Published: June 23, 2008 07:39 am      

area news roundup

Forum on gas drilling set

WALTON _ Catskill Mountainkeeper will host a public educational forum on gas drilling in the Catskills at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Walton Theatre.

The forum will bring together regional and national experts to address the impacts of drilling on the environment, how gas leases should be written to protect the interests of property owners, and what regulations and land use approaches are either in place already, or are possible, organizers said.

The purpose of this educational forum is to cover a wide range of issues and offer case examples.

Wes Gillingham, program director of Catskill Mountainkeeper, said ``if wells are to be a part of the Catskill environment, the concern is to make sure they are done in the least invasive way."

The panel will be available to answer the questions arising over gas drilling, for landowners, municipal officials and concerned citizens.

For more information, call (845) 482-5400 or visit www.catskillmountainkeeper.org.

Stores pass underage test

ONEONTA _ State police at Oneonta conducted a sweep of more than a dozen area convenience stores Wednesday to check for sales of alcoholic beverages to an underage agent.

The agent was unsuccessful in buying alcohol at all of the stores, which included:

Mirabito Quickway on state Route 23, West Oneonta; Valero on state Route 23 and Oneida Street, Oneonta; Hess on state Route 23 and Oneida Street, Oneonta; Red Apple KwikFill on Chestnut Street, Oneonta; Hess Express on Main Street, Oneonta; Pyramid Liquors on Main Street, Oneonta; Quickway Mobil on state Route 7, Oneonta; Taylor Mini Mart-Mobil on state Route 28, Milford.

Also, Quickway Citgo on state Route 7, Schenevus; NAPA Citgo on state Route 7, Worcester; Stewarts on Main Street, Worcester; Sunoco, The Center on Main Street, Worcester; Quickway Citgo on state Route 23, Davenport; Mirabito Quickway on state Route 23, Oneonta; Hess Mart on state Route 23, Southside Oneonta; and Quickway Citgo on state Route 23, Southside Oneonta.

Arcuri rep sets hours

COOPERSTOWN _ The congressional office of Rep. Michael A. Arcuri, D-Utica, will hold mobile office hours from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the village offices in Cooperstown.

Bob Messinger, Arcuri's caseworker and field representative, will be available to assist constituents on issues they may have with the federal government.

Constituents are encouraged to call 756-2470 to make an appointment.

Dairy forum slated today

Ag and Markets Commissioner Patrick Hooker will host a public dairy forum in Syracuse today to gain perspective from members of the dairy industry on milk marketing issues.

The forum will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse at the Martha Eddy Room in the McNeil Art and Home Center.

The Forum is open to the public and will be an open mike format. Anyone interested in participating will have five minutes to present their opinions and must also provide their comments in written form.

Comments are expected to focus on the following milk-marketing issues: milk price volatility; changes to the federal milk marketing order; the New York State Rogers-Allen Act; milk hauling; member-controlled cooperatives; milk producer financial security; and milk labeling.