ORLEANS HUB

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2021 at 4:57 pm. Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting a 18 new Covid-19 cases in the two counties, for a total of 8,109 since last March 2020. That includes 2,962 in Orleans and 5,147 in Genesee. In Orleans County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the West

Region (Yates

OBITUARIES - ORLEANS COUNTY OBITS & DEATH NOTICES Sandra Ive y Hines Goheen, 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wed., April 28, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sandy was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Hattiesburg, MS to James W. and Dorothy (Mills) Ivey. She grew up in a military family and was the oldest of five children. She had a very large extended family who she also adored. 3 VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK IN ORLEANS THROUGH HEALTH Hoag Library, 4-H Fairgrounds and Ridgeway Fire Hall all hosting The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be on the road this week with pop-up vaccine clinics. The Health Department have been offering the Covid-19 vaccines at the Ridgeway fire hall and at GCC in Batavia. This week the vaccine will be offered at MASSIVE FIRE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE TO RICK & RON’S AUTO Photos by Tom Rivers RIDGEWAY – A massive fire this afternoon destroyed several buildings and damaged the main office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:20 p.m. Flames were shooting out of windows in the garage/workshop and explosions could be heard. One of LYNDONVILLE’S 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION WILL INCLUDE ARTS Fireworks will go on, but parade cancelled until next year Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club LYNDONVILLE – With newly updated state Covid regulations, the Lyndonville Lions Club is able to release additional details regarding this year’s schedule 4th of July festivities to take place in Lyndonville. The spectacular fireworks show remains scheduled with a start VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. LEE ZELDIN, GOP AND CONSERVATIVE FRONT RUNNER FOR GOVERNOR Congressman from Long Island sees a vulnerable Cuomo from personal scandal, unpopular policies LYNDONVILLE – Lee Zeldin, the front runner to be the Republican and Conservative candidate for governor in 2022, stopped in Orleans County on Friday to meet with local Conservative Party leaders. Zeldin said the state is at a “breaking point” with economic WWII VET HONORARY PARADE MARSHAL IN MEMORIAL DAY Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance. There won’t be a parade down Main Street,

ending at

ALBION NATIVE REGARDED AS BRAVEST MAN IN GREAT SIOUX WAR Albion native regarded as Bravest Man in Great Sioux War. ALBION – The son of Shelby Harrington and Nancy Moore, Henry Moore Harrington, was born in Albion on April 30, 1849. His maternal uncle, Charles Henry Moore, was a well-respected entrepreneur and land speculator in Albion. An astute and brilliant young man, Henry attended the

Cleveland

BRIDGE CLOSES ON 104 IN RIDGEWAY WITH NEW SPAN EXPECTED TO RIDGEWAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek in the Town of Ridgeway is now closed to accommodate construction. Contractors will replace the existing structure with a new multi-girder bridge that features upgraded bridge shoulders and an improved hydraulic opening.

ORLEANS HUB

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2021 at 4:57 pm. Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting a 18 new Covid-19 cases in the two counties, for a total of 8,109 since last March 2020. That includes 2,962 in Orleans and 5,147 in Genesee. In Orleans County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the West

Region (Yates

OBITUARIES - ORLEANS COUNTY OBITS & DEATH NOTICES Sandra Ive y Hines Goheen, 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wed., April 28, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sandy was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Hattiesburg, MS to James W. and Dorothy (Mills) Ivey. She grew up in a military family and was the oldest of five children. She had a very large extended family who she also adored. 3 VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK IN ORLEANS THROUGH HEALTH Hoag Library, 4-H Fairgrounds and Ridgeway Fire Hall all hosting The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be on the road this week with pop-up vaccine clinics. The Health Department have been offering the Covid-19 vaccines at the Ridgeway fire hall and at GCC in Batavia. This week the vaccine will be offered at MASSIVE FIRE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE TO RICK & RON’S AUTO Photos by Tom Rivers RIDGEWAY – A massive fire this afternoon destroyed several buildings and damaged the main office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:20 p.m. Flames were shooting out of windows in the garage/workshop and explosions could be heard. One of LYNDONVILLE’S 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION WILL INCLUDE ARTS Fireworks will go on, but parade cancelled until next year Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club LYNDONVILLE – With newly updated state Covid regulations, the Lyndonville Lions Club is able to release additional details regarding this year’s schedule 4th of July festivities to take place in Lyndonville. The spectacular fireworks show remains scheduled with a start VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. LEE ZELDIN, GOP AND CONSERVATIVE FRONT RUNNER FOR GOVERNOR Congressman from Long Island sees a vulnerable Cuomo from personal scandal, unpopular policies LYNDONVILLE – Lee Zeldin, the front runner to be the Republican and Conservative candidate for governor in 2022, stopped in Orleans County on Friday to meet with local Conservative Party leaders. Zeldin said the state is at a “breaking point” with economic WWII VET HONORARY PARADE MARSHAL IN MEMORIAL DAY Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance. There won’t be a parade down Main Street,

ending at

ALBION NATIVE REGARDED AS BRAVEST MAN IN GREAT SIOUX WAR Albion native regarded as Bravest Man in Great Sioux War. ALBION – The son of Shelby Harrington and Nancy Moore, Henry Moore Harrington, was born in Albion on April 30, 1849. His maternal uncle, Charles Henry Moore, was a well-respected entrepreneur and land speculator in Albion. An astute and brilliant young man, Henry attended the

Cleveland

BRIDGE CLOSES ON 104 IN RIDGEWAY WITH NEW SPAN EXPECTED TO RIDGEWAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek in the Town of Ridgeway is now closed to accommodate construction. Contractors will replace the existing structure with a new multi-girder bridge that features upgraded bridge shoulders and an improved hydraulic opening. ALBION HS BAND RELISHES FIRST LIVE CONCERT SINCE DECEMBER Band and chorus perform at lawnchair concert Photos by Tom Rivers ALBION – For the first time since December 2019, the Albion High School band performed live for a concert on Thursday. Covid-19 prevented in-person concerts since the middle of March 2020. Some of the band members on Thursday had just stepped off the baseball field NO STRAWBERRY FEST, BUT LOTS HAPPENING IN ALBION ON ALBION – There isn’t a Strawberry Festival for the second straight year due to the uncertainty with Covid restrictions in the months leading up to the event, as well as the limits on crowd sizes. Last year it was quiet in Albion when the festival was TRAVEL THOUGHTS BY KIM Let’s go on an adventure together.to Pensacola and Mobile! One of our major stops on the cross country motor home trip I took with my brother and sister-in-law in 2016 was Houma, LA. We spent ten days there visiting with my nephew and his family. I broke away from the rest of the family for IN NY, $300 IN WEEKLY FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS START Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that unemployed New Yorkers will begin receiving extended and expanded federal unemployment benefits next week — the first week these benefits can be paid under federal law. New York is able to provide these benefits immediately due to proactive work by

the State

NY WILL EASE RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES, GATHERING SIZES Outdoor social gathering limit will increase from 200 to 500; indoor residential limit up from 10 to 50 Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a significant easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on the region’s businesses, venues and gatherings given BENT’S OPERA HOUSE IS CLOSE TO MAKING BIG DEBUT IN MEDINA Harvest Restaurant on first floor expected to open June 24 MEDINA – The public will soon be able to step inside the Bent’s Opera House after a three-year extensive renovation. During a recent tour of the building, staff of Orleans Hub were able to see first-hand the spectacular transformation of the sandstone building at the 1 PERSON DIES, ANOTHER INJURED IN ACCIDENT AT YATES Photos by Tom Rivers YATES – A man has died and another was injured in accident this morning at Millennium Roads at 12118 East Yates Center Rd. Firefighters and Medina’s ambulance were dispatched to the scene at about 11 a.m. for reports of two men trapped in a de-icing tank. An Orleans County Sheriff’s deputy 11-YEAR-OLD WEARS CAPE AND RACES FOR KIDS WITH CANCER Matteo Lambert gives his medals to children facing much harder test Photos by Tom Rivers ALBION – Matteo Lambert, 11, of northern Virginia finishes the Albion Strawberry Festival 8K this morning. He won his age group completing the course in 37:43. Matteo made the trip to Albion to run in honor of Gage Stacey, 12, STRAWBERRY FEST RACE RETURNS WITH NEARLY 200 FINISHING 5K Photos by Tom Rivers ALBION – Jackson Skrypnick, 8, of Spencerport races “The Strawberry” is the last stretch of today’s Strawberry Festival 5K/8K. Jackson held off The Strawberry. Brett Sobieraski of Kent wore the costume. He is a retired Rochester Police Department sergeant and continues to be an endurance athlete. About 200 finished

the race

YACHT CLUB KICKS OFF SUMMER BOATING SEASON Club with 100 members aims to make organization more community friendly WATERPORT – Like all social organizations, the Oak Orchard Yacht Club has gone through changes. If the new commodore, Bob Hodgins of Batavia, has his way, he’d like to see a lot more changes taking place this year – most of all, making it

ORLEANS HUB

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2021 at 4:57 pm. Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting a 18 new Covid-19 cases in the two counties, for a total of 8,109 since last March 2020. That includes 2,962 in Orleans and 5,147 in Genesee. In Orleans County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the West

Region (Yates

OBITUARIES - ORLEANS COUNTY OBITS & DEATH NOTICES Sandra Ive y Hines Goheen, 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wed., April 28, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sandy was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Hattiesburg, MS to James W. and Dorothy (Mills) Ivey. She grew up in a military family and was the oldest of five children. She had a very large extended family who she also adored. 3 VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK IN ORLEANS THROUGH HEALTH Hoag Library, 4-H Fairgrounds and Ridgeway Fire Hall all hosting The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be on the road this week with pop-up vaccine clinics. The Health Department have been offering the Covid-19 vaccines at the Ridgeway fire hall and at GCC in Batavia. This week the vaccine will be offered at FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM EXTENDED LOCALLY THROUGH END OF The schedule is set for the food distribution program on Fridays through the end of June. The Office for the Aging in Orleans County works with Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, and the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Medina on the distributions. People often line up in

vehicles

MASSIVE FIRE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE TO RICK & RON’S AUTO Photos by Tom Rivers RIDGEWAY – A massive fire this afternoon destroyed several buildings and damaged the main office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:20 p.m. Flames were shooting out of windows in the garage/workshop and explosions could be heard. One of VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. WWII VET HONORARY PARADE MARSHAL IN MEMORIAL DAY Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance. There won’t be a parade down Main Street,

ending at

MEDINA STUDENT EARNS COLLEGE DEGREE, A MONTH BEFORE MEDINA – FaithAnn Vanderwalker has achieved an honor rarely attained by youth her age. She has graduated from college before she finished high school. FaithAnn, a daughter of Todd and Alicia Vanderwalker of Stone Road, graduated this weekend from Genesee Community College with a degree in liberal arts and natural sciences, a month before she BRIDGE CLOSES ON 104 IN RIDGEWAY WITH NEW SPAN EXPECTED TO RIDGEWAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek in the Town of Ridgeway is now closed to accommodate construction. Contractors will replace the existing structure with a new multi-girder bridge that features upgraded bridge shoulders and an improved hydraulic opening. DEC ANNOUNCES RESIDENTIAL BRUSH BURNING BANNED FROM MARCH Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning will begin March 16, and run through May 14. With spring approaching, DEC is reminding residents that conditions for wildfires are heightened in springtime

ORLEANS HUB

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2021 at 4:57 pm. Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting a 18 new Covid-19 cases in the two counties, for a total of 8,109 since last March 2020. That includes 2,962 in Orleans and 5,147 in Genesee. In Orleans County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the West

Region (Yates

OBITUARIES - ORLEANS COUNTY OBITS & DEATH NOTICES Sandra Ive y Hines Goheen, 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wed., April 28, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sandy was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Hattiesburg, MS to James W. and Dorothy (Mills) Ivey. She grew up in a military family and was the oldest of five children. She had a very large extended family who she also adored. 3 VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK IN ORLEANS THROUGH HEALTH Hoag Library, 4-H Fairgrounds and Ridgeway Fire Hall all hosting The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be on the road this week with pop-up vaccine clinics. The Health Department have been offering the Covid-19 vaccines at the Ridgeway fire hall and at GCC in Batavia. This week the vaccine will be offered at FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM EXTENDED LOCALLY THROUGH END OF The schedule is set for the food distribution program on Fridays through the end of June. The Office for the Aging in Orleans County works with Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, and the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Medina on the distributions. People often line up in

vehicles

MASSIVE FIRE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE TO RICK & RON’S AUTO Photos by Tom Rivers RIDGEWAY – A massive fire this afternoon destroyed several buildings and damaged the main office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:20 p.m. Flames were shooting out of windows in the garage/workshop and explosions could be heard. One of VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. WWII VET HONORARY PARADE MARSHAL IN MEMORIAL DAY Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance. There won’t be a parade down Main Street,

ending at

MEDINA STUDENT EARNS COLLEGE DEGREE, A MONTH BEFORE MEDINA – FaithAnn Vanderwalker has achieved an honor rarely attained by youth her age. She has graduated from college before she finished high school. FaithAnn, a daughter of Todd and Alicia Vanderwalker of Stone Road, graduated this weekend from Genesee Community College with a degree in liberal arts and natural sciences, a month before she BRIDGE CLOSES ON 104 IN RIDGEWAY WITH NEW SPAN EXPECTED TO RIDGEWAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek in the Town of Ridgeway is now closed to accommodate construction. Contractors will replace the existing structure with a new multi-girder bridge that features upgraded bridge shoulders and an improved hydraulic opening. DEC ANNOUNCES RESIDENTIAL BRUSH BURNING BANNED FROM MARCH Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning will begin March 16, and run through May 14. With spring approaching, DEC is reminding residents that conditions for wildfires are heightened in springtime VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. BENT’S OPERA HOUSE IS CLOSE TO MAKING BIG DEBUT IN MEDINA Harvest Restaurant on first floor expected to open June 24 MEDINA – The public will soon be able to step inside the Bent’s Opera House after a three-year extensive renovation. During a recent tour of the building, staff of Orleans Hub were able to see first-hand the spectacular transformation of the sandstone building at the FRESH PAVEMENT FOR 237 IN CLARENDON Photos courtesy of Don Welch CLARENDON – Route 237 is getting repaved in Clarendon, from the Clarendon corners to the Holley village line. Don Welch took these photos on Wednesday of Highway Rehab Corp., repaving the road. Their machines heat the road surface with gas torches, then dig up the hot asphalt, mix in some YACHT CLUB KICKS OFF SUMMER BOATING SEASON Club with 100 members aims to make organization more community friendly WATERPORT – Like all social organizations, the Oak Orchard Yacht Club has gone through changes. If the new commodore, Bob Hodgins of Batavia, has his way, he’d like to see a lot more changes taking place this year – most of all, making it MUSTANGS BLANK RAMS IN CLASH OF UNBEATENS In a key late season clash of unbeatens, defending champion Medina blanked Roy-Hart 9-0 at Gasport this evening to take over sole possession of the Niagara-Orleans League lead. Medina, which will host Roy-Hart in a rematch at 11 a.m. Saturday at Vets Park, stays unbeaten at 9-0 (10-0 overall) while the Rams slip to 7-1. SHELBY COUNCILMAN URGES SUPPORT FOR 2 INCUMBENT BOARD Editor: You might have noticed that political signs are popping up in people’s yards lately. They are even on the side of The Orleans Hub as you read this article. It is officially primary season! Why should you care about the primaries? Well anytime you can NORRIS-SPONSORED LEGISLATION LOOKS AT ‘ANTIQUATED’ FORMULA Villages get far less than cities in Aid and Incentives to Municipalities Press Release, Assemblyman Mike Norris Assemblyman Mike Norris (R,C-Lockport) is proud to announce that legislation he sponsors (A.6601) to establish the New York State Aid and Incentives for Municipalities Redesign Task Force has been passed in the Assembly. It was previously passed in HOAG LIBRARY HOSTING BOOK DISCUSSION JUNE 17 ON RACIAL Press Release ALBION – Five local groups next week are sponsoring the first of hopefully several book discussions focusing on racial justice. The public is invited to the book discussions at noon and 6:30 p.m. on June 17 at Hoag Library. The discussion will feature White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to HAWLEY SAYS NEW ASSEMBLY GUN LEGISLATION ‘UNCONSCIONABLE Assembly speaker says bills are ‘common sense’ gun safety legislation The New York State Assembly on Wednesday passed a series of bills that Assemblyman Steve Hawley says would restrict the Second Amendment rights of New Yorkers. Hawley opposed the legislation which he said would drive gun sellers and manufacturers out of the state

through burdensome

ALBION TAKES TWO FROM MEDINA IN N-O TENNIS Albion swept to a doubleheader victory over Medina by the identical score of 5-0 this afternoon in Niagara-Orleans League tennis action. Carson Bader, Leo Bolton and Josh DePoty all scored singles wins for Albion which improves to 7-4. The Purple Eagles also got victories from the doubles teams of Clara Bolton-Charley London and Madelynn

Snook-James

ORLEANS HUB

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2021 at 4:57 pm. Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting a 18 new Covid-19 cases in the two counties, for a total of 8,109 since last March 2020. That includes 2,962 in Orleans and 5,147 in Genesee. In Orleans County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the West

Region (Yates

OBITUARIES - ORLEANS COUNTY OBITS & DEATH NOTICES Sandra Ive y Hines Goheen, 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wed., April 28, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sandy was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Hattiesburg, MS to James W. and Dorothy (Mills) Ivey. She grew up in a military family and was the oldest of five children. She had a very large extended family who she also adored. 3 VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK IN ORLEANS THROUGH HEALTH Hoag Library, 4-H Fairgrounds and Ridgeway Fire Hall all hosting The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be on the road this week with pop-up vaccine clinics. The Health Department have been offering the Covid-19 vaccines at the Ridgeway fire hall and at GCC in Batavia. This week the vaccine will be offered at FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM EXTENDED LOCALLY THROUGH END OF The schedule is set for the food distribution program on Fridays through the end of June. The Office for the Aging in Orleans County works with Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, and the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Medina on the distributions. People often line up in

vehicles

MASSIVE FIRE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE TO RICK & RON’S AUTO Photos by Tom Rivers RIDGEWAY – A massive fire this afternoon destroyed several buildings and damaged the main office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:20 p.m. Flames were shooting out of windows in the garage/workshop and explosions could be heard. One of NY WILL EASE RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES, GATHERING SIZES Outdoor social gathering limit will increase from 200 to 500; indoor residential limit up from 10 to 50 Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a significant easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on the region’s businesses, venues and gatherings given VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. WWII VET HONORARY PARADE MARSHAL IN MEMORIAL DAY Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance. There won’t be a parade down Main Street,

ending at

BRIDGE CLOSES ON 104 IN RIDGEWAY WITH NEW SPAN EXPECTED TO RIDGEWAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek in the Town of Ridgeway is now closed to accommodate construction. Contractors will replace the existing structure with a new multi-girder bridge that features upgraded bridge shoulders and an improved hydraulic opening. DEC ANNOUNCES RESIDENTIAL BRUSH BURNING BANNED FROM MARCH Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning will begin March 16, and run through May 14. With spring approaching, DEC is reminding residents that conditions for wildfires are heightened in springtime

ORLEANS HUB

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 May 2021 at 4:57 pm. Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting a 18 new Covid-19 cases in the two counties, for a total of 8,109 since last March 2020. That includes 2,962 in Orleans and 5,147 in Genesee. In Orleans County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the West

Region (Yates

OBITUARIES - ORLEANS COUNTY OBITS & DEATH NOTICES Sandra Ive y Hines Goheen, 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wed., April 28, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sandy was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Hattiesburg, MS to James W. and Dorothy (Mills) Ivey. She grew up in a military family and was the oldest of five children. She had a very large extended family who she also adored. 3 VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK IN ORLEANS THROUGH HEALTH Hoag Library, 4-H Fairgrounds and Ridgeway Fire Hall all hosting The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be on the road this week with pop-up vaccine clinics. The Health Department have been offering the Covid-19 vaccines at the Ridgeway fire hall and at GCC in Batavia. This week the vaccine will be offered at FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM EXTENDED LOCALLY THROUGH END OF The schedule is set for the food distribution program on Fridays through the end of June. The Office for the Aging in Orleans County works with Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, and the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Medina on the distributions. People often line up in

vehicles

MASSIVE FIRE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE TO RICK & RON’S AUTO Photos by Tom Rivers RIDGEWAY – A massive fire this afternoon destroyed several buildings and damaged the main office for Rick & Ron’s Auto Sales at 11205 Ridge Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 3:20 p.m. Flames were shooting out of windows in the garage/workshop and explosions could be heard. One of NY WILL EASE RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES, GATHERING SIZES Outdoor social gathering limit will increase from 200 to 500; indoor residential limit up from 10 to 50 Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a significant easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on the region’s businesses, venues and gatherings given VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. WWII VET HONORARY PARADE MARSHAL IN MEMORIAL DAY Route won’t include Main Street, which is posted detour with Knowlesville bridge out ALBION – Garland Miller, a World War II veteran, was an ambulance driver in the Pacific Theater. On Monday, he will serve as honorary parade marshal during Albion’s scaled-down Memorial Day observance. There won’t be a parade down Main Street,

ending at

BRIDGE CLOSES ON 104 IN RIDGEWAY WITH NEW SPAN EXPECTED TO RIDGEWAY – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek in the Town of Ridgeway is now closed to accommodate construction. Contractors will replace the existing structure with a new multi-girder bridge that features upgraded bridge shoulders and an improved hydraulic opening. DEC ANNOUNCES RESIDENTIAL BRUSH BURNING BANNED FROM MARCH Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning will begin March 16, and run through May 14. With spring approaching, DEC is reminding residents that conditions for wildfires are heightened in springtime BENT’S OPERA HOUSE IS CLOSE TO MAKING BIG DEBUT IN MEDINA Harvest Restaurant on first floor expected to open June 24 MEDINA – The public will soon be able to step inside the Bent’s Opera House after a three-year extensive renovation. During a recent tour of the building, staff of Orleans Hub were able to see first-hand the spectacular transformation of the sandstone building at the VILLAGE HOUSE DINNER MENU Dinner Menu. Takeouts available anytime: 585-589-5012. Go to: Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu. NY WILL EASE RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES, GATHERING SIZES Outdoor social gathering limit will increase from 200 to 500; indoor residential limit up from 10 to 50 Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont today announced a significant easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on the region’s businesses, venues and gatherings given EARLY VOTING STARTS SATURDAY WITH REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES IN Early voting will start on Saturday and continue through June 20 with Republican primaries in six Orleans County towns. The early voting polling location is at the Orleans County Board of Elections Office at the County Administration Building, 14016 State Route 31. The early voting times include: Saturday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 1 PERSON DIES, ANOTHER INJURED IN ACCIDENT AT YATES Photos by Tom Rivers YATES – A man has died and another was injured in accident this morning at Millennium Roads at 12118 East Yates Center Rd. Firefighters and Medina’s ambulance were dispatched to the scene at about 11 a.m. for reports of two men trapped in a de-icing tank. An Orleans County Sheriff’s deputy LEE ZELDIN, GOP AND CONSERVATIVE FRONT RUNNER FOR GOVERNOR Congressman from Long Island sees a vulnerable Cuomo from personal scandal, unpopular policies LYNDONVILLE – Lee Zeldin, the front runner to be the Republican and Conservative candidate for governor in 2022, stopped in Orleans County on Friday to meet with local Conservative Party leaders. Zeldin said the state is at a “breaking point” with economic YACHT CLUB KICKS OFF SUMMER BOATING SEASON Club with 100 members aims to make organization more community friendly WATERPORT – Like all social organizations, the Oak Orchard Yacht Club has gone through changes. If the new commodore, Bob Hodgins of Batavia, has his way, he’d like to see a lot more changes taking place this year – most of all, making it 6 ORLEANS/NIAGARA BOCES STUDENTS TAKE TOP SPOTS IN WELDING Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES Six students who take the welding program at the Orleans (OCTEC) and Niagara (NCTEC) Career and Technical Education Centers took the top three spots at the Niagara Frontier Weld Off Competition. Eleven schools participated in the competition virtually throughout the Western New York area this past

April and May.

WRITER URGES OPPOSITION TO ‘GENDER RECOGNITION ACT Editor: I write to ask readers to call or write their elected state representatives today and oppose the misguided legislation soon to be

acted upon in

SHELBY COUNCILMAN URGES SUPPORT FOR 2 INCUMBENT BOARD Editor: You might have noticed that political signs are popping up in people’s yards lately. They are even on the side of The Orleans Hub as you read this article. It is officially primary season! Why should you care about the primaries? Well anytime you can

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Erie Canal season won’t open as planned on May 15 Photo by Tom Rivers: The Traveling Towpath Troubadours, right, play from a house boat on the Erie Canal in Albion on July 10, 2016, with a tugboat and boathouse close by. The Ingersoll Street lift bridge is

also pictured.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2020 at 9:44 pm The State Canal Corporation won’t open the Erie Canal as planned on May 15 for its 196th navigational season. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Canal Corp. suspended all non-essential construction and maintenance activities, which are needed to have the  system in working order. The Canal Corporation is evaluating options for opening the canal later this year, even if potentially on a regional basis, the Canal Corp. said in a notice to mariners on Thursday. “We recognize that this is an extraordinarily difficult time and are sensitive to potential hardships Canal stakeholders, as well as many other New Yorkers, may experience,” the Canal Corp. said. “The situation with Covid-19 is ever-evolving and we are trying to adapt our plans accordingly.” The canal has been operational every year since it opened in 1825. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor said a fully navigable canal system should be considered essential transportation

infrastructure.

“Delays in opening the Canal System or opening the canals on a ‘regional basis’ will have significant negative impacts on the economy and social fabric of upstate communities and will impede a full New York State recovery,” the Erie Canalway stated in response to the Cana Corporation’s announcement. “The NYS Canal System generates billions of dollars in economic impact each year for canal communities and businesses,” Erie Canalway stated. “Negative impacts will be keenly felt by boating-related businesses and service providers, commercial operators, communities that rely on canal tourism, and

manufacturing.”

A delayed opening of the canal will further contribute to a climate of uncertainty across the entire state, the Erie Canalway said. “More than 70 percent of upstate New Yorkers live within 20 miles of the canals. For 200 years, through wars and peacetime, prosperity and recession, the canals have remained navigable,” the organization stated. “Residents in canal communities celebrate the opening of the Canal System each year and embrace the beauty, history, and recreational opportunities that the canals provide. Opening the entire Canal System in a safe and timely fashion would provide a sense of normalcy and hope to millions.”

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NY will make Covid-19 testing available for first responders, medical workers and essential employees Posted 25 April 2020 at 7:37 pm GOVERNOR AUTHORIZES 5,000 PHARMACIES TO SERVE AS SITES WHERE TESTS CAN

BE COLLECTED

_Press Release, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office_ Photo by Tom Rivers: The American and New York State flags are lowered outside the state Department of Transportation facility today on Route 31 in Albion. The flags are at half staff in honor of the victims of Covid-19. There were 437 confirmed deaths in the state on Friday from Covid-19 n Friday, bringing the state’s total to 16,599. Friday there were also 10,553 additional coronavirus cases, bringing the statewide total to 282,143. Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the state is expanding diagnostic testing criteria to include more frontline New York workers – a direct result of rapidly increasing diagnostic testing capacity. The expanded criteria will now allow all first responders, health care workers and essential employees to be tested for Covid-19 even if they aren’t symptomatic. The state will continue to expand testing criteria as testing capacity increases. Cuomo also announced he will issue an Executive Order allowing pharmacists to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19. This action will unlock a network of over 5,000 pharmacies as COVID-19 testing locations and help the state build a collection network to meet laboratory capacity and increase overall testing capacity. “I am issuing an Executive Order allowing our state’s 5,000 pharmacies to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19, which will greatly increase our testing capacity and allow us to expand eligibility for these tests to the frontline workers and essential employees who have been going to work and interacting with the public throughout this crisis,” Cuomo said. The governor also announced the state is continuing to conduct antibody testing for frontline health care workers, including at four hospitals and health care systems in New York City today. The antibody testing will be conducted at Bellevue Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Montefiore Medical Center and SUNY Downstate Medical Center which is currently being used only for COVID-19 patients. Additionally, the state will begin conduct antibody testing for first responders and transit workers starting next week, including MTA employees and transit workers, New York State Police and the New York City Police Department. The state wants to expand testing and include essential workers because they are out in the public and could possibly spread the virus

to a lot of people.

“We had a protocol with eligibility, not everybody could get a test and that’s been a big complaint across the board. Everybody wants a test and they couldn’t get tests because we had a tight screen on the eligibility because we had a limited capacity to test,” Cuomo said. “As you increase the capacity to test, you can increase the eligibility. The first responders, health care workers and essential employees, why? Because these people have been carrying the load and they have been subjected to the public all during this crisis and because they’re public facing. These are the people who you interact with. You get on a bus, this is the bus driver. You get in a subway car, this is the subway conductor. You are interacting with government, these are the people you’re interacting with.” Cuomo said the state has made progress in flattening the curve and defying more dire projections about infections and deaths from

Covid-19.

“This is a terrible experience to go through, but we will manage it, we will handle it, and we will be the better for it,” Cuomo said. “56 days, all this inconvenience what you’re doing is actually saving lives. That’s not rhetorical. That’s not overly dramatic. You are saving lives. What we have done here has saved lives.”

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2 more deaths, 4 more cases of Covid-19 at Villages of Orleans By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2020 at 4:42 pm 9 RESIDENTS AT NURSING HOME IN ALBION HAVE NOW DIED FROM CORONAVIRUS Two more residents of the Village of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center have died from Covid-19, and four more residents have tested positive for coronavirus, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon. The 120-bed nursing home in Albion has now suffered nine deaths from Covid-19 and 42 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus. “Both individuals were residents at The Villages of Orleans with one person under the age of 65 and one person over 65,” said Paul Pettit, public health director of Genesee and Orleans counties. “Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of these two

individuals.”

The county’s total cases for Covid-19 is now up to 79. Genesee County is reporting one more case of Covid-19, bringing the total cases in that county to 143. Contact tracing has been initiated for all of the positive cases. All who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff. There is currently no further information to release on ages and location. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Monday afternoon, the Health Departments said.

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Travel Thoughts By Kim By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 25 April 2020 at 3:00 pm LET’S GO ON AN ADVENTURE TOGETHER … COAST STARLIGHT TRAIN! My private sleeper roomette – the seats convert to a bed to sleep

overnight.

One of my favorite things is when I’m watching a movie or TV show and I have been where it is being filmed. I get all excited when I can say “I stood in that exact spot” or “I saw that building” or “I was there”! It helps me to insert myself into the story and relate to what the characters are doing…..and, it feels pretty dang cool, too. A couple weeks ago, I was watching a movie on Hallmark channel (been doing a lot of that while we’re on “pause”) that was set in Seattle. All through the movie, I kept spotting things I saw when I was there. Then, the next few days I couldn’t stop remembering a wonderful trip I took in 2017 – a two week adventure all along the west coast from top to bottom. There is no way I can summarize that trip in one article here for you – way too much to tell you about. I promise to share segments of it with you over time, but for now, I really want to share one very special 22 hour period

from that trip.

My West Coast Adventure started out as a cruise and when I decided to expand it to spend more time in San Francisco area and also somehow include Oregon and Washington State with extra time in Seattle, I had to find a way to get from San Francisco to Seattle. I thought about flying, but that would eliminate seeing any of Oregon and most of Washington. I considered renting a car in San Francisco and driving to Seattle, but found out that is a very long drive – one I wasn’t sure I was willing to do by myself. The option of taking a bus was rejected quickly – I couldn’t imagine being cramped in a seat all that way. I was just about to give up on the expanded portion of the trip when the idea of taking the train came to me in the middle of the night. I got out of bed at 2:00 am and went down to the computer to see if that was a possibility. I found that Amtrak has a Coast Starlight Train that travels from Los Angeles to Seattle and that it has a stop in San Francisco. As I read about it, I knew that was what I wanted to do. The entire Coast Starlight trip runs mostly along the coast of California between Los Angeles and the border of Oregon then travels inland through Oregon and Washington to Seattle. For this trip, I got on the train in San Francisco. Someday, I hope to do the entire route to get the full experience and see the amazing ocean views while traveling comfortably through California. Observation lounge car available for travelers who book sleeper

accommodations

The segment I traveled from San Francisco to Seattle took 22 hours and I loved every minute of it (the entire route from LA takes 36 hours). I boarded the train and began my adventure at 9:30 pm from the Emeryville, CA station (I took an Amtrak bus from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco to the station). I reviewed all the options for tickets – the least expensive would be the coach seats, but given it was an overnight trip, I would have to sleep sitting up. There are a few different options for sleeper fares, each with pricing according to the accommodation– a roomette which includes a private room with two seats that convert to a bed and also has an upper pull down bed, a bedroom also includes an in-room toilet and shower, a bedroom suite is where two bedrooms connect and open up into one larger room, and a family bedroom which is a roomette with two extra sleeping options to accommodate two adults and two children. While reviewing the options, I also found out that sleeper fares include all meals in the dining cars and some additional perks that coach seat fares don’t have access to. I chose the roomette. I found that with three meals included and the extra perks, it would not be much more expensive in the long run than a coach seat and it would be more comfortable. I also felt that for one night, I could use the bathroom down the hall, which actually ended up being right across from my room, so a larger room at a higher price wasn’t important to me in this case. The room was very comfortable with two seats and a large window and the seats converted to a bed that was surprisingly comfortable. The sleeper cars also have conductors who are there to set up and break down the beds, be available if we need anything, and make our dining car

reservations.

One of the perks of having a sleeper room is access to the exclusive observation lounge car. This car has tables, conversation areas, and swivel chairs all with large observation windows with unobstructed views of the scenery. There is also a bar with a variety of non-alcoholic beverages and snacks all included or alcoholic beverages at an additional cost. They also hosted a wine tasting event late afternoon for a small additional fee that offered tastings of some wonderful Oregon and Washington State wines. The food in the dining car was exceptional with a nice selection of options on the menu. For breakfast, I had scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, juice and tea. For lunch I had a steak burger, fries, and a coke. And, for dinner, I had a ribeye steak, baked potato, fresh veggie medley, rolls, and a glass of wine. All included and all cooked beautifully and very delicious. The whole experience was very comfortable and made me feel like a celebrity in an old-time movie when traveling by luxury train was more common. I got to move around, take in the amazing views, sit in different places – including time in my own private roomette, and during the night, I slept like a baby. Comfortable swivel chairs and large windows in the observation lounge car are perfect for watching the beauty of America go by. As for those amazing views: I woke up just before sunrise and we were in the final miles of California and crossed over into Oregon just about sunrise. The parts of Oregon we traveled through were breathtaking! Dense woods, streams, waterfalls, little lakes, very small rural communities and tunnel after tunnel after tunnel. At some points, we were so far up on the top of the mountains in the middle of nowhere that my ears kept popping and we didn’t have cell/internet service…and it was amazing. When we got back down out of the mountains, we saw a different kind of beauty to look at – farm land as far as the eye can see and all the little communities we passed through had “Elk Crossing” signs. I didn’t see any elk, though…..must be they chose to cross somewhere else. It is difficult to get good photos from a moving train – I took a lot and you can see many of them on my blog, but for the most part, the views are all in my memories and I love bringing them up in my mind from time to

time.

When I arrived in Seattle, I spent a few days there and then flew home to end two amazing weeks all along the west coast of our great country and one of the major highlights of the trip was this train ride (which is saying something, cause the entire trip is right up there among one of my favorite trips). I highly recommend taking the Amtrak Coast Starlight Train – the whole route from LA to Seattle, if you can. You can add it on an already planned west coast trip or just fly out there to do this one adventure and come back home. Whatever you decide works for you, do it, if you ever get the chance – you won’t regret it! I see more long distance train trips in my future, too…perhaps I’ll do a cross country train ride, someday. Visit my Coast Starlight Train blog post for more photos from this wonderful adventure. Also remember – just because we can’t travel to faraway places, right now, doesn’t mean we can’t seek out amazing local adventures from the safety of our cars while keeping with social distancing requirements. Check out a long drive I took on Monday to visit some of Orleans County’s beautiful waterfalls

.

Happy Adventuring,

_Kim Pritt_

44 county employees will be temporarily laid off starting Monday By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2020 at 2:51 pm THE LAYOFFS INCLUDE 10 POSITIONS THAT CURRENTLY AREN’T FILLED Photo by Tom Rivers: The sign for the Orleans County Administration Building is pictured last Saturday in Albion. The building will have fewer workers after employees agreed to a temporary layoff. ALBION – Orleans County will be laying off 44 employees temporarily,

starting Monday.

The County Legislature last Saturday voted to temporarily lay off 40 of the county workers, which is about 10 percent of the workforce. The county asked for volunteers among the employees. Many of the employees stepped forward after the county agreed to continue their health insurance. The staff can collect state unemployment benefits and also $600 in weekly federal stimulus funding for being jobless due

to the pandemic.

The layoffs will be re-evaluated monthly until July 31. The workers are expected to be back on Aug. 1. The layoffs include 34 people currently working for the county, plus 10 positions that are currently in the budget but not filled. The layoffs among current employees will be in the following

departments:

* County Clerk – 5 * Department of Public Works – 3 * Department of Social Services – 12 * District Attorney – 2 * Mental Health – 1 * Office for the Aging – 4 * Personnel & Self Insurance – 1

* Probation – 4

* Sheriff’s Department – 2 The layoffs are spread over nine departments, and includes workers in the unions for CSEA and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Employees Association, as well as from management, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer. “We anticipate the savings from the temporary layoffs and from the vacant positions to be approximately $150,000 per month,” Welch

said.

The county expects it will face steep revenue decreases in sales tax, and state reimbursements, plus likely higher costs for pension funding due to a stock market in decline. The county annually receives about $17 million in sales tax. March was down 9 percent and that’s only with nonessential businesses closed for about two weeks. Early projections from the state comptroller estimated the county would take a minimal hit of about $559,000. That estimate for the minimal decrease has since been doubled to about $1.1 million. And that’s on the low side. The county could see a bigger loss. Welch said the county needed to take quick action to reduce costs. “We are very appreciative of our unions and of our employees working together in these very challenging times,” Welch said. “We look forward to each of these 34 employees returning to our workforce by

August 1, 2020.”

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With people spending more time at home, state urges fire safety Posted 25 April 2020 at 1:29 pm _Press Release, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control_ File photo by Tom Rivers: Firefighters try to put out a fire at a house in Carlton on Route 18 on Dec. 10, 2017. The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control urged all New Yorkers to keep fire safety in mind as NY-PAUSE remains in effect

through May 15.

Approximately 94 percent of all the nation’s fatal structure fires occur in residences and with New Yorkers currently spending more time at home than usual, it’s more important than ever to check your smoke detectors and practice safe behaviors. “Home fire prevention is the least costly and most effective firefighting anyone can do,” said New York State Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Patrick Murphy said. “As New Yorkers remain home amidst this global pandemic, the sad fact we must all remember is most deadly fires happen at home. Collectively we have the power to change this. The first step is acknowledging our own personal responsibility in this effort and practicing the safe behaviors we know will prevent fires from happening in the first

place.”

If a fire does occur in a home today, a fatality is more likely to occur than 40 years ago. Construction materials, open design concepts and other factors of the building all contribute to a higher probability of death in a home fire. In older homes built with legacy construction, a person could expect to have 15 minutes or more to escape a house fire. By 1980, time to escape a house fire decreased to only eight minutes. Today, a person only has two to three minutes to get out and survive. Fire is fast and it doubles every 30 seconds so in a matter of a couple of minutes, a room or even the whole house may

be engulfed.

Cooking, especially when unattended, remains the leading cause of both residential fires and fire deaths in the United States. Cooking may be a good educational opportunity and family activity, especially with more time being spent in the home, however it’s important to remember some basic steps to protect your family from potential fires. This includes making sure cooking is never left unattended, that surfaces are free from grease and that all combustible materials are kept well away from heat sources. For more cooking fire safety tips, visit the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control website (click here

).

“There is an unacceptable number of fatal fires occurring each year, and we must change people’s behaviors today to prevent fires and increase people’s chances of survival,” said State Fire Administrator Francis Nerney. “The good news is that by taking personal responsibility and following a few easy, inexpensive steps, we can dramatically reduce fires and their dreadful consequences. Everyone has the power to make a difference.” Some additional tips for preventing fires and increasing survivability in the event of a fire: * First, prevent the fire. If a fire event never happens, none of the loss, injury and death occurs. * Have working smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms are the most important tool for early notification of fire, escape and survival. * Have a practiced home escape plan. Know two ways out and practice escaping to a designated meeting point. Escape must be automatic when the alarm sounds. It’s not the time to figure what to do. You must already know your escape route and follow it. * Consider installing home fire sprinklers. One or two sprinkler heads at the location where the fire starts can control or extinguish the fire, providing invaluable time to escape. Studies show that working smoke alarms and fire sprinklers can together reduce fire deaths by over 80 percent. The statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning remains in effect until May 14. With spring approaching, conditions for wildfires are heightened in springtime when most wildfires occur.​ Open burning of debris is the largest single cause of spring wildfires in

New York State.

When temperatures are warmer and the past fall’s debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily and be further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation. New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur. Since the ban was established, the eight-year annual average number of spring fires decreased by 42.6 percent, from 2,649 in 2009, to 1,521 in 2018.

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Medina expanded sewer system in 1908 in a challenging public works

project

By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 25 April 2020 at

8:41 am

_“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 6, No. 16_ MEDINA – In 1907, Gov. Charles Evans Hughes signed a law allowing the Village of Medina to raise approximately $60,000 to expand the sewer system. It was expected that the new pipelines would connect the southern and eastern sections of the village to a preexisting trunk sewer that previously discharged into the Oak Orchard Creek. Upon the commencement of construction, the State Department of Health expressed concerns about potential issues that might arise from the increased flow of sewage into the main sewer line. Prior to 1903, sewage discharged at a point opposite of the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and Gulf Street. The construction of A. L. Swett’s sixty-foot high dam created Glenwood Lake and in anticipation of changing sewage disposal needs, Swett constructed a pipe below the lake in order to discharge sewage beyond the dam. Even though this extension was constructed nearly five years earlier, the preexisting trunk sewer was never connected to Swett’s extension and sewage was discharged into Glenwood Lake. The Health Department understood that the increasing flow of sewage would eventually turn the beautiful waterway into a cesspool as solid waste settled on the lakebed. Following the completion of this project, the Village encountered legal trouble with Dingledyne & Patton, the contractors assigned to complete the eastern section of the sewer line. Medina argued that the contractors failed to complete the necessary sewer work, which required the Village to assume responsibility of finishing the job and thus expending additional funds in the process. Dingledyne & Patton issued a countersuit, claiming that the Village owed them more than $15,000 for completed work. An appeals court later issued judgement in favor of the contractors, noting that the Village illegally paid for work not completed and issued payment for work which laborers were required to work beyond eight hours per day. This particular image shows a rather rocky section of East Center Street, looking west towards downtown Medina at the intersection of State Street. In June of 1908, an alteration was made to the proposed sewer line. The original plan involved running this line through a private right-of-way in order to avoid a rock vein. It is clear that the property owner understood the lucrative nature of this predicament and demanded an excessive sum for the right-of-way. Instead, the Village opted to run the line down the center of the street.

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Holley seniors get surprise from teachers and staff with special

signs

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2020 at 10:21 pm _Photos by Tom Rivers_ HOLLEY – Suzanne Lepkowski, senior class advisor for Holley, puts a sign in the front yard on North Main Street for Alexander Brimacomb. The members of the Class of 2020 were paid a special visit today by a group of Holley teachers and staff, including Superintendent Brian Bartalo and Junior/Senior High School Principal Sue Cory. They delivered signs to each member of the Class of 2020. Suzanne Lepkowski, an English teacher at Holley, brought a mega phone with her and stood in the street to tell one of the seniors congratulations on their impending graduation. Lepkowski has been senior class advisor for 20 years. This is the first time in her lifetime a class has had their senior year disrupted by a pandemic. The students have been out of the school building for six weeks now. There were several cars at each stop, honking their horns to try to get the seniors’ attention to come outside and see their sign. Olivia Radford, one of the 81 members of the senior class, poses with her sign after it was delivered by her soccer coach, Renee Wolf. Radford said she is hoping the seniors can still have their prom and a graduation ceremony – “somehow or someway,” she said. Roxanne Wagner, principal’s secretary, helps get the signs organized before the team of teachers and staff went out to deliver them beginning at about noon. Sue Cory, the principal, sent an email to staff to see if any of them were interested in sponsoring a sign for $10 each. She received an almost immediate reaction from teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, clerical staff and administrators. They raised more than the $810 needed for the signs. The extra money will be donated to the

senior class.

The signs were made by Keith Neale of 585 Print. Neale, who has two kids in the junior-senior high school, offered a deal on the signs. Suzanne Lepkowski and Penny Cole, a secretary in the guidance department, load the signs into the back of a vehicle with help from Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent. Makayla Famoly came out in the front yard to see her sign. She said she appreciated the gesture from the teachers and staff. Makyla, 16, is graduating a year early. She is holding out hope students will be able to return to school this year. “I just want to go to prom and walk the stage at graduation,” she

said.

This sign is for Mikaela Auch, one of the seniors. There are also some more generic signs celebrating seniors that teachers and staff requested to have in their yards. Sue Cory, the principal, is pictured in back. Janelle Miles was thrilled when her sign was dropped off today. “I cried when they came up here,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting this. It was so nice because it’s been really hard not

seeing everyone.”

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Hospice recognizes top volunteer, key business supporter Staff Reports Posted 24 April 2020 at 8:05 pm ALBION – Hospice of Orleans normally has a big luncheon each year to recognize key volunteers and supporters. A big public gathering isn’t possible right now, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on more than 10 people in one place. Hospice of Orleans, however, wanted to publicly acknowledge its annual award winners. Chris Fancher, the volunteer coordinator and a social worker for Hospice, announced the winners today through Hospice’s Facebook page (click here ). MARY JANET SAHUKAR AWARD – ANNETTE MANNELLA AND BEVERLY SASKOWSKI This award in named for Hospice’s founding director, and for the first time there is a tie. Hospice is recognizing Annette Mannella and Beverly Saskowski with the award. Mannella is the board secretary for Hospice and serves on the Personnel Committee. She also chairs the Nominating Committee. She is a generous donor and supporter of Hospice with an incredibly large and

giving heart.

Saskowski is the board treasurer and serves on the Personnel and Development/Volunteer Services Committees. She also chairs the Finance Committee. Saskowski assisted with the review and hiring of IT contractors. She is a generous donor and supporter of Hospice. In addition to their Board positions both Manella and Saskowski serve as direct care volunteers, residence volunteers, residence grocery delivery volunteers, and co-facilitators of volunteer Relias training. BUSINESS/CIVIC SERVICE AWARD – HOLLEY PHARMACY Holley Pharmacy works with the Hospice team on a daily basis to ensure patients have the medications needed to ensure their comfort and well being. In times of a patient crisis where new medications need to be ordered and quickly picked up, Luke Miller, owner and pharmacist, will come out in the middle of the night to open the pharmacy and dispense the patient’s medications. Pharmacist John Carl, Pharmacy Tech Chris Penna, and Pharmacy Tech Corey Miller-Lamb are extremely helpful and work very hard to ensure Hospice patients have the medications they need. “A special thank you to their driver, Duane, and all the awesome people behind the scenes at the Pharmacy,” Fancher said. VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – JANICE MANN-BEECH Janice Mann-Beech serves as a family support volunteer, providing much needed respite care to family members who are caring for patients in their homes. She gives selflessly of her time and talents to Hospice

families.

She serves the Martin-Linsin Hospice Residence as a greeter and participates in Hospice fundraisers and events. “Janice exemplifies the model of a humble, dedicated, hardworking volunteer,” Fancher said. “Janice unassumingly and diligently conducts her Hospice work.”

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10 more Covid-19 cases in Orleans, 2 more deaths at nursing home By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2020 at 4:59 pm VILLAGE OF ORLEANS IN ALBION NOW HAS 38 CONFIRMED CASES, 7 DEATHS FROM

VIRUS

ALBION – There are 10 more confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans County, the biggest one-day jump for the county, and two more deaths. That brings the total number of confirmed cases to 75 in Orleans, and seven deaths. The seven people who died from the virus were all residents at the Village of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center, the former county nursing home in Albion. That 120-bed facility now has 38 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The Villages of Orleans represents 51 percent of the county total cases. That doesn’t mean the rest of the community should feel like the virus isn’t pervasive in the county, said Paul Pettit, public health director for Orleans and Genesee counties. Residents in all 10 towns in Orleans have tested positive for

Covid-19.

The 10 new positive include two people outside the Villages, with one in Barre and one in Kendall. The other eight are residents of the

nursing home.

Of the new cases, one person is in the 30s, one in the 40s, two in their 60s, one in the 70s, three in their 80s and two people in their

90s or older.

One of the new positive cases was on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported today. Eight of the total active positive cases are

hospitalized.

The Health Department also is reporting one new positive in Genesee County, bringing that county’s total to 142 positive cases, which includes 49 detainees at the federal detention facility in Batavia and three residents of the Batavia VA Medical Center. The new case reported today in Genesee is an Elba resident in the 50s. The person was not on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic. Genesee has five more recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 69. In Orleans, 22 people have recovered after contracting the virus. _The following information is from a press release from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:_ NON-COUNTY PUBLIC REGULATED FACILITIES • Due to the increased number of positive cases at specific regulated facilities, the G-O Health Departments have added a new chart to show the number of positive cases of Covid-19 for non-county public regulated facilities whose regulatory oversight does not fall within the local health departments. • The numbers are part of the cumulative positive case numbers received since the first positive.  As of today, in Orleans County the number of positive cases of Covid-19 at The Villages of Orleans has surpassed the number of community cases. These facilities are regulated by the state or federal government agencies and those who live within those facilities are overseen by those respective agencies.  The local health departments will oversee any employees or community contacts (who reside within our counties) who had close contact with those who tested positive or who have become symptomatic. This chart will be updated to reflect any public regulated facilities if and when confirmed Covid-19 cases are identified. • Remember even though the numbers may be high at a specific location, the virus is still moving though our counties. People need to continue frequent handwashing and sanitizing shared surfaces, practicing stay safe at home, social distancing and wearing cloth masks when out in public. This is not the time for gathering at the grocery stores, take-out lines or play dates. This is the time to be kind and think of the health and well-being of others. • The NYS Health Department will partner with the State’s Attorney General to investigate nursing home violations. A hotline or online form can be submitted where residents, families, or members of the public can share complaints about nursing homes that have not provided required communications with families about Covid-19 diagnoses or fatalities, nursing home abuse and neglect including failure to follow rules to keep residents safe. The hotline number is 833-249-8499 or click here the link for the online

form.

TESTING

• Antibody testing: Preliminary Phase 1 results of the Antibody Testing Study shows 13.9% of the population have Covid-19 antibodies. That is based on 3,000 random samples taken at various locations (19 counties and 40 localities) across the state, including at grocery stores and big-box stores where people were openly going out in

public.

The preliminary results are: * Long Island made up 14.4% of the total tests and 16.7% had the

antibodies

* New York City made up 43% of the total tests and 21.2% had the

antibodies

* Westchester / Rockland made up 9.8% of the total test and 11.7% in that region had the antibodies * Rest of the state accounted for 32.8% of the total tests and 3.6%

had the antibodies

WEARING MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING • Wearing masks and social distancing at a minimum of 6 feet are paramount to preventing flare-ups and mini-outbreaks. Everyone needs to be compliant. Correctly wearing cloth masks is part of a multi-prong approach to stop/slow the spread of Covid-19. • We know wearing a face covering is inconvenient and uncomfortable, but it can limit transmission of respiratory germs. The mask traps the droplets before they spread into the environment. Remember wearing a face covering helps to protect others from your potential germs. “My mask protects you, and your mask protects me!” • The Health Department encourages stores and businesses to set guidelines that include not allowing patrons to enter if they are not wearing a face covering or wearing it correctly (covering the mouth and nose). Make sure proper signage noting your policy is visible to

patrons.

PREVENT THE SPREAD

As/when the state starts open up we all have to be diligent for quite some time to prevent the spread of this virus. * Continue frequent handwashing/hand sanitizing if soap and water

are not available.

* Continue frequent sanitizing/cleaning of shared surfaces. * Continue social distancing – staying 6 feet away from others. * Continue wearing face coverings – wearing face coverings correctly when out in public. The mouth and nose are to be covered and the face covering should be tucked under the chin. Wearing masks is a way of strengthening social distancing. * Stay HOME if you are sick! Do not go shopping, Do not go to work,

Do not go visiting!

There is still no cure or vaccination available for Covid-19.  Be alert to scams or home remedies.  Contact your primary care provider if you have any symptoms and follow his/her instructions. There is still limited swabbing available in Genesee and Orleans counties. If you are experiencing symptoms, contact your primary care provider and they will determine if testing is right for you.  If the counties receive an increase in swabbing supplies and the protocol for testing is changed, we will notify the public.

MENTAL HEALTH

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations and having to socially distance yourself from someone you love can be difficult. Below are resources that can help you connect to a professional that can help you through these challenging times: * Care + Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 at 585-283-5200 or text ‘Talk’ to 741741. * New Yorkers can call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health counseling.

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NY announces new domestic violence text program with abuse on the

rise

Posted 24 April 2020 at 2:24 pm _Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo_ In the face of a dangerous uptick of domestic violence incidents, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the immediate modernization of the state’s domestic violence hotline with a new text program and confidential online service to aid victims of abuse and provide potential lifesaving ways to get help. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the necessary social distancing guidelines, domestic violence victims are even more vulnerable and unsafe while isolated at home without being able to get away from their abuser and there has been a reported uptick in the number of domestic violence cases in the state. Calls to the state’s domestic violence hotline are up 30 percent in April compared to last year and calls increased 18 percent from February to March 2020. State Police also report domestic violence incident calls were up 15 percent in March compared to last year. For many victims, making a phone call to get help or accessing services may be impossible because their abuser can easily monitor their calls. The new text program and confidential online service will make it easier for these victims in isolation to contact the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and get the help they need. New Yorkers seeking help can text 844-997-2121 or chat with a professional on the new confidential website at www.opdv.ny.gov . The text and online services will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with OPDV staff who are experts in the area of domestic violence. “New Yorkers are living through an unimaginably stressful period and we’re seeing signs that domestic violence is on the rise as victims are stuck at home with their abusers and unable to access the help they need,” Governor Cuomo said. “We’ve been working with state agencies to help address this issue and provide more resources, and this new text program and confidential online service will help make it easier for victims to get the help they need and get out of potentially dangerous situations.” “The reality is that abuse victims are often closely surveilled by their abuser,” said Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor and Chair of the New York State Council on Women and Girls. “In New York, no one should be at risk because they can’t find a way to make their need for help known. The text and online confidential service programs we are rolling out today will provide additional and better methods for victims of domestic violence to get the help and intervention they need when they need it.” Since NYS on PAUSE went into effect, OPDV and many state agency partners have been working diligently to pursue strategies for putting safety information in front of victims in places that such information would not normally be available, including on social media accounts of public utilities or tax/finance.  Additionally, major efforts have been underway to get safety flyers with the Hotline number hung up in essential retailers, such as grocery stores, pharmacies and home repair stores, among others.

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Cuomo to issue executive order for absentee ballots for all

registered voters

Posted 24 April 2020 at 2:10 pm ‘NO NEW YORKER SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.’ – GOV. CUOMO _Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office_ Photo by Tom Rivers: The American flag is lowered at the Orleans County Mental Health Building in Albion out of respect for victims of Covid-19. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that 422 died from the virus on Thursday, bringing the state’s death toll from Covid-19 to

16,162.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced he will issue an Executive Order mandating that the New York State Board of Elections automatically mail every New Yorker a postage-paid application for an absentee ballot. Earlier this month, the Governor issued an Executive Order allowing all New Yorkers to vote absentee in the June 23rd primary election. The Governor also outlined the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the state. New York State revenues are estimated to decline by $13.3 billion – or 14 percent – from the Executive Budget forecast. Additionally, the revenues are estimated to decline by $61 billion over the financial plan period of FY 2021 to FY 2024. “We’re making great progress to flatten the curve and decrease the spread of infection, but we don’t know when this pandemic will end and we can’t put democracy on hold,” Governor Cuomo said. “I am issuing an Executive Order to ensure every New York voter automatically receives a postage-paid application for an absentee ballot because no New Yorker should have to choose between their health and their right to vote.” The Governor confirmed 8,130 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 271,590 confirmed cases.

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Posted 24 April 2020 at 2:00 pm Orleans Mental Health director leaving to lead Erie County department By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2020 at 11:04 am O’BRIEN PRAISED FOR EXPANDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN COMMUNITY Photo by Tom Rivers: Mark O’Brien has led the Orleans County Mental Health Department the past seven years. During his tenure the department expanded to have staff working out of 15 sites in the community, including schools, healthcare facilities and the county

jail.

ALBION – The Orleans County Mental Health Director is leaving the county to take the job as Erie County Commissioner of Mental Health. Mark O’Brien has been the Orleans County director for seven years. He has worked for the county for a decade. O’Brien, a Grand Island resident, told county legislators it was a “very difficult decision” to leave Orleans. He praised the legislators for supporting initiatives to expand mental health services in the county. He was presented a “Special Recognition Award” on Wednesday by

County Legislators.

“Your dedication and expertise has benefited our county tremendously,” the award states. “We appreciate your support and commitment to the residents of our county, which will forever be widespread, long lasting and extremely appreciated. The Orleans County Legislature does hereby wish you well as you enjoy your newest endeavor as the Erie County Commissioner of Mental Health.” O’Brien built many partnerships in the community to expand mental health services, including satellite mental health offices in all five school districts in the county. Those offices allow students to receive mental health services without having to travel to county clinic in Albion. Transportation was a barrier for many families to

access services.

Counselors help students who have anxiety, depression and other mental

health issues.

“It makes it more accessible for the kids,” O’Brien told the Orleans Hub in a previous article. “The superintendents have been super cooperative to work with.” O’Brien also led the department in bringing mental health services to the county jail. About 80 percent of the inmates in the Orleans County Jail have mental health disorders. Providing them treatment and appropriate medication can help reduce recidivism. The Mental Health Department also has worked with local law enforcement agencies to provide training for responding to people in a mental health crisis. He also developed partnerships with the Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Orleans Community Health and Oak Orchard Health to have mental health staff at their sites. He was honored with the Constance Miller Award from the Mental Health Association of Genesee & Orleans in 2017. The award is named in honor of the founder of the MHA in 1993. “We want to recognize people working promote mental wellness in the community,” Scott Wilson, vice president of the MHA board of directors, said then. Wilson is also the Orleans County Jail superintendent. He has seen O’Brien work with many local agencies in the community to expand mental health services, including at the jail. The Mental Health Department has two clinicians working at the jail, which has reduced psychotropic medication and suicide attempts, Wilson

said.

O’Brien said he appreciated the response from partners in the county, welcoming mental health staff. “It’s making mental health services more accessible to the community and reducing the stigma because they are not going to a classified mental health building,” he said. He also worked to make county mental health building more accessible to the public by having open access where people don’t need an appointment to be served during regular business hours. O’Brien’s last day with the county is May 7. The County Legislature has appointed Danielle Figura, the current clinic coordinator for Mental Health, to serve as interim director for the department beginning on May 8.

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Posted 24 April 2020 at 10:31 am

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