With summer vacation approaching for students, more and more teens are taking to the roads. In fact, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day marks the busiest time of the year for teen drivers, not to mention the most dangerous. It’s known as the “100 Deadliest Days,” a time frame when we see a spike in the number of crashes involving teens.
It is not a secret that New York is a challenging state in which to do business because of our high taxes and oppressive regulatory scheme. Some, but not all, of these policies originate out of New York City which faces different demographics and economic conditions than we do in Upstate New York. A big push this year by many NYC legislators has been to raise the state’s minimum wage. Under current law, the minimum wage is $8.75 an hour and it is set to raise to $9.00 an hour on December 31, 2015.
Did you know that every 19 minutes, someone falls victim to identity theft? Today, identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, affecting more than 12.7 million people last year alone. Identity theft has the power to ruin credit and wreak havoc on reputations, and it costs victims roughly $16 billion annually.
Here are some bills introduced by lawmakers that make some of us scratch our heads. Even by Albany’s standards, these are a bit unbelievable. I want to share a few with you this week.
While the fresh air certainly has its perks, it’s important to be extra vigilant to stay protected from ticks and the diseases they carry, namely Lyme disease. May marks Lyme disease Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and spread information about this terrible disease. A potentially debilitating and life-threatening illness, it’s estimated by the state Department of Health that more than 95,000 cases of Lyme have been confirmed in New York State since 1986.
Access to quality healthcare is a necessary component for a thriving community and we are fortunate to have great healthcare facilities and providers in Central New York. That being said, our healthcare system is under stress because we continue to face shortages of healthcare professionals in New York state, particularly in rural areas. These shortages are particularly acute for primary care doctors and nurses but extend to specialty practices and other healthcare providers.
There are certain things that let us know summer is right around the corner. One of my favorites? The opening of farmers markets across our region. From fresh fruits and vegetables to flowers and handcrafted items, local farmers market offer something for everyone. To make it easier for you to find the fresh, healthy foods and unique locally-crafted items you’re looking for, I have once again put together my “2015 Farmers’ Market Guide.”
Civil War veteran and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes eloquently said of Memorial Day: “Every year in the full tide of spring, at the height of the symphony of flowers and love and life, there comes a pause and, through the silence, we hear the lonely pipe of death.” What a truth there is to that quote.
According to the most recent numbers available from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, in 2013, there were more than 5,100 motorcycle crashes statewide. Those crashes resulted in 171 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries. This month, we make an extra effort to increase the safety of our roadways through “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month,” a time when those who travel our roadways are encouraged not only to be extra alert, but also to make an extra effort to learn how to more safely share the road with others.
The Oswego County Tourism Department recently held a free luncheon seminar at the Tailwater Lodge in Altmar titled the Tourism Ambassador Program. The event highlighted some of the great assets that our area has to offer. At the end of the day, the 70 or so people who attended were considered Tourism Ambassadors.
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