To the Oneonta Police Department for renewing its efforts through the city's D.A.R.E. program to teach student about the dangers of drugs.
The class -- taught to Oneonta City School District sixth-graders -- focuses on the effects of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.
The city had cut the Drug Abuse Resistance Education course at the district's four elementary schools in late 2009, with the retirement of school resource officer Steve Havens. The OPD said it feared a budget crunch and understaffing in the department.
We wish Det. Jennifer Torres luck in her new role as D.A.R.E. instructor, and hope she instills in students the benefits of staying drug- and alcohol-free, which can only improve their chances for success in school and life.
On a related note, we laud the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown for its upcoming outreach program -- aimed at middle and high school students -- focused on teaching the impact of performance-enhancing drugs. The course will be presented nationwide through the Hall's website and its on-site and videoconferencing capabilities.
The program, Be A Superior Example, or BASE, is designed to introduce the concepts of healthy-lifestyle choices. It will touch upon the consequences of drug use by players Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa, who will appear on Hall of Fame balloting for the first time. These and other players seeking Hall membership may face a long road ahead because of the scandal tarnishing their otherwise stellar careers.
We should support any program that provides knowledge on playing fair and enjoying sports because of the love of the game, not records and fame.
For the decision by the New York City Department of Environment Protection to expand its boating program to three more sites on the Cannonsville Reservoir.
The Pepacton, Neversink and Schoharie reservoirs will be open for the program starting Memorial Day weekend, the DEP said. This will make 12,544 additional acres available for public access for boatings.
Vessels allowed to ride the waters include rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sculls and small sailboats with removable centerboards.
As a protection against zebra mussels or other invasive species, all boats have to be steam-washed to keep the bodies of water clean. This shows a worthy commendable partnership between the DEP and the Catskill Watershed Corp., which makes a mission of protecting and enhancing the communities in the watershed and protecting the environment.
The program will also promote increased tourism dollars and interest in the reservoirs, which benefit the community and provide activities for residents as well.
