Press Release, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

BASOM – With a warm, sunny weekend ahead, consider a visit to Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge now to experience bird migration, natural abundance, and wildlife activity.

Various shorebirds are already heading through the area, providing special sightings. Route 63, which connects the refuge’s Orleans and Genesee county sides, re-opened this afternoon. The refuge’s visitor center will be open Saturday until 4 p.m., with representatives available to lend binoculars and field guides, and answer questions.

For woodpeckers, warblers, nuthatches and brown creepers, walk the Kanyoo Trail located off of Lewiston Road. The Kanyoo Trail is a short loop hike of just over 1 mile that takes visitors through forest and marsh habitats. A bumper crop of fallen acorns is attracting red squirrels. The damper, milder weather is starting to bring colorful mushrooms and fungi to fallen logs and mossy hollows. The woods are full of berries and wild grapes, attracting a variety of wildlife. Please be aware that foraging for human food is not permitted at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. At this time of year, most warblers have molted out of their showy summer breeding plumage, so they are notoriously difficult to identify, but it can be a fun challenge. Along the boardwalk through the marsh, keep an eye out for swimming muskrats and look for painted turtles basking in the late summer sun.

For wading birds, ducks, shorebirds, egrets, and sandhill cranes, try the Feeder Road Trail. This trail comes off of the Kayoo Trail parking lot on Lewiston Road. Walk along the wall of the red building to come out along Kumpf Marsh. The marsh water level is low, and the remaining pool of shallow water and surrounding mud flats are a good place to observe greater and lesser yellowlegs, least sandpipers, and winged rarities as migration season often brings unexpected visitors like the glossy ibis recently seen at this location. Canada geese are starting to arrive in large numbers, with mallards, blue-winged teals, and a scattering of other duck species paddling in the pool.

Resident bald eagles, common gallinules, black-crowned night herons, and other water loving birds can be seen from Cayuga Overlook without additional walking. The overlook parking area is on Lewiston Road.

For fields of beautiful purple, gold, and pink wildflowers, warblers, various sparrow species, and migrating monarch butterflies, hike the Visitors’ Center Trail at 1101 Casey Rd., Basom. This one-mile loop trail, starting at the right of the building, is fully graveled and is an easy walk. The pine grove at the back of the trail can be a good place to see warblers. Check out the floating bridge for a closer look at the marsh, where visitors may see belted kingfishers hunting, and huge flocks of red-winged blackbirds swirling up from the cattails as they group together and prepare to migrate south. The newly-installed benches along this path are a nice place to have a picnic lunch, and you can stop at the visitor center to see the educational displays, use the bathroom, and visit the Flyway Nature Store.

Long-billed dowitchers were recently seen at Center Marsh, along Sour Springs Road. Water levels are low, making it a good place to see herons, egrets and shorebirds. For bird watching from your car, be sure to stop at nearby Ringneck Overlook for a beautiful Orleans County marsh vista.

Gray catbirds, cedar waxwings and other fruit eaters are flocking to the berry bushes along Swallow Hollow nature trail off Knowlesville Road on the eastern edge of the refuge. Local birders have reported a huge variety of migratory warblers at this trail over the past few weeks This is also a reliable spot to see flocks of rusty blackbirds in late fall foraging in wet leaf litter. Deer are common along this trail, and it is a wonderful place to look for thrushes and other songbirds. Swallow Hollow’s 1.3- mile loop winds through forest and marsh and includes a long section of elevated boardwalk. Listening for calling chickadees can be a good way to locate the mostly silent warblers at this time of year, since they often flock together to forage.

The 2.5 mile out-and-back Onondaga Nature trail is another good place to look for warblers and is an especially nice spot to observe mushrooms and to enjoy the fall foliage.

Come visit the trails and overlooks of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge for your own seasonal adventure! The refuge is open from sunrise to sunset.

The visitor center is located at 1101 Casey Road between route 77 and Route 63. For more information, hours, trail maps, directions and upcoming events see the refuge website (www.fws.gov/refuge/iroquois), or the Facebook page, Iroquois Observations.

The Class of 1974 gathers for a group photo at the Archery Club on Saturday. Front row, from left: Richard Saeva, John Gavenda, Gay Demos, Wanda Riley, Kim Wright Pritt, Sandy Sanders Flugel, Willie Riley, Donna Celmer Woolston, Michele Johnson DiCureia, Sherry Lanning Wheatley.  2nd row: Helen Furmanski Miles, Mary Louise DiGerolamo, Rodney Woolston, Alan Monacelli, Laurie Tully, Helen Markle Shetler, Janet Palacios Hausner, Deb Engle Martillotta, Renee Schoonover Colonna, Sue Forder Polisoto, Sue Hamilton Ries, Sue Salchak Fetzner, Stephen DePeters. 3rd row: Tom Behage, Jim Kirby, Jim Spanton, John Borello, Dan Marek, Joel Allen, Charlie Breuilly, John Pickett, Nancy Weits Horth, Becky Allen Prophet, Linda Hickein Roberts, Tony Navarra, Jim Passarell, Ray Flugel, Peter Southcott. Not pictured, but attended: Gasper Pecorella, Margaret Coville Swan, and Cynthia Taber

Photos and information courtesy of Kim Pritt

WATERPORT – The Albion Central School Class of 1974 celebrated their 50th Class Reunion the weekend of September 9-10.

The class gathered for a Meet ‘n Greet at the Tavern on the Ridge on Friday evening and the reunion was held at the St. Mary’s Archery Club in Waterport on Saturday.

Seventy-three attended the reunion, including 41 classmates. Guests of honor of the class were four former teachers: Mr. Rick Bovenzi – Science, Mr. Mark Chamberlain – Science, Mr. Dick Contant – Business, and Mr. Bill Lattin – Art.

Sadly, the Class of ’74 has lost 32 classmates since graduation. A memorial table with an empty chair was displayed to honor their memory. “Those that touch our lives, stay in our heart forever!”

These retired teachers stopped by the reunion. From left include Mark Chamberlain, Bill Lattin, Rick Bovenzi and Dick Contant.

The Reunion Planning Team, from left, includes: Sue Salchak Fetzner, Nancy Weits Horth, Helen Markle Shetler, John Gavenda, Charlie Breuilly, Deb Engle Martillotta, Kim Wright Pritt, John Borello, Sandy Sanders Flugel, Sherry Lanning Wheatley, Becky Allen Prophet, Laurie Tully and Linda Hickein Roberts. Not pictured is Marilyn Wright Kilborn.

Two class photos were taken. One was missing three classmates and the second then had three different classmates not pictured.

Pictured in front, from left: Gay Demos and Rich Saeva.

2nd Row – John Gavenda, Sue Forder Polisoto, Kim Wright Pritt, Becky Allen Prophet, Sherry Lanning Wheatley, Renee Schoonover Colonna, Donna Celmer Woolston, Rodney Woolston, Stephen DePeters, Margaret Coville Swan and Willie Riley.

3rd Row – Sue Salchak Fetzner, Helen Furmanski Miles, Helen Markle Shetler, Mary Louise DiGerolamo, Michele Johnson DiCureia, Deb Engle Martillotta, Janet Palacios Hausner, Sandy Sanders Flugel, Wanda Riley, Linda Hickein Roberts, Tony Navarra, John Borello, Dan Marek.

4th Row – Jim Spanton, Nancy Weits Horth, Tom Behage, Charlie Breuilly, Laurie Tully, John Pickett, Joel Allen, Allen Monacelli, Gasper Pecorella, Ray Flugel, Jim Kirby, Peter Southcott

Not pictured, but attended: Gasper Pecorella, Margaret Coville Swan and Cynthia Taber.

Photos courtesy of Emily Cebula: (Joe Baschnagel of Lockport, left, is Pipe Major with Celtic Spirit Pipe Band, which performed outside at the Yates Community Library on Aug. 26. Mary Metz, right, of Clarence Center, is fiddler. (Right) Celtic Spirit’s unique sound and adaptability to many musical genres is due to its varied instrumentation.  Sandra Lewis, right, of Somerset, is keyboardist and vocalist. She is also the assistant clerk for the Village of Lyndonville.

LYNDONVILLE – After weather forced the cancellation of a concert twice this summer by the Barker Community Band, Library Director Emily Cebula hopes the third time is the charm.

The Barker band is scheduled to perform at 6 p.m. on Monday outside the Yates Community Library. The Concert on the Lawn series started on July 2 and about 650 people have attended the nine events.

The concerts have been funded by the NYS Council on the Arts with a grant administered by Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The concerts have been on the back lawn of the library, overlooking Johnson Creek.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Gary Pask of Middleport waits for his wife Diane, who is getting information on Orleans Community Health’s first Resource Fair on Thursday afternoon.

MEDINA – The first Resource Fair sponsored by Orleans Community Health was a resounding success, according to Scott Robinson, director Marketing, Community and Outreach.

“We were slammed with people,” said Lori Condo, assistant controller, who helped register people in the front lobby. “We are so excited at the turnout.”

In addition to testing options in Imaging/Radiology and Laboratory departments, there were free services, information on billing and vendors from throughout the county providing health-related facts on their services.

The Lumps and Bumps Clinic with Dr. Devon Huff was one of the most popular features.

“The clinic was full most of the time,” Robinson said.

(Left) Vendors from service organizations in Orleans County lined the hallways of Orleans Community Health for the organization’s first Resource Fair. (Right) Kim Gray, chief nursing officer and director of Surgical Services at Medina Memorial Hospital, compares notes with surgeon Dr. Devon Huff, who held a Lumps and Bumps Clinic during the hospital’s first Resource Fair.  The clinic was one of the most popular features of the afternoon.

Vendors included U Connect Care, Orleans County Mental Health, Office for the Aging, Child and Family Services, Walsh Duffield (Medicare information), Hospice of Orleans County, M-Power Insurance Agency (Medicare information) and Cornell Cooperative Extension.

“This event is pretty cool,” said Sarah Martin, a nutritionist at Cooperative Extension, who handed out recipe cards with healthy recipes.

Other vendors handed out pens, candy, hand sanitizer informational cards on which to log prescriptions.

One couple who came to check out the fair was Gary and Diane Pask of Middleport.

“We local people are blessed with a good health facility and we wanted to see what they have in case we ever need it,” Gary said.

“We’re just being aware, checking out what is available,” Diane said.

“We had been talking about doing another Resource Fair in the spring, and this one was so successful, we may do it again next fall,” Robinson said. ‘We are very happy to be helping the community.”

ROYALTON – Two construction workers were taken to the hospital after getting hit by a car on Thursday afternoon, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office said.

A driver of a 2013 Chrysler sedan, 59-year-old Darrin Moreland of Middleport, was westbound on State Road at 2:28 p.m. when the vehicle moved to the north road shoulder. The sedan then struck a water tanker truck where it was parked, unoccupied, on the road shoulder, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The sedan continued down the right side of the water tanker truck and then hit a construction worker, 24-year-old Zackary Brown of Newfane, who was seated on the grass next to the truck. The sedan then made contact with a pump trailer that was parked on the grass north of the truck.

A second construction worker, 23-year-old Sheldon Gardner of Little Genesee, who was standing on the trailer was knocked down onto the floorboard of the trailer. The sedan came to rest between the water tanker truck and the pump trailer, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

The driver of the sedan wasn’t injured. Brown, the construction worker who was seated in the grass, was flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC for treatment for neck and back pain.

Gardner, the other construction worker on the trailer, was taken by ambulance to ECMC for similar complaints of pain.

An investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office is continuing.

Photo by Donn Pollard/ Office of Governor: Kathy Hochul speaks today in New York City at a recognition ceremony to honor the bravery and dedication of New York State’s defense forces. She praised the New York National Guard. Later during a news conference she shared she will be having procedure on Friday to remove a form of skin cancer from her nose.

Gov. Kathy Hochul shared today that she has a form of skin cancer on her nose, and will have a procedure on Friday morning.

Hochul said her doctor discovered a Basal cell carcinoma during a routine checkup. She told reporters today it is just a “tiny, tiny speck on her nose.”

Hochul said she would return to work right away with a bandage on her nose following the procedure.

She urged New Yorkers to get regular health check-ups.

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt posted a message on social media, wishing good health for the governor.

“On behalf of our New York State Senate Republicans Conference I am sending our combined prayers and well wishes to Governor Kathy Hochul for a fast and total recovery,” Ortt said. “I join her in encouraging New Yorkers to maintain regular check ups to catch any abnormalities.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Some of the worship participants for the First Presbyterian Church of Albion’s 200th anniversary service on Sunday are pictured just before the start of the service at 11 a.m.

From left include Leigh Hamilton; Amanda Krenning-Muoio; elder Mindy Shaffer, moderator with the Presbytery of the Genesee Valley; Jim Vanbrederode, a bagpiper; The Rev. Susan Thaine, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church; and the Rev. Mary Jane and Gary Saunders, pastors emeritus.

The church celebrated the bicentennial on Sunday and was happy to welcome back former long-time pastors, Gary and Mary Saunders. They have since retired after serving a church in Bowling Green, Ohio.

From left in front include Amanda Krenning-Muoio, Leigh Hamilton, Mary Jane Saunders, Gary Saunders, Kaylin Gannon and Sue Thaine. Elder Mindy Shaffer, moderator with the Presbytery of the Genesee Valley, is in back at podium and brought greetings and congratulations from the Presbytery.

The Rev. Susan Thaine and her husband Mike Thaine dance while the Batavia Swings Band performs on Saturday during a celebration of the 200^th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of Albion.

The Rev. Thaine, an Albion native, has led the church the past six years.

Dan Klinczar and the Batavia Swing Band played for two hours, despite some drizzly weather and cool temperatures. They started with music by Gerswin, then “New York, New York,” and “Moonlight Serenade.”

The community was welcome to enjoy the music and a dance floor outside the church. East State Street was closed to traffic from Main to Park streets for the celebration.

The church wanted to have a catered dinner on the street, but the meal was moved inside due to the weather.

39 Problems catered a meal inside the church in the fellowship hall. The church choir often goes to the 39 Problems restaurant after rehearsals on Wednesday evening.

The dessert on Saturday included a cupcake with two candles. There were 100 cupcakes and the 200 candles represented the church’s first two centuries. The cupcakes were made by Andrea Muoio.

The Rev. Susan Thaine, center, presents Gary and Mary Jane Saunders with certificates and the honorary titles of pastors emeritus. The Saunders were leaders in the church for 24 years and raised their three sons in Albion. They moved to Albion in 1985.

“It’s a profound privilege to have a little recognition and be with you all tonight,” the Rev. Gary Saunders told the group.

Kevin Gardner, an elder in the church, shared about the first 200 years of the church. The congregation started with 16 people and they built a church that has served the community for two centuries and counting.

Initially the congregation met in homes in 1824. Those 16 people were part of the Congregational Church in Barre and withdrew to start the new church in Albion.

The Presbyterians built a church on Main Street in 1830, a building they quickly outgrew. Christ Episcopal Church has used that structure for more than 150 years.

The Presbyterians built a brick church on East State, and then an even bigger building made of Medina Sandstone that opened in 1874. That church, with a 175-foot-high spire, is the tallest building in Orleans County.

Jim Vanbrederode plays the bagpipes during a procession into the church on Sunday.

The Rev. Susan Thaine shared a sermon, “God is Not Done Yet.” She said the church is celebrating the first 200 years of the Presbyterian congregation in Albion, with eyes on the future.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) on Tuesday released a statement after the House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Hearing with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo regarding his Covid-19 nursing home policies.

This was Cuomo’s first public Congressional Hearing following his March 25 directive, which Tenney said resulted in the death of 15,000 New Yorkers. The hearing follows the release of the Subcommittee’s memo, which revealed how Cuomo’s office intentionally withheld scientifically significant data on nursing home Covid-19 deaths from official reports. His administration also heavily edited New York Department of Health documents to divert blame away from Cuomo and his team.

“Rather than take responsibility for the unscientific, reckless, and malignant policies that caused the untimely deaths of thousands of New Yorkers, disgraced former Governor Cuomo deflected responsibility for his nursing home directive that sent Covid-19-positive patients back into nursing homes. The hearing exposed the extent of the cover-up by Cuomo and his staff to conceal the true number of nursing home deaths and shift responsibility. On behalf of the victims and the families across New York who lost loved ones due to his cruel policies, I am committed to ensuring Cuomo’s deadly actions are not forgotten and that he is held accountable.”

The Albion and Medina school districts said today there is no credible threat to the schools of a shooting.

Albion said that rumor was investigated by the district’s school resource officer and other area law enforcement agencies, the district posted on social media and its website at about noon.

Albion and multiple area schools were informed of a potential threat, but it proved to be unfounded.

“Safety is always our main concern, and we will update you with any information if necessary,” district officials stated in a post to the community.

The Medina Police Department said it would have an increased presence at the Medina school campus today “out of an abundance of caution.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Two members of the federal Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team pause and reflect in front of the Sept. 11 memorial on the courthouse lawn.

They attended a 9-11 memorial service on Wednesday evening, which was the 23^rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000 others when four airplanes were hijacked and crashed – with two into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and the other into a field in rural Shanksville, Pa.

Firefighters stand under a giant American flag that was hoisted above Main Street by the ladder trucks from Medina and Murray.

Scott Schmidt, Orleans County chief coroner and a local funeral director, served as the keynote speaker at the observance which was attended by about 100 people.

Schmidt spent three weeks with the federal DMORT team and assisted in collecting and identifying remains, and interviewing family members searching for loved ones.

He left for New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was there for 20 days, including a week at Ground Zero. Two of his colleagues on DMORT attended the service in Albion on Monday.

Schmidt said Americans showed “strength and resilience” following the attack, and showed a great spirit of patriotism and unity following the attack.

He urged people to remember the victims in the attack and he praised the service of first responders and those in the military.

Brad Nudd served as the bugler for the playing of Taps near the end of the service.

Local law enforcement officers, including Sheriff Chris Bourke, stand next to the Honor Guard, which includes Jim Wells at left in white uniform of the Honor Guard.

Brandon Carmichael, a chaplain with the Sheriff’s Office and pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Albion, shares a prayer and later the benediction at the service. Carmichael said many families remain in mourning from that day.

About 20 firefighters from fire departments and companies in Orleans County stand during the service.

In New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, there were 343 firefighters killed responding to assist people in the World Trade Center.

There were 60 police officers killed in New York City that day.

Doug Egling plays, “America the Beautiful.”

Board will discuss with school district whether ACS can help with expense in future

Photo by Tom Rivers: Sgt. Will Francis of the Albion Police Department stops traffic on East Avenue this morning so a student could get across the street. The Albion PD has been filling the role of crossing guard since the school year started last week.

ALBION – The Village Board agreed on Wednesday to fund a crossing guard after the position was cut from the village budget for 2024-25.

The school year started last week with no one as a crossing guard. Some of the board members wanted the school district to assume the responsibility but the district said state law requires the local village, town or city to fund the position. A school district can pay for a second crossing guard, but not the first one.

John Gavenda, the village attorney, said he has discussed the issue with the school attorney and the district is willing to negotiate helping to fund the position, but it is a question of how to do it legally or if it can direct any money to cost. Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley said there may a “legal loophole” where the district could help with the exepense.

Trustees Tim McMurray and Greg Bennett for the Village Board said it is a small price to pay for making East Avenue safer for kids to cross in the morning.

Having a crossing guard for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon would cost about $6,200 for the school year at $17 an hour, spread over 182 days.

Trustee William Gabalski didn’t want to commit to the cost for the full school year yet. He made a motion that the village pay the expense for the first semester, and try to get some help from the school district for the second semester, which begins Jan. 27.

District officials told the village the crossing guard may only be needed for a half hour in the morning and then the afternoon, from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m., and 2:15 to 2:45 p.m. That would reduce the cost to about $3,100 a year.

The board will have the police department reach out to the crossing guard from last year to see if she is still willing to serve in the role, and if she would do it in the half hour increments. The board, however, said it would pay for the one-hour shifts in the morning and afternoon if that is needed.

McMurray said he can understand why the burden falls on the village for funding the position.

“It’s village residents who are walking to school,” he said.

Bennett said the law clearly states it’s a village responsibility, so he doesn’t want to see any more instances where the position is cut by the village in the future.

“The law says it should be on us,” Bennett said about the village responsibility. “I don’t know why we’re compromising over something that is a law.”

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) announced her bill, which she led alongside Congressman David Kustoff (TN-8), the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, unanimously passed the House Ways and Means Committee Markup on Wednesday.

This legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to postpone tax deadlines and reimburse paid late fees for United States citizens who are wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad and terminate the tax-exempt status of terrorist-supporting organizations.

“No American who has suffered the injustice of wrongful detention or hostage-taking by our adversaries should return home to face penalties from their own government,” Tenney said. “The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act will ensure that American hostages, wrongful detainees, and their families are not further burdened with tax penalties for circumstances beyond their control. Thank you to Chairman Smith, Representatives Dina Titus, David Kustoff, and Brad Schneider for joining me in championing this effort and working to ensure that when American hostages and wrongful detainees are returned home, they are not penalized.”

ALBION – A Batavia woman pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court this morning to attempted assault in the second-degree.

Katelyn Jimenez, 31, admitted in court to having a machete on June 2 and attempting to cause physical injury with a machete. She could face a maximum of 1 to 3 years in state prison when she is sentenced in about two months.

Jimenez was charged on June 2 when a man, age 32, was unconscious and bleeding from a laceration to the back of the head at Heritage Meadows Apartments in Carlton.

Jimenez was charged with second-degree assault, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and criminal impersonation in the second degree.

She pleaded guilty to a reduced charge today in court. As part of her sentencing, Judge Sanford Church said he would consider a treatment court option for Jimenez. She remains in Orleans County Jail on bail of $10,000 cash, $50,000 bond and $100,000 partial secured bond.

In other cases in County Court today:

• Andria Meiers, 51, of Medina pleaded guilty attempted insurance fraud in the second degree. She allegedly claimed a burglary caused $7,800 in damages to her residence and attempted to file a proof of loss statement with an insurance company for $7,800.

She will be sentenced on Nov. 6 and faces a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.

• Mitchell Gardner, a former inmate at Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion, was arraigned for aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate.

Gardner, 22, allegedly threw urine at a corrections officer in the Albion prison on Dec. 20, 2023. He is now an inmate at the Attica Correctional Facility.

• Caitlyn Collins, 33, was arraigned for second-degree assault. Collins was an inmate at the Albion Correctional Facility on Feb. 20 when she allegedly struck a corrections officer in the face, and that officer then fell into a wall. Collins is now an inmate at Beford Hills Correctional Facility.

Two people also were sentenced in County Court last week on Sept. 4:

• Christian Strickland, 25, of Medina was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated. He was charged on Dec. 21.

Strickland also will have his driver’s license suspended for six months and must use an inter-lock ignition device that measures his blood alcohol content for three years when he is released from prison.

• Edward Ruckdeschel, 62, of Batavia was sentenced to 3 to 6 years in state prison for a string of break-ins in Carlton.

The time for third-degree burglary will be served concurrently as part of a sentence in Genesee County for car thefts.

Provided photos

BATAVIA – For the fourth year there is a display of 2,977 American flags at the Batavia VA Medical Center in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

The VA had a memorial service today at 11 a.m.

Volunteers set up the flags on Sunday and they are in a display representing the two World Trade Center towers that collapsed after being struck by hijacked planes.

A group of about 30 volunteers placed the flags in the ground on Sunday. The flags will stay up until Saturday. Cindy Baker of Medina heads the volunteer services at the VA in Batavia.