HOLLEY – Zack Jacobs sent in this photo he took of a great blue heron looking for fish at the Holley Waterfalls this past weekend.

The weather this week shows highs in the 40s from Monday through Friday, and a high of 50 on Saturday.

Press Release, New York State Department of Labor

The New York State Department of Labor today announced the launch of a new application for New Yorkers to apply for traditional unemployment insurance or the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

This one-stop-shop for unemployment benefits will connect New Yorkers with the benefits they deserve faster, without requiring them to call the Department of Labor.

Prior to today, due to cumbersome federal guidelines, New Yorkers were required to apply for regular unemployment insurance and be rejected before applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. With this new application, which aligns with updated federal policy, New Yorkers will be able to simply fill out one form to get the correct benefits.

In conjunction with this morning’s rollout of the improved application, DOL has been deploying over 3,100 representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs seven days a week. This is up from 400 who previously manned the DOL call center prior to the pandemic.

Since the COVID-19 crisis began, DOL has paid approximately $2.2 billion in unemployment insurance benefits to 1.1 million New Yorkers. The application call backlog prior to April 8 has been reduced to 4,305 from 275,000.

“I have been unemployed before myself, and I understand the pain, fear and anxiety New Yorkers are facing. The DOL’s mission is to help our neighbors through some of their toughest days, and in the last week we have made great strides in updating our systems,” NYS Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said. “While it appears the coronavirus pandemic is beginning to stabilize — at least from the public health perspective — we know that many New Yorkers are still facing an uncertain economic future, and the Department of Labor will continue to dedicate every resource available to helping New Yorkers weather this storm.”

The updated unemployment benefits application system, available here, will determine which unemployment program — unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance — New Yorkers should apply for and then prompt them to answer a specific set of questions. The application builds on the new online system the department rolled out on Friday, April 10th, in partnership with the State Office of Information Technology Services and Google Cloud, to help manage the exponential and unprecedented increase in new claims resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which was included in the Federal CARES Act, provides unemployment benefits for individuals who are ineligible for traditional unemployment insurance. Examples of those covered by PUA include:

• Self-employed New Yorkers;
• Independent contractors;
• New Yorkers who worked for an app-based company (i.e. “gig workers”)
• Farmers;
• Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have COVD-19 symptoms and are seeking a diagnosis;
• Those living with a household member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• Those providing care for a family or household member diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A primary caregiver for a child unable to attend school or another facility due to COVID-19;
• Those unable to reach their place of employment due to an imposed quarantine or because they have been advised by a medical provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19;
• Those scheduled to commence new employment that cannot reach their workplace as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those who became a major breadwinner because the head of their household died from COVID-19;
• Those who quit their job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those whose place of employment closed as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those with insufficient work history and affected by COVID-19; and
• New Yorkers otherwise not qualified for regular or extended UI benefits and affected by COVID-19

In addition, New Yorkers concerned about food insecurity are reminded that resources are available across the state. Anyone looking for assistance can find a local food bank, including those supported by New York State, by visiting Feeding America’s website here.

The New York State Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring that every New Yorker who is entitled to unemployment insurance benefits will receive all benefits due. New Yorkers seeking to file an unemployment insurance claim should visit labor.ny.gov or call the Telephone Claim Center at (888) 209-8124.

Click here for a fact sheet on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Emergency Management Office receives shipment of PPE for first responders, healthcare workers

Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion Fire Chief Harry Papponetti wears a surgical facemask when he responded to a car accident on Thursday morning in Albion. That was the first day Albion firefighters started wearing masks on all calls. Previously, they were wearing them for EMS calls only.

MEDINA – Orleans County is trying to prepare for the worst with Covid-19. That’s why there is a white refrigerated trailer outside Medina Memorial Hospital. That trailer would function as a temporary mortuary in case the local hospital and the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office is overwhelmed.

The county also has ordered 200 body bags for the trailer in a worst-case scenario, the said Dale Banker, the director of the Emergency Management Office in Orleans County.

The county has suffered two deaths to Covid-19 so far since the pandemic started. Medina Memorial Hospital only has room to keep two bodies of deceased people. The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office also could be in a situation where it has too many bodies and can’t accept more, Banker said.

The trailer at Medina has room for about 35 bodies and has been on site for about two weeks. The county, acting on a recommendation from the state, is leasing the refrigerated trailer for a month, and will look at whether extending that lease is needed, Banker said today.

“Hopefully it won’t get to that stage and won’t be needed,” Banker said today.

The Orleans County Emergency Management Office orders many of the supplies and equipment for first responders and health care workers.

The EMO last week received a shipment of personal protective equipment, including sought-after testing kits for Covid-19, 10,000 surgical masks, 240 N-95 respirators and 4,000 pairs of rubber gloves.

The 10,000 medical masks have been shared with firefighters, law enforcement officers, Medina Memorial Hospital workers, and employees at Arc group homes, Hospice of Orleans and home health care agencies. Only 3,500 of the surgical masks are left.

The PPE supplies won’t last long and the EMO has ordered a bigger supply, Banker said.

The county has sought 3,400 testing kits for the Health Department, but has only received 100 total, including 50 on Saturday, he said.

“It’s unfortunate for the smaller rural counties like us,” Banker said about the testing kits and supplies. “They’ve been fair. But it’s not enough.”

The orders to the state through “NY Responds” are managed by the NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and the State Office of Emergency Management.

The new order includes requests for 500 of the N-95 masks, 10,000 surgical masks and 20,000 pairs of rubber gloves. The Orleans EMO also is continuing its request for more testing kits.

The equipment is expected to be covered 75 percent by the federal government, which has declared Covid-19 an emergency in all 50 states. That declaration brings with it a 75 percent funding commitment from the federal government for equipment and overtime costs for government personnel.

The EMO also is contending with the high Lake Ontario waters and is managing sandbags and water bladders “AquaDams” for the lakeshore towns.

Carlton has put in a order for 80 pallets of sandbags. The EMO then requests sandbags from the state for Carlton. Banker said inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility will be filling those sandbags.

Graduates also invited back to campus for commencement in person in May 2021

Press Release, Genesee Community College

BATAVIA – Colleges and universities across the United States have all been confronted with extraordinary challenges to help students complete the Spring 2020 semester, and now the Coronavirus Pandemic stands to cancel or postpone well-deserved commencement ceremonies. It is heart-breaking for students and their families to be robbed of this celebration and the formal acknowledgement of their significant achievements.

Peggy Marone, director of Leadership Genesee, will be the commencement speaker for GCC.

“With a professional career in higher education for more than three decades, commencement remains my favorite day. It is always an honor and delight to watch the graduates cross the stage to receive their diplomas and see them celebrate with their family, friends and fellow classmates,” James M. Sunser, president of Genesee Community College said. “We could not deprive our college community of this event, and postponement does not accommodate the schedule and the very real demands and obligations of many of our graduates who have jobs or are transferring to other institutions.”

Therefore, officials at Genesee Community College decided to create and deliver a commencement ceremony using innovative technology to honor the Class of 2020 and recognize their achievements while simultaneously adhering to the existing social distancing mandates.

On Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m. Genesee Community College will launch a Virtual Commencement Ceremony that will be streamed and accessible to all through the College’s homepage at www.genesee.edu. Plans are underway to develop a well-prepared online presentation that includes most of the College’s commencement traditions, and then a robust social media exchange will also take place.

This special, all new, online ceremony will include commemorating remarks from President Sunser, along with messages from a few GCC professors and instructors, music and the announcement of each graduate’s name. The keynote address will be given by Peggy Marone, the director of Leadership Genesee since its inception in 2001, which now has more than 500 graduates including nearly 20 GCC employees.

A native of Genesee County, Ms. Marone’s leadership extends beyond the borders of Genesee County. In addition to the more than 500 individuals who have benefitted from participation in Leadership Genesee (LG), Ms. Marone led a team of LG alumni and Orleans County leaders to launch Leadership Orleans, currently in its third year of operation. She also consulted with Leadership Ontario as their planning committee developed the framework for their program.

She was named a NYS Woman of Distinction in 2015 by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer, who represents the NYS 61st Senate District, and Ms. Marone was recognized in 2009 as YWCA Fabulous Female for her work with Leadership Genesee and many other volunteer initiatives. As a long-time friend of GCC, she served as chair of the Wolcott J. Humphrey III Symposium on Leadership and Community Life which brought many distinguished national leaders to the College and community, including but not limited to: Thomas Golisano, Jim Boeheim, Jerry Greenfield of Ben and Jerry’s, Dr. Donna Fernades who oversaw the transformation of the Buffalo Zoo and two former U.S Congressmen, William Hudnut III and Fred Grandy.

After receiving her Bachelor’s of Art in Psychology from St. Bonaventure University, Marone worked in human resources for nearly 30 years in the health care, manufacturing and the hospitality industries. She also served as a consultant for non-profit organizations, and she remains very active in the local theater arts community.

Marone is past president and board member of Batavia Players, received an Excellence in Ensemble Acting from the Theatre Association of New York State in 2010 during their annual festival, and a Best Performance by an Actress Award in 2013. She is also a judge for Batavia High School Operation Graduation, a Junior Achievement instructor, a business mentor for Pavilion High School Youth Entrepreneur Academy, and a regular volunteer at the United Way Day of Caring.

As the College continues to develop its virtual commencement, details are available on www.genesee.edu/commencement – In addition to the Virtual Commencement Ceremony, all members of the Class of 2020 will be invited to return to campus and participate in the College’s 53rd Commencement Ceremony in May 2021.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Sandstone’s Drew Pritchard makes a nifty snow cone catch during last year’s Albion Midget League championship game. The Midget League, along with other area youth leagues, are facing an uncertain season due to the coronavirus restrictions.

In a normal spring teams would already be holding practice sessions and games would be upcoming in early to mid May. However, this is anything but a normal spring.

Therefore, like their high school counterparts, area youth baseball, softball and soccer leagues have their upcoming seasons in a holding pattern due to the school closings and social distancing restrictions imposed because of the current coronavirus pandemic.

Right now Governor Cuomo’s “Pause Order” which has schools and non essential businesses closed is in effect until May 15.

“We just have to wait and see what the state and the schools decide,” said Chris Goyette of the Medina LOYAL baseball organization. “Right now nobody knows what is going to happen. We’re keeping our options open”

The Medina LOYAL baseball teams play in a combined league with the Roy-Hart, Lyndonville and Somerset teams for the regular season and playoffs.

“We’re holding out hope that when it is safe we will be able to give the kids an opportunity to play but right now it is a wait and see thing.,” added Goyette who noted that LOYAL baseball is “working hand in hand” with LOYAL soccer in planning options for the season.

The situation is the same for Albion’s six team Midget Baseball League which ironically didn’t start it’s season last year until June 1 because of a very wet spring that left fields unplayable until then.

“We were able to get our regular seasons and playoffs in and if we could start by June 13 we could do it,” said Dan Bartlett who coaches the Sandstone team. “Right now we just don’t know what will happen but we don’t want to give up on it yet. We just hope to be able to give the kids some kind of a an opportunity to play some kind of a season. It all depends on what the decision is for after May 15.”

Just as the case with Medina LOYAL baseball, Bartlett notes that the Midget League is working with the Albion T-Ball, Coach-Pitch and softball leagues in planning options for the season.

The Rochester District Youth Soccer League (which includes teams from Albion, Lyndonville, Holley and Kendall) and the Buffalo and WNY Youth Soccer League (which includes teams from Medina and Roy-Hart) are likewise looking at options for the season.

Both leagues usually start in May but have pushed the start date back into June.

Depending on when schools reopen and group gathering restrictions are eased, the Rochester League is targeting a six game season beginning June 15. The Buffalo League is looking to either an eight game season beginning June 1 or a six game season beginning June 15 depending on when schools reopen and the restrictions are eased.

Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

The local Office for the Aging said texts like this one are a scam.

The Department of Justice is remaining vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.  In a memo to U.S. Attorneys, Attorney General Barr said, “The pandemic is dangerous enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic and this sort of conduct cannot be tolerated.”

Be aware that criminals are attempting to exploit COVID-19 worldwide through a variety of scams. There have been reports of:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share virus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.

Fraud Advisory:

Criminals will likely continue to use new methods to exploit COVID-19 worldwide. Stay alert and stay informed about common fraud schemes related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• Be cautious of unsolicited healthcare fraud schemes of testing and treatment through emails, phone calls, or in person. The U.S. have medical professionals and scientist working hard to find a cure, approved treatment, and vaccine for COVID-19. Learn more about what to avoid.

• Be on the lookout for an increase in cryptocurrency fraud schemes including but not limited to blackmail attempts, work from home scams, paying for non-existent treatments or equipment, or investment scams. Read more on how to report these scams.

• Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be IRS and Treasury employees. Remember IRS first form of communications is by mail – not by phone. Learn more about fraudulent schemes related to the IRS.

• Verify you are receiving the official U.S. Treasury check. Look for the new official seal, bleeding ink, microprinting, watermark, and more.

If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home though a number of platforms.

Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov.

If it’s a cyber scam, submit your complaint through the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Combatting hoarding and price gouging:

The Department is also committed to preventing hoarding and price gouging for critical supplies during this crisis.  To combat this misconduct, the President issued an Executive Order pursuant to section 102 of the Defense Production Act, which prohibits hoarding of designated items, and Attorney General Barr has now created the COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force.

In a memo to U.S. Attorneys, Attorney General Barr said, “we will aggressively pursue bad actors who amass critical supplies either far beyond what they could use or for the purpose of profiteering. Scarce medical supplies need to be going to hospitals for immediate use in care, not to warehouses for later overcharging.”

The Secretary of HHS has issued a Notice designating categories of health and medical supplies that must not be hoarded or sold for exorbitant prices.

If you have information on hoarding or price gouging of critical supplies, you can report it without leaving your home to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by calling the National Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by e-mailing disaster@leo.gov.

Photo by Tom Rivers: A gallon of gas was selling for $2.29 on Friday at Crosby’s gas station in Albion on Route 31. Gas prices nationally are about $1 cheaper per gallon since a year ago. In NYS, the price is 66 cheaper, on average, from a year ago.

Gas prices continue to go down locally and across the country, AAA Western and Central New York is reporting today.

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $1.81, down five cents since last week, AAA said.

One year ago, the price was $2.84. The New York State average is $2.22 – down three cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.88.

Locally, the average gas prices include:

• Orleans County: $2.30
• Genesee, $2.27
• Wyoming: $2.33
• Livingston, $2.26
• Monroe, $2.18
• Niagara, $2.22
• Erie, $2.28

“Growing domestic gas supply and lower demand, as Americans practice social distancing, and low crude prices due to COVID-19 continue to push pump prices down,” AAA said. “With Americans following stay at home orders and refiners producing excess gasoline, growing gasoline inventories and low demand will continue to push pump prices lower.”

Click here for more on gas prices from AAA.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of the Governor: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by Northwell Health President and C.E.O. Michael Dowling, tours the Northwell Health Core Lab in New Hyde Park today.

Amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the State Department of Health will begin to conduct a statewide antibody testing survey tomorrow.

The testing survey will sample 3,000 people for a population of 19.5 million people – for context Germany performed a 3,000-person sample with a population of 83 million. Large-scale antibody testing will help determine the percentage of the population that is now immune to the virus, allowing more individuals to safely return to work.

“Any plan to start to reopen the economy has to be based on data and testing, and we have to make sure our antibody and diagnostic testing is up to the scale we need so we can safely get people back to work,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are going to start antibody testing across the state tomorrow – and we are going to do that in the most aggressive way in the nation. This will be the first true snapshot of exactly how many people were infected by Covid-19 and where we are as a population and will help us to reopen and rebuild without jeopardizing what we’ve already accomplished.”

Governor Cuomo also announced the state will continue working with the federal government to assist with the supply chain and coordinate private labs to ramp up diagnostic testing, another key component of getting people back to work and restarting the economy.

The Governor also announced the state is ready to transport 400 ventilators to Massachusetts within 24 hours if they are needed.

The Governor also will sign an Executive Order allowing any authorized officiant to perform marriage ceremonies using online video technology. Yesterday, the Governor issued an Executive Order allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference, a practice that is banned under current law.

Many marriage bureaus have temporarily closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing New Yorkers from getting a marriage license during the current health emergency; yesterday’s Executive Order temporarily suspends a provision of law that requires in-person visits.

Finally, the Governor confirmed 6,054 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 242,786 confirmed cases in New York State.

‘Now it is time to start opening the valve slowly and carefully while watching the infection rate meter so we don’t trigger a second wave of new infections.’ – Gov. Cuomo

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Delaware Governor John Carney, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker today announced their appointees to the multi-state council to restore the economy and get people back to work.

“We have been collaborating closely with our neighboring states to combat this pandemic through a uniform approach to social distancing and density reduction and it has been working well,” said Gov. Cuomo. “Now it is time to start opening the valve slowly and carefully while watching the infection rate meter so we don’t trigger a second wave of new infections. This is not a light switch that we can just flick on and everything goes back to normal – we have to come up with a smart, consistent strategy to restart the systems we shut down and get people back to work, and to the extent possible we want to do that through a regional approach because we are a regional economy. New York is partnering with these five states to create a multi-state council that will come up with a framework based on science and data to gradually ease the stay at home restrictions and get our economy back up and running.”

The appointees include one health expert, one economic development expert and the respective Chief of Staff from each state.

The appointees from each state include:

New York

• Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor

• Robert Mujica, Director of NYS Division of the Budget

• Michael Dowling, President and CEO, Northwell Health

New Jersey

• George Helmy, Chief of Staff to the Governor

• Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Jeh Johnson, former United States Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama

Connecticut

• Paul Mounds, Jr., Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor

• Indra Nooyi, Co-chair of the nonprofit organization AdvanceCT and former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo

• Dr. Albert Ko, Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine and department chair at the Yale School of Public Health

Pennsylvania

• Michael Brunelle, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor

• Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, Department of Health

• Secretary Dennis Davin, Department of Community and Economic Development

Delaware

• Sheila Grant, Chief of Staff, Office of Governor

• Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

• Kurt Foreman, President and CEO, Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Rhode Island

• David Ortiz, Chief of Staff to the Governor

• Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health

• Stefan Pryor, Rhode Island Commerce Secretary

Massachusetts

• Kristen Lepore, Chief of Staff

• Michael Kennealy, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development

• Lauren Peters, Undersecretary at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Orleans County has one new confirmed case of Covid-19, bringing the county’s total cases to 49, the Orleans and Genesee County Health Departments is reporting this afternoon.

Genesee County doesn’t have any new cases to report today, a day after 30 new cases were confirmed bringing the Genesee total to 122, including 29 at the federal detention facility in Batavia.

Contact tracing has been initiated and all who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff.

There is currently no further information to release on ages and location. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Monday afternoon, the department said in a news release.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today confirmed 6,054 additional cases of Covid-19, bringing the statewide total to 242,786 confirmed cases in New York State.

Fire trucks provide escort through Holley on way to hospital

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – A Clarendon fire truck has an “Evan Strong” sign in front of the truck during a processional today, when several fire trucks provided an escort through Holley, Clarendon and to Route 531 in Spencerport for Evan Valentine.

Evan, a Holley High School junior battling leukemia, left this morning to go to Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester. He is preparing for a final treatment of chemo and then a bone marrow transplant.

Evan Valentine smiles while on a ride through Holley this morning. Many community wore orange shirts in his honor and held up signs with messages of support.

Evan was first diagnosed with leukemia in Oct. 19, 2018. He completed four rounds of chemotherapy and returned to school on April 22, 2019. In January, he received the news the leukemia had returned.

This group stands in the parking lot for the soccer field on High Street. Evan plays soccer and golf for the school, and also performs in the musicals and with the chorus. He also is active with the Boy Scouts and is an altar server at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

“He is an inspiration to not only all the students and staff at Holley High School, but to the entire Holley community,” said Brian Bartalo, the Holley school district superintendent. “He is an incredible young man with an engaging personality and unwavering spirit that encourages all of us.”

Bartalo was set up on Route 31 near the entrance of Northampton Park in Brockport, to wave to Evan and his family.

“I’m so proud of the response of the Holley Central School District, the Holley, Clarendon and Brockport Fire Departments and the entire Holley community for pulling together, especially during these trying times, to show their support for one of our own,” Bartalo said. “Holley is an incredible community that has a lot of heart, even when faced with challenges, like we’re all dealing with now.”

There were fire trucks from Holley, Clarendon, Fancher-Hulberton-Murray and Brockport in the escort for Valentine.

The community organized the sendoff for Evan this morning at 10 a.m. Due to the restrictions on visitors at the hospital, many of Evan’s friends haven’t been able to visit him while he recovered from chemo and now as he prepares for his bone marrow transplant. Evan’s classmates, teachers and the firefighters wanted to give him a show of support and strength as he prepares for the transplant.

Some classmates and friends stand in front of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and hold up signs and wave to Evan as he rides by this morning.

Evan’s mother Diane Valentine and her son wave to the people gathered in the parking lot on High Street for the soccer field.

To see a video of the fire trucks and Evan passing through the intersection of routes 237 and 31, click here.

First they were open. Then they were closed. Now a clarification of Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order has golf courses around the state open again but with plenty of restrictions.

The order states that public and private courses can open but golfers will be required to walk the course and carry their own bags as golf carts are not allowed and social distancing rules must be maintained.

The New York State Golf Course Association reports that the order also states that there will be no access to the clubhouse, pro shop,  bag room or locker room; that the course cannot host “gatherings of any kind” and the only employees allowed to be on the course will be groundskeepers needed to maintain the course and security to enforce social distancing.

The clarification of the Executive Order locally effects the Shelridge, Hickory Ridge, Brown Road Golf Club and White Birch courses.

Robin Dubai selects canned goods to fill grocery bags at St. Peter’s emergency food pantry in Medina. With the recent coronavirus pandemic, the pantry has added evening hours in order to accommodate more people.

MEDINA – With hundreds out of work and grocery stores selling out, food pantries have had to adjust their operations to meet the demand.

There are two food pantries in Medina – one at Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God located in the former Medina High School, and the Emergency Food Pantry at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on West Avenue.

The Emergency Food Pantry originated out of an adult Sunday School class meeting in 1982, when members discussed doing something for the community. Unlike a regular food pantry where eligible families can come and receive food every week, the Emergency Food Pantry packages up bags of food which Medina residents can get once every three weeks. The pantry has a requirement that recipients must live in the 14103 zip code and they much bring proof of residency and family size with them.

Robin Dubai is coordinator of the food pantry, which is overseen by a board which includes herself, Jim Hancock as treasurer, Sally Grimm as volunteer coordinator, Jane Stroyan, Mary Lou Rue, Michelle Capstick and Marilyn Drew.

The pantry is open from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and recently added evening hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month.

“We knew with so many people unemployed there might be a lot who would need extra help,” Dubai said.

The food bank gets supplies through a line of credit from Foodlink, where they also get a $4,000 a year grant. In addition, they receive surplus food from the federal government and the rest they purchase locally.

With the government demands for social distancing, both food banks have had to change their procedure. At St. Peter’s, Dubai and volunteers pack bags of food in the basement with assorted items, which are then taken upstairs and lined up by the door. Recipients come in one at a time, register and then exit out the side of the building.

Robin Dubai carries bags of food at St. Peter’s emergency food pantry.

With recent demands, Dubai said there is a shortage of some staples and she has had to substitute other items. Each person gets a bag containing three meals a day for three days for the size of their family. They cannot come again for three weeks, except in extreme emergencies, Dubai said.

Hancock said they normally see an influx of people on a fixed income at the end of the month. Their customers include families, single individuals and seniors.

At Calvary Tabernacle, Donna Poore is volunteer manager of the food bank. She and the Rev. Vincent Iorio think the food pantry has been serving the community for at least 25 years. They also receive food from a Foodlink grant, and personal and company donations of food and cash. Due to the concern for spreading the coronavirus, the pantry is not accepting donations from personal households at this time.

Calvary Tabernacle is slated to receive food donations every other year from the Boy Scouts annual food drive.

“This is our year to benefit from the Boy Scouts’ drive, but we don’t know how the pandemic is going to affect that,” Poore said. “That drive provides a lot of canned goods and shelf-stable foods for our pantry.”

During the first two to three weeks of the government-mandated shut-down, the food pantry saw an increase in demand of more than 50 percent, Poore said.

“But that has since leveled off,” she said.  “I think people realize we are going to be here and they can come back in three weeks.”

The Calvary Tabernacle food pantry is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and Thursday. Like St. Peter’s, they have had to implement safe procedures for greeting residents and delivering their food.

Bags are packed inside by volunteers, who watch the parking lot for people to pull in. Then a volunteer greets the person on the back porch by the parking lot, gets their name, the number in their family and inquires if they have been there before.

No one is allowed in the building, the Rev. Iorio said.

The food pantry serves an average of 30 families a week, Poore said.

The Rainbow Connection

This song was created in 1979 by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher for Kermit The Frog.

Unless you are living under a lily pad you have heard it.

Kermit is alone in the marsh with his banjo singing his little soul out because he believes his dreams are more than illusions and feels the pull to follow them. I love how he looks so tortured yet hopeful all at the same time. I think we can all relate to those mixed feelings.

It was the version of this song I heard on the 2019 CMA Awards with Willie Nelson and Kacey Musgraves that really spoke to me. It is a song about adventure, love, dreaming and not being afraid to see “what is on the other side.” If you wish on a morning star and believe that every wish is heard and answered, then you fall under the spell of The Rainbow Connection. That is what keeps the dreamers and believers “stargazing” as the song’s story goes. It is a thought-provoking melody about examining your life, finding yourself and your dreams.

I think the reason that this version touched me so much was because it featured a young musician paired with an iconic Willie Nelson. She is just starting her journey over the Rainbow and he is nearing the other side. Her voice is young and youthful and his has the tone that only a man of many seasons possesses. He knows her dreams because they were once his, and she sees where his dreams have taken him.

Many people are looking to the morning star these days unsure of what is on the other side of the Rainbow. It is during this disquieting time many of us are at a crossroads.

What are your dreams? Are you creating a path to make your dreams come true?

If not, then ask yourself why. There is a lot of truth to the theory that one must be at peace with themselves before they can find true happiness. Daydreaming makes you feel hopeful that someday your dreams can come true. But it is important to know that in order for dreams to come true you have to get your head out the clouds and start making the effort to seek out the other side of the Rainbow.

“You never know what a day will bring.” I say that a lot, because nothing is ever guaranteed and things can change on a dime.

Listen to those voices talking to you when you are sleeping, telling you that “It will be alright.” Trust in the magic of The Rainbow Connection. It is not just an illusion, but a reality waiting to happen, if only first you believe in yourself.

Take a listen to both versions First Kermit’s Then Willie & Kacey’s. Both will tug at the heartstrings because we all have had those times when we want to live a dream, but are held back because of fears of the unknown.

Choose to believe in The Rainbow Connection, let yourself fall under its spell and live the dream on the other side.

To share your Rainbow dreams visit My Blog live online at https://www.positiveperksposts.com and catch up on weekly photo perks and past posts. Like and share your comments. Happy Perks to Everyone!

Truly,

Debbie Burgoon London
Your Sassy Small Town Missus from Albion

Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed, and restaurant activity at these sites limited to take-out or delivery

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Photo by Tom Rivers: A boater passes through the channel at Oak Orchard Harbor at Point Breeze in this photo from May 28, 2015.

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers will be allowed to open for personal use as long as strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed.

Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed, and restaurant activity at these sites must be limited to take-out or delivery only, like anywhere else in the three states. This announcement aligns the policies of the three states on this particular service.

“Throughout this pandemic, we’ve worked closely with our friends in neighboring states to implement a uniform regional approach to reducing the spread of the virus,” Governor Cuomo said. “Aligning our polices in this area is another example of that strong partnership, and will help ensure there is no confusion or ‘state shopping’ when it comes to marinas and boatyards.”

“We’ve committed to working with our regional partners throughout this crisis to align our policies when and where appropriate,” said Governor Murphy. “A unified approach is the most effective way to alleviate confusion for the residents of our states during the ongoing public health emergency.”

“Our states share workforces, resources, public transit, and we all have share a connection on the water,” Governor Lamont said. “This is yet another example of how our states have shared interests, which is all the more reason to collaborate on these kinds of decisions. This decision provides uniformity across our marinas.”