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• W Obituaries Page 9 Editorial Page 4 Accent Page 6, 7 Sports Pages 12, 13, 14 Local Man Hopes Invention Will Save Lives ~i ByERIKM.ZISSU A few years ago Ken Seguin and his wife were fed up. 'After wat- ching the continual parade of fires and deaths on nightly news pro- • grams, the couple was tired of the waste of lives mat otherwise could have been saved with the help of foresight and proper equipment. So Seguin did what he does best, he in- vented a solution. Fires can be deadly. People become trapped in their homes, often because they are simply not warned in advance. To survive a person requires a foolproof early warning system. Seguing-invention, an alarm system put together after years of hard work and large sums of. money, is a smoke detector with a twist. Using store-bought devices as a basis, Seguin followed up on a number of ideas already on tne commercial market. By enhancing fire detectors for the deaf, which employ flashing, and strobe lights, be developed an Instrument which may save lives and property. Seguin placed a radio transmit- ter in an ordinary smoke detector — of the kind which are commonly seen on the ceilings of household kitchens and bedrooms — and a receiver In ajroutdoor attachment containing a horn and revolving light. If afire breaks out in a home equipped with this, unique device, not only will occupants within tne house be warned, but, the surroun- ding neighborhood will also be alerted. *> The outdoor light and horn will make sure area residents are aware of a problem and the police or fire department arf summoned. Seguin also decided to concen- trate his recent efforts on fire detection devices for another reason. \Take a look around...at the liabilities (surrounding us).\ It is. as he sees it, a booming market with ample room for many new ideas. While he has garnered a patent, it dldjMt enme f»-*«ily Tn prntayt his Invention, he applied for a pa- tent, and after much time and ex- pense, obtained one. Acquiring a patent is an arduous task. Lawyers must be secured, plans drawn up, and decisions made of where your invention fits in. . His smoke alarm fits under the categoTy^7 T AmUn~Alert System', according to the patent. To date, he has invested roughly $8,000 in his •contraption, he said. The patent cost $97 to draft, $175 to fife and $1,800 in attorney's fee. The rest of the money was spent on the necessary materials needed to build the alarm and to market it, which he is doing door-to-door. Seguin has been tinkering with mechanical things for as long as he can remember and has met with adversity more than once. He recounted the time be mixed up a hydrogen-mixture and aaked- ms brother to take a whiff. The compound knocked his brother off his feet and bruised the creator's ». Another time he experimented itb hydrogen gas and almost blew up his bouse. The walls convulsed in lung-like fashion and neighbors complained Of the same. This resulted from improper use of a gas that, he said, is much more stable than propane. With degrees from the DeVry In- stitute of Technology and various correspondence courses, Seguin, 40, has had jobs with electronic firms and as a welder— owning his chlng for a way \to do things more own company called Advanced easily.\.. Welding some time ago. . Seguin lives with his wife, Tina, 26, and two children, Samantha, 5, and Stacey, 3, in Raymondville on Rte. 56. He works primarily in a Bipall but fluttered wqifernmmthat. contains a multitude of gadgets. \I just. come up with them (ideas)/' he said trying to explain his desire to invent things. \If I have a clear mind, I can comet up withoneaday.\ <- Other schemes he has been work- ing on include a fuel expander, a fire locator worn on the wrist — designed so that you can track a house's occupants within the house — , and a perpetual motion car steered by magnetic principles. Essentially he feels inventors are a lazy breed who are ever sear- C • . i _ j KEN SEGUIN Weather Today: Rather cloudy with a 60 percent chance of showers. There may be some snow flur- ries during the afternoon. High near 50, West winds 10 to 20 mph. Tonight:- Partly cloudy and cold. Low about 30. Light winds. Friday: Quite cool with a.50 percent chance of rain. High again near 50. USPS 333480 VOL. 90 NO. 11,198 -\ MASSENA'S OLDEST INDUSTRY ESTABLISHED DEC. 2,1891 SITE OF THE.ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY POWER DEVELOPMENT A PARK NEWSPAPER Thursday, October 8,1987 Park Newspapers distributed a total of 75,087 issues in St. Lawrence County this past SINGLE COPY 2Sc Of Ignorance' • %&. >*3T* '•ZX$M&$*> \•\WSOSSPHI). cma* • -^^^s^m^^ ***** The New York State Department of Health (DOH) is Unfairly singly out certain ruralJtospit als ljkfrMassena Memorial for harsh treatment because the stateiwould like to see those institutions closed or con- verted,accoi Dr. Arnold Ritferh to close down hdsp: these hospitals have a \Theheair \ elrod, is a He is me any-area physician- of Schenectady, said, \Yes the DOH is trying eyours^battt thinks are unnecessary because I utilization rate of less than 80-percent.\ .„ tisa tower of ignorance. And its head, Dr. Ax- . an who has never practiced medicine a day in his life. y a research virologist who doesn't know diddly squat about health care,\ Ritterbarid added. Ritterband is co-chairman of the Schenectady County Health Issues Committee (SCHIC), which he says is \a large bi-partisan, cofflffiunity- based group made up of physicians, patients, social workers, nurses, nurses aides, etc.\ He also said, \I am not a politician. I am a physician and I have been a practicing, internist for almost 30 years. I also am an attending physi- cian, at Ellis Hospital (In Schenectady) and a clinical professor of medicine at Albany Med (School).\ The doctor refuses to pull any punches when discussing the DOH or its chief. \He (Axelrod) is surrounded by people in his department who don't know anything about providing quality health care.\ Ritterband says the DOH is -mainly hitting \rural hospitals. They make a decision that these hospitals should close, completely ignoring facts like community needs and the difficulty In having to travel 20 or 30 miles to the nearest hospital. \These hospitals are continually encountering intractable health .department officials who try to force us to decertify beds,\ Ritterband added. He was refeijing to harsh treatment alleged by some hospitals when the DOH haf come la to inspect faellties, files and the qualityro care. Recently MMH was cited for numerous health code violations. Since then, Dr.'Peter Olassman, headof anesthesiology at MMH, has rebutted five major charges niade by the state againsfhis department. He in- timated the DOHinspector was not up to date on certain procedures. He said the SCHIC formed to fight what he says is unfair and dic- tatorial treatment by the DOH toward hospitals the state would like to see closed or converted to something other than acute-care facilities e're taking them (DOH) on. We're militant as hell and we're going to make them back away,\ Ritterband says of SCHIC which he terms as a''political pressure group.'' Ritterband sends a message to communities like Massena which face the threat of losing their acute-care facilities. His message is simple and reassuring—\you'renot alone.\ He says small communities must join forces and loudly criticize the. DOH for its policies and treatment of rural towns and villages. •>-:-•- ''We'd better all stand and fight together or we are all sure as-heU go- ing to hang separately,\ Ritterband said of rural hospital, admitting he was paraphrasing whom he thought was colonial statesman Patrick Henry.. . He described the DOH as little more than extortionists who- are holding health care facilities \hostage\ to try to achieve the desired end — closings.. o \The health department is literally holding a new building project at Ellis Hospital hostage. They are saying they will not grant us a cer- tificate of need fo the new building until we decertify beds,\ Ritterband noted. OBSERVING — This week has been designated National Newspaper Week, a time for jounausts and the readership to honor local and na- tional publications. Students in Mrs. Gail Dttfault and Mrs. Judy Revolts fifth grade at Salmon River Central spend time each morn- ing researching news articles as part of their classroom instruction. Reading the Massena Observer are: Peter Derouchie, Carrie Desbane, Jason Dow, Jason Favreau, Justm* Oilman, Benjamin Heme, Matthew Huber, Jonathan Jock, Julie Jock, Mose King, Cory Lamica, John Paul Latreille, Arte Lauson. Glna Miller, Danielle Mit- chell, Justin Moulton, Robert ReynoldSrTanya Roberts, Jason Sears, Morgan Smith, Amanda Spinner, Amy Stark, Owen Swamp, Bryon Varln, Jason Whitehead, Sherry Wylie, Richard Adams, Denise Ar- quette, Jade Benedict, Terry Brownell, Mark Cartler, Marisa Fran- cis, Lenny Garrow, Brandy Jock, Eric Johnson, Tammy King, Babette Laffin, Karl Lauson, Kim Lauson, Nicole Lauson, Deanne Lazore, Jamie Martin, Joanna McDonald, Andy Mteyk, Mike Mit- chell, Bridgette Oakes, Rasannes Pembleton, Maggie Pyke, Matt Rogofsky, BobbieStowe, Melissa Washburn. (Emery Photo) Village Given Second HUD Grant ByPK.PRASHAW The Massena Housing Authority has been selected by the U.S. Department of Sousing and Urban Development to receive a 11,571,300 Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program grant, ac- cording to a recent announcement made by Congressman David O'B. Martin (R-Canton) and Senator Alphonse D'Amato (R-NY). These funds, part of $495 million awarded to 152 projects statewide, win be utilized to upgrade the in- teriors and exteriors of the Meadowview Homes, located on Route 37, according to Paul Sharlow/head of the local housing authority. & \I was extremely surprised to hear we had gotten the grant,\ Sharlow said, having learned of the award through a local news pro- gram on television Tuesday night. \I'm sure, though, that we will receive official notification from one of the political offices in the next few days.\ The housing authority head was proud that the many hours he had spent preparing the application for the grant had paid off. \Our family project at Meadowview needed a lot of improvements and we didn't have the money in our budget to do it. So, I did a lot of research work and we put in for the grant.\ The Meadowview complex was built in 1968, Sharlow Informed. Massena Public Library Celebrating 25 Years ByERIKM.ZISBU For 25 years Massena has boasted one of the finest libraries In the area, ajwl things are not going to change. An anniversary reception will be held at the Henry H. Warren Memorial Library on Glenn Street next Thursday evening to the'flrst quarter century of the buOdtag aiKi 1U continued awsonrcemrymmg The town has\ and lathe past, ly in real estate, the Warrens had been shrewd businessmen. After his death In 1M7, Victor Warren's estate passed to his wife and daughter. Their deaths to Ms and 1966 respectively opened the way for Hanmer to both build the library and to supply Massena wlu a monument for the ages. The old mrary* bad consisted of several stacks of books and was boused in the town ball, aceordmf to Paul Schaffer, one of two profes- llne card catalogue as becoming a reality in the not-too-distant future He attributes such ambitious planning to New York State which he says &j^t&ss^%i8g£T£s% saJasa =w-, » aai:s5CT=i -* ja -- \pushes local libraries along m terms of new technology iDlncforUielnutlementattonofst issuers nectuppa This new legislation may teres seme rural Bfctai lee 1 Recent legislation caning for the implementation DflferarievaluioufhUMrvUlMaa wfll most likely have little effect regulations of libraries, collections, stricter rules and preun^DetneDeaenciary t_ •tot*Mkmm**^mhM9mk*ttob*tt^mlm*toW H. Warren, set aside a sum of tt,\ 8cl>affsT said dsring a reces4 Intenriew erplstemg why u^ buo^ arren and given to the town dattng computylacfllttei that we Increasingly becoming a standard order to continue to receive funding from the state. Mas*ena's~Warren Memorial horary already makes common p*a«tlc*ofpirtwteBlagann reports and acquiring books and automating its exfetinf iacflttes. r^lu(>U)eractivuiestbatUMi^t^tloiMcencera. The Henry H. Warren Memorial Library currently omptojs n total of acquiring well as other activities that the refuat The Henry H.Wanen Memorial LH IS people. Besides the twoJftrarlant, there are eereaesirlBi and tltfei rrrgr- *nrhi1ln| niw Innsl Mgh irhnnl iniilait and • nsit lien tajsto dlan. Schaffer said. The hVary has also f—* r \i*\ 11 itsto annjaj ts )»>trtene^frsmlspsltejesliiismi,i»rtmari- the Werren Lmrary*s relatively smeQ sbe. it Is •t Its plans tar eenapatortsattea sa* so sdvanfeed. lento cePeges with much larger and mere elaborate aterartos are enty now Itoghintog to tavost to computer networks, s^fntffsr spoke nnout an en- employ an 1toupcefnmgrooeptlou-tobel*ttirem7to* of \formally thanking and ltt>rai7arealhy,\s<isflersaid:itlsalsotepay and town of Msmena for supporting the library T \ spirit,\ be said. mm mmmmmm****™ -i- mmm mm-w mmmmmmvmmzmmmm.