Photo by Tom Rivers – Descendants of Philip LeFrois are pictured today in the Town of Murray in the front yard of Steve Babcock after his great-grandfather Philip LeFrois’s hitching post was moved from his homestead to Babcock’s. Local contractor Jim Babcock removed the post and transported it to his brother’s property. Babcock is pictured at left, kneeling. He is joined by Phil Sargent, Sargent’s grandfather Ron Ayrault, Steve Babcock and Jerry LeFrois.

MURRAY – A hitching post that spent about a century in Eagle Harbor today was moved to Phillips Road in the Town of Murray. It is now in the front yard of Steve Babcock, just south of Route 104 near the Murray Superette.

The hitching post belonged to Babcock’s great-grandfather, Philip LeFrois. His local descendants wanted the post to stay in the family. They reached out to the property owner, Kevin and Joanie Kent, and they agreed to let the hitching post go to Babcock’s.

Mrs. Kent is a hospice nurse. She cared for Babcock’s wife, Annette, when she battled ovarian cancer. Mrs. Babcock died on Sept. 25, 2002 at age 44.

Her husband thanked the Kents for letting the hitching post go.

“I’m very family-oriented,” Babcock said. “Having a historical piece that goes back several generations is pretty awesome.”

Babcock had help moving the hitching post today. His brother Jim, a local contractor, had the hitching post, which weighs about 800 pounds, out of the ground, transported and reset in Murray in about an hour.

Steve marveled at the artistry in the hitching post. A quarryman who was a friend of his great-grandfather carved spear points on each side. Steve said he will try to get a ring for the post and would like to have the spot nicely landscaped with a plaque.

Photos by Sue Cook – Frannie Hicks, left, dances with her daughter Tara Hicks, Joan Weed and Marilyn Gilbert, far right.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

KENDALL – Friday night, Kendall kicked off their 3rd annual Homegrown Days with “The Lego Movie” on the Town Hall lawn. About 150 people came to the viewing, which was the first of three weekend events.

The fire hall hosted Saturday’s event due to the rain. Originally a street dance was scheduled to take place in front of the fire hall. However, rain and chilly weather pushed the event indoors. Nearly 100 Kendall residents came out to the dance.

“It’s an event to get people to get together,” said Kendall Town Supervisor Tony Cammarata. “It’s to meet people and renew friendships.”

The band Country Class provided music for the event. Pictured from left: Al Ramsay, Richard Vernon, Bruce Huchzermeier and Larry Weed.

The weekend’s theme is to celebrate Kendall through community events. The tradition began on the town’s bicentennial and has continued since. The events are free to the public and provide a gathering place for people to get together to see familiar faces and make new connections.

The fire department sold beverages as a small fundraiser. The Concordia Lutheran Church sold ice cream.

“It’s nice to see the people get together,” said Church Council President Alan Lambert. “You see people you don’t get to see all the time.”

Country Class, led by Kendall resident Larry Weed, entertained the crowd throughout the evening with a mix of country, ’50s and ’60s music. They were also the featured band last year.

Larry Weed performs with his band.

“It kind of brings the whole community together,” Weed said. “You know people, but you don’t really get to talk to them that much. It’s a great thing. It’s a quiet town and a great town. The people are good. I know if anything happened the people would come together and help each other out.”

The Lawn Chair Ladies do a dance to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

The Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies also stepped in during an intermission to perform a set of dance numbers. The group practices dance numbers from March until August to perform at parades and other events. The group formed for the Kendall bicentennial.

Kim Corcoran led the Lawn Chair Ladies. She said the group was originally founded to add something to the bicentennial parade after seeing the Saranac Lawn Chair Ladies on Youtube.

Corcoran, front right, leads the group in another dance.

“I also think it’s that baby boomer thing,” said Corcoran. “We just don’t want to quit. We don’t want to say die. We want to keep as active as possible.”

The Homegrown Days will conclude Sunday morning with a nondenominational community worship service at Gazebo Park at 10 a.m.

Press release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess

KENDALL – A Waterport woman is hospitalized after crashing her car this morning in the Town of Kendall.

The incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. in the 15500 block of Roosevelt Highway (State Route 18). Norma J. Webster, 80, was operating a 2004 Buick sedan traveling east on Rt. 18 when she failed to negotiate a curve just east of Transit Road.

The car ran off the south side of the roadway and struck a tree. Webster, the sole occupant, was trapped in the wreckage for approximately 45 minutes before being extricated by Kendall firefighters. She was then flown to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester by Mercy Flight helicopter.

The incident was investigated by Deputy A.L. Jenks, assisted by Deputy J.J. Cole.

Photos courtesy of Brittany Kennedy

KENDALL – Brittany Kennedy returned to West Kendall Road home yesterday to see a black bear by her house. The bear went up on her porch and sifted through a recycling bin and grabbed a coffee can. It was flipping it around when it noticed Kennedy in her vehicle. The bear then took off for the woods.

Orleans County dispatchers think there are two bears in the county. Whenever they get a call they notify the state Department of Environmental Conservation. If residents see a bear, they should leave it alone. The bears are unlikely to confront a person, a dispatcher said.

Press release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess

KENDALL – A Kendall teen-ager remains hospitalized in guarded condition this morning after crashing his pick-up truck late Sunday afternoon in the Town of Kendall.

The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. in the 16100 block of Woodchuck Alley, near West Kendall Road. Ryan D. Clay, 17, was operating a ’96 Chevrolet pick-up, travelling west on gravel road surface when he lost control of the vehicle.

The truck ran off the north side of the roadway, turned sideways, and slammed driver’s side into a tree. Clay was extricated by Kendall firefighters and transported to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester by Kendall FD ambulance.

A front seat passenger is identified as Andrew A. Eden, 17, of Kent. Eden was treated at the scene for minor injuries. He was not transported by ambulance.

The incident was investigated by Deputy T.N. Tooley, assisted by Deputy K.J. Colonna and Sergeant G.T. Gunkler. It appears that excessive speed was a contributing factor in the crash.

KENDALL – The U.S. Postal Service is surveying Kendall residents about reducing hours at the Post Office at 1870 Kendall Rd.

The Postal Service will have an informational meeting at 6 p.m. on July 31 to hear from residents about a reduction in hours. That meeting will be at the Kendall Town Hall, 1873 Kendall Rd.

The Post Office is currently open six hours daily from Monday through Friday with hours from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It’s open two hours on Saturday at 10 a.m. to noon.

The Postal Service hasn’t said how it would reduce hours. The Postal Service could also reduce the postmaster’s position so it’s not full-time in Kendall.

KENDALL – The five-member Board of Education in Kendall unanimously backed Nadine Hanlon for another term as president.

Hanlon will be starting her third year as board president. With Hanlon as president the board approved a $1 million tax cut about a year ago. The school district is eager to begin work on a $25 million capital project that will tackle a number of improvements at two school buildings.

The district is waiting for the state Education Department to approve final designs for the project.

Hanlon was re-elected last week. A new board member also was sworn in. Chaley Swift replaces Lucille Welch, who didn’t seek re-election in May after 10 years on the board.

The board also re-elected Chris Gerken as vice president.

Photos by Sue Cook – The Kendall Foremen’s Carnival continued Friday with a parade drawing many community groups. The Lawn Chair Ladies were among the performers. The carnival continues today.

The White Sabres drumline marches in the setting sun. The bugle and drum corps is from Dansville.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

KENDALL – Kendall was a popular place Friday evening as crowds lined the street from the elementary school to the fire department on Kendall Road. The parade started as the sun was getting low in the sky.

The annual carnival is held by the Kendall Fire Department and each year there is a much-anticipated parade on Friday evening accompany the festivities.

The East Battalion consists of Clarendon, Holley, Fancher Hulberton-Murray, Kendall and Morton.

Vietnam veterans led the parade. The crowd stood and clapped or saluted as the men walked by.

Cars were a part of the parade. Seen here is a Chevy Chevelle.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley connects with a future voter.

State Senate hopeful Gia Arnold also walked in the parade handing children sweets.

The White Sabres color guards show off their moves.

A young woman rides her horse at the head of the group from Lone Oak Stables in Kendall.

Kendall Marching Band entertains the crowd as they move toward the judges.

Head Over Heels Acrobatics and Dance wore their costumes to pass out candy. Many of the girls also did acrobatic acts of handstands and cartwheels.

Annual rite is happily welcomed back

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – The Kendall Fire Department kicked off its annual carnival today, a three-day event that is a much-anticipated reunion for many residents and former Kendall community members.

In the top photo, David Quin Nenni III waves to his mother, Denise Staats of Kendall, while on one of the many carnival rides.

Staats attended the carnival when she was a kid, and is happy the Fire Department keeps the tradition going.

Kendall firefighters Dave Cole, left, and Tom Drennan pull some steamed clams out and get them ready for a customer. Firefighter Craig Herman also worked with the steamed clams with Cole and Drennan. Herman said the carnival started in the 1940s. His grandfather, Joe Herman, helped put on the first carnival back then.

Today the carnival helps pay for the ambulance, and building maintenance, utilities and upkeep, said Fire Chief David Schultz. About 50 firefighters and many other community members help plan and run the carnival.

“It’s a lot of work preparing for it, getting the rides here, the food and the music,” Schultz said. “But it’s always a good time.”

A rider on the Super Trooper carnival ride is high in the air with a full moon in the distance.

Josh Brodie of Kendall enjoys a ride with his friend Miranda Shubert of Hamlin.

There is plenty of cotton candy, deep friend dough, candy apples and other carnival fare. The event continues until Saturday night.

The acoustic rock band Swamp Moose entertained. The band includes Steve Lauth, left, and Gil Eller of Hamlin.

Provided photos – Kendall High School graduates Caelan Welch and Tessa Vick are pictured at Commencement on Friday.

The auditorium was at capacity to see 72 students graduate from Kendall.

Press release Kendall Central School

KENDALL – Friends, family, faculty and staff filled the auditorium of the David J. Doyle Kendall Junior-Senior High School on Friday evening to celebrate the graduation of 72 Kendall high school seniors.

District Superintendent Julie Christensen was the master of ceremonies. Valedictorian Kari Hurlbutt and Salutatorian Tyler Smith addressed the class.

Kendall junior Marisa Hanlon, center, is pictured with two members of the Class of 2014 – Nicole Browe, left, and Kari Hurlbutt.

Featured speaker was Kendall graduate and celebrated athlete Roosevelt Bouie. The Royal Blue Band, led by Band Ensemble Director Ashlea Strouse, also performed.

Of this year’s class, 80 percent plan to pursue higher education degrees while 16 percent plan to enter the workforce. Four percent will be entering military service.

Earlier this month, Kendall also celebrated Kindergarten graduation and the sixth graders were honored at a “moving up” ceremony in which they mark their transition from elementary students to the junior high school.

Kendall students celebrate completing kindergarten.

The Top 10 Kendall sixth-graders were recognized during a moving-up ceremony.

Photo courtesy of Kendall Central School

KENDALL – During its Flag Day celebration last week, Kendall elementary students posed in a formation of a big “USA” by the school. The school’s music teachers took the lead for the USA tribute.