SHELBY – In this picture from 1915 or 1916 we see the students of Millville School Dist. No. 7 of Shelby. Teachers standing in the back are Miss Florence Farley and Miss Verna Smith.
Front row, from left: Dorothy Hey, Raymond Eckerson, Francis Hargrave, Avis Wilson, Beulah Sharman, unidentified, Wm. Arnett, and unidentified.
Second row: Unidentified, unidentified, Fern Cross, Ruth Boyle, unidentified, Mabel Brunning, and Fay Arnett.
Third row: Chas. Carlin, a Hargrave (first name unknown), unidentified, Everett Howell, unidentified, unidentified, Charlotte Pike, Ed Hargrave, Alta Armos, Claude Pask, and unidentified.
Back row: Unidentified, Larena Wheeler, Marian Boyle, Glenn Pask, unidentified, Raymond Rowe, unidentified, Olive Arnett, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CHURCHVILLE – They built Lego robots that threw a ball into a net, moved Lego people, and completed several other tasks in a 2 ½ minute round.
(In the top photo Brian Shaw of Kendall lines up the Lego robot for the MiRiFiCi team, which means “Awesomeness” in Latin.)
MiRiFiCi and three other teams from the Orleans County 4-H program competed in a qualifying event at the Churchville-Chili today, with one of the teams advancing to a regional completion on Dec. 7 at the University of Rochester.
Prehistoric Robots was the only team from Orleans to advance to the UR event. In today’s competition at the Churchville-Chili, 17 teams competed with six advancing to the UR. Will Gregoire from Prehistoric Robots also won a “Hero Award” for exhibiting outstanding sportsmanship.
Prehistoric Robots members in photo include from left: Elaina Reese of Medina, Anna Reese of Medina, Sharbell Simon of Lyndonville, Michael Reese of Medina and JohnPaul Simon of Lyndonville. They lined up the robot, pressed the desired program and put on the attachments.
Zachary Neal of Albion is a member of the KOWZ (Kids Only Work Zone). The team needed to research a project, present their findings to judges, and also design a robot and have it complete tasks on a board. Zachary’s family owns a dairy farm in Albion.
His hat has buttons from other teams in the FIRST Lego League. For its project, KOWZ researched and developed a keyboard that can make it easier for people to learn how to type.
The Red Folders team takes a turn in the robot challenge. Tsali Garland-Standing, with head down, is shown working on the robot. Garland-Standing is from Spencerport. Deegan Bragg, in glasses, is from Medina.
There are about 40 kids in the Orleans 4-H Legos program. Most are from Orleans County, but a few are from outside the county borders. The Red Folders won a “Hero Award” for sportsmanship and enthusiasm during the competition.
Mike Beach, one of the mentors for MiRiFiCi, gives the team a pep talk before they send their robot out to complete challenges. The team’s outfits mimic the character from the Monopoly game. Beach’s son, James Michael, is on the team.
Jacob Velesko of Middleport has a hat adorned with buttons from other FLL teams.He is a member of the Red Folders.
The Hippie Pandas, a team from a Girl Scout troop in Churchville, was today’s overall champion. The Hippie Pandas also designed the best robot. They advanced to the national event last year.
Marlene Seielstad of Albion won a “Special Recognition Award,” the only one given to a mentor today for her dedication to the program as a volunteer. She and her husband Erik have served as coordinators and mentors of the FLL program in Orleans County since it started in 2012 with one team. Last year it jumped tp three teams and now there are four.
Benjamin Williams of Albion, a member of the KOWZ team, assembles a Lego model during a drill in today’s competition.
The Prehistoric Robots team advanced to the First Lego League championships on Dec. 7 at the University of Rochester. The team also moved on the the UR competition in 2013. The team includes, from left: Anna Reese, Jacques Gregoire, Michael Reese (in back), Elaina Reese, Nathaniel Scott-Avery, Lucas Wilkins, JohnPaul Simon, Sharbell Simon and Will Gregoire.
HARTLAND – The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office received numerous 911 calls reporting an accident at 9209 Ridge Rd., where a vehicle hit a house and the gas line was ruptured at approximately 10:39 p.m.
Upon arrival, deputies were advised that the driver had fled the scene on foot. After requesting Hartland Fire Company and NYSEG to respond for the natural gas leak, houses in close proximity were evacuated as a precaution.
Deputies then began searching the immediate area for the driver. Joseph M. Childs, 49, of Albion was located a short distance from the accident scene. Childs was then transported to Eastern Niagara Hospital-Lockport for treatment of minor injuries.
He was charged at the hospital with Driving While Intoxicated, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, Driving on the Shoulder, Speeding, and several other traffic infractions.
He is due in Town of Hartland Court on Nov. 18.
Investigation by deputies revealed that Childs was westbound on Ridge Road, struck a parked vehicle on the north shoulder, which then caused the parked vehicle to strike the residence at 9209, rupturing the natural gas line. No other injuries were reported and the investigation is continuing by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BYRON – It was a fine sunrise this morning. This photo was taken of trees at the North Byron Cemetery along Route 237, just south of the Town of Clarendon.
Temperatures are forecast for a high of 35 today, 36 on Sunday and 37 on Monday, with a chance for snow each day, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BASOM – Leaders of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge have brought some of the creatures and habitat of the refuge inside for visitors to experience as part of a $4.5 million upgrade to its headquarters and visitor center.
Tanya Preisch, an administrative assistant for the refuge and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Fisheries, holds a racoon pelt that is part of a new visitor center with many wildlife exhibits.
The entrance of the visitor center includes flocks of birds, suspended high near the ceiling. The birds have a reflective material, giving off changing colors.
Refuge leaders celebrated the new center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday. Today the grand opening celebration continues with demonstrations of live birds of prey from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and other games and crafts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the refuge on Casey Road.
The exhibits mimic some of the habitat in the refuge. The new headquarters and visitor center gutted and upgraded the previous building and added 5,000 square feet of space.
The project was driven by the co-location of the refuge staff with employees of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Fisheries. The 18 to 20 employees from Fisheries moved from East Amherst to work out of the refuge.
This exhibit shows a muskrat in its marshy habitat.
This display notes that Native Americans were once prominent at the refuge, a 10,808-acre site in the towns of Shelby and Alabama.
A large fish tank highlights fish in the Great Lakes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2014 at 6:24 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Albion police officer Jeff Gifaldi, left, checks on a tractor trailer that caused a power outage on Orchard Street near the Lake Country Pennysaver and Yellow Goose on North Main Street.
A driver for Beckmann Distribution Service Inc. in Carlyle, Ill., hit a wire at about 5:30 p.m. The driver was attempting to turn around on Orchard Street.
The driver noticed the 22-ton weight limit for the Main Street canal bridge. He was attempting to turn around and find another way across the canal, Albion police said.
National Grid was called to the scene and was expected soon to restore power for the section of the village.
WASHINGTON, DC – The House Republican majority gave strong support for a controversial oil pipeline project today. The Keystone XL oil pipeline was approved in the House, 252-161, and now heads to the Senate.
The 1,179-mile project would go from Canada through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska. It would connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, issued this statement after the vote:
“Achieving energy independence is vital for our nation’s economic growth and national security. For the past six years, the President’s Administration has hidden behind political motives to delay a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. While the Obama Administration and Senate Democrats have delayed, the American people have missed out on the thousands of jobs and lower energy costs that would be created by approval of the pipeline.
“As November’s elections results prove, Americans want economic growth and jobs now, and House Republicans are taking a major step towards those goals. It is time for the President and Senate Democrats to put aside their punitive political agenda and harness our nation’s energy potential.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Provided photo – St. Peter’s Cathedral in Erie, Pa., towers 265 feet and remains a dominant part of the city skyline.
MEDINA – Eleven sites, some soaring 200 feet or higher, have joined the list of nominations for the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.
Some of the nominees are huge and breathtaking in their size. St. Peter’s Cathedral in Erie, Pa., takes up about three city blocks. It towers more than 265 feet.
“It is truly a magnificent structure with massive amounts of Medina sandstone,” Jim Hancock, a member of the Hall of Fame Committee, said during a nomination reception on Thursday.
The church was built in 1894. It was the first site outside New York State to make the list of nominees.
Photo by Tom Rivers – The First Presbyterian Church in Albion, shown during a winter storm last February, has endured many Western New York winters.
Three sites were nominated from Orleans County: First Presbyterian Church in Albion, built in 1874; the former St. Rocco’s Catholic Church (now Cornerstone Christian Church), built by Italian immigrants in Hulberton in 1906; and Robin Hill Manor, a residence completed in 1952 by William Smith in Lyndonville.
Several locations in Buffalo also were nominated: The Asbury-Delaware Church (now known as Babeville), built in 1876 and now a performing arts venue and events center owned by singer Ani DiFranco; the Olmsted Circles at the Buffalo parks, built in 1876; the Buffalo Crematory from 1885; and the W.H. Gratwick House, built in 1888 but torn down in 1919. (Because it was demolished it wouldn’t be included in the Hall of Fame).
John Slack, a member of the Hall of Fame Committee, discusses the Olmsted Circles, which have been nominated for the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.
Two sites were nominated in Jamestown. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church was constructed from 1892 to 1894. The site includes a tower with a clock on four faces, as well as the city’s only chime bells. The Prendergast family funded the church project.
That family also paid for Jamestown’s public library. The James Prendergast Free Library opened in 1891. The building consumes an entire city block on Cherry Street. The library has rounded arches, a turret on the southeast corner and stone steps that were cut from a single stone to help the steps weather the harsh winter climate.
Photo by Tom Rivers – The Prendergast Library in Jamestown is one of two sites from Jamestown nominated for the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.
The HOF Committee traveled to Central New York to visit the Sonnenberg Mansion in Canandaigua. The Queen Anne-style mansion was built from 1885 to 1887 and has 40 rooms. The Sonnenberg Mansion and its gardens are now a part of the New York State Parks Department.
Provided photo – The Sonnenberg Mansion is now part of the NY State Park Department. The 40-room mansion was completed in 1887.
The nominated sites join 15 holdovers from 2013 for consideration for the Hall of Fame. Six inaugural sites were enshrined last December. The second class will be inducted in the spring.
“We can be proud of the Medina Sandstone Society for recognizing the beautiful sandstone buildings that have been erected from Orleans County stone,” said Kathy Blackburn, director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.
During a reception Thursday at the Medina Theatre, she praised the Sandstone Society for working to preserve and promote the Medina Sandstone heritage. The Sandstone Society also gives out annual grants for local community projects.
Jennifer Wells-Dickerson speaks about her great-grandfather, Pasquale DiLaura of Albion, who kept the sandstone industry alive from 1920 to the 1960s.
Thursday’s reception included a feature about Pasquale DiLaura. When the sandstone industry was struggling in 1920, he opened a quarry in Clarendon and lined up work for the stone masons. DiLaura led the crews that built the Hamlin Beach State Park. He taught the young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps how to cut stone. Many of those structures endure about 80 years after they were built.
DiLaura’s stone also was used for the Lake Ontario State Parkway and many other local projects. His great-granddaughter, Jennifer Wells-Dickerson, shared his story during the reception on Thursday. She said she is working on a book about DiLaura.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Tim Smith from Chesapeake Organ Service in Red Lion, Pa., drills screws out of the top of the organ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina. The organ is being taken apart with a bigger one headed to the church.
MEDINA – For nearly a century the organ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina filled the sanctuary with sounds of beloved church hymns.
But in recent days, the organ has been torn apart, with sounds of drills, hammers and bursting wood.
The organ should be gone in a few days. By Easter, a bigger, better organ will be in its place.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the church,” said Andrew Meier, the church organist.
Tim Smith works on removing the church organ at Trinity Lutheran.
Meier helped orchestrate the change. Trinity is removing an organ from 1925 with eight ranks or eight sets of pipes and two manuals or keyboards. It will be replaced with one from 1968 that has 29 sets of pipes and three keyboards. Christ Episcopal Cathedral in Cincinnati, Ohio donated the 1968 Holtkamp pipe organ to Trinity Lutheran.
The church in Cincinnati is being renovated and is putting in a more compact organ. Trinity has the space for the organ to be spread out in all of its glory.
Smith’s company will clean and rebuild the organ. The church has raised most of the money for the project, but donations are welcome. (Checks for “Organ Fund” can be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, 1212 West Ave., Medina NY 14103.)
Trinity has the space in the balcony to accommodate a large organ. Tim Smith is standing on top of the instrument.
Meier said there are many fine organs in Orleans County as well as in Rochester.
“We could make our area an organ destination,” he said. “I think we really have something here.”
Smith has seen a resurgence in the instruments, with Gen X’ers leading a push to more traditional church music with organs. He also is executive director of The Portageville Chapel in Wyoming County. That includes a church from 1841 with a chapel that serves as a retreat for organists. Smith said the chapel has been booked for 50 weeks this year for organists looking to hone their craft.
He connected with Meier at The Portageville Chapel. Smith said Trinity will be receiving an organ “in very fine condition.” He will bring the organ to Medina in stages, likely in beginning in January. The goal is to have the organ ready for April 5, Easter Sunday.
Tim Smith is working on the task of taking apart an organ from 1925.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – CRFS, which a year ago moved into the former Chase site, was approved for a $250,000 loan today for working capital for the company’s expansion.
ALBION – Albion’s largest private employer was approved for a $250,000 low-interest loan today by the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
Claims Recovery Financial Services will use the funds for working capital, said Jim Whipple, EDA executive director. CRFS about a year ago consolidated its operations at the former Chase site in Albion.
The company shifted its employees from sites in Medina and a next-door location in Albion to the former Chase building. The company employs about 600 people at the site.
CRFS has five years to pay back the money at a rate that is 75 percent of prime. The money comes out of the EDA’s revolving loan fund for businesses. As the loan is paid back, the funds will be available for other businesses to borrow.
“We’re pleased with the positive direction CRFS is headed,” said Ken DeRoller, a county legislator and EDA board member.
The company has grown from about 10 employees a decade ago to its current size. CRFS is led by Orleans County native Jodi Gaines. The company serves clients in all 50 states, working with banks and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to recover past-due interest, unpaid principal, unpaid taxes and unpaid insurance on houses.
