By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 January 2023 at 8:29 am
Gas prices crept up 4 cents in the past week for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Orleans County, going from $3.49 a week ago to $3.53 today, according to AAA Western and Central New York.
The average price for regular unleaded is up 11 cents nationally in the past week to $3.42 and the price statewide is up 7 cents to $3.51, AAA said.
The New York average price for diesel remains at $5.27, the same price as last Monday and up from $3.83 one year ago.
“The Energy Information Administration says gas inventories gained 7.6 million barrels over the last two weeks but demand also rose by a half a million barrels a day and East Coast gasoline inventories have declined,” AAA said in a news release. “Wholesale gas prices in New York are up 55 cents since early December and the price of oil continues to climb. This morning oil prices range from $82 to $88 per barrel, up more than three dollars since last week.”
The average price today among Western New York counties includes:
Yellowing and brittle, bundles of saved newspapers are discovered in attics, closets, or trunks, having been set aside years past by a now deceased relative or former homeowner.
Once mundane and designed for impermanence, these surviving newspapers have the power to stop us short. Invariably, we pause, carefully unfold the creases, and then fall headlong into the past.
We can infer that these issues were set aside deliberately. Most often, they reported on significant occurrences, dramatic breaking news that resonated deeply. The headlines are short, pithy, two or three words.
Democrat and Chronicle, April 13, 1945. (Dept. of History collection)
These are issues which reported news that captured public emotions at a particular moment in time, when the whole population was united in the act of learning about a new, dramatic, and consequential event. The newspaper issue, over time, becomes a tangible link to the past, to the moment when that news was read and absorbed.
Buffalo Evening News, May 7, 1945. (Private collection)
Buffalo Courier Express, August 15, 1945. (Private collection)
Newspapers were the main source of information about local, national and international events for many years. Gradually, radio and then television took over coverage of all but local news. The internet explosion has decimated the newspaper industry.
Newspapers are part of our visual imagination of the past. Documentaries feature newspaper headlines as part of their narrative. Newspapers have been used in movies to set the tone, indicate character, and to advance plot development. In a few short moments, the opening scene of the newspaper being ironed captured the rigid class structure of Downton Abbey. The breakfast scene with the father stiffly reading the newspaper invariably indicated that he disapproved of whatever was afoot.
We can all visualize scenes of newspapers rolling off the presses or of barefoot paperboys standing at street corners shouting “Extra, Extra, Read All About It” or the classic visual of the whistling paperboy jauntily tossing the morning paper onto a front porch.
Buffalo Courier Express, July 21, 1969. (Courtesy: Lee-Whedon Memorial Library)
Digital news is fast and accessible but reading a newspaper issue gives context to the event described. The accompanying Page 1 headlines of the Democrat & Chronicle, April 13, 1945 which announce the death of President Roosevelt are: “9th Army Races on Last 50-Mile Stretch to Berlin” and “Enemy Planes Attack Fleet off Okinawa”.
These give a sense of the continuing precariousness of the war, now compounded by the death of the President.
Reading through an entire issue of an old newspaper conveys an intimate sense of daily life at that time. Articles on local government reports, accidents, court reports, marriages, advertisements for cars, clothing, food prices combine to form an immersive snapshot of the past.
Hard as in may be for us to imagine, newspapers may very well be phased out completely in our lifetime. What significant issues have you saved for future generations?
The Journal-Register, October 16, 1989. (Courtesy: Lee-Whedon Memorial Library)
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 January 2023 at 8:57 am
Provided photo: Bill Wallace serves as executive director of the Worcester Historical Museum in Worcester, Mass.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Society and Museum will offer a virtual presentation Feb. 7 in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Just a week before Valentine’s Day, the museum will welcome Bill Wallace, executive director of the Worcester Historical Museum in Worcester, Mass. Wallace will educate and entertain when he presents “Be Ours: Worcester’s role in the American Valentine Industry.”
For nearly a century, from the early 1850s to the late 1940s, Worcester was at the heart of the American valentine-making industry. Esther Howland, who made hand-assembled creations, is considered by some to be the “Mother of the American Valentine.” Her creations, to the mass-produced cards of the 20th century, make Worcester’s story one of innovation, creativity and ever-expanding markets.
The presentation, shown on a large screen TV at the Thompson-Kast Visitors Center, will tell about the three generations of Worcester businesses, all encouraging someone to “Be Mine,” and how to identify Worcester originals in a collection.
Interested persons can also register for a Zoom link, which will arrive in e-mail inboxes on Feb. 6. Sliding scale admission is $5 to $20.
Those who wish to watch the presentation at the Visitors Center must call (585) 589-9013 to register with a credit/debit card. Seating is limited.
Bill Wallace is the long-time executive director of the Worcester Historical Museum. During his tenure, the museum moved to its current location, expanded its programs and exhibits and restored and operates Salisbury Mansion (1771) as Worcester’s only historic house museum. A native of Northern New Hampshire, he is a student of Mount Washington history, a gravestone enthusiast, and – if not at the museum – is frequently found at a Disney property.
A question and answer session will immediately follow the speaker’s remarks to conclude this hour-long program.
This program will benefit the Cobblestone Society and Museum, a 501c3 organization. Any business owner or individual interested in contributing funding for this event or a future virtual program is asked to contact the Cobblestone’s assistant director, Sue Bonafini at volunteers@cobblestonemuseum.org.
By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 21 January 2023 at 3:00 pm
View of the port of Ponta Delgada, Portugal from the cruise ship at sunrise.
Let’s go on an adventure together….to the Azores!
In April / May 2019, I took a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean. I left out of Fort Lauderdale, sailed for seven days across the ocean, spent two days in the Azores, two days in Cork, Ireland, a day in Liverpool, England, and two days in Dublin, Ireland (the cruise ended upon arrival in Dublin, I chose to stay over another day). I will focus this article on my time in the Azores.
The Azores are an archipelago – a group of islands made up of inactive volcanoes that are part of Portugal. The island that we docked at is Sao Miguel and Sao Miguel’s capital is Ponta Delgada – the port we spent two days in. I really enjoyed exploring this island — it was beautiful and I learned a lot!
The wildest animal on the island is the rabbit — nothing poisonous and no snakes! Dairy is a huge industry for them – lots of cows and they told us that the cows have adapted to be able to climb the steep hills like goats do. Since the islands consist of inactive volcanoes, there was really nothing growing on the island when it was first discovered and began to be inhabited. All the flora was brought in from other places, there is very little, if any, native plants – mostly just mosses. Winter is the azalea season and summer is hydrangea season — we saw LOTS of gorgeous azaleas in full bloom just ending their season growing wild all over. One of our tour guides said, “The Azores is a place where you remember to breathe.” What a beautiful way to describe her island! It is simply stunning and definitely has a laid back atmosphere.
Traditional Portuguese singers and dancers entertained us after dinner in port.
We spent two days in Ponta Delgada. On the first day, I booked a whale watching tour. We saw mostly dolphins and the weather was a bit rough, but I can now say I’ve been whale watching in Hawaii, Alaska, and Portugal.
After the whale watching tour, I got back on the ship to freshen up and change before an evening excursion. For dinner, I went with a big group to a local hotel for a traditional Portuguese dinner and entertainment. The food was amazing and the views from the room we dined in were incredible. After dinner, a local troop of folk dancers and singers entertained us. It was so much fun. I was exhausted when I got back to my cabin on the ship – the exciting full day wore me out.
On day two, the sun came out and it was perfect for exploring. The shore excursion I chose for day two was a scenic country side tour and it was amazing. We toured the city of Ponta Delgada, strolled through one of several botanical gardens on the island, visited a pineapple plantation, and took in the views from the upper rim of one of the inactive volcanos.
We visited a pineapple plantation – a major agricultural export for the Azores. The climate in Portugal isn’t right for growing pineapples in the ground, so they grow them in greenhouses.
The botanical gardens was gorgeous and so peaceful – I could have spent an entire day there. I was surprised to discover that one of the island’s major exports is pineapple. They were originally brought to the island as a decorative flower, but they soon found they could grow them in greenhouses and export them for income. I learned all about the process and also got to try some pineapple liqueur – very potent, but quite delicious.
At the rim of the inactive volcano, we had perfect views of Sete Cidades – Crater Lakes. This is the second largest crater on the island and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Inside the crater are twin lakes separated by a narrow strait. When the weather conditions are right, you can see the two lakes take on different colors – one is blue and one is green. It wasn’t a vibrant view, but we could definitely see the two different colors. It was gorgeous! There is a legend explaining this phenomenon involving a bad-tempered king who was also a sorcerer, his princess daughter, and forbidden love. The whole story is included in my blog post, so be sure to check it out (I love stuff like that).
It was an amazing two days on a gorgeous and interesting island rich in history and tradition. Check out my blog for more photos and stories about my time in the Azores, here!
Happy Adventuring!
A visit to one of many botanical gardens on the island resulted in my favorite photo of the entire trip. I wanted a photo of the staircase, but this young girl ran into my shot. I thought it ruined the photo, but it turned out amazing – like something out of Harry Potter!
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 January 2023 at 9:59 am
The soaring price of eggs is putting a strain on the budgets of restaurants, bakeries and families everywhere.
A year ago, eggs could sometimes be purchased for little more than a dollar a dozen, compared to recent months when they have hit more than $5 in some stores.
The rising cost is being blamed mostly on an avian flu, known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, which was first detected in North America in 2014
While the Center for Disease Control considers this type of virus a low risk to humans, it is a serious threat to poultry farms and owners of backyard flocks. As of December, more than 57 million egg-laying hens were lost since the outbreak began in February 2022. That surpasses the 50 million lost in the 2015 avian influenza outbreak, USA Today reported.
The loss of so many hens means far fewer eggs. USA Today reported the price of eggs jumped 11% in December from the month before. The average price of a dozen large grade A eggs in December hit $4.25, up from $1.79 a year earlier.
This sign on the egg case at Aldi’s in Medina reflects the cost of eggs which has nearly quadrupled in the past year.
Locally, eggs a year ago at Aldi’s and Dollar General in Medina were $1.29. This week, a sign on Aldi’s egg case showed a price of $4.99 per dozen, while at Dollar General they were $3.95, but had been $4.50, according to an employee.
Local restauranteurs and bakers say when you add inflation to that, it spells disaster for their businesses.
Jenna Pangrazio, fiancée of Rudy’s owner Brody Hoffmeister, said their cost for eggs has gone from $40 to $50 dollars per case to $110. They are spending $500 a week on eggs, she said.
“We have tried to keep our breakfast prices the same, but we are going to have to raise them if this keeps up,” Pangrazio said. “We know our customers are struggling, and we are trying not to raise prices.”
Terry Lake has cooked at Rudy’s for 20 years and other restaurants for 16 years. He’s never seen such price increases for eggs.
“January is always a bad month for restaurants, anyway, with people catching up after Christmas, and this just makes it worse,” he said.
Employees of Aldi’s and Dollar General are forbidden to talk to the media, however, a customer in Aldi’s said her son eats three eggs a day and she’s struggling to buy groceries.
“I’ve been buying egg whites to add to the eggs to stretch them,” she said. “Still it’s costing me $10 to feed him breakfast at home. I also don’t bake much anymore, because it’s so expensive.”
At the Village House in Albion, manager Spiro Mitrousis said a case of eggs wholesale is now $120, a price which a year ago was $20 to $30. A couple of weeks ago, the price soared to $160 a case.
“And that’s just one of the items that has gone up,” Mitrousis said. “We’ve kept good pricing, but last year we’ve had to keep raising prices, because everything is so expensive.”
He said he’s never had to cut back before, but with the increased cost of food and the minimum wage, he’s going to have to cut back hours.
“Before Covid, all the restaurants were open and we were all busy,” Mitrousis said. “Now, there are less restaurants open and we are less busy. It’s inflation that’s causing it.”
Beth Miller owns Wild Flour Bakery and Deli in Albion and she said she’s not making any profit on baked goods now, because of the high cost of eggs.
“I prefer not to raise prices, but I’m getting to the point where I can’t not do it,” she said. “My costs have increased more than 100 percent in six months. I’m paying $110 for 24 dozen eggs, which last me a week to a week and a half.”
Turkey is a main ingredient in some of her signature sandwiches and that has also skyrocketed in price.
“I’m scared to raise prices,” Miller said. “I’m a new business and I don’t want people to not come.”
Hannah Pollard of Medina is a home baker, who is also feeling the pinch. She uses 10 to 12 dozen eggs a week in the cookies, pies and small cakes she makes and sells. She has been bartering them for eggs with friends who have chickens at home.
She said the problem is compounded by the fact chickens don’t like the cold and don’t lay as many eggs when it’s cold and dark.
She said there has been a steady increase in the number of products she uses which have continued to rise in price. Brown sugar which was a dollar is now $1.69; butter which was $1.99 is now $3.99.
Add to that the shortage of oils, such as palm oil, which is used in Crisco. She uses Crisco in her pie crusts and the price of that has doubled.
“Two weeks ago I had to raise my prices,” Pollard said. “From $5 for half a dozen, I had to increase to $6 a half a dozen.”
Sarah Ebbs, co-owner of Pretty Sweet Bakery in Albion, said it is costing much more to create the baked goods at the business on Liberty Street in Albion.
At Pretty Sweet Bakery in Albion, the owners hunt for the best deal on eggs. The price peaked for them at $27.14 in late December for five dozen eggs. On Aug. 25, 2021, they were paying $5.92 for 60 eggs.
The increase has forced them to raise their prices, including selling a cookie from 80 cents each to $1.50.
“I absolutely hate raising our prices, especially in Albion because we’re not the richest community,” said Sarah Ebbs, Pretty Sweet co-owner with her mother Pamela Jenks. “People have been understanding.”
The bakery also is paying much more for butter, Crisco and boxes – “everything has gone up,” Ebbs said.
She is thankful the egg price is starting to come down. They were $19.98 this week for five dozen – still much more than they are used to paying.
Tina Oosterling of Medina, who owns A Kut Above, said she heard people talking about looking for egg substitutes. A search on the Internet revealed a number of products that can be used in place of eggs. While these substitutes can work culinary magic in some recipes, the finished product won’t be the same as when real eggs are used. A list of many substitutes can be found by searching “Egg substitutes.”
The Orleans Hub reached out to Kreher’s Eggs in Indian Falls for comment on the egg situation, and received a press release from the American Egg Board.
Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, said egg production capacity remains strong and eggs remain a good value.
“Egg farmers are doing everything they can to keep costs down and maintain a steady supply of the nutritious eggs Americans count on,” Metz said. “Prices reflect several factors beyond a farmers’ control, including inflation and supply chain challenges related to cost and availability of feed and grain, diesel fuel and shipping. Intermittent supply disruptions due to bird flu, which has affected egg farmers in several states, as well as commercial broiler and turkey farms, have had temporary impacts on commodity pricing.”
The good news, according to Metz, is that egg farms are recovering quickly. Most of the egg farms that were affected by avian influenza this year have recovered and are back to producing eggs. Nationwide, according to the USDA, there are approximately six percent fewer hens laying eggs right now than normally, so egg farms may be recovering, but they are not all the way back yet, Metz said.
“While no one can predict the future, egg sales have remained strong, even with temporary price increases, Metz added.
“People love eggs, and as one of the highest quality protein sources available, consumers know eggs are still a good value,” she said.
(Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers contributed to this report.)
Provided photo: Speaking today at Pane’s Restaurant in North Tonawanda include from left: State Sen. George Borrello, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Mike Norris.
Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt
NORTH TONAWANDA – Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt today stood with Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Mike Norris to call on Governor Hochul and the Legislative Majorities to stop radical, costly energy policies that restrict New Yorkers’ freedoms and hurt New Yorkers’ pockets – such as the recent proposal to ban gas stoves.
“Albany’s proposed gas stove ban is another assault on our way of life in Western New York,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “To dictate what types of cooking appliances our residents can or cannot own will hurt homeowners, home builders, and small businesses – especially restaurants that rely on gas cooking. At a time when the economy is unstable and many of our businesses are still struggling to get back on their feet, Albany bureaucrats continue making life even more difficult and expensive for the everyday New Yorker.”
Earlier this month, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced they would be considering a ban on gas stoves, infuriating many. In New York, the Governor in her State of the State address revealed she was pushing for a similar ban on fossil fuel equipment in new construction statewide in New York – including gas stoves – starting in 2025 for small buildings (including single-family homes) and 2028 for larger ones.
Upon learning about the Governor’s proposed gas stove ban, many New Yorkers expressed outrage at the policy, which would harm homeowners, home builders, skilled laborers and businesses throughout the state.
One particular sector that would be devastated is the restaurant and hospitality industry. Countless restaurateurs have explained that using an electric stove top significantly slows down the workflow process for a chef in the kitchen, in contrast with gas stoves.
Another point that has been made is that when power goes out at someone’s home, gas stoves provide a reliable backup for cooking, and local restaurants that use gas are often called upon to feed community members with electric appliances. This was especially the case in Western New York in 2022, with the historic and deadly blizzard that pummeled the Buffalo-Niagara region during Christmas.
“The proposed ban on gas stoves underscores just how heavy-handed and intrusive New York State is prepared to be, in order to impose their reckless climate agenda on everyday New Yorkers,” Borrello said. “A gas stove ban would also devastate the restaurant and hospitality industry, which relies on the rapid precision that gas stoves provide for cooking. Unfortunately, practical realities and individual choice don’t carry any weight in this rush towards ‘green energy.’ This ban is just one of many sacrifices New Yorkers will have to make unless a more reasonable approach and timeline is implemented.”
“These proposals we are seeing out of Albany are not only out of touch but disastrous for Upstate and Western New York,” Norris said. “The reliability of natural gas, especially during our winters, is crucial. Many found relief during the recent blizzard by using gas stoves and fireplaces. To take this reliable, affordable form of energy away is extremely short sighted. I will continue to fight against proposals that are a blatant disregard to our community and residents.”
Last week, Ortt launched a petition to “Say NO to Albany’s gas stove ban.” So far, that petition has received more than 1,100 signatures.
Earlier this month, Leader Ortt and Senate Republicans unveiled the Rescue New York 2023 Legislative Agenda, which includes climate policies that would ensure access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy, among other proposals to create a more affordable New York.
“Just a few weeks ago, tens of thousands of Western New Yorkers spent days without power during a winter storm,” Ortt said. “Under this radical gas stove ban, any future power outages will leave our neighborhoods and businesses unable to cook food, boil water, or stay warm. These reliable and affordable stoves are vital to hundreds of thousands of Western New Yorkers. We cannot allow ill-conceived climate policies to get rammed through without input from everyday citizens.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 20 January 2023 at 3:47 pm
MEDINA – The home at 159 Stork St. would have passersby thinking the family are Bills fans.
That is only partially right.
“We are football fans,” says Denny Dubai, who lives there with his wife Robin.
Mail carrier Quinten Weis, center, stops long enough to admire the Bills clothing hanging on the front porch of Denny and Robin Dubai’s home on Stork Street, Medina.
It is Robin who is the diehard Bills fan, and although Denny roots for the Raiders, he respects his wife’s love of the Bills.
“When our boys were growing up, I always tried to bring them up to respect life and respect all people,” Denny said.
Denny has always been a Raiders fan, while son Mark, who lives in New York City, used to root for the Dallas Cowboys, then switched to the Philadelphia Eagles, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before switching back to the Buffalo Bills.
Son Darren is a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And although Denny likes the Raiders, he roots for the Bills with his wife and buys her Bills’ memorabilia.
They are happiest when the Bills play the Raiders, because they can both cheer for their team. When the Raiders come to Buffalo every few years, the Dubais attend the game.
“That way, we can both cheer for our favorite team,” Robin said.
When the Bills went to four consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990s, Robin filled the front of their house with banners.
“I think it’s nice to show support for your team,” she said.
This week she hung a line of Bills shirts and a blanket on the front porch, along with strings of red and blue lights. She once had a Bills tablecloth, which someone stole off her front porch, so now she threads the clothing on a clothes line, in addition to securing the garments with clothes pins.
When their sons were small, they used to build Buffalo Bills snowmen and dress the kids up in Bills attire.
Friday afternoon, the Dubais’ mail carrier Quinten Weis stopped to admire the display of Bills clothing.
“I see lots of signs in people’s yards, but nothing like this,” Weis said.
He admits he has been an avid Bills fan for years.
“I think this is awesome,” he said about the display.
The Bills play at home Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals with the winner advancing to the AFC championship game.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 January 2023 at 1:13 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Albion has 17 properties included in a Restore NY application, including 28 East Bank St. (left).
ALBION – The Albion Village Board has set a public hearing for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Village Hall for residents to comment on an application to state for Restore NY funding.
Albion has qualified as a severely distressed community and is eligible for Restore NY funding. That state program seeks to revitalize the heart of community centers, bringing funding for residential and commercial projects.
The Restore NY program could bring up to $10 million to revitalize distressed commercial and residential sites, providing 90 percent of the costs, said Jay Grasso, the village’s grantwriter and owner of G & G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing.
The Restore NY program funds reconstruction, structural repairs, repair and replacement of mechanical systems, energy efficiency upgrades, and demolition.
Restore NY can be used for vacant, abandoned, condemned or surplus buildings. These properties can be demolished, deconstructed, rehabilitated or reconstructed. The grant allows up to $70,000 per residential unit.
Albion has made it past the first round of the application and needs to submit a more detailed application by Jan. 27.
There are 17 properties in the downtown business district identified for the village’s application.
The properties identified for the village application include:
117 North Liberty St., 6,960 square feet
124 South Clinton St., 7,692 square feet
132 North Main St., 5,984 square feet
18 North Main St., 19,600 square feet
165 South Platt St., 34,344 square feet
52 North Main St., 9,996 square feet
102 East Bank St., 1,530 square feet
10-12 North Main St., 6,270 square feet
138-140 North Main St., 6,932 square feet
116 North Liberty St. (Beaver Alley), 14,250 square feet
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 January 2023 at 9:34 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Caleb Lambert, 6, of Albion balances three plates with assistance from Franko Bui, a clown. Caleb was picked out of the crowd to assist Franko with the act at the elementary school gym in Albion, which hosted two performances on Thursday of Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus.
The circus has started its annual swing in the region. The other upcoming local performances include Medina today at 5:15 and 7:15 p.m. in the Wise Middle School gym; Holley Elementary Gym at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 26, and Kendall High School Gym with a 6:30 p.m. show on Jan. 27. Tickets are available at the door. Click here for more information on the schedule.
Ivan Arestov displays his skill with Cyr Wheel acrobatics. He has been performing with Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus for several years now. Last summer he also spent a week at the Orleans County 4-H Fair as a performer, including balancing on a stack of chairs that were 25 feet high.
Slinko has long been one of the popular acts at the circus. The character is like a dancing slinky.
Lilly Otis, 7, of Albion gets a cat painted on her face during intermission.
Alex Arestov balances an umbrella on his forehead. Alex and Elena performed with many umbrellas on Thursday. In the past their performance included a series of quick costume changes that seemed like magic.
Franko sells merchandise, including lighted swords and super-hero inflatables. There was also cotton candy, popcorn and other goodies available.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 January 2023 at 7:06 pm
MEDINA – Todd Eick is always looking for ways to help his students make connections and learn in the classroom.
He has won statewide and national awards for teaching agriculture and technology to Medina students.
He has been lauded for developing a farm on the school campus, for an active agriculture program with 90-plus students where then use laser engravers and other technology in class, while also learn to make wool from alpaca fiber.
Jack Dunn holds a jar with the ingredients to make M & M cookies. He said Eick sets a high standard for students in the program. Ag students put together 72 of those with a reusable jar during last month’s citrus sale.
Last month he won a national award for ag teachers, and Eick can’t help but smile that it was for a classroom exercise about poetry. Eick keeps an open mind about ways to teach his students.
Eick overheard his daughter Camryn working on homework in an English class taught by Karen Jones. Camryn was doing a “blackout poem” and Eick was impressed how it helped her to learn the material, and hone in on the crux of the passage.
He tried it in his classes. Students were urged to find an article about hunger and then black out some of the words. Most of the words were blacked out, but the remaining words were treated as a verse or poem.
Eick said he and the students were moved by the powerful messages about people who don’t get enough to eat.
‘Then would scan the articles for themes and key words, and then black out what wasn’t used,” he said. “It was a very interesting way to do ag literacy.”
That class activity was picked as one of six “Ideas Unlimited Awards” in the entire country by the National Association of Agricultural Educators. Eick received the award at a convention in Las Vegas.
“It’s a big deal because it recognizes that ag teachers teach a heck of a lot more than agriculture,” Eick said.
Todd Eick checks on some of the birds and small animals at the ag shop. Eick and his students made one of the “quail condos” for the birds. This area includes quail, pigeons, hamsters, parakeets, bearded dragons and frogs.
Twice he has also won statewide “Golden Owl” awards. He gets nominated for those awards by students and community members. Eick said those awards are especially meaningful because the ag program is recognized for a steady contribution to the school and Medina community.
Eick, 50, wasn’t planning on being a teacher. He grew up working on his family’s dairy farm. His father Bill and uncle Ken ran LaVerne Eick & Sons dairy on Freeman Road until 2006. Todd remembers his first job there at age 8, picking rocks out of a field. And many hours raking hay.
Eick wasn’t even thinking about a career in agriculture. He went into the Air Force and then earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Buffalo State with a focus on interior and furniture design.
He was building furniture and making functional art when he decided to pursue certification in teaching. He worked for Albion from 2011 to 2008 in technical education, running the wood shop.
Eick then worked in carbon dioxide plant next to Western New York Energy for two years, when he got a call in April 2010 to finish out the year for Medina’s ag program.
Tyler Allen, right, and Jackson Caldwell, both 10th graders, assemble a box for samplers as part of the Medina FFA annual citrus sale last month. The samplers included locally made and locally grown products including pickles, jams, popcorn and other products.
Eick has transformed the ag program in his tenure, starting a farm on campus with animals, empowering students to run a very ambitious annual citrus sale, hosting the state FFA convention in 2015 with 1,200 students, and teaching students the latest in technology and some old-time trades such as weaving. Eick wants to help students to be adaptable to their future careers and be open to learning on the job.
“It’s not cows and plows,” Eick said about today’s agriculture and FFA. “It’s beakers and speakers.”
Eick runs the busy ag program while also coaching varsity lacrosse and serving on the coaching staff for Medina’s football program.
FFA students also used a laser engraver to include Medina FFA and an agricultural design on the wooden box.
Eick uses his furniture building knowledge to guide students in making wooden boxes to display locally produced in samplers for the annual citrus sale in December. The students made the display boxes and used a laser engraver to etch “Medina FFA” and an agricultural design on the wooden box.
If the work isn’t done well, Eick scraps it and has the students do it again.
“He expects quality,” said Jackson Caldwell, a 10th grader. “We don’t put out junk. We put out good quality craftmanship.”
Inside the ag shop there are quail condo and cages for quail, pigeons, hamsters, parakeets, bearded dragons and frogs. There weren’t any animals when Eick started.
“It gives the kids a hands-on opportunity they normally wouldn’t get,” Eick said.
They have to clean and maintain the cages and condos, and do health checks on the animals. They learn how to feed and handle them.
There is also an outdoor “living laboratory” for the FFA with a small barn and pasture. There are alpacas, pigs and goats for students to take care of. Students haul feed and water. They also learn to shear the alpacas and turn the alpaca fiber into dryer balls, which replaces the need for dryer sheets.
Eick also led the FFA students in a project last summer and fall to knit blue hats. The Medina FFA made the hats and gave them to Medina middle schoolers in October as part of an anti-bullying initiative – #HatsNotHate.
He initially was drawn to teaching with the idea of having summers and weekends off. But that hasn’t quite panned out. Eick is busy year-round as a teacher. And he is constantly mulling new ideas for the classroom.
After the blackout poetry success, Eick said he is open to more lessons typically led by the English teachers.
“Next we might try haikus,” he said.
Medina started the model farm in 2014 with a grant paying for much of the initial costs.
ALEXANDER – Attitudes toward substance use disorder and words that reflect those attitudes can have a tremendous effect on the recovery process of those struggling with addiction.
“Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace and that (disgrace) is a pretty powerful word,” said Diana Padilla, a longtime behavioral health specialist who was in Genesee County on Wednesday to present a training seminar for social workers and providers at the Alexander Recreation & Banquet Facility.
Padilla, in her 90-minute “Reducing Stigma in Our Communities” presentation, provided tools for counselors to counteract the negative connotations associated with substance use and mental illness.
A research project manager at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, Division of Substance Use Disorders, Columbia University Medical Center, Padilla communicated that stigma against people with substance use disorders can create barriers to treatment, such as an increase in shame and isolation from family, friends and community, and treating those with addiction as criminals.
She bemoaned the fact that the healthcare and judicial systems have not fully recognized that substance use disorder is an illness, and that recovery is possible.
“Stigma can lead to more substance use disorder and people can lose hope,” she said. “It really becomes a vicious cycle.”
Padilla said she has seen how health insurance companies and the law continue to view substance use disorder as a “result of a moral weakness and flawed character.”
She noted that some providers blame the individual for causing the problem and will reject treatment coverage, which can lead to substandard, non-science-based care.
When it comes to mental health treatment, Padilla said statistics show that stigma prevents 40 percent of people with anxiety or depression from seeking medical help and affects people in treatment even when their mental health problem is a distant memory.
To combat stigma, she encouraged counselors to utilize “people-first language” in their interactions with their clients:
Speak or write the person first, then the disability, i.e., Sam is a “person with a disability,” or “Sheila is visually impaired…”
Emphasize abilities or accomplishments, not limitations.
When communicating about a group, “individuals with disabilities.”
Allow and expect that individuals with disabilities will speak for themselves.
Be careful not to idealize people who have disabilities as being brave simply because they have a disability.
In recent years, there has been a shift toward supportive and affirming language used by public health professionals, she said.
“By using the term, substance use disorder (instead of substance abuse or addiction), it meets a diagnostic criterion,” she said.
Padilla promoted “trauma-informed care” as a key component to successfully reaching someone with substance use disorder and/or mental illness.
She referred to the Adverse Childhood Experience study that reveals a direct link between traumatic experiences at an early age to subsequent alcohol and drug problems. According to the ACE study, 64 percent of adults have faced one adverse childhood experience (emotional, physical or sexual abuse) and 40 percent have faced two or more adverse childhood experiences.
“A person with four or more ACEs is five times more likely to develop substance use disorder,” she pointed out.
It is important for counselors to understand the impact of traumatic events upon their clients’ lives, Padilla said, and to adhere to the guiding principles of trauma-informed care – safety, transparency, peer support, collaboration, empowerment and cultural, historical and gender issues.
“Empowerment, giving the client a voice and a choice, can make a huge difference,” she said. “We should support those choices even when we don’t totally agree.”
In closing, Padilla shared that people are more likely to get treatment and recover when their families, friends, providers, and communities support them without judging them.
“We can choose supportive, respectful, and nonjudgmental words that treat people with respect and compassion,” she said.
The training seminar was hosted by the GOW (Genesee Orleans Wyoming) Opioid Task Force and Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments and supported by the HEALing Communities initiative.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) said he is pleased that Assembly committee meetings will finally be live-streamed for public viewing.
This idea was originally proposed in 2016 by the Assembly Republican Conference, but only audio was available. Although committee meetings will now be live-streamed, they will not be archived.
“This is a major victory for the people of New York,” Hawley said. “We have fought for committee meetings to be live-streamed for almost a decade. I have always pushed for committee meetings to be open and transparent.
“It is New Yorkers’ rights we are fighting for; therefore, New Yorkers should be able to watch their representatives in action throughout the entire legislative process. Our next step should be to allow this footage to be archived for increased availability.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 January 2023 at 11:12 am
Part of Albion-Gaines district shifts into western part of Murray
This map shows a plan for four of the districts for the Orleans County Legislature.
ALBION – Orleans County officials are proposing redistricting changes to bring four County Legislature districts into nearly the same size after population changes created too much of a disparity among the districts.
The districts are allowed to have up to 5 percent variance in population. But the current districts, without changes, are at 11.7 percent deviation, which is out of compliance with state and federal law.
The county worked with Skyline Demographic Consultants, Inc. to bring the four legislative districts within an acceptably close size. Click here to see a high resolution map.
The county is looking to add part of western Murray to a district that currently is the towns of Albion and Gaines. That gives the Albion-Gaines (District 3) more people and also takes away from District 4 that includes Murray, Kendall and Carlton.
The Murray section going to District 3 includes 522 people from Murray’s election district 5.
During the last redistricting about a decade ago, the county added a small part of Shelby to District 2 that included Yates and Ridgeway. This time the county is looking to move more of that area back into District 1, the Shelby-Barre-Clarendon district. That represents a shift of 418 people, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The County Legislature next meets on Jan. 24 and expected to set a public hearing on the changes for Feb. 9.
This shows the proposal for the section of Shelby in red that would be included in the Yates-Ridgeway District and the section in blue that would be in the district that includes Barre, Clarendon and most of Shelby.
There are also three at-large countywide positions that Welch said don’t need any changes because they represent the same population – the entire county. Those positions include an at-large legislator from the western end (towns of Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby), at-large from central (Albion, Gaines, Carlton and Barre) and at-large from the east (towns of Kendall, Murray and Clarendon).
“The three at-large districts had no boundary changes since they are the entire county,” Welch said. “The east, west and central only pertains to where the candidates come from and not about who can vote for the candidates. All registered voters in Orleans County may vote for the at-large legislator candidates.”
The orange part of Murray would be shifted into a district that includes Albion and Gaines, while the yellow would be in a district that includes Carlton, Kendall and most of Murray.
County officials are pushing to get the boundaries set for the four other districts because it is getting close to the start of the election cycle. The primary schedule has been moved up from September to June.
Candidates will soon be interviewing with political party leaders to run for the positions, and candidates need to get petitions signed to get on the ballot for a primary and the general election.
The Orleans County Democratic Party has filed a legal challenge for the County Legislature to do redistricting and bring the districts into balance. Welch said the county was working on redistricting before the lawsuit from the Democrats.
The county’s population in the 2020 census was 40,343 people. That census block population shows 1,456 incarcerated people at two state prisons in Albion. Those people are to be reallocated to their home counties for redistricting purposes, Welch said.
The state Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) lists the three census blocks where the prisons are located as a negative 76 population. That doesn’t make sense to Skyline Demographic Consultants because there aren’t any residential structures in those blocks, outside of the prisons. The firm recommended the county zero out those blocks, instead of doing a negative-76.
County officials are taking out the 1,456 population for the prisons. That number has then been subtracted from the 40,343 in the census and with another small adjustment the total for the county is 38,891 for redistricting. Dividing that by the four legislative districts puts the ideal district at 9,745.
State law allows a 5 percent deviation. A plus or minus of 2.5 percent from the ideal would be 245 people.
The redistricting proposal puts the deviation at a maximum of 4.2 percent, with District 1 down by 2.02 percent from the ideal and District 3 at 2.22 percent over the ideal.
District 1 with most of Shelby, all of Barre and Clarendon would be 9,548 people, or down 197 people or 2.02 percent from the ideal.
District 2 with Yates, Ridgeway and small portion of Shelby would be 9,725, or 20 fewer than the ideal or under by 0.21 percent.
District 3 with Gaines, Albion and part of western Murray would be a population of 9,961, which is over the ideal by 2.22 percent or 216 people.
District 4 with Carlton, Kendall and most of Murray would total 9,747 people, only 2 more than the ideal or off by just 0.02 percent.
The redistricting changes would move 940 people into different districts, which is 2.4 percent of the population, Welch said.
Without redistricting, the deviation would be 11.7 percent. The current District 1 is 6.3 percent under the ideal, while District 2 is 4.1 percent over, District 3 is 3.1 percent below and District 4 is 5.4 percent above the ideal.
Some of the criteria from the state for redistricting include the following:
Districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minority groups to participate in the political process or to diminish their ability to elect representatives of their choice.
Districts shall consist of contiguous territory.
Districts shall be as compact in form as practicable.
Districts shall not be drawn to discourage competition or for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring incumbents or other particular candidates or political parties.
The maintenance of cores of existing districts, of pre-existing political subdivisions including cities, villages, and towns, and of communities of interest shall also be considered. To the extent practicable, no villages or cities or towns except those having more than forty percent of a full ratio for each district shall be divided.
Districts shall be formed so as to promote the orderly and efficient administration of elections.
WILSON – A 5-year-old boy was critically injured with burns from a residential fire in Wilson on Wednesday, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office is reporting.
William S. Whitmore, 35, also was seriously injured in the house fire at 140 Harbor St.
There was 911 call at 11:45 p.m., reporting the residential fire. Upon arrival, Niagara County Sheriff’s deputies found three residents to be evacuated from their fully engulfed home, Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti stated in a news release.
Whitmore was transported to Erie County Medical Center’s burn unit and is in serious condition. The 5-year-old boy was transported by ambulance to Oishei Children’s Hospital, then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester and is in critical condition for his burns. A 41-year-old female was uninjured and accompanied her son to the hospital.
Three dogs were rescued by deputies from the fire scene and given to neighbors for safekeeping at the owner’s request.
There is no property damage estimate available at this time and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Niagara County Origin and Cause Team, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Responding fire companies included the Wilson Volunteer Fire Department, South Wilson Volunteer Fire Company, Olcott Volunteer Fire Department and Ransomville Volunteer Fire Company. Mercy EMS also responded.
