Senator touts nearly $8 million in American Rescue Plan funds for project in 2 counties

Photos by Tom Rivers: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer speaks during a news conference today in Holley’s Public Square. He is joined by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, left, and other officials from Orleans County, the Village of Holley, Town of Murray and Community Free Library.

HOLLEY – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer met with local officials today to celebrate progress in the effort to close high-speed internets gaps in Orleans and rural Niagara counties.

Both counties recently approved a contract with RTO Wireless of Wellesley, Mass. to co-locate their transmitters on existing communication towers. The counties are using part of their federal American Rescue Plan funds for the build out.

“The Covid pandemic made it all too clear that the digital gap in Orleans County is far too wide,” Schumer said with local officials by the Salisbury Fountain at Public Square.

Schumer was instrumental in the American Rescue Plan being passed in the Senate. The Orleans County Legislature last month voted to spend $3,608,435 to make high-speed internet available county-wide, including for 1,351 addresses that currently don’t internet access, and another 6,700 addresses with only low-speed access. That’s nearly 40 percent of the county’s addresses without access to high-speed internet. That project should be complete in 2022.

“Whether it’s working from home, finding a new job, completing schoolwork, or accessing healthcare options, the rural digital divide has kept many New Yorkers from reaching their full potential,” said Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature. “Success in the 21^st century is dependent on universal, affordable access.”

Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said the federal funds will solve the high-speed internet  crisis for thousands of homes in the county. There are 1,351 addresses without access to high-speed internet and another 6,700 out of 22,000 total addresses with only access to low-speed internet.

Orleans and Niagara counties are both working with RTO Wireless of Wellesley, Mass. The Niagara County Legislature earlier this month approved a $4,286,325 bid to make high-speed internet in unserved areas of the county.

In Orleans, RTO will co-locate their technology on existing county-owned communication towers. Those sites include at the Emergency Management Office on West County House Road in Albion, Route 31A in Clarendon, Maple Ridge Road in Medina, Route 31 in Albion next to Public Safety Building, West Avenue in Lyndonville, Route 237 in Kendall, Route 237 in Holley by the water tank.

Orleans and Niagara have been working together for a decade on the project. The Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance made it a priority but only now has it had the funds to proceed with closing the internet gaps.

“The money is there,” said Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey. “We’re going to make it happen.”

Schumer also said broadband internet access is a key to reversing the population decline in rural areas. The U.S. Census Bureau last week released population counts for each county in the United States.

The data shows a 5.9 percent decline in Orleans County, which was biggest drop among Western New York counties and most in the GLOW region. Orleans shrunk by 2,540 people in the 10 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, dropping from 42,883 in 2010 to 40,343 in 2020.

“Broadband is really vital,” Schumer said. “In this new world where broadband connects you, it will bring more businesses here, it will keep businesses here, you will have more people come live here. Lots of people want to live in a beautiful place like this. But if they can’t be connected, they lose out.”

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer waves to people during a stop in Holley today. He was influential in the redevelopment of the former Holley High School as well as the cleanup of the former Diaz Chemical site in Holley.

Schumer said there will also be funding available to help people pay the costs to connect to the internet, and there will be assistance to help pay for the service.

The infrastructure bill that passed in the Senate includes $42.45 billion nationwide for broadband grants in unserved and underserved communities, $14.2 billion for permanent broadband affordability (with eligibility at 200 percent the federal poverty level), and $2.75 billion for “Digital Equity and Inclusion” – providing digital literacy and skills to low-income residents, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Lynne Johnson also highlighted a new program through the Federal Communications Commission that offers financial assistance for monthly internet. Click here for more information.

200 attend event at restored monument on Route 31

Photos by Tom Rivers

FANCHER – The memorial at the “Fancher Curve” on Route 31 was rededicated on Saturday, 72 years after 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 men include John Christopher, Joseph Christopher, Cosmo Coccitti, John Kettle, Jr., Leonard Licursi, Martin Licursi, Richard Merritt, Camille Nenni, Floyd Valentine and Richard Vendetta.

The top photo shows Richard Christopher of Albion placing a commemorative wreath by the monument. Richard is the son John Christopher, who was killed on November 26, 1943 when the transport ship carrying his unit was struck by a German glider bomb and sunk off the coast of Algeria. He was laid to rest at the North Africa American Cemetery in Tunis, Tunisia.

John’s brother Joseph also was killed during the war. Another pair of brothers from the Fancher community – Leonard and Martin Licursi – also died in the war.

The monument was in disrepair with mortar crumbling, the clock often not working and the landscaping unattractive. Fred Fiorito, a Fancher native now living near New York City, gave the largest donation to cover the expense of the improvement project.

The donations paid to have new mortar put in, new movements and electric wiring for the clocks (which will now automatically fall back an hour and spring an hour ahead during the time changes), a new replica bronze plaque on the north side of the property, and a repainted flag pole which now also includes a World War II flag below the American flag. There also are sandstone steps on the north side with the stone donated by Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio and set in place by the Town Highway Department.

Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio speaks at the rededication. He said the Fancher community created the memorial 72 years ago to honor the young men, and the community again rallied to preserve the monument made of locally quarried Medina sandstone.

Sidonio noted that Fiorito was just a boy when he saw the monument originally dedicated and memory of seeing the grieving Gold Star mothers has forever impacted him.

Sidonio also announced on Monday will ask the Town Board to approve a resolution to recognize Aug. 14 as “Fancher Monument Memorial Day” and order that the flags at the monument and at the town municipal buildings be lowered to half-mast for 10 days “to remind us that we owe these 10 boys the dignity of being better citizens and Americans so that they shall not have died in vain.”

These four M1 Garand or M1 Rifle are stacked on top of the monument in the same way they were for the original dedication in 1949. Scott Galliford used a 10-foot ladder to climb up and stack the four rifles on Saturday.

Louis Horschel of Dunkirk flies “Mad Max,” a 1945 P-51 Mustang during a flyover at the start of the rededication program. The original dedication service in 1949 also had a flyover.

These veterans in the Honor Guard watch Horschel in the airplane fly upside down and do other aerial stunts.

Father Richard Csizmar, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Albion, offered the blessing during the service. He shared that his uncle John Csizmar was killed during World War II and Father Csizmar still has a strong memory of going to the train station in North Tonawanda when his uncle’s body was brought home. His photo was displayed over the family piano for the next 45 years, along with a Gold Star plaque.

Csizmar said the 10 young men from Fancher lived out John 15:13: “Greater love than this no one has, than one lay down one’s life for one’s friend.”

“Today we come to this Fancher memorial to remember those 10 men from Fancher, who gave their lives for freedom during World War II,” Csizmar said in his prayer. “Their valiant efforts and heroic service for all of us, and our nation, are remembered to this day. They said yes to God, their country, and to freedom, by serving our nation far away.”

Congressman Chris Jacobs meets veterans in the Honor Guard at the rededication service. Jacobs presented a Congressional Commendation for the community for its efforts to restore the monument.

Mary Wojciechowski sings “America the Beautiful” while accompanied by the Brockport Symphony Orchestra which is directed by Jonathan Allentoff, left. Wojciechowski, a Canadaigua resident, also sang the national anthem. The BSO also performed “To Reap The Blessings of Freedom” and “Brother James’ Air.”

“We are so honored to be have been asked to do this,” Allentoff said about performing during the rededication. “We love this community and being a part of events that bring people together, and we wanted to help pay tribute to the boys.”

Assemblyman Steve Hawley thanked those that worked to restore and upgrade the memorial site.

“Monuments are testaments to our greatest sacrifices and our greatest triumphs,” he said.

Christian Coccitti is the great-nephew of Cosmo Coccitti who was declared missing in action during the fighting in Holland on November 10, 1944. To date his remains have not been recovered. His great-nephew is the U.S. Navy and travelled from Annapolis, Md. To attend Saturday’s rededication. He is sitting between Congressman Chris Jacobs and Aubrey Christopher.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley comforts Richard Vendetta, who was named after his uncle who was killed during World War II, one of 10 from the Fancher community who died in the war. The younger Vendetta was among many family members in attendance of the 10 men honored with the monument.

The late Richard Vendetta, a second lieutenant, earned his flight wings and was flying a bomber and was killed when another plane collided with his over Stanford, England on July 8, 1944.

Matthew Passarell, commander of the VFW Post in Albion, shared biographies of each of the 10 men memorialized at the monument. Daniel Mawn, next to Passarell, rang the bell after each description was shared by Passarell.

The Honor Guard, including Scott Galliford at left (commander of the Jewell Buckman Post in Holley), fired three volleys during the rededication ceremony of the World War 11memorial at the Fancher Curve. Jim Freas, lower right, leads the Honor Guard.

Ron Ayrault, the chaplain at the American Legion post in Holley, offers the benediction. Ayrault, 89, attended the first dedication 72 years earlier when he was 17. He remembered there was a parade, the Legion band and a procession that included Gold Star mothers who lost their sons to war.

Photos courtesy of Erin Reed

HOLLEY – Hunter Salamaca, an EMS officer with the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company, is shown at the fire hall in Holley today where there are free face masks, sanitizer and thermometers being given away from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 7 Thomas St.

“Due to the unknown of the new Covid variant (Delta), the possibility of mandated masking and your children going back to school, we would like to take some stress off of you,” Murray Joint Fire District officials said in a Facebook post. “Stop down and grab a box or two of masks and some hand sanitizer free of charge.”

The masks are in children’s and adult sizes.

Erin Reed, an EMS lieutenant, was able to secure the PPE (personal protective equipment) for today’s event.

The Murray Joint Fire District includes Holley and FHM firefighters.

Provided photos

MURRAY – The Old Crow Motorcycle Club from Kent recently present $1,200 to the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company. The motorcycle club organizes a fundraiser every year to give back to a local nonprofit.

The Crows organized a pig roast last weekend and donated the proceeds to the FHM Fire Company. Other motorcycle clubs that came out to support the benefit were Peacemakers MC, Redrum MC and the Webster Legion Riders.

“On behalf of the membership of the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company, we thank them for their generous donation to our department and their continued support in the community,” said Capt. James Fox.

Several improvements at monument with clock on ‘Fancher Curve’

FANCHER – The top image shows the program for the rededication of the Fancher memorial this Saturday at 2 p.m. It is mostly a replica of the program from the original dedication exactly 72 years earlier on Aug. 14, 1949.

The Fancher community built the memorial out of local Medina sandstone as a tribute to 10 local soldiers who died in World War II. Those soldiers include John Christopher, Joseph Christopher, Cosmo Coccitti, John Kettle, Jr., Leonard Licursi, Martin Licursi, Richard Merritt, Camille Nenni, Floyd Valentine and Richard Vendetta.

Provided photos: The monument includes a new plaque mounted on the north side of the property.

Representatives from some of those families will be at the rededication on Saturday to lay a commemorative wreath.

The memorial on the “Fancher Curve” on Route 31 is a four-faced clock in a stone monument made of local sandstone. It gradually deteriorated over 72 years and recently was overhauled. The crumbling mortar was chipped out and replaced with new matching green mortar.

New movements for the clocks and new electrical service were installed. The flag pole was painted. New sandstone pavers were added as a walkway on the north side of the property.

And a new bronze plaque was mounted on the north side near the flagpole. The original plaque remains, but it is on the west side facing the guardrails and wasn’t in an easy-to-see location for most people to know the true purpose of the monument.

Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio said it should be clearer now that the site isn’t a municipal clock, but is a war memorial dedicated to local soldiers who died serving the country.

The project was funded with a donation from Fred Fiorito, a former local resident who now lives in the New York City area. He would typically home a few times each year to see family, including his brother Ted Fiorito. Fred noticed the memorial gradually deteriorate.

Sometimes the clocks didn’t work. The mortar was crumbling. The site wasn’t a great showcase or memorial for the 10 who in World War II, he said.

“I knew some of those families,” Fiorito said in a recent interview. “The monument’s condition was distasteful.”

Saturday’s rededication will include comments from State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Congressman Chris Jacobs.

The Brockport Symphony Orchestra will perform “To Reap The Blessings of Freedom,” the national anthem, “America the Beautiful” and “Brother James’ Air.” Mary Wojciechowski will be a vocalist with the orchestra.

Father Richard Csizmar, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Albion, will give the invocation. Matt Passarell, commander of the VFW Post 4635, will read the names of the soldiers and a bell will be rung with each name. That bell is from the former American Legion Post in Fancher.

An Honor Guard from the local American Legion and VFW will fire three volleys and Taps will be played.

Sidonio encourages people to either park at the Post Office in Fancher on Route 31 or north of the railroad tracks on Fancher Road. Route 31 at the Curve will be open to traffic during the rededication program but fire police will be out urging people to slow down during the service with the crowd of people close by.

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – Holley Central School students attending kindergarten this fall are invited to attend the Transportation Department’s School Bus Safety Event on Aug. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Middle School/High School Parking Lot.

Participants will have the opportunity to ride a bus to the Elementary School Parking Lot and rotate through five, 15-minute safety stations. Buses will depart every 15 minutes.

Please RSVP to attend this event by Aug. 20 and select a time for departure (9 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m. or 10 a.m.) by calling 585-638-6297 or emailing tbeaney@holleycsd.org. Limited space is available, so participants should only bring their kindergarten student to this event.

In the event of severe weather, the event will begin at 1 p.m. on Aug. 28. We will notify registrants of this change.

Additional cost will be paid 100 percent from employees

MURRAY — The Murray Town Board on Monday voted to expand the town’s health insurance policy to include domestic partners of employees. However, the cost of adding the partners to the health insurance will be 100 percent funded by the employees with domestic partners.

That differs from the health insurance plan for employees with spouses, where the employees pay 15 percent of the cost, which is $1,078.12 per month ($12,937.44 per year) for a two-person plan.

Town officials said Murray is the first town in Orleans County to include domestic partners in the health insurance.

Two Councilman Paul Hendel urged the board to consider a domestic partner like a spouse.

“This is the 21st Century,” Hendel said during Monday’s board meeting. “People are doing things different than in the 1950s.”

Councilman Lloyd Christ said he favored offering the health insurance to domestic partners, but didn’t want taxpayer dollars going towards the coverage.

The state and health insurance providers allow domestic partners to be included in the coverage. Murray said the employee will need to show proof of a domestic partner, who can be the same or the opposite sex. Some factors to be considered will include joint residency and length of relationship. A blood relative won’t be considered as a domestic partner.

Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio said the issue has been widely debated around town in recent months. He said it is an “emotional topic.”

An employee with a domestic partner on the town’s health insurance plan will need to periodically provide proof of the relationship. The town also needs to be notified if the relationship ends so the coverage can be discontinued for the partner.

Town officials are having the cost of the plan come from the employee so the town isn’t pursuing the payment from the partner.

“The town shouldn’t be chasing after money from someone who doesn’t work for us,” said Councilman Michael Mele.

With the payment coming from the employee, the town can be assured of the money in case the relationship ends and the town isn’t immediately notified to discontinue coverage.

Kellie Gregoire, a resident, spoke in favor of the town offering the health insurance to a domestic partner, but not having the town pay towards the insurance for the partner. Gregoire said marriage is a legally binding agreement.

Louise Passarell, the town assessor, said many of the domestic partners have been in relationships for years and those relationships shouldn’t be viewed as “transient.”

Provided photo: These heater wells are under construction in Holley.

HOLLEY – The federal Environmental Protection Agency has begun the second and final phase of a thermal treatment of contaminated soil and groundwater at the Diaz Chemical Superfund site in Holley, the EPA announced in an update to the community.

The larger-scale system is being used to treat the remainder of the on-site contamination. EPA started constructing the system in May 2020, using samples and other information obtained during the first phase of treatment that used a smaller-scale version of the system.

EPA treated about 10% of the contaminated soil and groundwater at the site under that first phase, which was completed in October 2018.

Construction, originally slated to begin in March 2020, was postponed in consultation with the Village of Holley. Following appropriate Covid-19 health and safety protocols, construction was completed in early June 2021.

The thermal cleanup is a $20 million cleanup project at the former Diaz Chemical site in Holley. The EPA is planning to have about 20 personnel on site for phase 2 of the cleanup on Jackson Street.

The EPA has already spent $12.5 million on the cleanup, using money from the Superfund. The EPA has removed buildings, pipes, drums and tanks. Only two warehouses remain from Diaz, which declared bankruptcy and abandoned the site in 2002. The company operated for about 30 years in Holley.

The final phase of treatment targets 1.5 acres of the site and will be performed in two stages. The treatment system is projected to operate for up to four years to clean up the site.

Thermal treatment system

The thermal treatment system uses heat to turn the contaminants in the soil and groundwater

into vapors. The vapors will then be captured by extraction wells and treated by a combination of compression, cooling, condensation and granular activated carbon. The system will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In addition, EPA will excavate soil from two areas. The excavated soil will be consolidated, thermally treated, and disposed of off-site, the EPA said. The excavated areas will be backfilled with clean soil. EPA will monitor the air around the perimeter, monitor noise, and follow a traffic control plan to minimize disruptions to the neighborhood.

After the second phase of operations is completed, EPA will remove the treatment equipment and restore the property. This will include regrading the site to ensure it has proper drainage and revegetation so as to prevent erosion.

Big Guys wants to create new RV campground with up to 300 sites

MURRAY – The Orleans County Planning Board is recommending the Town of Murray approve the site plan and issue a permit for Big Guys Camping LLC to operate a campground.

Big Guys wants to convert the former Brockport Country Club into the campground at 3739 Monroe-Orleans County Line Rd.

The project would be developed in three phases with the first phase to include 125 hook-up sites, 90 tent sites, renovations of structures on site, construction of new supporting structures for the campground and infrastructure.

The second phase would include 97 more full hook-up sites and expanded infrastructure. The third phase would add 72 more hook-up sites and infrastructure as needed.

The former golf course has 94.2 acres, with 6.16 acres delineated wetlands. That leaves 88.04 acres for the campground. However, 10 percent of that space, per the Murray town code, must be set aside for recreational purposes.

Big Guys is planning for the campground sites to be developed along the existing fairways with the plan to keep many of the existing mature tree lines, and to minimize the need for earthwork, county planners said.

The town ordinance requires a maximum of 10 camp sites per acre. With 79.24 acres available, Big Guys could have up to 792 camp sites. However, there are 300 sites proposed in the three phases, which is well under the zoning ordinance requirement.

There was also a traffic completed for the proposed project, with the determination that no further study would be needed by the Department of Transportation, county planners said.

There are area variances needed for the project and county planners said it was unclear if the variances had already been approved by the Town of Murray Zoning Board of Appeals. The county Planning Board should review the variance requests before the town takes action. If Murray already approved those variances, the ZBA should rescind that vote and send a referral to the County Planning Board for its recommendation, the board said.

Joe Sidonio

MURRAY – Joe Sidonio has won the Republican primary for Murray town supervisor.

The final count this morning, which included 46 absentees ballots, gives Sidonio and 11-vote victory over Randy Bower, a retired Orleans County sheriff who is currently a Murray town councilman.

There were 513 in-person votes through nine days of early voting and on the June 22 primary. Sidonio had a 13-vote lead, 263 to 250.

But Bower still had a chance to win with 46 absentees ballot turned in. Bower received 24 votes through the absentees, compared to 22 for Sidonio.

That means Sidonio, the current town supervisor, will be on the November ballot with the Republican line. He also is endorsed by the Conservative Party.

Bower last November was elected to a three-year term as Murray town councilman. He will remain on the five-person board.

The final unofficial results from the other five towns with primaries – in-person and absentee votes – include:

Barre Town Councilman (2 positions)

• George McKenna, 162 in-person votes and 6 absentees for 168 total

• David Waters, 163 in-person and 4 absentees for 167 total

Tom McCabe, 146 in-person and 7 absentees for 153 total

Lynn Hill, 145 in-person and 8 absentee for 153 total

Carlton Town Clerk

• Karen Narburgh, 101 in-person and 14 absentee for 115 total

Dori Goetze, 66 in-person and 3 absentee for 69 total

Gaines Town Justice

• Charles Prentice Jr., 146 in-person and 16 absentees for 162 total

Henry Smith Jr., 48 in-person and 8 absentees for 56 total

Ridgeway Town Clerk

• Hannah Hill, 228 in-person and 10 absentees for 238 total votes

Laurie Kilburn, 75 in-person and 7 absentees for 82 total

E.J. Cox, 16 in-person and 2 absentees for 18 total

Ridgeway Town Councilman (2 positions)

• Cliff Barber, 249 in-person and 18 absentees for 267 total

• Jeff Toussaint, 255 in-person and 12 absentees for 267 total

David Stalker, 72 in-person and 9 absentees for 81 total

Shelby Town Councilman (2 positions)

• Stephen Seitz Sr., 172 in-person and 7 absentees for 179 total votes

• Edward Zelazny, 166 in-person and 10 absentees for 176 total

William Bacon, 143 in-person and 5 absentees for 148 total

Evan Valentine, a member of the Class of 2021, remembered during ceremony, parents presented with his diploma

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The Class of 2021 tosses their caps inside the gym after commencement today. The ceremony was moved from outdoors to inside at the school auditorium due to the threatening weather conditions with rain and wind.

After the ceremony the class headed to the gym to throw their graduation caps.

Susan Cory, the school principal, takes a photo of the class in the gym for the cap toss. Cory said it has been a school year unlike any other, with most of the year on a hybrid schedule of two days in-person a week with students split up as Red Hawks and White Hawks. There was frequent Zoom video conferencing on Wednesdays. Later in the school year, students moved to four days of in-person learning.

A goal for the district was to end the school year as traditionally as possible and today’s ceremony was very much in Holley’s commencement tradition.

“Today is a day to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates, but it is also a day to acknowledge the support and strength that all of you have given to these students to make their journey successful,” Cory said from the podium near the beginning of the program.

There are 60 members in the class, and that includes the late Evan Valentine. He passed away from leukemia at age 18 on Feb. 21. The display of carnation flowers on the stage included an orange flower among the red and white to represent Evan and his 2 ½ fight with leukemia.

There were six Evan Valentine Memorial Scholarships presented during commencement. They were presented to Andrew Drechsel, Brianna Heffernan, Allison Trowbridge, Brandi Heffernan, Jared Strathearn and Callie Updike.

The district also presented for the first time the John P. Heise Memorial Scholarship, in honor of a man who spent 40 years at the district as a school administrator and then in his retirement on the Board of Education. The first winners of the Heise scholarship include Kayleigh Neale and Callie Updike.

Penny Cole, a high school secretary, pins an orange ribbon on the graduation gown of David Farruggia III. All of the grads wore the ribbons in honor of Evan. His graduation gown was draped over a chair between the seats for Callie Updike and Garrett VanLogten.

Before the graduates on stage received their diplomas, Principal Susan Cory and Suzanne Lepkowski, Class of 2021 advisor, presented Evan Valentine’s parents, Diane and Neil, with Evan’s diploma.

Evan was an Eagle Scout who was also heavily involved in the school’s music program including the jazz band. He also played soccer and golf for the Hawks.

Diane Valentine thanked the class and the community for all of the support.

“You literally wrapped our family in loving kindness,” she said.

She urged the class to continue making a difference.

Many of the graduates and audience members wiped tears from their eyes after the comments from Evan’s mother.

Karl “KJ” Biedlingmaier, the class vice president, announced the class gift would be to use the remaining funds in the class account and donate them to the music department in memory of Evan Valentine.

“He was a dear member of the Class of 2021 and we wish he was still here with us,” Biedlingmaier said.

Callie Updike delivers the salutatorian speech. She also led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing the National Anthem.

Updike said she is proud of Holley’s Class of 2021, for enduring amidst the uncertainty and challenges of a global pandemic. They cracked and crumbled, and were forced to discover new, difficult emotions with the loss of their classmate, Updike said.

Callie Updike speaks to her classmates.

She praised Holley’s teachers, administrators, counselors, custodial staff, mentors, teacher’s aides and community members for all of their extra work during the pandemic on behalf of students and their safety. The community showed its resiliency through the pandemic, helping to advance students’ growth despite the challenges and restrictions of the Covid-19 era.

Holley’s newest graduates were deprived of some of the usual senior traditions. “But as you look upon the graduates, sitting proudly before you in their seats, you don’t see the pain and the pity of a year forgotten,” Updike said. “You see brilliant individuals, your future nurses, psychologists, politicians, athletes, soldiers, firefighters, welders, farmers and teachers. You see leaders, each carrying purpose and rigor.”

Updike said she feels fortunate to grow up in Holley, and to have such a supportive family and community, as well as access to clean drinking water, vaccines and a free education.

“We all have beautifully different paths that lie ahead, but we come from the same place and have discovered that we can overcome more than we ever thought we could – together,” Updike said. “We can all speak to the influence our teachers, friends and community have had on us, but I feel it is vital to give credit to the individual power that this class holds. With the help of our loved ones, we have gotten through. Without our own passion, ambition and drive, we wouldn’t be sitting here in front of you. We haven’t coasted through and let others handle all of it for us – we fought, we pushed, and I think that is so beautiful.”

Allyson Skehan gave the valedictory address. She said it has been a very difficult senior year with mask mandates, a hybrid schedule where students saw less than half of their classmates most of the year, and some treasured traditions cancelled or modified.

The past year has shown the students to “live in the moment” and not take things for granted, Skehan said.

She cited the impact made from her friend, Evan Valentine – “the kindest, brightest soul I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He showed us all what it truly meant to live, despite the circumstances he was in.”

Don McCall, a Holley substitute teacher, was picked by the class to give the commencement address. McCall is a retired science teacher from the Geneva City school district. He moved to Holley and started as a sub four years ago. He figured it would be a way to get to know the community and give back for a rewarding career in education.

“I invested in Holley High but you invested in me and I appreciate that,” McCall said.

He focused his message on “removing labels.” Holley grads have already shown they can look past labels by picking a substitute teacher as their speaker. McCall said he Googled commencement addresses by substitute teachers and there were no matches. He thinks he made history today giving the speech as a substitute teacher.

Removing labels shows commonalities, how people are far more alike than different.

McCall recalled being given a tour of the school campus, which has recently been upgraded through capital projects.

“You could feel his pride in the school,” he said.

And Evan Valentine was a true pleasure to have in class, McCall said.

“Continue to honor him by being kind to all you meet,” he said.

He urged the grads to embrace kindness for others and for themselves.

Zacharie Dann shakes hands with Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent. Dann has enlisted with the Marine Corps and leaves Monday for training.

Alexander Marie Mendoza stands and is recognized as the recipient of a $500 scholarship in memory of Carmelo Rivera. About $30,000 in scholarships were presented to graduates.

Jacob Affronti is presented with his diploma by Principal Susan Cory.

Michael Snell is hugged by Suzanne Lepkowski, the class advisor and a high school English teacher. Kathy Monks, left, reads off the names of the grads. Snell is headed for the Marine Corps.

Michael Stoll gives Kelly Marzano, a music teacher, a surprise embrace when he went to get his diploma. She was taking a turn reading the graduates’ names.

More than 150 students are registered for ‘Camp Rising Hawk’

HOLLEY – For the first time in many years Holley Central School will be running its own summer school program.

There are 155 students registered for “Camp Rising Hawk,” a four-week program for students entering grades 1 to 9.

The district will be offering transportation, as well as breakfast and lunch for students in the program.

The camp runs for four weeks, and is four days each week, from Monday through Thursday. It starts July 19 and ends Aug. 12. The camp is from 9 a.m. to noon each day and students will work on English Language Arts, math and social and emotional learning. (Registration has closed.)

Holley has designed a program with many activities mixed in with learning, said Brendan Keiser, director of teaching and learning for the school district.

“It’s going to be fun,” he said. “I’m excited and thrilled.”

Camp Rising Hawk will be “low-tech” without laptops and other devices. Keiser acknowledged many students need the extra work with classes disrupted from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There is a lot of unfinished learning,” he said.

The district will need to continue working on that transition back to full in-person learning when the new school year starts in September, in particular with the social and emotional growth of students, Keiser said.

The camp is open to all students, but the district made extra efforts to reach out to families of students who had fallen behind academically. Many students who have been remote only for the past 15 months also will be part of the camp to help them get used to be back in an in-person school setting.

Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent, praised Holley teachers and other staff for stepping up and agreeing to be part of the summer program. Other districts have struggled to get staff for the summer schools, Bartalo said.

Holley has about 15 teachers for the program and other staff for Camp Rising Hawk.

“I feel extremely fortunate with our Holley staff members,” Bartalo told the Board of Education on Monday. “In other districts it’s been hard to find staff.”

The classes for the program won’t have more than 15 students. Students won’t have to wear masks at all times because they can be socially distanced.

The program will be held at the elementary school and will be in classrooms with air-conditioning.

Sidonio with slight lead over Bower in Murray; McKenna and Waters apparent winners in Barre

The Republican primary for Murray town supervisor is too close to call after polls closed tonight. The results will determined on Monday when absentee ballots are counted.

In Murray – the only race for town supervisor in Orleans County – Joe Sidonio is leading by 13 votes over Randy Bower, 263-250. Sidonio is the current supervisor and Bower, the retired Orleans County sheriff, is currently a town councilman.

There are 44 absentees turned in so far in Murray and 64 were sent out. There may be more than 44 to count if they are received by next Tuesday and are postmarked by today. The Orleans County Board of Elections plans to count the absentees on Monday, and will include any received more if they arrive on Tuesday, as long as the ballots are postmarked by today.

• In Barre, two candidates – George McKenna and David Waters – have stated opposition to the wind turbine project. They are the apparent winners with 163 for Waters and 162 for McKenna, over incumbents Tom McCabe, 146, and Lynn Hill, 145. McCabe and Hill both voted to change the town ordinance to allow for turbines up to 700 feet in height.

Barre has 13 absentees turned in so far out of 20 that were requested.

• In Carlton, Karen Narburgh received 101 votes for town clerk, compared to 66 for Dori Goetze. Narburgh has been the town clerk the past seven years.

• In Gaines in the primary for town justice, Charles Prentice Jr. received 146 votes to Henry Smith Jr.’s 48. Bruce Schmidt, the incumbent, isn’t seeking re-election.

• In Ridgeway, in a three-candidate race for town clerk, Hannah Hill is the overwhelming winner with 228 votes, followed by Laurie Kilburn with 75 and E.J. Cox with 16. Karen Kaiser, the current town clerk, isn’t seeking re-election.

Also in Ridgeway, there were three candidates for two open seats on the Town Board. Jeff Toussaint leads with 255 votes, followed by 249 for Cliff Barber. David Stalker, an incumbent, received 72 votes.

• In Shelby, three candidates were seeking two positions. Edward Zelazny has likely defeated one of the incumbents, William Bacon. The vote totals include 172 for incumbent Stephen Seitz Sr., 166 for Zelazny and 143 for Bacon.

There are 13 out of 38 absentees turned in so far.

‘You have reminded us of our purpose, which is to love and care for children. That is why we exist.’ – Brian Bartalo, Holley district superintendent

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The school district on Monday evening honored six retiring teachers and staff who have a combined 182 years of service to students.

The top photo shows Sue Cory (left), junior-senior high school principal, with Kathy Monks, who is retiring after 30 years as a Spanish teacher. Monks also was the Spanish club advisor, a yearbook advisor and put on elaborate Day of the Dead celebrations. The latter is a Mexican holiday on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.

Cory praised Monks for her dedication to students and an engaging teaching style.

“I loved the kids, and I loved my co-workers and the school district,” Monks said. “At Holley there is a sense of family.”

Sue Morreall retired after 25 years in the elementary school office. She was praised for her organizational skills, a welcoming personality and a deep institutional knowledge of the school.

“I loved it,” Morreall said about the job. “I loved seeing the students’ smiling faces in the morning.”

Roxanne Wagner is retiring after 33 years with Holley as an administrative assistant and a stint as athletic director. She showed an eagerness to help the district and connect with students, including chaperoning many school events.

“These are two great people and workers,” Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent, said about Morreall and Wagner.

He said the two employees and other administrative assistants are critical to the school operations.

“We all know who really runs the district,” he said about the staff.

Karri Schiavone, elementary school principal (left) congratulates Wanda Farrell on her retirement. Farrell has served as a school counselor at Holley, working in both the middle-senior high school and then in the elementary school.

She was compassionate with many Holley families, and helped connect the district with agencies that provided additional services.

“I just like the kids,” Farrell said about her career. “I had a great staff to work with.”

Sheri Viscardi, a fourth grade teacher, is congratulated by Karri Schiavone, the school principal. Viscardi was a very popular teacher who made her classroom fun while pushing students to excel, Schiavone said.

“Sheri loves her children clearly,” Schiavone said. “She puts everything she has into her class.”

Holley also recognized Brandi Zavitz, who is retiring as the middle and high school art teacher. She was unable to attend Monday’s Board of Education meeting.

Bartalo, the district superintendent, congratulated the retirees.

“You have reminded us of our purpose, which is to love and care for children,” Bartalo said. “That is why we exist.”

The six retirees worked 182 years combined for the district.

“I can’t even imagine how many students and lives have been positively impacted by these remarkable individuals,” Bartalo said.

The Board of Education also recognized two BOE members who are leaving after completing their terms. Robin Silvis, the BOE president, presents a gift to Mark Porter. He will continue in an official Holley capacity, representing the district on the board for the Monroe II-Orleans BOCES.

Melissa Ierlan also was commended by Silvis for her volunteer efforts on the BOE. Ierlan seemed to know nearly all of the families and was very student-focused, Silvis said.

“She reads everything and she knows everybody,” Silvis said. “She cares for every student.”