LYNDONVILLE – The snowstorm and plunging temperatures have prompted Lyndonville Central School to cancel all afterschool activities today.

Students will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m., District Superintendent Jason Smith said.

Lyndonville is the only school in Orleans County open today. The others – Albion, Holley, Kendall and Medina – are off because of winter break.

Press release, Lyndonville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville residents put their best lights forward for Lyndonville Lions Club’s “Spirit of Christmas” annual lighting contest this year.

Judges patrolled the area on Monday visiting the winners’ homes and presenting the top 5 with plaques. The winners are:

Village of Lyndonville, 2 South Main St.

Mr.& Mrs. Gary Newman, 1548 N Lyndonville Rd.

Alex Seaman, 1559 N Lyndonville Rd.

Bill Harrold, 10 Garland St.

Jacob, Margaret, and Emily Cebula, 15 Miller Drive.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – This year’s holiday open house at the Yates Community Library will feature student musicians, festive treats and a holiday reading by Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson.

The event this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. also will showcase 30 pieces of pottery created by Lyndonville eighth-graders. They worked with Waterport potter Deborah Wilson and Lyndonville art teacher Doug Michalak to create the jars and bowls.< The pottery has been displayed in the library since Nov. 25. The pieces will be there until Dec. 16. “Everyone has remarked about them,” said Emily Cebula, library director. “We feel it is important to show what our kids can do.”

The pottery pieces were inspired by jars made by Woodland Indians and excavated from archaeological sites near Waterport and Oakfield. The project was made possible through an Artists in the Schools grant distributed by the New York State Council on the Arts and administered by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The most distinctive feature of the historic pots is that they have highly decorated “collars” or necks. Each student had the chance to make their own personalized stamping tool for decorating the collars on their own pieces.

This was the first chance that many of the eighth-graders had to work with clay, as the Art Department has not been able to offer pottery in the past few years. The Artists in the Schools funding allowed the school to get the kiln out of mothballs and paid Wilson to come in the share her knowledge of pottery with the group.

“It’s been a wonderful program,” Cebula said. “The kids are very proud of these.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

Route 63 in Lyndonville has a stretch of grand old houses, and several of them are decked out in holiday decorations, including this house at 8 Eagle St., at the South Main Street intersection.

Just south of that location, at 142 South Main St., one of the area’s finest cobblestone houses is lighted up for the holidays.

This house was built in 1846 and is the only Lyndonville location listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jackson Blood, an early Lyndonville resident, built the house and lived there until 1875.

The downtown decorations for the holidays have been upgraded thanks to funds from the Lyndonville Lions Club and the Lyndonville Area Foundation.

Community decorates 27 trees at Veterans Park

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Community members decorated 27 Christmas trees at Veterans Park as part of a new holiday tradition in Lyndonville.

The village pushed to start the project after Wes Bradley, a Yates Town Councilman and Lions Cub member, pitched the idea. He saw it at Oakfield last year when there were 53 trees lighted and decorated by community members.

Oakfield shared its planning tips with Lyndonville officials. Bradley was hoping for maybe 15 or 20 trees the first year. With a strong showing this year, Bradley thinks the community could do 40 or 50 next year.

He’d like to add horse-drawn carriage rides and more events as part of day-long celebration.

“This has been a little morale boost for the community,” Bradley said this evening while serving hot cocoa and cookies in the Village Hall.

After arriving on a trailer that looked like a sleigh, Santa greeted the crowd at Veterans Park.

Santa flipped the switch at the North Pole Electric Station, lighting the 27 trees decorated by the community.

Santa then met with youngsters at the Village Hall. Grayson Voltz of Lockport didn’t take a liking to the jolly ole’ elf. Grayson’s mother Jessica Voltz is a Lyndonville native.

Ethan Merrill, 7, of Albion was comfortable with Santa, and happily shared his wish list for Christmas.

Provided photo – Downtown Lyndonville has new decorations this season thanks to donations from the Lyndonville Lions Club and the Lyndonville Area Foundation. The following are pictured, from left: Wes Bradley (Foundation and Lions Club), Darren Wilson (Lyndonville Area Foundation President), Dan Fuller (Village of Lyndonville DPW), John Belson (Town of Yates Supervisor, Lions Club and Foundation) and Terry Woodworth (Village Superintendent of Public Works).

Photo by Tom Rivers

Lyndonville will celebrate its first “Christmas in Lyndonville” celebration this Saturday with events from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The celebration includes the lighting of 26 Christmas trees in Veterans Park. Residents, businesses and organizations are all decorating the trees. Those decorations are scheduled to be up by Friday.

The lineup of events on Saturday includes a community breakfast buffet at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church from 8 to 11 a.m.; a mini mall at the United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; games at the Yates Community Library from 3 to 4 p.m.; and caroling at Vets Park from 4 to 5 p.m.

Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. and flip the switch to light the trees. Santa will then be at the Village Hall from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to visit with children and their families. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available at the Village Hall.

There will be a Christmas Choir “LaLaPalooza” at the Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m.

Harriger

YATES – A church pastor who faces felony charges of sex abuse against children has been jailed on $250,000 bail. The state police is asking possible victims of the Roy Harriger Sr. to step forward and contact police.

Harriger, 70, of Middleport was processed at the State Police barracks in Albion today. He was arraigned in the Town of Yates before Judge Donald Grabowski, who set bail at $250,000. Harriger is scheduled to return to town court on Dec. 3.

Harriger is currently the pastor of the Community Fellowship Church in the town of Hartland in Niagara County. He was arrested for two counts of Course of Sexual Conduct (B Felony), two counts of Incest (E Felony), and four counts of Sodomy 1st (B Felony). These crimes occurred between September 2000 and September 2001 in the town of Yates, when Harriger was the pastor of the Ashwood Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville.

A state police investigation revealed the alleged crimes were perpetrated in New York, as well as the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania between 1974 and 2003.The alleged incidents in Michigan and Pennsylvania have been referred to their respective State Police agencies, the New York State Police said.

State Police request that anyone with any information, or if they believe they may have been the victim of sexual abuse in this case, to contact the State Police in Albion at (585) 589-4244.

YATES – A well-known pastor in the Lyndonville community has been charged with several sexual abuse crimes against nine children, crimes that allegedly occurred between September 2010 and September 2011 when he was the pastor of the Ashwood Wesleyan Church.

State police announced today that Roy Harriger, 70, has been charged with two counts of course of sexual conduct, a B felony; two counts of incest, an E felony; and four counts of first-degree sodomy, another B felony, the Buffalo News is reporting.

Harriger was the pastor at Ashwood Wesleyan for 12 years before he was terminated by the church in 2009 after a falling out with denomination leaders.

Harriger then started a new church, Community Fellowship Church in Johnson Creek.

Orleans County District Attorney Joseph Cardone is prosecuting the charges against Harriger, who police say has a history abusing children, as far back as 1974.

Harriger is a visible pastor in Orleans County. On many occasions he has led opening prayers at County Legislature meetings.

26 Christmas trees will be lighted at Veterans Park

LYNDONVILLE – Residents, community organizations and the village are teaming for a debut “Christmas in Lyndonville” celebration on Dec. 7.

Several events are planned for that day. In addition, Veterans Park by the library will be decorated with 26 Christmas trees that are sponsored by residents and businesses. Some of the trees have been sponsored as memorials. Those trees will be decorated from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5 and will be displayed during the holiday season.

“A lot of people have pitched in,” said Village Clerk Teri Woodworth. “We think it will be a nice event.”

The lineup of events on Dec. 7 includes a community breakfast buffet at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church from 8 to 11 a.m.; a mini mall at the United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; games at the Yates Community Library from 3 to 4 p.m.; and caroling at Vets Park from 4 to 5 p.m.

Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. and flip the switch to light the trees. Santa will then be at the Village Hall from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to visit with children and their families. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available at the Village Hall.

There will be a Christmas Choir “LaLaPalooza” at the Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m.

The downtown decorations for the holidays have been upgraded thanks to funds from the Lyndonville Lions Club and the Lyndonville Area Foundation.

The Dec. 7 event is sponsored by the village, the Lyndonville Fire Department/Auxilary and the Lions Club.

Provided photos – Some of the cast members of “The Ransom of Miss Elverna Dower” are pictured at a dress rehearsal for the play. The group includes, from left: Abigail Feldman, Heather Mufford, Cheyenne Button and Alyssa Mahnke.

Press release, Lyndonville Central School

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville senior class will show off their acting chops tonight at 7 p.m. in the Stroyan Auditorium.

Students are putting on a play, “The Ransom of Miss Elverna Dower.” This is a comedy about the kidnapping of a feared English teacher.

Hannah Albone and Brennen O’Connor are part of the cast.

Provided photo

LYNDONVILLE – State Sen. George Maziarz was the guest speaker Monday for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Class at Lyndonville Central School. Maziarz spoke about business development in Western New York.

In addition to the Young Entrepreneurs’ Class, Lyndonville is offering a career exploration program for students this school year.

LYNDONVILLE – Some smoke in an art storage room in the primary wing of the Lyndonville Central School triggered a fire alarm and kept students and staff out of the building for more than an hour this morning.

Lyndonville and Medina firefighters both investigated the storage room and the entire building, and deemed the site safe, said Jason Smith, Superintendent of Schools.

The alarm went off at 9:12 a.m. Students and staff left the school building on Housel Avenue and went to the former elementary school building while firefighters investigated for about 40 minutes.

Firefighters and the school haven’t determined a specific cause or source of the smoke. The area has been on watch throughout the school day since students and staff returned to the building at about 10:30 a.m., Smith said.

He thanked the firefighters for their response and said students and staff were cooperative during the alarm.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Cindy Ames, director of the Niagara Region PTA, met with about 25 Lyndonville community members on Monday, urging the community to relaunch its PTA after it was dormant last year.

LYNDONVILLE – School officials have a four-year plan for the district that raises the academic performance for students, including setting a goal that all students graduate on time.

Lyndonville already boasts a high graduation rate – 96 percent graduated with their four-year cohort in 2013. But the district wants every member of each class of roughly 50 students to complete high school in four years.

A four-year strategic plan also would significantly raise student performance on state standardized tests for grades 3 to 8, with the district determined to have about two thirds of its students master the material.

Lyndonville only had 28 percent achieve that for English and 19 percent for math with the 2013 state tests, where only about 31 percent attained mastery levels state-wide. Lyndonville wants 65 percent of its students at that level by 2016.

At the high school level, Lyndonville wants to increase the percentage of students who graduate with an advanced Regents diploma from 28 percent in 2013 to 40 percent in 2016. A committee of school teachers, administrators and parents also established a higher threshold for the number of graduates who attain at least a 75 in English and 80 in math – key indicators of success in college – from 30 percent in 2013 to 45 percent in 2016.

“We want college-ready graduates,” said High School Principal Aaron Slack. He said the district is setting “ambitious targets.”

Lyndonville’s new strategic plan calls for every high school student to graduate on time.

The plan will be presented to the Board of Education on Oct. 14. District Superintendent Jason Smith said the BOE will be asked to back the “road map” for the district.

Smith also is supporting an effort to revive the PTA in the district. The Parent-Teacher Association was dormant last year. Smith said the PTA and involved parents are critical for students and the district to boost their classroom achievement.

“When you have a PTA, you have a built-in partner,” Smith said.

Lyndonville started a PTA in 1984. The group was once very active, said Cindy Ames, director of the Niagara-Region PTA.

The Newfane resident touted the benefits of a PTA as the country’s “premier advocacy group” for parents in education. Lyndonville can restart its PTA by forming nominating and bylaws committees, groups that only need three members.

The PTA can help raise money for school trips and other initiatives at the school. It can also be a voice for parents at the local, state and national level.

Ames said the PTA, which has 5,000 members in the Niagara region, has expressed its concern about the new state tests. The group has reached out to state legislators, including Sen. George Maziarz, to develop a “smarter way” of testing the students.

The PTA will have a regional training Oct. 17 in Kendall. The other four districts in Orleans County – Albion, Holley Kendall and Medina – currently have active PTAs, Ames said.

She urged Lyndonville to reactivate its PTA. Interested community members should contact the district office at 765-2251 if they are interested in the PTA.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The town of Yates and village of Lyndonville split the costs for a shed that will be used as an electronic waste recycling site. Town Supervisor John Belson, left, is pictured with Deputy Mayor Jim Tuk at the shed that opened today behind the Lyndonville fire hall, 148 North Main St.

LYNDONVILLE – Terry Woodworth feared they would start to show up on the side of the road or in his brush pile behind the DPW garage. He didn’t want to have to fish out discarded television sets and other unwanted electronics.

Residents can’t get rid of them with their trash. There isn’t a drop site in the community to dispose of recyclable E-Waste or electronics – until today.

The town of Yates and village of Lyndonville split the costs for having a shed built for $2,800. The small building is behind the Lyndnville fire hall. A big TV and other electronics were dropped at the site today, the first day it was open.

Woodworth and the DPW will have it open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. The TVs, microwave ovens, toner cartridges, radio and CD players, video equipment and rechargeable batteries will all be picked up for free by the Albion Redemption Center. The business will drive to Lyndonville weekly to pick up the recyclable electronics.

Terry Woodworth, Lyndonville DPW superintendent, is pictured inside the shed with some of the electronic items that will be picked up by the Albion Redemption Center.

“It wasn’t a lot of money and it was something we could do for the town,” said Yates Town Supervisor John Belson.

Residents used to be able to drop off the E-Waste at the Pennysaver Market, but that store closed in April, leaving the community without a site to drop the waste.

“We have been looking for a place,” Belson said. “We were struggling as a town with what to do.”

He praised Lyndonville village officials for helping to make the project a reality.

The town of Shelby also accepts electronic equipment and other E-waste. Belson doesn’t think any other municipalities in Orleans have sites for residents to dispose of unwanted electronics.