By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – The villages of Albion and Holley are working on an agreement where Holley would pay Albion to run Holley’s sewer plant.
The village of Elba also has reached out to Albion about possibly running Elba’s sewer plant. That discussion is just in the “exploratory stage,” said Aric Albright, Albion’s sewer plant chief operator.
The agreement with Holley, however, is close to approval. The Village Boards from both communities are working on the language for a contract to have Albion provide the service.
Albion has three employees that work out of the Albion sewer plant on Densmore Street. The village wouldn’t add staff as part of the added workload with Holley.
“It’s a win-win situation for both Albion and Holley,” Albright told the Albion Village Board last week.
Albion would provide the manpower to run the Holley plant. Holley would still be responsible for any maintenance and equipment costs. Holley currently contracts with the Camden Group for sewer personnel.
Albright said the agreement brings revenue to Albion’s sewer plant, and also provides personnel services to Holley at a reduced cost.
“It’s a real possibility that all of these communities could come together and help each other,” Albright told Albion village officials. “This would be a huge benefit to Albion.”
MEDINA – In this color post card mailed Sept. 3, 1912 is a view of the S.A. Cook Building on Main Street in Medina.
Note the dirt street and horse drawn wagons. To the upper right is the tower of the Presbyterian Church. The red brick building next to that was the Central Bank of Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2014 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – Medina School Superintendent Jeff Evoy has sent a recorded message to parents notifying them that a student has been suspended after allegedly threatening to harm other students on Monday.
Evoy said he was advised late Friday evening of the alleged threat and suspended the student and also contacted the Medina Police Department.
“It is my understanding that a criminal investigation remains on-going,” Evoy states on the District’s website. “The District has suspended the student from school and is moving forward with a discipline proceeding regarding the alleged conduct. To protect the integrity of the investigation and proceeding, the District cannot provide further comment at this time.”
Evoy said the school will continue to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of all students and staff.
“Please know that the safety of students and staff is our number one priority,” he said. “Any threats will be dealt with in a serious manner.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2014 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – An 18-year-old junior at Medina High School has been arrested by Village Police for allegedly making a terrorist threat, a Class D felony.
Mackenzie Barrett was arrested by Medina police today, WGRZ Channel 2 in Buffalo is reporting. Police Chief Jose Avila told Channel 2 that Barrett was arrested after making “very concerning threats” on social media.
Medina School District Superintendent Jeff Evoy notified the community around 6 p.m. today that the student had been suspended after allegedly making threats about harming students at school on Monday.
Barrett is being held on $25,000 cash bail and $50,000 bond, WGRZ reported. He will appear in Town of Shelby Court on Thursday.
Avila said there will be an added police presence at the school on Monday. The district works with Medina Police by providing funding for a Medina officer to work as a full-time resource officer at the district.
Historic churches showcase architecture today and Sunday
File photos by Tom Rivers – The First Presbyterian Church of Albion, with its 175-foot-high spire, is the tallest structure in Orleans County.
The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church includes this stained-glass window, an early work by the famed Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company of “Christ the Consoler.” 2 Albion churches featured as Sacred Sites
ALBION – Historic churches around the state this weekend are opening their doors to showcase the architectural wonders inside the buildings.
Two Albion churches, First Presbyterian and Pullman Memorial Universalist, are participating in the fourth annual “Sacred Sites” tour in New York, an event aimed to raise public appreciation for the churches as community treasures with stained-glass windows, pipe organs, ornately carved pews, decorative paintings and murals.
The New York Landmarks Conservancy is spearheading the Sacred Sites tour. The organization provides grants to churches in New York. The two Albion churches are among the recipients of Sacred Sites awards.
Sacred Sites offers New Yorkers the chance to experience the beautiful religious art and architecture throughout the area. The event is also intended to assist religious institutions in promoting their history, cultural programming and social services.
The theme of this year’s Open House is “Sacred Sites and the Community: How Immigration and Migration Shape New York,” which will focus on the rich histories and extraordinary contributions of New York’s diverse immigrant communities.
The Conservancy’s Sacred Sites program is the only statewide program in the country providing financial and technical assistance for the restoration of culturally significant religious properties. Since 1986, the program has disbursed grants of more than $8 million to more than 700 congregations regardless of denominations.
The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church was built with Medina sandstone and includes 41 Tiffany stained-glass windows.
The First Presbyterian Church in Albion completed a $300,000 renovation and restoration of its interior about six years ago, including work on the rose window.
The churches will be open for tours from noon to 3 p.m. both today and on Sunday.
The Pullman church is located at 10 East Park St. The church was built in 1894 with money from railroad manufacturer George Pullman, who grew up in Albion. The building is an excellent example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, the NY Landmarks Conservancy stated. The church has 41 Tiffany stained-glass windows including one of “Christ the Consoler” that was featured in Tiffany brochures in 1898.
The Presbyterian Church at 29 East State St. was built in 1874 and includes a 175-foot-high spire, the tallest structure in the county. About six years ago, the congregation completed a $300,000 restoration and renovation of its interior.
Photo by Sue Cook – Rob and Buffie Edick graduated from SUNY Brockport this morning with their Bachelor’s degrees.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
KENT – Often one parent going through college can be a challenge for a family, but Rob and Buffie Edick accomplished the feat simultaneously while raising four children. This morning they both earned their Bachelor’s degrees from Brockport State College.
Rob graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Earth Science. His final GPA was 3.54. Rob is currently working overnights at Wegmans in Brockport. He had begun his degree in 1989 and had left college in ’93 when the couple decided to have children. He began attending Brockport in 2010, the same time with wife returned to the classroom.
“The biggest problem was being able to think after working overnights,” Rob said.
With lab classes often falling in the afternoon, it was difficult to schedule in time to sleep. He attended school part-time to accommodate his work/sleep schedule.
Buffie achieved Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Pscyhology with a GPA of approximately 3.8. She also earned the Rochester Area Colleges Continuing Education Award (RACCE) with an Outstanding Adult Student Award. She is a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, and a member of the National Leadership Honor Society through Omicron Delta Kappa.
“I did my homework at two in the morning or with headphones in,” she said. “They learned that when mom had headphones in, I was busy. Everyone would laugh because we’d go to a waterpark for a birthday party and I’d be doing homework. They just knew me as the homework mom sitting in the corner.”
Buffie had worked at Wegmans for 14 years, but had lost her job due to a back injury. She required retraining to find a new career. She was able to go back to school through Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), which offers training opportunities to disabled adults, such as college.
“I got sent back to school through ACCES. They really helped me. The paid for college and my books and let me choose a core system,” she said. She wanted to specifically thank her ACCES counselor Ida Goekel. “If it wasn’t for that, I probably wouldn’t have gone back.”
Buffie plans to continue her summer job at the college while looking for other employment. Rob is going to remain at Wegmans. The couple has been married for nearly 24 years. They are both planning to return to school for their Master’s degrees while continuing to work once Buffie has stable employment.
The couple’s 22-year-old daughter, Amanda Edick, attended Canisius College while her parents were getting their degrees. She majored in Criminal Justice and Political Science. She said that they all made sure they helped and encouraged each other.
“I hope that they can find something soon in their degrees that goes along with their field,” Amanda said. “I’m happy for them. I’m excited that they’ve passed this first big step and have a new chapter in their lives. I’m very proud of them. It really taught us four kids to go to school, get it done. It’s really important to our family to have an education.”
Rob and Buffie also have three sons, Matthew, 19; Derek, 10; and Devin, 9. Matthew is attending Genesee Community College for Criminal Justice.
Buffie said she is very grateful for her Psychology professors. “I want to thank Dr. Gillespie, Dr. Forzano, Dr. Brennan Jones and Dr. Margolan. They were just wonderful. If I had a question, I could go in and sit down. They would answer; we’d have a discussion. They were really good mentors.”
Rob also felt thankful for one of his professor’s guidance. “Dr. Autin, he was my confidant, my advisor. He took more of an interest than anyone else.”
When asked what she’d say to other adults or parents who aren’t certain about going back to college, Buffie said, “Just do it. The faculty, staff, and students are all welcoming. They take you on as a peer. I mean, it’s hard, but just do it.”
ALBION – In this postcard from the early 20th Century we see the swing bridge over the Erie Canal looking up Main Street in Albion.
The bridge tender with a pole in hand is seen standing on the bridge. This pole fitted into gears under the hub in the middle which turned the bridge lengthwise of the canal.
Being mounted on a pedestal in the center of the canal when turned allowed boats to pass on either side. This bridge was removed in 1911 for the present lift bridge.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 May 2014 at 12:00 am
810 Meadworks eyes late November opening
MEDINA – A meadery, which combines some of the arts of making wine and beer, is coming to downtown Medina with a target opening in late November during the Parade of Lights.
Larissa and Bryan DeGraw and their friend Morris Babcock are working to establish 810 Meadworks at 113 West Center St., Suite 1. That spot was a barbershop a few months ago next to the Shirt Factory Café in the R.H. Newell building.
The DeGraws moved from New Jersey, Mr. DeGraw’s native state, to Orleans County. They are temporarily staying in Kent, where Mrs. DeGraw, the former Larissa Gunder, grew up. They are moving to Medina.
In New Jersey they lived in a 230-year-old house. They wanted to be a part of the Medina’s revitalization in its historic downtown. The community also is ideally situated in the middle of the expanded Niagara Wine Trail.
“We really appreciate a small town that embraces its history,” DeGraw said. “And from a business standpoint, Medina is in the center of the Niagara Wine Trail. That is an absolutely great place to be.”
At the R.H. Newell building, 810 Meadworks will share the first floor with the Shirt Factory Café and Boiler 54, which runs a concert series. DeGraw believes those businesses will help the new winery, and vice versa.
“We’re real excited to be next to them,” DeGraw said.
810 Meadworks uses “810” in its name from the Bible verse Nehemiah 8:10: “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
DeGraw said the business will be a place where sweet drinks and choclates can be celebrated over conversation.
“We want to build relationships with people and get to know people,” DeGraw said.
The former barbershop area will be renovated into a production area for creating honey wines and meads, which are alcoholic drinks made by fermenting honey with water and often fruits, spices, grains and hops.
DeGraw has been a home brewer and mead maker for five years. There were very few meaderies in the United States only two years ago, but now there are about 200 with more in the works.
“Meaderies are the oldest fermented beverage,” DeGraw said. “It’s really made a comeback in the last 1 ½ to 2 years.”
810 Meadworks will convert a meeting room in the building into its tasting area, bar and lounge.
DeGraw said the business needs to secure state and federal approvals before it can open. He said that process usually takes three months. The Village Board also is considering changes in its zoning to make it easier for wineries to operate in the downtown. The board has set 7 p.m. June 23 for a public hearing on the zoning changes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 May 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION Five years ago Orleans County officials welcomed ProAct Inc. to the community so residents without health insurance or limited insurance could get a discount on prescriptions.
The program is free to residents and the county government. ProAct has saved county residents $645,000 in the five years on 21,000 prescriptions, company officials reported to the Legislature.
“That’s money going directly back into residents’ pockets which they can spend on other essentials,” Kayse Diamond, communications coordinator for ProAct, told county legislators on Wednesday.
The program saves residents an average of 36 percent on prescription drugs, and residents can even catch a break on medicine for their pets. The discounts tend to range from 10 percent to 20 percent off of brand drugs and 20 percent to 50 percent discounts on generic prescriptions.
“The program has been a godsend for us,” said Legislature Chairman David Callard.
ProAct is a subsidiary of Kinney Drugs. ProAct runs the program for free, with the hope it will boost foot traffic to its stores.
The company is seeing about a 20 percent drop in utilization of the prescription cards due to lower unemployment, Diamond said.
“More people are getting jobs with benefits,” she said.
The company signs up participating pharmacies that agree to offer the discounts. The company also runs a discount program for dental and eye care coverage.
For more information or to sign up for a card, click here.
Press release, Orleans County Undersheriff Steven Smith
SHELBY – A man is dead following a one-car motor vehicle accident Thursday night in the Town of Shelby.
The incident was reported at about 9:45 p.m., in the 12400 block of Podunk Road, just east of East Shelby Road. Passers-by observed a vehicle off the south side of the roadway and called 9-1-1. Those same individuals removed the driver (sole occupant) from the vehicle and attempted life-saving measures prior to the arrival of EMS personnel.
Upon investigation, it was determined that the mid-size sedan had been travelling west on Podunk Rd., when the driver apparently lost control. The vehicle crossed the center line and ran off the south side of the roadway. It continued approximately 165 feet before coming to rest and partially submerged in about 3 feet of marshland and about 50 feet off the roadway. The incident scene is less than ¼ mile from the Genesee-Orleans County Line.
The driver was transported by Medina FD ambulance to Medina Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:38 p.m. Orleans County Coroner Charles Smith was notified and the deceased was taken to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rochester for autopsy. His identity is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.
The on-scene investigation was conducted by Deputy T.N. Tooley, assisted by Deputy T.C. Marano, Deputy J.J. Cole, Sergeant G.T. Gunkler, and Chief Deputy T.L. Drennan. Deputies were also assisted by the East Shelby Fire Department and Lyon’s Collision Service.
The investigation will continue in an effort to determine what factor(s) contributed to the crash.
