Herkimer County Community College held its annual wellness day in the McLaughlin College Center on Thursday afternoon. Wellness day was sponsored by the HCCC Health Services Office. 

HCCC Health Care Coordinator, R.N., Debra Lynch said about 33 vendors from the community participated and all were health related. Vendor participants included Central Association for the Blind & Visually impaired, Fidelis Care of New York, Herkimer Area Resource Center, Insight House, Planned Parenthood, Faxton Campus Tobacco Cessation Center, YWCA, Smile Therapy and more.

“We have been coordinating the wellness fair for over 10 years now, it’s free, open to the public, and it’s a great way for students to take a break before finals,” said Lynch.

At 31-years-old, Thomas Lake has achieved some significant recognition in his career field of sports journalism.

Lake is the youngest senior writer for Sports Illustrated magazine and has won the 2008 Henry Luce Award for Most Outstanding Story in all of Time Incorporated. His accolades include a first place award from the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors. His works have also been included in two editions of the Best American Sports Writing of the Year.

On Friday, Lake was recognized by his alma mater — Herkimer County Community College — as he was one of two persons to be inducted into its prestigious HCCC Alumni Hall of Honor. Dr. Ronald Miers was also posthumously inducted into the hall during the same ceremony. 

When morning came, the few survivors left in the lifeboats didn’t know what was next. Would they be rescued? Would they float along the freezing cold waves? Thankfully, the Carpathia came to their rescue, and when passenger May Birkhead began to witness what was going on, her career in journalism began.

Perhaps the last of its kind, the 14-foot, 7-inch kayak is being conserved in a special gallery at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., so visitors can watch.

Year after year, studies continue to find that American students trail their international peers in academic achievement. However, American students have long remained among the world leaders in one category: vacation.

Donnalyn Shuster, an art teacher at Frankfort-Schuyler Middle and Senior High School, has received national recognition for her work for Youth Art Month.

Shuster received the 2011 Youth Art Month Award of Merit from the Council of Art Education and the award for Outstanding Promotion. Awards were presented to honorees during the 2012 Convention of the National Art Education Association, held from March 1 to 4 in New York City.

Herkimer County Community College held it’s spring open house on Saturday. Students from central New York and all over the state attended the event in hopes to pursue their college career.

Approximately 600 visitors attended the event. Associate Dean for Enrollment Management, Robert Palmieri said, about 80 percent of students who attend the event are likely to attend the college in the fall.

An explanation: Today is Pi Day. Pi is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi equals 3.1415926535… and so on. So 3.14, March 14, is celebrated by math students and other numbers enthusiasts with circular foods and other items.

During the course of our lives, it’s not uncommon to discover that some of our views, tastes and preferences evolve over time as we gain experience. However, one thing has remained a constant throughout my life: I hate homework. I hated it as a student, I hate it as a college educator and I hate it as a parent of two school-age children. To be fair, my animus is not directed at all homework, just bad homework.

While numerous advances in school facilities have taken place over the last quarter century, to what extent have educators teamed up with other facets of the community to consider how a school can become more of a community center?

Residents in the Fort Plain Central School District will be asked to vote on two proposals on Feb. 14, 2012: to spend $90,000 to buy a half-size handicapped-accessible bus and security cameras for other buses, and to extend the term length of board of education seats from three years to five.

Voting will take place in the Harry Hoag Elementary School gymnasium from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The St. Johnsville Board of Education last week voted to discontinue its shared interscholastic sports program with Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School.

The vote was 3-2 with Nan DeNinno and Renee Swartz voting against the resolution.

The Penn State scandal is but one example of the way we systematically fail to protect children from harm. Lawmakers are sprinting out of the woodwork to prop themselves up as heroes ready to fix what's broken, but not a single one has offered ideas that will stop us from enabling the very abuse we purport to abhor.

By now you have heard of the allegations of evil and treacherous behavior by Jerry Sandusky and top officials. Where is God in their reactions? Where does the lack of moral, ethical, spiritual and godly ramifications lie upon the general society?

The desire to avoid tarnishing an organization’s brand is understandable, but when doing so means allowing abusers to get by with their crimes and victimize other children, it’s time to re-examine one’s priorities.

If it can happen to Miss New York, it can happen to any child. Bullies, it seems, have indiscriminate tastes, lashing out because, for whatever reason, it gives them the illusion of power.

I am a graduate of Penn State, and I am heartbroken. I am also ashamed, angry, embarrassed and confused. Ever since I was in the eighth grade, I have been following Penn State football.

Writing the “personal statement” can be a torturous exercise for many seniors. While the temptation might be to adopt a distant, academic tone, making your personal statement personal will help the admissions office gain a richer understanding of your unique character and qualities.

October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month. It’s also Go Hog Wild, Eat Country Ham Month. And it’s Apple Month, Pear and Pineapple Month, National Chili Month, National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, Rhubarb Month, Pizza Month, Sausage Month, Spinach Lovers Month, Rhizomes and Persimmons Month and Vegetarian Month.

Concertgoers to this weekend’s moe.down will be able to help out a local school when they pass through the gates on Friday.

Evan Rosman, of Elmont, is once again organizing a drive for school supplies to benefit the students at Harry M. Fisher Elementary School in Mohawk.

“We did very well last year,” said Rosman during a telephone interview on Thursday. “We’re looking to surpass that this year.”