By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 October 2023 at 2:55 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The village has been approved for $576,437 in short-term, interest-free financing for the planning, design and construction of disinfection improvements at the village’s wastewater treatment plant.
Mayor John Belson said the news is “huge” for the village which is in the process of putting in the chlorination system that was mandated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Belson said the village has tried to get government grants and financing assistance previously but wasn’t approved.
He said the new chlorination system should be in place by the end of the month.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the financing for Lyndonville this afternoon as part of $234.5 million in financial assistance for water infrastructure improvement projects across the state.
“By investing in our state’s water infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for regional growth and prosperity while protecting our natural resources,” Governor Hochul said in a press release. “This financial assistance helps ensure that cost will not be a barrier as communities across the state continue to modernize treatment systems with vital infrastructure upgrades, helping usher in a healthier, more resilient future for New York.”
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the State University of New York, the City University of New York, and 40 private colleges and universities in New York State will have free application opportunities for high school seniors throughout the month of October. This is the first time that SUNY, CUNY, and New York’s private institutions will join together to waive application fees for students applying during New York State College Application Month.
“Education is the backbone of our society, and I am committed to providing opportunities that support every student’s journey to a higher education,” Governor Hochul said. “As we celebrate College Application Month in New York State, I am thrilled that SUNY, CUNY, and several of New York’s private institutions will waive application fees. Removing financial barriers enables students who may not have considered completing an application due to financial constraints to take the first steps of their educational journey. I urge all seniors in the state to apply to at least one college this month and make the most of this unprecedented initiative.”
In support of college application month, SUNY is waiving application fees across all 64 colleges and universities for two weeks beginning October 16 through October 29 and CUNY is waiving application fees across all 25 campus all month for high school seniors in New York City public schools and for all New York State residents who will apply as a freshman between October 16 and 31. CUNY has also guaranteed admissions to all seven community colleges for any student who holds a high school diploma. Fee waivers at private institutions vary by participating institution during the month.
The complete list of participating colleges and universities, information on when fees will be waived, and how to apply to each school can be found by clicking here.
The New York State College Application Month initiative encourages high school seniors to apply for college early with a focus on students from low-income families, first-generation students, and students who may not otherwise apply for college.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 October 2023 at 10:29 am
After four straight days with highs in the 80s, the temperature will drop on Friday to the 60s. There also is lots of rain in the forecast after very little the past month.
Today is forecast to reach a high of 85. The high, however, will be 69 on Friday with a chance for showers and a thunderstorm. More rain is likely on Friday night, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
Saturday is forecast for a high near 60 with showers likely. Sunday the high will only be 52 with more rain likely during the day and at night.
Monday is Columbus Day and the high is forecast for 53 with a chance of showers.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College is excited to announce the initiation of a nationwide search for the college’s fifth president.
The GCC Board of Trustees has enlisted the expertise of RH Perry, a distinguished national search firm specializing in higher education, to oversee and manage the presidential search process.
RH Perry will undertake a comprehensive pre-search study on campus Oct. 17-18. This study is instrumental in shaping the presidential profile, which will outline the desired attributes, experiences, and credentials GCC seeks in its next president, while also addressing the potential opportunities and challenges on the horizon. All members of the GCC community and stakeholders are cordially invited to participate in this crucial phase of the search.
To facilitate engagement and input from various stakeholders, GCC will host Community Open Sessions as follows:
Tuesday, October 17, from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. at Conable Technology Building, Room T119
Wednesday, October 18, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at Conable Technology Building, Room T119
In addition to the in-person open sessions, written feedback is welcomed through an online survey, accessible until Friday, Oct. 20. This feedback will be invaluable in crafting the presidential profile.
“Genesee Community College’s search for its next president is an exciting and pivotal moment for our institution,” said Maureen Marshall, GCC Trustee and Search Committee Chair. “We believe that RH Perry’s expertise, combined with the valuable input from our GCC community, will help us find the visionary leader who will guide us into a promising future.”
Recruitment of presidential candidates is scheduled to begin on Oct. 30, marking the next significant phase of the search process.
Editor’s Note: Dr. James Sunser, GCC’s president for the past 13 years, will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.
Photos by Lydia Battaglia: (Left) Friends of Boxwood Cemetery welcomed 280 guests on Saturday evening for music, lighting and insights from docents. (Right) The L’Hommedieu monument was illumined for the evening’s event.
Press Release, Friends of Boxwood Cemetery
MEDINA – The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery in Medina promised a “Bigger and Better” Boxwood at Night and they did not disappoint. The event was held on September 30 with pver 280 people in attendance. That is up 27 percent from last year.
The attendees were enchanted by the sights and sounds of Boxwood at Night. One of the most frequently used words by guests to describe the evening was, “magical,” according to docent Sandra Philbrick.
Guests were treated to a 1-mile meander through the cemetery which had lighting elements throughout. The lighting was designed by the committee members with the assistance of Dan Wiegand from Lockport Stage Works.
Cosmic Oases performed during the event.
The magic was enhanced by the artistic entertainment that was made possible by a grant from GO ART! Stacy Steverson twirled to the music with lighted hula hoops and fabrics.
Cosmic Oases took guests on a musical journey with their enchanting sounds. The Orleans County String Band delighted guests with their three-piece band playing Appalachian old-time string band music.
Medina art teacher Jen Scott wowed the guests with her creative original works of art. Robby Klino, the president of the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery, said, “Her artwork was amazing and it seemed to pop up when you least expected it, providing another element of surprise.”
Medina art teacher Jen Scott created these intriguing art installations.
The magical evening did not end there. Guests were treated to stories presented by 11 docents at seven gravesites and in the S. Mainville Burroughs Memorial Chapel, who helped to enlighten and entertain them.
“The docents all did a fabulous job,” according to co-chairperson Todd Bensley. “Many did their own research and all of them showed up in period costumes.”
Co-chairperson Nicole Bensley was impressed by the volunteers from the Orleans/Niagara BOCES Security and Law Class, Medina High School and local business Velocitii, as well as individuals from the community who stepped up to help.
“They all played an important role in the success of the event,” she said.
Tom Philbrick, Sandra Philbrick and Miranda Star were among the 11 docents sharing information about people buried in the cemetery.
She particularly thanked Dale Short, of Shorty’s Beast, who is in charge of cemetery maintenance, for all his help. She declared, “He was instrumental in the success of the evening.”
Klino also would like to thank the many businesses who donated money or raffle items to help raise funds for the continuing chapel restoration and other projects in the cemetery.
To stay up-to-date on upcoming events, and to see a complete list of those who helped out, you can check out the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery Facebook Page.
(Left) This photo shows the plot for Edward Davey Sr. and (Right) features the Bent and Underhill family plots.
Stacy Steverson entertained with Hula Hoops that were lighted up.
Press Release, Genesee-Orleans County Youth Bureau
ALBION – October 12th is the 9th annual Family Game Night in Orleans County. This event is sponsored by the Orleans County Youth Bureau and Legislative Office.
The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Dubby’s Tailgate located at 165 South Platt St. in Albion. This event will feature dinner, games to play, displays to visit and a new board game for every family.
The booths will provide information on a wide array of services for youth and families that are available in Orleans County. The event this year is free for all families.
We will also have a couple drawings throughout the night. Additional contributors to the evening are Dubby’s Tailgate, Subway, Medina Railroad Museum, Medina Lions Club, Mark’s Pizzeria, Evan’s Ace Hardware & Building Supplies, Albion Ace Hardware, Tops, Save-A-Lot and Wal-Mart.
To register or for more information, contact the Orleans County Legislative Office at 589-7053.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2023 at 4:41 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Albion Middle School students spent several hours during the school day on Tuesday and today giving the canal mural on the back of the fire hall a fresh look. Here they are shown nearing the end of the project at about 1 p.m. today.
The mural is 25 years old and was originally painted by Corinne Toenniessen for her Girl Scout Gold Award in 1998. She received some design help from local artist Terri Wood.
Kamie Feder, an Albion art teacher, had eighth-grade enrichment students work on touching up the mural in the same style the past two days. Feder expects there will be a little more work on Thursday to finish the effort.
“It beautifies the community,” Feder said. “There are tons of foot traffic down here.”
She said several passing boaters waved and beep their horns to encourage the students.
Tra’Monie Walker works the mural. The theme is in the canal’s early days when boats and barges were pulled by mules. The canal was completed in 1825 and will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2025.
Students painted over the mural on Tuesday in the same style as the original, and today added highlights and shadows.
Lillian Fisher works on the mural which is 36 feet long and 12 feet tall. Feder, the art teacher, painted the “Welcome to Albion” message on Sunday. Students weren’t able to paint the letters due to liability concerns about the height. They were able to paint most of the mural by standing, with some help in spots from stools and a lift.
Here is how the mural looked before the recent upgrade.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2023 at 2:55 pm
Anthony Disanferdinando
ALBION – A Clarendon man pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court this morning to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a firearm.
Anthony Disanferdinando, 28, of Hindsburg Road in Clarendon faces up to 6 years in state prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 3. The drug charge normally carries a maximum of 9 years in prison while the firearms charge has a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years. As part of a plea agreement, the sentences concurrently and include up to two years of post-release supervision.
Disanferdinando was charged on Jan. 31, after an investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine. The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force and Orleans County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrant at Disanferdinando’s residence.
Law enforcement seized over 10 ounces of cocaine, a quantity of LSD, a quantity of prescription narcotic pills, THC wax, THC vapes, over 5 pounds of high-grade marijuana, $8,000 in cash, four loaded semi-auto pistols, 24 rifles and shotguns, scales, numerous packaging material and other drug paraphernalia, the Task Force reported.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2023 at 11:52 am
ALBION – A Medina man pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court this morning to criminally negligent homicide.
Todd D. Sands, 56, admitted to drinking heavily on May 8 while spending time with his brother Timothy R. Sands, also 56.
Todd Sands was driving up to 94 miles per hour on Route 31A when he went off the road and struck a tree. Both men were ejected from the vehicle with Timothy Sands killed in the crash.
District Attorney Joe Cardone said Todd Sands had a blood alcohol content of 0.175 percent, more than twice the legal limit.
In court this morning in front of Judge Sanford Church, Todd Sands admitted that he had been drinking alcohol with his brother and playing the Wii video game prior to them getting in a minivan. Todd Sands said he has no recollection of driving that day but he recalls drinking and then waking up in a hospital.
He pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide where a person acts in a way “that fails to recognize a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death, that a reasonable person would observe would establish the necessary intent.”
The charge carries a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison. As part of a plea agreement today, Todd Sands faces a maximum of 6 months in the Orleans County Jail and five years of probation when he is sentenced on Jan. 3.
Cardone did not request bail for Todd Sands, who the DA said “has been totally cooperative.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2023 at 11:18 am
There is more red, orange and yellow on the trees this week locally and around the state. I Love NY posted its third fall foliage report on Tuesday and the map shows nearly the entire state has leaves changing color.
“Beautiful fall colors continue to arrive across New York State, with near-peak leaves expected to make their first appearances this weekend in parts of the Adirondacks,” according to the report.
Spotters nearby in Batavia say the foliage change is about 20 percent, while in Niagara and Erie spotters say the percent change is about 5 to 15 percent.
This group from both the Albion and Medina cross country teams cheers on runners during Tuesday’s race at Boxwood Cemetery. Most of the leaves on the trees are still green. Pictured from left on a sandstone retaining wall at the cemetery include Madeline Mark, Ariel Smith and Faith Baker-Austin of Medina, sisters Mia and Maggie Olles of Albion, and Evan Steier, the assistant varsity coach at Albion who was calling out times for the runners at the 2-mile mark.
The map from I Love NY shows leaves are changing in most places throughout the state with some areas, especially the Adirondacks, getting near peak color change.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today released the following statement on the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the upcoming House Republican leadership race.
“The American people are fed up with political gamesmanship and dysfunction in Washington,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Sadly, a small group of Republicans teamed up with the Democrats to plunge our conference into a leadership race and sideline our effort to pass conservative appropriations bills.
“Instead of working together to pass spending cuts, gain operational control of our borders, rein in Biden’s bloated bureaucracy, and hold the corrupt Biden family accountable through oversight functions, Republicans will remain divided amid important negotiations with Biden and Schumer.
“Speaker McCarthy’s magnanimous and courageous decision to step aside gives Republicans one last chance to unify, come together, elect a speaker, and deliver conservative wins for the American people.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2023 at 8:51 am
CARLTON – An issue that has lingered for years, even decades, was given a lengthy public airing on Tuesday when county officials and leaders of Modern Disposal met with 125 residents about garbage and recycling collection on private lanes and roads.
Modern said many of those roads are too narrow and don’t have turnarounds for the larger garbage trucks. The company uses pickup trucks with a hopper and lift to get the garbage and recycling from many of those sites. Those trucks only hold enough garbage for about 12 to 15 of the sites, and the driver then has to go find a larger garbage truck to transfer that trash – and then they go back to the private road for another fill. The big trucks can hold enough garbage from about 800 residential sites.
“We need to get smarter on how we do things,” Dennis Moriarty, vice president of collection operations for Modern, told the crowd of residents at the Carlton Rec Hall. “Unfortunately times change and we have to think of different ways of doing things.”
Moriarty said the current system, using three pickup trucks with hoppers on the private roads, is labor intensive, inefficient and proves costly.
Dennis Moriarty said Modern Disposal is open to options to serve residents on narrow private roads.
Modern has been discussing the issue with Carlton and Yates as well as county officials, looking for a better way to serve those residents. The county has about 15,000 residential customers served by Modern, and about 1,000 are on the private lanes and roads, mostly in Carlton and Yates.
Jack Welch, the county chief administrative officer, said those residents may need to be charged more because of the added expense in serving them.
But many of the Carlton residents at the meeting on Tuesday strongly pushed back on that, saying they are already grossly over-assessed for their property near the lake.
Some residents asked the town and county to upgrade the private roads to better accommodate the larger garbage trucks and add turnarounds. But Welch said the local governments can’t spend money to improve private property.
One of the residents, Marlene Seielstad, said the Carlton community on private roads should get a discount on their local taxes because they don’t get the same level of services as other residents.
“What resonates with me is the amount of taxes the waterfront people pay and the lack of services we get,” another resident said.
Marlene Seielstad said Carlton residents on private roads should get discounted tax bills because they receive less in local government services.
Moriarty said Modern is proposing to have about a dozen dumpsters for the private road residents in Carlton. The residents would need to bring their garbage and recycling to the site. If a property owner agreed to have the dumpster on their property, they would get free garbage and recycling.
The current fee for solid waste and recycling service is $216 a year, with properties classified as seasonal paying half that.
Many residents didn’t like the idea of dumpsters, saying many of the residents are elderly or disabled and it would be a hardship for them to have to bring it from their homes to the dumpsters, which could be 1,000 feet or more for some of the residents.
Moriarty said the proposal isn’t finalized. Modern is just putting it out as option and he welcomes more dialogue on the issue.
“We’re not trying to force this down,” Moriarty said about the dumpsters. “It’s an option.”
Modern officials are willing to meet with residents on a case-by-case basis to look at alternatives for serving them, he said.
Modern will meet with residents and would like to have another public meeting in the future to discuss how to best pick up the trash and recycling on the private roads.
Moriarty said there isn’t a deadline for reaching a decision.
“Let’s explore all options so everyone’s opinion can be heard,” he said.
Modern’s contract with the county was recently renewed for two more years and runs until the end of 2025. The company will be having a similar meeting with private road residents in Yates. That forum hasn’t been scheduled yet.
Moriarty thanked the Carlton residents for their input during the 1 ½ hour meeting on Tuesday.
“I thought it was a good conversation,” he told the group. “I love the passion about garbage.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 October 2023 at 3:13 pm
One of first actions: creating Facebook page for county government
ALBION – Orleans County has a part-time public information officer in a new arrangement with Niagara County.
Kevin Schuler, Niagara’s PIO since 2020, will work five hours a week for Orleans County. He has been in the communications field for 29 years.
Orleans will pay Niagara $19,600 for the first year and then a cost of living increase the second year. The agreement goes from Sept. 27, 2023 through Sept. 26, 2025.
Schuler in his first week set up a Facebook page for the county government (click here) and has put out three press releases. The first press release was on the Legislature voting to protect local tributaries from STAMP wastewater, with the second on Sheriff’s Week.
There also was a joint press release for the two counties with their county clerks reminding people to submit eye exams or go to the DMV offices if they had their driver’s license renewed between March 1, 2020 and Aug. 31, 2021. Otherwise they could have their license suspended.
Schuler said he will send press releases to local media outlets, and post to the county website and Facebook page.
“I look to consistently put out content (and share other’s content) that covers the broad scope of services, programs and issues that are in the purview of county government,” he said.
Legislators in the resolution approving the agreement said Orleans has a long history of collaboration with Niagara, including through the Niagara Orleans Regional Alliance and the Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corporation.
Panel of experts will discuss the health effects of vaping and suggest resources for quitting
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
ALBION – Are you a parent that is concerned about your child who is vaping? Are you a community member that wants to know more about vaping?
If so, you are invited to attend the Orleans County Vaping Summit at the Albion Middle School Auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. A panel of experts will discuss the health effects of vaping, provide data on youth vaping in Orleans County and discuss resources for quitting. Following the event, experts will be available for questions and will have resources and information available.
“One of the priority areas of the 2022-2024 Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming (GOW) Counties Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is to prevent tobacco use and vaping among youth,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Vaping is a serious public health issue facing the youth in our community. We look forward to providing community members with information on vaping as well as an opportunity for attendees to ask questions of experts in the field.”
GO Health appreciates the support of our partners for this event including the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, UConnectCare (formally GCASA), and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Institute.
