My old feisty friend, Louise, is gone now. But boy, did she give it a good run. After 94 years, my mother’s and my dear friend wasn’t challenging her world anymore. Instead, she was amazed at her good fortune. “They take my social security and give me all this -- a warm room, a great ...

I recently heard a news item that reported that more and more states are considering a ban on smart phones in schools, and it got me thinking. Back in my school days before bus rides were provided for everyone, if you lived in town you either walked or got a ride from someone. Once you got to ...

By RICH BARTELL The Aug. 9 commentary by Scott Axelson and Michael Dee concludes that “tariffs are only a tax in uneducated minds suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.” I consider my mind to be reasonably well educated on business and economics, but I struggle to find any coherent ...

One of the joys of living in Western New York has been the lifelong friendship that we have had with our next door neighbor, Canada. Back in the days when I was a bit more mobile, we would take a yearly trip to Canada for a week or two of wilderness canoeing. You had only to drive a few ...

Earlier this month, I had the tremendous honor of welcoming His Excellency Urban Ahlin, the Swedish Ambassador to the United States, for an official visit to New York’s 23rd Congressional District. It was a powerful reminder that the cultural bonds, historical ties, and economic ...

From its inception in 1999, the Herkimer County Hunger Coalition had two goals: to help in the fight against hunger in Herkimer County and to put smiles on the faces of area children living at or below the poverty level. We’ve been fairly successful regarding the first. Through securing ...