Press Release, Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward

MEDINA — The Medina Police Department arrested Brodes J. Gibson, 59, of Batavia and Cierra Sylar, 35, of Corfu after a vehicle pursuit that started in Medina on Thursday at 10:20 p.m.

Medina police officers were dispatched to the 800 block of South Main Street for loud music/noise (suspicious activity). An occupied vehicle at the scene took off when officers arrived leading Medina Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department and State Police on a two-county vehicle pursuit.

Eventually, the suspect vehicle crashed into a fence on Dublin Road, off Fruit Avenue in the Town of Ridgeway. There were three occupants in the vehicle, and two out of three, Gibson and Sylar, fled on foot into the woods.

Albion Police Department K9, Niagara County Sheriff’s Department K9 and State Police K9 all played an active part in the apprehension of the suspects.

Brodes Gibson, who has an active warrant out of the City of Batavia, was issued numerous vehicle and traffic tickets and an appearance ticket for reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and unlawful fleeing a police officer.

Cierra Sylar has an active warrant out of Genesee County. The third occupant was released with no charges.

“I would like to thank the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, Albion Police Department, New York State Police and Middleport Police Department for their assistance in this incident,” Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward said. “I would also like to thank the Medina Fire Department for their assistance as well.”

Nearly 500 cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming

The three local rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming combined have reached a new high for active cases of Covid-19.

The data reported Thursday by the health departments in the three counties puts the active cases at nearly 500 in the three counties, which combined have about 140,000 residents.

The 497 active cases reported Thursday passes the previous high of 449, which was recorded on Dec. 7 and Dec. 10. On Wednesday there were 446 active cases, which was up from 417 on Tuesday.

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.

Orleans County currently has its record-high for active cases with 159. The previous high was 144 on Dec. 11.

Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, urged the community to take precautions to slow the spread of Covid. She worries the county will be designated a micro-cluster zone by the state, with restrictions imposed on businesses.

“What we need to do is get our numbers down before we are shut down,” Johnson said during Wednesday’s County Legislature meeting.

Genesee and Wyoming also are near their pandemic highs. Genesee on Thursday recorded 220 active cases. It’s high was 269 on Dec. 7.

Wyoming was at 118 active cases on Thursday. It’s high during the pandemic is 123.

Orleans also reports a death from Covid, now 60 during pandemic

There are 86 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans and Genesee counties today, the local health departments reported in a daily news briefing at about 9 p.m.

• In Orleans County, there are 38 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 968 cases since March.

The new positive cases are residents of Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.

Of the new cases, 8 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 12 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are two Orleans residents currently hospitalized due to Covid, according to Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

A resident over age 65 also has passed away from Covid, bringing the total deatsh in the county due to Covid to 60 in the pandemic.

“We are saddened to report the Covid-related death of a community resident,” the Health Departments stated. “The individual was over 65 years old. We will not be releasing any further information to protect the privacy of the individual and their family. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of this individual during this very difficult time.”

One of the new positive cases counted on Dec. 16 was determined not to be an Orleans County resident and has been deleted from the county’s total numbers.

• Lyndonville Central School was notified that a student has tested positive for Covid-19. The student hasn’t been on campus in several months, District Superintendent Jason Smith said in a letter on the district website.

There is no need for contact tracing at the school campus with this particular case, and therefore, no quarantine directives will be issued by the Health Department for students who attend school full-time on our campus and staff, Smith said.

Students who attend off-campus programs may be required to quarantine, and this information will either come from the Health Department or the student’s off-campus program provider.

• In Genesee County, there are 48 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,620

positive cases since March. (Two of the new positive cases are residents at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility.)

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pavilion.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Genesee also is reporting 27 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 24 residents hospitalized due to complications from Covid.

This is each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days.

• State-wide Data: There were 202,772 tests reported yesterday and 10,914 were positive or 5.38 percent.

The state reported 6,147 patients hospitalized due to Covid statewide, up by 50 from the previous day. There were also 1,095 patients in the ICU, which was down by three.

There were also 120 deaths due to complications from Covid, bringing the state total to 28,222 during the pandemic.

“On Covid, let’s solidify a simple message that we can all agree with. We want to slow the spread, we want to avoid shutdowns, and together we can do it,” Governor Cuomo said. “We slow the spread by being smart during the holiday season. It’s a difficult situation and people come together. There’s a feeling of safety in your home and there’s a feeling of safety when you’re with your family, but it just takes one person who’s infected and doesn’t know it. Half the cases are from people who had no symptoms.”

• Rapid Testing: Pre-registration is required for rapid testing clinics.

Correction for the total number of positives reported for the Orleans County rapid testing clinic on Wednesday: 10 Orleans County residents tested positive, as well as 2 non-county residents, for 12 total.

Orleans County will be hosting a rapid testing clinic on Monday, Dec. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. Click here to register online.

The focus is for asymptomatic individuals and is free. This is a self-administered rapid test at the Orleans County 4- H Fairgrounds, 12690 Rt. 31. Please use the Taylor Hill Road entrance.

If you have a printer, complete and bring your GO Health Intake Form (click here for the form). If you need assistance with online registration because you don’t have internet, call the Orleans County Health Department at 585-589- 3278.

To register for upcoming Genesee County drive-thru testing clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m., click here for the registration link. If you have a printer, complete and bring your GO Health Intake Form (click here).

Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555. There will be no rapid test clinics on December 24th or December 31st in Genesee County.

BARRE – The Orleans County Planning Board met this evening and recommended the Town of Barre extend a moratorium on applications for solar energy installation systems by another six months.

The town’s moratorium is to expire this month, said Tom Keeler, a member of both the county and Barre planning boards.

Barre wants more time to put a policy in place for battery storage systems for larger-scale solar projects.

Barre is looking at what other towns have done for regulated the battery storage systems for the projects, Keeler said.

The County Planning Board also voted on two other referrals from Barre:

• Barre Zoning Change – Expanding General Business District: The County Planning Board recommended the Town of Barre amend its zoning map to expand the B-General Business District along Route 98, within and south of Barre Center, Maple Street in Barre Center and West Lee Road to the west of Route 98.

The changes make the town’s zoning in line with the town’s comprehensive plan and will guide future development in the town, county planner said.

• Barre Zoning Change – Residential-1 to Agricultural Residential District: The County Planning Board supported Barre’s proposal to amend the zoning map to rezone the R-1 District to the AR District. This will be allow the town’s zoning map to be in line with the town’s comprehensive plan.

The majority of the R-1 District will change to Agricultural-Residential except for those along Route 98 from Route 31A south to West Barre Road, except for the existing Business District; and a small portion of Route 31A west, starting at the Light Industrial District.

The intention of the change is to “retain the small town atmosphere and rural character of Barre,” town officials said in the referral to the county.

Photos courtesy of 4-H program: Adele Mathes, 9, of Barre, prepares Gluten-Free Goulash during the Produced in New York silent 4-H Cooking Competition event.

Press Release, Orleans County 4-H program

KNOWLESVILLE – With Covid-19 safety measures in place, Orleans County 4-H members gathered in November for two annual in-person events: the Produced in New York silent cooking competition and holiday workshops.

Both programs were held in person in the Trolley Building and the Education Center on the 4-H Fairgrounds.

Charlotte McGrath, 8, of Medina, adds details to her Village Tea Light Lantern during 4-H Holiday Workshops.

“We strictly followed Covid safety protocol with distancing, hand sanitizing and masks,” said Kristina Gabalski, 4-H Program Coordinator. “We had to make adjustments to the Produced in New York program, in particular. Gloves and masks had to be worn at all times; all recipes tasted by evaluators had to be prepared on-site; and we did not allow any additional sampling of the recipes.”

Both events had about a dozen youth participants.

“Participation was lower than in a typical year,” Gabalski said, “but it worked well with Covid safety measures. Participants in the holiday workshop program were able to have materials provided to them in take-away kits, if they did not feel comfortable participating in person.”

Olivia Streicher, 6, of Holley, puts the finishing touches on her Sock Snowman project.

Produced in New York celebrates New York agriculture and provides an opportunity for youth to demonstrate their food preparation skills.

“Recipes this year included Pumpkin Crunch Cobbler, Strawberry Buttermilk Cake and Gluten-free Goulash,” Gabalski said. “Participants who earn the highest combined scores are eligible to participate in Produced in New York at the New York State Fair, which we hope will be held in late summer of 2021.”

Holiday workshops are typically a lead-up to the annual Holiday Faire event the first Saturday in December.

The Sock Snowman craft was one of the most popular of the holiday workshops event.

“We were not able to hold Holiday Faire this year, but the holiday workshop event was easy to adapt with distancing and safety measures. Participants registered to complete up to four holiday-themed craft projects,” Gabalski explained. “Those projects typically are shown at the Holiday Faire event, but youth can save them in hopes of being able to show them at the 4-H Fair in July, or they can give them as gifts to friends and family now.”

Participants say they enjoyed both events.  Sarah Mathes and Taylor Soule, both 15 years old and from Barre, each took part in Produced in New York and the holiday workshops.

“It was nice to be able to get out and do something,” they both said.

Taylor Soule, 15, of Barre, prepared Loaded Scalloped Potatoes, featuring grown in New York potatoes, during Produced in New York.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature officially commended the staff at the Orleans County Jail for its actions to rein in an outbreak of Covid-19 cases at the jail on Platt Street.

Last month 13 corrections officers tested positive and three inmates also has the virus. Other staff that had close contact with those who tested positive also had to isolate at home.

That left the jail, which has 45 staff members, with far fewer workers to run the site. But many of the employees worked extra shifts – 106 needed to filled due to workers being out due to testing positive for Covid and being in close contact with someone who had it.

Lynne Johnson, Legislature chairwoman, said the staff deserves to be “commended for outstanding service to the community.”

The outbreak hit the jail from Nov. 2 to Nov. 23. Inspectors from the New York State Commission of Correction visited the Orleans County last month and concluded the site has the needed protocols in place to protect against the spread of Covid-19.

Commission of Correction staff reviewed the jail’s protocols for screening of employees, incarcerated individuals and anyone entering the facility. They also said signage throughout the facility, disinfecting procedures and the utilization of face coverings are consistent with the guidance provided by the Commission, the New York State Department of Health, and the Center for Disease Control.

“The jail staff worked above and beyond,” Johnson said on Wednesday during the County Legislature meeting. “The outbreak created a major challenge to the operation of the facility.”

She said the employees who worked extra shifts despite a higher risk of being exposed to the virus.

She praised the correction officers, command staff, kitchen staff, nursing staff, Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson and Sheriff Chris Bourke for seeing the jail through the outbreak.

There were 61 Covid tests administered to staff and inmates with 13 COs and three inmates testing positive.

In an effort to keep our roadways safer during the this holiday season, Orleans County law enforcement agencies are joining forces in a zealous effort to stop drinking and driving during the a holiday season crackdown from today through Jan. 1, 2021, Sheriff Chris Bourke said.

During this national initiative, law enforcement presence will be at its peak to remind drivers to have a plan for a sober driver while traveling.

Although STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol related fatalities, there are still too many lives lost due to DWI crashes, Bourke said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced the start of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign for the next two weeks. There were more than 159,000 vehicle and traffic law violation tickets issued during last year’s enforcement campaign in the state, including 5,677 arrests for DWI.

“New York has zero tolerance for impaired driving,” Cuomo said. “Motorists who drive under the influence not only put themselves at risk, but endanger the lives of everyone else. Be safe and smart this holiday season, whether you’re on the road or not. If you must travel, drive sober or have a plan in place to get where you’re going safely.”

Wage will go up locally from $11.80 to $12.50 per hour

Locally the wage increase from $11.80 to $12.50 an hour on Dec. 31, the state Department of labor announced on Wednesday.

That will be the new minimum wage in the state, outside of New York City and Long Island and Westchester County. It will go from $13 to $14 on Long Island and Westchester County. New York City’s minimum wage will remain at $15 an hour.

The wage is going up despite opposition from Rob Ortt, the leader of the Republican conference in the State Senate.

“The Department of Labor’s decision to move forward with a minimum wage increase is extremely short-sighted at a time when small and mid-sized businesses face state ordered shutdowns and the looming threat of a statewide lockdown by the Governor,” Ortt said in a statement on Wednesday. “These smaller employers struggle each and every day to keep their doors open, and invested heavily in safety measures to keep their employees and customers safe from Covid-19. The state has  done nothing to help them.”

The Department of Labor said an analysis from the Division of the Budget found the Upstate, Long Island and Westchester labor markets – where the minimum wage is scheduled to rise – are leading New York’s economic recovery from the downturn caused by the global pandemic, the DOL said.

The report found that, just prior to the pandemic, the state had achieved record low unemployment following four years of increases to the minimum wage. In addition, the report showed that minimum wage workers need support today, as they were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic’s economic toll, with those earning the minimum wage representing a large portion of the hardest-hit industries, including retail trade and leisure and hospitality.

Ortt said the wage hike comes at a time of crisis for many small businesses.

“The last thing they need is additional costs at this time, and the last thing they want is to pink slip dedicated employees for Christmas,” Ortt said. “But instead of pausing this increase as the Senate Republican Conference urged until the end of the pandemic, the state will now force these small employers to make difficult choices. The state wrongly based their decision on pre-pandemic economic success.”

‘The Governor failed the people of our state in 2020 with mismanagement of this pandemic which left businesses in countless industries closed and without income for far too long.’ – Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Local State Assembly members – Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) and Mike Norris (R-Lockport) – are among 42 Republicans in the Assembly calling on the State Legislature’s leaders to end Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s emergency powers.

The Republicans signed a letter on Dec. 15 that was sent to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Senate Minority Leader Robert Ott. The Assembly members are asking the Legislature pass legislation to curb Gov. Cuomo’s emergency powers, which have persisted since March.

The governor has used his emergency powers to implement several directives unilaterally, and Hawley believes his emergency authority has been too expansive and lasted too long.

“New Yorkers deserve a return to representative government,” Hawley said . “The problems that have emerged during this pandemic are too complex for one man to handle, and our constituents deserve to have their concerns voiced by the representatives they elected to speak on behalf of their unique districts.”

Hawley was critical of the governor for a shutdown in the spring and restrictions on many businesses and organizations, which Cuomo said were needed to slow the spread of Covid-19.

“The Governor failed the people of our state in 2020 with mismanagement of this pandemic which left businesses in countless industries closed and without income for far too long, and we owe it to them to do better and take local factors more strongly into consideration before shutting down local businesses that people rely on to feed their families,” Hawley said.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R -Batavia) and Assemblyman Mike Norris (R-Lockport) are among 26 Republicans in the Assembly who signed on to a letter to President Trump.

They are the president to assist them in obtaining data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the total number of Covid-19 deaths in the state, including those in nursing homes.

The Governor’s office today reported 120 state residents died from Covid on Wednesday, bringing the death total to 28,222 from Covid during the pandemic. Other sources have the state’s total higher, at over 35,000.

“When thousands of people die, families deserve answers,” Hawley said in a news release. “Giving the families that suffered irreplaceable losses closure on this matter is the least we could do for them, and we need to know as much about this tragedy as we can to assure we never endure loss like this again. For these reasons, I ask the president to direct the CDC to release this information and give New Yorkers the answers they deserve regarding this unthinkable loss of life.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Jonesie and the Cruisers is one of the musical groups performing this Sunday in a benefit concert. Lead singer Gary Jones, left, and Gary Withey, who plays the keyboards and sings, are shown during a concert by the canal in Albion in June 2018.

ALBION – There will be an online concert this Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. to raise money for three families that lost their homes in a Dec. 5 fire in Albion.

The Masonic Lodge and Lions Club in Albion are working together on the concert with John Wragg, owner of Torquil Studios in Middleport. Torquil will broadcast the concert live on its Facebook page.

The musicians are all donating their time for the concert. The Lions Club will be accepting donations for the families. Those donations can be sent by PayPal to albionlionsclub@yahoo.com.

The schedule of performers for the benefit concert includes:

• Bob Beccue, 1 to 1:30 p.m.
• Linda Logan, 1:30 to 2 p.m.
• The Who Dats, 2 to 2:45 p.m.
• Mike Hartman, 3 to 3:30 p.m.
• Highway 31 Unplugged, 3:30 to 4 p.m.
• The Legendary Jonesie & the Cruisers with guest Susan Kay, 4 to 5 p.m.
• MC Rick Walters from 97 Rock will also make an appearance

The Masonic Lodge also having a ham dinner with proceeds to assist the three families. That dinner will be Jan. 17 from noon to 4 p.m. at the 4-H Fairgrounds with tickets $8 presale or $10 at the door.

Photos courtesy of Celeste Morien: This Mallard is pictured at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.

Press Release, Oak Orchard Christmas Bird Count Compiler Celeste Morien

SHELBY – It’s time again for the Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count! The count began in December 1968. The National Audubon Society has been sponsoring Christmas Bird Counts for 120 years and the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge provide support for this local count.

Count compiler Celeste Morien of Medina would like the public to be alert for counters with spotting scopes and binoculars who will be out and about December 28th on local roads, searching for birds in fields and at bird feeders.

Brown Creeper

Filling bird feeders now and keeping them stocked ahead of the count helps fulfill the count objective of counting all wild birds seen and heard within the circle! Our Oak Orchard Swamp count is centered at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on the Orleans and Genesee County line at Route 63.

Count volunteers follow specified routes through a designated 15-mile diameter circle, which includes more than the refuge and state wildlife areas, counting every bird they see or hear all day. It’s not just a species tally—all birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day.

According to the Audubon website, “Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt.” They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won.

Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a “Christmas Bird Census” that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.

So began the Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to the inspiration of Chapman and the enthusiasm of 27 dedicated birders, 25 Christmas Bird Counts were held that day. The locations ranged from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California with most counts in or near the population centers of northeastern North America.

Nowadays, from December 14 through January 5 each year, tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas brave snow, wind, or rain, and take part in the effort. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.

The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, the “CBC” provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years.

Evening Grosbeak

The long term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.

If your home is within the circle and you are at home on count day, you can report the birds that visit your feeder. Anyone can participate, but arrangements must be made with the compiler. To do so, please contact celeste.morien@gmail.com.

Please consider donating to the Christmas Count (click here) since the Audubon Society no longer collects fees from each participant.

13,000 birds were counted at last year’s event

There were 21 volunteers at last year’s event and they counted 62 species and 13,248 individual birds, including 20 Bald Eagles and 493 Herring Gulls.

A list of species at last year’s count includes:

• Canada Goose, 4,447; European Starling, 4,105; House Sparrow, 690; Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon), 499; Herring Gull, 493; Mallard, 327;
• Ring-billed Gull, 307; Black-capped Chickadee; 287; American Crow, 270; Mourning Dove, 173; Red-winged Blackbird, 151; American Tree Sparrow, 142;
• Dark-eyed Junco, 140; Brown-headed Cowbird, 139; American Goldfinch, 127; Northern Cardinal, 109; Blue Jay, 102; Cedar Waxwing, 85; Downy Woodpecker, 83;
• White-Breasted Nuthatch, 73; House Finch, 62; Eastern Bluebird, 48; Wild Turkey, 48; Red-tailed Hawk, 47; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 46; American Black Duck, 31;
• Hairy Woodpecker, 30; Northern Flicker, 29; American Robin, 22; White-throated Sparrow, 21; Bald Eagle, 20; Tufted Titmouse, 17; Horned Lark, 10; Song Sparrow, 9;
• Brown Creeper, 9; Pileated Woodpecker, 8; Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5; Eastern Screech Owl, 5; Cooper’s Hawk, 5; Northern Harrier, 4; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 3; American Kestral, 3; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3; Great Blue Heron, 3; Ring-necked Pheasant, 3;
• Carolina Wren, 2; Common Raven, 2; Merlin, 2; Great Horned Owl, 2; Common Merganser, 2;
• Yellow-Romped Warbler, 1; Hermit Thrush, 1; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1; Northern Shrike, 1; and Barred Owl, 1.

Provided photo: Ric Jones of Medina conducts a rehearsal of the Genesee Chorale, which will present a virtual Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Saturday.

MEDINA – A Christmas concert has always been a tradition for the Genesee Chorale, but when the pandemic made a live concert impossible, director Ric Jones of Medina and the chorale board made a decision to have a virtual concert.

Jones, a graduate of Medina High School and Ithaca College with a major in music, also runs Imagine Music Publishing out of his Medina home. In addition to writing music for artists across the country, Jones has been director of the Middleport Community Choir for 17 years, the Genesee Chorale for the 12th year and the Brighton Symphony Orchestra for the fourth year.

Jones, the board of Genesee Chorale and chorale members talked throughout the summer about the possibility of not being able to have their annual Christmas concert.

“We met in late August and I made a presentation to the board to have a virtual concert,” Jones said. “We were confident we could pull it off.”

Their performance titled “And on Earth, Peace” is meant to evoke a sense of calm, hope and peace in this time of uncertainty and fear.

“Our music is meant to be a welcome balm to our community and to extend glad tidings and heartfelt goodwill from Batavia’s own Genesee Chorale,” Jones said.

Selections will feature the entire Genesee Chorale, with Doug Hanson as accompanist, as well as select ensembles of its members, culminating in a full choir performance of “Let There be Peace on Earth.”

Jones said he is super pleased with the sale of tickets so far. In fact, he thinks the virtual concert is creating interest from many people, such as families and friends of the Chorale, who live away and couldn’t have attended a live concert.

Tickets for the 30-minute virtual performance are $5 and are available by clicking here. Ticket purchase provides access to the private premiere virtual concert. Purchasers will receive the link to the concert via e-mail at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The concert goes live at 7 p.m.

For anyone who might not be available at 7 p.m., the link will be available beyond that time. For more information, visit www.GeneseeChorale.com or e-mail infor@geneseechorale.com.

MEDINA – Saturday in Boxwood Cemetery, veterans and members of the community are invited to gather at noon to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and their families and teach the next generation about the value of freedom.

According to information from Kathy Blackburn, who started the national Wreaths Across America project in Medina, this gathering takes place in local and national cemeteries in all 50 states – most recently at more than 2,000 participating locations as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.

Medina will be placing 261 wreaths at veterans’ graves, the most since it joined the program in 2013. The first year there were seven wreaths at Boxwood. The wreaths cost $15 each.

Each year, a new theme is chosen to help volunteers and supporters focus their messaging and outreach in their own communities. The theme announced for 2020 is “Be an American Worth Fighting For.”

The inspiration for this year’s theme came from a keynote address by Sgt. Daniel Strong during the 2018 escort to Arlington welcome stop at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (Monty Tech) in Fitchburg, Mass.

As an infantryman in the United States Marine Corps, Strong lost 18 Marines during his service, three of whom were his friends when he was a lance corporal, six as their squad leader and the remaining nine as their platoon sergeant. Each impacted Strong in a unique way as he witnessed first-hand what true sacrifice was and experienced the ripple effect it has on all involved.

LYNDONVILLE – A new Dollar General store has been proposed for downtown Lyndonville at the former Crosby-Whipple Oil Corp. service station.

The Broadway Group, a commercial real estate developer from Huntsville, Alabama, is proposing to demolish and remove the Crosby-Whipple building at 30 North Main St. It would be replaced with a 7,200-square-foot Dollar General with 29 parking spaces.

The site is in a historic district and the building needs a “certificate of appropriateness” from the Village Planning Board.

Tara Mathias, development manager, met this evening with Planning Board members through Zoom video conferencing. She said the store can be designed in a way that fits in with the other buildings in the district.

She said the new store would revitalize the downtown and be convenient to the local residents.

“It’s just a quick trip down the street to the neighborhood store,” she said.

The building is on a 1-acre site and will need variances for setback distance. The store is the smallest building offered by Dollar General at 7,200 square feet. Most of the stores are over 9,000 square feet.

Patricia Gawne, a member of the Planning Board, asked why Dollar General wants another store only 4 miles from the one at the corner of Route 63 and Ridge Road in Ridgeway. That 9,100-square-foot Dollar General store opened in October 2014.

Mathias said Dollar General wants to cater to their customers, and there currently isn’t a Dollar General in the village.

Barbara Champlin, owner of the EZ Shop in Lyndonville, said the store will hurt the locally owned businesses in the community. She saw her grocery sales go down 30 percent when the store on Route 104 opened.

“I’ve seen the downside of these big corporate businesses coming in,” she said during the meeting this evening.

The Broadway Group will continue to work on the site plan and will apply for variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals. The village engineer, the MRB Group, said some of the drainage will be improved at the site by increasing a sewer line from 8 to 12 inches.

The village wants to make sure a retaining wall is adequate to protect the property from when there are rising waters at Johnson Creek.

The store plans to have eight to 10 employees, Mathias said.

The Planning Board also discussed two other projects in the village.

• Taller Communications Tower: SBA Communications wants to extend the cellular phone tower at 246 West Ave. by 25 feet to accommodate microwave dishes and additional equipment. The tower is currently 225 feet high.

Village officials believe the tower was originally 190 feet high and this would be the second extension. The MRB Group will review the project to make sure the tower would be structurally sound. There is a chance the company would need an easement from neighboring property owners if the fall line would extend into a neighbor’s property.

The project will be sent to the Orleans County Planning Board for its review and opinion.

• Solar project: Panek Farms wants to have a solar array constructed at 15 Linwood Drive. The project would generate 340 kilowatts of electricity to be used by the farm. The array would have 960 panels and run about 1,000 along the edge of the property in a spot that isn’t active farmland. Panek Farms is working with Solar Liberty on the project.

The solar panels would be set off from the road. When corn is high for several months a year the panels won’t be visible to people driving by or any neighbors, said Jim Panek of Panek Farms.

Steven Vann, the Planning Board chairman, wants the village engineer to review the project. Dan Wolfe, the village code enforcement officer, said the ground-mounted solar project is an allowable use because the electricity will be used by the farm and isn’t a utility-scale project.

The Planning Board next meets at 6 p.m. on Jan. 20.