LOCKPORT – Assemblyman Mike Norris (R,C,I,Ref-Lockport) is reminding constitutions that the June 11 submission deadline for his Hometown Heroes program is fast approaching.
The program is the public’s opportunity to honor and show appreciation for individuals who went above and beyond during the pandemic. To date, Norris has received dozens of nominations ranging from nurses and frontline workers to every day citizens who helped brighten the dark days of the pandemic for their fellow neighbors.
“The last year was undoubtedly a very tough time for so many people, but it also brought out the very best in many people as well. These individuals exemplified the very best of our community during these tough times, and for that we want to thank them,” said Norris, “Please share your nominees so that we can shine a light on the people who have helped make this last year a little easier.”
Nominees can be a resident of any age from the 144th Assembly District, which is comprised of portions of Erie, Niagara and Orleans counties, but cannot be a candidate for public office.
Both the nominee and person who made the nomination will be notified by mail, if they are selected. To nominate someone, please download the form by clicking here. The deadline for submissions is June 11, with a ceremony planned for this July. For further questions, please contact Assemblyman Norris’ office at (716) 839-4691.
By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 29 May 2021 at 3:00 pm
Let’s go on an adventure together…. to Arizona!
Superstition Mountain Museum in Apache Junction, AZ. The Elvis Chapel was used in the filming of Elvis Presley’s 1969 western, “Charro”.
Arizona…..I think everyone should experience Arizona at least once. My first time was a business trip to Phoenix maybe 20 or so years ago. I didn’t get to see much, but I did contact a friend of my Mom’s while I was there and we met up one evening so she could show me around, some.
My second time was in 2006 when I went to attend the 50th birthday party for a friend I graduated with that was living in the Mesa/Chandler area outside Phoenix at the time – she still lives in the general area. I could only stay for a long weekend for that trip, but we managed to get out and do quite a bit of sightseeing in the few days I was there.
But, the third time was the charm….I was able to plan an eight-day stay with friends who lived in Apache Junction in 2013 and we crammed so much into my visit.
I stayed with my friends in their beautiful home at the foot of the Superstition Mountains with stunning views and a pool. It would have been a perfect vacation, if we never left their house. But – we did go out…a lot! Apache Junction is also near Phoenix, where I was on my other trips, but we ventured out pretty far in just about every direction every day and saw a lot of the state.
My first full day was spent with the high school friend I mentioned above – I called it my “Bonnie Day”. We drove about two hours south to Old Tucson in Tucson – a theme park with old movie sets and memorabilia. We had such a great time talking and laughing and talking and laughing and ended the day having a fabulous steak at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill restaurant.
Canyon Lake near Apache Junction, AZ. Take the Dolly Steamboat cruise to get a relaxing view of this stunning crystal clear blue lake and canyon.
There is a ton of stuff to see and do right in and around Apache Junction. Ron, Lisa, and I went to all the local tourist attractions over the next couple of days. We had to go to Superstition Mountain Museum – a cool place with several actual movie sets, including the Elvis Chapel – a chapel used in the filming of Elvis Presley’s western “Charro”. What self-respecting Elvis fan would miss that? We also spent some time at Saguaro Lake, Fountain Hills, and Tortilla Flat. All amazing places.
The highlight of the local stuff was taking a lake cruise on the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake – WOW!!! If you are ever in this area of Arizona, I highly recommend this cruise – words cannot describe how amazing it is! And emotional…I was in tears and had to remind myself to breathe at several points along the hour and a half cruise. Canyon Lake snakes through the canyon with water so blue and crystal clear – like a mirror reflecting the rocky ledges along the way. And, amidst all that beauty, we also saw big horn sheep, bald eagles, a bald eagle nest, and other wildlife native to the canyon.
Of course, we included a visit to the Grand Canyon on this trip. We got up really early Saturday morning and drove three and a half hours to Williams. We got there in time for breakfast before we boarded an old-time train that took us on a two-hour ride to the southern rim of the Grand Canyon. The train was an amazing experience!
There was incredible scenery all the way, musicians singing for us, and lots and lots of wild life to see – including, herds of mule deer, elk, antelope, cattle, and even several coyote. We spent several hours at the Grand Canyon – even with the poor visibility, snow, and fog, it was so amazing – take whatever you’ve heard about the beauty of the Grand Canyon, multiply it by 1000 and you still won’t come close to the real thing!
View of The Grand Canyon from the southern edge.
Then, on the train ride back, we were stopped by some train robbers who boarded the train with scarfs over their faces and wielding guns to rob us! The ladies were screaming and everyone was shaking in their boots! Hahaha What a riot – so much fun! We spent the night at the Grand Canyon Inn – a really nice place out in the middle of nowhere just outside the town of Williams.
The next day, we explored Williams for a while after breakfast – a small historic town established in 1881, but looks more like it got stuck in the 1950’s. Then, we took the long way back to Apache Junction. We drove through Jerome and Sedona, driving on steep, winding roads at high elevations and taking time to stop and enjoy the gorgeous red rock and whatever else caught our eye along the way.
And, the fun didn’t stop there! On my last day, we left extra early for the airport so we could stop at the Queen Creek Olive Mill where they have olive tree groves and make olive oil on-site. I learned so much about olives and olive oil in the hour or so we were there.
Taking the old fashioned train from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon is an amazing experience – including getting held at gun point by a gang of train robbers.
I never would have guessed how fascinating the process is and how delicious it can be when you get it fresh from the source. Be sure to click the link to the blog post to learn all about it – so interesting. I had several different flavored olive oils and some other products they make at the mill shipped home to me so I could enjoy them for a good long while.
Yep – Arizona is a gorgeous state with so much to see and do! The friends I visited were living there because Lisa is a travel nurse and she had a year contract in the area, so they aren’t there to visit, again. They did another contract in Lake Havasu City that I wasn’t able to work out a trip to, but they hope to go back, so maybe I’ll have another chance. And, from what they told me, I think I may just plan a trip on my own, if they don’t. That’s in a part of Arizona I have not been to….yet….and, I’d get to see London Bridge if I go there! Hehehehe
Photo by Tom Rivers: A massive fire on May 22 destroyed the repair garage and sales office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd.
RIDGEWAY – As many of you may already know, a week ago on Saturday, Rick and Ron’s Auto Sales suffered a complete loss of both its repair garage and sales office after a devastating fire tore through it.
Rick & Ron’s on Ridge Road has been a member of the Medina business community for more than 40 years.
We are grateful that each member of our team made it out without any serious injuries, and we would like to thank the numerous volunteer firefighters who responded.
Now that the smoke has cleared, our team has already begun the process of demolition, which we hope to have completed by the end of next week. Once done, we will promptly move on to preparing the site for our new building so that we can continue our long tradition of serving customers from all over Western New York.
In the meantime, we have set up a temporary office on site and have partially restored services to meet our customers’ needs. We will continue to operate during our normal business hours, but at a slightly limited capacity, throughout the construction process.
We thank our customers and the Medina community for all their support and patience during this time of transition to a new beginning for Rick and Ron’s Auto Sales.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 May 2021 at 8:29 am
Congressman from Long Island sees a vulnerable Cuomo from personal scandal, unpopular policies
Photos by Tom Rivers: Congressman Lee Zeldin, right, walks with Paul Lauricella, left, to a garage on Lauricella’s property on Route 18 in the Town of Yates. Lauricella is the chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party.
LYNDONVILLE – Lee Zeldin, the front runner to be the Republican and Conservative candidate for governor in 2022, stopped in Orleans County on Friday to meet with local Conservative Party leaders.
Zeldin said the state is at a “breaking point” with economic and public safety policies pushing New Yorkers throughout the state to leave.
“We’re getting our wallets attacked, our education system attacked and our freedoms,” Zeldin said. “We will win because we have to win.”
Zeldin spoke for just over an in hour inside a garage at Paul Lauricella’s property on Route 18. Zeldin on Friday was on day 5 of an 8-day swing across the state. While he spoke at Lauricella’s, rain pounded on the roof and it was unseasonably chilly with temperatures in the mid-40s.
Zeldin spoke to about 20 people for just over an hour at Lauricella’s garage. Zeldin said he can win the gubernatorial race in 2022 by not taking any votes for granted. He announced his candidacy well ahead of the election so he can make multiple visits to every county in the state, building coalitions and voter support in a state where Democrats have a big edge in registered voters over Republicans. Kerri Richardson, a Barre Town Board member, brought her baby to the session with Zeldin.
“I’m taking nothing for granted,” Zeldin told the group. “That’s why I’m here. We need everybody, everywhere to be all in.”
Zeldin, a congressman from Long Island, thanked Lauricella for the invitation. Lauricella is chairman of the Orleans County Conservative party and has endorsed Zeldin in next year’s election.
Lauricella cited Zeldin’s conservative views and voting record, and a biography that includes four years on Active Duty with the U.S. Army, including serving with the 82nd Airborne Division on a deployment to Iraq.
Skip Draper, the Orleans County Republican Party chairman, also has endorsed Zeldin and sees him as a future U.S. president. Zeldin already has the support from the majority of the Republican and Conservative leaders in the state.
Democrats have won the last four gubernatorial races, with Andrew Cuomo elected the last three elections – 2010, 2014 and 2018.
“We will be running against a beatable opponent,” Zeldin said about the current governor.
Cuomo is facing personal scandal with allegations of sexual harassment, and a storm over the state’s accounting for nursing home deaths due to Covid.
“The deadly nursing home cover-up that alone is enough for him to resign,” Zeldin said.
The governor also faces criticism for writing a book with staff help about leadership lessons during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was paid $5 million for a book that has sold 45,000 copies.
Zeldin said the governor is increasingly unpopular with Covid restrictions that Zeldin said don’t make much sense to the public. He cited the recent announcement to have vaccinated and unvaccinated sections in arenas and ballparks as one example. Many of the restrictions have shut down businesses permanently, and led to staggering job losses in the state.
The governor has infuriated many conservatives during his tenure as governor, from the SAFE Act to the more recent criminal justice reforms, as well as an escalating state budget and economic development funding “that picks winners and losers,” Zeldin said.
Lee Zeldin said he “unapologetically supports law enforcement” and will push to reverse some recent criminal justice reforms, including cashless bail.
He was most critical of criminal justice reforms that ended cash bail for most crimes, putting residents at risk, with people who commit crimes less likely to be held in jail.
If Cuomo doesn’t run for re-election in 2022, Zeldin said the Democratic Party will no doubt rally behind a progressive candidate with a big budget view of the government.
That isn’t the kind of leader the state wants right now, Zeldin said. He believes he will appeal to voters of all parties and persuasions.
“When we talk about the issues – the attacks on our wallets and the erosion of public safety – it will connect with Democrats, too,” Zeldin said. “Democrats are concerned about the cost of living, too. We have to go beyond the Republican and Conservative base.”
It is difficult for a Republican to win a state-wide office in New York. Registered Democrats more than double the number of registered Republicans in the state.
In February the voter registration statewide included 6,748,526 Democrats, 2,914,704 Republicans, 162,330 Conservatives, 48,207 in the Working Families Party and 504,988 in other parties. There were also 3,015,356 “blanks” or unaffiliated voters. Democrats represent 50.4 percent of the 13,394,111 registered voters, according to the state Board of Elections.
Zeldin believes he can win by connecting with more voters in New York City, including Democrats disillusioned with the current state economic and criminal justice policies.
Republicans do very well in upstate New York, especially rural counties. But Zeldin said he will need to get an even stronger turnout in many of those areas, boosting the vote from 62 percent for Republicans to 68 percent.
“Democrats can afford to waste time and money, and fight amongst themselves and still win,” Zeldin said. “We can’t.”
Lee Zeldin, right, said the state government would have more balance with a Republican as a governor. The State Legislature is dominated by the Democratic Party.
That is why he announced his candidacy last month in April, 19 months before the election. He is working to raise $35 to $50 million, the amount of money he said that is needed to be competitive. And he will keep crisscrossing the state, shoring up support.
“No county is too big or too small,” Zeldin said. “We will pursue the New York City market, and we will go to Hamilton County, Clinton County and Orleans County.”
Zeldin has been elected to four terms as a congressman. He said he enjoys the job and expects Republicans to swing back into the majority after the 2022 election.
He would be happy to stay in Congress, and he will be giving up that position by running for governor.
The state needs a new direction, Zeldin said, after a drastic swing against public safety, against a sustainable state budget, against affordability for working class residents.
“Millions of New Yorkers are hitting the breaking point,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 May 2021 at 7:25 am
The Erie Canal will reopen the section from Holley to Spencerport this morning beginning at 7. That area had its guard gates down and water levels lowered on May 16 so engineers and contractors could work to mitigate localized seepage occurring west of the Smith Street Bridge in the Village of Brockport.
The canal opened for its 197th navigational season on May 21 but the section of eastern Orleans and western Monroe counties was closed to traffic. That changes beginning this morning with guard gates raised and the lift bridges operational, the Canal Corp. posted in a notice to mariners.
“Boaters should expect some delays in lift bridge operations as lift bridge operators will be roving between lift bridge locations to operate the lift bridges on Saturday, May 29,” the Canal Corp. said.
ORCHARD PARK – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement in response to the President’s $6 trillion budget proposal.
“This President has taken reckless spending to unimaginable heights. His spending binge has resulted in an abysmal jobs report, small businesses struggling to find employees, and Americans experiencing a decade-high increase in inflation this past month,” Jacobs said. “All around the country, Americans are being effectively taxed into oblivion from the President’s reckless partisan spending – they are feeling it at the pump, in the grocery store, and with just about every purchase they make for their families.
“Americans do not need the President to spend trillions of tax dollars to ‘reshape an economy’ that was hitting record highs before the pandemic. They also do not need him to raise taxes on small businesses and individuals by $3 trillion over the next decade to pay for his partisan wish list.
“Americans need the President to come back down to earth and propose fiscally responsible policies. I look forward to working with my Republican colleagues on the Budget Committee to develop a smart, responsible counterproposal.”
Today, the President unveiled his FY22 budget proposal priced at $6 trillion dollars. The budget projects $3 trillion in tax increases over the next decade, and projects a massive increase in the federal deficit.
Jacobs joined the House Budget Committee during the 116th Congress and continues to serve on it in the 117th.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2021 at 4:50 pm
2 counties report 27 new cases since Tuesday, and 44 more recoveries
The number of active Covid-19 cases in Genesee and Orleans counties has dropped from 94 on Tuesday to 78 today, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.
There are 27 new confirmed cases in the two counties since Tuesday, and there are 44 more recoveries, which resulted in fewer active cases.
In Orleans County there are 9 new positive cases since Tuesday for a total of 3,083 cases since March 2020.
The individuals in the new cases are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s and 60s. Orleans currently has two people hospitalized due to Covid-19.
The county is reporting 16 more of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and been removed from mandatory isolation.
Correction from the GO Health Departments: “We have retracted 1 positive reported on May 27 who does not live in Orleans County.”
In Genesee County there are 18 new positive cases of Covid for a total of 5,309 cases since March 2020.
The individuals with the new cases of Covid are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Genesee currently has 10 residents hospitalized due to Covid.
Genesee is reporting 28 more of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and been removed from mandatory isolation.
Statewide positive rate: The percent of positive tests for Covid on Thursday was 0.59 percent statewide, the lowest during the Covid-19 pandemic. The previous low was 0.65 percent on August 27, 2020.
The Finger Lakes’ 7-day average positivity fell to 1.87 percent on Thursday, bringing the individual 7-day average positivity of all 10 regions across the state below 2.0% for the first time since October 28, 2020.
Orleans and Genesee counties are both part of the Finger Lakes region. In Orleans County, the current 7-day average for percent positive with testing is 1.9 percent, while it’s 0.8 percent in Genesee. In the past 14 days, the positive test rate in Orleans is 1.8 percent and in Genesee it’s 1.2 percent.
Narrow private fire lanes don’t have enough space for trucks to turn
Press Release, Orleans County chief administrative officer
YATES – We are fortunate to having a countywide solid waste program for all of our residents. We attempt to provide this service to all residents who reside on our town roads, county roads, state roads and even fire lanes. However fire lanes are private property that do not have a standard for width or right-of-way that municipal roads are required to maintain.
We work with Modern Disposal Services to ensure that their commercial equipment may safely and efficiently service our community. However, there are instances when certain areas or fire lanes are not able to be safely navigated to service the resident’s solid waste or recyclable items. When that happens, in an attempt to resolve the situation, we contact the town and residents to inform the parties of the challenges we have in that area.
Unfortunately it has come to our attention that the junction of Wolf Lane and Willow Lane in the Town of Yates does not allow for a safe turn for the commercial trucks that are used in servicing these households for our solid waste collection and collecting the recyclables.
Therefore the residents of Wolf Lane and Willow Lane will need to bring their solid waste and recycling to the roadside of Lakeshore Road effective on your next scheduled pickup date. Since these are private lanes, we have no control to resolve this issue so the new location for solid waste and recyclable service will be at the roadside of Lakeshore Road.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this creates for the residents of Wolf Lane and Willow Lane in the Town of Yates,” said Jack Welch, Chief Administrative Officer for Orleans County. “We hope that the residents of these two lanes are able to work together to resolve this issue so that service may return in the future.”
Press Release, Katie Oakes, horticulture educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County is bracing for another season of damage and defoliation from the invasive European Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar.
The Diagnostic Helpline at the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension received an extraordinary number of calls in 2020 regarding gypsy moth caterpillars. It appears WNY is in the midst of a pretty substantial multi-year outbreak, and 2021 will likely see high numbers of gypsy moth caterpillars in the Orleans County again.
Typically, outbreaks will show high amounts of gypsy moths for 2-4 years, then the population will collapse due to natural causes such as predators, parasites or disease. That is little comfort, however, for homeowners watching the caterpillars severely defoliate valued landscape plants or large portions of woodlots right now.
This photo from July 4, 2020 shows the distinctive blue and orange dots of a mature gypsy moth caterpillar. Homeowners have very limited options for managing caterpillars of this size.
As of this last week of May, gypsy moth caterpillars have emerged from their egg masses and have begun feeding. When they are small, they appear mostly black and hairy, and they disperse by “ballooning” – the caterpillars will send out a silk and float on the wind to other trees and shrubs to begin feeding.
As the caterpillars feed, they molt several times – shedding their skin as they grow larger and changing appearance from early stages to more mature larval instars. The mature larvae will be dark in color, covered in hairs, and have pairs of orange and blue dots along the length of their body.
Gypsy moth caterpillars can grow to be over 2 inches long, and as they reach maturity, they can consume massive amounts of leaf tissue in a single day.
The preferred tree species for this invasive pest are oaks, willows, poplars, birch and apple trees, but they will feed on many other deciduous tree species as well as some conifers. Most healthy mature deciduous trees can withstand one season of defoliation – once the gypsy moth larvae finish feeding and pupate, the trees can usually send out a second flush of leaves mid-summer.
Trees that have suffered complete or almost complete defoliation for 2 or 3 years in a row, or trees that are young or otherwise stressed may have a harder time recuperating from defoliation. Conifers can be killed from a single season of defoliation.
DEC forester Garrett Koplun recommends regularly irrigating any landscape trees with significant defoliation. Keeping soil moisture levels even by deeply watering (to a depth of 12-18”) extending out to the dripline is the best thing homeowners can do to reduce stress on trees affected by gypsy moth caterpillars.
For homeowners wanting to reduce the amount of defoliation and damage done by the caterpillars this year, timing is critical. Manual removal is an option, picking or scraping the caterpillars off of host plants into a bucket of soapy water and then discarding after they die. Use caution when touching the caterpillars as their hairs can cause an adverse skin reaction in some people. Manually removing caterpillars may not be practical, however, if there are massive amounts or caterpillars or if they are out of reach on taller landscape trees.
There are pesticide sprays available on the market registered for use against gypsy moth caterpillars, but they are most effective when caterpillars are smaller than 1” long. It can also be difficult for homeowners to treat using pesticides if the caterpillars are high up in mature trees.
As the gypsy moth life cycle progresses, homeowners are more and more limited in management options. More information about gypsy moth life cycles and links to management options can be found at the NYSIPM blog article (click here) from July 2020 “People are talking about Gypsy Moths.”
Gypsy moth caterpillars can feed for up to 6 weeks each season, so homeowners are encouraged to check their trees regularly for gypsy moth caterpillars and to consider thresholds of tolerance and management choices now in order to better plan for later in the season.
For identification or more information on gypsy moths or other insects and diseases in the home landscape, contact Katie Oakes, Horticulture Educator with Orleans County CCE at 585-798-4265 ext. 125 or klo54@cornell.edu.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2021 at 10:05 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday voted in favor of four solar projects in county with two in Albion, one in Kendall and one in Carlton.
The Planning Board recommended each town accept the site plans and issue permits for the projects. The projects are all on land that is currently being farmed.
In Albion, a 5-megawatt project with about 40,000 solar panels is proposed at 3852 Long Bridge Rd., on land owned by Brad Bokman near Route 31. The solar arrays will generate enough power for about 700-900 homes, a company representative said by Zoom videoconferencing during Thursday’s meeting.
U.S. Light and Energy in Latham, NY, will use 66 acres of a 92-acre parcel for the ground-mounted solar system. The project includes electrical equipment with transformers on concrete pads, an accessory building, 1,560 linear feet of electrical line, a chain-link fence and an access drive off Long Bridge Road. The landscaping plan also calls for 553 plants, with 292 Wichita Blue Juniper trees.
County planners recommended Albion require an existing berm on the property’s western border remain to provide a buffer for a neighboring house made of Medina sandstone in the Greek Revival architectural style. That house would be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, according to a letter from Oct. 16, 2020 from Robyn Sedgwick, historic site restoration coordinator for the State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
• The other project in Albion is at 3858 Gaines Basin Rd., on land owned by Donna Laubacher. This site is just south of Allen Road.
The 2.5 megawatt solar system with about 8,100 solar panels would use 15.6 acres of the land. AES DE DevCo NC LLC is the developer. The company is based in Louisville, Colo.
AES said the project is expected to have a useful life of 25 years or longer. The landscaping plan includes 470 deciduous and evergreen trees with 183 Northern White Cedars, along with shrubs and pollinators.
• In Kendall, a 5-megawatt project is proposed for 27 acres on Center Road on land owned by Lance Manville of Hilton.
The developer of the project is DG New York LLC, based in Juno Beach, Fla. The project is at 1770 Center Rd., the northwest intersection of Center Road and Kenmore Road.
• In Carlton, a 4.4 megawatt project would be on 26.7 acres at 13759 Waterport-Carlton Rd., land owned by Michael and Jessica Connor.
The developer of the project is Omni Navitas Holdings LLC in Boston, Mass.
The company is proposing 12,700 solar panels, new electrical equipment including four transformers on concrete pads, and 2,417 feet of underground electrical wiring. There would be an access drive on Park Avenue. The solar system would be surrounded with a chain-link fence.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2021 at 8:25 am
Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out
ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance.
There won’t be a parade down Main Street, ending at the middle school front lawn due to Covid-19 concerns. There won’t be a marching band and other service organizations for the parade and memorial service.
Last year’s Memorial Day observance was cancelled. This year, the VFW and American Legion are planning a smaller-scale observance, with veterans gathering at the VFW on Platt Street at about 10:30 a.m. The group will then proceed to the Courthouse lawn for an observance at the new veterans’ memorial that was erected by the Knights of Columbus. (The Knights will have a ceremony there too on Monday at 9 a.m. with a bagpiper.)
The veterans were planning to march from the VFW down Bank Street and then turn left onto Main Street. But Route 98 is a posted detour with the Route 31 bridge in Knowlesville currently closed. Because of that, the Department of Transportation was unwilling to close Main Street for the procession, said Gary Befus, who is helping to organize the procession.
The VFW and Legion have a new route, with veterans gathering at the VFW, processing south on Platt Street, then turning right (west) onto State Street, and then taking a left (south) at the Main Street traffic light. They will then march single file down the sidewalk to the veterans’ memorial on the Courthouse lawn, Befus said.
Any local veteran is welcome to join in the procession. At the memorial the service will begin at 11 a.m. with brief remarks from Tim Lindsay, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, and Tim Archer, an Albion teacher who will highlight some of the service-learning projects by his students that have honored veterans.
Mr. Miller, 95, is expected to join in the procession, riding in a Kubota. After serving in World War II, he worked 21 years as a heavy equipment mechanic for the state Department of Transportation in Pittsford and then close to home in Albion. He also drove a tractor-trailer for 28 years and worked part-time for an auctioneer in Middleport.
He has been busy in his retirement, visiting all 50 states. He stays active, and has been in the news for completing puzzles with several thousand pieces.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 May 2021 at 10:11 pm
Quest was 24 years in the making; brothers follow parents as 46ers
Photos courtesy of the Pane family: The Pane brothers and their celebrate on Saturday when they reached the top of the Rocky Peak Ridge in the Adirondack Mountains. Pictured from left include: Anthony Pane, Karen Pane, Keith Pane and John-Louis Pane. Mrs. Pane is a fourth-grade teacher at Medina.
Three brothers from Medina became 46ers on Saturday when they climbed the Rocky Peak Ridge, the last of the 46 highest peaks of the Adirondacks where they trekked to the top.
It was a challenge 24 years in the making. John-Louis, Keith and Anthony Pane follow in their parents’ footsteps as 46ers. Karen and Joe Pane completed all 46 climbs back in 1990.
As young climbers the Pane brothers are shown in 2006 at Nye Mountain. They are shown from left – oldest to youngest: John-Louis, Keith and Anthony.
When the brothers were younger, they tagged along with their parents. But then the boys’ schedules got busy with high school sports, the marching band and summer soccer leagues.
“So the opportunities to travel to the Adirondacks became limited,” their father said. “Before long the boys were traveling to the Adirondacks with high school friends and college friends while leaving their slow-hiking parents behind.”
When the bothers were kids, the family used to make day trips to the Adirondack Mountain Club Campground.
“As they got a bit older we started backpacking trips that included climbing several of the peaks each day,” Joe Pane said.
The brothers have grown up, working jobs away from each other, which made completing the last of the 46 peaks difficult.
John-Louis, 29, graduated from George Washington University and works for Fannie Mae in Washington, DC.
Keith, 27, graduated from Clarkson University and works as an engineer at BAE Systems in New Hampshire.
Anthony, 25, earned his degree from the University of Rochester and he works for the National Institute of Health.
In 2019, after graduating from the U of R, Anthony hiked solo in the Adirondacks for a week, leaving one peak to finish. Last week his brothers joined together and climbed 12 peaks to catch up to Anthony. And then on Saturday they celebrated their final peak as a family on Rocky Peak Ridge.
“They were committed to finish the final peak together,” their father said.
Once they register the achievement they will be given a number and will be entered in the 46er history books. For more information on the Adirondack 46ers, click here.
Public water system seeing increased demands with residential district growth, ag and industrial use
Press Release, Genesee County government
BATAVIA – Officials from Genesee County, the City and Town of Batavia, Village of Oakfield, Village of Elba, and the Genesee County Department of Health are requesting residents connected to the Public Water Supply System to conserve water.
Genesee County has undertaken several water supply improvement projects to increase water supply throughout the county, but due to rapid increases in residential district growth and increased agribusiness and industrial use, demands for water are outpacing supply improvements during the summer months.
To avoid water emergencies, all residents served by the countywide public water system are asked to do their part to conserve water. The countywide water system includes the City of Batavia and all towns and villages within the County (except the Village of Alexander). It is anticipated that these voluntary water restrictions will remain in place until the end of summer.
Guidelines to save water include:
Avoid filling swimming pools.
Avoid watering lawns and washing cars.
Use your automatic dishwasher only for full loads.
Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads.
If you wash your dishes by hand, do not leave the water running for rinsing.
Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator to keep it cool instead of running the water.
Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, seven days a week and often can be repaired with an inexpensive washer.
Check your toilets for leaks. To test for leaks, add a small amount of food coloring to the toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately.
Take shorter showers. Long showers can waste five to ten gallons every extra minute.
Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors. Area hardware or plumbing supply stores stock inexpensive water-saving showerheads or restrictors that are easy to install.
If voluntary conservation measures are unsuccessful, mandatory water conservation may have to be enforced.
