Columbia-Greene Community College hosts 'An Evening of Wine and Roses'

Submitted by Sophia Sofferman, WNYT Web Producer

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011, 2:30pm

Columbia-Greene Community College hosts 'An Evening of Wine and Roses'

More than 150 items will be offered at "An Evening of Wine and Roses" auction on Saturday, November 5 at Columbia-Greene Community College.

Sponsored by the Columbia-Greene Community Foundation at C-GCC, the event raises money for scholarships at the school.

A silent auction will start at 4:30 p.m., with a live auction beginning at 6 p.m.

Items to be auctioned include art work by local artists, golf related gifts, bird feeders, pocketbooks, jewelry, ceramics, massage gift certificates, restaurant gift certificates and wood carvings.

The foundation is also accepting donations from businesses and community residents prior to the event. For more information, call Koweek at (518) 828-4181, extension 3727, or e-mail joan.koweek@sunycgcc.edu.

The event is open to the public. General admission is $10, which includes an auction paddle.

C-GCC is located on Route 23 in Greenport/

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Have you seen Karma?

Submitted by Sophia Sofferman, WNYT Web Producer

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011, 1:10pm

Have you seen Karma? Karma is a 2-year-old female Chocolate Lab who has been missing from her Germantown home since October 19 when an invisible fence failed due a power outage.

She was last seen wearing a red collar with invisible fence device and blue collar with an ID and rabies tag. Her family describes her as friendly, loving and energetic.

If you have seen her, call 518-755-9086

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Poll: Consumer confidence remains weak in NY

Submitted by WNYT Staff

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011, 10:59am

The holiday shopping season fast approaching, but New Yorkers may not be feeling too festive.

A Siena Research Institute poll was released Wednesday morning. Researchers say New Yorkers are anticipating a bleak winter season for the economy. The poll finds the state's current outlook is at its lowest point since the depths of recession in 2008.

As for buying plans, they were up for cars, trucks, houses and major home improvements.

Buying plans were down for furniture.

The poll measures consumers willingness to spend money.

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Library hosts free concert

Submitted by Sophia Sofferman, WNYT Web Producer

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011, 6:08pm

Two members of Ensemble Argos, a chamber music collaborative, will be performing in free concert at the Roeliff Jansen Community Library at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 13.

Cellist Kenneth Law and pianist Stephen Buck will perform the Romance in A Major by Gabriel Faure; Robert Schumann's "Three Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73; and Charles-Valentin Alkan's Sonata de Concert.

The musicians of Ensemble Argos have a 20-year history of collaboration and have performed both solo and chamber music concerts in Austria, Australia, the Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Panama, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Spain and across the United States. In addition to performing works of all combinations from the standard literature, the ensemble is also dedicated to the commissioning and performing of new works that reflect the diversity of the ensemble.

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NY loses some ground in national school ratings

Submitted by WNYT Staff

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011, 6:01pm

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York was the only state to see a decline in its math score for fourth graders in a national assessment of public schools, which shows mostly stagnant academic progress over the last two years.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a widely cited testing program, found New York's fourth graders who took the math test in the spring had a lower average score than the national average, and lower than 30 other states. The 2011 New York score was lower than the 2009 score, but still higher than the 1992 score, the earliest comparison included in Tuesday's report.

Nationally in 2011, 40 percent of fourth-graders scored above the proficiency level, compared with 38 percent in 2009. In New York, the numbers went in the other direction: 36 percent were proficient in 2011, a drop from 40 percent in 2009.

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How to appeal a FEMA decision

Submitted by Sophia Sofferman, WNYT Web Producer

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011, 1:49pm

Some individuals who registered for federal disaster assistance due to tropical storms Irene and Lee may have been denied aid. According to FEMA, an appeals process, however, can help those affected by the storms to receive the benefits for which they are legally eligible.

"The recovery process doesn't necessarily end with the initial determination," said Federal Coordinating Officer Philip E. Parr in a statement. "Sometimes ineligibility may mean that more information is needed."

If you believe you should be eligible for assistance or are dissatisfied with the amount you received, you can call FEMA's Helpline for information on how to file an appeal. Specialists are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 800-621-3362.

Those with a speech disability or hearing loss who use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Instructions for filing an appeal are also in the "Help After a Disaster" guide that FEMA sends to all who register for assistance.

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Drop Boxes for donated clothing: For profit or charity?

Submitted by WNYT Staff

Monday, October 31st, 2011, 6:39pm

SCHENECTADY - You see the colorful containers in parking lots across the region: drop boxes for used clothing and shoes. You may think that favorite old coat and pair of designer jeans you give away, are going to help someone in need.

But they're also helping a business turn a profit.

We're not talking about the Salvation Army or Good Will here. It's the other boxes that make different claims: that your donations will go to a charity, for recycling, or that you're helping the environment.

In our In Depth report, we track down the owners behind them to ask what's going on.

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