Latest news with #SUNYPlattsburgh
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SUNY announces $3.3M in new funding to North Country campuses
More than $3 million in new funding is coming to the three North Country SUNY campuses in the latest state spending plan signed off by lawmakers. The funding for SUNY Plattsburgh, Pottsdam and Canton is part of a $114 million in increased operating aid across State-operated SUNY campuses in the new budget budget. The funding marks a continued historic investment and commitment to public higher education under Governor Kathy Hochul's leadership with strong support from Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and the entire State Legislature. Every State-operated campus has received at least a 30% increase in operating aid over the last three years, officials said when announcing the funding. 'This year's budget continues a historic investment in New York's public higher education system — one that will bring essential support to our students and faculty,' SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. 'These resources ensure SUNY's continued affordability and invest in our academic and research excellence. There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and this funding strengthens our ability to promote student success and advance upward mobility.' In the North Country, SUNY has allocated $1.483 million to SUNY Plattsburgh, $1.022 million to SUNY Potsdam and $799,000 to SUNY Canton. 'SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College and North Country Community College are vital parts of the North Country, and we all benefit when we invest in SUNY campuses and our students,' State Assemblymember Billy Jones said. 'This funding will not only help these schools continue to educate their students but also provides an opportunity for residents across the North Country to pursue a higher education.' 'This budget represents a bold affirmation of SUNY's pivotal role in New York's future,' the SUNY Board of Trustees noted in a press release. 'With this investment, Governor Hochul and the State Legislature are reinforcing their commitment to academic excellence and expanding the promise of opportunity for every New Yorker. These new resources will fuel innovation, support cutting-edge research, and ensure SUNY remains a powerful engine of economic opportunity.' Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman, a member of SUNY Plattsburgh's University Council, praised the funding, saying investing in higher education is 'absolutely critical.' 'And we're very fortunate to not only have SUNY Plattsburgh here in the footprint of the North Country but we also have Clinton Community College,' Cashman said. 'So this investment is a critical, forward direction and I look forward to seeing what is done with it in the weeks and months ahead. But I am specifically interested in the ongoing development of Clinton Community College co locating with the SUNY Plattsburgh campus and while they're soon to be leaving the Bluff, I think it's a wonderful new collaboration that is going to elevate higher education in the North Country overall.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Canadian election view and impact on the North Country defined
PLATTSBURGH — Monday's national election in Canada left the region with lots to mull in terms of how it played out and how it will affect the North Country and the rest of the nation. Longtime Political Science Professor at SUNY Plattsburgh Dr. Harvey Schantz, analyzed the election on Tuesday, a day after Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney appeared to have won a somewhat surprising victory over Conservative Party challenger Pierre Poilievre. Here is what Schantz said: Indirect Election Selection of the Canadian Prime Minister is an indirect election in which voters elect members of parliament and then legislators vote for their party leader to be the Prime Minister. With a Parliament of 343 seats, a majority of 172 seats is the minimum necessary to elect a government. CBC television news called the election for the Liberal Party at 10:11 PM Monday, remarking that the outcome marks a fourth straight 'mandate' for the Liberal Party. However, it is still not yet clear whether the Liberal Party will form a majority government or a minority government in alliance with another political party. The election results are generally viewed as a unique reversal of political fortunes, with the Conservative Party slipping badly and the Liberal Party snatching victory from almost certain defeat. In the last weeks of the campaign, though, polls began to show a decline in the Liberal Party lead. The Liberal Party victory, according to analysts, resulted from the replacement of Justin Trudeau with Mark Carney as their party leader and Carney's campaign focus on President Donald Trump, who inserted himself into the campaign by calling for Canada to be the 51st state and initiating Canadian tariffs. Carney made standing up to Trump the most important issue in his campaign and this issue emphasis is believed redounded to his benefit. By contrast, the Conservative candidate Poilievre had hoped that after an extended period of Liberal Party dominance, the contest would be a time for a change election. Americans' Views A total of 60% of U.S. adults, according to an April 7, Yougov poll, reported that the Canadian election was either 'very important' or 'somewhat important' to them. Americans' views of the Canadian election were incorporated into their prior political ideologies and attitude towards President Donald Trump. When asked for whom they would vote for in the Canadian election, Democrats said 39% for the Liberal Party of strongly anti-Trump candidate Carney and only 4% of their votes for Conservative Party candidate Poilievre. On the other hand, Republicans would vote 48% for the Conservative Party and only 5% for the Liberal Party. Americans are concerned with Trump's actions towards Canada. According to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos Poll, released after April 22, 53% of American adults agree that 'Trump is serious…when he talks about the U.S. trying to take control of Canada.' Fully 75% of Democrats take Trump's threat seriously as compared to only 35% of Republicans and 49% of independents. In our region, the Northeast, 57%, the highest of any region, feel that Trump is serious about taking over Canada. Only 13% of American adults 'would support' U.S. efforts to take control of Canada, including 27% of Republicans, 9% of Independents, and only 4% of Democrats. In the Northeast, 13% would support such a move. Canadian Views Canadians have a jaundiced view of their relationship with the U.S., according to a Yougov poll released shortly after April 2, with 44% calling it 'unfriendly' and 20% calling the U.S. an 'enemy.' By contrast only one-quarter of Canadians characterized their relationship with the U.S. in positive terms, with 15% calling the U.S. an ally and 10% calling the relationship 'friendly.' Only 19% of Liberals used ally or friendly to characterize the U.S. relationship, as compared to 39% of Conservatives who did so. Fully 71% of Canadians agreed that 'diversifying trade partners' would be an effective response to U.S. tariffs, with supporters of both major parties agreeing over 70 percent. Other measures viewed as effective by 64 to 65 percent of Canadians included 'stop selling US liquor,' 'stop selling oil,' 'stop selling electricity,' and 'retaliatory tariffs.' Liberals averaged 73% support for these four measures, while Conservatives averaged 60.5% support for these retaliatory moves against the United States. Impact on U.S. Relations and Region 'As I've been warning for months,' Carney said in his victory speech. 'America wants our land, our resources, our country. Never. These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us, so that America can own us. That will never happen.' Carney repeated his earlier claims that the old Canadian relationship with the United States characterized by close economic integration is over. 'We have to look out for ourselves.' Carney's victory speech pointed to tough economic negotiations between Canada and the United States, an assertion of full Canadian sovereignty over their territory, and diversification of Canadian economic markets, with less reliance on the United States. Already the leaders of Australia, France, and Ukraine, as well as China and India, reports the Washington Post have expressed interest in strengthening economic ties with Canada. Trump's actions have led to a backlash among Canadians toward the United States, both in their attitudes and economic behavior as 61% of Canadians claimed to 'have already started any form of boycotting American companies,' including 78% who claim to have boycotted 'food grown in the U.S.,' and 65% 'alcohol distilled in the U.S.,' as reported by the Yougov poll of Canadians. In northern New York and nationally, there has been a reported drop in Canadian tourism as well. The election results suggest that our local economic and political leaders will have, at least for the time being, a more difficult time stimulating the cross-border economy.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Area 6 candidates for Clinton County Legislature set
PLATTSBURGH — Patty Waldron, the only woman on the Clinton County Legislature for the better part of 11 years now is term-limited out after this year. However, both candidates running for Waldron's Area 6 seat in November are women and whoever is elected will get the chance to carry on her legacy. Jennifer Facteau Rabideau is the Republican candidate and Jessie Furnia is the Democratic candidate in the race for the Area 6 seat, which oversees all of the towns of Black Brook and Saranac as well as parts of the Town of Plattsburgh. REPUBLICAN Facteau Rabideau, a nurse practitioner at Plattsburgh Medical Care, announced her intention to run for the Clinton County Legislator Area 6 seat as a Republican early last month. Facteau Rabideau was appointed deputy coroner in 2020. She previously owned her own business, Small Town Health Care. She said she is a fourth generation Saranac resident, and a Saranac Central, Clinton Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh and Stony Brook University alumna. She also hopes to graduate with her doctorate in June from Frontier Nursing University. 'I probably see about 24 patients a day when I'm in the office, and I have had multiple opportunities to get an idea of both what the public needs and wants, and then from my coroner work with Chad (Deans), I'm getting an idea of how county government is working, and I want to be a part of that,' she said during her announcement at the Butcher Block in early March. 'Since Mrs. Waldron is terming out, I see this as an opportunity to maintain a woman's voice in the county legislature, and additionally, as a mother of young children, support and make decisions as a county legislator to benefit the young families and keep these families in Clinton County for multiple generations.' Facteau Rabideau also worked at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh for 15 years, 10 of which were in the intensive care unit. 'My whole adult life, I have served the community, whether as a nurse, I was a 4H member, I umped softball and baseball games in the summertime. So now I'm a nurse practitioner and I'm also the deputy coroner,' she said. 'I want to bring all of these experiences to the legislature, and serve the people of Clinton County in an albeit different approach, but in this more public service oriented capacity.' DEMOCRAT Furnia also announced her candidacy for the Area 6 seat in March. She was born and raised in the town of Black Brook. She graduated from AuSable Valley High School, Clinton Community College and SUNY Plattsburgh. Furnia has run her own business, the Paint with Jessie, in which she travels the North Country 'celebrating friends, family and art,' for the past 13 years. 'I'm a creative outside thinker and problem solver,' she said. 'In my many jobs, I've worked as a counselor. I've worked in the boys home. I've worked within the United States Olympic Committee, worked with athletes, and just have a different viewpoint sometimes and sometimes, just having somebody look from a different direction kind of seems like a bigger picture of things.' Her mother was also the president of the school board at AuSable Valley years ago and was an inspiration for Furnia to get and stay involved in the local community. 'She taught me to be part of the change and growth I would like to see,' Furnia said. In Clinton County, there's plenty she hopes to be involved in improving if she is elected in November. She said she would especially like to see the number of border crossings from Canada into the North Country improve so more revenue can come in. 'Right now, I think we're in really uncertain times,' Furnia said, about the decreased visitors from Canada in the past couple months. 'How is this going to affect our tax revenue, and what can we accomplish within our communities? and how is this going to affect the airport? So there's so many different avenues that can be impacted.' Furnia said the transition of Clinton Community College to SUNY Plattsburgh later this year has also been weighing on her. As an alumna of CCC, she wants to see its campus turned into something useful for the whole community. 'I believe it could be really a big gem.'
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'We love it here in America': US welcomes 21 new citizens at naturalization ceremony
PLATTSBURGH — For Justices Glenn Suddaby and Gary Favreau, nothing is more exciting than presiding over a naturalization ceremony. 'Most of the time, people are on at least one side of a conflict or case (and) somebody's going out of our courtrooms unhappy,' Suddaby, a member of SUNY Plattsburgh's Class of 1980 and U.S. district judge of the Northern District of New York, said at Friday's ceremony at his alma mater. 'I like to tell people there's only two occasions where I preside and I know people are happy: those are weddings and naturalization ceremonies. and the weddings, there's no guarantees, but the fact that you become a citizen of this country, I think, brings pleasure for the rest of your life.' Twenty-one people from 12 different countries got a taste of that feeling Friday when they were sworn in as United States citizens in front of their friends and family in SUNY Plattsburgh's Krinovitz Recital Hall. Mireille Satheu, originally from Cameroon in Africa, was one of them. She was beaming with joy after the ceremony was over. 'I just feel like I will have … more opportunity for the future,' Satheu said about coming to the United States. 'I came to America in November 2019. I've been here with my kids and husband, and we are just doing some few jobs for the moment, and I think that maybe in the future, I can have something much better. Right here is really good, really good. It is a big difference between my country and America, so I'm really happy.' 'So, so, so happy,' she said about becoming a citizen. 'I'm really happy to be here.' This gratitude about becoming a United States citizen is something everyone should reflect upon, Favreau, a SUNY Plattsburgh Class of 1973 graduate and U.S. magistrate judge for the Northern District of New York, said in his address. He said in his time presiding over immigration cases, one person expressed to him how lucky he was to live in this country. Similarly, at a previous naturalization ceremony, one new citizen was so overcome with happiness, he was sobbing uncontrollably when it came time to accept his certificate. 'Those of us that are born here may not fully appreciate that emotion, that feeling, that pride and that commitment to this country,' Favreau said. 'This ongoing process should be a reminder to all of us of what's important and what we need to stand for in this country.' As part of the ceremony, the a cappella group from Stafford Middle School performed the National Anthem, 'This Land is Your Land,' and 'America the Beautiful.' Amanda Ross, a nurse practitioner, was one of several people from Canada who became American citizens Friday. She said from the moment she, her husband and son came to the United States for work in 2015, she knew they never wanted to leave. They also had two more children while living here. Ross said they had been here on green cards and then work visas but as soon as they could, applied for citizenship. 'We knew that we weren't going anywhere,' she said. 'We love it here in America. We had no intention of going back to Canada, so we applied for citizenship, and here we are today. So life is good. It's exciting. It's like finally the journey has come to a close.' Ross said it's a relief to finally be a citizen. 'It's been about a year-long process from the start of the application for citizenship,' she said. 'So yeah, it's been a long year waiting. (To celebrate) we actually are going to go back to our hotel. We have my son here with his whole hockey team that came to support us. So we're all going to go have lunch and hang out and go swimming.' This was something Ross had in common with SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi. Enyedi said he, too, became an American citizen from Canada 20 years ago. 'Having been born in Canada, I know first hand what this day represents: the fulfillment of a long journey, the embrace of new opportunities and the profound commitment to the ideals and the responsibilities of American citizenship,' Enyedi said. 'So today, in front of witnesses, friends, family, loved ones, we come together to celebrate a moment of significance, one that honors both individual achievement and the shared values that bind us as a community, we want to recognize and celebrate that the individuals who are taking over citizenship today are marking a very meaningful step in their journey.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local officials sing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s praises
PLATTSBURGH — Sunday's commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King featured several local officials as speakers. Michael Cashman, Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor; State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake); Janet McFetridge, Village of Champlain mayor; Wendell Hughes, City of Plattsburgh mayor and a representative of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. 'This year's celebration is especially significant as it takes place during February, during Black History Month,' Cashman said. 'It's a time to honor the contributions of Black leaders, artists and activists who have shaped our nation's history, but it is also time to recognize the work that is not yet finished. Dr. King reminds us that we are not makers of history. We are made by history. Black History Month is not just about reflection. It is about using lessons of the past and inspiring action today. So let us not just remember the history, but commit to shaping the future through learning, through advocacy and through service.' Other notable speakers included Pastor Phil Kneller, First Assembly of God Church; Monte Prather, founding MLK Commission member; Shi-vear Parker, SUNY Plattsburgh student; Holly Heller-Ross of SUNY Plattsburgh, Elaine Austry, Glenda Rowe, Pastor Lance Gocke, Turnpike Wesleyan Church, Stan Ransom and Pastor Don Curry, New Testament Church. 'Many of us may be feeling despair, discouragement and disappointment amidst the constant chatter creating chaos and confusion. Some may react with anger, others with hopelessness, some will withdraw. But I ask you to remember the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr., when he said, a community built on hate, anger or spite will crumble,' McFetridge said during her remarks. 'Community, the power of community, your hometown, your neighborhood, your state, your country and beyond, humans share the need to belong. Small actions will lead to greater understanding, kitchen table talks and street corner chats allow us to share our stories. We can be present for one another and experience the privilege of being seen and heard one person at a time.' Mayor Hughes said there was, 'no bigger honor' than to be asked to speak at the ceremony. 'What a great honor to be mayor of the City of Plattsburgh, but part of that honor is this, again, you know, people ask me to speak at a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ceremony and that, there's no bigger honor, especially during Black History (Month),' he said. Hughes said he has great admiration and respect for King and recited some of his favorite quotes of his. 'Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of my favorites with his quotes. Some of these inspirational speeches, I only can dream of inspiring just a small percentage of who he inspired,' Hughes said. 'If he had not been taken from us at such an early age of 39 who knows how far he could have gone. My wife and I traveled across the country in a motorhome and we went through cities with an MLK drive. and every time we come across the road, we both look into each other and we say, 'I have a dream,' because we have to. and that's just out of total respect for him.'
