By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos courtesy of Ben Jones
CARLTON – Ben Jones of Kendall sighted a Snowy Owl standing on the edge of Sawyer Road in Carlton Saturday evening. Jones had his phone camera and used it to get these pictures at night.
“It was pitch dark and couldn’t get too close before he’d fly off again,” Jones said.
The Snowy Owls have been a popular phenomenon in this area the past two winters with sightings all over Western New York.
The owl has a wingspan of five feet. It nests in the Arctic tundra and usually winters south through Canada.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Tom Drennan campaigns for sheriff during the Fourth of July Parade in Lyndonville. Drennan worked hard over several months in the race for sheriff but lost a close race to Randy Bower.
(Editor’s Note: Orleans Hub will offer a daily Thanksgiving tribute this week. Today, we look back at the election season with competitive races.)
The election season is over and it was highly unusual for the feistiness in several local races. Often in recent years a full slate of candidates has run unopposed. That happened this election season again with some of our local towns.
But every resident who voted on Nov. 3 had choices in at least two races: county sheriff and one of the county-wide legislator positions.
In my 20 years as a reporter in Orleans County, I’ve never seen anything like this past sheriff’s race, such a heated and close battle to the very end.
Randy Bower emerged as the victor, but I’d like to congratulate Tom Drennan and Don Organisciak for both running and pushing hard up to election day. They certainly made Bower work hard to get elected. I bet Bower is a better man for it and will do a better job in his new role as sheriff than if he had a free pass throughout the election season.
I wish more people would run for office, that we would have competitive races and candidates would be forced to put out ideas and an action plan for the local municipalities. Too often, the candidates don’t have opposition. There isn’t much accountability for voters who don’t believe the elected officials are doing a good job.
It’s hard for Democrats to get elected with Republicans holding a 2-to-1 enrollment advantage. So many Democrats don’t try. Darlene Benton pulled off an upset in Albion, winning a spot to the Albion Town Board over Paul Fulcomer, the endorsed Republican. I give Fulcomer credit for getting on the ballot, and wanting to continue public service after retiring as the Veterans Service Agency director in Orleans County.
James White, 21, ran a spirited, low-budget campaign for county legislator. He is shown making pancakes during the 4-H Fair.
James White, 21, of Gaines made his first attempt at elected office, running against Don Allport, who cruised to a victory for an at-large legislator position. White ran a vigorous campaign and put some ideas on the table. I’ve seen younger adults run for the Board of Education, but I don’t recall seeing someone so young make a serious run for a county elected position.
White may have lost on election day, but he deserves praise and appreciation for giving the voters a choice.
Paul Lauricella has been a long-time observer and critic of local government. This year he stepped it up and ran for county legislator – a district that includes the towns of Yates, Ridgeway and a portion of Shelby. Lauricella only had the Conservative Party line and didn’t win, but he received 552 votes.
Paul Lauricella, shown here in the Lyndonville pararde on July 4th, received about a third of the vote on Nov. 3 despite only being on the Conservative Party line.
The Town of Yates rarely generates much opposition or excitement for elections. It’s about as quiet as it gets in a democracy – until this year. The wind turbine issue brought out candidates and voters. Yates had the highest turnout of any community on election day with 50.2 percent going to the polls, compared to a 38.2 percent county average.
Jim Simon won the town supervisor race in a write-in bid. That rarely happens, but John Belson, the incumbent town supervisor, should be commended for his public service.
Orleans Hub would like to praise every candidate for being part of the election process, for their willingness to be on the ballot and give voters a choice.
Overall, the county still has more unopposed candidates than those with opposition. That doesn’t give voters much reason to go to the polls, or provide extra incentive for the elected officials to do the best job possible.
We still have a long ways to go for competitive elections in our county. Consider the following:
There were nine county positions up for election but only three were contested. That’s 33 percent with a choice.
Three of the 10 towns had candidates who were all unopposed.
The 10 towns combined had 49 positions up for election but only 16 had more than one candidate or 32.7 percent.
The candidates who didn’t win on election day shouldn’t be viewed as losers. They made for one of the more exciting election seasons in recent memory. Here’s to more candidates giving it a try next time.
ALBION – Orleans County officials will have a public hearing at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 on a $64,435,941 budget. The spending plan for 2016 reduces costs from 2015 and keeps the tax rate at $9.89 per $1,000 of assessed property.
“It’s been an extremely good year,” David Callard, chairman of Legislature, said about the budget. “We’ve maintained costs, which we started six years ago and we’ve done extremely well.”
The public hearing will be at the county courthouse. Following the hearing, the Legislature will convene at the legislative chambers next door in the County Clerks’ Building to vote on the budget.
The county in recent years has worked to streamline staffing and have employees pay more towards health insurance costs. The selling of the county nursing home also reduced the county workforce by about a third.
The county’s workforce has shrunk from 416 full-time and 164 part-time positions in 2014 to 318 full-time and 89 part-time for 2016.
The $64,435,941 budget is the county’s smallest since 2007, and is down by $579,325 from the $65,015,266 in 2015. In 2014, the last year the county owned a nursing home, the budget was $79.8 million. That year the tax rate was $10.11.
Callard said efforts to fight welfare fraud are paying off with social services costs at a “historic low.” The county has reduced welfare caseloads and that will reduce welfare costs to local taxpayers by an estimated $200,000 in 2016.
The tax rate will be unchanged, but the county will take in a slight increase in taxes. The tax levy will increase by 0.7 percent from $16,209,165 to $16,323,150. Property taxes represent about 25 percent of the revenue for funding the budget.
Sales tax also represents about a quarter of the revenue for the budget. After budgeting for no increases in 2014 and 2015, county officials are going to recommend another $250,000 in sales tax to $14,035,000.
County officials don’t foresee too many additional opportunities for significant cost saving by reducing staff. Callard said the county wants to maintain the tax rate by boosting tax assessments. That can happen by addressing many of the vacant homes in the community, Callard said.
Many of those houses are owned by banks but sitting idle. The homes should be put in the hands of owners with a plan and purpose for the houses, Callard said.
Medina has started a vacant housing law that tracks the houses and assesses a fee to the owners. That law may spur the owners to take action on the properties. Callard said Medina’s law could serve as a model for other local municipalities.
“We want them to get turned over before they deteriorate,” Callard said about the houses. “We need to improve the housing stock and explore it on a countywide basis.”
There are about 250 vacant homes in the county, Callard said. He expects there will be more demand for housing with the new Pride Pak vegetable processing plant in Medina and the developments at the STAMP site across the Orleans line in Genesee County.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BUFFALO – Bryce Wilson, left, and Wesley Parker react after the Lego robot they helped create performed a task during Saturday’s qualifying tournament at the Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School.
Bryce and Wesley are members of the “Battery Boys” team from the Orleans County 4-H program. Orleans County sent four teams to the competition. In addition to having to build and program a Lego robot, teams had to research an issue with recycling and propose a solution for helping the environment.
The Battery Boys created collection boxes for used batteries which they said could be placed at sites in the community.
The “Three Musketeers” receive instructions from a judge during Saturday’s competition. The Musketeers include, from left: Zachary Grinnell, Nate Scott Avery and Nick Burke.
The Musketeers for their project researched used eye glasses and thought of ways to have more reused.
Zachary Neal of Albion is a member of the KOWZ (Kids Only Work Zone) team. His hat has buttons from other teams he has met in the past three years.
The KOWZ team gets its robot ready to compete at a table with obstacles and challenges. The teams have 2 1/2 minutes to complete as many tasks as possible. Only two members of the team should be at the table, and members can swap out during the competition.
The teams started meeting in September to design and program their robot, using different attachments for tasks.
They also had to create a display board and research a recycling topic. KOWZ researched ways to recycle sneakers. Some sneakers are ground up with those pieces used at playgrounds and on playing fields.
The Robo Foam team watches its robot complete a task. Team members include, from left: Jacob Foote, Isaac Becker (in back), Reuben Rivers, James Michael Beach, Cole Moyle and Jaiden Farrell.
The Robo Foam team for its project suggested ways to reduce the use of Styrofoam and also made a Syro-Shredder that turns Styrofoam cups into packing peanuts.
The four teams from Orleans County are part of the 4-H program led by Marlene and Erik Seielstad of Albion. About 25 kids were in the program from Orleans County.
There were about 170 students participating in the competition on Saturday from about 20 teams. Four teams advanced to a regional competition next month at the University of Rochester. None of the Orleans County teams were able to get past the qualifying round.
Many of the teams put together colorful outfits for the competition.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 21 November 2015 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – Taken in early 1912, this image shows the construction of the new Monitor Clock Works factory in Medina. At that time the business was located on Rock Avenue, which was later renamed to Glenwood Avenue. The company began advertising their plans to construct this new 30,000-square-foot facility in early December of 1911.
The history of the Monitor Clock Works dates back to Daniel Azro Ashley Buck, a native of Vermont who spent time as a jeweler and watchmaker in Massachusetts, then in Connecticut. It was in this area that he patented the long spring Waterbury Watch in the 1880s. Buck became well known for manufacturing small, mechanical items and received numerous patents during the 1880s and 1890s.
Buck received patents for watch parts, portable clocks, musical toys, kaleidoscopes, coin operating vending machines, and even an 1887 camera. It was the completion of the world’s smallest steam engine that earned him greater notoriety; a 150 piece engine that was built atop a gold coin. After his arrival in Medina, he became the president of the Medina Manufacturing Company, a position he held until his death on April 6, 1904.
In that year, the company became The Monitor Company and began the production of clocks and engaged in the made-to-order woodworking business. It was in 1907 that the company transitioned into the Monitor Clock Works. It is cited that the failure of the National Bank in Medina indirectly led to the eventual sale of the company to B. A. Chubbuck.
It was in October of 1913 that the Daily Journal published an article stating, “the goblins have secured one of our factories, for the Monitor Clock Works has decided to move its entire plant to Brockport” Chubbuck, along with Brockport native Frank LeVan, decided to move the company to Brockport with plans to expand their operations.
It was during this time that the company continued to engage in the manufacture of mantel and tall clocks in the Mission style for sale in Chicago and New York City, as well as through mail-order catalogs.
So it was only a short period of time after constructing this new building, located in the vicinity of the A. L. Swett Iron Works that the company removed to Brockport, effectively becoming the Brockport Clock Works. On December 18, 1913, the Brockport Republic so proudly boasted, “we consider the recent removal of the Monitor Clock Works to this place as one of our most fortunate acquisitions”
Unfortunately for the company, talk of bankruptcy began to surface as early as 1916 as Syracuse companies began to call in unpaid loans. The company involuntarily filed for bankruptcy in 1918.
This building, still in construction, was later used as a storehouse by the Swett Iron Works. In 1914 it was deemed a dangerous fire hazard and relocated 100 feet south of this location.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – These pictures of leaves are from my yard following an overnight frost last week.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a high wind warning for Orleans, Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming and Monroe counties from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. on Sunday. Southwest winds will be 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 60 mph, according to the Weather Service.
The forecast also shows the chance for snow on Monday and Tuesday. However, it will warm up for the Thanksgiving holiday with a high of 49 on Wednesday and 56 on Thursday.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued Lake Effect Snow warnings, through Monday morning, for Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties.
The forecast calls for up to six to twelve inches of snow in Chautauqua County and eastern Lake Ontario region. While heavier snow amounts will be confined to the Chautauqua Ridge and Tug Hill Plateau, localized bands of heavy snow will make driving conditions dangerous due to slick roads and low visibility, the governor’s office said in a news release today.
“With snow and strong winds on the horizon for parts of the state, I am urging New Yorkers to be prepared and stay safe,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement today. “We are actively monitoring these storms, but New Yorkers should also take appropriate precautions now, especially if they will be traveling. Roads may become hazardous, and I strongly encourage everyone to take their time and drive responsibly.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Students and the LIFE LEAH homeschool co-operative packed shoeboxes for needy children in association with Operation Christmas Child, an international campaign to help those in need.
The top photo shows Hannah Holcomb, 14, of Brockport and Eli Sugar, 14, of Albion with shoeboxes that they filled on Friday with pencils, notebooks, soap, wash clothes, stuffed animals and other items.
The home schoolers filled 20 boxes that will be sent overseas to children.
Jayden Neal, 12, of Albion fills a shoebox. He was looking for a variety of items that were spread on tables inside the Faith Alliance Church. The students also wrote a note for each of the children receiving a box.
Betsy Holcomb of Brockport helped to organize the effort, which homeschoolers have worked on for the past seven years. She is pictured with her sons, Jack (left) and Jeremiah (blue shirt).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Ruth Verrantti of Gasport helps unload a truck full of food that will be given to Medina families on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.
Medina area churches, businesses, organizations and residents all donated enough food for 141 families for Thanksgiving. The food will be shared with the families at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, 203 West Center St.
Cindy Curtin has been coordinator of the effort the past 11 years. It has been growing in recent years, up from 128 families last year. Most of the families are connected to the effort by word of mouth.
Curtin and her husband John gather the food with the help of many volunteers over about six weeks. They keep most of it in their garage on Slade Road. Today volunteers showed up to move the food to the Baptist Church.
Tim Verrantti of Gasport helps move the food from the Curtin garage this afternoon. Verrantti and his wife Ruth are in a small group ministry with the Curtins.
The Veranttis attend church at the Chapel at CrossPoint in Getzville. The Curtins go to church at Community Fellowship in Johnson Creek.
Cindy and John Curtin read Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Church, 11 years ago and decided to push for the Thanksgiving food effort for local families.
“This has grown into such a wonderful thing,” she said.
John Curtin carries in cans of green beans. He and his wife help lead the Thanksgiving food ministry. Families with three or more people get an assortment of food, including a turkey while others with one or two people in the household will receive chicken and other food.
Cindy Curtin said other families struggling to provide Thanksgiving can reach out to a Medina church and she would try to make sure there is food for them on the big holiday this Thursday.
Christian Hahn, a local Boy Scout who also attends First Baptist Church, helps get the food out of boxes and on to tables at the Baptist Church.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 20 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KENDALL – The Kendall Community Chorus, directed by Mary Campbell, performs “I Just Want to Sing in a Choir” during a concert Friday evening to benefit the Kendall Food Cupboard.
The Kendall Community Chorus presented “Celebrate Christmas with Musical Memories” at the David J. Doyle Kendall Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium. The cost of admission was a donation of non-perishable food items or monetary gifts. Proceeds from a basket auction held during the concert also benefited the Food Cupboard.
“Popper” Eileen Young, center, makes a popping sound utilizing her finger and her cheek, for the song “My Boy Lollipop” which was part of the “60’s Partyline” medley sung by the Kendall Community Chorus.
Tenors and Basses in the Kendall Community Chorus were featured in the song, “For Tenors and Basses Only – Medley,” during the concert Friday evening.
Concert selections included popular favorites from the ’50’s and ’60’s with songs such as “Musical Memories,” and “60’s Partyline” – featuring the sopranos and altos.
The program also included holiday favorites such as “And the Glory of the Lord” from Handel’s “Messiah,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “The Holly and the Ivy,” and an arrangement of “Silver Bells” featuring the Morton Baptist Bell Ringers.
Robert Bissell sings “The Old Road” accompanied on piano by Mary Campbell.
Concert goers check out theme baskets before the concert. A basket auction was part of the evening’s festivities and also benefited the Kendall Food Cupboard.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A new sign was put up today on Route 98 across from the Don Davis car dealership that notes Albion is the home of Charles W. Howard and a Santa Claus School that still bears his name.
After Howard’s death in 1966, the school moved to Michigan. Howard remains a revered figure in the Santa Claus community for his efforts to establish standards for Santa’s wardrobe and interaction with the public.
The top photo shows Michael Neidert (right), an Albion Highway Department motor equipment operator, and Clarence Winkelmann, a volunteer with the Albion Betterment Committee.
The Betterment Committee worked with the Lonowood Art Company in Albion to create the sign.
The display will include a life-size cutout of Howard. That image will be added soon.
The sign is located on the property of Gil and Donna Wolcott.
Here is a vintage photo of Howard by the sign for his Santa School on Phipps Road near Route 31 in Albion. The new sign tries to replicate some of the detail on top of the sign.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Dancers at the Gotta Dance by Miss Amy studio have been practicing for the upcoming Hometown Christmas show on Dec. 5. This group pictured is led by Gloria Lear.
There will be about 15 acts in the show, which will be the sixth annual benefit for the Nicholas Kovaleski scholarship. Nicholas fought leukemia before dying at age 15 on June 29, 2011. He was a popular student at Albion, excelling at football, swimming and tennis.
His father Jay Kovaleski said he appreciates the hard work from the participants in Hometown Christmas, which includes three shows: noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The shows will be at the Holy Family Lyceum at 106 South Main St.
“They’re all doing it for a great cause,” said Mr. Kovaleski, a teacher at Albion. “No one thinks twice.”
Amy Sidari, owner of the Gotta Dance studio, works with a group practicing a jazz dance for Hometown Christmas.
The Hometown Christmas shows draw about 500 people. Proceeds from the event go to the scholarship. About $10,500 has been awarded to graduating Albion seniors. They write essays about community service and living with a purpose.
Jay and his wife Kelly and Nicholas’s siblings look over the applications for the scholarships. They are looking for students who are committed to their families and community.
“It touches us to read them,” Mr. Kovaleski said.
Nicholas’s mother Kelly and sister Michayla will both perform in the Dec. 5 show. Nicholas’s brother Matthew will be part of back stage team. The oldest Kovaleski son, Thomas, 21, is in the Army at Fort Riley in Kansas.
Mr. Kovaleski appreciates the upbeat messages in the Christmas program, and some of the fun scenes, including skits by the Boy Scouts.
Michayla Kovaleski performs as the Sugar Plum in a dance from The Nutcracker during last year’s Hometown Christmas.
“Nicholas would want people to come and enjoy themselves,” Kovaleski said.
He appreciates the community’s generosity to the scholarship fund and the all of the effort in putting on Hometown Christmas.
“Christmas comes from the heart, and everyone has their heart in this,” he said.
Sidari said she welcomes donations of baskets and cookies for the benefit. For more information about the show, click here to see the Miss Amy website.
MEDINA – Oak Orchard Elementary School teachers helped gather food for their Helpful Harvest donations. The group includes, from left: Katie Ames, Natalie Scott, Roberta Culver, Sue Anderson, Sue Lehman, Judy Jennings, Wendi Fuller, Barb Merritt, Allison Harmon, Tammy VanDeGenachte, Andrea Roland, Sandy Southworth, Julie Granchelli, Liz Allis, Paula Kwandrans, Debbie Congelli, Tracey Fike, Tricia Stacey, Andrea Lonnen, Nicole Miller and Nicole Goyette.
Members of the Medina Teachers Association held the Helpful Harvest food drive from Nov. 1 through Nov. 13. Teachers filled grocery bags donated by Tops Markets in Medina. The drive completed with more than100 bags of food being donated to the local food pantry.
These teachers pictured below also helped with the drive.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 4:35 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – A dump truck driver dumped a load at a Ridge Road property and was headed back on the road when the truck caught overhead wires at about 3:30 p.m.
The driver forgot to bring down the box of the truck after delivering the load. A telephone pole snapped, just east of Brown Road.
National Grid crews were on scene and Albion firefighters were directing traffic, which was limited to one-way.
A state trooper and Orleans County deputies were also on scene. The driver wasn’t injured.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – More than a hundred Teddy Bears, stuffed animals and dolls received medical care this week from Medina Memorial Hospital in the return of the Teddy Bear Clinic.
The top photo shows Jeanine Corbett from the hospital checking on a monkey owned by a kindergartner from the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School in Albion.
The hospital used to have the clinic and welcomed kindergartners to bring in toys that would receive bandages, X-rays, Band-Aids and other care.
But when local schools cut back on field trips about a decade ago, the Teddy Bear Clinic went away. The hospital is bringing it back and Albion kindergartners were the first to give it a try.
Mary Dunham, a nurse a Medina Memorial, looks over some of the stuffed animals brought in today by kindergartners.
The hospital hopes the Teddy Bear Clinic helps children to feel more comfortable if they ever need to go to the hospital.
Erika Keyes shows students the X-ray machine.
Mary Dunham shows students a X-ray of a Teddy Bear with a penny in its stomach.
Jonah Elsenheimer brought in his stuffed animal of a dog. Mary Dunham puts a bandage on the dog’s leg after Jonah said it fell off its skateboard. The students were welcome to make up injuries for their stuffed animals.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Abby Allen plays the lead role in Junie B. Jones, The Musical, which will be performed Friday and Saturday at the Albion Middle School Auditorium.
A cast of 20 seventh- and eighth-graders have been rehearsing since late September for the musicial, which is slightly over an hour long. The musical is based on the popular children’s book character.
Abby Allen is shown in the opening scene with her “top secret personal beeswax journal.”
Junie is joined on stage by, from left: May (Molly Wadhams), Sheldon (Zachary Kilner) and Herb (Emma Tower). They are singing at a scene in the lunchroom.
Skylar Lonnen plays Mrs. Gutzman, the lunch lady.
In this photo from back stage, students practice the scene from the lunch room in the final dress rehearsal before shows 7 p.m. Friday, and then noon and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Emma Tower plays Herb, and performs in “Show and Tell.” Herb would become one of Junie’s friends as they transitioned from kindergarten to first grade.
The cast sings and dances in Junie B. Jones, The Musical. There are also 16 students in the stage crew.
Carrie Kozody is director of the musical, Kevin Feder is assistant director and Kate Kraus is the choreographer.
