ALBION – The Class of 1972 at Albion High School was a close group during high school, and the friendships they formed have continued throughout the years.

In addition to reunions to celebrate special anniversaries, such as the 50th held at the White Birch in Lyndonville, members of the class have continued to meet for lunches and chicken barbecues.

Their most recent get-together was a gathering Saturday at Bullard Park of all the class members who will be 70 this year.

The committee planning Saturday’s event included Eileen Williams, who has organized lunches; fellow classmate Howard Ward, who has done chicken barbecues, including cooking the chicken for Saturday’s outing; Marita DeLuca Dumrese and Joanie Neri Millis.

The planning committee for the Class of 1972 get-together Saturday at Bullard Park are, from left,  Eileen Williams, Howard Ward, Marita DeLuca Dumrese and Joanie Neri Miller.

After enjoying lunch Colleen Murphy McKenna, Vickie Murphy McKenna, Vickie Condoluci Wheeler, Rex Hults, Margaret Colonna Burgio and Marita DeLuca Dumrese cut a birthday cake in honor of the celebration.

Officers for the class in their senior year were Anne Eddy, president; Ron Billingsley, vice president; Joanie Neri Millis, secretary; and Judy Bielicki, treasurer.

“We all really got along and worked together,” said Joanie Peters of West Barre. “We always had fun together, especially getting ready for proms.”

The class was celebrating their 50th reunion at the White Birch when someone said they should have a 70th birthday party. Twenty-six of the original 181 members and their significant others attended the party on Saturday.

Classmates who traveled the farthest were Vickie Pratt from Texas and Marilee Tokotch Flugel from Arizona.

Class of 1972 members getting ready to cut the cake are Colleen Murphy McKenna, Vickie Condoluci Wheeler, Rex Hults, Margaret Colonna Burgio and Marita DeLuca Dumrese. At far left is Jim Frasier.

Tonawanda Band of Seneca among 8 Indigenous Nations represented

Photo by Don Pollard/Office of Governor: Kathy Hochul convened leaders today from the Indigenous Nations across New York State for a historic summit at the New York State Capitol in Albany.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul today convened leaders from the Indigenous Nations across New York State for a historic summit at the New York State Capitol in Albany.

Today’s summit was attended by the following Indigenous Nations:

• Cayuga Nation
• Oneida Nation
• Onondaga Nation
• Tonawanda Band of Seneca
• Tuscarora Nation
• Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
• Shinnecock Nation
• Unkechaug Nation

This summit follows Governor Hochul’s commitment to supporting and strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples across the state. As part of this commitment, Governor Hochul has:

• Appointed the First Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations. Elizabeth Rule was appointed Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations. Elizabeth is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and an Assistant Professor specializing in Native American Studies at American University. Prior to joining American University, Elizabeth directed George Washington University’s Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy. She received her bachelor’s degree from Yale University, and her master’s degree and Ph.D. from Brown University.

• Visited the Onondaga Nation Longhouse. Governor Kathy Hochul made a historic visit to the Onondaga Longhouse – the first visit by a sitting Governor in more than half a century – for a conversation with Onondaga Nation leaders, including Tadodaho Sid Hill, representatives of the Council of Chiefs, and Clan Mothers.

• Returned more than 1,000 Acres of Land to the Onondaga Nation. Governor Kathy Hochul, joined by United States Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Onondaga Nation Tadodaho Sidney Hill, announced a historic agreement as part of the Onondaga Lake Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program that will return more than 1,000 acres of scenic land to the Nation. As Natural Resource Trustees for the settlement with Honeywell International, Inc., the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service signed a resolution that directs Honeywell to transfer the title to more than 1,000 acres of open space in Central New York’s Tully Valley to the Onondaga Nation – one of the largest returns of land by any state to an Indigenous nation.

• Proposed to Strengthen Stability of Indigenous Families. The 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal law created to protect the best interests of Native American children involved in child custody proceedings. The law emerged as a response to the disproportionate rates at which both residential boarding schools and state actors removed Native American children from their homes, communities, and Indigenous Nations. This year, New York’s Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations and the Office of Children and Family Services, will advance, in consultation with Nation leadership and stakeholders, strategies to strengthen the objectives of the Indian Child Welfare Act, underscoring New York’s commitment to redressing injustices inflicted upon Indigenous communities.

• Ensured Dental Care Access for Indigenous Nations. As part of the FY 2025 Budget, New York State will include $2.5 million in funding for Indigenous Nations dental health care, with the aim of addressing gaps in access. This funding will help ensure Indigenous Nations dental offices and providers can offer treatment without referring patients off-site and away from Nation territories. This builds on Governor Hochul’s commitments to lifting up Indigenous Nations throughout New York, including directing New York’s Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations and the Office of Children and Family Services to advance strategies to strengthen the objectives of the Indian Child Welfare Act and commencing a comprehensive review of artistic representation of Indigenous peoples at the New York State Capitol.

• Responded to Offensive Representations. To ensure that all New Yorkers are welcomed in the State Capitol, Governor Hochul will commence a comprehensive review of artistic representation of Indigenous peoples in the Capitol, with invited participation from representatives from each of the nine Indigenous Nations. All New Yorkers should feel welcome and respected when visiting the Capitol, but unfortunately, offensive imagery and distasteful representations of populations in the art which adorns the Capitol can alienate visitors. Assessments of offensive artistic representations of Indigenous peoples are informed by precedent more than eighty years old, and Indigenous peoples, in particular, are often depicted in artworks in a manner that reflects harmful racial stereotypes and glorifies violence against Indigenous peoples. Such depictions do not reflect the values of New York State.

By Karen Kinter, CEO, Oak Orchard Health

National Health Center Week (August 4-10) is a time when we celebrate, and increase awareness of, America’s 1,400 Community Health Centers (CHCs) that serve 31.5 million patients annually across nearly 15,000 communities. Oak Orchard Health (OOH) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and has nine health centers in the Genesee, Monroe, Orleans, Steuben, and Wyoming Counties. We continue to grown over the years, in 2019 we served 23,399 patients and have grown to over 31,602 in 2023. We truly value the trust our patients have in our health center.

Impact of Oak Orchard Health in Our Community

Beyond offering essential medical, dental, and behavioral health services to all, regardless of insurance status, OOH significantly contributes to our local economy. In 2022 alone, OOH injected $67,765,000 into the community and fostered the creation of 520 local jobs. Moreover, the center’s employees, by spending their earnings locally, further amplify this positive impact. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for our community!

What Our Patients Say

We greatly value feedback from our patients, as it helps us better understand their needs and enhance the care we provide. A heartfelt thank you to all our patients who take the time to complete our surveys.

Here are a few heartwarming comments from our incredible patients:

“Doctors are always kind and attentive, truly listening to what you have to say.”

“Oak Orchard Health’s staff is exceptional, going above and beyond to assist their patients. I am immensely grateful for them!”

“The office staff is friendly, and my doctor explains things thoroughly. I’ve been a loyal patient here for a long time.”

“Our local, fully staffed medical facility delivers excellent service with top-quality medical equipment. Without funding, small communities would lack essential services.”

Thank you for being part of our Oak Orchard Health community.

National Health Center Week: Powering Communities Through Caring Connections

At Oak Orchard Health we’ll be celebrating National Health Center Week (NHCW) in a variety of ways from August 4-10.

Tuesday, August 6th is Agricultural Worker Health Day. Our roots run deep in the agricultural community. Oak Orchard started by caring for farmworkers. During NHCW we will reach out to our patients and deliver items that will help keep farmworkers safe while they work to put food on our tables. We’ll be visiting farmworkers this day and giving out helpful items such as first aid kits, sunscreen, etc.

On Thursday, August 8th at 2 p.m., join us for a Ribbon Cutting at the Albion Wellness Center. We’re celebrating the expansion of our Behavioral Health program for children and adolescents. Dr. Goetz, who dedicated over 45 years as a pediatrician at Oak Orchard, will be in attendance, along with Assemblyman Steve Hawley and many community leaders.

Dr. Goetz played a pivotal role as an early advocate for this program. Collaborating with Oak Orchard’s Robin Govanlu (Chief of Behavioral Health), Dr. Danielle Mead (Chief Medical Officer), and the Western Monroe County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Coalition, they developed this vital initiative. Recognizing the increased need for children’s behavioral health services post-pandemic, we’re committed to swiftly connecting our young patients to essential mental health care.

As part of this commitment, Oak Orchard Health will expand child and adolescent behavioral health services at both the Brockport Health Center and the Albion Wellness Center

Saturday, August 10th at the Brockport Arts Festival we’ll be highlighting Health Center Week’s Children’s Wellness Day. We’ll have the Teddy Bear Clinic, games, and giveaways available for the youngsters who stop by with their parents and guardians. We’ll also have the Mobile Medical Unit there which goes to community organizations and provides medical and mental health services. Stop by to learn more about our services for children.

We take pride in being an integral part of the community health network. This affiliation empowers us to deliver top-quality care and essential services, addressing barriers that may otherwise prevent individuals from accessing medical, dental, and behavioral health services. To schedule an appointment or learn more, please reach out to us at (585) 589-5613.

Join us for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Albion Wellness Center on August 8th at 2 p.m.

POINT BREEZE – The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association has decided to push back today’s concert with the Who Dats by a week due to the threat of thunderstorms and high probability of rain this afternoon and evening.

The concert will be next Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Orleans County Marine Park on Route 98.

HULBERTON – A man drown in the Erie Canal last night in Hulberton, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke said this afternoon.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body of Robert Bristol, age 39, of Hulberton in the Town of Murray today.

An acquaintance reported Mr. Bristol missing at approximately 5:25 this morning. Sheriff’s deputies conducted an extensive search of the area using the Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, Drone Unit, and Marine Division along with deputies on foot, Bourke said.

Deputy Jeff Cole and K-9 Otto from the Sheriff’s office tracked Bristol from his last known location directly to the bank of the Erie Canal near the Hulberton lift bridge. Bristol was found submerged in water close to the area where the K-9 track ended.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Murray Joint Fire District, Orleans County Emergency Management Office and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team.

Sheriff’s Investigators are continuing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

“At this time, we have reason to believe that consumption of alcoholic beverages may have contributed to Mr. Bristol falling in the canal,” Bourke said. “The body was transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.”

MEDINA – The Medina school district announced it will continue providing free breakfast and lunch to all students this school year.

Medina has been offering free breakfast and lunch to all students the past six years through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Breakfast/Lunch Program.

The CEP program provides the opportunity for schools in high poverty areas to provide two nutritious meals every school day, while eliminating the stigma for those students previously identified as “low income.”

The CEP began in 2011 with three states piloting the program and then became a nationwide program in 2014. To be eligible for CEP at least 40 percent of students must be identified as “directly certified” for free meals without a meal application through programs such as SNAP, TANF and Medicaid. Medina school district has met this eligibility guideline.

For additional information about the program, contact the following:

• Medina Jr/Sr High School; Michael Cavanagh, Principal; 585-798-2700 ext. 1
• Clifford Wise Intermediate School; Christopher Hughes, Principal; 585-798-2700 ext. 2
• Oak Orchard Primary School; Jennifer Stearns, Principal; 585-798-2700 ext. 3

Photo courtesy of Medina Rotary Club

MEDINA – Conor Crandall accepts a $2,500 scholarship from the Medina Rotary Club and its president Peter Bartula.

Conor is headed to SUNY Cobleskill in the fall. He will be studying Agricultural Business. The Rotary scholarship is based on academic achievement and community service.

Crandall was on Medina’s wrestling, lacrosse and cross country teams, and was active in the FFA and attended Boys’ State, a week-long leadership program through the American Legion.

Up to $330 per child coming through Empire State Child Credit

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York State is delivering approximately $350 million in supplemental payments to low- and moderate-income families statewide through the Empire State Child Credit program.

More than 1 million families will receive this financial assistance without any need to apply, as each eligible family will receive a direct payment of up to $330 per child. This continues Governor Hochul’s efforts to address the cost of living for working New Yorkers, including $2.6 billion in supplemental payments and savings delivered to taxpayers since 2022, as well as the Governor’s recent announcement of a digital portal to help more New Yorkers get financial assistance to cover child care costs.

“We’re putting money back in the pockets of more than a million New Yorkers because this administration delivers for working families,” Governor Hochul said. “Our work is far from over. From expanding tax credits to increasing access to child care assistance, I’ll never stop fighting to address the cost of living for working parents and help them create a brighter future for their kids.”

The Empire State Child Credit is a refundable tax credit for income-qualified New Yorkers with children. In 2023, Governor Hochul and the State Legislature expanded the Empire State Child Credit to include children under four, benefitting an estimated 600,000 additional children per year. Earlier this year, the more than 1 million families eligible for the Empire State Child Credit began to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits based on their 2023 tax filings.

Today’s announcement will deliver a supplemental payment to those eligible families, in addition to the 2023 tax credit they have already received. Supplemental payments range from 25 percent to 100 percent of the amount of a taxpayer’s Empire State Child Credit received for tax year 2023. The percentage depends on income. More information is available by clicking here.

Eligible taxpayers do not need to do anything to receive this one-time additional payment. Taxpayers who received an Empire State Child Credit of at least $100 on their 2023 state tax returns will receive a check in the mail. The Tax Department will begin mailing checks in the first week of August and continue for several weeks.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Sheriff’s Office personnel are on the north side of the canal in Hulberton as part of a search for a man last seen about 4:30 a.m.

Update at 10:43 a.m.: A body has been found in the water and is being recovered by the Sheriff’s Office and other personnel at the scene.

HULBERTON – Members of the the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and other first responders are checking the Erie Canal and Hulberton hamlet for a man who was last seen about 4:30 a.m.

The man lives on Canal Road. His phone, a bandana and an unsmoked cigarette were found on the edge of the north side of the canal, just west of the lift bridge.

The Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene about 5:30 a.m. when friends of the man were concerned they hadn’t seen him. The man had been drinking, deputies said at the scene this morning.

The Sheriff’s Office has used an underwater drone and an aerial drone, as well as the K9 Otto to try to find the man. Sheriff’s Office personnel also have done a search on foot and the Marine Patrol vessel will soon be at Hulberton.

Monroe County is bringing a dive team, and Murray, Brockport and Spencerport fire departments will have rescue boats in the water to help with the search.

An investigator at the scene said the man might not be in the water.

Sheriff’s personnel are checking the area to see if they can locate the man.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Nova Popovich watches as his wife Angie hands his sister-in-law Marietta Popovich an ice cream cone Marietta lives just down the street from Nova and Angie and their new Lower Lake Creamery.

BARKER – When Nova and Angie Popovich were looking to start a new business, they knew their new home at 9848 Lower Lake Rd. would be the perfect place for an ice cream shop.

It was in the country, near Lake Ontario and far from the fast pace of the city where they used to live.

On July 23, the couple opened Lower Lake Creamery and they couldn’t be happier with their first week in business.

Nova and Angie formerly lived in Cheektowaga, where he ran a machine shop serving the aerospace industry and she was in real estate. When the pandemic hit in 2020, both of their businesses came to a standstill.

They had purchased a new home on Lower Lake Road, which had a mother-in-law apartment and the first thing they did was transform that into an airbnb for a short-term rental.

“We were looking to restructure after Covid, and since the site previously had a snack shop, which had burned, we knew the plot was zoned for retail use,” Angie said. “We love this neighborhood and started thinking how we could stay here and give back to the community. Since everyone loves ice cream, we decided to build an ice cream shop.”

Angie said the inspectors were still there at 4 p.m. on July 22 and the couple opened at noon the next day.

Since then, they have gotten busier and busier. A lot of traffic comes from Golden Hill Campground just kitty-corner across the street.

Nova’s brother Paul and sister-in-law Marietta live nearby and are in there all the time, Marietta said. They love the ice cream.

On Saturday night, Ken and Ann Nice from Knowlesville saw the Creamery on Facebook and drove over for ice cream.

Nova said people like to sit at a picnic table, relax and have a pop or ice cream.

The Creamery sells Perry’s Ice Cream and soft serve. They offer shakes, floats, freezes, cones and sundaes.

“Everything is made to order,” Nova said.

Ken Nice of Knowlesville enjoys his milkshake while Nova Popovich makes another for Ken’s wife Ann.

A sundae bar allows customers to make their own sundaes with soft ice cream.

They also sell pop and water in bottles, which are popular with the campers, Angie said.

The Lower Lake Creamery is open from noon to 8 p.m. seven days a week. They plan to play it by ear as to how long they will be open after the campground closes.

They have a plan to expand and add more features, but aren’t ready to announce it yet.

Lower Lake Creamery is located at 9848 Lower Lake Rd., just a few hundred feet west of the entrance to Golden Hill.

More oxen statues could be added to landscape in 2025

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – An ox in the Trolley Building emerged as one of the stars of the Orleans County 4-H Fair last week. Stacey Kirby Steward, an Albion native, spent several days at the fair painting the all-white fiberglass ox into a realistic creature.

Steward gave one side of the ox an agricultural theme and is working on the other side with fair scenes.

The ox is expected to stay on the fairgrounds, perhaps by the sign along Route 31 or by the giant pie tin for the World’s Largest Apple Pie in 1977. The ox may also be featured in lighted parades later this year, including Medina’s Parade of Lights and other Christmas parades in Albion, Barre and Clarendon.

The agricultural side shows a farmer and a team of oxen plowing a field. Kirby also painted apples and corn.

She enjoyed the feedback from the public, with many people exclaiming when they walked into the Trolley Building and saw a giant ox statue being painted.

“People have had a very positive response,” Steward said on Friday.

Steward has been a featured artist before at the fair, including back in high school when she did face painting. She also painted two murals with a cow theme on the Farm Bureau’s both, where milkshake and ice cream is served during fair week.

Steward said painting a fiberglass statue presented a new challenge, and often was time-consuming. But she thinks the statue showed it provides a nice canvas to paint scenes celebrating parts of Orleans County.

The statue was transformed during the week. It started off all-white.

The painting of the ox also was intended to gauge public interest in whether several oxen statues could be painted as part of a bicentennial tribute in 2025 when Orleans County celebrates its 200^th anniversary.

Other communities have painted animal statues for civic pride, including horses in Rochester, buffalo in Buffalo, and squirrels in Olean. Saratoga Springs painted 5-foot-tall fiberglass statues of pointe shoes to celebrate dance. Saratoga is home to the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame.

The ox statue was made in Texas and shipped to the Fairgrounds last month by FedEx. The Orleans County Bicentennial Committee will see if there are enough sponsors to have more oxen painted around the county for the bicentennial next year.

Orleans County officially formed on April 15, 1825. The State Legislature recognized Orleans County that day, allowing it to splinter from Genesee County.

Oxen were critical in helping pioneers tame the wild land two centuries ago. The oxen pulled wagons across rough terrain and helped clear trees for the early Orleans residents. The animals also were put to work in building the Erie Canal.

The ox may be incorporated into the theme and logo for the county’s bicentennial.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health, in collaboration with the Orleans County YMCA and Medina Area Partnership has announced the rescheduling of a Bicycle Helmet and Health Event, which was canceled for July 10 due to weather.

The new date for the event at the Orleans County YMCA is Aug. 2, from noon to 2 p.m.

The event is designed to promote cycling safety and overall health and wellness in the community, according to Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach at Orleans Community Health.

“We invite all community members, whether or not they already have a helmet, to join us for an afternoon of fun, learning and community engagement,” Robinson said.

Event highlights include helmet donations, collected throughout late June and early July; and health and wellness information, provided to all attendees and offering insights into maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“We’re thrilled this event is still able to happen, after the weather had other plans for in July,” Robinson said. “This event is a wonderful opportunity for families to learn more about cycling safety and health in a fun, interactive environment. If anyone else wants to participate or has information to share, just let us know.”

“Ensuring the safety of our children is a top priority for the YMCA,” said Jesse Cudzilo, executive director of the GLOW YMCA in Orleans County. “We are thrilled to have the community’s support in this important initiative, and together, we can make a difference in the lives of our kids.”

The Orleans County YMCA, Medina Area Partnership and Orleans Community Health state they are proud to work together to bring this event to their community. It is their belief, through collaboration, they can enhance the health and safety of residents.

The event is open for anyone in the community.

Photo and information courtesy of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Fair Royalty were crowned Saturday evening at the conclusion of the Fair Awards Ceremony.

Royalty this year are front row, left to right: Jolie Noel Rebisz, 9, of Bergen (Fair Princess); Kendyl Collyer, 9, of Waterport (Fair Princess Alternate); Henry Dresser, 10, of Medina (Fair Prince); Brody Collyer, 10, of Kendall (Fair Prince Alternate); Albert Kidney, 12, of Medina (Fair Duke).

Back Row: Amelia Paratore, 14, of Pembroke (Duchess Alternate); Kate Bennett, 13, of Brockport (Fair Duchess); Kendyll Kidney, 16, of Medina (Fair Queen Alternate); Lea Donofrio, 17, of Bergen (Fair Queen); Cole Erion, 15, of Byron, (Duke Alternate); and Luke Gregoire, 17, of Murray (Fair King). There is no King Alternate.