KENDALL – A Canandaigua man is hospitalized after falling from the operator’s platform on a hydraulic boom truck this morning.
The incident occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m., in the 900 block of West Kendall Road. Allen L. Harter, 62, had climbed up to the platform and was preparing to sit down in the boom operator’s chair when he lost his footing and fell to the ground, a distance of between 7 and 8 feet.
Harter was transported by Kendall FD ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He is employed by J.F. Electric Inc., of Edwardsville, Ill. The company leased the truck from Global Rental Co., in Indianapolis, Ind.
The incident was investigated by Deputy M.C. Mele.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Jessica DeFazio last month opened the Happy Hour Liquor Inc., in downtown Holley at 30 Public Square. The store is open seven days a week.
HOLLEY – A Holley native moved back to her hometown and opened a new liquor store at 30 Public Square.
Jessica DeFazio, 28, sees lots of potential in Holley’s downtown, especially as more businesses open, drawing more traffic and customers who can visit several of the shops and restaurants.
She opened Happy Hour Liquor Inc. on Jan. 10. She said she sells “a little bit of everything,” from whiskey, wine, rum, brandy, tequila and scotch. The business is open seven days a week.
The site had been used as a pawn shop, which moved next door. DeFazio grew up in Holley and was living in Spencerport until she moved back. She said houses are far more inexpensive in Holley. That was one draw to come back to Holley.
“It’s small, it’s quiet, it’s comfortable,” she said. “I love it here.”
She said there are more businesses than people may realize in the community. She would like to see more people in the Holley area shop where they live rather than driving to Brockport.
DeFazio earned an associate’s degree in humanities and social sciences from Monroe Community College. She wanted to open her own business. She said the state Liquor Authority was helpful in approving her license, and Holley village officials also backed the business, including her new sign.
For more information on Happy Hour Liquor, visit happyhourliquorinc.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Cole London, 10, of Albion tries to toss a bean bag through a target as part of a Children’s Carnival last July 12 at Bullard Park.
ALBION – The village of Albion has twice sought state funding to upgrade Bullard Park, but has been denied.
The Lions Club wants to see some improvements move forward, so the local service club wants to work with the village to raise funds for projects at the park along Route 31. The Lions is planning a 7 p.m. public meeting on March 11 at the Hoag Library to talk about possible projects for the park.
The village’s Recreation Committee identified about $600,000 in projects, with a walking trail, reseeded ball fields, new playground equipment, a concession stand with new bathrooms, a spray park and other amenities.
That is probably too much for the community to tackle at once. Dale Brooks, the DPW superintendent, would like to see new playground equipment at Bullard for the first project. Brooks is a member of the Lions Club.
“That equipment is older than me,” he told the Lions Club members at its meeting tonight. “It’s getting to the point where it’s difficult to keep safe.”
Brooks would like to see the community aim for a $50,000 fund-raising goal initially and work on tackling the park upgrades in stages. The Lions Club will reach out to other service organizations and community members for help in funding the improvements. Any checks would go to the Village of Albion in the “Rebuild Bullard Park” fund.
Brooks said the park has a lot of needs. He would like to see the bathrooms moved to Pee Wee Park, which is more centrally located in Bullard. The current bathrooms are on the west side of the park in a spot that isn’t very visible from the Route 31. Those bathrooms and nearby pavilions are prone to vandalism, Brooks said.
One of the ball fields also is set downward from the rest of the park and has problems with wetness. Brooks said that field would benefit from some fill.
The park is popular for many youth and adult sports leagues, a summer recreation program and many other community events, including dog shows on Labor Day weekend.
The village added new playground equipment to Pee Wee about two years ago. It will install a new swing set this spring in memory of Kathy LaLonde, who was 54 when she died on Oct. 6 after fighting cancer. LaLonde was a member of the Recreation Committee and helped to develop the master plan for the park.
Gillibrand: New York exporters to save $450K annually
File photo by Tom Rivers – Some RubyFrost apples are displayed at Brown’s Berry Patch in Waterport last fall. Orleans County is the state’s second-leading apple producer, behind only Wayne County.
Press release
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After a push by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Bill Owens of northern New York, apple exports from New York State to Canada are now moving at a swifter, more cost-effective pace because of a measure included in the Farm Bill.
Last week, the first shipment of apples that were not subject to inspection crossed the border without incident. Gillibrand and Owens worked to exempt bulk shipments of U.S. apples to Canada from inspection required under the Apple Export Act, saving apple growers up to $300 per truckload, and allowing growers to create their own distribution schedules, eliminating costly after-hours inspection procedures.
“New York State is home to some of the world’s finest apples and hardest working growers,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “But this costly inspection was hurting our growers and holding our economy back. Now our apples can reach markets faster, help New York’s apple growers cut costs, and help our economy grow.”
New York is the country’s second-leading apple producing state with an annual crop of about 30 million bushels, behind only Washington. The New York crop generates about $330 million annually for the state’s economy.
“After more than two years of hard work, we finally have succeeded, with the elimination of the inspection requirements of the Apple Export Act,” New York Apple Association President Jim Allen said.
The Apple and Pear Export Act of 1933 requires that all exported apples are inspected. But pears have been excluded from the law since 1999. The elimination of apples from this antiquated law would enable apple farmers to have more control over their work schedules and eliminate expensive after-hours inspection procedures.
With nearly 1.5 million bushels of apples exported to Canada annually, this amendment to the current law could save U.S. apple growers more than $550,000 annually by allowing apple growers to distribute apple products on their own schedule, saving valuable time and resources by avoiding onerous after-hours inspection procedures.
“We are very grateful for the Sen. Gillibrand and Congressman Owens for listening to our concerns and acting on our behalf,” Allen said. “Because of their diligence, NY apple growers will not be burdened with unnecessary costs and requirements to sell apples into Canada. So far this year over 650 truckloads have already paid the price, but we anticipate another 800 this season will be exempt. This is a huge cost savings for our growers.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Orleans County Court Judge James Punch on Monday approved two local residents for the Drug Court program, which provides services for people with addictions and applies consequences if they use drugs.
Krystle L. Hughson, 30, of Albion pleaded guilty to petit larceny after she allegedly entered a motor home on Beachwood Boulevard in Albion on Dec. 20. Once inside, she is accused of stealing prescription pills.
Hughson told Judge Punch she was retrieving a loose dog for the owner. When she went inside the motor home, she confessed to taking prescription medication that wasn’t hers. She said she didn’t enter the home with the intention to taking the medication. But once inside, she stole the pills.
If Hughson successfully completes Drug Court, the petit larceny charge will be dismissed.
In another case for Drug Court, Joseph Piedmont, 48, of Lydun Drive in Albion pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the fourth degree and petit larceny.
If Piedmont completes Drug Court, the grand larceny charge will be dropped and he will be sentenced for petit larceny with the stipulation of no jail time.
Piedmont confessed in court to using his mother’s credit card without her permission. He used it to take money from an ATM to buy drugs, the DA’s office said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A pastor accused of sex crimes against children was offered a plea deal in Orleans County Court on Monday that would carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in state prison.
Roy Harriger, the pastor of the Community Fellowship Church in the town of Hartland, faces six counts of sex abuse charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
Harriger, 70, of Middleport was charged in November with three counts of coarse sexual contact in the first degree and three counts of incest. District Attorney Joe Cardone presented a plea for Harriger to plead guilty to the three counts of coarse sexual contact. Cardone said he wouldn’t pursue the incest charges.
The coarse sexual contact charges carry a minimum of five years and a maximum of 25 years in state prison. The sentence for the three counts would run at the same time, according to the plea offer from the DA.
Harriger is represented by attorney Larry Koss. Harriger did not accept the offer in court on Monday. He has until April 7 to decide. That is his next court appearance. He can accept the plea offer or the case will go to trial.
Judge James Punch has ordered Harriger to stay away from church and any other locations where there are children 18 or younger.
Harriger was first arraigned in the Yates Town Court on Nov. 27 after being charged by the state police. He posted $250,000 bail. Punch has kept the bail at $250,000.
The alleged crimes by Harriger occurred against three family members between September 2000 and September 2001, when he was pastor of the Ashwood Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville.
“Witnesses can’t say exactly when they happened, but there were multiple offenses with multiple victims,” Cardone said in court on Monday.
MEDINA – In this 1908 picture we see construction of the Buffalo, Lockport and Rochester trolley tracks in Medina. Here they make the sharp bend around the corner from East Center Street to Main Street.
The building on the corner was destroyed by a fire a number of years ago. This site now serves as a small park. Note the early electric street light suspended on a cable over this intersection. The B.L. & R. trolley system ran from 1908 to 1931 through Orleans County.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Theresa Nichols
ALBION – An Albion woman was sentenced to 3½ years in state prison today for selling hydrocodone and other prescription narcotics. She and her two sons were arrested on Oct. 1 and accused of selling drugs in Albion.
Theresa S. Nichols, 51, of 209 North Main St. apologized in court before she was sentenced.
“I want to say I’m sorry,” she told County Judge James Punch. “I know I was wrong.”
Nichols on Dec. 9 pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. She faced up to four years in state prison.
Her attorney, Michael O’Keefe of Medina, asked for probation for Nichols. He said she has been taken AA classes in jail and has a place to live on Countyline Road with her fiance.
Punch said Nichols has been on probation before and it didn’t stop her from committing crimes. He insisted on state prison.
“You’ve been profiting from the sale of this poison in our community,” Punch said.
Nichols has a prior criminal history. She was on social services and disability. She was selling prescription narcotics to supplement her income, O’Keefe said in a previous court appearance.
She has been in county jail for about six months on $25,000 bail.
Her two sons also face numerous counts of criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance. The sons, along with their mother, were allegedly selling hydrocodone and tramadol pills, which were prescribed to the mother.
David Nichols, 28, was sentenced to three years in state prison on Feb. 10. He pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.
Joshua Nichols, 26, also faces charges of selling prescription narcotics. His case is pending in court.
ALBION – The Sheret Post No. 35 was granted a charter through the American Legion in July 1919. The group’s first post home was located on North Main Street in Albion in the house pictured here.
In 1924, the property was sold to Will Robson who razed the house and built the Rialto Theater on the site. The American Legion then used the second floor rooms in the theater building until the Legion moved to East Park Street.
In 1980 the Legion moved to its present location on South Main Street.
Editor’s note: Community Action is buying the Legion building to be used for the agency’s Main Street Store. The Legion will have use of the bar area for another 18 months.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – A row of trees runs parallel to Gaines Basin Road in the town of Gaines, north of the Erie Canal in this photo taken this morning.
After a few days with temperatures above freezing, the harsh cold has returned to Orleans County today. The high is forecast at 23 degrees with a low at 14.
It was snowing earlier this morning, and there were whiteout conditions in some spots, especially when the snow blew across the road.
It’s going to stay cold for the next few days. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service forecasts a high of 20 and a low of 7, followed by a high of 13 and low of 5 degrees on Wednesday. On Thursday, the high will be 16 with a low of 2 degrees. There is a chance for snow each day, according to the Weather Service.
