Press Release, Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District
ALBION – On Saturday groups of enthusiastic volunteers came to participate in the American Littoral Society’s annual New York State Shoreline Cleanup and collected 311 pounds of trash.
The local cleanup is overseen and organized by the Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District. The volunteers, consisting of USDA employees, 4-H members and Girl Scout Troop 82007 were split into groups and sent to different locations to remove litter from nearby waterways.
This year’s cleanup sites were Oak Orchard Dam, Canal Widewaters, Glenwood Lake and Point Breeze. The groups met up at Bullard Park in Albion to receive instructions and materials before getting sent to their respective sites.
Girl Scout Troop 82007 hunted down lots of litter.
Every piece of debris collected was categorized and recorded on data sheets, which were then summarized and sent back to the American Littoral Society. The Littoral Society uses the data from groups across the country for statistical analysis. This allows them to observe and track trends in sources of trash.
Some of the more commonly found items this year were used masks and cans, with a few unusual finds such as a kiddie pool. This event was sponsored locally by the Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District in conjunction with the Orleans County Water Quality Coordinating Committee.
The Soil & Water crew includes from left: Katie Sommerfeldt, Megan McAnn and Melissa Rivelis.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 September 2021 at 12:01 pm
The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has announced its annual award winners with Takeform in Medina to receive the Business of the Year during a banquet on Oct. 21 at the White Birch in Lyndonville.
Takeform has been expanding in recent years and currently has about 200 employees. The company on Maple Ridge Road in Medina stresses community service for its employees and strives to take care of its employees, said Darlene Hartway, Chamber executive director.
Takeform also adapted quickly during the Covid-19 pandemic and assisted many businesses with signage and partitions to meet state regulations for keeping businesses open to the public. The company retooled to offer floor markers, protective shields, sanitizer/PPE stations and other products during the pandemic.
Takeform has been an active participant in Medina’s Parade of Lights, either by building elaborate floats or helping to dress up Rotary Park in the holiday spirit.
Many Takeform employees also join in the United Way’s Day of Caring, Hartway said.
Other Chamber award winners include:
Lifetime achievement: Lance Mark – The Medina attorney has been a long-time supporter of the Chamber, serving on numerous committees and as a sponsor of events. He also has served on other community boards, including Orleans Community health (Medina Memorial Hospital).
Jim Nowaczewski opened HeBrews 5:9 in Albion late November and last week opened a second HeBrews shop in Medina.
New Business of the Year: HeBrews 5:9 – Jim Nowaczewski opened the coffee shop in Albion on Nov. 28. The response exceeded his expectations so much that he opened a second location in Medina last week.
Nowaczewski offers more than coffee and baked goods. He takes prayer requests and encourages people to write those down on a “Prayer Wall.” He offers a space for people to socialize.
“He is more community minded than coffee minded,” Hartway said. “It’s a place to meet in the downtown. He treats people well and sets an example.”
Small Business of the Year: The Lockstone – Natasha Wasuck and her husband John Hernandez have turned a former auto repair site on North Main Street into an ice cream shop called Tinsel and a wedding and events venue, The Lockstone.
The couple also added outdoor space during the pandemic for weddings. The building also includes “The Kitchen,” a private event room used for celebrations and community meetings.
“They’ve done a great revamping that facility,” Hartway said. “They adapted to Covid regulations and added outdoor space.”
Community Service Award: Oak Orchard Health – The health care center has added sites and staff in recent years, expanding next door to its Albion location, acquiring a former doctor’s office in Lyndonville, and offering services with the Orleans County Mental Health Department.
Oak Orchard provides many services to farmworkers, but its mission is to serve the entire community. During the pandemic it has offered Covid testing and vaccines.
Rob and Rachel Kaiser have turned the Wildwood KOA into a big destination for Orleans County. They are shown with a fire truck they keep at the campground. They give kids rides on the fire truck and host a fire truck parade with many local fire departments participating.
Hidden Gem: The Wildwood KOA – The campground in Ridgeway has had its busiest years during the pandemic with more people looking for getaways without travelling too far.
Rob and Rachel Kaiser have owned the campground north of Ridge Road on Countyline Road for 18 years. They have nearly 350 sites at the campground and have two heated swimming pools, a jumping pillow, game room, on-site winery, peddle boats, a water slide and lots of other activities. On many days there are 1,300 or more people on site.
“It’s good family bonding here,” Mr. Kaiser said. “We create memories.”
Business Person of the Year: Robert Batt – The executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension was able to pull off a very successful Orleans County 4-H Fair in late July, despite shifting regulations and uncertainty due to the Covid pandemic.
He also welcomed other events to the fairgrounds, and used the space for frequent food distributions and Covid testing clinics.
The Bent’s Opera House has been given a stunning new look and restoration at one of Medina’s most dominant structures on Main Street.
Phoenix Award: Bent’s Opera House – Roger Hungerford and Talis Equity worked for three years to restore the Bent’s Opera House, a long dormant structure on Main Street. The site reopened in June with a farm-to-table Harvest Restaurant on the first floor. Bent’s also has boutique hotel rooms on the second floor and an events center on the third floor with a stage.
The building was constructed in 1864-1865, opening during the Civil War. It is one of the oldest surviving opera houses in the United States.
“They took an old building and redid it,” Hartway said. “They’ve done a great job. It’s a nice asset for our county to have something of that level.”
Lora Partyka is pictured with her sons, Steve and Scott, in this photo from August 2014. The sons are partners in the business with their mother and father, Jeff.
Agricultural Business of the Year: Partyka Farms – The Partyka family runs a fruit farm, farm market, restaurant and gift shop. The family sponsors numerous events in the Kendall community. They have been a mainstay in the Kendall community.
2 special recognition awards: The Chamber will also recognize Ken DeRoller and John DeFilipps, two Orleans County legislators who are retiring on Dec. 31. Both have been very engaged elected officials, pushing along projects in the county and being effective advocates for the community.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 September 2021 at 9:09 am
Ceremony also acknowledges courage of residents, staff during Covid pandemic
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – These 30 white bags had lights in honor of the 30 residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center who passed away after getting Covid-19.
Orchard held a reflection service at 7 p.m. Tuesday outside at the front entrance of the site on Bates Road.
Martin MacKenzie, Orchard’s administrator, praised the staff for their courage in providing care and service to the residents at Orchard. Those residents also showed strength, often encouraging the staff during a scary time, MacKenzie said.
About 80 staff members and 100 residents contracted Covid during the pandemic.
He said the virus doesn’t discriminate, infecting people from all backgrounds and circumstances.
“The staff and residents deserve recognition for what they have been through,” MacKenzie said. “The pandemic hasn’t passed but we wanted to recognize what the facility has accomplished.”
He also thanked the Medina Fire Department, the Department of Health at the state and county levels, the National Guard and the Orleans County Emergency Management Office which provided expertise, service and PPE supplies.
Many local residents and businesses also have sent pizza and other expressions of love during a tough time.
“The community support has been absolutely phenomenal for this facility,” MacKenzie said.
Mary Luckman, director of nursing at Orchard, lights a candle in memory of the 30 residents who died due to Covid. Pam Shirback, whose husband passed away from Covid, also lighted one of the candles during the service.
Shirback posted on Orchard’s Facebook page that the service “was a wonderful tribute to both those residents who passed away during the Covid outbreak in 2020, and those who stayed by their sides to care for them at the risk of endangering their own lives.”
She also thanked an honor guard of local veterans and the Medina Fire Department for attending the ceremony
Of the 30 residents who passed away due to Covid at Orchard, six were veterans. The local honor guard did three volleys of a gun salute in honor of the deceased veterans.
Brad Nudd served as the bugler in playing Taps.
The Rev. Dan Thurber, pastor of Oak Orchard Assembly of God Church, offered a prayer during the service.
“We mourn the passing of each dear soul,” Thurber said.
He used to lead church services at Orchard, but during much of the pandemic outside visitors haven’t been allowed. Just two days ago on Monday, Orchard announced it had to temporary suspend indoor visits due to the Covid transmission rate passing 10 percent in Orleans County. The facility will make accommodations for end-of-life or compassionate care.
After the service this group gathered under the canopy near the front entrance. There were cookies available in the shape of butterflies.
Orchard unveiled a new butterfly garden and a plaque in the garden that stated: “Dedicated to the memory of the lives lost and the brave staff who cared for the sick during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: Dee Robinson, the archivist at Hoag Library, shares a folder of news clippings and magazine articles about the late Charles W. Howard, who founded a Santa Claus School in Albion in 1937 and ran it until his death in 1966. The school continues in his name in Midland, Mich.
Press Release, Albion Central School
ALBION – Four seventh grade school students recently spent a day researching the life of Albion’s famous Santa Claus, Charles W. Howard.
Olivia Andrews, Brooke Doty, Grace Nesbitt and Ava Woolston visited Mt. Albion Cemetery and met with Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper, Hoag Library Archivist Delia Robinson, former Christmas Park employee Jack Miles and former historian Bill Lattin.
The students, along with others in Tim Archer’s Service Learning class, are working on a booklet about Howard. Once finished, the booklet will be distributed to local libraries. It will be unveiled on December 10 at the Hoag Library.
Community members are welcome to attend, and anyone with artifacts from the former Christmas Park can contact Mr. Archer or the Hoag Library to showcase their items at the event in December.
Jack Miles, who is retired as Town of Albion highway superintendent, used to work at Christmas Park. He shows the students the fireplace at the former site near the intersection of Phipps Road and Route 31.
WASHINGTON, DC – Late last week, Senator Gillibrand called on the Biden administration to allow vaccinated Canadians to travel to the U.S. for non-essential travel through all ports of entry.
The land border closure has placed severe economic strains on the supply chains of New York businesses, hospitals, and medical equipment providers that rely on travel across the northern border to stay afloat and produce essential goods and services.
Cross-border families, including those of service members at Fort Drum, are separated by this policy unless they can afford air travel. The closure and loss of Canadian business costs the U.S. economy $1.5 billion each month and $665-855 million annually in Erie County alone. Gillibrand, along with several of her Democratic colleagues, asked President Biden to lift travel restrictions, create a public plan to reopen land ports of entry to vaccinated Canadians, and appoint an interagency lead to spearhead coordination.
“New York and Canada have a valuable economic partnership that has been deeply affected by travel restrictions put in place to prioritize the health and safety of so many New Yorkers who live along the border,” Gillibrand said. “However, the circumstances have changed and it’s time to allow fully vaccinated Canadians to travel safely into the United States across the northern border. Countless New Yorkers and medical providers depend on travel across the northern border to stay afloat. I am encouraged by President Biden’s announcement to ease travel restrictions in the EU, UK, and parts of Asia starting in November, and I encourage the administration to make reopening the Canadian land border a top priority.”
Since March of 2020, travel along the U.S.-Canadian border has been severely restricted by the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in significant disruptions to New York communities, businesses and families.
In July, Gillibrand applauded Canada’s decision to reopen the border to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens, even as the U.S. government extended its ban on non-essential travel from Canada. Gillibrand has been a vocal advocate for safely reopening the U.S.-Canadian border. Since the onset of the pandemic, she has requested guidance from both the Biden and Trump administrations to understand how closures and quarantines would affect New York’s bordering communities and to ensure all necessary exemptions have been made in the interest of public health and safety.
In addition to Senator Gillibrand, this letter was signed by Senators Shaheen (D-NH), Hassan (D-NH), King (I-ME), Tester (D-MT), Stabenow (D-MI), Peters (D-MI), and Klobuchar (D-MN).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 September 2021 at 1:04 pm
Ashleigh Stornelli called great role model in community
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – State Sen. Rob Ortt presents Ashleigh Stornelli with the “Woman of Distinction” award for the 62nd Senate District during a presentation today at the Orleans County Public Safety Building. Sheriff Chris Bourke is in back left.
Ortt and the other state senators can each pick one person in their district for the honor. Ortt said he wanted to highlight a woman working in law enforcement for the award. He wanted the award to go to a woman with high character and who is recognized as a role model.
Sheriff Bourke suggested Stornelli, who has worked in the Sheriff’s Office for six years after starting with the Holley Police Department.
“She is an excellent person and she does a great job for us,” Bourke said during an awards presentation today in the Sheriff’s Office.
Stornelli spent the past three years as the school resource officer Kendall Central School.
She switched back to road patrol to have more flexibility in her schedule so she has the option of being on the county’s SWAT team.
Ortt praised Stornelli for building positive relationships at the Kendall school district and for her training in de-escalating situations with people in a mental health crisis.
Deputy Ashleigh Stornelli accepts the “Woman of Distinction” award today. She was joined by family members, including her husband Trey, son Iziah, daughter Elliana, mother Cheri Poler, and grandmother Theresa Poler.
The award is usually presented in the State Capitol but that ceremony with all 63 award winners throughout the state isn’t happening in Albany due to Covid-19 concerns. Ortt wanted to present the recognition for Stornelli in front of her family and some of her colleagues at the Sheriff’s Office.
Stornell said she gives “110 percent” to the career.
“I take my job extremely seriously and I take it to heart,” she said.
She thanked the sheriff for giving her a chance six years ago when she was hired as a deputy.
Bourke praised her for developing a safety program at Kendall school district and for connecting with many of the students, including having them try a DWI simulator to show the impact of getting behind the wheel while impaired.
Ashleigh Stornelli laughs at a comment from State Sen. Rob Ortt. He praised her for wanting to advance her career in the Sheriff’s Office.
“In a field that is dominated by men to have a kick-ass woman I think is pretty good,” he said.
Stornelli also was congratulated by County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson and County legislator Ken DeRoller. They praised the Kendall school district for its support of having a deputy work in the district as a school resource officer.
Stornelli grew up in Lyndonville and graduated in Lyndonville’s Class of 2010. She played soccer, basketball, and track at Lyndonville, and then earned an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice at Genesee Community College.
In 2014 she joined the Army National Guard as a 32B — Military Police Officer. She graduated from the 42nd Military Police Company in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in February 2015, and was stationed at the 222nd Military Police Company in Rochester for six years.
In 2015, she was accepted into the Erie County Community College Police Academy and graduated with the 126th Basic Academy Class.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 September 2021 at 8:57 am
HOLLEY – A village resident wants the Holley Village Board to no longer have the canalway trail named in honor of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The trail was dedicated for Cuomo on Aug. 9, 2000. At the time Cuomo was secretary of the federal Housing and Urban Development. In that role, he pushed through a $300 million “Canal Corridor Initiative” for canal communities to upgrade public spaces and also assist some businesses.
He arrived in person by boat at Holley just over 20 years ago with his then wife and his daughters for the ceremony.
Holley used nearly $1 million to develop the canal trail and a canal park that also includes a gazebo, docks, a paved path, public bathrooms with showers, a playground, pond and other amenities. There are two large Medina sandstone signs at each end of the trail, declaring the path as the “Andrew Cuomo Canalway Trail.”
Kerri Neale said Cuomo has disgraced himself with the sexual harassment allegations, which led to his resignation on Aug. 24. Neale will address the Village Board during its meeting at 6 p.m. today at the Holley Gardens, the former Holley High School where the village now has its offices.
He said the village’s “beautiful park” shouldn’t be name Cuomo, who also faces investigation about the accounting of nursing home deaths from Covid and whether he used taxpayer resources to help write a book about his response to Covid.
A cyclist enjoys the canal path last week, passing by the pond.
Neale also said many Cuomo policies have negatively impacted the area, including the SAFE Act, bail reform and the Raise the Age law for dealing with juvenile offenders in the criminal justice system.
Photo courtesy of Kerri Neale: One suggestion from resident Kerri Neale would be putting a cover on the stone sign. That would be an inexpensive remedy without chiseling off the top of the sign.
“Now that he has been disgraced and forced to resign this monument is an abomination and should be corrected,” Neale said. “We will ask the Village Board to join those who want change and find a way to make that change with little or no expense to the tax payer. It’s a beautiful piece of Medina sandstone so let’s fix it not destroy it.”
Neale said a simple fix is putting a cover on the top of the monument that excludes Cuomo’s name. He doesn’t want to see the stone be chiseled, to remove Cuomo’s name.
Kevin Lynch, the Holley mayor, said yesterday he had only received a couple messages about removing Cuomo’s name from the sign. Neale did put a post on Facebook that had 20 comments, with nearly all wanting the trail to be renamed.
Lynch is retired from the State Canal Corp. He remembers when Cuomo came to Holley for the dedication. And Lynch remembers how the canal improvements made Holley the talk of this section of the canal.
Many canal park continues to be a draw and a source of pride for the community, Lynch said.
“Before there wasn’t anywhere for boats to stop in Holley,” Lynch said.
Holley has had docks with electricity for 20 years and doesn’t charge the boaters. The gazebo is a popular place for people to relax and also hosts many concerts. The canal path is well traveled by people on walks, jogs or on bikes. Lynch said.
The mayor wants to hold off on an opinion about the issue, whether the trail should remain named for Cuomo, until hearing from the other Village Board members.
Provided photo: Demonstrating the use of a Halligan tool that helps firefighters forcibly enter buildings safely if needed is Middleport Fire Chief Ryan Czaja (second from left). Viewing his demonstration is Brent Sensenich (far left), FMC Middleport plant manager; Chief John Swick (second from right) of the Middleport Police Department; and Dr. Hank Stopinski (far right), superintendent of the Royalton-Hartland School District.
Press Release, FMC
MIDDLEPORT – FMC Corporation’s Agricultural Sciences Plant in Middleport recently hosted its annual Safety Day for plant employees featuring area first responders with various demonstrations emphasizing work, home and community safety.
Participating in the Safety Day event were the Middleport Fire Department, Middleport Police Department, Village of Middleport, Royalton-Hartland School District and WellNow Occupational Health Clinic.
Also participating were the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, which conducted an interactive simulation for employees of drug and alcohol impaired physical exercises, 3M which discussed falls protection and prevention, and OSEA which demonstrated the proper use of common dust masks.
“Safety Day is another example of how FMC is committed to ongoing safety training to help keep our employees safe at home and on the job and to benefit the local community,” said Brent Sensenich, FMC Middleport plant manager. “That commitment has enabled our plant to go more than two years as an accident and injury-free workplace without an OSHA recordable incident.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 September 2021 at 8:51 pm
157 new cases reported since Thursday in Genesee, Orleans
Six residents in Genesee County have suffered Covid-related deaths in the past two weeks, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported today.
Those deaths were all among people 65 and older.
“The local health departments are not always notified in real time of Covid-related deaths and can only report when shared by family members and other reporting sources,” the G=O Health Departments said in an update on their website. “Our deepest condolences are extended to the families and friends of these individuals during this very difficult time.”
The New York State Department of Health updates the fatality data as the state DOH receives it. The state currently shows 127 deaths in Genesee County due to Covid during the pandemic since March 2020, and 84 deaths in Orleans.
“There may be discrepancies with the count as the State compiles the data from death certificates and coroners’ reports,” G-O Health officials said.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments updated the new Covid cases since Thursday and that includes 157 in the two counties.
Genesee has 86 new cases and those individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Genesee currently has 12 residents hospitalized.
Genesee is reporting 19 more of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and been removed from mandatory isolation.
The number of active cases in the county is at 144 today, up from 85 on Sept. 16 and 86 on Sept. 13.
Orleans County is reporting 71 new cases since Thursday, and 75 recoveries of people who have completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.
The new cases include individuals who are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.
There is currently one Orleans County resident hospitalized due to Covid.
The number of active cases in Orleans is at 113 today, compared to 119 on Sept. 16 and 97 on Sept. 13.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 20 September 2021 at 3:41 pm
LYNDONVILLE – A young Lyndonville boy who has battled cancer since birth has just had his wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York.
Odin greets one of the two sheep provided by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York. Fire companies from Shelby, East Shelby, Medina, Lyndonville, Ridgeway and Murray will conduct a boot drive throughout Orleans County on Saturday to benefit Make-A-Wish.
Odin, 5, was diagnosed as a baby with a rare and critical form of brain cancer, according to Kate Glaser, senior manager of Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement for Make-A-Wish in Buffalo.
He has been through many rounds of chemotherapy and was declared cancer free, although he still has routine scans to make sure he is still in remission.
Odin’s wish for a sheep farm was granted, and included two sheep (twin sisters) and fencing to go around the perimeter of the property. The family has many more animals, so the fencing will keep Odin’s sheep and the other farm animals protected, Glaser said.
Make-A-Wish also provided vetting for the sheep and other essentials, including a sign that read “Odin’s Acre.”
On Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon, several Orleans County fire companies will do a boot drive to support Make-a-Wish, according to Tim Petry from Shelby Fire Company.
Firefighters from Shelby, East Shelby, Lyndonville, Medina, Ridgeway and Murray will be at key locations to collect contributions from drivers.
East Shelby, Shelby and Murray will be at Routes 63 and 31A in Medina; Medina Fire Company will be at Main and Center streets; and Lyndonville and Ridgeway will be at Routes 63 and 104 in Ridgeway.
The firefighters will present their donation during the Make-A-Wish Radiothon on 97 Rock Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
Odin, 5-year-old son of Jim and Jodi Manning-Utter of Lyndonville, proudly displays a sign for his acre of land where Make-A-Wish built a fence and granted Odin his wish of two sheep.
$627,000 project includes new boat ramp and abutment, sloping of roadway to the new boat ramp, and regrading remaining portion of roadway
Rendering courtesy of Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative: The rebuilt boat launch will have floating walkways that tie into the concrete ramp.
Press Release, New York Department of State
CARLTON – The New York Department of State announced the start of construction of a $627,000 resiliency project awarded to Orleans County, through the State’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI).
The Point Breeze Boat Launch is located near the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek, within Oak Orchard Harbor, in the Town of Carlton. During the historic flooding of 2019, the boat ramp became submerged, preventing access to the floating docks, and forcing the boat launch to be closed.
This project seeks to mitigate future flooding of the Point Breeze Boat Launch, ensuring recreational boaters have continued access to the dock system, the boat launch ramps, and to local businesses and popular tourist attractions. The boat launch, which was open to the public this season, is now closed in preparation for construction and will reopen in the Spring of 2022.
New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, “Through the REDI initiative, we are helping Lake Ontario communities revitalize their waterfronts and strengthen resiliency against future flooding and low water events as well as climate change. The improvements underway at Carlton’s Point Breeze Boat Launch will help enhance accessibility to the docks and create safer and more flood resilient conditions for residents and visitors. The Department of State is proud to work with Orleans County and its elected officials to help protect this important recreational asset and bolster the local economy.”
Resiliency measures to be implemented in this project include:
Installation of new boat ramp and abutment above high water level;
Sloping of roadway to the new boat ramp; and
Regrading remaining portion of roadway.
State Senator Robert Ortt said, “I thank New York State and the Lake Ontario REDI Commission for addressing the need for this new boat launch at Breeze Point. By installing this improved launch, we are resolving a water access issue that exists for local boaters during flooding events. With this update, boaters will now spend less time on the road searching for different launch sites during times of high water, and more time on the water with family and friends enjoying our state’s valuable resources.”
Assemblyman Stephen Hawley said, “When it comes to projects like the Point Breeze Boat Launch site, time is of the essence. We saw how urgent the need for this work was in 2019 when the boat ramp became submerged, so I am glad this project will be breaking ground shortly so that the launch can reopen as planned in the spring of 2022.”
Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynn Johnson said, “The Point Breeze Boat Launch provides a gateway to Oak Orchard Creek and Lake Ontario for economic, recreational and tourist activities. During the Lake Ontario high water events of 2017 and 2019 the Point Breeze Boat Launch became partially submerged resulting in limited access to safely launch boats. Thanks to the efforts of the REDI Commission, we can fortify a very important piece of County infrastructure and sustain long-term use. These improvements will make our infrastructure more resilient to future high-water events while improving our ability to support economic and recreational activities.”
Town of Carlton Supervisor Gayle Ashbery said, “When the Point Breeze Boat Launch is forced to be closed during high water events, the businesses that call Oak Orchard Harbor home pay the price. The work that is being undertaken will support our local businesses by ensuring that the launch remain open and accessible to both residents and visitors of Carlton. REDI continues to show the positive path that can be taken when state and local governments work in tandem.”
In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, REDI was created to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region. Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns.
The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties in the REDI regions. The remaining $235 million has been allocated towards local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission.
Photos courtesy of ACS: The Homecoming Court consisted of from left: King Jahmeek Riley and Queen Leah Pritchard, Prince Pom Siebert (missing from photo) and Princess Hannah Moyer, Duchess Sophia Albanese and Duke Finn McCue, and Lady Mackenzie Snook and Lord Seth Krenning.
Press Release, Albion Central School
ALBION – Homecoming week was back in full force last week at Albion Central School District. Students in the high school participated in dress up days, hall decorating and pep rally games all week while the Purple Eagle athletes were busy in action on the court and the field.
Monday’s character day winner was Emily Graham. Throwback Trends on Tuesday was done best by Adrian Kingdollar while Camryn London won best dressed for Wednesday’s Holiday Day. On Thursday, each class was assigned a color to wear. Freshman Julia Knight, Sophomore Autumn Flugel, Junior Alexis Hess and Senior Leah Kania donned their colors the best. Friday’s Spirit Day winner was Kira Zambito while the all-around winner of the week was Ethan Ferchen.
The Hall Decorating competition went strictly by class: Seniors in first, juniors in second, sophomores in third and freshmen in fourth. Seniors also won the musical spots competition while juniors provided the upset in hungry hippos. Faculty prevailed over the seniors in both male and female tug of war.
The Purple Eagles battled in volleyball Friday night while football capped off an exciting spirit day with a 42-16 victory. Super Soccer Saturday featured a raucous crowd to cap off a successful 2021 homecoming week.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 20 September 2021 at 10:39 am
Photos courtesy of Katrina Chaffee
MEDINA – Santa Claus traded his sleigh for a motorcycle for a ride in Orleans County on Sunday to benefit the toy drive this holiday season for to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.
The Orleans County Chapter of American Bikers Aimed Towards Education (ABATE) started the ride at the Ridgeway fire hall and proceeded throughout the county, ending at the Medina VFW. The effort raised $529 and also many toys.
Matt Tracey of ABATE holds some of the gifts that are headed to Community Action to be given away for its annual toy drive in December.
For more than 30 years, ABATE has collected toys and cash donations to support holiday programs in the area.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 September 2021 at 8:58 am
Photo from Lakeside Beach State Park: This photo shows someone throwing a frisbee at one of the baskets on the disc golf course at Lakeside in Carlton.
MEDINA – The YMCA in Orleans County is looking for a partner in developing an 18-hole disc golf course.
The Y received a grant for $20,000 to $24,000 for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to develop a course with tee boxes, signs and baskets that are mounted in small concrete foundations – 8 inches wide by 20 inches deep.
Each hole is about an acre so 18 acres would be ideal for the course, said Greg Reed, YMCA director.
He would like the course to be in either the Albion area or Medina and has reached to local officials and hasn’t been able to finalize an agreement.
Reed thought Bullard Park in Albion would ideal for the course, but village officials declined, saying it wasn’t part of the plan for the space. A Bullard Park committee already developed a long-range plan for the park with other uses, Reed said village officials told him.
Reed also is talking with Barre town officials about using part of that park on Route 98. He has approached Medina village officials about Gulf Street Park but that space has neighbors close by and doesn’t have enough room for an 18-hole course. It would be big enough for a 9-hole course, Reed said.
He also said the park area by Glenwood Lake in Ridgeway could be utilized for disc golf. Another possibility for Medina would be to use vacant land in the Medina Business Park with the understanding if a business was ready to build on the acres the disc golf course would have to be removed.
Reed said the courses are “transient” and could easily be taken out and put somewhere else.
The grant from the Wilson Foundation includes utilizing the WNY Disc Golf Association as a design consultant on the course.
The courses tend to be on a mix of open land and paths in wooded areas.
“You want obstacles,” Reed said. “That’s what makes it more fun.”
Reed applied for the Wilson Foundation grant during a time of indoor Covid restrictions on gyms and fitness centers. He was looking for a way to get people outside and active.
He would like to form leagues to have regular players on the course, which would also be open to others who just want to give it a try.
“It’s an inexpensive, anyone-can-do-it-type thing,” Reed said.
He envisions utilized the course for YMCA summer youth programming and day camps.
Reed said there are disc golf courses at Lakeside Beach State Park in Carlton, Golden Hill State Park just across the county line in Barker, and in the Town Sweden, near the Holley community in eastern Orleans. He considers the Medina and Albion areas to be “disc golf deserts.”
A stipulation of the grant says the project needs to be in place by June 2022.
100,000 plus Native children were voluntarily or forcibly removed form homes and sent to schools far away
Press Release, Community Coalition for Justice
ALBION – Kae Wilbert of Albion, a Cherokee descendant and retired Churchville-Chili School music teacher, will make a presentation about Native American boarding schools on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Hoag Library with discussion to follow.
From 1869 to the 1960’s, more than 100,000 “U.S. Native children that were voluntarily or forcibly removed from their homes, families, and communities during this time, were taken to schools far away…”
The quote above from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition continues, “… they were punished for speaking their native language, banned from acting in any way that might be seen to represent traditional or cultural practices, stripped of traditional clothing, hair and personal belongings and behaviors reflective of their native culture.”
Wilbert, who also is on the Friends of Ganondagan Board of Directors, is a member of the local Community Coalition for Justice, a group of local church and civic organizations, which is sponsoring this event. This will be part of a series of talks on racial justice.
Quoting Michelle Obama during her visit to a current Native school: “As we all know, this school was founded as part of a deliberate, systematic effort to extinguish your culture; to literally annihilate who you were and what you believed in.”
The government operated and often church-run boarding schools numbered nearly 400. There were also numerous boarding schools for Indigenous children in Canada with similar circumstances. Neither government has revealed records indicating what happened to all these children and whether they survived or were ever reunited with their families.
The Healing Coalitions (NABS), among many other entities, are working to heal the multi-generational trauma of the boarding school legacy. They urge us to: “Break the silence, begin the healing.”
This evening talk will introduce you to this history and the decades of work done since to heal the ongoing effects of this trauma.
This is part of a series of programs on racial justice. Next, Herb Smith, Eastman grad and only Black member of the Rochester Philharmonic, will address “Race in Music,” Oct. 20 at the Hoag.
