News Briefs: April 29, 2024
Boating Safety Deadline Approaching
NEW YORK STATE—The five-year phase-in window for Brianna’s Law is fast approaching. After January 1, 2025, all boaters in New York State, regardless of age, will be required to complete an authorized boating safety course. The nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers a free online class that fulfills all legal requirements.
“Classroom instruction, offered by local law enforcement or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is great, but we know hectic schedules sometimes make in-class attendance difficult,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Boating Safety Ted Sensenbrenner. “Our online course typically takes four to eight hours to complete and fits into busy lives. You take it from the comfort of home and can start, pause and restart where you left off at any time. And it’s free, thanks to generous donations by BoatUS members.”
For more information, or to take the course, visit https://www.boatus.org/newyork/.
SUNY Oneonta Awarded Offshore Wind Training Grant
ONEONTA—Governor Kathy Hochul announced $4 million in offshore wind training and workforce development grants in February, supporting programs at SUNY campuses that prepare students for careers in the emerging offshore wind industry.
“SUNY Oneonta is excited to use the $300,000.00 grant funding to partner with ONC BOCES in developing an Offshore Wind Energy Pipeline Program designed for area high-school students and SUNY Oneonta students,” said Dean Tracy Allen, School of Sciences. “We envision this will create a pathway to careers in offshore wind energy and other renewable energies, and ancillary areas such as battery storage.”
The proposed programming will start in the ONC BOCES Mechatronics and the New Visions Engineering programs, where students will learn about wind and renewable energy in their classes. They will have opportunities to advance their in-class learning during meetings with industry experts and trips to wind energy installations, manufacturers, and other related industry sites. BOCES students will also be able to pursue micro-credentials in wind technology and renewable energy.
State Ag. Dept. Monitoring HPAI Outbreaks in Other States
ALBANY—The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is monitoring an ongoing situation of confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza cases in dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas. HPAI has also been detected in a goat in Minnesota. Although no cases have been reported in New York, the department has issued a statewide alert to veterinarians. The USDA confirms that there is no threat to human health, and that meat and dairy products remain safe to consume. Detected cases seem to have been introduced by wild birds.
Veterinarians and farmers should look for decreased milk production, thicker or concentrated milk, decreased feed consumption, abnormal feces, and low-grade fever in cattle. Unusual deaths among newborn goat kids have also been reported. If any of these symptoms are noted, contact the NYS Ag and Markets at (518) 457-3502 for sampling guidance. Farm owners and workers are urged to practice good biosecurity and sanitation measures. For more information on HPAI, visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/hpaifactsheet_wildlife-biosecurity.pdf.
AmeriCU Wins National Award
ROME—AmeriCU Credit Union won a Diamond Award from America’s Credit Unions Marketing and Business Council at the conference recognition dinner in Las Vegas on Tuesday, March 19. They received the award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the credit union industry, for co-hosting the Tunnels to Towers 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit, which featured artifacts and guided tours from New York City firefighters. It was the first time the team visited central New York. For more information on AmeriCU, visit www.americu.org.
FAM Announces ‘Food for Thought’ Lectures
COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum has announced the schedule for its 2024 “Food for Thought” lunch and lecture series. The popular program offers the opportunity to explore new exhibitions in greater depth and enjoy a lunch with like-minded people. Each session runs from 12:30-2 p.m. on a Wednesday. Topics include: “American Masterworks” on May 15 and June 26 and “As They Saw It: Women Artists Then and Now” on June 12. Museum staff will present “Bob Dylan Remastered: Drawings from the Road” on July 24 and August 14. Each event costs $30.00 for non-members and $25.00 for members. Pre-registration is required; for more information, or to sign up, visit www.FenimoreArt.org. Contact k.gray@fenimoreart.org with any dietary restrictions.