Tuesday News Brief

WOODWARD MEMORIAL LIBRARY RENOVATION NEARS COMPLETION

A 180-thousand-dollar capital improvement project at Woodward Memorial Library in Le Roy is nearly complete.
Library Director Betsy Halvorsen says the work focused primarily on protecting the building from moisture and replacing aging plumbing serving the bathrooms.
Crews waterproofed portions of the foundation, installed drainage intended to carry water away from the building and replaced pipes that were roughly a century old.
The project required workers to open sections of flooring in the bathrooms and Children’s Room to reach the plumbing before repairing those areas.
Halvorsen says the major work is now finished, with ventilation fans and some baseboard trim among the remaining items.
While most of the improvements will not be visible once construction wraps up, the library hopes the work will eliminate issues including damp floors and improve the reliability of the building’s plumbing.
The Le Roy Central School District Board of Education approved the project in March.
Funding for the work came through the school district budget.
Woodward Memorial Library is located at 7 Wolcott Street in Le Roy.

 

PEMBROKE MOVES TO RESTORE SCHOOL-ZONE BEACONS ALONG ROUTE 77

Pembroke Central School officials say two flashing school-zone beacons along Route 77 could be back in service by early December as safety concerns continue over students crossing the busy highway.
Superintendent Paul Galgovich says the district has been working to replace damaged north and south beacons at the junior-senior high school.
Power and Construction Group of Scottsville was awarded work on the foundation for the south beacon, while Traffic Systems Incorporated will provide the poles, signs, lights, solar panels and batteries for both locations.
The State Department of Transportation is tentatively scheduled to install the new beacons December 3rd, with December 10th set as a weather backup date.
The issue has drawn increased attention from parents and community members because students regularly cross Route 77 before and after school to visit nearby businesses.
The road carries a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour.
Galgovich says he would also like to see that speed limit reduced as part of efforts to improve student safety.

 

GCC THEATRE BRINGS FAST-PACED EXPERIMENTAL SHOW TO STAGE

Genesee Community College Theatre Arts and the Forum Players will present Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind beginning November 12th.
The production features 30 short plays performed in just 60 minutes, with audience members helping determine the order of the scenes.
Performances run November 12th through the 14th at GCC’s Stuart Steiner Theatre.
Tickets are available at the door only and range from 6 to 11 dollars, while GCC students are admitted free with student ID.
The show is recommended for ages 13 and older.

 

 

VICTORIAN-ERA MUSIC COMES TO RICHMOND LIBRARY TONIGHT

Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia is hosting a free live music program tonight celebrating the sounds of Victorian-era America.
Music educators Ayame and Nick Best will present Of Serenades and Shadows: The Great Victorian Music Boom, featuring the parlor music and musical traditions that became popular during the era.
The performance begins at 7 tonight at Richmond Memorial Library on Ross Street.
The program is free and open to the public.

 

 

CONGRESS RETURNS TO WASHINGTON AFTER DEMOCRATIC MIDTERM SWEEP

Congress returned to Washington Monday for a six-week lame-duck session before Democrats take control of both chambers in January.
One of the first major fights could involve Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie is advancing an impeachment resolution over Hegseth’s handling of the Iran war, with some Republicans joining Democrats in criticizing the administration’s decisions. Hegseth says the war was necessary to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions and plans to hold his first Pentagon press conference in more than six months Tuesday.
Lawmakers also face a mid-December government funding deadline, the annual defense bill and legislation aimed at speeding up approval of energy and infrastructure projects.
The new Democratic majority takes power January 3rd.

 

SCHOOL CLOSURES RISE AS ENROLLMENT DECLINES NATIONWIDE

More public schools are closing across the country as districts deal with shrinking enrollment and tighter budgets.
More than 11-hundred schools shut down during the last academic year, the highest total since the pandemic. Meanwhile, public school enrollment has fallen by more than 1-point-4 million students since 2019.
Researchers say lower birth rates are the biggest factor, while immigration changes and expanded private-school and homeschool options have also contributed.
But closing campuses does not always produce the savings districts expect. Transportation, severance costs and security for vacant buildings can eat into the benefits.
Studies also show displaced students can experience long-term drops in reading and math achievement, especially when transferred to lower-performing schools.

 

PERRY KNOCKS OFF LE ROY TO EARN STATE TOURNAMENT BERTH

Perry avenged a regular-season loss to Le Roy Friday night, defeating the Oatkan Knights in four sets to win the Section V Class C crossover.
The Yellowjackets took the match 25-16, 25-22, 18-25 and 25-20.
Anna Barlow led Perry with 20 kills and 10 digs, while Emma Wyant handed out 40 assists.
Le Roy was led by Shea Williams with 14 kills and 15 digs.
Perry improves to 20-and-2 and will face five-time defending state champion Portville Tuesday at 7:30 at Clarence High School in the Class C subregional.