Local rural health departments want to address and prevent adverse childhood experiences
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, and Wyoming County Health Department
Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming County Health Departments, in collaboration with Rochester Regional Health at United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), Orleans Community Health (OCH), and Wyoming County Community Health System (WCCHS), have announced the completion of the 2022-2024 GOW Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
Every three years, health departments, local hospitals and community partners come together to complete a comprehensive assessment about the community’s current health status and needs. This process includes collecting quantitative data, qualitative data, and community feedback related to health in our community. Much of the data looks beyond the traditional medical definition of health to examine the social determinants of health such as housing, income, employment, education, and access to healthy food, all of which play an integral role in health outcomes.
“With the help from the public and our community partners, we were able to collect a total of 2,094 survey responses between March and June 2022,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “The Community Health Assessment compares the data trends in the GOW region and guides the selection of priority areas for the Community Health Improvement plan.”
The Community Health Improvement Plan is an interactive document that is continuously updated based on the needs of the community. It is a strategic plan for local health departments, hospitals and community partners to work on over a three-year period to address the priority areas identified in the Community Health Assessment, and to improve the community’s health.
In the 2022-2024 GOW Community Health Improvement Plan, the community survey and community conversations helped inform some of the public health initiatives that the local health departments and hospitals will focus on in the coming years. The 2022-2024 priority areas are:
Prevent Chronic Disease
Prevent initiation of tobacco use
Increase cancer screening rates
Improve self-management skills for individuals with chronic diseases
Promote Well-Being and Prevent Mental and Substance Use Disorders
Prevent opioid overdose deaths
Prevent and address adverse childhood experiences
“We look forward to collaborating with community partners throughout the GOW region to address these local public health issues and improve the health of the communities we serve,” stated Laura Paolucci, Wyoming County Health Department Public Health Administrator. “By working together to address these priority areas, we can increase access to public health programs and services to meet the needs of our residents.”
To access the 2022-2024 GOW Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan, visit your respective health department website: GO Health Website (click here) and Wyoming County Health Department (click here).
To provide comments on the GOW Community Health Assessment, complete this feedback form.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2023 at 10:24 am
The State Canal Corp. and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor today announced $99,265 for tourism and recreation projects along the canal system.
The competitive grant funding doesn’t include any projects in Orleans County. The Canal Corp. and Canalway National Heritage Corridor in a news release stated the funding supports tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements.
Grants also were approved for 35 events along the canal bringing the total awards to $190,000. The funding is open to counties, municipalities, units of local government, not-for-profit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes.
Grants range from $500 to $24,000 and are spread across the Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca and Champlain canals. Infrastructure and amenity projects include kayak storage and paddling launches, picnic facilities, restrooms, and park upgrades that better accommodate people with disabilities. Events range from large canal festivals to bike tours to arts and cultural offerings that will contribute to a lively season of activities.
The tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements grant recipients include:
Canal Society of New York State – Upgrade restroom facilities at the Samuel Center for Canal History in Port Byron to be fully ADA compliant and include changing stations and greener technology. Awarded: $18,750.
Town of Amherst – Expand visitor amenities and inclusive recreation at Veteran’s Canal Park through new kayak storage racks, a “braille trail,” and kiosk. Awarded: $21,084.
The Arc Wayne – Create a retail co-op at Arc Wayne’s Street of Shops located along the Erie Canal and Canalway Trail in Newark. Awarded: $24,000.
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, Inc. – Upgrade park facilities on museum grounds with new ADA compliant, weatherproof picnic tables, kayak storage racks, benches, and pet waste dispensers. Awarded: $9,800.
Hudson Crossing Park, Inc. – Enhance park maintenance equipment storage through the construction of a new shed, allowing staff and volunteers to address safety, security, and accessibility concerns in a timely manner. Awarded: $10,000.
Lockport Rotary Foundation – Improve upon the existing comfort station amenities with a new open air picnic pavilion near the Adam Street lift bridge crossing the Erie Canal in Lockport. Awarded: $15,631.
To see a list of the events that received funding, click here.
One of the recipients is the Cycle the Erie Canal event through Parks & Trails New York. That 400-mile bike ride goes from July 9 to July 16 along the towpath and canal trail that passes through Orleans County.
The Village of Brockport also received a grant for a festival celebrating the 200th anniversary of the canal’s western terminus in Brockport. That festival on June 10 features water and land-based activities, student artwork, musical performances of classic Erie Canal songs, vendors, kayaking and a bike rodeo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2023 at 9:34 am
This is the cover of the 52-page booklet created by Albion service-learning students in the middle school.
ALBION – Students from Albion Middle School will unveil a 52-page booklet about Mount Albion Cemetery during a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Saturday by the Ingersoll Fountain at the .
Students in Tim Archer’s serving-learning class have worked on the project throughout the school year. The booklet includes a history of the 70-acre cemetery that opened in 1843, photos, notable burials, caretakers and superintendents, the Civil War memorial tower, military sections, mausoleums, tree varieties/arboretum certification, old documents, and many other details.
The booklet will be available for free on a first come, first served with the expense to print 200 copies covered by the Orleans Chapter of the DAR, Christopher-Mitchell Cremations & Funerals, and Brigden Memorials. Some of the copies will be set aside and distributed to local libraries, schools and historians.
Matt Ballard, a former county historian who now lives in North Carolina, will speak at the program about some of the notable residents in the cemetery.
After the program, retired county historian Bill Lattin will give a tour of the cemetery, which was the first site in the county to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. That tour will start at approximately 11:30 a.m.
This is the final service-learning project for Tim Archer, who is retiring next month. He has led many projects with his students in the Albion community, including several at the cemetery.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 May 2023 at 8:07 am
Money has been raised to restore stained glass window in chapel
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Rob Klino and Mary Lewis, members of the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery, stand by one of the trees recently planted by the village at the cemetery. They are inviting the public to an informational event May 20 to learn about the cemetery, trees and plants which are suitable there.
MEDINA – The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery are excited to announce they have raised enough money to pay for restoration of the stained glass window in the chapel, and are embarking on another year of events and improvements.
“Now we will begin working on replacing chapel walls and other improvements in the chapel,” said Rob Klino, president of Friends.
At 10 a.m. on May 20, the Friends of Boxwood are inviting the public to a morning of information at the back of the cemetery by Glenwood Lake. Attendees should bring their own chair.
“We are going to go over cemetery rules, the best plants to use in the cemetery, and the alternative to plants,” said Mary Lewis, also a member of Friends and the village’s Boxwood Commission.
Everyone who attends will get a free plant, she said.
Six new trees of assorted varieties have been planted in the cemetery, including ginkgo and dogwood.
Other events for this year include the first ever tea party at Boxwood on June 17, chaired by Cindy Robinson and Georgia Thomas.
A headstone cleaning class is scheduled for July 15.
But the big fundraiser, according to Klino, is a bigger and better “Boxwood at Night,” scheduled Sept. 30, or a rain date of Oct. 7.
“We got a grant from GO ART!, and we are going to outdo ourselves over last year,” he said.
There will be more musicians, more lighting and character actors. Among those portrayed will be Robert Newell and May Howard who survived the sinking of the Titanic at age 27. More information and how to RSVP will be available on the Friends’ Facebook page. Email FriendsofBoxwoodCemetery@gmail.com for more information.
In addition, Friends of Boxwood is looking for new board members and volunteers to help with projects in the cemetery, as well as donations. A tax-deductible donation may be made by sending a check to Friends of Boxwood Cemetery, P.O. Box 543, Medina, 14103.
Photo from Friends of Boxwood Cemetery: The Pike Stained Glass Studio Group from Rochester last month removed the bottom portion of the stained glass window from the chapel at Boxwood Cemetery. The window will be restored over six months. The Medina DPW assisted Pike with the removal.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 May 2023 at 9:05 pm
MEDINA – Friends of Brody Hoffmeister and his fiancée Jenna Pangrazio are just realizing the scope of the benefit they organized for the couple, whose 4-year-old son Brayden is awaiting his third brain surgery.
Angie Coon, who organized the event April 29 at East Shelby Fire Hall, said the generosity of the community was overwhelming.
“Almost every business in Orleans County and many in Genesee County, along with individuals, donated fantastic prizes,” Coon said.
There was a countertop donated by M&M Granite worth $5,000; a casino package from Batavia Downs; a huge donation of Buffalo Bills and Sabres inset pictures; a Buffalo Bills fire pit made by Orleans County Boxes and donated by the Albone family; and a patio container worth more than $1,000 and filled with beverages donated by a group from Alabama.
There were 349 baskets and gift cards were donated for the basket raffle.
Brody and Jenna were back to work at Rudy’s Restaurant on Tuesday, where she said they were “beyond grateful.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 May 2023 at 3:41 pm
ABATE president: ‘Keep an eye out for us. We’re back out riding.’
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Orleans County chapter of ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education) held a motorcycle safety and awareness rally at the Orleans County Courthouse this afternoon and then went on an awareness ride throughout the county.
“Keep an eye out for us,” said Chuck Persons of Medina, president of ABATE. “We’re back out riding.”
Persons has led the local ABATE chapter the past 15 years. He said the motorcyclists “are a very tight group.”
He enjoys the camaraderie among the other motorcyclists, and loves to be on the road.
“It’s the freedom,” Persons said. “It’s the wind in your face.”
County legislators John Fitzak and Skip Draper presented this proclamation from the County Legislature to leaders of ABATE in Orleans County :
“Whereas, ABATE of New York, Inc. is a Not-For-Profit organization dedicated to rider education and freedom of the road; and
“Whereas, ABATE of New York’s Aims and Purposes are as follows:
To act as a legislative monitor with the intent to inform members of pending legislation and promote favorable motorcycle legislation at federal, state, and local levels;
To improve road conditions by informing the department of transportation of potential hazards;
To help prevent accidents through awareness programs aimed at all drivers;
To promote good citizenship by encouraging members to use their right to vote;
To act as liaison on behalf of motorcyclists with government agencies;
To discourage misrepresentation of motorcyclists in the media;
To present and promote a better public understanding of motorcycling in America; and
“Whereas, this organization has dedicated its efforts and does encourage all motorcyclists to become involved in preserving their rights, safety and freedoms,
“Now, therefore, we as Legislators of the County of Orleans do hereby proclaim the month of May 2023 as: Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month in Orleans County.”
KNOWLESVILLE – On February 18, 1886, one of the most successful Grand Army of the Republic reunions and “camp-fires” ever organized in Western New York, was held at Hall’s Hall in Knowlesville.
Formed at the close of the Civil War, the GAR promoted fraternity, charity, and loyalty and advocated for veterans. Members attended local, state and national meetings to promote fraternity, but the “camp-fire” was by far the most popular event. It re-created symbolically, that most elemental experience of sitting around a campfire at the close of day, conversing, under a starry sky. Though these G.A.R. “camp-fires” were held indoors, they were very popular.
Hall’s Hall was filled to capacity for the occasion. The stairway was packed, “crowded to suffocation”, and many, denied admission, left in dejection. Delegates from several posts in WNY were in attendance.
A genuine camp-fire and kettle adorned the center of the stage, stacks of muskets were scattered about, and a large picture of General Grant framed in sabres surrounded a draped American flag in the rear of the stage.
The program consisted of sketches, rousing patriotic songs, and stories. Some presenters read papers on topics such as “The Old Flag” and “The Grand Army”. Several shared reminiscences of camp life. Comrade Brown read “The Raw Recruit”, a poignant composition on the experiences of a newly enlisted soldier. recruit, while Dr. Huggins of Sanborn read a paper on “Our Ladies in the War”.
Dr. Hartwell Carver Tompkins (1828-1909) was a physician in Knowlesville.
Ample refreshments were served by the ladies and the entertainment continued through the night and “when the breaking up finally did occur, it was almost time for the reveille”.
At least two of those in attendance lived within walking distance of Hall’s Hall. Corporal John Stevens who witnessed the assassination of President Lincoln, read an account of that experience.
Dr. Hartwell C. Tompkins, one of Knowlesville’s five resident physicians, presented a paper on “Surgeon’s Instruments and Their Uses.”
He had established his medical practice in Knowlesville in 1853, at the age of 24. He was commissioned as an Assistant Surgeon with the 61st Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry in February 1862 and was promoted to Surgeon in August of that year. He tended to the wounded at Fair Oaks and Antietam, and then at Fredericksburg, where he was compelled to perform operations under direct artillery fire.
Emotionally and physically spent, he resigned from duty, but felt compelled to return after six months. He then served as Surgeon with the 4th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery during their engagements at the Battle of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign.
He mustered out with his regiment on September 26, 1865, having served for three years and one month.
In 1887, speaking at the Second Reunion of the 4th Heavy Artillery held in Rochester, he recalled the engagement at Petersburg, and said that on that day, he and an assistant had charge of ninety wounded men. He performed nine major surgeries and was at the operating table from noon until midnight. Surgeons, ordinarily, he said thought they were doing a big day’s work when they performed two or three such surgeries. He felt that he never recovered from the physical exhaustion of that day.
He was an active member of the Knowlesville community, serving as Coroner in 1876 and Postmaster in 1891. On Memorial Day, 1890, he spoke at the Knowlesville School and presented an elegant flag which was raised on the tower of the school building.
He continued his practice – in 1902, he attended to the injuries of William Trow who had fallen and suffered a broken leg. Dr. Tompkins died in 1903 at the age of 75. Following his death, his wife, Orinda, received a Civil War widow’s pension. She died in 1909, they are buried at Tanner Cemetery.
Today I would like to share a little about my friend Jonathan Doherty. To anyone who lived in the Albion area, was a part of ARC, or simply needed tickets sold to your next event, Jonathan was no stranger.
He was known for his kind spirit and his servant’s heart. It was a year ago that he passed and so I wanted to share something that I wrote at that time as a tribute to his memory.
Call Jonathan… I can’t tell you how many times I received a text or a DM with that message. And when I would call Jonathan back it was more often than not because he: wanted a ride somewhere, wanted me to bring him a coffee (a frequent request), wanted to remind me of an upcoming event, wanted to let me know how I could be praying for him or for someone else, wanted to encourage me (he did this more times than I could count), or wanted to let me know that The Bills were going to win.
Sometimes I would laugh because his urgency for me to call him back was often the same whether he was hurt and wanting prayer or if he was at Tim Hortons wanting me to buy a ticket to the latest church dinner. No matter what the reason was though he always started off with, “Hey buddy” followed by a quick explanation for his call.
I would love to get one of those messages again. I would love to hear his voice and his signature laugh. I would love to see him walking down the road and offer him a lift. I would love to grab him an X-Large Coffee w/ 4 Cream at Tim Hortons. I would love to get a reminder from him that we have coffee group coming up (we still meet at Tim Hortons every 2nd Monday and Tuesday of the month @10:45am if you want to join us).
Unfortunately those opportunities are no more but still present are the opportunities to honor Jonathan by living life to the fullest, exuding kindness, becoming an advocate for those who may not look or act the same as we do, supporting and promoting local organizations, and helping to facilitate fellowship between a broad spectrum of individuals. The next time you buy a ticket for a fundraiser, grab a coffee at Tim Hortons, or root for The Purple Eagles or The Bills, remember Jonathan. I know I will and I hope it continues to bring a smile to my face each and every time. Miss you buddy
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 May 2023 at 7:54 am
Photos courtesy of Megan Gotte
ALBION – Scouts on Saturday morning placed about 2,000 flags at veterans’ graves at Mount Albion and at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. They joined members of the American Legion and VFW in the duty before Memorial Day on May 29.
The Scouts placing the flags include members of 82261 and 82007, the Daisy and Girl Scouts, and the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts with 164 in Albion.
The Scouts covered the area throughout Mount Albion and St. Joseph’s, cemeteries on Route 31.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 6 May 2023 at 8:03 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Angela Waldriff, left, owner of Ashlee’s Place in Medina, and salesperson Brielle Lederhouse, hold one of the chocolate-covered pretzels customers can choose to receive a discount when they make a purchase to benefit breast cancer research.
MEDINA – Holding a benefit at her shop, Ashlee’s Place, has been a tradition for more than two decades for owner Angela Waldriff.
Waldriff’s mother Amelia VandenBosch is a cancer survivor at 95 and Waldriff holds the fundraiser in her honor every year.
“This will be the 24th year for the event, which is a salute to women fighting breast cancer,” Waldriff said.
It starts Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and continues from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Waldriff sponsors the benefit every year in celebration of Breast Cancer Month, with discounts on all regular priced items.
Everyone who attends can choose a chocolate-covered pretzel with a sticker on the back and receive 20% to 25% off their purchase.
Merchandise includes women’s dresses, jackets, jewelry, capris, sweaters, sparkly jeans, summer sandals and purses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2023 at 1:59 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
CLARENDON – A truck driver from North Carolina sustained minor injuries after going off Route 31A and hitting a tree.
The incident happened at about 12:20 p.m. The driver was transported by Monroe Ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital.
Law enforcement believes the driver had a medical condition that resulted in the accident, said Lt. Steve Fox of the Orleans County Sheriff’s office.
The tractor-trailer is owned by Dependable Freight Lines of Sacramento, Calif.
The tree may have prevented the vehicle from hitting a house.
The section of Route 31A between South Manning Road and Fancher Road is closed while law enforcement waits for a heavy wrecker to arrive and remove the tractor-trailer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2023 at 8:28 am
After dreary weather with rain and cool temperatures the past two weeks in Orleans County, there will be lots of sun in the upcoming week.
Today will be sunny with a high a 64, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo. That will be followed by a high of 68 on Sunday with a chance of showers.
The forecast then calls for a partly sunny Monday with a high of 65, partly sunny Tuesday with a high of 61, sunny Wednesday with a high of 62, sunny Thursday with a high of 67 and mostly sunny Friday with a high near 71.
It’s prom season across Western and Central New York, which means more teen drivers will be out and about. While prom is a celebration and a rite of passage, it can be a dangerous night on the roads. AAA is reminding teens, parents, and educators to plan ahead to prevent prom and graduation season from turning deadly.
“Prom and graduation season is a special time when there’s so much to celebrate,” said Elizabeth Carey, director of public relations at AAA Western and Central New York. “Unfortunately, it can become particularly dangerous when the party spills out onto the road. The combination of potentially impaired and inexperienced drivers leads to a tragic end too often.”
AAA asks teens to PROMise to plan ahead and stay safe:
I promise not to drive impaired or distracted.
I promise not to let my friends drive impaired or distracted.
I promise my parents I will get home safely or call them for help.
By making a PROMise, teens can prevent substance-impaired driving, as well as distracted driving. Parents also have an important role to play by making their children feel safe about calling them for help. Parents can PROMise that they will always pick up their teen regardless of the time or location.
Driving impaired can carry lifechanging consequences. Teens could lose their academic eligibility, driver’s license, even their life or that of their friends. According to the CDC, Teens are more likely than anyone else to be killed in an alcohol-related crash (even though the minimum legal drinking age in every state is 21).
Advice for Teen Drivers
Pay Attention. Texting and having other passengers in the vehicle can create dangerous distractions for drivers.
Slow Down. Speeding is a factor in one-third of all fatal crashes involving teen drivers.
Stay Alert. Prom celebrations can carry well into the late hours. Avoid driving drowsy.
Buckle Up. Half of young drivers who die in motor vehicle crashes are not wearing their seat belts.
Drive Sober. If you become impaired, pass the keys to a sober driver or call your parents for help.
Advice for Parents
Hire a ride. Consider chipping in on a chauffeur so teens don’t have to decide who’s driving.
Set the Rules. Establish rules for your teen driver which address safe driving habits and the punishment for breaking them. Consider signing a Parent-Teen driving agreement.
Open your Home. Encourage your teen to ask friends to spend the night to keep them off the roads.
Be the Example. While driving, model the same behavior you expect from your kids when they drive. Your kids are always watching you, even if they don’t admit it.
Congressman Joe Morelle of Rochester announced he has authored and introduced legislation to protect the right to privacy online amid a rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitally-manipulated content.
The Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act would make illegal the non-consensual sharing of altered or “deepfake” intimate images online and create additional legal courses of action for those impacted.
“The spread of A.I.-generated and altered images can cause irrevocable emotional, financial, and reputational harm—and unfortunately, women are disproportionately impacted,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and permeate our society, it’s critical that we take proactive steps to combat the spread of disinformation and protect individuals from compromising situations online. I’m proud to have introduced this legislation that takes common-sense steps to protect their privacy, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass it into law.”
With advancements in technology and artificial intelligence has come the emergence of “deepfakes”—digitally altered images that use an individual’s likeness mapped onto a photo or video of someone else. A 2019 report found that 96 percent of deepfake videos online were pornographic in content and exclusively targeted women. While the videos are fake, their impacts are very real—and until now, little has been done to provide women with protection or recourse from this disturbing phenomenon.
In March 2022, President Biden signed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan law taking significant steps to address domestic violence. The VAWA Reauthorization included provisions to empower individuals victimized by the non-consensual disclosure of their intimate visual images to seek civil penalties in federal court. However, these provisions did not include the same protections for those impacted by the disclosure of deepfakes, leaving individuals vulnerable to exploitation by these images.
To address this issue, Congressman Morelle introduced the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act, which would:
Prohibit the non-consensual disclosure of digitally altered intimate images and make the sharing of these images a criminal offense;
Ensure that an individual’s consent to create the image does not establish consent for the sharing or disclosure of the image;
Create a right of private action for victims to seek relief;
Provide additional protections to preserve a plaintiff’s anonymity in civil actions.
“This bill will help curb an incredibly destructive practice that strikes at the heart of personal privacy, safety and autonomy,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said. “Sexual abuse, whether occurring physically or digitally, should never be excused or permitted as ‘personal expression’, and it should never be tolerated. Deepfakes are violations, objectification and exploitation, and must be made illegal and punishable by law. This bill is a powerful step to ensure that this technology is not used to cause harm. If we continue to spiral into an abyss where we fail to discern between what is real and what is not real, we are looking at a future far more dangerous than sexual exploitation and objectification.”
Congressman Morelle has worked closely with SAG-AFTRA and other stakeholders to craft this legislation, and he looks forward to continuing to work together with these supporting organizations to enact these important protections into law.
“The unauthorized creation and distribution of digitally manipulated intimate images, like other forms of image-based sexual abuse, can cause severe and often irreparable psychological, reputational, and professional harm,” said Dr. Mary Anne Franks, President and Legislative & Tech Policy Director of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. “The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative welcomes the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act as an important effort to deter this form of sexual exploitation that disproportionately targets women and girls.”
Press Release, Niagara County Soil & Water Conservation District
LEWISTON – Nine teams of high school students from Lockport High School, Lyndonville High School, Niagara Career & Technical Education Center, and Orleans Career & Technical Education Center competed Thursday at the Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon held at Bond Lake Park Nature Center in Lewiston.
Teams of five or six students in grades 9-12 were tested on wildlife, aquatics, forestry, soils/land use, and a current environmental issue. This year’s current issue is Adapting to Climate Change, bringing to light ways to reduce climate change and how to continue to do so in the future. Students were on top of their game, hard fought tie-breakers decided the winners for two of the categories.
The top scoring team overall was from Niagara County and included Brayden Barber, Lorna Becker, Marissa Stoddard, Cassidy Wagner and Aaron Zaker.
The top scoring team overall & from Niagara County was from Mr. Paul Dewey’s class at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center Team 2! Students included Brayden Barber, Lorna Becker, Marissa Stoddard, Cassidy Wagner and Aaron Zaker.
The top scoring team from Orleans County was from Mr. Peter Jablonski and Ms. Brooke Kiefer’s class at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center Team 1! Students included Eliana Benedict, Arianna Bloom, Ella Booth, Olivia Coles, Kristopher Meyers, and Kayla Burgio.
Both teams will move on to represent their county at the NYS Envirothon later this month at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Good luck teams!
The top scoring team from Orleans County included Eliana Benedict, Arianna Bloom, Ella Booth, Olivia Coles, Kristopher Meyers and Kayla Burgio.
The Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon is a yearly event coordinated by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Niagara and Orleans counties.
Envirothon is an environmental competition on different aspects of the outdoors. It gives students hands-on experience and knowledge of the environment to understand how to protect and manage the natural resources around them.
A special thank you to the event’s sponsors the GM Foundation, NewRoyal Orchards, and Orleans Poverty Hill Farm for providing breakfast, lunch, and Envirothon loot. Essential support is provided by schools and community advisors, as well as local specialists in each field.
Exams and proctoring were provided by the Aquarium of Niagara, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and both Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
After the exams students met with Ken Johnson, the Plant Director at General Motors in Lockport, to discuss and learn about GM’s plans for Clean Energy plants, new electronic vehicles, and their Triple-Zero Vision.
The State Canal Corp. and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor today announced $99,265 for tourism and recreation projects along the canal system.
Today I would like to share a little about my friend Jonathan Doherty. To anyone who lived in the Albion area, was a part of ARC, or simply needed tickets sold to your next event, Jonathan was no stranger.
