The late Sgt. Jonathan Webster, 27, served 2 tours in Afghanistan, fought cancer

Photos courtesy of Candy Farmer and Rachel Hafner – Sgt. Jonathan “Webbie” Webster is pictured on one of his two tours of duty to Afghanistan with the Army. Webster died at age 27 on May 10 following complications from chemotherapy to treat cancer.

ALBION – Jonathan Webster was 17 when he joined the Army. It was a decision that brought needed structure for a young man who had lived with foster families. He moved around, making it difficult to settle in at a school district during his high school years.

One of his foster families in Le Roy urged him to get his GED and join the military. Webster followed that advice and he found a calling and sense of purpose with the military. He made numerous friends in the Army and the military became a family for him, even when he served two tours in Afghanistan, Webster’s mother Candy Farmer said.

“He joined the Army at age 17, thank God,” said Farmer of Holley. “When he was in the Army that’s when he was his happiest. The Army saved his life. It gave him structure and a sense of family.”

Jonathan Webster excelled in the military. He was promoted to sergeant.

Webster was enlisted for nearly seven years. He was first sent to Fort Lewis in Washington State, and later served a year at Fort Drum near Watertown. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 4, 2013.

He suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. His family said he was in a convoy when a roadside bomb blew up, killing one of his close friends. Webster received the Purple Heart and numerous medals for his service.

Webster reconnected with family when he was back in the area. He “struggled for a while” readjusting to civilian life, said his sister Rachel Hafner of Albion.

Jonathan Webster holds his niece, Isabelle, in this photo from 2014.

Webster found a groove, living in Gates and working as a machinist. He enjoyed working with his hands. He visited his sister in Albion and her four children. He loved to carve pumpkins with them, take them fishing and play catch in the backyard with a football.

Last August Webster was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The surgery seemed a success, but doctors discovered more cancer with a CT Scan about four months after the surgery. Webster had nine weeks of chemotherapy starting in December.

Webster suffered a rare side effect from the chemo: Bleomycin Toxicity damaged his lungs making it difficult to breathe. Webster was admitted to Strong Memorial Hospital on April 6. On April 28, he was taken to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to await a double-lung transplant. Webster was stricken with pneumonia and blood clots. He died on May 10.

His family remains in shock at how quickly Webster lost his health. He was muscular and committed to fitness.

Webster is pictured with his nephew Brody Hafner of Albion. Webster added many tattoos while he was in the military.

While he was fighting cancer and going through chemotherapy, he sent friends and family reassuring text messages.

“He said everything would be Ok, and don’t worry about me,” his sister said.

Webster was charming around women. But he was also private and didn’t want attention while he was sick.

Webster’s mother said her son overcame a difficult childhood to succeed in life and serve the country with honor.

“He triumphed over everything you put in front of him,” Farmer said.

Webster is pictured with his mother, Candy Farmer of Holley, in this photo from Mother’s Day 2015.

Webster comes from a military family in the Holley area. His uncle, the late Gary Stymus, was one of the 11 Holley men who died in the Vietnam War. Many of Webster’s family members have served in the military, including his brother Jason Webster, who is recently retired from Marine Corps.

Hafner, Webster’s older sister by 10 years, said her brother is a success story.

“He was a hell of a fighter,” she said.

The family is planning a celebration of his life on June 18 from 1 to 6 p.m. at VFW in Holley. Many of Webster’s Army friends from Fort Lewis in Washington and Fort Drum are expected. Military honors, including a 21-gun salute, will be presented at 1 p.m.

A GoFundMe account has also been established to help the family cover funeral expenses.

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Students the Albion AP Biology class this morning helped plant and water flowers in 17 planters that soon will be set in downtown Albion.

The students in Sandy Climenhaga’s class include Caitlin Malanowski in front, and from left: Meredith Patterson, Meghan Hurley, Madeline Gibbs, Sarah Kuehne, Alyce Miller, Sandy Climenhaga (behind Alyce) and Jared Fearby.

The students worked with three volunteers – Lisa and Skip Stratton, and Paul Brooks – from the Albion Merchants Association. Lisa Stratton coordinated the flower effort, which also includes 16 hanging baskets. Donations include $1,000 for the Town of Albion, $500 from the Village of Albion and 17 other sponsors that gave $25 each.

Alyce Miller waters some of the flowers in one of the planters this morning behind the DPW garage on Washington Street.

The bio students learn about flowers as part of their class. They study photosynthesis and dissect flowers to learn about plants.

Owner plans to regrade lawn, plant ‘more appropriate tree’

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A 40-foot-high tree in the front lawn of the former Swan Library was taken down this morning by Lusk Tree Service. Chad Fabry, owner of the building, said the large tree was damaging the retaining walls and also caused water to flow towards the historic building.

Fabry said he plans to regrade the lawn to direct water away from the building. He also intends to plant a smaller tree in front of the building.

“It was the wrong tree for the wrong place,” Fabry said about the tall evergreen. “It was an ill conceived selection for that spot. It nauseates me to take out a tree, but I see no other options.”

Fabry purchased the Swan site in February 2015. The 6,000-square-foot site was originally a mansion built in 1851. It was donated by the Swan family for use a public library in 1900. It was the community library for 112 years until the new 14,600-square-foot Hoag Library opened a couple blocks away in July 2012.

Fabry is now using the building for office spaces.

This file photo shows how the site looked with the tall tree.

Provided photo – Albion seventh-graderslast week donated food to Community Action of Genesee & Orleans. Pictured, from left, includes seventh-grade math teacher Mrs. Wesolowski, Community Action Case Manager Michelle Figueroa, Max Hapeman, Aisha Drisdom, Claire Squicciarini, Bryne Dysard and Gavin Reid.

Press Release, Community Action

ALBION – Mrs. Wesolowski and her 7th grade math classes found a creative way to incorporate math skills into helping others, and donating to Community Action’s food pantry.

They began the project by brainstorming ideas of products that would both fill the need of our community and fit the 3-D shapes that they will be studying. There were 90 seventh-graders who collected canned goods or as they would call them “cylinder items and rectangular prisms.”

They brought them to math class and found the volume and surface area in each object. They were able to collect 125 cylinder items and 42 rectangular prisms! They concluded with a reflective entry in their Math Journals about the item(s) the student donated, why they chose that item, and how that item could directly help someone in need.

This is the first year that Mrs. Wesolowski’s class has taken on such a project, but she plans to continue this in the future. Gavin Reid said that the best part about this project was “knowing that people will be able to eat dinner.”

Provided photo – Nicole Bellnier, left, and artist Jennifer Gray, who is also director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, are pictured by the chalk art drawing Gray did on Friday at Breeze Inn Again, a restaurant at Point Breeze that Bellnier opened a year ago.

ALBION – The upcoming Albion Strawberry Festival will include a chalk art competition for the first time in the event’s 30-year history.

Young children, teens and adults are all welcome to create a chalk art design with a historical theme. The competition will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 11 on the Main Street sidewalks between the lift bridge and Bank Street.

“We wanted to bring something to the festival that everyone could do together. Brothers, sisters, kids and adults can all compete,” said Nicole Bellnier, one of the organizers of “Chalk the Walk.”

Bellnier and Adam Johnson, president of the Albion merchants Association, are headed up the effort along with Jennifer Gray, director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council. Gray was at Point Breeze on Friday, creating a chalk art display at Breeze Inn Again, Bellnier’s restaurant on Route 98 near Lake Ontario.

“There is a real grass roots movement with a bunch of people who want to see Albion flourish,” Gray said. They’re bringing in the arts to draw a different demographic.”

Photo by Tom Rivers – Jennifer Gray works on the chalk art at Breeze Inn Again on Friday.

Gray helped run the chalk art events in Batavia the past two years as part of the Summer in the City festival. She has seen chalk art festivals draw huge crowds in Raleigh, NC.

The Albion event will include prizes for the top creations. There will be a $5 entry fee for youth (ages 5-12), students (ages 13-18) and a $10 fee for adults (19 and older). First prize for youth includes $50, $100 for youth, and $150 for adults.

Bellnier said it will be exciting to see the creations take shape during the festival. The historical theme can include local or national themes.

“It’s going to be really neat to see history come alive on the streets of downtown Albion,” she said.

Bellnier paid $500 for the chalk art at her restaurant. That money will help GO Art! and the Albion Merchants Association promote Chalk the Walk, and also give out prizes.

Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes also has sponsored Gray to create a chalk art in downtown Albion next week, and Johnson has paid for one to go by the Frosty Bucket, a new ice cream shop he is opening next week on North Main Street.

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Jackie Quintana, a junior at Albion High School, holds the artwork she created that will be used to promote the upcoming Albion Strawberry Festival.

The 30th annual festival will be June 10-11 and this year’s theme highlights the historic Erie Canal. Quintana was recognized during Thursday’s Albion Rotary Club meeting. The Rotary Club is one of the main sponsors of the festival and helps organize the annual event.

For more on the festival, click here.

Jennifer Santiago, a sophomore at Albion, created the second-place poster.

Gricelda Maldonaldo, also a sophomore, shows the third-place artwork.

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Sandy Church, an Albion attorney, discusses advanced directives during an end-of-life seminar Tuesday evening at Hoag Library’s main meeting room.

The Albion Rotary Club organized the seminar, which attracted about 75 people to the library. Several speakers discussed issues to help senior citizens and caregivers better prepare for the end of life. In addition to the speakers, there was a vendor fair with about 15 different businesses and agencies.

Susie Miller, assistant director for the Office for the Aging in Orleans County, discusses some of the services at the agency, including assistance for younger people.

Miller said many members of the Baby Boomer generation are now taking care of their elderly parents.

Earl Schmidt, director of the Veterans Service Agency, is pictured with the agency’s new display for public outreach events. Schmidt was among the vendors at Tuesday’s seminar.

John Zonitch, an attorney with Oak Orchard Legal Services, discusses how Medicare and Medicaid can pay for nursing home care. Zonitch said a single person can still have $14,850 in savings and be eligible for Medicaid, and married people can have at least $74,820 and still be eligible for Medicaid. Those funds allow for “rainy day” expenses, such as roof repairs, new furnaces, and other costs.

However, Zonitch said people can’t give their money away to family and charities soon before seeking Medicaid assistance if they are near the Medicaid eligibility thresholds.

“It does get complex,” he said about the rules.

Scott Schmidt, the county’s chief coroner, said families with an unattended death can always call 911, a funeral director or a coroner for help.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The former Crooked Door Tavern closed in January 2015. It will be up for auction on Wednesday with bids accepted at 3 p.m. at the Orleans County Courthouse.

ALBION – A tavern/restaurant that closed in January 2015 had strong sales and devoted following, drawing customers from between Buffalo and Rochester, said an auctioneer broker trying to sell the former Crooked Door.

“It’s definitely an attractive property,” said Michael Foster, auctioneer broker for Tranzon Auction Properties in Kenmore. “It’s a great opportunity for a restauranteur.”

The tavern, the former Club 469, opened in January 2011 following extensive renovations by Joe and Debbie Martillotta. They operated the business for more than three years, selling it in April 2014 to Susan Holmes. She closed the business in January 2015, nine months after acquiring the property at 469 East State St.

A bank is foreclosing on the Crooked Door and has hired Tranzon to sell it. There will be an auction at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at the Orleans County Courthouse, 1 South Main St. Bidders should register at 2:30 p.m.

Foster said the site is largely unchanged from when it was last open. The 4,316-square-foot building is nearly turnkey.

“All the equipment is there,” he said. “There is definitely potential.”

Photos by Tom Rivers – Bidders and curiosity seekers gather outside the Orleans County Courthouse for the auction today at 3 p.m. for the former Crooked Door tavern. The property at 469 East State St. sold for $135,000.

ALBION – The owner of The Village House, a restaurant that opened 30 years ago on East Avenue in Albion, bought the former Crooked Door tavern today at an auction for $135,000.

Alex Mitrousis, The Village House owner, said his family wants to turn the Crooked Door into a sports bar with finger foods.

“We’re not in a rush,” he said about a timetable for the project.

Mitrousis said he has been in the restaurant business for 46 years, starting when he opened the Brockport Diner. He said they are intense businesses that need many employees. He has 40 workers at The Village House. A sports bar with a downsized menu will be a different experience than The Village House, and a viable business, Mitrousis said.

The Crooked Door, the former Club 469, opened in January 2011 following extensive renovations by Joe and Debbie Martillotta. They operated the business for more than three years, selling it in April 2014 to Susan Holmes. She closed the business in January 2015, nine months after acquiring the property at 469 East State St.

Key Bank held the mortgage, which was $427,740 in arrears. The sale today will go towards that debt.

Key Bank submitted the opening bid of $75,000. Then Steve Gramiak, owner of the Black North Inn and Mitrousis, were in a bidding battle until Gramiak opted not to go above $135,000. Gramiak said he saw the property as an investment that could be leased to someone wanting to run a restaurant with a bar.

The former Crooked Door Tavern closed in January 2015.