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.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
File photos by Tom Rivers – Runners cross the Main Street lift bridge as part of the Metro 10 race in Albion on Aug. 22. The debut 10-mile race pitted runners from Rochester versus Buffalo. The metro area that accumulated the most points won a trophy cup to be displayed in its city. Rochester took the title for 2015.
ALBION – Organizers of a day-long music festival and a big running event are teaming up next year to put on their events on the same day, Aug. 20.
Rock the Park and Metro 10 compliment each other, and the events will make for a bigger bash for the community.
“It’s going to make for a bigger draw by partnering up,” said Zack Burgess, one of the organizers of the Rock the Park event at Bullard Park.
The second Rock the Park was July 25 and featured bands playing from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The attendance picked up throughout the day for Rock the Park, but organizers want more people for the late morning, early afternoon performers.
The band Zero closed out the music festival on Saturday with Zack Burgess, center, as the lead singer. Dylan DeSmit, left, is on lead guitar and vocals, and Brad Maxon on bass. Dan Ryan plays the drums.
The Metro 10 started at 10 a.m. on Aug. 22 and ended with a post-race party at Bullard from about noon to 1:30 p.m. The race will start at 8 a.m. next year, with the post-race celebration to start in the late morning. That will guarantee a good crowd for Rock the Park during what was a slower time for the bands this past year.
“We’re going to work together to build a bigger event,” said Thom Jennings, the Metro 10 organizer. “The village will only have to set up the park once and we won’t compete for sponsors.”
Metro 10 is shifting to a new umbrella organization, from the Albion Running Club to the Warrior House, a charity that provides hunting opportunities in West Shelby for wounded veterans. Jennings’ nephew Peter Zeliff Jr.is head of the Warrior House.
There were about 400 runners in Albion race last year. Jennings said that was a great start for the debut race. The feedback from runners was overwhelmingly positive, but many wanted an earlier start time to beat the heat of the summer day.
Up2Somethin’ , a popular party band from Rochester, entertains at Bullard Park during the Metro 10 post-race party on Aug. 22. The seven-piece band includes Rickey Ellis on bass and vocals at right, and lead singer Evyn Grassl.
Jennings would like to bring back Up2Somethin’ to perform at a stage in the park. Burgess said many local bands are expected to follow.
“This is going to fill in the gaps,” Burgess said. “I think it will be a cool thing.”
Jennings also sees the race crowd giving a lift to Rock the Park. That event, with its many arts and craft vendors and lineup of entertainment should keep runners in the community after the race.
“As we’re winding down, they are starting to rev up,” Jennings said. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2015 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – This sign on the shore of the Golden Hill State Park in Barker warns of an eroding shoreline.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson was in Washington D.C. on Wednesday meeting with State Department officials about a proposed plan for regulating Lake Ontario water levels.
Johnson and many officials from the southshore counties have been pressing the federal government not to support the plan from the International Joint Commission, a bi-national group that regulates the water levels.
A 2014 plan could result in bigger swings in water levels, damaging property and hurting boating and fishing industries.
“We need to work hard and stop this nonsense from going forward,” Orleans County Legislature Chairman David Callard said Wednesday during the Legislature meeting.
He noted that Johnson was in Washington with David Godfrey, a Niagara County legislator. They were joined by Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) and Congressman John Katko (NY-24) in a meeting with the State Department.
“The IJC’s Plan 2014 hurts homeowners and businesses along Lake Ontario’s shoreline,” Collins said in a statement. “I am vehemently opposed to this plan which would quicken erosion along shrinking shorelines, lower property values for specific homeowners, and have a negative impact on the region’s economy by limiting recreational and commercial boating. I remain committed to working with my colleagues in federal, state, and local government against the plan’s implementation and am glad Congressman Katko and county legislators Dave Godfrey and Lynne Johnson could join me in this fight.”
Plan 2014’s intent is to re-establish Lake Ontario’s natural water level fluctuations to restore the region’s natural wetlands and environmental diversity. The proposal has met significant resistance due to the disproportionate damages that will fall onto Lake Ontario’s southern shore communities, Collins said.
“Today’s meeting was yet another opportunity to discuss the potentially devastating impact that Plan 2014 could have on Wayne County’s shoreline, economy, and vast agriculture community,” Katko said.
He hosted a similar meeting earlier this year with Wayne County lawmakers and representatives from the U.S. Department of State and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
“I’m appreciative of Representative Collins’ efforts in facilitating this meeting,” Katko said. “I recognize the value of preserving our natural resources and supporting conservation measures, but Plan 2014 could cause a great loss of shoreline, erosion damage to property, and flooding in Wayne County. It is critical that we make these points known to stakeholders on a federal level, and that we continue to have an open dialogue moving forward.”
Godfrey said the IJC plan would be “economically devastating four our entire area.”
Johnson said residents and officials spoke out about the plan during public meetings and hearings. But the IJC still pushed it through.
“The approval by the IJC of Plan 2014 is government at its worst,” Johnson said. “The IJC did not listen to the voice of people.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Santa stopped by Albion on Tuesday afternoon to pose in front of Hoag Library to help the Albion Betterment Committee get a sense of where the statue would best be located and how tall the statue should be.
The Betterment Committee wants to have a bronze statue in front of the library in honor of Charles Howard, who started a Santa Claus School in 1937 and developed a Christmas Park at the corner of Phipps Road and Route 31. He ran the school until his death in 1966. The school has been moved to Midland, Mich., and it still bears Howard’s name. (Click here for more on the school.)
One possibility for the project by the library would be to have a granite chair that people could sit in and be pictured with Santa. When Santa was posing at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Raymond Ryan and his family happened to be walking by. Raymond, 2, was willing to sit in the chair and seemed enthralled to see to Santa. (See top photo)
One issue to consider is the height of the statue. Should it be life size, about 6 feet high? However, that might look too small to passing motorists. Many of the statues I’ve seen in Western New York are 7 feet or more. If Santa was that big, would he overwhelm children, or maybe a big Santa would add to their sense of awe?
Many of the iconic images of Charlie Howard show him with his hands on hips. This photo was taken in 1965, Charlie’s last season as Santa.
When Albion hosted the Charles W. Howard Legendary Santa Claus Conference in April, the hands-on-hips image was used as the logo for the conference.
Santa is pictured with Joe Gehl, one of the directors of the Albion Betterment Committee. This Santa is about 6 feet.
The Committee is working to have renderings of the site to present to the Hoag Library Board of Trustees. Other issues to consider are how close the statue should be to the sidewalk or to the building.
If Santa is near the sidewalk, there could be more in the background, including lighted Christmas trees and maybe even a sleigh to the side.
This photo was taken across the street from the library in the parking lot of the Main Street Store (the former American Legion). It seems like a taller Santa definitely stands out.
The Committee would like to have an interpretive panel about Howard’s life as a toymaker, farmer and active community member, and another panel discussing Christmas Park in Albion and Howard’s role in shaping the look and behavior of Santas around the world.
Howard was in the charter class in 2010 that was inducted in the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame. (Click here for more information.)
Although Howard was his most iconic with his hands on hips, perhaps a waving Santa would better engage visitors and local residents, serving as a welcome to Main Street and the community.
I talked with some of the Santas during the April conference in Albion. They said a waving Santa tends to be the norm for Santa images, or the child on lap or sack over shoulder. Several of the Santas were adamant that a Charlie Howard statue should have hands on hips. However, the waving Santa may have more community appeal.
Another issue to mull over is which direction should Santa be faced. Should he look south, the same angle as the entrance of the library? Or should he look directly across the street towards the former Legion building? If he was positioned to look across the street, he might be able to greet people going north and south, or maybe at that angle he doesn’t quite greet either direction.
Angling him south, his face would be clearly visible for people traveling north, headed to the downtown business district.
Anytime you deal with art, people have opinions. I favor a big Santa at least 7 feet tall. I think he should be close to the sidewalk so you can have a nice background and pedestrians can easily stop and get a photo taken with him. He would also seem “big” to passing cars. The farther away from the street, the smaller the Santa will look to passing drivers and pedestrians.
The Santa and granite chair could be on a stone or perhaps concrete base that would be slightly elevated. Some granite presents would be a nice touch to have near Santa and the granite chair. Bigger donors might have their names etched in the gift tags on the presents. (These are just ideas at this point.)
About 200 Santas and elves gathered in front of the Orleans County Courthouse for a group photo in April during the Charles W. Howard Legendary Santa Claus Conference. Many of the Santas said they would help make a bronze statue of Howard a reality.
The Santa community and Albion Betterment Committee would like to have the statue in place late next year, which would be the 50th anniversary of Howard’s death. That will be an ambitious goal, especially to raise the funds, which could top $100,000.
The Betterment Committee is trying to get a design together that would be supported by the Library Board of Trustees, the community and the many Santas from around the country and world who hold Howard in high regard.
Orleans Hub will continue to post updates on the project. The Betterment Committee also expects to have a welcome sign on Route 98, south of the village, soon erected that declares Albion as the home of Charles Howard.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
CLARENDON – Residents in Clarendon will see a drop in town property taxes in 2016. Members of the Clarendon Town Board Tuesday evening adopted the final 2016 budget, which includes a tax rate of $4.79 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. That’s a drop of 21 cents per $1,000 from the 2015 budget.
“That’s phenomenal,” Town Supervisor Richard Moy said of the decrease.
The budget includes $1.4 million total town appropriations for the General Fund and Highway. Special Districts (water) and Clarendon Fire Department appropriations total $772,715.30.
Moy said the tax rate comes in under the tax cap. Board members approved two revisions to the preliminary budget to accomplish that.
They removed $10,000 from contingency in the general fund, decreasing the line from $64,920 to $54,920 and removed $20,000 from highway funds for general repairs contractual expenses.
In other business, board members discussed amending the town’s zoning ordinance regarding building permits. Currently, no building permit is required if the structure is under 144 square ft. The town is considering changing that to include all new structures in Clarendon.
Moy said problems have arisen with structures being placed on property lines or over property lines. The smaller structures are also assessable, he explained, and requiring a permit would make them easier to find for assessment purposes.
Town Board member Paul Nicosia said bigger towns in the area do not require smaller structures, such as sheds purchased at “big box” stores, to have a building permit, but Clarendon Town Attorney Karl Essler explained that is because with larger populations, it would require more effort from those towns.
He said disputes between neighbors over smaller structures can become expensive for property owners and, “burdensome from a time standpoint for the town.”
Town Board members will work on drafting a proposal for the change before scheduling a public hearing.
State Senator Rob Ortt (R,C,I-North Tonawanda) today issued the following statement regarding the placement of Syrian refugees:
“We cannot let our President’s failed Middle East policies lay the groundwork for such a dramatic threat to our security here in the United States. Our hearts go out to the Syrian people who have been subjected to unthinkable horrors throughout their civil war. But our President stood by while Assad used chemical warfare on the Syrian people and while the Islamic State grew – waging a war of beheadings, mass murders, and rapes. Letting the Syrians kill themselves and accepting those fortunate enough to escape isn’t a policy.
“And now that we’ve seen the danger of ISIS taking advantage of lax refugee policies to penetrate Western countries to launch terror attacks against civilians, it’s clear that a new course is needed. The first step is halting the placement of Syrian refugees in our communities, especially if our government cannot ensure a strict, effective, verifiable vetting process.
“At the state level, I hope Governor Cuomo will involve himself in this process that is so important to the security of New Yorkers. And at the national level, I hope our federal officials will follow Congressman Collins’ leadership on this issue and protect American citizens.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Earl Schmidt addresses the Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday after he was appointed to serve as new director of the Veterans Service Agency, replacing Paul Fulcomer, who is retiring.
ALBION – The new director of the Veterans Service Agency in Orleans County served 23 years in the military, including combat in both the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan.
Earl Schmidt of Ridgeway has worked the past 3 ½ years as an accredited veterans’ service officer with the Niagara County Veterans Service Agency. He will start on Dec. 7 as the director in Orleans County.
The County Legislature appointed him to the job today. He will succeed Paul Fulcomer, who has served in the position for 13 years.
“I wish to continue what has already been started with the Veterans Service Agency and I wish to strengthen it,” Schmidt told county legislators today.
Schmidt served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army National Guard for 23 years, retiring as sergeant first class; reconnaissance platoon sergeant. He earned 17 medals including a Bronze Star.
He is active with the American Legion as a service officer, the VFW and sits on the VFWNYS Department service officer’s committee as well as a member of the Iraqi Afghan Veterans of America.
Schmidt, during his comments to the County Legislature, recited a quote from Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1865: “Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Schmidt said Lincoln’s words “are the backbone of all that I do.”
He will make helping veterans access their benefits the focus of the Veterans Serice Agency. He said the rules and regulations change frequently, and he is happy to help veterans work through the bureaucracy.
“There are benefits they may not even realize,” he said. “The laws change on a fairly consistent basis. My goal is the maximum benefit in the shortest amount of time.”
Schmidt and his wife Catherine have four children. He was welcomed today by legislators, including Legislature Chairman David Callard, who said the new director is a great addition.
“He’s very passionate about veterans’ issues and I’m sure his energy and dedication will make an immediate impact for our Orleans County veterans’ community,” Callard said.
RIDGEWAY – When the Orleans Economic Development Agency began working with the Ridgeway Town Board to attract more business to the rural Western New York community in 2009, the group began looking for parcels to rezone that would also give potential new customers rail access.
One of the first was on Allis Road, off Route 31. The Town Board’s foresight then prompted executives of Helena Chemical Company to pursue a much-need expansion project for their growing WNY distribution center.
“Prior to 2009, we didn’t really have any industrial sites in town,” points out Ridgeway Town Supervisor Brian Napoli. “After meeting with our EDA, we found a few suitable pieces of land, including the one on Allis Road, and decided to be proactive to ensure available land in Ridgeway would be ready for future prospects.”
The relocation of Helena Chemical Company, from Albion to Ridgeway, is one the community hopes will pay off. An estimated $4 million project, Helena plans to build a 75,000 square-foot, six-building complex as a distribution point for chemicals, seeds and other agricultural products. The Ridgeway site gives the company rail access and the ability to develop a more expansive infrastructure.
“The move to Ridgeway will allow us to offer more products and services,” said Mitch Wilber, Helena branch manager. “The quality of the agriculture is what brought us here; there are good farmers growing good crops.”
Headquartered just outside of Memphis, Tennessee, with 450 branch locations across the United States, Wilber notes the “strong inter-municipal support” the company received from the Orleans County EDA and Ridgeway officials as the stimulus to expand Helena Chemical’s footprint in New York State.
The contracts are signed and Allied Builders is scheduled to begin work at the site this week.
“Good development opportunities do not just happen here,” said Jim Whipple, EDA chief executive officer. “Development opportunities come about as the result of years of strategic planning and anticipating how we can make the most of our available land and resources. The need may not be apparent right away, but we are ready and waiting when it is.”
Positioning the Allis Road site, and other land throughout the county, is what the Orleans EDA does every day, “There was no specific project when we began working with Ridgeway to rezone the Allis Road property,” notes OEDA VP Gabrielle Barone. “What we believed then, and continue to reinforce to our communities, is that we need sites ready and waiting when the right project does come along.”
Citing the value the OEDA and local municipalities place on retention projects, Barone explains, “The Town of Ridgeway demonstrated they wanted more development and became full partners in keeping Helena Chemical in Orleans County and bringing the project to fruition.”
By Abigale Wells, Albion High School student correspondent
Photos by Abigale Wells – Audrey II gets ready to eat Nick Arieno, who plays Mr. Mushnik. Connor Zicari is inside the plant, making it move. Elijah Van Epps, who plays Seymour (left), also starred in “Little Shop of Horrors.”
ALBION – The Albion High School Drama Department performed its fall play, Little Shop of Horrors, on Nov. 6-7 to a large crowd in the Middle School Auditorium, and many in the audience were in awe of how the plant – Audrey II – came to life.
They wondered who played the plant and how the student made it seem so lifelike.
The student responsible for bringing Audrey II to life on stage was Connor Zicari. He had to play Audrey II at various stages of her development. Zach Shaffer was the voice of Audrey II. Somehow Connor and Zach made it all seem effortless.
“It takes lots and lots of practice,” Connor said. “The six weeks that we practiced, each second was spent trying to sync my movements with Zach’s voice.”
Connor Zicari uses a hand puppet to play Audrey II when it’s in a small stage.
All that hard work showed during the performance. The plant truly brought life to the stage.
There were many layers of material used in order to hide the actors that were devoured by Audrey II. The numerous layers caused excess heat inside the plant.
“One of the biggest challenges of this role is dealing with the heat and sitting still inside the plant for so long,” Connor said.
The plant would grow throughout the show in five stages of development.
Audrey II, in many ways, was the star of the show. Yet Connor was never seen by the audience, and that was fine by him.
“That doesn’t matter to me,” he said about public acknowledgement. “It’s fun being in the plant so I will take that over being seen.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The tugboat “Lockport” is tied up in Albion between the Main Street and Ingersoll Street lift bridges on Tuesday.
The navigational season for the Erie Canal ended today, concluding the 191st season of the waterway that turned New York State into an economic powerhouse in the 1800s.
These days, the canal is more of a recreational waterway, and the towpath is popular for joggers, cyclists and walkers.
Many of the tenders, tugboats, and other vessels in the canal fleet will “winter” in Albion before the canal season starts again next May.
This year the canal opened on May 8. The draining of the Erie Canal between Lockport and the Genesee River in Rochester will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 1, Canal Corporation officials said today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – A new class graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program on Tuesday. The group includes, front row, from left: Amanda Wolford, Justin Froman, Jenny Rae Siplo, Christine Heideman, and Linda Benz. Back row: Shaun Swanson, small business advisor Dick Pettine, Michael Klepp, Rion Pawlak, Janell Thompson, Charlene Washington and Diane Blanchard, MAP manager.
ALBION – A 10-week class has given a new group of entrepreneurs tips in taxes, marketing, legal issues, handling stress, computers and bookkeeping – all factors that are key to running successful businesses.
The Fall 2015 class of the Microenterprise Assistance Program graduated on Tuesday with a celebration at Tillman’s Village Inn. More than 400 entrepreneurs have completed the program since 1999.
“I want to say, thank you for having the courage and tenacity to step up and own your own business,” Paul Hendel, chairman of the Orleans Economic Development Agency, told the new MAP graduates.
The program is run through the EDA with classes in the fall and spring. Graduates who complete business plans may pursue low-interest financing up to $30,000 through the EDA.
“The sole proprietor is the backbone of the economy in Orleans County, New York State and across the whole nation,” Hendel said.
The fall graduates include: Linda Benz, consultant for office management; Justin Froman, road kill removal; Christine Heideman, gourmet cupcakes; Michael Klepp, The Plant Man; Rion Pawlak, vapor shop (plastic cigarettes) or food truck; Jenny Rae Siplo, Flower Well; Shaun Swanson, Filmwell Studios; Janell Thompson, Marva’s Clothes & Beauty Supplies; Charlene Washington, 3 Twice (information technology); and Amanda Wolford, retail.
Klepp has been running his “Plant Man” business for 27 years, providing horticulture advice and training. The West Shelby resident, 44, is considering whether to build a barn on his property for teaching programs – “anything garden related,” he said.
He also is thinking about growing his business and adding an employee. The MAP class helped him look into the future, calculating expenses and needed revenue.
Jenny Rae Siplo, 24, of Holley started her floral design business in May, providing flowers for weddings, events and florists. The MAP class helped her to plan for growing the business.
Jenny Rae Siplo accepts her certificate for completing the 10-week MAP class from Diane Blanchard, manager of the program.
Janell Thompson opened Marva’s Clothes & Beauty Supplies on Sept. 1 on East Bank Street in Albion. Thompson said the MAP class has been an “eye opener” to create a business plan and tailor the store’s hours and products to customers.
She is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. She decided to close on Monday and open later in the day after hearing from customers and noticing shopping trends.
She sells clothes, shoes, perfume, hair products, and homemade jewelry. The store is named in her mother’s honor.
“The store is something my mom always wanted,” Thompson said. “It was her dream.”
Justin Froman, 32, of Albion read a news article about two years ago, detailing how municipalities try to get rid of roadkill. Froman read that article and saw an opportunity for a business.
Next year will will start his venture where he will pick up deer and other dead animals along roadways. He will then compost them. He is looking for his first contract and hopes to start the business in January.
Rion Pawlak accepts his certificate for completing the MAP class.
Rion Pawlak has two business ideas: starting a food truck that he can take to events and locations in Orleans County and beyond, and also opening a Vape Shop with plastic cigarettes and vaping supplies.
Pawlak, 34, said the MAP class helped him to research and understand regulations and insurance with owning a business.
“The biggest thing the class gave me is confidence,” he said.
He expects to be in business by next summer.
“I’m taking the winter to get the finances together and to build an unstoppable plan,” Pawlak said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 November 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A Kent resident who admitted to several probation violations was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison on Monday.
Luke G. Sorta, 23, could have been sentenced to a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison. Orleans County Court Judge James Punch gave him less than the maximum.
Sorta during a Sept. 14 court appearance admitted to violating his probation by abandoning his job at Brunner, failing to get his General Equivalency Diploma, admitted to smoking marijuana several times, as well as consuming alcohol and circumventing the drug testing policy. He also left the area without telling probation.
Sorta was recently arrested in Idaho on a warrant for violating probation. He was returned to Orleans County and has been in the county jail.
In other cases in County Court:
A Medina man pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Bradley Dunaway, 52, of Oak Orchard River Road could face up to 4 years in state prison when he is sentenced on Feb. 8. This is his fifth alcohol-related offense.
Dunaway admitted in court on Monday he had been drinking prior to an accident on June 20 at Ridge Road and Culvert Road in Ridgeway. He registered a 0.18 blood alcohol content, more than double the legal limit. He has been free on $50,000 bail.
An Albion man pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, which has a maximum of 2 ½ years in state prison.
Brandon A. Honore, 30, of East Park Street admitted to selling cocaine. He was arrested in July when 20 people were charged a seven-month investigation into the sale and distribution of drugs in Orleans County.
Honore has been in jail on $100,000 bail. He has two prior felonies and has already been to state prison.
His attorney, Kevin McKain, asked that jail be reduced, given that Honore was working full-time and committed no crimes for six years. Judge Punch agreed to lower bail to $25,000.
Honore will be sentenced on Feb. 8.
A 19-year-old Bergen woman pleaded guilty to seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. That charge normally carries a maximum of a year in jail, but Kuyanna Kuyal won’t spend time in jail as part of a plea deal on Monday.
Kuyal has no prior criminal record. She could be sentenced to probation on Feb. 8.
She admitted in court that she was in a car on May 7 when cocaine was sold. Kuyal allegedly assisted in cocaine sales, but did not possess the drug, District Attorney Joe Cardone said.
She faces a six-month suspension of her license. If she can’t obey the law while on probation, Judge Punch said she would be put in jail for a year.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 17 November 2015 at 12:00 am
HOLLEY – During the upcoming school budget process, Holley Central School District Superintendent Robert D’Angelo says he will work to make sure the cost of unfunded state and federal mandates are clear to board members, taxpayers and particularly local representatives.
D’Angelo presented a four-page list of unfunded mandates to members of the Holley Central School Board of Education during their regular meeting Monday evening. He said he will work with Sharon Zacher, Assistant Superintendent for Business, to “… attach approximate dollars to those mandates… I was surprised that there were four pages. We will then take that information and engage local politicians.”
D’Angelo mentioned State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. Robert Ortt as well as Congressional representatives as politicians with whom he will share the information he collects. The school superintendent noted that unfunded mandates are a huge cost for school districts, and although school officials routinely complain, nothing really changes. He hopes his efforts will have an impact.
“Whether the politicians will bite the bullet is another story,” he said. “Those are real figures for us and are a burden on Holley and every other school district in New York State.”
D’Angelo and Board President Brenda Swanger said it would be helpful to involve other local districts as well as the New York State School Boards Association to make sure concerns are heard.
D’Angelo said he hopes the figures Holley compiles and reports to representatives will “solicit some sort of help. It will be interesting to see how it works out.” He added that the unfunded mandates coupled with the state tax cap, “really strangle us.”
Obtaining relief from unfunded mandates would help not only school boards, but also taxpayers, D’Angelo said.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new proposed regulation that takes action against motorists who persistently evade the payment of tolls and fees.
Under the new proposal, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will suspend the registration of motorists who fail to pay five tolls, fees, and other charges resulting from violations on different days, within a period of 18 months, and ignore toll authorities’ repeated notices.
Persistent violators will be required to pay the tolls and fees, or to have the charges dismissed, in order to prevent the suspension of their registrations or in order for their registrations to be reinstated.
“Toll evaders unfairly burden hard working New Yorkers who play by the rules and put additional stress on this state’s transportation network,” Cuomo said. “This new action cracks down on this unacceptable behavior and will keep these scofflaws off the very roads they fail to pay their fair share to maintain.”
New York’s tolling authorities – including the New York State Thruway Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York State Bridge Authority and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority – report that non-payment of tolls, even with violation notices being sent, is a persistent challenge.
The authorities found nearly 35,000 cases where violators accrued five or more unpaid toll violations within an 18-month period, resulting in about $16.5 million in lost revenue annually, passing the burden of maintaining infrastructure and supporting mass transit to motorists who obey the law and pay the tolls.
Prior to the suspension taking effect, the registrant may request a hearing before a DMV administrative law judge. If the registrant requests a hearing, the suspension will not take effect, pending the conclusion of the hearing; if no hearing is requested, the suspension will take effect as declared in the notice, and the registration suspension will remain in effect until the tolling authority notifies DMV that the motorist has paid the outstanding tolls, fees, and other charges.
Tolling authorities will send violators notices for each toll violation, advising them of the amount owed, how to pay, and how to dispute the alleged violation. If the violator fails to pay the tolls, fees or other charges, or have such tolls, fees or charges dismissed or transferred in response to the multiple notices, the tolling authority will refer the violator to DMV.
The new toll regulations will appear in the November 18, 2015 State Register, at which time, a 45-day public comment period begins. The period ends January 4, 2016. All comments received will be taken into consideration before the regulations are formally adopted and implemented soon thereafter.
Cuomo says federal government needs to ensure proper screening and that migrants aren’t a threat
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, wants New York to close its border to Syrian refugees until potential threats can be screened and the remaining attackers in the French bombing apprehended.
“This is a matter of New York State security,” Hawley said in a statement this afternoon. “I am concerned that Syrian refugees sympathetic to the terrorist attacks could already be living among us, and we have a duty to protect our citizens from future threats. New York’s highly populated cities are easy targets for terrorists who are now more frequently attacking innocent civilians. The groundswell of support for this measure is growing by the hour, and 25 governors, including several moderate presidential candidates, already have pledged to close their borders until security is increased.”
Hawley expressed the urgency of this matter as authorities are investigating a Syrian Passport found near one of the French bombing sites after the weekend’s terrorist attacks.
“I am officially calling on Gov. Cuomo to close our borders to Syrian refugees until we can properly ascertain threats inside our state and the remaining attackers have been apprehended,” Hawley said.
Governor Cuomo discussed the Syrian refugee crisis during a question and answer session with students at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Cuomo’s office released the governor’s response to a question about NY accepting migrants.
“I think it’s a balance,” Cuomo said. “I think many forces are now trying to politicize this. This is an election season, so the silly season has started and the Governors can say ‘I will refuse to let the refugees in.’ How? How? Where does it say in the state constitution you can refuse a person placed by the federal government? What are you going to have your militia fight the federal government at the borders of your state? It’s a pure political statement. It’s up to the federal government. If the federal government lets refugees in and places them in your state, the Governor has no authority to turn them down.
“Having said that, the question is a bona fide question. We have to protect Americans and not lose our soul as America in the process. Right? The day America says, ‘Close the gates, build the wall,’ then I say take down the Statue of Liberty because you’ve gone to a different place. And read Emma Lazarus and the poem on the Statue of Liberty: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.’ Once you say we’re out of business, that’s no longer true. So, I won’t let them win by conceding defeat of the American Dream.
“At the same time, this federal government needs to make sure it’s doing the screening and the people that are coming in are safe and the federal government has to say ‘we are capable of doing that.’ And if the federal government is not capable of doing that, David, then they should say that too. If you really can’t screen, then the answer is ‘We can’t screen’ but their position is ‘We can screen. We can screen effectively’ and if that’s the case, do the screening, make sure it’s right, do it exhaustively, but don’t give up your soul as America.”
