Package includes toilet paper, hand sanitizer, facial masks, and historic 2020 4-H Fair ribbons and T-shirts
Photos courtesy of Orleans County 4-H Program: Items are set out to be placed in the time capsule. Senior Council members signed the cloth face mask.
Press Release, Orleans County 4-H Program
KNOWLESVILLE – A Covid-19 time capsule created by Orleans County 4-H members both documents the events of the ongoing pandemic and also serves as a message to their future selves.
Members of the Orleans County 4-H Senior Council recently spent several weeks compiling items to place in the capsule including hand sanitizer, facial masks, toilet paper and historic 2020 4-H Fair ribbons and T-shirts. They also worked to include letters written to themselves which they will be able to read when the capsule is opened, probably in 15-20 years, said Grace Gregoire, 15, of Murray, Senior Council President.
The letters are the most important item in the time capsule, according to Grace. In her own letter, Grace wrote about the challenges and anxieties of living through a pandemic, “… in reality, Grace, you are beautiful and perfect in God’s eyes, never forget that.”
John Gabalski, 19, of Byron, who aged out of the 4-H program in October, wrote the pandemic gave him the opportunity to help out at food distributions, but, “The Covid-19 pandemic took away my last chance to participate in 4-H rabbit shows, the Orleans County 4-H Fair and the New York State Fair.” John wrote that despite the disappointments, he is now beginning his life as a 4-H alumnus.
Kate Bennett, 9, of Brockport wrote that there were big changes when Covid-19 hit with so many activities and school going virtual. “I started baking a lot and watching movies,” she wrote. She also was able to spend more time taking care of her goat.
Members of Orleans County 4-H Senior Council (Zach Neal, 16, of Albion is at the front of the photo looking at the camera) met recently to put the time capsule together.
“It was the worst year ever,” wrote Sadie Gregoire, 13, of Murray. “If you are reading this, hopefully you can say you survived a pandemic.”
Orleans County CCE 4-H Administrative Assistant, Natalie Mrzywka, of Clarendon, wrote about making many masks for local farmers with her grandmother. “You would go places and not recognize people with face masks on,” she said.
4-H Program Coordinator Kristina Gabalski wrote that the pandemic made people realize that something so tiny we can’t even see it with our eyes can have a huge impact on our lives and that, “things can change forever in an instant.”
“The whole idea was a good idea,” Will Gregoire, 18, of Murray said of the project to create a time capsule.
Jeana Kidney, 17, of Medina said, “everything in the time capsule is significant, I can’t pick one item that is the most important.”
The time capsule will be stored in an archive room in the Education Center on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. Senior Council members say they look forward to seeing it again when they are adults.
“It will be fun to open in 15 years,” said Hugh Gabalski, 14, of Byron.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 November 2020 at 4:32 pm
A reminder the numbers listed as positive/active are current community cases. The recovered numbers are only for community cases and do not include non-county regulated facilities. The total positive cases includes community active/positive, community recovered and all those from non-county regulated facilities. Geneses’s total should say 512.
There are 30 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans County, and 40 more in Genesee in the first update since Tuesday afternoon, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported today.
In Orleans County, the 30 new positive cases of Covid bring the county’s total to 482 cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Gaines, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates.
The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Ten of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
Orleans has also had five of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed from the isolation list.
The Health Department has been notified of a positive student at Holley High School, Albion High School and Lyndonville High School. All of the students were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
Albion also has one staff member at the district office test positive. That person was not on quarantine prior to testing positive.
The individuals are on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual.
One Orleans County resident is hospitalized due to Covid.
Genesee County received 40 new positive cases of Covid-19 and has now had 512 positive cases since March.
Due to the volume of positives, further data will be updated tomorrow, the Health Department said. Staff are working on contact tracing.
The Health Department has been notified of a positive staff member at Batavia High School. The individual is on mandatory isolation until recovered. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual. The school will remain open for learning unless otherwise announced.
The Health Department has been notified of a positive student at Byron-Bergen Jr. /Sr. High School. The individual is on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual. The school will remain open for learning unless otherwise announced.
Please note the Genesee County data will be updated tomorrow.
More updates from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:
• New Restrictions: Effective November 13th at 10:00 p.m. bars, restaurants and gyms, as well as State Liquor Authority-licensed establishments, must close in-person service from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily.
Effective November 13th at 10:00 p.m. indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people outside your family unit currently living at home. We will report future guidance as it is released.
Time-Distance-Masks-Hands!: In order to limit the spread of Covid-19 you need to rethink any upcoming gatherings. The more time you spend with non-household members, the more at risk of spreading the virus and putting our counties in a micro-cluster which will increase restrictions.
Even small gatherings have the potential to have an impact on our hospital systems as we are seeing an increase in hospital admissions and ICU admissions. Limit time with non-household members…Keep at least 6 feet or more…Properly wear a mask/face covering over your nose and mouth…and wash your hands frequently with soap and water or 60% alcohol hand sanitizer, as well as sanitizing frequently touched surfaces/items.
This is each region’s percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days. Orleans County is in the Finger Lakes Region.
• Statewide update: The statewide positivity rate was 2.95 percent on Wednesday with 4,797 new positive cases out of 162,627 tests.
Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that the positive testing rate in all focus areas under the state’s Micro-Cluster strategy is 4.86 percent, and outside the focus zone areas is 2.53 percent. Within the focus areas, 28,906 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 1,406 positives. In the remainder of the state, not counting these focus areas, 133,721 test results were reported, yielding 3,391 positives.
There were 1,677 total hospitalizations from Covid in the state on Wednesday and 29 deaths, bringing the statewide total to 26,055 people who have died from Covid.
“Covid is raging nationally, setting record numbers of cases and hospitalizations with each passing day,” Cuomo said. “While New York is doing better than just about any state in the United States, we are not immune from the national trend. Now it’s up to what we do.
“There is no pre-destined future here. It’s a pure consequence of our actions. If we stay New York Tough and don’t fall subject to Covid fatigue and we stay smart through the holidays, through Thanksgiving, through Christmas, through Hanukkah, we’ll keep it under control. New Yorkers just have to continue to take it seriously. I know it has been a long time, but these next weeks are going to be key and we really need people to buckle down to fend off the tide.”
The rate of Covid-19 infection is increasing in Orleans County. Governor Andrew Cuomo has instituted a new strategy of monitoring and responding to outbreaks of new micro-cluster cases or cases within a specific geographic area.
Our students, faculty and staff have diligently followed our health and safety protocols to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Despite everyone’s best efforts, the rising community spread of the virus could impact our instructional models.
The governor’s micro-cluster strategy uses multiple data points (positivity rate, hospitalizations, population density, contact tracing, etc.) to identify a geographic area by region, county, zip code, or a more granular location. Once an area has been identified, the local Department of Health engages in calibrated and focused containment efforts.
Recently, the governor declared most of Monroe County and most of Northern Erie County to be a “Yellow Zone,” and we are currently observing how this is negatively affecting their school programs.
We want our schools to stay open! On behalf of the students and families in the Orleans County School Districts, we’re asking for your help to ensure schools remain open for in-person instruction. Districts under the Yellow Zone requirements have to test 20% of their students and staff members weekly to continue with face to face instruction. If that 7-day rolling average continues to rise, those districts would be considered Orange Zones and would be forced to go fully remote.
Over the last week, the positivity rate in Orleans County has grown to average nearly 4%. With these escalating positivity rates some or all of our Orleans County school districts could enter a Yellow or Orange Zone, subsequently resulting in a fully remote instructional environment.
Please check this chart (click here) from the governor’s office to see how these rates could impact Orleans County schools and businesses. Currently, the Orleans County 7-day rolling average is 3.7%. In short, the county is getting close to being in a precarious spot as it relates to whether our students can attend school in-person.
We respectfully request that everyone follow the face covering, social distancing, hand washing, and disinfecting protocols our students and staff members adhere to while in school. Our students and staff have done a tremendous job of maintaining a Covid-safe environment while in school. Please help us by following these safety and mitigation procedures outside of school as well. We want our students in school. The only way we can make that happen is to reduce and stabilize the rates of infection within our region.
Thank you once again for your partnership and collaboration. Stay safe and well.
Sincerely,
Brain Bartalo, Superintendent of Holley CSD
Scott Bischoping, Interim Superintendent of Albion CSD
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 November 2020 at 2:23 pm
RIDGEWAY – A fire that started in the kitchen caused extensive damage to a house on Presbyterian Road in Ridgeway last night.
Ronald Schompert was treated for smoke inhalation at a hospital. He was cooking at about 11 p.m. when the fire started in the kitchen.
He was unable to put out the fire and ran outside, yelling for help. A neighbor called 911. A Ridgeway firefighter also saw the scene from the road and called 911.
The fire quickly spread throughout the first and second floors of the house causing extensive damage, said Jeff Gifaldi, chief deputy for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
Provided photos: Bob Hale receives his certificate of appreciation from Laurie Seager, Activities Assistant, and Martin MacKenzie, Administrator, for his service in the US Navy.
MEDINA – Veterans Day was celebrated a bit differently this year at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
Due to the pandemic, the site was unable to have the usual gun salute ceremony by local VFW and American Legion members.
Instead, the 18 veterans were recognized with certificates of appreciation to commend them for their efforts in support of our United States Armed Forces.
Each veteran also received a button to wear donated by The Print Shop. Residents also enjoyed coffee and Case-Nic cookies while listening to patriotic music.
Sharon Laskett, Physical Therapy Aide, presents a certificate to Charles Kellogg, her step-father, for his service in the US Marines.
Frank Ranallo accepts his plaque for service in the US Marines from Jamie Murphy, Activities Director.
Flag cookies and veterans’ pins were available to the 18 veterans at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced cashless tolling will go live on the New York State Thruway’s ticketed system – more than a month ahead of schedule – during the overnight hours of Friday, November 13, into Saturday, November 14.
The historic conversion will take place simultaneously at 58 tolling locations across the Thruway’s 450-mile ticketed system. The ticketed system is the final section of the Thruway to be converted to cashless tolling, meeting a goal Governor Cuomo set in his 2018 State of the State address.
The official switch will take place in the overnight hours to limit impact to traffic. At the time cashless tolling goes live, cash will no longer be accepted as a form of payment at toll booths and printed toll tickets will not be handed out.
To support this transition, NY E-ZPass has released a new TollsNY mobile app to help drivers manage E-ZPass accounts, find and pay Tolls by Mail invoices, and get important account alerts for tolls accrued at Thruway, MTA, and Port Authority tolling sites.
“The completion of this exciting new project will help Thruway travelers save time, as well as reduce traffic, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality all along the system,” Governor Cuomo said. “Getting this cashless tolling system done and getting it done early shows that -even in these trying times – New York will never stop innovating and never stop building for its future.”
Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said, “The conversion to cashless tolling is one of the largest projects in the Thruway’s 66-year history. This unprecedented achievement is a significant milestone that will modernize the Thruway system for millions of drivers and ushers in a new era for toll collection that will benefit generations to come.”
The $355 million design-build project to convert to cashless tolling is transforming and modernizing the Thruway system for approximately 267 million motorists that travel the superhighway each year.
As part of the project, American-made steel gantries with state-of-the-art technology have been installed to replace cash collection at toll booths. Gantries are located over the Thruway or on exit ramps depending on traffic volumes, safety, and other factors. The tolling structure will not change and drivers will continue to be tolled by distance and exits traveled.
The conversion to cashless tolling marks the end of phase one of the project. Phase two, which begins following the conversion, includes the removal of existing toll plazas. During the interchange reconstruction, drivers will continue to travel through existing toll lanes at reduced speeds without stopping until the booths are removed and road reconfigurations are complete. Drivers should expect traffic shifts and must use caution around the toll plazas during this time, as these will be active construction zones. The posted speed limit when traveling through the toll lanes will be 20 MPH.
When system-wide cashless tolling is operational, motorists will experience non-stop travel under gantries with state-of-the-art sensors and cameras that read E-ZPass tags and take license plate images. The system consists of more than 2,000 state-of-the-art cameras affixed to the gantries.
Vehicles with E-ZPass tags are automatically charged and vehicles without E-ZPass tags will have their license plate image captured and a toll bill mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle via Tolls by Mail. Non E-ZPass customers have a number of options to pay including by mail, over the phone, online, and via the TollsNY app. Customers who call **826 from most mobile devices will receive a text message with a link to the Tolls by Mail website and information on how to pay their toll bill.
Motorists are encouraged to sign up for E-ZPass, the easiest and quickest way to pay tolls on the NYS Thruway. All drivers, regardless of residency, can sign up for a New York E-ZPass account at E-ZPassNY.com or by calling the E-ZPass Toll Free Customer Service Center at 800-333-TOLL (8655). Customers can login to their account at e-zpassny.com for more information.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 November 2020 at 1:03 pm
‘She’ll be a role model for any lady who wants to become a firefighter or EMS member.’ – Dale Banker, county EMO director
EAST SHELBY – When Debbie Taylor first joined East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company at age 21, she had no thought of becoming a longtime member, let alone, be named fire chief, the first woman from Orleans County in that role.
Taylor received the honor at the fire company’s Nov. 3 meeting.
David Green, who will celebrate 60 years as a member on Dec. 13, has served in many positions, including chief. He had nothing but praise for Taylor, who he called loyal, hard working and dedicated.
“She’s been a member for quite a few years, and she works hard,” Green said. “She is quick to learn things, she’s well organized and she’s got the personality to do a really great job.”
Taylor changed positions with former chief Andy Beach, who has a new baby at home and is very busy on his farm. He was anxious to step down, Taylor said.
After joining East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company at age 21, Taylor moved away and then came back and rejoined. She’s been a member now for 16 years. She said joining the fire company was a natural thing.
“I grew up watching the TV show ‘Emergency,” and when I married Jeff, both he and his father were members of East Shelby fire company.”
When she first joined, she said the thought of becoming chief wasn’t even on her radar.
“I just wanted to do something for my community,” she said.
Debbie Taylor, who was just elected chief of the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company on Nov. 3, is dwarfed next to their new pumper/tanker, Truck No. 36.
Serving the fire company is a family activity of the Taylors. Husband Jeff is fire captain and son Devin is first assistant chief. Debbie has worked her way up from lieutenant, to captain and 2nd assistant chief. She hopes to some day pass the chief’s hat to her son.
“There is no competition among us,” Debbie said. “We have a great fire company and we all work very well together. The fire company is my second family.”
Jeff was first assistant chief, and he stepped back so Devin and Debbie could advance.
Debbie drives school bus for the Medina School District, so she would usually be free to answer a fire call.
“I’m still going to be learning things, with all the modern technology,” Debbie said. “It’s always changing.”
‘We have a great fire company and we all work very well together. The fire company is my second family.’ – Debbie Taylor, East Shelby fire chief
She is not intimidated by driving even the biggest fire truck. She has had her CDL license since she was 19 and got it to drive milk truck.
The biggest challenge, Debbie said, is the fact of the unknown when responding to a call.
“You don’t know what you’re going to encounter,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of help from Dale Banker, director of Orleans County Emergency Management, and Jerry Bentley (deputy coordinator).”
Banker said having the first woman chief is a great thing for the county.
“She’ll be a role model for any lady who wants to become a firefighter or EMS member,” he said. “As long as they are properly trained, a woman can do well in a firefighting role.”
He said the county is fortunate to have several women coming up the ranks, any one of whom he wouldn’t be surprised to see become chief of their fire company. These include Kristin McAdoo, who is assistant chief of Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company; Crystal Luckman and her sister Tiffany Petry in Shelby; Sue Maslyn, EMS captain in Kendall; Patty Knapp, EMS captain in Holley; and Robin Hughson, captain in Carlton.
“I look forward to working with Debbie, or any of the ladies,” Banker said. “With the shortage of firefighters and EMS personnel, these women fill an important role.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 November 2020 at 11:44 am
Jeremiah James, left, plans to partner with former American Fast Track racing champion Brad Baker to start a cold brew coffee business. James and Baker have both broken their backs racing. Baker is paralyzed since his accident in July 2018.
GAINES – As of Tuesday night, the Microenterprise Assistance Program has graduated 545 potential new business owners.
Tuesday night’s graduation at the Village Inn saw seven more individuals move one step closer to fulfilling their ambitions.
Graduates in attendance at the closing celebration included Christine Fancher of Gaines who plans to open a pet care/dog walking business; Thom and Tracy Jennings of Albion who will open a bake-to-order bagel business called Papa Thom’s Rockin Bagels; Debbie Kluth of Kendall, a paralegal who wants to offer her services as a freelance paralegal; Megan Davenport of Medina, who hopes to open a retail pet supply business in Medina; and Jeremiah James, who plans to partner with Brad Baker of Michigan to operate Blue Groove Coffee Cart/Blue Groove Cold Brew coffee trucks.
James and Baker formerly raced motorcycles and both have suffered broken backs. Baker was the American Fast Track national grand champion until he broke his back in July 2018 and is paralyzed. He attended Tuesday’s graduation with James.
Baker said where he lives in Michigan, there are drive-thru cold brew coffee stands on every corner. James is working with a coffee plantation in Papua, New Guinea to provide the best produce available. His business will offer multiple flavors of cold cappuccino, all made in-house. He eventually expects to bring in $800 to $1,000 a day in his first year. By year three, he told fellow graduates he plans by year three to have coffee trucks in Rochester and Syracuse.
“The cold brew market is on the rise,” James told the class. “In 2020 sales are expected to hit a record. Thirty percent of the coffee drank in the United States is cold brewed.”
James formerly worked in a motorcycle shop and raced until three years ago, when he broke his back.
He said then he knew he had to change.
James and Baker met on Instagram and just met in person when Baker came to Albion on Monday.
James credits the Microenterprise program and his mentor Jon Costello for helping him get started.
Diane Blanchard gets ready to cut the cake celebrating the graduation of seven people Tuesday at the Village Inn.
Chris Fancher has been volunteer coordinator and social worker at Hospice of Orleans, where she also is administrator of their Pet Peace of Mind Program. She decided to pursue her own pet care/dog walking business, called Fancher’s Fur Babies, after reading about the Microenterprise Assistance Program on the Hub.
She loves animals and loves walking, and thought the Microenterprise Assistance Program offered a wonderful opportunity. She will care for pets in her clients’ homes or her own. She would like to be able to care for five pets a week and offer boarding. Her five-year goal is to grow the business to where it is her sole source of income.
Thom and Tracy Jennings came up with the idea of a bagel business during the pandemic shutdown. Tracy works in finance at the Iroquois Job Corps. She has a background in banking and baking. Thom was formerly a restaurant manager has always liked to make bread, so he suggested he try making bagels.
There is no shop that specializes in bagels in Orleans County, and currently bagels are only available at Tim Hortons, Dunkin Donuts and grocery stores. In May the Jennings started making bagels in their kitchen. In July they moved to the commercial kitchen at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Thom loves music and incorporates a musical component in every bagel.
“Each bagel we make will have the name of a song we play,” he said.
Seated at the head table at the Microenterprise Class graduation Tuesday at the Village Inn are, from left, program director Diane Blanchard, mentor Dorothy Daniels, county legislator and EDA board member Ken DeRoller and Jon Costello, mentor with SCORE.
The Jennings are upgrading a commercial mixer at the fairgrounds with a small loan from a family friend who wants to support them.
They will gradually add other complimentary items to their menu. They bake on Friday nights and deliver on Saturdays.
They credit their mentor Dorothy Daniels for helping them get established.
Debbie Kluth of Kendall took the Microenterprise Assistance Class to help further her ambition of becoming a freelance paralegal. She plans to provide notary public services, estate planning and real estate transactions.
“With 38 years of experience in various areas of law, and with knowledge gained from MAP, I feel very qualified in my field,” Kluth told the class.
Megan Davenport
Megan Davenport of Medina explained the reasons she wants to open a retail pet store in Medina.
“The pet industry was a $76 billion industry, even during the pandemic,” she said.
She hopes to open a brick and mortar store in Medina and be debt-free in three years. She said, according to the Humane Society, the majority of homes have at least one pet. While mass marketing stores and big box stores offer lower prices, they also offer lower quality. Other stores, she said, like tractor supply stores, offer less choice selection.
Davenport, who currently works at Takeform, has 25 years managerial experience and 15 years in sales. She boasts strong customer relations skills. She doesn’t plan to give up her full time job.
Two other Microenterprise graduates were unable to attend Tuesday’s ceremony. They are Jenna Chevier of Albion, whose business is Event Planner, dba Eventageous Media & Marketing; and Dawn Manchester of Middleport, who took over the family business, Travel Trailer Center.
Michelle Gallo
Tuesday’s graduation class also welcomed two guest speakers, both graduates of the Microenterprise Assistance Class.
Two successful individuals to take the class are Rich and Michelle Gallo, who graduated almost two years ago. The Gallos took the class for guidance and low-interest financing to purchase a tow truck business. Soon after going into business, they had the opportunity to purchase a junkyard in Brockport. Nearing two years in business, the couple just completed the year with $1 million in gross sales.
“Our next goal is to hit $5 million next year,” Michelle said.
They aren’t content to stop there, and have just purchased a bar and grill in Hamlin.
Her advice to the students is, “Be determined, be driven. You always have to have that entrepreneurial spirit. Push for that next level. And don’t hesitate to reach out to Diane if you need help.”
Natasha Wasuck
The other guest speaker, Natasha Wasuck of Spencerport, took the class last year.
“I had a vision,” she said.
Wasuck and her husband John Hernandez had already bought a building on North Main Street and were renovating it when they decided to take the Microenterprise class.
“The class was great and Jon worked with us,” Wasuck said about Costello. “His advice was make sure we do our due diligence. ‘Make sure there is a need for your business,’ he said.”
Tinsel, their ice cream shop, opened in June 2019. The other part of their business, a wedding/event venue, suffered from the pandemic, but Wasuck said the weddings which were canceled have all rescheduled for next year.
Her advice to graduates was to “Be sure it’s something you are passionate about. When you choose to be an entrepreneur, you are choosing to work for yourself. I believe if one business is successful, it will rub off on others in the area. Most important, don’t give up.”
The evening concluded with cake and awarding of certificates to the graduates.
The Microenterprise Assistance Program traditionally has two classes per year.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 November 2020 at 9:18 am
MEDINA – Honoring veterans has been a tradition for the American Legion and VFW posts in Medina for decades.
Each Veterans Day, several dozen members of the local posts visit all the memorials in Medina, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the American Legion, the Company F Memorial in front of Medina Armory (now the YMCA), the Korean War Memorial on Park Avenue, the tank in front of Oak Orchard Elementary School and the Butts-Clark Memorial in Butts Park on South Main Street.
This is the first year the veterans haven’t visited the veterans’ plot at Boxwood Cemetery. Also, for the first time this year, the veterans fired a tribute at the historic cannon in State Street Park, which was restored a year ago.
The ceremony at each memorial included a reading by David Kusmierczak, playing of Taps by Don Hinman, and a three-gun salute.
Typically, Veterans’ Day would begin with breakfast at the VFW, but because of Covid, that was discontinued this year.
Jim Freas, front, addresses the Honor Guard as they prepare to fire at the Vietnam Memorial at the American Legion in Medina. The Legion and VFW have fired at all the memorials in Medina on every Veterans Day for years.
Dave Kusmierczak salutes after reading a tribute to veterans in front of the Company F Memorial on Wednesday morning.
Don Hinman plays Taps for ceremonies at the veterans’ memorials in Medina on Memorial Day. He plays here at the cannon in State Street Park.
Members of the American Legion and VFW in Medina fire a tribute at the Company F Memorial in front of Medina Armory (Orleans County YMCA) on Wednesday morning.
Preservation group says Main Street losing stores to Big Box
Photo by Tom Rivers: Fred Miller, owner of Family Hardware in Albion, is shown at his store on Sept. 13, 2019. He closed the store that month after owning it for 33 years. Miller once had 8 to 10 employees, but was running the operation by himself at the end. Miller said then there are far fewer do-it-yourselfers these days. Many local residents either hire out work around the house or neglect home improvement projects. “People used to do more projects,” he said. “We used to have people lined up here at 8 in the morning. They knew how to do things with their hands. They could do projects – faucets, toilets, outlets, plumbing and electrical.”
Press Release, Landmark Society of Western New York
The heart of preservation is community revitalization. In 2013, we launched the Five to Revive program, a list that calls attention to five properties in Western New York that are in need of investment. Whether buildings, landscapes, or structures, they are significant historic properties whose rehabilitations can become catalytic projects for the neighborhoods and communities that surround them.
Each year, these five properties become priority projects for Landmark Society staff and programs as we work collaboratively with owners, municipal officials, and developers to facilitate investment and foster rehabilitation. The ultimate goal is to return these important historic resources to a place of prominence in their respective communities, as economic and social assets that spark even more investment and revitalization.
The Neighborhood Hardware Store
It’s where you go for your old-house DIY supplies, an obscure refrigerator part, or a friendly bit of advice. The neighborhood hardware store provides more than just hammers and nails or paint chips and dropcloths; it’s a resource for homeowners, weekend warriors, and contractors alike.
Knowledgeable, attentive, and helpful staff are on-hand to find you just the right nail or to help walk you through your DIY project. Like the neighborhood bakery, coffee shop, or butcher, the small, locally owned hardware store distinguishes itself from the big box stores with its customer service and personalized care for you, the customer. Whether located in an urban neighborhood or rural village, the local hardware store is a convenient, easy to access, part of the urban fabric.
Unfortunately, like other locally owned businesses, the neighborhood hardware store has become an increasingly rare resource. Stiff competition from corporate-owned stores has forced many out of business. Demographic and cultural shifts back to urban cores and reinvestment in rural villages could help reverse this trend.
With this listing, we seek to highlight the locally-owned, often family-run, neighborhood hardware stores that continue to provide quality service to our western New York communities and to encourage historic homeowners to shop local.
Photos courtesy of Landmark Society of WNY
Williams Opera House – Village of Attica, Wyoming County
Built in 1879, the former Williams Opera House is a distinctive example of the Romanesque style. Located in the Exchange Street Historic District, it is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in Attica’s downtown commercial core.
The building has had several uses over the years; most recently it was used as a racquetball court, resulting in the complete enclosure of the historic, two-story opera hall space. Plans for a re-imagined Opera House, prompted by a new owner in 2018, were delayed when the building suffered a partial collapse of its rear wall during a windstorm in early 2020.
Today, the building has been stabilized but requires additional structural investigation as well as an extensive rehabilitation. With several successful historic tax credit projects completed in downtown Attica and a motivated owner, there is still potential to revive this community icon.
692 Joseph Avenue – Future home of the Joseph Avenue Arts & Culture Alliance / Former Congregation B’Nai Israel City of Rochester, Monroe County
Located in Rochester’s northeast quadrant, 692 Joseph Avenue was built in 1928 as the Congregation B’Nai Israel synagogue. The congregation left the building in 1961 and it has been vacant since.
The Joseph Avenue Arts and Culture Alliance acquired the property in 2015, with plans to convert the former synagogue into a community center. The Arts and Culture Alliance has been actively fundraising and successfully providing quality arts programming to the community for years. However, the organization still faces significant (and mounting) rehabilitation expenses, especially during an economic crisis.
67-89 Canal Street – City of Rochester, Monroe County
This large, brick industrial building in the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood was built in two stages—in the late 19th century for the James Cunningham & Son Company and between 1900-10 to house a shoe manufacturing facility.
With open floor plans, large windows, its location adjacent to Main Street and downtown, and its listing in the National Register of Historic Places, this property is an ideal candidate for adaptive reuse.
Other former industrial buildings in the neighborhood have been converted to new uses, such as the Carriage Factory Apartments, which provides affordable housing and supportive services for income-eligible tenants. East House and MM Development Advisors are currently partnering on a proposed redevelopment project that would adapt the building into a mix of supportive and affordable housing units and tackle needed environmental remediation. The success of such a large- scale project requires, however, significant financial investment, particularly challenging during difficult economic times.
Clarissa Street Corridor – City of Rochester, Monroe County
Located in Rochester’s Third Ward neighborhood (today known as Corn Hill), Clarissa Street has long been a focal point of African American culture and history. As early as the 1830s, Reverend Thomas James established the A.M.E. Zion Church in the Third Ward, a building that would become a stop on the Underground Railroad and where, in 1847, Frederick Douglass would publish the first editions of his abolitionist newspaper, The North Star. In the 1970s, A.M.E. Zion relocated to Clarissa Street. In 1922 the African American YWCA was founded at 192 Clarissa Street.
By the mid-20th century, as a result of the Great Migration, the African American population in Rochester had more than tripled. Racist housing policies such as red-lining confined most Black residents to one of two neighborhoods—the Third or Seventh Wards. This led to overcrowding, concentrated poverty, and sub-standard housing conditions in the Third Ward.
At the same time, Clarissa Street became a hub of commercial activity for the neighborhood. As elder resident, Howard Griffin, recounts in Clarissa Uprooted, a documentary produced in 2020 by Teen Empowerment and the Clarissa Street Reunion Committee, “You really didn’t have to go downtown to shop for anything. Everything you needed was in the neighborhood.”
The corridor functioned as a self- contained village with restaurants, grocery stores, barber shops, jazz clubs, and a family-like sense of community. By the 1950s, Clarissa Street had also become a center of Rochester’s vibrant jazz scene. Clubs like the Pythodd (1953-1973) and Shep’s Paradise (1968-2002) became iconic gathering spaces. In Clarissa Uprooted, historian Dr. David Anderson explains that, “Clarissa Street is the foundation of Afro Rochester.”
In the decade following the July 1964 uprising, however, government-sponsored urban renewal cleared large swaths of the Third Ward, decimating much of Clarissa Street. The Pythodd Club was demolished in the 1970s. Today, the streetscape along Clarissa bears almost no resemblance to the once-thriving corridor that held a vibrant community of businesses and residents. The site of the Pythodd Club at the corner Clarissa and Troup St remains a parking lot. The former home of Shep’s Paradise is one of only two commercial buildings that remain standing.
But current and former residents—elders who experienced Clarissa Street and the jazz scene in their mid-century heyday—have been working to revive the corridor and preserve its stories. The Clarissa Street Reunion Committee has organized the annual Clarissa Street Reunion since 1996. This past year, they teamed up with Youth History Ambassadors from Teen Empowerment to produce the documentary, Clarissa Uprooted, that tells the story of this corridor’s cultural legacy.
With this listing, we support the ongoing work of the Clarissa Street Reunion Committee and Teen Empowerment as they share Clarissa Street’s past and chart a course for its future.
When it comes to commitment and dedication to battling opioid addiction in rural areas, the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force shines brightly.
That’s the viewpoint of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, which has awarded the local collaborative organization with a 2020 Community Star.
The award is given to only one rural entity in New York State.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized by the NOSORH,” said Christen Ferraro, GOW Opioid Task Force project coordinator. “It is a tribute to the efforts of the hundreds of people in the tri-county area who volunteer their time and work together to help end opioid addiction and overdose.”
The honor is being presented in conjunction with National Rural Health Day on Nov. 19, according to the NOSORH.
Ferraro said an e-book publication featuring the GOW Opioid Task Force’s story, along with the other winners, will be released on that date on the NRHD website. The link to the story also will be posted on the GOW Opioid Task Force website – www.gowopioidtaskforce.org – and on its Facebook page.
The NOSORH singled out the local outreach for its flexibility in delivering key services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the pandemic hit Western New York, the task force shifted its education efforts online. Virtual Narcan trainings were held and kits were mailed to participants. Since these online trainings began, more than 150 community members have been trained, and for 2020, more than 300 have received this training.
“We knew we had to make adjustments so our community could continue to have access to these needed resources,” Ferraro said. “The positive response we received from the community was overwhelming, and we definitely plan to utilize this new way of education to help continue supporting our rural community in these difficult times.”
The task force, which is supported by the Greater Rochester Health Foundation and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, currently has more than 400 members from across the tri-county region.
Members represent various sectors of the community, including public health, mental health, human services, local government, substance use disorder treatment and recovery agencies, law enforcement, EMS, faith-based groups, health systems and medical practitioners, education, businesses, concerned individuals, families, and individuals in recovery.
The NOSORH founded National Rural Health Day as a way to showcase rural America, increase awareness of rural health-related challenges and promote the efforts of NOSORH, State Offices of Rural Health and others in addressing those challenges, said Teryl Eisinger, the agency’s chief executive officer.
An estimated 57 million people – nearly one in five Americans – live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States.
“These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are wonderful places to live and work; they are places where neighbors know each other and work together,” Eisinger said. “The hospitals and providers serving these rural communities not only provide quality patient care, but they also help keep good jobs in rural America.”
These communities also face unique healthcare needs.
“Today more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens,” she said. “Meanwhile, rural hospitals are threatened with declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels that makes it challenging to serve their residents.”
All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to, and the quality of, health care for its rural citizens.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 November 2020 at 5:08 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Members of the Honor Guard were present today for a dedication service at 1 p.m. for a new veterans’ memorial at Courthouse Square.
The Knights of Columbus, Albion Council #1330, took the lead in the project.
The headstone for the monument includes the inscription: “Dedicated to our courageous brothers and sisters of this community who served our country in times of peace and war. We thank them for their service. And especially to those who gave their lives in that service. May God grant them eternal rest.”
The stone includes the insignias of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Army National Guard and Merchant Marine.
Greg Dugan, the grand knight for the Knights of Columbus in Albion, speaks to a crowd of about 50 at the dedication ceremony.
The new flag pole includes a flag that recognizes the different branches of the military.
Dugan, a local barber since 1991, said many of his customers over the years have been veterans. He mentioned the late Albion Town Justice Bill Larimer, who was a POW in World War II. Dugan noted the late Rocco Sidari and Charles Shervin. Other current customers, including Ben Jones, currently serve in the military. Jones just returned from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I’ve had contact with so many veterans, young and old, since 1991,” Dugan said before today’s ceremony.
Once they are in the barber chair, Dugan said many veterans open up and share about their experiences, including in combat.
Dugan thanked Orleans County officials for supporting the project and allowing it to be in a prominent place in the community.
“It’s been a heart-warming and amazing experience,” he said.
This group salutes and stands at attention while Taps is played. Pictured from left include Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Vietnam War veteran Charlie Nesbitt, County Legislator Don Allport, Medina veteran Dave Kusmierczak, Orleans County Veterans Service Agency Director Nancy Traxler and Greg Dugan, grand knight of the K of C in Albion.
The memorial includes two granite benches. One bench has an inscription, “To Commemorate.” The other has the words, “To Heal.”
“Thank you for taking the time to remember our veterans,” Dugan told the crowd today. “They never gave up on us and we can’t give up on them.”
Rebecca (Hucknall) Platt of Medina was part of the Honor Guard today. She is nearing 20 years in the U.S. Air Force.
Charlie Nesbitt, a decorated helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, addresses the crowd at the Courthouse Square. He urged the group to take in deep breaths of air and take in their surroundings, with several churches on the Square. In the U.S. people have freedom to attend whatever church they want and to enjoy their surroundings.
“Thank you to the Knights of Columbus for taking the initiative,” Nesbitt said about the new monument. “What a wonderful example to give honor to those who served.”
County Legislator Don Allport said the United States has had brave citizens step forward to defend the country for nearly 250 years.
“I thank God every day for you,” he said about veterans. “Memorials are a reminder of the sacrifices made by those standing in the line and from their families back home.”
Nancy Traxler, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency, said Americans continue to serve the country all over the world.
“It’s not the powerful and sophisticated weapons that make us the greatest military in the world,” she said. “It’s your bravery and skill.”
Nick Fitzak of Medina, a Marine, joined other veterans in the Honor Guard for the ceremony.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley said the freedoms of Americans have come at a great cost, borne by veterans since the Revolutionary War.
He urged people to honor veterans every day. That could be through volunteering at the VA and donating to causes that benefit veterans.
“Or you could look a veteran in the eye and say, ‘Thank you.’”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 November 2020 at 3:12 pm
Private gatherings also will be limited to 10 people
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, concerned with the spiking number of Covid-19 cases in the state, announced new restrictions that take effect on Friday at 10 p.m.
The governor said bars and restaurants licensed by the State Liquor Authority must close by 10 p.m. and can reopen at 5 a.m. Restaurants will be limited to curbside, food-only pickup after 10 p.m., beginning Friday. The State Liquor Authority will issue further guidance for licensees as to what sales are continued to be permitted.
Cuomo also said gyms must close at 10 p.m. each night beginning Friday and private gatherings in homes will be limited to no more than 10 people.
The 10-person limit will be implemented due to the recent prevalence of Covid spread resulting from small indoor gatherings including Halloween parties, Cuomo said. These gatherings have become a major cause of cluster activity across the state, he said.
“I need the local governments to enforce this,” Cuomo said in a conference call with reporters today. “We went through this with bars and restaurants once before if you remember. We put rules in place. There was widespread lack of compliance and local governments – some did a good job, some really did not. We then had to put together a state task force to do the enforcement. This is statewide. I don’t have the resources to do it, so I need the local governments to do it.”
The governor said this public health measure brings New York State in line with neighboring states including Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The governor said the statistics show Covid is on the rise in the state.
• On Tuesday there were 4,820 new positive cases (2.93 percent positive rate) in the state, 1,628 hospitalizations and 21 Covid deaths.
• On Monday there were 3,925 new positive cases (3.09 percent), 1,548 hospitalizations and 32 Covid deaths.
• On Sunday there were 3,144 new positive cases (2.82 percent positive rate), 1,444 hospitalizations and 26 Covid deaths.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 11 November 2020 at 12:18 pm
MEDINA – The Vietnam Veterans Memorial next to the Butts-Clark American Legion Post in Medina has recently undergone an updating, with the addition of a flower bed and sandstone edging.
The work was done by Vietnam veteran David Walker and his friend Tom Beach, who have been friends since before the Vietnam War era.
“When I returned from Vietnam, Tom was the first one to recognize my service,” Walker said.
Walker lives across the road from the American Legion and didn’t like the way the memorial was looking.
“I got tired of sitting on my porch and watching the grass grow up around the monument,” Walker said. “I asked the Legion why they didn’t take better care of it, and they said it belonged to the village.”
The monument consists of a large stone with a plaque of the names of the seven soldiers from Medina who were killed in Vietnam. They are Rolland Shubbuck, who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Roger Cook, Charles Seefeldt Jr., LeRoy Keller, Nicholas Natale, John Albanese and George Underdown.
“I went to school with all of them except Shubbuck,” Walker said. “I came home alive and intact and these guys didn’t. People don’t realize the brotherhood of those in the military. “
For that reason, Walker wanted to see their memorial taken care of.
The memorial sits at the north end of the Legion on the bank of the Erie Canal. It is backed by a large American flag and bullets from a cannon stand on either side.
