MEDINA – A trio of scholar podcasters will present a new book on the History of Spiritualism in Lily Dale at Author’s Note in Medina and Woodward Memorial Library in Leroy.

Sarah Handley-Cousins, Elizabeth Garner Masarik and Marissa C. Rhodes visited Woodward Memorial Library at 6 p.m. July 6 and will be at Author’s Note today at 6:30 p.m. They will join in conversation to discuss and sign their most recent title, Spiritualism’s Place: Reformers, Seekers and Seances in Lily Dale. The book showcases their research on the world’s oldest and largest center for spiritualism.

Coming together from three separate states, the authors will delve into the intimate history of Lily Dale, located in Western New York and the birthplace of Spiritualism. It was also a hub in the development of women’s suffrage and temperance movements. Lily Dale is still the world’s largest community devoted to Spiritualism, the belief that existence continues after death, and that interaction with these spirits is possible.

The authors use those sites and themes to approach Lily Dale, not as debunkers, but as inquisitive researchers and storytellers, according to Julie Berry, a New York Times Best-selling author and owner of Author’s Note. At the same time, they also reflect on their own relationships, contending that it’s never quite possible to separate grief, hope, faith and friendship from understandings of the past.

The book is co-authored by Handley-Cousins, Masarik, Rhodes and another scholar and fellow podcaster, Averill Earls, who could not be at the event. The three who will be present will discuss their work, answer questions and sign books. The event today at Author’s Note is free and open to the public.

Averill Earls is associate professor of history at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. She is author of Love in the Lav and executive producer of “Dig: A History Podcast.”

Sarah Handley-Cousins is associate teaching professor of history at the University of Buffalo, and author of Bodies in Blue, executive editor of Nursing Clio and producer of ”Dig: A History Podcast.”

Elizabeth Garner-Masanik is associate professor of history at Brockport State College, author of The Sentimental State and producer of “Dig: A History Podcast.”

Marissa C. Rhodes is assistant professor of history at Saint Leo University in Florida. She is former managing director of A Journal of the Plague Year and producer of “Dig: A History Podcast.”

For more information, contact Author’s Note at (585) 798-3642.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) has introduced the Combating Attacks on our National Alcoholic Drinks by Allies (CANADA) Act, legislation directing the U.S. Trade Representative to initiate a Section 301 investigation into the Canadian provinces’ discriminatory restrictions on the importation and distribution of American alcoholic beverages through provincial liquor boards.

The legislation requires the U.S. Trade Representative to begin the investigation within 30 days of enactment to determine whether the Canadian provinces’ actions are actionable under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Nearly all of Canada’s provincial liquor boards have prohibited or restricted the importation and distribution of American alcoholic beverages, harming U.S. producers and limiting their access to an important export market.

The CANADA Act builds on comments from U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, who stated that resolving the Canadian provinces’ discriminatory treatment of American alcohol producers would likely require an enforcement action.

During a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, Ambassador Greer noted that only two countries had retaliated economically against the United States over the past year: the People’s Republic of China and Canada. The legislation requires the U.S. Trade Representative to consult with affected manufacturers, industry stakeholders, and federal agencies throughout the investigation while providing regular reports to Congress on the status of the enforcement effort.

“Canadian provinces cannot be allowed to hold American wineries, breweries, and distilleries hostage and attempt to ransom them,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “American wineries, breweries, distilleries, and other beverage producers deserve fair access to Canadian markets, not discriminatory treatment from one of our closest trading partners. Nearly all of Canada’s provincial liquor boards have unfairly targeted U.S. producers and harmed hardworking American businesses due to unrelated policy issues. Beyond the harm they’ve caused to American businesses, these prohibitions are an active impediment to a productive and smooth USMCA renegotiation process. Given that the Canadian provinces have refused to act in a constructive manner, I introduced the CANADA Act to ensure the United States takes the necessary steps to hold Canada accountable until the provinces decide to drop their unjustifiable import bans. America must always stand up for our producers, our workers, and fair trade.”

This legislation is also supported by the Wine Institute, American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), and Wine America.

“For too long, America’s craft distillers have been caught in the middle of a trade dispute that has nothing to do with them. We appreciate Congresswoman Tenney’s leadership in bringing renewed attention to the discriminatory treatment of U.S. craft spirits in Canada and hope this legislation encourages serious negotiations that restore fair market access for American producers.” – ACSA CEO Emily Pennington

“WineAmerica greatly appreciates Congresswoman Tenney’s steadfast support of the American wine industry,” said Executive Director Michael Kaiser. “Losing the Canadian market for our products has hurt wineries from Willamette Valley in Oregon to the Finger Lakes in New York. The CANADA Act is a good step to re-opening that market to American wines.”