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Medina downtown building owners have until April 29 to pursue Main Street grant funding

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – Main Street in Medina is pictured in this photo from March 2013. A state grant offers 75 percent of the funds for building projects in the downtown business district.

MEDINA – Building owners in downtown Medina have until April 29 to apply for grant funds through the NY Main Street program.

Medina in December was approved for a $335,000 grant. Those funds can go towards 75 percent of a building improvement project.

Kathy Blackburn is managing the grant for the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, which applied for the funds for the Medina businesses. Blackburn expects building owners will submit applications the far exceed the $335,000.

A committee will decide which projects are approved for funding. That is the same committee that has been handling facade improvement grants for Medina. The group will use a scoring system for weighing the grant applications. The committee expects to pick the grant recipients next month, Blackburn said.

Strong interest from the building owners could prompt another application for a Main Street grant once the current one is complete, she said. The Chamber held an informational meeting on the grant Tuesday morning at City Hall, and about 35-40 people attended, Blackburn said.

Building owners can receive up to $50,000 in grant funds for building improvements. Some of the eligible projects include facade improvements, masonry, windows, doors, signs, awnings, interior work, plumbing, electrical, walls/floors/doors, roof, foundation and structural work.

The grant doesn’t fund additions, demolitions, landscaping and parking and residential projects with no commercial units.

The grant includes $15,000 for streetscape improvements. Blackburn said the committee is considering historic-looking garbage receptacles and new planters.

For more on the grant, click here.

Garden creations benefit Donate Life

By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 7 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Kristina Gabalski – This terrarium created by Lori Laine of Kent features a tiny kitty cat in her own fairy garden.

KENDALL – Kendall Garden Club members had an opportunity to complete a fun project while benefitting the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network during their meeting at the Kendall Town Hall on Wednesday evening.

Lori Laine of Kent lead the workshop. She described how she became involved in the craft of creating miniature fairy gardens nestled in clear glass terrariums and teacups.

“We are transplanting new life and growth,” she explained, just as her husband received the gift of new life after receiving a liver transplant in 2014. “Life can change with organ donation.”

Laine now creates and sells the little indoor gardens and teaches classes in the craft. Proceeds go to the Donate Life organization.

Members of the Kendall Garden Club work on teacup fairy gardens during their April meeting Wednesday evening. Lori Laine can be seen standing at the bottom right of the photo. She is speaking with garden club member and Town Councilperson Barb Flow.

Laine led members of the Kendall Garden Club through the process of transplanting tiny houseplants into their new, diminutive containers. Laine said she buys “sad plants” at discount department stores, takes them home, divides them, and establishes the divisions in egg cartons. The process helps to keep the plants small, Laine said.

Participants embellished their creations with moss, tiny stone pathways, and miniature accessories and figurines.

Laine provided blue and green marbles to add some sparkle to the gardens. “Those are the colors of Donate Life,” she said.

Lori Laine also had several of her terrariums on display featuring her houseplant “transplants.”

Lori Laine provided several varieties of houseplants from which participants could choose. She recommended pruning them to keep them small.

Participants also chose from neatly organized miniature accessories for their teacup gardens.

A teacup garden made by Kendall Garden Club member Barb Flow.

Albion puts on an amazing Joseph

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kyle Thaine portrays Joseph in the Albion High School production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday (April 8) and noon and 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The show is directed by Gary Simboli. He has led Albion High School musicals for more than 30 years. This is the fourth time in his career Albion has performed Joseph, which Simboli said is his favorite musical.

The show is based on the Biblical story of Joseph, found in the Book of Genesis. His 12 brothers are jealous of his coat of many colors, his ability to interpret dreams, and his father’s preferential love.

Nate Trembley, right, plays Judah, Stephen Williams (center) is Levi and Connor Zicari plays Issachar, who are all Joseph’s brothers. They are plotting to sell him into slavery and fool their father into thinking Joseph was killed.

Freeman Lattin, center sitting, plays Jacob, father of Joseph.

Carly Fox, center, is one of the lead dancers in the show. This group is excited to be rid of Joseph. They are singing and dancing to the song, “One More Angel in Heaven.”

Kate Krieger is one the dancers. The cast and crew includes 86 students.

Cheyenna Eagle, left, and Angela Tarricone are both narrators in the show. The cast includes 13 elementary students who are the children of former cast members in past Joseph shows at Albion.

Joseph (Kyle Thaine) was falsely accused and imprisoned. In his despair he sings, “Close Every Door.”

Shelby Restivo, front, and Catherine Thom, right, and the cast dance to “Go, Go, Go Joseph.”

Hailey Bader is part of the cast in performing “Go, Go, Go Joseph.”

Zach Shaffer plays the Pharaoh, who performs in the style of Elvis. Pharaoh needs Joseph’s help in interpreting dreams.

Angela Tarricone, one of the narrators, sings near the finale of the show.

Tickets for the shows at the Albion Middle School are available at the door.

Medina Historic Review Board approves 2 downtown projects

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Renderings courtesy Medina Architectural & Historic Review Board Zambistro is planning an addition to 408 Main St., as well as facade changes allowing for expanded outdoor seating.

Tim Hungerford is planning facade improvements at 414-416 Main St. Hungerford lives in a loft apartment at the building with his wife. He is renovating the first floor for retail space.

MEDINA – Two building owners near each other on Main Street will tackle facade restoration projects.

Michael Zambito, owner of Zambistro at 408 Main St., is also planning for an addition to the building. His plans for facade restoration and an addition were approved Tuesday by the Village of Medina Architectural & Historic Review Board.

The changes in the facade will expand outdoor seating and patio space for the restaurant.

“It’s a big move for him,” Board Chairman Chris Busch said about Zambito.

Busch praised the restaurant owner for making a big investment in the downtown, a project in sync with the character of the historic business district.

Just a few buildings from Zambistro, Tim Hungerford also is planning significant restoration work to the facade at 414-416 Main St. Hungerford lives in a loft apartment at the building. He is working to make the first floor attractive retail space.

The Architectural & Historic Review Board approved the project on Tuesday.

During National Public Health Week, make a push to improve your health

Posted 6 April 2016 at 12:00 am

By Nola Goodrich-Kresse, public health educator for Orleans County

The first week of April is National Public Health Week (NPHW), a week set aside showing us how we can choose healthier living.

National Public Health Week started in April 1995 by the American Public Health Association (APHA) with a focus on Public Health prevention topics. This year’s theme is, “Healthiest Nation 2030”. This year the focus is on working together to make changes in our health and the health of our communities.

“Working across county boarders allows us to collaborate more efficiently and effectively,” stated Paul Pettit, Director of both Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “Pooling resources not only help rural health departments financially, but provide us the opportunity to expand our outreach with the ‘one message, many voices’ approach. This allows us to send out timely, consistent health related information.”

Review the following calls for action and see what you can do to work toward becoming the Healthiest You 2016!

The focus areas chosen this year are:

Build a nation of safe, healthy communities
Help all young people graduate from high school
The relationship between increased economic mobility and better health
Social justice and health
Give everyone a choice of healthy food
Preparing for the health effects of climate change
Provide quality health care for everyone
Strengthen public health infrastructure and capacity

This article will only touch on a couple of the focus areas. To learn more about National Public Health Week and the movement for change, visit their website by clicking here.

Build a nation of safe, healthy communities: make health a priority. From healthy housing to parks and playgrounds, choose to walk and bike. When biking, make sure you follow the rules of the road and wear a properly fitted helmet, no matter what your age is. Support local law enforcement to help them make our communities safer. Support farmers’ markets and local businesses that value health, such as retailers that don’t sell tobacco/nicotine products.

Help all young people graduate from high school. Education is the leading indicator of good health, gives people access to better jobs, incomes and neighborhoods. Engage your children in learning activities, visit their schools and get to know their teachers. Participate in school activities with your children and participate in your Parent/Teacher/Student groups. Become a mentoryou can make a difference!

Give everyone a choice of health food. Our food system should provide affordable food with nutritious ingredients, free from harmful contaminants. Consider starting a home garden. If you don’t have a lot of space, talk with family and friends to see if they would like to build one together. Containers work well for small tomatoes and herbs. Encourage your family to eat more fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

One of the easiest ways to strive toward a healthier nation is to take care of you. Make sure you eat well, engage in physical activity often, spend less time in front of a screen, and get plenty of rest. Treat yourself and others with care and respect. And finally, remember to have fun and laugh … after all, laughter is the best medicine.

New Medina mayor takes office

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos courtesy of Owen Toale

MEDINA – Michael Sidari, the new mayor of Medina, is sworn in Monday evening while his wife Brenda holds the family Bible. Sidari served two years on the Village Board before being elected mayor on March 15. He was unopposed and succeeds Andrew Meier.

Sidari is an active member of the Medina Fire Department. He is retired as the food service administrator for the Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion.

Two village trustees were also sworn in on Monday, including Marguerite Sherman and Tim Elliott.

Sherman, a special education teacher at Medina, was sworn in for her second two-year term. Elliott, co-owner of the new Brushstrokes Studios in Medina, served on the Village Planning Board.

Sidari and the Village Board made several appointments on Monday during the annual organizational meeting, including:

Naming Owen Toale as deputy mayor;

Appointing Deborah L. Padoleski to clerk-treasurer and Jada A. Burgess to deputy clerk-treasurer for two-year terms;

Naming Marguerite Sherman as fair housing officer for one year;

Naming Deborah L. Padoleski as registrar and Jada A. Burgess as deputy registrar for two-year terms;

Appointing Jamie Wagner and LuAnn Howe to three-year appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeals;

Naming Christopher Busch to a five-year term on the Planning Board with Mary Lewis as an alternate;

Appointing Shirley Whittleton and Kathleen Blackburn to three-year terms on the Boxwood Cemetery Commission;

Naming Nicole Goyette and Jamie Wagner to three-year appointments to the Tree Board;

Naming James Hancock to a two-year appointment to the Tourism Committee;

Appointing Christopher Busch to a five-year term to the Minimum Standards Appeals Board;

Village trustees were appointed to the following committees or assignments by Mayor Sidari: Fire/Code – Toale, Elliott; Police/DPW – Sherman, Todd Bensley; Employee Relations – Bensley/Toale; Clerk-Treasurer – Sidari; Town of Ridgeway Liaison – Elliott; Town of Shelby Liaison – Sherman; MBA Liaison – Bensley; Orleans County Liaison – Toale; Boxwood Cemetery – Bensley; Joint Recreation – Toale, Elliott; Tourism Committee – Sherman.

Chamber cancels Home & Garden Show with hopes to bring it back in 2017

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2016 at 12:00 am

File photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans County Chamber officials are pictured last April at the Home and Garden Show. The group includes former Chamber Executive Director Kathy Blackburn, left, new Director Samantha Roskowski, center, and board member Greg Piedmonte. Last year there were 30-plus vendors at the Home and Garden Show.

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has canceled the Home & Garden Show planned for April 16-17 at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville.

The event usually has more than 30 vendors, but participants were down this year. That prompted the Chamber to cancel the event with intentions of bringing it back next April 8-9.

“We have to make it bigger and better and we have to figure it out,” said Kathy Blackburn, a former executive director for the Chamber who is now a Chamber board member and the grants manager.

The Chamber’s Event Committee met on Monday and decided to cancel the event. The Home & Garden Show first was run at the YMCA in Medina before shifting the Fairgrounds.

“Decreased visitor attendance, along with limited staffing resources, has prompted us to regroup for the 2017 Home Show,” Samantha Rosokowski, the Chamber executive director, posted on the Chamber’s Facebook page. “We were very much hoping to make this year’s Home & Garden the best yet, but given our resources and vendor/visitor response, it is clear we need to reevaluate what a home and garden show should look like in Orleans County. Now more than ever we are interested in your feedback. What do you feel would make a better home show experience for residents and vendors? Let us know!”

The Chamber is continuing a raffle to win a $1,500 landscaping package, courtesy of Erie Way Tree Farm. The raffle was to be announced at the Home & Garden Show. The raffle has been extended until May 10 with tickets available at the English Rose Tea Shoppe, Meggie Moo’s Ice Cream Parlor and Grill, 810 Meadworks and Brushstrokes Studio.

For more on the Chamber, click here.

Albion Elementary reopens on Wednesday

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 April 2016 at 12:00 am

Fourth grade classroom relocated in building

Photo by Tom Rivers – An engineer today inspected the wall that was hit by an SUV on Monday and deemed the wall is structurally sound, although most of the brick may need to be replaced.

ALBION – The elementary school will reopen on Wednesday for students in grades prekindergarten through 5 following an inspection of the school today.

An engineer from King & King Architects in Syracuse inspected the wall that was struck by an SUV on Monday afternoon. The engineer found the wall is structurally sound. The steel supports weren’t affected by the crash on Monday, said Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent.

The district relocated a fourth grade classroom led by Lee Sheehan to the second floor on the opposite side of the building. District custodial staff, as well as teachers and teacher aides, moved Sheehan’s class to another room and recreated the scene before the car crash to exacting detail, including the desk arrangements, Sheehan’s New York Yankees decorations, a tabletop hockey game and the “Dugout.” Students’ lockers were also moved by the new second floor classroom.

Although school was closed today, students in Sheehan’s class returned to school to see the new classroom and meet with Sheehan and other teachers.

“They walked into a new room, but in many ways it was the same classroom,” Bonnewell said.

The class has 21 students. Bonnewell said he is most thankful none of the students were seriously injured when the SUV crashed into the wall, sending bricks and debris flying in the classroom. Five students were treated for injuries on Monday.

Today was a chance for the students to talk through their experiences from Monday, when the SUV hit the school at about 3 p.m. The district made counselors available to students.

“All of the kids supported each other,” Bonnewell said.

The class will now meet in a room that was used for small group instruction. The room overlooks the playground. Bonnewell said some of the students remarked they like the view in the new classroom, and they also like being on the top floor of the school in a section mostly used by fifth graders.

Besides Sheehan’s damaged classroom, the district is also closing a second floor computer lab for the remainder of the year. That computer lab is directly above Sheehan’s room.

The district also has moved back the start date for the ELA (English Language Arts) state assessments to Thursday. The three-day exams will continue Friday and Monday for students in grades 3 through 5 with Tuesday as a make-up date.

Bonnewell and the district want to allow a one-day transition back to school before the tests start on Thursday.

The SUV left a gaping hole in the back wall of the elementary school. The two-story brick wall may have to be rebricked. The extent of the repairs will be resolved by engineers and contractors. Bonnewell also said the project will likely be paid for by insurance from the SUV driver and perhaps some of the cost from the district’s insurance provider. Bonnewell said that will all be worked out in the coming weeks and months.

Medina man admits to assault and will be sentenced to prison

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 April 2016 at 12:00 am

ALBION – A Medina man pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court on Monday to attempted assault in the second degree and will be sentenced to prison on June 13.

Michael B. Collier Jr., 23, of East Oak Orchard Street admitted to using a knife to stab a 16-year-old on Oct. 24. The teen has recovered from the attack.

Judge James Punch asked Collier if he used the knife in a way that could injure or cause death to another person. Collier said he did.

Collier is a second felony offender. The charge of attempted assault in the second degree normally carries a maximum sentence of 2 to 4 years in state prison. As part of a plea deal, Collier will face 1 ½ to 3 years in prison. Punch said that is the minimum sentence for the crime.

Collier remains in Orleans County Jail on $100,000 bail.

In another case, Mary Golding, 51, of Harris Road in Waterport pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the second degree.

The charge normally carries a maximum of 2 to 7 years in state prison. As part of a plea deal, Golding will face a maximum of a year in the county jail.

She admitted in court she went to a neighbor’s house on Harris Road on Nov. 8 and stole a jewelry box so she could feed her heroin addiction. Golding said she has since been in rehab.

She will be sentenced on June 13.

Engineer will check structural integrity of Albion school

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 April 2016 at 12:00 am

ELA tests for grades 3-5 will shift to makeup date

Photos by Tom Rivers – The spot where an SUV crashed into the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School is boarded up Monday evening.

ALBION – An engineer from King & King Architects will inspect the elementary school for structural soundness today.

King & King is the Syracuse firm that designed the addition to the elementary school that was hit by an SUV on Monday. The vehicle left a gaping hole in a fourth-grade classroom and several cracks in the back wall of the school by the community entrance.

Albion school leaders decided to close school today, and Superintendent Michael Bonnewell said it could be closed longer depending on the engineer’s report.

Bonnewell and the Board of Education said the safety of students is the top priority. Bonnewell said he is thankful no students were seriously injured when debris was propelled into a classroom. He also said an initial assessment from King & King shows no damage to the steel supports. A structural engineer will do a more detailed analysis of the damage today.

The elementary school is closed on the first day of the state’s ELA (English Language Arts) assessments for grades 3 through 8. The three-day tests go from Tuesday through Thursday. Albion will use a makeup day for Friday. Bonnewell said the district will work with the state if the school is closed for more than today.

The math assessments for grades 3 to 8 are scheduled for April 13-15.

The state has modified the controversial tests where 20 percent of students opted out last year state-wide. In Albion, the opt out rate was 18 percent.

Bonnewell said the percentage is “significantly lower” this time. Last year about 130 students opted out of the ELA tests, and so far 50 won’t be taking them, he said.

The state, in response to the protests over the tests, reduced the number of questions this year and also are giving students an unlimited amount of time to finish the tests.