By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 9 July 2022 at 3:00 pm
Let’s go on an adventure together….to Hershey and Gettysburg, PA!
A crystal lake inside Indian Echo Caverns in Hummelstown, PA
Sharing an adventure with great friends you don’t get to see very often is a special treat. In October, 2017, I met some friends in Hershey, PA for a few days – I drove down from Albion and they drove up from Sanford, NC. I went down a day early because I wanted some time to explore along the way and not feel rushed to get there. It also gave me the pleasure of stumbling on some cool attractions to kill the time until they arrived.
When thinking of the Hershey / Gettysburg area, you typically think of Hershey Park and the Battlefield. But, there is so much more to see and do, if you have the time. I got there just after dusk, so I got some dinner and settled into a nice little motel in Hershey. The next day, I had several hours before my friends were expected to arrive later in the day, so I got up early and started exploring. I found a great vintage diner in nearby Hummelstown called the “Soda Jerk Diner” for breakfast. I went to Hummelstown looking for a dam that was listed on a local attractions list as a “must see”. I never found the dam…must be a well-kept secret location…but, I did find “Indian Echo Caverns” and decided to stop and check it out. It turned out to be a great way to spend an hour or so of my morning. If you like caverns, it is well worth the time to visit and it isn’t far from Hershey.
A row of canons on the Gettysburg Battlefield
After my cavern tour, I headed back to Hershey to see what I could find. I drove by Hershey Park – it was closed for the season (we were there over Halloween weekend), but what I could see of it looked really nice. I’m not a big theme park fan, but it looked like a great place to go, if you are! Near the entrance to the park, I spotted “Zoo America” full of wonderful animals that can be found in North America. Well, I love animals and zoos, so my next stop to kill time was a no-brainer. I spent the next few hours enjoying the lovely little zoo and all of its residents.
My friends arrived from NC late afternoon, so after an adventurous morning, I met up with them at the condo they had booked for us. We heard that a visit to Hershey must include chocolate martinis…we all agreed that sounded scrumptious, so we asked for a recommendation for a restaurant that could deliver on a good dinner and chocolate martinis. We found a great restaurant and had a fantastic meal….and topped it off with the famous chocolate martinis!
My favorite photo from the trip – this is one of the key farm houses involved in the Battle of Gettysburg
Of course, the trip included a tour of the Battlefield at Gettysburg. When we were planning the trip, we debated how we would do the tour. We could save money and drive through ourselves at our leisure, but since none of us had ever been there, we wanted a guided tour so we could learn more about what we were going to see. There are bus tours available and that was what we were leaning towards doing…..until I stumbled on the option of a personal guided tour with a park ranger! I found it on the park’s website – the option to have a licensed park ranger drive your vehicle and give you a personal tour. The cost was a flat fee per vehicle and it ended up being less than the three of us would have paid for our bus tour tickets….so, yeah – that’s what we did! And we were so very glad! If you really want to do Gettysburg right, get a personal guided tour – you get to go somewhat at your leisure (they do have a time schedule, but it is a bit flexible) with photo stops at all the major monuments, impromptu stops as time permits, and the best information, stories, conversation, and answers you can’t possibly get in a large group or on your own. If you’ve never been to Gettysburg, I really recommend you go…it isn’t like any other battlefield or war memorial site. There are so many monuments – one for every state and regimen that participated in the battle, even ones to honor the dogs and horses that lost their lives beside their humans. Some homes and structures are still standing after all these years with canon and bullet holes in the walls. It really is amazing, overwhelming, and emotional.
After we finished our tour of the battlefield, we went to The Hershey Story Museum. This is a nice little museum that tells the story of Milton Hershey, his very interesting life, and how he brought chocolate to Pennsylvania. It really was quite fascinating. We got our tickets for the museum off Groupon and it included a special “hot chocolates from around the world” tasting, which is usually an additional charge….so good!!!
The famous Hershey factory and smoke towers.
Another fun attraction in Hershey is Hershey’s Chocolate World. We were told they had the best gift shop and chocolate shop – they were RIGHT!!! What a place! Candy and candy related gifts as far as the eye can see. They also had rides and other activities, but we were just there for the shopping.
I like to find little local favorite spots for meals when I’m traveling. We drove past a place that had a big sign saying “Best Food in Town”. We had to stop to see if they were just full of themselves or if it was true…..it was true!!! If you’re in Hershey, check out the Parkside Hotel. It’s a small pub-style bar and grill that’s not much to look at, but has really great food, friendly staff, and the locals at the bar made sure to make us feel welcome, too.
So, our trip came to an end and we went our separate ways – I headed back to NY and my friends back to NC. I would have liked to tour the Hershey factory, but sadly they stopped allowing tours back in the 70s. But, you can drive by and see the factory and smoke towers. It is pretty cool – I pulled in there to check it out on my way out of town. All in all, it was a really fun couple of days with good friends and exciting adventures.
If you’d like to see more photos from my Hershey / Gettysburg trip, visit my Blog Post.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 July 2022 at 10:47 am
Chart courtesy of the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
The local community levels for Covid-19 remain low, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Orleans and Genesee are both at low levels. That is determined by hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new Covid-19 cases in an area.
In Genesee, the confirmed Covid cases dropped from 37 from June 22-28 to 21 from June 29 to July 5. In Orleans, the cases went up slightly from 25 to 26.
State-wide the 7-day positivity for Covid tests was at 9.20 percent on Friday. About a week earlier, the 7-day rate was 5.91 percent. Orleans is the nine-county Finger Lakes Region where the positivity rate is at 5.79 percent. Long Island has the highest rate at 10.58 percent and Central New York is the lowest at 5.64 percent.
“As we continue to monitor the numbers, I encourage all New Yorkers to keep using the tools we know that work to protect against and treat Covid-19,” Governor Hochul said in a statement on Friday. “Stay up to date on your vaccine and booster doses. If you’re a parent or guardian, talk to your pediatrician about getting your children vaccinated. Stay home if you feel sick and if you do test positive, talk to your doctor about the best treatment options for you.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 9 July 2022 at 8:38 am
MEDINA – Wise Intermediate School will be a beehive of activity on Sunday when the return of the annual Erie Canal cyclists.
The ride, sponsored by the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation, begins Sunday morning at Nichols School in Buffalo.
Jim Hancock, head of Medina’s Tourism Committee, said the 630 cyclists expected in Medina is the largest number since the pandemic. With volunteers, 700 visitors will be in Medina Sunday and Monday morning.
The Tourism Committee has arranged a full schedule of things to welcome and entertain the cyclists, including a shuttle service by Ridge Road Express from Wise Intermediate School to attractions downtown and back, and setting up an information booth for the riders.
File photo by Tom Rivers: These cyclists ride along the towpath towards Medina in July 2015.
Cyclists are expected to begin arriving about 1 p.m., Hancock said. They will set up a tent city on the lawn of the school, where they will spend the night. Zambistro will cater Sunday night dinner and breakfast on Monday morning in the school cafeteria.
Several downtown locations have agreed to stay open past regular hours, including the Medina Railroad Museum (7 p.m.), Sandstone Hall of Fame and Visitors’ Center (6 p.m.)
Other attractions on the shuttle loop include the canal basin and State Street Park, where the Dave Viterna Group will entertain from 4 to 6 p.m. The band Pocket Change with Dave Stockton will play at the school from 7 to 9 p.m.
As an added perk for the cyclists, Ledge Rock Farms and Guinn Panek, will provide a tote of sweet cherries, and Twisted Treats ice cream truck and a coffee vendor will be on the grounds. The Tourism Committee has also arranged for a masseuse to be available.
Julie Berry from Author’s Note will be at Wise Intermediate School selling historic books about the area. She also offers to mail them so the riders don’t have to contend with them on their bikes.
After staying in Medina overnight on Sunday, the cyclists head east on Monday and will be greeted in Albion and Holley on their way to Fairport.
The eight-day trip includes the following:
July 10 (Day 1): Buffalo to Medina (48 miles)
July 11 (Day 2): Medina to Fairport (62 miles)
July 12 (Day 3): Fairport to Seneca Falls (50 miles)
July 13 (Day 4): Seneca Falls to Syracuse (40 miles)
July 14 (Day 5): Syracuse to Rome (48 miles)
July 15 (Day 6): Rome to Canajoharie (61 miles)
July 16 (Day 7): Canajoharie to Niskayuna (46 miles)
$1,000 in cash prizes available to Orleans County residents
Press Release, ACT Program
ALBION – They say money doesn’t buy you happiness, but a free educational tool focusing on emotional wellness and tech help could get you both!
The ACT Program, a program of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, has been lucky enough to receive a grant from NYS Cares for Communities to develop a free educational tool meant to address and encourage emotional wellness and tech basics/safety, within Orleans County.
These monies were made available in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Through the grant, two self-navigated Google “classrooms” were created. While each classroom addresses both topics, one is tailored towards middle and high school students, and the other is tailored to adults.
Click on the appropriate Google Classroom links below, sign into your Gmail account and you’re in!
Adults and students who access their appropriate Google Classroom and complete the brief pre and post-test questionnaires (showing they learned anything in relation to either subject covered) will be automatically entered to win a cash prize!
Student and adult winners will be randomly drawn from pool of eligible participants within their designated category and be notified via e-mail on July 22. For each Google Classroom, a total of $500 will be disbursed (1st place at $250, 2nd place at $150 and 3rd place at $100).
The deadline for contest is noon on July 21. Both pre and post tests must be completed by this date in order to be eligible for the student and adult prize pool drawings.
You must have a google account to access the classroom (Gmail email address) if you need help creating one, you can contact Katie at the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative for help on obtaining one or accessing a classroom, at (585) 798-4265 x 146.
Have everyone in your family participate (adults and students) for a greater chance of winning. If you have any additional questions, please contact the ACT Program at (585) 589-5754.
Press Release and photos from Orleans-Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Congratulations go to several students in Bill Rakonczay’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) program at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center (OCTEC). The students were recognized at the end of the year ceremonies at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES center.
The top photo shows OCTEC Principal Mike Mann, Mike Page (Newfane), Mike Pasquale (Newfane), Dom Green (Albion) and Chris Kerr (Newfane), who were awarded $2,000 each from a grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to continue their education in manufacturing technology. In back is Jeff Brauer from the Gene Haas Foundation.
Austin Schmitt of Lyndonville was awarded the Keegan Bayne Memorial Scholarship for $500. Keegan was a graduate of the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering program and tragically died in a workplace accident in 2021. Pictured include Meadow Washak (former graduate from the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Program and Keegan’s friend), Austin Schmitt and Mike Mann (OCTEC Principal).
Jacob Lundy of Newfane received the Dale Pearce Scholarship for $300. Mr. Pearce is a graduate of the program and is a teacher at Monroe Community College in the Applied Technologies Center. Pictured include OCTEC Principal Mike Mann, Dale Pearce (Monroe Community College) and Jacob Lundy (Newfane).
The William Rakonczay, Sr. Scholarship, former teacher of the program, was awarded to Nate Sauls of Newfane. The scholarship is for $250 and is given in memory by his son Bill Rakonczay, Jr. who is the current instructor. Pictured include AME teacher Bill Rakonczy, Jr., Nate Sauls and OCTEC Principal Mike Mann.
Hochul says money will go towards education, grants for youth sports and problem gambling prevention services
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that in under six months of operation, New York’s mobile sports wagering program has far surpassed every other state, as well as the Division of the Budget’s FY 2022 revenue projections.
According to New York State data, the State has generated more than $302 million in tax revenue from mobile sports wagering since January 8, 2022 – with the entire amount directed for education aid, youth sports and responsible gaming programs.
Additionally, the ninth and final operator in New York State – Bally Bet – was authorized to accept wagers on July 7, making the Empire State’s latest foray in regulated gaming fully operational.
“In just six months, New York has become a leader among states in implementing successful gaming policies, with hundreds of millions of dollars going to important programs that will improve the lives of all New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “I look forward to continuing to enact responsible gaming policies that provide exciting entertainment for New Yorkers of legal age – all with important safeguards in place to help those who need it.”
According to reports, New York has collected more in mobile sports wagering revenue in six months than the total sports wagering revenue – both mobile and on-premises – that any other state has generated over several years. Through May 2022, Pennsylvania has collected $265.6 million in sports wagering tax revenue since November 2018, and New Jersey has generated $237.1 million since June 2018.
In January, New York State projected $249 million in mobile sports wagering tax revenue (including $200 million in already-collected license fees) in FY 2022, while total collections were $361 million (including the $200 million in license fees). As of April, New York State projects $357 million in FY 2023, $465 million in FY 2024, $493 million in FY 2025, $509 million in FY 2026 and $518 million in FY 2027.
With the advent of mobile sports wagering, the New York State Gaming Commission, its partners in the Responsible Play Partnership, and gaming venues have engaged in proactive, informational events and outreach to encourage responsible gambling.
New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said, “We look forward to the positive impact that this revenue will have on the expansion of prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery services for problem gambling. These additional funds will allow OASAS to enhance efforts to prevent problem gambling and reach more individuals with screening and treatment services in all areas of New York State.”
According to GeoComply, a software firm used by sports books to ensure geolocation requirements, more than 2.9 million unique player accounts have been created since January, conducting nearly 707 million transactions.
For FY 2023 and annually thereafter, revenues from mobile sports wagering are distributed as follows: $5 million to fund sports programs for underserved youths, $6 million to fund problem gambling education and treatment, and the remaining majority to education aid.
LYNDONVILLE – Just off the heels of a very successful July 4th celebration the Lyndonville Lions Club closed out the first week of July with their 13th Annual Community Appreciation Concert.
The outdoor concert event was held at the Yates Community Library outdoor stage on Thursday evening and featured Crash Cadillac as the musical headliner. The annual event is free of charge and is meant to show the clubs appreciation for all those who attended the recent July 4th celebration.
Lions Club President Harold Suhr stated that the club had a record turnout for the 4th of July event and thanked everyone who attended and for their efforts in keeping the event safe, clean and family-friendly. Suhr recognized and thanked the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
“They were tremendous with traffic control and security throughout the entire day and worked well into the evening getting people home safely after the fireworks display,” Suhr said. “The Lions are extremely grateful for all the people and organizations that sponsored the fireworks display.”
This years’ effort to upgrade the evening concert series seems to have been met with much approval and again Suhr thanked the Concert Series Sponsors. Sponsors included at the Bronze Level: Dr. Thomas Madejski, Paul Mullane and Shelby Crushed Stone; Silver Level: The White Birch Golf Club, Steven Vann from Burger King, Drum Oil and Propane and the Johnson/Feigl Families; Gold Level: Baxter International; Platinum Level: Batavia Downs Race Track and Gaming.
“The concert was well attended and social media feedback shows a positive response to the Lions Clubs efforts to bringing in top name local entertainment for the evening concert,” Suhr said.
The concert headliner band DoubleShot gets a picture with Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia just before they honored him with their rendition of “American Soldier” by Toby Keith.
The club further expressed their gratitude to Medal of Honor Recipient David Bellavia, who served as grand marshal of the parade.
“It was nice to have Sgt. David Bellavia back home to allow Lyndonville to express their appreciation for his service and sacrifice,” said Russ Martino, one of Lyndonville Lions Club’s senior members for over 45 years.
Last of all, the Lions are extremely appreciative for the voluntary efforts of the men and women of the 911th United States Air Force Reserve from Pittsburgh. This unit was responsible for the military flyover tribute to our local veterans just before the parade.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Main Street was packed just before noon with people waiting for the parade and also a military flyover. The parade returned for the first time since 2019.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 July 2022 at 10:51 am
3 firefighters taken by ambulance to be checked for exhaustion
Photos by Tom Rivers: Shelby firefighters spray water from a ladder truck through the roof at 215 East State St. at about 10 a.m. today. A fire broke out at the house this morning at about 8 a.m.
ALBION – The fire at 215 East State St. this morning spread next door, resulting in 14 people being displaced – 7 adults and 7 children.
The Red Cross is assisting those people in temporary shelter.
The houses at 215 and 217 East State are interconnected. Everyone was able to safely get outside.
The fast-moving fire quickly destroyed much of 215 East State St.
Three firefighters were taken by ambulance to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia as a precaution to be checked for exhaustion.
Fire investigators are on the scene. No official cause of the fire has been released.
The fire spread fast with dark smoke and flames shooting out the side windows when firefighters arrived on scene, said James Peruzzini, deputy chief for the Albion Fire Department.
East State Street is closed to traffic from Ingersoll and McKinistry Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 July 2022 at 8:48 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Firefighters respond to a blaze a 215 East State St. this morning. There are about 10 residents in the house. Everyone was able to get out safely, Albion police officers said at the scene.
Multiple fire departments were dispatched at about 8 a.m. At least one car also was engulfed in flames. Residents were able to move other vehicles away from the house.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 July 2022 at 10:11 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Dave Viterna Group performed for about 800 people this evening in the first concert of a six-week “Blue Thursdays.” (A drone with software to estimate attendance put the crowd size at 788.)
The free summer concerts are the pavilion at State Street Park.
The pavilion was erected in 2019 and has been used for some concerts and events, but not a concert series yet. Chris Busch, chairman of the Orleans Renaissance Group, said the pavilion organizers were envisioning a series at the site when the pavilion was erected but Covid-19 wiped out those plans in 2020 and 2021.
“That’s what we built this for,” Busch said this evening, scanning the large crowd. “To do this.”
He and Ken Daluisio of The Print Shop received many congratulatory text messages during the concert, thanking them for helping to make the event a reality.
The Dave Viterna Group includes lead singer and guitarist Dave Viterna at right, “Scooter” Felice on drums and Marty Hobbs as bass guitar. They are from Medina. They play all over Western New York. Tonight, they had a very close drive for their gig.
The Print Shop and Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc./medinaalive.com, both of Medina, organized the concert series with support from to Gloria Brent, owner of Modern Mercantile and Main Liquor.
The shaded areas near the trees were popular spots for many concert-goers, who brought their own lawn chairs. Some even enjoyed the music with their pet dogs.
Vassilios Bitsas serves a slice of pizza for Cusimano’s Pizzeria in Medina. The business is owned by his father James Bitsas. They were very busy during the concert.
They were among several food vendors at the event, which also included alcoholic beverages from Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and 810 Meadworks.
These young concert-goers enjoy the playground equipment while listening to the music.
The concerts from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The line-up for the remaining events includes:
Press Release, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has announced an agency-wide effort to collect personal care items that will be distributed to community members when they are facing an immediate need.
The agency will be collecting personal and household items such as deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products and toiletries for the entire month of July. These items will be used to assist those facing emergencies such as fires, domestic violence, job loss and other challenges.
Donations can be made in person at the following Community Action locations:
ALBION – 409 E. State St., (585) 589-5605; Contact Jeanette Worsley, JWorsley@caoginc.org.
HOLLEY – 75 Public Square, (585) 638-6395; Contact Deb Rothmund, DRothmund@caoginc.org.
BATAVIA – 5073 Clinton Street Rd., (585) 343-7798; Contact David Dodge, DDodge@caoginc.org.
For additional information, or to make a financial contribution, please visit our website at www.caoginc.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 July 2022 at 12:18 pm
BETHANY – A Medina man was killed at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday after crashing his motorcycle on Route 63 in Bethany near Fargo Road.
Nicholas L. Keiffer allegedly led police on a high-speed pursuit, until police terminated the chase because they lost sight of Keiffer because of speeding.
Keiffer was headed south on Route 63 and left the roadway at Fargo Road. A Genesee County deputy located the motorcycle on its side in a field along with the motorcyclist, Video News Service is reporting.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 July 2022 at 9:31 am
MEDINA – The Medina Rotary Club is accepting applications up until Aug. 1 for a scholarship that has been increased from $500 to $2,500. That money could go to one person or be split up among more than one depending on the applications, said Rotary Club President Ben McPherson.
Students who just graduated from Medina in the Class of 2022 are encouraged to apply. This scholarship is not solely based on academic achievement but more community involvement, character and leadership throughout their years in high school, the club said.
The scholarship isn’t limited to those headed to college but for any student looking to go to a post high school, tuition-based educational program – college, trade school, etc.
Outside of filling out the application the only other requirements to be awarded is a presentation to the club on plans after high school, involvements in high school as well as transcript following the student’s first semester.
The application can be found through our Medina Rotary Club Facebook page, the club’s website or through a Rotary Club member.
“This is a great opportunity for any student looking to earn some cash for their future but also develop some real life skills like preparing and delivering a presentation of value,” McPherson said.
