Author: Courtney Kless
Courtney Kless is the Editor in Chief of Family Times. Courtney is originally from Maryland. She earned her Master’s degree in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from Syracuse University. Courtney began her career as a sports journalist, then spent several years working in higher education, before joining the company in August 2019. She enjoys traveling, reading and hiking, and recently adopted a Labrador Retriever, Bailey.
Al Cutri, Syracuse 1. Can you start by telling me a little more about how you became a primary caregiver? My grandmother and my great aunt, I was caring for them, not completely full time, but almost full time. Going there three times a day, feeding them, staying there for hours at a time, monitoring their eating to make sure they didn’t choke and things like that. So, it started with them. My great aunt, who was 99 at the time, passed away. In December of 2013, a few months later, my father was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor,…
Q&A with Jelani Memory, A Kids Book About A series of books is encouraging parents to talk to their children about challenging and important topics – Racism, belonging and voting, to name a few. Family Times recently talked to Jelani Memory, the co-founder and CEO, about the inspiration for A Kids Book About, why it’s so important for children to be exposed to these topics, and the response the books have received. 1. Can you start by telling me a little more about how A Kids Book About got started? It all got started with one book, A Kids Book…
I love fall. For me, there is nothing better than changing leaves, pumpkins, and of course, apple cider. So, I thought what better way to embrace the season — and treat myself — than a visit to a local apple orchard. One September weekend, my husband and I headed to Critz Farms. Located off Rippleton Road in Cazenovia, Critz Farms was founded in 1985. Each year, it hosts a Fall Harvest Celebration, offering activities such as wagon rides, cider making demonstrations and a corn maze. That was our first stop. The theme of this year’s maze is “Animals of Africa,”…
Are you in need of a date night? Are you looking for something to do with your family? Fairmount Glen Miniature Golf is the perfect place for a night (or afternoon) out. Fairmount Glen first opened in 1947 on land that is now home to West Genesee High School, according to its website. The course later moved to its current location in Fairmount. A single game costs $9 per person, but you can also purchase two hours of all you can play for $13.50. We chose the first option. If you are planning to take your family, keep in mind…
Q&A with Jeff Behler, U.S. Census Bureau Has your family filled out the 2020 Census? Family Times recently talked to Jeff Behler, the director for the U.S. Census Bureau’s New York region, about how to fill out the Census, what information it asks for and why it is so important. This interview was edited for clarity. When is the deadline to respond to the Census? The deadline for self-response, as well as our Census takers knocking on doors, is September 30. Every household will have the ability to go online, to call it in over the phone, or if they still have…
Upstate Cord Blood Bank adds St. Joseph’s Hospital Local mothers now have more options when it comes to donating cord blood. The Upstate Cord Blood Bank added St. Joseph’s Hospital to its list of collection sites on June 10. “We are proud to continue former Senator John DeFrancisco’s vision for expanding the cord bank in Central New York, giving families a choice to donate their cord blood to help patients in need of a life-saving transplant,” says Business Manager Ann Marie Straight. “We look forward to growing the program into other upstate regions, making cord blood donation part of each mother’s birth…
Each day, families around the country struggle to afford diapers. Michela Hugo and the CNY Diaper Bank have set out to change that. Founded in May 2016, the organization collects and distributes diapers to local families, and in July, it passed the one million mark for 2020. Family Times recently talked to Hugo, the CNY Diaper Bank’s founder and president, about the organization’s roots and how a shortage of clean diapers can impact families. This interview was edited for length and clarity. Can you start by telling me a little about how the CNY Diaper Bank got started? I learned…
Do you need some fresh air? Are you feeling stressed? These are some of the best places in Central New York to enjoy a walk or bike ride – at a safe distance from others, of course. Beaver Lake Nature Center – Hoping to visit a variety of habitats on your walk? Beaver Lake Nature Center’s nine trails wind through wetlands, meadows, a bog and more. Location: 8477 E. Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville. More information: onondagacountyparks.com/parks/beaver-lake-nature-center. Baltimore Woods Nature Center – Situated on 180+ acres with plans to expand, Baltimore Woods attracts more than 20,000 visitors each year, according to…
These days, there’s a subscription box for everything – wine, beauty products, clothes, even pickles, if that interests you. Meal kits are a great way to expand your dinner options while you’re in quarantine. For this month’s Treat Yourself, my husband and I tried two meals from Blue Apron. Blue Apron came highly recommended by my parents – they’ve subscribed to the meal kit delivery service for a few years now. When you sign up, it prompts you to choose the menu and number of recipes per week. I selected vegetarian and two meals, but you can do up to…
As online learning continues throughout the area, one school in the Syracuse City School District is using social media as a way to stay connected to its students. “We have been, since we opened, pretty active on Facebook and Twitter,” says Kelly Manard, principal of The Syracuse Latin School. “We’ll often do live events, like a Halloween parade or something like that, and we’ve always gotten a really good response. When we started to need to plan on the fly, some of the different grades added a Facebook group where they’ll be doing a lesson, maybe a science lesson or…