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Kodak, the 131-year-old photography pioneer, filed for bankruptcy on January 19th 2012.Eastman Kodak announced early this morning that filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy was “the right thing to do for the future” of the company.In a statement, Kodak CEO Antonio Perez said company leadership decided the move was “a necessary step.”Innovation Trail has followed the story over the course of 2012.

Foreclosures hit five year low but it's not all good news

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Good Morning and welcome to the Innovation Trail Mix for Thursday.

Tom Wilber has just updated his blog with more details on the drilling activity underway at the Wetterling Well in an area 10 miles north of the Pennsylvania border. The story was broken by Sue Heavenrich on her Marcellus Effect blog.

Tom writes:

While New York state officials are not issuing permits for horizontal shale gas wells pending a review of environmental and health consequences, there is no policy that prevents vertical wells into shale pay zones. Vertical wells are not an economically efficient means to exploit shale gas because they can't draw from a large enough area in the thin but vast shale mantels. But they are effective tools for exploration, and later they can be turned into horizontal wells, thereby giving drillers a head start on development in a given area.

Kodak is looking to end its retiree benefits plan by year's end. (WXXI News)

Governor Cuomo is in Kingston NY today continuing his road show checking up on the progress of the Regional Economic Development Council grants. He was in Plattsburgh yesterday and the Innovation Trail's Sarah Harris was following. More later today.

The Canandaigua Airport 2300 foot runway expansion aims to bring more commercial and business plane traffic to the Finger Lakes region.

Energy

According to figures lodged with the state ethics board, the gas industry has been spending up on its lobbying efforts in the state with the American Petroleum Institute spending over a quarter of a million dollars in the period January to June reports Jon Campbell in his blog.

A new software package has been developed that enables cities to measure more accurately measure their greenhouse gas emissions. (NPR)

Business

Some states actually saw a rise in their foreclosures reports Reuters.

The closure of the GM Honeoye Falls plant will also mean the loss of a range of skilled jobs in the region writes Sean Lahman for the D&C.

The D&C also profiles the aerial photography technology being developed by thePictometry company.

Innovation Election 2012

In the leadup to the November 6th General Election Innovation Trail has reached out to the contenders for the Class 1 Senate position currently held by Kirsten Gillibrand (D) and posed 5 questions to them about the innovation economy. The questions touch on topics like tax credits for renewable energy, manufacturing initiatives and how to support small business. We will roll their responses out as they come to hand. Our first candidate is independent John Mangelli, posting later this morning.