BROCKPORT – Brockport State College has jumped 14 spots in the annual US News & World Report’s, “America’s Best Colleges” guide.
Brockport is ranked 54th, the highest ranking it has ever achieved, in the Best Regional Universities-North category of the magazine’s soon-to-be-released rankings. Brockport also was ranked No. 11 among public universities in the northern region.
“It is an honor that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni have again been recognized for their achievements by US News & World Report,” said Brockport President John R. Halstead. “This type of recognition tells the nation what we already knowthat the entire Brockport community is completely committed to ensuring the success of our students and our graduates.”
Brockport earned its first ranking in the 2007 edition. The rankings are tabulated based on an array of criteria, including graduation rates, percentage of alumni who donate to their alma maters, the school’s reputation among peers and the academic profile of incoming students.
“As we continue to work with Gov. Cuomo to position SUNY and New York to lead in affordability, access, and quality, and President Obama puts these issues into focus nationally, we are proud to be recognized and ranked favorably by US News & World Report,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Congratulations to Brockport and the many campuses representing SUNY on this list.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2013 at 12:00 am
ALBION – On the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, Orleans County will pause to remember the victims from those attacks.
Many residents will also be part of a United Way “Day of Caring.” They will tackle service projects throughout the county, the first time United Way has launched such an event in Orleans County.
Teams of volunteers will gather at Shelridge Country Club in Medina at 8 a.m. before heading out for their service projects.
At 10 a.m. there will be a memorial service at the Elk’s Lodge on West State Street in Albion. All American Legion Posts, military personnel, firefighters, police officers, deputies, medics and other first responders are welcome to attend the memorial tribute. Other community members also are urged to attend the service. The event is sponsored by the American Legion, Elk’s Club and Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.
There will also be a candlelight vigil at the Sept. 11 memorial by the county courthouse at 6 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2013 at 12:00 am
Congressman says Obama plan ‘ill-conceived’
President Barack Obama delivers an address to the nation regarding Syria, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
President Barack Obama in a televised address to the nation asked tonight for the country to support a military strike against Syria.
The president said two years of diplomatic efforts have not prevented Syrian President Bashar Assad from using chemical weapons against his own people, including hundreds of children.
“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security, are at stake in Syria, along with our leadership of a world where we seek to ensure that the worst weapons will never be used,” Obama said in his speech. “America is not the world’s policeman. Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong, but when with modest effort and risk we can stop children from being gassed to death and thereby make our own children safer over the long run, I believe we should act.”
Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, was not swayed to support military force.
Collins issued this statement after the president’s speech:
“After carefully considering the matter and waiting for President Obama to make his best case to the American people, I have decided that I will vote no to authorize U.S. military action in Syria, if and when the vote comes to the House.While I understand that this situation is very fluid, and the administration has agreed to diplomatic efforts through the United Nations, I am unconvinced that a U.S. military strike in Syria would be in the best interest of America and its allies in the region. The emergence of a non-military solution to this crisis – as we have seen in just the last 24 hours – demonstrates how ill-conceived and poorly thought out the President’s plan has been since its inception.
“Proposing military action is one of the most serious decisions a President can make, and therefore requires a clear set of objectives and a clear exit strategy. This administration has satisfied neither, leaving us with serious questions about whethera U.S military strike in Syria will be indirectly assisting anti-American jihadist forces inside of the country and will not guarantee that Assad is unable to launch future chemical weapons attacks.
“Since the President proposed military action in Syria, and more recently since he decided to seek Congressional authorization for such action, I have received a tremendous amount of feedback from my constituents. I appreciate the more than 4,000 New York-27 residents who took time to let me know how they view this important national decision. My constituents are overwhelmingly opposed to any U.S. military involvement in Syria and after thoroughly deliberating on the matter; I believe they are justified in their opposition.”
ALBION – A group of residents of the Orleans County House posed for this picture around 1900. The photo was taken by Frank L. Weller of Holley.
The man standing in front of the screen door and the man sitting on the railing are staff members of the County House or the “Poor House.” It was located on County House Road and was the forerunner to the Orleans County Nursing Home.
Back when this photo was taken, the residents were referred to as inmates. Many lived there for reasons other than ill-health, including just being poor.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2013 at 12:00 am
ALBION A downtown Albion merchant has avoided jail and Probation for stealing from a fellow business owner.
Denise VanWagner, 60, of Medina has paid $7,000 in restitution. She doesn’t have a prior criminal record. Today she was fined $500 by Judge Richard Koch and ordered to perform 40 hours of community service.
Koch handled the case for Judge James Punch. VanWagner pleaded guilty in May to attempted petty larceny. She has told law enforcement officials she doesn’t remember taking money from Fischer’s Newsroom, where police say she stole $28,303.
VanWagner, owner of the Place To Go consignment shop, would go to Fischer’s and watch the store while owner Gary Withey took a bathroom break. Withey became suspicious about the theft and marked $20 bills that VanWagner then allegedly stole. One time he hid behind a door and witnessed her taking the money. He then called the Albion police.
In March, VanWagner was arraigned on charges of third-degree grand larceny and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
VanWagner declined to speak to the court during her sentencing this morning.
“You were caught with your proverbial hand in the cookie jar,” Koch told her. “You took advantage of a friendship with the Witheys.”
Gary and Denise Withey accepted the $7,000 restitution. They wanted to avoid a trial. They may pursue civil litigation to recover more money.
Koch told VanWagner she should admit her crime and apologize to the Witheys.
“The monster you have to confront is yourself,” the judge told her. “Your inability to say I made a mistake is the most troubling part about you.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2013 at 12:00 am
Republicans in 3 towns will pick candidates
Republicans in Carlton, Clarendon and Ridgeway will go to the polls today to choose candidates for town offices. Voting will be from noon to 9 p.m. The winners today will appear on the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election.
Carlton has the most Republican contests. Incumbent Town Clerk Pam Rush is being challenged by Lea Olles. Incumbent Dave Krull, the town highway superintendent, faces a challenge from Paul Snook, Sr. And for the Town Board, Bilal Huzair forced a primary against incumbents Joyce Harris and Jim Shoemaker. Republicans can back two of the three candidates.
Voting is at the Town Hall, 14341 Waterport-Carlton Rd.
In Clarendon, three people are running for two seats on the Town Board. The candidates include Marc Major, Donna DeFilipps and incumbent Paul Nicosia. Voting is at the Town Hall, 16385 Church St.
Ridgeway also has a primary for highway superintendent with incumbent Mark Goheen facing a challenge from Raymond Wendling. Voting is at Town Hall, 410 West Ave., and the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, 11392 Ridge Rd.
There is one other primary for members of the Independence Party in the 144th Assembly District, which is mostly in Niagara and Erie counties. The district also includes the town of Shelby.
Independence Party members in the 144th district will elect three delegates to the 8th Judicial District Convention. The delegate candidates include Paul G. Colangelo, David J. Haylett, Scott R. Scheffler, Albert A. Festaiuti, William W. Rooney and Ryan B. Rooney.
Independence Party members in the 144th will also choose three alternate delegates for the convention. Those candidates include Richard L. Woll, John L. Ryan, Sean M. Nowicki, William A. Nemi, Michael E. Tucker and Frederick J. White.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2013 at 12:00 am
Snook wins Carlton primary for highway superintendent
Several incumbents faced Republican primary battles today and nearly all of the veteran elected officials staved off the challengers.
In Carlton, however, Paul Snook won the GOP line from incumbent David Krull for highway superintendent. Snook received 215 votes to Krull’s 155. Krull was elected four years ago.
The other Carlton incumbents managed close victories, including Town Clerk Pam Rush against Lea Olles, 215-155. Two Carlton Town Board members, Jim Shoemaker and Joyce Harris, kept the Republican line for the general election, holding off Bilal Huzair. Shoemaker led with 212 votes, followed by 190 for Harris and 145 for Huzair. Huzair has the Conservative and Democratic lines so there will be a rematch on Nov. 5.
In Clarendon, incumbent Town Councilman Paul Nicosia led three candidates for two board seats with 185 votes. Marc Major, who forced the primary, secured the GOP line with 111 votes, edging out GOP-endorsed Donna DeFilipps, who had 96.
In Ridgeway, incumbent Highway Superintendent Mark Goheen was able to keep the Republican line after holding off Raymond Wendling. Goheen received 225 votes to 196 for Wendling.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 September 2013 at 12:00 am
Frederick Miller is accused of killing girlfriend
Frederick Miller
ALBION Orleans County Court Judge James Punch today set Jan. 13 as the tentative starting date for a murder trial.
Frederick Miller, 61, of Carlton is accused of killing his live-in girlfriend on March 4. Miller allegedly bludgeoned and stabbed Rachel Miller several times. He has been charged with second-degree murder.
The couple allegedly had a fight on March 4 at a home they shared on Oak Orchard River Road. Rachel Miller, who was formerly married to Miller’s cousin, was 53 when she died as a result of blunt force trauma combined with multiple stab wounds, according to an autopsy.
Miller’s body was discovered early in the morning on March 4 by an Albion school bus driver.
Punch also set Oct. 23 for a Huntley hearing to determine which of Frederick Miller’s statements made to police will be admissible at trial.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 September 2013 at 12:00 am
Maziarz directs $67,800 to each district for security, instruction initiatives
Photo by Tom Rivers – State Sen. George Maziarz met with the five school district superintendents in Orleans County this morning to announce $67,800 in additional state funding for each district. Maziarz, third from left, is pictured with, from left: Michael Bonnewell, Albion Central School superintendent, Robert D’Angelo, Holley; Julie Christensen, Kendall; Jeff Evoy, Medina; and Jason Smith, Lyndonville.
ALBION – State Sen. George Maziarz helped Orleans County school districts get off to a good start by directing $67,800 for each district, unplanned revenue that districts plan to use for security and instruction initiatives.
Maziarz secured the funding through his “bullet aid” earmarks and directed the money to the districts in Orleans County. He wanted the funding to go to low-wealth districts where he said a state school funding formula isn’t always fair.
He left it up to each district to choose how to spend the money, which is outside of the state aid approved in the 2013-14 state budget.
“They can use it in whatever they deem best serves each district,” Maziarz said today in Albion, while meeting with the five school district superintendents in the county. “It’s their choice. All too often Albany tries to micromanage.”
Maziarz said rural districts face fiscal challenges. They don’t receive the same level of state aid as urban districts, and don’t have the tax base like suburban districts.
“It’s important we don’t overlook the rural districts,” Maziarz said.
Last year Maziarz directed $50,000 to each of the five districts – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina. This year they will each receive $67,800.
Albion plans to use the money for physical fitness equipment, including enhancements to the elementary school playground, said Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent.
Holley will devote the funding to programs and staff development to help Holley students with Common Core assessments, said Robert D’Angelo, Holley school superintendent.
Kendall will spend the money for wireless access points for computers and security upgrades, including swipe cards for elementary school access, said Julie Christensen, the district superintendent.
Lyndonville will use most of the money for staff development for meeting Common Core standards, especially with math, said Jason Smith, the district superintendent. Some of the funding also will be used for security projects.
In Medina, the funding will help pay for a school resource officer who is a member of the Medina Police Department. Some of the funding will help with other security improvements, said Jeff Evoy, the district superintendent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 September 2013 at 12:00 am
Formula leaves canal spans short on funding
Photos by Tom Rivers – The Brown Street Bridge in Albion was shut down in July 2012 after a DOT inspection revealed structural deficiencies.
ALBION – Bob Traver hears the outcry from elected officials in Orleans County, that too many canal bridges are either closed or have weight restrictions.
That hinders commerce, school buses and emergency vehicles, and also inconveniences residences, Traver, regional director for the Department of Transportation, told Orleans County officials during a meeting today.
But Traver said the funding formulas for prioritizing bridge repairs are against rural counties. The state and federal governments, which have both cut bridge funding in recent years, want the dollars to go to high-volume projects, he said.
Canal bridges not only tend to be located in small towns without heavy traffic, but the bridges are historic structures that are far more costly to repair or replace than modern spans, Traver said. A lift bridge, in particular, is a budget buster, costing about three or four times the maintenance of the historic truss bridges, Traver said.
The truss bridges, which were constructed about a century ago during the canal’s widening, cost about twice as much as a modern bridge for upkeep.
“You have lower volume and higher cost,” Traver told a trio of county officials – Legislature Chairman David Callard, Chief Administrative Officer Chuck Nesbitt and Highway Superintendent Jerry Gray.
The state Department of Transportation overhauled the Ingersoll Street lift bridge, spending $3.5 million on the Albion bridge, which reopened in 2007. A revised funding formula makes it more difficult to devote that much money to a low-volume bridge.
“For the price of fixing a canal bridge we can do three bridges that handle a lot more traffic,” Traver said.
He has advocated the state and federal governments to bend the formula and devote more resources for the canal bridges because a closed bridge can paralyze parts of a canal community. The spans are also critical to moving farm products and other commercial goods.
“I’ve been lobbying that the canal bridges are vital to the communities they serve,” Traver said.
The DOT has 11 regions with Orleans part of Region 4 based in Rochester. That region is home to 53 percent of the historic canal bridges and 12 of the 17 lift bridges. Seven of the lift bridges are in Orleans, more than in any other county.
Traver has told state officials that Region 4 should get more money than the formula provides because of the added costs of the canal infrastructure.
“I’ve been lobbying behind the scenes that we’re different than the other regions,” Traver told county officials. “I don’t think we’re being given what we need.”
The state will find resources for the lift bridges should they go down, Traver said, because those bridges are “sacred” in the eyes of the state. However, the truss bridges, like the one that was shut down last year on Brown Street in Albion, may wait years for the funding to come through.
Orleans officials said the formula shouldn’t be geared so much to traffic counts. Orleans County and other rural areas are important farming communities and agricultural commodities are needed by residents in the bigger counties.
“When I drive in the city of Rochester, I’m yet to see a farm field,” Jerry Gray, the county highway superintendent, told Traver. “We provide your food and nourishment. You need us.”
Traver said he continues to try to make those arguments to high-ranking state officials, as well as playing the tourism angle for lift bridges, that they are unique with historical value.
He said all of the DOT regions want more money for bridge maintenance.
“Everyone is feeling the same pain,” he said. “State-wide we’re definitely losing ground on our highways and bridges.”
