier CO2 Clean Energy Solution’s proposal to extract natural gas. In early January, we received a response from the DEC confirming that at the time of their reply, the company had not requested a meeting to discuss their proposal. The DEC made it clear that any drilling activity in the Marcellus or Utica shale would involve extensive oversight and review of current laws. We remain concerned about the environmental impacts of their proposed activity and will be closely reviewing the state’s current ban on high-volume hydrofracturing to see if amendments are needed.