State Appellate Court to hold session at Cornell

The New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division will be hearing oral arguments in Cornell Law School’s Moot Court Room from 9:30 am to noon on Thursday, October 22.

Arguments are open to the public.

Following adjournment, the justices attending will hold a short question and answer period regarding the proceedings.

Summaries of the cases to be argued have been provided by the court for informational purposes. They include cases of potential local interest to Finger Lakes residents.

For more information, click here.

5th National Animal Cruelty Prosecution Conference

The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) in partnership with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) presents the 5th National Animal Cruelty Prosecution Conference taking place on

November 4-6, 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA.

This conference, hosted at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, will bring together prosecutors, investigators, veterinarians and related professionals in the criminal justice and animal welfare field, to enhance their efforts in combating animal cruelty and related violent crimes.

There is no registration fee for this conference.

For more information, click here.

Results of "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" Labor Day Crackdown

New York State Police arrested 769 individuals for driving while intoxicated during the 20-day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown on impaired driving.

During this crackdown, State Police and local law enforcement agencies targeted not only drunk or impaired motorists, but also drivers who were distracted, speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and not abiding by the “move over” law.

State Police report that of the 769 DWI arrests between the August 21 to September 7 enforcement period, more than 219 occurred during Labor Day weekend alone. During the same period last year, 663 people were arrested for DWI.

During the campaign, Troopers also issued 47,359 tickets, up from more than 46,500 in 2014: 18,660 for speeding, 1,613 for distracted driving, 2,522 for child restraint and seatbelt violations, and 556 for failing to “move over.” Additionally, state police investigated 2,973 crashes during the 20-day period, compared to 2,940 last year. Of these crashes, 857 people were injured, and 25 people were killed.

For more on this program, click here.

School’s Open, Drive Carefully

AAA’s annual “School’s Open—Drive Carefully” campaign alerts motorists to the special risks to school-age children from motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death for children from five to fourteen years old. This year, the campaign begins September 2, 2015 and runs through October 14.

With our schools reopening, children will be boarding buses and walking to and from school. All motorists should drive carefully and be especially aware of school speed zones, school bus traffic, and children walking. Drivers should be particularly alert for children darting out between parked cars on busy streets.

Motorists will receive an additional reminder each time they see one of the “School’s Open” bumper stickers on official vehicles, school buses and passenger cars.

For more information on AAA's "School's Open, Drive Carefully" program, click here.

Calling all superheroes to the CASA fun run

The Third Annual CASA Superhero 5K and 1K Fun Run is coming to Watkins Glen High School on Sunday, September 20.

Register by September 5 to save $5 on your entry and guarantee a free T-SHIRT for 12 and over, or a CAPE for all kids under 12. Teams are welcome.

Race Day Schedule of Events:
8:00 am Registration / Number Pick-Up
9:00 am 5K Race Start
9:45 am 1K Fun Run

Awards will follow immediately after the 1K Fun Run

If you are looking for an opportunity to do even more, take the Superhero Challenge: All Superheroes raising $100 or more get free entry. And all Superheroes or Superhero Teams that raise over $500 will be inducted into the CASA of the Southern Tier Justice League Hall of Fame on Race Day. Set up you sponsor page here to get started!

All proceeds from the race stay local for the advocacy of abused and neglected children in Schuyler, Chemung, and Steuben Family Court.

For information, click here.

'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign starts

In an attempt to reduce deaths and injuries due to drunk driving, New York State officials have announced an end-of-summer crackdown on impaired driving.

The initiative, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” is a joint effort of the New York State Police and local law enforcement.

The campaign starts today and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 7

Ovid Interviews Comprehensive Plan Consultants

Finger Lakes Community Newspapers:

The June 10, 2015, meeting of the Town of Ovid board was opened by supervisor Walter Prouty...

Councilman Brian Flood inquired about the status of the search for a consultant for the town’s anticipated Comprehensive Plan for land management. Town attorney Steven Getman said he had a couple of responses. When the successful candidates have been chosen there needs to be an interview at which specific questions are asked, as suggested by Councilman John Hubbard.

Getman said, “My recollection is that the Planning Board and the Town Board members were to submit questions to me so I can have a chance to look at them ahead of time and make sure all areas are covered.”

Once he comes up with an approved list of questions, each boards’ members will be assigned questions to be asked of each candidate to put all on the same playing field. It was decided that the candidates will be given up to 10 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes to answer questions.

Getman felt that the sooner he gets the questions from the boards, the easier it will be to get the questions on the short list.

New York Attorney Discipline Commission to Hold Public Hearings

New York State’s Commission on Statewide Attorney Discipline is conducting "a comprehensive review of the state's attorney disciplinary system to determine what is working well and what can work better,

and offer recommendations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of New York's attorney discipline process."

The Commission is conducting three public hearings this summer: July 28 in Albany; August 4 in Buffalo; and August 11 in Manhattan.

More information, including how to request an invitation to present oral testimony and the process for submitting written testimony, is available here.

“Big legal burden” about to hit small businesses

Washington Post:

American consumers are beginning to receive in the mail new credit cards that add a security chip to the traditional magnetic strip that processes their payments. The hope is the new cards cut down on credit card fraud but many small businesses do not appear ready for the change….

Businesses will need to install new card readers (by October 1) to process the information on the chips. Those that do not have the new technology in place by then will be on the hook for any security lapses or fraudulent transactions, instead of payment-processing firms.

[M]ore than 28 percent of small business owners who process payment cards are not even aware of the new technology or how it affects their business.

Grants Available for Local Drinking Water and Wastewater Improvements

The New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement Act provides $200 million in grant funding over three fiscal years, with $50 million in the first year and $75 million each year for the last two years.

This year, $30 million will be available for wastewater infrastructure projects and $20 million will be available for drinking water projects, which will be administered by the state Environmental Facilities Corporation, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Health.

Applicants seeking grant funding for wastewater projects are eligible to receive grants of either 25 percent of eligible project costs or $5 million, whichever is less.

Applications for both wastewater and drinking water projects are now available and due by September 4, 2015. More information on the grant program and applications is available here.