By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 3, No. 33

This obelisk which dominates Knowlesville Cemetery was erected following the death Eleazar Slater, Jr. in 1887. The first stipulation of his will directed that “any funeral charges and all debt against my estate be paid and fully discharged and a good, suitable, and proper and respectable tombstone be erected.”

KNOWLESVILLE – Eleazar Slater, Sr. and his wife, Polly, originally from Massachusetts, were early settlers in Ridgeway. They had cleared land and constructed a house by 1815. This is documented in the pioneer narrative provided by William Knowles in which he states that he stayed with them when he first arrived.

The advent of the Erie Canal proved very beneficial for that locality. William Knowles shipped the first boatload of wheat from Orleans County. He built a warehouse on the canal, freight boats stopped there. A post office was established in 1826 and the growing hamlet was named in honor of Knowles.

The Presbyterian Church in Knowlesville was formed in 1817, it was the predominant denomination in the area. The Slaters were members. Eleazar T. Slater Sr. died in 1853. Polly, his wife, died in 1863. Their son, Eleazar T. Jr., who was unmarried, died in on May 2, 1887, by which time he had accumulated a substantial sum of money.

In 1885 Eleazar Jr. sued the First National Bank of Albion to recover $5,700 worth of bonds found to be missing when Albert S. Warner absconded with the bank’s assets in 1884.

Eleazar Jr. gave a great deal of consideration to the disposal of his assets following his death and several sets of revisions and codicils were recorded. The stipulations of the will included:

Second: I give and bequeath to my sister Livera Wilders: the sum of $2,000 and one half of my household furniture, bedding, and wardrobe.

Third: I give and bequeath to my sister, Melissa Ostrander, the like sum of $2,000 and the remaining half of my furniture, bedding, and wardrobe.

Fourth: I give and bequeath to the Trustees of the Presbytery of Niagara, the sum of $50,000.

Fifth: I hereby direct the said Trustees of the Presbytery of Niagara to give the First Presbyterian Church and Society of the Town of Ridgeway the sum of $250 annually, but such sum is not to be paid until the said Society shall have paid their Pastor all of his salary for the previous years, except such sum of $250 and shall present to file with the officers of said Presbytery the receipt of such Pastor therefor. And in case the said Society fails to present such receipt from such Pastor then the said Trustees may use and exercise their own judgment regarding the payment of said $250.

Sixth: I give and bequeath the rest and residue of my estate of what nature and kind to the Board of the Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America.

The New York Times of May 7, 1887, reported the details of the will. The “residue” of his estate was estimated as amounting to an astounding $200,000, the equivalent of $6.5 million today. The will refers to securities, bonds, mortgages, and real estate, which presumably were the source of his wealth.

The will was soon “vigorously contested” by his heirs. It was reported in the Medina Tribune in September that progress on the issue was slow, and that eight lawyers were involved.

The Medina Tribune of October 13, 1887, noted that a compromise had been reached: The Board of Home Missions was directed to pay the heirs $22,000, Miss Emma Beckham would receive $3,000 and David Farham of Rochester would receive a small amount. The Presbyterian Church in Knowlesville would receive $5,000 in lieu of the $250 annuity. It was estimated that the aggregate of the estate after court expenses, payments and taxes would be in the region of $100,000.

Following some presbytery amalgamations, the funds later came under the control of the Presbytery of the Genesee Valley. A subsequent decision of the Surrogate Court of Orleans County directed that the Slater Fund was to be used for “the benefit of the five Presbyterian Churches located in Orleans County” (Albion, Barre Center, Holley, Lyndonville, and Medina).

The “original book Valu” of the fund was invested by the Presbytery and remarkably, the return income continues to be divided among the churches annually, 136 years following the death of Eleazar T. Slater, Jr.

Photos and information submitted by Deborah Berry, Treasurer for VFW Post Auxiliary 1483

MEDINA – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post and Auxiliary members  from the VFW Lincoln Post 1483 in Medina held a Stop 22 Walk to increase the public awareness of veterans dying by suicide – an average of 22 each day.

The members on Oct. 12 walked 22 minutes along Main Street and in the Canal Basin area. This was their first time observing the Stop 22 Walk.

A veteran in need of any type of help or services is encouraged to reach out to the VFW Post 1483 at 216 East Main Street, Medina NY.

There is also help available 24 hours a day at the National Veterans Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Casey Taylor poses for s selfie with the group of walkers on Thursday in the Canal Basin.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Sandy and Marcia Stornelli watch as 3-year-old granddaughter Alara throws shovels full of dirt on a tree being planted in front of their house during an Arbor Day celebration on April 28. In the stroller is Garrett, who was 8 months old at the time. Medina has been recognized as a Tree City USA the past 16 years for its commitment to planting trees.

MEDINA – Autumn is a time which brings leaves into everyone’s mind, but for one local group, trees are a focus all year round.

The village of Medina not only has a Tree Board, but a support group called Releaf Medina, formed to raise money for the village to replace dying trees, something the Tree Board is not allowed to do.

Robert Sanderson heads Releaf Medina, with members Kathy Blackburn, Jake Hebdon, Lisa Tombari and Ginny Kropf.

And now they are asking the public for donations to purchase more trees.

The village took down 51 trees this year and replanted 46, according to Blackburn. Replacing dying trees is an unending task and can be very costly, with each tree costing upwards of $200.

Kinds of trees vary, and local resident Chris Busch has researched the soil in various areas to determine which kind of trees are best suited for each location.

Information provided by Releaf Medina states that community trees are a critical element of urban life, providing countless proven environmental, economic and health benefits. Multiple studies have shown that people living in communities with trees are healthier mentally, physically and socially.

The economics of maintaining and advancing the Medina community’s urban forest has become increasingly more challenging, the Releaf Medina board explained. It’s the harsh reality of economics today, as recent years have been forestry related costs skyrocket, while municipal expenditures have struggled to keep up.

For this reason, Releaf Medina is asking citizens to contribute to the amazing living legacy of trees by making a monetary gift.

Blackburn has also issued an invitation to local businesses to consider becoming a corporate sponsor.

“Beginning in 2005 and for several years after, the Bank of Castile (now Tompkins Community Bank) was the sole corporate sponsor of Medina’s Arbor Day,” Blackburn said. “Their annual donation made a long-term community impact and helped launch what has become a renowned urban forestry program.”

Businesses becoming a corporate sponsor not only engage with their employees and investors, but also build community through the support of grassroots public environmental stewardship, according to Blackburn. It is a chance to make a tangible difference in a highly visible way that will stand for generations and leave a positive and beneficial living legacy for the future that will be seen every day.

All gifts to Releaf Medina are tax-deductible and can be made in three ways.

As a General Donation, the money helps replace street trees in neighborhoods throughout the village. Donors are recognized on a tree foundation sign at City Hall. Suggested amounts are $25 to $199 (Good Citizen); $200 to $299 (Silver); $300 to $499 (Gold); $500 and up (Platinum).

Gifts In Memory cost $300. They will fund trees placed in one of Medina’s six parks and will be identified with a granite marker honoring a loved one or in recognition of the donor’s family or organization. Memorial trees can be located on streets without a granite marker and cost $275.

To designate a tree On Your Street, the cost is $250. If the village determines a tree or trees are needed on that street, the donor may request a specific location. Those donors are also recognized on a sign at City Hall.

Checks for tree donations should be made payable to ORG/Medina Releaf and mailed to P.O. Box 543, Medina.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ryan and Katelyn Pearl are shown with a table full of presents and gift cards during a birthday party this evening at Dubby’s Tailgate for their late son, Maddox Pearl, who would be 6 tomorrow.

Maddox passed away on Sept. 30, 2023 after battling DIPG, a rare brain tumor.

Ryan and Katelyn said they appreciated the community’s support for the past year, and they said they feel thankful for the Albion community’s love and generosity.

“We live in a community where when you ask for help they’re there to help you,” Ryan, 32, said during the gathering this evening at Dubby’s that was attended by more than 100 people.

These gifts will be given to organizations that assist children with serious health issues.

Katelyn, 30, said the family wanted to celebrate Maddox’s birthday, and pay it forward and help the organizations that were there for them. They will give the presents and gift cards to three organizations: Compassion Net, C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association in Rochester, and the Willoughby Foundation that assists children with life-threatening health issues.

Compassion Net sent nurses to provide palliative care for Maddox. That allowed him to be home and not in a hospital. The C.U.R.E. seeks to provide emotional, social, financial and educational support to a child with a chronic sickness.

The Willoughby Foundation provided a tablet to help Maddox communicate and a large mattress for Maddox and his parents to be together in the living room. That foundation will distribute some of the gifts at Maddox’s party to other children in hospitals who are battling serious illnesses.

Dubby’s hosted a benefit for the Pearl family last Nov. 22 with more than 200 gift baffles up for raffle. Other organizations in the past year helped raise money for the family.

Katelyn said Albion is a close-knit community that rallies for people in a crisis. That isn’t the case in many communities, she said, especially in cities and big towns where the people aren’t as well connected to each other.

Katelynn and Ryan say they may make Maddox’s birthday party an annual community event, with presents and gift cards to be collected and given to organizations that help children with serious health challenges.

Many of the gifts given had train themes. Maddox loved trains, especially The Polar Express and Thomas the Train Engine.

“He watched The Polar Express every day, from Christmas to the next Christmas,” his father said.

Ryan and Katelyn are going to spend tomorrow, Maddox’s sixth birthday, on a train at the Arcade and Attica Railroad for a ride in honor of their son.

‘With this legislative package, our licensed businesses will grow economically and face less governmental burden and legislative restraint’

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed a package of legislation that will improve New York’s laws related to alcoholic beverages in an effort to expand options for consumers and support New York’s small businesses in the alcoholic beverage sector.

“Across New York, breweries, distilleries and other alcoholic beverage businesses are creating jobs and expanding economic opportunity,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m proud to sign this legislation that will modernize the laws governing the sales of alcoholic beverages in New York.”

• Legislation S.5731/A.6941 allows for the sale of beer, mead, braggot and cider on any day of the week including Sundays.
• Legislation S.2854/A.7305 allows liquor and wine stores to expand their Sunday hours so that they may open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.
• Legislation S.6443/A.6134 extends the length of validity of a brewer’s license from one year to three years.
• Legislation S.3364A/A.2902 allows for businesses to prepare and keep drinks containing alcohol in pressurized dispensing machines.
• Legislation S.3567A/A.6050A allows retail stores to sell complementary gift and promotional items related to wine and spirit sales.
• Legislation S.6993A/A.7688 adds parcels of land to the list of premises which are exempt from the provisions of law which generally restrict manufacturers/wholesalers and retailers from sharing an interest in a liquor license.

This legislation package builds upon Governor Hochul’s efforts to address outdated laws in New York regarding alcohol and its sales throughout the state. As part of the FY 2023 Enacted Budget, alcohol to-go was established as law, allowing take out drinks. Last year, Governor Hochul also signed legislation to allow catering establishments to apply for off-premises licenses to serve liquor at event locations, supporting caters and small businesses in the hospitality industry.

State Liquor Authority Chair Lily M. Fan said, “We applaud the continued efforts by our Governor and the Legislature to help small businesses succeed and protect public safety by addressing antiquated liquor laws. With this legislative package, our licensed businesses will grow economically and face less governmental burden and legislative restraint.”

 New York State Brewers’ Association Executive Director Paul Leone said, “The craft beer industry in New York is the second largest in total number of breweries in the country, this wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the support we get from Governor Hochul and the entire administration. Extending brewery license renewals from 1 to 3 years eases yet one more administrative burden on breweries, and allows them to continue focusing on the one thing they do best, brewing world class beer.”

Empire State Restaurant & Tavern Association Executive Director Scott Wexler said, “We commend Governor Hochul for signing these bills into law that modernize and update the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control law. These measures will fuel economic development and job growth, especially for the small businesses that comprise the overwhelming majority of businesses who will benefit from these changes,” said Scott Wexler, Executive Director of the Empire State Restaurant & Tavern Association.

New York State Restaurant Association President and CEO Melissa Autilio said, “Technical advancements have improved beverage storage and mixture equipment available to bars and restaurants. This legislation brings New York State’s ABC laws in line with modern technology. More bars and restaurants will be able to easily pre-mix drinks in safer apparatuses and better serve customers. I applaud Governor Hochul and the state legislature for adopting these new guidelines.”

New York Association of Convenience Stores President Ken Sopris said, “The New York Association of Convenience Stores commends Governor Kathy Hochul and the Legislature for their commitment to updating New York’s alcohol control laws to advance consumer friendly but responsible policies. The convenience store industry appreciates sensible updates to the law that provide adult consumers with safe access to products. Our stores and our customers thank the Governor for her commitment to updating antiquated policies to modernize our state’s alcohol laws.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Joe Dibley of Albion makes a scarecrow with his son Keegan, 6, and friend Aubriella Hucknall, 3, of Albion. They are stuffing hay into clothes.

They were among a crowd that made about 200 scarecrows today at the Orleans County 4-H fairgrounds in an event organized by the Medina Lions Club.

The crowd wasn’t deterred by a rainy day. The scarecrow-making was inside.

The biggest challenge for some of the people was fitting the scarecrows into their car.

“I can’t believe how big they are,” Dibley said.

This scarecrow is on an “operating table” and gets its clothes secured by Lions Club members Jim Hancock and Stacy Leavitt. About 40 Lions Club members participated in running today’s event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hancock and Tom Beach served as co-chairmen of the event.

Medina Lions Club member Jim Punch assists Brandi Mack of Lyndonville with a scarecrow.

Hunter and Vivianna D’Agostino of Gasport work together to stuff a scarecrow. The straw was donated by Ed Neal of Poverty Hills Dairy Farm in Albion and Ken Dunham.

The D’Agostintos have been coming to the scarecrow fest for at least three years. Their father, Vinny D’Agostino, said the scarecrows are very durable. The one the made a year ago has lasted all year. They use it to scare away birds from their chickens.

These pillows were decorated by Medina art students in Jen Scott’s classes.

The MAAC Thrift Shop in Medina provides the clothes for the scarecrows with any leftovers coming back for next year’s event.

Barden Homes in Middleport donates the wood for the T-posts to give the scarecrows some support for their backs and arms.

Pete Kaiser secures the hat on this scarecrow. He said there was a big rush of people this morning to make scarecrows.

Carol Bellack provides some assistance getting a hat on this scarecrow.

The Crawford family in Lyndonville made two scarecrows. They include Ashley, Cohlson, Harli and Aaron. Cohlson and Harli’s brother Roenen also helped make the scarecrows.

The Crawfords said they expected to put the scarecrow on a rocking chair on their porch.

The event also included a first-time “PumpkinPalooza” organized and judged by the Master Gardeners in Orleans County. Richard Gudgel won the award for “best-carved” pumpkin.

Other awards included “best decorated” for Tammy Leach and “ugliest gourd” for Lisa Lancaster.

Provided photo: Raymond Santoro of Holley will present an educational program of World War I music at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Cobblestone Museum’s Vagg house.

CHILDS – Music and history will be combined in an evening of entertainment Oct. 27 at the Cobblestone Museum’s Vagg house.

At 6 p.m., former museum director Bill Lattin and Holley native and pianist Raymond Santoro will present and educational program on “The Music of World War One.” Featured will be many of the songs made popular during the first World War.

Lattin has selected a half dozen songs to play on an Edison cylinder phonograph, patented in 1913. These include “General Persing March,” “Just Before the Battle Mother,” Don’t Take my Darling Boy Away” and “Round Her Neck She Wears a Yellow Ribbon.”

The music in the years building up to the war was noticeably more upbeat than the music that followed during the war years, which later even included some anti-war sentiment in the tunes, explained museum director Doug Farley.

Santoro is a gifted pianist, who will entertain on a Gulbransen piano, playing songs like Irving Berlin’s “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” his first big hit in 1913. Music by George M. Cohen will also be featured, including “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “Grand Old Flag.”

Seating in the Vagg house is limited so reservations are required by calling (585) 589-9013. Light refreshments will be available. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted.

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

LOCKPORT – New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt was joined on Friday by Assemblyman Mike Norris, Niagara County Clerk Joe Jastrzemski, Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the owners of local gun store Escarpment Arms to call for an end to New York’s unconstitutional firearm and ammunition background check requirements.

Rob Ortt

In a letter to the governor, Senator Ortt and fellow conference members urge Governor Hochul to shelve the recently implemented requirements and fees for background checks on gun and ammo purchases. The background check process has proven to be a failure which has resulted in the deprivation of a fundamental Constitutional right.

Prior to this requirement, there were no barriers to purchasing ammunition and Federal NICS background checks for firearms were nearly instantaneous. With the implementation of the new background check process, New Yorkers are experiencing lengthy delays, sometimes hours or even days, before being approved – and in some cases are being denied, even if they are lawfully able to purchase and possess firearms or ammunition.

“Gun owners in New York State face some of the most restrictive laws and regulations in the nation, yet gun-related crimes remain an ongoing issue,” Ortt said. “These unconstitutional infringements on our second amendment rights clearly have no impact on how criminals get their hands on guns or ammo, and police should be able to focus their efforts on stopping illegal gun crime, instead of being handcuffed to their desks running background checks and creating an invasive database of law-abiding citizens.”

Members of the conference have been strongly opposed to the idea since it first came about in 2013 as part of the SAFE Act – and just two years after its introduction, the process was deemed technologically infeasible.

“​​New York State continues to place burdensome laws and obstacles on law-abiding New Yorkers who simply wish to exercise their constitutional rights while not focusing on the lawbreakers who continually commit the illegal gun crime we witness daily. This new law does nothing to stop criminals, who do not go through the background check process, from getting their hands on the ammunition they use to commit murder and crimes that endanger our communities,” said Assemblyman Mike Norris.

Since the implementation, gun store owners and constituents across the state have called, emailed and written to convey their opposition to the requirements and have also expressed concerns about the security of personal data like birthdays, social security numbers, and credit card information being transmitted and maintained.

“The downstate politicians that control the New York State Legislature continue to pass these nonsensical gun laws that are not only unconstitutional, but do absolutely nothing to make our communities safer or address gun violence,” said Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski. “We need to stop placing more burden and cost on law-abiding gun owners and focus our energy on those who obtain guns and ammo illegally.”

“Following the implementation of these new regulations I have had complaints from many residents who were legally trying to purchase ammunition,” said Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti. “Their complaints centered around the lack of need for this, along with the cost and delays they experienced. This legislation goes right along with other new laws in this state that infringe upon the rights of legal gun owners. We should be focusing all of our efforts on the criminals committing gun crime that aren’t concerned with following the law.”

“These barriers to purchasing firearms and ammunition that have been put in place are doing nothing more than obstructing law-abiding citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Joseph Olscamp, CEO of Escarpment Arms, Inc. “Criminals are being released with minimal punishment while Gun Owners and licensed, legitimate businesses are being penalized. It is an unnecessary risk in an already precarious economic atmosphere. Ultimately, New Yorkers are being left waiting on an extremely flawed system to give them permission to protect themselves while creating a database that the Federal Government is not allowed to create or keep.”

“For far too long, lawmakers in this state have prioritized criminals and cast aside the rights of upstanding citizens to further their own out-of-touch agendas,” Ortt said. “I believe it’s only a matter of time before these unconstitutional regulations are struck down in court and I ask the Governor to do the right thing and call an end to them, so this doesn’t burden our court systems, like these regulations are doing to our police force, businesses and constituents.”

Penny Lane in Liverpool, England. What a thrill it was to do all the Beatles stuff there!

Let’s go on an adventure together….one last time!

I wrote my very first “Travel Thoughts by Kim” article for the Orleans Hub and Lake Country Pennysaver in January 2020. After sharing adventures and tips with you twice a month for almost four years, I’m sad to say that this will be my final article. It has been so much fun sharing my adventures with you all – especially during the Covid period when reliving those adventures helped give us all something to dream about while stuck in our homes. I appreciated every time someone stopped me in a store or restaurant to tell me how much they enjoyed reading my stories and when some even shared their adventures with me. It has truly been an honor to have the opportunity to do this, but, as with all good things, it’s time for it to come to an end. 

To close out this run, I thought I might share some of my most memorable experiences and parting thoughts with you. Here goes:

If I had to choose just one “beachy” place that I would do again and again, it would be Bermuda! It is a laid back island with so much to offer, including Horseshoe Bay Beach – ranked in the Top 5 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WORLD with its pink sand, clear aqua sea, and stunning views. The resorts in Bermuda are very expensive to stay at, so in my opinion, traveling there by cruise ship is the way to go. Find one that docks there for multiple days so you can come and go as you please to enjoy the island, but have your lodging and most meals on ship. Compare – things may be different when you go, but I found that to be the best way to experience Bermuda affordably. 

One of my favorite memories is swimming with dolphins in Bermuda. I not only swam with them, I danced with one and ended our dance with a kiss!!!

I love cruising! My top two most incredible experiences on a cruise were: #1: Transatlantic – sailing across the ocean for seven days was incredible! And, the destinations were the Azores, Ireland, and England when I got across the pond. Awesome – I’d love to do another transatlantic with different ports. # 2: Mediterranean – I cruised out of Rome with stops in Italy, France, and Spain that were all mind-blowing experiences! I hope someday to also do one of the Greek islands.

My first ever time sailing on a catamaran was on the ocean in Costa Rica – AMAZING!

I only did one all-inclusive resort adventure – so far. It was a Riu resort in Costa Rica. Riu has some incredible packages that are more affordable, in my opinion, than some of the other all-inclusive resort options, but they don’t scrimp on the luxury experience. And, Costa Rica was wonderful – I recommend it as a vacation destination! 

If you’re looking for the most stunning scenery in the world, you can’t beat South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and other states in that general area right here in the good ole USA. Absolutely incredible! I found myself constantly just looking over the landscape in absolute awe saying “thank you, God, for putting this here for me to enjoy”.

Some experiences I will hold as cherished memories – in no particular order, just as they come to mind:  Swimming with dolphins in Bermuda, walking in the steps of the Beatles in Liverpool, England, seeing the beautiful countryside of Ireland and Scotland, visiting the crash site of Buddy Holly in Clear Lake, Iowa, eating lobster caught fresh that day in Maine, just being in Graceland, sitting in the sun with a gelato on a hot day in Tuscany, visiting family in Kauai, Hawaii, sharing special adventures with dear friends, and taking a cross country motorhome trip with my brother and sister-in-law. This by no means diminishes all the other amazing experiences I’ve had as I visited all 50 states and several countries – it’s just that I don’t have the space to list them all!!!

Any travel regrets, so far? NONE!!! I absolutely loved every single adventure I’ve ever been on – everywhere I go I have fun and find wonderful things to see, do, and learn about. I find something fascinating and inspiring everywhere I go. I guess if I HAD to talk about regrets, it would be that I wish I had scheduled more time in some of the places I thought I could do justice to in a few days – they always proved me wrong.

Looking over the bay in Monaco by the royal palace that Princess Grace lived in.

So, thank you to all who have read my adventure stories over the past four years. I hope I gave some inspiration to those who were looking for somewhere interesting to travel to or brought a bit of the world to those who are not able to travel. If you want to read any of my past posts, just type my name in the search box on the Orleans Hub site and it should bring up anything I’ve written. All my articles have links to the more in-depth posts on my blog.  

You can still keep up with my future adventures and photos by visiting my blog at https://thoughtsbykim.com. I will write about any new adventures I happen to go on – near or far. If you subscribe to the blog, it will notify you if I write a new post. Or, you can just visit periodically to see what’s new. Type in a key word in the search box to pull up older posts – for instance, if you wonder if I ever wrote about New Orleans, type in “New Orleans” and it will bring up any post that mentions it for you to peruse.

Happy Adventuring… ”Life’s too short! Go on the trip! Buy the shoes! Eat dessert first!”

KNOWLESVILLE – Jim Hancock, head of the Medina Lions’ Club Scarecrow Festival, wants to remind the public that the event today at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds is all inside.

Even with the forecast for rain, Hancock said that will not hamper activities at all.

“This is a rain or shine event,” Hancock said.

The festival takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SHELBY – The Town of Shelby filed a motion in State Supreme Court on Friday to join Orleans County in seeking to prevent a sewer main from coming into Shelby and depositing wastewater into the Oak Orchard Creek.

The Shelby Town Board voted on Tuesday to seek to intervene in the Orleans County lawsuit. On Friday, attorneys Jeremy Sher and Jeffrey Allen of Bond, Schoeneck & King in Rochester filed the motion on behalf of Shelby.

The attorneys state Orleans County brought a proceeding to stop construction of the pipeline from the STAMP manufacturing site in Alabama. The Genesee County Economic Development Center is seeking to build the sewer line that would go nearly 10 miles from STAMP along Route 63 to Oak Orchard Creek. The sewer line is under construction and getting close to Shelby.

The motion on behalf of Shelby states the town opposes the construction of the pipeline in Shelby.

The attorneys ask to be heard on Oct. 23 in State Supreme Court at the Orleans County Courthouse “or as soon thereafter as counsel may be heard.”

Scott Wengewicz, Town Supervisor in Shelby, said Shelby should be a party in the lawsuit.

“As a party, the Town would receive notice of and an opportunity to respond to all filings in the lawsuit and make its own filings if it believes that Orleans County is inadequately representing the Town’s interests,” he said on Friday.

Orleans County on Sept. 11 filed suit in State Supreme Court to stop a sewer line from coming into the Town of Shelby and depositing up to 6 million gallons of what Orleans says is “contaminated” water into the Oak Orchard Creek.

The county alleges that the Genesee County Economic Development Center formed a “sham corporation” in STAMP Sewer Works to make the 9.5-mile-long sewer main happen.

Orleans officials worry the sewer discharge could impair the water quality of the creek, cause flooding and hurt economic development opportunities at the Medina Business Park.

STAMP would send up to 6 million gallons a day of wastewater at full capacity. The first two tenants at STAMP – Plug Power and Edwards Vacuum – would have a daily discharge of 50,000 gallons of treated wastewater, GCEDC said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Barre firefighter Gary Rowley lets Albion kindergarten Ethan Dona spray water at a target in the elementary schoo, parking lot today to conclude Fire Prevention Week at the school.

Firefighters visited classrooms from prekindergarten to grade 5 earlier in the week. Today about 800 students went to different spots in the parking lot to see fire trucks, a fire rescue boat, and see some of the tools and equipment used by firefighters.

Carter Klips, a kindergartener, checks out the inside of the Albion ladder truck. He is shown some of the gear by Rob Conner, a past fire chief for Albion. Carter was impressed there was a small refrigerator in the truck.

Aubrey Stinson, below, and Amelia Fisher crawl through a room simulated to have smoke. They are third-graders. (This week is also homecoming at Albion and Aubrey has on some face paint.)

The smoke simulator is in a fire safety training trailer owned by the Orleans County’s Emergency Management Office. It has a fog machine to simulate smoky rooms. Students were urged to “Stay Low and Go.”

These third-graders climb on the Carlton rescue boat.

Mark Farone of the Barre Volunteer Fire Company assists Maisyn Stirk with spraying water at a target.

Charlie Monacelli, an Albion firefighter, shows some of the tools used by firefighters. Monacelli took the day off from work today and volunteered to help with fire prevention week. He has a kindergartener at Albion.

More people could be added to group looking at land use in town

BARRE – The Town of Barre has named members to a committee to update a comprehensive plan from 2017.

The group will be headed by Town Councilman George McKenna. Other members approved by the Town Board on Wednesday include John Depatie from the Planning Board, Cyndy Van Lieshout, Scott Burnside, town assessor Stephanie Underhill, Larry Gaylard from the Zoning Board of Appeals, Wes Miller of the Planning Board, Kelly Dudley of the ZBA, Kathy Klein and Gary Palmer.

The Town Board said more members could be added. McKenna said he would like to see a more diverse representation with more people from small businesses outside of agriculture and some younger adults. He said the current members include many from the ag community.

McKenna said the current members cover different communities of the town, from barre Center, East barre, West barre and South Barre.

He expects the comp plan will include a survey for residents to weigh in on many issues, including large-scale solar and wind energy projects.

Barre will be working with Barbara Johnston from LaBella Associates on updating the plan, which sets policies and goals for land use. Barre has about 2,000 residents and just under 800 households. There are 34,563 acres in the town and agricultural is just over half of the total.

Town Supervisor Sean Pogue said there will be many opportunities for public to weigh in on the plan in the coming months.

If there are any amendments to the plan, there will be at least one public hearing for the residents to comment on the changes.