City to collect green waste
The city of Oneonta public service department will conduct its annual spring clean-up starting today, collecting green waste, including grass clippings, leaves, branches and twigs at curbside.
Starting at 7:30 a.m. today and continuing through Friday, pickup will take place in wards 1 through 4. Pickup will continue on the same schedule on wards 5 through 8 starting May 19 and continuing through May 23.
Leaves, grass clippings and similar small green waste must be in brown biodegradable bags. No plastic bags will be picked up. Branches and leaves may be piled at the curb. No lumber or household items will be collected.
City residents may also bring green waste to 76 Silas Lane. Regular hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. weekdays, but the site will also be open from 9 a.m. to noon May 10 and 17.
For more information, call the department of public service at 432-2100.
Pet owners get rules reminder
ONEONTA _ With the advent of warm weather and more Oneonta residents walking their dogs, city officials are reminding people about municipal animal regulations.
Chapter 68 of the city code sets the following restrictions:
Dogs are not allowed to run at large.
Dogs off of an owner's premises must be on a leash of not more than 6 feet.
No dog shall be allowed to engage in habitual barking, howling or crying.
Dog feces must be picked up and placed into a container for later disposal when dogs are walked. The feces is not to be placed in sewers or drains.
No un-neutered or un-spayed cat is allowed to be at large. A violation is cause for impoundment of the cat by the city's animal control officer.
Ferrets are not allowed to be at large within the city.
The keeping of bees, poultry, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, the fowl, pigs, pot-bellied pigs, horses, cows, goats or any other animals or reptiles is not allowed.
Those with questions about city animal regulations may call the city clerk's office at 432-6450.
Bedroom fire contained
WORCESTER _ Firefighters from three departments were able to contain a blaze Sunday at a county Route 39 home.
Worcester Chief James Empie said the fire struck an upstairs bedroom at 909 County Route 39 at about 1 p.m.
Empie did not have the names of the homeowner or the occupants when he was contacted at home Sunday night.
The bedroom suffered fire damage and there was some minor damage in areas of the house around the bedroom, Empie said.
An occupant of the home was able to use a garden hose on the fire to help keep back the flames, he said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Empie said.
Between 30 and 35 firefighters from the Worcester, East Worcester and Schenevus fire departments were on the scene, he said.
Green scientist lectures today
ONEONTA _ Pedro Leon Azofeifa, scientific adviser to Costa Rica President Oscar Arias Sanchez, will lecture in the Anderson Center for the Arts Theatre on the Hartwick College campus at 7:30 p.m. today.
Leon will discuss the implementation of Costa Rica's "Paz con la Naturaleza" ("Peace with Nature") initiative and how it aims to make the country carbon-neutral within 13 years, presenters said. He also will speak about the complications and opportunities of dealing with environmental problems in an economically poor, but socially progressive, country, presenters said.
Leon is a professor of biology at the School of Medicine, University of Costa Rica. He also is co-founder of the school's Cell and Molecular Biology Center. His work focuses on human genetic illnesses, particularly deafness and other neurological disorders with a genetic basis.
Leon also is a founding member of the Costa Rica Academy of Sciences. and is the first Costa Rican scientist to be elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
Among other activities, Leon was involved in the creation of the National Park Foundation, which he headed for six years after its founding in 1979.
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