Contributed Story Posted 20 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos courtesy of Erin Mufford
LYNDONVILLE – Thomas Follman of Lyndonville plays Shrek and Regan Stacey of Medina is Fiona in “Shrek,” which will be performed in Lyndonville 7:30 p.m. today, 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Stroyan Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door.
Leif Isaacson of Lyndonville plays Lord Farquaad. Based on the animated film of the same name, Shrek features a story about becoming who you are truly meant to be, said Jennifer Trupo, director of the musical in Lyndonville.
Shrek the Ogre (Thomas Follman) wants to rid his swamp of the fairytale creatures who were dumped there by Lord Farquaad’s henchmen. Shrek and his sidekick Donkey (Joe Mangiola of Medina) set out to rescue Princess Fiona from her Dragon-guarded tower and return her to her “one true love,” Lord Farquaad. (Jessie Harling of Lyndonville plays the Dragon.)
Along the journey, Fiona and Shrek begin to fall in love, but many complications arise.
Pinocchio is played by Victoria Carter of Medina.This year’s production features a cast and crew of over 60 Lyndonville and Medina students. They have been working tirelessly since the beginning of November to prepare a production full of singing, dancing and special effects.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The dip back below freezing has icicles hanging off the railroad bridge on Butts Road in Albion.
This bridge only has a clearance of 7 feet, 2 inches.
This is the other bridge built because of the railroad in Albion. The bigger bridge on Clarendon Street, built over the railroad, will begin to be demolished today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Daniel Larios Hernandez seeks better working and living conditions for migrant workers
Photos by Tom Rivers – Daniel Larios Hernandez holds a picture of his son, Luis Daniel Larios Hernandez, in a march on Main Street in Albion to raise awareness about the dangers of working on farms. The march followed a vigil at the Presbyterian Church in honor of Luis and other farmworkers who died on the job.
ALBION – Daniel Larios Hernandez said his son was hard-working and determined to provide for his family, which included his wife Teresa and 4-year-old daughter Citlalli of Jalisco, Mexico.
Luis Daniel Larios Hernandez, or “Dani,” had worked in the United States at farms in Florida and California. Last year he came to Western New York for the first time, hired by Root Brothers Farm.
He was killed in an accident on Aug. 29 when he was standing next to a parked farm truck and a second truck (also parked and unoccupied) rolled down a slight incline and struck Dani, age 25. He was pinned between the two vehicles, according to a report from Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Dani’s father raised money and sold off pieces of his property to travel from Mexico and see where his son died. He made the trip to honor his son and other workers from Mexico who make the long journey to work at U.S. farms.
“We are trying to commemorate my son,” Larios Hernandez said through an interpreter with about dozen supporters. “I want to reiterate my support for all of the migrants. I want this action to be on their behalf.”
Paula Macas Betchart, an organizer with the Worker Justice Center of NY, speaks during a vigil and rally inside the First Presbyterian Church of Albion. The three photos show workers who died in a farm accidents in Penn Yann, Ithaca and Albion.
Larios Hernandez was joined by the Worker Justice Center of NY, the Workers’ Center of Central New York and a few members of churches in Albion, Brockport and Rochester.
“This is a sad day,” said Bill Plews, a member of the Brockport Ecumenical Outreach Committee. “This is a reminder of a very tragic day.”
The groups would like to see safer farms for the farm owners and their workers, better housing for the workers and an immigration overhaul, so workers can more easily cross the border and return home when their work is done.
Rebecca Fuentes, an organizer with the Workers’ Center of CNY, is pushing for more farm inspections by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, stiffer fines for infractions, more safety training and better protective equipment and gear for workers.
“Dani” is one of 61 farmworkers who died on NY farms between 2006-2014, with 23 dying in 2014, with tractor rollovers and entanglement in other farm machinery the leading causes of death, according to the Worker Justice Center.
“These are fatalities that are preventable,” Fuentes said. “Agriculture is one of the most dangerous places to work.”
She spoke at a press conference outside Root Farms on Route 31A in Barre. Some of the posters made for the vigil and rally included images of tomatoes. “Dani” was working with tomatoes the day he died.
Daniel Larios Hernandez holds a picture of his son while standing along Route 31A in Barre, near Root Brothers Farm. The rain caused the writing to bleed.
“When you pick up a tomato or an apple or drink a glass a milk, think about the labor that went into it, and not just the farmer but the farmworker as well,” Fuentes said.
She said many farmworkers return home with serious injuries – missing fingers and sore backs – that make it difficult for them to provide for their families.
Improved safety programs would beenfit the farm owners as well, she said. Their workers would be less likely to be injured, their would be reduced workman’s compensation costs, and the farmers could save their own lives, Fuentes said.
“There’s this way of thinking that farmers are very strong and self reliant,” she said. “But what does that mean if you’re missing an arm or a leg, or if you lose your life?”
Larios Hernandez wants to raise the farm safety issue in the region, home to a dynamic fruit, vegetable and dairy sector that rely heavily on physical labor.
He will speak at a Presbyterian Church in Gates this evening and will also address a group in Syracuse on Monday.
He said his son was a friendly person who loved his family. In Mexico, “Dani” worked at a job installing closed circuit televisions.
He made the trip to Orleans County last year, traveling with family to work at Root Brothers.
“He was very caring,” Larios Hernandez said through an interpreter. “He was very humane. He respected everybody and treated everybody equal.”
Gail Mott, a member of the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, makes posters in Albion for a vigil and rally.
Provided Photo – The Shelby firefighters pictured above, at a controlled burn last month, include, from left: Tim Fearby, Justin Myhill, Marcus Watts, Scott Petry, Jessica Reigle and Chuck Arnett.
The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company is putting on its annual pancake breakfast this Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the Maple Sunday celebration. Pancakes will be served with real maple syrup from Wolfe Farms in Middleport.
The event will be at Shelby’s recreation hall on Route 63, just south of the village of Medina.
The fire company is hoping to raise $5,000 at the event, which would pay for two sets of turn-out gear for firefighters. The fire company is required by the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration to replace turnout gear every 10 years, firefighter Michael Lamar said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
This is generally an ugly time of the year. The snow melts and leaves a muddy wake. At the tail end of winter, the houses, front yards and community look like they have been through a battle.
Yesterday’s sunset felt like a gift. I don’t recall one more spectacular with the colors and clouds for dramatic effect. I stopped several times on my drive from Albion to Carlton. The top photo shows a field on Route 98 with a snow fence. This is south of Route 104.
The scenes are a reminder of the beauty of Orleans County.
My drive started on East Park Street, looking towards St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the First Baptist Church.
I climbed the stairs on the Main Street lift bridge to get this photo.
This one was taken from the walkway on the bridge.
Here is one of the front of the lift bridge.
There were about a dozen deer together in the field on Route 98, south of 104. I zoomed in for this photo of six of them.
The waning sunset bathes Stillwater Road in Carlton.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – The bridge on Route 18 over Oak Orchard River has been limited to one lane since March 9, when the state Department of Transportation started repairing the truss. That work is expected to conclude this week, and crews will then mobilize to work on the Main Street lift bridge in Albion next week, DOT spokeswoman Lori Maher said.
By keeping the Carlton bridge at one lane, the DOT avoided having to detour traffic while the repairs were made, she said.
During a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, farmers spoke out against plans to raise the minimum wage to $10.50 or higher in New York. It would strain farmer income and place farmers in this state at a further competitive disadvantage.
New York Farm Bureau has compared other minimum wage rates across the country, including those states New York directly competes with in the dairy industry. California is the only large dairy state with a similar minimum wage. California stands at $9. However, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Idaho are all at the federal standard of $7.25.
But this isn’t just about rising wage rates for those earning the minimum. Farmers in New York routinely pay well above current rate. It was revealed during the press conference call, that according to the USDA, farms in New York already pay an average agriculture wage rate of $12.15.
Farmers expressed that upping the New York minimum wage would lift all wages on their farms. They said a worker, who already earns a higher hourly rate based on experience and time on the farm, would also expect a bump in salary to match.
Sandie Prokop, a dairy farmer with Crossbrook Farm in Schoharie County, estimates a $1.75 wage increase and additional payroll taxes for her six employees would add an additional $44,354 to her payroll. This is at a time when the income her family’s farm receives for milk has dropped dramatically in recent months.
Because of dropping milk prices set by the federal milk marketing order, she said her milk income has fallen more than $40,000 in the first two months of the year and expects the March check to be even lower. Prokop said they have already cut costs where they can and do not know where else to trim should labor costs climb again.
“You can’t give one employee a raise and not another,” said Prokop. “It’s a significant amount of money without any time to prepare. We are price takers and not price makers. We do not have that $45,000 available. The choices become very dark and very serious for everyone that is milking cows and farming in New York.”
Brian Reeves of Reeves Farms in Baldwinsville runs a vegetable and fruit farm, including a u-pick operation. He also expressed that this hike would drive up wages across the board for his employees. He estimates that a $10.50 rate and added payroll taxes would cost his farm an additional $50,000 a year.
“This isn’t a story of ‘gee, we have minimum wage workers and can’t give them another quarter.’ We are already paying well above it. Our entire payroll creeps up when the minimum wage goes up and has a profound impact on your bottom line,” said Reeves. “Where the rub is for me is I compete with Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, states that typically have fewer expenses to farm than we do in New York.”
New York Farm Bureau has continually supported keeping the state minimum wage linked with that of the federal minimum wage, as NY farmers are competing in a global marketplace. Farmers can’t pass along the increases to wholesalers, processors and grocery stores because of competition from farms in other states and countries.
“Farmers can’t simply raise our prices because labor prices are going up,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau President. “This is not a wise strategy to support agriculture or business in the State of New York.”
File photo by Tom Rivers – The tower of the Main Street lift bridge is pictured in this photo from March 2014.
ALBION – The state Department of Transportation has scheduled next week as the start of repairs for the Main Street lift bridge in Albion.
The bridge will be closed to traffic for about two to three weeks for the repair work, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley announced today. The work should start on Wednesday.
“I am pleased to see that these repairs remain on schedule and motorists will only be inconvenienced for three weeks at the most,” Hawley said. “This bridge is frequently used by families and businesses who deserve to feel safe as they travel. Much of New York’s infrastructure is in desperate need of repair, and I plan to advocate for increased funding during this year’s budget negotiations.”
Due to the construction, truck traffic will be detoured using Route 387 (Fancher Road) via Routes 31 and 104. Regular automobile traffic can cross the Erie Canal at Ingersoll Street. Bicyclists and pedestrians can cross the Main Street bridge at the discretion of construction workers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – The father of a worker from Mexico who died in an Aug. 29 farm accident will be in Albion on Friday for a vigil and rally in memory of his son.
Luis Daniel Larios Hernandez was 25 when he died late last summer. He was part of a work crew employed by Root Brothers that was “on loan” to Kirby Farm and was irrigating a field of tomato plants.
Larios Hernandez was standing next to a parked farm truck when a second truck (also parked and un-occupied) rolled down a slight incline and struck the victim, pinning him between the two vehicles, according to the report from Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Larios Hernandez is survived by his wife Teresa and 4-year-old daughter Citlalli of Jalisco, Mexico, according to the Worker Justice Center of NY.
The organization has planned an 11:30 a.m. vigil on Friday for Larios Hernandez at the First Presbyterian Church of Albion. Larios Hernandez’s father, Daniel Larios Hernandez, is attending the vigil.
He will also be part of a press conference outside Root Brothers Farms at 12:30 p.m. at 12595 West Lee Rd. Larios Hernandez and the Worker Justice Center of NY will also visit the site of the fatal accident at 3400 Densmore Rd. at 1 p.m.
The Worker Justice Center of NY wants to highlight the danger for many workers on the farms, said Carly Fox, a worker organizer with the Justice Center.
She said Root Brothers was fined $7,000 by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration following the death of Larios Hernandez.
“That is not enough for a farm to change its policies and procedures,” she said.
The Justice Center would like to see more safety training for workers, and overtime pay for the employees who often work 12 hours or more in the hot weather.
“There are a lot of precautions in other industries, but they do not exist in the agricultural industry,” Fox said.
She said 61 farmworkers have been killed on farms between 2006-2014, with 23 dying in 2014, with tractor rollovers and entanglement in other farm machinery the leading causes of death.
“This is a region of the state that is extremely rich in agricultural products and we celebrate that,” Fox said. “But the underbelly of that is a lot of workers are afraid to speak out on the conditions.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2015 at 12:00 am
‘Honk!’ tells the story of the Ugly Duckling
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Nathaniel Trembley plays Ugly, a misfit rejected by his siblings for his unusual appearance. He is comforted by his mother, Ida (Cheyanna Eagle).
The musical will be performed in the Middle School Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Friday, and noon and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
There are 72 students in the cast, stage crew and pit orchestra. The musical has a message of tolerance and highlights the harm of bullying, said director Gary Simboli.
Kyle Thaine plays the villain, a cat that wants to eat Ugly.
Some of the ducks include, from left: Matilda Erakare, Shannon Broda and Riley Seielstad.
Ugly’s siblings – ducks played by Victor Benjovsky, Matilda Erakare, Riley Seielstad and Shannon Broda – are unmerciful in ridiculing Ugly (Nathaniel Trembley).
Monica Benjovsky plays one of the crows.
Bethany Bowman plays a chicken named Henrietta, who enjoys gossip.
This photo from back stage shows the geese, who befriend Ugly.
Ida (Cheyanna Eagle) and Ugly (Nathaniel Trembley) sing a duet, “Hold Your Head Up High,” to close out Act 1.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Today may be the last chance to drive over the Clarendon Street bridge in Albion. Detour signs have been posted this week, and signs just south and north of the bridge announce that removal of the bridge will start on Friday.
This photo was taken on Wednesday, south of the bridge over the railroad tracks.
Keeler Construction of Barre will tear out the bridge, which is about 50 years old. The highway embankments will be lowered and the street will be blocked off at a 90-degree angle at Crimson Drive. On the north side, it will also be blocked off with a turnaround spot near Childs Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2015 at 3:08 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
CLARENDON – Firefighters from several departments are trying to bring a fire under control at 16323 Church St., a house owned by Stephen Beck and his family.
In the top photo, Chuck Prentice of Albion, left, and Joe Brooks of Clarendon run a hose closer to the house for interior firefighters.
Mr. Beck was home at the time of the fire at about 1 p.m., alerted by a smoke detector, Orleans County Deputy Amy Jenks said.
His dog was safely rescued by firefighters. The American Red Cross is on its way to assist the family.
Ron Meiers of the Holley Fire Department is operating the ladder truck.
Twice firefighters were inside and given an emergency evacuation notice due to the deteriorating conditions.
Firefighters from Clarendon, Holley, Albion, Kendall, Barre, Shelby, Brockport and Hamlin were on scene, and perhaps more.
Smoke from the fire filled the neighborhood near the Town Hall, just off Route 31A.
Chuck Prentice and several other firefighters are outside the house, getting ready to spray water on the fire.
Clarendon Fire Company President Bob Freida listens on his radio. He gave an order to evacuate the house as conditions deteriorated.
There is no cause given for the fire, which will be under investigation once the fire is brought under control.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – These horses are out getting a drink from a waterlogged pasture at the corner of Route 31 and Long Bridge Road in Albion late this afternoon. The horses are owned by the Bokman family.
They were out at about 5 p.m. when it was 32 degrees out. The temperature will fall to 16 degrees tonight, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
Thursday is forecast for a high of 35 and a low of 22, followed by 39 and 31 on Friday, and 42 and 18 on Saturday, according to the Weather Service.
Voters approved construction project last December
HOLLEY – The State Education Department has approved an $8.9 million construction project that was backed by district voters last December by a 2-to-1 ratio.
The district is working with SEI Design and Turner Construction on the third and final phase of the Capital Project.
Holley voters approved the third phase of the district’s Capital Project on Dec. 9 in a vote of 175-72. The Phase III portion of the project encompasses replacement of rooftop HVAC units, replacement of radiators and water pumps, repairs around windows and doors to prevent leaking, replacement of flooring, installation of new tennis courts and playgrounds, and construction of a bus loop in the front of the elementary school to separate bus from vehicle traffic.
Once this project is complete, the district will have completed almost $40 million of capital construction work, using reserves to cover the local share of the projects.
“Our physical plant will become the most modern and up-to-date of any school district in the area,” said Robert D’Angelo, school district superintendent.
The Capital Project Phase III work is projected to begin this summer and will end during the 2016-17 school year. The replacement and upgrade of equipment and machinery at Holley will enable the district to become more energy efficient and save money on utility costs. The community will reap the benefits of playing on new tennis courts and playgrounds for years to come, the district said in a press release today.
