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A Healing Catharsis

A Healing Catharsis

I'm sharing something a little different today.  Yesterday would have been our Jenn’s 43rd birthday, now celebrated in her heavenly home. As family and friends, we never forget a loved one who has left us, especially sooner than we expect.  Yet, we can remember and celebrate their life with joy as a blessing from God. Today, rather than a poetry reflection, I’d like to share memories in Jenn’s own words from psychology class at Houghton College.  It gave me insight into her thoughts, experiences

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

Bees, Bonnets And Blessings

Bees, Bonnets And Blessings

Today is Earth Day ---- an occasion for taking time to appreciate the very ground beneath our feet and all that grows thereon.  It is a day to notice the bees (dwindling in numbers) on dandelions, the white of shadblow on the hills and to appreciate the rain (although maybe not so much that mixed precipitation!).  We (human-kind) have been careless and lacking in gratitude for the amazing connections and interconnections in our world from the depths of the seas to the starry endlessness of space

Carol Bossard

Carol Bossard

Beer Returns To Chemung County

Beer Returns To Chemung County

by Erin Doane  It was 88 years ago this week that people in Elmira and surrounding towns tasted beer again after years of Prohibition. Nationally, Prohibition began on January 17, 1920 but Elmira had gone dry 15 months earlier on October 1, 1918. Between then and April 7, 1933, not a single drop of alcohol passed the lips of anyone in the county. Okay, that’s not true at all. Throughout the entirety of Prohibition, illegal beer and hard liquor had been available (click here to re

CCHS

CCHS

Colors of Spring

Colors of Spring

Ahhh, spring!  My favorite season!  And isn’t it beginning to look beautiful outdoors?  I love to see the signs of new life emerging slowly, almost imperceptibly, after earth’s long wintry sleep.  To smell the fresh earthy aroma that follows a gentle spring rain is refreshing, to see the grass almost immediately turning from shades of crisp tan and brown to verdant greens, and to watch the daintiest leaf or flower bud begin to emerge brings joy to my heart.  With a bright sun’s nourishing

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

The Ten Best Moments From "Game Of Thrones"

The Ten Best Moments From "Game Of Thrones"

As we sit here, ten years removed from the premiere of Game of Thrones and nearly two years since the show ended, it’s easy to think back to the show and the massive set pieces and battles, shocking deaths, and breath-taking episodes. The big stuff is largely what separated Game of Thrones from everything else on television. The show just felt so enormous, certainly more massive than anything you’d have expected to see on television and anything we had seen up until that point.  To this day

Ryan O'Connell

Ryan O'Connell

Your Family Tree #10 – Last Will and Testament

Your Family Tree #10 – Last Will and Testament

We previously briefly touched on the importance of your ancestor’s Last Will and Testament, an excellent source of family documentation.  Wills are filed at surrogate court or county clerk’s office along with estate records for those who died intestate (without a will), inventories of estates, letters of administration, and guardianships, etc.  Some older wills may be found online at Sampubco Wills as posted by W. David Samuelson from whom you may purchase documents.  This site includes wi

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

Bannerman’s Castle on the Hudson

Bannerman’s Castle on the Hudson

A Scottish castle on the Hudson?  Drawn to the hazy beauty of this photo, I was mesmerized by the castle’s classic lines… so reminiscent of centuries-old castles scattered around the British and Scottish moors and highlands, intrigued to know it sat upon American soil.  After researching and naming my Mom’s maternal Scots-Irish, I am proud to say that they, too, hold a special place in my heart amongst all my Dutch ancestors. Photo of Bannerman's Castle  by Will Van Dorp, on his blog,

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

New Budget Of Missed Opportunities And A Troubling Future

New Budget Of Missed Opportunities And A Troubling Future

In the weeks leading up to the adoption of the new, 2021-2022 state budget, I kept repeating that we had an opportunity and a responsibility to utilize a massive, one-time flood of federal stimulus aid, nearly $13 billion, in a fiscally responsible way.  We faced an unprecedented chance to commit New York State to a short- and long-term strategy for the post-COVID rebuilding, restoring, and resetting of local communities, economies, environments, and governments for the long term. Equa

Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

Letchworth State Park: Voted Best In The Nation

Letchworth State Park: Voted Best In The Nation

Letchworth State Park in Western New York is one of the foremost exquisite scenic areas in the US, and undeniably a jewel in the Empire State’s crown. A USA Today poll found Letchworth State Park voted best in the nation out of 6,000 contenders, and in 2020, the park topped an identical list, again! There are several sets of waterfalls at Letchworth State Park. It’s worth taking the time to see them all. The nice thing about this park is it doesn’t require a lot of walking if you

Mathew Ingles

Mathew Ingles

Your Family Tree #9 - Military Records

Your Family Tree #9 - Military Records

Anything but a boring read, military records are another invaluable source of documentation.  The first step is to determine when and where your ancestor served.  Often clues to an ancestor’s military service are found in family stories, old photos, death records and obituaries, grave markers and/or cemetery records, local town histories, and other family records or correspondence. Many military records are available at Ancestry.com.  You will find draft registration cards for WW I and WW I

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

What In The Name Of Justice Is Going On?

What In The Name Of Justice Is Going On?

Coming off the approval of a new state budget that blows through a one-time windfall of $13 billion in federal aid, increases spending by an unprecedented $18 billion, and raises taxes by more than $4 billion, I’m not expecting this state government under one-party control to take a breath. The relentless pursuit of a so-called progressive agenda will continue while the Legislature’s Democrat supermajorities continue to exert their political leverage over a scandal-plagued Governor Andrew C

Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

Holy Rankings, Batman!

Holy Rankings, Batman!

Batman entered our lives all the way back in May of 1939, created in response to the overwhelming popularity of Superman, who came around a year earlier. Since then, we’ve born witness to several different versions of the Caped Crusader, whether it’s in print, on the small screen either in live-action or as a cartoon, and on the big screen. The first Batman movie came out in 1943 with a plot that revolved around Batman acting as a government agent, helping to stop World War II. Twenty-odd y

Ryan O'Connell

Ryan O'Connell

Sorting out And Keeping Close

Sorting out And Keeping Close

Easter is past and a lovely time it was.  Now Spring lies before us with so many things to do it makes the head spin.  Because of the mild weather and all the melting snow, things have greened-up nicely.  Our daylilies are up several inches, daffodils on a south-facing bank are blooming and the deer have stopped coming down   Apparently, their food sources on the hill are sufficient for their needs.  Turkeys have separated into flocks and are less frequent visitors.  I expect the hens may be sit

Carol Bossard

Carol Bossard

Respect

Respect

Oh, that we lived in a perfect world! … but we don’t.  Not everything goes our way, but our response can make a difference.  So, why am I hesitant to express my opinion?  There's a place for respectful disagreements, including of each other's faith, or lack thereof as espoused a few years back by Joy Behar of “The View” and those who admire her. They mocked former Vice President Mike Pence for his Christian faith and talking to Jesus, even calling a “mental illness” his listening to Jesus’ voice

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

The Nail

The Nail

Easter… I remember one year when I was a little girl getting a special new dress, white bonnet, and pretty black patent leather shoes to wear to church, and, of course, chocolate candy.  I also remember fun when my Mom helped us dye hard-boiled eggs. But what youngster doesn’t get excited about also getting a basket dressed up in pretty pastels, filled with sweet treats, stuffed bunnies, and other toys. And don’t forget the ever-popular Easter egg hunt with more candy or toys tucked inside plast

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

Harry's Inn

Harry's Inn

Hello everyone your friendly neighborhood fat guy bringing you another review with questionable grammar and little or no punctuation. So besides having some of the best wings in the area they have a heifer of a cheeseburger sub. Aptly named The Big Harry it was definitely a mouthful. I get it dressed mayo lettuce cheese and bacon. Burger was cooked all the way no pink which is how I like em. Bacon was good and crispy.Nice hoagie roll soft with a bit of crust. Overall a well made

"Rotund Man"

"Rotund Man"

I Can Admit That I Was ( Mostly ) Wrong About The Snyder Cut

I Can Admit That I Was ( Mostly ) Wrong About The Snyder Cut

You need to be able to admit when you’re wrong in this life of ours. Own your mistakes, kid. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people don’t do this, when they duck, dodge, and dive the things they’ve done and the statements they’ve made. Come on now. That’s bush league. I am, therefore, here to admit that after watching Zack Synder’s Justice League, I was wrong. In a BroBible piece that went up before the release of the movie, I said that essentially, fans should prepare for the worst. T

Ryan O'Connell

Ryan O'Connell

It's Time To Go Back To School

It's Time To Go Back To School

Together with my regional legislative colleagues, state Assembly representatives Marjorie Byrnes, Chris Friend, Joe Giglio and Phil Palmesano, we are sending a message to Governor Andrew Cuomo: It’s time.  We believe it is time to allow every local school district throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions we represent -- and, in our view, districts across New York State – to return to full-time, in-person classroom instruction. School administrators and staff are ready. Tea

Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

The Carpenter's Son

The Carpenter's Son

Who was the carpenter’s son they called Jesus, and what was He really like?  He lived, breathed and walked the face of this earth some 2000 years ago, but how well do we really know Him?  What would it have been like to be around Him, listening to Him, and following Him?  Beyond what we read in our Holy Bible, or what others have written to express their understanding of Scripture’s portrayal of Him, we might wonder what He was like as a child or as an adult facing mundane day-to-day life issues

Linda Roorda

Linda Roorda

Rambles Of Spring

Rambles Of Spring

As with much of the things I write, i lifted the title for this column from a song. Here's a rendition of it by local musician and friend, Pat Kane. We’re on our way out of March and with it, leaving behind that time of year sometimes referred to as “Fool’s Spring” with it. It’s safe to say I’m not alone being happy to say “goodbye” to Winter. Still, anyone who lives in this part of the country knows to enjoy the warmer temps, the snow melting away, and the grass getting greener, but that

Chris Sherwood

Chris Sherwood

Growing Season

Growing Season

Planting season isn’t yet here for our gardens, but it is growing closer and closer.  The red-winged blackbirds arrived two weeks ago. To discourage them from mobbing the feeders, I’m filling the feeders later in the day.  They are, however, a happy sign that spring has arrived.  There is also a starling that has found the little basket I put out for orioles last spring.  He sits in it and demolishes the cake of suet hanging right next to the basket.  There are four “gentlemen turkeys” (unattach

Carol Bossard

Carol Bossard

A Shot In The Arm

A Shot In The Arm

by Rachel Dworkin The first mass inoculation in North America occurred in Boston during an outbreak of smallpox in 1721. The inoculation campaign was spearheaded by Cotton Mather and Zabdiel Boylston, using a technique known as variolation which had been taught to Mather by an enslaved man named Onesiumus. Variolation, as practiced in Onesiumus’s native West Africa, involved rubbing dried pus from smallpox scabs into shallow cuts in a patient’s arm. They would then develop a relatively mild

CCHS

CCHS

Soprano's Italian Market

Soprano's Italian Market

Down in The Valley, Waverly to be precise, there is a hidden little gem of store/bakery/pizza place/a whole lot of stuff. I discovered the Sopranos about 9 years ago while working and needing lunch. I challenge anyone to walk into this place and not buy something. Lunch time is always a magical time there. They have daily specials on top of a full hot and cold sub menu. At least 6 different types of pizza. They also sell fresh pasta and pasta take and bake dishes. I am also told they have

"Rotund Man"

"Rotund Man"

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