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VOLUME 135 — WHOLE 7113
TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2018
Relay For Life 2018 Page 7
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Sidney Routes DA Page 19
Franklin Teen Committed to the Care of Ouleout Valley Cemetery By Rosie Cunningham
Lillian Browne/The Reporter
Delaware County Watershed Affairs Commissioner Dean Frazier chats with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Deputy Commissioner of Natural Resources Kathy Moser during Friday’s river summit held at the Hancock Firemen’s Field on April 27.
Rally for Resources
Economy, Conservation Focus of River Summit By Lillian Browne HANCOCK - Despite the chilly temperatures, rain and high, swift water, officials in different capacities, with different interests in the Delaware River and its tributaries, gathered in Hancock on April 27 to both celebrate the Delaware River and rally for resources. The event, a joint effort between Friends of the Upper
Delaware River (FUDR) and National Wildlife Federation, coincided with FUDR’s annual “One Bug” fundraising event, a weekend-long fishing “competition” that takes place on the East and West Branches of the Delaware River as well as the main stem. The kickoff summit opened with comments from FUDR Executive Director Jeff Skelding, See Rally Resources page 4
Commissioner of Watershed Affairs Announces His Retirement By Rosie Cunningham DELHI — Dean Frazier, commissioner of the Department of Watershed Affairs, announced his retirement last week during the monthly Delaware County Board of Supervisors meeting - a surprise to most everyone in the room. Frazier, who was appointed commissioner in 1999, said his last day in the office will be in June, but his official last day will be July 18. Frazier took the podium and discussed the achievements of watershed affairs, as well as some of his concerns and overall challenges. See Commissioner page 4
Contributed Photo
Tyler Gregory stands at the entrance of the Ouleout Cemetery in Franklin, which he tends during the warm months. than happy and looking forward to maintaining the location this spring and summer, as well. “I want it to be presentable the individuals buried there are someone’s loved ones,” he said. Franklin Supervisor Jeff Taggart said Gregory approached the town board to take on the cemetery and has provided updates on what he has accomplished. The 16-year-old was
recognized at the Lincoln Day Republican dinner last Friday for his selfless work. “He is one-of-a-kind, he’s very special and has gone above and beyond,” said Taggart. “It is so refreshing, especially these days. He has done a wonderful job and the town could not be more pleased or impressed. He doesn’t have to do this - he See Ouleout page 4
SNAP Benefit Abuse a Potential Problem in Del. Co. Rosie Cunningham/The Reporter
Delaware County Commissioner of Watershed Affairs Dean Frazier, announced his retirement during last week’s Delaware County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Community Supports Hadden Family at Benefit By Melissa Johns Derik and Brittny Hadden had their worlds turned upside
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FRANKLIN - A Franklin teen has volunteered both his time to give back to his community, while paying his respect to veterans both past and present. Tyler Gregory, a 16-year-old Franklin Central School student, decided to take on the care of the Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin and has taken on multiple endeavors to improve the landscape, property and headstones. “Of the 200 graves, there are 21 veterans buried at the cemetery,” said Gregory. “My grandfather and great-grandfather have served and I wanted to give back and show respect to the veterans and to the families of those buried there.” Gregory mows, weed whacks and maintains the cemetery every two to three weeks, a task that takes between six to eight hours. The service grew over time and the Franklin resident then began to add to the task. He approached the local legion and acquired flags to go next to the respective headstones. He planted shrubs in the fall and even constructed “shields” made out of plywood to protect them from salt from winter plows. “I wrote a donation letter to Lowes for the trees,” he said. “Home Depot supplied the paint I used to refurbish the fences.” Gregory identified the graves of the 21 veterans and “cleaned up” the grave stones so the inscriptions are now clear. Despite the hours and the work, Gregory said he is more
Melissa Johns/The Reporter
Bentley Hadden - ecstatic after sitting in a Walton fire truck and a Klinger’s race car - with his parents, Derik and Brittny. down when their three-year-old son, Bentley, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (A.L.L.) on Thursday, Feb. 22. He and his parents now travel to Upstate Cancer Center in Syracuse three times every week for chemotherapy treatments. With medical and travel expenses adding up, Brittny’s cousin, JaSee Hadden page 4
By Rosie Cunningham DELAWARE COUNTY - Congressman John Faso took aim at the potential problem of abuse involving the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits during the Delaware County Republican Committee Lincoln Dinner on April 20. “There are 3 million people collecting SNAP benefits,” he said. “We have a problem with fraud involving the program. I have spoken to Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond, who has said that when he arrests drug dealers in Delaware County, those arrested have a SNAP benefit card in their wallets. The elderly, the disabled and young mothers with young children who need assistance, deserve our help and others are abusing what should go to them. But, there are able-bodied adults who are not working and who do not have young children and they report to the Department of Agriculture that they have no income - that’s what those drug dealers report. We are proposing a work requirement that says to be eligible, individuals have to show up for training, an apprenticeship program and we will provide skills to these individuals. We want to help them out of dependency, but they have to show up and be willing to work - that is only fair. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said this is a terrible idea and unfair - and I think that is nonsense. We want to help all that deserve help and who need help. But, we will also insist that able-bodied adults go out and work - instead of expecting taxpayers to take care of them.” Dana A. Scuderi-Hunter, commissioner of Delaware County Department of Social Services, said in Delaware County during March 2018, there were 5,007 individuals in receipt of SNAP benefits. During March 2017, there were 5,776 individuals receiving SNAP benefits. “As part of our SNAP employment plan, all recipients that are able-bodied are provided with employment services by our staff to secure or increase their employment,” she said. “Our responsibility at the Delaware County Department of Social Services is to assist our clients in achieving the greatest degree of self-responsibility and independence possible. We believe that all people have capabilities and we seek to empower our clients; not perpetuate poverty.” In a press release from United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office she discussed the introduction of a new legislation, along with four other senators, to create the SNAP for KIDS Act to expand food assistance for the country’s most vulnerable children. This new legislation would expand the current SNAP. It comes on the heels of the recent announcement by congressional Republicans that say they are planning to take away food assistance from low income families who rely on the SNAP program to put food on the table. “No one in America should ever have to suffer from hunger, especially our children,” Gillibrand stated. She added that more than 40 million Americans rely on the SNAP program so that children will never have to go to bed hungry, “Under the current SNAP program, low-income families with children receive very modest benefits at the beginning of each month, making it nearly impossible for most families to purchase enough food to get through the end of the month. Many families with school-age children report running out of SNAP food assistance funding every month. Research has shown that students who suffer from hunger have lower test scores, miss class more often, and don’t retain as much information in class as their peers. “Gillibrand’s SNAP for KIDS Act would increase food assistance for school-age children (ages 5-17) by $42 per child per month, a 27 percent increase, and would adjust the formula for benefit calculations to make certain that families don’t fall behind as food prices rise.”