By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2021 at 5:25 pm
ALBION – When school was closed suddenly last year to in-person learning, and there wasn’t a prom or typical graduation ceremony, community members responded by adopting seniors and giving them gifts to help them feel appreciated during a difficult end of their school year.
The Adopt A Senior effort is coming back for this year’s class, which experienced the disruption of their junior year and have now gone through a senior year with no homecoming, no senior tea, and scaled down activities. Seniors are on a hybrid schedule, attending in-person classes two days a week or going fully remote.
Plans for the prom and commencement remain up in the air as the district waits to see if the state eases restrictions on crowd sizes.
One of the parents of the Class of 2021 is managing the Adopt-A-Senior program, seeking to provide a “morale boost” for the 140 students in the class.
Adopters of a student can expect to spend about $25. They will be randomly paired with a senior, who will provide a list of interests and future plans.
People who want to spend more or give gifts to a senior they know are still welcome to do that outside of the Adopt-A-Senior program. People are welcome to adopt more than one senior.
The adopters will be notified privately which senior they have adopted, and the seniors’ information will only be shared with the adopters. The program will only go forward if there are adopters for all students.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2021 at 4:38 pm
Health Department reports another Covid death in Genesee
There are 36 new Covid-19 cases in Genesee and Orleans counties since Friday for a total of 6,922 cases in the two counties since last March.
In Orleans County there are 10 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 2,479 positive cases during the pandemic, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.
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, 20s, 40s, 60s and 70s. One of the new positives is a resident at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina.
Of the new cases, 2 were under mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
Orleans is reporting 18 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list. The number of active cases in the county has declined from 37 on Friday to 28 today, as recoveries outpace new confirmed cases.
There are currently 3 county residents who are hospitalized due to Covid.
In Genesee County there are 26 new positive cases for a total of 4,443 cases during the pandemic.
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). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
Genesee is reporting 19 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list. The number of active cases increased from 56 on Friday to 65 today.
There are currently 3 Genesee residents hospitalized due to Covid.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are reporting a Genesee resident over age 65 has passed away due to Covid. The state Health Department lists 120 deaths in Genesee County due to Covid.
“We do not provide any further information to protect the privacy of the individual and their family,” the local Health Departments said in a news release. “Our deepest condolences to the family and friends during this very difficult time.”
More from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:
Wedding sizes: Starting today, the Governor is allowing weddings at up to 50% of the venue capacity or up to 150 people (whichever is smaller) at weddings/catered events.
See section D (In-person and Catered Events) of the Interim Guidance for Food Services During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency updated February 24, 2021.
There are strict guidelines to be followed and responsible parties are to notify the local health department if they plan to host in-person and catered events above the state’s maximum social gathering limit, which is 50 people as of Feb. 24.
All venues/event planners are to complete the Genesee Orleans (GO Health) COVID-19 In-Person and Catered Events Notification Form (click here) no less than 5 days prior to the event – for events above NYS’s maximum social gathering limit. Those who ignore the guidance can be fined and/or lose their license to operate.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced toll plaza removal and interchange reconstruction will resume on the New York State Thruway’s former ticketed system this week and is expected to be completed, weather permitting, by the end of summer 2021.
This next phase of construction is the second and final portion of the $355 million cashless tolling design-build project which went live on Nov. 14, 2020 and was immediately followed by the removal of toll plazas at six high-volume interchanges statewide.
“New York remains committed to continuing our infrastructure investments throughout the Covid-19 crisis,” Governor Cuomo said. “The completion of this project saves drivers time, cuts greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality along our Thruway system. Even in these trying times, New York State will never put the brakes on building a stronger and better future.”
Beginning this week, the design-build contractor, Cashless Tolling Constructors, LLC, will begin removing toll plazas at six additional interchanges along the Thruway’s former ticketed system statewide. When completed, 52 toll plazas, approximately 230 individual toll booths, will be removed creating highway speed, true open-road tolling by the end of summer 2021, weather permitting.
The second wave of removal and road reconstruction is scheduled to begin at the following interchanges:
Exit B2 (Berkshire Spur – Taconic Pkwy)
Exit 23 (Albany – I-787)
Exit 25A (Rotterdam – I-88)
Exit 34A (Syracuse – I-481)
Exit 47 (LeRoy – I-490)
Exit 48 (Batavia)
Canaan Toll Barrier (Booths removed in Nov. 2020)
During construction, drivers should expect traffic shifts and increased construction activities near toll plazas. Motorists should use caution while driving in these areas, as they will be active construction zones with 20 MPH posted speed limits until the toll booths are completely removed and interchanges reconfigured.
“This monumental project is one of the largest projects in the Authority’s nearly 70-year history and is transforming our transportation infrastructure by modernizing and enhancing services for the hundreds of millions of travelers that rely on our system each year,” said Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll. “Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, the Thruway is ushering in a new chapter as all of the former toll plazas are removed, creating a truly free-flowing, open-road system that is safe, more modern, and more suitable for the growing 21st century economy.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2021 at 12:27 pm
At police reform session, Holley PD viewed as ‘stepping stone’ to other larger departments
Photos by Tom Rivers: Roland Nenni, Holley police chief until he retires on March 31, speaks during a forum on police reform last Thursday at the village office in the former Holley High School.
HOLLEY – The Holley Police Department responds to about 1,000 calls annually, and many are lockouts, alarms going off, and building checks.
But increasingly, the department responds to people in mental health crisis. Holley Police Chief Roland Nenni said more mental health personnel are needed in the community to help assist individuals in a mental health crisis.
In Orleans County, two classes of law enforcement officers, about a dozen in each class, have taken week-long crisis intervention training, learning techniques to de-escalate situations with people suffering a mental health issue.
“It’s not enough,” Nenni said about the training for officers. “It’s definitely not enough.”
The county would benefit with a team of trained specialists who could quickly be deployed to a crisis situation. “With SWAT, you’re bringing a sledgehammer to the problem,” he said.
Nenni said there needs to be more psychiatric facilities with beds for people to stay.
“We’re trying to find better ways of dealing with mental health,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that.”
Nenni spoke last Thursday during a meeting about police reform. Those meetings are required for the 500 law enforcement agencies around the state. They need to submit a plan to the state by April 1, and show that they have given the public a chance to air concerns about how the police departments are responding to community needs.
“We have a great community and we have a great police department,” Nenni told about 20 people at the meeting.
About 20 people attended the session last week about the Holley Police Department.
Nenni said the mandate on law enforcement agencies of all sizes around the state for police reform is “insulting” to departments like Holley, which have banned chokeholds and have a policy for use of force.
Holley officers have had body cameras since October 2017. They carry AEDs in their patrol cars in case they go to a call and someone is in cardiac arrest.
The Holley PD does about 25 to 75 arrests each year. In the past 10 years, Nenni said officers have used force about a dozen times.
Holley’s policies and its police reform plan will be posted on the Village of Holley website and Facebook page before the April 1 deadline.
“What the governor is mandating, we already have that,” Nenni said. “Our orders exceed the policies mandated by the governor.”
But the purpose of the meeting on Thursday was to hear from the community what Holley PD could be doing better.
Diane Rouse, a local resident, said more mental health services are needed to assist the police and respond to residents who need help. There are bigger issues, too – poverty and drug abuse – that are part of the mental health issues and crime in the community, Rouse said.
District Attorney Joe Cardone said law enforcement often are called to people “hysterical” with mental health problems that may been even more extreme from drug use.
“I have a lot of respect for law enforcement,” Cardone said. “These men and women walk into very volatile situations and have to make decisions quickly. We’re asking law enforcement to diffuse situations and these are very difficult situations.”
Nenni expects to see more resources for mental health services. In Orleans County, a crisis intervention team should be run from the county and not from the Holley PD and individual law enforcement agencies, Nenni said.
“This is on the national radar,” he said. “We’re keenly aware of the problems that mental health causes for law enforcement.”
‘I have a lot of respect for law enforcement. These men and women walk into very volatile situations and have to make decisions quickly. We’re asking law enforcement to diffuse situations and these are very difficult situations.’ – DA Joe Cardone
Another focus of the police reform mandate from the governor is to make sure the public feels they are being treated fairly by law enforcement, Cardone said, whether they are victims of crime or the defendants.
Joanne Best, the county’s public defender, also attended the Holley forum.
“We don’t honestly get a lot of complaints from our clients that the police did something wrong to me,” Best said.
She suggested the law enforcement agencies make annual reports public, and detail how many calls, how many arrests and the results of those arrests.
Nenni is a Holley resident who also is Albion’s police chief. He is ending a 29-year law enforcement career on March 31. He said it has been an honor to lead the department in his home community.
Nenni, the leader of the Orleans County SWAT team, was praised for his service by Joe Cardone, the county’s district attorney.
“I can tell you he will be sorely missed,” Cardone said. “He has done great work in Albion and Holley and throughout Orleans County.”
Best also praised the retiring police chief for being “extremely accessible.” She also commended Nenni for leading numerous community events, from the National Night Out at Bullard Park in Albion to DWI simulations at Holley and Albion schools. In those mock accidents, students role play being in an accident, with firefighters extricating them from vehicles. In Holley, there has been a court re-enactment with the drunken driver sentenced to state prison.
Bob Barton will take over as acting chief of the Holley Police Department. He is retired from the Greece Police Department and has worked as a part-time officer in Holley for several years.
The Village Board has appointed Bob Barton to serve as acting chief beginning April 1. Barton is retired from the Greece Police Department and has worked as a part-time officer in Holley
Barton said he prefers working in a small town, where it is easier to get to know the residents and businesses.
“Being a cop is getting to know your community and letting your community get to know you,” he said. “I like being a local cop because a local cop gets to know the people. That’s what it’s all about.”
Holley currently has one full-time officer, a part-time chief and about 10 other part-timers. Mayor Kevin Lynch said Holley is looking to fill another full-time position.
John Kenney, a former Holley mayor, said the department acts as a “stepping stone” for new officers to get experience and then move on to bigger departments. The turnover can make it challenging to maintain consistent staffing. Right now, Nenni said there are about 6-7 open shifts a month that aren’t staffed.
When a Holley officer isn’t on duty, there is usually a Sheriff’s deputy or state trooper close by.
Cardone said law enforcement will likely face another new challenge. He expects the State Legislature and governor to legalize recreational use of marijuana. Cardone believes that will result in more serious and fatal car accidents and other problems for the community.
“There is no question that will lead to more issues,” Cardone said. “There is no question this is a very difficult time for law enforcement.”
BARRE – The Heritage Wind Community Grant Program is now accepting applications for its Spring 2021 grant cycle.
The program provided more than $20,000 last year to support local organizations working to build healthy communities, increase environmental sustainability, foster economic development, and promote education, including the following: Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance (COVA), United Way of Orleans County, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, Supportive Care of Orleans, Medina Central School District, Barre Volunteer Fire Department, Christ Community Kitchen, Arc of Genesee/Orleans, Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum, Orleans Community Health Foundation and the Barre Historical Committee.
Grants are typically awarded in $250 to $4,000 increments, with priority given to proposals that demonstrate meaningful impacts to the greatest number of area residents. We will be accepting applications until April 25 on our website (click here).
The focus areas for the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program are as follows:
Building Healthy Communities – Programs that support public health, good government, open communication, citizen resources, and/or enhance the quality of life in the community.
Economic Development – Apex Clean Energy supports and encourages the entrepreneurial spirit. It is part of our mission to serve as a catalyst for economic opportunity and development within the communities where we operate.
Environmental Sustainability – Programs that possess a strong link to environmental revitalization, sustainability, or education thereof, empower residents to be stewards of the environment, and/or encourage partnerships to address environmental concerns and sustainability.
Promoting Education – Programs that support educational institutions, the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and training programs for careers in the wind industry. This may include curriculum development, literacy, school readiness, and other initiatives that help students grow into young leaders. Vocational training institutions that help build a skilled workforce are also included and encouraged to apply.
Local organizations working in the Town of Barre or the broader Orleans County community are encouraged to apply. If you have any questions about the grant program, please contact Brian O’Shea at brian.oshea@apexcleanenergy.com or by phone at (952) 393-2986.
4 million visitors on towpath and trail system in 2020
Photo by Tom Rivers: George Sokolsky, center, and his friends Jim Balmer, left, and Brad Alexander walk the Erie Canal in Albion while practicing social distancing in this photo from last April. The trio from Brockport walked stretches of the Erie Canal almost every day, gradually working their way from Brockport to Lockport. That’s about 40 miles along the towpath.
Press Release, Parks and Trails New York, New York Power Authority
ALBANY – Use along the Erie Canalway Trail and Champlain Canalway Trail increased in 2020 by about 30 percent with 4 million users last year, according to the 2020 Who’s on the Trail report from Parks & Trails New York and the New York State Canal Corporation.
The Canalway Trail system as a whole saw an estimated 4.2 million visits in 2020, including just under 4 million visits to the 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail between Albany and Buffalo and approximately 288,000 visits to the 90-mile Champlain Canalway Trail between Waterford and Whitehall.
The visits to the Erie Canalway Trail show a more than 30% increase over 2019 usage figures. These figures reflect the significant investments that were made as part of the completion of the Empire State Trail, and the increased interest and participation in outdoor recreational activities due to Covid-19.
“The Erie and Champlain Canalway Trails have proven to be an invaluable resource for individuals seeking refuge and recreation during these difficult times,” said Brian Stratton, Canal Corporation director. “Their integration into the recently completed Empire State Trail allows outdoor enthusiasts an opportunity to experience our iconic Canal system and the bucolic landscapes of Upstate New York. The Canal Corporation was proud to complete several trail projects in 2020, which not only closed gaps along the trail, but also enhanced the overall safety and experience for all trail users.”
In 2020, PTNY counted visits at seven locations along the Erie and Champlain Canalway Trails. Electronic counters recorded usage at Tonawanda, Camillus, DeWitt, Canastota, German Flatts and Schoharie Crossing on the Erie Canalway Trail and at Schuylerville on the Champlain Canalway Trail. All seven locations saw the heaviest use on weekends and holidays, suggesting the trail is particularly popular for recreational activities. Peak usage for all locations occurred between May and September, though the busiest month varied by location.
The majority of locations for which there was data for both 2019 and 2020 showed significant increases in visitation, with usage at Lock E-18 in German Flatts more than doubling in 2020. Niawanda Park in Tonawanda saw the highest number of annual visits ever recorded along the Erie Canalway Trail, with over 300,000 cyclists, walkers, runners, joggers, and other users enjoying the trail.
Each year PTNY issues a Who’s on the Trail report that provides a detailed summary of trail use at several sites along the Erie and Champlain Canals. Locations vary each year to ensure that usage is measured in all parts of the state.
The reports include the most popular stretches of trail and the most popular day, time, and season for trail use. Collectively, these numbers tell a compelling narrative about the trail’s popularity and offer further justification for continuing to invest in these popular resources. Click here to see the full report.
The usage figures are based on a methodology employed by the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Alta Planning and Design to estimate the annual number of users (8.6 million) expected to use the now-complete 750-mile Empire State Trail.
“The increase in visitors to the Canalway Trail system in 2020 is a testament to the critical importance of the trail as public health infrastructure, providing opportunities for New Yorkers across the state to get outside during the pandemic,” said Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. “The completion of the Empire State Trail has made the trail an even more valuable resource, filling in gaps and creating connections that make the trail more accessible to all. We expect visitation to the Canalway Trail system to continue to increase as more New Yorkers and out-of-state visitors take advantage of this popular resource for recreation and tourism.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 15 March 2021 at 8:53 am
Fitness, art, makeup and journalism classes added to Gotta Dance
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Amy Sidari stands in the doorway of her newly-renovated space called Studio C at her Gotta Dance Studio on East Bank Street in Albion.
ALBION – A year-long pandemic and her business closed for several months gave Amy Sidari a lot of time to think – and plan.
The owner of Gotta Dance and the Cabaret at Studio B in Albion was forced to shut her doors March 5, 2020, and she didn’t open on a partial basis until Oct. 5. During this time she developed virtual entertainment and planned a performance by her students on the lawn at her home, a way to get the kids out and interacting while maintaining safe distancing.
“We had a long time without the kids, but we missed the parents, too,” Sidari said. “I’m always interested in hearing from the kids about what they are doing. I want to see what they see, and last year we missed that.”
Sidari took advantage of the down time to plan new and innovative programs and remodel an additional studio in her building with her father Ace Caldwell. They gutted all the walls, ceiling and electrical and added a bathroom and a kitchen, where Gary Simboli and his wife Laura are planning to have cooking classes. This is known as Studio C.
With three rooms available, Sidari has been able to resume dance classes with smaller numbers in each room. They are now also giving dance lessons morning, afternoon and evening to accommodate the smaller numbers.
Simboli, who retired as a vocal teacher and musical director at Albion High School, will use the new Studio C as his headquarters. He and Sidari’s new partnership called Sid-Boli Productions, will operate out of Studio C. The studio is smaller than Studio B and is suitable for more intimate gatherings, where Sidari has already had 15 people at a time for a Cabaret Hour.
During the winter, Sidari also began to think what she could do to bring not only her students, but others in the community together in small groups, to share in programs which would be fun, well-rounded, educational and entertaining.
Amy Sidari shares a glimpse of the space in her new Studio C which will be the kitchen where Gary and Laura Simboli do cooking classes. These are part of a new program Sidari is promoting to involve the community.
What she came up with is a series of programs open to anyone in the community, which she started several weeks ago and which are enjoying success.
“I always thought of my studio as a healing place, and that inspired the new program,” Sidari said. “I’d like to see it snowball so we have so many participants we can’t fit them in.”
One program which has already begun is “Family Fitness Fun” with certified physical education instructor Chelsea Colmenero.
“She teaches physical fitness in such a creative, fun way that families don’t realize they are exercising,” Sidari said. “Each family has its own six-foot cubicle and props which are only used by them.”
A second program is art lessons, led by Laura Kemler from Laura Loxley, her store offering vintage inspired goods in Albion. Several people are taking part in her class, Watercolors 101.
On April 1, Orleans Hub writer Ginny Kropf will lead a class on journalism called “Behind the Scenes.”
“These kids are old enough to express their thoughts in words, generate paragraphs and take photographs,” Sidari said.
Class participants will hear the famous people Kropf has met and interviewed, learn how to do an interview, how important words and accuracy are, how to write an article and an editorial and the career opportunities available by being a journalist.
Another program – the “Dos and Don’ts of Wearing Makeup” – will be led by Lauren Thomas of Holley. This program will begin April 13.
“I’m so excited about her,” Sidari said. “She just graduated from cosmetology school and is fabulous with makeup. She is also very hip with kids.”
She will teach how to determine good color techniques for each skin tone, how to apply makeup, and how to take everyday makeup and change it to be stage ready.
Sidari has more ideas for classes in mind, such as etiquette (how to set a table and which utensil to use); how to perform a simple mending task; and how to buy clothing (what the staples for a wardrobe are and how to maximize what’s already in your wardrobe).
“I want my students to learn not only dance, but discipline, respect and life skills to make their lives successful,” Sidari said. “Gotta Dance by Miss Amy is so much more than dance.”
Boys, girls, men and women are invited to participate in any of the classes. Information on signing up for any of these classes is available on Gotta Dance’s website and Facebook page, by calling (585) 354-2320 or checking MissAmyNews.com.
Sidari said she has already received a booking for her first bus tour this summer, something she said is a good sign people are getting back to normal.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2021 at 5:59 pm
Mark Kruzynski worries about mental health toll on students
Photos by Tom Rivers: Mark Kruzynski is pictured at his office on Friday. He has switched to wearing contact lenses because his glasses kept fogging up while wearing a mask.
MEDINA – It was one year ago today when superintendents in Orleans County’s five districts announced the schools were closed for in-person learning due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mark Kruzynski, Medina’s district superintendent, thought Medina would be shut down for two weeks. But the schools wouldn’t reopen to students until early September.
Medina has 1,410 students. Kruzynski has been the superintendent four more than four years. Prior to that he was Medina’s business administrator, the high school principal, and middle school principal. He started at Medina as a social studies teacher.
“None of that prepared me for a pandemic,” he said Friday during an interview at his office.
Question: So, going back to last year on March 13, were you surprised how quickly it escalated?
Answer: It escalated very quickly. Earlier that week we had just started spring sports. Earlier that week the big debate going around among the school superintendents was should we allow fans at our exceptional senior basketball game, which was between the Niagara-Orleans League and the GR League.
We were debating whether or not fans should be allowed. And school musicals were going on and should we be allowing musicals to go that weekend. And that was the feeling early in the week. At that time the guidance at the time was if you just wash your hands everything will be OK. The CDC wasn’t saying wear masks at the time, just good hygiene. It looked like it was in the cities and not here yet, but you were hearing all of these horror stories that it was spreading.
By the middle of the week I started to think something was going to change. By the end of the week, that Friday morning, I remember calling all of the administrators to come into by office and we’re going to talk. We sat at this table here and figured out what we needed to do if schools were shut down. We still thought we had some time, but we knew if things were going to happen it was going to happen quickly and we needed to be prepared.
That day we sent an email out to all the staff to prepare lesson plans for Monday, and be ready to work from home. In hindsight, I wish we had told all of the kids on Friday to make sure you take everything out of your locker because that was a big challenge to get everybody in and get all of their belongings back. We weren’t really expecting it that Monday.
We knew something was coming. I actually was helping with softball practice. I remember going out to practice that Thursday or Friday and we were wondering if we would ever get to a game because it was a really warm week at the time.
That Saturday I remember waking up on the 14th and there was a positive case confirmed in Rochester. And just like that Monroe County declared a state of emergency. And then all of the schools were shutting down. At the time if you recall it was for two weeks at a time because it was two weeks to flatten the curve.
‘We have seen an incredible rise in mental health. People are social. They are not meant to be sitting at home all day, kids especially. This pandemic has definitely caused anxiety issues. We’re seeing much more of that and depression. We’re seeing kids who normally on the outward appear fine who are really, really struggling with this.’
Q: Was it in late April, when the governor finally said no (in-person) school for the rest of the year?
A: It was late April or May 1. For a while it was in two-week increments. The way this panned out we were learning what was happening at his press conferences. Everybody would watch his press conferences to see what is going to happen today.
But back to that Saturday morning on March 14th, we had seen that there was a case in Monroe County. In Orleans County, one third of Kendall school district is in Monroe County. So immediately Julie Christensen (Kendall superintendent) has a problem whether she can open school or not.
And we also have a lot of people who work here who live in Monroe County. We figure it’s just a matter of time before it’s coming.
Paul Pettit (public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties) and Lynne Johnson (Orleans County Legislature chairwoman), we all had a conference call that day. Lynne issued the state of emergency, because remember at that time the states of emergency were all issued by county.
Lynne, knowing the situation with the schools, she declared the county as a state of emergency. And then Paul Pettit, with the state of emergency, he gave us the advice that it was still our decision – it was the superintendent’s decision – but he gave us the advice that based on the pandemic I’m not recommending you stay open.
We had all announced by 12 o’clock or 1 that day.
The sign at Medina Central School announced on March 14, 2020 that schools would be closed until further notice.
Q: How long were you thinking this would go on with schools closed?
A: I was thinking a couple weeks. This had started earlier in the year and you had seen all of these stories of China barring people in their homes and having these mass sprayers where they would go around and disinfect everything. There was so much truth and not truth. The internet and social media is never a good source for truth, but there was all sorts of stuff out there that this was just a flu or virus.
But we knew at the time there was the fear that nobody really knew how this spread. So we shut down. That night Niagara County shut down. Before too long Erie County closed. A few days later I think the governor officially shut down schools in New York State. There were still some pretty big cities that were open.
Then it was scrambling. We had to put together a meal delivery plan.
Q: That first week were you totally off or did you have to do the meals right away?
A: We started the meals pretty quickly.
Q: With the remote learning, was there a week or two breather with no education from the school?
A: That first week was just kind of review work. Honestly, in our area we weren’t allowed to do new learning because of the way the rules were set up. If we couldn’t provide the same education for everybody we couldn’t provide new content.
We had the broadband gap. Now this year we are at 100 percent with our one-to-one devices. Last year only 60 percent of the students had school-owned devices.
Q: So people were picking up a lot of paper packets?
A: We were mailing out packets left and right. Dan Doctor (the school’s community liaison) was delivering them to people. It was like copy central here. Teachers would email us work and we would put it on the website, each area every Friday, we would put new work up for kids to do.
Paper packets is not the way to learn.
Q: Has it gone better this year with not having the sudden change thrown at you?
A: Yes. We’re better prepared and we’re pushing out new learning everyday. Last year we were kind of hamstrung in the fact we weren’t technologically available to push out new learning and if you couldn’t push out new learning to everybody, then there would be equity problems.
This year we’ve pared down the curriculum to the point where teachers are selecting what they feel are the most important things to teach. We’re moving forward.
This year we’re in a much better spot because at the elementary, which is open five days a week. If your kid is coming to school from grades K through 6, they are here everyday. Or if the parents selected virtual, we have dedicated virtual teachers who work just with those kids during the day.
Q: For K to 6, do you know what percent is remote only?
A: I’d say about 30 percent. We have a waiting list of people who want to come back full time. We’ve been pretty much able to accommodate.
High school there is a bigger social aspect, not that there isn’t in the elementary. In high school we had a lot of people back but then when they realized they’re on Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday and some of their friends are on the opposite schedule and other friends are on virtual. High school has been tough because we’re on the hybrid model. We have brought some kids back four days a week. We’re trying to accommodate as much as our capacity will allow.
Q: So 7 through 12 is hybrid. How many are remote-only?
A: I’d say about one third. That varies from day to day. Thankfully the quarantines are down.
Q: That must have been a nightmare to deal with that?
A: It was very much a logistical nightmare, especially around the holidays. When we had to shut down the high school it wasn’t because of so many students, it was because so many of our staff members had to quarantine. At one point half of our district cleaning staff and all of the high school staff was in quarantine. We just couldn’t clean the buildings.
That was when we shut down for about a week before Thanksgiving until they all came out of quarantine. Now the rules have relaxed a little bit. When it first started if you were in a room with someone for more than an hour, even if you were wearing a mask and social distancing, everybody in that room would be quarantined.
At the elementary level that would knock out an entire class. At the high school we would have to go through every kid’s schedule to see who they had multiple classes with and where they were on a bus. So we had a lot of quarantines there for a while.
Now they have relaxed that if you are wearing a mask and are six feet apart they won’t quarantine the whole room. They will look at it on a case-by-case basis.
Q: What have been some of the hardest parts about this past year for you as a school superintendent?
A: It’s hard to play for one week down the road when you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Last year there was a lot of “What are we going to do about graduation?”, “What are we going to do about prom?” We as a district decided we were just going to wait because we knew things were going to change. A lot of announced their graduation plans on April 1 or May 1 but we knew the guidance was changing on a daily basis so we held off knowing that things might change. We lucked out there. We were able to host in-person graduation when some schools weren’t able to do that. We also have a huge facility where we can adequately social distance people.
But it’s hard to plan. The nature of this job is you’re always thinking six months ahead. We’ve been planning next year’s budget for the last three months. The stimulus changes a lot of those numbers with where you’re going to go.
With the pandemic it was literally changing from press conference to press conference.
Medina split last year’s graduation into three different ceremonies to stay under a 150-maximum set by the state. The service was moved from the auditorium to Vets Park. Mark Kruzynski said the district expects the entire class will be able to graduate together in the same service this June.
Q: Right now the outdoor size limit is 200, and I tend to think it will be more in June.
A: Honestly we’re planning for a full graduation this year. If it’s 200 on March 1, then by June we’ll be in a better spot. If we have to scale it back, then we’ll scale it back. We’re planning on prom. The high school is working on a prom location. It may be limited in capacity but there are a lot of places that have outdoor tents, pavilions, things like that that you can use.
To me that’s the hardest stuff: you just don’t know what the next day is going to be.
We fully did not expect winter sports to start when they did. All of a sudden on a Friday we get a one-week lead time that says here’s winter sports. Well that puts us in a tough spot.
And OK we can have kids running up and down a basketball court but we can’t have kids standing feet six feet apart singing in a choir. Sometimes it’s just illogical.
I don’t know how you explain to a parent that this activity is allowed and this activity isn’t.
Q: What about the marching band, which is outside?
A: We’re hoping by the spring we can put something together. I mean if you think about it with marching band we could be 12 feet apart. We could be six feet apart. It’s outdoors. Is that safer than wrestling?
So there is so much illogic through this whole thing.
Q: I think that’s where the governor and some of the public health officials have lost some people when things don’t make sense.
A: I will say Paul Pettit (local public health director) has been fantastic for us in this county. He basically worked with all five of us (school superintendents). Every teacher who has wanted a vaccine has gotten one. We’re halfway through. March 25 is our last big day and then two weeks after the 25th anybody who wanted a vaccine in the district and that’s across the county. That hasn’t happened in every other county.
Q: How many staff work here?
A: We have about 200 full-time and another 100 part-time. So 300 staff members total.
Q: And they will all be vaccinated?
A: I would say about 70 percent of the total of the staff who has requested it has gotten it (with more to be done through March 25). Some we don’t know if they are going on their own. There is no requirement that we ask people.
Q: There is a lot of concern about the isolation for a lot of the students and their mental health.
A: We have seen an incredible rise in mental health. People are social. They are not meant to be sitting at home all day, kids especially.
We’re reaching out to the kids everyday. This pandemic has definitely caused anxiety issues. We’re seeing much more of that and depression.
Q: When you say you see it, is that an observation or do kids somehow get served for those issues?
A: We have kids check in regularly. Then have a check-in. We ask them, “How are you feeling?” “Is this a drawback or a problem?” If any of those come up our counselors reach out to them and try to find out what is going on so we can help. It has definitely, definitely been made more difficult.
One thing we have done this year: Our counselors go into all of the classrooms. Then try to get in at least weekly to check in on everybody because we’re seeing kids who normally on the outward appear fine who are really, really struggling with this. It’s tough – the uncertainty with when is this going to end. We have dealt a lot with that.
‘I’m thinking the first Christmas concert we have together there probably won’t be a dry eye in the house. The first homecoming rally, nobody is going to take that for granted anymore when we have 2,000 people at Vets Park cheering. Once we fully reopen there is going to be a lot said for people really embracing things.’
Q: Is it difficult because we can’t say when it will end. It does seem like there is more optimism now with fighting Covid.
A: There is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re getting closer. I fully expect, barring any new variants or if it turns out the vaccine didn’t work or something, I fully expect we’ll be back to in-person five days a week by fall.
Right now the vaccine is only approved for adults. We got trials going on with kids. Even though the kids don’t tend to have severe cases of Covid, they are transmitters. We have to make sure people are safe.
Do I think we’ll be there by the fall, yeah. Would I like it to be tomorrow? Absolutely.
When this first started we thought maybe it would be Easter at the latest that we would be back. Who knew it would be this long.
Q: Are there any positives through this, maybe speeding up technology?
A: Yes. For better or worse, it’s forced everybody to learn the latest technology. We just did a superintendent’s conference day a week ago on technology training based on topics the teachers had said they wanted to learn. It turns out by the time we had scheduled it for the conference day they had forced themselves to learn it and move on to more advanced technologies. So that has been an improvement.
There has been more connections made with some kids normally in in-person school. And that’s been a positive.
The community has been fantastic in supporting the schools. I have four kids so I understand how tough it can be when we announced on a Monday night we have to go virtual on Tuesday. But everybody just adjusts and I know how tough that is for parents to arrange for daycare and figure things out like that. But the community has been fantastic in working with us on that and understanding that sometimes our hands are tied.
Q: Let’s say there are 500 people or more at graduation, it will be quite a moment. One of the benefits of this past year will be not taking that for granted.
A: I’m thinking the first Christmas concert we have together there probably won’t be a dry eye in the house. Sports have kind of been coming back but they haven’t had full fans. The first homecoming rally, nobody is going to take that for granted anymore when we have 2,000 people at Vets Park cheering.
The things you always took for granted before and now you realize you can’t have. Once we fully reopen there is going to be a lot said for people really embracing things.
Press Release, VA Western New York Healthcare System
BATAVIA — The VA Western New York Healthcare System will now vaccinate enrolled veterans of all ages.
To date over 50 percent of veterans enrolled in VA WNYHS have already been vaccinated with the two-dose protocol of the Pfizer vaccine. Enrolled veterans should call (716) 862-7868 to schedule vaccination appointments.
Known locally as Operation New Hope, VA WNYHS’s vaccination process utilizes a 14,000-square-foot MASH tent complex at the Buffalo site, and a large open bay room at the Batavia site. VA WNYHS’s Covid-19 Team can efficiently vaccinate more than 900 veteran patients a day. Because each vaccination appointment is scheduled in advance, the entire vaccination process normally takes just 20-25 minutes.
Since mid-January, VA WNYHS has been actively reaching out to enrolled veterans who are eligible for vaccinations using CDC and VA roll-out guidelines. Currently, veterans must meet eligibility requirements for enrollment to receive vaccinations.
Veterans can check eligibility requirements by visiting www.buffalo.va.gov and clicking the “Become a Patient” tab, or call our Veterans Service Center in Buffalo at (716) 862-8829. Veterans in the Batavia area can check eligibility by calling 1-585-297-1053/56.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 14 March 2021 at 10:04 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Tyler Chinn, left, and Joe Cecchini and their teammates face a pair of key home games this coming week as the Mustangs look to lock up both the Niagara-Orleans League title and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Section VI Class B2 playoffs.
Two is the magic number this coming week for front-running Medina and for two very special reasons as the Mustangs look to not only lock up the Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball title but to also claim the top seed for the upcoming Section VI Class B2 playoffs.
Heading into the final week of the N-O season, Medina at 9-1 holds a one game lead over 8-2 Newfane with two games remaining. The Mustangs gained that lead by posting a key 62-46 win over the Panthers this past week.
The Mustangs finish their N-O title quest with a pair of home games against Roy-Hart on Tuesday and Wilson on Thursday while the Panthers visit Barker on Tuesday and then host Akron on Thursday.
A win on Tuesday would clinch at least a tie for the title for Medina while a sweep of the two contests would earn the Mustangs the championship outright.
Medina last won the N-O title outright during the 2018-19 season with a 12-0 record. The last time the Mustangs shared the title was ironically with Newfane during the 2017-18 campaign as both teams finished at 10-2.
A sweep should also lock up the top seed in the B2 sectionals for Medina.
It is a No. 1 seed that is especially valuable this year as because of Covid-19 concerns the sectionals are taking only the top eight teams in each class and there will be no neutral site for the championship games as in the past. Therefore, the higher seeded team will host each round of the playoffs including the championship game.
Albion, which is currently 5-5, will close out the N-O season by visiting Akron on Tuesday and hosting Roy-Hart on Thursday as the Purple Eagles seek a berth in the Class B1 playoffs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2021 at 8:17 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Sarah Mathes of the Albion Rotary Interact Club has to-go meals ready on Friday at the Community Kitchen at Christ Church. Allison Mathes is in back.
The kitchen has had a very busy year since last March, serving 19,000 meals to go or an average of 380 a week from 4:30 to 6 p.m. That includes about 30 to 50 meals each week delivered to shut-ins by Faith Smith, the kitchen’s director, and her husband, Michael.
Before the pandemic the kitchen was serving about 150 meals a week. The dining room has been closed for in-person dining since last March 7. Smith, the kitchen’s volunteer director since 2009, is hopeful the Covid restrictions will be eased soon and people can return to eat the meals at the dining.
Dalton Dexter, a member of the Interact Club, retrieves some of the meals on Friday for people who stopped by the side door of Christ Church, which hosts the kitchen. Faith Smith, the kitchen’s director, is in back at left talking with Della Morales, the high school media specialist.
Della Morales, right, prepared a vegetarian lasagna in spinach alfredo sauce for the dinner on Friday. She is with Interact Club members, from left: Lily Mathes, Sarah Mathes and Dalton Dexter.
The meal also included a brownie with green frosting for St. Patrick’s Day.
The kitchen also receives donated items that people can take home, including bread, muffins, produce, butter, salad fixings and other food.
The second Friday of the month includes volunteers from Albion Central School. Teachers, staff and students prepare and serve the meals the second Friday.
The Albion and Medina Lions Clubs take care of the first Friday, Holy Family Parish does the third Friday and the Albion Free Methodist Church is on duty for the fourth Friday. The West Barre United Methodist Church does the fifth Friday.
“I am the director of Christ Church Community Kitchen but without the help and support from the entire community this kitchen would not be where it is today!” Smith said. “Thank you to all who volunteer and donate to help keep this kitchen open and serving everyone in need.”
The best part of St. Patty’s Day is that it allows you to pinch people and you can not be booked on charges of assault. At least I don’t think you can – don’t hold me to that. I believe if you get pinched on St. Patty’s Day then you must assume some of the blame.
Unless you live under a rock you that if you fail to have green on your anatomy then you are asking for a good pinch. Maybe you want to get pinched – that would not be so unheard of. Some people will do anything for some human contact these days.
The one I love is the “Kiss Me I Am Irish” paraphernalia.What in the world does St. Patrick’s Day have to do with getting kissed? Beware though if you adorn such a slogan be prepared to get kissed. If you do get kissed and you are unhappy with it, then you can only blame yourself. Or perhaps you have taken the belief that St. Patty’s Day will bring luck to a whole new level and are increasing your odds.
Lots of fun things happen on St. Patty’s Day. People drink green beverages, they can appropriately be loud, they can freely and unabashedly do some Irish step dancing, they can eat boiled corn beef (yuk), and attend parades of visual delight. It is one day of the year that you are Irish, no matter what. Everyone is Irish on March 17th, no questions asked.
Did you know that March 17th is the official death date of St. Patrick the Patron Saint of Ireland? St. Patrick was born to a wealthy British family and was kidnapped as a teenager and enslaved by the Irish. During his enslavement he found faith and upon his escape he returned home and became a priest. Eventually St. Patrick made a journey back to Ireland to share Christianity with the Irish, specifically Northern Ireland.
St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to explain the Trinity to his Gallery. The green of the clover is the primary reason that on St. Patrick’s Day, green is the king of all colors! People have been wearing green ribbons and shamrocks to celebrate since 1680. However, St. Patrick’s Day did not become an official holiday in Ireland until 1903 and the first official parade was held to commemorate.
This joyous holiday shared to the world by Ireland is the most celebrated of all national festivals. More countries celebrate the 17th of March than any other. Surely many Americans do not know the history of St. Patrick or why March 17th is commemorated. One thing is for sure, St. Patrick’s gift to modern day is the much needed jubilation in which this universal celebration brings.
So get yourself some soda bread and raise a glass of green libations on the 17th and toast to St. Patrick. Enjoy a moment of laughter with those who make you feel lucky enough to be alive! And maybe you will even get a kiss… for being Irish, of course. Or perhaps you prefer that pinch! How will you celebrate St. Patrick? Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
To see my Pinch Patrol Uniform, Visit My Blog live online (click here) and catch up on Weekly Photo Perks and past Sunday Posts. Like and share your comments.
Restaurant has been mainstay in hamlet for two centuries
By Doug Farley, Cobblestone Museum Director
The genesis of the Tillman family’s involvement in the Hamlet of Childs dates back to the early 1950s.
Before that, Sam Tillman and his son, William, were living and working in Rochester. Sam had a successful career with Kodak at the time, and William was finishing up a tour of duty with the Army Air Corps.
Like any good father, Sam wanted to help his son get established with a meaningful career. The duo decided to investigate the prospect of buying a bar. They traveled along the Ridge Road leaving Rochester and stopped at the Country Kitchen, near Kirby’s Farm Market. The two decided that the restaurant was not in their price range.
The Tillman duo then came to Childs, and pulled into the old stagecoach stop, known then as the Fairhaven Inn. The building (seen above) had not been well cared for, but still had a small clientele including a fresh produce operation with sales from the front porch.
The owner, Carrie Welch, set a price of $5,000 for the business. Sam told his son that he would invest $2,500 if Bill could come up with the remainder. Bill didn’t have ready access to the funds, but he knew his wife, Lynn, did. Lynn’s father, Mike Elinski, had been a prominent blacksmith in Rochester and had amazed a good deal of money prior to his retirement. At the time, Lynn, herself, was already a successful model who trained with Barbizon in New York City and then worked for Sibley’s in Rochester.
Lynn agreed to front the purchase money needed as long as she could be made a full partner. So, the partnership of Sam Tillman and his wife Mary, and Sam’s son Bill and his wife Lynn, purchased the Fairhaven Inn in 1952 and shortly thereafter opened the Village Inn (seen above.) This began a lifelong family business relationship that has stretched 70 years, and with the addition of Bill and Lynn’s children, Tom and Mark, has continued the life of the historic stagecoach stop for almost 200 years.
Mark’s mother Lynn, in addition to working as a model for Sibley’s in Rochester, soon began work as a bartender at the Village Inn. Mark said, “That was the arrangement until my mother’s boss from Sibley’s happened into the establishment and saw her tending bar. He fired her on the spot because no one working for Sibley’s was going to be seen tending bar.”
Then, with the income from the restaurant providing the family’s sole support, it became imperative that the business needed to quickly become successful. One only need look at what the restaurant has become today to realize that the Tillman family’s years of hard work has created a fine dining establishment, unparalleled in the region.
“The $2,500 my mother used to buy the restaurant was the best investment she ever made,” Mark said. He explained that he and his brother, Tom, bought out their parents in 1982, and agreed to provide a lifetime income for both parents, setting them up to enjoy their retirement for almost four decades until Bill’s death in 2017 and Lynn’s in 2020.
Mark Tillman, born in 1956, remembers literally growing up in Tillman’s Historic Village Inn. Bill, Lynn, and children Tom and Mark lived in the upstairs rooms above the old bar. There were originally five small guest rooms and several rooms for the Tillman family. Mark recalled having the run of the establishment as a child, and played with his brother in the old dance hall above the restaurant.
The dance hall was a large unfinished room that sports open beams and supporting cables that were added in the 20th century to pull the leaning walls back into shape. Mark’s childhood bedroom still sports the crayon marks he made on the wallpaper. “Boy, did I get a whooping for that!” he said. Today the room, under lock and key, is used for liquor storage, so Mark said, “It’s still my room.”
Mark offered, “My parents worked hard, but they played hard, too.” Mark recalls that his parents took many trips to exotic destinations. “They left me and Tom with the restaurant’s cook or bartender for a few weeks every year.” He described one such trip in 1958, seen above, where his parents (left) and grandparents (right) travelled by car, cross-country, into Mexico, ending their road trip at Acapulco where they enjoyed fishing and all the resort had to offer. “This was a day and age before interstate highways!” Mark reflected.
Later, continuing their tradition of vacation junkets, Mark said his parents traveled to Naples, Italy in 1974 to visit him when he was stationed there in the military.
The original Fairhaven House (seen above around 1860) got started in 1824 and went through a series of owners and expansions over the years.
This later view from about 1900 shows the addition of a two story porch, a much larger tree on the east side, and a name change to Fairhaven Hotel.
At some point in the early days, Bill Tillman acquired and stored the original bar from the Fairhaven Inn in his barn. Mark (seen here) recently moved the 20-foot cherry bar into the newest room at the restaurant, an 1,800 square foot addition, that was added in 2014.
The original bar is an amazing piece of finely crafted furniture. Mark believes that at one time the bar probably sported brass eagles to complement carvings in the wood itself.
The Tillman family made a series of additions to the restaurant including what they call The Main Dining Room with its beautiful stone fireplace. Mark said the fireplace cost $500 at that time it was built.
A later addition utilized the site’s original carriage house to become “The Carriage Room,” with its large wall of glass facing Ridge Road which replaced the old barn doors. The carriage house at one time had stalls for 13 carriages and horses. Mark uses this large dining room to display photos and artifacts from the restaurant’s storied past. With the most recent addition to the north-end of The Carriage Room, the seating capacity of the restaurant grew to 400 people.
Mark reflected on his life at Tillman’s and said, “It’s been an amazing life. I got started as a kid by washing dishes.”
Mark got more involved with the restaurant following his tour of duty with the Marine Corps. “My dad told me and my brother we had to learn the ropes, so I worked a year each as cook, bartender, and host,” Mark said. “I trained under our cook at the time, Joyce Mack, in 1974. She worked me so hard, I just about quit! Even the Marine Corps was easier!”
Mark described working with family as “the best of times and the worst of times.” After Tom and Mark bought out their parents in 1982, they divided up the duties so the two wouldn’t “bump heads.” Tom supervised the bar and kitchen and Mark handled the dining room, hiring staff, and bookkeeping. Mark and Tom worked together to make annual changes to the menu and other tasks that needed mutual agreement.
Tom decided to retire from daily operations in 2009, but continues as a joint owner with his brother. Mark said, “I’m going to be 65 years old this year. This has been a labor of love, but there has to be an end in sight. I’ve always said I hope I can make it until the restaurant’s 200th anniversary in 2024.”
Other extended Tillman family members have been involved throughout the years as well. Mark said, “My wife Susyn worked with me in the restaurant for five weeks as a hostess. After that, we both knew we couldn’t continue with that and maintain a happy marriage.”
Susyn elected instead to pursue her mental health counseling business, “All About You,” and opened an office in the Village Inn. She also has separate facilities in Brockport and Batavia. Mark and Susyn’s daughter Samantha is currently working at the restaurant as a manager alongside Victoria Mortensen.
Mark proudly displays a small portion of his family’s bottle collection that goes back to the earliest days of the restaurant.
“At one point, we had over 2,000 bottles,” Mark said. “Whenever a new collector’s edition bottle became available, my father and grandfather would buy it, pour the contents into a decanter and add the collector’s edition to the growing bottle collection. When my Dad passed away, I offered the bottles to family and friends with the stipulation that they had to display the bottles, not sell them.”
When asked about the restaurant’s signature dish, prime rib, Mark responded, “Prime rib has not always been on the menu.” (Original menu shown here.) “Our cook in the 1960s, Bertha Beam, asked if she could try cooking prime rib for a Sunday special.”
The item was such a huge hit that it was extended, first to a special every Sunday, and eventually available every day.
“Our prime rib supplier is Kip Palmer from Palmer’s Food Service, a business that was started in the 1850s,” Mark said. “Kip and my grandfather became good friends. We are their oldest customer.”
Mark recalled that a few years back he attempted to estimate how many pounds of prime rib the Village Inn has served. In the course of doing so, Palmer’s offered to give him an exact accounting from their records. As of three years ago, the Village Inn has served 3,500,000 pounds or 1,750 tons of prime rib.
Mark Tillman wanted to be sure to acknowledge that the success of the Village Inn is not just about the Tillman family. Many others have worked hard to create the Village Inn today. He said, “This has been a labor of love, and I’m looking forward to whatever is next.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 March 2021 at 1:00 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Girl Scouts in Troop 82007 in Albion today are selling cookies in a drive-through option in the parking lot at the Main Street Store, across from Hoag Library.
Pictured from left include Aubrey Gannon, Aniela Wilson and Neveya Barnes.
The cookies are $5 a box and proceeds support the cost of badges and programs for the Scouts. The troop has been meeting weekly on Tuesday evenings at the North Point Chapel on Platt Street.
The Scouts have been selling from tables next to a camper. They started at 9:30 a.m. and expect to be there until 4 p.m.
Pictured in front from left include Kaylin Gannon, Annabelle Leddon and Eva Mateo. In back are troop leader Pauline Bachorski, Meadow Smith, Peyton Nolan and Kinzie Rickner.
This is the first time the troop has tried a drive-through option. Bachorski said they may try other locations.
There is one new flavor of cookies this year: Toast-Yay!, a French toast–inspired cookie dipped in icing. The other cookie flavors include: Lemonades, Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Shortbreads, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, and S’mores. Some troops in Orleans County also have a limited supply of gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip.
ALBION – When school was closed suddenly last year to in-person learning, and there wasn’t a prom or typical graduation ceremony, community members responded by adopting seniors and giving them gifts to help them feel appreciated during a difficult end of their school year.
Q: Are there any positives through this, maybe speeding up technology?
