MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the return of the Wellness Fair to Medina Memorial Hospital on Sept. 13.

The community is invited to schedule appointments with the imaging/radiology and lab departments, receive an overall health screening from a primary care professional, speak with leadership from Orleans Community Health and meet with several county organizations.

The fair is scheduled from 3 to 7 p.m. at Medina Memorial Hospital. Appointments can be scheduled with imaging/radiology and the lab at a discount of $10 per test by logging on to the Orleans Community Health website by clicking here.

Available tests in imaging are AAA (abdominal aorta) screening, carotid screening and ABI screening. Lat tests include hemoglobin A1c, PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone).

Community members do not need an appointment to attend the Wellness Fair. General health checks will be conducted by Elizabeth “Liz” Gurnsey, family nurse practitioner.

Several members of Orleans Community Health leadership will be on hand to act as guides to appointments.

County and regional health and wellness organizations in attendance will include Alzheimer’s Association, Independent Health, SNAP, Supportive Care of Orleans/Hospice, Orleans County Department of Mental Health and M-Power (Medicare assistance).

“This is an opportunity to receive tests, a health check and speak to several of the organizations within Orleans County,” said Scott Robinson, director of marketing, communications and outreach for Orleans Community Health. “A lot of great things are happening at Medina Memorial Hospital and throughout Orleans Community Health, and this event is an opportunity for the community to stop by for health screenings and simply see what we’ve all been talking about.”

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has accepted a state grant for $1,038,805 for the emergency communications system.

The state Department of Homeland Security approved the application for Orleans County Office of Emergency Management for the grant. The money will be used for “enhancing emergency response, improving capabilities, improvements in government structures, operating procedures, infrastructure development and addressing SAFECOM guidelines” through Dec. 31, 2024.

The grant was part of $100 million announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Aug. 3 for 57 counties and New York City to enhance emergency communications.

“This funding is critical to strengthening New York’s emergency response capabilities, in situations where every second counts,” Hochul said when she announced the funding. “We are laser focused on making smart investments in public safety across the state and these grants will be a significant boost for local governments working around the clock to keep New Yorkers safe.”

The funding is formula-based and provided through cellular surcharge revenue, Hochul’s office said. The grants are specifically designed to help improve the methods used by first responders to communicate with one another.

Price down 10 cents in past week in Orleans to $4.165

Photo by Tom Rivers: Regular unleaded gas was selling for $4.18 a gallon on Friday at Crosby’s in Gaines.

The price for an average gallon of regular unleaded gas is at $4.003 today in New York, down 12.5 cents from a week ago, AAA reported today.

That $4.003 price compares to $4.128 a week ago, $4.448 a month ago and $3.279 a year ago, according to AAA. The price for diesel is at $5,273 today, compared to $5,345 a week ago, $5.644 a month ago ad $3.382 a year ago.

Today’s national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $3.78, down 7 cents from one week ago. A year ago the price was $3.19.

In Orleans County the price dropped 10 cents in the past week from $4.264 to $4.165 a gallon. The price is now down 83 cents from the $4.99 on July 5.

Average prices in WNY counties include:

• Orleans, $4.165
• Genesee, $4.152
• Wyoming, $4.163
• Livingston, $4.192
• Niagara, $3.393
• Monroe, $4.076
• Erie, $4.114
• Chautauqua, $4.010
• Cattaraugus, $4.036
• Allegany, $4.135

Delaware County has the highest average price at $4.332 per gallon while Nassau is paying the lowest at $3.720.

AAA released the following statement about gas prices:

“Lower oil prices are bringing down gas prices in the United States. As of September 6, oil prices range from $87 to $93 per barrel. Oil prices dipped on recent lackluster Chinese manufacturing output, due to lower demand for goods and new COVID-19 outbreaks in critical industrial cities. This is fueling fears that oil demand could drop in China, the world’s largest importer of crude oil.

“Another factor that could negatively impact gas prices is the weather as hurricane season intensifies. Storms can affect prices by disrupting oil production in the Gulf of Mexico and impacting large coastal refineries. The good news is that it’s the first time in 25 years that a named Atlantic storm did not develop in August. Lower oil prices, modest domestic gasoline demand, and a potentially quiet hurricane season are combining to drive pump prices lower.”

George Borrelli will demonstrate blacksmithing at the Cobblestone Museum’s Blacksmith Shop during their fall open house.

CHILDS – As a reminder to the public to plan on attending the Cobblestone Museum’s Fall Open House Saturday, director Doug Farley and assistant director Sue Bonafini have shared information on three artisans who will demonstrate their crafts.

David Damico has been a volunteer at the Cobblestone Museum’s Print Shop for seven seasons. He is a graphic media instructor at Finger Lakes Technical and career Center in Stanley. He has worked as a historic printer at the Genesee Country Village and Museum for eight years and has a printing studio at his home, named Gardant Press.

His letterpress work has been published numerous times in an annual magazine called “It’s a Small World.,” published in Wivenhoe, Essex, England. Most recently he has been asked to be on the art grant review panel at GO Art! in Batavia.

Georgia Thomas is a Medina native, member of the Cobblestone Society and Medina Historical Society and an avid lover of history. She has offered to make butter with Cobblestone visitors during the open house. She will also provide bread so the guests can sample their own work.

George Borrelli has done several demonstrations for the Cobblestone Museum over the years and really enjoyed the experience, he said. For several years, he did art shows in the general area, having exhibited at the Clothesline at MAG, the Roycroft in East Aurora and 100 American Craftsmen at the Kenan Center in Lockport.

He has been blacksmithing for more than 30 years, starting with traditional ornamental work, garden gates, wine cellar gates and fireplace sets. For the past 20 years he has done more contemporary work, which can be seen on his Facebook page “borrellihardware.” He will be demonstrating in the Cobblestone Museum’s Vagg Blacksmith Shop.

Judith Bromley, who works professionally with horses, will be demonstrating in the Cobblestone Museum’s Harness Shop.

“Horses have always been a huge part of my life, starting on the farm as a child when my grandfather and father used horses in the tobacco fields and hay fields to pull farm equipment,” Bromley said. “I have always had and still do have horses to ride, done competitions and fox hunting.”

Bromley is a certified equine Trigger Point Myo therapist and qualified master saddle fitter with the Registered Society of Master Saddlers UK. Owner of TruFit Saddle, she is also a bridle fitter, bench and on-site flocker of saddles and is familiar with the shoemaking process and artifacts displayed in the Harness Shop, as a graduate of Sheridan College of Oakville, Ontario, Canada in fashion design/pattern making.

The Cobblestone Museum’s Fall Open House will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a toe-tapping concert at 3 p.m. by Fiddlers of the Genesee. A pulled pork dinner will be available from 11 a.m. until sold out. Presold meals may be ordered by calling the Museum at (585) 590-9013 or on their website at CobblestoneMuseum.org.

David Damico works in the Cobblestone Museum’s Print Shop. A volunteer at the Cobblestone Museum’s Print Shop for seven seasons, he is a graphic media instructor at Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center in Stanley. His is one of the artisans who will be on site during the Cobblestone Museum’s open house Saturday.

Press Release, Niagara County Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti

LOCKPORT – The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office has recently appointed three new School Resource Officers throughout the county for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.

This brings the ranks of the SRO team to five. These Deputies are assigned to Newfane Central School District, Niagara BOCES Vocational School, Wilson Central School District, Niagara

Charter School and Starpoint Central School District.

“Cooperation with the school districts has been tremendous,” said Sheriff Filicetti. “We were able to add deputies to Wilson, Starpoint and Niagara Charter School through agreements with each district.  I look forward to these partnerships to keep children safe and foster relationships between law enforcement and our youth in Niagara County.”

The position of an SRO is unique in the law enforcement profession and requires a deputy to take on multiple roles. They are at the forefront of safety in the schools. They can take on the role of an educator or instructor inside the classrooms to share their experiences and knowledge to the students and staff.

In addition, an SRO may at times serve as a counselor to students. With training in de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention, deputies can assist students to navigate through most situations. An SRO becomes an essential member of the school district and community.

• Deputy Raymond Needle is assigned to the Newfane Central School district and has been in that role since February of 2022. Deputy Needle has been with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office since October of 2006. He is currently a member of the Emergency Response Team, a Field Training Officer, and certified Mental Health Instructor. Deputy Needle is also a graduate and lifetime resident of Newfane.
• Deputy Michelle Ohar is assigned to Niagara BOCES Vocational School and has been there since January of 2022. Deputy Ohar was hired by NCSO in January of 2021 and recently completed Basic SRO School.
• Deputy Talon Zuchlewski will be the SRO for the Wilson Central School District and began there on Sept. 1. Deputy Zuchlewski was hired by NCSO in August of 2016 and is currently a member of the Emergency Response Team, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Team, a Field Training Officer, Bike Patrol, and Crisis Intervention Team certified.
• Deputy Joshua Cain has been assigned to Niagara Charter School and began on Sept. 1. Deputy Cain was hired by NCSO in December of 2021 with over 15 years of law enforcement experience, serving in Middleport, Barker, Youngstown and Lewiston Police Departments. He is currently a member of the Accident Investigation Unit, a Field Training Officer, a certified Police Instructor, and Peer Support.
• Deputy Gwendolyn Schuler is assigned to the Starpoint Central School District as of Sept. 1. Deputy Schuler was hired in April of 2021 and is currently a member of Bike Patrol and is certified in Advanced Roadside Impairment Driving Enforcement (ARIDE).

Partner law enforcement agencies in Niagara County have also bolstered their School Resource Officer ranks to keep our children safe in our schools.

Pictured from left include Deputy Joshua Cain at the Niagara Charter School, Deputy Talon Zuchlewski at Wilson Central School, and Deputy Raymond Needle who is assigned to Newfane Central School.

Press Release, Rob Ortt, State Senate Republican leader

NEWFANE– Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and Senator George Borrello on Friday stood with Assemblyman Mike Norris and Niagara County Farm Bureau President Jeanette Miller to repeat calls on the Farm Labor Wage Board in Albany to reject a reduction of the overtime threshold from the current 60 hours to the proposed 40 hours.

“Our New York State farmers are already struggling with skyrocketing inflation, record fuel prices, and severe worker shortages within the agriculture industry,” Ortt said. “Albany must understand that our farming community is vastly different from the corporate world. It isn’t a 9-5 job. There are times when crops can be picked and cannot be picked. There are harvesting seasons in which migrant workers travel and send money home to their families. The truth is our family farmers simply cannot afford this new mandate out of Albany, and neither can farm laborers. Workers will seek out opportunities beyond our state borders, farms will be left with no choice but to close up shop, and the price of consumer goods will go even higher. Albany must stay at 60 to save the future of agriculture in our state.”

On January 28, 2022, the Farm Labor Wage Board revisited the overtime threshold set in 2019 through the Farm Laborer Fair Labor Practices Act (FLFLPA), and voted to reduce the threshold from 60 hours to 40 over the next decade, decreasing the threshold by four hours every two years. On September 6, the Board will reconvene to advance their final report and recommendations on the overtime threshold for farm laborers.

During public hearings held by this Board, hundreds of farmers took time from their busy days to give emotional comments expressing their concerns that increased labor costs will threaten their small family farms, which make up 96 percent of New York’s farms. Several economic development and business organizations have come out in opposition to reducing the 60-hour overtime threshold, including the Grow NY Farms Coalition, the Business Council of New York State, the National Federation of Independent Businesses of New York (NFIB) and Upstate United.

In December 2021, the Republican legislators wrote a letter to the Farm Labor Wage Board, citing a Cornell University study that found that two-thirds of dairy farmers would make significant changes to their operation, including leaving the industry or investing out of state, and half of fruit and vegetable farmers indicated they would decrease their operations or exit the industry, if the overtime threshold was lowered to 40 hours.

Members of the Senate Republican Conference also signed onto a follow up letter written August 16, 2022.

Senator George Borrello carries a bill to abolish the Farm Laborers Wage Board, who ignored 70% of testimony with their overtime threshold recommendation. The legislation is co-sponsored by fellow Senate Republicans, including Leader Rob Ortt.

“Farms across the state have been besieged by rising costs in fuel and energy prices, various taxes, and rising labor costs as well as the addition of costly mandates from the state leading many farms, particularly small, family-run farms to close, consolidate or downsize operations,” Norris said. “Already a struggling industry, New York’s agriculture sector lost more than 2,000 farms in the last decade. This is wholly unacceptable. Inflation is still forcing families to make tough choices and they are struggling to put food on the table. This is not the time to limit hard work, entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity by putting farmers and farm workers alike out of business.”

“The window of opportunity to save the future of family farming in New York is steadily closing, but it’s not too late,” said Borrello, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “While the Wage Board’s preliminary recommendation ignored the nearly unanimous testimony of farmers and farm workers opposing a lower threshold, there is still time to do the right thing and recommend maintaining it at 60 hours. A lower threshold is projected to increase labor costs by a staggering 42 percent, which will be the final nail in the coffin for many family farmers who have been struggling to stay afloat. With just large factory farms left to dominate the industry, it will be the end of agriculture as we know it. No one wants that to happen, which is why we are urging the board, the labor commissioner and the governor to make a decision based on stakeholder input and data rather than political expediency.”

“Niagara County Farm Bureau joins with farmers and farmworkers across the state in asking for the overtime threshold to remain at 60 hours,” said Jeanette Miller, Niagara County Farm Bureau president. “Farms are already facing higher costs across the board, like all New Yorkers, and now is not the time to make it even more expensive to do business in this state. We have also heard time and again from the farm community that a lower threshold will only make our farms less competitive in the marketplace and will drive away skilled workers who are seeking more hours of work than what farms will be able to afford.”

The new school year begins early this week and the fall high school sports season swings into high gear.

The week’s highlights will include the Medina at Roy-Hart field hockey game on Tuesday, the Lyndonville boys soccer team’s debut game at home and the Medina at Albion volleyball contest on Thursday, an Albion at Medina girls – boys soccer doubleheader and the Medina at Roy-Hart/Barker/Football game on Friday and the Kendall at Lyndonville girls soccer game on Saturday.

Weekly Schedule
Tuesday
Boys Soccer – Holley at Pembroke, 5 p.m.; Kendall at Wheatland-Chili, 7 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Sweet Home at Albion, 6:45 p.m.
Field Hockey – Medina at Roy-Hart, Barker at Newfane, 4:30 p.m.
Golf – Albion at Barker, 4 p.m.
Volleyball – Wheatland-Chili at Lyndonville, Kendall at Akron, Albion at Batavia, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday
Boys Soccer – Wilson at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; O’Hara at Medina, 7 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Wilson at Newfane, 4:45; Akron at Roy-Hart, 6:45 p.m.; Lyndonville at Wheatland-Chili, Holley at Pembroke, 7 p.m.
Golf – Albion at Wilson, Medina at Barker, 4 p.m.
Volleyball – Attica at Holley, Kendall at Alexander, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday
Boys Soccer – Wheatland-Chili at Lyndonville, Holley at Mt. Morris, Kendall at Attica, 5 p.m.
Field Hockey – Barker at Clarence, 6 p.m.; Roy-Hart at Kenmore, 7 p.m.
Volleyball – Medina at Albion, Akron at Roy-Hart, Wilson at Newfane, 6:30 p.m.

Friday
Football – Maryvale at Albion, Medina at Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville, Holley at Mynderse, 7 p.m.
Boys Soccer – Roy-Hart at Akron, Newfane at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.; Albion at Medina, 7 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Albion at Medina, 4:45 p.m.; Akron at Roy-Hart, 6:45 p.m.; Byron-Bergen at Kendall, 7 p.m.; Oakfield-Alabama at Holley, 7:30 p.m.
Field Hockey – Wilson at Barker, 4:30 p.m.
Golf – Newfane at Albion, Wilson at Akron, 4 p.m.
Volleyball – Lyndonville at Byron-Bergen, Holley at Oakfield-Alabama, Elba at Kendall, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday
Girls Soccer – Kendall at Lyndonville, 4 p.m.
Volleyball – Albion Tournament, 9 a.m.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans – Vol. 2, No. 31

Sharon Kerridge

Sharon Kerridge, who was recognized as a Legendary Local of Orleans County in 2011, passed away at her home in Ocala, Florida on July 14, 2022. The listing of Legendary Locals was compiled by Hollis Canham and Andrew Canham.

Though her name may be unfamiliar, Sharon was a true unsung heroine, a pioneer in the field of online genealogy research. She devoted countless hours behind the scenes to input, verify and organize cemetery listings for the Orleans County GenWeb site.

Sharon’s interest in cemetery records began in the early 1990s, when she was assisting her sister, Donna, on a family research project which involved diligently deciphering headstones in the Town of Gaines and Town of Carlton cemeteries. Her interest coincided with the advent of online technology.

The USGenWeb project was established in 1996 by a group of genealogists who wished to provide free online resources for research. Online access to cemetery records and census information fueled a huge interest in family research.

The Orleans County GenWeb site went online in June 1997 and soon was the envy of many researchers from other areas who did not have access to such a resource. It was maintained by unheralded volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to input content and update information. Sharon was involved from the beginning and continued in her role as coordinator even after her move to Florida.

“In the early days, Sharon spent many hours photographing headstones,” said her sister, Donna Miller Gordon. “She devoted countless hours to working on the website, it was her passion. She did not look for accolades or acknowledgement. She had a good heart and felt empathy for the families of those whose information she was entering, particularly for the families of those who died at a young age.”

The homepage at www.orleans.nygenweb.net is familiar to any person who has searched for information on deceased Orleans County residents. It is a portal to an absolute treasure trove of information: census records from 1830 – 1930, military records, family histories.

It also provides access to cemetery listings for Orleans County cemeteries – pure gold for any family researcher. As an added bonus, the site does not require registration, login or passwords.

Using information supplied by cemetery staff and local funeral homes, Sharon continued to update the cemetery listings until shortly before her death. Colleague, Jim Friday, has indicated that the site will be continued. We very much hope so.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HULBERTON – Volunteers serve up Italian food at the 46^th St. Rocco’s Festival today in Hulberton.

A huge crowd didn’t let rain keep them away from the festival in the early afternoon. Many people were lined up at 11, an hour before the festival started.

The popular event served up a variety of Italian food, including a spaghetti dinner, eggplant parmesan, meatball sandwiches, pasta fagioli, pizza and shells.

Tina Burrage shows off a St. Rocco’s shirt. There were also St. Rocco’s hats, Koozies and sun catchers.

The event is a fundraiser benefitting St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holley. The parish also includes St. Mark’s Church in Kendall.

There were 29 teams competing in a bocce tournament, with teams from the Holley area, Lockport and Rochester. The top team wins $600. Players said the rain actually helped to compact the surface of the courts.

Zach DeLuca competed on a team with his dad Sal, brother Seth and friend Paul Quaranto.

“It’s fun,” Zach said. “We come out and play and see people we grew up with.”

Kevin Lynch, the former Holley mayor, enjoys bocce while smoking a cigar.

Eddie Bower, right, chats with cousin Jake Bower. They competed on a four-person team with Jake’s father Randy and their friend Will Barniak. They compete as “Team Wardo” in memory of Eddie’s father Ed Bower.

Dan Mawn was busy cooking waffles.

Gail Christ puts powered sugar on one of the waffles. She is joined by Ava Barnett, in back, and Ava’s mother, Traci Barnett.

Andrea Newman of Clarendon was among 50 arts and craft vendors. She was selling acrylic paintings, prints and cards. Newman is holding one painting entitled, “Sisterhood 2.”

Eveyln Stryker of Rochester is a knitter. She had many knitted hats and slippers available, including many in Buffalo Bills colors.

James Parisi, 4, lives a very active life with congenital muscular dystrophy

LEFT (Provided photo) – Anthony Parisi of Tonawanda holds his son James, who has Lama 2 congenital muscular dystrophy. RIGHT –Anthony Parisi, who is riding his bicycle from Syracuse to Buffalo to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy, stands with his bike in front of Bent’s Opera House on Saturday.

MEDINA – A Tonawanda father whose son has Lama 2 congenital muscular dystrophy spent Saturday afternoon and night in Medina during a 200-mile bike ride from Syracuse to Tonawanda.

Anthony Parisi works at Ingram Micro in Williamsville with Wendi Pencille of Shelby, and when Pencille learned about the bike ride, she arranged to meet with him when he arrived in Medina.

Provided photo: 4-year-old James Parisi flies a kite from his electric wheelchair, while twin sisters Caroline and Lucy run behind. Their dad Anthony and mother Molly are determined Michael should be active and have lots of fun. Dad will attempt to complete a 200-mile bike ride from Syracuse to Tonawanda today to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy.

Parisi is making the journey to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy in honor of his 4-year-old son James, who was diagnosed with Lama 2 congenital muscular dystrophy when he was 5 months old.

“It took a month for my wife Molly and I to get out of shock, and then we made a decision we would do everything we could to make James happy, healthy and strong and to create a community that loves him,” Anthony said.

“When James wants to do something, his father finds a way for him to do it,” Pencille said. “That’s how it was when James wanted to fly a kite.”

Anthony and Molly took the family, which now included 3-year-old twins Caroline and Lucy, to Olcott, where they found a big field for James to fly his spaceship kite. Anthony took a video of the site, with the girls running behind and James crying, “I’m doing it,” when the kite became airborne.

Anthony got the idea to ride his bike from Syracuse to Tonawanda because he used to enjoy biking.

“In my 20s I didn’t have a car and used to ride 50 or so miles a day twice a week,” Anthony said. “You get to see the world from a different perspective on a bike.”

Molly dropped Anthony off in Syracuse on Thursday and he rode to Savannah the first night. Friday night he spent in Rochester and arrived in Medina a little before 1 p.m. He planned to stay Saturday night at Bent’s Opera House, where they donated the room and dinner for him and Molly, who drove down to meet him, at Harvest Restaurant.

The bike ride is something Anthony said he has always wanted to do.

“I’m an explorer by heart and I enjoy being by myself,” he said. “And I hope to raise some awareness along the way.”

He said people have been donating online to a not-for-profit in California called Cure CMD, a global leader in science and research for muscular dystrophy. Click here for a link about the Parisi family. They have topped $10,000 in fundraising for the long bike ride.

“Realistically, James can’t experience things like other kids can, but we want to make them the best experiences we can,” Anthony said.

“I think our community is very good at supporting people with disabilities,” Pencille said. “I think what Anthony is doing is as much for everybody as it is for James. It’s educating a populace of people who some day might be in a position to do something or make decisions to benefit the handicapped.”

One of the best things about his journey is all the people he got to know along the way, Anthony said.

JT Thomas of the Sacred Heart Club in Medina presents a plaque for 82 years of membership to Stanley Stack, 100, who lives at The Willows.

MEDINA – An organization that started in 1909 honored its longest standing member this afternoon.

Stanley Stack, 100, a lifelong Medina resident who now lives at The Willows, joined Sacred Heart Club when he was 18. He is the only person ever to be a member for 82 years.

Sacred Heart’s past president Mike Hartway presented Stack with a plaque which read, “For 82 years of service and membership.”

Also attending the presentation were Hartway’s wife Kathy, vice president John Thomas, president Jim Pinckney and Stack’s great-niece and great-nephew Nancy and David Bracey.

“We appreciate everything you’ve done for the Club,” Mike Hartway said.

“It’s so nice of you to do this,” Stack replied.

Stack said he and his late wife Mary enjoyed attending the dances at Sacred Heart, although he didn’t know how to dance. He soon learned, however, when Mary was dancing with other men.

Stack was on Sacred Heart’s board at one time. He recalls the bingo games, turkey raffles, Dyngus Day celebrations and Polish picnics.

What he enjoyed most, however, was the weekly euchre games, which went on for more than 50 years until the Covid pandemic hit in March 2020.

“They were started in 1947 to give the guys coming home from the war something to do,” Mike said.

Sacred Heart was formed in 1909 and incorporated in 1927.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke

Sheriff Christopher M. Bourke is pleased to announce three deputy sheriffs have graduated from the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy.

Pictured include from left: Deputy Savannah Tackley, Sheriff Christopher Bourke, Deputy David Lauer and Deputy Cory Martindale.

Deputies David Lauer, Cory Martindale and Savannah Tackley began the Law Enforcement Academy on March 14 and underwent 24 weeks of rigorous academic, physical, practical and field training. Upon graduation all three deputies will complete 12 additional weeks of departmental field training, under the supervision of field training officers. They will then be assigned to a shift within the Patrol Division.

Bourke is proud of the hard work, dedication, and resilience displayed by Deputies Lauer, Martindale, and Tackley.

The Law Enforcement Academy is mentally, academically and physically demanding. All three deputies represented the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office well.

Please congratulate all three deputies, and wish them a long, safe and successful career!

ALBION/MEDINA – The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative, spearheaded by United of Orleans County, has secured three presentation kits to empower local non-profits by providing them with current, working equipment to reduce the demand on budgets and enable organizations to be able to offer services digitally.

For example, local non-profits can borrow the kits for presentations, virtual conferences, webinars and other necessary functions. The equipment kits include a projector, webcam, Chromebook, presentation muse and the necessary peripherals to connect the devices, said Katie Leach, who oversees the Digital Literacy program at Cornell Cooperative Extension. The IT equipment kits can be checked out from the Hoag Library in Albion and the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

Christine Mostyn, director of the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, said this is another avenue to help other non-profits in the community by helping them offer online learning and teaching through technology United Way has provided.

“This equipment is expensive and an organization often can’t afford it,” Mostyn said.

At Hoag Library, Michael Magnuson, the reference librarian, will manage the program.

The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative is a community-wide collaborative that is bridging the digital divide through education and internet/technology accessibility, said Leach, who coordinates the Digital Literacy program.

“The idea behind this program is to be beneficial to smaller non-profits who don’t have the money to purchase the necessary equipment to have general meetings or zoom meetings,” Leach said. “This includes churches, as well.”

Two kits are available at Hoag Library and one in Lee-Whedon.

“This is a nice addition to our services,” Leach said.

The IT equipment kits come with materials on how to set up and use the equipment. If anyone needs assistance with the kits, Leach will come and help set them up, she said. Her number is (585) 798-4265 (ext. 146 or option 4) or she may be reached by e-mail at kel99@cornell.edu.  Weekly tech tips and news about local tech resources are available on Facebook at @OrleansTechHelp.

The initial grant secured by United Way of Orleans County for the Digital Divide was $364,130. A small grant of $8,572 funds the Western New York Digital Equity Coalition, from where the equipment was purchased, and also covered lunches and a learning series.