Press Release, Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
COVID-19 is not about to stop the GOW Opioid Task Force from continuing its vision of collaboration and engagement leading to a community free from opioid-related deaths and overdoses.
Task Force Coordinator Christen Ferraro today announced that the group will conduct its first virtual quarterly meeting from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Oct. 22 via Zoom videoconferencing.
“Now, more than ever, it is important we continue the conversation surrounding the opioid crisis,” Ferraro said. “This new virtual setting of our quarterly meeting will help us to do that and reach even more of the communities across our tri-county region.”
Ferraro said the meeting will focus on the topic of non-opioid alternatives to pain management.
“Two local professionals have agreed to share their knowledge on this topic with an opportunity for questions to follow,” she said. “This meeting is open to the public and the community is invited to learn more on this topic and share any questions they may have.”
To register, visit www.gowopioidtaskforce.org for more details. Once registered, a confirmation email will be sent with Zoom information and a link to join.
The task force, serving Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, currently has more than 350 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.
BATAVIA – In just a few weeks, on Monday, Oct. 26, faculty at GCC will start seven-week session classes, the last session of the fall semester.
These hand-selected courses cover all of the content included in a full semester-long course over a drastically accelerated timeline and delivered through completely remote and online modalities.
The courses offered during this unique session are designed to help students to meet their general education and program course requirements on time or ahead of schedule. For added convenience and in conjunction with the current pandemic-related guidance, all seven-week session classes are offered completely online. To apply, click here.
Both College Composition (ENG101) and Composition in the Natural and Social Sciences (ENG102) are being offered which greatly helps those students who were unable to take these courses in earlier semesters.
In total, this session offers courses that cover five different General Education categories for students.
There are also a number of courses specific to a variety of majors but that also could serve as electives for others. Perhaps two of the most widely applicable options include Principles of Business (BUS101) and Introduction to Computers (CIS102) which are also both starting Oct. 26.
Of particular interest to those future fashion designers, merchandisers, and others pursuing a future in fashion, courses like Principles of Fashion Merchandising (FBM101) and of Textiles (FBM115) are available at this time.
To participate in GCC’s next online Instant Admit Days on either Oct. 8 and 13, register by clicking here. In addition, GCC will host virtual Open House sessions on Oct. 17 and Nov. 11 and the College’s 360 Virtual Tour is always available.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 October 2020 at 12:08 pm
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jim Punch, who has agreed to oversee the medical equipment loan closet for Medina Lions, points out the many hospital beds which are available for loan. The Medina Lions have been given free storage space for the equipment at the Pickle Factory on Park Avenue.
MEDINA – The first actual meeting of Medina Lions since the Covid pandemic was packed with special announcements.
The Club met Tuesday night at Shelridge Country Club, where several special projects were unveiled and Lion’s District Governor Mike Donnor was introduced as guest speaker.
A highlight of the meeting was ja presentation by Jim Punch, who has agreed to head the Medical Equipment Loan Program which Medina Lions have taken over from Lyndonville Lions. Twenty other Medina Lions have volunteered to help with the program.
The program has been run by Lyndonville Lions for decades, with Russ Martino heading it there. Martino this year decided it was getting to be too much and he wanted to step down from his position. The program was offered to Medina Lions, who met to discuss it and decided it was something they could in keeping with their mission, “We serve.” A small portion of the program will remain in Lyndonville, with a student group from Lyndonville High School overseeing it.
The Medina Lions have been given free storage space by Roger Hungerford in the Pickle Factory on Park Avenue. The Lions spent a recent day moving in all the equipment from Martino’s barn and his parents’ home and organizing it at the Pickle Factory. The equipment includes hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers, rollators, canes, crutches, commodes, shower chairs and other medical items.
In its first days of running the program, Punch said they had already loaned out two hospital beds.
“Our reward is the gratitude of the families we help,” Punch said. “It costs thousands to buy a hospital bed.”
“This program saves the community thousands of dollars,” said Medina Lions president Billy Roman.
Anyone in Orleans and Eastern Niagara County may borrow equipment from the loan closet by calling (585) 205-3502. In Lyndonville, calls may be made to (585) 281-4126.
Other Lion business included announcement of this year’s Parade of Lights by Jim Hancock, and acknowledgement of members who worked at the Albion soup kitchen. In addition, five new members have been inducted into the club: Frank Messore, Kelly Uderitz, Tom Beach, Annette Oakes and Tim Winters.
Jim Punch addresses the Medina Lions Club during a meeting Tuesday night at Shelridge Country Club, where he explained the medical loan closet they have taken over from Lyndonville Lions. Seated is guest speaker Lion’s District governor Mike Donnor, left, and Medina Lion’s president Billy Roman.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 October 2020 at 9:47 am
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Jim Hancock, a member of Medina Lions Club, announces plans for the Parade of Lights this holiday season to the Lions at their first dinner meeting since the pandemic on Tuesday night at Shelridge Country Club.
MEDINA – One of the most successful events to take place in Medina during the past decade is the Parade of Lights, held each year for 11 years the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Jim Hancock, who has chaired every event said, in spite of the pandemic, they are planning a Parade of Lights this year on Nov. 28, although it will have a different format.
To assure social distancing, this year’s parade will be in a reverse format. That is, the floats will be lined up along a route, probably the Medina Central School Campus, while cars will drive by to view them. Initial planning has cars entering at Oak Orchard School, going through the school grounds and exiting onto Maple Ridge Road.
“This parade has become a tradition, and we didn’t want to let a year go by without doing something,” Hancock said. “This has been a strange year, but we felt it was easier to keep the tradition going rather than try to start it up next year.”
Hancock said they have a lot of things to work out logistically, such as spacing entries the right distance apart. He said they have already sent surveys to all entrants from last year and 60 percent said they would come back this year.
Two new entries have already been received from groups, Hancock said.
The parade committee has already started fundraising for the parade, and further details will be forthcoming as soon as they are figured out, he said. They plan to meet with the village and Medina Police Department for traffic control.
The parade is self-supporting, due to donations from corporations, businesses, organizations and individuals, Hancock said.
There will be no fireworks prior to the parade this year, but the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place as usual at Rotary Park, however, the time has yet to be set.
Hancock said they have a work in progress to make Medina a Village of Lights. They want to urge village residents to decorate their homes and “light up Medina.”
This year’s parade will offer the same prizes as usual. Entry forms or sponsorship forms can be found on the Christmasinmedina.com website. A video is also available on the site.
Hancock urges every group or business to consider entering a float in the parade. The most entries in one year were 50, but other years have averaged between 35 and 40
Hancock said with so many events canceled or postponed this year, they felt the parade would be a nice diversion for people.
“We are doing everything to make it safe and enjoyable,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 October 2020 at 9:04 am
BARRE – The Barre Town Board is reinstating its workshop for 5 p.n. on Oct. 14 at the Town Hall to discuss proposed changes in for wind energy regulations.
The town scheduled a public hearing on Sept. 28 about the changes but cancelled that so neighboring towns and counties could be notified that Barre was considering changes in the zoning.
Barre is expected to set a new date for the public hearing at the Oct. 14 meeting.
Among the revisions proposed include increasing the maximum height of a wind turbine, from tip height, to 700 feet. The town currently sets the limit at 500 feet.
Apex Clean Energy is proposing wind turbines that would be a maximum 680 feet high as part of a 33-turbine Heritage Wind project in Barre.
The zoning amendments also would set the setbacks from property lines to be at least 1.5 times the tip height of a turbine, and that is for non-participating land owners or those without leases for a turbine.
The zoning changes also would revise standards for noise levels for wind turbines, shadow flicker and construction hours. The town also is looking to add requirements for aircraft detection lighting and for decommissioning of the turbines.
The meeting on Oct. 14 will be limited to nine individuals or resident groups (husband and wife) to allow for social distancing, said Sean Pogue, the Barre town supervisor.
People can also call (585) 589-5100 to listen in on the discussion. Callers should press 5 and when asked then press 4321.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 October 2020 at 8:09 am
KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension was notified it will have 294 boxes of food to give away on Friday morning.
The Extension initially wasn’t on the schedule for the food distribution this month at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The distribution will be smaller than past ones at the fairgrounds, with about 300 boxes compared to more than 1,000 at other recent events.
Each vehicle can receive a box that contains about 30-40 pounds of produce, dairy and meat.
This is a first come, first served opportunity. Distribution will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end when all boxes have been handed out. Times may vary due to delivery.
The schedule for the rest of the month includes:
• Friday, October 16th – New location at Clarendon Fire Hall, behind the Fire Hall at 16169 E. Lee Road (Route 31A). No lines before 8 a.m., line up to the east on 31A-north side of 31, if needed, north on Hulberton Road.
• Friday, October 23rd – Ridgeway Fire Department, 11392 Ridge Road, Medina – no lines before 8 a.m. The entrance will be on Horan Road and the line will be facing north towards Ridge Road. Exit will be on to Ridge Road
• Friday, October 30th – This event will be at the Community Action Main Street Store, 131 S. Main Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2020 at 9:01 pm
Photos courtesy of Dirk Climenhaga
ALBION – This snapping turtle was vulnerable in the middle of Albion-Eagle Harbor Road, headed for the Erie Canal this afternoon.
Dirk Climenhaga and Doug Egling stopped to help the turtle get across the road. The turtle initially was upset to be offered help, but Egling and Climenhaga used a blanket and a board to get the turtle out of the road and onto rocks by the canal.
“He was snapping and cranking is head every which way,” Climenhaga said. “He kept snapping on the blanket, but the board helped to flip him on his back and in the blanket. He was confused, until we got him set up right side up on to rock. It took him less than a minute to waddle done the rocks an into the canal.”
Climenhaga expects it will have an easygoing winter in the canal mud.
New fee squashed efforts to run major line through Orleans, county leader says
Press Release, State Sen. Robert Ortt
New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt was joined by Orleans County Legislature Chair Lynne Johnson and Niagara County Legislator Dave Godfrey at a press conference today calling on Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature to repeal a fee on broadband installers that could threaten the expansion of broadband into under-served rural communities.
Ortt explained that a new fee on broadband installers was approved in the New York State budget in April. It requires the state Department of Transportation to collect new fees from companies that build lines in state right-of-ways or under highways. Ortt said if this initial fee isn’t bad enough, it also requires these companies to then pay an annual fee per foot of broadband, which calls into question the economic feasibility of expanding in rural areas where fewer customers make it more difficult to recoup the cost of such fees.
“Access to quality internet has never been more important as most school students are doing some, if not all, of their learning remotely, many adults continue to work from home and telemedicine is expanding” said Ortt. “This puts rural communities with poor internet connectivity at a major disadvantage. And as many of us are working to get internet service providers to expand into under-served communities, the state comes along and implements a new fee that actually discourages this expansion. It’s terrible policy and needs to be repealed.”
The Niagara Orleans Rural Alliance, led by legislators from both counties, has been working on the rural broadband problem for close to seven years and has been making progress, according to Lynne Johnson, Chair of the Orleans County Legislature and co-chair of NORA.
“We have some significant achievements, including being able to bring community WiFi hotspots to many public building in rural communities, but that is just a short-term solution,” said Johnson. “We had a firm that was interested in running a major line through Orleans County that would have significantly improved internet service for our residents, but this new fee caused that firm to step back. It’s very disappointing that downstate legislators would ram through this new fee in the state budget with no understanding of its consequences on rural communities.”
Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey, the other NORA co-chair, said this fee works at cross purposes with the Governor’s “Broadband for All” program which was created to help address the rural broadband issue.
“On one hand, state government provides incentives for rural broadband because they recognize the fact that without such a program, internet service providers will not put the infrastructure into rural communities,” said Godfrey. “Yet, they then pass legislation to increase fees on these very same providers, negating the incentives. I’ve been in talks with many service providers working on this issue for years and I know how tough it is to make these projects feasible. I am very thankful that Senator Ortt is the voice of reason in Albany and is fighting for the repeal of this ill-considered policy.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2020 at 5:35 pm
In Orleans County, there are three more confirmed cases of Covid-19. The new positive individuals reside in Albion, Gaines and Ridgeway.
Two of the people are in their 50s and one person is in the 60s. The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported.
The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. Orleans has now had 323 people test positive for Covid.
The 7 new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
Genesee County received 2 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 326 positive cases.
The new positive cases reside in Elba and are both between the ages of 0-20.
The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
Genesee also is reporting one more recovery from Covid, while one person remains hospitalized from Covid.
To see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, click here. There are 18 active cases in Genesee, 10 in Wyoming and three in Orleans.
More from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:
• Flu Season: With flu season quickly approaching it is important to get your flu shots now to build up immunity. It generally takes 2 weeks before immunity is built up after getting the shot. Once you have the flu vaccine, if you do get the flu, research shows that the vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness. Getting a flu vaccine can save healthcare resources for the care of patients with Covid-19 and other illnesses.
• Testing: If you are being tested for Covid-19 it is important that you self-quarantine until you get your test results whether you have symptoms or not. If you are symptomatic, meaning you are coughing, have a fever or other symptoms, self-quarantine even if you are an essential worker until you get your results back. If you have Covid-19 you may be spreading it! That means to stay home and limit contact with other people, even in your household.
• Gathering Size: According to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.45, all non-essential gatherings of up to 50 individuals of any size for any reason (graduation parties, celebrations, weddings, or other social events at public facilities or private venues) unless otherwise designated (ex. Religious gatherings) are allowed for those regions in phase 4. So long as appropriate social distancing, wearing cloth masks/face coverings over their mouth and nose, and cleaning and disinfection protocol requirements are followed.
• Nursing Home Visitation: As of Sept. 15, the state is requiring the nursing home facilities to have visitors provide proof of negative Covid-19 test results within 7 days of visit. To find a testing site nearest you, click here or call 1-888-364-3065. Click here to view the guidance for skilled nursing facility visitation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2020 at 1:38 pm
ALBION — The school has more home schoolers this year and more students at out-of-district placements, according to an enrollment report reviewed by the Boar doc Education on Monday.
Albion has 81 home schoolers this school year, and that doesn’t count students who are doing remote-only instruction where they are home but still educated through the school district.
Those 81 home schoolers are up from 55 in 2019-20.
This year there are also 70 out-of-district placements. That includes 25 students in private school placements, up from 23 last year.
The placements this year include 7 at Notre Dame in Batavia, 6 at St. Joseph’s in Batavia, 4 at Cornerstone Christian Academy in Holley, 2 at Orleans County Christian School in Medina, 2 at St. Paul Lutheran School in Batavia, 2 at Lake Ontario Baptist Academy in Hamlin, and 1 each at Genesee Christian Academy in Batavia and Pinnacle Lutheran School in Rochester.
Albion also has two students attending other public schools, 12 in BOCES placements, 29 in CSE placements at schools for students with disabilities, and 2 in foster care placements at other schools.
Albion’s enrollment to start the 2020-21 school year is listed at 1,792, which is down 73 students from a year ago. The 1,792 students include 539 in the high school, 420 in the middle school and 833 in the elementary school.
The district is doing a hybrid schedule to start the year with students in-person for school two days a week and the other three days remotely. Students also have the option to do remote only.
Albion’s enrollment in 2019-20 included 1,865 students with 544 in the high school, 427 in middle school and 894 in elementary school.
The district last year had 122 out-of-district placements, which includes the 55 homeschoolers, 23 in private schools, 22 in schools for children with disabilities, 8 foster care placements in other schools, 10 BOCES placements, and four at other public schools.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2020 at 11:52 am
ALBION – Orleans County legislators have changed the date for the annual property auction from Oct. 28 to Nov. 18.
The auction for properties with years of unpaid taxes is usually in May and in recent years has been at the Albion Elk’s Lodge.
This year, due to Covid-19, it will be at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville.
The sales start at 10 a.m. In addition to the sale price and a buyer’s premium, purchasers will be responsible for the 2020 Town and County tax bill including any relevied taxes; any village taxes levied after May 31, 2020, the 2020/2021 school taxes, the 2021 Town and County taxes, as well as penalties and interest.
The total bill must be received by the Orleans County Treasurer’s Office on or before Dec. 21.
ALBANY – The State Board of Elections reminds all state residents to register to vote for the upcoming Nov. 3 general election.
Mail-in voter registration forms must be postmarked by midnight, October 9th, and received by a board of elections no later than October 14th to be valid for the upcoming general election. New Yorkers wanting to register in-person may do so at their county boards of elections and at many state agency offices throughout the state but must do so no later than Oct. 9 to be eligible to vote in the Nov. 3 general election.
The voter registration form can be downloaded from our website: www.elections.ny.gov. Alternatively, if you have an established account at the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, you may register online at their MyDMV site. You can also register or find forms at most state and federal government offices.
Persons who are unsure whether they are registered, wish to verify their current address, or find out where to vote, may look-up this information at our website: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/.
For more information on registering to vote in New York State, call your county board of elections (Orleans County at 585-589-3274 ) or 518-474-1953 or check the state Board of Elections website.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke
ALBION – Distracted driving has become a national epidemic, endangering passengers and others on the roadways.
Due to this danger, Orleans County Sheriff Christopher Bourke has announced the Sheriff’s Office will join forces with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other law enforcement agencies across the United States to actively enforce the “U Drive. U Text. U Pay. Campaign.”
This high-visibility campaign runs from October 8-12.
According to NHTSA, there were 2,841 people killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2018. Texting while driving has become an especially problematic trend among younger drivers.
In fact, in 2018, 8 percent of people killed in teen (15-19) driving crashes died when the teen drivers were distracted at the time of the crash. Texting while driving is an illegal, ticketable offense. You could end up paying a hefty fine, and get points on your license.
Struggling to not text and drive? Here are some suggestions:
• Activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature
• Place your cell phone in vehicle trunk, glove box, or back seat
