Young musician from Tennessee wins Grand Prize in Alfred University’s Young Pianist Competition

 Top winners of Alfred University’s (AU) MostArts Festival Young Pianist Competition were honored during a gala concert closing the weeklong event July 12. Grand Prize winner is Mayuki Miyashita (far left) from Maryville, TN. She received $10,000 and an invitation to return to campus during the upcoming academic year for a solo recital. Joining her on stage are (beginning second from left) Kada Qian, third place ($1,500) from Westford, MA; Eden Chen, second place ($2,500), Rowland Heights, CA; Dr. Lisa Lantz, Festival founder and artistic director; and Dr. Charles M. Edmondson, University president.

ALFRED, NY, July 2014 – Mayuki Miyashita, a 14-year-old from Maryville, TN, is the Grand Prize winner in the Young Pianist Competition which highlighted Alfred University’s (AU) weeklong (July 6-12) MostArts Festival 2014.
Miyashita receives $10,000 and will be invited back to campus for a solo recital sometime during the 2014-15 AU academic year.
Eight finalists from the United States and Canada participated in the competition, open to high school students ages 13-18. The finalists performed the first movement of their selected Mozart Concerto (a competition requirement) with the MostArts Festival Orchestra before an international panel of judges - Ukrainian pianist Vladislav Kovalsky, American pianist Anthony Pattin, German-born pianist Andreas Klein - and live audiences.
Second Prize, $2,500, was awarded to Eden Chen, 15, from Rowland Heights, CA. Third place, carrying a $1,500 reward, went to Kada Qian, 16, of Westford, MA.
The awards were made during a gala performance Saturday evening capping off the festival activities. University President Dr. Charles M. Edmondson offered a farewell message to the musicians and the capacity audience. The prizes were made possible through the privately sponsored Hutter Memorial Fund.
Additional honors included:
Judges’ Discretionary Award – Eric Lin, 13, Falls Church, VA; William Wang, 16, Woodbridge, CT; and Duo Xu, a senior at Williamsville East High School, Amherst
Best 20^th Century Composter Performance – Roger Shen, New Hampshire
Best Bach Performance – Anson Hui, 15, Ontario, Canada
Friday Night Audience Favorite – Hui
MostArts Festival Orchestra Favorite – Hui
Miyashita was also selected the Thursday Night Audience Favorite. She has received first prizes in many competitions such as the Music Teachers National Association and the Tennessee Music Teachers Association. In 2013, she performed with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Maryville (TN) College Orchestra. She won second prize in the 2013 Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition in New York. In January 2014, Miyashita appeared as a soloist on NPR’s “From the Top.”
“For me, piano is a way to express myself,” said Miyashita. “Piano can have a huge range of sounds and many colors. When I’m playing the piano, I feel like it’s one big orchestra and I can be a conductor.”
She played Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12 for the Alfred competition. “What I really like is this piece is so pure and clean. It’s so simple and pretty, so it makes me full of joy when I’m playing it.”
Dr. Lisa Lantz, chairman of the AU Performing Arts Division, associate professor of music/strings, and director of the AU Symphony Orchestra, is the founder and artistic director for the MostArts  Festival and the Young Pianists Competition. Lantz conducted the Festival Orchestra throughout the weeklong series of events, July 6-12.
She envisioned the festival as a forum to bring together prominent classical musicians and aspiring amateur performers. She also saw it as a way to enrich the cultural, economic, and educational potential of the Alfred community.
“The entire MostArts Festival, from the Chamber Music Series, the Piano Competition, recitals, Evening Concert Series, glass blowing demonstrations, art exhibitions, and Wayne Higby’s ‘Raku Extravaganza,’ met all of my expectations and more,” said Lantz. “The ‘more’ pertains to the infectious enthusiasm generated by the community, parents, and musicians... it was a week of magic. The village of Alfred and Alfred University joined together for a rare celebration of music and art. We are on the threshold of a new era.”

A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN SETTLES WITH APPLE IN E-BOOK PRICE-FIXING CASE

Settlement With Apple Could Result In Payments To Consumers Of Up To $400 Million

Schneiderman: This Settlement Proves That Even The Biggest, Most Powerful Companies In The World Must Play By The Same Rules 

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a settlement with Apple Inc. arising out of Apple’s participation in a price-fixing conspiracy that a federal court in New York found raised the prices of E-books sold to consumers in New York and throughout the country. The settlement agreement, which must be approved by the court, has the potential to result in payments to consumers of $400 million, and would resolve claims for consumer damages and civil penalties brought by New York and 32 other states and territories. 
“This settlement proves that even the biggest, most powerful companies in the world must play by the same rules as everyone else,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “In a major victory, our settlement has the potential to result in Apple paying hundreds of millions of dollars to consumers to compensate them for paying unlawfully inflated E-book prices. We will continue to work with our colleagues in other states to ensure that all companies compete fairly with the knowledge that no one is above the law.”
Under the settlement, the amount that Apple must pay E-book consumers is contingent on what happens in Apple’s appeal of the court’s July 2013 finding that Apple violated antitrust laws by orchestrating a conspiracy with five publishers to artificially raise E-book prices. Consumers nationwide (including those represented by private counsel in a related class action) will receive $400 million if the Court’s ruling that Apple violated antitrust laws is ultimately affirmed. If the Court’s ruling is not affirmed, the settlement provides for a smaller recovery of $50 million if liability must be retried, or no recovery if Apple is determined not to have violated antitrust laws. New York consumers are expected to receive approximately 7 percent, or as much as $28 million, from any amount that Apple is ultimately required to pay. In the event that the Court’s decision is upheld on appeal, Apple will also make payments to the 33 states of $20 million to resolve the states’ claims for costs, fees, and civil penalties. 
Any amount received by consumers pursuant to the settlement with Apple will be in addition to those amounts already recovered from several E-book publishers.  E-book purchasers nationwide have already received compensation from $166 million in settlement funds paid by the five publishers involved in the conspiracy – Penguin Group (USA), Inc. (now part of Penguin Random House); Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC d/b/a Macmillan; Hachette Book Group Inc.; HarperCollins Publishers LLC, and Simon & Schuster Inc.  Many E-Book consumers received these funds through automatic credits sent by Amazon and other E-book retailers.
The E-book antitrust cases involved lawsuits brought by the state attorneys general, a related action by the U.S. Department of Justice, and a related class action brought by private counsel representing consumers in 18 additional states. New York, together with Texas and Connecticut, played a leading role in the state AG cases during the damages phase of the litigation.  Apple has also agreed to make a payment of attorneys’ fees to counsel in the class action in the event that there is a consumer recovery under the settlement.
For New York, this matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Bob Hubbard and Linda Gargiulo; Acting Antitrust Deputy Bureau Chief Geralyn Trujillo; Antitrust Bureau Chief Eric Stock, and Executive Deputy Attorney General Karla G. Sanchez.

Canaseraga teen: Student in Alfred University renewable energy camp lends design assistance to Solar Decathlon ’15 Team

 Canaseraga Central School student Cameron Schmidt, who will be a sophomore this fall, became involved in the Alfred University/Alfred State College Solar Decathlon ’15 project while attending AU’s summer Renewable Energy Camp. Schmidt looked at the Solar Decathlon 2013 House, currently in Wellsville, and examined designs made by the AU/ASC team this past spring before recommending changes to roofing and the placement of each room including an electric car garage charging station. Here he works on the design model on the AU campus.

ALFRED, NY, July 2014 - Over the next year and a half, students on 20 teams representing a number of disciplines, from environmental engineering to mathematics to mass communications, will design, fund, and build a solar-powered, net-zero home, test it, disassemble it, and transport it for competition in fall 2015 at the US. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2015 at the Orange County Great Park, Irvine, CA.
One of those teams is made up of students from Alfred University (AU) and Alfred State College (ASC). Their task is to build a solar-powered, highly energy-efficient house that combines affordability, innovation, and design excellence. The competition is based on architecture, interior design, construction, engineering, media, and market appeal.
The AU/ASC team will be competing against students from institutions ranging from Clemson University, New York College of Technology and Stanford University to the State University of New York at Buffalo, California Polytechnic State University and Yale University. 
“The Solar Decathlon can be a positive, life-changing experience for participating students,” said Richard King, the program director. “In addition to developing leadership, team spirit, and problem-solving skills, this competition bridges formal education with hands-on experience that helps decathletes excel once they enter the workforce.”
This summer, the AU/ASC team has had some assistance from area high school student Cameron Schmidt who will be a sophomore at Canaseraga Central School this fall. Schmidt participated in the summer Renewable Energy Camp where he became involved with the solar house design. He looked at the Solar Decathlon 2013 House, currently in Wellsville, and examined designs made by the AU/ASC team this past spring before recommending changes to roofing and the placement of each room including an electric car garage charging station, said Zingwu Wang, AU professor of electrical engineering and an adviser to the AU/ASC Solar Decathlon 2015 team.
Following his summer camp experience at AU, Schmidt wrote: “One common issue that has brought nations together or driven them to competition is energy and how to alter today’s main usage of fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources. When most people hear presentations about renewable energy, they start thinking what is the price included to install these renewable energy systems? Most people do not realize the upfront cost will pay off in the long run, and they might be able to live “off the grid”, and even formulate enough electricity to make a profit!”

DiNAPOLI ANNOUNCES STATE CONTRACT & PAYMENT ACTIONS FOR JUNE 2014

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today his office reviewed 2,067 contracts valued at $2.3 billion and approved more than 840,600 payments worth nearly $10.8 billion in June. His office also rejected 224 contracts and related transactions valued at $320.7 million and more than 1,400 payments valued at nearly $4.1 million due to fraud, waste or other improprieties.

As the state’s chief financial officer, DiNapoli’s office reviews contracts for all state agencies and certain contracts for state public authorities and audits all state payments. This independent review ensures that costs are reasonable, the playing field is level and taxpayers get the best value for their money. The Comptroller’s office averages 11 to 13 days for contract reviews and two days to audit payments.

DiNapoli releases this monthly notice to provide current information about the number and types of contracts and payments entered into by the state. This builds on his commitment to added transparency via his Open Book New York website.

Highlights for June 2014:

Major Contracts Approved
Governor’s Office of Employee Relations
·        $70 million contract with United University Professions Benefit Fund to support benefits negotiated under a collective bargaining agreement with the state.

Office of General Services
·        $62.9 million contract with the Albany Convention Center Authority to fund construction of the new Albany Convention Center pursuant to the 2014-15 state budget.
·        $9.4 million contract with Yankee Trails Inc. for shuttle bus services for state employees in Albany.

Thruway Authority
·        $29 million contract with Kapsch Trafficom IVHS Inc. to implement all-electronic tolls at four travel plazas, including the replacement Tappan Zee Bridge.
·        $16.2 million contract with Tilcon New York Inc. for Rockland County pavement.
 
SUNY Stonybrook
·        $20.2 million contract with Worldwide Insurance Services LLC for  international student health insurance.

State Education Department
·        $12.8 million contract with the Akron Central School District to pay for Native American tuition.

Department of Agriculture & Markets - New York State Fair
·        $10.7 million revenue contract with WG Wade Shows for midway services for up to 10 years.

Gaming Commission
·        $5.2 million contract with SUNY Morrisville Auxiliary Corp. for equine testing services.

Department of Transportation
·        Approved a $17.9 million contract with Ammann & Whitney Consulting Engineers for construction inspection services for the Major Deegan Expressway bridge rehabilitation in the Bronx.
·        Approved a $12.8 design/build contract with El Sol Contracting & Construction Group to construct the new Carlls Straight Path Bridge in Huntington, Suffolk County.

Major Payments Approved
Tax Refunds
·        Paid 110,000 personal income tax refunds valued at more than $137 million, and nearly 33,000 corporate and other refunds worth $107 million.

Local Government Assistance
·        $359.2 million to 12 cities for the Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) Program.  
·        $2.4 million to the city of Salamanca and $596,000 to Cattaraugus County for payment of Tribal State Compact moneys associated with revenues from the Seneca Allegany Casino.

Department of Transportation
·        $21.4 million to Skanska-Kiewit-Ecco III JV, to replace the Kosciuszko Bridge in New York City.
·        $3.1 million to Sealand Contractors Corp. to reconstruct Routes 5, 8, and 12 in Utica.
·        $577,000 to Rifenburg Construction to upgrade Whiteface Mountain Veteran’s Memorial Highway.

New York State Assembly
·        $73,000 to Rossein Associates for outside counsel related to sexual harassment policy development and investigations.
New York State Senate
·        $122,000 to Code and Theory LLC for website development.

Office of General Services
·        $975,000 to Murnane Building Contractors and $458,000 to DiGesare Mechanical Inc. to renovate Building 5 at the Harriman State Office Campus.
·        $253,000 to Otis Elevator Company to upgrade the Corning Tower elevators.

State Education Department
·        $96,000 to CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC to develop paper and computer-based high school equivalency exams to replace the GED.
Payment Rejections and Other Cost Recoveries
The Comptroller rejected more than 1,400 payments valued at nearly $4 million including 770 tax refunds for more than $1.6 million. DiNapoli’s auditors also recovered $192,000 from vendors owing debts to the state, and held $502,000 pending resolution of disputes between subcontractors and prime contractors.
Open Book New York
For access to billions of dollars in state and local government spending and nearly 50,000 state contracts, visit http://www.openbooknewyork.com/. The easy-to-use website was created by Comptroller DiNapoli to promote openness in government and provide taxpayers with better access to the financial workings of government.

Corning Declares Quarterly Dividend

CORNING, N.Y., July 16, 2014 – The Board of Directors of Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today declared a quarterly dividend on the company’s common stock of $0.10 per share, payable on September 30, 2014, to holders of record on August 29, 2014.

The New York State’s Division of Consumer Protection Warns New Yorkers about Military Identity Theft

In 2013, members of the U.S. armed forces and their families filed over 65,000 consumer complaints of identity theft with the Federal Trade Commission. 862 of those complaints came from New York State.  As we observe the second annual National Military Consumer Protection Day today, the New York State’s Division of Consumer Protection is advising armed forces personnel, and their families, to protect their personal information and guard against identity theft.

 

Service members and their families are particularly vulnerable to identity theft because their social security numbers and other personal data are often used for identification, giving thieves ample opportunities to steal their information.  Until recently, social security numbers were included on military identification cards and dog tags.

Military personnel are also at risk for identity theft due to non-standard work schedules, lengthy absences from home, frequent relocations and duty assignments to remote locations.   Documents containing personal information are susceptible to loss or theft if not kept in a safe place or shredded.  If deployed, the fact that their personal information has been stolen may go undetected for months. Service members who rely on remote internet access to manage their finances while away from home are also at risk of identity theft.

The Division of Consumer Protection offers these valuable tips:

• Keep your personal information in a secure place.  Make sure your personal identifiable documentation is kept in a safe and trusted place.
• Protect your Social Security Number. Do not provide it to others unless it is a trusted source.  Ask if you may provide another type of identification instead.
• Use an Active Duty Alert.  If you are deployed and do not expect to seek new credit while you are gone, place an “active duty alert” on your credit report.  An active duty alert requires creditors to take steps to verify your identity before granting credit in your name. It lasts for a year, but can be renewed.
• Make Arrangements for mail delivery. Make sure you have your mail forwarded to your most recent address or make arrangements to have someone you trust pick up your mail.

·         Secure your computer.  Use security software and a firewall to protect your computer and keep them up to date. Avoid providing personal identifiable information when using remote internet access.

• Choose passwords carefully.  Don’t choose an obvious password such as your birth date, mother’s maiden name, or your social or Military ID card numbers.  Your passwords should be a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.  Don’t use the same password for more than one account.
• Shred documents.  Cross shred all documents containing your personal, financial, and medical information before you discard them.
• Monitor your financial accounts.  Review your bank, credit card, and account statements regularly to check for suspicious activity.
• Check your credit report regularly for any inaccuracies.  You are entitled to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit reporting agencies.  To order, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.
• If your identity is stolen take steps to mitigate the damages.  Immediately file a police report with military law enforcement or the local police.  Contact the credit reporting agencies to place fraud alert on your credit report.  Request a free copy of your credit report and review it carefully for inaccuracies.

Drug Task Force makes arrest in Olean

Obituary: Mark J. Schoenherr, Wellsville

Wellsville, NY - Mark J. Schoenherr, 57, of 8 Meadowbrook Court passed away on Monday, July 14, 2014 at the Hart Comfort House following a battle with cancer. He was born October 28, 1956 in Wellsville, the son of the late Karl J. and Patricia (Wall) Schoenherr. 

Mark was a 1971graduate of the Immaculate Conception School and a 1975 graduate of Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean. He attended Herkimer County Community College and was a 1987 graduate of Buffalo State College. He was employed at a number of restaurants in Wellsville and Olean, beginning with Pizza Hut and most recently for many years, at the Texas Hot in Wellsville. Mark was an avid Buffalo Bills and Sabres fan and loved watching NASCAR and Notre Dame Football. He was a life member of the NRA, the Sons of the American Legion Post 702, and the Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Rescue Squad. He was a former member of the Emerald Hook & Ladder Company # 3 and the Willing Volunteer Fire Department. 

He is survived by three stepchildren, Ben Grover of Scio, Kelly Ertell of Cuba and Heather Bennett of Allegany, 12 grandchildren and a host of close friends. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a grandson, Cameron Fenti in 2012 and several aunts & uncles.

Friends are invited to a graveside service on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 4:00 pm in Sacred Heart Cemetery, 300 South Main Street in Wellsville. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Wellsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Hart Comfort House or Lollypop Farm – Humane Society of Greater Rochester, 99 Victor Road, Fairport, NY 14450. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com.

Savona woman will face a judge on felony counts

Cohocton woman faces felony counts for unemployment fraud

 A joint investigation by the New York State Police of Criminal Investigation (BCI) at Bath, and the N.Y.S. Dept. of Labor, has resulted in charges against a Cohocton woman.  Kate M. Schwingel, age 29, of 9 South Main St, has been charged with Grand Larceny 3^rd degree (Class “D” Felony) and Falsifying Business Records 1^st degree (Class “E” Felony).  It is alleged that Schwingel received $8,781.00 in Unemployment Benefits that she was not entitled to.  Schwingel was arraigned in the Town of Bath Court and ROR’d.  She is scheduled to reappear in court on August 4^th at 3:00 P.M.

Allegany County: Andover man charged with felony at county jail

Allegany County Sheriff Rick Whitney reports the arrest of Jamie M. Wlasniewski, age 38, of Andover, on Tuesday 07/15/14 on charges of Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree (a class E felony) and Reckless Endangerment in the 2nd degree (a class A misdemeanor). The charges stem from an incident on July 10th at the Allegany County Jail in which Wlasniewski, an inmate, allegedly tampered with and destroyed a fire sprinkler head in his cell which caused the fire alarm system to activate and discharge several hundred gallons of water into that area of the jail. Wlasniewski was processed, arraigned, and sent back to the Allegany County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond to await further action in Amity Town Court on July 23^rd.

Allegany County: Deputies arrest Friendship man for drug crimes

Allegany County Sheriff Rick Whitney reports that following a lengthy investigation regarding illegal narcotics possession and sales in the Town of Friendship, Investigators from the Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit on Tuesday July 15^th arrested Nathan A. Bowker, age 25 of County Road 1 in Friendship, on an Allegany County Grand Jury Indictment Warrant charging Bowker with 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3^rd degree, and 2 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3^rd degree, all class B felonies.

The arrest stems from an incident in which Bowker allegedly sold illegal narcotics to an agent of the Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit on two separate occasions in the Town of Friendship.

Bowker was arraigned in Allegany County Court and sent to the County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. He’ll reappear in Allegany County Court on July 17^th for further proceedings.

All citizens are encouraged to call the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit Hotline at (585) 268-9782 with any drug related information. Any and all information is important and regarded as strictly confidential.

Wellsville business owner at odds with newspaper over Walmart story

The headline in Tuesday's Wellsville Daily Reporter reads-"Wal-Mart entrance set." The story further states that "Wal-Mart now owns the plaza next to the Wellsville McDonalds." That came as a shock to a business owner in the plaza along Bolivar Road. For twenty years, Robert Willetts, has owned and operated Optical Options from the plaza location. When RNN asked him about the sale and the future of his business, he said "that story is absolutely untrue." He said for years, Wal-Mart has had options and extensions to purchase. He said currently, "the extension runs through September," but there has been NO purchase yet. Willetts said he was told today he would receive at least two months notice if a sale took place. RNN asked Willetts if the people he spoke with today with credible and trustworthy, he commented absolutely.
Willetts noted several media reports about Wal-Mart that were not correct. He said when he read today's newspaper, he was stunned.
Town Supervisor Dar Fanton recently told RNN that he had a degree of confidence that Wal-Mart would build in Wellsville. For now, however, the owner of Optical Options says they are open, in business and accepting new customers.

Allegany County Legislature: updated contact information

Town of Wellsville OKs creating water district

WELLSVILLE — Town leaders Monday night approved the creation of a water district to make a Route 417 waterline extension project possible. They also agreed to move forward with bonding for the project, which carries a project cost of roughly $930,000.

The resolution forming Dyke Water District will have to be filed with the state before the district becomes official. No property owner in the district submitted a petition requesting a referendum on forming the district. The 30-day deadline was to end July 11, the town previously said.

"To finance the project (water service extension), we need to bond and work with Municipal Solutions in determining the funding and how we’re going to set that up," town Supervisor Dar Fanton said. "This motion needs to be ... for adopting a bond or allowing us to enter into an agreement to create a bond to fund the project."

Councilman Donald "Tink" LaForge Jr. asked, "So, the bond, there’s no restriction? We’re not going to put a restriction in here?"

Fanton said, "There’s restriction for $930,000, tops. Is that what you mean?"

LaForge said, "That also was pending that we got the funding from grants — (the project cost is) not all 100 percent from the district, correct?"

The town supervisor said, "The bond is to borrow the money. That’s one issue. A separate issue is that we have secured financing grants. Empire State Development — they don’t pay their $165,000 until the project is completely done. ARC (Appalachian Regional Commission) is now combined with EDA (U.S. Economic Development Administration) grant, for a total of $800,000-something. The EDA, to my understanding, administers both those grants now. They do pay in increments. I don’t know what the dollar amounts are. I’m sure it’s something relatively high on a project this size."

Fanton said the time it will take to get the grant funds is unknown.

"So, I don’t foresee it being until, if we get lucky, maybe the first part of next year before we finally know what the total bill is that the local district is going to have to pay," he said. "We don’t know what the (construction) bids are going to come in at. If they come in over what we’ve estimated, we’ve got an issue.

"The bottom line, that I hope I made clear to the district, is if any of this falls through, then the district’s still liable for the financing of it, period, as we do work," he said.

"Whatever the bottom line is, the district’s responsible for — which, what we’ll turn it into is another bond for probably 12 or 13 years depending on what the amount is. Then, each of the property owners pay their portion based on their value."

 

Councilman Shad Alsworth asked, "We have letters of commitment on the different grants, though, right? So, we’re pretty well secure in that."

Fanton said, "There are time limits on each one of them, for the extensions of them, so the project has got to move along.

"The implication is that the engineering, at least, has to be ... a bid package put together and sent out for quotes. We’re probably going to have to do that ourselves, because we don’t have an engineering firm to create that document," he said.

Fanton said as far as he knows, there’s no reason to think the grants won’t come through.

"In fact, ARC has already transferred the money over to the EDA, so the EDA money is at least there. I’ve notified Empire State Development about it. I sent our contact there a note saying, ‘We’re going ahead with it’ and I’ve been in contact with EDA."

Read more: http://www.wellsvilledaily.com/article/20140715/News/140719796#ixzz37Z2eLcti

Town of Wellsville OKs creating water district

Wellsville man takes plea deal in felony DWI case

A Wellsville man will serve some jail time for his DWI arrest. 28-year old Shawn Hugar of Truax road had faced a felony DWI charge, but took a plea deal in Allegany County Monday. District Attorney Keith Slep said Hugar was stopped in Alfred February 23rd when he failed to keep right. Alfred Police also discovered he didn't have a license. Judge Thomas Brown accepted the plea deal which reduced the felony to a misdemeanor charge. Hugar was sentenced to ten months in jail, fines, fee's and must have an ignition interlock system.

Men from Olean, Belfast arrested by Livingston County Deputies

AVON:  Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty advises of the arrest of Karl E. Vattes, Samuel J. Kelley and David J. Vattes on numerous drug and traffic law charges.

Deputy Shawn Whitford of the Livingston County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop just off Route 15 (Lakeville Rd) in the Town of Avon for vehicle and traffic law violations.

Further investigation found that the operator of the vehicle, David J. Vattes, 37 years old of Olean, NY was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver's license.  David Vattes

was also in possession of heroin and hypodermic needles.  Deputy Whitford also suspected David Vattes of operating under the influence of drugs.  Deputy Connor Sanford of the Sheriff's STOP DWI unit responded to the area of the stop.  Deputy Sanford later arrested David Vattes for DWAI Drugs. 

A drug evaluation was later conducted at the Sheriff's Office by Sergeant Joseph Breu who is a certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). It was concluded that Vattes was indeed under the influence of a narcotic analgesic.  David Vattes was also charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle in the Third Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree, Criminal Possession of a hypodermic needle, as well as other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations.

The occupants of the vehicle Samuel J. Kelley, 32 years old of Olean, NYand Karl E. Vattes, 40 years old of Belfast, NY, were also charged.  Kelley was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th, and Criminal Possession of hypodermic needle, as well as Facilitating Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a motor vehicle in the Third Degree.  Karl Vattes was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree and Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic needle.

Each of the men were arraigned in Avon Town Court, David Vattes and Samuel Kelley were remanded to the custody of the Sheriff on $2500.00 cash bail, or $5000.00 secured bond.  Karl Vattes was remanded to the custody of the Sheriff on no bail due to past felony convictions.   The three were turned over to the Livingston County Jail. 

The investigation and arrest(s) were handled by Deputy Shawn Whitford, Deputy Connor Sanford, Deputy Menzo Peck and Sergeant Joseph Breu.

Genesee Valley School: State Comptroller has questions about reserve accounts

Audit Results

During our fieldwork, District officials were in the process of developing a reserve plan, which the Board was expected to adopt following the completion of our fieldwork. This preliminary plan addresses the District’s seven reserves that were previously established and funded1 and totaled approximately $5.8 million as of June 30, 2013. We reviewed the District’s preliminary reserve plan. We found that for five of the seven reserves, totaling more than $4.3 million,2 the District’s preliminary plan failed to include

a clear and detailed rationale for maintaining the reserves, the detailed objectives of the reserves,
needed funding levels, sources of funding and the conditions under which the reserves’ assets will
be used or replenished. While we commend the District for developing a written plan, without these

key elements,3 the District cannot ensure taxpayers that all reserves are properly established, used for

appropriate purposes and funded to reasonable levels with appropriate sources.

The full report is HERE.

Daily Reporter: Martin Street Primary Care receives national recognition

SP Amity - Bad Check leads to arrest

 On July 10, 2014 NY State Police in Fillmore arrested BARRY J. CRAIG, age 57, of Arkport, NY.  CRAIG issued a check to Wilson Beef Farms in the Town of Burns on May 20, 2014 which was returned for insufficient funds, say police.  CRAIG was charged with Issuing a Bad Check and issued an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Burns Court on 08/11/14 at 5:00 PM.

Donald W. Blair, Chief Financial Officer, NIKE, Inc., Named to Corning Board of Directors

CORNING, N.Y., July 15, 2014 – Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today appointed Donald W. Blair, executive vice president and chief financial officer for NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE), to Corning’s Board of Directors, effective July 15, 2014.
Blair will serve on the board’s finance and audit committees. He will hold office until Corning’s annual meeting of shareholders in the spring of 2015, at which time he will stand for election to a one-year term. His appointment brings the number of Corning directors to 13.
Blair, 56, brings to the board extensive financial expertise and management experience at the international, operational, and corporate levels. He has served as NIKE, Inc.’s CFO since 1999, with responsibility for strategy, investor relations and finance, including controllership, business and financial planning, treasury, tax, and internal audit. Previously, he spent 14 years at PepsiCo, Inc. in a number of senior executive-level corporate and operating unit financial assignments, including CFO roles for PepsiCo Japan (based in Tokyo) and Pepsi-Cola International’s Asia Division (based in Hong Kong). He began his career in 1981 as an accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells in New York City.
Blair holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in economics, both from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

SP Amity - Trespass leads to arrest

On July 9, 2014 NY State Police in Fillmore arrested BRIAN J. KELLY, age 30, of Nunda, NY.  KELLY was charged with Criminal Trespass 2^nd following an incident that occurred at a residence on State Route 19 in Fillmore, NY on 06/21/14.  KELLY was issued an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Hume Court on July 31, 2014 at 7:00 PM.

A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN RELEASES REPORT SHOWING RISE IN DATA BREACHES, PROVIDES SECURITY TIPS TO SMALL BUSINESSES & CONSUMERS

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today issued a new report examining the growing number, complexity, and costs of data breaches in the New York State. Using information provided to the Attorney General’s Office pursuant to the New York State Information Security Breach & Notification Act, the report, titled "Information Exposed: Historical Examination of Data Security in New York State, analyzes eight years of security breach data and how it has impacted New Yorkers. 
The report reveals that the number of reported data security breaches in New York more than tripled between 2006 and 2013. In that same period, 22.8 million personal records of New Yorkers have been exposed in nearly 5,000 data breaches, which have cost the public and private sectors in New York upward of $1.37 billion in 2013. In addition, the report also found that hacking intrusions – in which third parties gain unauthorized access to data stored on a computer system – were the leading cause of data security breaches, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all breaches. Attorney General Schneiderman’s report also presents new recommendations on steps that both organizations and consumers can take to protect themselves from data loss.
“As we increasingly share our personal information with stores, restaurants, health care providers and other organizations, we should be able to enjoy the benefits of new technology without putting ourselves at risk. Unfortunately, our expansive look at data breaches found that millions of New Yorkers have been exposed without their knowledge or consent. It’s clear that a broad, concerted public education campaign must take place to ensure that all of us – from large corporations, to small businesses and families – are better protected,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Moving forward, I will advocate for collaboration between industry and security experts to ensure that organizations across the state and country have access to the tools needed to secure our data, so we can best address this complex and growing problem.”
2013 was a record-setting year in data security breaches, during which 7.3 million records of New Yorkers were exposed in more than 900 data security breaches. The massive number of affected New Yorkers in 2013 was largely driven by two retail mega-breaches at Target and Living Social, which have led some to dub 2013 “The Year of the Retailer Breach.” So-called mega-breaches have also becoming increasingly common: Five of the 10 largest breaches reported to the Attorney General’s Office have occurred since 2011.
No organization is exempt from this trend: In the eight-year period analyzed by today’s report, a widely diverse set of organizations ranging from local family businesses to large multinational corporations reported data security breaches to the Attorney General’s Office. While the most recent and widely publicized mega-breaches have involved retailers, data breaches have also impacted the health care and financial services industries.
The demand on secondary markets for stolen information remains robust. Freshly acquired stolen credit card numbers can fetch up to $45 per record, while other types of personal information, such as Social Security numbers and online account information, can command even higher prices. Non-financial information can be even more valuable, as fraudulent use is more difficult to detect and the information can be used for a broader range of purposes. For example, a stolen Facebook account can provide an access point to a wide range of user accounts, or can be used as a vehicle to steal information from others within that individual’s social network.
Despite the risks posed by data security breaches, individuals and organizations can take practical steps to better guard themselves from threats. While it may be impossible to completely prevent data loss, organizations that implement data security plans can greatly reduce the harm caused by a data security breach. In addition, individuals can remain vigilant and take action to protect themselves against breaches.

The Attorney General’s Office recommends that organizations follow these simple steps to help protect sensitive personal information against unauthorized disclosures. 

• Understand Where Your Business Stands: The first step toward an effective data security policy is to understand what information your business requires for its operation, what data have already been collected and stored, how long the data are needed and what steps have been taken to ensure security. Organizations should review how sensitive data are acquired, how sensitive information is being shared with third parties, and what access controls are in place.
   
• Identify and Minimize Data Collection Practices: Put simply, data that do not exist cannot be stolen or lost. Collect only information that you need, store it only for the minimum time that you need it, and deploy data minimization tactics wherever possible. For example, if your company uses a point-of-sale system, ensure that expiration dates are not stored with credit card numbers. Reduce the use of highly sensitive data points, such as Social Security numbers, unless absolutely necessary, and minimize the length of retention for such data.  Delete any information you no longer need.
   
• Create an Information Security Plan That Includes Encryption: Creating a comprehensive Information Security Plan is a complex but necessary endeavor. Studies show that entities with an effective plan will articulate not only technical standards but will incorporate training, awareness, and detailed procedural steps in the event of data breaches. Read more about what a comprehensive security plan should include in the report.
   
• Implement an Information Security Plan: Successful implementation of a thoughtfully designed plan can be one of the most effective ways to minimize the risk of a data breach. Elements to consider when implementing a plan include ensuring employees are aware of the plan and conducting regular reviews to ensure the plan continues to conform with evolving best practices.
   
• Take Immediate Action in the Event of a Breach: Remember to investigate all security incidents immediately and thoroughly. In the event of a breach, the law may require you to notify consumers, law enforcement, state Attorney Generals’ offices, credit bureaus and other businesses.
   
• Offer Mitigation Products in the Event of a Breach: While not required by law, New Yorkers affected by a data breach should be provided with mitigation services for free. These include credit monitoring, which provides alerts, usually by email, whenever an application for new credit is submitted to a consumer credit reporting agency, and a security freeze, which blocks new credit accounts. The cost of clearing up the consequences of identity theft can easily reach into the thousands of dollars and require hundreds of hours attending to administrative burdens.  

The Attorney General’s Office suggests that consumers guard against threats in the following ways:
 

• Create strong passwords for online accounts and update them frequently. Use different passwords for different accounts, especially for websites where you have disseminated sensitive information, such as credit card or Social Security numbers.
   
• Carefully monitor credit card and debit card statements each month. If you find any abnormal transactions, contact your bank or credit card agency immediately.
   
• Do not write down or store passwords electronically. If you do, be extremely careful of where you store passwords. Be aware that any passwords stored electronically (such as in a word processing document or cell phone’s notepad) can be easily stolen and provide fraudsters with one-stop shopping for all your sensitive information. If you hand-write passwords, do not store them in plain sight.
   
• Do not post any sensitive information on social media. Information such as birthdays, addresses, and phone numbers can be used by fraudsters to authenticate account information. Practice data minimization techniques. Don’t overshare.
   
• Always be aware of the current threat landscape. Stay up to date on media reports of data security breaches and consumer advisories.  

 
The Attorney General’s Office recommends taking the following steps if you believe you have been victimized by a data security breach: 

• User Names and Passwords: For user names and passwords, change them immediately on the relevant account  and monitor the account for unusual activity. If you use the same user name or password on other accounts, change those as well.
   
• Credit Card Numbers: For breaches involving credit card numbers, Social Security numbers and other sensitive numbers, create an Identity Theft Report by filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and printing your Identity Theft Affidavit. You can call the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-438-4338 or complete the form online here. Use the Identity Theft Affidavit to file a police report and create your Identity Theft Report. An Identity Theft Report will help you deal with credit reporting companies, debt collectors and any fraudulent accounts that the identity thief opened in your name.  You may also want to put a fraud alert and/or security freeze on your credit report by notifying each of the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion or Experian).  A security freeze remains on your credit file until you remove it or choose to lift it temporarily when applying for credit services. 

Obituary: William K. Goetschius, 80, Wellsville

Wellsville, NY - William K. Goetschius, 80, formerly of 3471 North Drive in Riverview Heights died on Monday, July 14, 2014 surrounded by his family. He was born September 24, 1933 in Nyack, NY the son of the late Harry and Florence (Kay) Goetschius. On July 3, 1954 in Wellsville he married Dolores M. Joyce who predeceased him in October 11, 2012.

Bill joined the New York State Troopers on January 2, 1962. In 1966 he was promoted to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). It was a career choice he truly loved. He has been described as a passionate, devoted and compassionate trooper and in simple words “a great investigator”. He was also known as an occasional prankster who brought a love for life and a smile to many people. He retired in 1988. He was a successful entrepreneur who owned a car detailing business called Tidy Car, a driveway sealing company, a parking lot cleaning business and a laundry mat. He was known as “Cowboy Bill” to many as he faithfully wore a cowboy hat. 

He was married to the love of his life Dolores for 58 years. He had three children who greatly loved and admired him. His grandchildren have found him to be a great grandfather always willing to listen and helpe them face life’s challenges with wisdom and laughter 

Surviving are two sons William F. Goetschius of Wellsville; Brian (Dawnell) Goetschius of Texas City, TX; one daughter, Deborah A. Goetschius of Houston, TX; nine grandchildren, Joseph, Jared (Elizabeth), Julia, Gabriel, Gregory, Grace, Rose, Ryan (Missy) and Brody Goetschius, one Great Grandson, Tyler Fitzgerald, one brother, George K, Goetschius of Wellsville, several nieces & nephews and his former daughter-in-law, Julie (Joe) Tripodi; who along with the staff at Manor Hills were a great help to the family over the past five years. He was predeceased by a niece, Teresa M. Burdick and a brother, Charles Calvin Goetschius.

Friends are invited to call on Thursday from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 pm and Friday from 10:00 to 10:30 am at the J. W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc. in Wellsville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday (July 18, 2014) at 11:00 am at the Immaculate Conception Church in Wellsville. Burial in Stannards Cemetery will be at a later date. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the SPCA Serving Allegany County. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com

Cuba man convicted of sex crime against a boy-gets sex offender probation

A Cuba man convicted of having sexual contact with a boy less then age 11 has been sentenced. 23-year old Wayne Mesler of Haskell Road pleaded guilty in Allegany County court to "course of sexual conduct against a child," a felony. The crime happened in Wellsville over an 18-month period beginning in 2007. Prosecutors said the assault happened for a period greater than three months. Judge Thomas Brown sentenced Mesler to ten years of strict sex offender probation and time served. He was also fined $1,000 and labeled a level three sex offender (the lowest level.)

Supreme Court Rules on EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In the Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA case, the Supreme Court came to a final ruling in June which resulted, mostly, in a win for the EPA.  The high court ruled that the EPA could require greenhouse gas emission control on larger companies such as power plants and other extensive pollution-causing companies of similar size. However, they ruled against the emission control over smaller offenders of greenhouse gas emissions. The Court was critical of the EPA's attempt to rewrite the provisions outlined in the Clean Air Act.

According to Justice Antonin Scalia, the EPA "sought to regulate sources that it said were responsible for 86 percent of all the greenhouse gases emitted from stationary sources nationwide." With the Supreme Court's amendments, it is by their calculations that 83 percent of those emissions will still be able to be regulated by the EPA. Though this decision does limit the EPA's ability to heavily regulate greenhouse gas emissions, it still offers plenty of viable options available within the EPA's arsenal of command without giving them the power to have regulatory control over millions of smaller entities. Under the scope of the Clean Air Act's provisions, the EPA still maintains the ability to set emissions standards to desirable levels without giving the EPA permission to require permits based on greenhouse gas emissions alone.

Although it was not an overall victory, the EPA still considered it "a win for our efforts to reduce carbon pollution because it allows EPA, states, and other permitting authorities to continue to require carbon pollution limits in permits for the largest pollution sources.”  In addition, industry groups made requests for the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling of the 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA. The 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA court case brought suit against the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as pollutants.  Had the Court ruled in favor of Massachusetts and the other states involved, this would have removed the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. However, the Supreme Court denied the reconsideration of their ruling, which in turn resulted in another small victory for the EPA by reinstating the Court's support of EPA jurisdiction over greenhouse gas emissions.

For further discussion regarding the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions visit http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/supreme-court-sides-against-epa-carbon.  

Details on the case are available at http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/utility-air-regulatory-group-v-environmental-protection-agency/


Also, be sure to check out Green Education Services for a multitude of courses to learn more about sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

Green Buildings on the Rise in Commercial Market

In recent years, there has been a collective push towards a greener, more sustainable style of living. New products have been created promoting the "Go Green" mindset, new modes of transportation have been designed in the hope of reducing our carbon footprint, and surprisingly this trend has even spread to the commercial property market.  In 2010, a report lead by Nils Kok suggested that the push towards sustainable building would be slow across the commercial property sector. Four years later, he has revisited the topic due to the many changes that abounded in the intermittent years, looking at data provided by USGBC and the EPA.

Kok's new research has found that the desire for energy efficiency and sustainability in the real estate market has not slowed down. In fact, it was found the push towards LEED design to be of an even greater significance in recent years and that it shows no signs of stopping.

According to the new research, more than 10 percent of the real estate and commercial property market has adopted ENERGY STAR for office buildings, and the proportion of LEED certified buildings in the commercial sector has increased from 0.5 percent in 2005 to 5 percent in 2014.  This sizable increase is exceptionally surprising for the property market as it tends to be both slow moving and cautious to drastic change. Click here to read more about the new report's findings regarding the movement towards energy efficiency and sustainability.

Based on this data, this is just the beginning of what is to come from the push for better, greener buildings.  With the changes seen in just a decade, it will be interesting to see what further innovations will be made in the near future in order to continue improving and expanding upon energy efficient design and building.


What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system. Created by the United States Green Building Council, LEED provides a point system for green buildings and their construction, awarding points for 6 main areas: Location and Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. Buildings are then awarded levels of certification--Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The more points a building gets, the higher their level of certification.


Don't fall behind in this growing field of energy efficiency and sustainability in the real estate sector! Become a LEED Certified Professional today from a tried and trusted trainer like Green Education Services. Still not sure what it means to be LEED certified? Read more about it here.

GBI Announces Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors (SI)

Green Building Initiative (GBI) recently announced the launch of Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors (Green Globes SI), designed for commercial and institutional interior fit-outs and remodels. Projects can now pursue the Green Globes certification for individual spaces and leases, without the entire building having to go through the system criteria.

In addition to the entire building not needing to be certified for Green Globes, the initiative also promotes a substantial amount of additional benefits for business owners.  These benefits include allowing users to pick and choose the strategies that best apply to each project in order to meet the mandated point minimums, covering emissions, energy, IEQ, materials, project management, and water. In addition, a minimum number of weighted criteria must be met in the energy efficiency, indoor environmental, and material choices and resource consumption sectors of the assessment areas. This departure from the standard Green Globes assessment of having to meet all seven criteria allows for a great deal of flexibility for building owners.

According to GBI president Jerry Yudelson GBI's press release, “One of the aspects that makes Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors so versatile–and practical–is that it enables tenants to certify the specific environmental and sustainability attributes of the space they lease. Other certifications include aspects of the entire building and surroundings, and as a result tenant improvements can be penalized for conditions they do not control.”

By doing this, Green Globes SI allows building owners to use their initiative to their benefit without having to accommodate unnecessary standards.  In order to meet the standards, Green Globes SI will use a third-party assessor to review building characteristics and documentation that is provided by the building owner. This third-party assessor will need to document a full report as well as be available for online or telephone support with the building owner during the certification process to answer any questions that may arise.

Upon submission of the report and achievement of the necessary criteria, the company will receive a final certification for the project from GBI.

For more information about the initiative, visit the GBI Green Globes' website.

What is Green Globes?

Green Globes is a green building guidance and assessment program that offers a practical and affordable way to advance the environmental performance and sustainability of a wide variety of building types. The Green Globes program includes:

• A comprehensive environmental assessment protocol
• Software tools that speed and simplify online assessment
• Best practices guidance for green construction and operations
• Third-party assessors with green building expertise
• A rating/certification system

Green Education Services has a full line up of courses specializing in Energy Efficiency Training as well as LEED Certification, a competing green building rating system.

Obama's Plan to Cut Carbon Pollution

A recent New York Times article discusses President Obama's new plan to fight climate change, which will rely on the individual states to select initiatives and standards to help meet national goals for cutting carbon pollution. This strategy is reminiscent of Obama's health care plan strategy which was met with opposition and questionable results.

The new plan aims to reduce carbon pollution by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. This bold goal is being presented with a plan that allows maximum freedom based on state's regulations and individual needs. In doing this, states are able to adjust plans accordingly in order to reduce their carbon footprint. Coal-fired power plants, the county's largest culprit of greenhouse gas emissions, are a main target of the new proposal.

The EPA understands that states have their own individual needs based on the type of energy sources they use, and therefore wants to give them the freedom to adjust their pollution output in ways that are best suited for them. The intention of the new plan is not to set strict regulations that must be enforced but rather put the state's governments in charge of complying with the overarching goal of pollution reduction.

The EPA does have suggestions that states can put into place in order to comply with the new national rule. States can, among other actions:

• shut down coal plants,
• install wind and solar power and energy-efficiency technology,
• join the California or Northeastern cap-and-trade programs, or
• enact a state-level tax on carbon pollution.

Though many have their doubts about the effectiveness of this plan, President Obama stands by his work, calling it “a sensible, state-based plan” thereby dismissing any criticism.

Read more about the plan on EPA's website: http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/clean-power-plan-proposed-rule

Read the full NY Times article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/politics/obama-epa-rule-coal-carbon-pollution-power-plants.html

Be sure to visit Green Education Services, if you are interested in learning more about energy efficient technology and training in order to help reduce your carbon footprint!