Bills and NFL will pay $550 million towards $1.4 billion site; Team commits to WNY for 30 years

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz today announced an agreement between New York State, Erie County and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills franchise for a $1.4 billion new stadium in Orchard Park.

Governor Hochul’s negotiations secured a 30-year commitment for the Bills to remain in Buffalo, and a combined $550 million from the NFL and Bills – approved today by the NFL owners.

The Governor will advance a $600 million proposal in the state budget, and Erie County will contribute $250 million. The economic and tax impacts generated from the team will support more than 100 percent of the public share of the new stadium cost.

“I went into these negotiations trying to answer three questions – how long can we keep the Bills in Buffalo, how can we make sure this project benefits the hard-working men and women of Western New York and how can we get the best deal for taxpayers?” Governor Hochul said. “I’m pleased that after months of negotiations, we’ve come out with the best answers possible – the Bills will stay in Buffalo for another 30 years, the project will create 10,000 union jobs and New Yorkers can rest assured that their investment will be recouped by the economic activity the team generates.”

The Buffalo Bills franchise is a proven economic driver for the Buffalo region and the state. The Bills generate $27 million annually in direct income, sales and use taxes for New York State, Erie County and Buffalo.

These revenues will grow and will cumulatively amount to more than $1.6 billion over the 30-year lease period.  Furthermore, fans who attend games from across New York, the U.S. and Canada and spend money locally that would not otherwise be spent in the region will result in an economic impact of more than $385 million annually.

“We took another step today to solidify our collective goal of constructing a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park,” said the owners of the Buffalo Bills, Terry and Kim Pegula. “We are grateful for the time, efforts and unwavering commitment made by Governor Hochul and her team throughout this process. While there are a few more yards to go before we cross the goal line, we feel our public-private partnership between New York State, Erie County led by County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and the National Football League will get us there.”

The share of public financing is reduced from previous stadium deals. In 1973, the construction of Highmark Stadium was 100 percent publicly financed, as was the 1998 renovation and training facility construction. 73 percent of the 2013 renovation was publicly financed. This proposal includes just 60.7 percent public financing, well below other recent NFL stadium deals in comparable markets. The State share is 43 percent.

The 30-year agreement details the construction of a new stadium with a minimum of 60,000 seats in Orchard Park, Erie County to be designed and constructed by the Buffalo Bills. The deal includes a commitment from the Bills to play at the new stadium for the next 30 years. The Bills will begin design of the new stadium immediately, and all parties will begin negotiations on extending the team’s current lease for Highmark Stadium that expires in 2023.

The stadium project is projected to create approximately 10,000 construction jobs and will be constructed using union labor in accordance with a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). The Bills will negotiate a PLA with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Buffalo, New York and Vicinity, AFL-CIO, on behalf of its affiliated local unions. The deal requires the Bills to agree to a Community Benefits Agreement, which is to be negotiated.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Catherine Cooper, Orleans County historian, talks about the history department and vintage cookbooks at the March meeting of the Senior Citizens of Western Orleans.

MEDINA – Senior Citizens of Western Orleans welcomed Catherine Cooper to their March dinner meeting to talk about the Orleans County historian’s job and share some of her vintage cookbooks.

Cooper retired in June 2020 as director of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library and accepted the position as Orleans County historian in September 2020.

She explained the first historian appointed was Arden McAllister, a Medina teacher, in 1938. Bill Lattin held the position for 35 years until he retired in 2013 and then was succeeded by Matthew Ballard he served in the position for more than five years.

As historian, Cooper said she is spending time sorting and refiling records to make them accessible.

“People come in looking for houses, genealogy, sandstone quarries and, always in December, information about Charlie Howard,” Cooper said. “You don’t need to know everything. You just need to know where to find it.”

Other things people ask for are old maps, minutes of the Pioneer History Association, early newspapers and photographs, Cooper said.

It can be a challenge when someone wants a photo from 1840 or a birth certificate from 1820. They didn’t take photos back then or have birth certificates.

Great sources of information are books by Medina’s Ed Grinnell and Ridgeway historian Richard Dennis. Cooper also talked about the Medina Historical Society at 406 West Ave. It was founded 50 years ago by the late Ceil White as a place to collect and preserve the history of Medina.

“There is so much material there,” Cooper said. “This includes information about the barracks by Fisher Price for World War II prisoners, H.J. Heinz Company, spinning wheels and more.”

The Medina Historical Society puts on informative programs, Cooper said. A recent one was on letters from the Civil War. Some were brought in and one person had a correspondence from Jack Benny a family member had received.

“Documenting change in an area over time – that’s local history,” Cooper said. “We are tribal. We need to know where we came from. When we are together, we talk about our families and what they did. We need to pass on those stories.”

One thing she urged was for people to label photographs.

Cooper also brought a collection of old cookbooks, some from the Historical Society and other belonging to her.

“You will find inspiration in those cookbooks gathered over the years,” she said. “They are a great resource. You can learn so much from the ads. In the 1950s and 1960s people canned and preserved food.”

Some of Cooper’s cookbooks were from Oak Orchard Elementary School, the Mustang Marching Band, St. Mary’s Mother’s Club and senior citizens.

Finally Cooper handed out copies of five self-guided walking tours of Medina developed by Todd Bensley. She urged seniors to get up, get out and see Medina’s history.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: George Bidleman of Medina holds a plaque presented to him by United Way of Orleans County after he stepped down as president of the board.

MEDINA – George Bidleman believes in giving back to the community which has given and continues to give to him.

An owner of car dealerships in Orleans County and one in Auburn, Bidleman is being honored by United Way of Orleans County for serving as its board president for the past two years.

He recently stepped down from that position and to become president of the board of the Medina Railroad Museum.

Serving the Railroad Museum is nothing new to Bidleman who was its president several years ago and brought it out of debt into the black.

Dean Bellack, director of United Way of Orleans County, recently presented Bidleman with a plaque for his support of the agency.

“George Bidleman’s help, generosity and friendship has been invaluable to Orleans County United Way,” Bellack said.  “George donated office space for our office, which we still occupy. In addition, Orleans Ford raised an additional $9,000 for us last year, on top of personal and workplace donations in their ‘Raising of the Green’ promotion. The ads seen during the last year for digital literacy and the United Way have also been through the generosity of George and his dealerships.”

Bidleman personally and quietly supports not just the United Way, but other charities which touch his heart, Bellack said.

Bidleman grew up here and gives back, Bellack said.

“His uncle Porter once told him,’ Give back, get back,’” Bellack said. “He lives by that motto and I personally thank him for his friendship and support.”

ALBION – A volunteer fair on April 7 will give residents a chance to meet with local organizations to see where they can fit and serve to help the groups with their mission in the local community.

At least seven organizations have already committed to being at the fair at Hoag Library from 2 to 4 p.m. and more are welcome. Groups unable to be there in person can be part of a volunteering directory.

The volunteer fair is being organized by the Albion Rotary Club. There also will be a cake available celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Rotary Club. Other service organizations are welcome to attend the volunteer fair and promote membership in their clubs.

For more information about being part of the volunteer fair, contact Albion Rotary through its Facebook page or email Robert Batt at rpb23@cornell.edu.

“So many Orleans County organizations are able to have the impact they do because our friends and neighbors are willing to volunteer and contribute,” said Batt, who is executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County. “We hope this event and the volunteer opportunity directory will be a good way to help connect those looking to help and organizations looking for a hand.”

Some of the organizations that have committed to being at the fair so far include Community Action, the Cobblestone Museum, Supportive Care of Orleans (Hospice), Cornell Cooperative Extension, American Legion, Orleans County YMCA and Albion Rotary.

File photo by Tom Rivers: These turkeys were part of the 2014 meat auction at the 4-H Fair in Knowlesville.

The State Department of Agriculture and Markets on Friday announced that it has issued an order to ban all live fowl shows and exhibitions in the state to help prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza to the state’s poultry population. Fowl include chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese.

Locally, the Cornell Cooperative Extension said the state will reassess the status of the ban in May, at which time the Extension will be able to determine if fowl will be included the annual 4-H Fair in late July.

Ag Commissioner Richard A. Ball issued the order as a result of the continuing spread of strains of HPAI in the United States, including detections in New York State. The current outbreak has impacted 17 states so far and is rapidly expanding nationwide, Ag and Markets said in news release on Friday.

“Avian influenza is a very serious threat to all poultry and breeds of fowl, and is continuing to spread in the United States,” Ball said. “By banning fowl shows and exhibitions in New York until further notice, we are taking a commonsense step to limit the co-mingling of birds to slow the spread of this disease in New York State and help keep our birds safe. Our poultry industry is a significant part of New York’s agricultural industry and steps like these are our best line of defense against the disease.”

Ag and Markets is continuing close monitoring of HPAI in New York State and plans to reassess the Notice of Order in late May to determine whether it should remain in place through the summer fair season.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States, Ag and Markets said.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Erin Reed holds a stork award she was presented on Saturday night during the annual banquet for the Holley Volunteer Fire Company. Reed, the EMS lieutenant for the Murray Joint Fire District, delivered a baby at about 4:30 in the morning on a snowy Feb. 4.

CLARENDON – It was after 4 in the morning on Feb. 4 when Harris and Erin Reed responded to 911 dispatch message that a woman was about to give birth at home in Murray.

Harris, chief of the Murray Joint Fire District, and his wife Erin, an EMS lieutenant for Murray, headed out on snowy roads.

They made it to the pregnant woman’s home at 4:25 a.m. and the baby wasn’t waiting. There wasn’t time to get to a hospital.

A dispatcher for the Orleans County 911 center, Jerry Bentley, was on the phone and offering instruction.

Mrs. Reed took the lead in delivering the baby at 4:35 a.m.  (The boy is now home and healthy.)

Harris and Erin Reed, and Bentley on Saturday were presented with stork awards during a banquet on Saturday honoring firefighter sin the Murray Joint Fire District. A stork award is given to first responders who actively participate in the out-of-hospital delivery of a newborn.

Murray Joint Fire District officials present stork awards on Saturday to county dispatcher Jerry Bentley, left, from Deputy Chief Rick Cary, Fire Chief Harris Reed back right from Fire Commissioners Chairman Mark Porter, and Erin Reed at right.

Mark Porter, chairman of the Murray board of fire commissioners, said it was an incredible response from the firefighters and the dispatcher, with a wonderful outcome.

“It was a really awesome job,” Porter said at Saturday’s banquet.

The delivery was a first for the fire chief, who has been responding to fire and emergency calls for 25 years. It was also a first for the new Murray Joint Fire District, which in 2021 combined Holley and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray.

Reed is grateful the firefighters were there in time to help with the delivery. Reed said he is proud of his wife for her actions that day. Mrs. Reed has been a volunteer firefighter for 10 years and an EMT for 3 years.

Not long after the baby was born, the Reeds reported to work for their day jobs: Mrs. Reed is a teacher’s aide at Holley Central School and Mr. Reed works as a mechanic for the Gates Fire District.

It’s the second stork award for Bentley, who was the dispatcher for another at-home delivery last year. Bentley has worked full-time as a dispatcher for 4 ½ years after 16 years with the Barre Highway Department. He said many dispatchers go full careers without helping with a baby delivery.

Bentley is a long-time volunteer firefighter. He followed emergency medical dispatcher cards (EMDs) to offer some instructions. He was on the phone for an hour for that call.

“Really I’m just a big cheerleader, a coach on the sidelines,” Bentley said.

Colton Tuttle is congratulated after receiving the chief’s award in 2021 for his many ways of assisting the fire district.

Other awards were presented on Saturday, which was the first fire department banquet in two years.

Harris Reed, the fire chief, said Murray firefighters responded to 755 calls – 414 for fire and 341 for EMS.

Reed presented the 2021 chief’s award to Colton Tuttle for helping the fire district in many different ways, and always with an eagerness.

Richard Alvut receives the service award for Fire Police member of the year for 2021. He is shaking hands with Assistant Chief David Smith.

Fran Gaylord, president of the Holley Volunteer Fire Department, presented president’s awards for 2020 to Chris Chilson and 2021 to Erin Reed.

The Medina Varsity Guard consists of 17 students in grades 10 thru 12.

Photos and information courtesy of Medina Mustang Band Boosters

JAMESTOWN – Medina competed on Saturday in Jamestown for their last performance before the championships on Saturday, which will be hosted in Medina.

In the Scholastic A class Medina came in 3rd with a score 80.30, bested by Orchard Park in 1st with 83.84 and Jamestown Express in 2nd with 82.68.

Winners in the other classes were Hinsdale Starliners in Novice with 59.53; Jamestown Caboose in Cadets with  68.02; Gates Chili in RA with 74.97; Lancaster in A1 with 80.98; and Gates Chili in IA with 85.80.

The WG season comes to a close on April 2 with the championships in Medina.

The entire Medina marching band also has already begun practicing for their spring season.

The Medina JV Winterguard consists of students in grades 5 thru 9.

In 47 years school served more than 2,000 students

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans – Vol. 2, No. 12

Photo of bell from Yates Academy courtesy of the Lyndonville Central School District.

YATES – The sonorous sounds of this brass bell sounded out across the quiet countryside of the Town of Yates, summoning boisterous students to the renowned Yates Academy, or sounding the end of class.

Now housed in the entrance hall of the Lyndonville Elementary School, it is a tangible reminder of that once thriving seat of learning which was located north of the village of Lyndonville, on the west side of Route 63.

In the early 1800s, district schools offered grade school education. Secondary level education was provided by privately owned, fee-paying schools, known as academies.

The first Academy in the county was established in Gaines in 1827. Subsequently, academies were established in Albion, Millville, Medina and Holley.

Peter Saxe, a merchant originally from Vermont, is credited with the establishment of the Yates Academy in the Town of Yates. He assembled a Board of Trustees, solicited subscriptions, and laid the plans for the building which was constructed in 1841 of locally hewn wood.

The Yates Academy was incorporated by the New York State Board of Regents in August of 1842. Members of the first Board of Trustees included: Peter Saxe, Thomas Jewett, Richard Barry, James Parmelee, John L. Lewis, B.H. Gilbert, Gen. Grosvenor Daniels, James Lum, Chester Brost, Joel Parsons, Warren Chase and Joseph Cady.

The school proved popular from the beginning. Enrollment the first year was 161 – 81 female students and 80 male. By the fourth year, enrollment had reached 338.

Most students were from Orleans or neighboring counties, but there were also some from Vermont, New York City, Michigan and Canada. They were housed in a nearby boarding-house which was run by the teachers. Some students boarded with local families with boarding cost $1.25 to $1.50 per week.

Postcard images of the Yates Academy

The academic year consisted of three terms of 14 weeks each. Tuition costs varied from $3 to $6, depending on the courses taken. Courses such as music, oil painting, etc. cost extra.

The Academy’s library housed some 500 books and the science laboratory was well equipped.

It was an ambitious undertaking. The logistics of providing food, fuel and furnishings for staff and students must have been a challenge. In addition, the staff were responsible for the physical and moral welfare of the students.

Tuition rates from the 1853 Academy catalog

The teachers were suitably accomplished. Prof. Charles Fairman taught ancient languages, mathematics and German. His wife taught modern languages, English, drawing and painting. Algernon Shattuck of Medina, who wrote textbooks on the Spencerian form of handwriting, instructed students in that then highly regarded skill.

Students were prepared for college or for becoming teachers. The Academy’s philosophy was that the purpose of education was not the storage of facts, but the development of one’s power of reasoning. “Composition” and “Declamation” – essay writing and public speaking were emphasized. Students were encouraged to be aware of their future roles as responsible citizens. Many pursued successful careers as lawyers and politicians.

One can imagine that the addition of over one hundred lively teenage secondary school students must have greatly enlivened the surrounding rural area. Students would have been visible each day as they walked to and from school and on Sundays as they attended obligatory religious services. There would have been a flurry of horses and buggies at the beginning and ending of each term when students were dropped off or picked up.

The Union School Act of 1853 signaled the beginning of the end for the private academies. The legislation allowed the formation of locally funded school districts comprised of several elementary schools and one high school, thus students could attend a public local high school.

Enrollment at the Yates Academy declined and it closed in 1889, having provided an excellent standard of education for 47 years to over two thousand students.

The building stood abandoned for several years. It was dismantled in 1916 and all but the pillars and roof were transported by rail to Johnson City in Broome County and used in the construction of a dormitory at the Practical Bible Training School.

Textbooks used at the Yates Academy

According to an article in the Johnston City Record of Feb. 26, Rev. S.S. Lewis, then pastor of the Yates Baptist Church, was a past pupil of the Bible School. He informed John A. Davis, President of the Bible School of the Academy building and its illustrious past.

Under the terms of the deed, the school building reverted to the original owners when it was no longer used. The heirs, Mrs. Mary P. Davison and Miss Elmira Davison, readily consented to allowing the school to be dismantled and reused for this purpose.

“The timbers were in a fine state of preservation, all the framing being massive and put together with pins. Few nails were used in the structure and for that reason little harm was done to the timbers in dismantling it.”

The Bible Training School has since expanded, it is now known as Davis College. Its website indicates that new and modern facilities have replaced the original buildings.

2 to 4 inches of snow expected

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Courthouse is shown on Saturday night. The dome is lighted up in blue and yellow in support of Ukraine.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for Orleans and Monroe counties from 5 p.m. today through 8 a.m. on Monday with 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo says to plan on slippery road conditions. “Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility,” the Weather Service said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.”

Today is forecast to reach a high of 28, and Monday will only get up to 24, according to the Weather Service.

Tuesday is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high of 34, followed by a high near 45 on Wednesday and 64 on Thursday.

Photos by Tom Rivers

CLARENDON — Fran Gaylord holds a plaque with a ceremonial ax in honor of his 50 years of a service as a member of the Holley Volunteer Fire Department. He was recognized on Saturday night during the department’s annual banquet. He is joined up front by from left: Erin Reed, a trustee with fire company and EMS lieutenant; Tina Reed, vice president of fire company; and Kevin Dann, a trustee and past chief.

The fire department also recognized Dennis Piedimonte and AJ Gifaldi for their 50 years as members. Both were unable to attend Saturday’s banquet at the Clarendon Rec Hall.

Fran Gaylord is shown with his four daughters, from left: Amy, Shelby, Lindsay and Courtney.

Gaylord acknowledged his family for their understanding over the years, when he would often step out from family dinners, birthday parties and other events to respond to call.

“Thank you for supporting me and making this possible,” Gaylord told his family.

Gaylord, 69, remains very active as a firefighter, responding to about 300 calls for the Murray Joint Fire District, Clarendon and Kendall. He has twice served terms as Holley fire chief in 1991-93 and 1997-99 and has been a deputy emergency coordinator for the county the past 22 years.

He is retired as the transportation coordinator for the Holley school district and continues to work part-time for the Geneses-Orleans Ministry of Concern as a driver for the furniture program, picking up and making deliveries.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley presents a commendation to Fran Gaylord for his 50 years of service as an active Holley firefighter. Dale Banker, right, is the county’s emergency management coordinator. He presented a certificate of commendation to Gaylord on behalf of the Firefighters Association of New York State. The commissioners for the Murray Joint Fire District also presented a gift of appreciation to Gaylord.

Fran Gaylord addresses the group of firefighters and local officials during the banquet that was held at the Clarendon Rec Hall. It was the department’s first banquet in two years.

Gaylord said he was grateful to be a firefighter in the Holley community. He followed the example of his father Fran and uncle Ross in joining the fire department. Gaylord was 18 at the time and he said many people couldn’t wait to be 18 so they could be firefighters.

Now, it’s difficult to find dedicated volunteers. He remains committed to going to fire and emergency calls and last year was the top responder in the Murray Joint Fire District, which includes the Holley and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray districts.

Gaylord said he has made many great friends through the fire service. He cited the example of another long-time firefighter, Ron Meiers, who often is right there with Gaylord as among the first to get to the fire hall for a call.

“This is very family oriented,” Gaylord said about the fire department. “Everybody gets along and wants to help everybody.”

Gaylord said serving as a volunteer firefighter is much safer now with better turnout gear and fire trucks, as well as much more training.

The group gave Gaylord a standing ovation.

Fran Gaylord accepts the award as the top responder in the Murray Joint Fire District in 2021 from Fire Chief Harris Reed.

“Fran Gaylord, you are the epitome of a volunteer,” said Mark Porter, chairman of the board of commissioners for the Murray Joint District.

Porter praised Gaylord for being a mentor to so many firefighters over the years.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Cassie Dash, left, smiles with her friend Angie Wolfe at a benefit on Saturday at the QWL building to support Dash and her family while she is unable to work due to multiple sclerosis.

Dash was working the past six years as a secretary at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School. Wolfe is a kindergarten teacher at the school.

“She is amazing with the kids,” Wolfe said. “She treats them as her own.”

There was a big turnout at the spaghetti dinner and basket raffle, especially among school employees, including Principal Angela Conway and Assistant Principal Kevin Beaumont.

Dash recently completed chemotherapy to try to stave off MS.

Cassie Schmoske, left, and Mindy Kenward stir the sauce and meatballs for the spaghetti dinners. In back, Matt and Rhonda Grammatico serve the spaghetti.

Dash’s brother Zach Conn and sister Brianna Daniels also helped in the kitchen.

Schmoske, Angie Wolfe and Tami Neal were the lead organizers for the benefit which included 300 spaghetti dinners and about 125 baskets up for raffle.

Dash said she appreciated the support from the community.

“To feel this amount of love and support is just incredible,” she said. “I’ve cried 50 times today.”

Grade levels throughout the district as well as many community members donated baskets for the raffle. More than 1,000 tickets were sold for the raffle.

By Bill Lattin & Doug Farley – Vol. 3 No. 8

GAINES – This circa-1875 Victorian print of “The Chubby Cherubs” hangs in the Cobblestone Museum’s Ward House. It’s shown here in its original rustic style or Adirondack frame.

Who is not familiar with this famous duo?  The cherubs are not only popular in today’s world, but were reproduced many times over in the 19th century. These two cute little fellows actually date back to the 16th century and were the creation of one of the greatest artists of all time, Raphael.

Although recognizable on their own, many people do not know that these cherubim are actually a small detail extracted from a much larger painting, known as “The Sistine Madonna,” shown above. This painting was commissioned in 1512 by Pope Julius II for the church of San Sisto, Piacenza.

The commission required that the painting not only depict the Madonna and Child, but also Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara. It is an oil on canvas and measures 104 by 77 inches. Raphael is known for painting around 40 Madonnas, but this is thought to be his last and most extraordinary one.  He was 29 years old when this great masterpiece was completed in high Renaissance style.

In 1753, the painting was sold for $45,000 and placed in a Dresden Gallery where an entire room was allotted for it. After World War II, it was relocated to Moscow for a decade before being returned to Germany.

Here we see a small hand colored print, circa 1875, of the Chubby Cherubs.

Now, regarding the legend about these two children in this famous painting. One story is that these were children of a model that Raphael worked from, and they frequently came into his studio to watch. Another story is that they were just street urchins who peered through an open window into Raphael’s studio. He supposedly portrayed them as they rested their chubby arms on the window sill.

Two small portraits painted on porcelain, circa 1890.

In a photographic print from the 1870s, shown above, we catch a glimpse of Raphael’s workshop studio. The artist is seated in the middle with a drawing tablet. A model for the Sistine Madonna, holding a baby, is standing on a platform. In back of her, to the far left, we see one of these chubby children posed in the usual manner just looking on. To the right in this picture, a church cleric appears to be looking over Raphael’s shoulder, and of course, other people are doing various things within the studio.

It is said that these two cherubs were added to the painting as Raphael finished his work. They may have been introduced to give depth to the piece, throwing the larger figures more into the background. As early as 1913, an art critic declared that “No cherub or group of cherubs is so famous as the two that lean on the altar-top indicated at the very bottom of the picture.”

These two chromo-lithographic prints mounted on canvas appear in original frames circa 1870.

Heavily marketed for decades, the cherubs have been featured on stamps, postcards, T-shirts, bath towels and wrapping paper. A child’s mug from the 1870s depicts one of these cherubs and a modern note card shows both of them.

Shown above is a contemporary wristwatch depicting the cherubs.

Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) was born among the Apennine Mountains on the borders of Tuscany and Umbria. At the age of 17, he entered the studio of Perugino, and at age 19 he began to paint independently. At age 21 Raphael visited Florence, where he learned the precision of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

This self-portrait, an oil on wood panel, was done in 1509, when Raphael was 26 years of age. He was enormously productive, running an unusually large workshop as seen in a previous picture showing the interior of his studio. His last 12 years were spent in Rome, where he worked for two Popes. Many of his works are found in the Vatican Palace, where the frescoed Raphael Rooms were the central and largest work of his career.

The double portrait above shows Raphael at left with his fencing master. This painting, an oil on canvas, was completed in 1520, the same year Raphael died at the early age of 37.

Raphael left an immense amount of work for being so young, and as a result, remained and continues to remain an inspiration for artists. Our last illustration, an engraving by F. M. Spiegel, dated 1886, shown above, was surely inspired by Raphael’s Chubby Cherubs.

Let’s go on an adventure together….to Follow the Music!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio. I highly recommend a trip to Cleveland for this experience.

Music….it can take you back to some of the best memories of your life with just a few notes. So, it’s no surprise that music was a big part of many of my favorite trips. Some I specifically targeted because of the musical memories they represented and some had a musical element I stumbled on while there. So, let’s “follow the music” together.

In 2006, I talked my Mom into meeting me in Las Vegas when I was there for a work trip. It was around her birthday and love of the Beatles was something we shared, so I surprised her with tickets to a Cirque du Solei show at the Mirage called “Love” – all based on Beatles music. It was a fabulous night and an amazing memory for both of us.

I’ve talked in these articles a lot about the 2016 Most Excellent Adventure I took in a motor home with my brother and sister-in-law. Our first stop was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH. If you’ve never been, it is a great adventure and not all that far. The exhibits are wonderful. It made for an emotional and entertaining day. Loved it!!!

The entrance to the path through the corn field where Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.

On that same trip, I was able to spend three days in New Orleans during our time in Louisiana. While music wasn’t the main focus of that trip, it ended up being a huge part of it. The jazz musicians that were all over the city provided lots of special moments while strolling to enjoy the eclectic city and awesome food.

I often say my 2017 trip to Iowa is my most surprising trip. I needed to check it off to meet my “visit all 50 states” bucket list item, but I wasn’t expecting much. Well….I ended up absolutely loving Iowa and really want to go back. One of my favorite memories of Iowa was the day I drove to Clear Lake. Just after midnight on February 3, 1959, singers Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens died when the small plane they chartered crashed in a corn field just north of Clear Lake, Iowa. I spent some time in the Surf Ballroom – the location of their final performances prior to getting on the plane meant to take them to the next city on their tour. It is still in use for performances, but it is also maintained as a wonderful museum to all the artists who have performed there over the years – including a tribute to that final performance dubbed as “The Day the Music Died”. After leaving the Surf Ballroom, I drove out to the crash site. It is in the middle of nowhere on a long dirt road. To get to the site, I had to walk about a quarter mile down a path through a corn field in the rain and mug. I found the spot – memorialized with the names of those who died and markers that represent them and cried my eyes out. The entrance to the path is marked with a monument with glasses like the ones Buddy Holly wore. 

Earlier in 2017, I went to San Francisco during the 50th anniversary of the “Summer of Love”, which took place in 1967, and visited the Haight and Golden Gate Park – both areas made famous by all the hippies and legends from the Summer of Love. What a thrill that was for this old hippy. 

Me in the Penny Lane District of Liverpool, England – walking the steps of The Beatles and making wonderful memories.

When I went to Kentucky in 2019, I got in to my hotel about dinner time and was really tired after a day of delays in airports. But, I happened to notice a theater across the parking lot and decided to look into it. It was called the Derby Dinner Playhouse and I found out that night they were doing a dinner theater performance of “Million Dollar Quartet” – the story of the night of December 3, 1956 when Sam Phillips got Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis together for the first and only time for a jam session and made Rock and Roll History at Sun Records. I suddenly got my second wind, found out the show started in 20 minutes and they could accommodate a single….I reserved a ticket and high-tailed it over there and had the time of my life! What a show…..and what a great accidental “find”. I sang along with the rest of the audience to every song.

Also in 2019, I was thrilled to get to spend some time in Liverpool, England and walk the steps of the Beatles! I cried almost the entire time I was there! It was part of a cruise and the ship was docked in Liverpool Bay on the River Mersey – you know – the river mentioned in the song “Ferry Cross the Mersey” by Gerry and the Pacemakers. I toured “The Beatles Story” – an exhibition chronicling their amazing career, walked down Mathew Street where the Cavern Club is – the club they got their start in, I saw Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields, the homes where Paul and John lived with their families and where they went to school and church, and so much more! It was an awesome day – the thrill of a lifetime!

Sun Records – Memphis, TN. This is original microphone in Sun Studios used by all the greats – they held it and sang into it…..and, so did I!!! Most of the artifacts are behind glass or ropes – not to be touched. But Sam Phillips left this one in the original studio under the condition that it be out where people could take photos with it and touch it and feel the history it represents….so, I did!

Then, I crammed a TON musical memories into a single week in Memphis in 2021. I stayed at Graceland and did “all things Elvis”, spend a couple days wandering around downtown Memphis with the history of the blues oozing out of every crevice, took a day trip to Tupelo, Mississippi to see where Elvis was born and spent his childhood, enjoyed a couple hours at the Rock and Soul Museum, ate BBQ at BB King’s restaurant, strolled along Beale Street, and toured Sun Records – where so many legends recorded their early hits. I even got to go to see The Monkees in concert on Graceland. WOW!!!

There are a lot of other music-related destinations I hope to visit someday…..but, if not, I’ve definitely had my share of thrilling and memorable experiences “following the music” in my travels.

There are far too many specific blog links to reference here. So, if you want to read more about any or all of the places I mention in this article, you can go to my blog: www.thoughtsbykim.com, find the “search here” box and enter any key word to find the post that covers the topic you are looking for. The only exception is the Las Vegas reference – that trip was pre-blog, so you won’t find more info on that one.

Click the following links to check out my blog posts for tons of great photos and interesting information about the history, culture, economy, and other cool trivia associated with Bermuda: 

Bermuda Blog Post

Swimming With Dolphins

Happy Adventuring,
Kim Pritt

YATES – The Orleans County Legislature has authorized an emergency replacement of the culvert on Yates-Carlton Townline Road over Johnson Creek.

The culvert suffered a structural failure on Feb. 20 due to high water flow in the creek. The culvert – a corrugated pipe – already was rotted on the bottom, said John Papponetti, the county’s DPW commissioner and engineer.

The fast-moving water pushed the pipe, and caused a shoulder to collapse. That instability has now spread to near the center line of the road, Papponetti said.

He wants the culvert to be replaced with precast concrete. There is currently a shortage of materials which could keep that section of the road closed for a few months. Or there is a chance the county could locate an available precast concrete culvert the right size.

“There is no set schedule,” Papponetti told county legislators on Wednesday. “We’re getting the survey work done to properly size the culvert.”

The emergency designation from the Legislature allows Papponetti and county officials “to procure all materials, labor and equipment necessary to complete the work in an expedited manner.”