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Archived stories from Tuesday, December 9, 2008 through Friday, February 6, 2009

Westfield School does not want to merge with Ripley (Ripley being the tiniest district in the region) (Post-Journal)... 2/6

Sheldon Silver aiming to permanently raise taxes (AP)... 2/3

Lobbyists lying? Who knew?! (AP)... 2/3

It was a good year for grapes in the area (Business First)... 2/3

THIS IS WHAT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE AND THE NEW YORK CITY MEDIA THINK OF YOU: Upstate New York is "like Deliverance on snow tires" (New York Post)... 2/2

Dunkirk Dave predicts early spring for Groundhog Day, Punxstawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter (Dunkirk Observer)... 2/2

STEELERS DEFEAT CARDINALS IN THRILLING SUPER BOWL XLIII (Fuller's game notes) (NFL.com synopsis)... 2/2

For those of you interested in Super Bowl pools: technically, they're not legal, but unless there's a rake being collected nobody can be prosecuted, so go ahead (Olean Times Herald)... 1/31

On second thought, let's see how we can massage the law to keep that Buffalo casino open (AP)... 1/31

The verdict is in: teachers are held unaccountable and it's way too easy for them to get tenure (Jamestown Post-Journal)... 1/30

Now this is what I call "free range poultry" (Bradford Era)... 1/30

Three Chinese Taiwanese illegals arrested in Salamanca casino (WESB) (Jamestown Post-Journal)... 1/29

Rollover in Allegany County... (our scanner's missing its power cord so I don't have details.) 1/29

Somebody try to figure out what this whole Rose Sconiers ruling is supposed to do: let's make something clear-- the state of New York is not directly trying to collect taxes on Indian nations. It is specifically banning the sale of any cigarettes from any tax exempt organization, and that would include the Senecas. Sconiers's "ban" on cigarette taxes (Buffalo News) shouldn't, theoretically, affect that. 1/27

The so-called "better bottle bill" is back (Buffalo News)... 1/27

Hey, guess what? Even though the state is in a fiscal crisis, government is still growing (Business First via Buffalo News)... 1/27

David Bremiller Sr., 34, of East Otto, arrested after brandishing knife in front of wife and kids (WESB)... 1/27

Interesting read on the minds of the Senecas regarding their nonexistent right to sell cigarettes (Olean Times Herald), Paterson still wants to negotiate (AP)... 1/27

IT'S OFFICIAL... KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND IS YOUR NEW UNITED STATES SENATOR. At first, this seems like it's actually a pretty good pick, possibly as good as Higgins, though as I read more I'm starting to sour a little bit, with regards to her lobbyist ties. Plus, it puts another Congressional district back into play for the GOP. Congressmen like Gillibrand and Higgins know how to win more conservative districts-- by running and acting as conservatives. Political hackery, such as that used by and on behalf of Eric Massa, will not win many elections.
UPDATE: Assembly Minority Leaders John Faso and James Tedisco (Tedisco being the current one) line up as possible successors to Gillibrand's congressional seat (Plattsburgh Press-Republican) (Albany Times-Union)... as well as... former Rangers goalie Mike Richter??? (Glens Falls Post Star) 1/24

Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno indicted (Albany Times-Union)... 1/24

IT'S OFFICIAL: CLINTON IS NOW SECRETARY OF STATE AND OUT OF NEW YORK'S SENATE SEAT... CAROLINE KENNEDY HAS REMOVED HER NAME FROM CONSIDERATION AS HER REPLACEMENT... AS GOODELL WOULD SAY, DAVID PATERSON IS ON THE CLOCK.

Accusation: Paterson has already chosen Caroline Kennedy as Clinton's successor, in exchange for helping Bloomberg get a third term as mayor of New York... so says Carolyn Maloney, a would-be contender, along with two other (presumed to be NYC-based) anonymous candidate (New York Post)... 1/19 Other details: Cuomo was passed because he didn't trust the state legislature to provide an acceptable candidate to replace Cuomo. Why Brian Higgins' name has just vanished from discussion, after weeks of being the leading contender outside Kennedy and Cuomo, perplexes me. I'm thinking they don't even want an upstater in a statewide office.

Domo oregato, Spitzer Roboto: How did I miss this little piece of lunacy?! Former governor Spitzer suggests to Obama his idea for economic stimulus: robotics teams at EVERY HIGH SCHOOL? So says WENY...

The chickens can breathe easier: cockfighting ring in Dunkirk shut down (Jamestown Post Journal)... 1/17

She had it coming to her: Catharine Young loses senate agriculture chairmanship (Dunkirk Observer) and goes unhinged (Jamestown Post-Journal)... 1/17

In New York, it's pay to play, as Senate candidates fork over $5,000 in favors to Paterson's campaign (New York Daily News)... 1/17

Remember the Independence Party? Back when Tom Golisano ran it, before it turned into a political weathervane and a magnet for incumbents who got ousted in primaries? Well, Golisano's coming back, and this time he's bringing Michael Bloomberg with him (New York Post)... 1/17

The Senecas lay out their plans-- including calling on federal troops?! (Olean Times Herald), charging their own toll fees (which they said they wouldn't do directly on drivers) and burning crates just off the expressway!!! (Which, by the way, he calls "illegal and unlicensed.") Are these guys aiming for war?

BURN: Massa loses Transportation Committee seat, retains Agriculture Committee seat, and gets an Armed Services seat he never asked for (Olean Times Herald)... 1/14

OK, folks, here's the deal: I'm back up and running on a regular schedule now and so it will be easier for me to keep this site updated, so some regular features should return in the coming days.

Good news, bad news: Democrat Assemblyman proposes state workers go to a four-day work week (NY Times)... but the bad news: health care and education, the biggest money sappers of all, are exempt. The unions are demanding negotiations. I say no. 1/12

PATERSON'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS AND MORE
AP SYNOPSIS
GIGLIO'S REACTION - OTHER LOCALS...
FULLER'S COMMENT: Somebody ought to suggest NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's name to Paterson and the legislature, and have him demonstrate how he got the National Hockey League out of its hole. It's just what New York needs right now. Tom Golisano, as owner of the Sabres and a man with significant clout in New York politics on both sides of the aisle, would be a perfect man for the task. (BTW, Bettman's strategy: tie player salaries to revenue, starting with an immediate cut of 24% and limiting salary to 54% of total ticket sales and television contract revenue. To apply it to New York, apply that to all salaried state and school employees.)

The slow trickle: even accounting for inflation and population changes, property taxes increase overall in the state by 25% over 13 years, and upstate was particularly hard hit (Buffalo Business First)... 1/8

Another local Democrat recommends Stan Lundine for US Senate (Olean Times Herald)... 1/8

Where the Seneca's hearts are: the Catskills (Olean Times Herald)... 1/8

The end of an era: Salamanca Press ends publication as a daily paper, will begin once-a-week publication next week... 1/3

And so the spin begins: Paterson sends a spin doctor, the Health Commissioner, to Youtube to defend his proposed "fat tax." Yeah, it's not about the money. Just like the cigarette taxes, it's for the children. Riiight... (AP)... 12/30

Right now I'm working on compiling the best and worst news stories of 2008 in "The Year That Was 2008" which should be posted by New Year's Eve morning... SHOULD be the operative word. Obviously it didn't happen, and it won't happen tomorrow because of work.

Only in New York... or maybe Illinois: Latest gossip from the "who replaces Hillary" department is that Caroline Kennedy may have not done enough political favors for New York politicians to get Hillary Clinton's senate seat, with Sheldon Silver even trying to tie her to Michael Bloomberg! Gee, in Illinois, this'll get you a federal investigation-- ask Rod Blagojevich about that one-- but not in New York.

'TIS THE SEASON FOR... FLOODS? Not quite yet, but check river levels (Salamanca) (Olean) (Gowanda) (Falconer)... 12/25

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men on whom his favor rests."  He is born. Merry Christmas from Fullervision.

IT'S YULE LOG TIME... (even though channel 7 is ripping me off tomorrow morning) 12/24
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ETC.* FROM JERRY AND THE FAMILY... AND YES, IT'S A GRAY CHRISTMAS WITH ALL THE RAIN AND SO... NOT MY FAULT PEOPLE. BUT TOMORROW... REMEMBER THE REASON FOR THE SEASON, AND IF YOU DON'T, I'LL REMIND YOU, REST ASSURED.

WFV INTERNET RADIO SPECIAL:
Mannheim Steamroller's An American Christmas: 5-6pm & 11pm-1am Christmas Eve, 6am-12n Christmas Day on WHAM
Westwood One's Christmas Special: Christmas Around the Country with Tony Thomas, Christmas Eve 6-8pm on WUPY
Casey Kasem's American Top 40 Special: The Top 60 Christmas Songs of 2008 Radio, 9am-3pm Christmas Day on WTSS
NOTE: These are not programmed into WFV right now so you'll have to click the indvidual stations above to listen to the shows.

See also: NoradSanta.org -- NORAD tracks Santa Claus on his flight.

Remember that big hullabaloo about Time Warner Cable and channel 4 that left most of Western New York except Little Valley without CBS for a month back in October? Well, Little Valley's cable provider, Atlantic Broadband, is about to do the same, but don't worry: it appears we'll be getting the Erie CBS affiliate instead (WESB)... 12/22

WANTED... SOMEONE TO RUN AN ICE SKATING RINK: Sources tell Fullervision that Audrey Snow, the Little Valley village recreation director, has quit her position after not being allowed to hire an assistant to run the ice skating rink (that job, previously given to various people on an annual basis, was lumped into Snow's job description when she was hired)... village officials were spotted operating the rink this past Saturday afternoon as a stop-gap but there is currently nobody to run the rink permanently, particularly on evenings. Fullervision will have more details as they become available. (FV Exclusive) 12/18

Eric Massa is scared the Indians will hold up the 219 expansion if Paterson follows through on the tax deal, so he opposes it. He's also siding with the Seneca talking points, as he said in a visit to Little Valley yesterday (Olean Times Herald)... 12/18

Semi-pro football coming to Cattaraugus County in summer 2009, but don't cheer too loudly: the team went 0-10 last year (Olean Times Herald)... 12/18

Regarding the budget... I don't remember who said it, but someone put it best: nickel-and-diming this state to death and turning it into a "tax hell." The New York Post points out that there are 137 new revenue increases in the budget, including revoking the sales tax exemption on clothing (4%), revoking the cap on gasoline taxes (although at current prices, there will be no impact in most places), 4% taxes on digital downloads, 4% taxes on movies, 24 cents a gallon tax on beer, 4% taxes on cable and satellite TV, 4% taxes on haircuts, 18% taxes on non-diet soft drinks, 4% taxes on bus, rail and taxi rides, an extra 16 cents tax on cigars, and the end of the school tax rebate system. Surprisingly, his bottle bill proposal ISN'T part of the budget-- yet. And yet, in this time of fiscal crisis, David Paterson wants to increase welfare and decrease anti-fraud measures. In his twisted mind, he sees this as less taxes than an income tax increase. Let me put it this way: Sheldon Silver loves it and is even considering throwing on a broad-based tax on top of it. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS AFRAID OF WHEN THE DEMOCRATS WERE VOTED IN ON NOVEMBER 4.

Yes, I have comments on Rod Blagojevich's arrest on trying to sell the senate seat to be vacated by President-elect Obama, but I'm a little overwhelmed by everything, so give me a little time.

We're apparently buying a lot of stuff from Canada lately (Buffalo Business First)... 12/11

Well, we found out how much crap the city of Salamanca will put up with before they shut down the skate park (Salamanca Press)... 12/11

Woman found dead, man found drunk in Salamanca, both found by hunting party (WLEA) (Salamanca Press)... 12/11

THE DEAL IS OFF: "Gang of Three," Malcolm Smith break off deal, state senate is up for grabs again (AP)... 12/11

Yet another bill awaits the governor's signature to try and prevent tax free sales by the Indians (AP)... 12/11

Cuomo wants to eliminate your local government to help Long Island (Newsday)... 12/11
...while Thomas Suozzi wants to close your schools, regardless of how far away the next closest one is (Gannett)... 12/11

A "cow tax?" Let me put it this way, the environmentalists' latest plan to levy a $87.50 fee on beef cows and twice that ($175) for dairy is so far left, even Chuck Schumer is against it (Olean Times Herald) (Plattsburgh Press-Republican)... 12/10

Tragedy in Olean (Salamanca Press)... 12/9

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