Photos courtesy of Dale Banker
KENDALL – Firefighters used a controlled burn to take down a house at 2180 Peter Smith Road this morning.
Firefighters from Kendall, Holley and Carlton were able to use the controlled burn for some training. The Orleans County Emergency Management Office also was at the scene. (Dale Banker, the EMO coordinator, provided these photos.)
Photos courtesy of Helen Unterborn
KENDALL – The Kendall Lions Club held its annual chicken barbecue on Feb. 4 and sold 864 dinners, with proceeds to go to Paula Mattison-Prince, who is fighting cancer.
This photo shows Lions Club members in the serving line, including Gayle Ashbury, Dan Peckham, Steve Cliff, Tony Cammarata and Bob Furness.
The Lions Club does the fund-raiser every year, and picks someone from the community as the beneficiary of the funds. The Lions Club next month expects to present a check to Mattison-Prince, with the money to help her with her medical expenses.
Phil Haight, Blaine Young and Cary Wright work in the barbecue pit.
KENDALL – A Dollar General store is proposed in Kendall for Route 18, near the Kendall Road intersection. The new 9,100-square-foot store would be across the road from Greenwood Cemetery.
The Orleans County Planning Board will review the site plan for the project on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. The board meets in Conference Room C of the County Administration Building on Route 31 in Albion.
The store is planned for a site in Kendall’s General Business District.
The board will also consider the following referrals:
• Request for a six-month moratorium on installation of freestanding or ground-mounted solar energy systems in Murray.
• Request for amendment of the Shelby zoning map, reclassifying Hamlet District at Maple Ridge Rd., West Avenue Extension, and South Gravel Road to General Business District.
Provided photos
KENDALL – Teachers and staff at the David J. Doyle Junior-Senior High in Kendall wore pink T-shirts on Monday during an assembly in honor of Carol D’Agostino, the school’s principal the past 12 years.
D’Agostino, in front holding flowers, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery today.
On Monday, the school had a surprise assembly with all the students and staff wearing pink for the school’s principal.
“The idea was to give her strength so she knows we’re behind her,” said Kevin Watson, the school’s assistant principal.
The district sent a letter home with students last week in grades 7-12, informing them that D’Agostino had a recurrence of cancer. She first battled the disease 25 years ago.
D’Agostino is expected to be out of work for six to eight weeks.
The principal addressed the students during the assembly, saying she was determined to beat cancer.
“She told them they don’t need to be afraid of the word, ‘cancer,’’” Watson said.
He orchestrated the assembly on Monday, and pushed to have t-shirts for all students and staff. He wanted D’Agostino to see all the pink shirts to know she has strong support at the school. Watson said D’Agostino is a caring leader for the school, often visiting students in the hospital and going above and beyond in numerous ways.
“She does so much for so many people in this little town,” Watson said.
This photo shows the student body, about 300 students, wearing pink shirts in honor of D’Agostino. The Sports Boosters and sales from the other shirts will cover the costs for the students’ shirts.
D’Agostino is hugged by students at the assembly on Monday.
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KENDALL – Brandi Stephens sings the Cup Song (When I’m Gone) accompanied by a chorus of “cups” on Friday evening when the Kendall Music Department and Kendall Music Boosters held their annual Dessert Cabaret to benefit the school’s music programs.
The evening included vocal and instrumental music, desserts and a raffle. Theme baskets, which were part of the raffle, were on display before the first half of the musical performance.
Caleb Henion performs a solo as part of My Funny Valentine.
Those attending the Dessert Cabaret enjoy their sweets while Mr. Veit and Mrs. Zito perform prior to the evening’s Act II in the auditorium which featured performances by the Senior High Jazz band, members of the Jr./Sr. High Band, Senior High Chorus and other students.
Kierstyn Christensen and Michela Hanlon served as emcees for the evening.
Kenny Price, on trombone, plays Andante and Allegro by Barat, accompanied on piano by Mr. Jeremy Rath.
Members of “The Band” perform Hey Brother.
Act I of the performance wrapped up with two songs from Vocal Effect: My Funny Valentine and Sun and Moon from Miss Saigon.
Sarah Knapp, “Knappers,” sings and plays her original song, Saturn.
KENDALL – The school district is beginning a partnership with OCALS – Orleans County Adult Learning Services, a literacy organization that currently partners with Lyndonville, Holley and Albion school districts.
OCALS provides free and confidential literacy services to residents of Orleans County and contiguous areas and utilizes trained volunteers to assist students based on each individual student’s literacy needs.
Carol D’Agostino, Kendall’s Junior/Senior High Principal, told the Board of Education this week that OCALS will allow the district to get “peer tutoring back up and running.” OCALS will provide services twice each week during the 8th period.
D’Agostino said the partnership is part of an overall effort to build relationships between the school district and county-level organizations and agencies.
“We would like to see continued networking with services in Orleans County,” she said, “to build positive relationships and maximize everything we can do for our kids.”
D’Agostino said the district is also inviting community residents to take part in the “Kendall Reads Event” which includes Kendall High School Library’s first “Community Read” planned for Thursday, March 23, at 7 p.m.
Community members are encouraged to read The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson and join in a discussion of the book at the March 23 event, which will also include light snacks. All ages are welcome to take part.
“It will build a sense of literacy in the community,” D’Agostino said. “It’s an exciting thing for the whole community.”
Copies of the book will be available at the high school library. For more information call 659-8959.
Members of the Board of Education on Wednesday also briefly discussed the preliminary school budget for the 2017-18 school year.
Superintendent Julie Christensen said the district anticipates a 1.4 percent increase in Foundation Aid which she said is operating aid the district receives from the state. The tax cap for 2017-18 is 1.26 percent compared with .12 percent under the current budget. Christensen said health insurance rates are expected to increase by 12 percent, while pension costs are expected to go down.
KENDALL – The school district has been approved for a $544,838 technology grant that will boost high-speed Internet access and also allow every high school student to have a device connected to the Internet.
The state announced the funding for Kendall and 64 other school districts on Friday. The state approved $44 million for the “Smart Schools Investment Plans.” The money is part of $2 billion approved in 2014 by New York voters in the Smart Schools Bond Act. The funding is “aimed at reimagining teaching and learning for the 21st century,” Gov. Cuomo said on Friday.
Kendall school leaders have been working on the “Smart Schools” plan the past two years with the State Education Department, said Julie Christensen, the school district superintendent.
Kendall’s grant has $99,034 devoted to school connectivity and $445,804 to classroom technology.
The district will have enhanced broadband and Internet access, Christensen said today.
Kendall will also be providing one-to-one technology for students in grades 7-12 as a pilot in 2017-18, beginning in September, the superintendent said.
The district will also upgrade its elementary computer lab, which will be available later this month. The district will also add laptops and iPads for grades kindergarten through 6.
“We’re pleased the funding has finally become available to access technology hardware and software to ensure our students are prepared for 21st Century learning,” she said.
Cuomo said the state will use the funding to equip students with the skills they need to thrive and succeed in the global economy, and close the “digital divide” in hundreds of schools across the state.
With the Smart Schools Act, many school districts are investing in technology such as computer servers, interactive whiteboards, tablets, desktop and laptop computers, and high-speed broadband and wireless connectivity, Cuomo said. This technology helps students to learn at their own pace, expands access to advanced courses and interactive curriculum, and enhances communication between parents and teachers.
“The Smart Schools Bond act has played a critical role in expanding educational opportunity by helping schools modernize outdated classrooms,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This funding ensures that all of New York’s students –no matter their zip code—have access to the technology that has become so essential to modern education by preparing them to meet the demands of the 21st century economy.”
Photos by Tom Rivers
MURRAY – Firefighters battle a house fire this morning at 2465 Peter Smith Rd. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 9:45 a.m.
The house is owned by Terry Bliss and his wife Cookie. Mr. Bliss said he had put firewood in an outdoor stove and was taking a shower when his wife told him the house was on fire.
Bliss and his wife both made it out safely.
“Houses can be replaced, lives cannot,” he said.
The Bliss family has lived in the house for 31 years. They had the stove for 25 years and had not experienced any problems from the stove before. The stove is behind the garage. The stove heats up coils and a 350-gallon water tank.
Bliss is well known in the Kendall community. He is a past president of the Kendall Lions Club and also served as a Lions district governor.
Fire officials at the scene said manpower was an issue this morning. Several departments had to be called for mutual aid. Fancher-Hulberton-Murray, Holley, Albion, Clarendon, Kendall and Carlton all sent firefighters to the scene.
Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Aug. 3 shows a field of corn while the sun is setting in Gaines.
KENDALL – Matt Kludt from the Kludt Brothers Farm in Kendall is a repeat champion in New York’s annual corn yield contest.
Kludt recorded a yield of 298.5 acres in the No-Till/Strip-Till Non-Irrigated Class. The winning entry was grown with Pioneer seeds, P0843AM, the National Corn Growers Association announced today.
Kludt also won the title last year with 319.74 bushels per acre. Kludt also had the second biggest yield in 2016 at 264.55 bushels.
“The contest provides farmers more than just an opportunity for friendly competition; it generates data that impacts future production practices across the industry,” said Brent Hostetler, chair of NCGA’s Stewardship Action Team. “The techniques first developed by contest winners grow into far-reaching advances, helping farmers across the country excel in a variety of situations. Our contest emphasizes innovation both from growers and technology providers, thus enabling us to meet the growing demand for food, feed, fuel and fiber.”
Kludt and other state and national winners will be invited to the 2017 Commodities Classic in San Antonio. For more on the contest, click here.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Cherise Oakley made this dish, Hardenbrook family ham loaf, with Kathy (Hardenbrook) Scroger and Mary Ellen (Hardenbrook) Seaman. It is one of 17 family recipes highlighted so far in Oakley’s blog, “Orleans County Cuisine.”
KENDALL – Cherise Oakley wants to help build a stronger community in Orleans County, and she thinks family recipes are a leading ingredient to enriching relationships.
Oakley started a blog, Orleans County Cuisine, in September and is up to 17 features on cherished family recipes including the Hardenbrook ham loaf, the Cooper family’s collard greens and smoked turkey butt, and the Grabowski’s pierogis.
Oakley met with Kathy Scroger and Mary Ellen Seaman last month to make the ham loaf. They used the kitchen at the Morton Baptist Church.
Oakley shares the recipe on her blog, with some cooking tips and background on the dish. She does it for the 17 entries so far.
“There is nothing better to bring people together than food,” said Oakley, 42, of Kendall.
Many of the recipes have been closely guarded by families for generations. But Oakley is finding families want to share them – with the community.
Mary Ellen Seaman, left, and Kathy Scroger work together on making the Hardenbrook family ham loaf at the Morton Baptist Church.
The Hardenbrook ham loaf has been a Christmas breakfast tradition for that family for more than 70 years.
Mary Ellen (Hardenbrook) Seaman and Kathy (Hardenbrook) Scroger shared the dish with Oakley and her readers. Click here to see it.
Scroger and Seaman are cousins. (Oakley also is related to them.) The cousins also usually make the ham loaf around Thanksgiving and deliver the meals to the VA in Batavia.
“I want to share some of the stories and some of the history,” Oakley said about the recipes. “We learn about life in Orleans County and some of the folklore.”
She is developing deeper relationships already with the families willing to share their treasured recipes.
The ham loaf has been a Hardenbrook Christmas tradition for more than 70 years.
Oakley, the daughter of Charlie Nesbitt and the late Dema (Sam) C. Daley, had a family connection to the Hardenbrooks. Now she has a shared experience in the kitchen, making the ham loaf with Scroger and Seaman. Oakley also had the ladies write out the recipe in their own hand-writing.
Oakley wants to highlight local foods and use local ingredients as much as possible. She highlights Bannister Beef (Exselsior Farms) in Kent, B & C Christ Farms in Kent where she is a member of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and Miller’s Bulk Food & Bakery in Medina, where she buys many spices and Polish sausage. (For the Hardenbrook ham loaf, she bought the ground ham and pork from the Alabama Holley Farm Market.
“This has helped me to eat more sustainably and fresher,” Oakley said about the blog and the push for local ingredients.
Provided photo: Vickie (Cooper) Elsenheimer showed Cherise Oakley how to make collard greens with smoked turkey butt.
One of her entries has a whimsical title, “Lorraine’s Roadkill Cabbage Casserole.”
Her mother-in-law, Lorraine Oakley, is well known among friends and family for retrieving cabbage that falls from trucks that hits bumps on the road around Orleans County.
Lorraine will create cabbage casseroles with Polish sausage, ground beef, chopped cabbage, one diced red pepper, one diced yellow onion and other ingredients. (Click here to see the recipe.)
Oakley works at the College at Brockport as a secretary in the English department. She is also a graduate student studying creative writing. Her blog started as part of an independent study on professional blogging.
The blog is a chance to hone her writing skills, and learn more about her family and the agricultural bounty in Orleans County.
“This blog is a rediscovery of my extended farming family throughout the county, the land, and above all, the food that keeps us all together,” she writes on her blog.
“Join me as I investigate all that Orleans County has to offer. Let’s explore it all, from the quaint roadside stands where you drop your quarters in the box for fresh sweet corn, to the well-established farm markets where you pick up homemade jams, my favorite sweet heat pickles and beautiful produce.”
Anyone with a family recipe to share and contact Oakley through her blog.
Provided photos
ALBION – Girl Scouts from Albion and Kendall Troop 82127 completed their Bronze Award project, the highest award for junior level Girl Scouts, by hosting a Christmas Tea for the residents at the the Martin-Linsin Hospice Residence in Albion on Saturday.
This photo shows, from left, front row: Abigail Merkley; second row: Sarah Thom, Sophia Albanese, Julia Fuller and Autumn Flugel; third row: Kaitys Allen, Sarah Mathes, Riannon Newbould, Abrielle Shuler and Julia Knight. Missing from picture: Liana Flugel.
There are 7 required steps to earn the award. They must earn a Girl Scout Journey badge, build their Girl Scout junior team based on each other’s strengths and talents, explore their community to come up with ideas for projects to help their community, brainstorm and decide as a team which idea best suits them and fills a need, make a plan for a take action project, put their plan in motion and, lastly, spread the word.
The Scouts met at the Martin-Linsin Residence to speak with Michelle Toenniessen about their idea and have their plan approved. From left include Julia Knight, Julia Fuller, Abrielle Shuler, Sophia Albanese and Riannon Newbould.
The Scouts set up with homemade cookies and desserts for Saturday’s Tea.
Singing carols! Left to right Kaitlyn Allen, Autumn Flugel, Julia Fuller, Julia Knight, Riannon Newbould, Abigail Merkley, Sarah Thom, Abrielle Shuler and Sarah Mathes with leaders Yvonne Newbould and Janelle Shuler.
The Scouts also stopped by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and thanked the staff, including Communications Director Allen Turner, for working to keep the community safe. From left include Kaitlyn Allen, Abigail Merkley, Autumn Flugel and Riannon Newbould.
Photos by Tom Rivers Karl Driesel is pictured inside Orleans Millworks at a new 5,884-squarefoot building that opened in July at 1750 Kendall Rd.
KENDALL – From his boyhood days at his father’s lumber business in Albion, Karl Driesel has loved wood.
He enjoys taken a rough piece of lumber and turning it into railings, mouldings, hardwood floorings, and other useful purposes.
“You can turn it into something beautiful with the right materials,” Driesel said Monday at Orleans Millworks.
Driesel, 30, has had a woodworking business since 2009. He was working out of his home until committing to building a new 5,884-square-foot shop and showroom at 1750 Kendall Rd. Construction started in February, and Driesel moved his business to the site in July.
Driesel wanted the building to blend in with the town. The building is green and tan, and inside the showroom features many different types of wood species. Driesel works with about 20 different types of wood.
It is a prominent building on Kendall’s main road. Driesel works with customers mainly between Buffalo and Rochester, serving residential, commercial, and wholesale markets often working directly with homeowners and contractors.
The site in Kendall proved ideally located between the two major markets, and Driesel also wanted to be be close to his house and help his hometown.
Driesel graduated from Morrisville State College, earning degrees in wood products technology and business management with a concentration in entrepreneurship.
For three years he was teaching at Morrisville, making a 2 ½-hour trip two to three times a week. He taught in the wood science department and showed students how to make cabinets.
Driesel last year decided to focus solely on his own business. He purchased Medina Millworks from the Graber family – Jerome, Matthew, Stephen and Phillip. That acquisition has boosted Driesel’s business, expanding his customer base and giving him more access to modern woodworking equipment.
“There is zero waste from the manufacturing process,” Driesel said. “Wood shavings are marketed as livestock bedding, and wood scraps become firewood.”
Diesel gives Scouts from Barre a demonstration on woodworking.
Driesel has one full-time employee. They can manufacture any profile of moulding. If they have a sample of wood, Orleans Millworks can find a match from 1,800 profiles in the business’s library, Driesel said.
Most of the lumber he uses comes from the northeastern U.S., but some species come from as far as Maine and Oregon, he said.
Driesel was an active Boy Scout and earned his Eagle rank, one of seven in the Driesel family to earn that distinction. On Monday, he welcomed a group of Scouts from Barre to see the wood shop. He demonstrated how rough lumber is turned into smooth baseboards. (Driesel’s uncle Karl Driesel is one of the leaders of the Scout troop in West Barre.)
Driesel’s father, the late Joe Driesel, also was an Eagle Scout. Karl keeps his father’s hammer in the shop “as a constant reminder that he is watching over always.” He also keeps a flag on the property in tribute to his father’s 23 years in the Army.
Driesel said he is committed long term to the business and appreciates the backing from the community.
“I would like to thank my family, friends, church, and community members who have worked tirelessly to help make this project a success, and the Town of Kendall for understanding my vision and for their unwavering support of local business,” he said.
Driesel does another demonstration for Scouts, showing how lumber is turned into smooth baseboard.
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KENDALL – Tony Cammarata, the Kendall town supervisor, is joined in the gazebo by Santa, two elves and Mrs. Claus (blocked from view) for the Kendall Community Tree Lighting Ceremony on Wednesday evening.
The event continued at the Kendall Fire Hall with music from the Kendall Community Band, cocoa and cookies.
Preston Manners, a second grader at Kendall Elementary, has a chat with Santa during the Supper with Santa program at Kendall Elementary School. The supper was held prior to the Kendall Community Tree Lighting Ceremony and included pizza, a drink and a cookie in addition to the opportunity to speak with the man in red.
Four -year old Bryson Shuler enjoyed an opportunity to make his Christmas wishes known to Santa.
Vinnie Flow IV, 8 months old, was decked out in his First Christmas Santa garb on grandma’s lap during the Supper with Santa program. Grandma is Barb Flow, a member of the Kendall Town Board.
Members of the Kendall Elementary Choir sing carols following the lighting of the community tree at the gazebo in the Kendall Community Park.
The Orleans County Sheriff Department’s new canine, Otto, was in attendance at the Kendall tree lighting. He was accompanied by Deputy Jeff Cole and Cole’s two-year old son, Logan. Otto came from Holland in mid-October and was obtained by the Sheriff’s Department through Upstate Canine in Hamlin.
Sheriff Randy Bower said donations from the community made the acquisition of Otto possible. Otto is ready to serve the Department on tracking jobs.
Provided photo: Kendall Elementary students perform a dance during their production of “Aladdin Kids.”
Chris Nettles (Aladdin) and Megan Gates (Jasmine) sing a song together.
Press Release, Kendall Central School
KENDALL – The week of Nov. 14 was full of music and dancing in the Kendall Elementary Auditorium as the Kendall Elementary Chorus put on their production of “Aladdin Kids” for their peers and families.
Three performances occurred that week, with students filling the roles of actors, dancers, chorus, stage hands, sound engineers and lighting crew.
The musical was based on the 1992 Disney film “Aladdin” and adapted for a student production on stage.
The Kendall production was directed by Kendall Elementary Music Teacher Jeremy Rath, and many Kendall faculty and staff members and parents helped create the sets, props and costumes.
The students were successful in entertaining their audiences all week. Congratulations to everyone involved on a job well done!
From left, Megan Gates (Jasmine), Seth Pray (Royal Guard), Johnathan Plucknette (Sultan), Jimmie Swift (Royal Guard), Louie Conte (Jafar) and Casey Gardner (Iago) act out a scene from “Aladdin Kids.”
From left, Jimmie Swift (Royal Guard), Casey Gardner (Iago), Louie Conte (Jafar) and Leigha Zugehoer (Genie) act out a scene from “Aladdin Kids.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Kendall Jr./Sr. High School recently received a significant change to its exterior, as well as many interior upgrades.
Press Release, Kendall Central School
KENDALL – Kendall Junior/Senior High School was named on the 2016 list of America’s Best High Schools as determined by U.S. News & World Report.
According to the publication’s website, the “2016 Best High Schools rankings awards the top 6,517 public high schools with gold, silver and bronze medals, indicating their level of college readiness.” Schools received these medals based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college. All results were based on data from the 2013-14 school year.
Kendall received a bronze medal for student performance on state exams. Kendall students performed better than the state average on state reading and math proficiency tests, with Kendall’s disadvantaged students also performing better than the state average.
In this evaluation, disadvantaged students were defined as black, Hispanic and low-income. With a total enrollment of 366 students, 12 percent of Kendall students were classified as minorities and 39 percent of all students were classified as economically disadvantaged (eligible for free or reduced-price meals).
Based on state test results, 78 percent of Kendall students were proficient in math and 94 percent were proficient in English. Seventy-seven percent of disadvantaged students were proficient on these exams compared to 83 percent of non-disadvantaged students who were also proficient on these exams.
Kendall graduation rates met or exceeded the national standard. The graduation rate at Kendall was 92 percent. U.S. News & World Report calculated a “College Readiness Index,” based on Kendall students’ participation in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams. Twenty-three percent of Kendall students participated in an AP course, with most students taking, on average, one AP exam.
For more information on Kendall’s ranking on the U.S. News & World Report list, visit www.usnews.com.
