Ritchie

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.

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.

In recent years, great strides have been made in the areas of early detection and treatment of breast cancer. In addition, many women diagnosed with the disease are living long and healthy lives. During October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women are encouraged to consult with their health care providers to learn more about the disease and develop a proactive plan for breast cancer screening because in many cases, early detection can save lives.

After seeing firsthand, the devastation along the shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, it is impossible not to think of those who are still picking up the pieces. My heart goes out to each and every person affected by this historic flooding. It is now critically important to provide our region’s struggling homeowners and business owners with the resources they need to start down the path of recovery.

It won’t be long before we put on our walking shoes, or even pack up the car, and head outside to see the colorful works-of-art that trees become in the fall. Those bright colors and that crisp air are what make autumn such a wonderful time of the year in our region. Speaking of crisp, fall is also a great time to head to our local apple orchards to handpick some of the freshest – and best-tasting – apples the nation has to offer.

The bell has rung and students all over Central and Northern New York are getting back into the swing of things at school. As a mother and grandmother, I know that “back-to-school” isn’t just exciting, it is also a time when we need to take extra steps to make sure children stay safe in the coming months, especially when they are traveling to and from school.

In an effort to lend a helping hand in the recovery process, I was pleased to cosponsor legislation that established the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence Seaway Flood Relief and Recovery Grant Program, which provides $45 million in funding to impacted homeowners, including seasonal homeowners, farms, not-for-profits, small businesses and municipalitie

President Ronald Reagan once said, “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” Right now, each of us has the ability, in some way, to help those in Texas who have been impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. Torrential rain, high winds and widespread flooding have caused what many are calling the most powerful storm ever to touch down in the United States. In its wake, Hurricane Harvey, which has now set a record for the greatest amount of measured single-storm rainfall in the continental United States, has taken lives and left tens of thousands of people homeless.

Given the recent wet weather, it’s important that we take steps that help prevent mosquitoes from breeding in places like old waste tires and barrels of water. These common items can serve as an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can carry sometimes deadly diseases like West Nile and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, commonly known as “EEE.”