In Genesee, 11 of the new cases are at Detention Center

There are 24 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 to report today in Genesee and Orleans counties, for a total of 6,844 cases since last March in the two counties.

In Orleans County there are 6 new positive cases today for a total of 2,456 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, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. One of the newly positive individuals was under mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

In Orleans, 1 more of the previous positive individuals has recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 2 county residents hospitalized due to Covid.

In Genesee County there are 18 new positive cases of Covid reported today for a total of 4,388 cases during the pandemic.

The new positive cases reside in the 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.

Of the new cases, 11 are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center, where 117 inmates have now tested positive during the pandemic.

Genesee is reporting 17 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 4 residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

More from the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments:

• Vaccine eligibility expanded: Beginning March 10th, all New Yorkers 60 years and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine.

Public facing essential workers from governmental and nonprofit organizations will be eligible beginning March 17th. This expansion includes public-facing essential building services workers. Providers will be able to vaccinate any eligible New Yorkers, with the exception of pharmacies who will focus on individuals over the age of 60 and teachers, in line with federal policy beginning March 10th.

This is all subject to the availability of the vaccine to the providers. This new addition of new eligible residents still far exceeds the supply of vaccine received in our counties. Individuals who are eligible must have an appointment in order to get a vaccine. To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.

For more information about the vaccine and access for those who are 60 and older who do not have internet access, please contact your respective Office for the Aging (OFA).

For Genesee OFA please call 585-813-2457 for COVID-19 vaccine assistance between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail and someone will return the call. For Orleans OFA please call 585-589-3191 between 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail and someone will return the call. The OFA offices can only assist with the clinic links as they are available. The system may experience slowdowns and crashing due to high volume. Please be patient and try again later.

Online courses will remain an option

Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today that DEC will resume holding in-person, instructor-led Hunter Education Program (HEP) courses starting April 1. DEC will continue to offer online hunter education courses, as well.

“To prevent the spread of Covid-19, last year DEC successfully transitioned all of our hunter education courses online,” Commissioner Seggos said. “I’m proud of the way our staff quickly pivoted, working with our contractor to offer online courses for new hunters and bowhunters, and I applaud their efforts to safely allow for resuming in-person instruction again in time for new hunters to pursue turkey this spring.”

Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed in every in-person course, including health screening upon arrival, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing, smaller class sizes, and sanitizing hands and equipment.

In-person courses are free and taught by volunteer HEP instructors. Courses are offered in hunter, bowhunter, trapper, and waterfowl hunter education. Registration is required and all in-person courses require mandatory homework that must be completed prior to participating in the class. For more information, or to register for a HEP course, visit the Hunter Education Program page on DEC’s website.

Although the number of courses offered may be limited this spring, interested participants are encouraged to check back often as new courses may be added. Online courses are also available. The cost of the online hunter education course is $19.95. The course can be found on DEC’s hunter-ed website. DEC also continues to offer an online bowhunter education course.

Since March 2020, DEC has seen more than a 12 percent increase in hunting and fishing license sales compared to sales from the previous 12-month period. During this time, which roughly coincides with New York State on PAUSE, resident turkey permits have increased more than 13 percent and junior hunting licenses increased by more than 25 percent.

Certain types of lifetime licenses also increased by as much as 50 percent. A combination of factors, including the availability of online hunter education for new hunters and more time available to participate in the hunting and other activities as New Yorkers looked for recreational options during the pandemic, likely contributed to the increase.

Participants in colon cancer awareness event will be released in groups of 25 every 10 minutes

Photos by Tom Rivers: Runners take off at the start of the Run for Wayne on Clarendon Road in Albion on April 22, 2017. This year’s event is scheduled for March 27.

ALBION – Last year’s Run for Wayne in late March was cancelled at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year the race will go on, but in a way to spread out the runners and walkers on a 3.17-mile course that starts on Clarendon Road, goes along Route 31 to Mount Albion Cemetery and then comes back on 31 to the elementary school parking lot.

The race started in 2015 to honor the memory of Wayne Burlison, an Albion elementary music teacher who died at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.  The “Run for Wayne” is now known as the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K, which highlights the second leading cancer death among men, but is often treatable if detected in the early stages.

This portrait of Wayne Burlison was displayed on a tree along the course in Mount Albion during the 2016 race.

The race is slighter longer than a typical 5K at 3.17 miles. Burlison lived 3 months and 17 days after he was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Bert Gallmon, one of Burlison’s friends, is managing this year’s race. Gallmon is releasing the participants in groups of 25 every 10 minutes, with the first group starting at 1 p.m., then additional groups at 1:10, 1:20 and 1:30. Participants can also complete the distance virtually at another location.

The race usually has about 100 participants. Click here to sign up in one of the four different groups on March 27. Race-day signups should also be available, Gallmon said.

Proceeds from the race in the past have gone towards a scholarship in Burlison’s name and also towards a new running/walking trail at Bullard Park that hasn’t been built yet.

Burlison was active in several musical groups in the community and also helped start the Albion Running Club. He lost more than 150 pounds through better nutrition and exercise and completed a marathon and half-marathons.

Press Release, Orleans County Master Gardeners Coordinator Katie Oakes

Master Gardener volunteer Jena Buckwell will teach two of the classes in the upcoming Master Your Garden Series. Here, she shows participants of a past MG event a soil drainage demonstration.

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans CCE Master Gardener volunteers have typically offered annual events intended to bring big crowds – Plant Sales, Summer Garden Tours, Spring Education Days, etc.

Last March the pandemic put a halt to all programs they had planned, and the volunteers were faced with the task of coming up with ways to offer educational programming to the public in a way that could allow for more predictable attendance as well as flexibility in the event of unforeseen changes.

“Last year was such a let-down,” said Horticulture Educator and MG Volunteer coordinator Katie Oakes. “The volunteers had planned all of these really great, ambitious projects, only to have them all cancelled just as the season was getting started.”

Many of the events and projects typically planned by the Master Gardeners require planning months in advance, purchase of supplies and materials, rental or speaker contract fees, etc.

“We just couldn’t afford to plan a typical year of events without being able to recoup those costs with large numbers of participants,” explained Oakes.

Master Gardener volunteer Jena Buckwell spearheaded the effort to adapt MG programming to a pandemic society, and together the volunteers came up with this year’s “Master Your Garden Educational Series” held on the first Saturday of every month.

“I really felt that a monthly series could go a long way in increasing accessibility to our programs,” said Buckwell, describing the motivation behind the altered programming. “The cost for these programs will be low, and by hosting them on Saturday mornings for a shorter amount of time, we are hopefully opening up our programs to people who work full time, parents who have a hard time finding childcare on weeknights, participants who may not feel comfortable driving home in the dark after an evening class, or anyone who just couldn’t find the time to attend our longer educational events in the past.”

The topics of the class series range from current gardening trends (Soil Blocking and Square Foot Gardening) to volunteer passions (Roses, Common Beans) to public requests (Propagation and Grafting, Mushrooms).  They will all be taught by Master Gardener volunteers or CCE staff who are eager to share their own successes and experiences in gardening with the public. It was important to the volunteers to offer these classes in a way that’s inclusive to all, therefore, all of the classes are available to the public for free, with an optional donation of $5.

“I hope that by providing more casual programming on a regular basis, we will encourage a sense of community for Master Gardeners and all those attending our programs,” said Buckwell.

All classes will be held in person (following current Covid-19 guidelines) and on-site at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 State Rt. 31, Albion, NY 14411.  For more information and details on the class lineup, visit the Master Your Garden event page of the Orleans CCE website.  To register for these classes, call 585-798-4265.

A stunning variety of rose grown by Master Gardener Brenda Radzinski.  She will be teaching a class on how to grow this garden favorite on July 3.

CCE Wyoming County staff member Don Gasiewicz will teach about Mushrooms on November 6.  Mushroom growing has been requested multiple times by participants of past MG events.

Orleans County has the lowest vaccination rate in Upstate New York, according to the state’s Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker.

In Orleans, 5,697 out of 40,612 residents or 14.0 percent have received at least one dose of the vaccine. (2,778 or 6.8 percent in the county are completed with the vaccine series.)

The 14.0 percent is well behind the state average of 19.4 percent of residents receiving at least one vaccine dose and behind the 20.7 percent in the Finger Lakes, a nine-county region that includes Orleans. To be at the region’s average, Orleans would need to have 8,406 people with at least the first dose of the vaccine or another 2,709 people from the current 5,697.

Orleans County public health officials are pushing for more mass vaccination clinics to help get the county caught up with the state average for vaccination rates.

The county is also well behind nearby rural counties. Genesee is at 19.4 percent and Wyoming is at 16.2 percent with at least one dose. Livingston is at 18.8 percent.

Wyoming and Orleans have nearly the same population – 40,085 in Wyoming and 40,612 in Orleans. But Wyoming has about 800 more people with at least one vaccine dose than in Orleans – 6,478 in Wyoming and 5,697 in Orleans.

“The numbers show Orleans County hasn’t had the access to get vaccinated compared to the region and the state,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties.

“We’re going to keep pushing. We want more vaccines locally.”

The public health departments in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties collaborated on a mass vaccination clinic at GCC in Batavia over five days from Friday through today. That clinic was intended to restricted to the three counties but was opened to everyone who registered, with the 3,500 doses claimed in the first 90 minutes the state website was open.

About half of the shots or 1,666 went to Erie County residents. Orleans County residents only were able to get 169 or 4.8 percent. Genesee County residents received 17.0 percent, Niagara County residents signed up for 12.7 percent, Monroe County got 9.3 percent and Wyoming was only at 2.4 percent. There were residents from 17 other counties who were able to register for the vaccine at the GCC clinic.

“Unfortunately we didn’t get the number of folks we would have liked to for Orleans, Genesee or Wyoming counties,” Pettit said on a conference call this evening with elected officials in Orleans County.

‘The numbers show Orleans County hasn’t had the access to get vaccinated compared to the region and the state. We’re going to keep pushing. We want more vaccines locally.’ – Paul Pettit, public health director

GCC proved an ideal setup for the clinic and Pettit said the three health departments are applying to do another clinic at GCC. They would like there to be residency restrictions so the vaccine could be limited to the three counties.

Pettit also is pushing the state for an additional vaccine allotments for Orleans County to help the county get caught up with the state and region averages.

“We’re trying to get a special allocation, especially for Orleans County because we are behind,” Pettit said. “Hopefully the state will come through with additional allocations.”

The state’s Vaccine Tracker shows few counties are under 15.0 percent with at least one dose. In Western New York, Orleans has the lowest vaccination rate with Allegany the next lowest at 15.3 percent.

In WNY the county rates of residents with at least one vaccine dose, as of 11 a.m. today, include: Orleans, 14.0 percent; Niagara, 17.7 percent; Erie, 20.1 percent; Genesee, 19.4 percent; Wyoming, 16.2 percent; Monroe, 21.4 percent; Livingston, 18.8 percent; Chautauqua, 19.6 percent; Cattaraugus, 16.5 percent; and Allegany, 15.3 percent.

The counties in the state with vaccine rates below 15 percent include: Orleans, 14.0 percent; Steuben, 14.3 percent; Orange, 14.4 percent; and Sullivan at 14.6 percent. In New York City, two boroughs are lower than the vaccination rate in Orleans, with Bronx County (the Bronx) is at 13.6 percent and Kings County (Brooklyn) also at 13.6 percent.

That compares with counties in northern New York where the rates are about double the percent in Orleans. Clinton is at 30.1 percent, with Franklin at 27.2 percent and St. Lawrence at 27.6 percent.

Orleans this week will receive another 600 doses of the vaccine, Pettit said. That includes 200 to be administered by the Health Department, 200 by Rosenkrans Pharmacy in Medina, 100 by Oak Orchard Health and 100 by the Medicine Shoppe in Medina.

“It’s still slow slogging,” Pettit said. “Hopefully we can get a special allocation to give a bump to our numbers.”

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs

ORCHARD PARK – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) introduced legislation that would make the dairy industry eligible for H-2A temporary agricultural visas.

“As I have traveled throughout NY-27 and met with farmers, one thing that has become clear is the need for dairy producers to have access to a steady and legal workforce. Currently, dairy workers are not eligible for H-2A status because of the way current law is interpreted by federal agencies,” Jacobs said. “This simple legislation would fix an urgent need while Congress works on broader reforms to the H-2A program.”

The Dairy H-2A Eligibility Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to include “dairy worker” as an eligible candidate for H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa status. Employers are currently only eligible for H-2A non-immigrant classification if they offer a temporary or seasonal position. Though H-2A workers are themselves temporary, dairy production has been interpreted to not qualify for these visas because it occurs year-round.

“Dairy’s workforce crisis is especially severe because dairy farms, which operate year-round, can’t use the H-2A program, which is seasonal. NMPF has fought for decades for H-2A access for dairy. We thank Congressman Jacobs for stepping up and making ag labor reform a priority issue, and we look forward to continuing to work with Rep. Jacobs to address the workforce needs of dairy farmers in New York and across the country,” Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation said.

“Agricultural labor reform has long been a New York Farm Bureau priority. We must address the seasonal and long-term needs of agriculture, including for the state’s dairy farms that currently do not have access to a year-round federal guest worker program. We thank Rep. Jacobs for his efforts to fix a broken system and moving the conversation forward for the betterment of our farms and food system,” David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau President said.

“The bottom line is that we need a migrant worker program that respects and enforces our immigration laws while providing farmers with the workforce that they need,” Jacobs said.

Genesee, Orleans pass 200 Covid-related deaths during pandemic

Orleans and Genesee counties combined are reporting 16 more confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, but only 2 are in Orleans.

In Orleans County, the 2 new cases today give the county 2,450 positive cases since last March. The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby). Both individuals are in their 20s and both were under mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported.

Orleans is reporting 5 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list. There is one resident from Orleans currently hospitalized due to Covid.

Orleans has 29 active Covid cases today, which is the fewest since there were 25 on Nov. 9. The county hit a peak with 279 active cases on Jan. 7. A month ago on Feb. 9 there were 73 actives cases.

In Genesee County there are 14 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 4,370 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, 60s and 70s. Genesee is reporting 10 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee currently has 4 residents hospitalized due to Covid.

The Health Departments is reporting the Covid-related death of a Genesee resident over the age of 65. Genesee has now had 120 residents die from Covid, while Orleans has had 82 residents pass away due to Covid.

More from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

Vaccine Eligibility Expanded: Beginning March 10th, all New Yorkers 60 years and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine.

Public facing essential workers from governmental and nonprofit organizations will be eligible beginning March 17th. This expansion includes public-facing essential building services workers.

Providers will be able to vaccinate any eligible New Yorkers, with the exception of pharmacies who will focus on individuals over the age of 60 and teachers, in line with federal policy beginning March 10th. This is all subject to the availability of the vaccine to the providers.

This new addition of new eligible residents still far exceeds the supply of vaccine received in our counties. Individuals who are eligible must have an appointment in order to get a vaccine.

To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.

For more information about the vaccine and access for those who are 60 and older who do not have internet access, please contact your respective Office for the Aging (OFA). For Genesee OFA please call 585-813-2457 for Covid-19 Vaccine assistance between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail and someone will return the call.

For Orleans OFA please call 585-589-3191 between 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail and someone will return the call. The OFA offices can only assist with the clinic links as they are available. The system may experience slowdowns and crashing due to high volume. Please be patient and try again later.

Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation

Photo by Tom Rivers: Firefighters put out a big brush fire that spread to a hedgerow in Carlton on Aug. 29, 2015.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning will begin March 16, and run through May 14.

With spring approaching, DEC is reminding residents that conditions for wildfires are heightened in springtime when most wildfires occur.

“While wildfires are more visible in the western part of the country, the start of spring brings an increased risk of wildfires right here in New York,” Seggos said. “In an effort to protect our communities and natural resources, New York prohibits residential burning for two months starting on March 16, when dry conditions are highest. Help DEC put safety first and continue to reduce the number of wildfires in New York’s communities by following the burn ban.”

Even though some areas of the state remain blanketed in snow, warming temperatures can quickly cause wildfire conditions to arise. DEC will post a Fire Danger Map rating for the 2021 fire season on DEC’s website once there is a moderate risk anywhere in the state.

Open burning of debris is the largest single cause of spring wildfires in New York State. When temperatures are warmer and the past fall’s debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily and be further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation.

In 2020, DEC Forest Rangers extinguished 192 wildfires that burned a total of more than 1,122 acres. In addition, local fire departments, many of which are volunteer, all too often have to leave their jobs and families to respond to wildfires caused by illegal debris fires.

New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur. Campfires using charcoal or untreated wood are allowed, but people should never leave these fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round.

For more information about fire safety and prevention, go to DEC’s FIREWISE New York website.

Organizers cite limits on crowd sizes, public health concerns

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Attaboys perform in the food court on June 8, 2018 during the Albion Strawberry Festival. The food court is a busy place on Bank Street with vendors and live music.

The community festivals in Holley and Albion – annual traditions that draw thousands of people together in June – are cancelled again this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The events also were wiped out in 2020.

Holley’s June Fest would have been the first Saturday in June with Albion’s a week later on June 11-12.

Organizers cited public health concerns with bringing lots of people together in close proximity. A big crowd isn’t a possibility, anyway, with the state guidelines. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week that beginning March 22 outdoor social gatherings can be increased from 100 to 200 people. What the cap size will be in June is a big unknown for people trying to plan a festival.

“It takes a long time to put these together and there are changes just coming forward,” said Debbie Schiavone, Holley’s village clerk.

She worries too if there was a limit on the crowd size who would be tasked with counting the attendees and enforcing the crowd limit.

Holley village officials are hopeful the village will be able to do its Friday night concert series this summer at the Canal Park gazebo.

Holley usually caps off the June Fest with fireworks. This photo was taken June 2, 2018 with the firworks reflected over the Erie Canal.

In Albion, the Strawberry Festival also has been cancelled for the second year. Don Bishop, one of the organizers, said he doesn’t see how the festival could go on three months from now and meet all the public health guidelines.

The parade on Saturday can bring out 10,000 people, he said.

“It’s mostly common sense to not do it this year with social distancing and having crowds of people together with no control,” Bishop said.

There have been about 80 craft vendors on the Courthouse Square, and 20-25 different food vendors on East Bank Street for the festival. Many of those vendors have five or more staff or assistants helping to prepare food.

“When you think how crowded Bank Street is you can hardly move shoulder to shoulder,” Bishop said. “It’s not that we don’t want to do it, it’s just a non-brainer.”

The Strawberry Festival is sponsored by the Albion Rotary Club. That organization will be bringing back another one of its big events that was cancelled last year. The Rotary Fishing Derby will be Aug. 7-22 with $8,800 in prizes, including a $4,000 grand prize for the heaviest fish caught.

June Persia also is one the organizers for the Strawberry Festival. With the main festival cancelled, she is helping to organize a craft fair with other activities on June 12 at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex. That event will be a fundraiser for COVA. Persia wants the crafters to keep Albion on their schedule for the second weekend in June.

Bert Gallmon, the director of the Strawberry Festival 5K/8K, also expects that race will be able to happen on June 12.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new expansion of Covid-19 vaccine eligibility in New York.

Beginning March 10, all New Yorkers 60 years of age and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine, while public facing essential workers from governmental and nonprofit entities will be eligible beginning March 17. This expansion also includes public-facing essential building services workers.

Additionally, the Governor announced that with increased supply of the vaccine, restrictions concerning which segments of the eligible population specific providers can vaccinate will be relaxed to align with the expanded eligibility on March 17.

Previously, certain types of providers were directed to focus their vaccination efforts on specific populations to ensure equitable vaccine distribution. For example, hospitals vaccinated health care workers, local health departments vaccinated essential workers and pharmacies vaccinated New Yorkers 65 years of age and older.

Now, providers will be able to vaccinate any eligible New Yorker, with the exception of pharmacies, which will focus on individuals over the age of 60 and teachers, in line with federal policy. Pharmacies may begin vaccinating individuals over the age of 60 and teachers on March 10. As part of this effort, providers are being encouraged to vaccinate those New Yorkers most at risk, such as individuals 60 years of age and older and people with comorbidities and underlying health conditions.

“New York is marching forward expanding access to the Covid-19 vaccine, addressing underserved communities and getting shots in arms as we turn the tide in the fight against this virus,” Cuomo said. “Supply is steadily increasing and we’re opening new vaccination sites and expanding eligibility to match it.”

Under this new expansion of eligibility, the following essential workers will now be eligible to begin receiving the Covid-19 vaccine on March 17:

• Public-facing government and public employees
• Not-for-profit workers who provide public-facing services to New Yorkers in need
• Essential in-person public-facing building service workers

This includes workers such as public works employees, social service and child service caseworkers, government inspectors, sanitation workers, DMV workers, County Clerks, building service workers and election workers – the everyday heroes who have been showing up day in and day out throughout this pandemic.

New York’s vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to this limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.

Eligible New Yorkers will be able to schedule appointments at state vaccination sites by utilizing New York’s ‘Am I Eligible’ website or by calling the state’s Covid-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).

Press Release, National Weather Service in Buffalo

The National Weather Service office in Buffalo, NY is looking for a volunteer weather observer to take over the observing station in or near Lakeside/Kuckville NY in northern Orleans County (including Lyndonville, Waterport and Carlton).

This observing station would be a part of the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Network (Coop Network). The Coop Network comprises nearly 10,000 volunteer weather observers nationwide that report rainfall, snowfall and snow depth to the National Weather Service on a daily basis. Data from Coop Network helps scientists to define the long term climate of the United States.

Observers take measurements of precipitation, snowfall and snow depth daily around 7 am. These measurements would be relayed daily to the National Weather Service either via the Internet or a toll-free phone number. These weather observations will be archived and used by future climate and research studies.

You will be provided with a rain gauge and snow measuring stick. Your observations will assist the National Weather Service in its forecast and warning efforts, climatologists defining the climate of the United States and also help to predict drought conditions, agricultural planning and assessment, and more.

If you are interested in helping us out or have any questions about the duties of a Coop Observer, please contact us at the address below. You can also contact us by calling 716-565-0204, or by sending an email to Dan.Kelly@noaa.gov.

National Weather Service

587 Aero Drive

Buffalo, NY 14225

Illuminating Orleans, Volume 1, No. 8

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

HOLLEY – A box of documents and letters in the Orleans County Department of History collection has yielded several treasures. The contents pertain to the Storms and Stierer families from Holley.

The envelope shown above, postmarked January 2, 1907 from the National-American Woman Suffrage Association in Rochester, caught our attention:

And inside – a treasure indeed! A letter, signed by Lucy E. Anthony, explaining that her “Aunt Mary” had been unwell when Mrs. Storms came to discuss a “personal matter”. Of course we were intrigued! The search was on.

“Aunt Mary” was Mary Stafford Anthony, younger sister of Susan B. Anthony. Mary S. was actively involved in suffrage in her own right. She worked as a teacher and principal at Rochester area schools. She supported Susan B. Anthony’s campaigns financially, lived with Susan B. at 17 Madison St., managed the household and cared for several family members as well.

Mary S. was instrumental in establishing the concept of the Political Equality Club, a local forum for both men and women to discuss the ethical concerns of the day and promote the goal of women’s suffrage. There were active clubs throughout the state, including one in Holley.

The time frame of this letter is of interest. Dated Jan. 21, 1907, it was just a short while before Mary S. Anthony’s death on February 5, at the age of 80. On her deathbed, she composed a message for the Feb. 14, 1907 Convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, “the Convention in Chicago” referred to in the letter. Mary S. was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, next to her sister, Susan B., who had died in 1906.

Lucy E. Anthony, who composed the letter, was a niece of Susan B. and Mary S. Anthony and cared for both of them. She became a secretary and companion to Anna Howard Shaw, later president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

The Anthony home at 17 Madison St. in Rochester was the headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association while Susan B. Anthony was president. Sold in 1907, the home was later purchased by the Rochester Federation of Women’s Clubs and is now the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, open for scheduled visits.

And what of the recipient of the letter, Mrs. Clark Storms of Geddes St. in Holley? From census records (http://orleans.nygenweb.net/) and directories, we learn that Ida Storms lived at 91 Geddes St. in Holley. Her husband Clark was a retired farmer, they had a daughter, Millicent who married Lyell Storer. Ida died in 1927, Clark in 1928. They are buried at Hillside Cemetery.

Ida was a member of the Holley Political Activity Club, which is most likely the clue to the reason for her visit. As for that “personal matter” referred to and the outcome? Unless the other letters in the box shed some light, we may never know.

Press Release, Supportive Care of Orleans

Provided photo: Anne Downey is among the volunteers assisting with the bouquet sale fundraiser.

ALBION – The Annual Hospice Spring Bouquet Sale that benefits Supportive Care of Orleans is in full swing once again this year and is taking on tremendous support from area businesses, schools, churches and municipalities.

The 2021 sale will run for two weeks this year until March 13th. Last year this fundraiser raised over $11,500 to support Hospice services for residents of Orleans County and organizers are hoping to exceed that figure for 2021.

With a goal of selling 2,000 bouquets, and 500 planter kits, Supportive Care of Orleans has already pre-sold and delivered approximately 2,200 bouquets and planter kits to the community as of March 8^th.

Volunteers and members of staff will be selling bouquets until this Friday at the Supportive Care of Orleans campus, located at 14080 RT 31 West in Albion at their Conference & Counseling Center.

Members of the community can also pick up bouquets at walk-up locations.  You can view the full walk-up location list on Supportive Care of Orleans social media pages.

The area businesses, schools, churches, and municipalities participating in the 2021 bouquet sales include the following: ABCD at Holley, ACE Hardware (Albion), ACE Hardware (Medina), Albion Agencies, Albion Bus Garage, Albion District Office, Albion High School, Albion Middle School, Amy Sidari Dance Studio, Antique’s Rusty Relics, Arnold’s Auto Parts

Bank of Castile (Medina), Baxter, Case-Nic Cookies, Christopher Mitchell Funeral Home, Clifford Wise Intermediate/Middle School in Medina, Community Action, Dance Reflection, Environmental Construction Group Inc, EZ Shop, Five Star (Albion), Gardenview Bed & Breakfast, George Fancher’s Rd Service

Head’s Up Salon, Herbalty Cottage, HH Dobbins, Holley Bus Garage, Holley Elementary School, Holley High School, Holley Pharmacy, HP Hood, JLThom CPA PC, JP’s Farm Market, Kendall Elementary School, Kendall High School, Maison Albion, Key Bank (Albion), Lake Country Media, Lake Plains Medical (Albion & Medina), Lyndonville Schools, Lynn’s Salon in Albion, M&T (Lyndonville), Medina Dental, Medina High School, Oak Orchard Elementary School, Orleans County Sheriffs Dept.,

Office for the Aging, Office of the Legislature, Orleans County Dept. of Social Services, Orleans County Mental Health, Orleans/Niagara BOCES, Relco Systems, Sam’s Diner, Signature Styles, St. Mark’s Church, St. Mary’s Church, Takeform, The Downtown Browsery (Albion), The Downtown Browsery (Medina), The Villages, Town & Country Quilt Shop, Tractor Supply (Medina), Velocitii, Village House and WNY Energy.

The Assembly Republican Conference announced on Monday it will circulate an impeachment resolution to try to remove Andrew Cuomo from the governor’s office.

The Republicans said the governor cannot lead the state through budget deficits, a pandemic crisis and other critical issues when facing allegations of sexual harassment and that he distorted data for nursing home deaths from Covid-19.

“When you lose trust and credibility, you lose the ability to lead,” said Will Barclay, the Assembly minority leader. “Gov. Cuomo can no longer effectively govern New York.”

Assemblyman Mike Norris, R-Lockport, noted that some Democratic Party leaders also want to see the governor resign. He noted Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called for the governor to step down on Sunday.

“Gov. Cuomo has clearly lost any trust and credibility that he had left,” Norris said. “If the governor does not resign immediately, then the Assembly must do its duty and commence the impeachment process (as I have asked now for over two weeks) to address these very serious allegations against the governor and restore faith and trust in state government.”

Cuomo has refused to resign and has urged the public and the state legislators to hold off on judgement until an investigation of the sexual harassment allegations is complete by the Attorney General’s Office.

The Republican Conference in the Assembly said the governor’s unwillingness to step down is forcing them to pursue impeachment.

“After ignoring the calls my colleagues and I have been making for him to resign, today we had no choice but to set into motion the introduction of an impeachment resolution against the governor,” Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, said on Monday. “Our state is facing dire economic, public health and fiscal challenges that demand our full attention as a Legislature.

“The last thing we need is a prolonged political battle over removing the governor when everyday New Yorkers need our help more than ever, so I am hopeful we can move through this impeachment process quickly to get back to the people’s work,” Hawley said in a statement.

County government slated for $7.8 million

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Town of Carlton will receive $310,000 from the federal government to help with Covid-19 expenses, revenue losses and infrastructure improvements.

Orleans County’s towns and villages will share $4.43 million as part of American Rescue Plan approved by the U.S. Senate on Saturday.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, released a breakdown of the funding for the towns and counties in the state. The aid to villages will be taken from the towns that have villages within their borders in an amount to be determined by the Treasury Department, Schumer said.

The allotments are based on the population for the municipalities from the 2019 Census estimates.

There and 10 towns in Orleans and four villages. Two of those villages, Albion and Medina, each include portions of two towns. With Holley and Lyndonville the four villages include portions of six towns in the county.

Here is the breakdown for the 10 towns, before the village amount is taken out:

• Albion: $880,000
• Barre: $210,000
• Carlton: $310,000
• Clarendon: $380,000
• Gaines: $350,000
• Kendall: $290,000
• Murray: $510,000
• Ridgeway: $690,000
• Shelby: $550,000
• Yates: $260,000
• Total: $4,430,000

The America Rescue Plan also includes $7.83 million for the Orleans County government.

“The Association of Towns is extremely grateful to see the news over the weekend of the U.S. Senate passing the American Rescue Plan, which in part delivers badly needed federal funding directly to local governments of all sizes,” the NY Association of Towns tweeted today. “We extend our sincere thanks to all the federal legislators that worked to send direct funding to our towns, cities and villages, in particular US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for their work on the Direct Support for Communities Act.”

The funding can’t be used for pension costs but can go towards the following:

• Costs associated with responding to the Covid-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including but not limited to, assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality.
• To support workers performing essential work during the Covid-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work.
• To cover revenue losses caused by the Covid-19 public health emergency.
• To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

Schumer said the $1.9 trillion relief package approved in the Senate includes $23.8 billion in state and local fiscal aid in New York, including $12.56 billion for the state government and more than $10.8 billion for counties, cities, towns, and villages.

“After fighting this pandemic on the frontlines, New York’s counties and municipalities were loud and clear: they needed help and they needed it now to keep frontline workers on the job and prevent brutal service cuts,” Schumer said.