By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
The statue of Mary on the sandstone base with a bronze plaque is a memorial for Orleans County residents who died in World War II. That statue is located in front of the Catholic rectory at the corner of Main and West Park streets.
ALBION – She has stood at the corner of Main and West Park streets for nearly seven decades, but most people may not realize the statue of Mary is part of a World War II Memorial.
The statue stands on a sandstone base with a bronze plaque that declares “For God and Country: In sacred memory of our soldiers and sailors who made the supreme sacrifice.”
The memorial was dedicated on May 25, 1947. It includes a verse from John 15:13:
“Greater love than this no one has, than one lay down his life for his friends.”
The back of the statue in the lower left corner bears the name Kaletta Studios, St. Louis, Missouri. It is marked as number 480 from 1947.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Phil Warne, a past commander for the American Legion in Albion, led the Memorial Day service in Albion in front of the middle school.
ALBION – The circular stone structure that serves as a flag holder and speaking platform in front of the Albion Middle School is actually a memorial that was erected in 1950 by the American Legion Sheret Post in Albion.
The memorial is dedicated to all veterans – “Heroes” – in World Wars from the central Orleans towns of Barre, Albion, Gaines and Carlton. It was built back when the middle school was the high school.
I didn’t realize it was a memorial until today. There is also a monument in front of that memorial to Vietnam Veterans from the community.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo courtesy of Thom Jennings – Thom Jennings of Albion and his son Thom Jr. both ran the Buffalo Marathon today, completing the 26.2-mile course.
BUFFALO – A year ago Thom Jennings and his son Thom Jr. finished the Buffalo Half Marathon together, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 11 minutes.
Today they both ran the full marathon, covering the 26.2-mile course. It was their second marathon together, after running the Rochester Marathon last September.
The elder Jennings, 47, finished the course in 4:45. His son, 25, crossed the finish line about 45 minutes later. The younger Jennings battled some intestinal issues, but he persevered and finished.
“He really gutted it out,” his father said.
The two have both lost a lot of weight the past two years and have used long-distance races as motivation to stay healthy and trim.
“Once you lose a lot of weight, it’s hard to keep it off,” said the elder Jennings, who lost 100 pounds in the past two years.
He works as a social worker in Rochester, and also as a freelance writer and concert promoter. His son works in the digital sales division for The Buffalo News. The younger Jennings has lost 60 pounds in the past 18 months. He is working on becoming a certified personal trainer.
The two want to try other endurance challenges, including a 10-mile Tough Mudder, which features obstacles along a muddy course.
The elder Jennings also is toying with the idea of running 50-mile race before he turns 50. He also is interested in helping to plan a long-distance run in Orleans County. He thinks it would pull runners from both Rochester and Buffalo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Clarendon is seeking state grant to help with restoration
File photos by Tom Rivers – The chapel at Hillside Cemetery was erected in 1894 from local Medina sandstone. The Clarendon Town Board and Historical Society is seeking $225,000 to help restore the building.
CLARENDON – It’s an iconic structure in the heart of Hillside Cemetery, but few people ever go inside the chapel that was constructed in 1894.
The structure will be open on Memorial Day from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and town officials and members of the Clarendon Historical Society hope the open house will kick off a fund-raising effort to restore the chapel, which needs masonry repairs, a new roof, and restoration to windows.
The town and historical society believe the building needs $225,000 in restoration work. The town, which owns the cemetery, is seeking a matching parks grant through the state. The Historical Society and town are trying to rally the local share to preserve the building.
Hillside Cemetery, located at the corner of Route 237 and South Holley Road, last year was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery with 3,500 graves is a distinctive example of a Victorian style cemetery on the west side of South Holley Road. That older section includes terraces and monuments that emphasize a sentimental Victorian attitude. Across the road on the east side the cemetery reflects the open lawn-park style.
The National Register listing should boost the town’s chances for securing funding for the chapel restoration. The Historical Society and town would like to use the building for community events in the future.
This photo was taken inside the chapel looking through one of the windows.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo and article by Tom Rivers
GAINES – John Proctor is often referred to by historians as the Paul Revere of Ridge Road. On a December night in 1813, he rode by horseback on the Ridge from Gaines to Clarkson to warn of the approach of British and the Indians after the burning of Lewiston.
The following morning he joined a regiment that was headed to Lewiston. The regiment would capture the enemy quartered at Molyneaux Tavern. A historical marker on a large stone shares the story of Proctor. The stone is on the south side of Ridge Road, a few houses west of the Route 98 intersection.
The marker was put up in 1935 by the State Education Department and the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is one of a series of historical markers along Ridge Road that were erected in the 1920s and ’30s.
The Proctor marker also notes that the site was once a primitive log cabin owned by Elijah Downer. When Gov. DeWitt Clinton passed through in 1810, looking at land for a possible Erie Canal, he stopped at the cabin for breakfast.
Today, Justin and Adrienne Kirby and their three children make their home on the property.
Here are links to previous articles about the historic markers along the Ridge:
WATERPORT – In this picture from a photographic post card we see a view of the railroad crossing at Waterport in 1911.
The produce business of George D. Thompson is most prominent. Painted in large letters we see “Apples, Beans and Wheat Wholesale & Commission.” On the side of the building facing the tracks is painted: “The Home of Good Coal.”
In the center of our photo is a flagman’s shanty at this RR crossing with two men sitting by it.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Dan Capurso unveils the sign for Gilbert Creek by Ridge Road in the town of Gaines.
The creek runs about 6.5 miles from near Brown Road northeast to Marsh Creek in Carlton.
GAINES – A painted wooden sign was unveiled at about noon today. “Gilbert Creek” is on the sign by Ridge Road, next to the Gaines Carlton Community Church.
The sign and the name of the creek honors a woman from more than 200 years ago, the first settler on Ridge Road in Orleans County. Elizabeth Gilbert and her husband built their cabin in 1807. Mr. Gilbert died soon after they settled, and his wife was lef to raise a family and make a life in the wilderness of the Niagara frontier.
State Sen. George Maziarz, right, addresses a group on the lawn next to the Gaines Carlton Community Church near the spot where the Gilbert family built a cabin more than 200 years ago.
She stayed for two years with her children, and helped other settlers. She let them stay in her cabin while she helped build a cabin for at least one pioneer family. She used her oxen to haul wagon loads of timber for the cabin.
Al Capurso admires the grit of the pioneer settlers in Orleans County. In early 2013 he and his son Kenny noticed a creek along Brown Road in Gaines. They followed its path across Ridge Road and to Carlton. It flows 6.5 miles northeast and connects with Marsh Creek about 2.4 miles south of Lake Ontario.
Capurso did some research and realized the stream that starts by Brown Road didn’t have a name. He wanted the waterway to honor Elizabeth Gilbert. It took a year of lining up local support, and gaining permission from the federal Bureau of Geographic Names. The agency on April 10 formally approved the naming request.
Al Capurso and his son Dan performed four songs today in honor of Elizabeth Gilbert and the pioneer settlers of Orleans County.
“Today, we dedicate this creek to the pioneering efforts and spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert, the Gilbert family and the town of Gaines,” Capurso said at a ceremony on the church lawn next to the creek.
Capurso not only did the research and pressed the government officials for the creek naming, he also made the sign. He thinks it blends in with the historic corridor on Ridge Road. The Cobblestone Society Museum is down the road to the west.
Capurso and his family were praised by town, county and state officials for their efforts.
“There is no better title than a citizen who loves his community, who respects his community,” said State Sen. George Maziarz.
The state senator admitted he had never heard of the federal Bureau of Geographic Names until Capurso launched his effort. Maziarz commended him for working through the bureaucracy to get the creek named for one of the county’s pioneers.
Town Historian Delia Robinson said pioneers often don’t get much appreciation from today’s residents, with women even getting less attention from historians. She noted the settlers looked for land that was “high and dry” and near water so they had the resource readily available for cooking and cleaning.
“When the settlers came it was just wilderness,” Robinson said. “There were no neighbors, there was no village, there were no stores.”
Town Supervisor Carol Culhane, Cobblestone Museum Co-Director Matt Ballard and County Legislator Fred Miller all spoke at the dedication.
“It’s wonderful to have someone from the community do this kind of effort,” Miller said. “It adds another attribute that people can look at when they come see the Cobblestone Museum.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Shelby leads for fire training; Lyndonville tops for EMS
File photo by Tom Rivers – Firefighters from Barre, Shelby and Ridgeway trained last October to douse a tanker on fire at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company.
Firefighters in Orleans County topped 9,000 hours of training for fire and emergency medical services last year.
The fire companies and departments were recognized for their efforts during the
Fire Chief’s Association meeting this past Monday at the Barre Fire Company. The County Legislature this Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. will recognize the fire company or department with the most fire and EMS hours.
The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company led the county with 1,163 fire training hours. The Lyndonville Fire Department had the most EMS training hours with 750.
County-wide there were 6,918 fire training hours and 2,589 EMS hours. A husband and wife from Fancher-Hulberton-Murray had the most individual training hours.
Gary Sicurella of FHM completed 217 total fire training hours and his wife Tracey Sicurella completed 192 EMS training hours.
Here are the training hours for each fire company or department: Albion, 563 for fire and 20 for EMS; Barre, 729 for fire and 399 for EMS; Carlton, 337 for fire and 196 for EMS; Clarendon, 410 for fire and 147 for EMS; Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance, 10 for EMS; East Shelby, 216 for fire and 390 for EMS; Fancher-Hulberton-Murray, 782 for fire and 503 for EMS;
Holley, 586 for fire and 40 for EMS; Kendall, 726 for fire and 42 for EMS; Lyndonville, 593 for fire and 750 for EMS; Medina, 227 for fire and 0 for EMS; Ridgeway, 586 for fire and 32 for EMS; Shelby, 1,163 for fire and 60 for EMS.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – American flags have been placed on the graves of veterans at Lynhaven Cemetery in Lyndonville.
The community will honor veterans with parades and services throughout Orleans County on Monday.
In Albion, a parade begins at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Main and State streets. The parade will go south on Main Street before turning east on Route 31 and ending at the front lawn of the Albion Middle School, where a service will follow the parade.
In Holley, a ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at the American Legion with a parade then starting at 10 a.m. It will go from the Legion and continue to the VFW on Veterans Drive. After the VFW, veterans will lay wreaths at Holley cemeteries.
In Lyndonville, a parade begins at 9 a.m. on Lake Avenue at the parking lot of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and continues to Main Street where it ends by the library at the Village Park.
In Medina, a parade begins at 11 a.m. on Park Avenue by the Olde Pickle Factory. It continues to State Street Park where a ceremony will follow. Both the VFW and American Legion will serve lunch following the ceremony.
File photo by Tom Rivers – Genesee Community College’s main campus is pictured here in Batavia.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College will raise tuition by $75 per semester as part of a $38.70 million budget approved last week by the college’s Board of Trustees.
Full-time college students would see their tuition rise from $1,850 per semester to $1,925. Tuition for part-time students will increase by $5 per credit hour, from $150 to $155. The college’s technology fee also will increase from $25 to $50 per semester for full-time students, and a new Academic Support Fee will be $25 per semester for full-time students.
Both fees help the College maintain the quality of academic technology and instructional support services to students, said President James Sunser. The majority of Genesee students will see the increases covered by their financial assistance packages, and Genesee remains one of the most affordable colleges in the SUNY system, Sunser said.
GCC operates campus centers in Albion and Medina, as well as the main campus in Batavia and centers in Wyoming and Livingston counties.
The college’s budget maintains staffing at current levels and provides for anticipated increases in the cost of heating and lighting, other building-related costs, and contractually obligated salary and wage increases.
The budget also assumes New York State “base aid” at $2,497 per full-time-equivalent student. While the New York State Legislature and Governor approved this figure for 2014-2015, it is almost 7 percent less than the $2,675 GCC received five years ago.
The college is asking Genesee County, the host county, to increase its sponsorship support by $500,000 to $2.53 million. Sunser said that there is increased interest throughout the SUNY system in creating “regional” community colleges instead of locally-sponsored colleges, and that increasing sponsor support may help preserve local sponsorship as well as saving Genesee County money over the long term.
“We are committed to maintaining our position as one of the nation’s great community colleges, but we face declining state support, increased inflation, and a tighter regulatory environment,” Sunser said. “Putting together a budget that combines programmatic excellence, fiscal conservatism, and affordability for students is indeed a challenge.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 May 2014 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – A state arts grant will provide $2,500 to the Lake Plains Players to help with the costs of putting on a musical in the fall. The group last October performed Les Miserables. One of the classic songs from the musical includes ‘The Innkeeper’s Song’ (Master of the House).
BATAVIA – The new round of state grants for concerts and art projects includes funding for a new canal concert series in Albion and other projects in the county.
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council announced the Decentralization Regrant recipients for 2014 in Genesee and Orleans Counties, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts.
GO ART! received 27 applications for the Reach Grant Program for total requests of $65,696. With $41,600 available, 26 of the applicants were awarded grants.
In Orleans County, the awards include:
$2,000 to Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in medina for the Finally Fridays Music Series.
$1,500 for Yates Community Library for More Than Just Books Music Series.
$1,200 to the Lyndonville Lions Club for Concert Fun for the Summer.
$4,000 to World Life Institute for Voices from the Earth – pottery program.
$2,500 to Lake Plains Players for its production of “Follies” in October.
$1,510 for the “A Tale for Three Counties” community reading project.
$800 to the Village of Albion for a new concert series by the canal.
$775 to Hoag Library for Art for Youth: Acrylics.
$500 to the Cobblestone Society Museum for “Stories at the Cobblestone.”
GO ART! also approved a $2,000 grant for artist Stacey Kirby to work with Holley first graders to create a mural for the school.
LYNDONVILLE – Students were given a sobering message this morning at Lyndonville Central School, a day before the prom.
Some Lyndonville students teamed with local firefighters and police to simulate a crash in the parking lot due to a drunk driver. Firefighters, police and the school district wanted to remind students of the deadly dangers of drunk driving with prom season and graduation parties just around the corner.
Lyndonville students in the simulated crash wore makeup so their faces and shirts appeared bloodied. Firefighters tore apart the vehicles to get access to the students, who were then removed by stretcher and taken away in an ambulance.
