Provided photo – Students from the Orleans/Niagara BOCES spent part of Friday picking up trash along the Erie Canal in Medina. The group includes, front, from left: Haley Fronczak, Noel Mireles, Catherine Bruscino and Matthew Johnidas. Back Row: Mrs. Wiley, Justin Wargala, Brandon Mazur and Brianna Reilly.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Orleans/Niagara BOCES students from the Orleans Learning Center headed out to Lions Park in Medina to lend a hand in honor of Earth Day.
Teacher Kim Wiley and her class have been discussing the significance of Earth Day and decided they would like to do something to honor the day. The students headed to the park, armed with trash grabbers and trash bags, and spent a sunny afternoon cleaning up litter from the canal area.
“We had a great day,” says Mrs. Wiley. “When we got back to our classroom the students all wrote about how helping out made them feel. They all said they were happy to do their part and liked being outdoors.”
Doug Boyer has been seeing bald eagles regularly on the Lake Alice the past month. He took these photos of a juvenile eagle on Sunday morning.
“His colors are not done changing,” Boyer said. “As an adult only the head and tail will be white.”
Boyer captured several images of the eagle in flight.
Kathy Kast of Gaines took this photo of a red tail hawk in a nest on Tuthill Road, just south of Route 31 on the east side of the road.
Elizabeth Carpenter of Carlton took these pictures of young red foxes being raised under a neighbor’s shed on Green Acres Drive, a fire lane off Carlton-Yates Townline Road.
The fox have some play time on a recent sunny day. “I have been waiting for the appearance of these baby fox for days! I had a feeling they were under the neighbor’s shed, because I saw all the signs,” Carpenter said. “They had been there last year, too. Another beautiful sign of Spring!”
Provided photo – Childhood Memories Day Care planted two peach trees on Friday on Upper Holley Road in Holley to celebrate Earth Day. Children also sang songs and read a poem about Earth Day.
ALBION – Volunteer groups and individuals are invited to participate in the 11th annual Canal Clean Sweep, the spring cleaning of the NYS Canal System and Canalway Trail. Several efforts are planned in Orleans County.
Three groups will be out picking up trash today, including:
Kendall Masonic Lodge, meeting in Holley, starting at 9 a.m. at gazebo by canal;
Stop Polluting Orleans County, starting in Albion at noon at Fire Department;
Sons of the American Legion in Medina, beginning at 9 a.m. at Legion Post.
On Sunday the Orleans County Snowdrifters will do a canal cleanup beginning at 9:30 a.m. in Eagle Harbor. Those interested in helping can call Lloyd Wright at 589-6400 for more information.
The Medina Lions Club also is planning a community-wide cleanup on May 7, beginning at 9 a.m. at Lions Park on North Gravel Road.
Provided photos – Cattrianna Hernandez (left), Megan Seefeldt and Madison Kenward clean up on the high school campus on Monday.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Instead of leaving for their half day at school, many Medina High School students chose to stay behind and help to clean up around the school and the community on April 18.
Students, along with their teacher-mentors, divided into groups and kicked off the day with a luncheon and some team-building activities in the auditorium. Students had to work together with some string to make a star and had to see how long they could keep balloons afloat before they hit the ground. The teams then headed to their assigned locations, whether it was the high school or the community to help out for the afternoon.
Jon Sherman, Lillian Duffield, Lincoln Pace and Connor Berg assist with clean up outside the Medina City Hall.
The idea originated from the IMPACT (Influencing Many People As Concerned Teens) students themselves and the staff thought it was a wonderful idea.
“The students were picking up trash outside the school, fire station and police station and Medina’s parks, painting picnic tables, cleaning trophy cases and cubbies around the school,” said Assistant Principal Julie Webber. “They also wrote letters and put together care packages for our military. I am so proud of our students for helping out in the community.”
Nick Bogan, Melanie Hibbard, Trevor Luthart, Courtney Bailey, Ian Wagner and Madison Holland do team-building activities in auditorium prior to departing for day’s activities.
Provided photo – Hundreds of Medina school children participate in Medina’s annual Arbor Day celebration. This year’s Arbor Day celebration will be a State Street Park.
Press Release, Medina Tree Board
MEDINA – Arbor Day 2016 will mark the ninth year in a row that the Village of Medina has been awarded the Tree City USA designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The award honors Medina’s commitment to community forestry.
Overall, this year Medina will plant 61 trees, mostly along areas of West Center Street with additional plantings on West Avenue, Gwinn Street and State Street Park.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA Forest Service. Tree City USA is a national designation.
“We commend Medina’s elected officials, volunteers and its citizens for providing vital care for its urban forest,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees provide numerous environmental, economical and health benefits to millions of people each day, and we applaud communities that make planting and caring for trees a top priority.”
Medina’s annual Arbor Day Celebration is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 29, at State Street Park, corner of State Street and East Center Street in the village. Hundreds of K-2 school children from Oak Orchard School are expected to attend and participate. Mayor Mike Sidari will read the annual Arbor Day Proclamation.
Newly elected, Sidari is looking forward to his first Arbor Day as mayor. A long-time supporter of tree planting in Medina, he is pleased to be part of the annual event.
“J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day 144 years ago and during a speech he was quoted ‘This Arbor Day generations will come together to plant trees for future generations to enjoy.'” said Sidari. “I have said previously that we have a great Main Street and now we have to improve our side streets. With the ongoing urban forestry efforts on our side streets, these too will become a show place for generations. I am pleased that the Village of Medina will be taking part in this tradition.”
This year, a large number of the 61 trees being planted were made possible through a generous gift from Candlelight Cabinetry in Lockport and Kitchen World in Williamsville. Several of the trees being planted in State Street Park are representative of the hardwoods used by the company in their cabinet making operations. Those trees include maple, birch and cherry.
Medina resident Robert Sanderson approached Tree Board Chairman Chris Busch with the idea of sponsoring tree plantings. Sanderson is vice president of marketing and a managing partner at Candlelight Cabinetry.
“The Tree Board was absolutely thrilled with Bob’s offer and the generous support from Candlelight and Kitchenworld,” Busch said. “It made perfect sense to have such a great woodworking company sponsor tree plantings. As budgets grow tighter, we were extremely grateful for the support.”
File photo Tom Rivers – This tugboat in Albion stands out in the fog, with the Main Street lift bridge in back, in this photo from May 31, 2015.
Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today wrote to the National Park Service urging for the New York State Barge Canal to be designated as a National Historic Landmark.
The NYS Barge Canal extends through Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo and includes the Erie Canal, the Oswego Canal, the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, and the Champlain Canal, stretching 525 miles across New York State. This designation would provide additional economic development and tourism promotion opportunities.
“The New York State Barge Canal shaped the course of settlement in the Northeast, Midwest, and Great Plains, and established New York City as the nation’s premiere seaport and commercial center,” said Senator Gillibrand. “For over a century, New York’s canal system has played an influential role in the economy and development of the region and our country. This designation would be another national highlight of New York’s rich history and strengthens our commitment to preserving our landmarks.”
In this photo from the Orleans County History Department, crews work on the retaining walls at the Canal Basin in Medina on April 3, 1914. It was part of the Barge Canal expansion about a century ago.
The National Park Service in October 2014 announced the Barge Canal was on the National Register of Historic Places. Gillibrand now is pushing for a higher designation.
The Erie Canal opened in 1825. The Barge Canal represents the widening of the canal between 1905 and 1918. Many of the bridges, guard gates, waste weir systems and other canal infrastructure remain in use today.
Gillibrand, in her letter to the National Park Service, highlighted that during the 1850s the canal carried 33,000 shipments and by 1882, carried over $120 million dollars in cargo. Today, the canal is used for recreational purposes, contributing to New York’s tourism economy.
The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to the National Park Service Director is included below.
Mr. Jonathan B. Jarvis
Director
National Park Service
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Director Jarvis,
I write in support of the nomination of the New York State (NYS) Barge Canal to be designated as a National Historic Landmark (NHL). Listing as a National Historic Landmark would be a logical step in appropriately honoring the nationally-significant role that New York’s canal system has played in our country. Furthermore, NHL designation would be timely and appropriate, helping to raise the waterway’s stature and creating additional economic development and tourism promotion opportunities.
The NYS Barge Canal system is composed of the Erie Canal, the Oswego Canal, the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, and the Champlain Canal, and stretches 525 miles through New York State. New York State’s Erie Canal has been in continuous operation since 1825 and has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of not only New York State but the country.
It facilitated and shaped the course of settlement in the Northeast, Midwest and Great Plains, and established New York City as the nation’s premiere seaport and commercial center. The Erie Canal alone originally stretched 363 miles from Albany, New York to Buffalo, New York. During its peak in 1855, the canal system carried 33,000 shipments and by 1882 the canal had carried over $120 million dollars in cargo. Today the canal is used almost entirely for recreation, open for walking, jogging, biking and cross-country skiing, contributing to New York and the nation’s tourism economy.
As we approach the Barge Canal’s Centennial year in 2018, as well as the observance of the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial period between 2017 and 2025, NHL designation would help attract national and international attention during this important period of reflection and celebration.
Further, through the efforts of the NYS Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, the World Canals Conference will be held in Syracuse in September 2017. This international event provides another opportunity to celebrate and promote the national significance of New York State’s Barge Canal system, which is about to embark on its 192nd year of continuous operation.
I ask that you please give the New York State Barge Canal’s application your full consideration.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 April 2016 at 12:00 am
Touts new state budget in visit to Orleans
Photos By Tom Rivers – Brian Stratton, director of the NYS Canal Corp., went over highlights of the new state budget in a visit to the legislative chambers of the Orleans County Legislature on Thursday.
ALBION – The state budget brings good news to Orleans County residents, with a boost in the minimum wage, a Middle Class tax cut, more aid for schools, and numerous other funding options for municipalities to address aging infrastructure, and spur economic development, the director of the NYS Canal Corp. said in a stop Thursday in Albion.
Brian Stratton met with about 25 local officials in the legislative chambers of the Orleans County Legislature. Stratton and other many of the governor’s cabinet are discussing the new state budget in stops throughout the state. Stratton was also in Seneca Falls on Thursday.
Stratton said the higher minimum wage will benefit the state’s economy and residents. The new budget deal calls for phased in increases that bring the minimum wage to $15 in New York City and $12.50 for most of Upstate by the end of 2020. If the economy struggles, Stratton said there is a safety value “if catastrophic failure.”
He said the economy added jobs after six of the last nine times the minimum wage was increased in New York.
The County Legislature formally opposed raising the minimum wage in a recent meeting.
“That is the great debate: will it move the economy forward or will it have a depressing effect?” David Callard, the Legislature chairman, said on Thursday.
Callard said his top concern remains property taxes. He said the county and local governments have worked to share services, reduce staff and consolidate some departments. He said the state should follow that example.
Stratton said the state has been paring personnel costs.
“We’ve been doing that,” he responded to Callard. “We’ve retrenched, we’ve contracted. We’re all in this together.”
Stratton said the property tax cap, enacted by the governor and State Legislature, tries to limit property tax growth to about 2 percent. Sometimes the cap is lower because it’s tied to inflationary increases. The state has also capped the increase to counties for Medicaid and introduced a new less generous public pension tier that eases some of the financial pressure on municipalities, Stratton said.
He noted the budget includes more incentives for local governments to pursue consolidation to reduce layers of government.
Stratton said New York is in a much stronger position in the five-plus years Andrew Cuomo has been governor. The unemployment rate has dropped dramatically in all regions of the state, and the number of jobs has increased, Stratton said.
The budget includes a $27 billion commitment for infrastructure in Upstate. Stratton expects some of that money will address aging canal infrastructure, including some of the bridges that are more than a century old.
Many of those bridges in Orleans County have reduced weight limits, been closed or limited to one-way traffic. Orleans County officials in recent years have been pressing the state to spend more on repairing or replacing the canal spans.
Ed Morgan, the Murray town highway superintendent, said there are 10 canal bridges in Murray. He told Stratton many of the bridges are not properly posted by the state. He called it a public safety issue.
Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator, thanked the state for grant funds to help upgrade 911 emergency dispatch centers, but Banker told Stratton more funding would be helpful to make the systems interoperable with nearby counties.
The county also has made maintenance of the Lake Ontario State Parkway a top priority. Kendall Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata said the recreational route is in deplorable condition.
“It’s a horrible stretch of road,” Cammarata said. “The Parkway is the gateway to the east and the west. People aren’t taking it because it’s not drivable. It’s not a convenience issue, it’s a safety issue.”
Stratton said there are “many, many needs” in the state for the infrastructure. The funds haven’t been earmarked yet for projects.
He also highlighted an increase in school funding, a middle class tax cut, $500 million for Broadband, a $100 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative, a poverty reduction initiative, and a $200 million increase to upgrade water and sewer infrastructure.
“With this budget, New York will continue to lead the way forward,” Stratton said.
He also addressed the switch in the canal’s operation and maintenance from the Thruway Authority to the New York Power Authority. Stratton said the Thurway Authority was a great steward of the canal the past 25 years, spending about $1 billion in the 524-mile long system.
The NY Power Authority is a good fit for the canal, where 27 hydroelectric power systems use canal water, he said.
“We think this is a great economic opportunity by partnering with the New York Power Authority,” Stratton said. “The canal is a wonderful historic treasure and economic engine.”
Elizabeth Carpenter of Lyndonville took these photos of the Lake Ontario shoreline on Monday evening, when temperatures plummeted below freezing.
“When the clouds finally cleared out this evening, the shoreline was transformed,” she said in an email. “As much as I hate the cold temperatures, the ice formations were beautiful.”
The stretch of cold will continue for several days. The National Weather Service forecasts a high of 31 and a low of 22 for today, followed by a high of 48 and low near 40 on Wednesday. Thursday will reach 43 degrees with a low of 27.
Friday will be colder with a high of 34 and a low of 21, followed by a high of 30 and low of 21 on Saturday, and a high of 37 and low of 28 on Sunday, according to the Weather Service.
The snow this week, which blanketed the area with at least a foot of snow, created a landscape covered in white. Several people sent photos to the Orleans Hub of the winter wonderland.
Pamela Moore sent in the top photo from Tuesday of a barn on Gillette Road in Barre. “You can always find some sort of beauty even through a storm,” she said.
Kristina Gabalski, an Orleans Hub correspondent, took this photo of a snowman on Wednesday morning in front of a home on South Main Street in the Village of Holley.
Gabrielle Davis took this picture on Tuesday of a snow-covered Kenyonville Road in Gaines. She said the road with all of the snow was “so peaceful.”
Robyn Ottaviano of Medina sent in these photos of the Medina Waterfalls taken on Monday.
Donna Erneweintook this picture on Sunday of Lake Ontario from the Shadigee in Yates.
Gary Wood of Allen Road in Albion took this picture of the sunrise on Monday.
Rick Baase of Kent snapped this photo of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse at Point Breeze just before sunset on Feb. 15.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2016 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – This staircase will be replaced as part of an improvement project at the Orleans County Marine Park on Route 98 in Carlton
CARLTON – A new playground with a Jungle Gym and swing set are expected to installed this spring at the Orleans County Marine Park, with additional upgrades to follow at the park.
The County Legislature on Wednesday voted to spend $19,497 for a new playground system from Miracle Recreation Equipment Company in Syracuse.
Additional work planned for this year includes new shore power at all 36 docks for boaters, and a new stairway and walkway on the north side of the park.
All of the projects, including the playground, could total about $166,000. The state is providing a $81,500 matching grant for the upgrades. The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association is chipping in $3,287 towards the local share of the projects.
File photo by Tom Rivers – A fisherman walks along the west pier at Oak Orchard Harbor in this photo from May 3, 2015. Microbeads are seen as a threat to fishing industries in the Great Lakes.
President Barack Obama on Monday signed legislation banning products containing plastic microbeads, an effort that was championed by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY.
Plastic microbeads are found in personal care products like facial scrubs, body washes, hand cleansers, and toothpaste. These products are designed to be rinsed down the drain, but the microbeads are too small to be captured by wastewater treatment plants.
They subsequently have been found in large bodies of water across New York State, where they concentrate toxins and can be ingested by birds and fish, posing serious environmental and health risks, Gillibrand said.
In an April 2015, a report released by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office found that microbeads were present in 74 percent of water samples taken from 34 municipal and private treatment plants across New York State.
“I am pleased that President Obama signed our legislation to federally ban plastic microbeads in personal care products,” Gillibrand said in a statement today. “This new law gives us a powerful new tool in our efforts to clean up New York’s waterways. These tiny pieces of plastic have the potential to cause serious ecological damage, hurt our fishing and tourism industries, and they have already polluted our drinking water supply. By removing products containing plastic microbeads from the marketplace, we can now begin to focus on cleaning up the mess they caused.”
The plastic microbeads could have a devastating effect on the state’s fish populations, hurting the commercial and recreational fishing industries, tourism industry, and the general economic wellbeing of the state’s coastal communities.
The states of Illinois, Connecticut and California have already banned plastic microbeads in consumer products, with legislation being considered in several other states, including New York.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – Fishermen try to catch trout and salmon in October by St. Mary’s Archer’s Club at the Oak Orchard River.
The club started 70 years ago and offers hospitality to many local and visiting fishermen, especially during its annual fishing derby.
The Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday presented the Archer’s Club with a Special Recognition award for its 70 years of dedication and service to the community. The Archer’s Club has 142 members.
Pictured from left include: Mike Waterhouse, the county’s sportsfishing promotion coordinator; County Legislator John DeFillipps; Alan Hackenberg, Archer’s Club president; Jim Wooldridge, past president; and John Page, past president.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Orr
POINT BREEZE – Jennifer Orr of Albion didn’t expect to take her kids to the beach today, but that is what she did with temperatures at 72 degrees and lots of sunshine.
She was at Point Breeze with her kids when they decided to make their own version of a snowman in the sand.
There is still no sign of snow in the forecast. There is, however, a chance for strong winds. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for Orleans County and much of Western New York from 4 p.m. today until 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
