As we near this year’s turkey day, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is wishing residents an enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving holiday while also asking them to consider donating some food or their time to a local food pantry or organization to help those who are less fortunate enjoy a warm Thanksgiving meal.

“Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year in that it allows us pause in our busy and stressful lives to reflect on what is truly important, our collective bond as families and a community and the good fortune we have enjoyed over the past year,” Hawley said. “Unfortunately, not all families are privileged enough to afford a large meal this Thanksgiving, and it is especially important during this time to come together as a community and help those in need.

“Something as simple as a couple of cans of food or box of stuffing will mean so much to a local family, and I encourage everyone who is able to donate a couple of items or their time to one of our local food pantries or organizations which do tremendous work this time of year,” Hawley said.

Some food pantries in Orleans County include:

• Albion:

Orleans Community Action, 409 E State St.

Community Kitchen at Christ Church, 26 South Main St.

• Holley:

Eastern Orleans Community Center, 75 Public Square

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2 Jackson St.

• Medina:

Calvary Cupboard Food Pantry, 324 Catherine St.

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1357 West Ave.

(Editor’s Note: Other food pantries in Orleans County are welcome to send an email to be included on the list at news@orleanshub.com.)

Provided photo

ALBION – The Saint-Gobain Adfors manufacturing plant in Albion donated $400 to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee to help the agency with its holiday services. The agency provides toys and food baskets for many local families.

Pictured, from left, include: Melanie Adams, David Fink, Michelle Figueroa and Betsy Bennett.

RIDGEWAY – Barbara Klatt is retiring is Ridgeway town clerk on Dec. 31. On Tuesday, many town residents stopped by Town Hall to congratulate her on her career, and to thank her for her service.

“We always came out of here with results,” said resident Mark Eaton. “Everything was taken care of.”

His wife Pat said Klatt has been an ideal person serving as town clerk. She is friendly with the public and can handle the many duties with the job.

“She is a really nice person and I’ve always enjoyed talking with her,” Mrs. Eaton said. “She does a real nice job.”

A celebration cake for the town clerk included a smiling image of Klatt.

Klatt has served as town clerk for nearly 23 years. The job became increasingly complicated as the town added water districts and the state demanded more with reporting for hunting and fishing licenses, and other transactions.

“Barb has fantastic knowledge and experience,” said Brian Napoli, the town supervisor the past 12 years. “It has been a pleasure to work with her. She is insightful and funny, just a wonderful lady.”

Karen Kaiser, the deputy town clerk, was elected to succeed Klatt.

“She is highly educated in all aspects of town clerk,” Kaiser said. “She knows the right thing and she is a nice person who always has the best interest of the town at heart.”

Klatt isn’t coasting into retirement. She has one more tax billing cycle to get through. She will help prepare 3,200 tax bills next month. They all need to be sorted, and some are sent to escrow accounts and there are third party notifications. (Kaiser gets to do the 1,200 water bills in January for 13 water districts.)

Klatt said computers have helped the town clerk do the many tasks. When she started, hunting and fishing licenses were done by hand or with a typewriter. Now they go into a state database. (Klatt said the state website can be temperamental.)

The town clerk’s office also handles about 900 dog licenses a year, and numerous records – death certificates, marriage licenses and birth certificates. The clerk gives out the license for charitable gaming, handles payroll processing for several town departments, and attends the Town Board meetings and keeps the minutes.

Klatt said she is grateful for the opportunity.

“I loved serving the people of Ridgeway,” Klatt said. “The people were the reason I kept going. There was a lot of laughter. They brought so many stories with them.”

There was an open house at the Town Hall on Tuesday, where residents were urged to stop by and see Klatt. She also received citations or commendations for her service from Congressman Chris Collins, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and the Orleans County Legislature.

BARRE – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has filed seven additional charges against the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash in the Town of Barre.

The crash followed a grand larceny at Kohl’s in Batavia on Friday and a subsequent vehicle pursuit that began in Batavia.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office in the apprehension and arrest of three individuals from Rochester for allegedly stealing $2,200 in merchandise from the Kohl’s Department Store in Batavia.

Shabre A. Young, 25, of Fulton Ave., Rochester, was driving an SUV north on Route 98 at a high rate of speed as the Genesee County Sheriff and the State Police patrols were attempting to stop it. Young lost control of the vehicle near the intersection of Lime Kiln Road in the Town of Barre and struck and destroyed a utility pole.

Undersheriff Christopher Bourke reports that following the accident investigation, Deputy D. Pahuta charged Young with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the 3rd degree, speed not reasonable and prudent, reckless driving, speed in zone, improper right turn, moved from lane unsafely, failure to comply with a willful order of a police officer.

Young is scheduled to appear in the Town of Barre Court at 6 p.m. on Dec. 21.

HOLLEY – Holley kindergarten students and their guests celebrated Thanksgiving this morning with a feast with all the trimmings in the elementary cafeteria. When three perfectly roasted turkeys were brought out from the kitchen, the crowd broke into loud applause.

Mom and daughter Jessica and Paysen Soehner wait anxiously for their meal.

Clayton Vonglis was joined by his grandma, Barbara Fink.

Each of the three kindergarten classes had its own table.

Kindergarteners and their families dig in to turkey and all the trimmings.

Kindergarteners made the muffins and butter for the feast themselves.

A bakery rack filled with pumpkin pies is ready to serve for dessert.

Nicole Mrzywka, Madison Ploof and Kaitlyn Johnson were among a contingent from the Orleans County 4-H program that participated in the National Dog Show last weekend in Philadelphia.

Last February Nicole Mrzywka and Kaitlyn Johnson of the Orleans County 4-H Heelers Dog Club received national attention when Nicole traveled to New York City to compete in the Westminster Dog Show with her English springer spaniel Champ. Cerise Renaissance Man.

Kaitlyn was featured in a cover story in the January 2017 issue of Front and Finish, a national on-line magazine for dog trainers, with her rough collie dog, Poirot.

Now, they and members of the Heelers 4-H Dog Club have participated in the prestigious National Dog Show, sanctioned by the American Kennel Club.

Last weekend Kaitlyn, Nicole and fellow Heelers Club member Madison Ploof traveled to Philadephia for the show.

Nicole is a junior at Holley Central School, and said this is the second year she has exhibited at the National Dog Show.

This year she competed with her English springer spaniel in the Best of Breed competition; Kaitlyn Johnson competed in the Jr. Showmanship competition; and Madison Ploof competed with her German pincher in the Best of Breed competition.

Nicole Mrzywka of Holley is pictured in the show arena.

The National Dog Show is broadcast at noon on Thanksgiving Day on NBC, and Nicole said that although she and her fellow 4-Hers did not make it to the best of show competition for the telecast this year, she was interviewed by Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir for a segment which will air at some point in the broadcast.

“It was really cool,” Nicole said of the interview, which occurred while she was grooming her dog. “They were very nice people.”

Nicole said several members of the Orleans County 4-H Heelers Dog Club traveled to Philadelphia to watch the competition.

“We all did fundraising as a club,” Nicole said about funding the trip.

Club members who exhibited paid their own entry fees, she said.

Participating in a national event does make her nervous, Nicole said, but she also has lots of fun. She said the show was more crowded than in the past.

“It’s a great experience and one of my favorite shows… next year I plan to make it to the blue carpet,” Nicole said of reaching the portion of the competition which is televised.

She said all club members who attended learned much from the experience which they will be able to utilize as they compete with their dogs in the future.

‘The women and men coming forward are an inspiration because they are changing our society in a way that is making it unacceptable for people to turn a blind eye to sexual violence.’

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been a crusader against sexual assaults in the military and on college campuses.

Now she is pushing comprehensive legislation to combat sexual harassment in Congressional offices. Her bill would create more transparency in Congressional offices and give sexual harassment victims the resources and protections they need to report incidents.

“Congress should never be above the law or play by their own set of rules,” she said. “The current process has little accountability and even less sensitivity to victims of sexual harassment.

Gillibrand’s legislation would do the following:

• Modernize and streamline the process for sexual harassment victims to report within the Office of Compliance

• Create a designated person within the Office of Compliance to serve as a confidential advisor for victims of harassment

• Require mandatory annual sexual harassment training for both Members and staff

• Remove the current requirement that victims go through mediation before filing a complaint against an assailant

• Require a climate survey to give a comprehensive analysis of the scope of this problem in Congress

• Give interns access to the same resources as full-time staff

• Require that each office post notices that detail the rights and protections of employees

Gillibrand has been a leading voice in the Senate in combatting sexual assault, and her bills to address the scourge of sexual assault on college campuses and in the military have broad, bipartisan support.

“What we are seeing from the powerful #MeToo campaign is that sexual assault and sexual harassment are pervasive across our entire society,” she said. “What you see time and again in institutions all around the country is a culture where power and fear keep sexual assault and sexual harassment in the shadows. Congress is no different. The women and men coming forward are an inspiration because they are changing our society in a way that is making it unacceptable for people to turn a blind eye to sexual violence. They are showing we can build a more just society for ourselves, our families and future generations by shining a light on injustice and saying we will not accept it anymore.”

ALBION – U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said high school graduates with skills in the trades can expect to land good-paying jobs right out of school, especially if they learn how to use 3D printers, laser cutters, and computerized machine tools.

The problem, Gillibrand said, is many schools don’t provide training on the latest equipment.

She has teamed with other senators to propose the “21st Century Strengthening Hands On Programs that Cultivate Learning Approaches for Successful Students Act.” The bipartisan legislation would make federal funding available for more equipment in Career and Technical Education programs and also boost teacher training, so instructors could teach students how to use the equipment.

Gillibrand said the program is critical to match students with the needs in the workforce. Many businesses and manufacturers are struggling to find qualified employees, she said.

“I know shop class is always a favorite because it is fun, it’s a change of pace from your everyday studies and you learn important skills that can help you in your careers,” Gillibrand said at Charles D’Amico High School in Albion. She was joined by many high school students.

Michael Bonnewell, the Albion Central School superintendent, introduces Gillibrand on Monday afternoon.

“These jobs are very important that we rely on every single day, whether it’s an engineering job, whether it’s help to repair after a hurricane like we’re seeing in Puerto Rico, whether it’s a high-tech manufacturing job here in Western New York,” Gillibrand said. “In the Senate, one of the most important responsibilities that I have is to make sure when you graduate from high school you actually have the skills you need to get that job that you want. But there are a lot of companies throughout our state and country that have job openings with good salaries for graduates in programs like this but sometimes they can’t fill those jobs. So there is a skills gap that we need to fill to make sure our students are the ones to get those jobs.”

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) is a cosponsor of the bill with Gillibrand. The legislation would amend the Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act to give greater priority to funding for maker education, makerspaces, and training for teachers in the application of maker education.

“Our students should be able to take many different paths in order to get a good job and earn a good salary, and this bill would help equip more students with the skills they need to get on a path toward good-paying high-tech jobs when they graduate high school,” she said.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand meets Joe Steinmetz, director of Career and Technical Education at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES.

She was joined in Albion by Joe Steinmetz, director of CTE and adult/secondary programs for the Orleans/Niagara BOCES.

The Career and Technical Education programs at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES have grown 10 percent in the past five years, he said, with students graduating at a 98 percent rate.

“We are changing so fast,” he said. “The technology is changing so fast.”

Fourth- and fifth-graders today will likely work in careers where the technology hasn’t even been invented yet, Steinmetz said.

The Orleans/Niagara BOCES already spends about $150,000 to $200,000 a year to provide students with the latest technology. The BOCES program stresses “rigor and relevance” through buildings trades, healthcare, machining, computer technology and other programs, he said.

David Heminway of Albion said the skilled trades are always in demand.

David Heminway of Albion is a 1976 graduate of the BOCES program. He immediately went to work for Kodak. He has worked for the NY Canal Corporation the past 23 years and is currently supervisor of the skilled trades for the canal.

He said students in the CTE programs should also go to college. Today’s workforce is highly competitive and demanding, he said.

If the legislation is approved, Gillibrand said school districts and BOCES would apply for federal funding for teacher training and equipment. She said she would gladly send letters of support for schools in New York pursuing the funding.

“This bipartisan bill makes it very clear that all of our shop classrooms should have this equipment because our students need to learn how to use them so they can get the jobs that they want in the job market,” she said.

Gillibrand is pictured with high school students Harrison Brown, left, and Bryce Pritchard.

Over 377,000 students enrolled in Career and Technical Education high school and post-secondary programs in New York from 2015 to 2016, Gillibrand said.

Technical-skill jobs that require a high school diploma but not a four-year degree make up the largest part of the labor market and close to almost half of job openings in New York State through 2024. The overall number of technical-skill jobs are expected to increase by nearly 16,000 jobs in the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions by 2022.

While 50 percent of New York’s jobs are technical-skill, only 38 percent of the state’s workforce have this training, indicating a strong demand for more workers at this level, she said.

Provided photos

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions Club worked together with the Medina Lions Club and the Lyndonville Leo Club last Thursday to screen the vision of 104 Lyndonville Central School District students in grades PK-6.

There were 10 students found to have vision issues who will be recommended for further follow up with their family eye doctors. Letters will be sent to the parents of those children requiring follow up.

The Lyndonville Lions Club is willing to assist families with the follow up process should that be necessary. This is the second year in a row that the Lions have screened the students in Lyndonville. The Lions Club hopes to make it an annual event with the continued help of the school district Leo Club, which includes high school students.

Provided photos

ROCHESTER – Seventh-graders in the Albion Middle School History Club and Service Learning students recently enjoyed a visit to the Susan B. Anthony House in Rochester. They earned scholarships and took part in the Change It! program.

Pictured at the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass statues at a nearby park are, from left: Keyonna Hamilton, Cadence Hill, Bailee Snook, Brianna Sample, Natalie Baron, Ashleigh Mowatt and Audrey Pask.

Following a tour of Anthony’s home, the girls worked with a professional on how to be an advocate for those that don’t have equal rights today. Anthony was a strong supporter of suffrage and other women’s rights. She worked tirelessly to get women the right to vote, something she never saw in her lifetime. She is also well known for her abolitionist work with Frederick Douglass.

Photo and article courtesy of the Arc of Genesee Orleans

ALBION – Ann Marie Suttell, left, of the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation watches students at Rainbow Preschool in Albion engage in dramatic play therapy as teacher Nancy Ellison, right, points out options.

The foundation donated $2,500 toward the dramatic play therapy program today. This program at Rainbow Preschool helps developmentally disabled children learn to cope with, and be successful in, stress-causing environments such as the doctor’s office, grocery shopping, or going out to a restaurant.

Children with disabilities often have difficulty adjusting to new settings, noise, lighting, communicating with new people or cooperating with doctor’s exams. Playing out a potentially stressful scenario with guidance from a therapist proves extremely beneficial for children with developmental delays or autism, according to the Arc of Genesee Orleans.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Oak Orchard Lighthouse is pictured by the shore of Lake Ontario in this photo from May 2015.

Press Release, Congressman Chris Collins

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today announced that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has made low-interest rate disaster loans available for certain Private Nonprofit Organizations (PNPs) in Niagara and Orleans counties as a result of damages caused by Lake Ontario flooding.

Eligible PNPs include organizations such as food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

“We have witnessed awful devastation along the shoreline and have stayed persistent in our fight to secure federal assistance,” said Collins. “My constituents desperately need this support and these loans will go a long way to help these important nonprofit organizations.”

The loans, authorized through a Presidential disaster declaration for public assistance, may cover these organizations up to $2 million for repairs or replacement of real estate and other business assets damaged or destroyed by the destructive flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline.

Collins added: “I thank the Trump Administration for its commitment to Western New York, with both federal assistance and in our push to replace the International Joint Commission (IJC) with individuals that will repeal the disastrous Plan 2014 that got us into this mess. These loans are an important step in getting our communities back on their feet, but we will not rest until Plan 2014 is history.”

The deadlines to submit loan applications are January 16, 2018 for physical property damage, and August 14, 2018 for economic injury. Applicants may apply via the Small Business Administration website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

ALBION – Three people were sentenced in Orleans County Court today, including a mother who admitted to trying to sneak the narcotic Soboxone into the Orleans County Jail for her son while he was an inmate.

Mary Walton, 58, of Albion had no prior criminal history. She could have been sentenced to state prison for promoting prison contraband.

Sara Shedon, the acting County Court judge, decided against any jail or prison time. She instead sentenced Walton to five years of probation, “based on the fact this is your first offense and your likelihood of reoffending is basically zero,” Sheldon said in court this afternoon.

Walton apologized for the crime.

“I’m sorry for what I did,” she said in court this afternoon. “It was a stupid move.”

Since her arrest in June, Walton said she has lost her job and her home. Her boyfriend broke up with her and some family members haven’t spoken to her. She also had her pistol permit revoked.

Her attorney, David Wade, urged the judge to sentence her to probation and not incarceration. He noted that Walton is a caregiver for a grandchild several days a week.

“Many would say what she did was absolutely wrong and dumb, succumbing to her son’s addiction,” Wade told the judge. “”To say this has been life-changing would be an understatement.”

Her son, Joshua Grosskopf, was in jail when she attempted to bring Soboxone into the jail for him. Grosskopf was serving a 6-month sentence for petit larceny.

In other sentencings today:

• Peter Eckerd, 28, of Brockport was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for felony driving while intoxicated in the Town of Murray.

The charge normally carries a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison, but as part of a plea deal Eckerd’s sentence was capped at 1 to 3 years in prison. He has two prior DWIs.

• Shane S. Woolston, 26, of Waterport was sentenced to a year in the county jail for grand larceny in the fourth degree for allegedly stealing a car as well as several credit and debit cards, and using them to make numerous purchases.

• David L. Timmer III, 38, of Medina was to be sentenced today but it was pushed back until Feb. 4 while the court awaits a pre-sentencing report. Timmer has pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the third degree. He is accused of burglarizing Tim Horton’s in Medina and taking money from the business. He faces a split sentence of up to 6 months in jail and 5 years of probation.

• In another case, Patricio A. Borquez, 43, pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.

Borquez, formerly of Densmore Road in Albion, admitted he had cocaine on Jan. 27 with the intent to sell it.

He will be sentenced on Feb. 26 and faces a maximum of 3 years in state prison. Borquez had been working for two years in Albion as a farmworker. He is likely to be deported when he completes the prison sentence.

Albion and Holley police departments both have been recognized by the American Automobile Association with 2017 Community Traffic Safety awards.

The Albion Police Department received the Platinum Award. The nationally recognized AAA Platinum Community Traffic Safety Award is the highest award AAA can bestow on any Police Department.

It’s awarded to departments that have developed and maintained traffic safety initiatives in their communities and who have shown success in those initiatives.

The Albion Police Department has used programs such as; Buckle Up New York, Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, Stop DWI, Pedestrian Crossing Safety and Awareness and the Child Passenger Safety Seat Program to enforce vehicle and traffic laws as well as to educate and assist motorist.

“Throughout 2017 the Albion Police Department conducted several targeted details that focused on specific areas of safety for both motorists and pedestrians,” Police Chief Roland Nenni said. “These details were done in non-traditional ways to increase their effectiveness. Several more details are planned using techniques that have never been done in our area and will increase awareness and effectiveness with the end goal of making our community safer.”

This is the seventh consecutive year that the Albion Police Department has received the Community Traffic Safety Platinum Award.

“The Albion Police Department is dedicated to making our highways and streets safer for all who use them,” Nenni said. “Throughout the holiday season we will continue our efforts by adding more patrols and details and we urge motorist to make responsible decisions.”

Nenni also leads the Holley Police Department, which was awarded the Bronze Award for the department’s efforts in traffic safety.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Ashley Eagan, program manager for the Alzheimer’s Association Rochester & Finger Lakes, speaks with the Albion Rotary Club last Thursday about the organization’s efforts to increase services in Orleans County.

The Alzheimer’s Association Rochester & Finger Lakes Region has increased its outreach and services in Orleans County this year.

“We’re really trying to connect to Orleans County,” said Ashley Eagan, program manager for the Alzheimer’s Association Rochester & Finger Lakes. “We have resources available. We just need individuals to take advantage of them.”

Eagan addressed the Albion Rotary Club last Thursday. She said the population in Western New York and the Finger Lakes is aging. The Alzheimer’s Association has services for caregivers and people battling the disease.

The Alzheimer’s Association has two community events scheduled for Wednesday in Albion.

There will be representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association for social activities at the Albion Free Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to noon. The church is located at 25 S. Platt St.

The association will lead a discussion, “Effective Communication Strategies,” at Hoag Library from 6 to 7 p.m.. The library is located at 134 South Main St.

The association also has programs each month at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina, the Concordia Lutheran Church in Kendall, and the Orleans County YMCA in Medina.

For more information or to register for a program, call 585.760.5400 or toll free at 800.272.3900. More information on Alzheimer’s is available at www.alz.org/rochesterny.