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Col. Achilles was key to rejuvenating seminary in Albion

By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Volume 2, Issue 20

This image of Lt. Col. Henry Ludwig Achilles shows him garbed in his Union officer’s uniform taken sometime around 1862 at the studio of George Hopkins in Albion.

A New Hampshire native, Achilles established himself in Rochester as a young entrepreneur and man of religious conviction. As an established tinsmith, he was responsible for starting one of the first foundries in Rochester where he engaged in the manufacturing and sale of sheet metal and tin. His early successes in business allowed him to contribute to the purchase of property for the construction of the First Baptist Church of Rochester of which he was a superintendent in the early 1830s.

When the First Baptist Church split into two congregations due to the overwhelming growth of the group, he assisted in establishing the Second Baptist Church in Rochester and was selected as one of its first trustees. As a respected gentleman in the city, he served a short term as town clerk of Brighton and local fire inspector.

After the death of his second wife, Samantha Howe, Henry was married to Caroline Phipps of Albion in 1839. Up until that time, Caroline had worked carefully to establish herself as an exceptional educator and was responsible for operating the Phipps Union Seminary with her sisters.

Shortly after their marriage the newlyweds moved to Boston where they lived for nearly ten years, leaving Caroline’s sister Sophronia to care for the seminary.

In 1848 the seminary finally passed through the hands of the Phipps family when it was sold to Rev. Frederick Janes. Almost immediately after the sale was finalized, enrollment dropped from 100 students to less than 40. A frustrated board was poised to force Janes from his position and pleaded for Henry and Caroline to return.

With great reluctance, the couple retook control of the seminary in 1849 and made quick work of restoring the institution’s reputation. The following year was marked by a spike in enrollment, which led to the construction of a wood-frame addition on the north end of the building.

During his time as head of the institution, Henry was active in local affairs. When Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to enter military service on behalf of the Union Army on April 15, 1861, Achilles and other men initiated a gathering at the Court House on April 18th. The group immediately took to organizing two companies of men, the first placed under the charge of David Hardie and the second under the charge of Henry Achilles, Jr. When the ladies of Albion had prepared a donation of two beautiful flags, Henry Achilles Sr. was asked to make the presentation to both units, the second under the command of his son.

Achilles enlisted in the service himself on January 6, 1862 and was placed with the 105th New York Infantry as a lieutenant-colonel. Just as David Hardie would do, Henry resigned his position in April of 1862 and returned to Albion to encourage other young men to join the Union cause.

Following the war, Henry and Caroline again decided to transfer the care of the seminary to a stranger, selling the building to Rev. G. A. Starkweather in July of 1866 for $20,000; totaling just over $325,000 today. Unfortunately the school suffered a similar fate as the first sale and the reputation of the institution was again ruined by its new owner.

Again the board pleaded for Henry to retake control of the seminary, to which he utterly refused. It was thanks to the encouragement of his wife that the seminary was yet again brought under the control of the Achilles family and provided an opportunity to thrive.

Henry died in 1881 from an abscess and was interred with his first two wives at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester; Caroline was buried with her family at Mt. Albion.

Protect yourself from disease-carrying ticks

Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

By Nola Goodrich-Kresse and Kristine Voos, Genesee-Orleans Public Health Education Team

Ticks can spread disease. Not all ticks can cause disease and not all bites will make you sick, but as these diseases become more common it’s important to learn how to prevent a bite, how to remove a tick and what to do if you think you could have a tick-borne disease.

“The warm winter and recent temperature increase have set the stage for a flourishing tick population, providing an update on Lyme disease, the most common tick related illness in our area, seems prudent,” states Brenden Bedard, director of Community Health Services for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Lyme disease is also the most common disease spread by ticks in New York but there are other serious diseases they spread including Anaplasmosis, Erhichioisis, Babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

There are many different species of ticks but locally the most common is the Deer Tick. The Deer Tick is a vector for several diseases (Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis) and received the name because of its habit of living and feeding on white-tailed deer, however ticks acquire Lyme disease by feeding on infected mice and other small rodents.

“Although Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties have had less than 5 reported cases of Lyme disease annually since 2013, ticks are here locally and you can’t tell which are infected by disease or not,” stated Paul Pettit, Genesee and Orleans Public Health Director.

Ticks may be found in many types of settings such as woodlands, tree stumps, lawns and gardens, around stone walls, nature trails, outdoor summer camps, and playing fields. Ticks do not jump or fly, they attach to their host when a human or animal makes contact with something that a tick is on, like tall grass, shrubs, or an animal. The risk of human infection with Lyme is greatest in late spring and summer, but ticks can be active any time the temperature is above freezing.

“The high concentration of ticks in NYS counties including Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, and Albany leads me to believe the threat of tick-borne diseases will continue and likely increase locally in the future, this is why it is important to become aware and prepare now,” said Pettit.

Lyme can only be transmitted after being bit by an infected tick- seeing an attached tick or a tick bite does not necessarily mean Lyme has been transmitted. It generally takes between three days to one month after a tick bite for Lyme disease symptoms to develop.

In 60-80 percent of Lyme cases a “bulls-eye” circular rash or solid red patch develops at or near the site of the tick bite first and steadily gets larger or spreads out. You can also get several patches of rash on your body. Early on in the disease (days to weeks post-tick bite) you may develop symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, joint pain and/or swelling, fatigue, or facial paralysis (Bell’s Palsy), sometimes these can be very mild.

As Lyme disease progresses more severe symptoms like arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling may develop months-to-years post tick bite in 60% of persons who are not given antibiotic treatment.

It is important to keep in mind that getting Lyme disease once does not provide protection against getting Lyme in the future, if you are bitten again at a different time you can get Lyme disease again. If you develop any of these symptoms you should call your doctor right away to inquire about getting tested and treated.

To prevent tick-borne illness exposure while outdoors you and your family can do the following:

Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently while outdoors.
Use insect repellent with 20-30% DEET.
Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Avoid dense woods and busy areas.
Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.

Additional prevention tips for homeowners to create a tick-free zone in your backyard to keep you, your family and pets safe from tick exposure:
Keep grass mowed, along with clearing tall grasses and brush.
Remove brush and leave around stonewalls and wood piles.
Keep wood piles and bird feeders away from your home.
Keep family dogs and cats out of wooded areas to reduce ticks brought into your home.
Place swing sets, sand boxes, decks and patios in a sunny spot away from yard edges and trees.
Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas and around patios and play equipment.

What you can do if you find a tick attached to you, a family member, or a pet:
You should use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the ticks by its mouth parts, as close to the surface of the skin as you can. Carefully pull the tick straight up without twisting. Do not touch the tick. Do not squeeze the body of the tick (may increase your risk of infection). Clean your hands and the areas on your skin where the tick was. Watch the site of the bite for rash (3-30 days after bite). Removing a tick within 36 hours of attachment to the skin can lower the risk of contracting Lyme disease.

To learn more about ticks, Lyme disease and other diseases ticks can spread visit the New York State Department of Health, click here.

Gusty winds will develop this afternoon

Staff Reports Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – These tulips are pictured outside Tillman’s Village Inn on Thursday. Today the temperature will drop as a cold front moves across the region.

The National Weather Service is warning about gusty winds that will begin around 2 p.m. and continue until about 8 p.m. today.

The gusty winds will develop this afternoon behind a cold front crossing the region. The peak wind gusts will reach 35 to 40 miles per hour in many locations, the Weather Service said.

“Loose outdoor objects should be firmly secured,” the Weather Service said in a statement. “Large tents and other temporary structures being used for outdoor graduation ceremonies this weekend may be impacted by the gusty winds.”

Today is forecast for a high of 57 but the temperature will drop after noon to a low of 36. Sunday is forecast for a high of 45 and a low of 34.

Orleans GOP endorses DA, 3 coroners

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

ALBION – The Orleans County Republican Party has endorsed Joe Cardone for another four-year term as district attorney.

Cardone of Medina has served more than two decades as the county’s top prosecutor.

“He’s done a great job,” said Ed Morgan, the county’s GOP chairman.

There are only four positions on the ballot in county elections this year. Besides Cardone, three coroners are up for election. The GOP Committee endorsed the incumbents: Charlie Smith of Ridgeway, Scott Schmidt of Medina and Rocky Sidari of Albion.

Schmidt is the current president of the New York State Association of County Coroners and Medical Examiners. Smith and Sidari are both active firefighters.

Albion youth baseball braves cold and wind to start season

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Leah Pawlak introduces herself as the microphone was passed to each player on the Rotary team during opening ceremonies for the Albion Midget League, which started in 1956.

This year there are six teams in the league. They gathered at the Midget League Field behind the Town Hall on Clarendon Road. The season continues until mid-July. There are also six Futures teams with players ages 7 to 10.

The teams played today in gusty weather with temperatures in the low 50s.

Jason Conn, center left, passes the microphone to Jack Ludwick. They play on the Barre Cubs, which won the championship in 2015.

Dan Bartlett, head coach of Sandstone Park, greets his players. Bartlett has been coaching the team for about 15 years. They were runner-ups for the title last year.

St. Mary’s players are lined up, including Nick Radder, right, and Ethan Ashton, second from right. St. Mary’s is one of the original teams from when the league started 60 years ago.

Dave Nashburn, head coach of the Vets, holds the microphone for players during their introductions.

Carlton players, wearing new uniforms this year, say their names to the crowd. Bryan Catlin, center, has coached the team for many years.

Joe Sacco, a former Albion mayor, threw out the ceremonial first ptich to his grandson, Christopher Sacco of the Sandstone team. Sacco then sang the National Anthem.

The league will have its annual chicken barbecue at the Midget League Field on June 4 from noon until sold out.

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Hawley will lead veterans on ninth Patriot Trip in September

Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Provided photo – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) joined veterans and their family members in Washington D.C. during last year’s Patriot Trip.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) has announced the 9th annual Patriot Trip to Washington D.C. will take place Sept. 15-18.

More than 100 veterans and their family members participated in the 2015 trip, which included stories of valiant service members and valuable time spent together reflecting on the courage and dedication exhibited by our nation’s veterans.

Hawley is a longtime supporter of veterans and currently serves as the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The trip can accommodate about 100 veterans and family members so those looking to sign up should do so as soon as possible.

“I look forward to this trip each year as a way to give back to those who have served our country and remember those who have perished in combat,” Hawley said. “I came up with this idea following a similar trip I took with my father, a World War II veteran. Through the experiences of my father and my own service in the Ohio Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves, I have gained a tremendous understanding and respect for the sacrifices endured by our veterans. It is for this reason that I continue the Patriot Trip each year and encourage my constituents who are veterans to sign up as soon as possible.”

Attractions Hawley plans to visit this year on the trip include: WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Iwo Jima – The Marine Corps Memorial, American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, Air Force Memorial, 911 Memorial at the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, including the Changing of the Guard, Wreath Laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns – Vietnam Veterans.

Space is limited and signups are first come, first served, with priority given to the oldest veterans and first-time attendees. Immediate family members may accompany a veteran. If you or a veteran want more information about this year’s Patriot Trip IX, please call 585-589-5780 or email carneyj@assembly.state.ny.us.

Scouts place more than 1,000 flags on vets graves in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Michael Ryan, right, and Zack Baron work together this morning to put an American flag by the grave of a veteran buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery on Route 31 in Albion.

Scouts put more than 1,000 flags at the graves for veterans this morning, an annual service project for Boy and Girl Scouts in the Albion area. They have the flags out before Memorial Day.

Henry Symons, 8, and his sister Amelia, 4, look for veterans’ graves at Mount Albion Cemetery. Henry is in Pack 164.

Jessica Schleede and her mother Tina have been putting flags at veterans’ graves before Memorial Day for about 10 years. Jessica is a Girl Scout in Troop 82059.

Mike Beach and his son Oliver are pictured at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Oliver placed a flag at the grave for his great-grandfather, George Allard, who served in World War II. Oliver and his brother James Michael have put a flag at Allard’s grave the past six years.

Zack Baron carries an American flag while looking for veterans’ graves at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

GCC will raise tuition $25 per semester

Posted 13 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Press Release, GCC

BATAVIA – Full-time Genesee Community College students will pay $1,975 tuition per semester during the 2016-17 year, under the budget approved by the GCC Board of Trustees Monday evening, up $25 from the current $1,950 tuition rate.

Trustees also approved the 2016-17 operating budget totaling $40.537 million, up 1.53 percent from the current year’s $39.927 million budget. The net increase in the budget, however, is much less. Nearly half of the increase simply reflects an accounting change that creates $275,000 in non-cash revenue and non-cash expense.

The 2016-2017 budget is a maintenance-of-effort budget, according to President James M. Sunser.

Staffing levels for 2016-2017 are nearly identical to current year staffing. The budget, however, provides for a student success position responsible for the organization and leadership of success coaching initiatives in the Student Success Center opening in the Fall 2017 semester.

Key non-classroom student services will be consolidated in the new center, and “success coaches” based in the center will guide students through their academic careers. College leaders believe that the success coaching initiative will help boost students’ academic success and career potential.

On the revenue side of the budget, GCC will receive $100 more in partially-restored New York State aid per full-time equivalent student. The increase is welcome, said Dr. Sunser, but state aid still lags behind historical levels.

GCC’s new Nanotechnology program, offered in collaboration with Erie Community College, will be in full swing next year. GCC also hopes to launch more educational programs geared toward the needs of the local agriculture industry.

The 2016-17 academic year will see the construction of two new buildings on the Batavia Campus. The 18,748 square foot Student Success Center will be located adjacent to the Conable Technology Building. The 56,614 square foot Richard C. Call Arena will be located at the northwest end of the parking lot. The arena will house the largest expanse of flexible, open floor space in the Genesee-Livingston-Orleans-Wyoming County region.

GCC anticipates that both buildings will be completed in early summer 2017. As in recent years, the budget process was challenging, Dr. Sunser told trustees. But the College’s history of conservative spending, healthy enrollment, and relatively low inflation helped make a balanced budget possible for 2016-17.

The budget now goes to the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee, which will review the spending plan before presenting it to the full Legislature.

Dr. Sunser noted that declining numbers of high school graduates have led to enrollment declines among younger students at many colleges, while a robust economy has led many older students to remain in the workforce rather than seek retraining.

“Many community colleges across New York State and across the nation have experienced significant enrollment declines,” Dr. Sunser said. “At Genesee, we have experienced a slight dip in the number of students, but our enrollment remains very strong, and our financial position very stable.”

Dr. Sunser called the early part of the 21st Century “the era of the community college.” He reminded trustees that business, political and educational leaders are all praising community colleges.

“Business leaders know that we provide a very rigorous education and prepare students quite well for the local workforce,” he said. “On the national level, the last three presidents of the United States have spoken very positively and forcefully about the value and importance of a community college education. But most significantly, our own GCC students spread the word about the education we provide, and our 24,000 alumni are living examples of the value that GCC brings to our local communities.”

Apple trees are in bloom

Posted 13 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Orleans is NY’s second-leading county for apples

Photos by Tom Rivers – These blossoms are out in an orchard on Route 279 in Gaines. New York is the second-leading apple producing state in the country, behind only Washington. Orleans is also the second-leading apple producer in New York, trailing only Wayne County.

Press Release, NY Apple Association

Fishers – Here’s a New York sign that spring has arrived: apple trees are now in bloom across the state, the state’s apple growers’ association reports.

Temperatures have warmed enough statewide to coax blossoms from their winter sleep, turning orchards into seas of pink buds that are opening into white flowers. While blossoms are already peaking in the Hudson Valley, they are just starting to break open in western New York, and will soon follow around Lake Champlain.

“I love saying this every year: Grab your cameras and take a drive this weekend. More than 11 million apple trees across the state are in bloom right now, and they are gorgeous,” said New York Apple Association President Jim Allen. “The whole show will be over before Memorial Day.”

This year’s bloom is now on track with the perennial schedule, despite a false start due to a brief warming in early April. For the most part, concerns then about potential frost damage have largely receded as bloom has progressed – though it is still too early in a long growing season to prognosticate about the state’s 2016 harvest size, Allen noted.

The state’s apple trees generally don’t mind the cold temperatures and snow associated with New York winters. In fact, apple trees actually need a certain number of “chilling hours” before they can bloom, notes Allen. Apple buds progress from winter’s dormant brown, woody tips to green tips, to bright pink clusters as the buds start to open, to full white flowers.

Apple harvest dates vary by variety and growing region. New York state growers will start harvest in August for some early-season varieties and in the southernmost growing areas, and be largely finished by October for late-season varieties and in northern growing areas.

Allen said some of the 2015 crop remains available.

“The 2015 New York state apple crop will sell out well before harvest starts this fall, so apple fans who haven’t had their fill yet will want to stock up now,” said NYAA’s Allen. “Most of that fruit is being stored in high-tech controlled atmosphere storerooms that maintain the apples’ just-picked flavor.”

These trees are on Route 279 in Gaines, just south of Ridge Road.

These trees are on Zig-Zag Road in Albion.

GCC names new arena after Richard C. Call

Posted 13 May 2016 at 12:00 am

An architectural rendering shows the new events arena under construction at GCC.

Press Release, GCC

BATAVIA – Genesee Community College’s Board of Trustees formally dedicated the new Event Center, to be located on GCC’s Batavia campus, in honor of longtime College supporter Richard C. Call, who passed away in August 2014.

President James M. Sunser had announced at the April 28, 2016 groundbreaking ceremony for the Event Center and the Student Success Center the trustees’ intention to name the 45,000 square foot structure the Richard C. Call Arena.

Trustee Maureen J. Marshall introduced the resolution to name the building in honor of Call, which trustees quickly approved to resounding applause.

Mr. Call was an advocate of the new Event Center and Creating Our Future Together, the fund raising campaign sponsored by the GCC Foundation in support of the Event Center and the new Student Success Center. Call was a member of the GCC Foundation Board from 2001 until his death in 2014. He was a strong proponent of volunteerism and philanthropy, and was one of the earliest supporters of the Conable Technology Building in the late 1990s.

Over many decades, Call and his brother, Robert, built Call Farms into a highly innovative and nationally-known agricultural enterprise. Call’s brother and the children of the two families continue to operate the farm. Not surprisingly, Call encouraged other agricultural leaders across the region to get behind the Creating Our Future Together campaign and make the Event Center possible.

Call was also a strong supporter of many community causes, and had a special interest in youth. In addition to his local volunteer commitments, he was well-known across the U.S. for his leadership in agricultural organizations. He was also a former member of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University.

Call usually worked quietly, and never sought recognition for his efforts, said Brian M. Daviau, president of the GCC Foundation.

“Dick listened much more than he spoke during Board meetings and Finance Committee meetings, but I learned over the years that he worked very hard on GCC Foundation business behind the scenes before and after every meeting,” Mr. Daviau said. “He was so deeply committed to the mission of Genesee Community College, and he did everything possible to build our programs and facilities, and provide for the needs of generations to come.”

GCC President James M. Sunser said that Mr. Call epitomized the ideals of generosity and citizenship.

“Dick believed that individuals could always make a difference, and should make a difference,” Dr. Sunser said. “He was an outstanding leader in his industry, and an outstanding community leader. He believed that service to others helps make our communities and our nation great. He was and is a role model for every one of us.”

The Richard C. Call Arena will be completed in early summer 2017. It will house a variety of athletic, business and regional events, and contain the largest expanse of open, flexible floor space in the GLOW region. The Richard C. Call Arena and the Student Success Center are being funded through a combination of New York State and Genesee County appropriations, as well as contributions from more than 500 local residents and business organizations.