By Bill Lattin
Orleans County Historian
ALBION – These six girls from Albion High School posed for this varsity cheerleader picture in the fall of 1960.
From left: Duann Juliana, Marilyn Mack, Sharon Pawlaczyk, Sandra Lascell, Ivylene Phillips (note the number 61 on her jacket), and Judy Nesbitt.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Albion Merchants Association has named Burgio Salon the winner of the Hometown Holiday window decorating contest. The shop is owned by Colleen Albright at 117 North Main St.
A panel of seven judges picked the winner. Knight’s Pride Custom Woodworking at 120 North Main St. received an honorable mention award.
Photos by Tom Rivers – Ibrahim Shakoor helps sorts food that would be given away this morning by the World Life Institute, which is based in Waterport.
MEDINA – Medina area residents, many of them senior citizens on fixed incomes, started lining up at 8:30 this morning outside the Old Mill Run Restaurant on Route 63. Some of them would stand for more than 2 hours, waiting for the food from Foodlink to be set up on tables by volunteers and given away.
Many of the people walked from nearby Ricky Place, pushing small carts. Others carried bags and boxes.
For more than a year, the World Life Institute has worked with Foodlink on the food giveaway. About 200 people come for the food the first and third Saturdays of the month. A Foodlink truck arrives with the food, and about 15 to 20 volunteers then break the boxes of food into smaller containers.
A crowd gathers in the parking lot at the Old Mill Run Restaurant in Medina in this photo looking under a Foodlink truck.
Another 200 to 400 people who aren’t in the line also usually receive some of the food. Family and friends in line will take it to them, or some of the WLI volunteers will deliver it.
The effort started in November 2013. Bilal Huzair, owner of the Old Mill Run and a WLI member, was willing to use his restaurant and parking lot as a distribution point.
“We didn’t have an expectation,” Huzair said this morning. “We just knew there was a need.”
Bilal Huzair stacks up some frozen pizzas.
Some of the people in line were younger adults, struggling to get a job. Others had jobs that didn’t pay enough to cover all of their bills. The first people in line were senior citizens.
Several said they are on fixed incomes and have seen their medical costs rise with healthcare and prescriptions. One woman has a husband with cancer. She sought assistance through social services but was denied.
“They said I make $2 too much,” she said.
Harris Lieberman, left, and Jacob Zimmerman help set up a table with fruits and vegetables.
One man stood in the parking lot for more than two hours, with the outside temperature in the mid 20s.
“When you’re a senior and on Social Security, you either eat or take your medicine,” he said. “I’m here because every little bit helps.”
An anonymous donor has been paying Foodlink for the food that is given out with help from the World Life Institute.
“These are people who genuinely need things,” Huzair said.
Ali Carter from the World Life Institute helps unpack the food this morning.
Marie Scott also volunteers helping to get the food ready.
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – A two-car accident on Route 237 resulted in two people going to the hospital for minor injuries, Holley fire officials said at the scene.
The accident happened at about 3:30 p.m. One motorist appears to have driven through the stop sign at Telegraph Road, crossing into North Main Street, where the car was struck. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department is expected to issue a news release on the accident later.
A driver in one of the vehicles was trapped inside after her vehicle was T-boned. Holley firefighters were able to extricate her from the vehicle.
The Holley Fire Department and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company were both at the scene. Monroe Ambulance transported one of the drivers with the Brockport Fire Department taking the other.
Past Holley Fire Chief Dave Knapp said the intersection has been the scene for many accidents over the years, including a fatal crash in March 2008.
Holley firefighter John Totter surveys the scene on North Main Street.
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Firefighters delivered boxes of toys, food and clothes to about 100 Medina families and senior citizens this morning. The delivery was the last step in annual toy and gift effort coordinated by the Medina Area Association of Churches.
In the top photo, Medina firefighters, including Guy Scribner (center), load a truck with boxes that would then be distributed in the community.
Don Marchner, lower left, has been helping deliver the boxes of toys the past 45 years. Marchner, a member of the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, said firefighters look forward to the delivery each year.
“We’re helping people that need it,” he said. “It’s just giving back to the community.”
Mike Kelly (with box in center) is president of the Ridgeway Fire Company. Firefighters from Ridgeway, Shelby, East Shelby and Medina all helped deliver the boxes to families and senior citizens this morning.
“For us, we’re usually going to house fires or EMS calls,” Kelly said. “Today we get to bring joy to the families.”
Paul Wengrzycki, a Medina firefighter, carries a box with toys and food to a truck this morning. He has helped deliver the holiday boxes the past 11 years. He works as a school bus driver and he said he sees the need in the community.
“It’s tough for a lot of families,” Wengrzycki said. “They don’t have money to go out and buy stuff for Christmas.”
The MAAC includes 16 local churches. They put out 29 barrels and residents filled them with toys, food, clothing and other donations. Volunteers spent much of the week sorting the donations and putting them in boxes for the families and senior citizens.
Ridgeway firefighter Rick Tuohey, in back, follows a line of fireifghters in loading up a truck with holiday boxes. The Medina United Methodist Church at the former Apple Grove Inn served as the staging area for the MAAC holiday initiative.
Provided Photo – Sandra Baxter (third from left) is pictured with Enrollment Management committee members, from left, Cherie Chatt, Dr. Virginia Taylor, and Judie Littlejohn.
BATAVIA – In an effort to encourage students to enroll for Spring 2015 semester, Genesee Community College offered those who registered by Dec. 12 a chance to win an iPad mini.
Sandra Baxter of Albion needed no incentive. She had registered back in October, the first chance she could. In a case of “the early bird gets the worm,” Sandra won the drawing. She came to the Batavia campus on Thursday to collect her prize.
“I felt like Santa Claus calling her,” said Dr. Virginia Taylor, vice president for Student and Enrollment Services. Sandra was surprised to have won. “I couldn’t believe it. I usually don’t win things.”
She’s thrilled to try the mini, as are her children. She is the mother of 7 and 11 year olds and stepmother to one, age 21, who graduated from GCC last spring.
That’s the same semester Sandra returned to college at age 40. When her job in distribution at Worthington Cylinders (BernzOmatic) was relocated to Wisconsin, she decided it was time.
“I said that’s my sign that I need to go back to school full time and start a new career.”
She is studying to be a medical administrative assistant and hopes to graduate in 2016. Sandra has taken classes at the Batavia campus and online.
“I figured it would be hard,” she acknowledged since she hadn’t taken a class since her first foray into college after high school. “But I haven’t had any real trouble. I really like it. Everybody’s been great. Even the other students have been really helpful with the technology.”
She was most nervous about taking the online class, but managed with minimal trouble.
“It’s a lot of asking questions, but I’m getting the hang of it,” she said.
Sandra was chosen from 14,857 class registrations submitted between the time enrollment opened in October and Dec. 12, 2014. Assistant Dean for Records and Advisement Terry Reding put all the names in a database randomly and assigned them a number. He then asked members of the Enrollment Management committee to select a digit from a specified range, which, when compiled into one number produced the winner – 3,843.
“Our contest may be over, but there are still opportunities to register for spring classes,” said Dr. Taylor. “Many fill quickly, that’s why we encourage students to enroll early. But there are some classes available. We encourage people to check out all the opportunities. A new year is a great time to make a fresh start!”
File Photo – Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson speaks at a Veterans Day service on Nov. 11, 2013.
Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson is featured in a Q & A for the American City & County, a national magazine that has been the voice of state and local government since 1909.
Her interview was posted to the magazine’s web site on Wednesday. She talks about the Niagara Orleans Regional Alliance. She is co-chair of the two-county alliance with Niagara County. That group has fought a plan for regulating Lake Ontario and has pushed for expanding broadband Internet access in rural spots of the two counties.
Johnson said her most rewarding time as legislator is attending the Top 10 graduate dinner in Orleans County. The most challenging time has been the three times she has witnessed the return of a local soldier killed in either a training accident or in combat.
“All three times the streets have been lined with residents paying their respects,” she tells American City & County. “The volunteer fire departments draped the American flag using ladder trucks, high over the main intersection. These soldiers were proud to serve the country they loved. Even those who didn’t know these soldiers say their deaths are a reminder of what all American soldiers do and the sacrifices they make.”
She offers these tips to be an effective elected official: “Be a good listener, attend all meetings, and do your homework.”
To see the full interview, click here.
Photo by Tom Rivers – This photo shows corn waiting to be harvested in early September along Zig-Zag Road in Albion.
KENDALL – Matt Kludt and Kludt Farms have won the New York crown for biggest corn yield.
Kludt’s per-acre yield of 281.5 bushels won the non-irrigated, no-till/strip-till category. Two nearby farms finished second and third with R.L. Jeffres & Sons, Inc. in Wyoming at a 269.2 yield and RY Properties in Pavilion at 264.9.
The National Corn Growers Association announced the state and national awards today. One farm – Randy Dowdy of growbigcorn.com in Valdosta, GA – topped 500 bushels for the first time in the contest’s 50-year history. Seven farms topped 400 bushels in the national contest, all with entries from irrigated fields.
“While this contest provides individual growers a chance for good-natured competition with their peers, it also advances farming as a whole,” said Don Glenn, chairman of NCGA’s Production and Stewardship Action Team. “The techniques and practices contest winners develop provide the basis for widely used advances that help farmers across the country excel in a variety of situations, including drought. This contest highlights how innovation, from both growers and technology providers, allows us to meet the growing demand for food, feed, fuel and fiber.”
Press Release, Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni
ALBION – The Albion Police Department is currently investigating numerous larcenies and burglaries from vehicles and buildings. These crimes are occurring from late evening to the early morning hours.
Vehicles and buildings are being entered and a wide variety of items have been stolen. The crimes have been limited to unlocked vehicles and buildings.
Residents are strongly encouraged to lock vehicles, garages, sheds and other outbuildings. Residents are also asked to call 911 immediately when they see or hear something suspicious.
The Albion Police Department has developed persons of interest in the cases and has collected evidence. The Albion Police Department has been assisted in the investigation by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine.
The Office of Air and Marine has provided the Albion Police Department with personnel utilizing extremely expensive and technologically advanced equipment to aid in the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the crimes is asked to call the Albion Police Department at 585-589-5627.
Press Release, National Grid
BASOM – National Grid has apporoved a $500,000 grant to help develop and market the Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) site in the town of Alabama, just south of the Orleans County line.
National Grid has now given $1.5 million since 2007 to advance the project. The Genesee County Economic Development Center is developing the site and marketing it to corporate site selectors as well as nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing companies throughout the United States and the world.
“We are extremely excited to have such strong support from National Gird to help us bring the next generation of advanced manufacturing to Western New York,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC. “STAMP has received significant support from business, education and economic development groups and organizations from Buffalo and Rochester, so it is truly a collaborative effort to bring this transformative economic development project to our region.”
STAMP is a 1,250-acre site and is aligned to attract the next generation of nanotechnology companies, including semiconductor chip fabs, flat panel displays, solar, bio-manufacturing, and advanced manufacturing companies to New York State.
Most recently, STAMP was appropriated $33 million in the 2014-15 state budget to bring the site to a shovel-ready status. This funding will be used for pre-construction engineering, sewer and water lines and other utility hook-ups and other infrastructure enhancements.
“We have seen a number of major gains in the bringing new and advanced technologies to the region, and we’re confident that STAMP will continue the significant economic development momentum in the region in the science, technology and advanced manufacturing areas,” said Dennis Elsenbeck, regional executive for National Grid in Western New York.
STAMP is located in the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) low cost hydropower zone. The site is within a 60-minute commute of 2.1 million residents from the Rochester and Buffalo metro regions as well as six university centers with over 17,000 enrolled engineering students. According to GCEDC officials, STAMP has the potential to generate $30 to $50 billion in investment and employ up to 10,000 workers on-site. The supply chain impact could add another 50,000 jobs.
The grants to the GCEDC are from a number of National Grid programs, including the Strategic Economic Development Program designed to increase effective marketing and sales initiatives aimed at “strategic targets.”
This program provides expertise and incremental resources to leverage more and better macro-level business attraction research, marketing and sales efforts. Other grants have helped support hard infrastructure improvements to the site. Information about National Grid’s suite of economic programs is available at www.shovelready.com.
