(Editor’s Note: Contractors working the State Canal Corp. will be performing repairs to the Main Street lift bridge in Albion through May 1. Vehicular traffic will not be affected, the Canal Corp. said. The work is scheduled to be completed well in advance of the opening of the canal’s navigation season on May 17.)

Press Release, NYS Canal Corp.

The New York State Canal Corporation Board of Directors has approved $9.4 million to help fund an overhaul of two lift bridges over the Erie Canal in the villages of Fairport and Spencerport in Monroe County.

The funding will be part of a $16.2 million project that will be overseen by the state Department of Transportation. The Canal Corporation is responsible for paying for capital improvements to the lifting mechanisms and related components on the Erie Canal. The DOT, which owns the bridges, is responsible for the bridges’ structure and roadway.

Boat traffic on the canal will not be affected by the closures and access to businesses and sidewalks will be maintained throughout the project.

Both of the historically significant bridges were originally built in 1914.

“New York’s iconic Canal lift bridges are among the most recognizable and beloved structures in these villages and we will work closely with DOT to ensure their historic integrity is maintained,” said Brian U. Stratton, Canal Corporation director. “These bridges help tell the Erie Canal story, and many a boater, motorist or pedestrian looks forward to encountering them.”

Preliminary construction began in January before the project ramps up later this year, and is expected to conclude by July 2021. The Fairport lift bridge, which travels over Main Street (Route 250), will be closed no earlier than Sept. 3. The approximately 16,000 vehicles who use the bridge per day will be detoured onto Turk Hill, Ayrault and Whitney roads.

In Spencerport, the bridge over Route 259 (Union Street) is expected to close in July. Motorists will use routes 31 and 104 as detours. About 15,000 vehicles a day use the bridge.

The project is slated to include:

• An update of all controls, electrical and mechanical systems on both bridges

• Preservation and maintenance of the lift bridges’ control towers, which are historically significant

• Rehabilitation of the structures of both bridges to restore their legal load-carrying capacities for at least 20 years

• Changing the north and southbound approaches to the Spencerport bridge to improve sightlines for motorists

The two bridges are among 16 lift bridges that travel over the western Erie Canal between Fairport and Lockport. Seven of the lift bridges are in Orleans County.

Press Release, Self-Advocacy Association of NYS, Western Region

File photos by Tom Rivers: Randy Bower takes the oath of oath as Orleans County sheriff on Dec. 30, 2015. Former County Court Judge James Punch, right, administers the oath and Bower’s wife, Robin, holds The Bible. The Bowers’ children, Jacob and Jessica, attend the swearing-in.

NIAGARA FALLS – Jonathan Doherty of Albion is a man with a developmental disability. He is also a leader in Orleans County and a founding officer of the All Stars Self Advocacy group, a peer advocacy group that supports people to speak up for themselves and others.

Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower also is a man with a disability. Paraplegic since a car accident as a young man, he serves the community as the Orleans County Sheriff. These two men met in the course of their civic engagement: Jonathan as an advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Randy in his run to be elected as sheriff.

They have been supporters of one another and the community ever since. Says Sheriff Bower of Jonathan, “If he can go to every Chicken BBQ and event in Albion, so can I.”

One of the major barriers for people with developmental disabilities, at least those who cannot drive their own car, is transportation, especially in a rural county like Orleans. In learning about this, Sheriff Bower personally gave Jonathan and members of his group a ride to the Regional Self Advocacy conference, then went on to look at transportation solutions for the group, so that they could be more independent and civically engaged.

In turn, Jonathan, as a representative of the Regional Self Advocacy Conference planning committee, invited Sheriff Bower to be the keynote speaker for the regional self-advocacy conference.

Jonathan Doherty walks in Holley’s parade in June 2016 with the Self Advocate All Stars. In 2016 he was named Volunteer of the Year for the western region of the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State.

This year’s conference will be held at the Niagara Falls Convention Center and is expected to draw over 260 self-advocates and their supporters from across all of Western New York and the Finger Lakes.

The conference is open to everyone in the community. The deadline to register is May 1.

The conference is June 27-28 with Bower speaking on the opening day.

Self Advocacy in Action Production Team – a group of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who make their own media – will be the keynote speakers on the second day of the conference.

The conference includes workshops on advocacy, health, and lifestyle topics. For more information about the event, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The top of St. Louis Catholic Church in Buffalo is an open work lattice spire that reaches 245 feet high. It is the tallest open-work spire ever built completely of stone in the United States, and it is also believed to be the only remaining open-work or pierced spire in the U.S.

MEDINA – The 2019 Medina Sandstone Society’s bus tour is headed to Buffalo to see some of the city’s landmark structures that are made of local sandstone.

The Sandstone Tourism Committee – consisting of chair Sue Holland, Gabrielle Barone, Peggy Schreck and Rob Klino – have put together an exciting day on May 8, which will include several structures previously inducted into the Sandstone Hall of Fame and lunch at the historic Hotel Henry’s 100 Acres Restaurant.

The first tour sponsored by the Medina Sandstone Society took place in 2008 and was an idea of the late Bob Waters, who came up with the idea of a walking tour of Medina’s Main Street. Forty-five people took part in the tour, led by then County Historian Bill Lattin.

The next year, Lattin led another tour of Medina’s downtown, ending at the Medina Historical Society, in which 61 participated.

The year 2010 saw 68 people take part in the tour of three Medina churches – St. Mary’s, First Baptist and St. John’s, each made of different colors of Medina sandstone.

In 2011, Lattin included Todd Bensley of the Medina Historical Society in a canal walk to Medina Falls, in which 60 people participated.

The following year, 71 people signed up for a tour of Boxwood Cemetery, led by Lattin and Bensley.

After a tour of Main Street which focused on the newly installed historical panels, the Sandstone Society took a four-year break.

St. Paul’s Cathedral was built by the Episcopal Church from 1849-1851. The church used stone from a quarry in Hulberton. This church was Buffalo’s first major architectural landmark. It was designed by Richard Upjohn after he earned a national reputation for his design of the Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City.

Last year, Holland came up with the idea of an Orleans County Hall of Fame bus tour, which Lattin agreed to narrate. It included sites in Orleans County that are in the Medina sandstone Hall of Fame. In Medina the stops included Holy Trinity Parish (St. Mary’s Catholic Church), the former Armory (now the Orleans County YMCA) and then St. John’s Episcopal Church. The tour went to Albion and included the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, First Presbyterian Church and Mount Albion Cemetery. The group then went to Holley to see St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Hillside Cemetery, where the chapel has the only flying buttress in the county.

“That was so successful, we decided to branch out,” Holland said.

For the first time, this year’s tour will take participants on a bus tour to Buffalo , to view and tour interiors of historic Medina sandstone structures.

After gathering at 8:30 a.m. at Medina City Hall and viewing the Sandstone Hall of Fame on the second floor, the bus will depart for Buffalo .

One of the most anticipated stops will be the Hotel Henry, an elegant hotel in the Richardson Olmsted Complex. Construction on the 147-year-old Richardson Olmsted Campus began in 1872 and opened in 1880 as the state-of-the-art Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane.

It closed a century later, to reopen after a $100 million renovation as the new Hotel Henry. The hotel is named after its designer, Henry Hobson Richardson, who worked alongside landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also laid out nearby Delaware Park .

After the Richardson Complex fell into disrepair, a group of local preservationists in the early 2000s sued the state, forcing them to fix it up. The extensive renovation took 15 years and millions of taxpayer dollars.

The Hotel Henry has become one of Buffalo’s premier destinations for weddings and special occasions. The second floor houses the 100 Acres Restaurant, which was named for the 100 acres set aside for patient farmland when the hospital first opened. Eighty-eight guestrooms and suites are located in the two buildings flanking the towers.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Sue Holland, a director with the Medina Sandstone Society and chair of the Tourism Committee, stands before the Sandstone Wall of Fame in Medina ’s City Hall. On May 8, the Medina Sandstone Society will sponsor a day-long bus tour to several sandstone structures in Buffalo, including lunch at the historic Hotel Henry at the Richardson Olmsted Complex, which is in the Medina Sandstone Society’s Hall of Fame.

The bus will drive by Lafayette Lofts, a luxurious residential complex created by the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church; Buffalo Connecticut Street Armory; First Presbyterian Church, across from Kleinhans Music Hall; and Ashbury Hall/Babeville. All have been inducted into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.

Participants will disembark and tour St. Louis Church and St. Paul’s Cathedral, both of which are also in the Sandstone Hall of Fame.

On the bus ride to Buffalo, two videos by Channel 2 will be shown – the first when Bob Waters and Todd Bensley were interviewed and the second where Lattin discussed the origin of sandstone quarries.

“The chance to see these videos is a real plus,” Holland said.

Holland also said the Sandstone Society is having booklets made of all the sites, and these will be given to riders.

“They will definitely get their money’s worth,” she said.

Anyone wishing more information may contact Holland at shollan2@rochester.rr.com, by calling (585) 721-3809 or by clicking here for the Sandstone Society website.

Amy Crockford

MEDINA – After the successful completion of her first book, My Happy Place, during Deaf Awareness Month in September 2018, deaf author Amy Crockford of Akron will celebrate her book with a signing at 11 a.m. Saturday at The Book Shoppe, 519 Main St.

My Happy Place is about Amy, a deaf 10-year-old who loves to swim and play with her friends. Her friends learn a valuable lesson about deafness and they come up with a way to embrace it. Amy, too, learns the true meaning of friendship.

Crockford is an American sign language professor at several colleges in Western New York, including Genesee Community College in Medina and Batavia, Niagara University, Erie County Community College and Buffalo State College. She also previously taught for five years at Brockport State College.

My Happy Place, a 28-page book, features the adventures of a 10-year-old girl who is deaf.

The author was born and raised in Schenectady. Born three months prematurely, she was given medicine to fight off illness, which caused permanent hearing loss.

“I have been wearing hearing aids since the age of 3,” Crockford said.

She has been an American sign language professor for the last nine years.

Crockford earned her master’s in education in student affairs administration from the University of Buffalo and her bachelor of arts in communication from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

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MURRAY – A section of Monroe-Orleans County Line Road will be closed beginning April 16 while the contractor begins work to replace the bridge between Route 104 and Gulf Road. The bridge is over Sandy Creek, south of Route 104.

CATCO in Alden is the general contractor on the project, which is expected to take four to five months.

A posted detour will be in place.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Town Supervisor Robert Miller says Murray officials are trying to encourage more farms to hold special events that can strengthen the operations and draw visitors to the community.

MURRAY – The Town Board didn’t pass a new law regulating special events at farms and wineries on Tuesday, after several residents shared their concerns that the legislation could hurt the operations by imposing new restrictions.

The town will have the Planning Board and attorney Jeff Martin take another look at the law and try to address residents’ concerns.

That will push back enacting the law for at least a few months. The Town Board wanted to have the law in place to assist Kateland Farms, a miniature horse farm, with hosting weddings. The farm owned by Ted Jenney on Lake Road has been hosting weddings and special events in recent years.

However, the property currently can’t host those events, according to regulations for a residential-agriculture zoned district by the town. Murray last year agreed to allow Kateland to host scheduled weddings for 2018, but the town didn’t give approval for weddings in 2019 until Murray has a legal mechanism in place. That was the impetus for the new local law, with the town also wanting to encourage events at other farms and wineries, as long as the farms secured a special use permit with the town.

“We want to promote agri-tourism but not encroach on the neighbors,” said Town Supervisor Robert Miller. “We’re trying to strike a nice balance.”

Farms and wineries can host events if they are in an agricultural district. The Ag and Markets Department says the events are permissible as long as they don’t account for more than 30 percent of the farm’s revenue. Ag and Markets advised the town that Kateland Farms wasn’t covered under Ag & Markets for its events because weddings weren’t a direct tie to a farming operation, town attorney Jeff Martin said during Tuesday’s Town Board meeting.

The town wanted to help Kateland Farms continue to host weddings and special events. The proposed local law was geared towards farms and wineries that aren’t in agricultural districts.

David Piedmonte, a Holley garlic grower, said the proposed law might prove a hindrance to farms, rather than a help.

However, the Town Board was told by some farmers who do special events now that the proposal was vague in some parts, making the farmers nervous how the law would be interpreted by the Town Planning Board and code enforcement officer.

“It was a valiant effort by the town to try to resolve this issue,” said Town Councilman Paul Hendel. “Is this law perfect? I have no idea. But if we are waiting for perfection we will spend a long time waiting.”

Amy Machamer, co-owner of Hurd Orchards, said the farm relies on events to see fruit, flowers and other farm products. Hurd has been doing events for at least 40 years.

The farm wouldn’t be affected by the town’s proposed law, attorney Martin said, because it is covered by Ag & Markets.

Machamer, however, said she remains concerned the law could be interpreted differently by town officials in the future, potentially impacting Hurd’s events. For example, the town proposed law requires 100-foot setbacks from the road for buildings. Hurd has many historic buildings that are close to the road.

The proposed law also has regulations for noise, bathrooms and other proposals to help mitigate the impact to neighbors.

“We’re trying to control it but not for the sake of controlling it,” Miller said. “It’s so it doesn’t get out of control.”

Joe Sidonio, Machamer’s husband, believes Kateland Farms is already covered in the town’s Right to Farm legislation. Sidonio said the proposed law is “overregulation” with unintended consequences.

Town officials said the law doesn’t include farms and barns that host graduation parties and family reunions – events where no profit is made.

Hendel said the town will continue to work on what he said it a “hard issue.” The town wants to help more farms to be able to sell products and host events that can help the farms supplement their income.

“I think this has the potential to be a win-win for everybody,” Hendel said.

Provided photo

BARRE – The newly formed Albion High School Clay Target Club is set to compete in the 2019 New York State Clay Target League. The spring league will officially start April 14 and continue for five weeks. All of the Albion team members participate at the Barre Sportsmen’s Club.

Pictured from left include: Gina Fox, Chris Rice (coach), Cole London, Ryan Uderitz (coach), Zac Albright, Drew Caldwell, Mike Donahue (coach), Austin Aman, Shane Hastings, Jordan Boccacci-Phillips, Ryan Krenning (kneeling), Sawyer Brailey, Ben Hickman, Austin Furness, Patrick Brien, Alex Rustay, Jacob Fuller, Nick Sacco, Jeff Atwell (coach) Tim Brien (coach). Missing from photo: Jessica Fox, James Hapeman, Max Hapeman and Will Trembley.

The Albion team will compete against other schools that do their trap shooting on their home trap fields. They compare their scores online. Shooters try to hit 50 targets, which are sent out of a machine at 43 miles per hour.

MURRAY – The Town Board approved a “confidential separation agreement” on Tuesday with a former employee, with the details of the agreement not to be made public, said Town Supervisor Robert Miller.

The Town Board went into executive session to discuss the agreement. When board members and attorney Jeff Martin came out of executive session, the board voted unanimously to have Miller sign the agreement.

Miller said the town can’t disclose who the agreement is with or for how much money.

That irked resident Kerri Neale, who told the board the public should be aware of the agreement because it involves taxpayer money.

“You are not at liberty to discuss what you’re doing with our money?” Neale asked at Tuesday’s Town Board meeting.

Miller said because it is a confidential agreement, the details can’t be shared publicly.

Neale said he believes the Town Board is doing what it believes is best for the town in resolving a conflict. However, Neale said he wouldn’t have reached such an agreement.

“When you face a bully you don’t just keep giving them your lunch money,” Neale said. “Sometimes you have to fight them.”

ALBION – The county’s bed tax reached a new high in 2018 when it topped $50,000 for the first time.

The 4 percent tax on lodging, which was implemented in 2003, last year totaled $51,002, according to the Orleans County Tourism Department.

That was up 12.4 percent or $5,628 from the $45,374 in 2017, which was the previous high.

The “bed tax” revenue is used by the county to leverage matching “I Love NY” funds. The money is used by the Tourism Department for advertising, design, printing, media buys, consumer shows, distribution and operations.

The county prints 40,000 visitor guides each year and other brochures that are placed at visitor centers along the Thruway and other gateways in the state, including the Thousand Islands bridge on Route 81. If the revenue continues to grow the county could print more visitor guides and place more in Canada and other locations, within a 5-hour drive, said Dawn Borchet, the county’s tourism director.

The bed tax ranged from $31,141 in 2010 to $39,022 in 2015. It topped $40,000 for the first time in 2016 with $40,927.

Borchet said the uptick in the bed tax is an indication more visitors are staying in the county at hotels, motor courts, boarding houses, cabins, cottages, bed and breakfast establishments, and inns or tourist homes.

The bed tax is expected to be on an upward trend in the coming years with the opening of a hostel in Medina, a new hotel in Medina, and a boutique hotel in the former Bent’s Opera House in Medina.

MEDINA – A Niagara Falls man was arrested today with 5 counts of felony drug charges for allegedly selling THC oil (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol), which is used in the process of making marijuana edibles such as gummies and chocolate candies, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force said.

Tyrell T. Lynch

The Task Force and the Medina Police Department stopped Tyrell T. Lynch, 31, in a vehicle at the corner of South Main Street and North Avenue in the Village of Medina. Officers seized 32 ounces of THC oil, more than $500 in cash and other drug paraphernalia, the Task Force said.

Lynch was charged with 2 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, and 3 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, which are all Class D felonies.

Lynch was arraigned in the Shelby Town Court by Town Justice Dawn Keppler. He was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond. He is to appear in Ridgeway Town Court at 9 a.m. on April 15.

Further arrests and charges are pending in this investigation, the Task Force said.

Press Release, Sheriff Randy Bower

ALBION – In the month of March, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department 911 Dispatch Center processed 2,107 police incidents, including 794 events for Sheriff’s Road Patrol, 180 for the New York State Police and 1,133 calls for the Village police agencies of Lyndonville, Medina, Albion and Holley.

There were 559 Fire/EMS-related calls dispatched countywide with 422 of those calls emergency medical in nature and 8 drug overdoses.

Sheriff’s Department Road Patrol deputies handled 56 automobile accidents, including 13 with injury and 21 car-deer collisions.  Road patrol also made 84 service attempts and successfully served 33 subpoenas, civil or court papers.

The Sheriff’s Animal Control Division handled 109 incidents including 24 stray dogs, 2 animal bite complaints, 11 neighbor dog problems, and several other miscellaneous animal calls. In addition, 9 animals were taken in to shelter on voluntary surrenders.

The Orleans County Jail processed in 137 inmates and handled 51 prisoner transports.

Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley

New York City politicians on the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee have voted to block legislation, introduced by Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia), offering discounted college tuition, room and board for the dependents of New York military service-members who have died in the line of duty.

The measure, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, would apply to students attending SUNY or CUNY institutions.

“Downstate politicians have no shame in throwing tax dollars at illegal aliens for their college expenses, but when it comes to family members of our nation’s heroes they turn their backs and vote no,” Hawley said. “The priorities of the Assembly Majority become more confusing and hypocritical by the day and to turn their backs on our veterans is disgraceful.

“It’s truly a disservice to this state and, most importantly, our brave veterans that power brokers in Albany kill truly bipartisan legislation with noble causes,” Hawley continued. “Inmates get Ipads, parolees get pardons and criminal illegals get lawyers but the Assembly Majority cries broke when it comes to our valiant veterans – mindboggling.”

Medina Area Christian Theater taking show to 2 schools, instead of a church building

Diane Thurber, theatrical director for the Easter cantata “Come Walk With Me” works with the cast during a rehearsal at the Medina United Methodist Church.

MEDINA –  The Medina Area Christian Theater ’s annual Easter cantata has a lot of “firsts” this year.

Joining them for the first time will be members of Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation, a group of five pastors started 20 years ago by Pastor Dan Thurber to pray for members of the community.

Also, for the first time, the cantata will be presented at a school, instead of a church. And, having a performance in Albion is also a first.

“Come Walk With Me” features a cast of 56 and will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Albion Middle School Auditorium and at 3 p.m. Sunday at Medina High School Auditorium.

Cast members this year represent 13 churches in Orleans County and the Hartland Baptist Church in Gasport.

The cast this year is one of the largest in the history of the cantata, directors said.

Lead cast members are Randall Bane as the grandfather, Rick Boyle as Luke, Cody Taylor as Jesus, Rich Lovelace as Peter, Mike Wright as Pontius Pilate, and Bill Parker as John.

The cast of 56 is the largest ever in the Easter cantata being presented this year on Saturday and Sunday by the Medina Area Christian Theater. Joining them for the first time are members of Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation. They are rehearsing here at the Medina Methodist Church at the Grove.

Elaine Lovelace is musical director and Diane Thurber is theatrical director.

The collaboration between MACT and PACT came as a result of PACT contacting MACT and asking if they could be involved.

“This is wonderful for our family, which is steeped in music,” said Diane Thurber, whose husband Dan is pastor of Assembly of God on Ridge Road . “It is a wonderful opportunity for us to do a theatrical production which expands on our faith.”

MACT was created out of the original social musical theater started more than two decades ago by Jan Cramer and the Rev. Dan McDowell of Medina First Baptist Church. After McDowell left, Elaine Lovelace took over directing.

Elaine Lovelace is musical director of the annual Medina Area Christian Theater’s Easter cantata.

The cantata really grew in prominence 12 years ago when the Rev. Larry Eastlack came to town and wanted to put on a big Christmas musical, Lovelace said. The new group became the Medina Area Christian Theater and Lovelace has directed it ever since.

MACT traditionally puts on two presentations a year – at Christmas and Easter.

A committee consisting of Elaine Lovelace, Robin Watts and Nicole Bacon usually meet to choose the production.

“We have done this cantata twice before, but Rich and I suggested doing it again because it would be new for the Thurbers and PACT,” Elaine said. “Besides, the music is fun and Diane has expanded the drama.”

Watts also makes all the costumes for the group.

The cantata is free and directors hope the new venues will result in larger crowds.

Randall Bane is the grandfather in the Easter cantata. Here, he reads to children about his travels with Jesus.

‘This legislation will dramatically impact the leading industry across much of New York. Considering the grave harm it could have on our state’s small family farms, hard-working farm employees, and consumers, it’s unfathomable that entire geographic regions and sectors of agriculture are excluded from the discussion.’ – State Sen. Robert Ortt

Press Release, State Sen. Robert Ortt

Today, Senator Rob Ortt (R,C,I,Ref-North Tonawanda) and his Senate Republican colleagues raised concerns over the release of hearings surrounding the proposed Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act.

In a letter to the respective Chairs of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Senate Labor Committee, they questioned the limited scope of only holding three hearings, which are set to take place in Nassau, Sullivan, and Madison counties. The Capital Region, Hudson Valley, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York – along with farm industries specific to those regions – will be without input into the sweeping legislation.

“It’s disheartening to see that Senate Democrats ignored our request to host statewide hearings on the proposed farmworkers unionization legislation,” said Sen. Ortt. “This legislation will dramatically impact the leading industry across much of New York. Considering the grave harm it could have on our state’s small family farms, hard-working farm employees, and consumers, it’s unfathomable that entire geographic regions and sectors of agriculture are excluded from the discussion. Once again, I am calling on both Senators to expand their planned schedule and include hearings in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York.”

Joining Sen. Ortt in signing the letter were Senators Pamela A. Helming, Robert E. Antonacci, Rich Funke, George A. Amedore Jr., Chris Jacobs, Sue Serino, James N. Tedisco, Daphne Jordan, Betty Little, Thomas F. O’Mara and Fred Akshar. Last month, Sen. Ortt and his Senate colleagues authored a letter to the Agriculture and Labor chairs requesting that community hearings be held across the entire state. In a study conducted by Farm Credit East, it is estimated that the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act would add at least $299 million of costs on the backs of New York’s farming community, which would reduce net farm income by a staggering 23 percent.

(Editor’s Note: The hearing schedule is as follows: April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at SUNY Morrisville in Morrisville; April 26 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Suffolk County Legislature in Smithtown, Long Island; and May 2 from 1 to 5 p.m. at SUNY Sullivan in Loch Sheldrake)

Sen. Betty Little (R,C,I-Queensbury) said, “This is an issue that could severely impact our agricultural industry causing a ripple effect throughout the state’s economy. Most farmers I know don’t have the time to travel a great distance to attend a public hearing, but they want to be heard. They deserve to be heard. That’s why we’re imploring our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to take the time to organize and hold hearings all across the state.”

Sen. Rich Funke (R,C,I-Fairport) said, “Holding hearings in upstate New York would force the Senate Majority to see first-hand the damage their policies are creating for upstate families and farmers. I can understand why they would prefer to stick their heads in the sand but we simply can’t allow it. If they want to shut down farms in my district, I’m calling on the Senate Democrats to at least look my constituents in the eye while they’re doing it. We need hearings on the Farm Labor Bill and we need them now.”

Medina welcomes more Lyndonville students in Mustang band

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Mustang Band performs Sept. 22 during its home show at the Fall Festival of Bands.

LYNDONVILLE – Medina and Lyndonville have set June 17 for an open house on the shared sports programs, given students and parents from both school districts a chance to meet coaches, athletic directors and other school leaders from both districts.

Lyndonville will host the open house in the evening on June 17. The time hasn’t been set yet.

The two districts starting sharing some programs six years ago, first with boys varsity soccer.

That has expanded to eight shared programs. Lyndonville hosts the boys volleyball, girls varsity soccer and the musical program.

Medina hosts a merged boys varsity soccer, varsity football, cross country, the marching band and swimming.

Both school districts in February approved new four-year agreements for the shared programs.

District leaders met last week to discuss an increased outreach for the shared programs. They decided to have an open house on June 17. Besides coaches and athletic directors, the open house will include the district superintendents, leaders of the Board of Education, and the Sports Boosters from both districts, said Jason Smith, Lyndonville district superintendent.

He would like there to be an annual open house, with the districts rotating as the host site.

Smith discussed the shared sports open house during Monday’s Board of Education meeting in Lyndonville.

He also said Jim Steele, leader of the Medina marching band, would be meeting with Lyndonville students this week to welcome them to be part of the band this fall. Lyndonville usually has had two to five students in the Medina band. Steele would be happy to welcome more Lyndonville students in the program, Smith said.

Medina band leaders also will have a parent meeting in May in Lyndonville.

Lyndonville has a marching band that performs in the Memorial Day and Fourth of July parades. Medina’s band performs in many competitions during the fall and spring.