Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $76.4 million in funding for 38 projects to renew and modernize New York’s freight rail infrastructure, including $985,000 to the Falls Road Railroad Company.
Genesee Valley Transportation in Batavia owns Falls Road, a railroad that runs from Lockport to Brockport, and includes about 25 miles in Orleans County.
The funding for Falls Road will go toward safety and service reliability enhancements, including the replacement of the rail bridge deck over the Erie Canal and ties along the mainline.
The $76.4 million announced by Hochul’s office on Thursday are 100 percent state-funded grants. They complement the more than $100 million annually in private infrastructure investments made in New York by the freight rail industry.
Strategic investments in freight rail improvements are essential for maintaining and enhancing market access for manufacturing and agricultural businesses across the State, including Alcoa in the North Country Region, Corning in the Southern Tier Region, and Lackawanna Products in the Western New York Region, Hochul said.
“The infrastructure projects funded with these grants will further fuel our economic comeback with new construction jobs, while making regional economies more competitive in the long term and enhancing the movement of commodities in an environmentally sustainable way,” the governor said in a news release. “As New York leads the nation in its efforts to combat climate change, we will continue to prioritize funding for initiatives that promote economic growth in a responsible manner while mitigating threats to our environment.”
The Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program, administered by the New York State Department of Transportation, supports investments that enhance the safe movement of freight goods, improves service reliability to retain and grow manufacturing jobs, and supports economic development, especially upstate, Hochul said.
ALBION – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) has written a letter to Gov. Hochul at the behest of school districts within the 139th Assembly District requesting that she put forward guidance to school districts that would provide a “path to normalcy” by ending all state-mandated Covid-19 mitigation measures and returning control of such policies to local school districts.
“I am a firm believer that one-size-fits-all mandates are an inappropriate strategy,” Hawley wrote in his letter to Hochul. “The schools in my district are predominantly located in rural areas. In-school learning, supplemented by online learning as needed, was difficult at best in the beginning of the pandemic. The schools in my district developed plans, as best they could without reliable and accessible broadband.”
In recent weeks, school district superintendents throughout the state have called for the creation of such a plan, following an over 90% decrease in new Covid-19 cases statewide since infections peaked on Jan. 7.
“If we’re looking at the data to guide our decisions as policymakers, it’s become clear the time has come to restore authority to local school districts to make the best decisions possible for students in their communities,” said Hawley. “I’ve always been guided by the belief that local decision-makers know how to best serve the interests of their neighbors. Throughout the pandemic our rural school districts have managed to implement creative and effective solutions to comply with mandates, as difficult as that’s been with how many students lack reliable broadband access.
“If their rightful authority to design and enforce policies of this nature is returned to them, I’m certain the measures they choose to implement will be ones that both enhance the learning experience for students and protect their health, without disrupting their education.”
Editor’s Note: the 13 school district superintendents in Genesee and Orleans counties on Feb. 1 sent a letter to Gov. Hochul, asking for an “exit strategy” from universal masking in schools.
The superintendents asked Hochul to get away from “one-size-fits-all mandates” with universal masking and Covid testing. The school leaders said those mandates from the state “caused unnecessary challenges for us.”
The superintendents asked Hochul and state Department of Health to develop guidance for “mitigation measures, but not mandates,” with local control “fully restored to our school districts to enable us to make decisions appropriate for our individual communities, in consultation with our local DOH.”
The letter was signed by the district superintendents at Albion, Alexander, Batavia, Byron-Bergen, Elba, Holley, Kendall, Le Roy, Lyndonville, Medina, Oakfield, Pavilion and Pembroke.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 February 2022 at 7:55 am
Snow, which closed area schools today, has caused the postponement of this evening’s schedule of Niagara-Orleans League boys and girls basketball games.
Those contests included Albion vs. Medina, Barker vs. Roy-Hart and Akron vs. Wilson.
The postponements leave Albion with a total of six N-O games to get in over the final two weeks of the regular season as the Purple Eagles also already had a game against Barker to make up, Roy-Hart has five games to play and Medina four.
In addition, the Lyndonville at Notre Dame and Kendall at Attica Genesee Region League boys games have also been postponed.
The Niagara-Orleans League vs. Genesee Region League girls swim meet, which was scheduled for this evening at Gates-Chili, has been postponed until Saturday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2022 at 5:00 am
County offices also closed due to inclement weather
Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina have all cancelled school today due to wintry weather.
The county is under a winter storm warning until 1 p.m. today with another 1 to 3 inches of snow expected today, after the area got about 8 to 12 inches on Thursday.
Due to the inclement weather and safety concerns for the Orleans County employees and residents, Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson has declared that the Orleans County offices will be closed Friday, Feb. 4.
All emergency personnel, DPW and maintenance employees are to report to work.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2022 at 5:26 pm
Wild Flour makes food from scratch, will expand dining room
Photos by Tom Rivers: Beth Miller, owner of Wild Flour Deli & Bakery, holds a turkey Reuben sandwich which she calls Daffodil. Miller has 11 sandwiches on the menu which are all named after flowers and offers a build-your-own sandwich option.
ALBION – Beth Miller was making sandwiches and soups from scratch out of her kitchen in Albion during the early days of the Covid pandemic about two years ago. She made the meals for friends and family.
She wanted to offer a healthier option than fast food and pizza.
Miller received good feedback, and her friends and family urged her to take her skills to a bigger audience with her own business.
On Nov. 1, she opened the Wild Flour Deli & Bakery at 438 West Ave. in Albion. Initially, she prepared the sandwiches, soups and salads by herself, making deliveries and offering pickup from a hallway.
Beth Miller prepares soups – French onion, Wisconsin cheddar, and chili – in the kitchen at Wild Flor this morning.
Word soon spread about Wild Flour. Miller now has five employees. She added a dining area and soon will be opening a new room with more sit-down space.
Miller is pleasantly surprised by the popularity of the new business. She didn’t expect it to take off so fast.
“People are excited to have a different option, a healthier option,” she said.
Miller, 32, earned a culinary degree at Paul Smith’s College and worked seven years as a pastry chef at upscale lodges and resorts in Lake Placid. More recently she worked as chef at the Holley Falls Bar & Grill, a server and bartender at 39 Problems in Albion, and the front house manager and chef at Lures in Kendall.
She said she has dreamed of opening her own deli and bakery since she was kid.
“I did not expect it to take off the way it did,” she said about Wild Flour. “But I knew people would like the food once they tasted it.”
Miller, a Holley native, has named her 11 sandwiches all after flowers. They come in different combinations of meat, cheese, toppings, vegetables, sauces and breads.
One of the most popular sandwiches is the Aster with roast beef and cheddar on rye, with banana peppers, pickled onions and horseradish mayonnaise, toasted on a panini.
The bakery includes cookies, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, scones and turnovers.
Everything is made the day of. Miller makes her own soups, mayonnaise and salad dressings from scratch.
“It helps me to stand out,” she said about her menu with her personal touch. “They are getting homemade from scratch. It’s my own brain putting this all together.”
Wild Flour is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Miller is looking to open for breakfast too, offering gourmet parfaits, quiches, oatmeals and other “grab and go’s.”
Miller graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program offered by the Orleans Economic Development Agency. One of the class mentors, Dorothy Daniels, owns the building at 438 West Ave., where Wild Flour is located. Daniels tried Miller’s sandwiches and soup and encouraged her to open the business.
“She is a very talented individual,” Daniels said about Miller. “People have been starving for this. It’s something besides fast food and pizza.”
The business offers delivery in the Albion area, and people can order online. For more information about Wild Flour, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2022 at 1:45 pm
The five school districts in Orleans County have all cancelled after-school activities today due to the deteriorating weather conditions. That includes Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina.
Orleans County and Western New York are under a winter storm warning until 1 p.m. Friday with 6 to 12 inches of snow in the forecast.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 3 February 2022 at 12:29 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Jackie Gardner, seated, who just took the position of chief operating officer and director of operations at Community Action in Albion, talks with executive director Renee Hungerford.
ALBION – Jackie Gardner always knew she would follow her family’s footsteps and pursue a career in banking, but when a “job of a lifetime” opened at Community Action in Albion, she knew it was time to make a switch.
Gardner was born and raised in Albion. Her father always said a career in banking was an honorable position, and her brother is a bank manager in Rochester, so it was natural she should take that career path.
But when a position as chief operating officer and director of operations became available at Community Action, she gave up her 25-year banking career to accept the position.
She first met Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action, during a bank acquisition in 1993. Gardner was working for Chase when they announced they were leaving the area, and Jodi Gaines, then founder of CRFS, called and offered her a job.
“She hired me and I worked in client relations and ran a team filing claims for the government,” Gardner said. “I was there eight years when I decided it was a good time to explore a career move.”
Most recently, Gardner worked for M&T running an audit team for risk and compliance. She had previously talked to Hungerford about a position at Community Action, but the timing wasn’t right, she said.
When Annette Finch, long-time director of Emergency Services, announced her retirement, Hungerford posted the job.
“Jackie called me that morning,” Hungerford said. “Hiring has been such a struggle, with the pandemic and all, and how fortunate the perfect person should show up at my doorstep.”
Gardner said when she worked for one bank, she knew Finch through food drives and coat drives they did for Community Action.
“We wanted to give back to the community,” she said. “What impresses me about this organization is the passion of the people who work and volunteer here.”
“It is so refreshing to hear that excitement,” Hungerford said.
“There are a lot of great organizations in this county and I see Community Action as being pivotal in helping those in need,” Gardner said.
“We are stronger together, whether we are developing programs or working on grants,” Hungerford said.
Gardner said it’s hard not to be excited about coming to work every day.
“We have a phenomenal team right now and I couldn’t be more grateful ,” Hungerford said.
Gardner said she has been involved in for-profit organizations all her life, but so much of what she learned there can be transferred to this job.
Gardner is also president of the board of United Way of Orleans County and a member of GCASA’s executive board.
Press Release, Kathryn Leach, Digital Literacy Program Coordinator
The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative and our mentors are hard at work in the community helping to improve tech literacy. We are pleased to announce a new program to help reach even more people: the new Lunch and Learn program.
The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative aims to improve tech skills and Internet access in the county. We provide free tech help to everyone in the community, and it’s a program of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, funded by the United Way of Orleans County.
CCE supports equal educational and employment opportunities. Our tech mentors go out in the community to help people get personalized tech solutions. One person helped said, “I’ve begun another project. This requires skills beyond what I know. Michael is patiently teaching the I.T. skill needed to develop, and move forward.” We love helping people find tech success!
Now people can also learn new tech skills with the Lunch and Learn program that will run once a month on Zoom. Each program will a different tech topic with a guest speaker for 30 minutes to an hour. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged to receive updates and any speaker materials.
Our slated programs include Diversity and Equity in Technology on February 18that 8 a.m., Microsoft Office Programs on March 17that noon, Presentation/Online Meeting and Devices Library on April 21stat noon, and Digital Resources for Organizations and Employers on May 19that noon.
The Orleans County Digital Literacy Initiative is still looking for mentors to go out into the community and help teach tech skills. What better way to boost your own tech and communication skills than to help others? We will provide training and support. If you’re interested in volunteering, please get in contact!
For more information on the Lunch and Learn programs or any other Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative offerings, contact Katie Leach, at 585-798-4265 ext. 146 or by email atkel99@cornell.edu. Find us on Facebook at: @orleanstechhelp.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2022 at 8:47 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Traffic moves along Main Street in downtown Albion this morning after while a couple inches of snow fell overnight.
Orleans County and Western New York are under a winter storm warning until 1 p.m. Friday with 6 to 12 inches of snow expected, the national Weather Service in Buffalo said.
Most of the snow accumulation will be this afternoon and tonight, with additional snow likely on Friday, the Weather Service said.
Chad Fabry, owner of the former Swan Library in Albion, shovels the big front steps this morning at the site which is now an office building.
A snow corridor leads to the Gaines Basin canal bridge in Albion.
The snow-covered branches made for a picturesque scene along Albion-Eagle Harbor Road.
The Gaines Basin canal bridge is obscured from the falling snow this morning.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 February 2022 at 7:05 pm
Chart courtesy of Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
The new Covid cases are trending down in Genesee and Orleans counties from a peak about a month ago.
The two counties reported 616 new cases from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, with 361 in Genesee and 255 in Orleans.
That is down from 2,703 cases in the two counties from Jan. 5-11, 1,659 from Jan. 12-18 and 1,368 from Jan. 19-25.
Genesee is also reporting three more Covid-related deaths bringing that total to 177 since the pandemic started in March 2020. Orleans isn’t reporting any new Covid-related deaths in the past week and remains at 107.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 February 2022 at 1:22 pm
A winter storm warning is in effect from 10 p.m. today until 1p.m. on Friday with 8 to 12 inches of snow expected in Orleans County and much of western, central and northern New York.
The greatest accumulations are expected Thursday and Thursday night, said the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
“Travel could be very difficult,” the Weather Service said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.”
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
BATAVIA – The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a free anti-rabies immunization clinic on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Batavia Town Highway Garage (3833 West Main Street Rd., Batavia).
“We encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity to make sure that their animals are immunized against rabies and that the vaccinations are kept up to date,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Rabies continues to be a serious public health concern in Genesee County and is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. Please leave wildlife alone and do not feed, touch, or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or cats.”
Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car maximum. Face coverings are required and please follow all social distancing requirements.
To save you time, please click here to fill out your registration form in advance. Be sure to print out two copies for each pet to be vaccinated and bring them with you to the clinic.
The next anti-rabies immunization clinic in Genesee County will be held on May 19th at the Genesee County Fairgrounds. For more information, please contact the Genesee County Health Department: 585-344-2580 x.5555 or Health.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us.
Editor’s Note: Orleans County residents are welcome to bring their animals to the clinic in Genesee County.
Photo by Tom Rivers: These cyclists were among 350 who rode the Erie Canal towpath last July. They are shown in Albion in between the two lift bridges.
Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
WATERFORD – The New York State Canal Corporation, through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor are launching a new competitive grant program to support tourism and recreation along the New York State Canal System, including canal waterways and Canalway Trail.
The 2022 program will provide funding to support tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements, and events.
Funding is open to counties, municipalities, units of local government, not-for-profit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes.
“The Canal Corporation is proud to fund and partner with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in launching this new grant program that aims to grow unique recreation and tourism experiences along New York’s iconic Canal system,” said Brian Stratton, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation. “This funding will continue to make opportunities along the canals more exciting and accessible for visitors and we look forward to providing this support in an effort to improve experiences while promoting the connectivity between our historic waterways, trails, and canalside communities.”
The grant program includes two funding categories:
• Event Support, with an award range of $500 to $15,000, and
• Tourism Infrastructure & Amenity Support, with an award range of $5,000 to $24,000.
Applicants may apply for one or both categories.
Projects submitted should demonstrate how they will achieve one or more program objectives:
• facilitate recreation and/or tourism
• enhance visitor amenities
• encourage overnight stays
• improve the visitor experience
• make recreational and tourism assets more accessible
• attract and serve diverse audiences
• improve connectivity between recreation areas and communities or between waterways and land trails.
“We look forward to bringing many innovative ideas and exciting events to life through these grants. Combining federal, state, and local resources in support of community-based projects and events will benefit residents and visitors to New York’s iconic canals,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
Potential applicants will find details by clicking here.
Applications open on Feb. 22 and are due on April 1. A virtual Q&A will be held on March 3 at 10 a.m.; registration details will be posted on the website.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 February 2022 at 9:42 am
MEDINA – A memorial will be unveiled in September in Utah that will honor a Medina native and others killed while training on a B-24 Bomber.
Lt. John “Jack” Lynch, 24, died on Feb. 7, 1944 at Wendover Field. He had married Jean Patterson two weeks earlier on Jan. 24.
Lt. John Lynch grew up in Medina. He was killed at age 24 in a plane crash at Wendover Field in Utah. He was a navigator on a B-24 Bomber.
Lynch was born in Dunkirk and moved to Medina as a young boy. He attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from Medina High School in 1936, ranked second in his class. He was president of the senior class, quarterback of the football team and active in many academic clubs. He was a member of St. Mary’s Church and the Medina Council Knights of Columbus.
He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1941, and was a member of the Law Club. He attended the Michigan Law School for a year, and then enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Dec. 7, 1942. He received his navigator’s wings at Hondo, Texas on Aug. 5, 1943. He was sent to Wendover Field in Utah early in September 1943.
Scott Patterson is Lynch’s nephew and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. He reached out to the Orleans Hub about the memorial that will honor the crew of nine crew lost at Wendover, days before the group was to depart for England. Lynch was among 15,500 young men killed in air-crew training and transition to England whose names are so often overlooked, Patterson said.
“Although they never faced flak or Messerschmitts, their sacrifice was as real and memorable as those shot down over Germany,” he said.
Patterson said he grew up in the years after World War II. His uncle’s death “weighed on my father for decades.” Patterson’s father served in the Navy in the Pacific in WWII. Lynch’s wife would remarry a “wonderful man” and have children, Patterson said.
He regrets there aren’t close family members surviving Lynch.
“It seems as if he is too easily forgotten,” Patterson said. “He had not completed training and gone overseas into battle. There were no combat missions, no stories of heroism or medals. He was not a part of events that historians usually write about, but his sacrifice was no less important.”
Lynch and his eight fellow crew members took off at 10 a.m. in a B-24H for formation training on Feb. 7, 1944.
“They were airborne for just a few minutes when the plane slammed into a mountainside northeast of the airfield,” Patterson said. “A short life of so much accomplishment and of such promise was over, as were the lives of fellow crew members.”
The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative and our mentors are hard at work in the community helping to improve tech literacy. We are pleased to announce a new program to help reach even more people: the new Lunch and Learn program.
