HOLLEY – The school’s trap team has won its conference for the first time since Holley joined the NYS High School Clay Target League in 2016.

This is the eighth season Holley has been in the league. Holley earned second places in prior seasons, but took first this time based on the cumulative scores of its shooters over five weeks of competition.

The team has 18 students, from grades seven to seniors. Holley finished first out of 8 teams in 1A – Conference 10. The scores are counted for 12 of the shooters on the teams.

Holley trap shooting team members are pictured on Thursday evening at their final practice of the season. Pictured, from left, in front are Hunter Pachla, Leigha Walker, Kohle Pachla and Mason Merle. Back row: Tessa Hazzard, TJ Calvaruso, Caleb Donley, Ryan Blodgett, Ashton Buzard, Jaxson Schicker, Teanna Church and Layne Walker. Others on the team not in photo include Max Hollister, Mason Moyer, Evan Press, Joshua Silpoch, Noah St. John and Ronald Thorn.

Holley’s score of 3,984.50 topped Unatego High School in second with 3,573, Genesee Valley in third at 3,331.50, Trumansburg in fourth at 2,874, Sandy Creek in fifth at 2,776, Paul V. Moore in sixth at 2,680, Voorheesville in seventh at 2,310, and Romulus in eighth at 1,751.

Two other schools in Orleans County compete in the trap shooting league. Albion was fifth out of 8 teams in 1A – Conference 1 with East Aurora in first. Kendall was fifth out of 8 teams in 1A – Conference 8 with Berlin High School in first in that conference.

The schools are grouped based on the size of their teams. They compete at their home bases virtually against the other teams. They aren’t competing at the same spot next to each other in person.

Holley’s team competes at the Holley Rod and Gun Club. A trap house fires clay discs at up to 42 miles an hour from five different angles. The shooters move to five different stations and take 50 shots per round. They have to hit targets at different heights, angles and speeds.

Many of Holley’s shooters hit 40 or more of the 50 targets – an 80 percent or better rate.

“It’s practice, practice, practice – and concentration,” sad head coach John Waldron. Other coaches include Butch Moy, Doug Baker and Mike Elsner.

John Waldron, head coach of the team, gives a safety briefing before the team started practice on Thursday. They also had pizza to celebrate their first conference championship for Holley in trap shooting.

The coaches thanked the community for donating money for the team to buy ammunition. There are collections for people to donate at Sam’s Diner and Dustin’s Pizzeria.

Caleb Donley, a freshman, has been on the team for two seasons. He said he didn’t hit many of the targets the first year but now is breaking about half of them.

“It’s great competition,” he said on Thursday at the Rod & Gun Club. “I’ve gotten way better since the first time I did it.”

Caleb said it take s good hand-eye coordination to be a good shooter.

“It prepares you for hunting season,” he said.

Teanna Church, 16, said her skills have improved in trap shooting. She looks forward to joining her father when they go out hunting. Teanna also plays on Holley’s softball team.

Teanna Church, a junior, enjoys going hunting with her father. She said her skills have improved from being on the trap shooting team. She has hit 33 of the 50 targets. She said it was a challenge at first to be a good shooter.

“I’ve grown from when I started,” she said. “I have more confidence. I’m not someone who quits on something.”

She praised her teammates for being disciplined and focused to prepare for the competitions.

“I think we’ve done a very good job,” she said about the trap shooters. “We’ve all grown and have been working very hard.”

TJ Calvaruso, right, and Holley grad Ethan Waldron were partners in a shooting game on Thursday. Waldon, 20, was on the team its first six years. Calvaruso, 15, is one of Holley’s top shooters. He usually hits at least 45 of the 50 clay discs.

TJ Calvaruso has patches showing streaks where he has hit 25, 50 and 75 taregts in a row. His record is 99 consecutive.

Teanna Church, left, and Layna Walker take aim at the orange clay target (high above Layman’s head) at the Holley Rod & Gun Club.

Photo by Claire Squicciarini: Pictured from left include members of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse board of directors: Larry Grimes, Dawn Squicciarini, Chris Manaseri, Holly Manaseri and Ken Martin. They worked on cleaning up the grounds this past Sunday.

By Claire Squicciarini, correspondent

POINT BREEZE – After a busy cleanup day on Sunday, the Oak Orchard Lighthouse is ready to open to the public on Memorial Day weekend beginning today.

The lighthouse will remain open from noon to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day weekend.

The lighthouse at Point Breeze is an interpretation of history and an important part to the region’s heritage. The original Lighthouse stood before what is now the break wall until it was blown over in 1916.

In 2000 the replica project was started by Richard Anderson amongst others in the community. By 2010 the project raised enough money to build the lighthouse we have today.

Richard Anderson was my grandfather who sadly passed away Oct. 3, 2022. He was a major advocate for the lighthouse and put in countless hours for the replica project, raising money and serving as a docent. He convinced his grandchildren, including me, to be in many plays, parades and other fundraisers for the lighthouse.

“He was the personification of the place for decades,” said Chris Manaseri, current board president of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.

This photo from May 2010 shows Richard Anderson at an event with his grandchildren celebrating the Oak Orchard Lighthouse. From left include Richard’s wife Donna Anderson, Michelle Squicciarini Beterbiyev, Richard Anderson, Elizabeth Elkins, Jacob Squicciarini, Claire Squicciarini and Abigail Squicciarini.

My grandfather was the keeper of the light for many years. Almost every time we came down to see the lighthouse, grandpa would be sitting there with his dog Dixie ready to tell you the history of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse. I am proud to say Richard Anderson was my grandpa.

The lighthouse board now maintains and promotes the lighthouse with weddings, school trips, and many other activities. The members of the board include board president Chris Manaseri, Holly Manaseri, Ken Martin, Anne Martin and Dawn Squicciarini (daughter of Richard Anderson). Larry Grimes and other docents also are dedicated to being at the site.

If you want to learn more about the lighthouse, you can hear all about if from one of these members while climbing to the top for an amazing view. They also have a gift shop at the bottom of the lighthouse and the Children’s Peace Garden on the east side with a donations box – all proceeds go to the lighthouse.

“We are looking for opportunities for grants to do what Richard wanted for the lighthouse,” Manaseri said.

The board is working on fundraisers this year, including a dinner on Aug. 19 with author Susan Gateley, who has written several books about Lake Ontario.

So, if you are looking for something to do this summer come up and visit a part of history at the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.

(Editor’s Note: Claire Squicciarini is going into her junior year at Alfred University. She is a communications major with minors in film studies and social justice studies. She is the granddaughter of the late Richard Anderson who was influential in getting the lighthouse built in 2010.)

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

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to provide swift relief to vineyards, farms, and orchards who have suffered major crop damage from the extreme cold weather last week that destroyed thousands of acres of grapes & apples, and if requested, be ready to approve a crop disaster declaration to provide emergency relief.

As a result of the ill-timed cold snap, scientists at Cornell are saying that the state as a whole lost up to 15 percent of its apple crop, while the Hudson Valley saw losses of between 30-35 percent and grapes were also hit hard with vineyards across New York reporting losses ranging from 5 to 100 percent.

The senators said that this widespread agricultural devastation requires prompt attention from the feds, especially since more frost is forecast in the coming days, and are urging the USDA to make any and all assistance available to impacted eligible growers.

“With apple and grape buds hit by extraordinarily low temperatures in May, the crop losses that farmers across the state are now seeing will have detrimental effects throughout the year,” Schumer said. “That is why I am calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stand ready in two key ways: first, by ensuring that direct reimbursements go out quickly to eligible growers with tree and vine damage through the Tree Assistance Program; and second, by preparing all resources and to be ready, if requested, to approve a disaster declaration and assist farmers and growers in the process of reporting losses and damages.”

“New York’s agricultural industry is essential to the economy and well-being of our state,” said Senator Gillibrand. “As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, I’m pushing USDA to send emergency assistance to help our producers, orchards, vineyards, and businesses make it through last week’s devastating cold front. I’m also fighting to include provisions that would protect and support New York’s ag producers in this year’s Farm Bill.”

Sam Filler, Executive Director of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation said, “After many growers experienced winter damage in 2022, they were looking forward to a production and uneventful 2023 harvest. It was looking like the stars were aligning for a special vintage until frost struck. The New York Wine & Grape  Foundation will work with our State and Federal partners to ensure that grower financial losses can be mitigated through available disaster relief programs.”

The senators said initial investigations show the entire state was hit hard by the frost events and more frost is forecast in the coming days. According to local officials, several vineyards in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier already appear to have met the disaster declaration threshold of 30% in damages. Apple orchards in the Capitol Region and Hudson Valley have been badly hurt, with trees losing fruit completely in some cases and in others with fruit likely having significant impacts to quality.

Initial site visits in the Hudson Valley show damage to perennial fruit crops as high as 95% on some farms. Serious damage is expected state wide. Surveying of the extent of the damage is still underway and the full impacts won’t be known until the end of the growing season. In addition to the severe damage already experienced, the state is expecting two more frost events later this week, which will cause further harm to farmers already facing devastating impacts.

According to Empire State Development, New York State is the third-largest producer of grapes, grape juice and wine in the United States. In addition, the state is the second-largest producer of apples in the country. These crops make a significant contribution to the state’s agricultural economy and support many local businesses and jobs, employing close to 100,000 New Yorkers and producing $11.5 billion worth of economic impact annually.

This year’s unseasonably cold frost had particularly devastating impacts on New York’s wine-producing regions, potentially decimating the year’s vintage. The frost, which occurred on May 18th, broke all records and put New York State crops at risk. The Finger Lakes region, which produces the lion’s share of New York State’s wines, with over 9,000 acres under vine, sustained the most widespread damage from the frosts.

Schumer said Upstate farmers have a few options for how to recover from May’s damaging frost. Federal crop insurance can pay out during freezes, but not all growers have it. That’s why Schumer and Gillibrand are urging the USDA to approve a disaster declaration immediately if requested, which would open the way for USDA payments and emergency low interest loans for growers who suffer extensive damage.

Federal disasters can be declared after a freeze in counties that have seen a 30 percent production loss of at least one crop, or a determination must be made by surveying producers that other lending institutions will not be able to provide emergency financing. For a disaster to be declared in New York due to the freeze, New York State would have to request it from the Secretary of Agriculture.

Farmers are encouraged to document damage to their vineyards and orchards so they will have evidence they can use to support any disaster claims they would like to submit. While the full impact of this frost will not be known until the end of the season harvest, farmers should document damage present immediately following frost events, as well as impacts to production at the end of harvest to ensure they can utilize all support available.

While much of the damaged surveyed so far has been inflicted on buds and fruit, farmers whose trees and vines have been damaged can also use Tree Assistance Program, which provides reimbursements to eligible vineyards who suffer extensive crop damage.

Under TAP, commercial orchardists, nursery growers or vineyards that lose their trees due to natural disaster are eligible for a 65% reimbursement of the cost of replanting. Orchardists are also eligible for a 50% reimbursement for pruning and removal. The total reimbursements are capped at $125,000 per year and 500 acres.  Growers will need to work with their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to prepare the documentation for USDA disaster assistance.  The USDA is responsible for approving and distributing such reimbursements.

MEDINA – The Village Board voted this week to increase the costs at Boxwood Cemetery by 2 percent, effective June 1. This follows the typical schedule from the village of boosting the prices 2 percent annually.

One change this time is the village will charging an additional $300 fee for burials or services after 3 p.m. That is because village employees have to stay past a typical work day.

The new rates include:

• grave purchase – $746 for village residents and $870 for non-village residents
• grave opening/closing – $621 for village residents, $746 for non-village residents
• cremains – $372 for residents, $496 for non-village residents (add $200 if two cremations to be placed in same opening)
• winter burial – $181, from Nov. 15 to March 15
• Saturday burial – $153

MEDINA – The group that will identify projects to submit to the state for the $4.5 million awarded to Medina in NY Forward program wants to spread the money around, including many smaller projects as well as larger transformative efforts.

The 15-member local planning committee met for the first time on Wednesday evening and expects to have monthly sessions the next six months to pick the projects to submit to the state for its approval. The governor’s office is expected to announce which projects and the funding levels for each about a year from now.

Mayor Mike Sidari said he is grateful Medina was picked for the funding after being a finalist several times and missing out on a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The state modified the DRI to include smaller NY Forward grants for villages. The DRIs typically were going to cities with the villages not getting anything.

Medina is one of 24 NY Forward winners around the state and the grants range from $2.75 million to $4.5 million.

“It’s New York Forward but this will be Medina Forward,” Sidari said at the beginning of the two-hour meeting on Wednesday.

Sidari is co-chairman of the committee with Steve Mowers, the president of CRFS in Albion and a member of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council.

The other committee members include Lauren Backlas, Gabrielle Barone, Kathy Blackburn, Gloria Brent, Chris Busch, Jesse Cudzillo, Tim Elliott, David Flynn, Rollin Hellner, Mark Kruzynski, Andrew Meier, Patrick Weissend and Mark Zambito.

Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann engineering, architecture and planning firm led the committee through the first meeting on Wednesday evening at the Medina Central School board room.

The committee members have all signed a code of conduct and must recuse themselves from any discussion or voting if they seek grant funding for their property or if they are part of an organization applying for NY Forward money.

The committee will work closely with planners from the Bergmann engineering, architectural and planning firm in Rochester. Other firms also will be assisting Medina in reviewing projects. Samantha Aldrich, a project manager and revitalization specialist with the state Department of State, also will be working closely with Medina through the process of submitting the final proposal to the state.

Kimberly Baptiste, a certified planner with Bergmann, went over the NY Forward program with the committee and the expected timeline in the coming months. The projects submitted in Medina’s application won’t necessarily receive funding and at the amounts identified in the application.

There also will be an opportunity for others to submit projects that weren’t identified in the application. Baptiste said projects need to be more than ideas. The business owners or organization need to be able to bring the project to a reality within two years of being awarded a grant, “ideally sooner,” Baptiste said.

The projects “need to enhance the downtown and the quality of life,” Baptiste said.

The state is pushing the NY Forward and DRI grants “to create an active downtown with a mix of uses,” she said.

Medina already boasts a vibrant downtown, but the committee will be looking to add even more vitality to the area, including housing options on some of the upper levels of the historic buildings.

Some of the $4.5 million will likely go to larger projects, perhaps $1 million or more of the grant. Committee members said they want smaller amounts available too to spread the funds around and help smaller business owners.

The $4.5 million will include up to $300,000 in a small grant fund where businesses can seek funds to help with painting, awnings, signs, window repair, roof work and other smaller projects.

Mayor Sidari said renovating the upper floors, including putting in elevators, will be much more costly and will take bigger chunks of the grant.

The committee will decide how much of a match will be needed for the projects, whether it’s a 50/50 split or more or less of a share from the property owner.

Mayor Mike Sidari gets a display ready that shows Medina’s winning application for the $4.5 million in funding. Projects identified in the application still need to be submitted and go through the review process. Those projects won’t necessarily be funded as part of a more stringent review or may be funded at a different amount that was listed in the application from last year. Steve Mowers (left) is the CRFS president in Albion and a member of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. He is co-chairman with Sidari of Medina’s local planning committee for the NY Forward grant.

Medina’s winning application sought the grant for the following:

• Small Project Grant Fund at $500,000 on Main Street and West Avenue to support façade improvements to commercial and mixed-use properties in downtown Medina that benefit both the businesses occupying those buildings and the community as a whole. “Improvements to the street-facing exteriors of the buildings in need are meant to preserve the unique small-town charm in our community while spurring economic growth,” the application stated.
• Renovation and activation of upper stories for $400,000 on Main Street and West Avenue. These funds would boost use of the upper floors in the downtown which are currently often vacant and underutilized. Funds would help with structural, electrical, plumbing and HVAC work as well as sprinklers and new windows.
• Wayfinding signage throughout the downtown at $100,000 to direct people to the Erie Caal and other attractions and sites. Potential signage types for downtown may include gateway signs, directional signs (vehicular and pedestrian), kiosks and interpretive signs, identification signs (destinations and parking areas) and light pole banners.
• Municipal parking lot upgrades at Canal Basin and the lot behind Main and East Center streets for $300,000. The latter larger lot needs paving, directional signs, green space and trees to provide shade, safe pedestrian connections and additional lighting.
• State Street Park with $300,000 in improvements including a small ice rink, upgraded playground equipment, bicycle amenities, seating benches and additional lighting.
• Mustang City, an adaptive reuse of the old high school on Catherine Street, at $3 million in grant request. This would create about 40 apartments, transforming a 90,000-square foot building and provide much-needed housing options.
• Medina Railroad Museum Campus at 530 West Ave. is in the application for $1.5 million towards several upgrades, including a courtyard that would connect the train station to the existing museum building. Site improvements at the museum would include visitor experience enhancements, roof upgrades, parking lot paving, as well as landscape beautification. On the southern side of the tracks, the campus plan calls for the creation of a park-like courtyard space adjacent to the library. This courtyard will include the installation of two, permanent dining cars to be rented out for weddings and other events as well as an enclosed pole barn building to store and repair cars.

None of the projects identified in the application are final for Medina’s submission to the state for funding. The dollar amounts in the application also exceed the $4.5 million in the NY Forward grant.

Baptiste, the planner working with Medina, urged the committee to top the $4.5 million with the proposal to the state. Officials with the state will narrow the numbers on some of the proposals to get to $4.5 million.

Some of the plans may also have changed in the application that was submitted in October.

The owners of those projects, if they still want a chance at the NY Forward grant monies, will need to submit the projects for review by the committee. Other projects that weren’t in the initial application also can be proposed for consideration by the committee.

The target area for the NY Forward grant is in the downtown area from Ann Street to State Street and also includes much of the waterfront.

There will be an open call for projects next month. A web site will soon go live at www.MedinaNYF.com and that will include the 12-page application to submit a project for consideration. A hard copy of the application also will be available at the village office.

The committee expects projects can be submitted beginning June 10 with a cutoff on July 10.

There will be a public information session at 7 p.m. on June 13 to walk prospective application through the process of applying for funds and to answer their questions.

Applicants will need to identify the project, state where it is located, who is sponsor if a municipality or organization, explain how will it be financed and offer a timeline for completion.

“We are looking for projects that aren’t just ideas but have financing behind them,” Baptiste said.

Projects for the grant funding should be in the target area but the committee could make an exception, especially if a site is contiguous to the area and has “catalytic” potential to spur other investment.

The committee will next meet from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on June 27 at the Medina Central School board room. The first public workshop with community input will follow that day from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The committee members participated in a visioning exercise on Wednesday evening. They were asked, in one word, to describe downtown Medina’s greatest asset.

Responses included the canal, waterfront, shops, architecture, people, businesses, downtown, historic buildings, history and support.

Lauren Backlas, a committee member, said she is impressed how the community turns out in big numbers for local festivals, events and when new businesses open. She sees that as a big strength of the downtown.

The group was asked the greatest challenge facing downtown Medina today. Money was listed several times. People also said parking, apathy, transportation, negativity, space, competition, modernization, gateways and space (not enough first floor spots available).

Chris Busch said more businesses would like to be in downtown Medina but there is a very high occupancy rate.

Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency, said the gateways leading to the downtown need to be improved.

“No matter what gateway you’re coming through it is not inviting and does not speak to what Main Street is about,” she said. “I don’t think we’re paying enough attention to the gateways.”

The group also was asked how it would like to describe downtown in five years. Their responses included destination, complex, wonderful, vibrant, amazing, historic, balanced, perfect and thriving.

“I’d like to see Medina be the western gateway to the Finger Lakes region on the canal,” Mayor Sidari said.

Village Trustee Tim Elliott said the village needs to balance the historic charm with modern features and expectations. He noted the push from the village to install fast-charging stations for electric vehicles.

Baptiste said she looks forward to ongoing discussions about Medina and its future.

“Is everyone excited?” she asked at the end of the meeting. “It will be a lot of work over the next six months but it will also be a lot of fun.”

By Mike Pettinella, GCASA Publicist

BATAVIA – The Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse officials on Wednesday afternoon honored six “friends” of the nonprofit agency and five GCASA Foundation scholarship winners at their annual meeting at Terry Hills Restaurant.

Friends of GCASA awards went to the City of Batavia Fire Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Prawel, Patrick Cecere, Heather Jackson, Mercy Flight EMS and the United Memorial Medical Center MOMS Program.

Scholarship recipients for 2023 are Carly Cerasani, Arianna Hale, Valerie Pastore, Lauren Reimer and Lilly LeTourneau. They each received $1,000 for enrolling in fields relating to human services and/or social services.

Friends of GCASA

• City of Batavia Fire Department was recognized for its role in becoming the first Public Safety Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative fire department in New York State. It is one of only a few fire companies in the United States to take part in PAARI, which enables people struggling with substance use to reach out to police and fire department personnel for help, without fear of arrest.
• Deputy Matt Prawel, a school resource officer for the Albion Central School District, developed a fentanyl awareness presentation to fifth through 12th graders, which includes a video about the deadly drug for families to view. He also is a leading member of the school’s prom awareness committee, and is committed to delivering the message of making safe and healthy choices.
• Patrick Cecere works at the Genesee County Public Defender’s Office as a social worker/case manager. He consistently has assisted clients of GCASA as they navigate the legal system, advocating for all with fairness, professionalism and compassion.
• Heather Jackson, an Orleans County Social Services caseworker and former probation officer, has worked collaboratively with GCASA counselors in various areas, notably assisting with patient-centered treatment plans and through programs that provide essential services to youth clients of GCASA. She also chairs Orleans County’s National Night Out, an event that brings law enforcement and community groups together in an alcohol- and drug-free setting.
• Mercy Flight EMS, with its operations center on Call Parkway, Batavia, has been called on upon more frequently as GCASA’s medical needs have increased since the inception of its detoxification program, and was recognized for the “kind and respectful way in which personnel has interacted with clients.” Mercy Flight EMS staff also were commended for listening to GCASA’s clinical recommendations, especially when it comes to transporting individuals to other facilities.
• The UMMC Moms Program, specifically Megan Boring and Jay Balduf, has partnered with the Health Moms/Healthy Babies initiative at GCASA. Boring and Balduf were honored for making themselves available to serve GCASA clients as a referral source to those who have yet to receive support for their substance use disorder. Boring has made great strides through her coordinator role of the Prenatal Task Force in Batavia, while Balduf shared her wealth of experience as a registered nurse and maternal health educator at UMMC Healthy Living.

Foundation Scholarships

• 

  GCASA Foundation scholars for 2023 are, seated from left, Lauren Reimer and Lilly LeTourneau; standing, Carly Cerasani, Arianna Hale and Valerie Pastore.

  Carly Cerasani, a 2023 graduate of Pembroke High School, who is considering attending Brown University in the fall to study Psychology, with a long-term goal of obtaining a doctorate degree. She aspires to improving others’ lives, especially children.

• Arianna Hale, a 2023 graduate of Pembroke High School, will be attending Genesee Community College in the fall to study Humanities and Social Science, with plans to go on from there to earn a degree in Psychology. She said that she wants to focus her energies on people who need care and support.
• Valerie Pastore, a 2023 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School, plans to attend Alfred University in the fall to study Psychology. She seeks to work in the healthcare field, with an eye on helping people through research.
• Lauren Reimer, a 2023 graduate of Batavia High, will be receiving her associate’s degree from Genesee Community College this spring through advanced placement credits. Her future college plans are to be determined, but she plans to study Biomedical Sciences.
• Lilly LeTourneau graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at New Paltz and currently is enrolled in the New York State Fellowship Program through the Genesee & Orleans Health Department. She has assisted in a project with Genesee County Mental Health to assess the impact of Covid-19 on mental health services. She is pursuing a master’s degree in social work from the University of Buffalo.

GCASA Board elections

Lynn Strzelecki and Bradley Mazur were elected as new members of the GCASA Board of Directors while President Tim Batzel and directors Jackie Dunham and Pattie Kepner were re-elected. All terms are three years.

Strzelecki is a previous GCASA director while Mazur, the Genesee County undersheriff, joins for the first time. Mazur is the chair of the Genesee County Stop DWI Advisory Council.

Batzel, Vice President Katie Cotter and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Rarick were re-elected.

Year in review

In 2022, GCASA prevention educators provided services to more than 36,000 youth and adults, with the WNY Prevention Resource Center providing 18 trainings to nearly 500 people. The GOW Opioid Task Force lists 460 active members, with many of them trained in the administration of Naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses.

On the clinical side, GCASA opened a 16-bed detox center in Batavia in early 2022. Medication programs now serve more than 300 individuals in two locations, with clinical visits topping 21,000 last year. The Genesee Opioid Treatment Program and outpatient clinic were awarded an integrated certification to create a seamless program for outpatient services.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

BATAVIA – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is once again partnering with the Sunnking recycling group to offer free electronic device collection and recycling for the community.

Collection day will be Saturday, June 17, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the parking lot at 5130 E Main Street Rd. in Batavia, the site for the Genesee County Department of Social Services. Pre-registration is requested of all attendees. (Click here to register.)

“Recycling is a small but impactful way we can help keep our communities clean, and I’m grateful to the good people at Sunnking for partnering with me for another year of work,” Hawley said. “Anything from cell phones to computers to TV’s can be recycled, so please, register today and help keep our communities clean!”

HOLLEY –  There will be a Memorial Day parade in the village of Holley on May 29. The parade participants will arrive at the American Legion/Holley Post Office between 9:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.

Participants will line up and proceed towards the traffic light and turn left on Route 237. The parade will go directly to Hillside Cemetery.

A ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Flag Pole, including the placement of wreaths and the reading of the Gettysburg Address.

The community is welcome to be part of the parade as a participant or spectator. Any questions can be directed to Melissa Ierlan at 585-402-0148.

Provided photo

SHELBY – The Town of Shelby is contributing $10,000 towards two full-size basketball courts at Butts Park in Medina.

Pictured from left include Village Trustee Jess Marciano, Trustee Tim Elliott, Town Supervisor Scott Wengewicz, Mayor Mike Sidari and Trustee Marguerite Sherman.

Shelby’s money comes from the town’s allotment of the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

The money will go towards four basketball posts, backboards and nets.

The village is putting in two full-size basketball courts at the park. It approved a construction bid on Monday evening to pay Super Seal Sealcoating of Penfield $122,319 for the courts.

The village will use $110,000 in money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The board also can use $13,200 from the Medina Sports Boosters towards the project.

The bid from Super Seal did not include four backboards, two for each court. That is another $9,846, putting the total cost for the courts at about $132,000.

MEDINA – A young Medina man, who was been blind since birth, can now order a meal at several restaurants in the area, with the addition of braille menus.

Bobby Guzik, 33, son of Laura Guzik of Medina, is also a member of Medina Lions, as is Billy Roman. Recently, Roman had the idea to encourage restaurants to have braille menus for blind customers. He mentioned it to Bobby, who said it would be so helpful if menus could be provided for the blind. Roman then approached Lion member Ann McElwee, who was a special education teacher and has been using braille for 25 years. She loved the idea.

“I had some blind kids in my class, so I got certified to teach blind kids,” McElwee said.

She also became a member of the Buffalo Braille Group, which translates menus sent to them in braille.

Previously, Bobby had to order his food through an app on his phone and have it delivered or rely on someone to read him the menu.

“I’m very happy about being able to go in a restaurant and read the menu,” Bobby said Tuesday night, while dining at Rudy’s in Medina with Billy and Julie Roman and McElwee. “I feel more independent. Now I can eat out more.”

Currently, Rudy’s and Captain Kidz have put braille menus in their restaurants, and McElwee just received the one for Darrell’s in Middleport and is working on the menu for the Country Club on Main Street in Medina.

McElwee takes the menus and, through an app on her computer, translates them into braille and sends them to the Buffalo Braille Group. They have an embosser who then prints the menu in braille.

Buffalo Braille Group also does books in braille for schools and colleges, McElwee said.

Roman is very excited about seeing this service for the blind implemented in local restaurants.

“Our district superintendent in the Lions is going to take the idea to the state level and propose they adopt the idea throughout the state,” Roman said.

Loss of prime farmland for solar among the concerns

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today sent a letter to the House Committee on Agriculture detailing a range of priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.

These priorities reflect the input of constituents from New York’s 24th Congressional District and were shaped by Congresswoman Tenney’s ongoing conversations with farmers and agricultural stakeholders throughout our region.

In April, Tenney launched a district-wide Farm Bill Listening Tour, which included multiple roundtable events in which she heard directly from farmers and producers regarding their priorities. Over 100 farmers who produce everything from dairy, beef, poultry, feed corn, alfalfa, onions, grapes, wine, maple syrup, apples, and stone fruit participated in this process and shared with Tenney their concerns and key issues for this vital piece of legislation.

In addition to holding these forums with farmers from across the 24th District, Congresswoman Tenney has also announced and continues to meet regularly with her Agriculture Advisory Committee. This committee is made up of farmers and agricultural stakeholders from across the district who share feedback regularly with Tenney.

The Farm Bill is considered every five years and is a vital piece of legislation for rural communities like New York’s 24th District. It sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policies. It will be considered this year by Congress.

“New York’s 24th District is the top agriculture and dairy-producing district in our state and among the largest in the Northeast – it is absolutely essential that this year’s Farm Bill reflects our community’s priorities and input,” Tenney said. “I will continue to advocate for our region to ensure this year’s Farm Bill delivers positive results for agricultural producers and farmers in our district.”

The following were among the top asks for the 2023 Farm Bill:

• Do not make any cuts to Farm Bill Programs;
• Allow Federal Crop Insurance to be reformed to cover a wider range of items and better fit the needs of specialty crop growers;
• Support funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, educational support for farmers, and the research and monitoring of invasive species;
• Consider raising the Dairy Margin Coverage Tier 1 level’s 5-million-pound limit to better reflect the consolidation that has occurred in the dairy industry over the past five years;
• Ensure greater transparency with the profit margins of dairy processors to better inform dairy policy and allow negotiations between dairy producers and processors to occur on a more even playing field;
• Allow for greater flexibility in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cover crop rules;
• Prioritize the cultivation and opening of foreign markets for U.S. agricultural goods and ensure fairer access to these foreign markets;
• Improve support for our nation’s maple syrup industry, including by reforming the Acer Access and Development grant program to better incorporate input from farmers, classify maple syrup as a specialty crop, and boost the domestic market for maple syrup;
• Mandate the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to expand its collection of grape production data from the top two states to the top five states nationwide;
• Include Wyoming County, New York, as part of the Northern Border Regional Commission;
• Raise the minimum fixed broadband speed for USDA ReConnect and Rural Utilities Services programs; and
• Address the loss of prime agricultural land to solar farms.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is blasting his colleagues in the Assembly Majority Conference for blocking an important piece of legislation this week that would have created the state crime of stolen valor in New York.

Numbered A.5701, this bill would have sought to increase the prosecution rate of the crime of impersonating a current or retired armed forces member, as currently, the federal punishment is few and far between. Hawley is livid that the Assembly Majority Conference would block such legislation.

“American Legion Commander James E. Koutz put it best when he stated: ‘Those who deliberately lie about military service, wear medals they did not earn or make claims of combat heroism they did not achieve are more than just liars. They are perpetrators of the worst kind of fraud.’” Hawley said. “Our men and women in the armed forces are valiant heroes, and the respect they earn and deserve in return for their service must not be co-opted by bad actors. To prevent the criminalization of this fraud on the state level is so inane I can’t even begin to understand why they would want to prevent it from passing into law.”

Provided photos

KNOWLESVILLE – Master Gardener volunteers showed sixth-graders the compost area and discussed the science behind composting. Students also got to experience a worm bin in this station at Conservation Field Days.

The Orleans County 4-H fairgrounds hosted about 400 students from the five school districts in Orleans County the past two days for the annual Conservation Field Days.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shared information on species of animals in the local area and offered students a chance to engage in some hands-on science through the use of microscope viewers.

Other presenters included the NY Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Apex Clean Energy, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Iroquois Wildlife Refuge, Braddock Bay Raptors, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and staff from the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.