By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 May 2016 at 12:00 am
Nick Pifer, ‘greatest kid in the world,’ wears the badge for a day
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Nick Pifer, a Holley student, is congratulated after being sworn in this morning as a honorary police officer in the Gates Police Department. Nick is pictured with Police Chief James VanBrederode (in white) with Officer Shawn O’Mara and Mark Assini, Gates town supervisor.
Nick, 18, was named the honorary officer this morning during a surprise announcement as part of the school assembly. Nick will spend the day in ride-a-longs with O’Mara, who also works part-time in security at Holley Central School.
Nick Pifer is called up to the stage during an assembly this morning. Nick has Down Syndrome. He graduated from Holley last year but has continued at Holley in a post-graduate program.
Pifer is very popular at the school. His classmates picked him as prom king last year.
“He always puts a smile on everyone’s face,” said Tyler Singer, a junior at the school. “He comes in everyday happy and joyful. He is a bundle of joy all the time.”
Nick takes the oath of office to serve the Town of Gates as police officer today. Nick enjoys watching TV shows with police officers. He also has known the Holley police officers for many years. His father, Bill Pifer, works for the Department of Public Works in the village.
“He has always been close to the police officers,” Mr. Pifer said.
He praised Officer O’Mara for working out the honorary police role today for Nick. Mr. Pifer said the community, especially at the school district, have shown Nick lots of love over the years.
“The entire school and students have been phenomenal with Nick over the years,” Pifer said.
He isn’t surprised his son is so well-liked. Nick received a standing ovation from the students after being sworn in as honorary police officer.
“He is the greatest kid in the world,” his father said. “He is so warm and loving.”
A contingent of law enforcement officials, many of them Holley graduates, were part of the celebration today for Nick Pifer. This photo shows, from left: Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower, Gates PD Lt. John Ballard, Gates police officer Ed Bower, Orleans County Deputy James DeFilipps, Chief Deputy Michael Mele and Holley police officer Miguel Bermudez.
Nick Pifer heads to the Gates police car to join officer Shawn O’Mara for a ride-along today. O’Mara of Holley said Nick is interested in police work and asks security officers at Holley many questions.
“He always has a smile,” O’Mara said. “If you’re having a bad day, he will cheer you up.”
Nick Pifer waves to a gauntlet of reporters and Holley school staff as he heads out to spend the day with Shawn O’Mara, a Gates police officer.
“Officer Nick make us proud,” one teacher called out to Nick.
Provided photos – The Medina Sandstone Society has recognized the first group of students to be named to the John Ryan School of Historical Excellence. They include, from left: Zachary Harris, Alyssa Shortridge, Allison Bensley, Amanda Lunden, Caitlyn Davies, Gregory Husung and Tyler Waldriff.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Seven students from Medina High School are the first class to belong to the John Ryan School of Historical Excellence that was started by the Medina Sandstone Society this year.
Allison Bensley, Caitlyn Davies, Zachary Harris, Gregory Husung, Amanda Lunden, Alyssa Shortridge and Tyler Waldriff are honor level students who are being recognized by Sandstone Society. The goal of the John Ryan School is to instill in the minds of Medina’s youth a heightened pride in the local community and encourage an understanding of their hometown history and heritage.
John Ryan was a pioneer stonemason who traveled hundreds of miles on foot and spent the rest of his life as a builder and quarry operator, using world-famous Medina sandstone. Ryan opened the first commercial sandstone quarry in Medina. The Sandstone Society started the school to encourage the students to become future leaders of Medina.
At a recent ceremony, students saw their names unveiled on a plaque at the High School.
Allison Bensley also received a $500 scholarship from the Sandstone Society. She is pictured with Jim Hancock, president of the group and chairman of the selection committee.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 May 2016 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Four people were arraigned in Orleans County Court today for second-degree attempted gang assault.The four allegedly attacked a person on April 5 on Beaver Street in Albion, kicking and punching the victim.
Christopher Rivers, 19, of Sandy Creek Apartments was among the alleged perpetrators. He was to be sentenced today for criminal possession of a firearm and could have faced up to a year in jail. But that sentencing was put off because of the latest charge.
Judge James Punch also increased the bail for Rivers from $100,000 to $150,000. Matthew Parrinello, attorney for Rivers, asked that the bail be reduced to $20,000, which is where it was before the latest charge, which was initially disorderly conduct but was upgraded to attempted gang assault. Parrinello said Rivers had very little criminal activity prior to the two recent charges.
District Attorney Joe Cardone said the latest alleged crime happened while Rivers was out of jail awaiting sentencing on the weapons charge. Cardone asked that bail not be reduced.
“Things are getting worse, not better,” Punch said in raising the bail.
Three other Albion men were arraigned today for second-degree attempted gang assault. They include:
Ashay S. Gaffney, 22, of Crimson Heights. The judge set bail at $20,000.
Sharoz R. Haywood, 19, of Lyndun Drive Extension. The judge set bail at $20,000.
Jasper D. Lloyd, 22, of Lydun Drive Extension. He said he is hiring a private attorney and will be fully arraigned on Friday with his lawyer.
Provided photo – Three State Assembly members attended a task force meeting last Thursday at GCC in Batavia. They include, from left: Clifford Crouch, Steve Hawley and Bill Nojay.
Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley
BATAVIA – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) hosted a forum in Batavia focused on supporting the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Invitees included people with developmental disabilities and their families, non-profit organizations, mental health experts and community leaders.
Last Thursday’s forum, held at Genesee Community College, was the ninth in a series of forums being conducted around the state in response to concerns from families, non-profits, community organizations and individuals with developmental disabilities about the impact of the Olmstead Decision.
Discussions focused on identifying better ways to support the rights of people with developmental disabilities; expansion of community-based care programs; the effectiveness of current transition plans for individuals in sheltered workshops; and identifying whether the input and desires of people with disabilities are being considered.
“Information gathered at the forum will help us to better serve the needs and choices of people with developmental disabilities,” Hawley said. “For many, the transition process to a more integrated work setting has resulted in frustration and disappointing changes in services and care programs. New York must do a better job of assessing and meeting the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.”
Participants included representatives from Genesee ARC, Arc of Orleans, ARC of Monroe, New York State School for the Blind, Western New York Independent Living and local families.
“As legislators and residents of this state, it is our obligation and goal to provide services and address the needs of every New Yorker, regardless of age, religion, creed or disability,” said Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch (R-Bainbridge), task force chairman. “These forums provide us with the opportunity to hear from families, caregivers and individuals with developmental disabilities to offer another layer of support when it comes to aiding those with disabilities in communities across our state.”
The next Assembly Minority Task Force on Protecting the Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities forum will be held May 26 in Buffalo. For more information on the task force, please contact the Assembly Minority Office of Public Affairs at 518-455-5073.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2016 at 12:00 am
Highs could hit 80s later in the week
GAINES – John Goslau of Albion was out this afternoon on the Erie Canal with his dog, Hunter Bob, a standard poodle. They are on the canal towpath just west of the Gaines Basin Road Bridge.
Today there is a lot of sunshine with a high of 68. The forecast for the week shows highs in the 70s the first half of the week and then 80s later in the week, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
The highs include 74 on Monday, 75 on Tuesday, 78 on Wednesday, 82 on Thursday, 80 on Friday and 83 on Saturday.
A boater passes underneath the canal bridge on Gaines Basin Road this afternoon.
Saturday was a great day for both the Albion and Medina marching bands at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands. Both were awarded first place awards.
The Medina Marching Band, pictured above, took first place in Senior High Class B Concert Band, first for its Cadet Guard and Varsity Guard, and first place in the parade for marching band in Division B, while also earning the parade’s Class Champion in Division B and overall Grand Champion.
Medina also competed in Senior High Stand Still Percussion and came in second place while the Jazz Ensemble was third.
Albion’s band program also had a strong showing. Albion was first overall for marching band in the open class. The Albion jazz ensemble also took first.
Both the Albion and Medina bands will perform during the Memorial Day parades in their respective communities.
The Albion and Medina Campus Centers of Genesee Community College are pleased to announce the Spring 2016 students and instructors of the semester. Each semester, one student and one instructor at each campus center are awarded the honor for outstanding academic or teaching performance.
ALBION CAMPUS CENTER
Karen Krieger has been selected as the Spring 2016 Instructor of the Semester at the Albion Campus Center. A graduate of Medina High School, Karen earned her BS in Sociology from Buffalo State College and her MS in Education from D’Youville College. Currently, she serves as an academic advisor at the Medina Campus Center and teaches Career and Educational Planning at the Albion Campus Center.
Karen Krieger
Each of the students who nominated Karen noted her genuine interest in the well-being and success of her students. “Karen makes a conscious effort in meeting and learning about each individual student to drive his/her success,” one student noted.
Another student stated: “I was so unsure of myself and the decisions I was making at the start of the semester that I was in tears. Karen helped me to overcome my fears, build confidence and pursue my dreams. She encourages me to be independent and challenges me to succeed. She always gives me something new to think about in and out of class.”
When asked if she had one piece of advice to offer a new instructor, Karen shared that “students do not care what you know or what it is that you want to teach them until they know that you care.” She further noted that “GCC is comprised of faculty and staff who care for students and overall student success both in and outside of the classroom. Students know this when they come here. I am blessed to be a part of it.”
In her personal time, Karen’s hobbies include reading, walking, slow jogging, spending time in nature and baking. She also enjoys spending time with her husband Brian, children John and Kate, and their family pets. Karen says that her most rewarding teaching experiences include watching students find their own success. “It is such a privilege to be a part of those times in their lives.”
Louisa Shiffer
Louisa Shiffer has been selected as the Spring 2016 Student of the Semester. An undeclared major, Louisa is working hard with the goal of being accepted into the GCC Nursing program.
Nominated by several instructors, they noted that Louisa “works full time and maintains high ideals, a very high GPA and a positive attitude. (We) have never heard her complain about her work or to ask to have extensions.” She takes great pride in her academic work.”
Louisa likes the intellectual challenges and the thoughtful discussions at college. When asked if she had any advice for new college students, Louisa reminded them to “expect to work hard. Classes and school work are your responsibility and as an adult, you need to not make excuses.”
Louisa’s cites her father and siblings as major influences in her life. “I admire people who work hard to overcome odds and who sacrifice for other people.” Her long term goals include getting her Nursing degree and working as a holistic nurse practitioner.
In her personal time, Louisa enjoys reading, history (reenacting), cooking, knitting and spending time with her pets. She also volunteers teaching classes at the library.
MEDINA CAMPUS CENTER
Rick Bovenzi has been selected as the Instructor of the Semester at the Medina Campus Center for the Spring 2016 semester. Rick teaches Cell Biology, and in the past, has taught Human Biology in Medina. Comments by his students include: “Mr. Bovenzi is always available to assist students before or after class with information that is hard to understand,” and, “He makes learning hard concepts fun, which makes it easier to remember.”
Rick Bovenzi
Rick earned his MS in Science Education and Biology from SUNY Buffalo, as well as his BS in Biology from SUNY Brockport. He is a retired science teacher from the Albion Central School District.
He and his wife of 45 years have three children (now adults), three grandchildren, and one cat. In his personal time, Rick enjoys hunting, fishing and carpentry. He specializes in furniture and cabinet making. He shared that his favorite book is the Bible and A Lawyer’s Case for Christ.
When asked if he would change anything relative to career choices he has made, he shared he probably would have finished his P.A. Rick’s one piece of advice to new instructors is, “Always be honest, and admit you don’t have all of the answers, but research when you need to.” His most rewarding teaching experiences include when his past students come back and tell him that the hard work in his class paid off for them in their careers.
Danielle Moon
Danielle Moon has been selected as the Student of the Semester at the Medina Campus Center for spring semester 2016. Danielle’s major is Respiratory Care. She has already accepted a position at Rochester General Hospital as a respiratory therapist. She plans to graduate in May, take her board exam in June, and begin her new endeavor thereafter. During her full-time study at GCC, she participated in clinicals three days per week at various hospitals. Additionally, Danielle works full time at Hillside Children’s Center.
The instructor that nominated Danielle noted that she is self-motivated and mature and stated that she “works exceptionally well with others and is quick to help others who are struggling with the subject, and that she is not afraid to ask questions in class, but only after searching for answers herself.”
When asked what advice she has for new students, she responded, “My advice for new college students would be to take as many classes as possible at community colleges like GCC before transferring to a 4-year college because it helps you make up your mind on what you want to do with your life.”
Danielle enjoys horseback riding, rugby, reading and family time. She lives with her mother, step-father, and two younger brothers with one serving in the US Army.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 May 2016 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
GAINES – May is being celebrated as Preservation Month with a “This Place Matters” campaign by the National Trust for Historic Preservation .
The Cobblestone Museum, the only site in Orleans County deemed by the federal government as a National Historic Landmark, is joining the effort. The top photo shows Museum Director Taylor Daughton, left, and Volunteer Coordinator Sue Bonafini by the Ward House.
The Ward House was built in 1840 under the direction of John Proctor, a prominent early Gaines resident. The building was constructed in the Federal style. The interior of the house is decorated to reflect the 1880s.
Following Proctor’s ownership, the house was sold to Benjamin and Mary Ann Woodburn Dwinnell. Mary Anne was the aunt of New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley, who held the mortgage until 1863. The home functioned as a private residence until 1975, when the property was purchased by the museum from Mrs. Inez Martyn Ward.
The Ward House needs repairs to the front steps and other restoration work. The Cobblestone Museum welcomes donations for that project and other museum upkeep, as well as volunteers to help lead tours, and with other museum efforts.
For more on the Cobblestone Museum, click here or call (585) 589-9013.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 21 May 2016 at 12:00 am
Volume 2, Issue 21
ALBION – This photograph shows the gravesite of Dr. Lemuel Covell Paine as it appears today. A pioneer physician and Albion businessman, Paine was born November 8, 1787 in Vermont, the son of Dr. Ichabod Sparrow and Mary Dixon Paine. After the death of his father in 1807, arrangements were made for Lemuel to live with his uncle Eli Pierson and study medicine under the direction of Dr. Asa Stower at Queensbury, NY.
As he progressed in his studies, Paine found himself teaching in various one-room schoolhouses to raise the funds to support his education under Stower. Upon the completion of his term under the tutelage of the physician, Lemuel was subjected to the examination put forth by the Censors of the Medical Society of Washington County, which he passed with relative ease.
Over the next two decades Paine travelled westward across New York, establishing himself in Clyde, New York for a period of time where he served as a mentor and instructor for several prospective physicians. Upon his eventual arrival in Albion, Paine was a well-respected and seasoned veteran in the medical field during a time when so many doctors were self-taught.
Nearly 50 years of age at the time of his arrival in 1836, Paine established a partnership with Dr. Orson Nichoson under the name Nichoson & Paine; the firm specialized in the sale of drugs, compounds, and books. Dr. Paine was a pious man, so it was no surprise that he served as a deacon of the First Baptist Church in Albion and an early trustee of the Rochester Theological Seminary (Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School). His commitment to education was apparent through his appointment as a trustee of the Phipps Union Seminary, the Albion Academy, and the University of Rochester.
His role not only as a respected physician but a successful businessman placed him at the top of the list for political races and appointments. Prior to his arrival in Albion, Paine had served as Postmaster in Fulton County and his political affiliation as a Whig would earn him similar positions in Orleans County. A brief term as Orleans County Treasurer was followed by an appointment as one of three commissioners overseeing the administration of Mt. Albion Cemetery.
Unlike the long lineage of physicians that preceded Lemuel, his sons chose a slightly different career path. With guidance received from their father, Lemuel C. Jr, Cyrus, and James Paine formed a drug company in Rochester known at the Paine Drug Company. The business became a top-tier drug manufacturer in the region and left the oldest brother with an estimate $890,000 estate upon his death in 1899; valued at $24 million today.
Dr. Paine died at Albion on January 3, 1873; it’s safe to assume that his sons were responsible for the erection of this beautiful granite monument located in the eastern section of the cemetery that overlooks the original main entrance (now the east gate).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 May 2016 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – Thomas the Tank Engine gets a wave as the train heads out for its final 25-minute ride today at about 5:30 p.m. About 2,500 people rode the train today.
Thomas returned to Medina last week for the 12th annual event. He will be in Medina on Sunday for the final day of this year’s “Day Out With Thomas” at the Medina Railroad Museum. About 9,000 people are expected to ride the train during his four days in Medina this year.
Viennah, 1, is held by Josh Nickerson of Gerry, near Jamestown, while the bubble machine generates lots of bubbles at the Thomas event today at the Medina Railroad Museum. In addition to riding the train, there was numerous activities at the museum and on its grounds for children.
Sir Topham Hatt, one of the characters in the Thomas children’s show, meets with some the visitors to the museum at the Day Out with Thomas.
David Murphy, engineer on the Thomas train, waves to the crowd as the train departs for a 25-minute ride.
Cody Catlin of Carlton welcomed riders to the train, which includes five railroad coaches from 1946-1947. The WNY Railway Historical Society owns the coaches.
Some of the young riders peer out the windows and wave from the train.
Hugh James, treasurer for the Medina Railroad Museum, is pictured at the front of a maze he designed in 2005, when Thomas first came to Medina. The “Sodor Engine House Maze” is a substitute for a hay bale maze. Volunteers set up the Thomas maze with 96 fence posts.
James said the Thomas event provides critical revenue to keep the Railroad Museum operating throughout the year.
“Thomas was a life-saver,” James said. Revenue from the Thomas event also helped pay for a new roof on the 301-foot-long museum building, a former freight house.
The Thomas event remains popular, but attendance is down from the 18,000 in 2005 when the event was packed for six days. James said about 60 to 70 volunteers and paid staff help run the Thomas event.
The museum also runs Polar Express rides close to Christmas that have about 11,000 riders. The museum also has many other excursion trips throughout the year. Click here for more information.
Thomas continues to be a big draw for the museum. Most of the riders are from Buffalo and Rochester, with a small percentage from Orleans County.
