By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 July 2020 at 5:41 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
CLARENDON – Numerous fire departments and hazmat response crews are in Clarendon after a tanker flipped on the curve on Route 237 and spilled thousands of gallons of liquid fertilizer with nitrogen.
The accident happened at about 3:30 p.m. Route 237 is shut down between the Route 31A intersection and Hinds Road. The tanker flipped on the curve near the Hanson quarry.
Media are not allowed close to the scene. The State Police is handling the situation with assistance from many local fire departments, the DEC Spill Response Team, Monroe County Hazmat Team and other first responders.
The tanker rolled into the cattails at the curve, which is considered a wetland.
The driver of the truck was taken by ambulance. A person on site said the driver didn’t appear to have serious injuries.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 10 July 2020 at 10:15 am
Jeremy and Tracy Van Ameron opened Van’s Pit Stop right before Covid-19 pandemic hit
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Jeremy Van Ameron stands with his daughter Ali and wife Tracy in front of their store on Route 237 in Clarendon. Jeremy, who owns an auto repair shop in Albion, plans to move that business to Clarendon in the near future.
CLARENDON – An Albion businessman and his family are being welcomed into the town of Clarendon, and applauded for committing to a new business during the recent pandemic.
Jeremy Van Ameron and his wife Tracy purchased the convenience store and gas station on Route 237 in October. They spent months cleaning and remodeling, with plans to move his auto repair shop there.
“We started selling food and gas in February, and then the pandemic hit,” Tracy said. “We had to shut down our seating area inside.”
“Then gas prices dropped off because nobody was going anywhere,” Jeremy said. “But the Clarendon community helped us a lot. They provided a ton of support.”
Tracy said they were in awe of the amount of support the community provided.
“That’s what us locals do,” said Nyla Gaylord, coordinator of the Clarendon Farmers’ Market, which the Van Amerons invited to set up this year on their property. “We like to hang out and talk, and the Van Amerons put tables out in front for us.”
Gaylord commended the Van Amerons for not giving up when things were so difficult. She said Tracy, who is a software engineer for L3 Harris Corporation, not only had to work her job during the pandemic, as well as the new business, but she was faced with home schooling her children: Justin, 16 and Ali, 12. A son Zach was a student in college.
Jeremy grew up in Albion, but moved back to Clarendon in 1997. Since purchasing the convenience store they call Van’s Pit Stop, they have expanded the menu to include wings, chicken tenders, hot and cold subs, steakburgers, various sides and a pit plate of two hamburgers or cheeseburgers, fries or home fries, macaroni salad and meat sauce. A variety of breakfast sandwiches are also available.
A Friday night fish try has become very popular, Jeremy said. They use only fresh, skinless haddock, with comes with fries, cole slaw or macaroni salad.
They just recently added ice cream.
The store is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The kitchen closes each night one hour before the store closing.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 10 July 2020 at 9:51 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Luchiya Zbanke of Holley, left, who displayed her paintings and hand painted Panama hats, at the Clarendon Farmers’ Market on its opening day Thursday, talks with Nyla Gaylord. Gaylord, who started the market, holds a dozen of her eggs, which she sells as a market vendor. The market will be open from 3:30 to 6 p.m. every Thursday at its new location, Van’s Pitt Stop on Route 237.
CLARENDON – The Clarendon Farmers’ Market opened for the season on Thursday at its new location at Van’s Pitt Stop on route 237, just north of Clarendon’s four corners.
Participation was light for the first day, because of a late growing season, said Nyla Gaylord, who is the market coordinator. Things will pick up as the season progresses, she said.
Vendors for the first day included Theresa Jewell of Holley with alpaca socks and boot liners, homemade masks and sunbonnets; Terry Garrison of Albion with handmade kitchen towels and crocheted baby blankets; Dawn Pulcino of Holley with baked goods, homemade jellies and lemonade; Luchiya Zbanke of Holley with paintings and hand-painted Panama hats; and Gaylord with eggs.
Gaylord originally started the market on the grounds of the Historical Society, but said they made the decision to move to Van’s Pitt Stop on Route 237, hoping for more traffic and to support the new local business.
“Together, it’s a win-win situation,” Gaylord said.
Elaine Ryan, left, and Theresa Jewell of Holley hold a mannequin wearing a sun bonnet and mask, which Jewell sold in her booth at the Clarendon Farmers’ Market on Thursday, along with alpaca socks and boot liners. Jewell and her husband Chuck are members of the Empire Alpaca Association.
The vendors who braved the hot temperatures to be at the market’s opening day were all happy to be able to participate and showcase their wares.
Jewell and her husband Chuck own Stoney Meadows Alpacas and Stone Mountain Looms at their farm on Glidden Road. They are members of the Empire Alpaca Association and support fiber growers from all over the area, who bring their fiber to the Jewells, who then send it to the mill. The Jewells also support Medina FFA and have donated animals for teacher Todd Eick and his students.
Theresa Jewell said she and her husband will take their alpacas to a show in Syracuse in October, along with the Medina FFA, where they will explain fiber growing to the public.
Clarendon Town Supervisor Dick Moy visited the Farmers’ Market Thursday to show his support.
“He is very supportive of us,” Gaylord said. “He makes Clarendon ‘friendly’.”
Dawn Pulvino of Holley, left, sells a jar of her homemade jelly to Mary Ann Siembor at opening day of the Clarendon Farmers’ Market on Thursday. At rear is Pulcino’s dad, Alfred Pulcino III. Dawn, who runs a bakery, also sold crustadas, fudge, biscuits and lemonade.
Terry Garrison said she crochets all winter and her baby blankets and hand towels are a big hit. She prices her items reasonably, selling the hand towels for three for $5.
“I sell a lot of them,” she said.
Dawn Pulcino, who runs a bakery in Holley, said her first customer on Thursday bought all her homemade fudge, but she still had a large assortment of jellies, biscuits for 50 cents, lemonade, fruit crustadas and penny candy.
Her jellies included traditional strawberry, plum and orange marmalade, and combinations, such as strawberry rhubarb and raspberry habanero. She offered samples on crackers or pretzels. In the future, she will have homemade vanilla and orange extracts.
Luchiya Zbanke of Holley was thrilled to be part of the Farmers’ Market with her paintings, T-shirts and hand-painted Panama hats. A native of Romania, she has only been in the United States for four years and in Holley with her husband Marciel for the last two. She recently became a citizen, Gaylord explained.
The Clarendon Farmers’ Market will be open from 3:30 to 6 p.m. every Thursday.
