News digest

Pet oxygen masks donated to Greenwood Lake Fire Department Greenwood Lake — Invisible Fence of Orange County has recently donated pet oxygen masks to Greenwood Lake Fire Department. Officials said these donations are made in hopes that emergency personnel will be properly equipped to save a stricken animal in the event of a fire or other emergency. Each kit comes with three sized masks that can be used on a variety of sizes and types of pets. Invisible Fence of Orange County is an active participant in “Project Breath” a pet oxygen mask donation program. Several kits have already been donated to local fire departments as a part of company’s program to provide kits to fire departments nationwide. So far, over 1,600 kits have been donated nationwide. These pet oxygen masks are still available to local fire departments through Invisible Fence of Orange County and Project Breathe. Fire departments who would like to receive a kit should call 987-7772. NYC offices open on a Sunday for gay marriages NEW YORK — New York City clerks’ offices will be open on Sunday, July 24, to perform the first gay marriages under a new state law. Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office says the offices will open at 8:30 a.m. to receive marriage license applications in all five boroughs. Normally there is a 24-hour waiting period before people can be married, but a judge can waive that requirement. Bloomberg’s office says judges will be on hand to consider waiver requests and perform the marriages. During the next week the offices will also stay open until 6:30 p.m., two hours later than usual. State Museum to study 380 million-year-old tree stumps ALBANY — A dozen fossilized tree stumps from what many scientists say was the world’s oldest forest are now part of the collection at the New York State Museum in Albany. One of the 380 million-year-old stumps found at the Gilboa Dam reconstruction project site in Schoharie County was unveiled July 7 at the museum. It was among 35 stump fossils found in an old rock quarry by engineers with New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection. The Gilboa Dam is part of the city’s Catskill water supply system. The ancient stumps were first discovered in 1920 when the dam was constructed. The State Museum already has a Gilboa stump on display. The 12 being added to its collection will be used for research. The rest will either remain in Gilboa or be placed in other New York museums. Online: www.nysm.nysed.gov. Bill would take ipecac off store shelves ALBANY — A bill awaiting the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo would make it harder for people with eating disorders to stock up on a compound that induces vomiting. The bill would require that syrup of ipecac be taken off open store shelves and be kept behind a pharmacy counter. The liquid used to be a staple in home first-aid kits to be given to kids who ingest something poisonous. Pediatricians now advise against its use. The bill that passed the Legislature was pushed by Debbie Begeny of the Buffalo suburb of Kenmore. Her daughter Heather had anorexia and died of cardiac arrest in 2003 after using ipecac to induce vomiting for weeks. If the bill becomes law, customers will have to ask a pharmacist or store manager for ipecac.