By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2019 at 3:20 pm
BATAVIA — The four-county GLOW Workforce Development Board recently held its annual meeting and honored businesses and workers in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties.
Jay Lazarony is director of the GLOW Workforce Development Board.
The GLOW program has six sites in the four counties, including two in Albion – the Orleans County Job Development Agency at 14016 Route 31 (County Administration Building) and the Orleans Center for Workforce Development at 458 West Ave. Those six sites in GLOW served 25,000 people, helping people with job searches, resume and job interviewing preparation, and helping to connect them to classroom and job training programs.
About 300 businesses listed 1,300 job openings in the program, and 1,900 people were able to find jobs through the program during a time of very low unemployment in the region, said Jay Lazarony, executive director of the GLOW Workforce Development Board.
Norb Fuest is chairman of the GLOW Workforce Development Board.
“Their work guidance and sometimes tough love is exactly what is needed,” Lazarony said on Dec. 13 during the GLOW Workforce Development Board annual meeting at Terry Hills Restaurant in Batavia.
The four counties also served about 300 youth through a summer job program.
Lazorony praised the adult and youth participants in the programs for showing resilience and determination. Some have needed to overcome homelessness, car accidents, learning disabilities, financial hardships and other challenges to find and maintain employment.
Norb Fuest is chairman of the board for the GLOW organization. He praised the Job Development staffs and the people they serve.
“What this program is all about is helping people meet their goals,” he said.
The region needs more workers of all different skill sets, especially in the trades. The GLOW Workforce Development Board is partnering with local school districts to promote careers in the four counties.
“There’s a lot of needs throughout our region,” Fuest said. “We need to educate our youth about the careers that are available in our region.”
The GLOW board supported a first-time event for the region on Sept. 24. The GLOW With Your Hands event brought 800 students to the Genesee County Fairgrounds to get hands-on experience laying bricks and sampling other jobs in the building trades. The program will continue next year.
Some of the award winners from the four counties gather for a group picture at the conclusion of the GLOW Workforce Development Board meeting.
The GLOW board recognized the following in Orleans County during the annual meeting:
• Timothy Roath was named the “Participant of the Year” from Orleans. He had been a long-time employee at Community Action. He started with the Orleans County Highway Department in buildings and grounds by giving people rides in a golf cart while the County Administration Building was undergoing an addition. He helped keep visitors to the building safe while many contractors were working on the addition.
Provided photos: Creekside Floral in Medina was recognized by the GLOW Workforce Development Board with a Business Recognition Award. Pictured from left include: Hans Rosentreter, owner Mary Lewis, Jamie Wagner and Sue Fuller.
Roath went on to get his driver’s license and secured a full-time position with the Highway Department as a custodian. Highway Superintendent John Papponetti praised Roath for being an excellent addition to the staff, bringing a friendly demeanor and strong work ethic to the job.
Roath praised the Job Development staff in Orleans County for their motivation and helping him to overcome some of the obstacles to getting a full-time job.
“I want to thank Job Development from Orleans County,” he said during the awards program. “They’ve been the backbone I just didn’t have.”
• Creekside Floral in Medina received a “Business Recognition” award. The floral shop has been owned by Mary Lewis since 2006. Creekside participated in the summer youth employment program for the first time this past year. Lewis proved to be an enthusiastic mentor to the youth worker, and accommodated the student’s schedule for classes.
Creekside taught the youth participant floral décor and how to prepare and maintain flowers, as well as teaching other job skills such as customer service, communication, time management, responsibility and patience.
• Autumn Dercqu received the “Youth Recognition” award for her work at Creekside Floral in Medina. Autumn impressed Creekside so much she was offered a job after the summer program ended.
Autumn also is working towards earning her high school equivalency diploma and plans to attend Genesee Community College in 2020 in the Veterinary Technology program.
Autumn Dercqu received the Youth Recognition Award for her work at Creekside Floral.
BATAVIA – Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Northwest NY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team will be hosting the 50th Annual Corn Congress for producers from across the region on Jan. 8 in Batavia and Jan. 9 in Waterloo.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with presentations starting at 10 a.m. DEC Recertification points and Certified Crop Adviser credits will be available.
• Wednesday, January 8 – Quality Inn & Suites, 8250 Park Rd., Batavia, NY
• Thursday, January 9 – Quality Inn, 2468 NYS Route 414, Waterloo, NY
Guest speaker Clarence Swanton, Weed Scientist at University of Guelph in Canada, will present: Talking Plants: The Science Behind Good Weed Management.
His research is focused on weed ecology and the development of integrated weed management systems for field and horticultural crops. He has won numerous awards for his research including: the Ontario Agricultural College Distinguished Researcher Award, University of Guelph Presidential Distinguished Professor Award, Excellence in Weed Science for Canada and the Weed Society of America’s Outstanding Researcher Award.
Guest speaker Jake Kraayenbrink, farmer/entrepreneur in Ontario, Canada, will present: Soil Compaction: Measuring and Mediating Machinery Damage.
He has always had a passion for soil health and has worked with the Ontario Ministry of Ag, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the University of Guelph. He is a Compaction Action team member in Ontario is the director of the Innovative Farmer’s Association of Ontario (IFAO), that helps organize Compaction Action field days for the Ag community.
Additional topics to be discussed by Cornell University researchers include:
• Changing Pathogens, Hybrids, and Weather: Wither Corn Diseases?
• Effective Programs for Controlling Waterhemp in Corn
• Building a Corn Yield Potential Database in New York
• Biocontrol of Corn Rootworm
Registration is $65 per person and includes proceeding book, morning refreshments and hot buffet lunch. To register online, and choose your location, click here. To register by phone, contact Brandie Waite at 585-343-3040 x138.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2019 at 12:17 pm
ALBION – Orleans County is slated to receive up to $73,092 in state funding to help with the 2020 census count.
The County Legislature has authorized the Orleans County Planning and Development Director Jim Bensley to submit the paperwork for the money. The state funds are intended to target areas where there have been low participation rates for filling out the census forms.
The upcoming census will be the first time residents can fill it out electronically. The kickoff date is April 1.
The electronic filing option will be difficult for some county residents without access to high-speed internet, Bensley said.
“We don’t have broadband internet everywhere in our county so that’s a concern,” Bensley said about the electronic filing.
He expects the county will form a committee soon with a plan to maximize the census count. That may include include partnering with local public libraries and Community Action, which could provide computer access and assistance for residents.
Those who don’t complete the form electronically may be sent paper copies. If those aren’t turned in, a census enumerator could knock on the door of people who haven’t completed the census, Bensley said.
He is waiting for guidelines from the state on how the money allocated for the county should be spent. The funding could include translation services, outreach to farmworkers and perhaps the Amish and Mennonite communities, as well as reaching out to senior citizens and people in poverty.
The county’s population has been trending downward. In 2000, the population was 44,171 for Orleans County. That number declined to 42,883 in 2010.
County officials want an accurate count because the population data affects reapportionment for elected officials in local, state and federal governments, as well as levels of state and federal funding.
Population trends also are studied by the private sector for investment decisions, Bensley said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2019 at 10:27 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has appointed several local residents to serve on different local boards.
The following were approved for three-year terms to the Orleans County Planning Board: Matthew Hand of Albion, representing the Village of Albion; Kathy Blackburn of Medina, representing Village of Medina; Daniel Gardner of Lyndonville, alternate for Village of Medina; Thomas Fenton of Medina, representing Town of Ridgeway; Timothy Elliott of Medina, alternate for Town of Ridgeway.
The Legislature also appointed Kevin Bogan, a funeral director in Medina, to the Community Services Board, to serve a four-year term.
The Legislature appointed Dr. Mary Obear, a family physician in Corfu, to serve a five-year term on the Genesee-Orleans County Board of Health.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2019 at 10:03 am
ALBION – Orleans County is adding three new positions for the Public Defender and two full-time in the District Attorney’s Office.
The state’s Office of Indigent Legal Services will pay for two part-time assistant public defender positions and a full-time assistant public defender.
The state Office of Indigent Legal Services is providing funding for counties to add staff for the public defender to reduce caseloads and improve the quality of representation for indigent residents.
The part-time attorneys will work 21 hours a week while the other job is full-time.
The new positions become effective on Jan. 1.
The County Legislature also has authorized creating two new positions in the District Attorney’s Office. These jobs will be funded locally because the state didn’t provide grants for the positions.
County legislators said the new jobs are needed to meet the increased workload in the DA’s Office due to the state’s criminal justice mandates for bail reform, discovery reform and speedy trial reform. Those new standards take effect on Jan. 1.
The District Attorney’s Office will have an additional full-time assistant district attorney and a new secretary to assistant DA. The county also is increasing the hours per week for two positions from 35 to 40 hours a week. That includes the confidential secretary to the district attorney and a secretary to an assistant DA.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2019 at 8:51 am
HOLLEY – A toy drive at Dollar General in Holley set a goal for collecting toys for 30 children. The effort went well beyond that.
“We are beyond grateful for all of our donors who continually help us provide presents to children,” the Eastern Orleans Community Center in Holley posted on its Facebook page. “To you all: Thank you. Your generosity and support provide presents to families that otherwise might not have them.”
The store had a big cart that was filled with toys, at a value of over $900. The Eastern Orleans Community Center in Holley thanked the Dollar General manager John O’Connor. Jessica Mandigo also created many signs that were posted in the store to help promote the toy drive.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 December 2019 at 7:54 am
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a dense fog advisory until 10 this morning for Orleans, Niagara, Monroe, Genesee and northern Erie counties.
There will be visibility under a quarter mile at times in the fog, the Weather Service said.
“If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you,” the Weather Service said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 December 2019 at 11:47 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: This flag pole was recently erected on the Orleans County Courthouse lawn as part a new veterans’ memorial.
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has given formal approval for a new veterans’ memorial to be built at Courthouse Square.
A new flag pole already has been erected as part of the memorial being funded by the Albion Knights of Columbus Council No. 1330.
The County Legislature last week approved an agreement with the Knights of Columbus, giving the organization permission to construct and maintain the memorial with a stipulation the K of C “agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the County of Orleans, its officers, employees and agents from and against any and all liability, loss claim, damage or expense, including defense costs and legal fees, incurred in connection with the construction and maintenance of said Veterans Memorial.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 December 2019 at 10:10 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Some of the Christmas garlands and streamers are back in the downtown, including these decorations on the Pratt building on Main Street.
The Village Board declared some of the decorations as surplus and they were purchased by Liz Groat, president of the Downtown Browsery. Groat repaired many of the decorations and convinced some of the merchants to hang them on their buildings.
Krantz Furniture was the first to display the decorations. The village didn’t want to hang the garlands and streamers across the street because of concern the buildings didn’t have attachments to securely display the decorations across the street.
The decorations gradually fell into disrepair and were declared surplus. The village sold eight stream liners which include two 22-foot lighted garlands with a lighted wreath. Groat submitted the highest bid of $360. She spent more money and time repairing the decorations.
The Pratt and Day buildings, owned by Michael Bonafede and Judith Koehler, give the decorations prominent display.
The Village of Albion DPW this year set up the Christmas tree in the downtown at Waterman Park by the mural showing Albion native Charles Howard as Santa, flying over the downtown and Courthouse Square.
The DPW also put up many wreaths and banners about the holiday season. This banner celebrates Charles Howard, who ran a Santa School in Albion from 1937 to 1966.
The Albion Merchants Association announced the winner of the Hometown Holiday Window Decorating contest. Frontier Heating & A/C Service Inc. won for this display at its storefront on East Bank Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2019 at 7:16 pm
Photos courtesy of Penny Cole
ALBION – The Holley varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders visited the Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Facility in Albion last Friday.
The cheerleaders have been coming to the nursing home each year near Christmas for the past decade.
“We take them a gift and a Christmas card, and just spend time with them letting them know that someone cares about them,” said Penny Cole, who coaches the varsity team with her daughter, Heather Kelley. Melanie Richards is the JV coach.
Three of the Holley cheerleaders and Cameron Kelley, son of coach Heather Kelley, meet one of the residents.
“Heather and I always teach them it’s important to be a good cheerleader, but it’s much more important to be a great person,” Cole said. “They give with their whole heart.”
Heather Kelley and Penny Cole, the varsity coaches, were happy to greet one of the residents who is a grandmother to some of Holley’s former cheerleaders. The resident is like of a member of the extended family for the cheerleaders.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2019 at 4:07 pm
Provided photo
MEDINA – One Church of Medina and Akron donated $13,000 towards a new ultrasound machine at Care Net of Greater Orleans. Wende Swick, Care Net executive director (center), accepts the check from One Church leaders.
One Church started in Medina on Christmas Eve two years ago at the former Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Ann Street.
Another anonymous donor has contributed $12,500 towards the ultrasound machine. The new equipment will be delivered during the week of Jan. 7-10, Swick said.
Care Net is located at 168 S. Main St., Suite 2 in Albion. Care Net provides free services which include pregnancy and STI testing, limited ultrasounds, classes in parenting, Bible study and life skills, material aid, and an “Earn While You Learn” program.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2019 at 1:50 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The front entrance of the Orleans County Courthouse is shown today at about noon. The courthouse was built in 1858.
The state Unified Court System, Eighth Judicial District, is changing the main entrance to the building. Beginning Jan. 1, the front of the building will be closed to the public, who will instead need to enter through a rear, ground entrance.
The front entrance facing East State Street has tall steps and isn’t handicapped accessible.
The public on Jan. 1 will need to enter the Orleans County Courthouse from the doors through the County Clerks Building, which is next to the courthouse, on East Park Street.
That entrance takes people through a security screening and then to an elevator in the basement of the courthouse. That elevator goes to the second and third floors, where there are courtrooms.
“The relocation of the public entrance will enhance security screening and allow for greater ease of public access to the Court,” the Eighth Judicial District said in a news release.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2019 at 10:16 am
Courtesy of Santa Claus Hall of Fame
The International Santa Claus Hall of Fame announced today that an Albion woman will be inducted with the Class of 2019.
Elizabeth Babcock made Santa Claus suits at Christmas Park, which was run by Charles Howard, the founder of a Santa Claus school. After Howard’s death in 1966, Babcock continued the Santa suit business.
Howard was inducted in the Santa Claus Hall of Fame in 2010 (Click here for more about Howard from the Hall of Fame). He was one of the charter members. The Hall of Fame is located at Santa’s Candy Castle in Santa Claus, Indiana.
Babcock’s Hall of Fame inscription reads:
“For over thirty years, Elizabeth Babcock made Santa Claus Suits that were worthy of the Howard name. Before she took over the suit business, Elizabeth worked at Christmas Park for many years in many roles. When the suit business became available, she was the perfect person to keep the tradition going. Elizabeth knew business, book-keeping, customer service, and most importantly, she could sew.
“She never strayed from the original concepts of the suit and was loyal to the Howard philosophy to the end of her life. She made the finest Santa Claus Suits in the world. She used the finest materials. She sewed them to specification to keep the high standard. But the component she added that was the most important to the suit was … Elizabeth Babcock’s Santa Claus Suits were made with love. Elizabeth Babcock passed away in 2006 at the age of 92. She left behind her own legacy of integrity and quality for the sake of keeping Santa looking like he should.”
Babcock is one of 13 inductees in the Class of 2019. Click here to see more on all the new members of the Hall of Fame.
Photo by Tom Rivers: This Santa suit made by Babcock is on display at the Christmas Cottage in Lockport.
Babcock is the third person connected to Christmas Park to go into the Santa Claus shrine. After Howard was inducted in 2010, George Cond went into the Hall in 2016.
Cond, a Holley resident, was trained as a Santa by Charles Howard. Cond was so good at portraying Santa that Charles Howard embraced Cond to be the Santa at Christmas Park in Albion, Howard’s entertainment venue at Route 31 on Phipps Road. (Click here to see the Hall of Fame’s write-up on Cond.)
The International Santa Claus Hall of Fame is an ongoing project that celebrates, studies and preserves the historical documentation of the many men and women who have greatly contributed to the Legend of Santa Claus, the organization states on its website.
A 15-member Hall of Fame committee reviews the candidates and considers their overall career, service to their community, range of appearances, contribution to the Santa world, length of service, uniqueness of career, originality, and charity.
Profiles are reviewed with a point value in each standard. The top 21-point value profiles are submitted for a 1 through 21 percentage vote. Those candidates who receive 75 percent are elected to the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2019 at 9:03 am
Photos courtesy of Melissa Ierlan
MEDINA – The historical marker for the St. John’s Episcopal Church returned on Monday after it was repainted by Melissa Ierlan of Clarendon. This is the 21stmarker she has given an extensive makeover since 2015.
St. John’s Episcopal Church was built in 1832, making it the oldest remaining church in Orleans County. The church was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not as “The church in the middle of the street.” Church Street splits by the church near the intersection with East Center Street (Route 31).
The church was built with Medina sandstone before there were any commercial quarries.
Many of the markers had flaked off paint and were difficult to read. Ierlan starts by removing the top of the sign and then takes it home to give it a fresh look. She scrapes off the paint.
After stripping off the paint to the bare metal, she gives it a coat of gray primer. Then she paints the sign with two coats of blue. Ierlan gives the sign two coats of yellow and a final clear coat.
