Provided photos: pictured from left include Inez Stangler of Kendall, Zackary Baron of Albion, and Hannah Brundage of Kendall.
Staff Reports Posted 8 January 2024 at 8:48 pm
KENDALL – Hannah Brundage, a Kendall High School senior, earned first place in the American Legion’s Oratorical Competition at the 8th District Level, which was hosted in Kenmore on Sunday.
She will be moving on to the next level of the competition on Mt. Morris on Feb. 2. Zackary Baron of Albion was second, and Inez Stangler of Kendall was third. Brundage and Baron will advance to the zone level competition on Feb. 2 in Mount Morris.
The purpose of the oratorical contest is to provide high school students with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s laws, the ability to think and speak clearly, and an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship, said Katie Driesel, a Kendall social studies teacher.
“It takes a lot of courage to stand in front of people to deliver a speech on the Constitution with the grace and eloquence,” Driesel said.
Kendall hosted the county competition on Dec. 21 with Medina, Albion and Kendall students delivered an 8 to 10 minute speech on the Constitution. Throughout the competition students researched, wrote, and practiced their speeches. At the county level competition, Brundage also was first, with Baron in second, and Stangler in third. Abigayle Wright of Medina also competed.
At the district competition on Sunday in Kenmore, the students needed to prepare their oration and also give a short speech on a chosen amendment.
This photo shows the students at the county oratorical contest with members of the American Legion and some of the judges.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2023 at 9:59 pm
Courtesy of Kendall Central School – Most of the capital project includes upgrades to the elementary school.
KENDALL – School district residents approved a proposed $12,680,000 capital today with a vote of 102 in favor and 41 against.
Kendall’s recent capital projects have focused on the junior-senior high school. This proposed project is primarily at the elementary school.
The work at the school is an estimated $11,122,076 and includes site improvements with new paving, a new playground with age-appropriate equipment.
Inside the elementary school, projects include safety and security upgrades to interior doors, entryways, and alarm systems, as well as energy- efficient classroom lighting, corridor enhancements and auditorium upgrades, according to the district.
The project includes $153,089 in work at the junior-senior high school for common area improvements with new flooring and lighting.
In the transportation building, two bus lifts would be replaced at a cost of $1,065,278.
A roof would also be replaced for the Buildings & Grounds facility at a cost of $339,557.
District officials say the project won’t result in a tax increase. The state is covering 74 percent of the costs. Kendall has 15 percent of the expense already in a capital reserve fund. The other 11 percent is money Kendall has been paying in debt from prior projects that will be retired.
The project will go into the design phase to be submitted to the State Education Department in the summer 2024. After SED review/approval, construction is expected to start in the spring 2025 and be complete the end of 2026.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2023 at 11:39 am
Hofer, currently battling pancreatic cancer, has been scouting volunteer for 30 years
Provided photos
KENDALL – Dave Hofer is presented with the Silver Beaver Award and also the District Award of Merit from Jess Merkel, a representative of the Western New York Scout Council.
The awards were presented on Friday at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, where Hofer had been for five weeks receiving care for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Hofer is now home in Kendall.
He has volunteered with scouts for 30 years, including as scoutmaster for Troop 94 in Kendall. He has helped the former Iroquois Trail Council for many years with its camps at Camp Dittmer in Phelps and Camp Sam Wood in Portageville.
The Silver Beaver Award is a top award from a council given to a scouter who has made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council.
Hofer’s experience in scouts helped him learn the discipline and kindness that are hallmarks of his life, his wife Judy said.
Hofer was working at Kodak and running a machine shop on the side before he fully committed to the machine shop. Since 1993, he has owned and operated DMD Machining Technology in Kendall.
He has made time available to help teach and lead scouts. He has served as director of the Webelos Conservation Camp and a member of the Council Camping Committee, in addition to an active role with Troop 94.
He attended the Philmont Scout Ranch with his son Matt. Philmont, in the Rocky Mountains, is a high-adventure base of rugged mountain wilderness in northeastern New Mexico.
“Everything he’s learned from Boy Scouts he has used along the way,” Judy said. “Even on family camps we have to make sure everything is picked up better than when we arrived.”
The honors for Hofer were already in the works before his illness. Judy said the recognition is appreciated.
“He is an overall an amazing person,” she said. “He has such a great mindset.”
Dave Hofer is pictured with his son Matt and daughter Jessica. Matt and Jessica are both currently running the machine shop.
Hofer, 60, is a person who seldom has been sick and always persevered. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early November. He is now home on hospice care.
His wife Judy said the family appreciates the recognition from the scouting council, even though Hofer has always been glad to help scouts with no accolades expected.
Ken Spohr in 2007 joined the troop as a leader. At the time Hofer was the scoutmaster. Spohr said Hofer has always been willing to step up and help the troop, especially with camping.
“He was always the one to take all the gear in his truck with a group of boys and away we would go,” Spohr wrote in a letter to the Western New York Scout Council, nominating Hofer for the District Award of Merit. “Camp is where I saw Dave shine, he loved to do projects at camp and would often supply the materials himself. Over the years I cannot tell you how many projects he has done or helped with, but it is a great deal.”
Spohr said Hofer never sought any limelight. Hofer convinced Spohr to eventually take over as scoutmaster, with Hofer staying on as assistant scoutmaster.
“Dave has been the best assistant a person could ask for,” Spohr wrote in the nomination. “He is always there to help and is always willing to do whatever needs to be done. His knowledge of scouting and camping is incredible.”
Hofer lives the Scout Law of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
Hofer has encouraged scouts to push themselves to be their best, and to become members of the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s national honor society.
In more recent years Hofer worked with the council to improve the scouting camps, and how Webelos can better transition from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.
“This is who Dave Hofer is to me,” Spohr wrote to the council. “He’s the guy in the room who can teach scouts something without them knowing it and never looking for praise. He is always willing to help in any way and he lives his life by the Scout Law. He will always be a friend and an inspiration to me and Kendall Boy Scout Troop 94.”
Tammy Odenbaugh from the Baltimore Area Council in Maryland also sent a letter of support to the council urging Hofer to be honored with the District Award of Merit. She twice worked with Hofer at a scouting jamboree. She praised him for his dedication, patience and knowledge. Hofer was committed to all scouts, even setting up an archery stand for disabled scouts at a jamboree.
“Dave has given so much of his time not only to scouts in the area, but he has given his knowledge and even more time to scouts globally and nationally as well,” Odenbaugh said.
A GoFundMe page (click here) has been set up to help Hofer and his family.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 December 2023 at 9:39 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Santa and Mrs. Claus led a tree-lighting celebration this evening at the Community Park Gazebo.
After the tree-lighting, the community was invited to the elementary school across the street for hot chocolate, cookies and a concert by the Kendall Community Band.
Santa and Mrs. Claus bore a resemblance to Kendall Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata and his wife, Sharon.
Three Kendall junior-senior high students and their teacher sang Christmas songs at the tree-lighting. Teacher Rebekah Scharf joined students Adrianna Schiavone, Lucas Jones and Karter May in singing “O Christmas Tree,” “Tidings of Comfort and Joy” and “Dashing Through the Snow.”
Kendall band students Maddie Hults and Marlie Clark also were joined by their teacher Meghan Pitarresi in performing some holiday classics.
Lori Cyr directs the Kendall Community Band in a concert at the elementary school.
Mrs. Claus hands out crayons and a Christmas coloring book.
Several of the Kendall Community Band wore Santa hats while playing Christmas music.
Dale Smalley, a retired Albion band teacher, plays the trombone in the community band.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 December 2023 at 2:12 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – This group is among the team that helped run a benefit this morning at the Kendall Fire Hall from 8 a.m. to noon for 2-year-old Paisley, the daughter of Ashley Nenni and Josh Daniels.
Pictured in front from left: Megan Rehberg, Tammy Nenni, Diana Campbell, Ahnna Gomez and Sue Dann. In back from left include Pat Daniels, Tina Burch, Felicia Petry, Michelle Petry and Corrine Boyce.
Ashley Nenni holds her daughter, Paisley, who was born with her small intestine outside her body. Her intestine had to be removed.
Paisley has Short Bowel Syndrome or “Short Gut Syndrome,” where the body is unable to absorb enough nutrients from food due to the massive loss of intestine.
The benefit today raised money for Paisley’s family to help with the medical costs and expenses for traveling to doctors’ appointments and hospitalizations.
Cassie Dean and her daughter Charleigh meet Santa, who was available throughout the benefit today.
These kids, including Paisley’s cousin Gianna Rosario, 3, of Albion stayed close to Santa.
There were close to 200 baskets, gift cards and other items up for raffle today.
Tammy Nenni, Paisley’s grandmother, said the family appreciates the donations and turnout today.
“It’s great that the community came together to support this family,” Nenni said.
Michell Willis and her husband Joe Willis serve food prepared by The Grove 1848 in Kendall. They served more than 100 meals of French toast sticks, bacon, sausage, cornbeef hash and eggs.
Chris Delorme, owner of The Grove 1848 with his wife Mckenna, volunteered his time preparing the food.
“You hate to see any child going through what she is,” Delorme said about Paisley. “You don’t want to see a family struggle. We are happy to help out a local child.”
Michael Neale of Holley also donated his services as DJ. He played a lot of Christmas and country music.
“How can you say no to a little girl who has already been through so much in her life?” Neale said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 November 2023 at 10:10 am
KENDALL – Students in prekindergarten through grade 6 are being sent home this morning due to an odor in the Kendall Elementary School.
The district’s buildings and grounds team noticed a faint odor from a specific area in the building this morning, said Nick Picardo, the district superintendent in a phone call to parents and community members.
The students and staff are currently in the junior-senior high school. The students will get on buses at 10:45 a.m. and then be taken home around 11, Picardo said.
Kendall has cancelled all activities today in the elementary school.
Picardo said a company will be at Kendall to help check the elementary school. The students are being sent home “out of an abundance of caution,” he said.
“The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority,” Picardo said.
Provided photo, pictured from left: Kendall Lions Club President Eric Maxon, and members Steve Giverson, Karen Calabro, Joe Calabro, Dave Gaudioso, John Becker and Mike Cusimano, the membership chairman.
Posted 18 November 2023 at 5:45 pm
Press Release, Kendall Lions Club
KENDALL – The Kendall Lions Club welcomed three new members on Thursday. Membership Chairman Mike Cusimano formally inducted Karen and Joe Calabro, sponsored by Lion Steve Giverson, and Dave Gaudioso, who was sponsored by Lion John Becker.
All three new members have already become active participants in the club’s service projects and activities. Before the evening’s meeting members of the Kendall Lions and the Kendall Community delivered 76 food boxes to area residents in need.
The Kendall Lions welcome other community members to participate in our service projects and those interested in becoming a member can reach out to Mike Cusimano, the membership chairman, or any Kendall Lion.
Photos courtesy of Kevin Watson, Kendall Elementary School principal: (Left) Kendall District Superintendent Nick Picardo handed out “I Voted” stickers. (Right) James White, the school resource officer, also gave “I Voted” stickers to the students after they made their choice on a slide.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 November 2023 at 8:34 pm
KENDALL – There was a big election at the Kendall Elementary School today and an overwhelming winner emerged at the end of the school day.
Students in grades prekindergarten to 6 cast ballots on which slide is better for the school’s new playground: the double slide or a swirl slide.
There were 376 ballots cast, and the swirl was a landslide winner with 303 votes to 73 for the double slide.
This is the second year the school has hosted an election, with students casting ballots in a box and receiving “I Voted” stickers. A year ago they were asked to choose a name for the school’s eagle mascot. “Talon” was the winner.
Here is the ballot for today’s election, with the swirl slide the most popular, by far.
Kevin Watson, the school principal, wants to pick issues of interest to the students and pertinent to their school experience. Kendall will be seeking public approval on Dec. 12 for the capital project mostly at the elementary school. A new playground is among several improvements in the project.
With today’s vote, Watson is hoping the swirl slide can be part of a new playground if the capital project is approved by voters.
He also wants students to feel more comfortable voting on an issue, and making it an ongoing commitment when they are adults.
This elementary class poses after casting their ballots. The school used to be a polling location but school votes are now held at the town hall. The signage for previous elections was in the school basement and was brought out for today’s vote.
There was no mud-slinging in the election. There was a video shown to the students with Kevin Watson, the principal, going down the swirl slide and fourth-grade teacher Justin Staebell going down the fast double slide.
The Kendall school sign thanks students for their participation in today’s election.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2023 at 9:57 am
Photos courtesy of Andy King, art teacher at Kendall Central School
KENDALL – About 50 students in grades 3 to 6 at Kendall rode their bikes to school on Friday morning. They met at the Kendall Highway Garage and then rode to the school.
Students learned how to share the road with motorists in a presentation by the school resource officer. The weather cooperated for the ride from the Kendall Highway Department on Crandall Avenue to the elementary school on Kendall Road.
Kids received buttons made by school librarian Alicia Charland and her students.
Kevin Watson, the elementary school principal, joined the students for the ride.
Courtesy of Kendall Central School – The bulk of the capital project includes many upgrades to the elementary school.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 October 2023 at 10:23 am
KENDALL – The school district will ask for voter approval on Dec. 12 for a proposed $12,680,000 capital project with most of the work at the elementary school.
The vote will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kendall Town Hall, 1873 Kendall Rd. School leaders will also discuss the project during a public forum at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the elementary school auditorium.
District officials say the project won’t result in a tax increase. The state is covering 74 percent of the costs. Kendall has 15 percent of the expense already in a capital reserve fund. The other 11 percent is money Kendall has been paying in debt from prior projects that will be retired.
Kendall’s recent capital projects have focused on the junior-senior high school. This proposed project is primarily at the elementary school.
The work at the school is an estimated $11,122,076 and includes site improvements with new paving, a new playground with age-appropriate equipment.
Inside the elementary school, projects include safety and security upgrades to interior doors, entryways, and alarm systems, as well as energy- efficient classroom lighting, corridor enhancements and auditorium upgrades, according to the district.
The project includes $153,089 in work at the junior-senior high school for common area improvements with new flooring and lighting.
In the transportation building, two bus lifts would be replaced at a cost of $1,065,278.
A roof would also be replaced for the Buildings & Grounds facility at a cost of $339,557.
If the referendum passes, the project goes into the design phase to be submitted to the State Education Department in the summer 2024. After SED review/approval, construction is expected to start in the spring 2025 and be complete the end of 2026.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 October 2023 at 5:56 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Everett Swetz, 6, of Kendall tries the steer roping station on Saturday during the Kendall Scarecrow Festival. Two bales had the jerseys of Buffalo Bills players for this activity.
The theme for the festival was the Buffalo Bills.
These scarecrows wore clothes with a Buffalo Bills theme.
The winners of the scarecrow contest include the Cub Scouts in first, Kendall Ladies Auxiliary in second, and Logan Cole and Benny D’Agostino in third place.
The festival started in 2010 and has a different theme each year.
The festival gives people a chance to make their own scarecrows, paint pumpkins, ride ponies, get their face painted, leap in a bounce house, and enjoy a hay ride. Mercy Flight also was on site with a helicopter.
This group is ready for the hay ride down Kendall Road (Route 237).
Daniel Jobin leads a horse in offering a pony ride to Nora Bowling, 7, of Kendall.
Jobin is director of Before the Last Call, an equine therapy program for first responders. It is based at Lone Oak Stables in Kendall.
Debbie Ryan and the Kendall Lions Club served hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers and drinks.
Even the mums had mini scarecrows as part of the festival.
Karen Liese and the Kendall United Methodist Church had a popular dish: taco soup.
KENDALL – Due to a power outage at Kendall Central School today, students will be dismissed early, district superintendent Nick Picardo said.
Grades 7-12 will be bussed home at 10:30 a.m. Grades K-6 will be bussed home at 11:30 a.m., according to an announcement on the district website.
“If you usually pick up your elementary student in the afternoon, you can pick them up at 11 a.m. in the back parking lot today,” the announcement states. “If you are unable to pick them up, they will be sent home on the bus at 11:30 a.m.”
Afternoon career technical education (CTE) students will not report to WEMOCO today. Athletics will resume this afternoon per the usual schedule.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2023 at 5:03 pm
Provided photo
KENDALL – The Town of Kendall is making the Town Hall available to pay school taxes. Pictured from left include Kendall Town Council members Paul Jennings and Barb Flow, Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata, school tax collector Debbie Ryan, Town Council member Margaret Lynn Szozda, Kendall Board of Education President Lisa Levett, Kendall District Superintendent Nick Picardo, Superintendent and Christopher Nasella, the district’s business administrator.
The town is making the town hall available for the tax collector to make it easier for district residents to pay their taxes in person and get a receipt, Cammarata and Picardo said.
The district continues to have a drop box on the north side of the Elementary School (the playground side of the building) at 1932 Kendall Rd. The payment can also be mailed to Kendall Central School District, 1932 Kendall Rd., Kendall, NY 14476.
Taxpayers who want to pay in person can meet Debbie Ryan, the school tax collector, at the Kendall Town Hall at 1873 Kendall Rd.
Here is a list of dates and times that in-person payments may be made at the Kendall Town Hall:
Site ultimately went to Batavia, Ill., leaving Kendall’s rural character intact
This dramatic headline appeared in the Times-Union newspaper, December 12, 1965.
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 3, No. 30
KENDALL – In the mid-1960s, a site in the Town of Kendall was considered as the possible location of an atomic research laboratory.
The proposed site was the farmland bounded on the north by Lakeshore Road, on the east by Kendall Road, on the south by Carr Road and on the west by Peter Smith Road. Descriptions of the size of the site varied from 500 acres to 3,000 acres to even 5,000 acres.
A team of scientists and analysts from the Argonne National Laboratories in Chicago, accompanied by construction experts, toured the site on Dec. 11, 1965. They were greeted by Rep. Barber B. Conable Jr., R-Batavia, who was a member of the House Committee on Atomic Activities, Kendall Supervisor Michael Paduchak, and Arthur Eddy who represented the Albion Chamber of Commerce.
Local representatives pointed out that the site would have access to an unlimited water supply from Lake Ontario, and an adequate water supply from Albion for the projected 2,000 employees. Other features such as proximity to airports, the Thruway, as well as an educated employee pool from Buffalo and Rochester colleges, were also emphasized.
Construction of the $334 million plant would take eight years. Salaries and operation costs were anticipated at $60 million annually.
Analyst Thomas H. Fields stressed that the installation would not present any hazard to workers or residents since it was basically involved in a process to investigate nuclear energy. “There is no fallout, the factory is quiet, clean and will look like an academic campus.”
The headlines of the day referred to the facility as an “atom-smasher,” but the preferred current terminology is “particle accelerator.”
In either case, the purpose of the facility was to accelerate particles of atoms to almost the speed of light and then crash them into each other at extremely high speed in order to understand matter, or “the secrets of the Universe.”
Local reaction to the proposal was mixed, according to the Medina Daily Journal. Many residents recognized the increase in land values and the long-range economic benefits for the county. Others regretted the loss of some of the finest farmland in the area, and the displacement of families who had lived there for several generations.
As it transpired, none of the New York State sites were selected. The honor of the location of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) went to Batavia, Il., 45 miles west of Chicago.
When completed, the Batavia site included the Tevatron tunnel, a circular particle accelerator. Buried 25 feet underground, it had a circumference of four miles and was equipped with superconducting magnets chilled to minus 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Over 5,000 tons of armor plating from US Navy warships and former Aircraft carriers were used to shield the outer walls of the accelerator ring.
The Tevatron yielded a rich scientific legacy, including the discovery of the Quark, a fundamental constituent of matter but it was superseded by a faster physics lab in Switzerland and ceased operations on Sept. 29, 2011.
Fermilab is still “solving the mysteries of matter, energy, space and time” and is now designated as a National Environmental Research Park. The public is welcome to explore its science and enjoy its natural areas.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 September 2023 at 4:02 pm
KENDALL – The school district announced today that all student in the Kendall Elementary School are eligible for free breakfast and lunch every school day during the 2023-34 school year.
Kendall Elementary School was approved for the Community Eligibility Provision, a program funded by a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and New York State that allows schools in low-income areas to provide free breakfast and lunch to students.
“As a district, we are excited to provide this opportunity to our youngest learners,” said district superintendent Nick Picardo. “This goes into effect immediately.”
Based on the eligibility requirements set by CEP, only the elementary school meets the criteria for the 2023-24 school year, he said.
To qualify for the program, a school must have at least 40 percent of students in households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Medicaid.
With the CEP program, students can receive the meals at no cost, and the meals are not tracked by fee category – free, reduced-price and paid.
KENDALL – In the mid-1960s, a site in the Town of Kendall was considered as the possible location of an atomic research laboratory.
