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The Ahimsa Festival is This Weekend: Soul-Healing, Movement, and Music

Written by Megin Potter on . Posted in Columns, Community, Entertainment, Featured, In the Arts, News.

Amid the beautifully colored leaves, a gathering of seekers and world-class teachers will again converge on the historic grounds of Lakota’s ’s Farm in Cambridge for the Ahimsa Yoga and Music Festival, September 23rd– 24th.

The Ahimsa Festival invites you to relax and release all those energies that no longer serve you. Let stress melt away in a nourishing environment of like-minded individuals within the earth-centered elegance of Lakota’s ’s Farm, a rolling 34-acre expanse of grass, ponds, and grazing horses.

Get a spiritual high from a schedule that includes approximately 20 different wellness sessions daily. These 90-minute workshops include yoga, meditations, and sound bath healings that settle your mind and focus your awareness. 

“Our goal is to bring people together in a safe place to connect on an amazing property. This festival is special because it has all these amazing offerings all in one spot,” said event organizer Kristen Zorda, owner of Yoga Mandali in Saratoga Springs. 

Steady the Mind, Restore the Soul

The Ahimsa Festival, which was founded in 2012, attracted more than 200 attendees from around the country last year. The ancient idea of Ahimsa, which means “non-violence” in Sanskrit, is an approach that encourages distinctions to fall away in this soothing space, creating a broader sense of compassion for all living beings, and inspiring a deeper sense of personal growth.

Kimberly Revet, owner of the Wedding Barn at Lakota’s Farm is passionately living her dream on the property, imbuing it with an energetic satisfaction that is palpable. 

In this nourishing environment, visitors further their spiritual development and experience the restorative teachings of a variety of skilled instructors including: the revered Patrick Franco, founder of the award-winning, internationally-acclaimed YogaRenew teacher training program; the dynamic Raghunath Cappo, co-founder of Supersoul Yoga and Farm; the Kripalu School of Yoga’s vibrant Coby Kozlowski; and former local Cindy Lundsford, the previous owner of several studios in the area including Hot Yoga Saratoga. 

Take part in the wealth of engaging activities, meditation sessions, Bhakti, Vinyasa, aerial, and chair-supported yoga in the 150-year-old post-and-beam Bhakti Barn and the welcoming Ganesha Tent, rain or shine. 

Release Further by Extending Your Stay

Adding to your transcendent experience, all weekend long attendees will have the opportunity to shop the Ahimsa Festival’s Vendor Village – a gathering of 20-30 food, beverage, craft, and wellness vendors selling clothing, jewelry, art, health products, meditation aids, and more. 

Hear the healing spiritual music of the New Orleans-based Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band, and listen to the therapeutic sounds of the SOMA Kirtan Band. On Saturday night, DJ and digeridoo musician Ifa Halima Bumi leads an electrifying dance party as blazing bonfires illuminate the grounds.

Stay the night while reconnecting with the Earth in Lakota’s Farm’s limited rustic onsite camping. Just minutes away, find event partner, The Preserve Battenkill River Glamping, an idyllic riverfront retreat offering deluxe tent cabins, glamping cabins, and a geodesic stargazing dome. There is a riverside wood-fired sauna, pizza oven, fire pits, kayak/canoe boat launch, free Wi-Fi, an Outpost Resort Store for essentials, and the Provisions Food Truck offering a farm-to-table menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices. For glamping reservations and more information, go to https://battenkillresort.com

The Ahimsa Yoga and Music Festival opens Saturday, September 23rd, at 9am and concludes Sunday, September 24th, at 5pm. Single Day passes start at $199; Weekend passes start at $349. For tickets and event details, go to https://www.ahimsayogafestival.com

Ndakinna Harvest Celebration is this Weekend

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Business, Columns, Community, Entertainment, Featured, In the Arts, News.

All photos courtesy of Barb Tyler.

GREENFIELD CENTER, NY – Join Ndakinna Education Center September 23rd for the 2023 Harvest Celebration! Located just 3 miles from downtown Saratoga Springs at 23 Middle Grove Rd, Greenfield Center, NY 12833, the event will be open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. 

The celebration will feature a traditional Haudenosaunee Opening Ceremony by Tom Sakokwenionkwas Porter. Porter (Sakokwenionkwas-“The One Who Wins”) is the founder, spokesperson and spiritual leader of the Mohawk Community of Kanatsiohareke (Ga na jo ha lay gay) located in Fonda, New York, and is a member of the Bear Clan of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. 

The celebration will also have native vendors and food (available from Iroquois Eatery), performances by the Haudenosaunee Singers and Dancers, and storytelling by Kay Ionataiewas Olan, Perry Ground, and Ndakinna’s own James, Jesse, and Joseph Bruchac. 

“We’re excited to bring back the harvest celebration for a second year here at Ndakinna,” said James Bruchac, Director of the Ndakinna Education Center. “It’s important that we celebrate the rich heritage, history, and continuing survival of our region’s indigenous peoples and their cultures.”

Porter will finish the afternoon off with a Traditional Haudenosaunee Closing Ceremony.

This event is fun for all ages; but be aware that space will be limited, and reservations are recommended. The event has a suggested donation of $10 per adult, or $15 per family.

Funded in part by the MDOCS Co-Creation Initiative and the Mellon Foundation.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible through the Community Arts Regrant Program, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Arrow Financial Corporation to Host Corporate Headquarters Ribbon Cutting and Reception

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Business, Community, Downtown, Featured, Local Leads, News.

WHAT: Arrow Financial Corporation President and CEO Dave DeMarco is excited to host a ribbon cutting and reception at the newly renovated corporate headquarters and Main Office branch in downtown Glens Falls. This multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment includes Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company’s Main Office branch, loan offices and administrative and operational support for the entire Arrow Family of Companies, which also includes Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company and Upstate Agency, LLC. 

The completion of this project furthers Arrow’s mission of improving the customer experience and reinforcing its commitment to the community. The renovation includes extensive upgrades to the exterior and interior, designed with both customer and employee experience top-of-mind while maintaining the building’s historic elements.   

Please join us to celebrate and enjoy light refreshments. For more information on the downtown renovations please visit: https://www.gfnational.com/hello 

WHEN: Thursday, September 14, 2023. Event Start: 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Arrow Financial Corporation Headquarters, 250 Glen Street, Glens Falls, N.Y. 12801

WHO: Dave DeMarco, President and CEO, Arrow Financial Corporatio, and Tricia Rogers, President and CEO, Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce

About Arrow Financial Corporation: 

Arrow Financial Corporation is a multi-bank holding company headquartered in Glens Falls, New York, serving the financial needs of northeastern New York. The Company is the parent of Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company. Other subsidiaries include North Country Investment Advisers, Inc. and Upstate Agency, LLC.

It’s Back to School Time: Injuries and Employment Problems

Written by Giovanna D'Orazio, D'Orazio Peterson LLP on . Posted in Business, Community, Education, Featured, News, Opinion.

We hope that everyone has a stress-free transition back into the school year. But, sometimes, things go wrong at school, and this article will explore when liability can arise.

First up, personal injuries.

A school is a property like any other, which means that if you are hurt by dangerous conditions like disrepairs and poorly maintained facilities, you can sue for negligence. Schools can also be sued for failing to take remedial action with respect to bullying, and in the context of other instances of violence like fights between students or altercations with personnel.

An item to keep in mind if you are injured at a school is that most schools in New York enjoy a layer of protection provided by the Education Law’s notice of claim requirement. This means that, as a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit, you have to serve a notice of claim on the appropriate individual(s) within three months of the date of your accident. This applies to students as well as to other visitors to the property.

What if you are an employee of the school? Typically, employees in New York cannot sue their employers for negligence because of the Workers’ Compensation law. That means if you slip on a spill in the cafeteria that should have been cleaned up sooner, your remedy is in Workers’ Comp and not in a lawsuit. Employees who are injured at work can have recourse, however, if there is a third party responsible. So, if a contractor is doing work at the school and you are injured because of its negligence, you can have what’s called a third party claim against the contractor and still receive Workers’ Compensation. However, your recovery in a personal injury lawsuit will likely be reduced by what you have already received, i.e., the Workers’ Comp lien.

Next up, employment issues.

Public schools are subject to the same state and federal anti-discrimination laws as any other employer, as well as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. This means that employees cannot be targeted because of their protected status (for example, sex, race, a disability, or age) or be retaliated against for making a complaint of discrimination or harassment based on their protected status. When it comes to state law claims, that notice of claim requirement still applies, so it’s important to keep an eye on applicable deadlines. Federal employment claims are not affected by the notice of claim requirement but may require filing a charge at the EEOC before moving forward with a lawsuit.

In public schools, employees also enjoy some, albeit limited, First Amendment protection when they speak on matters of public concern.

Often teachers and other school employees have protection through their union Collective Bargaining Agreement or under the Civil Service Law or Education Law, that may offer some job protection beyond what is available to many private employees. So, it is important for someone dealing with an employment related issue to be sure they understand all of their rights and options as they navigate a difficult work situation.

We certainly hope that the school year goes off without a hitch, but if not, be sure to keep in mind that schools enjoy some heightened protections in New York so it’s important to explore your options sooner rather than later.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a future outcome.

Heidelberg Inn to be Featured on America’s Best Restaurants

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Business, Columns, Community, Featured, Food, News.

QUEENSBURY, NY – Local restaurant Heidelberg Inn will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in late August 2023.

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to the restaurant on August 29th. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with owner John Weber about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.

Heidelberg Inn, open since 1972, has been under Weber’s ownership for over eight years. He claims they are the last truly authentic German restaurant in the area. With an outdoor covered biergarten, staff in traditional lederhosen or dirndls, and a full menu of German and American specialties all made from scratch, they offer a fun and different experience for locals and tourists alike.

“I think there’s something unique about what we offer and what we’re doing,” he says. He is looking forward to the upcoming visit from ABR to potentially get new customers in the door.

They have a big draw for Oktoberfest, which runs from mid-September through October at the restaurant.

A popular menu item that may be featured on the episode is the ‘German Tour’, a platter of options which consists of veal jagerschnitzel, choice of one wurst (which is sourced from a NYC charcuterie) and sauerbraten, which is beef marinated in a red wine vinaigrette for ten to twelve days, slow cooked for hours, and served with a beef-based gingersnap gravy.

“It’s definitely unique,” notes Weber. “Some people come in exclusively for that.”

And don’t forget the German beers on tap, available in das boot – 1.25 liters or 2 liters in a glass shaped like a boot.

America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Tuesday August 29th from 9 am to noon EST. The press is invited to attend but the filming is closed to the public. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/new-york/heidelberg-inn.

Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.

About Heidelberg Inn: Open Wednesday through Sunday, Heidelberg Inn is located at 352 Quaker Rd, Queensbury NY 12804. Telephone is (518) 792-5556. For more information visit www.heidelbergny.com.

About ABR: America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and restaurant marketing company based in Florence, KY, travels the country telling the stories and highlighting the unique food of locally owned independent restaurants as part of their ABR Roadshow. Restaurants are featured not only on ABR’s Restaurant Network of social media channels and website, but also each individual establishment’s Facebook page. With over 900 episodes filmed, America’s Best Restaurants is the premier marketing agency for restaurant owners and operators to have their story broadcast coast-to-coast. Visit AmericasBestRestaurants.com to learn more and to view the episodes and profiles of hundreds of America’s Best Restaurants!

Follow-Up: Water Discoloration in the City of Glens Falls

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Featured, News.

As another follow up to “Water Discoloration Issues” first experienced in the City of Glens Falls during the week of July 24:

Per Bill Norton, Superintendent of the Water and Sewer Department: “Employees at the City of Glens Falls Water Filtration Plant (WFP) continue to monitor and follow up with a few city residents who have made complaints regarding their water quality. While there have been no additional calls or complaints over the last five days, the WFP continues to monitor the situation since the exact cause of these issues has still yet to be determined.”

As you may recall, a couple of weeks ago, the Glens Falls Water Distribution System experienced sporadic very high flow demands for extended periods of time. These flows were “spiking” in nature, and it was believed to be caused by a very high demand and not a break within the water distribution system.

These sporadic demands greatly increased the turbidity (color and cloudiness issues) in certain portions of the Glens Falls Water Distribution System.

If you have any questions or believe you’re experiencing cloudiness in your water, you are asked to contact the Glens Falls Water Filtration Plant at 518-312-4571.

Tu-Ner Featuring King Crimson Legends Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto With Markus Reuter To Release Debut Double Album “T-1 Contact Information” August 14, 2023

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Columns, Entertainment, Featured, News.

From the kitchen of the original King Crimson R&D fraKctal units & Stick Men comes Tu-Ner featuring touch guitarist Markus Reuter, alongside the powerhouse rhythm section of Pat Mastelotto on drums and Trey Gunn on Warr guitar.

Defying logistics to grab four days together, the immersive session included repertoire rehearsal; as well as recording semi-prepared pieces and several full improvisations. The band’s chemistry has deep roots and connections are made quickly so large slabs of music appear unedited.

These two hours of recordings are the outcome of their debut double disc album “T-1 Contact Information” coming August 14th.

disc:ONE

  1. Crowfin
  2. 31
  3. Apple Turtle
  4. On The Other Side
  5. Contact Information disc:TWO
  6. Forcibly Taken Into The Future
  7. Moses
  8. Poodles
  9. Poem About A Sad Horse
Band photo by Julia Hensley.

Pat Mastelotto – Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on the demise of their former hit band. Phil Collins and Dave Grohl have managed it, and so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self taught drummer from Northern California, who has also been involved with pushing the envelope of electronic drumming. Pat has spent a lifetime jumping genres from pop, to prog, to electronica to world music with – among others – Mr. Mister, XTC, David Sylvian, The Rembrandts, Kimmo Pohjonen, and for the last 25 years with King Crimson and Stick Men.

Markus Reuter is a composer, guitarist, and producer. He began his musical journey as a composer before delving into Robert. Fripp’s Guitar Craft, mastering the Chapman Stick, and eventually transitioning to the U8 Touch Guitar. Reuter has released numerous solo albums and has collaborated extensively with various musicians. He holds a prominent position in the experimental band Anchor and Burden and forms the duo Tuner with Pat. Additionally, he was a member of Europa String Choir and has worked alongside notable artists such as Gary Husband, Robert Rich, J. Peter Schwalm, Mark Wingfield, and many others. Reuter’s versatility is evident through his involvement in Devin Townsend’s touring band. Notably, he also performs in power trios including Stick Men with Pat and Tony Levin, TRUCE with Asaf Sirkis and Fabio Trentini, and Markus Reuter/Tim Motzer/Kenny Grohowski.

Trey Gunn, the extraordinary Warr guitarist and musician, has left an indelible mark on the world of progressive music. Renowned for his virtuosic talent, he has graced the stages and recording studios with legendary acts such as King Crimson, Brian Eno, David Sylvian, Robert Fripp, Happy Rhodes, Puscifer, Tool and John Paul Jones, contributing his unique blend of mesmerizing and innovative playing. As the founder of the esteemed 7D Media record label, Gunn continues to be a guiding force in curating exceptional musical experiences. Trey Gunn’s visionary artistry and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound make him a true luminary in the realm of progressive music.

Markus Reuter – Touch Guitar, Soundscapes
Pat Mastelotto – Drums, Electronics, Vocoder
Trey Gunn – Warr Guitar, Fretless Warr Guitar, Vocoder

All pieces by Gunn/Mastelotto/Reuter

recorded June 7-11, 2023
recorded by p@ & Bill Munyon @ p@’s place
mixed & mastered by Erik Emil Eskildsen
cover design by A.J. Chippero
booking Leonardo Pavkovic (MOONJUNE)

Tu-Ner on Tour

August 14 – Piermont, NY (The Turning Point)
August 15 – Allentown, PA (Rodale Room, Allentown Symphony Hall)
August 17 – Hudson Falls, NY (Strand Theater)
August 19 – Rochester, NY (Loving Cup)
August 20 – Buffalo, NY (Mohawk Place)
August 22 – Cleveland, OH (Beachland Ballroom)
August 23 – Detroit, MI (Joy Manor Westland)
August 24 – Milwaukee, WI (Shank Hall)
August 25 – Indianapolis, IN (Irving Theater)
August 26 – Chicago, IL (Reggies Rock Club)
August 27 – Benton Harbor, M (The Livery)
August 29 – Columbus, OH (Woodlands Tavern)
August 30 – Cincinnati, OH (The Ludlow Garage)
August 31 – Asheville, NC (The Grey Eagle)
September 1 – Charlotte, NC (The Milestone)
September 2 – Chapel Hill, NC (Storybook Farm)
November 29 – Brno, Czech Republic (The Crimson Marathon at SONO Music Club)
November 30 – Prague, Czech Republic (The Crimson Marathon at Archa Theatre)

To be continued in 2024!

For more information:
Band website: https://tu-ner.com/
Album url: https://7dmedia.com/tu-ner-t-1

ARCC Announces Nominees for 2023 Business Awards

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in ARCC Spotlight, Business, Community, Featured, News.

Pictured from left to right: ARCC President Tricia Rogers, BBBS CEO/Executive Director Bill Moon, and BBBS team members: Marie Busse, Megan Farrell, and Alex McCane. Photo by Amanda Blanton.

GLENS FALLS, NY – The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is thrilled to announce the nominees for their 2023 Business Awards. The ARCC has been recognizing member businesses for their economic achievements, and quality of life contributions to our region, for over 30 years.

The nominees will be recognized, and winners announced, at an awards breakfast, on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls, NY. Stay tuned to the ARCC website, at www.adirondackchamber.org, for more updates on this event.

“I am always amazed at the response we receive when asking for nominations for our annual business awards,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers. “It is such an honor to recognize these businesses for all that they do to contribute to our communities in their own unique ways.”

These businesses were nominated by their peers and will be interviewed and scored by a committee of volunteer ARCC members.

The nominees, in their respective categories, are:

Large Business of the Year Nominees: North Country Janitorial, Telescope Casual Furniture, Adirondack Studios, and Arnoff Moving & Storage.

Professional Business of the Year Nominees: Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart & Rhodes, P.C., Well Child, and Rucinski Hall Architects.

Steven M. Sutton Small Business of the Year Nominees: Finders Keepers Consignments, Barkeater Chocolates, The VMJR Companies, J. Reid Menswear, Windy Hill CBD & Wellness Co., Hilltop Construction Co., Northern Living, Adirondack Winery, LayerEight, and FastSigns of Saratoga Springs.

Rookie Business of the Year: Queensbury Wine & Spirits, PSG Golf, White Glove Janitorial Service, and Sustainable PR.

Large Nonprofit Organization Nominees: ASCEND Mental Wellness, Crandall Public Library, High Peaks Hospice, and L.E.A.P.

Small Nonprofit Organization Nominees: Alliance180, The Dake Foundation, The Conkling Center, Comfort Food Community, the World Awareness Children’s Museum, LARAC, and Adirondack EAP.

Community Champion Nominees: Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls, Advokate LLC, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company, Common Roots Foundation, The Car Shoppe, and Glens Falls City Schools.

About the ARCC Business Awards

The ARCC Business Awards is an annual celebration and recognition of member businesses for their achievements in business and quality of life contributions to our region. Each year the ARCC assembles a committee of Chamber Members to evaluate, interview, and score nominees. The nominees are honored, and winners announced, at a ceremony.

About the ARCC

Founded in 1914, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is a 100% membership funded organization representing in excess of 23,000 people predominantly in New York State’s Washington, Warren, Essex and Northern Saratoga Counties. The ARCC is a 501c6 not-for-profit corporation, governed by volunteer Board of Directors, and does not receive any funding from local, county or state governments. Our mission is to serve our members and business community through our advocacy efforts, education opportunities and the power of connection and collaboration.

Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family Donates $25k for the Hyde Collection’s Educational Programs

Written by Command on . Posted in Business, Community, Featured, News.

Image (left to right): Katelyn Foley, Curator of Education and Engagement, The Hyde Collection, John Lefner, Chief Executive Officer, The Hyde Collection, Kate Nelson, PR Specialist, Stewart’s Shops, Kate Wilkins, Director of Development, The Hyde Collection, Jennifer Frame, Director of Corporate Philanthropy, Stewart’s Shops with a donation of $25,000.

Glens Falls, NY — The Hyde Collection has received funding from long-time supporters of the arts community and museums – Stewart’s Shops and The Dake Family. Representatives from Stewart’s Shops  recently visited The Hyde in Glens Falls to present a donation of $25,000 that will fund the 2023  educational offerings.  

As lead education sponsors for the season, Stewart’s Shops and The Dake Family are the signature  underwriters of the overall programming calendar for 2023, which is designed to offer enriching  opportunities to all guests, from children and families to art enthusiasts of all interests. 

Kate Wilkins, Director of Development at The Hyde Collection commented, “Our educational programs  affirm The Hyde’s commitment to enriching the lives of children of all ages and backgrounds throughout  our region, and we are thrilled to celebrate Stewart’s Shops and The Dake Family as champions of these  efforts.” 

Susan Dake, President of Stewart’s Foundation, commented, “Stewart’s Shops is committed to supporting  and giving back to all our Shops’ communities. We are proud to be supporting the educational programs at  the Hyde Collection which provide opportunities for local children and families to participate in painting  and performing arts classes. At Stewarts, we like to say the arts are an important part of all of us!” 

Highlights of 2023 programming underwritten by Stewart’s Shops and The Dake Family, which will occur  on-site and off, include: 

  • Artful Afternoons, which invites families with children five and older to examine artwork and  engage with materials. 
  • Art After Hours, which will pair local entertainment with art and leverage community  partnerships every third Thursday of the month. 
  • A performing arts series based around The Hyde’s upcoming exhibition Songs of the Horizon:  David Smith, Music, and Dance, featuring partnerships with regional performing arts organizations  
  • On Screen @ The Hyde: A series of performances streamed live from the National Theatre stage.
  • Summer Art Explorations: Summer classes for third to sixth graders where children visit  exhibitions and partake in special demonstrations and art making. 
  • Fashion Lab New York-Upcycle Couture Fashion and Sewing Camp: A summer program for  teens focused on art, sustainability, sewing, and fashion inspired by famous paintings of  women.  
  • Creative Play at (g)row for kids, which takes place at (g)row for kids on Exchange Street in Glens  Falls, and will allow students to play with different elements of art and create an original piece of  art.
  • Painting with Patrice: A class led by local artist Patrice Jarvis-Weber in which participants are  directed through the creation of acrylic painting. 
  • Free admission every second Thursday for everyone.

About The Hyde Collection 

The Hyde is one of the Northeast’s exceptional small art museums with distinguished European and American art collections. The core collection, acquired by Museum founders Louis and Charlotte Hyde, includes works by such artists as Sandro Botticelli, El Greco, Rembrandt, Peter Paul Rubens, Edgar Degas, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and American artists Thomas Eakins, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, and James McNeill Whistler. The Museum’s Modern and Contemporary art collection features works by artists including Josef Albers, Dorothy Dehner, Sam Gilliam, Adolph Gottlieb, Grace Hartigan, Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, George McNeil, Robert Motherwell, Ben Nicholson, Robert Rauschenberg, and Bridget Riley. Today, The Hyde offers significant national and international exhibitions and a packed schedule of events that help visitors experience art in new ways. Visit www.hydecollection.org  

Press Contact: Katie Alessi – KAlessi@trifectacollaborative.com

Ignore the Phone (at least while driving)…

Written by Scott Peterson, D'Orazio Peterson LLP on . Posted in Business, Featured, News.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has compiled a number of statistics on how distracted driving affects people nationwide. The Administration reports that a total of 3,522 people were killed in distracted driving accidents in the year 2021. This number is out of nearly half a million total accidents that involved distracted driving. Estimates are that millions of drivers are making use of their phones while driving during daytime hours. 

Clearly we have a major problem here.

Distracted driving cases in New York

New York has specific laws for traffic offenses that involve distracted driving. Under New York law an officer may stop someone simply because they see them making use of a phone while driving. The offense itself may carry up to 5 points on a person’s license and has very steep penalties for persons with provisional licenses or learner’s permits. In addition, these laws place significant restrictions on how operators of commercial vehicles may interact with their phones. The penalties for these offenses increase with each offense, and can potentially result in a loss of license if a person accrues enough points.

While these violations are generally considered small traffic offenses and handled in a municipal or state court, the acts that constitute these offenses are often the cause of accidents that result in severe injuries or death.  A person, or in some cases, a company, may be held civilly liable for injuries caused by a distracted driving accident.  Often the same evidence used in court to convict a distracted driver on a traffic offense can be used in a civil case to show that the distracted driver was negligent, and that his or her negligence contributed to the accident.

In addition to criminal/traffic matters, an individual who suffers serious injuries as a result of a distracted driving accident is often entitled to compensation.  This can be broken down loosely into economic and non-economic loss. (Some minor injuries may be dealt with through New York’s No Fault system).

Economic loss

Economic damages are financial losses associated with an accident that a plaintiff can prove to a court. In distracted driving accidents these often include medical costs, such as hospitalization and/or surgery, as well as costs for follow-up treatment such as physical or occupational therapy.  Future medical costs (to the extent that the treatment is reasonably likely) may be estimated and included in available compensation.   

Lost wages are another type of economic damage that typically accompany serious injuries or death from a distracted driving accident.  In addition to the period of time an individual is out of work in the immediate wake of an injury, there might be additional missed work due to follow-up care, or in severe cases and cases involving a death an inability to sustain employment into the future.  This loss of income is an often substantial element of damages in a lawsuit following a distracted driving accident.

Non-economic loss

Non-economic damages are losses that can be more challenging to translate into a dollar figure, yet can be substantial.  These include categories such as physical pain and suffering and mental anguish.  Testimony from physicians, psychiatrists and other experts can help to attribute a monetary figure to these types of losses.

How do we stop this epidemic?

Distracted driving is one of the things that keeps us, as parents, up at night.  It has to stop.  But how?

First, we educate.  We believe that we must all make efforts to educate both teenagers and adults about the real world risks associated with distracted driving.  Because this is not limited to teenagers.  Many of us have, at times, been guilty of looking at our phones when we should be focused elsewhere.

We have also joined the organization End Distracted Driving, and have made the commitment to reach as many individuals in New York’s Capital District as possible to address this problem, through speeches, presentations and leadership.  

Second, we litigate.  Reality is that some people don’t learn from education, they need to see real world examples of the risks of distracted driving.  To that end, we represent victims and their families who have been injured or killed by distracted drivers.  We will use every tool available to change the behavior and culture surrounding distracted driving, and sometimes that will mean making examples of those who choose to continue to take this unnecessary risk despite the clear evidence of the danger this behavior presents.  

If you have questions about what you can do to help, visit our distracted driving page at www.ignorethephone.com.