WCDO Radio News

GENERAL CLINTON CANOE REGATTA 2014

Nearly 1000 paddlers participated in the 4 day General Clinton Canoe Regatta over the Memorial Day weekend:

(Listen to regatta audio in the General Clinton Canoe Regatta Audio Vault, located here) (http://wcdoradio.com/canoe-regatta-audio-vault.html)

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The world famous 70-mile endurance races from Cooperstown to Bainbridge were held yesterday, including the new 4-person category. Bruce Barton of Michigan told WCDO’s Craig Stevens about paddling with all those partners:

(Regatta news 2014 Bruce Barton)

Barton & his team beat the 2nd place finishers by over 14 minutes.   This year’s 1 man pro race was won by Canadian paddler Steve Lajoie, he talked about yesterday’s hot conditions:

(Regatta news 2014 Lajwa)

Lajoie also won the 2 person pro race 6 times with Michigan’s Andy Triebold, Triebold & his new partner Daniel Frigon placed 3rd in this year’s 2 person pro race.

Monday’s 70 mile pro race saw new 1st time winners Guillaume Blaise & Matthew Pellerin from Quebec win the $3300 1st prize, edging Matthew St. Pierre & Ryan Halstead of Michigan by just 1 second. The pair spoke with WCDO’s Craig Stevens at the finish line:

(Regatta News pro 1)

The pair was asked what it was like to beat 8-time regatta Champion Andy Triebold:

((Regatta News pro 2)

Paddlers from 28 state & 3 Canadian Provinces participated in this year’s General Clinton Canoe Regatta.

In the open stock aluminum class, brothers Bill & Brian Walley from Walton won their race by over 40 minutes, they spoke with WCDO’s Craig Stevens at the finish line:

(Regatta News 2014- Walley Brothers)

After finishing in 2nd place last year, Shawn & Todd Lefever took the 1st place trophy in the men’s competition cruising “Under 50 Years Of Age” category, they told Craig Stevens about the importance of winning in honor of their mother, long time regatta Chairperson Pam Lefever:

(Regatta news 2014 – Lefever Brothers)

After 8 consecutive 2-person pro wins, Andy Triebold came in 3rd place.

The Uncle/Nephew team of Fran & Mark Kopta from Sherman & Clymer New York raced in the men’s NYMCRA Stock Class & beat the 2nd place canoe by over 8 minutes. They spoke with WCDO’s Craig Stevens at the finish line:

(Regatta News 2014 Koptas)

1 man pro paddlers Mike Packard for Otego finished his 30th 70 miler & commented after the race:

(Regatta News 2014-Packard)

Over 300 paddlers attempted the 70-mile course yesterday.

General Clinton Canoe Regatta chairman John Harmon announced that the last day to get tickets for Hall of Fame dinner has been extended to May 15th, for the ceremony on May 24th:

(John Harmon 5-12-14)

Other inductees along with Dave Price & Ed Ray are Paddlers Gary Aprea, Willis Hackett, Jeff Kolka & Blaise St. Pierre.

State Police arrested 41-year-old Albert Schultes of Windsor for driving with a blood alcohol content of more than four times the legal limit. Schultes was charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, with a BAC result of .35.   Police said the arrest followed a motor vehicle accident investigation on Cresson Hill Road in Windsor; Schultes was arraigned in the Town of Windsor Court and remanded to the Broome County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail.

Yonkers Republican John Cahill announced his intentions to run for the state Attorney General position this year, against incumbent Democrat Eric Schneiderman. Cahill formerly served as a top aide to former Governor George Pataki, who joined Cahill at his press conference yesterday.

Governor Cuomo signed legislation that adds an additional 5 days to the period to gather signatures for designating petitions for the 2014 State and local primary elections. The extension takes into account the time for a Jewish festival, and helps ensure that all interested New Yorkers may participate in the State's political process. Extending the deadline moves the first day to sign up to May 29th, 42 days before the day to file candidate petitions.

US Senator Charles Schumer is pushing a plan in the Senate that would allow undergraduate borrowers, with outstanding student loan debt, to refinance at today’s lower rates. Schumer outlined the proposal at Hofstra University today. The Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 set the undergraduate student loan interest rate at 3.86 percent for the 2013-2014 school year. But he said borrowers who took out loans before 2013 are paying nearly 7 percent or higher. Schumer announced new legislation that will allow them to pay back their outstanding loans at the same rates as new borrowers

New York State a new scholarship program for those who seek degrees and jobs in a STEM field. The New York State STEM Incentive Program will pay the full, 4-year undergraduate tuition for high school seniors who graduate in the top 10% of their class, and enroll at any State University of New York college campus. Scholarship recipients will have to work in a STEM field, science, technology, engineering or math. Applications are due August 15th; more information is available at HESC.ny.gov.

State lawmakers are looking at whether to include electronic cigarettes in the state’s indoor public smoking ban. The Senate Health Committee is holding a hearing on the matter today. The panel will consider whether the existing ban on public indoor smoking should be applied to e-cigarettes, and review current regulations on liquid nicotine, which is used in the devices. The committee will take testimony from supporters and opponents of increased regulations

The Unatego Central School District will hold the annual school budget hearing tonight at 7pm at the school in Wells Bridge. The public is welcome

The Federal EPA has concluded that a draft report on the environmental impacts of the proposed Constitution Pipeline is “insufficient,” and that a potential option of locating the line along I- 88 has not been fully evaluated.  The EPA is calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the pipeline planners, the state DOT, the Federal Highway Administration and other agencies to meet to discuss the I-88 proposal, which does not have the necessary detailed environmental impact information.  Initial plans call for the pipeline to run along the I-88 corridor from Pennsylvania to Schoharie County with 4 “Taps” along the route, one of  those taps allow natural gas to come off the pipeline to the new Amphenol facility being built in Sidney.

Governor Cuomo said a state program designed to boost New York’s green energy industry has helped 64 businesses. The governor’s office said more than $2.2 million in job training grants have been awarded to the companies statewide. The grants are intended to pay for on-the-job training in renewable energy technology, home weatherization and other fields involving energy efficiency. More than $500,000 remains available. To apply go to nyserda.ny.gov

New York State’s private sector job count held steady at 7,539,300 in March, an all-time high for the month, according to the state Department of Labor. Over the 12-month period ending March 2014, the state’s private sector job count has risen by 108,200, or 1.5 percent. The state’s unemployment rate went up by 0.1% to 6.9% in March, due in part to the state’s growing labor force, which expanded by 22,900 between February and March, as more state residents had confidence about finding a job

The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce announced that they will hold their annual induction General Clinton Regatta induction ceremony & dinner, on Saturday may 24th at the general Clinton Park in Bainbridge.  This years inductees are local contributors Ed Ray and Dave Price and racers Blaise St. Pierre, Gary Aprea, Jeff Kolka  & the late Willis Hackett.  Tickets are available online at canoeregatta.org, at the Bainbridge branch of NBT Bank or at Bob’s Diner in Bainbridge.

Commerce Chenango announced that they will present the Distinguished Business of the Year Award to UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital, the Commitment to Community award to Ann Coe, and the Young Professional award to Elizabeth Monaco of United Way. The awards will be presented at Commerce Chenango’s 55th Annual Dinner, sponsored by NBT Bank, Preferred Mutual and Frontier, on April 30th at The Silo Restaurant in Greene.

Chobani announced that they will expand their product line beyond Greek yogurt this summer.  Starting in July, Chobani plans to offer Chobani Oats, which is yogurt mixed with fruit 7 oats; a dessert called Chobani Indulgent, and new flavors for children.  Chobani has grown quickly over the last few years since its simple beginnings in Edmeston, riding the surge of popularity of Greek Yogurt, they became the biggest US seller of yogurt in the last 2 years.