ALBION – Since 2016, Lighthouse Wind and Heritage Wind have donated more than $3,000 to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, to help serve low-income and disadvantaged families in the area. This year, Heritage Wind has also included a $500 donation for the second year of the Leadership Orleans program.

“Community Action is appreciative of Apex’s generous donation! This will allow us to serve our clients and help them become self-sufficient,” said Carly Ward, director of planning and operations for Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

“We are excited about the work that Community Action is doing to build a better future in the area. We share the same goal of building a brighter future, and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting such organizations in the community,” said Cat Mosley, public engagement manager for Heritage Wind and Lighthouse Wind.

Apex Clean Energy is working on utility-scale wind power projects with Heritage Wind in the Town of Barre and Lighthouse Wind in the towns of yates and Somerset.

Lighthouse Wind also announced it awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Austin Dick, a senior at Lockport High School who plans to study music education with a minor in jazz studies at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester.

“He is so thrilled to be receiving such a generous scholarship,” says Austin’s mother, Kathy Bleiler-Dick. “He will be certain that it will be used wisely to further his education. His passion for teaching extends to a job coaching students at Flips Gymnastics, leading young children at church, and participating in a summer student-led jazz band. Austin would like to thank Lighthouse Wind for supporting his future in music.”

Photo from Holley Central School: A polar bear mascot tries to rally support for a team from Holley, including students, staff and superintendent Brian Bartalo. Holley has raised $1,295 so far towards its goal of $2,000.

Holley and Kendall schools are both sending groups to the Polar Plunge this Sunday in Lake Ontario. They will be at Ontario Beach Park in Charlotte at noon to jump into the cold water.

Holley and Kendall have participated in the Plunge for several years. The event typically raises more than $200,000 for the Special Olympics.

Holley and Kendall are both trying to raise $2,000 for the Special Olympics. Kendall has raised $550 so far towards its goal. (Click here for more on Kendall’s fundraising page.) Holley is up to $1,295. (Click here for more on Holley’s fundraising page.)

Last year Holley students and their teacher and Student Council Advisor Jim Di Sessa raised just under $1,100. That passed the group’s fundraising goal of $1,000. Holley has doubled its goal this year.

Last year Kendall raised $1,875 at the Polar Plunge.

File photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Feb. 12, 2017 shows a group of people jumping into Lake Ontario for the Polar Plunge in Charlotte at Ontario Beach Park.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Randy Bower has issued a travel advisory for Orleans County. We are currently experiencing heavy icing conditions with heavy rain and freezing rain with a temperature of 28 degrees.

We ask the public to please use extreme caution and reduce speed during this weather event.  Sheriff’s Deputies and State Troopers are currently working several accidents in the county at this time.

Highway Departments across the county had all their crews in and were pre-salting and sanding the roadways in anticipation of this event.

The Sheriff’s Office will continue to monitor this weather event and provide updates as needed.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Press Release, GCC

Now in its sixth year, Genesee Community College and the Orleans Hub are proud to continue the Orleans County Heritage Heroes Awards which recognize the dedication and hard work of dedicated citizens who strive to protect and preserve local history.

They are now seeking nominations for the awards. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, February 22.

Nominees for Heritage Heroes Awards can be any age but posthumous nominations will not be accepted. History professionals and GCC employees are also not eligible for the award, nor are those who serve on the awards selection committees. Nominees must be Orleans County residents.

Last year’s winners included Aaron Grabowski, Diane Palmer, Arthur Barnes and Roy Bubb. Lysbeth Hoffman received the special C.W. “Bill” Lattin Award for Excellence in Municipal History, and Marsha DeFilipps received the Bob Waters Lifetime Achievement Award. Because nominations are not retained for future consideration, residents who made previous nominations are encouraged to re-submit a nominee again for this coming year.

To nominate someone for the Heritage Heroes Awards, write up a brief statement outlining the person’s contributions, projects and community affiliations. Anyone sending in a nomination should provide their name (anonymous nomination packages will not be accepted), address, phone number and email address. The more in-depth the detail provided in the nomination, the stronger the submission. Submit the nomination to:

ATTENTION: Heritage Heroes Committee

Genesee Community College / Medina Campus Center

11470 Maple Ridge Rd.Medina, NY 14103-9675

Nominations may also be emailed to Jim Simon at jsimon@genesee.edu. Please write Heritage Heroes Nomination in the subject line.

A screening process involving community members and history professionals will review the nominations and recommend finalists. From those finalists, the executive committee including GCC Associate Dean Jim Simon, Associate Professor Derek Maxfield and Orleans Hub Editor Tom Rivers will choose the Heritage Heroes.

“We are very pleased to recognize those whose efforts often go unnoticed,” said Associate Professor of History, Derek Maxfield. “They make many personal sacrifices in order to preserve history for future generations.”

The Heritage Heroes will be recognized during a ceremony at Genesee Community College in Albion in April 2019.

LYNDONVILLE – Opening a thrift store in Lyndonville is fulfilling a vision God has for the Lyndonville United Methodist Church, pastor Olga Gonzalez said.

“The first time I met with Ruth Hedges and she shared with me the vision God was giving her about a thrift store, I knew that was God’s plan for the Lyndonville community and beyond,” Gonzalez said.

The church had 1,000 square feet of space in its basement which was not being utilized, and that’s where the thrift store will be located. Entrance will be on the north side of the church.

Plans are shaping up and support is overwhelming for the project. They have been collecting donations of goods since last summer. They were able to get free racks and hangars from the Bon Ton in Lockport when it closed.

Hedges, a member of the church, started searching for a name.

“We went through a lot of names and had a lot of suggestions,” Hedges said.

Olga Gonzalez started as pastor of the Lyndonville United Methodist Church in July.

One day, recalling a verse from the Bible in Romans 12:9-13, she decided on Hope Resales: A Community Thrift Store. Her son, Curtis Canham, is a graphic designer and came up with a logo for the thrift store.

The church plans to open Hope Resales on March 30.

They are looking to the community for donations to stock the store.

The annual winter rummage sale is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and suitable merchandise left from the sale will help to stock the thrift store.

Valerie Wells, church secretary, is a lifelong resident of Lyndonville and remembers when there used to be a thrift store in Lyndonville.

“But that was years ago,” she said.

The church welcomes donations of good, clean clothing and household items. They cannot accommodate large appliances or furniture.

Gonzalez’ wish is that Hope Resales will benefit the Lyndonville community and beyond. As a Hispanic, Puerto Rican pastor, Gonzalez also hopes to reach out to the Hispanic people in the area.

“I want everyone to come and see God’s love through Hope Resales,” she said.

President Donald J. Trump gave a 1 hour, 20 minute State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Here are some reactions to the speech:

Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, released the following statement:

“Tonight, President Trump called on all lawmakers to work together and to choose greatness. Under President Trump’s leadership, we have passed monumental tax and criminal justice reforms. Our economy is flourishing and American families have more money in their pockets, but we still have work to do. While President Trump is fighting for fair trade and the American worker, it is time for Congress to come together to strengthen our borders and fix our broken immigration system. Together, we can accomplish a greater America.”

Statement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

“Tonight President Trump proposed rolling back the protections provided by Roe v. Wade — the law of our nation for 46 years affirmed and reaffirmed by numerous Supreme Courts.

Never.

New York has a message to those who spread lies and fear to control women’s reproductive health decisions: Not going to happen. Not now, not ever.”

Statement from U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand:

“President Trump has had years to bring this country together, but instead he has chosen to divide the country across every single line he can imagine. If President Trump wants to convince the country that he actually cares about bringing us together, then he can start by no longer using government workers as political pawns, reuniting the families that his Administration ripped apart at the border, and stopping with political wedge issues like telling women they can’t make their own health decisions in consultation with their doctor.”

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer tweeted this response:

“The America I know is ready to fight to keep its healthcare, to root out public corruption, and treat everyone in our nation with respect.”

Calls included 61 car accidents, 6 drug overdoses

Provided photo: Sheriff Randy Bower is pictured with local pastors at an appreciation luncheon for the volunteer on-call chaplains. Pictured from left include Don Snyder, Randy LeBaron, Dan Thurber, Randy Bower, Eddie English and Tim Lindsay.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

In the month of January, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department 911 Dispatch Center processed 1,967 police incidents, including 747 events for Sheriff’s Road Patrol, 172 for the New York State Police and 1,048 calls for the Village police agencies of Lyndonville, Medina, Albion and Holley.

There were 626 Fire/EMS related calls dispatched countywide with 427 of those emergency medical in nature and a total of 6 drug overdoses.

Sheriff’s Department Road Patrol Deputies handled 61 automobile accidents, including 13 with injury and 22 car-deer collisions. Road patrol also made 60 service attempts and successfully served 22 subpoenas, civil or court papers.

The Orleans County Jail processed in 91 inmates and handled 48 prisoner transports to court appearances, etc.

The Sheriff’s Animal Control Division handled 64 incidents including 26 stray dogs, 2 dog bite complaints, 6 neighbor dog problems, and several other miscellaneous animal calls. In addition, 5 animals were taken to the shelter on voluntary surrenders.

Photo courtesy of Sue Starkweather Miller

MOUNT MORRIS – Melissa Barnosky is headed back to Albany to defend her title in the American Legion’s oratorical contest. Barnosky won the Zone 5 contest pn Saturday at Mount Morris.

Pictured form left include: John Miga, 8th district commander; Melissa Barnosky; Walter Ackley, 8th district oratorical chairman; and Norma Weissend, the oratorical Zone 5 chairperson.

Barnosky won on Saturday, competing against three other students. She will be at the state championship on March 2nd in Albany.

Last year she was the first student from Albion to win the competition, and advanced to nationals in Indianapolis.

The students all need to give an 8-10 minute prepared speech on the U.S. Constitution and citizen duties and obligations to the government. If a contestant goes over or under the time frame, there are penalty points. Barnosky’s topic was “The Key to our Vigilance.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: The memorial for soldiers in front of the Albion Town Hall is pictured last week when it was below freezing. Most of the snow has since melted away. Jeff Benfer, a local welder and artist, made the metal sculpture of a battlefield cross. It has been in front of the Town Hall on Clarendon Road since 2015.

A winter weather advisory and flood watch have both been issued for Orleans County.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued the winter weather advisory from 7 a.m. Wednesday to 1 a.m. Thursday for Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, northern Erie and Genesee counties.

Freezing rain is expected with total ice accumulations of one tenth to three tenths of an inch expected.

“Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice,” the Weather Service said. “Travel could be extremely difficult, especially the Wednesday evening commute.”

Periods of freezing rain will result in slick roads. Drivers are urged to slow down and use caution while driving.

A flood watch is in effect until 4 a.m. tonight for Orleans and several WNY counties. Ice jams remain a concern as river and creek ice may continue to break up.

“Deepening cold air will help to slow the melting process,” the Weather Service said. “The most susceptible areas for potential ice jams are the Buffalo Creeks, Cattaraugus Creek, and the upper Allegany River, although they can happen anywhere.”

Press Release, NYS Association of Counties

As President Donald Trump prepares to present the State of the Union Address to Congress and the American people, a resolution by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) urges federal leaders to work together for the good of the nation.

A good starting point would be a full year of funding for the remainder of the federal agencies. About two thirds of the federal government was fully funded for the year.

As many as 116,000 people in NYS worked for the federal government in 2017, and 14,000 of those workers work for departments affected by the shutdown, such as agriculture, justice, the state department, and treasury.

“Our county leaders weighed in on the shut down because we are concerned that back-to-back shutdowns will do great harm to New Yorkers that work for the federal government, it would threaten many of the federal programs we administer at the county level, and it would take a toll on public servants at all levels of government,” said NYSAC President Chuck Nesbitt, the chief administrative officer of Orleans County.

In addition, the recent shutdown impacted some homeowners’ ability to pay their property taxes. In response, the State Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, a new law that allows impacted homeowners to pay their local property taxes late without the penalty of late fees or interest.

According to NYSAC’s resolution, the local impacts of the shutdown included:

• The risk of 2.7 million New Yorkers who depend on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (administered at the county level) going hungry;

• The suspension of more than 1,000 contracts between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and landlords who rent to the poor;

• Federal loans that millions of college and university students rely on were delayed, leaving many unable to pay their tuition; and

• A reduction in critical inspections by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA); and

• Airport delays because of increased absences by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers and air traffic controllers that weren’t getting paid during the shutdown.

“With this resolution, we are urging New York’s Congressional delegation to come together with their colleagues and the White House to strike a deal that paves the way for a full year appropriation, so we can avert another shutdown and its far-reaching consequences,” said NYAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.

GAINES – The Town of Gaines Republican Committee is seeking candidates for town offices, including highway superintendent to succeed Ron Mannella, who is retiring and not seeking re-election.

The Gaines GOP Committee welcomes Republican candidates interested in serving as highway superintendent, town supervisor and one of two other seats on the Town Board.

Interested candidates need to respond by Feb. 6 with an email to GainesGOP@gmail.com.

Dawn Read

ALBION – An Albion woman has been arrested after allegedly selling cocaine in the Village of Albion, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force is reporting today.

Dawn M. Read of East Bank Street was charged today with three counts of both criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, which are class B felonies.

She was charged by the Task Force and Albion Police Department. Read was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Town Justice Gary Moore, and committed to the Orleans County Jail without bail due to her previous criminal history.

Read is to return to Albion Town Court at 9 a.m. on Feb. 12.

She was previously sentenced to two years in state prison after admitting in court she sold prescription medication to make a profit. She was charged with that crime on April 1, 2014 and sentenced on Oct. 20, 2014.

Steve Giverson, coordinator of the program for the Fire Department, holds one of the new smoke detectors.

KENDALL – The Kendall Fire Department, Kendall Lions Club and American Red Cross have teamed to make sure every house in Kendall that needs smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have them.

The groups have worked together and will be putting new detectors in about 200 homes in Kendall. They are pushing for the new detectors after a mother and her son died on April 18 from carbon monoxide poisoning. Joan C. Gilman, 38, and her son, Richard J. Gilman Jr., 14, lived in an a duplex at 2245 Center Rd.

The Red Cross has donated 600 smoke detectors, while the Kendall Lions Club gave $5,000 towards the purchase of the 200 CO detectors. The Kendall Fire Department also paid towards the CO detectors which cost $31 each. Rochester Gas & Electric also is contributing $750.

Kendall firefighters have been out three weekends so far this year, going to homes and installing the detectors. They expect they will be out three or four more weekends to get the job done.

Long-time Kendall firefighters John Becker said the death of the mother and son was preventable if there had been a working CO detector.

“We were like how the hell did that happen?” Becker said. The deaths last year were the first time he could recall a carbon monoxide death in the community.

The fire department and other community volunteers are installing these carbon monoxide detectors.

However, he stressed carbon monoxide is a lethal gas that can kill someone quickly. CO is often called “the silent killer” because it is colorless, odorless and tasteless. If the early signs of CO poisoning are ignored, a person may lose consciousness and be unable to escape the danger.

The Kendall Fire Department and Lions Club did an outreach campaign and realized many people didn’t have detectors.

The have been signing up people at community events and through information sent to parents through the school district.

Visiting the homes and installing the detectors also has been a good chance to go over fire prevention and urge residents to have a fire escape plan, Becker said.

Firefighters typically install one CO detector per residence and may put in three or more smoke detectors. It’s important to have them in spots where air circulates. Smoke detectors are up high on the ceiling while the CO detectors should be on a wall, about a foot from the ceiling.

The detectors will be good for about a decade. Firefighters are putting a date on them for when they were installed. They also urge the residents to dust the detectors every two months or so.

Steve Giverson, a Kendall firefighter, has been organizing the effort, and the installation plan. He calls the residents to schedule the installation.

Besides the 200 homes getting new detectors, Giverson said many other residents have replaced detectors on their own. He said residents of all ages, from young families to senior citizens, have signed up for the new detectors.

Giverson said there may be some additional detectors if Kendall residents missed the signup. They are encouraged to call the Fire Department at leave a message at (585) 659-8082.

Shawn Liddle is retiring after 23 years with the district

Shawn Liddle

ALBION – The school district will have a new business administrator with the retirement of Shawn Liddle, who has managed the district’s finances the past 23 years.

Derek Vallese, the current treasurer for Newfane Central School, was hired by the Board of Education on Monday. He will start with Albion next month. Liddle is retiring in March 31. He will still be able to work with other school officials to have most of the district’s proposed budget in place. That budget will likely be approved by the board in April and go for a public vote in May.

Vallese said Albion is well regarded for its financial management among school business officials in Western New York. The district, which currently has a $35 million budget, has one of the lowest per pupil costs in WNY and hasn’t raised taxes in 10 of the past 12 years.

“For a business official I couldn’t imagine a better scenario to come into,” Vallese said after Monday’s BOE meeting. “Shawn has done a great job.”

The district has gradually reduced staff as enrollment has fallen. That is one reason it has been able to preserve existing programs without a big tax increase.

Other districts have had some rough patches, especially with a state aid reduction about a decade ago. Some of those districts made significant staff cuts and reduced some programs.

Albion was able to weather that storm, drawing on reserves and making reductions in employees at a rate similar to the enrollment decline. That allowed Albion to stave off big layoffs in a single year.

Albion was able to preserve its extracurricular and sports programs during the state aid crisis a decade ago, even keeping all of its modified teams for seventh- and eighth-graders.

Margy Brown, the Board of Education president, said she appreciates Liddle’s work as a watchdog for the district’s money.

“He’s done a phenomenal job keeping the district financially sound,” Brown said.

Liddle also has been a key district official for several capital improvement projects in the past two decades.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Anglers are pictured in the Oak Orchard River in Carlton on Oct. 19, 2018.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking feedback from area fishermen on proposed regulation changes for New York’s Great Lakes, including an extended open season for lake trout on Lake Ontario.

The proposed changes are designed to safeguard and expand certain fish populations while also enhancing anglers’ continued enjoyment of one of the state’s premier fisheries, the DEC said. The majority of the proposals are a direct result of DEC’s work with anglers during the past year to identify desired outcomes for Lake Ontario’s fishery.

Potential regulation changes include:

• Extending the open season for lake trout and decreasing the daily creel limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River, moving the start date from Dec. 1instead of Jan. 1. The season would be closed from October 1 through November 30.

Rationale: Anglers targeting rainbow trout/steelhead in the Lower Niagara River frequently catch lake trout. Since lake trout spawning is largely over by the end of November, opening the lake trout season on December 1 will provide anglers with additional opportunities to harvest trophy lake trout without jeopardizing lake trout restoration efforts.

• Increasing the minimum size limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario tributaries from 21″ to 25″ (excluding the Lower Niagara River).

Rationale: This potential change is intended to prolong high quality rainbow trout/steelhead fishing opportunities through the winter months, while still allowing anglers the opportunity to harvest a trophy fish. Anglers have noted smaller rainbow trout/steelhead in recent years, and declining rainbow trout/steelhead fishing success as the winter season progresses.

• Decreasing the brown trout daily creel limit and increasing the minimum size limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario tributaries from 3 fish per day to 1 fish per day (excluding the Lower Niagara River).

Rationale: This potential change is intended to prolong high quality brown trout fishing opportunities through the winter months, while still allowing anglers the opportunity to harvest a trophy fish. Fishing effort on Lake Ontario tributaries can be intense each year from fall through spring, and maintaining high quality brown trout fishing opportunities relies on anglers releasing a high proportion of their catch.

• Decrease the daily creel limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River from 3 fish per day to 2 fish per day.

Rationale: Rainbow trout/steelhead provide the primary sportfishery in Lake Ontario’s tributaries from November through the following spring. This potential change is designed to increase numbers and sustainability of rainbow trout/steelhead in the tributary fishery by reducing open lake harvest during periods when Chinook fishing success in the lake declines and more anglers specifically target rainbow trout/steelhead.

Following a review of public comments received and further evaluation this winter, DEC may advance these proposals for formal adoption in 2020. DEC welcomes and encourages feedback on the regulation changes currently under consideration.

To view these and other proposals and provide input, visit DEC’s website (click here). Comments will be accepted through Feb. 28. Comments and questions can also be directed to Steve LaPan, Great Lakes Fisheries Section Head, at: New York State DEC, P.O. Box 292, Cape Vincent, NY 13618.