By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 March 2021 at 10:30 am
GAINES — The Gaines Town Court is the first town court in Orleans County granted permission to conduct virtual proceedings.
The NYS Office of Court Administration approved the Gaines Town Court’s application.
There is no a timeframe yet for when the court proceedings will be available virtually, said Town Justice Bruce Schmidt.
Once the virtual calendar is in place, additional information will be posted on the Town of Gaines website and Orleans Hub for those who wish to participate.
The virtual court proceedings will be open to the public upon request by emailing GainesTownCourt@nycourts.gov. Once a request is received the court will forward a link to the proceeding. There will also be an informational link on court proceedings for litigants to explore. Participants will be able to log in 15 minutes before the session begins.
“The move to virtual court is in response to the need to resolve a backlog of cases put on hold due to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic,” Schmidt said in a news release.
Joe Cardone, Orleans County district attorney, would like to see more courts have the option for virtual proceedings to work through the backlog of cases. Cardone would also like to see the return of in-person court sessions, now that the state is easing restrictions on indoor dining.
“If restaurants can be open up to 75 percent capacity there is no reason why courts can’t be open,” Cardone told local elected officials during a conference call last week.
For more information on virtual court at Gaines, stop by the Town Hall at 14087 Ridge Road or call the Town Court at (585) 589-4592 ext. 11.
Courtesy of Governor’s Office: This shows the map for a new 20-mile transmission line close to Orleans and Genesee counties. The line increases capacity for delivering more hydroelectric power in Western New York.
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced construction has started on the Empire State Line, a $180 million project to upgrade the energy transmission system serving Western New York with a new 345-kilovolt transmission line across 20 miles in Erie County and Niagara County.
The project is designed to increase transmission capacity and help deliver more renewable hydroelectric power throughout Western New York. The project will stimulate the local and regional economies by creating and supporting clean-energy construction jobs.
The Empire State Line will run from the Town of Royalton in Niagara County through the towns of Alden, Newstead, Lancaster, and Elma in Erie County. It will include a new 345-kV switchyard, the Dysinger Switchyard, in Niagara County; and a second, new switchyard, the East Stolle Switchyard, in Erie County. The project will relieve transmission congestion in Western New York and will allow for the integration of more renewable energy into the State’s electric grid.
Developed by NextEra Energy Transmission New York, Inc. this project puts New York on track to meet its goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which includes a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040, 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality.
“Building a clean, reliable transmission system for New York is a critically important part of combatting climate change and meeting our nation-leading clean energy goals,” Governor Cuomo said. “The Empire State Line is an integral part of a new energy superhighway being built to move clean energy across the state more efficiently – while also creating new jobs and opportunities for New Yorkers that will help to reinvigorate our local and statewide economies.”
The New York State Public Service Commission approved a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the project at its January 21, 2021 meeting. Governor Cuomo unveiled the proposal as part of his plan to reimagine, rebuild, and renew New York in his 2021 State of the State, including a package of transmission projects across the state that will form New York’s Green Energy Superhighway — 250 miles of planned investments that will create opportunities to maximize the use of renewable energy for parts of the state that rely heavily on fossil fuel plants. The Empire State Line is the final project within the 250 miles to commence construction and is expected to be complete and in service by June 2022.
The line will be carried by steel monopole structures, each 115 feet high, which are 40 feet higher on average and 15 feet narrower than traditional H-frame structures that carry long-distance electricity lines. Empire State Line construction activity is expected to employ between 120-150 workers, many sourced from local labor organizations.
The transmission upgrade project also builds on New York’s unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy including over $4 billion invested in 91 large-scale renewable projects across the state; the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector; a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035; and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 March 2021 at 9:15 am
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley is urging State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to follow the federal government’s decision and implement the 3-foot guideline for spacing between students’ desks.
School districts in the state have been operating so far this year with state guidance that desks need to be at least 6 feet apart. That has prevented many districts from bringing back all of their students for in-person classes every day. Many school districts are on hybrid schedules, alternating groups of students in classrooms to keep the capacity down.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its guidelines for school districts, reducing the minimum spacing between desks from 6 to 3 feet. The State Health Department would now need to accept those guidelines for school districts in New York to be able to move desks closer and have more students in classrooms. Those students should be wearing masks while in the classroom, the CDC said.
“I believe that remote learning is in many ways harmful to the development of young students, as they are deprived of the opportunity to socialize with their peers and develop critical social skills,” Hawley said. “I also raised the point that for many students, home is not an environment conducive to learning, and many students who face adverse circumstances at home rely on school as a place they know they can be kept safe and fed a nutritious meal.”
Hawley said he sent a letter to Zucker, the state health commissioner, asking him to accept the CDC guidelines for the state.
“This would allow students to return to classrooms full-time and end remote learning,” Hawley said. “The American Academy of Pediatrics has acknowledged that many nations have been able to re-open schools with a 3-foot standard in place, without increasing the spread of Covid-19 in the community.”
Photo courtesy of Orleans County Sheriff’s Office: A pilot landed this Cessna safely in a Barre cornfield after running out of gas.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke
BARRE – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an aircraft emergency landing today in a corn field off the Bragg Schoolhouse Road in the Town of Barre.
The Buffalo Niagara International Airport Control Tower contacted the Orleans County Sheriff’s 911 Center and reported a plane down approximately 2 miles east of the Pine Hill Airport. Barre Fire Department and Sheriff’s Deputies located the 1962 Cessna 182F Single Prop and the pilot, Eloy Vague-Spaude of Rochester, approximately 1,500 feet off the road in a cornfield.
The pilot indicated that he had allowed two skydivers to jump and was circling to return to the Pine Hill Airport when he ran out of fuel and made the emergency landing. The pilot was not injured and the plane was not damaged.
A crew from the Pine Hill Airport fueled the aircraft and towed it out to Bragg Schoolhouse Road. The pilot was able to restart the plane and take off on the roadway.
The Sheriff’s Office is continuing the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office was also assisted by Orleans County Emergency Management.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 March 2021 at 7:19 pm
Performance will be shown virtually with no in-person crowd
Photos courtesy of Lyndonville school district: Alissa Klinetob (a Lyndonville senior) is Marmee and Seagan Majchrzak (a Medina sophomore) portrays Beth in Lyndonville/Medina’s production of Little Women.
LYNDONVILLE – It was just over a year ago when Lyndonville and Medina drama students experienced the disappointment of having their show, Mama Mia, cancelled after months of rehearsals. The Covid-19 pandemic closed the curtain on high school musicals shows throughout New York State.
Lyndonville and Medina, which work together on a musical, are back with a new show. They have Covid safeguards in place, including no in-person audience. The show has been filmed and will go “live” online Friday until next Sunday, March 28.
Qasim Huzair (a Lyndonville senior) portrays Professor Bhaer and Sophia Cardone (Medina senior) stars as Jo.
The leads in the shows are wearing clear masks, which won’t conceal their facial expressions, which was important to director Jennifer Trupo.
“Last year was so heartbreaking,” Trupo said about the show being canceled. “A bunch of our seniors never got to make their last bow.”
This year Lyndonville and Medina are performing Little Women. The cast is smaller than recent Lyndonville/Medina musicals, but the show includes a full ensemble and band. There are 23 student sin the cast, and five more students as assistants.
Trupo and the students saw a video of a Buffalo school performing a musical with the clear masks. Trupo wanted similar masks for her students.
“The clear masks make all the difference because this is a very emotional show,” she said. “With fabric masks we couldn’t see facial expressions.”
The musical is based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, a coming-of-age story set after the Civil War. The plot focuses on the four March sisters— traditional Meg, wild and aspiring writer Jo, timid Beth and romantic Amy.
To ensure the safety of the students and staff, auditions were held online and many of the initial rehearsals were done through Google Meets. The cast and crew transitioned to the stage with safeguards in place to finalize and record the production.
Trupo said she is grateful the two schools are all to put on a full show, even if it won’t be in front of a cheering audience.
“We’re so thankful we have our ensembles, and to have a musical,” Trupo said. “We’re so thankful our administration has allowed us to do this and our community is supporting us and that we have this outlet for the kids.”
Those sites will continue to vaccinate people over age 60 and teachers
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced new guidance has been rolled out allowing pharmacies to vaccinate New Yorkers with comorbidities. Pharmacies were previously able to vaccinate New Yorkers over the age of 60 and teachers.
“New Yorkers with comorbidities are among our state’s most at-risk residents, and access to the Covid-19 vaccine protects this vulnerable population as we work to defeat the virus and establish the new normal,” Governor Cuomo said. “As New York receives more doses and more people receive the vaccine, we’re able to expand the population pharmacies can serve, and this is a commonsense step forward that will help make it easier to protect New Yorkers.”
New Yorkers with comorbidities or underlying health conditions can show they are eligible with a doctor’s letter, medical information evidencing comorbidity, or signed certification.
New Yorkers age 16 and older with the following conditions are eligible for vaccines due to increased risk of moderate or severe illness or death from the virus that causes Covid-19:
Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers)
Chronic kidney disease
Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome
Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia
Liver disease
On March 9, Governor Cuomo announced that with increased supply of the vaccine, restrictions concerning which segments of the eligible population specific providers can vaccinate will be relaxed to align with the expanded eligibility beginning March 17. Previously, certain types of providers were directed to focus their vaccination efforts on specific populations to ensure equitable vaccine distribution. For example, hospitals vaccinated health care workers, local health departments vaccinated essential workers and pharmacies vaccinated New Yorkers 65 years of age and older.
As part of this effort, providers are being encouraged to vaccinate those New Yorkers most at risk, such as individuals 60 years of age and older and people with comorbidities and underlying health conditions. Today’s announcement further builds on those efforts.
ATTICA – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) visited Merle Maple in Attica today to celebrate NYS Maple Weekend and announce his co-chairmanship of the House Maple Caucus.
“Maple production is an important part of the agricultural economy in Western New York,” Jacobs said. “In fact, Wyoming County is one of the largest maple producers in our state.”
In 2017, 1,695 New York maple farms with over 2,000,000 taps produced 714,372 gallons of syrup. Wyoming County accounted for over 91,000 of those gallons. Overall, farms in the eight counties throughout New York’s 27th District produced over 110,000 gallons of maple syrup.
“Generations of Western New Yorkers have provided maple syrup and other products to consumers nationally; it is part of our regional heritage and identity,” Jacobs said. “I am proud to announce I have joined the House Maple Caucus as a co-chair, which puts me in a strong position to advocate for this important industry.”
Jacobs serves as a co-chair of the House Maple Caucus along with Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Peter Welch (VT-AL). The bipartisan caucus was formed in the 116th Congress (2019-2020) to advocate for the American maple industry.
The Cobblestone Museum and Town of Gaines celebrated the opening of the Upper Gallery at the Brick House, a building from 1836 next to the Cobblestone Universalist Chruch on Route 104. There was an official ribbon cutting ceremony on June 15, 2007. Town of Gaines Supervisor Richard DeCarlo and Cobblestone Society Board President Paul Letiecq are seen here cutting the ribbon. Looking on are: Bill Lattin, Museum Director; and Board Members Peg Letiecq, Dee Robinson, Gloria Neilans, David Heminway, Elsie Davy and Georgia Thomas.
By Doug Farley, Cobblestone Museum Director
GAINES – The year 2007 saw several improvements at the Cobblestone Museum campus, most notable was the addition of the “Upper Gallery” in the Brick House (1836), which created a modern art exhibition space in the Hamlet of Childs.
Beginning in January of that year, the second story of the Brick House was completely gutted and then reconstructed to house an ideal 15’x26’ exhibition space for art exhibits, along with several new storage closets that lined the sides of the room.
The curator, Bill Lattin, reported that with help of volunteer Lee Minier, the duo removed the “what-not” that had accumulated in the second floor space since the building was acquired in 1998. Bill then turned his attention to gutting the plaster walls and removing all of the debris to an awaiting dumpster. He reported at that time that he worked on the project almost every weekday for two months.
For the reconstruction, Joe Baker and David Heminway were consulted to provide help with the structural modifications. They decided that extra bracing in the roof rafters was needed, along with reinforcing scissor trusses that gave the room extra height. The team installed the framing so it was ready for wallboard.
Dave Heminway also donated plywood sheets. Dale Adomo provided a refurbished track lighting system with 20 lamps. This was a truly significant gift that helped to lower the cost of remodeling the room. Richard Cook donated the electrical work. Joe Baker came to install the wallboard and Bill Lattin finished up the trim work, installed period stairway spindles and sanded/finished the wood floor.
The Upper Gallery held an official ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, June 15, 2007. The Cobblestone Society board had previously decided that the room would be dedicated to the memory of past president and board member, George W. Zeis (1918-2002), seen here in 2000. Mr. Zeis in addition to his years of service, had provided a legacy gift of $75,000 to the Society through his estate.
A bronze plaque was ordered and installed to commemorate the dedication.
The opening exhibit was entitled, “Victorian Angels,” which consisted of a vast array of 19th century lithograph prints, some from famous religious paintings that contained angels. This exhibit was followed up in 2008 by “Saints from Whom Their Labors Rest,” and “The Life of Jesus” in 2009.
In 2010, a multimedia exhibit entitled, “Contrasting Champions” was installed integrating modern ceramic sculpture with antique prints. Local sculptor, Heather Boyd, provided 12 modern sculptures which were matched by an equal number of Victorian religious prints.
In more recent years, former Director, Matt Ballard, created an exhibit of WWI photos and poster art. Most of the posters were received, on loan, from the Hoag Library in Albion. Mr. Ballard framed the prints using a grant from Genesee-Orleans Art Council.
“Church Benches” by Tom Zangerle
A future exhibit in the planning stages for the Upper Gallery for autumn 2021 is a one-man show of paintings by Medina artist Tom Zangerle.
The current exhibit in the Upper Gallery was created this winter and opened in March. Bill Lattin provided a loan of his Currier & Ives art prints to create a curated display of 19th century lithographs. About 75 pieces of hand colored and black & white art prints are displayed within various themes and genre. Also, a 19th century lithography stone is on display to show how studios, such as Currier & Ives, produced over 7,000 different art prints in their time period.
Little Daisy, Currier & Ives most popular print, creation date circa 1872
The Currier and Ives exhibition is currently open to the public by appointment. The exhibit is free of charge, but donations to the Museum are gladly accepted. Call the museum at (585) 589-9013 to set up an appointment to visit The Upper Gallery.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 March 2021 at 9:24 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – This woman fishes off the end of the western pier at Point Breeze on Saturday evening. Although it warmed up to the 50s on Saturday, there were still icicles hanging on some of the rocks.
The Point was popular on Saturday evening, with people enjoying the sunset and the fresh air and several trying to catch a big fish.
It’s going to be a nice stretch of weather to start spring. The high temperatures for the next few days include sunny and 60 today, mostly sunny and 63 on Monday, mostly sunny and 64 on Tuesday, partly sunny with a high near 67 on Wednesday, and mostly cloudy with a high near 64 on Thursday.
This angler carries his fishing gear and looks for a spot to fish on the western pier at Point Breeze.
I had to really think about this Chinese Proverb when I first read it. It touched me, but I was unsure why. Plants hold special meanings to me. They make my heart sing.
Just the other day my husband was trying to convince me to discard some of my plants. We will be traveling between states in the near future and he felt it not practical to keep all our house plants. My response, “I will put them in crates and they can travel with us.” Why you may wonder? Because they are not just plants, they are part of me.
Many were given from special people in my life. Some no longer visible to me because they reside above the blue skies. I have a spring rye from my Aunt Tina’s plant. She passed of cancer when I was only 13. I have a pothos from my Grandma that sat on her kitchen counter when I was a little girl until adulthood.
There is a parlor palm from when my husband Brian and we first got married. Cacti are in pots from my friend who moved away. My Spider Plant was a baby sprout from my sister Brenda’s kitchen… a place we have shared many special memories.
My gardenia tree bears the blossoms of my favorite flower. There is a little noble pine my Mom gave me and then the amaryllis bulb that a friend who just passed wanted me to have.
These plants provide the kind of oxygen that feeds one’s soul. Each breath we take in our house nourishes us with the kind of air filled with a thousand treasured memories. You can not just throw that away. You need to water it, care for it, keep it close, treasure it, protect it. This was my initial literal feeling when reading this proverb. Proverbs are meant to be self interpreting so I am going to continue to think on this one for a bit.
That said, when you grow a tree you need to cultivate the ground, dig deep, plant the tree and nurture it for it to grow green with life. Its roots will grow and with luck the tree will flourish. A more proper comparison to oneself would be that in order to hear the “Bird Sing” we must look within ourselves and get rid of that which creates negativity and does not allow our soil to be rich. Rich with love, peace and freedom of spirit that only a pure, clean heart can harbor. Only we can dig deep enough to search within to see what makes us happy.
Once our tree within is happy, the bird can sing and It’s song will allow us to share love and joy with others. Whether we are literally nurturing our plants or metaphorically nurturing our plants, the peace it brings can be all empowering and quite tranquil. I hope your tree will bear the fruit needed to bring you joy!
I think my inner tree is going to be a big ol’ Maple because in my backyard there is the biggest Maple and it truly has been a blessing to me over the last 30 years. Providing shade, breezes, beautiful landscapes, and melodies. What kind of tree are you cultivating and what will the bird sing?
To see my “Singing Plants”, Visit My Blog live online (click here) and catch up on Weekly Photo Perks and past Sunday Posts. Like and share your comments.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 20 March 2021 at 6:05 pm
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Christian Drisdom and his Mustang teammates have earned the top seed for the Section VI Class B2 playoffs and will host Alden in the quarterfinals on Monday.
If ever there was ever a season to gain the full advantage from being a No. 1 seed in the Section VI basketball playoffs this is it.
Because of the Covid-19 situation only the top eight teams in each classification qualify and there will be no neutral sites for games. Therefore, the higher seeded team will have the home court advantage for each round including the championship game.
Locally, Medina has earned that coveted No. 1 seed for the Class B2 playoffs and home court advantage as the result of the Mustangs going 11-1 in capturing the Niagara-Orleans League championship.
Medina will host No. 8 Alden in the quarterfinal round at 7 p.m. Monday. The victor will then face the winner of the No. 5 Depew at No. 4 Newfane game in the semifinals on Wednesday. The championship game is scheduled for Friday.
The other half of the B2 bracket on Monday will have No. 6 Akron at No. 3 Springville andNo. 7 Burgard at. No. 2 Lackawanna.
In the Class B1 quarterfinals No. 8 Albion will visit No. 1 Buffalo East at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Matchups in the Class B3 quarterfinals on Tuesday involving N-O teams will have No. 6 Roy-Hart at No. 3 Allegany-Limestone and No. 8 Wilson at No. 1 JFK.
In the Section VI girls Class B2 quarterfinal contests on Tuesday involving N-O teams it will be No. 8 Cleveland Hill at No. 1 Wilson, No. 6 Roy-Hart at No. 3 Southwestern and No. 5 Olmsted at No. 4 Akron.
In a Class B1 quarterfinal on Monday No. 8 Newfane will visit No. 1 City Honors.
Just as was the case during the regular season attendance at sectional games will be limited to just two spectators per player for the home team only.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 March 2021 at 3:23 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
Stephen Robert Goff was better known as “Stork.”
ELBA – The Elba community lost a well-known and respected community member with the death of Stephen Robert Goff, “Stork”. He passed away on March 9 at age 64.
Goff served as Elba’s mayor and was the owner of the Stumblin’ Inn, a landmark on Route 98 that burned down on July 8, 2018. That site was a popular hangout, and Goff enjoyed welcoming many live bands over the years who played at the venue.
The memorial display pictured above is at the site of the former Stumblin’ Inn.
Mr. Goff served in the United States Marine Corps from 1975-1979, earning a Rifle Marksman Badge and a Good Conduct Medal.
Goff’s funeral service was on March 15. He will be laid to rest at Mount Albion Cemetery.
By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 20 March 2021 at 3:00 pm
Let’s go on an adventure together … to Idaho and Utah!
I thought I’d take you on the rest of my October 2018 Caravan bus tour. A couple weeks ago, I took you to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and in May of last year, I took you to South Dakota. Now, I want to take you to Idaho and Utah. I’ll also touch on a couple other parts of the trip that we visited between South Dakota and Yellowstone.
The National Oregon Trail Center in Montpelier, Idaho, gives an amazing hands-on look into the lives of early pioneers that traveled by wagon trains across the country.
We didn’t spend much time in Idaho, but the major stop there was one of my top few favorite experiences of the trip. The National Oregon Trail Center in Montpelier, Idaho is fully run volunteers dressed in period clothing and funded solely by donations. And, they do an amazing job – they told us they were really proud of their little museum and we all agreed they have every right to be. They offer an exciting and interesting first-hand experience of what it was like to travel from Missouri to California in the 1800s by wagon train along the Oregon Trail.
We were first greeted by a cowboy who explained how they traveled. They loaded their wagons with all their belongings, which left no room for riders – everyone walked – all day, every day for miles, except the severely ill and dead. It was very expensive to join a wagon train – they had to purchase a wagon and an appropriate team of animals to pull the wagon, so it was typically only the wealthy or upper middle class who were able to go. Everyone on the wagon train had a job – even the children – and they had to ensure they traveled a certain number of miles each day to stay on schedule. It was a long and difficult journey and not everyone made it.
The next part of the Oregon Trail experience was a simulated ride in an actual wagon with all the uncomfortable bumps and pitches. There were recorded readings of actual stories from diaries of the travelers to listen to along our “journey”. We, then, got to sit around a simulated camp site to show us what happened at the end of each day – the work doesn’t end. It really was an awesome experience and I learned a lot about pioneer life.
I mentioned in my Colorado article that I met a man from Batavia in the elevator of my hotel. Well, there on the Oregon Trail in Idaho, we met one of the volunteers who happened to be from Lockport! I continue to be amazed at how small this world really is.
Thursday evening rehearsals of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City, Utah are open to the public.
Another claim to fame for Montpelier, Idaho: The former location of the Bank of Montpelier boasts being robbed by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on August 13, 1896 – they got away with more than $16,500 in gold, silver, and currency. There is a Butch Cassidy museum there, now, and they are quite proud of their brush with the famous outlaws.
We moved on to Utah – Salt Lake City was the final destination for the trip. We stayed at a hotel right in the middle of downtown just a couple blocks from Temple Square and the Mormon Tabernacle. We were let out to tour Temple Square and it was fascinating! Two lovely young missionaries led a guided tour through two of the buildings – the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall – and the beautiful gardens in the courtyard. We were not permitted to tour the Temple, because only those Mormon who follow the strictest of the church’s covenants and are declared “clean inside and out” may enter.
Temples are considered the House of God and no unclean thing may enter. The organist was playing while we were there for the tour – the sound was incredible! The organ has over 11,000 pipes, multiple keyboards, and multiple sets of foot pedals. We were told that the acoustics in the Tabernacle are perfect – if the organist wasn’t playing, they could drop a pin in the choir loft and you could hear it in the back of the room.
After dinner, we were given the option to return to the Tabernacle to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Thursday evening rehearsal, which is open to the public. WOW… getting to listen to their angelic voices and musicians in that stunning Tabernacle with the perfect acoustics was indescribable. An evening I will remember forever.
There were no “Close Encounters” when we visited the Devil’s Tower in Wyoming.
The other two parts of the over-all trip I wanted to briefly touch on were in Wyoming and Montana. First – while in Wyoming, we stopped at Devil’s Tower. I wanted to swing by there when I went on a cross country motorhome trip with my brother and sister-in-law in 2016, but it didn’t work out, so I was happy to get to see it on this trip. Like millions of others, I saw the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, so it was an unexpected thrill to see the tower in person (and, listen to that tune in my head while I was there, and I’m happy all over again if I just caused you to get it stuck in your head, now – hahaha).
We didn’t have any “close encounters” on this trip, but it was still pretty cool. The Indian legend of the Devil’s Tower is that a group of young girls (I believe they said three) were playing when a huge bear came upon them. They ran and when it became obvious that they wouldn’t be able to outrun the bear, they huddled together and prayed that they could be raised higher than the bear could reach. Suddenly, the earth around them began to rise up to save them. The distinctive streaks on the sides of the tower are said to be claw marks from the bear as he tried to reach the young girls, but failed to do so.
The other stop we made was in Montana – or, more specifically, the Sovereign Nation of Crow Country. As soon as we entered Montana, we immediately left Montana and entered the Sovereign Nation of Crow County, which is about 2.2 million acres NOT considered part of Montana, even though it is inside Montana’s borders. It is the greatest span of land within the US borders that is still not under control of the American government.
While in Crow Country, we stopped to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. In 1876 in the Valley of Little Big Horn, Sioux and Northern Cheyenne, led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, overwhelmed General Custer and his Calvary. It was a solemn place that the Crow now consider sacred. We attended a talk by a park ranger, who is a member of the Crow Nation – he told the story of the battle and dispelled the myths and legends that have been embellished over time. On the site, there is a memorial to the Native Americans who fought in the battle and markers all over the hill leading up to the peak showing where bodies were found after the battle. Beside the site, there is also a National Cemetery that has nothing to do with the battle. The park ranger told us that, although it is a National Monument, the site is proudly maintained by members of the Crow Nation. His personal pride in being a part of honoring this Native American heritage was strongly evident in his talk.
We got a nice taste of all these amazing states and I’d love to return, someday, to see more. I did get to spend more time exploring Utah when I traveled to New Mexico and Monument Valley – but, that’s a story for another time.
Check out all the stories and photos from our visit to Idaho and Utah: Click here
Another blog post included in the series of posts from our Caravan Bus Tour includes visits to Devil’s Tower, the Sovereign Nation of Crow Country, and the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Crow Country – all fascinating places to visit: Click here
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 March 2021 at 11:53 am
Benefit scheduled on March 27 for Sara Secore
MEDINA – Sara Secore was feeling dizzy and lightheaded just by walking around her house in September 2019.
She went to the doctor’s and had her blood tested. She was in her early 20s and didn’t think too much of it.
Sara Secore
But the results and additional tests showed she had a serious kidney disease. She was put on dialysis due to her failing kidneys.
“This just happened out of nowhere,” Secore said about the kidney disease.
Secore, now 25, and a mother of a 3-year-old son has tried to find an organ donor. A stranger from Albion heard about her situation and offered his kidney. He went through several months of tests, which showed he would be a good match until he was ruled out about two weeks ago. The surgery was supposed to happen next month.
Secore was “devastated” by the news, but she remains hopeful someone will step forward who proves to be the right match. That person needs to have the O-positive blood type.
Until she has a new kidney, Secore is doing nightly dialysis from her home.
“It’s very hard on your body,” she said about the dialysis. “But I have no other option.”
Anyone interested in seeing if they would be a good fit as a living donor for Secore is encouraged to call Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester at (585) 275-7753. Secore asks that they mention Sara Secore, her birthdate of March 13, 1996, and O-positive for the blood type.
Secore’s friends and family also are planning a basket raffle and spaghetti dinner to help her with expenses. That event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 27 at the Community Fellowship Church, 3146 Johnson Creek Road, Middleport. Drive-through dinners also will be available.
For more information and for tickets contact Holly at (585) 205-5795, Monica at (585) 298-6264 and Cara at (585) 469-9493.
I had to really think about this Chinese Proverb when I first read it. It touched me, but I was unsure why. Plants hold special meanings to me. They make my heart sing. 
