Earlier this month, crews began conducting rabies “bait drops.” This unique effort, which is conducted by Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, utilizes low-flying planes to drop small packets containing a rabies vaccine, surrounded by a mixture of sugar, vegetable fat and other flavors, that are then consumed by animals, namely raccoons.
During the last week of session, the State Legislature passed a resolution to amend the State Constitution to permit the forfeiture of state pensions for those public officials convicted of a felony related to their public duties (e.g. bribery). This is a commonsense measure that should have passed last year. Unlike most other bills the State Legislature passes, in order for this reform to be enacted the State Constitution must be amended due to the fact that pension benefits are protected by the New York State Constitution.
Today, our region is home to a number of wineries that boast some of the most refreshing, tastiest local beverages in the country, many of which have earned local, state and national awards. Our region is lucky enough to be home to two wine trails, the Thousands Islands-Seaway Wine Trail and the St. Lawrence County Wine Trail, which was created through legislation I sponsored in the Senate.
New York State’s “Move Over Law” was recently expanded to better protect volunteer emergency responders attending to distressed or disabled vehicles along roads and highways. I was pleased to vote in support of the expansion which was signed into law last month and will become effective in 2017. The expanded law requires drivers to exercise ‘due care’ and, where possible, to move over when approaching a parked or stopped vehicle displaying blue or green lights.
When the calendar turns to August, there are a few certainties, back-to-school shopping, soaking up the last days of summer and of course, the great New York State Fair. This year’s State Fair kicks off on August 25 and runs until September 3 in Syracuse. For more than 175 years, the Great New York State Fair has drawn millions of people to Central New York.
Last week, Central New York received great news when, at its meeting in Albany, the state Public Service Commission adopted a plan to help Upstate New York’s struggling nuclear power plants. As most people in Oswego County know, our nuclear power plants (FitzPatrick and Nine Mile Units 1 and 2) have been struggling economically because of low natural gas prices.
Just recently, I had the opportunity to take part in the 56th annual Ogdensburg International Seaway Festival Parade, an event that celebrates the local community, and the North Country region as a whole. This year, the parade’s theme was “There’s No Place Like Home” – a sentiment that rings true for me, and for so many others who have built their lives in the Central and Northern New York.
With summer well under way, many have had the chance to enjoy a summer sport or activity and for many Central and Northern New Yorkers, the sport of choice is fishing. This region contains many lakes, rivers, streams and ponds to cast a lure and enjoy the outdoors with some time away from home or the office. Besides providing a great way to enjoy nature and have fun, fishing is also beneficial to the local and state economy.
Today, more and more women are stepping up to the plate and taking on leadership roles in their personal and professional lives. At the same time, they are also inspiring and empowering those around them. Last month, nearly 200 women came together to hear motivating personal stories from leaders on their roads to success at “Ladies Who Lead,” an event I hosted that was sponsored by the Upstate Women’s Leadership Council.
Earlier this month, it was reported that more than 130 people overdosed on K2, a synthetic drug, in New York City. Emergency responders and eye witnesses stated people were lying on the sidewalks and leaning up against trees and shaking due to the effects from the drugs. While the news media hasn’t reported an outbreak of this magnitude in some time, synthetic drugs are clearly still an underlying problem in communities across the state.
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.