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wMelissa's AP stories |
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Here are my stories whose links are no longer available. Only the ones with bylines are included here, for the non-bylined ones that I found more interesting, go to melswar.blogspot.com. Thanks! Let me know what you think!
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wFriday, June 13, 2003 |
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Preface- I feel weird including this one. It was a quick news story. I didn't get emotionally involved or really into it -- there wasn't time. But my name is on it and it is in this morning's papers across the state. So, enjoy:
Hevesi criticizes Tuboliner delays, cost overruns
By MELISSA MANSFIELD
Associated Press Writer
June 12, 2003
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ A project aimed at modernizing passenger trains between New York City and Buffalo has fallen behind schedule and over-budget, according to state Comptroller Alan Hevesi.
Hevesi released three audits Thursday that show the state Department of Transportation project on Amtrak's Empire Corridor is $21 million over budget and years behind schedule. In the five years since the Turboliner modernization project began, $51.5 million dollars have been spent and two of the seven trains planned are in service.
"The millions spent for train modernization will not make travel noticeably faster until $140 million in improvements are made to tracks, signals and grade crossings," Hevesi added. "Neither DOT nor Amtrak appear to have plans in place or funds identified to complete the necessary work, so it is as if they are creating Formula One race cars to drive on city streets."
Jennifer Post, a spokeswoman for the state DOT, said the information reported is not new, including Amtrak's financial problems. "The comptroller has approved all parts of the project, and has been well aware of the problems the project faces," she said.
Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel said the company would not comment on the situation.
Auditors examining the causes of the delays cited weaknesses in project management by the DOT and a lack of experience with both the DOT and Super Steel Schenectady Inc., which was contracted to rebuild seven five-car diesel turbine trains, known as Turboliners. The company discovered asbestos in engine and passenger compartments being refurbished, which also added to delays.
"The ongoing delays and other problems with this project are especially troubling because, throughout our auditing process, we raised many of these concerns to DOT," Hevesi said.
"This project has already provided significant benefits to New York state and railroad passengers," Post said. She cited improved passenger amenities and air quality, as well as the upgrade of the Rensselaer railroad station.
The comptroller's office also noted that Amtrak has not ordered some of the transmissions and engines yet that it agreed to provide for the project, and once ordered, transmissions will take about a year to be delivered.
Refurbished Turboliners can reach speeds of 125 miles per hour, but officials estimate $140 million in improvements to tracks, signals and grade crossings are needed to allow the trains to travel that fast.
Currently, most trains serving the Empire Corridor operate between 75 and 95 miles per hour.
A fourth audit on cost reconciliation by the comptroller on the program is underway.
posted by
Melissa at 11:46 AM
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wMonday, June 02, 2003 |
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Artists appreciate letter A
By MELISSA MANSFIELD
Associated Press Writer
May 30, 2003
TROY, N.Y. (AP) _ A is for Art and Argentina and Austria and Australia, as well as America. A simultaneous art exhibit featuring postcards by artists living in countries beginning with the letter "A" opened Friday in America, near Albany.
The Arts Center of the Capital Region received hundreds of postcard-sized works of art since December for the "A is for Art" exhibit, currently showing in Buenos Aires, Vienna, Melbourne and Troy, 10 miles north of Albany.
The guidelines by organizer Gail Stiffe, an Australian, were loose _ create a series of four postcard-sized works inspired by a word starting with A _ and the "mail artists" sent in their interpretations.
"I was very impressed by their originality," said Margo Mesing, who was the American coordinator of the project. She contacted artists, found a gallery and chose the 36 pieces on display in Troy.
The Skidmore College art professor also asked the artists to mail in their works, without envelopes. "I think it's important that they travel through the mail ... to get postmarks on them," she said.
Though the contributions from abroad were packaged together and mailed, the Americans sent their postcards individually to each participating gallery. All works have been received, including a thick plastic-coated skyline representing architecture.
Baltimore resident Piper Shephard's piece depicted a diagram of the stars above a map of the Albany area, with Plexiglas and fishing line for constellations. She wrote, "A is for Astronomy. This is your night sky."
"A is for Albino" was written on a light peach card, with pink-iris eyes and white squares. Ants marched toward a ring, similar to those left from glasses of cold water on a hot day. Sisters Betsy and Susie Brandt used their bodies to make the letter A _ bending over and smiling at the camera from between their legs.
The first letter of the alphabet was chosen simply because that's how the word "art" starts.
One artist from White River Junction, Vt., did not like the "A" theme. Self-identified as "B," he scribbled on the back of his card, "I am writing to protest your choice of the letter A for your exhibition," citing that consonants were more interesting, particularly the second letter of the alphabet.
Melissa Conroy also snubbed "A" but borrowed the concept, sending in a photograph of a baby asleep in front of the Brooklyn Bridge. "I brought my bawling baby to see the Brooklyn Bridge," the card broadcasted.
"The A word alliteration gave me the excuse to send you a picture of my lovely 6 week old baby Lila Blaine," she wrote on the back.
Her husband Jay Shermeta focused on the word "amp" and wrote a poem, "Born in France to Andre Marie, the basic unit of electricity, in flows of circuitry, Amp how you mystify me."
While the Americans focused on the concepts, the foreign artists put more effort into creating the physical paper and the designs of the pieces. Mesing said many were members of paper-making groups.
Gallery director Gina Occhiogrosso pointed out the Australians' dominance of land, agriculture and primitive throwbacks, while Austria had a little more "angst" in their works. One card was sewn shut, while another had bright orange and red with "4 + 4 = Acht!" repeated.
Argentineans used thicker papers, with many bordering on three dimensional works. "Agonias" has many layers of dark handmade paper, a wooden cross and a white figure.
Each postcard is attached to metal shelves by fishing line for easy viewing.
The exhibition runs through Aug. 24.
posted by
Melissa at 8:25 AM
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