Contributed Story Posted 18 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Provided photo, Medina Mustang Band
MEDINA – While it was a chilly night in Victor on Saturday, the Medina Mustang Band was hot! Medina took first place in the SS1 class with a score of 84.75, followed by East Irondequoit, second with 80.35.
Medina Band Director Jim Steele commented that “the kids once again did a fantastic job on Saturday regardless of less than stellar weather conditions. They worked hard all week and the reward was a great performance again this weekend. We are looking forward to continuing our journey together to represent the community and our school at the State Championships on Nov. 1. Regardless of outcome this has been one of my most rewarding years of teaching marching band in Medina. Great kids, great instructors and great band parents and supporters, who could ask for more!”
Next Saturday the band competes in Orchard Park before heading for the Dome in Syracuse on Sunday, Nov. 1.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Main Street in Medina was blocked off for a classic car show on Sept. 2.
The Medina Business Association is pursuing a $300,000 state grant to assist building owners with projects.
MEDINA – Downtown Medina has enjoyed a rebirth in small businesses in the past decade with many new shops opening and building owners making big investments in their historic buildings.
Caring for an older building brings with it continuous challenges and expenses, from roofs, infrastructure and façades.
The Medina Business Association is trying to assist building owners by pursuing a $300,000 Main Street grant from the state. Those matching funds could be used for a range of projects, including creating residential space in the downtown.
The state is expected to announce the grant winners in December.
The Medina Business Association polled its members and about $1 million in projects were identified. The association considered seeking the maximum $500,000 grant, but opted to scale down its grant request to $300,000 to improve its chances of securing some money in the state program, said Kathy Blackburn, executive director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.
If the MBA is approved for the grant, the Chamber would administer the funds. A committee of community members would review proposals from building owners to determine which ones are approved for the grant. Blackburn said a committee already is in place through Medina’s façade program. The same group would review the downtown projects if Medina is successful with the grant.
Building owners would need to front the money, and then get reimbursed for half the cost. Some owners who expressed interest in the grant may not want to be in the program because of the upfront expense. Blackburn said the Chamber and MBA will see who can commit to the grant projects if the funds are approved for Medina.
Albion and Holley have both received Main Street grants in recent years that resulted in work on several downtown buildings as well as streetscape improvements.
In addition to Medina’s grant application, the Orleans Economic Development Agency is seeking state funds for a downtown rental assistance program that would make rent cheap for businesses in the first six months.
“It helps the businesses get on their feet,” Blackburn said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – Al Capurso is pictured with a new historical marker that was unveiled today by the former one-room schoolhouse on Gaines Basin Road, just north of the Erie Canal. The schoolhouse was built in 1832 and is one of the oldest cobblestone buildings in the area.
It has been largely abandoned since decentralization in 1944. The marker also notes that Caroline Phipps taught at the school. She went on to be a distinguished educator and ran the Phipps Union Seminary in Albion from 1837 to 1875. That spot later became the County Clerks Building.
A swing is pictured next to the former schoolhouse.
The restoration project has been backed by the Orleans County Historical Association and includes a new roof on the building and new windows, as well as the historical marker.
Here is how the building looked last winter.
Here is how the historical site looks today.
Gary Kent led the efforts to trim some of the branches that were hanging across the building. Those branches needed to be removed for the roof work, which was completed by Young Enterprises. Mike Tower fixed the rafters.
Bill Lattin worked on the window sashes, Bob Albanese helped clean up the grounds, and many volunteers pitched in to remove junk from inside the building.
Bob Barrett of Clarendon restored the teacher’s desk and chair that remained inside the school. He even reconstructed the drawers in the desk.
Capurso, who is now the Gaines town historian, would like the site to become a meeting house and museum.
He said that Gaines once had 12 one-room schoolhouses. They were roughly located 1.5 miles apart to make access easier by the students in attendance.
The windows used to be boarded up, but now plenty of light can get inside the old schoolhouse.
Next year, Capurso said he would like to see work on the ceiling, walls and floor. He is pleased with the progress so far, and thanked the community for its support.
Today’s program included remarks from Capurso; Bill Lattin, who is retired as county historian; Matt Ballard, the current county historian; Dee Robinson, former Gaines town historian for more than 30 years; Town Supervisor Carol Culhane; and Ted Swiercznski, who attended the school and has been active in local politics for several decades. Another former student of the school, Angelina Daniels, also attended today’s celebration.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – This photo shows the Erie Canal bridge on Gaines Basin Road this evening. There was also a little fog over the canal.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a freeze warning for tonight from 11 p.m. until 10 a.m. on Sunday. The freeze warning is in effect for most of Western New York with temperatures in the high 20s to lower 30s.
This is the first freeze of the season and could kill tender vegetation if not protected, the Weather Service said.
This photo shows Eagle Harbor Road in Barre this afternoon, in a view from the Miller Road intersection looking south.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 October 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – The site plan for a new 62,000-square-foot vegetable processing plant will go before the Orleans County Planning Board next Thursday.
The board meets at 7 p.m. in Conference Room C of the County Administration Building at 14016 Route 31 West.
Pride Pak would like to break ground on the project next month and have the building done by April so equipment could be moved in. The company would like to start processing and packaging vegetables from the site in June with 85 to 100 employees.
The company’s site plan also includes 114 parking spaces. The village code for the Maple Ridge Corridor calls for 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet for a building, which would be 310 spaces for a 62,000-square-foot building. Or, if the code for light industrial is applied, there should be 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet or 124 for Pride Pak.
The company will be seeking a variance for its parking for the property at 11531 Maple Ridge Rd., which is in the Light Industrial and Maple Ridge Overlay District.
The site plan also needs a final vote of approval from the Medina Village Planning Board, which meets 7 p.m. on Nov. 3 at City Hall.
Orleans County Planning Board members will look at other referrals, including:
A site plan review and special use permit for a dog kennel on West Shelby Road near Dunlap Road on vacant lot in a Residential/Agricultural District.
Request for area variance in the Town of Albion and site plan review and special use permit for agricultural employee dwelling units at 13646 West County House Rd., which is in a Residential/Agricultural District.
A request from Gaines for various updates to the town’s comprehensive plan.
A request from the Village of Holley to amend zoning text to allow directional signage in the Light Industrial District.
Apryl Fox, the maintenance office assistant at Western New York Energy in Medina, took photos of the double rainbow that emerged late this afternoon when the sun came out after the rain.
The photos by Fox show the new 800,000-bushel grain bin by the ethanol plant. The grain bin is 105-foot wide by 142-foot high. The conveyor system at the top of the bin increases the height to 155 feet.
Chris Busch of Medina captured ths image of the double rainbow over the village.
Chris Busch also took this one of the rainbow as seen from South Main Street and Crosby’s.
Jason Smith, the Lyndonville Central School superintendent, grabbed this shot of the double rainbow on Route 31 looking east at the Eagle Harbor Road intersection.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Medina Business Association and the Department of Public Works teamed to replace the banners in the downtown, adding a fall theme.
There are banners with leaves, apples and pumpkins.
The banners encourage people to explore the historic downtown and shop and dine in Medina.
The Medina Business Association pays for the banners, and has them for different seasons and to promote special events, such as last month’s Ale in Autumn.
“It adds to the downtown,” said Kathy Blackburn, one of the leaders of the Medina Business Association.
ALBION – Albion captains Kyle Smith left, and Nate Trembley hold Doc’s Rock, named in honor of former coach Larry Decker. Doc’s Rock goes to the winner of the annual Albion-Medina football game, and Albion won 27-14 at home tonight. The Albion players are pictured with Decker’s son Brett and wife Judy.
Decker is a late long-time Medina coach and teacher. He also taught and coached for a time at Albion.
Albion and Medina played for the 118th time tonight in one of New York State’s oldest high school football rivalries.
The victory gives the Purple Eagles a 65-48-5 lead in the series which dates back to 1898. Coming into the game, the Mustangs had won the last three and five of the last seven.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 October 2015 at 12:00 am
File photos by Tom Rivers – U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer met with local officials in August 2014 at the former Diaz Chemical site on Jackson Street in Holley. A cleanup stalled at the property, but will soon begin.
HOLLEY – The cleanup and remediation of the former Diaz Chemical property on Jackson Street has slowed in recent years, but will soon commence with the remaining structures from Diaz knocked down.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency will remove the buildings from October through December so the agency can implement soil cleanup and groundwater remediation plans, said Mike Basile, EPA spokesman.
The agency will discuss the upcoming project on Wednesday morning during a meeting with media.
The EPA said previously it would cost $14.5 million to knock down the remaining buildings at the former Diaz Chemical site and also remove the soil of contaminants.
The federal Superfund program didn’t have the money to move the project forward. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer visited the Diaz site last year and said he would push the Superfund money for the project.
The EPA already removed processing buildings and barrels of chemicals about a decade ago from Diaz. But Schumer said in August 2014 the site is still dragging down Holley, creating a blight in the community.
“This is not a health emergency but it’s an economic crisis,” he said then.
The remaining buildings at Diaz are in rough shape and are mostly fenced off from the public.
Diaz operated in Holley, working out of a former Duffy Motts site from 1974 until declaring bankruptcy in 2003. The EPA has been the caretaker of the property since then and spent $12 million taking down some of the buildings and removing barrels, pipes and some contaminants. But some buildings remain, as well as contaminated soil.
The south side of Jackson Street, Diaz’s production area, will be rid of the buildings. One warehouse from Diaz, however, will remain on the north side of the street, Basile said.
“We’re normally not in demolition mode at the EPA,” he said this morning.
However, the buildings are not in good shape and their removal is needed to address soil contamination at the site, Basile said.
Diaz had an accidental release in January 2002, and some chemicals landed on residential homes and yards. Eight homeowners moved out and didn’t come back. The EPA took possession of those houses and had them cleaned, but they’ve sat empty and off the market for a decade. Village officials are trying to work out a deal with the EPA so the homes can be put up for sale.
The EPA has supplies and equipment on site for the takedown of the buildings, which should be complete by December. The EPA said it has an air-monitoring program to ensure that dust suppression operations are working.
Once the buildings are down, the EPA plans more work for the site, including moving a 12-inch water main from the center of the site to along Jackson Street and South Main Street. This work is anticipated to start in spring 2016, the EPA said.
Part of the EPA’s proposed cleanup plan involves heating the soil to break down contaminants. The design of an in-situ thermal treatment system is on-going, the EPA said. The agency anticipates that design of the cleanup work for the soil will be completed in December 2016.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Fourth-graders harvested squash this morning, filling two big bins at the Albion FFA Land Lab along Clarendon Road.
FFA students planted the squash last June and today it was picked from the field. It will be give to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, which will use some for its food pantry and also for holiday baskets. Some squash will also be shared with other food pantries in the community, said Andy Ebbs, the facilities manager for Community Action.
Jack Kinter holds a squash he picked from a field. Students didn’t mind a little mud.
Albion FFA students planted the squash last June and helped direct the students during today’s harvest. This trio of FFA students includes, from left: Rylie Lear, FFA President Vivian Rivers, and Alexis Bentley.
Brian Postle, right, joins his fourth grade classmates in today’s squash harvest.
Another student is happy to help with the harvest.
The FFA also grew gourds that will be shared with teachers for a fall festival celebration. Students also grew pumpkins that will be sold at Panek’s Pumpkin Patch with proceeds donated for breast cancer awareness and research.
Photo by Tom Rivers – This file photo from April 2014 shows a flooded field along Presbyterian Road.
The state is making $1.4 million available in a pilot program for “Climate Resilient Farming,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.
The funds will support projects that mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture-related activities and increase the resiliency of farms throughout New York State in the face of a changing climate.
“New York State is a leader and national model when it comes to dealing with the effects of climate change and this funding further strengthens that standing,” Cuomo said. “This first-ever grant program addresses the need to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of farms, while also enhancing the ability of those farms to recover after severe weather events which have become an all too frequent reality.”
The funding is being made available to agricultural projects which develop and implement best management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration. Additionally, funding is available to projects that help agricultural producers prepare for and better manage the impacts of climate change like increased heavy rain storm events and periods of drought.
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts will apply for the competitive grants on behalf of farmers. Applications must be submitted for one of the following project categories: agricultural waste storage cover and flare systems; on-farm riparian, floodplain, and upland water management systems; and soil health systems.
Funding for the Climate Resilient Farming grant program comes from the 2015-2016 New York State Environmental Protection Fund and is administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
“The Soil and Water Conservation Committee is proud to work with our partners, including the Department of Agriculture and Markets, Cornell University, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and most importantly farmers to build on the strengths of our Agricultural Environmental Management framework to enhance resiliency and reduce emissions on farms across New York State,” said Le Roy dairy farmer Dale Stein, chairman of the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee.
Applicants for the Climate Resilient Farming grant program must submit their proposals by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 14. For more information, click here.
“As large agricultural producers, we must also be mindful of our environmental footprint, and this funding will help our state’s farms develop procedures which reduce detrimental environmental impact without damaging the farms’ ability to grow produce and livestock,” said State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia. “This is a victory for our environment, as well as farmers who could use increased funding to protect their livelihoods from flooding and drought.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – It was the third annual Family Game Night at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds with activities light on gadgets but designed to make residents and children more aware of services in the community.
In the top photo, Cincere Lowe, 8, of Albion gets his face painted to look like a vampire. Vivian Neroni, a DSS worker, shared her artistic talents at the face-painting station.
Families could also play board games and meet the staff at many county departments, which offered activities for families to learn about county services. The event was coordinated by the Youth Bureau.
Tom Drennan lets Aaron Schmidli of Medina try on a bullet-proof vest. Drennan, chief deputy for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, said the vest weighs 20 to 25 pounds. Aaron’s brother Andrew, in back, also had a chance to wear the vest.
Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer, went fishing with his daughter Jane, 4. They hooked a magnetic lake trout at a station run by the Orleans County Tourism Department.
Dale Banker (left), the county’s emergency management director, and Pat Eick, administrative assistant for the Emergency Management Office, pass out an “Emergency Go Bag” to County Legislator John DeFilipps, right. Eick developed the bags with emergency items for people to keep in their vehicles in case they are stranded with winter around the corner.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The First Presbyterian Church of Albion is lit up during lightning at about 7:30 p.m. today when thunderstorms with gusty winds and small hail hit the area.
The church, with its steeple reaching 175 feet high, is the tallest building in Orleans County. Swan Library is pictured at bottom during some of the lightning.
The courthouse has a pink tint in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This photo also shows the Orleans County Jail and the Presbyterian Church.
The National Weather Service says the temperature will take a big drop this weekend with a chance of snow.
Friday will have a high 54 and a low of 36. On Saturday, the temperature will only reach 43 with a low of 32, the Weather Service is forecasting. Sunday the high will be 41 with a low of 31 and chance for snow.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Rich Colonna, center, is pictured with his children Jeff and Lindsey. The family is working to rebuild the Washboard Willy’s Laundromat that burned in a May 23 fire on Starr Street in Medina.
Colonna opened the Washboard Willy’s in 2001. The family opened a second Laundromat last December on maple Ridge Road.
Customers there have asked that the Starr Street location be reopened, Colonna said. He said it has been inconvenient for many of the Starr Street customers, who often need to find rides to get their laundry done on maple Ridge Road.
Photo by Tom Rivers
Washboard Willy’s should reopen in February or March after extensive renovations. A new roof should be on by the end of next week. Colonna wants the site to be closed up before winter, then the new electric, plumbing and gas will be installed.
The new laundry machines will use less energy, water and soap.
Photo by Tom Rivers
The family said they could have bulldozed the site and sold the property. But they wanted laundry services to be available for residents in the immediate neighborhood.
Jeff, Lindsey and their brother Kevin, a sheriff’s deputy, all work with their father in the business, which is a demanding enterprise.
“It’s seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” Jeff Colonna said. “It has to be cleaned daily.”
Provided photo
Rich Colonna says the fire from May 23 remains under investigation. He said he is grateful for the quick response from the Medina Fire Department at 2 in the morning.
