The acts announced bring to 14 the final lineup of as many as 24 acts that will perform during the twice-daily free shows at Chevy Court. They are:

• Country duo Florida Georgia Line, which recently broke the 51 year old record for the longest run at #1 on Billboard’s country music chart. “Cruise” spent 12 weeks at #1 in its original version and in a remix with the rapper Nelly. The duo just won Breakthrough Video of the Year and Duo Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards. Florida Georgia Line performs at 8 p.m. on Monday, August 26;
• The Cab Calloway Orchestra, led by grandson C. Calloway Brooks, for Senior Day at 2 p.m. on Monday, August 26;
• 17 year old pop star Austin Mahone, one of MTV’s Artists to Watch for 2013, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27;
• The inventor of The Twist, Chubby Checker, at 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 27;
• All-American country star Lee Greenwood, at 2 p.m. Thursday, August 29;
• Electro-pop artist Owl City, at 2 p.m. Friday, August 30;
• Texican rock group Los Lonely Boys, at 8 p.m. Friday, August 30;
• Country star Kix Brooks, at 8 p.m. Monday, September 2.

More performers for Chevy Court will be announced at a later date. They join the previously announced performers George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, Styx, Vince Gill, Of A Revolution, Dickey Betts and The Happy Together Tour.

In addition, the Fair has already announced six performances for its Grandstand concert series. The performers include Luke Bryan, Jeff Dunham, Toby Keith, Reba, Carly Rae Jepsen and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Chevy Court concerts are free with a Fair admission ticket to the Great New York State Fair.

According to the office of Joe Robach, the New York State Fair runs from August 22 – September 2, 2013. The Fair’s theme is “Sharing the Bounty and Pride of New York.”

In addition to the annual New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious horse and livestock shows.

The home of the Great New York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. A year-round schedule of events is available on the Fair’s website. Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook or follow NYS Fair on Twitter. Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas on the Great New York State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov.

For more information, you can also contact the office of Joe Robach.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. NHTSA also reports that in 2011 seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide including 444 in New York State.

“Buckle Up New York” is part of the nationwide “Click It or Ticket” campaign. During this year’s campaign law enforcement agencies that share state borders will team up in what is being called “Operation Border to Border” to provide increased seat belt enforcement at border sites, sending a zero tolerance message that driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what state you are in.

For more information contact the office of Joe Robach.

The “Woman of Distinction” program was created in 1998 as part of the Senate’s celebration of Women’s History Month and honors New York women who exemplify personal excellence, or whose professional achievements or act of courage, selflessness, integrity or perseverance serve as an example to all New Yorkers. Last year, Senator Joe Robach and office honored Hilda Rosarion Escher as a WOD.

Tillinghast is a former college professor and Eastman Kodak Company executive. She left the corporate world in 2007 to work full time in her family business, The Battery. The Battery, located in Gates, was the first indoor baseball and softball training facility in Western New York and recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary of service to our community. While her involvement in the community and numerous awards exemplify her dedication to Rochester, Tillinghast may be best known as “Mrs. T” at the Battery.

Her work through The Battery has not only taught kids and adults about baseball skills, but more importantly, about life skills. The Battery and “Mrs. T” have become an integral part of the Rochester community, especially in the lives of Rochester’s youth.

“I am proud this year to honor Grace for all of the wonderful contributions she has made to the Gates and Rochester communities. She has truly been an inspiration to the Rochester community for her business success, her great spirit, volunteerism and activism.” Senator Robach added. “Grace is a passionate civic leader, a philanthropist, a notable businesswoman and a most deserving ‘Woman of Distinction’ from the 56th Senate District.”

In addition to working full time at her family’s business, Tillinghast has served on the Boards of Monroe Community College, Arts and Culture Council for Greater Rochester, National Hispanic Corporate Council, the Cuban American National Council and the Rochester Police Department’s “Do the Right Thing Program.”

Tillinghast will be recognized in a special ceremony on Tuesday, May 7th, at the State Capitol in Albany.. Her photograph and biography will be displayed in a public exhibit proclaiming the special contributions of exemplary New York women. For more information, contact the office of Joe Robach.

Joe Robach and his office encouraged residents to take the following tips under consideration.

Check Before Giving. Donate to charities you are familiar with and carefully review information about the charity before you give. Most charities are required to register and file financial reports with the Attorney General’s Office if they are raising money from the public. Check AG website, www.charitiesnys.com, for financial reports of charities or ask the charity directly for its reports. Check to see if the charity is a tax-exempt organization. The following websites contain helpful information to evaluate charities:

American Institute of Philanthropy – www.charitywatch.org

Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance – www.bbb.org

Charity Navigator – www.charitynavigator.org

GuideStar – www.guidestar.org

Ask How Your Donation Will Be Used. Check how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and individuals your donation will support. Avoid charities that make emotional appeals but are vague in answering your questions or that will not provide you with written information. Confirm that all of your contribution will be used to help victims of the bombings and whether you are able to restrict your gift to that purpose.

Be Wary of Newly Formed Organizations. Donate to charities you are familiar with, or that have experience assisting victims of tragedies. Often, in the aftermath of tragedies, new organizations are formed with claims that they will assist victims. While some of those organizations may be doing just that, others turn out to be scams. Before making a contribution to a new organization, find out who is running it and how it plans to use donations. If you are not satisfied with the answers or are not familiar with the organizers, consider giving to another charity.

Be Careful When Giving Through Social Media. As with other recent tragedies, social media sites are being used to raise money for victims of the bombings. Before giving through these sites, check out who is behind the fundraising efforts and ask the same questions you would of a charity.

Before You Text A Contribution: Check the charity’s website or call the charity to confirm it has authorized contributions to be made via text message. Keep in mind that donations via text messaging may not reach the charity until after your phone bill is paid. It may be faster to contribute directly to the charity.

Don’t Give Cash. Give directly to the charity either by check made payable to the organization or through the charity’s website.

Be Careful About Personal Information. Avoid giving credit card or personal information over the phone or by text message. In all cases, make sure you are familiar with the organization to which you give such information and check to see that the fundraising campaign is legitimate.

Avoid Unsolicited Spam Emails. These formats are usually not associated with legitimate charities..

Report Suspicious Organizations. If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work, or that a scam is taking place, please contact the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau at charities.complaints@ag.ny.gov.

For more information, contact the office of Joe Robach.

Additionally, the recent events in Boston and Texas emphasize the importance of knowing what to do when an emergency occurs. Joe Robach and his office want to encourage residents to train themselves in CPR. Even as first responders rushed into help at both scenes, much of the initial care to the injured was provided by friends, neighbors and bystanders who were trained in CPR and first aid. Whether the emergency is community-wide and involves numerous injuries, or involves a single individual being hurt at home, it is vital that someone close by knows what to do when such an emergency occurs.

The American Red Cross has numerous ways people can get the information and training they need to be able to help when an emergency occurs and urges everyone to be better prepared by taking advantage of training and mobile apps available to teach them what to do when someone needs assistance.

The Red Cross has classes available that emphasize hands-on-learning of First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The courses teach someone the skills they need to help save a life. Participants learn how to respond to common first aid emergencies, how to respond to cardiac and breathing emergencies in adults and how to use AEDs. There are also options available to learn how to help infants and children. People can register by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.

For more information contact the American Red Cross or the office of Joe Robach .

“Given the high costs of college, every opportunity must be made by local students and their working families to meet their required expenses with scholarships as well as with student loans, available financial aid, and personal contributions,” said Joe Robach of the NYS Senate.  “I highly recommend that our area’s students apply to the Conference for these prestigious scholarships so that they may hopefully secure as much extra help with their expenses as possible.”

This year, the Italian-American State Legislators Conference will be awarding four $1,500 scholarships to four current or future college students from New York State.  Eligibility will be based upon the student’s grade point average, interest in pursuing a higher education, involvement in the local community as well as individual financial need.

The Conference is bipartisan organization of New York State Assembly and Senate members who are actively involved in promoting and celebrating the state’s Italian-American community. The Conference mission is to work hard to elevate and highlight Italian-American contributions to the State of New York and beyond, in all aspects of society, including literature, the arts, architecture and politics. The conference also tries to dispel negative stereotypes of Italian-Americans.

“Our conference is very proud of our role in promoting higher education and assisting students in reaching their academic goals and full potential for future success in the global marketplace,” Joe Robach continued.  “This year’s recipients will be invited to Albany to receive their scholarship awards in June.” Joe Robach was extremely proud that last year’s recipient was from the 56th Senate District.

Area students may request an application by contacting Joe Robach’s Senate office.

Sponsored jointly by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Parks & Trails New York, ‘I Love My Park Day’ is a statewide event to improve and enhance New York’s parks and historic sites as well as bring visibility to the entire park system and its needs. More than 70 parks and historic sites will participate – nearly double the number from last year. Volunteers will celebrate New York’s park system by cleaning up storm damage and other debris on park lands and beaches, planting trees and gardens, restoring trails and wildlife habitat, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects. The New York State Commission on National and Community Service is joining the effort this year to help recruit volunteers, promote the initiative and engage AmeriCorps members to support projects across the state.

Joe Robach said “This is a great chance for residents to volunteer and beautify our state parks – I offer my sincere thanks to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for offering this opportunity.”

Last year, Governor Cuomo committed $89 million in total funding through the New York Works initiative to rehabilitate dozens of state parks and historic sites, representing the single largest infusion in history of capital dollars for New York’s park system. This year, through the next round of New York Works capital program, the Executive Budget provides $90 million for state parks to address the backlog of environmental capital needs and spur job creation and economic development.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 179 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. A recent study by Parks & Trails New York found that New York State Parks generates $1.9 billion in economic activity annually and supports 20,000 jobs. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter. For more information, please contact the office of Joe Robach.

This service is made possible through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a non-profit coalition of industry-leading tax software companies. To begin, taxpayers should visit the IRS website – www.IRS.gov/freefile. Users will find a list of Free File Alliance member companies and may either choose one that fits their needs or utilize the “Help Me Find a Company” tool. After selecting a tax software company, users will be transferred to the company’s website to prepare, complete and electronically file their federal income tax returns. The service is also available in Spanish.

According to Joe Robach’s Office, The Free File Alliance is also partnered with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) – a walk-in service for low-to-moderate income taxpayers – which offers Free File software on self-assist kiosks at VITA sites in 29 states. Through its partnership with VITA, the Free File Alliance will be able to provide e-filing services for taxpayers who do not have Internet access at home, as well as those who want to e-file, but need additional help.

Free File Alliance member companies have worked closely with the IRS to strengthen the Free File program, and taxpayers have consistently reported the program as being user-friendly and efficient. Responding to a 2009 IRS survey, 96 percent of users said they found Free File easy to use, while 98 percent said they would recommend the program to others.

For more information or to pick up tax forms, stop by the office of Joe Robach.

The Senate will honor a distinguished woman from our area and throughout the state at a May 7th Albany ceremony, where each honoree’s photograph and biography will become part of a special exhibit proclaiming the contributions of these exemplary New York women.

“There are remarkable women in our midst whose lives, work or special accomplishments contribute to making our communities better, making our families stronger and serve as special examples to others,” said Senator Joe Robach.  “The Senate’s ‘Women of Distinction’ program provides a special opportunity to honor these women for their achievements and to thank them for the pride they bring to our communities.”

Previous winners in the annual event have included leading women from the world of business, academics and civil life, as well as those who have performed heroic or selfless acts, made significant discoveries or provided examples of personal excellence against difficult odds.

The Woman of Distinction program was created as part of the Senate’s celebration of Women’s History Month.  In additional to recognizing present-day women, each March, the Senate hosts a display that honors other distinguished women from New York’s past, from leaders of the 19th Century suffragist movement to pioneers in education, science and the arts.

For more information on how to nominate someone for the Senate Women of Distinction Program, contact the office of Joe Robach.

The inaugural 2012-2014 class began in September of last year with Fellows appointed to agencies, as well as to the Executive Chamber. Individuals that are interested in applying to the Empire State Fellows Program, should email a cover letter, resume, personal statement explaining their interest in the Empire State Fellows Program, and two letters of recommendation to fellows@exec.ny.gov.

All applications must be submitted by Friday, April 12, 2013 before midnight for consideration. The Governor will appoint selected Empire State Fellows to positions in the executive branch where their skills match the needs of State government. The Fellows will work closely with senior administration officials and participate in the policy decisions that transform our state. They will also engage in educational and professional development seminars that prepare them to serve as effective and ethical government leaders. Successful Fellows may be offered continued service in New York State government after completing the program.

According to staff of Joe Robach’s office, candidates are selected on the basis of their academic and professional experience, demonstrated leadership potential, commitment to public service, communications skills and creativity. Applicants should have an advanced degree and at least three years of professional work experience. An applicant with only a bachelor’s degree may be considered if he or she has substantial professional achievements. Candidates must be U.S. citizens. Current New York State legislative or executive branch employees are not eligible to serve as Empire State Fellows. The Empire State Fellows Program is part of Governor’s New New York Leaders Initiative that recruits talented young professionals and college students to serve in State government.

For more information on this education initiative, please visit the office of Joe Robach.