Kids turn out for annual fishing derby

In Sports, Sports - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald

July 19, 2023

The winners of the 44th annual youth fishing derby pose with their trophies. Pictured, with members of the R.C. Sportsmen’s Association, are prize winners Samantha White, Isabella Ciccarelli, Anthony Camarda, Kyley Goewey, Jacob Shear, Cassidy Shutter, Emma Done, Owen Barger, Theo Malloy and Maddox Frankovic. Contributed photo

COEYMANS — Families turned out for the annual fishing derby hosted by the R.C. Sportsmen’s Club.

The fishing derby, held every June, is now in its 44th year.

Held at the Coeymans Filtration Plant on Route 144, the fishing derby invites children ages 1-16 in the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District to try their hand at fishing.

Trophies are awarded annually in a number of categories and everyone gets a prize, hot dogs and refreshments after the fishing is over.

This year’s winners were Samantha White, Isabella Ciccarelli, Anthony Camarda, Kyley Goewey, Jacob Shear, Cassidy Shutter, Emma Done, Owen Barger, Theo Malloy and Maddox Frankovic.

Each of the winners was awarded a trophy.

Sponsors of the annual fishing derby included: Access Safety Products, Biscone Law Firm, Burns and Son, C.A. Albright and Sons, Carver Companies, Crossroads Ford, Francisco Equipment, Bank of Greene County, Greene County Federation of Sportsmen, Greene County Legislature, Ravena Shop ‘N’ Save, in memory of J.R. Schroeder, John T. Biscone, Esq., K&D Auto Repair, Mueller’s Automotive, NAPA (Ravena), National Bank of Coxsackie, National Stone Supplies, Persico Hardware, Ravena News-Herald, SABIC, Selkirk Transmission, Stewart’s Shops (Ravena), Stolz Insurance Agency, Town of Coeymans, Trinity Construction and Big Top Portables.

Social Security Matters: How will working affect my first year’s benefits?

In Lifestyle, Lifestyle - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald

June 16, 2023

By Russell Gloor

For Capital Region Independent Media

Dear Rusty:

I retired from working in January of this year and have since claimed Social Security. I didn’t work at all in February or March, but I began a part-time job in April.

I’m very confused about how Social Security counts earnings for the first year. I don’t know if I need to keep each month’s earnings under $1,770 or if they average it. Some of the literature I’ve found says each month must remain under $1,770 or NO benefit will be paid that month. Two people at the Social Security office told me they’ll just dock me $1 for every $2 I am over that, even in my first year.

I also cannot find anything about when they count your income. Is it when it’s earned or when it’s paid? If I go over in a month because there are three pay periods, can they withhold the benefit for that month? I’m just so confused!

Signed: Part-Time Worker

Dear Part-Time Worker:

The Social Security earnings test during your first year collecting benefits before full retirement age is, indeed, somewhat confusing.

The reason is because there are two methods that Social Security may use during your first calendar year collecting early benefits, and they will use the one that results in the least financial impact to you. To elaborate:

If you claim benefits mid-year before your full retirement age, for the remainder of that first year (starting in the month benefits begin and ending in December), you’ll be subject to a monthly earnings limit ($1,770 for 2023). If you exceed the monthly limit in any remaining month of that first calendar year, you won’t be entitled to benefits for that month, so Social Security would (eventually) take back that month’s benefit. That is, unless using the annual limit ($21,240 for 2023) instead will result in a smaller penalty.

If your total earnings for your first year collecting are over the annual limit (e.g., $21,240 for 2023), the penalty would be $1 for every $2 over the annual limit and, if that is less than the penalty from using the monthly limit, they will assess the smaller penalty.

In other words, Social Security will use the method that is most beneficial to you when assessing a penalty for exceeding the earnings limit during your first calendar year collecting benefits. And just for clarity, the earnings limits are much higher and the penalty less during the year you attain full retirement age (FRA).

Something else to be aware of: If you know in advance you will exceed the annual limit, it would be best to inform Social Security in order to avoid an Overpayment Notice next year. If you don’t, Social Security won’t know about your 2023 earnings until you file your 2023 income taxes, so you’ll get your 2023 monthly payments as usual. But when the IRS informs Social Security of your 2023 earnings later next year, Social Security will ask you to detail your monthly work earnings for 2023. If you have exceeded the limits, they will determine an overpayment amount and will ask you to either pay back what is owed in a lump sum or will withhold your benefits for enough months to recover what you owe for exceeding the 2023 earnings limit. Then, after you reach full retirement age (FRA), you’ll get time credit for all months in which benefits were withheld, thus slightly increasing your monthly payment after your FRA.

Finally, it is when your income is earned that counts, not when it is paid. So, for example, if you worked in January 2023 and were paid for that work in February 2023, that is considered January income, which wouldn’t count toward the February earnings limit.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Buffalo shooting spurs church security talk

In News, News - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald

August 4, 2022

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

Coeymans Police Chief Marc Tryon, left, and Deacon Adolph Montini, a retired security professional and trainer, provided a training course for preventing or surviving an active shooter incident to congregants at Riverview Missionary Baptist Church. Melanie Lekocevic/Capital Region Independent Media

COEYMANS — Active shooter incidents have become all too common, with 61 taking place in 2021 nationwide, according to FBI statistics.

The increase in active shooting incidents — defined as those causing four or more deaths or injuries — has shocked the nation, but one local church is trying to give its congregants, and the community at large, the tools needed to deal with an active shooting incident should one occur.

The May 14 shooting at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo that targeted African-Americans prompted an active shooter presentation at Riverview Missionary Baptist Church last week. A similar presentation was made at the church a couple of years ago, the Rev. Dr. Roxanne Jones Booth said.

“The active shooter in Buffalo targeted the African-American community, so the mayor of Albany and the governor asked places of worship of African heritage to reach out to their law enforcement officers to get some added protection,” Jones Booth said. “I did that on the Sunday after the shooting in Buffalo.”

Riverview Missionary Baptist Church, located in the hamlet of Coeymans, could be a potential target, the reverend fears, so she wanted to give people knowledge and tools to protect themselves should an incident ever occur.

“I believe that in this location, where we are, we might have people who might take their cue from somebody who deliberately went to an African-American community,” Jones Booth said. “People still identify this as an African-American church but we are not — we are a multicultural congregation, but people could think that way, so we are going to take precautions. I would rather err on the side of caution.”

Coeymans Police Chief Marc Tryon and Deacon Adolph Montini, a former security professional who is in the church leadership, conducted the presentation.

Mass shootings have become an increasing problem in the United States, Tryon said.

“There is probably no more somber subject than talking about active shooter incidents,” Tryon said. “It used to be once a month, twice a month — now it’s once a week, sometimes every day,” Tryon said. “I am not hearing, from my perspective, a lot of solutions. I think we all know there is a culmination of a lot of factors and nobody has a handle on any of them right now.”

The key to surviving a mass shooting is to be aware of your surroundings and take action, whether to prevent an attack in the first place or stopping or escaping one that is taking place, Tryon said. Listening to what people are saying and remaining aware of what is around you are critical.

“An adult who has the awareness and takes the time to listen to some of the cues that people throw out there — very rarely does somebody just go and decide to be an active shooter,” Tryon said. “They plan, they scout out the location, they prepare, they talk about it.”

What is the generic profile of a mass shooter? They are predominantly male, Tryon said, and can be of any age. They may or may not be connected to the location where the shooting takes place, and most of them do not expect to survive the shooting. They are usually a lone wolf, with very few multiple-shooter incidents, Tryon said.

The shootings are usually over very quickly, lasting between two and five minutes on average, he added.

The three key words to remember are “run, hide and fight,” Tryon said.

If you hear a gunshot, don’t assume it is a car backfiring — cars don’t backfire anymore — so take action, the police chief said.

“In a shooting incident, you need to take immediate action — run,” Tryon said. “If there are people next to you that will go with you, go immediately. Don’t wait to gather your purse — immediately go. There are many shooting incidents where people stayed behind in order to help a reluctant person and it cost them their lives.”

If you can’t run, hide, preferably behind a locked or barricaded door, but if necessary, use a heavy bench or table to hide behind.

“Go away from the sound,” Tryon said. “Always move away from the sound. Try not to corner yourself in a dead end. Try to find a door in a room where you can close the door and hide. Get as many people as you can, go as a group. You want to separate yourself from the incident and buy time. Active shootings happen in two to five minutes and then they are over.”

Shut the lights in the room where you are hiding and shut off the ringer on your cellphone — you don’t want your phone to go off and reveal your hiding place, Tryon said.

If you have to, fight — using whatever is at hand as a weapon. A fire extinguisher or chair can be used to bludgeon the shooter.

“Never give up — that is the key,” Tryon said. “You are fighting for your life.”

And if you are able to escape the building, run with your hands up. Law enforcement officers outside the building will not know who you are, so make sure they can see you are escaping the situation. And don’t try to dial your cellphone to text or call someone while you are running.

“Wait until you are safe before you take out the phone and start making phone calls,” Montini said.

Some possible signs of a potential shooter can include an individual who is carrying a large heavy bag like a backpack, wearing dark clothing or being overdressed for hot weather. They may keep their hands in their pockets and look like they are holding onto something — like a gun — and they may park their vehicle inappropriately close to the building.

“These are heavy warning signs,” Tryon said.

Rely on your gut instinct if you think an incident might occur and take action — don’t freeze, Montini urged.

“You’ve got to assess [the situation] — if you hear a gunshot, rely on your instinct, your gut, and assess where it came from,” Montini said. “Next is do something — act. Where people get into trouble is they don’t act, they just freeze. The next thing you know, you have unfortunately become a statistic. Once you are safe… then call the authorities and let them know. Run — get out as fast as you can.”

According to FBI statistics, there were 61 active shootings in 2021, Tryon said. Thirty shooters were arrested, 18 were killed by law enforcement or an armed citizen, and 11 committed suicide. California was the state with the highest number of mass shootings in 2021 with six, followed by five each in Georgia and Texas, four in Colorado and Florida, three in Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee, and one in New York, among others.