May 03, 2008 04:00 am It seems like everyone is talking about housing these days. Sometimes the conversation is about affordable housing, other times it is about senior housing. All three potential developers of the former Bresee's complex pitched their services to the community this week and discussed housing. Two of these developers said it was a key part of their plans, while the third appeared to be keeping its options open. Some people in the audience winced when one of the developers said affordable housing could be a possibility for the former Bresee's if that is what the community wanted. No one mentioned student housing as a possibility for downtown's largest vacant space. But competition from students for apartments and rental homes has long been identified as one of the major factors for what officials said is a housing crunch. ___ While writing several stories on housing, tourism and business issues for a special Daily Star publication coming out later this month, there were two things nearly all of my sources talked about _ the high cost of fuel and the economy. The big question is what will be the impact of $4-a-gallon (or higher) gasoline on the tourists and regional residents who visit downtown or shop at Southside. People may opt to eat out less, said Rob Robinson, Otsego County Chamber president and chief executive officer. They also may choose to make fewer trips to Southside, he said. ___ A Mali man who runs a private school visited Oneonta last month to thank area residents who have given donations to the institution. While in Oneonta, Youchaou Traore met with area educators to talk shop. One of the differences between Mali and the United States in terms of education, he said, is that most teachers use a single book for the entire year as their source for teaching material. The curriculum in these books dates to 1960, he said. "I'm working hard on this," Traore said. Traore's school educates about 250 people in Bamako, the capital of Mali in West Africa. Traore also said he visits classrooms every day to keep tabs on the students' progress. ___ Last year's appointment of Pete Grannis by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer to head the Department of Environmental Conservation was met by more than a little skepticism by upstate New York hunters. A former Democratic assemblyman from Manhattan with a history of environmental activism, Grannis drew the ire of many hunters, anglers and gun owners because of his voting record. More than 6,000, including many from the Otsego County area, signed a petition opposing his nomination. I haven't heard much lately about these concerns, but I have noticed the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov has been a more active place. In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, the DEC announced a new contest for public schools. The Green School Challenge is designed to bolster recycling in schools across the state. The competition will be open to any elementary, middle/junior high, and high school that is in compliance with local recycling laws. Prizes will be awarded in several categories and winners will be announced on Earth Day 2009. The year-long competition will involve recycling, using recycled products, reducing waste, water and energy conservation and composting programs. Although it hasn't been released yet exactly how the awards will work, the DEC's webpage for the contest _ www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8803.html _ has further information. ___ Staff Writer Jake Palmateer covers Oneonta government and police and fire departments.
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