Press release
Albion Police Chief Roland D. Nenni III
ALBION – Lynnette A. Schumacher, who was listed Friday morning as a missing person from the village of Albion, was located in the city of Rochester today shortly before 1 p.m.
Schumacher was located when she called the Monroe County 911 center to inquire as to if she was a wanted person. The Rochester Police Department responded and located Schumacher in the 500 block of Broad Street.
The investigation by the Albion Police Department revealed that Schumacher had taken a car from an acquaintance in the village of Albion and then disposed of the car in Rochester because of narcotics activity she was involved in.
Schumacher was taken into custody by the Rochester Police Department and then turned over to the Albion Police Department. Schumacher was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle 2nd and Grand Larceny 4th. She was arraigned in the Town of Albion Court where bail was set at $1,000. Schumacher in currently being held in the Orleans County Jail and is to return to Town Court on Tuesday.
The vehicle stolen by Schumacher has not been recovered and is believed to still be in Rochester. The stolen vehicle is as follows: 2006 Suzuki Frenza 4 door color Black with NYS Registration FCE-2528.
The investigation was aided by several reports from civilians providing information based on the media reports they had seen. The Albion Police would like to thank the media and the public for their assistance.
If anyone has additional information as to Schumacher’s activity over the past several days or the whereabouts of the stolen vehicle, please contact your local 911 center or the Albion Police at 585-589-5627.
KNOWLESVILLE – In this photo from around 1900 we catch a view of the railroad dock at Knowlesville.
Hundreds of barrels of apples are about to be loaded into the refrigerator cars on the sidings. These cars had ice boxes built into each end, which were filled with cakes of natural ice. Hence the fruit was preserved during shipment to far off destinations.
Note all of the barrels were hauled to the depot by horse-drawn wagons.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Provided photo
ALBION – Two village leaders were treated to a cake and fanfare on Wednesday when both Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheehan, left, and Mayor Dean Theodorakos attended their last board meeting as current elected village officials.
Sheehan served as a village trustee for eight years. He was unable to run for re-election because of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from running in partisan elections. Sheehan was recently hired as a maintenance mechanic for the VA in Batavia.
Theodorakos was the village mayor the past five years. He chose to not seek re-election citing the demands of a full-time job in Rochester as a senior accountant for Kodak. He also wants more time with his grandchildren.
The mayor and deputy mayor both said the village has made progress updating old infrastructure. The village has upgraded its sewer plant, sanitary and storm sewers, and overhauled some roads, most notably at Meadowbrook Drive, McKinistry Street, East State Street and Crimson Drive.
Theodorakos said the village has experienced a lot of recent investment, including in the downtown, and along routes 31 and 98. Some local merchants have invested in the village, and some national chains – Kentucky Fried Chicken, Advance Auto Parts and soon Dunkin’ Donuts – have picked Albion for businesses.
Dean London, Albion’s former police chief, will become mayor effective Tuesday. Two other new trustees – Stan Farone and Gary Katsanis – also will join the board. Farone will take Sheehan’s spot while Katsanis fills the vacancy created when Fred Miller became a county legislator on Jan. 1.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Says she battled with board over budget
Susan Rudnicky
ALBION – Susan Rudnicky was back in Hoag Library on Thursday, first using the site as a patron. Later in the day, she attended a session about Depression glass. That was a fund-raiser for Friends of the Library, where Rudnicky volunteers as a member.
“You don’t put your heart and soul into an institution for 16 years and then let go just like that,” Rudnicky said about her connection to the library.
On March 11 she was dismissed as director of the library by the board of trustees. She served as director for 16 years, and helped get the new library built, writing grants that secured $800,000 toward the project. The new site more than doubled the space from a historic structure on Main Street.
The new library has seen circulation jump about 50 percent from the old site. Total circulation topped 100,000 for the first time in 2013, reaching about 120,000. At Swan, circulation typically was about 80,000 annually.
“I’m proud of this building,” Rudnicky said. “They had been talking about it since I don’t know when.”
Board President Kevin Doherty said last week during a board meeting that Rudnicky didn’t follow board directives. That was why she was dismissed. She didn’t do anything illegal, Doherty said.
He didn’t specify the directives that were not followed, but said Rudnicky and the board often were at odds, going back for years.
Rudnicky said there was tension between her and the board over the library budget. She didn’t think the board approved a budget that fully covered the library’s operational needs.
The new library is open eight more hours a week than the former Swan Library, and it’s open nine more Saturdays and four more holidays – Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Good Friday and Columbus Day. Swan had 9.5 full-time equivalents for staff and that has dropped to 8 FTEs at the new site.
“It was hard to bring the staffing under budget,” Rudnicky said. “The pressure was trying to man that desk. It takes a certain number of people.”
Rudnicky would have liked more time on the job rather than her hasty exit on March 11 when she was escorted out of the building during business hours.
“It was the least graceful way, but I’m not going to let it get me down,” she said.
At 64, she is back on the job market, sending out resumes. She said it will be difficult to find a comparable job locally. She would like to keep working until she’s 70.
For now she remains committed to serving as president of the Cobblestone Society Museum. If she can find a job in the area she would like to stay involved with Friends of the Library.
She urged the community to continue to support the library, and honor their fund-raising pledges.
“The new building was the realization of a dream for me, along with a bunch of other people,” she said. “I just hope that people of good will take that dream forward.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – A committee preparing a dissolution plan for the village of Medina has moved back its next meeting by a week. The Medina Dissolution Committee will next meet at 8 a.m. on April 10 at City Hall on Main Street.
One of the committee members couldn’t be at the April 3 meeting, so it was pushed back a week, said Don Colquhoun, the committee chairman.
The committee expects to have data soon on how a village dissolution would affect tax rates for property in the village and also outside the village in the towns of Ridgeway and Shelby.
The consultants on the dissolution plan, the Center for Governmental Research, said the Medina community would see $1 million in local tax savings through a dissolution of the village with about $350,000 in reduced operational costs and $650,000 in additional state aid.
The $350,000 in savings represent about 3.2 percent of the combined $11 million budgets for the village and the two towns. The impact could have been greater, but a dissolution committee wants to preserve services and staff at existing levels.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Judy Manley, right, shows Cheryl Mowatt some of the Depression glass for sale at the Hoag Library. The sale continues until 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Depression glass was distributed by many food manufacturers during the Great Depression. The glass was included in boxes of food as an incentive for purchase. It has become a popular collectible.
Library patrons look over some of the Depression glass for sale at the Hoag Library. July Manley, Bill Lattin, and René Schasel discussed the history of Depression glass on Thursday at the library. The Friends of the Library is selling more than 100 pieces of the glass that were donated to the Friends to raise money for the library.
Provided photo – Pictured from left include: County Legislator Lynne Johnson of the Public Safety Committee, Lieutenant Bob Perry, Sheriff Scott Hess, Public Safety Dispatcher Roger Wilkins and Paul Wagner, director of Emergency Management.
Press release
Orleans County
Sheriff’s Department
ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess this afternoon recognized two members of his staff who have retired:
Lieutenant Robert Perry completed a 20-year law enforcement career on Thursday. Bob joined the Sheriff’s Office in January of 1994, under then Sheriff David Green. Perry transferred to the Albion Police Department in September of that same year. He returned to the Sheriff’s Office in 2001 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2002. His last assignment was as “C” Line Patrol Supervisor, working the 3:30 p.m. to midnight shift.
Roger Wilkins completed a 23-year public safety career on Wednesday. Roger joined the Sheriff’s Office as a Correction Officer in the County Jail in December of 1990, under then Sheriff Green. In January of 1992, Roger transferred to Emergency Communications as a Public Safety Dispatcher, where he remained until retirement. His last assignment was on the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
“The retirement of these individuals represents a loss of over 43 years experience to the citizens of Orleans County,” said Sheriff Scott Hess. “While they will certainly be missed, they have our very best wishes in whatever the future holds for them.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Update : Bella was reunited with the Zeiner family this morning.
Provided photo
MEDINA – Three weeks ago Bethany Zeiner got a 2-year-old Pomeranian for her daughter’s birthday. The dog slipped through a fence on Walsh Alley today.
Zeiner welcomes the public’s help in finding the dog, which weighs about 12 pounds. The dog is named Bella. It has tags and was registered in Ridgeway.
For more information, contact Zeiner at 585-284-9992.
ALBION – The Albion Police Department is currently investigating a missing person case involving Lynnette Schumacher, who was last seen on Wednesday evening at about 10 p.m.
She left 128 Day St. in the village and police believe she then headed to the “REZ” in Genesee County. Police believe she left the Albion area operating a black Suzuki 4-door car with an unknown license plate number. The vehicle is said to have a sticker in the rear window that says, “Princess On Board.”
Schumacher has a history of mental health issues. Information was given to the Albion Police that Schumacher may have been in the Interstate 490 / Brown Street in the City of Rochester on Thursday afternoon needing gas money.
Schumacher is described as follows:
Age: 24
White Female (light skin tone)
Brown Hair
Brown Eyes
5’09” Tall
225 lbs
Numerous Tattoos
Last Seen Wearing: Black sweatshirt, Pajama Pants with Skulls on them.
If anyone has information as to Schumacher’s location, please contact your local 911 center or the Albion Police at 585-589-5627.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – The four main characters in The Wiz become close friends, relying on each other in the Kingdom of Oz. The group includes the Lion (Steven Stass), Dorothy (Lydia Erakare), Scarecrow (Josh Raymond) and Tinman (Kyle Thaine).
The Wizard (Zach Shaffer) will only grant their wishes if they kill the Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West. The Albion drama department created the Wizard’s throne room to have a psychedelic feeling with lights, smoke, and pyrotechnics.
ALBION – Dorothy thinks Kansas is boring and just wants out of the place, to go anywhere else. Then a twister hits, and she finds herself in the Kingdom of Oz with Munchkins.
In a foreign land, Dorothy wants to go home. She misses her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.
Lydia Erakare plays the role of Dorothy in Albion High School’s production of “The Wiz” tonight and Saturday at the middle school auditorium. Erakare is a senior and she admitted right around January she was eager to leave small-town Albion. She will be a student beginning June 30 at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, College of the Performing Arts, in New York City.
“Dorothy leaves home and realizes how good she had it,” Erakare said. “She better appreciates her family and friends.”
Dorothy (Lydia Erakare) is eager to get out of Kansas. She is pictured with her Aunt Em (Jenna Reigle) and Toto (Maxwell Thaine).
Some of the munchkins include Joe Madejski, center, and Nathaniel Trembley.
Erakare said college will be like a trip to Oz, making special friends along the way, but she said her heart will always be in Albion. The musical concludes with her singing “Home.”
The Wiz slightly varies from the popular film. Dorothy has silver shoes, for example, rather than ruby slippers. There are two good witches in the musical: Glinda and Addaperle. The Wicked Witch of the West, Evillene, doesn’t have green skin or a big ugly hat.
Angela Tarricone plays Evillene. She wears what she called a jazzy and sparkly outfit. However, she brings a bossy persona to the stage.
“It’s really fun,” Tarricone said about the role. “I love being the opposite of who I really am.”
The show includes some special effects, with Evillene and The Wizard using flash pots to represent a magic spell. There are strobe lights, confetti canons and the stage crew rigged up fog for when Dorothy tosses water on Evillene, and she melts.
Evillene (Angela Tarricone) melts after being doused with water by Dorothy.
The stage crew didn’t have to create a robotic dog as Toto. The show includes a real dog, with Maxwell Thaine making its stage debut. The dog is owned by High School Band Director Michael Thaine and his family.
Musical director Gary Simboli wanted an ensemble show to highlight several strong leads. The show also features “an amazing group of dancers,” he said. They do 13 dance numbers.
The show carries a powerful message, Simboli said.
“It’s about believing in yourself,” he said. “You have everything inside you, you just have to believe in yourself.”
The Lion (Steven Stauss) appears on stage and tries to scare everybody, singing “(I’m a) Mean Ole Lion.”
The main characters realize that when they go to The Wizard. Ultimately, he can’t grant their wishes, but he shows them they already have the heart, brains and courage they were looking for.
Steven Stauss plays the Lion. Stauss is going to college on a football scholarship. He has been active in the drama program in high school.
“I just love performing on the big stage, whether it’s in the theater or on the football field,” he said.
He said he was grateful for one last chance on the theater stage in high school, and do it with some of his close friends. The four main characters have a strong camaraderie, he said.
“This is a story of friendship,” he said.
Madeline Fournier plays a good witch, Addaperle. Albion made all of the costumes for the show except the Tin Man’s outfit, which was rented. Karen Dibley and Kathy Winans made most of the outfits.
Albion’s musical typically receive many awards from the Stars of Tomorrow program through the Rochester Broadway Theatre League. Erakare, who is pursuing musical theater in college, said Albion’s high-caliber shows have prepared her for college.
“I’m lucky to be in a high school where theater is important,” she said.
Shows are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a noon performance on Saturday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 March 2014 at 12:00 am
2 also charged with rape after raid by Task Force
Lee Q. Tisdale
Devon Robinson
Four people were jailed after a drug investigation, and two of those people also face charges for rape, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported.
Police made the arrests on Monday following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine, ecstasy and methylone “bath salts” in Orleans County.
The Task Force and Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at 2822 Lattin Rd., in the town of Gaines. Police also investigated reports of under-age parties at the residence which involved alcohol, drug use and sex.
As a result of the investigation, the following were arrested:
Lee Q. Tisdale, 43, of 2822 Lattin Rd., Albion, who was charged with two counts of criminal sale and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, one count of criminal sale and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.
Tisdale also was charged with third-degree rape.
He was arraigned in the Town of Gaines Justice Court on Monday by Town Justice Bruce Schmidt, who sent Tisdale to jail on $250,000 cash bail or $500,000 bond.
Tisdale was to appear in county court on Monday. When he didn’t show, Judge James Punch issued a bench warrant for Tisdale’s arrest. Tisdale appeared in county court on Wednesday to appear on the bench warrant. He was committed to county jail with no bail.
Devon Robinson, 20, of 19 Lang St., Rochester, who was charged with first-degree rape, one count of sexual misconduct, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Laura J. Campbell
Jennifer L. Davila
Laura J. Campell, 40, of 19 Lang St., Rochester, who was charged with one count of a criminal sex act in the third degree and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Jennifer L. Davilia, 24, of 2822 Lattin Rd., Albion, who was charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, one count of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
The rape charges stem from Tisdale, Robinson and Campbell allegedly having sexual intercourse and or sexual contact with another person under the age of 17, the Task Force reported.
Robinson, Campell and Davila were all arraigned in Gaines court by Justice Schmidt on Wednesday. Robinson was sent to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. Campbell and Davila were both committed to the county jail on $2,500 cash or bond. They are all to return town court at 3 p.m. on April 1.
Orleans County Animal Control assisted officers at the scene of the search warrant and removed four pitbulls that appeared to have injuries due to fighting. The dogs were taken to the vet by animal control and treated for their injures. Tisdale faces numerous charges for animal abuse and neglect, the Task Force reported.
The residence also was condemned by the town of Gaines due to the condition of the property. Tisdale faces numerous codes violations as well.
The Brockport Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation and arrest of Tisdale, who also faced charges in Monroe County.
This investigation is still ongoing and further charges and arrests are pending, the Task Force reported.
MEDINA – The school district has closed the swimming pool at Clifford Wise Intermediate/Middle School until further notice. The locker rooms are being renovated. The pool will reopen when the project is complete.
Press release, GCC
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College is pleased to announce Michele Bokman has been named May 2014 Employee of the Month. Michele has worked at GCC for nine years.
She is director of operations for the Albion and Medina Campus Centers and is also an adjunct instructor, having taught the Career and Education Planning course for the last six years.
In her role as director of operations, Michele oversees day-to-day activities at both of GCC’s Orleans County campus centers. She handles everything from facility needs to course planning.
“Her oversight of the day-to-day operations of both centers is extensive and involves every aspect of the operations,” GCC officials noted in naming her Employee of the Month. “Michele has a can-do attitude, and she sets a positive tone for staff and the students.”
Michele played an instrumental role in establishing the Orleans County Advisement Team. She also contributes to the college community through service on the joint advisory committee for the centers, the College Assessment Committee and on the All-advisor Committee.
Prior to GCC, Michele was the field support manager covering Albany and New York City for a large national property and casualty insurance company. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Syracuse University in French Language and Culture and a Master’s in Liberal Studies from The College at Brockport.
She loves the “unique work environment” at GCC. “I have the privilege of working with a group of people who value teamwork, innovative thinking and challenge each other to be the best.”
Michele lives in Albion with her husband Brad and their four children: Natalie, Chelsea, Matt and Mitch. Outside the College she serves on the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension board. She loves international travel and hopes to experience as many cultures as she can. “Water activities, snow skiing and a great book make me happy!”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Cameron Morgan – By Tom Rivers, editor
MEDINA – A Medina High School senior has been named a special mention to Business First’s 2014 All-Western New York Academic Team. That designation puts him in a group of the top 100 high school seniors in eight counties of Western New York.
Morgan is the fifth-ranked student in his class. He has been active in the school musicals, as drum major in the marching band and as Student Association president. He plans to attend either the University of Rochester or Columbia University to major in political science with a minor in human rights.
Business First said the Academic Team program is designed to spotlight students who pursue excellence both in and out of the classroom. The committee chose this year’s winners based on their records of academic achievement, school leadership and community involvement.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Cameron Morgan, Medina’s drum major, directs the 130-member band in the pouring rain on Sept. 21 during the Fall Festival of Bands.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
Members of “Concerned Citizens of Orleans County,” including Adolf Genter of Albion, again picketed along Main Street on Wednesday during the Orleans County Legislature meeting. About 20-25 people stood in support of keeping The Villages of Orleans as a county-owned nursing home. The Legislature in February voted to transfer ownership of the facility to a local development corporation, which is working to find a buyer for the 120-bed facility on Route 31 in Albion. Concerned Citizens have since picketed outside the Legislature meetings the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, and each meeting time has featured nasty weather, either freezing cold or a downpour.
