The 30th Strawberry Festival 5k/8k will happen on Saturday morning. Last year’s race was cancelled but it is back this year.

ALBION – There isn’t a Strawberry Festival for the second straight year due to the uncertainty with Covid restrictions in the months leading up to the event, as well as the limits on crowd sizes.

Last year it was quiet in Albion when the festival was scheduled for the second weekend in June.

This year, there are several events planned for tomorrow, the second Saturday in June which is typically jam-packed with activities during the festival.

5K/8K RACE: The 5K/8K is back for the 30^th year and begins at 8 a.m., starting in front of the Courthouse on East State Street. So far nearly 200 people are registered for the race. Click here for more information.

CARING FOR COVA: There will also be a Caring for COVA event at the COVA Base and Arnold Gregory Complex at 239/243 South Main St. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

That event includes a basket raffle, craft vendors, COVA open house, fire department apparatus, Blue Groove coffee, K9 demonstrations from the Albion Police Department and Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Car Seat Safety Checks, State Police rollover simulator, Best of Tymes Party Rental, Lion’s Club Food Booth and a Car Show sponsored by Arnold’s Auto Parts. The car show will be from noon to 3 p.m. The Lion’s Club will be serving food for free to law enforcement officers. Tree House will be doing a “Splash Bash” with proceeds going to COVA.

FOOD TRUCK RODEO: The Albion Merchants Association has its first Food Truck Rodeo from noon to 7 p.m. on East State Street near the Courthouse.

There will also be three bands playing during the time period.

The band lineup includes:

• Vette, noon to 2 p.m.
• Bobby Skrzypek & the Pedestrians, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Zackstreet Boys, 5 to 7 p.m.

The Albion Merchants will also celebrate opening day of a new farmers market on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will be at the municipal lot on main Street next to the Presbyterian Church.

STRAWBERRY SUNDAES: The Presbyterian Church will have strawberry sundaes available from noon to 4 p.m. for $5.

The church is also doing a basket raffle with over 60 baskets that will begin at noon. Tickets and baskets will be available for viewing at the church, 29 East State Street. Tickets will be drawn on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Let’s go on an adventure together….to Pensacola and Mobile!

I stumbled on a Pelican Hangout with so many amazing pelicans. This one was defending his prime real estate from a seagull looking to take it over.

One of our major stops on the cross country motor home trip I took with my brother and sister-in-law in 2016 was Houma, LA. We spent ten days there visiting with my

nephew and his family. I broke away from the rest of the family for a three day mini-adventure on my own. I discovered that Pensacola was about a four and a half hour drive from Houma. I had been to central and eastern Florida, but not the panhandle or the gulf coast side. Also, I have a friend who lives in Pensacola I wanted to visit. So….yep…..I decided I had to go!

I booked two nights at the Pensacola Victorian Bed and Breakfast – a GREAT choice! The write-up about it said it was reported to be haunted, but I found it to be charming and quite unique. I love staying at B&B’s when I am able and usually check that option before looking into hotels. Once I had my plan and accommodations in place, I took off in the rental car and followed a route that kept me hugging the gulf coast from Houma, through New Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama, and on to Pensacola – awesome scenery all along the way.

I arrived in Pensacola mid-afternoon and was really sleepy from the drive, so I checked in at the B&B and took a little nap. That evening, I found a little seafood shack for a delicious dinner and drove around a bit to get my bearings.

This really cool spaceship house was found on a scenic drive along the gulf coast at the Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola Beach. There was actually another one very similar to it, too.

The morning of my second day, I hit the beach. Pensacola Beach is absolutely STUNNING with silky white sand that felt amazing when I stuck my toes in it. I sat and enjoyed the sun and water for a while and then had a fabulous shrimp boil lunch at a place called “Crabs” with the tag line: “We Got Crabs” – Hahaha!

After leaving the beach, I took a drive down a scenic road along the gulf coast with water on both sides and stopped for some amazing photo ops. I even found two alien homes that were built to resemble spaceships.

When I knew I was going to Pensacola, I really hoped I’d see some pink flamingoes, but, apparently they tend to be further south and didn’t get to see any. But, I did stumble on a “Pelican Hangout” – a harbor FULL of pelicans! I got so excited, I found a place to park and spent some time watching their antics and taking photos. I got a kick out of one perched on a pillar out in the harbor that was fiercely defending his turf from a seagull who was determined to take it over – the pelican won and I cheered his victory!

That evening, I was able to meet up with my friend, Debbie. She took me to a wonderful Irish Pub for a delicious steak dinner. We walked off our meal by strolling through a beautiful Veterans Memorial Park. This is a must see if in Pensacola – very impressive! They even had a traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. At that time, I hadn’t seen the one in DC, so I was happy to see it there. A few years later, I finally got to see the one in DC.

Pensacola is home to the Pensacola Naval Base, the Blue Angels, and National Naval Aviation Museum. This is one of the displays at the entrance of the very impressive museum.

After a full day and an excellent meal, I had a second good night’s sleep in the B&B (no weird noises or smells from the reported hauntings either night – either I was too tired and slept through it or the spirits were behaving while I was there….hehehe). The next day, I went to the Naval Base to visit the National Naval Aviation Museum and stopped at a lovely lighthouse on the way. The museum is another must see in Pensacola – amazing! I could have spent an entire day there, but I needed to get on the road back to Houma. So, I wandered through the first floor and was totally blown away by what I saw – I really wish I had planned a full third day there so I could have spent more time.

On my way back to Houma, I saw a sign for a Battleship Park in Mobile, AL. I decided to make an unscheduled stop just long enough to get a few photos…..well, almost three hours later, I was back on the road. What got me side-tracked was one of those amphibian tour vehicles – you know the ones – a Duck Tour that drives on the road and then right into the water for a cruise. I had never been on one and always wanted to, so…..I did!!!  And, I had a BLAST!!! We went all over downtown Mobile and then saw more of the city from the water. The guide and driver made it so much fun — they played the song “Sweet Caroline” and turned up the volume for the chorus and we all sang along as loud as we could….and, the best part was when we got to the part that goes “Sweet Caroline, bah, bah, bah” we were told to sing “quack, quack, quack”, instead and some of the people had loud duck call quackers to use – it was so much fun! We stopped at a red light by a group of people sitting outside at a café and when we sang, they joined in and sang with us. Best time ever!!! I went on another duck tour in Seattle a couple years later and it was fun, too, but not as great as the one in Mobile – it will always be my favorite duck tour!

This building found in Mobile, AL is actually called “Twin Robots”. It reminded me of the 1986 movie, “Short Circuit” – kinda looks like the robot character, doesn’t it?

I also learned that there is a major rivalry between Mobile and New Orleans about exactly who started Mardi Gras. Mobile claims that they were the beginning of it all because the person who did the first Carnival started the parade in Mobile and it went all the way to New Orleans, where it lasted several weeks and became a tradition there. The people of New Orleans say it was created by a Frenchman from New Orleans and it just happened that the parade started in Mobile. Whatever the real origin is, both cities are able to lay claim to some part of it.

I’m glad I decided to take a side-trip mini-adventure to experience Pensacola and Mobile and to spend a wonderful evening with my friend, Debbie.

Visit my blog for all the photos from my drive along the Gulf Coast and time in Pensacola, FL and Mobile, AL:  (click here) 

Happy Adventuring,
Kim Pritt

‘It’s all about helping. It’s our love for Orleans County.’

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kevin Ross, an employee at the Iroquois Job Corps in Medina, moves a 20-pound box of produce this morning during a food distribution in Albion.

Anthony Washington, right, is another Job Corps employee who helped lug boxes to car trunks and truck beds for about 2 hours.

The Job Corps had six employees helping at the distribution this morning. The Job Corps staff go to almost every distribution, which typically is three or four a month.

“They have been angels,” said Annette Finch, director of emergency service at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

Ross has volunteered at about 25 of the distributions since last year. He works as a nursing instructor at the Job Corps.

“This is about helping people and it’s good for the community,” said Ross, who is also a firefighter and paramedic.

Anthony Washington is a career transitions specialist for Job Corps, helping students to find jobs or get connected to college. He is happy to help at the distributions.

“It’s a change of pace, but it’s more about helping people out,” he said.

Krista Fiegel, an employee at the Iroquois Job Corps, has led the Job Corps team at the distributions since at least last September. She is thankful the Job Corps supports allowing staff to be off site to help at the distributions. With the drive time and work at the distributions it can be a three to four hour commitment.

Finch said the Job Corps staff have a great system down for organizing the boxes and getting people in place. The men often handle the heavier boxes with dairy products, but Fiegel said the women are strong and can move the heavier boxes, too.

There are typically 300 main boxes at the each distribution, but there are often surprise items that aren’t known until the delivery truck arrives in the morning. Today there was tofu for the first time, and corn on the cob, sealed in packages of four.

Community Action staff and the volunteers will quickly count all the loose or unexpected items, and determine how many to include with each boxes. Sometimes that’s two or three bags of Brussels Sprouts, grapes, apples, green bags, containers of yogurt, and other items.

They do the work in all kinds of conditions, from stifling heat to sub-freezing temperatures. At one of the distributions last month, the weather went from rain to sleet to hail to rain in the morning.

“We power through it,” said Fiegel, who works in outreach for Job Corps. “Nobody complains.”

She sends an email to staff with a list of the upcoming distributions, and people volunteer, often from many different departments. The efforts have helped build a stronger team at the Job Corps.

But Fiegel said the main motivation is wanting to help people get food and have the distributions go more smoothly and quickly.

“It’s all about helping,” Fiegel said. “It’s our love for Orleans County.”

The Orleans Hub each year recognizes a group of “Outstanding Citizens.” The Orleans Hub picked the Job Corps as one of the award winners in 2020. We normally recognize the “Outstanding Citizens” during an awards presentation with all the winners. A larger gathering was difficult due to Covid restrictions earlier this year. Tom Rivers, the Orleans Hub editor, presented the Job Corps team with the plaque this morning and commended the group for staying committed to the food distributions.

The group this morning includes from left Anthony Washington, Marylou Porter (human resources manager), Lance Tlustos (TEAP specialist), Krista Fiegel, Kevin Ross and Denise Socha (data integrity specialist).

There was a long line of vehicles down Chamberlain Street this morning. That line then extended down McKinistry, East Park and onto Main Street.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 1, No. 15

ALBION – Weather temperatures have been higher than “normal” of late, but not quite on par with the 119 degrees registered on the Albion Federal Savings and Loan Association sign in this undated photo from the William A. Monacelli photograph collection at the Orleans County Department of History.

The Albion Federal Savings and Loan Association was formed by local businessmen Hon. Sanford T. Church and Freeman E. McNall in 1934, following the closing of the Citizens National Bank in 1932.

On the occasion of the Association’s 25th anniversary, Sanford B. Church attributed the success of the Association in large part to its enthusiastic board of directors and hard-working and conscientious staff. From the beginning, the Association paid as large a dividend as was possible, beginning with 3 percent per annum in 1935. During World War II, the rate fell to 1 ¼ per cent in December 1945, but climbed steadily afterwards.

In support of Albion’s Downtown Restoration Program and the National Bicentennial in 1976, the Association undertook the restoration of the former home of Lorenzo Burrows at 48 North Main Street for use as its expanded headquarters. Albion Federal opened a Brockport office in 1997. Both were acquired by First Niagara in March 2000. First Niagara in turn was acquired by KeyBank in 2016. The pace of change in the banking industry has been as dizzying as the temperature in our photograph, though the interest rates are distinctly chillier.

Photos contributed by Scott Mason, secretary of Towpath Lodge: Frank Berger of Medina is presented with a certificate for 60 years as a Mason by Herb Koenig of Gasport and Robert Donovan of Medina. The Towpath Masonic Lodge, which was formed by a merger of Medina, Yates and Middleport lodges, recently honored its members for years of membership.

MIDDLEPORT – The Towpath Masonic Lodge in Middleport recently recognized members for their years of service to the lodge.

The Towpath Lodge was created in 2019 by a merger of the Medina Masonic Lodge, which had formerly merged with Yates, and the Cataract Lodge in Middleport.

Membership awards were presented to Herb Koenig of Gasport for 63 years; Frank Berger of Medina, 60 years; Robert Harrold of Lyndonville, 50 years; Fulton Rogers of Medina, 50 years; and Allan Kropf of Medina, 20 years.

Also recognized were two members who were unable to attend – Don Ross of Albion, 78 years; and Paul Beatenbough of Lyndonville, 64 years.

Masonic awards are usually presented annually, except for last year when meetings ceased for several months during the pandemic.

Herb Koenig of Gasport, left, and Robert Donovan of Medina present a pin and certificate to Robert Harrold of Lyndonville for 50 years of membership in the Masonic Lodge. A former member of the Yates lodge, Harrold is a member of the Towpath Masonic Lodge, which is a merger of Yates, Medina and Middleport.

Robert Donovan of Medina, center, received his certificate for 50 years as a Mason by Towpath Lodge master Matthew Flamminger, left, and Herb Koenig.

Fulton Rogers of Medina, Center, received a pin and certificate for 50 years as a Mason by Herb Koenig, left, and Robert Donovan.

Allan Kropf of Medina, center, was presented with a certificate for 20 years as a member of the Masonic Lodge by Master Matthew Flamminger, left, and Herb Koenig. Kropf, who is also treasurer of the Towpath Lodge, had been treasurer of the Medina Lodge since 2002.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is hailing the passage of a bill (A7685) through both houses of the Legislature that would give members of Gold Star families free college tuition.

The passage of this bill comes two years after Hawley himself proposed a bill to provide Gold Star families with free tuition, though that bill was blocked in the Higher Education Committee by the Assembly Majority and never brought to the floor for a vote.

“Today is a great day for our military families throughout the state to be shown some appreciation for their service and sacrifice,” said Hawley. “If somebody gives their life for our nation and our constitution, the least we can do is help get their loved ones through school.

“While I wish we were able to get this bill voted on and passed two years ago to help even more Gold Star families, I am glad to see this bill become law to help those who lost people they loved while defending the country we love.”

Club with 100 members aims to make organization more community friendly

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Oak Orchard Yacht Club members Paul Gray and Bob Frost, both past commodores, wait to raise the American and Canadian flags during ceremonies Saturday to celebrate opening of the summer boating season.

WATERPORT – Like all social organizations, the Oak Orchard Yacht Club has gone through changes.

If the new commodore, Bob Hodgins of Batavia, has his way, he’d like to see a lot more changes taking place this year – most of all, making it a more community-friendly club.

“One of the things we recognize is there is a perception of the Yacht Club as being stand-offish,” Hodgins said. “We want to change that. We have a board of 11 and they are a great group. They are like-minded and work together.”

Hodgins pointed out the sign in the front yard of the Yacht Club which reads “Members and guests only.” He has changed that by adding signs saying, “Memberships available. Docks available,” hoping to send a more welcoming message.

“We’ve got a wonderful facility here, and we’re trying to make better use of it,” Hodgins said. “Chap’s Diner in Elba runs the restaurant and bar, which is open on Friday and Saturdays from May through September.”

The Yacht Club recently invited the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association to have their annual meeting there.

“This was a good experience,” Hodgins said. “They are our neighbors, and many had never been here before.”

He said they also recently had a pseudo-senior prom for kids who missed out on their senior prom last year due to Covid. He said it was a wonderful event, with kids coming from all over, including New Jersey and Delaware.

They have invited Leadership Orleans 2021 to have a meeting at the Yacht Club on July 8.

“This is a great opportunity to bring young community leaders into our club,” Hodgins said.

Hodgins is also working on having an open house at the Yacht Club for different segments of the population, possibly with a chicken barbecue and music, which would be open to the public.

Officers of the Oak Orchard Yacht Club stand for the Pledge of Allegiance during open ceremonies signifying opening of the boating season. Commodore Bob Hodgins is second from left.

“This is a club developed and kept up by its members,” said Hodgins wife, Mary Lu.

OOYC welcomes both social and full members. Social members have the privilege of visiting the club and enjoying the amenities of the dining room and bar. Full membership is for boaters and includes a dock. Anyone wishing more information on becoming a member on either level may contact Hodgins at (585) 409-9869.

OOYC, which currently has 100 members, was founded in 1938 and began operation at the current site of the public boat launch on the east side of Oak Orchard River, near the harbor mouth at Point Breeze. Club activities centered on cruising, both sail and power, and an active one-design racing program.

In the early 1970s, New York state cast a covetous eye on the old site and began the push to the club’s current location on the west side of the river, about a mile upstream. During this time, members faced the herculean task of arranging funding, getting permits and the construction of the current yacht club. It was then that the tradition of being a “working” club was really cemented. Capital was secured not only by mortgage, but also by members contracting for their docks for 10 years in the future. With funds in hand, the membership spent the winter of 1972 on the ice constructing the docks. The clubhouse was also built entirely by volunteer labor. Only the main structural parts were contracted out.

The years since have seen gradual improvement to the facilities and expansion of services to members. In the early 1980s, additional land was purchased on the west side of the road to provide a buffer between the club and increasing residential surroundings.

According to their website, the club is now in the fortunate position of enjoying a debt-free facility in a beautiful location. Their vision for the future is to continue to maintain and improve on the physical structure and to stay true to the yachting traditions of all who gave so much personal effort to create what they enjoy today.

Jeff Plummer of Waterport steps away from the miniature cannon, which he fired three times to signify opening of the boating season at Oak Orchard Yacht Club on Saturday night.

Early voting will start on Saturday and continue through June 20 with Republican primaries in six Orleans County towns.

The early voting polling location is at the Orleans County Board of Elections Office at the County Administration Building, 14016 State Route 31.

The early voting times include:

• Saturday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Monday, June 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 15, from noon to 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 16, from noon to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Friday, June 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The regular primary election day will be June 22 with a polling location in each town with a primary. The Republican primaries include:

Barre – Four candidates seeking two four-year positions on the Town Board: George McKenna, Tom McCabe, David S. Waters and Lynn Hill. McCabe and Hill currently are on the Town Board.

Carlton – Two candidates are seeking a four-year term as town clerk. Karen A. Narburgh and Dori Goetze are the candidates. Narburgh is the current town clerk.

Gaines – Two candidates are running for Gaines town justice. Bruce Schmidt is retiring from the position after this year. Henry Smith, Jr. and Charles Prentice, Jr. both are seeking a four-year term.

Murray – Former Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower is challenging current Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio for a two-year term as town supervisor.

Ridgeway – There are three candidates seeking a four-year term as Ridgeway town clerk. They include Laurie Kilburn, Hannah Hill and E.J. Cox.

There are also three candidates seeking two four-year terms on the Town Board: Cliff Barber, Jeffrey Toussaint and David M. Stalker. Toussaint and Stalker are currently on the Town Board.

Shelby – There are three candidates seeking two four-years on the Town Board: William H. Bacon Edward, Mathew Zelazny and Stephen J. Seitz, Sr. Bacon and Seitz are current board members.

Provided photos: Top row from left: Noah Stern (Royalton-Hartland), Sean Fuller (Lewiston-Porter) and Brendan Zimmerman (Lewiston-Porter). Bottom Row: Sawyer Braley (Albion), Robert Taylor (Starpoint) and Jeff Wynes (Wilson).

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

Six students who take the welding program at the Orleans (OCTEC) and Niagara (NCTEC) Career and Technical Education Centers took the top three spots at the Niagara Frontier Weld Off Competition.

Eleven schools participated in the competition virtually throughout the Western New York area this past April and May. The students made weld plates that were dropped off at their schools and judges Harry Carlson CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) and Peter Sullivan CWI looked over the work and determined the winners from the high school and college participants.

First place received $200, second place $150 and third place $100.

Congratulations go to:

High School Senior Category – Senior

• Noah Stern (Orleans Career and Technical Education Center/Royalton-Hartland)
• Sean Fuller (Niagara Career and Technical Education Center/Lewiston-Porter)
• Brendan Zimmerman (Niagara Career and Technical Education Center/Lewiston-Porter)

High School Junior Category – Junior

• Sawyer Braley (Orleans Career and Technical Education Center/Albion)
• Robert Taylor (Niagara Career and Technical Education Center/Starpoint)
• Jeff Wynes (Niagara Career and Technical Education Center/Wilson)

The four Welding teachers Eric Farrell (OCTEC), Steve Frey (NCTEC), Ron Jackson (OCTEC) and Mike Tolli (NCTEC) say there are very proud of their students who competed and thrilled with how they placed.

Photos courtesy of Joshua Mink

A rare solar eclipse wowed early risers this morning. Joshua Mink of Hilton was at Irondequoit Bay this morning and captured images of the solar eclipse between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. Mink is the son-in-law of Emily Cebula, director of the Yates Community Library in Lyndonville.

“I’m lucky I was able to get these close intimate shots of an amazing phenomenon,” Mink said. “The weather and clouds worked out perfectly.”

The moon partially blocked out the sun to create a “ring of fire” solar eclipse.

Assembly speaker says bills are ‘common sense’ gun safety legislation

The New York State Assembly on Wednesday passed a series of bills that Assemblyman Steve Hawley says would restrict the Second Amendment rights of New Yorkers.

Hawley opposed the legislation which he said would drive gun sellers and manufacturers out of the state through burdensome regulation. One of the bills passed would make firearms manufacturers and dealers liable for harm caused by their weapon even if that harm is not reasonably foreseeable, if deemed a “public nuisance” (A.6762B).

“These bills won’t make anyone safer, and are nothing but shallow attempts to regulate sellers of firearms out of the state and make it impossible to sell handguns here in New York,” Hawley said. “These measures are unconscionable violations of the constitutional rights of New Yorkers, and are just another step toward making it impractical, if not illegal, to buy and sell firearms in New York state.”

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie hailed the package of “common sense” gun safety legislation. Included in the legislative package are bills that he said would ban ghost guns, hold the gun industry liable for damages it causes, prohibit those with an outstanding warrant of arrest for a felony from purchasing a gun, and require quarterly reports on the origin of firearms used to commit crimes in New York.

“We have seen too many lives cut short and too many communities devastated by senseless gun violence – we should not have to see another person lose their life in a shooting at a school or workplace, or who was shot outside their home,” Heastie said.

Heastie’s office in a press release said this about the legislation:

• Ghost Guns – Included in the legislative package is the Jose Webster Untraceable Firearms Act, which would prohibit the possession of ghost guns. Ghost guns are unserialized firearms, typically assembled from unserialized parts, including unfinished frames or receivers. It would require licensed gunsmiths to serialize and register with the New York State Police any unserialized firearm, rifle, shotgun, finished frame or receiver, or unfinished frame or receiver in their possession (A.613-A, Rosenthal).

• Unfinished Receiver Act – The Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act would prohibit the possession and sale of unfinished frames and receivers by individuals that are not licensed gunsmiths. Unfinished frames and receivers are incomplete gun components that do not require serial numbers under federal law. Because guns assembled from unfinished frames and receivers do not have serial numbers, they are untraceable and can be built and transported without the normal background checks required when purchasing a gun from a licensed retailer, Heastie said. The legislation is named for Scott J. Beigel, who lost his life during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida while trying to protect his students (A.2666-A, Lavine).

• Microstamping – This legislation would require all semiautomatic pistols to be capable of microstamping expended cartridge cases. Microstamping technology utilizes lasers to make precise, microscopic engravings on the internal mechanisms of a gun. As the gun is fired, information identifying the make, model and serial number of the gun can be stamped onto the cartridge as numbers and letters. This will allow law enforcement to trace firearms to their original purchaser through cartridge cases found at a crime scene. This would apply to semiautomatic pistols manufactured after January 1, 2023, that are sold or delivered in New York (A.7926, Rosenthal).

• No guns if outstanding warrant – The legislative package would prohibit the purchase, acquisition, sale or disposal of a weapon by or to anyone known to be the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest for the alleged commission of a felony or serious offense. It would also prohibit an individual from purchasing or acquiring a gun on behalf of another person who the purchaser or acquirer knows to be the subject of such a warrant (A.6198-B, Paulin).

• Expanded Red Flag Law – This legislation would require mental health facilities to provide patients and their authorized representative with information on how to seek an extreme risk protection order prior to a patient’s discharge or conditional release. This builds on the 2019 red flag law, which allows law enforcement to confiscate firearms and prohibit an individual from purchasing a firearm if they are deemed to be a threat, and if an extreme risk protection court order is issued (A.1005-A, Paulin).

• ‘Disguised Guns’ – This legislation would amend the definition of “disguised gun” to include any rifle, shotgun or machine gun that resembles a toy gun. This would prohibit the possession, manufacture and design of such disguised guns (A.6522, Stern).

• Quarterly reports on guns used in crimes – This would require the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and the Division of State Police to publish quarterly reports providing information on firearms, rifles and shotguns that are used in the commission of crimes in New York. This would provide lawmakers and the public with a better understanding of the nature of the firearms used in crimes in the state and better inform policy actions in the future (A.7243, Richardson).

Photos courtesy of Don Welch

CLARENDON – Route 237 is getting repaved in Clarendon, from the Clarendon corners to the Holley village line.

Don Welch took these photos on Wednesday of Highway Rehab Corp., repaving the road. Their machines heat the road surface with gas torches, then dig up the hot asphalt, mix in some oil, and lay it back down, Welch said.

It takes 3 machines to do one lane of the road. A vibratory roller follows the paving trucks and leaves the recycled surface smooth as new. A top layer of asphalt will be added after they’re done, Welch said.

Press Release

ALBION – Five local groups next week are sponsoring the first of hopefully several book discussions focusing on racial justice. The public is invited to the book discussions at noon and 6:30 p.m. on June 17 at Hoag Library.

The discussion will feature White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his 1963 Letter from the Birmingham Jail, “Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.” The sponsoring groups feel that these words are as relevant today as when Dr. King penned them in 1963.

The book discussion is being offered two times for the convenience of all those interested. You may either attend at noon (bring a “brown bag” lunch) or at 6:30 p.m. (or both).  The discussions will be held in the library’s large “community room.”

Although, the groups encourage people to read White Fragility: it is not a requirement for attending.

Co-sponsors include Social Justice, People Embracing Diversity and Albion Betterment Committees, Pullman Memorial Universalist Church and Hoag Library.

The committee viewed DiAngelo’s book as a good primer for these discussions. From Library Journal: “DiAngelo challenges white readers to acknowledge and then set aside their feelings in order to think critically about how their racial identity operates on a personal and collective level within a system that privileges whiteness at the expense of those classified as not white.” She basically asks particularly people of good will, to listen, especially to minorities, rather than react.

DiAngelo, white, was raised in poverty. Yet, she was class valedictorian at Seattle U. She’s a PhD In Multi-Cultural Education. She’s trained major businesses, universities and governments internationally. White Fragility has been translated into 10 languages.

Rev. James Renfrew, Byron Presbyterian Church, will lead the noon discussion. Kim Remley  of People Embracing Diversity will moderate. Sister Dolores Ann O’Dowd, President of GOMOC and past Catholic Chaplain at Albion Correctional Facility, will be a reactor. Bob Golden, 43 years in criminal justice, minority and domestic violence work, will frame the discussion.

Kim Remley will lead the discussion at  6:30 p.m. Kae Wilbert, Chair of People Embracing Diversity, a joint committee of three churches, will moderate.  Sister Dolores and Bob Golden will fulfill the same roles.

Villages get far less than cities in Aid and Incentives to Municipalities

Press Release, Assemblyman Mike Norris

Assemblyman Mike Norris (R,C-Lockport) is proud to announce that legislation he sponsors (A.6601) to establish the New York State Aid and Incentives for Municipalities Redesign Task Force has been passed in the Assembly.

It was previously passed in the state Senate, and now will return to that house to be delivered to the governor for his consideration to become law.

“When we talk about the upstate-downstate divide in our state, the antiquated funding formula for our municipal governments is a perfect example,” Norris said. “Upstate taxpayers are being shortchanged because of decades old funding formulas like this. But this bill is an example of how my colleagues and I came together and worked across the aisle to address this issue,” said Norris. “This is an important step in modernizing and enhancing the way this funding will be calculated in future state budgets.”

(Editor’s Note: Orleans Hub has frequently written about the disparity in AIM, how villages with police and fire departments receive about $7 per capita in AIM, while cities with similar levels of services receive well over $100. In Buffalo’s case, the per capita aid is over $600. In the Village of Albion, it’s $6.41, about 1 percent of what Buffalo gets. Click here to see a chart and article with more information.)

This legislation is significant because it would reimagine the state’s funding for local governments, commonly referred to as Aid to Municipalities (AIM). In recent years, AIM funding has been the cause of contention as local governments have gone without any funding increase from Albany while at the same time being asked to foot the bill for new costly mandates, as well as increased costs (such as energy, transportation, etc.). This causes local taxes to go up, although local taxing entities try to stay within the 2 percent property tax cap.

The current AIM funding formula is based off of aid levels dating back to the late 1990s and early 2000s for cities, and even later for towns and villages – putting the amount of state aid municipalities receive at an unfair disadvantage, particularly in upstate communities.

Norris said, “The problem has been further exacerbated by the pandemic in so many towns and villages across our state – particularly in small, rural communities. That’s why I am so pleased my colleagues finally recognized how this revenue stream needs to be addressed in order to aid taxpayers and smaller jurisdictions.”

The bill creates a temporary municipal redesign task force (set to expire by Dec. 31, 2022) to investigate state funding for cities, towns and villages through AIM, which have not seen an increase in 12 years. The task force would report to the governor and state Legislature within one year of convening on a variety of issues, including the AIM funding formula, distribution of resources and alternative solutions and models. The goal would be to have the findings included in the next state budget.

Norris was among a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers to sponsor the bill in both houses, and it also had the support of the New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials. If signed into law by the governor, the bill will immediately allow for the convening of the temporary task force.