Among the highlights of the
Village of Little Valley Board meeting on May 22 from 7:00-8:30 PM:
- Trustee Annette Andrew asked village clerk Peggy Root for receipts
regarding various bills paid to a Sam's Club; Root obliged.
- A group of about four village residents (Bruce Kuhaneck, Jean
Kuhaneck, Darrell Mosher and Town Justice Joe Dry) entered into a
heated discussion regarding a dilapidated property on 4th St. The
residents believe that the building is a health hazard and that the
situation should be taken care of as soon as humanly possible. Marsh
insisted that due process be taken and that the village take care of
the investigating themselves. Ann Haulings also addressed the board on
a similar but separate issue.
- This was the last meeting in which Robert Milks served as Public
Works Superintendent; he was absent. His term expires June 6, when he
will be replaced by Dave Reynolds. Contract for the treasurer was
renewed.
- End of fiscal year negotiations took place; Audrey Snow was given a
contract and Peggy Root was extended. (5/22)
Notes from my meeting with Rep. Randy Kuhl 5/31
I was among four people to
attend the meeting with Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-29NY) to discuss various
items pertaining to federal policy.
- Virginia Banner asked about Medicare Part D. Kuhl explained that the
process is going well and that competition is helping keep prices down.
He also said that New York's EPIC program is better than Medicare D in
most cases. She also inquired about federal response to gas prices;
Kuhl stated that they have implemented energy incentives. Kuhl has said
that he is open to ethanol production although he believes the future
of fuel is in hydrogen.
- Jerry Titus, of the town board, discussed the issues pertaining to
the Seneca Nation of Indians. Titus voiced his opposition to the land
claims being given to various Indian nations across the country,
including a port in Seattle. He went on record opposing the Native
Hawaii proposition (which I found a bit unusual). Then Titus discussed
the Senecas and the Interstates. Both Titus and I explained to Kuhl
that there is a significant federal interest in this situation given
the interstate highways' importance as corridors in the area, and that
the federal government should keep its eyes on Maurice John because he
has a history of defying authority.
- Mayor Norman Marsh came to address the issue of outsourcing, in the
context of Bush Industries. Marsh stated that he was in favor of
imposing tariffs on China to level the playing field. Kuhl was leery of
the idea and said he was more in favor of free trade agreements, such
as CAFTA, which he cast the deciding vote for in its passing. Kuhl
believed that free trade was the fairest trade available, although he
would consider tariffs since China was very manipulative when handling
the markets.
- Finally, I left a note for Kuhl in opposition to the "comprehensive
immigration reform" bill currently in the House. (5/31)
FALL TV WATCH
This isn't the spot where I
list the new shows the networks debuted. It's a spot where I list all
the shows that were kept and cancelled.
NBC (2007-08 schedule released 5/14):
Cancelled: Studio 60 (big flop, was too much like 30 Rock, which
stayed), 20 Good Years (no surprise), Kidnapped, Crossing Jordan (I
guess it just wore out-- the only long-running series to be cancelled).
Kept: Heroes, 1 vs. 100, Deal or No Deal, Friday Night Lights.
Review: Despite their 4th place finish, NBC is starting to rebuild
around some solid franchises. While the sitcom is going out of style,
the game show is making a comeback.
---
ABC (Schedule released 5/15): Wow. I don't even recognize this
schedule. All of its sitcoms are gone, including the longstanding
"According to Jim" and "George Lopez." Also gone are What About Brian,
Six Degrees and The Nine (as well as the last's replacement, Day
Break). Brothers and Sisters, Ugly Betty, and Men in Trees will
return.
Review: Wow, talk about carnage. While ABC seems to be structuring
around some of their bigger hits, very few of this past season's new
shows made it a full season. The lack of sitcoms is eerily reminiscent
of the "rural purge" of 1971 CBS fame. It's not looking good for the
increasingly top-heavy Alphabet Network.
---
CBS: (Schedule released 5/16): Cancelled were The Class (I saw this one
coming, but apparently the ga-ga press didn't; it wasn't that good),
Jericho, and Close to Home. King of Queens has left on its own accord.
Kept were Rules of Engagement, New Adventures of Old Christine (will
return midseason), and Shark.
Review: By far the most stable of the networks thus far, CBS appears to
be very comfortable at #1. It has introduced very few new shows and has
kept most of their old ones.
FOX (released 5/17): I really don't watch Fox all that much (course of
habit - I grew up with 2 4 and 7, and that was it), but they too look
very comfortable with their current lineup. They kept "Are You Smarter
than a 5th Grader?" and "'Til Death" while dropping "The War at Home"
(that show SUCKED). Drive, Happy Hour, Vanished, Justice, and The Rich
List all were cancelled. The OC was cancelled but was allowed a series
finale.
Review: Fox is banking on its current slate of generally established
programming. Interestingly enough, they're breaking the three-hour
sitcom block on Sunday night and instead airing a Terminator spinoff in
the 9:00 slot.
CW (released 5/17): CW seems to be overhauling its Sunday lineup after
the departure of WB/CW mainstay 7th Heaven. CW is suffering from the
loss of several long-running dramas: Heaven, Gilmore Girls, also a WB
staple, and Veronica Mars, a UPN fixture. Not having debuted many shows
last year due to the merger, CW only had one new cancellation (Runaway)
and one new Keep (The Game). Also cancelled were All of Us and Reba.
We knew it was a matter of
time. The Seneca Nation, complaining it didn't get enough special
treatment, has declared I-86 a property of its own as if they have a
right to just say it's theirs after they give it up. They say they can
do this because the state didn't give them enough perks. Classy. You
want goods but don't want to pay for them with TAXES!
Also, they're threatening to hold up Route 219. (So what? They'll just
steer it around and route it through Olean or Jamestown instead.)
5/3 SEMI-UPDATE:
Andrew
Cuomo: War on Internet sales continues by attacking middleman (WESB)
Andrew Cuomo continued the work of his predecessor by "negotiating" a
deal with another electronic processor to refuse service to patrons who
purchase from Internet cigarette vendors. The move deliberately
targeted Seneca retailers in Salamanca.
(As you can probably infer, I've never been a fan of the Senecas and
their tactics. However, this is a tactic with which I have never
agreed. The State of New York has no business investigating what
clients and businesses you choose to patronize. --Myrle)
Seneca Nation leaders voted
yesterday to rescind their 1954 agreement to allow the New York State
Thruway to pass through the Seneca Nation. (Thoughts: 1. No wonder they
call them "Indian givers." 2. It's too late to rescind now, the
thruway's already built. 3. This looks like they're taking the legal
recourse to set up their tire fires again. 4. The Interstate Highway
System is not New York property; it's federal property. 5. (and most
notable) If they can rescind their thruway agreement, why doesn't New
York State rescind their tax exemption treaties? --Myrle) (4/19) MORE:
Sharon Turano, Dunkirk Observer MORE:
Tom Precious, Buffalo News WIVB
- WKBW
- WJET
Fullervision
2007 Story Archive