MEDINA – There was no mistaking Kathy Blackburn’s delight at the turnout in Boxwood Cemetery Saturday noon for the Wreaths Across America program.

Blackburn has been organizing the event each year since it was started in Medina with seven wreaths in 2013, and this year’s count was 261.

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am,” Blackburn said. “I’m amazed at the people who joined in and got their kids involved. I could cry now.”

Kathy Blackburn, who organized the Wreaths Across American program in Boxwood Cemetery, and Jim Freas stand in front of the seven volunteers who laid the first wreaths, paying tribute to a veteran from each branch of the military and MIAs and POWs.

Blackburn thanked the American Legion, VFW and volunteers who supported the effort, especially the many Scout troops which showed up to place the wreaths on graves.

Several local officials took part in the ceremony, including Medina Mayor Mike Sidari and Assemblyman Steve Hawley. Each of them placed one of the first seven wreaths, which were in honor of a veteran from each branch of the military and a grave representing a POW/MIA.

Dave Kusmierczak read an opening prayer. He said the freedoms we enjoy today did not come without a price.

“The men and women here died so we could enjoy our freedoms,” he said.

Blackburn followed with words of thanks and patriotism.

“We are here today to say ‘thank you,’” she said. “When you see a veteran or member of the Armed Forces, say thank you.”

After the Honor Guard issued a three-gun salute and playing of Taps, volunteers began placing the remaining wreaths on graves throughout the cemetery.

The first of seven wreaths is placed on the grave of a veteran at the beginning of the Wreaths Across America program Saturday in Boxwood Cemetery.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley places a wreath on a veteran’s grave, something he volunteers for every year.

Dave Kusmierczak stands at left waiting to give an opening prayer at the Wreaths Across America program in Boxwood Cemetery. The firing squad stands ready as Kathy Blackburn gives a patriotic reading.

Volunteers, which included many Scout troops, take wreaths out of the boxes to place on graves. Donations cover the cost of the wreaths at $15 each.

Three members of the Honor Guard who participated in the Wreaths Across American program Saturday in Boxwood Cemetery are, from left, Norm Slayer, Greg Stanton and Randolph Wells. The other members are Vic Vicknair, Steve Johnson, David Higgins, Larry Szatkowski, Glenn Whitmore, Eric Delano, John Pera and Dan Anderson.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Santa Claus takes a ride around the Village of Albion this afternoon in a pickup truck driven by Ron Albertson of the Albion Lions Club. Santa went on a one-hour trip around the village and handed out toys and goody bags to kids.

Santa is joined by Party Tyme Bear (Christina Nenni) and Jolly Jingles (Michelle Wiseman). They are traveling down Chamberlain Street, part of the tour around the village.

Before the ride around the village, Santa met with children in the parking lot at Hoag Library. The Albion Lions Club organized the event, which included 150 donated toys and 50 goody bags. A dedicated volunteer wrapped all of the gifts.

This Santa is wearing an authentic Charles W. Howard Santa suit, which was donated to the Albion Lions Club. Howard founded a Santa School in Albion in 1937 and ran it until his death in 1966. He was a member of the Albion Lions Club.

Dona Scharping and her sister Mitzy Peglow, right, brought a breeding stock paint horse named Gooby to a holiday event outside in the parking lot at Hoag Library. Scharping dressed the horse in red and green with antlers.

Cameron Froman, 18 months of Albion, had fun meeting Izzy, a donkey from Scharping’s farm, Serenity Acres. Scharping also brought along her dog, a Corgi named Jodi who was very popular with the kids. About 200 people stopped by during the event from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Nickie Girardo, owner of Last Call Cocktails, served up free cups of hot chocolate.

Christina Nenni dressed as Best Tyme Bear and welcomed children and families. She owns Best of Tymes Party Rentals in Medina, and brings costumed characters and games to children’s parties and other occasion. She also served popcorn and cotton candy today.

Michelle Wiseman is an elf named “Jolly Jingles.” She is the sales manager for Best of Tymes Party Rentals.

Santa poses for a photo with Aria Santiago, left, and Winston Lockhart and.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Earl Schmidt carries a wreath to place on the grave of a veteran in Lynhaven Cemetery in Lyndonville this morning.

Schmidt was among a group of eight volunteers who placed wreaths on 420 graves of veterans at cemeteries in the community. He also retrieved flags from the graves that had been out since near Memorial Day.

This is the second year Lyndonville has participated in Wreaths Across America.

Of the 420 graves, 402 were at Lynhaven Cemetery. There were also 13 at Yates Center Cemetery, 2 at the Robin Hill Estate, and 1 each at the Greenman Road Cemetery, Lott Cemetery on Angling Road and a cemetery on Marshall Road.

John Follman, an Air Force veteran for 27 years, helps to hand out the wreaths at Lynhaven.

“This is another way to honor our veterans,” he said. “You can’t do enough.”

Yates Town Clerk Shelly Harling carries wreaths to the veterans’ graves. She helped to research the gravesites for all of the veterans in the town of Yates. Initially that was a project spearheaded by the American Legion to identify all the sites for Memorial Day, so the Legion could place American flags on the gravesites.

Steve Goodrich, the Wreaths Across America location coordinator for Lyndonville, didn’t want a big group of volunteers today due to concerns about spreading Covid-19. Last year about 50 people help to set the wreaths.

He also decided against a ceremony because he doesn’t want to put people in added danger of Covid-19.

He praised Anna Stelianou, who is funding the effort. Last year was the first time Lyndonville was part of Wreaths Across America. Stelianou has provided the funding to the Lyndonville Area Foundation with an endowment to pay for the cost of the wreaths every year long into the future. The wreaths are $15 each with the current cost for all the wreaths about $6,000.

Stelianou is doing it in appreciation for the community’s kindness to her parents, Ary and Konstantina. They emigrated to Lyndonville from Greece after WWI. Stelianou also donated the money for the program in honor of her five brothers who served in WWII and the Korean War.

Stelianou said the community looked after her parents and their children, especially during the lean years of the Great Depression. Farmers in particular made sure the family had enough food to eat.

The Stelianou couple ran a small store on Main Street serving lunches, candy and ice cream. Anna Stelianou said the Lyndonville community welcomed her parents and helped them achieve the American dream.

Jim Wells, a Marine veteran, has his arms full of wreaths.

Eric Harling, center, joined the effort, helping his wife, Shelly Harling, and the other volunteers.

About 2,100 communities, including Medina, are participating in Wreaths Across America this year.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced he has signed an Executive Order providing additional support for two of the groups hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic – vulnerable homeowners and the restaurant industry.

Under Executive Order 202.83, local governments can continue to provide property tax exemptions for low-income senior citizens and persons with disabilities who own property through 2021 by lifting an in-person renewal requirement which would put vulnerable New Yorkers at risk of infection from Covid.

Additionally, the sales tax deadline for restaurants in orange zones which have been required to suspend indoor dining will be extended until March.

“Covid has tested our collective strength and put a strain on finances for so many New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “We’re taking measures that will provide much needed tax relief for some of those hardest hit by this pandemic – New Yorkers over 65 and our restaurant industry. With the finish line in sight, we will continue to support New Yorkers wherever possible and fight to get the federal government to deliver real relief for those who are struggling.”

Thousands of low-income senior citizens and persons with disabilities rely on property tax exemptions annually to remain in their homes. To claim or renew benefits, eligible seniors and disabled New Yorkers typically line up at town halls across the state to file the required documentation. This raises obvious concerns amid the Covid-19 public health emergency as those eligible to receive these benefits are among those most susceptible to the virus. This modification will decrease density in assessor’s offices to limit the spread of Covid and ensure critical tax relief.

Under the Governor’s Executive Order, local governments can automatically renew 2021 benefits for all property owners who received the benefit in 2020 unless the locality has reason to believe an individual has changed their primary address, added another owner to the deed, transferred the property to a new owner, or passed away.

In addition to the flexibility provided for these benefits, the Governor’s Executive Order provides a three-month extension to the deadline for restaurants in orange zones, including New York City, to turn over sales taxes to the state. Restaurants in impacted areas were required to suspend indoor dining temporarily. Extending the sales tax deadline for payment of taxes due on December 21 to March 2021 will ease tax burdens for restaurants and bars in communities where Covid-19 metrics necessitated additional restrictions.

This action also provides a degree of temporary relief as New York continues to fight to ensure the federal government provides real fiscal relief for these small businesses. Affected restaurants should follow guidance from the Tax Department to request this relief.

Let’s go on an adventure together….across the big pond!

Cohb, Ireland – memorial statue to Annie Moore. Annie was just 15 when she got on a ship in Cobh to travel to America with her two younger brothers in 1892 and became the very first person to be processed through Ellis Island. This photo shows her memorial with our modern cruise ship behind her.

I can’t believe I’ve been writing these articles once-twice a month for a year, now! When I was first approached about doing them beginning in January, I was sure I’d run out of things to write about pretty quickly. But, here I am in my twelfth month and I am just as excited about what I might write about next as I was that first month.

I’d like to finish off 2020 with an adventure that was really special to me in many ways. I’ve said many times – I don’t have “favorite” adventures or places or experiences because I find something to love and to say “this is the best thing ever” everywhere I go. But, I can honestly say this one was pretty darned special. So, let me take you across the pond as I write about my 2019 Transatlantic Cruise.

I’ve always wanted to sail across the Atlantic Ocean….or even the Pacific. Other big items on my Bucket List were visiting Ireland and seeing where it all started for the Beatles. So, when I found a great deal on a cruise that checked all three items off my list, I jumped at it! The cruise sailed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, across the ocean with stops in the Azores, Cork Ireland, Liverpool England, and ended in Dublin Ireland, taking fifteen days.

I had a lot of friends ask me what I would do to keep from being bored trapped on a boat for seven days. First – I love being on the water, so it was never a question of whether or not it would bother me to be out in the middle of the ocean for so long. But, the real answer to their question was – everything or nothing at all! You have to remember that a cruise ship is a floating resort with tons of activities and entertainment and food going on all day and night – if you can’t find something to keep yourself occupied, you’re not looking. Also, the beauty of being on a cruise ship is the ability to just do nothing at all and sit back and enjoy the sun, read a book, take a nap…..whatever. I loved that I had seven days to take full advantage of all the ship had to offer. Usually, there are only one or two full “sea days” on a cruise, so that really was a luxury, this time.

My favorite way to kill the time while sailing for seven days across the ocean

This transatlantic cruise was on the Celebrity Reflection April 22 – May 7, 2019. The weather was amazing and the ocean was smooth. Once we got further north in our cruise, it did get chilly, but it was still great weather for the trip. It took seven days to sail across the ocean and then we spent another week in ports before flying back home from Dublin through Lisbon and JFK in NYC.

First stop was two days in Ponta Delgada, Azores off the coast of Portugal, where I went whale watching, enjoyed a Portuguese dinner and traditional folk song/dance show at a local venue, and took a bus tour around the island that included a botanical garden, a pineapple plantation, and twin crater lakes inside an inactive volcano. It was fantastic. The Azores are so beautiful and peaceful.

Then, we spent another two days at sea before stopping in Cork, Ireland. What a thrill! It was even more beautiful than I ever imagined it to be. We spent two days there – the first day I took a tour of County Cork and the Tipperary areas. I saw a lot of the stunning country side, several castles, and had a wonderful lunch that included a pint of Guinness with our meal. The second day, I went to Blarney Village. We were docked at Cohb, which was the last port of the Titanic before it began its journey to America. I loved Cork / Cobh – it was simply incredible, rich in history, and exactly what you think of when you imagine Ireland.

Our next stop was the highlight of the trip, for me – Liverpool, England. It was very emotional for me to visit all the places that told the story of the Beatles – Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, the childhood homes of John and Paul, and so much more. I still want to go to London, someday, and see even more of their story.

That’s me standing by one of several signs around the Penny Lane district in Liverpool, England.

The cruise ended in Dublin. I had a reservation at the lovely Castle Hotel so that I could spend another day exploring Dublin and see as much of that city as I could. I took a bus tour and then explored on my own a bit. I saw a lot of wonderful historic sites, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral that dates back to 890 AD – WOW! I would so love to go back to Ireland and see more of the country. Cork and Dublin were so different and I’m curious as to how the rest of the country compares.

I left for home the next day, flying from Dublin to Lisbon to JFK to Buffalo. It was a long trip home and I was so tired and happy to be home. But, it was so worth it for the trip of a lifetime. I really want to do another Transatlantic Cruise and maybe even a Transpacific Cruise. I thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but I enjoyed it so much I would do it, again, in a heartbeat if I got the right deal for the right combination of stops.

Visit these blog posts for more stories and photos from my amazing Transatlantic Cruise – including each port I visited:

The Cruise: https://thoughtsbykim.com/2019/06/06/2019-transatlantic-cruise-tac-1-overview/

The Azores: https://thoughtsbykim.com/2019/06/07/2019-transatlantic-cruise-tac-2-azores/

Cork, Ireland: https://thoughtsbykim.com/2019/06/07/2019-transatlantic-cruise-tac-3-cork-ireland/

Liverpool, England: https://thoughtsbykim.com/2019/06/10/2019-transatlantic-cruise-tac-4-liverpool-england/

Dublin, Ireland: https://thoughtsbykim.com/2019/06/11/2019-transatlantic-cruise-tac-5-dublin-ireland/

Happy Adventuring!

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – I’ve seen the icicles inside the Canal Culvert before, but I wanted to see them again. I stopped by this morning at one of Orleans County’s most iconic structures. The culvert is the only place where traffic goes under the canal.

The freezing temperatures and the seeping water in the tunnel have proved ideal for icicles.

Mark Eaton of Medina came out to get some photos of the icicles. He knows when the temperatures drop below freezing in November and December, the icicles will probably be hanging in the Culvert.

There are sidewalks on each side of the road in the Culvert for people to walk through the passage.

Most of the big icicles are concentrated on the west side of the Culvert.

Photos of the Culvert with the icicles have been popular on social media locally.

The three local rural counties – Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming – combined have passed 500 active cases of Covid-19 for the first time.

The three counties combined had a record high of 497 on Thursday. That total increased by 30 to 527 on Friday.

All three counties are near record highs in the pandemic for active cases. Genesee is now at 254, with Orleans at 151 and Wyoming at 122. (The record highs for active cases in each are 269 in Genesee on Dec. 7, 159 in Orleans on Dec. 17, and 123 in Wyoming on Dec. 10.)

An active case is someone who has tested positive but hasn’t been cleared from mandatory isolation. If people test positive for Covid, they must be in mandatory isolation for at least 10 days. They are cleared after they have been fever free the last 3 days with symptom improvement. Sadly, if people die after contracting Covid, that also is no longer an active case.

Public health officials and leaders of the County Legislatures in Orleans and Genesee have pleaded with residents to take precautions against spreading Covid.

They are urging people to wear masks, adhere to social distancing and limit social gatherings. State officials say 74 percent of the recent Covid spread is from private social gatherings and households.

To see more data on Covid cases in the three local counties, click here.

Captain’s Cove owner funds gift card promotion at Black North Inn, Tillman’s and Roadies

File photo by Tom Rivers: George Lacey, owner of the Captain’s Cove Motel and Marina, joins office manager Alexis Montes at the business on Roosevelt Highway in Carlton, near the bridge over the Oak Orchard River. This photo was taken in October. Lacey said the business kept going through his dedicated employees, including Montes, Taylor Paniccia, Luanne James, Mark Darrow and Kevin Richardson.

CARLTON – George Lacey, owner of a marina and motel in Carlton, said his customers’ happiness is often tied to whether they catch a big fish – and get a good meal at a local restaurant.

Lacey can’t guarantee they will reel in a big Chinook salmon or brown trout, but he feels confident in telling them they will be satisfied if they eat at the Black North Inn, Roadies Pizzeria and Sports Bar or Tillman’s Village Inn.

Lacey, the owner of Captain’s Cove, said his customers give him very positive feedback about those local eateries, and those places are a big part of them having a good experience when they stay at Captain’s Cove.

Lacey knows the local restaurants have had a very difficult year. They were limited to take-outs only early in the Covid-19 pandemic. Then they could offer outdoor dining and then at a reduced capacity indoors.

Lacey’s business, which includes 14  motel rooms, was booked solid since the summer and through Nov. 30. Many of the customers are fishermen, but Lacey said there was a big increase in people staying from New York City. They wanted a break from the city during the pandemic and sought out a spot near water, Lacey said.

Captain’s Cove has had some difficult years recently. In 2017, flooding devastated docks and a building near the river. That building was demolished and Lacey rebuilt on higher ground. He put in new docks. Flooding hit again in 2019.

He worries about the restaurant operators. They are his friends and he knows the winter months tend to be lean times for those businesses.

Lacey decided to put $5,000 towards a promotion to give those businesses a boost. He reached out to the Orleans Hub and Lake Country Pennysaver for ideas. The sales representatives worked with Lacey and the three businesses to have a matching gift card promotion, where people get a free $25 gift card if they buy one at $25. Lacey will pay up to $1,600 for the free ones at each of the three businesses. He also is spending $200 in advertising to promote the gift cards.

“I’ve been in business my whole life and I know how hard it is to run a business in New York State,” Lacey said. “Orleans County needs business. We have people coming from all over the country and we need to support one another. This is about small business supporting small business.”

The gift card promotions started today. They are good while supplies last. They were in hot demand at Roadies today, which reported they were sold out. The Black North Inn went through the first $500.

Alana Piccirilli and Kristin Rowell have owned the Black North the past 3 ½ years. This year many of the concerts, fishing tournaments and other events that draw people to Point Breeze were cancelled.

“This pandemic has been very difficult for all of our businesses,” Piccirilli said.

She thanked Lacey for funding the gift cards. By making them a matching offer, the three businesses will see nearly $10,000 in sales from the promotion.

“He’s a great guy,” Rowell said. “It’s a wonderful thing he’s doing.”

Piccirilli said the businesses near the Point look out for each other.

“We send people there and he sends people to us,” she said. “We all stick together. We are a community down here.”

The Black North is currently serving customers through take-outs only. People can call and the Black North will bring the gift cards out to customers if they buy a matching gift card. Rowell and Piccirilli said the customers have been supportive during a difficult year.

“We’re grateful for George and we’re grateful for all the community support,” Piccirilli said. “Hopefully we can get more people to shop local and think about the restaurants.”

At Tillman’s, Lacey has been a long-time customer and friend, said Samantha Tillman, the front house manager.

She said the Village Inn has endured a slow year, with a spike during the summer. The gift cards should help bring in customers after the holidays when traffic usually is at the low point for the year.

“It been extremely tough for all of us,” Tillman said. “It’s because of the community that we are still there. It’s hard to survive but we’re in it for the long haul.”

Schedule includes ride through village to greet kids

Provided photo: Santa Claus stopped by the Community Kitchen in Albion this evening. He handed out some goodie bags and presents. Santa is joined by members of the Multicultural Club from Albion High School, including from left: Leah Kania, Faith Bennett and Olivia Morrison. The Community Kitchen will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day and will reopen on Jan. 8.

ALBION – Santa will be busy in Albion on Saturday. His day begins at 10:30 in the morning with the Hands 4 Hope Ministry at the Hoag Library parking lot.

Santa will be with Hands 4 Hope from 10:30 to noon. From there Santa will stop by the Clover Hill adult residence in Albion.

Then he will be back at the Hoag Library parking lot from 1 to 2:30 p.m. He will visit with children and their families as long as they are wearing masks and adhering to social distancing.

The Albion Lions Club is planning that event, which will also will include a visit by Deputy Jeff Cole and his K-9 Otto, and an appearance by Dominic the Donkey and his horse friend.

After that outing, Santa will ride around the village to wave to children and may deliver some presents to children.

The route includes:

• Starting at the library going east on Chamberlain Street, north onto Mckinstry, west on West State, north on Ingersoll, east on Linwood;

• North on Brown Street then to Lydon Drive (back to the apartments), south back on Brown, west on Caroline, south on Main, west on West Bank;

• South on Clinton, west on Washington, north on King, east on East Park, east on East Park.

Depending on the schedule, Santa may extend the route and he may be accompanied by a special friend.

ALBION – Two local law enforcement officers have been recognized with “Life Saver” awards from Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke after they revived a man in the Albion Walmart.

On Nov. 3, State Trooper Scott Gregson was handling an incident in the Security Office of the Walmart in Albion. Trooper Gregson was in the process of conducting interviews when a 77-year-old man slowly sat down, leaned over face first and grabbed his chest.

Trooper Gregson contacted the Sheriff’s Dispatch Center for an ambulance. Orleans County Sheriff’s Investigator Kevin Colonna arrived on scene.

The man had become unresponsive and was not breathing. Gregson and Colonna began chest compressions and connected an A.E.D. (automated external defibrillator) and a shock was given. Shortly thereafter the man began breathing and had a faint pulse.

Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance (COVA) arrived and took over the medical assistance to the victim, and transported him to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

“The quick decisive actions of Trooper Gregson and Sheriff’s Investigator Kevin Colonna on November 3rd, 2020, without doubt, saved the life of another human being,” Sheriff Bourke said. “The seamless coordination and quick response by these law enforcement officers serves to exemplify the great working relationship that exists between the New York State Police and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.”

Bourke last month presented Gregson and Colonna with the Sheriff’s “Life Saver” award. The two were also recognized on Wednesday at the Orleans County Legislature meeting. Legislators acknowledged the life-saving actions of the two law enforcement officers and read into the record the details surrounding the Life Saver Award.

Orleans Correctional Facility has 12 new confirmed cases

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported 82 new confirmed cases in the two counties today.

In Orleans County there are 30 new positive cases of Covid-19 and the county is close to reaching 1,000 cases since March. Orleans currently stands at 998 cases during the pandemic.

The new confirmed cases today reside in Albion, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Murray, Ridgeway and Shelby.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Only 2 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The new cases also include 12 inmates at Orleans Correctional Facility. That men’s prison has now had 15 inmates test positive. The women’s prison, the Albion Correctional Facility, has had 12 inmates test positive during the pandemic.

Orleans is also reporting that 25 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are two residents currently hospitalized due to Covid-19.

• Kendall Central School was notified today that an elementary school has tested positive for Covid-19. The student was last in school on Thursday, Dec. 17.

“School will continue as scheduled and we will monitor the situation and work with health officials,” Julie Christensen, the district superintendent, said in a letter posted on the district website.

Department of Health contact tracers will call people who are considered close contacts. That process may be delayed due to a high number of cases in the county and region. Christensen said the school nurse may contact some people if there is a chance they are a close contact. Those people should stay home until determined otherwise by the Department of Health, Christensen said.

In Genesee County there are 52 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,672 confirmed cases during the pandemic.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Byron, Corfu, Darien, Elba, LeRoy and Oakfield. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Nine of the new cases are residents of nursing homes with 6 at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, 2 at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, and 1 at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Batavia.

Genesee is reporting 18 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county has a new high of residents hospitalized due to Covid with 29.

• Health Alert – This is a new format for announcing when there is a time when the G-O Health Departments cannot contact potential close contacts. This will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed.

The Health Departments encourage all businesses and organizations to take down names/contact information and time in attendance at their business to assist with contact tracing should someone be positive for Covid-19. This may eliminate the need for a press alert if the health officials are able to contact potential close contacts.

For people at Town and Country Restaurant in Batavia in Batavia on Dec. 13, between 3 and 4 p.m., they should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19. If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.

Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

Dr. Sallah Abbasey

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the retirement of Dr. Sallah Abbasey, effective at the end of 2020.

Dr. Abbasey has practiced surgery for more than 30 years and has been chief of surgery since 1997 at Orleans Community Health.

In a press release Friday morning, Orleans Community Health expressed thanks to Dr. Abbasey for all his years of dedicated service to Medina Memorial Hospital and the community. His legacy of high ethical standards and devotion to his profession and community have been outstanding.

Dr. Abbasey came to the United States from Pakistan in 1963 to train as a surgeon. He interned at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. before coming to Buffalo, where he did his surgical training at the University of Buffalo. In 1968 he completed the program. While studying for his surgical boards, he briefly joined the VA Medical Center in Canandaigua.

He came to Medina, where he explored the area and established his business.

A group of citizens, including Barbara Waters, Van Hungerford, Jack Botsford and several others in Medina had a vision to bring specialists to the community and Medina Memorial Hospital. They were able to recruit a surgeon, an OB/GYN, an internist and a pediatrician through this program.

Dr. Abbasey was part of their vision and established his surgical practice in Medina in 1970. It is noted he was the first county board certified general surgeon and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons for Orleans County.

On his first day of practice, Dr. Abbasey had an emergency case at midnight, where he had to activate the on-call surgical team. The case could have waited until morning, however, Dr. Abbasey was nervous with his first emergency case. The surgical team was very professional about coming in so late and everything went well for that first emergency. No one can say what would have happened if they had not acted when they did.

On a whim, Dr. Abbasey offered to take the medical director position temporarily when he learned they were having difficulty filling that job. The temporary position lasted from 1997 to 2020. During his tenure, Dr. Abbasey has been president of the medical staff, president of the County Medical Society, the Cancer Society, as well as a member of the County Health Board, to name a few.

Dr. Abbasey has been married to the former Christine Siedikowski from Buffalo for 52 years. They have four children and now enjoy their many grandchildren. Dr. Abbasey still considers Medina to be his home, even though he and his wife have moved to Rochester to be near one of their daughters. He appreciates all the love and support given to him and his family through his long career in Medina.

RIDGEWAY – Sue Slingerland sent in this photo today of icicles hanging inside the Canal Culvert on Culvert Road in Ridgeway. This is the only spot on the Erie Canal where traffic goes under the canal.

The freezing temperatures and seeping water from the canal make for ideal icicle-making in the Culvert.

Those icicles should get bigger the next few days. Today is forecast to be sunny with a high of 27, followed by a high of 36 on Saturday and a high of 32 on Sunday.