Ovid, Lodi Boards back court consolidation

FingerLakes1.com Local Network

The Towns of Ovid and Lodi have passed a joint resolution to consolidate their two town courts into a single position.

The resolution follows a study conducted by representatives of both towns. Town Supervisor Walt Prouty and Town Attorney Steven Getman represented Ovid.

The resolution will now be forwarded to the New York State legislature for final approval.

The complete study supporting the court consolidation is available here.

Seneca Lake Scenic Byway Plans Move Forward

Highlighting Route 414′s natural beauty; committee awaits byway designation:

The coming designation of State Route 414 from Lodi in Seneca County through the Town of Hector to the Watkins Glen village boundary as a Scenic Byway “will help provide much wider recognition of the scenic, recreational and historic assets along the east side of Seneca Lake, the Seneca Lake Scenic Byways Inc.,” contends in one of its early flyers urging byway designation.

The six member byway committee, a non-profit group, agrees the proposed byway “will help preserve and highlight the natural beauty we all enjoy, while enhancing the area’s appeal to tourists and boosting the local economy.”

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Making up the Seneca Lake Scenic Byway Inc. board are Barry O’Neill, Bruce Adams, Attorney Steve Getman, Vicki Kelly, George Kellogg and Chris Kimball-Peterson.

Study: 13 million Facebook users aren't protecting their privacy

According to a new study by Consumer Reports, approximately 13 million Facebook users in the United States either ignore, don’t know how to use, or aren't aware of Facebook’s privacy settings.

Furthermore, the study notes, many popular apps collect and expose personal data to developers and people outside of a user's social group.

As a result, these users are exposing themselves to potential scams. Still other users were denied insurance benefits or turned down for jobs or college admissions because of information publicly available through the social network.

The magazine lists varying ways to protect your privacy on Facebook by adjusting privacy settings.

Consumer Reports also reminds people to "assume anything you do on Facebook can be seen by all of your friends, your mom, your great-great-grandchildren, your employer, health insurer, and the government.”

Court of Appeals Issues New Decisions

New York State’s highest court has issued a number of decisions this week on civil and criminal law.

The cases cover a number of issues, including:

• the doctrine of equitable estoppel in child support/paternity cases;
• sufficiency of evidence in a case of manslaughter in the first degree;
• the application of the workers’ compensation cap when an employee has received several awards for different injuries;
• the sentencing ranges courts must adhere to when imposing a determinate sentence of imprisonment on a first time felony offender.

The decisions are available to the public and can be found at the court’s website.

New York’s Second Operation Hang Up Campaign Targets Cell Phone Use While Driving

The New York State Police are conducting a second Operation Hang Up enhanced enforcement campaign.

The campaign targets motorists that use their cell phone and other electronic devices while driving.

The first Operation Hang Up campaign took place over the 2011 Thanksgiving Holiday. State Police ticketed more than 800 drivers during that time period.

This latest enforcement campaign begins today (Monday, April 23, 2012) and continues through Sunday (April 29, 2012).

In 2011, the state Department of Motor Vehicles increased penalties for using cell phones while driving. Violations are now subject to two ‘points’ on a driver's license. Those points can increase a driver’s insurance rates, much like a speeding ticket or auto accident.”

With increased penalties and stepped-up enforcement, motorists who receive a ticket for using a cell phone should consider consulting an attorney to discuss their legal rights before pleading guilty.

Upstate New York Village Latest to Ban Puppy Mills

Seneca Daily News:

The Village of Interlaken is the latest community in upstate New York to ban so-called “puppy mills.”

The law prohibits the construction or operation of any new commercial pet breeder or large-scale kennel facility and halts the expansion of any existing facilities....

[D]ogs rescued from puppy mills often exhibit health and behavioral problems including severe malnutrition and injuries from living an entire life on wire mesh flooring....

The law was drafted by local attorney Steven Getman. It was passed following a public hearing in February and a review by the Seneca County Planning Board.

1.5 Million Credit Card Numbers Stolen

Details here:

The computer systems of a major credit card payment processing company called Global Payments have been hacked, reportedly compromising information on up to 1.5 million credit card account numbers.