Provided photo
The Community Free Library in Holley treated Rita Grosser to a retirement party on Saturday. More than 100 community members attended the gathering, with many congratulating Grosser for her 22 years of service as a library clerk.
State Sen. George Maziarz, left, and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley also attended the retirement party and presented Grosser with citations from the State Legislature for her years of work.
LYNDONVILLE – A vigil planned for this evening has been moved from the Lyndonville school parking lot to inside the Lyndonville United Methodist Church at 102 North Main St.
Orleans County is under a wind advisory and gusts could hit 50 miles per hour.
Friends will gather at 5:30 p.m. for the vigil to remember Paul Lauricella, a 2007 Lyndonville graduate who died in a car accident on Wednesday morning. Lauricella, 24, had many friends in the community.
The public is invited to the vigil and adults are encouraged to bring their own candles and a paper plate or cup to collect the wax.
Shirts and stickers in memory of Lauricella will be for sale to help his family pay for funeral costs. The shirts for $12 will say “In Memory of Paul V. Lauricella. Sacred moments will never be lost in time.” Car window decals will be $3.
The median price for Orleans County houses jumped 8.8 percent last year, and real estate agents also sold more homes than in 2012.
There were 306 sales in 2013 at a median price of $84,900, according to the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors. That median was up from the $78,000 in 2012. The 306 sales increased by 4.4 percent from the 293 in 2012.
“People are still cautious, but we definitely had a good year,” said Jeanne Whipple, owner and broker at Whipple Realty in Lyndonville.
In the 11-county Greater Rochester region, only Livingston saw a greater percentage increase in median sale prices than in Orleans. Livingston’s went up 10.4 percent from $115,000 to $127,000.
The data doesn’t break down the sales in Orleans County by municipality. Whipple said her experience shows the sales seem to be strongest in the countryside where the taxes are cheaper and there is more open land.
“The villages are tough with the taxes,” Whipple said. “People also want space.”
The Orleans market is recovering after some difficult years. The median of $84,900 in 2013, follows $78,000 in 2012. It was $79,000 in 2011 for 268 sales, and $80,500 in 2010 for 276 sales, according to the GRAR.
While the real estate market plunged in many parts of the country in recent years, Whipple said Orleans has mostly been immune to the wild price increases and decreases.
“We don’t see the huge swings like they do in other areas,” she said.
Although Orleans showed some added value last year, the county still pales to neighboring counties for value and volume. Only Allegany, with a median value at $82,900, was less than Orleans. The Allegany data only includes 24 reported sales.
Not all of the sales are accounted by the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors. Some of the real estate agents may be aligned with the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors, and some sales are handled without real estate companies.
Here is a list of other counties, their median values, number of sales and percentage of increase or decrease in value, according to the Rochester Association of Realtors:
Monroe County, $130,000 for 7,682 sales, value up 1.6 percent;
Genesee County, $91,500 for 169 sales, value up 1.7 percent;
Wyoming County, $88,500 for 46 sales, value up 2.4 percent;
Ontario County, $149,000 for 1,106 sales, value up 2.8 percent;
Livingston County, $127,000 for 411 sales, value up 10.4 percent;
Wayne County, $115,500 for 756 sales, value down 3.8 percent;
Yates County, $133,000 for 224 sales, value up 4.7 percent;
Allegany County, $82,900 for 24 sales, value up 6.3 percent;
Steuben County, $97,000 for 182 sales, value down 8.5 percent;
Seneca County, $98,000 for 201 sales, value up 1.0 percent.
The Rochester region as a whole showed a 1.8 percent increase in median value at $127,200.
Andy Burke, GRAR president, said historic low interest rates and the surprising lack of inventory of homes for sale helped push up the median price.
“Homeowners continue to delay any moves to downsize or upsize their lifestyles,” he said. “This hesitation to sell created low inventory and helped to drive up home prices, with multiple offers very common in 2013.”
Sales slowed the final three months of the year, partly due to the impact of the government shutdown in October and early periods of severe winter weather, he said.
Real estate professionals say several issues may have an impact on 2014.
“Factors such as higher mortgage interest rates, new lending rules and major federal housing legislation in the pipeline will affect the real estate industry, but how remains to be seen,” said Jim Yockel, GRAR CEO.
Provided photo – There are 23 dancers, ages 7 to 17, from the Dance Theater in medina that will perform at Disney in Florida. Some of the grup members include, front row, from left: Marli Thrash, Tessa Davis, Carly Voelker,Izabella Murphy and Justine Laverty. Middle row: Madeline Bilicki, Lexi Hare, Trevor Hare and Kylie Bielak. Back row: Olivia Eaton, Melanie Hibbard, Dominique Hughes,Cody Crane, Abby Jones, Danielle Metz and Paige Dix.
MEDINA – A group of dancers from Medina will spend a week at Disney in July, performing with Disney’s Performing Arts Program.
The group from the Dance Theater in Medina includes 23 dancers, ages 7 to 17. They are led by Dance Theater owner Brandon Johnson and his staff.
He sent an audition tape of the group to Disney. They were accepted and invited to perform on the Main Stage at Disney on July 3. They will be there for five days as part of Disney’s Performing Arts Program.
“It’s a really big honor,” said Johnson, who has owned the Dance Theater for 11 years. “It will be great exposure for them. They will be seen by thousands of people.”
Some of his dancers have competed at national events at Atlantic City; Hershey, Pa; and Wildwood, NJ. They have brought home national titles through StarQuest and DanceXplosion.
The Dance Theater group will perform in three age levels: minis are 7 to 9 years old, while juniors are 9 to 12, and seniors, 13 to 17.
Johnson said the dancers all bring dedication and a work ethic to the program. Many are also Honor Roll students who participate in sports, marching band, chorus and numerous other activities.
The group will be doing many fundraisers in the community to help pay for the trip to Disney. They have set up a page through the Go Fund Me site for people to give online.
“We’re all definitely looking forward to it,” Johnson said. “It’s going to a be a great opportunity for my dancers.”
Photos by Sue Cook – Rita Grosser, left, and Library Director Sandra Shaw pose for a picture during a retirement party for Grosser at the library today.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
HOLLEY – A big crowd turned out today for a retirement party for Rita Grosser, who worked 22 years at the Community Free Library in Holley.
Before retiring on Dec. 30, she was their Primary Interlibrary Loan Clerk. Grosser was often the first smiling face anyone saw coming into the library.
“She’s been the basis of this library for many years,” said Sandra Shaw, library director.
Originally, Grosser learned the card catalog, which the librarians nicknamed the cuticle killer. When the first computer was introduced to the library, she learned that as well. The computer wasn’t even on the Internet and instead was linked directly to the NIOGA library database.
“I would like to thank the board for providing a home away from home,” Grosser said in a speech this afternoon. She thanked the children who came into the library for enriching her life and hoped she has served everyone well. “Bless you to all of you and thank you.”
In her employment, Grosser worked with six library directors. She helped with numerous story hours and summer programs. She was there during the expansion of the library into the neighboring video store. She saw changes in technology, such as the move from book-on-tape to book-on-CD and into the downloadable era. The VHS collection that was mostly non-fiction informational films was replaced by DVDs. The explosion of media devices throughout the years has had an impact on the library and her job.
Grosser tells everyone how happy she is to have worked with coworkers and patrons over the years.
Grosser herself is very impressed with the NIOGA interloan system that does not charge a fee like some in Monroe County. If a book is not available in your local library it can be requested and it shows up within two or three days and at no extra charge. She is happy to see an increase in the use of the system from patrons.
Grosser moved from Johnsonburg, Pa., to be closer to her family. Shaw, the library director, recalls working with Grosser at Hurd Orchards in Holley before either of them worked at the library. Eventually they both moved on to the Holley library and Grosser trained Shaw to be a clerk.
Even now that Shaw is director, it is clear she holds great respect for Grosser.
“Rita and I have been through a lot together over the years,” Shaw said.
It was clear from the attendance at her retirement party today that Rita has made a significant impact in many lives. Besides coworkers, the library was flooded with patrons and friends coming to celebrate her hard work. The back room of the library was packed and the party began to trickle out into the main area. It is a safe estimate that well over a hundred people came to visit her, and likely even more than that based on people stopping just to give a hug and wish her well.
Amidst the celebration, everyone only had kind words and high praises to offer. Many stated that Grosser was an amazing listener who provided thoughtful answers. Grosser was also known for getting down to eye level with many of the children and explaining that she knew their parents at the same young age.
“I hope she enjoys her retirement,” said Amanda O’Connell, library board member. “We’ll miss her. She was always so open to new ideas.”
Grosser has some mixed emotions about retiring. She is going to take some time to focus on herself, but she also plans to occasionally volunteer at the library and is especially looking forward to Pajama Story Hour, as well as other summer programs.
By Bill Lattin, Orleans County Historian
ALBION – In this photo taken around 1915 we see the main office in the administration building at the Western House of Refuge (now Albion Correctional Facility).
Miss Curtin, center, is the superintendent. She is shaking hands with a girl about to leave on parole. Standing at the door looking at the camera is Miss Capitola Grinnell, a parole officer ready to escort the former inmate to the railroad depot for her return home.
Abigail Feldman
LYNDONVILLE – A Lyndonville girl was named the Distinguished Woman of New York during a competition at SUNY Albany today.
Abigail Feldman, 17, won the title and advances to the national competition in June in Mobile, Ala. She won while competing with seven other high school seniors from the state.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking but it was such a rush,” Abigail said by phone from Albany.
The Distinguished Young Woman formerly was called the Junior Miss. Abigail’s sister, Margaret, won the Orleans County title for Junior Miss in 2009. Their mother Christina competed in the Junior Miss when she was a high school senior.
“My family has been involved in it and I’ve heard nothing but good about the program,” Abigail said.
Orleans County no longer runs the Junior Miss or Distinguished Young Woman program. Abigail competed in the state event as an at-large candidate. She would like to stir interest in restarting the program in Orleans County.
She didn’t have the experience of going through the competition before today’s state event. But she said she had an advantage in going to a small school district.
“Others had a lot of preparation,” she said. “Being in a small community adds to my confidence and gives me people skills.”
Abigail won the title based on the cumulative scores for scholastics, interview, talent, fitness and self expression. She also won the scholastics award.
For her talent, she played “Flight of the Bumblebee” on the marimba. The daughter of Timothy and Christina Feldman is undecided on her college choice. She listed sociocultural anthropologist as a career goal.
Abigail won two scholarships at today’s competition. She will be gone for two weeks in June for the national program. The finals will be June 26-28, which falls during Lyndonville’s graduation.
ALBION – The Orleans Economic Development Agency will have another public hearing on a tax abatement plan for the Cottages at Troutburg, a 10-year proposal that would save the developers $227,777 in taxes with the town of Kendall, Orleans County and Kendall School District.
The abatement plan applies to the 126 acres by Lake Ontario, and doesn’t include future improvements. Any of the new cottages, a sewer plant and other land improvements would taxed by the three government entities.
The tax breaks drew a crowd of 75 residents to a public hearing on Wednesday morning at Kendall Town Hall. Many of the speakers objected to giving tax breaks for residential development.
The EDA board was scheduled to vote on the PILOT (payment of lieu of taxes) plan this morning, but instead will take up the issue on Feb. 14. The board and EDA chief executive officer Jim Whipple will give residents another chance to comment on the plan on Feb. 3 during a 7 p.m. meeting at Kendall Junior-Senior High School.
The EDA sees the project as a significant benefit to the community, boosting the tax base by about $30 million if the 400 cottages planned for the site come to fruition.
The EDA completed a cost-benefit analysis of the project. It counted $12,139,093 in benefits to the community over the 10-year tax abatement schedule.
If 300 cottages are built, the EDA calculated $7,139,250 would be paid in property taxes for the 10 years, about $900,000 would be generated in sales tax by the residents of the cottages, and $2.9 million would be generated in wages for 13 workers at the site. Other benefits identified by the EDA: $425,000 in building material, $425,000 in building labor, and about $200,000 in other expenditures for equipment and “soft costs.”
For every dollar that is given up in the tax breaks, the EDA calculated $53 is coming back to the community over the 10 years. The EDA uses a 10 to 1 ratio as a minimum for a tax abatement plan.
“This is well above that,” Whipple told the EDA board this morning.
Although the tax break proposal would save the Wegman Group $227,777 in taxes on the land, it also sets a schedule for the company to pay $186,363 to the three local governments over 10 years.
The PILOT sets the value of the land and existing structures at $1,305,200. The tax bill for that assessment would be $41,414 per year based on a combined $31.73 tax rate for the town, school and county.
The Wegman Group would pay no taxes on the land the first year of the plan, and would pay 10 percent more of the $1,305,200 assessment each following year until it’s at the full tax bill.
The land had been a Salvation Army camp and was tax exempt for about a half century. The Wegman Group paid $1.5 million for the property and is spending about $1 million for site improvements, including a sewer plant and new roads.
“He’s investing a lot of money,” Whipple told the EDA board about the Wegman Group.
By Bill Lattin, Orleans County Historian
HULBERTON – This group of Italian stone-cutters from Hulberton posed for the camera in 1898. They chose to wear their Sunday best rather than their quarry work clothes.
Pictured from left: Michael Belmonte, John Melfi, Tom Vincelli, Joe Melfi, James Vincelli and Pasquale DeMarco. We can assume the youngest one in the picture was the water boy.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Orleans County Highway Department employees Matt Herman, left, and Paul Gray toss some Christmas trees into a pile at Bullard Park. The trees were at the county nursing home and courthouse. The pile will be set ablaze this evening as part of the first Fire and Ice Festival at the park.
The village of Albion and the Albion Merchants Association are sponsoring the event, which includes a fire performance at 7 p.m. with trained dancers spinning fire on chains.
The Crooked Door is selling pulled pork sandwiches for $5 and hot cocoa. There are other activities for kids organized by Fidelis Care and 4-wheel rides from Jeff Holler.
Bill Mitchell brought along a Christmas tree for the bonfire.
