By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2022 at 5:28 pm
5 Covid-related deaths reported since Dec. 30 in Genesee-Orleans
The active Covid cases is up in Orleans and Genesee counties, and the two counties also have five more Covid-related deaths since the last update on Dec. 30 from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
Genesee has four deaths – one under age 65 and three over 65, and now has 162 Covid-related deaths since the pandemic started in March 2020.
Orleans has one more Covid-related death, a person over age 65, and now has had 104 residents pass away from Covid during the pandemic.
The number of active cases in the two counties also has increased from 130 in Orleans a week ago to 298 today. Genesee is up from 218 to 272 in the past seven days.
In Orleans County there are 158 new positive cases (with 51 from home tests) since Thursday. There are also 73 more recoveries or people who completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.
In Genesee County, there are 211 new cases and 207 more recoveries since Thursday. Genesee also passed a milestone with its 10,000 case of Covid during the pandemic. The county has now had 10,198 confirmed cases.
The number of hospitalizations since last Thursday (Dec. 30) have increased from four to six in Orleans, while Genesee has dropped from 28 to 22, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2022 at 3:37 pm
‘Everybody loved her,’ store manager says about Theresa Karlak
ALBION – Tim Hortons in Albion will be raising money Tuesday and Wednesday for the family of an employee who was killed on Saturday night.
Theresa Karlak
Theresa Karlak, 18, was walking on Eagle Harbor Road near the hamlet of Eagle Harbor when she was struck by a vehicle at 8:46 p.m.
She was a very dedicated employee at Tim Hortons the past six months, and recently worked the early morning shift starting at 3:30 a.m. She also worked at Tops in Albion.
“Everybody loved her,” said Tim Hortons manager Jenni Simpson. “There isn’t a single person who didn’t like her. I never heard her talk bad about anyone.”
The Tim Hortons will be selling a vanilla dipped donut with green sprinkles on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the entire $1.25 cost will go to Karlak’s family.
Simpson admired Theresa’s work ethic, especially for an 18-year-old. Simpson watched Theresa transform from being shy when she was first hired to being very talkative and funny with her co-workers and customers.
“She was a very kind person who was very driven,” Simpson said. “She loved to learn and wanted to know all of the jobs here.”
Theresa worked the drive-through, the storefront, and with preparing soups and sandwiches. She pushed to be one of two employees who arrive at 3:30 in the morning to get Tim Hortons ready to open at 4:30 with the drive-through and 5 a.m. for customers inside the store.
“I’m still in shock,” Simpson said about Theresa’s death. “She’s a great person.”
The Tops service desk in Albion also will be accepting donations for Theresa’s family.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2022 at 11:14 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – Charles Prentice Jr. takes the oath of office this morning in the Gaines Town Hall. He is joined by his wife, Laural, who is holding the Bible.
Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon administered the oath.
Prentice, 57, is a retired state corrections officer and also has worked as a paramedic for 40 years, currently working part-time with the Le Roy Ambulance Service.
Chuck Prentice signs the oath of office in the main meeting room of the Gaines Town Hall. He won a Republican primary last June and then the general election in November. He replaces Bruce Schmidt, who retired from the position.
Prentice completed a 40-hour training last month through the New York State Magistrates Association.
He will preside over town court three times a month, including for the first time on Jan. 12. He also will do arraignments at all hours of the day.
Other town officials starting new terms on Jan. 1 include Tyler Allport as town supervisor, Susan Heard as town clerk, and James Kirby and Kenneth Rush on the Town Board.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 3 January 2022 at 9:39 am
Niagara-Orleans League basketball action will get underway in earnest on Tuesday with a slate of five games.
The boys games will have defending champion Medina at Barker and Newfane at Albion.
The girls contests will have Barker at Medina, Albion at Newfane and Roy-Hart at defending champion Wilson.
The N-O swim season will reach the halfway point on Tuesday with Medina at Newfane, Akron at Albion and Roy-Hart at Barker.
Weekly Schedule Today Boys Basketball – Medina at Tapestry, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday Boys Basketball – Medina at Barker, 6 p.m., Newfane at Albion, 6:30 p.m. Girls Basketball – Albion at Newfane, Roy-Hart at Wilson, 6 p.m.; Barker at Medina, 6:30 p.m.; Lyndonville at Byron-Bergen, Holley at Alexander, Kendall at Oakfield-Alabama, 7 p.m. Swimming – Medina at Newfane, Akron at Albion, Roy-Hart at Barker, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday Boys Basketball – Byron-Bergen at Lyndonville, Alexander at Holley, Oakfield-Alabama at Kendall, 7 p.m. Wrestling – Medina at Newfane, Roy-Hart/Barker at Albion, Wilson at Akron, 6 p.m.
Thursday Boys Basketball – Roy-Hart at Newfane, Barker at Wilson, 6 p.m. Girls Basketball – Lyndonville at Holley, Byron-Bergen at Kendall, 7 p.m. Swimming – Akron at Medina, Albion at Barker, Newfane at Roy-Hart, 4:30 p.m. Wrestling – Holley-Kendall at Lyndonville, 6 p.m.
Friday Boys Basketball – Akron at Medina, 6:30 p.m.; Holley at Lyndonville, Kendall at Byron-Bergen, 7 p.m. Girls Basketball – Wilson at Barker, 6 p.m., Medina at Akron, Newfane at Roy-Hart,6:30 p.m.
Saturday Boys Basketball – Albion at Pembroke, 7 p.m. Wrestling – Holley-Kendall at East Rochester Tourney, Albion at St. Mary’s Duals
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2022 at 9:08 am
The average price for a gallon of gas is down a cent in the past in New York State, and down 6 cents from a month ago, AAA Western and Central New York reported this morning.
Compared to a year ago, the $3.49 average price in the state is up $1.16 from the $2.33 average price in New York, AAA said.
“January typically brings the cheapest prices of the year due to low demand, so motorists could see some relief,” AAA said in a news release. “That depends on many factors including oil prices, which have a direct impact on pump prices. This morning, oil prices are up about $20 more per barrel compared to one year ago.”
In Orleans County the average price per gallon is $3.53, which is 4 cents more than the state average of $3.49. Among other GLOW counties, the average price is $3.44 in Genesee, $3.50 in Wyoming, and $3.51 in Livingston. The average prices among other larger nearby counties includes $3.42 in Niagara, $3.46 in Erie and $3.50 in Monroe.
CARLTON – Can you imagine living at a time when you would distinguish between “chopping wood at the door” and “chopping in the woods”?
Diaries written by Hosea and Sarah Ballou from 1851-1853 give an intriguing glimpse into their daily lives. Then in their mid-20s, they lived on a farm on the Oak Orchard River Road in the Town of Carlton.
Diaries are typically started with great resolve at the beginning of the year. With the passage of time, they provide a unique resource for historians as they chronicle the daily lives of ordinary people. In the 1800’s, diaries were small, and the entries brief: a listing of the day’s activities or travels, a record of purchases and sales. Early diarists had neither the time nor space for introspection.
The Ballou diaries were transcribed by Helen E. Allen, the late Town of Carlton Historian, and were published in the Albion Advertiser in 1961. We plan to share them with you over the next few months.
Journal of the Year 1851
January 1: Snow two feet, six inches deep. Snowed in the morning and blows all day. Went to the Day place to do chores and went down home. Came back and found Ralph here and went home with him to eat roast turkey. Staid (sic) all night.
(The Day place was on Kendrick Road. Hosea’s brother lived at Two Bridges. Ralph Brown was Hosea’s brother-in-law, he lived at the Brown homestead.)
January 2: Went from Ralph’s to do my chores at the Day place. Christopher brought Sarah home. Keen air.
(Christopher was another brother of Sarah’s)
January 3: Weather moderated a little. Chopped wood at the door. No one in the woods on account of the snow. Snowing quite steady.
January 4: Wind from the west and the roads drifted very bad. Snow flies all day. No work outside. George Stillwell came here in drifts up to his waist to pay me $4.50 for pork.
January 5: Weather more moderate. It began to snow at 11 a.m. Wind SW. Snow coming from the south at bedtime.
January 6: Milder, snow settles quite fast. Went to The Bridges and got an overcoat made by C.C. Wilder, costing $14.
January 7: Continued warmer and smoky with prospect of rain, depth of snow in the woods 3 feet on the level.
January 8: Warm for the season. Sold Orsenius Reed timber to the amount of twelve dollars and fifty cents.
January 9: Commenced raining and it rained till 10 o’clock. Snow settles fast, rain again at bedtime.
January 10: Colder, snow settles, freezes towards night.
January 11: Grows colder. Went to Garbutt’s sale. Paid 69 cents school tax and 72 cents letter and postage. Bid off nothing.
January 12: Warmer and thaws considerably.
January 13: Thaws fast. Snows some. Went to Waterport and from there to Lawrence’s to inquire about some hay.
January 14: Quite warm, thaws. Chopped in the woods. Mr. Thompson and wife and Mr. Littlefield and wife were here visiting this evening.
January 15: Very warm, smoky, thaws very fast. Went to Lawrence’s about some hay, then went chopping.
January 16: Staid (sic) all night down to Ralph’s.
January 17: Clear but very cold with high winds.
January 18: High winds and very cold. Got my sheep hoe from the Day place.
January 19: Cold and windy, no travel. Very dull.
January 20: Warmer with wind from the south. Chopped in the woods. Ralph brought some mackerel.
January 21: Thaws a little. Went to N.F. Simpsons after tallow but it was not ready. Make a hen coop.
January 22: Drawed (sic) some wood, sled length. Thaws fast.
January 23: Carried Sarah home to Mother’s. Carried hams to be smoked. Got 17 ¾ lbs. tallow at N.F. Simpsons, 1 ½ bushels of apples at G.C. VanRiper. Went down after Sarah, carried her to Hank Collins and got hens that I had left him.
(Tallow was used to make candles)
January 24: Went to Lawrences and got ten hundred hay and paid him five dollars.
January 25: Went to the Bridges and got some camphor. Belinda and Helen here avisiting (sic).
(Camphor was used for respiratory ailments and to ease muscle pain)
January 26: Warm and pleasant
January 27: Some colder. My birthday. Chopped a little wood at the door. Sarah went down on the flat after cattails to make candle rods.
January 28: Very cold, chopped wood at the door.
January 29: Very cold and stormy. Hardly keep warm in the house.
January 30: Very cold, stormy weather. No work out of doors.
January 31: More moderate, chopped wood at the door.
We have observed that diarists in general begin their entries with a reference to weather, which is not surprising as it so effects the tenor of the day. Weather conditions, particularly in January, would have been central to Hosea’s livelihood and indeed survival. Chopping wood was a daily necessity. We infer that he could go to the woods to chop wood when the weather was not severe, while “chopping wood at the door” indicated more inclement conditions.
We can all identify with Hosea’s January 19 entry:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 January 2022 at 11:38 am
GAINES – An 18-year-old female was killed on Saturday after being struck by a car, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke said.
Theresa M. Karlak, 18, of Albion and her sister, age 13, were walking in the northbound lane of Eagle Harbor Road near the north end of the hamlet of Eagle Harbor when they were struck at 8:46 p.m. by a vehicle operated by Zackery Harding, 24, of Albion.
Theresa Karlak was pronounced dead at the scene by County Coroner Rocky Sidari. Her younger sister had minor injuries and was treated and released at the scene by EMS.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a second vehicle had reportedly pulled over on the west shoulder, Bourke said.
As the vehicle operated by Harding went out and around that vehicle the pedestrians were struck. Conditions at the scene were dark and the heavy rain/ice may have contributed to this tragic accident, the sheriff said.
The investigation is continuing. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit, Albion Fire Department, COVA Ambulance, and the County Coroner’s Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 January 2022 at 11:05 am
So far this school year, 578 students and staff have tested positive for Covid in Orleans County
The state is sending millions of Covid tests to school districts throughout the state to give to students to take home.
The state is trying to identify Covid-positive students as school resumes following the holiday break amidst a record-breaking Covid surge. The state set records for four straight days from Tuesday through Friday for most new Covid cases in a day.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the Covid testing kits are headed to every school district. Some districts have already received and others will get them very soon, Hochul said.
“So in the case where one of the classmates tests positive, everybody can take a test kit home in their backpack, come back the next day if they have a negative test, and get tested again in a couple of days,” Hochul said during a news briefing on Friday. “This is how we believe listening to the experts that this is the safest way to keep children in school.”
So far in the first four months of the school year there have been 578 students and staff who have tested positive for Covid at the five public school districts in Orleans County.
Albion reports 216 students, teachers and staff have tested positive. The 185 students include 32 in the middle school, 72 in high school and 81 in the elementary. There also were 9 teachers and staff who tested positive in the middle, 9 in the high school and 13 in the elementary. Albion has 1,758 students, 181 teachers and 95 other staff members. Of the 2,034 total students, teachers and staff, 10.6 percent have tested positive for Covid this school year.
Holley is reporting 95 have tested positive which includes 77 students (37 in elementary and 40 in junior-senior high school) and 12 teachers and 6 staff. That includes 10 teachers and four staff in elementary school, and two teachers and two staff in junior-senior high school. Holley has 960 students, 104 teachers and 76 other staff members. Of the 1,140 total students, teachers and staff, 8.3 percent have tested positive for Covid this school year.
Kendall reports 61 students, 7 teachers and 8 staff have tested positive for Covid since the start of the school year. That includes 28 students, 6 teachers and 6 staff in the elementary school, and 33 students, 1 teacher and 2 staff members in the junior-senior high school. Kendall has 693 students, 80 teachers and 47 other staff. Of the 820 students, teachers and staff, 9.3 percent have tested positive for Covid in the past four months.
Lyndonville reports 35 students, 12 teachers and 11 staff have tested positive. That includes 15 students, 5 teachers and 6 staff in the elementary school, and 20 students, 7 teachers and 5 staff in middle-high school. Lyndonville has 616 students, 76 teachers and 35 other staff members. Of that 727 total, 8.0 percent have tested positive for Covid.
Medina reports 112 students, 10 teachers and 11 staff have tested positive for Covid. In the elementary school that includes 25 students, 2 teachers and 5 staff. At the middle school it includes 33 students, 4 teachers and 5 staff members. In the high school that includes 54 students, 4 teachers and 1 staff member. Medina has 1,363 students, 137 teachers and 111 other staff. Of the 1,611 total for students, teachers and staff, 8.3 percent have tested positive for Covid.
The at-home Covid testing kits should allow more students to continue their education in person after the holiday season ends, Hochul said. She anticipates that January and February “will be very challenging” with the surge in Covid cases.
The state has ordered 37 million test kits and 5.3 million arrived last week. Another 6 million should be arriving on Monday. They will be available for free to students and their families.
Nick Picardo, Kendall’s school superintendent, ppsted a letter to the community on Saturday, saying the test kits “are being made available as a proactive measure to enhance school safety and protect against transmission of Covid-19.”
The test kits aren’t a mandate or requirement for students, Picardo said.
He will update the Kendall community on how the kits will be distributed once Kendall receives them.
Brian Bartalo, Holley school superintendent, also posted a letter to the community, saying the district will soon have the test kits and make them available for students to do Covid testing at home.
“As a reminder, these tests are free and will be available for every student, but they are not required,” Bartalo said in his letter. “Thank you to families for monitoring students’ health as we enter the new year and especially for not sending students to school if they are sick or have any Covid-19 symptoms.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 January 2022 at 7:15 pm
New York State made it four straight days of setting a new record for Covid cases. There were 85,476 new cases on Friday, which followed 76,555 on Thursday, 74,207 on Wednesday and 67,090 on Tuesday.
The 85,476 positive cases on Friday are out of 384,365 reported tests for a positivity rate of 22.24 percent.
Those positive tests include 46 in Orleans – out of 427 tests for a positivity rate of 10.8 percent. Genesee has 91 more positives out of 506 tests for a rate of 18.0 percent.
The state’s 7-day positivity rate is at 19.79 percent. Locally the positivity rate over the past 7 days is 14.1 percent in Genesee and 11.9 percent in Orleans.
Only two of the 62 counties in the state under 10 percent: Chenango at 9.6 percent and Tompkins at 8.6 percent.
Long Island has the highest positivity rate at 22.69 percent followed by New York City at 20.56 percent. The nine-county Finger Lakes region, which includes Genesee and Orleans, is at 15.68 percent.
“As we fight the winter surge, we need to keep the most vulnerable among us in mind – do what you can to keep others in your community safe from Covid-19,” Governor Hochul said in a Covid update. “Wear a mask, wash your hands, and take advantage of the best tool we have at our disposal – the vaccine. If you haven’t gotten your second dose, do so as soon as possible and get your booster if you’re eligible. We will continue to make vaccines, boosters and testing more widely available as part of our Winter Surge Plan so we can continue to keep each other safe.”
The state also reported today that hospitalizations from Covid increased by 532 to 8,451. The hospitalizations five days earlier on Sunday were at 5,526. On Dec. 17 there were 3,909 hospitalized from Covid.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 January 2022 at 1:01 pm
Most-viewed article of the year: Closing of Tillman’s Village Inn
Photo by Tom Rivers: Doug Jones, left, chats with Jason Hardenbrook before the start of the Kendall parade on July 16. Both are past Kendall fire chiefs. Hardenbrook drove one of Kendall’s fire trucks in the parade. The Kendall parade was the first community parade since late 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions on gathering sizes wiped out all the parades in 2020 and continued to have an impact in 2021.
Orleans Hub had nearly 10 million pageviews in 2021. The 9,853,855 pageviews is the second most since we started in 2013.
The 10,932,597 pageviews in 2020 remains the all-time high. The Orleans Hub and many other news sites saw a big jump in traffic during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of that initial craving for Covid-related news has been tempered as many of the Covid restrictions have been lifted from the early days of the pandemic.
The Hub traffic in 2021 is still well ahead of the years before 2020.
Bad news tends to get more “clicks” and 2020 was a steady diet of cancellations and concern due to the Covid pandemic.
Many of the events came back in 2021, but with changes. Some high school graduations and other community celebrations moved outdoors, rather than indoor settings.
Covid hasn’t gone away, but in 2021 there were vaccinations to offer people added protection from the virus.
The list of the top 10 most-viewed articles shows “Covid news” is popular with many readers though we get some pushback from some in the community who would prefer we not include anything about Covid.
Most of the Orleans Hub coverage remains community news, reporting on events, high school and youth sports, obituaries, local governments, people and businesses.
Here are the annual pageviews and average daily unique visitors annually since the Orleans Hub started in 2013:
• 2013: 1,697,887 – average daily unique visitors: 2,100 (went live April 1)
• 2014: 5,267,498 – average daily unique visitors: 4,700
• 2015: 7,811,345 – average daily unique visitors: 6,739
• 2016: 8,334,946 – average daily unique visitors: 7,112
• 2017: 8,553,605 – average daily unique visitors: 7,884
• 2018: 8,467,818 – average daily unique visitors: 7,463
• 2019: 9,556,253 – average daily unique visitors: 8,529
• 2020: 10,932,597 – average daily unique visitors: 9,956
• 2021: 9,853,855 – average daily unique visitors: 9,195
The closing of Tillman’s Village Inn was the most-viewed article in 2021. That article was posted on Dec. 30 and went viral on social media with about 800 shares through Facebook and more than 400 comments on the Orleans Hub Facebook page.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 January 2022 at 11:32 am
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Orleans County and much of Western New York from 9 tonight through 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Mixed precipitation – 2 to 4 inches of snow and a tenth of an inch of ice – is expected.
“Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibilities,” the Weather Service said. “Slow down and use caution while driving.”
The highs for the next few days include 29 on Sunday, 24 on Monday, 38 on Tuesday and 40 on Wednesday.
Pictured here is Mr. George Morton Pettit of Maple Ridge Road, Medina, standing next to an ancient mortar.
GAINES – It’s not known for certain, but one can make an educated assumption that the Cobblestone Museum’s oldest artifact might be its “mortar.”
This “mortar” is not the typical lime mortar we discuss when we look at the “glue” that holds cobblestone buildings together. This 800-year-old “other” mortar is a Native American tool that the museum acquired in 1993.
The story of this Indian relic was first reported by former director Bill Lattin in an article that he penned in 1993 while serving as Orleans County Historian entitled, “Mort’s Mortar.”
Webster’s Dictionary describes a mortar as “a strong vessel in which material is pounded or rubbed with a pestle.
In 1993, Mr. George Morton Pettit gave this artifact to the Cobblestone Museum at Childs, N.Y. He also related this known history about how it had been passed down in his family.
The Pettits, that is, Henry who was George’s great-grandfather, bought their farm in the Town of Shelby in 1850. George M. Pettit was the fourth generation to grow upon this farm, preceded by his father Clark Pettit and his grandfather also named Clark Pettit.
It seems that Henry Pettit discovered the mortar near a spring in the woods on his farm over a century ago. Being intrigued with this unusual hollowed-out stone, he placed it near the well pump and watering trough in the dooryard.
Mr. Pettit remembers vividly his dog “Shep” of many years ago using this millennial artifact as a water dish! He also recalls when wheat harvest came and they shocked up the bundles they would sometimes find arrowheads on the ground in the general vicinity of where the mortar had been discovered years before. It seems likely that some Native Americans had an encampment in this area several centuries ago.
In due time, Mr. Stanley Vanderlaan (shown above), local archaeologist and an authority on local Indian artifacts and lore, examined the mortar. He indicated that he had never seen one quite like this and indeed, if it was a mortar, thought it rather crude.
However, he felt it possible that it could be as much as 800 years old and probably represents an agrarian culture. Mortars and pestles were used by Indians to grind corn and other grains that they raised.
This mortar, shown above in current setting, appears to be made of limestone and obviously displays some tooling marks around the upper portion. It also sits flat upon the ground and would appear, because of its heavy weight, something which was intended to be more stationary, rather than moveable.
Another interesting connection between this 800-plus year old Indian mortar and the Cobblestone Museum is Mr. Vanderlaan’s assumption that the original pestle for this mortar would most likely have been, none other than, a “cobblestone,” which even then, were abundant in the fields occupied by the Native Peoples.
It goes without saying, that the stone pestle which was originally used is long gone, but the mortar remains as silent testimony to the ancient inhabitants of this area.
CLARENCE – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is announcing the FY 2021 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program will be opening for fire departments on January 3rd.
“Our brave firefighters and first responders continually risk their lives to protect our communities and keep us safe. Without them, countless Americans around the country would lose their lives,” Jacobs said. “The SAFER programs funds hiring and retention activities so fire departments can reach adequate staffing levels, give more balanced schedules to those already serving, and ensure communities are given the best possible protection 24 hours a day.”
The SAFER program application period will run from Jan. 3 at 8 a.m. to Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. As stated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): The two functions supported by these grants are the hiring activity and recruitment and retention activity.
Ten percent of the funding is set aside for awards to all volunteer or majority volunteer fire departments under the hiring activity category. Under the FY 2021 SAFER Program, the hiring activity will offer grants to support the hiring of new, additional firefighters (or to change the status of part-time or paid-on-call firefighters to full-time firefighters), as well as to rehire laid-off firefighters or retain firefighters facing layoff.
A fact sheet provided by FEMA can be found by clicking here. Those interested in applying should visit the application page provided by FEMA, which can be found by clicking here.
Any department or staff member who has further questions about applying can reach out to Rep. Jacobs’ Clarence District Office at 716-634-2324.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 December 2021 at 4:30 pm
Each year I pick some of my favorite “people pictures” and others that highlight big news events or moments for the community.
The top photo shows Kendall teacher Dana Longrod running through a cloud of color powder on June 17 during a moving up ceremony for Kendall sixth-graders. Longrod joined the students in the color run after being recognized by students and his fellow teachers for a 35-year career as a Kendall elementary teacher. During the moving up ceremony each student presented him with his favorite drink, a can of Mountain Dew, or his favorite snack, a glazed donut.
Greg Rosato, right, of Gaines climbed a tree on Jan. 1 to free a skydiver who was stuck and dangling 65 feet up in the air next to the Pine Hill Airport in Barre. The airport is busy on New Year’s Day with many skydivers setting a New Year’s resolution to jump from an airplane about 10,000 feet in the sky.
One of the skydivers drifted off path when her helmet fogged up and she became disoriented in the air. The wind took her into the trees next to the air strip at Pine Hill. She was too far back to get in heavy equipment and too high up for a ladder. Rosato used tree climbing spikes to get up to the stuck skydiver. Rosato used a carabiner hook to connect a rope to the skydiver’s harness. Firefighters on the ground had a pulley and they were able to lower the skydiver through the branches. Rosato helped to guide her as she went down. He used a chainsaw to remove some branches that were in the way.
A Holley church made repairs to century-old stained-glass windows. Valerie O’Hara (right), president of Pike Stained Glass Studios of Rochester, and Chris Grooms set a repaired stained glass window into place at the Holley Presbyterian Church on Jan. 7. Pike was hired to repair two sections of the “Come Unto Me” window, a centerpiece of the church. The window is believed to have been installed in 1907 when the sanctuary was built. The repairs were about $25,000.
“We looked very close at it and we could see it had problems,” Tom Gardner, the church pastor, said about the window. “The congregation wanted it to be right and be here for future generations.”
Jack Welch, Orleans County chief administrative officer, assisted at a rapid test clinic on Jan. 6 at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. He is shown in a driver’s side mirror of a car in line.
Welch was among a group of volunteers and county employees who assisted at the rapid test clinic on Wednesdays in January as well as in December 2020. About 500 people were tested each day at the clinics. The volunteers and staff then switched to running a vaccine clinic at the Ridgeway Fire Hall beginning in late January.
Zach Busch, a junior-senior high music teacher in Holley, received his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Jan. 28. Connie Ferris gave him the shot during a vaccine clinic at the Ridgeway Fire Hall.
“It’s peace of mind,” said Busch, 27. “I feel it’s important to protect not only myself but my students and my colleagues.”
Many of the people vaccinated on Jan. 28 were school employees, who are in the 1b eligibility group. This was the first day of the Covid vaccination clinic run by the Orleans County Health Department. The slots filled up quickly and 100 doses were given out.
Cooper Traxler (right), 6, took his Valentine’s date Natalee Olsen, 6, through the drive-through at the Albion McDonald’s on Feb. 14. They received an escort from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
The two met the previous year in kindergarten and became best friends. This year Cooper asked Natalee to be his valentine, and wanted to take her through the drive-through at McDonald’s. They rode in style in a Power Wheels Dune Extreme and stopped at the drive-through window to pick up their cheeseburger Happy Meals.
Art Hill Excavating of Medina started taking down the Lyndonville Pennysaver Market building on March 8. Art Hill is operating the excavator. His son-in-law, Aaron Young of AGC Construction in Holley, is in the lift as a guide and to keep an eye on the demolition.
The roof of the building collapsed on Feb. 22 with heavy snow and ice on the roof. The building from 1899 also had suffered deterioration with its support beams. The Village Board met on Feb. 22 and declared the structure unsafe after an engineer’s inspection. The cleared site was later used for a farmers’ market in the fall.
Roland Nenni, Holley’s police chief until he retired on March 31, speaks during a forum on police reform on March 11 at the village office in the former Holley High School. The Holley Police Department responds to about 1,000 calls annually, and many are lockouts, alarms going off, and building checks. But increasingly, the department responds to people in mental health crisis. Nenni said more mental health personnel are needed in the community to help assist individuals in a mental health crisis.
“We’re trying to find better ways of dealing with mental health,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that.”
Law enforcement agencies throughout the state needed to hold community meetings and submit plans to the state as part of a police reform initiative.
A woman fishes from the eastern pier at the Oak Orchard Harbor on March 20. It was a brilliant sunset but it was also chilly with icicles hanging on the rocks.
Sue Dickinson of Albion is greeted by her mother, Marjorie Condoluci, on March 22 after coming home after being sickened by Covid for about 10 weeks. Dickinson spent two months in Rochester General Hospital and then 2 1/2 weeks in rehab facility.
Doctors didn’t expect her to survive. But she pulled through it. When she left a Rochester rehab facility for Covid patients on March 22, the nurses and aides presented her with balloons. She was at the Unity Specialty Hospital, St. Mary’s campus.
“They told me I was their success story,” Dickinson said when she came home to Reynolds Street in Albion. “I am feeling great. I am determined to get back to good health.”
These two people walk their dog on the 1.2-mile Onondaga Nature Trail at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in Shelby on April 4. There were many people out that evening enjoying the nature scenes and hoping to see an owl, bald eagle and other wildlife.
This blue heron enjoys the shallow water of the Erie Canal in Albion on April 8 p.m. The heron was not far from the Keitel Road bridge.
Samantha Koons of the Office for the Aging helps at a food distribution in Albion on April 16. Greg Gilman, an employee with Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, also organized and carried boxes of produce. The program went most Fridays in Orleans County from April 2020 until the end of June this year. People often would line up in vehicles by 5:30 to 6 a.m. for the distributions that were scheduled to start at 8 to 8:30 a.m. There are usually 300 boxes of food each week, but sometimes there were more, including on April 16 when the usual 20-pound box was supplemented with oranges, pears, Brussels sprouts, hummus and eggs.
About 15 vehicles, decorated with balloons and birthday greetings, drove by the front entrance of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center on April 18. The vehicles all stopped so the drivers and passengers could wish Angela McNeil a happy 52nd birthday.
McNeil also is known by her nickname “Bookie.” She worked as an aide at The Villages for about 30 years. She suffered several strokes and became a resident at The Villages, sharing a room with her mother, who worked in the kitchen at the nursing home.
“She was the best aide ever,” said her former co-worker Sandy Flugel. “She took care of so many people. She has so much love.”
Firefighters in rescue boats from the Albion Fire Department, Medina Fire Department and the Murray Joint Fire District search the frigid waters of a quarry in Murray on April 23. A Murray man went into the quarry off Canal Road next to the Erie Canal to look for his dog. Ryan J. Perkins, 30, of Canal Road drowned and was found near the embankment on the south side of the quarry in a deeper water hole. The dog was located and was safe.
Faith Smith hugs Dillon Black during an awards presentation on April 28 at the Albion Village Board meeting. Black and officer Robert Wagner both received “lifesaver” awards for their critical life-saving assistance on the night of March 21.
Within 2 minutes of the 911 call at about 10:30 p.m., Albion police officers arrived with a defibrillator. The Albion patrol vehicles all carry AEDs. Wagner and Black were able to get Smith’s heart beating again after shocking him with the defibrillator. They also did CPR until a crew from COVA ambulance arrived and took Smith to Strong Memorial Hospital.
“I want the world to know that police officers are more than just the person who comes to arrest you if you do something bad and pull you over for a traffic violation,” Mrs. Smith said. “They are heroes to my family. Because of their quick response and determination my husband is alive and here with me today.”
A group of ravens created quite a stir at the Orleans County Courthouse in the spring. There was a large nest is a crevice at the courthouse. This photo on May 2 shows the mother raven retrieving food for the small birds, which were making quite a racket and showing a lot of impatience.
Diane Valentine thanks the community for rallying to complete an Eagle Scout project started by her son Evan. She is shown speaking on June 5 during a dedication of the project, which is the stone wall around the veterans’ monument in Holley by the Post Office and American Legion Post.
Evan Valentine in December 2020 finished the last of the 21 badges he needed for the Eagle. He also had Scouts and volunteers lined up to build a veterans’ wall around the monument. He was presented the Eagle Scout badge while in the hospital in February. Evan passed away from leukemia at age 18 on Feb. 21. Speakers commented that his presence was felt at the ceremony on June 5, with bright sunshine and frequent gusts of wind.
Janna Stirk (center right) of Marked by Janna Brow Artistry & Waxing Spa and Kylie Hughson (center left) of the Tease hair salon celebrate the grand opening on June 12 of The Parlour at the former Swan Library in Albion. Joining them on the steps for a ribbon cutting include from left: Brady (Kylie’s son), Albion Mayor Eileen Banker, Kylie Hughson, Janna Stirk, Brody (Janna’s son not very visible in back) and Troy McGaffick, a friend of the families.
Savanah Burns and about 125 members of Medina’s Class 2021 participate in the senior walk on June 14. In the past students have walked through the hallways in the three school buildings. Last year there wasn’t a senior walk. This year it was moved outside on the sidewalk from the high school to the middle school and the elementary school.
The entire student body from the elementary, middle and high schools formed a tunnel and applauded the class. The seniors carried signs with their future plans.
Pat Fox is shown on June 18 in her backyard on East Center Street in Medina. A week earlier she had about 175 Medina students in formal gowns, suits and tuxedos for photos stop by before the prom. Fox and her husband Bob operate the Garden View Bed & Breakfast. They have welcomed Medina students the past 30 years to come by and use their property for photos before the prom.
“It’s a tradition in Medina to come here,” Fox said. “It makes me feel good. It’s a way that I can give back to the community.”
Sandy Heise speaks on June 21 at the Holley Jr./Sr. High School when the library was dedicated in honor of her husband, John Heise, who served the school as a principal and the district as a member of the Board of Education. Heise also was an elementary school principal and director of education and special programs. He passed away at age 73 on Dec. 23, 2020. (Their grandson Alexander Zelent is next to Mrs. Heise.)
The red chair in the photo will go in the elementary school. That chair was donated in memory of Heise by the other members on the Board of Education and Jeff Martin, the school attorney who also has been in the Holley Rotary Club for many years with Heise.
“No amount of words can offer gratitude that this district, community, your friends and family have for all that you gave of yourself for the good of others,” BOE President Robin Silvis said about Heise.
Abigail Garver moves her tassel to signify her graduation from Lyndonville Central School during commencement on June 24 at the school’s Stroyan Auditorium. Connor Bell is next to her and Hayden Arlington is behind her. They are among 59 graduates in Lyndonville’s Class of 2021.
Commencement is usually on the fourth Friday in June. Lyndonville was planning for an outdoor ceremony and set the date for June 24, the fourth Thursday, to allow for a rain date on Friday. But the state modified its Covid-19 guidelines for special events, which allowed the district to have the ceremony indoors.
Aubrey Boyer, the president of Albion’s Class of 2021, speaks during commencement on June 25, which was held outdoors at the football stadium instead of the usual high school gym. Boyer said life can often feel like a roller coaster that goes up and then down, and back again. The Class of 2021 has been on a roller coaster “that goes every which way.”
“Each and every one of you is capable of greatness,” Boyer said. “Seniors, thank you for the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime.”
These sisters, Ashlee (left) and Haylee Young, have fun at the new splash pad at Bullard Park in Albion on July 4. They are from Charlotte, NC and are visiting family in Medina. The splash park opened on June 8 and was very popular with the public.
The portrait of Gerald “Bud” Hamann is positioned near his grave spot at Lynhaven Cemetery during a service for him on July 6. His remains were recently identified in a mass grave in the Philippines. Honor Guard members from Orleans County are in the background.
Nearly 79 years after his death in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, Hamann was given a service at Lynhaven Cemetery. Hamann survived the arduous Bataan Death March over 60 miles on foot, and then a 25-mile ride standing up in a boxcar packed with fellow soldiers who were prisoners. When he finally made it to the prisoner of war camp at Cabanatuan, Hamann would die from dysentery on July 25, 1942.
“We are horrified, and our sense of humanity wounded by the misery that CPL Hamann and so many others endured,” said Matthew Atkins, a chaplain with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. “And we are astounded by their character. These were men of honor, who fought valiantly with next to nothing, endured unspeakable conditions. They lived the most arguably difficult days with principle. In their suffering, they did not surrender their souls.”
Randy Moore on July 11 pulls the cover off the new sign for a merged church – Disciples First United Methodist Church, which brings together the Disciples UM Church and the Albion First UM Church. Moore, a member of the board of trustees for Disciples, was joined by Leslee Lockwood of the Albion congregation in unveiling the sign after the first service of the newly merged church.
The two congregations have been sharing a pastor for nine years. The pastor previously would travel to Albion and then to Clarendon for services until the Albion members started attending the Clarendon site about 18 months earlier. The two congregations each voted on April 25 to formally merge. July 11 was the first service for the merged group.
Mackenzie Niles gives a big hug to Fran Gaylord, a member of the Murray Joint Fire District during the Kendall Carnival Parade on July 16, the first traditional parade in Orleans County since the start of the Covid pandemic. Mackenzie is Gaylord’s great-niece. She spotted him in the parade and ran towards him with outstretched arms.
The Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies fired up the Kendall crowd on July 16 with a performance to “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.” The Lawn Chair Ladies have been a crowd favorite in their nine years of performing. This was the final performance for the group, which is mostly women in their 60s and 70s.
Kaitlin Bennett (left), 12, of Barre and Anna Grillo, 12, of Albion bring buckets of water to their animals at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on July 25, which was moving in day for most for the animals. The fair returned in 2021 after being cancelled in 2020 due to Covid concerns and restrictions on crowd sizes.
Then Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul joins in a ground-breaking celebration on July 26 for a new $2 million breakwall along Lakeshore Road in Carlton that is 95 percent funded by the state. It is one of many projects along the south shore funded with $300 million through the state’s Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). Hochul would be sworn in as the state’s 57th governor on Aug. 24 and the first woman to serve as the top’s highest elected official. She will become governor following Andrew Cuomo’s resignation.
These sailboats race on Aug. 12 as the sun comes down on Lake Ontario. It made for a picturesque setting in a competitive race for 10 sailboats. They raced for 4 miles, having to change directions frequently. The Oak Orchard Yacht Club hosts Thursday night races off Point Breeze, a summer tradition for nearly 30 years.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley comforts Richard Vendetta, who was named after his uncle who was killed during World War II, one of 10 from the Fancher community who died in the war. The younger Vendetta was among many family members in attendance of the 10 men honored Aug. 14 with the rededication of the monument.
The memorial at the “Fancher Curve” on Route 31 was originally dedicated on Aug. 14, 1949 as a monument to 10 young men from the Fancher community who were killed in World War II. Those men include John Christopher, Joseph Christopher, Cosmo Coccitti, John Kettle, Jr., Leonard Licursi, Martin Licursi, Richard Merritt, Camille Nenni, Floyd Valentine and Richard Vendetta.
Kaleb Hungerford, 11, of Medina takes off on Sept. 1 in the bowl of Medina’s new skate park. The $550,000 park is named in memory of the late Luke Nelson of Middleport. He often came to Medina as a kid and young adult to use the former skate park, which was on a former tennis court. He was 23 when he passed away on April 22, 2017. His family has donated to the park and helped organize fundraisers to upgrade the site.
Harold Scribner walks into the new Dollar General store in Lyndonville on Oct. 28. The store opened the day before. Scribner said the building is “beautiful” and the store is a welcome addition to the community, especially in the winter when people don’t want to travel too far.
The store is in the spot of the former Crosby-Whipple building, which was demolished and removed at 30 North Main St. to make way for the new Dollar General. The 7,600-square-foot store is next to Johnson Creek. The project includes a retaining wall next to the waterway. There are also 29 parking spaces.
Sawyer Braley, right, and his brother Stryker put a flag in a fire pit at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Albion on Nov. 11. The brothers are members of Troop 164 which held a flag retirement ceremony on Veterans Day. Scouts retired about 100 flags in the fire pit. Harrison Brown led construction of the fire pit for his Eagle Scout project. It was first used on May 29, 2019.
The Medina Misfits won “Best in Class” during Medina’s 13th annual Parade of Lights on Nov. 27. The parade returned to a procession down Park Avenue and Main Street after a “reverse parade” the previous year with the floats all stationary and people driving by to see the displays. The “Medina Misfits” include a group of friends from several local businesses who wanted to dress up Christmas characters and add some extra fun to the parade.
Santa Claus helps Jaxson Stefaniak, 3, unwrap a present of an Iron Man toy on Dec. 5 as part of the Barre Volunteer Fire Company’s annual Santa Express. Firefighters escorted Santa around town to visit 30 families and deliver presents.
SUNY students will need booster; mask or vax mandate extended to Feb. 1
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced Winter Surge Plan 2.0, a new targeted effort to bolster New York’s fight against the winter surge.
Hochul’s comprehensive plan focuses on five core areas: keeping students in school, doubling down on masks and testing, preventing severe illness and death, increasing access to vaccines and boosters, and working together with local leaders. Hours before the New Year begins, Governor Hochul also urged New Yorkers to celebrate New Year’s Eve in a safe, responsible way.
“As we head into the holiday weekend, New York State is mobilizing every resource at our disposal to fight the winter surge and keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “We can get through this surge through targeted actions, partnerships with local leaders, and by taking common sense steps to keep us all safe: get vaccinated, get boosted, and wear a mask indoors.”
1. Keep Schools Open: After two years of remote learning and school closures, Governor Hochul is focused on keeping students in school in the upcoming year. The first plank of Governor Hochul’s 5-part plan includes:
Providing tests to students and school districts: 5.56 million tests arrived for schools this week and between six and seven million more are expected to arrive in the coming days. New York has mobilized 40 trucks and 86 state personnel to distribute tests. Overall, New York State has secured 37 million tests for distribution.
Working with counties to implement Test-to-Stay: Test-to-Stay policies have proven successful at keeping our kids safe and schools open. If a student tests positive, classmates can take a test kit back home with them and return to the classroom upon receiving a negative result instead of mandatory quarantining.
Keeping college students and faculty safe: SUNY and CUNY will be introducing a new requirement for all students to get boosters, campuses will require mandatory mask wearing in public indoor spaces, and will require all faculty to be vaccinated. Students will also be required to submit negative tests upon returning to campus.
2. Keep Masking, Keep Testing: Governor Hochul recognizes that to stop the spread of the virus, New Yorkers must continue wearing masks and getting tested for Covid. Governor Hochul will:
Extend the mask-or-vax requirement: the Department of Health will extend the mask-or-vaccine requirement for an additional two weeks to Feb. 1, protecting workers and allowing businesses to remain open.
Make masks more widely available: New York State has already distributed 5 million KN-95 masks, and more will be distributed through state legislators. Hundreds of thousands of masks will also be distributed for nursing home visitors.
Launch new testing sites: Governor Hochul will open six new testing sites on January 4, totaling 19 state-run sites statewide. Additionally, Governor Hochul announced the launch of two new testing sites at MTA stations, in addition to previously announced MTA pop-ups.
3. Preventing Severe Illness and Death: With case counts rising, Governor Hochul is making it a priority to prevent severe illness and death by supporting our hospital system. The Winter Surge Plan 2.0 will:
Distribute antiviral treatments: New York is working with the Biden Administration to secure doses of the antiviral drug Pavloxid and make this treatment more widely available.
Boost hospital capacity: Governor Hochul will continue enforcing the November 26 Executive • Order to boost hospital capacity. Since it took effect, the number of hospitals with limited capacity needing to pause non-essential surgeries has declined from 32 to 21.
Launch National Guard EMT training: to ramp up our long-term health care workforce capacity needs, the Department of Health and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs will be launching two pilot EMT training classes on January 5th. This will cover two classes of 40 service members (80 service members in total) who will be able to be deployed by February.
Secure additional help from Federal partners: in the coming days, we will receive federal Department of Defense (DoD) Medical Response and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs). This will include a 35-member DMAT to SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, 23-member DoD Medical Response Team to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, and 50 new ambulance teams deployed to NYC.
Protect nursing home residents and workers: the Hochul Administration is in constant contact with all 606 nursing homes in New York and will be providing them with additional PPE to ensure the safety of all patients and staff. Additionally, the Administration is coordinating with hospitals and will be deploying durable medical equipment in continued support of the care for all New Yorkers.
4. Expand Access to Vaccines and Boosters: Vaccines continue to be the best defense against Covid hospitalization and death. While 95% of adult New Yorkers have received at least one shot, there’s more to do to increase vaccination and booster rates, especially among children:
Provide boosters to nursing homes: New York will begin requiring each nursing home to demonstrate their plan to increase vaccination and booster rates among their residents.
Increase pediatric vaccination: the most unvaccinated eligible cohort is New Yorkers aged 5-11. New York will increase our focus on pediatric vaccination.
Get booster shots to teenagers: we anticipate approval of Pfizer’s booster shot for children aged 12-15 and will immediately begin outreach to that population once ready.
5. Work With Local Partners: From the beginning, Governor Hochul has emphasized that the fight against COVID must take a collaborative approach. Fighting the winter surge requires close collaboration with local partners:
Let local leaders lead: from New York City to Erie County, local leaders are making smart choices. We will continue this surgical, targeted approach.
Provide resources to local partners: Governor Hochul will continue to lead a whole-of-government approach to fight Covid, making sure county emergency managers and local school boards have the tests and masks they need.
“We have every tool to keep our families and communities safe,” Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “We must ensure we use them all. Governor Hochul’s targeted plan to expand vaccination and booster access, mask and test, and increase measures to protect our health care workers is the comprehensive strategy needed to combat the fast-spreading Omicron variant. Leveraging these layered mitigation tactics is how we will protect the health of New Yorkers and effectively manage the winter surge.”
CARLTON – Can you imagine living at a time when you would distinguish between “chopping wood at the door” and “chopping in the woods”?
