Month: January 2019

Carlton bridge on Route 18 will close for repairs

Staff Reports Posted 31 January 2019 at 9:11 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: The bridge on Route 18 over Oak Orchard Creek is pictured last week. The bridge was limited to alternating one-lane traffic.

CARLTON – The New York State Department of Transportation today advised motorists of a short-term closure for the bridge on Route 18 over Oak Orchard Creek.

Earlier this month, traffic was reduced to a one-way alternating pattern using a signal at each end of the bridge. The repairs, which will begin on Friday, are expected to last approximately one week and will restore traffic over the bridge to two lanes.

A detour will be posted for motorists while the bridge is closed for repairs. The stretch of Lake Ontario State Parkway west of Route 98, which is currently closed for the winter, will re-open temporarily to accommodate traffic during the bridge closure.

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Medina schools will close Friday for 3rd straight day

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2019 at 8:19 pm

MEDINA – The Medina school district will be closed on Friday for the third straight day as bitter cold persists.

Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said Medina will close “due to the wind chill advisory and the amount of walkers that we have.”

The forecast calls for the temperature to only be 3 degrees at 8 a.m., 6 degrees at 10 a.m. and 10 degrees at noon.

The All County Festival will go on as scheduled for Saturday at Medina. All students participating will need to report to the high school at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.

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Walking trail at Albion school is a benefit to community

Posted 31 January 2019 at 4:47 pm

Editor:

I’ve been walking at the Albion Elementary School for four years. I think the walking trail is the best kept secret in the entire school district.

I started walking after my heart attack. I begin when the weather turns cold and rainy in the fall and walk well into the spring. In those four years, I have made new friends, walked with old friends and have gotten to know some of the staff and teachers who are friendly and welcoming. I have seen other people like me walking to improve their health, friends exercising together, parents walking with their children and mothers pushing baby strollers. I especially like the kid’s art work that lines the hallways.

Last December I was asked to join the Walking Trail Club. This club and others are a part of the Community Schools Program. A group of about 20 children came together to learn about the health benefits of walking and to study how to improve the walking trail experience. We walked the trail several times in order to learn the route. One day we walked it with an odometer in order to determine the length (1/4 mile) and we designed a “Welcome to the Walking Trail” sign.

I want to thank Kim Burrell and Stephanie Schepis for making this a great learning experience for the children and for including me in the process. I also want to invite the Albion Community to use the walking trail. It is open from 4 to 8 p.m. during the week.

Sincerely,

Tom Gardner

Knowlesville

Law enforcement will increase DWI patrols during Super Bowl weekend

Staff Reports Posted 31 January 2019 at 4:22 pm

State Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies will increase their patrols on Super Bowl weekend beginning this Saturday through 4 a.m. Monday.

Law enforcement agencies across the state will crack down on impaired driving during Super Bowl weekend. The STOP-DWI campaign will include underage drinking enforcement, increased patrols and sobriety checkpoints to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers.

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the number of drinking and driving fatalities, too many lives continue to be lost due to crashes caused by impaired drivers. During the 2018 Super Bowl campaign, State Police arrested 120 people for impaired driving and issued 7,733 tickets.

The enforcement crackdown is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

“Unlike the Super Bowl, there are no winners when someone makes the choice to get behind the wheel of a vehicle impaired,” said Acting State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. “If you are going to be drinking, have a game plan to get home safely. Safety is our top priority and we will be increasing patrols and expanding sobriety checkpoints to identify dangerous and impaired drivers and prevent them from causing senseless tragedies. If you’re celebrating, do your part and celebrate responsibly. Don’t drive impaired. Together, we can save lives and prevent serious injuries.”

During this enforcement period, drivers can expect a number of sobriety checkpoints and DWI patrols. Law enforcement will also be looking for motorists who are using their phones and other electronic devices while behind the wheel. Drivers should also remember to “move over” for stopped emergency and hazard vehicles stopped on the side of the road when they travel New York roadways.

If people are drinking, Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower urges them to plan a safe way to get home. They should call for a ride from a sober friend, family member, taxi or Uber, he said.

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Social Justice Committee supports legislation for more nursing home inspections

Posted 31 January 2019 at 3:50 pm

Editor:

The Holy Family Parish Social Justice Committee thanks State Senator Robert Ortt for his initiative requiring increased regular NYS inspections of Adult Care Nursing Facilities, i.e. more surprise inspections of such institutions, as well as sanctions against the owners of such facilities that fail to meet the minimum standards of care that are supported by the Orleans County Legislature.

This request was passed unanimously in the Holy Family Social Justice Committee on January 15, 2019 and we encourage the community to support Senator Ortt in this effort.

Thanks for your consideration,

Holy Family Social Justice Committee

Robert Golden, Chairman

Tigers to visit Lancers in key G-R contest

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 31 January 2019 at 2:47 pm

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Nathan Poler pus up a shot against Elba defenders Zach Marsceill and Jon Boyce during the earlier season meeting between the teams at Lyndonville. The Tigers and Lancers will meet in a key rematch for the division lead at Elba on Friday.

First place in Division II of the Genesee Region League will be at stake when Lyndonville visits Elba at 7 p.m. Friday in a key boys basketball showdown.

Lyndonville and Elba are currently tied for the Division II lead at 9-1. The Tigers are 14-1 overall and the Lancers are 14-2.

Lyndonville won the earlier season matchup at home turning back strong second half Elba rally to claim a 62-55 home court victory.

Nathan Poler scored 24, Zach Johnson 12 and Nathan Dillenbeck 10 for Lyndonville which built up a 19 point, 37-18 halftime advantage.

However, Elba came battling back in the second half to make the finish exciting closing to within seven twice in the final stanza.

A trio of players accounted for all of the Lancers points as Jon Boyce scored 26, Colton Dillon 19 and Zach Marsceill 10.

The Tigers now have a quartet of players averaging in double figures including Dillenbeck at 14.4, Johnson 14.3, Natahan Hydock 12.2 and Poler 11.6.

Both teams will have three league games remaining after Friday, all against Division II foes, including Notre Dame, Kendall and Wheatland-Chili.

Notre Dame, which at 5-5 is out of the division title race, still looks to play a huge role in determining who does win it as the Irish will host both Lyndonville and Elba.

Medina to host Newfane
Front-running Medina also faces a key Niagara-Orleans League game on Friday as the Mustangs host Newfane at 6:30 p.m.

Currently at 7-0 in N-O competition (12-2 overall) three time defending champion Medina holds a one game lead over Wilson (6-1), a two game edge over Newfane (5-2) and a three game bulge over Albion (4-3) in the N-O title race.

The Mustangs nipped the Panthers in their earlier season meeting at Newfane 50-49 in overtime on a three-point field goal by Brian Fry in the final seconds.

Both teams will have four N-O games remaining after Friday including key meetings with both Wilson and Albion.

50 degrees only a few days away

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2019 at 12:36 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: Snow blows across Fancher Road in Murray today when it was 7 degrees outside.

It may seem hard to believe but the high temperature on Monday is forecast to reach 53 degrees.

It is currently 7 outside and Friday will only get up to 13 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

But Saturday the temperatures will go above freezing to 37, followed by a high of 39 on Sunday. Orleans County on Monday goes over the 50-degree barrier.

The warmup has the Weather Service urging people to be ready for flooding next week from melting snow and ice jams.

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Lyndonville man sentenced to 4 years in prison for sex abuse

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2019 at 12:14 pm

ALBION – A Lyndonville man was sentenced to four years in state prison today for first-degree sex abuse for allegedly having sexual contact with a victim under the age of 11.

Jason Dusett

Jason A. Dusett, 43, also was sentenced for second-degree sex abuse.

There are two victims in the case, and Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church issued orders of protection for 8 years, the maximum allowed.

Susan Howard, assistant district attorney, said Dusett has been diagnosed with pedophilia disorder and is considered a high risk to reoffend.

Joanne Best, the public defender, asked for probation for Dusett, saying it would provide supervision. She said Dusett has no prior criminal history except for a driving while intoxicated charge.

Judge Church acknowledged a limited criminal history with Dusett, but the judge said there were other uncharged sex crimes with underaged girls involving Dusett.

The judge also said Dusett has not taken full responsibility for the crime.

Dusett declined to speak at sentencing.

In addition to the four years in state prison, Dusett will be on post-release supervision for 10 years. He also has to pay a sex offender victim fee of $1,000, a mandatory court surcharge of $300, another sex offender fee of $50, a DNA database fee of $50 and a crime victim’s fee of $25.

In another case in court today, a Syracuse woman pleaded guilty to attempted promoting prison contraband in the first degree.

Angela Fields of Syracuse allegedly brought Suboxone (buprenorphine) to the Albion Correctional Facility. The pills are considered a controlled substance. They are used to reduce symptoms of opiate addiction and withdrawal.

Fields admitted in court today to bringing the pills in bag when she visited the prison on Sept. 1, 2018.

She is a second-felony offender and faces a maximum of 1 ½ to 3 years in prison when she is sentenced on May 9.

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Firefighters respond to garage fire in Murray on Brockville Road

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2019 at 11:44 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

MURRAY – Firefighters from several departments are on the scene of a garage fire at 15833 Brockville Rd., which is off Fancher Road in the Town of Murray.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 10:40 a.m.

Firefighters from Albion, Clarendon, Fancher-Hulberton-Murray, Holley and Kendall fire departments are at the scene, as well as the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

The current temperature is 7 degrees and there is blowing snow.

Jerry Bentley (in red), deputy fire coordinator for the county, joins firefighters at the scene.

No other information is available.

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Medina approves 2% room tax, awaits state approval to implement

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2019 at 8:40 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: One of the rooms in the Hart House Hotel includes a picture of Bob Hope, one of the prominent customers of the former Newell company. The room is one of four hotel rooms and two extended stay loft apartments in the former Robert H. Newell Building at 113 West Center St., which for 86 years was home to the Robert H. Newell Shirt Factory. That company manufactured custom-made shirts, including for many famous customers, including Hope and Winston Churchill.

MEDINA – The Village Board has approved a 2 percent occupancy tax and will use the funds to promote economic development and tourism in the village.

Medina needs the State Legislature to approve the new tax, and Assemblyman Michael Norris, R-Lockport, has offered to take the lead in getting the legislation through Albany.

The village’s new 2 percent tax is on top of the 4 percent occupancy tax imposed by the county. The 4 percent occupancy tax generates about $35,000 a year and is used solely by the county for its tourism promotion efforts.

Medina has been looking for ways to boost revenue for the village without relying on property taxes. Mayor Mike Sidari isn’t sure how much the 2 percent tax will generate for the village.

It will be applied to hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and other lodging establishments within the village.

Medina will see an increase in rooms with the renovation of the Bent’s Opera House to be partly used as a hotel. A new chain hotel, Cobblestone Inn & Suites, also is expected to be built on Maple Ridge Road.

In passing the occupancy tax, the Village Board stated in a resolution there would be the following advantages for Medina:

• Promote economic development throughout the Village of Medina and its historic Business District;

• Increase promotion and use of the Erie Barge Canal for economic growth to locally owned businesses;

• Help promote a stable property tax base.

The board said many events and businesses draw people to the community throughout the year, including the wine and beer tasting events, Thomas the Train at the Medina Railroad Museum, Farm-to-Table dinner, fishing derbies, the Parade of Lights, and the many businesses in a vibrant downtown.

The Village Board wants to help promote those businesses and attractions. It also wants to have more resources to promote economic development at the business parks in Medina.

The village can use the money from the bed tax. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed wiping out the village’s AIM funding of $45,523, which hadn’t been increased in many years. The Aid and Incentives to Municipalities for Medina has been a tiny fraction of what the state gives a city.

Medina also has seen its shares of the local sales tax fall because of a formula tied to assessed value. As the assessed value in Ridgeway and Shelby has increased faster than the rate of growth in the village, the two towns have taken some of the village’s sales tax under the county formula.

The board couldn’t say when it expects the State Legislature will approve the new tax in Medina.

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