Column by Adrian Kuzminski, August 24, 2018 Let’s Take Control Of Our Energy Future Recently, nearly 100 people crowded the Oneonta Town Hall to respond to a report by Otsego Now head, Jody Zakrevsky, about the controversial gas decompression station proposed for Oneonta. The backlash was overwhelming. A long series of speakers unanimously condemned the project and demanded instead a full-scale effort to transition to renewables as soon as possible. As the speakers pointed out, a myriad of solutions exist…
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Opinion - Page 221
Editorial for August 24, 2018 Roadwork Can Mean Life, Death The Good News: Oneonta, Cooperstown Projects Moving Forward If DOT engineer Peter Larson thought it was going to be a ho-hum hearing that Dec. 15, 2008, at Oneonta High School, Kay Stuligross quickly advised him otherwise. “My husband was killed right there,” the former county representative told Larson, pointing to a spot where Lettis Highway enters Southside, in front of McDonald’s. Stuligross’ husband, Jack, a retired Hartwick College economics professor,…
Editorial For August 17, 2018 Sensible Plan Surfaces To Ensure Energy For Industry When Otsego Now Executive Director Jody Zakrevsky was Schoharie County economic developer, a Canadian firm was a half-step away from buying long-vacant Guilford Mills, that rambling complex to the right of I-88 as you drive to Albany. All that was lacking was a letter from the mayor, assuring the company would be guaranteed sufficient power to conduct business. Such a letter was forthcoming, but the last line…
Column by Mike Zagata for August 17, 2018 Exotic? Natural Gas As Common As … Manure It’s amazing that the natural gas opponents all talk about wanting to protect the environment by moving from natural gas to “renewables.” Is it that they are misinformed or have an agenda? It’s difficult to tell, but here’s what the science tells us. Natural gas, or methane, is naturally occurring. It is emitted from volcanoes, manure piles and humans. It is the cleanest burning…
Column by Adrian Kuzminski for August 10, 2018 … AND COUNTY CAN TAKE LEAD Natural Gas, No! Renewables, Yes! It’s recently been reported that Otsego Now, the economic development arm of Otsego county, is proposing a natural gas decompression station in Oneonta to help alleviate energy shortages that have plagued some businesses and institutions in the city. Otsego Now is applying for a $3 million grant to help facilitate the project, which is estimated to cost $17 million. Currently, SUNY…
Editorial, August 10, 2018 The Arithmetic Is Inexorable: 2/3rds City, 1/3rd Town Fire District. Make The Deal Judges generally are loath to get involved in situations that should be resolved through the political process. But once in a while their hand is forced. Such seems to be the case shaping up in the now years-long standoff between Oneonta City Hall and the Town of Oneonta Board of Fire Commissioners over what the town should pay to be covered by professional…
Editorial, August 3, 2018 America – And Cooperstown – Fearing Fear Itself One of the many delights in getting older is you realize some things aren’t going to be resolved in your lifetime. If you’re 65-and-holding, you can relax. American paranoia and its companion, the National Security State, won’t be dissipated tomorrow, if it can ever. And, year to year, we witness the ever-fuller flowering of these truly abhorrent aspects of modern American life during the Hall of Fame’s Induction…
Column by Mike Zagata, August 3, 2018 What Can Be Done About Deer Overpopulation? Most of us enjoy watching and/or hunting deer. They seem harmless enough – that is, until one runs in front of your shiny new car. Many people enjoy feeding deers with deer feeders you can learn more about at places similar to feedthatgame.com which is great if you have the population of deer under control. However, the 650,000 or so forest landowners in the state may…
Editorial, July 27, 2018 Do We Divert XNG Trucks Now – Or After First Fatality? On the surface, the argument makes sense, (sort of). Boston-based Xpress Natural Gas’ trucks, carrying fuel from fracking fields in Northeastern Pennsylvania across Otsego County to the Iroquois Pipeline near Little Falls, are legal carriers and should be allow to use New York State roads just like any other legal carrier. After all, what’s next? Should we then ban oil tankers? Suburban Propane delivery trucks?…
Column by Adrian Kuzminski for July 27, 2018 On Playing The Race Card There was a time not so long ago when the ideal on racial issues was to be color-blind, presuming the equality of all. When that proved not to effectively address the underlying problem of racism, affirmative action became the order of the day. It played an important role in bringing minorities, especially blacks, out of the ghettos and into prominence in the professions, the media and middle-class…
