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Business Mentors

CEO FOCUS: Eligibility Expanded for Pandemic Small-Biz Recovery Grant Program

As one of her first acts as governor of New York, Kathy Hochul announced expanded eligibility for the $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. New changes to the program w Read More
VIEWPOINT: Ask Rusty: My Social Security Income Hurts When I File My Taxes

Dear Rusty: I am getting hammered with taxes on my Social Security (SS). I am retired and draw a meager work pension and SS benefits. When my wife and I filed our joint tax return, we owed the IRS a s Read More
VIEWPOINT: Telehealth in the pandemic era

Laura Miller There is a well-known proverb: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” What started as a niche market for concierge and special-case patients, the telehealth industry has become a behemo Read More
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT: Giving retirement-plan compliance the attention it deserves

“My best days in retirement are when I give back to the community.”— Anonymous Stock markets continue to hit all-time highs throughout the pandemic since the lows of the original sell-off on March 23 Read More
VIEWPOINT: Non-Competes are Enforceable in New York, but Attorneys get a Pass

Non-competition agreements are ubiquitous across the United States in most industries and at all levels of those industries. These agreements have come under increasing scrutiny, including by the Fede Read More
VIEWPOINT: IRS Updates American Rescue Plan Act Guidance

On July 29, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated its Tax Credits for Paid Leave Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 guidance. As a reminder, private-sector employers with fewer tha Read More
VIEWPOINT: Ask Rusty: Should I Claim Social Security Family Benefits?

Dear Rusty: I was born in 1956 and my wife in 1961. I’ve got 45 years of Social Security earnings, and I will have income in 2021. We have four minor children, the youngest born in 2012. When is the b Read More
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Small business in Small Town USA: Stepping up in a big way

CAZENOVIA — Travis Barr and Alex Altomonte stepped into my small Cazenovia office with a wish, a dream, and a legacy. Little did they know that their journey would not only change their lives, but also the many lives of the residents and visitors of this quaint, little community. Read More
VIEWPOINT: How to Motivate and Coach Employees for Success

I talk to lots of people each day and that I hear is a lack of love, support, motivation, and recognition from their direct manager or supervisor. Too many people in management positions think the onl Read More

Opinion

OPINION: Americans have a right to speak out against public-school policies The Biden administration has gone into full attack mode against the First Amendment right to petition the government as his attorney general has declared that parents opposing critical race theory (CR Read More
OPINION: Why I’m Optimistic about the Future One of the great privileges of reaching and working on a university campus is the chance to be in regular touch with young people. Even better, I sometimes get asked to give talks elsewhere and to mee Read More
OPINION: Without Action, New York’s Economic Shortcomings Could Become Permanent A new report from the Empire Center citng Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data paints an alarming picture of New York’s COVID-19 recovery. Read More

Business Mentors

CEO FOCUS: Proposed Investments Will Create a More Vibrant Community Right now, there are projects and investments being proposed at a level we have not seen in generations. Read More
ASK RUSTY: If I Die, What Happens to the Social Security Taxes I Paid? Dear Rusty: I have heard that when my wife and I pass, the government keeps all we have paid into Social Security. Is this correct? Signed: Curious Senior Read More
VIEWPOINT: New York Minimum-Wage Increases for 2022 Under the New York State Minimum Wage Act, minimum-wage rates in New York increase each year on Dec. 31 until reaching $15 per hour. Read More

People on the Move

NYPA CEO, Quiniones, leaving for top job at Illinois utility with CNY connection WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), has resigned from the position after 10 years to accept a job as CEO at Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd). Read More
With upcoming retirement, Preferred Mutual appoints new leadership NEW BERLIN, N.Y. — Preferred Mutual Insurance Company (PMIC) says it’ll have new leadership when the calendar turns to 2022. Read More
American Heart Association names 6 new advisory-board members SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The American Heart Association (AHA) recently announced that six new, local volunteer leaders have joined its advisory board. Read More