The Politicalist, June 22

Good morning! It's the day after the summer solstice. Days are getting shorter now until winter.

Anyway, here's what's making news in the north country and beyond.

Owens' $

Rep. Bill Owens releases his financial disclosure forms.

Wind energy

A proposal in Albany could have state officials — not local boards — deciding where to site wind farms.

The Rumble on the River

Feds say that the Canadians were RIGHT to board a man's boat and demand $1,000 from him.

Unemployment

It remains high, or drops in the area, depending on whether you're a pessimist or an optimist, I guess.

The Big Ugly

The Albany press corps has taken to dubbing the monstrosity of a bill that's soon to come out The Big Ugly. It's said to be a sort of Frankenstein mish-mash of a bunch of different issues, which may or may not include: tax cap, mandate relief, rent control, SUNY tuition, and (probably not) gay marriage.

Libya

Speaker John Boehner will offer a "stark choice" on the war in Libya, and the U.S. involvement therein.

The war "exposes divisions," the New York Times says.

Farms

A GOP senator told a farming audience to "expect less" in federal farming subsidies.

Obama and Afghanistan

He faces a "stiff political challenge" in keeping up support for the war, says the Washington Post.

The New York Times says that, with a bad economy, the focus of our wars is on their cost — in dollars.

Bachmannia

Michele Bachmann will make it official in Iowa.