Ridgeway

Ridgeway honors dedicated firefighters, installs officers for 2016

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – Glen Busch II and Valerie Childs, who got engaged to each other on Wednesday, both were honored for their service to the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company on Saturday.

Busch received the President’s Award from outgoing president Mike Kelly. He cited Busch’s work as treasurer, and for attending many fire calls as well as training courses.

“He puts a lot of time and effort into this place,” Kelly said.

Childs received the Chief’s Award from Don Marchner, the outgoing fire chief.

“Anything you ask of her, she’s there,” Marchner said.

Childs last year took an inventory of all the equipment – turnout gear, helmets, radios and pagers – and now does an annual inspection of all the equipment.

Childs, 31, also is the new president of the Fire Company, the first woman in that role in the Fire Company’s 63-year history. She joined in July 2013, four months after she and Busch started dating. She went to a few calls with Busch, waiting in his truck before she became a member. She decided to join, “rather than just sitting there twiddling my thumbs.”

Busch assumed she wanted to be a social member. But Childs took classes for scene support. She has a goal this year to take the class so she can drive fire trucks, including the big pumper-tanker.

“If you told me five years ago I would be president of a fire company and winning an award I would have laughed at you,” Childs said.

Busch, 32, joined the Fire Company in 2011. He was volunteering with Cub Scouts, and three of the Scouts were sons of Kristin McAdoo, the EMS captain.

“She inspired me,” Busch said about McAdoo. “I saw what they do.”

He also wanted to be a firefighter in memory of his brother, who died at age 10 from leukemia. Jeffrey Busch wanted to be a firefighter and when he was battling leukemia was made an honorary fire chief by the Warsaw Fire Department in Wyoming County, where Busch grew up.

Busch has worked the past 15 years as a campus safety officer for Hilbert College in Hamburg. Childs works as a technician at Baxter Healthcare in Medina.

Ridgeway Fire Company officers take the oath of office, including Francis Woodward in white. Others pictured include, from left: Guy Scribner, first assistant chief; James Marciszewski, deputy chief; Valerie Childs, president; and Melissa Hansler, vice president.

Other officers include: Rick Tuohey, second assistant chief; Patrick Kelly, captain; Jason Bessel, lieutenant; Mike Kelly, fire police captain; and Kristin McAdoo, EMS captain.

Other executive committee members include: Glen Busch II, treasurer; Laurie Marchner, secretary; Stacey Seefeldt, Kristin McAdoo and Katie Tuohey as directors; and Todd Hansler, sergeant at arms.

Ladies Auxiliary Officers are sworn in, including, from left: Tracey Hendrick, president; Melissa Hansler, vice president; and Donna Lockwood, treasurer. Other officers include Effie McAdoo, secretary; Harriett Petrie, chaplain; and Michelle Lechner, flag bearer.

Fire Chief Francis Woodward holds an axe while firefighter Charles Smith announces names of members who died in 2015. Valerie Childs would ring the bell three times in their memory.

The Fire Company’s memorial service, recognized two charter members: Gary Ehrenreich as a firefighter and Marjorie Canham in the Ladies Auxiliary. They were the last living members from when the Fire Company formed 63 years ago.

Jack McCarthy, the former fire coordinator in the county, also was remembered during the memorial service.

Charles Smith and Valerie Childs hold new axes given to the Fire Company by Harriett Petrie, right, in memory of her husband, Larry Petrie. Those axes will be used by the honor guard at funerals, parades and other events.

Rob and Rachel Kaiser, owners of Wildwood Lake KOA Campground in Medina, were given an award for helping raise money for the Fire Company and for giving firefighters a discount to use the campground. Francis Woodward, the fire chief in back, is a regular at Wildwood.

Firefighters enjoy helping Santa in Medina

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Valerie Childs, a Ridgeway firefighter, carries a box full of toys this morning. She was one of about 30 firefighters who volunteered to deliver toys to about 150 children in the annual toy drive by the Medina Area Association of Churches.

Firefighters delivered boxes of toys, food and clothes to more than 100 Medina families and senior citizens this morning. The delivery was the last step in annual toy and gift effort coordinated by MAAC, an annual initiative going back more than four decades.

Ridgeway firefighters fill a truck up with boxes of toys. Rick Tuohey is in the truck. He has been helping with the toy delivery the past 18 years.

Don Marchner, Ridgeway fire chief, is in front at right. He has helped deliver the toys for about 40 years.

“It’s for a good cause,” Marchner said. “When you see the kids’ faces light up, it means a lot and makes you feel warm inside.”

Firefighters from Medina, Ridgeway, Shelby and East Shelby delivered toys to Medina families this morning. Paul Wengrzycki, a Medina firefighter, is in front at left.

The Medina United Methodist Church at the former Apple Grove Inn served as the staging area for the MAAC holiday effort.

Brothers Vinny Viterna, left, and Dominic Viterna help load up a truck with toys. Vinny just joined the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company and his brother is a junior firefighter.

Medina firefighter Jacob Crooks gets one of the last boxes ready for delivery.

Medina firefighters also placed 29 red barrels in the community in November and residents filled them up with toys and donations.

Medina firefighters head out to deliver some of the toys and food.

Work starts soon on Helena’s new site in Ridgeway

Posted 18 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Press Release, Orleans EDA

RIDGEWAY – When the Orleans Economic Development Agency began working with the Ridgeway Town Board to attract more business to the rural Western New York community in 2009, the group began looking for parcels to rezone that would also give potential new customers rail access.

One of the first was on Allis Road, off Route 31. The Town Board’s foresight then prompted executives of Helena Chemical Company to pursue a much-need expansion project for their growing WNY distribution center.

“Prior to 2009, we didn’t really have any industrial sites in town,” points out Ridgeway Town Supervisor Brian Napoli. “After meeting with our EDA, we found a few suitable pieces of land, including the one on Allis Road, and decided to be proactive to ensure available land in Ridgeway would be ready for future prospects.”

The relocation of Helena Chemical Company, from Albion to Ridgeway, is one the community hopes will pay off. An estimated $4 million project, Helena plans to build a 75,000 square-foot, six-building complex as a distribution point for chemicals, seeds and other agricultural products. The Ridgeway site gives the company rail access and the ability to develop a more expansive infrastructure.

“The move to Ridgeway will allow us to offer more products and services,” said Mitch Wilber, Helena branch manager. “The quality of the agriculture is what brought us here; there are good farmers growing good crops.”

Headquartered just outside of Memphis, Tennessee, with 450 branch locations across the United States, Wilber notes the “strong inter-municipal support” the company received from the Orleans County EDA and Ridgeway officials as the stimulus to expand Helena Chemical’s footprint in New York State.

The contracts are signed and Allied Builders is scheduled to begin work at the site this week.

“Good development opportunities do not just happen here,” said Jim Whipple, EDA chief executive officer. “Development opportunities come about as the result of years of strategic planning and anticipating how we can make the most of our available land and resources. The need may not be apparent right away, but we are ready and waiting when it is.”

Positioning the Allis Road site, and other land throughout the county, is what the Orleans EDA does every day, “There was no specific project when we began working with Ridgeway to rezone the Allis Road property,” notes OEDA VP Gabrielle Barone. “What we believed then, and continue to reinforce to our communities, is that we need sites ready and waiting when the right project does come along.”

Citing the value the OEDA and local municipalities place on retention projects, Barone explains, “The Town of Ridgeway demonstrated they wanted more development and became full partners in keeping Helena Chemical in Orleans County and bringing the project to fruition.”

Yates had best turnout in election; Ridgeway the worst

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2015 at 12:00 am

The controversy over the wind turbine project, as well as contested races at the town and county level, brought a higher percentage of voters to the polls in Yates than any other town in Orleans County last Tuesday.

Yates has 1,466 registered voters and 736 cast ballots on Tuesday, for 50.2 percent of the registered voters. Countywide, the turnout was 38.2 percent.

One of the Yates races still isn’t over. Absentee ballots will be counted Tuesday at 9 a.m. to determine the winner of the town supervisor race. Incumbent John Belson received 352 votes on election day. Jim Simon, an anti-turbine candidate, ran a write-in campaign and is 14 votes behind Belson.

Yates also had races for Town Board seats, a local county legislator position, and the contentious county-wide sheriff race.

While Yates had the best turnout, neighboring Ridgeway had the fewest at 29.8 percent or 1,066 voters out of 3,579.

Here is a breakdown of turnout at the 10 towns.

Community	Voters	Registered	Percent Voted
Albion	1,230	3,147	39.1
Barre	566	1,219	46.4
Carlton	706	1,771	39.9
Clarendon	771	2,149	35.9
Gaines	743	1,800	41.3
Kendall	692	1,593	43.4
Murray	923	2,516	36.7
Ridgeway	1,066	3,579	29.8
Shelby	998	2,829	35.3
Yates	736	1,466	50.2
County	8,431	22,069	38.2

Source: Orleans County Board of Elections; Orleans Hub calculations.
Turnout was higher than in a typical local election but was down from a year ago in the gubernatorial election, when 9,742 people voted on Election Day in a race highlighted by Andrew Cuomo and Rob Astorino for governor.That was about 1,300 more than voted last Tuesday.

Bower won the sheriff’s election, 3,951 to 3,507 for Tom Drennan and 847 for Don Organisciak.

Drennan is from Kendall and the town had a bigger turnout at 43.4 percent than many other towns, even though Kendall had unopposed candidates at the town level. That was the same issue for Murray, Bower’s hometown, which had a turnout of 36.7 percent.

Besides the Yates town supervisor race, another close election will be determined Tuesday morning when absentees are counted in the Town of Albion. Darlene Benton has a 6-vote lead over Paul Fulcomer for a Town Board position.

Sandstone Trust has small grants available for community projects

Staff Reports Posted 12 October 2015 at 12:00 am

MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Society is making several thousand dollars available in grants to community organizations and projects.

The grants generally range from $200 to $500 and are awarded to qualifying not-for-profit organizations and/or programs in the Medina, Ridgeway and Shelby region.

Funding is intended to help programs that clearly benefit this community and that have favorable tax and regulatory status.

The community endowment has given out nearly $20,000 over the past five years. The most recent round of grants included funding for improvements to the veterans plot at Boxwood Cemetery, to the Medina Business Association for Old-Tyme Christmas, emergency dollars to fix porch damage at the Medina Historical Museum, dollars to The Arc of Orleans toward kitchen equipment for Camp Rainbow, support for Medina’s Civil War Re-Enactment last April, stone repair from frost damage at the Armory (“Y”), and continuation of student scholarships.

To apply for a grant, organization leaders need to fill out a Sandstone Trust Application form and mail to Sandstone Trust, Post Office Box 25, Medina, by the application deadline, Nov. 14.

Application forms can be obtained as follows: In person at Medina Parts Co. (NAPA) 345 N. Main St. or Michael Zelazny, CPA 511 Main St.; By regular mail request sent to Sandstone Trust, PO Box 25, Medina, NY 14103; or online from the Sandstone Trust web page www.sandstonesociety.org.

Questions may be sent by email at sandstonesociety@gmail.com or calling Michael Zelazny, CPA at 585-798-1006.

Show at fairgrounds gives early start on Christmas shopping

Staff Reports Posted 10 October 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Kim Pritt
KNOWLESVILLE – Several craft and collectibles vendors are at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds today for a show to give people an early start on decorating their home for the holidays and finding presents for friends and family.

The show started on Friday and continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lori Laine, left, and Cheryl Boyer are at a table that promotes being an organ donor.

The show is inside the Trolley Building at the fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville.

Runners give new fitness trail a try at fairgrounds

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 October 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – John Steier and his son Evan haul tires on the new fitness trail at the 4-H Fairgrounds, which opened today to the public.

The Steiers and other particpants in the Albion Running Club jogged the course and tried the six stations, doing push ups, dips and other maneuvers while completing the half-mile fitness trail.

Pam Coville and her husband Mark bend down and flip tires, one of the challenges on the fitness trail.

The Running Club kicked in $450 towards the trail, which is open to the public and includes signs showing how to attempt the activities along the course.

Brian Krieger does push-ups at one of the stops.

The project includes many recycled items, including the poles used for the signs. Many old farm tires are utilized as part of the stations.

Runners get in some exercise on the course.

New fitness trail opens at fairgrounds

By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 8 October 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Kristina Gabalski
KNOWLESVILLE – A new fitness trail has opened at the 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville. There will be an opening ceremony today at 6 p.m. with the Albion Running Club, where runners and walkers will then try the course.

“We see people come and walk the grounds all the time and thought this would be a nice addition,” Orleans County 4-H Educator Robert Batt said.

The half-mile trail includes six stations with various exercises/activities. The project is sponsored by the Running Club.

The public is invited to attend the grand opening and also to come out and make use of the trail at any time.

“4-Hers will also be able to use the trail before meetings,” Batt said.

The project includes a number of recycled items. Batt said the poles used for the signs are made from recycled tires and have been repurposed from a former exhibit on the fairgrounds. Additionally, old agricultural tires are used as part of the stations. At Station #1, for example, the tires are used for a triceps dip.

“The project is green and environmentally friendly,” Batt observed. “It’s super exciting.”

Ridgeway replaces culvert on Mill Road

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 September 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers
RIDGEWAY – This culvert pipe with a 4-foot diameter will be set in a trench being dug today on Mill Road in Ridgeway.

The Town of Ridgeway Highway Department cut a 7-foot-deep chuck out of Mill Road so the department could replace a rotting culvert. Tim Feldman is in the excavator and Pat Kelly is holding the measuring stick.

The culvert pipe needs to be set at a 180-degree angle, or perfectly flat, to allow for the water to drain easily, Ridgeway highway workers said. The culvert directs water under the road from Johnson Creek.

Ridgeway highway workers started the project this morning and expect to have it done today. In addition to Feldman and Kelly, highway worker John Olinger, right, is pictured at the scene late this morning. The culvert is just east of Murdock Road.

Culvert projects close section of Knowlesville Road to November

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – The signs by Route 31 in Knowlesville say the bridge is closed. (This photo is actually on Knowlesville Road, just north of the canal.)

Motorists on Route 31 might assume the culprit for the closed bridge is the century-old lift bridge.

That historic span remains open. But just north of the lift bridge, Keeler Construction of Barre is replacing two culverts.

County Highway Superintendent said the project should be complete in early November, “depending on weather.”

The county approved Keeler as the low bidder for the project for $430,199.

A neighbor near the construction work told me he was grateful to have less traffic on the road.

Some residents treasure their hitching posts, carriage steps

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – Occasionally people will stop at Homer McPherson’s home on Horan Road and ask if he wants to give up the carriage step and two hitching posts in the front yard.

McPherson, shown sitting on his front porch, gives them a resounding no.

When construction crews were installing water lines along the road a few years ago, McPherson worried the equipment might bang into a hitching post and break it. So he insisted the contractors pay extra attention to the relics from more than a century ago.

McPherson enjoys sitting on his porch and taking in the scene on the front yard at 3587 Horan Rd. The property was owned by his late wife Ruth’s family. McPherson said the hitching posts are in their original spots.

“I don’t know how deep they are, but they’ve never moved,” he said.

Another Ridgeway family has a little garden with flowers by their hitching post at 3608 Knowlesville Rd., not too far south of the Erie Canal.

Brenda Busch moved to the house in 2004. She is delighted to have the hitching post out front by the road.

“I love it,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind going back to those days.”

Busch, third from left, is pictured with family members, including Norman Karcher Sr., Marilyn Karcher, and Busch’s son Michael.

Steampunk bash proves ‘festival of bizarre proportions’

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 August 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A member of the Pyromancy Fire Performance Troupein Buffalo performs with fire before a big crowd on saturday night at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery.

Leonard Oakes held its annual Steampunk Festival and more than 1,200 people turned out, many in futuristic costumes with a Victorian theme.

The festival featured fire artists, belly dancers, a Frank Sinatra crooner, bands, hoop dancers, and a self-described “circus freak performer” who chewed glass and snapped a mouse trap on his tongue.

The event was a celebration of the release of the winery’s new steampunk hard cider.

Some of the costumed revelers chat at the winery on Route 104.

Maria Rola, a hoop dancer from Buffalo, is pictured with Arlowe Price, a self-described fourth-generation “circus freak performer” from Buffalo.

Price chewed broken glass, set a mouse trap on his tongue, and performed other outrageous stunts during the Steampunk Festival. He let people staple dollars on his skin and throw darts at his back.

Price was a little bloodied from some of his stunts. Here he set a mouse trap on his tongue.

Price has been a regular performer at the festival and has watched it grow from a few hundred people to more than 1,000.

“I brag about this event all summer,” Price said. “It’s a wildy growing festival. People enjoy the music and the Steampunk Cider.”

Many locals attended the event in futuristic costumes, including Albion residents Leanne Serrato, left, and Peggy Barringer.

This group includes Tammy Menz, left, her sister Lynne Menz and Terri Wood.

The band, Monkey Wrench Revolt from Cortland, performed on an outdoor stage at Leonard Oakes. The band includes, from left: Nate Francisco on mandolin, Ted Andrejko on bass, and Tom George on guitar.

Abel Zavitz, 16, of Medina sang two songs for the big crowd including “Come fly with me” by Frank Sinatra and “Everybody loves somebody” by Dean Martin.

A hoop dancer has a glowing hoop at the festival.

Members of Troupe Nisaa, a dance group based in Batavia, perform at the Steampunk Festival.

The fire artists from Pyromancy proved popular with the crowd.

Leonard Oakes promotes the event as “A Festival of Bizarre Proportions.”

Camp Rainbow closes out summer of fun

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 August 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Dakota Morris, 7, of Holley swings at Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway on Friday, the last day of a five-week camp season.

Camp Rainbow is owned and operated by The Arc of Orleans County. There were 82 campers at the site this summer, enjoying swimming, special events, music, arts and crafts, nature study, sign language, cooperative games and athletics.

Makkiah Morris, 6, of Holley dribbles a soccer ball. He is the younger brother of Dakota.

The camp is open to children with and without disabilities. About 20 percent of the campers have developmentally disabilities and 30 percent have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. About half of the campers have no disabilities.

“We’re totally integrated,” said Pattie Kepner, the camp director.

Kennedi Howerton, 8, of Albion gets ready to hit a whiffle ball thrown by Dylan DeSmit, a member of the Arc staff.

James Trembley of Barre has fun on a scooter.

The sand box has been a popular spot during camp. The swimming pool is in the back.

Nick Pifer of Holley can hit the long ball.

The camp counselors share a laugh on Friday during lunch.

The Shenberger family donated property for Camp Rainbow on Townline Road in Lyndonville to offer children with disabilities the opportunity for fun with other children. Volunteers spent hundreds of hours clearing the land and building facilities.

The summer day camp was founded in 1970.

The property not only serves campers, but is available for other camps, retreats and functions.

ABATE donates to Camp Rainbow

Contributed Story Posted 24 July 2015 at 12:00 am

Provided photo

RIDGEWAY – The Orleans County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education donated $852 on Thursday to Camp Rainbow.

Pattie Kepner, left, oversees the camp for The Arc of Orleans County, where she is director of quality and family services. Theresa Price presented the check on behalf of ABATE, which raised the funds from a recent golf tournament. The money will likely be used for a new solar cover for the pool at the camp.

Camp Rainbow serves about 100 children with and without disabilities in a 5-week summer program. The camp is located on Townline Road in Ridgeway.

ABATE has been a regular donor to The Arc since 1999, Arc officials said.

Sheriff identifies people in serious Ridgeway accident

Posted 19 July 2015 at 9:20 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers – Law enforcement officers check the scene of a serious car accident this afternoon in Ridgeway on Horan Road. This photo shows the scene after the driver and a passenger were both transported by ambulance and Mercy Flight helicopter.

Press Release
Orleans County Sheriff
Scott Hess

RIDGEWAY – A man and a teenager are hospitalized tonight following a one-car crash late this afternoon in the Town of Ridgeway.

The incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m., in the 3500 block of Horan Road. A 2007 Hyundai 2-door sedan was traveling north when it crested a hill and the driver then apparently lost control on the down slope.

The vehicle crossed the center line and left the roadway on the west side. The car struck a mound of earth in the driveway of a private residence and became airborne. It continued approximately 60 feet in the air before striking a tree. It then spun 180 degrees and struck a second tree before grounding and coming to rest facing south.

The front seat passenger and registered owner of the vehicle is identified as Emmitt R. Weese, 50, of Holley. Weese was trapped in the wreckage for about 25 minutes before being extricated by Ridgeway and Shelby firefighters. He was flown by Mercy Flight helicopter to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo.

The driver of the vehicle is identified as Austin D. Winters, 16, of Medina. Winters was trapped in the wreckage for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. He was also extricated by firefighters and then flown to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Both individuals sustained what were described as “life-threatening” injuries.

Firefighters were assisted at the scene by Medina Fire Department Ambulance crews, who also transported victims to awaiting helicopters. A crew from Lyons Collision Service also assisted firefighters at the scene.

While the incident remains under investigation, it appears that excessive speed was a contributing factor. Both driver and passenger are facing charge(s) pending their recovery.

The incident was investigated by Deputy A.A. Breuilly, assisted by Sergeant G.T. Gunkler and Chief Deputy T.L. Drennan. Deputies were assisted at the scene by Medina Police Sgt. M.R. Borrell & Officer J.R. Frentz.