LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Central School District is planning a special celebration at graduation ceremonies on June 27.
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of L.A. Webber High School, members of the Lyndonville Central Class of 1964 are invited to participate in graduation ceremonies.
Class of 1964 Valedictorian John Woodworth and Salutatorian Connie Maines will be offering comments at the ceremony.
If you are member of the Class of 1964 or know someone who is, please contact Diane Thurber at 765-3122.
(Editor’s note: The State Assembly passed a bill Tuesday to give financial aid to students whose parents are illegal aliens. The issue now goes to the State Senate.)
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) voted against the DREAM Act on Tuesday, citing concerns that working-class families are disregarded in favor of illegal immigrants.
He noted the similarities between the DREAM Act and Gov. Cuomo’s plan to give a free college education to incarcerated felons. In both cases, lawbreakers would be receiving college tuition assistance and law-abiding families of students would be spending their life savings and borrowing to obtain an education, Hawley said.
He issued the following statement:
“The DREAM Act is wrong for the hard-working families of upstate New York who have played by the rules and are still burdened with crushing student loan debt. It’s particularly troubling to pass this exactly one week after the governor rolled out his ill-advised plan to give free college to convicts. Families who are trying to give their kids a better life need and deserve student aid and illegal immigrants and convicts do not.”
KENDALL – A Canandaigua man is hospitalized after falling from the operator’s platform on a hydraulic boom truck this morning.
The incident occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m., in the 900 block of West Kendall Road. Allen L. Harter, 62, had climbed up to the platform and was preparing to sit down in the boom operator’s chair when he lost his footing and fell to the ground, a distance of between 7 and 8 feet.
Harter was transported by Kendall FD ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He is employed by J.F. Electric Inc., of Edwardsville, Ill. The company leased the truck from Global Rental Co., in Indianapolis, Ind.
The incident was investigated by Deputy M.C. Mele.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – An area native who grew up on a fruit farm has been picked as the external relations director for the American Farm Bureau Federation, based in the nation’s capital.
Sarah Brown will work as external relations director in Farm Bureau’s Industry Affairs Department. As external relations director, Brown will play an important part in increasing the organization’s role as the “Voice of Agriculture” for the industry.
She also will focus on expanding Farm Bureau’s influence by building alliances and coalitions with key industry partners to increase engagement with AFBF, according to Dan Durheim, executive director, Industry Affairs.
“Sarah has extensive experience in marketing and communications strategy, client relationship management, and sales and service optimization,” Durheim said. “AFBF will greatly benefit from Sarah’s experience and insights gained from working with clients, companies and organizations both inside and outside of agriculture.”
Brown comes to AFBF from Weber Associates, where she was a senior consultant charged with managing client relationships. Prior to that, she was assistant director of admissions at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences in New York. She also worked as sales and marketing manager at Intergrow Greenhouses in the town of Gaines.
Her family owns Brown’s Berry Patch and Orchard Dale Fruit Company. That family farm dates back to 1804.
Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in applied economics and management from Cornell’s CALS.
“AFBF is pleased to have Sarah play a key role in strengthening our stakeholder outreach efforts,” said Durheim. “The strategic outreach skills she brings to this position will benefit America’s farm and ranch families as we continue to realign our organizational resources behind implementing our grassroots policies.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Big roadblock removed for redeveloping property
Photo by Tom Rivers – This house at 136 Liberty St., and the one next door, have been sitting mostly vacant for more than a decade. The unpaid taxes were forgiven on the property today to help spur a redevelopment of the site.
ALBION – Orleans County legislators voted today to forgive about $60,000 in back taxes for two run-down houses in Albion, a decision that removes a roadblock for getting the houses knocked down and the site redeveloped.
The two houses, at 134 and 136 Liberty St., are in a spot that could be potentially attractive for development, Mayor Dean Theodorakos said.
The land is right across from the new Hoag Library, and many businesses are within walking distance.
“It’s appealing because it’s all walkable with the library, Tim Hortons, Ace Hardware and the churches,” the mayor said this evening.
The county voted to forgive the taxes, and would like to see the houses demolished so the land could be reused. It isn’t the norm for the county to forgive the taxes. The property is owned by the county and will be transferred to the village. The county can forgive taxes if the property is owned by a municipality, the EDA or a non-profit.
The village has obtained two bids from licensed asbestos contractors for a controlled demolition. It would cost $64,975 for the demolition.
Theodorakos said the village doesn’t have that in it’s budget in the immediate future.
He would welcome a scenario where a developer would pay to remove the two houses and add a residential project. He thinks the site would be ideal for a senior citizen complex given the close access to so many businesses and other services.
He thanked the county for forgiving the taxes today. That made a redevelopment $65,000 cheaper for a developer.
“We felt like they were in a no-win situation,” Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer, said about the rundown properties. “It’s difficult for the villages to decide what to do with properties that are challenged.”
Nesbitt and David Callard, the Legislature chairman, are hopeful a new building or complex is built at the Liberty Street site soon.
“We want to see it return to a productive use,” Nesbitt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Albion Lions Club President Bill Robinson, left, presented John Keding with an award on Tuesday for his 45 years of service with the Lions Club.
Keding also was recognized by the Lions International for his role as secretary with the Albion club. He has a 100 percent rate in filing monthly “members and activities” reports to International. Keding has served as club secretary for at least 25 years.
Keding is a past president of the local club. The members refer to him as “Mr. Lion.”
“I enjoy the camaraderie with the guys,” said Keding, who has owned Keding’s Automotive in Albion for 40 years. “We do things for the community without getting paid for it.”
The club is preparing for two upcoming fundraisers. It will try to sell 200 dozen of roses for Mother’s Day. It also sells geraniums around Memorial Day. Those fund-raisers help the club give back to the community, including scholarships for graduating Albion seniors.
The club has offered five $500 scholarships annually but will change that this year to three $1,000 scholarships. Members said college has become more expensive and $1,000 will make a bigger impact for the scholarship winners.
Gillibrand: New York exporters to save $450K annually
File photo by Tom Rivers – Some RubyFrost apples are displayed at Brown’s Berry Patch in Waterport last fall. Orleans County is the state’s second-leading apple producer, behind only Wayne County.
Press release
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After a push by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Bill Owens of northern New York, apple exports from New York State to Canada are now moving at a swifter, more cost-effective pace because of a measure included in the Farm Bill.
Last week, the first shipment of apples that were not subject to inspection crossed the border without incident. Gillibrand and Owens worked to exempt bulk shipments of U.S. apples to Canada from inspection required under the Apple Export Act, saving apple growers up to $300 per truckload, and allowing growers to create their own distribution schedules, eliminating costly after-hours inspection procedures.
“New York State is home to some of the world’s finest apples and hardest working growers,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “But this costly inspection was hurting our growers and holding our economy back. Now our apples can reach markets faster, help New York’s apple growers cut costs, and help our economy grow.”
New York is the country’s second-leading apple producing state with an annual crop of about 30 million bushels, behind only Washington. The New York crop generates about $330 million annually for the state’s economy.
“After more than two years of hard work, we finally have succeeded, with the elimination of the inspection requirements of the Apple Export Act,” New York Apple Association President Jim Allen said.
The Apple and Pear Export Act of 1933 requires that all exported apples are inspected. But pears have been excluded from the law since 1999. The elimination of apples from this antiquated law would enable apple farmers to have more control over their work schedules and eliminate expensive after-hours inspection procedures.
With nearly 1.5 million bushels of apples exported to Canada annually, this amendment to the current law could save U.S. apple growers more than $550,000 annually by allowing apple growers to distribute apple products on their own schedule, saving valuable time and resources by avoiding onerous after-hours inspection procedures.
“We are very grateful for the Sen. Gillibrand and Congressman Owens for listening to our concerns and acting on our behalf,” Allen said. “Because of their diligence, NY apple growers will not be burdened with unnecessary costs and requirements to sell apples into Canada. So far this year over 650 truckloads have already paid the price, but we anticipate another 800 this season will be exempt. This is a huge cost savings for our growers.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Orleans County Court Judge James Punch on Monday approved two local residents for the Drug Court program, which provides services for people with addictions and applies consequences if they use drugs.
Krystle L. Hughson, 30, of Albion pleaded guilty to petit larceny after she allegedly entered a motor home on Beachwood Boulevard in Albion on Dec. 20. Once inside, she is accused of stealing prescription pills.
Hughson told Judge Punch she was retrieving a loose dog for the owner. When she went inside the motor home, she confessed to taking prescription medication that wasn’t hers. She said she didn’t enter the home with the intention to taking the medication. But once inside, she stole the pills.
If Hughson successfully completes Drug Court, the petit larceny charge will be dismissed.
In another case for Drug Court, Joseph Piedmont, 48, of Lydun Drive in Albion pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the fourth degree and petit larceny.
If Piedmont completes Drug Court, the grand larceny charge will be dropped and he will be sentenced for petit larceny with the stipulation of no jail time.
Piedmont confessed in court to using his mother’s credit card without her permission. He used it to take money from an ATM to buy drugs, the DA’s office said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A pastor accused of sex crimes against children was offered a plea deal in Orleans County Court on Monday that would carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in state prison.
Roy Harriger, the pastor of the Community Fellowship Church in the town of Hartland, faces six counts of sex abuse charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
Harriger, 70, of Middleport was charged in November with three counts of coarse sexual contact in the first degree and three counts of incest. District Attorney Joe Cardone presented a plea for Harriger to plead guilty to the three counts of coarse sexual contact. Cardone said he wouldn’t pursue the incest charges.
The coarse sexual contact charges carry a minimum of five years and a maximum of 25 years in state prison. The sentence for the three counts would run at the same time, according to the plea offer from the DA.
Harriger is represented by attorney Larry Koss. Harriger did not accept the offer in court on Monday. He has until April 7 to decide. That is his next court appearance. He can accept the plea offer or the case will go to trial.
Judge James Punch has ordered Harriger to stay away from church and any other locations where there are children 18 or younger.
Harriger was first arraigned in the Yates Town Court on Nov. 27 after being charged by the state police. He posted $250,000 bail. Punch has kept the bail at $250,000.
The alleged crimes by Harriger occurred against three family members between September 2000 and September 2001, when he was pastor of the Ashwood Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville.
“Witnesses can’t say exactly when they happened, but there were multiple offenses with multiple victims,” Cardone said in court on Monday.
MEDINA – In this 1908 picture we see construction of the Buffalo, Lockport and Rochester trolley tracks in Medina. Here they make the sharp bend around the corner from East Center Street to Main Street.
The building on the corner was destroyed by a fire a number of years ago. This site now serves as a small park. Note the early electric street light suspended on a cable over this intersection. The B.L. & R. trolley system ran from 1908 to 1931 through Orleans County.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Jessica DeFazio last month opened the Happy Hour Liquor Inc., in downtown Holley at 30 Public Square. The store is open seven days a week.
HOLLEY – A Holley native moved back to her hometown and opened a new liquor store at 30 Public Square.
Jessica DeFazio, 28, sees lots of potential in Holley’s downtown, especially as more businesses open, drawing more traffic and customers who can visit several of the shops and restaurants.
She opened Happy Hour Liquor Inc. on Jan. 10. She said she sells “a little bit of everything,” from whiskey, wine, rum, brandy, tequila and scotch. The business is open seven days a week.
The site had been used as a pawn shop, which moved next door. DeFazio grew up in Holley and was living in Spencerport until she moved back. She said houses are far more inexpensive in Holley. That was one draw to come back to Holley.
“It’s small, it’s quiet, it’s comfortable,” she said. “I love it here.”
She said there are more businesses than people may realize in the community. She would like to see more people in the Holley area shop where they live rather than driving to Brockport.
DeFazio earned an associate’s degree in humanities and social sciences from Monroe Community College. She wanted to open her own business. She said the state Liquor Authority was helpful in approving her license, and Holley village officials also backed the business, including her new sign.
For more information on Happy Hour Liquor, visit happyhourliquorinc.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Cole London, 10, of Albion tries to toss a bean bag through a target as part of a Children’s Carnival last July 12 at Bullard Park.
ALBION – The village of Albion has twice sought state funding to upgrade Bullard Park, but has been denied.
The Lions Club wants to see some improvements move forward, so the local service club wants to work with the village to raise funds for projects at the park along Route 31. The Lions is planning a 7 p.m. public meeting on March 11 at the Hoag Library to talk about possible projects for the park.
The village’s Recreation Committee identified about $600,000 in projects, with a walking trail, reseeded ball fields, new playground equipment, a concession stand with new bathrooms, a spray park and other amenities.
That is probably too much for the community to tackle at once. Dale Brooks, the DPW superintendent, would like to see new playground equipment at Bullard for the first project. Brooks is a member of the Lions Club.
“That equipment is older than me,” he told the Lions Club members at its meeting tonight. “It’s getting to the point where it’s difficult to keep safe.”
Brooks would like to see the community aim for a $50,000 fund-raising goal initially and work on tackling the park upgrades in stages. The Lions Club will reach out to other service organizations and community members for help in funding the improvements. Any checks would go to the Village of Albion in the “Rebuild Bullard Park” fund.
Brooks said the park has a lot of needs. He would like to see the bathrooms moved to Pee Wee Park, which is more centrally located in Bullard. The current bathrooms are on the west side of the park in a spot that isn’t very visible from the Route 31. Those bathrooms and nearby pavilions are prone to vandalism, Brooks said.
One of the ball fields also is set downward from the rest of the park and has problems with wetness. Brooks said that field would benefit from some fill.
The park is popular for many youth and adult sports leagues, a summer recreation program and many other community events, including dog shows on Labor Day weekend.
The village added new playground equipment to Pee Wee about two years ago. It will install a new swing set this spring in memory of Kathy LaLonde, who was 54 when she died on Oct. 6 after fighting cancer. LaLonde was a member of the Recreation Committee and helped to develop the master plan for the park.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Dennis Calkins
Tammy Kuhns-Calkins
ALBION An Albion couple faces charges of felony unlawful possession of meth lab materials, punishable by up to seven years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of obstruction of governmental administration and possession of a hypodermic instrument.
Dennis Calkins, 34, of Hamilton Street and his wife Tammy A. Kuhns-Calkins, 44, of Elba were arrested on Feb. 13 after a vehicle stop on Route 31 near the Save-A-Lot grocery store, the Albion Police Department is reporting.
Mr. Calkins jumped from the car while it was in motion and fled to a wooded area behind the grocery store, Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni said.
The Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit helped to track down Calkins who also was charged with use of a car without an Interlock device, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation, unlawful fleeing from a police officer and resisting arrest. He also was wanted on a parole warrant.
Mrs. Kuhns-Calkins attempted to drive away in the car but stopped by an officer, police reported.
Police searched the car and also found hypodermic needles as well as the components for a meth lab, police reported.
The husband and wife were sent to Orleans County Jail.
Mr. Calkins served about a year in prison for a felony DWI. He was released from Gowanda Correctional Facility on July 18, 2013 and was on parole until July 2015.
Press release, National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter
HOLLEY – The National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter has named Elissa Rowley of Holley this year’s recipient of the “Young Person On the Move” award.
In 2012, Rowley interned for four months with the National MS Society. As an intern, she was able form a support group in Canandaigua for people living with MS and their caregivers. She sought to learn more about multiple sclerosis while also making a difference in the community.
“When I was offered the internship position, I felt like it happened for a reason,” explains Rowley. “My father-in-law, John, lived with Primary Progressive MS for more than six years, but this disease was still a mystery to me, and the internship provided me the opportunity to learn about the disease while impacting the lives of people affected by MS.”
Today, Rowley continues to play an active role as an advocate for MS Awareness. She has led an MS Service Day team for the past two years, and she plans to continue volunteering with the Upstate New York Chapter.
Rowley will be honored at the chapter’s fourth annual On the Move Luncheon at noon on March 7 at Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford. The networking luncheon, held during MS Awareness Week, shines a spotlight on some of the area’s MS movement luminaries – people who are on the move to create a world free of multiple sclerosis, a disabling disease of the central nervous system that affects more than 2,800 people in the Greater Rochester area and more than 2.3 million people worldwide.
Rowley is one of eleven award recipients to be honored in six categories. For more information on National MS Society Upstate New York Chapter, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Theresa Nichols
ALBION – An Albion woman was sentenced to 3½ years in state prison today for selling hydrocodone and other prescription narcotics. She and her two sons were arrested on Oct. 1 and accused of selling drugs in Albion.
Theresa S. Nichols, 51, of 209 North Main St. apologized in court before she was sentenced.
“I want to say I’m sorry,” she told County Judge James Punch. “I know I was wrong.”
Nichols on Dec. 9 pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. She faced up to four years in state prison.
Her attorney, Michael O’Keefe of Medina, asked for probation for Nichols. He said she has been taken AA classes in jail and has a place to live on Countyline Road with her fiance.
Punch said Nichols has been on probation before and it didn’t stop her from committing crimes. He insisted on state prison.
“You’ve been profiting from the sale of this poison in our community,” Punch said.
Nichols has a prior criminal history. She was on social services and disability. She was selling prescription narcotics to supplement her income, O’Keefe said in a previous court appearance.
She has been in county jail for about six months on $25,000 bail.
Her two sons also face numerous counts of criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance. The sons, along with their mother, were allegedly selling hydrocodone and tramadol pills, which were prescribed to the mother.
David Nichols, 28, was sentenced to three years in state prison on Feb. 10. He pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.
Joshua Nichols, 26, also faces charges of selling prescription narcotics. His case is pending in court.
