GE reveals plans to build $100M battery plant in region
Local residents concerned over the area's diminishing job market received some good news on Tuesday, May 12, when General Electric Co. announced that it will soon break ground on a $100 million Capital Region sodium battery manufacturing facility that will employ 350 people.
Local residents concerned over the area's diminishing job market received some good news on Tuesday, May 12, when General Electric Co. announced that it will soon break ground on a $100 million Capital Region sodium battery manufacturing facility that will employ 350 people.
The manufacturing site for the new plant is yet to be determined but it
could be built near GE's Global Research plant located in Niskayuna.
GE plans to use the facility to manufacture sodium batteries - whose main elements are made up of nickel and salt - which will be used to power GE's hybrid locomotive, including heavy service vehicles used in other industries. GE expects the venture to create $500 million worth of battery sales by 2015.
GE officials expect to decide on a manufacturing site in the next month and production is expected to begin by 2011. Gov. David Paterson has also announced that the state will contribute $15 million to the project.
Swine Flu cases confirmed in Washington and Saratoga Counties
A student in the Cambridge Central School District was confirmed to have been the second case of swine flu in the Capital Region on Monday, May 11.
The school district remained open following the diagnosis and school officials said they were taking extreme measures to disinfect areas in the school. The school district is also promoting personal hygiene, encouraging parents to keep sick kids home and using hand sanitizer in classrooms.
The student, who is recovering at home, is the second confirmed case of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) in the Capital Region. The other confirmed case came from Saratoga County.
Clifton Park man found guilty on 22 charges of abuse
David Hayes, 39, of Clifton Park, was found guilty on 22 abuse charges by a jury in county court on Wednesday, May 6.
The charges include: four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, a felony; one count of second degree course of sexual conduct against a child, a felony; 12 counts of second-degree sexual abuse, a misdemeanor; four counts of third-degree sexual abuse, a misdemeanor; and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.
Hayes will be sentenced on July 14 and faces a seven-year sentence for each of the felony convictions.
Sweeney DWI case adjourned
At the request of his attorney, former U.S. Representative John Sweeney's case has been adjourned until June 4.
Sweeney was to appear in Clifton Park Town Court on Friday, May 8 to answer a felony driving while intoxicated charge stemming from his April 5 arrest. The DWI charge is Sweeney's second in two years.
Sweeney, 53, of Clifton Park, was pulled over by state troopers for speeding at 3:30 a.m. April 5, while heading north on Route 9. Sweeney was arraigned early that morning in Clifton Park Town Court and sent to Saratoga County Jail on $2,000 cash bail or $5,000 bond. Bail was posted soon after and Sweeney was released.
Sweeney has already turned over his driver's license, which will be suspended for a year. In 2007, Sweeney was convicted of a misdemeanor, had his license suspended and was ordered to attend a victim impact panel and a drinking and driving course after being arrested and charged with a DWI on Nov. 11, 2007.
Free race course entry for area residents
The Saratoga County Racing Committee announced an event called Saratoga County Day at the Races to take place at the Saratoga Race Course on Thursday, May 7. The event will allow Saratoga County residents to get into the race course free of charge on Aug. 30.
Aside from free admission, the event will feature booths for each city and town in the county that are intended to highlight each community's distinct features.
The committee also announced that this year's racing season will feature "College Day" on Sept. 4. The event will enable college students with a valid student ID to be admitted free of charge. A $1,000 scholarship will also be given away between each race.
Ex-Gillibrand aide named to GlobalFoundries post
Mike Russo, a former aide to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, was recently named to GlobalFoundries global government relations team.
Russo will serve as Global Foundries U.S. policy representative and will deal with executive, legislative and regulatory entities for the company that is currently planning to build a $4.2 billion computer chip plant at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta.
Russo was previously the Capital Region director for Gillibrand and was a Democratic candidate for state Senate last year.
SPAC announces new "Stay Green" campaign
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced a "Stay Green" environmental campaign and recycling program during their annual meeting Wednesday, May 13.
The new campaign will include the placement of approximately 70 co-mingled beverage recycling containers at key points across the venue, availability of cardboard recycling bins for the thousands of boxes brought into SPAC by its vendors and concessionaires, removal and recycling of the beverage containers and cardboard, public education efforts on behalf of the recycling program through on-site signage, Web site and email reminders, messages on SPAC's video screens and the assistance of a "Green Team" of volunteers who will circulate on the grounds at performances to pick up recyclables and educate patrons about the program.
"Our location in the beautiful Saratoga Spa State Park is one of the assets that make SPAC such an exceptional arts venue. Yet, our location also makes us acutely aware of the need to protect and preserve the environment. Our 'Stay Green' campaign will move us in that direction by implementing the first-ever, large scale recycling effort at SPAC," SPAC President Marcia White said.
White added that SPAC is particularly grateful to Live Nation for their partnership on behalf of the recycling plan.
"Live Nation has provided the recycling containers and will be working side-by-side with SPAC to make this effort a success," White added.
SPAC started instituting "Stay Green" initiatives in the fall of 2008 when it got rid of its paper mailing list for members and replaced it with an electronic mailing list and started using recycled paper for their brochures.
GE plans to use the facility to manufacture sodium batteries - whose main elements are made up of nickel and salt - which will be used to power GE's hybrid locomotive, including heavy service vehicles used in other industries. GE expects the venture to create $500 million worth of battery sales by 2015.
GE officials expect to decide on a manufacturing site in the next month and production is expected to begin by 2011. Gov. David Paterson has also announced that the state will contribute $15 million to the project.
Swine Flu cases confirmed in Washington and Saratoga Counties
A student in the Cambridge Central School District was confirmed to have been the second case of swine flu in the Capital Region on Monday, May 11.
The school district remained open following the diagnosis and school officials said they were taking extreme measures to disinfect areas in the school. The school district is also promoting personal hygiene, encouraging parents to keep sick kids home and using hand sanitizer in classrooms.
The student, who is recovering at home, is the second confirmed case of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) in the Capital Region. The other confirmed case came from Saratoga County.
Clifton Park man found guilty on 22 charges of abuse
David Hayes, 39, of Clifton Park, was found guilty on 22 abuse charges by a jury in county court on Wednesday, May 6.
The charges include: four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, a felony; one count of second degree course of sexual conduct against a child, a felony; 12 counts of second-degree sexual abuse, a misdemeanor; four counts of third-degree sexual abuse, a misdemeanor; and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.
Hayes will be sentenced on July 14 and faces a seven-year sentence for each of the felony convictions.
Sweeney DWI case adjourned
At the request of his attorney, former U.S. Representative John Sweeney's case has been adjourned until June 4.
Sweeney was to appear in Clifton Park Town Court on Friday, May 8 to answer a felony driving while intoxicated charge stemming from his April 5 arrest. The DWI charge is Sweeney's second in two years.
Sweeney, 53, of Clifton Park, was pulled over by state troopers for speeding at 3:30 a.m. April 5, while heading north on Route 9. Sweeney was arraigned early that morning in Clifton Park Town Court and sent to Saratoga County Jail on $2,000 cash bail or $5,000 bond. Bail was posted soon after and Sweeney was released.
Sweeney has already turned over his driver's license, which will be suspended for a year. In 2007, Sweeney was convicted of a misdemeanor, had his license suspended and was ordered to attend a victim impact panel and a drinking and driving course after being arrested and charged with a DWI on Nov. 11, 2007.
Free race course entry for area residents
The Saratoga County Racing Committee announced an event called Saratoga County Day at the Races to take place at the Saratoga Race Course on Thursday, May 7. The event will allow Saratoga County residents to get into the race course free of charge on Aug. 30.
Aside from free admission, the event will feature booths for each city and town in the county that are intended to highlight each community's distinct features.
The committee also announced that this year's racing season will feature "College Day" on Sept. 4. The event will enable college students with a valid student ID to be admitted free of charge. A $1,000 scholarship will also be given away between each race.
Ex-Gillibrand aide named to GlobalFoundries post
Mike Russo, a former aide to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, was recently named to GlobalFoundries global government relations team.
Russo will serve as Global Foundries U.S. policy representative and will deal with executive, legislative and regulatory entities for the company that is currently planning to build a $4.2 billion computer chip plant at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta.
Russo was previously the Capital Region director for Gillibrand and was a Democratic candidate for state Senate last year.
SPAC announces new "Stay Green" campaign
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced a "Stay Green" environmental campaign and recycling program during their annual meeting Wednesday, May 13.
The new campaign will include the placement of approximately 70 co-mingled beverage recycling containers at key points across the venue, availability of cardboard recycling bins for the thousands of boxes brought into SPAC by its vendors and concessionaires, removal and recycling of the beverage containers and cardboard, public education efforts on behalf of the recycling program through on-site signage, Web site and email reminders, messages on SPAC's video screens and the assistance of a "Green Team" of volunteers who will circulate on the grounds at performances to pick up recyclables and educate patrons about the program.
"Our location in the beautiful Saratoga Spa State Park is one of the assets that make SPAC such an exceptional arts venue. Yet, our location also makes us acutely aware of the need to protect and preserve the environment. Our 'Stay Green' campaign will move us in that direction by implementing the first-ever, large scale recycling effort at SPAC," SPAC President Marcia White said.
White added that SPAC is particularly grateful to Live Nation for their partnership on behalf of the recycling plan.
"Live Nation has provided the recycling containers and will be working side-by-side with SPAC to make this effort a success," White added.
SPAC started instituting "Stay Green" initiatives in the fall of 2008 when it got rid of its paper mailing list for members and replaced it with an electronic mailing list and started using recycled paper for their brochures.
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