A distributor of alfalfa sprouts in New York is recalling some of their shipments because of the presence of salmonella.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said that Snow White Food Products Inc., of Brooklyn, is recalling 3.5 ounce plastic clamshell containers labeled “Alfalfa Sprouts” that have a UPC of 0-46421-11236-6. The product was distributed in New York State, the commissioner said.

LOUISVILLE – A chicken barbecue/corn on the cob with all the fixings will be held on Aug. 22 at the Louisville Arena hosted by the St. Lawrence Church, Louisville. Dinner will be served starting at noon until all is gone. Entertainment will be provided by the Blue Clover- Irish Folk Music. Cost for dinner $8, children 5-10 $4, and children under 5 free. There will be games for the children.

St. Lawrence County’s unemployment rate remains the highest among counties in the state outside of New York City.

That rate crept up in July, as did those in counties to the east and west, in spite of the highest rate of job creation in the state in five years, according to state Labor Department statistics released today.

The Labor Department puts the county’s unemployment rate for July at 10.3 percent, up from 10.1 percent in June and a half a point above July last year, when it was at 9.8 percent.

MASSENA – The Massena Kiwanis will be sponsoring a free picnic for all senior citizens from Massena at noon Sunday, Aug. 22 at the Barnhart Pavilion picnic area.

Food being served includes: hamburgers, hot dogs and salads.

Dave MacMillan and Donny MacPherson will be providing entertainment from 1 - 3 p.m. For more information contact: Connie Plante at 328-5215.

WADDINGTON – The third Annual Knights of Columbus Council 258 Charity Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. at the Twin Brook Golf Course, Waddington.

This year’s tournament will benefit the Disabled American Veterans van maintenance and fuel fund, and is in memory of Danny Edwards and John Tebo.

Four-man crews will play 18 holes. There will be 50/50 drawings, a DJ and much more.

To the Editor:

The Norwood-Norfolk Elementary School had a very successful summer recreation program again this year.

As a resident of the Village of Potsdam I was very pleased to see that Canton-Potsdam Hospital put ashtrays outside along the sidewalk for the staff who smoke. I had intended to write a letter to the hospital president after seeing the quantity of cigarette butts thrown about the streets and sidewalks surrounding the hospital. I only hope the smokers will use the ashtrays and help keep our streets clean.

In a plain white envelope, I received a check which was supposed to be from Publishers Clearinghouse. It wasn’t. It was just someone who wanted money from me. You call this number and they ask you all about yourself. Do you have a credit card, a bank account, a Social Security number, and in two hours they call back and tell you to wire $900 to a place in Canada. It seems to be seniors they are after. I pray this will help someone else from being put through this. No, I didn’t send any money, but I was very upset. I thank my two daughters who helped me.

I can’t believe that a Canton village judge allowed a plea in regards to not only having a firearm on school grounds, but it being okay because no students were around when the gun was discharged. I’m sure that if anyone else had or shot a gun on school grounds, they would have suffered more severe consequences. But today with the courts and judges the way they are, I guess our laws mean nothing. The other daunting part of this injustice is that the accused really believed that he was justified in what he did.

The county’s natural assets and issues about marketing were uppermost on the minds of people attending a series of focus group meetings in St. Lawrence County aimed at identifying the county’s agricultural community’s strengths, weaknesses, and direction.

The St. Lawrence County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board (SLCAFPB) is updating the county’s 2001 Agricultural Development Plan and so held the meetings to get input on prioritizing ways to preserve and promote farming in the county.