Lyndonville creates a new holiday tradition
Community decorates 27 trees at Veterans Park
Photos by Tom Rivers Posted 7 December 2013
LYNDONVILLE – Community members decorated 27 Christmas trees at Veterans Park as part of a new holiday tradition in Lyndonville.
The village pushed to start the project after Wes Bradley, a Yates Town Councilman and Lions Cub member, pitched the idea. He saw it at Oakfield last year when there were 53 trees lighted and decorated by community members.
Oakfield shared its planning tips with Lyndonville officials. Bradley was hoping for maybe 15 or 20 trees the first year. With a strong showing this year, Bradley thinks the community could do 40 or 50 next year.
He’d like to add horse-drawn carriage rides and more events as part of day-long celebration.
“This has been a little morale boost for the community,” Bradley said this evening while serving hot cocoa and cookies in the Village Hall.
After arriving on a trailer that looked like a sleigh, Santa greeted the crowd at Veterans Park.
Santa flipped the switch at the North Pole Electric Station, lighting the 27 trees decorated by the community.
Santa then met with youngsters at the Village Hall. Grayson Voltz of Lockport didn’t take a liking to the jolly ole’ elf. Grayson’s mother Jessica Voltz is a Lyndonville native.
Ethan Merrill, 7, of Albion was comfortable with Santa, and happily shared his wish list for Christmas.
Holley lights up for the holidays
Photos by Tom Rivers Posted 7 December 2013
HOLLEY – Holley’s Parade of Lights passes through the Public Square tonight. Several local fire companies and other community organizations and businesses joined for the parade that started at the elementary school.
Santa stands at the back of a golf cart and greets people lined along the parade route, including people in front of the Community Free Library.
The crowd braves the bitter cold to watch the Parade of Lights pass through the Public Square.
Bentley Brothers in Albion and Brockport was among the local businesses that joined in the parade.
Holley's Department of Public Works decorated its trucks for the parade.
Several nearby fire companies, including Clarendon, participated in the Parade of Lights.
Before the parade, Mayor John Kenney read names of people honored with memorial bulbs on a Christmas tree at Public Square.
Holley lighted the tree, a tradition that dates back about three decades.
Big holiday doings in Holley and Lyndonville today
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 7 December 2013
The Holley and Lyndonville communities both are celebrating the holidays in a big way today.
In Holley, the events started at 10 a.m. with a breakfast with Santa. There will be a memory bulb tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. in the Public Square. The day will be capped with a parade of lights at 6:30 p.m.
For a full list of events, click here.
The first “Christmas in Lyndonville” celebration includes a lineup of events from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. at Veterans’ Park and will flip the switch that will turn on the lights for 26 Christmas trees decorated by the community.
For a full list of events, click here.
Dairy farmer found other uses for old horse weight
John Long has witnessed changes on the farm landscape
John Long holds the 18-pound horse weight that has been in his family for generations.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 7 December 2013
GAINES – For the many years John Long and his father Frank milked cows on Zig Zag Road, they used an old horse weight as a door stop in the milk house.
Frank Long started the farm in 1937 at Zig Zag Road. John Long sold the cows in 1988, when he turned the farm's focus on crops. He also had a retail straw and hay business.
He kept the old horse weight, which weighs 18 pounds and has a ring. It is a relic from the horse and buggy era. Orleans Hub has posted many articles about the rather incredible collection of hitching posts, mounting blocks and carriage steps that remain on many properties in the area. Albion and Gaines, in particular, have many of these. There are also quite a few in Medina.
Long wanted me to see the horse weight, which his father referred to as a horse block.
John Long treasures the horse weight. He scrubbed it and gave it a new coating of black paint.
Horse weights were movable blocks, made of iron or stone, that were carried in carriages. Not every place had a hitching post to tie up a horse. So people brought along a horse weight to tie up their horse and keep it in place.
I had never seen a horse weight before until Long showed it to me on Thursday. He takes pride in the relic. He has it scrubbed up and painted black. It’s been in his family for many, many years.
Long, 79, remembers when horses were a bigger part of Albion. He can recall hitching posts along Caroline Street and a drinking fountain for horses on the Courthouse Lawn.
I asked County Historian Bill Lattin if he thinks there are many surviving horse weights these days. Lattin has two, including a heavy sandstone weight that he suspects was used to hitch a team of horses. He also has a smaller one, similar to Long’s.
But Lattin hasn’t seen too many of the weights.
Long likes the history of the area. He lives outside the eastern end of the village of Albion. Long and his wife Loretta raised two sons – Jeff and Doug – out in the country.
John Long said almost every farmer in the area used to grow tomatoes to feed the processing plants in Albion.
Many of the roads near him – Kietel, Densmore, Lattin and Sawyer – are named for pioneer settlers. Zig Zag Road used to be call Wickham Road, named for another pioneer. Long doesn’t know why the name was changed.
He’s seen a lot of changes in local agriculture. Long's farm and almost every other farm oepration in the area grew a lot of tomatoes to feed the processing plants in Albion.
Lipton’s (across from McDonalds) stopped buying local tomatoes in 1961 and then Hunt’s took its last local crop in 1969. Hunt’s had an enormous facility, the former Chase site in Albion plus more space on East Avenue going to Platt Street, where Helena Chemical is currently located.
“In the fall you could smell the ketchup cooking in Albion,” Long said.
Many local farmers grew tomatoes for Lipton’s and Hunt’s. These days you don’t see much acreage for tomatoes.
Instead, Long said it feels like corn is everywhere. He rents out his land and two farmers who use it for corn.
“Corn is king now because of the ethanol,” Long said.
Most of the corn has been harvested next to Long's former dairy farm on Zig Zag Road. Long sold much of equipment from the barn in an auction in October.
Two retired art teachers featured in Martis’ season finale
Photos by Tom Rivers
Tom Zangerle of Medina has several landscape paintings on display at Marti’s on Main, an art gallery at 229 North Main St. Zangerle has paintings of local scenes in Orleans County, Letchworth State Park and Zion National Park in southern Utah.
Retired Holley teacher Tony Barry is pictured in front of two canal paintings he did in Holley and an image from a doughnut shop at a fair in Spartansburg, Pa., where he was visiting his daughter, Colleen McCray. She is shown waiting in the front of the line in the painting.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 6 December 2013
ALBION – For years they taught art in local schools. Now that they’re retired, Tom Zangerle of Medina and Tony Barry of Holley have more time to pursue their own artistic passion.
The two are the featured artists in the season finale show at Marti’s on Main, 229 North Main St.
Both artists have paintings that feature local landscapes and scenes, and locations from out of the area. Kim Muscarella, Marti’s owner, has long been a fan of both painters.
“I’m just thrilled to have such beautiful artwork here,” she said. “I love these two guys. I love their art work.”
Zangerle taught art in Medina at the Oak Orchard Elementary School. He also worked 23 years in the newspaper business in photography, the darkroom and with the press, working out of Medina, Lockport and North Tonawanda.
These days Zangerle paints, goes fishing a lot and plays guitar in two bands. He and his wife Mary traveled to southern Utah this spring and he completed several paintings that show the cliffs at Zion National Park.
“It’s jaw-dropping awesome,” he said. “The cliffs change colors. They are red, gray and bright pruple.”
Zangerle doesn’t have to go far to be inspired with his paint brush. His property backs up to the Oak Orchard River. He has paintings of a path by the river during the winter. He has several of Lethcworth State Park and its waterfalls.
This painting shows a path Zangerle walks to go fishing at the Oak Orchard River in Waterport.
“There is a lot of awesome stuff around here that is very dynamic,” Zangerle said.
Barry retired from teaching in Holley in 2005. He creates about 12 to 15 paintings a year. He loves the orchards, tugboats, lift bridges and many other local scenes.
“There is a lot of local color,” he said. “Holley is so rich, especially by the canal park.”
Barry has four daughters who are all artists. They did a combined show at Houghton College. When he travels to see them, he often comes home with a new painting. One of his favorites is at the fair in Spartansburg, Pa., where his daughter Colleen McCray lives.
He painted her waiting in line at a doughnut stand at the fair. He also painted her garage. Barry said he never knows where inspiration will strike.
Barry painted his daughter's garage on a recent trip to see her in Pennsylvania.
Marti’s is concluding its fifth season. Muscarella has included Barry in a show every year. She was open eight months this year and featured 14 different artists.
“The fact that we’ve made it five years shows it is a success and it says a lot about our county,” Muscarella said. “It says that enough people in our county appreciate art.”
Muscarella welcomes people to stop by for a tour.
Budget vote not on Dec. 11 Legislature agenda
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 6 December 2013
ALBION – Orleans County legislators may not get another vote on a budget that failed to pass on Wednesday.
Legislature Chairman David Callard said a vote isn’t necessary to adopt the $79,786,629 budget. The spending plan would automatically take effect on Dec. 20 even if the Legislature fails to reach a majority of support.
That’s because the budget hasn’t changed from the tentative budget submitted by Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer and budget officer. Nesbitt submitted the tentative plan on Nov. 13.
There wasn’t a peep of protest from the Legislature about the plan until Wednesday’s meeting to adopt the budget. At that meeting legislators Don Allport, George Bower and Henry Smith all voted against it, saying they didn’t like the process in creating the budget and also the fact that it would raise taxes by 5 percent.
The seven-member Legislature was short a member on Wednesday and was deadlocked 3-3 with Callard and legislators Bill Eick and Lynne Johnson supporting the plan.
Ken Rush, a legislator who was absent for the meeting, said he would have voted in favor of it.
Callard, as Legislature chairman, sets the agenda for the meetings. He opted against putting a vote on the budget for Wednesday’s meeting. The list of resolutions was circulated late this afternoon.
“It’s really not necessary,” Callard said about a new vote. “We have the votes for it, but it would just be symbolic. The budget will default to the tentative budget and there have been no changes from that.”
The budget will increase the tax rate 40 cents from $9.71 to $10.11 per $1,000 of assessed property. The fee for solid waste and recycling is up $5 to $190 for the year.
The budget sets aside funding for two bridge construction projects and also makes the first debt payment of $475,000 for a $7.1 million emergency communications system upgrade.
To see the list of resolutions for Wednesday's meeting, click here.
Extension to expand Horticulture Education
Trolley Building could be transformed into Culinary Institute
Press release, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension
Posted 6 December 2013
KNOWLESVILLE – Horticulture in Orleans County is expanding into new horizons.
On Nov. 21, the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors voted in favor of transitioning its current part-time Horticulture Educator position to a full-time Garden-to-Table Educator. This new role will link horticulture with food and nutrition education to better serve the needs of Orleans County residents.
The Garden-to-Table Educator will provide daily support to the Master Gardener program and will advocate for garden-based learning and garden-to-table programs to further horticulture education in OCCCE youth and family programming. OCCCE’s non-profit and government agency partners, such as those in the county health department, see tremendous need for emphasizing backyard gardening and linking it with food choices to help community members lead healthier, better lives.
Growing your own food is a natural link with food preservation and the culinary arts, and it emphasizes horticulture’s important role in our community. As one board member stated, “I really look forward to more education on food preparation and preservation coming from the new Garden-to-Table Educator position. I think it will help address issues of rural poverty as well as childhood obesity and nutrition.”
The transition to a Garden-to-Table Educator coincides with OCCCE’s efforts to revitalize the Trolley Building at the 4-H Fairgrounds, which currently houses a large kitchen with a 50’ x 70’ event space.
In January 2014, community members will meet to establish a vision for the Trolley Building to guide renovation efforts, and ideas of hosting a Culinary Institute within the building with a sizeable teaching kitchen have been proposed.
The OCCCE Board of Directors wants the space to meet community needs and be available for use by other agencies to host educational workshops and events. OCCCE’s focus on agriculture, horticulture, and youth development naturally extends to food science and the culinary arts, and county community members are excited about the potential benefits of such a facility.
OCCCE is actively pursuing grant funds for horticulture education, and the Garden-to-Table Educator position provides a wide-range of grant options. Recently, a proposal requesting about $60,000 was submitted to The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation in Washington, DC, to conduct The Well-Stocked Pantry Project.
This project is designed to provide families with a “how-to” guide for starting a garden and incorporating its tending; along with cooking, preserving, and enjoying its bounty; into their daily lives for learning, enrichment, and enjoyment.
Gardening with children can yield strong families, improve nutrition, combat obesity, and promote lifelong learning. If funded, this project could bring national attention to Orleans County horticulture and make a significant, positive impact.
OCCCE is currently seeking applications for the Garden-to-Table position now through Jan. 15, 2014. For details, see the OCCCE website by clicking here.
Despite impending job losses, Medina workers give to toy challenge
Worthington Cylinders helps provide toys for needy families
Photos by Tom Rivers
The toy challenge drive at Worthington Cylinders in Medina was led by, from left: Diane Watts, Kristin Vogt and Valerie Childs.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 6 December 2013
ALBION – In June 152 employees at Worthington Industries in Medina were told their jobs would be gone in 2014. The company’s owner was closing the former BernzOmatic hand torch manufacturing operation in Medina and moving that work to existing facility in Chilton, Wis.
Worthington employees expect to be laid off in the coming months. They aren’t letting that grim reality prevent them from being generous this holiday season.
They have given $1,410 and donated numerous toys to the third annual “Toy Challenge,” which benefits families served by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.
“Even though we are losing our jobs, we still have our dignity,” said Diane Watts, who works in assembly at Worthington and helped head the toy drive for the company. “We wanted to leave the community with a good image. We wanted to go out with a bang.”
Employees raised money for the toy drive with hot dog and doughnut sales. They also bought toys for the challenge.
A Worthington employee pushed to start the corporate toy challenge in 2011. Andrew Szatkowski was Worthington’s quality control manager. With the company’s impending closure in Medina, Szatkowski took a new job outside the immediate area.
Several companies pitched in to donate toys and money for the toy challenge. Community Action of Orleans & Genesee will distribute the toys to about 250 families in the Albion area. Pictured include, from left: Carolyn Wagner, human resources and safety manager for BMP America in Medina; Wendy Hinkley, branch manager for Five-Star Bank in Albion; Jen Restivo, logistics coordinator for Freeze-Dry in Albion; and Kris Hartwig, administrative assistant at S.B. Whistler and Sons (Phinney Tool and Die).
The toy drive went on this holiday season. Carolyn Wagner, human resources and safety director for BMP America, and Kris Hartwig, administrative assistant S.B. Whistler and Sons (Phinney Tool and Die), stepped up to coordinate the project.
The drive lasted from Nov. 4 to Dec. 3. The toys are on tables in the basement at the First Baptist Church in Albion. Community Action Director Ed Fancher said the church has been transformed into Santa’s Workshop. He thanked the participating companies and their employees for giving so many toys and funds to the drive. The donations will be shared with 250 families in the Albion area.
S.B. Whistler and Sons (Phinney Tool and Die) kept its streak going in winning the toy challenge for the third straight year. The title is determined by total donations – money and weight of toys – divided by the number of employees.
Worthington actually gave the most toys and money, but S.B. Whistler won the challenge. The company has 27 employees. They donated $1,000 and 165 pounds of toys.
The company hangs the award for winning the toy challenge in the shop at the business at the corner of West Center Street and Salt Works Road.
“We're able to see that we make a difference,” Hartwig of S.B. Whistler said about the toy challenge. “We are like a big family and we want to help other families in the area.”
Freeze-Dry in Albion was happy to participate in the toy challenge. The company had a box by the break room and employees filled it with toys.
“The employees are all very giving,” said Jen Restivo, logistics coordinator for the company. “We all came together and wanted to make a difference.”
Five-Star Bank in Albion also collected many toys for the challenge. Wendy Hinkley, the branch manager, also recruited other Albion businesses to collect toys for the cause. Employees at the bank decided against buying toys for each other. They instead bought toys for the challenge.
“Community Action does so much for this community, and they do it throughout the year,” Hinkley said. “They are an agency that is near and dear to my heart.”
DA: 4 burglars can expect lengthy state prison sentences
Police believe group was responsible for 32 burglaries
Police agencies in three counties worked together to arrest Jonathan Banks, top left; Isaiah Bonk, top right; Jasper Lloyd, bottom, left; Thomas Shingleton, bottom right.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 6 December 2013
ALBION – Police from multiple agencies in three counties believe they have arrested the people responsible for 32 burglaries in August and September, a rash of break-ins in Albion, Medina, Oakfield and Lockport.
The four are all in jail and Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone said they will face long prison sentences.
One of the suspected burglars, Jonathan Banks, 21, of Medina, was arrested by Lockport police in September. After his arrest, there weren’t additional burglaries, police officials said.
Police officers continued to work on the cases and had a break through last week when Medina police arrested Isaiah Bonk, 20, of Medina. He was arrested following a foot chase. He gave information to police that led the arrests of two others who were part of the crimes.
Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni said the four were persons of interest in the crimes before their arrests. Police from Albion, Medina Lockport and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department were in daily communication, sharing information and gathering evidence.
“Criminals don’t follow jurisdictional lines and neither do we,” Nenni said at a news conference at the Village Hall. “We became one big sheriff’s department or police department.”
The following were arrested:
• Banks, 21, of 4886 South Townline Rd., Medina, faces 10 counts of second-degree burglary, one count of attempted burglary and attempted robbery in the second degree, six counts of grand larceny, seven counts of petit larceny, three counts of attempted petit larceny, and four counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief.
He is held in Niagara County Jail on $160,000 bail.
Banks was involved in a high-profile crime in May when he took a 12-year-old girl from Albion overnight to Buffalo. The girl was subject to a missing persons report. Banks was charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
• Bonk of 531 East Center St., Medina, faces nine counts of second-degree burglary, one count of attempted burglary in the second-degree, six counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, seven counts of petit larceny, three counts of attempted petit larceny, and four counts of criminal mischief in the fourth degree.
He is held in Orleans County Jail on $50,000 bail.
• Jasper Lloyd, 20, of 107 East Bank St., Albion, was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of grand larceny and one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree.
He is in Orleans County Jail on $50,000 bail.
• Thomas Shingleton, 36, of 177 Bates Rd., Medina, has been charged with one count of attempted burglary in the second degree and one count of attempted petit larceny. He is in Orleans County Jail on $20,000 bail.
The four worked together in the crimes, but not necessarily all four at each location, Nenni said. With some of the break-ins, one or two of the burglars may have been at the scene. They sometimes provided each other with rides after the burglaries, Nenni said.
Albion had 20 break-ins. There were five in Medina, three in Lockport and four in Oakfield.
The burglars tended to hit multiple locations each night. They would go through unlocked doors or cut out screens in windows to gain access.
“It was alarming to the victims to have people come into their house,” Nenni said.
One of the victims from Albion attended the news conference. He said the burglary in August traumatized his young son, who wouldn’t sleep the rest of the summer unless a parent was by him.
The family used to keep its windows open in the summer to let in a breeze. After the crime, their windows were locked tight.
“You never expect someone to come through the screens,” the victim said.
Nenni said the burglars took cash, credit cards and electronics. The credit cards were never used after being stolen. Some of the electronics were sold. Nenni estimated the burglars took about $20,000 all together in cash and electronics.
There was also about a $20,000 cost to taxpayers for the officer overtime on the case, he said.
Nenni and the police leaders said the investigation is continuing.
Photo by Tom Rivers
Law enforcement officials gathered at 11 a.m. today at Albion Village Hall to discuss the arrests of four people in a rash of break-ins in August and September. The group includes, from left: Lockport detective Kevin Schrader, Orleans County DA Joe Cardone, Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert, Albion Police Chief Ronald Nenni (at podium), Medina Police Chief Jose Avila and William Sheron, undersheriff at Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.
New play room honors beloved speech therapist at Rainbow Preschool
Photos by Tom Rivers
Leah Pawlak, 5, checks out the new "Socio-Dramatic Play Center" that was dedicated on Thursday in memory of Rachel Miller, a speech therapist at Rainbow Preschool for 15 years.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 6 December 2013
ALBION – Children ages 3 to 5 in the Rainbow Preschool program often have significant developmental delays. Many of the children have autism and some of them have not spoken a word by the time they enroll in Rainbow Preschool.
For 15 years Rachel Miller worked as a speech pathologist at Rainbow. She helped many of the children say their first word. She was creative using games to get children to talk and express themselves.
She had a dream for a room that would allow children to role play. She thought it would be a fun way to get kids to learn and express themselves.
That dream has become a reality. The Arc of Orleans and Rainbow Preschool dedicated the “Socio-Dramatic Play Center” in memory of Miller, who was killed on March 4 at age 53.
Rachel Miller's children – Amanda, Roy and Cody – attended the dedication for a play room in their mother's memory. Rachel Miller has another daughter who lives out of state. She has 16 grandchildren.
Three of Miller’s children attended the dedication and cut the ribbon for the new room. Her daughter Amanda Miller, while fighting back tears, thanked a crowd of about 50 people that attended the dedication.
“I think it’s beautiful,” Miller said about the new room.
Her mother had a big personality, a big shoe collection, and a very big heart.
“Even when she was home, she was working, thinking about the kids,” Miller said.
The new play room used to be the nurse’s station. That was moved down the second floor in the Arnold Gregory Memorial Complex. The room now resembles a grocery store with tiny shopping carts for the children, as well as shelves, plastic fruit and vegetables, a cash register and other elements.
“This was one of her dreams,” said Linda Dressler, supervisor of the speech department. “She was all about play.”
Kellie Spychalski, Arc executive director, leads the dedication service for a room in memory of Rachel Miller.
Miller used to carry big boxes full of toys and supplies, her props for dramatic play sessions with students. Now the speech therapists can use the room in Miller’s memory.
Rainbow Preschool will change the themes in the room. When it opened in October, the site resembled a zoo and children could pretend they were a zookeeper. Dressler said the site will next be changed to resemble a pizza shop.
The room includes a plaque that notes Miller’s 15 years of dedicated service.
David Friedlander, director of educational services for the Arc, joined the agency in July. He supported the effort to create the room for Miller, a project driven by her co-workers.
“I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about her,” Friedlander said. “She was loved.”
Singers put on sacred and silly Christmas recital at St. Mary’s
Photos by Tom Rivers
Twin sisters Sam Hill, left, and Sarah, both 23 and from Middleport, sing "Silent Night" during tonight's recital at St. Mary's Athletic Club in Albion.
A singer who goes by "Daddy Cool" performs "Celebrate Me Home."
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 5 December 2013
St. Mary’s Athletic Club hosted “A Little Bit of Christmas Recital” tonight at the Moore Street site in Albion. Performers mixed the sacred – “Silent Night” and “O’ Holy Night” – with some silly songs, such as “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”
Eight performers sang 16 songs as part of the show by JNS Productions, which is led by Albion residents Nick Russo and Shellane Bailey.
This is their second effort at St. Mary’s. In August their first production was a Broadway revue. (Click here for previous story.) Tonight and Friday the show includes Christmas songs.
Albion native Lance Anderson hams it up while singing "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."
“We had a really good response to the first one,” Russo said. “We want to keep building on it.”
Russo and Bailey would like to do two or three different productions a year in Albion.
Many of the performers at the Dec. 5-6 shows were part of the cast in Les Miserables. The Lake Plains Players performed that show in October. (Click here to see previous article.)
Jake Hayes of Albion sings "O' Holy Night" during a Christmas recital in Albion.
Albion native Lance Anderson had the lead role, Jean Valjean, in Les Miserables. Anderson lives in Spencerport. He said he is grateful for a chance to keep performing with the production in Albion.
“There aren’t enough opportunities for people to perform,” Anderson said. “We need more things like this in the area.”
Tickets are available at the door for the Dec. 6 show, which begins at 7:30 p.m. St. Mary’s is located at 538 Moore St.
The cast joins for the finale of the show by singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
An active Albion firefighter turns 80
Ron Armstrong plans to keep responding to fire calls
Photo by Tom Rivers
Ron Armstrong was treated with a birthday cake and much praise tonight by the Albion Fire Department. Armstrong turned 80. He has been an active firefighter for 55 years.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 5 December 2013
ALBION – One of Albion’s most dedicated firefighters just turned 80, but that milestone birthday doesn’t mean Ron Armstrong plans to retire anytime soon from the fire department.
“I've been blessed with good health,” he said tonight when firefighters treated him to a birthday cake in the fire hall. “Some day I will have to stop. My body will tell me.”
Armstrong served as fire chief in 1975, and then from 1996 to 1998. He said he has plenty of aches and pains. He doesn’t do interior firefighting anymore. He serves mostly as a driver of the big fire trucks.
“During the day he is our main driver,” said Fire Chief Rocky Sidari.
The fire department needs volunteers for the daytime calls when many of the firefighters are at jobs away from Albion. Armstrong knows there is a need. That’s why he has stayed active for the department through his 70s and now at age 80.
Armstrong said he is grateful for the chance to serve so long in the department. He joined back in 1958.
“I had friends who were in it,” he said.
Armstrong served in the Air Force as a radio operator. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. He then worked 30 years as a printer at the former Eddy Printing in Albion before working another 16 years at Kodak.
The fire department has members with longer service than Armstrong, but Lee Meisner, the fire department president, doubts anyone has ever been an active volunteer for 55 years with the department.
Many of the firefighters will pull back from the department when they have young children or when they become senior citizens. They may be members, but Miesner said they typically don’t respond to fire calls. That’s not true with Armstrong.
Albion carpet cleaning business wins a Rochester Choice Award
Photo by Tom Rivers
John Burris, left, started Burris Cleaning Service in 1991. He is pictured in front of "The Vac Van" with his employee Mark Proietty.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 5 December 2013
ALBION – The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle put a call out to its readers, seeking their favorite businesses for a variety of services and products, including the area’s best carpet cleaner.
When the votes were counted, an Albion business won a Silver Award in the 2013 Rochester’s Choice Awards.
John Burris started Burris Cleaning Service in 1991 when he was 21. Burris has one employee, Mark Proietty. They do about 80 percent of their work in Monroe County near the city of Rochester.
The business is based from Burris’s home on Route 98, just north of the bowling alley.
Burris said he is grateful the business has built a following and a good reputation in the Rochester area.
“We do things other cleaners won’t do,” he said. “We vacuum everything before we clean and the carpet is dry before we go.”
Burris has attained master certification in the industry for cleaning carpets, upholstery and oriental rugs. The 1988 Albion graduate travels to see customers in “The Vac Van.”
For more on Burris Cleaning, click here.
Dunkin’ buys Albion warehouse with plans to open next year
Photo by Tom Rivers
This 28,235-square-foot warehouse between Platt and Main streets will be torn down so the site can be used for a new Dunkin’ Donuts. This photo was taken from the Platt Street side of the property.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 5 December 2013
ALBION – In the best-case scenario, an engineer working on the new Dunkin’ Donuts in Albion predicted in October the shell of the 2,000-square-foot store might be up by now with contractors working to have the site ready for a January opening.
But that timeframe has been pushed back. The deal to acquire the property finally closed last week with CRT LXXVI, LLC of Metheun, Ma., paying $215,000 to acquire the property from Charles Breuilly of Albion, according to the Orleans County Real Property Tax Services Department.
Village Code Enforcement Officer Ron Vendetti said the 28,235-square-foot warehouse has some asbestos remediation that needs to be done before the structure can be taken down.
“The project is still on but they may not be able to do anything until next year because of the weather,” Vendetti said. “They’re working through the process of getting their things together.”
The Dunkin’ Donuts will be operated by JFJ Holdings of North Andover, Mass. The new Albion store is planned to have 30 seats inside, 46 parking spaces, a 230-square-foot freezer next to the building, and a drive-through lane that could accommodate 10 vehicles.
The site will have far more green space and landscaping because the building is so much smaller than the current warehouse.
JFJ also is working on a project in the town of Shelby at the southeast corner of the routes 31A and 63 intersection. The site is outside the village of the Medina in the town of Shelby. That store will go on land that is currently vacant.
Albion men ran a fox ranch in the 1920s
By Bill Lattin, Orleans County Historian Posted 5 December 2013
ALBION – In the mid-1920s, Ross N. Wilson at left and Irving Weet, standing on the porch, established a fox ranch west of Albion.
This was located on Route 31 and backed up to the Phipps Road. Here they raised silver fox for their pelts when they were fashionable to wear on women’s coats.
In this picture they are showing off some fox pelts that are ready to be shipped to a furrier. The man at right is unidentified.
Ross Wilson in the 1940s served as Albion town supervisor. He was the grandfather to County Historian C.W. Lattin.
Albion police arrest 4 in burglaries over the summer
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 5 December 2013
ALBION – Four people have been arrested for burglarizing homes in Albion and surrounding communities this past summer.
Albion police arrested Jonathan K. Banks, 20, of Medina, who is already in Niagara County Jail for a burglary in Lockport in September.
Police also arrested Isaiah D. Bonk, 20, of Albion; Jasper D. Lloyd, 20, of Albion; and Thomas Shingleton, no age or address available, The Daily News of Batavia is reporting.
They have all been arraigned on burglary, grand larceny and petit larceny charges. Police Chief Roland Nenni said he will have a press conference on Friday to discuss the investigation.
Holiday 5K cancelled but organizers want the race next year
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 5 December 2013
ALBION – Organizers of an inaugural Holiday Spirit 5K in Albion have decided to cancel the race scheduled for this Saturday. The race was planned by the Mental Health Association of Orleans County.
The group was caught off guard by the day to day responsibilities planning the race, said Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator for the Orleans County Health Department.
The MHA will recruit more people on the planning committee when it tries again for a holiday 5K next year, Goodrich-Kresse said.
The group tried to pull off the race in a short schedule this year. Organizers didn’t want to have a bad event and decided to cancel the race with a goal to have it next year.
Another issue was finding a time keeper for the race. Goodrich-Kresse said a timekeeper and race official can cost about $300. The MHA hoped it could find a volunteer to time the race.
The group of organizers will start early in planning for a 5K race/walk in 2014.
“I believe with longer planning time we can have an excellent event that will benefit MHA both financially and by helping get the word out about this valuable resource,” Goodrich-Kresse.
Kendall welcomes holidays with song, Santa and tree lighting
Photos by Tom Rivers Posted 4 December 2013
KENDALL – The Kendall community held its annual tree lighting and caroling celebration tonight at the gazebo at the town park.
Kendall school musicians performed for the event. Jonathan Price plays the saxophone.
Eliya Cooper, wearing Santa hat, sings with the Kendall chorus. The group sang a few songs, including “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night.”
Bob Ryan, a member of the Kendall Lions Club, leads a group of children in singing several Christmas songs.
The Lawnchair Ladies performed a couple choreographed songs. The group of 18 includes Kathy Kemp, in front. They will be part of Brockport’s parade of lights at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The crowd gathered to help celebrate the holiday season.
Santa and an elf joined the celebration at the gazebo, posing for pictures with children. The event then shifted to the firehall, where Santa mingled with residents before getting back to work.
Gaines says Watt needs to take down turbine
154-foot-high structure will be allowed away from public
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 4 December 2013
GAINES – The Town of Gaines Zoning Board of Appeals ruled tonight that Chris Watt needs to take down a 154-foot-high turbine that was erected about two years ago at Watt Farms, 3121 Oak Orchard Rd.
Watt can put it up somewhere else on his property as long as it’s at least 169.4 feet away from the public. That includes U-pick orchards and a route that is used by a train as part of the farm’s agri-tourism efforts.
The turbine was the focus of a lawsuit in state Supreme Court after Watt’s next-door neighbor Mary Neilans and her brother Robert sued the town, claiming proper procedures weren’t followed. The Planning Board waived site plan review and didn’t offer residents a chance to comment on the turbine during a public hearing, according to their lawsuit in State Supreme Court.
Judge James Punch issued a ruling in January 2012, not siding with either party. He put the issue back in the town’s hands.
The Town Planning Board was abolished by the Town Board last year and its functions were passed to the ZBA. That board made Watt submit a site plan application for the turbine. The board said Watt could keep the turbine but it needed to be moved away from a farm market/greenhouse/retail area. It is currently 117 feet away from the building.
The town wants a buffer zone of 1.1 times the height of a turbine or 169.4 feet in this case. That is the recommended distance from the state Ag and Markets, according to the ZBA decision.
“This came down to public safety,” said Michael Grabowski, the ZBA chairman.
The board was unanimous tonight with members Raymond Burke, Marilynn Miller, Curtis Strickland and David Thom all joining Grabowski in supporting the decision.
Watt attended the meeting with his attorney Lance Mark. They said they will consider their next course of action, which may include an appeal in State Supreme Court.
The ZBA did not find fault with the turbine fitting agricultural purposes or meeting the setback requirement from a neighbor’s property. Grabowski said the turbine met those standards. But he said the structure needs to be moved away from public spaces in case the tower fell or a blade broke off.
‘Hometown Christmas’ will honor memory of Nicholas Kovaleski
Photo by Tom Rivers Posted 4 December 2013
ALBION – More than 50 participants have been rehearsing for the fourth annual Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas. Gotta Dance by Miss Amy will perform three shows on Dec. 14 at noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Holy Family Parish Lyceum, 106 South Main St.
Amy Sidari, Gotta Dance owner and director of the show, is pictured with a group photo of last year’s cast.
Nicholas Kovaleski inspired the Albion community with his valiant fight against leukemia. He died at age 15 on June 29, 2011. He was a popular student at Albion, excelling at football, swimming and tennis. He would have been a senior this year.
Several of Nick’s classmates will share a presentation during the Hometown Christmas. Nick’s mother Kelly will sing a solo, “The Shape Of You,” and Nick’s sister Michayla will do a solo dance. There are 15 acts in all.
Noted local musicians Marcy Downey and Gary Simboli are among the performers.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun with a lot of humor,” Sidari said.
The Rev. Richard Csizmar, parish priest, will also share a reflection during the each of the shows.
For more information about the show and tickets, click here.
Collins says new health insurance law is costly and confusing to businesses
Press release, Congressman Chris Collins Posted 4 December 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chris Collins (R-Clarence) wants the Obama Administration to clarify how it is counting and classifying small business employees as the new health care law mandates take effect.
Collins chaired a full House Small Business Committee hearing today examining the health care law’s application of the business aggregation rule and the serious accounting concerns it raises for small businesses.
The health care law requires businesses that employ 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees to offer health insurance to their full-time employees. But the heath care law’s definition of “employee” is unclear depending on how the ownership of the business is structured.
While the answer is simple and straightforward for one business with a single owner, the answer is far murkier when a business has multiple owners, especially when the owners are family members.
Under the presiding chairmanship of Rep. Collins, chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and Technology, the Small Business Committee heard the testimony of concerned small business owners, examined the administration’s process of determining whether businesses are considered single or multiple entities under the health care law, and heard suggestions on what changes to the rules could be considered to reduce confusion.
“Small businesses need to know exactly what they have to do to comply with the health care law, and what it is going to cost,” said Chairman Collins. “Even at this late date, too many small businesses still do not have those facts. In particular, the business aggregation rule causes uncertainty among small businesses. The rules can be complicated and confusing, and small businesses need better answers and they need them quickly.”
Materials from the hearing are available on the committee’s website by clicking here.
Winery expresses interest in downtown Medina, but zoning doesn’t allow it
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 4 December 2013
MEDINA – A business interested in opening a winery in downtown Medina has reached out to village officials about the project.
Code Enforcement Officer Marty Busch said a winery would be an attraction, and could be a lift for the entire downtown.
There is a sticking point: the current zoning doesn’t allow a winery in the downtown.
The Village Board would need to have a public hearing and amend the zoning to allow a winery for the project to move forward, Busch said.
The current zoning for the downtown business district doesn’t prohibit a winery, but there isn’t language in the code allowing for such a use.
“It would be a great draw for the central business district,” Busch told the Planning Board on Tuesday. “There are several in the Finger Lakes and I think you’ll see some here.”
Busch said the possible winery in the downtown is only in the “talking stage.” He thinks Medina would be an ideal site for a winery and micro-breweries.
The state Legislature and Gov. Cuomo recently extended the Niagara Wine Trail through Orleans County. Downtown Medina also is on an upswing and Ale in Autumn and Wine about Winter events, which feature beer- and wine-tasting, are sellouts in Medina.
Lyndonville gets in the holiday spirit
Provided photo Posted 4 December 2013
Downtown Lyndonville has new decorations this season thanks to donations from the Lyndonville Lions Club and the Lyndonville Area Foundation. The following are pictured, from left: Wes Bradley (Foundation and Lions Club), Darren Wilson (Lyndonville Area Foundation President), Dan Fuller (Village of Lyndonville DPW), John Belson (Town of Yates Supervisor, Lions Club and Foundation) and Terry Woodworth (Village Superintendent of Public Works).
Photo by Tom Rivers
Lyndonville will celebrate its first “Christmas in Lyndonville” celebration this Saturday with events from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The celebration includes the lighting of 26 Christmas trees in Veterans Park. Residents, businesses and organizations are all decorating the trees. Those decorations are scheduled to be up by Friday.
The lineup of events on Saturday includes a community breakfast buffet at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church from 8 to 11 a.m.; a mini mall at the United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; games at the Yates Community Library from 3 to 4 p.m.; and caroling at Vets Park from 4 to 5 p.m.
Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. and flip the switch to light the trees. Santa will then be at the Village Hall from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to visit with children and their families. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available at the Village Hall.
There will be a Christmas Choir “LaLaPalooza” at the Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m.
Iconic 13-foot fish gets a new look
Photo by Tom Rivers Posted 4 December 2013
GAINES – A 13-foot-long fiberglass fish has been a local landmark for nearly 25 years at Al Capurso’s front yard on Route 279 in Gaines.
Capurso used to run the Bait Barn at the location, and bought the fish in 1990 from the Albion and Medina Rotary Clubs, which used it in the 1980s to promote the Orleans County Trout and Salmon Derby.
The Rotary Clubs sold it in 1990 to Capurso. The fish was targeted with graffiti a few years ago as part of a Albion High School class prank. The fish had a Purple Eagle theme until Capurso painted it recently with a message: “Go Fish.” He plans to add yellow spots to the fish once the weather permits.
Capurso said the fish needs some repairs and the trailer holding it is shot. He would be interested in donating it to a new owner if it was used to promote the local fishery.
I’d like to see something like this down at Point Breeze. This is something people would get their picture taken with and could add to charm of the area.
Carlton has $25,000 to spend as part of Point Breeze’s prize for winning the Ultimate Fishing Town. That money needs to be used to promote the fishery and a nice public art project could make the area more distinctive.
I wonder how much it would cost for a 20-foot-long fish?
Legislator Rush says he supports county budget
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 4 December 2013
ALBION – A budget vote that ended in a 3-3 tie this morning would be broken by Ken Rush, a county legislator who missed today’s vote.
Rush had surgery for carpal tunnel on Monday. He stayed home this morning, recovering from surgery.
But Rush said he supports the budget that calls for a 5 percent tax increase. It would raise the tax rate from $9.71 to $10.11 per $1,000 of assessed property.
“I don’t want to see a tax increase but the people have got to have a budget,” Rush said when contacted after the Legislature meeting.
Three legislators – Don Allport, Henry Smith and George Bower – opposed the budget, saying the tax increase was too much. Allport said department heads should be required to reduce spending by 10 percent in their departments.
Rush said the department heads have already worked to rein in spending.
“I don’t know what more can be done with it,” Rush said.
He wants to see the county work towards upgrading its emergency communications system. The budget includes a $475,000 initial debt service payment on the radio system upgrade. Rush said he wants that project to go forward.
The Legislature could have another vote on the budget before a Dec. 20 deadline. If the budget fails to pass, the tentative budget would take effect, which is identical to the one that was deadlocked in a vote earlier today.
Legislators fail to approve county budget
Photos by Tom Rivers
County Legislator George Bower, right, states his objections to the budget. Legislator Don Allport, left, also opposed the $79.8 million spending plan.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 4 December 2013
ALBION – Orleans County legislators failed to approve a budget this morning that would raise taxes 5 percent and also fund a long-awaited upgrade to the emergency communications system.
Three legislators – Don Allport, George Bower and Henry Smith – all opposed the budget. Chairman David Callard and legislators Lynne Johnson and Bill Eick both supported it. Legislator Ken Rush was absent. The budget needs four votes to pass.
The Legislature has until Dec. 20 to approve a budget, or the tentative budget submitted by Chuck Nesbitt, the chief administrative officer, will take effect. Nesbitt submitted that budget to the Legislature on Nov. 13 after working with county officials since late summer on the document.
The impasse on the budget frustrated Callard, Eick and Johnson who demanded a rationale from the three legislators who opposed it. Callard said the three against the budget haven’t voiced concerns in recent months about the spending plan. He asked them to provide specific recommendations for cuts after they said the tax increase was too high.
“The government should be run like a business,” Allport responded.
He said some county positions should be made part-time. He said department heads should have been forced to reduce their budgets by 10 percent. The department heads should have been told to identify job cuts and other cost savings.
Callard said it’s up to legislators to make those decisions, not the department heads.
Allport said he would lay off workers in social services, who work with residents to access welfare.
“If people on welfare have to stand an extra hour or two in line that’s not my problem,” Allport said.
Callard said the county is mandated by the state government to provide programs, including social services. The county has eliminated 40 jobs in county government in recent years, including several positions in social services.
Allport as a legislator has the highway department as one of his committees. Callard asked Allport if he had recommendations for cuts in the highway department.
“No,” Allport said. “I’m told they’re understaffed.”
Allport faulted the state and federal governments for shifting costs to the local government, forcing the county to be “the evil people.”
Legislature Chairman David Callard voted for the budget, as did Lynne Johnson, in front, and Bill Eick. Henry Smith, back left, opposed the budget.
Smith said he couldn’t make any specific recommendations to cut the budget, but he said the county can’t simply blame the state for the tax increase.
“There has to be cuts made,” Smith said. “Although the state and federal governments push down to our level, we still have to respond.”
Callard pressed Smith by emphasizing the county has to provide mandated services and the radio upgrade is badly needed. That $7.1 million project will require a $475,000 debt payment for the first time in 2014.
“How do we respond?” Callard asked Smith. “What specifically would you recommend? We’ve had a year to work on the budget and now you vote against it.”
Bower said he opposed the process for putting together the budget. He said legislators seemed left out of the decision making. They used to work with department heads to shape the budget and that didn’t happen this year, Bower said.
He wanted reasons for the escalating costs of community college charge backs, which total nearly $2 million a year for Orleans, and Bower said he didn’t get answers.
He cast the lone nay vote last February when the county created a local development corporation to sell the nursing home. Bower said the Legislature should have handled that process, rather than handing off its responsibilities.
Bower has requested the bid proposals for the nursing home and has been denied those numbers. The LDC board has cited confidentiality of a real estate transaction for not making the proposals public. The board doesn’t want to see the price drop for the nursing home. The potential buyers could lower their offers if they see what the others have bid for the 120-bed Villages of Orleans, Nesbitt said.
Bower offered one specific cut. The Office for the Aging has two directors, he said, and one should go. The agency actually has a full-time director, Melissa Blanar. The past director, Pam Canham, has retired but she continues to work as a part-time assistant director. When Canham was full-time, Blanar was a full-time assistant director.
The county has reduced its staffing for the top two management positions, reducing a full-time position to part-time, Nesbitt said.
The Legislature has another meeting scheduled before Dec. 20. The Dec. 11 regular meeting is at 4:30 p.m. Legislator Ken Rush could be at the session and could cast a fourth vote for the budget to pass. Callard sets the agenda for the meetings and he could opt to not put the budget on the agenda. The tentative would automatically take effect.
The county had a public hearing on the budget Monday. Only one resident voiced a concern about the 5 percent increase. Paul Lauricella, vice chairman of the County Conservative Party, said the 5 percent tax increase is too high.
He attended this morning’s meeting, again opposing the tax increase. He was critical of the welfare programs that will increase county costs by $558,000 in 2014.
“Welfare dehumanizes people,” he said. “It puts people in a mindset of dependency. It’s destroying our country. Those that are capable of working should work.”
Callard responded: “Let the record show that I agree with Paul Lauricella.”
For more on the budget, click here to see an article from Monday’s public hearing.
Extension honors 3 families with long track records of service
Flansburgs, Paneks and Southcotts all recognized
Photo by Tom Rivers
The Flansburg family includes, from left: Ben, Sara, Barry, Carolyn, Amanda and Chris. They were presented with a “Friend of Extension” award on Tuesday.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 4 December 2013
KNOWLESVILLE – They are dependable, year after year, finding new ways to help 4-H and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
These three families – the Flansburgs, Paneks and Southcotts – should not go unappreciated or publicly recognized, said Ed Neal, president of the board for the Cooperative Extension.
On Tuesday the organization presented “Friend of Extension” awards to the three families. Neal said they all help in their own ways, and have been critical to the success of Extension, 4-H and the annual fair.
Barry and Carolyn Flansburg met as kids and became friends through the fair. Their children joined 4-H and showed animals at the fair, earning many blue ribbons. Now that their kids are grown, Barry and Carolyn are still a presence at the fair. Barry announces the very popular grease pole competition.
The Flansburg children are stepping up as leaders in the community. The three – Ben, Chris and Amanda – are co-owners of BCA Ag Technologies. They work with local farmers in precision agriculture, mapping fields and using GPS, Autosteer and other technology to boost yield and improve soil health.
Chris, 23, has joined the board of directors at the CCE. His sister Amanda, 23, is the newly elected president of Orleans County Farm Bureau. Ben is an officer with the Barre Fire Company. He also met his wife, the former Sara Dresser, through the fair.
“The Flansburgs are always here,” Neal said.
Michael Southcott and his wife Barbara donate countless hours to the Extension. Their daughters were active in the 4-H horse program. Mrs. Southcott was a leader in the Horse Program Development Committee, helping to organize clinics, classes and shows.
Mr. Southcott was a leader of the fund-raising campaign for the new Extension Education Center. That project was paid off this year.
The Panek family – Jim and Kerry and their children – have donated resources, time and money to the Extension.
Neal cited the example of the Paneks allowing a 4-H Lego League Club to use several rooms at an onion packing facility in Albion. The club is able to store Lego robots and supplies so the three teams don’t have to pack up after every meeting.
Alan Panek refurbished the big metal pie pan that was used to make the world’s largest apple pie in 1977. The pan needed repairs and Alan took care of it. It is prominently displayed at the fairgrounds.
Alan’s wife Guin is a former Extension employee. Katie Panek, now Katie Klotzbach, also worked for the Extension. Both of those former employees remain supportive of the Extension programs. Those two and Kerry Panek volunteer as evaluators for 4-H projects, helping to get youths ready to exhibit at the fair.
The family also has been a generous buyer in the 4-H market auction program.
The Extension generally awards two “Friend of Extension” awards each year, but Neal said the organization made an exception this year, wanting to recognize three families with years of commitment to Extension.
(The Southcotts and Paneks were unable to attend Tuesday’s annual meeting to accept their awards.)
Batavia hospital plans expanded women's health site in Medina
smartDesign architecture of Batavia submitted these renderings of the United Memorial Medical Center project, which includes an addition of about 800 square feet as well as a canopy and brick for the front of the façade.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 3 December 2013
MEDINA – United Memorial Medical Center, which stepped up its obstetrics and gynecological care in Medina in 2011, is working to have an expanded site on Maple Ridge Road.
The Batavia hospital, which is now delivering about 100 babies a year in Batavia to Orleans County women, wants more exam rooms and medical offices to serve its patients in the Medina area.
The hospital wants to do a major renovation and expansion of a former K & K food mart and gas station at 11360 Maple Ridge Rd. UMMC is currently a tenant for Medina Memorial Hospital.
Photos by Tom Rivers
This building at 11360 Maple Ridge Rd., a former K & K gas station and food mart, will be transformed into a healthcare site for United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.
Medina closed its birthing unit on July 1, 2011. UMMC and Medina Memorial have worked collaboratively the past 2 ½ years on women’s health services.
“They’re in Medina now and they want to stay in Medina,” Todd Audsley, project manager for smartDesign architecture, told the Medina Planning Board. “They need more room for doctors and patients.”
The property is in the process of being acquired by Chad LaCivita, who is buying it from Reid Petroleum. LaCivita will lease the site to UMMC.
Todd Audsley, a project manager with smartDesign architecture in Batavia, discusses the site plan for a health care site in Medina. United Memorial Medical Center wants to better provide its women’s health services in the community. Village Planning Board member Todd Bensley is at left.
Village officials believe the property has a clean bill of environmental health. The previous gas storage tanks have been removed and they didn’t leak, said Marty Busch, village code enforcement officer.
The project will add about 800 square feet to the building, and will change the looks of the property with a brick exterior on the front and wrapping around the front sides.
“It’s a nice-looking building,” Audsley told the planners. “It will be a welcome addition to the streetscape.”
The project needs to go before the Orleans County Planning Board at 7 p.m. on Dec. 19. It also comes back the Village Planning Board for a vote on the site plan on Jan. 7. Residents can comment during a public hearing on the project at 7:05 p.m. on Jan. 7. The hearing will be at City Hall.
Planning Board members tonight asked Audsley to make sure exterior lighting doesn’t spill off onto neighboring properties. Audsley said wall packs will be mounted on the building and the lighting will be projected downward.
The sign on the building won’t be lighted. A monument sign by Route 31A will have a soft glow, he said.
The hospital would like to start work on the project soon after the local board approvals and permits are secured, Audsley said.
Barre blessed with some nice old barns
Photos by Tom Rivers
This barn is on Sheeler Road out in the mucklands.
This barn is on Oak Orchard Road, not far from Route 98. The corn crop was recently harvested.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 3 December 2013
BARRE – Orleans Hub is going to have 2014 calendar available soon. We have all the pictures lined up and ready to go, but I thought we could improve one of the winters months.
So earlier today I set out on a mission: get a photo of a barn with some snow. I had a feeling something special was waiting for me in Barre. I headed out towards to the muck, taking Oak Orchard Road with a short detour on Angevine Road.
A barn and its neighbor have been fixtures along Angevine Road.
I took this looking through a culvert along Transit Road. There's a barn in the background.
Barre is the most rural town in Orleans County. It includes muckland and many current and former dairy farms. Barre is a gold mine for rustic old barns. The town signs proclaims that Barre is "A Right To Farm Community."
I think I got what we wanted for the calendar and I’m not revealing that image today. But I've included several others that have loomed large on the landscape for many years.
This barn is still standing on Oak Orchard Road close to the Angevine Road intersection.
These drainage pipes escort water off the muck and into a drainage ditch that runs along Transit Road. This was taken at the intersection with Sheelar Road.
A barn is the background and cattails are in the foreground in this photo taken from what appeared to be an unnamed dirt road off Transit Road.
New video promotes preservation of Bent’s Opera House in Medina
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 3 December 2013
MEDINA – A new video about the preservation efforts at Bent’s Opera House is aimed to create enthusiasm for the project.
The Orleans Renaissance Group, owners of the site, worked with Michael Gaughn and Brianna Byrne to produce the new video.
Bent’s was built during the Civil War. The building is made of local Medina sandstone. It is currently mostly vacant. The ORG wants to restore the upper performance hall, and also attract business tenants for the first floor and a restaurant for the second floor.
The organization is currently doing an emergency repair to rotted structural support beams on the building. It is seeking a $500,000 state grant to replace the roof and help with other upgrades. The state is expected to announce this month whether or not that funding will be awarded.
“As most of you know, some structural work/repair/restoration has already begun,” ORG Vice Chairman Chris Busch said in an email to ORG supporters. “The wheels are in motion.The vision continues to takes shape.”
Other videos are planned to help promote the restoration project and the Medina community.
“It is our hope that this short piece will be one of many that will soon follow, telling the story in the stone – of Bent’s history, its people, its community, and its rebirth,” Busch said.
When choosing toys for children, keep safety in mind
By Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator for the Orleans County Health Department Posted 3 December 2013
’Tis the season of gift giving for many…but how often do you think of the safety of your gifts, especially when buying for children?
If you are interested in helping provide appropriate toys for children who may not receive any, contact Community Action of Orleans and Genesee County at 589-5605 (Orleans County). Make sure your donations have not been recalled, are new or in good repair and have operating instructions if needed. Have your children help pick out items to donate and use it as a teachable moment.
The Orleans County Health Department urges shoppers to read the warning labels of any toys they might buy, so they are more likely to choose a toy that is safe and suitable for a child’s age.
According to a recent Consumer Safety Product Commission (CSPC) report, there were an estimated 192,000 toy related emergency department treated injuries to children under 15 years of age in 2012. Although a lot of the injuries were toy-related, such as toys being thrown or young children falling off of riding toys, there were many injuries related to toys breaking during use.
Following a few simple tips can greatly reduce the number of these injuries that occur each year. You should try to buy toys that match the age range, skills and interests of the child. Also keep in mind the ages and maturity of other children in the home when buying for younger children. Older children who don’t pick up small toy parts may be putting younger children at risk of injury.
Most toys have a “recommended age” sticker, which should be taken as a starting point in the selection process. Until the child turns 3, toy parts should be bigger than his/her mouth to avoid the possibility of choking.
To determine whether a toy poses a choking risk, try fitting it through a toilet paper roll. If a toy or a part from the toy can fit inside the cylinder, it is not safe. Toys with any sharp edges or points should not be given to any child 8 years old or younger. Squishy balls that younger children or pets can chew on and tear should be avoided. Babies and toddlers should be watched carefully while playing with toys in case something breaks.
Keep toys with magnets away from children under 6 years old. Magnets may cause serious internal injuries if swallowed. If you suspect a child has swallowed a magnet, immediately contact your primary care provider, the emergency room and/or poison control (1-888-222-1222) for directions.
There are a few guidelines to remember after your children have opened their gifts. You should immediately dispose of plastic wrapping on toys to keep them out of reach of small children and pets. If you buy a toy for an older child, make sure it is kept out of reach of a younger sibling or neighbor’s child.
Follow instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Adults should always supervise battery charging as some devices may overheat and cause burns. Some toys can come without a device that prevents overcharging.
If you buy a bike, scooter, in-line skates or skateboard, make sure your child (and adults too!) has all of the necessary protective gear and wears them properly every time these toys are used. Protective gear includes approved helmets, and elbow pads and knee pads for scooters, skates and skateboards. Trampolines should always have a safety net and children should always have spotters in case of a fall.
Motorized cars, bikes, scooters, etc. for younger children (helmets need to be worn properly) should always be supervised by an adult. Children may try to imitate an adult and try to drive on the road.
There are several categories of toys you should avoid. Toys that make loud noises, such as toy guns, can impair a child’s hearing for the rest of their life. Projectiles, such as propelled toy darts, may cause serious eye injuries. Electrical toys can cause burns, and should be completely avoided if your child is less than eight years old.
Toys are sometimes recalled for reasons including unsafe lead levels, choking or fire hazards, or other problems that make them dangerous. Toys that are recalled should be removed from your home immediately. If you think your child has been exposed to a toy containing lead, contact your child’s primary care provider about testing for lead.
To learn more about toy safety, or to know if a toy has been recalled, before you go shopping, go to www.cpsc.gov for photos and descriptions of recalled toys.
Holley man sentenced to state prison for burglary
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 3 December 2013
ALBION – A Holley resident was sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison on Monday after breaking into a building and stealing last year.
Michael Redick, 27, of North Main Street had two prior petty larceny charges before he was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary, petty larceny and criminal mischief in the fourth degree. He broke into a building on Ridge Road on Feb. 2 2012.
He pleaded guilty on Sept. 9 to attempted burglary in the third degree. Orleans County Court Judge James Punch gave Redick the maximum sentence as part of the plea.
Redick apologized in court for the crime.
“I had no right to take from others,” he said.
Redick said he wanted a chance to get a job and take care of his family.
Punch said the court system has given Redick several chances to live a productive life. But Redick’s drug use has led him to “all sorts of crime and chaos,” Punch said.
“I can’t turn you lose on the public,” the judge said at sentencing. “You've been given several opportunities to deal with the problem.”
In another case in court, a former inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility, a medium-security men’s state prison, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and will spend 5 more years in state prison for assaulting another inmate.
Alejandro Sanchez, now an inmate at Attica Correctional Facility, pleaded guilty in court on Monday. He used a razor to slice another inmate in the neck on March 29, 2012.
Sanchez, through an interpreter, said he was acting in self defense. But District Attorney Joe Cardone said the other inmate did not have a weapon. Cardone said it was an unprovoked attack that left the other inmate with a 5-inch laceration in his neck and ongoing pain.
Sanchez could have gone to trial, but would have faced up to 7 years in additional prison time if found guilty. By pleading guilty, he faces 5 more years in prison. He will be sentenced on March 10.
Genesee Chorale gets ready for Albion concert
Photos by Howard Owens
Chorale member Bob Holley joins a rehearsal Monday night.
Ric Jones of Medina is director of the Chorale.
Courtesy of The Batavian and The Eastman at Albion Committee
Posted 3 December 2013
BATAVIA – Since 1971, the Genesee Chorale has been making beautiful music for the people of WNY. That tradition continues this month with two holiday concerts.
First, the Chorale performs a show entitled "Hail the Star" starting at 7 p.m., Friday, at Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School, 9300 South Street. Two days later, Sunday at 3 p.m., the group performs in Albion at the First Presbyterian Church.
The 70 or so people who comprise the chorale have been traveling weekly to Batavia from the seven area counties of WNY to prepare for these concerts.
“We come from a lot of rural communities,” said chorale president Maureen DeGolyer. “Coming from a rural community, like I am from Castile, you have to be willing to travel a distance to do any quality music, and that’s what we do here.”
The Chorale is dedicated, she said, to providing audiences with the highest quality performance they could possibly hear.
“Our expectations are high and we don’t do anything that isn’t quality because nobody could stand it,” DeGolyer said. “We aim for quality and it is wonderful stuff.”
Fran Woodworth, a veterinarian from Elba, has a solo in Sunday's concert in Albion.
The concert is a blend of traditional and contemporary songs.
A few of the selections are “Jesus Loves Me,” which has a jazz influence and will be feature Dan Jones on the alto saxophone, “What Strangers Are These,” featuring Fran Woodworth on flute and Mike Teeling on acoustic guitar, and, a unique arrangement of “Jingle Bells” as made popular by Barbara Streisand.
For more information and tickets, visit www.GeneseeChorale.com. Tickets will also be available at the door.
The Albion concert has a theme of “Christmas Peace.” Familiar favorites such as “Jingle Bells,” “Star in the East” and “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” will mingle with newer selections, including “What Strangers Are These?” by Dan Forrest, and “The Yearning,” by Craig Courtney. Ric Jones of Medina directs the group.
Courtesy of Genesee Chorale
“We are excited and honored to be the featured group for this year’s Eastman at Albion Christmas concert,” Jones said. “Upon our founding in 1971, the Genesee Chorale was made up of primarily Albion and Batavia residents, so this is a 'coming home' of sorts for the group. Personally, I am so pleased to be able to share this fantastic group with my home area and county. Christmas-time is undoubtedly the best possible time to bring two fantastic communities together through music.”
Joining the Chorale will be musical guests from the Albion High School instrumental ensembles, as well as Albionite vocalist Alec Sherman, who will present a special song in memory of loved ones who will be missed this holiday season. As tradition holds, an audience sing-along will be part of the program.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit Albion Alumni High School Foundation Scholarships. Find more information and tickets at A Lily and A Sparrow, 510 Main St., Medina; Bindings Bookstore, 28 W. Bank St., Albion; Bloom’s Flower Shop, 139 S. Main St., Albion; The Crooked Door Tavern, 469 E. State St., Albion; Fischer's Newsroom, 105 N. Main St., Albion; Roxy’s Music Store, 228 W. Main St., Batavia; or www.EastmanatAlbion.com.
County details reasons for 5% tax hike
Welfare, radio upgrade, nursing home main culprits
Photos by Tom Rivers
Orleans County had a public hearing on its budget tonight inside the county courthouse. Chief Administrative Officer Chuck Nesbitt is standing at the podium. About 30 people attended the hearing.
By Tom Rivers, editor Posted 2 December 2013
ALBION – Orleans County property owners will see the average tax bill go up about 5 percent with county taxes in 2014, according to a proposed budget.
The budget totals $79,786,629, a 4.8 percent increase over the $76,133,318 in 2013. Property taxes account for about 20 percent of the revenues to pay for the budget. Property taxes would increase 5.0 percent, up from $15,661,104 to $16,441,366.
“A 5 percent increase is unacceptable,” said Paul Lauricella, vice chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party and the lone resident to speak out during the hearing. “Come on guys, give us a break.”
The budget increases the tax rate 40 cents from $9.71 to $10.11 per $1,000 of assessed property. The fee for solid waste and recycling is up $5 to $190 for the year.
The tax impact could have been worse, but the county will see its pension contributions drop by $169,376 to $4,271,017. The county’s health insurance costs also will go down by $157,340 and worker’s compensation is budgeted to decrease by $100,376.
But the declines aren’t enough to offset other big increases, including $558,000 more for welfare costs with most of that the result of cost shifts in the Safety Net program. The county also is upgrading its emergency communication system for $7.1 million. The county will make its first $475,000 debt payment for the project next year.
“The coverage will be virtually 100 percent,” Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer, said about the radio system’s signal strength throughout Orleans. The current system has many weak spots, especially on the eastern and western ends of the county.
“It will be an incredibly significant upgrade,” Nesbitt said.
Sprint Nextel is paying $3.3 million towards the upgrade and a federal Department of Homeland Security grant will also pay $2 million of the project.
Chuck Nesbitt details the county budget during a hearing tonight.
The county will also repair the Waterport bridge over Lake Alice for $1.5 million, with the county responsible for 5 percent of the project or $75,000. The Hulberton Road bridge will be replaced at an estimated cost of $1,386,970. The county will pay 5 percent or $69,348. The federal government pays 80 percent with the state covering the other 15 percent.
The nursing home will consume about $1.9 million from the county. The 120-bed Villages of Orleans, which the county is trying to sell, is forecast to operate at a $2,734,844 loss. The operating expenses are budgeted at $11,817,649 and revenue totals $9,986,502. That leaves a $1,831,147 gap. The county also has to pay $903,697 in debt service for recent renovations and an expansion at the site in 2007. That adds up to a $2,734,844 loss for 2014.
The county and federal government will each contribute $825,000 in Intergovernmental Transfer (IGT) shares that help offset Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates that don’t fully cover expenses.
In addition to the IGT, the county will use $1,084,844 from a reserve fund. County officials say those reserves will soon be depleted. If the nursing home stays county-owned, the tax burden would be significantly higher in the future once the reserves are gone, legislators have said.
Legislators did get some praise after the budget hearing. Charles Pettit, a member of the board of directors for the Cornell Cooperative Extension, thanked the county for not cutting the Extension. Legislators have budgeted to maintain the same funding for agencies that receive county dollars.
Here are the funded agencies and how much they receive from the county: Cornell Cooperative Extension, $219,150; Orleans Economic Development Agency, $150,000; Soil and Water, $57,750; Libraries, $10,000; Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, $1,000; and the Sportsman’s Federation, $500.
The Legislature will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday to vote on the budget. That meeting will be in the legislative chambers at the County Clerks’ Building.
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