By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A healthcare site that opened in November 2012 is now an Urgent Care center. Orleans Community Health’s Albion location at the corner of Butts Road and Route 31 has its first day today as an Urgent Care location.
With the shift to Urgent Care, the healthcare site will be open seven days a week with later weekday hours. Staff will provide non life-threatening care such as X-rays, stitches, lab services for blood and urine, bandages and some other treatments, including care for strep throat and lacerations.
The site is now open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The urgent care services will ease the demands at hospital emergency departments and provide quicker care for the Albion and eastern Orleans community, said Bill Gajewski, the site administrator.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 June 2014 at 12:00 am
CSE chairwoman named ‘Educator of the Year’
Photos by Tom Rivers – Margy Brown, president of the Albion Board of Education, congratulates Paula Shipe, left, on her retirement after 22 years as secretary in the middle school.
ALBION – The school district honored teachers and staff for milestone anniversaries, impending retirements and for attaining tenure during a reception before the Board of Education meeting this evening.
The district also named its “Educator of the Year” and the honor this year goes to Jessica Beal.
She worked as a special education teacher for 11 years for Albion before being promoted to chairwoman of the Committee on Special Education this school year.
She assists about 200 students in grades K through 12, working with teachers, parents and students to identify students’ needs to attain academic success.
“A lot of people can see when a kid isn’t getting it, but the question is why aren’t they getting it?” said Michael Bonnewell, the district’s superintendent. “She is very good at diagnosing a child’s needs and then designing supports to help them succeed.”
Jessica Beal, chairwoman of the district’s Committee on Special Education, was named the district’s ‘Educator of the Year.’
Beal praised a supportive district that she said is very student-focused. Some students may only need short-term assistance, perhaps for speech. Others may need an out-of-district placement, although Albion tries to keep students within the district when possible, school officials said.
Beal was nominated by several of her teaching colleagues for the educator award.
“Jessica is always thoroughly prepared, organized, sensitive and effective in addressing the multiple needs of students, parents, programs and our district,” one teacher said in nominating Beal.
Margy Brown, the BOE president, said Beal has earned a reputation for being professional, articulate and passionate. Albion students have a strong advocate in Beal, Brown said.
The district also recognized the following retiring teachers and staff: Debbie Karas after 32 years as a teacher in the elementary, Sally Grimm after 22 years as a math teacher in the middle school, Patrick Holman after 33 ½ years as middle school science teacher, Paula Shipe after 22 years year as secretary in the middle school, and Maura Pierce after 28 years with the district as an English teacher and in several administrative roles.
The district also recognized Kevin Doherty for his 12 years of volunteer service on the Board of Education.
The following were recognized for attaining tenure: Greta Bohn, a speech pathologist in the elementary school; and Della Morales, a media specialist in the high school.
The following were recognized for 10 years of service: Janie Bentley, Patrick Brawn, Kelli Ciliberto, Kathryn Fischer, Duncan Hughes, Jay Kovaleski, Kim Nesbitt, Chad Owen, Val Pettit, Kristin Roche and Margaret Swan.
Sally Grimm, a middle school math teacher, receives a book that will be put in the library in her name. Middle School Principal Dan Monacelli, right, said Grimm has been a distinguished teacher, devoted to her students.
The following were honored for 15 years of service: Keith Akers, Jennifer Ashbery, Bonnie Baldwin, Carmen Rose Brittan, Lisa Burlison, Theresa Christopher, Deborah Jones, Lizabeth Krenning, Peggy Lemcke, Jeremy Petrus, David Plewinski, Jeff Radder, Debbie Schomske and Gloria Short.
Four people were honored for 20 years of service: Kelly Kovaleski, Kym Metz, Greg Martillotta and Paula Shipe.
Two teachers reached the 25-year milestone: Judy Azzolino and Janet Husung.
Four teachers were recognized for 30 years of service: Annette Pearl, Mark VanDerKarr, Nancy Wickman and Debra Wood.
Photo by Sue Cook – Sheila Lemcke and her dog, Molly, go to the canal for a jog.
By Sue Cook, Staff Reporter
ALBION – In October 2010, Sheila Lemcke decided it was time to make a change in her life.
Her daughter Keira had been born in April that year and had been diagnosed with hypotonia, which is low muscle tone. Lemcke decided that caring for her child meant improving herself as well.
Lemcke started her journey at 228 pounds, her heaviest weight. She began Weight Watchers with a coworker and tracked all of her food intake.
“Even if it was just an M&M, I wrote it down just so I had an idea of what I was eating,” Lemcke said.
Working with her husband Kevin, she measured food out to always know exactly how much she was putting in her body.
“Through all of that, I actually didn’t cut anything out,” said Lemcke. “It’s just that it was all in moderation.”
“We worked through it and made up our own meals plans and just stuck to it,” said Kevin.
Provided photo – Sheila Lemcke in May 2010 holding her 1-month-old daughter, Keira.
After five months, Lemcke decided she was comfortable enough to stop tracking what she ate and still continued to lose weight. On August 25, 2012, she reached a 100-pound loss. Later, she lost another 14. She currently maintains her weight in the range of 114 to 118 pounds.
“Along with the change in my diet and stuff like that, I started doing Leslie Sansone At Home walking discs. She does walking videos and the beat of the music will send you for a mile or two miles. It really works all of the muscle groups. I started off just doing a mile. That was tough at times, but I kept going.”
When she reached the 5-mile walking videos, the program offered something called “boosted walking,” which is similar to running in place.
Lemcke commented, “I’m like, well this is interesting, I kind of like this. I laughed at myself because I always said that I will never be a runner. I will never run. Here I am doing this video saying I kind of like this.”
A week before the 2012 Strawberry Festival, Lemcke decided she wanted to be a runner after all. Her husband supported her fully and encouraged her to do it. Lemcke decided to run for Keira because of her hypotonia and Kevin because he is a brain-cancer survivor.
Lemcke called ahead for approval to bring her dog Molly, an American bulldog, since she is a frequent running companion. Together, they finished the 5-kilometer race in 31 minutes, 23 seconds.
Lemcke ran three more 5k races that year. In 2013, she finished eight more races including a 10k. That year she placed in the top 3 in six of those races. She finished the Strawberry Festival race that year as 1st-place woman in her age group. In April 2014, she ran her first half-marathon and finished in 1 hour, 59 minutes.
“It’s amazing,” her husband said. “She did a lot of hard work. It paid off. I’m very proud of her. She worked really hard.”
Provided photo – Lemcke completes her first half-marathon.
Her advice for anyone trying make a similar weight-loss journey is that it definitely has to be something you want to do for yourself.
“It was for my daughter because I knew I needed to change myself so that I could be here for her and be a strong role model for her. To show her that no matter what difficulties she was going to face, that it can be done,” she said.
“I guess I just want to tell people, that it can be done and to not get frustrated if the scale does go up a little bit, but is has to be something that you want to do for yourself. It really has to be something that you want to do in the long term,” she added.
Lemcke has been part of a group in the Run for God program at the Albion Free Methodist Church. The group starts 12 weeks before the Strawberry Festival. They begin easier with a walk-run program and work up to harder runs and faster times. The group offers devotionals, as well as running advice and tips.
“A lot of it comes from my faith in the Lord. In 2013, was my first time doing the Run for God program and I am doing it this year also,” Lemcke added. “I don’t think if I didn’t have my faith in the Lord and my husband that I would have gotten through it. It would have been so easy to just go back to my old eating habits.”
Lemcke has been training for this year’s Strawberry Festival race as well, but thinks her time will be slower because of training for the half-marathon. She was training for the endurance of a long run instead of speed.
To run (or walk) in the Strawberry Festival on June 14, check the race website by clicking here.
RIDGEWAY – A 57-year-old old woman escaped serious injury and her 3-year-old grandson was not injured following an ATV accident Sunday night in the town of Ridgeway.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. on private property in the 10300 block of Mill Road.
Debra R. Miller, 57, was operating the all-terrain vehicle on her own property. Her grandson was also on board when she rode up an incline near the residence and the machine flipped over backwards. The child was thrown clear while Miller was pinned underneath. Neither was wearing a helmet at the time.
Miller was flown by Mercy Flight helicopter to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, where she was treated and released.
The incident was investigated by Deputy J.W. Halstead. Ridgeway firefighters and Medina Fire Department ambulance personnel also assisted at the scene.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Shaina Schmigel, 21, was recently promoted to sergeant
Schmigel
MEDINA – An Army paratrooper from Medina died on Friday when she was found unresponsive after a night jump at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
The Army is investigating the death of Shaina Schmigel, 21. She enlisted in the Army four years ago after graduating from Medina High School in 2010. She was promoted to sergeant in January and recently committed to four more years with the Army, said Krissi Gress, a friend of the family’s.
“Once she got in, she loved it,” Gress said. “She loved the discipline and the structure.”
Schmigel was also an intelligence analyst with the 82nd Airborne Division. She served a four-month tour of duty in Iraq in 2012. She was to be deployed to Italy with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Gress said.
Schmigel
Schmigel’s family has not been told details of her death. They’ve only been told she was found after a night-time training exercise.
“It has come as quite a shock,” Gress said.
Schmigel was a cheerleader at Medina. She spent most of her childhood in Batavia before moving to Medina about six years ago.
“She was an all-around good girl,” Gress said. “She had a peppy spirit and a big dimple.”
Schmigel excelled in the Army, taking many classes and gaining a promotion.
“She was doing everything she could,” Gress said. “Nothing was too out of reach for her.”
Schmigel is survived by her mother Karie, an older brother Matthew and a sister Sheniqua, 16, who is a student at Medina.
Orleans Hub reached out to the press office at Fort Bragg for any more information about Schmigel’s death, but hasn’t heard back from Fort Bragg yet.
Gress said the Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel in Batavia will be handling funeral arrangements.
Press release, Orleans County Undersheriff Steve Smith
CARLTON – A Lockport woman remains hospitalized and in guarded condition this morning after being run over by her own car Saturday night in the Town of Carlton.
The incident occurred at about 8:15 p.m. The car was parked with the engine running in a private driveway at a residence in the 12700 block of Roosevelt Highway (State Route 18). Alexis N. Thompson, 28, had just secured her 4-year-old son into an approved child restraint seat in the rear seat area of the car. Her 10-year-old daughter was in the front seat listening to the radio. The driver’s door was open.
Thompson was standing outside the car when the floor shift lever of the 1999 Dodge sedan was somehow moved from the “park” position and the vehicle began to move. Thompson apparently attempted to reach into the car to stop it when she was knocked to the ground by the open car door and the car ran over her in the driveway. The vehicle continued out into the roadway before coming to the rest. Neither of the children was injured.
Thompson was flown to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester by Mercy Flight helicopter. Carlton firefighters and Medina Fire Department ambulance personnel also assisted.
The incident was investigated by Sergeants D.W. Covis and G.T. Gunkler. Since there were no adult witnesses to the incident, deputies are hoping to interview Thompson at some point to gain additional perspective as to what occurred.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Schmigel
FORT BRAGG, N.C. The 82nd Airborne in Fort Bragg has issued a news release about the death of Medina native Sgt. Shaina B. Schmigel, a paratrooper who died during a T-11 airborne training exercise at Holland Drop Zone on Friday.
The cause of death is currently under investigation, the 82nd Division said today.
“All of the Paratroopers in the brigade are deeply saddened by the loss of an extraordinary and much-respected member of our team,” said Lt. Col. Albert Paquin, commander of the 2nd BCT. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this time of great loss. Our chaplains and our health care professionals are available to help comfort and support all of her fellow Paratroopers affected by this tragedy.”
Schmigel joined the Army in Aug. 2010. She completed Basic Training at Fort Jackson, S.C., Advanced Individual Training at Fort Huachuca, Az. and Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Ga., according to the news release. She reported to the 82nd Airborne Division where she was assigned to 2nd BCT in June 2011.
Schmigel is a 2010 Medina High School graduate. She moved from Batavia to Medina about six years ago. She was a cheerleader at Medina.
As a paratrooper in the Army, she deployed to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn from July to November 2011.
Her awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Parachutist Badge.
The Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel in Batavia will be handling funeral arrangements.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 June 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – A big crowd is expected this morning for the fly-in pancake breakfast at Pine Hill Airport. The airport started the breakfasts 50 years ago as a fund-raiser. There is another breakfast planned the second Sunday in September.
Gene Haines, one of the leaders of the airport, said the Pine Hill crew of 20 volunteers is ready to serve 700 breakfasts this morning. The breakfasts raise money to help maintain the site and keep the airport open.
The airport on Pine Hill Road is the only one in Orleans County with a hard-surface runway.
Ace Caldwell has been volunteering at the breakfasts for 40 years, “give or take,” he said this morning. The airport started serving at 7 a.m. and will have pancakes, eggs and sausage available until noon.
Pete Nesbitt, left, and Michael Buongiorne are cooking pancakes at Pine Hill Airport. Nesbitt helped start the airport in 1960 with his brother Bob and Gene Haines.
The airport is home for many vintage planes from the World War II era.
Provided photos – The Medina Marching Band won first place for its performance in the parade at Gorham. Medina also won the grand championship trophy.
Press release
Medina Marching Band
The Marcus Whitman Central School District welcomed 17 school districts to participate in the 53rd Annual Pageant of Bands held in Gorham on Friday and Saturday.
This pageant represents an opportunity for students in the various band programs to come together and perform. While concert and parade bands remain a strong focus, the event also includes twirlers, dancers, percussion, color guard and jazz bands.
In High School Jazz Band competition Class A, Medina took first place with a score of 99, seconded by Batavia with an 85. Medina Middle School took second place with a score of 93. Medina was bested by Buckman Heights (Greece Central School District) with score of 94.
Specialty awards for Jazz were Medina Middle School and High School for Best Rhythm section; Medina HS for Best Brass and Woodwinds Sections.
In Twirler competition, Medina took first place with a score of 79.5 followed by South Seneca with a 78.5.
In Color Guard competition in the Regional A class, Medina took first place with 86.1 followed by Batavia with 74.4.
Percussion Stand Still (PSS) competition involved five schools competing with Medina taking first place with a score of 83.8.
Concert Band competition concluded with Medina MS taking first place in the JRA class with score of 194.25 while Medina High School in the HSA class finished first with a score of 196.
The parade down Main Street in Gorham included 10 schools. Medina HS took first place with a score of 96.5. Medina also won Best Drum Major and Best Guard unit. Medina also took Best Class Championship in HSA with 292.5.
The Grand Championship Award took an interesting twist this year. In the High School class Medina and South Seneca were tied.
According to the rules the tie-breaker is the Concert Performance. Therefore, the HS Grand Championship Award went to Medina.
The Medina Mustang Band and all of its components are under the co-direction of James Steele and Cheri Pritchard.
Photos by Sue Cook – Leonel Rosario (center), one of the business owners, stands with his wife Doloers and Zach McKenna, a chef of two years at Mariachi de Oro. The new addition to the building is behind them.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
MEDINA – For a taste of authentic Mexican food, residents of Western New York flock to Mariachi de Oro Mexican Restaurant in Medina.
The Rosario family opened the restaurant nearly three years ago, and recently put on an expansion because of the popularity of the place.
The Rosarios first came from Mexico to work locally as farm workers. On Sept. 9, 2011, they opened their family restaurant to provide Medina with a taste of their home.
The flavorful recipes served are traditional dishes passed down through generations of the family, said Leonel Rosario, who shares ownership of the business with his brothers Francisco, Danato, Pablo, Sergio and Martin.
“I think that’s why we’ve had a reaction from our customers,” Leonel said during an interview at the restaurant on Route 31A, just east of the Route 63 intersection. “We have some Tex-Mex on the menu, but I’ve always focused more on really authentic traditional food. It’s mostly from Oaxaca where we are from in Mexico. Everything I cook I try to do from scratch. For me, in my heart, I want to make sure it feels good and that I’m really confident that they’re going to like it.”
Mariachi de Oro has been so popular that the business is being expanded. A new addition was added onto the front of the building.
“It looks really good,” said Leonel’s wife Doloers. “It went up really fast.”
The new addition took two half days to complete the exterior. The interior is currently being finished and set up. There will be more seating, two bathrooms, and a bar. The addition is expected to be in use sometime in June. The restaurant will also hire new employees to add to the current staff of eight.
Leonel and his family have decorated the interior of the restaurant festively to reflect their Mexican culture.
The extra seating is vital, especially on weekends, when people drive from outside the county to come eat.
“We have people from Canada coming here and Niagara Falls, Tonawanda, Orchard Park, Le Roy, Williamsville, Lewiston,” Leonel said. “It’s mostly people from Buffalo are that are driving here a lot. That’s one thing that’s keeping us so busy throughout the weekend. Even in wintertime, we have a lot of them.”
“I think they find us on the Internet and read our reviews. They are willing to come try it out and they love us.”
Once the addition is completed, Leonel says the Rosarios plan to remove the old bathroom area and utilize the space for a small stage. He wants to give customers more than just Mexican food.
“I love to cook and to do a good service to my customers, but at the same time I want to do little different things with the restaurant,” said Leonel.
He plans to have mariachi bands, live music, and dancing. Leonel was a Mexican folkloric dancer for almost 10 years. He wants to share the Mexican culture with people in the area and feels this would be a great way to do it.
He says that they are also looking to create outdoor seating at some point with an open porch some time in the future so that customers can enjoy nice weather along with their meals.
Leonel has been very happy with the community’s response to the family business as well as their own success.
“We have really loyal customers,” he said. “I’m starting to get to know some more people and my employees are really good. It’s hard to find the right people, but we’ve been so lucky.”
Leonel added, “We’re trying to bring a little more to the community. I think it will be nice for people to come to Medina and they will get a little bit of Mexico, too.”
For more information and a preview of their menu, visit their website by clicking here.
