MPNnow
GORHAM Selling flares for the annual Ring of Fire used to be a fundraiser for the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association. In 2017, the organization decided that selling the chemical-laden pyrotechnics that light up the shoreline around the lake by the thousands each year didn’t smell right for an organization dedicated to lake health.
Problem was, putting an end to the fundraiser didn’t put an end to sales. There are still plenty of places to buy the chemical road flares that sizzle, fizzle and light up the shoreline with a fiery glow for the annual end-of-summer celebration.
That’s where Greg Talomie comes in. A longtime Canandaigua Lake resident, Talomie, a retired electrical engineer, saw interest in finding a healthier alternative. But something more had to be done.
MPNnow
CANANDAIGUA What has been an ongoing program to rid the city s Lagoon Park of the invasive species European buckthorn has hit a significant snag it might not happen, at least not at this time.
About six years ago, the invasive buckthorn, which is a shrub or small tree, was close to overrunning the park near Canandaigua Lake, threatening the native plant life that provides food for insects, birds and other organisms in the park.
Now, with much of the buckthorn gone, although some stubborn plants are still hanging on, the park needs to be gone through again, according to Jim Engle, who owns White Oak Nursery and has led past removal projects.