Week in review

The announcement came after negotiations with the state worker's union failed to meet either side's requirements, with the union unable to provide a counter proposal. The layoffs, which would only affect agencies directly overseen by the governor's office, are the largest and most wide-spread of their kind since the late 1990's.

Officials have stated that unions will still have the opportunity to renegotiate before the budget is finalized and possibly avoid the layoffs if certain concessions can be made.

Layoffs are expected to begin as early as July 1, and would save the state an estimated $481 million over a two year time span. According to the latest projections, the coming budget will be operating at a $16 billon deficit.

Schuylerville School District names new
superintendent

The Schuylerville Central School Board of Education has picked Ryan Sherman to replace Leon Reed, who is retiring, as the new superintendent of Schuyler-ville school system.
Sherman, who has been the superintendent of Argyle Central Schools since 2004, was previously a principal at Argyle Junior-Senior High School. He is currently negotiating a contract with the Schylerville Central Schools.

Reed is retiring after serving as superintendent of the school district for 18 years.

Four charged in
gang-related stabbing

Ballston Spa Village Police arrested four individuals on Friday, March 20 in connection with a Tuesday, March 17 stabbing that occurred in the village.

Timothy Paul Sims, 18, Linda Sims, 16, and Efrain Melendez, 20, of 103 East High St., and Kyle J. Kilburn, 20, of 124 Milton Ave., were all charged with first-degree felony gang assault.
Police said that the four engaged in an altercation with Christopher Sicard who suffered minor injuries after Timothy Sims slashed him in the lower region of his face. Police also said that there were more suspects involved in the incident and they expect to make more arrests.

President Obama
endorses Murphy

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is not the only high-ranking United States official who has endorsed Scott Murphy in recent weeks as President Barack Obama has now given the 20th Congressional District candidate his support as well.

In a letter from President Obama to Murphy's spokesman Ryan Rudominer, he said that Murphy had the kind of experience and background Washington desperately needs right now.

"He's created jobs by building and growing small businesses while bringing people together to address difficult challenges. He supports the economic re-covery plan we've put in place, and I know we can count on him as an ally for change," Obama said in the letter.

In the letter, Obama added that he would need Murphy's help to pass his budget
"I'm writing to you now because you have the opportunity to make a big impact on my efforts to bring about a lasting economic recovery," Obama wrote.

Obama added that while he will need his support in the future it was Murphy who needed his support to ensure his election.

"On Tuesday, March 31 - just one week away - voters will have the chance to send Scott to Congress, where we'll work together to get our economy moving in the right direction," Obama wrote.

Murphy is currently in a heated battle against local Assemblyman Jim Tedisco to fill Kirsten Gillibrand's vacant 20th Congressional District seat. A special election to determine the winner will be held on March 31.

Sundwall taken off
congressional ballot

The State Board of Elections has announced that Libertarian Eric Sundwall has been officially removed from the ballot in Tuesday's special election after its commissioners voted to accept a report from board staff hearing officers that invalidated more than 3,500 signatures that he had submitted to the board to be eligible for the ballet.

Sundwall, of Niverville, is the chairman of the state's Libertarian party. He had previously submitted a petition to the board of elections with close to 6,000 signatures. The Board of Elections, however, declared that 3,786 of the signatures were invalid. That left him with 2,944 valid signatures. The petitioner needs 3,500 signatures to be eligible for the ballot.

Sundwall was also de-nied a spot on the ballot in 2006 when the Board of Elections in-validated enough of the signatures on the petition to deny them a spot on the ballot.

Paterson's numbers
continue to drop

A new Siena College poll shows that New York Gov. David Paterson's approval ratings
continue to dip during his second term in office.

The poll found that 29 percent of Democrats were in favor of Paterson's work thus far, while
58 percent of Democrats disapproved.

The poll also showed that 78 percent of New Yorkers have a negative view of the governor and only 14 percent would vote for him in 2010. Republican Rudy Giuliani and Democrat Andrew Cuomo have expressed interest in running for the seat.

B'Spa teacher among 47 finalists for technology award

Ballston Spa High School teacher Rick Hengsterman has been chosen as one of 47 finalists for Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards.

Hengsterman, who is being recognized in the Media Literacy Education category, has been selected as a finalist for his work of incorporating Web 2.0
technology into the curriculum for his sociology course.

The winners will be announced in May and receive a $3,000
prize and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. in order to attend an awards ceremony that will take place in June.