Weekend News Brief

Early voting starts this weekend and runs up through November 8th and State Attorney General Letitia James is warning New Yorkers about voter intimidation.  She says that voters shouldn’t be harassed by individuals dressed in fatigues and body armor or poll watchers who get too close to the voting booths.  It is illegal for people to attempt to intimidate or coerce someone who is in line to vote to try to get them to leave or change their vote.  It is also illegal to be required to show a photo ID to vote.  If you have a disability the poll workers are also instructed that they are required to make sure you are accommodated and able to vote. 

Next Sunday is the end of daylight saving time as the clock gets held back for an hour from November 5 to November 6th.  There has been much speculation about a proposal to eliminate Daylight Saving Time but it hasn’t gone through yet.  So far, only Hawaii is spared from the clock change twice a year.  While some may not like the resulting early sunset, Daylight Saving Time can serve as a reminder to take care of seasonal maintenance on your home. It’s always a good time to check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure the batteries are working.

The New York State Department of Health is looking for applications for the 41 million dollars that has been set aside for helping women get access to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings in their community.  The state is attempting to serve women who may not be getting screened because of being low income or not having health insurance.  To address health equity and improve cancer screening rates among populations less likely to be screened, the funding opportunity prioritizes reaching individuals who are Black, who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, or who live in rural areas.  The funding will help provide cancer screening, diagnostic follow-up, and treatment referral services for every county and borough in New York State, with a focus on helping individuals who lack health insurance.   

Pavilion Future Farmers gained a high rank in the national FFA agricultural science research competition.  Evan Sidhu and Evelyn Northrup presented a project that they had been working on since last winter.  They placed first in New York’s convention in May which allowed them to progress to the top 10 in the nation.  This fall the team competed in an intense interview regarding their research and conclusions. This earned them the seventh spot in the nation.

The Buffalo Bills will be playing the Packers in Sunday Night Football and they’ll be doing it without Spencer Brown as starting right tackle.  Brown started all 6 games for the Bills so far this season.  Tre’Davious White is also out for the game and Jake Kumerow and Taiwan Jones are questionable.