LAKE PLACID — Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of a $104 million renovation of the Lake Placid Olympic Center ahead of the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games, which will take place from January 12-22, 2023. The renovations, completed by the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, include upgrades to the Olympic Center's year-round facilities, as well as an all-new retail shop, indoor and outdoor dining area, and a fully updated Lake Placid Olympic Museum, which will open tomorrow, Thursday, December 8. Together, these upgrades mark the completion of final preparations for the Games and will support future winter sporting events in Lake Placid.    

"The transformation of the Lake Placid Olympic Center honors the region's rich winter sport history and cements its standing as a global winter sport destination for decades to come," Governor Hochul said. "With these renovations now complete, New York is officially ready to welcome athletes and spectators from all over the world to next year's World University Games. I look forward to seeing the new arenas, shops, and dining areas in-person next month, and I encourage all New Yorkers to buy their tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime sporting event."

The Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games are an 11-day multi-winter sports event and educational festival, which is expected to draw 1,500 athletes from more than 50 countries and 600 universities to compete in 12 winter sports and 86 medal events. Tickets to the Games are available at https://vivenu.com/seller/adirondack-sports-council-fskv.    

Renovations to the Olympic Center, which is maintained and operated by ORDA, include revitalization of the 1980 Herb Brooks and 1932 Jack Shea Arenas, reconstruction of the James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval, an upgraded refrigeration plant, and larger, redesigned guest spaces. The venue's Miracle Plaza will also now have a new retail shop where visitors can purchase gifts and souvenirs and space for indoor and outdoor dining at Roamers Café with incredible views of the Adirondack High Peaks.      

The Olympic Center will also house the newly renovated Lake Placid Olympic Museum, home to one of the world's largest collections of Winter Olympic memorabilia. The museum features interactive displays, 3D visualizations, experiential learning exhibits, and engaging displays and artifacts that help to tell the stories of Lake Placid's rich winter sports history and bold future.     

The Olympic Center is one of the nation's preeminent sports facilities and serves as an anchor for Lake Placid and New York's North Country region. The Olympic Center hosted the 1932 and 1980 Olympic games, where the famous Miracle on Ice took place and where speedskater Eric Heiden won five gold medals, setting a world record. During the FISU World University Games, the Olympic Center will be the site for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, figure skating, speed skating, short track speed skating, and the men's and women's ice hockey medal rounds.    

Over the last six years, New York State has invested over $550 million in ORDA's facilities, including $104 million in the Olympic Center, to help reposition the region as a global winter sport destination. The venues are open year-round for events, athlete training, and recreation, while providing world-class experiences and competitions. Last winter, New York welcomed 68.5 million visitors, generating more than $16.1 billion in direct visitor spending. Governor Hochul announced the start of the 2022-2023 ski season last month.     

As a Host Partner to the FISU World University Games, ORDA has implemented significant sustainability measures at the venues that will be the site of most of the competitions. The Games' Save Winter initiative provides education and awareness surrounding environmental sustainability. An important aspect of the Games is the World University Conference, where speakers will present information about the initiatives and actions needed to support mitigating climate change. Together, the Host Partners and New York State are setting a new standard for future events with a commitment to the environment.   

Michael Pratt, President & CEO of the Olympic Regional Development Authority, said, "The Olympic Regional Development Authority is one of the world's premiere Olympic legacy organizations. The transformations of the venues have been remarkable, assuring their value for athletes and visitors long into the future. We are proud stewards of these special New York State assets."   

Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "The improvements and upgrades at the Olympic Center and Museum will not only provide a better guest experience for visitors attending the upcoming FISU World University Games, they will encourage future visits by travelers from across the world interested in the region's rich winter sports legacy. I LOVE NY looks forward to continuing to partner with our ORDA colleagues to showcase new ways that guests can come be a part of a gold medal experience in New York State."   

Ashley Walden, Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Organizing Committee Chief Operating Officer and Lake Placid Olympic Museum Board Member, said, "This is a very special moment as we get a glimpse of the future of the Olympic Center including the Museum, as a LPOM board member I am thrilled to see the museum come alive with new content and displays. Additionally, with just 36 days to the FISU World University Games, I am thrilled that all of the participants will have the opportunity to experience this unique piece of sporting history as they train and compete on the same venues as the likes of Eric Heiden, Mike Eruzione and Phil Mayer."    

State Senator Dan Stec said, "The Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games will bring millions of eyes to our region. The renovations made to the Olympic Center were vital to ensuring Lake Placid is ready for the games. With the renovations completed, participants and visitors alike will be able to experience our Olympic history and with the coming games, create an exciting new history of their own."   

Assemblymember Matt Simpson said, "New York State, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, and the many stakeholders who have come together to create a truly world class venue while doing so in a way that sets an international standard for world class ingenuity and environmental stewardship is a feat that all New Yorkers and citizens across the Country can be proud of. That we have created such a remarkable environment for athletes all over the world to compete and see their dreams come true brings a sense of pride that we can all share together. This is an historic moment for New York and I am thrilled for the opportunity to witness it come to fruition."

Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin said, "The 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics put Lake Placid on the map. The FISU Games have been a catalyst that has brought necessary upgrades to our Village Main Street, private infrastructure, and sports facilities, now rejuvenated to state-of-the-art, world-class venues. These improvements will benefit the region for many years to come and have been made possible by the State of New York, under the guiding hand of Governor Hochul and the State's local arm in ORDA. With the Miracle Plaza's completion and the Museum opening, Lake Placid is again ready to welcome the world."

Newark-Wayne Community Hospital and Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic are among 28 hospitals worldwide to become verified by the American College of Surgeons Quality Verification Program.

First published in July 2021, the ACS QVP Standards provide a proven, standardized method for establishing, measuring and improving a hospital’s quality infrastructure across all surgical departments.

The inaugural group of QVP hospitals includes three international hospitals and 25 in the U.S. The first group of hospitals verified by ACS QVP includes a variety of hospital types and sizes, such as community, large and mid-size academic,public safety-net, military, and small/rural, among others.

Newark-Wayne, a 300-bed community hospital in Newark, and Clifton Springs, a 262-bed community hospital and nursing home, met the criteria to be verified as American College of Surgeons QVP Focused Hospitals. Under the ACS QVP Focused designation, Newark-Wayne and Clifton Springs have demonstrated an active commitment to establishing a surgery-wide quality infrastructure that has been implemented in at least two surgical departments and will continue broader implementation across all surgical specialties.

“QVP takes a holistic approach to improving surgical care in hospitals. It looks at surgery overall, and not just one specific specialty, so all surgical patients benefit when their hospital is verified for this quality program by the America College of Surgeons,” said Dr. Clifford Y. Ko, director of the ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care. “The staff at each verified hospital should be commended for their dedication and commitment in achieving QVP verification. Now that we have this first network of 28 hospitals verified, their surgical teams will be able to learn from each other and teach others how to embark on this quality journey.”

“Having our two rural hospitals recognized at the national level amongst large, high-quality health systems speaks to the culture of safety and quality we continue to strive for in the Eastern Region,” said Dustin Riccio, president of the Eastern Region at Rochester Regional Health. “The work that Dr. Schiralli and his team have done to obtain this verification from the American College of Surgeons solidifies that the surgical programs at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital are the highest quality in the Finger Lakes Region. We look forward to continuing to provide this level of exceptional quality and service for our local communities.”

As ACS QVP hospitals, Newark-Wayne and Clifton Springs received in-depth assessments at the hospital and specialty levels. The assessment includes customized, actionable recommendations — such as how to engage everyone from hospital leadership to frontline providers to establish a generative safety and quality culture. ACS QVP provides the tools for QVP hospitals to develop a standardized approach to surgical care to help reduce complications, minimize waste, and increase the value of surgical care for their patients.

ACS QVP is based on 12 program standards, outlined in the Optimal Resources for Surgical Quality and Safety 2021 ACS QVP Standards manual. The ACS QVP standards are adapted from core elements of the Optimal Resources for Surgical Quality and Safety, or “Red Book.” The program builds on the College’s long-standing commitment to surgical quality by using principles gleaned from experience working with the roughly 3,000 hospitals that participate in ACS Quality Programs. The key principles of ACS QVP are driven by data surveillance along with standardized processes and systems to find, fix, and prevent problems to improve the quality and safety of surgical patient care.

OVID — Everyone is welcome for a St. Nicholas Around the World presentation.

The event is free and is suitable for kids from 1 to 91.

It will be held at The Firehouse Brewery on Main Street in Ovid on Thursday, Dec. 15 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

It will be a chance to learn about some of the different Santas from around the world.

CANANDAIGUA — The Williams-Insalaco Gallery 34 at the Finger Lakes Community College main campus is hosting an exhibit by Ryan Kovar, a Rochester illustrator and animator.

Kovar, who said he tries to “embrace the strange, unusual and absurd when creating” is a 2012 FLCC graphic design graduate. He completed a bachelor’s in fine arts in film and animation at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2016.

The gallery will host a talk by Kovar on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 2 to 3 p.m. and a reception from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The gallery is on the first floor of the main campus at 3325 Marvin Sands Drive in Canandaigua Both events are free and open to the public. A Zoom link for the 2 p.m. talk is available on the FLCC events calendar at events.flcc.edu.

The exhibit is open through Friday, Dec. 16 and currently shares the space with the crocheted coral reef exhibit by Judi Cermak.

PENN YAN — The 37th Annual Starshine, a longtime holiday tradition in the Village of Penn Yan, will occur on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 4- 7 p.m. New this year, is the Lights on Wheels Parade in conjunction with Penn Yan FFA to kick off the weekend festivities happening on Friday evening at 6 p.m. on Main Street in Penn Yan.

The evening will be a variety of music, entertainment, food, vendors, colorful lights, holiday treats, activities for children, crowning of Miss Penn Yan, and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. Starshine is hosted by the Yates County Chamber of Commerce & StarShine Committee. Visit www.YatesNY.com/starshine for more details.

The Ontario County administrator’s office will conduct public hearings to receive input on potential shared services in the county.

The hearings will be held:

• Dec. 6, 12:30 p.m., Geneva City Hall (second-floor conference room), 47 Castle St.

• Dec. 7, 9:30 a.m., county safety training facility (conference rooms 2 and 3), 2914 County Road 48, Hopewell.

• Dec. 8, 5 p.m., 74 Ontario St. (conference room 213), Canandaigua.

GENEVA — The town’s parks and recreation committee will meet at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Town Hall.

The meeting is open to the public.

MANCHESTER — Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan (R,C-Manchester) announced that his annual donation drive for local animals was a success. Thousands of pounds of new dog food, cat food, treats, toys, litter and cleaning supplies were collected and distributed to the Happy Tails Animal Shelter in Ontario County and the Beverly Animal Shelter in Seneca County.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity and support of my constituents who donated new animal supplies to our shelters in need. These donations will go a long way toward caring for animals in need of their forever homes. Thank you to Happy Tails and Beverly Animal Shelters for your continued partnership on this year’s donation drive and your continued work to protect our communities’ animals,” said Gallahan.

“I urge anyone who is thinking about adding a new furry member to your family to visit our shelters and adopt an animal in need of a loving home,” continued Gallahan.

“We are so very grateful for your help and the community’s support. We would never have been able to provide all the needy animals we have been taking in without this help. Thank you to all for improving the lives of these animals,” said Beverly Animal Shelter President Dallyn Jenkins.

Those interested in donating supplies or adopting an animal can visit Beverly Animal Shelter at 50 East River Road, Waterloo, NY 13165 and Happy Tails Animal Shelter at 2976 County Road 48, Canandaigua, NY 14424.

CANANDAIGUA — Randall Buick GMC Cadillac and the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes are co-sponsoring a food drive for Ontario County food pantries.

The drive begins Monday (Nov. 28) and runs through Dec. 10.

Current food pantry needs include pop-top heart soups, Chef Boyardee (any kind) with pop tops, canned fruit, cereal (cold or hot), juice boxes, and tuna with pop tops. A reminder: please check the expiration dates on foods.

Also appreciated are $10 certificates for fresh fruit and veggies at Tops or Aldi.

Donations can be dropped off at Randall Buick GMC Cadillac, 5375 Thomas Road, Canandaigua, at the following days and times:

• Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 and Dec. 5-8 — 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Dec. 3 and 9 — 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Dec. 4 and 10 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Donations can be shipped directly to Randall at Thomas Road online. Use Amazon Smile and select United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes as the benefactor.

Go to RandallGMC.com or UnitedWayRocFLX.org for more information.

PENN YAN — On Dec. 1, Cornell Cooperative Extension-Yates County will host its annual meeting in person from 6-8 p.m. in the Yates County office building auditorium.

The group will reflect on 2022, give awards, and elect new board members.

The event will feature guest speaker Barbara Johnston, senior planner at LaBella & Associates Inc., who has more than 28 years’ experience in community planning and project management. She has prepared numerous comprehensive plans as well as strategic plans for agricultural preservation, downtown revitalization, waterfront redevelopment, economic development, and transportation services.

Attendance is free, although donations will be accepted. Light refreshments will be served.

CCE-Yates County also will be introducing this year’s nominees to join its board of directors. CCE-Yates County is governed by a 14-member board that consists of 12 elected community volunteers. It’s made up of people from towns throughout Yates County who bring their knowledge of community needs and concerns to the governance of the organization.

The evening will conclude with the Board of Directors meeting, which is open to the public.

To attend, visit the registration website at https://bit.ly/cceyatesmtg22 or call the office at 315-536-5123. People have the option to attend either in-person or virtually via Zoom, though those who attend virtually will be ineligible to vote on new board members or be on the 2023 slate of officers. Let CCE-Yates County know if you would like to submit an absentee ballot ahead of time (Yates County residents only).

RSVP no later than today, Nov. 28.