Photos by Thom Jennings
KENDALL – Kendall High School students performed Pippin with three shows from Thursday to Saturday.
In this photo, Pippin is played by Nicholas Schuth and Connor Henion is Charlemagne (The King).
Pippin is a musical full of acrobatics, magical feats and songs from the composer of Wicked.
Carley Lester is the Leading Player in the musical.
Ken Price plays Lewis, a strongman.
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Randy Unterborn (left), president of the Kendall Lions Club, is pictured with Clifford Provost, one of the charter members of the club that formed on Jan. 19, 1975. Provost and Cole Hardenbrook have remained members of the club for all 40 of its years.
“I just like the thought of service,” said Provost, a World War II veteran who worked for Kodak for 40 years. “We really should be committed to helping our community.”
These are tough times for many local service clubs. Their memberships have dropped, forcing many of the local clubs to cut back on service projects and donations to community causes.
The Kendall Lions Club remains strong with 64 members, one of the biggest service organizations in Orleans County.
The club meets the first and third Thursdays at the Kendall Fire Hall. The club welcomes different speakers for their meetings. Last night I was invited to talk about Orleans Hub.
The Lions support many youth and community initiatives. Unterborn is in his second stint as president. He works as the head of the grounds department at Hilton Central School. He joined the Lions Club about 18 years ago.
“We got a good, strong club and we have a lot of fun,” Unterborn said on Thursday night.
Terry Bliss has been a Kendall Lion for 25 years. He recently served as district governor. Kendall, with 64 members, is in the top three for membership of about 40 clubs in the district.
The club joins for dinner, singing and updates on community projects.
Provided photos by Alyssa Baker
KENDALL – A Snowy Owl was caught in Kendall on Tuesday in a field near Kludt Farms in Kendall. Andrew Kludt is holding the owl that was caught by Tom McDonald.
A member of Braddock Bay Raptor Research, McDonald (bottom left) collected photos, measurements, and other data for research on the owl before letting the creature go.
Provided photo – The Kendall Community Choir will do its fifth annual benefit concert for the local food pantry at 7 p.m. today at the David J. Doyle Junior-Senior High School.
KENDALL – The Kendall Community Choir will perform in one of its biggest events of the year tonight. The 41-member choir will perform Christmas music and Broadway tunes in a concert to benefit the local food pantry.
The audience is encouraged to bring in canned and other nonperishable food for the food pantry at the Kendall United Methodist Church. A goodwill offering for cash donations will also be taken for the food pantry.
“This will help them a great deal for both Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Mary Campbell, the choir director.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the David J. Doyle Junior-Senior High School.
The choir started seven years ago and for the past five years has performed the benefit concert for the food pantry. The choir has used past performances to raise money for the Kendall Park Gazebo Fund, the 2012 Kendall Bicentennial, and the Kendall Fire Department Ambulance Fund.
KENDALL – The Town Board approved a $1,646,378 budget on Tuesday that calls for a tiny tax increase of 0.12 percent, well below the 2 percent tax cap.
The budget will increase the tax levy, what the town collects in taxes, from $672,660 to $673,364. The tax rate will increase from $4.430 to $4.435, which is another half penny per $1,000 of assessed property.
The budget includes $1,229,418 in town funds outside of special districts. The districts – water, lighting, fire protection and library – accounted for $416,960.
“We looked at where we can provide services and maintain services and still stay under the tax cap,” said Tony Cammarata, the town supervisor.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Kendall Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata says the town is working to extend public waterlines in Kendall.
KENDALL – Town officials were asked on Tuesday to push to extend public water in the town and also to target abandoned and distressed houses.
The lack of public water and the unkempt houses is a deterrent to growing the community, said Nadine Hanlon, president of the Kendall Board of Education. She offered to write letters to state officials, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, if it would improve the town’s chances for a public water project.
The school district keeps shrinking. It had 762 students last school year and is now down to 729, a 4.3 percent drop. In 2001, Kendall had a student enrollment of 1,132. It is down by 403 students or 35.6 percent over 13 years.
“To me that’s very concerning,” Hanlon told the Town Board.
She sees some of the distressed properties as potential housing for young families if the sites could be improved. Public water lines could also draw more families to Kendall, she said.
“Anything you can do to get more water in the community and clean up the houses,” she told the Town Board.
She noted the school district is about to upgrade its facilities and the district also has been recognized as a leader for student achievement.
“We strive to provide a great education, but we can’t do that without children in our schools,” Hanlon said.
The Town Board is working on a new Water District that would include Kendall Road, Norway Road and Creek Road in the northern part of town. Kendall’s chances for federal funding for the project increase if the majority of the households in the district are low to moderate income, with $56,000 considered the threshold, said Tony Cammarata, the town supervisor.
Kendall needs at least 80 percent of the property owners in the district to complete income surveys. By Monday, the town reached the 80 percent mark with 63 out of 78 turned in. Cammarata also said the majority are under the $56,000 threshold.
The town will take the next step in the process, which could be adding more homes to the district or forming the district with the three roads.
“I’m sitting here at a very high confidence level that we’re moving to the next level,” Cammarata said.
Two other residents said abandoned and unsightly properties are driving down property values and driving away potential residents. Carol D’Agostino, the high school principal and life-time Kendall resident, suggested the town and local service clubs could offer to haul away some junk and debris from properties. The items could be collected or dropped off at the town and then hauled away.
Cammarata said he would see if a committee could be formed to pursue the “Town Cleanup Day.”
Lynn Mael, a Kenmor Road resident, says a neighbor has moved out of a house and left it abandoned and in disarray. The site is owned by the Bank of America and attracts rodents, said Mael, a former code enforcement officer. He suggested the town look into condemning the property.
Paul Hennekey, the current codes officer, said he wants to avoid condemning sites because of the legal process involved. It’s also difficult to resell and rehabilitate condemned sites, he said.
Hennekey agreed there are many properties in distress in Kendall.
“The abandoned buildings are a problem,” he said. “My approach is to keep them sealed and mowed. But sometimes it is hard to find a contact for the owner.”
The Town Board on Tuesday welcomed Wayne Martin to his first meeting as town councilman. He won an election on Nov. 4. Rather than wait until Jan. 1 for Martin to take office, Cammarata and the Town Board appointed Martin to a vacant position on the board caused by the resignation of Patrick Snook.
Martin served 30 years in the Navy, including 20 years of active duty. He works part-time for a pool company in Spencerport and also part-time for the Public Safety Training Facility in Rochester, maintaining equipment. He’s also a CPR instructor.
Provided photos
Community Action volunteers last week packed 60 boxes of personal care products, packaged food, magazines, games and other activity items for soldiers.
Kristen Ostrander of Kendall led the “Treats for Troops” effort. Many local families will miss close holiday interactions this season because a member of their family is serving with the military overseas.
Besides the items, each solider also will receive a thank you note from Kendall fifth and sixth graders.
There wasn’t much action in the local election scene this year for town and county races. The bulk of those positions will be up for election next year.
But there were four positions open and all four candidates were unopposed on Tuesday.
Albion elected two justices with incumbent Gary Moore receiving 986 votes for re-election. The retired police officer was endorsed by both the Republican and Democratic Party.
Kevin Howard opted against re-election. Joe Fuller, a recently retired Albion police officer, was cross-endorsed by the Democrats and Republicans and he received 894 votes. Fuller is also a county coroner.
In Kendall, two candidates ran unopposed. David Gaudioso, a Republican, received 615 votes for town justice. Incumbent Stephen Cliff chose not to run for re-election.
Wayne M. Martin, Jr., another Republican, ran for a three-year term on the Town Board and received 625 votes. Martin will fill the remainder of a term from Patrick Snook, who resigned last January.
SPENCERPORT – The BOCES that serves the Holley and Kendall school districts, as well as seven districts in western Monroe County, is proposing a $29.2 million capitol project.
Residents in the nine-member Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES can vote on the proposal on Dec. 16 at the WEMOCO Educational Services Center. Voting will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 3599 Big Ridge Rd.
This would be the first capitol project in 40 years and would include an addition and renovations so the center mirror’s a modern workplace for students in the career and technology program, BOCES leaders said.
The project calls for a 15,200-square-foot addition to the campus. That addition would cost an estimated $9.8 million. The addition will include space for classrooms, a career skills center, and early childhood and preschool programs.
The project also includes $12.3 million in work to the center’s north building, renovating classrooms, replacing rooftop units and exhaust systems, improving plumbing and electrical systems. The south building at the center would also get $6.2 million in upgrades.
There also is $968,500 slated for parking lot reconstruction, with improved bus and traffic flow, upgraded lighting and utilities, drainage and a relocated playground.
The BOCES served an average of 1,067 students each of the past five years with 44 from Kendall and 58 from Holley.
State aid would cover 63.2 percent of the project with member districts covering the remaining 36.8 percent. That share for Holley would be $400,451, while Kendall would pay $320,078.
For more on the project, click here.
The races for governor and State Senate are getting lots of attention before the Nov. 4 election. There are also positions on the ballot in two local towns.
Albion will elect two justices on Nov. 4, and two candidates are unopposed.
Incumbent Gary Moore, a retired police officer, is seeking re-election to a four-year term. Kevin Howard has opted against re-election. Joe Fuller, a recently retired Albion police officer, has been cross-endorsed by the Democrats and Republicans for justice. Fuller is also a county coroner. Moore also has the Democratic and Republican Party endorsement.
In Kendall, two candidates are running unopposed. David Gaudioso has the Republican endorsement for town justice. Incumbent Stephen Cliff chose not to run for re-election.
Wayne M. Martin, Jr. also has the GOP endorsement for the Town Board. Martin is running to fill the remainder of a term from Patrick Snook, who resigned last January.
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – A massive arcing rainbow broke out in the sky this evening around 6:30. The top photo was taken behind the Kendall Junior-Senior High School. I was there for the ground-breaking for the school district’s $25 million capitol project. (Check back soon for that story.)
It was a moody sky and I headed to Greenwood Cemetery on Route 18 in Kendall for some photos, including one of the Civil War cannon.
This is one of the many well-kept cemeteries in the county that serves as a final resting place for our local residents.
The county should develop a Civil War Trail and include Greenwood Cemetery as a stop.
These older cemeteries have a strong sense of sacrifice.
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Members of the Kendall Board of Education are pictured with district superintendent Julie Christensen, third from left, this evening behind the existing cafeteria, where a new one will be built.
The board members include, from left: Martin Goodenbery, Vice President Chris Gerken, President Nadine Hanlon, Chaley Swift and Charles Patt.
This rendering from SWBR Architects shows how the new cafeteria will look. Contractors will get started on the cafeteria on Oct. 27. That project is scheduled to be ready in time for the 2015-16 school year.
District Superintendent Julie Christensen outlines the capital project before a ground-breaking celebration this evening.
Both the elementary school and junior-senior high school buildings will be “ripped apart” next summer for an array of improvements, Christensen said.
The project includes new roofs for both school buildings, as well as energy efficient improvements, heating and ventilation work, and updated security measures. Both sites will also see improvements to parking lots and sidewalks.
The junior-senior high school was built in 1971 in an “open classroom” model that didn’t include contained classrooms. The school includes partitions to try to reduce noise and hallway distractions. The capital project would give all the classrooms four walls and their own door.
This rendering from SWBR Architects shows how the junior-senior high school will look after renovations. The top left picture shows the existing school.
The Board of Education last month approved about $16 million in construction bids. Turner Construction of Buffalo will serve as construction manager for the project, overseeing seven different contracts.
The following are low bidders for the project:
General trades – Allied Builders, Inc. of Brockport for $4,987,000.
Roofing – Elmer W. Davis of Rochester for $5,782,177.
Drywall – Accurate Acoustical Corp. of Victor for $1,144,000.
Plumbing – Michael A. Ferrauilo Plumbing & Heating of Rochester for $468,000.
HVAC – Landry Mechanical Contractors of Le Roy for $2,253,500.
Electrical – Kaplan-Schmidt Electric of Rochester for $1,189,000.
Controls – Trane of Rochester for $592,756.
Christensen addresses community members inside the cafeteria during a ground-breaking celebration. Board of Education members are pictured next to her, including from left: Nadine Hanlon, Chris Gerken, Charles Patt, Chaley Swift and Martin Goodenbery.
Hanlon thanked the community for its support, including approving the $25 million capital project in May 2013. The project will result in a better learning environment for students and teachers, while also making the buildings much more secure, she said.
“It’s so exciting for our school district and for our community,” Hanlon said. “The school is the community hub for Kendall.”
Kendall school adminsitrators pose with the ceremonial ground-breaking shovels. They include, from left: Elementary Principal Sharon Smith, District Superintendent Julie Christensen and High School Principal Carol D’Agostino, who was in Kendall’s first class in the open classrooms when the school opened about four decades ago.
Photo by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Members of the Kendall Boys Soccer team serve up chicken barbecue dinners this evening.
The group includes Keith Sayler, front left, followed by Jake Adams and Skyler Heller (in yellow shirt). Brandon Patten is at right.
The sports program served 620 chicken dinners.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess
KENDALL – Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputies recently recovered several marijuana plants being cultivated at two separate locations in the Town of Kendall.
On Tuesday at approximately 5:45 p.m., Deputies J.J. Cole and T.N. Tooley were sent to the 16400 block of Roosevelt Highway (State Route 18) after a combine operator discovered the plants growing in a corn field he was threshing.
The deputies subsequently seized 55 plants from that location. Neither the combine operator nor the property owner had any prior knowledge of the plants or the growers.
At approximately 7:05 p.m. that same day, Deputies Cole and Tooley responded to the 16400 block of Carr Road for a report of a “suspicious vehicle and person(s)” in the area. Two males had been observed exiting a vehicle and running into the adjacent corn field. When patrols arrived, the vehicle/person(s) had already left the area.
Deputies Cole and Tooley observed a pathway leading into the corn field. They followed the path and recovered 10 additional marijuana plants being grown there.
The 65 recovered plants were subsequently destroyed.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess
KENDALL – A Rochester man escaped serious injury last night after crashing the all-terrain vehicle he was operating in the Town of Kendall.
The incident was reported to Orleans County 9-1-1 shortly after 7 p.m. Philip J. McLaren, 24, had been operating the ATV across open land east of the 1800 block of Kendall Road (State Route 237).
McLaren, who was not familiar with the area, came upon a drainage ditch and made a sharp turn to avoid it. In doing so he lost control of the ATV, which then overturned. He was ejected.
McLaren was not wearing a protective helmet at the time of the incident. He was flown by MercyFlight helicopter to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, where he was treated and later discharged.
The incident was investigated by Deputy J.J. Cole. Kendall Fire and EMS personnel also assisted at the scene.
