Buffalo-based Women’s TAP Fund is dedicated to electing qualified pro-choice women to represent Western NYers

BUFFALO, NY (Sept. 5, 2010) – The Women’s TAP (Taking Action in Politics) Fund, a non-partisan political action committee dedicated to the election of qualified pro-choice women candidates running for local and statewide public office in Western New York, has endorsed Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice for attorney general.

“Our mission is to help elect qualified pro-choice women candidates who will fight for Western New York, and District Attorney Kathleen Rice fits all of those criteria,” said TAP Fund President Jane Griffin.  “We are very impressed with DA Rice’s record as a legal advocate for not just the residents of her county but for all New Yorkers, in the way her work has been replicated across the state.  Whether it’s public corruption, corporate responsibility, the scourges of illegal drugs and guns or the tragic epidemic of drunk driving, DA Rice has been a leader.  We are proud to endorse her.”

If elected, DA Rice would be the first woman attorney general in the history of New York.

She has also been endorsed by feminist icon Gloria Steinem, the National Organization for Women NYS PAC, Buffalo native and Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Denise O’Donnell, EMILY’s List and the Women’s Campaign Forum.

“The inspiring, trailblazing women of the TAP Fund have welcomed me so warmly during my visits to Buffalo and I cannot be more proud to have their endorsement.  I pledge to make my candidacy and my administration one that always keeps the priorities of Western New York and of women, children and families at the forefront.”

DA Rice has been the District Attorney of Nassau County since 2006, after she beat a 31-year Republican incumbent to become the first woman elected DA in Long Island’s history.   She has garnered national acclaim for her groundbreaking work targeting Internet crimes, drunk driving, the illegal drug market and corporate responsibility, including fighting the world’s largest corporation, Wal-Mart, after the Black Friday trampling death of an employee in 2008.  Prior to her current position, DA Rice was an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn and an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District in Pennsylvania.

DA Rice was the highest vote-getter at the recent State Democratic Convention and has raised more money than any of the five other candidates for attorney general.  She is the only woman running for the office and if elected would become the first female attorney general in the history of New York.

She is running in the Democratic primary for attorney general on a platform to reform Albany through a more empowered office; to hold the bad players on Wall Street accountable to the public; and making the Office of the Attorney General more responsive to more common, local problems like those she is addressing as a district attorney.  DA Rice is the only candidate who is not a product of Albany or Wall Street, and the only one who has experience running a large office of hundreds of public interest attorneys.  She has both the independence and the experience that is needed to help restore the public’s faith in state government.

For more information about Kathleen Rice, visit www.kathleenrice.com.

About the Women’s TAP Fund, from www.tapfund.com:

“As a result of Operation Rescue in the spring of 1992, a small group of women decided that a political action committee was needed to elect qualified women to public office in Western New York.  At one of the first meetings, it was decided the we not only wanted to see more women in public office, we wanted these women to be pro-choice.  We also decided that we would be non-partisan in our support of candidates.

“At first, we considered becoming an arm of an existing organization or PAC but after some research, we saw that this was not feasible.  We did not want to be affiliated with only one party and we realized that there were other vehicles available to women on a federal level. What was needed was that vehicle in our own back yard.

“By mid-November 1992, our by laws were written and filed.  We decided that we would focus our attention on Erie and Niagara counties only, allowing us to fund candidates for local and state wide elections. 

“The TAP Fund was launched at a reception for Geraldine Ferraro in December 1992 to a room filled with involved, excited and energized women.

“To date, we have funded 191 races for women seeking elective office from school board elections to NYS Supreme Court races; 95 of them have attained their goal.  The TAP Fund has given over $440,000 to our candidates over the last 10 years as well as generating another $130,000 in funds bundled directly to TAP candidates.”

Are you tired of getting car door “dings” from other inconsiderate drivers when you are parked in a crowded lot?  The car of the future will prevent that.  Take a look at the prototype for this wonderful new invention.

http://www.flixxy.com/high-tech-car-door.htm

Rick Lazio holds a 47 to 35 percent lead over multimillionaire Buffalo builder Carl Paladino among likely voters in the GOP primary for governor, a Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday found.

But Paladino seemed to have more solid support among his backers, with 62 percent saying they’re committed to him while 42 percent of the ex-Long Island congressman’s backers said they were firmly behind him.

Paladino is expected to launch a $2 million media blitz that will run through the Sept. 14 primary. The cash-strapped Lazio, by contrast, has already kicked off a media buy estimated at only $400,000.

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New York State Republican Party Regional Vice Chairman and Tioga County Republican Chairman Don Leonard Endorses Jay Townsend In Republican Primary

Tioga County - Tioga County Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman of the New York State Republican Party Don Leonard today endorsed Jay Townsend in the race against Chuck Schumer. 

 ”I have met Jay numerous times and although I did not support him going into the New York State GOP Convention I am now endorsing him the September 14th Republican primary. I have seen the campaign Townsend is running, the work ethic that he has demonstrated by visiting all 62 of New York’s counties and his command of the issues. I am supporting Jay and urge all Republican voters to do the same. We must put our best candidate forward to defeat Chuck Schumer and Townsend is that person,” said Leonard. “The Southern-Tier and New York have been devastated by the policies of the Schumer led Congress and we cannot change New York without changing the people who represent us in Washington. Townsend gets it; he’ll fight hard to put New Yorkers back to work, which is why we must now unite behind his campaign.”

“I cannot thank Don Leonard enough for his support and kind words. Businesses are shuttering their doors, homes are still being foreclosed upon at an increasing rate, and the news from Washington on job creation continues to become worse month after month,” said Townsend. ”This election is about saying no to the failed policies of the Schumer led Congress and putting New York back to work. We no longer will tolerate the high taxes, high unemployment, and the government taking our hard earned money. Working with men and women such as Don Leonard we will put New York back to work. Again, I thank Don for his support and look forward to working with him during the coming weeks.”

Townsend, from Cornwall, New York, is seeking the Republican nomination in the September 14th primary. He won the Conservative Party nomination in May.

For campaign updates please visit www.TownsendforNewYork.com.

Buffalo’s Human Resources Commissioner, Karla Thomaswas fired Thursday, the same day as a Common Councilmember filed a resolution calling for her removal. A hearing on the termination was set for later this month.

Thomas has been under fire for weeks following a recent audit by City Comptroller Andrew SanFilippo that revealed her department paid $2.7 million in health inssurance benefits to deceased people.

Mayor Byron Brown made the announcement following a ceremony marking a milestone for the city’s 3-1-1 Information Center.

“This is inexcusable”, said Joseph Golombek, the councilmember who filed the resolution. “The Commissioner must be held accountable for all actions that occur in her department; therefore, if she won’t resign, she should be removed from her position.”

The Town of Amherst has recently begun construction of a flood mitigation project within Bassett Park.  This project is designed to improve storm water drainage along Ditch 26B in the vicinity of Youngs Road and Klein Road.  This project aims to address ongoing flooding conditions by temporarily storing excess runoff from Ditch 26B during heavy precipitation.  It is important to note that during dry weather, this area of the park has been designed to remain a dry, passive recreation lawn area of Bassett Park.

During the project it will be necessary for contractors to close a portion of Youngs Road south of the Klein Road intersection, but this closure will only be during business hours and only a few days in total.

While construction of the project began in late August, the Town anticipates restoration and completion in early October 2010.

Just got a call about a possible fire out at Plant 16, Amherst’s Waste Water Treatment Plant in West Amherst.  Apparently the pellets they make got overheated and began to smoke, a precursor to spontaneous combustion.  Pellets overheat if they are stacked too high, greater than 6 ft. high.  Just the fumes from smoking pellets are dangerous to the workers.

Several local fire companies were called in to take care of the situation and everything seems to be under control at the present.  The entire silo of stored pellets had to be emptied onto the floor, which creates an even great danger of spontaneous combustion. 

Let you know if anything further develops.

Studies have shown when employees are allowed to take an half hour nap at work they our more alert and have more energy. Several companies are using this practice to increase production and cut down on accidents.

Do’s and Dont’s of Dozing

Napping at work has become acceptable at some companies. Yet pulling off a “productivity nap” at the office isn’t easy. Here are suggestions from sleep scientist Dr. Sara Mednick, author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life.

1. Make Time and Space

Twenty to 30 minutes is all you need to reap the rewards of midday slumber. The best time is the early afternoon when your body is tired—so consider reserving the second half of your lunch break for shut-eye. If your employer doesn’t have a nap room, a yoga mat beats a bathroom stall, though the most comfortable option may be a parked car.

2. Set the Proper Conditions

In the dark our brains produce more of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, so close the blinds, turn off the lights, and consider using a sleeping mask. Keep the temperature on the warmer side. If you must nap sitting up, use a travel pillow to avoid the dreaded “nap nod.” And don’t forget to turn off your cell phone.

3. Careful With the Chemicals

Avoid caffeine for a few hours before a nap. The same goes for nicotine, diet pills, and antidepressants. Although alcohol makes it easier to nod off during the day, it interferes with sleep and should also be avoided. Refined sugars and carbs may keep you up, but meat, dairy, and some nuts have tryptophan, which our bodies break down into melatonin

On Tuesday, September 7, 2010, the Town of Amherst will begin a flood mitigation project involving the replacement of the existing bridge culverts located under the Chapel Woods roadway between Chapel Woods West and Brandywine Drive.  In order to replace these existing structures with a large concrete box culvert, the existing roadway will be removed, during which the roadway will be temporarily closed.  While this small section of Chapel Woods will be temporarily closed, all other roadways within the subdivision will remain open to traffic. 

 The project is anticipated to start on September 7, 2010. Chapel Woods roadway will be closed that day and remain closed for approximately four to six weeks.

 Update:  The Coast Guard has spotted oil spreading in the ocean from this explosion

Another oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico has exploded. 

The Coast Guard says no one was killed in the blast, which was reported by a commercial helicopter flying over the area Thursday morning. All 13 people aboard the rig have been accounted for, with one injury. The extent of the injury was not known.

authorities do not know whether oil was leaking from the site.The Department of Homeland Security said the platform was in about 2,500 feet of water and owned by Mariner Energy of Houston. DHS said it was not producing oil and gas.

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