Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – There are 30-plus vendors at the Home and Garden Show this weekend at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville. The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce organizes the annual event.

In the top photo, Chamber Executive Director Kathy Blackburn, left, greets a woman attending the show on Saturday. Blackburn is joined in the Chamber welcome booth by administrative assistant Samantha Roskowski, center, and board member Greg Piedmonte.

Cindy Smith, right, of Batavia eyes the wine choices by Vizcarra Vineyards at Becker Farms in Gasport. Mindy Vizcarra, left, served up wine tastings throughout the day.

David Sevenski, a real estate agent at Zambito Realtors, is among the vendors at the Home and Garden Show, which continues today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

4-H members, including Natalie Mrzywka of Holley, have hot dogs and hamburgers for sale.

ALBION – James DeFilipps, the Orleans County deputy who was shot twice on March 21, is recovering from his injuries and is expected to return to work “in probably a few more weeks,” said Chief Deputy Tom Drennan.

DeFilipps was wearing a bullet-proof vest when he was shot twice in the abdomen. That vest may have saved his life. DeFilipps still suffered deep bruises from the gun shots.

He has undergone a stress debriefing and remains in good spirits, Drennan said.

DeFilipps was working the east end of the county when he was in a shootout at about 3 a.m. on March 21 with James Ellis.

Ellis lived in Wyoming County. He allegedly pulled a handgun on an ex-girlfriend in Shelby. Ellis was then chased by law enforcement before crashing his vehicle into a telephone pole on Route 31A in Clarendon.

Police say Ellis open fired on responding officers, including DeFilipps. After DeFilipps was shot twice, he fired at Ellis, killing him.

Drennan said evidence from the incident will be presented to a grand jury soon and he expects DeFilipps will be found 100 percent justified in the shooting.

School leaders acknowledge controversy, say ‘Common Core’ tests provide important data

Photo by Tom Rivers – Michael Bonnewell, Albion Central School superintendent, speaks at the Albion Rotary Club on Thursday. He said student standardized test scores count too much on teacher evaluations.

Local school superintendents are urging parents to have their children take standardized tests that begin next week – and not join the “opt out” movement.

The tests provide important benchmarks for measuring student and grade level progress, school leaders said.

They acknowledge the controversy with high-stakes tests, and the state’s push to make the tests count 50 percent of a teacher’s evaluation.

“While I respect a parent’s right to make decisions that they believe to be in the best interest of their child, the district is without authority to excuse a student from this state requirement,” said Robert D’Angelo, superintendent of Holley Central School.

There is no “opt out” option for students in grades 3 to 8 to miss the tests, superintendents said. Parents can have their children “refuse” the test and they will likely remain in the testing room, quietly reading.

The districts could face negative consequences, including reduced federal aid and more expenses, if they don’t have 95 percent or more of their students take the tests, said Julie Christensen, Kendall Central School superintendent.

If there is a drop in student participation on test days, it will be reflected in the district’s overall report card.

“As a district, our State School Report Card will reflect a decreased rate of student performance and possibly a designation of not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress for student participation (95%) and schools could become a District in Need of Improvement,” she said in an email. “Lastly, we understand we will lose funding if we don’t meet AYP and the consequences as being a School in Need of Improvement could become costly.”

Jeff Evoy, the Medina Central School superintendent, said Medina needs at least a 95 percent participation rate or it could be required to submit a plan for increased student participation and face other penalties.

The state’s teacher evaluation rates teachers as either highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.

If a teacher was rated less than effective for two years, districts had the option of holding a hearing to dismiss the tenured teacher. If teachers are rated ineffective for three years, districts must now move to dismiss that teacher.

“I read that and my blood was boiling,” Michael Bonnewell, Albion school superintendent, told the Albion Rotary Club on Thursday.

He said the teacher evaluation law has taken some of the local control from districts.

“New York State shouldn’t tell us which teachers to hire and fire,” he said.

He also doesn’t support having so much of a teacher’s evaluation based on the standardized tests.

However, Bonnewell wants to see students take the tests. If 5 percent or more refuse, the district could lose some federal funding.

Refusing the tests poses a challenge for teacher evaluation scores, as well as the district, Christensen said.

“Currently, a portion of a teacher’s score is based upon growth shown on student exams,” she said. “Depending upon the number of students in a given classroom if the student participation is reduced, the growth value of each remaining student is actually increased.”

D’Angelo, the Holley superintendent, sees positives with Common Core in the district’s curriculum, for raising the rigor in the classroom. But he acknowledges the controversy in using the tests for evaluating students and teachers.

“It is the assessment piece that I personally believe to be what parents find objectionable and hopefully very soon everyone can come to an agreement on assessments,” he said.

Jason Smith, superintendent at Lyndonville Central School, said parents have valid concerns in the pressure the tests put on children, families and faculty.

“Learning is measured and demonstrated in so many ways and it is dangerous to overemphasize one test in Math and ELA,” Smith said in a letter to district residents.

However, Smith said the district supports the tests as a way to identify groups of students that may not be doing as well as their peers and school programs that may need additional attention when compared to others.

“The state assessments also allow us to benchmark our instructional programs against other districts from across New York State,” Smith said in his letter. “Without these data points, we lack a context to ensure that we are providing your children with the best possible education.”

The teacher evaluation standards were just changed in the new state budget and Gov. Cuomo wants to make the tests count for 50 percent of a teacher’s grade, up from the 20 percent placed on the test results.

The New York State United Teachers said changes in teacher evaluation and tenure laws are a “sham” and disgrace.

“NYSUT rejects this evaluation system,” the United Teachers said on March 31, when the budget was passed. “It is an unworkable, convoluted plan that undermines local control, disrespects principals and school administrators, guts collective bargaining and further feeds the testing beast. It does nothing to help students and will do nothing to foster the professional dialogue and collaboration that is essential to helping New York’s already strong teaching force become stronger. Ironically, this will only make it harder for school districts in impoverished communities to attract and retain the excellent teachers that students need and deserve.”

Testing has been in place in public schools in New York State since 1865, said Christensen, the Kendall superintendent. The original intent was to assess students for high school entrance and end-of course completion, she said.

“In 1966, we assessed students in grades 3, 6 and 9 on the Pupil Evaluation Program tests,” Christensen. “In 2006, students in grades 3-8 began yearly assessments in ELA and Math to gather data so teachers could provide specific interventions and instruction based upon student needs.”

The current state assessments are meant to measure growth in learning, she said.

“Some of the tests are new in their implementation, taking these will provide an opportunity for our students to become familiar with an increased level of rigor,” Christensen said.

Some teachers are outspoken against the tests, even urging parents to have their children refuse them.

“We have received messages from the state indicating possible repercussions to educators, up to and including loss of certification, if they are believed to have fostered civil disobedience and the opt out movement,” Christensen said. “Kendall Schools employ fantastic teachers that provide quality educational services to our children, the student results on the NYS assessments have demonstrated our teachers proficiency over the years.”

The tests will be given from April 14-16 and April 22-24.

“Our goal is not to incite anxiety in your child, but rather, instill an overall disposition of perseverance and confidence to tackle tasks that may be challenging,” Smith, the Lyndonville superintendent, said in a letter to parents. “These, we believe, are the lifelong lessons that can be learned from this assessment event. We believe that it is best to help students understand that although tests are an important challenge to be aware of, they are meant to be an opportunity to show others their personal best.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

The area has been hit with hard winds today, with some gusts up to 50 to 60 miles per hour.

Those winds have knocked down some trees and taken wires off poles. The top photo shows a telephone pole that tipped along Route 31 near Densmore Road in Albion.

The winds seemed to pick up around 3 p.m., Orleans County dispatch said. There was a partial barn roof collapse in Clarendon on Holley-Byron Road at about that time.

Some wires were also knocked down on East Barre Road in Barre, South Gravel Road in Shelby and Eagle Harbor Road in Gaines.

The wind was going so hard this flag was blowing upwards. The flag is at the Albion Sportsmen’s Association on Keitel Road in Albion. The canal bridge is in the background.

This photo shows a barn on Transit Road in Albion near a corn field.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced more than $233 million in federal grants that will support counterterrorism and emergency preparedness activities in counties and urban areas across New York State, including a $105,000 grant for Orleans County.

The funding, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its Homeland Security Grant Program, supports regional preparedness efforts, including planning, organization, and training activities that are critical to sustaining and improving community prevention, protection, response, and recovery capabilities.

“New York continues to be a target for terrorism, and we must ensure there is adequate funding to prepare, plan and prevent,” Cuomo said. “This funding will help defend the state against those who wish to do harm and will support our first responders who are called upon when emergency strikes. Keeping New Yorkers safe is the top priority, and through these programs and exercises we will continue to work toward this goal.”

The homeland security grants support exercises and training for first responders, equipment purchases, and other capabilities essential to keeping New Yorkers safe. Federal guidelines require that 25 percent of each county’s total award be directed toward law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.

Priority projects include efforts that build upon Cuomo’s Citizen Preparedness Program, development of effective cyber security programs and policies, and continued coordination of emergency management planning efforts.

The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is also advancing regional partnerships and enhancing information sharing among law enforcement. The agency provides guidance and support to counties, which must submit detailed project plans in order to receive reimbursement-based grant contracts.

Key programs and grant amounts include:

The Urban Areas Security Initiative, which is providing nearly $181 million in funding to critical anti-terrorism programs in the New York City urban area, which includes New York City, the City of Yonkers, Westchester County, Nassau County, and Suffolk County.

The State Homeland Security Program, which is providing more than $52 million in funding to counties across the state and to New York City to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic disasters.

The Western NY region also received a $2,322,953 grant.

Jared Forsyth

ALBION – A police officer in Florida who died in a tragic accident on Monday worked nearly three years as a corrections officer at the Orleans County Jail.

That part-time job, often on the night shift, helped Jared Forsyth pursue his dream of becoming a police officer.

“He was friends with a lot of the staff and stayed in touch with them,” said Scott Wilson, superintendent of the jail.

The jail staff is in mourning after learning that Forsyth, 33, was killed Monday during a firearms training exercise in Ocala, Fla. Forsyth worked three years as a patrolman for the City of Ocala.

He was killed when another officer’s gun discharged as it was being unloaded at the end of the training session, The Buffalo News reported. The bullet ricocheted off a bench, went through Forsyth’s arm, damaged his lung and severed his aorta, according to the newspaper.

Forsyth was wearing a bulletproof vest, but there is no protective material under the arms, Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham told local reporters.

Forsyth, a Lockport native, worked at the county jail in Albion from December 2007 to September 2010.

“A lot of younger guys start here,” Wilson said. “It’s a foot in the door to a career in law enforcement.”

Wilson was lieutenant of the jail during that time and he sometimes worked the same shift with Forsyth.

“He was a dedicated employee who did a good job,” Wilson said. “There were never any discipline issues or complaints.”

Forsyth had a friendly demeanor and got along well with the other staff and the inmates, Wilson said.

The union representing the corrections officers plans to send a memorial in honor of Forsyth to his family.

File photo by Tom Rivers – Firefighters work to put out a fire in a garage on Fancher Road in Clarendon on March 23.

Some local fire departments will participate in open houses on April 25-26, part of the fifth annual Recruit NY state-wide initiative to draw more volunteers to fire departments.

“There is a great demand for firefighters and EMS personnel throughout the state, but even more so in our local area,” said Gary S. Sicurella, president of the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company. “This event is to help bring this issue to the public as well as possibly increase our recruiting base.”

FHM, Carlton and Kendall departments have committed to the events.

Sicurella said local departments need more active members to provide the optimum level of protection for residents.

At the open houses, community members can tour the fire houses and apparatus, and learn about the commitment needed to help the fire department. Visitors also can try on firefighter gear and see demonstrations. FHM will have a children’s corner with kids’ activities.

FHM has set its open house for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 25 and noon to 4 p.m. on April 26 at the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company, located at 3353 Hulberton Rd., Holley. FHM may also have Mercy Flight visit on Sunday.

Carlton will have an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 25 at the Fire Hall at 13504 Waterport/Carlton Rd.

Kendall will have its open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 25 at its fire hall on Kendall Road. That will include a child seat inspection by Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.

KNOWLESVILLE – Now that winter is in the rearview mirror, residents may be looking to work on their houses and properties. This weekend they can connect with professionals at the annual Home & Garden Show.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the event at the 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $1.

Several new vendors have already signed up for the event. There will be more vendors specializing in home décor for this Home & Garden Show, said Samantha Roskowski, administrative assistant for the Chamber.

There will also be a wine-tasting on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and a chance to win a $1,500 landscaping package.

“It’s a nice opportunity to see what’s available in the area and the surrounding area,” Roskowski said.

There is still time for additional vendors to be a part of the Home & Garden Show. For more information, call the Chamber at (585) 589-7727 or click here.

ALBION – The state Department of Labor is offering more resources to Orleans County, which is among the 10 counties in New York with the highest unemployment rates.

Those 10 counties are part of an “Unemployment Strikeforce” that will offer more job training assistance and tax credits for businesses that add employees. Those incentives helped bring down unemployment in the Bronx, and that success has prompted Gov. Cuomo and the state to expand the program to 10 counties.

Orleans is the only one in the Finger Lakes Region. Other “Strikeforce” counties include the Bronx, Jefferson, Lewis, Kings, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Montgomery, Franklin and Steuben.

“Our department is focused like a laser on Orleans County,” Joe Hamm, DOL regional director, told the Orleans County Legislature. “The focus will be to connect people to work and drive down the (unemployment) rate.”

Eligible businesses could receive tax credits for up to $7,900 per employee they hire, with a cap of $100,000 in incentives per business.

Hamm said there will be funding for classroom and apprenticeship training for residents looking to improve their job skills.

The state has made $5.4 million available to help businesses in the 10 counties with training so they are hire formerly unemployed individuals.

“Access to a well-trained workforce is critical for the private sector to grow and create jobs,” Governor Cuomo said in February, when he announced the expanded program for the 10 counties. “With this funding, we’re encouraging businesses in some of the most economically distressed parts of the state to invest in their workforce and help formerly unemployed New Yorkers get back to work. This is another way that we’re working to increase employment and bring new opportunities to communities across New York State.”

This $5.4 million is available to businesses looking to expand their workforce and can be used for On-the-Job, Apprenticeship or Customized training, depending on the individual needs of the employer. The Governor’s Unemployment Strikeforce has staff who will work with all interested parties to develop programs best suited to their business and secure all funding and other incentives for which that business is eligible.

Orleans County’s unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in February, above the state average of 6.4 percent and the national average of 5.8 percent.

For more information on the “Strikeforce,” visit labor.ny.gov.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion head coach Brennan Meakin is hugged by assistant coach Tim Archer as the players run out on to the court to celebrate a 65-57 win over Maryvale on March 7, giving the Albion boys basketball team its first Sectional title in 43 years. Orleans Hub has been busy covering the community since the site went live on April 2, 2013.

ALBION – Two years ago Orleans Hub started as an on-line news site, committed to covering Orleans County, highlighting successes and challenges in the community.

The site continues to grow, adding readers and advertisers. (We set a new record in March with a daily average of 7,000 unique visitors, up from the 6,780-average in February.)

Last year, we had 6.1 million pageviews, up from the 2.8 million in the first year. We posted 2,265 news articles between April 2, 2014 and April 1, 2015, and 1,135 sports articles during that time frame.

We also posted 6,400 photos, 90 letters to the editor, and lots of other community news, including obituaries, police blotter and local achievers. We have 7,800 followers on social media.

The Orleans Hub operates under Lake Country Media, which also owns the Lake Country Pennysaver. Karen Sawicz is the publisher of the Pennysaver and Orleans Hub.

The following were named Orleans Hub’s Outstanding Citizens for 2014. The group includes, front row, from left: Melissa Ierlan of Clarendon, president of the Clarendon Historical Society; State Assemblyman Steve Hawley; and Jim Hancock, Parade of Lights organizer in Medina. Back row: Erik and Marlene Seielstad, leaders of the 4-H Robotics and Legos program; Kim Corcoran, leader of the Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies; Al Capurso, pioneer enthusiast; and Bilal Huzair, leader of a food dispersal program in Medina.

We’ve tried to report the news and offer some commentary on local issues. We are pleased one of the Hub editorials – pressing local governments to seek more Aid and Incentives to Municipalities – has been formally endorsed by many of the local villages, towns and the County Legislature. They have passed resolutions for the state to provide a fair funding formula for AIM.

Hub readers can expect this site to continue to push that issue and many others in a county where residents pay some of the highest taxes in the country as a percentage of home values. We also continue to rank near the bottom in the state in visitor spending and sales tax per capita (We need to shop locally). Our health statistics are among the worst in the state, and we have high concentrations of poverty, especially in the villages.

We will continue to highlight these challenges, and also feature the many positives of the community, mainly the residents who are committed to solving some of these problems and who contribute in other ways to building a stronger community.

It was an honor to have a recognition ceremony on Feb. 4 when we presented “Person of the Year” awards to local volunteer firefighters. We also honored “Outstanding Citizens,” a tradition we hope to continue for years to come.

Closing of Brown’s Berry Patch’s retail operation is most viewed

Photo by Tom Rivers – Brown’s Berry Patch announced on March 3 it would close its retail operation, a popular site along Route 18 in Carlton for about three decades.

ALBION – The top story in Orleans Hub’s second year was about a farm shutting down its retail operation. Brown’s Berry Patch announced on March 3 it would close its ice cream stand, gift shop and popular playground.

The story went viral on social media across Western New York. It was the most viewed story in Orleans Hub’s second year with 23,585 “clicks.” That popularity is indicative of Brown’s Berry Patch’s reach in the region. The site on Route 18 in Waterport has won numerous awards as an agri-tourism draw.

Bob and Deborah Brown are retiring from the business. The Browns will continue the fruit farm that has been in the family for more than 200 years.

Only one other time has Orleans Hub had a story break the 10,000 mark. “A love story until the very end” also topped 10,000 clicks and was a world-wide phenomenon. The story featured Ed and Floreen Hale and their 60-year marriage. That story on Feb. 16, 2014 had to be taken off our server because it was so popular and kept crashing our system.

Here are the top 10 stories in Orleans Hub’s second year:

1. Brown’s Berry Patch will close retail operation

2. Father of 12 leaves legacy of love in Medina

3. Crooked Door closes in Albion

4. Firefighters battle to put out blaze in Carlton

5. Friends raise funds for funeral of 22-year-old Albion man

6. Man arrested after manhunt in Holley

7. Teen dies in apparent accidental shooting

8. Bear is spotted in Kendall

9. Albion doctor has license revoked

10. Doctor says billing irregularities at Medina hospital

ALBION – Two long-time employees at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department are vying to be the next sheriff.

Scott Hess, Orleans County’s sheriff for nearly 12 years, will retire after Dec. 31, ending a 31-year career in law enforcement.

Chief Deputy Tom Drennan and Randy Bower, a public safety dispatcher, are both meeting with Town Republican Committees around the county, seeking their support for their campaigns. The full county GOP Committee will meet on May 7 to make an endorsement.

The sheriff oversees the criminal investigations, the road patrol, marine patrol, jail, dispatch, animal control and a civil division. There are about 100 employees in the Sheriff’s Department.

ALBION – The Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance is very supportive of Governor Cuomo’s $500 million initiative to bring broadband access to the entire state.

This is a problem that both of the counties have been working diligently on for the past three years, said Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson, who is the lead county representative on the alliance.

Presently, both Niagara and Orleans counties have approximately 50 percent broadband coverage, NORA officials said.

Recognizing that the lack of broadband availability hampers business and educational development, NORA has taken the initiative to survey broadband coverage and identify vertical assets as first steps in bringing countywide broadband to the area.

Orleans County representatives were heartened with the visit of David Salway, director of the NYS Broadband Program Office, to the county last week, said David Callard, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.

At that conference Salway heard the need for expanded coverage for rural businesses and residents.

In June, Johnson and Callard will be attending a broadband conference in Albany along with Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Lyndonville Central School campus is pictured last week by the waterfalls near Route 63.

The numbers are in and they look good for local school districts. The state budget would give the five local school districts about $3 million more in operating aid, a 4.3 percent increase.

State-wide, the governor and legislative leaders agreed to 6.1 percent increase or $1.4 billion more to $23.5 billion in education aid.

The five local districts would get a combined $71,673,201 in operating aid, a $2,942,582 increase.

School leaders throughout the state have been waiting the past 10 weeks for school aid numbers. The governor typically includes those in the January budget proposal. State legislative leaders have historically bumped up the numbers from the governor.

Local school districts were penciling in 0 percent increases as part of their budget preparations. Local school budgets will be finalized in April, with the plans going before voters on May 19.

The districts in Orleans County all will see boosts in aid.

Here is a breakdown of the state aid for local school districts:

 
Source: NYS Division of the Budget

Medina would see about a half-million dollar increase in operating aid.

“We are pleased with the projection of state aid as we used very conservative estimates trying to plan for unknown revenue streams,” said Jeff Evoy, superintendent of Medina Central School.

The $337,220 increase for Lyndonville is good news, said Jason Smith, district superintendent.

“The district is pleased to see the state reduce the Gap Elimination Adjustment, and we are also pleased with our state aid increase,” Smith said. “We will work with our Board of Education to utilize this increase to reduce our reliance on reserves and explore ways to enhance our academic programs.”

An issue to be resolved in Albany is Cuomo’s controversial push to link the aid to revamped teacher evaluations. The governor wants 50 percent of a teacher’s evaluation to be tied to student performance on standardized tests. Right now, 20 percent of a teacher’s evaluation is reflected in those test scores.

“I have some serious concerns with the proposed changes to the teacher evaluation system, specifically forcing districts to negotiate an agreement in order to receive additional state aid increases,” Smith said. “This has been tried before, and was not successful.”

Robert Reidy Jr., executive director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents and Timothy Kremer, executive director of the New York State School Boards Association, issued a joint statement about the new teacher evaluation law within the New York State Budget.

“The well-known definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” the two said. “Since 2010, legislation to change the teacher evaluation system in New York has been passed three times. The proposals currently under consideration as a part of state budget negotiation will be the fourth attempt in five years.”

Reidy and Kremer said the governor forced new teacher evaluation protocol during the budget deadline in 2012, and that led to deficiencies in the evaluation system the governor now opposes.

Reidy and Kremer also are critical of push to have independent evaluators, instead of school administrators, do the reviews for teachers.

“Introducing an unaffiliated ‘independent’ evaluator to this practice would undermine the one successful piece of the current evaluation law,” Reidy and Kremer said. “Together these proposals represent yet another costly unfunded mandate on local school districts, while jeopardizing their ability to access needed state aid.”

Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Laura McBride, author of “We Are Called To Rise,” led a book discussion about her novel tonight at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

McBride of Las Vegas wrote the 13th book to be featured as “A Tale for Three Counties,” a community reading project in Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties.

McBride led presentations on Thursday in Batavia at Genesee Community College and Richmond Memorial Library. She had lunch today with winners of a writing contest through The Daily News of Batavia.

She met with readers at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library for two hours today. On Saturday she will lead a discussion at 2 p.m. in Perry at the elementary-middle school auditorium.

Jan Albanese of Albion, left, gets her picture taken with Laura McBride.

“We Are Called To Rise” focuses on an immigrant boy whose family struggles to assimilate in Las Vegas. A woman wrestles with an imploding marriage and troubled son. A wounded soldier recovers from an injury.

The book was used in 18 classes at GCC.

The topics in the book – returning veterans and PTSD, domestic violence, refugee family adjustment, police brutality and child advocacy – may all sound grim, but McBride writes a story that is “remarkably tender, touching and ultimately optimistic and uplifting,” said Catherine Cooper, the director of the Medina library. She introduced McBride to about 75 people for tonight’s presentation.

McBride, a community college teacher, took a sabbatical to write the book. She wanted people to see beyond the stereotypes of Las Vegas as a gambling mecca and to see the shared humanity of people across different backgrounds and cultures.

She praised the “Tale” community for its hard work in organizing the reading initiative. Leslie DeLooze, a community services librarian at Richmond Memorial, is co-leader of the effort.

She said organizations, businesses and individual sponsors keep the program, which costs about $15,000, going strong. She was pleased to see the enthusiastic turnout so far for McBride. That includes about 125 people for each of her talks in Batavia, and then about 75 in Medina.

For more on the “Tale” program, click here.

About 75 people attended McBride’s discussion at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library tonight.