By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 4 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Joe Heath and Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener John Myers install a sign at the new compost education site on the Orleans 4-H Fairgrounds. The site is dedicated in memory of Joe’s dad, Joe Heath, who volunteered as a Master Gardener.
KNOWLESVILLE – Master Gardener volunteers at the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension have dedicated a new educational composting display site in memory of fellow Master Gardener Joe Heath of Medina, who was dedicated to teaching children about conservation.
Mr. Heath died on Jan. 5. A dedication ceremony was held on Saturday morning at the site which is located just outside the Buzz Hill Education Center at the 4-H Fairgrounds.
Heath’s family – his wife Marie, daughter Jen, son Joe, Joe’s wife Lisa, and their children Connor and Kylie – all attended the ceremony and helped to place a sign at the site.
The family of Joe Heath is pictured by the new compost education site at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville. The family includes, front, Joe Heath’s granddaughter, Kylie; wife, Marie; and grandson Connor. Back row: son, Joe; daughter-in-law, Lisa; and daughter, Jen.
Currently the composting site contains a cinder (concrete) block turning unit and an example of a ready-made commercial compost bin.
“This is nowhere near complete,” Master Gardener John Myers said during the dedication.
Examples of other composting systems will be added to the display. Myers, a long-time friend of Heath’s, led the effort to prepare the site. He noted Joe Heath was always very involved in teaching Orleans County sixth graders about composting during the annual Conservation Field Days held at the Fairgrounds in late May.
“We really, truly appreciate everything Joe did for us,” said Kim Hazel, agriculture administrative assistant at the Cooperative Extension.
This is a picture of the sign, before they put it into place.
Hazel is also a Master Gardener and she said Joe always managed to “brighten up my day” when he would be at the Fairgrounds for various events or to work on projects.
“We really loved to do it,” said Joe’s wife Marie, who also volunteered as a Master Gardener.
Master Gardeners formerly had a composting display with various examples of composting systems next to the log cabin on the Fairgrounds.
The new site puts the display in a more visible location – it can be seen from Rt. 31 and from the roadway/walkway that runs through the Fairgrounds, Hazel said.
It will also be easier for staff at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension to use of the site for composting since it is so close to the Buzz Hill Education Center which houses their offices.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 May 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A Rochester man could face up to 5 years in state prison after he admitted in Orleans County Court today that he sold cocaine.
Keith Toney, 36, of Rochester faces up to 5 years in state prison as a second felony offender.
Toney and a Rochester woman Lakusha McMorris, 35, both were arrested on Jan. 27 following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine from the City of Rochester to Medina.
Toney admitted in court today he arranged the transactions by phone and McMorris said she was the delivery person on three occasions. Toney was charged in January with nine counts of criminal sale of controlled substance in the third degree.
Toney pleaded guilty today to third-degree attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance. He pleaded guilty specifically to arranging for a cocaine sale at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Brockport on Aug. 27, 2014.
He made the deal with an informant from Orleans County, which is why the case is being handled in Orleans County Court. Brockport is located in neighboring Monroe County.
Judge James Punch wanted another week to study the case law regarding whether McMorris’s crime should be handled in Orleans County. She said she didn’t make the phone calls or have contact in Orleans County with the drug buyers. She said she was delivering the drug for Toney.
District Attorney Joe Cardone said case law supports McMorris being tried in Orleans County as an accomplice to the sales arranged by Toney.
“We’ll check the jurisdictional aspect,” Punch said. “It’s an unusual case.”
McMorris, a first time felony offender, is due back in court on May 11.
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.
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.
Provided photos
BUFFALO – The Medina Mustang Band performed on Friday at the state conference for the New York State United Teachers. The band performed before about 2,000 to 2,500 people, representing school districts from throughout the state, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.
The band performed portions of its street show, “Miss Saigon” and the National Anthem. It was exciting and a source of pride when delegates from other schools complimented our students and their accomplishment in this program, said Kathy Dreyfus, publicity chairwoman for the Marching Band.
May is a busy month for the band starting with the Seneca Falls Pageant on May
15-16, the spring trip to a music festival in Cleveland from May 21-24, Medina’s Memorial Day parade on May 25, and the Gorham Pageant on May 29-30.
The Middle School Spring Concert is June 1 and the High School Spring
Concert is June 2, with both at Medina High School. The season finale is the Band Banquet on June 5.
The band also held its last pizza sale of the school year on April 25, and it was another sell-out. The band wants to thank the community for their continued support of the pizza sales. The photo includes Brianna Bellan (left) and Andrea Toussaint.
