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Artists have road show this Saturday

Posted 15 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Artwork by Connie Mosher of Albion

Press release, GO-Art!

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council presents the 2013 Artist Road Show in Orleans County this Saturday from 10am to 3pm. This event is free for all attendees.

Previously called the Open Studio Tour, this sixth annual event features an Art Trail with five artists in a variety of media at three studios and galleries in Orleans County, all open for guests to experience art and meet the artists in person.

The Artist Road Show is envisioned to provide an exciting opportunity to see artists at work, view or purchase art, raise awareness of art and culture and contribute to tourism in Genesee and Orleans counties. A map of all sites and artists may be picked up at GO ART!, Seymour Place, 201 East Main Street in Batavia and at participating sites as well as online at www.GOart.org.

Sites and Artists featured in Orleans County include:

At Marti’s on Main:
Connie Mosher, Kim Martillotta & Chris Versteeg

227 N. Main St., Albion, NY 14411

Connie Mosher
I am primarily a painter experimenting in other mediums,such as Polaroid transfers and scanner photography. I love capturing the image of fresh flowers in all their delicate beauty on the scanner. They are alive!

Kim Martillotta
First of all, I am an artist. I sculpt, collage, paint, and I am a photographer. That is what I do, and who I am. I also have a great little Fine Art Gallery. It has given me the opportunity to meet other artists and show the world their art. I want to inspire, and in the process have been very inspired myself. We have First Friday events from May thru December and I encourage folks to stop by any time. Meet the artists and have some fun!

Chris Versteeg
My goal is to encourage people to really look at, and enjoy our surroundings. And, to generate a smile, perhaps.

Artwork by the Mental Health Association

At MHA of Orleans County:
MHA Art Workshop artists

20 S. Main St., Albion, NY 14411

MHA of Orleans County
Creative individuals meet every Wednesday for Art Workshop, and are thrilled to be part of The Road Show. View their unique styles and techniques within this large group of student artists. Pieces range from sculpture, hand crafted beads, watercolors, oils and acrylics. You will find Abstract and Realism in this workroom. Stop in to MHA, where these semi-pros are happy to talk to you about their work! Artists will also be working on some new pieces as you tour. Some pieces are for purchase.

At Solace Pointe:
Betsy LaMere

1882 Kent Rd., Kent, NY 14477

Betsy LaMere
Betsy specializes in equine/canine art and is a member of the IEA and CAG. Known for her distinctive style in pen and ink, Betsy also creates images of companion animals, nature and florals in photography, acrylics and colored pencils.

This event is made possible with the generous support of The Bank of Castile and the New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, please call 585-343-9313, email info@GOart.org or visit www.GOart.org.

Consultants make pitch to help sell county nursing home

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – Russ Martino, chairman of Orleans County Health Facilities Corporation, jots down notes during a presentation today during the organization’s meeting at the public health department. Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer, is pictured across from Martino.

ALBION – The consultants and firms are lining up to help Orleans County sell its 120-bed nursing home, The Villages of Orleans on Route 31.

From accounting, legal and real estate services, several firms are pitching their services to Orleans County and its newly created entity, the Orleans County Health Facilities Corporation. The County Legislature in February voted to transfer the Villages of Orleans to a three-member Local Development Corporation, which that group tasked with finding a buyer and selling the facility.

County officials want to be out of the nursing home business because projections show $2 million to $4 million annual operating losses at the site.

Despite the deficits, the county nursing home has plenty of value to other operators, said a real estate professional who helps counties sell the properties.

“These nursing home are a commodity and they’re extremely valuable if run the right way,” said Josh Jandris, a senior associate with Marcus and Millichap’s National Senior Housing Group, a Chicago firm that specializes selling nursing homes.

That firm is working to sell nursing homes for nine NY counties – Chautauqua, Chemung, Essex, Ontario, Orange, Rockland, Saratoga, Steuben and Ulster.

Shrinking government reimbursement rates plus rising employee costs for publicly owned facilities have led to a big push to sell the municipally owned sites in the past three years, Jandris told the LDC during its meeting today.

Josh Jandris, a senior associate with Marcus and Millichap’s National Seniors Housing Group based in Chicago, discusses how the firm can help get a good price for The Villages of Orleans.

The firm is working with 21 governments in six states to sell nursing homes. Jandris said the company has helped governments sell sites at 25 percent above the minimum bid. The firm can help determine the market value for The Villages and then market the site to 2,500 potential buyers, Jandris said. His firm would receive 2.5 percent of the sale price.

Another organization, the Center for Governmental Research in Rochester, said it would work with the county to sell the property for a fee that would likely range from $60,000 to $100,000, depending on the services. CGR’s cost also includes the services from Health Dimensions Group, which has connections with potential buyers throughout the country, said Don Pryor, CGR’s director of human services.

CGR would also work to determine the market rate for The Villages, and could research potential buyers to make sure they are good fit for the county, committed to quality care and serving “hard-to-place” residents who may have behavioral problems or be on Medicaid.

Jandris said Marcus and Millichap would also vet potential buyers to make sure they have good track records for serving patients and employee retention.

Don Pryor, director of human services research for the Center for Governmental Research in Rochester, meets with county officials and members of the Orleans County Health Facilities Corporation on Wednesday to discuss how CGR could help sell the 120-bed county nursing home.

Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer, said the county wants a buyer that would continue the Communty As Schools program with Albion Central School, where at-risk students take classes and work in internships at the nursing home. Jandris said the county can stipulate that and set other demands on the buyers, but that may result in a lower sale price.

Nesbitt also wants to hear proposals from potential buyers on how they would reuse the entire facility, including wings from the early 1960s that are mostly empty. That space might be able to be used for a senior daycare or respite site.

The new LDC will seek proposals from firms to market the nursing home and provide consulting services for the sale. That proposal will go out May 17 and will be due June 3. The LDC is expected to meet soon after June 3 to review the proposals.

The LDC during today’s meeting approved two agreements for professional services. The Harris Beach legal firm in Pittsford will represent the group on an as needed basis and will bill by the hour, including defending the county in a lawsuit filed by two citizens who say the county illegally transferred the nursing home and its assets to the LDC.

The Bonadio Group, a Pittsford accounting firm, will charge $8,500 annually to make sure the LDC submits the appropriate regulatory filings with the state.

“We assure you they will be done and be done on time,” said Nick Mazzo, a municipal consultant with Bonadio.

The LDC is aiming to complete a sale by Dec. 31, 2014.

Orleans/Niagara BOCES recognizes nursing students

Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Front row from left: Michelle Neal, Shentelle Shaffer, Kasey Turrell, Lauren Zulick, Tara Milton Back row from left: Nicole Szatkowski, Jessica Makowski, Tanya Kopp, Stacy Erck, Brynne Perfitt, Erica Stahl, Todd Harris, Daniel Beatty

Press Release: Orleans/Niagara BOCES

May is the month when nurses of all types are recognized and celebrated. The Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) students at the Orleans and Niagara Career and Technical Education Centers have been working hard to complete their 1,730 hour course that will allow then to take the NCLEX exam for their license. The Orleans/Niagara BOCES students spend 510 hours at local hospitals to get their clinical hours and assist the nurses in many of their duties taking care of those who are recovering or require treatment. They deserve big congratulations for all the hard work and dedication to starting this rewarding career.

Firefighter sentenced for sex crimes

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Elsenheimer admitted to sex acts with two teen-age boys

ALBION – A former Medina firefighter was sentenced to two years in state prison on Monday after he admitted in court in March that performed sexual acts on two teen-age boys.

Jeffrey J. Elsenheimer Jr., 32, worked as a full-time Medina firefighter for six years. Investigators from the Orleans County Major Felony Crimes Task Force found nude photographs of a 16-year-old boy on Elsenheimer’s cell phone, which were sent while he was on duty.

The alleged abuse with the two boys occurred between March and August 2012.

Elsenheimer faced a 29-count indictment, including 17 felony counts and 12 misdemeanors. He pled guilty to one count of third-degree sexual act with each boy, and faced up to four years in state prison.

He was sentenced to two two-year sentences that will run at the same time. Elsenheimer also will be registered as a sex offender and will have eight years of post-release supervison when he’s out of prison.

Elsenheimer served as Medina Fire Department public information officer in addition to his duties as firefighter. He had to surrender his EMT license. He also worked as a part-time dispatcher for the county, and was fired from that position when he was charged with the sex crimes. He previously worked as a teacher at Kendall.

Fruit farmers fight freeze

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Overnight irrigation helps protect crop from cold

Photos by Tom Rivers – Ice coats the blossoms on the blueberry bushes at Brown’s Berry Patch in Waterport.

This riser sprays water on blueberry bushes at Brown’s.

CARLTON – This morning the blueberry blossoms at Brown’s Berry Patch were coated with about a half-inch of ice after being doused with water overnight.

It may seem counterintuitive to spray water on orchards when it’s freezing, but the ice provides some protection for the crops. As the ice freezes, it gives off heat to keep the buds from dropping below 32 and freezing.

Brown’s pulled an all-nighter last night running an irrigation system for the blueberries and strawberries. The plants were in full-blown blossom stage when the cold hit last night. Brown’s was ready, spending the previous days setting up irrigation systems, running pipes into the orchards with sprinklers and risers.

“Your early bloom is your biggest berries,” said Eric Brown, co-owner of Brown’s Berry Patch and Orchard Dale Fruit Farm. “They’re in the delicate stage. You have to protect them.”

Brown walked through the orchards this morning, and inspected the blossoms. He didn’t see black in the flowers, which would have been a sign the blossoms were dead. He believes the irrigation made a difference overnight and helped stave off big losses. The freeze can kill off blossoms when they are so vulnerable in early May.

That happened last year when a very warm March caused fruit trees to blossom early, and then a deep freeze hit in late April with several days of temperatures in the low 20s. That caused widespread damage to the apple crop, resulting in the worst season since 1945.

“Last year there was damage everywhere,” Brown said.

Eric Brown looks over a field of strawberries this morning after an overnight freeze.

Last night the temperatures didn’t plunge into the low 20s. Apples, when they’re in the blossom stage, can endure 30 to 31 degrees, the low temperatures earlier today in Waterport.

Apples are heartier than strawberries and blueberries. That’s why Brown’s focused on keeping the berries alive by running the irrigation system.

“You buy it as insurance and hope you never have to use it,” Brown said at the farm a little after 6 this morning.

The farm set up an irrigation system to help strawberries survive the cold.

This year’s cold spell isn’t nearly as bad as last year, when the farm irrigated the berries at least six nights. That allowed Brown’s to have a berry crop last year.

Some farmers in Wayne County lost all of their apple crop last year. Many of them have purchased wind machines that help move out cold air and pull down warm air, Brown said. A couple degrees difference in the orchard can make the difference in the blossoms surviving and the farmers having a crop.

Big FFA crowd makes it unlikely Albion will host convention again

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – About 160 FFA students crowd into the middle school band room, waiting to be awarded Empire Degrees. The auditorium was full so these students had to wait in a different room.

ALBION – Don’t expect to see the FFA state convention return to Albion again. The school is too small to accommodate the growing crowd of students, advisors, chaperones and parents who come from all corners of the state.

“We’re done because we’ve run out of room,” said Adam Krenning, Albion’s FFA advisor and agriculture teacher.

In 2007, about 800 FFA students, advisors and chaperones came to Albion for the three-day state FFA convention.

When the school hosted the event May 2-4, there were 1,106 students and about 500 more adults on the school campus for the convention.

There weren’t enough seats in the middle school auditorium for closing ceremonies on May 4, forcing Albion to crowd 160 students into the band room. Those students were receiving their Empire Degrees, the highest award for FFA in New York. They watched the closing ceremonies on television while waiting their turn on stage.

FFA has soared in popularity in recent years with new chapters opening and existing chapters adding members. That reality makes it difficult to find a school that can handle the influx of people.

Not only does the school need a big auditorium with about 2,000 seats, but it needs several nearby hotels to house all the guests. Most of the visiting FFA students stayed in Batavia, a half-hour drive, during the recent convention.

Most rural schools don’t have 1,000 hotel rooms so close by. And most rural schools that offer FFA programs don’t have auditoriums that can fit the FFA crowd.

Medina will host the convention next year. That school has a smaller auditorium than Albion’s. Medina will need to use technology so students and guests can witness the events live in other rooms, besides the auditorium, said Todd Eick, Medina’s FFA advisor.

“It’s an outstanding problem to have,” he said about the space crunch. “There are some new schools started chapters and the numbers are rising.”

The big numbers for the convention are eliminating some long-time host sites, and may result in designating regional locations for the FFA convention. That could mean the convention center in Rochester, said Krenning, a member of the state FFA’s governing board.

The convention was held two years in a row at Cobleskill State College. Those conventions in 2010 and ’11, were in partnership with the Walton and Sidney FFA chapters.

Jenny McKenna, the Albion FFA president, prefers to see the convention rotate sites so students can experience new areas.

“If they do it in the same location so many years in a row, it’s not as exciting for the students,” she said.

The experience on the college campus didn’t work too well when junior high and high school students were sharing a campus with college students. But Krenning said the FFA leaders are wondering if the convention could be at a college following commencement when the campus is mostly empty. The students could then stay in dorms, have access to classrooms and a big auditorium, and participate in tours of local agriculture.

Some FFA officials have suggested two schools close together share their facilities for a convention. But that would still leave FFA with an auditorium that’s too small. And Krenning said he wouldn’t want to be split up on two campuses for a convention.

FFA leaders need to work out a solution so the students can all be accommodated, Eick said.

“It’s definitely something that needs to be talked about,” he said.

Orleans remembers two police officers who died in the line of duty

Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Press release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess

ALBION – Tomorrow on May 15th, as we celebrate National Peace Officers Memorial Day, we honor the memory of two Orleans County law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty:

New York State Police Sergeant Harry A. Adams was killed on Sept. 1, 1951. Adams was directing traffic at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Sawyer Road in the Town of Carlton when he was struck by a drunk driver.

Sergeant Adams was a 28-year veteran of the State Police, having enlisted in December 1923. He had been assigned to Orleans County since 1932 and was in charge of the Gaines sub-station. At the time of his death, Sergeant Adams was 55. He was survived by his wife and four children.

Orleans County Deputy Sheriff David H. Whittier died on Sept. 8, 1989 from injuries sustained eight months earlier on Jan. 19, 1989.  On that January night, Whittier was on patrol when he came upon an un-occupied vehicle on Gaines Basin Road in the Town of Gaines.

While Whittier was out checking the abandoned pick-up truck, the truck was struck by another vehicle operated by a drunk driver. The impact pinned Whittier between his patrol car and the truck he was checking. Whittier never recovered from the injuries he sustained as a result, and eventually succumbed to those injuries.

Whittier was a two-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and was fulfilling a life-long dream of a career in law enforcement. At the time of his death, Deputy Whittier was 41. He was survived by his wife and two children.

We salute these brave men who gave their lives in the performance of duty. They are not forgotten.

The Men & Women of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

Orleans schools make switch to optical scan voting machines

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

The mechanical voting machine may not see another local election.

When residents vote on the school budgets in Orleans County next Tuesday, they will cast their ballots on the new optical scan machines that have been used by towns and county since 2010.

The old mechanical lever machines, technology that had been used for about a century, may have seen their last local election.

“Some of them are getting unrepairable,” said Clara Martin, a deputy election commissioner for the Orleans County Board of Elections.

The county’s voting machine technicians met with the five school districts and they reached a mutual decision to phase out the old machines for the optical scans.

The change to optical scan machines will cost Albion Central School about $1,500 more for the election. Each ballot cost 60 cents, said Shawn Liddle, Albion’s assistant superintendent for business.

The mechanical voting machines have been phased out for most elections throughout New York as part of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The federal government paid most of the upfront costs for the new machines that have electronic scanners.

I hope we can keep some of the old machines around as museum pieces. I know some of the local towns have taken them to the scrap yard.

Lee-Whedon Library budget approved

Posted 14 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Press release, Lee-Whedon Memorial Library

MEDINA – A $573,063 budget for Lee-Whedon Memorial Library was overwhelmingly backed by Medina school districts residents on Monday, passing with an 83-6 vote.

This budget represents an increase of 1.8 percent. Residents also re-elected incumbent Trustee Isabella Mark to another five-year term.

“We are grateful to the community for the continuing support,” said Maryellen Dale, Board president. “We authorized a major but necessary expense this year – the replacement of the 45-year-old roof at a cost of $215,000.”

A state construction grant will pay 50 percent of the roof costs.

“We look forward to decreased energy costs as a result of the newly insulated roof,” Dale said. “However, as the building approaches its 50th year, we notice that it is in need of updating. Many of the ceiling tiles are stained and broken. The walls were last painted in 1994, the carpet was replaced in 1996. It is time to freshen up! We plan to give the community a building it can be proud of. Plans are afoot for this major renovation project to be completed in the fall.”

‘Big Apple’ shines along the canal

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 May 2013 at 12:00 am

MEDINA – I was in Medina this evening and stopped to look at “The Big Apple,” a sculpture by Richard Bannister of Barre. The artwork was installed in Medina along the Erie Canal in 2000. The sculpture is next to the Glenwood Avenue bridge. Bannister created the giant apple as a tribute to Western New York fruit growers.

I also like how Medina’s truss bridges are painted black, compared to most of the others in Orleans County that are green. And it’s hard to beat the spires on St. Mary’s Catholic Church as an iconic landmark in a canal town.