By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Barre firefighter Chris Flansburg works to put out a fire in a hedgerow along Route 98 on Sunday after a brush fire spread.
The National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” from noon to 7 p.m. today for western and northern central New York, saying the area is vulnerable to grass and forest fires.
Winds will move from southwest at 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 to 35 mph, the Weather Service said.
Temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s, combined with humidity as low as 25 percent, have made the forest and grass fuels very dry.
The combination of factors “may result in dangerous fire behavior,” the Weather Service said. “Any fires that do occur could spread quickly, burn intensely and be difficult to contain.”
The Weather Service reminded the public a burn ban is in place until mid-May.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans Hub posted many stories on the 200-plus Santas in Albion from April 16-19 for the Charles W. Howard Legendary Santa Claus Conference. The group gathered for a photo on the courthouse steps on April 18.
April proved a photo-friendly month for Orleans Hub with 200-plus Santas in Albion for a Santa Claus conference, a Civil War Encampment in Medina and arrival of spring following a brutal winter.
It was also a controversial month with parents and students “opting out” of standardized tests, residents fighting against a wind energy project in Yates and Somerset, and local villages wrestling with budgets that raised taxes.
Orleans Hub continued a strong 2015 with our fourth straight month with over 600,000 pageviews. We had 636,842 in April, an average of 21,228 each day. We set a new record in April for pageviews for obituaries with 113,722.
We also averaged 6,552 unique daily visitors for the month, our fourth straight month topping 6,000.
Here are the top five most viewed stories for April:
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Shane Freeman slides into home as Lyndonville catcher James Ianni tries to dig out the ball during the Mustangs 10-4 win over the visiting Tigers on April 3 at Vets Park in Medina.
Mike and Cheryl Wertman have also been busy covering spring sports, offering a complete daily report on high school baseball, softball, tennis, track and field, and lacrosse.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MURRAY – A brush fire at Red Rock Ponds on Canal Road in Murray spread to the nearby woods with at least one tree catching on fire.
In the top photo, Captain Dave Smith of the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company sprays water on the burning tree stump after firefighter Gary Sicurella cleared a path for Smith.
Gary Sicurella chopped down vegetation so other firefighters could get to the spot in the woods with a fire hose.
Firefighters had to wind the hose through the woods and many pricker bushes to get to the burning tree stump.
Firefighters from FHM were on scene at about 12:30 p.m. and put out the fire in the wooded area. Firefighters also extinguished the pile of brush that was burning.
Firefighter Patrick Hayes sprays water on the bigger pile of burning brush. Firefighters suspect a hot spark from that pile was blown into the woods, catching a tree stump on fire.
The National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” from noon to 7 p.m. today for western and northern central New York, saying the area is vulnerable to grass and forest fires.
Winds will move from southwest at 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 to 35 mph, the Weather Service said.
Temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s, combined with humidity as low as 25 percent, have made the forest and grass fuels very dry.
The combination of factors “may result in dangerous fire behavior,” the Weather Service said. “Any fires that do occur could spread quickly, burn intensely and be difficult to contain.”
The Weather Service reminded the public a burn ban is in place until mid-May.
Firefighters Debbie Fiorito, foreground, and Kevin Dann try to break apart the burn pile at Red Rock Ponds.
Firefighters were also called to brush, tree and grass fire this afternoon at East Shelby Road near Millville Cemetery in the Town of Shelby.
ALBION – An Albion woman who was injured in an April 22 car accident on Route 31 near Knowlesville has died from those injuries, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has reported today.
Sue “Sue Ellen” E. Ryan-Sauer, 66, died on April 29 at Buffalo General Hospital Neuro Intensive Care Unit.
Ryan-Sauer was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her granddaughter, Sara Secore, 20, of Medina. Secore made a right turn from the south shoulder of the highway in an attempt to enter a private driveway. While making the turn, Secore’s action caused a westbound pickup truck, driven by Jack Bower of Waterport, to strike the passenger side of the Secore vehicle, Undersheriff Chris Bourke said in a news release.
Ryan-Sauer was taken by Mercy Flight helicopter to Erie County Medical Center. Bower was transported to Medina Memorial Hospital. Secore was not injured.
No charges are being filed at this time, Bourke said. Orleans County deputies R. Flaherty, J. Gifaldi and J.J. Cole conducted the investigation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 May 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A Lockport man who pleaded guilty to grand larceny in December was sentenced today in Orleans County Court to 2 to 4 years in state prison.
Richard Wheeler, 45, admitted in a previous court appearance that he took checks from a local farmer, forged signatures and cashed them. As part of a plea deal, he was ordered to pay $4,971 in restitution. Wheeler worked for the victim in the crime, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Wheeler has a prior driving while intoxicated conviction, making him a second felony offender. That required Judge James Punch to sentence Wheeler to at least half of the maximum sentence, the judge said.
MEDINA – Lee-Whedon Memorial Library will have its annual meeting at 7 p.m. May 11 at the library, 620 West Ave.
Library leaders will present the budget for 2015-16, which keeps the tax levy at $520,641. Because there is no increase in taxes, the budget doesn’t need a public vote.
“The board is sensitive to the pressures felt by taxpayers, particularly in the Village of Medina,” said Maryellen Dale, president of board. “As fiscal stewards, we constantly strive to balance increased operation costs with a conservative revenue request. We are proud of our staff and our high standards of service.”
Besides the presentation of budget, the annual meeting on May 11 will include voting on a trustee position and the presentation of the annual report.
Trustee Cynthia Kiebala is seeking re-election as a trustee for a five-year term. Qualified residents of Medina Central School District (18 and older and a resident for at least 30 days) may vote for the trustee vacancy.
The library’s service area includes Medina Central School District, and district residents are welcome to attend the meeting.
Golden Hill is looking for original photos of residence
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – This photo shows a long section of the Drake estate wall facing west.
By Cheryl Wertman
BARKER – A camping visit to one of our state parks is always a fun occasion and sometimes provides a pleasant and interesting surprise, and that was certainly the case on Saturday.
This weekend while camping at Golden Hill State Park near Barker, we took part in the New York State Park’s “I Love My Park Day.”
Several projects were available to work on and the one we chose was to help clean up a section of the Drake House ruins.
This photo shows a corner of the wall with a fancy curve section. A portion of the wall has broke apart revealing how it was constructed.
We have camped at Golden Hill for many years but had not heard of the ruins of the former Drake estate which are located at the extreme east end of the state park property along County Line Road.
We did not know what to expect but were really surprised with what we found. While the house no longer exits large sections of the very elaborately decorated walls which surrounded a large section the property still exits as does a brick patio area, fish pond and large stone barbecue feature.
A view of the wall from the curved corner looking east.
The accompanying photos show sections of the wall that include colorful inlaid mosaic tiles as well as brick and stone design features including an anchor and a horseshoe.
According to a pamphlet published by Town of Somerset Historian Lorraine Wayner, the estate’s house was constructed in the 1850s by Aaron Drake. Interestingly, one of the later owners was Robert Newell of Medina who owned the Newell Shirt factory.
Historian Wayner notes that the Newells, who owned the property in the 1930s, “restored the house, built a tea room and the fish pond was an added attraction.” She adds that in the following years the property was owned for a time by a religious group, the Bethesda Gospel Tabernacle.
Here is a close up view of a section of the wall showing several of the colorful mosaic tiles and a cross detail made of brick.
Historian Wayner notes that the property was “very much run down when Dr. Harry Parker, from Buffalo bought the property. He restored it to a point but the family didn’t live there long. Finally in 1962 New York State acquired the land as part of the development of Golden Hill State Park. Historian Wayner notes that ‘the house was demolished.’ The only thing left was the crumbling walls.”
It is those historic and intricately decorated estate walks that park officials are now looking to try to make a more active part of the park for visitors to enjoy, possibly including a picnic area.
The park welcomes any historic photos that show the original building. For more information on Golden Hill State Park, click here.
A close up section of the wall appears showing the inlaid anchor detail in stone.
Here is a section of the wall showing a cross and horseshoe details in brick and stone.
Here is a view of the patio with a large section of the estate wall.
The large stone barbecue feature was part of the Drake Estate.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Steven Papponetti, Nathan Bloom named firefighters of the year
Photos by Tom Rivers – Newly installed Albion Fire Chief Harry Papponetti, right, thanks Rocky Sidari, left, for his five years of service as chief of the Albion Fire Department. Jeremy Graham, center, is the department’s deputy chief. Papponetti mixed in a few jokes while praising Sidari during the installation dinner on Saturday night at the Carlton Recreation Hall.
ALBION – Rocky Sidari turned over the reins as leader of the Albion Fire Department to Harry Papponetti, who has twice before has served as the department’s fire chief.
The change occurred on Saturday night during the fire department’s installation dinner at the Carlton Recreation Hall.
Sidari praised the firefighters for their dedication to the community, for saving lives and protecting property.
He has three children with his wife Erin and the two youngest kids are approaching the age where they can play T-ball. He promised his wife he would make more time for the kids as they got older.
He said the department will be in good hands with Papponetti and the team of officers. Papponetti has been a member of the department for 45 years.
“He knows what he’s doing and he’s a good leader,” Sidari said.
The department has been busy with numerous structure fires in the past five years, and many other emergency calls, including a pipe bomb under a porch, an ice storm that required firefighters to pump many basements in the community, and hundreds of other calls to serve the community.
An enormous fire broke out at Orleans Pallet on Oct. 17, 2013, one of the biggest fires in Albion’s history.
Sidari said the fire on Oct. 17, 2013 at Orleans Pallet may have been the biggest blaze he’s ever seen. That fire engulfed a large sandstone warehouse. Firefighters were praised by the building’s owner for containing the fire to the one building and sparing neighboring structures, including Empire Coating.
Sidari proved to be a calm leader while battling fires and facing other emergencies, said Jeremy Graham, the department’s deputy chief.
Sidari made the time to teach younger firefighters how to respond in emergencies, and empowered the firefighters to gain leadership experience, Graham said.
“He was never power hungry,” Graham said. “He was always willing to explain and to get the learning experiences for the younger guys. He has been more than a fire chief. He has been a friend to all of us.”
Papponetti said he joined the fire department 45 years ago because many of his friends and neighbors were firefighters. He has enjoyed the many friendships he has made through the years and the chance to serve the community.
Two firefighters were named “Firefighter of the Year.” Sidari presented the awards to Nathan Bloom and Steven Papponetti, Harry’s son.
Rocky Sidari, left, is presented a blanket as a gift with images of his family members. Al Cheverie, back left, is holding the blanket with Will Francis, Jeremy Graham and Harry Papponetti.
Bloom, 34, joined the department in February 2014. His brother-in-law Andy Beach is a volunteer firefighter in East Shelby. Bloom said he was inspired by Beach’s example.
Bloom took the 96-hour Firefighter I training class. It was a lot of work, but he persevered.
“You need determination to get it done,” Bloom said.
He estimates he was on about 100 calls in the past year for the department, assisting at house fires, motor vehicle accidents, chimney fires and other emergencies.
Sidari praised Bloom for “busting his butt” with training and getting to so many calls.
“You’re helping people and they may be people you know,” Bloom said. “I find it very rewarding.”
Steven Papponetti, 22, has been around the fire hall since he was a small kid. He was an explorer at 14, a cadet at 17, and an interior firefighter by 18.
He just earned a four-year degree in forensic science and crime scene investigation from Hilbert College and is in the police academy. He starts on June 8 as a part-time police officer in Holley.
Rocky Sidari is pictured with the Firefighters of the Year: Steven Papponetti, center, and Nathan Bloom.
Papponetti said he goes to about 120 to 150 calls each year with the fire department.
“It’s what I love to do,” he said. “It’s following in my father’s and my brothers’ footsteps. It’s a great adrenaline rush and you’re helping out the community.”
Sidari presented other awards on Saturday, including Driver of the Year to Jeremy Babcock, the Officer’s Award to Harry Papponetti, and the Chief’s Award to Beau Piskorowski.
The 2015 officers include: Harry Papponetti, fire chief; Jeremy Graham, deputy chief; Will Francis, assistant chief; Steven Papponetti, first lieutenant; and James Peruzzini, second lieutenant.
The civilian officers include: Al Cheverie, president; Bill Francis, vice president; Renee Rowley, recording secretary; Bill Francis, financial secretary; Dawn Marciszewski, treasurer; and Kelly Irwin, assistant treasurer.
Cheverie, the president, also presented awards to Jeremy Babcock and Dawn Marciszewski for their efforts on the civilian side of the department.
“I’d like to thank them for everything they’ve done this year,” Cheverie said. “It would have been a lot harder without them.”
David Green, the retired Orleans County sheriff, served as emcee of the event. He noted the unrest in Baltimore the past week.
“You see on TV with all the protests and about joining the brotherhood of man,” Green said. “If you want to join the brotherhood of man, join your local fire department. Firefighters don’t preach the brotherhood of man, they live it.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – Richard Barnard, right, and Amanda Dixon work to put out a brush fire today in Barre. The two are members of the Barre Volunteer Fire Company.
There may be a burning ban in effect until May 15, but that isn’t stopping people from burning brush. This afternoon, one of those brush piles quickly spread to a nearby hedgerow and scorched about a quarter acre of land on Route 98 in Barre, just north of Lime Kiln Road.
Barre firefighters, including Chris Flansburg (pictured) were called to douse the fire at about 5:10 p.m. The fire had jumped from the brush pile to the hedgerow. Assistant Fire Chief James Neal said if the fire had been unattended for much longer it could have quickly spread across the field and further down the hedgerow.
“This is why the DEC has the burn ban,” he said.
Neal is a farmer and he said the ground is dry with lots of dead plant matter. Once more grass starts growing, the fields will be less vulnerable to fire, he said.
James Neal works with Sarah Lamka to put out a hot spot in a wooded area. Sarah, 18, is a new firefighter. Her father, Patrick, is a Barre firefighter.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A full moon was out Saturday night. The top photo shows the wind turbine at Watt Farms with the moon.
Today is forecast to be sunny with a high of 76 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo. More warmth will follow on Monday with a high of 81, followed by a high of 62 on Tuesday, 72 on Wednesday and 76 on Thursday.
The moon is pictured with the back of the Cobblestone Universalist Church in Gaines.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – About 150 motorcyclists joined at the Orleans County Courthouse today for a safety and awareness rally. After speeches from the Courthouse steps, the bikers rode about 50 miles throughout the county, ending at the Vets Club in Medina.
The rally began with the pledge of allegiance. Pictured, from left, include Matt Tracy, vice president of the Orleans County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education; Chuck Persons, president of the local ABATE; and Stefan Worthington, a member of the Barnabas Bikers, a Christian motorcycle group in Genesee County. Worthington shared a prayer, asking for a safe riding season for the motorcyclists.
Fran Abrams listens to Orleans County Legislator Fred Miller read a proclamation, declaring May to be “Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.”
The First Presbyterian Church of Albion can be seen in this reflection on one of the motorcycles.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley said the recently approved state budget keeps $438 million in CHIPS funding for local road work. The budget also added $10 million to help municipalities pay for extra work with potholes and road deterioration from the harsh winter.
Hawley said he wants to see state resources directed to help keep roads safe for motorists, cyclists, runners and motorcyclists.
Tim Seibert and his son Pom, 9, of Albion attended the rally and then went on the 50-mile ride.
The Presbyterian Church can be seen in this mirror.
Tim Lindsay, left, listens at the rally. He is pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion.
Dale Graff, front, gets ready to lead the group of motorcyclists on a ride through the county. They are pictured on East State Street in front of the courthouse.
These bikers get ready to ride.
The local ABATE chapter uses the rally and ride through the county to remind the public bikers are back on the roads with the return of warmer weather.
Motorcycles are some of the smallest vehicles on the road so drivers in other vehicles should take extra care to look out for them and to safely ‘Share the Road,’ ABATE officials said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – There were a lot of people at Point Breeze this evening as the sun was setting. People were fishing, kayaking, throwing rocks in the water and enjoying a stroll along the pier.
Willow Groth, 8, of Albion has a pile of rocks she was tossing in Lake Ontario.
These kayakers paddle into the Oak Orchard River.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse is one of the landmarks at Point Breeze.
The lighthouse was built in 2010 and was designed as a replica of one that toppled in a storm in 1916.
A full moon was also out, opposite of the setting sun. This photo was taken at the shoreline in front of the lighthouse, looking east.
Here is another one of the shoreline with the full moon.
MEDINA – Medina firefighters were dispatched to Glenwood Lake today at about 1:15 p.m. after a boat capsized with people in the water, the Fire Department reported.
People fishing from the shore made the emergency call. Firefighters arrived to the scene and found two people holding onto the canoe and being assisted by another boater.
Both people were brought ashore and assessed by firefighters. The two people said they weren’t injured and refused transport for medical treatment.
Both people were wearing life jackets, the Fire Department reported.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Marti’s on Main kicked off its seventh season of hosting art shows in Albion on Friday evening, featuring unusual sculptures and paintings.
Jim Fiegel, pictured in top photo, creates abstract paintings using a combination of acrylic, enamel, and water-based paint. He paints on Plexiglass and his paintings are curved. He also creates his own wooden frames and has LED lights behind the Plexiglass.
“The light has a calming effect,” said Fiegel, who is semi-retired after a career selling industrial supplies.
He also has worked in carpentry and housing rehabs, taking on 12 housing renovations.
Fiegel lives in Albion and attended a Marti’s art show about six years ago. He didn’t consider himself an artist, but he went home and experimented. He has now created about 400 of his unusual paintings, and has sold more than 30 to Artisan Works in Rochester. He has 24 pieces on display in the show at Marti’s.
“It helps me keep my sanity,” he said about creating the paintings.
He likes to use bright colors and create a feeling of outer space.
“I like to include planets in my paintings for my hero, Albert Einstein,” Fiegel said.
He varies the thickness of the paint in his abstract work.
“His stuff is awesome,” said Kim Martillotta Muscarella, owner of the gallery.
She has watched Fiegel from his early efforts to his more dramatic work these days.
He paints on the reverse side of the Plexiglass, and puts the top layer on first instead of last.
Martillotta Muscarella also is a featured artist in this month’s show. She has about 30 works of assemblage sculpture on display. She takes pieces of musical instruments, kitchen utensils, guitar necks, antlers, furs, animal bones, shells, drift wood and “old stuff that would be trashed.”
She combines them in many interesting pieces.
“People have commented that I have quite the imagination,” Martillotta Muscarella said.
In this assemblage sculpture, Martillotta Muscarella took doll heads of George and Martha Washington and glued them into candle holders.
Martillotta Muscarella used to create more assemblage sculptures but took a break from it for more than a decade. She took it up again this winter and had fun using odd items that likely would have been discarded anyway.
Her husband, Neal Muscarella, said he is impressed by his wife’s creativity.
“This stuff all comes from boxes of junk, and it got sorted out,” Mr. Muscarella said.
Martillotta Muscarella has sold 52 of the sculptures to Artisan Works in Rochester.
She has new shows at Marti’s each month with a reception the first Friday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. There are usually about 60 people that attend the receptions, which are free but donations are accepted.
Marti’s is located at 229 North Main St. To visit the gallery, give Martillotta Muscarella a call at (585) 589-6715.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 2 May 2015 at 12:00 am
MURRAY – This image taken in the late 1920s shows the interior of a classroom at the Murray District No. 6 School located on the corner of West Brockville and Fancher roads. Unlike other rural schoolhouses in the area, this building had four classrooms used to teach over 100 students enrolled in the district.
This particular school was constructed in 1911 and was likely built to accommodate the Italian families living in the area. Guy D’Amico served as the first teacher and instructed all eight grades in three of the classrooms. Mabel Brockway and Ella Clark were the last two teachers to serve the district.
The school was closed in 1947 and in 1955 the district allowed the Fancher Legion Post to use the building following a devastating fire that burned their former post building the previous year. When the Fancher Post disbanded in 1971, a heated debate over ownership ensued.
Per terms of the original use agreement, ownership would revert to District No. 6 should the Fancher Post cease to use the building. Instead, Jewell Buckman Post of Holley claimed ownership and razed the building in 1972, claiming the building was dilapidated and a safety hazard to the community.
Row 1 (near door): Kathryn Vendetta, Roger Valentine, Nello Seusoli and Laurence Passarell.
Row 2: Billy Bower, Henry Paduano, Edwin Bower, Camille Monacelli, Antonette Colucci, Fern Napoleon and Arthur Monacelli.
Row 3: Louis Monacelli, Lena Mele, Gordon Valentine, James Bell, Clara DePalma, Richard Vendetta and Myron Converse.
Row 4: Floyd Valentine, Seymour Clark, Ronald Hilfiker, Verna Presutti, Iola Valentine and Otta Nenni.
Three students – Norma DiLaura, Ettore D’Amico and Lorraine Monacelli – were absent from class the day this photograph was taken.
