Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is railing against the Assembly Majority after they tabled a bill he sponsored during a Ways and Means Committee meeting that would have exempted veterans over the age of 85 from paying state income taxes (A.5033).
Notably, this bill was rejected even after the Majority passed a budget that gives over $2 billion in assistance to illegal immigrants in the form of direct payments.
The cost to the state in lost revenue from excluding veterans over 85 years old from state income taxes is estimated to be about $6 million, just over one fourth of one percent (.0000283) of the state’s record high $212 billion budget.
“The decision by the Majority to refuse to take this small step to show appreciation for our most elderly veterans even after giving billions to people who broke the law to come to this country is shameful, and representative of our state’s misguided priorities as a whole,” said Hawley. “We are failing those who have risked their lives for our freedoms, and helping those who have disrespected our nation’s rule of law. It seems, year after year, the Majority places the well-being of lawbreakers above that of working people, and apparently even our veterans, even when they need our help more than ever during these unprecedented times.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 April 2021 at 3:27 pm
Program now in 4th year gives group a chance to explore many facets of the county
Photos by Tom Rivers: Pictured from left, front row: Nicole Goyette, Elissa Smith, Joanna Follman, Sam Covis, Kathy Jurs, Sherry Haylett, Donna Ciccarelli, Stacy Newell, Denise Klos and Ben McPherson. Back row: Mike Magnuson, Sean Snook, Rebecca Alexander, Gabe Myers, Roberta Conn, Melinda Pitcher, Chris Ranallo, Cat Holland, Renee Hungerford, Ayesha Kreutz, Mourad Attar, Rich Allis, Scott Wilson, Rob Riemer and Justin Niederhofer.
LYNDONVILLE – The fourth class for Leadership Orleans started this past week with a two-day retreat at the White Birch Golf Course.
The program started in 2018. Each year about 25 community members participate in the program. They used to meet monthly and spend a full day examining an aspect of the county, and hearing from leaders in different industries, businesses, human services, education and other sectors of the community.
This year’s class was pushed back due to Covid-19 concerns. Instead of meeting monthly, the class will get together twice a month some of months to ensure a full year of programming.
The opening retreat included several ice breakers to help the class get better acquainted, a personality profile awareness, and discussion about servant leadership.
Laura Olinger, owner and president of Bentley Brothers, speaks during the opening retreat last Thursday for Leadership Orleans at the White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.
Olinger is a member of the steering committee for Leadership Orleans. She said the program shows the county’s strengths and looks for ways to overcome the challenges.
“It can be really easy to say we’ve always done it this way,” Olinger said. “But this brings together a group of people who want to be involved and see the community do better.”
Skip Helfrich, director of the program, said there continues to be strong interest from the community in leadership Orleans. This year’s class includes 11 organizations that haven’t been part of the program before. He already has three applicants for the 2022 program.
“This class is a great way to learn about Orleans County,” he said. “Everyone builds a network and you’re learning about your community.”
In coming months the class will have days focused on legislative affairs, an adventure leadership day, community health, education, business and culture, tourism and recreation, agribusiness, economic and workforce development, simulated society, volunteerism, and a closing retreat and graduation.
Participants pay a tuition for the program, which also receives $16,000 in funding from the county, as well as many sponsors.
The 2021 class includes:
Rebecca Alexander, co-owner of Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza
Rich Allis, pastor of Light of Victory Church in Albion
Mourad Attar, quality engineer for Baxter Healthcare
Donna Ciccarelli, global purchasing planner at Baxter Healthcare
Roberta Conn, office manager for Oak Orchard Community Health Center
Sam Covis, assistant director Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina
Joanna Follman, payroll administrator for Millennium Roads in Lyndonville
Nicole Goyette, assistant principal for Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Sherry Haylett, director of finance for the Arc of Genesee Orleans
Cat Holland, retail manager for Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina
Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Kathy Jurs, herd care manager for Orleans Poverty Hill Farms in Albion
Denise Klos, manager of operations for RTS Orleans
Ayesha Kreutz, program coordinator for the Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern
Mike Magnuson, reference librarian for Hoag Library in Albion
Ben McPherson, financial advisor for Edward Jones Investments in Lockport
Gabe Myers, customer service manager for Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina
Stacy Newell, chief operating officer for Claims Recovery Financial Services in Albion
Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of Orleans County Emergency Management Office
Melinda Pitcher, manufacturing supervisor for Baxter Healthcare
Chris Ranallo, manager of Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union in Albion
Rob Riemer, deputy for Orleans County Sheriff’s Office
Elissa Smith, elementary principal at Lyndonville
Sean Snook, operations manager at Claims Recovery Financial Services in Albion
Scott Wilson, superintendent at Orleans County Jail
The 2021 class met on Thursday and Friday at the White Birch.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 19 April 2021 at 1:51 pm
Off to a strong 3-0 start, Medina’s bid for a C North Division football title and a berth in the upcoming Section VI playoffs has been interrupted as the Mustangs are now on a Covid-19 related pause.
The pause has caused this coming Friday evening’s home game against Wilson to be postponed. No make-up date has been announced. The Mustangs other remaining regular season game is scheduled to be at Tonawanda on Thursday April 29.
Medina becomes the fourth of the six C North Division teams to go on a pause so far this season. The others are Cleveland Hill, Newfane and Tonawanda. Only Akron and Wilson have avoided a pause situation to date although both have had games against fill-in foes when their regular scheduled opponent was put on pause.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 April 2021 at 12:00 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Samantha Koons of the Office for the Aging assists with a food distribution on Friday in Albion. Greg Gilman of Community Action also helped move boxes of food to trunks of vehicles.
The schedule is set for the food distribution program on Fridays through the end of May.
The federal Department of Agriculture last week said the “Families Food Box Program” program won’t be continuing after May. The program has had five rounds and delivered 157.1 million boxes of fresh produce, milk, dairy and cooked meats to Americans across the country since last April.
Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary, announced the fresh produce boxes will be delivered as part of the Emergency Food Assistance Program where they can be delivered more efficiently with less waste and at a lower cost. It is unclear how that will affect the program locally. The food is delivered by Foodlink.
People line up in vehicles often by 5:30 to 6 a.m. for the distributions that are scheduled to start at 8 to 8:30 a.m. There are usually 300 boxes of food each week, but sometimes there are more. People are encouraged not to block driveways while they are waiting.
Anyone interested in volunteering can call the Office for the Aging at (585) 589-3191.
The schedule through the end of May includes:
April 23, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
April 30, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
May 7, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-HFairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
May 14, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
May 21, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-HFairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
May 28, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
Press Release, Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force
The proper way to dispose of medications will be the focus of Thursday’s quarterly meeting of the GOW (Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming) Opioid Task Force.
The meeting will be livestreamed via Zoom, starting at 9:30 a.m. It is expected to last for an hour.
Scott Wilson, superintendent of the Orleans County Jail, has agreed to make a presentation on National Drug Take Back Day, which is scheduled for this Saturday, with locations in the three counties.
Wilson has worked closely with this event for the past few years. In his presentation, he will discuss the organization of these events, collection of medications and their proper disposal, and the impact this day has on our community.
This meeting is open to the public and the community is invited to join and share any questions they may have.
“With National Drug Take Back Day coming up on April 24th, we felt this would be a great topic to cover with the members of the Task Force and our community,” said Christen Ferraro, GOW Opioid Task Force coordinator.
Ferraro noted that prescription opioid misuse is an ongoing and escalating epidemic as 70 percent of opioid dependence, overdoses and deaths begin with leftover drugs in the medicine cabinet.
“It is important to help remove the risks that leftover medications pose to you, as well as your families and friends. With this meeting, we hope to increase awareness of safe disposal methods, as environmental studies have shown that flushed medications flow into our water supply and negatively impact the fish we eat and water we drink,” she added.
To access the meeting link, go to www.gowopioidtaskforce.org. Once registered, participants will receive a confirmation email with Zoom information and a link to join.
Auto body students converting Brinks truck into a command vehicle
Provided photos: Brayden James (Niagara Academy), Lt. Todd Draper, Noah Poler (Lyndonville) and teacher Ron Jackson are shown with some of the steel targets made for the Medina PD to use for firearms training.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Lieutenant Todd Draper of the Medina Police Department says the department has always enjoyed their relationship with Orleans/Niagara BOCES.
Not only does Lt. Draper serve on the Advisory Committee for the Security and Law Enforcement program at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center (OCTEC), the auto body program and the welding program have been helping the Police Department with projects to assist in their mission.
A finished target is shown next to a Medina patrol car.
“The OCTEC principal Mike Mann has been terrific to work with and so have the teachers,” Lt. Draper said. “They have helped us with safety planning and allowing us to tour the building. The auto body teacher Tom Struebing and his class are converting a Brinks truck into a command vehicle, which we can share with the Medina Fire Department. Now the welding program, taught by Eric Farrell and Ron Jackson, is helping with making steel targets for the police to use for our firearm training.”
Lt. Draper says the targets will make the training for the police officers more exciting.
“There is something very satisfying hearing that ‘clang’ when you are at the range,” Draper said. “It helps to mix the training up and make it more realistic since they will show the upper torso and head and there are also targets that represent hostages or good people. We think we will get a lot of positive response from our officers using these instead of paper targets.”
Three junior welding students: Brayden James, Noah Poler and Dillion Wagner were assigned the project.
“It is pretty cool to be helping the community with the skills we are learning here,” Brayden said.
“I really enjoyed this project,” Dillion said. “It’s rewarding, we actually get to build something and help the police department.”
Lt. Draper has stopped in to the class to see their progress. He said he enjoys his time with the students as they tell him what equipment and techniques they have used to make the firearm targets.
“It has been very beneficial to us,” Draper said. “We are a small department and our budget is not the largest. The targets are very expensive to buy, so having the class help us has been gratifying and beneficial for all of us.”
Lt. Draper said he and the Medina Police Department would like to extend their thanks to the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center for all their time and energy.
“We truly appreciate all the effort the students and teachers have put in to helping out the department,” he said. “On a personal note, I really enjoy talking to the students and seeing their excitement in showing me what they have accomplished. It is great to see the sense of pride they have in their work.”
Teacher Eric Farrell, Brayden James (Niagara Academy), Dillon Wagner (Barker) and Lt. Todd Draper are shown with some of the targets made by the welding students.
ALBION – Each year, the No Empty Chair Campaign runs near the high school prom and graduation time in an effort to encourage teen drivers stay safe on the highways and be in their chairs on graduation day.
According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research 2017 data, a total of 56% of passengers killed or injured in motor vehicle accidents occurred with drivers between the ages of 16-20.
In 2017 a total of 99 young driver fatal crashes occurred. Multiple contributing factors in the teen crashes included unsafe speed, following too closely, driver inattention/distraction, failure to yield right of way and underage drinking.
This year, the No Empty Chair Campaign runs from April 19-23. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputies are joining forces with law enforcement throughout NY State to step up enforcement near area high schools, gearing extra attention for speeding in school zones, cell phone use, underage drinking and impaired driving along with promoting school bus safety.
The No Empty Chair Campaign is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by New York State and funded through the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 April 2021 at 9:10 am
MEDINA – The high school will be virtual for learning the next week due to a Covid outbreak. The district plans to have students back for in-person later at the high school next Tuesday, April 27.
All BOCES programs also will be virtual during this time. The other Medina schools are fully open.
The district will also have to postpone the state assessment tests for grades 7 and 8 until when students are back for school in-person.
Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said there are currently seven students in the high school who have tested positive and many others are quarantined. Kruzynski said all of the cases have been traced back to transmission outside of school.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 April 2021 at 7:25 am
Allegany County now last in state for vaccinations
Photo by Tom Rivers: Lynn Miller, a local EMT, gets a vaccine dose ready during a clinic on April 1 at the Ridgeway fire hall. Lucy Taylor-Welch, in back, is the county’s probation director. She and many other county and local municipal officials are assisting with the vaccine clinics.
Orleans County has hit a new milestone in getting people vaccinated against Covid-19. The county has passed 30 percent of its population with at least one dose of the vaccine.
The state’s Vaccine Tracker currently says 30.6 percent or 12,417 of Orleans County’s 40,612 residents have received at least one vaccine dose. The state says 20.8 percent or 8,452 of the county’s residents have completed the vaccine series.
Orleans is still behind the state rate of 41.4 percent and the rate in the nine-county Finger Lakes Region of 43.0 percent.
The distinction of the county with the lowest vaccination rate has been between Orleans and the Bronx County for most of the past two months. But they have both passed Allegany County, which is now the lowest at 29.3 percent. Allegany is currently the only county out of 62 in the state below 30 percent with at least one dose. (Bronx County is currently at 30.9 percent.)
Orleans continues to lag several percentage points behind nearby counties. The county rates for at least one vaccination dose include: Genesee, 37.4 percent; Niagara, 39.4 percent; Livingston, 37.3 percent; Monroe, 45.3; Erie, 44.0 percent; and Wyoming, 33.5 percent.
To check for vaccination clinics in Orleans County, click here to be directed to the site from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments about their vaccination clinics.
Both counties are offering vaccination clinic registration via phone. In Genesee, call (585) 815-7168. In Orleans, call (585) 589-3170. For both numbers ask for the vaccine registration help line.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 April 2021 at 7:30 pm
‘We just wanted to lift up her spirits. We want her to know she is loved by many.’
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – About 15 vehicles, decorated with balloons and birthday greetings, drove by the front entrance of The Village of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center this afternoon. The vehicles all stopped so the drivers and passengers could wish Angela McNeil a happy 52nd birthday.
McNeil (second from left) is known also by her nickname “Bookie.” She worked as an aide at The Village for about 30 years. She recently suffered several strokes and is a resident now at The Villages and shares a room with her mother, who worked in the kitchen at the nursing home.
Sandy Flugel gives Angela an enthusiastic greeting. Flugel worked with McNeil for many years.
“She was the best aide ever,” Flugel said. “She took care of so many people. She has so much love.”
Robin Davis has been best friends with McNeil for 40 years, since they were kids. Davis and Latricia Poole organized today’s birthday celebration for McNeil.
“We just wanted to lift up her spirits,” Davis said. “I want her to know she is loved by many.”
Many of McNeil’s close friends presented her with a card and then danced to “We are Family” in the parking lot.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 April 2021 at 12:14 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Harvest Christian Fellowship, which is looking to establish a new ministry next to the church on Route 31 in Albion, was helped in gutting the upstairs of 574 East Ave. on Saturday.
A team from the New York Adult & Teen Challenge Buffalo arrived in the morning and stayed through the afternoon in the project. They removed insulation, took out bathroom fixtures and did other work to get the site ready for a remodel.
The new ministry will be known as Trade 180 and will be a caring community of support for the young marginalized people in Orleans County, ages 18-25, said Heidi Dorpfeld, coordinator of the program.
She wants to connect the young adults with trades professionals in the community. The young adults can learn job skills, and receive spiritual support, Dorpfeld said.
“We want to help people discover their purpose,” Dorpfeld said on Saturday. She is shown outside the Trade 180 building. “We believe every individual is created in the image of God.”
Dorpfeld works as a job coach for students at the Niagara-Orleans BOCES in Medina. She said Trade 180 will assist younger adults who often “fall through the cracks” and need some help connecting to a career.
The team from Buffalo Teen Challenge assists men 18 and older who struggle with life controlling issues. The team is shown removing some of the insulation form the upstairs. The group spoke at Harvest Christian Fellowship during today’s church service.
Dorpfeld, shown upstairs with some of the team from Buffalo, said fixing and upgrading the old house is a strong symbol for the new ministry. “We’re restoring a house that has been forgotten,” she said. “We want to do the same with people and help to renew and restore and put them on a path for success.”
For more on Trade 180, click here or send Dorpfeld an email at tradeoneeighty@gmail.com. She is hopeful the program can start in the fall. She welcomes businesses and mentors to be a part of Trade 180.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 18 April 2021 at 8:59 am
Isabelle King Schultz feels the love during celebration at the Willows
Provided photos: Ariana McCuen, 7, gets a hug from her great-great-grandmother, Isabelle Schultz, during a 100th birthday celebration on Saturday.
MEDINA – Isabelle King Schultz celebrated a milestone birthday on Saturday in a very special way.
Schultz, who turned 100 on Friday, was honored on Saturday with visits from her family and friends and a parade of cars through the Willows to wish her happy birthday.
Born April 16, 1921 in Johnson Creek to James and Anna Annable Noble, Schultz spent some of her early childhood in Canada, but lived most of her live in the Middleport/Medina area.
She married Emory Bauer, with whom she had three children, Bill Bauer of Texas, Mary Ann Bauer of Niagara Falls and the late Dian Bauer Grove. After they separated, she married Robert King and had twins Susan King Webber of Middleport and Sharon King Kusmierczak of Brockport and Steven King. After Robert died, she married Donald Schultz.
She has 16 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Schultz, who has lived at the Willows for the last 15 years, is a member of the United Methodist Church in Middleport, where she ran their turkey dinners for many years. She drove Tri-Town Ambulance and also worked in the Roy-Hart School cafeteria for 15 years. She loved to go camping with her family.
Schultz noted she had seen the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and her marriage to Prince Philip, and the day she celebrated her 100th birthday, Schultz watched Prince Philip’s funeral.
She remembers her family’s first car – a Ford, and also remembers their house had no indoor plumbing and they used an outhouse.
While in her teens, Schultz taught herself to knit, a hobby which became her passion and which she still enjoys today. The hundreds of items she has made include lap robes, Mary Maxim sweaters, Christmas stockings, baby hats and mittens, many of which she gave to church groups.
Although she is hard of hearing, she can still see well enough to knit, and friends were invited to bring her a skein of any kind of “Red Heart” yarn for her birthday.
The family set up a table and chairs outside the entrance to the Willows, where Schultz sat bundled up in front of a little heater, so cars could drive down the driveway and wish her a happy birthday. Many stopped to hand a gift bag out the window or run up and give it to her with a hug.
She still enjoys having her nails and hair done and reads her Bible faithfully.
Isabelle Schultz, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday at the Willows, is surrounded by four of her children. From left are Mary Ann Bauer of Niagara Falls, Sharon Kusmierczak of Brockport, Steven King of Newfane and Susan Webber of Middleport.
Isabelle Schultz celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday at the Willows with four of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. She is pictured here with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-granddaughter.
We are heading to our little Tennessee Mountain retreat in the near future. On our last trip we were told about the jam sessions inside the metal pole barn at the top of the hill. The gentlemen who hosts these Jams said I will be invited. UMM, yes please! I will be there with my banjo and tambourine. I am the worst banjo player and my tambourine skills are subpar. But, who cares? As long as they will have me I intend to fake it until I make it.
Which got me to thinking, what song will I want to play at the jam session? My iPod has played the perfect song right while deliberating. It is Georgie (Strait)❤ singing “Here for a Good Time.” He sings the perfect adventure song here. Life is too short for sad songs! No way is he going to lay around and “wine and moan” because someone has done him wrong. The song is a toe tapper that reminds us that everyday could be our last and there is no way to know what tomorrow will bring. So in that spirit, bring it on!
Don’t waste your chance to live. He is smart enough to know that he “ain’t here for a long time,” so he might as well make it a good time. Great advice, Georgie. I especially like he requests a glass of moonshine as part of the good time. The lyric speaks to taking a chance to dance the dance, even if it might be wrong. Because you never know, it might be right too. Be brave and don’t let fear of looking foolish keep you from trying new things. Let your hair down and twirl like there is no tomorrow. If I am lucky enough to participate in these Jams, I will keep Georgie’s words in my back pocket to remind me the best times often come from the biggest leaps of faith.
There is a reason they call it a leap. You never know where you will land. And if you fall, so what, at least you tried! However, you may land in your happy place. In this song about life and living George aspires to have his gravestone read, “He left nothing behind.” I am really going to shake my tambourine at that part of the song. Truly think about it. Even if you have to crawl to complete your bucket list, crawl. Even if you have half your wits, do it with half your wits. No excuses. Sometimes half-wit adventures are the funniest ones.
So as I stand in the entryway of the Jam, with many strangers, and my tambourine in one hand and my banjo in the other.. looking like I may not belong, I plan to pluck up and go for it. Because isn’t that how all great adventures start, with a little sprinkle of faith in ourselves? If I don’t get invited back, that would be OK too because no doubt it will be another piece of life’s great puzzle of adventures.
Here is a link to “Here for a Good Time” (click here) . If I am lucky enough for an encore, I am going for “Sweet Southern Comfort” by Buddy Jewell or “East Bound Down” by Midland, for sure. What adventure is missing from your puzzle?
To see what Brian is going to be playing visit my blog live online (click here) and catch up on Weekly Photo Perks and past Sunday Posts. Like and share your comments.
Photos by Tom Rivers: RESTORE Sexual Assault Services, a program of Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York, has 1,183 orange flags on the front lawn of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion.
Press Release, RESTORE
ALBION – For the seventh year, RESTORE is placing displays around the region to raise awareness for sexual violence.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which gives RESTORE and rape crisis programs nationwide a spotlight on sexual violence and the resources people can turn to for help.
In each of five counties RESTORE serves there is a display of 1,183 small orange flags. The flags represent the national statistic that an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds, or 1,183 every day. The displays also include explanatory signage and RESTORE’s 24-hour hotline number.
In addition to flags, RESTORE is hosting a plethora of Zoom-based programs, a gallery of “Letters of Hope” on our website, and a social media campaign for the nationwide #30DaysofSAAM content challenge.
The pandemic has brought many changes to our daily lives, which can include dangerous environments for survivors dealing with isolation or without trusted adults for support. One advantage has been an increase in access to technology. RESTORE is now working alongside TeleSAFE, a service that helps survivors get the acute care they need. Trained expert SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner) professionals, will walk any medical provider or Registered Nurse through forensic exams using telemedicine. This is very exciting news since there can often be a shortage of trained SAFE providers at our local hospitals and partnering with TeleSAFE will help to bridge the gap so survivors won’t need to travel to seek care.
RESTORE is partnering with multiple agencies across the region for the flag displays.
In Orleans County, signage will be posted at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion.
In Genesee County, the flags will be displayed on the lawn of the Genesee County Courts Facility in Batavia.
In Wyoming County, the flags will be hosted at the Government Center in Warsaw through collaboration with the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office.
In Livingston County, RESTORE’s display has moved to a new home at the lawn of the County Courthouse in Geneseo.
In Monroe County, flags are hosted at the Planned Parenthood health center on University Avenue in Rochester.
The flags remain on display throughout the month of April. Additional displays travel across the five-county region, hosted by the colleges with whom RESTORE partners for advocacy, education and support.
To view the #30DaysofSAAM social media campaigns, find RESTOREsas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more information, visit RESTOREsas.org or email RESTORE@ppcwny.org.
The display in Genesee County is in front of the Genesee County Courts Facility.
By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 17 April 2021 at 3:00 pm
Let’s go on an adventure together… to New England!
I started to write this just about Bar Harbor, Maine. But, I couldn’t stop my mind (and fingers) from wandering to the other New England states I visited. I checked “Visit the
New England States” off my bucket list in two trips – one was a cruise with my travel buddy in 2015 and the other was in a motor home with my brother and sister-in-law in 2017.
Trust me – it is not easy to get a selfie with Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, MA. But, I did it! I had to lean backwards over the railing and angle my phone high above till I got me and the rock in the frame. I’m pretty proud of myself, so wanted to share the results.
The reason this was initially meant to focus on Bar Harbor is because I absolutely LOVE Bar Harbor!!! When we took the New England / Canada cruise in 2015, I was most looking forward to that port. The shore excursion I booked was a lighthouse cruise and I was so excited. Sadly, though, it was too foggy the day we got to Bar Harbor and they wouldn’t let the tenders run, so we pulled up anchor and left without getting to go ashore. The second time I made it to Bar Harbor, I found I could do that same lighthouse cruise, so I bought a ticket only to discover it was too foggy for the boats to run that day, too. Unfortunately, I planned that on the last day we were there, so I missed giving it another try. So…I have returned “Bar Harbor” to my bucket list so I can go back and, hopefully, get to do that lighthouse cruise! But, the several days we spent camping in Bar Harbor were amazing…despite not getting to do the lighthouse cruise.
But, let’s back up a bit. The 2015 New England / Canada cruise was on Royal Caribbean and it was one of my favorite cruises (I know, I say that a lot, don’t I?). It started in Boston and sailed to Portland and Bar Harbor in Maine and Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, returning to Boston to end the cruise. We spent the day “on our own” in Portland. We took a Pedicab – a guy on a bicycle pulling a two seat cart – that took us all over the town and then we just wandered around taking pictures and eating lobster. It was a really fun day. Of course, I already told you we couldn’t get in to Bar Harbor because of the fog. In both St. John and Halifax, we chose to do The Big Pink Bus hop-on-hop-off tours and saw many amazing things – our favorite was a public park in Halifax designed to commemorate Queen Elizabeth that had a Dahlia exhibit with so many stunning varieties and colors of dahlias. When we returned to Boston, we took a bus tour of the city on the way to the airport. Our tour guide that day was not as good as most tour guides – we felt a little let down and like we missed some things. I took that same tour when I got back from my Bermuda cruise and that guide was amazing – a much better experience.
Then, in 2017, my brother, sister-in-law, their dog Ellie, and I took their motor home on a grand adventure covering 1570 miles and 7 states in 10 days. Our first stop was Niantic, CT where we camped at a KOA for three days and rented a car so we could venture out to explore Mystic, CT, Salem, MA, and Plymouth, MA. Mystic has a wonderful aquarium that we really enjoyed and we spent some time in Olde Mystic Village, which was cool. We also got pizza at Mystic Pizza, because, DUH – we had to!
I snapped this foggy photo in Bar Harbor, Maine the morning I found out the lighthouse cruise was canceled. I stopped in a quaint little restaurant overlooking the water to have fresh Maine wild blueberry crepes and fell in love with the view.
Salem, MA was a bit of a disappointment – very commercialized, but they did have a really nice Farmers Market with some great shops and music. We enjoyed Plymouth, MA a LOT – we wished we had spent less time in Salem so that we could have spent more time in Plymouth – it is such a wonderful town with lots of history and peaceful places to sit and soak up the amazing views. I thought Plymouth Rock would be bigger or grander, but it was really cool to see it and I got a nearly impossible selfie! We walked all over the town and ate lobster rolls overlooking the water for dinner. I’d love to go back, someday.
When we left the KOA in Niantic to head towards Maine, we stopped at Gillette Stadium to peak at the field and go in the gift shop to do our Christmas shopping for my nephew and his family of die-hard Patriots fans. We also stopped in Gloucester, MA for lobster on the water front for dinner – another peaceful little fishing town that was just lovely. We stopped for the night at a really nice KOA in Saco, Maine, near Portland.
In Bar Harbor, we camped at the Bar Harbor Ocean Side KOA for three days and rented a car. WOW – that campground is awesome – I highly recommend it, if you’re going to be camping in Bar Harbor (I think they had cabins, too). It was right on the water and made for wonderful evening walks and time watching the sun set. There was also a guy there that cooked lobster dinners with lobsters caught fresh that morning by his cousin – every night – you got a whole lobster, a full ear of corn, cole slaw, and a drink for $20! Of course, we ate there every night.
There is nothing more breathtaking than the sun setting over the water. This photo was taken at the campgrounds we stayed at in Bar Harbor, Maine.
While in Bar Harbor, we spent a lot of time wandering around the quaint waterfront village, we did all the loops
in Acadia National Park, including Thunder Hole, took a bus tour up Cadillac Mountain, and drove the entire perimeter of the island with a stop at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse at the tip of the island. I will make it back there, again…if only to finally get on that lighthouse cruise! Hehehe
We drove back home through New Hampshire and Vermont, spending the night at a KOA in New Hampshire and stopped in Arlington, VT where we met an old high school friend of mine for lunch. We really wish we had spent more time in both of these states, but we only allotted 10 days for the trip because we had to get back. But, the scenery as we drove through New Hampshire and Vermont was to die for! I also visited Vermont for the day when I was in the Adirondacks this past fall. I want to spend more time in Vermont, in particular, but also New Hampshire with the main goal of covered bridge hunting…definitely still on the bucket list.
Our last overnight stop was in Herkimer, NY at a really nice campground with lots of cool things to snap photos of. And, then we were back home. It was a fantastic trip full of amazing views, fun and interesting things to see and do, and LOTS of lobster….be sure to click on the link for the blog post dedicated to all the delicious lobster and silly photos I can’t resist taking whenever I have a whole lobster in my hands! I only mentioned 5 of the 7 states we visited – we counted New York as the sixth and we also were in and out of Rhode Island several times in our travels. New England is simply beautiful and has so much to offer….if you haven’t been, you really should.
This was my favorite photo from Portland, Maine. This is the view on the back side of a fish market with fishing boats lined up waiting to go out for a day of working the waters.
Visit my blog for all the fun photos from my 2017 New England Adventure and my 2015 New England Cruise: Connecticut
