Lewis County officials comment on cancelation of SNIRT run
LEWIS COUNTY, N.Y. (WWTI) – Lewis County officials have weighed in on the cancelation of this year's SNIRT run.
The event was called off earlier in the week and faces an uncertain future. The run was supposed to have its 20th edition, but the the Barnes Corners Sno-Pals canceled this year's edition 'the new requirements of the county and in conjunction with the current requirements of the Towns and NYS mass gathering permit.'
SNIRT Run in Lewis County faces uncertain future after this year's cancelation
Lewis County officials said in a statement they were 'deeply saddened to learn today that the Board of Directors of the Barnes Corners Sno-Pals voted on February 19.'
However, county officials wanted to address some of the points brought up in the announcement. Lewis County said it was 'important to clarify that there have been no new policies or changes to Lewis County regulations since last year's event. The Department of Health requires a Mass Gathering Permit for all events being held with over 5,000 people in attendance. This type of event also requires insurance due to the liability of opening roads to allow access.'
We have met with representatives of the Barnes Corners Sno-Pals multiple times to assist with this year's event. We would love to see the event continue, but they must meet the Event Permit requirements to hold the event and help keep everyone safe. The County has actively supported efforts to facilitate this event, assisting with the necessary paperwork for the Department of Health's Mass Gathering Permit and providing resources through our Emergency Management team. Multiple county departments—including Highway, Parks, and Emergency Management—together with dedicated volunteer groups, have worked to help make this event a success in previous years.
Jackie Mahoney, Director of Recreation, Forestry, and Parks for Lewis County
The release from Lewis County also added they are supportive of events that bring positive economic and recreational benefits to the county. They also added they are open to working with event organizers and hope the SNIRT run returns in the future.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
Letter writer can't get answers about friend's death
I have been desperate to learn the circumstances of her death. I have googled my brains out and followed up every lead. There are no obituaries available online, and no death notices, either. There are no newspaper articles about her death. Her attorney's secretary won't let me talk to him, citing attorney-client confidentiality, even though she is deceased, and he withdrew himself from representing her upon her death. The heir of her estate will not return my calls. I can't even nail down where she died so I can file a Freedom of Information Act request with the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Get Love Letters: The Newsletter A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more. Enter Email Sign Up I don't have a claim on her estate. I have no ulterior motive whatsoever. I just want to know what happened to my old friend. I have tried everything I know. I was hoping that you might have some ideas. Advertisement FRIEND IN THE DARK A. You have my sympathies — it can be so difficult to learn of a friend's passing and not have the closure afforded by a service, a conversation, or more information. It's possible that Mary's heir and/or her family want to keep the circumstances of her death private. It's also possible that there isn't much to know and, were you to discover it, it wouldn't give you the peace you're seeking. Advertisement Some of this pursuit is probably motivated by grief. That makes sense. And it's perfectly natural to want to know more details about a loved one's death. But details won't serve you as much as finding a way to commemorate the relationship that you had and the life that she lived. Take some time to focus on her, maybe on a walk in nature or someplace that held special meaning to you both. Thank her for being a part of your life and wish her well on her journey. The 'how' of her death matters, but the details of her life and your relationship matter more and will help sustain you through your grief. Q. This is in reference to 'Worried in Wisconsin,' from a substance abuse clinician who was concerned about a niece's opioid abuse. Speaking as a physician, make sure everyone in your niece's life has and knows how to use Narcan. Only the niece can decide to pursue treatment, but anyone can provide lifesaving treatment if she overdoses. PHYSICIAN READER A. Narcan, a brand name for naloxone, a medication that is used to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, is an important resource. It is available, in some cases for free and prescription-free, through some state and local agencies and community distribution programs. It comes in multiple forms including a nasal spray. Bystander training can be completed in less than an hour and is available online through organizations like the Red Cross and many states' Department of Health. While naloxone can reverse the effects of opioid overdose, per the National Institute of Drug Abuse, it is still imperative to call 911 immediately so that the individual can receive attention and continued monitoring. Advertisement Q. I read the letter from 'Outside Only,' who had a guest at a Fourth of July party who said it was too hot outside and spent the evening inside. I know you were answering the host, but you were not empathetic to the guest. There are some people who simply cannot handle heat. I am one of them. Outside summer heat causes me intense physical pain and discomfort and makes it very difficult to even visit with others and enjoy a party. Now that the hostess knows this is a problem, this year she could try to accommodate all of her guests by putting up seating under umbrellas, or in the shade of the house, or setting out fans in a couple of areas. How many people really enjoy being outside in the middle of the hot summer sun for hours? NEBRASKA IS HOT A. From the letter, it sounds like the host was actually quite accommodating — no word on umbrellas as it was an evening party, but the letter writer spent the duration of the event inside with the guest even though the fireworks-viewing party was, as they tend to be, outside. However, not to put too fine a point on it, but sometimes guests have to make a decision about whether a particular party is for them. If the gathering is outside and one doesn't want to be outside, one doesn't have to go. R. Eric Thomas can be reached at .
Medscape
5 days ago
- Medscape
Is It Too Late to Rebuild Trust in Public Health?
'No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.' — John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions (1624) Our public health institutions are facing unprecedented challenges, from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic to widespread misinformation and distrust. As Americans grapple with the consequences of these crises, the question arises: Is it too late to rebuild trust in our public health system? In the first quarter of this new century, we've experienced monumental societal, technological, scientific, and political changes; virtually all aspects of our world are dramatically different from how they were just 25 years ago. Although many of these changes have been for the better, a substantial share of our population has become wary, confused, and unsure about which — if any — institutions they can trust. This collective cultural crisis has created a feeding ground for opportunists, especially when it comes to public health. Much of the confusion is quite understandable. The internet democratized information sharing with no substantial guardrails. Anybody can claim to be an expert on anything. In an era where anyone can claim expertise, the actions of public health leaders carry significant weight in shaping public perception. I was reminded of this fact when I saw pictures of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, head of the US Department of Health and Human Services, swimming with his grandchildren in a creek notorious for its high levels of bacterial contamination — despite posted guidance to stay out of the water to avoid illness. Such imagery sends a troubling message: Public health warnings are merely suggestions for the cautious, rather than essential guidelines for safeguarding health. Ignore them, or not. The end result is the same. This disconnect between the behavior of health authorities and the seriousness of their warnings undermines trust and reinforces the notion that public health advisories are only for the weak of heart, further complicating efforts to rebuild confidence in public health institutions. Then, the extraordinary penetration of social media into the international zeitgeist produced a dominant communication medium, and now we have self-promoting 'influencers' attaining key positions of power. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, few people anticipated that our roughly equally divided American political voting groups would become polarized and fractured by the development of a discordant chasm of beliefs. The level of antipathy and acrimony has been a startling and upsetting surprise — especially as that polarization has led many to question the value of evidence-based medical practice and science itself. This great divide was widened further with the vehemence, speed, and effectiveness of the actions this new federal administration has taken to dismantle the governmental foundation of medical science and public health. Many of us believed our traditional checks and balances would serve as moderating influences on the president's more extreme policies. But so far, our federal health agencies have been subject to substantial funding cuts, a forced exodus of established leaders, and bizarre restructuring and consolidations. At this point, the extent and duration of the damage being inflicted on our public health system remain uncertain, leaving us to wonder how much will be lost before we fully comprehend the consequences. I suggest we return to the basics and revisit the fundamental reasons behind the concept of 'public health.' Human behavior is governed by many variables, but at its core are personal morality and societal ethics. Curious about their genesis, I approached my current favorite generative AI tool, Gemini, with the following prompt: 'What is the ____ basis that supports public health over individual health?' I ran this prompt seven times, inserting an age-old 'influencer' into the blank for each test. I wanted to know if Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, and religiously unaffiliated belief systems could guide us toward the path to rebuilding trust in public health. After marveling at the beautifully written, organized prose that Gemini generated, I found that the seven belief systems shared the following values in common: social responsibility, importance of community, justice, equity, and the obligation to prevent harm and care for the vulnerable. Ethical decisions must balance these factors with individual conscience and freedom. In essence, John Donne was correct: No man is an island. Fifteen years ago, some colleagues and I created the Lundberg Institute, a nonprofit aimed at overcoming medical paternalism and enhancing patient power. The Lundberg Institute's credo is 'One patient, one physician; one moment, one decision.' We wanted to ensure that this decision would be a shared decision , informed by the best evidence and taking cost into consideration. We were inciting rebellion from paternalism and insisting on the primacy and responsibility of the informed patient. In this era of growing mistrust, physicians must take an active role in supporting public health. As trusted figures in our communities, healthcare professionals have the unique opportunity to advocate for evidence-based practices, engage in transparent communication, and educate patients about the importance of public health initiatives. To amplify our collective voice, I urge my fellow physicians to sign onto an open letter, ' To the American People, ' calling for action to protect public health. In medicine and health, we humans are a connected community — regardless of current politics. We must care for each other, thereby protecting the health of the public, which includes ourselves, our friends, our families, and our neighbors. Effective individual patient-physician relationships will be of unparalleled importance during this transition phase, no matter how long it lasts. Then, we as a country must determine how we can organize necessary resources to rebuild public trust and to preserve the health of our public.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
NNY Racing Recap: Can-Am returns from Memorial Day break
LAFARGEVILLE, N.Y. (WWTI) – Racing roared back over the weekend after the Memorial Day holiday across the north country. Theresa native Lance Willix picked up the victory over Watertown native Billy Dunn in the 25-lap 358-modified feature. Tyler Meeks, Derek Webb and Remington Hamm rounded out the top five. Mike Fowler collected the win in the 20-lap Sportsman division feature. Frank Sibley, Ryan Shanahan, Tyler Stevenson and Josh Reome finished out the top five. Jon Liberty (602 crate sprints), Michael Greenfield (thundercar) and Eymarah Bowman (limited sportsman) were also winners on Friday, May 31. Can-Am will be back in action on Friday, June 6 with the Pit Crew Showdown. Pits open at 4 p.m. with gates opening at 5 p.m. and racing beginning at 7 p.m. Evans Mills Raceway Park Rain continued to be a problem as Saturday's May 31 program was postponed. The Zeigler 67 race was pushed back until this weekend. June 6: Relay For Life at Evans Mills This weekend's scheduled card will be legends night with the pits opening at 3 p.m. Saturday. General admission gates open at 5 p.m. and racing begins at 6 p.m. This weekend is also Relay for Life weekend at the track with activities going on Friday night. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
