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P.O. BOX 338 ELIZABETHTOWN, NY 12932 POSTAL PATRON
Pages 16-18
Page 5
October 10, 2009
Absentee ballots favor Sprague and Hommes
Parents urged to consider free and reduced meals By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com ELIZABETHTOWN — Area schools have adopted new eligibility criteria for free and reduced lunches and are encouraging parents to take advantage of the program. Free or reduced-price breakfast and lunches are available to students whose families qualify based on income, but many eligible families opt not to participate. “There’s a certain stigma attached,” said Patty Straight, who acts as the reviewing official for free and reduced lunch eligibility at Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School. Straight said that parents or students may feel embarrassed by not paying in the lunch line. “We really try to work with parents on that; that it’s very confidential, that no one knows who pays and doesn’t pay,” said Straight. Several schools now have pre-pay policies for school lunch, meaning less students exchange money in the lunch line. Some parents, said Straight, may not be aware they are eligible. “That’s the hard part; to try and get people to apply for it,” she said. Schools encourage participation in free and reduced meal programs because they not only provide a break for low-income families, but participation numbers can make a big difference in funding, says Keene Central School Superintendent Cynthia Johnston. “We try to make people aware that the more they take advantage of this, the more it helps the school,” she said. Higher participation in the free and reduced lunch program denotes more need within the district, making the school eligible for more government funding and private grants. Eligibility requirements are adjusted every year, and are generally the same between schools. To find out if you qualify, contact your local school district.
By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com ELIZABETHTOWN — Final results from the Sept. 15 Republican primary in Essex County are showing a widened lead for the winning candidates. The Essex County Board of Elections has completed its count of more than 250 absentee ballots, which came out in favor of Sheriff Henry Hommes and District Attorney candidate Kristy Sprague. Compared to results released the night of the election, official results released Sept. 30 show wider margins of victory for both candidates. Final numbers show Sprague defeating incumbent DA Julie Garcia 2,461 to 2,175, increasing Sprague’s lead by 18 votes compared to the original count. The percentages remained exactly the same, however, with 53.08 percent of voters choosing Sprague. “I thank the voters for their support and look forward to the work that lies ahead,” Sprague said. Hommes increased his lead by 190 votes, defeating challenger Michael “Ike” Tyler 2,290 to 1,908. The adjusted results increased the percentage from 52.4 percent to 54.5 percent in favor of Hommes. “It is always an honor to have the support of so many of the voters across the county,” Hommes said. The county Board of Elections reportedly found mistakes in votes counted on election day. One hundred and one votes in Westport and eight in Newcomb that had originally been credited to Tyler were determined to be over-counted and so were subtracted from the vote total. Acting Republican election commissioner Patti Doyle said the mistake resulted from a miscommunication on election night between poll reporters and those compiling results. “We just misunderstood what they said over the phone,” Doyle said. “We noticed the next day that there were more votes than there were voters [in Westport].” The votes from the two towns were immediately recanvassed, confirming the accuracy of the correction. The official results also revealed that Hommes won the majority of the vote in the towns of Elizabethtown and Newcomb, two towns in which he was trailing in the unofficial results. Both Tyler and Garcia will remain on the ballot for the general election; Tyler running as an independent and Garcia as a Democrat.
Income Eligibility Guidelines for Free and Reduced Price Meals or Free Milk (Annual Salary) household size
With the school year back in full swing, districts are encouraging eligible families to participate in the free and reduced meal program, which can often lead to more funding for schools.
By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com WILLSBORO — Two local arts organizations have teamed up to organize a special performance, the likes of which has not been seen in the area for nearly 80 years. On Oct. 17, the Champlain Valley Film Society and Piano by Nature will present a legendary silent film that features live musical accompaniment by pianist Ben Model. The 8 p.m. performance will accompany the 1926 classic “The General” starring Buster Keaton in the Willsboro Central School auditorium.
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For the past 25 years, Model has been the silent film accompanist for The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He has recorded numerous scores for silent film DVDs and, together with film historian Bruce Lawton, produces The Silent Clowns Film Series. Model will be on hand at 4 p.m. to present a pre-film lecture on “Silent Film History and Piano Improvisation.” It’s a subject that’s been his lifelong passion. “My interest in it is not so much as a musician, but rather as a fan of these films,” said Model. “My accompanying
See PIANIST, page 5
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