Our Towne Bethlehem Feb 2023

If you’ve heard me say it once, you’ve heard me say it a thousand times: The Town doesn’t deliver services, PEOPLE do. People plow our roads. People patrol our neighborhoods. People maintain our water lines and run the plants that clean our sewage. People mow our parks, paint our fire hydrants, help businesses grow, support our older residents, guide development, and so much more.

Following are some of the highlights of the great work our Town employees did in 2022. Their work is essential to the great quality of life we enjoy here in Bethlehem, so when you see them, please wave and say thank you!

David VanLuven Bethlehem Town Supervisor

Can you count on Social Security?

If you’re getting closer to retirement, you might be thinking more about Social Security. Specifically, can you count on it to contribute part of the income you’ll need as a retiree?

There’s been an increase in alarming language surrounding the solvency of Social Security, but in reality, its prospects are not nearly as gloomy as you might have heard.

Here’s the story: Under current law, Social Security is estimated to exhaust its trust funds by 2035, after which benefits could be cut by 20%, according to the 2022 Social Security Trustees report. However, the large cost of living adjustment (COLA) (8.7%) for 2023 could cause the trust funds to use up their resources sooner.

But this outlook may represent a worst-case scenario. For one thing, the cost of the 2023 COLA will be somewhat offset by higher taxes on workers contributing to Social Security. The maximum amount of earnings subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax jumped from $147,000 in 2022 to $160,200 in 2023. And in looking down the road, further increases in this earnings cap may also help reduce the gap in the trust funds. Increasing the payroll tax is another possibility for boosting funding to Social Security.

And here’s a political reality: Social Security is a popular program and it’s unlikely that any future Congress wants to be blamed for reducing benefits. Of course, there are no guarantees, but it seems fair to say that you can reasonably expect some benefits from Social Security when you retire.

But perhaps the bigger issue is just how much you should depend on Social Security for your retirement income. On average, Social Security benefits will provide about 30% of a beneficiary’s

preretirement earnings, according to the Social Security Administration. But the higher your earnings before you retire, the lower the percentage that will be replaced by Social Security.

Still, you’ll want to maximize the benefits that are available to you — and that means deciding when to start taking Social Security. You can begin as early as 62, but your monthly payments could be as much as 30% lower than your normal (or “full”) retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67.

Even if you were to wait until your full retirement age before collecting Social Security, you’ll also need to draw on other sources of funding. So, while you are still working, it’s a good idea to keep contributing to your IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan.

The amount you contribute should depend on your overall financial strategy and your financial needs, so, for example, you probably shouldn’t put in so much into your retirement accounts that you feel significant stress in your monthly cash flow. But when you do get a chance to invest more in these accounts, such as when your salary goes up, you may want to take advantage of the opportunity.

Ultimately, you should be able to count on Social Security as part of your retirement income. You may want to consult with a financial professional to determine when taking Social Security makes the most sense for you and how you can also get the most from your other retirement accounts. You’ll want a retirement income strategy that’s built for the long run.

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3

Take and Make: Valentine Cookie Magnet

While you can’t eat these incredible cookie magnets, they will make fun Valentine’s Day decorations. *Please register each child individually by February 1. Sign up at bethlehem.librarycalendar.com. For grades K and younger with caregiver.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3

Take and Make: Wind-Up Valentine

Get creative with a fun dinosaur Valentine that really moves. *Please register each child individually by February 1. Sign up at bethlehem.librarycalendar.com. For grades 1-8.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8 • 7PM

Albany Rural Cemetery

Incorporated April 2, 1841, Albany Rural Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and represents one of the earliest and grandest examples of the rural cemetery movement in America. UAlbany Professor Emeritus John S. Pipkin will discuss its cultural and historical importance. Registration is not required, but is advised due to limited seating. This series of historical talks is presented through a partnership with the Town of Bethlehem Historical Association.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9 • 1PM

Lunchtime Documentaries: ‘Cy Dear’

Join us for an afternoon screening of Andrea Bettinetti’s documentary (not rated, 92 min.) about painter, illustrator, sculptor and photographer Cy Twombly.

FEBRUARY 9 • 7PM

Author Talk with Lana Harper

The author of “Back in a Spell” series will take part in a virtual discussion through a partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. Visit libraryc.org/ bethlehempubliclibrary for more information or to register for one or more upcoming talks.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10

Take and Make: Valentine’s Day Tassel Keychain

Give yourself a Valentine this year with one of these tasseled keychains that make a great addition to your backpack or key ring! *Please register each teen individually by February 8. Sign up at bethlehem.librarycalendar.com. For grades 9-12.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10 • 10AM

Intro to Scholarly Research with Gale Academic OneFile

Join us to get a jumpstart on your research and brush up on your searching skills while browsing scholarly sources from Gale Academic OneFile, a database that contains millions of periodical sources on a variety of subject areas. This is a virtual program, and all participants will be emailed a Zoom link prior to the event. Sign up at bethlehem. librarycalendar.com.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 13 • 11AM

Dive Into the Library of Things

Join one of our librarians to learn about the “things” in our collection that are available to borrow with your library card. For all ages. Sign up at bethlehem.librarycalendar.com.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15 • 6PM

Community Yoga

Enjoy a class designed for yoga practitioners of any skill level. Dan May shares Jai Yoga School’s Bhakti yoga practice, which includes song, cultural information and stories.

FEBRUARY 16 • 1PM

Author Talk with Grace M. Cho

The author of “Tastes Like War” series will take part in a virtual discussion through a partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. Visit libraryc.org/ bethlehempubliclibrary for more information or to register for one or more upcoming talks.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21 • 2PM

Make Your Own Buttons

Create your own original art and make a button out of it with the library’s button maker. For children, tweens and teens.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21 • 10AM

School Break Breakout

Follow the clues to unlock the puzzles needed to break out of a fun scenario. For ages 8-14.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22 • 10AM

Vacation Cinema: ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’

Join us for a screening of this family favorite (PG, 90 min., Universal Pictures). Kids can bring pillows and blankets to get comfy on the floor in front of the big screen. For kids and families.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 23 • 11AM

A Story and a Snack

Hear some cool stories and enjoy a snack of exotic fruit. Sign up at bethlehem.librarycalendar.com. For pre-K and up.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 23 • 2:30PM

Make a Melted Snowman

Roll up your sleeves and make your very own melted snowman. Children of all ages and ability levels are welcome.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24 • 10AM

Color Your Own Cactus Squishy

Stop by to color your own cactus squishy. This project uses permanent markers, so please dress appropriately. For children, tweens.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24 • 11AM-1PM

Paws to Read

Learning to read, especially out loud, can be scary. Come to the library and practice reading skills with a gentle, furry friend! A registered therapy dog will listen calmly and quietly, creating a safe space for children to practice reading skills without fear or judgment. For grades K-5.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25 • 11AM

A Story and a Snack

Hear some cool stories and enjoy a snack of exotic fruit. Sign up at bethlehem.librarycalendar.com. For pre-K and up.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 • 11AM

Craft & Color for Adults

Choose between coloring or doing an open-ended craft activity. This program is specifically designed for adults of all abilities.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 • 2PM

Monday Matinee: ‘It Happened One Night’

This classic film (1934, not rated, 105 min.) will be shown with subtitles

Spay Neuter pet month 2

February is the month of romance for humans– but it is also the month of Spay and Neuter Awareness (aka Beath the Heat) for animals. Each year, millions of cats and dogs end up in shelters across the United States, so this month serves as a great reminder that spaying and neutering are in the best interest of our pets.

Caring for pets can be expensive, especially when it comes to their health. But consider this – having your dog or cat spayed or neutered can reduce the risk of serious, and costly, health problems later in life. A big part of responsible pet ownership is preventing health issues before they occur. Spaying females can avert uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant in 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. Neutering males decreases the chance of testicular cancer and prostate problems.

Spaying and neutering also curbs problematic behaviors. Nonneutered animals are more likely to mark their territory with pungent urine. When in heat, many pets escape their homes to look for mates, which may lead to vehicular accidents, exposure to pathogens, and fights with other animals. If you’re apprehensive about the cost of the surgery, know that it will be much less than what you would spend on taking care of a litter or treating one of the diseases listed above.

We all want our pets to live long and healthy lives and having an animal spayed or neutered actually increases their longevity. According to published reports, neutered male dogs live 18 percent longer than unneutered males, and spayed females live 23 percent longer than spayed females.

Broader benefits of spaying or neutering your pet includes minimizing the burden on animal shelters. Shelters are overly burdened with sheltering, feeding, and caring for homeless dogs and cats. Spaying and neutering your pet means that they will not be contributing to the overpopulation problems facing these facilities.

By altering your pet, you indirectly save lives by helping animals in shelter find homes. Reducing the number of unplanned puppies and kittens helps to increase the chances that pets living in animal shelters are adopted into forever homes.

Like Bob Barker used to always say, “and remember folks, always spay and neuter your pets!”

If you have any questions about spaying or neutering your pet, ask your vet!

Please send all your veterinary questions to:

or mail them

Abbey Road

Adams Place

Adams Street

Adriance Lane

Albin Road

Albright Place

Alden Court

Amsterdam Avenue

Ashgrove Lane

Axbridge Lane

Bartlett Lane

Beacon Road

Beaver Dam Road

Bender Lane

Bennett Court

Berwick Road

Betsy Lane

Birchwood Place

Bittersweet Lane

Bobwhite Drive

Borthwick Avenue

Bridge Street

Brightonwood Road

Bridle Path

Brockley Drive

Brookman Avenue

Brookview Avenue

Cambridge Drive

Candlewood Lane

Capitol Avenue

Carriage Road

Carstead Drive

Cass Hill Road

Center Lane

Charles Boulevard

Cherry Ave

Clarkson Road

Clermont Street

Columbine Drive

Commonwealth Drive

Constitution Drive

Corrit Drive

Crescent Creek Way

Dana Court

Daniel Street

Darnley Greene

Darroch Road

Dawson Road

Delaware Avenue

Delaware Turnpike

Delmar Place

Devon Road

Devonshire Drive

Domenico Drive

Douglas Road

Dover Drive

Dumbarton

Dunwoodie Road

Durham Court

East Bayberry Road

East Poplar Drive

Egmont Court

Ellendale Avenue

Elm Avenue

Elm Avenue East

Elsmere Avenue

Elwood Road

Esplande Street

Euclid Avenue

Evelyn Drive

Fairway Avenue

Fernbank Avenue

Feura Bush Road

Fields End Drive

Font Grove Road

Forest Road

Forest Hill Road

Fox Hollow Greene

Gardner Terrace

Glendale Avenue

Greenleaf Drive

Groesbeck Place

Haddington Lane

Halter Road

Hampshire Place

Hampton

Hancock Drive

Harrison Avenue

Harvest Ridge Road

Harwick Drive

Hasgate Drive

Haskell Place

Hawthorne Dr

Heather Lane

Helderberg Pkwy N.

Helderberg Pkwy S.

Herber Avenue

Heritage Way

Herrick Avenue

Honeysuckle Way

Hudson Avenue

Hunter Road

Huntersfield Road

Huntswood Lane

Huron Road

Jefferson Road

Jericho Road

John Street

Jordan Boulevard

Journey Lane

Kenaware Avenue

Kensington Court

Kenwood Avenue

LaGrange Road

Laurel Drive

Leaf Road

Leonard Place

Liberty Court

Lincoln Avenue

Linton Street

Longmeadow Drive

Longwood Drive

Louise Street

Lyons Avenue

Malden Lane

Maple Avenue

Marlboro Road

Martin Drive

Maryea Lane

Mayfair Drive

Maywood Road

McCombe Drive

McCormick Lane

McGuffey Lane

McKinley Drive

McMillen Place

Meadowland Street

Merrifield Place

Mosher Road

Murray Avenue

Nathaniel Boulevard

New Scotland Road

North Street

Northwood Court

Oakwood Place

Old Quarry Road

Old School Road

Orchard Street

Palmer Avenue

Park Place

Partridge Road

Patterson Drive

Paxwood Road

Peel Street

Penn Lane

Penny Lane

Pinedale Avenue

Placid Lane

Plymouth Avenue

Quincy Court

Quincy Road

Reid Place

Reynolds Court

River Road

Roweland Avenue

Royal Boulevard

Rural Place

Salem Road

Salisbury Road

Sheffield Drive

Sibley Place

Slingerlands Avenue

Smith Avenue

Snowden Avenue

Somerset Drive

South Albany Road

Standish Drive

Stony Brook Drive

Stratton Place

Summit Road

Surrey Mall

Tamarack Drive

Thatcher Street

The Crossway

Thorndale Road

Tierney Drive

Turnberry Drive

University Street

Van Dyke Road

Voyage Drive

Walimary Drive

Wallace Drive

Weigand Lane

Wellington Road

Wemple Road

West Bayberry Road

Westchester Dr. N.

Westchester Dr. S.

Whitehead Street

Whitman Common

Wilshire Drive

Windmill Drive

Winding Road

Winne Road

Wisconsin Avenue

Woodbine Drive

Woodlawn Terrace

Woodmont Drive

Woodridge Road

Woodstream Drive

York Road