DEFIANCE, OH: Helen Eldridge (Airy) Farr, 95, died Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Glenn Park of Defiance. She was born in Macedon Center, New York, in 1922, to the late Leora Mildred (Harbour) Airy and Leroy Leslie Airy. She attended Macedon High School and Rochester Institute of Technology. She then attended and graduated from Syracuse University. After graduation she married Charles L. Farr Jr. Helen worked as a teacher, teaching preschool, kindergarten, first and third grades. She retired in 1983. She was active in the Episcopal Church, serving as a Church School Superintendent, was active in women’s groups and bible studies, University Graduates, DAR, Eastern Star, and the Herb Society. She enjoyed gardening, reading, antiquing, and traveling. She was preceded in death by her brother Leroy, sister Mary Ellen and her parents. She is survived by her brother James Airy. There will be a Memorial Service on Saturday July 14 at 10:00 AM at the Macedon Center United Methodist Church 1160 Macedon Center Road. Suggested memorials are to Grace Episcopal Church. There are no services. Condolences may be shared at lawsonroessner.com
↧
Farr, Helen E. (Airy)
↧
Henry, Raymond
SPARTANBURG, SC: Formerly of Newark, NY, Raymond Henry, 71, husband of Shirley Harding Henry, passed away peacefully, surrounded by those he loved, on Sunday, July 1, 2018. Born June 4, 1947 in Rochester, NY, he was a son of the late Robert and Virginia Murphy Henry and foster son of the late Ed and Rose Marvin, Sr. of Macedon, NY. Ray was a graduate of Palmyra-Macedon High School, class of 1967. He honorably served his country in the US Army, 82nd Airborne Division, in Vietnam from 1968-1969. Ray was a lifelong member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, the Golden Brigade Chapter, and the VFW, post 2883, of Newark, NY. Ray enjoyed history and was an antique enthusiast, collecting carnival glass for the last 45 years. He could always be found sitting in the bleachers of his grandchildren’s sporting events. Ray was a loving and supportive husband, father, and papa. In addition to his wife, Ray is survived by his son, Scott Henry (Teresa); his daughter, Christine Chance (Chris); grandchildren, Raelyn Chance, Jackson Chance, Lucas Henry, and Nicholas Henry; and his brothers, David Henry and James DeHollander. He was predeceased by three brothers, Richard, Robert, and Donald Henry. The family will receive friends Sunday, July 8th, 3-5PM at Dunbar Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the 82nd Airborne Division Historical Society, P O Box 70119, Fort Bragg NC 28307-0119, in support of the 82nd Airborne War Memorial Museum or to the charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.JMDunbar.com. Dunbar Funeral Home & Crematory
↧
↧
Weaver, Mrs. Elaine L.
AUBURN: Age 80, peacefully passed away on Saturday June 30, 2018 She was a little spitfire, with a sense of humor like no other. She loved to entertain, and tell stories, cook for everyone and had the most beautiful singing voice. Among her many gifts was a big heart, generosity and love for family. She was a Family Care Provider for over thirty years. Her motto was “If one is good, two is better so…buy five.” She was pre deceased by her parents Robert and Helen H. Libengood, and her husband Bruce Weaver, and brother Kerry Libengood. Left to cherish her memories are her daughter Cindy (Glenn) Davis; Grand daughters Jamie (Geoff) Anselin Jillian (Chris) Hannold; Great Grand daughters Melissa, Bailey, and Brooke; Brothers Robert “Skip” ( Charlene) Libengood Edgar (Virginia) Libengood; Sister Lynn (Larry) Wilson; Several nieces, nephews and beloved pets Bo, Maggie and Yankee. Most importantly. She loved the Lord.
Calling hours will be held from 3 to 6 pm., on Thursday July 5, 2018 at Farrell’s Funeral Service, Inc 84 South St Auburn NY. Interment Services will be held at Pioneer Cemetery, Shortsville, NY. Memorials maybe made to the charity on one’s choice.
↧
Rivers, Edward J. III
CLYDE: Age 73, passed Sunday ( July 1, 2018 ) at the Newark Wayne Community hospital surrounded by his family. Edward was born in Auburn, NY. on June 28, 1945, son of Edward J. Rivers Jr. and Nevis ( Donk) Rivers, of Savannah, NY. He owned and Rivers Electrical Contracting in Clyde from 1978-2017. During his youth he was a volunteer at the Savannah Fire Department, and one of the proud founding members of the Savannah Cellar Savers. Survived by his daughters Jaimie and Katie Rivers of Clyde . The mother of his daughters and friend, Mary Ann Rivers, his three grandchildren: Jacob E. Phillips, Landen S. Atkinson, and Paityn A. Rivers. His siblings Jan Kreiss ( Roger ) of Marion, NY., and John Rivers( Leona Rubin) of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Many nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.
Friends may call from 4-7 pm on Thursday July 5, 2018 at the Pusateri- Canolesio Funeral Home 68 Sodus St, Clyde, NY. funeral services will be held on Friday ( July 6 ),10 AM at the funeral home, burial will be at Carussoe Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Clyde VFW Post 947, 26 Sodus St. ,Clyde NY 14433.
visit pusaterifunerals.com
↧
Sharrow, Lois
SODUS/PORT GIBSON: Lois Sharrow, 76, died on Monday (July 2, 2018) at the Wayne County Nursing Home. Lois was born on September 29, 1941 in Rochester. She has lived her entire life in the area. She is survived by her children, Karen Bulman of Palmyra and Richard Sharrow of Newark; four grandchildren Melisa and Ryan Sharrow, Cody and Bradon Bulman. A graveside funeral service will be held at 1 PM on Saturday (July 7th) at the Port Gibson Cemetery. murphyandsonsfuneralhome.com
↧
↧
Seely, Dorla C.
NEWARK: Dorla Mae Seely, 90, died Wednesday (July 4, 2018) at the Newark-Wayne Community Hospital. She was born in Trumansburg on November 22, 1927, the daughter of the late Harold and Hattie Vosburg Carpenter. Dorla graduated from high school in Trumansburg and earned a degree for teaching from Buffalo State. She was known as ‘Mom’ to all. For years, Dorla was a substitute teacher in the Newark Schools. She was a member and deacon for many years at the Park Presbyterian Church and a faithful supporter of the Newark Public Library. Dorla was a loving Wife, Mother and Nana. She leaves her husband of 63 years, James; two sons Jerry (Laurie) and Craig (Joan) all of Newark; a daughter-in-law MarySue Seely of Stanley; many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by two sons Jeff in 1992 and Steve in 2015. A private funeral service will be held at the convenience of the family. Burial will be at the Grove Cemetery in Trumansburg, New York. Memorials, in her name, may be made to the Park Presbyterian Church, 110 Maple Court, Newark, New York 14513 or the Newark Public Library, 121 High Street, Newark, New York 14513.
.murphyandsonsfuneralhome.com
↧
Miller, Terry L.
NEWARK: Age 71, of Arcadia Zurich Norris Rd., died Monday July 2, 2018. Terry was born in Olean, NY on August 7, 1946 son of John and Mildred Reynolds Miller Jr. He was a welder in Wellsville, Joe Gillette Excavating and Paul Andrew Dist. in warehouse. He served in the United States Marine Corps, was a member of the War Dads of the VFW where he helped on many fundraisers and road tolls. He was a member of the American Legion in Phelps where he was known for selling raffle tickets. He was also a member of the Old Bastards Club in Olean, NY. He is survived by his brother David William of Stanley, friend Jerry Thorn and cousins. He was predeceased by his companion Edith Bauer in 2012. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday July 17 at 11am at Resthaven Cemetery, Phelps NY with military honors. Arrangements by Schulz-Pusateri Funeral Home, Newark NY. Visit www.pustarifunerals.com
↧
Pugsley, Sandra “Sandy” J.
WEBSTER: With deep sadness in our hearts, we announce the passing of our loving Mother and Grandmother, Sandra Jane Pugsley. After a seven year battle with cancer, Sandra passed away peacefully with her family by her side on July 4, 2018, at age 64. Predeceased by her husband, James Stephen Pugsley, and her parents Margaret and Floyd Simpson. Survived by her children, David (Jessica) Pugsley, Christopher Pugsley, Andrew (Jennifer) Pugsley; grandchildren Parker and Ryan Pugsley; and her loving dog Jethro (Butters). Sandra was born October 26, 1953 in Rochester New York. She was a graduate of Franklin High School and later she received an Associates Degree from Empire State College. She married her husband Jimmy in 1974. They went on to raise three boys in Ontario NY before his unfortunate death in 1986. She continued to work until 10 months prior to her death, finishing her career at Visiting Nurse Services in Webster NY as a Professional Recruiter, where she leaves many of her friends. She loved spending time with her kids and grandchildren, family dinners, going to the movies, reading, and chilling while listening to Neil Diamond. Please come join us to celebrate her life and share her stories. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, July 8, 2018 from 2-5PM at the Murphy Funeral & Cremation Chapels, 1961 Ridge Road, Ontario, NY 14519. A graveside service will be offered on Monday, July 9, 2018 at 10AM a the Lake View Cemetery, Lake Road, Pultneyville, NY. We would like to thank all the wonderful volunteers and nurses at the Journey Home Inc., 994 Long Pond Road, Rochester, NY 14626. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made there in her honor. Please visit the tribute wall at murphyfuneralservices.com to light a candle, leave a condolence, upload a photo or order flowers.
↧
Guyer, Jr., Kenneth “Kenny” C.
MACEDON: June 23, 2018, at age 26. He is survived by his loving step-father, Marvin Strubel; mother, Shaleese; father, Kenneth Guyer, Sr.; siblings, Ashley and Danny Guyer; aunt, Kara “Kiki” Northrop; uncle, Jim Northrop; grandparents, Douglas and Roberta Williams; cousins, Cody, Jade, Brittany, and Skye Probst; best buddies Seth Jackson, Timmy Bush, Zach Chillson and countless other friends. Kenneth’s visitation will be held 4-7 on Tuesday, July 10th at the funeral home, 1411 Vintage Lane, Rochester, NY 14626 with a memorial service immediately to follow. For more information about Kenneth, please visit www.Bartolomeo.com
↧
↧
Ioapo, Iosefa T.
SAVANNAH: We mourn the loss of a great soul. Someone who was a comedian and jokester; a free spirit of joy and light; the light of our lives. Iosefa T. Ioapo, 24, currently of Savannah, NY, passed away June 30, 2018 after a tragic car crash. His memory will remain in the hearts of Iosefa and Lynette Ioapo (his father), Micki and Donnie Mourick (his mother), Sisters Makalika Ioapo and Emi Toaiva and his cats, Staind and Rascal. He is also survived by his maternal grandparents Joseph Calarco and Sue Houck, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, friends from all over the United States and his gaming buddies.
↧
Clyde man jailed for alleged attempt to force woman into sexual act
The Village of Clyde Police Department reported the arrest on Sunday (7/1) at 5:L50 p.m. of Cody M. Serafine, age 19, of 30 Water Street in Clyde.
It is alleged that Serafine jumped on top of a 48 year old female victim, threatening her with a knife, trying to force her into a sexual act.
Serafine was charged with Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Menacing in the Second Degree, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing and Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th.
Serafine was arraigned before Judge Carr and held in Wayne County on $1000 cash/$2000 bond to return to Town of Galen Court on 7/25.
↧
Column: The Big Bang
I wrote about this many years ago, but with the holiday just past, the old memory came back.
I was about 13 years old and inquisitive into all things that went bang. Actually, my intention was to build the next big rocket. It was the 60s and everybody was looking to space – the final frontier. Yes, I could have bought one of those pre-built Estes rocket kits from the hobby store, like the neighbor kids, but that was just so, so easy.
No, I wanted to go up and beyond the store bought, the ordinary. For months I had been testing different formulas of solid fuels to get just the right blends. Sulphur, potassium nitrate, charcoal, your basic gunpowder.
I soon discovered that cardboard based rockets lifted only a few feet off the ground before exploding in a massive burning ball. Impressive to the neighborhood kids, but a failure to launch none the less.
I must move to metal bodies if my quest for the skies is to be successful. My father thought my fantasies were interesting, but long ago decided indoor testing of engines was perhaps not the smartest of techniques. So, all engine tests had to be performed in the backyard.
Finally, I found just the right vessel for my tightly packed concoction of fuel. The engine test would be performed vertically, just like NASA did on their tests engines. It was evening, the weather was still and all was right for the test. If this succeeded, I would be well on my way to building the rocket to shame the store-bought, prebuilt kits of other rocketeers.
For safety measures I placed the device on concrete blocks, covered by two additional bricks for added precaution. The front of the device pointed at a two inch thick board.
Dad, with some cautionary interest, stood far enough away to watch. As the moment arrived, the match was lit. At first, the engine began thrusting out an impressive flame about three feet from the foot+ long copper tubing. At last, I had achieved what no rocket model kit had only dreamed of, pure power of the homemade variety.
Unfortunately, as NASA could confirm, not all rocket engine tests go as planned. Basically, looking back, I had built a pipe bomb. The ‘engine’ looked nice for the first few moments, then, BANG, it took off from what I felt was its safe enclosed cinder block housing.
The device shot forward at blinding speed for about 15 yards towards the back, detached garage. Feet before a direct hit ,the ‘rocket’ shot upward into the sky, leaving a green, fiery trail as it travelled hundreds of feet in to the sky.
Of course, it was nothing short of a sonic boom, followed by clouds of heavy smoke filling the neighborhood. The rocket (bomb) travelled about a block away, as I stood there wondering how many people were probably killed upon its reentry.
Dad just stood there, not knowing what to do to avert blame. Me, I began jumping fences, chasing the trajectory of my creation.
The tube, rocket, pipe bomb, landed in some guy’s front yard (luckily). There, I found this broken-English-Italian man kicking the still twirling, burning object as it burned a nice patch of his lawn.
“Don’t kick it,” I shouted, as he was muttering something in Italian. I explained what had transpired and agreed to reseed his front yard and, after calming down, he was quite understanding and began asking how I made it.
Dougie, a friend from almost a mile way, had heard the explosion and saw this green thing flying through the dusk. He came running to find out what was going on. Me, I was just glad I did not burn down a house, missing it by several feet. I began raking up the burned patch of grass and planned on the replanting process.
Dad, never said much about the incident, only agreeing with Mom that perhaps my rocket exploration days had come to a dead end.
No, the name Holdraker would never go down in the great names of space like Goddard, van Braun and Glenn.
Yes, neighbors a block in either direction, had windows rumble and smelled smoke, but luckily law enforcement never got involved. Had this happened in today’s climate, I surely would be doing 5-10 hard time and be on a watch list for life.
↧
Column: Summer Laker House
How’s your summer going?
Over the holiday, even the awkward weeks where America’s birthday is sandwiched on a Wednesday, it’s easy to miss things, with the exception of basketball’s best player signing with the sport’s greatest franchise.
Many hate the idea of LeBron James signing with the Lakers. Why?
Well, you may not be a Lakers fan, or have a green “I Hate LA” t-shirt in your closet.
Or, you could be a Cleveland Cavaliers sympathizer, and given the geography of our area, it’s hard not to be. But, LeBron won them that elusive title, fulfilled his vow as the hero who came home. Now, it’s time to fulfill HIS legacy.
He’s still chasing Michael Jordan and trying to stave-off Kevin Durant. He’s teaming-with Jordan’s biggest rival, Magic Johnson, a man whose game LeBron emulates more than No. 23’s. A four-year deal shows James’ commitment, knowing this may take a little time before the next class of free agents becomes available.
If you hate LeBron, or the Lakers, that’s fine. That’s your opinion. You’re allowed. It’s hardly a rags-to-riches story, but more like a bankrupt billionaire winning the lottery. But, the Lakers, going back to names like Chamberlain, West, Jabbar, the Showtime years, or the Jackson Five (titles) have built a franchise on winning with style, pizzazz and flash.
Say what you want about dynasties like the Celtics, Yankees, and Patriots: none of them were or are flashy.
It’s cool to be a Laker, even those years they’re irrelevant, because the Lakers are NEVER irrelevant. Now, they have the most valuable player in the history of the game. The Warriors, even with three titles in four years and the addition of DeMarcus (more Bogeyman than “Boogie”) Cousins, aren’t a slam-dunk for a fifth championship with LeBron out west, nor will be a household brand when it all ends. The East sounds like a cakewalk for the Celtics (much to the chagrin of TV execs at ESPN and TNT), but Kyrie Irving may already want out of Boston.
Is the league unbalanced? Uh, yeah. But, without LeBron, the Association becomes baseball–a sport only for its diehards. And if James chose to rot away in Cleveland, in salary cap jail, fewer and fewer folks would care to tune-in and wait to see the Cavs get steamrolled in the playoffs. Even The King would fade away like a Patrick Ewing jumper.
This is bigger than Cleveland. It’s bigger than LeBron, even. This is about the league, the underdog to the NFL–America’s favorite TV show. Commissioner Adam Silver wants to build a pipeline from high school to the G-League to the NBA, bypassing AAU and the NCAA. The NFL may appear to be on shaky ground, but football is still the easiest sport to bet, with the least amount of commitment needed. The NBA doesn’t have another LeBron around the corner. They have to spin this into green for now and for the future. LA is the perfect place to do so.
See you in November.
↧
↧
Government blesses omitting race from admissions, enrollment
By Eric Tucker
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration said the government would no longer encourage schools to use race as a factor in the admissions process, rescinding Obama-era guidance meant to promote diversity among students.
The shift announced Tuesday gives colleges the federal government’s blessing to leave race out of admissions and enrollment decisions and underscores the contentious politics that for decades have surrounded affirmation action policies, which have repeatedly been challenged before the Supreme Court.
The Obama administration memos encouraging schools to take race into account were among 24 policy documents revoked by the Justice Department for being “unnecessary, outdated, inconsistent with existing law, or otherwise improper.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the changes an effort to restore the “rule of law,” though civil rights groups decried the move and some universities said they intended to continue their diversity efforts as before.
The action comes amid a high-profile court fight over Harvard University admissions that has attracted the government’s attention, as well as Supreme Court turnover expected to produce a more critical eye toward schools’ raceconscious admissions policies.
The court’s most recent significant ruling on the subject bolstered colleges’ use of race among many factors in the admission process. But the opinion’s author, Anthony Kennedy, announced his retirement last week, giving President Donald Trump a chance to replace him with a justice who may be more reliably skeptical of admissions programs that take race and ethnicity into account.
The new policy dramatically departs from the stance of the Obama administration, which said schools could consider race in admissions decisions. In one 2011 policy document, the administration said courts had recognized schools’ “compelling interest” in ensuring racially diverse populations on campuses.
“Institutions are not required to implement race-neutral approaches if, in their judgment, the approaches would be unworkable,” the guidance said. “In some cases, race-neutral approaches will be unworkable because they will be ineffective to achieve the diversity the institution seeks.”
That guidance has now been rescinded, as have about a half-dozen similar documents, including some that sought to explain court rulings affirming the use of race to make admissionsdecisions.
In one such document, the Obama administration stated, “As the Supreme Court has recognized, diversity has benefits for all students, and today’s students must be prepared to succeed in a diverse society and an increasingly global workforce.”
The Trump administration’s announcement is more in line with Bushera policy that discouraged affirmative action and instead encouraged the use of race-neutral alternatives, like percentage plans and economic diversity programs.
Though such guidance doesn’t have the force of law, schools could presumably use it to defend themselves against lawsuits over admission policies.
The Trump administration’s Justice Department had already signaled concern about the use of race in admissions decisions.
The department, for instance, sided this year with Asian-American plaintiffs who contend in a lawsuit against Harvard
that the school unlawfully limits how many Asian students are admitted.
Students for Fair Admissions, the group suing Harvard, is led by Ed Blum, a legal strategist who also helped white student Abigail Fisher sue the University of Texas for alleged discrimination in a case that reached the Supreme Court.
Blum said Tuesday the organization “welcomes any governmental actions that will eliminate racial classifications and preferences in college admissions.” Harvard, meanwhile, said it would continue considering race as an admissions factor to create a “diverse campus community where students from all walks of life have the opportunity to learn with and from each other.”
Civil rights groups criticized the Trump administration’s announcement, saying it went against decades of court precedent permitting colleges to take race into account.
“We condemn the Department of Education’s politically motivated attack on affirmative action and deliberate attempt to discourage colleges and universities from pursuing racial diversity at our nation’s colleges and universities,” Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement.
Lily Eskelsen García, president of the National Education Association, said “affirmative action has proven to be one of the most effective ways to create diverse and inclusive classrooms.” She said the announcement underscored the stakes surrounding the upcoming Supreme Court appointment.
The high court has been generally accepting of considering race in admissions decisions to achieve diversity. In a 2016 opinion written by Kennedy, the court granted affirmative action policies a victory by permitting race to be among the factors considered in the college admission process.
The ruling bitterly disappointed conservatives who thought Kennedy would be part of a Supreme Court majority to outlaw affirmative action in education. Justice Antonin Scalia died after the court heard arguments in the case but before the decision was handed down.
The new affirmative action guidance may add to an already contentious fight over the next justice.
With Trump expected to announce his nominee next week, the issue should be a central part of any confirmation process, said Howard University law school dean Danielle Holley-Walker.
She called the new guidance “highly unfortunate and counterproductive” and said the decision is another indication that the Justice Department under Sessions is likely to be aggressive toward schools that do continue to factor in race in admissions decisions.
“People have been talking about precedent in regard to Roe. v. Wade”, the landmark 1973 ruling affirming a woman’s right to abortion, “but it’s important to remember that affirmative action has been a precedent for the past 40 years,” she said. “This is a clear attack on precedent. Any Supreme Court nominee needs to be asked if they support precedent related to affirmative action.”
↧
Rising air ambulance bills hit patients with added shock
by Tom Murphy
AP Health Writer
A helicopter trip to a hospital may not be the only shock a patient faces after a bad accident. The next one could hit when the bill arrives.
Rides in so-called air ambulances can lead to bills of more than $20,000 depending on a person’s coverage, and insurance experts say big invoices are becoming more common as costs rise and coverage shifts.
Air ambulances transport around 400,000 people each year in the U.S., according to industry estimates. Most trips are from one hospital to another. But they also play a vital role in getting seriously injured or ill people fast help during what doctors call “the golden hour”, the initial window after an accident when a patient’s chances for recovery are better. Here’s a deeper look at the issue:
A SPIRALING EXPENSE
Median prices for helicopter air ambulance services doubled from around $15,000 to about $30,000 from 2010 to 2014, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report last year.
Patients with private insurance can get stuck with most of that bill if the helicopter that picks them up is not in their coverage network. In those cases, the air ambulance company can bill the patient for the leftover balance after the insurer pays part of it. The GAO report said it was unclear how often patients are billed like this.
The main reason patient costs are rising is because the expense of running air ambulances has more than doubled in the past decade, but reimbursement from the government-funded Medicare program hasn’t changed, said Blair Beggan, a spokeswoman with the trade group Association of Air Medical Services. She added that Medicare reimburses about 58 cents for every dollar air ambulance companies spend transporting patients, and some commercial insurers have been reducing their reimbursement to bring it closer Medicare rates.
That, Beggan said, can force air ambulance companies to leave insurer networks.
The GAO report noted that air ambulance providers don’t face the type of competition that could restrain costs. Patients have little control over the decision to call for an air transport and can’t avoid companies that may be too expensive and outside their insurance network.
SOME PREVENTIVE MEASURES
There are limited safeguards for avoiding a big bill.
Some air ambulance companies will sell memberships that cost less than $100 a year. Those will take care of flight expenses, but they often apply to only one company. A patient still might wind up stuck with a big bill if a competing company responds to the call.
Some insurers will offer riders to employer-sponsored health coverage that allow workers to pay a few extra bucks a month in order to have any air ambulance flight covered as though it were in their network.
HANDLING THE BIG BILL
Don’t panic if a five-figure invoice arrives in your mailbox from an air ambulance company. There may be a way to resolve it, or at least knock down the amount.
Start by contacting your insurer to make sure the claim has been processed correctly. Some air ambulance companies provide patient advocates who do this.
An insurance broker also may be able to double-check the claim’s accuracy or check for any potential discounts.
An air ambulance company will sometimes knock 10 percent off the bill without asking the customer to prove that it would be a financial hardship, said Marietta, Ohio, broker Kristen First. Even deeper reductions may be available for patients who produce tax filings, check stubs or other items showing how much of a strain the bill would impose.
First said her agency had a customer do that, and the air ambulance provider chopped a bill of about $25,000 down to $3,500.
↧
Welcome Home, Davina
For the second time in three years, former Sodus Point resident Davina McNaney has returned to her hometown after completing an almost 400 mile journey to raise funds and awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
On June 22, McNaney set out along the iconic Boston Marathon course then up into New Hampshire. She continued through Vermont and into NY state finishing in the Point on July 3rd as a crowd welcomed her home once again.
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, McNaney was determined to help others similarly impacted. Over the past few years, she has helped raise over $50,000 for the BCRF and has touched countless lives along the way.
With some of her days beginning as early as 3am, McNaney was able to cover 390.6 miles on her multi-state run and raised over $23,000 so far on this trip alone.
Davina’s husband Steve, along with her two daughters were along for the trip, typically driving ahead a few miles and getting out to cheer her on along the way.
As for her hometown of Sodus Point, Davina says it will always hold a special place in her heart. After all, her family has been in the area for five generations.
“Even though a lot of people had to work it was such an amazing welcome by Sodus Point. The benefits that the local restaurants did that night were amazing. The escort from the fire department as I arrived.” She even got to ride in the parade that night thanks to Sodus Historian Bruce Farrington.
Although the trip was difficult, Mc-Naney says she is happy to have come out unscathed and is feeling great. “My legs are saying why aren’t you still running?”
More information is available at bostrun2ny.comwhere you can still donate and continue to follow Davina’s incredible journey.
↧
Two dogs, house saved in blazing heat as 11 departments meld together in mid-day fire
Firefighters are investigating a fire that happened at a home at 3334 Route 89 in South Butler on Monday afternoon around 1 p.m. in 90º+ heat and heavy humidity.
The fire was discovered by a passerby who noticed smoke coming out of a back porch. He began banging on the door and noticed an upstairs air conditioner was on, but no one answered and no one was home at the time. By the time Wayne County Deputies arrived heavy smoke and flames were coming out the porch area.
Complicating the scene was the time of day. Short handed, 11 departments responded in some way, some sending one, or two firefighters to the scene. Some at standby at their respective stations.
Chief of South Butler Fire Department, Rudy Vandelister says the fire started in a back addition of the house. “The various firefighters from departments buddied up to save the house. The metal roof created a problem for crews. It took them about an hour and a half to get under control,” said the Chief Firefighters say there is severe damage, but no injuries were reported.
With no fire hydrant present, tankers had to transport water to the scene. “It was amazing we got it stopped so quickly. The old house from the late 1800s had some good 6×6 timbers in it with some additions added later,” added Chief Vandelister.
The cause has yet to be determined. The American Red Cross was called in to find shelter for two adults. Two dogs were rescued from cages at the residence. A WATTS bus was brought in to give the firefighters a break from the hot weather.
Photo courtesy of Times news partner 13WHAM
↧
↧
Crazy Quilt Pillow Workshop at Historic Palmyra
Historic Palmyra is excited to announce a special 5-part workshop on making Crazy Quilt
Pillows with Freda Peisley, to begin on July 17th. This workshop will take place at the Alling
Coverlet Museum, 122 William St., Palmyra on the following Tuesdays from 6-8 pm: July 17th,
July 24th, August 7th, August 14th, and August 21st. Freda Peisley formerly worked at the
Genesee Country Village and Museum and is a current and active member of the Rochester
Weavers’ Guild. Participants will learn the art of crazy quilt making and bring home their own
pillow at the end of the five sessions! Supplies are provided but participants may bring their own
meaningful fabric scraps, such as t-shirts, ties, or blankets, to work into their final product. This
is a great opportunity to make a memory!
The five-session class costs $70 for Historic Palmyra museum members and $80 for non-
members if pre-registered by July 10th. After July 10th, pre-registration costs will be $70 for
members and $85 for non-members. Interested individuals can register in-person at the museum
office (132 Market St., Palmyra), by phone (315-597-6981), through the Historic Palmyra online
store (https://squareup.com/store/historic-palmyra-inc), or by mail (132 Market St., Palmyra).
Cash, check, and credit cards are accepted.
↧
Second Annual Taste of Wayne County Returns July 17
The Wayne County IDA is joining the Village of Newark, Greater Newark Chamber of
Commerce, and Wayne County Farm Bureau to host Taste of Wayne County for a second year.
The outdoor event will be held on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 from 4:30 to 8:30 PM along VanBuren
Street from Main Street to East Avenue, and in the T. Spencer Knight Canal Park. The Taste of
Wayne County was created to showcase food and drink related businesses solely from Wayne
County through samples of their “signature” dishes, food products, or beverages.
Vendors this year include local wineries, stores, restaurants, food trucks and farms. This
community event attracted over 800 attendees in 2017. Entertainment will be provided by local
church and school groups as well as music by Johnny Bauer from 6:00-8:30.
Pre-sale tickets are $10 for 15 samples and will be on sale through Sunday, July 15 at Newark
Wegmans, Wayne County Lyons National Bank branches, the Newark Chamber office or online
at www.tasteofwaynecounty.org. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $1 per sample. The
first 500 event goers will receive a free event bag.
Vendors are still being accepted, please contact the Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce
office at 315-331-2705 or via email: support@newarkchamber.org for more information.
↧
Sen. Schumer says federal rules taking a bite out of hard cider
A local cidery is working to change federal regulations that do not allow ciders to be packaged in 12 ounce cans.
Senator Chuck Schumer visited DeFisher Fruit Farm’s Rootstock Ciderworks in Williamson on Thursday, where he called on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to change those regulations.
As of now any cider that is above a 6.9% alcohol content must be in wineapproved bottles or containers.
Cideries across New York State say this drives up production cost. They say packaging in cans would be more cost effective.
Senator Schumer is also calling on federal regulators to treat cider more like wine and champagne instead of beer.
Schumer called on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) Administrator John J. Manfreda to immediately address cider canning and labeling regulations that are driving up cider production costs and threatening to undermine New York cideries’ efforts to accurately market cider to consumers. Specifically, while TTB regulations allow cideries like Wayne County’s Rootstock Ciderworks to package its ciders that are under 6.9% ABV (alcohol by volume) in 12-ounce cans on par with beer, these same regulations are still prohibiting ciders between 6.9%8.5% ABV to be packaged in 12 oz cans. Instead, outdated TTB packaging regulations still treat cider above 6.9% like wine, forcing cideries to spend extra money for special wine-approved bottles or containers. Schumer, who sponsored the CIDER Act that modernized the tax law so that all cider up to 8.5% is treated the same for federal excise tax purposes, said the TTB must use its authority to similarly update its packaging regulations to allow all cider up to 8.5% ABV to use 12 oz cans. Secondly, Schumer called on the TTB to reverse a provision in a proposed rule which would mandate the use of the terms ‘sparkling’ or ‘carbonated’ for most of New York’s hard ciders products. Schumer said requiring cideries to label their cider as “carbonated” is confusing for consumers and more importantly it runs counter to New York Cider’s desire to compete with beer, rather than champagnes and sparkling wines. This puts the burgeoning industry and new cideries at a significant disadvantage as they seek to broaden their appeal to consumers, and new labeling requirements would impose additional unnecessary costs on these small businesses.
“Cideries throughout Wayne County, Rochester, and the Finger Lakes pour local products and jobs into our economy, which is why we mustmake sure their exciting growth is not choked off by bureaucratic nonsense that makes no sense and hurts New York’s hard cider industry. In order for these local cideries, like Rootstock Ciderworks, to grow and create more good-paying local jobs, we need the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to back off their requirement that imposes unnecessary costs on cideries by blocking them from using inexpensive 12-ounce cans for all their ciders. On top of that, now the Feds want to take another bite out of the apple cider industry and force cideries to use the terms ‘sparkling’ or ‘carbonated’ for most of New York’s hard ciders products. Simply put, the Feds need to take these outdated regulations and ‘can them!,” said Senator Schumer.
Schumer has long fought for New York’s cider industry. Schumer was responsible for the passage of the CIDER Act, bipartisan legislation he first introduced in 2013. Schumer’s bill, the CIDER Act, updated the definition for hard apple and pear cider in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) by increasing their allowed alcohol by volume from 7 percent to 8.5 percent and increasing their allowed carbonation levels, encompassing significantly more hard cider products and allowing them to be labeled and taxed like hard cider and in line with beer, rather than higher-taxed wine or champagne.
“These regulations do nothing but misidentify local cider products, confuse potential customers, and makes it harder for smaller companies to compete with their competitors. That is why I am calling on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to immediately reverse course; they should understand that I am watching this issue very closely to make sure Rootstock Ciderworks and other cideries in the Rochester Finger Lakes region and beyond can grow, explore new product lines, and operate without nonsensical costly mandates,” added Schumer.
Schumer highlighted that prior to the CIDER Actsreforms, the then outdated definition of hard apple and pear cider only allowed for up to 7 percent alcohol by volume before cider was taxed as wine, and only a certain level ofcarbonation before it is subject to the champagne tax. New York’s cider
producers are small craft cider operators, and because they rely on natural products, there is very little predictability and control over the precise alcohol content of their product. The CIDER Act solved this issue by increasing the level of alcohol content from 7 percent to 8.5 percent, to ensure that those craft artisanal batches with higher alcohol content are still subject to the hard cider tax on par with beer, rather than the higher wine rate. Second, the CIDER Act removed carbonation limits to ensure the products aren’t subject to the higher tax levels on champagne.
For Rootstock Ciderworks, the CIDER Act allowed the company to hire new employees and grow since its start in 2013. It now sells its ciders across Upstate New York in leading restaurants and retailers including Wegmans Food Markets. Unfortunately, Rootstock Ciderwork’s business is now being hampered by a cider canning regulation that is driving up cider production costs and by recently proposed labeling regulation that is threatening to undermine New York cideries’ efforts to accurately market cider to consumers. While TTB regulations allow cideries like Rootstock to package its ciders that are under 6.9% ABV (alcohol by volume) in 12 ounce cans – on par with beer – these same regulations now prohibit ciders between 6.9%-8.5% ABV from being packaged in 12 oz cans. Instead outdated TTB packaging regulations still treat cider above 6.9% as if it is wine, forcing cideries to spend extra money for special wine-approved bottles or containers. Schumer said that while the CIDER Act modernized the tax law so that all cider up to 8.5% is treated like beer and not wine for federal excise tax purposes, the TTB has not updated its corresponding packaging regulations to treat cider like beer and not wine. For Rootstock Ciderworks, which cans cider, this is a major impediment to their business since the company not only invested in canning equipment, but invested their marketing and advertising around a uniform 12 ounce can design. Moreover, Rootstock Ciderworks just produced a new type of cider that came in at 7% ABV and the TTB, citing these outdated regulations, will not allow Rootstock to package it in their standard 12 oz cans. Instead, cideries like Rootstock are faced with the costly extra expense of buying and using special “wine-approved” bottles or packaging for this cider. This also undermines their marketing and makes it more difficult to convince retailers to accommodate differently sized and shaped products on their store shelves.
Additionally, TTB is now proposing a new regulation that would treat hard cider like sparkling wine or champagne, requiring cideries to use words like ‘sparkling’ or ‘carbonated’ for hard ciders on their labels. Even though hard cider now has its own separate definition, apart from carbonated wines, this proposed regulation the use of these terms for a certain level of hard cider carbonation would not clarify any distinction for consumers or regulators and could cause confusion or degrade the image of hard cider products. Schumer said this proposed regulation would create confusion for the consumer and damage New York hard cider’s image as a premium beverage.
Schumer was joined by Rootstock Ciderworks employees and owner David DeFisher, New York State Apple Association Executive Director Cynthia Haskins, Wayne County Farm Bureau Field Representative Amanda Krenning, Rootstock Ciderworks owner David DeFisher said, “We appreciate Senator Schumer’s support to fix outdated bureaucratic regulations that are unnecessarily standing in the way of growing New York cideries. While the CIDER Act enabled cideries to grow by modifying the definition of “cider” so that it could contain up to 8.5% ABV, the TTB continues to hold that for canning purposes, anything over 6.9% must be classified as a wine and, therefore, may not be packaged in standard 12 ounce cans. This effectively prevents cider producers from putting cider over 6.9% ABV in a 12 oz can and selling it in interstate commerce as is done with beer. It is costing cideries more, confusing our customers, and limits our ability to use new higher fermenting varieties of New York apples to make ciders”.
Schumer announced his push at Rootstock Ciderworks, a New York farm cidery started by the DeFisher family on their 500-acre fruit farm in Williamson. The owners, David De-Fisher and his family, have grown apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and more on this farm for four generations. In 2013, Schumer toured DeFisher Farms and announced his push to help DeFisher secure its TTB approvals in order to open the Rootstock Ciderworks cidery so that it could being production.
↧