Archive | 2020

Peep Show postponed and other news

16 Mar

Yellow Marshmallow Chicks in RowsNo surprise here.

I received word late yesterday that the annual Greater Rochester Peep Show has been postponed to May 9 and 10.

This event draws so many more than 50 people, and as we all know, large gatherings are pretty much verboten in our current climate. So it was just a matter of time before the decision to postpone was made.

I’m glad they haven’t just canceled it, because this is one of my favorite events of the year (I know, I say that a lot, but Webster just has SO MANY COOL EVENTS). It would be great if life’s back to almost normal by early May, but I’d lay odds it might have to be moved again.

So stay tuned and also I’ll let you know if I hear anything about Community Arts Day, scheduled for April 18. So far, that is still on. But……

Webster Library closed

The Webster Public Library is officially closed, but they will be offering their drive-up service, virtual storytimes and more. I just got this email from them:

As the Coronavirus situation expands, we here at the Webster Public Library have been discussing how we could do the most good for our community at this uncertain time. How we could make a difference now, when it’s needed. We have decided the best way to make a positive impact in our society is to do our part in preventing the increased spread of the COVID-19 virus. We have decided to close our doors, for now. We would not do this if we did not think it was a truly necessary precaution. We will be closed temporarily starting Sunday, March 15.

Because we are closed does not mean we are gone. We are hard at work thinking of what services we need to provide now and creating them for our community in this time of need.

We are continuing to offer our Drive-Up, Pick-Up service between the hours of 11am and 4pm, Monday through Saturday. Give us a call and tell us what items you want, pull up out front in your car, and we will bring the items out to you. Books, movies, TV shows, magazines, audiobooks, storytime at home kits, video games, comics, and more are available to check out via this manner. Call us! (585) 872-7075. Or email at webster.reference@libraryweb.org.

We are eliminating all overdue fees during the time we remain closed. If you can’t make it here to return your materials, don’t worry about it—we understand that there are other concerns on your minds right now.

We are offering weekly virtual storytimes via our Facebook page—stay tuned for announcements. We will be uploading videos of our librarians doing rhymes, songs, books, and more.

We are answering reference questions via phone between the hours of 11am and 4pm, Monday through Saturday. Call us at (585) 872-7075 option 3, especially if you’d like help setting up your OverDrive or Libby account to access our online catalog of items. This includes ebooks, audiobook, movies, and magazines. Anyone with a Monroe County Library System card can access these!

We are planning social media posts with activities for you and building new Pinterest boards with crafts that can be done with limited supplies at home. We are rapidly rescheduling our programs, planning elaborate new ones, cleaning house here, and looking ahead.

As our community moves online, we remain a community. Your library is still here for you! We will adapt to the situation to provide for new necessities, and we will do it together. And as everything returns to usual, we will be here then too. We’ll get from here to there together.

We can’t wait to see you again soon. And until then, we’ll see you online and over the phone.

More closings and delays

I pulled this updated list of closings and delays from the channel 8 website this morning:

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/closings-and-delays-in-the-rochester-region/

Need your St. Patrick’s Day music fix?

Among other things, 2020 will probably come to be known as the year without a St. Patrick’s Day. If any area bars and pubs have not yet closed, they will be soon, and certainly I’m not going near one tomorrow.

So if you (like me) need a St. Patrick’s Day music fix, may I recommend this live stream by my friends Brian and Rose of House of Hamill. (They’re calling it a “Quaran-stream.”)

These two internationally-known Irish musicians are outstanding fiddle players and vocalists — and more. And since, like Irish musicians around the world, most of their gigs have been canceled, they’ve decided to share some love and provide a free online, live-stream, hour-long concert for anyone who wants to tune in.

The performance will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. tomorrow night (St. Patrick’s Day). Just click on the link above (or here). It is truly free, but they will have a virtual PayPal “tip jar” for anyone included to throw them a few bucks.  

Read more details about the event and House of Hamill here.

house of hamill

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Wegmans changing hours, and other Webster coronavirus updates

13 Mar

Cancellations, closings and public health information are still coming fast and furious as local businesses and community agencies try to get ahead of the COVID-19 curve.  Below are some of the latest announcements. If your organization has information you would like me to share, please email me at missyblog@gmail.com.

Thank you to Webster People, Places News and Events Facebook page for providing much of this information. That would be a great page to “like” to help you keep on top of things.

Wegmans

Effective immediately, all Wegmans locations will close overnight to allow the stores to be cleaned and items to restocked. All New York State stores (except Brooklyn) will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight. That includes our Webster branches.

(Read more from this story in this D&C article. )

Community Arts Day

Anyone with kids in our Webster schools has already heard that all PTSA-sponsored events have been cancelled through Spring Break. So far that does NOT include Community Arts Day, which is scheduled for April 18. The way things are going, there’s a real possibility that it, too, will be cancelled.

The organizers write,

If in the event that cancellation is imminent, the CAD planning team will do everything in its power to try and reschedule for a later date. … Please direct any questions to CAD@websterptsa.org.

No word yet on the Greater Rochester Peep Show, which is scheduled for March 28 and 29. Stay tuned.

DMV

This notice from the Department of Motor Vehicles:

The Monroe County Clerk’s Office will be temporarily suspending our Mobile DMV Units beginning on Friday, March 13 until April 1 (subject to review and extension). To help promote safe practices of social distancing, we encourage residents who may need to visit a DMV to take advantage of our online appointment system and avoid waiting in longer lines: https://monroedmv.setmore.com/.

Anyone needing DMV services will be able to access all four of our branch locations (Rochester, Henrietta, Greece and Irondequoit) during this time. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we work to support the overall health of our customers and staff.

Our Webster DMV usually visits the Webster Public Library on Mondays.

Yesterday’s Muse Books

This from Jonathan Smalter at Yesterday’s Muse Books:

As the situation with COVID-19 develops, so has Yesterday’s Muse Books’ response in terms of preventative action. Our shop remains open, and precautions are being taken to sterilize high-traffic surfaces (door handles, phones, all bathroom surfaces, keyboards and other office equipment, etc.). We are fully stocked with hand soap and cleaning supplies, and we have hand sanitizer available for the use of patrons at checkout.

We do understand that some are changing their habits to limit the risk to themselves and their community, so we would like to remind all customers that our full stock of nearly 17,000 books is available to view and purchase online at www.yesterdaysmuse.com. If you are elderly, immunocompromised, believe you are a carrier of the virus, or simply prefer to behave with an abundance of caution, we encourage you to shop using your computer or wireless device. We are happy to ship your order, and our staff is still available to answer questions by phone or e-mail.

For the time being, the open hours during which we review your books for purchase or trade will remain the same, but if additional restrictions are put in place this may change, so please feel free to call to confirm, or to make an appointment if necessary.

We hope that we will continue to be your destination for good books!

Webster Public Library

In my last blog post, I relayed a notice from the Webster Public Library about their suspension of programming. In their latest email, they tell us about other measures they’re undertaking to keep their patrons safe — AND want to remind us all about their drive-up pick-up service.

Worried about COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?

At this time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that there is no reason to take any special precautions aside from ones you would regularly take to avoid the flu and colds. Cover your coughs and sneezes, wash your hands, and stay home if you are ill.

Here at the Webster Public Library, we are working on taking precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our community. We are cleaning and disinfecting high-traffic areas of our library multiple times a day, especially the public computers and the Children’s Room, including the toys with a sanitation cycle on our dishwasher. We are encouraging staff members to stay home if they are unwell. We will continue to monitor the situation and take additional precautions as they are recommended.

There is a low chance of the virus passing through physical library materials, but this is a perfect time to remind you of our online resources that you can use in the comfort of your own home! With your library card you can access our e-book, audiobook, magazine, and movie collection via the apps OverDrive or Libby, both available to download on smart phones and tablets.

And don’t forget about our new Drive-Up, Pick-Up service—if there’s an item you want, let us know in advance and then call us when you’re here. You pull up out front and we’ll bring your items out to your car.

If you have questions or concerns for us, please give us a call at (585) 872-7075, or email webster.reference@libraryweb.org.

The library folks also shared this really neat infographic with me (below), which I am pleased to pass along. It’s really a good illustration of how important this service is to our community. So let’s not let this virus scare us away! If we’re going to be spending more time at home, we’re going to need some good reads!

WPL 2020

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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A Coronavirus update from local agencies and businesses

13 Mar

As the very real concerns about the spread of the Coronavirus continue to grow, I have been getting daily emails from organizations around town who want to reassure their clients that they’re taking it seriously, or who have announced cancellations.

Below are direct quotes from emails I have received so far, and I will continue to update this blog as I receive them. If your organization has information you would like me to share, please email me at missyblog@gmail.com.

Balance Webster 

As the coronavirus COVID-19 dominates the news and is affecting more and more people and communities, we thought it was appropriate to share our thoughts with you.

We’re staying up with keeping a clean studio like mad yogis! We’re regularly cleaning blocks, eye bags, blankets, and door knobs and have cleaners, soaps and sanitizers readily available for you. If you have your own props, we certainly encourage you to bring them.

If it makes more sense for you to practice from home look for some live streaming from Erica, perhaps very soon!

With love,

The Balance staff 💛

Webster Public Library 

Due to updated recommendations from the New York Commissioner of Health, we have decided to suspend all of our upcoming programs and events for the time being. This includes all daytime, evening, and weekend programs, but does not include individual bookings of our study rooms and Community Room. The reasoning behind this is that we would like to do our part in limiting the spread of the virus via large gatherings of people, a recent precaution by the New York Commissioner of Health.

If you are currently registered for one of the upcoming programs we have cancelled, we will be in touch with you in the coming weeks once we decide if and when we can reschedule. Once programs resume as normal, we will let everyone know immediately—stay tuned! We’ll be back!

The library will remain open its regular hours at this time, continuing our increased cleaning schedule. Don’t forget to utilize our Drive-Up, Pick-Up service—if there’s an item you want, let us know in advance and then call us when you’re here. You pull up out front and we’ll bring your items out to your car.

As always, if you have questions or concerns for us, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (585) 872-7075, or email webster.reference@libraryweb.org.

Webster Central PTSA

In accordance with guidance from Monroe County Department of Health, effective IMMEDIATELY, all PTSA events and meetings will be suspended until Sunday, April 12. We will continue to evaluate and update regarding the developing situation. Thank you for your patience.

(Missy’s note: so far that does NOT include Community Arts Day, which is scheduled for April 18. But stay tuned for any updates about that.)

Heritage Christian Stables

We have entered the third week of our Winter Classic Session of lessons. Registration for Spring Session has begun. If you have a rider who would like to be in the session, please contact us. The volunteer session for Spring will be on When to Help soon.

We have been assessing the COVID-19 situation, and taking measures to keep volunteers, riders and staff safe. As of now, with our small class sizes, lessons are proceeding as scheduled. If the decision is made to cancel, we will let everyone know as needed. PLEASE stay home if you are feeling unwell, and wash your hands before coming to the stable. We have hand sanitizer in the barn and the observation area as well.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Strike up the bands!

11 Mar
IMG_0343

Members of last year’s Willink Student-Parent Band warm up before a rehearsal.

Whether you like to play — or just listen to — great band music, here are two events you’ll want to know about.

The Willink Student-Parent Band will hold its annual spring concert this coming Saturday, March 14 in the Willink Middle School cafetorium, 900 Publishers Parkway.

The band is celebrating its 26th year in 2020, continuing a tradition which began in 1994, bringing students, family and community together to create music and have fun.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $2 and can be purchased either from band members or at the door.

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Our very own Webster Village Band is kicking off its season, having just released its 2020 rehearsal schedule.

Rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 pm, usually in the Willink Middle School band room. They’ll begin this Thursday March 12 and run through June 4, with a concerts scheduled pre-season concerts scheduled for April 23 at Calkins Rd. Middle School in Pittsford and May 7 at Cherry Ridge Senior Center.

The all-volunteer Webster Village Band is comprised of more than 50 members,  under the direction of Tom Indiano and Associate Director Sue Siegmund. They’re always looking for more musicians to join the group. Additional information is available from Harvey Cohen, at hcohen@rochester.rr.com. Plus, you can see more rehearsal information on their website here.

village band

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Hot chocolate in the morning, courtesy Webster Schroeder PTSA

7 Mar

hot cocoa #1

So how great would it be for someone to welcome you to work in the morning with a cup of hot chocolate?

That’s exactly what happened Thursday morning at Webster Schroeder High School when the school’s PTSA surprised students by offering them hot cocoa as they entered the building.

Schroeder PTSA Chair Stacie Peters explained in an email that the event was meant to be a kind of “pick-me-up” during what can be a dreary time of year for students.

“This time of year we are dealing with cold weather and very little sunshine,” Stacie wrote. “We thought this timing would be good for the students because it’s in between the Winter and Spring break.”

Stacie continued in her email,

There is nothing that says love like the inviting, comforting scent of hot cocoa with marshmallows on a cold winter morning! We had music playing and as soon as kids started coming in they were greeted with smiles and a cup of hot cocoa! They all loved it and with the music and fun vibe it was just a feel-good start of the day for all the students, many staff came to have a cup as well.

Schroeder PTSA wants to let our students/staff know we care about them and we are so happy to do these little pick me ups throughout the year. We feel if the students are happy, teachers are happy and that can be a ripple effect as their day goes on spreading happiness. Events like this make it possible for secondary parents to still feel a part of their child’s school, that connection is invaluable.

While sponsored by the PTSA, the event had wonderful support from Webster Schroeder principal Paul Benz and a dedicated team of parent volunteers.

Webster Thomas High School PTSA held a similar event for Thomas students in February, and word it it was a tremendous success. Photos from that below:

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Plank Rd. schools’ staff members will play basketball for charity

5 Mar

Plank Rd. North and Plank. Rd. South elementary schools have been neighbors and close friends pretty much forever. But they have never played together.

That will change later this month when the schools host the first annual Battle of the Planks Staff Charity Basketball Game on Saturday March 28, when faculty and staff members from both schools hit the Webster Schroeder High School court for a friendly game of hoops to benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital.

The idea for the game came from a conversation a few weeks ago between Plank North principal Craig Bodensteiner and physical education teacher Kevin Sayers as they monitored the bus loop.

“I’d always wanted to do something like this,” Bodensteiner said, and this spring, between the two school breaks, seemed the right time to do it.

“We’re in the middle of March Madness, so everyone is thinking about basketball. And the month of March kind of drags, so we thought this would be a good way to spice things up.” The next step was running the idea by Plank South principal Jennifer Sullivan.

“She’s a former basketball player,” Bodensteiner said, “so she’s very excited.”

We’re talking real basketball here, folks, complete with a referee, announcers, and concessions. About the only thing that might be missing in spots is actual athletic ability. But, Bodensteiner makes sure to stress, skill is not required; what is required is the desire to have fun.

“It’s a great way to bring everyone together,” he said. “Staff members at both schools will enjoy getting together in a non-work environment, and students will love the opportunity to come out to cheer on their favorite teachers, and show some school pride.”

Alumni are also being invited, adding more volume to each school’s cheering section.

It’s going to be a lot of fun and a lot of friendly competition,” Bodensteiner said. But, he added,”If Plank North can get the win, that’s a cherry on the top.”

The First Annual Battle of the Planks Staff Charity Basketball Game is scheduled for Saturday March 28 at 5:30 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd. There is no admission, but donations are encouraged, and all proceeds will benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital, a cause suggested by Plank North assistant principal Heather Balsamo.

(Big thanks to Kevin Sayers and Shawn Strege, Webster’s Director of Physical Education and Athletics, for so efficiently pulling together the details and arranging for the venue.)

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Barry’s Old School Irish gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day

4 Mar

barry's old school

Now that it’s finally March and Valentine’s Day is in the rear-view mirror, planning for St. Patrick’s Day here at our little corner Irish pub is in high gear. And of course, when Danny and Jessica Barry do the planning, the St. Patrick’s Day celebrating can no way be contained to just one day.

Starting Sunday March 8, Barry’s will host a series of events, one almost every day, building up to a full schedule of events on Parade Day and St. Patrick’s Day itself.

You can check the Barry’s Old School Irish Facebook page for more details, and I’ll post more soon, but here are some highlights:

  • Sunday March 8: Whiskey tasting from 2 to 4 p.m.  Cost is $20 per person and registration is required.
  • Tuesday March 10: Our weekly Barry’s Run/Walk,  and free etched pint glasses on the house, courtesy Guinness. 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday March 11: Trivia Night, beginning at 7:15 p.m. Gotta register for this one, too, since table space is limited.
  • Thursday March 12: Open Mic Night at 7 p.m.
  • Friday March 13: Irish Music Sing Along with Kevin Reynolds
  • Saturday March 14 (Parade Day): Music, dance and food all day beginning at 8 a.m. including, for the first time in several years, a return engagement by Barry’s Crossing.
  • Tuesday March 17: More music, dancing, food, great drink, bagpiper, all day.

Check the Barry’s Old School Irish Facebook page for details.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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Spry Middle School to present Fiddler on the Roof this weekend

3 Mar

posterA theatrical classic will be presented this weekend by Spry Middle School when the drama club performs Fiddler on the Roof Jr. at Willink Middle School on Friday and Saturday.

You read that right. It’s this year’s Spry Middle School spring musical, but it’s being staged at Willink thanks to some rather intense renovations and construction going on right now at Spry. Among other things, the school’s cafetorium is being gutted and rebuilt, which means the musical was completely uprooted.

That by itself should be reason enough for people to want to come out and support these kids. For several months they’ve been trying to pull together the production while faced with some fairly significant hurdles. For a long time, for example, they didn’t even have a stage to rehearse on. Once the Willink stage opened up, they still had to share it with other groups, and had to be bused over there every day, a trip which took up valuable rehearsal time.

None of those difficulties will be evident,  however, when the curtain rises opening night. Audience members will just see an amazing performance presented by some amazing young actors and actresses.

Shows will take place at Willink Middle School, 900 Publisher’s Parkway, this Friday March 6 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday March 7 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 available online at this link. There might be some available at the door, but Spry shows usually sell out, so you might not want to take that chance.

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We’d like your opinion about our village parks

1 Mar

Are you a regular visitor to our Village of Webster parks? Even an only occasional visitor? Do you like taking your kids to the playgrounds or your dog to run around? Do you enjoy the Friday night concerts at the gazebo every summer? Do you even know that the village has FIVE parks?

These are some of the questions that the Village of Webster Parks Committee would like to ask you, to get a better handle on who uses our parks, how they’re used, and how they might be improved.

So the committee is asking both village and non-village residents to fill out a short survey to help guide future park planning. The survey can be found by clicking here, and should only take a few minutes to complete.

The survey is the first of several initiatives the committee will be implementing in the coming months to bring more awareness to our village parks which will include a “discover your parks” scavenger hunt this spring.

The survey will be available for a while, but please consider taking a few minutes to fill it out right now. Just click here: Village of Webster Parks Survey.

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Webster Library to host Irish cultural event

25 Feb

Siamsa Logo March 2020

On March 6, for the 5th year in a row, the City of Rochester and County of Monroe will declare March Irish American Heritage Month, in recognition of all the contributions by Irish descendants in our community both past and present.

The declaration will be made at a joint press conference with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee at City Hall at 10 a.m. on the 6th, officially kicking off a month-long celebration of Irish culture which includes parade — of course — on Saturday March 14, and lots of Irish-themed events all over the county.

The Webster Public Library joins the celebration on Wed. March 11 when they host a Siamsa (pronounced “shEEm-suh”), an evening of Irish culture and entertainment from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The 90-minute program will include traditional music, dancing and historical stories, presented by five local Irish organizations.

The schedule looks like this:

  • 7 to to 7:15 p.m.: soda bread-making demonstration by the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians
  • 7:15 to 7:45 p.m.: traditional Irish music session by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
  • 7:45 to 8:15 historical presentation by the Irish American Cultural Institute president Michael McCarthy, featuring an overview of Col. Patrick O’Rorke’s life, death and legacy.
  • 8:15 to 8:30 p.m.: Irish step dance by Jamieson Irish Dance and Creative Arts
  • 8:30 p.m.: conclusion of the program and soda bread tasting 

Registration is not required, but seating is limited and when I went last year, it was pretty crowded, so get there early.

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Also coming up at the library, an Irish Genealogy workshop on Monday March 16, at 7 p.m.

Topics will include U.S.-research tips with emphasis on the immigrant ancestor and how to find their siblings and parents; a process to use the results of your research to mine Irish records, and an overview of all other Irish resources.

Registration is required. For more information and to register call the library at (585) 872-7075 and choose 3 for the Reference Desk.

The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

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P.S. If you can’t make it to the Siamsa presentation at the Webster Public Library, the same program will be hosted by the Penfield Public Library on Wednesday March 25 at 7 p.m. Registration for this program is required. Call the Penfield Public Library at (585) 340-8720 for more information.

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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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