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.

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.

Cultivating Your Song Bird

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.    

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 and  No. 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.

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.

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

Happy Adventuring,
Kim Pritt

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.

Photo by GCEDC: Contractors put in a new waterline along Route 77 in the Town of Alabama.

Press Release, Genesee County Economic Development Center

TOWN OF ALABAMA – The Genesee County Economic Development Center announced this week that with the anticipated completion of a $2 million infrastructure project this summer, water capacity will increase to over 1 million gallons per day at the 1,250-acre Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) site.

“Every infrastructure milestone adds to the tremendous momentum behind STAMP,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. “Our ability to deliver low-cost, 100% renewable power, and utility infrastructure aligned with project timelines and capacities, is driving even greater interest from site selectors and companies looking to locate in Genesee County.”

Hyde noted that STAMP’s development is advancing with significant infrastructure design, engineering, and construction milestones. The mega site is already designed and permitted for the construction of over 6 million square feet of advanced manufacturing facility space.

The water infrastructure project includes the installation of new high-capacity water lines that will connect with previously extended infrastructure on New York State Route 77 that runs along the STAMP site.

The water line project is supported by New York State, and is aligned with investments by Genesee County and the towns of Alabama and Pembroke to expand infrastructure for economic and community growth.  Morsch Pipeline in Avon serves as the lead contractor on the project.

The STAMP site, just south of Shelby in Orleans County, will soon have its first tenant. In February, Plug Power Inc. announced it plans to begin construction of North America’s largest green hydrogen production facility. Plug Power’s $290 million proposed facility and electric substation investment further expands access to high-capacity, flexible infrastructure on parcels ranging from 30 acres to over 650 acres, Hyde said.

“Partnering with an industry leader like Plug Power is another significant asset available at STAMP to grow the renewable and advanced manufacturing sectors which will transform our regional economy for generations,” Hyde said.

The state and federal governments both announced this week the tax filing deadline would be moved back about a month from April 15 to May 17.

The U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced on Wednesday it was extending the filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year.

“This continues to be a tough time for many people, and the IRS wants to continue to do everything possible to help taxpayers navigate the unusual circumstances related to the pandemic, while also working on important tax administration responsibilities,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement. “Even with the new deadline, we urge taxpayers to consider filing as soon as possible, especially those who are owed refunds. Filing electronically with direct deposit is the quickest way to get refunds, and it can help some taxpayers more quickly receive any remaining stimulus payments they may be entitled to.”

Individual taxpayers can also postpone federal income tax payments for the 2020 tax year due on April 15 to May 17, without penalties and interest, regardless of the amount owed, the IRS and Treasury Department said.

This postponement applies to individual taxpayers, including individuals who pay self-employment tax. Penalties, interest and additions to tax will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of May 17. Individual taxpayers will automatically avoid interest and penalties on the taxes paid by May 17.

New York State followed the federal government’s lead and announced on Friday it would also extend the filing deadline until May 17.

“At the Governor’s direction, the Department of Tax and Finance will be extending the New York State income tax deadline to May 17 to align with the federal decision to do the same,” said Robert F. Mujica, Jr., the state’s budget director. “This 30-day extension provides New Yorkers still coping with the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic ample time to file. This will shift approximately $6 billion of revenue from April to May and the State will make any necessary adjustments to cash flow.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Downtown Albion along East Bank Street is shown while the sun sets on Thursday around 7:30 p.m.

There is lots of sunshine in the forecast this week for Orleans County with highs in the 50s and 60s.

Today will be sunny with a high near 57, followed by a sunny Sunday with a high near 59, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

On Monday, it will be sunny with a high near 62, and then a mostly sunny Tuesday with a high near 62.

The Weather Service said there is a chance for showers after noon on Wednesday, when it will be partly sunny with a high near 62. Thursday there is a chance for showers and a high near 61.

With 6 new cases reported today, Orleans now tops 2,500 in past year

Orleans and Genesee counties combined are reporting 42 new Covid-19 cases today, which puts the two counties past 7,000 cases during the pandemic.

The two counties have a combined population of 97,632. With 7,020 confirmed cases, 7.2 percent of the population has tested positive for Covid in the past 12 months. Both counties had their first case of Covid a year ago this week.

Genesee County had had a higher percentage of its population test positive with 7.9 percent or 4,516 residents out of 57,280 people.

In Orleans County, 6.2 percent or 2,504 people out of 40,352 residents have tested positive for Covid.

In Orleans County, there are 6 new positive cases reported today for a total of 2,504 cases during the pandemic.

The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 40s and 50s.

One of the new positive individuals was under mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

Orleans is reporting 7 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 3 county residents hospitalized due to Covid.

In Genesee County there are 36 new positive cases reported today for a total of 4,516 cases in the past year.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). Two of the cases are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Batavia.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.

Genesee is reporting 9 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee currently has one resident hospitalized with Covid.

Active Cases: The number of active case sin the two counties increased in the past seven days, from 93 on March 12 to 124 today. In Orleans County, the active cases went up from 37 to 41. In Genesee, the cases increased from 56 to 83.

Vaccine Finder: The Finger Lakes Vaccine Hub just launched a Finger Lakes Vaccine Finder to help those seeking vaccination. Click here for more information.

District tries to be ready if state follows CDC and allows desks to be spaced closer

MEDINA – The school district is surveying families to see their intentions if Medina is able to bring back more students for in-person learning.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today updated its guidance for school districts with the spacing of desks in the Covid-19 pandemic. The CDC reduced the minimum distance for desks to be apart from 6 to 3 feet, as long as students are wearing masks.

Before local districts can move desks closer, which would allow for more students in classrooms, the NYS Department of Health would be to accept that guidance from the CDC.

Medina Central School is trying to be ready for the anticipated change and wants to give more students the option of more in-person days of school.

Medina is asking families if they would send their students to school for more in-person days or if they would go remote all school days.

“Our hope is that by being proactive with this survey, we will be able to implement any changes to the NYSDOH school regulations as quickly as possible,” district officials stated on the survey.

Click here to see the survey.

Albion, Medina and Holley on list, with priority given to most economically disadvantaged districts

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today the state will soon be launching “ConnectED NY” which will provide free internet access to 50,000 students.

The state is making the program eligible to students in 210 of the most economically disadvantaged districts in the state. That includes Albion (95^th most economically disadvantaged with 63.0 percent of its students considered economically disadvantaged), Medina (131^st with 59.8 percent economically disadvantaged) and Holley (141^st with 59.5 percent economically disadvantaged.)

The state will give priority to students by districts in descending order, with the most economically disadvantaged given the highest priority.

The program is being funded by Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation and the program will be managed by Digital Promise, a non-profit which is dedicated to closing the digital learning gap. It will fund the internet access through June 2022.

“Internet access is an essential utility in the 21st century — a new reality that has only been highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic — and we have a responsibility to ensure our students have the access they need to continue learning during this public health crisis,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a news release. “We cannot build back better if we do not foster proper development and a promising future for our children, and this program will help students whose families have limited means to get connected so they can get the education they deserve.”

School districts will work with Digital Promise, AT&T, and other internet service providers to identify eligible students who either do not have at-home internet access or do not have access to sufficient broadband speeds to participate in remote learning.

Hotspots and data plans will be purchased directly by the ConnectED NY fund from AT&T, so there is no financial obligation for students and their families. In circumstances where fixed internet is required, the program will work with districts and fixed internet service providers to ensure there is no cost to students and their families.

An informational webinar will take place on Monday, March 22, from 2 to 3 p.m. School districts can find more information about applying by clicking here or by contacting Digital Promise at connectedny@digitalpromise.org.

The New York State Education Department’s Fall 2020 survey of educational institutions suggests that as many as 166,000 students remain without internet access at home. With $10 million in initial funds, ConnectED NY will provide data-enabled hotspots to approximately 50,000 students.

Eric Schmidt, Co-Founder of Schmidt Futures and chairman of the Reimagine New York Commission, said, “To reimagine education and create real opportunity, every student needs access to the internet. The ConnectED NY fund will provide hotspots and data plans for students that need them most. This is a step forward in rebuilding a New York that works for all students, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation and co-chairman of the Reimagine New York Commission’s Connectivity Working Group, said, “We believe access to the internet is a fundamental human right. The Ford Foundation is proud to support ConnectED NY to help rebuild a better New York, where everyone, especially our most vulnerable children, can connect to the internet to learn and reach their fullest potential.”

Reducing that distance seen as key to bringing more students back for in-person learning, but needs state approval

Photo by Tom Rivers: This Holley classroom in the elementary school shows thin plastic barriers on the desks to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. The federal government today said desks could be spaced 3 feet apart, instead of 6 feet during the Covid pandemic. The new guidance from the CDC also says those barriers are no longer recommended.

The federal government today issued a much-anticipated update on guidance for schools with the distance between desks, physical barriers and other factors in the spread of Covid within schools.

Local schools opened this school year with desks at least 6 feet apart. That spacing reduced the number of kids allowed in classrooms and forced three of the five districts in Orleans County to do hybrid learning, alternating days for students to be in some classes.

Kendall and Lyndonville, the two smallest districts in the county, were able to space students out enough to be able to have students for in-person classes five days a week.

Holley was able to bring back students in grades K-2 this week for the first time without the hybrid schedule. Albion and Medina also want to bring students back for more in-person learning.

The change is desk spacing from a minimum of 6 feet to 3 feet will only districts to have more students in classrooms. Those students need to wear masks at all times, and teachers should try to stay 6 feet away from students, according to the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Before a local district can act on the updated guidance from the CDC, the NYS Department of Health needs to accept that guidance. Then it’s up to each school district whether to accept the 3-foot minimum for spacing, said Paul Pettit, public health director in Genesee and Orleans counties.

He spoke with news reporters today before the CDC announcement. He said he would support the decision from the CDC. The local health department doesn’t have a say in the guidance for desk spacing.

“We don’t have the authority to approve,” he said. “It’s between the schools and the state. The schools need to follow the state guidelines. We support the change if it happens from the CDC.”

The CDC also updated guidance to no longer recommend plastic shields or other barriers between desks because there isn’t evidence showing those barriers are effective.

The CDC said the 6-foot distance should be maintained in common areas, such as school lobbies and in places where students can’t wear masks, such as when they are eating in the cafeteria. The 6-foot buffer should also remain in places with lots of talking, cheering or singing, where students could expel droplets containing the coronavirus. That includes chorus practice, assemblies and sports events.

“CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges,” CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky said in a news release. “Safe in-person instruction gives our kids access to critical social and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the education they need to succeed. These updated recommendations provide the evidence-based roadmap to help schools reopen safely, and remain open, for in-person instruction.”

Teachers union says ‘abrupt changes can undermine public trust and clarity’

The New York State United Teachers issued the following statement on the CDC social distancing guidance:

“Any educator will tell you the best way for students to learn is to be in person in the classroom. In a number of schools around New York, that has been done safely and successfully since September. For places that have older buildings, spacing limitations or other circumstances that make Covid-19 mitigation strategies challenging, decisions on how to bring students back to the classroom must be driven by science, not politics,” said NYSUT President Andy Pallotta.

“Abrupt changes can undermine public trust and clarity, and we would like to review in greater detail the science behind the CDC’s latest social distancing guidance. Yet it is clear social distancing is only one element of a nuanced and multifaced approach to Covid-19 mitigation in schools. Universal mask wearing, cleaning, proper ventilation, contact tracing, Covid-19 testing and getting the vaccine to everyone who wants one are all still important safety measures for schools. If anything, these other factors — especially the need for robust Covid-19 testing in schools — become more important as social distancing guidance changes.

“When it comes to changing local reopening plans, districts must continue to work with educators and parents to maintain confidence in the safety of their buildings. Those decisions must be based on the circumstances within each school and must carefully consider all aspects of a responsible Covid-19 mitigation strategy. As public health officials have rightly cautioned, in the face of new variants and a race to make vaccinations widely available, this is not the time to let down our guard.”

School Boards Association: New guidance will allow more students to be in school and not on remote learning

Robert Schneider, executive director of the NYS School Boards Association, issued this statement:

“Today’s announcement by the Centers for Disease Control, as well a similar announcement earlier this week by the World Health Organization, that 3 feet of separation between students in classrooms is sufficient to ensure their safety, rather than the previous guidance of 6 feet, offers greater flexibility for school districts to accommodate parents who want to see their children back in school.

The new CDC guidance, if adopted by New York State, would essentially double the number of students that could learn together in a single classroom and reduce their reliance on remote learning.

The problem is, the state Department of Health guidance still calls for 6 feet, in the absence of physical barriers in the classroom. As a result, school districts are getting mixed messages from our county, state and national health officials, causing confusion among school districts and educators over what they need to do to open safely. Without clear action from the state, this confusion will continue and there will still be a patchwork of different distancing requirements from county to county.

NYSSBA urges Gov. Cuomo and the state Health Department to consider adopting the 3-foot guideline in New York, or explain why they believe scientific evidence does not support such a change.

We have full confidence in our schools, which have proven they can keep children and staff safe in accordance with science.”