WCDO Radio News

President Barack Obama will travel through New York and Pennsylvania today and tomorrow on a two-day bus tour to talk about affordable higher education for the middle class. Today the President will deliver remarks at the University at Buffalo, and Henninger High School in Syracuse. Tomorrow on Friday, the President will participate in a town hall event at Binghamton University, and will deliver remarks at an event at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, the Department of Agriculture and Markets in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Conservation is launching the Dairy Acceleration Program (DAP) and making available $1 million in funding to help dairy farmers develop individualized business and environmental plans. To be eligible for DAP a dairy cattle farm must have complete financial records. Preference will be given to farms with under 300 cows. DAP funding will cover 80 percent of a project’s cost. Payments may include: up to $5,000 per farm to write a business plan or develop a combination of a business and facility growth plan; and up to $4,500 to update an existing Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) or $6,000 to develop a new one. Other legislation recently approved by the governor supports farmers in their efforts to reduce their energy bills with the installation of clean energy projects such as solar and fuel cells. Specifically, legislation approved by Governor Cuomo increases from 25 kilowatts to 100 kilowatts the maximum electricity generation for the solar electric systems eligible for net metering without the need to move them to a commercial meter.

Gov. Cuomo will greet President Obama in Buffalo on Thursday as the president kicks off a two-day tour through New York and Pennsylvania to talk about jobs and the middle class. Cuomo will send Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy to the New York State Fair on Thursday, the first day of the fair. Cuomo said he will also visit the fair later during its 12-day run. Traditionally, the governor opens the fair on the first day, which is also known as "Governor's Day." Gov. Cuomo will avoid a potentially dicey political conflict by not joining President Obama to other parts of upstate New York roiled over the state's ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Obama supports the technology. Parts of central New York and the Southern Tier are on the gas-rich Marcellus Shale formation, where energy companies want to drill. Obama's two-day bus tour will begin Thursday and hit the University at Buffalo, followed by stops in Syracuse, Binghamton and northeastern Pennsylvania. The governor has postponed a decision on whether to allow fracking in New York. Cuomo says he's waiting for a study by state health department.

The state Senate Finance Committee have scheduled five statewide public hearings on how New York’s tax policies can be changed to reduce the burden on taxpayers and to help businesses create more jobs. Public hearings are scheduled for Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Mineola and New York City. The Business Council of New York State; National Federation of Independent Business; Unshackle Upstate; the State Economic Development Council; The Tax Foundation and New York Farm Bureau will participate.

The Otsego County Conservation Association is seeking nominations for it's annual "Conservationist of the Year" award. The award is given to individuals, organizations or businesses that have made a positive difference in environmental protection, preservation or education in Otsego County. Nominations must be submitted by October 4th. To obtain a nomination form, call 547-4488 or email admin@occa info dot org.

President Barack Obama will visit Binghamton University Friday, Aug. 23, as part of an upstate swing to talk about affordable higher education for the middle class.  On Thursday August 22 and Friday August 23, the President will travel through New York and Pennsylvania on a two-day bus tour.  On Thursday, the President will deliver remarks at the University at Buffalo, and Henninger High School in Syracuse.  On Friday, the President will participate in a town hall event at Binghamton University, and will deliver remarks at an event at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that President Barack Obama's two-day bus tour will stop in Binghamton, along with Buffalo, Syracuse and a stop in northeastern Pennsylvania.  According to a White House official, the president will be traveling through New York and Pennsylvania Thursday, Aug. 22 and Friday, Aug. 23

President Barack Obama is expected to make a trip to the upstate region on August 22nd & 23rd on a bus tour through New York and Pennsylvania. The trip may include visits to Binghamton, Syracuse and Buffalo, & Scranton.  President Obama has visited the Albany area 3 times since he was elected, a visit to Binghamton would be the first presidential visit there since Bill Clinton visited in 2000.