The New York National Guard is lending a unique helicopter to help crews in California battle the approximately 1,750 forest fires there.
"No matter the state you are from, we have a responsibility to protect our citizens. We also have the moral obligation to provide assistance to other states when the need arises. This is such a time," New York Gov. David A. Paterson said Wednesday.
The Firehawk, which has been in New York's aviation inventory since 2004, is a modified version of the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, specially equipped to fight forest fires. Its water container can be filled with 1,000 gallons of water in 60 seconds, and can handle other fire-retardant materials. It is one of just five such copters in the country.
A six-person crew from the Florida Army National Guard will fly the aircraft in California. Firehawk-trained pilots from the New York Guard were not available as they are preparing for deployment to Balad, Iraq.
The California Army National Guard will cover costs associated with the aircraft until fire season ends in October.
Citing the high price of gasoline, Gov. Paterson is encouraging New Yorkers to vacation in-state this summer and take advantage of special travel packages offered through the "I Love NY" campaign.
"New York state is spectacular in its beauty and diversity, and there is nothing that vacationers will find elsewhere that they can't find here," the governor said.
"I want our residents to enjoy affordable vacations, and a good way to do that is to stay local and take advantage of excellent travel options that are right in our backyard."
The "I Love NY" Web site offers a variety of travel packages and lots of other information and discounts. Go to: www.iloveny.com/summer.
Activists gathered in Albany, Binghamton and Buffalo on Tuesday to launch a national awareness campaign, Health Care for America Now, to fix "our broken health care system."
"The multimillion-dollar campaign — one of the largest single-issue efforts in modern-day progressive politics — will give us the muscle to take on the health insurance companies and others who have stood in the way of reform for decades," according to organizers.
HCAN says it represents a coalition of more than 100 national and state-based groups. The launch was announced simultaneously in more than 50 cities, including 38 state capitals.
If an Independence Day parade in Hamilton seems off the radar screen to the Washington press corps, think again. The Politico, a relatively new publication that focuses on national politics, had someone in the crowd at the village's parade who remarked about the appearance there of Rep. John M. McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor.
The writer noted that someone in the crowd exclaimed that the "national congressman" was there — not a small matter considering the size of Mr. McHugh's district, the writer added.
The National Family Farm Coalition is asking the Senate Judiciary Committee to convene hearings and practice oversight of Dairy Farmers of America, the biggest bargaining cooperative for dairy farmers and a major influence on Northern New York's dairy industry.
The NFFC cites recent revelations that former DFA Chief Executive Officer Gary Hanman, when he was in charge, authorized a payment of $1 million to former board member Herman Brubaker without seeking permission from the board of directors. But the NFFC has a long list of complaints about DFA that predate that news, including anti-trust allegations.
Total tonnage is down on the St. Lawrence Seaway compared to a year ago, but the system is attracting new types of cargo, the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said in a press release.
The system handled 13.7 million metric tons of cargo through June 30, down from 14.1 million tons a year earlier, the SLSMC reported. But it also reported 295,000 tons of "new cargoes" that generated $610,045 in revenue.
Fewer vessels are coming into the system with imported steel, and that cuts down on the number of ships leaving with grain, the Seaway agency reported.
It's the middle of summer, but that's not stopping lawmakers from calling for more funding for low-income home heating assistance. Mr. McHugh has done so recently, and the Senate's Northeast-Midwest Coalition is circulating a letter urging at least $2.5 billion for home energy assistance in any future economic stimulus bill, for this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
Compiled by Times Albany and Washington bureaus.
