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Benton holds on to win seat on Albion Town Board

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2015 at 12:00 am

DeCarlo also wins Gaines councilman over Lattin

Darlene Benton

ALBION – Darlene Benton held on to be elected to the Albion Town Board after absentee ballots were counted this morning.

Benton, running as a Democrat, held a six-vote lead a week ago, 526-520, over Paul Fulcomer, the director of the Veterans Service Agency for Orleans County. Fulcomer, a Republican, is soon to retire from that position.

Benton’s six-vote lead grew to 18 when the absentees were counted. She picked up 32 more votes, to 20 to Fulcomer. The final tally: 558 for Benton, 540 for Fulcomer.

“I was staying totally calm in the past week,” Benton said after the results were announced at the Board of Elections. “It’s not my will. It’s the people’s will.”

Benton has been active in Stop Polluting Orleans County, a citizens’ group opposed to more landfills in the community. She said she will stay vigilant in that fight, and work to keep residents updated on any developments with the landfill.

(The town was successful keeping Waste Management from opening a new landfill in the late 1990s, but Richard Penfold of Orchard Park is pushing to open a new landfill.)

Benton has spent much of her adult life in the public realm in Albion, helping to raise money for the former Arnold Gregory Hospital in Albion and the PAWS Animal Shelter. She also worked for Oak Orchard Health and as a dean of the Albion campus center for GCC.

She wrote a column, Making Choices, that appeared in the Lake Country Pennysaver and many free community papers for 15 years. She also runs her own business, Paradise Healing Arts.

Benton has watched the rebirth of the Medina business district in the past decade and she believes a similar phenomenon could happen in Albion.

“I’ve been excited to see what has happened there and I don’t see why it can’t happen in Albion,” Benton said.

She wants to partner with the village government leaders to promote small businesses. She also believes Albion could attract long-term light industrial development, perhaps by reaching out to companies that work in recycling. She also sees potential in a recycling center in the county.

“I think it would be exciting to work with investors on some of these ideas,” Benton said.

Benton was one of the few Democrats to pull off a victory this election season. She thanked her supporters, including many Republicans who donated to her campaign and helped get out the vote.

“It’s going to be exciting,” she said about serving on the Town Board. “I’m very honored.”

Matt Passarell was re-elected town supervisor without any opposition. Jake Olles, who was backed by Democrats and Republicans, was also elected to the Town Board.

In another close race locally, Richard DeCarlo held off Bill Lattin for the Gaines Town Board. DeCarlo had a 14-vote lead a week ago when the polls closed. Lattin narrowed that to seven votes after the absentees votes were counted this morning. DeCarlo won 381-374 for the Town Board seat.

Mary Neilans was elected to the Town Board by a comfortable margin with 445 votes. Pete Toenniessen came in fourth with 224 votes. Carol Culhane also was re-elected town supervisor.

High wind watch issued for Thursday and Friday

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – This tree stands in front of the DAR House on North Main Street in Albion on Monday.

There may not be too many leaves left on the tree after high winds are forecast to hit the area on Thursday and Friday.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch for Orleans County and much of Western New York from 7 am. Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday. Winds are forecast to be 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 55 mph.

“This is expected to be a prolonged wind event with the strongest winds peaking from late in the day Thursday through Friday morning,” according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

Judge arraigns people for rape, burglary, other crimes

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2015 at 12:00 am

ALBION – A Cheektowaga man was arraigned on four counts of third-degree rape in Orleans County Court on Monday.

Carson Cavers, 21, allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old girl in Shelby four times between April and July. He also is facing rape charges in Ontario County and an unrelated charge of second-degree assault in Erie County.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges in Orleans County during his arraignment. County Court Judge James Punch set bail at $10,000.

In other cases in county court:

A Medina man was arraigned on second-degree burglary and petty larceny.

Michael Santoro, 22, of Gwinn Street allegedly broke into a house in Ridgeway between April 26 and May 1 and took jewelry and other items.

Santoro has a prior misdemeanor drug charge. He was assigned the public defender and Judge Punch set bail at $2,500.

A Brockport man was arraigned on third-degree burglary, third-degree grand larceny and third-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

David Corbitt, 52, of Capen Road allegedly stole more than $3,500 worth of copper from a building on South Holley Road on Aug. 28.

Corbitt has five prior felonies and two parole violations. Judge Punch set bail at $30,000.

Two men from Lyndonville were arraigned together for growing and possessing marijuana.

Nathan Brege, 23, of Cape Drive was arraigned for growing cannabis, criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and resisting arrest.

He was arrested on Sept. 16. Judge Punch set bail at $2,500.

David Tower, 36, of Cape Drive was arraigned on charges of growing cannabis and criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree.

Simon dominates absentee ballots, elected Yates town supervisor

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Jim Simon

YATES – Persistence paid off for Jim Simon today when 86 absentee ballots were counted in the Town of Yates and Simon emerged the winner for town supervisor.

Simon has been a vocal critic for a proposed wind turbine project in town. The Town Republican Committee endorsed John Belson for another term as town supervisor in the spring.

Simon, with backing from the Save Ontario Shores citizens group, forced a GOP primary on Sept. 10, but lost to Belson, 153-146. The race was so close it went to the absentee ballots, with Belson winning.

But Simon wouldn’t go away. He announced a write-in bid for town supervisor. Those campaigns have historically been unsuccessful locally. However, two Medina residents – Mike Sidari and Marguerite Sherman – were elected to the Medina Village Board in March 2014 with write-ins.

A week ago, when the polls closed Belson was ahead by 14 votes, 352 to 338 for Simon. There were 86 absentees.

Simon would get 56 votes when they were counted this morning, with Belson getting 27. Three other ballots weren’t counted because two people voted for “John Simon” and one person filled in the circle for Belson, and didn’t fully erase it after writing in Simon’s name.

When all the votes were counted, Simon won 393 to 379. He takes office on Jan. 1. He will be joined by John Riggi, another turbine opponent with backing from Save Ontario Shores. (Riggi is president of that group.)

“It is very humbling to have 393 people write my name in,” Simon said after the votes were counted at the Board of Elections. “John Belson is a good man and he’s served well. I look forward to working with him in the transition.”

Simon works as the dean for the GCC campus centers in Albion and Medina. He knows many of the community leaders at the local, county and state level through his position at GCC. He looks forward to engaging those leaders in building a stronger small business and residential environment for Yates.

He remains strongly opposed to the project proposed by Apex Clean Energy. He said the company secretly started negotiating with landowners for six months before going public with the project and meeting with town officials.

Apex is proposing to build 60 to 68 turbines that peak at 570 feet tall in Yates and Somerset.

Somerset did a citizen survey that showed strong town opposition to the project. The Somerset Town Board and Niagara County Legislature both formally opposed the plan.

Simon has urged Yates and county officials to be more staunch in their opposition. Both Yates and county officials have said they want to see a survey first, gauging citizen feedback.

Simon and Save Ontario Shores have criticized the town for moving too slow on the survey. Belson said today the official town survey should be out in about two weeks with results tabulated in December.

“We tried to run a nice, clean campaign,” Belson said after the absentees were counted. “We tried to stay positive and do everything correctly.”

Belson said he plans to remain active in the community. His immediate goal is finishing up the town budget for 2016. That goes to a vote at Thursday’s Town Board meeting.

The turbine project has been contentious and divisive. The town doesn’t have the final say in the project. The state created a seven-member State Siting Commission to review and vote on the project. Five of the seven members are state officials with two from the local community.

Simon said he will be pushing hard to fight the loss of “home rule” on the project. If Yates and the county can come out against the project, following Somerset and Niagara, Simon said it would be more difficult for the state to impose an unwanted project on Yates and Somerset.

“I will do everything in my power to make it a local decision,” Simon said. “We’re going to explore every option to bring back home rule.”

Woman who seriously injured Medina man with car arraigned on vehicular assault

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Danielle Conrad

ALBION – An Irondequoit woman who is accused of causing life-threatening injuries to a Medina man after hitting him with her car on Sept. 7 was arraigned in Orleans County Court on Monday for second-degree vehicular assault.

Danielle E. Conrad, 38, also has been arraigned with driving while intoxicated and driving with .08 percent (or more) Blood Alcohol Content.

The incident occurred at about 9:45 p.m. on Harrison Road in the Town of Shelby. Christopher M. Caldwell, 37, had been a passenger in a sedan operated by Conrad, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department reported on Sept. 8.

At some point the two got into a domestic dispute and Caldwell was dropped off on Harrison Road. Conrad drove off, but returned to pick up Caldwell a short time later. She apparently drove past him at one point, then drove down the road and turned around. During all this time they were conversing with each other by cell phone.

Conrad drove down Harrison Road a second time and that time she struck Caldwell, the Sheriff’s Department reported. He was flown by Mercy Flight helicopter to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo.

The District Attorney’s Office said he remained hospitalized when the grand jury indicted Conrad about two weeks ago.

Conrad told Judge James Punch she didn’t have means to pay for an attorney so he assigned Nathan Pace as her counsel.

Conrad has a prior felony from about 20 years ago, Pace said. She also is currently in the Drug Court program in Monroe County.

Judge Punch set bail at $10,000, and also issued an order of protection for Caldwell. Conrad is next due in court on Nov. 23.

Community Action, Correctional Facility forge strong partnership

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – Staff at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee and leaders of the Albion Correctional Facility gathered for a photo by the prison in Albion. The group includes, from left: Andy Ebbs, facilities manager for Community Action; Annette Finch, community services director for Community Action; Sheryl Zenzen, superintendent of Albion Correctional Facility; Duane Artus, deputy superintendent of administration for ACF; Patricia Assel, deputy superintendent of programs; Tom Colton, vocational supervisor; and Mike O’Connor, horticulture instructor.

ALBION – For more than a decade inmates at the Albion Correctional Facility have been growing vegetables and donating them to local food pantries.

In the peak harvest season in the summer, the inmates have about 200 to 300 pounds a week of vegetables, which may include cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, broccoli and cabbage.

The produce is available beginning in June with squash and lasts until November with broccoli and cabbage. Soon they will work on making wreaths for Christmas and the holidays.

About 3,000 to 4,000 pounds of produce are given to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, which distributes it to food pantries in Albion, Medina and Holley. The steady source of fresh vegetables fills a need for the pantries in the summer and fall.

“It’s really a godsend because it helps so many people,” said Annette Finch, community services director for Community Action.

There are 40 inmates that work in the horticulture program, growing vegetables and flowers. Some of those flowers have been donated to the downtown business district in Albion.

“They’re doing things for others, which helps them move forward in their own lives,” said Sheryl Zenzen, superintendent of the Albion Correctional Facility, which has about 1,000 female inmates.

Inmates and correctional facility staff last month also walked a 5K on the prison grounds and raised $1,400 for a domestic violence program.

The staff also are active in donating to the United Way and other charities through SEFA, the State Employees Federated Appeal.

Zenzen said Community Action has been a strong partner for the facility, providing inmates with a chance to learn job skills in an office setting, the Main Street Store and at special events.

Those skills will help the inmates find and keep jobs when they are released from prison, Zenzen said.

Albion man sentenced to 3 to 6 years in prison for burglary, larceny

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2015 at 12:00 am

ALBION – An Albion man who was released from state prison a year ago is going back after being sentenced to 3 to 6 years in prison today in Orleans County Court.

Henry Marling, 27, of Holley Road allegedly broke into Empire Trading on Bank Street on April 17 and stole items and damaged property.

Marling was arraigned on charges of third-degree burglary, third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal mischief, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Marling apologized in court today for the crimes.

“This is not the life I want to live,” Marling told Judge James Punch.

Marling’s attorney Nathan Pace said his client had been drinking before the break-in.

“Every time he gets in trouble it’s been related to drugs and alcohol,” Pace told the judge.

Pace asked Punch for “any leniency you can show.”

Marling said he was aware he was committing the crimes back on April 17. He said going to prison wouldn’t make him a better person.

“I need help,” he told Judge Punch.

The judge said Marling has a history of violating other people’s rights and property.

“You’ve been offered help before and it didn’t work,” Punch said.

In addition to 3 to 6 years in state prison, Marling was ordered to pay $500 to Jeff Holler, owner of Empire Trading, and $2,353 to the Allegany Co-op Insurance Company, as well as a $325 court surcharge.

St. Mary’s gets a new roof in Holley

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Contractors are working on a new roof for St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Holley. The roof hasn’t been replaced in 38 years.

Work started about two weeks ago with Century Architectural Sheet Metal in Buffalo tackling the job. The project is expected to be complete by Dec. 1, said Father Mark Noonan, parish priest.

The former brown shingles will be replaced with a gatehouse slate color. “It’s really going to make the sandstone shine,” Father Noonan said.

The church was built in 1904 and was inducted into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame last month.

The parish last fall announced a capital campaign with a goal for $300,000. Parishioners at St. Mary’s in Holley and St. Mark’s in Kendall came through with $585,000.

That is allowing the parish to put on new roofs for St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s, and address other facility needs. Air-conditioning was added to St. Mary’s this summer.

The interior of the sanctuary will be updated over the next one to two years. The church will reach out to a consultant on those improvements.

St. Mary’s also plans to redo the driveway to add more handicapped accessible parking spaces, and wants to put in new sidewalks.

St. Marks’ has a new restroom as part of the capital projects and will be getting new steps.

This statue of Mary was recently refurbished inside St. Mary’s. The statue was white, but it was painted with many details added. The statue was originally made in 1880.

Other statues also have been refurbished at St. Mary’s, including ones of St. Rocco and St. Patrick.

The St. Mary’s Parish is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

Yates had best turnout in election; Ridgeway the worst

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2015 at 12:00 am

The controversy over the wind turbine project, as well as contested races at the town and county level, brought a higher percentage of voters to the polls in Yates than any other town in Orleans County last Tuesday.

Yates has 1,466 registered voters and 736 cast ballots on Tuesday, for 50.2 percent of the registered voters. Countywide, the turnout was 38.2 percent.

One of the Yates races still isn’t over. Absentee ballots will be counted Tuesday at 9 a.m. to determine the winner of the town supervisor race. Incumbent John Belson received 352 votes on election day. Jim Simon, an anti-turbine candidate, ran a write-in campaign and is 14 votes behind Belson.

Yates also had races for Town Board seats, a local county legislator position, and the contentious county-wide sheriff race.

While Yates had the best turnout, neighboring Ridgeway had the fewest at 29.8 percent or 1,066 voters out of 3,579.

Here is a breakdown of turnout at the 10 towns.

Community	Voters	Registered	Percent Voted
Albion	1,230	3,147	39.1
Barre	566	1,219	46.4
Carlton	706	1,771	39.9
Clarendon	771	2,149	35.9
Gaines	743	1,800	41.3
Kendall	692	1,593	43.4
Murray	923	2,516	36.7
Ridgeway	1,066	3,579	29.8
Shelby	998	2,829	35.3
Yates	736	1,466	50.2
County	8,431	22,069	38.2

Source: Orleans County Board of Elections; Orleans Hub calculations.
Turnout was higher than in a typical local election but was down from a year ago in the gubernatorial election, when 9,742 people voted on Election Day in a race highlighted by Andrew Cuomo and Rob Astorino for governor.That was about 1,300 more than voted last Tuesday.

Bower won the sheriff’s election, 3,951 to 3,507 for Tom Drennan and 847 for Don Organisciak.

Drennan is from Kendall and the town had a bigger turnout at 43.4 percent than many other towns, even though Kendall had unopposed candidates at the town level. That was the same issue for Murray, Bower’s hometown, which had a turnout of 36.7 percent.

Besides the Yates town supervisor race, another close election will be determined Tuesday morning when absentees are counted in the Town of Albion. Darlene Benton has a 6-vote lead over Paul Fulcomer for a Town Board position.

Village Hall getting new roof in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Workers from the Elmer Davis roofing company in Rochester are up high on Village Hall in Albion at 35-37 East Bank St. The company is working to do a complete tear off and roof replacement for Village Hall before winter.

It will also replace the roofs on the next-door fire hall and the Department of Public Works on King Street. The company will make some temporary fixes on those roofs before completing the projects next spring.

The Village Board in June decided to borrow $550,000 in a bond to pay for the three new roofs. The double-layered roofs have been leaking and they at the end of their useful lives, said Jason Foote, an engineer with Clark Patterson Lee, which inspected the roofs and helped prepare cost estimates.

The projects include the 3,500 square foot roof on the Village Hall, the 2,200 square foot roof on the Fire Hall, and two roofs at the DPW building – one that is 10,900 square feet over the truck bays and shop, and another that is 3,500 square feet over the offices.