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Mentors and youth ‘Just Roll With It’ at bowling alley

Posted 7 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Provided photo – Participants in the “Just Roll With It” event are pictured last Saturday at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

Press Release, Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern

ALBION – Just Friends, a youth mentoring program through Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern, held the “Just Roll With It” event last Saturday.

The event was held at Oak Orchard Bowl and about 60 people attended, including children participants, parents/guardians, mentors, volunteers and staff. Just Friends would like to thank Randy Hanks of Oak Orchard Bowl for being a wonderful host and providing a fun afternoon for all.

Just Friends is a youth mentoring program for children who live in Orleans and Genesee counties. Participants range in age starting at age 5 and are matched with positive adult role models in the community who act as a mentor.

Children are referred to the Just Friends program by social workers, school counselors, family members and friends.

Each child is welcomed into the program and invited to every event in Orleans County. The goal of the program is to match a child (mentee) with a positive adult (mentor) in the community.

The mentor is required to spend four hours a month with the mentee in addition to attending events held by Just Friends. Just Friends also provides “Back to School Days” every August, and backpacks and necessary school supplies are provided for every child in the program.

At the “Just Roll With It” event, all school supplies were replenished to get the children through the remainder of the school year. Just Friends encourages and assists children to be prepared for school as well as giving them confidence by having all needed supplies.

The next event for Orleans County Just Friends will be held at Hoag Library on April 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. This event is “Snacks & a Movie” and will include a family movie, popcorn and drinks, an Easter egg hunt and special Easter treats for each child participant.

Just Friends is accepting donations of Easter baskets, plastic Easter eggs, candy and small toys for this event. If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about Just Friends, please call Jacki Mowers-Sciarabba, program coordinator at (585) 589-9210.

35 businesses help sell flowers for Hospice

Contributed Story Posted 7 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Provided photos
June Persia, an employee at the Save-A-Lot in Holley, waters bouquets of flowers for Hospice of Orleans. The agency had 60 volunteers selling flowers at 35 locations this past week.

Last year the fundraiser raised more than $8,000 to support Hospice services for residents of Orleans County.

Lynn Burgess, owner of Lynn’s Salon on West Park Street in Albion, is one of the new businesses selling flowers for Hospice. George’s Fancher Road Service in Albion also agreed to help sell the flowers for the first time.

At Sam’s Diner in Holley, Joe Andreano of Holley, 95, bought a Spring Bouquet for his wife. “I’ve got a good wife,” he said with a smile.

The local school districts sold flowers this week. The following businesses also supported the event by selling the flower bouquets:

In Albion – Ace Hardware, Albion Fitness Center, Arc of Orleans County, Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union, Country Lane Veterinary Services, CRFS, Crosby’s, First Niagara, George’s Fancher Road Service, Fischer’s Newsroom. Heads Up Salon, Lakes Plain Medical, Lynn’s Salon, Rainbow Preschool, Village House, Save-A-Lot and Crosby’s in Gaines.

In Holley/Clarendon – Save-A-Lot, Crosby’s, First Niagara, JP’s Farm Market, Sam’s Diner and Stockham Lumber.

In Kendall – K & K Crosby.

In Lyndonville – EZ Shop, M & T Bank and Signature Styles.

In Medina – Bank of Castile, Bread Basket, C & H Computer, Cas-Nic Cookies, Crosby’s, Key Bank, Lake Plains Medical, Medina Memorial Hospital and The Book Shoppe.

The bouquets are available today at Save-A-Lot in Albion and Tractor Supply in Medina.

Reminder to turn clocks ahead tonight

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 March 2015 at 12:00 am

File photo by Tom Rivers

The clock at Medina’s Rotary Park is a landmark at the intersection of Main and Center streets.

Residents should turn their clocks ahead an hour tonight for Daylight Savings Time.

Local fire departments also urge people to replace smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries, and families should discuss home emergency plans.

Pillar of hospital bids adieu

Posted 6 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Nancy Albanese’s career spanned four decades

Photo by Howard Balaban – Nancy Albanese, left, was greeted by well-wishers this afternoon during a retirement party at Medina Memorial Hospital, where she worked for 40 years.

By Howard Balaban, Correspondent

MEDINA – An employee with more than 40 years of dedicated service was celebrated Friday afternoon at Medina Memorial Hospital when Nancy Albanese said good-bye to her friends and colleagues on staff.

“She’s been a mentor to many of us here, and she’s a real pillar within the hospital,” said Paula Dresser, a fellow nurse who started working with Albanese 30 years ago.

Dresser mentioned how she and Albanese worked together as nurses on every floor and every wing, including the recovery rooms and the intensive care unit.

Cindy Perry, the hospital’s wellness director, said Albanese’s absence will be felt most by the patients for whom she cared.

“Patients absolutely loved her,” Perry stated. “I only ever heard good things about Nancy, and how efficient and professional and caring she was. She’s been a great role model for everyone here and she’s going to be missed.”

The board room at the hospital served as a gathering area for a retirement party for the generational nurse as she mingled with visiting friends and family who stopped by.

Albanese said her decision to hang up her scrubs was made for one simple reason: “It was time.” However, she said a lifetime of providing care to patients at MMH provided her with “great joy” is something she will greatly miss in retirement. Overall, she said the hospital “has been very, very good to me.”

Moving forward, Albanese said she looks forward to enjoying time with her two college-aged grandchildren. She will also pass the time by knitting and doing volunteer work in the community. Additionally, she will continue to serve on the Hospice board.

For some Holley customers, 2 weeks without water and no end in sight

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – Brad DeWaal carries a bag full of one-gallon jugs that he will fill with water because he doesn’t have access to water in his home.

CLARENDON – The deep cold has frozen many waterlines for Holley water customers in the past two weeks. Most have been without water for a short time, waiting a day or two until the waterlines could be thawed.

But two water customers have been waiting two weeks, with no time frame for when water service restored.

Brad DeWaal and his neighbor Scott Parson live outside the village on Route 237 in Clarendon. They can see the village municipal water tank from their front yards. They believed they were hooked into a public water system.

That’s what it says on their tax records. That’s what the real estate agent told DeWaal when he bought his home five years ago.

However, when DeWaal lost his water due to a frozen line, he was told that the line was put in by contractors in the 1960s. The village provides the water, but the 2-inch line is privately owned.

DeWaal is dismayed by the situation, which has him and his family filling jugs with water and taking showers at friends’ houses.

Brad DeWaal holds up a piece of a broken 2-inch waterline that served his home on Route 237. DeWaal bought his house outside the Village of Holley five years ago and was told he was on a public waterline.

“How is it possible you’re on a state highway and are on a private waterline?” DeWaal said at his home today, which is about a half mile south of the village line.

The village and Town of Clarendon have known the waterline was privately put in the 1960s, Clarendon Town Supervisor Richard Moy said.

Clarendon officials have tried before to convince residents on that section of Route 237 to pursue a public water line for the area, but Moy said they have refused.

If the latest problem prompts residents to push for a public line, Moy said the town would be willing to pursue a project.

“It’s always up to the people,” Moy said this afternoon. “We tried it before but they never wanted it.”

To install a public waterline, Clarendon would have to create a water district, do engineering and secure funding, which could be long-term financing to be paid by residents in the district.

It’s a process that sometimes takes several years to get in place by the time the waterline is constructed.

Brad DeWaal points to a spot in his front yard by Route 237 where village crews dug up his yard to investigate a frozen waterline. The standpipe that holds village water is visible south of DeWaal’s by Hillside Cemetery.

DeWaal said he was never told by the town that the line was privately owned until he sought answers in the past two weeks. He said he wouldn’t have bought the house if he had known that reality.

“I wouldn’t have wanted this headache,” he said.

DeWaal and his wife Marcia moved from Hilton to Holley five years ago with their son Ronnie, a junior in high school. DeWaal, a retired deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, said the tax records and mortgage documents all said the house was on public water.

It’s been a difficult two weeks. His son has been staying with a friend so he can use the shower and have “a little more of a normal lifestyle” due to the dry faucets at home, DeWaal said.

He and his wife are also taking showers at friends’ houses, and filling up jugs with water to bring home. It doesn’t look like the situation will change anytime soon.

Holley and Clarendon both say it’s not their responsibility. DeWaal isn’t convinced it’s on the homeowners to fix the line.

He plans to attend Tuesday’s Village Board meeting at 7 p.m. to press the village for help.

Governor warns about drowsy driving with clocks going ahead an hour

Posted 6 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – This four-faced clock in Fancher, pictured earlier today, was dedicated as a memorial in August 1949 for 10 soldiers from Fancher who died in World War II. The monument includes a plaque noting the ultimate sacrifice by John Christopher, Joseph Christopher, Cosmo Coccitti, John Kettle, Jr., Leonard Licursi, Martin Licursi, Richard Merritt, Camille Nenni, Floyd Valentine and Richard Vendetta.

Press Release
Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Governor Andrew Cuomo is reminding New York motorists to be aware of the dangers of drowsy driving as Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday.

At the Governor’s direction, a “Stay Awake, Stay Alive” message will be displayed on message boards along the New York State Thruway, the I-87 Northway and other major roadways statewide during morning and afternoon commutes to remind travelers of the dangers of drowsy driving as part of Sleep Awareness Week.

“Fatigue and inattention can be a deadly combination on the road and has caused far too many preventable tragedies New York,” Gov. Cuomo said. “With the ‘Stay Awake, Stay Alive’ campaign, we are urging all New Yorkers to be aware of the warning signs of drowsiness before they get behind the wheel, ensuring that New York’s roads are safer for all.”

In 2013, there were 3,244 reported crashes statewide in which the driver fell asleep at the wheel and another 1,228 in which fatigue/drowsiness was cited as a contributing factor.

This represents a significant decrease from 2012, when there were 3,399 reported crashes statewide in which the driver fell asleep at the wheel and another 1,374 in which fatigue/drowsiness was cited as a contributing factor.

The New York Partnership Against Drowsy Driving was created in 2004 to educate the public and high-risk groups about the dangers of drowsy driving and promote the adoption of preventive strategies. Members of NYPDD include representatives from the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, New York State Department of Health, Thruway Authority, New York State Police, Department of Motor Vehicles, New York State Motor Truck Association, New York State Association of Traffic Safety Boards, New York State Movers and Warehousemen’s Association and New York State Department of Transportation.

Driver safety tips and information are available at the DMV’s website by clicking here.

A little warmth in the forecast

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

The south side of the former Swan Library is pictured as the sun was setting Thursday evening in Albion.

The area has a few more days to endure below-freezing temperatures with highs of 20 today, 30 on Saturday and 29 on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

On Monday, it is forecast to hit a high of 35, followed by highs of 42 on Tuesday, 43 on Wednesday and 38 on Thursday.

Albion Rotarian on path to become district governor

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Marlee Diehl will lead 70 clubs in WNY, Southern Ontario

Photos by Tom Rivers – Marlee Diehl is pictured by the Rotary sign outside Tillman’s Village Inn, where the Albion Rotary Club meets every Thursday for lunch and a program at 12:15 p.m.

ALBION – A member of the Albion Rotary Club is on track to become district governor of the 70 Rotary Clubs in Western New York and Southern Ontario.

Marlee Diehl will be the third woman to serve in the role as district governor for District 7090. Her term starts in 2017-18.

She has been active in many district events and committees, and will continue in the district leadership until her term starts as district governor. Diehl already serves as an assistant district governor for the clubs in Orleans and Genesee counties, and helps plan the annual district conference.

Retaining and growing membership, committing to community service and celebrating the volunteers in Rotary will be a part of her message as district governor, Diehl said.

“Fun and fellowship are the biggest things in Rotary while doing good in the community,” she said.

The 70 clubs had about 3,200 members collectively about 10 years ago and are down to about 2,400 now.

Diehl wants to reach out to younger adults, perhaps through Rotaract Clubs which have less of a time commitment for members. There are three Rotaracts right now in the district that are affiliated with colleges. There are also 18 Interact Clubs at high schools, including one in Albion.

Diehl wants to engage more students in Rotary, and also reach out to retired people and other community members who also have a lot of energy to give to Rotary and the community.

She will encourage existing members to invite prospective members. She also wants existing Rotarians to celebrate each other, because many Rotarians are committed to service in their community and beyond.

“Every Rotary Club and every Rotarian is different and they all come with their own life story,” she said.

Marlee Diehl has been active in Rotary since 1994, when she joined a club in Hamilton, Ontario.

Diehl’s husband Bill is current president of the Albion Rotary Club. They met at a Rotary conference in Toronto in 2009, when they were both at a training session for incoming Rotary presidents.

Bill was to be president of the Albion club for the first time in 2009-10, while Marlee was to be president of the Hamilton, Ontario club.

They became friends at that conference and would marry in December 2011. Mrs. Diehl emigrated and now lives with her husband in Carlton.

For about 35 years she worked as a recruiter, helping companies find executives and leaders in management. While connecting with business leaders, she noticed many wore Rotary pins or had Rotary posters on their walls.

When she was looking for an outlet for community service, she turned to Rotary and joined the Hamilton club in 1994.

“I believe that those who find success in life should also give back to their community and the world at large in as many ways as they can find,” Diehl said.

She is also active at the First Presbyterian Church in Albion and the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association.

A local Rotary Club recently had one of its members serve as district governor. John Heise of Holley led the district during 2010-11.

Police say Hamlin man sold cocaine in Orleans County

Staff Reports Posted 6 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Joel Johnson

MURRAY – A Hamlin man was arrested on Thursday following a three-month investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine in Orleans County and the Town of Hamlin, the Orleans County Major Felony Task Force reported today.

Joel E. Johnson, 31, of 15 Fox Hollow St. was charged with four counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree (a Class B felony).

Law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence and seized over 20 grams of cocaine, a quantity of prescription hydrocodone pills, over $1,100 in cash, and scales, packaging and other drug paraphernalia.

Johnson was arraigned in the Murray Town Court by Town Justice Theodore Spada. Johnson was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond. He is to return to Town Court on March 9 at 5 p.m.

Johnson faces further charges in Monroe County regarding criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminally using drug paraphernalia, the Task Force reported.

The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force executed the search warrant along with the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

Hawley seeks Assembly reforms, including term limits for leadership

Staff Reports Posted 5 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Assemblyman also wants cuts in taxes and regulations for small businesses

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) is supporting a comprehensive Assembly Rules Reform package aimed at greatly improving openness, transparency and accountability.

Hawley said this legislation cannot be delayed any longer in the wake of major scandals involving top house leadership.

“The people of New York deserve a higher standard of government,” Hawley said. “These reforms will stand in stark contrast to the sea of corruption we have seen over the past few years. The public is sick and tired of lies, backroom deals and the secrecy that has shrouded the Legislature for years. It is long past the time to shed some light on our internal workings.

“I have included my own proposal in this package that would mandate a two-thirds vote in the house to pass a message of necessity. This would prevent future abuses such as the SAFE Act from coming to the floor for a vote before proper debate and discussion has been initiated. I am calling on my Assembly colleagues across the aisle, who called for these very same proposals weeks ago, to stand with us today and bring this legislation to the floor for a vote.”

Hawley’s comments come after a press conference was held in Albany on Wednesday by Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R-Canandaigua) to introduce legislation to overhaul the Assembly’s rules. Highlights of the package include term limits for legislative leaders and committee chairs, and allowing each member of the Assembly to bring one piece of substantial legislation to the floor for a vote.

Hawley also wants to see tax cuts and fewer regulations for small businesses.

“As the owner and operator of a small business for many years, I know the amount of hard work and determination it takes to succeed in New York’s economic climate,” Hawley said. “Small businesses are the backbone of this nation and the driving force behind employment and economic growth, and are oftentimes family owned for generations.

“It is unfortunate that Gov. Cuomo and the Assembly leadership have, year after year, neglected to enact sweeping deregulation and tax cuts for small businesses to help them hire more employees and compete with larger corporations. My district is home to many small businesses and I will be sure to make their voices heard during this year’s budget negotiations.”

Hawley has received 100 percent ratings from the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) and Unshackle Upstate for his legislative votes during the 2013-14 year. Hawley also urged other legislators to sponsor and support the Small Business Full Employment Act.

“This legislation provides a comprehensive overhaul of how we regulate and tax small businesses,” Hawley said. “The bill focuses on cornerstones of economic growth such as tax cuts for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, repeal of the 18-A utility tax and tax credits for creating new jobs. I urge my Assembly colleagues to support this bill and help our businesses thrive in a less than ideal economic climate.”