MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame will be adding WiFi at the City Hall and Hall of Fame display in the building’s main meeting room.

That way people can access the Medina Sandstone Society website to see more photos and information about the local sandstone industry.

Dave Miller and Jim Hancock, representatives of the Sandstone Society, attended Monday’s Medina Village Board meeting to ask for permission to put in the WiFi.

“This would definitely add value to the Hall of Fame,” Miller said.

The Sandstone Society will pay for the installation cost and maintenance to have a dedicated WiFi signal in the building for the Hall of Fame and Sandstone Society.

The group is working with C&H PC in Medina to put in the WiFi system with an ethernet cable and router. The network will be separate from the village internet service for the village office, police department and fire department. That way there isn’t a security issue that would make the village networks vulnerable, Miller told the Village Board.

The Hall of Fame was established in City in 2013. So far 32 sites have been inducted. However, Miller said the society has identified at least 200 buildings made of Medina Sandstone. He wants to make that database available to people at the Hall of Fame who could access it by going to the Sandstone Society website.

Eventually, Miller said he would like to see a museum developed about Medina Sandstone that would tell a bigger story with information about quarries, immigrants, notable architects and other details.

A new group of Hall of Fame inductees is expected to be inducted in October.

MEDINA – The Medina Police Department is offering a program where decals can be put on homes or vehicles to alert emergency responders that there may be a person there with autism or special needs.

“The decals enable responding units to draw on their training and understand that a person in the home or vehicle may not speak, respond to, or comply with verbal commands; may hide, or wander off, or may have no awareness of danger,” the Police Department stated in a notice to the community.

This decal may be helpful for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, auditory processing disorder, intellectual/developmental disability, Down Syndrome, Traumatic Brain Injury, PTSD, Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease or other disabilities that prevent the individual from reacting appropriately in emergency situations, the department said.

The Medina PD is providing these decals free of charge to village residents once an attached application is completed (click here to see the application).

The decals should be placed near the front door of their home and/or the rear window of a vehicle so law enforcement officers can easily see them.

After registration for the program, the Medina PD will request that the Orleans County Dispatch note the address in the county system with a brief description of the special needs or diagnosis. Residents who wish to register for the program but do not wish to display a decal, may do so by filling out the application and requesting zero decals. The decals should be removed if the individual with special needs/autism no longer resides in the home or rides in the vehicle.

For questions regarding the Medina Police Department Decal program, email the Medina PD at medinapolice@villagemedina.org.

Applications for the decals also will be available at the Medina PD tent next Tuesday (Aug. 2) at National Night Out. That will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. outside the Wise Intermediate School.

MEDINA – The Village Board is seeking a grant for about $300,000 to cover the full costs of installing four fast electric charging stations in the Canal Basin.

The Village Board voted on Monday evening to submit an application for up to 100 percent of the costs through the 2022 Municipal Zero-emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure Grant Program, which is offered through the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Protection Fund Climate Smart Communities.

The village was encouraged to seek the funding because its high poverty statistics make the village a strong candidate for the funding, Deputy Mayor Owen Toale said.

The village authorized the Barton & Loguidice firm to complete and submit the application. The firm will be paid $1,250 for its work on the application.

If Medina receives the grant and moves forward with the project, Toale said he expects the village will be charging people for the electricity. They would likely pay through a credit card on the stations.

The village is opting to go with the more expensive charging stations with a faster charge. Toale said the Barton & Loguidice recommended the faster charging stations, because Medina’s poverty statistics make the community eligible for a larger grant for the project.

By Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO, Oak Orchard Health

What better time than during National Health Center Week (August 7-13) to take the time to tell you more about Oak Orchard Health so you can make the best health choices for yourself and your loved ones.

Why should you get your health care from a community health center like Oak Orchard Health? There are many reasons, but here are three to think about:

1. We are here for you.

Oak Orchard Health has been a trusted provider for decades starting in 1973. We serve local families and farm workers. We have twelve locations that are conveniently located in your communities to serve you and your needs.

We just opened a health center in Medina New York and will soon be opening a dental center in Albion later this year.

We support the community’s needs when needed. During the pandemic, we provided over 30,000 COVID-19 tests in our parking lots and have been giving out over 7500 vaccines since they first became available. Currently, we have added COVID-19 vaccine events for children ages 6 months through 5 years.

We provide care to everyone, from all walks of life whether you have insurance or not. If you do not have insurance, we offer a sliding fee scale to make our services more affordable. Also, we can help you apply for health insurance, we know it can be challenging and we have specialists on staff who can assist.

2. Quality care.
We are often asked: “Do you have real doctors caring for patients?” Of course, we do! In fact, Dr. Danielle Renodin-Mead is a pediatrician and our Chief Medical Officer. As a mother of four, she understands the challenges as well as the joyous moments associated with raising a family. She is also co-founder of the new Mommy and Me program with Robin Govanlu, Director of Behavioral Health. This program helps new moms with postpartum depression and links them to the support services that can help.

Need dental services? Our Chief Dental Officer is Dr. Rachel Nozzi who has been with us since 2015. She is a Rochester native and provides dental care at several of our health centers. We also have many dental hygienists on staff. We pride ourselves on giving dental care to all ages including young children who should see the dentist starting at age 1.

We are culturally aware and work hard to meet the unique needs of everyone who lives and works in our community. Our providers understand the health and safety needs of our patients.

3. Many health services to choose from.

We understand that it is often difficult to get healthcare while you work and care for your loved ones. At Oak Orchard Health we treat the entire family, of all ages from birth. We have primary care, pediatrics, dental, behavioral health, and vision care. This comprehensive care helps us meet most of our patient’s needs. As one of our patients, you are part of a care team. Complete care takes a team effort and therefore coordination. Our Care Teams coordinate care across our health center and the health system, from specialty care to hospitals to home health care and community services.

OOH is part of a larger network.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Oak Orchard Health is part of a larger primary care network. There are 1,400 FQHCs in the United States with 17,900 locations serving 1 in 11 people (according to HRSA). In the last 12 months at OOH, we served 30,000 people including over 9,600 children from birth to age 18, 6,000 over age 60, and 1,200 agricultural workers and their dependents.

Is everyone without insurance? No. 53% of our patients are enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare. We accept Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, MVP, Excellus, Fidelis, and many more that are listed on our website.

We give back to our community.
Oak Orchard Health contributes to the economies of Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Steuben, and Wyoming Counties. We hire people from these communities as well. As of this year, we have over three hundred employees, both full- and part-time. So, if you want to support a non-profit organization that supports you and your community, become a patient, and stay healthy.

Provided photos

KENDALL – John Patt, a member of Troop 94 in Kendall, celebrates becoming an Eagle Scout during a ceremony on Monday.

Patt earned 51 merit badges. He also earned two Silver Palms, the highest of the three Palms available. One Silver Palm is for each additional merit badge above the required 21.

Patt took his Eagle Scout oath at a Court of Honor at the pavilion he built for his Eagle Scout project by the Erie Canal in the Holley Canal Park.

He plans on staying active with his Troop and Scouting so he can share his experiences and knowledge with the younger boys.

Many Eagle Scouts were in attendance to support Patt as he joined the exclusive rank. He also was joined by many family, friends, community members and current and former scouts.

Press Release

BROCKPORT – For a few decades, a small group of 20 to 28 ladies hold an annual golf tournament during their golf league season.

The money raised goes to either a breast cancer foundation or a member of their family in need of help. Even though this group is small, we figure that even a little bit helps.

They have raised thousands of dollars over the 30-plus years. Donations in the past have been made to Susan B. Komen, Hospice of Orleans County, Knights-Kaderli, American Cancer Society, and others. The yearly event started out just as a one-hole tournament with an entrance fee from each girl during a specified league night that was donated to the cause. Eventually, this mini tournament morphed into the now Pink Flamingo Tournament.

This year’s tournament was held July 14 at Timber Ridge Golf Club in Brockport. It included fun on the course including challenges, a scramble format and exciting golf shots. In addition to on-course fun, there was a basket raffle, prizes and more.

There was no soliciting for anything. Everything is donated by the gals just trying to do their part. This year we added a crazy hat contest, as you can see by the picture. Fun has been had every year, all for a good cause. This year, a new high of $720 was raised that was donated to the Breast Cancer Coalition.

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County 4-H Fair was busy on Monday, opening day for the annual event featuring livestock shows, commercial exhibits and lots of food.

Local officials kicked off the fair with an opening ceremony where veterans raised the American flag.

The Orleans County 4-H Fair draws about 25,000 to 30,000 people for the six days, and does it as a 4-H Fair. The focus is on the youth, with no alcohol or demolition derbies.

County Legislator Bill Eick, a retired dairy farmer, recalled showing cattle 60 years ago at the fair when he was kid. He marveled at how the fair has grown in size, adding barns and numerous activities for a full schedule over six days.

County Legislator Bill Eick speaks during opening ceremonies next to the Dwight “Buzz” Hill Educator Center.  County Legislator Ed Morgan is at right with fair manager Marty Zwifka at left and Zack Welker in back. Welker is president of the board of directors for the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.

Marty Zwifka, the fair manager, said the community enjoys the fair and the organizers wanted to keep making it better. This year’s fair includes some new additions, including more Midway rides and other entertainment.

Welker, who is also the cattle barn superintendent, said he is pleased the livestock numbers grew for many of the animals and held steady for others. He is happy to see the barns full of animals and 4-Hers.

“The livestock program has grown,” he said. “An incredible group of young people have moved in. I encourage you to attend some of the shows to see what the kids have done.”

Audrey Pask, the fair queen, also encouraged people to check out the 4-H exhibits and some of the livestock and animal shows.

“The kids have worked hard on their projects and are proud to show them off,” she said.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley speaks at opening ceremonies. State Sen. Rob Ortt is at left.

State Sen. Rob Ortt praised the team that worked for many months to prepare the fair.

“Fairs like this just don’t happen,” he said.

He checked out some of the displays at the fair on Monday.

“It’s a great reminder, a great showcase of what makes Orleans County and rural New York and the GLOW community a great place and so special,” Ortt said.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley, a past president of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Genesee County, spent much of the day visiting the barns at the fair, meeting with the 4-H youth. He said the Orleans fair has celebrated agriculture and offered fun for decades now. He recalled when his father attended the fair for the making of the world’s largest apple pie in 1977.

Troy Waffner, the former State Fair director, visited the Orleans fair on Monday in his role as Agricultural Fair Development Director for the NYS Department of Agricultural and Markets.

He said Richard Ball, the state’s agriculture commissioner, will continue to push for infrastructure grants to help the fairs maintain barns and upgrade facilities so the fairs can bring the community together and also educate the public about agriculture.

“This is a gorgeous fair and everybody should be proud of it,” he said. “Fairs are the lifeblood of agriculture and agriculture education.”

Isaac Pace, center, of Medina takes a bite out of ice cream during a contest on Monday. He is joined by his friends David Berry, left, and Alwyn Cayea. Berry ate the most ice cream of 10 participants in 30 seconds as part of the contest. It was one of many fun activities at the fair on opening day.

Zack Welker, right, rapidly consumes ice cream in the competition. Anyone who could eat more than he did in 30 seconds won a T-shirt.

The swine show has been a part of opening day at the fair for many years. Here in the show ring include, from left, Charlee Burger, Joey Forte of Hamlin and his brother Jacob Forte of Hamlin.

Adele Mathes, 11, of Barre (left) and Julia Graham, 12, of Albion get a sheep named Noel rinsed and ready for fair week.

Kylie Sokac, 9, of North Chili has fun riding a camel.

Daily Feature: Animal Meet and Greet with Party Animals

Daily Feature: Orleans County Amateur Radio Club Scavenger Hunt win one of 20 free ice creams daily!

Daily Feature: Family Games Lounge located in the Lartz Commercial Exhibits Building

Glenn Whitmore, a member of the American Legion in Medina, smiles after Monday’s opening ceremony of the Orleans County 4-H Fair. Local veterans raised the American flag as part of the kickoff celebration. This week is the 75th fair in Orleans County. It has been an annual tradition in the county every year since 1947 except in 2020 when the fair was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

8 a.m. English Horse Show – Carlos Marcello Arena

9 a.m. Senior Council Stand Opens – Senior Council Stand

10 a.m. Dog Obedience and Rally – Knights Building

10 a.m. Horticulture I.D. Contest – Center Stage

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rabbit and Cavy Showmanship – Wachob Pavilion

Madeleine Farrell, 8, of Holley gives Clyde, a palomino quarter horse, a rinse on Monday morning. Madeleine is a Clover Bud who competed in the leadline competition.

12 p.m. Paid admission begins, Buildings open to the public – Wood and Taylor Hill Road Parking Lots

12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Free Psychic Readings by the Shushed Charlatan – Lartz Building

1 to 3 p.m. Rabbit and Cavy Knowledge Contest – Wachob Pavilion

2 p.m. Blacksmithing Demo by Barn Owl Blacksmithing – Beadle Heritage Building

3 to 10 p.m. Main Event Amusements $25 Unlimited Ride Wristbands during this session – Midway

4 p.m. Leaders’ Pie Stand Opens – Pie Stand

4 p.m. Free Entertainment: Hog Diggity Dogs – Knight’s Green Space

Phoebe Allen, 13, of Barre cleans a sheep on Monday. Phoebe rinsed the sheep, soaped it up and then rinsed it again. She is showing two sheep at the fair this week for the first time. She is also showing chickens.

5 p.m. Arestov Acrobatic Extravaganza – Education Center Parking Lot

5 p.m. Beef Cattle Show – Show Arena

5 to 6 p.m. Leadership Orleans Rubber Duck Racers! Free Event for ages 3-11 – JCH of Buffalo Food Court

6 p.m. Registration Ends for Small Fry Pedal Tractor Pull – Fair Office

6 p.m. Blacksmithing Demo by Barn Owl Blacksmithing – Beadle Heritage Building

6 p.m. Rabbit and Cavy Show Costume, Pet and Cloverbud Classes – Wachob Pavilion

Logan Miles, 4, sits in a mini excavator next to his grandfather Steve Nesbitt, who is relaxing on a excavator by one of the livestock barns.

6 p.m. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Tournament.  Pre-registration required – Lartz Building

6 to 7 p.m. Storytime with Orleans County Libraries (Lee-Whedon Memorial Library) – Trolley Building

6 to 7 p.m. Hot Country Liners Dance – Orleans Hub Stage

6 p.m. Free Entertainment: Hog Diggity Dogs – Knight’s Green Space

6:30 p.m. Small Fry Pedal Tractor Pull – JCH of Buffalo Tent

7 p.m. Rabbit and Cavy Show, Breed Classes – Wachob Pavilion

Nora Turpyn, 7, of Brockport is thrilled to ride on a camel. It cost $10 for a ride with the money going to pay for caring for the group of camels visiting this week’s fair.

7 p.m. Arestov Acrobatic Extravaganza – Education Center Parking Lot

7 to 7:45p.m. Down Home Country Cloggers Dance Group – Orleans Hub Stage

8 to 10 p.m. Orleans County 4-H Fair $1,000 Karaoke Challenge – Orleans Hub Stage

8 p.m. Free Entertainment: Hog Diggity Dogs – Knight’s Green Space

10 p.m. Buildings Close

Zane Schreier, 19, of Albion, left, and his friend Hunter Herring, 17, of Albion were among 10 people competing in an ice cream eating contest on Monday. The competitors had 30 seconds to gulp down as much of the frozen treat as they could.

Jackson Frasier, 9, of Kent had a good showing in the ice cream eating contest.

Provided photo

ALBION – Santa Claus read a story and met with children during a Christmas in July celebration at Hoag Library today. Santa is wearing his summer “Santa casual” outfit. He read to the students.

Santa wasn’t able to meet with kids in-person during Christmas time visit to the library in late 2020 and 2021 due to Covid restrictions and concerns.

Photos by Tom Rivers

In addition to meeting with Santa, the kids had an indoor snowball fight. The children also played reindeer ring toss and made ornaments as part of a summer reading program.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is renewing his call to restore judicial discretion by rolling back the state’s bail reform law following a series of violent incidents that occurred in the state last week, including the shooting of two Rochester Police Department officers and the attempted stabbing of gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Lee Zeldin.

Hawley was especially concerned by news that Zeldin’s attacker was released from custody following the assault due to the state’s bail reform law, which considers assault in the 2nd degree, the crime Zeldin’s assailant was charged with, to be a non-violent felony.

While the suspect would later be arrested under a federal charge for assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon, Hawley is deeply troubled by the fact that in the absence of federal action, state law would allow the attacker to continue walking freely today.

“Horrific incidents like these seem to be happening more and more often in our state,” said Hawley. “This isn’t normal, and we cannot continue to allow bail reform to tie the hands of our judges and further erode respect for laws and law enforcement.

“Harmful actions must have consequences, and bail reform has been letting dangerous individuals get away with far too much for far too long. We cannot allow regular violence against our people, our leaders, and our law enforcement to be accepted as a fact of life in New York, because people deserve to feel safe in the communities they call home.”

ALBANY – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she signed legislation today that exempts sales tax, including at the local level, for diapers.

“I know many parents are anxious about rising prices and making ends meet,” Hochul tweeted. “To bring relief, I’ve signed legislation to ban all local taxes on diapers so that families have one more way to save some money at a time when every cent counts.”

Hochul highlighted the legislation that bans sales tax on adult and children’s diapers, including disposable diapers. Diapers are often a very large, if not the largest, expense for parents caring for infants and individuals caring for seniors, Hochul said.

New York had been waiving the state’s 4-percent sales tax on diapers but some counties and local jurisdictions collected a sales tax on diapers. With the legislation signed by Hochul, it ensures that adult and children’s diapers are not subject to this tax by counties or jurisdictions and follow the state exemption, Hochul said.

The National Diaper Bank Network reports that as of June 5, 31 states were charging sales tax on diapers. The diaper tax ranged from 1.5% in Virginia to 7% in Indiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, the organization said.

500-megawatt includes footprint of 2,452 acres in Genesee County

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting has issued a siting permit to Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC, to develop, design, construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 500-megawatt solar facility in the towns of Oakfield and Elba in Genesee County.

“Today’s announcement is a significant step in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, and further cements New York as a national leader in the fight to combat climate change,” Governor Hochul said. “This project brings New York closer to not just meeting but exceeding our goal of obtaining 70 percent of our electricity from renewable resources while creating well-paying green jobs – creating a greener, more prosperous Empire State for generations to come.”

Hecate Energy Cider Solar, the fifth major renewable energy facility approved by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting since 2020, is a milestone achievement as the largest solar facility approved to date in New York State. ORES’s decision follows a detailed and transparent review with a robust public participation process to ensure the proposed facility meets or exceeds the requirements of Section 94-c of the Executive Law and its implementing regulations in a timely, cost-effective manner.

This solar facility and other major renewable energy facilities permitted and currently under ORES review are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change. Once completed, this solar facility is expected to generate enough clean energy to power more than 125,000 New York homes, which will result in a reduction of approximately 462,000 tons of CO2 annually.

Office of Renewable Energy Sitting Executive Director Houtan Moaveni said, “Today’s decision demonstrates the effectiveness and efficacy of the Executive Law § 94-c process to accelerating the development of large-scale renewable energy projects in New York State while ensuring the protection of the environment and consideration of all pertinent social, economic, and environmental factors. We look forward to working with all stakeholders as New York’s nation-leading pipeline of large-scale renewable energy projects are constructed in a timely and responsible manner.”

The project is expected to provide approximately $30 million in new revenue to the county, town and school district in property tax-type benefits to invest in infrastructure, additional services, and resources for residents.

The solar facility is expected to create 495 well-paying jobs during construction and throughout operation while investing approximately $28.1 million in construction labor, creating employment opportunities for those in the construction trades, including equipment operators, truck drivers, laborers, and electricians. Hecate Energy provided $500,000 in intervenor funds to facilitate the participation of local agencies and community groups in the review of the facilities.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “New York is advancing a nation-leading pipeline comprised of enough large-scale solar, onshore and offshore wind projects to power five and half million homes with clean, affordable electricity once completed. Today’s decision by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting reflects an ongoing commitment by developers like Hecate Energy who are working with local host governments and community stakeholders to ensure projects like this are sited responsibly and is a significant step in moving this groundbreaking Cider Solar project towards completion.”

BYRON – State Police are reporting that a 28-year-old Byron resident was killed on Sunday after a collision with a deer.

Daylin Fagundo-Rodriguez was a passenger on a 1998 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by Leland Fuller, IV, 30 of Byron. They were travelling on Cockram Road at 8:16 p.m.

State Police said a deer entered the roadway and was struck by the Harley Davidson and was killed.

Both occupants were ejected. Fuller was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries and Fagundo-Rodriguez was pronounced deceased at the scene, State Police said.

The NYSP Collision Reconstruction Unit assisted in this investigation, which remains an active investigation, State Police said.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion Central School is holding a job fair on Tuesday, August 16, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. in the District Office, Conference Room A.

Interested applicants can call ahead for an appointment, walk-in or attend for further information. Please enter through the elementary school community entrance and bring a photo ID.

The district is looking to fill numerous positions including: substitute teachers, substitute teacher aides, cafeteria monitors, substitute cafeteria monitors, cleaners, substitute cleaners, bus drivers, substitute bus drivers, custodial workers, bus monitors, substitute bus monitors and any open teaching positions.

For questions, more information or to schedule an interview, please call the district office at 585-589-2056.

Price in Orleans County, at $4.80 a gallon, second highest in state

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas dropped 12 cents statewide in the past week, from $4.70 to $4.58. Nationally, the price is down 17 cents to $4.36 a gallon, according to AAA.

In Orleans County, the price at $4.801 a gallon is the second highest in the state. The price is only higher in Manhattan at $5.000 a gallon, AAA reported.

The price has dropped 32 cents in New York state in the past three weeks, but is down only 9 cents in Orleans in the past 21 days.

Here is how today’s price in Orleans compares with other Western New York counties:

• Orleans, $4.801
• Genesee, $4.518
• Wyoming, $4.664
• Livingston, $4.690
• Monroe, $4.660
• Niagara, $4.465
• Erie, $4.607
• Chautauqua, $4.498
• Cattaraugus, $4.532
• Allegany, $4.674

The statewide average today is $4.579, which compares to $4.694 a week ago, $4.967 a month ago and $3.194 a year ago.

Diesel is at $5.803 today statewide, compared to $5.936 a week, $6.240 a month and $3.345 a year ago.

AAA released the following statement, forecasting gas prices:

“According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased last week but was lower than this time last year and was more in line with the demand seen in mid-July 2020, when COVID-19 regulations curbed demand.

“Additionally, total domestic gasoline stocks increased, signaling that low demand led to growth in inventory last week. If demand remains low as stocks increase, alongside a continuing reduction in crude oil prices, drivers will likely see pump prices continue to decline.”