Two students from Medina are on the Dean’s List at the University of Rochester for academic achievement in the spring 2018 semester.
Anthony Pane is a junior majoring in computational biology and history. He is the son of Joseph Pane and Karen Pane, and a graduate of Medina High School.
Cameron Morgan is a senior majoring in brain & cognitive sciences and linguistics at the University of Rochester. He is the son of Dean and Mary Morgan, and a graduate of Medina High School.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 July 2018 at 10:39 am
Event raised funds for Leadership Orleans, Leon Sidari Memorial Fund
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The 25th annual Albion Rotary Club Golf Tournament on Thursday had a hole-in-one for the first time in the event’s history.
Nic Whittaker, center, travelled from Ithaca to play in the tournament, which is named for the late Curtis Lyman. Whittaker had never played at Hickory Ridge Golf Course before. On hole 3, Whittaker hit the ball 135 yards. It landed 5 feet past the hole, and then spun back and went in.
Whittaker is pictured with Bill Downey, left, the hole sponsor and owner of Downey Signs, and Bill Bixler, co-owner of Albion Agencies which provided the insurance on three holes-in-one.
Whittaker won a new TV for the shot. Other par 3s with prizes included $10,000 and a new set of golf clubs.
Whittaker and his team also posted the lowest score of the day with a 59 on a par 72. Whittaker played in the tournament with his father, Randy Smith, and two friends, Ed Kirker and Rich Banks. They are friends with Nathan Lyman, a former Albion resident who now lives in Ithaca. Nathan is Curtis Lyman’s son.
Whittaker just graduated from high school. He is going to a golf academy in South Carolina and hopes to be able to play for a college team in the future.
Leon Sidari
The tournament included about 100 golfers. The beneficiaries for the event included Leadership Orleans, a new program with 25 residents. They are learning about multiple facets of the community to better understand how local government, businesses and other sectors work. The class draws on a cross section of the community. The program picked residents who have demonstrated leadership abilities, interest in community affairs, and a commitment to Orleans County’s future.
The other beneficiary is the Leon Sidari Memorial Fund, which formed in honor of Leon Sidari, who died from influenza this past Christmas at age 4. His parents are Tony Sidari and Laura (Lyman) Sidari. Laura is Nathan’s daughter.
Tony and Laura are both physicians with the Air Force, based in San Antonio. The memorial fund in Leon’s name will direct 100 percent of the funds to be given to help children with medical problems at Christmas time. In the first year, this will be focused on children of military parents, “but with your help this will grow in the years to come,” Nathan Lyman states on a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $65,000 so far for the fund.
The first placed mixed team had a score of 69 and includes, from left: Richard Pilon, his wife Sibyl, and John Dale, who is Sibyl’s brother. Richard and Sibyl’s son, Mike Pilon, also played on the team.
The first place women’s team had a score of 70 and includes Mary Jane Schultz, Sharon Campfield, Shannon Perry and Chris Lukas. They are from Lockport.
Sergeant Shelby Sargent from Albion has re-enlisted to continue service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion. Major General Anthony P. German, the Adjutant General, announced Sargent’s recent re-enlistment in the Army National Guard.
“New Yorkers count on our citizen soldiers to be ready and be there when disaster strikes,” German said. “And our nation counts on our soldiers when duty calls for overseas service. I congratulate our members for choosing to stay in service and striking that balance between military duties, education or employment commitments and family obligations.”
The New York National Guard (New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs) is the state’s executive agency responsible to the Governor for managing New York’s Military Forces, which consists of nearly 20,000 members of the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard.
“Every one of the men and women serving in our 16,000 strong Army and Air National Guard plays an important role and these soldiers who continue to re-enlist provide experience and continuity for whatever challenges lay ahead for our New York National Guard family,” German said.
For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov.
PURCHASE – Maria Albanese of Kendall graduated from Purchase College with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance on May 18.
The graduates were joined by thousands of family members, friends, college faculty, and staff members who came together to celebrate their achievements.
Purchase College, part of the State University of New York network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students.
POTSDAM – Casey Joseph MacClaren of Holley received a master of business administration degree from Clarkson University in June.
Clarkson University educates the leaders of the global economy. Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university with signature areas of academic excellence and research directed toward the world’s pressing issues.
Photo from Special Olympics NY: Brett Sobieraski holds a Special Olympics torch at 11 a.m. today when he completed a 50-hour run to benefit the Special Olympics.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 July 2018 at 10:41 pm
Brett Sobieraski of Orleans County set $10,000 fundraising goal for Special Olympics
Brett Sobieraski finally stopped running at 11 a.m. today, completing a 50-hour quest that went 175 miles along the Erie Canal.
Sobieraski, sergeant with the Rochester Police Department, started his 50-hour run on Friday at 9 a.m. in Buffalo. He reached Orleans County that night and crossed the county during the dark of nightfall.
Late this morning he reached the State Police Trooper Barracks in Elbridge, a town in Onondaga County, west of Syracuse.
When he finished, Sobieraski had run more than 6 1/2 consecutive marathons in six different counties. He also turned 52 on Saturday.
Sobieraski wantsed to raise $10,000 for Special Olympics, which he called “a phenomenal organization that helps to transform the lives of those with intellectual disabilities.”
He posted this message on Facebook:
“Inclusiveness – that is what the Special Olympics means to me. That everyone who wants to compete in the Games should have the opportunity to do so. People experience their own personal greatness by competing, breaking through barriers and obtaining their goals. That is why I am doing this. Please consider donating so that willing athletes are not left on the sidelines. To those who have already donated, I sincerely thank you.”
Provided photos: Jake Kuhman of Medina and Jason Stanton of Albion are pictured with their teacher Bill Rakonczay and Dale Pearce, program coordinator for Monroe Community College.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Two Precision Machine Technology students took home scholarships at the end of the year ceremonies at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center.
Jake Kuhman, a senior from Medina, and Jason Stanton, a senior from Albion, received a Monroe Community College scholarship from Dale Pearce, who is the Monroe Community College Program Coordinator. Mr. Pearce is a graduate from the BOCES program.
Jake also received the Bill Rakonczay, Sr. Scholarship for $300 which is given out to the Outstanding Senior.
Rakonczay, Sr. was a former teacher of the program and the scholarship was set up to honor his memory by his son Bill Rakonczay, Jr. who now teaches the program.
Teacher Bill Rakonczay, Jake Kuhman of Medina and Tim Sauls from E/R Machine are shown together. Kuhman was named outstanding senior in the program.
HOLLEY – Braden Ferranti competes in a the heating and plumbing competition as part of the Skills USA state competition in April at the State Fairgrounds.
Ferranti, who just finished his junior year at Holley, attends WeMoCo in Spencerport. He won the state competition and advanced to Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, from June 25-29, which is also a National Leadership and Skills Conference, a showcase of career and technical education students.
Ferranti placed 7th in the competition with 50-plus students from all over the country
He is enrolled in the HVAC course this coming year at Wemoco and will continue with the co-op job he has. He will be a senior in Holley this year.
MEDINA – Heaven Flood, a Lyndonville senior, won a $500 scholarship from Coca-Cola. Heaven was a Cosmetology student at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center and received the award at the end of the year ceremony at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES center.
She is pictured at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center with Principal Dr. Michael Weyrauch.
MEDINA – Scott M. Schmidt, the chief coroner for Orleans County, has successfully passed the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Registry examination for professional death investigators receiving the designation of Diplomat.
A Registered Medicolegal Death Investigator (or D-ABMDI) is an individual who, according to ABMDI criteria, has demonstrated the professional knowledge, practical skills, and ethical conduct necessary to conduct a proper medicolegal death investigation as required by the publication Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator, published by the National Institutes of Justice.
The ABMDI is a national, not-for-profit, independent, professional certification board that has been established to promote the highest standards of practice for medicolegal death investigators. Certification by the ABMDI requires that the applicant pass a 240-item objective National Board Examination to prove that he/she has attained the knowledge and has successfully demonstrated knowledge in performing over 300 skills necessary to conduct quality, comprehensive medicolegal death investigations.
The ABMDI was created in 1998 with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was created by veteran, practicing medicolegal death investigators from throughout the United States who have been involved in the development of the National Guidelines for Death Investigation published by the National Institutes of Justice.
Schmidt is a funeral director with the Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Inc. of Albion and Holley, the Merrill-Grinnell Funeral Homes of Albion and Holley, the Bates, Wallace and Heath Funeral Home of Middleport.
Schmidt has served Orleans County as Coroner since 1990. He was appointed chief coroner by the Orleans County Legislature in 1997 and is also a member of the United States Department of Health and Human Services National Disaster Medical System serving on the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. He has responded to four major mass fatality events as a DMORT member including the World Trade Center following the attacks on 9/11/2001.
In addition, Schmidt served as a subject matter expert on a State Emergency Management Working Group which developed Mass Fatality Plan Writing Guidance for Counties in New York State. There are only 59 D-AMBDI’s in New York State, Schmidt being one of them and the only Nationally Certified Death Medicolegal Death Investigator in Orleans County.
Schmidt lives in Medina with his wife Aleka, and his two daughters; Hayley and Danielle. He is the son of Bruce Schmidt, Town of Gaines Justice and former Orleans County Assistant District Attorney.
MORRISVILLE – Morrisville State College recently announced the students who were named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2018 semester. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must achieve an average of 3.0 to 3.99 for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.
Two from Orleans County made the list, including:
• Haley Anderson of Lyndonville, majoring in Animal Science -Equine Science & Management
• Claudia Drechsel of Holley, majoring in Agricultural Business Development – BBA
SUNY Morrisville’s curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College has named 280 students to the President’s List. Students honored on the President’s List have maintained full-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.75 (roughly equivalent to an A) or better.
• from Albion – Nicholas Johnson, Jessica Kincaid, Kastriot Bela, Kelsi Nice, Angela Westlund, Richard Vanderwedge, Alex De Smit, Lauren Becht, Trisha Brooks, Aleah Foos and Owen Foos.
• from Holley – Shannon Parsons, Madeline Rowley, Cassandra McCormack, Cameron Bennage, Nicholas Merlau, Kirsten Newbould, Heather Ramsey, Jessica Scott and Starlyt Knight.
• from Kent – Emily Boyle.
• from Kendall – Robert Cook and Richard Wolf.
• from Knowlesville – Chase McAdoo.
• from Lyndonville – Steven Boring, Abigeil Rodriguez and Gina Hagerty.
• from Medina – Arden Zavitz, Dawn Laskey, Dustin Wells, Tiffany Petry, Ace Strickland, Emma Ambrose, Corinne Johnson and Emma Wilson.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College named 192 students to the Provost’s List. Students honored on the Provost’s List have maintained part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.75 (roughly equivalent to an A) or better.
The following from Orleans are on the Provost’s List:
• from Albion – Jennifer Benz, Katlin Pieniaszek, Mikel Dysard, Hailey Bader and William Gregoire.
• from Holley – Rachel Stern, Bethany Bentivegna, Kassidy Wetherwax, Mary Buggie-Hunt, Michael Kimble and Amy Greenman.
• from Kent – Nicholas Brusso.
• from Lyndonville – Stacy Heideman, Danell Gibson and Lisa Boyce.
• from Medina – Rosemarie Albone, Chantel Montalvo, Brian Schultz, Deanna Cameron, Theresa Gray, Adam Dunn and Taylor Warner.
• from Waterport – Sherika Coke and Justin Chaplin.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College named 282 students to the Dean’s List this past semester, including many from Orleans County. Students honored on the Dean’s List have maintained full or part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.50 to 3.74.
The following made the Dean’s List:
• from Albion – Brittany LaMantia, Morgan Haak, Kaitlyn VanSkiver, Jacoby Miller, Lindsay Poole, Ta’keem Johnson, Samantha Hollenbeck, Summer Moore, Ivy Blair, Destini Hurlbert and Jacques Gregoire.
• from Holley – Johnathen Affronti and Tiara Meade.
• from Kendall – Jonathan Fox and Angela McFarlane.
• from Kent – Kayla Yannatone.
• from Lyndonville – Kenneth Kalson and Samantha Raduns.
• from Medina – Jamie Fulwell, Devin Swader, Brennen Harris, Carlin Sanders, Alyson Cameron, Heather Burd, Sara Flansburg, Taylor Warner, Emily Kams, Olivia Hill and Andrew McKee.
• from Waterport – Brianna Paniccia, Sierra Chudy and Samantha Burkhardt.
CAZENOVIA – Cazenovia College recognizes students for their academic achievement during the Spring 2018 semester. Those named to the Dean’s List have achieved a 3.5 or better grade point average and include Jenna Doran of Lyndonville and Gabriell Struble of Albion.
Cazenovia College is an independent, co-educational college near Syracuse, offering bachelor degree programs in the liberal arts and professional studies in an exceptional community environment, with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their fields.
