By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 July 2016 at 9:00 am
LYNDONVILLE – Fireworks explode in the sky at Lyndonville to cap the 42nd annual Lions Club’s Independence Day Celebration.
The Lions Club hired Young Explosives for the show.
Neila Johnson, 8, of Barker has fun before the fireworks in Lyndonville.
The fireworks are a big draw to Lyndonville.
This family from Barker prepares to send a Chinese lantern. The group includes form left: Kristina Klosin, Natalie Regling (partially pictured), Neila Johnson, Brent Johnson and Christopher Klosin (back to camera).
The fireworks show started with this display of the American flag.
This family watches the fireworks from a swingset at the playground.
The Who Dats played before the fireworks. The band members pictured include from left: Marty Hobbs on bass guitar, Lonnie Froman on lead vocals and John Borello on lead and rhythm guitar.
The fireworks are pictured through the playground by the Lyndonville school.
Jeff Kerr from Massachusetts lets go of a Chinese lantern. He was in town visiitng family.
Fireworks are reflected in the Johnson Creek pond.
The fireworks show lasted more than a half hour and lighted up the sky in Lyndonville.
Shane Ritzenthaler, 9, of Medina holds some sparklers while waiting for the fireworks show.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 July 2016 at 8:00 am
LYNDONVILLE – Thomas Follman plays the tuba in the Lyndonville Marching Band in today’s Fourth of July parade. Follman, who just graduated from the school, joined about 85 other students in grades 5 through 12 in the band for today’s parade.
The band stopped on the parade route on Main Street to lead the crowd in singing the National Anthem.
Numerous community organizations – churches, businesses, fire departments, service clubs, bands and more – marched in today’s parade in Lyndonville, and many of the participants were decked out in red, white and blue.
Miguel Aldaco, center, joins Jacob and Clara Pruski in the float for the Knights of Columbus and St. Joan of Arc of Orleans.
Faith Bible Baptist Church in Medina made this patriotic float, “Old Glory.”
The Spencerville Yacht Club in Lyndonville released a batch of balloons during the parade. The group has an Olympic-themed float.
The Hospice Duck stops to high-five a kid along the parade route.
Teri Woodworth, the village clerk, promotes Lyndonville’s public water supply.
This member of the American Legion in Lyndonville waves to the crowd on Main Street.
Employees for the Mizkan company in Lyndonville participate in the parade.
Daniel Grabowski of Albion helps carry the banner for the Knights of Columbus. His father Michael Grabowski is a member of the Knights.
The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company was among the many fire departments with a fire truck in the parade.
Lyndonville firefighters march in the parade.
Oak Orchard Assembly of God in Medina created a float to promote its upcoming Vacation Bible School called “Lava Lava Island, Where Jesus’ Love Flows.”
Lyndonville alumni once again joined to play in the parade. They call their band, “Treble in the Streets.”
Randall Bane is dressed as Uncle Sam while pushing his mother Mildred in today’s parade.
The Lyndonville United Methodist Church also created a patriotic float to promote some of the church’s ministry efforts.
The Gates Keystone Club, Police, Pipes & Drums plays patriotic music in the parade.
Georgia Thomas of Medina is dressed up as Cobble the Museum Mouse. Thomas has created a coloring book starring Cobble to help promote the Cobblestone Museum in Gaines.
Local Girl Scouts and their leaders were out waving flags and tossing candy along the parade path.
Automotive Solutions, a towing business in Medina, joined several other businesses in the parade.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, center, and State Sen. Rob Ortt passed out candy and waved to many in the crowd.
Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower and a contingent from the Sheriff’s Office also participated in the popular parade.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 July 2016 at 12:00 am
File photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – A big crowd gathered to watch the fireworks last July 4 in Lyndonville. The show was 43 minutes long and this year’s fireworks will be a comparable show, said Wes Bradley, fireworks chairman in Lyndonville.
Bradley and other members of the Lyndonville Lions Club work throughout the year planning the Fourth of July festival in Lyndonville, which is capped by the fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Young Explosives will be back to set off the fireworks on Monday night in Lyndonville.
Organizers don’t know how many turn out for the fireworks, but Lyndonville is the hub of the county for the Fourth of July.
“You walk up (Route) 63 and there are cars for as far as you can see,” Bradley said. “People watch on the side roads. They’re all over the place watching the fireworks.”
This photo from July 4, 2014 shows the fireworks reflected over the Johnson Creek pond in front of the school.
Bradley said the community steps forward donating to the fireworks show. Residents, businesses and organizations are give to the annual spectacle in the sky.
“It’s everybody that makes this possible, even the people giving dimes and quarters,” Bradley said.
The fireworks will start at 10 p.m. They will follow a busy day in Lyndonville, including a parade at noon, arts and crafts show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., chicken barbecue from 1 to 5 p.m., a garden tractor pull from 1 to 4 p.m., the Hospice duck race at 3 p.m.
There is also live music and other entertainment including a bounce house for kids from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., concert by Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes & Drums at 1:30 p.m., and the Who Dats at 7 p.m.
There will be also be a basket raffle with about 200 baskets up for bid up until 3 p.m. Proceeds go to Ella Suhr and her family. Ella is about 7 months old and is battling a brain tumor.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 July 2016 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville marching band was out practicing on Friday for Monday’s July 4 parade that starts at noon. This photo shows Aaron Despard, left, and Justin Higgins carrying the banner for the band.
Last year there were 40 kids in the band for the Independance Day Parade. This year there will be 85. The program has grown with the inclusion of fifth- and sixth-graders as well as more participation from upperclassmen.
Natalie Allen, front right, plays the piccolo in the band, which was rehearsing on Housel Avenue on Friday.
Kristina Best, the middle and high school band director for Lyndonville, keeps an eye on the band during rehearsal on Friday. She said she is impressed by the big turnout from the students, especially at the beginning of summer vacation.
“We’re really proud of these kids because it is optional,” she said. “They’re out here for the community.”
Anna Lewis, left, and her sister Aubrey, right, play the saxophone in the band.
John Bailey, the elementary school music teacher, is happy watching the students practice on Friday. He has several elementary school students in the band.
Tamara Huzair is among the band members for Lyndonville.
The band stopped by a teacher’s house on Garland Street and played “Happy Birthday” for the teacher.
The parade on Monday is a big part of Lyndonville’s Fourth of July celebration. (Click here to see the schedule.) The Lyndonville Lions Cub organizes the popular community celebration.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 July 2016 at 12:00 am
Nearly 200 gift baskets will be raffled off Monday during Lyndonville’s Fourth of July celebration
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – Brittany Button, one of the organizers of a basket raffle to benefit Ella Suhr and her family, is pictured with the baskets today inside the Lyndonville school. The raffle on Monday is the latest effort by the community to support a young couple and their baby daughter who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
“I know as a community how well we can all come together,” Button said. “This is a small community that is very close knit.”
Joe and Meagan Suhr spent this week in Florida, where their daughter Ella had a tumor removed. An MRI showed no more signs of cancer, Meagan posted on Facebook.
Mrs. Suhr is a high school teacher in Batavia and her husband is a social studies teacher in Lyndonville.
They were on vacation in March in St. Petersburg when Ella became sick. They took her to the emergency room. She would be diagnosed with stage four of a rare form of brain cancer.
Joe’s colleagues at Lyndonville donated their sick days so he could take the rest of the school year off to care for his daughter.
Many in the community wore Lyndonville Tiger colors of orange and black with the message “Suhr Strong” to show support for the family and help raise money for medical costs.
The community is putting on a big basket raffle on Monday during Lyndonville’s Fourth of July Celebration. Nearly 200 baskets have donated. They will be on display on the school front lawn from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jan Heideman wraps one of the gift baskets today. She is among several volunteers helping with the basket raffle on Monday.
“It’s an absolutely phenomenal cause,” she said. “In this small town, people really rally around each other.”
The volunteers said they were all encouraged by the good news shared by the Suhrs this week, that Ella’s tumor was gone.
Abby Button works on the ticket bags for the basket raffle. Her mother, Jen Button, has been one of the lead organizers for the raffle.
Jack Buckner, his wife Janice and the Buckner family also have worked hard on the event.
Abby said people and businesses from all Western New York have donated baskets for the auction. She said it has been emotionally moving to see the donations come in.
“All of Western New York is coming together for our little town,” she said.
There are several items donated by the Buffalo Bills, including this autographed hat by Rex Ryan, the team’s head coach.
Bills star wide receiver Sammy Watkins signed a pair of cleats that will be in the auction. There will also be a helmet signed by quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 1 July 2016 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski
LYNDONVILLE – Popular presenter Rick Merritt returned to the Yates Community Library on Thursday afternoon with a special kids’ program entitled “Pop Secret and I Scream for Ice Cream!” Participants learned about the science behind bubble gum and ice cream.
The second half of the yummy science program involved analyzing the effect of salt on ice and making ice cream. Here, participants work in pairs to agitate ice cream ingredients and ice with salt in plastic bags to make the frozen treat.
Merritt and his sons, Nate (in white T-shirt) and Kory show participants how to measure the s-t-r-e-t-c-h (thanks to elastomers) in bubble gum.
After participants tested and recorded data regarding the elasticity of various bubble gums, a bubble blowing contest was held.
Merritt helps participants dish up the ice cream.
This year’s family of swans on the Johnson’s Creek millpond adjacent to Yates Community Library includes six babies or cygnets. The family could be seen swimming serenely around the pond during the library program which was held outside.
Provided photos
LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville Central School celebrated commencement Friday when 42 seniors graduated. Jasmine Plummer, valedictorian of the Class of 2016, delivers her speech.
This trio of new graduates includes, from left: Amanda Blackburn, Rhiannon Burgess and Jessica Harling.
Jenna Doran, the class salutatorian, gives her speech at the Stroyan Auditorium.
Graduates, including Thomas Follman, center, sing during the commencement program on Friday.
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Board of Education voted Monday night to name the elementary school playground in honor of Nancy Good, a retired school principal who was influential in the playground at the main campus, and other playground projects for the district, including at the former elementary school.
“It’s long overdue,” said District Superintendent Jason Smith.
A sign will note the playground in Good’s honor. Good’s daughter, Elissa Smith, is a Spanish teacher for the district.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 June 2016 at 12:00 am
YATES – Two culverts on Platten Road in the Town of Yates will be replaced likely late this summer or early fall.
The Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday approved the low bid, $817,643, to Keeler Construction of Albion. The county will soon have a preliminary construction meeting with Keeler to determine the work schedule, said Jerry Gray, the county highway superintendent.
The county bid the two culverts together to get a better price on the project, Gray said. There is one culvert east of Swett Road and the other is west of Swett. The culverts carry water from Oak Orchard Creek tributaries.
Other bids for the culvert project include: $833,667 from Villager Construction in Fairport; $837,750 from Ironwood Heavy Highway LLC in Rochester, $848,845 from Union Concrete and Construction Corp. in West Seneca, $880,806 from Zoladz in Alden, and $884,607 from C.P. Ward Inc. in Scottsville.
The project will be paid from an $8 million bond the county took out two years ago for a series of infrastructure projects.
LYNDONVILLE – The school district and local firefighters worked together this morning to simulate a drunk driving accident, trying to send a strong message to students to not drink and drive at Friday’s prom or at upcoming graduation parties.
Lyndonville has put on the exercise annually in June to urge students to show good judgement and show responsibility when they get behind the wheel.
Some Lyndonville students wore makeup to look bloodied with injuries as part of the DWI simulation this morning. The students are pictured with local firefighters who extricated students from the vehicles.
Students watch firefighters work to get students out of the vehicles.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 June 2016 at 12:00 am
Photos by Elizabeth Carpenter
LYNDONVILLE – This swan was out early on Memorial Day, enjoying the water by the dam on Johnson Creek. Elizabeth Carpenter was up just after sunrise to get these photos that include the patriotic display of flags on the grounds of Lyndonville Central School. “Small town with big heart!” Carpenter said in an email.
The forecast calls for sunshine and 70s the next few days. The National Weather Service in Buffalo is forecasting a high near 79 on Thursday with showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m.
Friday is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high near 77, followed by sunny and a high near 79 on Saturday. Sunday will be a high near 75 with showers likely, according to the NWS in Buffalo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 May 2016 at 12:00 am
YATES – A plan for up to 70 wind turbines in Yates and Somerset has received some of its strongest resistance, including public rebukes from Congressman Chris Collins and State Sen. Rob Ortt, because they see the project as possibly jeopardizing the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.
Apex Clean Energy, developer for the project, countered last week saying the proposed project would not harm the base’s mission or the future for other military training plans.
H. David Belote, a retired Air Force colonel, now works as a consultant for Apex. He met last week with local officials, Save Ontario Shores members, landowners and supporters of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.
Belote showed them a March 16 letter from the Department of Defense, stating the DoD doesn’t see a negative impact on the base from Lighthouse Wind.
“The project is unlikely to impact military testing and/or training operations in the area,” Steven J. Sample, chief of the Military Evaluation Branch for the Department of Defense, wrote to Taylor Quarles, development manager for Apex.
The DoD did an informal review of the project, and is awaiting locations and heights of the turbines. The DoD, as well as the Federal Aviation Agency, will take a more thorough review of the project once the final application is submitted, which is expected this summer.
Belote said the far western end of the turbines are about 25 miles from the base. “It’s not an impact,” he said in a phone interview.
The turbines won’t affect drone operations when those begin at the base, Belote said, and he doesn’t expect there will be issues with radar from the turbines, which could peak at more than 600 feet to the top of the spinning blades.
The radar issue will be reviewed by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, but that organization needs to know final locations and heights. Belote said he expects that review will be this summer or fall.
Belote served as the first director of the Pentagon office that approves or rejects wind and solar projects around military bases. He said in his current role as a consultant that he wouldn’t advocate for a turbine project if it would hurt a military operation.
If the mission of the base changes in the future to other planes, such as F-22 or F-35, Belote said Apex could put night-vision lighting on the turbines. He said other air bases, such as the Travis Air Force Base in California, have many more turbines closer than what is proposed for Somerset and Yates. Belote said there are nearly 900 turbines within 12 miles of Travis.
The presentation from Apex didn’t allay concerns by the project’s opponents. Save Ontario Shores met with Quarles and Belote last week at Apex’s Barker office. SOS said it wanted more information about how the turbines could impact the base.
“This was really more of the same,” said Pam Atwater, president of Save Ontario Shores. “Apex makes vague statements and then refuses to give the public access to the data that they were based upon. We did not hear anything that has changed our position. Apex will use every option available to them, including using high-paid D.C. lobbyists, to try and force this project upon communities that have legitimate concerns about the impact of the project on local employment and have clearly expressed they do not want the wind turbines installed.”
Atwater also said the letter from the Department of Defense was just an informal or preliminary review.
“SOS is deeply concerned with the next Base Realignment and Closure Commission process,” she said. “If the DoD, which is under extreme pressure from the Obama Administration to engage in green energy initiatives, were to rule that the Apex project is not an encroachment into the MOA (Military Operating Area), there would be nothing preventing a future BRAC, under a different administration with different priorities, from overruling the decision and concluding that some level of encroachment does exist. Sacrificing what is now an encroachment free MOA could place NFARS, which has already faced closure recommendations from the last two BRAC’s, in jeopardy.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 May 2016 at 12:00 am
Provided photos
LYNDONVILLE – Volunteers from the Yates Community Library placed 50 flags on the school grounds near the Johnson Creek dam today. Another 50 flags will be placed on Main Street on Friday morning.
Other Lyndonville residents also purchased Main Street flags that were bought in honor of loved ones. Donors for those flags will get to take the flag home on Monday after the traditional Memorial Day service held at the village park.
Library Trustee Patricia Mumau attaches a flag dedication tag for the flags on the school lawn.
Ginny Hughes did much of the organizing for the flag display. She saw a similar display in Auburn. Kathleen Sillick created laminated dedication tags for each flag with names as specified by the donors. Jim Watson and his son Eric provided rebar and PVC pipe cut to fit for appropriate flag display. Patricia Mumau created an advertising flyer and designed the layout for flag placement. Gail Foss and Herbert Bohnet, also trustees, assisted in driving in the rebar posts and labeling the flags. Mark Hughes and Joy Bohnet, spouses of trustees, also helped.
Library Trustees Ginny Hughes and Gail Foss attach a tag with flag dedication and name of donor. Mark Hughes is in back with the driver device.
The Lyndonville Village Department of Public Works surprised the trustees with a special gift that greatly aided installation: a custom-fabricated driver for pounding in the supporting rebar.
The flags will fly all weekend and will provide a background for the annual Memorial Day service in Veterans Park, downtown Lyndonville, at 9 a.m. on Monday.
After noon on Memorial Day, those who have purchased a flag may pick them up to take home.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2016 at 12:00 am
The school budgets and propositions at all five school districts in Orleans County passed by big margins today.Medina and Lyndonville presented budgets that reduced taxes, while Albion and Kendall didn’t raise taxes. Holley will increase taxes by 1.99 percent.
In Albion, the results include:
School budget passed, 444-94;
Authorization to spend up to $460,000 for buses, 452-86;
Approval to collect $687,211 for Hoag Library, 385-153.
Choosing one of four candidates for a five-year term on the Board of Education. Steven LaLonde was elected with 310 votes. Other candidates included Dylan Hellems, 31 votes; Kevin Doherty, 114; and Anitrice Riley, 93.
In Holley, the results include:
School budget passed, 373-207;
Authorization for the purchase of schools buses, 368-213;
Approval to collect $116,061 for Community Free Library, 418-166.
Choosing two 3-year term seats on the School Board. Brenda Swanger, 423 votes, and John Heise, 370, were elected. Christine Klafehn received 266 votes.
In Kendall, the results include:
School budget passed, 282-90;
School Bus Replacement Capital Reserve Fund passed, 294-80;
Voters elected Charles Patt, 218 votes, to another five-year term on the Board of Education. He outpolled Debi Szczepanski, 163 votes.
In Lyndonvile, the budget passed with more than 90 percent approval, 132-11.
Other propositions all passed including:
$91,589 for Yates Community Library, 121-22;
Establish 2016 Transportation Reserve Fund to fund bus and vehicle purchases, not to exceed $720,000 over 8 years, 125-15;
Authorization to purchase one 66-passenger school bus at a maximum estimated cost of $110,000, 124-16;
Three incumbents on the Board of Education – Harold Suhr, Terry Stinson and Rick Mufford – all were re-elected to three-year terms. Mufford received 123 votes, with 118 for Stinson and 116 for Suhr.
In Medina, the budget passed 522-59.
Six people ran for three three-year terms on the Board of Education. Incumbent Board President Wendi Pencille was the top vote-getter with 425, followed by Lori Draper with 384 and Brenda Lindsay with 369. Those three were elected. Other candidates include Timothy Dunham, 181; Virginia Nicholson, 165; and retired Medina school administrator Alberta Suozzi, 160.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2016 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – The walkway to the Albion Middle School is pictured Monday evening while the trees are in bloom in front a Vietnam Memorial.
Voters will go the polls today at the five school districts in Orleans County to decide whether to pass budgets, propositions and elect members to the Board of Education.
Here is a snapshot of each school district:
ALBION – The proposed $33,890,990 school budget keeps taxes at the same amount, $8,355,939, as the 2015-16 budget. The district’s tax rate for the current school year, $16.06 per $1,000 of assessed property, is the lowest of all districts in Orleans, Genesee, Niagara and Monroe counties. The Albion rate is estimated to fall to $15.87 in 2016-17, school officials said.
Other propositions include:
Authorization to spend up to $460,000 for buses;
Approval to collect $687,211 for Hoag Library, which is up 1 percent from the $680,411 for 2015-16.
Choosing one of four candidates for a five-year term on the Board of Education. The candidates include Dylan Hellems, Steven LaLonde, Kevin Doherty and Anitrice Riley.
Voting will be from noon to 8 p.m. at the elementary school, conference room A.
HOLLEY – The proposed $24.4 million budget for 2016-17 includes a 1.99 percent increase in the tax levy. The budget is 4.73 percent higher than the current year budget. The nearly 5 percent budget-to-budget increase is due to the district’s share of the Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Capital Project, school officials said.
The proposed budget maintains current staffing and programs, and brings the average tax rate to approximately $22.81 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Besides the budget, voters will decide the following: Proposition 2 for the purchase of schools buses – two full-sized and two 30-passenger school buses not to exceed $339,000; Proposition 3 is the budget for the Community Free Library in Holley of $116,061.
Additionally, three candidates are running for two 3-year term seats on the School Board. John Heise and Brenda Swanger are running for re-election, and Christine Klafehn is also running for an open seat.
Voting will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the foyer of the Holley Middle School/High School.
KENDALL – The proposed budget increases spending from $15,065,842 to $17,392,234, predominantly due to the debt incurred with the recent capital improvement project. The budget-to-budget increase, however, is completely offset by an increase in state aid from $9,884,890 to $11,855,939, school officials said.
The proposed tax levy remains unchanged in the 2016/17 budget, and the tax rate will be $17.39/$1,000 assessed value for a Kendall resident.
One seat on the School Board of Education is up for election this year. Incumbent Charles Patt is seeking another term. Debra Szczepanski is also seeking a term on the Board. The five-year term will run through June 30, 2021.
Voting is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Kendall Elementary School Gymnasium.
LYNDONVILLE – The school district is proposing a budget that will reduce taxes by 3.4 percent, continuing a downward trend in the tax burden.
The district is proposing a budget that seeks a tax levy of $4,266,578, which is down from $4,416,578 in 2015-16. The previous year, 2014-15, the district’s tax levy was $4,666,578. Lyndonville has reduced the tax levy by $400,000 in two years, a drop of 8.6 percent.
The district’s $13,254,000 budget is nearly the same in expenditures as in 2015-16. The 2016-17 budget is $108 more than the $13,253,892 in 2015-16.
Other propositions include:
$91,589 for Yates Community Library (up from $90,653).
Establish 2016 Transportation Reserve Fund to fund bus and vehicle purchases, not to exceed $720,000 over 8 years.
Authorization to purchase one 66-passenger school bus at a maximum estimated cost of $110,000. School officials say the bus proposition and Transportation Reserve Fund will not have an impact on the tax levy.
Three incumbents on the Board of Education are all running unopposed for three-year terms. They include Harold Suhr, Terry Stinson and Rick Mufford.
Voting will be from noon to 8 p.m. at the Stroyan Auditorium forum.
MEDINA – The school district’s budget for 2016-17 reduces taxes for the fourth straight year. The $35,825,184 budget is up about $1 million from the $34,802,870 in 2015-16.
The state has boosted aid by nearly $900,000 and Medina is tapping some of its reserve funds to lower taxes in 2016-17, school officials said.
The new state budget boosts aid to Medina from $23,769,997 to $24,860,152. That increase is a big factor in Medina’s ability to cut taxes by 1.3 percent, from $8,774,760 to $8,660,915.
The budget keeps all existing programs and also boosts the gifted and talented offerings.
There are six people running for three three-year terms, including incumbents Lori Draper and Wendi Pencille. Retired Medina school administrator Alberta Suozzi also is running for the board along with Timothy Dunham, Virginia Nicholson and Brenda Lindsay. (Draper and Pencille are seeking re-election and John McCarthy opted against seeking another term.)
Voting will be from noon to 8 p.m. at the District Office.
