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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 May 2014 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – There is no foul play in the death of a woman who was discovered today on property near the Orleans-Niagara BOCES in Medina. The woman resided on the property where she was found.
“There is no connection to the school,” said Orleans County Undersheriff Steve Smith. “It was an unattended death. Nothing suspicious.”
MEDINA – In 1914, when our picture was taken, William Gallagher of Medina owned this stone building where he rented wagons and carriages.
Likewise he did moving for hire as the signage indicates “moving vans.” This building which backs up to the canal now serves as the Butts-Clark American Legion Post in Medina.
Provided photo – The Medina Mustang Band poses in the nation’s capital after performing there last weekend.
Press release
Medina Mustang Band
The Medina Mustang Band traveled to Washington, DC from May 15-18 and competed in the Music in the Parks Festival.
Instead of numerical scores the band received ratings. Medina was rated “superior” in parade and wind ensemble and “excellent” in jazz. Jenna Brien was rated “best” jazz soloist. There were approximately 20 schools performing in this festival.
Band Directors Jim Steele and Cheri Pritchard stated that the students performed well and represented their school and community very well. The trip was a huge success and everyone had a wonderful time.
The directors want to publicly thank the chaperones and staff that made this trip a success. Without the chaperones, the Band Boosters, school administrators and staff, the band would not have been able to pull off this monumental trip.
The Mustangs look forward to performing their street show, “Crossing Abbey Road,” for the Medina community on Memorial Day. The next and last competition for the band will be at the Gorham Pageant of Bands on May 30-31.
Provided photo – Ben Miller and the Albion Marching Band perform last Saturday at Seneca Falls.
Press release
Albion Marching Band
ALBION – Mike Thaine has been involved with the high school marching band activity for his entire teaching career, but he says that in those 23 years he’s never experienced a spring like this one.
“The wet weather has been just impossible,” said the Albion High School band director. “Typically we like to move practices outdoors in late March, but this year, because of the seemingly constant rain, we actually had just one outside practice prior to the Lilac Parade.”
The students had the book (music) learned by the beginning of March, and the staff had taught each of the individual sections of drill in the gym prior to Spring Break. Thaine said that by the middle of April, they’d pretty much tapped-out the usefulness of the indoor facilities.
“There’s only so much you can with a marching band in the band room and gym, eventually you need to practice in a regulation-sized judging area. The rain really set us back.”
Luckily for the Purple Eagles, the May 10 Rochester Lilac Festival parade was just a “straight-through” performance, meaning that bands aren’t allowed to perform any kind of drill or formation changes and must maintain forward motion. And, it was an exhibition, rather than a competition. Those factors made that performance much easier to manage given the limited outdoor practice time.
Albion marches in the Lilac Festival parade each year, and uses it mainly as conditioning for their competitions and hometown performances. The Purple Eagles’ normal marching band program utilizes the “open class” or “5-minute rule.” This competition format allows for any formation and direction changes within the judging area, the only stipulation being a 5-minute time limit between the first note of music or movement and the last.
“It’s almost like a field show on the street, except you have the added element of making an entrance 150 feet down-street, developing the show left to right, progressing toward a logical exit from the 300’ judging area,” Thaine explained. “It’s not intended to be a ‘Park and Play,’ where bands simply march into the area, stop and play a song, then march away. There’s more to it than that. Judges look for a development of the whole show, from beginning to end, with drill that complements the musical program.”
Bands are judged on music performance, visual design and execution, and general effect.
The Albion Marching Band started their competition season off on the right foot by posting a win at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands this past Saturday. The Purple Eagles’ score of 93 was tops in the seven-band field, earning them the first place award in Open Class by more than 8 points. Also in competition were bands from Baldwinsville, Marcus Whitman, Moravia, Dundee, Marathon, and Mexico (NY).
The band’s 2014 program is titled “Heartbeats” and features loved-themed music. It opens with Queen’s “Can Anybody Find Me Somebody to Love?” before transitioning into “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi. The ballad is Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be In My Heart” from the Walt Disney motion picture “Tarzan.” This season’s closer is “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis Presley.
Apparently the crowd at Seneca Falls approved of the band’s performance as much as the judges did. Sophomore band member Zach Shaffer talked about a situation that happened to him after the competition.
“After the parade I went into the cafeteria to buy some pizza and the lady accepting money noticed my Albion Marching Band shirt and told me that we brought her to tears…so must be doing something right!”
The AHS Indoor Drumline also captured first place in their division. Albion next marches in Albion Memorial Day parade on Monday.
MEDINA – Almost one year later, Medina’s efforts to install interpretive signage throughout the Downtown Historic District are complete.
Jimmy Swain of The Print Shop in Medina installed the finished panels today, and the results are remarkable.
“This is one of the best projects I have ever been associated with,” said Chris Busch who headed up the project with the help of Ken Daluisio, owner of The Print Shop. “It’s been an absolute success and I think folks will be quite pleased with how they look – and they look simply fantastic.”
There are 11 signs placed throughout the district, each telling a chapter of Medina’s fascinating history with old photographs and written text. Busch said these signs will be invaluable to Medina’s tourism efforts.
“We see more and more visitors wandering Main Street, snapping photos and marveling at the architecture,” he said. “These panels will provide a much more meaningful experience for them and will keep visitors lingering in our business district.”
The sign bases were purchased through The Print Shop, which also donated the actual panels. Research, design and panel layout was done by Busch. The Medina DPW installed the bases.
Sponsors of the project include the Medina Business Association, Gabrielle and Andina Barone, Andrew Meier, ORG, Dave and Gail Miller, Hartway Motors, Rita Zambito/Zambito Realty, Medina Sandstone Trust, Marcia Tuohey, Chris and Cynthia Busch, and the Medina Fire Department.
LOCKPORT -The New York State Police in Lockport is requesting the assistance of the public in locating Catherine F. Ribbeck, 70, of Barker.
She is a white female, white hair, glasses, approximately 95 lbs, 4’6″ with a tattoo on her chest and is suffering from dementia. She left the Lockport area approximately 3 a.m. today.
She is operating a gold 2011 Chevrolet Malibu with Florida registration 030MCW. She recently moved from Mulberry, Florida in Polk County.
If located, contact New York State Police Lockport at (716) 434-5589.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2014 at 12:00 am
GOP candidate for governor says state is biggest enemy to business
Photos by Tom Rivers – Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, talks with reporters this afternoon after touring Precision Packaging Products in Holley. Astorino is the Republican candidate for governor against Andrew Cuomo.
Precision Packaging Products VP of Sales Steve Langdon, left, and Andrew Moreau (chief financial officer for Precision) show some of the plastic packaging the company makes for bakeries and the produce industry. Rob Astorino, second from right, toured the factory with State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, right.
Rob Astorino, front left, gets a tour of Precision Packaging Products from Steve Langdon, the company’s vice president of sales.
HOLLEY – Rob Astorino said the state’s high taxes, burdensome regulations and costly worker’s compensation in the state are causing an exodus of residents out of New York.
The Westchester County executive is making a more business-friendly state a focus in his run for governor against incumbent Andrew Cuomo.
Astorino made three stops in Orleans County today and he saw three success stories: Precision Packaging Products in Holley, Western New York Energy in Medina and the Olde Pickle Factory in Medina. The three have all made major investments in the county.
“They’re winning despite the odds,” Astorino said. “Businesses are begging for relief. New York is the worst in the country for taxes and corruption. The state policies that have been enacted are driving out residents and businesses.”
The state ranks 50th or dead last in taxes in the country, and Astorino said 400,000 New Yorkers have fled the state in the past three years.
“It’s no secret it’s very hard to do business here,” he said. “The state has become the enemy.”
New York needs to get its tax burden to be less than other Northeastern states, which are competitors for businesses and residents, Astorino said. Then NY needs to push to have its tax burden below Texas and North Carolina, he said.
At Precision Packaging the company has done four major expansions in Holley in 12 years. The company now has 110 employees and 180,000 square feet of space. The company was acquired in March by the Waddington Group in Kentucky. The new owner has the resources to grow Precision in Holley, perhaps doubling the workforce in the next five years, said Andrew Moreau, the company’s chief financial officer.
He said the state can be a challenge for the company, particularly working through the “maze” of worker’s compensation. But Holley has proven a good site for the company, providing lower-cost municipal electricity. The company has room to grow in Holley and the local workforce has stepped up to meet the company’s personnel needs, said Steve Langdon, the company’s vice president of sales.
Astorino has twice been elected as county executive in Westchester where Democrats are far in the majority. He said the county dropped unemployment, added jobs and is in a much stronger position now that he’s in his second term as county executive.
“In Westchester County we lowered taxes,” he said. “We went from losing to winning.”
“We’ve had a net job loss in Western New York,” he said. “I’ll ask Western New Yorkers: Do you think we’re winning?”
MURRAY – Emergency personnel were dispatched at about 7:45 this morning for a vehicle that crossed over Ridge Road in the Town of Murray.
A male, 30 years old, was traveling northbound on North Main Street Road (Route 237) under heavy fog conditions. When he approached the intersection, unaware of the stop sign due to visibility, he crossed over Ridge Road (Route 104) on to the property on the north side of the road.
The driver was able to maintain control, narrowly missing a vehicle and slightly damaging a barn before his vehicle rolled coming to a rest about 200 feet from the roadway.
The driver was evaluated by Monroe Ambulance at the scene, while members of the Holley Joint Fire District and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray District handled hazards caused from the crash. Stae Police handled the scene investigation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
SHELBY – I had to go Buffalo yesterday and on the way home and drove along some of the rural roads of Shelby. Here are a few highlights from the drive.
These ducks were in the road at the intersection of Bigford and Martin roads at dusk on Wednesday.
Telephone poles line Martin Road, which includes several picturesque barns.
Two birdhouses are attached to a tree on Edwards Road.
The leaves from a tree in the Millville Cemetery are in the foreground while bales of hay are lined up across the street on East Shelby Road.
The sun comes down over the bales of hay on East Shelby Road across from the Millville Cemetery.
The monument of Asa Hill is a prominent landmark in the Millville Cemetery and the East Shelby community. Hill served in the Civil War and returned to the community and became a prominent farmer.
The monument to Asa Hill looks towards Sanderson Road, where local lore says he keeps watch on the family farm.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Former State Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt, left, joined State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. George Maziarz for the unveiling of a sign this afternoon that notes Route 98 is the Genesee and Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway. Another sign near the Genesee-Wyoming border in Alexander will be unveiled Friday morning.
POINT BREEZE – A new sign, proclaiming Route 98 as the Genesee and Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway, was unveiled today near the Point Breeze exit off the Lake Ontario State Parkway.
Several veterans and local and state officials gathered for the unveiling of the sign near the entrance of the Orleans County Marine Park.
“It’s a great tribute to the veterans,” said State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
Another sign will be unveiled in Genesee County on Friday morning near the Genesee/Wyoming border. Hawley said he will push the state Department of Transportation to put up additional signs in Genesee and Orleans counties besides the first two.
State Sen. George Maziarz is pleased the signs are up before Memorial Day.
“We’re honoring the men and women who did not come home,” he said. “This is just a small way to say thank you.”
This is the second state route to be dedicated to veterans in Orleans County. Route 104 has signs in Jeddo and at the eastern edge of Murray declaring it as the American Legion Memorial Highway in Orleans County.
Paul Fulcomer, director of the Veterans Service Agency, said the designations are appreciated by veterans.
“It’s always nice to see a veterans’ memorial highway,” Fulcomer said.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley speaks at the dedication.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – It’s an exciting day for students at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School. Today a new playground opened.
After an opening ceremony, students joyfully played on new slides, swings, climbing apparatus and other playground equipment.
Students watched Titan from Gasport work on the project for about five weeks. The previous playground was about 20 years old. It was made of wood and tended to attract bees. The site also had poor drainage, which kept students off the site after a big rain.
Titan added new drainage, wood chips and the playground, which is a Game Time brand unit.
Elementary band students were given the first shot at playing on the new equipment. They performed at the dedication ceremony.
Rachel Curtin, principal of elementary school, uses a microphone to thank the contractors, community and school employees for working to make the project a reality. State Sen. George Maziarz also directed $67,800 to the district, which was used for the new playground.
Jen Ashbery, assistant elementary school principal, and District Superintendent Michael Bonnewell line up ambassadors from grades K through 2 classrooms to cut the ribbon for the new playground.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Albion DPW installed new American flags on Main Street and in the downtown today, as well as hanging banners for the Strawberry Festival on June 13-14.
Todd Sargent is pictured at right with the flag while Scott Bradshaw installs the banner.
The new flags – 50 in all – are being paid for with a fund-raiser by the Albion Main Street Alliance. The group is looking for “Friend of Flag” sponsors at $50 each. For more information contact AMSA members Kevin Lake at 331-6477 or Clifford Thom Sr. at 331-9831.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Several candidates running for Holley Village Board
HOLLEY – Skip Carpenter, a former Holley mayor and current village trustee, is challenging John Kenney, the incumbent, in the June 17 village election.
Carpenter is running under the Independent Party and Kenney is on the ballot under the Family Party.
The race for a two-year term as mayor highlights the election, but there are also five candidates seeking two trustee positions. The incumbents – David Dill under Citizens Party and Don Penna under Justice Party – face challengers Connie Nenni (Peoples Party), Kevin Lynch (Happy Party) and Shawn O’Mara (Taxpayer Party).
The election will be from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Office, 72 Public Square.
