MEDINA – Steven Morse was a dedicated member of the Medina community and a devoted family man, but his claim to fame locally was his talent in spreading love and cheer as Santa Claus.

On Saturday morning, family, friends and fellow members of Medina Lions gathered in Lions Park to dedicate a bench in honor of their late husband, father and friend.

Steve’s wife Pat said it was the early 1990s when Steve and Howard Caldwell of Medina got the idea to create a Lions Park on the north side of the canal.

The Morses had moved to Medina from Buffalo around 1977, where even then Steve’s likeness to Santa Claus resulted in his being asked to play Santa at various schools. Two years after their move to Medina, the Decorate Medina Committee asked him to play Santa for them.

“We had to spray his beard white then,” Pat said.

Michael Morse, right, son of the late Steven Morse, shares memories of his dad during a ceremony Saturday morning in Lions’ Park dedicating a bench in Steven’s name. Looking on are, from left, Lions Tom Beach, Dave Bellucci and Jim Hancock and Levi Olsen, worship leader at Pat Morse’s church, the East Shelby Community Bible Church.

Always an active supporter of his community, Steve had joined Medina Lions, and shortly after Howard Caldwell came up to him and suggested the concept of a Lions Park, to remind people about the Lions Club and the work they do, Pat said.

Last year after Steve’s family began discussing a memorial in his honor, and decided on a bench in Lions’ Park. They learned it had to be in cement, and a Lions’ member anonymously donated the money for that.

Steve and Pat’s children, Michael Morse of Ashland, N.H., and Wendy Ehrenfeld of Buffalo both attended the dedication ceremony Saturday morning.

Michael talked about his dad and told one story he never forgets.

“We were in Hawaii and had just come out of the Pearl Harbor Memorial,” Michael said. “We had to lock our belongings up before we could go in, so I went to get them, and when I got back, there was dad sitting on a bench, getting his picture taken with a whole line of Japanese tourists, who thought he was Santa Claus.”

Wendy said, “Dad was always my Santa Claus.”

Pat Morse, center, sits with her son Michael Morse of New Hampshire and daughter Wendy Ehrenfeld of Buffalo on a bench they donated Saturday morning in Lions Park in memory of the late Steven Morse.

Playing Santa became Steve’s second job, Pat said.

Levi Olsen, worship leader at East Shelby Community Bible Church, where Pat attends, paid tribute to Steve.

“When they first came here to church, one of the children came running in and said, ‘I think Santa Claus is here,’” Olsen said. “He was truly Santa. He lived in a simple, loving manner. We are thankful to Steve and his gifts for our lives.”

“Jim Hancock went through a lot of red tape to get all the permits, for this bench,” Pat said.

Hancock explained the process to get the bench approved in Lions’ Park.

The idea was first brought to the Lions’ board, who approved it. Then they had to get approval from the New York State Canal Corporation, the Power Authority and Historic Preservation, Hancock said. “This became Howard’s and Steve’s prize possession.”

Hancock praised Steve for his involvement in Lions and his community. Steve was awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship in 1995, the highest award given to a Lion member, and the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award in 2005.

Most people remember Steve because he portrayed Santa.

“Whenever we needed a Santa, Steve was there,” Hancock said.

Michael said whether one knew his dad as Santa, from getting an X-ray by him, by his music and singing or though his amazing love, care and support of community, he couldn’t think of a better place for this memorial bench than a park in the village Steve loved.

Pat said it the family’s wish that others consider a bench in Lions Park as a memorial for their loved ones.

Family and fellow Lions members gathered around the bench dedicated to Steven Morse on Saturday morning in Lions Park. Seated on the bench are Steven’s daughter Wendy Ehrenfeld, his widow Pat and son Michael. Standing, from left, are Lions Dean and Carol Bellack, Don Colquhoun, Ken Dunham, Tom Beach, Tom Robinson, Dave Bellucci and Jim Hancock.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Employees from Environmental Enterprises, Inc. of Cincinnati are in Albion today for the Orleans County annual household hazardous waste collection day.

More than 500 residents are expected to get rid of leftover chemicals, batteries, tires, oil and solvents.

The top photo shows and EEI employee at the solvent station where oil, anti-freeze and solvents are collected.

The county has had a contract with EEI for several years for the household hazardous waste collection. The company has 22 employees in Albion today and they will take back two tractor-trailer loads of household hazardous waste.

The county typically pays the company about $18,000 to collect and remove the household hazardous waste, with the state then reimbursing the county about half of the costs.

EEI does the collection events for communities in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Indianna.

The event is held at the Orleans County Highway Garage on West Academy Street in Albion with residents signing up for appointments to dispose of their materials in a safe and environmental-friendly way.

EEI workers took all kinds of household hazardous waste, including pesticides, motor oiler & filters, adhesives, antifreeze, solvents, tires, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, aerosols, old-based paints and empty propane tanks.

Orleans County Public Works Department employees remove tires from the back of a pickup truck. Andy Beach is pulling the tires off. Other highway employees include Vinny Zona, Cale Stinson Jr. and Keith Ward. Corey Winters, right, from the planning department also worked with the crew.

Last year about 3,000 tires were collected.

Press Release, UConnectCare

BATAVIA – “Together we can” is the theme for this year’s International Overdose Awareness Day campaign – the annual observance that includes a local event from 3-7 p.m. Aug. 28 at Austin Park in Batavia.

The world’s largest annual movement to end overdose, IOAD is dedicated to remembering without stigma those who have died and acknowledging the grief of family and friends left behind.

More than 200 community events have been scheduled across the United States and around the world during the month of August to raise awareness of one of society’s worst public health crises.

Initiated in 2001 by Sally J. Finn at The Salvation Army in St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia, IOAD spreads the message about the tragedy of drug overdose death and that drug overdose is preventable.

Goals of the campaign include:

• Providing an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones in a safe environment, some for the first time without feeling guilt or shame.
• Including the greatest number of people in IOAD events and encourage non-denominational involvement.
• Providing information about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose.
• Sending a strong message to current and former people who use drugs that they are valued.

The GOW Opioid Task Force ceremony will feature several guest speakers, including Rob Kent, president of Kent Strategic Advisors, LLC, and former general counsel for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Other speakers scheduled include Lynda Battaglia, director of Genesee County Mental Health & Community Services; Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee & Orleans Health Departments; and Chris Budzinack, Supportive Living counselor at UConnectCare.

The event will feature live music, a petting zoo, ice cream truck, bounce house and free pizza and refreshments. Representatives of nonprofit agencies have been invited to set up booths at the park.

For more information about the Austin Park observance, contact Jay Baran at jbaran@uconnectcare.org.

HARTLAND – The American Legion in Gasport is seeking to construct a veterans’ memorial in Hartland. Ground-breaking for the project will be 3 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the Hartland Fire Hall, 8945 Ridge Rd.

The Legion has raised about $40,000 so far and need another $40,000 to $50,000 to complete the memorial, said Scott Wymyczak, commander of the Legion.

Hartland last year received a decommissioned Vietnam-era Bell UH-1 “Huey” helicopter through the Army Donations Program.

“The intention for the helicopter is to make a lasting tribute to recognize veterans not just from the Vietnam War but from all conflicts and times,”  Wymyczak  said. “The Hartland Volunteer Fire Company has graciously offered a plot of land for this memorial to be placed.”

The display for the helicopter will include a four-sided memorial which includes the names of those soldiers in the Towns of Royalton and Hartland who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States along with other forms of recognition.

An Advisory Committee of veterans from the Gasport American Legion Post 1253 is spearheading the effort to ensure that a display befitting the service, contributions and sacrifice of American soldiers, Wymyczak  said.

The anticipated dedication date is Memorial Day in 2025. Input and support from veterans and other community members is welcome, he said.

A tribute brick is available to all veterans, living or decreased, who have served honorably or are currently serving in any branch of the military at any time. The bricks will be displays in a Tribute Wall to be erected around the memorial with the helicopter.

Donations of money or materials are welcome. Checks may be mailed to the Gasport American Legion Post 1253 c/o Clifford Grant at 3251 Hosmer Road, Gasport, NY 14067. For more information, contact Commander Scott Wymyczak at (716) 417-5151 or Clifford Grant at (716) 213-3446.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today introduced the Federal Electric Vehicle Mandate Prohibition Act to prohibit federal, state, and local governments from enacting mandates on electric vehicles (EVs).

In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a new emissions rule for light-duty and medium-duty vehicles, requiring up to two-thirds of new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to be EVs within eight years.

“Under the Biden administration’s harmful anti-American energy policies, prices have skyrocketed, and American energy production has stalled, threatening our national security and economic competitiveness,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Yet instead of working to lower energy prices, the Biden administration and Democrat-run states across the country are threatening to ban the affordable gas-powered vehicles we rely on, forcing expensive EV mandates down our throats. I introduced the Federal Electric Vehicle Mandate Prohibition Act to prohibit these foolish EV mandates.”

CARLTON – A woman, age 66, who fell 100 feet down the Oak Orchard River bank last night was rescued by firefighters and only sustained minor injuries.

Carlton firefighters were dispatched at 1:30 a.m. for a call that a woman had fallen off a cliff in the area of 14339 Roosevelt Hwy. This is the area near Captain’s Cove. The woman had rolled down the embankment to the Oak Orchard River.

Upon arrival firefighters, requested the County Technical Rescue Team and were able to locate the victim at the bottom of the river bank. Carlton firefighters gained access to the victim, began patient care and began rigging the rope system while waiting for additional manpower from the Rescue Team to arrive, the Carlton Fire Company posted on its Facebook Page.

The patient was safely brought up by the Technical Rescue Team and patient care transferred over to an awaiting Monroe Ambulance Crew.

“The patient miraculously only suffered from minor injuries and was transported for treatment and evaluation by Monroe Ambulance,” Carlton fire officials stated.

The County Technical Rescue Team included members from Clarendon, Murray, Medina, Shelby and Carlton. The team recently was formed by the county and this was their first call.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the New York Stare Police also assisted at the scene.

“Excellent team work resulted in a safe and efficient rescue,” Carlton officials stated.

This map shows where oral rabies vaccine baits will be distributed to try to stop the spread of racoon rabies.

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

Depending on the weather, aerial and hand distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits will take place in Western New York from Aug. 12 to Aug. 17.

Areas of New York State are once again taking part in a nationally coordinated effort to halt the spread of raccoon rabies in 16 states.  Ongoing field evaluation of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) called ONRAB will occur in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Clinton, Erie, Essex, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Wyoming counties.  These sites were selected in part because of ongoing collaborations with Quebec and Ontario, Canada in the fight against rabies to protect human and animal health and reduce significant cost associated with living with rabies across broad geographic areas.

“Rabies is a serious public health concern because if left untreated it is generally fatal.  Costs associated with detection, prevention and control of rabies conservatively exceed $500 million annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, greater than 90 percent of reported rabies cases in the United States are in wildlife,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).

The efforts are focused on controlling raccoon rabies, which continues to account for most of the reported wildlife rabies cases in the United States. Raccoon rabies occurs in all states east of the established ORV zone that extends from Maine to northeastern Ohio to central Alabama.  Continued access to oral vaccine and bait options that are effective in all target wildlife species remains critical to long-term success.

The ONRAB bait consists of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blister pack, containing the vaccine.

• To make the baits attractive, the blister packs are coated with a sweet attractant that includes vegetable-based fats, wax, icing sugar, vegetable oil, artificial marshmallow flavor, and dark-green food-grade dye.
• While humans and pets cannot contract rabies from the bait, those who come across the bait directly should leave it undisturbed. Most bait packets are consumed within four days, and nearly all of the bait will be gone within a week.
• Please do not attempt to remove a bait from your dog’s mouth.The bait will not harm the dog and could lead to vaccine exposure.
• Should contact with baits occur, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap and contact your local health department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 for Genesee County or 585-589-3278 for Orleans County.

If you have additional questions related to the field evaluation in New York, please contact the Wildlife Services office in Rensselaer, NY at (518) 477- 4837.

Press Release, Orleans County Tourism

MEDINA – Get ready to witness history from a new perspective as the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief docks at 1 Canal Basin in Medina on Monday, Aug. 12, and Friday, Aug. 16.

Both days consist of live music, food trucks, engaging speaker series, and free tours of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief from 4 to 7 p.m.

Constructed by the Buffalo Maritime Center, the boat is a reproduction of the original Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief that opened the Erie Canal in 1825. It  will make a trial run through Lockport, Medina, Brockport and Rochester in 2024 as preparation for its 2025 voyage to New York City. The 2025 journey marks the Erie Canal Bicentennial, honoring 200 years since the canal’s official opening.

According to Dawn Borchert, Director of Orleans County Tourism, the event will happen rain or shine and attendees are encouraged to bring a chair and stay for the afternoon. Food trucks will be available for dinner at the canal basin. Visitors can take advantage of free boat and exhibit tours, witness boat-building demonstrations, and even try paddle-shaping.

This historic moment for the Buffalo Maritime Center represents an exciting opportunity for Medina to experience maritime history. The Buffalo Maritime Center inspires meaningful connections and life lessons through community boatbuilding, preserving maritime culture, and exploring the waterways of Western New York.

Learn more  by checking www.orleanscountytourism.com/events/2024-sea-trial-of-seneca-chief.

Press Release, Heritage Wind

BARRE – Heritage Wind  is excited to announce four local organizations as awardees from the project’s community grant program. Launched in 2020, this program supports local community organizations throughout the Town of Barre and Orleans County working to build healthy communities, support economic development, foster environmental sustainability, and promote education.

“Heritage Wind is grateful to be able to continuously back local organizations that support Orleans County through our Community Grant Program,” said Carmen O’Keefe, Director of Development with Apex Clean Energy.

This round of grants were awarded to:

• Medina Railroad Museum
• The Town of Barre
• Orleans County Deputy Sheriffs Association
• Community Action of Orleans and Genesee

The Medina Railroad Museum has been awarded $4,000 to develop an interactive display allowing children to use virtual reality to simulate the operation of the railroad in several key positions, such as engineer, conductor, and railroad fireman.

The Town of Barre has received $4,000 for the continuous effort to upgrade the town park and the installation of new playground equipment.

“The Town of Barre is thrilled to announce it has been awarded a $4,000 grant from Apex Clean Energy and Heritage Wind’s Community Grant Program,” said Parks Department Director Jason Foote. “This funding will enhance public health through the renovation of the Town Park playground, supporting future expansion plans to create a vibrant and inclusive recreational space for all residents.”

The Orleans County Deputy Sheriff Association was awarded $4,000 for a new program benefitting their local deputies. Torry Tooley, President of the Orleans County Deputy Sheriffs Association, was thankful for the grant.

“The men and women of the Orleans County Deputy Sheriffs Association would like to thank Apex Clean Energy and Heritage Wind for awarding the association funds to further our effort to be ‘Fit for You,’” Tooley said. “This funding allows us to invest in the physical and mental well-being of our deputies. Your commitment to strengthening communities truly resonates with our mission to serve our citizens with the best possible care. This grant will be another step forward in this mission.”

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee was awarded $450 for the purchase of supplies to help the Credit Recovery Program. This program helps support local high school students working to obtain the necessary credits  to complete high school.

Counting this year’s recipients, Heritage Wind has awarded over $120,000 to community causes and non-profit organizations. These grants are part of a larger community grant program by Apex Clean Energy that has awarded over $5 million in funds to local communities nationwide since 2020.

In addition to awarding grants to local community organization, Heritage Wind was a proud sponsor of the Barre Cubs little league team, who was able to clinch the midget league title this season.

Heritage Wind continues to strive to be a strong community partner to local governments, area businesses, and non-profits working to improve people’s lives across the region. The community grant program will open an additional round of grant funding this Fall to be awarded before the end of the year. To learn more or apply for a future grant, visit www.heritagewindpower.com/grant.

ALBION – The Cobblestone Museum’s annual tour of homes this year will feature a unique variety of buildings.

When the tours started in 1961 they were originally just cobblestone buildings, said Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Museum. There were 20 cobblestone structures all located along Ridge Road, between Childs and Oak Orchard on the Ridge. Six of those sites offered indoor tours. The tours continued on and off for many years, and more recently, historic buildings with different construction materials were added.

Twelve stops are included in this year’s tour, all with indoor access and all located in a quick and easy short drive from each other, Farley said.

This year Sue Starkweather Miller was asked to help plan the tour, as it is centered in the Albion area.

“While planning this year’s tour we thought about adding homes and buildings in Albion that are historically significant, that many people may not know about or haven’t had the opportunity to visit,” Miller said.

The tour also includes the Joseph F. Hart house on South Main Street, and the Day and Day Building on North Main Street.

Some of those buildings are the Ebenezer Rogers home, the oldest home in the village and current home of Mr. and Mrs. John Gailie at 352 South Main St.; the Grand Army of the Republic room at the Day and Day Building; and the chapel at Mount Albion Cemetery.

Miller is a former board member of the Cobblestone Museum and the current historian for the village of Albion, so she is well versed on the village’s historical structures.

“As soon as you step inside the beautiful entryway of the Ebenezer Rogers home, you get a real sense of what a colonial home looked like in the 1820s,” Miller said. “Also, many people have never seen the GAR Room in the Day and Day Building, or even knew it existed, so it is a unique opportunity to enjoy and appreciate its historical significance.”

Participants in the tour will have to climb two flights of stairs to see the GAR Room on the third floor, but the end result is well worth it, Miller said. The Pratt Opera House will also be part of that tour stop.

Mount Albion Cemetery’s chapel was built in 1875 of locally quarried Medina sandstone. It is the focal point of the cemetery’s entrance. Tour participants will be able to peek into the chapel that has suffered water damage due to the original slate roof needing to be replaced. Miller will soon be announcing plans for a community campaign to help raise the funds for a new slate roof and necessary interior repairs.

“Back in 1976 the Albion community came together to raise funds to ‘Save the Tower,’ and I am hopeful our community will come together again to help us save the chapel, which is also an important Mount Albion landmark,” Miller said.

Other stops on the tour are the Cobblestone Museum’s Thompson-Kast Visitors Center at 14386 Ridge Rd., Childs; the Bullard/Lattin cobblestone house at 3178 Gaines Basin Rd.; Gaines Basin District No. 2 Schoolhouse, 3286 Gaines Basin Rd.; Orleans Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution home at 249 North Main St.; the former Presbyterian manse and Harriette Greaser home at 31 East State St.; Marti’s on Main (Kim and Neal Muscarella), 20 South Main St.; Christ Episcopal Church, 26 South Main St.; Joseph F. Hart House, home of Diana Kay Dragan Reed at 349 South Main St.; and Mount Albion Cemetery’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument Tower, all in Albion.

At the Day and Day Building, visitors are asked to park on North Main Street and enter in the front; at the Ebenezer Rogers house and Joseph F. Hart house, park at Oak Orchard Dental, not along Route 98.

The 2024 Tour of Homes is scheduled for Sept. 21. Tickets are $20 for Cobblestone Society members and $25 for non-members. They may be ordered online (click here) or by calling the museum at (585) 589-9013.