Apex Clean Energy – Apex has identified Barre and its surrounding area for the focus of a wind energy project.

BARRE – Apex Clean Energy announced today the company is looking at a second wind energy project in Orleans County that would be focused in Barre and spread out in surrounding towns, as far northeast as Fancher and south into Elba.

The project would be called Heritage Wind and would represent a private investment by Apex “in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Apex said it’s too early to say how many turbines would be in the project, but it said is looking at a 200 Megawatt project, the same as the proposed Lighthouse Wind in Yates and Somerset.

The company will be actively meeting with landowners, community leaders and the public in the next several months, Apex posted on a website for “Heritage Wind.”

“The Heritage Wind project would provide an opportunity to help address New York’s growing electricity demand with clean, homegrown energy, while diversifying Orleans County’s economy and supporting jobs in the local community,” the company states on the website.

Apex is working on Lighthouse Wind, a project with about 70 turbines in Yates and Somerset in those two towns along Lake Ontario. The project has faced community opposition and is going through the state Article 10 review process.

Apex Clean Energy is based in Charlottesville, Va. It sees several positives with a project in the Barre area, including: verified wind resource, existing high-voltage power lines, expansive private land, and proximity to state highways.

The existing high-voltage power lines and highways would limit the need for new infrastructure, the company said.

Apex said Heritage Wind would create hundreds of jobs and significant local spending during construction, and up to 10 full-time local jobs for operations and maintenance.

The company would pay “millions of dollars” annually over 30 years to county and local landowners.

“Apex has spent the last few years working in Orleans County, and we’ve talked to hundreds of local people who are interested in bringing more wind energy to their county,” said Mark Goodwin, president and COO of Apex Clean Energy in a news release. “Orleans County is blessed with a very strong wind resource, and we look forward to working with the people of Barre to bring the benefits of wind energy to their community as well.”

For more on Heritage Wind, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Carolyn Ricker announced today she plans to close Bindings Bookstore on April 30 after 5 ½ years of business. She is pictured today in the store at 28 West Bank St.

ALBION – The owner of Bindings Bookstore announced today she plans to close the bookstore on April 30 after 5 ½ years. Carolyn Ricker said there is a chance a new owner may step forward in the next few days.

She said the bookstore has been profitable, but it wasn’t meeting her goal for a business after 5-plus years.

“It holds its own,” she said this afternoon at the store. “It’s not failing, it’s just hasn’t been what I hoped for my family.”

Ricker and her husband Jason have two teen-age children. Mrs. Ricker opened the store following a community survey for businesses in Albion. Many people who filled out the survey about seven years ago stated they wanted to see a bookstore in Albion.

Her top sellers were children’s books and items about local history. Ricker said she appreciated a faithful clientele, but she and other downtown businesses need more customers.

File photo – Carolyn Ricker dressed as Where’s Waldo in the Strawberry Festival Parade in June 2014 to promote a contest in Albion. She is pictured Jeffrey Brown (strawberry) and his brother Harrison (the bear).

She thinks about the sign in the storefront window of a Main Street building owned by Adam Johnson, who urges people to “Be part of the solution.”

Ricker said people don’t need to open a business but if they can be part of a thriving downtown with locally owned stores by spending money with those merchants.

Ricker has been battling Big Box stores and on-line companies such as Amazon. She said she built up a loyal customer base by catering to their needs, and offering to make deliveries.

Ricker also has been active with the Albion Merchants Association, serving as the group’s president and helping to run many events, such as a wine-tasting, holiday shopping tours, stained-glass window tour, Small Business Saturday, and other community efforts such as Where’s Waldo, which offered coupons for people who visited local businesses. Ricker also ran a monthly book club, and sponsored the “Tale for Three Counties” community reading project.

“She’s been very supportive of the businesses,” said Lisa Stratton, owner of the Hazy Jade Gift Shop.

Stratton stopped by Bindings today after Ricker announced the store’s closing on Facebook and to customers in an email. Stratton said the two are “Business Besties” who often team on projects and for moral support.

Bindings will have a sale with everything 30 percent off in its final week.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Three people were injured in accident at about 2:40 p.m. this afternoon on Route 31, just west of Long Bridge Road near the 4-H fairgrounds.

The driver of the white vehicle, a GMC Terrain SUV, was getting mail and made a 90-degree turn on 31 and was struck by an oncoming Ford Ranger pickup truck, a deputy on the scene said.

The passenger in the Terrain, the grandmother of the driver, needed to be extricated by Albion firefighters. She was taken by Mercy Flight helicopter to a hospital.

The drivers of both the SUV and pickup truck were also taken by ambulance, COVA and the Medina Fire Department, to hospitals.

No information was available about the extent of the injuries.

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Jonathan Higgins, a captain with the Medina Fire Department, interviews Meghan Hurley on Wednesday during mock interviews with Albion seniors in the school’s internship program.

Hurley has been interning at the Medina Fire Department with paramedics. She is considering a career as a nurse aesthetician.

Albion has 19 students in internships this semester and 17 were interviewed on Wednesday, with students preparing cover letters and resumes.

Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency, interviews Kyle Smith, who is interning with the EDA and considering a career in business.

Mary Leto, assistant superintendent at Albion Central School, interviews Olivia Prest, who has been interning at D & K Autobody. She is interested in a welding career.

(Tom Rivers, Orleans Hub editor, interviewed Katelyn Perry, who has been interning in Hoag Library with communications and also at Bloom’s Flower Shop. She is interested in a career in journalism.)

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Rotary Club presented $3,000 today to PAWS Animal Shelter, the proceeds from the first-ever Masquerade Ball at The Pillars on April 9.

Albion Rotarians Tammy Yaskulski, left, and Deb Boyer, right, were key organizers in the event. They present the check to Morgan Tinkous, manager of PAWS.

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Albion Betterment Committee is backing off plans to put a bronze statue of Santa Claus with a “Santa House” in a vacant spot next to the First Presbyterian Church after several merchants and past Village Board members expressed concerns that the land should be used for public parking. The Betterment Committee is looking at other sites, including Waterman Park, a spot on Main Street next to Cropsey and Cropsey.

ALBION – The Village Board was encouraged to support efforts for a bronze statue of Santa Claus in honor of Charles Howard, the Albion native who ran a Santa Claus School from 1937 until his death in 1966.

However, the Village Board was urged not to allow the Howard memorial to be erected on vacant land next to the First Presbyterian Church. The village took down a building that was considered unsafe five years ago with the goal of creating a parking lot. The spot hasn’t been turned into parking yet, but several merchants said they don’t want to see that potential go away.

Greg Schmitt of the Olde Coach Inn said he only has three parking spaces now for his business. He would like to add a sports bar, but not having access to the parking would hurt that effort.

Dean Theodorakos was mayor of Albion when the building was demolished. He spoke at the public hearing Wednesday about using the space for a Santa statue and memorial. Theodorakos favors keeping it for parking. He also urged the village to enforce existing two-hour parking in the downtown. He also shared his concern that a Santa House, which could sell merchandise and refreshments, be self-supporting and not be a drain on village finances.

The Albion Betterment Committee shared concerns about the aesthetics of a big parking lot on Main Street. Theodorakos said there were plans for green space if the village moves forward with the bigger lot.

(Editor’s note: I’m on the Santa committee and spoke during the public hearing. I suggested the village put historic-looking lights in the median of the parking lot and some small trees to be a buffer looking at the former Sneezy’s bowling alley and to help with the aesthetics of the space.)

As a committee member I favor the Waterman Park site on Main Street, a half block south of the canal. The site is owned by the village and much of the landscaping is done. The Memorial Art Company in Buffalo visited Albion twice about three years ago to look at spots for a potential quarryman memorial site.

That company, which has created and installed several bronze statues, thought Waterman was the best spot. It’s high-profile on Main Street with two intersecting sidewalks. The company didn’t like the land by the Presbyterian Church because a bronze would look so small next to a 175-foot-high building.

Waterman could be renamed the Charles W. Howard Memorial Park. Murals could added with a Santa theme and Christmas trees planted to create a Christmas feel (my opinion).

The Village Board would need to vote on making public space available for any Santa projects.

Maureen Bennett is a vendor across from Waterman in the Uptown Browsery. She thought the location with a statue would give a lift to several of the businesses that would be close by to the statue.

Community members have pitched other sites for a Santa statue and House, including this spot at the corner of Ingersoll and West Bank streets. I think it’s too far from Main Street and wouldn’t be a springboard for other businesses to piggyback off of. If the statue is on Main Street, I could see businesses opening with a Santa theme, or selling Santa-related merchandise.

The site at the former Swan Library also has been suggested for the Santa statue. The property is now privately owned by Chad Fabry. He wants to remove the large tree. Some people, including Village Trustee Pete Sidari, have suggested the statue could go there. (I don’t think the statue would “connect” well with the site. It would be harder to create a Santa theme here and I think the statue would look out of place.)

Ken McPherson is a graduate of the Charles Howard Santa Claus School, which is now in Midland, Mich. McPherson said Howard is well regarded among the Santa community. More than 200 attended a Santa conference in Albion a year ago.

The Betterment Committee would like a Santa statue to be made of bronze and placed in a prominent part of town, serving as a icon, much like the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial, which is featured in the film “A Perfect Storm” and remains a big part of the identity of this Massachusetts community.

McPherson is also on the local Santa committee. He said a statue would be a nice way to recognize Howard’s impact in the community and with the people who portray Santa around the world. McPherson would like to see a display of memorabilia of Christmas Park that tells the story of that site created by Howard on Phipps Road. However, McPherson said he wants a project that has strong support in the community.

Albion residents Lori Laine and Gary Condoluci also voiced support for the bigger project of a statue and “Santa House.” Laine said that combination would be a bigger draw to the downtown. However, she said she would support the statue at first, with the possibility of developing a Santa House later on.

Adam Johnson is working to develop a restaurant in the downtown. He submitted a letter that was read at the public hearing. Johnson didn’t want to give up parking spaces for a Santa House that he said doesn’t have a viable long-term plan. Johnson said he favors the statue at Waterman Park.

Resident Mark Parker also shared concerns about the viability of running a Santa House and the burden on the village with ongoing maintenance.

Another issue raised on Wednesday was whether Howard’s family would support a memorial project. Howard’s grandchildren attended the Santa convention a year ago and gave verbal support for the project. Village Board members said they want to see that in writing. McPherson said he knows Howard’s granddaughter, Jane Holland of Williamsville, and would see if she would state her support for the project.

Charles Howard is pictured in 1965 in one of the last times he wore the Santa suit. The 50th anniversary of his death is on May 1.

Condoluci said he remembers when he was a kid and visited Christmas Park and Howard.

Condoluci urged the Village Board to “take a leap of faith” and allow a Howard memorial to be created on village-owned land on Main Street.

“I remember Charlie Howard,” Condolucci said. He was a big deal. He is a very proud and vibrant part of Albion history.”

ALBION – Rob Conner, an Albion firefighter, sprays water on a brush fire at about 4 p.m. today. The fire was in a hedgerow in a field behind Mount Albion Cemetery.

Barre brought its brush fire truck and firefighters to assist Albion in putting out the fire. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has issued a burn ban through  May 14. The DEC was also called to the scene.

Albion and Barre firefighters work on extinquishing the fire, which was just west of the cemetery near Route 31.

James Neal from the Barre Fire Company heads to the scene to help put out the fire.

ALBION – A high school student’s car burst into flames this afternoon just before the student dismissal at about 2:20 p.m.

Mike Neidert, the Albion highway superintendent, was the first on the scene with a extinguisher and knocked down most of the flames. Albion firefighters also responded.

Two other cars had some heat damage – a deformed light cover or slight melt to the bumper, said Michael Bonnewell, the school district superintendent.

Nobody was injured from the incident.

Documentarians visit Pat Aina’s family in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers – Kay DiLaura displays a photo on Friday of her brother, Pasquale “Pat” Aina, who was killed in Japan by a suicide pilot on Aprl 18, 1945.

ALBION – Kay DiLaura still remembers the profound sadness when her brother, Pat Aina, died in Japan during World War II on April 18, 1945.

Aina was 26, a gunner on a plane who also worked radar and the radio. He and 10 other Americans were on a B-29 that was struck by a Japanese suicide pilot. The American plane spun out of control and came down near a Japanese air strip in Tachiarai. Aina’s family was notified of the crash, but he would be listed as missing for a year before his death was confirmed.

This photo, included in a booklet at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum, shows Aina’s crashed plane in Japan.

Aina had three grown brothers and a sister. Another sister died as an infant. DiLaura said her brother had a great sense of humor and loved his Italian roots. He taught himself Italian and wrote many letters to older people in Albion when he was at war. He wrote those notes in Italian and the people from Sicily loved that.

In December 2009, a package from Japan arrived in Albion for the family of Sgt. Pasquale Aina. The parcel was sent to 129 West Academy St., Aina’s home. The Aina family had moved from there more than 50 years previously.

But one of his cousins happened to be at the Post Office when the package arrived, and he directed Postal Service employees to DiLaura, who lives on Meadowbrook Drive.

Akio Tokunaga, an art constructor, sent the package to Aina’s family. Tokunaga requested a photo of Aina for a museum in Tachiarai, a museum dedicated to peace. Tokunaga said the museum would display the photos of the Americans “equally” as victims of war.

DiLaura agreed to send a picture of her brother, and a group photo of the 11 crew members from the downed plane. In November 2010, DiLaura’s daughter Suzanne Wells went to visit the museum. Her son Christopher lives in Japan.

“The museum is very well done,” she said.

She stood on the spot where her uncle’s plane crashed.

She said the museum includes moving displays about the loss of life from war. Wells has been the contact for Tokunaga. He visited Albion last Thursday and Friday with a documentary filmmaker. Wells helped get them in touch with family of two other crew members who died in the plane crash. Tokunaga and filmmaker Shinsuke Ogata also are going to Kansas City and Utah.

Akio Tokunaga meets with Suzanne Wells, left, and her mother Kay DiLaura.

Tokunaga said the peace museum has proven popular wit the public and sends an important message.

“I don’t want to see another war,” he said. “I don’t want it anymore.”

He said the museum wanted the recognize the loss of life, including the Americans.

“It’s quite unusual to have pictures of American soldiers ina  Japanese museum,” he said at DiLaura’s home on Friday. “But they are victims of the war, too.”

Pat Aina, far right, is pictured with his brothers, from left: Peter, Sam and James.

Wells said she had luck connecting with two of Aina’s crewmates through Facebook. She wants to keep reaching out to other families of the crew.

She appreciates Tokunaga’s efforts to recognize the 11 Americans who died in Tachiarai. (Aina was exhumed from a Japanese farm field in 1948. He was buried in the Punch Bowl in Hawaii, a national memorial cemetery.

DiLaura enjoyed talking about her brother with Tokunaga and Ogata.

“He was a great guy,” she said about Aina. “If he was here, he’d have something to say. He had a keen sense of humor.”

Akio Tokunaga is pictured next to Kay DiLaura during a visit to her home last week with Suzanne Wells and her husband Bob. Filmmaker Shinsuke Ogata, right, is making a documentary to be shown in Japan about Pat Aina and 10 other Americans who died after a suicide pilot crashed into their plane on April 18, 1945.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A passenger in a vehicle struck this afternoon at the West Countyhouse and Eagle Harbor-West Barre Road intersection was taken by ambulance to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia with minor injuries, a Sheriff’s deputy said at the scene.

The driver of a red pickup truck was following a tractor and drove through the Stop sign at about 1 p.m., striking the white vehicle, a deputy said.

Albion firefighters were on scene to extricate the passenger who was stuck inside due to the crumpled door.

Orleans County deputies, a state trooper and COVA were also on scene.

Provided photos

ROCHESTER – Scouts from Pack 164 served as Color Guard for the final Amerks home game on Friday. This has become an annual event for Pack 164.

Flag bearers were Nathan Stefani and Oliver Beach. Other Scouts include Alakai Colmenaro, Noah George, Ethan Merrill, Aaron Flanagan, Patrick Fox, Logan Scott-Grager, Michael Ryan, Logan Kast and Tristan Tilbe. Scout leaders on the ice include Rick Merrill, Mike Beach and John Kast.

John Kast, left, and the Scouts had close seats to the action.

The Amerks lost the home finale, 5-0, to the Albany Devils at The Blue Cross Arena.