news

Man dies in Albion fire

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2014 at 5:41 pm

ALBION – Police and fire officials are investigating a fatal fire in Albion at the Nayman’s garage at 205 North Main St.

Albion fire officials confirmed a body was found inside the garage. Local police and the Albion Fire Department arrived on scene soon after dispatch put out the call for a structure fire at the location at 3:51 p.m.

State police and state fire investigators have joined local police and firefighters at the scene.

The name of the person who died hasn’t been released and investigators are inside looking for a cause of the fire.

County formula cuts sales tax to villages

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Villages see share drop from $404,666 in 2013 to $398,110 in 2015

ALBION – The revenue-starved villages in Orleans County will see their shares of the sales tax for towns and villages drop because of a formula that ties the town and village share to their assessments.

The towns’ assessments are going up while the villages have been shrinking in recent years.

The county takes in about $15 million in sales tax. Since 2001, it has set aside $1,366,671 from that total for the 10 towns and villages. In 2013, the four villages – Albion, Holley, Lyndonville and Medina – received $404,661. That fell to $400,681 in 2014 and the apportionment for 2015 drops the village share to $398,111.

The Village of Albion will get $175,305, which is down from $180,457 in 2013. Medina’s share is $159,586 next year (down from $160,988 in 2013), with Holley at $47,746 (down from $48,596 in 2014) and Lyndonville at $15,473 (compared to $15,511 in 2014).

To determine the village share, the county divides the village taxable value by the town taxable value. As the villages lose assessed value and the towns gain, the village share gets smaller.

For example, in the Town of Albion, the village accounted for 57.14 percent of the total taxable value in 2015. The village was 57.45 percent in 2014 and 58.59 percent in 2013.

The apportionment for 2015 includes the following amounts per town: Albion, $115,666; Barre, $64,536; Carlton, $95,418; Clarendon, $116,261; Gaines, $86,558; Kendall, $86,813; Murray, $111,220; Ridgeway, $124,828; Shelby, $101,179; and Yates, $66,082.

After 2 decades of molding young men, Troop 60 will disband

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Former Boy Scouts and their leaders in Troop 60 in Albion met for a farewell dinner at Hojack’s Bar and Grill tonight. The troop is turning in its charter next month.

Pictured, kneeling, include from left: Dale Adamo and Ben Metcalf. Standing, from left: Jonathan Doherty, Scout Executive Jess Markel, Dave Hollenbeck, past scoutmaster Mike Metcalf, and assistant scoutmaster Steve Yoder.

The troop formed in 1997 and was sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church. About 50 to 60 boys participated in the troop, with 12 attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

“It taught me a lot about character,” said Ben Metcalf, 26. ‘If everyone lived by the 10 Commandments and the 12 Scouting principles, we wouldn’t have any problems in the world.”

Ben and his brother Tom both earned their Eagle rank. Their father Mike was a long-time Scoutmaster and volunteer.

Some of the Scouts reminisced by their adventures, including winter camp outs, biking and canoeing trips along the Canal (all the way to Camp Dittmer in Phelps), the Pinewood Derby and other activities.

Troop numbers dwindled in recent years. There was one Scout left at the end of last June and he transferred to Troop 164 in Albion. There are two remaining troops in the Albion community, Troop 164 is sponsored by the Catholic Church and Troop 175 is sponsored by the West Barre United Methodist Church.

Many of the Scouts became leaders in the five-county Iroquois Trail Council by working at Camp Dittmer in the summers. Allen Sanford is among the recent Troop 60 Scouts who continues to be a leader at Dittmer.

Metcalf worked as a Scout Executive before joining Jim and Adam Kirby at their farm in Albion.

Steve Yoder has been an assistant scoutmaster for about 30 years, staying with the program after his son aged out. He started volunteering in Rochester, and was with Troop 60 from day one in 1997. Yoder has been paralyzed on the left side of his body since he had a stroke in his early 30s about three decades ago.

He didn’t let that stop him from sharing how to start fires in the wilderness and stay warm on winter camp-outs. His secret to staying warm in the cold: eat a lot of cheese.

“Everyone contributes something,” he said about the Scouting program. “It’s gratifying to teach them a skill and have them come back later and say, ‘You taught me that.'”

Jonathan Doherty is among the Eagle Scouts at Troop 60. He stayed on as an adult volunteer and will help at Troop 164. He organized the dinner tonight.

Troop 60 won’t be going away, even as it turns in its charter.

“You still have all these people,” said Jess Markel, a Scout Executive who attended tonight’s dinner. “Hopefully Troop 60 will be a phoenix and rise again.”

Albion police officers take a turn ringing the bell

Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Provided Photo – Albion Police Department members volunteered with the Red Kettle campaign today. He following are pictured, from left: Officer Jeff Gifaldi, Officer Brandon Annable, Officer Robert Wagner, Sgt. David Mogle, Lt. Thomas O’Hearn and Officer Karol Hughes.

Press Release
Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni

ALBION – Members of the Albion Police Benevolent Association volunteered their time today for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. Several Albion police officers donated their time to “ring the bell” and man the kettle at the Tops Market in Albion.

The Albion Police Department and Albion Police PBA hope that in some way they have helped a person in need. The job of police officers is to serve and protect. The term serve to a police officer can have many meanings. The Albion Police PBA feels that to serve goes farther than just enforcing the law.

Businesses give for Toy Challenge

Staff Reports Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Peggy Barringer

ALBION – Ellie the Elephant is one of many gifts donated in a Toy Challenge by local businesses.

The toys will be sorted and given to local families by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

The Toy Drive Committee includes, from left: Kris Hartwig, administrative assistant at S & B Whistler & Sons (Phinney Tool & Die) in Medina; Leslie Blake from Western New York Energy in Medina; Wendy Hinkley, volunteer; Carolyn Wagner, human resource manager at BMP in Medina; Marsha Rivers, executive director for Orleans County United Way; and Anni Skowneski, case manager for Community Action.

Many local businesses and organizations gave to the effort. The toys will be categorized by gender and age group. The volunteers have “Wish Lists” for the kids and they come in and pick out the toy to match or closely match the wish list items.

They bag the items and then the families come in to pick up the bag of toys. Kris Hartwig said it is good method for the families to be a part of the gift-giving process. They can see the children open up the gifts on Christmas morning.

“We are thankful for every donation received,” Skowneski said. “Every child deserves a present on Christmas.”

Toys are sorted and categorized in the basement of the First Baptist Church in Albion. Community Action will try to match the toys up with about 350 local families.

Medina hospital welcomes new CT scan equipment

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – Officials at Medina Memorial Hospital and Orleans Community Health celebrated a new CT scan machine that will give better imagining reads and also expose patients to 40 percent less radiation. The following are pictured during an open house on Thursday, from left: Board of Directors members Les Morse and Ron Felstead; Janelle Cordle, lead CT technician; Board Vice President Dawn Meland (in back); Jen Maynard, director of radiology and corporate compliance; Board President Bruce Krenning; and Dolores Horvath, hospital CEO.

MEDINA – A new CT scan machine was welcomed into Medina Memorial Hospital on Thursday. The machine will give hospital staff much improved imaging when scans are taken of a brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis.

The CT scanner replaces one from 2001. The new one is a 64 slice CT scan compared to a 4 slice. Besides better imaging, the new machine will expose patients to 40 percent less radiation, said Jen Maynard, director of radiology and corporate compliance for the hospital and Orleans Community Health.

“We’re taking the concerns of our patients to the next level,” said Dolores Horvath, CEO of the hospital and Orleans Community Health.

Hospital officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting celebration on Thursday. Horvath said it will be part of a wave of improvements at the hospital and the Orleans Community Health.

She expects the state Board of Health will soon give the final OK for renovations in the front lobby and emergency room at the hospital. The community can also expect new medical and surgical services, as well as additional outpatient services in 2015.

Orleans Community Health invested about $400,000 for the CT scan machine and $130,000 for a digital reader and backup system in the X-Ray Department. The hospital worked with General Electric for both equipment purchases.

“It’s very complicated, highly technical and very expensive,” Horvath told officials during the ribbon-cutting. “It brings us into state-of-the-art imaging.”

Jen Maynard, the director of radiology and corporate compliance for Orleans Community Health (Medina Memorial Hospital), holds up a digital reader that also backs up files. The hospital spent about $130,000 for the equipment. Dolores Horvath, left, is CEO for the hospital and health system

Fire at Nayman’s in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Firefighters and police are on the scene at a fire at Nayman’s, a long-time business at 205 North Main St. The dispatch call went out at 3:51 p.m.

Orleans Hub will have more on the fire later.

Village police out of Task Force

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2014 at 12:00 am

County hires 2 full-time investigators for group

ALBION – A multi-agency task force that targeted drug and major felony crimes in the county will no longer include officers from the Albion, Holley and Medina police departments.

The Orleans County Legislature announced the village personnel are out of the task force and two full-time investigators would be added at county expense.

The county had been paying Albion and Medina $50,000 annually towards the salary of a full-time officer and $25,000 to Holley for a part-time officer.

The villages, especially Albion and Medina, have long complained that the $50,000 did not come close to covering costs of a full-time officer for the salary, overtime and benefits.

“We heard it was costing the villages more than they were receiving,” said David Callard, Orleans County Legislature chairman. “By us taking on full-time employees it will eliminate the extra costs from the villages. They’ll have their own staffing at their own costs.”

The decision announced Wednesday caught the village leaders by surprise. However, they say village police will continue to fight drug and other crime in the community.

The decision comes about halfway through the village budget cycle, which runs June 1 to May 31.

Roland Nenni, Albion police chief, said his department now faces a $25,000 budget gap for the rest of the village fiscal year.

The Orleans County Major Felony Crimes Task Force has existed for about 20 years. Nenni said it has been controversial since its inception.

“The views of how it should run and by what funding has changed many times over the years, depending on who sat on the various boards,” he said.

The Task Force has included a supervising officer paid by the county, a member of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, and officers from the Albion, Holley and Medina police departments. An officer from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement joined the Task Force this year as a full-time presence.

Callard said the two new full-time investigators and the ICE officer will more than offset the manpower from the villages – two full-time officers and a part-timer.

Nenni said he is optimistic the Task Force will remain effective and will work closely with the local village police.

“The impact of not having an officer from each agency assigned to unit is yet to be seen and only time will tell,” he said. “The Albion Police Department is committed to serve the residents of the Village of Albion in the protection of life and property and will continue to serve in all aspects of that protection.”

Medina Mayor Andrew Meier said the loss of county funding may not be a budget blow to Medina because that officer can return to work full-time with the Medina department. The big overtime costs for the officer working at the Task Force are now gone, Meier said.

“I am pleased the county has taken an even greater leadership role in combating major crime,” Meier said. “In particular, the illegal drug trade isn’t just a problem in the villages. It’s countywide, and we must address it collectively.”

The county is capping officer overtime at $10,000 each per year. The new officers are scheduled to start on Jan. 1.

Callard said the village mayors and police chiefs will continue to be welcome on an advisory board for the Task Force.

“We’re all working together for the same purpose,” Callard said. “We’re still going to work together cooperatively.”

Medina man saves change all year for Red Kettle donation

Posted 11 December 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Peggy Barringer – Robert Guzik, center, fills a Red Kettle with an estimated $200 donation this afternoon. He is joined by Tim Brigham, Tops store manager, and Dar Bowman, the Tops customer service manager.

By Peggy Barringer

MEDINA – Robert (Bobby) Guzik has been saving his change all year to donate to the Red Kettle at Tops in Medina. Guzik, 24, of Medina has been blind since birth. He has made a big donation to the Red Kettle in annual tradition for about five years.

“I want to help people,” Bobby said this afternoon. “I’ve seen people having trouble, and I want to help make some people’s lives easier.”

Bobby came in to make the donation with his sister Lois and his grandmother, Gracie, who is a frequent shopper and well known at Tops. They did not exactly how much was in the small backpack and quart jar filled with coins. Customer service manager, Dar Bowman, estimated there was “about $200.”

Gracie said she was happy her grandson was putting the money in the Red Kettle. She won’t have to count the pennies and put them in sleeves. She said Bobby learned from his grandfather to be kind.

Bobby Guzik gets ready to fill the Red Kettle with some asisstance from Tops store officials.

“I’m glad to be helping people,” Bobby said. “I live the life that I do even though I’m blind.”

Ronnie Barhite is coordinator for the Red Kettle in Medina. Proceeds from the drive go to Community Action programs in Orleans County.

“The money stays in Orleans County and goes to various organizations used to help keep people in their homes, and with food, medicine, and utilities,” Barhite said.

Bobby has lived in Medina all his life and went to public school. He graduated from Medina High School with honors. He went on to graduate from Genesee Community College in 2012, earning two degrees in Computer Support & Operations and Computer Systems and Network Technology. He volunteers at GCC’s radio station, WGCC, helping with “technical stuff.”

He said the radio station received all new equipment last week and he has been helping to set everything up. He also fixes computers. He is currently looking for employment.

Orleans Hub and The Daily News of Batavia were both there when Bobby made his donation today.

“My friends will be happy to see me in the paper,” Bobby said.

A generous Secret Santa sweetened the pot with a $100 bill.

Collins votes for spending bill that narrowly passes House

Staff Reports Posted 11 December 2014 at 12:00 am

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House of Representatives narrowly approved a $1.1 trillion spending package on Thursday that will fund most of the federal government’s operations for a fiscal year.

Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, was among the representatives who supported the accord, which passed 219 to 206.

“This legislation is a tremendous win for Western New York,” Collins said in a statement issued tonight. “It holds the line on discretionary spending ensuring continued deficit reduction, while fully funding vital government programs. In politics it is crucial not to let perfect be the enemy of good, and although people on both sides have their concerns, I’m proud of what this accomplishes for Western New York.”

Collins highlighted the following from the bill that he said directly affect Western New Yorkers.

Provides $122 million for the improvement and expansion of the VA Medical Facility in Canandaigua.

Provides $68 million for OMEGA at the University of Rochester to expand their nuclear fusion laser lab facility.

Increases funding for the National Institutes of Health grant programs that help fund research centers like the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.

Eliminates funding for the Race to the Top Initiative, reducing the incentive for States to continue the implementation of the Common Core Standards.

Blocks the EPA from applying the Clean Water Act to certain farm ponds and irrigation ditches.

Allows more flexibility to school districts implementing new whole grain nutrition standards in school lunches.

Cuts EPA funding for the fifth consecutive year and brings staffing to the lowest level since 1989.

Cuts IRS funding by $345.6 million and bans the agency from targeting organizations seeking tax-exempt status based on their ideological beliefs.

Provides $300 million to improve and restore the Great Lakes.

Increases funding for the Harbor Maintenance Trust fund by $100 million.