The upcoming total solar eclipse is getting plenty of attention! Several communities in Western and Central New York are in the direct path of the eclipse that will take place on April 8.
The moon will pass between the sun and the earth and block the sun from view. On April 8, in some key areas, the sky will darken as if it is dawn or dusk, according to NASA.
AAA anticipates that cities along the path of totality will experience high tourist volumes and increased traffic leading up to April 8 just as Easter travelers are making their returns to Western and Central New York. Totality is expected to begin on April 8 at 3:18 p.m. in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, 3:20 p.m. in Rochester, and 3:23 p.m. in Syracuse and Watertown.
The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug. 23, 2044
Excitement across the state is building over the viewing on Monday, which could lead to distractions for motorists. AAA’s advice:
Plan ahead for the eclipse. Know where you are going to be and give yourself plenty of time to get there.
Fill up your gasoline tank in your car now to ensure you have adequate fuel.
Pack an emergency kit in your vehicle with basic tools, snacks and water in case you get stuck in heavy traffic.
Do not attempt to watch the solar eclipse while driving! The better option is to find a safe place to park, and then observe the eclipse. The peak darkness phase will last just a few minutes. NASA has created an interactive map that allows you to find out when the eclipse will be visible in your area.
Use public transportation to avoid the potential of clogged roads, breakdowns and crashes.
If you’re attending an eclipse viewing party where alcohol is served, plan ahead with a designated driver. It’s possible that ride sharing services may be limited on eclipse day.
According to NASA, you should avoid looking directly at the sun without proper eyewear protection. The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. Do not drive with eclipse glasses on.
Drive safely. Eagerness to view the eclipse is not an acceptable reason to drive aggressively or while distracted. Do not attempt to take pictures or video of the eclipse while driving.
Drive with your headlights on. Not only will you be more visible to other drivers, your forward vision will be improved.
If you’re traveling to an unfamiliar area, consider printing a map or directions in advance to assist with alternate routes if you encounter heavy traffic with limited cell service.
Watch out for pedestrians! There may be many people standing in or along the roadway to get a glimpse.
Watch for animals too! When a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife can awaken, thinking that it’s nighttime, and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to head to sleep.
Be alert to the possibility of increased traffic and distracted drivers swerving into your lane.
To help prevent trouble, keep additional space between you and other vehicles.
Reduce your speed so you will have more time to make an emergency maneuver if needed.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2024 at 2:45 pm
Andrea Page will discuss her book about the Sioux Code Talkers of World War II during a visit to Yates Community Library on May 14.
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville community has an opportunity to hear from the author of a book about the seven Sioux code talkers of World War II.
Andrea Page of Rochester, an author and educator, will give a talk and sign books during a 7 p.m. presentation on May 14 at the Yates Community Library.
Her program will cap a community reading effort at the library. “Lyndonville Reads” previously featured Marlies Adams DiFante’s “Queen of the Bremen” in 2017.
Many library patrons read “Sioux Code Talkers of World War II” last month. There is still time to check out the book, which is available at the library at 15 North Main St., Lyndonville. Other libraries in the Nioga system also have it.
Page researched seven Sioux soldiers, whose native language ensured secrecy of the strategic messages from the U.S. military as they served in the Pacific Theater under General MacArthur.
Page is the grand-niece of the one of the seven Sioux code talkers, John Bear King.
There will be a book discussion with refreshments at 6:30 pm. on April 29 at the Yates Community Library.
The Elisabeth Dye Curtis Foundation provided funding for the project, including author fee, copies of the book for circulation and for giving one to each 8th grader at Lyndonville Central School.
ALBION – Students and staff at Albion Central School have been diligently collecting school supplies for an orphanage in Malawi, Africa.
Tim Archer, Service Learning liaison at Albion, helped to bring the donations to an orphanage of 60 children in Malawi as part of a mission trip this March. Having left for Malawi on March 16, Archer has since been joined by Albion High School junior and Interact Club member, Leo Bolton, over the district’s spring recess this week.
According to Bolton, he’s been preparing for this trip since December and is excited to see what kind of activities they do to keep busy and games they play.
Sara Koppenhaver, a physical education/enrichment teacher at Albion Middle School, said Archer presented to her 8th grade enrichment class, asking for their assistance in promoting the collection school-wide.
“The orphanage has no electricity, has wood planks for desks/chairs, and chalkboards,” Koppenhaver said. “Tim is looking to try and help bring them some needed supplies and my class decided they wanted to help his efforts.”
Inspired, Koppenhaver’s students presented the service project pitch to Albion Middle School Principal Brad Pritchard and Assistant Principal Mariah LaSpina before being approved to promote and collect the items.
“We [the group] are taking 800 pounds of supplies to the orphanage/school located in Mzuzu,” Archer said. “We’ll be helping with educational, health, life skills, and grounds work.”
Mzuzu is a city in located in northern Malawi where Archer will also have the opportunity to meet with the local Rotary Club and work with the school staff.
“Each member of the trip is bringing 100 pounds of things to help the orphanage,” Bolton explained. “My church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, along with Albion Central School, has collected many donations of things that we will be bringing over. Whether it’s clothes, school supplies, or things to help with personal hygiene, they have been very helpful in this way.”
In AHS, the money collected in January and February from staff Dress Down Days – days where staff donates in order to wear more casual attire – also was donated to Archer to benefit the orphanage.
“Trips like this are important because they help us realize how lucky we are to live the way that we live, and how important it is to help others,” Bolton said. “It helps keep us humble and grateful, two things that are very important.”
ALBION – Orleans County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch today announced that Modern Disposal, which provides a countywide solid waste program for all of our residents who participate, will delay collections by one day next week due to the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th.
Collection of solid waste and recycling for the week will begin on Tuesday, April 9th and conclude on Saturday, April 13th. The delay in collection ensures that Modern’s crews do not add to what may prove to heavy traffic volume throughout the region and prevents any unexpected delays in service.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this creates but we think it’s better to schedule service for a one-day delay now rather than wait and see what happens on Monday,” Welch said. “The fact is we all need to use an abundance of caution as people gather to watch the total eclipse in our county. Delaying collection for one day is simply a safety precaution for both Modern personnel and our residents.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2024 at 9:53 am
DEC recommends state make the change permanent
File photo by Tom Rivers: These deer are pictured on Nov. 20, 2014 when they were close to the road on the west side of Route 279 in Gaines, just south of Route 104.
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has extended a pilot program that lowered the age from 14 to 12 for people to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzle-loading firearm.
The county approved the program in 2021, and there have been “absolutely no accidents reported,” said Lynne Johnson, the County Legislature chairwoman.
The state has allowed counties to opt in in the pilot program with the lower age. Orleans was among 52 of 54 eligible counties that approved the initial pilot program. Only Erie and Rockland counties didn’t opt in.
The youth hunters need to be under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation reported statewide there were 9,859 licensed 12- and 13-year-old hunters in 2021-22, and then 9,416 in 2022-23, and 9,610 in 2023-24.
The DEC said the first three years of the program showed 12- and 13-year-old hunters and mentors “have proven they can safely and successfully hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow and should be authorized to retain this opportunity permanently.” The DEC said there were no documented hunting-related shooting incidents among 12- and 13-year-olds during the first three years.
The DEC is recommending the state make the change permanent and lower the age to 12 for people to hunt deer with a firearm and crossbow.
Click here to see a report from DEC on the first three years of the pilot program.
Provided photos: Mike Fisher holds copies of his book, “Mediums at Large: The Trap of Orion.”
MIDDLEPORT – Mike Fisher is one of the educators at Orleans/Niagara BOCES’ Center for Professional Development. He is also an author who has written several books.
Years ago, while teaching a unit on astronomy he started to write a story about Orion and the Greek goddess Artemis.
“After a visit to Lily Dale, down near Fredonia, I was inspired to write a story about a couple of kids with psychic powers who live in a Lily Dale-like community,” he said.
Lily Dale is a hamlet in Chautauqua County and is the world’s largest Spiritualist community.
“In the story, the kids have to use their gifts to solve a mystery involving the matriarch of their community, Sister Stellar,” Fisher said. “The mythology and astronomy are blended together as a backdrop for the actions occurring in the present day and ultimately help the kids solve the mystery.”
The book is entitled “Mediums at Large: The Trap of Orion.” Fisher said he would share bits of the story with his students in serialized fashion and in later years, he shared the full draft. “I’ve been working on this off and on for over a decade and I’m thrilled to be able to share the finally finished product with others,” he said.
One of those groups of students belongs to teacher Susan McLaughlin at the Royalton-Hartland Middle School.
“My insurance company, Thrivent, offers seed money for projects to make a positive impact in your community, so I applied,” Fisher said. “This company extends grants to its members in what they call ‘Action Teams,’ and these action teams can do just about anything as long as they benefit others and speak to their motto to ‘Live generously.’”
Fisher was thrilled when his grant was approved and used the grant award to share the books with Mrs. McLaughlin’s class.
“The kids were thrilled at the thought of getting their own copies of the book,” McLaughlin said.
Roy-Hart middle schoolers hold copies of Fisher’s book after he delivered the books to the class.
Fisher hand delivered the books to the class, who were very excited to have a hard copy of it.
“I love getting feedback from the kids about the book and I am looking forward to going back after they finish reading it and talking to them about the process and answering any questions they have about the book as a whole,” he said.
McLaughlin said Fisher won’t be waiting too long because the moment they got the books, they couldn’t wait to get back to the story.
“It was so nice for the students to actually have them in their hands and I read it to them the rest of the day,” she said. “They were so much more engaged and attentive. There is something about having your own copy and being able to read along. Of course now they want Mike to come back and sign their copies! I told them that signing 84 books might be a little too much!”
Fisher was pleased to hear about the response to his gift to the school.
“I have the best job and I love getting to do what I do!”
Fisher’s books, including “Mediums at Large” are available on Amazon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2024 at 8:00 am
Joe Biden and Donald Trump were the dominant candidates of the presidential primaries in Orleans County on Tuesday, plus eight days of early voting from March 23 to March 30.
Biden had 223 votes among Democrats, with Marianne Williamson receiving 16 and Dean Phillips 18. There were 9 voters who didn’t cast a ballot for a presidential candidate out of the 266 Democratic voters in Orleans.
For the Republican Party, Trump received 787 votes to 96 for Nikki Haley, 26 for Chris Christie, and 7 for Vivek Ramaswamy.
The Democratic primary also included four delegates from the 24th Congressional District for the National Convention: Dia Carabajal, 109; Daniel Farfaglia, 114; Lorie Longhany, 118; and John Hurley, 116.
The 24th District in Orleans includes Albion, Barre, Clarendon districts 2 and 3, Ridgeway and Shelby.
In the 25th District, there are seven candidates to be delegates for the National Convention. Voters will elect four from the seven.
The vote totals in Orleans include Shelly Clements, 62; Anthony Plonczynski-Figueroa, 56; Yversha Roman, 51; Jamie Romeo, 58; Adam Bello, 76; Samra Brouk, 56; and Stephen Gregory Devay, 48.
The 25th District in Orleans includes Carlton, Clarendon district 1, Gaines, Kendall, Murray and Yates.
The voter turnout was 5 percent, said Mike Mele, an election commissioner for the county.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 April 2024 at 8:52 pm
Provided photos
ALBION – Hospice of Orleans County has a print of eclipse artwork in its windows at the Hospice office on Route 31 in Albion.
Janna Stirk of Albion, co-owner of The Parlour, created the painting on canvas. She has 1,050 prints of the painting distributed in Albion and Medina. The 6-by-9-inch prints are for sale for $5 with donations going to non-profits.
Stirk, who also is owner of Here’s Your Artwork, created the painting to commemorate the eclipse that will pass through Orleans County on April 8. The partial eclipse starts at about 2 p.m. with the total eclipse from 3:19 to 3:23. The partial eclipse ends at about 4:30 p.m.
Hospice and several sites has prints of the eclipse available for a $5 donation.
Stirk said her paintings are usually very detail-oriented. The eclipse painting is more abstract.
“It’s the colors. It’s vibrant,” Stirk said about her rendering of the eclipse.
She said enthusiasm is building for the eclipse, which is expected to bring a big influx of visitors to the region.
“Everyone is excited about having something cool in our area,” she said.
The prints are available at the following locations:
Wild Flour Deli and Bakery in Albion to benefit Hospice
The Hemp House in Medina to benefit PAWS
Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouses in Eagle Harbor to benefit PAWS
Hospice of Orleans
The Parlour in Albion to benefit Hospice
Orleans Koinonia Kitchen in Albion
Pretty Sweet Bakery to benefit Hands 4 Hope
Susie’s Boat-tique to benefit Bounce for Bullard
Gilligan’s Galley at Point Breeze to benefit Hospice
The Cobblestone Museum
Canalside Tattoo Company in Medina to benefit Cat by Cat, Inc.
PAWS Animal Shelter in Albion
Care Net of Orleans
Arnold’s Auto Parts/NAPA Auto Parts to benefit M.A.D. Rescue of Western NY
Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern
Hoag Library to benefit the Friends of the Library
The prints will also be for sale during the Orleans County Home, Garden & Outdoor Show at the fairgrounds this weekend.
BATAVIA – UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) has hired Jay Baran as the coordinator of the GOW Opioid Task Force.
Baran, 26, is responsible for overseeing the three-county – Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming – volunteer organization that is dedicated to dedicated to saving lives by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths.
A graduate of St. Mary’s of Lancaster, Baran earned a bachelor’s degree in public health with a minor in biology from SUNY Brockport in 2022. She replaces Christen Foley, who accepted the position of project director of the Western New York Prevention Resource Center, a program of UConnectCare.
In her role as coordinator, Baran will provide assistance to the task force’s six work groups – steering committee, access to care, data, community education, law enforcement, and family, loved ones and allies. She also will be setting up quarterly meetings and events, with Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 28 next on the schedule.
“I have a passion for public health and am grateful to be able to serve in that capacity (with UConnectCare),” she said. “The GOW Opioid Task Force has made quite an impact over the past several years and I am looking forward to the initiatives that lie ahead.”
Baran served as a camp counselor for Just for Kids in Orchard Park before taking a position with Citibank in Buffalo for a year. Last year, she managed the social media account and coordinated a team of volunteers at Uplift Irondequoit, a coalition that supports programs and activities related to prevention, education and reduction of youth substance use.
For more information about the GOW Opioid Task Force, contact Baran a jbaran@uconnectcare.org or at 585-815-1863.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 April 2024 at 7:42 pm
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a flood watch for Orleans County beginning at 2 a.m. tonight and continuing through Thursday afternoon.
The flood watch also includes Niagara, Monroe, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties.
The Weather Service said 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rainfall is expected before it turns to snow on Wednesday night.
“This will cause most creeks and rivers to rise to near bankfull, and there is a risk for flooding at locations where rainfall amounts are near the higher end of that range,” the Weather Service said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 April 2024 at 4:09 pm
A man with Albion ties has been located in Phoenix, Arizona and is safe, the Albion Police Department said this afternoon.
Cooper W. Karas, age 21, was last seen 8 days ago when he dropped his dog off to his grandparents in Albion for them to care for it. Cooper was reported missing from Greece, NY.
“He is currently with his father and is safe,” said William Francis, sergeant with the Albion PD. “Cooper is no longer considered missing. Thank you for all of your help.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 April 2024 at 3:39 pm
News site would benefit if state law changed to allow legal notices in online news publications
Photo by Tom Rivers: It was a sight to behold on Aug. 20, 2017, when John Brown of Batavia was driving a car in the Oak Orchard River. Brown was giving his friends, Bill and Joanne Hayes, a ride in a 1964 Amphicar. Brown’s dog Reagan, an English Setter, also enjoyed the experience. Orleans Hub was at Point Breeze for a fishing derby awards ceremony, but the Amphicar was causing a stir.
The Orleans Hub is 11 years old. We’ve kept the news coming during a time when many newspapers are closing or shrinking.
We went live on April 1, 2013. In the 11 years we’ve had 39,294 posts about local news, events and people.
Orleans County is considered by some to be a “news desert” because there isn’t a locally based printed newspaper. The Lake Country Pennysaver is considered a “community paper” and goes to 20,000 households.
The county shows up on a map (click here) as an underserved community. Orleans is the only county out of 62 in the state without a newspaper based in the county.
We think we are filling a lot of the gap since The Journal-Register and Albion Advertiser closed. Those newspapers were running pretty bare bones by the time they shut down. The Journal-Register was actually based out of Lockport in Niagara County when it shut down about a decade ago.
I started at Albion Advertiser and Journal-Register nearly 28 years ago. The two papers were owned by the same conglomerate and together there were six or seven full-time reporters for the county back in 1996. Now, I’m the last full-time reporter devoted to Orleans County. I’ve been the last full-timer for about a decade now.
The Orleans Hub is based out of The Lake Country Pennysaver building in Albion, although the news editor, correspondent and sports editor write nearly all of their articles from home. We post some articles in coffee shops and other places where we can get a good WiFi signal.
In the early days of the Hub, some predicted we wouldn’t last 6 months. It is a very tough business after all. But we have shown a commitment to the county and getting a lot of news out each day. We post about 3,500 articles a year.
We appreciate we have enough advertisers so we don’t have to do a subscription-based model. Our intent is to keep the news site open to the community without requiring a fee to see the news.
A big help for us would be a change in the state law to allow online-only news sites to carry legal notices, those announcements of public hearings, meetings and new local laws. Right now, they have to be in a paid newspaper with some circulation in the county. Most notices don’t meet the legal requirement to be allowed in a community paper like the Pennysaver, either.
The Daily News of Batavia carries most of the legal notices from Orleans. Some of the local governments have tried to have the notices in the Orleans Hub, where there is a much higher readership in our county, compared to The Daily News circulation here. But it’s not allowed. Medina village officials were the latest to try to get the legal notices for the Orleans Hub. But they said the Hub doesn’t fit the legal requirement so the legals will continue to be in The Daily.
That money would certainly help us, and would also get the notices in a more widely read local publication. And I bet we’d do it at a lower cost to the local governments.
We encourage our local state legislators to push for a change in this requirement, so online news sites can carry the notices. Perhaps, a starting point could be for online news sites to be allowed to carry legal notices in counties without a paid printed newspaper based in that county.
One state Legislature recently passed legislation to allow legals to be in online-only news organizations. The bill is awaiting the Virginia governor’s signature.
Virginia state legislators want to allow online-only publications with regular local news coverage to be able to legally post public notices – and generate revenue from them.
Among the stipulations: the online site must employ local news staff and have its own dedicated domain name. A link to the public notice section must be easily found from the home page, and the content cannot be behind a paywall.
The Orleans Hub certainly meets these standards, and we have a good following of readers. Our traffic last year topped 8 million pageviews for the 8th straight year.
The Hub remains grateful for our advertisers and the many loyal readers who check our site. Some of the Hub readers come back many times a day.
People willing to donate to the operation can mail a check to the Orleans Hub, 170 North Main St. Albion NY 14411 or click here for an online contribution. Thank you.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 April 2024 at 12:27 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Marguerite Sherman takes the oath of office on Monday as Medina’s new mayor. Her husband Jon Sherman holds the Bible while village clerk-treasurer Jada Burgess administers the oath.
Sherman took over as mayor on Monday following eight years of Mike Sidari in the village’s top elected position.
Sherman was on the board for 10 years as a trustee, as was the village’s deputy mayor. She is a retired special education teacher.
“I’m excited for this new board,” Sherman said after the swearing-in. “I think we will continue to do great things.”
Newly elected trustees Deborah Padoleski and Mark Prawel also took the oath on Monday for the start of their two-year terms. They join Diana Baker and Jess Marciano on the Village Board.
The group will be meeting several times this month to work on the village budget for 2024-25. That budget needs to be adopted by April 30.
The board will be busy this month working on the budget, which must be adopted by April 30. Budget workshops are scheduled for 5 p.m. today with DPW, 5:30 p.m. on April 11 with the fire department, 5 p.m. on April 16 with codes and the police department, 5 p.m. on April 17, 5:30 p.m. on April 18 and 5 p.m. on April 19.
Those meetings are at the Village Clerk’s Office on Park Avenue.
Debbie Padoleski is sworn into office while her husband Tom holds the Bible and Mayor Marguerite Sherman administers the oath. Padoleski is a former Medina village clerk-treasurer. She worked 41 years in the village office. She retired in June 2021.
The board made several appointments during the organizational meeting. The appointments are for one year unless otherwise noted.
Deputy mayor: Deborah Padoleski
Fair housing officer: Diana Baker
Village Historian: Todd Bensley
Clerk-Treasurer (2-year term): Jada Burgess
Deputy Clerk-Treasurer (2-year term): Miranda Herbert
Registrar: Jada Burgess; Deputy registrar: Miranda Herbert
2 members to Zoning Board of Appeals for five-year terms: Luann Howe and Jamie Wagner
2 members to Boxwood Cemetery Commission for 3-year terms: Nicki Fredericks and Mary Lewis
Member of Parks Committee for 2-year term: Chris Goyette
3 members to Tourism Committee for 2-year terms: Jim Hancock, Kelly Kiebala and Janet Smith
Village attorney: Matthew Brooks
Official depositories for the village: Bank of Castile and J.P. Morgan Chase
Official newspaper: The Daily News in Batavia
The board set workshop meetings for the Village Board will be the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. with village business meetings the fourth Monday at 7 p.m. The meetings will be at the Senior Center on West Avenue.
Mark Prawel takes the oath as new village trustee while his wife Tina holds the Bible. Prawel is a retired Medina police officer who also owns and operate an auto repair shop.
Trustees were named liaisons to the following committees and departments:
Ridgeway – Districts 2, 4, 5 – Town Hall, 410 West Ave.
Shelby – Districts 1 through 4 – Town Hall, 4062 Salt Works Rd.
Yates – Districts 1 and 2 – Town Hall, 8 South Main St.
As of 9:20 a.m. today, 69 people cast ballots this morning, in a low turnout thus far, said Mike Mele, the Republican election commissioner.
There were also 149 votes cast in eight days of early voting.
The ballots in the primary in New York State will include Biden and Trump, as well as other names who ended their campaigns after the state’s filing deadlines.
For the Democratic Party, besides Biden the ballot includes Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips.
For the Republican Party, in addition to Trump, the ballot includes Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie and Nikki Haley.
The Democratic primary also four delegates from the 24th Congressional District for the National Convention: Dia Carabajal, Daniel Farfaglia, Lorie Longhany and John Hurley.
The 24th District in Orleans includes Albion, Barre, Clarendon districts 2 and 3, Ridgeway and Shelby.
In the 25th District, there are seven candidates to be delegates for the National Convention. Voters will elect four from the seven. Those candidates include Shelly Clements, Anthony Plonczynski-Figueroa, Yversha Roman, Jamie Romeo, Adam Bello, Samra Brouk and Stephen Gregory Devay.
The 25th District in Orleans includes Carlton, Clarendon district 1, Gaines, Kendall, Murray and Yates.
