Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

ALBANY – Today, the New York State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill S.9241, relating to the duty to inspect vessels operated on non-navigable underground waters.

This important legislation resulted from the tragic incident at the Lockport Cave and Boat Tour that sadly took the life of a Niagara Falls man and injured nearly a dozen others last year. In the course of the investigation, it was determined no local, county or state agency was tasked with overseeing these types of attractions.

“With the passage of this bill, it is now clear that the Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic preservation will oversee these types of businesses and inspect these vessels to ensure patrons can safely enjoy the unique attractions New York has to offer,” Ortt said. “Senate Bill S.9241, which I co-sponsor, is in alignment to the bill that I originally introduced immediately after the incident occurred. Over the course of this past year, I have had many conversations with the Executive’s office and my colleagues across the aisle, using no uncertain terms that ensuring proper oversight at the Lockport Cave and similar sites was among my top priorities this session so that an incident like this can be prevented in the future.”

This bill in the Assembly, which is co-sponsored by Assemblyman Michael Norris, has passed both the Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development and Codes Committees and is on the Assembly Ways and Means Agenda for tomorrow’s meeting.

Dr. Clark Godshall

MEDINA – The leader of the Orleans/Niagara BOCES has announced his retirement, effective June 30.

Dr. Clark Godshall has served as superintendent of the O/N BOCES for 24 years. He has worked as a professional educator for 47 years, starting as high school science teacher in the Hilton Central School. He then was an assistant principle for the Penn Yan school district before coming to BOCES.

For the past 24 years, he has been responsible for the educational services for over 30,000 students at the O/N BOCES, which is the 13th largest BOCES out of 37 statewide. The local BOCES includes three districts (Albion, Lyndonville and Medina) in Orleans County and 10 other districts in Niagara County.

The career and technical center for BOCES is in Medina on Shelby Basin Road. The program currently serves 1,700 students in CTE classes and another 500 in other special programs.

A search is under way to fill Godshall’s post once he retires.

“Dr. Clark Godshall has been a role model for school leaders across New York State and nationally,” said Dr. Betty Rosa, the state’s education commissioner. “His service to the community, school districts and educators in pursuit of higher achievement levels and student success are praised and we thank him for his long tenure of educational leadership.”

Photos by Tom Rivers: Dr. Clark Godshall, BOCES superintendent, attended a graduation on June 29, 2021 for farmworkers who learned English in program offered by BOCES in partnership with the World Life Institute. Godshall commended the students for their commitment to their education and for being role models for their children. He also praised the students’ families and friends for supporting the students in improving their English, especially after long days of working at their jobs. The program is one of 16 adult education and literacy programs through the Orleans-Niagara BOCES.

Godshall joked he was sometimes referred to as “the kingmaker” for leading 76 superintendent searches for school districts. He also led multiple association executive director searches.

He often leads expert teams into less than successful schools to conduct School under Registration Reviews across New York State. Most recently, he was named a “Distinguished Alumni” from St. John Fisher College and the “Superintendent of the Year” by the New York State School Business Officials.

Godshall credited dedicated and hard-working teachers for the success of the O/N BOCES.

“The key is to have a great staff and stay out of their way,” he said.

County Legislator Bill Eick, right, congratulated Dr. Clark Godshall on a nearly 50-year career in public education. Godshall was honored during the County Legislature meeting on Tuesday. Godshall commended the many Orleans County employees his staff has worked with through the Public Health Department led by Paul Pettit, Personnel Department led by Katie Harvey, school resource officers at the Sheriff’s Department led by Chris Bourke, and other county programs often with County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch as the point man.

Dr. Clark Godshall holds the Medal of Honor awarded to David Bellavia when Bellavia returned to Lyndonville on Nov. 21 for a student assembly. Bellavia is a 1994 Lyndonville graduate. Godshall and other local officials met with Bellavia for a meet and greet before the student assembly.

ALBION – An Albion man allegedly broke into the home of an ex-girlfriend early this morning and struck the woman.

Christopher R. Enedy, 48, of Albion was charged with Burglary 2nd Illegal Entry to a Dwelling, a C felony; Criminal Contempt 1st Violate Order of Protection-Physical Contact, an E felony; Criminal Contempt 1st Violate Order of Protection w/ prior conviction, an E felony; Criminal Contempt 1st – Violate Order of Protection-Damage property of another person greater than $250, an E felony; Criminal Mischief 3rd – Damage another person’s property greater than $250, an E felony; Criminal Obstruction of Breathing/Blood Circulation, an A misdemeanor; and Harassment 2nd, a violation.

The Albion Police Department was dispatched to an East State Street residence at 4:57 a.m. Albion Police Chief David Mogle said the victim was asleep when she heard a loud banging outside with glass possibly breaking. Police officers were dispatched for a burglary in progress.

The victim stated the man kicked in her locked bedroom door while she was still in bed and attacked her, striking her in her face and chest and choking her around her neck until she couldn’t breathe.

The victim fled outside of the residence. Officers located a smashed-out basement window. A perimeter was established with the assistance of multiple Orleans County Sheriff’s personnel and a New York State Trooper, Mogle said.

Officers made entry to the residence and ultimately located Enedy hiding in an upstairs bedroom adjacent to the victim’s bedroom and he was taken into custody without incident.

Enedy, the victim’s ex-boyfriend, was arrested in 2023 by the Albion Police Department for a similar domestic-related incident with the same victim and a full stay-away order of protection was issued by Albion Town Justice Gary Moore.

Enedy this morning was transported to the Albion Police Department and will be subsequently placed in the Orleans County Jail to await CAP Court arraignment. The Albion Police Department was assisted by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bill Larkin, left, receives a plaque and certificate from County Legislator Skip Draper and Sheriff Chris Bourke in appreciation for a 48-year career with the Sheriff’s Office.

Draper noted that Larkin gave him his first speeding ticket soon after Draper starting driving as a teen-ager. Larkin spent about 25 years on the road patrol, as well as four years as a criminal investigator and then part-time on the Marine Patrol since 2005.

“I don’t know if there is a person in Orleans County who hasn’t received a ticket from Bill Larkin,” Bourke joked while giving Larkin a plaque on Tuesday during the County legislature meeting.

Larkin for 15 years also was a part-time police officer for the Village of Lyndonville until 2021.

The plaque from Bourke included the words: “Your tireless work ethic and professionalism has set the tone for the rest of the department. You will always have a home here. We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors!”

Draper and Bourke also presented a plaque and certificate of appreciation to Larry Manning for a 48-year career with the Sheriff’s Office. Manning worked as a deputy, and then was promoted to sergeant and lieutenant. After retiring from full-time work, he started part-time with the Marine Patrol in 2002.

“I hate to say good-bye,” Manning said during the Legislature  meeting.

His career actually started in 1971 as a volunteer with the auxiliary police. When he was hired as a deputy sheriff, he was paid $8,400 the first year.

Bourke said Manning and Larkin have both been mentors for him. “I learned so much from Bill and Larry,” Bourke said.

‘The Diocese of Buffalo is facing multiple challenges including a significant priest shortage, declining Mass attendance, aging congregations and ongoing financial pressures brought about by our Chapter 11 filing.’ – Bishop Michael W. Fisher

Kimberly Stawicki took this photo in September 2023 of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Medina reflected in the Canal Basin.

BUFFALO – The 8-county Diocese of Buffalo today announced a plan to reduce the number of parishes by 34 percent in the eight-county region, which includes Orleans.

Bishop Michael W. Fisher said the parish mergers follow a comprehensive and collaborative planning process through the Road to Renewal division.

“The Diocese of Buffalo is facing multiple challenges including a significant priest shortage, declining Mass attendance, aging congregations and ongoing financial pressures brought about by our Chapter 11 filing,” said Bishop Fisher. “This plan resulted from the lessons learned as we brought parishes together in the parish family model and determined rather quickly that scaling back the number of parishes would best allow us to use our limited resources to help reenergize a spiritual renewal in the diocese.”

The actual number of parishes merged will not be determined until clergy and parish leadership have an opportunity to review recommendations to be proposed. The priests may either agree with the recommendations, or present an option for an alternative parish (or parishes) within their family for merger, according to a news release from the Diocese. The decisions will be made between Aug. 15 and Sept. 1.

“These difficult changes associated with our renewal allow limited resources to be directed to the greatest needs in our community,” Bishop Fisher said. “The work of the Holy Spirit within our diocese and the support of the Western New York community has been an incredible blessing.”

The Road to Renewal groups the current 160 parishes into 36 Families of Parishes which were announced in December 2021.

Soon, pastors will be provided with detailed materials to lead consultations within their Family of Parishes. Once the parishes to be merged are identified and approved, the process to begin merging those identified parishes is expected to begin this fall, the Diocese said.

“To make the recommendations that will be presented to pastors, we examined parish demographics, sacramental participation, and financial support,” explained Rev. Bryan Zielenieski, Vicar for Renewal and Development, who leads the Road to Renewal effort. “We also looked at the variations of our urban, suburban and rural parishes because factors like poverty rates, availability of transportation, proximity and limited resources impact overall parish long-term vitality.”

Some of the grim data from the Diocese includes a 49 percent decline in registered households across the 8-county region, 59 percent of parishes with a negative net operating balance, 59 percent of parishes experiencing a steady decline in baptisms, 24 percent decrease in marriages from 2020 to 2023 in the Diocese, and the average age for priests is 76, with 63 percent of the priests between the ages of 65 and 70.

Auto dealership wants to take down old structure, put up new maintenance building

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board is recommending the Village of Medina approve a project at Hartway Motors that calls for demolishing a building to the north of the dealership and constructing a new maintenance structure behind the current showroom and service department.

The project was before the Planning Board last Thursday. Knocking down the old building, a former Loblaws grocery store, would allow for more parking at Hartway Motors at 320 North Main St.

The dealership’s owner, Bidleman Properties, wants to put a 2,933-square-foot masonry building addition that wouldn’t be used for offices or a showroom. It would provide more room for the maintenance area.

When the building is taken down, a vinyl fence will be installed to the north to provide some privacy for the residential property next door.

The project is in Medina’s Historic Overlay District but is not included on the National or State Registers of Historic Places. County planners suggested Medina have the project go to the State’s Historic Preservation Office for its review. SHPO may suggest the new building have construction materials that match the existing building.

In another Medina referrals, county planners recommended the village approve the site plan and a special use permit for a Class A Home Business for dog grooming at 445 East Center St.

Megan Davenport will be running a dog grooming business from her residence which is in an R1 district. The business will be by appointment with customers dropping off their animal and returning later. Planners said the business is expected to have up to six customers a day in two-hour increments.

Davenport plans to turn a first-floor office into a grooming salon with a professional pet groom tub, table and equipment.

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – Holley math teacher Russ Albright and technology teacher Dylan Sharpe co-teach Geometry in Construction, with students rotating between math days and building days each week.

There are 14 students in this year’s class, with the majority in 10th grade. The class helps students learn how math concepts can be applied to real-world problems to create solutions.

Students combined their math and construction skills to build two sheds for Homesteads 4 Hope this year.  The sheds are both 8′ x 10′.  One has a traditional gable end roof and the other has a “salt box” roof. They have done four previous building projects for H4H.

“I think some students benefit from a ‘hands on’ learning approach,” Albright said. “Not every student that takes the class will want to pursue a career in construction, but they will all leave with a general understanding of building techniques and see how geometric concepts are used in the construction field. The kids also like the idea of helping a non-profit organization with what we build. It gives them a sense of pride seeing that we accomplished something as a group that will benefit an organization in some way.”

This is the first year the class built the structures at the school and will have them delivered to H4H fully completed. Usually, they build the structure at the school in panelized form, break down the panels and load them onto a trailer, and reconstruct them on the H4H site, spending two full days there building.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s schedule for Saturday included a day off and she chose to spend it in Orleans County.

The governor rarely gets a respite and on Saturday she spent the day relaxing in Orleans County.

She didn’t have any public appearances and there are no official photos from her being in the county, a spokesman from the governor’s office said today.

When Hochul was the lieutenant governor, she often came to Medina and Orleans County with her husband Bill Hochul. They rented a canal boat on one outing.

Orleans County may be able claim the governor’s preferred place for some R & R.

MEDINA – In October the Village Board was asked to look at updating the sign ordinance for the historic downtown and allow electronic signs.

Joe Cardone, owner of the Medina Theatre, told the board he wanted to get away from a hand-lettered marque for the theater at 603 Main St. and have a modern electronic sign with lighting.

Joe Cardone speaks during last week’s Village Board meeting and asks the board to look at modernizing the sign ordinance for the downtown.

The Village Board referred the matter to the Village Planning Board, which in November decided to take no action on the issue.

Not allowing modern, electronic signs is holding some of the businesses back, Cardone told the Village Board last week.

“I truly believe to foster any type of business in this community we need to look at this,” Cardone told the board.

He will retiring as district attorney after this year and he said he will be devoting more time to the Medina Theatre.

Cardone has researched other communities’ sign ordinances that have theaters.

Medina currently prohibits digital and electronic signs. Lockport allows electronic signs for the marquees while North Tonawanda is more restrictive, Cardone told the board in October.

The Village of Gowanda has a comprehensive ordinance and gives the Planning Board and Village Board discretion in reviewing a request for electronic signage. Cardone said Medina’s code is currently “draconian” and allows no leeway.

Cardone tried to get some funding through the $4.5 million Forward NY grant approved for the village but the local committee didn’t recommend funding for the marque, partly because an electronic sign currently isn’t allowed.

Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman said she would like to get a report from either the Planning Board or the village’s strategic visioning committee on the sign ordinance. Sherman said she didn’t hear why the Planning Board opted against changing the code to allow for electronic signs.

Village Trustee Jess Marciano said she would like the issue to be brought up again by the Planning Board.

Medina’s sign ordinance doesn’t allow “Any electronic message with a fixed or changeable display, which may be changed by electrical, electronic or computerized process or remote control, and may include animation or motion of any kind, words and/or pictures, electronically projected text, images or graphics, and may also include, but is not limited to, light-emitting diodes (LED), video, television and plasma displays, fiberoptics, holographic images, or other technology that results in bright, high-resolution text, images and graphics.”

The village code also states: “No sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing intermittent, rotating or moving lights except to show time and temperature.”

The unemployment rate in Orleans County was 4.0 percent which continues a gradual decline from the start of the year, according to the state Department of Labor.

In Orleans County so far this year, the unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in January, then 5.2 percent in February, 4.9 percent in March and 4.0 percent in April.

The labor force is smaller compared to April 2023 when it was 17,100 total – 16,600 employed and 600 unemployed, according to the DOL. In April 2024, the labor force was 16,900 with 16,300 working and 700 unemployed.

Unemployment rates in WNY counties for April include 3.9 percent in Erie, 4.3 percent in Niagara, 3.8 in Livingston, 3.7 in Monroe, 4.0 in Orleans, 3.5 in Genesee, 4.2 percent in Wyoming, 4.2 in Cattaraugus, 4.2 percent in Chautauqua, and 4.1 in Allegany.

In the United States, the unemployment rate from April 2023 to April 2024 went from 3.1 percent to 3.5 percent. The U.S. has 515,000 more people working in that year for a total of 161.59 million last month.

In New York State, the unemployment rate from April 2023 to April 2024 went from 3.6 percent to 3.9 percent. The state has 19,300 fewer people working for a total of 9.28 million last month.

In New York, the unemployment rate has been trending down since the start of the year, form 4.3 percent in January, to 4.5 percent in February, 4.2 percent in March to 3.9 percent in April.

By Robin Govanlu, LMHN, LAC, LPC, Chief of Behavioral Health, Oak Orchard Health.

Although many aspects of daily life appear to have returned to some sense of normalcy since the pandemic, there is an increasing impact and cultural shift in the need for mental health services, especially for children and adolescents. Since the start of the pandemic, Oak Orchard Health (OOH) continues to see the demand for behavioral health services on the rise, with limited resources to respond to that demand in the rural regions that we serve.

Since 2020 we have continued to see immense growth year after year with a 119% increase in all behavioral health visits and a 164% increase in pediatric visits since the start of the pandemic.  Our Brockport and Albion sites are our largest volume sites serving many of our child and adolescent patients. Unfortunately, that has resulted in longer than usual wait times for an appointment. As a parent, we know how difficult that can be, so we’ve been partnering with many organizations to help improve this situation.

Oak Orchard Health has served as a lead agency for many years on the Western Monroe County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Coalition, which includes important community partners such as The University of Rochester Strong Pediatric Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), Rochester Regional Health, SUNY Brockport, and the Brockport Central School District.  The collective data from this coalition further demonstrates the need for expansion of pediatric behavioral health services in Western Monroe and Orleans Counties, and the surrounding areas as many families that live west of Rochester experience significant challenges with accessing care closer to home.

To adequately address the behavioral health crisis in our regions and keep more children out of the hospital we need more mental health services in our community and that’s where Oak Orchard comes in. Getting our young patients connected quickly to the services that they need is vital to their well-being and ongoing development. Therefore, OOH will be expanding child and adolescent behavioral health services at the Brockport Health Center and the Albion Wellness Center. This expansion will include hiring additional therapists with a specialty in pediatric behavioral health. We’ll also be hiring support staff and a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner within the next year. Services can be provided in-person and through our telehealth program which allows for audio or video communication between the patient and mental health provider using their phone, laptop, or iPad.   

Another goal is to reduce the wait from time of referral to time of intake to get kids and families the help they need sooner.  With the new therapists hired in the coming months, we expect to be able to see new patients this summer. We plan to care for kids from as young as 2 to 21 years of age. Please share with others and we look forward to partnering with schools and parents in the area regarding the expansion of this program. We hope to make a major impact on the youth in the region. If you have any questions or want to make an appointment for the July/August period, please call Oak Orchard Health at (585) 637-3905, ext. 2102.

Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association

GAINES – The Orleans County Historical Association is pleased to welcome the community to their 2024 selection of presentations at their Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse, 3286 Gaines Basin Rd.

The presentations are held on the last Wednesday of each month, May to October at 7 p.m. Donations are gladly accepted.

The schedule includes:

• May 29: “Last Call” – Hotels, Restaurants, Bars – A History of Medina with Renee Lama, author (Books will be available for purchase)
• June 26: “Flight Research Aircraft in Buffalo” from 1946-1971, the Cornell Aeronautical Lab flew 50+ different military aircraft in Buffalo, with presenter Allen Kidder, aeronautical buff.
• July 31: “Animal Stories” – from famous to local history stories with Bill Lattin, Retired Orleans County Historian.
• Aug 28: “The Groovy ’70s” – Cultural Change – with Erica Wanecski.
• Sept. 25: “Franklin and Eleanor Slept Here” – the local connection, with Dee Robinson, Hoag Library History Researcher.
• Oct 30: “History of Medina Sandstone” with Jim Friday, author.

The always popular Summer Cemetery Tours are back! Tours are every Sunday in August at 6 p.m. Sponsored by Orleans County Historical Association.

• Aug. 4: West Ridgeway Cemetery, Ridge Road (Rt. 104) at the corner of Marshall Road. Presented by Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian.
• Aug. 11: Orleans County “Poorhouse Cemetery,” 14064 County House Road behind the Emergency Management Center. Presented by Tim Archer, ACS Teacher.
• Aug. 18: St. Mary’s R.C. Cemetery, Route 63, N. Gravel Road, Medina. Presented by Chris Busch.
• Aug. 25: Mt. Albion Cemetery, Route 31, Albion. Presented by: Sue Starkweather Miller, Village of Albion Historian and Bill Lattin, Retired Orleans County Historian.