Press Release, Crosby’s

ALBION – Crosby’s is welcoming back customers to its convenience store located at 202 North Main St. State and local leaders, first responders, school officials and other community members will be in attendance at the grand reopening event on Friday at 10 a.m. when there will be a ribbon cutting.

“Crosby’s is proud to be a part of the Albion community,” said Lenny Smith, vice president and general manager of Crosby’s. “We are excited for our customers to experience our newly remodeled store. And we will continue to add a smile to your day with fresh pizza and subs, convenient shopping and service with a personal touch.”

During the ceremony, Crosby’s is presenting a $500 donation to the Albion Fire Department. In addition, a My Crosby’s Rewards card is being donated to the Albion Central School District loaded with enough points for 20 of Crosby’s signature pizzas. Crosby’s will also make a $500 donation to the Village of Albion Historical-Preservation Society.

The Albion store, equipped with mobile ordering, offers a full range of food options including Crosby’s signature fresh-baked pizzas, served whole or by-the-slice; fresh subs prepared in-house; calzones, and a wide variety of breakfast items, including breakfast pizzas.

ALBION – The summer parks program at Bullard opens today for six weeks of fun. The Village of Albion will have park supervisors at Bullard from 10 am. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday until Aug. 3.

The park supervisors will lead children in games, arts and crafts and other activities.

Bullard Park averaged about 80 kids each day last summer, said John Grillo, the village’s recreation director. He has been running the summer rec program in Albion for nearly 50 years.

New this summer are basketball courts that opened last October, another pavilion and a disc golf course. The new pavilion will allow for more separation in activities with older and younger children, Grillo said.

There will also be Taco Tuesdays and pizza on Friday with the food provided by the Masonic Lodge, the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries, and Foodlink.

A refrigerator also has been added in the storage room at one of the pavilions to keep beverages and food cold.

The first couple days of the park program include registration. Children should have a list of their immunization records.

Some highlights in the season include a July 3^rd festival with activities and live music from 4:30 to 9 p.m., and the Children’s Carnival on July 17 starting at 10 a.m. There are also outings planned including a trip to Dubby’s Tailgate on July 10, Cone Zone for ice cream on July 11 and 12, and bowling at Oak Orchard Lanes on July 25.

Jovannie Canales named associate pastor at Harvest

Photos by Tom Rivers: Pastor Jovannie Canales speaks to about 125 people on Sunday at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion. Canales was announced as the church’s new associate pastor with plans to become the church’s leader in the future. Tim Lindsay will remain as the senior pastor at Harvest.

ALBION – Two churches with pastors active in the community announced a merger on Sunday.

The Oasis Church in Medina will become part of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion. Jovannie Canales, the Oasis pastor the past seven years, is now the associate pastor at Harvest and Tim Lindsay, the Harvest pastor during all of its 37 years, will be senior pastor. Lindsay said the plan is to transition Harvest to Canales being the lead pastor in the future, perhaps next year.

The two pastors became friends through PACT (Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation). That group includes many pastors in Orleans County. Canales and Lindsay found they had the same core spiritual beliefs and also a passion to serve the greater Orleans County community.

“We have similar spiritual DNA,” Lindsay said. “He has a heart for Orleans County.”

Tim Lindsay and his wife Laurie, and Jovannie and Melisa Canales announce that Oasis Church in Medina will merge and become part of Harvest Christian Fellowship.

Canales and his wife Melisa moved from Rochester to Medina seven years ago to lead the Second Church True Disciples of Jesus Christ. The church in May 2023 officially changed its name to Oasis Church. The congregation has been meeting at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God at 11031 Maple Ridge Rd. Those churches are independent of each other.

Canales and Oasis led a popular Family Fun Day at Butts Park in Medina in August. That event will now be at Bullard Park in Albion on Aug. 10.

Oasis Church has about 35 to 40 regular attendees. Many are Spanish-speaking. Harvest has an interpretive service for people who speak Spanish.

Harvest has about 110 regular attendees. Together, the two churches have about 150 people.

The Rev. Tim Lindsay is the founding pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship and has been with the church for 37 years. He will remain in full-time ministry at Harvest.

The Rev. Lindsay helped start Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion 37 years ago, when the congregation initially met in the former Albion Firemen’s Rec Hall (now the Elk’s Lodge on East State Street).

Harvest has had its own building for about 34 years on Route 31, across from Bullard Park and completed a 5,000-square-foot expansion in December 2020. The church hosts a popular community kitchen and is an active contributor to many ministries in the community.

Lindsay has been thinking about the church’s leadership long-term in the future, when a new pastor would like the congregation and be a committed community member. He feels confident Canales is that leader.

“I’m a servant of the Lord,” Canales told the congregation on Sunday. “We’re here to fight a good fight together.”

Pastor Jovannie Canales and his family moved from Rochester to Medina to lead a church seven years ago. He said he is committed to ministering to Orleans County.

Coffee will be 31 cents at Applegreen service stores on Thruway, reflecting the price from 1954

Press Release, NYS Thruway Authority

The New York State Thruway Authority is celebrating a major milestone on June 24, 2024, marking 70 years since the first tolls were collected on the Thruway system.

On June 24, 1954, the first tolled section of the Thruway opened, a 115-mile stretch of I-90 between Lowell (West of exit 32 – Westmoreland) and Rochester (exit 46 – Henrietta).

“This year the Thruway marks 70 years of service in New York State, connecting communities, tourist destinations and bolstering the economy with a modern transportation system,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq said. “New Yorkers were proud of the enormous accomplishment at the time the Thruway opened in 1954, and we continue that tradition of safety, service and reliability today and for decades to come. We’d like to thank Applegreen, our service area operator, for offering the special pricing to commemorate our anniversary, and we thank all of our customers, employees and transportation partners for their support and dedication over the years. Happy 70th anniversary to the Thruway.”

As a special service to customers, Applegreen is offering 31-cent cups of coffee on June 24 at 17 Thruway service areas, reflecting the average price in 1954. The discounted price will be available all day on June 24 at the Applegreen C-Store in Pembroke, Clarence and 15 other services areas.

“Applegreen is proud to partner with the New York State Thruway Authority to bring quality services to motorists throughout the 570-mile system,” said Zack Kollias, President Applegreen Travel Plazas USA. “The Thruway has a strong history of safety and reliable service, and we are excited to support them and their customers on their 70th anniversary and for decades to come.”

During the ceremonies the morning of June 24, 1954, Gov. Thomas E. Dewey attended the ribbon cuttings and celebrations along the route just west of Utica to Rochester at exit 46. At 13 toll booths along the route, cars were lined up for hours to be the first on the Thruway. At 10 p.m. that night, in the Powers Hotel in Rochester, Gov. Dewey pushed a button and buzzers sounded at every toll booth between West Henrietta and Lowell. Every toll collector heard the Governor’s voice via Thruway communications, as he proclaimed the road open to traffic. Minutes later, the first Thruway tolls were collected.

The second major opening on the system was August 26, 1954, when the section of the Thruway from Rochester to Buffalo opened, followed by the stretch from Utica to Newburgh on October 26, and the 15-mile section from Newburgh to Harriman on December 22.

During its first year of operation, there were a total of 8,700,000 trips made by motorists with mileage totaling 522,000,000.

In the years following, additional sections of the Thruway opened to traffic. In December 1957, the final 29-mile link in the Erie Section was opened to traffic, extending from the Silver Creek interchange to join the Thruway’s mainline in Buffalo. This established an unbroken Thruway route of 496 miles from New York City to the Pennsylvania state line and made the Thruway the longest toll highway in the world. The Thruway eventually expanded to its current 570-miles of roadway in 1991.

About the Thruway

The Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway, built in the early 1950s, is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation.

It set the standard for modern highway geometric design with safe roadway characteristics including smooth curves, wide medians and unobstructed driver sight distance. To this day, the Thruway is consistently recognized as one of the safest highways in the country.

In 2023, the Thruway-wide fatality rate 0.24 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, compared to the 2023 nationwide projection of 1.24. nationwide. In addition, every capital project on the Thruway system is considered for safety upgrades which may include new guiderail, enhanced lane markings, new highway signs and delineators, wider travel lanes, and improved sight distance and clear right of ways.

The New York State Thruway is a user-fee supported system and supported almost entirely by toll revenue – not tax dollars. It is paid for by drivers who use the system, including almost one-third from out-of-state.

Thruway toll rates remain among the lowest in the country compared to similar toll roads. The Thruway base passenger vehicle toll rate is 4.9 cents per mile, compared to the Ohio Turnpike ($0.06 per mile), the New Jersey Turnpike ($0.11 and $0.31 cents per mile) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike ($0.14 per mile).

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Lou Gramm, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, belts out one of seven songs today as part of a Black Sheep reunion concert. Michael Bonafede, in back, plays the drums.

The Pratt Theater, owned by Bonafede and his wife Judith Koehler, hosted two concerts, with the start at 2 and 6 p.m. The first sold out with 300 tickets and the second was near capacity.

Gramm is best known as the lead singer for Foreigner. Before that, he performed with Black Sheep back when he was Lou Grammatico.

Black Sheep recorded two albums for Capital Records and shared the stage with Kiss, Aerosmith, REO Speedwagon, and Hall and Oates, performing in front of tens of thousands of people. Black Sheep broke up in 1976.

Today was their third reunion concert and first in 10 years. Gramm wanted to rejoin his bandmates, Bonafede on drums, Don Mancuso on guitar and Larry Crozier on keyboard. Alona Kuhns and Luke Crozier (Larry’s son) will both play bass during the June 23 concert. The Black Sheep bass player, Bruce Turgon, is in California.

Lou Gramm gave a high-octane performance at the pratt. He is shown singing one of seven Black Sheep songs. The lineup included “Halfway Home,” “Encouraging Words,” “Little Or A Lot,” “No Worry, No Pain,” “Chain On Me” and “Payin’ Yer Dues,” and closed with “Stick Around.”

Alona Kuhns plays bass and Michael Bonafede is on the drums.

McCabe Enterprises, an electrical contractor, and Milton CAT brought in the equipment and installed an air conditioning system in the theater for the two shows.

Gramm thanked the crowd for its enthusiasm after the seven-song set. ‘Thank you, Albion, thank you very much.”

He said the venue, an opera house from 1882, is “beautiful.”

Some of the performers take a bow after the performance. From left include Michael Bonafede, Alona Kuhns, Lou Gramm, Don Mancuso, Larry “Rose” Crozier and Luke Crozier.

The Pratt Pit Band and Choir performed for about an hour and half before Black Sheep. Shannon Vanderlaan was among the choir members who also sang a solo.

In back from left are Rich Simbari on Fender P bass guitar, John Borello on Stratocaster guitar, Don Mancuso on guitar and Leon “Corky” Zak on keyboards.

Karen Conn sings “Turn the Lights Back On.”  She also sang “Rhiannon” with her daughter, Shannon Vanderlann.

Garrett Crumb, a lead singer with “Johnny Smoke,” performed “Hard to Handle” by the Black Crowes, “Layla” by Eric Clapton, and “Wishing Well.”

Erin Moody sings “Honky Tonk Women” by the Rolling Stones.

The crowd fills in the Pratt Theater. The first show was sold out after five days of tickets being available so a second concert was added.

Congressional candidate challenges Tenney again in NY-24

Photos by Tom Rivers: Mario Fratto speaks at the American Legion Post in Medina to about 20 people in a speech that was also live on Facebook.

MEDINA – Mario Fratto, a staunchly conservative candidate for Congress, is ready to pull off an upset on Tuesday. He believes he has the support from voters in a  sprawling Congressional District that includes all or parts of 14 counties, going from Niagara Falls to Watertown, a nearly 250-mile drive.

The district’s boundaries have been changed. Orleans County was split in half with Joe Morelle, a Democrat from Rochester, having the northern half of Orleans and Tenney the bottom half. But the new district lines, which take effect on Jan. 1, put all of Orleans in the 24^th Congressional District.

Tenney has the backing of the Republican Party leaders in the district, and most of the Conservative Party chairmen. However, the Conservative Party in Orleans County broke from the ranks and endorsed Fratto. Paul Lauricella, the party’s chairman in Orleans, said Tenney is a “RINO,” a Republican In Name Only who often sides with Democrats on spending bills and other legislation.

Fratto spent two hours in Medina on Saturday and rallied against Tenney, claiming she isn’t conservative and cited her support for warrantless surveillance of Americans, Red Flag Gun Laws, taxpayer-funded sex changes in the military and Planned Parenthood funding.

Tenney has said she is among the most conservative members of Congress and Fratto is cherry-picking legislation among her thousands of votes.

Mario Fratto, right, chats with Paul Lauricella, center, and Steve Colon after Fratto spoke at the American Legion in medina on Saturday. Fratto spent two hours at the event, speaking for about hour and a half and then meeting with about 20 people who attended the campaign stop. He also held events in Attica and Avon on Saturday.

Fratto, 39, helps run Geneva Granite which produces and installs granite curbing. He has his law degree and serves as chief financial officer for the family business. His father was a boxer, and Fratto said he sees Tuesday’s primary against Tenney as Rocky II.

In their first battle two years, Fratto made the contest surprisingly close. He compared the contest to the first Rocky movie when a native son, Rocky Balboa, nearly defeats the champion, Apollo Creed.

But in the second movie, Rocky knocks out Apollo. That is what Fratto predicts in the primary against Tenney.

During his speech for about an hour and half on Saturday, Fratto said he strongly backs Donald Trump in a return as president, and Fratto said he supports an “America First” agenda. (Trump has endorsed Tenney in the race.)

Fratto wants a tight border and called for deporting all “illegal” immigrants, which he said is about 20 million unauthorized people in the country. He said to start with people with criminal records but eventually deport all who entered illegally and don’t have legal standing to be in the country.

He also said he support the idea of making undocumented immigrants “self deport,” by denying them the ability to get jobs, housing and benefits. If the conditions are difficult, they will go back to their home countries, Fratto said.

He also opposes aid to Ukraine, saying those funds should be spent in the United States. (Tenney on April 20 voted against $60.8 billion for Ukraine. She opposes Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, but wants a long-term plan from Ukraine on how the money will be used, as well as an exit strategy from the war.)

Fratto said New York State is far from the Empire State. Progressive policies from the state government have driven out many residents and businesses, leaving a trail of empty warehouses, especially in upstate New York, Fratto said.

The Republican Party has failed the state, allowing Democrats to building supermajorities in the State Assembly and State Senate, with little chance to push back some of the extreme policies from the state government, Fratto said.

If he is victorious, Fratto believes it could usher in a new wave of conservative politicians to counteract legislation in Albany and Washington.

“If we change the policies in our country, it will get better everywhere,” he said. “Don’t sit back and watch the entire country go to Hell.”

The 24th Congressional District has been redrawn and now goes further west to Niagara Falls. All of Orleans County will be in one district rather than having the county cut in about half. Map from the NYS Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment.

Sunday is last day for early voting before Primary on Tuesday

Photo by Tom Rivers: This sign directs people to the early voting spot at the Board of Elections at the County Office Building.

ALBION – The turnout has been light so far with early voting in the Republican primaries.

Today is the eighth day of early voting and 216 had cast ballots as of 2:30 p.m. Early voting continues until 5 p.m. today, and then there is a final day on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. before the primary on Tuesday.

The county has one early voting site and it’s in Albion at the County Office Building on Route 31.

The turnout each day so far includes: 26 on June 15, 12 on June 16, 29 on June 17, 33 on June 18, 43 on June 19, 43 on June 20, 30 in June 21, and 22 on June 22 (as of 2:30 p.m.).

There are countywide primary contests for district attorney and coroner.

• For District Attorney, the election is between Susan Howard and John Sansone.
• For County Coroner, voters can choose 3 candidates between Kevin Dann, Julie Woodworth, Rocco Sidari and Scott Schmidt.
• There is a primary in the 24th Congressional District between Claudia Tenney and Mario Fratto.
• There is also a primary for Carlton Town Board member for a one-year term to fill a vacancy between John Olles and Jeffrey Gifaldi.

The remaining elections are for members of the Republican County Committee.

• In Shelby District 3, choose two between Bruce Schmidt, Alana Koneski and Stephen Seitz, Sr.
• In Shelby District 4, choose for any two between John Pratt III, Benjamin Flansburg and Thomas Winans.
• In Yates District 2, choose for two between Terry Chaffee, Jr., William Jurinich, Lynne Johnson and Steven Colon.

July 10 Mid-Summer Soiree will benefit Cobblestone Museum

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) From left, Connie Fisher and her daughter Christine chat with Shirley Bright-Neeper of Medina about the Mid-Summer Celebration scheduled July 10 in Fisher’s garden. Neeper is co-chair of the event with Joyce Chiczek of Lyndonville. Flowers are beginning to bloom, while in the back is Fisher’s She-Shack which her husband Jim built. (Right) Connie Fisher checks the Sweet William in bloom in their garden, where they will host a Mid-Summer Soiree on July 10 to benefit the Cobblestone Museum.

LYNDONVILLE – Most people would look at Jim and Connie Fisher’s acre of lawn with multiple flower beds, a pond with waterfall and various out-buildings and think, “What a lot of work.”

But to the Fishers, it is a labor of love.

Jim and Connie Fisher stand in the gazebo of their garden at 10193 Millers Rd., where they will host a Mid-Summer Soiree July 10 to benefit the Cobblestone Museum.

The Fishers will welcome guests to their garden at 10193 Millers Rd. on July 10 for a Mid-Summer Celebration “Back to the Garden” to benefit the Cobblestone Museum.

Shirley Bright-Neeper first visited the Fisher’s garden during a fundraiser last year for the Yates Community Library.

Neeper, who co-chairs the July 10 event with Joyce Chiczek of Lyndonville, was so impressed she asked the Fishers if they would be willing to host a garden tour for the Cobblestone Museum this summer.

“After a couple of years hosting our soiree at the Cobblestone campus, we are going ‘back to the garden’,” Neeper said. “There will be a lot of seating and a golf cart to get you to the garden from the parking area.”

The event, which runs from 4 p.m. until dark, rain or shine, will feature garden tours, music by McHenry and Baz, Mike Grammatico of Batavia on saxophone, wine and light refreshments.

The Fishers moved to Millers Road in 1983, but didn’t start their garden until 1996 when their kids were older. They first dug the pond, which today is beautifully landscaped, full of colorful fish and complete with water fountain.

“The garden is a full time job, since Jim retired,” Connie said. “We easily spend 40 hours a week working in it during the summer.”

She said the two of them are a team.

“Jim doesn’t know the flowers, but he helps with the mulching and the pond,” Connie said. “I couldn’t do it without him.”

They showed off their garden recently, dotted with flower beds of various varieties, a stone path edged with flowers and solar lights leading to a gazebo, water trickling in the pond and the She-Shed Jim built for Connie.

Connie said when planning the garden they were fortunate to know fellow gardeners who were wonderful about sharing ideas. She also read books and studied the gardens of neighbors and friends.

“Now we’re just grateful the Good Lord lets us enjoy his creation,” Connie said. “We spend every single day out here. The garden is never done.”

Photos courtesy of Connie Fisher: This section of Jim and Connie Fisher’s garden is in full bloom in this photo taken last year. They are preparing to host “Back to the Garden,” a Mid-Summer Celebration on July 10 to benefit the Cobblestone Museum.

While most of the flowers are not yet blooming, Connie said by July 10 the garden will be ablaze with color.

Blooms include day lilies, Shasta daisies, black-eyed Susans, tall flax, Lucifer peonies, sweet William, roses and many more.

Jim said next year they are not committing to anything.

But in the meantime, “Here we are getting ready for the biggest shindig ever,” Connie said.

A suggested donation for the Mid-Summer Celebration is $10. Reservations would be appreciated by logging on to CobblestoneMuseum.org or calling (585) 589-9013.

Flowers are in full bloom near the pond last summer in Jim and Connie Fisher’s garden. The couple anticipates the blossoms will be as beautiful when they welcome visitors July 10 for a Mid-Summer Celebration to benefit the Cobblestone Society.

This is the She Shed that Jim Fisher built for his wife Connie in their garden.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Community Action’s board chair Barb Shine welcomed guests at the annual In-Service event June 14. (Right) Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, presides over their annual in-service event at the Albion Elks Lodge.

ALBION – Staff of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee met June 14 at the Albion Elk’s Lodge for their annual in-service event.

Executive director Renee Hungerford and board president Barb Shine each welcomed guests.

Hungerford shared outcomes of the past year and goals for the agency going forward. She explained their theme “A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats” alludes to breaking down silos and lifting each other up together as one agency, while lifting up their communities.

“Today everyone learns about all of our programs so we can better support each other,” Hungerford said. “We should be working as one agency.”

Topics included reorganization, examining their updated community needs assessment, understanding the Medicaid 1115 waiver, a presentation by Skip Helfrich of Leadership Orleans and an overview of ROMA by implementor Cassie Healy.

Introduced were Bonnie Malakie, director of Children and Youth Services set to retire this month; Jackie Dunham, director of Operations/COO; Katrina Standish, director of Community Services and Reporting; Tina Schleede, director of Finance and Administration/CFO; Ryan Lasal, strategic director of Children’s Services and Special Projects; Pam Wadhams, director of Head Start; and members Ronnie Barhite, Laurel Carney, Jackie Fields, Cassie Graff, Bruce Schmidt and chair Barb Shine.

Each individual gave a short presentation on his or her agency.

“The intention was to get all to understand we need to work together as one agency, to lift up the agency and the communities we serve,” Hungerford said. “The content of each of the speeches was to educate staff about each program so we all have a common understanding of what each team does and how we can work together.”

Hungerford said it was a turbulent time when she joined the agency. They needed new technology, and implemented new systems. She explained every program of Community Action is a program of Orleans and Genesee counties.

“We’ve done some incredible things,” she said. “Brand awareness is very important and achieving the outcome.”

She explained the Community Service Block Grant is Community Action’s core federal funding.

During the 2022-23 program year, Community Action served 4,021 individuals, a 28% increase over the previous year and 75% more than the year ending in 2021. That equates to 2,333 households served by the agency, Hungerford said.

In their goal to fight hunger, 1,541 individuals utilized one of their three food pantries; 914 individuals utilized a pop-up pantry distribution; 314 individuals received 5,405 prepared meals at the Eastern Orleans Community Center; and 657 households received holiday meals.

In housing, 311 individuals received assistance to avoid eviction and 129 individuals received utility assistance to avoid utility shut-off.

Employment and Education Support resulted in 194 children receiving school supplies and 18 individuals who received employment support, including supplies, job search assistance, on-the-job training and work appropriate clothing.

Other programs provided weatherization services to 96 homes and air conditioner installation to 75 households through a partnership with the Department of Social Services.

Head Start had 149 children enrolled, of which 149 had a health care provider, 89 received age appropriate health care and all 149 had age appropriate immunizations.

Fifty-three children were enrolled in Early Head Start, all received age appropriate health care, 28 received age appropriate immunizations and 70% met or exceeded literacy skills.

The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership had 81 children enrolled, 73 brought up to date on age appropriate immunizations and 92% had three assessments meeting or exceeding average literacy skills.

The Child Care Resource and Referral had 120 individuals receive referrals to licensed child care providers in both counties, 785 units of basic technical assistance and 304 units of Intensive Technical Assistance.

The ACT program (Helping Youth ACT Responsibly), had 421 youth participate in evidence-based comprehensive pregnancy/STD prevention curriculum.

Twenty students attended the Credit Recovery Program, 10 demonstrated basic grade level achievement and five obtained a high school diploma.

The Transportation Program served 132 individuals who received 2,739 one-way bus trips.

Highlights of the past year included welcoming Tina Schleede as the new CFO; adoption of FE Nxt; a successful 60th anniversary celebration; implementing a new phone system as part of a $100,000 IT Investments grant from FLPPS and FLCH; Pam Wadhams promoted to Head Start director; welcoming Ryan Lasal to the newly-created role of Strategic Director of Children’s Services/Special Projects; refreshing the website; receiving change in scope for Head Start to improve enrollment; adding a Young Entrepreneurs program to the Main Street Corner Store; numerous successful prom events; a Stone Soup showdown event with Cornell Cooperative Extension; grand reopening of the Main Street Corner Store; a successful Sip n’ Stroll event; and the second year of the Seed Library and Community Garden.

A number of recommendations were announced as a result of the community needs assessment, including continuation of their goal to help people become self-sufficient, continued support and advocacy to ensure working parents have access to safe and affordable daycare, to continue or expand programs which help customers make healthy food choices, pursue additional opportunities to promote financial literacy, participate in partner programs to increase affordable housing and reduce homelessness, explore expanding the Credit Recovery program to more Orleans County schools to increase high school graduation rates, become a distribution site for fentanyl and xylazine test kits, naloxone and educational materials, increase marketing and other steps to increase brand awareness and public understanding of the important role of Community Action and seek and develop social enterprise opportunities to increase non-grant dependent revenue and increase agency stability.

Hungerford then shared information on population and the poverty rate in Orleans and Genesee counties. In Orleans County, 12.6% of the county’s population of 40,148 are living in poverty. Twenty-eight percent, or 16,203 households are living below the ALICE threshold – Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed (formerly known as the “working poor”).

Genesee County is slightly better, with a 10.4% poverty rate and 23.7% living below the ALICE threshold.

Hungerford also discussed healthcare, saying employer premiums and deductibles have risen much faster than wages since 2010.

She also explained the New York state 1115 Medicaid waiver, which was approved on January 9. The $6.9 billion will be used to advance health equity, reduce health disparities, support the delivery of health-related social needs and promote workforce development.

Looking ahead, Hungerford said their agency will make major improvements in finance management, have a new payroll system (Paychex), continue to focus on helping people become self-sufficient, add two additional paid holidays (Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve), explore social enterprise, do universal intake, explore the 1115 Medicaid waver and Community Action’s HRSN role, restructure and grow, improve brand awareness, update their mission and vision statement and celebrate the agency’s 60th anniversary locally.

Press Release, State DEC and Canal Corporation

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the State Canal Corporation have announced the expansion of operational changes at Champlain Canal locks between Waterford and Stillwater as a precautionary measure due to a recent preliminary detection of round goby eDNA above Lock C-2 in Halfmoon.

eDNA, or “environmental DNA,” is residual genetic material found in air, water or soil. While no physical round goby, an aquatic invasive species (AIS), were captured, DEC and the Canal Corporation are implementing further operational changes in accordance with their joint Rapid Response Plan that was established in 2022 to help prevent the spread of the round goby to the Lake Champlain Basin.

“Out of an abundance of caution and based on preliminary results, DEC and the Canal Corporation are working with State and federal partners to implement the response plan and prevent the potential spread of the round goby to Lake Champlain and safeguard our waterways and fisheries,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “Early detection is extremely important in preventing the spread of a suspected new invasive species from entering our environment. DEC will continue to monitor and respond to this situation collaboratively with Canal Corporation to prevent round goby from reaching Lake Champlain.”

The eDNA survey work was collected by U.S. Geological Survey, analyzed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and funded by Lake Champlain Basin Program. The Canal Corporation and DEC will continue to work with partners to conduct additional sampling and provide updates as the agencies work to confirm this eDNA detection. Further operational changes may occur as this work continues, in conformance with the Rapid Response Plan.

The Rapid Response Plan for the Champlain Canal identifies appropriate necessary actions if round goby is detected in the Champlain Canal and guides lock operations by the Canal Corporation.

Additionally, the Canal Corporation, which has been using a “double draining” procedure at Locks C-1 and C-2 since 2022 to help stop round goby, will expand its use to Locks C-3 and C-4.

The forceful water currents created by using this process at the locks deters round goby, a slow swimmer, from entering the locks and possibly traveling further up the Champlain Canal.

During “double draining” each lock is maintained in a full condition and emptied twice during locking operations. For northbound traffic, the locks will drain twice before traffic enters the lock chamber. For southbound traffic, the lock will empty and refill once before any vessels are admitted into the lock for southbound passage. The second draining will occur with the vessels in the lock.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “Any possible spread of the round goby is a concern for all of us and as we work closely with DEC and other partners to further investigate this preliminary detection, the Canal Corporation is taking immediate action to expand our mitigation efforts. We appreciate the patience of mariners and Canal stakeholders as these operational modifications are activated, and we encourage them to learn how they can help us protect our canal waterways.”

DEC and the Canal Corporation appreciate the patience of mariners and local stakeholders, and encourage everyone to help mitigate the spread of AIS in New York State. All New York residents and visitors have a role to play in protecting state waters from invasive species.