Latest news with #NorthCountry
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NNY Business's 20 Under 40 class unveiled
May 9—WATERTOWN — Twenty young people in the north country may not have realized the impact they have made on their communities and professions, but their peers and fellow professionals have taken notice of their achievements and have identified them as emerging leaders. NNY Business magazine announces the 15th class of its 20 Under 40 program, which annually recognizes 20 people under the age of 40 who have shown great promise in their careers and strong involvement in their community. The 2025 20 Under 40 class includes small business owners, a forester, a marketing director, a real estate agent and many others from varied professions. The class includes: Jessica Goodrich, director of infection prevention and control at Samaritan Medical Center; Meghan Harney, director of the Lowville Free Library; Sarah Shoemaker, director of buildings and grounds at Watertown Family YMCA; and Brittany Matott, broker at County Seat Realty. Also, Ariel Snyder, associate at BCA Architects and Engineers; Tim Reddick, CEO at ConTech Building Systems Inc.; Robert (Bobby) Killmer, employee relations specialist at North Star Health Alliance; Kylee McGrath, CEO of Watertown Local Development Corp.; Jamie Roberts, SPAO coordinator at THRIVE Wellness and Recovery; and Dylan Soper, deputy Jefferson County administrator. Additionally, Joseph Austin, Lowville Volunteer Fire Dept. chief; Danielle Young, assistant human resource director at THRIVE; Derek McNeill, vice president at V.S. Virkler & Son; Anthony Adamczyk, director of economic development at Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority; Amanda Drake, owner of Rags and Rivers; Adam Bullis, district forester at LandVest; and Brittney Doyle, owner of Polished Further, Gregory Stickel, home inspector at First Class Home Inspection; Mara Snyder, office manager at Miller's Turf Inc. and Eastview Grain, as well as owner of Snyder's Sugar Shack; and Emily Griffin, webmaster at Samaritan Health as well as marketing director at Zoo New York. Complete profiles and photos of selectees will be published in the June edition of NNY Business. Award recipients will be feted at a June 3 dinner catered by the Paddock Club in the historic Paddock Arcade in downtown Watertown.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Under new leadership, Catholic Charities continues legacy of service
OGDENSBURG — Now under new leadership, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Ogdensburg continues to build on its 106 years of being a beacon of hope in difficult times. The new executive director, the Rev. Scott R. Seymour, pastor of St. André Bessette Parish in Malone, took the helm of the Agency in January. In his role, Seymour is responsible for overseeing the agency's programs and staff across multiple counties, identifying sources of funding and resources to meet local service needs, continuing and cultivating relationships with partner agencies and ensuring Catholic Charities stays committed to and consistent with the agency's mission and Catholic values. Bishop Terry R. LaValley, bishop of the Diocese of Ogdensburg, said: 'Since his ordination in 1999, Father Scott has consistently demonstrated deep faith, interpersonal and leadership skills, empathy and compassion – skills and virtues that embody the mission of Catholic Charities. He brings the gifts of faith, love, humor and peace to those around him. These natural abilities have greatly benefited the many parishes, programs and communities he has faithfully served. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are reminded that we are all pilgrims on a journey, and we don't journey alone. Catholic Charities is there to share the journey and be a beacon of light and hope to our North Country neighbors.' The Rev. Scott R. Seymour, executive director, said: 'We're here to serve, and we will be here for years to come. We have new leadership, and we continue to move forward working with our compassionate and experienced staff and working with our partner agencies. We want to be a beacon of hope in difficult times for the people of the North Country. We're doing great things all in the name of Jesus, and we're doing it with great love. 'We see a lot of need. While it doesn't look like it did even just a few years ago, Catholic Charities continues to work to meet those needs as Christ called us to do. More than ever, we rely on the support of our North Country neighbors as we work to meet those needs.' While the methods of service delivery and the programs offered have changed over the years, Catholic Charities has continued to respond to Jesus Christ's call to care for those in need and love its neighbors. Catholic Charities currently maintains five offices across the Diocese of Ogdensburg, serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence counties and the northern portions of Hamilton and Herkimer counties. Currently, Catholic Charities offices and/or services are open in Malone, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Tupper Lake, Watertown and Port Henry. Catholic Charities continues to provide case management services in all locations. Staff work with the individuals served to meet their identified needs, whether through referral to a partner agency or using Catholic Charities' resources. All the agency's locations also offer emergency food bags and baby supplies, informal counseling and donated clothing and household items. Catholic Charities is also the E-EMDT hub in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties access. That program works to address elder abuse, including financial abuse. Referrals to that program are made through law enforcement, financial institutions, attorneys, human services agencies and/or medical professionals. E-MDT does not offer direct service or self-referral. Additionally, Catholic Charities, working with AmeriCorps Seniors, continues to run its Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Essex and Franklin Counties. That program connects individuals ages 55 and over with meaningful volunteer activities. The Foster Grandparent program also continues to serve the North Country and is coordinated through the Catholic Charities Tupper Lake office. That program, also run in conjunction with AmeriCorps Seniors, connects volunteers ages 55 and over with children who need support, mentorship and friendship. Volunteers are placed in a classroom setting with a child or children in need of emotional support, development of basic learning skills, friendship, companionship, encouragement, individual attention and unhurried help. In Ogdensburg, Catholic Charities continues to offer Seaway House Club, which is designed to promote recovery, and assist individuals in developing or re-establishing a sense of self-esteem and group affiliation. Based on the Fountain House Model of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Catholic Charities' services cater to the ever-changing needs of its participants. Joelle Lamica, administrative assistant, said: 'We have people with 30 years of experience serving here in the North Country. Our Catholic Charities staff has extensive knowledge, and people are comfortable working with them. They have long, established relationships with our partner agencies and the people we serve.' Catholic Charities will soon begin its annual Mother's Day appeal, a fundraiser that enables the agency to continue serving. To learn more about Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, or to donate, visit
Fox News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
GOV. KATHY HOCHUL: Why New York is saving education by getting phones out of classrooms
I've been a mom longer than I've been a governor, so I'm hardwired to protect kids — my own and yours. That's why, as New York's first Mom Governor, I led the nation last year in taking on the addictive algorithms driving social media feeds. And now, we're taking another bold step: becoming the largest state in the nation to restrict cellphones in K-12 schools throughout the entire school day. I spent the past year traveling across New York, talking to everyone from moms and dads to teachers, students, principals — from North Country to Long Island, I heard the same thing: cellphones are hurting our kids. One conversation I'll never forget happened in a library, sitting in a circle with students. They opened up about all the pressure and stress they feel every day — how they look, whether their clothes are cool, if they're being excluded from a party. They were carrying so much anxiety. How could they possibly focus in class with all that on their minds and constant notifications buzzing in their pockets? I also heard from teachers who would tell me, "We can't compete anymore. We just can't compete with the screens. We're losing the battle of connecting with our students." They want to build relationships with their students. They want to teach. But their kids are glued to their phones, distracted, anxious, and disengaged. And I heard from parents who would talk to me about how their kids are becoming more withdrawn and overwhelmed because of the constant bombardment of negativity from their smartphones. The facts speak for themselves. Ninety-five percent of teenagers have smartphones. They receive 250 notifications a day on average. They can't possibly focus on anything else because they're so afraid of missing something. Even our kids know it is too much. One young woman told me, "You have to save us from ourselves." I knew she really meant it. And I knew I had to act. I understand the legitimate fear parents may feel, losing a direct line of contact with their children in the case of an emergency. But as I traveled across the state, I also heard from law enforcement who told me that in the horrible event of a mass casualty, the last thing you want is your child fumbling for their cellphone. That distraction can mean that they're not safe, because they've lost their focus on the person in the front of the room who is trained to get them to safety. So, I knew we couldn't do half measures. Our kids needed us to be bold. Our teachers needed us to be decisive. And our parents were asking us to act. So that's exactly what we did. And I stood firm for this. Starting this fall, we'll have no cellphones in a child's hand from the moment they arrive at school to the moment they leave. No more memes instead of math. No more scrolling through science. Instead, kids will be able to focus, engage, and just be kids again. People ask me why this issue matters so much. It's simple: I want laughter in the hallways again. I want to hear real voices in gym class. I want our kids to make eye contact and talk to each other face-to-face. I want teachers to feel free to teach again. And I want to create an environment where kids can actually learn and just be kids again. Our kids' mental health is on the line. And I'm not going to let social media and big tech companies dictate their well-being. That's why, last year, I told them enough is enough. You can't keep bombarding our kids with your addictive, harmful algorithms. And now, we're taking back our classrooms and giving kids their childhoods back. No other state is doing what we're doing here in New York. I'll never back down when it comes to what's best for our children, because your family is my fight. I said that on day one, and I mean it just as much today. So, I'm proud to say that the next generation of leaders is growing up right here in New York. A generation that will be more focused, more grounded, and more connected to the world around them. This is the last generation of students in New York who will grow up with phones in the classroom. And that's a good thing. Because from now on, our kids will be learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling. Other states should follow our lead.
