By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 July 2023 at 7:50 am
Provided photos
HOLLEY – Holley Police Chief Bob Barton administers the oath of office to Chris Glogowski of Holley last week. Glogowski, a member of the Albion Police Department, is joining the Holley Police Department as a part-time officer.
Chief Barton also swore in two other new part-time officers. A.J. Fisher of Albion (left) and Tony Ardillo of Spencerport are currently in the police academy and are expected to be working in Holley once they graduate in December.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 June 2023 at 3:54 pm
HOLLEY – Three people were elected to Holley Village Board during the village election on June 20, including incumbents Rochelle Moroz with 74 votes and James DeFilipps with 78. They both were elected to two-year terms.
Voters also elected Jessica MacClaren to a one-year term. She received 36 write-in votes. No one submitted a petition to the village office to run for the one-year term which left it to the top write-in candidate. MacClaren will fill the remaining year for a trustee position vacated by Connie Nenni.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 June 2023 at 5:29 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The Class of 2023 tosses their caps outside the school near the flag pole after commencement this morning.
There are 60 members in the class. Graduation was held inside the school in the auditorium before going outside for the cap tossing.
Lily Sprague leads her classmates and the audience in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Sprague is also the class president and gave a greeting on behalf of the class.
She said her classmates had two of their high school years disrupted by the pandemic. She praised the students for bringing a range of skills and talents to the class, and using them to help keep the Class of 2023 united.
She shared a quote from musician Marshall Mathers, also known as Eminem: “God gave you them shoes to fit you, so put them on and wear them. Be yourself man, be proud of who you are. Even if it sounds corny, don’t let no one tell you, you ain’t beautiful.”
High School Principal Matt Feldman welcomes the families and friends of the graduates to commencement. Feldman just finished his first year as principal in Holley.
Feldman commended teachers and staff “who challenge students to be the best version of themselves.”
Lydia Sprague sings the Star Spangled Banner. She is also the class vice president and announced the class gift. She said the remaining funds from the class will be used to purchase Holley Hawk folding chairs and also to provide Cathy Passarell “with a day of pampering and relaxation” in appreciation for all she has done for the students.
(Left) Ava Quincey gives the salutatory address, and said she is thankful for the smaller, close-knit community of Holley.
“There is no group of people I’d rather have on my side to face this journey,” she said about her school years at Holley.
She encouraged her classmates to document their life’s adventures and milestones. She said many memories were triggered by looking back on photos from elementary, middle and high school.
“I’m asking you all as you graduate today to not hide from the camera,” Quincey said. “We have our lives ahead of us and we have albums to fill.”
(Right) Elise Quincey, the class valedictorian, addresses her classmates. She and Ava are one set of three twins in Holley’s top 10 of graduates. Lydia and Lily Sprague, and Sarah and Shannon Kelly are the others.
Elise Quincey thanked the Holley community for its support of the students. She said her classmates are all unique. She urged people not to see the world in just black and white, and recognize there are many differences among people.
Andrew Thomas goes to accept his diploma during Holley’s commencement today. The ceremony started at 10 a.m. in the school auditorium.
Cameron Bates stands to be recognized for winning a scholarship in memory of Richard V. Martin and Maynard W. Martin. The scholarship goes to a senior who has made the greatest contribution t athletics during four years at Holley Senior High School.
Harriet Emery is congratulated by Board of Education member Andrea Newman.
Matthew Barlow is recognized for winning a scholarship from retired principal Susan Cory. It goes to a senior “who values education but more importantly, values people and treats everyone well.”
Zachary Busch, the school’s high school band director, was asked by seniors to give the commencement address. Busch is a 2011 Medina graduate. He is nearing his 30th birthday.
He has helped bring back the school’s jazz band and a combined marching band with Kendall. He is also the school’s golf coach.
Busch asked students to reflect on a legacy. He said the Holley schools show a legacy of accomplishment with trophy cases full of awards, banners for standout athletes and the Wall of Fame. Those awards were earned through years of effort.
“No good legacy is created quickly,” Busch said. “You have your whole life ahead of you. You will shape your legacy. There is time in your life to do many things.”
Busch said his time at Holley has showed him the people of Holley are strongly supportive of the school, and they come out for athletic games, concerts, musicals and other events.
Holley has also shown, again and again, to be very generous, especially to students in need, Busch said.
“Holley will rally for those who are sick,” he said. “They will give with no expectation of being repaid.”
Those attributes are part of the legacy from the community instilled in the graduates, Busch said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 June 2023 at 11:03 am
Many teachers still have trouble telling sisters apart
Photo by Tom Rivers: Three sets of twins will be graduating from Holley on June 24. Pictured from left include Elise Quincey, Lily Sprague, Sarah Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Ava Quincey and Lydia Sprague.
HOLLEY – Three sets of twins in Holley’s Class of 2023 have been in school together since kindergarten and the group has pushed each other to excel in the classroom.
Lily and Lydia Sprague, Sarah and Shannon Kelly, and Ava and Elise Quincy all have been close friends for more than a decade, and they said their twin is like a “built-in best friend.”
The three sets of twins all have the distinction of excelling in the classroom in finishing in the Top 10 in the Class of 2023, which has about 60 students. Ava Quincey is the salutatorian while her sister Elise is top in the class valedictorian.
The twins, after spending their lives so close, will be forging their own paths this fall and won’t be attending the same college.
“We’re all excited to become our own person,” said Lydia Sprague, who is going to the University of Rochester to major in psychology. “We’re excited to start our own lives.”
Her sister Lily is taking a gap year and plans to enroll in Brockport State College in the fall of 2024, majoring in education.
Lydia said teachers through the years often couldn’t tell her and her sister apart, and will simply lumped them together.
“The teachers have gotten better this year,” Lydia said. “It is annoying when they just call us the Spragues and don’t acknowledge that we’re separate people.”
Sarah and Shannon Kelly are twins but feel like there are clear differences in their appearance. Sarah doesn’t wear glasses and Shannon does. Shannon has straight hair compared to her sister’s curls.
“It’s like having a built-in best friend,” Shannon said about her twin sister. “But it does get annoying when people call us by different names.”
Shannon is headed to Monroe Community College to study to be a dental hygienist. Sarah is taking a gap year before she plans to enroll in flight school.
Sarah said she is proud of all the Top 10 at Holley for pushing themselves to do well in their classes and get all their assignments done.
Ava Quincey is the class salutatorian and Elise is the valedictorian. They will both speak at graduation on June 24.
Ava is headed to Geneseo State College to major in education while Elise is going to Nazareth College to major in global sustainability and political science.
Elise said she is thankful to have her sister as a twin “because she is so cool.”
She said people often are overly fixated on the two sisters being twins.
“Be respectful of their individuality,” Elise urged people when interractign with twins. “Don’t treat twins as a zoo animal.”
Elise also said she is proud of her classmates, and how far they have come as students, especially enduring through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ava said next year will be so different for the three sets of twins as they embark on the next steps of life after high school, and in their new surroundings they won’t be known as a twin.
“It will be so different because we’ve only know being twins our whole lives,” Ava said. “We get to find ourselves.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2023 at 10:30 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Boy Scouts in Troop 62 in Holley, Gunner Knight in yellow vest and Jack Breuilly in front, paddle a cardboard boat held together with 12 rolls of duct tape.
They are racing Avery Haggerty who was on a boat made from Big Guys Campground.
The Boy Scouts made it easily across the Erie Canal as part of a trial regatta for the Holley June Fest on Saturday. Organizers were pleased with the race and want to open up the event to the community next year.
The boat paddled by Avery was a bit wobbly and seemed to spin around in a circle.
Boy Scouts check the boat for sturdiness while it was on the north side of the canal, just east of the lift bridge. Logan Lane, Gabe Haggerton and Zack Mrzywka also were part of the Scout team on Saturday.
These adult volunteers carry the Scout boat to the canal water. The Scouts named the boat, “S.S. Waterhog.”
Jack Breuilly, left, and Gunner Knight get ready paddle about 150 feet to the other side of the canal. The teams could have no more than two people in a boat.
Brian Bartalo, Holley district superintendent, would like to see different teams and clubs from the school enter the competition next year.
The June Fest also included a performance from the Holley-Kendall Marching Band.
The band started at Public Square and headed to White Street and then to the canal park.
The June Fest included bounce houses, pony rides, alpacas, food, beverages, craft vendors and a wine-tasting.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 June 2023 at 12:29 pm
Klafehn, Heise & Johnson takes over space and clients for retiring Jeff Martin
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Dave Gagne, right, president of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce welcomes Kevin Johnson and other attorneys and staff for Klafehn, Heise & Johnson to Holley’s Public Square.
Jeff Martin, center left, is retiring after more than 40 years as a local attorney. He is handing off his clients and office to Kevin Johnson, second from left.
Klafehn, Heise & Johnson already has an office in Brockport at 109 Main St. Johnson said the Brockport site has many clients who come from Orleans County. The Holley office will make it easier for them to meet with staff in person.
Jeff Martin, far left, cuts the ribbon with staff from Klafehn, Heise & Johnson during an opening celebration on Friday evening. Klafehn, Heise & Johnson have been working out of Holley since January.
Other staff in the photo include, from left of Johnson: Melissa Rutherford, a paralegal focusing on Medicaid issues; Brittani Bradshaw, a paralegal focusing on Medicaid and estate; Marnie Johnson, human resources and office manager; Jacinda Styers, receptionist; and Samantha Sullivan, attorney. Carrie Bonacci, a probate paralegal who also works in administrating estates, also attended the celebration. Holley mayor Mark Bower is at right.
Kevin Johnson grew up in Holley until age 10. He is one of three attorneys with the firm, including Roy Heise and Samantha Sullivan. (The late Mark Klafehn also was active with the firm until he passed away in 2011.)
“We’re thrilled to be here in Holley,” Johnson said after a ribbon cutting. “We’re here to serve whatever your needs.”
Holley Mayor Mark Bower welcomed the firm to the Public Square.
“To have you Kevin taking over this firm is wonderful for the Village of Holley,” Bower said. “And thank you Jeff for your years and years of service to Holley.”
Martin said he feels good knowing his clients will be well cared for by Klafehn, Heise & Johnson.
“I’m leaving my clients in excellent hands,” he said.
Photo by Tom Rivers: This mural of the Erie Canal and Myron Holley, an early canal commissioner who the village is named after, is on the back of the Community Free Library. It is being painted by retired Holley art teacher Tony Barry. There will be a celebration of the mural today at 9 a.m. to help kick off Holley's June Fest.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 June 2023 at 7:50 am
HOLLEY – June Fest will be today in the Village of Holley, and organizers say there are many activities throughout the day for people of all ages.
The schedule starts at 9 a.m., with the unveiling of a canal-themed mural on the back of the Community Free Library. Tony Barry isn’t quite done with the project that highlights Holley’s namesake, Myron Holley. He was an early canal commissioner who was influential in the construction of the manmade waterway.
The Holley-Kendall Marching Band will perform at 9:30 a.m. and the go in a processional playing music through the Public Square, down White Street to the canal gazebo.
The festival also will debut a cardboard regatta in the Erie Cana at 9:45 a.m. The participants were by invite-only. Rainey Losee, one of the organizers, wants people to see the regatta and get ideas on how to make it bigger next year.
Holley is trying the regatta after some of the organizers saw it in Watkins Glen. There needs to be teams of at least two people in boats made of cardboard and held together with duct tape. Today they will only race from the south side of the canal to the north side.
“It’s something fun and unique,” Losee said. “I think it will be cool.”
There will be 50 vendors in the canal park and path. There will be bounce houses, pony rides, alpacas, food, beverages, craft vendors and a wine-tasting.
At 12:30 p.m., Mark Ross of Woodstock will put on his family entertainment show to the pavilion. There will be a 7:30 p.m. concert by Beggars will Ride which includes Holley alumni Tom Mark, Rick Brunette and Daniel Mark.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church also is selling chicken barbecue dinners from 11:30 a.m. until sold out, and The Whole Approach will be leading yoga and other fitness activities near the waterfalls. There will be other games during the day by the falls: badminton, cornhole, volleyball, lawn darts, frisbee, horseshoes and a coloring activity.
“The festival is important to the village,” Losee said. “People are happy to have a reason to be out and about.”
Photos by Tom Rivers: Caleb Donley, a ninth-grader, fires at a clay target during a practice on Thursday evening for the Holley trap team. The team took first out of eight schools in 1A - Conference 10 for the first title since the school started the trap team in 2016.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 May 2023 at 9:19 am
HOLLEY – The school’s trap team has won its conference for the first time since Holley joined the NYS High School Clay Target League in 2016.
This is the eighth season Holley has been in the league. Holley earned second places in prior seasons, but took first this time based on the cumulative scores of its shooters over five weeks of competition.
The team has 18 students, from grades seven to seniors. Holley finished first out of 8 teams in 1A – Conference 10. The scores are counted for 12 of the shooters on the teams.
Holley trap shooting team members are pictured on Thursday evening at their final practice of the season. Pictured, from left, in front are Hunter Pachla, Leigha Walker, Kohle Pachla and Mason Merle. Back row: Tessa Hazzard, TJ Calvaruso, Caleb Donley, Ryan Blodgett, Ashton Buzard, Jaxson Schicker, Teanna Church and Layne Walker. Others on the team not in photo include Max Hollister, Mason Moyer, Evan Press, Joshua Silpoch, Noah St. John and Ronald Thorn.
Holley’s score of 3,984.50 topped Unatego High School in second with 3,573, Genesee Valley in third at 3,331.50, Trumansburg in fourth at 2,874, Sandy Creek in fifth at 2,776, Paul V. Moore in sixth at 2,680, Voorheesville in seventh at 2,310, and Romulus in eighth at 1,751.
Two other schools in Orleans County compete in the trap shooting league. Albion was fifth out of 8 teams in 1A – Conference 1 with East Aurora in first. Kendall was fifth out of 8 teams in 1A – Conference 8 with Berlin High School in first in that conference.
The schools are grouped based on the size of their teams. They compete at their home bases virtually against the other teams. They aren’t competing at the same spot next to each other in person.
Holley’s team competes at the Holley Rod and Gun Club. A trap house fires clay discs at up to 42 miles an hour from five different angles. The shooters move to five different stations and take 50 shots per round. They have to hit targets at different heights, angles and speeds.
Many of Holley’s shooters hit 40 or more of the 50 targets – an 80 percent or better rate.
“It’s practice, practice, practice – and concentration,” sad head coach John Waldron. Other coaches include Butch Moy, Doug Baker and Mike Elsner.
John Waldron, head coach of the team, gives a safety briefing before the team started practice on Thursday. They also had pizza to celebrate their first conference championship for Holley in trap shooting.
The coaches thanked the community for donating money for the team to buy ammunition. There are collections for people to donate at Sam’s Diner and Dustin’s Pizzeria.
Caleb Donley, a freshman, has been on the team for two seasons. He said he didn’t hit many of the targets the first year but now is breaking about half of them.
“It’s great competition,” he said on Thursday at the Rod & Gun Club. “I’ve gotten way better since the first time I did it.”
Caleb said it take s good hand-eye coordination to be a good shooter.
“It prepares you for hunting season,” he said.
Teanna Church, 16, said her skills have improved in trap shooting. She looks forward to joining her father when they go out hunting. Teanna also plays on Holley’s softball team.
Teanna Church, a junior, enjoys going hunting with her father. She said her skills have improved from being on the trap shooting team. She has hit 33 of the 50 targets. She said it was a challenge at first to be a good shooter.
“I’ve grown from when I started,” she said. “I have more confidence. I’m not someone who quits on something.”
She praised her teammates for being disciplined and focused to prepare for the competitions.
“I think we’ve done a very good job,” she said about the trap shooters. “We’ve all grown and have been working very hard.”
TJ Calvaruso, right, and Holley grad Ethan Waldron were partners in a shooting game on Thursday. Waldon, 20, was on the team its first six years. Calvaruso, 15, is one of Holley’s top shooters. He usually hits at least 45 of the 50 clay discs.
TJ Calvaruso has patches showing streaks where he has hit 25, 50 and 75 taregts in a row. His record is 99 consecutive.
Teanna Church, left, and Layna Walker take aim at the orange clay target (high above Layman’s head) at the Holley Rod & Gun Club.
HOLLEY – There will be a Memorial Day parade in the village of Holley on May 29. The parade participants will arrive at the American Legion/Holley Post Office between 9:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
Participants will line up and proceed towards the traffic light and turn left on Route 237. The parade will go directly to Hillside Cemetery.
A ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Flag Pole, including the placement of wreaths and the reading of the Gettysburg Address.
The community is welcome to be part of the parade as a participant or spectator. Any questions can be directed to Melissa Ierlan at 585-402-0148.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 May 2023 at 8:34 am
Provided photos
SPRINGVILLE – The marching bands from Albion and Holley-Kendall both earned first place awards during the Springville Pageant of Bands on Saturday.
Albion’s marching band had the top overall score in the parade at 97.6. There were nine marching bands in the parade on a rainy day.
Albion also was honored for Outstanding Colorguard, Outstanding Drum Major Team (Jason Anstey and Audrey Pask) and Class B Champion.
The Albion band next performs on Saturday at the Darien Lake Music Fest, and then for the Memorial Day parade in Albion on May 29.
The Holley-Kendall Marching Band competed for the first time at the Springville Pageant of Bands and earned a 1st Place finish in Class C for the parade competition with a score of 92.6, which was more points than the bands from West Valley and Genesee Valley.
Taigan Guerrero, a Kendall senior and Holley-Kendall marching band drum major also was recognized as Best Drum Major in the parade.
The band was welcomed back to town with an enthusiastic escort from Holley Police Department, Murray Joint Fire District, Clarendon Fire Department and Kendall Fire Department.
The Holley-Kendall Marching Band will be performing at Holley June Fest on June 3, Albion Strawberry Festival on June 10, and on June 14 at Hawk Stadium in Holley for the annual spring showcase and awards ceremony.
The Holley-Kendall Marching Band is under the Direction of Zach Busch (Holley), Assistant Direction of Scott Wheeler (Holley) & Meghan Pitarresi (Kendall), and Color Guard Direction of Emily Kwiatkowski.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2023 at 7:52 am
Photos courtesy of Jack Kohmann
HOLLEY – Scouts in Troop 59 of Clarendon on Thursday placed over 450 flags on the veterans’ graves at the three cemeteries in the Holley/Clarendon area in time for Memorial Day, which is on May 29.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2023 at 9:32 am
Provided photos
FANCHER – Matt Passarell, left, of the VFW and American Legion in Albion holds a historical marker with Murray Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio. The new marker was unveiled on Wednesday in a ceremony attended by veterans, historians and local residents.
The Pomeroy Foundation paid for the cost of the new marker which is at the Fancher Curve on Route 31 and highlights the World War II memorial.
The monument is made of Medina Sandstone with a green mortar and four clock faces. It was originally dedicated on Aug. 14, 1949 as a monument to 10 young men from the Fancher community who were killed in World War II. Those soldiers include John Christopher, Joseph Christopher, Cosmo Coccitti, Floyd Valentine, John Kettle Jr., Leonard Licursi, Martin Licursi, Camille Nenni, Richard Merritt and Richard Vendetta. They left the hamlets of Fancher, Brockville and Hulberton and went off to war and didn’t return.
“This was an underappreciated piece of property,” Sidonio said on Wednesday. “Now there is increased general awareness about what it is. This is a visual reminder that this is an important triangle. People should know it’s not just a municipal clock. It is a World War II monument.”
From left include Dan Mawn, president of the Murray-Holley Historical Society; Ron Ayrault, an American Legion member who attended the memorial’s dedication ceremony as a kid on Aug. 14, 1949; and Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio.
Mawn also did the electrical upgrades to get the clock working again inside the memorial.
Veterans who attended the ceremony on Wednesday included Scott Galliford, the American Legion post commander in Holley; Jeff Brien, VFW Post commander in Holley; Mike Donahue, VFW Post commander in Albion; Ron Ayrault, Dave Cole, James Coates, Joe Sidonio, Kevin Foley, Chuck Eberhardt, Joe Gehl, Matt Passarell, Gary Dingle and Rex Hultz.
Joe Sidonio and Ron Ayrault spoke during the historical marker unveiling. Sodonio said the marker culminates two years of effort to restore the memorial and increase public awareness about the site’s purpose, that it isn’t just a municipal clock.
About two years ago the effort was jump-started by a phone call from Dr. Fred Fiorito, a Fancher native. He offered to help pay for restoring the memorial.
Sidonio also thanked Erin Anheier of Clarendon who wrote the application to get the site listed on the National Register of Historic Places last year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 May 2023 at 12:44 pm
‘The goal is to have engaged young voters who will roll back their sleeves and help their communities.’
Photos by Tom Rivers: These Holley seniors are among a group from Holley pursuing the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness. They include, in front, from left: Julia Scroup, Lily Sprague, Ava Quincey and Rosie Emery. In back: Elise Quincey and Casey Onisk. Other students pursuing the Seal include Ryan Blodgett, Morgan Blosenhauer, Erin DeFrank, Emma Downey, Sarah Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Ryan Frank and Aidan McFadden. Last year in the debut of the program three students met the requirements for the Seal.
HOLLEY – A group of students at Holley are part of a new program in the state that seeks to develop citizen leaders.
Holley students have been working hard on the Seal of Civic Readiness that not only builds knowledge of the government, but pushes students to put their knowhow into action.
Holley students seeking the Seal have been writing letters to the editor, advocating for a sustainable environment, running an outreach program for veterans, and leading an awareness walk about acceptance of the LGTBQ community, among the many efforts to be leaders on issues of importance to them.
Holley last year was among the pilot school districts in the state to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness. There were only 50 school districts in the state in the pilot program, and Holley and Elba were the only districts in the four-county GLOW region in the initial year of the program. The state wanted a cross-section of rural, suburban and city school districts to “test” the program in the beginning.
“The goal is to have engaged young voters who will roll back their sleeves and help their communities,” said Mike Crissman, a social studies teacher and department chairman at Holley.
He is among the team of teachers developing the curriculum for Holley students to meet the standards of the Seal, and also for a Senior Capstone Project. The students, in addition to their coursework and capstone project, also need to do at least 20 hours of an internship. They need to keep up on current events and are quizzed weekly on what’s happening in the country.
Students who meet all the criteria for the Seal of Civic Readiness have that distinction noted on their high school diplomas. It also gives them added skills and knowledge to be citizen leaders, and likely will help them stand out in the college admission process, said Nick D’Amuro, Holley social studies teacher.
The state debuted the program last year and pilot districts learned from each other on the strengths of the program and areas that need improvement. Three Holley students completed the program last year: Thomas Dobri, Aiyana Galanti and Breanna Girangaya.
They needed to demonstrate time-management skills, assess sources of information, utilize critical thinking and media literacy, and take civic action in their own community.
These Holley teachers are working with students to earn the Seal of Civic Readiness. From left include Nick D’Amuro, social studies teacher; Mike Crissman, social studies teacher and department chairman; and Kayla Thrower, U.S. history and Participation in Government teacher.
The districts have flexibility in shaping the program and don’t have to follow the same blueprint.
This year there are 14 Holley students in the program: Ryan Blodgett, Morgan Blosenhauer, Erin DeFrank, Emma Downey, Rosie Emery, Sarah Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Ryan Frank, Aidan McFadden, Casey Onisk, Ava Quincey, Elise Quincey, Julia Scroup and Lily Sprague.
The students have done extra work in their Participation in Government/economics classes. Their research papers are longer, for example.
A key part of the Seal is the Senior Capstone project and a presentation that must be 10 to 15 minutes about that project. It is a chance for the students to delve deeper into a topic that interests them, D’Amuro said.
Lily Sprague, for example, has organized a walk-in time at the Clarkson Town Hall on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. when veterans can learn about and be connected to services in the community. (D’Amuro serves as a member of the Clarkson Town Board.)
Casey Onick organized a “Day of Silence” walk on April 14 around the junior-senior high school campus. There were signs of people killed around the country who were targeted for being gay or transgender. Onick, who is president of the Gay Straight Alliance at the school, wanted to send a message that “transphobia kills” and “homophobia kills.”
Onick said the students seeking the Seal haven’t been shy about “stirring the pot” with controversial issues.
“Some people can’t handle having their views challenged,” she said.
She would like to see more awareness about LGTBQ issues in the schools “to minimize hate.”
Another student, Rosie Emery, investigated whether social media has been positive or negative for the LGTBQ community. She sees social media as helping to connect people who may feel alone or ostracized, but the social media messages also can direct hostility to those who are gay or transgender.
Some of the students have written letters to the editor that have been posted on the Orleans Hub about gun control, including support for having armed security in schools while another opposed teachers having guns. A student advocated for more resources devoted to root causes of kids being in foster care. Another said pharmaceutical companies shouldn’t be able to use propaganda with TV ads in promoting drugs.
Elise Quincey spent time at a local manufacturing plant to talk with company leaders about whether they feel the country is moving fast enough to stem the impacts of climate change. She also interviewed a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology about the issue.
Quincey said the company and the RIT professor are concerned there isn’t enough willpower among citizens and elected officials right now to make the needed changes to slow the impacts of climate change. She wants to study sustainability and political science in college.
“It’s definitely made me more engaged in the community,” Elise said about working on the Seal of Civic Readiness. “
Her twin sister Ava Quincey polled teachers in grades 4 to 6 for their opinions about technology in classrooms, including student use of computers, iPads and robots. Quincey also did an internship with a fifth grade classroom from November to January. She is planning to attend Geneseo as an education major.
Crissman, the Holley department leader, expects to see the state mandate that all 700-plus districts offer the Seal for students. He sees students with more confidence, who are ready to step out and advocate on issues of importance to them.
Kayla Thrower, a Holley teacher, said she is impressed with the students’ civic knowledge and civic participation.
“All of the Seal kids are taking it to the next level,” she said.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Holley Mayor Mark Bower speaks on Tuesday evening during a town hall meeting focused on vandalism in the village. Police Chief Bob Barton is in back.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 April 2023 at 11:58 am
HOLLEY – Village officials are asking for the public’s help to target graffiti in the community, whether at village-owned sites or on private property.
‘This is a team effort,” Holley Police Chief Bob Barton said on Tuesday evening during a town hall meeting on vandalism in the village. “We do this together. You are our eyes and ears.”
Holley runs a small police department that can’t be everywhere at once. Many of the crimes often happen when it’s dark in out-of-way places, such as the Firemen’s Field on North Main Street or the canal path and the bathrooms/shower facilities at the canal park.
Mayor Mark Bower said it’s a costly problem for the village. Holley spent about $18,000 replacing fixtures that were ripped out of the bathrooms and showers, and making other repairs to the site. He is committed to opening it for the canal and summer season, but he said he remains concerned for the frequent vandalism at the site.
The bathrooms/shower facility along the canal are frequent targets of vandalism. Mayor Mark Bower said it cost about $18,000 to repair ripped out fixtures and other vandalism. The site will reopen soon. The gazebo in back also has been damaged in the past by vandals.
Holley will have security cameras outside the bathrooms and gazebo area, and some other spots that are often damaged by vandals.
The mayor led the town hall meeting on the issue. He wants to make the public aware of the problem, take their ideas and ask them to help with reducing the problem.
Chief Barton said the department is somewhat hamstrung in combating the problem since the state “raised the age” from 16 to 18 for people to be tried as adults for crimes. Many juveniles go largely unpunished for the crimes, including at 16- and 17-year-olds, Barton said.
The Holley police has arrested several juveniles for vandalism and thefts, and has done search warrants. That has deterred some of the activity, but Barton expects it will increase once it’s summer and school lets out.
Police Chief Bob Barton urged residents to report suspicious activity. He said many frequently hit areas are out of the public eye including along the canal path and the Firemen’s Field off North Main Street.
He and his officers try to patrol all the streets in an 8-hour shift. They try to build relationships with residents.
“The more police presence you have, the less likely juveniles will commit crimes,” Barton said.
He acknowledged the department is short-staffed and there are some open shifts. Lewis Passarell, a former Holley mayor and police chief, said officers aren’t patrolling enough. He thinks they also are called outside the village too often to help with mutual aid.
Village Trustee Jim DeFilipps, a retired Sheriff’s deputy, said the Sheriff’s Office provides more backup and assistance to Holley than the village does for calls outside Holley.
Some of the residents at the meeting suggested either official neighborhood watch organizations or an unofficial network of residents who walk the streets and the canal paths. They could report suspicious activity and also try to form more friendly relationships with youths.
Barton said the village isn’t being overrun with crime. He said a very small percentage causes most of the problems.
Barton worked 20 years full-time with the Town of Greece Police Department before joining the Holley Police Department in August 2008. He said many communities, large and small, deal with vandalism caused by youths.
The big change for law enforcement is the change in “Raise the Age,” he said.
“I can tell you this, the problems we have in Holley are not unique to Holley,” Barton said. “This is universal. But that doesn’t mean we accept it and do nothing about it.”
Mayor Bower said he doesn’t want to use vandalism as an excuse not to push forward with projects. He would like to see artistic murals and a splash park in Holley, but some have voiced concern those projects would be vandalized.
Bower said he is planning another town hall meeting in October focused on property maintenance. During that meeting he will provide an update on vandalism.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 April 2023 at 4:28 pm
HOLLEY – The Village Board on Monday approved a $2,116,716 village budget that will increase taxes by 1.8 percent.
The budget increases the tax rate by 2.0 percent from $16.92 to $17.26 per $1,000 of assessed property. The tax levy, what the village collects in property taxes, will go from $1,004,300 in 2022-23 to $1,022,300 in 2023-24.
Mayor Mark Bower said the Village Board imposed a spending freeze on Feb. 1 which allowed Holley to have more money from the current budget to carry over into the next fiscal year to help prevent a bigger tax increase. The village also is able to tap into some of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to help with some of the expenses.
Bower said all village employees will get 2 percent raises in the new budget. The village, however, will need to look at updating salaries to stay competitive with other municipalities, especially for its electric workers, Bower said.
The budget for 2023-24 includes the following departments or categories with 2022-23 in parentheses: Department of Public Works, $429,573 ($367,492); Police, $328,980 ($324,000); Office, $302,202 ($300,049); Employee Benefits, $173,562 ($167,179); Debt Payments, $154,000 ($139,137); Water Fund, $515,720 ($493,636); and Sewer Fund, $212,679 ($172,248).
The Holley village budget no longer includes the fire department. That is now managed by commissioners in the Murray Joint Fire District. The tax rate for that district is $1.82 per $1,000 and isn’t in the village taxes.
