Events will be Wednesdays, starting Dec. 16, for 7 weeks or longer

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County will offer free rapid testing for Covid-19 for the first time starting next Wednesday, Dec. 16, at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The testing is for people who are asymptomatic for Covid. Those with symptoms should consult with a medical provider on getting tested.

The events at the fairgrounds will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and are expected to last seven weeks. The times could be modified and there could be additional weeks depending on demand, Public Health Director Paul Pettit shared during a conference call with local elected officials today.

More details need to be worked out and the Health Department will be releasing more information soon about the rapid testing.

The public will need to register online, to help manage the traffic flow and stagger the arrivals. Pettit said more information and an online signup will be available soon.

People should enter the fairgrounds from Taylor Hill Road and go to the north side of the Trolley Building. After their test sample and results, they should exit from Wood Road.

Genesee County has offered rapid testing last Thursday and today at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility on State Street Road in the Town of Batavia.

There were 400 people who were tested on Thursday and 470 today, with 32 positives today, said Pettit, who is public health director in Orleans and Genesee. The Genesee events are drawing people from six or seven counties, he said. Click here to sign up for the event at Genesee. An online registration hasn’t been set up yet for Orleans.

Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, said she appreciates free testing will soon be an option in the county.

She urged local towns and villages to dedicate some of their personnel to help run the events, which she said will take about 20 to 25 people to manage.

Pettit said the county officials have been pressing the state for months for free testing options in Genesee and Orleans.

“I think we’re finally moving the needle on this,” he said.

Provided photos: Teresa Wilkins (left), Holiday for the Holidays 5K race co-leader, is pictured with Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Administrator Martin MacKenzie and Roseanne Velesko, one of the social workers at Orchard.

MEDINA – Teresa Wilkins, one of the organizers for the Home for the Holidays 5K in Medina, had meals delivered to nursing home and healthcare staff today and on Monday.

Wilkins and Debbie Tompkins are co-leaders of the 5K that was held on Nov. 28. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the race was capped at 50 participants.

There were 48 runners for the event, plus another 11 who did it virtually at another location or time.

Wilkins and Tompkins decided to use some of the funds raised from the race to buy lunch for the healthcare and nursing home workers, who are on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic providing compassionate care for the community.

Teresa Wilkins delivers gift cards to Nicci Nicholson, a social worker at Medina Memorial Hospital. The gift cards will cover a meal for the weekend staff at the North Wing.

Proceeds from the race paid for a pizza lunch for the staff at Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center and the North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital.

“We felt that this year we should honor our Hometown Heroes, and that the staff at both facilities have been impacted greatly this year,” Wilkins said. “It is small way to say ‘Thank you’ to them, and a lift of encouragement that they are doing a wonderful job. It also hits close to home since my own mother is a resident in North Wing, and the staff have become like family to her with all of the restrictions that are in place.”

Food was delivered to the North Wing staff on Monday for lunch and then for the night staff. The weekend shift will also get a meal.

Today, a pizza meal was delivered for three different shifts at Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.

Cusimanos’s Pizzeria in Medina donated four large pizzas as part of the effort.

Genesee and Orleans counties are reporting 44 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the two counties today. Genesee also is reporting two deaths from Covid, and Orleans also had a resident die from a Covid-related illness.

In Orleans County, there are 23 new positive cases, bringing the total to 741 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Two of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said in an afternoon news briefing.

The resident who passed away from a Covid-related illness was community member over the age of 65 who wasn’t in a nursing home. Orleans has now had 59 people die due to Covid.

“We will not be releasing any further information to protect the individual and their family,” the Health Departments said. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.”

The county also reported 20 of the previous positive individuals recovered and have been removed from the isolation list. Six of the current positive individuals are hospitalized, which is down from nine the previous day.

• Albion Central School reported today that two elementary school staff members tested positive for Covid-19. Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to Health Department guidelines, the district stated on its website.

• Lyndonville Central School was notified today that a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member was last on campus on Friday, Dec. 3. No students or staff need to be quarantined after confirmation from the Orleans County Health Department, the district stated on its website.

In Genesee County, there are 21 new positive cases for a total of 1,237 Covid cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pembroke. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 70s.

The county is reporting 57 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list. Genesee has 17 people hospitalized due to Covid, which is down from 20 the previous day.

The two residents who died due to a Covid-related illness are both community members over the age of 65. They weren’t nursing home residents. Genesee has now had 10 people die this month due to Covid, and 17 during the pandemic.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments has a new format for announcing when there is a time when they can’t contact potential close contacts.

The above chart will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed.

“We encourage all businesses 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,” the Health Departments said. “This may eliminate the need for a press alert if we are able to contact potential close contacts.”

For people who were at these establishments at the state times and if symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

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.

• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 422 active cases in the three counties, with 231 in Genesee, 92 in Orleans and 99 in Wyoming. That is down from the 449 in the three counties on Monday, which was the peak for active cases during the pandemic.

The three-county combined numbers were down even though the active cases are up in Orleans (from 89 to 92) and Wyoming (from 91 to 99). Geneses’s active cases dropped from 269 to 231 since Monday.

Provided photos: William Scribner of Lyndonville has been promoted Chief of Police, VA WNY Healthcare System.

William G. Scribner was recently promoted to Chief of Police, VA WNY Healthcare System. Scribner has been working with the VA Police since February 2016, soon after he retired from the Albion Police Department.

Scribner started with the Batavia VA as a police officer and was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police in August 2018. On Nov. 17, 2020, he was selected as Chief of Police and confirmed by Washington D.C. on Dec. 4.

Chief Scribner’s vision for leading the VA Police in WNY includes continued emphasis on community policing, professionalism, teamwork, trust and remaining veteran-centered.

Chief Scribner also is an adjunct instructor at the Law Enforcement Training Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, assisting with developing the Interview & Interrogation Course and teaching this new course.

Scribner retired from the Albion Police Department as a sergeant in August 2015.  During his law enforcement career he was the training coordinator at Albion, a member of the Orleans County Multi-Agency SWAT Team and worked as a Narcotics Investigator for the Orleans County Drug Task Force.

He also served as a police instructor at the Police Academy through Genesee Community College since 2000 and a staff member at the Academy since 2008. He retired from the Academy in February 2020.  Bill also served with the Medina Police Dept and New York State Park Police during his career. He was a grant writer receiving over $100,000 worth of grants for Police Departments.

Dena Scribner is shown with her husband, VA Police Chief William Scribner, holding a United States American Flag. This flag was flown at the Buffalo VA Medical Center and the Batavia VA Medical Center in honor of Dena Scribner in recognition of her service to the VA Police and veterans. Dena Scribner is a co-founder of the annual Veterans’ Halloween Party.

Scribner also is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He served as a Security Policeman, Trainer and Criminal Investigator from 1989-1994. He volunteered and served a tour of duty in the Southwest Theatre of operations during Desert Storm in 1991, and received the Southwest Asia Campaign Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal and Kuwait Liberation Medal.

During his time in the Air Force he was named Law Enforcement Specialist of the Year in 1991 at Homestead Air Force Base, Fla. He was named Homestead Air Force Base Airman of the Year in 1991, Ninth Air Force “12 Outstanding Airman of the Year and Tactical Air Command’s Security Police Professional of the Year in 1991. In 1992 he was named Law Enforcement Specialist of the Year at Clear Air Force Station and received the Air Force Space Commands “Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award.” During his time as a municipal police officer, Chief Scribner was named New York State “Top Cop” in 1999 and 2000.

The Chief received his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice with Honors from Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh in May 1995 and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Society, Excellence in Academics. He attended the Police Academy at the Rural Police Academy at GCC in Batavia, graduating in 1997. He received the 1st Place Firearms Award and 2nd Place Academics Award. He has attended over 3,500 hours of additional local, state and federal law enforcement training during his career.

Chief Scribner is a former Village Trustee and Deputy Mayor of the Village of Lyndonville for 10 years. He also served as a volunteer firefighter for over 13 years for the Lyndonville Fire Department.

Chief Scribner has been married to his wife Dena and recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in September 2020. He has two stepchildren, Joshua Bowman and Casey Durow, and 2 grandchildren Colton and Brae’lyn. Bill is the son of Harold and Eloise Scribner of Lyndonville.

Local State Assembly members, Steve Hawley of Batavia and Michael Norris of Lockport, are among eight members of the Assembly who signed a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

They are asking FEMA to ensure adequate funding for projects to protect Great Lakes shoreline communities and surrounding habitats. Within the letter to FEMA Administrator Peter T. Gaynor, the eight Assembly members requested the federal government omit cost-sharing requirements that may come with a potential FEMA grant due.

“The people of our shoreline communities have already had to manage both flooding in recent years as well as the Covid-19 pandemic,” Hawley said. “If we do not prepare now for future flooding, things could become much worse for them given rising water levels in the Great Lakes. We need to be proactive in preparing our infrastructure for rising water levels, because every day we are not the problems our shoreline communities will have to face become more dire.”

Others signing on to the letter include Brian Manktelow, Ken Blankenbush, Mark Johns, Peter Lawrence, Mark Walczyk and Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay.

The Assembly members said state and local governments will likely struggle to meet any cost-sharing agreements for potential FEMA grants due to fiscal stress from the pandemic.

“We request that the federal government omit this cost-sharing requirement to ensure these shoreline communities do not face additional economic hardship, as they have already been affected by recent flooding events on top of the Covid-19 pandemic,” according to the letter.

Provided photos: Justin Niederhofer (right), the outgoing Carlton fire chief, presents the President’s Award to his mother Valerie Niederhofer on Monday evening. Ed Cooper, president of the Carlton Volunteer Fire Company, is at left.

CARLTON – The fire company presented awards on Monday from 2019. Those recognitions would have been presented at an early spring banquet but that was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Fire company leaders were hopeful the awards would eventually be presented in a gathering with firefighters recognized in front of their peers. But the recent spike in cases and hospitalizations in the county makes an indoor banquet unlikely in the near future.

Jacob Marks, left, is presented with the Chief’s Award from Justin Niederhofer, the Carlton fire chief.

Fire Chief Justin Niederhofer and President Ed Cooper decided to give out two special awards from 2019 on Monday evening.

Cooper gave the president’s award to Val Niederhofer. She is the mother of current fire chief Justin Niederhofer. Justin’s brother Andrew also has been fire chief, and their father, James “Dutch” Niederhofer, served in the role in the early 1990s.

Val Niederhofer has been a key supporter of the fire company for decades.

“She is the most selfless person you could ever meet and is so dedicated to this community and to the firefighters/EMT’s of our town,” Justin Niederhofer said. “There are so many that don’t or won’t find time to take classes, yet she will take classes for stuff she most likely will never use just to fill a seat so that she can make sure the other responders in our department are afforded the opportunity to get much needed training.”

Niederhofer presented the Chief’s Award to Jacob Marks, who committed himself to many training classes to be an asset to the community as a firefighter and EMT.

“Thank you Jake Marks for all that you did to make my first year as chief easier, being there when I needed you, the line needed you, our community and the neighboring communities needed you,” Niederhofer posted on Facebook today. “Most don’t complete their fire or EMT classes in the first year and Jake did both! So proud of the progress you have made and the challenges you have overcome and I am so looking forward to all the great things you will do in the future. Our town is truly a safer place because of you!”

Niederhofer earlier this year accepted a job with the county as deputy emergency management coordinator. He didn’t seek another term as fire chief after two years.

“This year has brought about many challenges that we thought we would never see in our lifetime, but we faced them head on as the professionals we are and served our town proudly,” Niederhofer said in a message to the firefighters.

The officers for the Carlton Volunteer Fire Company in 2021 include:

• Fire Chief Dale Niehaus
• 1st Assistant Chief Andrew Niederhofer
• 2nd Assistant Chief Seth Dumrese
• Captain James Fisher
• 1st Lieutenant Matt Hughson
• 2nd Lieutenant Noah O’Kissick
• President Ed Cooper
• Vice President Richard Brakenbury
• Secretary Val Niederhofer
• Treasurer Tom Yockel
• Board of Directors: James Heiler was chosen to serve a second three-year term.

Press Release, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension

Master Gardener Brenda Radzinski holds a finished centerpiece Saturday.

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension kicked off the holiday season with a series of small wreath-making classes open to the public last week.

Typically the class has extra greenery that is usually composted or taken home by volunteers for their own holiday décor. This year, however, Master Gardener vice-chairperson Janelle Flammger thought those leftover greens could be used in a better way.

“We talked at our meeting about how this holiday season would be different for so many people and how we could give some people a little boost,” Flammger explained. “I thought why not use the leftover plant material from wreath-making to make centerpieces that we could donate.”

Most years the Master Gardeners have a holiday party in December to celebrate another successful year of fun and educational programming. With the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing restrictions, the entire season of their typical programming was cancelled.

This year, instead of their usual holiday party, the volunteers decided to get together to make holiday arrangements and gift them to various organizations. And so, this past Saturday, with cheerful holiday music playing in the background, six Master Gardener volunteers gathered at Orleans County CCE to get creative and spread a little joy.

“This is such a fantastic way for our volunteers to really support their neighbors in a festive and heartwarming way,” said Katie Oakes, coordinator of the Master Gardener volunteer group and Horticulture Educator at Orleans County CCE. “And so many of our community members were impacted by the pandemic this year, especially those in medical or long-term care facilities. We realize that everyone’s holidays will look a little different this year, and our volunteers just wanted to spread a little cheer in whatever way they can.”

Oakes reached out to the Orleans County Office of the Aging Director Melissa Blanar for ideas of locations to donate the centerpieces to. In addition to Medina Memorial Hospital and Orleans County’s two resident nursing and rehabilitation centers (Oak Orchard Rehabilitation in Medina and The Villages in Albion), volunteers donated festive arrangements to Supportive Care (formerly Hospice of Orleans County), long-term adult care facilities, and congregate meal sites at various locations in the county.

Orleans County CCE staff and all of our dedicated volunteers are wishing all the residents of Orleans County a safe and happy holiday season.

Master Gardener Nancy Halstead used fresh pine and fir branches to create one of the centerpieces.

This centerpiece was delivered to Supportive Care of Orleans in Albion.

BARRE – The third annual Barre Lighted Tractor Parade is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Tractors should show up on East Barre Road by 5:15 p.m. They will then head north on Route 98 to the Barre Town Park. No RSVPs are needed in the event planned by the Barre Betterment Committee.

Last year the event went on despite heavy snow. This year there is a pandemic. Organizers urge spectators to adhere to social distancing and wear facial coverings.

About a dozen tractors participated in the parade on Dec. 14 last year during heavy snow. This year the forecast shows a good chance for rain, but no snow during the event.

Funds will go for toys, gifts for local families

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA — The leaders of the fourth annual toy drive met on Monday to share proceeds from the effort with the Medina Area Association of Churches and Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. Pictured from left include Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo, which sold calendars and collected funds for the toy drive; Sherry Tuohey, leader of the Red Barrel program for MAAC; Annette Finch, director of emergency services for Community Action; brothers Wyatt and Lukin Szatkowski (in front); and Andrew and Sara Szatkowski.

This year the toy drive was shifted to a “Santa Hat Drive” with money collected at the reverse Parade of Lights on Nov. 28. Andrew Szatkowski has spearheaded the one-day drive. In past years, people would drop off toys at Canalside Tattoo. This year, Szatkowski shifted to collecting funds at the parade, with the money then turned over to MAAC and Community Action.

Andrew, his wife and two sons collected money at the reverse Parade of Lights and spent many hours rolling the donated coins.

The Santa Hat Drive collected about $2,000 at the parade. Szatkowski said another $300 was sent electronically. People also stopped by Canalside Tattoo and gave $740 to the effort.

Canalside owner Shawn Ramsey also has been selling whimsical calendars of his staff. Erin Townsend took the photos for the calendar, which include golden tickets with discounts on tattoos. Those calendars have raised $1,300 for the toy drive.

The total proceeds for the toy drive added up to $4,429. On Monday, Szatkowski presented Community Action with $3,543 and the MAAC with $886.

The Medina Area Association of Churches has 41 red barrels out on the community for people to place toys. The red barrels will be out until Wednesday. The MAAC will then organize all those donations for more than 50 families that have signed up for the holiday effort. The money from the toy drive will allow MAAC to purchase some items and presents for the local families and senior citizens. About 20 senior citizens will receive food boxes with personal care items.

Sherry Tuohey, director of the program for MAAC, said Medina families can contact her at (585) 356-8346 to see if they can be included in the program.

Community Action will be serving at least 135 families in Albion, Holley, Kendall and Lyndonville with its annual holiday program. Instead of collecting and organizing presents, Annette Finch said the agency will instead be raising money for gift cards for the families. That way volunteers and staff aren’t handling so many items during the Covid-19 pandemic. The families can use the gift cards to pick the presents for their children.

Szatkowski praised the community for giving to the cause during a difficult year when residents and small businesses are feeling financial strain.

MEDINA – The Covid-19 pandemic has changed lives for everyone, especially for the nation’s hospitals.

Orleans Community Health and Medina Memorial Hospital are no exception.

Jessica Capurso, director of Outreach, Education and Marketing, has documented some of the steps Medina’s health care professionals have undertaken to insure staff, patients and visitors are safe.

First, all staff must complete Covid-19 screening and temperature checks every time they enter the hospital after being off the hospital campus.

All patients must complete Covid-19 screening and temperature checks upon arrival for appointments, and all patients are required to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth. All staff are also required to wear masks covering their nose and mouth. In addition, staff must wear surgical or N-95 masks, as well as goggles and/or face shields while interacting with patients and/or co-workers.

Extra office cleaning protocols have been put in place. After patient rooms are stripped and cleaned by Environmental Services, a Clorox Total 360 System machine is utilized to spray the entire room with disinfectant cleaner that kills 99.9% of bacteria. This machine helps to reach places that may have been missed by the human hand or places that are out of reach.

Not only are these practices more time-consuming, they also incur added expenses for the hospital.

Other changes resulting from the pandemic are the absence of the Twig volunteers, who manned the greeter desk in the lobby and the reception desk in registration area, saving the hospital money and saving hospital staff extra work.

At Medina Memorial Hospital, all services are by appointment only. No visitors are allowed in the lobby, so patients must enter by themselves, with the exception of minor children and those with a mental or physical disability which hospital staff is unable to support.

Emergency Room patients’ families have to leave a number which is given to the treatment team so the ER can provide updates.

Appointments can be made by calling 798-2000.

Middleport lab services at Dr. Stahl’s office are by appointment only unless there is/was a scheduled office visit there on the same day. Appointments can be made by calling 798-2000.

The Albion Walk-in Medical Clinic continues to offer walk-in services with no appointments. Services available can be viewed by clicking here.

Agencies try to find housing for displaced families

ALBION – Brenda Winters has lived at the home she rents on West State Street for 20 years. Monday afternoon she wiped tears from her eyes as she surveyed the damage to her home and two others from a fire which broke out next door on Saturday afternoon.

Brenda lives with her son Herbert and adult grandson Quarmine.

On Saturday afternoon, she said she was in her kitchen when all of a sudden there was a big bang next door at the home on the corner of West State and East Academy streets.

“I went to the window and all I saw was smoke,” she said. “Then about five minutes later there was another every louder explosion that shook my house. I looked out again and all I saw was fire. I said then it was time for me to get out.”

This is the aftermath of a fire which destroyed three homes on East Academy and West State streets Saturday afternoon. It is believed up to 10 people were displaced in the fire, which started with an explosion in a garage next to the house on the corner.

Brenda went to a neighbor’s home across the street and watched as fire company after fire company came to fight the blaze, which had engulfed the house next door and spread to her home and another on East Academy.

While her home is the least damaged of the three, with fire damage in the attic and west side of the house, she said her home is ruined with smoke and water. She said water stood a foot deep inside the home and the furniture reeks of smoke.

She escaped with a few clothes, but they also are full of smoke.

In the meantime the Winters are staying with another of Brenda’s sons in Lockport while Community Action is trying to find housing for her and the other two families.

Annette Finch, director of Emergency Services at Community Action; Nyla Gaylord, director of Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern; and Jeff Holler with Albion Masons have joined forces to help the three families displaced in the fires.

“Our three organizations have decided to coordinate all our efforts to help these people who have lost everything,” Finch said.

Gaylord said people started contacting her on the weekend asking if they could help. Finch said Holler called her and said the Masons want to do something to assist the families.

There are no official numbers on how many people were displaced from the fire, but Finch and the agencies believe there were five in one house, two in another and three in Winters’ home. Finch doesn’t believe there were any children living in the homes.

“Clothing is not an issue,” Finch said. “But finding housing is the biggest thing.”

Robin Smith, who lived in the corner home, is staying with a sister and Finch took them food and a gift card to Tops.

“If we can find places for them to live, we can get help with the first month’s rent through the Uplift Grant United Way got us to help people with housing,” Finch said.

Finch said the families need food, furniture and personal care items.

“We are going to be able to help with the resources we have,” Finch said. “If there are churches, clubs or factories who are thinking about adopting families for Christmas, these would be good ones to help. Any donations we receive for them we will put in a fund to distribute equally to all three.”

Holler said the Masons are designating their lodge building at 39 Platt Street as a collection site for any donated items. If anyone calls Holler at (585) 590-0983 with donations, he will be available 24/7. The Masons are also planning a fundraising meal as a drive-thru, at a site to be determined.

Anyone who can help in any way can contact Michelle Figueroa, case manager at Community Action, at 589-5605, Ext. 105; Nyla Gaylord at 589-9210; or Jeff Holler at 590-0983.

Genesee also has 3 more deaths, for 8 so far in December

Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 162 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 since Friday, with Genesee also reporting three more deaths, according to a news briefing from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Orleans County has 32 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 718 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in all 10 towns in the county: Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s 70s and 80s. Four of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The county also had 20 of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed from the isolation list.

Orleans has 9 residents hospitalized due to Covid, which is up from 8 on Friday and 6 on Thursday.

• 2 Albion staff members test positive for Covid-19. The school district announced this afternoon it was notified today that the staff members tested positive over the weekend. One of the staff members works in the high school and the other works in district office.

Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to health department guidelines, the district said.

• Lyndonville Central School was notified that a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member hasn’t been on campus since Friday, December 4, according to a letter on the school website.

The district has communicated with the Health Department. Lyndonville parents will be notified if their child is deemed a “close contact” and what directions to follow.

• Medina Central School said it has had three new positive cases reported to the district. A high school student who is 100 percent remote tested positive. No school-related quarantines are necessary, the district said.

A middle school student also tested positive who was on mandatory quarantine poor to onset of symptoms. The Health Department determined on further school-related quarantines are necessary.

A transportation employee also tested positive. The district and Health Department are working to identify contacts of the individual and will notify people who need to quarantine, according to a letter from the district.

In Genesee County, there 130 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,216 positive cases since March.

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

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

Of the new cases, two are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, one is a resident at the NYS Veteran’s Home, and one is at the VA Medical Center.

Genesee also is reporting that 38 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 20 people hospitalized due to Covid, up from 15 on Friday.

Genesee also was notified that three residents have died of Covid. One is a resident at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia. Two of the deaths were community members. All three individuals were over the age of 65.

“To protect the individual and their family we will not be releasing any further information,” the Health Departments stated. “We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.”

The three deaths bring that total to eight in December in Genesee County and 15 during the pandemic.

• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 449 active cases in the three counties, with 269 in Genesee, 89 in Orleans and 91 in Wyoming. That is up from 370 in the three counties on Friday.

Editor’s Note: Albion Mayor Eileen Banker submitted this letter of appreciation for firefighters and other public officials who assisted with the fire Saturday in Albion that damaged three houses.

ALBION – On behalf of the Village of Albion Board I would like to thank all the fire companies that responded to the fire Saturday in Albion: Albion FD, Barre FD, Carlton FD, Clarendon FD, East Shelby FD, Fancher-Hulberton-Murray FD, Holley FD, Kendall FD, Lyndonville FD, Village of Medina FD, Ridgeway FD, Shelby FD, Elba FD, Brockport FD, Middleport FD, Hamlin-Morton-Walker FD, Hartland FD and Oakfield. They all either responded to the scene or filled in during the recent fire on Saturday on East Academy and West State streets in the Village of Albion.

This fire was met with many uncertainties, specifically the explosions, yet each department fought tirelessly to extinguish the fire before it took down many more houses. The danger that each of you faced during this fire did not detour you from doing your job. For that, we are forever grateful.

Thank you to the men and women of the fire service who unselfishly risk their lives to protect the lives and property of our community.

I also want to thank Albion PD, Orleans County Emergency Management Ofiice, COVA, Monroe Ambulance, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Orleans County Dispatchers (the voice of the county), NYSEG, National Grid, Village of Albion Water Plant and Albion DPW for all their assistance.

Also, thank you to Roadies Pizzeria and Sports Bar, Stephanie, Connor and Landon Williams, and Alex Breuilly for the pizza and beverages. God bless each of you for all you do and stay safe during these uncertain times!

The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company brought its new ladder truck and crew of firefighters to focus on the neighboring house that caught on fire on East Academy Street.

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) joined a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate appropriations committees calling for additional funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect rural broadband grant program in the upcoming FY21 funding bill.

“I have long advocated for increased broadband investment in NY-27,” Jacobs said. “The pandemic has only elevated that need. With schools moved online, businesses increasingly relying on the internet, telemedicine services becoming more popular, and farm technology advancing – the need for reliable high-speed internet access is urgent. The ReConnect Program is a sound investment that has helped connect our underserviced communities.”

Congress created the ReConnect Program in FY18 with a $600 million appropriation. There were $550 million and $555 million appropriated in FY19 and FY20, respectively. To date, USDA has invested over $1.3 billion in high-speed broadband infrastructure. Currently, the proposed FY21 Senate budget for this program has been cut by $150 million relative to FY20 funding levels. Jacobs is asking for increased funding for this rural broadband program relative to recent years.

“Our children, families, farmers, and economy rely on access to high-speed internet – we must ensure that we are making sufficient investments that set them up for success,” Jacobs said.

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

BATAVIA – The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received a positive Covid-19 test result from an individual who was at Sport of Kings in Batavia on:

• Monday, November 30^th, from 2 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 1^st, from 2 to 8 p.m.

Contact tracing is in progress, However, unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases.

We advise all individuals who were at Sport of Kings on the stated dates and times to monitor their symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

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.