Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli was in Albion on Saturday to meet with the local Democratic Party and encourage them in what is often a daunting task of fielding candidates in a Republican-dominated county.

DiNapoli has been state comptroller since 2007. He has met with local Democrats at least twice before in Albion.

He noted Democrats in rural parts of the state have the work extra hard to get candidates elected. In Orleans County, Republicans outnumber Democrats by a 2-to-1 ratio.

“Every vote you get in Orleans County is a hard-fought vote,” DiNapoli told about 30 people during a gathering on Saturday at Hoag Library. “I don’t want you to think that we at the state level don’t appreciate and recognize it.”

He said Democrats can win by drawing support from independents and even some Republicans. He urged them to keep trying in the local elections and stay active as a committee in the county.

“Bad things happen when good people don’t vote,” he said.

Tom DiNapoli addresses local Democrats in Albion on Saturday. Jeff Lewis, Democratic Party chairman in Orleans County, is in back at right.

A priority this coming election is to defeat Donald Trump in the presidential race. DiNapoli said there “is a lot of soul-searching going on” among Democrats. Joe Biden faces increasing pressure to drop out of the race. He is trailing Trump in the polls, and Biden is coming off what many view as a “disastrous” debate against Trump last month.

“We have to stay united as Democrats and make sure Trump is not re-elected again,” DiNapoli said, calling Trump “a threat to democracy.”

The state comptroller said New York State is doing well economically as it works to recover from the Covid pandemic. He said New York City is back to 100 percent with jobs from the pre-Covid levels. Other parts of the state aren’t quite back to 100 percent and are in the 90s. But DiNapoli said unemployment is low at 4.9 percent and sales tax returns have been strong.

The comptroller oversees at $268 billion pension fund, that DiNapoli was up 11.5 percent last year. His office also puts out many reports highlighting challenges in rural areas, including shrinking population, an aging population, emergency services, affordable housing and child poverty. DiNapoli said three upstate cities – Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse – are among the top 10 in the country for highest child poverty levels.

He tries to highlight issues for state legislators and the governor to work on and address with legislation and the state budget.

“As Democrats we want everyone to be lifted up and not just the wealthy and the few,” he said.

David Wagenhauser, a Democrat from Waterloo in Seneca County, attended the Democratic Party gathering on Saturday with DiNapoli.  Wagenhauser seeks to unseat Rep. Claudia Tenney in the 24th Congressional District that covers 14 counties including Orleans.

Wagenhauser is a retired lawyer. He has served as a Brockport village trustee.

DiNapoli said a victory by Wagenhauser would help put the House of Representatives back in a Democratic majority. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also is up for election in November, and her re-election is critical for Democrats to hang on to a razor-thin majority in the Senate, DiNapoli said.

Group headed east on Monday through Orleans County with destination to Fairport

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Christa and Dean Berry are on their third Cycle the Erie Canal ride. They are heading for Wise Intermediate School in Medina to check out a selection of books from the Author’s Note bookstore.

MEDINA – Medina and Orleans County tourism committees rolled out the red carpet today for 550 cyclists and their 100 volunteers who arrived in town on the 26th annual Cycle the Erie Canal ride.

Orleans County Tourism director Dawn Borchet, tourism creative director Lynne Menz, Medina Tourism Board member Barb Gorham and Job Development director Kelly Kiebala worked in shifts to greet cyclists as they signed in at the Tourism Booth.

The first thing cyclists were asked to do was write their name on a giant map of the United States, indicating where they came from. By 2 p.m., names were already filled in across New York, Maine, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Indiana, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Canada and New Mexico. Two sisters on the ride came from Australia.

Jim Murray of Santa Clara, Calif. points to his home town on a map set up in the Tourism Booth at Wise Intermediate School for cyclists to sign. This is his first time on the Cycle the Erie Canal ride.

The map was an idea of Borchet’s, who said she saw it at a tourism event in Wayne County.

“It makes a good impact statement,” Borchet said. “I took it last year to a legislative meeting, and until you have the visual, you don’t realize the impact to our area.”

There are cyclists from 37 states will travel 40-60 miles per day this week, visiting historic towns along the Erie Canalway Trail. The trip started in Buffalo this morning and ends in Albany on July 14.

The trip on Monday will include rest stops in Albion, Holley, Brockport and Spencerport for the day’s riding ends in Fairport.

The grounds surrounding Wise Intermediate School are a sea of tents all set up for the 50 cyclists and 100 volunteers who will spend the night there on their 400-mile ride from Buffalo to Albany on the Erie Canal trail.

For some riders, this was their first attempt, while others have done it multiple times.

Jim Murray of Santa Clara, Calif. is one of the first-timers. While he was in college, he worked in Niagara Falls, so he was excited to be back in the area. He said he waited until he was retired, because it took a lot of time bike riding in preparation.

This was the 14th year in the event for Jim Englert of Wayne, Steuben County who is a volunteer. This meant he rides every other day and helps load and unload gear and luggage on the trucks accompanying the riders the other days.

Christa and Dean Berry from Washington, D.C. are on their third bike ride. They enjoy seeing the locks in Lockport and were looking forward to having “Utica pies,” a name given a special pizza in the city of Utica.

“This is such beautiful country,” Dean said. “There is so much more to New York than New York City.”

Peter Ashley from Titusville, Pa., Trish Zdep of Buffalo, formerly of Elba, and Joe Kaufman from Eau Claire, Wis. relax by their tents before heading to State Street Park for a concert featuring bluegrass music by Creek Bend.

Peter Ashley from Titusville, Pa. was riding with Trish Zdep of Buffalo, formerly of Elba, and Joe Kaufman from Eau Claire, Wis. This was their third year volunteering and riding every other day.

Zdep’s favorite thing is all the little towns along the way. In Medina she was especially impressed with the architecture and the stone buildings.

“This is a great way to see New York, that isn’t New York City,” Kaufman said. “You meet new people. I saw a guy I first met three years ago.”

He praised the reception given the cyclists in Medina.

“Dinner was fantastic and we loved the cherries,” Kaufman said. “There are a lot of first-timers this year, including a guy from Germany.”

Craig Cashman from Watertown is on the Cycle the Erie Canal ride for the first time, with four friends. This is his first time in Medina.

Craig Cashman of Watertown said he had always wanted to do this ride and convinced four friends to do it with him this year.

“This is so well organized,” he said. “We are impressed at how they cater to everything you need. “This is my first time in Medina and we rode around downtown. We were amazed at the beautiful churches. I also enjoy the music.”

Medina Tourism Committee, chaired by Jim Hancock, sponsored a bus to take cyclists around town and back on a regular schedule all afternoon. Stops included the Medina Railroad Museum, Sandstone Hall of Fame, the Visitor’s Center and Canal Basin.

The 400-mile ride from Buffalo to Albany encompasses eight days and is sponsored by Parks and Trails New York.

A stream of cyclists pedal across the railroad tracks on Gwinn Street about 1:45 p.m. Sunday en route to Wise Intermediate School, where Tent City was set up for the 550 riders and 100 volunteers on the Cycle the Erie Canal ride.

Jim Englert of Wayne reaches for a handful of sweet cherries at the Tourism Booth, while volunteers Kelly Kiebala, left, and Orleans County tourism director Dawn Borchet look on.

ALBION – Community Action has announced two new summer programs for families in Genesee and Orleans counties.

According to Jeanette Worsley, case manager/health coach, the Summer Recreation Scholarship Program will provide financial aid to help income-eligible families pay for school-aged youth to participate in summer camps, clubs and organized sporting activities. Covered expenses include registration fees, uniform charges and mandatory equipment costs. Applicants must provide ID, proof of income, proof of residency and a copy of the registration/order form.

To register or for more information, Orleans County residents should contact Nikki at (585) 589-5605, ext. 101. Genesee County residents should contact Heidi at (585) 343-7798, ext. 403.

The Family Strong program is designed to provide life skills, education and opportunities for teens and families who have lost loved ones and struggle with their mental health. Youth aged 12-18 can make up to $200 by attending teen financial wellness workshops by M&T Bank, earn a three-year First Aid/CPR/AED/Naloxone certification from the American Red Cross and find harmony through horsemanship while participating in equine-assisted activities presented by Freedom Reins Occupational Therapy.

The Family Strong program has no income eligibility requirement, however, one family member aged 18 or older must attend an online, instructor led Youth Mental Health First Aid certification course, designed to help adults identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents.

The course will be presented by Compeer Buffalo on July 17 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Successful participants will earn a three-year certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. To sign up or for more information, call or text Jeanette at (585) 866-5494. Registration ends July 10.

Provided photos: The 2023 preservation award winners include, from top to bottom, left to right: Harriette Greaser in Albion, Diana Dragan of Albion, the Walsh Hotel in Medina, Pine Hill School in Barre, Bent’s Opera House in Medina, and Marti’s on Main in Albion.

CHILDS – The Cobblestone Museum is accepting nominations for the 2024 Historic Preservation Awards to be presented by the museum.

The honorees represent the very best of what Orleans County stands for and supports in historic preservation, said Doug Farley, museum director.

The awards allow the museum to show appreciation to the people who are using preservation to safeguard and enhance structures in Orleans County.

According to Farley, they exemplify best practices in the field and demonstrate how preservation is integral to building stronger neighborhoods, boosting local economies and saving the places that are special to all of us. The Historic Preservation Awards celebrate those who work so hard to protect that shared heritage.

Nomination forms are available on the Cobblestone Museum’s website (click here). They are due by Sept. 1.

Awards will be presented in three categories:

• Cobblestone – To recognize outstanding preservation and rehabilitation of a historic cobblestone structure located in Orleans County.

• Resident – To honor an Orleans County homeowner who completes rehabilitation/restoration of a 75-year-old or older historic residential structure.

• Business – To honor the body of work demonstrated by a business or organization in the preservation, restoration and rehabilitation of historic projects in Orleans County.

The winners will be recognized at an awards dinner on Oct. 25 at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.

Last year’s awards were presented to Harriette Greaser and Donna Kay Dragan Reed for restoring historic homes in Albion; Pine Hill School on Pine Hill Road, Albion, Marti’s on Main in Albion, the Walsh Hotel and Bent’s Opera House, both in Medina.

Anyone with questions or wishing more information may call the Cobblestone Museum at (585) 589-9013.

Public Service Announcement, featuring 4 students and their teacher Zach Busch, perform to enthusiastic crowd at Hickory Ridge

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – A rock band with Holley students played nine songs during their first concert in the community on Friday evening at Hickory Ridge Golf & RV Resort in Holley.

The band – Public Service Announcement – includes, from left: Owen Schultz on guitar, Layla Jones on bass, Gabe Lindsay on vocals, Zach Busch (guest guitar player who usually is on drums for PSA) and Aidan Kelley on guitar. Tristan Sanders, drummer for the Moon Hunters, joined PSA for their closing song, “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” by AC/DC.

Gabe Lindsay sings “Big Shot” by Billy Joel. He is joined by his Holley music teacher Zach Busch, also guitarist for the Moon Hunters; Dave Blumrick, bass player for the Moon Hunters; and Aidan Kelley, guitar player for PSA.

Owen Schultz, left, and Layla Jones perform with PSA.

The band members are all students in the school band led by Zach Busch. Schultz will be a senior, Jones will be a junior, and Aidan Kelley is an incoming sophomore. Gabe Linsday, the lead singer, graduated a week ago.

They have been playing together for about a year, doing school events. Friday was a chance to open for the Moon Hunters. Busch has played with that band as a founding member for about a decade.

Schultz traces the formation to PSA to when he performed as a character, Ricky Hawkston, in the school’s music showcase in June 2022. “Hawkston” was picked  for Holley’s mascot, the Hawks. Schultz expanded the band to “Ricky and the Shenanigans” who changed their name to Public Service Announcement.

Busch taught the students rock and roll theory, and stayed after school to help them learn some classic rock songs. Busch ended up joining the band as the drummer.

He told the crowd at Hickory Ridge that he feels like he is living out his favorite movie, “School of Rock,” where actor Jack Black teaches students to write rock songs and perform in a high-octane band.

Schultz said he is grateful Busch helped the band mesh together and took the students seriously as musicians who wanted to learn rock and roll.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Schultz said about being in the band with his friends and their music teacher.

The students are all in the marching band led by Busch, and he would often stay after marching band practice to help them with their rock songs.

“We wouldn’t be where we are without him,” Schultz said.

More than 100 people attended the opening concert by PSA at Hickory Ridge.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today provided New Yorkers an update on Covid-19 as new variants contribute to increases in hospitalizations in parts of New York State and around the country.

With social gatherings increasing during summer months, and high temperatures forcing people indoors, the Governor reminds New Yorkers to get tested if they have symptoms, follow the usual precautions including current CDC guidance, stay current with Covid-19 vaccines and seek appropriate treatments if necessary.

“While we are well below the figures seen during the pandemic, we are closely monitoring activity regarding the latest variants,” Governor Hochul said. “By following the guidance and taking simple precautions, New Yorkers can continue to enjoy a safe and healthy summer.”

Covid-19 hospitalizations are currently well above the rates seen at this time last year, but well below the rates seen during the same period in 2022.

• On July 3, 2024, the seven-day average for newly reported Covid-19 hospital admissions statewide was 0.72 per 100,000 residents.
• On July 3, 2023, the seven-day average for newly reported Covid-19 hospital admissions statewide was 0.31 per 100,000 residents.
• On July 3, 2022, the seven-day average for newly reported Covid-19 hospital admissions statewide was 1.66 per 100,000 residents.

New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “We are seeing an increase in admissions to hospitals, yet below prior year increases. As people move indoors to escape the heat, transmission does increase. This is a good opportunity to remind people to improve indoor ventilation whenever possible. Additionally, the standing order I signed last year is still in effect, so anyone who would like an updated vaccine can get one at their pharmacy.”

The widespread availability of at home testing has resulted in a significant decline in tests being sent to labs. Researchers at New York State’s Wadsworth Lab now rely more on wastewater analysis for surveillance of circulating Covid-19 lineages. Federal and state wastewater surveillance indicates the growing presence of new variants both in New York and across the country, which are believed to be one of several potential causes of the current trends in Covid-19 cases and hospitalization rates, including increased travel and social mixing.

Individuals who have symptoms should test for Covid-19, and those who test positive should contact their health care provider about possible treatments, which have been shown to be effective at reducing the chances of serious outcomes.

New Yorkers who are immunocompromised, have lung or cardiovascular conditions, or other risk-factors, and those who are seniors, are especially encouraged to discuss Covid-19 treatments with a health care professional. Those who test positive should also avoid contact with others, including staying home from work, school, and social activities.

The Covid-19 vaccine remains one of best prevention steps and has been shown to reduce risk of serious illness. Anyone who has not yet received the Covid-19 vaccine or boosters is encouraged to do so.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Nick Salvatore, lead singer for Clueless, belts out a rock song on Friday evening at Holley’s Concerts on the Canal series.

Musicians will be performing on Friday evenings beginning at 6 p.m. through Aug. 23.

The lineup for the rest of the series includes:

• July 12: Brick Band
• July 19: Old Hippies
• July 26: Triple Play
• August 2: Michael Zelazny
• August 9: Feedback
• August 16: Ghost Riders
• August 23: Greg Stanton

Clueless performs at Holley Canal Park at 29 East Ave. There were about 75 people at the concert, including a few boaters.

The band includes, from left in front: Nick Salvatore, Gary Tarr and Robert Gallagher. Ritty Right is the drummer.

Daniel Weatherbee grills a hamburger at his new business, The Tugboat Grill. Weatherbee built the trailer that resembles a boat with a grill and refrigerator. He plans to be at the concerts on Friday evenings in Holley, offering burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken and sausage.

Weatherbee has the Tugboat Grill at Glenside Sales & Service at 56 State St. in Holley from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

Nick Salvatore roamed from the main performing area to play the guitar in front of these boaters.

Holley’s concert series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with funds administered by the Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council.

ALBION – Seven towns in central and eastern Orleans County are seeking proposals from ambulance providers to serve the seven-town block.

Monroe Ambulance has had the ambulance contract for most of 2023, and then for 2024. The seven towns previously did not pay for ambulance services.

The towns this year are paying Monroe Ambulance $300,000, The agreement calls for Monroe to station an ambulance in Albion 24 hours a day, seven days a week and one in Holley for at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Monroe also said it will draw on ambulances in Monroe County if there is a need in Orleans County.

The contract is divvied up among the towns based on call volume. The amounts for each town in 2024 include Albion at $155,820, Barre at $13,740, Gaines at $12,030, Carlton at $22,350, Clarendon at $25,350, Kendall at $17,850 and Murray at $52,860.

The first contract started in April 2023 with Monroe paid $181,200 from six of the towns. Kendall didn’t contribute the first year when Monroe was seeking $200,000 for the seven towns.

A Mercy EMS ambulance is shown in Albion in October 2022.

Mercy EMS took over COVA’s ambulance station and vehicles after the organization ceased operations in late 2022. Mercy has sought to be considered for the contract for the seven towns. Many COVA employees work for Mercy.

The seven towns declined to do an RFP last year for the ambulance contract, with Town Board members saying they wanted at least a full year of data from Monroe to measure call responses and service.

The towns are now seeking an RFP with the contract up to three years. The RFPs are due at the Albion Town Hall by noon on July 22.

The ambulance providers need to bid on a contract for two basic life support ambulances available 24/7 and one advanced life support fly car 24/7.

“The bid response should include specific response times, and how those response times will be measured,” the bid documents state.

The ambulance providers also need to identify housing for the ambulance and fly car. The Albion highway department has made part of its facility available to Monroe Ambulance but the municipalities state in the RFP that the towns won’t be providing facilities for the ambulances.

To see the RFP from the towns, click here.

39 buildings have been inducted so far in Hall of Fame at City Hall

Photo by Tom Rivers: Robin Hill Manor on Platten Road in Lyndonville was inducted in the Medina Sandstone hall of Fame in 2023. Robin Hill also includes an arboretum with about 250 varieties of trees.

MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Society is accepting nominations for its Hall of Fame, seeking to recognize prominent buildings made of Medina Sandstone that are well-maintained and architecturally significant.

Since the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame was created in 2013, the society has inducted churches, public structures, private buildings and other civic sites, such as the Civil War Memorial at Mount Albion Cemetery. There have now been 39 inductees.

The four inductees last year included the First Baptist Church of Medina, Hamlin Beach State Park, Robin Hill Manor in Lyndonville and the Masten/Mundion home in Ridgeway.

The plaques and photographs are on display in the main meeting room of City Hall. The Hall of Fame will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The Sandstone Society will be there to welcome some of the 520 cyclists on the “Cycling the Erie Canal” adventure which stops in Medina. The community is also welcome to see the Hall of Fame, which includes a new kiosk about Medina Sandstone sites and history.

This year’s Hall of Fame class could include nominations from previous years not already selected, and any new nominations received by July 15.

To nominate a site, fill out a form: www.sandstonesociety.org/hof-nomination.

Criteria for consideration will include age, beauty, longevity, structural soundness, and architectural uniqueness. If possible nomination information should have full background and documentation, and, at the very least, should give a name and phone number to be contacted for further information or a website.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – The fireworks are shown Thursday night with a reflection in Johnson Creek by the waterfalls.

Young Explosives put on a 45-minute show with big booms and bright lights. It was the largest show in the company’s 75-year history.

The Lyndonville Lions Club pushed for a bigger show than usual to commemorate the club’s 50^th anniversary of organizing the Fourth of July festivities in Lyndonville.

The show began with the lighting of a “50” display in honor of the Lions Club’s 50 Fourth of July festivals.

These kids sit on top of a vehicle to take in the experience of the fireworks.

Here are some reactions posted on the Orleans Hub Facebook page:

• Stephanie Waszak: “Amazing show, thank you”
• Donna Glover: “Best fireworks ever!”
• Beth Ann Mccollum-Bobzien: “It was a great show over a half hour of fireworks and a 10 minute Grand Finale.”
• April Lambert Flick: “Best fireworks I have ever seen!”
• Joey Molisani Jr.: “Lyndonville absolutely delivered with the fireworks this year!”
• Maeday Theodorakos: “I told my friend it was something you would see at NYC. I watched from Mill Road. It was packed with cars. Perfect night.”
• Sharon Ricotta Lampo: “The most magnificent display I have EVER seen in my entire life. You totally outdid yourselves and was completely in aww.”
• Jen Johnson: “My daughter grew up near Philly and lives here now, watched the fireworks in Lyndonville tonight and says it was the most amazing display she’s ever seen. She said they were so great she almost cried.”

The trees by the ballfields are a silhouette with the fireworks lighting up the sky.

These fireworks are shown over the Lyndonville school.

Liberty Klein, 5, holds a sparkler with her father Austin Klein while they wait for the fireworks.

Ronald and Carole Cunningham of Churchville have fun with sparklers while passing time before the fireworks show. They drove more than an hour with their daughter and son-in-law from California, as well as their grandchildren. “We do it every year,” Mr. Cunningham said about the Lyndonville fireworks. “It’s a family tradition.”

Here are more photos from the finale.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Kendyll Kidney, wearing her duchess sash from last year’s Orleans County 4-H Fair, helps promote the upcoming fair from July 22-27.

The float from 4-H’ers was among about 60 in today’s parade in Lyndonville. This was the 50^th anniversary celebration put on by the Lyndonville Lions Club.

A group of 55 Lyndonville students in grades 5 to 12  marched in the parade and played “Stars and Stripes” and “Cupid Shuffle.” They wore patriotic tie-dyed shirts.

Gerald “Shorty” Nellist, a World War II veteran, served as grand marshal of the parade. He is driven in a car by his son-in-law Harold Suhr.

A plane passes over Main Street during the parade. This was the third straight year there was a ceremonial flyover carried out by the 911th Air Lift Wing of the U.S. Air Force Reserves in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The plane heads north over Main Street over a caravan of floats.

Bob Eberle dressed as Uncle Sam and greeted many of the onlookers along the parade route.

Uncle Sam heads north on Main Street in front of a throng of people.

The Alexander Fire Department Band, a mainstay at the parade in recent years, was among several bands adding lots of pep to the parade.

Gordon-Fisk, Inc. on Ridge Road in Medina brought several lawn mowers and other equipment in the parade. Many local businesses participated in the parade.

The fire trucks were a little too loud for some of the people on Main Street.

These people were friendly faces from a Ridgeway fire truck.

These veterans ride in trolley provided by the Houseman-Tanner Post of the American Legion.

People wave to the crowd from atop a Middleport fire truck. Main Street is lined with flags for the holiday.

POINT BREEZE – Sharon Gavenda was out on the Oak Orchard River today in a kayak when she saw a giant American flag on display from a bridge on the Lake Ontario State Parkway.

Gavenda took this photo looking south at the flag and bridge.

It’s been a great day to be outside on the Fourth of July, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the 80s.

Ron Bierstine sent in this photo of the flag taken from the docks of the Orleans County Marine Park.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Stan Powers, crew leader for Young Explosives, holds a 12-inch shell that will be sent up about 1,000 feet tonight during the finale of Lyndonville’s fireworks.

The shell is in a special package in honor of the Lyndonville Lions Club’s 50^th annual Fourth of July celebration.

Lyndonville is one of Young Explosives biggest fireworks shows every year, and tonight will be a record-breaker in the company’s 75-year history. Before today, the biggest fireworks show ever for Young Explosives was $50,000. The Lyndonville show tonight will top that at $50,100. That is about double the $25,000 in recent history for the Lyndonville fireworks display.

Powers has been doing the show sin Lyndonville for the past decade. He said the setting is ideal – “5 stars out of 5 stars.”

There are no nearby structures. It’s mostly hundreds of acres of fields. That allows Young Explosives to send up bigger shells. At most other sites, Young is limited to shells that are 3 and 4 inches in width and those typically go up 375 to 425 feet. At Lyndonville, Young Explosives will send up shells that are 8, 10 and 12 inches, and those big shells explode abut 1,000 feet up high.

The Lyndonville fireworks typically goes about 38 minutes. Tonight may stretch out to 45 minutes, and there will be less time in between the fireworks.

“If we do it right there should be no dark sky,” Powers said today, taking a short lunch break before he and a crew of four others returned to setting up for tonight’s show.

The fireworks usually are set off beginning at 10 p.m. Tonight it begins at 9:55 with a special “50” ground display, followed by a display of the American flag.

Wes Bradley, the fireworks chairman the past 19 years, pulls a collection container in today’s parade. Bradley is retiring as chairman of the fireworks.

Powers said he has enjoyed working with Bradley over the years. Bradley helped raise the money to give Lyndonville such a big show. He also keeps Powers and the crew in good spirits, bringing them a chicken barbecue during the busy setup.

90 West Country Band performs on a stage behind the town hall. 7th Heaven will close out the concerts from 7 to 10 p.m. at the stage.

These three are part of a crew that cooked 800 chickens for a barbecue. They include Chris Hughes, left, and his brothers-in-law, Eric Gremli of Auburn and Ryan Demorest of Syracuse. They come to Lyndonville to help the Lions Club with the chicken barbecue. Lions Club members Mark Hughes, John Belson and Roger Wolfe recruit several family and friends for the annual task. They said they haven’t been able to see the noon parade in years.