Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Paul Gray, a motor equipment operator for the Orleans County Highway Department, moves a pallet of computer units and other electronic waste at the County Highway Department today at 225 West Academy St.

The county started accepting e-waste on Monday at the Highway Department and at two other sites: the Murray Town Hall at 3840 Fancher Rd (Route31), and the Shelby Town Hall, 4062 Salt Works Rd.

Already, 34 pallets of e-waste, mostly older TVs with cathode-ray technology, were collected at the three locations. Residents can drop off the materials for free.

Paul Gray and Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief adminsitrative officer, are pictured inside the Highway Department where 13 pallets of e-waste have been dropped off this week in Albion, mostly the older televisions.

The state on Jan. 1 began banning curbside disposal of older TVs with cathode-ray technology. Many residents have upgraded from those televisions, switching to popular flat screens. Many of the older TVs have been dumped in ditches along rural roads.

The County Legislature last month approved a deal with Sunnking Incorporated of Brockport to pick up and dispose of cathode ray tube televisions, monitors, computers, peripheral devices and other household electronics.

The company will be paid $14,782 annually for the service.

Nesbitt said the big influx of e-waste this week shows a pent-up demand among residents to get rid of the material.

The three locations will accept the e-waste from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Leaders of the Orleans County YMCA are piloting a new program where youths ages 15 to 20 can receive a free Y membership for six months if they complete a 10-week life skills class.

Pictured, include, from left: Don Colquhoun, former board chairman; Y Executive Director Shauna Parkinson; and Dean Bellack, current Y board chairman.

All three will serve as instructors for the class, as well as Jeff Evoy, Medina school district superintendent, and Jim Simon, dean of the GCC campus centers in Albion and Medina.

“Part of our mission is linking into the community and finding where we can have an impact,” Bellack said.

The Y started childcare programs and exercise classes for senior citizens after assessing community needs.

Bellack believes there is a need for life skills, with topics such as money management, consequences of choices, goal setting, living on your own, and other issues.

“We are hoping they will look at their life trajectory a little bit differently and hopefully open up some possibilities for them,” Bellack said about the Life Skills program.

Orleans County Y officials believe the local Y is the first to offer such a program. Classes will be taught Tuesday evenings form 6 to 7:30 p.m. from Oct. 6 through Dec. 8. The classes will be in the classroom at the Y, located at 306 Pearl St.

Students in the program will receive a free membership during the 10 weeks of classes, plus another three months if they successfully complete the program.

The program will be open to 20 students for the first class.

Shauna Parkinson, the director of the Y in Orleans County, wants to target the program to students who aren’t engaged in sports and other school activities, although the program is open to all students.

“We’re looking to inform and educate on life skills that generally aren’t taught in school,” she said.

For more information on the program, call the Y at (585) 798-2040 or click here.

File photo by Tom Rivers – The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center, which became privately owned on Jan. 1, was added to the tax rolls for the first time this year at a $6,618,900 assessment. Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC wants the assessment reduced to $2.5 million.

The two nursing homes in Orleans County have both taken legal action, seeking big drops in their assessments. If the challenges are successful, local governments could see more than $100,000 less in tax revenue with each site.

The owners of Orchard Manor in Medina are seeking the biggest reduction as a percentage. The 160-bed facility is assessed at $4.1 million. The owners, Global Health Care, say the assessment should be $410,000.

The former county-owned nursing home is now privately owned by Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC. The company paid $7.8 million on for the 120-bed Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center on Route 31 in Albion.

The property went on the tax rolls for the first time this year with a $6,618,900 assessment. Comprehensive is challenging that assessment, filing legal papers saying it should be valued at $2.5 million.

There is a lot of tax revenue at stake if the properties are reduced in assessment. The issue will go before James Punch, acting State Supreme Court judge in Orleans County.

Global Health Care purchased Orchard Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Bates Road in 2012 from Medina Memorial Hospital. The site sold for $4.1 million. That has been the assessment since going on the tax rolls for the first time in 2013. That site is located within the Village of Medina.

Global Health pays about $225,500 in property taxes with a combined tax rate of about $55 per $1,000 of assessed property. That includes $70,233 to the Village of Medina, which has a $17.13 tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property.

If Global Health is successful in reducing the assessment to $410,000, it would pay a tenth in taxes what it does now or $22,550, with the village getting about $7,000 instead of $70,233.

The local taxing entities, led by the Town of Shelby, are discussing the legal battle for the assessment, trying to pool their resources in defending the higher assessment. Shelby is organizing the joint municipal effort because the town is responsible for assessing the property.

The former county-owned nursing home sits just outside the Village of Albion and doesn’t pay village taxes.

Comprehensive pays a combined tax rate of about $33 to the school district, town, county, library and for fire protection. At a $6,618,900 assessment, the tax bill for the nursing home is about $220,000 a year. If Comprehensive can reduce the assessment to $2.5 million, it would pay about $82,500 in taxes, less than 40 percent of the current tax bill.

Both nursing home owners filed complaints with the Board of Assessment Review, and those boards backed the levels set by the local assessors. Now, the issue will go before Judge Punch in State Supreme Court.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Randy Bower is all smiles outside the Board of Elections office when he realizes he has won the Republican line for Orleans County sheriff in the Nov. 3 election. Chris Bourke, left, has been campaigning with Bower as Bower’s choice for undersheriff. Bourke is currently a lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Office.

ALBION – Randy Bower has captured the Republican line for sheriff in the general election. It was a hard-fought victory for Bower, an effort that began several months ago.

Bower wasn’t endorsed by the Republican Party leaders. He forced a primary and had a razor-thin 27-vote lead, 1,588 to 1,561, over Tom Drennan after the primary on Thursday.

When the absentees and affidavit ballots were counted this morning, Drennan gained 6 votes overall. But that wasn’t enough to erase the 27-vote buffer Bower built up.

The final unofficial results give Bower 1,671 votes to 1,650 for Drennan. (There is a chance a few more votes could trickle in by the Thursday deadline, but they would need to have been mailed by Sept. 9. Election Commissioner Dennis Piediomonte doubts any more will come in.)

“It has been a tough race,” Bower said after the absentees were counted. “He (Drennan) did really well with it. I’m sure we were both sitting on pins and needles.”

Drennan will remain on the ballot with the Independence and Reform lines. The Independence line is the third one down, ahead of the Conservatives.

The Nov. 3 election also will include a Democratic Party candidate, retired Medina police investigator Don Organisciak.

With another candidate in the mix, as well as independent and third-party voters, Piedimonte said it’s difficult to forecast who will win.

Randy Bower has been highly visible in the community in recent months, attending festivals, chicken barbecue dinners, classic car shows and numerous other events. He is pictured here on Friday in Albion during a memorial service on the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Bower pulled off a significant upset by winning the GOP Primary. As the endorsed-candidate, Drennan had the support of many Republican leaders. Morgan said both Drennan, the chief deputy in the Sheriff’s Office, and Bower, a dispatcher for nearly 30 years, both have worked hard campaigning in recent months.

“They’re both good people,” Morgan said after the vote was announced this morning.

Bower said he is looking for broad-based support in the general election, drawing on Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, independent voters and third parties.

He said the Conservative Party helped to get his campaign going with an endorsement in early May, before the Republicans backed a candidate.

“It started as a grass roots effort,” Bower said. “It has been a team effort and we will bring a team mentality to the Sheriff’s Office. We will get everybody helping everybody in Orleans County.”

Bower, 50, of Murray said his campaign has gained energy and support since the spring. Securing the Republican line adds more momentum to the campaign, he said.

“Nobody can do it by themselves,” he said. “I’m here to lead and to surround myself with good people.”

ALBION – The Holy Family Parish in Albion, in cooperation with eight other local churches, will host an Ecumenical Sustainability Fair on Tuesday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Holy Family’s Lyceum, the upstairs hall at 106 S. Main St.

The event is titled “On Care for Our Common Home,” the subtitle of a message from Pope Francis, who has pressed Christians on their duty to care for nature.

The Sustainability Fair includes 22 exhibitors who will touch on recycling, composting, reducing consumption, caring for the environment and many other earth-friendly practices. Four groups will provide tastings of sustainable foods, including Leonel Rosario, chef-owner of Mariachi d’Oro Restaurant in Medina.

Some of the exhibitors include: Wegmans, Rochester Institute of technology, Catholic Charities, Pullman Universalist Church, Brockport First Presbyterian Community Garden, “accomplished gardeners,” Lift Bridge Book Store, Hospice, Boy Scouts, Christ Farm Market, G-O Ministry of Concern and several others.

Father Dick Csizmar, pastor of the Holy Family Parish, is pleased to see the pope lead on sustainability, and for the local churches to rally around the issue.

“With Pope Francis’ new encyclical Laudato Si’ evoking great discussion world-wide, it truly is a delight to see our pope addressing the issue of ‘our common home,’ our planet earth, and what we are called to do to make life more blessed for those around our globe today; for preparing for future generations to have opportunities to enjoy what God has placed in our hands; to help create a world where people truly work for the good of one another,” Csizmar said.

Sister Sharon Goodremote, an environmental educator in the Western New York Catholic Diocese, will be the featured speaker at 6:30 p.m. Goodremote is currently the chairowman of the Diocesan Care for Creation Committee whose “mission is to educate Catholics throughout the diocese about Catholic teaching on care for creation.

The committee’s focus is on sharing resources on Pope Francis’ encyclical and providing practical ways people to respond to the Church’s call to make care for creation not an Earth Day slogan, but something integral to our way of living.”

Bob Golden is co-organizer of the fair. He is pleased with the interest from so many exhibitors.

“I’m shocked,” he said. “We’d hoped for maybe six to 10 organizations who would display their sustainability efforts. We now have 22 exhibitors slated.”

Wegmans has provided a grant to help finance the event.

“Even though we’re frequent shoppers and fans of Wegmans, we were impressed by their commitment to sustainability,” Golden said. “Their initiatives in eliminating food waste, composting and using compost to generate electricity and recycling in many different ways have dramatically reduced what they send to landfills.”

There will be a roundtable discussion beginning at 8 p.m. that will include Sister Sharon Goodremote, Leonel Rosario (who also has worked as a farmworker), and Sheila Stone, who worked 20 years at Buffalo Catholic Charities and has been involved in Sacred Heart Center and Earth Heart.

The event is free and open to the public.

Erin Fuller

ALBION – Deputies and staff at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office are mourning the loss of Erin Fuller, a 16-year veteran of the department who died on Saturday.

“Deputy Fuller died tragically while off-duty on Saturday – September 12th and his death was investigated by the Town of Orchard Park Police Department in Erie County,” Sheriff Scott Hess said today in a statement. “The Sheriff’s Office was in close contact with the Orchard Park PD throughout that investigation and foul play has been ruled out.”

Prior to working as a deputy the past 16 years, Deputy Fuller had previous service in the United States Marine Corps. He was president of the 23-member Orleans County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, and also worked on the marine patrol.

“The sworn and civilian staff of the Sheriff’s Office is coping with this event and grief counseling is going to be made available to all,” Hess said.

File photo – Orleans County Deputy Sheriff Erin Fuller in May discusses staying safe this summer in and around water with local 6th graders at the “Water, boats and being safe” station at the annual Orleans County Conservation Field Days.

ALBION – The boards of directors for both The Arc of Orleans and Genesee ARC have voted for a merger of the two agencies that serve developmentally or intellectually disabled residents.

NYSARC, Inc., the non-profit organization that oversees the Genesee and Orleans chapters, will monitor and guide the voluntary unification process, which should be completed in 2016. Combined, the agencies serve over 1,200 individuals with disabilities.

Donna Saskowski, longtime executive director of the Genesee ARC, has also been overseeing the Orleans chapter since April.

“For months we have been meeting to discuss how we can collaborate and share services,” Saskowski said. “This was the next logical step.”

John Huber, president of The Arc of Orleans, said the merger is a progressive move that will expand opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in both counties.

“Our new dream is to adapt to the changing horizon while providing expanded services to the people we serve,” Huber said.

Candie Pocock is president of the Genesee ARC. She echoed Huber’s comments.

“What’s important for families, staff and individuals in both chapters to understand is that programs and services will continue in each county, and now have the opportunity to grow,” she said.

Each board recognizes the similarities between their respective counties, Saskowski said.

“We are rural, neighboring, agricultural communities, roughly the same size in area and among New York’s smallest in terms of population,” Saskowski said. “Looking ahead, we feel our similar cultures will allow for a smooth transition.”

In a joint statement the chapters’ executive boards said the merger will approve the financial health of the organization.

“We are choosing to unify in order to effectively address the financial challenges resulting from current NYS Medicaid transformational reform initiatives.”

Genesee ARC was founded in 1966 and will be marking its 50th anniversary next year. The Arc of Orleans was founded in 1970 and is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2015.

“This is a strong statement in support of the people we serve and all of our staff,” Saskowski said about the decision to merge. “The Orleans and Genesee Chapters have nearly 100 years of experience serving people with disabilities in our two counties. This vast experience will position us well going forward.”

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Jodi Genno, a member of the Albion Fire Department, salutes the American flag during a memorial ceremony today outside the Elks Lodge on the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when nearly 3,000 people were killed.

About 100 people attended a 10 a.m. memorial service today at the Elks. There will also be a 6 p.m. candlelight vigil by the Orleans County Courthouse.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley carries the American flag during the ceremony at the Elks. State Sen. Robert Ortt, back right, also attended and spoke at the service.

Hawley said the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks would unite Americans in grief and also in resolve. He praised the many first responders who heeded the call when the buildings were struck and the hijacked airplanes crashed.

Soldiers and their families continue to sacrifice as the war on terror continues, now longer than World War I, World War II and the Korean War, combined, Hawley said.

Albion firefighter Tim Irwin placed this helmet and lighted this candle during today’s service.

State Sen. Robert Ortt said he was 22 and a senior at Canisius College when the U.S. was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001.

Ortt would join the National Guard and would be deployed to Afghanistan. He said the terrorists may have knocked down two skyscrapers but they haven’t dented the courage and character of the country.

“We have a generation of Americans who are willing to raise their hand and charge into a burning building and wear the uniform,” Ortt said.

County Legislator Lynne Johnson speaks about the response from Americans following the Sept. 11 attacks, when first responders rushed to the scene of the attacks and other Americans throughout the country lined up to give blood. (Larry Montello, the memorial service organizer, is in back of Johnson.)

“The lessons of this event is not the mystery of evil, but about our need for each other and a never-ending reminder to our future generations who must stand firm against terrorism,” Johnson said.

She recalled the many American flags hanging from nearly every house.

“A tragedy like this could have torn our country apart but instead it has made us stronger,” she said.

Larry Montello addressed the crowd at the Elks. Today’s service honored firefighters, police officers, paramedics, soldiers, K-9s and citizens who died in the attacks.

Montello organizes the event to honor the memory of those lost, and to also recognize the service of first responders.

The service today included raising a memorial flag in honor of the victims in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Legislator Don Allport helped raise the flag. He said the country needs to stay strong in fighting terrorists.

“We need the patriotism shown after 9-11,” Allport said. “We need to put aside our petty differences.”

Allport also read a proclamation from Gov. Cuomo, who declared today “A Day of Remembrance and Reflection.” Cuomo, in the proclamation, said Americans rushed the need to New York City after Trade Center towers were taken down.

“All New Yorkers remain indebted to our fellow citizens and people worldwide who exemplified the limitless capacity of the human heart to give through extraordinary displays of comfort and support, and through countless acts of compassion and kindness during one of the most trying times in our state and nation’s history,” the governor wrote in the proclamation.

Several firefighters and police officers attended the service today in Albion.

State responds to Orleans Hub article about county reaching deal to collect TV’s and other e-waste

Statement from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

ALBANY – The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation would like to provide information and address the inaccuracies regarding the NYS Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act (Act) which appeared in the Orleans Hub article entitled “County approves deal to collect TV’s and other e-waste” dated August 27, 2015. (Click here to see that article.)

Since the Act was implemented in 2011, NYS consumers have the opportunity to recycle a wide variety of electronic waste (e-waste), such as computers, computer peripherals, televisions, small scale servers and other small electronic equipment in an environmentally responsible manner, through the use of manufacturers’ e-waste acceptance programs.

In fact, from 2011 through 2014 over 350,000 pounds of e-waste has been collected across the state for recycling/reuse.

Under the Act, manufacturers of covered electronic equipment (CEE) are required to provide free and convenient recycling of e-waste to consumers across the state. The Act allows manufacturers to utilize a variety of methods to accept e-waste from consumers (i.e. collection sites, events, mail back programs, etc.), which means there may not be a physical e-waste drop-off location available to all consumers.

In accordance with the Act, manufacturers are required to run a year-round, continuous e-waste acceptance program and are required to collect a minimum weight of e-waste based upon their market share. There is no limit to the amount of e-waste a manufacturer or their affiliated recycling partners may accept. The state has not “capped the amount of discarded material companies have to accept each year” as stated in the article.

Consumers wanting further information on how to properly recycle their e-waste should visit DEC’s webpage for consumers by clicking here.

Also available on DEC’s website is a listing of registered electronic waste collection site locations sorted by county. Click here to see the list.

Illegal dumping of e-waste should be reported to local authorities. The Department will pursue enforcement action when necessary. Any questions regarding the Act or how to properly recycle e-waste should be directed to DEC’s E-waste Team at: ewaste@dec.ny.gov or 518-402-8706.

The county-wide vote totals for Randy Bower and Tom Drennan were nearly the same out of 3,149 votes, with Bower holding a slight 27-vote edge in the race to be the next Orleans County sheriff.

However, some towns strongly favored Drennan while Bower collected an overwhelming majority in others. Some towns were almost a 50-50 split in the Republican vote.

Here is the voter breakdown in each of the 10 towns:

Source: Orleans County Board of Elections

Bower is a public safety dispatcher who lives just outside the Village of Holley in Murray. His 146-vote lead in Murray was the biggest difference in any of the 10 towns.

However, Drennan was the most dominant in any town with his showing in Kendall, his hometown. Drennan, the chief deputy in the Sheriff’s Office, won 74.3 percent or 168 of the 226 votes in Kendall.

In Murray, Bower won 70.5 percent of the vote. Bower had his second strongest showing in Clarendon, where he won 62.8 percent of the vote.

Both Bower and Drennan are from the eastern end of Orleans County. Drennan dominated Kendall, and Bower had big leads in Murray and Clarendon.

The central towns of Albion, Barre, Gaines and Carlton were all close.

Drennan was stronger than Bower in the west end, mainly due to a big showing in Shelby, where he got 60 percent of the vote. Yates and Ridgeway were almost evenly split.

The county Board of Elections has 233 absentee ballots out in the race and had received 157 by Thursday. The ballots will be counted Tuesday at 9 a.m., although more could come in by a Thursday deadline. The final results need to be certified on Friday, Sept. 18.

If you’re wondering about voter turnout for the Primary, it was 31.4 percent or 3,157 votes out of the 10,037 registered Republicans. That vote total includes eight write-ins.

Bower has slight lead; Absentees will be counted Tuesday

Too close to call. After more than 3,000 Republicans voted in a primary today for sheriff, neither Randy Bower or Tom Drennan can claim victory.

Bower received 1,588 votes for a slight lead over Drennan with 1,561.

The Board of Elections reported it sent out 233 absentee ballots, with 157 returned. Election Commissioner Dennis Piedimonte said he expects some more will come in the next few days. The absentees will be opened at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Regardless who wins the primary, both candidates will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. Bower, a dispatcher the past 29 years, has been endorsed by the Conservative Party. Drennan, the chief deputy in the Sheriff’s Office, has the Independence and Reform Party lines.

Former Medina police investigator Don Organisciak has the Democratic Party backing, making it a three-man race to succeed Scott Hess, who is retiring as sheriff on Dec. 31.

In Yates, town supervisor race will go to absentees

Some candidates who forced primaries today were able to pull off upsets, defeating the endorsed Republicans.

In Albion, highway department employee Michael Neidert won the primary over incumbent Highway Superintendent Jed Standish and another challenger, Chris Kinter. Neidert received 256 votes, to 168 for Standish and 94 for Kinter.

In Barre, the Republican Committee endorsed Bert Mathes for highway superintendent to succeed the retiring Dale Ostroski. But Dale Brooks, the current DPW superintendent for the Village of Albion, won the primary with 118 votes compared to 74 for Mathes.

Two other incumbent highway superintendents claimed victories today.

Mike Fuller won in Shelby over Ed Houseknecht, the former Medina DPW superintendent and Orleans County highway chief. Fuller was backed by 243 voters, compared to 172 for Houseknecht.

In Clarendon, incumbent Larry Swanger faced three challengers. He received 153 votes, compared to 88 for Tracy Bruce Chalker, 46 for Craig Nicosia, and 39 for Frederick Seeman III.

In Yates, the race for town supervisor will go to the absentee ballots, which will be counted on Tuesday at 9 a.m. Incumbent John Belson holds a slim lead over challenger Jim Simon, 145-139.

In a three-person battle for two Yates Town Board seats, incumbent Wes Bradley received the most votes with 177 while another endorsed candidate, John Riggi, received 163. Political newcomer Valerie Pratt, who forced a primary, came in third with 122 votes.

Simon, Riggi and Pratt campaigned together in opposition to a proposed wind turbine project in Yates and Somerset.

The other primary race included three people running for two spots on the Carlton Town Board. John Fitzak and incumbent Dana Woolston were the winners. Fitzak had the most votes, 192, followed by Woolston with 165 and Frank Lauta with 118.

Photos courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES – Building Trades teacher Anthony Molinaro, left, speaks with NYS Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, as part of a tour that also included Niagara Career and Technical Education Center Principal Anedda Trautman and Orleans/Niagara BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Clark Godshall.

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

SANBORN – After visiting schools in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Sweet Home school districts, New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia made her final stop on Wednesday at Orleans/Niagara BOCES’ Niagara Career and Technical Education Center.

Dr. Clark Godshall, superintendent of Orleans/Niagara BOCES, invited Elia and representatives from the component districts in Orleans and Niagara counties to visit the center to give the commissioner a chance to address issues facing administrators and teachers in education.

She talked to the audience about teacher evaluations, the Common Core, state standardized testing and then answered questions from the audience members.

Dr. Clark Godshall is pictured with Commissioner Elia and Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education member Edward Grabowski, who represents the Medina school district.

Elia also had a chance to tour the career and technical education center and talk to teachers and students about the benefits of career and technical education.

One Building Trades students shared that even though she was planning on going to college, she wanted the skills so that she could work construction in the summer months to make money to help her pay for tuition. Commissioner Elia told her it was a wise choice to learn a skill and shared with the teachers her own experiences as an educator.

Dr. Godshall said that the commissioner shared with him how impressed she was with the programs and the success rate of the students.

“She was invigorated with her discussions with the staff, students and the component districts and enjoyed her interaction with them,” Godshall said. “We appreciate the time she spent with us.”

Computer Technology teacher Joe DeMerle, next to Niagara Career and Technical Education Principal Anedda Trautman, talks to Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, as part of a tour with Director of Career and Technical Education Joseph Steinmetz and Orleans/Niagara BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Clark Godshall.

Photo by Tom Rivers – An Albion school bus turns from Platt Street onto East Park Street this morning on the first day of the 2015-16 school year for Albion Central School.

Press Release
Sheriff Scott Hess

Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess wants to remind everyone that all area schools are back in session following the summer recess. School buses are back on our roadways, and students will be walking along streets and highways and/or waiting for their buses.

“This is the time of year when we ask motorists to be especially watchful in residential areas, along school bus routes, and in school zones,” Hess said. “Children and traffic are often a deadly combination because kids often make impulsive decisions that can result in grave consequences. Drivers must never assume that children walking to or from school will make responsible, mature decisions.”

The NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee recommends the following:

Please watch carefully for children near school buildings, in areas where school buses are traveling, or where there are signs for school zones or bus stops.

Motorists please remember that if you are approaching a school bus from either direction, and its yellow lights are flashing, the bus is preparing to stop.

If the red lights are flashing on the school bus YOU MUST STOP! It’s the law and the penalty for violating it is severe.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office wishes everyone a safe return to school and continued safety throughout the school year!

File photos by Tom Rivers  – This 9-11 flag was raised outside the Elks Lodge on West State Street after a memorial service this morning in Albion.

ALBION – Friday will mark 14 years since terrorists attacked the United States, claiming nearly 3,000 lives when they crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania.

Larry Montello, a leader in the American Legion locally, has been planning Sept. 11 memorial services in Orleans County since 2005.

“Everybody is getting relaxed and forgetting about what happened that day,” Montello said. “It’s part of history.”

He will lead a service at 10 a.m. Friday at the Elks Club on West State Street in Albion. Congressman Chris Collins, State Sen. Robert Ortt, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and County Legislator Don Allport are expected to attend and speak at the event.

Orleans County Legislator Don Allport, left, teams with State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Larry Montello, a leader with the American Legion, in raising the 9-11 flag.

Police officers, firefighters and paramedics also will attend and light candles in memory of 343 firefighters and 60 police officers who were killed in the attacks.

There also will be a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m. Friday by the courthouse. The ladder trucks from the Albion and Medina fire departments will hold a giant American flag as part of the vigil.

Montello and supporters of the event had a spaghetti dinner about a month ago to raise money for wreaths for the ceremony, and small flags to be handed out at the vigil.

Montello said the community is welcome to attend the memorial service and vigil.