MEDINA – Sponsors of the Canal Village Farmers’ Market are praising the generosity of Medina businessman Craig Lacy for loaning his building for the market to set up during winter months.

The market has re-located to the former NAPA Auto Parts store on North Main Street for the winter, according to Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market.

“Since 2015, the market has operated during the summer at their site on the corner of West Center Street and West Avenue,” Busch said. “It’s a great spot for a festive, open-air summer market, but not so much for winter.”

Site of a former drive-in bank building, the location provides extremely limited sheltered space and little heat, Busch said.

Gail Miller, who has been market manager since 2015, said for a summer market, the downtown corner site is fantastic.

“It provides a festive market atmosphere in a central downtown location,” she said. “The building is essentially used for sto4rage. It was originally built as a gas station and has very little interior space that can be heated.”

Buyers stop at Bower Family Farms table at Medina’s winter Canal Village Farmers’ Market to check out the microgreens. In the background, a customer makes a purchase from Baker Farms of Medina. The market has relocated to the former NAPA store on North Main Street for the winter months.

Knowing the site’s limitations for winter operations, Lacy stepped in over a year ago and offered his empty storefront on North Main Street.

Lacy’s family has owned the historic sandstone structure since 1925, when his father M. Cady Lacy and Charles Haak salvaged the building after a tragic fire. They added the rear section and began an auto parts business and machine shop. For many years, locals knew the business as NAPA Auto Parts Store. Unfortunately, corporate NAPA decided to relocate their store to Maple Ridge Road in April 2021, leaving Lacy’s building without a tenant.

“Craig literally saved the winter market,” Miller said. “His incredibly generous gesture has been a game changer. We can’t you how grateful both we and our customers are to have this big, heated space. He’s done the community a tremendous service and we’re thankful for it.”

“All of us at the market and ORG are so grateful to Craig for his generosity,” Busch added. “Because of him, the community is able to gather at a great farmers’ market throughout the winter. Medina is lucky to have Craig and to have such a great community resource as the market.”

The indoor site retains all of the summer market vendors throughout the winter, Busch said.

Among the regular weekly vendors are Heartland Organics of Johnson’s Creek (mushrooms and mushroom products), Stone Hollow Farms of Middleport (fresh bread), Catherine Street Bakery of Medina (pies, cookies, scones and jams), Baker Farms of Medina (beef and pork), Human Farms and Greenhouse of Appleton (produce, spice blends and BBQ sauces), LockRidge Apiary of Lockport (local honey and honey products), and Bower Family Farms and Greenhouse of Lockport (microgreens).

Other vendors rotate in and out, including 3BeesWax, Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, 810 Meadworks, Mountain Mule Ciderhouse and Dot’s Pantry (savory relishes, jams, mustards, dressings, chutney, cheeses and pierogi.

Miller said they are also able to feature crafters and any non-profits as well. Community groups frequent the “Community Table,” a space for non-profits and groups to set up and connect with the public.

Erica Wanecski of Medina is an avid volunteer who helps many organizations throughout the area. She loves to spend a Saturday talking to shoppers about the Medina Historical Society, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners or the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge.

“People are anxious to hear about these places, and I love talking to them,” Wanecski said.

Miller said they have many other groups who avail themselves of the Community Table. Among them are PAWS, Canalside Radio, Mustang Marching Band, Office for the Aging, Orleans Mental Health, Medina Head Start, Girl Scouts of WNY, Orleans County Veterans Services, NYS Department of Health, Medina Fire Department and many others.

“It’s a great way for community groups to connect with people,” Miller said.

She added they are always looking for community-minded people to volunteer at the market.

“Medina is very lucky to have such a great community resource as this farmers’ market,” Miller said. “But it doesn’t just happen. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes logistics that make it happen every week, because of volunteers who give generously of their time and talent.”

Busch agreed, saying a community farmers’ market makes a community vibrant. They’re a great public gathering space. Every week, people meet up and enjoy connecting with each other and with local farmers and providers.

“People really appreciate access to fresh, local foods, products and information,” Busch said. “And they enjoy just having fun.”

Dehydrated organic mushrooms such as these can be found weekly at Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market, which is set up at the former NAPA building for the winter.

In addition to a dedicated core of volunteers, the market also benefits from generous community sponsorship, lending financial support to the operation.

“We are so incredibly lucky to have financial benefactors who believe in what we’re doing,” Busch said. “Their philanthropism makes possible live music at the summer market, activities for kids and critical supplemental operating funds. Without them, there would be no market.”

Summer market operations, including live music and kids’ activities are sponsored by Takeform, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-Zambito Realtors and Mrs. Maureen Hungerford.

The Canal Village Farmers’ Market has become not only a valued community space, but a tourism destination, Miller said.

“I am constantly amazed by where the patrons travel from all year round,” she said. “We have visitors from Buffalo, Clarence, Youngstown, Lewiston, East Aurora, Williamsville and other Western New York communities. “Our market really does matter. People enjoy and appreciate having a direct relationship between local farmers, producers and the consumer, and we appreciate that the market promotes local agriculture – our primary industry.”

Additional information about Canal Village Farmers’ Market or becoming a vendor, volunteer or corporate sponsor can be found on the market’s Facebook page or by e-mailing Miller at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com.

The winter market at 345 Main St. operates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through May. The summer market begins in June and runs through October from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 127 West Center St., corner of West Avenue.

The market operates under the auspices of the Orleans Renaissance Group, a 501(c)3 arts, culture and preservation organization based in Medina.

Jasmine Almeter made a centipede last year

Photos courtesy of Jasmine Almeter

MORTON – Yesterday, with temperatures just above freezing, proved ideal for making a snowman, or in Jasmine Almeter’s case, a snow-mouse.

Almeter owns Residential and Commercial Pest Pro in Morton, just outside Orleans County. She started the business last year. (She made a centipede out of snow last year.)

The snow-mouse and its burrow took a couple hours to build on Tuesday, when temperatures were above freezing for the first time in about a week.

ALBION – The Albion Democratic Party held its caucus this evening and backed Greg Bennett, a youth baseball coach for nearly three decades, to run for a trustee on the Village Board.

Greg Bennett

Bennett, 47, works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina.

Bennett is well known in Albion as a long-time coach in the Albion Midget League. He also is an assistant with the Albion varsity baseball team. He also coaches youth baseball teams in the summer and fall.

As a trustee, he said he would be focused on a building a strong team for Albion, pushing people to put aside differences and animosity for the good of the community.

Bennett said he is “level-headed” and will hear out opinions and all sides of an issue before reaching a decision.

“I’m a straight-shooter,” he told Democrats at the caucus at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.

Bennett was backed for one of two open positions on the Village Board. The election is March 19.

The four-year spots are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed last month by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.

Buczek intended to run for a full four-year term but said this evening he won’t be running in the election. He said he will remain involved in the village but not on the board.

Bennett said Albion is a safe community, but he would like to see more opportunities for people of all ages.

He was born in the former Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion and believes Albion is a great place to live, but the community leaders should work to make it even more appealing.

“We have to make sure these kids have a reason to stick around,” he said.

Bennett lives on Chamberlain Street with his fiancé. He has a son and stepdaughter.

The Democrats are open to backing a second candidate. For more information contact Sandra Walter, the Democratic Party chairwoman, at (585) 589-9058.

The Republicans also will be having a caucus on Monday.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Erica Wanecski of Medina, a history buff and avid volunteer, holds a child’s shoe a local resident found in his barn. She plans to show it at the January meeting of the Medina Historical Society, which annually is “Show and Tell” night. The meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.

MEDINA – The January meeting of the Medina Historical Society is one which always creates a lot of interest.

The first meeting of each new year is “Show and Tell.”

“People always bring the most interesting things,” said Georgia Thomas, a board member of the Historical Society. “You never know what you’re going to see.”

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. on Monday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, and the public is invited to attend.

Erica Wanecski is also a member and is going to show an old child’s shoe which a Medina man found in his father’s barn. When a friend heard about the find, she was alarmed and said if he found it in the wall, it should be returned there immediately. She said it was a well-known superstition that people hid things in the walls for good luck, and if they were removed, it would bring bad luck.

Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper said she had never heard of the superstition, but wasn’t surprised there was one.

She said people believed in all kinds of superstitions, such as it was bad luck to remove something from an Indian site or a burial site.

Hub contributor Ginny Kropf decided to do some research online and found, indeed, hiding shoes in a wall was a superstition dating back to the 1500s in the United Kingdom. She will share the story at Monday’s meeting.

Thomas said she is looking forward to the meeting to see what people bring. In the past, she recalls when Dave Schwert brought in a medical kit belonging to his father, who was a doctor.  Another man who hunts with a muzzle loader has talked about his experiences on several occasions. Others have brought in memorabilia from when Fisher-Price was in town, and before that, H.J. Heinz Co.

“We’ve seen old kitchen utensils, button hooks, blacksmithing tools, postcards and old clothing,” Thomas said. “Craig Lacy once brought in an old map. It was all very interesting to think people used these things in yesteryear, and today nobody knows what they are.”

The Historical Society is closed during the winter months. They meet the last Monday of every month, except June, July and August. Special arrangements can be made to visit the museum by calling Thomas at (585) 798-3429.

Thomas suggested people log on to the Historical Society’s website to read their quarterly newsletter, The Bugle. Dave Miller is editor and anyone can contribute interesting facts about Medina. Thomas said there is a lot of interesting information about the canal, as it gets ready to celebrate its 200th anniversary next year.

Historical Society president Reinhard Rogowski invites anyone who is not a member to consider joining the museum. Dues are $15 for an individual or $20 for a family.

“It’s very reasonable and it helps us to keep the building open,” he said.

Photo from Assemblyman Hawley’s Office: Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) attends a press conference Monday in Albany on education spending in the state budget.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley is speaking out against reductions in state aid for rural school districts.

In Orleans County, two of the five public schools would see overall cuts in state funding, based on the governor’s executive budget released last week.

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.

Hawley and some of his Assembly colleagues held a news conference on Monday in the state capitol. Hawley said Gov. Hochul has not kept her promise to local school districts that they would not see a decrease in their foundation aid funding from the previous year.

“It’s ridiculous our schools should have to take a back seat while the governor continues to hinder them with less funding and more regulations,” Hawley said. “The governor should remember her promise to ensure foundation aid for local school districts would not decrease and give them the resources they need. I cannot and will not vote for any state budget that does not put the education of our children first.”

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%)

File photo by Tom Rivers: Phil Berry, an instructor at Medina Lindy and the main organizer of the program, is shown at the Bent’s Opera House on Dec. 15, 2022 during a Medina class and dance that featured a “Cool Yule” theme.

Press Release, Medina Lindy

MEDINA –  On Monday, Jan. 29, from 8 to 9 p.m. at Bent’s Opera House, Medina resident Phil Berry, director of Medina Lindy in the Village and producer of the upcoming Hollywood feature film ‘Jitterbug,’ will hold his first public information session about the film currently in development.

Berry, who also wrote and will star in the movie, will provide preliminary information about the $3 million film for teens, tweens and families, which features both Lindy Hop and Hip Hop dancing and is slated to shoot this summer in both Sweden and in Western New York.

At this first local information session, Berry will give attendees a brief overview of the storyline and themes in the film, a general outline of the current stage of production, as well as an explanation of how casting for the film will work both locally and internationally. He will also take questions from the audience. This session is free and open to the public and follows immediately after the regularly scheduled free Lindy Hop dance lesson taking place at Bent’s from 7 to 8 pm.

“This project combines my passions for film and Lindy Hop dance, and I’m excited to share with the local community what we are creating right here in Medina,” Berry said.

After relocating to Medina from Los Angeles, Berry, an award-winning actor and producer, formed the local dance scene, Medina Lindy in the Village, to spread Lindy Hop social dancing through monthly dances and free group and one-on-one instruction. He sees this film project as a next step in sharing dance.

“Medina Lindy helps me share my love of Lindy Hop and create community through dance in Medina. ‘Jitterbug’ will help me expand that vision worldwide.”

For more information about the film, visit www.JitterbugMovie.com. For more information about Medina Lindy in the Village, or upcoming dances and lessons, visit www.MedinaLindy.com, or www.facebook.com/groups/medinalindy, or email info@MedinaLindy.com.

‘Rabies continues to be a serious public health concern in Genesee and Orleans counties and is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.’

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting their first rabies immunization clinic of the year at no charge to participants on Thursday, February 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Batavia Town Highway Garage (3833 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY).

Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per person maximum.

“We encourage all residents to take advantage of our first rabies immunization clinic of 2024 and ensure their pets are protected against rabies,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Rabies continues to be a serious public health concern in Genesee and Orleans counties and is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. Please leave wildlife alone and do not feed, touch, or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or cats.”

The next rabies immunization clinics are as follows:

Orleans County Clinics at the Orleans County Fairgrounds (12690 State Route 31, Albion, NY 14411)

• Saturday, April 13, from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, June 5, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 19, from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Genesee County Clinics at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020)

• Thursday, May 16, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 10, from 4 to 6 p.m.

For more information contact the health department at:

• Orleans County 585-589-3278 or OCPublicHealth@orleanscountyny.gov
• Genesee County 585-344-2580 x5555 or Health@co.genesee.ny.us

Press Release, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer

BUFFALO – Standing at Western New York Pediatrics with doctors, who like many across the country have faced shortages of the new, potentially lifesaving Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) immunization for kids, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Monday launched his two-pronged push calling on the feds and medicine manufacturers to ensure doctors across New York and America have the support they need to keep children safe.

In a letter to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Schumer said first it is imperative that as new doses are expected to be released in early 2024 that those vaccines get to pediatricians on the frontlines, like those in Western NY, who have been seeing these shortages ASAP, especially as recent severe cold weather has increased risk for respiratory viruses. Secondly, the senator said it is vital the drug manufacturers work with all levels of the federal government to ramp up supply now, fix supply chain issues so that all those who need the vaccines are able to get it.

“The release of a brand-new immunization for RSV last year was a gamechanger in the fight against this disease that often terrifies new parents and puts our youngest children at risk. But with recent winter weather increasing risk for respiratory viruses, Western New York pediatricians and parents are justifiably nervous as we have already seen supply not able to meet the demand and we need action now,” said Senator Schumer. “Parents and doctors should never have to scramble to ensure our children can get a vaccine from RSV. That’s why I’m calling on the CDC, FDA and drug manufacturers to get all hands-on deck and work overtime to release more doses of this vital treatment, and to ensure all new doses get where they are needed most, like our hard-hit Western NY pediatricians on the frontlines.”

“Western New York Pediatrics, within Medical Health Associates of Western New York (MHA), stands at the forefront of pediatric care, covering a vast region and serving a patient roster of 55,000 individuals. As we strive to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for widespread vaccination, our ability to administer only 29% of the recommended doses due to supply issues is deeply concerning,” said Chris Tirabassi, CEO of Medical Health Associates of Western New York. “We urge the CDC to collaborate with manufacturers and expedite the distribution of the RSV vaccine. Swift action is imperative to ensure equitable access and prevent further disruptions in the vaccination process.”

Each year, about 1 in 50 infants are hospitalized with RSV before their first birthday, a number of whom end up in an intensive care unit due to the severity of their infection. However, the new preventive antibody treatment is shown to reduce the risk of RSV-related complications by more than 70 percent.

“Due to the limited availability of RSV shots, our staff was placed in the difficult situation of having to decide which babies would have the opportunity to receive the medication”, said Dr. Colleen Mattimore, MD, of Western New York Pediatrics. “It is unfair to have to ration shots for the most at-risk babies when babies are already more susceptible to RSV than most age groups. I have had to send babies to the ER to be treated for respiratory distress due to this shortage. We need to work together to remove this burden from medical practices, medical staff, and parents. Most importantly we need to work together to ensure that there is enough medication available for all eligible babies.”

“Before last year, parents of young children – especially children born premature or with respiratory issues – largely had nothing to do except pray their child did not get RSV. If they did, in many cases the result was hospitalization, with their child hooked up to oxygen, doctors monitoring their breathing round the clock,” Schumer said. “Thankfully, the new RSV preventive antibody treatment is shown to significantly reduce the risk of severe RSV by more than 70 percent, and that is why it is critical we ensure it is easily accessible and available across Upstate New York.”

The Biden Administration has already been putting pressure on RSV vaccine makers to address this problem. Last month the White House announced an additional 230,000 more doses of the RSV shot for infants would become available and those are expected to be distributed soon, and Schumer said while this is a critical step forward, manufacturers need to do more to get additional doses out ASAP to the hospitals that are most in need.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney 

MEDINA – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) announced on Monday that Niagara County has been added to the Iroquois Job Corps Center’s recruiting zone, a major win for the Medina center, located within NY-24.

Tenney has been a champion of the Job Corps program and the Iroquois Job Corps Center and relentlessly fought to restore full funding to the program as part of the FY24 appropriations cycle. In June, Congresswoman Tenney spoke with officials from the Department of Labor, urging them to move Niagara County into the Iroquois Job Corps Center’s recruiting zone, and just last month, Tenney was recognized as a Job Corps Champion by the National Job Corps Association.

“I am thrilled that after tirelessly advocating for its inclusion, Niagara County was added to the Iroquois Job Corps Center’s recruiting zone,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “This will allow the Iroquois Job Corps Center to help Niagara County students learn critical trades, such as bricklaying, carpentry, and electrical work. I will continue fighting for the Job Corps program and oppose efforts to eliminate their funding. The Job Corps program has helped countless individuals in NY-24 and the nation live fruitful and productive lives through skills and trades. I am grateful to have a Job Corps Center in our district and thank all the wonderful staff at the Iroquois Job Corps Center for their tremendous work.”

“The Iroquois Job Corps Center fully supports this updated and additional Niagara area in western New York for the Center to directly recruit and enroll students from, and to forge expanded partnerships with secondary and post-secondary providers as well as employer partnerships,” said Dennis Essom, Center Director, Iroquois Job Corps Center. “The Iroquois Center appreciates both the National and Boston Regional Offices of Job Corps for revising the National Enrollee Assignment Plan to include this expanded recruitment zone for the Iroquois Center.”

“The National Job Corps Association is thrilled to learn that Niagara County will now be part of the updated recruitment zone for the Iroquois Job Corps campus in Medina, thanks to Congresswoman Tenney’s advocacy on behalf of the campus and her community,” said Donna Hay, President and CEO, National Job Corps Association. “This change will ensure Iroquois can continue to serve hundreds of deserving young New Yorkers and local businesses in Niagara County. We are incredibly grateful to Congresswoman Tenney for her longstanding support of Iroquois Job Corps and its students and staff.”

“Niagara County is excited to re-establish working ties with Iroquois Job Corps. Logistically, this territory shift makes sense as their location is much closer for Niagara County residents to take advantage of the many different programs that they provide,” said Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey. “I would like to thank Congresswoman Tenney for her hard work to make this happen. The Iroquois Job Corps offers excellent opportunities for our local youth to gain life-changing skills which are so needed in today’s work environment. Qualified individuals can earn a high school diploma or equivalent at the same time they are learning the skills to be successful in a variety of careers at no cost to them.”

Provided photo: Jody Neal and his sons Zachary, left, and Jayden, formed Udder Ways LLC.

An Albion dairy farmer and his two sons finished second today in an agricultural innovation challenge at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jody Neal and sons Jayden and Zachary have formed Udder Ways LLC, a startup business with their new system to sanitize and prepare udders for milking.

The Neals won a $20,000 prize for second place. In September, American Farm Bureau announced Udder Ways was one of 10 finalists for the ag innovation competition. On Saturday, they made it to the final four.

Jody Neal is a partner a Poverty Hill Farms in Albion, a dairy farm on East County House Road. His sons were active in the Orleans County 4-H Robotics program, where they learned programming and tech skills as part of a team that competed in the Rochester region.

The Neals worked on their udder cleaning system the past eight years. The device is used just before a cow is milked. Their invention uses a unique, brushless technology to gently stimulate cows and ensure clean and dry teats, the family states on their website.

“With our patented vortex-style application, you can achieve consistent stimulation and promote milk letdown effortlessly,” they said.

The $50,000 first prize went to Barn Owl Precision Agriculture from Colorado which utilizes small robots (micro-tractors) for planting crops, precision weeding and collecting soil samples.

MEDINA – The Medina School District is warning of scam where people are asked to give their credit cards for gift cards for staff members.

“We want to make you aware of a scam that is currently happening in many neighboring districts,” the Medina district said in a message to the community this afternoon. “Parents and community members are receiving text messages from a 212 area code claiming to be someone from the schools.

“These text messages ask people to purchase gift cards for other staff members, and they try to obtain credit card information. Please know that nobody from the Medina CSD will ever solicit money from families to purchase gifts for staff members.

“If you see a message like this come to your phone, please treat the message as spam and do not click on any links in those emails.”

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is teaming up with Orleans County Mental Health in “Hidden Mischief,” a program being promoted by UConnectCare (formerly GCASA) to inform individuals, especially parents, where children or others might hide drugs and how to find them.

Community Action became aware of the program after Community Action’s director Renee Hungerford met Danielle Figura, director of the Orleans County Mental Health Department,at a meeting of Leadership Orleans, where the program was demonstrated.

Orleans Mental Health offered grants to implement Hidden Mischief and Community Action applied for and was approved for one.

How it works, according to Hungerford, is a bedroom is set up with drugs hidden in the room. Individuals are given a sheet on which to document the forbidden items and where they found them.

“It is important for parents to know this,” said Jeanette Worsley, case manager at Community Action. “Things can be hidden in the strap of a hoodie or in plain sight.”

Jackie Dunham, chief operating officer at Community Action, was given the task of making the program happen, Hungerford said. Dunham said they partnered with Marty Taber with the ACTS Program, and Cassie Healy, manager of Community Action’s Main Street Store, who is the instructor of Community Action’s Credit Recovery Program at Albion High School.

“We are working with the school districts now to see who will participate,” Dunham said. “We hope to get as many of the county’s five schools to participate as possible.”

Part of the program is talking about the differences between mental health and substance abuse, Worsley said.

“This is truly about making all sorts of good choices,” Worsley added. “With Marty and Cassie’s connection with the school districts, I think this is going to be successful.”

They hope to be ready to implement the program by mid-March and will announce the time and location and how to register by the end of the month.

“An important part of the program is to make available test strips for Xylazine and Fentanyl,” Hungerford said. “They just have to ask, no questions asked.”

She stressed how dangerous those drugs are and how prevalent in our society.

Healy said she already has the test strips at the Main Street Store and they are free to anyone who comes in and asks.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Chris Forrester, a volunteer at this morning’s food distribution in Albion in the Platt Street municipal parking lot, carries a chicken to a car with two senior citizens.

Forrester said she has been volunteering at the monthly distributions for about a year. She tries to be high energy in greeting the people.

“Everyone deserves a smile,” she said.

Foodlink brought a truck of food from Rochester. Foodlink also does distributions at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville and in Lyndonville at the Presbyterian Church.

The distribution started at about 9 a.m. but people were in the parking lot for hours before that with the first there at 5 a.m., said Katrina Chaffee, director of Community Service and Reporting at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

Community Action runs the distribution in Albion, and Chaffee said there has been a big increase in people seeking food with prices rising and people feeling a strain financially. About 150 vehicles typically are there for the distributions, and some vehicles include more than one family.

Ernie Gursslin, a maintenance worker for Community Action, gets boxes ready at the distribution. It was 20 degrees at the start of the distribution.

Today the boxes included macaroni and cheese, tomatillos, grapefruit, bags of Honeycrisp apples, potatoes, onions, cabbage, rolls and chicken. Chaffee said the value of the food is about $100.

Ricky Standish, a Community Action employee, opens up boxes with frozen chickens.

The distributions are funded by the state and will continue until at least June. The distributions started during the Covid pandemic in the spring 2020.

The schedule for the upcoming distributions in Albion at 165 South Platt St. includes:

• Monday, January 22 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, February 12 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, March 11 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, April 8 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, May 13 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, June 10 at 9 a.m.

The schedule at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St., includes:

• Friday, February 16 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, March 1 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, March 15 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, April 19 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, May 17 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, June 7 at 9:30 a.m.

The Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension also hosts a distribution at the fairgrounds, 12690 State Route 31, Albion, NY.

The next one will be Monday, February 5, beginning at 10 a.m.

The Albion and Lyndonville distributions don’t require registrations, but the Extension strongly encourages that. Those who preregister will be assigned timeslots for pickup (12-12:30, 12:30-1, 1-1:30, 1:30-2). Preregister at 585-798-4265.

Elaine Kovaleski (left), age 86, has been volunteering at the distributions in Albion for about a year. She sorts the food and tries to spread them out evenly in about 150 different boxes.

“It’s amazing how many people need food,” she said.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the Albion distribution can call Community Action at (585) 589-5605.

The average price for regular unleaded gas dropped 9 cents in Orleans County in the past week, from $3.50 to $3.41, according to AAA.

The price in Orleans County has now dropped almost 50 cents since Oct. 9 when it was $3.87.

The average price nationally went up a penny to $3.08 in the past week, while the price went down state-wide by 2 cents to $3.26. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.51, AAA said.

Here are the average prices in counties around Western New York:

• Orleans, $3.409
• Genesee, $3.294
• Wyoming, $3.460
• Livingston, $3.441
• Monroe, $3.219
• Niagara, $3.261
• Erie, $3.408
• Chautauqua, $3.299
• Cattaraugus, $3.298
• Allegany, $3.454

AAA issued this statement about gas prices: “This morning, oil prices range from $72 to $78 per barrel, the same as one week ago. Diesel prices are also moving lower. The national average price for diesel is $3.91, down a cent from one week ago, and down from $4.62 a year ago. The New York average for diesel is $4.40, also down a cent from a week ago, and lower than $5.27 one year ago.”