By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 March 2015 at 12:00 am
RIDGEWAY – Republicans in Ridgeway interested in serving in elected positions at the town and county level are welcome to seek an endorsement from the Republican Committee.
Three positions on the Town Board are up for election and the incumbents are expected to run again. That includes Town Supervisor Brian Napoli and Town Council members Paul Blajszczak and Mary Woodruff.
The town justice position will also be on the ballot in November. Joe Kujawa was appointed to the post in January.
The Ridgeway Republican Committee also expects to meet with candidates for County Legislature, sheriff and coroner, and the town committee will make a recommendation to the Orleans County Republican Committee for those positions, said Karen Kaiser, the Ridgeway Republican Committee vice chairwoman.
She encouraged Ridgeway Republicans interested in seeking a town or county position to contact her at 585-590-6410 or by email at karen.lahnen@gmail.com, or they can call GOP Chairman Richard Fisher 585-356-5719.
“We want to make sure anyone interested is heard from,” Kaiser said.
File photos by Tom Rivers – The Sandstone Trust provides some funding to Old Tyme Christmas celebration in Medina, which includes the Parade of Lights. The Medina Fire Department decorated its ladder truck for the parade last Nov. 29.
Press Release
Medina Sandstone Society
MEDINA – Medina area residents can be proud of their five years of support for the Sandstone Trust. The community endowment just completed its fifth year of making small grants to local programs, projects and organizations and the total in grants over the five-year period comes to nearly $20,000.
This was reported by Michael Zelazny, chairman of the grants committee, who distributed the most recent checks in January.
“Scores of worthy projects have been supported since 2010 and the grants have covered a wide range,” said Zelazny.
He said grants run from $200 to $600 or even $1,000 in unusual cases.
A grants committee approved funding in the latest round of grants for improvements to the veterans plot at Boxwood Cemetery, to the Medina Business Association for Old-Tyme Christmas, emergency dollars to fix porch damage at the Medina Historical Museum, dollars to The Arc of Orleans toward kitchen equipment for Camp Rainbow, support for Medina’s Civil War Re-Enactment in April, stone repair from frost damage at the Armory (“Y”), and continuation of student scholarships.
Over the past five years about 40 grants have been approved by a citizen selection committee which operates under Zelazny.
“Late each autumn we invite grant applications and even though the amounts given are small they are genuinely helpful to projects having a limited scope,” he said.
Zelazny gave a smattering of typical grants. Money for the local library to continue digitizing historic hometown newspapers, help to the local Historical Society for winterizing, help for the Parade of Lights in the village, dollars to the YMCA for stonework repairs and interior up-grading, help to the Orleans Renaissance Group in placing 11 historical plaques downtown for delight of tourists.
The Sandstone Trust provided some funds for the restoration of this wood frame chapel in the Millville Cemetery. The chapel has a Medina sandstone foundation. It was built into a hill and also served as a receiving vault and office.
The Trust has also provided funding to help in restoring a historic building at Millville Cemetery, support of yearly concerts through the Arts Council, help to Arc of Orleans for client trips and for Nutri-Fare, help to the Medina Business Association for installation of a downtown sound system, assistance to Orleans County Christian School, a Head-Start school on Ensign Avenue and family programs at Medina Junior High School, aid to Community Action for a literacy program, support to GCASA for a program called “Healthy Me” and to Hospice for its new Albion building.
When the Sandstone Trust was officially created in 2009, the society used an obsolete economic development fund which was inactive and in danger of being seized. A contract was written with the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo for financial management, a practice given by CFGB to over 800 such endowments. That management has been trustworthy, according to Zelazny, and the original $18,000 in seed money has multiplied five-fold.
In addition to Zelazny’s grant committee, a group of officers from the board of the Sandstone Society oversees the general plan and it includes Craig C. Lacy, Margaret J. Schreck, David C. Schubel, Robert E. Waters and Timothy J. Moriarty.
The founders of the Trust have had some “high spots” of success over the five years. In the summer of 2010, with the aid of a downtown thermometer, the Trust took in $35,000 in six weeks.
Annual donations to the Medina Sandstone Trust can be made at any time to the society c/o Post Office Box 25, Medina. Gifts offer a total tax deduction.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – The Telegraph Road canal bridge in Murray is pictured in this photo from Saturday evening.
There is more winter weather in store. The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory until 11 a.m. today due to freezing drizzle that could result in some slick spots on roads, sidewalks and parking lots.
The Weather Service also issued an extreme cold alert for Thursday when the wind chill is expected to fall to minus 4 degrees. The high is forecast for 14 with a low of 1 degree.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement today on McDonald’s decision to stop selling chicken raised with medically important antibiotics and milk from cows that are treated with the artificial growth hormone rbST.
“Chicken nuggets shouldn’t pose a public health risk,” said Sen. Gillibrand, member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Fast food restaurants sell a huge amount of food to New Yorkers and people across the country every day. This voluntary decision to stop using chicken raised with antibiotics that are used in human medicine is a step in the right direction. While Congress must pass legislation that would stop the overuse of antibiotics in the food we eat, I hope more companies will follow their lead.”
Today, McDonald’s announced they will no longer use chicken raised with antibiotics meant for humans or milk from cows are treated with artificial growth hormones. Antibiotics have been used to make livestock grow faster and gain weight, and to prevent diseases caused by overcrowding and poor hygiene in livestock facilities. The use of certain antibiotics in livestock has been shown to generate antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can make people sick with infections that are harder to treat.
Just this week, Senator Gillibrand along with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) introduced the Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act, legislation that would curb the overuse of antibiotics in livestock.
The legislation requires the Food and Drug Administration to withdraw its approval of medically important antibiotics used for disease prevention or control that are high risk of abuse, unless the producer of the drug can demonstrate that its use in food animals does not pose a risk to human health.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Student instrumental musicians from grades 4 through 12 performed in the high school gym this evening in an All-District Concert.
In the top photo, junior high band teacher Greg Martillotta leads seventh- and eighth-grade band members. About 400 students from elementary, middle and high school play in the band program.
The Albion music program has been honored the past seven years with national awards through the North American Music Merchants. NAMM has named Albion a “Best Communities for Music Education.” The NAMM organization gives out the award to recognize districts that make music a priority, especially in an era of tight school budgets and packed student schedules.
Zach Moore, an eighth-grader, plays the clarinet with the band.
Elementary band teacher Lindsey Fix directs a group of fourth grade musicians.
Fourth-graders are pictured in the front while a big crowd turned out to see student musicians perform inside the gym.
High school band members, including Matilda Erakare with black bow in hair, perform for the crowd.
High School band teacher Mike Thaine directs the group. Thaine is one of several music teachers who also graduated from Albion.
Ben Vanacore plays the bass clarinet in the high school band. Albion High School senior Char Olick, left, directs sixth-graders for the last song, the Albion Alma Mater.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – The sign for Carlton Station on Route 98 is pictured on Monday afternoon when the wind was blowing snow across the north-south road, causing whiteout conditions in some spots.
More snow is coming today, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a winter weather advisory from noon today until 1 a.m. tonight.
Snow will turn into a wintry mix, resulting in slippery conditions. There will be 1 to 2 inches plus up to a tenth of an inch of ice.
“Roads may be very slushy and slippery for the Tuesday evening commute,” the Weather Service said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Several people were arraigned in Orleans County Court on Monday for alleged drug crimes.
Andre D. Shine, 31, of Medina faces several counts and the highest bail of those arraigned. Shine and Amanda L. Major, 24, of Medina were both arrested on Jan. 22, 2015 following a 2-month-investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine in the Village of Medina.
Shine was arraigned on three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
Orleans County Court Judge James Punch set bail at $150,000 for Shine, who has been in jail since the day of his arrest. He was living at 125 Starr St., lower apartment.
Major, also of 125 Starr St., lower apartment, was arraigned on Monday on one count each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Her bail was set at $10,000.
Two Rochester residents who were arrested on Jan. 27 for allegedly selling crack cocaine in the Village of Medina were arraigned in county court on Monday.
Keith A. Toney, 36, of 51 Mead St., Upper Apt., was arraigned on nine counts of CSCS in the third degree. The judge set bail at $20,000.
Lakusha McMorris, 35, of the same address, was arraigned on three counts of CSCS in the third degree. She remains free on $2,500 bail.
In other cases, Jacob Haundenshield, 23, of Holley was arraigned on third-degree burglary for allegedly breaking into a house on Gaines Basin Road in Albion in December 2012.
Gregory Farewell of Albion was arraigned for violating his conditional discharge by driving without an interlock ignition device, which measures Blood Alcohol Content.
Farewell has two prior convictions for driving while intoxicated, according to the District Attorney’s Office. He is in jail on $2,500 bail.
File photos by Tom Rivers – An operator at Root Brothers Farm works the ground at the corner of Long Bridge Road and Route 31 in the Town of Albion in this photo from last May.
Agricultural is a very big business in New York State – nearly a $40 billion impact in the state’s economy, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
The comptroller’s report counted agriculture’s impact at $37.6 billion to New York’s economy in 2012, an increase of more than 22 percent from 2007, according to DiNapoli.
The $37.6 billion is far more than the $5.5 billion in direct farm revenue counted in the 2012 Agriculture Census. (Orleans County ranks 13th out of 62 counties at $150.3 million in direct farm sales, according to the Ag Census in 2012. Click here to see “Ag revenues soar in latest census.”)
The state ranks in the top 10 nationwide for milk and other dairy production, as well as wine, apples, maple syrup and other products. New York is the second-leading apple producer behind only Washington State and Orleans County is NY’s second-leading apple producer behind Wayne County.
Orleans County is a big grain producer, with a lot of the crop going to the ethanol plant in Medina. This picture shows a grain facility in Shelby.
“New York’s economy is still fueled by agricultural activity and the production of food,” DiNapoli said in a news release. “Farms in New York are 98 percent family-owned, yet compete on a national level, diversifying our economy and keeping our local communities strong. It makes economic sense for the state to retain and promote our farms to feed our residents and preserve our land.”
Milk is the state’s largest commodity, with $2.4 billion in sales, followed by grains, peas and beans at $856 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 census.
New York also ranked first nationwide in the production of yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream, and was the second-largest wine producer in 2013, with 34 million gallons. The state also ranked second nationally in maple syrup production.
“Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s report calls attention to the significant economic impact agriculture has in New York state,” said Dean Norton, president of the New York Farm Bureau. “This in-depth look highlights the dedication of farmers, the diversity of products and the unmistakable conclusion that agriculture is a cornerstone of our rural economy both upstate and on Long Island. New York Farm Bureau thanks the Comptroller for the report and his continued interest in our state’s agricultural strength.”
A cow bellows at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville in this photo from July 2013. Dairy is the biggest sector of agriculture in NY.
As of 2012, roughly 56,000 New Yorkers operated farms, with an additional 61,000 people hired as farm laborers. Both the total value of agricultural commodity sales and farm acreage increased from 2007 to 2012, while the number of New York farms and farmers declined modestly.
With an average farmer’s age of 55 years old – reflecting the national average – fewer younger adults are entering the farming profession. In 2012, more than half of New York farms had sales below $10,000.
New York state has established a number of policy initiatives to promote its agricultural sector, including:
The Farmland Protection Program, which can pay 75 percent of purchase costs for conservation easements to municipalities;
The New Farmers Grant Fund to encourage young people to take up farming with grants for equipment purchases, supplies or construction;
The Fresh Connect and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable programs, which bring farm food to communities and fund school purchases of fresh produce; and
The Food Metrics Law, which encourages state agencies to purchase food produced by New York farmers.
As farmers continue to address the challenges driven by factors at the local, national and even international levels, close attention to the most effective mix of state policies to support agriculture will remain essential, DiNapoli said.
In addition to providing a big economic benefit, the comptroller said agriculture has other quality of life contributions, including preservation of open spaces.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
February had highest average for unique visitors, daily pageviews
Photo by Tom Rivers – Jeremy Graham uses a snowblower on Feb. 2 to clear out his driveway on East State Street in Albion when a snowstorm hit the area, shutting down local schools for the day. February was a month of punishing winter weather.
Orleans Hub set a new record in February with highest daily average for unique visitors and daily pageviews.
The site was coming off a big month in January when we crushed our record for average daily unique visitors. The 6,650 average for unique daily visitors in January topped the December record of 5,650 by 17.7 percent or 1,000 “uniques.”
I was hoping we could stay above 6,000 for February, which is usually a slow news month. A lot of our January traffic was driven by interest in the Medina village dissolution issue. Village residents voted down that referendum on Jan. 20.
But we topped January’s numbers with a 6,780 daily average for unique visitors in February. We had 615,029 total pageviews over 28 days for a 21,965 daily average, which tops the 21,317 daily average in January, when we had 660,825 pageviews over 31 days.
We frequently posted winter weather advisories, wind chill warnings and hazardous cold outlooks from the National Weather Service. Orleans Hub frequently wrote about the brutal weather and school closings, which are always a draw for readers.
Photo by JC Photography (Jesse Colmenero)
A story about the life of Brian Bellan and his 12 children was the most popular story of the month in February on the Orleans Hub. The Bellan family is pictured last fall at Mount Albion Cemetery. The group includes, front row, from left: EmmaLee and Karina; Second row: MiKayla, Richie, Da’Ron, Austin and Elizabeth; Back row: Briana, Porter, William, Kyson, Bryce, Kim and Brian.
In February, brutally cold weather was often in the news. The temperatures set a new record for coldest month ever for Buffalo and Rochester.
But we didn’t just write about the weather. Nor did readers of the Orleans Hub. We’ve been receiving lots of letters to the editor, and one by Dr. David Stahl of Medina was the second most popular story of the month in terms of “clicks,” or how many times the story was clicked on.
Mike and Cheryl Wertman have also been busy covering the local sports scene. Mike’s story on Feb. 9 was the first story about Roosevelt Bouie being inducted in the Syracuse University Hall of Fame.
Bouie, a former Kendall High School star, had his No. 50 retired by Syracuse. He is pictured here with several of Kendall’s senior players. They include, from left, Mookie Nauden, Will Condo, Taylor Kingsbury and Tania Arellano. They are in front of the case that displays Bouie’s retired Kendall jersey.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
District already has lowest tax rate in county
ALBION – The school district with the lowest tax rate in Orleans County may be able to reduce the rate even more in 2015-16.
Albion Central School will see about $200,000 in retirement savings next school year plus about $100,000 less in debt service. Those savings have district leaders optimistic the tax levy can be cut by 1 percent or about $84,000 from the $8,439,939.
The Board of Education and school administrators also intend to keep all existing programs offered by the district, superintendent Michael Bonnewell said at Monday’s Board of Education meeting.
The district is working to fine-tune a proposed budget for 2015-16. State aid is a big wild card. The governor’s budget released in January did not include aid projections for Albion or other school districts.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said districts can expect 1.7 percent more state-wide on the low end, and that’s if the governor’s reforms in education, including changes in teacher evaluations, are not approved by the State Legislature. If the reforms are passed, Cuomo said he would support 4.8 percent more in aid for districts state-wide.
Albion is budgeting for a 0 percent change in state aid at this point in the process. With the goal of preserving existing programs and still cutting taxes by 1 percent, Albion faces a $235,000 budget gap.
That’s if the district doesn’t see an increase in state aid. School officials expect there will be more state aid for Albion, but the number is uncertain given the differences between the governor and State Legislature.
The $235,000 gap isn’t too big of a hurdle at this stage of the budget process, said Shawn Liddle, the district’s assistant superintendent for business.
“That is a very workable number as a first draft,” Liddle said.
The draft of the budget for 2015-16 calls for $33,252,000 in spending, which is down more than $300,000 from the $33,551,051 budget for 2014-15.
School administrators are continuing to look at enrollment and student schedules for next year to see if any efficiencies in staffing that can be achieved.
Albion taxpayers paid a $16.78 tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property in 2014-15. That compares with the following rates in Orleans County: Holley, $22.43; Kendall, $17.44; Lyndonville, $18.34; and Medina, $23.31.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Brown’s Berry Patch has been a popular site along Route 18 in Carlton for about three decades.
WATERPORT – A popular agri-tourism retail site that drew outsiders to Orleans County and also employed about 50 people during the peak of the fall season will close.
Brown’s Berry Patch owners said the site, which started in 1984 as a small fruit stand, is closing. The Brown’s Berry Patch fruit and wholesale businesses will remain in operation.
Bob Brown and his wife Deborah say the business has been profitable, but they are ready to retire. They worked together to make it an agri-tourism destination.
Bob’s brother Eric is the farm’s orchard manager and Bob and Deborah’s son Bobby is in charge of the berry operation, as well as handling other responsibilities for the farm. Eric and Bobby want to continue focusing on growing fruit and working with the wholesale customers – not the retail operation.
“We’ve been blessed with a lot of great customers,” Bob Brown said. “I’m going to miss all of those customers.”
Bob Brown stands next his wife Deborah during the dedication of a Peace Garden on Oct. 5, 2013. Brown’s ancestors helped fight the British during the War of 1812. Paula Savage, the Peace Garden Foundation president, is at right.
The Brown family will continue the 300-acre farm through Orchard Dale Fruit Company. The family has a long lineage in Carlton, dating back to 1804.
Bob Brown pushed to start the retail operation about three decades ago, selling fruit from a roadside stand. He said the farm needed to diversify and not just rely on wholesale buyers.
The farm added its first structure in 1984 for Brown’s Berry Patch. It kept growing in the years that followed, adding a playground that kept expanding. It had a petting zoo with farm animals. The retail side grew to ice cream, gifts, desserts and sandwiches.
Brown’s Berry Patch was popular for wagon rides and birthday parties. “Farmer Brown” – Bob Brown – was the leader of many of those tours, which included many school groups.
Eric Brown looks over a field of strawberries in this photo from May 2013. The Brown family will focus on growing fruit for its wholesale customers.
Gayle Ashbery, the Carlton town supervisor, said she was sad to hear the news this morning about the closing of the retail operation.
“They had a wonderful business that drew a lot of people from a lot of different areas,” Ashbery said.”It was definitely a draw.”
Brown’s attracted many repeat customers from Monroe, Erie, Niagara and Genesee counties. The farm market became a destination. In 2004, it was recognized with an I Love New York Governor’s Agri-Tourism Award.
Brown’s Berry Patch also has been recognized for excellence by the North American Farmers Direct Marketing Association, Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, New York Agricultural Society and Genesee Valley Parent Magazine.
Bob Brown said the family strove to run a clean operation that was family friendly, and also gave customers a taste of farm life.
Pedal cars, a Bouncy Pillow, and the Goat Walk (where goats walk on a track on top of a grain bin and barn) have been popular.
The family would consider leasing the space to another retailer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – Orleans County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a two-car accident at the corner of Route 18 and Harris Road in the Town of Carlton a little after 5 p.m. today.
There were no injuries in the accident. The ice and slush on many of the roads in the county is making for difficult travel.
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 1 a.m. tonight due to the freezing rain.
Medina and Lyndonville both cancelled after-school activities today due to the hazardous weather.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at a joint meeting of Congress today, speaking against a deal the U.S. and its allies are pursuing with Iran over its nuclear program.
Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, issued this statement following Netanyahu’s remarks.
“The importance of America’s relationship with Israel transcends politics,” said Congressman Collins. “Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated how essential a strong partnership is between our two nations. As growing threats emerge from the Middle East, now more than ever, Israel and the United States must remain united. I am honored to have had the opportunity to hear the prime minister speak and will continue to be a strong advocate on behalf of Israel.”
Congressman Collins was accompanied to today’s address by Chris Jacobs, Erie County Clerk.
“I am honored to have heard one of the world’s leaders, Prime Minister Netanyahu, speak today,” said Chris Jacobs, Erie County Clerk. “Israel and the United States have a relationship that goes beyond just allied countries and it was a tremendous opportunity to see that on display at today’s address.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 March 2015 at 4:42 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Three vehicles were involved in an accident on Route 31 at the Eagle Harbor Road intersection, a scene of many accidents over the years including one with no injuries on Sunday night.
“This has always been a dangerous intersection,” Albion Fire Chief Rocky Sidari said at the scene at about 3:30 p.m.
None of the people involved in the accident had serious injuries, Sidari said.
Albion firefighters were there sweeping shattered glass and debris off the road. Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance transported two very young children as a precautionary measure.
State Police and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department were also at the scene.
A state trooper carries a Teddy bear to a small child involved in a three-car accident this afternoon in Albion.
