By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 June 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – The federal Environmental Protection Agency has denied a grant application to identify brownfields, sites in Orleans County that may be contaminated and need environmental remediation.
The EPA sent a letter on May 28, notifying the Orleans Economic Development Agency of the news.
The EPA had 730 grant requests, but only had enough money to approve 253 projects, David R. Lloyd, director of the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, wrote in a letter to Jim Whipple, Orleans EDA chief executive officer.
The EDA sought the funds through the EPA’s National Brownfields Program Grant competition.
Lloyd urged the EDA to try for a brownfields grant next year.
“I commend your efforts and appreciate the time and energy you put into preparing your grant proposal,” Lloyd said in the letter to the EDA. “Although your proposal was not selected, we thank you for your continued efforts to return brownfields to productive reuse.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Contractors have been busy transforming a vacant storefront at an Albion plaza, readying the space for Dollar Tree.
The sign is up for the store – on the building and by Route 31 – and crews have been prepping the inside of the space for the store. Dollar Tree is expected to open in late July, said Ron Vendetti, Albion village code enforcement officer.
Dollar Tree used to have a store in Medina. There is one in Brockport. The company will use about 9,000 square feet in the plaza, which is home to Pawlak’s Save-A-Lot, Save On Beverage Center and Peebles.
Provided photos – The Millis family poses for a picture at the June 5 golf tournament in memory of David Millis of Albion. The group includes, front row, from left: Julie Mersdorf, Haley Mersdorf, Brett Mersdorf, Andrew Millis, Kennedy Barber and Joan Millis. Back row: Zachary Millis, Brian Millis, Diane Millis, Jade Millis, Jay Mersdorf, Karen Barber, Gary Barber and Brooks Barber.
ALBION – The family of David Millis has now hosted 10 memorial golf tournament that have raised $125,000 for Orleans County families battling cancer.
The family held the most recent tournament on June 5 at Batavia Country Club and raised about $12,500. The money was again donated to the Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund, which is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to assisting local families with their fight against cancer. The money is used to assist with prescriptions, medical insurance, nutritional supplements, hospital beds and many other needs.
The Millis family would like to thank major sponsors, golfers, dinner guests, volunteers, and raffle prize donors to help make this tournament another great success.
This year the tournament had 136 golfers and 186 dinner guests.
Jim Klein, Justin Klein, Jon Klein and Matt Wood won this year’s tournament.
Golfers and dinner guests had a chance to find purple golf balls hidden throughout the golf course and banquet hall to help raise pancreatic cancer awareness, which David passed away from. Anyone who found a golf ball throughout the day won a prize.
“I am so pleased with the golf tournament again this year,” said David’s wife Joan Millis. “I am so proud of my family, they do a wonderful job making sure everything runs smoothly and everyone had a nice time. I’m happy the proceeds will again go to the Knights Kaderli Memorial Fund. We are very happy it helps people who live locally. I would also like to thank everyone who sponsored, people and businesses who contributed raffle prizes, volunteers, golfers, dinner guests and all of our friends and family who have always been there for us. I know Dave is so proud of his family as I am.”
Next year’s tournament will be on June 4.
For more information and pictures from the tournament, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Preach Freedom (center), a former member of the acclaimed band Rusted Root, performed in Medina on Saturday night at the beegarten. Freedom was joined by Marla Harris and Steve Davis at the concert in Medina.
That venue is in an open-air courtyard in the back of the R.N. Newell shirt factory building at 111 West Center St. The site the previous three years welcomed musicians as the Boiler 54.
The former Boiler 54 performance venue is now “the beegarten.”
It looked like there wasn’t going to be music at the spot this year, until 810 Meadworks owners Bryan and Larissa DeGraw pushed to keep the space open for the season.
“This space is unbelievably unique and to let it sit here and not be used was very frustrating to me,” Mr. DeGraw said. “People in years past who did the work to make the space what it is I just feel blessed to use it.”
Preach Freedom and Connect perform at the beegarten.
For more on the band Preach Freedom and Connect, visit www.preachfreedomandconnect.com. Freedom is singing, “No Woman, No Cry,” a reggae song originally by Bob Marley.
Thom Jennings of Albion put together the concert series, drawing on his contacts and musician friends. Jennings reviews concerts for The Niagara Gazette and also has promoted and organized concert series.
His son, Thom Jennings Jr., met Preach Freedom at a concert a few years ago and gave him a ride to Freedom’s home in Buffalo. Preach has stayed in contact with the Jennings family. During a Rusted Root concert in North Tonawanda in August 2013, Freedom welcomed Thom Jr.’s brother Trevor to the stage to play the drums in an encore with the band.
Preach Freedom and Connect perform in downtown Medina.
The lineup of musicians at the beegarten includes Eliot Lewis on July 22. He is the keyboardist for Hall & Oates. The series continues every Saturday evening until Aug. 15.
DeGraw and his wife own 810 Meadworks. They will produce meads, which are alcoholic drinks made by fermenting honey with water and often fruits, spices, grains and hops.
DeGraw hoped by continuing the concert series he could introduce more people to mead, and he said that has been working.
“I feel like we’re part of Medina and entertaining Medina,” DeGraw said. “We want people to feel at home here and decompress from life.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
‘He was a performer. He worked constantly for the next gig. He loved to entertain people.’ – Derek Piedmont, Jim’s brother
ALBION – Scott Fleming, lead singer for Shattered Decision, addresses the crowd during a benefit concert today in honor of Jim Piedmont, who played in local rock and roll bands for about 30 years. Piedmont was 48 when he died from a heart attack on April 4.
Piedmont played in about 20 bands, beginning when he was a teen-ager. He played guitar, sang and did the sound. (He was the sound man for Nik and the Nice Guys when the band played in a Super Bowl in Atlanta.) He also set up many bands, putting together talented local musicians.
“Jim was a staple in the local music scene,” said Scott Fleming, who performed in a band with Piedmont.
Shattered Decision plays in honor of Jim Piedmont. The band includes, right to left: Darrin Albanese and Sabastian Piedmont (Jim’s nephew) on guitars, Joe Piedmont (Jim’s brother) on drums, Scott Fleming as lead singer, and Rob Reid on guitar.
Fleming hadn’t sung in band for 25 years – until today when members of Shattered Image and Split Decision joined for the group Shattered Decision.
About 150 people attended the benefit, including many members of the local music scene, the musicians and their fans.
“It’s a testimony to the people he touched, that he played with and that he performed,” Fleming said.
This poster promoting today’s musical celebration includes a photo of Jim Piedmont.
Fleming asked Shattered Image and Split Decision six weeks ago if they would be interested in getting together for concert in honor of Piedmont. The musicians said yes, and four other bands – Triple Play, Whiskey Rebellion, Bad Manners, and Ditchwater Rising – also took the stage at the Elk’s Club.
Piedmont and his family moved from Rochester to Albion when Piedmont was entering ninth grade. He was a popular student, serving as senior class president. He made many friends, and always loved music and entertaining others. He did a memorable impersonation of Gene Simmons from KISS during one talent show.
Piedmont earned a bachelor’s degree in science from Geneseo. He didn’t want a corporate job or a regular office job. He worked at Brunner for a while and recently moved to Florida and was working for a high-end boat company, making and painting the boats.
Rob Reid plays today in memory of his friend, Jim Piedmont.
Piedmont’s passion was music, literature and performance, his brother Derek Piedmont said. He remembers Jim reading him “The Hobbit” when they were kids.
“He was a performer,” Derek said. “He worked constantly for the next gig. He loved to entertain people.”
He called his brother “an old soul.”
Rob Reid played in bands with Jim Piedmont.
“People gravitated towards him,” Reid said.
Sabastian Piedmont, left, and Darrin Albanese play in Shattered Decision. Sabastian said his late uncle helped him pick out his musical instruments.
Playing in the rhythm section of a band was symbolic of the supportive role Piedmont played in many people’s lives, Reid said.
Derek said his brother was in great shape, but had undiagnosed hypertension. His death has been a shock to his family.
Piedmont is missed by his many friends, especially those in the musical community, Fleming said.
“Jim was a staple in the local music scene,” Fleming said. “He played with a lot of people and he played for a lot of people. It’s terrible that he’s gone.”
Scott Fleming, right, and Rob Reid said Jim Piedmont’s death leaves a big void locally.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Boy Scouts in Albion celebrated a successful year in Scouts with a picnic, camp-out and other fun at the Albion Sportsmen’s Club on Keitel Road.
Scouts on Saturday went fishing and rode in a paddleboat. The top photo shows Noah Shiffer (left), 16, and Jace Conn in the paddleboat. Noah was happy to get out on the water after spending the morning working on his Eagle Scout project, an ambitious gardening effort at Hospice of Orleans.
Jonathan Judd, 11, caught several fish in the former quarry.
Today is forecast for a high of 77 with a chance for thunderstorms. The National Weather Service says it will be mostly sunny on Monday with a high of 80, followed by a high of 78 on Tuesday with a chance for heavy rain.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – About 40 members of the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association built a fire by the Lake Ontario shore and welcomed summer with a party on Saturday night.
The OONA members met at the home of Gene Haines, next to the Oak Orchard Lighthouse. They celebrated the summer solstice, which officially begins today at 12:38 p.m..
At 8:56 p.m. on Saturday, the OONA members gathered at the shoreline, with maracas and other noise-makers to say good-bye to spring and hello to summer.
This is the fourth year that OONA members have held a summer solstice celebration.
KENDALL – Wallace Higgins, a former Kendall resident, shared his experiences as a Tuskegee Airman during a talk with the Kendall Lions Club earlier this month.
Higgins grew up in Kendall and talked about his early years during the presentation to the Lions Club.
Higgins told about encountering racial segregation and discrimination for the first time after entering the service and training in Pre-Flight at the Tuskegee Institute. He also discussed his post-war education at NYS College of Ceramics at Alfred University. He went on to become an Associate Professor at Alfred, retiring in 1985.
Higgins, 89, has been a member of Alfred Lions Club for 50 years and spent decades in community service.
He is in the official registry as a Documented Original Tuskegee Airman. For his work with the Civil Air Patrol prior to his enlistment he was a recent recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal.
This May, NYS Senator Cathy Young and the State Legislature inducted Higgins into the Veterans Hall of Fame in Albany.
Photo courtesy of State Sen. Cathy Young’s office
“Wally Higgins’ patriotic service and sacrifice for our country, and truly his entire life’s story is remarkable example of the selflessness demonstrated by so many in his generation,” Young said when Higgins was recognized in Albany. “They gave so much at a time when battles raged all around the globe and our nation needed heroes. As an original Tuskegee Airman who served in the Pacific theater, Wally’s aviation knowledge and skills were vital to the movement of troops and materials.”
Born on November 11, 1925 on a small farm in Kendall, Wally is the son of Alice and Daniel Higgins.
“Aside from his service, Wally is a loving father and dedicated family man, who deserves our deepest respect and praise. It was an honor to be able to recognize him and have his story memorialized in the state’s history,” Young said.
As soon as he turned 18 years old, Higgins enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. Having already been attending Civil Air Patrol classes in Rochester during his senior year of high school, he already had interest in pursuing aviation.
After initially reporting to Fort Dix, New Jersey, Higgins was sent to Biloxi, Mississippi for basic training and aptitude testing. As a result of his skin color and proficiencies, Wally was selected to be part of the Tuskegee Airmen experiment in Alabama, where he trained in Pre-Flight and Primary Flight training, including solo runs in the P-17 Stearman.
Photo by Helen Unterborn – Retired Major Ryan D’Andrea, Margaret Buell and Wally Higgins look over pictures of the Higgins family homestead in Kendall. D’Andrea now lives in the Higgins family homestead on Roosevelt Highway in Kendall.
Following 11 months at Tuskegee, a downturn in the war in Europe resulted in less pilot training and Higgins was transferred to the 1909th Engineers Aviation Battalion. A sergeant in charge of an all-black, 30-man platoon, Mr. Higgins served in Saipan and Okinawa building roads, airfields and ammunition storage buildings.
On March 17, 1947 Wally was Honorably Discharged as a Staff Sergeant with Squadron F, 3505th Army Air Force. For his service, Mr. Higgins earned the WW-II Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and New York State Medal for Merit. He was also recently presented with a Congressional Gold Medal due to his Civil Air Patrol involvement during the war.
Upon returning from the war, Wally was accepted to the College of Ceramics at Alfred University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramic design in 1952. While a student there, he met and married Norma Miller almost 64 years ago and never left Alfred. They raised four children, still reside in Allegany County, and nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A disoriented driver, who police say may have had a medical emergency, caused some damage to Mount Albion Cemetery this afternoon, leaving ruts in embankments and hitting some of the grave stones.
None of the stones appear to be damaged, just knocked a little from their position.
Albion firefighters, police and Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance all responded to the scene at about 5:30 p.m. The driver, a woman, was taken by COVA.
There are some ruts on the embankments on the western end of the cemetery.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
MURRAY – This barn is pictured on Fancher Road in Murray on Friday. This barn is owned by Bob and Lynn Vendetti and is part of the Country Barn Quilt Trail, which has about 40 sites with quilt blocks. Most of them are in Kendall.
The National Weather Service is warning Orleans County and other parts of western and central Nw York could get hit with severe weather on Sunday when a cold front moves into the area, bringing the possibility of severe thunderstorms and gusty winds during the afternoon and evening hours.
The Weather Service is forecasting a high of 80 for Father’s Day with an 80 percent chance of rain.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 20 June 2015 at 12:00 am
The annals of local history are filled with the names of influential citizens who were either born here or lived here before moving beyond the political boundaries of our area to establish themselves on a much larger scale. One such man was Charles Anderson Dana, a name that few would recognize today.
This daguerreotype from the 1850s taken by Matthew Brady shows the staff of the New York Tribune. Seated left to right are George M. Snow, Bayard Taylor, Horace Greeley (once owner of the Ward House in Childs), and George Ripley. Standing left to right are William Henry Fry, Charles Anderson Dana, and Henry J. Raymond.
The son of Anderson Dana and Anna Denison, Charles A. Dana was born on Aug. 8, 1819 at Hinsdale, New Hampshire. At a young age, Charles was brought to Orleans County with his siblings where his father accepted a position as the overseer of a canal warehouse at Gaines Basin.
After several years of operating the site, Dana sought to establish himself locally on a small farm. With our knowledge of the area, it is very likely that Charles Dana received his earliest education at the Gaines Basin log schoolhouse where a young Caroline Phipps would have taught classes at the age of 14.
Unfortunately, the untimely death of Anna Dana on Sept. 7, 1828 left Anderson with four young children to care for. Anna was laid to rest at the burial ground in Gaines and the children were sent to Vermont where they were divided up amongst the living relatives. After spending time on the farm of his uncle, David Denison, Charles was sent to Buffalo where he worked at the store of another uncle, William Denison, until the business collapsed during the Panic of 1837.
With $200 in his pocket, Charles enrolled at Harvard University where he studied for two years. Upon the completion of his second year, he was forced to leave school due to poor eyesight and a lack of funds. Not soon after, an acquaintance offered Dana a position as City Editor of the New York Tribune. That acquaintance was none other than Horace Greeley, who would find his own connection to Gaines during the mid-1800s.
In 1849 Dana became a proprietor of the Tribune and was made managing editor, a position he would hold for over 10 years. After the outbreak of the Civil War, he was responsible for running the headline, “Forward to Richmond! Forward to Richmond!” which is credited with spurring Union troops forward into the Battle of Bull Run.
Following the Union defeat, Greeley suffered a nervous breakdown and Dana was forced to resign from his position in 1862.
After the war, Dana was able to raise the necessary funds from prominent Republicans in the New York City area to establish The Sun, which published its first paper on Jan. 27, 1868. Over the next several decades, The Sun became a polarizing publication focusing heavily on maladministration and the unscrupulous behavior of the nation’s biggest politicians. Dana remained in control of The Sun until his death on Oct. 17, 1897.
MEDINA – After rain forced cancellation of the Friday night cruise-ins the first two weeks of June, organizers were squinting happily as they welcomed dozens of antique and classic cars to the Canal Basin tonight.
Event coordinator Dave Green (pictured above) counted about 70 cars by the official start time of 5:30 p.m. He said he expected 10 or 20 more would join the party.
Green is pictured greeting Vern and Brenda Wetherbee of Holley with their two-tone green 1957 Chevy.
Elizabeth Gallo (standing) chats with cruise-in participants Rick and Donna Miller of Hilton.
“It really is a social event,” said Gallo, who with her husband Terry was showing two classic Ford Mustangs at the show, as well as helping organize other entrants. “We enjoy the beautiful cars, but it’s the people who are the icing.”
Gallo sells 50/50 raffle tickets at the cruise-ins, with the proceeds benefiting United Way of Orleans County. The event recurs every non-rainy Friday through Aug. 26, which is the culminating Super Cruise-In night throughout downtown Medina.
Sisters Autumn and Bailey Lusk of Medina get a peek inside the 1941 Cadillac Coupe owned by Rick and Donna Miller of Hilton.
Organizers expected to welcome 80-90 cars in tonight’s Canal Basin Cruise-In.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 June 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center became privately owned this year and was added to the tax rolls for the first time at a $6,618,900 assessment. Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC bought the site for $7.8 million.
ALBION – For the first time since the nursing home was constructed in 1960, the site on Route 31 in Albion was added to the tax rolls this year.
The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center was purchased for $7.8 million by Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC. The site has 120 beds, including a rehabilitation unit.
The site went on the tax rolls in May with a $6,618,900 assessment. Assessors factored the site’s market value and its annual income in trying to determine the assessed value, said Dawn Allen, the director of real property tax services in Orleans County.
The new owners of the nursing home are challenging the $6,618,900, filing a grievance saying the assessment should be lower. A final assessment will be determined before July 1 by the Board of Assessment Review.
The site is just outside the Village of Albion and won’t give the village a much-needed boost in its assessed value. However, the Town of Albion, Orleans County and Albion Central School will all see a jump in their tax rolls.
Comprehensive would have to pay $211,606 in taxes to the town, county, school district and library based on a combined $31.97 tax rate on a $6,618,900 assessment. Every $1 million in assessed value means $31,970 in taxes.
Another nursing home in the county also is challenging its assessment.
Global Health Care purchased Orchard Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a 160-bed nursing home on Bates Road, in 2012 from Medina Memorial Hospital. The site sold for $4.1 million and that has been its assessment since going on the tax rolls for the first time in 2013. That site is located within the Village of Medina.
Global Health Care has filed a grievance, challenging the assessment. The issue will be considered by the Board of Assessment Review, weighing information from Global and the local assessor.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided photo – A reception was held this afternoon at the Orleans County Public Safety Building honoring Patricia Morrisey, a retiring teacher with the Albion Central School District. She taught inmates in the county jail for 30 years. She is pictured with Scott Wilson, the jail superintendent.
ALBION – It may not seem like a dream job for a teacher, but that is how Patricia Morrissey describes her part-time job the past 30 years at the Orleans County Jail.
She worked with young inmates, ages 16 to 21 who hadn’t graduated from high school but wanted to work towards earning a General Equivalency Diploma.
Morrissey helped the students learn the fundamentals in math and reading, and many of the students were motivated to get their GED.
Morrissey is retiring from the job. Today she was recognized at a reception at the Orleans County Public Safety Building.
Morrissey worked with small class sizes, sometimes only two to five students. Sometimes as many as 15.
“It was a very unique situation, working in that kind of setting,” Morrissey said today. “I enjoyed every minute of it.”
Morrissey worked for the Orleans-Niagara BOCES for the first 13 years before her employer became Albion Central School, which is responsible for offering an education to people up to age 21 if they haven’t graduated.
Morrissey said the younger inmate population has shrunk over the years. She remembers when they were as many as 40 students over the course of a school year. This year she had 15 students for stints of the school year. Some of those inmates may be in the jail for a few weeks.
Morrissey connects with students’ teachers and tries to keep the students on track for earning school credits. Other students focus on earning a GED, which is now the Test Assessing Secondary Completion, a more rigorous test than the GED, Morrissey said.
Many of the students have done well in the smaller class setting, with a focus on mastering the basics in math before moving on to algebra and even trigonometry.
“You’re their cheerleader,” Morrissey said. “You get them to believe in themselves because you’re working with kids who often haven’t been successful in school.”
Morrissey worked in the jail three hours daily from Monday through Friday.
Many of her students earned GEDs, and Morrissey helped point some of them to college.
“I certainly became attached to a lot of them,” she said. “There’s no question that for many kids this was their redemption. It provided them with a second chance.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 June 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Historical sites, walking tours, restaurants, lodging and other sites. Volunteers at the Medina Visitor’s Center are willing to point people towards amenities and attractions.
“It’s important to have a place for people to be welcomed and learn about our village and some of the things to do,” said Jim Hancock, chairman of Medina’s Tourism Committee and head of the visitor center.
The center is in the main lobby of City Hall on Main Street. The center moved there in 2011 after the former Chamber of Commerce building was sold.
The lobby at Medina City Hall is stocked with brochures, maps and Medina merchandise. Jim Hancock sits at the desk, ready to take questions about the community.
The center started in the Chamber building in 2009 and volunteers were there in the afternoons. Staff from the Chamber and Red Cross were available in the morning to pass out brochures and answer questions about Medina.
When the visitor center went to City Hall, it went to a largely empty building. There weren’t other agency staff in the same spot. So Hancock and volunteers stepped up to be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Mondays through Fridays.
The center has menus from local restaurants, maps for bike tours and walking tours, lists for local lodging and attractions.
The Right Rev. R. William Franklin, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, visited Medina on Wednesday and stopped by City Hall to see the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame, which is in the main meeting room. Franklin, left, chats with Jim Hancock after Franklin signed the guest book. About 100 visitors, from 28 states and five countries, signed the guest book last year.
There are 14 dedicated volunteers right now. Hancock welcomes more. He would like to add some hours on Saturdays.
“The more the merrier,” Hancock said about the volunteers.
For more information, contact Hancock at (585) 798-2118.
