By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Tom Rivers/Daily News – Carlene Stockwell worked her last day at Travel Horizons in Medina today after 23 years with the Main Street business.
MEDINA – Carlene Stockwell used to be part of a team of four full-time employees, arranging flights, cruises and other trips for local residents.
The travel agents at Horizon Travel would receive a commission from the airlines and tour operators. And customers would bring back trinkets from the trips, stone shamrocks from Ireland, dancing figurines from Hawaii, sea shells from the ocean and chop sticks from Tokyo.
Stockwell worked 23 years at Travel Horizons. She was the last remaining full-time employee. Owner June Seager decided to close the business today after 24 years at 511 Main St.
“It’s been a pleasure working in the business,” Stockwell said today. “We’ve built so many friendships.”
Stockwell said the elimination of commissions from the airlines, plus the proliferation of the Internet, which makes it easier for customers to book their own trips, has pushed many travel agents out of the industry.
“It’s a very different business now,” she said. “I don’t see a future for me in travel tourism.”
It used to be a promising career. She earned a degree in travel tourism from Genesee Community College more than two decades ago. GCC no longer offers that major. It’s been adapted to “Tourism and Hospitality Management.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Organizers postpone Jenn Suhr event due to rain
Photos by Tom Rivers – Jenn Suhr charges down the runway and gets ready to vault last Friday during a competition at the White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville. Suhr will be back in action at the White Birch at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
LYNDONVILLE – The community will have to wait another day to see Jenn Suhr and other leading pole vaulters compete at the White Birch Golf Course.
Suhr and five other vaulters competed at the White Birch last Friday. They were scheduled to be in action again today at 5:30 p.m. The threat of rain prompted organizers to push the event to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Suhr cleared 15 feet, 7 inches last Friday, the same height she topped to win a gold medal last year in London.
Janice Keppler of Medina also is competing in the event. She is currently the fourth-ranked pole vaulter in the country.
The second fairway at the golf course is being used for the event. Other competitors include: Heather Hamilton, the top-ranked vaulter in Canada; Claire Dishong of Brockport and Cornell University; Linda Hadfield of Utica and Tennessee University; and Erin Champion of Tennessee University.
The White Birch is located at 1515 North Lyndonville Rd.
Jenn Suhr clears the bar during a pole vaulting event last Friday at the White Birch. She cleared 15 feet, 7 inches, the height she passed to win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2013 at 12:00 am
KENDALL – Two of the coaches took over programs that were chronic underachievers. Another coach started the girls athletic program at Kendall. It didn’t exist until Title IX.
All three amassed numerous league and Sectional titles. On Wednesday, Carol Brakenbury, Ben Gerbig and Dick Reynolds were inducted into the Kendall Athletic Hall of Fame. They make up the second class in the HOF. Basketball star Roosevelt Bouie was the first inductee a year ago.
The coaches were praised for teaching the fundamentals and insisting on hard work. The trio did more than that. They instilled confidence in the players and community. Kendall beat many bigger schools in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, with the three coaches on the sidelines.
Gary Kent played on the baseball team in 1962 that won the league title, knocking off perennial powerhouse Lyndonville. Kent introduced Reynolds at the HOF banquet, calling him a “players’ coach” who didn’t dwell on mistakes. Reynolds urged the players to take chances.
“He had the ability to make us believe in ourselves,” Gary Kent said about Reynolds. “He treated us like young men, without fear of failure.”
Photo by Tom Rivers – Dick Reynolds, a former Kendall baseball and basketball coach, addresses 200 people after being inducted in Kendall’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Reynolds was a part of the Kendall athletic program for nearly four decades. In his 20 seasons as the KCS varsity baseball coach, the team won 10 Genesee Region championships, made five Sectional finals appearances, and racked up 152 wins.
He achieved his greatest success leading the basketball team. Reynolds coached the team from 1963 to 1977 and amassed 186 wins and only 72 losses. During his tenure, Kendall won five Section V championships and set the Section V record for consecutive wins with 57.
Reynolds was a baseball star at Brockport High School, and signed a Minor League contract and played for the Batavia Clippers in 1951. He was a drill sergeant in the Marine Corps before he was hired as a physical teacher in Kendall.
He recalled the first year Kendall won Sectionals in basketball. That was 1973. The Kendall Fire Department escorted the team into town.
“That first year the community went crazy,” Reynolds said.
He was thrilled to be inducted with Gerbig and Brakenbury. The coaches all worked together and shared many of the same players.
Gerbig worked at Kendall from 1962 to 1989 as a math teacher before joining Albion as vice principal for eight years. Gerbig is still working as an adjunct math professor at Morrisville State College, where he has taught the past 12 years.
His Kendall boys soccer team won 18 Genesee Region League Championships, appeared in Sectional finals eight times, and won two sectional championships. He is Kendall’s all-time leader in boys soccer wins with 297.
He also coached JV basketball. Gerbig praised the Kendall players and their families for so much dedication to the sports program. Early in his coaching career, he led a JV team that was blown out most games, including one 62-6 loss. The team was 0-15 at one point. Gerbig told the crowd about the team’s 50-47 win over Pembroke. It remains perhaps his most memorable victory.
“That team kept its composure,” he said. “They worked hard. That group of boys is a special bunch.”
Ben Gerbig led the Kendall boys soccer program to 18 league titles.
Current Kendall coach John King introduced Gerbig and praised him for setting a high level of excellence as a coach and teacher.
Gerbig said many families sent brothers, sisters and cousins to play for Kendall.
“There were many sets of brothers and sisters,” he said. “In Kendall, it was a family thing.”
Wednesday’s Hall of Fame banquet was a reunion for the three coaches, and many of their players. Kendall senior athletes also were honored at Hickory Ridge Country Club.
“The three of us coached hundreds and thousands of games,” Gerbig said. “We won lots and lots of championships. It’s a credit to the kids.”
Title IX was passed to start girls sports in 1972. Kendall fielded its first girls soccer team in the fall of 1975. Brakenbury led that group that won Sectionals. That success sparked a wave of interest from Kendall girls in sports.
Brakenbury would coach tennis, softball, volleyball and cheerleading. She was the Section V softball coach of the year in 1982.
She achieved her greatest success leading the soccer program. The team won three Sectional championships, appeared in 13 Sectional finals, and won 13 Genesee Region League Championships.
Carol Brakenbury helped start the girls athletic program at Kendall.
Gary Pollock, a former Kendall boys soccer coach, introduced Brakenbury at the HOF banquet and praised her for her passion for life and her coaching principles. She taught her players to put the team before themselves. Her players followed her example of a high level of commitment.
Brakenbury said those early days were difficult getting the girls on par with the boys. The girls wore the same uniform tops for soccer and softball.
“The more we won, we got real uniforms,” she said.
Brakenbury joined Kendall as a physical education teacher in 1964. Before the girls could compete in varsity sports, Brakenbury organized intramural sports for the girls.
“They wanted to get out there and be competitive,” she said.
The girls soon won over the school administration and community.
“They were putting in as much time and were just as competitive as the boys,” Brakenbury said.
One Kendall player gave her a senior photo in the 1970s. On the back, the player wrote a message.
“Dear coach, thank you for making the girls sports just as respected as the boys.”
ALFRED, NY, June 2013 – Dr. Stephen J. Havlovic, provost & vice president for academic affairs at Alfred State, has announced the Dean’s List of students for the spring 2013 semester. Students from both the Alfred campus and the School of Applied Technology campus in Wellsville are selected for the Dean’s List if they maintain a 3.50 grade-point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0. The 4.0 GPA or straight “A” students are indicated with an asterisk (*).
The following Orleans County students were among those recognized:
Kenneth Boyer*, Albion
Bram Davies, Albion
Jason Javier, Albion
Michael Levandowski, Kent
Noah O’Kussick, Kent
Derek Howes, Lyndonville
Andrew Hydock, Lyndonville
Ryan Schepis*, Medina
Alfred State offers associate degrees in 50 programs in the fields of agriculture, health, business, vocational, and engineering technology, as well as liberal arts and sciences. There are also 19 baccalaureate degree offerings.
Congressman picks up seat on Science, Space & Technology
Press release, Office of Congressman Chris Collins
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) has been named to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, his third committee assignment.Three committee assignments is a rarity among members of Congress, especially newly elected members of the House of Representatives.
“I am both excited and honored to be asked to join the membership ranks of a third committee,” Collins said. “As an engineer with a business background in both biotechnology and pharmaceutical science, I believe strongly in the power of science and scientific research to grow our economy and better our nation.I look forward to using my assignment on Science, Space and Technology to champion the growing research sector developing in and around my Congressional District, including the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester.”
Collins will be the only majority member from New York on the committee.
Collins is currently a member of the House Agriculture and Small Business committees, and serves as chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Health and Technology.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Gina Sidari, an Albion first grader, is all smiles at the Seneca Park Zoo today despite the constant rain.
Albion students watch the polar bear at the zoo in Rochester today.
ROCHESTER – Some schools cancelled. Too much rain.
Not the first grade class at Albion. Students, teachers and many of kids’ parents boarded school buses today and spent about two hours at the Seneca Park Zoo. It never stopped raining. Even some of the animals cowered behind their shelters, and didn’t venture into the open.
But first-graders did get to see two elephants, a polar bear, a rhino, seals, wolves and lots of other creatures.
I was able to join the group for the expedition. My daughter is in Mrs. Azzolino’s class.
We all left with soaked feet. I’m glad it wasn’t cancelled.
First-graders in Mrs. Azzolino’s class watch an elephant.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Passarell backed for Albion town supervisor
ALBION – The Orleans County Conservative Party has endorsed a slate of candidates who the party says are committed to reining in local taxes.
The group endorsed Matt Passarell for Albion town supervisor. Passarell, a current town councilman, was passed over by the Albion Republican Committee, which also interviewed Jake Olles, a town councilman. The GOP opted against endorsing either one.
The Conservative endorsement assures Passarell a line on the November ballot.
Conservatives also endorsed Emil Smith of Medina to run for County Legislature against incumbent Bill Eick, who represents a district that includes the towns of Shelby, Barre and Clarendon.
“We’re hoping for a change,” said Al Lofthouse, the party chairman from Kendall. “We’re under duress with taxes. We’re hoping if nothing else it wake all of these people up, the people in office and the voters.”
The party is critical for Republicans in several municipalities for overriding the 2 percent tax cap imposed by the state. The Conservatives made their endorsements in two meetings last month and on Monday. Lofthouse said he doesn’t expect the party to endorse more candidates.
One Republican incumbent, Don Allport, was backed the Conservatives for another two-year term on the county.
The Conservative Party also endorsed Gaines Town Supervisor Carol Culhane, Gaines Town Councilwoman Susan Smith and Gaines Town Justice Bruce Schmidt.
The Conservatives endorsed other candidates to run against sitting Republicans, including Paul Snook for Carlton highway superintendent, Raymond Wendling for Ridgeway highway superintendent, Bilal Huzair for Carlton town councilman and Paul Lauricella for Yates town councilman. Lauricella is treasurer of the Orleans County Conservative Party.
“We’re tired of the way Republicans are running things,” Lauricella said. “They’ve lost their principles.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – JP Morgan Chase announced today it will close its Albion facility in September, cutting 400 local jobs.
ALBION – Four hundred people in Albion were told today their jobs will be gone in September.
JP Morgan Chase, which runs a mortgage center on East Avenue, announced it will close the site in about 90 days. The company acquired Washington Mutual about five years ago and the center peaked with nearly 1,000 employees.
Chase has been shrinking the site since then. The company said an improving economy means fewer people are behind on their mortgages, making the site in Albion less needed.
“Fewer homeowners are falling behind on their mortgages, so we need fewer employees to assist those who were struggling,” Chase said in a statement to WGRZ in Buffalo. “This shift is good for homeowners and the economy overall. We will work with affected employees to find openings at Chase or other local companies.”
The announcement is bad news for Albion, which was already stung in February when Claims Recovery Financial Services said it would move the bulk of its operations to Medina, where there is more room for the growing company at the Olde Pickle Factory. CRFS plans to keep about 200 workers in Albion while it grows to about 700 workers in Medina in the next year.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley said he tried several times to reach Chase CEO Jamie Dimon in recent weeks, to urge the company to stay in Albion. Dimon never returned Hawley’s calls. Hawley was part of a contingent of local, state and federal officials who swayed Chase to stay in Albion after it acquired WaMu.
“I was hopeful they wouldn’t close the Albion site,” Hawley said.
He believes the Chase site and their employees will be attractive for a new employer in Albion.
“It’s a good facility,” Hawley said. “It’s been updated and the employees have marketable skills. They’re hard-working.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Howard and Clara Lake opened The Park Grille on Saturday at 11089 Park Ave. in Medina. They are pictured with three of their employees. Pictured, in back, from left: Matt Winans (Clara Lake’s son), Riki Culverwell and Ben Madafferi.
Howard Lake cooks hamburgers at The Park Grille today.
MEDINA – Howard and Clara Lake moved their computer business, C & H PC, last May from a building behind their house on Laurel Street to a site on Park Avenue.
The new location is busy, close to several big companies in Medina, including Associated Brands, Baxter Healthcare Corp., Credit Recovery Financial Services, and several others. Barnes Metal Finishing is across the street.
Mr. Lake, Medina’s former mayor, sees all the traffic and thought those employees might want a quick lunch close by.
Last Saturday, the Lakes opened The Park Grille, serving Sahlen’s hot dogs, black angus hamburgers, French fries and ice cream. The site has been busy, Lake said.
“It’s been very popular,” he said earlier today, just before the lunch rush. “We’ve been getting a lot of repeat customers.”
The Lakes purchased a 26-foot-long trailer that is equipped with grills, a fryer and freezers. They expect to stay open until September, but Lake said customer demand may extend their season. The Lakes also expect to add more to the menu.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Our Light of Victory now owns St. Mary’s, which was closed by the Catholic Diocese in 2007.
Albion has a reputation, in a good way, for the seven historic churches that are part of the Courthouse Square, a cluster of about 30 buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The former St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Brown Street doesn’t get the same recognition as a historical and community treasure, but the site should be considered on par with the churches by the courthouse.
I think the former St. Mary’s, built by Polish immigrants, may be most striking of all the Albion churches. It opened in 1893, predating some of the churches on the Square.
The Catholic Diocese closed the church in 2007. Our Light of Victory acquired the church and has Sunday services there.
I’d like to see a historic marker prominently placed on the property, honoring the Polish families who sacrificed and gave generously to build this church.
Matt Ballard has developed a wonderful web site, www.albionpolonia.com, that details the history of the church and many of Polish families who were drawn to Albion the late 1800s.
I passed by the church today. I had to stop and take a picture.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Mary Anne Braunbach has been influential in planning and raising money for the new Hoag Library, and helping with numerous other projects at the old and new Albion public libraries.
ALBION – When she was 6 years old, Mary Anne Braunbach would ride her red bike with a basket to Swan Library. She lived a few blocks away on West Academy Street.
Braunbach would take out three books and then head home. She remembers climbing the steep sandstone steps at the front of the library, and then facing the imposing entrance.
“It took everything I had to open that big front door,” she recalled.
By age 7, she would spend two hours most mornings at the library during the summer.
“I just liked to go there, read books and bum around,” Braunbach said.
She went on to work more than three decades as a teacher and librarian in the Newfane school district in Niagara County. She moved from Lockport back to her hometown 18 years ago and soon joined the Swan Library Board of Trustees.
Braunbach has served on the board for 15 years. There was one gap in that stretch. The former board president wasn’t re-elected amidst controversy in the community over where to build the new library.
But Braunbach didn’t let that election loss push her away from the library. She took a year off from the board and re-energized the Friends of Swan Library, planning several events and raising money for the new Hoag Library.
Braunbach’s volunteer commitment to Albion’s public library has attracted the attention of the Library Trustees Association of New York State. The organization last month presented her with the “Outstanding Friends Award,” a state-wide honor.
“She’s done so much for the library,” said Susan Rudnicky, director of the Hoag Library. “Even after there was a change in the board, she kept going. She has worked so hard for the library for a bunch of years.”
Braunbach has since been elected back on the board. Her current term as a library trustee is about to expire. She was ready to step back from the board. But only one candidate ran for four open seats on the library board last month.
Braunbach has agreed to serve one more year. She wants to see some younger people serve on the board, so the organization has their viewpoints and there is leadership in the future for Albion’s public library.
Braunbach and the Friends committed to raising $25,000 for the new Hoag. The group has a room in its honor, which is uses to sell used books and books by local authors. The Friends also sells candy, coffee and has a plant sale. Proceeds are donated back to the library.
The Friends group is raising $12,500 for the library, while Braunbach is matching that money.
She owns a historic downtown building by the canal. Her late father Joseph DeCarlo used that building to run a hardware store. He also was in the plumbing and heating business.
Braunbach lives in a cobblestone house on Densmore Street from 1830 with her husband Ken.
She has been busy this week with the Friends group. She is helping to organize the annual chair auction. Those chairs are painted by local artists and will be sold during the Strawberry Festival.
She also is taking an inventory and pricing items from the Swan. Some of the old collectibles and antiques will be sold during the festival.
“I’ve been a friend of the library since I was 5,” Braunbach said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Reynolds, Gerbig and Brakenbury all honored
Photo by Tom Rivers – Kendall coaches with legendary accomplishments and reputations – Dick Reynolds, Ben Gerbig and Carol Brakenbury – pose for a photograph after being inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
KENDALL – Three Kendall coaches with long careers and numerous league and sectional titles were inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame during a banquet tonight attended by about 200 people.
The coaches – Ben Gerbig, Dick Reynolds and Carol Brakenbury – are part of the HOF’s second class. Basketball great Roosevelt Bouie went into the HOF as the inaugural inductee last year.
Gerbig was a math teacher whose career spanned four decades, including eight years at Albion. He oversaw a boys soccer program that earned 18 Genesee Region League Championships, appeared in Sectional finals eight times, and won two sectional championships. He is Kendall’s all-time wins leader in boys soccer (297), and was recognized as Section V Class B Coach of the year four times. Gerbig was inducted into the Section V Hall of Fame in 2000.
Dick Reynolds coached basketball and baseball for about four decades. In his 20 seasons as the KCS varsity baseball coach, the team won 10 Genesee Region championships, made five Sectional finals appearances, and racked up 152 wins.
Reynolds was basketball coach during Kendall’s most glorious run, highlighted by undefeated seasons with Bouie. Reynolds coached the team from 1963 to 1977 and amassed 186 wins and only 72 losses. During his tenure, Kendall won five Section V championships and held the Section V record for consecutive wins with 57. Reynolds also oversaw the KCS athletic program from 1967 to 1992, serving as the longest tenured athletic director in KCS history.
Brakenbury was a pioneer coach at Kendall. Her career began in 1964, and she worked as a physical education teacher at KCS until her retirement in 1998.
Brakenbury guided her soccer teams to three sectional championships, 13 Sectional finals, and 13 Genesee Region League Championships. She earned Section V Class B Girls Soccer coach of the year in 1982. Her team also won 42 straight games in the Genesee Region League. Brakenbury was influential in the development of Kendall’s sports program for girls.
There will be more coverage of the HOF ceremony on Orleans Hub tomorrow, including comments from the coaches.
Press release
Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force
MEDINA – The manager of the Monroe Muffler and Brake in Medina has allegedly been selling narcotics from the location at 11334 Maple Ridge Rd., the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported.
Police on Tuesday arrested the site’s manager, James D. Swader. The 52-year-old from Akron was charged with five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, five counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and five counts of criminal diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions in the fourth degree.
Swader was arraigned by Shelby Town Justice Dawn Keppler and committed to Orleans County Jail on $50,000 cash bail or a $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Shelby Town Court at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The Task Force and the Medina Police Department executed a search warrant on Tuesday at Monro Muffler following a three-month investigation into the sale and distribution of prescription narcotic pills in Medina.
As a result of the investigation, a search was executed after numerous narcotic buys were conducted inside the business. Police seized prescription narcotic medications, including morphine and oxycodone, which was located inside the manager’s tool box in the garage area of the business, the Task Force reported.
The investigation is ongoing and further arrests and charges are pending.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – The annual chair auction to benefit Albion’s public library includes 30 chairs painted by local artists. Five of the chairs were used at the former Swan Library. The chairs will be bid on in a silent auction Friday and Saturday at the Strawberry Festival.
ALBION – Buy a funky chair. Honor your parents.
The Friends of the Hoag Library has two fund-raisers at this week’s Strawberry Festival. The group is having its annual chair auction, where local artists paint furniture. There will be 30 chairs up for bid, including five that were used in the former Swan Library.
The chairs can be bid on through a silent auction. The buyers will be picked on Saturday afternoon. The chairs will be at the former Swan Library on North Main Street.
There are about 100 bricks left over from the construction of the library at 134 South Main St. That building opened last July.
The Friends group wants to use those 100 bricks as part of a walkway at the new library. The bricks can be purchased for $65 as memorials.
The Friends will be at the former Swan site on Friday and Saturday to discuss the chair auction and memorial walkway.
The new Hoag Library also is selling memorial bricks for $65 each that will be part of a walkway by the library on South Main Street. Mary Anne Braunbach bought the first brick, in honor of her parents, Joseph and Clara DeCarlo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 June 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – This bust and antiques, collectibles and other items from the former Swan Library will be for sale during the Strawberry Festival on Saturday.
ALBION – Century-old wicker chairs. Display cases for DVDs. Busts and collectibles from the 1800s and early 1900s.
They’re all for sale as Swan Library officials work to empty the historic building at the corner of North Main and West State streets.
Albion’s public library moved up the street last July to the new Hoag Library. The Swan site is being eyed for use as a local history museum.
Swan Library leaders want to remove some of the pieces that are taking up space at the Swan site. Some of the Swan furniture and most of the collection was moved to the new building. But not all of the furniture and collectibles were needed.
Community members are welcome to look over the items for sale on Friday. They will be sold on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. People are also welcome to come inside and tour the former library during the festival June 7-8.
