Allegany County Community Source 03-31-2023

allegany county

Wellsville library visitors mourn loss of beloved oak tree

BY KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE —

Earlier this month the village board received notification that it once again, for the 31st time, has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for “its commitment to effective urban forest management.”

A few days later, on March 9, the pin oak tree that graced the sidewalk entrance to the David A. Howe Library for decades was cut down. So beloved was the tree that the library’s Executive Director Nic Gunning believed it was necessary to make a public comment.

“The library did all it could to get a professional assessment and try to save the tree,” he explained. “Major limbs have been falling off the tree and it hasn’t been healthy for a few seasons. Professional arborists found the pin oak had succumbed to a fungus growing within it.

“It had become a danger, necessitating its removal,” Gunning added. “We have plans to replace it in the coming months.”

The pin oak tree was a part of the community. With many events taking place on the library lawn over the years — plays, concerts, Christmas tree decorating — the public has taken shelter from rain, wind, snow and sun under its leafy canopy. Admirers

of the tree even say its broad trunk has hidden many a stolen kiss.

One library visitor lamented he will miss the tree he took shelter under many times as a boy. “The tree is almost as old as I am,” he said.

Nevertheless, the pin oak is just one of the thousands of trees that make Wellsville a Tree City USA.

At the recent village board meeting, Mayor Randy Shayler explained that Wellsville achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements — maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating an annual community forestry budget and hosting an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The tree board, consisting of Susan Duke, president, and Oak Duke, vice president,

along with Eva Thompson, Walter Gardner and Linda Pullman, help organize with the fifthgrade instructors at the elementary school the annual Arbor Day Observance. This year it is scheduled for April 28.

The board also plants and suggests removal of trees and arranges for a tree health and condition report by a state forester every two to three years. It also advises the best species of trees to be planted in certain areas.

At a past meeting, Duke expressed her feelings, saying, “We are stewards of these trees. We can’t think just 10 to 15 years into the future. Some of the trees we plant will be here for hundreds of years. They are our legacy for our community and our future.”

Tree City USA is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in part-

nership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest first hand,” said Dan Lambe chief

executive officer of the Arbor Day Foundation.

“The trees being planted and cared for by Wellsville are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life.”

And as if knowing

what was to happen to the library family’s pin oak, he continued, “Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride.”

Randolph Hatchery stocking nice, big trout for April 1

BY DEB EVERTS

1,

Managed

3, the facility keeps a healthy population of brown, rainbow and brook trout well-

stocked in Western New York’s waters including those in Allegany County, Allegany State Park and Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Wyoming counties as well as part of Erie County.

“It’s been an easy winter for the fish and they did really well,” Borner said. “They’re really nice, good-sized fish again this year — all between 9 and 10

inches.”

Borner’s staff have been stocking rainbow trout throughout the region and would continue through March 31.

“The streams are in good shape and we expect the stocking to go well,” he said. “The weather looks good this week, with the temperatures in the 40s.”

Spring stocking

will continue through April and into midMay. Borner said there are four stockingextended streams that they do four times a year: Cattaraugus Creek in Arcade, the Genesee River from the Belmont Dam to the Pennsylvania line, Goose Creek from Ashville to Panama in Chautauqua County and East Koy Creek in Wyoming County.

The new Trout Stream Management Plan under New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), initiated in 2021, has set forth a different approach to the way streams are stocked now, Borner said. He said the policy calls for additional stocking of those four streams

Photos by Kathryn Ross

The pin oak tree at the David A. Howe Library in Wellsville continues to serve the community as the curious count its rings to learn how old it was.

Andover Lions revive Maple Festival

ANDOVER — After a hiatus of three years, the Andover Lions Club will once again present the Andover Maple Festival April 1 and 2 at the Andover Central School will be the scene of this traditional rite of spring since 1973.

Of the many food vendors, the Rod and Gun Club’s famous pancake breakfast certainly takes center stage. Additionally there will be beef on weck, chicken barbeque and other meal and snack options. Over 75 vendors and displays will include Amish built Adirondack furniture as well as bedroom sets along with many craft exhibits. A variety of exhibits and

services will include Identicao Child ID cards by the Allegany County Sheriff’s Department, SPCA will have an informational booth and the Lions Club will also have a table to present their services and membership news. The sale of local maple syrup and other maple products is always a highlight.

A working sugar shack is run by the Lions across the street from the school. Two local craft breweries will be offering free beer tasting at a display on main Street next to the Village Pub.

In March of 2020, Lions President Jeanne Todd got a call from the Andover Central

School administration regretting to inform her that the school could not host the Maple Festival. New York State Department of Education had ordered that …”out of an abundance of caution” and all that. It soon became apparent that glib references to “2020” were no longer about perfect eyesight. The 2023 Maple Festival is a return to normal, but also a reset towards reinvigorating the club and it’s activities.

The Andover Lions Club is chartered by Lions Clubs International, one of the largest and most respected charitable service organizations in the world. The Andover Lions Club has monthly dinner meetings to foster good fellowship in service to the community.

In addition to providing financial grants to multiple organizations such as the library, Fourth of July celebration, youth sports and many others, the Lions Club assists community members with the loan of medical supplies such as hospital beds, wheel chairs, walkers and similar supplies. Grants are available for vision related services such as eye exams and eyeglasses.

2023 Andover Maple Festival schedule of events include:

Saturday and Sunday

• Pancake Breakfast by the Andover Rod and Gun Club, starts at 7 a.m. ACS Cafeteria

• Exhibits and vendors throughout the school, Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Sugar Shack, maple

because they are fished more heavily.

As per the DEC’s new management plan, the hatcheries have been raising a bigger product the past couple of years. Borner said the new policy requires a 9-inch fish. He said they are also stocking 14- to 15-inch two-year-old browns that come from the Caledonia Hatchery.

Borner said there are 12 fish hatcheries in New York state and nine raise cold water fish, which are basically trout and salmon. He said some of the fish from those facilities get transferred to other hatcheries for their stocking.

“It’s an ongoing process of transferring fish in and out. Each hatchery has their own niche and all the hatcheries across New York state work together to meet the goals for the entire state,” he said. INCLUDING THE fish they transfer to other hatcheries for stocking, Borner said the Randolph hatchery will have raised and handled about 180,000, 9-inch yearling fish this year.

Borner said the Randolph hatchery stocks mostly brown trout because they primarily do the best in Western New York waters. Brown trout tolerate the warmest water and the poorest water quality of the trout species. Rainbows can tolerate warm water, but not as warm as brown trout. Brook trout, native to

syrup boiling demonstration, Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday noon to 2 p.m., on the grounds of Blessed Sacrament Church across Elm Street from the school

• Free craft beer tasting, Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday noon to 2 p.m., Main Street next to the Village Pub

• Kiddie Tractor Pull

11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, in the auditorium

Saturday only

• Puppet Show at noon in the auditorium.

• Bob Hartle Band, Saturday 4-8 p.m. at the Village Pub, Main Street

Sunday only

Community Palm Sunday service, 8 a.m. in the auditorium

New York state and the official state fish, require the cleanest and highest water quality of all trouts.

The Randolph hatchery is a primary broodstock facility that handles five to six million brook, brown and rainbow trout eggs each year. Annual production totals almost 100,000 pounds of fish.

Each fall, fish culturists at the Randolph hatchery strip, fertilize and incubate roughly 5.3 million eyed-eggs. They keep a portion and the rest are sent to other hatcheries in the state.

The trout are raised in indoor culture tanks called the nursery and, at about three months old, are transferred to harvest ponds until

they reach the required size for release.

All three trout species of the spent broodstock are released into area streams in mid-to-late October. Borner said people are welcome to come in the fall and watch the staff take eggs. He said the outdoor activity usually takes place the second week of September and the process goes on into early October. Then the fish are released into area streams after 21 days. Located at 10943 Hatchery Road, the Randolph Fish Hatchery is open to the public daily, yearround, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To learn more, call (716) 358-4755. Call the Stocking Hotline at (716) 358-2050 or visit online at dec.ny.gov.

➡Hatchery continued from PAGE 1

File photo

April 1 is opening day of trout season. In preparation, Randolph Fish Hatchery staff began stocking area streams, including in Allegany, earlier in March. Fish culturists Barry Hohmann and Kyle Keys work together in 2022 to stock trout.

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Seeks qualified applicants for

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Employment Opportunities

Educational Foundation of Alfred continues to support peer tutoring

ALFRED — Peer tutoring services at Alfred State continue to benefit from the ongoing support of the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc. An annual donation of $6,500 has helped students achieve success and continue towards their academic goals.

Since the 2010-11 academic year, the foundation has provided funding to the college’s peer tutoring program. As a result, the program has fulfilled more than 2,162 student requests, providing more than 12,783 hours of support.

Students receiving assistance through peer tutoring have earned

dining & Entertainment

a significantly higher GPA (0.91 GPA points on average higher).

Furthermore, the peer tutoring program has initiated a Tutor Training Program to enhance the service provided with the integration of online and face-to-face training provided.

Alfred State offers free peer tutoring services for most courses. Peer tutors are students who have earned an “A” or “B” in a course and have received special training. Sessions are usually face-to-face, but online tutoring may be arranged upon request.

Casey Cowburn is

Cheerful dessert brings smiles to Easter celebrations

The fresh, bright flavor of lemon can bring a cheery ambiance to any occasion when it makes an appearance in delicious recipes. Lemon essence seems ripe for spring and summer entertaining, and can feature prominently in Easter desserts. Such is the case with this recipe for “Lemon Poppy Seed

Pound Cake” from “The Pampered Chef® Stoneware Inspirations” by The Pampered Chef® Test Kitchens.

Lemon Poppy Seed

Pound Cake

Yield: 16 servings

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1½ cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup (11⁄2 sticks) butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 4 eggs

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325

F. Spray Stoneware Fluted Pan (or any bundt cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt in a 2-quart mixing bowl; mix well. In a 4-quart mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese on high speed

of hand-held electric mixer 1 minute. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed 1 minute or until blended (mixture will form a stiff paste).

2. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk and vanilla just until blended. Add egg mixture to cream cheese mixture in four additions, beating 2 minutes after each addition. (Do not undermix.)

3. Pour batter into pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake

Friday, April 28th

Wellsville Municipal Airport 7:30 pm sign-in · 8:30 pm start

• To register, scan QR code at right OR go to https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Wellsville/ GLOW5KRunWalk

• Register by April 10th and get a 2023 GLOW Shirt

• Prizes for most festively dressed individual or group

• Computer Chip Timing by Happily Running, Inc.

All proceeds from the GLOW will be used for projects that benefit community wellness.

the peer tutoring coordinator in Alfred and Leslie Buckley serves as tutoring coordinator and coordinator for Disability Services in Wellsville. The peer tutoring program is

housed in the Student Success Center, located in the Hunter Student Development Center on the Alfred campus, and the Student Services Building on the Wellsville campus.

in pan 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; carefully invert onto a cooling rack, keeping pan over cake. Cool completely.

4. Place cake on serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or prepare a glaze, if desired.

ALLEGANY COUNTY OFFICE FOR THE AGING

FRESH

We slice to your specification!

Every Friday Feb.17thApril7th

Donation:

Adults: $14.00

Children: $9.00

of fried or 4 kinds of baked fish.

Photo provided by Alfred State College

A pair of Alfred State students work together in the Student Success Center.

Langworthy introduces Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act

WASHINGTON — Congressional representatives from New York state and the Northeast are touting a new bill to help dairy farmers.

As part of National Agriculture Week, U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy said he introduced the Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act of 2023 to add transparency to and modernize the Federal Milk Marketing Order system.

The bill calls for national hearings on federal milk market-

ing orders, changes a pricing formula, and requires manufacturers to report production cost and yield information.

The bill was introduced by the freshman Republican alongside Rep. Joe Morelle, D-Utica, and it has a Senate companion led by U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Susan Collins, R-Maine. House cosponsors include fellow New Yorkers Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, and Brandon Williams, R-Sennett; as

Workshop on growing berries set for Saturday

ALFRED STATION — Cornell Cooperative Extension in Allegany County will present a workshop on growing your own strawberries and raspberries 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at Tinkertown Hardware Store, 833 Route 244.

The workshop will be presented by Mary Lu Wells, master gardener volunteer. Attendance is free and registration is not required.

For more information, call (585) 268-7644 or visit www.cce.cornell.edu/allegany.

well as representatives from six other states.

“New York is one of the top dairy producing states in America and the entire nation depends on the ability of our farmers to make ends meet and get their products onto shelves,” Langworthy said. “As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have listened to the challenges dairy farmers are facing with volatility in the marketplace that puts their operations at grave risk.”

The congressman said the “critical bill will provide much-needed stability and certainty to ensure that our farmers can do what they do

best: produce food for Americans.”

The bill received input from the American Farm Bureau Federation and the New York Farm Bureau, which back the legislative effort.

“Meaningful Federal Milk Market Order reform is essential for New York’s dairy farms to help ensure they receive a fair price for their milk,” said David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau president and a dairy farmer. He added the NY Farm Bureau has long been advocating for federal order changes and created a special working group made up of farmers and industry

Financial strategies that can help seniors grow their money

Investing is often portrayed as something people need not worry about after retirement. The theory that people should avoid risk as they approach and reach retirement age makes sense, as the unknown of investing can expose aging individuals to losses that compromise their ability to live comfortably on fixed incomes. Though conventional wisdom regarding financial risk and aging still makes sense, the effects of inflation over the last year-plus have highlighted how important it can be for seniors to keep growing their money even after they retire. Fortunately, various strategies can help seniors grow their money without exposing them to considerable risk.

• Look into high-yield savings accounts.

Interest on savings accounts was once a great way for individuals to grow their money. But interest rates on standard, no-minimum-bal-

leaders to help identify areas for key change. He said the measure “will modernize the federal milk marketing order system to more equitably support our farms and food supply.”

Last month, Gillibrand announced she would reintroduce her bipartisan Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act, which would empower dairy farmers to be key players in reviewing proposals that could change Class I milk pricing by requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to hold national hearings to review Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO).

The senator noted then that the current milk pricing system is one of the most complicated and “out-of-date economic systems in our nation,” leaving many

of New York’s dairy producers facing the risk of inadequate pay due to volatile milk pricing.

Gillibrand and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., also sent a letter to a U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador pushing for ensuring that Canada upholds its dairy trade obligations as part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Gillibrand said unfair Canadian trade policies have kept America’s dairy producers from benefiting from fair trade to the Canadian market for their products.

“Dairy is New York’s primary agricultural product, but our outdated milk pricing system is doing substantial harm to the industry and our dairy farmers are struggling,” she said.

Belmont man charged with criminally negligent homicide

BELMONT — A Belmont man was issued felony charges March 25, including criminally negligent homicide, in connection with an incident reported last year.

Taz J. Cain, 28, was charged at 12:15 p.m. Saturday with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance/narcotic, a class B felony; criminally negligent homicide, a class E felony; seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and acting in a manner injurious to a child, class A misdemeanors.

According to the New York State Police, the charges stem from an incident reported Dec. 4. Cain was released on his own recognizance.

ance accounts are now so low that the growth in interest is negligible. However, individuals with sizable savings, such as seniors, can explore high-yield savings accounts. High-yield savings accounts offer much higher interest rates than standard accounts. The rules governing eligibility to open such accounts differ between financial institutions, but many mandate that account holders have high minimum balances, typically in the neighborhood of $250,000. So long as account holders maintain that minimum balance, they can accrue penalty-free interest without exposing their money to the risks of the market.

• Consider other exclusive bank accounts. High-yield savings accounts are not the only way seniors’ banks may be able to help grow their money without

necessarily taking on market-related risk. Products such as Chase Private Client CheckingSM offer exclusive perks, including a dedicated client advisor who can work with seniors as they navigate life changes, including retirement.

• Consider low-risk investments. Risk aversion is not the same thing as risk avoidance. It’s wise for seniors to be averse to risk, but they can still consider low-risk investments like short-term bonds as a means to growing their money in retirement. Low-risk investments can be vulnerable to inflation, not unlike money sitting in a savings account. However, certain short-term bonds, such as Treasury

Inflation-Protected Securities, are designed to mirror inflation, which makes them an option worthy of consideration for seniors who have been concerned by the ways inflation has affected their financial status in recent years. According to the Department of the Treasury, the principal of a TIPS can go up or down over its term. When the bond reaches maturity, if the principal is higher than the original amount, bond holders get the increased amount. If the principal is lower at maturity, bond holders still get the original amount. Seniors looking to grow their money after retirement can consider a host of options that can make them less vulnerable to inflation.

Rep. Nick Langworthy

Starting the gardening season

How early is early? It will soon be time to start thinking about sowing those hardy veggies, but how can we gamble with Jack Frost and wind?

Some seeds like peas, spinach, kale and radishes will sprout if the soil is 40 degrees or warmer. The trick is to know when that is.

You can’t look at your thermometer or listen to the weather report because that shows air temperature and the soil will be colder. You could buy a ground thermometer or let Mother

Nature tell you.

The robins will be back from their winter sojourn when the worms start wiggling around in the topsoil and that happens when the ground is about 40 degrees. With global warming they come back in late-March or early-April depending on the year and your garden’s situation.

With early planting in mind, here are a few things you should have done last October. The No. 1 rule in gardening is do not walk or dig in your wet soil! If this is a new garden and you are digging up your lawn, you will have to wait until May when the soil has dried out.

To get an early- to mid-April start you needed to prepare your beds last fall. Here’s what you should have done.

Raise your rows by (A) moving soil from the paths to the planting bed or (B) adding amendments (topsoil–sand–peat–manure–compost). If possible add a total of one to three inches. Using a spading fork push down six inches and wiggle it around. This loosens the soil but does not invert the layers, disrupting the living creatures which make for a productive soil.

Alfred State to host BBQ drive-thru dinner on Wellsville campus

ALFRED — The Alfred State College Culinary Arts department will host a barbecue drive-thru dinner April 6 on the Wellsville campus. Proceeds of the $15 (cash only) dinner will benefit the Culinary Arts Scholarship funds. The dinner includes smoked barbecue beef brisket, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, corn muffin and cookies.

Dinners will be served from 3 to 5:30 p.m. or until sold out, and can be picked up at 2530 River Road, Wellsville. For questions on the event, call (607) 587-3170.

automotive

If you are new and have yet to site your garden, consider this — a south-facing slope warms up faster in the spring. Every 1 degree essentially moves the plot 70 miles south and therefore spring comes 3 1/2 days sooner.

Come early March, if the snow is gone, rake aside any mulch on your rows so the sun can dry out and warm up your soil. Dark soil (all that added organic matter) will warm up faster and your raised rows will drain faster. Dry soil is warmer soil which means you can plant sooner!

While we are fooling Mother Nature, let’s try another trick: Soak your seeds for three days before you sow. Check the weather forecast for the next three days. You don’t want rain or snow on day three. In the morning of day one soak peas, spinach, kale and radishes in warm water for 24 hours. Then drain, but keep damp, for day two and on day three, sow.

So, do not wait for Memorial Day. These crops love the early, cool weather and will yield well and taste best with daytime temperatures in the 70s. As my Daddy would have said, “Hop, skip and jump. Do it on time!”

(M.L. Wells is a master gardener volunteer with the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Allegany County.)

Develop a vehicle maintenance schedule

The oft-sudden expense of vehicle repairs can throw monthly budgets into disarray. Maintaining a routine service schedule is one way for drivers to keep repair costs down.

The online automotive resources Edmunds. com says many car owners do not adequately prepare for scheduled maintenance, and may not give maintenance a thought until it’s too late. The first step driv-

ers take upon purchasing a new or preowned vehicle should be to familiarize themselves with the vehicle’s owner’s manual, which is filled with valuable information and likely includes maintenance interval recommendations.

Next, drivers should learn about their vehicle, which is particularly relevant when buying a preowned vehicle. Getting to know how

the car or truck rides, as well as any sounds it may make, can provide drivers with a solid foundation they can then use to keep their cars running strong. Routine service typically includes tire rotation, oil changes and topping off of fluids. So just how long between service appointments can a car go? Here are some generalized estimates.

• Oil change: Oil chemistry and engine technology have improved so much that most cars can go well beyond the once-recommended 3,000 mile interval between oil changes. Now many vehicle manufacturers recommend between 5,000 and 10,000

miles between changes, advises Edmunds. Drivers should err on the side of caution if they do a lot of stop-andgo driving and short trips. Other drivers may want to invest in vehicles that have oil change maintenance minders built in. A light or countdown will come on the dashboard, indicating when the

oil has reached the end of its usefulness.

• Tire rotation: Rotating tires helps prolong the life of the tires and alleviates uneven tread and wear. During the rotation, each tire is removed and relocated to a different position to ensure that all the tires will wear evenly. Michelin Tires states that tires should be rotated around every six months, or between 6,000 and 8,000 miles.

• Vehicle fluids: Your best bet is to see what the manufacturer recommends in regard to fluids such as transmission fluid, differential

oil, brake fluids, coolant, etc. Some transmissions need regular maintenance, while others can go 150,000 miles between changes, according to the vehicle information site The Drive. Coolant typically can last 100,000 miles. For these types of changes, it may be best to go to a mechanic or service center familiar with your make and model rather than a quick-lube center, as knowing when to drain and refill can be more complicated. Service schedules can be designed to adhere to manufacturers’ recommendations and drivers’ personal preferences.

Early spring is the time to get shoots of your favorite vegetables going.

home improvement

How to make homes safer from fires

Over a five-year period beginning in 2015 and 2019, fire departments across the United States responded to roughly 347,000 home structure fires per year. That data, courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association, underscores the significance of home fire protection measures.

Smoke detectors are a key component of fire protection, but there’s much more homeowners can do to protect themselves, their families, their belongings, and their homes from structure fires.

• Routinely inspect smoke detectors.

Smoke detectors can only alert residents to a fire if they’re working properly. Battery-powered smoke detectors won’t work if the batteries die. Routine smoke detector check-ups can ensure the batteries still have juice and that the devices

themselves are still functioning properly.

Test alarms to make sure the devices are functioning and audible in nearby rooms. Install additional detectors as necessary so alarms and warnings can be heard in every room of the house.

• Hire an electrician to audit your home.

Electricians can inspect a home and identify any issues

that could make the home more vulnerable to fires. Ask electricians to look over every part of the house, including attics and crawl spaces. Oft-overlooked areas like attics and crawl spaces pose a potentially significant fire safety threat, as data from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) indicates that 13 percent of

electrical fires begin in such spaces.

• Audit the laundry room. The laundry room is another potential source of home structure fires. NFPA data indicates around 3 percent of home structure fires begin in laundry rooms each year. Strategies to reduce the risk of laundry room fires include leaving room for

laundry to tumble in washers and dryers; routinely cleaning lint screens to avoid the buildup of dust, fiber and lint, which the NFPA notes are often the first items to ignite in fires linked to dryers; and ensuring the outlets washing machines and dryers are plugged into can handle the voltage such appliances require. It’s also a good idea to clean dryer exhaust vents and ducts every year.

• Look outward as well. Though the majority of home fires begin inside, the NFPA reports that 4 percent of such fires begin outside the home. Homeowners can reduce the risk of such fires by ensuring all items that utilize fire, including grills and firepits, are always used at least 10 feet away from the home. Never operate a grill beneath eaves, and do not use grills on decks. Never leave children unattended around firepits, as all it takes is a single mistake and a moment for a fire to become unwieldy.

• Sweat the small stuff. Hair dryers, hair straighteners, scented candles, clothes irons, and holiday decorations are some additional home fire safety hazards. Never leave candles burning in empty rooms and make sure beauty and grooming items like dryers, straighteners and irons are unplugged and placed in a safe

place to cool down when not in use. Fire departments respond to hundreds of thousands of home fires each year. Some simple strategies and preventive measures can greatly reduce the risk that a fire will overtake your home.

New coordinator for Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative

MOUNT MORRIS

— The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway have announced that landscape architect Pauline Burnes has recently joined the Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative as its trail town coordinator.

The initiative brings together 10 communities in Monroe, Livingston, Wyoming and Allegany counties as well as partners FOGVG, Letchworth Gateway Villages (LGV), Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), to cultivate economic vibrancy and sustainability in an exceptional outdoor recreation region.

The Trail Town communities participating in the initiative are Wheatland-Scottsville, Avon, York, Geneseo, Mount Morris, Nunda, Perry, Hume-Fillmore, Caneadea-Houghton and Cuba. The trail town coordinator will build on the efforts of the initiative

partners to foster community coordination and provide technical assistance to further strengthen and grow the capacity of local businesses, municipalities, and community organizations to capitalize upon their proximity to Genesee Valley Greenway State Park and other outdoor recreation and heritage tourism available in the region.

Burnes brings many specialized and valuable skills to this new position. She retired after 24 years as a landscape architect with the state Department of Transportation Region 6, where she served as the regional landscape architect and bicycle/ pedestrian coordinator. Burnes provided

health & Wellness

designs for highway streetscapes in villages and rural communities and the use of native plants for landscape restoration.

An Arkport resident, Burnes recently served four years as the volunteer project manager, grant writer, and administrator of the Trail 4 Improvement Project on Allegany County’s state Department of Environmental Conservation West Almond Trail System. She is also an equestrian experienced in designing and maintaining multi-use trails in ways that minimize landscape disruption.

“Pauline’s many skills, extensive experience, and wide network of allied professionals, including engineers,

Pre-workout tips for seniors

As physically active individuals age, they typically must change how they approach exercise. For example, rather than jumping two feet first into new activities like they might have done when they were younger, seniors may have to think about injury prevention and ways to improve their endurance prior to lacing up their sneakers. For most, that may boil down to taking various pre-workout steps.

• Get enough rest. The body requires adequate sleep and other rest during the day to stimulate muscle growth and repair. Exercise may not be as effective and it may be more dangerous if seniors are engaging without enough sleep. In addition, sleep deprivation can reduce reaction times, which can adversely affect workouts.

• Emphasize stretching. Stretching can improve flexibility

and reduce the risk of muscle injuries. It also can improve range of motion in the joints. Stretching before and after a workout prepares the body for exercise and helps it recover.

Wear the proper footwear and clothing. Sturdy, supportive athletic shoes and well-fitting workout wear can make working out more comfortable and safer. The National Institute on Aging

recommends finding footwear designed for the specific activity you’ll be engaging in. Footwear that offers sufficient heel support and nonslip soles is beneficial as well.

Warm up. Give the body an opportunity to acclimate during a warm-up period that will facilitate healthy breathing. Warming up also loosens up the joints and muscles for the exercise ahead. After

a workout, seniors should cool down to reduce their heart rates and prepare for recovery.

• Carefully consider pre-workout supplements. Pre-workout powders and pills have become quite popular for exercise enthusiasts. Manufacturers may advertise that their products are loaded with vitamins and minerals that will

architects, land surveyors and planners, have made her a most effective GVTT Coordinator and valuable resource for the trail town communities since beginning her work in November 2022. We are indeed fortunate to have her on the Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative team,” said FOGVG President Joan Schumaker.

According to Burnes, “It is very rewarding to have the opportunity to work with so many dedicated people residing in the Genesee River watershed who are striving to improve the quality of life and economic opportunities by improving local and regional parks and trails. This effort will

benefit participating Trail Town communities and visitors attracted to the natural beauty of the area now and for future generations.”

The Trail Town Coordinator’s efforts are part of the Building a Genesee Valley Trail Town Network project that is supported with funding awarded to Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway from the New York State Park and Trail Partnership Grants and New York’s Environmental Protection Fund. The Park and Trail Partnership Grants are administered by Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

help energize the body for a workout. However, they also may be fortified with caffeine. Do not take a pre-workout supplement without first consulting your physician, as certain

products may adversely interact with medications you’re taking for preexisting conditions. Pre-workout steps can keep seniors safe and reduce injury risk from exercise.

Pauline Burnes