By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 August 2020 at 10:02 am
MEDINA – Two career firefighters at Medina have resigned to become members of the North Greece Fire Department.
Adam Vanderheite and Joseph Simmons both submitted letters of resignation that were accepted by the Village Board last week.
Simmons will continue with Medina until Sept. 21. He thanked the Village Board and Fire Chief Matt Jackson for the opportunity to work in Medina the past three years.
“I have learned the importance that quality Fire/EMS is to the communities in Orleans County and how grateful the citizens are that Medina offers these services,” Simmons wrote in his letter.
Vanderheite’s resignation is effective Sept. 25. He worked two years for the Medina FD. He said he was grateful for the chance to become a professional firefighters and work alongside “some outstanding individuals.”
Have you ever taken a shower outside? In the sunlight or under the stars? If not, then you are missing out.
I first got my feet wet with outdoor showering when I was a young girl in Albion. My Grampa Clark built an outdoor shower behind his garage.
You may wonder what motivated him to do this. He was raised a farm boy in Nebraska and did not have luxuries like indoor plumbing and running water. Seems I recall some stories about the outhouse “facilities” freezing over in the wintertime. He loved being outside, and an outdoor shower after a long day’s work was invigorating and peaceful. And, like him, I grew to love it, too.
There is something special about being outside in nature and getting yourself all clean under the vastness of the sky. It makes one feel like the fresh air itself is helping to wash away all one’s grime and worries.
I don’t know whatever happened to that outdoor shower or if it is even still there. That is why, when we last traveled out West, I came across an Airbnb that had an outdoor shower. It was as if a treat from the past had landed on my plate again, and I could not push away the possibility of tiptoeing into the sanctuary of the outdoor shower again.
This particular shower was tucked in the base of the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana. The outdoor facility featured an added bonus of a bathroom sink and mirror adjacent to the shower. You could see the white caps on the mountain range from the shower, which was magical in itself. The only problem was that the hot water tank would only keep water hot for about five minutes, which made for a quick shower! However, it was still very freeing on a crisp morning.
Those Montana showers brought me back to the 1970s, remembering how exciting the simple pleasure of an outdoor shower could be. And, out there at the base of the Bitterroots, it brought me back to West Bank Street, right here in Albion. Remembering other simple pleasures, like the soda machine that used to be outside of Archer’s Lumber Yard. Goodness, what a treat when Grampa would give some change to grab a pop, or the trust given to us grandkids to mow the lawn with his fancy Wheel Horse riding lawn mower.
All those memories washed over me as I stood inside that outdoor shower. The water may have been cold, but inside I was warmed by memories from decades back, when heading out to an outdoor shower behind the garage with a towel in my hand was all it took to create enough excitement to last an entire day.
In that spirit, when my husband and I look to our golden years and what it will look like, I see an outdoor shower next to what will be our little respite, and every time I grab that towel, I will feel the youthful excitement of a 10-year-old girl running through the grass without a care in the world. This memory is going on the Golden Year Vision Board ?.
To see the little cottage and outdoor sink, visit my blog live online and catch up on Weekly Photo Perks and past Sunday Posts. Like and Share Your Comments.
By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 29 August 2020 at 3:00 pm
Let’s go on an adventure together … to the Wonderful Land of Oz!
Did you know you can visit the Wonderful Land of Oz without leaving New York State? You don’t have to ride a house in a tornado. You don’t have to wear magical ruby slippers. You only need to take about a two-and-a-half hour drive – give or take, depending on the route you take – to Chittenango, N.Y. And … you just might encounter a wicked witch, a cowardly lion, a scarecrow looking for a brain, a rusty tin man, and a sweet girl named Dorothy while you’re there.
Chittenango is the birthplace of L. Frank Baum – author of the Wizard of Oz books. The small village of Chittenango embraces their connection to the famous author with Oz themes everywhere you look – including yellow brick sidewalks, a lovely Oz-themed public library, and the All-Things-Oz Museum. Just outside the village, they have an Oz-themed casino with an active tornado in the lobby and the Wicked Good Pizza place next door. There are several other Oz-themed shops in and around the village, making sure that you can experience Oz any time you want in Chittenango.
Downtown Chittenango, N.Y.
Their big claim to fame is the Oz-Stravaganza festival, held the first weekend in June every year. Of course, this year’s event was canceled, but when it happens, it’s pretty darned cool. They have all kinds of costume contests and activities for young and old alike. One end of town is dedicated to vendors, food trucks, music, and carnival-type rides and games. All the Oz characters come to life and wander around the village for photo opportunities and to delight the kids. They also have guest appearances by authors and others giving talks and book signings. The village is small enough that you can walk all over to experience all the different parts of the festival.
Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man on the lookout for the Wicked Witch at the Oz-Stravaganza Festival
The weekend is capped with a big parade. I attended in 2017, and the Grand Marshall that year was Jane Lahr – daughter of Bert Lahr, who played The Cowardly Lion in the movie. I got to meet her and have a nice conversation with her. Come as you are or dress like your favorite Oz character – you won’t be out of place at the Oz-Stravaganza. The closing ceremony usually includes a balloon lift-off to take Dorothy back to Kansas. Unfortunately, the year I was there, the threat of severe afternoon storms caused them to cancel the balloon lift-off. I will have to go again sometime to see that part!
But Oz isn’t all that Chittenango has to offer. Back in the early days of the Erie Canal, Chittenango Landing was known for building and repairing canal boats. They have a wonderful Canal Boat Museum that is open to the public, and they give school children tours to teach them all about building canal boats. Volunteers have worked to reconstruct the dry docks and other buildings that were once an important canal resource from remains that were discovered and unearthed. I really enjoyed the museum and recommend it if you’re in the area.
Remnants of dry docks unearthed and restored at the Canal Boat Museum. The dry docks were used to repair canal boats in the early days of the Erie Canal.
Just four miles down the road is Chittenango Falls – I mentioned this beautiful park with a waterfall and walking trails in my Cooperstown article. Then, another five miles or so, is the lovely village of Cazenovia with wonderful shops, restaurants, and a stunning lake.
One of my favorite things about the entire weekend was visiting The Wild Animal Park just north of Chittenango. It is an awesome park with lots of opportunities to get up close and personal with various animals that you can feed and pet. There are also some animals in enclosures for your protection or theirs. They also have snack huts and a bounce house for the kids, as well as a nice picnic area overlooking a lake. It is one of the better animal parks I’ve ever been to and is well worth the two hour or so drive.
That’s me feeding one of the giraffes some carrots at the Wild Animal Park outside Chittenango, N.Y. I also enjoyed getting to pet and love on the sweet and gentle camels.
For my trip in 2017, I took Route 104 to 481 and down. I went that way because I wanted to make a stop at Sodus Bay Lighthouse, and it looked like the best route to get to the Wild Animal Park as my first big adventure of the weekend – I always try to avoid the Thruway. I stayed at a lovely bed & breakfast – Bird Brook B&B, right in downtown Chittenango. It is a very nice, comfortable B&B with friendly hosts and delicious breakfast. I believe it is the only place to stay right in Chittenango and it is small – just three rooms. One has a private entrance and bath (I was lucky to get that one), and the other two are upstairs and share a bath. So, if you plan to stay for an overnight or two, plan way ahead or look outside Chittenango, like maybe Cazenovia – just ten miles away. On the way back, I took Route 20 and hoped to do a few things along the way, but it was Sunday and most of what I wanted to do was closed, and it was starting to rain, so I just made a couple quick stops and came home.
I highly recommend the Chittenango/Cazenovia area for a quick getaway. Whether you go the first weekend in June to participate in the Oz-Stravaganza or just go to enjoy a bit of Oz and all the other wonderful things to do in the area, you’re sure to have an awesome time! And … it isn’t that far to make a day trip to the Wild Animal Park and a walk down the yellow brick sidewalks in Chittenango.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 August 2020 at 11:39 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The Holley village offices and main meeting room are now located in the second floor of the former Holley High School auditorium. The village started to move over the village offices from 72 Public Square about three weeks ago.
Home Leasing has turned the building, which was vacant for more than two decades, into 41 apartments and the offices for the village.
The main meeting room includes about 70 seats from the old auditorium that were refurbished. There are also about 40 seats up in the balcony but they are for display and aren’t available to the public.
Holley Mayor Kevin Lynch gives a tour of the site on Friday. The village offices look out on South Main Street and Route 31. Lynch is a member of Holley’s Class of 1975, which was the last class to graduate in the old high school.
He praised Home Leasing for a stunning transformation of the building, which is prominently located at Holley’s main intersection in the village.
Here is the view from the balcony looking down on the meeting room, which was used for its first Village Board meeting on Aug. 11.
There is still some cosmetic work to be done on the front of the building, including adding new columns.
Mayor Lynch said there is some confusion on the public on how to enter the building to reach the village offices. People should go through the front doors facing the flag pole.
The village was planning to move into the building in March but Covid-19 delayed some of the construction work.
The offices are on the second floor and can be by elevator or by stairs. Home Leasing was able to save and reuse the handrails from the school.
Village Clerk Deborah Schiavone likes the view from the second floor. Residents are very thankful Home Leasing took on the $17 million project, Schiavone said.
“The people who have gone to school here and remember the building are very impressed to see it now,” she said.
This is the entrance to the village offices on Friday. The signs tell people to wear masks and use hand sanitizer.
Here is how the space looked in October, when Home Leasing gave the community a chance to see the construction progress.
This is a hallway in the former school where there are now 41 apartments – one studio, 35 one-bedrooms, and five two-bedroom apartments.
Some of the locker doors were saved and placed along the hallway for ambiance.
Home Leasing has turned the space into a modern office building with a historic flavor.
Home Leasing offered a glimpse of the old auditorium in October, when there was still a lot of work to do to get the space ready for the village employees and public.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 August 2020 at 10:21 am
ALBION — The Orleans County Courthouse will be illumined in red, white and blue for a week in September, in memory of those who have died from Covid-19.
The display at the courthouse also honors those who have served on the front lines of the pandemic and recognizes a “resilient community,” according to resolution approved on Wednesday by the County Legislature.
The county Department of Public Works is working with Takeform in Medina on the display, which will likely happen the week of Sept. 6-12.
“Through these trying times the people of Orleans County have dealt with the death of loved ones, loss of business, caring for loved ones, additional mental stress and our people have exhibited their resiliency,” county legislators stated.
The patriotic display also is expected to be ready during the Labor Day holiday and for the memorial observance of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The county is planning a ceremony on the courthouse lawn at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 August 2020 at 10:06 am
ALBION – The school district will be making Chromebooks available to all students next week, whether they are doing remote instruction or the hybrid model where they are in-person at school two days a week.
The computers will be available Monday through Friday. Families can go to their child’s building and pick up the Chromebook. The district urges families to pick up the Chromebook within this timeframe:
August 31: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
September 1: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
September 2: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
September 3: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
September 4: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The district’s information technology department also is making a MiFi unit available to families who don’t have internet access at home. If families need a MiFi unit and didn’t fill out a survey from the district stating that need, they need to call (585) 589-2060 to request one.
Editor’s Note: This is the third article in a series about historic Childs in the Town of Gaines. The hamlet of Childs lies just north of Albion at the intersection of Routes 104 and 98. In 2019, Childs was selected to be on the Landmark Society of Western New York’s “Five to Revive” list. In 1993, the federal U.S. Department of the Interior declared the Cobblestone Museum in Childs a National Historic Landmark, the only site in Orleans County with that distinction. The NYS Barge Canal was later declared a National Historic Landmark in 2017.)
By Erin Anheier, President of Cobblestone Society
Two cherished and respected former residents of Childs were Joseph and Nellie Vagg. They lived in the house on the southwest corner of the intersection of routes 104 and 98.
Joseph was the last blacksmith plying his trade on Ridge Road.
The Vaggs moved to Childs in 1909 and lived there the rest of their lives. When they purchased their home, it included the brick blacksmith shop that sat just south of the house.
The blacksmith shop is pictured here in the background of a photo taken at the Gaines Centennial parade. Joseph had worked as a blacksmith with Nellie’s brother in Elba and built a successful business here. However, tragedy struck as the brick building was destroyed by fire in 1921.
Vagg’s blacksmith shop was so vital to the community that the local farmers left their own work to help build a new shop. This included hauling stones for the foundation and rerouting part of Proctor’s Brook to make room for the new structure. Today the 1922 shop is a major exhibit at the Cobblestone Museum, graciously donated by Nellie after Joseph’s death.
The forge was salvaged from the fire and installed in the new shop. Joseph worked here until 1956. The forge is still in use today when the Cobblestone Museum holds living history demonstrations, here presented by Henry Ott.
As the automotive age was dawning, horses were fewer and there was reduced need for a blacksmith, so a wood working shop was included in the new building. It was powered by a 1920 International Model 650 hit or miss engine and a complicated series of leather belts overhead.
These belts delivered power to saws, planers, lathe and drill press which are still in the building. There are no safety guards on any of the equipment.
While the shop has been part of the museum, the Vagg’s house continued life as a private residence, but that is soon to change.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 9:21 pm
Michelle Waters opened on March 12, but then had to close until July due to Covid-19 pandemic
Photos by Tom Rivers: Michelle Waters, owner and program director of The Tree House, runs preschool, parent child classes, special events and birthday parties at the site on the second floor of 116 North Main St.
ALBION – On March 12, Michelle Waters held her first class at The Tree House, a program for young children and their families.
The first session was a parent-child music class. She had debuted the program at Dance Reflections by Miss Heather. There was a big response and Waters decided to open her own space in the second floor at 116 North Main St.
She was happy with the energy and turnout in the first class on March 12. But a few days later the site was closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Michelle Waters and Cassie Langdon, assistant program director, check on these kids today who were playing at The Treehouse. Ava Waters, left, is Waters’ daughter and Kingsley Harden is Langdon’s son.
Waters had bills to pay and wanted to help families who suddenly had children home – nearly all the time. She put together activity kits and delivered them throughout Western New York. Those kits were fun and educational. There was a stuffed puppy kit, a project where children could assembly a bird feeder, a kit to do a dinosaur dig and others.
“We started the activity kits and took them to Buffalo, Rochester, Attica and locally,” Waters said. “The support from the community helped me to keep this open.”
She was able to welcome children back to The Treehouse in July, and this summer has offered several play camps and enrichment programs, with a focus on music, art and laughter. They kids do dramatic play, making “monster slime” and doing other activities that teach them to socialize with other kids, follow instructions from adults and get them ready for kindergarten.
At Tree House, children need to sanitize their hands frequently. Waters limits the number of kids to eight at a time in the 1,500-square-foot room.
She has taped off sections so kids space out, and she sets tables 6 feet apart during snack time. If she or her assistant director, Cassie Langdon, see children put a toy in their mouths, that toy goes in the “Yuck Bucket” to be sanitized.
Langdon was in the parent-child music class led by Waters when it was at Dance Reflections. Langdon was in the class with her son, Kingsley, who is now 3. Waters impressed with her energy.
“She is so welcoming and friendly,” Langdon said.
Michelle Waters, left, and Cassie Langdon look forward to a busy September and fall at The Tree House.
Waters will be offering a “playschool” program beginning next month for about 2 ½ hours, with the program for 3- and 4-year-olds on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 2-year-olds on Tuesday and Thursday.
Waters also will be making the space available for birthday parties, and a monthly parents’ night out, with programs in the evening.
Waters, 32, grew up in Holley and Rochester. She moved to Albion about a decade ago. Her daughter Ava, 2, joins her at many of the programs. She also has a son, Logan Poupore, who has proven a doting helper.
The Tree House is located in the former space for Spotlight Studio. Waters credited her husband, Patrick Waters, for helping to transform the large room into a fun place for children and their families. Patrick works with his father, Dave Waters, as a painter at Waters Autobody and Paint in Albion.
Waters will have a ribbon-cutting celebration at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Before that, she will meet with prospective playschool enrollees. She welcomes 2-year-olds and their families from 9 to 10 a.m., and 3- and 4-year-olds from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information about The Tree House, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 7:01 pm
ALBION – A voter registration event planned for 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday has been moved from the parking lot at Hoag Library to the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church due to rain in the forecast.
As an added incentive, a token for a free peach sundae will be given to people who register to vote. Watt Farms Country Market in Albion is making the sundaes available for up to 30 people.
Representatives from the Republican and Democratic parties have volunteered to help at the event, which is co-sponsored by the Albion Betterment Committee, Holy Family Social Justice and the Universalist Church.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 4:18 pm
Orleans has 3 active cases, while Genesee has 1
Orleans and Genesee counties both don’t have a new Covid-19 case to report today.
Genesee is reporting one more recovery, while Orleans has one more person on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
An online map of confirmed cases in Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties, shows there are three active cases in Orleans, and 1 each in Genesee and Wyoming.
In Orleans County, there are 10 people on mandatory quarantine and three on mandatory isolation.
• State-wide Data: Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the lowest Covid-19 infection rate in New York State—0.65 percent—since the pandemic began.
New York State’s infection rate has been less than 1 percent every day for three weeks. The governor also announced that 8 million tests have now been conducted in the state.
“Fighting Covid-19 requires enormous bravery and discipline from New Yorkers and I thank them for today’s new record-low infection rate,” Cuomo said. “This is evidence that what each of us does to slow the spread—wearing masks, socially distancing and washing hands—makes a real difference.”
Of the 97,826 test results reported to New York State yesterday, 636, or 0.65 percent, were positive. The 636 additional cases of novel coronavirus bring the statewide total to 432,767.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 3:40 pm
Provided photo
LYNDONVILLE – This bench arrived on Thursday and is in front of the Lyndonville school on Housel Avenue. The Lyndonville Sports Boosters paid for the bench in memory of Brooke Allen and Richard Forder.
They died in a car accident on Oct. 10, 2019 on their way to work at Lake Ridge Fruit, an apple packing facility on Route 104 in Gaines.
Allen, 21, was a 2016 Lyndonville graduate. She loved the outdoors. She was in band and chorus, played volleyball and attended Orleans-Niagara BOCES for cosmetology. She was a devoted mother to her son, River.
Forder, 20, a 2018 Lyndonville graduate, enjoyed fishing and spending time with his nephews. He was a key player on Lyndonville’s playoff basketball teams.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 12:23 pm
HOLLEY – Organizers of the food distributions on Fridays in Orleans County have been notified the program will continue next month, although Albion will only have one of the distributions instead of two.
The organizers also are looking for other sites for the events in Holley and Medina, instead of the school parking lots. Schools are scheduled to reopen to students early next month and the parking lots won’t be available.
Albion has been offering the distributions on the first and third Fridays, with Medina on the second Friday and Holley on the fourth Friday.
Melissa Blanar, director of the Orleans County Office for the Aging, said she will be working to finalize a schedule. She has been teaming with Community Action of Orleans & Genesee to run the events in Albion and Holley, and with the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Medina.
The Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County also has been hosting food distributions the second and fourth Wednesdays. Robert Batt, the CCE director, said he hasn’t received any notice yet if the Extension will continue as a distribution site next month.
(UPDATE AT 2:32 P.M.: Batt said he has been notified there will be another distribution at the fairgrounds on Sept. 9.)
Iroquois Job Corps Center employees, Ashtin Fiegel (left) and Mark Dickinson, move boxes of dairy and produce to get ready for today’s food distribution in Holley. Several employees from the Iroquois Job Corps in Medina helped at today’s event. Andrew Dreschel, an incoming Holley High School senior, also assisted and is shown in back.
Blanar said the groups won’t be running a distribution next week, the first Friday of September, but she expects they will continue in the week after that.
The food distributions are made possible through a state-funded program called Nourish New York. This funding allows Foodlink to purchase local product.
On a federal level, the USDA has implemented a new initiative called CFAP (Coronavirus Food Assistance Program). In this program, distributors who would normally serve schools, restaurants, and municipal programs are able to pre-pack boxes of perishable product and deliver to distributions being done all over the country.
Krista Fiegel, a Job Corps employee, carries a box of produce to one of the 300-plus vehicles in Holley.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 August 2020 at 7:42 am
ALBION – Orleans County legislators are supporting a state effort to create a task force that will look for ways to increase and retain volunteer firefighters.
There is a shortage of volunteer firefighters state-wide and in Orleans County. Kendall is the last fire department to run a volunteer ambulance and also an annual carnival, which is an important fundraiser for the department as well as a community event.
Departments increasingly rely on mutual aid to try to get enough people to respond to fire, motor vehicle accidents and other calls, especially during the daytime when many people are working.
The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, the Association of Fire Districts of New York, the State Association of Fire Chiefs and New York State Fire Coordinators have been left with the sole responsibility of recruiting volunteer firefighters.
State legislators have introduced Assembly Bill A.9779A and Senate Bill S.7589B to create a volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention task force.
The task force would be inclusive of relevant state agencies, designated associations representing volunteer firefighters, and members of the Legislature to provide the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly with recommendations to assist in the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.
“The Orleans County Legislature acknowledges the important role volunteer firefighters play in keeping our communities in Orleans County safe and shares the concern about the decreasing numbers of those serving as volunteer firefighters,” according to a resolution approved on Wednesday.
The group was unanimous in showing its support for the proposal in the State Legislature.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 August 2020 at 10:05 pm
The latest data from the State Department of Labor shows the unemployment rate in Orleans County increased from 10.8 percent in June to 12.8 percent in July.
The unemployment rate in the county had been trending down from a pandemic high of 15.9 percent in April to 11.5 percent in May and then the 10.8 percent in June.
The state data shows the number of employed in Orleans County has dropped from 16,900 in July 2019 to 15,400, a decline of 1,500 people working.
The number unemployed increased from 900 to 2,300 during that year. In July 2019, Orleans had an unemployment rate of 5.0 percent.
Orleans is doing better than the statewide unemployment rate, which was 16.0 percent in July, the DOL reported. The state rate was 4.2 percent in July 2019.
From July 2019 to July 2020, the state’s private sector employment count decreased by 1,184,500.
The highest unemployment rates in the state include: Bronx, 24.9 percent; Queens, 20.5 percent; Kings, 20.4 percent; and New York, 15.9 percent.
The lowest rates include Hamilton, 7.4 percent; Yates, 9.5 percent; Lewis, 9.7 percent; Tompkins, 9.9 percent; Chenango, 9.9 percent; and Columbia, 9.9 percent.
Editor’s Note: This is the third article in a series about historic Childs in the Town of Gaines. The hamlet of Childs lies just north of Albion at the intersection of Routes 104 and 98. In 2019, Childs was selected to be on the Landmark Society of Western New York’s “Five to Revive” list. In 1993, the federal U.S. Department of the Interior declared the Cobblestone Museum in Childs a National Historic Landmark, the only site in Orleans County with that distinction. The NYS Barge Canal was later declared a National Historic Landmark in 2017.)
