Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today announced six new patrol boats that will assist local law enforcement agencies across the state with keeping waterways safe.
One of the new vessels is assigned to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
“More people than ever are taking advantage of the recreational opportunities at New York’s many lakes, rivers and coastal waters and we’re committed to ensuring that they remain safe for residents and visitors alike,” Governor Cuomo said in a press release today. “These new patrol vessels will assist local law enforcement efforts and will provide them with additional means to ensure those out on the water are abiding by the law.”
In addition to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the new Brunswick Justice patrol vessels are assigned to the Babylon Police Department (Suffolk County), Irvington Police Department (Westchester County), Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, Livingston County Sheriff’s Department, and Port Chester Police Department (Westchester County).
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation purchased these vessels, which range in value from $70,000 to nearly $130,000. The transaction was made possible through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, which provides funding to states to assist with recreational boating safety. Local police agencies will use the patrol vessels to enhance recreational boater safety and enforce New York State Navigation Laws.
“With our exceptional lakes, rivers and bays, New York State has a strong tradition of boating and fishing – and we want to make sure people visiting our waterways stay safe,” State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said. “Local marine patrols help keep our waterways safe by discouraging dangerous boating practices and serving as first responders in on-the-water emergencies.”
The State Parks Marine Service Unit is responsible for the general coordination of boating safety programs and supports marine law enforcement efforts across the state, including patrols, training and funding for local marine enforcement activities.
Provided photos – Marty Busch, the Medina code enforcement officer, shops and chats at Panek’s Pickin’ Patch at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market.
MEDINA – The new farmers’ market in Medina will start accepting senior coupons as well as Women, Infants, and Children coupons this Saturday.
The Canal Village Farmers’ Market opened on July 11 at the parking lot on West Center Street across from the Post Office. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
The market has been accepted into NYS Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, which provides checks to low-income, nutritionally at-risk families enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for WIC and Senior Nutrition Programs. The checks are redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers’ markets.
“We’ve had several inquiries weekly regarding the availability of these services,” said Chris Busch, president of the Orleans Renaissance Group, which organizes the market. “With the market going into its fifth week very strong, we’re excited to be able to add this to the offerings. Last week we attracted 450-plus patrons.”
Crowds gather at the new farmers’ market in Medina last Saturday. Organizers say more than 450 visited the market that day.
Current produce featured at the market comes from Panek’s Pickin’ Patch, Roberts Farm Market, Stymus Farms, SK Herefords and Sunrise Bees. Other regular vendors include Shirt Factory Café, Sweet Source Bakery, Wide Angle Art Gallery and 810 Meadworks. The Old English Tea Shoppe and Renko Meat Processing also will return on Aug. 15.
The market often includes entertainment, and this week will feature musician Mark Buell and a historical talk and walk by Erica Wanecsk. She will lead a short discussion of what shopping was like in historic Medina versus current day.
“The market continues to grow every week,” Busch said. “We offer a great variety that changes a bit week to week.”
The market is managed by Gail Miller, an ORG volunteer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2015 at 12:00 am
2 agencies are looking at more collaboration, possible merger
Photo by Tom Rivers – Donna Saskowski has been leading the Arc of Orleans County as executive director since April 1 on a six-month trial basis. She also is the executive director for the Genesee County ARC. She has led that agency for 11 years.
ALBION – The Arc of Orleans County and Genesee County ARC, two agencies that serve developmentally disabled residents, have collaborated with joint staff training for several years, as well as shared information technology services.
The two agencies since Aril 1 have shared an executive director. Donna Saskowski has led the Genesee County ARC for 11 years. The Arc of Orleans had been without a permanent executive director since Kellie Spychalski left in December to work in Niagara County with Opportunities Unlimited.
Patricia Kepner served as interim director for the Arc of Orleans for more than a year until Saskowski became the shared director on April 1. Kepner continues as director of quality assurance and the Camp Rainbow director for the Arc.
The two agencies are looking at more ways to share services, a discussion and study that could lead to a merger, Saskowski said today at the Arc’s administrative offices on Caroline Street.
An exploratory committee is looking at the issue with help from a consultant.
“I see opportunities,” Saskowski said. “We certainly compliment each other.”
The agency in Genesee County operates on about a $13 million annual budget with 340 staff members. In Orleans, the Arc has a $12 million budget and about 300 employees.
Saskowski said some of the ARC chapters in the state are reducing programs and staff due to shrinking government reimbursements and other fiscal challenges.
“We might be able to provide services in a better manner and be more stable as an agency,” Saskowski said about a possible merged agency.
Two counties with a bigger land area, Livingston and Wyoming, have a single ARC chapter, the Arc of Livingston-Wyoming.
Saskowski said if the discussion and study doesn’t lead to a merger, she expects there will be more partnering among the two agencies.
Her goal is to preserve as many programs and services as possible for developmentally disabled residents and their families. She has pushed for shared services, even when it resulted in more work for her by working in two counties.
“I’m more of a believer of being more efficient at the administrative level and putting those savings into programs,” she said.
She said the Arc chapters are wrestling with how to provide and foster community based employment for development disabled residents. The state is limiting sheltered workshops, where Arc consumers do light packaging and other tasks for businesses. The state isn’t allowing more people into those sites, instead pushing for other employment in the community.
Saskowski said agencies need to continue prevocational services, and try to have choices for developmentally disabled adults in the workplace.
She also wants more housing choices for developmentally disabled adults, which could be semi-independent living in apartments, additional “group homes” known as IRAs (Individualized Residential Alternative), or certified apartments where a staff members check in periodicaly to make sure the residents are taking medications and maintaining their living space.
Saskowski also worries about the state push for a $15 minimum for fast food workers. That could pull away employees from human services agencies, she said.
She would like to see more funding from the state for the ARC chapters, so ARC employees can earn more money.
Unlike fast food restaurants, which can raise prices to pay employees more, Saskowski said the agencies can’t pay employees more without assistance from the state.
MEDINA – Orchard Manor celebrated the 102nd birthday for Marian Boyle (center) with a party today. Two other residents – Louise Cockram and Grace Allen – also have topped 100 years old, and they have birthdays this month.
This photo shows, front row, from left: Laurie Seager, activity assistant; and and Kayla Williams, activity aide. Second row: Louise Cockram, Marian Boyle, and Grace Allen. Back row: Jamie Murphy, activity director; and Dave Denny, administrator.
Residents and staff gathered to celebrate Marian Boyle’s 102nd birthday at Orchard Manor Rehabilitation & Nursing Center. The facility has three centenarians, all having birthdays in the month of August.
Louise Cockram will be 106 on Aug. 28. When she was born in 1909, the mayor of Tokyo presented Washington, D.C. with 2,000 cherry trees which President William H. Taft had planted near the Potomac River. The Indianapolis Race Track opened, and eggs were $.14 a dozen.
Louise Cockram lived in West Bergen, where she raised her family. She recalls baking cookies, cakes, and pies to sell. She also made clothes for her family. She learned how to knit and crochet from her teacher, after school. Louise says she has no secret to her longevity. She continues to do Physical Therapy and still loves to play bingo.
In 1913, when Marian Boyle was born, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect income taxes. Ford Motor Company introduced the first moving assembly line, and the price of milk was $.35 a gallon. Marian Boyle was welcomed into the world on Aug. 6 in Shelby Center and was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church of Medina.
Also known as “Jimmy” or “Gumby”, Marian married her sweetheart in 1936. She enjoyed being a housewife and raising her family. Her hobbies included refinishing furniture, cooking & baking, knitting & crocheting.
Marian continues to enjoy moving around in her wheelchair, attending various activities and musical programs, and of course, her coffee & cookies.
In 1914, World War I began. The world’s first red and green traffic lights were installed in Cleveland, Ohio and the cost of a first class stamp is $.02. On the 8th day of August that year, Grace Allen was born.
On a recent trip down memory lane she recalled growing up in Oakfield, graduating high school in 1932. She wanted to go further in school to perhaps study English or French, but didn’t go to college.
She did, however, write West Barre news articles for the Batavia Daily News and the Medina Journal Register. Grace said that her secret to living a long life is hard work. She recalls family liking her good cooking and doing a lot of canning for winter meals. She never made much of her birthday, saying that it’s just another day. But, Grace will indeed have a slice of birthday cake this year.
Provided photo – Laura Allen, left, and Rachel Hicks of Albion Agencies are pictured with a display at the Albion business on Main Street, where Albion Agencies is collecting school supply donations for children.
ALBION – A local business is accepting school supply donations to help Community Action of Orleans & Genesee with its annual push for pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks and other supplies.
Albion Agencies will accept the supplies at its 30 North Main St. location. The business is promoting the event in its quarterly email newsletter as well as on social media.
The effort has resulted in many donations from employees, customers and other community members. That allowed Albion Agencies to collect a substantial donation for Community Action to distribute to local learners in early August to get them prepped for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.
Albion Agencies, with roots going back 170 years, is teaming up with Community Action, an agency celebrating its 50th year in 2015.
Community members are welcome to drop off items at Albion Agencies, or at Community Action’s site at 409 East State St. Call Community Action at (585) 589-5605 for more information.
There is a new leader in the Orleans County Fishing Derby after a Pennsylvania man reeled in a 23-pound, 4-ounce Chinook salmon on Tuesday.
Mark Cippel of Ford City hooked the fish that holds the top spot – the $4,000 grand prize in the fishing derby that continues until Aug. 16.
There were other additions to the leaderboard after Tuesday, including Jeff Newman of Lyndonville. He leads the salmon division with a 21-pound, 7-ounce Chinook. He also is in the lead for the $200 bonus prize, given to the Orleans County resident who catches the biggest fish in the derby.
The leaderboard also includes a 14-pound brown trout caught by April Johnson of Rochester to lead that division and 17-pound, 12-ounce lake trout by Mike Engle of Hamlin.
The derby is still waiting for its first fish in the rainbow trout division.
The derby, which is sponsored by the Albion Rotary Club, gives out $8,800 in total prize money. Besides $4,000 for the biggest fish, the four division leaders each get $500, followed by $300 for second, $200 for third, $100 for fourth and $50 for fifth.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – She is the girl who “changed the face of the presidency.” But for several years the historical marker noted the home of Grace Bedell in Albion has suffered from flaking paint, making it difficult to read the sign.
Bedell is the girl who wrote to Abraham Lincoln, suggesting he grow a beard. Lincoln, then a presidential candidate, took her advice and was elected.
Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard took the marker’s sign down about two weeks ago and Melissa Ierlan, the Clarendon historian, used a power wire brush to take off the rest of the paint. She then meticulously repainted the sign, including all of the lettering.
Ballard put the sign back on this afternoon with help from Jonathan Price, 18, of Kendall. Price is an intern this summer at the Cobblestone Society Museum, where Ballard is the director.
The sign on West State Street is next to Bedell’s home, which is now owned by Jim and Barb Passarell.
The marker was in sad shape before being repainted. (This was the good side. The other side had little paint left.)
Jonathan Price, the Cobblestone Museum intern, had heard the story of Grace Bedell. But he didn’t realize she was an Orleans County girl.
Grace spent most of her childhood in Albion. But when she was 11, she lived in Westfield in Chautauqua County. Abraham Lincoln was running for president at the time.
Bedell’s father Norman attended a country fair in the fall of 1860 and brought home a campaign poster featuring Abraham Lincoln and his vice presidential running mate Hannibal Hamlin.
Grace, 11, didn’t see how Lincoln could win, not with that face. He was too homely looking. But Bedell, who lived in a pro-abolitionist home, had an idea that would make Lincoln more appealing to the masses: Grow a beard.
One of the heritage-themed benches in Albion features Grace Bedell and Abraham Lincoln. Artist Peter Loran painted the bench.
On Oct. 15, 1860, Grace mailed a letter to Lincoln.
“I have got 4 brothers and part of them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President,” Grace wrote.
Lincoln took Bedell’s advice and was elected. He also wrote back to Grace on Oct. 19, 1860.
“I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters – I have three sons – one seventeen, one nine, and one seven years of age – They, with their mother, constitute my whole family –
“As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?” Lincoln wrote to Grace.
The community of Westfield in Chautauqua County erected two bronze statues of Grace Bedell and Abraham Lincoln in 1999, commemorating Lincoln’s meeting with Bedell when a train stopped in the village in early 1861 on his way to Washington to serve as U.S. president.
The marker now proudly proclaims a beloved part of Americana.
The Bedell family had lived in Albion for 40 years before they moved to Westfield in 1859. They stayed two years before returning to Albion. After she married in 1870, Bedell left Albion to live in Kansas.
Grace is more an Albion girl than a Westfield one. Her father Norman was a partner in a stove-making company next to the canal in Albion.
Norman Bedell was a staunch abolitionist. Historians say the family attended the Albion Methodist Episcopal Church, which split into two churches in 1859 because of the turmoil over slavery. (The Albion Free Methodist Church emerged from this split. It is the first Free Methodist Church in the world.)
Bedell wanted out of the disharmony and moved to Westfield, working in a stove-making business. Railroads were spreading in the mid-1850s and started to compete with the canal for shipping goods. Westfield had a new railroad.
Mr. Bedell worked there for two years and then moved back to Albion. Grace finished school in Albion, married George Billings and then settled in Kansas. Grace lived to be 87. The couple had one son.
The community of Westfield erected these statues of Grace Bedell and Abraham Lincoln in 1999, commemorating Lincoln’s meeting with Bedell when a train stopped in the village in early 1861 on his way to Washington to serve as U.S. president. Bedell briefly lived in Westfield, and mailed her letter to Lincoln from that community.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided photos – James Cooper created this 4′ x 6′ acrylic on canvas he entitled “Albert’s Park.” It is one of 68 pieces of art featured in the 65th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition at Memorial Art Gallery.
MEDINA – A painting from a scene in New York City by James Cooper is one of 68 pieces highlighted in one of the area’s most prestigious art shows.
Cooper painted the 4-by-6-foot artwork of East Fourth Street. He was sitting in his car at 9 a.m., watching people going to work when he started drawing. He shows a woman picking up litter with a cane. There is an image of a bird as graffiti on a building.
Cooper adds a spirit in the trees. The spirit is happy with the woman picking up the trash, and presence of so many community gardens.
The Medina native returned to his hometown three years ago after a decade in SoHo, an artist community in New York City.
James Cooper is pictured with his painting at the Memorial Art Gallery. After a career in SoHo in New York City, Cooper moved back to his hometown of Medina three years ago.
He has been painting many local scenes and landscapes since coming home. He also teaches art classes, and takes small groups out on location to draw and paint.
“I came back to paint the local area,” Cooper said. “I wanted to do something authentic.”
Cooper, who also works as an architect, is the son of an art teacher. He has enjoyed rediscovering small town life.
“I got tired of the density of the city in SoHo,” he said.
The 65th Rochester-Finger Lakes Art Exhibition is a juried show at the Memorial Art Gallery. This is a long-running showcase for artists from western and central New York. The show opened on July 26 and remains on view through Sept. 13.
This year’s exhibition features 68 works by 46 artists. They were chosen from a field of 920 entries by 330 artists by Michael Rooks, Wieland Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art.
Contributed Story Posted 4 August 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided photos
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville hosted the Summer Honor Music Festival concert last Thursday featuring 140 students in Albion, Lyndonville and Medina.
The Summer Honor Music Festival was started last year as Summer Honor Band. This summer a chorus was included in the festival.
Students entering grades 5 through 7 were chosen to participate by their music teachers. The students rehearsed from9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. for each group. There were about 140 students total, and many participated in both groups.
The two bands were directed by the elementary band teachers from the three districts: Jeanette Sheliga, Medina; Lindsey Fix, Albion; and John Bailey, Lyndonville. Chorus directors were Kathy Bleiler-Dick, Medina; and Jennifer Neroni-Trupo, Lyndonville.
Each band performed three different songs and the chorus performed five. The festival culminated with a combined performance with both bands and the chorus performing “America the Beautiful” together.
Lyndonville students wore orange, Medina students wore blue and Albion musicians had on purple shirts.
