Washington, D.C.- Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27), today renewed the call for increased funding for cancer research after an American Cancer Society report was   released today showing an increase in cancer deaths in the United States.

“I am disturbed to see that the number of cancer deaths have increased, even if only slightly,” Congressman Higgins said. 

“The results of this report demonstrate the need for increased funding for cancer research, and to ensure that all citizens, whether they are insured or not, have access to preventive screening and quality cancer treatment and care.

”The results, chronicled in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures 2008, come not more than two weeks after the President proposed decreased funding for the cancer research activities of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, both which play a central role in preventing and treating cancer.  NIH and NCI funding is critical for Western New York, as both Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo rely on these resources to conduct and enhance their growing biomedical research activities. 

“The fight against cancer should be a collective battle, bringing together all relevant parties, including Members of Congress, federal agencies, research institutions, hospitals, health insurers, and advocacy groups to assess what the needs of the cancer community are,” Higgins said.  “The Bush Administration has unfortunately written off such collaboration, cutting the cancer community off at its knees by decreasing federal support for research. These cuts stifle the ability of researchers to quickly transfer the escalating pace of scientific discoveries into new treatments, therapies, and drugs that alleviate the suffering of millions of cancer patients and their families.”   

The report also chronicles the estimated incidence of cancer in the United States in 2008.  The report predicts that in 2008 there will be 1.437,180 new cancer cases. In New York State alone, it is predicted that there will be 97,130 new cancer cases in 2008.  Nationwide, the report estimates the following number of new cancer cases in 2008:

·        Breast: 184,450

·       Lung: 215,020

·        Leukemia: 44,270

·        Prostate: 186,320

·        Skin: 67,720

      In addition, the National Institutes of Health estimates that the overall cost of cancer in the United States in 2007 was $219.2 billion. 

“With nearly 50 million Americans uninsured, and with the cost of healthcare skyrocketing for citizens from all walks of life, our government is at a critical juncture when it comes to facing the war on cancer.  We must increase funding for cancer research, increase public awareness as to how cancer can be prevented, encourage citizens to get preventive screenings to stop the spread of cancer in its tracks, support the professionals who administer care, and ensure that our healthcare system works for patients who are in remission to ensure that their cancer does not come back undetected.” Higgins said.

Political Quotes without any basis:  Michele Iannello, Kenmore Legislator, who is working hard to receive the Democratic endorsement for the 61^ST State Senate seat, was quoted in the New WNY Politics web site in a February 18th article as saying the following:

”In 2008, there are only 7,000 thousand more Republicans with 35,000 blanks or unaffiliated voters. This seat was held by a woman for many years and I believe that a woman has the best chance to win now”

It’s clear logic wasn’t used in this quote but it must make sense to somebody or Michele wouldn’t have said it.

The article from were this quote is taken is titled, ”Michele Iannello : In It From the Start…….In it to Win It” and was written by Glen Gramigana, editor of a new web site.  

Important information on the candidate herself will have to come later, if ever.

BREAKING NEWS ——-TALK ON THE STREET 

There have been requests made by several Amherst officials to the office of the State Comptroller for a complete audit of Amherst’s financial situation.  Amherst will be audit  this month

Amherst is having a difficult time paying vendors on time. The problem  with paying the vendors on time is no way  connected with the Finance Dept. The problem comes from the Supervisor’s office as to who  he wants to pay.  

This has caused vendors to request payment to be put in esrow , for fear of not being paid at all ! Vendors are wary of the Supervisor flip flopping on issues as well as other serious matters concerning vendors.

Just a passing thought.  You’ve most likely heard of the beef recall that affects mainly product distributed to schools.  If you are not certain about the school cafeteria food supply your children may eat this might be a good time to brown bag your child’s lunch.  Call and ask if the school system received any of the recalled beef. 

If you are still concerned, pack your child’s lunches for a while.

It’s a law of nature.  Whatever goes up must come down.  Back in December 2006 a spy satellite was launched into orbit but shortly after it was discovered that the satellite was not functioning correctly.  Now that expensive, heavy piece of equipment is falling back to earth and there is a danger to people. 

“The Pentagon announced last week that it planned to use a missile fired from a Navy ship to shoot down an out-of-control spy satellite that is expected to crash to earth early next month. The National Reconnaissance Office satellite, which failed soon after launching in December 2006, is carrying a half-ton of frozen hydrazine rocket fuel that could harm people if it crashes in a populated area, the Pentagon said.”
[read whole story]

The push is on for all of us to “Go green!”  Oil prices are skyrocketing and things are out of control.  OK.  Some people have decided to get out of the rat race and return to burning wood to heat their homes and to cook.  Good idea, right?  Not necessarily.  That can emit just as much garbage into the environment as using traditional gas/electric stoves.

“After years of steep decline, wood heat is back, with people flocking to dealers to buy new wood stoves, wood boilers and stoves that burn pellets made of wood byproducts. Others, to the dismay of environmentalists, are dusting off old wood-burning devices that are less efficient and more polluting.”
[read whole story]

If you have a child at home who is going to be attending college in September you know how costly the next four years will be.  The country is on the brink of a recession, that’s the way our leaders describe it.  Your child’s education may well be impacted by that fact.

“Major commercial education companies are scrambling to ensure a steady stream of college-level students despite the credit squeeze, with some preparing to offer student loans themselves.”

“ The move shows how dependent this sector of education is on student loans and how vulnerable the industry could become if credit woes continue to make it harder for lenders to raise capital.”
[read whole story]

The Benderson Development Corp. is a billion dollar company which has made a huge part of their fortune from work done right here in Amherst, NY.  It is NOT only proper Benderson should now realize that it’s pay back time, but it is also appropriate.  Our area is suffering through very difficult economic times.  We need a financial infusion into our local economy and the Benderson Development Corporation should be part of this badly needed transfusion.

Since Benderson has prospered significantly from building in our area, it is reasonable they should realize it is time to start giving back to the local community, a needed shot in the arm by hiring a fair share of workers from our trade unions in the area. 

The workers in our area are above average but are not as cheap to hire as non-union workers that come from Georgia, Louisiana, and Alabama, Mississippi and other southern states and other countries.

Currently OVER 80% of the workers the Benderson Corp. employs are NON-UNION WORKERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD.  It is time for Benderson to hire at least 50% of their trade people from local unions.  I realize Benderson can’t be forced to hire local trade people but it is the decent thing to do, decent being the operative word.

Keeping money in Amherst and the surrounding areas is what a company of integrity and wealth should do.  Benderson Development qualifies in both of these areas. They aren’t a remote company, like the oil giants.  They are a local company which does work worldwide that brings in billions of dollars into their coffers.

Our great nation grew and was strengthened by people helping one another.  Businesses grew strong by providing services to people but not by exploiting them.  Sadly in today’s world many giant companies have lost touch with the people in the communities they are in and seem to survive by greed and garnering obscene profit.  It is time for Benderson to do the right thing and give back to the community that has done so much to support them.  We understand that Benderson does give a great deal to charity but we are referring to a different kind of giving. 

By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Sunday ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of frozen beef from a California slaughterhouse, the subject of an animal-abuse investigation, that provided meat to school lunch programs.

Officials said it was the largest beef recall in the United States, surpassing a 1999 ban of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats. No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials said the health threat was likely small.

The recall will affect beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, that came from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., the federal agency said.

Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said his department has evidence that Westland did not routinely contact its veterinarian when cattle became non-ambulatory after passing inspection, violating health regulations.

“Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall,” Schafer said in a statement.

A phone message left for Westland president Steve Mendell was not immediately returned.

Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after an undercover video from the Humane Society of the United States surfaced showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.

Two former employees were charged Friday. Five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanors were filed against a pen manager. Three misdemeanor counts — illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal — were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired.

Authorities said the video showed workers kicking, shocking and otherwise abusing “downer” animals that were apparently too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse. Some animals had water forced down their throats, San Bernardino County prosecutor Michael Ramos said.

No charges have been filed against Westland, but an investigation by federal authorities continues.

Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten.

“We don’t know how much product is out there right now. We don’t think there is a health hazard, but we do have to take this action,” said Dr. Dick Raymond, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety.

Most of the beef was sent to distribution centers in bulk packages. The USDA said it will work with distributors to determine how much meat remains.

Federal regulations call for keeping downed cattle out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease because they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often weak.

About 150 school districts around the nation have stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Co., which is associated with Westland. Two fast-food chains, Jack-In-the-Box and In-N-Out, said they would not use beef from Westland/Hallmark.

Jack in the Box, a San Diego-based company with restaurants in 18 states, told its meat suppliers not to use Hallmark until further notice, but it was unclear whether it had used any Hallmark meat. In-N-Out, an Irvine-based chain, also halted use of the Westland/Hallmark beef. Other chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King said they do not buy beef from Westland.

Raymond countered a claim leveled by Humane Society President and CEO Wayne Pacelle, who said a USDA inspector was at the Westland plant for about two hours each day. USDA inspectors are there at slaughterhouses “continuously,” Raymond said.

Federal lawmakers on Thursday had called for the Government Accountability Office to investigate the safety of meat in the National School Lunch Program.

Upon learning about the recall, some legislators criticized the USDA, saying the federal agency should conduct more thorough inspections to ensure tainted beef doesn’t get to the public.

“Today marks the largest beef recall in U.S. history, and it involves the national school lunch program and other federal food and nutrition programs,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. “This begs the question: how much longer will we continue to test our luck with weak enforcement of federal food safety regulations?”

Advocacy groups also weighed in, noting the problems at Westland wouldn’t have been revealed had it not been for animal right activists.

“On the one hand, I’m glad that the recall is taking place. On the other, it’s somewhat disturbing, given that obviously much of this food has already been eaten,” said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union. “It’s really closing the barn door after the cows left.”

Associated Press writer Jacob Adelman contributed to this report.

The following letter was sent to Supervisor Mohan with copies forwarded to our Council members.

To:         Mohan, Satish

Cc:        Bucki, Debbie; Manna, Mark; Marlette, Guy; Schratz, Shelly; Ward, Dan; Weinstein, Barry

Subject: Employee Benefits 

I happened to read an article in the Buffalo News dated February 7. The article quotes you as saying that “perks such as education, clothing allowances, etc., are part of employee salaries and are not benefits”. The article goes on to say that these items “pad” an employee’s salary. 

OH REALLY???????? 

If these items are part of an employee’s salary, then why aren’t they included when calculating overtime pay? I believe that this has been brought to your attention more than once. Yet, you PERSIST in dispensing FALSE information to Town residents. Is this a result of very poor research or is it a. …………?  Is this a continuance of your strategy to turn Town residents against Town employees especially Police Officers? Don’t you realize that we are getting sick and tired of this behavior? 

I am not a Town employee, nor have I ever been. My background is Management/Business Owner. I understand that in the past, the Police Union has negotiated increases in benefits (e.g. uniform allowances) instead of SALARY increases and that it has been brought to your attention.   

It is amazing what you can learn from listening to people. You should try it once in a while. 

The article also quotes you as appealing to “the conscience of the union workers”. Well we taxpayers are now going to appeal to YOUR conscience. Why don’t you RETURN all salary you’ve received over and above the $1 per year you promised to work for in your campaign promises? This would be a wonderful example for the union people!!!! 

I have just returned from a lengthy vacation. I understand you recently gave an extended interview to the Buffalo News. I’ll get a copy from a friend. Can’t wait to read it. 

East Amherst John