In 1953 the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare was created.  For the next two and one-half decades it was one of the biggest agencies in the federal government.  In 1979 the Carter Administration separated out the department’s education component and created the United States Department of Education.  The health and welfare functions remained together in the new Department of Health and Human Services.

We take concussions a lot more seriously today than we did a few decades ago.  This is particularly true of youth concussions.  Each year we have more and more studies demonstrating the extent of the brain damage that concussions can cause.  As a result, sports leagues from the NFL to a variety of youth sports have changed the manner in which they deal with concussions.  This is a good thing.

Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick has planned District Outreach Meetings in August to meet with residents and discuss County issues and answer questions.

Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick, Chairman of the Community Enrichment Committee, is pleased to announce that the Legislature has approved the lowest-bid contractor to erect Erie Community College’s new STEM Building on the North Campus.

Last month the other county legislators and I voted on a number of proposed amendments recommended by the Erie County Charter Revision Commission.  One of the more controversial ones called for the creation of a Council of Governments comprised of representatives from the county’s cities and towns.  The council would have the ability to propose local laws to the county legislature, to nominate members of an advisory county planning board and advise the legislature and executive on matters regarding regional cooperation.  The proposal was far from perfect and received much criticism.  The vote in the Legislature was 10-1 against the recommendation.  I was the one.