news

Batavia man admits burglary and could get prison time

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2014 at 12:00 am

ALBION – A Batavia man who was banned from Wal-Mart but then allegedly stole from the store in Albion admitted to the crime in Orleans County Court on Monday.

Jason Lang, 33, of Liberty Street in Batavia pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the third degree. He faces a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 24.

He stole two coffee machines and a blender from the Albion store on Nov. 20. Because he was banned from Wal-Mart, he was charged with burglary.

In other cases in County Court:

An Albion man was sentenced to 6 months in county jail for third-degree burglary. Jacob Marks, 25, of Allen’s Bridge Road could have had the charge removed if he had not committed any additional crimes since he completed Drug Court.

However, he violated terms of his conditional discharge with a new charge of petty larceny in Niagara County.

“You have no self discipline,” Judge James Punch told Marks during sentencing. “You are a danger to other people.”

A state Canal Corporation worker accused of stealing $5,700 worth of metal from the Canal Corp.’s Albion maintenance facility rejected a plea deal and will go to trial beginning Nov. 19.

Bruce Rotoli, 55, of Albion has been charged with third-degree grand larceny and third-degree criminal possession of stolen property. He was arrested in May following a four-month investigation by state police, Village of Albion police and the Thruway Authority, which runs the canal system.

Police say that Rotoli in the fall of 2012 removed bronze bushing material from the Albion maintenance facility. Rotoli is currently on disability.

He was offered a reduced charge if he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny and paid restitution.

Rodrick S. Griffin, 31, of Eagle Street in Medina was arraigned on several drug possession and sale drug charges as well as criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

He has a prior felony. Judge James Punch set bail at $200,000.

Griffin was arrested in June after a police investigation into the possession, sale and distribution of marijuana in the village of Medina. He also allegedly possessed a stolen 22-caliber handgun.

High school kids enjoy some tomfoolery

Posted 19 August 2014 at 12:00 am

By Bill Lattin
Orleans County Historian

ALBION – These three daring high school students posed for this picture on the ledge of the Albion High School in 1915.

Up at the second floor level, the person who took the photo had to be standing on the school’s marquee.

This gray sandstone building, facing East Academy Street, was built in 1906 and later became the Albion Grammar School. The students in the picture are Cary Lattin, Millie House and Alan Burritt.

Leave it to high school kids!

Murray is getting new bridge on Hulberton Road

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

MURRAY – Crews from Crane Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport have ripped out the old bridge and are laying the groundwork for a new bridge over Sandy Creek on Hulberton Road. The total project will be $1,338,900, with the federal government paying 80 percent, the state 15 percent and the county 5 percent. The bridge is just south of Ridge Road in the Town of Murray.

Judge sets bail at $300K for man accused of firing shots in Medina

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2014 at 12:00 am

ALBION – A Rochester man who allegedly fired a rifle at two fleeing people in Medina last month was arraigned in Orleans County Court on Monday.

Nathaniel Harvey, 21, of Rochester has been charged with attempted murder in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree. He has been in county jail since his arrest. Judge James Punch increased Harvey’s bail from $250,000 to $300,000 on Monday.

Punch said Harvey has a prior felony and twice he has failed to appear for prior court dates.

The two men who fled on foot on July 18 were not injured. A verbal altercation started on Church Street and moved near the corner of South Main and Oak Orchard streets. The gunshot missed the two men and also an elderly woman who was working in her garden along South Main Street.

Pro-business group gives 2 local Assembly members perfect scores

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Hawley, Corwin rate above Maziarz in report

ALBANY – An organization that says it is “pro-taxpayer” and “pro-business” has given two local State Assembly members perfect scores for their positions in the 2013-14 legislative session.

Steve Hawley of Batavia and Jane Corwin both received 100 out of 100 from Unshackle Upstate. The organization rated legislators on their legislative and budget votes as well as sponsorships of targeted bills during the 2013 and 2014 legislative sessions. (Click here to see the scorecard.)

State Sen. George Maziarz received a score of 83. He lost points from Unshackle for co-sponsoring S.3995-B Mail Order Pharmacy Limitation and S.3863 Healthy Workplaces. Unshackle said the legislation would slow or repress the growth of the state economy.

Maziarz, R-Newfane, also lost points for supporting S.3564 Job Order Contracting.

“Recent polling has shown that taxes and job creation are key issues for people across the state,” said Brian Sampson, executive director of Unshackle Upstate. “Our 2013-2014 legislative scorecards accurately reflect which legislators have advanced measures that help taxpayers and job creators. As we head into the election season, we encourage voters – especially in Upstate communities – to look at how their legislators performed over the past two years before they cast their vote.”

Maziarz is not seeking re-election. Unshackle said he supported 14 of the 17 legislative actions favored by the organization.

Unshackle highlighted legislation for brownfields redevelopment, healthcare cost containment, energy costs, asbestos remediation tax credit, liquefied natural gas, rural broadband and the state budget.

Hawley represents a district that includes all of Genesee County, most of Orleans and part of western Monroe. Corwin represents the town of Shelby in Orleans and portions of Niagara and Erie counties.

Unshackle will endorse candidates this election, but the organization said a minimum score of 85 is needed for its support.

“There’s no doubt that this year’s elections will have a significant impact on the state’s ability to continue its economic progress,” Sampson said. “In order to keep our economy moving in the right direction, it’s critical to gauge a candidate’s commitment to reducing taxes and improving the business climate. Any candidate that receives our endorsement will be held to a very high standard. Taxpayers and employers deserve nothing less.”

Hitching post returns to family

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – Descendants of Philip LeFrois are pictured today in the Town of Murray in the front yard of Steve Babcock after his great-grandfather Philip LeFrois’s hitching post was moved from his homestead to Babcock’s. Local contractor Jim Babcock removed the post and transported it to his brother’s property. Babcock is pictured at left, kneeling. He is joined by Phil Sargent, Sargent’s grandfather Ron Ayrault, Steve Babcock and Jerry LeFrois.

MURRAY – A hitching post that spent about a century in Eagle Harbor today was moved to Phillips Road in the Town of Murray. It is now in the front yard of Steve Babcock, just south of Route 104 near the Murray Superette.

The hitching post belonged to Babcock’s great-grandfather, Philip LeFrois. His local descendants wanted the post to stay in the family. They reached out to the property owner, Kevin and Joanie Kent, and they agreed to let the hitching post go to Babcock’s.

Mrs. Kent is a hospice nurse. She cared for Babcock’s wife, Annette, when she battled ovarian cancer. Mrs. Babcock died on Sept. 25, 2002 at age 44.

Her husband thanked the Kents for letting the hitching post go.

“I’m very family-oriented,” Babcock said. “Having a historical piece that goes back several generations is pretty awesome.”

Babcock had help moving the hitching post today. His brother Jim, a local contractor, had the hitching post, which weighs about 800 pounds, out of the ground, transported and reset in Murray in about an hour.

Steve marveled at the artistry in the hitching post. A quarryman who was a friend of his great-grandfather carved spear points on each side. Steve said he will try to get a ring for the post and would like to have the spot nicely landscaped with a plaque.

Pastor rejects plea deal, will go to trial for sex crimes against children

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Judge sets Jan. 20 for trial start against Harriger

ALBION – A pastor who used to lead a church in Lyndonville rejected a plea deal in Orleans County Court today that could have resulted in a sentence of up to 25 years in state prison.

Roy Harriger, 70, has been charged with three counts of incest, three counts of coarse sexual conduct and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

District Attorney Joe Cardone said if Harriger pleaded guilty to three counts of coarse sexual conduct he would face the maximum of up to 25 years.

Harriger, standing with his attorney Larry Koss, declined the plea offer.

Orleans County Court Judge James Punch said no more plea offers will be considered. He set Jan. 20 for the start of the trial against Harriger, who could face 25 years in prison if convicted.

Harriger is the pastor of the Community Fellowship Church in the town of Hartland. He was charged in November with three counts of coarse sexual contact in the first degree and three counts of incest. The endangering the welfare of a child charges were added in June.

Punch has ordered Harriger to stay away from church and any other locations where there are children 18 or younger. Harriger remains free on $250,000 bail.

The alleged crimes by Harriger occurred against three family members between September 2000 and September 2001, when he was pastor of the Ashwood Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville.

Gas stations had a price war in 1940

Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

By Bill Lattin, Orleans County Historian

In 1940, my parents took a road trip to Texas to visit my mother’s aunt and uncle. On the way there they took this picture where gas was selling for 9 cents a gallon.

I believe there was a “gas war” under way in that vicinity as we can see another service station in the distance.

At any rate they thought it was very cheap at the time, hence the picture was taken as proof.

New owner turns B & B into home for seniors

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – The former Erie Canal Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast at 43 Brown St. will soon be open as an assisted living site with an adult daycare. There will be open houses from Aug. 29-31 before the site opens in early September.

ALBION – A former Catholic school that found new life as a bed and breakfast now has been changed into an assisted living home for senior citizens.

The former Erie Canal Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast also will provide an adult daycare. The site, “Canal View,” will open in early September.

“This is not an institutional-type setting,” said Gail Kendig, marketing and community liaison for Tender Loving Family Care.

Canal View will keep rooms that celebrate local heritage, including “The Albion Room.”

Jeri and Lou Becker sold the former school to Annika D’Andrea. She has refinished some of the hardwood floors and is adding an elevator. For the most part, the building will remain as the Beckers had it with rooms decorated to highlight local history. There are bigger rooms for group activities, including the upstairs auditorium.

D’Andrea has taken down some small trees to better showcase the property next to the Erie Canal. She believes residents will benefit from the peaceful location by the canal.

“It’s so much better to have this kind of atmosphere for them,” Kendig said. “People can see the natural beauty that’s around here.”

Tender Loving also owns an assisted living site in Le Roy. The business has offices in Brockport and Rochester. Tender Loving also provides home health care services in the Rochester region. The business has about 100 employees.

Kendig said it will add five or six employees who will provide a 24-hour presence at the site in Albion.

The Erie Canal Room includes a border celebrating the song, “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal.”

D’Andrea and Tender Loving will have opens houses at Canal View on Aug. 29 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Aug. 30-31 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The site was a school before being turned into an apartment house. The Beckers bought it in 2004 and made many upgrades while preserving and celebrating the building’s heritage.

“This is a true landmark,” D’Andrea said. “From a school where children played and learned, a B&B that beautifully restored the rich history of the school, now the perfect place for our loved ones. Our seniors will live a well dignified life in a comfortable, safe and professional home environment. Our residents and adult day care visitors will enjoy maximum independence, freedom and comfort while receiving the quality assistance they need.”

Canal View isn’t a nursing home, although some medical services are provided for wound care, medication administration, glucose monitoring and other services. The adult daycare allows some seniors to spend part of the day in structured activities, including social programs, fitness and wellness, and meals.

For more on Tender Loving, click here.

Most students are not proficient with state tests

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

The second round of state standardized tests, which are aligned with Common Core Learning Standards, show that most local students are not meeting proficiency levels in the tests for grades 3 through 8.

State-wide only about a third of students are at proficiency levels for the math and English tests. The percentage of students who are proficient in math rose from 31.2 percent to 35.8 percent, according to test results released last week by the State Education Department.

The percentage for English Language Arts barely changed, with proficiency rates increasing from 31.3 percent to 31.4 percent, according to the state Education Department. Students who are proficient or higher score a 3 or 4 on the exams.

Here are the proficiency levels for each test in the five local districts in Orleans County:

ALBION	MATH	ELA
Grade 3	35%	28%
Grade 4	48%	35%
Grade 5	32%	30%
Grade 6	27%	21%
Grade 7	27%	15%
Grade 8	22%	28%

HOLLEY	MATH	ELA
Grade 3	46%	21%
Grade 4	28%	23%
Grade 5	33%	22%
Grade 6	19%	12%
Grade 7	6%	5%
Grade 8	3%	24%

KENDALL	MATH	ELA
Grade 3	37%	37%
Grade 4	31%	23%
Grade 5	45%	27%
Grade 6	46%	34%
Grade 7	33%	24%
Grade 8	24%	20%

LYNDONVILLE	MATH	ELA
Grade 3	32%	21%
Grade 4	38%	32%
Grade 5	49%	35%
Grade 6	51%	20%
Grade 7	29%	11%
Grade 8	6%	15%

MEDINA	MATH	ELA
Grade 3	42%	28%
Grade 4	21%	18%
Grade 5	22%	18%
Grade 6	18%	16%
Grade 7	29%	29%
Grade 8	7%	34%

Long-awaited harbor dredging could start later this week

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – A boater approaches the break wall at Oak Orchard Harbor in this photo taken last month.

CARLTON – The wait will soon be over, and boaters can expect a smoother ride through the Oak Orchard Harbor.

The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to be at the harbor later this week to begin dredging the mouth of the Oak Orchard River. That last happened in 2004.

Since then the harbor has a buildup of silt and sediment. Some boats sometimes are grounded in shallow parts of the channel.

The Army Corps will work on the Oak Orchard once it’s done with Irondequoit Bay, said Mike Waterhouse, Orleans County’s sportsfishing coordinator. He received notification from the Army Corps that the work should start in the Oak Orchard later this week.

The harbor is critical to the county’s $12 million annual fishing industry, as well as for other recreational purposes.

The Oak Orchard Harbor was last dredged in 2004 when 10,700 cubic yards of material was removed. This harbor should be dredged every three to five years, according to county officials. In order to maintain adequate channel depth, 18,000 cubic yards of dredging will be required. The total sediment backlog is estimated at approximately 35,000 cubic yards, according to information from Congressman Chris Collins’ office.

Strong West opens ER on Tuesday in Brockport

Staff Reports Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

BROCKPORT – An emergency room will open Tuesday morning at the former Lakeside Memorial Hospital, the University of Rochester Medicine announced today.

The state Department of Health approved the emergency department at Strong West, the former hospital that closed in April 2013 in Brockport.

The current urgent care center will switch over to become Strong West Emergency at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The long-awaited approval means a return of higher-level, 24-hour emergency care to the Brockport area.

The change will improve emergency health care access for eastern Orleans residents, and will reduce commute for some ambulance crews that have been taking patients into Rochester.

UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial Hospital has worked closely with New York State DOH since last summer, submitting plans to develop an off-campus ED, the health care system said. This unique health care model has been adopted by several other downstate institutions.

Off-campus EDs are designed to offer acute emergency care for patients and are open around the clock, seven days a week. Unlike urgent care centers, these EDs can accept patients brought in by ambulance (urgent care sites, by law, cannot) and are staffed by a physician 24 hours a day.

Because off-campus EDs have no in-patient hospital beds – Strong West will have three short-term observation beds – patients who require more intensive care and hospitalization will be treated and transferred to UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial or Highland Hospital or a hospital the patient chooses.

Medina police seek autopsy for unattended death

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

MEDINA – Medina Police say an unattended death this morning isn’t suspicious, but Police Chief Jose Avila is still requesting an autopsy.

The person’s name and location of the house where the body was found inside are not being released pending notification of the person’s family.

“We’re looking into it,” Avila said about the death.

New signs proclaim Ultimate Fishing Town

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

CARLTON – New signs were recently added to three Carlton Town Signs – one of Route 98 and two on Route 18 – that declare the community is an “Ultimate Fishing Town.” The photo above shows the sign on Route 98.

The Point Breeze community won the on-line contest in 2013 through the World Fishing Network. The prize included $25,000 to promote the fishery.

A committee has been looking for ways to spend the $25,000. The messages on the welcome signs is just one way. The committee used funds to take Vietnam veterans on a charter boat fishing trip and has other projects in the works, including restoring a giant fiberglass salmon that has been in the front lawn of the former Bait Barn and Tackle Shop on Route 279 in Gaines. That fish will be refurbished and displayed at many community events.

The sign at the corner of routes 18 and 98 that welcomes people to Point Breeze also now includes an “Ultimate Fishing Town” designation.

Y director takes job with Cancer Society in Albany

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2014 at 12:00 am

Jeff Winters helped lead a turnaround at local YMCA

File photo by Tom Rivers – Jeff Winters, executive director for the Orleans County YMCA, discusses a $400,000 capital project at the Y in this photo in April 2013, when the organization kicked off the fund-raising campaign. The Y met its fund-raising goal and the project is nearly complete.

MEDINA – Four years ago the YMCA was mired in an $80,000 annual operating deficit, a building in need of significant repairs and a modest membership base.

Jeff Winters had a law degree and a good job at the time. The Medina native likes a challenge and likes people. He took on the task of leading the Orleans County YMCA.

Four years later the organization is nearly complete with $400,000 in renovations to its historic building, a former Armory on Pearl Street. The organization is profitable and has quadrupled its members to 2,200.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done here,” Winters said. “The organization is set up for the future. It’s on a good path.”

Winters, 31, is leaving the Y on Sept. 12. He will be executive director of the American Cancer Society in Albany. He has been living in the state capitol since last October, when he got married to a woman he met in law school. He commuted to Medina on Monday mornings and left for Albany on Fridays for nearly a year. Winters was committed to seeing the Y work through a capital project.

He leaves with praise and deep appreciation from the Y board of directors.

“Jeff has infused a level of energy and professionalism that has been instrumental in helping us achieve growth and renewed confidence in a key institution,” said board member Dean Bellack. “He will be missed. On behalf of the board, we wish him the success that we are sure will grow in time.”

The Y is accepting applications for the director’s positions until Aug. 29. Resumes should be sent to Scott Taylor, GLOW YMCA director, at staylor@glowymca.org. For more on the position, click here.

The Y in Orleans County now has 52 employees. Winters credited the “Y Team” for making the organization and its programs sought after in the community. Residents are drawn to Y programs that promote healthy living, social responsibility and youth development, Winters said.

The Chamber of Commerce honored Winters with a community service award last September for his efforts at improving the Y in Orleans County.