By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Ruth Verrantti of Gasport helps unload a truck full of food that will be given to Medina families on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.
Medina area churches, businesses, organizations and residents all donated enough food for 141 families for Thanksgiving. The food will be shared with the families at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, 203 West Center St.
Cindy Curtin has been coordinator of the effort the past 11 years. It has been growing in recent years, up from 128 families last year. Most of the families are connected to the effort by word of mouth.
Curtin and her husband John gather the food with the help of many volunteers over about six weeks. They keep most of it in their garage on Slade Road. Today volunteers showed up to move the food to the Baptist Church.
Tim Verrantti of Gasport helps move the food from the Curtin garage this afternoon. Verrantti and his wife Ruth are in a small group ministry with the Curtins.
The Veranttis attend church at the Chapel at CrossPoint in Getzville. The Curtins go to church at Community Fellowship in Johnson Creek.
Cindy and John Curtin read Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Church, 11 years ago and decided to push for the Thanksgiving food effort for local families.
“This has grown into such a wonderful thing,” she said.
John Curtin carries in cans of green beans. He and his wife help lead the Thanksgiving food ministry. Families with three or more people get an assortment of food, including a turkey while others with one or two people in the household will receive chicken and other food.
Cindy Curtin said other families struggling to provide Thanksgiving can reach out to a Medina church and she would try to make sure there is food for them on the big holiday this Thursday.
Christian Hahn, a local Boy Scout who also attends First Baptist Church, helps get the food out of boxes and on to tables at the Baptist Church.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 20 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KENDALL – The Kendall Community Chorus, directed by Mary Campbell, performs “I Just Want to Sing in a Choir” during a concert Friday evening to benefit the Kendall Food Cupboard.
The Kendall Community Chorus presented “Celebrate Christmas with Musical Memories” at the David J. Doyle Kendall Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium. The cost of admission was a donation of non-perishable food items or monetary gifts. Proceeds from a basket auction held during the concert also benefited the Food Cupboard.
“Popper” Eileen Young, center, makes a popping sound utilizing her finger and her cheek, for the song “My Boy Lollipop” which was part of the “60’s Partyline” medley sung by the Kendall Community Chorus.
Tenors and Basses in the Kendall Community Chorus were featured in the song, “For Tenors and Basses Only – Medley,” during the concert Friday evening.
Concert selections included popular favorites from the ’50’s and ’60’s with songs such as “Musical Memories,” and “60’s Partyline” – featuring the sopranos and altos.
The program also included holiday favorites such as “And the Glory of the Lord” from Handel’s “Messiah,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “The Holly and the Ivy,” and an arrangement of “Silver Bells” featuring the Morton Baptist Bell Ringers.
Robert Bissell sings “The Old Road” accompanied on piano by Mary Campbell.
Concert goers check out theme baskets before the concert. A basket auction was part of the evening’s festivities and also benefited the Kendall Food Cupboard.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 4:35 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – A dump truck driver dumped a load at a Ridge Road property and was headed back on the road when the truck caught overhead wires at about 3:30 p.m.
The driver forgot to bring down the box of the truck after delivering the load. A telephone pole snapped, just east of Brown Road.
National Grid crews were on scene and Albion firefighters were directing traffic, which was limited to one-way.
A state trooper and Orleans County deputies were also on scene. The driver wasn’t injured.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Kirk Narburgh worked on new Hoag Library, several projects at Albion Central School
Photo by Tom Rivers – Kirk Narburgh speaks during an informational meeting last May about a $14.3 million capitol project for Albion Central School. Voters approved the project that will address numerous maintenance issues and infrastructure upgrades.
SYRACUSE An Albion native, Kirk Narburgh, is the new chief executive officer and managing partner of King + King Architects LLP. The Syracuse firm touts itself as the country’s oldest architectural firm going back five generations.
Narburgh has worked there for 27 years. He succeeds Peter King as CEO.
“Our transition planning began several years ago,” Peter King said in a news release. “Together, with the other partners, senior-leadership team and staff we are ready to lead the firm forward and continue our legacy for which King + King Architect’s has been known for over 147 years.”
Narbugh, a partner with the firm since 2001, will lead 48 full-time employees.
King + King has worked on projects in Albion, including the new Hoag Library and several building expansions and renovations at Albion Central School.
Narburgh, a registered architect and a landscape architect, has 33 years of experience in total.
“It is an honor to be a part of the King + King family, and I look forward to working with the current and next generation of partners and firm leaders,” Narburgh said.
Narburgh is also an adjunct professor at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, where he has taught for the past 25 years. His mother, Sharon Narburgh, owns Narby’s Superette and Tackle in Carlton.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – More than a hundred Teddy Bears, stuffed animals and dolls received medical care this week from Medina Memorial Hospital in the return of the Teddy Bear Clinic.
The top photo shows Jeanine Corbett from the hospital checking on a monkey owned by a kindergartner from the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School in Albion.
The hospital used to have the clinic and welcomed kindergartners to bring in toys that would receive bandages, X-rays, Band-Aids and other care.
But when local schools cut back on field trips about a decade ago, the Teddy Bear Clinic went away. The hospital is bringing it back and Albion kindergartners were the first to give it a try.
Mary Dunham, a nurse a Medina Memorial, looks over some of the stuffed animals brought in today by kindergartners.
The hospital hopes the Teddy Bear Clinic helps children to feel more comfortable if they ever need to go to the hospital.
Erika Keyes shows students the X-ray machine.
Mary Dunham shows students a X-ray of a Teddy Bear with a penny in its stomach.
Jonah Elsenheimer brought in his stuffed animal of a dog. Mary Dunham puts a bandage on the dog’s leg after Jonah said it fell off its skateboard. The students were welcome to make up injuries for their stuffed animals.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Abby Allen plays the lead role in Junie B. Jones, The Musical, which will be performed Friday and Saturday at the Albion Middle School Auditorium.
A cast of 20 seventh- and eighth-graders have been rehearsing since late September for the musicial, which is slightly over an hour long. The musical is based on the popular children’s book character.
Abby Allen is shown in the opening scene with her “top secret personal beeswax journal.”
Junie is joined on stage by, from left: May (Molly Wadhams), Sheldon (Zachary Kilner) and Herb (Emma Tower). They are singing at a scene in the lunchroom.
Skylar Lonnen plays Mrs. Gutzman, the lunch lady.
In this photo from back stage, students practice the scene from the lunch room in the final dress rehearsal before shows 7 p.m. Friday, and then noon and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Emma Tower plays Herb, and performs in “Show and Tell.” Herb would become one of Junie’s friends as they transitioned from kindergarten to first grade.
The cast sings and dances in Junie B. Jones, The Musical. There are also 16 students in the stage crew.
Carrie Kozody is director of the musical, Kevin Feder is assistant director and Kate Kraus is the choreographer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
File photos by Tom Rivers – Runners cross the Main Street lift bridge as part of the Metro 10 race in Albion on Aug. 22. The debut 10-mile race pitted runners from Rochester versus Buffalo. The metro area that accumulated the most points won a trophy cup to be displayed in its city. Rochester took the title for 2015.
ALBION – Organizers of a day-long music festival and a big running event are teaming up next year to put on their events on the same day, Aug. 20.
Rock the Park and Metro 10 compliment each other, and the events will make for a bigger bash for the community.
“It’s going to make for a bigger draw by partnering up,” said Zack Burgess, one of the organizers of the Rock the Park event at Bullard Park.
The second Rock the Park was July 25 and featured bands playing from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The attendance picked up throughout the day for Rock the Park, but organizers want more people for the late morning, early afternoon performers.
The band Zero closed out the music festival on Saturday with Zack Burgess, center, as the lead singer. Dylan DeSmit, left, is on lead guitar and vocals, and Brad Maxon on bass. Dan Ryan plays the drums.
The Metro 10 started at 10 a.m. on Aug. 22 and ended with a post-race party at Bullard from about noon to 1:30 p.m. The race will start at 8 a.m. next year, with the post-race celebration to start in the late morning. That will guarantee a good crowd for Rock the Park during what was a slower time for the bands this past year.
“We’re going to work together to build a bigger event,” said Thom Jennings, the Metro 10 organizer. “The village will only have to set up the park once and we won’t compete for sponsors.”
Metro 10 is shifting to a new umbrella organization, from the Albion Running Club to the Warrior House, a charity that provides hunting opportunities in West Shelby for wounded veterans. Jennings’ nephew Peter Zeliff Jr.is head of the Warrior House.
There were about 400 runners in Albion race last year. Jennings said that was a great start for the debut race. The feedback from runners was overwhelmingly positive, but many wanted an earlier start time to beat the heat of the summer day.
Up2Somethin’ , a popular party band from Rochester, entertains at Bullard Park during the Metro 10 post-race party on Aug. 22. The seven-piece band includes Rickey Ellis on bass and vocals at right, and lead singer Evyn Grassl.
Jennings would like to bring back Up2Somethin’ to perform at a stage in the park. Burgess said many local bands are expected to follow.
“This is going to fill in the gaps,” Burgess said. “I think it will be a cool thing.”
Jennings also sees the race crowd giving a lift to Rock the Park. That event, with its many arts and craft vendors and lineup of entertainment should keep runners in the community after the race.
“As we’re winding down, they are starting to rev up,” Jennings said. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – This sign on the shore of the Golden Hill State Park in Barker warns of an eroding shoreline.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson was in Washington D.C. on Wednesday meeting with State Department officials about a proposed plan for regulating Lake Ontario water levels.
Johnson and many officials from the southshore counties have been pressing the federal government not to support the plan from the International Joint Commission, a bi-national group that regulates the water levels.
A 2014 plan could result in bigger swings in water levels, damaging property and hurting boating and fishing industries.
“We need to work hard and stop this nonsense from going forward,” Orleans County Legislature Chairman David Callard said Wednesday during the Legislature meeting.
He noted that Johnson was in Washington with David Godfrey, a Niagara County legislator. They were joined by Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) and Congressman John Katko (NY-24) in a meeting with the State Department.
“The IJC’s Plan 2014 hurts homeowners and businesses along Lake Ontario’s shoreline,” Collins said in a statement. “I am vehemently opposed to this plan which would quicken erosion along shrinking shorelines, lower property values for specific homeowners, and have a negative impact on the region’s economy by limiting recreational and commercial boating. I remain committed to working with my colleagues in federal, state, and local government against the plan’s implementation and am glad Congressman Katko and county legislators Dave Godfrey and Lynne Johnson could join me in this fight.”
Plan 2014’s intent is to re-establish Lake Ontario’s natural water level fluctuations to restore the region’s natural wetlands and environmental diversity. The proposal has met significant resistance due to the disproportionate damages that will fall onto Lake Ontario’s southern shore communities, Collins said.
“Today’s meeting was yet another opportunity to discuss the potentially devastating impact that Plan 2014 could have on Wayne County’s shoreline, economy, and vast agriculture community,” Katko said.
He hosted a similar meeting earlier this year with Wayne County lawmakers and representatives from the U.S. Department of State and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
“I’m appreciative of Representative Collins’ efforts in facilitating this meeting,” Katko said. “I recognize the value of preserving our natural resources and supporting conservation measures, but Plan 2014 could cause a great loss of shoreline, erosion damage to property, and flooding in Wayne County. It is critical that we make these points known to stakeholders on a federal level, and that we continue to have an open dialogue moving forward.”
Godfrey said the IJC plan would be “economically devastating four our entire area.”
Johnson said residents and officials spoke out about the plan during public meetings and hearings. But the IJC still pushed it through.
“The approval by the IJC of Plan 2014 is government at its worst,” Johnson said. “The IJC did not listen to the voice of people.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The tugboat “Lockport” is tied up in Albion between the Main Street and Ingersoll Street lift bridges on Tuesday.
The navigational season for the Erie Canal ended today, concluding the 191st season of the waterway that turned New York State into an economic powerhouse in the 1800s.
These days, the canal is more of a recreational waterway, and the towpath is popular for joggers, cyclists and walkers.
Many of the tenders, tugboats, and other vessels in the canal fleet will “winter” in Albion before the canal season starts again next May.
This year the canal opened on May 8. The draining of the Erie Canal between Lockport and the Genesee River in Rochester will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 1, Canal Corporation officials said today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – A new class graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program on Tuesday. The group includes, front row, from left: Amanda Wolford, Justin Froman, Jenny Rae Siplo, Christine Heideman, and Linda Benz. Back row: Shaun Swanson, small business advisor Dick Pettine, Michael Klepp, Rion Pawlak, Janell Thompson, Charlene Washington and Diane Blanchard, MAP manager.
ALBION – A 10-week class has given a new group of entrepreneurs tips in taxes, marketing, legal issues, handling stress, computers and bookkeeping – all factors that are key to running successful businesses.
The Fall 2015 class of the Microenterprise Assistance Program graduated on Tuesday with a celebration at Tillman’s Village Inn. More than 400 entrepreneurs have completed the program since 1999.
“I want to say, thank you for having the courage and tenacity to step up and own your own business,” Paul Hendel, chairman of the Orleans Economic Development Agency, told the new MAP graduates.
The program is run through the EDA with classes in the fall and spring. Graduates who complete business plans may pursue low-interest financing up to $30,000 through the EDA.
“The sole proprietor is the backbone of the economy in Orleans County, New York State and across the whole nation,” Hendel said.
The fall graduates include: Linda Benz, consultant for office management; Justin Froman, road kill removal; Christine Heideman, gourmet cupcakes; Michael Klepp, The Plant Man; Rion Pawlak, vapor shop (plastic cigarettes) or food truck; Jenny Rae Siplo, Flower Well; Shaun Swanson, Filmwell Studios; Janell Thompson, Marva’s Clothes & Beauty Supplies; Charlene Washington, 3 Twice (information technology); and Amanda Wolford, retail.
Klepp has been running his “Plant Man” business for 27 years, providing horticulture advice and training. The West Shelby resident, 44, is considering whether to build a barn on his property for teaching programs – “anything garden related,” he said.
He also is thinking about growing his business and adding an employee. The MAP class helped him look into the future, calculating expenses and needed revenue.
Jenny Rae Siplo, 24, of Holley started her floral design business in May, providing flowers for weddings, events and florists. The MAP class helped her to plan for growing the business.
Jenny Rae Siplo accepts her certificate for completing the 10-week MAP class from Diane Blanchard, manager of the program.
Janell Thompson opened Marva’s Clothes & Beauty Supplies on Sept. 1 on East Bank Street in Albion. Thompson said the MAP class has been an “eye opener” to create a business plan and tailor the store’s hours and products to customers.
She is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. She decided to close on Monday and open later in the day after hearing from customers and noticing shopping trends.
She sells clothes, shoes, perfume, hair products, and homemade jewelry. The store is named in her mother’s honor.
“The store is something my mom always wanted,” Thompson said. “It was her dream.”
Justin Froman, 32, of Albion read a news article about two years ago, detailing how municipalities try to get rid of roadkill. Froman read that article and saw an opportunity for a business.
Next year will will start his venture where he will pick up deer and other dead animals along roadways. He will then compost them. He is looking for his first contract and hopes to start the business in January.
Rion Pawlak accepts his certificate for completing the MAP class.
Rion Pawlak has two business ideas: starting a food truck that he can take to events and locations in Orleans County and beyond, and also opening a Vape Shop with plastic cigarettes and vaping supplies.
Pawlak, 34, said the MAP class helped him to research and understand regulations and insurance with owning a business.
“The biggest thing the class gave me is confidence,” he said.
He expects to be in business by next summer.
“I’m taking the winter to get the finances together and to build an unstoppable plan,” Pawlak said.
