Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – These leaves on a tree at Mount Albion Cemetery show a lot of green on Saturday, although some have changed colors.
Many of the leaves in Western New York are still green, with fall foliage a little behind schedule this year.
It’s going to be a warm holiday weekend with lots of sunshine. Today is forecast for a high of 72 followed by a high of 76 on Monday, Columbus Day.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – This gravesite marker for a Civil War veteran at Mount Albion recently had the rust scraped off and was given a fresh protective coat of black paint as part of a service-learning project by Albion seventh-graders.
Here is how the same marker looked late last month, before the restoration efforts. Students are also cataloging locations for the markers from the Grand Army of the Republic.
Students have other Civil War initiatives planned for the school year. They are going to research the names of every Orleans County resident who died in the Civil War and compare that with the 463 names carved in marble slabs inside the tower at Mount Albion Cemetery.
Provided photos
Albion Middle School seventh-grade service learning student Bailey Blanchard points to another “Blanchard” inside the tower at Mt. Albion Cemetery. The students are cataloging the names of soldiers who died during the war. To date there is no master list.
The tower includes marble slabs with the names of 463 residents who were killed during the Civil War. However, the memorial may not have included every local resident who perished in the war, said Tim Archer, teacher of the service learning class.
Bryne Dysard, an Albion seventh-grader, kneels next to the Herbert Charles Taylor grave at Hillside Cemetery in Clarendon. Taylor is the only known Orleans County soldier to fight and die at the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. Dysard and her service learning classmates have been studying Orleans County Civil War soldiers and are trying to secure a historical marker for him.
SUNY Brockport archivist Charles Cowling spent a morning at Drake Library at the college teaching Albion Middle School service-learning students about the importance of primary source documentation.
The students are in the middle of a large project researching Orleans County Civil War veterans. Their research has already uncovered many interesting facts about our local heroes and includes work at several area cemeteries. The documentation is important as the students write applications for a historical marker grant and a headstone for an unmarked grave from the Veterans Administration.
Photos by Kim Pritt
KNOWLESVILLE – Several craft and collectibles vendors are at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds today for a show to give people an early start on decorating their home for the holidays and finding presents for friends and family.
The show started on Friday and continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lori Laine, left, and Cheryl Boyer are at a table that promotes being an organ donor.
The show is inside the Trolley Building at the fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville.
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
HOLLEY – It’s Homecoming weekend in Holley. A parade was Friday evening, starting on Geddes Street and heading down Route 31 to High Street and the old bus garage lot.
Residents lined the Village Square as the parade began. High School and Middle School dances were held Friday evening and Saturday’s events include a slate of Homecoming games beginning at 9 a.m. with girls modified volleyball vs. Kendall. At 1:30 pm it’s boys varsity football and varsity cheerleading vs. Oakfield/Alabama.
This year’s homecoming parade theme was “A Night at the Movies.” Here the Freshman Class presents their float: “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
The Sophomore Class had a “Batman” theme.
The Juniors float featured a “Grease” theme.
Seniors wrapped up the parade with their “Star Wars” float.
HOLLEY – Born June 27, 1854 and a Kendall native, Henry Dwight Bliss was the son of Edwin and Mary Seymour Bliss. Receiving his earliest education from the one-room schoolhouses of Kendall, Henry moved to Holley as a young man where his father was to take over as manager of Luther Gordon’s newly constructed lumber and coal yard.
Bliss grew up around the construction and lumber business so it was only natural that he would attend the Rochester Business School after assisting his father with accounting and bookkeeping duties at the yard. Henry decided quickly that the merchant business wasn’t for him and he left the business school in Rochester after one year.
Bliss redirected his focus towards bigger and better things, starting in 1876 when he enrolled at Cornell University. Three years later, he transferred to the University of Rochester where he graduated in 1880.
Shortly after, Bliss enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania’s Medical Department earning his M.D. in 1883. Immediately after his graduation from Pennsylvania, he removed to Brooklyn where he served as resident physician at St. John’s Hospital in that vicinity. After a year of service at that institution, Dr. Bliss opened his own private practice at 1568 Fulton Street, Brooklyn.
From the eulogies delivered by fellow physicians following his death, they all spoke of Dr. Bliss’s dedication to research as an informed physician, his gentlemanly character, and the lucrative practice he built up while living in Brooklyn.
The life of Dr. Bliss was plagued by ill health for a large portion of his time spent outside of Orleans County. In 1891 he was forced to take a leave of absence from his practice in the hopes of restoring his failing health. Attempting to travel to Europe aboard the S.S. Dubbeldam, stormy seas wrecked the ship, requiring the crew to dock at Plymouth. Severe seasickness landed Dr. Bliss in the hospital, forcing him to recuperate in the U.S.
As the story was told, he had contracted tuberculosis from a patient and was never able to fully regain his health. After attempting numerous times to regain his strength and physical wellbeing, he was forced to sell his practice in 1898 and returned to the home of his parents in Holley.
After a short stay in an area sanitarium with little to show for his efforts, Dr. Bliss returned to Holley to live out the last days of his life surrounded by family. He died on April 12, 1900 at the age of 46, leaving a widow and three young children.
Photos by Tom Rivers
WATERPORT – The runners take off at the start of the Brown’s 5K Cross Country Run and Memory Walk. Eric Boyce of Bergen, number 360, won the race in a time of 16:25 and Dana Phillips of Lyndonville, number 380, was the first woman to finish with a time of 21:17.
There were 140 participants in the run and walk, which covered 3.1 miles at the fruit farm owned by the Brown family. That nearly doubled the participants from last year.
Runners head down a lane at the beginning of the race, which went through orchards, a wooded area and along a corn field.
Tom Smith of Albion won the 50-59 age group. He also led a “Run for God” training program to get people ready for the race.
Kate Krieger, left, and Sienna Garcia Mathewson hand out water to runners, including John Steier.
The race was dedicated to the memory of Joyce Harris, a former Carlton Town Board member and active community booster. Many of her friends wore “Ya Ya” shirts in her memory.
David Cristofaro finishes the race in memory of his mother, Judy Christopher.
Some members of the Churchville-Chili cross country team present a quilt made from past Brown’s 5K T-shirts to Margy Brown, the race organizer for all 20 of the events. Brown has put on the events as a fund-raiser for Hospice of Orleans. The first 19 races/walks raised $35,000 for Hospice. Proceeds from today aren’t tallied yet.
Paul Glor, coach of the cross country team, has run the last 13 races and won several of them. He used his past race T-shirts for the quilt.
Margy Brown and her son Jeffrey, right of quilt, are pictured with Paul Glor, left, and the Ruhland siblings, who run cross country at Churchville-Chili. Their mother made the quilt. The siblings include, from left: Matthew (in back), Ian, Elizabeth and Genevieve, far right.
Glor and the team created the quilt for Margy Brown for her commitment to the race for two decades.
Brown’s Berry Patch looks a lot different without the playground, swing set, the Jumping Pillow and other popular attractions. The family decided to retire from the retail side of their business this year.
They remain an active fruit farm, and are committed to helping Hospice.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Amber Lowery, an Albion 8th-grader, holds a pillow she made for recovering breast cancer patients.
Amber and other students in Mrs. Kim Toombs’ Family and Consumer Sciences class have been making pillows and ponchos for breast cancer patients.
Toombs was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2014. After surgery, she completed chemotherapy and radiation in January 2015.
Kim Toombs gets the thread lined up so student Julie Porter can sew a poncho for a breast cancer patient.
The class will deliver the ponchos and pillows later this month when they take a field trip to the Pluta Cancer Center through Strong Memorial Hospital, the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, and Highland Hospital.
Toombs said she received help through all three organizations.
“I didn’t know there was a need until I went through it myself,” Toombs said about the pillows and ponchos.
Ella Knaak shows one of the ponchos she made in class. The students are making 70 ponchos, 50 medium-size pillows and 50 small pillows to be given to breast cancer patients.
Angel Rushing, front, Deyonci Farley and other eighth-graders work on the ponchos during class today.
Toombs wears a sticker noting she is a breast cancer survivor.
She thanked her students for working so hard on the project in class.
“They are doing a great with them,” she said.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Joey Schoeberlein, an Albion third-grader, aims the hose at targets with some help from Albion firefighter Beau Piskorowski during a program today outside the elementary school as part of Fire Prevention Week.
Piskorowski and a third-grade student spray water at targets. The house with the fake flames was built by Andrew Cheverie for his Eagle Scout project last year. This was the first time it was used for Fire Prevention Week at the school.
Andrew Cheverie, right, also built this stop that allows students to practice “Stay Low and Go” in case of a fire. Students first checked to see if the door was hot. When it wasn’t hot, they opened it and crawled under the pretend flames.
Levi Coughlin, a kindergartner, stays low under the flames.
Albion firefighters James Fisher, left, and Rob Conner gave students tours of the fire trucks.
Ryan Woolston, a Carlton firefighter, showed students the rescue boat used by the Carlton Fire Department.
YATES – The Town of Yates continues to work on a survey of town residents about the wind turbine issue in the community, Town Councilman Wes Bradley said today.
Save Ontario Shores, a citizens’ group opposed to large-scale turbines, sent a survey to residents this week. That survey didn’t clearly say which entity was doing the survey.
John Riggi, SOS president, said the organization moved to do the survey because the town effort has been slow.
“One reason we’re doing the survey is because the town hasn’t done anything,” Riggi said this morning.
SOS hired an accounting firm, Lumsden & McCormick LLP of Buffalo, to collect the surveys, collate results and provide the results to the residents of Yates. The surveys are due back Oct. 16 and results will be shared during a 7 p.m. Oct. 19 meeting at White Birch Golf Course.
Bradley said the town has formed a three-person committee to work on the survey. Bradley represents the Town Board, with Taylor Quarles, development manager for Apex, and Richard Pucher, from SOS, all on the committee to form questions and develop a process for the survey. The group meets again on Tuesday.
“It’s inclusive, it’s transparent but it will take some time,” Bradley said today. “The accuracy is more important than the speed.”
His goal is to have a survey with objective results that can be viewed as accurate and unbiased data by the NYS Siting Board, if Apex advances the project with 60 to 68 wind turbines. The Siting Board will give the final say on the project covering Yates and the neighboring Town of Somerset.
“One-sided efforts lack credibility,” Bradley said. “We want a survey that will be viewed as an objective measure by the New York State Siting Board, should we ever get to that point.”
Bradley didn’t want to issue a timetable on the town survey because of the uncertainties with reaching a consensus with three different entities.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The south-side roof on the Hoag Library is now covered in solar panels. The library is working with Arista Power on the renewable project. The worker pictured is running conduit through the roof today.
The state is paying half of the $256,000 costs, providing a $54,000 library construction grant and other rebates through the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority.
The library is financing $128,000, its share of the project. The anticipated electricity savings should pay off the library’s share of the project within 18 years, perhaps sooner, said Kevin Doherty, president of the library’s board.
The library was approved for state funds for the project when the new building was constructed in 2011-12, but Doherty said the board held off on the project until the cost of solar came down and the efficiency went up.
Photo courtesy of Gov. Cuomo’s office – Gov. Andrew Cuomo and former Vice President Al Gore met at Columbia University on Thursday to announce several New York State actions on climate change.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by Vice President Gore, on Thursday announced four major actions to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across New York State.
These nation-leading environmental and clean energy initiatives will help New York homes, businesses and universities invest in clean energy, drive economic growth across the state, and protect the environment.
“Climate change is an issue of society’s sustainability – and to deny that climate change is real is to deny reason,” Cuomo said. “Today, New York is stepping up. We are demonstrating the leadership and focus that this issue demands. We are joining together and committing ourselves to tackling climate change and showing the nation what is possible. Now it is up to world leaders to follow suit.”
Former Vice President Al Gore, an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, a dedicated environmentalist and Nobel Prize winner, for decades has been a leading advocate in efforts to combat climate change and joined Governor Cuomo to announce these new actions.
“The leadership shown by Governor Cuomo and New York State to make bold emissions reductions commitments is vital to solving the climate crisis,” said Former Vice President Al Gore. “On the eve of the Paris climate negotiations, New York’s efforts to reduce emissions and join with others like California, Quebec, and Ontario to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy send a strong signal to world leaders: local, regional, and state governments are taking climate action now.”
Under 2 MOU
Governor Cuomo signed the Under 2 MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), an agreement between states, provinces and cities worldwide to affirm their commitment to help keep the earth’s average temperature from increasing 2 degrees Celsius (or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, as measured against pre-industrial levels.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change determined that global warming must be kept below 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, such as significant sea level rise that would inundate nations and coastlines around the world, create prolonged pervasive and extreme weather, cause mega-droughts, and lead to food scarcity.
New York has already committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions envisioned by the Under 2 MOU. Earlier this year, as part of the 2015 State Energy Plan, New York set the most aggressive target in the nation to reduce emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 (80 by 50).
To achieve these reductions, New York has launched one of the most comprehensive and transformative clean energy agendas in the nation through Reforming the Energy Vision.
As world leaders gather in Paris this December for the United Nations climate negotiations, New York is proving that reducing emissions can be done and should be done. World leaders must follow suit and commit to the same emissions reductions, Cuomo said.
North American Carbon Market
New York and the other northeast regional greenhouse gas cap and trade states have demonstrated that carbon markets are a powerful tool for reducing the pollution that is contributing to climate change. Therefore, in order to maximize impact of proven strategies, New York State will engage its partners in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and California, Quebec and Ontario to explore the possibility of linking the successful carbon markets.
Connecting these markets would be more cost-effective and stable, thereby supporting clean energy and driving international carbon emission reductions. New York State will also engage other states and provinces to build a broader carbon market and further drive an international discussion that encourages government action on carbon emissions.
Solar Power for 150,000 Homes and Businesses by 2020
In 2013 Governor Cuomo dedicated $1 billion to the New York solar industry through the NY SUN Initiative. Since then, the State has committed $270 million and supported the deployment of solar across 30,000 homes and businesses.
Hoag Library used a state grant to pay for most of the new solar panels on the roof of the library in Albion.
Building on this progress, the governor announced a commitment to bring solar to 150,000 more homes and businesses by 2020. For the first time ever, commercial projects will be able to share the power they generate on their properties with surrounding community members through the Governor’s Shared Renewables program.
Renewable Energy at Every SUNY Campus by 2020
The Governor also announced will State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest statewide public university system, will install renewable energy, including solar and other technologies, at each of its 64 campuses by 2020. This commitment builds on SUNY’s existing goals of improving its energy efficiency performance by 20 percent and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020.
The Governor challenged private colleges and universities to join SUNY in their commitment. To support public and private schools investing in solar, the New York Power Authority will provide new tools and resources to evaluate, manage, and contract solar lease agreements with private sector partners.
In addition, New York State will invest in clean, renewable power across all of its public buildings and facilities, expanding upon its ambitious energy efficiency objectives.
“New York is once again serving as a national role model, turning bold ideas into action as Governor Cuomo takes the lead on efforts to address climate change,” said Richard Kauffman, chairman of Energy & Finance for New York State. “Under these commitments made today and as part of the Governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision plan, New York is on a firm path to reach our clean energy and environment goals by building a clean, resilient and affordable energy system.”
Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) is designed to build a cleaner, more affordable and resilient energy system for all New Yorkers through a combination of new energy policies, state-wide initiatives and regulatory reforms.
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KNOWLESVLLE – Orleans County 4-H’ers and 4-H Educator Robert Batt (at the hood) work to put the finishing touches on a car being washed as part of a 4-H Open House held Wednesday.
October 4-10 marks National 4-H Week and locally Orleans County 4-H held an open house outside the Education Building on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds to celebrate.
Free car washes were provided by 4-Hers for volunteers; non-volunteers could also participate for a goodwill donation. Popcorn was provided as part of the event and there were free T-shirts and other surprises for those who stopped in.
Orleans County 4-H Rabbit Raiser Joan-Marie Gabalski sprays a car being washed during open house on Wednesday at the fairgrounds.
One family traveled from Kendall during the festivities to sign up for 4-H. As of Wednesday, six new families joined during 4-H Week. A newly formed goat club with seven members held its first meeting this week, Batt said.
Current enrollment in Orleans County 4-H now stands at 442.
Members of the Orleans County 4-H Rabbit Raisers club participate in a car wash Wednesday morning as part of National 4-H Week.
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – I’ve heard about how the canal used to go near the Public Square in Holley and how remnants of the original canal remain. On Tuesday, after seeing the Tugboat Urger in Holley, I went for a walk on Holley’s trail system to see if I could find any signs of the original canal.
I didn’t find any stone walls or old artifacts from the original canal. But I did see a blue heron perched in a tree.
This branch hangs out over the canal in Holley, just west of the Bennetts Corners Road canal bridge. Holley has a trail system that goes from its canal park into the woods by the waterfalls and to the Public Square.
Get too close to the heron, and it will take off in flight.
The canal allows many close encounters with wildlife, from deer, ducks, birds, fish, turtles and more.
Looking down from the path on the south side of the canal there is what I think is a waste weir, where water is drained from the canal.
I think this water feeds Sandy Creek which cuts through the woods. I was looking for old canal remnants, but came up empty.
This is a good size culvert you don’t normally see in a wooded area.
Here is another look at the culvert with the zoom lens.
Follow the trail by Sandy Creek and you discover the top of the Holley Waterfalls.
You have options on the Holley walking trail – left or right?
I headed back to the path by the canal and met my friend, the heron. It had moved down a little closer to the canal bridge.
Once again, you get too close and it takes off flying.
If anyone wants to show me where the canal walls are from the original canal, send me an email and we can work out a time to go see it. (tom@orleanshub.com)
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KNOWLESVILLE – A new fitness trail has opened at the 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville. There will be an opening ceremony today at 6 p.m. with the Albion Running Club, where runners and walkers will then try the course.
“We see people come and walk the grounds all the time and thought this would be a nice addition,” Orleans County 4-H Educator Robert Batt said.
The half-mile trail includes six stations with various exercises/activities. The project is sponsored by the Running Club.
The public is invited to attend the grand opening and also to come out and make use of the trail at any time.
“4-Hers will also be able to use the trail before meetings,” Batt said.
The project includes a number of recycled items. Batt said the poles used for the signs are made from recycled tires and have been repurposed from a former exhibit on the fairgrounds. Additionally, old agricultural tires are used as part of the stations. At Station #1, for example, the tires are used for a triceps dip.
“The project is green and environmentally friendly,” Batt observed. “It’s super exciting.”
Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – John Steier and his son Evan haul tires on the new fitness trail at the 4-H Fairgrounds, which opened today to the public.
The Steiers and other particpants in the Albion Running Club jogged the course and tried the six stations, doing push ups, dips and other maneuvers while completing the half-mile fitness trail.
Pam Coville and her husband Mark bend down and flip tires, one of the challenges on the fitness trail.
The Running Club kicked in $450 towards the trail, which is open to the public and includes signs showing how to attempt the activities along the course.
Brian Krieger does push-ups at one of the stops.
The project includes many recycled items, including the poles used for the signs. Many old farm tires are utilized as part of the stations.
Runners get in some exercise on the course.
