Photo by Tom Rivers: The flag at the Albion football field appear at sunset on Friday night in the first quarter of Albion’s 56-20 victory.
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that flags on state government buildings will be flown at half-staff starting today through Wednesday to honor the brave men and women across the country who have lost their lives while fighting fires.
“Firefighters risk their lives each and every day, running toward danger instead of away from it, in order to ensure we are kept out of harm’s way,” Governor Cuomo said. “By lowering flags to half-staff, we honor those who have lost their lives while saving others, and remember their selflessness in another’s greatest time of need.”
On Tuesday, October 9, New York’s fallen heroes will be honored at the 21st Annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony in Albany by adding the names of 28 firefighters who lost their lives to the Fallen Firefighters Memorial.
The Fallen Firefighters Memorial, dedicated in 1998, honors the memory and valor of New York’s fallen firefighters at the memorial during Fire Prevention Week each year. With the addition of these heroes, the Fallen Firefighters Memorial now honors 2,552 individuals.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 6 October 2018 at 7:21 pm
Contributed Photos – One of Medina’s all time great football players, Ernie Clark, was honored with his John “Pinky” Loughlin Football Wall of Fame honor during this afternoon’s Medina/Lyndonville/Barker game at Lackawanna. Clark, who after graduation from Medina, went on to star at Michigan State University and then to play in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions. Today’s ceremony was held because Clark, who was one of the initial inductees to the Wall of Honor, was unable to attend the ceremony that night. He is shown here with the Mustangs team and coaches. The photo at the right shows Clark receiving his plaque from Medina Athletic Director and football Coach Eric Valley. Clark played for the Mustangs during the mid 1950’s under Coach Loughlin.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 October 2018 at 6:58 pm
Beautiful colors for fall foliage are starting to appear around most of the state, according to I LOVE NY. In Orleans County and Western New York, the leaves are just starting to change, according to I LOVE NY.
Near-peak foliage is expected this weekend in some areas of the Adirondacks, while near-peak colors will emerge in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region and parts of the Catskills, according to observers for I LOVE NY.
In Orleans County, spotters in Albion are expecting 25 percent color change with average shades of gold and red starting to pop, I LOVE NY said in its fall foliage report.
Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County, shown this afternoon, will be a hotspot as the colors change on the trees.
Courtesy of I LOVE NY: This is the NY fall foliage map for week of Oct. 3-9.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 October 2018 at 9:42 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
SHELBY – Linda Strickland, administrator of the Orleans County Christian School, is pictured at the school’s new home, the Alabama Full Gospel Fellowship on Route 63 in Shelby.
After 17 years at the old Medina High School, the school moved to the Alabama Full Gospel site this school year.
“The church has been very accommodating,” Strickland said. “Everybody has had very open arms and been accepting.”
The old Medina High School was the home of Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God, which sold the old school and is building a new site. The old high school will be developed into apartments.
The Christian school opened in 1996, and its first five years were in Albion at Harvest Christian Fellowship.
There have been 32 graduates from the school, now in its 23rd year.
The hallway has cubbies for students.
Strickland said the curriculum has a faith-based component. There are currently 19 students in grades 2-12. The students thrive in the small-school environment, she said.
“It’s a comfortable place for them to learn,” Strickland said. “Here they can be themselves.”
The staff and students have a prayer in the morning and a chapel once a week, with a pastor from the community. Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, led the chapel service last week.
Several local churches sponsor the school, which is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International. The Medina Central School also provides a letter of equivalency for the students who earn local diplomas. Strickland said that allows students to be eligible for funding if they pursue college.
For more on the school, visit orleanscountychristianschool.com.
David Stacey teaches a high school math class. He also leads classes on middle/high school science.
Carole Watson teaches the younger elementary students.
Jodi Peters teaches history, elementary math, Bible and sign language.
Dawn Zaidel teaches high school language arts and math.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 6 October 2018 at 8:49 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 40
KNOWLESVILLE – October is National Apple Month! This photograph, likely taken in the latter quarter of the 19th century, shows the New York Central Railroad Depot located at Knowlesville. This particular image was taken east of the Rt. 31 Bridge that crosses over the railroad tracks; the photographer has pointed his camera to the southeast. A number of horse-drawn wagons are pulling loads of apples to be loaded into refrigerator cars positioned along the tracks.
In the earliest years of the county’s history, wheat was the primary product shipped out of the area. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 drastically cut shipping rates for grains and produce, but demands for apples increased gradually starting around 1845. That increase in demand led Isaac Signor to include the following account of apple orchards in Landmarks of Orleans County, New York published in 1894;
“The fruit has flourished exceedingly in most parts of the county, the climatic influence of the winds, which from the north, northwest, and northeast, pass over open water before striking this territory, becoming thereby tempered and raising the average of winter temperature, and at the same time serving as protection against late spring and early autumn frosts. The atmosphere of the county is also comparatively dry and the rainfall light, while the cool autumn winds from the lake region retard the ripening of winter fruits, greatly enhancing the value of the apples.”
This value averaged around $1.50 per barrel at the time Signor published this account. Several years earlier prices per barrel hovered around $1.40, but the Medina Daily Register published a rather unusual account of apple sales near Knowlesville. In October of 1891, produce dealers in Medina were offering farmers around $1.40 per barrel while apple “sharks” in Knowlesville “had the gall” to offer farmers $1.00 per barrel. A handful of unknowing farmers sold their apples to the deceitful dealers, but the majority hauled their load to Medina to cash in on the fair price.
Another local farmer drove to Knowlesville “…with a lot of apples in the saddest collection of barrels ever used to pack fruit in. The barrels had been stored away in the hen coop for a number of years and the hens had used them as a roosting place. They were of the poorest quality when new and were full of holes which the great-souled farmer had covered by nailing shingles over them.” The “sharks” refused to pay the farmer the $1.00 per barrel rate they had offered the others. Rather incensed, the farmer told his wife’s cousin of his misfortune and the latter chose to “…jump on the Knowlesville fruit buyers…” The verbal scolding encouraged one dealer to offer “…a trifle more than the even dollar.”
Fluctuations in crop yield could produce gains upwards of $1 million or cause near-failure for area farmers. The 1896 growing season saw one of the most fruitful harvests in local history, increasing shipments out of the county while driving up demands for barrels. John Higgins of Knowlesville operated a nearby cooperage and recalled manufacturing over 52,000 barrels in the height of that demand.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 October 2018 at 8:26 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Albion Purple Eagles football team waits for the game to start on Friday evening. The team remains undefeated after a 56-20 win over Iroquois, improving the Purple Eagle record to 6-0.
It was Senior Night, the final home game of the regular season. Alex Rustay, the team’s kicker, is led on the field by his parents, David and Stephanie Rustay. Alex made all eight extra points following Albion touchdowns on Friday.
For more photos and coverage of the game, click here for Local Sports.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 October 2018 at 5:57 pm
BARRE — Two recent surveys of residents in Barre show a proposed wind energy project has more support than opposition in the town.
Apex Clean Energy is proposing a 200-megawatt project with 47 turbines. Apex hasn’t detailed the size of the turbines, but they could top 500 to 600 feet high in the eastern and southern portions of the town.
The town hired a consultant, LaBella Associates, which did a survey for Barre about the wind energy project. The company’s report to the Barre Town Board on Sept. 10 says that the survey was done in June and July. The responses were taken on-line and in person at the Barre Town Hall.
By the survey deadline of July 27, a total of 325 survey submissions (online and hard copies) were received, and 290 (89 percent) submissions were accepted. Removed from analysis were 35 duplicate and invalid submissions, LaBella said.
The company said duplicate submissions were either combined with or replaced the previous submissions. Responses were considered invalid if submitted from respondents who do not reside in Barre or in any of its bordering municipalities. If the respondents indicated they work or own land in Barre, their submissions were accepted regardless of their residence status.
Of the 290 respondents, 44 percent said they are supportive of the project, while 39 percent oppose it, 8 percent are neutral and 7 percent need more information.
Wildlife, property values and roads were the most cited resources of value to the community, according to the survey.
The most pressing concerns involve complaint resolution procedure and decommissioning plans, LaBella said.
Residents also are concerned about potential impacts to tax rates and property values, as well as setbacks from property lines, and TV, cell phone and radio reception impacts.
Other concerns, ranked lower in importance, included roadway deterioration, change in rural character, and change in views from the height of turbines.
Apex Clean Energy today also announced the results of a survey it commissioned of town residents. Apex hired the public affairs and community outreach firm Cornerstone Solutions to complete its survey.
The survey included 170 responses from area residents, with 52 percent stating they support the project, compared to 22 percent who say they oppose it. Additionally, when respondents who were initially undecided or leaning against supporting the project were provided information about the benefits it would bring the community, 33 percent of them said they were more likely to support the project, Apex said today in a news release.
The phone survey was conducted in July.
“We did not want to release our results sooner, because we did not want to influence the Town of Barre’s survey of a similar nature,” said Ben Yazman, development manager of Heritage Wind. “But now that those results have been released, we thought it might be helpful to let the community know that we found very similar results in a recent survey we conducted to inform our public engagement work.”
Yazman said the company knew from experience it had strong local support for the proposed Heritage Wind project.
“Apex has spent the past few years in Orleans County talking to hundreds of people who have shown significant interest in wind energy,” he said. “This phone survey gave us the opportunity to double-check our understanding by asking a large, randomly selected sampling of local people for their opinion, and we were pleased to see that these results strongly supported our previous assessment.”
Residents urged to take precautions against virus spread by mosquitos
By Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator and Public Information Officer for Genesee and Orleans Health Departments
Mosquitoes are usually considered a nuisance pest, but occasionally they can transmit viruses to people and some animals. In New York State, mosquitoes have been found to transmit Eastern Equine Encephalitis and the West Nile virus. Such viruses can cause serious illness and even death. While your chances of being infected with a disease through a mosquito bite are very small, there are measures you can take to reduce your risk of being bitten. This year WNV has been detected in both Genesee and Orleans counties.
Specifically, per the NYS Department of Health Statewide Mosquito-Borne Disease Activity Report an equine (horse or related animal), bird and human case have tested positive in Genesee County and an equine case in Orleans County.
West Nile Virus Disease is spread by the bite of a mosquito infected with the virus. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. The infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to humans and other animals, such as horses. Vaccine is available to reduce the risk of horses contracting the virus. Unfortunately there is no vaccine for humans, taking the proper preventative actions to avoid getting bit are our best options.
In New York State, cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which begins in the summer and continues throughout fall. Most mosquitoes are active between dusk and dawn when the air is calm. Sarah Balduf, Environmental Health Director of Genesee and Orleans counties, states that not all mosquitoes are able to transmit the virus.
“While there are about 70 different species of mosquitoes in the State, only certain species have been associated with WNV,” she said.
WNV is not spread through coughing, sneezing, touching live animals, or handling live or dead infected birds. It is strongly advised to avoid bare-handed contact when handling any dead animal. If you are disposing of a dead bird, use gloves or double plastic bags to place the carcass (body) in a garbage can.
Symptoms of WNV vary from person to person. Brenden Bedard, Director of Community Health Services of Genesee and Orleans counties, explains that only a small percentage of people infected with the disease will show symptoms.
“Most people infected, 70-80 percent, with WNV do not develop any symptoms,” he said. “It is estimated that 20 percent of the people who become infected will develop less severe symptoms including headache and body aches, nausea, fever, and occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Symptoms of severe infections include (West Nile encephalitis or meningitis) can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, seizures, paralysis, coma, and in some cases death.”
Symptoms of WNV usually appear within 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Health care providers diagnose WNV based on the patient’s clinical symptoms and laboratory diagnosis by testing blood or spinal fluids, which will show if the virus or antibodies against the virus are present in the person. Although there is no specific treatment for WNV, health care providers will usually attempt to relieve the symptoms of the illness. In severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalized and closely monitored.
When infected adult mosquitoes are spreading a virus to people, acting quickly can stop further spread and prevent more people from getting sick. By using multiple mosquito control methods at the same time, people and communities can help stop the spread of disease. The New York State Department of Health recommends the following:
• Cover your skin as completely as possible. Wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods or when mosquitoes are more active.
• Use mosquito repellent, which should always be applied according to label directions. Do not let children apply mosquito repellent on himself or herself, and do not apply to the hands of small children.
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus (the label may say citriodiol or p-menthane 3,8 -diol). Oil of lemon eucalyptus products should not be used on children under 3 years of age. Products containing permethrin kill insects that come in contact with treated clothing, and are for use on clothing only, not skin.
• Use as little repellent as you need, and avoid unnecessary repeat applications. Do not overspray. Apply repellent outdoors.
• Do not apply near eyes, nose or mouth and use sparingly around ears.
• After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
• Cover baby carriers with mosquito netting when outside.
• Close doors and make sure open windows have screens on them.
• Limit use of perfumes and scents that would attract mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in or near water, and their offspring “grow up” in water before emerging as adults that fly and bite. Therefore, mosquitoes can be controlled by controlling water. Many types of mosquitoes, including those that can transmit disease, lay their eggs in even small amounts of standing water around the home such as flowerpots, birdbaths and discarded tires. To reduce the mosquito population in and around your home, reduce or eliminate all standing water by following these steps:
• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers.
• Remove all discarded tires on your property. Check with your local landfill or public works authorities to find out how to dispose of them properly.
• Remove all fallen leaves.
• Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that are kept outdoors.
• Clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall. Make sure roof gutters drain properly.
• Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use. Make sure outside toys and play areas are clear of standing water.
• Change the water in birdbaths at least 2 times a week. Clean plants and debris from the edge of ponds.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. Drain water from pool covers. Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property.
For more information on the West Nile Virus, click here.
For more information on mosquitoes and diseases, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 October 2018 at 12:11 pm
Book is a finalist for 2018 Author Academy Award
ALBION – Laura Shortridge said people too often let skeptics, the fear of failure and a lack of confidence derail dreams.
Shortridge, an Albion resident, has written a nearly 200-page book – Unipreneur: How to Live Your Passion in a House Full of Dream-killers – that has steps for pursuing dreams. The book is about self-empowerment often in the face of naysayers, who may be the people closest to you.
Courtesy of Laura Shortridge: Barnes and Noble last month hosted 16 authors, including Shortridge, at the Mall at Greece Ridge.
Family and friends often are the ones who urge people not to risks, whether it be in a career, business venture or personal fulfillment, she said.
“I want people to realize if they give their gifts to the world, the world will be a better place,” she said. “If people do something positive, the whole country will turn around. Put your energy into positive things and instead of fighting negativity.”
Shortridge, in her book, identifies the “dream-killers.” Sometimes, those people can turn around and become staunch advocates. The dream-killers might not even realize they are having a stifling influence on their friends and family, Shortridge said.
The Texas native has lived in Western New York for nearly 30 years, including the past 24 in Albion. Her husband of 40 years, Randall, is a college professor at the University of Buffalo. The couple has six grown children. They moved to Albion because they got a good deal on a house with seven bedrooms.
Shortridge has always enjoyed writing, especially fiction. She thought she would take that route for her first book. But she felt compelled to write Unipreneuer.
“That was on my heart and it had to come first,” she said about the book.
The past 10 years she has been pursuing some of her own dreams and passions, through business ventures and her writing.
She also has become a public speaker, leading groups through the principles she identifies in Unipreneur.
Her book recently was chosen as a top ten finalist for a 2018 Author Academy Award, an honor bestowed for literary merit and publishing excellence in the writing and publishing industry.
Her book is up for an award in the Business & Investing category. Shortridge said the book shows how to build business and personal success while nurturing relationships with in-house naysayers that just don’t share the same vision.
Shortridge plans to attend the Author Academy Awards Red Carpet Session on Oct. 26 in Columbus, Ohio. Winners will be announced later that evening at the Author Academy Awards Ceremony where they will be invited to give an acceptance speech.
She was surprised to see the book be recognized in the Business & Investing category.
“It’s not really about building a business,” she said. “It’s about building yourself.”
Unipreneur is available at Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport, Barnes & Noble locations in Rochester and on Amazon (click here).
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College will be the proud albeit temporary home to the “Frederick Douglass from Slavery to Freedom: The Journey to New York City” exhibit from Oct. 17 – Nov. 14.
Photo courtesy of Gilder Lehrman: An exhibit featuring photographs, letters and other documents about famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass will be featured at GCC.
During this time, the entire community is encouraged to visit GCC’s Alfred C. O’Connell Library in Batavia to view this famous traveling exhibit, learn about Douglass’s incredible contribution to American history, and enjoy the auxiliary events and opportunities that reinforce the display.
The 12-foot-long exhibition explores slavery and abolition through the youth of Frederick Douglass, born a slave in Maryland in 1818, who after his escape to NY in 1838 became one of the most famous men in nineteenth-century America. Douglass fought to end slavery and championed civil rights for all Americans. His autobiography, published in 1845, was a powerful weapon in the abolitionist cause, and a bestseller in the United States.
“Frederick Douglass from Slavery to Freedom: The Journey to New York City” was developed from his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The exhibition was curated by Susan F. Saidenberg. It has been displayed at schools, museums, libraries and historic sites across the country.
“We are pleased to have been selected as a site for this exhibition,” said Cynthia Hagelberger, reference services librarian at GCC. “The exhibit showcases digital reproductions of letters, photographs and broadsides that depict the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass. We hope this exhibition will help all who view it to gain a deeper understanding of Douglass’ quest for freedom and the difficult choices he made. It is a perfect opportunity for school age children, teenagers and adult of all ages to appreciate his living legacy.”
Further details about the exhibit, associated events and teaching and learning resources are available at GCC’s Library webpage by clicking here.
• Kicking off the project, on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 1 p.m. David A. Anderson, Ph.D., a visiting community scholar from Nazareth College of Rochester, will speak in room T102 to of the Conable Technology Building. Anderson will discuss the combination of nature and nurture that cultivated the persona that emerged as Frederick Douglass.
Provided photo: Nathan M. Richardson will portray Frederick Douglass on Nov. 7 at GCC in Batavia.
Anderson, a founding member of AKWAABA – The Heritage Associates, Inc., has dedicated his life to infusing history into contemporary families. He is the author of The Origin of Life on Earth: an African Creation Myth (1992) and Rebellion of Humans: an African Spiritual Journey (1994) and plays an active role in Kwanzaa celebrations in Monroe County, NY. Annually, Anderson helps produce “On Behalf of Those Who Lie in Yonder Hallowed Ground” – a public tribute to especially African American Civil War Union soldiers. In December 2017, Anderson was appointed to the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer.
• To accompany the excitement of the exhibition, GCC will be holding a dynamic essay writing contest for GCC students. The contest requires students to research a social injustice in today’s world and produce a minimum of 600 words that address either of two specific essay questions. Details are available by clicking here. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, Nov. 14.
• The crescendo of this multifaceted program honoring one of our country’s greatest heroes is one of the finest impressionistic lectures by the man himself. GCC has invited Frederick Douglass – in the form of accomplished performance poet and published author, Nathan M. Richardson – to share his story. On Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 7 p.m., in full nineteenth-century dress, Richardson will bring his Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour to room T102 in GCC’s Conable Technology Building. This event is also free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
Funding for these events has been provided by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the Alfred C. O’Connell Library, GCC’s student club WOKE and GCC’s history club. Details about this and other events sponsored by GCC’s Historical Horizons history club are available at https://gcchistoricalhorizons.wordpress.com/.
MEDINA – The Medina Lions Club recently welcomed guest speaker Lynne Johnson, center, who is the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman and a past president of the Lyndonville Lions Club.
She is pictured with Ann Marie Holland, the current Lyndonville Lions Club president, and Dean Bellack, the Medina Lions president. The meeting included 10 guests from the Lyndonville Lions Club and 28 from the Medina Club.
Johnson gave a comprehensive presentation on the county’s progress with the addition on the County Administration Building in Albion, the consolidation of departments, and efforts to promote Orleans County as a destination.
Johnson also shared her pride in Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer, being selected to serve as president of the NYS Association of Counties.
The Medina Lions and Lyndonville Lions work together in eye screenings and both benefit their communities with events that provide entertainment and fundraising that are returned for the good of us all, Bellack said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 October 2018 at 8:53 am
Liz Murray brings her story to Albion
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Liz Murray speaks during a presentation – “Homeless to Harvard” – at the Albion Middle School Auditorium on Thursday evening. She shared about being homeless in high school and growing up with drug-addicted parents. Her mother died of AIDS when Murray was 16. Her father was living in a homeless shelter.
Murray slept on the couch at many of her friends’ homes, and also slept in the subway and at Central Park in New York City. She was failing school.
A teacher at a humanities school pushed her to strive for high grades and commit herself to her studies.
“Are you willing to work for what you want?” he asked her.
Murray took a double course load and earned A’s her final two years of high school and then earned a degree at Harvard.
The teacher who served as a mentor didn’t realize the full circumstances of her background until her story was published in The New York Times, when she was one of six students picked for a scholarship.
Murray said students in challenging situations need mentors and people to challenge them to high expectations. “Don’t just throw help at them,” she said.
When the community at her school realized her circumstances, people pitched in to pay for rent for Murray and her sister and two other homeless students. One woman committed to doing their laundry.
Liz Murray chats with Albion student Brook Drake after Murray’s presentation.
She wrote about her life in the book, Breaking Night: A Memoir, which became the television movie, “Homeless to Harvard.”
Murray said she doesn’t hold ill will toward her parents.
“My parents loved me and I loved them,” she said. “I believe addiction is a disease.”
She also spoke to middle and high school students during assemblies on Thursday. Today she will meet with teachers as part of a professional development day for staff.
Tom Carr, author of Got Grit? also will be meeting with teachers today.
The district welcomed the two authors with messages on the growth mindset and the powers of grit and tenacity.
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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced expanded addiction treatment services are now available at the Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse’s Batavia campus.
The expansion includes a new opioid treatment program, a mobile treatment unit and renovations to the residential treatment facility on the campus. The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services provided more than $900,000 in capital funding for this expansion, and is also providing more than $200,000 in annual funding to support operation of services at the campus.
“New York will fight this epidemic with every tool at its disposal and will help ensure that anyone in need of care receives the help they need,” Governor Cuomo said. “By expanding access to addiction treatment services in Batavia, we are allowing residents to access these critical, lifesaving services close to home, building a healthier, stronger New York for all.”
The new opioid treatment program at GCASA is the first in Genesee County. Opioid treatment programs provide medication assisted treatment for those suffering from addiction, which involves the use of medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a patient-centered, individualized approach to the treatment of substance abuse. Research shows that when treating substance use disorders, a combination of medication and behavioral therapies is most successful.
The mobile treatment unit will offer peer engagement and support services, as well as evaluations and counseling. It will also provide tele-practice services to help people in rural areas access treatment. This mobile unit is being funded through the $25.2 million Opioid State Targeted Response Grant, awarded to New York State by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The Atwater residential facility, on the Genesee Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse Batavia Campus, offers 17 residential treatment beds for men and numerous services, including treatment, training programs, and opportunities for volunteer work. The provider also operates an outpatient treatment facility on the same campus. As part of the facility’s renovation project, a group room, new offices and a medical room were added to the facility, and the kitchen and intake area were renovated. In addition, the Genesee Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse is planning to add 16 detox beds in a future expansion, with funding provided by OASAS.
“As our state continues to grapple with the heroin and opioid addiction epidemic, I am very pleased to see that some of the millions in state resources we have allocated at the state Capitol are being put to good use here at home in Batavia,” said State Assemblyman Steve Hawley. “Too many New Yorkers are struggling with addiction and I would like the public to know that there is no shame in asking for help. In fact, there is no time like the present to seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, and I know that the professionals at Genesee Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse will be there to assist you.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2018 at 3:56 pm
ALBION – The new 24-foot-long Santa mural that was installed in downtown Albion in late June has created momentum to add more Santa-themed items at Waterman Park.
The Albion Betterment Committee already has been fund-raising for a bronze statue in honor of Charles W. Howard, an Albion man who ran the first Santa Claus School. He operated it from 1937 to 1966. He is revered among people who portray Santa Claus. Twice they have held Santa conferences in Albion, in 2010 and 2015. The Betterment Committee has raised about $35,000 for the memorial statue.
The late Charles Howard is pictured with a Santa-in-training at the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Albion.
The Albion Merchants Association is taking the lead for a new 16-by-16-foot Santa House that would be in the back corner of the park, near Briggs Alley, according to a layout of park improvements presented last week by the Albion Rotary Club.
The Santa house would be visible from Main Street and the canal. The site could be used during the holiday season and also throughout the year for other events.
The Albion Rotary Club presented the concept for the park to the Village Board last week. Karen Sawicz, president of the club, and Rotary member Charlie Nesbitt asked for permission to work on the project, with the Village Board and Department of Public Works to be kept in the loop of progress.
The Rotary Club would like to see the site renamed to perhaps Santa Claus Lane at Waterman Park.
The Rotary Club wants to add landscaping under the mural, and some small street lights within the park to improve safety and illuminate the mural and future improvements. There could also be Christmas-themed benches.
An existing mural in honor of the quarrymen would also be removed and replaced with another Christmas-themed mural as part of the effort. The quarrymen painting would be relocated at a different site to be determined, according to the Rotary proposal.
The club will work with Betterment Committee and Merchants Association on fund-raising. Sawicz said the groups will likely pursue grants and seek community donations. She is hopeful the projects can be completed over three years.
The Village Board thanked the Rotary Club for spearheading the work, while working with the Betterment Committee and Merchants Association.
Mayor Eileen Banker said the village will need to see more concrete plans for improvements before there is a final OK.
“The promise is we’ll work with you all along the way,” Nesbitt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2018 at 10:40 am
Several canal communities in Orleans County will soon get to work on a waterfront revitalization plan.
The Orleans County Legislature has approved an agreement with NYS Department of State to create the Erie Canal Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan.
The plan will provide a clear direction for suitable future development, reflect a community consensus, and establish a long-term partnership among local governments and the state.
In a resolution last week, the Legislature states, “the Erie Canal was critical to early community settlement and commerce in Orleans County and remains an essential asset for the purposes of economic development, recreation, tourism and cultural heritage.”
The state is providing a $62,000 grant for the plan, while the county contributes $10,000 in cash, and the participating towns and villages pay $10,500. The county Department of Planning and Development will also provide $167 of in-kind services.
The Village of Medina also is working on a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan and received a $37,500 state grant for the effort. Medina has already formed a committee and hired a consultant, Bergmann Associates.
Medina will have a meeting on Oct. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Medina High School, 2 Mustang Drive, welcoming the public to discuss how to best utilize the waterfront in the community, including the canal, Oak Orchard River and Glenwood Lake.
The Orleans plan will focus on the villages of Albion and Holley, and towns of Murray, Albion, Gaines, Ridgeway and Shelby.
The county expects to hire a consultant and start work on the plan in early 2019. Ken DeRoller, a county legislator, said the two planning efforts will work together.
There may be less than obvious ways to better capitalize on the canal, such as allowing more siphons for farmers to irrigate crops, DeRoller said.
“We are looking forward to enhancing the use of this asset in our county,” he said.
