Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Plastics to Oil - Pyrolysis and Secret Catalysts and Alterna -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: scion who wrote (3548)	12/3/2010 11:58:54 AM
From: scion	Respond to of 53574

Environmental commish Alexander (Pete) Grannis is axed by Gov. Paterson BY Kenneth Lovett DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Friday, October 22nd 2010, 4:00 AM nydailynews.com ALBANY - Gov. Paterson abruptly fired his environmental commissioner Thursday. The surprise firing of Alexander (Pete) Grannis came just days after an unsigned memo from his agency warning of severe consequences if cutbacks ordered by the governor go through was leaked to an Albany newspaper. Grannis, a former assemblyman from the upper East Side, said he was asked by top Paterson aide Larry Schwartz to resign on Wednesday. After several hostile emails between the two, Grannis was fired yesterday as he was being honored by the New York Water Environment Association in Syracuse, the Albany Times Union and the Journal News reported last night. Grannis said he was not permitted to talk to Paterson to discuss the situation. A Paterson spokesperson could not be reached for comment. nydailynews.com Gov. Paterson says he will give the thumbs-up to the layoff of nearly 900 state workers BY Glenn Blain DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU Thursday, October 28th 2010, 10:49 AM nydailynews.com ALBANY - Gov. Paterson announced this morning that he'd given the go-ahead for the layoff of 898 state workers. Paterson said the number was less than half of the 2,000 the administration initially thought would be necessary but it was still painful - and necessary given the state's continuing budget woes. "That's still a lot of jobs," Paterson said at the start of an hour-long radio town hall on WOR's "The John Gambling Show. "I am sorry that I have to do it but I feel I was forced into it," Paterson said, once again blaming state employee unions for resisting any givebacks. Union leaders have vowed to fight any layoffs in court, arguing that Paterson signed a binding agreement last year that forbid layoffs through the end of his term. Democrat Andrew Cuomo, the leading candidate to replace Paterson in the Governor's Mansion, said this week that he believed Paterson's layoffs would be legal. Paterson said the "pink slips will be dropping" in about a month and will be finished by the time he leaves office. The governor said he urged department heads to spare, where possible, essential workers. Paterson said the job cuts will hit: - Department of Motor vehicles: 80 jobs will be cut, which could lead to "longer waits and reduced hours of availability." - State Police: 90 jobs, mostly civilian jobs in communication and "manning desks." - State Parks: 130 layoffs and the closure of two golf courses that Paterson said were losing money. - Department of Environmental Conservation: 150 layoffs leading to reduced services. Paterson said they will close two education programs and eliminate the state's participation in the environmental superfund. - Department of Transportation: 140 jobs but they will not affect snow removal according to Paterson. "These are sacrifices we have to make," Paterson said, adding that New York's recession continues. "You can't spend money that you don't have." nydailynews.com

To: scion who wrote (3548)	12/3/2010 12:34:10 PM
From: scion	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 53574

Thompson Holds News Conference on 'Pay to Play' Allegations By John Borsa October 22, 2010 wkbw.com BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) -- With just 11 days before Election Day, State Senator Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) held a news conference on the steps outside of his downtown Buffalo office to defend his record and insist he had no knowledge of an alleged "pay to play" scheme that is rocking the Capital. "Upon finding out that I was in the report and there were some contributions that were related to AEG, I said I would return the money," Thompson said, surrounded by a dozen supporters who opened the news conference with a prayer. Thompson received $8,600 from Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG) in 2009 and 2010, according the report released on Thursday. AEG made the donation at the direction of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, of which Thompson is a co-chairman. AEG was attempting to secure a lucrative state contract to operate a video slot machine casino at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. The contract was potentially worth billions of dollars and required an upfront payment to the state. Inspector General Joseph Fisch, in his report, accused Senate Majority Leader John Sampson of leaking key information to AEG to help the company win the bid. Other top state Democratic leaders are also named in the report, including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm Smith and Governor David Paterson. AEG was awarded the contract, despite offering $100 million less than the next closest competitor and even though AEG could not qualify for a state gaming license, the report said. Buffalo-based Delaware North had previously been awarded the gaming contract for Aqueduct, but was later removed from the project by state officials when the company could not come up with the $370 million upfront payment during the global credit crunch. Thompson is being challenged this election season by Republican Mark Grisanti, who on Friday asked Senator Thompson to resign. "I think he's lost the trust of the people of the 60th District," said Grisanti in a late Friday afternoon news conference. "Some people are going to try to spin it - but the fact of the matter is there was a gentleman who spent eight months on a report who clearly stated that I had no involvement whatsoever," Thompson said. wkbw.com October 18, 2010 Mr. Alexander “Pete” Grannis, Commissioner NYS Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-1011 Re: Plastic2Oil facility in Niagara Falls, NY Dear Commissioner Grannis: I was given a tour of the Plastic2Oil facility at 20 Iroquois Street in Niagara Falls on Monday, October 18th, and I am excited about the potential for this technology to cleanly transform our plastics waste stream into useable fuel, while creating green jobs. I would like to take this opportunity to urge DEC to proceed vigorously in the permitting of this facility. Of course I would never suggest short-changing scientific rigor and a thorough, professional examination of the issues related to the permit. I am merely requesting that DEC devote adequate staff and resources to complete the full environmental review process without any undue delays. Commissioner, I appreciate your attention to this request. Sincerely, Antoine M. Thompson New York State Senate, 60th District Chair, Senate Environmental Conservation Committee AMT/wmn Cc: Ms. Abby Snyder, Regional Director, NYSDEC Mr. John Bordynuik, President and CEO, JBI, Inc. Dr. Jacob Smith, Chief Operating Officer, JBI, Inc. Mr. Bob Molodynia, Vice President, Business Development, JBI, Inc.