- Tonight on "WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories," Northern New York will be able to see a lunar eclipse on April 8th.

We'll tell you what causes them and what you can expect to see.

And pet owners can expect to see more of these unsightly creatures this season.

We'll tell you what you need to do to prevent ticks on your pets this spring.

Also, when it comes to adding references on your resume, how should you go about it?

Canadian job coach, M. Michelle Nadon tells us what the market is looking for today.

Your stories, your region, coming up right now on "WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories."

(radiant music) - [Announcer] "WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories" is brought to you by.

(soft music) - [Presenter 1] When you're unable to see your primary care provider, the Carthage Walk-in Clinic is here for you, located off Route 26 across from Carthage Middle School.

Comfort and healing close to home when you need it most.

(soft music) - [Presenter 2] North Country Orthopedic Group is there for your urgent ortho or sports-related injuries.

With our onsite surgical center and same or next day appointments, we're ready to provide care for patients of all ages.

Your health matters to us.

North Country Orthopedic Group, keeping healthcare local.

(mellow music) - [Presenter 3] We are the North Country.

We're protecting one another like family is who we are and where our tomorrow will always be worth defending.

Find out how we keep the North Country strong at claxtonhepburn.org today.

- [Presenter 4] And the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

Additional funding from the New York State Education Department.

- Good Tuesday evening everyone, and welcome to this edition of "WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories," I'm Michael Riecke.

With the total solar eclipse happening on April 8th, less than a week away, the North Country is buzzing with excitement at the prospect.

Thompson Park will be filled with excited residents, eager to see this historic event.

Meantime, we talk to experts about what causes a total solar eclipse and what you could expect to see on April 8th.

(slide whooshing) - [Luke] Imagine this on a massive scale.

Professor of Meteorology, Katelyn Barber, oversees the research for this year's Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project, taking place at SUNY Oswego.

Their mission, to understand what exactly causes a total solar eclipse.

- What causes a total solar eclipse versus an annular solar eclipse, it's really ideally the distance between the Earth and the moon.

So the moon needs to be really close to the Earth to cause a total solar eclipse.

If the moon is a little bit farther from the Earth, we won't block the sun's disk completely and you'll get that ring of fire which you experience during an annular eclipse.

So what ideally, you have the perfect distance from the Earth to the moon, and then also all three, the sun, moon, and the Earth are all in a nice alignment with each other.

- [Luke] It's a phenomenon students at SUNY Oswego were excited to get involved with.

As part of their research, they get the chance to discover what causes this rare event, and for some, it's the first eclipse they've ever experienced.

- I'm very excited.

When the 2017 eclipse occurred, I didn't get a chance to see it, so this is gonna be a new opportunity for me as I get to view it with a bunch of people on my team.

It's exciting.

- [Student] Back in 2017 when a total eclipse was coming over kind of our domain, I was able to see where I'm from, kind of a crescent shape in the sky.

I didn't get to see it completely, but kind of halfway.

It was actually really cool.

- We have 18 great students here on the campus of SUNY Oswego that have been working so hard since the fall of 2023, learning about all the instruments, learning about the importance of this data that we're collecting.

The end goal is to look at stratosphere gravity waves, so these oscillations in our air high up above the surface of the Earth, and how the sun, the solar eclipse is actually affecting the production of these waves.

- [Luke] The upcoming eclipse is an example of a total solar eclipse.

Not to be confused with the other forms it can take, including lunar, partial, and annular eclipses where the moon doesn't completely block out the sun.

It's a once in a lifetime opportunity you don't want to miss, especially if you live in Central or Northern New York.

- [Katelyn] The next total solar eclipse in the continental United States, I believe is 2043.

The next one that will be over New York State is 2079.

So quite a few years before the next one will be in our own backyard, which is why it's such a unique experience.

- [Luke] And it's why it's just as important to be prepared.

And in the case of the eclipse, there's one thing you must keep in mind before looking up.

- When actually viewing the eclipse, you are going to want to wear your eclipse glasses.

And so you can find these, there's entities that are giving them away for free.

Check your public libraries, that's always a good place to start, but these glasses are specifically designed for viewing solar eclipses.

And you can tell the filter, there are specific darkness, and you'll know if you have glasses that are approved for viewing inside the rim, and at the top there's gonna be a code in there that is, again, approved by an international standard.

And it's got a nice little nose piece, so it looks real cool.

(chuckles) What I'm really excited for is where that first contact will be.

Will it be north, south, east, west?

I actually don't know.

I'm looking forward to finding out.

And then in about an hour and a half, 3:30-ish, 3:20-ish, that is when totality will occur and about three to four minutes, depending on location, and then we go back towards more sun and end of the solar eclipse.

- [Student] What I'm hoping to see for this eclipse that I didn't see for my last eclipse is the photogenic corona that you normally expect to see out of a total solar eclipse.

Instead, you get a little ring of fire with a solar eclipse, which is a little orange corona that you see around the moon versus the big shiny thing that you see during a total solar eclipse.

- My expectations for the eclipse, I'm excited for all of the area around me to go dark.

I've never experienced something like that happening due to an eclipse.

I'm excited to see how cloud formation is gonna be affected as well, I know that's one of the main objectives of the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project in general.

So I'm excited how it's gonna, how cloud production is going to be affected in Oswego.

And I'm genuinely just excited to see what the conditions are like due to a total eclipse.

So it'll be interesting to see and experience.

- [Luke] In Oswego for WPBS Weekly, I'm Luke Smith.

(soft music) (slide whooshing) - For information on the total eclipse of the park at Thompson Park and Watertown, visit watertownnewyorkeclipse.com.

Well, right around the bend is spring of course, and no doubt ticks will be ready to spring on your dogs too.

No pun intended.

The VCA Animal Hospital in Watertown shares some tips on how to keep your dogs free from these pesky creatures.

Samantha Keaney has more.

(slide whooshing) (people chattering) (slide whooshing) - It's fine if they don't show any symptoms.

- [Samantha] With temperatures beginning to rise, pet owners can finally spend some extra time outdoors with their four-legged companions.

But spring can expose Dublin here to more than just fresh air and sunshine.

- And I think Dublin, you pretty much tick-free.

What do you think?

(Steph chuckles) Thank you.

- [Samantha] Dr. Mark Chmielewicz is a staff veterinarian at the VCA North Country Animal Hospital.

He makes it his mission to protect your furry friends all year-round.

- The amount of tick-borne disease we currently treat as veterinarians, especially here in Northern New York, in the Watertown area has grown astronomically over the last 5 to 10 years.

The enemy of insects like ticks is drying out and that means lots of sunshine and dry ground, which we don't have around here.

Hi, Steph.

Hi, Dublin.

- [Samantha] Dublin and his human, Steph Patterson, are regulars of Dr. Mark.

- Did you always have that?

- She keeps a close eye on Dublin year-round for ticks.

- He is one of the few dogs that gets bath once a week, so I like to make sure that he doesn't have ticks and he gets checked over.

He also is on Simparica Trio.

We take that religiously.

So I haven't noticed any ticks, maybe once or twice, but they've been removed right away.

- [Samantha] It's a common misconception that your pets are safe from these pesky critters during the cold winter months, but Dr. Mark says that couldn't be further from the truth.

- Flea and tick products need to be used monthly year-round.

Stopping in the winter, especially with our issues with tick-borne disease is not a good thing.

- [Samantha] But it's not just ticks pet owners should be concerned about, internal parasites also run rampant in all months of the year.

Steph watches out for any symptoms of infection in Dublin, but it can be difficult to spot.

- Internal parasites are most common in young pets, puppies and kittens because as their immune systems develop, as they get older, they do develop a natural resistance.

Ground worms and tape worms are the most common.

But now, especially with dogs and puppies, we see a lot more of what's called Giardia.

And in the State of New York, we see quite a bit of Giardia.

- [Samantha] Giardia is a type of internal parasite that targets the small intestine and animals who simply sniff the dirt, water, or feces, where the parasite is present is all it can take to contract this infection.

- And then Giardia, he has unfortunately picked up Giardia with Heaven Grooming & Daycare in Borden.

He does pick it up a little easier.

He seems to have had it from a pup.

- [Samantha] Internal parasites are harder for an owner to diagnose due to them being microscopic.

And very few parasites are able to be seen with the naked eye.

- Tape worms, you can see the rice-like segments, round worms, you can occasionally see adults that look like spaghetti, but the majority, the whipworms, the Giardia, the coccidia, the hookworms are microscopic.

- [Samantha] So what symptoms might you find in a pet with an internal parasite and what can you do about it?

- Well, with intestinal parasites, any gastrointestinal signs, usually periodic just loose stool or soft stool or diarrhea, again, when seeking examination from your veterinarian, always bring a stool sample with you.

- [Samantha] The most effective way of preventing parasitic infections is regular deworming from your vet, especially in younger pets.

For ticks, Dr. Mark recommends tick collars called Seresto, as well as regular body checks for lesions to ensure your pet can healthily and happily enjoy the outdoors.

In Watertown for WPBS Weekly, I am Samantha Keaney.

(slide whooshing) - When it comes to adding references on your resume, how should you go about it?

Canadian job coach M. Michelle Nadon tells us what the market is looking for today.

And if you are in the middle of a job search, you might just need to hear this.

(soft music) (slide whooshing) (coin clinks) (bright music) - So on the subject of references and recommendations, I want you to be aware that there are, that there are two distinctly different entities.

References are critical when you're going for a staff job and sometimes people don't have any references and they need to go to family members or individuals in their circle and ask for them to give them that sort of social stamp of approval.

And that's fine.

Just make sure that the people you choose are professionals, that they are not necessarily at the executive level, but they do need to be in senior management.

You want someone who knows how to handle themselves so that they can handle you properly, all right?

In every job you undertake, get two or three people to serve as references because invariably, the person that you're using as a reference at X company from five years ago has now moved on to Y company and can't be found anymore, okay?

So you wanna make sure that you stack your references as much as possible.

And the second portion of references is you've got to make sure that these people will reference you properly.

And you know the best way to do that is, tell them what to focus on.

So let's say a job asks for critical skill one, two, and three.

You call your references, you tell them, "I'm trying for a job.

Reference number one, can you focus on skill one, please?

Reference number two, can you focus on skill two.

Reference number three, can you please focus on skill three?"

That way you're managing your actual messaging through your references.

I mean, isn't that beautiful?

(chuckles) So references are critically important.

You have to have them, make sure that they are senior level as much as possible and make sure that you're at the, you're in the driver's seat of the references with respect to the people who are referencing you.

Recommendations are different from references.

Now, we all think that we need letters of recommendation.

Well, yes and no, okay.

Yes, because they are helpful.

No, because they're pretty dated, okay?

Where you really want recommendations is frankly on your LinkedIn profile, okay?

Because the more recommendations you have on your LinkedIn profile, the higher you fall in the algorithms for jobs that you're applying to on LinkedIn.

Who knew, right?

So get your recommendations.

Now, how many should you have?

I don't know.

I have probably 30 on my profile.

Now I'm a little over the top compared to most people, but I don't think that three references or three recommendations serves it all.

If you're going to have recommendations, get as many as you can.

And when an individual, when you ask an individual for a recommendation, they probably will turn it over to you and say, "Can you draft it for me?"

Well, do a good job of that draft.

I mean, really get in there and talk about yourself.

And I mean, you think back to the job that you did with that person, you know what you were really good at.

So list it.

Do not be shy, do not be humble.

This is no time to be humble, all right?

Be honest, be authentic, but be comprehensive and give your recommendation person something to work with, and then they will craft the recommendation according to their experience with you.

(slide whooshing) - In a world where the cost of a musical education can often be prohibitive, Joe's M.I.L.L.

in Kingston, Ontario fosters a community where all walks of life can engage with the transformative power of music.

Take a look.

(slide whooshing) (people applauding) (soft music) ♪ Just like an old time movie ♪ - [Gail] Inspired by the late Joe Chithalen, a talented and well-known bass player, Joe's M.I.L.L.

was conceived on his dream of providing anyone with the chance to learn to play a musical instrument.

Several years and thousands of instruments later, Joe's M.I.L.L.

is a thriving charitable organization powered by its volunteers and community partnerships.

- I mean, this is a pretty happy place.

People come in and they're very appreciative of what we do, especially the parents of kids who borrow instruments for our extended school year program, you know, we're saving them a lot of money.

You know, it's $1,200 to buy an entry level trombone, you know and that's just your basic student model.

So these instrument and you know, who knows if your kid's gonna stick with it, right?

Say, you know, if you wanna try it, say you wanna try a cello, you decide the next week, cello's not for me.

That's fine, bring the cello back and borrow something else.

We're giving access, we're giving opportunity.

They've come to count on us.

- [Gail] In a world where the cost of pursuing a musical education or hobby can be prohibitive, Joe's M.I.L.L.

acts as a catalyst for positive change.

It not only democratizes access to musical instruments, but it also fosters a community where individuals, regardless of their economic background, can engage with the transformative power of music.

- Our mission really is not just to provide instruments, it's also we have an education component, which we're really trying to push.

We don't just provide musical instruments, we also partner with Sistema Kingston, which is an organization that helps underserved, the underserved population in Kingston.

We also provide instruments to school students who are looking to be involved in bands.

And as we all know, schools are not funded like they were previously.

So they look to us to come and borrow instruments that are going out to buy a $2,000 sax or whatever, they can come here.

- [Gail] As well as collaborating with local schools, community centers, and educational institutions to integrate music education, for many aspiring musicians, Joe's is the ideal place to find the right instrument, a musical companion that resonates.

This quest can otherwise be a myriad of challenges from financial constraints to the sheer abundance of options available.

- Kingston is quite a vibrant music community, and so that inspires lots of people, you know, young people and you know, people of all ages, but I think mostly I think about the young kids who are, you know, looking to get into music and their parents are saying, well, you know, "We wanna make sure you're committed before we lay out money on instruments."

Well, Joe's M.I.L.L.

is a place to go.

It's a library like anything else.

It's something to try this, you know, you can get all kinds of experience and you'll find something that really speaks to you and really calls you to practice and become better on it.

Music has that ability to work in many different areas, just so much more than just producing some tunes.

- [Gail] The instruments arriving at Joe's M.I.L.L.

may have weathered the passage of time, experienced wear and tear or suffered neglect.

Repairing them involves a careful assessment of each instrument's condition, identifying any structural, mechanical, or cosmetic issues that might impede their performance.

This attention to detail ensures that every instrument leaving Joe's M.I.L.L.

is not only functional, but also embodies the character and authenticity that makes each piece unique.

- A lot of these instruments are hundreds of years old, and if they're looked after carefully, they'll play forever.

My job is instrument maintenance.

We get a lot of damaged instruments donated.

I'm not an expert in any particular instrument, but my claim to fame is I can get a squeak out of every single item in this place and so.

- [Gail] Joe's M.I.L.L.

has established itself as a reliable and trusted resource for musicians of all levels within the community.

It's extensive inventory of musical instruments, coupled with knowledgeable staff, has turned it into the go-to destination for those seeking not only quality instruments, but also expert advice and guidance.

- I used to say it was the best kept secret in Kingston.

It's not a secret anymore.

I won't say that Kingston takes it for granted, but we've got used to having an instrument library where you can go down and say, "Do you have one of these?"

"Yeah," "Do you have one of those?"

"Yeah, but you got to wait for it coming back from another borrower."

It's just a wonderful resource, it really is.

And every municipality right across the country, right around the world should have one of these.

- [Gail] Joe's M.I.L.L.

has successfully fulfilled its initial purpose of being a space where everyone has the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument, but it is also a hub of inspiration, education, camaraderie, and hope.

- Music, we use this way in the fabric of everybody's lives.

It's omnipresent.

You know, it's more than just playing an instrument.

There's a lot more to it so, I'm very passionate about supporting that kind of thing 'cause I know what music has done for me in my life.

It's been great, I've had periods of great stress and music has, you know, it's always been there for me.

(soft music) - [Gail] For WPBS Weekly, I'm Gail Paquette.

(soft music) (slide whooshing) - We wrap up the evening with another regional musician.

We've shared his work before and are eager to share it again.

Here is Canadian country artist, Scott Owen, with his original tune, "Bar-Crossed Lovers."

(slide whooshing) (lively drum music) (slide whooshing) (upbeat music) ♪ Walked in ♪ ♪ Sat down ♪ ♪ Another guys night out on the town ♪ ♪ With the same drinks ♪ ♪ Same songs ♪ ♪ Same crowd til' you came along ♪ ♪ Then you caught my eyes and they fell to my beer ♪ ♪ I felt every nerve I had disappear ♪ ♪ Spent a quick little moment just kicking myself ♪ ♪ Hoping maybe you couldn't tell I ♪ ♪ Felt something from the moment we locked eyes ♪ ♪ Fell hostage to my shy side ♪ ♪ It's got me glued here to my seat ♪ ♪ So I ♪ ♪ Tell myself my chance is long gone ♪ ♪ That I sat here waiting too long ♪ ♪ Somehow you're no good for me ♪ ♪ And I'll stay falling in love ♪ ♪ From across the room ♪ ♪ Like every pair of bar-crossed lovers do ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Walked in ♪ ♪ Looked 'round ♪ ♪ Found my girls unleashed on the town so I ♪ ♪ Squeeze through across the bar ♪ ♪ Push past all the broken hearts ♪ ♪ Then you caught my eyes ♪ ♪ And they shot to the floor ♪ ♪ Felt my nerve walk out the door ♪ ♪ Spent a quick little moment just kicking myself ♪ ♪ Hoping maybe you couldn't tell I ♪ ♪ Felt something from the moment we locked eyes ♪ ♪ Fell hostage to my shy side ♪ ♪ It's got me glued here to my seat ♪ ♪ So I ♪ ♪ Tell myself my chance is long gone ♪ ♪ That I sat here waiting too long ♪ ♪ Somehow you're no good for me ♪ ♪ And I'll stay falling in love ♪ ♪ From across the room ♪ ♪ Like every pair of bar-crossed lovers do ♪ ♪ I hoped some liquid courage ♪ ♪ Would be enough to cure this ♪ ♪ Tequila still ain't done enough ♪ ♪ So now I'm faced with last call ♪ ♪ And I still don't know you at all ♪ ♪ 'Cause I didn't take the chance to say I ♪ ♪ Felt something from the moment we locked eyes ♪ ♪ Fell hostage to my shy side ♪ ♪ It's got me glued here to my seat ♪ ♪ To my seat ♪ ♪ So I ♪ ♪ Tell myself my chance is long gone ♪ ♪ That I sat here waiting too long ♪ ♪ Somehow you're no good for me ♪ ♪ No good for me no ♪ ♪ And I'll stay falling in love ♪ ♪ From across the room ♪ ♪ Like every pair of bar-crossed lovers do ♪ ♪ Like every pair of bar-crossed lovers do ♪ (radiant music) - That does it for us for this Tuesday night.

Join us next time for a fresh look, Inside the Stories.

We sit down with author, Tessa Wegert, to learn more about her latest murder mystery book based in the Thousand Islands.

Learn where the concept of "Devils at the Door" came from and what inspires her.

And Akwesasne TV shares a throwback from 2019 that tells the story of the Sweat Lodge.

This sacred space holds lots of meaning.

Also, Fiddler Gretchen Koehler shares a special artistic segment she created during COVID that highlights local artists with her original music as part of it.

(slide whooshing) Meantime, if you have a story idea you'd like us to explore, we'd love to learn more.

Drop us an email at wpbsweekly@wpbstv.org and let's share it with the region.

That's it for now.

On behalf of everyone working behind the scenes of WPBS, I'm Michael Riecke.

Thanks for watching, have a great night.

(radiant music) - [Announcer] "WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories" is brought to you by.

(soft music) - [Presenter 1] When you're unable to see your primary care provider, the Carthage Walk-in Clinic is here for you, located off Route 26 across from Carthage Middle School.

Comfort and healing close to home when you need it most.

- [Presenter 2] North Country Orthopedic Group is there for your urgent ortho or sports-related injuries.

With our onsite surgical center and same or next day appointments, we're ready to provide care for patients of all ages.

Your health matters to us.

North Country Orthopedic Group, keeping healthcare local.

(mellow music) - [Presenter 3] We are the North Country.

We're protecting one another like family is who we are and where our tomorrow will always be worth defending.

Find out how we keep the North Country strong at claxtonhepburn.org today.

- [Presenter 4] And the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

Additional funding from the New York State Education Department.

♪ Across the room ♪ ♪ Like every pair of bar-crossed lovers do ♪ ♪ Like every pair of bar-crossed lovers do ♪ (bright guitar music) (radiant music)