By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Several groups are out today picking up trash and doing other beautification efforts along the Erie Canal in Orleans County, part of a state-wide effort to clean the towpath and canal.
The top photo shows Guy Eaton, left, and Pete Crandall of the Sons of the American Legion in Medina. They are spreading mulch by the Glenwood Avenue lift bridge next to the Legion.
Gary Hill, another Son of the Legion, picks up garbage by the canal. His son Dan also helped with the effort. The Sons are collecting trash along the Towpath at the Glenwood Avenue Bridge to the Bates Road boat launch.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Ryan Earl, a friend of Paulie Lauricella, is pictured with Paulie’s father Paul Lauricella during a celebration and benefit for Paulie today at the Lyndonville fire hall.
LYNDONVILLE – “Love.” That’s how Ryan Earl describes one of his best friends, Paulie Lauricella.
“Paulie had a very big impact on everybody,” Earl said.
Lauricella was 24 when he died on Jan. 15. He was on his way to work as a machinist at Brunner in Medina when he hit black ice at 6:30 a.m. on East Yates Center Road, lost control of his vehicle and then hit a tree.
The community responded with a vigil on Jan. 19 in his honor. Paulie’s family has received home-cooked meals from community members and many cards expressing condolences. Today, from 1 to 5 p.m. Earl organized a celebration and benefit in honor of Lauricella at the fire hall.
Proceeds will go towards an etching on his mausoleum in Lynhaven Cemetery. Earl and Paulie’s father, Paul Lauricella, also would like to establish a scholarship in honor of Paulie. The scholarship would go to a graduating senior who loved his or her classmates the most, who was a loyal friend, Earl said.
“People don’t get commended for being righteous,” Earl said.
During low times in his life, Earl said he could always count on acceptance and encouragement from Paulie.
“He had a very big impact on everybody,” Earl said. “I wouldn’t be the husband or father I am today without him.”
Paulie’s death has been difficult on his friends and family. Paul Lauricella worked with his son in a business where they bought vintage vehicles that were beyond restoration and sold off the parts. Paulie was good at negotiating, at buying the vehicles and then working with buyers interested in parts.
“He could talk to anybody,” his father said.
Paulie and Paul Lauricella are pictured last summer with a 1940 Buick Special. The father and son worked together buying vintage vehicles. The younger Lauricella also was a machinist at Brunner in Medina.
Paulie is the youngest of Lauricella’s four children. Paulie would bring dinner to his parents on Friday nights and would then watch wrestling with his father.
Mr. Lauricella would hear from the parents of Paulie’s friends about how he would always shake hands with the fathers and hug the mothers. Paulie was sought out for advice by his many friends.
“He was an amazing kid and I miss him terribly,” Mr. Lauricella said. “He was friends with everybody. He accepted everybody and that’s why people loved him.”
Mr. Lauricella is vice chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party. He had been a frequent presence at local government meetings, especially the County Legislature. Lauricella would rail against government spending and often was critical of the local officials.
He received cards from all seven legislators after his son died, and some made memorial donations to the library in honor of his son. Other community members have reached out to him and his family, and Lauricella thanked them all for their support.
“This has completely changed my outlook how people will rally around you,” Mr. Lauricella said. “My son would always say you need to ‘Pay it forward’ down the road and I intend to. I understand how all humanity hurts when something like this happens.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2014 at 12:00 am
More than 100 re-enactors at GCC campus for programs
File photos by Tom Rivers – Re-enactors march down Main Street in Medina during a parade last April. They will be back for another parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The parade ends at Boxwood Cemetery.
MEDINA – The re-enactors have returned, more than 100 of them and they will put on demonstrations about the Civil War, everything from cooking to mock battling with canons and guns.
They are in town from today until Sunday. The group will march down Medina’s Main Street in parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The parade starts at the fire hall and will end at Boxwood Cemetery, where there will be a memorial ceremony honoring Medina’s Civil War soldiers.
GCC had a Civil War Encampment at its Lima campus in 2012 and moved it to Medina last year. The big community turn out and participation from the Medina Sandstone Society, Orleans Renaissance Group, Medina Historical Society and other groups impressed Derek Maxfield, a GCC professor and coordinator of the encampment.
“I was struck by the response in Medina,” Maxfield told Orleans County legislators in a presentation on Wednesday. “We were overwhelmed with support from the community. There is something special about Orleans County.”
Maxfield met many community members who have worked to preserve buildings and local heritage. That prompted him to push for the creation of a Heritage Heroes award. The first five honorees will be recognized at 7 p.m. at GCC in Medina today. The public is welcome to that event.
“It’s a way to say, ‘Thank you,’ to these people who have worked incredibly hard,” Maxfield said. “You don’t see that level of concern in other communities for old buildings and cemeteries.”
Re-enactors will stage mock battles at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the GCC campus in Medina.
Here is a press release from GCC about the lineup of events over the next three days:
Several new activities, awards and events are part of this year’s program, including a visit by acclaimed Civil War filmmaker Ron Maxwell and a screening of his film “Copperhead.”
Friday has been designated as Education Day at the Encampment. Open exclusively to students from local school districts, a series of exhibits will help the students learn about life during the Civil War, including medical tools, military artifacts and a live demonstration of the cooking from that era. The students will have an opportunity to recite Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address to their peers.
At 7 p.m. on Friday, Encampment organizers will present the first Orleans County Heritage Heroes Awards. These awards will recognize Orleans County residents who are tireless advocates in preserving local history.
The public is invited to Breakfast with the Generals at 9 a.m. Saturday. Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet, and Union General Ulysses S. Grant will meander through downtown Medina restaurants, meeting and shaking hands with the local residents as they stroll about. Abraham Lincoln is also expected to make an appearance just in time for the start of the Medina Parade which begins at 10 a.m.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors can attend a Genealogy Workshop, listen to a Fife and Drum concert, tour Union and Confederate Camps or meet Generals Lee, Longstreet, and Grant.
From 1 to 2 p.m., author Bill Kauffman of Elba will appear in the Central Tent with filmmaker Ron Maxwell. Kauffman wrote the screenplay for Maxwell’s film “Copperhead,” the third of his Civil War films, which also include “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals.” The film “Copperhead” will be shown inside the Medina Campus Center from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
Both Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. re-enactors will engage in mock combat battle for approximately an hour.
“These battles are truly representative of those that occurred during the Civil War,” said Encampment coordinator and GCC assistant history professor Derek Maxfield. “Re-enactors go to great lengths to be authentic in their dress, their weapons as well as their actions. It’s definitely something to see.”
David Kreutz, an Abraham Lincoln presenter from Depew, shows over-sized pennies to people at the Civil War encampment in Medina last April.
Visitors can also enjoy seeing more formal attire when Donna LaValle gives a presentation on Victorian fashion Saturday afternoon. The public is welcome to don late 19th century dress and enjoy the Victorian Cotillion in the Central Tent from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday. City Fiddle, a Buffalo group, will be performing period music in costume.
“This group is particularly good and always a favorite among the re-enactors,” said Maxfield. Saturday’s events close at 10 p.m.
Confederate chaplain Sava Toufexis will lead a Civil War era religious service Sunday morning at 9 a.m. in the Central Tent. Additional talks and demonstrations are planned throughout the day including:
Tom Schobert portraying General Robert E. Lee
Adam Tabelski “Col. Edwin Franklin Brown: A Life of Service”
Prof. Garth Swanson “Pirates or Patriots: The Confederate Navy and the American Naval Tradition”
Dr. Spencer Annabel “Battlefield Medical Practices”
The Encampment closes at 4 p.m. Sunday.
“We have a really exciting schedule of activities again this year and we look forward to the same great crowds we enjoyed last year,” said Maxfield.
GCC’s Medina Campus Center is located at 11470 Maple Ridge Rd., Medina, New York 14103.
Photos by Sue Cook – The following were recognized as Heritage Heroes on Friday at GCC during the Civil War Encampment, from left: Bill Lattin, Matthew Ballard, Chris Busch, Robert Waters (also accepting for Craig Lacey), and Clarendon Town Historian Melissa Ierlan (accepting on behalf of Erin Anheier).
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
MEDINA – Five Orleans County residents were honored in the inaugural class of Heritage Heroes on Friday night. The ‘Heroes’ included a lifetime achievement award for Bill Lattin, the county historian who has been active in many preservation projects at the Cobblestone Society Museum, Mount Albion Cemetery and many other local efforts.
“Not only are they deserving, they are worth of emulation,” said Derek Maxfield, a GCC history professor who served on the Heritage Heroes Committee. “The concentration of people here that are worried about history and heritage is remarkable.”
Maxfield pushed to recognize local residents who have saved buildings, cared for cemeteries, and fought to change a culture that often prefers demolition over restoration.
The Heritage Heroes were presented framed certificates, and citations from State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Sen. George Maziarz. County Legislator Bill Eick presented the award winners with citations from the County Legislature.
Robert Waters received an award for being active in the Medina community with the repurposing of the Medina Armory and the founding of the Medina Sandstone Society. He has committed to many efforts to bring history into the present.
“They say you can’t live in the past,” Waters said. “That’s a lot of baloney.”
Waters wants the community to look to the past for inspiration about boldness and courage. This should be a push for people to reflect and want to make the present even better.
Waters also accepted an award on Craig Lacy’s behalf, as Lacy was unable to attend. Lacy has been an active participant in Medina as well, including his term as former president and current vice president of the Medina Historical Society. He also compiled a book of articles written by former Medina Village Historian Russell J. Waldo entitled “Medina’s Hitching Post Days.”
“I don’t think anybody can appreciate the hundreds and maybe thousands of hours it took him to produce the thick volumes of columns Mr. Waldo did many years ago. Craig pulled this out of nowhere and brought it to life,” Waters said.
Matthew Ballard of Albion accepted his award for his genealogical support of the Polish community. A noteworthy achievement is his creation of a Polish genealogy website – Albionpolonia.com. Ballard wanted to highlight the contributions of the Polish community.
Ballard said he never expected to be recognized for his work. “For me it’s always been a labor of love.”
Erin Anheier was also unable to attend the evening’s event. In her place, Clarendon Town Historian Melissa Ierlan accepted the award. She explained that Anheier found her love of history through her family, especially her mother.
Anheier has helped Clarendon to see the importance of its history through its buildings and was able to get a few listed on the National Register, including her cobblestone home, the Old Stone Store and Hillside Cemetery.
Chris Busch is also an advocate of historic preservation. He has been a part of the Bent Opera House restoration, as well as St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. He has worked to keep Medina’s historical character.
He serves as chairman of Medina’s Planning Board, which has set policy for preserving the character of the historic downtown business district.
Chris Busch, left, is recognized by GCC Dean Jim Simon.
Busch recalled that he was fascinated in school learning about World War II and when his father found out, he told Busch “I was there.” That real connection to history was driven home to Busch/ He said he appreciated what he learned even more and knows that it is a part of his own personal history.
“This is truly humbling to be honored for something that is simply me,” he said.
Lastly, Orleans County Historian Bill Lattin was surprised with an award for his services. Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers explained Lattin’s ability to find the extraordinary ordinary in front of all of us.
Lattin commits to spreading history wherever he goes and encourages the community, including students, to get involved in the preservation, whether it is buildings, photographs or stories.
“Those who forget the past have no future,” Lattin said, quoting his father, a former county historian.
The Heritage Heroes have given the community something to strive for in their own lives. Whether it is simply cleaning up a neighborhood or preserving old photographs, Orleans County has role models for improving our lives through the remembrance of our past.
Contributed Story Posted 25 April 2014 at 12:00 am
57 trees to be planted along Gwinn Street
Provided photos
Medina elementary students were a part of a tree planting and an Arbor Day celebration this morning.
Medina Mayor Andrew Meier joined students in the celebration of trees. The National Arbor Day Foundation has given Medina a “Tree City Growth Award” and has designated the community a “Tree City USA” for its commitment to planting trees every year.
The village is planting 57 trees on Gwinn Street. This photo shows some of the trees lined up and ready to be planted. The trees will go north of the driveway leading to the middle school all the way to James Street.
The village’s Tree Board added two new varieties this year: Parrotia persica ‘Vanessa’ Persian Ironwood and Acer tartaricum ‘Rugged Charm’ Tartarian Maple.
Other varieties include: Acer miyabei ʻMortonʼ State Street maple, Maclura pomifera ʻWhite Shieldʼ or ʻWichitaʼ, Zelkova serrata ʻGreen Vaseʼ Zelkova, Acer tartaricum ‘Rugged Charm’, Acer truncatum x A. platanoides ʻPacific Sunsetʼ maple, Parrotia persica Persian Ironwood, Gleditisia triancanthos ʻImperialʼ Honeylocust, Celtis occidentalis Hackberry, and Platanus x acerifolia London Plane ‘Exclamation.’
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Editorial: Villages and towns shoulder burden of beautification, but county keeps revenue
This is a rendering of a statue for a bronze quarryman that is eyed for downtown Albion in Waterman Park, about a half block south of the Erie Canal. Bill Koch of the Stone Art Memorial Company created the design for the statue.
Orleans County officials could learn from the state when it comes to sharing revenue.
About a decade ago the state allowed video gaming machines at race tracks. The sites have been big money-makers for the state, but Albany was smart not to hoard all of the cash.
Initially, the state talked about keeping 70 percent of the profits from the gaming sites. But that left the operators with too little money to fully staff the sites, market the gaming machines and also keep up their facilities, particularly in a competitive gambling industry with nearby Native American-owned casinos.
The state relented. Its share is currently 41 percent of profits at sites such as Batavia Downs, which ended the state fiscal year with a net revenue of $47.1 million in 2013-14. The state collected $19.3 million of that.
The Downs gets 25 percent as for an “agent commission” or nearly $12 million. That is more than enough to cover its costs.
The state also dictated that 10 percent of net revenue or $4.71 million be used for marketing. The state Lottery mandates video gaming sites spend marketing money to bring in customers and better compete with the Indian-owned casinos. Some of that money was used by the Downs to hire Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas as an ambassador.
The state also is forcing the operators to set aside 4 percent of the profits for capital improvements. That is about $1.8 million annually at Batavia Downs. That requirement is a big reason why the Downs is undergoing a $27 million expansion and renovation. It no longer feels like an old race track.
Why do I bring this up? In Orleans County we take in about $15 million a year for our share of the sales tax. The state also gets about $15 million in sales for taxable transactions in the county.
The County Legislature decides how to divvy up the $15 million local share. In some counties, the county government will keep half of the money and give the rest with cities, towns and villages. That helps those municipalities fund their government services and ease the burden on property taxes.
That’s how it’s done in Genesee County, which brings in about $38 million in sales tax a year. The county isn’t much bigger than Orleans – 60,000 people in Genesee compared to about 42,000 in Orleans.
Orleans keeps about 92 percent of the total local share. It gives $1,366,671 to the towns and villages. That $1,366,671 hasn’t changed since 2001, when the Legislature chose to freeze the portion to the villages and towns.
File photos by Tom Rivers
A walking trail and pedestrian bridge has been proposed by the Glenwood Lake Commission near the Medina Waterfalls but the project hasn’t moved forward.
I’ve written before about how the county should give more money to the towns and villages, especially the villages which are dense population centers with lots of needs and government services. Many of the businesses that generate the sales tax are also in the villages.
I don’t think the county will give more to the villages or towns. That’s what they’ve told me. In fact, they sometimes threaten to zero out the towns and villages. I don’t see much hope for more money.
I’ve been personally involved in some community projects, whether trying to establish a Sandstone Trail along Route 31 or have a bronze statue erected of a quarryman in downtown Albion. These are in their infancy. Money is always an issue.
I know other people have proposed projects that would draw people to the county, boosting our sales tax. One proposal has been on the shelf for five years. The Glenwood Lake Commission proposed a walking trail to the Medina Waterfalls with a pedestrian bridge crossing the Oak Orchard River upstream near Glenwood Lake. Full development of that would be about $2 million. The state could pay 75 percent of the project with a successful grant application, but you still have a local share and ongoing maintenance.
The Albion Recreation Committee would like a spray park at Bullard, but it seems cost prohibitive for the village. The spray park would draw people from around the county, and outside our borders.
There are other projects – from murals to more attractive welcome signs – that could give our community a little more luster.
If you look at community development projects locally, the burden for getting it done rests almost entirely on a town or village. Those municipalities could invest big money into drawing more people here, yet they wouldn’t see an increase in sales tax benefits. That would go to the county, which isn’t investing in these type of projects off county land.
I would suggest setting aside a measly 1 percent of the total sales tax – that’s $150,000 of the $15 million – and directing it to capital improvements in villages and towns. This wouldn’t be basic infrastructure, such as streets and municipal buildings, but at sites that could draw folks to the area (could be parks or canal facilities, for example). That 1 percent is probably too low, but it could be a starting point.
The county should establish a committee with representation from the four villages and 10 towns. The county could take another lesson from the state’s playbook in making the awards competitive, with money going to the best projects.
Gov. Cuomo and the Legislature established Regional Economic Development Councils and communities have to present projects and make their case for funding each year. The state wants to see jobs and economic development from projects.
A float heads down a packed Medina Main Street for the Holiday Parade of Lights on Nov. 30. The village of Medina and Medina Business Association are the chief organizers of the event, which draws thousands into the community. Local towns, villages and service clubs do the heavy lifting with planning and running local festivals that draw crowds to the community.
The state has funded many heritage trails and tourism projects, believing they help stir commerce, especially in smaller towns. But you still need that local match and the Orleans communities haven’t been going after these type of grants. But if the county dedicated some of the sales tax for that local match, some of the projects could go forward because the villages and towns wouldn’t have to bear the full local cost.
If the county established a sales tax committee, the $150,000 should go to the projects with the most potential to bring in people and help drive sales to businesses.
Going back to the video gaming and the 10 percent marketing requirement, the county should also set aside 1 percent of the sales tax for marketing and special events.
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina puts on a popular concert series during the winter. Here, 150 people watch the band Pocket Change on Jan. 10.
I was struck by the crowd last January at a “Finally Fridays” concert at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina. There were 150 people there on a bitterly cold night. The library puts on the concerts with little to no support from the county. Yet those concerts get people out of their houses. The concert-goers use gas, and many likely go out for dinner. Those concerts create commerce and sales tax.
The $150,000 for marketing could be used to help fund concert series, festivals and other special events. If you look at the current staple of festivals, most are organized by villages, towns, service clubs or other volunteers. They put a lot of time and money into it, and those events make money for the county.
The committee could direct how to best divvy up the marketing and special events dollars.
With 1 percent for capital projects and 1 percent for marketing and special events, the county would be giving up $300,000 total. But I bet they would see a solid return on that investment with more sales tax. That’s better odds than at Batavia Downs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Volunteers are welcome to help clean up the canal this weekend in advance of its opening on May 3 for its 190th season.
HOLLEY – In Holley, volunteers should meet at gazebo on East Avenue at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The village encourages people to wear gloves, and leather shoes or boots. Children under 12 can not operate machinery and must be accompanied by an adult. The clean up event lasts until noon.
The Kendall Masonic Lodge also is planning a cleanup at Holley’s canal park. Masons will be there at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Volunteers will split up into two groups and walk the towpaths on both sides of the canal, heading east gathering trash and debris.
Volunteers conclude at the County Line Bridge (Route 31) where there is a collection site at the boat launch.
ALBION – The Orleans County Snowdrifters plan to meet at the Eagle Harbor lift bridge at 9 a.m. on Saturday and clean rubbish along the canal to Bates Road in Medina and to Groth Road in Holley.
MEDINA – The Sons of the American Legion will meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday to rake, trim and mulch the garden at Glenwood Avenue bridge approach. They will also collect trash along the Towpath at the Glenwood Avenue Bridge to the Bates Road boat launch.
The Medina Lions Club will have its Environmental Cleanup Day from 9 a.m. to noon on May 3, cleaning up the public parks in the Medina area, including the Medina Erie Canal Basin, Lions Park located along the canal, Butts Park, and State Street Park.
Volunteers will clean up trash, rake up debris, trim bushes and prepare flower beds in the identified places. They will work from 9 a.m. until noon. The Lions Club will then provide a picnic lunch for all volunteers.
HOLLEY – Shown here are members of the girls basketball team for Holley High School in 1923-1924.
It’s interesting to note they stood on the front steps of St. Mary’s Church for this picture.
Front row, from left: Mildred Ventriss “Cicero”, center; Ferne Wilson “Bozo”, guard (captain); Ruth Cole “Cashi”, sub – side center; and Evelyn Robinson “Bolzy”, forward.
Top row: Dorothy Neidert “Darcy”, forward; Louise Wilson “Louise”, guard; Doris Cole “Dor”, coach; Georgia Smith “Fat”, side center (manager); and Anita Brockway “Neat”, sub – forward.
File photo by Tom Rivers – The Cobblestone Society Museum has been awarded a grant to fix the roof on the Cobblestone Universalist Church, a building from 1834 that is part of the museum near the intersection of routes 98 and 104.
Press release
Cobblestone Society Museum
Last week Cobblestone Museum board president Susan Rudnicky received word from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) that the museum was approved for a $6, 100 grant toward the roof repair of the Cobblestone Church.
“Seeking funding to maintain and preserve the historic structures at the Cobblestone Museum is always a challenge,” stated Rudnicky. “This year we were fortunate to receive funding from several sources and the recent news about the DAR Special Projects Grant means that we will be moving ahead on our roof repair project.”
Other funding sources for the roof project include the Sacred Sites program, the Curtis Foundation, and a charitable bequest by Merwin “Tyke” Staines. Former museum director C.W. Lattin recalled that Tyke was a volunteer at the museum since the 1990s and he was always willing to help when and where needed. Tyke often worked in the gift shop and took care of minor repairs around the properties according to Lattin.
Lattin, whose father helped establish the Cobblestone Museum, also held several local folklore storytelling events to raise funds for the roof repair. As an active board member and docent for the museum, Lattin regularly explains to visitors, “The Cobblestone Church is one of the foremost historic sites in our region and we are committed to preserving and investing in our historic properties for future generations to appreciate.”
Built in 1834, the Cobblestone Church is the oldest cobblestone church in North America and is the cornerstone of the museum complex in Gaines. The Cobblestone Society Museum was established in 1960 to collect and disseminate information on the unique form of cobblestone masonry construction that grew in popularity in the forty years prior to the Civil War. This form of masonry is found primarily in New York State and the resource center at the museum serves as the North American center for education on cobblestone buildings.
The grant received from the DAR is part of the Special Grants program that provides financial support to local community projects which exemplify the Society’s three mission areas – historic preservation, education and patriotism. As regent of the local DAR chapter that endorsed the application request, Patrice Birner remarked, “The Orleans Daughters wholeheartedly support this project. We recognize the importance of preserving this National Historic Landmark which draws visitor to Orleans County and the Western New York region.”
Museum leaders anticipate the project to be completed by the end of the summer.
HOLLEY – The Holley Central School District has been awarded $441,000 in the first year of a multi-year federal grant called the Carol White Physical Education (PEP) grant. This grant promotes both physical fitness and nutrition.
Monies provided by the grant will enable the district to focus on after-school, Saturday, and summer recreation and nutrition-based activities involving partnerships with the Holley Recreation Program, the Orleans County Cooperative Extension, Orleans County Mental Health and the district’s own food service vendor, Personal Touch.
This is the second time Holley Central has been awarded the PEP grant. The last time was in 2003 when the district received $392,000 for its “Holley Achieves Wellness and Knowledge” initiative which focused on fitness and life-time activities.
“The link between good nutrition, physical fitness and academic performance cannot be denied,” said Holley District Superintendent Robert D’Angelo. “There is no doubt about it – these are the factors that impact student success and that’s why we pursue opportunities like this so aggressively. We operate on a philosophy that requires us to continually find ways to supplement taxpayer’s dollars in meaningful ways and that’s why we do so with special emphasis on fitness and nutrition. These are the things that greatly matter when it comes to academic success.”
Holley recently received a three-year General Mills grant which helped the district fund a new fitness test called the Fitnessgram. This test will help the district fulfill the evaluation phase of the Pep Grant.
“We are moving in the right direction and teaching students about fitness and nutrition in a way that sticks with them and influences their choices so they’re getting the nutrition and fitness they need to succeed,” said Lisa Campbell, Health and Physical Education chairperson at Holley Central. “Without our superintendent’s support and knowledge in nutrition and fitness to improve learning, we would not have succeeded in receiving this grant.”
Once the PEP money is received later this year, the district will begin to implement programs outlined in its application program which was entitled “Fit 4 U”. The “Fit 4 U” program will serve approximately 1,200 students in Pre-K through grade 12 for up to three years. Programs will take place at Holley Elementary School and the Middle School/High School and will focus on increasing students’ daily activity as well as their consumption of fruits and vegetables.
“Our goal is to keep building on past successes, one after the other, so we can continually move forward,” added D’Angelo. “Thanks to dedicated staff like Lisa Campbell who spearheaded this effort, we are making great strides in positively impacting student success.”
MEDINA – The former Pizza Hut is on its last legs after a steady demolition this past month. Construction is expected to start almost immediately on the new 4,000-square-foot building that will be a women’s health center for United Memorial Medical Center.
Developer Chad LaCivita will own the new building that will be leased to UMMC. The site should be ready for UMMC to move into in late July, said Colleen Flynn, UMMC director of community relations.
UMMC provides obstetrics, gynecological care and other health services. The new building will be close to the eastern side of the property. Pizza Hut sat in the middle of the property.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Driver snapped telephone pole at 5 corners
GAINES – About 300 houses are without power this morning after a driver snapped a telephone pole at the 5 corners around midnight.
National Grid is working to restore power and expects to have it back on between 8 and 9 this morning. The outage runs along Route 98 between the canal and Route 104, and also includes Route 279 and runs as far east as Transit Road, National Grid reported.
The accident occurred at about 11:40 p.m. at the 5 corners, where routes 279 and 98 intersect.
ALBION – To celebrate Earth Day, the GCC Albion Campus Wellness Coalition planted two trees on Wednesday, donated by Steve Nesbitt Farms, and Bella and Pino Aldaco. The trees stand for the growth of awareness in support of a healthy community.
Pam Lusk, Albion Campus Wellness Coordinator and Shelly Wolanske, WNY Prevention Resource Center Senior Community Development Specialist, assisted students in the development of their mission and efforts to build capacity.
Pictured above, include, from left: Chris Mason, Christine Chennell, Kassy Sutton, Melissa Qualey and Jason Burley.
For more information about the Wellness Coalition, please visit the group’s table at the Civil War Encampment on April 26-27 at the GCC Medina Campus Center.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Albion man again completes course in under 3 hours
Photo courtesy of Rion Pawlak – Kevin Pawlak competes in the Boston Marathon on Monday. He was one of 36,000 runners to finish the 26.2 mile course.
Kevin Pawlak last April crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon in under three hours. His time of 2:57:11 was an impressive feat for the 20-year-old from Albion. He averaged less than 7 minutes a mile in covering the 26.2-mile course.
But the euphoric feeling of that triumph didn’t last long. About two hours after he finished, two bombs went off near the finish line, killing three people and wounding more than 260.
Pawlak returned to Boston on Monday, joining 36,000 runners. He again broke 3 hours, finishing in 2:59.
Huge throngs of spectators lined the course. Pawlak said it was unbelievable, and very uplifting.
“The atmosphere was absolutely great,” he said. “There were a lot more spectators than last year and they were loud.”
Pawlak is a senior history major at Shepherd University in West Virginia. The bitter cold winter made training for the marathon more difficult. He didn’t have the same level of preparation as he did for the race a year ago.
“The crowd really carried me,” he said about the race on Monday. “You just couldn’t stop.”
Pawlak and the runners were determined to return, to not let the terrorist attack keep them from one of the most prestigious marathons in the world.
“It was making a statement that no one will dictate our lives,” Pawlak said. “No one will make us live in fear.”
File photo by Tom Rivers – Kevin Pawlak, in this photo from April 2013, holds his medal for finishing the Boston Marathon.
The race is part of a festival atmosphere with Massachusetts celebrating Patriots Day on Monday. Many people dress in colonial garb. Tons of American flags were out.
Kevin’s father Jerome joined him in Boston. Kevin’s older brother Rion Pawlak also showed up in a surprise on Monday.
Kevin and Jerome visited the finish line on Saturday.
“It was somber and surreal,” Jerome said. “We’ve struggled over the past year realizing how lucky we were. Kevin and I were able to get some closure.”
Security was heightened with more K-9 units, police officers and helicopters.
The runners were given a heroes’ welcome from the Boston community, which thanked them for coming back after the horrors from a year ago.
“It gave you a sense of pride,” Jerome said. “It was a wonderful experience.”
Kevin qualified again for Boston and he plans to run the race again next year.
The race on Monday was won by Meb Keflezighi, the first American to win the storied race since 1983. It was part of a perfect day, Kevin said.
“To have an American win you couldn’t have asked for a better Boston Marathon,” he said. “In Boston, all of the runners are treated as celebrities, no matter how fast you are.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Babcock Construction works on the roof of a former medical center that will become the new home for the Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union at the corner of Route 31 and Hamilton Street. A drive-through will be at the back of the building in Albion.
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board supported the site plan and variances for the Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union to move into former medical offices at the corner of Route 31 and Hamilton Street.
Cobblestone Country will renovate the site and add a drive-through to the back end of the building. The village ordinance requires five spaces at a drive-through for cars to be in line, but the Planning Board approved a variance to have space for up to three cars in a line. That will reduce some of the “stacking” in the line, which won’t be as high volume as a fast-food restaurant, said Ron Vendetti, Albion’s code enforcement officer.
He said the lot is a tight space, but village planning officials were able to push for 15 parking spaces, and also allow for the drive-through and traffic flow, Vendetti said during the meeting tonight.
Cobblestone Country has permission to use the same driveway entrance on 31 that is owned by Oak Orchard Health. That will be better for traffic safety than having two entrances right next to each other, county planning officials said.
The building is 2,547 square feet and village ordinance requires 25 parking spaces for a building that size. The 15 spaces for the project actually add nine from the previous use.
Cobblestone Country will move its existing sign from 239 South Main St., a building next to COVA. The sign will be in the front lawn at the site on Route 31.
“We agree it’s a tight site,” Vendetti said. “We did our best to make the best of it.”
Orleans County planners also supported the site plan for the Lake Ridge Fruit Company to build a 5,766-square-foot storage warehouse on the south side of its complex at 14234 Ridge Rd. The new building won’t be refrigerated. It will be used to store pallets, cardboard and packing supplies, said John Russell, general manager.
The building would be directly behind existing buildings owned by Lake Ridge. However, it is 25 feet from the property line. The town used to have a 25-foot setback requirement but that was changed about a decade ago to 50 feet.
Lake Ridge would need a 25-foot variance to have the new building be in line with the others. Planning Board members didn’t vote on the variance. It left it to the Town of Gaines Zoning Boards of Appeals to make the ruling.
Jim Bensley, county senior planner, said the variance should only be considered after all options have been exhausted. Lake Ridge should reach out to the neighboring property owner, Circle R Farms, to see if it could acquire a 25-foot strip of land in Circle R’s apple orchard to meet the setback request, county planners decided.
One Planning Board member, Marty Busch of Medina, said the town should give Lake Ridge the variance. The 25-foot setback wouldn’t cause an adverse impact on Circle R and its orchard, Busch said.
Lake Ridge has recently added a new building for a packing line, and a new controlled-atmosphere storage facility.
“How many businesses do you know around here that are putting up buildings?” Busch said. “Hey, God bless them if they can do that.”
