By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 February 2023 at 8:46 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Wine About Winter was another sell-out success in medina on Saturday. The annual event has been very popular since 2009. On Saturday, all 800 tickets sold for $25 each.
The top photo shows the first wave of people arriving at the Medina Senior Center, a former railroad depot, to get their commemorative glasses and maps for the 22 spots to sample wines.
The event is organized by the Medina Area Partnership. The event has become so popular that MAP has staggered the crowd into three groups to ease the lines for people getting tastings.
The Walsh was new as a wine-tasting stop this year. Andy Morris volunteered to pour wines from the Thousand Islands Winery from Alexandria Bay. This one he is pouring is a Wellesley Island White.
This group poses for a photo in The Walsh. They include, from left: Cheryl Holt of Medina, Lary Coia of Albion, Charise Blew of Batavia and Tim Jeziorski of Alden.
“It’s a great time to get together with friends and support local businesses,” Holt said.
The wine-tastings are inside businesses in the downtown Medina area.
Jocelyn Demmin of Medina is taking the photo of the four people in this picture. Demmin, 28, also was sampling wines for Wine About Winter.
She was making a “staycation” out of the day with dinner to follow at the Harvest restaurant at Bent’s Opera House and then a night at one of the Bent’s hotel rooms.
“Over the last five-six years Medina has really grown into something people want to visit,” she said.
Wine About Winter brings in out-of-towners, but Demmin said she also sees many of her local friends at the event.
Wine About Winter remains one of Medina Area Partnership’s most popular events, drawing big crowds regardless of the winter weather.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2023 at 10:34 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Zyann Pore of Albion sings a solo from “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen as part of the all-county elementary chorus.
Orleans County Music Educators’ Association presented the February All-County Festival today at Medina High School.
There were 76 students in the elementary chorus from Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina school districts.
Anna Ferlito, a Medina music teacher, stepped in to conduct the all-conty elementary chorus after the guest conductor from Oklahoma had a cancelled flight and couldn’t be there.
Besides “You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen,” the chorus sang “Shanty Boys” arranged by R.E. Dwyers, “Tarantella” by Viktor Bobetsky and “I Sing Because I’m Happy” arranged by Kenneth Paden.
Will Arlington of Lyndonville (back to camera) plays the timpani with the all-county junior high band which included 79 students.
Brad Batz led the junior band. Batz is director of jazz studies at Nazareth College in Rochester.
The junior high band performed “Jubilance” by James Swearingen, “Dixieland USA” by Andy Clark, “Balladair” by Frank Erickson, and “Boom Boom Galop” by Randall Standridge.
The senior high chorus was led by guest conductor Frank McCauley, the vocal teacher at Sharon Middle/High School in Sharon, Pa.
The high school chorus included 72 students and they sang “Festival Sanctus” by John Leavitt, “Omnia Sol” by Z. Randall Stroope, “Found/Tonight” arranged by Jacob Narverud, and “Total Praise” arranged by P. Barrett & Doreen Rao.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke
Brandon T. Fuller
MEDINA – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office charged Brandon T. Fuller, 28, of Medina, following a vehicle pursuit on Feb. 1.
That day at about 10 a.m., Orleans County Sheriff’s Investigator Brian Marsceill attempted to initiate a vehicle stop of a suspected stolen vehicle on State Route 31A in the Town of Barre. The operator, later identified as Brandon Fuller, allegedly fled, driving recklessly at a high rate of speed east bound on 31A.
Sheriff’s deputies terminated the pursuit at 31A and Redman Road in Monroe County. Shortly thereafter, the stolen vehicle was located about two blocks east of Redman Road. Orleans County deputies were assisted by the State Police and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit assisted with a track that led law enforcement to the Brockport Wegmans where Fuller and another suspect were taken into custody. The other suspect was released pending further investigation.
Fuller was charged by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office with 16 NYS Vehicle and Traffic charges, unlawful fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, criminal possession of stolen property 4th degree, auto stripping in the 3rd degree, and criminal mischief.
Fuller was arraigned and bail was set at $10,000. In addition to that, Fuller is currently on Probation for Criminal Contempt and was also arraigned for violating his conditions. Bail is set at $100,000 on that charge.
In September of 2022, Fuller was arrested in Monroe County for an incident related to the theft of catalytic convertors. Also in September 2022, Fuller was arrested in Orleans County after being apprehended during the burglary of a barn. The charges from September 2022 are still pending in court in both counties.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.
One of many locally hand painted lobsters throughout Plymouth, MA.
Let’s go on an adventure together….Hunting For Treasures!
I admit, when I travel I do enjoy visiting the tourist spots – you know, those places that are famous (or infamous) that everyone wants to see at least once in their life. But, I also like to seek out what makes wherever I am stand out from any other place. I like to find the quirky little out of the way place you can only find there or someplace that tells a story of that town’s past or showcases local heroes, artists, or chefs.
So, I like to do my homework before I go. I like to visit the area’s tourism website and also Google the area to see what comes up. I also visit sites like TripAdvisor to search for “Things To Do” in the area and use the website “Roadside America” to find the not-so-well known points of interest. If I have a car, I take time to just drive around town looking for murals, statues, and signs pointing me to points of interest that didn’t come up on any searches. If I don’t have a car, I try to do tours, such as hop-on-hop-off type bus tours or other ways to see the local attractions – my hotel usually will have lots of great suggestions, too.
I get especially excited when I find things like art walks or themes throughout a town or city. Here are just a few of the cool things I’ve found in my travels:
My favorite President sculpture in Rapid City, SD was right outside our hotel. There is one of these on every corner in downtown Rapid City representing every US President.
Rapid City, SD has branded itself “City of the Presidents” to build on the Mount Rushmore attraction. Downtown Rapid City has a wonderful life-sized statue of a President on every street corner representing every President in a pose that showcases his personality. My two favorites were John F. Kennedy depicted walking with young John-John holding a toy airplane and Abraham Lincoln sitting in a chair with his young son kneeling beside him in a Civil War costume and Lincoln handing him a toy canon.
Plymouth, MA had sculptures of huge lobsters hand painted by local artists scattered throughout their downtown area. There was one painted like a rock star holding a guitar above his head, one painted like a sea captain, and others with historic scenes on them.
San Francisco, CA had an ongoing annual fundraiser called “Hearts of San Francisco” with large hearts painted by local artists that sell for enormous sums of money to benefit vulnerable residents through a fund associated with Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. At the time I was there, the hearts have raised over $220 million to date and can be found throughout the city. One in particular caught my eye when I was there in 2017 that was painted by singer Tony Bennett and sold for about $3 million!
In Louisville, KY, I found Cave Hill Cemetery – a gorgeous garden styled cemetery established in the mid-1800s. It has rolling hills, lakes, streams, abundance of nature, and lots of stunning statues and memorials – some of the most unusual memorials I’ve ever seen! It is where Muhammad Ali and Colonel Sanders of KFC fame are buried. I spent a couple hours driving through and looking at all the cool statues and memorials. It was quite a treat!
Sioux Falls, SD has an amazing Sculpture Walk through their downtown area. Some sculptures depicted historical references of the area, some were quirky, some cultural, and some were even interactive. The sculptures line multiple streets in the downtown section of the city and is worth the stroll to see them all.
In Dubuque, IA, I enjoyed a stroll along the city’s River Walk on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River looking at various sculptures created by local artists and loads of art scattered throughout the downtown area.
These are just a few examples…I find wonderful treasures like these just about everywhere I go! Many cities and towns across the country love to showcase their local artists and history with murals, art walks, and themes. Even our own Albion has the beautiful downtown benches painted locally and the wonderful Santa themed murals downtown. Another fairly local example is the town of Chittenango, NY – the birthplace of L. Frank Baum – author of the Wizard of Oz books. They have yellow brick sidewalks, loads of Oz themed shops, and a wonderful Oz themed library – they even have an annual Oz-stravaganza festival the first weekend in June every year.
When traveling, be sure to look for the unique things that are local treasures found wherever you happen to be…near or far! You’re sure to enjoy what makes every place on earth “special” in some way! Check out my blog at http://thoughtsbykim.com and use the search box to enter the cities noted here for more info and photos.
Happy Adventuring!
Sioux Falls, SD Sculpture Walk includes this interactive sculpture of a conductor and a xylophone and chimes that passersby can play. I love that the conductor is wearing shorts and hiking boots with scrunched up socks. Delightful!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2023 at 11:31 am
BARRE – A late night fire at 13200 Hemlock Ridge Rd. has resulted in a total loss of the residence, said James Neal, assistant fire chief for ethe Barre Volunteer Fire Company.
Firefighters were dispatched to scene at 1:24 a.m. It was 2 degrees out and the temperatures would drop to minus degrees while firefighters were at the scene until about 6 a.m.
The one resident in the house got out safely and the Red Cross has been requested to assist that person with temporary housing, Neal said.
He estimated 30 to 40 firefighters assisted with the response with firefighters from Barre, Albion, Carlton, East Shelby, Elba, Oakfield and Medina.
They used water from a hydrant and also filled 11 tankers with water to try to put out the fire, Neal said.
“My guys and everyone did a great job,” he said.
The cause has been undetermined and remains under investigation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2023 at 10:12 am
MEDINA – Mary Lewis took this photo of a sundog this morning at the Oak Orchard Primary School in Medina. The school district is hosting the all-county music festival today and students from all five school districts were there early to get ready for today’s 2 p.m. concert in the high auditorium.
The sundogs resemble rainbows. They appear sometimes in the winter when low-lying sun creates ice halos.
After an overnight low with negative temperatures, the morning has started cold in the single digits. It will “warm up” to a high of 25 today, followed by highs of 42 on Sunday, 34 on Monday and 49 on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
ROCHESTER – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle called on the CEOs of Kia and Hyundai to address the alarming rise in automobile thefts in Rochester and across the country due to security flaws in their vehicles.
“These known security flaws in Kia and Hyundai automobiles have left our community vulnerable and created a public safety crisis that demands immediate attention,” wrote Congressman Joe Morelle in his letter. “I urge you to take responsibility for this alarming situation and accelerate efforts to ensure consumers are able to access security solutions free of charge. No customer should have to pay the bill for Kia and Hyundai’s failure to install standard security measures on their vehicles.”
From 2015-2019, Kia and Hyundai failed to install certain anti-theft devices in many of their vehicles, leaving them heavily susceptible to theft. In 2015, 96% of all other vehicles had installed these standard safety features, but only 26% of Kia and Hyundai 2015 models had kept that pace with the rest of the industry. Now, instructional videos detailing how to steal these vehicles have become widespread on the social media platform TikTok, leading to a significant increase in car thefts.
According to the Rochester Police Department, 116 of the first 168 cars stolen in 2023 were manufactured by Kia or Hyundai. On this current pace, Rochester is projected to see more than double the number of car thefts this year compared to 2022. Multiple stolen vehicles have also been linked to smash-and-grab burglaries impacting local businesses. In addition to the financial consequences of these crimes and the threat to public safety, this increase in crime is also putting an additional strain on local law enforcement.
Congressman Morelle continues to urge TikTok to moderate the dangerous content shared on its platform, including these instructional videos that encourage thefts, and will be taking additional action in the coming days.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2023 at 8:46 am
ALBION – Two proposals in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget could result in a big tax hit for Orleans County.
Hochul has proposed increasing the hourly rate for assigned counsel from $75 to $119 an hour. This would cost the county approximately $200,000 per year, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The increase in rates for lawyers in assigned counsel would cost counties and New York City about $150 million more annually, according to an analysis by the New York State Association of Counties.
A bigger impact on county taxpayers would be a proposal for the state to keep federal funding for the Medicaid program that currently is shared with counties and New York City to pay towards Medicaid.
The executive budget would end the Affordable Care Act enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (eFMAP) federal pass-through to counties and New York City. That would zap $1,059,034 per year in revenue to the county budget, or 5.6 percent of the county’s tax levy.
“This ends twenty years of the state sharing the eFMAP funding with counties,” Welch said. “This would be devastating to our taxpayers. Interested persons should contact the Governor’s Office expressing their opinion on this proposed change in the funding of Medicaid for our residents.”
NYSAC has analyzed the governor’s proposals and said eliminating the ACA eFMAP federal pass-thru will require the 57 counties to spend at least $280 million more annually, and about $1 billion more when New York City is included.
ALBION – Five members of the Albion High School Rotary Interact club spent this morning sorting, bagging and boxing over two tons of Empire apples at the Foodlink warehouse in Rochester.
The apples will be distributed to over 800 families in the western New York region, including Orleans County. Genesee-Orleans Community Action benefits directly from Foodlink products.
Interact students also have helped with Community Action’s food distribution in Albion.
This is the 15th year Interact students have volunteered at Foodlink. Interact Advisor Tim Archer said the volunteer effort is a great way for the students to see the cycle of food distribution to needy families in our region.
Tim Archer, Interact Cub advisor, is shown with students Shania Mathes, Samantha Basinait, Maggie Olles, Mia Olles and Meganne Moore.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) announced today that he will be holding new outreach office hours within his district during the month of February.
During these outreach office hours, residents will have the opportunity to meet with members of his staff to discuss their concerns regarding state government and local issues.
“I’m eager to use these outreach office hours as an opportunity to get input from constituents on issues they’d like to address and get a better understanding of the issues that face the entirety of my district,” Hawley said.
Provided photo: State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt speaks at the Veterans One Stop Center this morning in Buffalo. He is joined by veterans’ advocates including Niagara County Veterans Services Coordinator Jeff Glatz (far left) and Dan Arnold, Veterans One-Stop Director of Veteran integration and PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Manager.
Press Release, State Sen. Rob Ortt
BUFFALO – Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, along with Veterans’ One-Stop Center Director of Veteran Integration and PFC Joseph P Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Manager Dan Arnold and Niagara County Veteran Services Coordinator Jeff Glatz today called on the State Legislature to double the funding for the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Support Program in the 2024 State Budget, and to make the funding stream for the program permanent.
“We are standing here with our brothers and sisters who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today in this country to call on my colleagues across the aisle to do what is right for our heroes and not only increase funding for the Dwyer program, but to make the funding permanent,” Ortt said. “The Dwyer program provides essential – and at times life-saving – services to veterans in every region of our state. We hear talk all the time in the Legislature about setting priorities. There should be no higher priority than caring for those who put their lives on the line to protect ours, and this budget needs to reflect that reality.”
The Dwyer Program, first introduced by Senate Republicans in 2012, was established to provide peer-to-peer counseling for veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI or difficulty reintegrating into civilian society.
Because there was never a dedicated funding stream made permanent for this vital program, each year the Legislature must include an appropriation to ensure there are funds to keep these critical services running for our veterans who depend on them.
Prior to the release of the Executive Budget earlier this week, Senator Rob Ortt and Senator Jake Ashby penned a letter to the Governor requesting increased, permanent funding for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support initiative.
While the Senate Republicans called for the funding to be doubled, to $15.4 million, the Executive Budget proposal included only a very insignificant increase in funding, from $7,700,000 to $7,715,000.
“Whether a veteran is just returning from a deployment, separating from service, or has been out for a while but still they have not found their place in their community, they need somewhere or someone where they can feel safe and comfortable,” Arnold said. “Otherwise, they may turn to those bad vices that make them make bad decisions, or they isolate themselves and fall into depression. We do not want that to happen – there has to be somewhere for them to go and people they are comfortable being around. That is why the PFC Joseph P Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Program is so important.”
“As someone who works with veterans in our community, I’ve seen the impact of the Dwyer Program,” Glatz said. “The opportunity for a returning veteran to connect with someone that has gone through the very same struggles is an invaluable resource. We must preserve and support this resource at all costs – the men and women who serve our country deserve no less.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2023 at 12:29 pm
“Welcome to Orleans County – the lift bridge capital of the Erie Canal!”
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Main Street lift bridge in Albion is elevated in this photo from Aug. 8, 2022, making room for boaters to pass through.
Orleans County has a secret: It has the most lift bridges of any county on the canal system. We have seven out of the 16.
It’s not something you’ll see on a tourism brochure, a welcome sign or on a local municipal website.
Around here, we treat the lift bridges with annoyance. We don’t like to wait a few minutes when a boat passes by and the 200,000-pound plus bridges rise to give the boaters some room.
The lift bridges are a marvel. I’ve seen visitors drop what they are doing and get very excited when they have been in downtown Albion and the bridge seems to let out a groan and start its elevation. It’s a sight that amazes out-of-towners.
The lift bridges were all built in the 1910s with the canal’s widening and expansion. The downtown districts and hamlets were already built up near the bridges. It wasn’t reasonable to knock down the commercial buildings close by to push back the bridge approaches and make gradual inclines for a stationary high bridge like out in the country.
So we got seven vertical lift bridges – in Medina, Knowlesville, Eagle Harbor, two in Albion, Hulberton and Holley.
The 16 lift bridges on the Erie Canal are all on the western side. Besides the seven in Orleans, there are four in Niagara County and five in Monroe.
The four in Niagara include two in Lockport, and one in both Gasport and Middleport. The five in Monroe include two in Brockport, with others in Adams Basin, Spencerport and Fairport.
The Tugboat Syracuse carries engineers and Canal Corp. officials in this photo from Sept. 14, 2016 during an inspection of the canal system in Orleans County today. The tug is approaching the Ingersoll Street lift bridge in Albion.
We have the most of these bridges and that distinction should be proclaimed: “Welcome to Orleans County – the lift bridge capital of the Erie Canal!”
Orleans County will be 200 years old in 2025. That year also marks the 200th anniversary of the completion of the original 363-mile long Erie Canal.
Orleans County doesn’t need to wait two years to celebrate the lift bridges. The county should dip into some of its tourism money to put up engaging signs and craft a campaign about these bridges.
The entire community should rally around them as a source of pride.
Next year a massive rehabilitation of the Main Street lift bridge in Albion will be complete. The state Department of Transportation is spending about $15 million to give the bridge a major overhaul. That will ensure the bridge stays functional for decades to come. The state about 15 years ago finished a similar rehab of the Ingersoll Street lift bridge in Albion, costing several million dollars.
The state is showing a commitment to keep these bridges in good shape. There are times when some of them are shut down a few days or weeks for a repair. But the bridges get the job done, year after year – more than a century after they were originally constructed.
Photo by Philip Kamrass, New York Power Authority: Fairport lights up its lift bridge and celebrates the span as an iconic landmark in the community.
The Village of Fairport seems to be the only canal town that takes pride in having a lift bridge. The village in Monroe County proudly displays the lift bridge on signs and in promotional materials about the community.
It lights up the bridge for major events. It had a big celebration in 2014 when the bridge was 100 years old. There were a series of events that summer to celebrate the centennial. Fairport rededicated the bridge in a ceremony on Aug. 15, 2014, and re-enacted the first motorized vehicle riding across the bridge. Fairport had a Model T do it for the ceremony.
The community hosts a bash every year to kick off the canal boating season. You can feel their pride.
Not so much around here when it comes to the canal, the lift bridges and tugboats that seem so obvious to celebrate and build an identity around.
In Iowa, the Bridges of Madison County are deeply valued and part of the community fabric. Those historic covered bridges fill that community’s tourism promotions and were the backdrop of a film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in 1995.
Madison County used to have 19 of the covered bridges, but only six remain today. They are deeply treasured by local residents. The community has a covered bridge festival each year. This year it will be Oct. 14-15. (Click here to see more from the Madison County Chamber & Welcome Center.)
Ashtabula County in Ohio has a line of merchandise highlighting its covered bridges, including these hoodies. (Images from Ashtabula County Bridge Festival.)
Ashtabula County in Ohio may be the most enthusiastic community when it comes to loving and embracing their historic bridges.
Ashtabula County has had a covered bridge festival every year going back about 40 years. The community has activities at 19 different covered bridges on an October weekend. Service clubs, businesses, churches and other groups adopt a bridge for the weekend and host events.
Some of the activities include a troll costume contest, Lego covered bridge contest, horse-drawn wagon rides and lemonade stands run by Girl Scouts. Click here to see more about their festival.
The community sells and displays numerous covered bridge merchandise and signage, with different covered bridges featured on shirts, ornaments, blankets, totes and bags, hoodies, cards and other items.
The local lift bridges have paths for pedestrians, including the one on Main Street in Albion. This is an older photo because the bridge has currently been removed for a massive rehabilitation.
You could see an Orleans County Lift Bridge Festival on a weekend, perhaps in late August while there are still boaters using the canal before the end of the summer.
We could have activities at the seven bridges. I could see a 5K race or walk perhaps from the Eagle Harbor to Albion bridge, or from Hulberton to Holley. There could a 10-mile race for more ambitious runners going from Medina to Albion, or Albion to Holley. There could even be a Lift Bridge marathon for 26.2 miles that would go just about from one end of the county to the other.
I think most people would like to see the bridges in action. Every half hour there should be a commitment to have the bridges go up in lower-trafficked areas such as Hulberton, Eagle Harbor and maybe Ingersoll Street in Albion once the Main Street bridge is open. That way people would be guaranteed to see the bridges in action and not have to try to time it to boating traffic.
We could develop some merchandise and signage to give the lift bridges some limelight.
The festival could culminate with fireworks near one of the bridges.
A lift bridge festival would give the service clubs, fire departments, municipalities and residents in the canal communities an opportunity to work together on a fun-filled weekend for the community, while also welcoming visitors to learn about and experience our lift bridge treasures.
Bill Lattin, the retired Orleans County historian, spoke during the first Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the Medina Sandstone Society back in 2013. Lattin said then that Orleans County has so many ornate Medina Sandstone churches, houses, monuments and other structures for such a small community. Yet, the locals don’t pay much notice to what Lattin called “the extraordinary ordinary.” He could say the same about the lift bridges.
Fireworks are reflected in the Erie Canal by the lift bridge in Holley at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, 2018. The 20-minute fireworks show was an explosive conclusion to the June Fest celebration in Holley.
Press Release, Genesee County Economic Development Center
BATAVIA – The board of directors for the Genesee County Economic Development Center approved financial agreements today to support Edwards Vacuum for the first phase of the company’s $209 million semiconductor dry pump manufacturing facility at the Science Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park.
Edwards Vacuum is part of the Atlas Copco Group. It will build a “factory of the future” at STAMP that will serve the semiconductor industry and advanced manufacturing sectors and create approximately 343 new high-paying jobs.
The facility is projected to generate more than $13.4 million in future revenues to the Town of Alabama, Genesee County, Oakfield-Alabama School District, and the Alabama Fire Department over 20 years.
Atlas Copco USA Holdings Inc. & Subsidiaries (Edwards Vacuum) has requested sales tax exemptions of approximately $4.34 million and a 20-year property tax abatement of approximately $12.85 million.
The project is estimated to generate $644 million in payroll and projected future municipal revenues, and a $39 benefit to the local economy for every $1 of public investment.
YOUNGSTOWN – The Niagara County Sheriff’s office is reporting a 70-year-old man died in a fire on Wednesday night in the Village of Youngstown.
Firefighters were dispatched to 136 Jackson St. at 8:12 p.m. on Wednesday after being called about smoke in the apartment.
Niagara County Sheriff’s deputies and officers from the Town of Lewiston Police Department responded and confirmed smoke coming from the second floor of the building. The fire was found to have originated from a second floor apartment and had begun to extend to the structure’s attic and roof, the Sheriff’s Office reported this morning.
Firefighters entered the second-floor apartment of Harlan K. Green and he was on the floor and suffering from cardiac arrest. He was transported by ambulance to Mount Saint Mary’s Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
The fire was subsequently extinguished by members of the Youngstown, Ransomville, Lewiston #1 and Upper Mountain Volunteer Fire Companies. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Niagara County Fire Investigation Unit.
