By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – An Albion man with an extensive criminal history, including four prior felonies, was convicted by a jury on several drug charges on Friday.
Charles G. Ingram, 58, was arrested on April 1 along with 15 others following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, prescription narcotics and marijuana in the village of Albion, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported then.
Ingram was living in 175 North Main St., Room No. 20, when he was arrested. He has been in the Orleans County Jail since then.
Ingram was arraigned on charges of three counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He rejected a plea offer from Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone.
Ingram went to trial last week and he was found guilty of two counts each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, as well as one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans Hub was on the scene on Oct. 13 when a tractor trailer got stuck under a railroad bridge in Holley.
Orleans Hub set another record for traffic in October, eclipsing the standard set the previous month.
Last month we had a daily average of 5,640 unique visitors, which was up from the 5,600 in September. (Prior to September the previous high was 4,757 in June.)
We also stayed over the half million mark for monthly pageviews. Orleans Hub had 551,375 total page views in October for a daily average of 17,786. That topped the September record 519,161 when there was a 17,305 daily average.
Our sports articles also are drawing a bigger audience. The 29,669 pageviews for Local Sports topped the previous record of 26,062 in September.
Mike and Cheryl Wertman have been all over the county and beyond covering high school athletes. In this photo from Oct. 24, Kendall’s Taylor ReQua (10) works to take control of the ball against Campbell-Savona’s Monica Cartas (7). Kendall rolled to a 6-0 victory in the quarterfinals of the Section V Class CC girls soccer playoffs.
One sports story by Mike Wertman was our second most viewed article overall for the month. Wertman on Oct. 23 wrote Zach Adams scoring a goal in Kendall’s Sectional win over Bolivar-Richburg.
Adams is a senior with Downs Syndrome. He was brought up from the JV squad for soccer playoffs. His brother Jake also plays on the varsity team and helped set up the goal.
“It’s just so overpowering I think I went into shock,” the boys mother Kelly told Wertman. “At first I didn’t even realize that Jake had assisted on the goal. It’s really hard to put into words what it means to Zach and to our family. The Bolivar-Richburg players just took it upon themselves to help make it possible. It was just so overpowering.”
Contributed Photo
Zach Adams, center, who is shown here with his brother Jake and mother Kelly, scored a special goal in Kendall’s sectional opener against Bolivar-Richburg
ALBION – On April 1, 1950 Helen Burrows Hudson, first vice president of the Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion, broke ground for a new hospital building.
Here she is about to lift the first shovel of dirt in this ceremony. Onlookers in the background include, from left: Peter Snell, “Doc Hawks,” Dr. Dorothy Cooper, Muriel Northrup and Frances Weale.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Editorial
File photo – A dredging barge is near the breakwall at the end of the Oak Orchard channel when the harbor was dredged in August for the first time in 10 years. Orleans and other southshore counties may pool their money and buy dredging equipment to ensure the harbors stay open.
Local government leaders are devising proactive solutions to help solve some long-festering problems. They deserve a pat on the back and I’m happy to give it to them.
Consider the following:
County will tackle bridge projects
New York State and the federal government used to be counted on to help pay the lion’s share for bridge replacement projects in Orleans County. Those bridge projects could top $1 million or more. The federal government would pay 80 percent with the state covering 15 percent. But those dollars have been in short supply in our county.
There are less federal and state dollars for bridge projects and the money tends to go to bridges with higher traffic counts in more populous counties.
We have aging infrastructure in our county. Many of the 70 county-owned bridges are at least a half-century old. Without a bridge replacement plan we could face a lot of blocked off roads in the future, delaying residents, emergency vehicles and commercial trucks. That would threaten public safety and the economy in the county.
Rather than waiting on the state or federal government, Orleans County leaders came up with their own plan for replacing six bridges in the next three years. The county will bond the project using low-interest financing to get the work done.
The following bridges have been identified for replacement, starting with two in 2015: a bridge from 1934 over Beardsley Creek on Waterport-Carlton Road in Carlton, and a bridge from 1968 in Barre over Manning Muckland Creek on Oak Orchard Road.
Other bridges to follow include one from 1959 in Kendall on Carton Road over Sandy Creek, a bridge from 1936 in Ridgeway over Fish Creek on East Scott Road, one from 1928 in Ridgeway over Fish Creek on Culvert Road, and a bridge from 1956 in Kendall over Sandy Creek on Norway Road.
The bridge work will cost $5 million and is part of an $8 million bond that will also include culvert work, new roofs on county buildings and other infrastructure work.
Southshore counties may dredge harbors
The Oak Orchard Harbor should be dredged every six years to make sure sediment in the harbor doesn’t build up, making the channel impassable for boats. The harbor was dredged in August, the first time in 10 years using federal recovery funds from the Sandy Superstorm.
The federal government is directing dredging funds to commercial harbors and not to recreational harbors like Oak Orchard. However, that harbor is critical to the county’s recreational and sportsfishing industries.
The harbor generates $7,087,101 in economic activity for Orleans, resulting in 117 direct and indirect jobs. It also yields $283,484 in sales tax revenue for both the county and the state, according to a consultant, Frank Sciremammano of FES Environmental and Marine Consultants.
Rather than wait on the federal government and Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the harbors, the southshore counties may pool their funds and buy dredging equipment to keep 19 harbors open. Buying the equipment would result in annual $23,655 share from Orleans County. That seems like a small price to pay for the economic and recreational activity at the harbor, as well as the peace of mind in knowing it will stay open.
Holley finds partners to help revive old school
It’s a dominant landmark on the east end of our county, but it’s been left to wither and rot for the past two decades. The old Holley High School remains a solid structure despite the neglect, and officials from the Landmark Society of Western New York believe the building is worth saving and renovating.
The Landmark Society and Preservation League of NYS are working with the village to get the school on the state and national registers of historic places. That would make a rehabilitation project at the school eligible for 40 percent in tax credits. That could be enough to make a project, perhaps senior apartments, financially feasible for a developer.
Holley Mayor John Kenney deserves credit for connecting with the preservation groups and for seeing potential in the site. (The Preservation League is providing a $5,000 grant to help Holley with its application to get the school and Public Square on the state and national registers.)
Albion and Holley pursue LDCs for distressed properties
Eight homes in Holley were abandoned after a leak at the former Diaz Chemical plant more than 12 years ago. The Environmental Protection Agency has deemed those eight houses safe. But they remain empty and under EPA control.
The village is working to form a local development corporation that would take ownership of the sites and work to sell them. That is a proactive move by Holley. The funds from the housing sales could be used to advance other community projects. The LDC could also have a role in the redevelopment of the old school.
The Village of Albion is also working on an LDC to target distressed housing. The LDC would have a specific focus of either taking down or rehabilitating run-down homes. The LDC could also seek and accept grants and partner with other agencies.
In both cases, Holley and Albion are developing a framework to address difficult problems.
It’s good to see the government leaders being proactive and not reactive to some of our challenges.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Albion Rotary Club presented a check for $5,000 today to the Orleans County Joint Veterans Council to help buy a low-mileage van to transport veterans to medical appointments.
Past President Cindy Perry presented the check to Paul Fulcomer, chairman of the Veterans Council. Perry also is the coordinator of the Rotary Golf Tournament in July, which generated the funds for the van.
The Veterans Council has five vans that it uses to take veterans to medical appointments. With the $5,000 from Rotary, Fulcomer said there is now enough to replace a high-mileage van.
The Veterans Council acquires and owns the vans, and the VA pays for the gas and maintenance. The service is free to veterans.
Fulcomer said 30 residents are faithful volunteer drivers, taking veterans back and forth to medical appointments.
“We’re very fortunate here in Orleans County that we have this many people who care about our veterans,” he told the Rotary Club.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Girl Scouts in Albion are planning their first “Junior Angels in Action” project on Nov. 29 to assist Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. Pictured, front row from left: Kaitlyn Allen, Neveya Barnes and Emma Snitzel. Back row: Emma Wadhams, Jessica Schleede, Community Action case manager Anni Skowneski and Kelly Ricker, Cobblestone Service Unit manager for the Girl Scouts.
ALBION – Community Action has a new group of angels to help the agency gather canned goods, winter clothing, school supplies and personal hygiene items.
Girl Scouts in Albion are planning their first project as “Junior Angels in Action” for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. The Scouts will be spreading the word about the items noted above. Community members are welcome to drop off the canned goods, winter clothing and other supplies from 9 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 29. The Scouts will be at the Gotta Dance by Miss Amy studio at the corner of Liberty and West Bank streets.
Community Action has an “Angel” program for adults. They generally help with school supplies, winter clothing, holiday baskets and other materials that are outside what is considered crisis services, said Anni Skowneski, case manager for Community Action.
This is the first time the agency is working with “Junior Angels.” Skowneski said Wyoming and Genesee counties have a Junior Angels program. She would like to expand it in Orleans to Scouts, Student Councils and other youth organizations.
She said community members are always welcome to drop off canned goods, winter clothing and school supplies at Community Action sites on East State Street in Albion and the Public Square in Holley.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – It was a nice fall day in Orleans County today with temperatures in the 50s. The top photo shows the Erie Canal winding through Albion just west of the Brown Street Bridge. The picture was taken from that bridge, looking towards the First Presbyterian Church of Albion.
The National Weather Service is forecasting a high of 52 on Thursday with an 80 percent chance of rain. On Friday, the high will fall to 40 degrees with temperatures in the low 40s on the weekend.
The setting sun shines on the Brown Street Bridge late this afternoon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Company in Medina sets new standard for giving to agency
Photos by Tom Rivers – Nelson Patterson, vice president at Baxer International, addresses employees today during a town hall style meeting when employees were recognized for giving to United Way.
MEDINA – Baxter International employees were challenged in September to break last year’s $60,000 in contributions to the Orleans County United Way.
Employees rose to the occasion. Altogether Baxter raised $65,000 for the United Way. A ceremonial check was handed to United Way Executive Director Marsha Rivers this morning, when employees gathered to celebrate a successful fund-raising drive.
“I do want to say thank you on behalf of the people we’re helping,” Rivers said in addressing the Baxter workforce at a town hall style meeting. “Your generosity is tremendous and it will make a huge difference in the lives of a lot of people.”
Marsha Rivers, Orleans County United Way executive director, holds the $65,000 ceremonial check with Dick Barry, a former United Way board member.
Nelson Patterson, company vice president, serves on the United Way board. He has been a big cheerleader for the agency inside the building, paying for gift cards out of his own money as incentives for people to donate for the first time or to raise their contributions. Baxter Credit Union also provided gift cards as incentives.
About 200 employees are donating to United Way for $32,500. Baxter will match those donations for $65,000 total. The company has 580 workers in Medina.
Patterson said he sees more potential to raise even more money for United Way, which allocates funds to about 20 agencies in Orleans County.
Del Alvarez accepts a gift card from Dick Barry after Alvarez’s name was drawn as part of an incentive to encourage employees to donate or to boost their past contributions to United Way. Alvarez works in the company’s quality department.
“It is a great privilege to be a part of the Orleans County community and this company,” Patterson told the Baxter employees. “Each of us plays a part whether we volunteer in the community, whether we give of our money and our earnings, or whether we give of our time to help someone in need.”
In addition to financial donations, Baxter employees volunteer with many local agencies. Patterson said they logged 2,500 volunteer hours with the Community Kitchen in Albion, the Arc of Orleans County and Camp Rainbow, and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program.
When Patterson arrived in Medina about 2 ½ years ago to lead the Medina manufacturing site, one of his first calls that day was to the United Way. He wanted to be a part of the agency’s efforts in Orleans County.
“It’s an outstanding opportunity to make an impact in the community,” he said.
About 200 Baxter employees contribute to the United Way and their contributions are matched by Baxter.
Baxter manufactures Sigma Spectrum pumps, which utilize smart infusion technology in the medical field. The Medina site inside the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue produces smart-infusion pumps, devices that reduce medication errors by delivering the specific amounts of IV medications and fluids to patients.
Sigma was owned by Roger Hungerford, who sold the company to Baxter. Hungerford also was a big proponent of the United Way, Patterson said.
“Roger emphasized it,” Patterson said. “He is a person with a passion for Medina, for seeing the community thrive.”
Patterson recently accepted a new job with Baxter back at the company headquarters in Deerfield, Ill. At today’s meeting, he praised the generosity of the Medina workers and encouraged them to continue supporting United Way in the future.
United Way and Baxter partnered on a “Route 104” campaign. If employees gave a $1 a week to United Way, Baxter would match that contribution, for $104 total.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
BARRE – It was an annual tradition every fall for Fred Daniels. He would carve many pumpkins and set them on a wagon by his barn on West Barre Road. He strung Christmas light in the pumpkins so they would light up.
Daniels died suddenly on Oct. 22 at age 75. His grandchildren decided to honor his memory by carving these pumpkins and displaying them on his wagon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2014 at 12:00 am
State-wide all 3 gain voter approval
Referendums on a change in redistricting, $2 billion to upgrade technology at school districts, and electronic records for state legislators all gained state-wide approval on Tuesday, although Orleans County voters rejected two out of the three.
Orleans gave strong support to Proposal No. 2, which brings legislators into the digital age by allowing electronic distribution of state legislative bills. In Orleans, it passed with 5,217 yes votes or 66.7 percent compared to 2,605 no votes or 33.3 percent. State-wide it passed with 77 percent in favor.
Two other ballot propositions passed state-wide but had a slight majority opposing them in Orleans County.
A ballot proposition authorized a new commission for the once-a-decade assignment of drawing state legislative and congressional districts. The proposition passed state-wide with 57 percent in favor of it, according to the Associated Press.
In Orleans, 49.5 percent of voters or 3,776 were in favor of it while 50.5 percent or 3,853 were opposed.
The “Smart Schools Bond Act” will allow the state to borrow $2 billion for school districts to buy computers, connect to the Internet, improve security and build classrooms for prekindergarten students.
State-wide it passed with 62 percent, but in Orleans, 3,948 voters or 49.6 percent were for it while 4,018 or 50.4 percent were opposed.
Provided photo – This hand grenade was found inside the basement of a house on West Park Street on Tuesday.
Press Release
Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni
ALBION – The Albion Police Department was dispatched to 231 West Park St. on Tuesday for a possible live hand grenade that had been found inside the residence.
Albion Police personnel arrived on scene and found what appeared to be a live World War II era hand grenade in the basement of the residence.
The grenade was found by a private contractor who was cleaning out the house after an estate sale. The home was lived in by an elderly woman who resided in the home since the 1920s. She had recently moved out of the home to live with relatives.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad was called to the scene. The Bomb Squad technicians evaluated the grenade and determined that in fact was a live WWII era ordnance. The grenade was removed by the Bomb Squad and placed in a secure container and taken from the scene. The grenade will be detonated by the Bomb Squad at a later time.
It is believed that the grenade was brought to the home by the elderly woman’s brother or brother-in-law. They both lived at the residence for a short time after their military service during WWII.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 November 2014 at 12:00 am
There wasn’t much action in the local election scene this year for town and county races. The bulk of those positions will be up for election next year.
But there were four positions open and all four candidates were unopposed on Tuesday.
Albion elected two justices with incumbent Gary Moore receiving 986 votes for re-election. The retired police officer was endorsed by both the Republican and Democratic Party.
Kevin Howard opted against re-election. Joe Fuller, a recently retired Albion police officer, was cross-endorsed by the Democrats and Republicans and he received 894 votes. Fuller is also a county coroner.
In Kendall, two candidates ran unopposed. David Gaudioso, a Republican, received 615 votes for town justice. Incumbent Stephen Cliff chose not to run for re-election.
Wayne M. Martin, Jr., another Republican, ran for a three-year term on the Town Board and received 625 votes. Martin will fill the remainder of a term from Patrick Snook, who resigned last January.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2014 at 6:04 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers – Members of the Monroe County Bomb Squad and Albion police officer David Mogle head into a house on West Park Street to remove a live grenade.
ALBION – The Monroe County Bomb Squad was in Albion late this afternoon to remove a World War II-era grenade from an Albion home on West Park Street.
The grenade was live and will be detonated by the Bomb Squad, said Roland Nenni, Albion police chief.
The grenade was discovered early this afternoon at 231 West Park St. The house has been owned by Elizabeth Donovan. The house has been in her family for many generations, going back before World War II, a family member said.
Donovan recently moved to Florida and the house is in process of being sold. There was an estate sale there over the weekend with more than 50 people in the house.
Linda and Joe Roberts were cleaning out the house today. Mr. Roberts discovered the grenade in the basement between a floor joist and the foundation. He noticed the pin was still in the grenade.
The Monroe County Bomb Squad was in Albion at about 5 p.m. to remove a grenade.
He called the Albion police, which took pictures of the grenade and sent them to the Monroe County Bomb Squad. They arrived at about 5 p.m. and removed the grenade. They put it into a container and will detonate it off site.
The Bomb Squad confirmed it was a pineapple grenade from World War II that had not been disarmed.
One of Donovan’s family members speculated Donovan’s brother and her brother-in-law, who both served in the war, may have brought back a grenade as a souvenir.
Mr. and Mrs. Roberts do many house clean-outs. They recently found a solid cannon ball from the War of 1812 inside a house.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2014 at 12:00 am
The polls had barely closed when the Associated Press and other media outlets declared Andrew Cuomo the winner of today’s gubernatorial election over Rob Astorino.
The local results aren’t in yet, but Cuomo, as a Democrat, had a major advantage over Astorino, a Republican and Westchester County executive.
State-wide, Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-to-1 ratio. It’s the opposite in Orleans County, where Republicans outnumber Democrats by a 2-to-1 ratio.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A Medina man was sentenced to 3 years in state prison Monday after he admitted to selling prescription drugs.
Stacy Bryan, 23, of Medina pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. As a second felony offender, he faced a maximum of 4 years in state prison. Punch gave him 3 years, despite a request for more leniency from Bryan’s attorney, who said the buyer of prescription pills sought out Bryan.
“I got caught up in something stupid,” Bryan said during sentencing. “I’m not a drug dealer.”
Bryan in a September court appearance admitted he sold dextroamphetamines on three occasions. The controlled substance is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Orleans County Court Judge James Punch said Bryan, a second felony offender, already has a criminal history with attempted assault, theft and endangering the welfare of a child.
“This is a serious matter and it must be dealt with seriously,” the judge said.
As Bryan was led out of the courtroom, he yelled an expletive at the judge.
In other cases:
An Albion man pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, which carries a maximum 1 ½ years in state prison.
Joseph B. James, 33, was living in Albion when he was arrested on April 1. He admitted in court he had cocaine with the intent to sell on March 3, 2014.
He is currently in the county jail. His attorney Shirley Gorman requested that bail for James, who has no prior felonies, be reduced. Judge Punch agreed to lower bail from $100,000 to $20,000. James will be sentenced at 2 p.m. on Feb. 2.
An Albion man who was scheduled to be sentenced had that adjourned for three months while he recovers from injuries.
James Herring III, 24, of East State Street is accused of selling cocaine on May 22, 2013. He faces up to 2 ½ years in state prison. He has pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
