Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley’s Electric Department has added red and green LED lights in the Public Square for the holiday season.

Holley will have its annual tree-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. The village is selling memory bulbs for $5 for the tree until 4 p.m. on Dec. 2.

There will be Scouts caroling in the Public Square beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, followed by the high school choir at 6 p.m. in front of Red White and Moo.

After the names are read for the memory bulbs, there will be a visit from Santa and refreshments provided by the Holley Fire Department.

The Town of Murray also has put Christmas lights on the sign in front of the town hall at 3840 Fancher Rd.

There also is a Christmas tree lighted up at one of the Town of Murray’s highway barns.

This chart shows the new senior citizen income levels and the percent of the property tax discount.

MURRAY – The Murray Town Board on Monday voted to raise the eligible income levels for both senior citizens and disabled property owners younger than 65 to receive a break on their property taxes.

The town followed the Orleans County Legislature which last week approved the higher income levels for the seniors and disabled to receive a discount on their taxes.

Like the county, Murray’s senior exemption previously gave 50 percent off property taxes for those 65 and older with an annual income at $15,500 or less.

The new exemption levels offer 50 percent off at annual incomes of $19,000 or less. It then drops in 5 percent increments until bottoming out at 20 percent off between $23,800 and $24,699.99.

This chart shows the new low-income disabled resident income levels and the percent of the property tax discount. Low-income disabled residents will switch to the senior citizen tax exemption once they are 65.

Murray also expanded the income levels for low-income disabled residents. The maximum exemption used to be at incomes $15,500 or below. Now it’s up to $19,000 for 50 percent off. That exemption then drops 5 percent before the lowest level of 5 percent off at incomes between $26,500 and $27,399.99.

The exemptions take effect in the 2024 tax bills. Applications for the exemptions are due by March 1.

Property owners can go through the town assessor to apply for the exemption.

Gerald Rightmyer signs the oath of the office as a new member of the Murray Town Board. Town Clerk Cindy Oliver administers the oath. Rightmyer resigned from the Zoning Board of Appeals to take the position on the Town Board, filling a vacancy created when Paul Hendel resigned. Rightmyer was appointed unanimously by the board to fill a term ending Dec. 31, 2023.

MURRAY – The Town Board this evening approved a $30,600 contract with Monroe Ambulance to provide EMS services in the town in 2023.

Murray follows Barre, Albion and Clarendon in approving an agreement with Monroe. The Rochester-based ambulance company negotiating a contract with seven towns in Orleans to provide ambulance services.

Monroe would be paid $200,000 collectively by the seven towns, with the share of each town based on call volume.

Murray has the second-largest amount at $30,600. It is the fourth town to approve the contract after Albion at $84,400, Clarendon at $18,800 and Barre at $8,000.

Gaines ($24,600) wants to consider wait on Monroe to get more information from Mercy Flight EMS about its proposal for ambulance service. Kendall ($18,000) also has tabled a decision. Carlton at $14,800 hasn’t voted yet, either.

Monroe currently serves the three eastern towns – Clarendon, Murray and Kendall – but doesn’t station an ambulance in Orleans County.

With the new agreement, Monroe would station an ambulance in Holley and also in Albion.

Murray Town Councilman Randy Bower said the agreement will result in better service for the community.

“I think it really, really helps our town with the ambulance coverage because we have been lacking in that area,” he said at the board meeting. “Monroe can keep an ambulance and backfill when needed.”

Monroe can draw on about 20 ambulances to help when there are high call volumes.

Murray will pay for the $30,600 out of federal funds it received through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The agreement with Monroe was approved unanimously by Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio and councilmen Lloyd Christ, Mike Mele, Randy Bower and new board member Gerald Rightmyer.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Costumed characters paraded in Holley’s Public Square today as part of Holley’s Fall “Hallow” Fest.

The weather cooperated with bright sunshine and temperatures at 60 degrees.

Rochelle Moroz, village trustee, passed out candy to many kids in the Public Square.

Olivia Klatt, 4, of Clarendon wears a cat costume while riding a pony named Aladdin with some assistance from Jayme Scheiber of JMC Training in Spencerport.

The event included horse and pony rides, face painting, wine and hard cider tastings and a baked sale with food vendors. The library also hosted a coloring contest and other activities. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church will have a trunk or treat in the church’s back parking lot.

Chloe Imbert-Stockton, 6, of Holley rides the horse named Princess.

Kids enjoy the bounce house at the playground along the canal trail.

Sullivan Sevor, 4, of Holley enjoys good old-fashioned fun on a swing. He is wearing a Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtle costume.

Charlotte Sevor, 5, could swing high next to her brother at the playground.

Murray resident served as EDA board chair, OC Planning Board member and town councilman

Photo by Tom Rivers: Paul Hendel leads a toast welcoming a new hotel to the Medina community during a celebration on May 16, 2019. Hendel was the chairman of the Orleans Economic Development Agency board at the time.

MURRAY – Paul Hendel, an active local government official for the past two decades, has resigned from his positions after moving from Murray to Ontario County.

Hendel has stepped down from the Murray Town Board, Orleans Economic Development Agency and Orleans County Planning Board.

Hendel, a retired school principal at Sweet Home, said he enjoyed being a part of the local government. He followed his late father Art Hendel on the County Planning Board, and then joined the Orleans EDA, serving as the board chairman for about a decade. He was on the Murray Town Board for nearly 13 years.

“You reach a point a time where it’s time to pass the torch,” Hendel said. “It was a joy to work at all levels for the residents of the town and county. I will miss it. But it’s time to move on.”

Ken DeRoller, a former county legislator and EDA board member, said Hendel was an advocate for the entire county, and helped the EDA and local governments to bring in businesses and projects around the county.

“He stepped up to the plate for us,” DeRoller said. “He took a wholistic view of county. He will be missed because he has a lot of history with the county. He has a lot years involved with giving back.”

DeRoller said Hendel brought great administrative skills to the local positions, especially as board chairman for the EDA. Hendel was very supportive of the EDA staff, and his leadership was a factor in the staff staying long-term with the EDA. DeRoller said.

“He is very supportive of the process,” DeRoller said. “He was very engaged.”

The EDA only has three employees compared to other EDAs with bigger staffs and more resources. But Hendel and Orleans EDA were able to convince several companies to build in the county, DeRoller said.

Brian Napoli, the County Planning Board chairman, commended Hendel for serving on that board for about 20 years, including time as the vice chairman.

“Paul Hendel was an excellent vice chairman of the County Planning Board,” Napoli said. “He provided an insight and guidance that will be missed.”

Hendel said he is grateful he was able to be a part of the three boards and see positive direction locally.

“Over the years with all three boards I see progress in Orleans County with people moving into the county,” he said. “I’m proud of some of the businesses we brought in. And I’m proud of the individuals that work for the town or county. Anyone who works for town and county, they provide services to residents. People do pay a lot in taxes but they get a lot of services.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Charlene Sielaff, a retired village clerk who worked 41 years in the village’s clerk’s office, holds a plaque listing her as the 2022 recipient of the Mayor Vaughn Award for her years of distinguished service. She is joined by Village Trustee Connie Nenni (a former village clerk) and Mayor Mark Bower.

Bower and Nenni presented the award to Sielaff at Tuesday evening’s Village Board meeting. Bower pushed to bring back the award which was last presented in 2003 to Fedora Formicola. Other recipients include Daniel Mawn in 1982, Roland Nenni Jr. in 1983, and Evelyn Smalley in 1986.

Sielaff was hired in the village clerk’s office on June 11, 1978 by former Mayor Herman Vaughn.

“Everybody thought he was a great person,” Sielaff said about Vaughn.

Sielaff worked for the village for 41 years until retiring on June 1, 2020.

“I enjoyed working with the public,” Sielaff said on Tuesday. She was joined by many of her family members when she was presented with the award.

“It’s an honor to be on the same plaque with all those other names,” she said.

Mayor Mark Bower presents the award to Charlene Sielaff during Tuesday’s Village Board meeting at the former Holley High School. The auditorium in the former school is now used for village meetings.

Bower said Sielaff was always professional and always represented the village well in her role at the village office. She was often the person at the front counter or on the phone, assisting residents with their village business.

Bower recalled going to the village office to pay a water or electric bill, or his village taxes.

“She was the first face I saw,” Bower said. “She was a great representative of the village at the office.”

Bower, who started as mayor on July 1, recently learned of the Mayor Vaughn Award and wanted to bring it back as an annual award for a deserving citizen. When he announced the return of the award, Sielaff “was one name that came up immediately.”

Connie Nenni hugs Charlene Sielaff after she was presented with the Mayor Vaughn Award.

Nenni, who is the Holley school district clerk, was the village clerk and worked 4 ½ years with Sielaff. Nenni said Sielaff was very well organized with village records and knew local residents very well.

“Everyone loved her,” Nenni said. “I learned quite a bit from Charlene but I never got to her level of knowledge.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Andrew Radillo, one of the owners of Redwood Trades at 21 Public Square, is pictured at the counter where he sells sports cards, Pokémon cards and Magic: The Gathering.

Radillo, 30, is from California. He moved with his mother and wife to Holley in April to be near other family members. He had been selling cards online and expanded the venture to coffee as part of the new Redwood Trades store in Holley. Redwood Trades also hosts many games and customers are welcome to come inside and play Risk, euchre and other games.

Redwood Trades has a wide selection of coffee, cappuccino, espresso, lattes and cold brews. Pictured from left include Natalie Radillo (Andrew Radillo’s wife), Sharon Radillo (Andrew Radillo’s mother) and Jeanell Aldrich.

Sharon Radillo said the family is grateful for the support from the Holley community in the new venture.

The business is named Redwood Trades because the Radillos are from Willits, Calif, which is known as “The Gateway to the Redwoods.”

The Radillos would visit family in Holley, including cousins Jim and Lisa Hendry. The Radillos have embraced the small town in Orleans County.

“Things have just worked out,” Sharon Radillo said. “This community has gotten behind and backed us.”

The inside has new floors, electric, doors and decorating. The Radillos have long been fans of the Raiders in the NFL, which played in Oakland and Los Angeles before moving to Las Vegas. Redwood Trades has Raiders logos and merchandise. Andrew Radillo said Buffalo Bills merch is coming, but he will remain a big Raiders fan.

“I plan on getting more Bills stuff but I can’t leave where my heart is,” he said.

The family was joined in a ribbon cutting by David Gage (left) who is president of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce and owner of the Red, White and Moo ice cream business that is also in the Public Square. Others in the ribbon cutting include Holley Mayor Mark Bower (second from right) and Village Trustee John Morriss (right).

“It’s awesome for our little village,” Gagne said about the new addition to the community. “We thank you for taking a chance on our Square.”

Mayor Bower said his grandmother, Delia Pera and his uncle Don, ran the Holley Coffee Shop at the exact location from the 1950s to the mid-1970s. He thanked the Radillos for bringing the business to Holley.

Bower said another new business, Holley Donuts, is expected to open in about month. Dan and Monica Seeler are working on that endeavor at the corner of Thomas Street and Route 31.

Friends, family and customers gather for a group photo outside Redwood Trades for the business’s grand opening today.

The business is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Provided photos

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley last Friday recognized a group of senior citizens 90 and older for their many years of dedication.

The residents were first recognized in the Public Square near the Salisbury Fountain before moving to an indoor reception at the Community Free Library.

Residents recognized include Dorothy Barringer, Rhoda Broekhuizen, Roy Bubb, Virginia DeFilipps, Rose Gifaldi, Louise Lusk, Arlene Mawn, Lorraine Pera, Jane Petta, Edna Ruggeri, Pauline Stazie and Norman Wheeler. Clark Knapp also was recognized posthumously.

The top photo shows from left: Dorothy Barringer, Jane Petta, Louise Lusk, Arlene Mawn, Pauline Stazie and Norman Wheeler (pictured with two of his daughters).

Pauline Stazie, one of the honorees, is pictured with Mayor Mark Bower, one of her former kindergarten students. The village presented the honorees with a village pin and Bower read a proclamation, praising their long commitments to Holley.

Honoree Arlene Mawn enjoys the reception at the library.

Jane Petta, left, and Louise Lusk were both honored by the village.

Lorraine Pera, right, is joined by her sister-in-law, Ingrid Lestorti.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HULBERTON – Volunteers serve up Italian food at the 46^th St. Rocco’s Festival today in Hulberton.

A huge crowd didn’t let rain keep them away from the festival in the early afternoon. Many people were lined up at 11, an hour before the festival started.

The popular event served up a variety of Italian food, including a spaghetti dinner, eggplant parmesan, meatball sandwiches, pasta fagioli, pizza and shells.

Tina Burrage shows off a St. Rocco’s shirt. There were also St. Rocco’s hats, Koozies and sun catchers.

The event is a fundraiser benefitting St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holley. The parish also includes St. Mark’s Church in Kendall.

There were 29 teams competing in a bocce tournament, with teams from the Holley area, Lockport and Rochester. The top team wins $600. Players said the rain actually helped to compact the surface of the courts.

Zach DeLuca competed on a team with his dad Sal, brother Seth and friend Paul Quaranto.

“It’s fun,” Zach said. “We come out and play and see people we grew up with.”

Kevin Lynch, the former Holley mayor, enjoys bocce while smoking a cigar.

Eddie Bower, right, chats with cousin Jake Bower. They competed on a four-person team with Jake’s father Randy and their friend Will Barniak. They compete as “Team Wardo” in memory of Eddie’s father Ed Bower.

Dan Mawn was busy cooking waffles.

Gail Christ puts powered sugar on one of the waffles. She is joined by Ava Barnett, in back, and Ava’s mother, Traci Barnett.

Andrea Newman of Clarendon was among 50 arts and craft vendors. She was selling acrylic paintings, prints and cards. Newman is holding one painting entitled, “Sisterhood 2.”

Eveyln Stryker of Rochester is a knitter. She had many knitted hats and slippers available, including many in Buffalo Bills colors.

HOLLEY – The school district has boosted the pay for security officers that work at Holley, increasing the hourly pay from $32.50 in 2021-22 to $40.00 this upcoming school year.

That raise will result in a $26,000 overall increase in security for the district if all the hours are filled, said Sharon Zacher, assistant superintendent for business.

Holley has contracted with C.O.P. Security Inc. since 2013. The Scottsville-based company hires many retired police officers who were former school resource officers or DARE officers.

COP Security has some unfilled positions and may not be able to have a security officer at each of the two Holley schools throughout the school days, district superintendent Brian Bartalo, advised the Board of Education recently.

Holley increased the pay to make the positions more appealing to security professionals at COPS. The district typically works with three or four security staff from COPS throughout a school year.

“Having someone every day in each of the schools would be awesome,” Bartalo told the board.

If COP Security can’t have two security at the district during the school days, Bartalo said he will reach out to the Holley Police Department and Orleans County Sheriff’s Office for increased patrols.

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley will be celebrating residents who are 90 and older with a party on Sept. 9.

The residents and their families will be recognized at the Salisbury Fountain at the Public Square at 10:30 a.m. that day. If it rains at that time, the gathering will be moved to Sept. 16. There will also be a private reception for the residents and their families at the Community Free Library.

Residents to be recognized include Dorothy Barringer, Rhoda Broekhuizen, Roy Bubb, Virginia DeFilipps, Rose Gifaldi, Louise Lusk, Arlene Mawn, Lorraine Pera, Jane Petta, Edna Ruggeri, Pauline Stazie and Norman Wheeler. Clark Knapp also will be recognized posthumously.

Any other village residents 90 and older not included on the list are encouraged to contact Holley’s Deputy Clerk Hillary Ingalls at 638-6367.

Mayor Mark Bower said he will issue an proclamation honoring the long-time residents and present them each with a Village of Holley pin.

Lifeline ARM gives steady compressions without tiring out

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Murray Joint Fire District last week put two new Lifeline ARMs into service. The devices do CPR compressions. Pictured from left include Harris Reed, Murray fire chief; Erin Reed, EMS lieutenant; and Hunter Salamaca, EMS lieutenant.

MURRAY – The Murray Joint Fire District has a new addition that will not tire out when doing CPR.

The fire district last week put two Lifeline ARMs into service. The chest compression devices are produced by Defibtech. They do 30 compressions, and then two breaths of oxygen are added with a BGM – Bag, Valve, Mask ventilation device.

Firefighters and EMS personnel very seldom do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation these days, said Harris Reed, Murray fire chief.

But they have physically been doing the CPR compressions, sometimes for 20 minutes to an hour, when an ambulance crew can take over. That amount of time can be tiring for volunteers who are trying to do about 100 compressions a minute.

“Our department is getting older and there are not too many younger volunteers coming in,” Reed said. “This provides a quality CPR on every response. The machine also frees up hands to do something else.”

The Lifeline ARM has a simplified control panel where two steps are needed to initiate mechanical CPR. Operators should adjust the compression piston height, and then choose to “Run Continuous” or “Run with Breaths.” The latter allows programmed pauses for rescue breaths.

The Murray Joint Fire District is the second department in Orleans County to acquire an automated CPR device. Shelby also has one from a different manufacturer, Reed said.

Murray has two – one for each rescue vehicle. They cost $17,000, which was at a discounted price. They typically sell for about $14,000 each.

Reed and Murray fire officials saw the devices in May when they went to a fire expo in Harrisburg, Pa. Reed saw the devices as way to continue to provide quality CPR services to the community during a time of declining volunteerism.

Murray last year responded to about 450 EMS calls, and already is at 400 this year, Reed said.

“We needed something to help us and help the community,” he said.

Murray Fire Chief Harris Reed holds a BGM – Bag, Valve, Mask ventilation device. That provides two breaths of oxygen after 30 CPR compressions.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Holley Hotel at the corner of Route 31 and Thomas Street was cleared out today of the 28 residents after the building was declared unsafe and unsanitary on Aug. 3 by village code enforcement officer Mylynda Kuba.

HOLLEY – The Holley Hotel has been ordered to close today, forcing 28 residents to find other shelter.

The building on Aug. 3 was deemed to be unsafe and unsanitary by Mylynda Kuba, the village code enforcement officer. She set today as the evacuation day.

Many of the residents have been assisted by the Department of Social Services. About 15 or 16 are staying at a Batavia motel in the short term. Others are staying with friends and family.

DSS and other agencies in the county are trying to help the displaced residents. Community Action had a table with clothes, shoes and other supplies set up by the firehall this morning and past noon.

Kathy Blackburn, the building owner, said the three-story building will be exhaustively cleaned and then an exterminator will focus on ridding the site of insects and rodents.

“This gives me an opportunity to clean up and get everything out,” Blackburn said. “Everything is being cleaned.”

Blackburn said residents have filled five dumpsters so far as the building is emptied for a massive cleaning.

She hoping she can resolve the issues and have residents back soon. She said she is concerned for the residents who have had their lives disrupted.

The Holley Hotel is known as a place for registered sex offenders, people on parole and others who are difficult to place in housing. Blackburn said the residents look out for each other and for the most part are kind. They have a Thanksgiving dinner in the hallway and many celebrate Christmas together.

She took over the building following the death of her longtime companion Gordon Tooley, who died in a car accident on Oct. 5, 2019. Blackburn said a new roof and windows were recently put in Holley Hotel. She acknowledged there are issues and she wants to resolve them.

Near the front entrance is a stairwell that leads to the second and third floors. The Holley Hotel has about 40 units. The site is being emptied and cleaned.

Kuba, in a notice posted on the front door, said the building is infested with cockroaches, bed bugs and rodents. She also said the back fire escape isn’t structurally sound and needs to be fixed. She also said the building needs plumbing and electrical upgrades to be brought up to code. She wants a regular report on the smoke alarm system.

“Right now it’s an overall hazard to everyone involved,” Kuba said today.

She did an annual fire inspection of the building in February and said she notified Blackburn of several issues.

Some of the residents at the Holley Hotel have complained to village officials about the cockroaches and bed bugs, an issue that is difficult to resolve in such a large building with so many residents.

“We’re empathetic to the people who live there,” Mayor Mark Bower said. “But this is a public health hazard. We’re concerned for the residents who live there, and also other residents and businesses who are put at risk.”

The Holley Hotel residents may have spread bed bugs and cockroaches to other businesses and sites in the community, Bower said. Other businesses have shared their concerns with the village officials, Bower said.

“It’s sad for the residents but most of the residents tell us they are happy because their living conditions were intolerable,” Bower said.

The village and Kuba, the code officer, are adhering to the uniform building code, and the violations need to be addressed, Bower said.

“I can’t predict what the situation will end up being,” he said. “It’s in the hands of the building owner at this point.”

One of the hotel residents sent the Orleans Hub a message that the bed bugs and cockroaches were a concern for all residents. This resident said she and her boyfriend were denied housing assistance by DSS and another local agency. They plan to pay for a hotel for two days and then might have to live in their car.

“We have been left homeless for whatever time it’s shut down,” she said.

HOLLEY – The first visit of the mobile health unit at the Eastern Orleans Community Center will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 24.

Individuals may walk in for registration or may register in advance by calling or texting (585) 866-5494.

The medical van will offer primary care, general wellness checks, lab services, behavioral health, A1C monitoring, cholesterol checks, vaccinations and referrals.

There will also be assistance available to assist in signing up for Medicaid or health insurance.

A grant for $84,000 from the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System has enabled Community Action to offer health care from the Community Center in Holley.

The health clinic is staffed by Oak Orchard Health’s mobile health unit. It will provide lab services and have a nurse practitioner. Tele-health will be available.

MURRAY – The Murray Town Board was asked by a married couple on West Brockville Road to extend public water on West Brockville Road.

Steve and Stacey Keon said they rely on groundwater and get concerned during drought years whether they will have enough water.

They said they signed a petition in 1998 to be on a public waterline, but that infrastructure didn’t make it all the way down their road. Since then a new house has been built and there is interest in housing development at other open lots.

“We’re seeing growth down here,” Mrs. Keon told the board on Monday evening. “With a waterline it would benefit the neighbors.”

Town Councilman Paul Hendel said Murray should look at all the segments in the town that don’t have public waterlines and try to do a final water district to cover all the areas.

Highway Superintendent Dirk Lammes said nearly the entire town is covered.

The Keons said they would help build support for a new water district as the town identifies other unserved pockets of Murray.

In other action, the board renewed an agreement for an annual contribution of $1,500 to support the Murray-Holley Historical Society.