First-ever Sustainability Fair packs Lyceum

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Leonel Rosario and his wife Dolores serve stuffed peppers with shrimp and fish that is covered in cheese corn sauce. They run Mariachi d’Oro Restaurant in Medina and were among the exhibitors during the first Ecumenical Sustainability Fair on Tuesday at Holy Family’s Lyceum.

Holy Family Parish, in cooperation with eight other local churches, hosted the Sustainability Fair that included 22 exhibitors who discussed recycling, composting, reducing consumption, caring for the environment and many other earth-friendly practices.

Photo by Tom Rivers

Leonel Rosario also discussed growing up poor in Mexico with the challenges to have enough food to eat and water to drink. Bob Golden, the event co-organizer, is at left.

“In Mexico, you were a vegetarian because you couldn’t afford meat,” Rosario said during a panel discussion.

Rosario said his childhood makes him value food and resources, and he tries to cook in small batches to reduce waste.

He also is a big advocate for preserving his Mexican culture, and leads many demonstrations on cooking and dancing.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski

More than 100 peope attended the Sustainability Fair to see exhibits, sample locally grown foods and hear presentations.

Photo by Tom Rivers

Sister Sharon Goodremote, an environmental educator in the Western New York Catholic Diocese, was the featured speaker during the Sustainability Fair. She discussed Pope Francis’ encyclical and shared practical ways for people to care for the Earth.

“I think it’s amazing to have so many people coming out to hear what Pope Francis has to say and how he is challenging us to care for creation,” Goodremote said.

Photo by Tom Rivers

Sister Sheila Stone, left, discusses ways, big and small, to care for the Earth and improve the health of a community. She is joined by Sister Sharon Goodremote during a panel discussion.

Stone worked 20 years at Buffalo Catholic Charities and has been involved in Sacred Heart Center and the EarthHeart ministry.

Stone said she is encouraged by some environmental success stories, such as the pushback against tobacco that has resulted in significant decreases in smoking rates. She spoke out in hearings against fracking and is pleased Gov. Cuomo and New York are banning the practice.

She suggested people go on nature walks.

“Spend time outside,” she said. “Get to know the trees and plants. Open yourself to awe and wonder.”

She would like to see more protection for the Great Lakes, including a ban on microbeads, tiny particles in cosmetics and in some dish soaps that end up in the lakes and harm fish.

The big threat to the world: Climate Change. Stone said government leaders and citizens need to address the issue.

“Just pray that the country has the will and the moral fiber to make some drastic changes when it comes to Climate Change,” she said.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Paula Bensley, back left, and Catherine Adams show off a healthy plant. They are both master gardeners with advice for growing flowers, plants and gardens. Master gardeners also have expertise for fighting invasive plants, such as hogweed.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Kay Walter helped serve grilled vegetables from Wegmans. The company donated money to help put on the Sustainability Fair.

ALBION – A child safety seat check event planned for this Saturday has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

The event was planned for the Save-A-Lot Plaza in Albion.

“This event will be re-scheduled for a future date and time,” said Sheriff Scott Hess. “The Sheriff’s Office regrets any inconvenience.”

ALBION – After a wet Saturday with more rain expected on Sunday, a car show has been moved to Sept. 27 at Bullard Park.

The third annual Albion car show was planned for 1 to 5 p.m. at Bullard Park on Sunday. Becky Karls, the event organizer, decided to move it to Sept. 27.

Registration for the show will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the park on Route 31.

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The ladder trucks from the Albion and Medina fire departments hold up a giant American flag during a Sept. 11 memorial service this evening in Albion.

The fire trucks were parked on Main Street in front of the Courthouse Square. That section of Main, between Park and State streets, was closed for about an hour. There was an observance service at 6 p.m. to reflect on the terrorist attacks 14 years ago that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Veterans formed an Honor Guard in front of the Sept. 11 memorial by the Orleans County Courthouse. The veterans include, from left: Gary Befus, Joe Gehl and Mike Donahue.

Larry Montello served as chief organizer of two memorial services today, with a 10 a.m. observance at the Elks Lodge in Albion and this evening’s event by the courthouse.

Albion firefighter Tim Irwin sings the national anthem.

Firefighters from Albion and Medina attend the service by the memorial at Courthouse Square. There were 343 firefighters who died in New York City when the World Trade Center towers collapsed after being struck by airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001.

The big flag flies high on Main Street during the service.

Firefighters put the flag away following the memorial observance.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman

ALDEN – The New York State Correctional Officers Honor Guard presented the colors during a moment of silence before the Albion-Alden varsity football game this evening on the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. To see highlights from the game and other local sports, click here.

John Keding says the job has become more high-tech

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – John Keding turned 80 today, and many of his customers and former employees stopped by his shop, Keding Automotive, to wish him well on his birthday.

Keding has owned the business at 309 East Ave. for more than four decades. He opened it on Jan. 16, 1974. But he has been working as a mechanic since he was a teen-ager, first repairing lawn mowers.

He learned the auto mechanic trade at the General Motors Institute in Flint, Mich., beginning the two-year program in 1953. He worked for General Motors for three years before a two-year stint in Army at Fort Dix from 1958 to 1960.

He returned to Albion in 1960 and worked as a mechanic for a car dealership for 13 years before a brief stint as an electrician.

He opened his owned business nearly 42 years ago and has been happy to come to work each day, fixing cars and connecting with customers.

“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t like it,” he said. “I’ve spent more than half of my life here.”

Keding has two full-time mechanics with Peter Heard and Jason Lutes. Karen Dibley is the office manager.

Heard has worked for Keding for 20 years.

“He’s a very intelligent man,” Heard said. “I’ve learned a lot from him.”

Heard said the mechanic’s job is physically demanding. He is amazed Keding tackles the work with such zest.

Keding said the work has become more high-tech with problems in cars more difficult to diagnose due to computers and electronics in vehicles.

“It’s a different style of analyzation,” Keding said. “It’s not as simple as using your hands. In this type of work you have to use your head and figure out why it’s not working. To do that you need to know how it should work.”

Keding said there is a mechanic shortage in the country. He thinks parents and schools push too many students away from careers in the skilled trades.

“This is a good business to get into, but it’s not easy,” Keding said. “We don’t have enough mechanics. It’s the same with electricians and plumbers. People don’t want to get their hands dirty.”

ALBION – A motorcyclist was injured in an accident on Tuesday afternoon at the intersection by the Wal-Mart in Albion, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department is reporting.

The incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. A 2002 Toyota 4-door sedan was travelling north on Gaines Basin Road and stopped for the stop sign at Route 31. The vehicle then entered the intersection in attempt to make a left turn and collided with a 1999 Harley Davidson Motorcycle, which was westbound.

The motorcycle operator was ejected from the machine. The driver has been identified as Frederick L. Melzer Jr., 66, of Albion.

Haaris Huzair, 18, of Waterport was the sole occupant of the Toyota. He was not injured.

Melzer was transported by Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance to Medina Memorial Hospital, and later transferred to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, the Sheriff’s Department reported.

Huzair was ticketed by Deputy M.C. Mele for Failure to Yield Right-of-Way at a Stop Sign. He will appear in Albion Town Court at a later date. Lt. C.M. Bourke assisted at the scene.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess

ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a Child Safety Seat Check on Saturday, Sept. 19, in front of the Dollar Tree Store in the Save-A-Lot Plaza located at 330 West Ave. The event will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Deputies who are certified Child Seat Technicians will be on hand to check seats for proper installation. They will also make sure that the child’s seat meets the standard for his/her age and weight.

Finally, they will exchange any expired seat and/or seat that has been recalled by the manufacturer.

For additional information, contact Deputy Jeff Cole at (585) 589-5527.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The 1-million-gallon water tank on Route 98 is pictured through a metal fence at the site north of the village in the Town of Gaines. A firm advised the village to spend $935,000 to bolster the tank with a series of improvements.

ALBION – The steel tank that holds 1 million gallons of water is rusty, with some open holes that could let in birds and wildlife, village officials were told last week.

Roger Linder, a representative for the Utility Service Group, detailed a list of improvements that total $935,000. Linder said the work would give the water tank from the early 1960s another half century of service.

“If you protect it, coat it and fix the holes, it will be as good as new,” Linder told the Village Board.

The water tank is north of the village on Route 98, near Watt Farms Country Market. Linder said the tank’s deficiencies will likely require some remedial action from the Orleans County Health Department.

Linder suggested having the inside of the tank coated, which would improve the water quality. The proposal from the company also includes a mixer for the interior of the tank, which would also improve the water, Linder said.

The project also should include an engineering inspection, sandblasting, steel repair and a second manway to meet standards from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), Linder said.

“Structurally the tank is still in OK shape,” Linder told the Village Board. “The longer we kick the can down the road the more expensive it becomes.”

Trustee Eileen Banker responded that nearly $1 million is a lot to spend on a tank from the early 1960s.

“That seems a little extreme to me,” she said.

Trustee Gary Katsanis said the village may want to look at the entire water delivery system and its water storage tanks. Perhaps the 1-million-gallon tank could be removed with its storage capacity shifted to the 3-million-gallon tank at the corner of routes 31A and 98 in Barre, Katsanis said.

Linder recommended the village work to keep the 1-million-gallon tank as an asset. The village has been adding new water districts to its system in the outlying towns, Linder noted.

“You don’t want to lose capacity,” Linder said.

“I’m just not sold on spending a million dollars on it,” Katsanis said.

The board will discuss with its engineering firm, Chatfield Engineers, about a possible study of the entire system, including the water storage tanks.

Village Attorney John Gavenda also wanted to check the legal issues with going with the proposal from the Utility Service Group. Gavenda said the village may need three proposals from firms before it could approve a project as part of the competitive bidding process.

Linder said his firm is willing to work out a multi-year financial arrangement with the village if it votes to move ahead with the project.

United Way is first tenant in historic building since it was vacated by library

File photo by Tom Rivers – The sale of the former Swan Library at 4 North Main St. closed today.

ALBION – More than six months after the board of trustees at Hoag Library approved an offer for the former Swan Library, the sale finally closed today.

The Hoag Library of the Swan Library Association sold the former mansion to Chad Fabry of Structuresmart Home Inspection. Fabry bought the building for $53,000.

The library moved out of the building in June 2012 to move to a new site with about 2 ½ times the space and much more parking.

The Swan building was constructed in 1851. Fabry wants to make the 6,000-square-foot building available for professional offices.

He has secured the first tenant for the building: the United Way of Orleans County.

“That’s a terrific anchor tenant,” he said today. “We’re super excited about the building. We’re excited about populating it with quality tenants.”

The $53,000 price included another $64 for the monthly garbage fee over the past four months ($16 a month).

The library agreed to pay $2,203 in closing costs, with the more costly items a survey for $600, legal fees for $500, $450 to redate the abstract, $300 to Farm Credit East for a release fee, and $212 for deed stamps.

Library President Kevin Doherty said the net proceeds of the sale, $50,861, will be used to pay down the mortgage debt owed to Farm Credit.

Fabry lives in Holley. He said he sees lots of potential in Albion, especially with the historic downtown buildings and many fine stately homes.

“It’s a beautiful town with a lot of beautiful architecture,” he said.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Gary Withey was inundated this morning with customers wanting the newest item at Fischer’s News Stand, which is closing on Sunday after more than a century as a fixture in downtown Albion.

The store is selling Fischer’s T-shirts in red or blue with the store logo. One of Withey’s friends, Jack Burris, dropped off 100 this morning at 7. By noon there were 20 left.

Withey is pictured at the store with employee Missy Schening. They are wearing the new shirts.

“It’s insane,” Withey said about the rush on the shirts. “I’m speechless and I’m never speechless.”

Burris is giving the proceeds from the shirt sales to Withey. If all 100 sell, Burris expects he can give Withey $1,000.

Withey has owned the store for 20 years. Other news stands closed in Medina, Batavia, Rochester and other Western New York communities. Withey kept his going in a challenging business environment.

“I’ve been self employed for 25 years and it’s tough,” Burris said. “I give him props for sticking it out for 20 years. I have nothing but respect for him for what he did the past 20 years.”

Gary and his wife Denise became owners of Fischer’s in January 1995. They ran the business as a team. Last October, Denise suffered catastrophic kidney failure. She was on dialysis until her death at age 51 on Feb. 27.

Her husband will start a new job in September as a medical courier for ACM Medical Laboratory in Buffalo. Withey won’t have to work holidays and weekends in the new job.

He said he is thankful for the community support, including the latest push to buy a Fischer’s shirt.

The supply is nearly gone, and Burris said he will order more from Digital Ink Arts. D.J. Button at Digital Ink turned the shirts into a reality on Tuesday evening, after Burris had the idea only on Saturday.

“This is just to show support for Gary,” Burris said. “The shirts look really cool.”

Fischer’s will be open until 1 p.m. on Sunday. For information on getting a shirt, go to the store or email fischerstees@gmail.com.

File photos by Tom Rivers  – Five people were injured in a two-vehicle accident on Jan. 24 at the intersection of Gaines Basin Road and West Countyhouse Road. Albion Fire Chief Harry Papponetti said it is one of three intersections in the Albion community prone to frequent collisions.

ALBION – Reducing speeds, adding signage and perhaps flashing lights may be the answer to reducing some of the accidents at three notorious intersections in the Albion community, Fire Chief Harry Papponetti told the Village Board this evening.

The intersections are all outside the village. The Albion Fire Department is frequently called to extricate trapped drivers, clean up roadways, direct traffic and provide emergency care.

On Friday the Fire Department was back at the intersection at Gaines Basin and Albion-Eagle Harbor roads after an accident. One person needed to be extricated from a smashed vehicle.

Four people were taken to the hospital following a two-car accident on Friday at the Gaines Basin Road and Albion-Eagle Harbor Road intersection.

“We have three very serious intersections and the town and county aren’t doing anything about it,” Papponetti told the Village Board.

Gaines Basin Road has another dangerous spot at the intersection with Countyhouse Road, Papponetti said. Another bad intersection is on Route 31 at Eagle Harbor Road.

All three of the intersections have been the scene of fatal collisions and many serious accidents over the years, he said.

Village officials and Police Chief Roland Nenni agreed the three spots are dangerous. He said county dispatch could generate a report on all of the accidents in recent years.

Mayor Dean London said the Village Board could write a letter to the town and county, as well as the state Department of Transportation, asking them to look into making the spots safer for motorists.

Firefighters sweep up debris after three vehicles were involved in an accident on Route 31 at the Eagle Harbor Road intersection on March 2.

Papponetti said there was another bad intersection in Albion at Holley Road and Riches Corners Road. But there have been few accidents there since the speed was reduced near the intersection, he said.

Gaines Basin Road has become busier since Wal-Mart opened about a decade ago. Papponetti also thinks some motorists try to avoid Main Street and the traffic lights and use Gaines Basin as a short cut.

Albion-Eagle Harbor Road has dips on the west side of Gaines Basin and a curve on the east side. Papponetti said he would like to at least see the speed be reduced. Village Attorney John Gavenda said there should be a four-way stop there.

The DOT responded to pressure about one dangerous intersection in the county. The state last year agreed to reduce the speed on a stretch of Maple Ridge Road near the Salt Works Road intersection in Medina.

Photos by Tom Rivers

BATAVIA – Scotty McMurray, a member of the St. Mary’s team in the Albion Midget League, follows Jordan Holloway, a pitcher for the Batavia Muckdogs, onto the Dwyer Stadium field on Sunday. St. Mary’s was invited to be in the dugout before the game and follow the players on the field for introductions and the National Anthem.

Nick Andrews joins Muckdogs infielder Alexander Fernandez in a trot onto the field. Both were introduced by the announcer.

The St. Mary’s team, led by coach Andrew Campbell (left), waits by the Muckdogs dugout before introductions.

Muckdogs catcher Brad Haynal and Deyonci Farley of St. Mary’s wait to take the field.

St. Mary’s and Muckdogs players stand in the outfield for the National Anthem. The group includes, from left: Zack Olles of St. Mary’s, Travis Brewster for the Muckdogs, Stone Garrett for the Muckdogs, Christian Swierczinski for St. Mary’s, Shane Hastings for St. Mary’s, and Galvi Moscat for the Muckdogs.

After the anthem, St. Mary’s players Christian Swierczinski, left, and Shane Hastings sprint off the field.