November is National Adoption Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the need for families to adopt children in foster care. Nearly 40 percent of American adults, or 81.5 million people, have considered adopting a child, according to the National Adoption Attitudes Survey.
As members of the United States Armed Forces, our troops are forced to meet very tough demands each and every day. Long deployments that separate soldiers from their loved ones, working in dangerous situations and having to frequently move are just a few of the unique challenges faced by those who serve.
Here in Central and Northern New York, women are doing big things. Helping to continue this trend is the “Upstate Women’s Leadership Council,” a nonpartisan, non-political group which I formed alongside Rep. Elise Stefanik, Jefferson County District Attorney Cindy Intschert and other local leaders from throughout our region.
With all the challenges that we face in our daily lives, it easily can be overlooked how lucky we are to live in the United States. Our form of government, the structure of which is set forth in the U.S. Constitution, is surely an integral part of our greatness.
When one thinks of the holidays, spending time with loved ones, exchanging gifts with friends and family, and other traditions come to mind. However, the reality is that for our troops, this special time of year can be much different.
One of the biggest legislative challenges in Albany is to make sure that there is parity in state spending between Upstate and Downstate New York. This is particularly challenging when it comes to transportation spending. Downstate New York relies on mass transit for their transportation needs, while in Upstate, we are much more reliant on our cars for our transportation needs.
Every day, the choices we make impact our health and well-being. And as research has shown, doing things like eating nutritious foods, exercising and getting regular health checks can help you live a longer life. While it’s important for everyone to practice healthy living habits, it’s especially important for our aging population.
Beginning this year, New York state high school students have more choices available to meet the graduation requirements. The State Education Department has dubbed this flexibility as “multiple pathways” or “4+1.” I was pleased to sponsor legislation which passed and was signed into law in 2014 that required the State Education Department to adopt instruction related to CPR and the use of defibrillators.
If you’ve lived in Upstate New York for any period of time, you know that weather changes the way we do things, specifically, the way we drive. And, while most people might think winter is the only season that is difficult for drivers, fall, with its back-to-school traffic, fog, rain and changing hours of daylight, presents challenges, too.
Almost every week there is news concerning a large cyberattack in which personal identifying information is compromised. This personal information has included addresses, phone numbers and even social security and credit card information. No one is immune to these sophisticated schemes, including the U.S. Government and it has proven hard to police for law enforcement.
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.