Bridge work

This morning, Nan attended the Tappan Zee Project's workforce and business needs meeting, held by the Rockland Workforce Investment Board, in the technical building at Rockland Community College. The purpose of this meeting was to share information about this multi-year Project's impact on the local workforce and businesses, and to begin a coordinated local and regional approach to job fulfillment and business-to-business connectivity.

Brian Coneybeare, special advisor to the governor on the TZ Bridge, Karen Rae, the NYS deputy secretary of transportation; and Ross Pepe, president of the Hudson Valley Constuction Industry Council made up the panel. It is anticipated that this projectwill bring upwards of 45,000 jobs to the Hudson Valley! The successful bidder will be named before the end of the year. Work on the piles in the Hudson will not begin until August 2013, as dredging in the river is not permitted until that time. The heads of the various workforce investment boards plan on meeting with Kelly McMillen to formulate a strategy of job training and apprenticeship, so that the workforce will be ready when the project commences.

Willy Gilly will be bidding on the opportunity of producing the documentary on the building of the new bridge. We will also be working with the various WIBs to expand our training program for below-the-line talent.

Meanwhile, our Indian producer clients have ordered additional rewrites on "36 Hours" that could slow the casting process somewhat; nonetheless, the producers believe that they will complete development and pre-production, including major casting, by the first of the year. (Willy Gilly would like to wish them a happy Dussehra, which is the last day of the Festival of Navaratri, celebrating the victory of Rama over Ravana in Indian lore.)

Moving ahead with "Chasing G", the opening segment of the full 'pilot' program is nearing completion, and will be posted on willygilly.com later this week, and on the new Chasing G site, being constructed by Dropline Design, early next week. The producers already have interest from two major networks: one broadcast, one cable. Based on what they've seen, the executive producers have already ordered additional episodes from Willy Gilly...so watch out!