By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2020 at 4:31 pm
There has been another death from Covid-19 in Orleans County, bringing the total to 34 residents form the county who have passed away after contracting the coronavirus.
The latest death was a person who was a resident of the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. That nursing home has now had 7 deaths from Covid-19.
The county has two new cases of Covid-19, with one at Orchard, where 32 of its residents have now tested positive for Covid-19.
The other confirmed case reported today is an Albion resident, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported. The county has now had 211 positive cases of the coronavirus.
Of the two new cases reported today, one of the new positive cases is in the 40s and the other is in the 80s. None of the new positive cases were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
The Health Department is reporting two new recoveries, bringing that total to 72 in Orleans County.
There are 18 people from Orleans currently hospitalized with Covid-19.
Genesee County has two new positives, bring the total confirmed cases to 185. The two new cases are Batavia residents, with one less than age 20 and the other in the 50s.
One of the positive cases was not on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic, the Health Departments reported.
Two people from Genesee are currently hospitalized with Covid-19.
Click here to view an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.
The facility breakdown is only showing the total positive cases from those facilities from where there was a positive swab for Covid-19.
More information from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:
Governor Cuomo announced that gatherings of 10 or less are now permitted with social distancing and sanitization protocols in place. The executive order is only good for 30 days or unless it is extended. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20233-continuing-temporary-suspension-and-modification- laws-relating-disaster-emergency
• To file a complaint about a business, location or incident in your community you can call 1-833-789- 0470 or click here.
• Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting for Re-opening America: click here.
Although the State has issued a statement about campgrounds, they have not provided updated guidance for camping. The local health departments are in the process of communicating with local campgrounds with updated information.
A reminder that outdoor seating for restaurants is still prohibited according to the Governor’s Executive Order and Phase 1 and Phase 2 guidelines. Restaurants are to provide take-out or delivery only until Phase 3 or until the Governor states otherwise – https://forward.ny.gov/industries-reopening-phase.
As we get closer to the potential to advance to Phase 2 those businesses in that phase should be working on their plans to have them ready. Check daily for potential guidance. Click here for guidance and the business safety plan template.
Re-Opening Guidance: Links to assist businesses
Link to the NY Forward Reopening guide: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYForwardReopeningGuide.pd f
Masks/Face Coverings – Both counties are still low in supplies of masks. They are being distributed to high-risk agencies/businesses as prioritized and if there is a supply left over they will be distributed in an appropriate manner. County plans for releasing supplies to the public will be forthcoming as supplies become available. Additional information will be released by the respective County Emergency Management offices as appropriate.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued an Executive Order authorizing businesses to deny entry to individuals who do not wear masks or face-coverings.
“I’ve been working to communicate this message about masks and how effective they are. They are deceptively effective, they are amazingly effective. And we’ve made them mandatory in public settings, public transportation, et cetera,” Governor Cuomo said. “But when we’re talking about reopening stores and places of business, we’re giving the store owners the right to say, if you’re not wearing a mask, you can’t come in. That store owner has the right to protect themselves. That store owner has a right to protect the other patrons in that store. You don’t want to wear a mask, fine. But you don’t then have a right to then go into that store if that store owner doesn’t want you to.”
Governor Cuomo also announced a partnership with Rosie Perez and Chris Rock, who will help New York State build communication and education on the importance of wearing a mask and social distancing and the availability of testing and healthcare in the state.
The Governor also announced that New York State will distribute 1 million masks to New York City’s hardest-hit neighborhoods today. The state has already distributed more than 8 million masks across New York City, including to NYCHA developments, food banks, churches and homeless shelters.
New York State maintains a comprehensive testing network throughout the state, including more than 225 sites in New York City. New York’s extensive testing—the state currently conducts tens of thousands of tests per day—now allows the government to pinpoint the state’s hardest-hit neighborhoods for additional supplies and other aid.
The Governor also announced that the MTA will pilot the use of proven UV light technology to kill COVID-19 in subway cars and crew facilities. The MTA currently cleans and disinfects trains every day.
Finally, the Governor confirmed 1,768 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 366,733 confirmed cases in New York State.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2020 at 2:51 pm
KNOWLESVILLE – There will be 1,200 boxes of produce available to the community for free on Friday, with the distribution to start at 10 a.m. at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31.
People should enter the east gate on Wood Road. The Cornell Cooperative Extension will be distributing the pavilion where the stage is located, next to the main education enter.
“You will not need to leave your car, just pop open a door or trunk and we will be put your box inside,” said Robert Batt, executive director of the Extension.
Each box weighs about 20 pounds. The USDA farmers-to-families produce boxes are expected to include potatoes (1-5 pounds), oranges (1-4 pounds), apples (1-3 pounds), onions (1-3 pounds), green vegetables (1-3 pounds of broccoli, cabbage, green pepper, etc.), and carrots (1-2 pounds).
This is a first come, first served opportunity and there are no pre-orders or deliveries available. The boxes are targeted for Orleans County residents and isn’t limited to families with children.
Distribution will begin at 10 a.m. and will end when all 1,200 boxes have been handed out.
The address for the fairgrounds is 12690 Rt. 31 in Albion (near Knowlesville).
“We are grateful for this opportunity to support the community and is thankful to the United States Department of Agriculture and James Desiderio Inc. of Buffalo for helping make this food distribution possible,” Batt said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 28 May 2020 at 1:51 pm
Sherry Tuohey applies decals at the Methodist Church at the Grove to one of the 40 MAAC Christmas barrels, which have been redesigned in preparation for the Christmas season.
MEDINA – The MAAC Red Barrels, which have been a tradition for decades in Medina, will greet the holiday season this year with a new look.
Sherry Tuohey, who has headed the Red Barrel program for two years, thought it was time to update them and decided this summer was a perfect time to address the idea.
The Red Barrels are how MAAC collects toys and gifts to give to less fortunate families at Christmas time. The program evolved out of a toy drive started about 40 years ago by the Medina Fire Department. Every year, several dozen red barrels are placed at businesses, churches and the library in Medina by local firefighters, who still volunteer to distribute and collect the barrels.
Tuohey had received comments last year about the appearance of the barrels and expected some came back empty because businesses didn’t want to display them.
She brought the problem up at a MAAC committee meeting, saying she thought the barrels should be updated.
“We had noticed we were getting fewer and fewer donations and decided a change might be warranted,” Tuohey said. “We envisioned the barrels with a picture that would catch the attention of the public and encourage them to donate.”
So she contacted Ken Daluisio at the Print Shop, who agreed to work with her. They contacted Renee Vicknair Lama, a Medina native and graphic designer, with whom Daluisio has worked. Lama now lives in Hilton, where she and her husband George run RG Lama Studios. Lama has designed promotional material for many Medina area businesses.
Lama designed a series of designs which feature inspirational sayings and children with their holiday gifts. Daluisio then printed them on large decals.
In the meantime, Tuohey singlehandedly carried all the barrels, up from the basement of the United Methodist Church at the Grove in Medina. Church secretary Bonnie Sutch was able to obtain some extra barrels, bringing their total number to 40 from the previous 36.
Tuohey scrubbed and sanded them and repaired holes and rough spots. Then Daluisio showed her how to apply the decals by measuring the middle point, folding it over and peeling back half of it, in a process called the “hitch technique.” Then after smoothing the first half down, she peeled off the backing on the second half and smoothed that down. The result is new-looking barrels which convey the Christmas spirit.
Tuohey expects there may be many more families in need of assistance this Christmas and she hopes the new-looking barrels will encourage everyone to donate a toy, gift or cash. Every item dropped in a red barrel stays in the area to meet the needs of Medina families, she said.
“Working with Ken and Renee was a wonderful experience, and MAAC is so thankful small business owners in Medina support our Christmas Box Program, by allowing us to display barrels in their establishment,” Tuohey said.
Daluisio said he was happy to give MAAC a deal on the cost to promote this very worthwhile program.
LYNDONVILLE – The Town of Yates regrets to announce the cancellation of the 2020 Summer Recreation Program due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Town wants to thank the many supporters of this program, including the Village of Lyndonville, the Lyndonville Area Foundation, the Lyndonville Central School District and the United Way.
The Town looks forward to offering the program again in the Summer of 2021.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2020 at 10:19 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The courthouse dome was purple in this photo from Oct. 6, 2015 to highlight Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
ALBION – Orleans County would like to light up the county courthouse dome in the different school colors to celebrate the high school graduates of 2020.
Albion school officials asked that the dome be illumined in purple in honor of the graduating class. County officials want to honor that request and also would like to celebrate students from all five districts – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina.
John Papponetti, the DPW superintendent, is trying to get the colors to make it happen, county legislators said during their monthly meeting on Wednesday.
In other action on Wednesday, legislators presented several proclamations and special recognition awards including:
• Recognizing National Police Week in Orleans County
National Police Week is set aside to honor America’s law enforcement community for their hard work and dedication in protecting and serving their local communities. The Orleans County Legislature recognizes the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s, Albion Police Officers, Medina Police Officers, Holley Police Officers, the New York State Police, and all other law enforcement officials during the week, which was May 10 to May 16.
• Special Recognition Awards to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, Office for the Aging and the Calvary Cupboard
The County Legislature recognized the three groups for their efforts coordinating Foodlink distributions in Albion and Medina. The three organizations were commended “for helping our residents during this uncertain time in our history and appreciate your services in helping provide comfort and security during times of need by our residents and their families.”
• Proclamation of Older Americans Month in May
“We urge every resident to recognize older adults and the people who support them as essential members of our community.”
• Recognizing Orleans County Correctional Officers
National Correctional Officers Week was May 3-9. The corrections officers at the county jail provide care and custody of about 600 inmates a year.
“Our dedicated Corrections Officers have the responsibility to operate a safe and secure detention facility in compliance with the New York State Corrections Law and with regulations set forth by the New York State Commission of Corrections,” County legislators said.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson also noted that no inmates or jail staff have tested positive for Covid-19. She praised Sheriff Chris Bourke and Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson for keeping the virus out of the jail.
ALBION – In late April, Heritage Wind put out a call to the local farmers and landowners working with it in Orleans County that the company would match dollar-for-dollar any contributions to the United Way of Orleans County’s “United We Help” fund.
Local landowners answered the call, donating $2,000 to the fund in the past month. Those donations were matched by a $2,500 contribution from Heritage Wind and Apex Clean Energy.
“Heritage Wind is more than just the folks from Apex Clean Energy, it’s a family made up of landowners and supporters throughout Orleans County, ” said Kirk Mathes of Mathes Farms, a Barre resident and landowner. “We wanted to do something as a group to support our neighbors and were happy to support the United We Help Program.”
United We Help funds will provide direct cash assistance to Orleans County residents who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were unable to collect unemployment.
“The United Way of Orleans County is extremely thankful for the generosity and support from Heritage Wind and their landowners,” said Dean Bellack, United Way’s executive director. “The dollars raised will go a long way towards helping the most critically vulnerable people in our county.”
In addition to supporting the United We Help Program, Heritage Wind’s community grant program helped the Orleans Community Health Foundation obtain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sanitation technology and also provided a grant to the Barre Historical Committee to assist in establishing a permanent home for the town’s historical artifacts.
Heritage Wind plans to offer another round of grants this summer. To learn more or apply for a future round of grant funding, visit www.heritagewindpower.com/grant.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2020 at 7:56 am
Ed Fancher, who served many local organizations, dies at 54 from cancer
Photos by Tom Rivers: Ed Fancher, executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, speaks during a forum on May 15, 2015, addressing about 40 human service professionals about challenges for low-income residents in the community.
ALBION – The death on Sunday of Ed Fancher from cancer has many in Orleans County and the region reeling.
Fancher, 54, was executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee the past 15 years.
He was an integral part of other service organizations including the Albion Rotary Club, the Iroquois Trail of the Boy Scouts of America, the Albion High School Alumni Foundation. Fancher was dependable, and a calming influence.
Ed was also a volunteer for Holy Family Parish and Hospice of Orleans. His wife Chris is a social worker and has been the volunteer coordinator at Hospice for many years. Her husband was often by her side.
“We have lost a pillar of the community,” said Charlie Nesbitt, a Rotarian with Fancher and former state assemblyman. Nesbitt also served on the Alumni Foundation’s board with Fancher.
“Ed took integrity to the highest level,” Nesbitt said. “When he said he would do something, it could be depended on every time. He has left a huge hole that will be difficult to fill. The great hope is that his example is taken up by others influenced by him.”
Nesbitt helped start the Leadership Orleans program. Fancher was in the first class in 2018, and welcomed the program under the Community Action umbrella.
He worked for the agency that serves low-income families for 32 years, starting as fiscal director after a four years as a U.S. Marine.
Rotary members Ed Fancher and Becky Dillenbeck prepare the ham dinners on March 17 for the annual St. Patrick’s Ham Dinner. Proceeds support projects from the Rotary Interact Club at Albion High School.
“He was a man with so much compassion for the staff and the people we serve,” said Annette Finch, director of community services for the agency since 1990 and a Community Action employee for 43 years. “He showed great leadership and was respected by all. He will be greatly missed and has left us with a desire to do our best for the community.”
The Albion FFA in recent years has delivered about 30,000 pounds of produce to Community Action in mid-December, to be distributed to local food pantries. Fancher for several years was an eager volunteer, helping to unload a flatbed trailer full of heavy boxes of apples, cabbage and other food.
He was there on Dec. 14, when the FFA set a new record with 40,000 pounds to produce to be unloaded. Fancher, weakened by cancer, had to back up from carrying boxes. He watched as the truck was unloaded and thanked the FFA students for putting so much effort into the food drive.
“I just feel general amazement at the generosity of the farming community and the students who pack the truck,” Fancher told the Orleans Hub. “On behalf of the families we serve, thank you.”
Community Action, with a mission of helping people become self sufficient, expanded its programs and services during Fancher’s tenure. It runs the Head Start program, provides emergency assistance, weatherization and energy services, the CATS transportation, and Main Street Thrift Store (which serves as an employment training center).
Two years ago it added the Leadership Orleans. The agency offers ACT – Helping Youth ACT Responsibly, which focuses on helping students to delay initial sexual encounters and make responsible decisions.
It runs a community center in Holley and helps train child care providers.
“Ed was always a gentleman, and was truly appreciative of all the staff and programs provided in both Orleans and Genesee Counties, through Community Action,” Jan Albanese, the ACT director, wrote on the Community Action website. “It is with heavy heart that we must inform community partners and friends that we have lost an integral part of Community Action this past weekend.”
Service organizations
Ed Fancher is honored as a Paul Harris Fellow, the highest award given in the Rotary Club, in this photo from Jan. 9, 2016. Fancher’s wife Christine and Don Bishop, left, also were part of the award presentation at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia.
Fancher was a key member of the Albion Rotary Club. He was the current club treasurer. He was a past president. He lived the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.” He did many thankless tasks without complaint or reluctance, including setting up and tearing down the hot dog stand at the Albion Strawberry Festival. He prepared the hams for the St. Patrick’s Ham Dinner, adding a touch of brown sugar with pineapple on top.
He was treasurer of the club’s annual fishing derby, keeping track of several hundred registrants, paying out prizes and the bills, and getting up early every day of the derby to update the leaderboard.
He also was treasurer the past 12 years of the Iroquois Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which serves scouts in five counties. He joined the board at a time when his son Kyle was a Scout in Troop 164 in Albion. When Kyle aged out, his father stayed on as a volunteer with the Council.
“Ed was very committed,” said Jim McMullen, the Scout executive for the Iroquois Trail the past 14 years. “He was an integral part of our board and our operation.”
Fancher has been honored by the Scouts as a “Citizen of the Year” and also presented with a Silver Beaver Award, the highest award the local council can give to a citizen.
“It broke my heart,” McMullen said about Fancher’s death. “He was such a fighter. We have lost such a lovely person.”
Provided photo: Ed Fancher was an enthusiastic volunteer serving popcorn at Albion homecoming football games.
For 20 years Fancher was a key leader in the Albion High School Alumni Foundation, an organization that distributes nearly $100,000 in scholarships annually. Fancher was a mainstay in the organization, willing to take on any task, from handling the finances to making popcorn at the homecoming games.
“Ed embodied our motto, ‘Making a difference for a lifetime,’” said Sue Starkweather Miller, the Foundation’s vice president and a long-time friend. “This is a huge, huge loss for our community on so many levels. It just breaks my heart.”
Steve Hicks, the Alumni Foundation president, said Fancher has impacted the lives of many students and families in the community.
“Our Foundation has suffered a great loss with the passing of Ed,” Hicks said. “Not only did he serve as Vice President, President and Treasurer across nearly 20 years, but he was one of the visionaries that helped build our Foundation into what it is today.
“Ed is the gold standard for how we should treat one another, and what we should strive to be. His kindness and compassion went far beyond our organization and touched our community in more ways than I can count. His impact was most felt by those who needed it most. For decades children opened Christmas presents, families shared thanksgiving dinners, graduates bought school books and paid tuition, in no small part thanks to the time and efforts of Ed Fancher.”
Fancher graduated from Albion in 1983 and served four years as a member of the Marine One Presidential Helicopter Squadron during the Reagan administration. The Rotary Club would often sing the Marines’ Hymn at Fancher’s request.
“From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.”
Fancher has three grown children and three grandchildren. He was a faithful Buffalo Bills fan, even during the drought years when the team missed the playoffs for 17 straight seasons.
Funeral services will be held privately due to public health guidelines for public gatherings as a result of COVID-19. A link (click here) to view the Mass of Christian burial will be available at 10:45 on Friday.
Memorial contributions may be made to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, 409 E. State St., Albion NY 14411; or to Hospice of Orleans, P.O. Box 489, Albion NY 14411; or to Holy Family Parish, 106 S. Main St., Albion NY 14411; or to Albion Alumni Foundation, P.O. Box 345, Albion NY 14411.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 May 2020 at 6:31 pm
State DOL data shows big jump in unemployment
The state Department of Labor today announced the unemployment rates for April in the state and counties. Orleans County is at 15.8 percent and state-wide the rate is at 15.0 percent.
In April 2019, the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in Orleans and 3.6 percent state-wide.
In March, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in Orleans County and 4.2 percent in the state.
The state DOL report says 14,300 people were working in the county in April, which was down 2,300 from 16,500 in April 2019. The number of unemployed increased by 2,000, from 700 to 2,700.
The Department of Labor reports the unemployment rate for nearby metro areas at 19.2 percent for Buffalo-Niagara Falls and 14.9 percent in Rochester.
The unemployment rates for other nearby counties include Niagara, 21.9 percent; Erie, 18.6 percent; Genesee, 14.4 percent; and Monroe, 15.0 percent.
The state DOL has a list online showing the unemployment rates since January 1976. The 15.0 percent is the highest state-wide rate in the 44 years that records are available. The next highest was 11.2 percent in both January and February 1976.
The last time Orleans County was above 10 percent in unemployment was February 2013 (10.6 percent) and January 2013 (11.2 percent).
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke
ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has received several reports recently of people calling local residents representing themselves as employees of the Social Security Administration.
We would advise you to always be cautious and to avoid providing sensitive information such as your Social Security Number or bank account information to unknown individuals over the phone or internet.
If you receive a call and are not expecting one, be extra careful. You can always get the caller’s information, hang up and – if you need more clarification – contact the official phone number of the business or agency that the caller claims to represent. Never reveal personal data to a stranger who called you.
The Social Security will never:
Call to threaten you with arrest or legal action if you do not immediately pay a debt, fine or fee.
Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended, or offer to increase your benefits or resolve identity theft problems in exchange for payment.
Require payment via retail gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, or internet currency like Bitcoin, or by mailing cash.
Demand secrecy in handling a Social Security-related problem, or tell you to make up a story to tell your friends, family, or store/bank employees.
Text you unsolicited to tell you about a problem with your Social Security number or benefits.
Email you attached documents containing your personally identifiable information.
If you receive one of these calls:
Hang up!
Do not give them money or personal information!
Report Social Security scams at oig.ssa.gov
Report other imposter scams at ftc.gov/complaint
Please report any scam or fraudulent calls to following:
The Social Security Administration’s main number is 1-800-772-1213. You should also report fraudulent calls. You can report them to the inspector general by calling the hotline number or going online. You also can report it to the F.T.C. on a complaint website, identitytheft.gov/ssa, dedicated to Social Security scams.
The Orleans County Sheriff recommends using extreme caution when giving personal information over the phone. Only provide personal information to people you know are legitimate or a trusted family members.
Please contact the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office for assistance if you have any questions about fraudulent scam calls.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 May 2020 at 4:26 pm
There is one new case of Covid-19 in Orleans County, a person in the 70s from Carlton, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.
Orleans County has now had 209 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The Health Department is reporting 70 people from the community have recovered after contracting the virus. That doesn’t include cases in nursing homes and also group homes for disabled residents. The county has had 33 deaths from Covid-19.
There are 20 people from the county currently hospitalized with Covid-19.
In Genesee County, there are two new confirmed cases, bringing the Genesee total to 183.
The new cases include a resident of Batavia and a person who lives in Darien. One of the confirmed cases is a person in the 20s, and the other is in the 30s.
One of the positive cases was not on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
The Health Department is reporting two more recoveries, bringing that total to 119. Two people in Genesee are currently hospitalized with Covid-19.
Photo by Tom Rivers: An apple orchard on Riches Corners Road in Albion is in bloom in this photo taken Saturday from Mount Albion Cemetery.
Press Release, Orleans County Department of Planning and Development
ALBION — Orleans County is accepting enrollment of additional parcels in certified agricultural districts during the month of June, pursuant to New York State Agricultural and Markets Law.
This annual 30-day window is for inclusion of property which is predominantly viable agricultural land. During this time period, land may only be added and not removed from County Agricultural District No. 1, which in 2016 became the sole agricultural district in the county as a result of a consolidation process.
This opportunity supplements, but does not replace, enrollment in an existing agricultural district during the eight-year, formal review process. It allows a once-a-year opportunity for a property owner to request that the County Legislature add parcel(s) to Orleans County Consolidated Agricultural District No. 1 (District C-1).
The next eight-year anniversary review — the only time parcels can be both added and removed — will not occur until 2024. Presently, there are over 116,700 acres in County Agricultural District No. 1.
Requests for inclusion in agricultural district will be reviewed, in order, by the Orleans County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, the Orleans County Legislature, and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
To enroll, owners must complete and sign and a “Letter of Intent for Annual Enrollment” form. Enrollment forms are available from the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development. (Click here for more information.)
Completed and signed forms should be sent by June 30th to:
Thomas Lampo, Planner
Orleans County Department of Planning and Development
14016 Route 31 West
Albion, NY 14411-9382
Please note that requesting enrollment during this 30-day time period is not a guarantee that an owner’s property will be added to Agricultural District No. 1. Moreover, it will not automatically qualify land for a reduced agricultural property tax assessment. For information on obtaining a reduced agricultural property tax assessment, please contact the local town assessor.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 May 2020 at 12:39 pm
Provided photo: A school bell from the Medina Free Academy is now on display in the lobby at Medina High School.
MEDINA – The lobby in Medina High School now displays a cast-iron bell that used to ring at Medina’s first public school – the Medina Free Academy on Catherine Street.
That school opened in 1851. The bell was made a year earlier in Buffalo. When the Medina Academy opened in 1851, it was only the third school in the state to offer free education for students. Most academies then were tuition-based, Lacy said.
The school was knocked down in 1922 and a new school was built there and served as the high school until 1991. When the Academy building was razed in 1922, the bell was stored in the basement of Central School, an elementary school on South Academy Street.
After fire destroyed Central School in 1967, contractor Carl Petronio Jr. was hired to clean up the rubble and discovered the bell. He removed it to storage and recently donated it to the Medina Historical Society.
Craig Lacy, former Historical Society president, realized the significance of the 700-pound bell. He contacted Barnes Metal Finishing Company, which restored the bell.
Mark Kruzynski, the Medina school superintendent, is happy to have the bell on display in a prominent location in the high school. The district had a base made to display the bell as part of a current capital project. The base looks like Medina sandstone but is actually cultured stone. The district used similar stone with the upgraded entrance to Vets’ Park.
Kruzynski said the bell is an important artifact in the community’s public school history. He also hopes the bell can be used in future graduation ceremonies in the high school. Perhaps the bell could be rung to kick off the commencement ceremony, he said.
“We wanted it to be seen by a lot of people and also to be protected,” Kruzynski said about the location in the school’s lobby.
This image shows the Medina Free Academy, which opened in 1851 with the average attendance of about 300 to 400 students. The bell tower is at top.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 27 May 2020 at 11:41 am
Provided photos: Cindy Perry, whose retirement from Community Partners is effective Thursday, is shown here with at the last For Women Only held in 2019 with her future mother-in-law Dorothy Follman of Kenyonville and niece Joanna Follman. Dorothy is a breast cancer survivor and the longest survivor at the 2019 event. Perry said growing For Women Only into one of the most successful events for women locally was a highlight of her career.
MEDINA – Cindy Perry has had an exciting and rewarding career with Orleans Community Health’s Community Partners, a program she helped develop and grow for 25 years.
Now Perry, a resident of Waterport, has decided it’s time to retire. Thursday is officially her last day.
The decision to retire was easier to make with the knowledge Jessica Capurso will step into the role she has nurtured and cultivated all through the years.
Perry, who has a home on Lake Alice, grew up on the western end of the lake. She attended school in Albion and graduated from Lyndonville High School. She initially went to school in Rochester to become a dental assistant, but soon realized that was not for her.
She entered Brockport State College, and although she had excelled in chemistry, her duo major in school and community was a perfect fit. As part of her studies at Brockport, she did an internship at Medina Memorial Hospital, which later resulted in her being hired there. At the time, the hospital was just starting a pre-natal care program.
She met Fran Perry of Medina when he stopped to help her with a flat tire, and they were married in 1982.
“Both of us wanted to live in the country, and we bought this summer cottage, which was built in 1957, the year I was born,” Perry said. “It wasn’t even winterized.”
In 1993, Perry contracted with Medina Memorial Hospital, and after two years they hired her.
Her early career was spent in writing a lot of grants, which were plentiful back then. As Perry and the hospital worked to develop wellness programs, which included diabetes, healthy heart, smoking cessation and dental health for children, Community Partners grew.
Community Partners has always based its programs on community need, Perry said.
Cindy Perry, right, director of outreach, education and marketing at Community Partners, shares some leisure time at her home on Lake Alice with Jessica Capurso, who will step into Perry’s role at Orleans Community Health. Perry has announced her retirement, effective Thursday, after 25 years with the hospital.
“Orleans County has had high incidences of smokers, cardiovascular disease and lead poisoning,” she said. “There were never any resources for dental health.”
Through the years, Perry developed the Teddy Bear Clinic, one of her favorite programs, in which children are brought to the hospital to view it in a non-threatening way. Then came Breakfast with Santa and an arthritis exercise program. She also promoted their speakers’ group, in which qualified individuals from the hospital would agree to speak to organizations or events, in an effort to market the hospital’s services and educate the community.
“We have developed a lot of partnerships with community organizations, such as GCASA, Community Action and the Health Department,” Capurso said.
Perry’s husband died in 2011, only a week after being diagnosed with small cell lung cancer.
Several years ago, she received a visit from Mark Follman, who grew up across the lake and with whom she had gone to school since third grade.
“We rode motorcycles to school and water skied together,” Perry said. “He says he had a crush on me way back then.”
They have become engaged and will live in her house on the lake. Follman’s parents still live in Kenyonville.
Perry has always been active in her community, having been involved in Healthy Orleans Network, Albion Rotary, United Way, Community Action’s Policy Council and Health and Wellness Committee, Opioid Task Force, Suicide Prevention Committee, Office for the Aging’s Advisory Council, Human Services Council, Diabetes Coalition, Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition and Lead Prevention Coalition.
Although she is looking forward to this new phase in her life, Perry admits life will be different not having to go to work.
“I’ve worked since I was 12 years old, and I’ve never been on unemployment,” she said. “But I’m ready to kick back and spend some time with family members. I’ve loved working at the hospital and working for the community. But when Jess started working for me, I knew she was the one to take over. She has a personality that fits the position. I spent a lot of time developing that department and I want someone who will carry on that legacy. I feel very calm and confident she will do a good job.”
Capurso came to Albion when her family moved from Hamlin when she was 4. She graduated from Albion High School in 1999 and attended Genesee Community College for two years, and then received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Brockport State College. Her first job was at CRFS as a claims processor, where in two years she had advanced to the role of assistant vice president.
She left that position when she was offered the job as executive director of United Way of Orleans County. Capurso has worked with Perry in community outreach since 2015.
“I’m extremely excited about my new position,” Capurso said. “I’ve also had jobs at McDonald’s and Rite Aid, but I think now I’ve really found my niche. A job where I can make a difference in my community means more to me. This job offers more interaction. When I teach a pre-diabetes class, I’m changing lifestyles, and I still get to use my marketing degree.”
Wesley Merritt of Clifton Park took this photo of the Canal Park in Waterford. It won first place in the “Canal Communities” category in last year’s Erie Canalway Photo Contest.
Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
WATERFORD – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is calling for entries for its 15th annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest. Images should convey the unique character of New York’s canals and canal communities.
Entries must be postmarked by August 28. Winning photos will be featured in the 2021 Erie Canalway calendar.
Images will be judged in four contest categories:
On the Water: Activities on the water; boats of all stripes.
Along the Trail: Cyclists, walkers, strollers, and activities or scenes along the Erie Canalway Trail.
Canal Communities: Historic downtowns, distinctive architecture, farmers markets, events, and scenes taken in canal communities.
Classic Canal: When you see it, you know it—photos that could be taken only here; photos of on-water activities, engineering marvels, canal structures, nature, or other scenes that show the distinctive sense of place of the Erie Canalway.
Judges will select first, second, and third place winning images in each category, as well as 12 honorable mentions.
Submitted images must be taken within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, which spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York. It encompasses the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.
Download official contest rules and an entry form are available by clicking here.
