<p>New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today reminded New Yorkers of the start of the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning. Since 2009, DEC enforces the annual brush burning ban from March 16 through May 14 to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires.&nbsp;</p><p>“Last month, DEC encouraged everyone to be extra vigilant when burning brush because of the risk for wildfires caused by early dry conditions, but starting this Saturday, March 16, it will be illegal to burn brush for the next two months,”<strong>&nbsp;Commissioner Seggos said.&nbsp;</strong>“Due to the drier and warmer winter, New York State is at a greater risk for wildfires this spring. This ban is essential to protecting communities and natural resources, as well as the Rangers and other firefighters called to extinguish the wildfires.”&nbsp;</p><p>Even though some areas of the state remain blanketed in snow, warming temperatures can quickly cause wildfire conditions to arise. Open burning of debris is the single-largest cause of spring wildfires in New York State. When temperatures warm and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation. Each year, DEC Forest Rangers extinguish dozens of wildfires that burn hundreds of acres. In addition, local fire departments, many of which are staffed by volunteers, all too often have to leave their jobs and families to respond to wildfires caused by illegal debris fires. DEC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/wildfires/fire-danger-map" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 77, 209);"><u>Fire Danger Map for the 2024 fire season</u></a>&nbsp;displays each region’s potential fire risk.&nbsp;</p><p>New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur. Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed, as are small cooking fires. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, or unpainted wood can be burned. People should never leave these fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State. For more information about fire safety and prevention, go to DEC's&nbsp;<a href="https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/wildfires/firewise-new-york" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 77, 209);"><u>FIREWISE New York</u></a>&nbsp;webpage.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Some towns, primarily in and around the Adirondack and Catskill parks, are designated "fire towns." Open burning is prohibited year-round in these municipalities unless an individual or group has a permit from DEC. To find out whether a municipality is a designated fire town or to obtain a permit, contact the appropriate DEC regional office. A&nbsp;<a href="https://dec.ny.gov/about/contact-us/map-of-dec-offices" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 77, 209);"><u>list of regional offices</u></a>&nbsp;is available on DEC's website.&nbsp;</p><p>Forest Rangers, DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs), and local authorities enforce the burn ban. Violators of the State's open burning regulation are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. For search and rescue, reporting a wildfire or illegal activity on state lands and easements, call 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264). To report environmental law violations, call 1-844-DEC-ECOs (1-844-332-3267).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Brett Warden of Yorktown Hts, NY was named to the Elmira College Dean's List for the Winter 2024 Term. Full-time undergraduate students registered for at least 12 computable credit hours and earning a term grade point average of 3.6 or higher at the end of Term I or Term II are placed on the Dean's List at the College.</p><p><strong>ABOUT ELMIRA COLLEGE</strong></p><p>Founded in 1855, Elmira College is a private, residential, liberal arts college offering 25-plus majors, an honors program, 17 academic societies, and 16 Division III varsity teams. Located in the Southern Finger Lakes Region of New York, Elmira's undergraduate and graduate student population hails from more than 20 states and nine countries. Elmira is a Phi Beta Kappa College and has been ranked a top college, nationally, for student internships. The College is also home to the Center for Mark Twain Studies, one of four historically significant Twain heritage sites in the U.S., which attracts Twain scholars and educators from around the world for research on the famous literary icon. Proud of its history and tradition, the College is committed to the ideals of community service, and intellectual and individual growth.</p>

<p>Historic Hudson Valley is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated spring tour season will begin on Friday, May 3, with tours of Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, Philipsburg Manor, Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, and Union Church of Pocantico Hills, all National Historic Landmarks. On Saturday, May 25, the return of The Pinkster Festival will add to a full spring lineup of activities.</p><p>A new tour experience at Philipsburg Manor allows visitors to explore this former provisioning plantation at their own pace. Visitors can step into the working gristmill, walk through the manor house with period artifacts, and learn about the 23 enslaved individuals of African descent who lived and labored on the plantation. Museum guides throughout the site provide information and answer questions as visitors explore the grounds. At Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, visitors tour the author’s cottage and the bucolic grounds, which were designed by Irving himself, and learn about America’s Founding Father of Literature. Picnic tables are available at both sites and light snacks, as well as souvenirs and local finds, are available to purchase in the museum shops. Visitors to Union Church of Pocantico Hills view spectacular stained-glass windows by European masters, including the last commissioned work by Henri Matisse and nine windows by Marc Chagall, and learn the inspiration behind each one.</p><p>At Kykuit, the estate’s modern and classical art collection, architecture, and expansive gardens make it one of the top-rated cultural attractions in the lower Hudson Valley. Visitors to Kykuit learn the story of the Rockefellers, beginning with John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil, whose business acumen made him the richest man in America in his day. He later became the country's first significant philanthropist and by his death in 1937, he had given away more than half his fortune through various philanthropic programs.</p><p>Kykuit visitors can choose from three tours: Classic, Grand, and Selected Highlights.</p><p>&nbsp;The Pinkster Festival, New York’s oldest African American holiday, will be celebrated on May 25 at Philipsburg Manor with a day filled with art, poetry, live music, dance, and storytelling. Visitors will hear spoken word performances, dance to the beat of African kora and djembe, listen to African folk tales, and try hands-on crafts such as making flower crowns and mini drums. The Pinkster Festival is supported by Insperity.</p><p>&nbsp;Capacity is limited for all the historic site tours and events, and visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online in advance at&nbsp;<a href="http://hudsonvalley.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">hudsonvalley.org</a>. Same-day admission prices are subject to a $2 surcharge.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>DETAILS: PHILIPSBURG MANOR</strong></p><p>In 1750, Philipsburg Manor was home to 23 enslaved individuals known to have lived and labored there. It is the country’s first living history museum to focus on the history of northern slavery.</p><p>The site will be open Friday-Sunday: May 3 – Sep 30, Nov 8 – Dec 1; Wednesday-Monday: Oct 2 – Nov 3; and Saturday-Sunday: Dec 7 – Dec 22, plus Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day, and Veteran’s Day. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and young adults, and $13 for children. Tickets are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.</p><p>Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>DETAILS: WASHINGTON IRVING’S SUNNYSIDE</strong></p><p>America’s “Founding Father of Literature” created a romantic, picturesque estate nestled along the Hudson riverbank. The house and the furnishings, many of which are original to Irving, have been restored to their 1850s character.</p><p>The site will be open for guided tours Friday-Sunday: May 3 – Sep 30, Nov 8 – Dec 1; Wednesday-Monday: Oct 2 – Nov 3; Saturday-Sunday: Dec 7 – Dec 22, plus Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day, and Veteran’s Day. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and young adults, and $13 for children. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.</p><p>Washington Irving’s Sunnyside is at 3 W Sunnyside Lane, Irvington, one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>DETAILS: UNION CHURCH OF POCANTICO HILLS</strong></p><p>Union Church was organized as a non-denominational Protestant church in 1915, with John D. Rockefeller among the founders. Over the years, the Rockefeller family commissioned stained-glass windows by European masters Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall to adorn the unassuming country church</p><p>.The site will be open for tours Wednesday-Sunday, May 3-Dec 22, plus Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day, and Veteran’s Day. Tickets are $10. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.</p><p>Union Church of Pocantico Hills is at 555 Bedford Road, Tarrytown.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>DETAILS: KYKUIT, THE ROCKEFELLER ESTATE (Pictured)</strong></p><p>Built between 1906 and 1913, Kykuit was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, beginning with John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil. Later, his grandson Nelson Rockefeller, the former governor of New York and vice president of the United States, lived there with his family.</p><p>The site will be open for guided tours Friday-Sunday: May 3 – Sep 30, Nov 8 – Nov 10; Wednesday-Monday: Oct 2 – Nov 3, plus Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day.</p><p>Kykuit, a historic site of the National Trust, is operated and maintained by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund as a center for its philanthropic programs. Historic Hudson Valley operates the public visitation program.</p><p>All visits to Kykuit start at the Kykuit and Philipsburg Manor Visitor Center, located at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. Tickets start at $25 for adults, $23 for seniors, and $20 for youth (10-17) young adults (18-25). Westchester County residents receive a $5 discount on the adult ticket price for the Selected Highlights tour. National Trust for Historic Preservation members receive a 50% discount on all tours and Historic Hudson Valley members receive a 15% discount.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>DETAILS: THE PINKSTER FESTIVAL</strong></p><p>&nbsp;Pinkster has been celebrated in New York since the 1700s and is the region’s oldest African American holiday. Visitors will be able to tour the historic site and take in live performances throughout the day. Featured performers include Malik Work, spoken word artist and founder of The Real Live Show, master kora player Yacouba Sissoko, DJ GoodWill, artist Nichole Washington, and storyteller April Armstrong.</p><p>&nbsp;Tickets are $14 for adults; $12 for young adults and seniors; and free for children under 17 and Historic Hudson Valley members.</p><p>The Pinkster Festival takes place at Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.</p><p>&nbsp;The Pinkster Festival is supported by Insperity.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>About Historic Hudson Valley</strong></p><p>&nbsp;Historic Hudson Valley, Westchester County’s largest cultural organization, educates and entertains more than 325,000 visitors a year through school programs, tours of National Historic Landmarks, and Halloween-themed experiences, which have earned a national reputation as among the best in the country.</p>

<p>Hearing a lot about federal student loan forgiveness in the news? You’re not alone — scammers are, too. You might get a call from someone saying they’re affiliated with Federal Student Aid (FSA) or the Department of Education. (They’re not.) They’ll say they’re following up on your eligibility for a new loan forgiveness program, and might even know things about your loan, like the balance or your account number. They’ll try to rush you into acting by saying the program is available for a limited time. But this is all a scam. What else do you need to know to spot scams like this?</p><p>The only place to get help managing your federal student loans is&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 94, 162);">StudentAid.gov</a>. FSA (and your federal loan servicer) won’t ever pressure you to sign up for anything — but a scammer will.&nbsp;And sometimes, it’s easier to tell what’s real by learning to spot what’s not. To get you started:</p><ul><li><strong>Don’t rely on government seals or logos.&nbsp;</strong>Scammers use official-looking names, seals, and logos to make them seem more legit.</li><li><strong>Don’t buy promises of special access.</strong>&nbsp;There’s no special access to repayment plans or loan forgiveness programs. No one can get you into loan forgiveness programs you don’t qualify for or wipe out your loans. Use your FSA&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/sign-in/landing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 94, 162);">account dashboard</a>&nbsp;to see which programs you might be eligible for.</li><li><strong>Never pay an upfront fee.</strong>&nbsp;It’s illegal for companies to charge you before they help you reduce or get rid of your student loan debt.<strong>&nbsp;</strong>And if you have to pay upfront, you might not get any help — or your money back. Get free help managing your federal loans at&nbsp;<a href="http://studentaid.gov/repay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 94, 162);">StudentAid.gov/repay</a>. If your loans are private, go straight to your loan servicer for help.</li><li><strong>Never share your FSA ID login information.</strong>&nbsp;Only scammers say they need it to help you. If a scammer gets your FSA ID, they could cut you off from your loan servicer — or even steal your identity.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Check out FSA’s resources for&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/resources/scams#beware-of-student-loan-debt-relief-companies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 94, 162);">avoiding student loan scams</a>. And if you spot a student loan scam, tell the FTC at:&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 94, 162);">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.</p>

<p><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Mark your calendar! On May 1st, 2024, The&nbsp;</span><strong style="color: rgb(87, 124, 166);">Westchester-Putnam Career Center Network</strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">&nbsp;in collaboration with the&nbsp;</span><strong style="color: rgb(87, 124, 166);">Town of Yorktown,&nbsp;The&nbsp;Yorktown Chamber of Commerce,&nbsp;</strong><span style="color: rgb(92, 100, 107);">and&nbsp;</span><strong style="color: rgb(87, 124, 166);">The Catalyst Westchester County Economic Development,</strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">&nbsp;are hosting an on-site&nbsp;</span><span style="color: rgb(92, 100, 107);">career fair at the&nbsp;</span><strong style="color: rgb(87, 124, 166);">Albert A. Capellini Community &amp; Cultural Center</strong><strong style="color: rgb(92, 100, 107);">&nbsp;</strong><span style="color: rgb(92, 100, 107);">featuring an array of employment opportunities in northern Westchester County. Dress professionally and be prepared to interview with hiring managers. Remember to bring multiple copies of your updated resume and to review the attending employers prior to the job fair in order to be fully prepared. </span><a href="https://smex-ctp.trendmicro.com/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https%3a%2f%2fdocs.google.com%2fforms%2fd%2fe%2f1FAIpQLSe6%5fTNAj87preHrUyzjC0OeD1wmZ7GbOvGtGTess%2dR%2dnwIWlQ%2fviewform&amp;umid=434d0243-d48e-451f-95b6-cbc48e253aa7&amp;auth=3e9eac7f6d1e9ee4bcf25e1462df7eb615e0741e-697c6e7c6b652f37db2e9ca9c5f7913dd1851484" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(232, 125, 54);">Click here to register&nbsp;</a></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(232, 125, 54);">For more information, contact Bob Fois at&nbsp;</strong><a href="mailto:WestchesterCCN@westchestercountyny.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(232, 125, 16);"><strong>WestchesterCCN@</strong></a><a href="https://news.hamlethub.com/brewster-new-york/stories/westchestercountyny.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(232, 125, 16);"><strong>westchestercountyny.gov</strong></a><strong style="color: rgb(232, 125, 16);">&nbsp;</strong><strong style="color: rgb(232, 125, 54);">or call (914) 955-4976</strong></p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The&nbsp;<strong>Westchester-Putnam Career Center Network</strong>&nbsp;in collaboration with&nbsp;<strong>Putnam County Office of Economic Development, the Brewster Chamber</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Cold Spring Chamber</strong>&nbsp;are hosting an on-site job fair at the Putnam County Golf Course, located at 187 Hill Street, Mahopac, NY. The career fair will feature an array of employment opportunities in northern Westchester and Putnam County.</p><p>Noteworthy: Registration is required, please register using the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6_TNAj87preHrUyzjC0OeD1wmZ7GbOvGtGTess-R-nwIWlQ/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(182, 99, 62);">Job Seeker Job Fair Registration form</a>. Attend the event dressed professionally, be prepared to interview with hiring managers, and remember to bring multiple copies of your updated resume. </p><p><strong>For more information, contact:</strong></p><p>Kimberly at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:WestchesterCCN@westchestercountyny.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(182, 99, 62);">WestchesterCCN@westchestercountyny.gov&nbsp;</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>