By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Three sisters from Hamlin race towards the finish line in the annual Jim Ferris Memorial 5-kilometer on Saturday.
Julia Cammilleri, 15, finished in 31:42, a second ahead of her sisters: Lydia, 11, and Nicolea, 9. The sisters all attend the Old Paths Bible Baptist Church in Clarendon where their father Joe is the pastor. He also ran Saturday’s race, as did many Old Paths members.
The race included 101 runners and $1,800 in prize money given to overall winners and the fastest in different age groups.
Mike Nier of Rochester led the men with a time of 17:19, while Sarah Loerch of Rochester was the fastest woman with a time of 18:12.
The race is named in honor of Jim Ferris, a late Holley resident who was one of the top runners in the region.
Jack Richardson, a retired pastor from West Barre, collects a medal as the top runner in the 80 and older category. Richardson, 81, completed the course in 43:07. He is congratulaed by Sandy Heise, the race director.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Jim Salmon, right, has been host of the Home Repair Clinic on WHAM since Dec. 15, 1988.
ROCHESTER – Jim Salmon will take your questions about any kind of malady afflicting your home – from moldy carpets, disintegrating roof shingles, soggy basements, you name it.
For 25 years he had led the Home Repair Clinic on WHAM 1180 with John Carr. Salmon lives in Barre and runs a home inspection business.
He invited me on the air for his show today to talk about the Orleans Hub and on-line news sites.
Salmon is on the radio every Saturday on WHAM from 6 to 10 a.m. and Sundays from 9 to 11 a.m. Doug Bower, a plumber in Albion, is on the second Sunday each month to talk plumbing issues with callers and also to provide some witty banter with Salmon.
Doug Bower, left, is a frequent guest on the radio show with Jim Salmon.
The two make a good team. They met at the Barre Deli and Bower has been a frequent guest on the show for about 15 years.
“Doug is really good at it,” Salmon said about Bower’s radio presence. “He’s in the trades.”
Salmon has many guests on the show who talk about home repair issues. One guest today, Tony Hettinger, discussed a LawnBott, a robot that mows a lawn.
“It’s always fun,” Salmon said about the show. “We make it entertaining first with home repair second.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Organizers see big potential in Oak Orchard Open
Photos by Tom Rivers – The winning team – Yankee Troller – poses with their trophies and $10,000 in prize money. The group includes, from left: Craig Hajecki, Justin Botting, Walter Piecuch, Joshua Ranaletta, Jeff Curcio (kneeling) and Rich Hajecki, the charter boater captain.
POINT BREEZE – The inaugural Oak Orchard Open completed a two-day fishing tournament this afternoon with more than $20,000 in prizes distributed to top teams.
The event whet the appetites of fishermen for competition, generating lots of talk on-line and in the fishing community.
“I think this will really take off,” said charter boat captain Paul Czarnecki, one of the organizers of the new tournament. “This will only grow. The Internet will be blowing up in the coming days about it.”
The new tournament attracted 36 teams that each paid a $400 entry fee. The tournament was put together after the Orleans County Pro Am ceased after last year.
The new tournament challenged the teams to catch 10 fish each day – five salmon and five trout. Teams would earn points for each fish they caught of the 10, with additional points for each pound of fish.
Only two of the 36 teams were able to meet the maximum of 10 fish each day.
“It was a skill tournament,” said Justin Botting of Lockport, who was a member of the first-place team, Yankee Troller.
Botting and his teammates focused on salmon from 5:30 to 9:30 in the morning before then going after trout. Fishing had to be done by 2 p.m. and the Yankee Trollers tried to catch bigger salmon after noon before the time was up.
Many other tournaments don’t require two species of fish. The Oak Orchard Open forced teams to strategize because salmon and trout generally don’t hang around together.
First-place trophies have a fishing theme.
The Yankee Trollers earned 432.27 points over the two days – 20 points for catching 20 fish and another 417.27 for the weight of the 20. That was 55.50 more than the second-place team.
Czarnecki said he only heard positive feedback from the participants. He expects to see even more people entered in the competition next year.
“We set a new gold standard for tournaments on Lake Ontario,” he said while fishermen gathered for the weigh-in outside the Black North Inn. “We brought back the fun. This will generate excitement in the tournament format.”
Eliot Zielinkski, 30, of Rochester liked the new format. His team finished in seventh place. He has been competing in fishing tournaments for seven years. He said they are intense, with the competitors focused for more than eights hours while on the water.
“You stand on the edge of the boat for the whole thing,” he said. “You’re adrenaline is just skyrocketing.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Holley-Murray celebrate annual June Fest
Photos by Tom Rivers – Holley Boy Scouts toss candy from their float as part of this morning’s parade down East Avenue.
HOLLEY – The village of Holley was alive with the sound of music this morning during the Holley-Murray June Fest Parade.
Several marching bands performed including the combined Holley-Kendall Marching Band, which is now in its second season as a partnership between the two school districts.
Members of the Holley-Kendall Marching Band perform in the parade.
Jonathan Trembley and the drum line of the Albion Marching Band perform down East Avenue in Holley.
Sarah Graham and the Albion Marching Band perform “Heartbeats” in the parade at Holley. The band has won several first place awards in recent band competitions.
A Holley fire truck makes its way down East Avenue.
Members of the Kendall Fire Department march in front of fire trucks from the department.
Kim Corcoran and the Lawn Chair Ladies from Kendall delighted the crowd. The Lawn Chair Ladies will perform again at 7 p.m. tonight as part of a free Drum & Bugle Corp Show at the Woodlands soccer field.
The award winning Holley High School chorus will open the show followed by the Lawn Chair Ladies. The evening’s entertainment continues with the Kendall-Holley marching band, the Hit Men Brass Band, Ghost Riders Mini Corps, Mighty St. Joe’s and finally the Hamburg Kingsmen.
The evening concludes with a fireworks display by Young Explosives Inc.
Photos by Sue Cook – Joe Angerosa shakes his hips for the crowd while belting out an Elvis tune.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
ALBION – Back by popular demand, an Elvis impersonator performed at the Albion Middle School on Friday.
Joe Angerosa has been performing his Elvis tribute concerts for the past 25 years at places like Atlantic City and Vegas. The sixth-grade teacher performed as a fund-raiser for the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association.
Angerosa entertained the crowd in the Albion Middle School auditorium with songs such as “Hound Dog,” “My Way” and “Don’t be Cruel.”
Deputy Sheriff’s President Erin Fuller estimates that when the money from the fundraiser comes in next month they will have raised between $5,000 and $6,000, which is the organization’s yearly average. Approximately 300 tickets were sold for the event.
“We’re a non-profit organization and we use the money for all of our charitable donations,” Deputy Sheriff’s Vice President Jim Halstead said. “Joe’s very good and I think this is his fourth or fifth time in Albion. The Fire Department has used him for a fundraiser, too.”
The money will be used for scholarships and charities in Orleans County, including the David Whittier Scholarship, the Merle D. Fredericks Scholarship and the Children and Family Services summer program.
Angerosa is a 6th-grade teacher in Oneida County when he isn’t performing on stage. His students are aware of what he does, and find it humorous.
“We get a turn out every year and a good community response,” said Deputy Meridith Papponetti. “I think it shows that we’re out here trying to do some good, fun stuff that’s very positive for everyone.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Oak Orchard Open includes 36 teams in debut
Photos by Tom Rivers – The Oak Orchard Harbor will be busy Saturday morning at 5 a.m. when boats line up in the channel before heading out to Lake Ontario.
POINT BREEZE – A new fishing tournament – The Oak Orchard Open – will cast off before sun up on Saturday when 36 teams leave the Oak Orchard Harbor at 5 a.m.
The new tournament fills a void left after the Orleans County Pro Am was discontinued after last season. The new tourney has a different format and guarantees $20,000 in prizes, including an $8,000 grand prize.
About 150 anglers will be out early Saturday and Sunday for the 2-day tournament. Each team has four members. They earn points based on 10 fish each day – their five heaviest salmon and trout. The teams get a point for each fish and additional points for each pound of their collective catch.
“We all love fishing and the competition,” said charter boat captain Richard Hajecki.
He was one of the main organizers of the tournament with charter captains Bob Songin and Paul Czarnecki, as well as fisherman Mark Lewis.
Charter boat captain Paul Czarnecki, one of the organizers of the new Oak Orchard Open fishing tournament, goes over the rules with fishermen gathered at the Black North Inn.
The teams each paid a $400 entry fee. Sponsors also helped to push up the overall prize winnings. Hajecki said the tournament is good for the area, drawing outsiders to the Oak Orchard.
“It brings a lot of people to the community and they spend money at the businesses,” he said after a captains’ meeting this evening at the Black North Inn. “It showcases the fishery out here.”
The Oak Orchard Open differs from the Pro Am. Instead of a maximum of 12 fish per day at the Pro Am, there are 10. There also aren’t class distinctions between professionals and amateurs in the Oak Orchard Open. They are all vying for the same prizes.
The fishing stops at 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday and the fish must be weighed by 3:30 at the Black North to qualify.
“It’s a new format and a new idea,” said Mike Waterhouse, the county’s sportfishing coordinator. “It’s new and exciting.”
File photo by Tom Rivers – The Lawn Chair Ladies, shown here last July at the Kendall Firemen’s Carnival, will be part of June Fest in Holley.
Press release, Village of Holley
HOLLEY – The annual festival season will kick off on Saturday with the 6th Annual Murray-Holley June Fest. The events start in the morning and are capped off with fireworks at dusk.
A committee has worked hard to plan a festival that the young and young at heart will enjoy. The June Fest grows bigger every year and attracts people from all over Orleans and surrounding counties. The festival enriches the community of Holley and all the businesses in town.
As in the past, the day kicks off with the village-wide yard sales at 9 a.m. At 9:30, the Jim Ferris Memorial 5K Race begins. Registration forms can be found on the Village of Holley website (click here).
At 10:30 the grand parade kicks off and will feature the Kendall-Holley Marching Band, Albion High School Purple Eagles marching band, 2014 World Champion Ghost Riders Mini Corps, Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Corps, Sabers Drum & Bugle Corps, Hamburg Kingsmen Drum & Bugle Corps, Mark Time Marchers Band, Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies, many floats, organizations, and fire departments from around the area.
The parade will start at the VFW on 8 Veterans Drive, march to Batavia Street, proceed down Public Square to White Street then to East Avenue and end at the entrance to the canal park. The judges review stand is located between West Albion Street and Perry Street on East Avenue.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Canal Park on East Avenue you will find craft vendors, food, games and entertainment for children, a wine-tasting booth, farmers market, and musical bands.
The Murray-Holley Historical Society will be holding their annual bake food sale at the museum. You can pick a fresh cup of coffee at Sam’s Diner, Jonathan’s Pastry Shoppe & Café or several of the food booths in the park.
The Community Action center at 75 Public Square will be serving “garbage plates” from noon to 3 p.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church will feature a chicken barbecue from 11 a.m. until sold out.
Back by popular demand, the evening events begin at 5 p.m. at Woodlands Soccer field with our own version of “Holleywood” Idol. Contestants can sign up at 1st Niagara Bank, Public Square. See Nancy Manard for details.
The free Drum & Bugle Corp Show begins at 7 p.m. with an all-star line-up this year. The award winning Holley High School chorus will open the show followed by the musically talented Lawn Chair Ladies. The evening’s entertainment continues with the Kendall-Holley marching band, the Hit Men Brass Band, Ghost Riders Mini Corps, Mighty St. Joe’s, and finally the Hamburg Kingsmen.
The evening concludes with the spectacular fireworks display by Young Explosives Inc. Bring your lawn chair and let this evening start off a beautiful summer season.
Photos by Sue Cook – Parked in one of the last few remaining spots was a 1936 Chevrolet 2-door.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
MEDINA – Tonight the Medina Canal Basic was packed with approximately 100 classic and antique vehicles while music from the ’50s and ’60s was played over speakers by a DJ. The evening kicks off the summer schedule of Medina cruise-ins.
David Green, co-chairman of the event, said cruise-ins have been going on for 18 years. They regularly draw between 90 and 100 classic cars each week.
“We just get together, listen to music and show off our cars,” Green said. “We’re very fortunate here in Medina because all the businesses put in. Businesses donate to pay for the DJ for the season. We have a Super Cruise on the last night up on Main Street and have an Elvis impersonator there. All the businesses help pay for him. The support from the community is what really makes this as successful as this is.”
Fred and Lori Aquina came from Batavia to admire the beautiful cars lined up in the Canal Basin.
Mike Dagobert of Lyndonville brought his 1957 MGA that he had to replace the engine in.
“I like this cruise-in because it’s quiet, it’s relaxing, it’s a hometown,” he said. “Lots of people show up and there’s lots of cars to look at, and I needed to get the car out and make sure it was running OK. This was a good excuse.”
Lynn Southcott of Medina came with her husband, Harold, and they brought their ’64 Chevy Belair stationwagon.
“We always come to the cruise-in on Friday night down here. We’ve been coming to it since it started,” she said.
Harold added, “I’ve just always monkeyed around with old cars, so we come. It’s something to do. I’ve been doing this stuff for 50-plus years. I’ve had cars ever since I was 12 years old.”
Many participants in the cruise-in events use it as a way to network with others who share their interests, while showing off their vehicles. People from outside the area are able to come to Medina and make connections to the county through new friendships found at the cruise-in nights.
Woody Staples of Barker cleans his ’76 Trans Am. “I’ve been coming here for 10 years or more. I just sit and relax and enjoy the cars.”
Mike Lyons runs his business, Solar-Powered Ice Cream, that serves as one of the food vendors. He appreciates the way old cars look and says that’s why a lot of people come who aren’t into the car culture.
Lyons explained, “If you look at the grills of the cars, some of them are modern, and some of them you look and it’s something you don’t see anymore. It’s like a sculpture. It’s art. The car guys come and look at each others cars, but other people come here and it’s like art to them.”
Cruise-in nights feature themes such as foreign cars, rat rods, trucks and more. Cruise-ins are Friday nights from 5:30 p.m. For more information about theme nights and locations, call 585-798-0445. The Super Cruise on Main Street is Wednesday, Aug. 27.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Albion students get taste of the workplace
Photo by Tom Rivers – Janie Schutz, second from left, shows a display she made about her internship with Shari Berg, a middle school special education teacher at Albion. About 50 students participated in internships in the community. They all celebrated the program on Thursday at the high school cafeteria.
ALBION – Nearly 50 Albion High School students got a taste of the workplace this school year through internships with 30 businesses and organizations in the community, including some multi-million dollar companies.
The internship program is growing and school officials believe it gives students an advantage as they plan and pursue a career.
“The students have worked hard in a variety of locations this year,” said Sue Starkweather Miller, the district’s internship coordinator. “I think they will have a step above the other students because of it.”
The district celebrated the interns and their host partners on Thursday in the high school cafeteria. Students created display boards about their internships. They spent about 90 minutes four days each week over 20 weeks with the internships.
Josh Girvin interned at Allied Builders in Brockport, working closely with Jeff Baron of Albion, the estimator for the company. He prepares bid for major construction projects, including school additions.
Josh Girvin did an internship with Allied Builders in Brockport, working closely with Jeff Baron, the estimator for the company.
Girvin wants to be a civil engineer. He said the experience with Allied Builders has him more excited about that career. He will attend Widener University near Philadelphia to major in civil engineering and compete in track.
At Allied, he read blueprints, learned about construction materials, saw how the company works with subcontractors and has so much research as it goes through the bidding process.
“It was a lot of fun,” Girvin said. “I saw how much goes into a project.”
Alise Pangrazio split her internship between United Way of Orleans County based in Medina and GCASA, which is across the street from the school in Albion.
Pangrazio is interested in working in human services. She said the internships were eye-opening. She helped track donations at United Way and was impressed by the giving spirit of the community.
The organization is working to raise $325,000 for 22 member agencies. Pangrazio was able to learn about all of those agencies. She also saw how many businesses are in the community. She created a 60-plus page list of the businesses by combining records from the eastern and western Orleans United Way organizations. They recently merged into a single county United Way.
“I didn’t think there was so much here,” Pangrazio said about all of the companies and also the agencies in the community. “It’s great to see we have so many businesses.”
Alise Pangrazio split an internship with Lisa Ireland, left, from the United Way of Orleans County and Patricia Crowley of the GCASA.
Lisa Ireland, the executive director of the United Way, said Pangrazio’s work was helpful to the United Way, which only has two employees.
“She is absolutely a part of our team,” Ireland said.
Pangrazio also spent two days a week with the Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, working with prevention educator Patricia Crowley. They planned a town-wide meeting on underage drinking in Medina, teamed with the High School Honor Society for a food giveaway at GCASA, and placed stickers warning about underage tobacco use at retailers in Albion and Holley.
“We try to make it hands-on,” Crowley said about the internship program. “It’s all about getting them out into the community.”
Pangrazio will major in general studies at Genesee Community College. At first she was considering a major in psychology, but wants to work in human services.
“I just like to help people, anything I can do to make their life a little better,” she said.
Albion senior Ben Kirby interned with the school’s tech support department. He was tasked with developing a computer program that would scan student ID cards.
Kirby said the experience was confirmation he wants to pursue computer programming in college and as a career. He will attend Monroe Community College and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Renee Ebbs interned with the Olde Dogge Inn. She answered phones, fed animals and worked with customers. She wants to be a vet tech.
Students with internships include Connor Barleben, Vjosa Bela, Jarod Biemans, Kayla Breeze, Dylan Burkhardt, Brooke Chandler, Rachel Corke, Julissa Curcie, Mitchell DeSmit, Bradlee Driesel, Renee Ebbs, Lydia Erakare, Sabrina Finzer, Kyle Frasier, Mark Gibson, Joshua Girvin, Yasmin Gutierrez Apaez, Justyn Haines, Tierra Hastings, Emily Joslyn, Benjamin Kirby, Johnathan Krieger, Ashley Leis, Taylor Mager, Johaneliz Martinez Tinoco, Michelle Maxwell, Summer Moore, Sierra Morgan, Zachary Neilans, Alise Pangrazio, Kendall Piccirilli, Rebekkah Piedmont, Joshua Raymond, Jenna Reigle, Janie Schutz, Jasmine Scurry, Becca Sills, Arrianna Smith, Jasmyn Smith, Martha Smith, Steven Stauss, Nathanael Sugar, Christopher Taber, Garrett Van Lieshout, Johnathan Warne, Ashley Weigele and Shannan Wells.
The following businesses and organizations hosted interns:
Agape Physical Therapy in Brockport, Advanced Imaging in Batavia, Albion Central School staff, Albion Police Department, Allied Builders in Brockport, Avanti Pizza, Bentley Brothers, CRFS (IT Department), Country Lane Veterinary Services, D & K Auto Body Repair, GCASA, Dr. Karl Heuer DDS, Hoag Library, Keeler Construction Company, LaBella Associates, Little Leapers, Mark’s Pizzeria, Medina Fire Department, Medina Memorial Hospital (Imaging Department), Monroe Tractor in Batavia, Olde Dogge Inn, Orleans Community Health (Physical Therapy Department), Orleans County DSS (Welfare Fraud Department), Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Relco Systems in Lockport, Sodexho, Saint-Gobain Adfors, Villages of Orleans (social work, dietary and laundry departments), United Way of Orleans County and YMCA Eagle’s Pride Daycare.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Veterans seek big turnout on Main Street at 6:30 p.m.
Schmigel
MEDINA – The body of Medina native Shaina B. Schmigel, a paratrooper who died in a training exercise at Fort Bragg, will return home on Monday.
Schmigel, 21, died on May 30 during a night-time training drill. She served in the Army for four years and was promoted to sergeant in January.
Her family and local veterans’ groups welcome the community to line Main Street in Medina around 6:30 p.m. on Monday when she will be escorted into town by the Patriot Guard and state police.
‘The family wants people to be out,” said Jim Freas, a past commander of the VFW in Medina. “We want to line Main Street.”
Schmigel is a 2010 Medina graduate. She moved from Batavia to Medina about six years ago. She was a cheerleader at Medina.
Schmigel’s body is scheduled to arrive at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport at 5 p.m. After being escorted through Medina, she will be taken to Batavia at The Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel.
There will be calling hours there on Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. Tomaszewski’s is located at 4120 West Main Street Rd. The site also will be used for Schmigel’s funeral at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. The funeral home seats about 250 people. After the funeral, Schmigel will be buried at Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Corfu.
