By: Innae Park

ALBANY, N.Y. — The souls who carry heavy memories from war were thanked in Albany on Tuesday for bearing the burden of our freedom.

World War II Veteran and Newburgh resident Warren Craig described, “We got hit 57 times. And I ended up jumping into the ocean at 12 o’clock at night, swimming with the sharks and the enemy.”

Craig enlisted when he was 17-years-old.

Fifty-four men and women have been added to the New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame for what they’ve done and kept doing over the years.

Senator Greg Ball explained, “Their heart never took the uniform off. And they continue to serve for the rest of their life.”

These men and women’s lives would then never be the same. Among them are Capt. Gerry West and Sgt. Robert Addison, who both served in the United States Marine Corp. during World War II. The two were part of the Edson’s Raiders, the original 900 members of a commando unit, and survived the battles of the Pacific Theater after Pearl Harbor.

“The bloody ridge on Guadalcanal. We were both there. It brings back a lot of memories,” said Addison, who now lives in Glens Falls.

West said, “The bad battles, like Bloody Ridge. You never forget something like that. We still talk about it and things we never forget.”

West resides in Fort Edward now.

“We’ve known each other for 71 years. Since February of ’42, so what would that be? 71 years,” he confirmed.

Now neighbors in the North Country, the two Edson’s Raiders are still right by each others’ side.

“Well, I just live down the road from him, so we’ve kept in touch all the time,” said Addison.

These legacies are once again being remembered and passed onto the younger generation.

“I grab a hold of fellas that don’t know what to do and take them with me, to get them started,” said Craig. “There’s so much opportunity out there.”

Troy native Daniel Honsinger, a veteran of the Vietnam War, said, “God bless America, that’s all.”

For more information on the Veterans’ Hall of Fame, visit www.nysenate.gov . (ARTICLE)

On March 14, 2011, Senator Greg Ball, Chairman of the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs held a hearing on the current status, quality of life and health of veterans and military service members in the State of New York. The most startling and emotional testimony came from Mr. Harold Cooney Northeast Region Liaison from the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Ms. Tanya Towne a veteran of the National Guard, on the current custody issues facing our military service men and women.

In 2004, Ms. Towne’s National Guard unit was deployed to Tikrit, Iraq. A temporary order was issued for her son to stay with his father, Ms. Towne’s ex-husband. Shortly before Ms. Towne was expected to return home, her ex-husband filed, and was granted permanent custody of their son.

When returning home from an 18 month tour guarding conveys in Iraq, away from her home and family, Ms. Towne was not greeted by her son. Her husband refused to let him attend her homecoming. Ten days later Ms. Towne appeared in court to attempt to regain custody, which was denied. A custody trial was scheduled for February 2006, in the meantime her son would stay with his father.

In August of 2006 a Judge ruled the Ms. Towne’s ex-husband provided a more stable environment and awarded him primary custody of their son.

Regardless of the financial burden, Ms. Towne fought on. Her appeal came before the Appellate Division for the Third Judicial Department of New York State Supreme Court in October of 2007. Ms. Towne’s attorney vehemently argued it was inappropriate for the family court to use her deployment as grounds to contest a custody arrangement. On January 3, 2008 after a two year custody battle, the Judges ruled that the “consequences of her extended absence” had to be considered in awarding custody of her son, and it wasn’t in the best interest to move him again. Ms. Towne’s ex-husband was granted permanent custody.

In Ms. Towne’s emotional testimony she stated the obvious – soldiers should not have to chose between serving between their country and losing their family. If she knew she was going to lose her child she would have done anything to avoid going overseas.

“Today, New York State is one step closer to ensuring that our active duty military service members won’t jeopardize the custody of their children for serving our Nation,” said Senator Greg Ball. “Military servicemen and women should not have to be concerned about losing their children while focusing on protecting our Country. I urge my colleges in the Assembly to do the right thing and follow the Senate’s lead in passing this bill.”

“I’m ecstatic and excited this bill has passed the Senate. We’ve fought long and hard to get it to this point, and we need this legislation to become law,” said Tanya Towne. “This is still happening to soldiers to this day. It’s wrong and it’s unfair, no one should have to chose between their children and their country.”

“Many single Service members who are deployed away from their family find that States do not consider the unique aspects of military service when making custody decision. Although the Department believes the welfare of children is paramount, it also believes the demands of military service should not abrogate the parent’s rights. There are several protections the Department believes would serve both the parent’s rights and the welfare of the children,” said Harold E. Cooney, Northeast Region Liaison, Department of Defense State Liaison Office. “The action taken today by Senator Greg Ball and the New York Senate in passing S3507A addresses two of those key protections: that deployment – past, current or future – should not serve as the sole basis for awarding custody or changing an existing order; and the custody order in place before the absence of a military parent should be reinstated within a set time upon the return of the military parent, absent proof that the best interests of the child would be undermined. We strongly support the policy as represented in this bill as it is sent to the Assembly for consideration.”

Pentagon officials and military-family support groups say there are no statistics on the number of military parents who have lost custody of their children following deployments – but they agree that the number is increasing. This legislation is imperative to ensure the best interests of both military service members and their families are protected.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.

For more information, please contact Joe Bachmeier at (845) 200 9716.

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Albany, N.Y. – (5/21/2013) – Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I-Patterson) Chairman of the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, honored Town of Cortlandt resident, William Nazario, at the annual New York State Senate Veteran’s Hall of Fame event in Albany, NY.

William was nominated in by the Town of Cortlandt into Senator Greg Ball’s 2012 Veterans’ Hall of Fame in Brewster, NY. Senator Ball then selected Nazario as his 2013 Statewide nominee.

“I am honored to nominate Mr. Nazario into the 2013 New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame. Willy works tirelessly everyday to help countless veterans from across New York State,” said Senator Greg Ball. “America is not a great country because of its politicians, it’s a great country because of our veterans like Willy.”

“It was an honor for me to serve our country in the Vietnam War and it’s my pleasure to continue to give back to our community and our returning veterans,” said Nazario. “I would like to thank Senator Greg Ball for selecting me as his nominee and for the tireless work he does for veterans, this is a great day for my family and I.”

William Nazario was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico in August 1947. He served  in the United States Marine Corps for 18 months during the Vietnam War, volunteering to be Pointman for Fox Company 2, 7th Battalion, and receiving promotion to Squad Leader. He achieved the rank of Lance Corporal.

During his service, William Nazario earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Purple Heart, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnam Service Medial with four Bronze Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm and frame, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, the New York State Conspicuous Service Medal, and the New York State Conspicuous Service Star.

William Nazario serves as Commander for the Military order of the purple heart for the State of New York, Commander of Chapter 21 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, as Co-Chair of the 19th Congressional District Veterans Advisory Council and the Westchester County Veterans Advisory Council, as Chairman of the Cortlandt Hudson Valley Veterans Committee, and is a member of the Disabled American Veterans and American Legion Post 1030 in Verplanck. He has earned the Military Order of the Purple Heart 2012-2013 National Patriot of the Year, 2011 Male Volunteer of the Year for the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, and the United Auto Workers Region 9A 2009 Veteran of the Year for his volunteer and civic commitments to the community.

For the past five years, Mr. Nazario has conducted the Coat and Clothing Drive for the Montrose VA Clothing Store. Mr. Nazario was at the forefront of the battle against the Enhanced Use Leasing (EUL) of the Montrose VA Campus of 160 acres with rallies and petitions.

William Nazario retired from the United States Postal Service in 1997.

Senator Ball is currently seeking nominations for his 3^rd Annual Veterans’ Hall of Fame which will be hosted on Thursday, November 21^st at Mahopac High School. Ball is also planning a trip to send over  one hundred World War II veterans to visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. this fall. For more information on both events please click here.

Click here to watch Senator Ball speaking on the Veterans’ Hall of Fame Ceremony in Senate Session.

For more information, please contact Joe Bachmeier at (845) 200 9716.

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“Any active duty service member, who makes the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom, should not be denied the sacred right of voting as a citizen of our great country,” said Senator Greg Ball. “A grateful nation should honor the memory of that service member, and count their vote. Anything less is a slap in the face to honor and justice.”

Currently, pursuant to New York State Law, if any voter casts an absentee or military ballot, and is killed before the date of the election for which it was cast, the ballot is deemed invalid and is not counted. This legislation will add a new section 234 of the military law, and a new section 8-413 of the election law, to provide that any member of the United States Armed Forces who casts an absentee or military ballot while on active duty, will have the ballot counted, in the event that such service member dies as a result of participating in combat operations before the date of the scheduled election.

For more information, please contact Joe Bachmeier at (845) 200 9716.

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Hannah’s law, a bill named after an eight-year-old girl and sponsored by Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, passed the Senate unanimously and was delivered to the Assembly earlier this month.

The bill (S.2287) was named after eight-year-old Hannah Devane who suffers from eosinophilic esophagitis, a potentially fatal condition in which white blood cells build up in the esophagus, causing inflammation in the esophageal tissue making it virtually impossible to eat.

Hannah’s law would require that every health insurance policy or contract that provides coverage for prescription drugs to cover the cost of formulas that are prescribed indefinitely as a medical necessity for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis.

“Hannah is the cutest and toughest little girl I know,” Ball said. “Passing this bill again in the Senate brings New York state one step closer to ensuring that thousands of families are never again victimized by the system like the Devane family.”

Ball first introduced the bill in May of 2008 when he was an assemblyman. Last May the bill was finally passed by the Senate but failed to make it out of the Assembly Insurance Committee and was ultimately never voted on.

According to Ball’s office, the Devane family spends $14,000 annually on the special formula that Hannah takes orally for nourishment. Her medical insurance provider covers the cost of the formula but only when administered by a feeding tube.

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, is the sponsor of the Assembly bill (A.0490).

“This legislation is critical because it will mean that children with eosinophilic esophogitis will no longer have to use an invasive feeding tube simply because that is the one method their insurance company covers,” Paulin said.

Jessie Devane, Hannah’s mother, thanked Ball and his staff for pushing the legislation and is urging the Assembly to follow suit. (ARTICLE)

“I want to make it clear that I am focused on finishing this legislative session and delivering for my current district and not running for Congress. Indeed, while I disagree with the current Congressman on most issues, we have a great working relationship and he and his office are to be applauded, for they have bent over backwards to mutually assist shared constituents,” said Senator Greg Ball. “As for my re-election in the current State Senate seat, I will make a final decision on that as the time nears.”

For more information, please contact Joe Bachmeier at (845) 200 9716.

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By Jane K Dove

Theresa Pirraglia of Katonah, founder of a special needs school for children with autism, has been nominated by New York state Sen. Greg Ball as his 2013 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction. Ms. Pirraglia will represent the 40th New York State Senate District, which covers Lewisboro and Katonah.

Theresa Pirraglia of Katonah is being recognized by state Sen. Greg Ball for her work with autistic children. (Courtesy of Sen. Greg Ball)

Ms. Pirraglia, who has a 25-year-old autistic son, Matthew, joined with her husband, Joe, and seven other families in 1996 to found the Devereux Millwood Learning Center in Westchester County. The center was the first school in the lower Hudson Valley for children with autism based on the principles of applied behavioral analysis.

Today, the school serves autistic children and young people age 5 to 21 from throughout the region.

“I can’t think of a more deserving person for this honor,” Mr. Ball said. “From helping other parents with special needs children navigate the education system, to fighting the closure of the Devereux Day Habilitation Program, Terry is truly doing God’s work. It is a fitting tribute to honor her as a 2013 New York State Woman of Distinction alongside other women of distinction from throughout this great state.”

Challenges spark progress

Ms. Pirraglia, a native of the Bronx, is a graduate of Fordham University with a degree in communications. Her husband, Joe, is a dentist with a practice in Cold Spring. The couple has two sons, Joseph, 27, and Matthew, 25, who has autism.

“Matthew was two and a half when he was diagnosed with autism,” Ms. Pirraglia told The Ledger earlier this week. “Once the diagnosis was made, we put him in an early intervention program, but he simply was not making any progress. We decided to change direction and began using the technique of applied behavioral analysis at home. But we knew this was only temporary and couldn’t go on indefinitely.”

At this point, the Pirraglias joined forces with seven other families with autistic children and approached the Devereux Foundation for assistance with opening a special private school, supported by public funding, for autistic children.

The center was the first school for children with autism based on the principles of applied behavioral analysis in the lower Hudson Valley.

“The school is totally dedicated to autism,” Ms. Pirraglia said. “The goal is to get the young people back into their regular school systems, and many are able to do that.”

Once the school was up and running with great success, Ms. Pirraglia and her group wanted to help meet the new “demographic tsunami” of adults with autism throughout New York.

Taking the initiative, she designed and co-founded with the Devereux Foundation the first Enhanced Supported Employment and Day Habilitation Without Walls program.

This program has enabled young adults with autism to obtain and maintain paid employment in their communities in the Hudson Valley. In addition, the program provides ongoing volunteer opportunities for all its participants.

“This program has enabled young adults with autism to be full contributing members in their local communities,” Ms. Pirraglia said. “Locally we cooperate with the Boys & Girls Club of Mt. Kisco, Northern Westchester Hospital, the Bethel Nursing Home in Croton, and others.”

The autistic young people learn work skills in these organizations that can help them gain employment.

“The goal is help them get skills that can translate into the larger workplace,” Ms. Pirraglia said. “But the volunteer aspect is also very important. They gain a great deal of satisfaction from that and it is not to be underestimated. Right now the age range of our participants is 21 to 27 and we have 15 young people enrolled.”

Lots to do

When asked what she believed was behind the recent dramatic increase in the number of autistic patients, Ms. Pirraglia said it was open to different interpretations.

“When our son was first diagnosed more than two decades ago, it was one in several thousand. Now it is one in 80 childen and four-to-one male.

“Definitions of autism have been expanded greatly, which accounts for some of it, certainly, and I think it was under-diagnosed before. Some of it could be genetic; some could be environmental. I personally do not believe it is caused by vaccines. We are still looking for the answers.”

In addition to her work with the school and the work skills program, Ms. Pirraglia has been a leader in the developmental disability community in New York state. She has co-chaired 12 educational and medical conferences on autism with such partners as the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and the Westchester Institute for Human Development.

She is currently a board member of the Foundation for Educating Children with Autism, Mental Health News Education Inc., and a member of Westchester County’s Autism Advisory Committee. In addition, she sits on the editorial board of Autism Spectrum News.

“I would like to sincerely thank Sen. Greg Ball for selecting me as the 40th NYS Senatorial District’s Woman of Distinction,” Ms. Pirraglia said, “and I am truly humbled by it. It has been my privilege to work with persons with developmental disabilities and their families, who struggle every day to have a quality of life that all New Yorkers take for granted.”

Ms. Pirraglia will be honored at Mr. Greg Ball’s 40th Senate District Women of Distinction Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Putnam County Emergency Services Building starting at 2 p.m. (ARTICLE)

Brewster, N.Y. – (5/15/2013) –Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I-Patterson), Heroes in Transition, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 21, are asking the public to “sponsor a vet” to help them send over one hundred World War II veterans to visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. this fall.

“In honor of all of the World War II veterans I am happy to announce that I will be organizing a free trip for them to visit the World War II memorial in Washington D.C. According to the Veteran’s Administration, our World War II veterans are dying at a rate of 600 per day,” said Senator Greg Ball. “These brave men and women gave so much to fight for our nation’s safety and freedom and it is my honor to give them an opportunity to see the national monument that was created in honor of their service.”

The trip, which will take place on September 17^th is free and open to all WWII veterans. Chartered buses will leave from Senator Ball’s District Office in Brewster, NY and take the veterans to Washington D.C., where they will place a wreath at memorial the in honor of all WWII veterans from the 40^th Senate District. Heroes in Transition, a sponsor of the event, will be accepting donations to help pay for the busing and food for the veterans.

The sponsorships range from $25 lunch sponsors, to $1,000 bus sponsors. Anyone interested in donating can go to the Heroes in Transition’s website: heroesintransition.org and make a donation online. Checks can also be made payable to Heroes In Transition and sent to 22 Bates Road, Suite 135, Mashpee, MA 02649.

“Heroes in Transition has been providing assistance to veterans in honor of fallen Marine Captain Eric A. Jones since 2010,” said Heroes in Transition President Michael Warshaw. “It is our honor to be able to help these American heroes finally see the WWII memorial and also find peace by being able pay their final respects to their dear friends and fellow military servicemen and women who lost their lives in WWII.”

“We deeply appreciate all the efforts of Senator Ball and Heroes in Transition to make this trip possible,” said Eugene Parrotta, Chair of Senator Greg Ball’s Veteran’s Advisory Council, and member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. “We are excited that these WWII veterans will get a chance to see the monument that was built in their honor.”

To RSVP for the road trip please contact Senator Greg Ball’s office at (845) 279-3773 or kgobins@nysenate.gov.

For more information, please contact Joe Bachmeier: (845) 200-9716.

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Food allergies occur in approximately 8% of children, and according to the National Institutes of Health, there are 150 deaths per year due to food allergies. Epinephrine is vital to the survival of a person experiencing anaphylaxis (a sudden, potentially fatal reaction to food or insect stings). However, it must be administered in a timely manner for it to be effective.

While every school district has a medical officer, there is no requirement that a nurse be present in a school building at all times. Given the possibility of a delay in getting a licensed healthcare provider to a child in anaphylaxis shock, it is important that teachers understand how to use an Epipen,

The force behind the legislation is Stacey Saiontz, a Chappaqua parent, with a young son that has life-threatening allergies to dairy, egg, wheat, oat, rye, barley, tree nuts and sesame.

“I never leave my son with an adult or babysitter who doesn’t understand how to administer an epinephrine auto-injector. However, in New York State, teachers who we entrust our children with for the majority of our waking hours, are not required to be trained,” said Saiontz. “This life-saving medication can be used in the event of a severe allergic reaction at school.”

“With the number of children being diagnosed with food allergies on the rise, this is a common sense bill that we need to pass to protect our children. We cannot wait for a tragedy to occur before we act, let’s be proactive and pass this bill now,” said Senator Greg Ball. “I would like to thank Mrs. Saiontz for her work on this bill and for bringing the issue to my attention. She has my full support in fighting for her son and for all the children across New York State with food allergies.”

The Bill does not cost the state any money as there are several free online courses that will train teachers. The school nurse would also be allowed to provide the training. Furthermore, the bill provides liability protection to teachers under the Good Samaritan Law.

For more information, please contact Joe Bachmeier: (845) 200-9716.

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As a result, troopers charges Gregory Dean, Jr., 31, with unlawful possession of certain ammunition feeding devices and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, both misdemeanors, and a traffic infraction. He was issued appearance tickets.

Dean was stopped on Route 22 in the Town of New Lebanon at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday. He had a legally possessed .40 caliber handgun on the front passenger seat partially covered by a sweatshirt…

Senator Gregory Ball (R- Patterson) called the charge “a very sad day for all fair minded New Yorkers who believe in justice and value freedom.” (ARTICLE)