Provided photos

HOLLEY – Contractors are on site at Sam’s Diner this morning helping to stabilize the building in the Public Square after the back wall collapsed on Friday morning.

Joe Penna of Holley is doing an emergency shoring of the back of the building. Steve Morgan is removing stone debris.

The scene shut down traffic in the Public Square until 8 p.m. Friday due to concern vibrations from the passing vehicles could cause more of the building to cave in.

Sam’s Diner owner George Gitsis thanked the community for the outpouring of concern and support for a much-loved restaurant in Holley. George’s father, the late Sam Gitisis, opened the diner in 1978.

While Route 31 is back open to traffic, the east one-lane strip in the Square from Red, White and Moo to Sam’s, and past Dr. Dan Schiavone’s dental office and the community center remains closed to vehicles.

Rick Cary, the Murray fire chief, said the immediate area by Sam’s also is currently off limits to pedestrians in case there is any shifting in the diner.

He said Schiavone and the Eastern Orleans Community Center should be able to reopen to the public on Monday.

Murray firefighters have been on the scene since shortly after the wall collapsed at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. They provided an overnight presence. Cary said he expects they will be on scene until this afternoon.

He was inside the diner this morning, and he said it is in good condition despite the back wall collapsing.

The Murray Joint Fire District was assisted on the scene by Village of Holley employees, NYS Special Operations and Monroe County Special Operations, and firefighters from Kendall, Clarendon and Brockport.

Sam’s Diner posted the following message on its Facebook page:

“We are extremely thankful that nobody was hurt. We cannot express how we appreciate everyone who has reached out offering your love and support. We are humbled by all of the local fire departments, village workers, Monroe County Special Operations Unit, code enforcement officers, community members, Mayor Mark Bower, Dustin’s Pizzeria, and countless others that have been working hard to help us salvage the building and to give us their support. It really does take a village as the saying goes and we are beyond grateful! We will keep you updated with the progress.”

Fate uncertain for beloved restaurant in Public Square

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The back wall of Sam’s Diner lies in a pile of rubble today. The wall gave out at about 9:30 a.m. The diner wasn’t open yet and no one was injured.

The situation has closed traffic in the Public Square while the building and the those near it are checked to make sure they are stable.

“It’s heart-breaking,” said Holley Mayor Mark Bower.

The Gitsis family has owned the diner for nearly 50 years. Sam Gitsis opened it in 1978. It is one of Holley’s most popular gathering places.

George Gitsis, the son of Sam Gitsis, is the current owner. He tried in recent months to get an engineer and masons to work on the back of the building but could not get people to commit to the job, Bower said.

“From day one, George and his father, mother and sister have done wonderful work in Holley,” Bower said. “I’m just wanting this business to survive. It’s such an asset to Holley.”

A special operations team from Monroe County is at the scene to check the stability of Sam’s. There are also many local firefighters, code enforcement and the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

A drone was sent up to give officials a close view of the building to see if there was any additional movement in the walls, said Rick Cary, the Murray fire chief.

The local officials will continue to assess the stability of the building, and that will determine if it can be shored up and reopened eventually, Cary said. A construction company may need to come in and help with the evaluation.

“I expect the restaurant will be closed for a significant amount of time,” Cary said.

Dr. Dan Schiavone has his dental office next door to Sam’s. He is closed today and hopes he can see patients on Monday.

Schiavone, a former Holley mayor, worries about many of the Public Square buildings from the late 1800s.

“These are historic buildings and we do our darndest to save them,” Schiavone said. “But we’re losing the integrity of the Public Square.”

Provided photo

HOLLEY – The Holley Rotary Club on Monday evening honored two members as Paul Harris Fellows, the club’s highest honor. The club is making $1,000 donations to the Rotary Foundation in the name of Craig Lane and Josh Mitchell.

Pictured from left include Craig Lane, a Paul Harris Fellow; club member Brain McKeon; and Josh Mitchell, a Paul Harris Fellow.

Photos courtesy of Holley Central School

HOLLEY – A group of Holley students and staff took the Polar Plunge on Sunday, going into the cold water of Lake Ontario.

The Holley group raised $2,327 for the Special Olympics. The 15 Holley students are in the Student Council and the Interact Club.

Jim DiSessa, the High School Student Council advisor, has led the Holley group for about a decade in the Plunge. The group was also joined on Sunday by Principal Matt Feldman and six faculty members.

“It makes a difference when you have staff members who are encouraging students to give back to the community, getting involved with them and showing up for them,” DiSessa said.

There were 1,800 people who took the plunge at Ontario Beach Park and set a new record raising $360,000.

DiSessa said the plunge has become an annual tradition for Holley.

“Our students enjoy doing the Polar Plunge because it raises money for and helps bring awareness to a great cause, the Special Olympics,” he said. “I think students enjoy the event because it is different, which makes it fun.”

Star Wars characters, G.I. Joes, Atari games and more

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jason Royce, owner of Retro World Toys, stands in his store at 32 Public Store with Slimer, one of the characters from the Ghostbusters movies.

HOLLEY – Step in Retro World Toys, and it’s a step back in time, from Star Wars figures from the 1970s and ’80s, Elvis cards, Atari video games, a Rocky III movie poster, Fisher-Price toys, and a lineup of G.I. Joes and Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos.

Jason Royce has been selling retro toys for several years, mostly online. He had a store in West Seneca but shut it down during the height of the Covid pandemic.

He wanted to open in a storefront again, and preferred a small town. The Barker resident looked at Medina and Albion. He picked Holley after going to an estate sale. When he rounded Route 31 and saw the Public Square, he felt like it would be the perfect fit for his business.

“I fell in love with it,” he said about Holley’s business district. “Seeing Holley, it felt like Hallmark.”

These wresting figures include one of Gene Okerlund, center, who was a long-time interviewer, announcer and television host for the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.

Royce also said the business is close to Brockport, Rochester and Batavia, and can draw people from those communities.

Royce retired as a professional wrestler about two years ago after 25 years wrestling nationally and in more regional syndicates. He generally wrestled as a cowboy character.

With retro toys, he said the sense of nostalgia is a strong among collectors. He expects people will travel to come to the store to check out the merchandise.

The store opened at noon today for the first time and there was a ribbon cutting with leaders from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, Village of Holley officials and a representative from Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

There was a ribbon cutting today at noon for the new businesses in Holley. From left include Holley Mayor Mark Bower, Village Trustee John Morriss, Orleans County Chamber of Commerce President Dave Gagne, Retro World Toys owner Jason Royce, Vintage Me This owner Marla Harmon, Assemblyman Steve Hawley chief of staff Eileen Banker, and Darlene Hartway, Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Mayor Mark Bower said Retro World Toys and a companion business, Vintage Me This, are assets to the community.

“It’s great to have another storefront occupied in the village,” Bower said. “It’s unique.”

Royce’s partner Marla Harmon has opened Vintage Me This in the back part of the building. She sells dishes, glasses, zipper pouches, Pyrex stickers, key chains, tote bags and other “fun retro items.”

The businesses are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Marla Harmon also started her own business in the back of the store at 32 Public Square. She touts Vintage Me This as “Not your grandma’s antique store.”

Photos courtesy of Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley Board of Education last week presented a “Soaring to New Heights” award to members of the Holley’s varsity girls soccer team that won a Sectional title, Far West Regionals and advanced to the state tournament. It was an historic, record-setting season for the team which made its first trip to the state tournament for Holley girls soccer.

The district also thanked the Holley-Murray Joint Fire District for providing special fire truck escorts for the team bus in and out of town for the sectional and regional victories, and when the Hawks headed to states.

The Holley Transportation Department also commended for making many last-minute adjustments in order to provide spectator busses and get the team to their games.

The Holley Sports Boosters received a “Soaring To New Heights Award” for going above and beyond supporting the district athletic program, the student fans and especially the girls varsity team during the fall season.

“Sports Boosters paid for the majority of student ticket fees throughout girls soccer sectionals/regionals which lifted a huge burden for students,” district officials said in presenting the award last week. “Having a student spectator section supporting them at these games made all the difference for the team. This was on top of keeping the concession stands staffed at football and soccer games throughout the season.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Murray Joint Fire District Chief Rick Cary, left, and Mark Porter, the fire district chairman, are shown with the district’s new fire engine. The pumper-tanker carries 1,000 gallons of water and also has a capacity to pump 1,500 gallons a minute.

It replaces a pumper-tanker from 1992. The new truck was manufactured by Spartan in South Dakota. The fire district picked a white color for the truck, instead of red as part of an rebranding effort for the joint district, which includes the former Holley and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray districts.

Murray also has a refurbished rescue truck in service that functions as a mini-pumper. It holds 300 gallons and has a capacity to pump 1,500 gallons a minute.

Voters in the Murray Joint Fire District on Feb. 21, 2023 approved spending up to $900,000 for the new pumper-tanker fire truck and a refurbished rescue truck that will serve as a mini-pumper – with $680,000 for the new pumper-tanker and $220,000 to convert the rescue truck into a mini-pumper.

Mark Porter, the district chairman, said the joint fire district had $200,000 in reserves towards the trucks, and will borrow about $700,000 through a bond.

Photo courtesy of Bob Barton

HOLLEY – Multiple fire departments have been on scene this afternoon of a fire at 34 High St. in Holley. Firefighters were dispatched for a car fire in a garage at a single-story ranch.

David Hull has now written stories for 28 different books in the series

(Left) This is the cover of the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book, featuring 101 tales about the Christmas holiday, including two written by David Hull of Holley. (Right) File photo from 2018 shows David Hull holding two of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books that include a story he wrote.

HOLLEY – David Hull is a prolific contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He has written stories that are featured in 28 of the books.

The latest book with a Christmas theme include two of his stories. “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Time for Christmas! 101 Tales of Holiday Joy, Love and Gratitude” totals 339 pages. There are now more than 300 Chicken Soup for the Soul tiles that combined have sold more than 110 million copies and been translated into nearly 50 languages.

Hull, 64, is a retired preschool teacher. He has a story in the Christmas book in a section about Holiday Hijinks. In “The Separation,” he writes about his mother not being happy that Hull and sister weren’t visiting for the holidays. She tricked them into thinking she and her husband were getting a separation, which prompted her children to make an emergency trip home – for the holidays.

In a section about Gratitude and Grace, Hull has a story, “Gramma’s Good China.” Hull shares how his father tried to reconnect with him after leaving the family for 16 years. Hull wasn’t happy about seeing his dad and refused to shake his hand or converse with him in that first meeting.

Hull’s grandmother urged him to let go of the bitterness and anger. Hull reached out to his father, invited him for Thanksgiving and they ate on Grandma’s good China, dishes that were only used on special occasions. Hull said the dinner and reconnection with his father helped to soothe his hard feelings.

Hull grew up in Brockport. He did a reading at the Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport on Dec. 9, sharing some of his stories from the Chicken Soup series.

Hull said he checks the Chicken Soup website for future book themes and also gets emails from them about topics. He sends in submissions and said he is accepted about 50 percent of the time.

“If you get rejected you have to try again,” he said.

The most popular Chicken Soup books tend to be humorous ones, and books about pets, Hull said.

“At heart I’m really a writer,” he said. “I write quite a bit. I really enjoy seeing my stories get in print.”

Hull studied English in college and earned a degree in education. He worked 28 years as a teacher at the Brockport Child Development Center at Brockport State College. He retired about a decade ago.

The latest Chicken Soup book is one of several in the series earmarked to raise funds for nonprofits. Royalties from this book go to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program.

Provided photos

HOLLEY – Wreaths are placed on veterans’ graves on Saturday during Wreaths Across America. Holley for the first time participated in the event, which is celebrated in about 4,000 communities across the country.

The Holley Rotary Club took the lead in raising the funding and organizing the event at Hillside Cemetery. The club set a goal for 100 wreaths, but doubled that with the 200 on Saturday.

Kim DeFrank, a Holley resident and the Orleans County treasurer, was among about 35 volunteers who placed wreaths at graves.

Craig Lane, an Air Force veteran, spoke at the ceremony before the wreaths were laid.

Wreaths are set at a veterans’ memorial at the cemetery. The memorial includes five granite etched stones for the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. The memorial has a pentagon-shaped concrete base and a 25-foot flagpole.

Laura Bentley, right, of the Holley Rotary Club pushed the wreaths in Holley. She is joined by Kerry Lane in getting the out of a box. Bentley said the group of volunteers were pleased to be out honoring veterans.

Hillside Cemetery has a new look with the wreaths at the veterans’ graves.

Medina placed 1,008 wreaths, with most at Boxwood Cemetery. In Lyndonville, about 450 wreaths will be placed at Lynhaven Cemetery on Housel Avenue in Lyndonville with others put at Yates Center Cemetery, Robin Hill Estate, the Greenman Road Cemetery, Lott Cemetery on Angling Road and a cemetery on Marshall Road.

Lyndonville first joined the Wreaths Across America effort in 2019. Medina has been doing it since 2013.

MURRAY – Voters in the Murray Joint Fire District elected two fire commissioners to five-year terms on Tuesday, and also approved creating capital reserve accounts.

Chris Middleton was the top vote-getter for “Commissioner A” with 46 votes, to 27 for Tom Knight and 22 for Dave Knapp, an incumbent and original commissioner for the joint fire district.

For Commissioner B, David Smith was elected with 56 votes, followed by 37 for Joseph Morlino and 4 for Greg Johnston.

Voters also approved a proposition to create reserve accounts with 79 yes and 16 no.

The fire district will establish repair and replacement capital reserve accounts for apparatus and motor vehicles, equipment and buildings.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – A crowd gathers at the Public Square for Holley’s annual tree-lighting ceremony on Saturday evening.

Holley Mayor Mark Bower reads many names of residents honored with memory bulbs on the tree before the lights were turned on.

Holley added a large Santa statue to the Public Square that will be out during the Christmas season greeting people.

Many of the street lights in the Square also have red and green bulbs to add to the holiday ambiance.

The village put in two tall ornament stackers by the community Christmas tree.

There is also an 8-1/2-foot wide ornament arch in front of the old Holley High School, which are now apartments and the village offices.

Holley students in grades four to six sang Christmas carols before the tree was lighted on Saturday.

There also was an inflatable igloo for people to go inside and get a photo.

The Holley Community Free Library hosted a Christmas social after the tree-lighting.