Civil Air Patrol inducted U.S. Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Barneveld, into its Congressional Squadron. Presenting him with a CAP flight suit is New York Wing government relations advisor Lt. Col. Gerry Marketos, MD, of Rome, and handing him membership credentials is New York Wing Vice Commander Lt. Col. Tom Carello of Syracuse.

(Utica, NY – Jan. 6, 2012) Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Barneveld (24th Congressional District), was inducted into the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Congressional Squadron Jan. 4 and received a briefing on CAP’s homeland security, search-and-rescue and disaster relief missions.

During a ceremony in his Utica Congressional Office, Hanna received membership credentials from a New York Wing delegation that included Wing Vice Commander Lt. Col. Tom Carello of Syracuse and three wing staff officers, Lt. Col. Andy Liddle of Oneonta, Lt. Col. Gerald Marketos of Rome and Lt. Col. Larry Brinker of Binghamton. Since he is a pilot himself, Hanna also received a CAP flight suit.

As a Congressional member, Hanna wears the honorary grade of lieutenant colonel and is authorized to fly in CAP aircraft and participate in CAP activities.

“The congressman’s passion for aviation and his record of service to community and country make him a perfect fit for the Civil Air Patrol,” noted Carello.

“As an aviator, and a citizen keenly interested in what lies ahead for America,” Hanna said, “I find the Civil Air Patrol’s missions of emergency services, cadet programs and aerospace education are the perfect blend of community service, and youth development and education with an aviation orientation. That gives me the opportunity to share my passion for flying and strong belief in service to others with today’s youth.”

The congressman also noted that he was “looking forward to getting more involved with CAP’s search and rescue and homeland security missions that are so important to our nation at this time.”

Liddle, Marketos and Brinker, who are government relations advisors for New York Wing Commander Col. Jack Ozer, briefed Hanna on recent disaster relief and homeland security missions in the state, including aerial damage assessment and ground team support after severe storms and flooding, and flying CAP planes as rogue aircraft for the Air National Guard’s F-15 fighter interception practice.

Hanna invited New York Wing to get involved with his New York Defense Working Group, whose aim is to protect and enhance military installations in the state. Hanna formed the bipartisan alliance with downstate Rep. Tim Bishop, D-Southampton, and 18 House members are part of the working group.

He expressed his support of pending legislation that would award the Congressional Gold Medal for the Civil Air Patrol’s World War II service as well as his support for restoring $4.5 million for CAP operations and maintenance, $10 million for aircraft and $1 million for communications equipment to the 2013 Defense budget.

The Civil Air Patrol is the search-and-rescue, cadet-mentoring and aerospace education auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, with more than 61,000 members nationwide. CAP operates a fleet of 550 aircraft, and in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search-and-rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 54 lives in fiscal year 2011. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to nearly 27,000 young people participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP received the World Peace Prize in 2011 and has been performing missions for America for 70 years.

(Holland Patent, NY – Dec. 7, 2011)  The Boilermaker Road Race is pleased to award the traveling trophies in the fourth annual Boilermaker 15K School Challenge to Holland Patent Central School Boy’s and Girl’s Teams, at the Holland Patent Board of Education Meeting. The Holland Patent Boy’s team successfully defended its title as the reigning 15K Champion. The Girl’s team unseated the three time reigning champions, Whitesboro.

Holland Patent will be able to display the traveling trophies at the school until the end of the school year. “We felt this event was a great success this year and congratulations Holland Patient Girls for unseating Whitesboro, who have held the title since its inception and the Boy’s team on their second win,” said Race Divisions Director, Kevin Copeland.

Team scoring was based on the average 15K Race finish time of the first five boy’s team finishers and the first five girl’s team finishers. The Holland Patent Boy’s Team won with a combined time of 5:08:07, an average combined time of 1:01:38, the next place team was the New Hartford’s Boy’s Team with a combined time of 5:34:19, an average combined time of 1:06:52.

The Holland Patent Girl’s Team won with a combined time of 6:25:40, a combined average time of 1:17:08 followed by the Whitesboro Girl’s Team with a combined time of 6:26:53, an average combined time of 1:17:23.

Plaques were awarded to the first five males (Cody Racha, Dylan Racha of Holland Patent, Todd Stevens of Rome, Nolan Amos of Prospect and Colin Baldwin of Barneveld) and the first five females (Leah Rice of Prospect, Shay Callahan, Alysa Hoffman of Holland Patent, Cheyenne Petrillo-Lavier of Poland and Jennifer MacMillan of Stittville) on the Holland Patent School Teams.

The following schools were eligible to participate in the Empower Federal Credit Union School Challenge: Adirondack Central, Brookfield Central, Camden Central, Canastota, Clinton Central, Cooperstown, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Hamilton, Herkimer, Holland Patent, Ilion, Little Falls, Madison, Mount Markham, Mohawk, Morrisville-Eaton, New Hartford, New York Mills, Notre Dame, Old Forge, Oneida, Oriskany, Owen D. Young, Poland, Thomas R. Proctor, Remsen, Richfield Springs, Rome Catholic, Rome Free Academy, Sauquoit Valley, South Lewis, Vernon- Verona Sherrill, Waterville, West Canada Valley, Westmoreland and Whitesboro.

Each team runner had to be a full time student between grades 7-12 as of June 1, 2011 or a 2011 graduate of the school they attended.

(Verona, NY – Dec. 2011) Kenneth Fitzgerald of Barneveld has been named a Service Superstar for the Oneida Indian Nation for the month of October for providing legendary service to customers.  Fitzgerald, a bellperson at The Lodge at Turning Stone, has been employed at the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino since March 2004.

A Service Superstar is an employee who creates a service experience so memorable that it inspires others to do the same. Monthly winners are eligible for the Annual Legendary Superstar Award and each receives a SāvOn Gift Card and a Turning Stone Resort Gift Certificate.

(Oneida County, NY – Oct. 2011) October 2-8 is National 4-H Week, and Oneida County is celebrating the 4-H youth who have made an impact on the community, and are stepping up to the challenges of a complex and changing world.

Recent findings from Tufts University’s 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H. Notably, the Tufts research discovered that the structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that 4-H’ers receive play a vital role in helping them actively contribute to their communities.

In Oneida County, more than 300 4-H members and 120 volunteers are involved in 4‑H.  The Oneida County 4-H program reaches over 3000 total youth through after-school programs and other 4-H sponsored activities throughout the year.

Oneida county 4-H members are involved in a wide variety of projects from animals to robotics.  They actively participate in public communication events, community service and project specific shows and competitions.  4-H volunteers guide youth by using their individual expertise and mentoring them throughout the year.  An abundant amount of local, state, and national opportunities are available to those involved in 4-H.  These opportunities and more are available through the 4-H program and help us build our leaders of tomorrow.

Learn how you can become involved in 4-H by calling Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County at (315) 736-3394, extension 122 or email Kristi Cranwell at kac292@cornell.edu

(Syracuse, NY – Sept. 28, 2011) The Central New York Region has everything a traveler could want out of a visit to New York State, from something old (historical landmarks, museums and rustic B&Bs) to something new (state-of-the-art science centers, modern theatrical performances and high-end spas). To emphasize the “something old,” the area is overflowing with quaint shops touting eclectic antiques and collectibles, offering a slice of the region’s rich past. It is truly a picker’s (and a historian’s) paradise.

For starters, the Madison-Bouckville area offers a year-round antique venue with over 30 shops featuring hundreds of dealers, plus the largest antique show in New York State every third week in August. This event, the Madison Bouckville Antique Week, draws more than 2,000 dealers for a weeklong show along one two-mile stretch of Route 20. Another superb find for antique hunters in Madison County is The Market at Oneida Commons, a neat little mall open year-round that’s packed with vintage items, crafts, jewelry, books, furniture, locally-produced Pride of NY foods and other odds and ends that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Cobbler & C. in Sharon Springs, Schoharie County, offers a treasure trove of antiques. Up on the second floor is a wide array of used, but “new to you” goods: a collection of old dishes, glassware, books, magazines and other collectibles.

In Oneida County, the Westmoreland Antique Center features 80 dealer spaces with a vast array of antiques and vintage collectibles like holiday merchandise, milk bottles, postcards and advertising collectibles, plus a vast selection of glassware, china and furniture.

Charlotte’s Antiques in Chenango County welcomes antique enthusiasts to pore over home décor, women’s clothing and jewelry, and rare collectibles, among other specialty items. For Iroquois artifacts, one-of-a-kind classics and various collectibles, Carriage Barn Antiques, Iroquois Antiques and Pheasant Farm Antiques are a few popular stops in the area.

The Little Falls Antique Center in Herkimer County showcases oldies but goodies from 18 dealers. Just a ways down the street, Stone Mill of Little Falls houses everything vintage from lighting, to clothing, to decorative arts and prints, plus local treasures like Oriental carpets from Erie Canal Carpets, sterling silver and cookbooks. The unexpected can be expected in the old factory atmosphere of this 1839 mill built on the banks of the Mohawk River, as the inventory is ever changing. Greater Binghamton’s Clinton Street, aptly named the “Antique Row,” is a hot spot for antiquing, hosting as many as 30 dealers at a given time. The locale makes perfect sense, as Clinton Street itself is an antique – it existed long before the city of Binghamton.

Cooperstown in Otsego County is saturated in antiquing opportunities. More than 50 shops line the area, from main streets to country roads, including NYS Route 7 corridor from Unadilla to Oneonta, the NYS Route 28 corridor from Oneonta to Cooperstown, and US Route 20, the road to the Madison-Bouckville Antique Show. For those seeking a myriad of vintage items, from china and glassware to historic textiles and furniture, shops like Barkley Barn Blue Ribbon Antiques, Lake Antiques and Antiques & Artifacts are must-sees. Even the antiquing venues themselves are fascinating and range from charming homes to old barns brimming with collectibles.

For some, a successful hunt for the perfect antique can take months or even years. The Central New York Region’s seemingly limitless supply of rare antiques and collectibles in dozens of shops across the area, however, can certainly help to shorten the duration of that hunt and make it quite enjoyable along the way.

For more antiquing opportunities and other information about the Central New York Region, check out:www.JustGoCNY.com.

(Utica, NY – Sept. 14, 2011) Utica College student Daniel J. Shanley won the primary vote for councilman position for the Town of Trenton on primary day, Sept. 13.

Shanley, 21, is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English. A graduate of Holland Patent High School, he is also interested in journalism and public relations. After he graduates next May, he wants to earn a master’s in public administration.

“I’ve always had an interest in government and how it works,” Shanley said. “I decided it was a really good time for me to run because there are four experienced, knowledgeable members on the board.  I decided I could learn a lot from them, as well as introducing my own ideas.  As the youngest person on the board, I think I will represent a more diverse population as well.”

The next step is the general election in November.  If elected, Shanley will be councilman for Barneveld, Prospect, Holland Patent, Trenton Falls, South Trenton and Hinckley.

Pictured from left, are, Officer Joseph Dare of the Utica Police Department, Riley Kohl (5 years old), Ella Lorraine (5 years old) and Edward P. Welsh, General Manager – AAA NY Central Region.

(Utica, NY- Sept. 2, 2011) The Utica Police Department and top state

and local officials have joined to urge vigorous public support of AAA’s annual “School’s Open—Drive Carefully” campaign to help preserve the safety of children traveling to and from school.

AAA’s yearly “School’s Open—Drive Carefully” campaign alerts motorists to the special risks to school-age children from motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death for children from five to fourteen years old.

To encourage drivers to exercise caution, Edward Welsh, General Manager of AAA New York’s Central Region said that “AAA will be placing colorful posters bearing the “School’s Open” legend to local police departments and will display them at many busy intersections and school crossings during the month of September.”

Motorists will receive an additional reminder each time they see one of the “School’s Open” bumper stickers, also distributed by AAA New York for display on trucks, buses, official vehicles, school buses and passenger cars. Among the prominent officials who have endorsed AAA’s “School’s Open” campaign this year are: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo; Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, Barbara Fiala; Commissioner of Education, John King and Acting Superintendent of State Police, Joseph D’Amico. The New York State Association of Chiefs of Police also supports the campaign.

Officer Joseph Dare similarly endorsed the efforts of AAA New York and reminded motorists, “School’s Open – Drive Carefully.”

Ed Welsh also emphasized the need to show extra caution when driving as schools reopen, since it is then that vacation-minded children are apt to be less careful.  Motorists should be particularly alert for children darting out between parked cars on busy streets.

(Aug. 30, 2011) The Cultural Resources Council has expanded its role in providing grant support for Central New York artists and public arts programs.

A regional arts agency based in Syracuse, the CRC is now accepting applications for four different arts grant programs serving nine counties.

“The arts are an important element in the vitality of our communities,” said Steven Butler, CRC Executive Director. “In this time of economic retrenchment, we are pleased to offer support for arts activity in a wider geographic area.”

While the geographic reach of the four programs differs, support is now available to artists, not-for-profit organizations and municipalities in Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Otsego and Oswego Counties. Potential applicants should check the specific program descriptions to determine eligibility.

Community Arts Grants are offered to not-for-profit organizations that sponsor community-based arts projects. Grants of $500 to $5,000 are awarded competitively for activities such as performances, arts festivals, exhibitions, public arts classes, mural projects, and many other programs that enhance local cultural life.

Funds are provided by the State and Local Partnership Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), through its Decentralization initiative. Counties served by CRC Community Arts Grants are: Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego. Applications must be received by November 1.

Individual Artist Grants are offered to artists in the visual, performing, literary and media arts for carrying out creative projects that strengthen their connection to the community. Grants of $1,000 are awarded for activities such as the creation of art in public places; the creation of new music, choreography or scripts for public performance; the creation and public dissemination of film or video works.

Funds are provided by the State and Local Partnership Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), through its Decentralization initiative. Counties served by CRC Individual Artist Grants are Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego.

Strategic Opportunity Stipends (SOS) are grants of $200 to $1,500 offered to working artists in all disciplines for specific opportunities that significantly benefit their career development. The CRC is one of eight regional organizations throughout New York who administer this program for the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).

The CRC administers Strategic Opportunity Stipends for artists residing in Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and Otsego Counties. Applications must be received by Sept. 12 or April 5.

Art$TART Grants of $500 to $2,000 support creative teaching partnerships between schools (Pre-K through Grade 12) and arts organizations or individual artists.

With funds from the Arts Education Program of the New York State Council on the Arts, the program supports curriculum-related projects in public or private schools of Cayuga, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties.  Applications must be  received by Nov. 15.

Details and application procedures for all CRC arts grant programs are available on the CRC website at www.mycnyarts.org. The website also provides a listing of currently scheduled information meetings throughout Central New York.

(Utica, Canastota, Oneonta, NY – Aug. 8, 2011) USC The Business College, with locations in Utica, Canastota and Oneonta, has appointed Dr. Daniel J. Murphy, Ph.D. as its new Executive Vice President of Academics.

“We are pleased to add the esteemed Dr. Murphy to the administration of our college,” said Mr. Philip M. Williams, President.  “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him to the position, and our entire student body, faculty and staff, are most assuredly going to benefit from that experience.”

Murphy has a long and extensive career in higher education.  After a sixteen-year stint at the SUNY Institute of Technology in which he held positions ranging from Associate Professor in the Communication and Humanities Department to Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences to Interim Vice President for Student Affairs to Graduate Program Director, among numerous others, he took a position with Herkimer County Community College as the Dean of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer.

Murphy has broad and wide-ranging experience in curriculum development, program, course and general education assessment, enrollment management, recruitment, retention and international programming, and the higher education accreditation process.

Murphy earned a B.A. in English from Iona College, an M.A. in English from Boston College, and his Doctorate in Communication and Rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  The Barneveld,New Yorkresident has authored or co-authored over 15 published pieces, has led a team that created a fund raising plan to endow new scholarships in excess of a quarter-million dollars, and is a frequent presenter at conferences, meetings and seminars.

Murphy maintains an active role in the GENESIS Group Higher Education Task Force for the Mohawk Valleyand the Rotary Club of Utica.  He also serves on the Judging Panel of the Trenton, New York Chamber of Commerce Business Endowment Award.

Additionally, Murphy has been frequently recognized for his work, including receiving the Outstanding Service and Dedication Award in 2007 from the State ofNew York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, The Utica/Rome Student Association Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000 at SUNY Institute of Technology, and the State University of NY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Murphy is noted for securing research grants to further his academic fields of study.