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Follow @x NEW YORK - The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is warning consumers to be cautious of charity scams this holiday season. Charity scams can happen at any time, but they are often more prevalent during the holiday season when donors are moved by both generosity and the end-of-year deadline for securing tax deductions. On many occasions, these fraudsters pretend to be affiliated with well-known organizations or even the government to scam people out of their hard-earned money. According to the  Federal Trade Commission , there were 9,809 reports of charitable solicitation fraud nationwide in 2023, but many of these scams go unreported because individuals may not know where their donations are going or that they are being scammed. “The holiday season is here, and many New Yorkers are looking for ways to donate to their favorite causes through charitable organizations,” said Secretary of State Walter T. ...

By Carol A. Sheridan, RN, MSN, CIC, Associate Director of Infection Prevention, Montefiore Medical Center  Manhattan Voice  November 29, 2024 Follow @x NEW YORK - Preparing for holiday gatherings and traveling can be stressful for many reasons and feeling ill during the holiday season can certainly ruin the festivities. One way to safeguard yourself and your family is to connect with your primary care doctor or nurse practitioner to get tailored advice, weighing your individual risk and the benefits of vaccination for illnesses like COVID, RSV and influenza. Each person has individual characteristics that can increase or decrease their likelihood of moderate to severe illness this viral season. Some factors that can impact your risk of getting severely ill from respiratory viruses are: * Your Age: 65 and older or under 2 years old. * Conditions that affect airways like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] ...

Plan ahead for dining after Garden’s Holiday Train Show  Cold seafood salad for two at Artie’s. By Morris Gut  Manhattan Voice  November 7, 2024  Follow @x MANHATTAN - The glittering 33RD annual Holiday Train Show is on track November 16 through January 20th, 2025, at the beautiful New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. It’s been expanded, and a must for the young and the young at heart. I look forward to visiting NYBG, walking through the beautifully restored Enid Haupt Conservatory and seeing the seductive floral arrangements and displays.  For additional info, times, and advanced tickets: www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/  After taking in all that beauty, we do get hungry. Here are easy-to-reach suggestions… HOLIDAY DINING AT NYBG!  There are themed Dining Pavilions throughout the park and near the Enid Haupt Pavilion: the casual Pine Tree Café and farm-to-table Hudson Garden Grill. Open daily. For info: 646-627-7711, or 718-81...

Be mindful of tips to avoid getting the holiday blues. Photo by VNS By Susan Clayton Meyer, Program Manager, Behavioral Health at VNS Health  HEALTH - We all know the stereotype of the “perfect” winter holiday season—family coming together from across the country, extravagant gifts, huge meals with everyone around the table, decorations, parties, social gatherings, and of course the requisite perfect winter weather. However, life is a lot more complicated than a Hallmark holiday movie (for starters, how DOES the hair of those Hallmark movie heroines always stay so perfect in the snow?).  The truth is, for many people the holidays can be a trigger for feelings of grief, loneliness, stress, and fatigue. As the National Alliance on Mental Illness found , 64% of those with a mental illness say the holidays exacerbated their symptoms, while three out five Americans report that their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays.  It’s important to remembe...