As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Libraries, Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I - Schenectady) notes Monday, March 2nd, is the National Education Association's Read Across America Day, which encourages people to read to children. This annual event is held around the anniversary of the birthday of Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel).

"What better way to honor this children’s author than to read to a child," Senator Farley said.

Most people are familiar with health problems such as heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes and colon cancer. However, there are many rare diseases out there that people should be aware of and the ongoing need for diagnosis, support services and research. Saturday, Feb. 28th, is Rare Diseases Day and it is designed to highlight those diseases affecting fewer than 200,000 Americans. While these are considered rare diseases, there are more than 7,000 such diseases that together impact nearly 30 million Americans. Dealing with rare diseases not only affects the patient, but their entire families as well. To learn more about Rare Diseases Day, visit http://www.rarediseaseday.org/ 

Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) joined with his colleagues in the New York State Senate today to take quick action on nine bills that would close dangerous loopholes in the laws protecting children and communities from sexual predators.  The measures, which have been sent to the Assembly for further action, would address critical issues raised by a recent Court of Appeals ruling that prevents local governments from enacting laws restricting sex offenders, as well as the saf

Happy Birthday, President Lincoln! Today, Feb. 12th, is the celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday as well as his years as President of this Nation. Presidents’ Day, honoring him and all our Presidents, is Monday, Feb. 16th.

Families may want to visit the Hall of Governors at the State Capitol in Albany to learn more about Presidential connections to New York State. Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt were all New Yorkers who became President. Presidents Van Buren, Cleveland and both Roosevelts had each served as Governor of New York.

Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) today joined with his Senate Republican colleagues at a press conference in Albany to call for the complete elimination of the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) to protect our public schools and taxpayers.  The Conference proposed a plan that would return $1 billion to schools across the state by accelerating the complete elimination of the GEA in the 2015-16 state budget.