SCHENECTADY Cable access channel goes live BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
SACC-TV is venturing into the world of breaking news. In its first foray, the public access channel covered Art Night live on Friday, urging viewers to come down and repeatedly reminding them that the events shown were happening in real time. The reminders were necessary because Channel 16 has never done this before. Only its Schenectady Today talk show and the biweekly Schenectady City Council meetings are shown live. But from now on, the station will interrupt its regular programming to offer news bulletins on anything from Art Night to Oktoberfest. Newly elected SACC-TV President Gary McCarthy hopes the bulletins will draw more viewers to the station. “If we’ve got something that people like and follow, then it tends to ensure the future,” he said, adding that it’s by no means certain that the federal government will continue to require cable companies to fund public access stations. Time Warner funds SACC-TV. “That may come to an end,” McCarthy said. “We need a niche.” For Friday’s venture, cameras stayed in the station. Anchor Nick Barber interviewed guests in front of a detailed photo of downtown State Street. But if the live broadcasts are a hit, McCarthy envisions SACCTV volunteers going live at the event they’re covering. “We could put a camera up at, say, Oktoberfest and interview people and say, ‘Come on down,’” McCarthy said. He thinks those images of happy crowds filling the streets are badly needed. Although the downtown is now vibrant during special events, he thinks some Schenectady County residents still think of the area as a ghost town and don’t event consider the idea of heading there. “The perception of Schenectady is not always positive,” he said. “We’re a lot better off than people think.” Even some of the SACC-TV guests were surprised to hear all the events taking place at Art Night, which runs on the third Friday of every month. Cathy Lewis had just one venue in mind before the broadcast — she wanted to see an exhibit offered by a church friend. But by the time she was called in front of the camera, she’d heard of so many other events that she was already regretting the time it would take her to drive home and pick up her husband before heading downtown. “We agreed to do that so we’d know where to start from,” she said. “But I’ll tell you, I don’t know how I could cover everything this evening.” Events ranged from a pipe-cleaner sculpture at the 440 Arts Center to a fashion show on Jay Street, organized by Cottage Sweet Cottage. For those who were inspired to create their own art, the Open Door Bookstore offered free crochet lessons. Performance artists let visitors watch their rehearsals at both the Jay Street music studios and Myers Ballet School, an opportunity that Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation spokeswoman Becky Jarczynski urged residents not to miss. “Students are rehearsing in the Jay Street music studios and you can walk right in,” she said during the SACC-TV broadcast. “You can watch a live dance class at Myers — she doesn’t usually do that. Her dancers are really highly trained. It’s a great sight to see.” She also encouraged residents to visit Experience & Creative Design on Union Street. “There’s these large clay sculptures — they kind of look like old cityscapes,” she said. “I wish we had a picture, but you’ll just have to come see them.” Barber interrupted the broadcast repeatedly to say, “Remember, this is live. This is happening now. We want you to come down right now.” It wasn’t clear how many residents went downtown because of the show, but McCarthy was hoping to gauge viewers’ reaction over the next few days. “I think it went well,” he said cautiously. “We’re just looking to do things to make the station better. We’ll see what the reaction is.” Barber was more enthusiastic. “This is so much fun,” he said. “I think it’s great. I just hope it’s effective — Schenectady is really, really blossoming. I think they should continue this because there’s so much going on.”
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Tony
September 22, 2007, 4:10pm
Guest User
I think that this public tv is good. But not too many folks ever watch it.
CANDIDATE FORUMS SCHENECTADY — The League of Women Voters will sponsor candidate forums for all local and county candidates during the month of October. Rotterdam candidates will appear from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Rotterdam Branch Library, 1100 North Wescott Road; Glenville, 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at the Municipal Center Court Room, 18 Glenridge Road; Schenectady, 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Schenectady County Community College, 78 Washington Ave., Room 101; Niskayuna, 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the Town Hall Board Room, 1 Niskayuna Circle.
Perhaps we should attend this 'Meet the candidates'. I hear that the women league of voters do ask some very important questions to the candidaates. And perhaps there could be some 'chit chat' with the candidates afterwards.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. -James Madison
Posted on: 10/10/07 Written by: Jessica Harding, Schenectady County Reporter email: hardingj@spotlightnews.com
Candidates for District 4 in the Schenectady County Legislature faced off in a debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Incumbent Carolina Lazzari and fellow Republican Angelo Santabarbara, along with Democrat Anthony Jasenski, who was appointed in May, and Robert Godlewski, who is also on the Democratic slate, are all vying for the two seats available in District 4, which covers Rotterdam, Princetown and Duanesburg.
During the forum, which was held at the Rotterdam Public Library, the four candidates spoke about the need for smaller, more efficient government, an expanded tax base and the creation of jobs as a means to decrease taxes within the county.
Lazzari has been involved in politics since 1993 and has served on various local boards and committees. She is finishing up her first, four-year term with the Legislature.
She said she was originally planning to not run for reelection, but when the Legislature passed a sex offender law in the face of opposition from town supervisors and without notifying police chiefs, she decided to go for another term. Lazzari voted against the law, which was passed in June and requires that all convicted sex offenders live 2,000 feet away from any place where children congregate.
Lazzari is a registered financial planner who specializes in tax and retirement planning. She said she has made a career out of being responsible with other people’s money.
Santabarbara is a newcomer to elected office. He is a professional engineer with the Chazen Companies and has spent a lot of time working with governments and in the local community.
“Solving problems is my nature,” he said.
Santabarbara volunteers at Schalmont High School and the middle school teaching students about engineering. He said he wants to serve the community so his two children can be comfortable growing up in the area.
Jasenski, a retired Rotterdam police chief, was appointed to the county Legislature this spring. He has always lived in Rotterdam and served as a volunteer firefighter and a paramedic. He worked his way up through the police department, and retired in 2001.
“I think it is an honorable endeavor to serve the residents of this community,” Jasenski said. “We are at a crossroads here, and the decisions we make today will be paramount in the future.”
Godlewski is finishing up his first year as a Rotterdam Town Board member. He has served on various boards in Rotterdam including the Mohonasen Board of Education and was a member of the planning commission for four years.
His family has lived in the area since 1930, and he grew up on a farm on East Campbell Road.
“Growing up on a farm, I have learned the value of hard work, honesty and how to save money,” he said.
Godlewski retired this year from General Electric where he worked for 37 years.
All four candidates agreed that high taxes are plaguing the region and something needs to be done about reducing the county’s proposed 9.7 percent tax levy increase.
Santabarbara said the county should reduce unnecessary jobs and streamline government. He also said there should be an audit on social services programs.
“Social services are out of control. Everything should be looked at, and only the essential services should be provided,” he said.
Lazzari said the county government needs streamlining. She urged county department heads to not only cut 10 percent out of their budgets, but try for as much as possible.
“If we have to cut to the essential services, we should because we have to do something drastic,” she said.
Jasenski said the way to lower the property tax levy is to partner with other agencies to share services and maximize resources. He also agreed with the audit of social services.
Godlewski said county government should control spending and do more with less.
“I’ve been with the town for 10 months, and I use our budget as a guide whenever I make a decision. My job is not to spend that money,” he said.
All four candidates also agreed that the way to cut taxes in the long run is to grow the tax base by bringing in more businesses and creating more jobs.
Santabarbara said the county could bring in more tax revenue by creating shovel-ready sites for businesses and improve the area’s infrastructure.
Lazzari said she wants to give more money to small businesses and work on bringing more private investment into the county.
Jasenski said the county should continue to work closely with Metroplex to help grow the area. He said, with the help of Metroplex, $119 million has been invested in Rotterdam and 2,000 new jobs have been created.
Godlewski said Metroplex is a good agency, but not the only answer. He said the community has to work together to reinvigorate the economy. He said more manufacturing jobs have to come in along with a means to educate a skilled workforce.
He said, with the help of Metroplex, $119 million has been invested in Rotterdam and 2,000 new jobs have been created.
Anyone know if this figure, provided by Jasenski, is correct? The Metroplex Development Authority has existed, I believe, for 9 years or so. This would suggest that the Town of Rotterdam has received approx. $13+ million per year.
Of course, the real issue in my mind is not who benefitted but, rather, is the redistribution of wealth, in the form of grants, from public revenues (i.e. taxes) to private business the legitimate role of government.
There are many means by which government can support business development. These include financial grants, special financing, tax incentives, and the construction of public infrastructure to support the needs of both the public and the business sector. Which do you believe is/are the proper use(s) of our tax dollars?
Lazzari said she wants to give more money to small businesses and work on bringing more private investment into the county.
Does she mean she wants to be a silent partner in an entrepenuer's business venture?? Is she giving her own money to these small business's?? Oh.....silly me......Why would she take the risk and invest her money into somebody else's small business when she can just take the collective monies of county residents.
Is it just me, or is that statement by Ms. Lazzari a contadiction.
And she calls herself a republican.
A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant and the crazy crazier. ~ H.L. Mencken Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. ~ H. L. Mencken The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. ~H. L. Mencken
Anyone know if this figure, provided by Jasenski, is correct? The Metroplex Development Authority has existed, I believe, for 9 years or so. This would suggest that the Town of Rotterdam has received approx. $13+ million per year.
Quoted Text
He said, with the help of Metroplex, $119 million has been invested in Rotterdam and 2,000 new jobs have been created.
He did say with the help of Metroplex, not that $119million came just from metroplex.....At the last town meeting the info we were publically told was that Rotterdam received approximately $1million every year from Metroplex......
I believe we should build infrastructure, keep it up and running,,,,like a floor in our home....we keep it clean safe and always ready to walk on.....and everyone invited in can use it......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Time Warner Cable - The 80,000 square foot office building, call center and broadcast studio involved the relocation and addition of 375 employees. The $13,000,000 project was aided by Metroplex's $1,900,200.
Opus Business Park - A $150,000 Metroplex loan has helped the project developer open up 20 acres of industrially-zoned property, build over 100,000 square feet of new space, add nearly 100 jobs and boost property taxes. Overall private investment exceeds $5,000,000.
Railex - Created in June 2005 to improve delivery times and reduce costs of transporting fresh produce, Railex is building a new rail loop and warehouse facilities linking West Coast fruit and vegetable growers with direct rail service to the East Coast.
Highbridge Road Sewer Project (Rotterdam) - The extension of municipal sewer services from Rotterdam to the City of Schenectady in support of the Time Warner Cable project.
Proud Rotterdam Resident Proud Patriot Proud Conservative Republican Proud Christian
Time Warner Cable - The 80,000 square foot office building, call center and broadcast studio involved the relocation and addition of 375 employees. The $13,000,000 project was aided by Metroplex's $1,900,200.
Opus Business Park - A $150,000 Metroplex loan has helped the project developer open up 20 acres of industrially-zoned property, build over 100,000 square feet of new space, add nearly 100 jobs and boost property taxes. Overall private investment exceeds $5,000,000.
Railex - Created in June 2005 to improve delivery times and reduce costs of transporting fresh produce, Railex is building a new rail loop and warehouse facilities linking West Coast fruit and vegetable growers with direct rail service to the East Coast
. Then why are we being faced with a 9.7% tax increase? I was under the impression that the Metroplex Authority was to aid new development to add not only good paying stable jobs, but to also help with the tax base. The proposed 9.7 % county tax increase does not exemplify that.
All four candidates also agreed that the way to cut taxes in the long run is to grow the tax base by bringing in more businesses and creating more jobs.
The county leg. candidates have it backwards?? You bring in more business and create more jobs by cutting taxes. Cutting taxes encourage economic growth. It doesn't work visa versa. Companies prefer to do business where taxes are low, and they're not over regulated. That goes to show that our 4 candidates are still believe that we have to subsidize companies to do business in Schenectady county in order to grow our tax base.
There's nowhere to turn. We're stuck with 4 lousy choices.
A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant and the crazy crazier. ~ H.L. Mencken Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. ~ H. L. Mencken The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. ~H. L. Mencken
Godlewski said Metroplex is a good agency, but not the only answer. He said the community has to work together to reinvigorate the economy. He said more manufacturing jobs have to come in along with a means to educate a skilled workforce.
That is the most vague answer I've ever read.......The community has to work together?? What kind of public policy is that?? Your running for office to become a policy maker. How does the community work together? What's his next quote going to be, we need to love one another.
A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant and the crazy crazier. ~ H.L. Mencken Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. ~ H. L. Mencken The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. ~H. L. Mencken
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