KENDALL – A Kendall Central School District school bus carrying four students was involved in an accident with another vehicle this morning near the intersection of Route 237 and Ridge Road.
Our four students and bus driver were taken by ambulance to Strong Hospital as a precaution. Thankfully, their injuries are minor.
We are saddened to learn news that the driver of the other vehicle suffered fatal injuries and we are working with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department as they conduct their investigation.
MURRAY – A Brockport man is dead following a head-on crash this morning with the car he was driving and a school bus.
The incident was reported at 7:09 a.m. and occurred in the 16600 block of Ridge Road (State Route 104) in the Town of Murray.
Daniel L. Hollaert Jr., 23, was operating a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, travelling east on Ridge Road when the vehicle collided with a full-size school bus owned and operated by the Kendall Central School District.
Hollaert was pronounced dead at the scene by Orleans County Coroner Joseph Fuller. Hollaert was extricated from the car by firefighters from the Holley and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Departments, and then transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rochester.
The driver of the bus is identified as Harold F. Barnard, 72, of Kendall. There were four students on-board at the time of collision ranging in age from 11 to 15. All the students as well as their driver sustained minor injuries. They were all transported by ground ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. School District officials responded to the crash scene.
Deputies D.E. Foeller Jr., & A.J. Houghton responded to the incident. They were assisted by Deputy D.S. Klips, Investigator C.L. Black, and Chief Deputy T.L. Drennan. State Troopers from the Albion barracks also assisted at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2013 at 10:24 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – A Kendall school bus is towed back to the school at the intersection of routes 104 and 237 this morning at about 9:45 a.m.
MURRAY – The driver of the car that collided with a Kendall school bus at the intersection of routes 237 and 104 this morning has died. None of the students on the bus were seriously injured. Four of the children have been taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Route 104 is now open in both directions. The school bus has been towed from the scene.
Orleans Hub will have more information as soon as it becomes available.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2013 at 9:40 am
MURRAY – Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputies are at the scene of a serious school bus accident in the town of Murray. The accident occured at the intersection of routes 237 and 104 around 7:40 a.m.
Time Warner Cable News is reporting that a car and a Kendall school bus collided and the accident has resulted in one fatality. It has not been determined whether there were any students on board the bus at the time of the accident.
Route 104 is closed between Kendall Road and Route 237 (North Main Street).
Orleans Hub is on the scene and will have more information as soon as it becomes available.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 December 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – The Kendall community held its annual tree lighting and caroling celebration tonight at the gazebo at the town park.
Kendall school musicians performed for the event. Jonathan Price plays the saxophone.
Eliya Cooper, wearing Santa hat, sings with the Kendall chorus. The group sang a few songs, including “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night.”
Bob Ryan, a member of the Kendall Lions Club, leads a group of children in singing several Christmas songs.
The Lawnchair Ladies performed a couple choreographed songs. The group of 18 includes Kathy Kemp, in front. They will be part of Brockport’s parade of lights at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The crowd gathered to help celebrate the holiday season.
Santa and an elf joined the celebration at the gazebo, posing for pictures with children. The event then shifted to the firehall, where Santa mingled with residents before getting back to work.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2013 at 12:00 am
KENDALL – A Kent man was killed in a accident on Route 18 in Kendall at about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday night.
Joshua Lunn, 25, was traveling westbound on Route 18 when he attempted to pass a westbound vehicle, state police reported. Lunn lost control of his pickup truck and left the south shoulder striking several trees.
Lunn was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was transported by Kendall Ambulance to Medina Memorial Hospital where he died. State Police are continuing an investigation of the accident.
Lunn was owner of the Grease Lightning business at 102 East Bank St. in Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2013 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Kendall Town Supervisor Dan Gaesser, left, is pictured with Town Councilman Bart Joseph. Gaesser is backing Joseph for town supervisor in a write-in campaign.
KENDALL – As Dan Gaesser wraps up four years as town supervisor and seven years on the Town Board, he has been thinking about the transition for the town to a new supervisor and new majority on the board.
Gaesser says he has worried in recent months about a trio of candidates backed by the Republican Committee to serve on the board. The candidates, including the GOP-picked candidate for town supervisor, haven’t served on the Town Board before.
As the election neared in recent weeks, Gaesser admits he grew more worried about the new team that seemed destined to take office.
Gaesser said other people in town voiced some misgivings about the Republican candidates. Gaesser said he saw an ideal candidate already on the board in Town Councilman Bart Joseph, who has six years on the board.
Joseph didn’t pursue the Republican endorsement in the spring. He assumed Gaesser would seek re-election.
“I thought Dan was running,” Joseph said.
Gaesser opted against another two-year term, saying he wanted to devote more time to his family and business.
Gaesser last week convinced Joseph and two other residents, David Balka and David Gaudioso, to mount write-in campaigns for the Town Board. Joseph agreed to be a candidate for town supervisor.
“With his experience, it would be very beneficial moving forward,” Gaesser said. “People are concerned with a board that is 60 percent new.”
The Republican Committee picked Tony Cammarata as its candidate for town supervisor. The committee also endorsed Bruce Newell and Patrick Snook, Jr. for the Town Board.
Cammarata ran for the Town Board with the Democratic Party’s endorsement in 2009 and 2011. A former independent, he is now a registered Republican. He also retired last year after a 34-year career in sales with Georgia Pacific, a paper products and plywood company.
Cammarata said his career in sales and management gives him “a vast background working with people.”
He serves on the town Zoning Boards of Appeals and is a member of the Kendall Lions Club.
He didn’t fault Joseph and the other write-in candidates for making a run for office.
“That’s what free elections are all about,” Cammarata said. “That’s what America stands for and it’s what I believe in.”
Cammarata said he has the time to devote to the position now that he’s retired.
“I’m totally available,” he said.
Cammarata said he wants to extend waterlines in town. He thinks Kendall can draw more residents. It has close proximity to the lake, a respected school district and beautiful rural landscapes.
“I want to work with the people and identify their needs,” he said. “I know working with people accomplishes a lot.”
Gaesser said the trio of Republican-endorsed candidates may not quickly grasp town budgeting, the process of forming new water districts, and working on business projects, including the 400-unit development at the former Salvation Army Camp. The Wegman Group has begun construction of “The Cottages at Troutburg,” a development projected to take about a decade to complete.
Joseph has been heavily involved in town projects the past six years, Gaesser said. Joseph said he also knows how to advance projects through the layers of local, state and federal governments.
He has worked the past 32 years as a paramedic with the Rochester Fire Department. He is the department’s line safety officer. He also has been a volunteer firefighter in Morton for 39 years.
“This town has invested a lot in me over the years,” Joseph said. “I have experience working in the city government, the fire community and the Town Board.”
Winning as a write-in requires voters to write the names of the candidates on the ballot. It’s unusual for a candidate to pull off a write-in victory.
Three years ago Lisa Murkowski became the first U.S. senator in more than 50 years to win an election with a write-in campaign. She received more than 100,000 votes in Alaska to win as a write-in. Both Joseph and Cammarata mentioned Murkowski’s victory as an example that it can be done.
If Cammarata wins on Tuesday and becomes town supervisor, Joseph would still be on the board as a councilman. Cammarata said he would welcome Joseph’s input and contributions.
Cammarata said he sees his role as assembling a team that can work on projects for the town.
“If you’re the town supervisor, you’re the manager,” he said. “You’re the leader and you have to have people skills. I bring that and I’m highly motivated.”
Contributed Story Posted 11 October 2013 at 12:00 am
Photos by Michael Karcz – Little Jack Horner was featured by the Kendall Elementary School.
KENDALL – Kendall celebrated its annual Scarecrow Festival on Saturday, when about 30 scarecrows, many of them decorated as popular children’s characters, were on display.
The festival included a 5-kilometer race, live music in the gazebo, a pumpkin seed spitting contest, scavenger hunt, magician, balloon artist and police K-9 demo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 October 2013 at 12:00 am
Gene Massey is picked to fill vacancy in Carlton
CARLTON – The Town Board hired a new assessor on Tuesday, and didn’t need to go to far to find a new official who will establish valuations for properties in town.
Gene Massey has worked for the town of Kendall as assessor for nearly six years. He will continue as Kendall’s full-time assessor. He actually started in Carlton on Oct. 1.
Carlton sought a replacement for Karen Adams, who wasn’t reappointed in June. Residents were in an uproar this spring when new assessments came out with big increases for some properties, and no increases or drops for others.
The Town Board ultimately voted to freeze the assessments at the 2012 levels. The board is seeking a firm to help with data collection for the properties in the town. Carlton needs an accurate database that shows the square footage of all buildings, as well as other property improvements, Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery said.
Proposals are due to the town by Nov. 12 and Ashbery said the Town Board expects to pick a firm at its Dec. 10 meeting. The accurate data plus the experience of Massey should ensure accurate assessments in the future, Ashbery said this afternoon.
Carlton agreed to pay Massey a $30,000 salary, and will also contribute $3,000 to Kendall towards Massey’s health insurance costs.
“He is very familiar with residential, lakefront and agricultural properties,” Ashbery said about Massey.
The two towns are working on a 10-year contract for shared assessing services. Once the two towns are at 100 percent equalization rates, they should be eligible for state funding with a Coordinated Assessment Program. Kendall is at 100 percent, but Carlton isn’t because of the decision to use 2012 levels. The towns typically do new re-evaluations every three years. The soonest they are both at 100 percent may be 2016.
Dan Gaesser, the Kendall town supervisor, said Kendall benefits by having Carlton pay $3,000 towards the assessor’s health insurance. The deal also keeps Massey working for Kendall.
“We’re able to retain the services of an assessor who’s been here since 2008,” Gaesser said.
Kendall officials are reviewing the 10-year agreement between the two towns. Gaesser said he expects the Kendall Town Board will approve it either later this month or in November.
“It’s a real good agreement for the two towns,” he said.
Ashbery praised Dawn Allen, the director of the Real Property Tax Services for Orleans County, for her assistance to Carlton during the transition in recent months.
New York State Department of Transportation today announced two paving projects that are taking place in Orleans County this month.
Work begins this week on a project to resurface Route 104 from the Niagara County Line to Knowlesville Road in the town of Ridgeway through mid-October.Traffic will be reduced to alternating single-lane travel.
Beginning next week, work begins to resurface the eastbound travel lanes on the Lake Ontario State Parkway between Route 237 (including interchange ramps) and Route 272 in the town of Kendall. Work should be complete by late-October. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in the eastbound direction.The ramps will temporarily close while being worked on.
