Provided photo: Pictured from left include Chris Burdick (Early Childhood Education teacher), Madison Gancasz (Barker), Rebecca Mahar-Price (Health Occupations Technician teacher), Mackenzie Clogston (Newfane), Courtney Slack (Health Occupations Technician teacher), Rebecca Berner (Royalton-Hartland) and Melissa Brigham (Allied Health teacher).

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – Orleans/Niagara BOCES is proud to announce that three of their New York State SkillsUSA champions – Madison Gancasz (Barker) for Early Childhood Education (Orleans Career and Technical Education Center (OCTEC)/Early Childhood Education), Mackenzie Clogston (Newfane) for Basic Health Care (OCTEC/Health Occupations Technician) and Rebecca Berner (Royalton-Hartland) for Health Occupations Portfolio (OCTEC/Allied Health) – placed in the top nine in the country at the National SkillsUSA competition.

This year, due to the pandemic they competed virtually against the first place winners from every state in the country, rose to the challenge and did amazingly. On June 24th at a live televised event that was broadcast at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center, the students, teachers, administrators, family and friends found out that these amazing young ladies were named in the top nine in the country at the National SkillsUSA competition.

Congratulations to them and their teachers: Christine Burdick (Early Childhood Education), Rebecca Mahar-Price and Courtney Slack (Health Occupations Technician) and Melissa Brigham (Allied Health).

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina will host rival Roy-Hart for the Section VI Class B2 title on Saturday. Here Medina’s Aiden Paul dives back to second base during the Mustangs regular season game against Roy-Hart at Gasport. Rams second baseman Ethan Kuzma awaits the throw as shortstop Thomas Russo III backs up the play.

Two very familiar foes will meet for the Section VI Class B2 baseball championship Saturday  as top seeded Medina will host No. 3 Roy-Hart at 2 p.m. at Vets Park.

This marks the third straight season that the Mustangs and Rams have met in a sectional championship game. Medina downed Roy-Hart 15-4 for the overall Section VI Class B title in 2019 after the Rams had bested the Mustangs 4-2 for the Class B2 title in 2018.

Medina scored a pair of regular season wins over Roy-Hart by margin of 9-0 and 9-1 in route to  a 12-0 Niagara-Orleans League title campaign. The league losses were the only ones for Roy-Hart which finished in the runner-up spot at 10-2.

The Mustangs advanced to the sectional finals by defeating No. 8 seed Southwestern 10-0 in the quarterfinals and No. 5 Akron 7-3 in the semis while the Rams bested No. 6 Maritime 14-4 in the quarterfinals and No. 7 Cleveland Hill 12-2 in the semis.

Both teams have received plenty of run producing power throughout their lineups during the season.

For Medina, Zack Fike, who is hitting .466, has driven in a team high 29 runs while AJ Seefeldt (.296 ave.) has 20 RBI, Corey Saj (.298) 16 RBI, Brian Fry (.451 ave.) 14 RBI, Alex Doval (.356 ave.) 13 RBI, Aiden Paul (.261 ave.) 11 RBI, Xander Payne (.349 ave.) 9 RBI, Austin Mosher (.237 ave.) 9 RBI and Joe Cecchini (.275 ave.) 8 RBI.  Fike and Cecchini have each hit two home runs and Fry one.

For Roy-Hart, Brayden Hy, who is hitting .431, has a team leading 22 RBI while Noah Stern (.387 ave.) has 20, Thomas Russo III (.377 ave.) 12 RBI, Ryan Mettler (.400 ave.) 12 RBI, Jake Gould (.260 ave.) 9 RBI, Zach Duewigger (.208 ave.) 9 RBI, John Conley (.304 ave.) 8 RBI) and Hunter Babel (.294 ave.) 8 RBI.

On the mound for Medina, Fike has registered 67 strikeouts, Payne 49 and Paul 37. For Roy-Hart, Russo has notched 78 strikeouts and Mettler 34.

Medina’s starting ‘9’ includes five seniors – Fry (shortstop), Seefeldt (second base), Mosher (catcher), Saj (centerfield) and Doval (right field); three juniors – Fike (pitcher/first base), Cecchini (third base) and Payne (pitcher/outfield) and one sophomore – Paul (pitcher/first base/outfield).

The Mustangs roster also includes the outfield trio of seniors Jack Rutkowski and Jacob Velesko and junior Hayden Woodroe.

Roy-Hart starts four freshman (Hy, Gould, Dawson Draper and Ethan Kuzma) and one sophomore (Russo) on a squad which also has three seniors (Stern,  Babel and Duewigger) and four juniors (Conley, Mettler, Jay Heideman and Gavyn Boyle who is currently out with an injury).

Medina brings a 15-1 overall record into the title contest while Roy-Hart is 13-3.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Abigail Garver moves her tassel to signify her graduation from Lyndonville Central School during commencement this evening 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 today, 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.

Cameron Brownell is handed his diploma by Susan Hrovat, vice president of the Board of Education.

Lynlee Hong accepts her diploma during the ceremony.

Senior members of the chorus sing the National Anthem led by chorus director Jennifer Trupo. The students include from left: Alissa Klinetob, Brian Cunningham, Jacob Corser, Jason Grager and Erin Kiefer.

A larger group of seniors also sang “Seasons of Love” during the ceremony.

Alexander Barry gets some laughs while delivering the salutatory address. He praised the families, teachers and staff in the district for their support of the class, especially in the past school year, when there was always the threat of disruption, cancellation or quarantine from Covid-19.

“Thank you especially to the teachers in this crazy and stressful year with the Covid rules changing,” Barry said.

Lyndonville was able to offer in-person classes five days a week this school year. There were times when students were quarantined, and Barry said the Covid restrictions “put a damper on our ability to learn.”

But he said many of the students excelled with their schoolwork. Nearly half of the class is graduating with a GPA at 90 or higher.

A year ago, Lyndonville didn’t have an in-person graduation. The district instead recorded students receiving their diplomas individually and posted a video with a compilation of all the students. There was a vehicle parade around the community.

Not having an in-person graduation and then having the July Fourth celebration cancelled last year made Barry and his classmates value those events even more this year.

“I realize just how blessed we are to live in Lyndonville,” Barry said.

Nathan Dillenbeck delivers the valedictory address. He praised his classmates for pushing each other to excel in class, in sports and in the music program. That “friendly rivalry” resulted in a class with high distinction, Dillenbeck said.

The graduates will no doubt face difficult circumstances in the future. Dillenbeck urged them to keep hope, knowing that a difficult time will get better.

Jason Smith, the district superintendent, also addressed the class and shared a message about “The power of persistence.”

Smith first said this class of graduates had new terms to contend with during their senior year, such as hand hygiene, community spread, quarantine and contract tracing – all part of the Covid pandemic.

But the students adjusted, endured and finished off the year.

Smith shared the story about Joseph Ferdinand Cheval, a postman from southeastern France. During a 33-year career delivering mail, he collected pebbles on his route. From those he created a castle with mortar and limestone. “The Temple of Nature” is now a big tourist attraction that was made one stone at a time.

Smith gave each graduate a package of pebbles that are painted in Lyndonville Tiger orange. The gift from Smith includes the message, “Keep Persisting.”

The district also presented many scholarships as part of the ceremony. Dr. Aaron Slack, the high school principal, presents the David Pike Memorial Scholarship to Reagan London. Pike was a longtime physician’s assistant at Oak Orchard Health in Albion.

Darren Wilson, president of the Lyndonville Area Foundation, shared news that the Foundation passed $50,000 in scholarships in 2021 for the first time.

Jeff Gress, a retiring teacher at Lyndonville, congratulated students as they walked off the stage and headed down the aisle. The teacher with the most seniority is given the chance to be one of the first to congratulate the students. Gress shared many fist bumps with the students.

Dr. Elissa Smith, the elementary school principal, is in full academic regalia as part of the procession into the auditorium.

Zayda Moyle, one of the graduates, directs the band in playing the alma mater.

Lyndsey Snell moves over the tassel on her graduation cap during commencement. Dylan Jisa is next to her. Both are National Honor Society members.

This is an early phone book, a simple alphabetical listing, with advertising only on the covers. Courtesy Medina Historical Society.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 1, No. 16

We took them for granted. We used them as coasters. We used the covers as notepads. We even used them as flyswatters on occasion. Yes, we also used them for their intended purpose: to locate telephone numbers, addresses and businesses.

Now, we miss them, their comforting bulk, the reassuring feeling that all of the accurate local contact information we would need was contained therein. We save the last phone book issued to us because it still contains relevant information.

But, we have cut the land lines and “gone digital.” Our new technology is sleek, but only scammers can find phone numbers, it seems.

However, over time, the humble telephone books have become valuable research tools since they directly chronicle societal and economic trends at the local level.

The Orleans County Dept. of History collection includes several early local telephone books. This 1915 Bell Telephone Directory covered a wide area as indicated on the cover. A “Classified Index to Advertisers” lists the businesses featured.

Indicative of the transition from horse-power to automobiles, the Index includes listings for one Blacksmith, two Carriages Makers, one Harness Maker and two Livery providers, while there are six Auto Repair providers and six Auto Suppliers.

The 1945 Albion Telephone Directory features a split page presentation, with residential listings on the top and business listings underneath. The 1953-54 Directory is the first with the familiar Yellow Pages layout.

The disappearance of the “corner grocery store” is frequently lamented. That trajectory is reflected in the telephone books, as seen from these listings from 1953 to 2012. The independent grocers of 1953 were superseded by the corporate “Supermarkets.”

Listing of Grocers, Albion Telephone Directory 1953-54 is at left with the listing of Grocers, Albion Telephone Directory, 1974 at right.

The category changed to “Supermarkets” in the 1995 NYNEX Yellow Pages for Albion and vicinity at left. The listing for “Supermarkets” in the Verizon SuperPages, Albion area, 2012 is at right.

This is but one of the many sociological observations one can make from perusing telephone books. As you “Spring clean” or prepare for estate sales, please set aside any telephone books you may find. They will make a welcome addition to the local history treasure trove at the Orleans County Dept. of History.

Nearly all working families will receive $3,000 to $3,600 per child

Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is outlining the details of the historic Child Tax Credit expansion that will aid nearly every working family with children in New York State. She is urging families to take all necessary steps to secure this crucial benefit.

The Child Tax Credit monthly payments will help set New York’s children up for success and will put more money in the pockets of hardworking parents. It is estimated that New York families will receive $7.03 billion in total relief and 87% of children under the age of 18 will benefit from the enhanced Child Tax Credit.

This historic economic lifeline targets low- and middle-income families struggling to make ends meet. Most families will automatically receive monthly payments without further action. However, families that did not earn enough money to file income taxes in previous years, or that welcomed a new baby or child into their family in 2021, must visit childtaxcredit.gov to sign up.

“Finally, nearly all working families can get the full value of the Child Tax Credit, including low-income families who have shouldered the worst of the pandemic and need urgent relief,” Gillibrand said. “The expansion of the Child Tax Credit is one of the most important poverty-reducing tools to help families put food on the table, pay for childcare, get back to work, and build a better future.”

The American Rescue Plan Child Tax Credit is the largest anti-poverty measure in decades. Prior to its passage, tax relief was only available for individuals after filing taxes. This year, starting July 15th, families will receive monthly payments of up to $250 for each child aged 6 to 17 years old and $300 for children under the age of 6. It is projected that the expanded Child Tax Credit could help lift one-half of all children out of poverty.

Approximately 39 million households are expected to receive benefits without need for further action, including the families of more than 3.5 million children under the age of 18 years old in New York State, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Individuals who filed their tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or signed up to receive Covid-19 stimulus checks, will automatically receive the tax benefit. However, families that did not earn enough money to file income taxes in previous years, or that welcomed a new baby or child into their family in 2021, must visit childtaxcredit.gov to sign up.

This critical investment targets low- and middle-income families. Families that did not earn an income are still eligible to receive the full credit. For the first time, the Child Tax Credit is also available to families in Puerto Rico and other US territories. Additionally, parents who are undocumented but whose children have a Social Security number are eligible for the credit, and can claim these benefits using their Individual Taxpayer Identification number.

Qualifications to receive the full Child Tax Credit Payments:

• Married couples with income under $150,000
• Families with a single parent (also called Head of Household) with income under $112,500

Qualifications to receive at Least $2,000 of the Child Tax Credit, Totaling $166 per child each month:

• Married couples with income under $400,000
• Families with a single parent (also called Head of Household) with income under $200,000

Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the bipartisan, bicameral National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act of 2021, legislation to create a national standard and database to increase the uniformity and transparency of home studies for families adopting children.

Home studies are mandated for every family in the United States adopting domestically from a private agency or public child welfare agency. While these studies provide child welfare agencies and courts with comprehensive information for determining the most appropriate home for a child, current requirements vary vastly from state to state.

The National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act of 2021 will help fix this inconsistency by creating a national standard for adoption and foster care home studies. Senator Lankford and Congressmen Huffman (D-CA-2) and Bacon (R-NE-2) were original cosponsors of this legislation.

“Our outdated child welfare system can’t meet the needs of the thousands of children that enter the child welfare system every year,” Gillibrand said. “Congress has a responsibility to help these children find loving and stable families, and give them the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Inconsistency in home study standards across the states has complicated the adoption process for children and resulted in a number of issues, including inability to collect accurate information on adoptive or foster families, bias in decisions of suitability due to family self-reporting, lengthy and costly home-study processes, and delays in interstate adoption and fostering.

The National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) by creating a new program under the Adoption Opportunities Program and includes three main components:

• Creating a research-based National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study assessment standard. States who implement the national assessment standard would be eligible for funding through a demonstration program.
• Developing and establishing a secure National Home Study Database containing information related to completed home studies in order to allow child welfare agencies across the country to more efficiently and effectively match foster and adoptive children to prospective families.
• Instituting regular independent evaluations of the assessment standard and database.

The legislation is supported by Ambassador Susan Jacobs, the former Special Advisor for Children’s Issues at the State Department; the Military Family Building Coalition; the National Association of Counsel for Children; and the Consortium for Children. For full text of the legislation, click here.

Provided photos: People gather in the Cobblestone Universalist Church for a patriotic service in 2018. Preaching are the Rev. Susan Frawley from the Pullman Universalist Church in Albion and the Rev. Sheryl Stewart from Gaines Congregational Church.

CHILDS – After canceling last year’s patriotic church service due to Covid-19, the Cobblestone Museum is planning to hold the event this year on July 4.

Everyone is invited for a Fourth of July celebration, beginning with the patriotic service at 11 a.m. in the Cobblestone Universalist Church on Route 104. The service has been organized by board member, the Rev. Don Algeo of the Gaines Congregational Church, with the service provided by the Rev. Susan Frawley  and the Rev. James Gardner.

It will include patriotic readings and reflections. Musical elements of the celebration are being arranged by local musician and Cobblestone board member Maarit Vaga.

After the service, everyone is invited to stay for an old-fashioned Fourth of July picnic on the side lawn (or in the Proctor Room in the event of inclement weather).

“Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy what we hope will be beautiful weather,” said Cobblestone Museum director Doug Farley.

There will be plenty of hot dogs, along with traditional picnic fare. All can be washed down with a glass of homemade lemonade, served ice cold, Farley added.

The event is free of charge, but a free-will offering will be collected to defray expenses.

Maarit Vaga, a local musician and Cobblestone Society board member, is accompanied on the organ by Diana Dudley as she sings during a patriotic church service on the Fourth of July 2018 at the Cobblestone Church.

Abundant Harvest UMC will lead activities at Knowlesville fellowship hall, while giving caregivers a rest

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Church of the Abundant Harvest in Millville in September will begin offering a monthly respite program at the church’s fellowship hall in Knowlesville. Pictured from left include Cheryl Babcock, Pastor Garry McCaffery, Jeanette Carlin (care consultant with the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY) and Ruth Higgins.

KNOWLESVILLE – A local church in September will begin offering a monthly respite program, offering four hours of activities for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The program is intended to give caregivers a break while also providing socialization and fun for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The Church of the Abundant Harvest needs volunteers for the program, which will provide 1-on-1 supervision for the activities. Volunteers would be needed for four hours, with the 1-on-1 supervision, or they could help in shorter stints with preparing and serving lunch, playing the piano, leading an art program or another activity. The church would also like a licensed therapy dog to be available.

Cheryl Babcock and Ruth Higgins are leading the program for the church.

“This is a need in our county,” said Babcock, who is a retired nurse. “We want to give the caregivers a rest. They are doing it 24-7, 365 days a year.”

Babcock said the church also wants to show love for people who with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” she said. “Well it takes a village to care for those who have gone ahead of us.”

The respite program will be based out the Abundant Harvest’s fellowship hall in Knowlesville. It will be offered the second Wednesday each month, beginning Sept. 8.

The Abundant Harvest is seeking volunteers ahead of the start of the program. There will be a four-training offered by the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY.

Other churches and organizations in WNY offer a similar respite program, including nearby in Indian Falls and Batavia, but this is the first in Orleans County that is affiliated with Alzheimer’s Association of WNY.

Jeanette Carlin, a care consultant with the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY, said the respite programs are needed for many families. There is currently a shortage of home health aides, and those that are available can cost $25 per hour which is too costly for many families.

The program at the Knowlesville fellowship hall will be free.

Volunteers and participants in the program are welcome from all backgrounds. Those interesting in volunteering can call the Church of the Abundant Harvest at (585) 798-1290 or (585) 798-3173 and leave a message with an ideal time to return the call. Or they can email the church at abundantharvestumc@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy of Kathy Blackburn: This lass poses in her faery costume during one of Medina’s Faery Festivals. Participants this year are urged to dress in their most enchanting costume.

MEDINA – Downtown Medina will witness a little bit of magic on Saturday, when the Fourth Annual Enchanted Faery Festival takes place.

Although the pandemic forced sponsors to cancel most of last year’s event, the Medina Area Partnership did hold a scavenger hunt.

This year, however, the Faery Festival will return in full force from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Information on the Faery Festival was handed out to elementary school students earlier this week.

The festival, sponsored by MAP, is open to any age, from small children to adults, all of whom are invited to dress up in their most enchanting costume.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. in Rotary Park, where pictures will be taken and a craft will be provided. Then entrants will walk through downtown, looking for 12 hidden faeries in store windows.

Six businesses – Lizzie and Lyric’s Boutique, Mandeo’s Candy Shoppe, Downtown Browsery, Della’s Chocolates and English Rose Tea Shoppe and Author’s Note book shop – will each have a craft project for entrants, in addition to Rotary Park.

A king, queen, prince and princess will be chosen. Creekside Floral and Blissett’s have agreed to provide crowns for the winners. Della’s Chocolates will provide scavenger hunt prizes.

“There is no cost to anybody – just fun,” Blackburn said.

At 1:30, the event will feature a faery dance and parade in Rotary Park.

Blackburn started the Faery Festival after hearing about one in another town, and brought the idea to Medina.

MAP’s event committee, who planned the event includes Blackburn, Ann Fisher Bale, Cindy Robinson, Wendy Wilson, Tim Elliott and Sue Fuller.

A group of costumed faeries of all ages searches for hidden faeries in store windows during a Faery Festival before last year’s pandemic.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina second baseman AJ Seefeldt tries to turn a double play after taking a throw from third baseman Joe Cecchini during this afternoon’s sectional semifinal win over Akron at Vets Park as Jake Mazza slides into second for the Tigers.

Coming from behind top seeded Medina bested Niagara-Orleans League foe No. 5 seed Akron 7-3 this afternoon in the Section VI Class B2 semifinals at Vets Park.

Medina will now host another N-O rival, No. 3 seed Roy-Hart, in the B2 championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Rams downed No. 7 Cleveland Hill 12-2 in the other semifinal.

Trailing 3-1, Medina regained the lead for good by erupting for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Winning pitcher Xander Payne delivers a pitch for the Mustangs.

A leadoff home run by Zack Fike ignited the decisive uprising.

A single by Joe Cecchini, a sacrifice bunt by Alex Doval and a walk then put two runners aboard and the Mustangs were quick to capitalize on back-to-back RBI singles by Austin Mosher and Corey Saj.

Then, after an intentional walk to Brian Fry loaded the bases, AJ Seefeldt capped off the uprising with a two out, two-run single to up the Mustangs lead to 6-3.

The Mustangs tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single by Mosher who had a total of three hits on the day.  One out singles by Doval and Aidan Paul set up the threat.

Medina also got off to a quick start scoring once in the first on an RBI sacrifice fly by Fike which plated Fry who had led off with a double.

Akron though pulled into a 3-1 lead by scoring three times in the top of the fourth on four walks, a wild pitch and just one hit, a two-run single by Andrew Bower.

However, the lead didn’t last out the inning as Medina answered right back with the decisive five run uprising in the home half of the frame to move back on top to stay.

Xander Payne picked up the win on the mound allowing 3 hits and striking out 8 in six and two-thirds innings of work. Fike came on to register a strikeout for the game’s final out.

Medina had also defeated Akron twice during the N-O season by scores of 15-1 and 3-2 in 9 innings.

Medina third baseman Joe Cecchini waits to tag out Akron’s Andrew Romesser.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Noah Stern had a three-run triple to cap off Roy-Hart’s sectional semifinal win over Cleveland Hill this afternoon.

Scoring early and often No. 3 seed Roy-Hart posted a 12-2 five inning run rule victory over No. 7 Cleveland Hill in a Section VI Class B2 semifinal game this afternoon at Gasport.

Trailing 2-1, Roy-Hart took charge with back-to-back four run scoring bursts in the second and third innings.

Hits by John Conley and Brayden Hy highlighted the second inning uprising. Doubles by Jake Gould and Thomas Russo III along with a single by Ryan Mettler then keyed the third inning surge.

The Rams later wrapped up the win in the fifth inning on a three-run triple by Noah Stern.

Hy finished with three hits as Stern and Russo both had two.

Mettler picked up the win on the mound scattering 5 hits and striking out 4 over the five innings.

Roy-Hart will now visit top seeded Medina in the B2 championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Provided photos: 4-H Senior Council members Hugh and Joanie Gabalski (left side) and Grace Gregoire (right side) plant a Freedom Garden in observance of Juneteenth. Heritage variety vegetable seeds were included as well as red-colored flowers.

Press Release, Orleans County 4-H Program

KNOWLESVILLE – Members of the Orleans County 4-H Senior Council observed Juneteenth recently by planting a Freedom Garden outside the Education Center on the 4-H Fairgrounds. “The Freedom Garden includes edible plants that would have been an important food source for freed slaves,” explained Kristina Gabalski, 4-H Program Coordinator at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. “We also included red flowers because the color red is such an important part of the celebration of Juneteenth. It symbolizes the suffering and bloodshed of the slaves during their bondage.”

The Freedom Garden is located outside the classroom entrance to the Education Center. 4-Hers planted heritage varieties of vegetables including California Blackeye Pea cowpeas, Morris Heading collards, Dorinny Sweet corn and Sugar Baby watermelon.

“The cowpeas have a direct link to Africa,” Gabalski said. “According to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, they were domesticated about 5,000 years ago in the savannas of sub-Sharan Africa and would have been a very familiar crop to freed slaves.”

The garden should be growing vigorously by the time the 4-H Fair takes place in late July, Gabalski said.

The finished garden is located around the flagpole outside the classroom entrance to the Education Center.

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt issued this statement following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s that the Covid-19 state of emergency would end on Thursday.

“Today’s news that the New York governor’s emergency executive powers will finally be lifted is long overdue news. The progress we’ve made wouldn’t have been possible without thousands of frontline workers, business owners and everyday New Yorkers who sacrificed so much over the past year.

“Now it is time for us to turn our undivided attention to the economic recovery and the rising crime wave devastating major metro areas all across the state. As elected officials, we must lead by example. Government officials should finally resume normal operations including making themselves available to the public and press.

“We must do better to restore trust in our government, and that begins by making ourselves more accessible and accountable as state leaders.”

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley issued this statement: “While this should’ve happened months ago when my colleagues and I in the Assembly Minority called on those in the Majority to restore checks and balances to state government, I am happy that a return to constitutional state government is imminent.

“The needless restrictions the governor mandated within our businesses, schools, places of worship and communities caused a great deal of struggle and suffering, so it is heartening to know the days of living at the mercy of the governor’s whims are coming to an end.”

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York will end the state disaster emergency declared on March 7, 2020 to fight Covid-19. Given New York’s dramatic progress against Covid-19, with the success in vaccination rates, and declining hospitalization and positivity statewide the state of emergency will expire after Thursday, June 24.

Federal CDC guidance will remain in effect, which includes masks for unvaccinated individuals, as well as all riders on public transit and in certain settings, such as health care, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters. State and local government health departments will still be able to ensure mask rules and other health precautions are adhered to in those settings.

Since March of 2020, a variety of actions had been taken by executive order to assist in the rapid response to the pandemic by state agencies, local governments, hospitals, and businesses by both temporarily suspending or modifying laws as well as utilizing temporary directives. Hospitals were able to add space and staffing, meetings were authorized to occur virtually, and various deadlines were extended to accommodate a changed landscape.

“New York went from one of the worst infection rates to the lowest infection rate in the country, and it was all because of the efforts of New Yorkers who were smart, united and did what they needed to do throughout this entire pandemic,” Cuomo said. “Now we’re starting to write a new chapter for a post-COVID New York–the state disaster emergency is ending and we can focus on reimaging, rebuilding and renewing our state. This doesn’t mean Covid is gone, we still have to get more New Yorkers vaccinated, but we are getting back on track and starting to live life once again.”

(Editor’s Note: In the past week, Orleans County has reported 1 new Covid case and now has had 3,121 people test positive for Covid since March 2020. In Genesee County, there are 4 new cases since June 16, and Genesee has now had 5,439 people test positive during the pandemic.)

Marcus Molinaro, president of the New York State County Executives’ Association, issued this statement:

“Today, we learned from a tweet that the Governor will end the Covid-19 State of Emergency, effective tomorrow.

“This is yet another important milestone signaling the approaching end of a pandemic that so many heroic Americans have battled for over 16 grueling months.

“On behalf of the counties of New York, in addition to all those who played a critical role, I thank the leaders and government employees who were too often the unsung heroes in this pandemic. They all worked tirelessly, day and night saving lives and rebuilding our communities.

“Counties across New York led the local response to this catastrophe. County leaders were the on-site incident commanders, leading local emergency response, and our local health and mental health departments were the tip of the spear in administering the testing, tracing, and vaccination efforts that made this day possible.

“And, on behalf of all county governments, I extend our heartfelt prayers to those who lost loved ones. We are committed to recovering and rebuilding in their memory and honor.”

Republicans in Barre went to the polls in the largest percentage of the six towns in Orleans County that had primaries.

In Barre, 43.3 percent of registered Republicans voted in person on either Tuesday or through nine days of early voting.

The primary featured two candidates – George McKenna and David Waters – who have shared their concerns about a proposed wind energy project with 33 turbines that would be nearly 700 feet tall. They ran against incumbents Lynn Hill and Tom McCabe, who backed changing the town’s wind energy ordinance to accommodate the project. A state board will ultimately vote on whether the project goes forward. McKenna and Waters are the apparent winners in the primary.

The Barre turnout topped the 36.9 percent in Murray where there is a contentious election for town supervisor, with incumbent Joe Sidonio challenged by Murray Town Councilman Randy Bower, the former Orleans County sheriff. Sidonio holds a 13-vote lead over Murray with absentees to determine the winner next week.

There were primaries for town clerk in Carlton and Ridgeway, a race for town justice in Gaines, and primaries for the Town Board in Ridgeway and Shelby.

Here is the in-person turnout in the six towns.

• Barre: 309 ballots cast out of 713 registered Republicans – 43.3%
• Carlton: 167 ballots cast out of 978 registered Republicans – 17.1%
• Gaines: 194 ballots cast out of 873 registered Republicans – 22.2%
• Murray: 514 ballots cast out of 1,394 registered Republicans – 36.9%
• Ridgeway: 325 ballots cast out of 1,818 registered Republicans – 17.9%
• Shelby: 285 ballots cast out of 1,359 registered Republicans – 21.0%