Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The top photo shows the Orleans County Department of Public Works on Wednesday working on the front area of the Orleans County Courthouse, facing East State Street.

The DPW has removed the sidewalks and wide walkway leading from the street to the historic building from 1858.

This photo from this afternoon shows the front area leading to the building without any concrete sidewalks. New ones will soon be going in that will be 12 feet wide, much slimmer than the previous ones.

The County Legislature has set aside $50,000 to replace sidewalks, upgrade landscaping, and relocate existing light fixtures at the Courthouse Square.

It’s part of several improvements at the site. The county also replaced the roof hatch and sealed the cupola. The sealed cupola should stop water from leaking inside. The hatch, which is used for workers to access the cupola and top of the dome, had deteriorated.

Photo courtesy of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center

MEDINA – Jamie Murphy, activities director at Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, presents Medina firefighters with brownies and posters made by Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center residents in observance of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack. Pictured from left include: Andy Steel, Tim Miller, Paul Urquhart, Jamie Murphy, Mike Young, Nick Lee and Andrew Cheverie.

Courtesy of Orleans EDA in 2017: The Orleans Economic Development Agency is commissioning a traffic for the area around the Medina Business Park – Maple Ridge Road, Bates Road, Waterworks Road and Sanderson Road.

MEDINA – The Orleans Economic Development Agency today voted to spend $13,500 to have a traffic study done in the area near the Medina Business Park.

LaBella Associates will do the study and will be reaching out the state Department of Transportation for traffic counts and other input.

LaBella will be asked to determine if turning lanes, stop signs or traffic devices are needed, as well as possibly widening roads and looking at potential traffic flow at the Keppler site, which has about 125 acres south of Maple Ridge Road near Waterworks Road.

The EDA has pressed the DOT in the recent past for a left turning lane on Maple Ridge at the Bates Road intersection, but that hasn’t been approved.

The area will see more traffic with an expansion by Western New York Energy and the soon-to-open Cobblestone Suites hotel with 58 rooms on Maple Ridge. BOMET Recovery also has purchased 10 acres of land from the EDA for a new 37,000-square foot facility at 100 Marcia Tuohey Way, the northside of the road facing Bates Road.

The EDA also is promoting about 300 vacant acres of certified shovel-ready land at the business park.

The EDA expects those acres will have businesses with several hundred employees and many truck deliveries in the future.

The traffic study will look at the current situation and projections for the future, and what will be needed to ease traffic flow and make it safer.

The study will likely be used by the EDA and local officials to press for any needed improvements and funding assistance.

Provided photos: Congressman Chris Jacobs toured the Iroquois Job Corps on Thursday. He commended students for preparing for careers in trades and healthcare.

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs

SHELBY – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) toured the Iroquois Job Corps Center in Shelby on Thursday.

“Our region, and much of the country, faces an aging workforce in trades and a lack of younger, qualified individuals to carry the torch. That is why the work the Iroquois Job Corps is doing is so critical,” Jacobs said. “This center, and ones like it around the country, are giving young adults hands-on training in various trades that have immediate career potential following their graduation. In addition, they are providing young adults in high-risk situations with a second chance and the opportunities and resources to succeed.”

Jacobs’ visit included a tour of the carpentry, medical care, electrical, masonry, and educational facilities at the Iroquois Job Corps campus in Medina. In addition, Jacobs met with instructors and students from the various programs to learn about the work they are doing and the opportunities available.

“I commend the leadership team and the instructors at the Iroquois Job Corps Center for the incredible work they are doing and the impressive education they are providing. This center is integral to maintaining our region’s strong workforce and economic prosperity,” Jacobs said. “I urge any young adult considering a career in the trades to reach out to the center to learn more about the opportunities available.”

Jacobs saw up close how students are skilled with tools.

Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from April 2019 shows the former Odd Fellows Building in Holley’s Public Square.

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley Development Corporation has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant Program to put a new roof on the Odd Fellows Hall, located at 89 Public Square.

Dan Schiavone, president of Holley Development Corp., announced the funding today. The grant was made possible by the National Park Service Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Fund and is a partnership between the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Landmark Society of Western New York.

The Odd Fellows Hall was built in 1890 building. It is at the northeast corner of the historic Public Square.

“It is the hope of the Village of Holley Development Corporation that this grant will ensure the preservation of this historic component of the Public Square,” Schiavone said. “It is also our hope that a new roof will attract potential developers who might further renovate and bring new life to this very important building.”

The building in 2019 was named to the “Five to Revive” list by the Landmark Society, an annual list that tries to bring funding an attention to important sites in the region.

The village has been working to save the building and find a developer for the site. Holley wants to avoid another scenario where the building is bought and then left to sit empty, gradually deteriorating, Schiavone said.

That LDC owns the building, which was given to the LDC by the previous owner who bought it at the county tax foreclosure auction. The owner bid online from Florida. She saw it as an investment, but no tenants or new buyers emerged.

The village stepped in, not wanting to see the building fall in disrepair and have to be torn down.

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a free drive-through anti-rabies immunization clinic on Thursday, September 16^th, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia).

“Rabies continues to be a public health issue in Genesee County. We urge pet owners to take this opportunity to ensure their pets are protected against rabies,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Our drive-through clinics are well organized, run very smoothly and prevent animals from getting into any altercations with other animals.”

Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car maximum.

Face coverings are recommended and please follow all social distancing requirements.

To save time, click here to fill out the registration form in advance. Be sure to print out two copies for each pet to be vaccinated and bring them to the clinic.

The next anti-rabies immunization clinic in Orleans County will be held on October 2nd at the Orleans County Fairgrounds (12690 Rt. 31 in Albion) from 9 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, please contact the Orleans County Health Department: 585-589-3278 or OCPublicHealth@orleanscountyny.gov.

The next anti- rabies immunization clinic in Genesee County will be held on October 14th. For more information, please contact the Genesee County Health Department: 585-344-2580 x5555 or Health.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us.

Provided photos: Dudley Gilbert is shown when he was a state trooper and met actor David Spade in New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – Anyone who was at a certain age can tell you where they were on Sept. 11, 2001.  Orleans Career and Technical Education Center Security and Law Enforcement teacher Dudley Gilbert was a State Trooper at Post 31 (Lower Niagara Region).

“I was in Starbucks getting a drink and I saw the TV reports of the first plane crashing into the World Trade Center,” he recalled.

When he stopped at the Thruway toll and went into the employee lounge he saw the live footage of the second plane hitting.

“I knew in my mind that I would be sent to New York City that night,” he said. “I was a 14-year veteran and I volunteered to go. I was told to pack enough clothes for 10 days.”

Dudley Gilbert said there were papers floating all over when the trade towers fell.

Gilbert and his partner Nick Johnson, with the rest of the Troopers, were briefed at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York and then were dispatched to the city where they arrived in the early evening.

“I will never forget it,” he said. “It was awful. It smelled like fuel, very acrid, and there were papers floating around and clouds of debris everywhere. It looked like it was snowing. It was surreal. A memory that really sticks out in my mind was walking with a Port Authority officer at the site and he reached down in the debris and pulled another Port Authority officer’s hat out of the debris. You knew that he knew who it belonged to and it was just so heartbreaking.”

The Troopers were sent to direct traffic over several days and sift through the debris for wallets, ID, jewelry and body parts, anything that would help to identify the victims.

“When we came upon the remains of a law enforcement officer, firefighter or EMT, we all stopped what we were doing and saluted as they carried them off. It was brutal.  We were working 12 hour days and had to get decontaminated along with our vehicles before we left for our hotels at the end of the day.”  Other duties were escorting Wall Street executives back into the financial district because there was a fear that there would be financial terrorism.  “We had to warn them that once they got off the shuttle that we could not protect them.  It was very frightening for them as you can imagine.”

Dudley Gilbert is shown with a fellow state trooper in New York City after the World Trade Centers towers collapsed.

The Troopers were rotated out every seven days and Gilbert’s team were the first ones in and the last ones to leave.

“I cycled six times,” he said. “My last rotation was in April of 2002. I think that despite the horror of that day and the aftermath, what really sticks out is how kind and supportive the city was to us. They really rolled out the red carpet. Celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Paul Prudhomme made us meals, the Red Cross had chiropractors help to adjust us after working those long days. Celebrities were stopping us and thanking us for what we were doing. One of the most touching things was driving down the Westside Highway and having throngs of people holding up signs that read ‘thank you’ and clapping for us. It was very moving.”

Gilbert shares his stories with his class every year and shows them the photos that he took.

“I know the students I have had throughout the years were babies or not even alive when this happened,” he said. “But it is so important to share what happened that day and honor all those who responded. It is something that should never be forgotten.”

Many firefighters, law enforcement officers and other first responders responded to the scene after the two buildings came down.

Genesee and Orleans counties both are reporting more active Covid cases today, two days after they showed a drop from the previous Thursday.

There are 144 active cases in the two counties today, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. That is up from 112 on Tuesday. Orleans has gone from 59 to 77, and Genesee is up from 53 to 67 since Tuesday.

A week ago there were 166 active cases in the two counties – 96 in Orleans and 70 in Genesee.

The G-O Health Departments in the update today said there are 35 new cases in Orleans since Tuesday. Those new cases include people in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

There are currently three Orleans residents hospitalized due to Covid.

The county also reported 17 more of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and been removed from mandatory isolation.

Genesee County is reporting 27 new positive cases since Tuesday, and those people are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 90s.

There are currently 16 Genesee residents hospitalized due to Covid.

The county is reporting 13 more of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and been removed from mandatory isolation.

For more information about Covid from the G-O Health Departments, click here.

Two local State Assembly members – Steve Hawley of Batavia and Michael Norris of Lockport – are among 42 members of the State Assembly who have signed on a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul and Health Commissioner Zucker to reverse the decision to mandate vaccination of healthcare workers.

The Assembly members say that any public health benefit a mandate would provide would be outweighed by the detriment such a requirement would have on staffing levels within hospitals and health centers, as 20-25% of health workers within New York are unvaccinated.

Hawley asserts that rather than implementing this mandate and potentially losing nearly a quarter of the state’s healthcare staff, an option for frequent and regular testing for unvaccinated people should be offered and access to effective PPE such as N95 masks should be increased.

“Losing even a fraction of our medical personnel in this time of need would have a catastrophic effect on our efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and to think we could lose a quarter or a fifth of our already-overburdened healthcare workers is incredibly troubling,” Hawley said in a news release.

Hawley also is concerned about how the mandate will affect people who either cannot be vaccinated due to their medical circumstances, and those who work remotely like coders and transcriptionists who do not come into contact with patients.

“We need to be pragmatic about how we fight this virus, and while I encourage anyone to get the Covid-19 vaccine and believe it’s safe and effective, forcing nurses, doctors and other health staff who have worked tirelessly throughout these last many months to choose between taking a vaccine or losing their jobs is not going to convince any skeptics that efforts to increase vaccine rates are well-intended,” Hawley said.

Press Release, Scripps Research

Jeffery Kelly, a 1978 Medina graduate, is making progress with research in fighting amyloid plaques. (Photo from Scripps Research)

LA JOLLA, CA – Pioneering biochemist Jeffery Kelly, PhD, has been awarded a $3 million Breakthrough Prize for demonstrating that nervous system and heart diseases can be caused by protein clumping-associated toxicity, and for inventing a medication to slow progression of such diseases.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Kelly is a 1978 graduate of Medina High School. He is the son of Janice Kelly-Mack and the late John W. Kelly. He heads The Kelly Laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute, one of the world’s largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. The SRI employs about 3,000 people in La Jolla, Calif. and Jupiter, Fla. Kelly works out of the La Jolla campus in San Diego.

The 2022 Breakthrough Prizes in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics are recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious science prizes. Kelly’s award, one of three life science prizes announced today, recognizes transformative advances in the understanding of neurological disease.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive the Breakthrough Prize and to be included in the terrific company of this year’s other recipients and those of years past,” says Kelly, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, a professor of molecular medicine, and a Scripps Research trustee.

Scripps Research President and CEO Peter Schultz, PhD, notes that Kelly has been a leader in the field of protein misfolding and aggregation, helping illuminate its role in neurodegenerative disease progression.

“His breakthrough was in translating our knowledge of protein folding diseases to a human therapeutic through rational, structure-based drug design to prevent protein aggregation,” Schultz says. “The impact of this work on patients with transthyretin cardiomyopathy has been transformational.”

In its announcement Thursday, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation noted that Kelly’s work impacts scientific understanding of Alzheimer’s and beyond. A hallmark of the brains of people with Alzheimer’s is the presence of abnormal beta-amyloid plaques.

Proteins are built from genetic instructions within the cell. As they are built, they fold into origami-like shapes that are key to their function. Mistakes in folding, or ability to maintain a fold, can create misshapen clumps inside or outside cells. This process contributes to degenerative diseases, as with alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s and beta-amyloid in Alzheimer’s.

Kelly has spent much of his career asking whether neurodegenerative disease could be stopped by preventing the clumping of a normal protein into amyloid plaques. These toxic substances can wreak havoc beyond the brain. Kelly notes that around 40 diseases have been named after the amyloid structure, including a rare inherited or sporadic condition called transthyretin amyloidosis. It leads to progressive damage to the eyes, heart, and peripheral, autonomic and central nervous systems.

Through painstaking work, Kelly designed molecules that stabilize proteins in their correct shapes, much like a stick jammed into the spokes of a wheel can stop it from turning. In this way, Kelly and colleagues created a first-in-class treatment for transthyretin amyloidosis, including cardiomyopathy, a stiffening and thickening of heart muscle. They also raised hope for treating other protein clumping diseases.

His drug tafamidis, sold under the brand names Vyndaqel® and Vyndamax®, was initially approved in more than 40 countries for treatment of polyneuropathy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and additional regulators recently approved tafamidis for treatment of the heart condition transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy.

“Through the fashioning of small molecule drugs that can stabilize proteins against abnormal protein aggregation, I think we learned two really important things,” Kelly says. “One is the process of protein aggregation really does drive neurodegeneration. The second is that treating these patients early is absolutely critical.”

To that end, Kelly is now teaming with other experts at Scripps Research on a strategy to aid early diagnosis and improve the body’s ability to clear toxic protein clumps.

“There are 40ish proteins that have the propensity to aggregate and lead to either peripheral and/or central nervous system degeneration,” Kelly says. “It has taken us 25 years to develop a drug to slow one of these, so everything we do in the lab is now focused on developing drugs that have the potential to treat multiple amyloid diseases.”

Kelly earned his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of North Carolina and went on to Rockefeller University for postdoctoral work. He joined Scripps Research in 1997, and served as dean of the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences from 2000 to 2008.

Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

WATERFORD – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is now accepting applications for its IMPACT! grant program.

The grants range from $2,500 to $12,000 and will be awarded to municipalities, not-for-profits with a 501(c)(3) designation, and federally-recognized Native American tribes within the boundaries of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

Applications are due by Friday, October 15, 2021.

“These grants provide critical funding for a host of projects that would not happen otherwise. We are eager to help communities and organizations across the state boost economic activity while safeguarding and celebrating our cherished canal heritage,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

The grant program is competitive, and applications should focus on one or more of five key priorities: showcasing the canal corridor’s distinctive sense of place, protecting canal historic and natural resources, promoting recreational opportunities, creating “must-do” travel experiences, and spurring heritage-based economic growth.

A one-to-one match consisting of non-federal support is required and the awards are distributed on a reimbursement basis at project completion.

This grant program is made possible with support from the National Park Service and the New York State Canal Corporation.

“Grants like IMPACT! allow us to be good stewards of our State’s history and land by providing us with the vital opportunity to help preserve the Canal System by boosting heritage-based economic growth along the corridor,” said New York State Canal Corporation Director Brain U. Stratton. “We at the Canal Corporation are excited to see all of this year’s applicants and their commitment to honoring the Canal System and all it has to offer.”

Applicants are strongly advised to contact program staff to discuss proposed projects prior to submitting an application. Please contact: Andy Kitzmann, 518-237-7000 x201, andy_kitzmann@partner.nps.gov.

For more information, click here.

BARRE – Two state administrative law judges have awarded $167,200 in intervenor funding to the towns of Barre and Shelby for its legal and engineering expenses to review an application for a 200 megawatt solar project covering about 2,000 acres in the two towns.

Michele M. Stefanucci and Anthony Belsito, administrative law judges, on Sept. 2 awarded $122,200 to Barre and $55,000 to Shelby. That was the exact request from each town.

As part of the application through the state Office of Renewable Energy Siting, the solar company needs to provide up to $1,000 per megawatt or up to $200,000 total for municipalities, non-profit organizations and other groups that apply for some of the funding to hire experts to review the application.

Community Energy Solar is proposing to construct and operate “Hemlock Ridge Solar.” The project was initially presented as “Orleans Solar” but Community Energy has modified the name. (Many of the solar arrays are proposed to be along Hemlock Ridge Road in Barre.)

The project is proposed to be about 80 percent in Barre and 20 percent in Shelby in a sparsely populated part of the two towns near the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. A substation would also be in Barre for the project.

The facility site will be located on approximately 2,094 acres, of which approximately 1,268 acres will be occupied by facility infrastructure and maintained for the life of the project, estimated to be at least 30 years, the company states in a filing with ORES. (Click here to see documents submitted to the NYS Department of Public Service about the project.)

The two towns, in their letters to the state requesting intervenor funds, said the money would allow the towns to defray “the cost of legal, environmental and engineering consulting services.”

The consultants will assist the towns in determining whether the proposed facility is designed to be sited, constructed, and operated in compliance with applicable local laws and regulations. Lawyers hired with the intervenor funds can also assist the towns with developing a host community agreement and a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes), which is revenue to be shared among the local taxing entities.

Press Release, County Health Departments in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming

The Community Health Assessment (CHA) is a document required by public health law that identifies the key health needs and issues of the community through systematic, comprehensive data collection; community conversations; and analysis.

The current CHA includes Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties (GOW) and covers three years (2019-2021). All three health departments along with our community partners will be starting the process of developing the new CHA that will encompass the years 2022-2024.

The Community Health Assessment is developed using a collaborative process of many partners throughout the GOW region. Local hospitals including Rochester Regional Health at United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), Orleans Community Health (OCH), and Wyoming County Community Health System (WCCHS) along with the Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming (GOW) County Departments of Public Health work collaboratively with county residents and community based organizations of the GOW Counties to develop the assessment.

“The Community Health Assessment provides us with comprehensive information about the health status, needs and issues that are facing the residents living in our communities,” stated Paul Pettit, Director of Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “The information in this assessment helps us develop our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and helps direct where our resources should be allocated to best meet the needs of our communities.”

We are seeking feedback on our current Community Health Assessment to help inform the next version of the CHA and welcome any comments and suggestions from community residents and our partners. Click here to see the current CHA and click here to fill out a survey to provide feedback for the Community Health Assessment.

BARRE – The community can share its views with the Barre Town Board during a hearing on Oct. 4 on whether Barre should allow legal marijuana dispensaries. That hearing will be 5 p.m. at the Town Hall, 14317 West Barre Rd.

Towns and villages around the state can either “opt in” or “opt out” of allowing the dispensaries, where people could purchase adult-use cannabis products.

The state has given the municipalities until Dec. 31 to make a decision. If the municipal boards don’t vote on the issue, they are considered by the state to be opting in and allowing the dispensaries, said Sean Pogue, the Barre town supervisor.

Towns and villages can opt out by Dec. 31 and then vote again in the future to opt in. That is the direction Pogue wants to see Barre take. He cited a lot of uncertainty and unknowns with the state’s new marijuana laws.

“I would feel better to opt out now,” he told the other board members during Wednesday’s monthly regular meeting. “This is so new. It’s in its infancy and there has been nothing from Albany on specific regulations.”

Municipalities also need to decide by the end of the year if they will opt out of allowing onsite consumption at businesses such as a smoking lounge.

The state has approved a 13-percent excise tax on marijuana with a breakdown that includes 9 cents for each taxable sale to the state, 3 cents to the municipality that has the dispensary, and 1 cent to the county. Municipalities that opt out wouldn’t be eligible for the 3-cent share of the 13-percent sales tax.

Towns and villages can’t overstep the state and ban recreational use of marijuana. But the towns and villages can prohibit dispensaries and smoking lounges.

If the municipal board for a village or town decides to opt out, residents could still push a permissive referendum, with the matter going on the ballot. They would need to turn in a petition by at least 10 percent of qualified voters within 45 days of the Town Board’s decision to force a public vote.