There are a number of roads in rural areas in our state that do not see a lot of traffic. Despite the low volume of use, towns are required to maintain roads to state specifications even if the road does not lead to a house, camp, or business. This translates into large and often unnecessary expenses for taxpayers.
Every single day here in New York State, more than 96,000 of our family members, friends and neighbors put their lives on the line when they step up to keep our communities safe as members of volunteer fire departments. Because they sacrifice so much to protect us, we need to show support for their service and find ways that we can keep them safe.
On Nov. 17, the OnCenter will once again host a National Adoption Day celebration. The day is part of a collective effort to help raise awareness of the more than 110,000 children in foster care across the nation waiting to find permanent homes. It is also a celebration of families who have already opened their homes and hearts to adopted children and in most cases have helped to improve the trajectory of a child’s life forever.
Our military service members make tremendous sacrifices every day of the year protecting our freedoms. Not only are they putting their lives on the line, they have to do it thousands of miles away from family and friends. It is a sacrifice that is always hardest during the holiday season.
Many of our service members, including those serving on Fort Drum, will be spending the holidays on out-of-state installations, overseas or in a military or veterans’ hospital.
Because veterans have given so much to our country we, as US citizens, either through our government or otherwise, should be willing to give back to them. I am proud that New York state offers a number of programs to assist veterans, particularly after they have concluded their service and are transitioning back to civilian life. It is my understanding that the time of reintegration into civilian life is the most challenging for veterans. One of the most successful ways of helping veterans reintegrate i
October marks Domestic Violence Awareness month. It’s an important time for people to use whatever platform they can to talk about these tragic encounters, raise awareness of them and perhaps share personal stories or experiences. However, as we flip the calendar to November, stopping the spread of domestic violence, which is one of the least reported and punished crimes, and helping victims recover should continue to remain at the forefront of our minds.
New York has a habit of enacting policies that, rather than finding a balance, addresses the issue by creating burdensome regulations that are costly, overreaching and often untested. Nowhere is this more evident than with the paid-family leave program that is due to go into effect on January 1, 2018. The concept of paid-family leave is something most New Yorkers (including myself) agree with – that is, providing employees with the ability to take paid time off from work to care for a sick family member or to provide care for a newborn child. But as too often is the case in New York, our paid-family leave policy fails to balance the needs of the employee with the employer and pays scat attention to costs.
When people think of Oktoberfest, most visualize a grand celebration in Germany. What began as an event held in 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding in Munich has grown into a worldwide celebration, marked by special festivals and gatherings in communities across the globe. A big part of these celebrations is, you guessed it, craft beer. In recent years, the popularity of craft beer has skyrocketed.
In 2008, an 8-year-old Stony Brook, NY, resident named Lauren Shields was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and heart disease. Doctors determined that Lauren’s condition was life threatening and in order to survive, she would need a heart transplant. On Feb. 3, 2009, her name was placed on the organ transplant list. No one knew when a heart would become available and Lauren’s health was quickly deteriorating. As a result, doctors had to place her in a medically-induced coma while waiting for a donated heart.
The road to a healthy, active life is a long one. Every person looking to take that journey can use some help, especially our seniors. They need access to tools and tips and the experts who can provide them. That is why I love this time of year, when I get to host my annual Senior Health and Wellness fairs in Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Oswego counties.
All Content Copyright Dot Publishing 2024. All Submissions Become Property of Dot Publishing All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.