Kennedy Funeral Home

Cornell University, the Canandaigua Lakes Watershed Association and other environmental groups are hard at work to protect our forests and waterways. The success of these efforts relies on "citizen scientists" willing to collect water samples, inspect hemlock trees and report sightings of poisonous weeds, among other contributions. In doing this work, they are helping to preserve our beautiful part of the world.A JEER … to the lack of notice given to Friendly’s restaurant workers about the closing of 14 iconic upstate eateries across New York — including three in Gates and Greece in Monroe County. It’s sad enough that a once popular place to go for family dinners or ice cream after baseball and softball games is no more. But according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, in many cases, employees were completely unaware of the closures and still showed up for work the next day, only to be blindsided by the fact that they were out of a job. He’s upset, and rightly so. Schumer said this kind of unannounced, mass layoff shouldn’t happen to any worker without fair notice — and he’s calling for an investigation. No one who depends on a paycheck should have to show up for work, only to find out there is no place to work anymore.A CHEER … to Family Promise of Ontario County, which recently provided its 1,000th “bednight” of safety for homeless families since September. A bednight is when a family or part of a family stay one night in the program. The program has mobilized the faith community to respond to the crisis of family homelessness in Ontario County. The milestone means that Family Promise of Ontario County is meeting a need, according to Executive Director Bill Burns. “It’s saying that the love and care our volunteers provide is making a difference in our community and changing lives,” Burns said. Thirteen host congregations and close to 40 other congregations and community groups — over 700 volunteers — provide safe accommodations and a pathway out for Ontario County’s most vulnerable families.A CHEER … to Jim Johnson, funeral director and presid...