By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 January 2024 at 6:08 pm
CLARENDON – Three months after he allegedly entered a Crosby’s in Clarendon with a gun and took money out of a register, a Clarendon man has been charged with armed robbery.
Henry W. Horton, 31, of Clarendon was charged on Jan. 17 by State Police, which were assisted by other law enforcement agencies. In addition to robbery in the second degree, Horton has been charged with criminal use of a firearm in 2nd degree, menacing in the 2nd and petit larceny.
Horton also is a suspect in multiple robberies in the Monroe County area. On Oct. 17, state troopers responded to Crosby’s on Holley Byron Road for an armed robbery. Investigation determined that an unidentified suspect, later identified as Horton, entered Crosby’s with a firearm and demanded money. Horton took cash out of the register and a few packs of Newport cigarettes, State Police said in a news release.
Utilizing multiple investigative resources and working with Monroe County Sheriff’s Office multiple warrants were issued for the arrest and search of Horton. The State Police Special Operations Response Team did a search and arrested Horton at a residence in Albion. He was transported to the State Police barracks in Albion for processing and arraigned at the Orleans County Jail, where he is held on $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation were assisted by the State Police Special Operations Response Team, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Gates Police Department, Albion Police Department, Medina Police Department, Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and Monroe County District Attorney Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 January 2024 at 4:28 pm
Star Wars characters, G.I. Joes, Atari games and more
Photos by Tom Rivers: Jason Royce, owner of Retro World Toys, stands in his store at 32 Public Store with Slimer, one of the characters from the Ghostbusters movies.
HOLLEY – Step in Retro World Toys, and it’s a step back in time, from Star Wars figures from the 1970s and ’80s, Elvis cards, Atari video games, a Rocky III movie poster, Fisher-Price toys, and a lineup of G.I. Joes and Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos.
Jason Royce has been selling retro toys for several years, mostly online. He had a store in West Seneca but shut it down during the height of the Covid pandemic.
He wanted to open in a storefront again, and preferred a small town. The Barker resident looked at Medina and Albion. He picked Holley after going to an estate sale. When he rounded Route 31 and saw the Public Square, he felt like it would be the perfect fit for his business.
“I fell in love with it,” he said about Holley’s business district. “Seeing Holley, it felt like Hallmark.”
These wresting figures include one of Gene Okerlund, center, who was a long-time interviewer, announcer and television host for the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.
Royce also said the business is close to Brockport, Rochester and Batavia, and can draw people from those communities.
Royce retired as a professional wrestler about two years ago after 25 years wrestling nationally and in more regional syndicates. He generally wrestled as a cowboy character.
With retro toys, he said the sense of nostalgia is a strong among collectors. He expects people will travel to come to the store to check out the merchandise.
The store opened at noon today for the first time and there was a ribbon cutting with leaders from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, Village of Holley officials and a representative from Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
There was a ribbon cutting today at noon for the new businesses in Holley. From left include Holley Mayor Mark Bower, Village Trustee John Morriss, Orleans County Chamber of Commerce President Dave Gagne, Retro World Toys owner Jason Royce, Vintage Me This owner Marla Harmon, Assemblyman Steve Hawley chief of staff Eileen Banker, and Darlene Hartway, Chamber of Commerce executive director.
Mayor Mark Bower said Retro World Toys and a companion business, Vintage Me This, are assets to the community.
“It’s great to have another storefront occupied in the village,” Bower said. “It’s unique.”
Royce’s partner Marla Harmon has opened Vintage Me This in the back part of the building. She sells dishes, glasses, zipper pouches, Pyrex stickers, key chains, tote bags and other “fun retro items.”
The businesses are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Marla Harmon also started her own business in the back of the store at 32 Public Square. She touts Vintage Me This as “Not your grandma’s antique store.”
MIDDLEPORT – A Royalton man faces multiple charges after fleeing police with a car and then on foot, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Vincent J. Merlin V
Vincent J. Merlin V, 20, has been charged by the Sheriff’s Office with driving while intoxicated (misdemeanor), resisting arrest (misdemeanor), obstruction of governmental administration 2nd (misdemeanor), reckless driving (misdemeanor), and other vehicle and traffic law infractions. He also faces charges from the Middleport Police Department for the original pursuit.
Middleport police officer Mandaville reported a vehicle failing to stop when he attempted to initiate a traffic stop at 11:46 p.m. on Friday in the area of Johnson Creek Road and Ridge Road in the Town of Hartland.
A brief pursuit ensued but was terminated quickly due to the weather and road conditions, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputy Van Buren was patrolling on Ridge Road in the Town of Newfane, when he observed a vehicle matching the above mentioned at a high rate of speed. He began following the vehicle, attempting to safely catch up to it.
The vehicle driven by Merlin traveled north into Newfane and pulled into Kenyon’s where it began to operate recklessly in the snow-covered parking lot, the Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release. Deputy Van Buren initiated a traffic stop and an investigation subsequently led to the arrest of the driver. When attempting to place Merlin into custody, he fled from patrols on foot and was apprehended almost immediately by deputies.
Merlin was remanded to the Niagara County Correctional Facility awaiting arraignment. He is to return to both the Town of Hartland and Town of Newfane courts to answer to his charges.
College students from Orleans County have been named to the Dean’s List or President’s List for high academic achievement in the fall semester.
Nazareth University in Rochester recognized the following from Orleans with GPAs at 3.5 or above, putting them on the Dean’s List:
Karlee Robb of Kendall
Hailey Crawford of Albion
Joseph Nettles of Holley
Melissa Robinson of Albion
Hannah Stewart of Kent
Alfred State College said nine students from Orleans County are on the Dean’s List, including:
Jayce Ashton of Albion: Heavy Equipment Operations: Notre Dame High School in Batavia
Julia Buck: Business Administration: Holley Senior High School
Lorelei Dillenbeck: Diagnostic Medical Sonography: Lyndonville Central School
Samuel Doolan: Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning: Lyndonville Central School
Robert Dysard: Heavy Equipment Truck & Diesel Technician: Albion Senior High School
Ethan Kuhn: Forensic Science Technology: Kendall Jr-Sr High School
Reagan London: Nursing (AAS/BS): Lyndonville Central School
Jacob Thom: Welding Technology: Albion Senior High School
Slade Tower: CNC Manufacturing and Machining: Albion Senior High School
SUNY Oneonta announced Daisy Perez-Reyes of Albion earned Dean’s List honors for the fall 2023 semester. Perez-Reyes is studying Sociology at SUNY Oneonta.
Grove City College in Pennsylvania named Emma Roush of Medina to the fall Dean’s List. Roush is a Psychology major at Grove City.
SUNY New Paltz congratulates Parker Penafiel of Albion for earning fall 2023 Dean’s List honors.
Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio announced Leah Kania of Albion, who is majoring in voice performance, has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2023 semester.
SUNY Cortland congratulated Lacey Kenward of Medina for earning President’s List honors for the Fall 2023 semester. Kenward is studying Childhood Early Childhood Education. To qualify for the President’s List, students must earn a grade of A- or better in each of their classes while carrying a course load of 12 hours or more.
Southern New Hampshire University announced the following students from Orleans County earned GPAs of at least 3.700 for the fall and are on the President’s List:
BATAVIA – In an ongoing effort to provide the most efficient and compassionate treatment methods for those struggling with substance use disorder, UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) has expanded its residential services program.
“Professional studies show the positive impact that recovery residences have in both outpatient and inpatient settings,” said Allison Parry-Gurak, director of Residential Services at UConnectCare. “With that being said, we offer a detox center and residential settings to meet a wide range of individuals at various stages of their recovery journey.”
According to a study by the Recovery Research Institute, utilization of recovery residences, also called sober homes or halfway houses, improves substance use outcome. At UConnectCare, these residences are alcohol and drug-free living environments that provide peer support and other services for those seeking recovery from SUD.
Parry-Gurak said the local nonprofit agency provides various level of care including the conversion of Atwater House to an “820 program.”
This allows UConnectCare to offer three “elements of care” when it comes to residential services – (1) a medically supervised program for those with mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms or, stabilization; (2) a structure and supportive community living experience that builds a foundation for recovery, or rehabilitation; (3) case management and long-term assistance through a variety of programs or, reintegration.
Additionally, UConnectCare operates supportive living, transitional safety units and permanent supportive housing programs in both Genesee and Orleans counties.
They include the following:
Atwater Community Residence in Batavia, a short-term (usually three months) home that offers 21 beds for men and women, ages 18 and older, and features in-house recovery-focused groups, individual therapy and vocational training.
A detox/stabilization center, located behind the Atwater Home, a 16-bed facility that provides shorter term medically supervised withdrawal and stabilization services for adults who are struggling with SUD. UConnectCare has an “open access” policy, starting at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday as well as late admission under specific guidelines, Parry-Gurak said.
Supportive living beds, 19 of them in Genesee County and five in Orleans County.
Transitional safety units, housing for six to nine months on average, with the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative program an avenue for families dealing with substance use issues.
Permanent supportive housing.
“All of these programs are under our ‘Housing with Dignity’ umbrella, which really means that we strive to provide the best care to our clients in a welcoming and safe environment,” Parry-Gurak said. “Recovery housing is a valuable part of our continuum of care that can help people transition to an independent life and improve their substance use outcomes.”
UConnectCare offers other housing opportunities, including The Reentry Program that helps connect individuals returning to the community after incarceration with services such as substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, housing, food, clothing, employment and/or job training, childcare, transportation and medical care.
Parry-Gurak, a UConnectCare employee for 5 ½ years, has been in her current position since November 2021. She reported that the agency is seeking full- and part-time professional counselors, medical staff (LPN, RN), residential aides and food service workers.
“UConnectCare has been a Best Company in New York every year since 2018 and truly is a great place to work,” she said. “The agency offers flexible scheduling that values a balance between work and family, paid time off, benefits for full-time employees and a cooperative, team atmosphere.”
For more information about UConnectCare’s residential services or employment, go to www.uconnectcare.org.
ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Social Services’ Safe Harbour Program is holding a poster contest for students in grades 7-12 to raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking. The theme is “Spot the Signs – Stop the Traffick.”
Posters should be at least 8.5 by 11 inches and should include red flags, vulnerabilities, warning signs and myths about sex trafficking. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on Feb. 15 and should be brought to the Orleans County Administration Building located at 14016 Rt 31 in Albion.
The first prize winner will receive a Play Station 5; second prize is a Nintendo Switch Lite; and third prize is an ONN Tablet.
The Safe Harbour program is designed to be a safe place for young people between 12-18 years of age. In addition to providing education and awareness, Safe Harbour provides lessons in life skills to promote a strong foundation to help children launch into their future.
For more information on the poster contest or the Safe Harbour program, please contact Heather Jackson at 585-589-2837 or email SafeHarbour@orleanscountyny.gov.
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners will once again be offering a monthly educational class on the first Saturday of every month starting in February and ending in November.
The class series, titled “Master Your Garden,” has been growing in popularity since its first year in 2021. Each class is taught either by a Master Gardener (MG) volunteer or a professional in the field. This year’s class lineup with dates and instructors are as follows:
Feb. 3: A Mushroom Journey – Elaine Barnett of Heartland Organics
March 2: Peony Support Hoops – MG Peggy Thomas
April 6: Seed Saving – Eric Andrews, Heirloom Gardening Enthusiast
May 4: Potatoes – MG Mark Tucker
June 1: Garden Tools and Care – MG Eileen Sorochty
July 6: Beneficial Bug-o-rama – MG Michael Klepp and MG Peggy Thomas
Aug. 3: Invasive Species in Your Garden – Rachel Taylor, WNY PRISM
Sept. 7: Beautiful and Beneficial Bats – Michael Klepp, Nature Teacher
Each year Master Gardeners try to choose topics that cover a varied selection of public interests. Volunteers use previous class surveys to see what other subject matter participants might be interested in.
They try to select a few “customer choice” topics each year as well as others that might appeal to a wide-range of growers. There are classes to support food gardeners, eco-conscience gardeners, practical gardeners, and beyond!
Michael Klepp will be teaching two classes this year, one on beneficial insects and the other on bats.
Master Gardeners also try to have at least one hands-on craft style class each year as well. This year, the hands-on class will be the Peony Support Hoops class taught by Master Gardener Peggy Thomas. Participants will be able to craft their own support trellis to use on peonies or other droopy plants in the garden.
“I’m really looking forward to teaching the class in March making plant supports from natural materials,” said class instructor Thomas. “It’s perfect for those gardeners looking for a project to do while waiting for spring to arrive!”
The goal of the series is to fulfill the mission of the Master Gardeners of Orleans County CCE in extending research-based information to the public. With each new topic presented, Orleans County residents have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and become better gardeners and stewards of the land.
“I know I’m always excited to learn a new aspect of how to improve our planet, in my own little corner or how to improve my efforts to care for my native plantings and my little family of beneficial insects, birds and wildlife,” Master Gardener and Garden Tools class instructor Eileen Sorochty summed up.
The Master Your Garden series will be held at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month in the “Buzz” Hill Education Center of the Orleans County CCE office building located at the 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 State Rt 31 in Albion.
Classes are offered for an optional donation of $5 per person, with proceeds supporting all programming of the Master Gardener Program of Orleans County. Pre-registration is appreciated to allow for enough seating and supplies. Register by calling 585-798-4265 or emailing klo54@cornell.edu.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 January 2024 at 9:49 am
It’s another cold one in Orleans County today with a high of 21, and 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a special weather statement this morning for Orleans, Niagara and Monroe counties, saying snowfall rates of an inch per hour in some persistent snow bands will make the roads slippery.
The high on Saturday will only be 15 with wind chill values as low as minus 5 degrees with another 1 to 2 inches possible. Sunday will be partly sunny with a high of 23.
Orleans County will get a reprieve from the frigid weather on Monday, when the high goes above freezing to 33 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Then the highs will be 35 on Tuesday, 42 on Wednesday, and 41 on Thursday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 January 2024 at 8:42 am
After recent big increases, school funding up 2.4% statewide
File photo: The Kendall Junior-Senior High School is shown in 2018. The Kendall school district would face a $300,000 hit in state aid, according to the governor’s budget.
Local school districts, which have received big increases in state aid in recent years, won’t be getting a big hike in funding, according to Gov. Hochul’s executive budget. In fact, two out of the five school districts in Orleans County would get less in state funds.
Lyndonville and Kendall both are proposed for cuts in total state aid – Lyndonville by about $30,000 and Kendall by over $300,000.
Albion is proposed for a slight increase at $160,000, while Medina and Holley would each get about $1 million more.
Here are the state aid runs in the governor’s budget for the five districts in Orleans County:
Albion
Foundation Aid: $26,052,376 to $26,442,339 (up by $389,963)
Total state aid: $34,275,359 to $34,435,633 (up by $160,274 or +0.47%)
Holley
Foundation Aid: $13,436,179 to $13,618,345 (up by $182,166)
Total state aid: $20,434,085 to $21,326,736 (up by $892,651, or +4.37%)
Kendall
Foundation Aid: $9,283,012 to $9,252,230 (down by $30,782)
Total state aid: $15,252,682 to $14,939,660 (down by $313,022, or -2.05%)
Lyndonville
Foundation Aid: $8,943,397 to $9,067,681 (up by $124,284)
Total state aid: $13,343,586 to $13,311,758 (down by $31,288, -0.24%)
Medina
Foundation Aid: $19,829,059 to $21,113,084 (up by $1,284,025)
Total state aid: $29,339,568 to $30,326,800 (up by $987,232, +3.36%)
Total aid for the five school districts in Orleans County is up by $4,222,006 to $114,340,587, which includes $79,493,679 in Foundation Aid.
The governor’s budget proposes $35.3 billion in total school aid, an increase of $825 million (2.4 percent) from FY24. This includes a $507 million increase in Foundation Aid. A year ago the governor proposed a $2.7 billion increase in Foundation Aid.
NYS School Boards Association Executive Director Robert Schneider is critical of Hochul’s aid for school districts.
“NYSSBA is disappointed that Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal for 2024-25 appears to pull back from the substantial progress New York has made with Foundation Aid funding in recent years,” Schneider said in statement on Tuesday. “The proposal is hundreds of millions of dollars below full funding, since it appears that some districts would even see cuts to their Foundation Aid, reversing a decades-long practice of holding school districts harmless.”
The cuts in funding “are likely to negatively impact programs and services” at the affected school districts, Schneider said.
School districts are facing the upcoming expiration of federal stimulus funding, and the academic and social-emotional needs of students remain high, he said.
“School boards continue to support comprehensive revisions to the state’s Foundation Aid formula, including crucial updates to antiquated demographic data, to deliver on its promise of a sound basic education for all students,” Schneider said in his statement. “But until this major update can be designed and implemented, interim adjustments should be undertaken carefully to ensure that New York does not backslide on its progress of recent years.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 January 2024 at 10:44 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – These kids wave their light-up swords and souvenirs during Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus this evening at the Albion High School Gymnasium.
More than 500 people attended the show.
The circus has started its annual swing in the region. The other upcoming local performances include Medina Wise Middle School on Friday with shows at 5:15 and 7:15 p.m.; 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Holley Elementary School; and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26 at the Kendall High School Gym.
Elena Aristov dazzled the crowd with a series of quick costume changes that looked like magic. She is joined in the show ring by her husband Alex, who also did a very quick suit switch. Their two sons, Ivan and Sasha, also are performers with Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus.
Sasha Aristov juggles a suitcase with his feet in his routine.
James Miller, 4, gets his face painted to look like Spider Man. Elena Aristov is the artist. She was painting faces before the start of the show. James’ mother Porshe Taylor said she has been coming to circus for many years, going back to when she was a kid.
Ivan Arestov displays his skill with Cyr Wheel acrobatics.
Angela Martin wears a blacklight outfit that glows in the dark while she does her aerial artistry up high in the gym.
The performers debuted new costumes, some new music and modified their routines from past shows.
The Albion performance also was a benefit for the Close-Up program which takes high schoolers to Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) today introduced the Unborn Child Support Act to enable expecting mothers to receive child support payments during pregnancy.
Additional cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and U.S. Representatives Jim Banks (R-IN-03), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Bob Good (R-VA-05), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) and John Moolenaar (R-MI-02).
Specifically, this bill allows the courts, in consultation with the mother, to grant child support payments during the prenatal period, extending retroactively to the physician-determined point of conception. Additionally, it provides flexibility for mothers who seek to avoid the involvement of the father by offering discretion as to whether those mothers receive child support.
“Every human life is important, and expecting mothers should have the physical, emotional, and financial support they need to reflect that,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The Unborn Child Support Act provides mothers with the opportunity to access child support payments during pregnancy while giving them the flexibility to deny these payments, should they choose. I am honored to lead this bicameral legislation in the House and will continue to work to ensure mothers and their unborn children have the support they deserve from conception.”
“New mothers and unborn children deserve care from conception, and child support should reflect this. Modifying child support laws to allow pregnant mothers to receive it is commonsense and long overdue,” said Senator Cramer. “Instead of imposing mandates, our bill empowers mothers by giving them the choice to receive pre-natal child support. Now, more than ever, there is a greater responsibility for Congress to pass legislation to protect and support mothers and children.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 18 January 2024 at 4:18 pm
Provided photo: Betsey Telford-Goodwin of Maine shows one of the antique Crazy Quilts in her collection of more than 700. She will do her first ever virtual lecture at 2 p.m. Jan. 27 to benefit the Cobblestone Museum.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Museum is planning a first-time virtual lecture at 2 p.m. (EST) Jan. 27 with a world-renown quilt expert and collector.
“I am not a quilter, but two previous lectures that focused on quilts were very well attended,” said Sue Bonafini, assistant director of the Cobblestone Museum. “Virtual lectures are a way to generate operating funds for our museum during our off-season.”
Last fall, Bonafini contacted Brenda Radzinski of Albion, who is a quilter, to suggest a topic related to quilting that might resonate with members and friends of the Museum.
“She suggested a program about Crazy Quilts, which have historical roots from Victorian times,” Bonafini explained. “I simply began researching crazy quilts and their history on the internet, and Betsey’s shop came up in my search engine.”
Crazy Quilts are one-of-a-kind treasures, named for their random patches, irregular shapes, haphazard fabrics and meticulous embroidery.
“Betsey” is Betsey Telford-Goodwin, an antique quilt expert who owns Rocky Mountain Quilts in Maine. She launched her business in Palisade, Colo. and relocated to York, Maine in 1997, when she purchased an 18th century home there and turned its barn into her shop, which contains almost 700 antique quilts. It is a destination for people from as far away as Australia.
Goodwin’s interest in quilts and fabrics was handed down through her family, beginning with her great-grandfather who ran textile mills in New England.
“I originally became interested in quilts as forms of art,” Goodwin said. “Quilts are art. I feel they are very undervalued.”
She has the largest collection of antique fabrics in the United States, outside of a museum, she said. Her quilts date from 1780 to 1955. She restores quilts using original same date or older fabrics.
Goodwin is a member of the prestigious Antiques Council of America, the Maine Antiques Dealers Association, the New Hampshire Dealers Association, the American Society of Interior Designers and the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiques.
She shares how her business began, with four mint condition quilts.
Then clients needed quilts repaired, so she began hand washing and restoring them. After developing a method of restoration, she taught talented hand sewers the art. Betsey learned her master sewing skills at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Mass. At yard sales, antique shops and antique shows, she purchased all the genuine antique fabrics and clothing she could find. She also purchased “whole cloth” quilts, which she would take apart for fabric.
“Taking apart these quilts enabled me to learn the techniques used in their construction,” she said.
Goodwin explained the Victorian Crazy Quilt is very sophisticated and a symbol of an era when there was no limit to embellishment of one’s home or other environment, indoors or out.
“Women, who did not have the right to vote, could create textile art that still amazes us today,” she said.
Although Goodwin has lectured throughout the United States and the world, including Japan and France, this will be her first virtual lecture. Her husband, a talented computer engineer, is assisting her with what will be needed for this occasion.
She is excitedly looking forward to this new adventure and perhaps visiting Orleans County when the weather is warmer.
Those wishing to become part of this debut virtual lecture should register at the Cobblestone Museum’s events page.
Photo courtesy of Medina Central School: Daniel Doctor, director of Community Partnership, and Julie Webber, director of Curriculum and Instruction, promote Saturday’s Tri-County College and Career Day Conference in Medina.
MEDINA – Medina Central School District is hosting a Tri-County College and Career Day Conference on Jan. 20.
This annual celebration of educational opportunity is a major event for talented, first-generation college-bound students, parents and community members in Orleans, Niagara and Genesee counties. Students, parents, community members from neighboring counties, and other educational opportunity programs are expected to be in attendance.
The purpose of College and Career Day conference is to expose anyone planning their future to a variety of careers in order to jumpstart their thinking about career paths. By preparing early, students will more likely be college and career ready after high school graduation. Students in middle, high school and adulthood may participate in the conference.
On hand there will be representatives from multiple organizations to discuss potential job opportunities and college representatives to discuss their programs. There will be opportunities to discuss over 1,300 career opportunities.
“As educators, our goal is to let students know that there is a magnificent world of possibilities out there,” says Daniel Doctor, director of Community Partnership for the school district. “Having a job, most kids can understand; but building a career is a far more elusive idea. No teenager can fully comprehend yet what it means to have a career, or professional life-path. College is just one of those possibilities that often our students don’t quite really know enough about. In a nutshell, this event is to get students jumpstarted into thinking about the future.”
The event will be held at the Medina Junior-Senior High School at 1 Mustang Drive and runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 January 2024 at 11:27 am
Photos courtesy of Holley Central School
HOLLEY – The Holley Board of Education last week presented a “Soaring to New Heights” award to members of the Holley’s varsity girls soccer team that won a Sectional title, Far West Regionals and advanced to the state tournament. It was an historic, record-setting season for the team which made its first trip to the state tournament for Holley girls soccer.
The district also thanked the Holley-Murray Joint Fire District for providing special fire truck escorts for the team bus in and out of town for the sectional and regional victories, and when the Hawks headed to states.
The Holley Transportation Department also commended for making many last-minute adjustments in order to provide spectator busses and get the team to their games.
The Holley Sports Boosters received a “Soaring To New Heights Award” for going above and beyond supporting the district athletic program, the student fans and especially the girls varsity team during the fall season.
“Sports Boosters paid for the majority of student ticket fees throughout girls soccer sectionals/regionals which lifted a huge burden for students,” district officials said in presenting the award last week. “Having a student spectator section supporting them at these games made all the difference for the team. This was on top of keeping the concession stands staffed at football and soccer games throughout the season.”
