The Western New York Scout Council unveiled its new Council Shoulder Patch today, with the design prominently featuring Letchworth State Park from the Iroquois Trail Council and Niagara Falls from the Greater Niagara Frontier Council.

Those two councils joined in a merger that is effective today as the Western New York Scout Council.

The new council serves about 7,000 Scouts and adults in Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

The WNY Scout Council will operate two Scout service centers in Cheektowaga and Oakfield. The council will also operate two scout camps: Camp Scouthaven, in Freedom, and Camp Sam Wood in Portageville. (Camp Dittmer in Phelps is closing as part of the merger. That camp hasn’t been operational since the start of Covid in March 2020.)

Gary A. Decker, Scout Executive & CEO for the new council, sent a letter to the community today:

“I have always believed that Scouting is fun with a purpose. That means we have to get back to doing what we do best, delivering world class programming to the kids we serve. And we need your help doing that. This is YOUR COUNCIL!! It will be what you make of it. So, get involved and help us build the greatest Council in all of America.

 “My vision for the future of Scouting in WNY is one of a sustainable council that continually grows to meet the needs of our amazing young people, that provides life-changing program experiences, and that is a true difference maker in our community. I hope you will join me in making this a reality. I believe that the best days of Scouting in WNY are on the trail in front of us.”

Press Release, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has announced a mobile community resource fair will be visiting locations in Lyndonville, Holley and Albion in May.

This event is made possible through the efforts Community Action’s Axis of Care program, which works to ensure equitable access to resources in all areas of the county.

Representatives from 15 local agencies will be on hand to provide information about programs and services available across Orleans County. Participating organizations include Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Fidelis, VIA WNY/211, GCASA, UMMC Healthy Living, Orleans County Office for the Aging, Orleans County Mental Health, Roswell Park, Medicare, SNAP Ed, Oak Orchard Community Health, United Way and Cancer Services Program GOWN.

Fair dates and times are as follows:

• Thursday, May 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 N. Main St. in Lyndonville
• Thursday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Holley Fire Hall, 7 Thomas St. in Holley
• Thursday, May 25 – 10am – 12pm @ HOAG Library (134 S. Main St, Albion NY 14411)

To encourage participation, vendors will be distributing raffle tickets to visitors who stop by their tables for information. Daily raffle prizes will include a $50 gift card, two $25 gift cards and several $15 food checks. In addition, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a $100 Wegmans gift card, which will be announced at the end of May.

Community Action programs are designed to empower as well as provide opportunity to those who are not yet self-sufficient. For additional information, call (585)589-5605 or email at JWorsley@caoginc.org.

Assessed value for plaza at 318 West Ave. drops about $1 million

ALBION – The Albion Village Board approved a $7.5 million village budget for 2023-24 that will increase property taxes by 2.5 percent.

The village will collect $2,923,473 with the tax levy, up 2.5 percent from the $2,851,056 in the 2022-23 budget.

The tax rate will increase by 3.6 percent of 67 cents per $1,000 of assessed property, from $18.46 to $19.13.

The tax rate increase was higher than the levy as a percent because the village’s overall assessed value dropped by 1.08 percent or by $1,663,794 – down from $154,457,302 to $152,723,508. Most of the loss in tax base was from the assessed value be lowered at the plaza at 318 West Ave. That plaza includes Save-A-Lot, Pro Hardware, Dollar Tree and the vacant spot formerly for Gordman’s.

That value for the site has been reduced from $1,856,300 to $816,000 as part of a settlement between the Town of Albion and the owner, A & D Properties (Westwood Financial). As part of the agreement the village and taxing entities don’t have to pay back funds collected while the issue was in dispute.

“Our assessments went down by a lot and that really hurt our budget,” said Tracy Van Skiver, the village’s clerk-treasurer.

The budget was approved by the board unanimously on Friday.

The total budget is at $7,543,375, a $390,198 increase or up by 5.45 percent from the $7,153,177 in 2022-23.

The budget includes $4,307,602 in the general fund ($4,106,279 in 2022-23); $1,880,984 in the water fund ($1,797,521 in 2022-23); and $1,354,788 in the sewer fund ($1,249,377 in 2022-23).

The spending plan includes 2.0 percent raises for department heads; 2.5 percent for employees in the DPW, clerks, cemetery, sewer and water department; and 3.0 percent for police officers.

The budget includes the fire department, but the village is talking with the towns of Albion and Gaines about establishing a fire district which would take the fire department out of the village budget, possibly starting in 2024-25. If that happens, there would be a separate fire district tax for village taxpayers. The village tax rate would then likely be lower but there would be the other fire district charge.

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

Did you know that May is Asthma Awareness Month? Asthma is a medical condition that affects the airways in our lungs and makes it difficult to breathe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 8 people will be diagnosed with asthma during their lifetime. Symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing. Additionally, symptoms may get worse at night and wake the person up.

From 2018 to 2020, residents of the City and Town of Batavia went to an emergency department for asthma symptoms 169 times, according to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Asthma Dashboard. This was almost half of the emergency visits for asthma in all of Genesee County. The medical cost of these trips can be expensive, but family members also lose money from missed time at work and school and the cost of transportation. The medical and indirect costs can be thousands of dollars each year for a person with asthma, according to the CDC AsthmaStats.

However, there are ways to control asthma symptoms and reduce these costs. People with well controlled asthma are less likely to have attacks that need emergency treatment. Asthma may be controlled by:

• Taking a daily controller medication
• Avoiding triggers such as mold, dust, cigarette smoke, or scented products
• Using an inhaler before exercising

It is important to pay attention to the warning signs of an asthma attack. These include a runny or stuffy nose, increased mucus, an itchy neck or chin, and feeling tired. Children may say their tummy hurts, have dark circles under their eyes, seem more tired or irritable than normal, and have pale skin or red cheeks.

Many people with asthma will be prescribed both a daily medicine and a quick-relief medicine to use during an asthma attack. It is important to talk to your primary care provider (PCP) about when to take medications and to create an asthma action plan.

An asthma action plan is a written plan that lists steps to take during an asthma attack. The plan notes what symptoms trigger using a quick-relief medicine and how long to wait before taking an extra dose or trying another medication to stop the attack. It lists when to call your PCP and when to seek emergency care.

The Genesee County Healthy Neighborhoods Program (HNP) offers free home assessments to residents of the City and Town of Batavia. These assessments look for conditions that could worsen asthma, along with other safety risks in the home.

Participants who have been diagnosed with asthma receive education on asthma symptoms and triggers. For more information on the Healthy Neighborhoods Program, call 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 or visit www.GOHealthNY.org.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kim Martillotta Muscarella, right, talks with Elizabeth Penafiel during the opening reception for an art show on April 21. Penafiel’s father, Robert Wisner, is one of the featured artists in the new show. The wooden sculpture in the foreground was created by Richard Bannister of Barre.

Muscarella has organized a new season of art shows for Marti’s on Main. This is her 13^th year of doing the shows and the third season at the former Cornell Cooperative Extension building at 20 South Main St. Mantis is open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.

This year she is welcoming artists who haven’t shown before at Marti’s.

The works in the current show will be on display until May 31. A new show featuring Jill Gussow, Richard DellaCosta and Will Robinson will be featured from June 16 to July 31. The season then concludes with a show featuring works by Carrie Boyer and Sarah Hyatt from Aug. 18 through Sept. 30.

Robert Wisner is shown with a painting he did in the 1970s showing the inside of the Orleans County Courthouse dome.

“I was fascinated by the architecture,” Wisner said about the dome.

Wisner, a retired art director who worked in advertising in Rochester, has about 20 paintings on display at Marti’s including this one of “Penelope’s End,” an egg tempera painting of Orleans, Cape Cod.

Wisner also painted this watercolor of canal boats in Albion.

This is his first show in Albion in more than 40 years. His first show was in the former Swan Library in Albion. His work is often shown at galleries in Honeoye Falls and in Cape Cod.

Colette Savage of Rochester has been a plain air landscape painter the past 20 years. She is shown with some of her landscape painting at Marti’s. Savage has 50 paintings on display featuring many scenes in Rochester and the Finger Lakes.

Tom Zangerle of Medina greets Colette Savage and compliments her for the many landscape paintings in the show.

Nancy Radzik turned this dollhouse into The Dead Artists’ Residence. It includes rooms featuring famous artists Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Jackson Pollock and a garden in the style of Claude Monet.

Radzik painted the shingles of the doll house in the Starry Night style of van Gogh.

Radzik decorated the rooms featuring prominent artists including Frida Kahlo. Radzik spent several months on the project. She is a resident of Ontario in Wayne County and became friends with Muscarella through the Brockport Art Guild. Radzik also makes assemblage sculptures from drift wood.

Veronica Morgan

ALBION – The annual meeting for Hoag Library will be today at 7 p.m. Residents in the Hoag Library service area also will elect a trustee to the library board.

Veronica Morgan is the lone candidate for the board. She has been a wedding and portrait photographer the past 30 years. She also has received GO ART! grants for projects in the county, including the upcoming live history event in October called, “I was a Hoggee on the Erie Canal.”

The election will be from noon to 7 p.m. at the library, 134 South Main St.

Residents 18 and older in the service area — Albion, Barre, Gaines and Carlton – are eligible to vote.

Brody Hoffmeister and his fiancée Jenna Pangrazio pose with their children, Alania and Brayden, at the benefit for Brayden Saturday at East Shelby Fire Hall.

EAST SHELBY – A benefit Saturday at East Shelby Fire Hall will go a long way in easing the burden for the family of Brayden Hoffmeister, 4-year-old son of Brody Hoffmeister and Jennifer Pangrazio. The couple owns Rudy’s Diner in Medina, and customers came out in full force to support the family.

Brayden was born with sagittal craniosynostosis, a condition where the skull joins together too early before the baby’s brain is fully formed. The condition is so rare, Brayden falls in the 1% category of children who need more than one surgery. Brayden has had two surgeries and has another scheduled in June.

Family friend Angie Coon organized the basket raffle and spaghetti dinner Saturday, and although they don’t know the final profit yet, it was very successful, she said.

“We are so grateful, we don’t know how to say thanks,” Pangrazio said.

Coon was overwhelmed by support for the event. East Shelby Fire Hall’s truck bay and dining room were full of donated prizes for the raffles. People filled the hall and the tables were full of people eating for a good part of the day.

“We sold 594 dinners,” Coon said. “I’m so thankful for the people who helped make this benefit a success – the ones who helped me organize it, the ones who worked yesterday, the fire department and auxiliary, all of the people who donated baskets, food and other things we needed to make this happen. Because of our community we were able to help ease the journey Brayden and his family have with his upcoming surgery and recovery.”

People were shelling out $20, and even $100s for raffle tickets. At 3 p.m. the dining room was nearly full of people eating spaghetti.

Pamela Durow said she came to the benefit because she has known the Hoffmeister family for years.

“I eat at Rudy’s two or three times a day,” she said. “They are great people.”

Alan and Patti Bushover, who live just down the road, came to support the family.

“These are wonderful people, and I’ve known them for a long time,” Patti said. “They are great for their community. Just look at the people here and the caliber of the prizes donated.”

There was an entire table of framed prints and paintings of Buffalo Bills, several rifles, a wishing well, large grill, baskets and buckets full of wine, lottery tickets, money and much, much more.

Lisa Jacobs was one of the volunteers who sold tickets. She used to work at Rudy’s and said the family were long-time friends.

Tables in the truck bay and social room at East Shelby Fire Hall were packed with items for the fundraiser to benefit the family of Brayden Hoffmeister, whose parents own Rudy’s Diner in Medina.

Some amazing prizes were donated for the benefit for Brayden Hoffmeister, including this wishing well, girl’s bicycle, framed prints and paintings of Buffalo Bills, a grill and rifles. Nearly 600 spaghetti dinners were also served.

MEDINA – Medina Area Partnership has a mystery on their hands.

Who Murdered Benny the Bouncer?

MAP and downtown businesses will attempt to answer that question on Saturday with a Murder Mystery and Dapper Day.

Twenty businesses are participating in the 1920s-themed murder mystery which will take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Characters with clues will be stationed within the businesses. The same character will be in two stores with a different take on their clues. Ten men and ten women are playing parts in the event.

MAP members began discussing a third major event last year. After sponsoring very successful Ale in Autumn and Wine About Winter for several years, they wanted something that wasn’t alcohol-related to bring people together, said Ann Fisher-Bale, chair of MAP’s Events Committee.

To make sure that all attendees visit each of the participating stores, a 20-piece puzzle will be built with key words from each business. If ticket holders want the last clue, they have to visit everyone.

Each participating business has provided a gift certificate or item for a large gift basket, valued at more than $200, which will be raffled off at the end of the day from entries of all the correct guessers.

Some businesses will be running specials for the day, Fisher-Bale  said. Restaurants and bars are urged to offer a 1920s drink, or a mint julep, as it is the same day as the Kentucky Derby.

Attendees and business people are encouraged to dress in 1920s apparel.

Wendy Wilson from Leonard Oakes Estate Winery is developing the clues for each attendee, said Scott Robinson, president of MAP. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online (click here for more information).

Check-in will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the Medina Senior Center, 615 West Ave. A list of participating stores and clues will be handed out with tickets.

“It looks like Saturday’s weather is going to cooperate,” Bale said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Author’s Note decorated with butterflies, garden critters for ‘Grow Yourself’ theme

By Ginny Kropf and Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A steady stream of customers filled Author’s Note Bookstore for a celebration of Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday.

Owner and New York Times Bestselling Author Julie Berry chose the theme “A Bookstore is a Garden. Grow Yourself,” and keeping with the theme, the store was lavishly decorated with a botanical theme. Kamie Feder, an art teacher at Albion school, made the decorations, which lined the entire bookstore. She used a big roll of craft paper, paper mache, card stock and paint.

Feder, and store employees Olivia Caldwell and Lincoln Pace spent all day Friday putting up the decorations, Berry said.

The store will continue to be decorated with a garden theme. Kamie Feder said she wanted to create an immersive experience for people inside the store.

The store opened early and the store immediately filled with people, said employee Erica Caldwell. Six authors greeted customers and signed books throughout the day, starting with Edward Ashton of Webster at 9:30 a.m.

Webster writes science fiction, and his book “Mickey 7” is currently being made into a movie by Bong Joon-ho, who won Best Picture for his movie “Parasite.” “Mickey 7” is expected to be released next year and will star Robert Pattinson and Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo is known for his role as the “Hulk.”

Howard Balaban of Medina was one of the first in line to get a signed copy of Ashton’s book. He brought daughter Rayna, 8, who also loves to read, and had author Kalynn Bayron of Ithaca sign her book “The Vanquishers.”

This was Bayron’s first visit to Medina, and she spent Friday night at Bent’s Opera House, where she stayed in the “Well Read Room,” with a book theme. She spoke to Medina seventh-graders on Friday.

The first to meet Bayron was Caitlyn Bower of Grand Island, who said Bayron was her favorite author.

“The instant I saw she was going to be in Medina, I told my husband Kevin we had to go there,” Caitlyn said. “I had a choice to go clothes shopping or come here. I’ve read all her books.”

Bower said she likes to seek out independent book stores, and this was the first time she has been to Medina.

Julie Berry, center, joins award-winning Buffalo author Dee Romito, left, and New York Times best-selling author Kalynn Bayron from Ithaca. They greeted people at Author’s Note, and signed books and answered questions.

Thomas and Monica Finnigen came from Attica to check out the books and meet the authors. Monica works at the Attica Library and said she and her husband come to Author’s Note once a year. She is in charge of the children’s storytelling at Attica Library, so likes to check out the children’s books.

Lindsey Buck is a reading specialist at Orchard Park Middle School and regularly visits Author’s Note.

“I love this store,” Buck said. “It’s my favorite and Kalynn and Julie are two of my favorite authors. I was so excited to hear Kalynn was going to be here today.”

The authors featured on Saturday said they want to support independent book sellers who are critical to helping spread the word about their books and make them available to the public.

“Independent book stores are the life blood of our communities,” Bayron said. “These bookstores are passionate about getting the books into the hands of the community.”

Peggy Thomas of Middleport has written several books, and tries to highlight agricultural heroes. She holds a copy of “Lincoln Clears a Path” which tells Lincoln’s agricultural legacy. The book “Hero for the Hungry” details the life of Norman Borlaug, a crop innovator who has boosted yields and made some plants more disease resistant.

She said big box stores and online sellers such as Amazon are threat to the smaller independent stores.

“But here it is a much more personal experience,” she said about the independent stores. “You can meet with people at a more personal level.”

Another writer, Dee Romito of Buffalo, was happy to meet with readers and sign books at Author’s Note. She has been a published author for seven years and is grateful for the independent stores that have featured her books.

“They’re a very knowledgeable group,” she said about the independent stores and their staffs. “They know what’s selling and they know their customers. We need to support them.”

Peggy Thomas of Middleport signed her books, including the newest, Hero for the Hungry: The Life and Work of Norman Borlaug. She writes about the 20th-century American agriculture scientist whose innovations in crop varieties founded the Green Revolution and fed hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.

Thomas tries to highlights agricultural innovators, and she there “are so many amazing stories” in farming.

As a book customer, she prefers the independent stores and is grateful for Author’s Note, one of the few independent books tores between Buffalo and Rochester.

“This has been my local book store,” she said. “I’ve been coming here for 20 years.”

Darlene Baker of Lockport also signed copies of her books on Saturday. The Middleport native was a professional truck driver for three years, taking products to all 48 continental states and throughout much of Canada. She sets her novels with the main character a female truck driver. She wants readers to know what that career is like from a woman’s perspective.

She kept 13 journals when she was a truck driver, and fills her novels with some of those details.

“It was good money,” she said. “I often made $2,000 a week with other perks. But if you want to be home with your family for Christmas, you can’t count on it. You might be sleeping in a recliner in Denver.”

Julie Berry said she and her staff were overwhelmed by the many customers who came into the store on Saturday, and their words of encouragement.

“All of us at Author’s Note are overcome with gratitude for the incredible outpouring of support we felt on Saturday,” Berry said. “Book lovers traveled from far to join us, as did our authors, and the community turned out in force to welcome them.”

She said they were especially grateful to authors Kalynn Bayron, Edward Ashton, Dee Romito, Peggy Thomas, Darlene Baker and Randall Reese for sharing their time and enthusiasm so generously.

“Many of them commented on what a remarkable turnout and energy they felt from our customers,” Berry said. “It isn’t typical, but that’s Medina for you. Customers raved about what a delightful welcoming place Author’s Note is, and that warms my heart, because that’s what we want Author’s Note to be. It truly is a team effort to pull off a celebration like this one, and I can’t say enough about what a gift it is to have Erica Caldwell, Olivia Marchese and Kamie Feder as part of our Author’s Note family. I must give a special shout-out to Kamie for all the time and love she poured into our gorgeous garden-themed decorations. She’s a gem.”

Kamie Feder passed up cupcakes to people outside Author’s Note who were walking Main Street on Saturday. Feder, an art teacher at Albion school and part-time employee at Author’s Note, made a paper mache butterfly and other garden creatures for the celebration.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 15

MEDINA – It is unusual to find a photograph which documents the construction start of a now 100-year-old building. In this accompanying image, George A. Newell looks on as the sod is turned for the construction of the Masonic Temple at 414 West Ave. in Medina.

According to the Medina Daily Journal of April 30, 1923, he had just delivered a stirring address to the Masons assembled at the rear of the property, while standing on the stump of a tree which he and his father had set sixty years previously – in 1863. He had the honor of turning over the first spade of sod for the project.

Chartered in 1854, the Medina Lodge No. 336, Free & Accepted Masons occupied several buildings in Medina. Their first meeting place was in the Fairman Building (345 N. Main, formerly NAPA Auto Parts). A fire in 1861 destroyed this building, their records and furnishings. Following several moves, the lodge relocated to Kearney’s Hall in the Proctor Building in 1877 (418 Main St., Knights of Columbus building).

The lodge purchased the Italianate building at 414 West Ave. in 1921. Built in 1858, this had been the home of Arthur W. Newell, a dry goods merchant. Following the death of Mr. Newell and his wife Cornelia, in 1866, ownership of the home passed to their two sons, Myron and George.

They sold it to the Hon. Edward L. Pitts in 1877. Pitts was a lawyer and a member of the New York State Assembly from 1864 – 1868. At the age of 27, he was elected as Speaker of the Assembly, the youngest person to have held this office. A noted orator and parliamentarian, he was elected State Senator from 1881-83 and again from 1886-87. Hon. Pitts passed away in 1898, and his wife, Una (Stokes) died in 1920.

414 West Ave., Medina, showing the large addition to the rear of the building.

The Medina Lodge purchased the home in 1921. Desiring a space that suited their needs, they soon made plans to add a Masonic Temple. It was designed and constructed by Fred Mallison of Medina, who was also responsible for the construction of many of the local heritage buildings including the S.A. Cook Building on Main Street, City Hall, the Railroad Depot (currently Senior Citizen’s Center) and Medina Memorial Hospital.

The Temple featured a large lodge room with a pipe organ. Four distinctive stained-glass windows depicted Faith, Hope, Charity, and Music. A large dining hall in the basement accommodated 450 Masons at a celebratory dinner prepared “in a most able manner” by the Ladies of the Eastern Star. The dedication ceremony was conducted on April 30, 1925, by Most Worshipful Arthur S. Tompkins of Nyack, past Grand Master of the State of New York, under dispensation of Most Worshipful William A. Rowen, Grand Master.

Construction of the new Temple cost $136,000 ($2.4 million approximately today), which exceeded the $100,000 anticipated. Each of the 283 members had pledged in support of the project, in amounts ranging from $50 to $1,000. Contributions fell short which necessitated a loan of $60,000 ($1 million approximately today) from the Marine Trust Co. of Buffalo. Final payment on the mortgage was made in November 1960.

Citing declining membership and increasing costs, the Masons sold the building in 1982. It operated as the Islamic Center of Medina for some time and has been owned by the World Sufi Foundation since 2011.

Debbie Stella of Medina, top center, is surrounded by neighbors and friends who painted her house for free. Next to her, clockwise, are Ben Boryzewski, Terry Feitshans, Quentin McLedon and his wise Alicia McLedon.

MEDINA – Debbie Stella is very grateful for her neighbors and volunteers who have given her home a new look.

They have come to her aid after she was feeling distraught last September. That’s when she received a letter from the code enforcement officer informing her she had 30 days to paint her house and trim her bushes or be fined $250 a day.

Stella is 74 and lives alone on a fixed income.

“If I didn’t have the money to keep my house up, how did they think I was going to pay a fine like that,” Stella asked.

Deeply worried, she told her neighbors Quentin and Alicia McLedon about her predicament. They started spreading the word.

“We couldn’t just do nothing,” Quentin said. “She’s somebody’s grandma. We couldn’t see her fined.”

Alicia’s dad Chris Adams knew Ben Boryzewski and knew he had painted houses, so they contacted him.

“The day after Easter, Alicia asked me what color I’d like my house,” Stella said. “I told her blue. Two days later I heard a commotion in my yard, and there was Ben and Terry unloading paint and ladders.”

First, the house had to be scraped. The men and the McLedons pitched in and in a day had the house all scraped.

In the meantime, Boryzewski cleaned out Stella’s basement, hauling out waste, debris, benches and old appliances. The money he received from selling the junk he used to buy the first gallon of paint. The rest, he paid for himself. They finished the job on Friday.

Ben Boryzewski, right, stands with his friend Terry Feitshans next to their business sign in the yard of Debbie Stella’s house.

While the volunteers who showed up painted the house, Alicia fed them.

Stella said people have stopped to tell her how nice her house looks.

More importantly, she’s made some wonderful new friends, she said.

“The kindness and caring of these wonderful people have brightened my world, not just my house,” Stella said. “I’ve lived here for 48 years and have watched two generations of my neighbors grow up to be the loving adults they’ve become now.”

Stella didn’t have any money to pay the painters, but she wanted to show her appreciation. She started encouraging Boryzewski to start his own business. He hadn’t been worked steady, only doing odd jobs. He and Feitshans are “Jacks of all trades,” he said.

He got his business number and made a sign, “B & T Handyman.” Stella wanted to be the first one to advertise for him, so she told him to put the sign in her front yard.

The two aren’t done helping Stella yet. A section of her porch is rotting and they are going to fix that. And they are going to repair her back porch.

“I’ve no way to say thank you for what they’ve done,” Stella said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – David Dent of Lyndonville tries on an eyeglass frame today at the White Birch Golf Course, which hosted the second annual pop-up eyeglass clinic. The event was organized by the Lyndonville Lions Club and included volunteers from several Lions Club in Western New York, including Cindy Kraus, left, of the Kenmore Lions Club.

A team of eye specialists – state-licensed doctors of ophthalmology and optometry – were on site to determine the correct prescription glasses for each individual. They also did screenings for glaucoma.

Dent, 52, said he has never needed glasses before but noticed his vision hasn’t been as sharp lately. He will be getting glasses to make his vision clearer.

Dr. Nancy Ciavarri, a family physician and member of the Lyndonville Lions Club, volunteered at today’s event, helping people to pick frames.

Last year’s debut event included 250 people who quickly lined up. Today was more spread out.

The glasses for people should be ready for pickup in about three weeks, a much shorter wait than the 11 weeks last year.

Dr. Duane Snyder, an optometrist, does an eye exam. The Lions clubs in WNY do three of the pop-up clinics each year with events in Kenmore, Lyndonville and Niagara Falls.

Today there were three opticians, two optometrists and an ophthalmologist in Lyndonville, donating their time.

A woman smiles while trying on frames today. Many of the frames are donated at Lions eye glass collection sites throughout WNY.

The lenses are donated through the EssilorLusottica Foundation.

Today’s eyeglass clinic included the debut of an iCare 200 tonometry machine, a handheld machine that measures intraocular pressure. The tonometry machine will allow for glaucoma screenings. Glaucoma is one of the most common forms of preventable blindness in the United States. Four people today were recommended to get more testing for glaucoma.

Provided photos: Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke, left, and Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson congratulate Samuel Maryjanowski for earning the Academic Excellence Award at the Niagara County Basic Course for Corrections.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke

LOCKPORT – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke is pleased to announce that Orleans County Corrections Officer Samuel Maryjanowski graduated from the 26th Annual Niagara County Basic Course for Corrections on Friday.

Officer Maryjanowski also graduated at the top of his class and received the Academic Excellence Award.

The Academic Excellence Award is presented to the graduate who demonstrated academic excellence throughout the entire academy. The graduate produced the highest grade point average on all tested materials throughout the academy and was able to present the learned knowledge during classroom activities.

Orleans and Niagara officials congratulate the newest class from the Niagara County Basic Course for Corrections on Friday.

The Basic Course for Corrections is a comprehensive and physically demanding training program that candidates must complete in order to earn their New York State Certification as a Correction Officer.

The academy curriculum consists of topics that include security and supervision, defensive tactics, legal issues, NYS Criminal Procedure and penal law, suicide prevention, ethics, effective communication, and written communication. Students are also trained in the proper application of physical force, deadly physical force and firearms proficiency.

Let’s go on an adventure together….to the Houston area of Texas!

One section of a city block called “Graffiti Park” devoted to murals showcasing the history and culture of Houston.

So….I did a thing last week……I went on my first major adventure of 2023! I went to Texas! I’ve been to Texas before and was able to check it off the “Visit All 50 States” bucket list item. Although it “technically” met the criteria to be considered for that check mark, I felt like I didn’t really do it justice and have wanted to return to see more ever since. So, I did just that last week!

This trip to Texas resulted in putting 653 miles on my rental car, visiting five different cities, a wonderful visit with family, scratching off three more items on the banners on my Adventure Wall in my den, and lots of amazing memories…..all in FIVE DAYS!!! I left early Monday morning the 17th and returned mid-day on Saturday the 22nd. It was an amazing adventure and I have so much to share with you all. I’ll split out the parts over a few articles – the first will cover days one and two when I was in the Houston area.

A very large sculpture in Houston commemorating the symphony – I believe it is called “Maestro”.

This trip was one of my “start with a plan and see where it takes me” kind of trips. I flew into Houston, rented a car, and started to explore. The plan was to start out by spending some time with my cousin who lives in Conroe – about 40 miles north of Houston. From there, I went to Galveston and then to San Antonio with a side trip to Austin. I flew back home out of San Antonio early Saturday morning.

When I landed in Houston about 11:15 am, I picked up my rental car and drove downtown to catch a city bus tour. I do love a good city bus tour – it is a great way to see a good portion of a city and get a taste of what it has to offer. In this case, I really didn’t plan to spend much time in Houston – the main goal of starting my adventure in the Houston area was to spend significant time visiting with my cousin. But, I did want to get a glimpse of Houston since I was there. So – I got on an open top double decker bus and had a lovely narrated ride around the city for about an hour in the bright, warm sun. I’ll admit I am not a big fan of large cities – I’m a country girl – but I can say I was actually quite impressed by Houston.

Houston is the most populous city in Texas and in the southern US. It is the fourth most populous city in the United States after New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago and the sixth most populous city in North America. Our tour guide told us about all the Forbes lists that include Houston in the top 5 or 6 ranking cities. He had a lot of impressive things to say about Houston. But, what impressed me more than any of those statistics and facts was all the art throughout the city. There were murals and statues everywhere. The guide told us that the city encourages local artists to be creative and make the city more beautiful. I was also impressed with all the deliberate green space – parks, walking trails, and trees. It really was an attractive city. Our guide also talked about how the theater district is second only to New York City in area and number of seats. It appears that culture is important to Houston.

A bayou surrounded by green space and walking trails in downtown Houston.

The one thing I personally think the city is most famous for is the NASA Space Center. I considered taking some time to see it, but it really isn’t my “thing” and I kinda only wanted to go there so I could post a selfie on Facebook with the caption “Houston, we have a problem!” Hahaha……not worth the time it would have taken away from my family visit.

As planned, I spent the late afternoon and dinner in Conroe with my cousin, Gary. I was running out of steam by then, so I excused myself after we caught up a bit over a delicious steak dinner to go get settled in at my hotel. Then, the next day I spent the entire day just relaxing with Gary and enjoying his company and our conversations.

I spent two nights at the Holiday Inn Conroe I-45 N — if you’re ever in Conroe, I highly recommend it. It is a very nice hotel – comfortable and clean. I also recommend the restaurant we had lunch at – Rudy’s BBQ! Can’t go to Texas without eating some BBQ – right? The food was delicious and the atmosphere was casual and relaxing. 

My two days in the Houston area may not sound very exciting to you, but it was exactly what I wanted and needed. I got to see Houston and spend quality time with family I rarely get to see – can’t beat that with a stick! The sight-seeing came after I left Conroe early on the third morning. There is still a LOT more to see in Texas, so I may have to go back, someday. But, for now, I am very happy with what I did get to see and do on this adventure – I did Texas right, this time!

The first of several open top double decker bus tours I took in each of the cities I visited on my Texas Adventure. The weather was absolutely perfect for a relaxing, narrated tour of the city of Houston..

Check out my blog post about the first two days of my Texas Adventure. My next article in two weeks will focus on Galveston – I LOVED Galveston and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Happy Adventuring!

Press Release, Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council

BATAVIA – Do you know an artist or organization from Genesee or Orleans County that deserves recognition for their accomplishments in 2022?  GO ART! is inviting community members to submit nominations for the Annual Genean Awards.

“Why ‘Genean’ you ask?” said Gregory Hallock, executive director of the local arts council. “Well, simply put, we decided that we needed to have our own unique awards (like the Oscars or Tony awards) for GENesee and OrlEANs counties, to recognize a few of the amazing people and organizations we have within our counties.”

The categories for nomination are as follows:

• Organization of the Year – This award honors a not-for-profit or for-profit arts organization for its outstanding achievements in 2022.
• Individual Artist of the Year – This award honors an individual artist in any discipline for their achievements in 2022 or career-long body of work.
• Arts and Culture Supporter of the Year – This award honors an individual or an organization outside of the arts and cultural sector for their work directly aiding in the arts and/or cultural sector during 2022.

To submit a nomination visit www.goart.org/genean.  All nominations are due by May 9.

(Editor’s Note: The 2022 Genean winners included a lifetime achievement award for the late Lance Anderson, the Orleans County YMCA as the organization of the year, the Eli Fishing Brewing Co. of Batavia as supporter of the year, and Carol Hertel as the volunteer of the year.)