By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 26 January 2021 at 9:58 pm
Faced with a narrow window to get the winter sports season in, the Section VI Executive Council today voted to adjust the dates for the Winter, Fall 2 and Spring seasons.
The winter season for the High Risk sports of basketball and wrestling is scheduled to begin on February 1 and the Fall 2 season for the High Risk sports of football, volleyball and competitive cheerleading had been slated to get underway just four weeks later on March 1.
The Executive Council therefore approved a new calendar for the three seasons which reflects a minimal amount of overlap.
The Winter season will still begin on February 1 and will run until March 27, the Fall 2 season will run from March 22 to May 15 and the Spring season from May 10 to June 30.
The start of the High Risk Winter season sports is pending the approval of the local county health departments.
Section V also makes Winter season date changes
The Section V Athletic Council today likewise made adjustments to the dates for the Winter sports season.
The Winter season for the High Risk sports of basketball and wrestling will start as scheduled on February 1 and the regular season will conclude on March 6. The sectionals will then conclude by March 14. It will be a closed sectional with a format to be determined.
Section V officials also announced that the start and finish dates for the Fall 2 season will be announced in a few weeks.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 8:45 pm
Joe Martillotta and Zack Burgess will be on ballot in March 16 election
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Republican Party backed Joe Martillotta, left, and Democrats picked Zack Burgess as their candidate in the March 16 election.
ALBION – The Democrats and Republicans each picked their candidate this evening for the March 16 village election.
Both parties held a caucus at 7 p.m. to select a candidate to fill the remaining three years of a trustee position on the Village Board. The position $6,370 a year.
The trustee position became vacant when Kevin Sheehan resigned to take the job as Albion’s code enforcement officer.
Both parties had a low turnout this evening with less than 10 people. Democrats picked Zack Burgess and Republicans nominated Joe Martillotta.
Burgess, 31, works for Bentley Brothers at inside sales. He also has been very active in the Rock the Park music festival at Bullard Park. He serves as co-chairman of the event which has been renamed as the Albion Summer Festival. Last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19. Burgess and the organizers are hoping this year’s festival with many bands can happen the first Saturday in August.
Through that event, Burgess said he has worked with many village officials and community members. He also is a member of the Albion Lions Club.
“I want to do anything I can to improve the quality of life in the village,” Burgess said.
He was backed by Democrats at the caucus which was held at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.
His father, Phil Burgess, made a motion to support Zack, which was seconded by his mother, Lynn. Phil works for Kodak and Lynn has a hair salon at her home on West Park Street.
Zack lives on Hamilton Street.
Joe Martillotta, 69, was backed by the Republicans at a caucus on the second floor of the Albion Visitors Center. Martillotta retired in 2009 after 36 years as a high school social studies and economics teacher.
He and his wife Debbie did extensive renovations of 469 East State St. and opened the Crooked Door Tavern on Jan. 31, 2011. It was his dream of owning a restaurant and bar. They operated the business for more than three years, selling it in April 2014.
Martillotta lives on North Main Street and owns other properties in the village.
“I’ve been paying taxes for years in the village – lots of them,” he said.
He has long advocated for shrinking the size of local government through consolidation. That is an issues he wants to explore.
“We should do it,” he said about dissolutions or consolidations. “Do we really need 15 highway superintendents in Orleans County?”
Each of the 10 towns, four villages and the county all have an elected or appointed superintendent of highways or the DPW.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 5:01 pm
State data shows 3 more deaths from Covid in both Orleans and Genesee since Friday
Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 49 more cases pf Covid-19 for 5,774 cases in the two counties since March, with 2,061 in Orleans and 3,713 in Genesee.
The two counties have each had three more deaths from Covid since Friday and now are at 74 deaths in Orleans and 104 in Genesee. Click here to see the state data.
In Orleans County, there are 23 new positive cases of Covid-19. They reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).
Of the new cases, two are residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.
The 23 individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported. Of the new cases, three were on quarantine prior to testing positive.
Correction from the G-O Health Departments: The following case was determined not to be an Orleans County resident and has been retracted from today’s data: a person in his/her 30s from the West Region.
Orleans is reporting 28 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There are currently 10 Orleans County residents hospitalized with Covid.
Albion Central School is reporting a student from the high school has tested positive for Covid-19. Because the student was last in school on Jan. 21, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period, the district stated on its website.
Medina Central School reported a student from the middle school has tested positive for Covid. The student has not been in school for almost two weeks. The Health Department has determined no further quarantines are necessary, said Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent.
In Genesee County, there are 26 new positive cases of Covid-19. 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). Of the new cases, one is a resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center.
The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.
Genesee is reporting 32 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized due to Covid.
The Health Departments noted two of the deaths in Genesee, both over age 65. One resided at Genesee Senior Living and one was at the Batavia VA Medical Center.
Vaccine Information: At this time all appointments are full. The G-O Health Departments encourage eligible people to keep monitoring in case people have canceled. People are encouraged to cancel their appointment if:
they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the flu or a cold;
if they have been placed on mandatory quarantine because they are identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19;
or they can’t make the appointment for any other reason.
Canceling the appointment as soon as you are aware you can’t make it will open up a new appointment for someone else. Please make sure you cancel using the information on your confirmation sheet or by calling the provider. The health departments cannot cancel appointments for other providers.
To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.
Expanded Broadband, laying groundwork for new Farm Bill among priorities
Press Release, U.S. Rep. Chris Jacobs
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is announcing that he is returning to the House Committee on Agriculture for the 117th Congress.
“Western New York’s economy and communities are directly supported by our agriculture industry,” Jacobs said. “Our farms, processing facilities, and agri-businesses provide thousands of good-paying jobs and present major opportunities to set our region up for future prosperity. It has been my mission to support our farmers in Congress – I made it a priority to be seated on the Agriculture Committee in July when I was first elected and look forward to carrying my work there into the 117th Congress.”
Announced earlier this year, Rep. David Scott (D-GA) will serve as Chairman, and Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) will serve as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture for the 117th Congress. The Committee is charged with reviewing, developing, and advancing policies and proposals to support, improve, and further the needs of American farmers, agricultural businesses, and rural communities. As of 2017, Western New York had over 4,400 farms producing over $1.1 billion in products, representing 22% of all NYS agriculture sales.
“Serving on the Agriculture Committee puts me in the best possible position to advocate for our farmers and their needs,” Jacobs said. “These past few months alone, I was able to work with my colleagues to ensure the Commodity Credit Corporation was allocated necessary funding, increase investments for the USDA ReConnect Broadband Program, and pass COVID-19 relief legislation with direct support programs for farmers like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).”
“This term, there are major priorities that must be addressed. Our region needs improved broadband infrastructure, the agriculture sector needs new and younger farmers to ensure the longevity of such a critical industry, and we need to protect and support our farmers from unfair trade practices so they can access expanded markets and grow their businesses,” Jacobs said. “Finally, we will be in the beginning stages of developing a new Farm Bill early this year. I will be working diligently to ensure that the needs of Western New York farmers are met in that legislation.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 2:23 pm
Ken DeRoller and John DeFilipps have been key county leaders
Photos by Tom Rivers: John DeFilipps, left, and Ken DeRoller are shown in May 2013 when they were both endorsed for the first time by the Orleans County Republican Committee to run for the County Legislature. The two have notified Republican Party leaders they don’t plan to seek re-election.
John DeFilipps of Clarendon and Ken DeRoller of Kendall joined the Orleans County Legislature together just over seven years ago. The two from the east side of the county have been very active and visible, pushing key issues and connecting with local residents and officials at the state and federal levels.
Both have notified Orleans County Republican Party officials they don’t intend to seek re-election to another two-year term.
“Their work ethic has been amazing,” said Skip Draper, a county legislator who is also chairman of the Orleans County Republican Party. “They are very good legislators.”
The election cycle starts sooner now. Candidates used to pursue endorsements from the local parties in April and May. But the schedule was moved up by the state last year. The local political parties are already recruiting candidates and checking with incumbent office holders to see their intentions.
DeFilipps and DeRoller both said they pride themselves on giving the job their all. But they don’t want to be so busy in what is supposed to be a part-time position.
“I like different challenges and it’s time to move on,” DeRoller said today. “I’m the type of person who is built to be 100 percent all in.”
He has been instrumental in having the county and local municipalities tackle waterfront plans along Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal. He also is a member of the Leadership Orleans program, and said it’s critical for the community to develop and encourage a new generation of leaders. The program gives each class exposure to many sectors in the county, from tourism, economic development, agriculture, manufacturing, education, healthcare and more. The 2020 class was interrupted from Covid-19 but is scheduled to resume in April.
DeRoller and DeFilipps are both members of the Orleans Economic Development Agency board of directors. DeRoller is pleased the EDA supported the Cottages at Troutburg in Kendall, where new homes are being built along the lakefront. The agency also has worked to have 300 acres certified and shovel-ready at the Medina Business Park.
The two also graduated from a County Government Institute run by the New York State Association of Counties. They have both pushed to connect with officials in Albany and Washington, DC.
“You have to be in the room where the decisions are being made,” DeFilipps said.
DeFilipps, 63, joined the Legislature after 12 years on the Clarendon Town Board and after retiring from General Motors, farming on the much and running a convenience store in Clarendon.
John DeFilipps takes the oath of office on Aug. 14, 2017 from former County Clerk Karen Lake-Maynard. DeFilipps was picked by the other legislators to serve as the chairman for part of his tenure on the Legislature.
DeFilipps is an at-large legislator, which is a county-wide position. DeRoller represents District 4, the towns of Kendall, Murray and Carlton and the Village of Holley. Both have gone beyond what could reasonably be expected.
In addition to his county committees, DeFilipps serves on the boards for the EDA, the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Fish and Wildlife Board. He also attends many of the town and village meetings around the county, and even goes to many of the county committee meetings which he isn’t on.
“It’s a tough decision,” DeFilipps said about his plan to retire from the Legislature after this year. “But there may be other opportunities.”
DeFilipps said it takes about four years to get a good handle on all of the local issues, and to connect with all the local, state and federal officials, as well as key local stakeholders.
“There is a lot to learn,” he said. “I try to go to all the meetings and I am constantly reading.”
DeFilipps said government is set up to keep the elected officials in “silos.” That’s why he goes to so many village, town and county meetings, as well as connecting with state and federal officials. He wants to see the whole picture.
County Legislator Ken DeRoller speaks during a public meeting in April 2018 about a waterfront plan for the towns of Carlton, Yates and Kendall.
DeRoller, 74, has made economic development a focus, and not just larger projects through the EDA. He supported making the tourism director a full-time position with a sole focus on tourism. Dawn Borchert serves in the role and the county attends more trade shows, distributes more tourism guides under her leadership. The county has also experienced growth in bed tax since expanding its tourism focus.
DeRoller also sees much more potential in Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal. That’s why he has spearheaded the waterfront development plans for both. The Erie Canal, in particular, has been “vastly underutilized,” he said.
DeRoller serves on the state’s Canal Recreationway Commission and is a county representative on the Genesee/Finger Lakes Planning Council.
He will be pushing this year to finalize a waterfront development plan for the Erie Canal in Orleans County. That document is nearly done and can be used to pursue grant funding for projects in the canal communities.
DeRoller is retired after 38 years at Kodak, including 12 years in the information technology department as a business analyst. He also worked with materials handling and logistics for the company.
He served 25 years on the Kendall Town Planning Board, including 15 years as its chairman. DeRoller was particularly interested in the lakefront and making better use of the 7 miles of lakefront in Kendall.
He helped write the comprehensive plan that made it possible to turn a former Salvation Army Camp into the Cottages of Troutburg.
DeRoller also has been an active crusader in getting the state to repave parts of the Lake Ontario State Parkway and rehab some of the Erie Canal bridges.
He estimates he has a collection of about 1,000 business cards from people he’s met in his role advocating for the county.
“I have liked the different challenges, but I feel like it’s time to move on,” DeRoller said. “I’ve built relationships with so many quality people.”
DeRoller and DeFilipps said the county faces many challenges, including the need for more widespread broadband internet.
“You’ve got to push and push,” DeRoller said. “We all need to keep working together.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 12:42 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Orleans County DPW staff clears the sidewalks and steps at Central Hall on East Park Street in Albion. This is the office building for the treasurer’s office and county historian.
The county and much of Upstate NY are under a Winter Weather Advisory until 1 a.m. tonight. Orleans County is expected to get up to 4 inches of snow during the day with another 1 to 2 inches tonight, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
The high temperatures the rest of the week include 28 on Wednesday with another ½ inch of snow possible, 20 on Thursday with a chance of snow showers, 16 on Friday with a chance for snow showers, and 20 on Saturday with a chance for more snow showers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 January 2021 at 10:09 am
Leisure and hospitality takes biggest hit with 366,600 job losses
New York State had 1 million fewer people working in December, compared to the December in 2019, according to the state Department of Labor.
Nationally, there were 9,152,000 fewer jobs in December, compared to the previous December.
New York State is seeing some progress with unemployment. The unemployment rate dropped from 8.4 percent in November to 8.2 percent in December, and there were 20,200 fewer people on unemployment in the state, a drop from 764,500 to 744,300. This is the fifth straight month the unemployment rate has declined in the state, according to the DOL.
In the state, New York City is taking the pandemic’s impact on the economy harder than in upstate. The unemployment rate in New York City is 11.4 percent, compared to 5.9 percent outside the city. (The DOL hasn’t released the county by county unemployment rates yet from December. Orleans County’s rate in November was 5.4 percent with 1,000 fewer people were working in the county – 16,800 in November 2019 compared to 15,800 in November 2020.)
The state overall shows 1,018,400 fewer jobs during the 12 months, and the DOL is reporting New York City lost 578,000 jobs during the year. The Rochester metro is down 54,400 jobs, while Buffalo-Niagara Falls has 44,700 fewer positions and Syracuse is down 34,600.
These sectors have experienced the biggest job losses from December 2019 to December 2020:
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 January 2021 at 8:54 pm
Mike Hodgins leaves Buffalo hospital after difficult ordeal to rehab at Medina Memorial
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Looking frail and thin after spending two months at Buffalo Mercy Hospital battling Covid, Mike Hodgins is surrounded by son Greg Hodgins, wife Kathy and daughter Alisha Duffina.
SHELBY – Miracles do happen.
Ask Kathy Hodgins of Shelby, whose husband Mike just spent two months in Buffalo Mercy Hospital, recovering from Covid-19.
Mike, 59, contracted Covid from his wife Kathy, who isn’t sure where she got it.
The last time she saw Mike was when she dropped him off at the door of Medina Memorial Hospital on Nov. 28. Because of Covid restrictions, she couldn’t even go in with him.
Later that night he was transferred to Buffalo Mercy Hospital, the only place they could find who had an ICU bed available.
The situation was dire, because Mike had a heart transplant 30 years ago, and doctors said he would need a miracle to survive Covid, which has killed more than 400,000 Americans in the past year.
Their miracle was realized this afternoon when Kathy and their children Greg Hodgins and Alisha Duffina brought Mike from Buffalo Mercy to Medina Memorial Hospital, where he will spend seven to 10 days in rehab to regain his strength.
Kathy Hodgins waves as she catches the first glimpse of her husband Mike being wheeled down the ramp at Buffalo Mercy Hospital. It was the first time she had seen him in two months.
While at Buffalo Mercy, Mike spent three weeks on a ventilator, while doctors kept him sedated. During that time, his blood pressure would plummet. Doctors also feared kidney failure.
During his ordeal, Mike developed abdominal bleeding and his epiglottis became paralyzed, meaning he can’t swallow anything by mouth. When he tries to, it goes down his windpipe instead of into his stomach. This resulted in a feeding tube in his stomach, which he still has.
Doctors are hopeful his epiglottis will return to normal so the feeding tube can be removed.
When Kathy learned Mike was going to be discharged and transported to Medina, she insisted on picking him up herself, so she could at least spend some precious time with him.
Alisha drove home, so Mike and Kathy sit in the back seat, where they hugged and held hands all the way home.
Mike Hodgins is wheeled down the ramp at Buffalo Mercy Hospital Monday by an aide named Thi, as his family waits to transfer him to Medina Memorial Hospital for rehab.
Kathy is convinced it is their faith which brought Mike through this ordeal. She said, even in his sedated state, he could hear her voice and she called the hospital every day. She would ask the nurse to put the phone to Mike’s ear and she would repeat that she loved him.
“Every day while he was on a respirator, I called and told him I loved him,” Kathy said. “Then I prayed with him every single day.”
She said it is the most powerless feeling not to be able to see your loved one who is so sick. She said the only exceptions to allowing visitors was in end-of-life situations, and she is thankful they didn’t get to that.
“It’s been quite the journey,” she said.
After getting Mike to Medina Memorial Hospital, the family, along with his brother and sister, stood under his window and waved to him. They are counting the days until they can bring him home.
Kathy Hodgins of Shelby hugs her husband Mike as she sees him for the first since Nov. 28, when he was taken to Buffalo Mercy Hospital with Covid. She brought him to Medina Memorial Hospital Monday, where he will undergo rehab.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2021 at 7:56 pm
A Winter Weather Advisory from the National Weather Service covers Upstate New York.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Tuesday for Orleans County, WNY and Upstate New York.
The advisory is in effect from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. with 3 to 5 inches of snow expected for Orleans, Genesee, Niagara, Monroe, Wayne, northern Erie and Ontario counties.
The National Weather Service urges motorists to plan on slippery road conditions, which could impact the morning or evening commute.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2021 at 7:39 pm
Harriet Tubman, whose home is in Auburn in Central New York, is to be the new face of the $20 bill.
Five years ago Tubman was announced as the new face of the $20 bill. But her face has yet to be on the U.S. currency. It may not happen until 2028.
The Biden Administration said today it wants to “speed up” the effort to have Tubman, a famed abolitionist, on the $20 bill. Her home is in nearby Auburn, and that site is a National Historical Park.
“Harriet Tubman is a hero who led enslaved African Americans to freedom,” U.S. Majority Leader Charles Schumer tweeted this evening. “We fought to make her Auburn, NY home a national park. Now, the Biden Treasury Dept is speeding plans to add her to the $20 bill. I’ve championed this. No one’s more deserving. It should’ve happened long ago!”
President Barack Obama first pushed to have Tubman on the $20 bill. She risked her life and guided dozens people from Maryland to freedom through the Underground Railroad in the 1800s.
In the Civil War, Tubman served as a US Army spy, scout, nurse and cook. Later in life, she was involved in the women’s suffrage movement.
“I’m glad the Biden administration is reversing the Trump administration’s foot dragging,” Schumer said today on the Senate floor. “This is the kind of things they did. No excuse, no reason, just didn’t do it.”
In May 2016, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced Tubman would be featured on the front of the $20, replacing President Andrew Jackson, who was to be featured on the back of the bill along with an image of the White House.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2021 at 6:44 pm
ALBION – There will be Republican and Democratic caucuses on Tuesday to pick a candidate for trustee in a March 16 special election.
The two political parties will meet to pick a candidate for trustee to fill three years of vacated term by Kevin Sheehan, who resigned to take the job as Albion’s code enforcement officer.
The Democrats will meet at 7 p.m. at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, 10 East Park St.
The Republicans will meet at 7 p.m. at the Albion Visitors Center, 121 North Main St.
The parties will take nominations from the floor during the caucuses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2021 at 5:04 pm
Number of active cases drops from 495 on Jan. 12 to 301 today
Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 100 new Covid-19 cases in the first update from the G-O Health Departments since Friday. That brings the combined total to 5,726 in the two counties since March with 3,687 in Genesee and 2,039 in Orleans.
In Orleans County there are 33 new positive cases of Covid-19. 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, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Of the new cases, 6 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.
Orleans also is reporting 66 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
The number of active cases in the county has dropped 243 on Jan. 12 to 134 today. Six days ago on Jan. 19 there were 158 active cases in the county.
Orleans has 9 residents hospitalized due to Covid. There were 18 hospitalized on Jan. 19.
Albion Central School is reporting a middle school student and staff member have both tested positive for Covid-19.
“As the student learns fully remotely and hasn’t been in school since Nov. 30 and the staff member was last in school on Dec. 15, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period,” the district posted on its website.
In Genesee County, there are 67 new positive cases since Friday. 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, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Of the new cases, 4 are residents of the Batavia VA Medical Center.
Correction from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments: The following case was double counted and has been retracted from today’s data; Case in his/her 20s from Bergen.
Genesee is reporting 130 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
The number of active cases in the county is at 167 today, which is down from 199 on Jan. 19 and 252 on Jan. 12.
Genesee is reporting 24 residents are hospitalized due to Covid, which is more than double the 11 on Jan. 19.
• Vaccine Information: At this time all appointments are full, however the G-O Health Departments encourage those eligible to keep monitoring in case people have canceled. People are encouraged to cancel their appointment if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the flu or a cold; if they have been placed on mandatory quarantine because they are identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19; or they can’t make the appointment for any other reason.
Canceling the appointment as soon as you are aware you can’t make it will open up a new appointment for someone else. Please make sure you cancel using the information on your confirmation sheet or by calling the provider. The health departments cannot cancel appointments for other providers.
To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.
Statewide: Cuomo says state’s rate of transmission has dropped below 1
Data and chart from Gov. Cuomo’s Office: This is each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days.
Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that New York State’s rate of transmission, or Rt, has dropped below 1. An Rt of 1 or more means Covid-19 will spread quickly, Cuomo said.
Cuomo also announced that elective surgeries can resume in Erie County following a sustained decline in Western New York’s positivity rate. The county’s positivity has steadily declined for nearly three weeks, going from 8.6 percent on January 7 to 5.2 percent. Hospitalizations have declined from 427 on Dec. 31 to 323. The county’s hospital capacity is at 48 percent.
“We predicted that increased social activity would lead to a spike in Covid cases, and that the spike would eventually dissipate, and the ongoing fulfilment of that prediction is good news,” he said. “The rate of transmission—one of the most important numbers—has now declined below 1, meaning the virus is no longer spreading quickly. And when those numbers decrease, you can increase economic activity.”
Besides recipes, cookbooks provide a local history resource
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian – Volume 1, Number 5
The spiral-bound cookbooks published as fundraisers for churches and community groups are a familiar sight in our kitchens. A collection of local cookbooks was just recently donated to the Orleans County Dept. of History. With their brightly illustrated covers and domestic content, they contrast with the largely black and white documents that comprise the majority of the Department’s collection.
At first glance, they might seem an unlikely resource, but in fact, these locally specific cookbooks are treasure troves of local history. They are of interest now and their value to social historians will only increase as time goes by.
The cookbooks in this donation represent Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Gaines, Knowlesville, Lyndonville, Medina, Shelby and Waterport. Most were published in the ’70s and ’80s, though the most recent is from 2010.
Many cookbook projects were church sponsored, but there are also cookbooks from schools, hospitals, a prison, the Lake Plains YMCA and groups such as the Senior Citizens of Western Orleans and the Orleans County Historical Association. Morris Press was the primary publisher. Cookbook projects were undertaken to mark anniversaries or for specific fundraising projects.
In some cases, the cookbooks are a testament to churches or groups that now no longer exist. The now-defunct list from this donated collection includes: The Journal-Register, Medina Association of Women, Sacred Heart Church, and Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital. Also, the local advertisements provide a record of business and services. Some still continue, many are no longer, reflecting business and economic trends.
These advertisements are a treasure trove for local historians.
Advertisement page from “What’s Cooking”: Twig Association, Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital, Albion, NY, 1975
Community cookbooks were almost always compiled by women. For many contributors, this may have been the first time their name was in print. This was a source of pride, an affirmation of identity, of belonging to a recognized group.
Part of the pleasure – and historical value – of looking through the cookbooks is that of seeing familiar names among the contributors, family members or neighbors, many now departed. When viewing the cookbooks with a friend, the conversation invariably turns reminiscent, as stories and connections are recalled. In years to come, these cookbooks will be treasured as heirlooms by contributors’ descendants.
Advertisements from Knowlesville United Methodist Church cookbook, 1983
The saying “An army marches on its stomach” has been attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. Women well know that families also march on their stomachs. History is as much about families as it is about armies.
The humble spiral-bound community cookbook is a succinct tactical manual to fall back on when faced with that dreaded question “What’s for supper?” Internet recipe searches can be overwhelming. The new cookbooks on the market now are either very specialized in terms of ingredients or techniques, or feature celebrities discovering the joy of cooking. Sometimes you just want a quick recipe for banana bread. The stained or dog-eared page of the trusty spiral-bound cookbook will lead the way.
The recipes are short, practical, straightforward, and thrifty. There are no “diet”, “lite” or ingredient intolerant options. If a recipe calls for milk, it is implied that the source will be a cow, not an almond. Some of the recipe titles are intriguing: The $100 Cake, Easy-Peasy Pudding, Glenda’s Pie, Elephant Stew, Crab Louis, Lovelight Icing. All of the recipes are “keepers”, having been tested and honed over time by those most merciless of critics: family members.
Some of the recipes have not aged well. We might look askance at the Fruit Salad recipe which was a fairly common submission:
1 can mandarin oranges, 6 cups miniature marshmallows,
1 can crushed pineapple, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup coconut.
Drain cans, mix ingredients well, chill
No doubt, this recipe will remind many of their grandmothers. We should keep in mind that this recipe evolved at a time when grocery stores were not stocked all year long with the luxury of out of season fruit that we are accustomed to.
The cookbooks reflect the culinary traditions and food practices of a certain time, when households were transitioning from stay-at-home mothers to moms who worked outside the home. Family dinners were still the norm, so cooking practices adapted to simpler recipes. Convenience ingredients such as cans of mushroom soup or cans of cream of chicken soup were widely used.
We can observe major changes in food preferences and health considerations in the short time since these cookbooks flourished. Jell-O and Velveeta cheese are no longer in fashion. We have the luxury of access to a wide range of fresh food, varied sources of protein and ethnic foods. Our cooking technology has changed – rice cookers, air-fryers, Insta-Pots. Pizza and take-out proliferate and there are more options for those who have food intolerances. We take these trends for granted, but they are all part of ever changing culinary history
Cooks love to share recipes. This collection attests to the generosity of spirit of our Orleans County cooks.
Press Release, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
BATAVIA – Next month’s Stand Up For Recovery Day is a virtual event this year but the question it poses reflects the reality that everyone can contribute to helping those suffering with substance use disorders.
Staff at The Recovery Station, a program of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, are asking those who wish to support the effort to post a video or picture that answers the following:
“What do you stand up for when it comes to recovery?”
Sue Gagne, coordinator of The Recovery Station, is inviting all community members to voice their support or showcase their artistic talents for the cause.
“Whether you are an individual in recovery, family member, friend, or ally, you are an important part of our recovery community,” Gagne said. “We hope you join us in showing support for the recovery movement in Genesee and Orleans counties. You are not alone!”
Stand Up For Recovery Day is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, and features a full agenda of activities promoted by Friends of Recovery – New York (www.for-ny.org/surd-registration), including:
Networking and sponsor presentations;
Opening plenary session including entertainment by Katharine Pettit Creative (KPC) and George Feaster Band;
Inspirational message, remarks by For-NY Board President Chacku Mathai and Executive Director Dr. Angelia Smith-Wilson;
Presentation of the group’s policy statement by statewide recovery advocates;
Remarks by partners from the New York state government and legislature;
Presentations on advocacy by Richard Buckman and Ashley Livingston;
Video Rally.
Optional events including a legislature chat session and virtual visits with area legislators.
Friends of Recovery –New York (FOR-NY) is a statewide Recovery Community Organization working on behalf of millions of individuals and families in New York to educate decision makers and the general public about recovery from addiction.
Leaders anticipate nearly 1,000 recovery warriors from various Recovery Community Organizations throughout the state to gather virtually in order to both celebrate recovery from addictions, but more so, to educate decision-makers and the general public about the recovery movement.
FOR-NY has identified its four priorities when it comes to help those in recovery as housing, personalized treatment and treatment on demand, recovery oriented systems of care, and transportation. It also supports racial justice as well as a public health response to Covid-19 which is inclusive of the recovery community.
For more information about the Stand Up For Recovery Day or The Recovery Station, contact Gagne at 585-815-5248. To support recovery efforts in Orleans County, call 585-210-8750.
Instead of 2,500 doses, G-O Health Departments getting 300
Press Release, Geneee and Orleans County Health Departments
Genesee and Orleans counties continue to work diligently to distribute the limited supply of vaccine received in their continued response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were hoping to receive 2,500 doses of the vaccine between Genesee and Orleans counties but were made aware that is not going to occur because of the statewide shortage,” said Paul Pettit, Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “We realize that those who hoped to schedule appointments this week are going to be very upset as well and we are disappointed to have to give them this news.”
The state allocations were the same as the week before at 250,000, but the county health departments are only receiving 300 doses total between the two this week which will be utilized for 1B essential workers per the state’s directive.
Those over 65 should continue to seek vaccine from their providers, pharmacies and the state sites. Appointments for vaccine are currently online ONLY. Last week the county-run clinics were able administer approximately 1,050 doses.
“At GCC on Friday alone, we were able to administer approximately 550 doses of the vaccine in a seamless fashion. On average, people got their shots and were able to leave the testing sites within 20 minutes,” Matt Landers, Genesee County Manager said. “As a result of our experience in operating the Covid-19 testing sites, our workforce and community volunteers have been able to replicate this into a smooth operation at the vaccination sites when vaccine supplies are readily available.”
We ask those who are 65 and older, part of Priority Group 1B, to continue to check the clinic schedules and as requested by the state, to use the pharmacy links. Pharmacies and other sites that are part of the “retail network” are working to provide vaccine to the 65 and older population as they receive vaccine.
How the pharmacies set up their appointments are determined by the pharmacies and the state. The local Health Departments or OFAs do not have insight on how pharmacy clinics are run. Keep checking the site links as many of the pharmacies may not have received vaccine.
If you do not have a computer/internet access, please contact your Office for the Aging for assistance. For Genesee County call 585-813-2457 between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and for Orleans County call 585-589-3191 between 9:30-4:30 Monday through Friday and they will assist you as best as they can.
Please check the following links: For clinic schedules when vaccine is available and information about vaccination clinics, click here. Please note the registration links are subject to change and will be updated.
For the NYS-run Vaccine Clinics, click here. Clinics are only open when there is vaccine available. You currently can only register for an appointment online. Each provider is responsible for their own registration and setup. The Health Departments are only responsible for the clinics they sponsor. Please do not call the host sites for the County Vaccination Clinics…they are only providing the space and cannot assist with registration or questions.
You must return to the provider where you initially got your first shot, for your second shot. You must also get the same vaccine brand as your first shot. The appointment is to be made for you while you are there for your first shot.
Harriet Tubman, whose home is in Auburn in Central New York, is to be the new face of the $20 bill.
The spiral-bound cookbooks published as fundraisers for churches and community groups are a familiar sight in our kitchens. A collection of local cookbooks was just recently donated to the Orleans County Dept. of History. With their brightly illustrated covers and domestic content, they contrast with the largely black and white documents that comprise the majority of the Department’s collection.
