Landowners unite
The Press & Sun-Bulletin has a profile of a coalition of landowners in Tompkins County that are working to get the best deal with gas companies for hydrofracking land leases.
Dell and UB team up
Dell is dropping $15 million as part of a new partnership with the University at Buffalo. The computer firm will help create software to treat patients, according to the Innovation Trail's Daniel Robison.
National Fuel and PUSH Buffalo face off
National Fuel says that a community group organizing for lower gas bills for the poor is harassing it. The utility has gotten a restraining order against PUSH, according to the Buffalo News. PUSH says the utility has refused to discuss the issue.
White space greenlit
The Federal Communications Commission has given the thumbs up to a proposal that would free up room for more wireless devices. From the New York Times:
The new order eliminates a requirement that devices scan the airwaves for available signals. Rather, they can rely on a database of digital signals, updated daily, for use in locating an available channel on which to transmit.
Small business legislation
President Obama is set to sign on Monday a bill that provides perks to small businesses, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. The legislation will increase the amount of money available to lend to small businesses and cut fees for borrowing.
State jobs on the chopping block
The Times-Union says the governor is serious about cutting 2,000 state jobs by the end of the year:
Barring court action, this means that agencies may now begin the complex layoff process in addition to employing less dire tactics such as attrition, in which positions vacated in the normal course of employee turnover are left unfilled. It is highly unlikely that even the most aggressive attrition program could achieve the necessary savings by the end of the year.
Hold your breath
A wire walker crossed between the Statue of Liberty replicas on the Liberty Building in downtown Buffalo yesterday. The trip took place 23 stories in the air. From the Buffalo News:
As he neared his destination, he got down on one knee, took his hat off and waved some more. After finishing, he bowed several times and gestured to the Statue of Liberty, paying homage, he later said, to the gift that France gave the United States in 1886.
Missed the show? He'll be doing walks in Niagara Falls on Sunday.
