MEDINA – The community is welcome to attend a disaster preparedness program on March 19, a training overview that will help citizens and local officials be ready in case of emergencies or disasters.
The Medina Lions Club and American Red Cross are teaming to offer “Prepare, Respond, Recover: What to do When Disaster Strikes.” The class will be 7 p.m. on March 19 at Orchard Manor, 600 Bates Rd. No advanced registration is required to attend the program.
“There is always a need to be prepared and always things you can do to minimize a disaster,” said Jim Hancock, a member of the Lions Club.
The free training class is offered in partnership with New York State, which is at a high risk for man-made, technological and natural disasters, the Red Cross said.
The local community isn’t immune to disasters, from ice storms, breaches in the canal, flooding and other problems, Hancock said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Citizen Preparedness Corps training program provides residents with the knowledge and tools to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond accordingly, and recover to pre-disaster conditions as quickly as possible.
A trained Red Cross representative will lead a session for about an hour on the Citizen Preparedness Corps training program, which provides a comprehensive overview on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) announced today that he will sponsor a bill to provide tax credits against New York State Thruway tolls for farmers who travel the highway.
Assembly Bill 2414 provides a tax credit of 75 percent of the Thruway tolls assumed by farmers in order to allow them more profits when selling their products across the state. Hawley said this is a vital piece of legislation that will help sustain the farms in his Western New York district and allow them to sell crops statewide.
“Growing up on our family’s farm, I know firsthand the struggles our farmers face every year,” Hawley said. “Profits are not guaranteed and much of the business relies not only on the ability to produce a high yield of crops, but also the ability to transport those products across the state and sell them at a variety of outlets. Thruway tolls are continuing to rise, and large-box trucks and farm vehicles are not allowed on smaller highways. Because of this, farmers are losing a large amount of their profits in tolls. This bill would allow greater intrastate commerce while also financially supporting those who feed our state.”
The legislation is a bipartisan effort currently awaiting action in the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee. Under the bill, to receive the tax credit, farm vehicles cannot exceed 26,000 pounds, must be controlled and operated by a farmer for the transport of agriculture products, farm supplies or farm machinery.
Provided photo – Hospice of Orleans accepted a $2,500 check on Saturday night from Monsanto. The following are pictured, from left: Jeff Cunningham, Monsanto’s Northeast business manager; Nyla Gaylord, Director of Development for Hospice; and Charles Mathes of the Mathes Farm in Holley.
MEDINA – For the second year in a row a local farmer has selected Hospice of Orleans to receive a $2,500 donation from America’s Farmers Grow Communities, a Monsanto Fund.
Mathes Farms in Holley picked Hospice to be the $2,500 recipient. The check was presented on Saturday during the Hospice Beat the Winter Blues event at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina.
“Hospice has helped a number of people in my family and I’m happy to help them,” said Charles Mathes as he and Jeff Cunningham presented the large ceremonial check.
Cunningham explained that the donation “is Monsanto’s way of supporting the local communities in which we sell seeds and other agricultural products to local farmers.”
Hospice of Orleans will use this gift to help fund costs associated with renovating a room at the main office for use by the bereavement group. Renovations will make the room look like a comfortable living room where there is ample space for group members to gather in an inviting atmosphere.
A sell-out crowd Beat the Winter Blues and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres from Zambistro Catering and improvisational jazz and blues by Doug Egling on winds and Mike Putman on guitars. A surprise guest, Kate Egling, sang some old blues tunes accompanied by Doug and Mike.
The group is known locally for their regular performances with jazz, blues, and jazz fusion bands at the Dinosaur Grill in Rochester and local events.
Kate Egling sings while joining Mike Putnam and Egling’s husband Doug during a performance Saturday at the winery on Ridge Road.
Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, represented by Darrel Oakes and his sister Wendy Oakes Wilson, served as hosts of the event and provided a first glass of Blanc d’Orleans wine for free. Since 2013, for every bottle of their white wine, Blanc d’Orleans sold, $1 goes to Hospice of Orleans.
According to Mary Anne Fischer, Hospice executive director, this first-time event was a sell-out and a huge success.
“We hope to hold a similar event next year,” Fischer said. “We are very grateful for the support of the community, for our entertainers, donors, caterers, and the Oakes family for their long-term support of Hospice of Orleans with their signature wine Blanc d’ Orleans.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – The snowbanks are tall along Dresser Road in this photo taken on Monday in the Town of Ridgeway.
The National Weather Service is warning of patchy areas of dense fog until 11 this morning. Moist air moving north from the Ohio Valley overnight, coupled with relatively cooler temperatures and an abundant snowpack, has resulted in fog and drizzle across Western New York, the Weather Service said.
Visibility could be reduced to less than a quarter-mile at times.
“Motorists are advised to exercise caution as visibilities may decrease rapidly with little warning,” the Weather Service said in a special weather statement issued at 5:11 a.m.
Press Release, GCC
BATAVIA – Two leaders in the field of education will be celebrated by their alma mater as Genesee Community College inducts the class of 2015 Alumni Hall of Fame.
The new honorees will be recognized at 4 p.m. on March 18 with the induction in room T119 of the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia campus. A reception follows in the Alumni Hallway on the second floor.
The following will be recognized:
Renee Garrett
Renee Cain Garrett graduated from GCC’s teacher education program in 1993. She went on to earn Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from SUNY Geneseo and an administrative degree from the College at Brockport. She began her career in the Attica Central School District where she taught students with disabilities and first grade before becoming an elementary principal.
She served as superintendent of schools in Mount Morris and Wayne Central School Districts and in January 2015 became superintendent of the Forestville Central School District in Chautauqua County.
Renee grew up in Orleans County and credits her success to the teachers who inspired her at a young age.
“While I didn’t have many resources, my teachers served as great role models for me,” Renee told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, which selected her for a Women to Watch interview. “I had a few key teachers that said, ‘you are worth it, push yourself and you can get it.'”
As superintendent Renee sees herself as “a teacher, mentor, advisor and facilitator. Making sure you know and understand who you are serving is really essential in this role, as well as the ability to make tough decisions.”
She is known as an innovator and top-level communicator and is committed to the value of lifelong learning for students, staff and stakeholders. She has been active in community organizations, including Rotary and Kiwanis, and is a member of a number of professional organizations.
Renee lives in Forestville with her husband, Mike, and their rescue dog, Tess. They enjoy exploring the outdoors together. Renee also enjoys quilting and is very handy with all kinds of home improvement projects from drywall to plumbing to exquisite tiling.
Roger Klatt
Dr. Roger J. Klatt is superintendent of both the Barker and Royalton Hartland (Roy-Hart) Central School Districts in Niagara County. He led the Barker district for six years before taking on leadership of Roy-Hart in 2013 in a first of its kind arrangement for the Buffalo area that has thus far proven successful.
For his work in leading both districts as a shared superintendent, Klatt received the Educational Leader of the Year Award from Niagara University’s College of Education in October 2014.
A native of Albion and a 1978 graduate of Albion High School, Klatt spent 15 years in that district as a teacher and coach, earning Albion’s Educator of the Year award in 1995.
He has been with the Barker Central School District for 17 years and served as middle school principal, director of instructional services and assistant superintendent before being named superintendent. Under his leadership Barker ranked 17th among the 98 Western New York school districts and earned an Achievement Index ranking of 2 among 425 schools across the state.
He was nominated for the GCC’s Alumni Hall of Fame by Barker athletic director David Carson who noted that “I have known Dr. Klatt for 17 years and he often speaks of how instrumental Genesee Community College was in his career. Dr. Klatt serves as an outstanding example of the impact that the GCC experience can have on one’s career.”
While a student at GCC, Klatt played on the men’s basketball team and earned his associate degree in physical education in 1982. He continued his studies at the College at Brockport and the University at Buffalo where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Klatt resides in Barker with his wife of 24 years, Kristen. They have two daughters: Emily is a recent graduate of Purdue University’s pharmacology program and Madeline is a junior studying business management at SUNY Oswego.
The GCC Hall of Fame is located in the Conable Technology Building of the Batavia campus on the second floor corridor, and features photos of alumni who have distinguished themselves through business and personal achievement, as well as service to the community.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 March 2015 at 12:00 am
HOLLEY – The village has formed the Village of Holley Development Corporation to focus on putting distressed properties back on the tax rolls and as contributing assets for the community.
The local development corporation met on Monday and picked its officers with Holley dentist Dan Schiavone to serve as president, Holley veterinarian Krista Wiley as vice president, Mark Monacelli as treasurer and Jenna Amering as secretary.
In addition, Village Trustee Brian Sorochty and Code Enforcement Officer Ron Vendetti will attend the local development corporation’s meetings and assist it with its goals.
The Village Board on Tuesday agreed to allow the Village Hall to be used for meeting space for the LDC.
The group will be focusing on getting eight houses back on the tax rolls that were feared contaminated by Diaz Chemical more than a decade ago. The Environmental Protection Agency owns the houses and has deemed them safe to live in.
The village would like the houses to be given to the LDC, which would then sell them and use proceeds from the sale to fund other redevelopment projects.
Village officials said on Tuesday that the EPA has offered to share 25 percent of the revenue from the housing sales with the village. Holley wants all 100 percent, not only to help fund other reclamation projects in Holley but to make up for years of the having the houses off the tax rolls.
“I would consider we’re miles apart,” said Village Attorney John Sansone.
Village Trustee Connie Nenni said the dollars from the houses “are small peanuts” to the EPA. She suggested the Town of Murray, Orleans County and Holley Central School join the effort in pressuring the EPA to release the houses so they can be sold.
“Everybody wants these back on the tax rolls,” she said. “It would benefit everyone.”
The village could also use the LDC to focus on houses in mortgage foreclosure. Often those houses can sit empty for three to five years. With the LDC, the village could push to have those houses reoccupied, perhaps in about a year.
The LDC could also be useful in redeveloping the former Holley High School, which has been vacant for about two decades, Sorochty said.
In other action Tuesday:
The board accepted the resignation of Timothy Moulton from the Police Department, effective Feb. 27.
New York residents in danger of running out of heating fuel or having their utility service shut off can now apply for a second emergency benefit through the Home Energy Assistance Program, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced today.
The additional assistance is being made available in light of the prolonged cold weather and additional federal funding awarded to the state.
“This year’s severe winter has left many families struggling to pay their heating bills – but a second round of emergency assistance will help people stay warm and safe through the end of the season,” Gov. Cuomo said. “This extra funding will be a crucial form of support for families across the state, and I encourage anyone who may need help affording their heating bills to reach out to us today.”
Normally, eligible households can receive one regular HEAP benefit per season and could also be eligible for a single emergency HEAP benefit if they face an energy emergency situation. The state made an emergency round of funding available in January and now has added a second emergency benefit if residents find themselves in a crisis situation. Applications for regular and emergency HEAP benefits will be accepted through Friday, March 27.
Orleans County residents should call the Department of Social Services at 589-3182 to inquire about HEAP, with senior citizens (ages 60 and older) calling the Office for the Aging at 589-3191.
“Another harsh winter has wreaked havoc on household budgets and we’ve heard from our local partners that senior citizens and the elderly have been particularly hard hit,” said Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Executive Deputy Commissioner Sharon Devine. “It’s important that households facing an emergency situation know that help is still available but they need to contact their local department of social services to apply.”
HEAP is 100-percent federally funded and New York State has received a total of $377 million in federal HEAP funding for the 2014-15 season, including a late-winter release of $33.3 million. Emergency benefit amounts vary depending on the emergency, up to a maximum of $575.
Eligibility varies based on income and household size. For the 2014-15 HEAP season, a household of four can earn up to $50,629 a year, or $4,219 a month, and still qualify for assistance.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Town also approves resolutions for AIM funding, repeal of SAFE Act
File photo by Tom Rivers – A member of the White Sabers Drum and Bugle Corps from Dansville performs in the Albion Strawberry Festival in June 2013. About 10 marching bands usually perform in the festival parade.
ALBION – The Albion Town Board agreed to provide town funds for the first time to help put on the Strawberry Festival, a two-day bash that is the Albion community’s biggest celebration each year on the second Friday and Saturday in June.
The Town Board would like the funds to go towards the costs in bringing in the many marching bands for the event, and perhaps the cost of a fishing pond that may be part of this year’s event, Town Supervisor Matt Passarell said.
This year’s Strawberry Festival will include a fishing theme and organizers are working on some fishing-related activities.
The parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday during the festival is one of the big highlights of the two-day fest. The marching bands don’t perform for free. Altogether they cost about $5,000.
Some of the bands have increased their appearance fees, and other festival costs have also been rising. The contribution from the town will help the festival committee continue to offer an array of entertainment, the Town Board was told.
The Rotary Club is the sponsor of the festival, which costs about $18,000 to $22,000 to put on over two days. Karen Sawicz, a Rotarian, attended Monday’s Town Board meeting and made the pitch for funding.
Passarell said the money would come out of the town’s B Fund for outside-village residents. That way village residents aren’t paying twice towards the festival, Passarell said. The village provides manpower with the DPW, police and other staff for the event.
In other action, the Town Board approved two resolutions about state issues. The board stated its support for a fairer system for distributing Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM), a formula that currently directs 90 percent of a $715 million pot to upstate cities.
The Town Board also stated its support for repealing the SAFE Act, a gun control measure passed by the State Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January 2013.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – Carlton firefighter Ben Diltz tries to break up some of the wreckage from a fire this morning at a garage owned by William Wells at 13324 Hanlon Rd.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 5:34 a.m., but the garage had already mostly collapsed.
Orleans County fire investigators are at the scene, looking for the cause of the fire.
Firefighters are trying to cut through metal and wood to put out hot spots.
The Town of Carlton Highway Department is expected on the scene with a backhoe to spread out the smoldering debris, to prevent fire flareups.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided Photo – Mitzie Collins (front, center) is pictured with members of the Striking Strings Dulcimer Ensemble, which will perform Sunday in Albion at the First Baptist Church.
ALBION – The Eastman at Albion concert series is back for its sixth season this Sunday with a “Celtic Celebration,” a performance featuring an assortment of musicians and Irish dancers.
Along with the well-known Mitzie Collins, the concert on Sunday at 3 p.m. will feature the Striking Strings Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble, and the Harmonious Harp Ensemble, directed by Roxanne Ziegler. The Drumcliffe School of Irish Dance will join the celebration, as well as popular Irish tenor Casey Costello.
“Mitzie always puts on a tremendous concert and brings something new,” said Diane Palmer, the concert series coordinator. “This year the dancers are new.”
They will perform at the First Baptist Church, which has a stage up front. This is the second time the Baptist Church is hosting one of the Eastman concerts. The series has included nearly 20 concerts, raising more than $20,000 with the proceeds going to scholarships for Albion students who pursue music and the performing arts in college.
In many of the concerts, Albion high schoolers have performed with the professional musicians in town for the concert.
The series features Rochester-area musicians, often affiliated with the Eastman Community Music School, paired with Albion’s architectural treasures – the historic churches at the Courthouse Square.
“The churches have been extremely gracious to have the community come in and enjoy a concert,” Palmer said.
The series this year will include the Sunday concert and a performance during the Christmas season.
“It has fulfilled a need in our community for higher-level musicians to perform,” Palmer said. “The concerts have really brought people together.”
Tickets are available online by visiting eastmanatalbion.com/ticket-sales, or at Bindings Bookstore, Bloom’s Flower Shop, or Fischer’s Newsroom in Albion; a lily and a sparrow in Medina; Roxy’s Music Store in Batavia.
