By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 February 2020 at 10:59 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Travis Young, a project manager with the Army Corps of Engineers, goes over phase 2 of a remedial action plan at the former Diaz Chemical site in Holley.
HOLLEY – The federal Environmental Protection Agency will have a big presence the next few years in Holley as it works on phase 2 of a cleanup at the former Diaz Chemical site on Jackson Street.
The EPA has already spent $12.5 million at the Superfund Site, removing buildings, pipes, drums and tanks. Only two warehouses remain from Diaz, which declared bankruptcy and abandoned the site in 2002. The company operated for about 30 years in Holley.
The EPA will now tackle the contaminated soil on the 5-acre site. The soil poses a threat to the groundwater, EPA officials said.
The dirt can’t simply be carted off the premises right now. The EPA and a contractor will drill 600 wells, spaced about 13 to 15 feet apart, and install an underground system where the soil will be heated up. That will remove below-ground contaminates from soil.
Water vapors also will be collected and treated, and then filtered and discharged into the sewer.
Once the contaminant level drops in the soil, about 100 truckloads are expected to be hauled away to a landfill.
The EPA will have 100 truckloads of clean soil brought to the site. Project managers went over the work with the Holley Village Board on Tuesday.
John DiMartino, EPA remedial project manager, and Travis Young, a project manager with the Army Corps of Engineers, said some work could start in March, with contractors drilling test wells and crews starting to mobilize.
This summer soil will be excavated, with drilling and well installation. The first stage of the thermal treatment system will go in next winter through summer 2021. A second stage of drilling and well installation is planned for the spring-summer 2021 with the second stage of the thermal treatment system to be installed from winter 2021 to summer 2022.
A concrete cover is part of the project during the treatment stage. The concrete will be removed once the treatment is done.
The project will be substantially complete in the winter of 2023, according to the EPA timeline. A final layer of topsoil and grass will be added to complete the project.
Holley Mayor Brian Sorochty asked the project managers what the land could be used for when the EPA is complete with the 5-acre site.
“I believe we’ll leave you a site that is suitable for commercial development,” DiMartino told Village Board members on Tuesday. “That is the goal. That is the plan.”
The EPA is sensitive to neighbor concerns during the construction and operation of the project. There will be air monitoring on site during the drilling and construction. The contractor on the project also is limited to no more than 75 decibels of noise that can heard by neighbors, although Young said that could be a tough standard to meet when contractors are drilling close to property lines by Jackson Street. If the drilling is a nuisance, the contractor may be asked to try a different drilling technique.
The contractor will drill during regular business hours Monday through Friday, and also was given permission to work on Saturdays. Young said the contractor’s employees will likely be from out of state and they will want that extra work day on most weeks.
The EPA is working with village officials on a preferred truck route. That may be Van Buren Street, rather than the recently repaved Jackson Street.
The EPA said it will do a mailing soon with Holley residents, detailing the project.
ALBANY – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today scoffed at politicians on the Social Services Committee, many of whom are from New York City, who voted unanimously to block Hawley’s bipartisan legislation (A.2251) that would institute a 90-day residency requirement before someone is eligible for welfare benefits in New York. Republicans voted unanimously to report the bill to the floor for a full vote before the house.
“New York’s bloated welfare system has driven our state into fiscal ruin, causing a multi-billion dollar deficit that will likely fall on the middle class,” Hawley said. “It is policies like these that perpetuate our reputation as the cradle-to-the-grave capital of the nation, and attracts more visitors looking for a handout.”
“In perilous fiscal times like these when we should be passing bills to root out fraud, waste and abuse in our social service system so that we can afford to help those who have fallen into unfortunate circumstances, instead of expanding an already wasteful system,” Hawley said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 February 2020 at 8:23 am
HOLLEY – The Holley Village Board accepted a $2,556,000 construction bid from a contractor on Tuesday to replace sidewalks and water lines in the village. Most of the project is along Route 237 and the northeast section of the village.
Mark Cerrone, Inc. of Niagara Falls submitted the lowest bid for the project. Grants will cover the majority of the costs. Holley is responsible for 20 percent of the sidewalk work and 40 percent of the waterlines. The village will put in some sidewalks and waterlines as part of its share for the project, which has a total cost of about $4.5 million, said Mayor Brian Sorochty.
The village has been approved for a $1,780,000 federal TAP grant (Transportation Alternatives Program) to construct curbs and sidewalks that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The grant will allow the village to replace about one-third of the sidewalks in the village.
That includes sidewalk along Rt. 237 – both north and south of Rt. 31 to the village limits (from the water tower to the elementary school), as well as both sides of Geddes Street from Van Buren to Route 31, both sides of Perry Street, both sides of Morgan Street and the west side of East Avenue.
Holley also was awarded nearly $1.3 million from the state for upgrades to the water system through the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, as well as the Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grants Program.
The waterline project includes 5,800 linear feet, just over a mile, and involves replacing 4- to 8-inch water mains with 8- to 12-inch water mains.
That project includes portions of South Main (from the water tower to Batavia Street), South Main from Jackson Street to West Albion Street, water service transfers only along North Main from West Albion Street to the high school, the northerly side of Geddes Street from Van Buren Street to Public Square, along with connections to existing waterlines at ends and side streets.
Cerrone is expected to get started on the project soon and be complete in about a year before the state starts a milling and paving project on Route 237.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 10:10 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: A leaf is pictured recently in some ice-covered snow in Albion.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for Orleans County and Western New York from 10 p.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
“Plan on slippery road conditions,” the Weather Service said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.”
The high temperatures are forecast for 36 on Wednesday followed by 33 on Thursday.
Then the temperature takes a big drop to an overnight low on Thursday of 8 degrees. Friday is forecast to only reach a high of 12 degrees.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 5:19 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: State Sen. Rob Ortt speaks on Feb. 1 during the Lyndonville Fire Department installation and awards banquet.
State Senator Rob Ortt has bowed out of the race for the 27th Congressional District, The Buffalo News is reporting.
Ortt instead will focus on re-election to the State Senate, where he was first elected in November 2014.
Ortt has been pursuing the Congressional seat for about seven months, traveling throughout the eight-county district.
The eight county Republican chairmen recently picked Chris Jacobs, another state senator, as the candidate in an April 28 special election. Ortt was a close second to Jacobs as the party leaders’ pick.
Ortt mulled pursuing a Republican primary for the seat on June 23, with a general election to then follow in November. He opted to seek the Senate seat instead.
“I want to thank Rob for his hard work and dedication to the Party and the people of Western New York,” Jacobs said in a statement. “It has been an honor serving alongside him in the New York State Senate and he has always conducted himself with the highest degree of professionalism and has always been a true fighter for the needs of his constituents. I have no doubt he will continue to serve the people of Western New York with steadfast dedication and honor.”
Beth Parlato, a former Darien town justice, also is seeking the position in the primary. She commended Ortt for his efforts in seeking the 27th Congressional seat.
“Congratulations on a great campaign!” she wrote on Twitter. “You serve your senate district well, and I know you would have done the same for #NY27. Thank you for all your years of service to WNY. I look forward to working together in the future, and wish your Senate race success!”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the first statewide free fishing weekend in New York for 2020 will take place on February 15 and 16. During these designated days, residents and visitors are permitted to fish for free without a fishing license.
“New York is home to hundreds of lakes, streams and rivers, allowing amateur and expert anglers alike to get outdoors and experience the world-class fishing we have to offer, as well as the communities that host them,” Governor Cuomo said. “With free fishing this weekend, I encourage residents and our out-of-state neighbors to pack a tackle box and a cooler, grab a fishing pole, and head out to have some fun with a pastime that I and so many of our fellow New Yorkers enjoy.”
The free fishing days program is part of the Governor’s NY Open for Fishing and Hunting Initiative and the upcoming free fishing days are the first of several planned for 2020. The free fishing days program began in 1991 to give people who might not fish a chance to try the rewarding sport at no cost, introduce people to a new hobby, and encourage people to support the sport by purchasing a New York State fishing license.
“This is a great time of year for families and novice anglers to try ice fishing as a new outdoor activity,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Many schools are on mid-winter recess next week, so we selected Presidents’ Day weekend as the first of several free fishing opportunities planned in New York to coincide with a time when anglers of all abilities are able to fish this winter.”
Winter anglers can catch a variety of fish while ice fishing, primarily perch, sunfish, pickerel, northern pike, and walleye. In addition, many waters throughout New York State are open to fishing for trout, lake trout, and landlocked salmon.
DEC reminds anglers to put safety first when ice fishing. This is particularly important during periods of freezing and thawing that most areas of New York have been experiencing lately. Four inches of solid ice is usually safe for anglers accessing ice on foot. However, ice thickness can vary on every waterbody or even within the same waterbody.
Anglers should be particularly wary of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice buildup. The presence of snowmobile tracks or footprints on the ice should not be taken as evidence of safe ice conditions. Individuals are strongly encouraged to check ice conditions and avoid situations that appear to present even a remote risk. Testing the thickness of ice can easily be done with an auger or ice spud at various spots.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 12:56 pm
Cobblestone Historic District has potential for investment, but issues with parking, pedestrian safety
GAINES – The Childs hamlet, which includes the Cobblestone Museum and several businesses and historic structures, is “a really special place,” Gaines town officials were told by the Landmark Society of Western New York.
Two Landmark Society officials attended Monday’s Town Board meeting, and offered to help coordinate a community forum to get feedback from residents about the hamlet and historic district. The Landmark Society also offered to write grants for the town to pursue funding for sidewalks and streetscape improvements.
The Landmark Society on Oct. 16 named the Childs hamlet as one of “Five to Revive” in the Rochester region, an annual list the Landmark Society presents of sites that have strong public support but are in need of protection and investment.
“We’re saying this place is really great with lots of historic resources – the Cobblestone Museum and other historic buildings – and more economic potential,” Caitlin Meives, director of preservation for the Landmark Society, said in a presentation to the Town Board.
The Five to Revive designation was a key designation in helping to bring attention to the old Holley High School, which will soon open with 41 affordable senior apartments and the Holley village offices, following a $17 million construction project by Home Leasing.
The Five to Revive also helped the Town of Clarendon secure a state grant and other funding to work on the chapel building at Hillside Cemetery.
“We have found the Five to Revive is a great tool to build public momentum and dollars,” Meives said.
The Landmark Society urged the Gaines Town Board to be a strong partner in shaping the Childs hamlet.
Town Supervisor Joe Grube said the town would welcome assistance from the Landmark Society. The next step may be a community meeting led by the Landmark Society, where there will be different stations to measure feedback from residents about the hamlet.
The Landmark Society will also have experts at the meeting to help people interested in getting their home or building on the National Register of Historic Places. That designation brings prestige and also can help with tax incentives for a capital project.
Farmer’s Hall, left, and the harness shop are shown on Monday night on Route 98. They are part of the Cobblestone Museum in the Childs hamlet near the intersection of routes 98 and 104. Local officials would like to make it safer for pedestrians crossing Ridge Road to see the museum’s buildings on Route 98.
Grube said the hamlet could use sidewalks and crosswalks. He said crossing Ridge Road is difficult for many of the Cobblestone Museum visitors. The museum often will have crossing guards at big events to make it safer for people walking at the busy intersection.
The Landmark Society could also facilitate with a parking study that could identify better ways to utilize space in the hamlet for parking.
Several museum board members attended Monday’s meeting. Chris Sartwell, one of the museum trustees, said that parking is a problem, especially when tractor trailers park by the side of the road right in front of the historic Cobblestone Church.
The Landmark Society said it would coordinate with the Cobblestone Museum and the town on when to have a public meeting and at what location.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 11:58 am
ELBA — A Knowlesville woman has won $1 million in a state lottery game. She will be recognized on Wednesday at the Crosby’s on Route 98 in Elba, where she bought the winning scratch-off ticket.
The woman hit the jackpot in the Triple Double 777 Red Hot game, state lottery officials said today.
Yolanda Vega from the Lottery will be on hand to present the winner a ceremonial check at the convenience store on Wednesday.
AKRON – One person has died from a fire just past midnight last night in Akron, State Police are reporting.
State Troopers and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded to Buell Street in the village of Akron for a two-family apartment fire. The rear occupants were able to safely escape the apartment fire. But the other apartment has one victim who died in the fire, State Police said.
That person was taken to the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office for positive identification. State Police are working with Erie County Fire Investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Further information will be released as the investigation continues.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 9:14 am
Town Board also sets March 9 for public hearing on fire protection contract with Albion
GAINES – The Gaines Highway Department is planning to pave 1.3 miles of Brown Road this year, Town Highway Superintendent Mark Radzinski said during Monday’s Town Board meeting.
The town last year paved 1.2 miles of the road from Ridge Road to near the Brown Road Golf Course, the former Pap-Pap’s Par 3.
This year the paving will go from near the golf course to the village line.
The Orleans County Highway Department is expected to help with the project, using its paving machine.
The town has $130,000 set aside for the project, with the state expected to provide about $47,000 in CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program). The CHIPS amount is uncertain until the state budget is passed.
The Town Board also set a public hearing for 7 p.m. on March 9 at the Town Hall for a proposed fire contract with the Village of Albion. The town is to pay the village $105,000 in fire protection in 2020, which is up from $102,000 in 2019.
The board also voted to seek bids for lawn mowing services in 2020 at the Town Hall and the town cemeteries. Those bids will be voted on March 9.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 8:32 am
ALBION — There will be a voter registration drive today and Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Hoag Library, 134 South Main St.
Volunteers will be at the library with the voter registration forms. Feb. 14 is the last date to change a party affiliation to register in the 2020 primaries.
March 6 is the last day to register in the Village of Albion election on March 18.
The presidential primary is April 28 with the state and federal primaries scheduled for June 23. The general election will be Nov. 3.
Orleans County had 23,183 registered voters as of November 1 with the following party breakdown: 11,022 Republicans, 5,204 Democrats, 1,117 Independence Party members, 543 Conservatives, 133 Working Families Party members, 65 Libertarians, 64 Green Party members, 10 others, and 5,025 “blanks” or no party affiliation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2020 at 7:25 am
Two of the candidates for the 27th Congressional District in the special election on April 28 both issued statements on Monday, soon after Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially set the date for the election.
Nate McMurray, a Democrat, and Chris Jacobs, a Republican, are seeking to fill a vacancy created when Chris Collins resigned on Sept. 30. He was sentenced on Jan. 17 to 26 months in prison for insider trading and lying to the FBI.
The special election is the same day as a presidential primary that is expected to have a high Democratic Party turnout.
Chris Jacobs issued this statement:
“Governor Cuomo has done everything in his power to give the Democrats an advantage in this special election, but Chris Jacobs has won tough races before. We are confident that on April 28th, Western New Yorkers will choose Chris Jacobs, a conservative who will support President Trump’s agenda, end sanctuary cities and stop the socialist government takeover of healthcare that will bankrupt Medicare for seniors over Nate McMurray, who wants to impose a socialist agenda, supports Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All scheme, opposes the border wall and supports amnesty.”
Nate McMurray ran against Collins in November 2018 and lost by 1,100 votes or about half a percentage point and the most Republican district in the state.
“After months of uncertainty, Western New Yorkers will finally get representation in Congress,” McMurray said. “It is clear that our base is fired up and ready to send a message to Washington: The people of NY-27 aren’t simply going to fall in line behind a single party while Washington robs us of our Social Security and healthcare. We are going to remind them that we’re not sheep – we are farmers, veterans, and hardworking taxpayers and we deserve real representation from someone who will stand up for our working families. I’m not going to Washington for any Party or political insiders, I’m going for the people of Western New York.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 10 February 2020 at 6:04 pm
Provided photo: Newly hired Shelridge Country Club superintendent Michael Tross, left, stands by the sign at the golf course with Dave Wagner, right, vice president of the board.
MEDINA – Shelridge Country Club will welcome golfers this spring with a new superintendent and ambitious plans for the new year.
Effective Feb. 17, Michael Tross of Marcellus will begin his duties as superintendent of Shelridge, something which has officials of Shelridge overjoyed.
This is the first superintendent’s position for Tross, 27, although he has served as assistant superintendent and project manager for three years at the famed Apawamis Club in Rye, Westchester County. Apawamis is one of the first country clubs in the United States.
Tross, who replaces former superintendent Brad Balschmitter, comes from a family of golfers. His mother and four uncles all golfed. He was only 5 or 6 the first time he played golf.
“My mother used to drop me off at the driving range, where I’d spend hours on end while she worked,” Tross said. “I developed a knowledge of agronomy and I fell in love with it.”
He attended Cobleskill College, where he played Division III golf. He received a bachelor’s degree in turf grass management. During summers he did internships at Massachusetts International Golf Club and Oak Hill in Rochester.
It was at Apawamis where Tross said he developed a unique skill set.
Tross said he sees Shelridge as a place where he can establish himself as a superintendent.
“I’m really excited about coming to Shelridge,” Tross said. “I am coming back to look at a house with my fiancée, and if we can find a place to live, I hope to be settled there by the middle of February. My main focus is to get to know the property well and take Shelridge to a level of membership it hasn’t seen, something which I think I’m very capable of doing.”
Board vice president Dave Wagner, who led the search committee for a new superintendent, and club manager Brett Decker agree.
“We’re very excited he’s on our team,” Wagner said. “He comes from Apawanis, which is one of the oldest country clubs in the United States.
Wagner is also an avid golfer and anxious to see Shelridge grow and thrive. He was introduced to golf by his father-in-law and fell in love with it, he said. He praised Shelridge’s Friday night couple’s league, of which he and his wife Brianna are members. Their children both play college golf, their daughter at Keuka and their son at Niagara University.
Shelridge has already undergone the start of renovations, which Decker said have changed the whole vibe of the country club. These include a complete facelift inside with new carpet, new foyer and covered entryway. Upstairs, two bathrooms will be added this year, with possible expansion of the dining room and enlarging the kitchen. Further plans include extending the patio and adding a fire pit and French doors.
The club has already been taking steps to improve drainage on some of the holes, and this is a project in which Tross plans to be involved.
According to Decker, they are not only looking at avenues to improve drainage, but to improve the aesthetics of the golf course, perhaps by adding a pond. Fortunately, he said, several members have donated money to help with this project.
Decker said Shelridge has kept their dues at the same level they were in 2008.
“That’s a minor miracle in this industry,” he said.
The cost of membership for a family for the first year is $795, with an additional $395 for a cart for one person.
Decker added the minimum wage increase has been a big issue for Shelridge.
“The 70-cent-an-hour cost increase in the minimum wage costs us $15,000 a year,” he said. “We don’t want to have to charge members more.”
Shelridge membership has averaged between 230 and 250, and a push will be on this year to increase that number. Currently, Decker said 40 percent of their members are from Medina and 25 percent from Lockport. Others come from throughout the region, from Brockport to Clarence.
Shelridge started its search for a new superintendent in December.
“We had some strong applicants, but we are ecstatic we could come to an agreement with Michael,” Wagner said.
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Photo courtesy of Orleans Community Health Foundation: Members of the Surgical Department at Medina Memorial Hospital display the new Olympus Holmium Laser recently purchased by the Orleans Community Health Foundation. Pictured from left include Donny Maskell, Vanessa King, Cindy Denniston, Dr. Anees Fazili, April Schultz, Michaelene Prest, Donna Montesanti, Sheri Walling, Kelly Swanson and Kim Gray.
Press Release, Orleans Community Health
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health recently added a new Olympus Holmium laser to its Surgical Department at Medina Memorial Hospital to help treat patients with kidney, bladder and ureteral stones.
Dr. Anees Fazili is the urologist on staff at the hospital that performs this latest procedure. He agrees that the Holmium laser lithotripsy provides many benefits to patients, including immediate relief of symptoms and a quick recovery in which most patients go home the same day following surgery.
It is typically performed when a patient is unable to pass a stone on their own and experiences pain or discomfort. When activated, the laser beam breaks up the stone into smaller sizes making them capable of being passed. The procedure requires general anesthesia to keep the patient comfortable and there is no need for incisions.
The purchase was made possible due to the generosity of donors to the Orleans Community Health Foundation. Kimberly Gray, director of Surgical Services at Orleans Community Health, stated, “On behalf of Dr. Fazili, myself, and the entire Surgical Department, we are truly thankful for the support of our Foundation and the entire community. By adding the availability of Holmium laser treatments to our services, we’re able to save most patients a long commute to Buffalo or Rochester while using the same technology right in our community hospital.”
If you are interested in donating to Orleans Community Health and supporting one of our many programs, please contact Heather Smith at (585) 798-8426 or visit www.supportOCH.org and click donate button. To schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Fazili, please contact (585) 201-7793. Please note that your insurance may require a referral from your primary physician.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2020 at 2:01 pm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo today issued a proclamation setting an April 28 special election date for the 27th Congressional District, which includes Orleans and seven other counties.
The seat was vacated on Sept. 30 by Chris Collins, who has since been sentenced to 26 months in prison for insider trading and lying to the FBI.
Three candidates so far have been backed for the special election. Nate McMurray has the Democratic and Working Families backing, while State Sen. Chris Jacobs has the Republican line and Duane Whitmer is running with the Libertarian Party.
The governor also set April as a special election to fill three vacant Assembly seats (12th District in Suffolk County, 31st District in Queens, and 36th District in Monroe County) and one State Senate position (50th District in Onondaga and Cayuga counties).
