LYNDONVILLE – The Town of Yates, the Village of Lyndonville, and the Lyndonville Lions Club joined forces to host the third annual Summer Street Dance on Friday, August 23. The community responded by showing up in large numbers to celebrate the waning days of the summer and to welcome the coming fall season.
Several food trucks and vendors were on hand to mark this event and the Lyndonville Lions held a recruitment drive along with a hot dog and hamburger stand supplying food and beverages to the festival goers. The American Legion gave out flower arrangements with all of the free-will donations going to support local veterans.
The Town of Yates had many activities planned for children who attended the evening event. Rock painting and chalk street art drawing kept kids busy all evening. Various inflatable bounce houses were available to children of all ages during the event for those who wanted to expend a little more energy.
The musical band, The Guzinyas, supported the event bringing their local talents together to perform their catalog of rock and roll songs. The crowd joined in with festival-goers dancing in the street to their favorite songs.
The grass roots effort by the Town of Yates is seen as a successful “End-to-Summer Event” over the last few years. Town of Yates board member Sue Hrovat has led this event for the town.
“The Town Board has been happy with the results of the last few years, and would like to offer more fun things for people to do at the street dance,” she said.
Looking ahead, the Town Board is in preliminary discussions with the Lyndonville Lions Club to be co-sponsors and to expand on this event. The Lions have discussed the possible addition of several venues with Hrovat, including adding local winery tasting booths, a summer chicken barbeque sale and expanding the musical performances. There has also been some groundswell support for the possibility of an end-of-summer fireworks display to cap off the evening events.
The Lyndonville Lions Club sees this as a great collaborative effort to support the community.
The Town of Yates would like to thank all those who made the street dance possible, and they hope that all have a safe and happy end to the summer season as we all look forward to fall and mother nature’s artistic splendor with her fall foliage.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 August 2024 at 8:18 am
MEDINA – The disc golf course in Medina has an official name: Medina Red Horse Disc Golf Course at Gulf Street Park.
The nine-hole course was developed by the village and Orleans County YMCA last year. The course opened in October and most of the course is in a wooded area at Gulf Street Park.
Some of the more devoted players suggested the name, Red Horse Disc Golf Course. Their design for promoting the site includes a cutout of a red horse, the school district’s Medina Mustang. Gulf Street Park also has red clay in some areas and the course players wanted to highlight that red.
Just last month, 175 rounds by 42 players were registered through a QR code. Other players also are likely using the site without registering, Mayor Marguerite Sherman said.
Some community members wanted Gulf Street Park to be added to the official name, and the Village Board agreed to that suggestion on Monday.
The course is considered challenging by players. The basket for Hole 8 is only a few feet from the water of Glenwood Lake.
Signs will soon be added at the tee boxes to note the distance to the basket, and the par level.
Medina worked with the Orleans County YMCA to develop the course in a project funded by a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. Albion did a similar project at Bullard Park.
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation gave the YMCA $20,000 to $24,000 to develop the projects with tee boxes, signs and baskets that are mounted in small concrete foundations – 8 inches wide by 20 inches deep.
Medina’s DPW used a skid steer with a forestry head to carve a path in the woods, mulching brush and small trees.
Volunteers are expected to install the signs on the course, and add small arrows on some trees to help direct people to the next hole.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 August 2024 at 7:30 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board meets on Monday in the Ridgeway Town Hall. From left the board members include Jess Marciano, Debbie Padoleski, Mayor Marguerite Sherman, Mark Prawel and Diana Baker. Near them in front are Village Clerk-Treasurer Jada Burgess and attorney Matt Brooks. Jason Watts, the DPW superintendent, is at right and Police Chief Todd Draper has his back to camera.
The board has shifted the meeting locations from the Senior Center at 615 West Ave. to the Ridgeway Town Hall at 410 West Ave. The board had its first meeting at the town hall on Aug. 12. Ridgeway is making the town hall available at no charge to the Village Board.
Mayor Marguerite Sherman said the town hall has a better sound system for the public to hear the board members and the meeting space doesn’t have to be set up with tables and chairs, and then torn down the following morning.
At the Senior Center, DPW staff had to set up the tables and chairs before the meeting and then be there the following morning to put things back.
The senior center is a bigger space, and Sherman said many people who attended the meetings said it was difficult to hear the board members and other speakers.
The Village Board also recently changed the start times from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2024 at 9:35 pm
MEDINA – Firefighters from five companies and departments in western Orleans County will team on Saturday in an annual boot drive to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
From 9 a.m. to noon firefighters from Shelby, East Shelby, Medina, Ridgeway and Lyndonville will be out collecting money for Make-A-Wish.
They will be near the intersections at Route 63 and Maple Ridge Road, Route 104 and South Lyndonville Road, and Main Street and Center Street.
The firefighters have raised about $8,000 in the recent boot drives for Make-A-Wish.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2024 at 3:04 pm
Jim Bensley took on all kinds of tasks for the county, including marina manager and coordinator of household hazardous waste
Photos by Tom Rivers: Jim Bensley, director of the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development, speaks at a public hearing in November 2018 about the Western Orleans Comprehensive Plan. In back is Ed Houseknecht, the Shelby town supervisor at the time. Bensley worked with local municipalities on plans that are guides for future zoning and community priorities. The Western Orleans Comprehensive Plan includes the villages of Medina and Lyndonville, and the towns of Shelby, Ridgeway and Yates.
MEDINA – Many of the local officials in Orleans County, including village and town governments, are mourning the loss of Jim Bensley, who served as the county’s senior planner.
Bensley passed away at age 65 on Aug. 14, only a few days after coordinating another household hazardous waste collection day in the county. Bensley was at the Highway Department in Albion on West Academy Street for many hours on Aug. 10, helping people at the check-in while about 500 residents disposed of old car batteries, propane tanks, oils, solvents and other chemicals, as well as more than 1,000 tires.
Bensley took on that job, as well as the county marina manager for a few years, in addition to his primary job as the director of the Department of Planning and Development for the county.
In that role provided guidance for other county employees as well as the towns and villages as they updated zoning, developed comprehensive plans for the future, and reviewed site plans, requests for zoning variances and many other issues.
“This is a tremendous loss for the county,” said Dawn Borchert, the county’s tourism director. “He had such an institutional knowledge of the community. He knew every little town and corner in the county.”
Jim Bensley carries an old propane tank that was dropped off during the household hazardous waste collection event in August 2021. Bensley won the respect of his co-workers and staff for taking on any job, big and small.
Bensley started with the county in 1989 as a planner and was promoted to senior planner in 1996. He has served as the director of Planning & Development since January 2015.
Former County legislator Ken DeRoller has worked with Bensley since the 1980s, back when DeRoller was chairman of the Town of Kendall Planning Board. Bensley was a valuable resource for DeRoller later when he was a board member for the Orleans Economic Development Agency and a county legislator.
“Jim always had the best interest of land use policies and promoting proper use, plus programs to enhance the quality of life in Orleans County,” DeRoller said.
Bensley worked with the municipalities to develop land use policies along the Lake Ontario waterfront and the Erie Canal corridor.
“These programs enhanced the enjoyment and protection of over 75 miles of Shoreline,” DeRoller said.
DeRoller pushed the Planning and Development Department to take on more work, with the waterfront development plans, a study of the Lake Ontario State Parkway, managing the household hazardous waste collection and other projects.
Bensley didn’t shy away from the work, even as he juggled a part-time job for nearly 30 years as a professor in the urban and regional planning program at Buffalo State College. In 2018 he was honored with the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching.
“He had this passion to keep moving forward and he had a love for Orleans County,” DeRoller said. “He had a strong internal drive, and wanted to move the county forward on land use.”
Jim Bensley (right), discusses the waterfront in Orleans with John Riggi, a Yates town councilman during a meeting in Carlton in April 2018. The towns of Carlton, Kendall and Yates as well as the Village of Lyndonville held a public meeting to discuss a waterfront development plan.
Bensley could bring consensus in meetings that were often contentious, with strong opinions from stakeholders, DeRoller said.
He was Orleans County representative for Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council and also the county’s commissioner on the board for the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority.
Many of the planning professionals in the region have been taught by him at Buffalo State, and he was the boss to others at the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development.
Sarah Gatti was his student at Buff State and then worked as a planner in Orleans County from 2015 to 2019. She now is a principal planner in Erie County for the Department of Environment and Planning.
She recently nominated Bensley for Michael J. Krasner Professional Planner Award, given by the Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association. Gatti found out last week Bensley will receive the honor which goes to “an individual for sustained contribution to the profession through distinguished practice, teaching, or writing.” It will be presented to Bensley’s family in October during a ceremony in Ithaca.
“I wanted to nominate Jim because he deserved it,” Gatti said. “He was supremely knowledgeable, and he was very passionate. He treated people with kindness as a boss. He was very supportive. There is a web of planners in the region who have been benefitted from his knowledge and mentorship.”
Calling hours will for Bensley will be Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cooper Funeral Home, 215 W. Center St., Medina. His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish, St. Mary’s Church, 211 Eagle St., Medina.
Press Release, New York State Association of Counties
ALBANY – As hundreds of county leaders prepare to attend the annual meeting next month hosted by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), county officials held a press conference today to encourage Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a key piece of legislation that will level the playing field between hotels and short-term rental companies.
The bill that passed both houses of the State Legislature, S.885-C (Hinchey) / A.4130-C (Fahy), requires short-term home rental agencies, such as VRBO and AirBnB to collect sales tax and hotel/motel occupancy taxes. (The measure excludes New York City.)
“While online platforms for short-term rentals have opened new opportunities for homeowners and travelers alike, they also present a variety of unique challenges. It is essential that we strike a balance between innovation and the well-being of our communities. These platforms must contribute their fair share to our economy and adhere to the same regulations as local hotels. This bipartisan legislation will help level the playing field and ensure accountability in the short-term rental industry. I urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law,” said Albany County Executive McCoy.
VRBO already collects state and/or local sales taxes or local occupancy taxes in all 49 states other than New York, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico; and has done so for years. Airbnb also collects state and/or local sales or occupancy taxes in 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and Mexico.
The bill also requires short-term rental companies in the state to provide the State Department of Taxation and Finance with information on each rental unit, including how much each host is renting units for throughout the year.
This measure was among NYSAC’s top priorities for this year’s Legislative Session, and county delegates are expected to adopt a resolution at their upcoming meeting to urge the Governor to sign this legislation.
“To be clear: we are not opposed to the short-term rental industry. In fact, we appreciate the role they play in supporting tourism in New York State. We just want to bring a little sunshine to this part of the industry so that communities have a better understanding of homes and units that are for rent and how often. And we need to generate some tax revenue to offset additional costs to public safety, health and infrastructure services,” added NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 August 2024 at 12:45 pm
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced expansion of its MRI services at Medina Memorial Hospital, beginning Sept. 3.
Scheduling an MRI locally has been challenging in the past, according to Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communication and Outreach.
“The expansion of MRI services cannot be overstated,” said Erica Chutko, director of radiology and cardiac services at Orleans Community Health. “We can perform an MRI on the brain, spine, chest, abdomen, pelvis and extremities. These tests can help detect potential health concerns, such as strokes, tumors, Multiple Sclerosis and much more.
MRI services returned to Medina Memorial Hospital in the fall of 2022, with testing available one day a week. The increased demand for the service is a driver in the expansion to a second day, according to Robinson. Beginning Sept. 3, MRIs can now be scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
“This expansion is all about our desire and goal to bring services to the community,” Robinson said. “Getting an MRI in a timely manner is difficult in many places right now. We’re hoping to help alleviate that with this move.”
An MRI is a non-invasive imaging exam that does not include any radiation. To schedule an appointment, patients will need a referral from their doctor. In addition, some insurances require prior authorization. Appointments can then be scheduled with the radiology department by calling (585) 798-8054.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 August 2024 at 9:22 am
HOLLEY – The Holley community is expanding a celebration of residents who are 90 and older to include people outside the village of Holley in the towns of Murray and Clarendon.
Those 90 and older will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Sept. 13 in the Village Square with a reception in the Community Free Library.
Those residents of Murray and Clarendon who are 90 and older as of Sept. 13, and residents of the village of Holley who have turned 90 since September 2022 are welcome to the gathering.
To attend, call Holley’s Village Clerk, Rainey Losee, at (585) 638-6367 with name, age and contact information as soon as possible.
BUFFALO – The start of a new school year is upon us and along with that comes new adventures and opportunities.
However, it can also be a time of high stress and anxiety for some kids. The mental health counselors at Catholic Charities of Buffalo are sharing several simple tips for parents and caregivers to help their child cope with anxiety, while also setting them up for a successful school year.
“Supporting our children’s mental health is one of our top priorities as mental health professionals, educators and parents,” said Allie Medina, M.Ed., LMHC, behavioral health program supervisor, Catholic Charities. “A child isn’t born knowing how to navigate the world; it’s our job as adults to teach them while offering unconditional love and support through their day-to-day changes.”
Here are some ideas Catholic Charities mental health counselors recommend trying to help your child or adolescent navigate the new, (but also exciting!) back-to-school changes:
Practice deep breathing together. The day can be overwhelming with a changing schedule and routine. Sit together and take deep breaths to regulate your mind and body.
Close technology at least an hour before bedtime. Technology can keep our minds racing. Trade the phones and tablets for a book or coloring together before bed to calm the mind.
Open the conversation. Go around the dinner table or at bedtime discuss the peak and the pit of your day.
Squeeze the lemons. The act of squeezing and releasing your muscles can help reduce stress and anxiety. Put your hands in fists like holding two lemons and squeeze all your muscles for 5 seconds. Release for 5 seconds. Repeat as many times as needed.
Implement evening movement. If time allows, take a family walk or bike ride together to get fresh air and prepare the body for a restful evening of sleep.
In the beginning of the school year, keep your routine and expectations simple. It’s hard enough as an adult to keep track of things. Keep in mind your child’s routine is changing daily. Try coming up with a morning and evening schedule together so they feel involved with what their expectations will be and posting it somewhere in the house like the refrigerator.
Let the morning be easy. Try and prepare for the following day the night before to ensure mornings can be stress-free. Pack backpacks and lunches, check homework, and lay out clothes for the following day.
One of the most important relationships during the school year is with your child’s teacher. Meet with them and ensure you have their preferred form of communication saved on your phone with login information handy.
Watch changes in your child’s behavior. No one knows your child better than you, the parent. An increase in stress and anxiety can cause noticeable changes in behavior such as a change in appetite, change in sleep habits, change in hygiene, etc. Keep a close eye on those changes and have a calm conversation with your child if you notice something different.
Catholic Charities offers individual, children, and family counseling services throughout the eight counties of Western New York. For more information visit, ccwny.org/mental-wellness.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 August 2024 at 5:19 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Chris Busch, a trustee of Holy Trinity Parish in Medina, led a tour of the St. Mary’s Cemetery on North Gravel Road last Sunday evening. It is part of the Sunday evening cemetery tours this August, an annual effort led by the Orleans County Historical Association.
Busch believes this was the first official public tour of the cemetery. St. Mary’s started in 1858. There are about 5,000 people buried there. Many of the founders of the Catholic church in medina, which started in 1832, are buried in Lockport because the cemetery wasn’t established in Medina until 1858.
The cemetery is the final resting place for hundreds of Irish immigrants who founded the parish, Busch said. There are numerous Irish surnames throughout the cemetery, he said.
Many of the monuments have the Latin phrase: “Requiescat in Pace,” for “Rest in Peace.”
This marker is for Rev. Richard Harmon, the first resident pastor for St. Mary’s. He was assigned churches from Somerset to Kendall, and travelled by horseback to lead the faithful.
He was tasked with building the church on frontier outside of the village settlements. Harmon died at age 26, less than a year after starting his work in the Medina area.
He is one of nine Catholic priests buried at St. Mary’s.
Sister Bertrand also is noted on this monument. She was a member of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart. She was one of the first nuns to teach in Medina. She died in 1876, at age 25.
Lt. John Butts is buried on the southern end of the cemetery. He is a Medal of Honor recipient who “performed magnificently” while leading soldiers in World War II. Butts was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for “courage, unflinching valor and inspiring actions” in Normandy, France on June 23, 1944.
There were about 35 people on the tour. These two women look close at the monument for Patrick O’Grady and his family. He was a prominent sandstone mason and builder who helped lead the construction of the First Baptist Church in Medina, Bent’s Opera House and portions of the original St. Mary’s Church. Three of his children died from tuberculosis within about 6 months of each other.
The large sandstone monument notes the deaths of O’Grady at age 58 on Jan. 4, 1886.
The three children who died in 1885 include Lizzie at age 15 on Feb. 9, Eddie at age 21 on March 31, and John at age 28 on Aug. 21.
I went looking for the grave marker for Marcia Tuohey, who was key leader for Medina and Orleans County. She passed away at age 84 on Aug. 7, 2014. Marcia was well known for her stylist hats.
She was the first woman to serve as Medina’s mayor and then the first woman to serve as chair of the Orleans County Legislature, which she did for eight years.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 August 2024 at 4:28 pm
MEDINA – Residents of the North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital will find it more convenient to use their wheelchairs and walkers, thanks to a recent donation from a group of friends who graduated from Medina High School.
Carol Bellack, Cindy Parada, Helen Limina, Cindy Robinson, Dawn Fry, Sue Richards and Mary Beth Dean all graduated together in 1976 and have since formed a group they call the “76 Stitchers.”
Although they don’t all sew, they get together regularly to socialize. Recently, they thought it would be nice to do something for the North Wing residents and came up with the idea to sew caddies for wheelchairs and walkers.
Anyone who has ever had to use one of these devices knows you can’t navigate with one and carry anything, such as a drink, snack or puzzle book.
“Cindy Parada has a beautiful set-up at home for sewing,” Carol Bellack said. “She thought of the idea and visited the North Wing to see if there was something we could do for the residents. She has also contacted Hospice and Orchard Rehabilitation, so you’ll probably see us doing things for them in the future.”
Parada was also shown terry cloth bibs the North Wing uses, so they will also probably be in the making, Bellack said.
Bellack said not all the friends in the group sew, but those who don’t can help by ironing and cutting fabric.
Staff and residents said they appreciate the support and kindness this special group of ladies brought to them.
“In short, this is another time when our community has stepped up when they saw an opportunity to help,” said Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communication and Outreach at Orleans Community Health. “We’re lucky to have so many of these phenomenal people in the area.”
A dramatic edict was issued by Sheriff Carl Kleindienst in February 1943, offering a $10 reward to kill dogs running at large. The notice was necessitated by an upsurge in the number of dog attacks on sheep and chickens throughout the county.
Many of these incidents were reported in the local newspapers: over the course of four days in May 1944, over $1,000 worth of sheep were destroyed by dogs in the Town of Barre: 25 at the Frank Hedges farm, 20 at the Clarence Houghton farm, and 10 at the Martin Brown farm.
Dogs were reported to have been molesting a flock belonging to former Sheriff Sidney Treble. The Sheriff’s dept. destroyed four dogs, two while the dogs were still attacking a flock. In June 1944, 135 chickens owned by Nunzio Spalla, north of Albion, were killed by dogs. He managed to shoot the larger attacking dog but missed the other.
Even the most adorable household canine pets can turn vicious when they are among a flock of timid, scurrying sheep, who, lacking horns, venom, sting, bite or heft, are singularly defenseless animals.
It is widely acknowledged that a dog who has attacked sheep once will attack them again. The term “worrying” has been used for this molestation. It aptly describes the effect of an attack on the flock, and on the farmer concerned for the future safety of his investment. In addition to the financial loss inflicted by an attack, there is the more dismaying problem of dealing with the gory cleanup of the destruction.
Sheep raising was lucrative in the 1940s, as the war had increased demand for wool for the manufacture of uniforms and blankets. Many Orleans County farmers owned sheep; some flocks were as large as 800.
Each Town was responsible for the payment of damages caused by dogs whose owners could not be identified. The County Treasurer reported annually to the Board of Supervisors on the claims paid for damage done by dogs: in 1944 this totaled $4,126.30 and $4,639.95 in 1945. It is not surprising that attempts were made to reduce these costs.
The Sheriff asked for the addition of a full-time deputy to act as a dog warden for the county. He believed that this was the most effective way to cope with the problem of dogs running loose at night and attacking sheep. In 1943, the Board of Supervisors authorized the appointment of this special officer, to operate under the sheriff’s office, at an annual salary of no more than $2,000.
In 1949, the County Treasurer reported that the amount paid by the County for damages done by dogs was $1,711.45, a significant decrease. Increased vigilance and policing of violations helped decrease the scourge.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 August 2024 at 1:11 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Canvas prints from photographer Sharon Gavenda of Point Breeze are on display at the Marti’s On Main art gallery in Albion at 20 South Main St.
A new show featuring Gavenda, Judy Wenrich and Tom Rivers opened on Aug. 16. The artwork can be seen by calling Kim Martillotta-Muscarella, gallery owner, at (585) 590-9211.
This is the first show for Sharon Gavenda, a nurse. She has been honing her skills as a photographer the past 15 years. It started with a trip to Maine when she was awestruck by the landscapes.
“It was so beautiful that I found myself taking photos,” she said.
She has many images in the gallery from when she is on early morning jogs and captures the sunrise in the Point Breeze area.
Judy Wenrich of Kendall is pictured with some of her oil pastels of animals. Wenrich, a retired social worker, has been a featured artist at Marti’s for many years, and that often focused on paintings of horses. She has expanded her repertoire for the exhibit at Marti’s.
Wenrich has 13 pieces on display at Marti’s, including some whimsical captions. She likes to give the animals expressions.
“Everyone has their own style,” she said.
Photo by Kim Martillotta-Muscarella: Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers also has about 25 photos in the exhibit. Here I am standing by one in downtown Albion after a fresh snowfall. Two in the back include a fire at a historic home in Holley, and a kayaker on Lake Ontario during a sunset.
These photos include a Black Lives Matter march in Medina, the “Believe” sign during swirling snow in Albion, a Santa during an Albion parade, Albion firefighters during a lighted parade last December, and two from the grease pole competition at the Orleans County 4-H Fair.
There are other local scenes in the exhibit and pictures of people who I miss seeing around town including Brennan Moody, Jonathan Doherty, Angela English and Al Capurso.
The next opening reception at Marti’s will be Sept. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring oil paintings by Tom Zangerle, and oil and watercolors by Sarah Hyatt.
A dramatic edict was issued by Sheriff Carl Kleindienst in February 1943, offering a $10 reward to kill dogs running at large. The notice was necessitated by an upsurge in the number of dog attacks on sheep and chickens throughout the county.
