ALBANY—Rate increases go into effect July 1 for Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation customers.
The state Public Service Commission established a rate plan that increases annual electric and gas service delivery rates by $38 million and $13.6 million, respectively, for Central Hudson.
Customers will also see an additional temporary surcharge on their bills to recover an increase in state-mandated assessments.
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HUDSON–Warren Powell appeared unaffected by the sentence of 25 years-to-life in state prison imposed on him in Columbia County Court June 16 for the brutal murder of his wife and unborn child.
Mr. Powell, now 38, was convicted April 17 of second degree murder in the October 1, 1994 slaying of his wife, Mary Ann (Tasick) Powell, then 21. She was six-months pregnant at the time of her death.
The couple lived in Halfmoon, Saratoga County, at the time of the murder. Her decomposed body was discovered in the Hudson River May 25, 1996 by campers hiking near Gay’s point in Stockport. A thick rope was wound through her mouth and around her neck and she was stuffed in a hockey bag weighed down with rocks.
HUDSON—The Columbia County Board of Supervisors wants to lease the St. Charles Hotel as an “enhanced satellite office” for the county Department of Social Services and an emergency housing facility. But the idea has drawn only scorn from the mayor.
The concept of a satellite office was proposed several months ago by board Chairman Art Baer (R-Hillsdale) in response to protests from city residents, officials and others opposed to the plan to move the Department of Social Services (DSS) to the old Ockawamick School building in Claverack, six miles outside the city. A press release issued Monday, June 15, from the department announcing the proposal for the St. Charles also said that using the hotel for emergency housing would save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars compared to the present system, which relies on paying to house people in motels around the county and in Greene County.
Mayor Richard Scalera, who said he learned of the proposal a little over an hour before it was released to the public, called it a mind-boggling example of “planning on the go,” with no input from city officials. County officials say leasing the building would benefit the city.
KINDERHOOK–Cheryl Trefzger, the co-chair of the Booster Club’s Football Committee, said that her group has been talking about starting a football team at Ichabod Crane school for at least 5 years and that she thinks the discussion goes back 25 years. Ms. Trefzger and her group, co-chaired with Mike Smith, have been raising money for two years to fund a pilot program in the district. The junior varsity is already up and running and the varsity team will start this fall.
The Booster Club will be raising money throughout the year, starting at the team’s first home game on September 4, to fund the program through the 2010 season. After that the school board will have to appropriate the funds to continue the team into the 2011-2012 budget.
NEW LEBANON–The town Zoning Board of Appeals has called on town officials to enforce regulations that prohibit camping on the site of the Lebanon Valley Speedway until Speedway owner Howard Commander obtains the required permit for a campsite.
The request for enforcement came in a letter dated June 3 from ZBA Chairman John Dax to town Zoning Enforcement Officer Stan Koloski and members of the Town Board. That was the day after a ZBA meeting at which Mr. Commander, representing Lebanon Valley Auto Racing (LVAR), appeared before the zoning board without the information called for on the application for a campground permit.