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Senator Hoffmann joined Governor George Pataki for the opening day ceremonies to start the 157th annual Great New York State Fair. |
State Fair Director Peter Cappuccilli was emcee for the opening ceremonies for the 157th edition of The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse. |
Governor George E. Pataki lead the ribbon cutting ceremony. |
Governor Pataki introduced Senator Hoffmann at the opening ceremonies and announced he was signing into law her bill to promote good environmental stewardship and increased farm productivity. The Governor said with great warmth, "The person who Chairs the Agriculture Committee, the person who has done so much for New York's agricultural industry and the person who sponsored this legislation ... is a great friend and a great leader and is here today, Nancy Larraine Hoffmann." |
(l-r) Assemblyman Robert Oakes, Assemblyman Jeff Brown, Senator Hoffmann, and Assembly Minority Leader Charles Nesbitt, at the opening ceremonies of the Fair. |
Senator Hoffmann congratulated the Syracuse Babe Ruth Baseball Team, the 2003 winners of the Babe Ruth World Series. They were among the featured guests for the ceremonies officially opening the State Fair. |
After the ceremonies, Senator Hoffmann introduced two staff members from Hutchings Psychiatric Center to Governor Pataki. The two staff members thanked Senator Hoffmann and the Governor for keeping Hutchings open and stressed the importance of Hutchings in the Central New York Area. |
Photographers, freelance reporter Richard Block (l), and fairgoers accompany Senator Hoffmann, Governor Pataki, Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro (r), and Ag and Markets Commissioner Nathan Rudgers (just behind Senator Hoffmann) on a visit to a few of the exhibits. |
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Senator Hoffmann and Governor Pataki head for Paisano's. When Pataki was first running for New York State Governor back in 1995, he stopped by Paisano's for a sandwich. Unrecognized, because he hadn't yet been elected Governor, Pataki said he received very warm treatment and great service from the workers at Paisano's. Since then, he has made it a tradition to visit Paisano's for a sausage sandwich each year he visits the New York State Fair. |
Carol Baldwin, who has a booth at the Fair for her Carol Baldwin Foundation, and the Senator visited outside the Dairy Building. She told Senator Hoffmann that her loving son, Alec Baldwin, called her when he saw the temperature was heading into the danger zone and told her to "get out of the sun." The famous Baldwin brothers all have been enormously supportive of their mother and her dedication to raise funds to fight breast cancer. |
Rocky DiVeronica, Chairman of the Madison County Board of Supervisors, and Senator Hoffmann. |
Senator Hoffmann speaks with Brian McLane, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, while waiting for Governor Pataki to make his speech at the opening day of the Great New York State Fair 2003. |
Senator Hoffmann offered congratulations and encouragement to the new leader of the New York State Police. Wayne Bennett was promoted from First Deputy to the top post by Governor Pataki after he named Superintendant James McMahon, Director of the State Office of Public Safety. Acting Superintendent Bennett is a 35-year veteran of the State Police. His appointment requires confirmation by the State Senate. |
Senator Hoffmann talks with Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro (r) and Executive Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Historic Preservation, Nancy Palumbo (l). Dancing Diggers |
Senator Hoffmann in one of the Dancing Diggers in-between performances. The yellow backhoes have been performing around the world for 35 years but are just beginning to appear at events like the State Fair in the United States. |
The six backhoes, all straight off the assembly line and weighing in at eight tons each, are used in a 19-minute demonstration of strength and tricky maneuvers put to music. The show is staged on the infield of Fairgrounds. The real job for the operators is to help customers test drive the backhoes. |
The 174th Air National Guard Fighter Wing, headquartered in Syracuse, brings in a smaller version of their F-16 Falcons' to promote the unit at the State Fair. Each day they participate in the parade around Cole Muffler Court. Driving is Master Sgt. Al Nall, formerly Senator Hoffmann's Communications Director. |