Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Workers from Upstate Tower Inc. last week are shown doing final work and inspections on the new 180-foot-high radio tower by the Orleans County Public Safety Building on Route 31.

This is one of four new radio towers in the county. Upstate Tower also installed two other 180-foot-high towers in Kendall near the school’s bus garage and in Yates on Millers Road near the water tank.

The other tower is 150 feet high near the Holley water tank on Route 237.

Upstate Tower is doing final inspections on the 700/800Mhz L3 Harris P25 Digital Public Safety Radio System. The county received a $5,897,141 million grant from the state for the project, which includes access roads, antennas, microwaves, shelters, standby generators, propane tanks and security fences.

Finger Lakes Communications, a contractor for L3 Harris, will be doing final hookup and system testing from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11, with the final cut-over expected in late December, said Dale Banker, director of the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

The $6 million upgrade will strengthen communications between multiple jurisdictions and agencies.

“This project will greatly improve radio system coverage for the 1,300 system users and improve public safety for all residents of Orleans County,” Banker said.

The NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provided the nearly $5.9 million grant through the Office of Interoperable Communications. Banker, who serves as 700/800 MHz Radio System Administrator, also credited the support and efforts of the Orleans County Legislature, Orleans County Treasurer’s Office, Emergency Management staff and grant personal, Orleans County DPW, the Orleans County Radio Advisory Board and County Attorney Kathy Bogan.

“I also want to thank the Village of Holley, Kendall School District and Village of Lyndonville for their great partnership and cooperation allowing Orleans County to have ground lease agreements to co-locate our tower sites on their properties,” he said.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Cobblestone The Girl Scouts in the Cobblestone Service Unit won the “Littlest Elf Award” for their float in the Nov. 24, 2018 parade.

MEDINA – In spite of the Covid pandemic, the village of Medina has found ways to celebrate their annual Christmas in Medina, scheduled on Saturday.

While the annual Christmas in Medina will have a different look this year, there will be a celebration on Saturday, which will conclude with the Parade of Lights in a reverse format.

Cindy Robinson and Kathy Blackburn are the annual chairs of the day-long event in Medina, which will begin with the Home for the Holidays 5K at 9 a.m. That event is sold out.

Residents are invited to join merchants for Shop Small Saturday, with specials being offered by many local small town merchants.

One local shopper is Karen Sawicz, owner of the Orleans Hub and Lake Country Pennysaver, who prefers to shop as much as possible with small local merchants in Orleans County, because she believes they are the backbone of the county in providing jobs as well as goods and services.

Shopping local and supporting small town businesses is crucial to their existence, especially with the hardships caused by the pandemic.

Due to Covid restrictions, visits with Santa on Saturday will be at the Senior Center on West Avenue this year. Children and parents can enter through one door and exit through the other, thereby adhering to social distancing. Masks will be required and there will be no sitting on Santa’s lap this year.

Santa and Mrs. Claus’ schedule for their appearances at the Santa House in Rotary Park throughout the holiday season will be posted on Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas Facebook page and in store windows.

Here is map for the “reverse parade” on Saturday at the Medina school campus. The floats will be stationary and people will pass by them in vehicles. The entrance is on West Oak Orchard Street at the Oak Orchard Elementary School drive. Vehicles will exit on Maple Ridge Road near the high school.

The fourth annual Parade of Lights Toy Drive, led by Andrew Szatkowski, also had to adapt this year, and instead of collecting toys downtown, they are hosting a “Santa Hat Drive” at the start of the parade. Volunteer elves with Santa hats, much like a fireman’s boot drive, will be at the parade to collect spare change. All donations will go directly to local groups to help make a brighter Christmas for kids in Orleans County.

The Cutest Little Elf contest has gone virtual this year. Pictures can be submitted to Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas Facebook page from this Saturday through Dec. 12. Winners will be based on how many “likes” a photo receives. Prizes will be provided by hometown businesses.

The Children’s Window Scavenger Hunt theme this year will be “The Night Before Christmas Mouse.” Entry forms are available online at christmasinmedina.com and at the English Rose Tea Shoppe, 527 Main St.

The Canal Village Farmers’ Market will take on a Christmas theme every Saturday until Christmas. The market is located at the corner of West Avenue and West Center Street.

The traditional children’s activities offered by downtown merchants will be available this year for two weeks – on Saturday through Dec. 12 (unless otherwise noted) during each business’s regular hours. This is to avoid large crowds which might violate Health Department recommendations.

Shoppers can enter to win an electric toy train by dropping off a non-perishable food item at the English Rose Tea Shoppe and receiving one raffle ticket for each item donated. Donations will be given to the Medina Food Pantry. Also at the English Rose Tea Shoppe, kids can pick up their special Santa Claus stationary to write their letter to Santa. Letters can be mailed in a special mail box in front of Rotary Park. The Tea Shoppe will also be handing out free samples of their most popular teas.

Alexandra Peracciny Photography on the second floor at 519 Main St. will be offering a holiday photo card/frame kit. Also, a complimentary photo booth will be set up in the studio from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12.

At Case-Nic Cookies at 439 Main St, kits to “Frost Your Own Cookie” will be sold for $1, with the proceeds going to the Medina Food Pantry.

Creekside Floral at 509 Main St. will offer a surprise “take and make” craft to complete at home.

Children can pick up a picture at Blissetts, 449 Main St., for a coloring contest. Pictures should be returned to blissetts by Dec. 12 to be entered to win a prize.

At the Book Shoppe, 519 Main St., there will be a take and make snowman bookmark craft.

Upscale Overstock at 339 North Main St. will offer a different take home kids’ craft each week.

Also at 339 North Main St., Mandeo’s Candy Shoppe will have cups of hot chocolate (with surprise ingredients, such as a peppermint stick or chocolate spoon) to make at home. Cost is $3 and proceeds will be donated to Anchoring Hope of New York and Buffalo Sabres Warriors Sled Hockey Program.

The Downtown Browsery at 413 Main St. will offer a take and make Santa ornament and a letter to Santa on which children can put their wish list. It can be returned to the Browsery and put in the Letters to Santa mailbox. The Browsery is also one of the locations for the MAAC collection barrels, and shoppers are encouraged to drop off a new toy to help make Christmas special for those less fortunate.

Since Canalside Tattoo can’t host the toy drive this year, they got together with Erin Townsend Photography to make 2021 calendars which they will sell for $30.

A variety of take and make crafts will also be available at Lyric & Lizzy Boutique, 335 North Main St.

Santa and Mrs. Claus make their way to the Medina Theatre after a parade through the downtown last year on Nov.30 when they rode in an old Medina fire truck. This year they will be at the Senior Center on West Avenue. Children and parents can enter through one door and exit through the other to adhere to social distancing. Masks will be required and there will be no sitting on Santa’s lap this year.

Anyone who brings a small baby item to Herbalty Collage will receive a “Stress-Free Holiday Bath Soak.” Baby items will be donated to Care Net of Greater Orleans.

Shoppers can drop off a gift for children and/or teenagers in the MAAC barrel at Ashlee’s Place, 116 East Center St.

As is the tradition, the day will be topped off with the spectacular Parade of Lights, which definitely has a different look this year. There will not be the traditional fireworks, but Instead of the parade passing by the spectators, the parade will be stationary and the spectators will drive by it. This is to eliminate the big crowds which usually gather on Main Street.

This year, cars will enter the parade route on West Oak Orchard Street at the Oak Orchard Elementary School drive near Genesee Street. Genesee Street will be closed to traffic. Cars are to proceed to the parade entrance and follow the route through the school campus, exiting at the high school on Maple Ridge Road. The parade will start promptly at 5 p.m., immediately after a ribbon cutting near Vets Park with parade marshals Dave and Trudy Schwert. Parade floats will be on display until 8 p.m., according to parade chairman Jim Hancock.

Photo by Tom Rivers: This home on South Clinton Street is pictured on Thanksgiving in Albion. The Albion Merchants Association wants to see more houses decorated for the Christmas holiday.

ALBION – The Albion Merchants Association is offering $900 in gift cards to homeowners who decorate their houses for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

The AMA is hosting its first “Deck the Town” contest, with a goal to spread joy and make the community shine bright, the group said.

The contest includes a $500 gift card to AMA businesses for first place, a $300 gift card for second and a $100 gift card for third. Voting will be done by the public through Facebook. People are welcome to submit photos of exterior of their decorated homes through the Albion Merchants Association’s Facebook page or by email, albionmerchantsassociation@gmail.com.

Voting will be done through a Facebook album. All submitted entries will be posted with photo and address (no names, but address for public viewing). The winners will be chosen based on the most likes. Winners will be announced December 25th and receive a gift card redeemable at AMA businesses.

The eligible houses need to be located between Route 31A and 104, and between Lattin Road and Eagle Harbor Road.

The photos need to be submitted from Nov. 28 thru Dec. 15. Winners will be announced Dec. 25 and receive a gift card redeemable at AMA businesses

Law enforcement agencies in Orleans County worked together in a county-wide DWI saturation patrol from 7 p.m. Wednesday until 3 a.m. today.

This year’s detail involved the same amount of patrol officers yet the amount of vehicle stops that were conducted was nearly half of what we have seen in past years, said Roland Nenni, police chief in Albion and Holley.

“This is attributed to the early closing of establishments that sell alcoholic beverages and persons taking safety precautions as a result of the ongoing pandemic,” Nenni said in a news release. “At times during the detail vehicular traffic was nonexistent. The reduction in persons utilizing highways on what is typically one of the busiest nights of the year also shows that people are taking the threat posed by Covid-19 serious.”

There was one person charged with driving while intoxicated during the patrols. Past details have resulted 15 in more arrests for driving while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs.

“This is positive news in our efforts to reduce accidents caused by intoxicated drivers,” Nenni said. “The reduction of DWI arrests is a positive and motivating factor when these types of details are conducted. Many believe that law enforcement want to make more DWI arrests during these details, however we like to see the opposite.”

The agencies involved in the detail included the Albion, Medina and Holley police departments; Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police.

In the past the detail has included logistical support from the Orleans County Probation Department, New York State Parole, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol. But due to the risk posed by Covid-19 on officers, the detail only utilized law enforcement road patrol personnel for this year’s detail.

This is the seventh year a Saturation Patrol was conducted and the 10th year a focused detail was done. Nenni said the local law enforcement agencies are committed to making the roadways safe for all who travel upon them.

ROYALTON – The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of a 31-year-old mother who was killed in a car accident in Royalton on Wednesday evening.

Danielle Dujenski of Machias was driving a vehicle on Lewiston Road with her husband Garrett Dujenski, 30, and their five children, ages 1 to 11. They were struck by a vehicle driven by Daniel Verratti, 65, of Royalton. The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office said Verratti was traveling on Griswold Road and failed to stop at stop sign at 7:33 p.m. on Wednesday.

Mrs. Dujenski and one of her children, 2 ½, both died from injuries sustained in the accident.

Four other children remain in intensive care with two children in critical condition in the pediatric intensive care unit at Oishei Children’s Hospital. Another child is in guarded and critical condition in the PICU, and the fourth child is in guarded condition, but stable in the Intermediate Care Unit, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Mr. Dujenski is listed in stable condition in the trauma ICU at ECMC.

Mr. Verratti was treated and released from Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.

Several fire departments responded to the scene, including Medina, Middleport, Alabama, South Lockport, Rapids, Terry’s Corners and Wolcottsville. Mercy EMS, Tri-Town Volunteer EMS and Mercy Flight also responded.

ROYALTON – The driver of one of the vehicles in fatal collision in Royalton on Wednesday evening has died, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office reported today in an update from this morning.

A child was also killed in the accident, and four other children remain in intensive care with two children in critical condition in the pediatric intensive care unit at Oishei Children’s Hospital.

Another child is in guarded and critical condition in the PICU, and the fourth child is in guarded condition, but stable in the Intermediate Care Unit, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The driver of the vehicle with the children was pronounced dead at ECMC, and the front passenger is listed in stable condition in the trauma ICU at ECMC.

The sole occupant of the other vehicle was treated and released from Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. That vehicle was southbound on Griswold Street and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Lewiston Road and Griswold Street.

That caused the collision with the other vehicle with seven occupants that was eastbound on Lewiston Road, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

Names of all the parties involved are not being released at this time.

Contributed Photos – Albion’s regulars for the 1936 season included Rosato, H. Dragon, T. Colella, G. Dragon, D.L. Stirk, Pask, Buckley, Morrow, Monacelli, Woods, D.H. Stirk and Barrett.

Today for sports fans watching football on TV is as much a part of Thanksgiving as the turkey dinner.

For Orleans sports fans the long standing Albion vs. Medina high school football rivalry was once the feature event on Thanksgiving Day.

From 1924 to 1936 the rivalry contest was played on Thanksgiving afternoon often in very challenging playing conditions.

In fact, three of those games (1926, 1928 and 1934) ended in a 0-0 tie as game stories report that in each case the field was a sea of mud.

The other 10 contests saw the teams both emerge with five victories.

Albion won the first Turkey Day Classic 12-2 in 1924 as John Donovan scored both touchdowns.

Medina answered back with a narrow 12-6 win in 1925 on touchdowns by Herb Blount and Brit Cooper.

Then sandwiched between the two muddy 0-0 ties in 1926 and 1928 Medina claimed a 19-6 victory in 1927 as John Kelly scored two touchdowns.

Medina’s most lopsided win in the Turkey Day series came by a 31-6 margin in 1929.

The following year was much closer as Medina nipped Albion 6-0 on a fourth quarter touchdown by Montgomery who recovered a teammate’s fumble at the goal line and plunged over the line for the score.

Medina also scored a slender 6-0 win in 1933 on a TD by Red Howe.

Albion closed out the Thanksgiving Day series by winning four of the last six contests by margin of 19-6 in 1931, 14-0 in 1932, 24-12 in 1935 and 27-0 in 1936.

Edward Nesbitt, John McKenna and John Page took turns scoring touchdowns for the Purple and White in the 1931 game while Don Armstrong accounted for both scores in the 1932 contest.

Albion’s last two wins in the Turkey Day series capped off outstanding seasons for the Purple and White which won 24-12 in 1935 to finish at 6-1 and 27-0 in 1936 to complete an undefeated 8-0-1 campaign.

Tommy Colella, who went on to star at Canisius College and then with the Cleveland Browns, scored two touchdowns in both of those contests. Henry Dragon also scored once in the ’35 game and twice in ’36. Joe Rosato scored Albion’s first touchdown in the 1935 game.

The following year the rivalry contest was moved up to Armistice Day (now Veterans Day) and continued to be played on that day until 1958 when it became part of the regular season schedule.

Medina’s 1934 squad included, in front, White, Hare, Garrett, Bacon, Clapp, Monagan, Root, Palmer, Acer, Clark and Hagerman. In the middle row are Stilwell, Smith, Lynch, Rumsey, Hay, Pegelow, Padoleski, Wanecski and Maines. In the back row are Coach Evans, R. Clark, Heveron, Hungerford, Ward and Prahler.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Traffic passes over the Gaines Basin Road canal bridge this morning. The bridge has reopened after a major rehabilitation.

The bridge has been closed since March 23. It is one of seven canal bridges that have been upgraded as part of a $10.7 million initiative by the state Department of Transportation.

Crane Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport was the contractor. The company installed high-strength galvanized steel to replace steel floor systems, low chords, gusset plates and truss elements.

The  seven single-lane truss bridges were constructed between 1909 and 1914.

The bridges in the $10.7 million project include Bennetts Corners Road in the Town of Murray, Telegraph Road in the Town of Murray, Transit Road in the Town of Murray, Densmore Road in the Town of Albion, Gaines Basin Road in the Town of Gaines, Bates Road in the Village of Medina, and Marshall Road in the Town of Ridgeway.

ROYALTON – A child was killed, and four other children and two adults were injured on Wednesday evening, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office reported today.

There was a two-car collision at 7:33 p.m. at the intersection of Lewiston Road and Griswold Street.

Responding patrol units, fire personnel, EMS units arrived on scene of the accident and provided immediate first aid.

Initial investigation at the scene revealed that one vehicle was southbound on Griswold Street and the other vehicle was eastbound on Lewiston Road. The vehicle on Griswold Street failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection, causing the collision, the Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

The eastbound vehicle, traveling on Lewiston Road, had a total of seven occupants in the vehicle. The two adult occupants in that vehicle were transported via ambulance to Erie County Medical Center.

The remaining occupants of the vehicle consisted of five children. Four of those children were transported by ambulance and Mercy Flight to Oishei Children’s Hospital.

A fifth child from that vehicle was transported by ambulance to Eastern Niagara Hospital in Lockport. That child was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

The sole occupant of the southbound vehicle on Griswold Street was transported by ambulance to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.

Names of the parties involved are not being released at this time, pending notifications of family members. Current conditions of the parties involved in the accident are not available at this time as they are being evaluated.

The accident is currently being investigated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Unit.

Photos by Ginny Kropf

MEDINA – Employees with the village of Medina strung lights on this giant Christmas tree next to the cannon in State Street Park on Tuesday.

The two Department of Public Works employees worked high in their bucket trucks to string Christmas lights in this tree at State Street Park.

Decorating the park for the holidays has been a tradition for Medina Lions for several decades, and this year is no exception.

The Christmas display which extends the full length of State Street Park is an annual tradition in Medina. The manger and Three Wise Men are just part of the extensive display, which Medina Lions put up on Saturday.

Lions’ members spent several hours putting up the decorations, which run almost the entire length of the park and include the Manger scene, Three Wise Men and Advent wreath.

Lion Dean Bellack said this a favorite project of the Lions and members support it wholeheartedly. More than two dozen members showed up to help put up the decorations, he said.

After the holidays, the Lions will remove the decorations and store them away for next year.

MURRAY – The community can offer input on a proposed comprehensive plan for guiding the town’s land use, and policies and actions for zoning regulations and capital investments.

There will be a 7 p.m. meeting on Monday through Zoom where the community can learn about the plan and offer feedback. Click here for a link to the meeting. The meeting ID is 861 2115 5436, with the passcode, 172412.

An Advisory Committee appointed by the Murray Town Board has been working on preparing the comprehensive plan with assistance from LaBella Associates. Click here to see a draft of the proposed 130-page plan.

The document includes descriptions of existing conditions, analysis of issues, and recommended actions to advance the town’s goals. The plan will help the town publicize its agricultural, natural, historic and scenic assets for beneficial development of compatible businesses and homes.

The plan addresses the following topics:

• Land Use
• Historic Resources
• Population and Housing
• Recreational Resources
• Economic Vitality
• Utilities
• Agriculture & Farmland
• Transportation
• Natural Resources
• Public & Community Services

A representative from LaBella Associates will summarize the findings and recommendations and facilitate public comment during the meeting on Monday. The session will be recorded for viewing later.

Following the presentation, those in attendance will be invited to comment. Written comments will be accepted through December 18. Comments can be sent to the Town Clerk via e-mail at clerk@townofmurray.org or by mail to:

Town Clerk, Town of Murray

3840 Fancher Road

Holley, NY 14470

Please call Cindy Oliver, Town Clerk, at (585) 638-6570 with any questions.

Press Release, Genesee County Health Department

BATAVIA – The Genesee County Health Department has received a positive Covid-19 test from an individual who was at Kelly’s Holland Inn, 25 Evans St. in Batavia, on the following dates:

• Tuesday, November 17^th, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 18^th, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Thursday, November 19^th, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Friday, November 20th between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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

We advise all individuals who were at Kelly’s Holland Inn 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.

In past 7 days Genesee has added 212 new cases while Orleans has 49 more

Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 45 new cases combined today.

In Orleans, there are 11 new confirmed cases for a total of 587 positive cases since March. The new positive cases reside in Albion, Clarendon, Gaines, Murray, Ridgeway and Shelby.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 40s, 50s and 60s. None of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said this afternoon.

Orleans is reporting four more recoveries and those individuals have been removed from the isolation list.

Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

• Medina Middle Schooler tests positive: Medina Central School was informed that a student at Wise Intermediate Middle School has tested positive for Covid. That student hasn’t been on campus since Nov. 17, and was on mandatory quarantine due to exposure to Covid, district superintendent Mark Kruzynski wrote today in a letter to district families and staff.

“In this situation, the Department of Health has determined that there will not be a need for any further school-related quarantines due to these cases,’ Kruzynski said. “However, any determination of the need for quarantine will come directly from the Health Department.”

In Genesee County, there are 34 new positive cases of Covid for a total of 827 since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield, Pembroke and Stafford.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Eight of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Genesee reports that 14 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed

from the isolation list.

Genesee has 16 residents hospitalized who have Covid.

• Covid cases rose significantly in past seven days: Since Nov. 18, Genesee has added 212 cases, from 615 to 827. Geneses’s recoveries also are up by 126.

In Orleans, the cases since a week ago increased by 49, from 538 to 587 with 79 recoveries.

• 3-county data: To see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, click here. There are currently 315 active cases in the three counties, with 221 in Genesee, 41 in Orleans and 53 in Wyoming.

More from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

• No updates until Monday: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, both Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be closed on Thursday and Friday. We will not be updating the websites or the maps on these days and over the weekend.

Our next update will be Monday afternoon to include data from today after 2:00 p.m. until Monday afternoon. Many of our staff will be working to handle investigations and quarantine-related issues. We hope you have a safe, healthy and Happy Thanksgiving.

Over this weekend, we can’t stress enough the importance to limit time with non-household members. Continue to do your best to limit the spread of Covid-19 and the flu by frequently washing/sanitizing your hands, wearing a mask/face-covering over your mouth and nose when out in public and keeping at least 6 feet from non-household members. If you are not feeling well, please stay home and contact your primary care provider for guidance.

Businesses, residents urged to be vigilant in fight against Covid spread

Press Release, Advocacy Coalition of Rochester Area Chambers

ROCHESTER – The Advocacy Coalition of Rochester Area Chambers is deeply concerned about the resurgence of Covid-19 in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier Regions and its effects on our local businesses and economy.

In that spirit, its leadership team released the following statement:

“ACRAC is not interested in taking political sides on this issue but rather focusing on the health and well-being of our region. We believe that each of us has a role to play in helping to tackle the pandemic.

“To avoid further business interruptions, ACRAC is asking our collective members and the community at large to observe social distancing, wear masks, disinfect regularly, and employ good hand hygiene. Employers should set good examples for their employees, and employees should set good examples for customers.

“Recovering from the impact of this virus continues to be a struggle. We will continue working with our Congressional Delegation to quickly pass an additional stimulus package that includes support for small business owners. So too will we continue to support efforts by state leaders to increase infrastructure for Covid-19 testing, speed up turnaround time for results, and improve contact tracing capabilities in an effort to efficiently curb the spread of Covid-19.

“We commend the work of Governor Cuomo and his administration in working to keep infection rates among the lowest in the country and stand ready to assist in any way that we can.

“Business owners are rightly concerned about the increase in Covid-19 and the effects that another shut down will have on them, especially during the profitable holiday shopping season. Business owners must take every precaution to keep shoppers safe and remain open.

“Residents can support their local businesses, economies, and communities not only by shopping locally, but also by following the recommendations set forth by the CDC, New York State, and our local county health departments.

“Each of us must ask ourselves if we will be part of the solution, or part of the problem.”

About the Advocacy Coalition of Rochester Area Chambers:

Formed in 2019, The Advocacy Coalition of Rochester Area Chambers is a group of chamber executives from throughout the Finger Lakes region committed to helping our members grow and promoting the region through teamwork and collaborative advocacy.

Press Release, Oak Orchard Health

ALBION — Due to the rise of Coronavirus cases, there is an increasing demand for tests. Many of our health centers including Albion, Brockport, and Hornell provide testing for people with and without symptoms.

At the Corfu, Batavia, and Alexander locations we are testing people with symptoms who meet the criteria. To keep everyone safe, all testing is by appointment only.

Covid-19 swab tests are available at our health centers outdoors to ensure safety for patients and staff, however, if you have symptoms, please call in advance for arrival instructions. Test results are typically back in 3-5 days but in some cases can take up to seven business days.

“We want the community to know that Oak Orchard Health is here for them should they need a Covid-19 test. We have several testing locations and options including a free LetsGetChecked Self-Collection Kit,” said Dr. Mary Obear, MD, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer, Oak Orchard Health.

Regarding payment, Oak Orchard starts by billing the insurance companies (co-pays may apply), and should it not be covered, we also offer a sliding fee scale discount based on family size and annual income. For questions or more information, please call (585) 637-3905 ext. 221.

The LetsGetChecked Covid-19 Self Collection Kits were purchased by Oak Orchard but are being given out free to our patients 18 years of age or older. They can be used at home but are in limited supply. The kits can be used when appropriate based on current testing guidelines. The test kit comes with a UPS next day air return shipping label to send your sample back to the lab. They aim to deliver your results within 24-72 hours of your sample being received in their laboratory.

Take a moment look at the Covid-19 testing options available at Oak Orchard Health. For more information, click here or call (585) 637-3905.