Photos by Tom Rivers

BARRE – The Town of Barre celebrated its bicentennial on Saturday with an open house at the Town Hall and several proclamations and citations on the milestone anniversary.

The top photos shows Town Supervisor Sean Pogue, left, listening to State Sen. Robert Ortt, center, and Assemblyman Steve Hawley read a proclamation from the state about Barre’s 200^th anniversary.

They are pictured in front of a 10-by-17-foot flag that was donated to the town by the DeZetter family. The flag was made in 1886 when there were 38 states. Ortt said he would like to find some state funding to better preserve and display the large flag.

The town was founded in 1818. Barre officially formed on March 6, 1818. There will be another open house at the Town Hall on West Barre Road on Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m. There are many historical displays in the Town Hall in honor of the town’s bicentennial.

There will be a bigger celebration on June 29-30 at the Town Park on Route 98.

Orleans County legislators Lynne Johnson and John DeFilipps read a proclamation from the County Legislature about Barre’s 200th anniversary. The town also received proclamations and citations from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, and Congressman Chris Collins.

Sean Pogue, the town supervisor, invited barre residents to be active in the community and help write the next chapter of the town’s history.

“As a community, let’s put our thoughts together and create that sense of family and community that we will celebrate 25 years from now,” he said.

The proclamation from State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Senator Robert Ortt states the following:

“Whereas, the State of New York takes great pride in recognizing and celebrating important milestones in the history of communities in the Empire States; and

Whereas, as New York State Legislators, we congratulate and honor those municipalities which were influential in the growth and development of our state and have greatly contributed to the economic and social prestige of the Empire State; and

Whereas, Barre can trace its founding back to the pioneer days of the Holland Purchase and the original four million acre “farm” known as the Morris Purchase, which was bought from Massachusetts in 1791; and

Whereas, the first settlers to reach the Town of Barre are Stephen Paine in 1816, who traveled on Ridge Road from Rochester, and Judge John Lee in 1818, who officially settled the area on March 6, naming it after his hometown of Barre, Massachusetts; the first Town Supervisor was Nathan Whitney in 1818; and

Whereas, Barre, the Massachusetts’ town namesake, was originally a colonel and member of the British Parliament during the American Revolution but was also a staunch friend of the early American colonies; and

Whereas, many of Barre’s early settlers were Revolutionary War veterans who came in ox-drawn wagons; pioneers eventually built crude log cabins without floors, chimneys or windows transforming the wilderness into productive farms and comfortable homes; and

Whereas, the agriculture industry has been an integral part of Barre’s economy since its inception, with open land yielding plenty of buckwheat, corn, rye, oats, wheat and dry beans, while its 2,000 cows make Barre the hub of Orleans County’s dairy industry; and

Whereas, Barre is currently home to more than 2,000 residents who embody the sheer determination, grit, and perseverance of early settlers who pushed through uncut wilderness and forest to start a new, more promising life on the fertile farmlands of what is now the Town of Barre; and

Whereas, may the Town of Barre and its good citizens stand as shining examples for all other localities to emulate, and may the town flourish and grow now and forever in the future; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Senator Robert Ortt in conjunction with the citizens of the 139th Assembly District and 62nd Senate District, offer congratulations and best wishes for continued success to the Town of Barre.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

EAST SHELBY – Nic Culver, right, is presented with the “Firefighter of the Year” award from Fire Chief Andy Beach on Saturday during the annual awards and installation banquet for the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.

“He’s always eager to learn,” Beach said about Culver. “It doesn’t matter what it is or where it is, he is always ready to do what needs to be done.”

Beach also presented a Fire Chief Award to Dan Culver, Nic’s father, for “going above and beyond” in his duties as an officer for the Fire Company.

The East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company celebrates its 65th anniversary next month. Fire Company officials presented several awards while also swearing in officers on Saturday.

David Green, a long-time member of the Fire Company, presents a Steward Award to Judy Allen in appreciation for her 45 years of service as an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary.

Gordon Reigle was recognized with a President’s Award for all of his work for the Fire Company. Jackie Barton, the president, also praised David Green for his service. “I don’t know what I would do without them,” she said.

Jeff Taylor and Karen Bracey both received certificates and citations for 25 years of service to East Shelby. They are joined by State Assembly Mike Norris, back left, and State Sen. Rob Ortt.

Other firefighters recognized for milestone anniversaries include: Ryan McPherson, 5 years; Paul Gray, 10 years; Joe Newton and Herb Oberther Sr., 30 years; Charles Allen, Sr. and Mike Fuller, 45 years; and LaVerne Green Jr., 65 years (an original member of the Fire Company).

Ladies Auxiliary members recognized for milestone anniversaries include: Paige Green, 5 years; Lisa Russo and Sawyer Green, 10 years; Rose Allen, 25 years; Judy Allen, 45 years; Jessie Green, 55 years; and Jeannie Reckahn, 60 years.

Jackie Barton (right), president, and other officers take the oath of office.

Other officers for 2018 include: Mike Fuller, vice president; Karen Bracey, secretary; Allen Turner, treasurer; Ken Printup, Dave Allen, Gordon Reigle and Walter Dingman, trustees; David Green, steward; Andy Beach, chief; Devin Taylor, first assistant chief; Deb Taylor, second assistant chief; Dennis MacDonald, third assistant chief; Jeff Taylor, captain; Julie Taylor, lieutenant; Laura Fields, fire police chief; and Sue Behrend and Mike Fuller, EMS officer.

The officers for the Ladies Auxiliary also took the oath of office, including Shirley Printup, president (right), and Bronwyn Green, vice president (center). Other officers include: Deb Green, secretary; Carol Lonnen, treasurer; Jessie Green, Elaine Newton and Sawyer Green, trustees; and Rose Allen, chaplain.

State Sen. Robert Ortt and Assemblyman Michael Norris highlighted legislation in Albany affecting firefighters and departments.

Two local state legislators also went over recent state legislation that has helped volunteer firefighters and fire companies.

A new state law recently went into effect allowing volunteer firefighters who develop certain types of cancers to receive health benefits and coverage for their treatments.

The state also has amended a law in relation to the sale of raffle tickets for bona fide charitable organizations. The changes through the Charitable Gaming Act allow non-profit groups to sell raffle tickets via the internet and provide for additional payment options for raffles and other fundraising activities.

Ortt said he is working to change one state law that went into effect last year that bans anyone the age of 18 from playing bingo in a gaming hall. Previously, there was no lower age limit for children to join in at bingo halls as long as they were accompanied by adults. The New York State Gaming Commission says the law was changed to bring bingo’s minimum age in line with other forms of legal gambling.

Ortt is the chief sponsor of a bill to stop the bingo ban for people under 18.

He also said he would work to help fire departments for funding with some of their equipment costs. He was praised for securing $12,500 for East Shelby to purchase air packs.

“You’re always fighting in Albany to bring your tax dollars back to your communities,” Ortt said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Sarah and Tim Brigham, right, were among 300 people on Saturday’s Sip and Stroll in downtown Albion. They are sampling wine from the Victorianbourg Wine Estate in Wilson. Bill Koller, left, represented the winery at Xpress Fitness, which was one of 15 stops of the wine-tasting.

The 300 participants were the most in the five years the Albion Merchants Association has organized the event.

Dave Licata of the Winery at Marjim Manor in Appleton serves up wine at KeyBank. Tim McMurray enjoys the camaraderie with several friends, including Traci Davis-Taylor, right.

Angela Benton of Shay’s Shamrock offered chocolates from Oliver’s Candies as part of the tour of the downtown.

Dawn Basinait and her daughter Samantha of Barre set up a table on Main Street and sold Girl Scout cookies. They are members of Troop 8259. They sold 42 boxes in about an hour.

Melissa Barnosky advances to National Competition April 14-15 in Indianapolis

Provided photo

Melissa Barnosky, an Albion senior, is the American Legion New York State oratorical contest champion. She won the event today in Albany. She is pictured with Lee Brusino, Zone 5 chairman for the Legion.

Barnosky won a $6,000 scholarship today. She advances to the national competition on April 14-15 in Indianapolis.

Barnosky also made it to the state competition last year and finished third.

Melissa won at the school and county levels. She came in second at the district level to qualify for the zone competition, which she won to advance to the state contest.

Students in the competition deliver a prepared speech on the U.S. Constitution and citizen duties and obligations to the government. The speech must be 8-10 minutes in length. If it is over or under, there are penalty points.

The students also prepare for several assigned topics on various amendments. The students do not know which assigned topic they will have to present until 5 minutes prior. The assigned topic is randomly chosen by one of the members. Then the contestant is informed of the topic.  The speech needs to be 3 to 5 minutes in length without penalty points.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Russell Kingdollar, center, of Albion and other members of the junior high chorus perform today at Albion during the All County Music Festival today, featuring the top music students from Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina.

There were about 200 students in today’s concert. The students and their directors were challenged by Friday’s snow day, which denied them a day of rehearsals.

Elizabeth Banner, a Brockport music teacher, led the junior high chorus. She also tried to get the crowd to join in singing, “Give Us Hope.” The chorus also performed, “Sing Dem Herrn,” “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel,” and “(If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

Trenton Crews of Medina and Cassie Serafin of Albion were members of the senior high band.

Dr. Paul Shewan, professor of instrumental music and conducting at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, directed the senior high band, which performed, “First Suite in Eb,” “Mt. Everest,” and “Billboard March.”

Kevin McLaud, a retired music teacher and band director at Pavilion, led the elementary school band today, which performed, “”Engines of Resistance,” “Scarborough Fair,” Funkytown,” and “Sweet Caroline.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces 1366 Technologies from Bedford, Mass., will build a new factory at STAMP in this photo from Oct. 7, 2015. Frank van Mierlo, CEO of 1366 Technologies, is pictured at right sharing in the announcement.

ALABAMA – On Oct. 7, 2015, leaders of 1366 Technologies joined Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Batavia in announcing the company would be the first tenant in the new STAMP high-tech park in the Town of Alabama.

1366 Technologies would spend $700 million and serve as “an anchor tenant” for the park, which is just south of Orleans County. The company would use 105 acres of the 1,250-acre site, leaving plenty of room for other high-tech companies.

The company said it would have 600 full-time employees at the site initially with 1,000 at full build-out. The company would develop and manufacture high performance silicon wafers, the building block of solar cells and the most expensive component of a solar panel.

But on Friday, 1366 Technologies announced it was withdrawing its plans for the site and would build its manufacturing plant in another country.

The company, based in Massachusetts, said the decision was based on delays and uncertainty around a loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy, according to a report in The Batavian (Click here).

If the company builds a second plant in the future, 1366 Technologies said it would be very interested in the STAMP site.

The company, with its intention of building at STAMP, helped to advance $33 million in infrastructure at the site, making it more attractive to other developers, Steve Hyde, CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center, told The Batavian.

Dr. Elizabeth Denio

“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 9

The month of March is Women’s History Month, a designation dating back to 1987. The question of why this particular designation is needed surfaces frequently and the simplest explanation is that the presence of women in the national historical narrative went unnoted in schools for centuries.

Today, historians focus attention on previously marginalized groups in history to provide a more thorough and balanced image of the past. The narratives of local history are often filled with the stories of white men who made their mark on early settlements and only infrequently do we hear the stories of women such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Polly Burgess who braved the virgin forests of Western New York.

Elizabeth Harriet Denio was born to John and Celinda Weatherwax Denio on August 3, 1842 at the family’s farm in Albion, now part of the Correctional Facility. A printer by trade, John Denio became a respected citizen of Albion due in part to his time as publisher of the Orleans American.

As a young girl, Elizabeth attended the local schools but as the daughter of a prominent family, she was afforded the opportunity to attend the Phipps Union Seminary. Upon the completion of her education there, she later attended and graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1866, followed by a very brief term as an instructor at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY.

In 1876 she became a professor of German and Art History at Wellesley College until taking a leave of absence in 1883 to travel abroad. While in Germany, she commenced study at Leipzig, Berlin, and Heidelberg, focusing on German philology (language) and art history. In 1896 she was fired from Wellesley College due to her antiquated teaching style after the arrival of the institution’s new president. It was nearly two years later in 1898 that she received her Doctor of Philosophy from Heidelberg, writing her thesis entitled “The Life and Works of Nicolas Poussin.” This defining piece on the French Baroque artist was printed in 1899 by Charles Scribner and Sons of New York.

Upon her return to the United States, she was appointed to a position as a lecturer of art history at the University of Rochester in 1902. This appointment marked a significant milestone in the University’s history as Denio became the first female member of the institution’s faculty. In his 1910 report, University President Benjamin Rush Rhees noted that “Dr. Denio’s work has been elected increasingly by our students…there are few persons in the country so well equipped to do this work, and it is work which it is very advantageous for our women to take;” this also came with a promotion to the title of “Instructor in the History of Art.” In the earliest years of her tenure at the University, a lack of funding required for a permanent position forced the institution to hire her on an annual appointment by special action. Emily Sibley Watson, the daughter of Western Union founder Hiram Sibley, was largely responsible for funding Denio’s remuneration in those early years. After her retirement in 1917, she was made an Emeritus Professor.

On December 23, 1922, Dr. Denio prepared to cross from the south curb of East Avenue at Meigs Street Rochester when she was struck by a car driven by Theodore Drescher. In an effort to avoid the elderly woman, Drescher slammed on his brakes forcing the car to spin out of control and striking Denio with the rear of the vehicle. After she was knocked to the ground, a vehicle driven by Charles Flint passed over Denio’s body. She was quickly rushed to the Homeopathic Hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.

As noted by Bill Lattin (Bethinking of Old Orleans v. 16, no. 10), “Dr. Denio was known to be a stimulating conversationalist who had a broad spectrum of friends. Local lore conjectures that she became accustomed to men’s clothing while studying in Germany, for upon her return to this country, she was seen to appear in pants and supposedly enjoyed cigars. Denio’s lasting legacy remains in the form of the Memorial Art Gallery, an institution that she was influential in developing in 1913.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Chloe Nashwenter is part of the team of volunteers in the kitchen at the Sacred Heart Club, serving up about 150 fish fry dinners.

Sacred Heart serves Lenten fish fry dinners and also offers chicken finger dinners with fries.

Sacred Heart has been doing Lenten fish fries for about 15 years. They are a good fundraiser for the club, and also a chance to welcome community members to the site on North Gravel Road.

Mike Hartway, president of Sacred Heart, gets the tartar sauce ready. Sacred Heart will be serving the dinners every Friday right up to Easter. Hartway said the proceeds from the dinner go towards a big Christmas party for Sacred Heart members’ children and grandchildren, as well as some other kids in the community.

Mike Miller runs the kitchen for the Sacred Heart Club. He said the club’s members step up and work together for the fish fry dinners.

Another dinner is ready to go.

Mike McCauley sings and plays his guitar on many Fridays during the Lenten season at the Sacred Heart Club.

George Maziarz

George Maziarz, a former state senator who represented Orleans County in Albany for nearly 20 years, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in Albany County Court today, ending a saga that threatened him with a felony and possible prison time.

Maziarz pleaded guilty to offering of a false instrument for filing in the second degree, which Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said was related to a pass-through scheme in which Maziarz used money from his campaign committee to funnel secret campaign payments to a former Senate staffer, Glen Aronow. He had left government service amid charges of sexual harassment. The plea was entered today in Albany County Court before Judge Peter Lynch.

“Today’s guilty plea and full admission sends a strong message to every elected official that if you abuse the public trust, you will be rooted out, and there will be a public accounting of your crime,” Schneiderman said in a statement to the media. “This case stands for a very simple but important principle, which is that you cannot use your campaign account as a slush fund to avoid public scrutiny. No one, not even George Maziarz, can use campaign accounts to deceive the public, flout the law, and pay off friends.”

Maziarz acknowledged in court he wanted to continue to use the services of Aronow without the public knowing. The former state legislator arranged for payment to Aronow through a series of intermediaries, including Synor Marketing, knowing that those payments would not be included on various public filings with the Board of Elections, including the 2012 July Periodic disclosure, making them knowingly false, Schneiderman said.

In addition to the admission of guilt, Maziarz will also pay a $1,000 fine plus relevant surcharges.

The attorney general didn’t get a felony conviction against Maziarz. Schneiderman also charged Maziarz’s successor in the State Senate, Robert Ortt, with felony election law violations in March 2017. The attorney general said Ortt and other Niagara County Republican Party officials devised a pass-through scheme for Ortt’s wife to be paid for a no-show job. Those charges were dismissed in what Ortt said was a politically motivated case.

“This quick and forthright dismissal exposed Eric Schneiderman for the power hungry, political opportunist that he is,” Ortt said in a statement on June 27, 2017. “It is my hope that this ruling today will force Mr. Schneiderman to think twice before concocting baseless charges to serve his own radical progressive political agenda again.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Gary Hill and his wife Marlene are pictured at a retirement party for Hill last month at the White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville. Hill is an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan.

ALBION – Gary Hill has worked with numerous small business owners the past 40 years for The Lake Country Pennysaver, helping them develop an ad campaign locally.

A sales rep for the Pennysaver since 1978, Hill is retiring later this month after 40 years. Before the Pennysaver, he worked four years in sales for The Journal-Register in Medina. Hill’s first customer was with the former Apple Grove Inn in Medina.

The locally owned businesses have increasingly been pushed out by corporate chains, Hill said. That has been the biggest change in the local ad landscape.

“In 1980s, there were a lot of mom and pop businesses and they were what fueled the Pennysaver,” Hill said. “There are fewer of those businesses. The big, corporate entities have taken over the business market.”

Hill admires the courage and persistence of many of the small business owners, who are determined to make their enterprises work locally. Many of his customers have become close friends.

“There’s no doubt about it, it’s the people I’ve met,” he said when asked about the best part of the job. “You watch ’em start out. You see their kids grown up and get married.”

The technology has changed numerous times over the years.

“I remember when the fax machine came out and I thought that was the greatest thing going,” he said. “You didn’t have to run proofs around.”

Now ads can be emailed or sent by text through a phone for customers to look over. Hill also has sold many of the ads for the Orleans Hub, an electronic newspaper, since we started five years ago.

Even with the technology changes, Hill kept knocking on doors and seeing his customers face to face.

The Medina resident expects to volunteer in the community during retirement. He has been active for many years with the Sons of the American Legion in Medina.

He and his wife, Marlene, are also active with The Arc of Genesee Orleans. Mrs. Hill is on the board of directors. Mr. Hill is a past recipient of the agency’s “Best Friend” award.

Photo by Tom Rivers: A Carlton town sign notes the community is the “Ultimate Fishing Town.” The town received a $25,000 grant for winning that contest. The state comptroller said expenses from that $25,000 award weren’t audited and presented to the Town Board for approval.

CARLTON – An audit from the State Comptroller’s Office is critical of Carlton Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery for her handling of the town’s finances.

The comptroller says Ashbery did not ensure accounting records were accurate and did not have deposit receipts in a timely manner.

“We found that 93 percent of receipts reviewed totaling $1.47 million were deposited, on average, 35 days after receipt,” according to the audit. (Click here to see the report.)

The town’s annual budget is $2.5 million. A five-member Town Board governs the town and is led by Ashbery, the town supervisor.

“We appreciate the issues raised by the NYS Comptroller in its audit,” Ashbery wrote to the comptroller’s office on Feb. 7. “It has helped us recognize areas where we can improve. We believe we have addressed many of them and we will continue to address other issues that small municipalities likes ours face.”

The comptroller’s office reviewed town finances from Jan. 1, 2015 to Oct. 2, 2017.

• Some of the specific concerns identified by the comptroller include a $25,000 award from the World Fishing Network after Point Breeze won the Ultimate Fish Town contest.

The comptroller said the town supervisor did not properly account for and report cash receipts and disbursements relating to the $25,000.

The Supervisor deposited the money in its own separate bank account and made 34 disbursements totaling $19,619 from the account during the period September 1, 2013 through August 31, 2017, the comptroller said.

However, the supervisor did not have the bookkeeping firm record the receipt or disbursements in the town’s accounting records and did not report the activity to the Town Board.

The comptroller reviewed the bank statements and cancelled check images, and discussed the payments with town officials and found the payments were appropriate, although they weren’t audited or approved by the board.

• The comptroller also highlighted a 2015 mortgage tax payment of $18,733 from Orleans County that was not deposited or recorded in Town records until April 2016. That resulted in the revenue being recorded in the wrong fiscal year for which it was intended.

“Had the Supervisor been performing an appropriate review of the monthly financial reports and budget to actual comparisons, it would have been apparent the Town had not received its mortgage tax payment as budgeted,” the audit states.

• The Supervisor also misplaced two checks totaling $2,015 from the town justices, who remitted the April 2016 collections of fines and fees to the Supervisor on May 2, 2016. The justices had to reissue the checks several months later because the town supervisor never deposited the original checks.

• The comptroller also faulted the town supervisor for not submitting an annual accounting to the Town Board for fiscal years 2015 and 2016, and not providing the public accountant hired to audit the books and records with adequate information. “As a result, the 2015 and 2016 annual audits have not been performed.”

• The comptroller recommended Carlton maintain complete and accurate accounting records and deposit all money in a timely manner. The town supervisor also needs to submit annual financial reports to the Town Board and cooperate with the public accountant hired to audit the books and records.

In her response to the Comptroller’s Office on Feb. 7, Ashbery acknowledged the audit is “highly critical of the fiscal oversight” for the audit period from Jan. 1, 2015 to Oct. 2, 2017.

“We also understand that we are a small municipality where elected officials are part-time,” she wrote. “We have made changes during this audit period by engaging professional services that will supplement our ability to be available to meet our fiscal responsibilities and to ensure that accounting records are accurate and complete.”

Ashbery also said the town is depositing receipts in a timely manner and has engaged a CPA firm to audit the town books.

Provided photo: EJ, a canine with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, is pictured with his handler and partner, Deputy Richard Bull.

LOCKPORT – There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. on Monday for EJ, a canine that served with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.

Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour announced today that the public is welcome to attend the memorial service Canine EJ at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, 4487 Lake Ave., Lockport.

Canine EJ was discovered unresponsive on Jan. 19 by his partner, Deputy Richard Bull. Vontour said the dog passed away from natural causes.

Canine EJ was born on September 25, 2015 in Hungary and began his career with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office in March 2017. Canine EJ and Deputy Bull were New York State certified in criminal apprehension, area searches, building searches, muzzle deployment, tactical high-risk deployment, tracking and advanced narcotics detection.

Canine EJ was named after LCpl. Eric James Orlowski, a United States Marine, fellow Marine and friend of Deputy Bull, who was killed in action on March 22, 2003 during Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq.

ALBION – Village of Albion residents can hear directly from the candidates running the Village Board in the upcoming March 20 election.

The Lake Country Pennysaver and Orleans Hub are sponsoring a candidate forum on March 8 at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School cafeteria. The forum begins at 6 p.m.

The event is set up as a forum and not a debate. Candidates will give opening and closing statements, and will respond to questions submitted by the audience.

There are seven candidates seeking three positions on the board. Republicans have endorsed Eileen Banker for mayor and Gary Katsanis and Stan Farone for village trustee. Democrats are backing Joyce Riley for mayor and Sandra Walter and Jason Dragon for village trustees. Kevin Doherty made it a three-way battle for mayor when he submitted petitions to run under the independent “Spark Some Action” party line.

The March 20 has voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall.

(Editor’s Note: This article was last updated at 9:38 a.m.)

The five public schools in Orleans County – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina – are all closed today due to the winter storm.

Students won’t be able to practice together for the All County Music Festival today, but the event is still planned to go on for Saturday at 2 p.m. with Albion the host school.

The teachers vs. law enforcement basketball game at Holley has been rescheduled for March 12. That game is a benefit for the Ronald McDonald House.

Other closings:

• Clarendon Town Hall

• Community Free Library in Holley

• Cornell Cooperative Extension’s office in Knowlesville

• GCASA’s Albion office

Delays:

United Memorial Medical Center has delayed the opening of Medina Family Medicine, 11225 Maple Ridge Rd., until 10 a.m. today.

Postponements:

With Medina schools closed today the Basket Raffle to benefit the Marching Band has been postponed to Saturday with doors opening at 6 p.m. and the drawing starting at 7:30 p.m.

Medina announces school closed on Friday

Medina Central School has announced it will be closed on Friday due to an anticipated snowstorm that could bring up to 14 inches of snow to Orleans County.

The National Weather Service warns there is increasing risk of downed trees and powerlines tonight with northeast wind gusts hitting about 40 miles per hour this evening.

“The unusual wind direction for strong winds, combined with wet, thawed ground conditions and heavy, wet snow loading on tree limbs will more easily bring down trees and powerlines tonight,” the Weather Service said.

Residents are urged to prepare for possible power outages overnight by charging phones and other necessary devices while there is still electricity. The Weather Service also encouraged people to make sure flashlights and portable radios have batteries.