By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2020 at 1:48 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holley celebrated a rededication Mass on Sunday afternoon after about five years of renovations and capital projects at the church.
The interior used to be an ivory white color and now includes stenciling and more colors, which church leaders say better highlights the craftsmanship in the building’s interior, and also adds to the worship experience.
Here is how the sanctuary looked in November 2015 before Swiatek Studios gave the walls a much different look and new carpeting was put down.
The sanctuary was off limits for Mass after Oct. 13 through Jan. 16. During that time, many of the Holley parishioners went to St. Mark’s Church in Kendall, which is included in the same parish.
The wooden pews were taken out of the church during the project, which added a new floor and carpeting, as well as lighting and audio improvements.
The altar includes this triptych mural of three paintings about Christ. The murals are recreations of a 1497 masterpiece by Pietro Perugino. The scene is a visual meditation on the theme of the Crucifixion. Presented in the center panel are the Crucified Christ, Blessed Mother and St John. On the left, St. Jerome the translator with his lion; and on the right, Mary Magdalene with her alabaster jar.
Here is how the altar looked before Swiatek added the ecclesiastical art.
Father John Arogaysami, the church’s pastor the past two years, supported the renovations. His predecessor, Father Mark Noonan, spearheaded the capital projects, which included a new roof on the church.
The Stations of the Cross artwork which previously were at the St. Rocco’s Catholic Church in Hulberton were painted to make the scenes more dramatic.
Dominic Seitmann was among the altar servers for the special Mass that started at 2 p.m. About 200 people attended the event.
Lorraine Pera, a long-time member of the parish, cut the ribbon near the altar to celebrate the conclusion of the project.
Lorraine Pera was led down the aisle by Father John Arogaysami.
Tom Widzinski, project chairman and business administrator for the parish, welcomes the parishioners to the Mass on Sunday. He thanked the parish for supported the project with their donations and for their patience during the work.
The color palette and stylization was heavily influenced by the Leo Frohe-stained glass windows. The windows were made in 1904, when the Medina sandstone church opened. The church is in the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame in Medina.
“You can see that the stencil pattern that runs horizontally between the capitals is quite similar in design to the amber patterns in the upper portion of the windows,” Widzinski said. “If you look up and see the barrel vaulted ceiling ribs adorned with beautiful doily like lace over the subtle color gradations, you will gain a better appreciation of these architectural features.”
Altar servers prepare to lead clergy down the aisle for the Mass.
Sunday’s Mass was a very happy occasion for the parish.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2020 at 11:38 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Medina has a historic downtown business district that is home to many restaurants and businesses.
MEDINA – The Medina community has applied to HGTV to be featured in the “Home Town Takeover” series. Small towns throughout the country, including Albion, have put together videos, making a pitch to be featured on the show.
The Medina Area Partnership and the Village of Medina made a collaborative application to HGTV for the competition.
As part of the application a video, photography, and introduction to Medina were all included. Mayor Mike Sidari supplied a video that was recently created by CGI Communications.
“We’re already getting great traction from the video, it came at the perfect time to meet the requirements of this application,” Sidari said.
The video begins with a welcome message from Sidari. A narrator then touts the village as “a great place to stop for the day or stay for a lifetime.”
“A small tight knit community, Medina is home to a little over 6,000 residents, many of which have invested in a variety of shops, restaurants and hotels
“Medina, New York — Shop, Stay, Explore.”
The applications for “Home Town Takeover” needed to be submitted by Feb. 7. The new Home Town Takeover series will air with six episodes in 2021. The show is led by Ben and Erin Napier, who since 2017 have had a popular show called Home Town, where they restore homes in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi.
“Whether Medina is selected during this review process or not, the entire exercise further shows that our community is always ready to come together,” said Scott Robinson, president of the Medina Area Partnership. “Two weeks ago, I received an email mentioning the opportunity. I immediately reached out to Mayor Sidari and others to see how we could collaborate. Medina is at its best when we’re working together, and it’s something we’re all constantly doing.”
The Medina Area Partnership is a collective voice of its members and a community of peers unifying on important matters, sharing information and resources, creating an atmosphere for the betterment of the business climate in Medina, Robinson said. The group aims to provide a network for collaboration, education, growth and profitability.
“This collaboration between the Village of Medina and the Medina Area Partnership is just one example of how we work together for the betterment of the community,” Sidari said. “When Scott reached out to me about this contest, my first thought was what a great way to showcase our village. The Village Board is always seeking ways to improve the quality of life for the residents of the village.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 10 February 2020 at 9:24 am
MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Trust is thanking the community for its years of support, which have allowed the Trust to honor requests for annual grants.
The community endowment just completed its ninth year of making small grants to local programs, projects and organizations, which during that period total nearly $40,000.
Members of the grant selection committee for the past nine years have been Kelly Kiebala, Mark Kruzynski, Cindy Robinson, Cal Tuohey and chair Mike Zelazny. They met in November and have announced this year’s eight grant recipients.
The Arc of Genesee/Orleans plans to rebuild the nature trail at Camp Rainbow to make it wheelchair accessible. St. John’s Episcopal Church’s grant will assist in the restoration of a stained glass window sill and frame. Orleans Recovery Hope Begins Here will purchase a pop-up shelter, table and chairs for community education programs. Boxwood Cemetery Commission’s grant will enable them to rehab the tombstone of the first Medina resident. And the Medina Historical Society will use their grant for their monthly speaker series.
In addition, the grants contributed to some larger programs. Orleans County Adult Learning Services (OCALS) grant will partially fund a new community outreach program. Orleans County YMCA’s grant will help with the cost of their Before and After School Enrichment Program, while P.Raising Kids Child Care Center will use the money to help upgrade their kitchen.
“Scores of worthy projects have been supported since 2010 and the grants have covered a wide range,” Zelazny said.
Grants run from $200 to $600 or even, in some unusual cases, $1,000. Zelazny gave examples of typical grants in past years. These include money for the local library to digitize historic hometown newspapers, dollars for stonework repairs and interior upgrading at the YMCA, placing of historical plaques downtown, help for installation of a downtown sound system, an annual scholarship for a graduating Medina High School senior and much more.
During the past nine years, about 75 grants have been approved the citizen selection committee.
“Late each autumn, we invite grant applications and even though the amounts given are modest, they are genuinely helpful to many projects which benefit our community, Zelazny said.
The Medina Sandstone Trust was created in 2009 as an endowment, managed by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. CFGB was established 100 years ago and has a rock solid reputation for financial management, and over the years has managed 900 such endowments. That management has been trustworthy, according to Sandstone Society treasurer Craig Lacy. The original $18,000 in seed money has grown steadily each year, he said.
Sandstone Society board members Lacy, Margaret Schreck, David Miller and James Hancock manage annual investments in the trust.
This year the Medina Sandstone Trust celebrates its 10th year of awarding grants and scholarships to enrich the Medina area. To mark that anniversary, the Medina Sandstone Society is planning special events and fundraising projects.
Photos courtesy of Medina Marching Band: The varsity guard consists of 15 students in grades 9-11. This year their show is “Metamorphosis” about the decision to conform to what is around us or become the person you truly want to be. In the varsity class, Medina took third place with a score of 55.83.
MEDINA – Medina Mustang Winterguard competed for the second time this season on Saturday, with Medina’s two guards coming in second at Victor.
In the Regional A class, Medina’s varsity earned a score of 61.49, which was bested by Gates Chili, 64.48.
In the Scholastic A class, Medina’s junior varsity guard was second with a score of 60.14, which was topped by Batavia, 62.23.
Winners in the other classes were Victor JV in the Cadet class, 60.94; Lancaster in A1, 58.86; Luminosa in the Senior class, 61.06; Gates Chili in Independent A, 66.95; and Victor in Scholastic Open, 63.0.
The Medina guard’s next competitions are Batavia on Feb. 15, Marcus Whitman on Feb. 29, Lancaster on March 7 and Medina’s home show on March 14.
The junior varsity guard consists of 16 students in grades 5-9. Their show this year is “Reach for the Stars” and is about how each one of us has a big dream, places it in a star and sends it into the sky. In life you add more stars in the sky and reach for the ones you realize in life.
MEDINA – A fire in the front bedroom of a Medina duplex caused an estimated $25,000 in damage to a house and contents at 184 State St., the Medina Fire Department is reporting.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 12:32 p.m. with a report of an upstairs fire. Fire Chief Matt Jackson arrived on location simultaneously with Engine 11 in under two minutes and reported smoke showing from the 2 ½-story duplex.
The only occupant home at this address at the time of the fire was outside with the family dog on the Fire Department’s arrival. Crews made entry and began search operations on the second floor. They initially encountered poor visibility and then found fire in the front bedroom, the department said on its Facebook page.
The fire was quickly extinguished and contained to the room of origin. Crews on scene began overhaul and salvage operations and the fire was declared under control at 12:52 p.m.
There is smoke damage to the rest of the second floor with water damage to the room of origin and the front part of the first floor. Crews remained on scene assisting fire investigators until 4 p.m.
Besides the Medina Fire and Police, other departments on scene included the Ridgeway, Lyndonville and Carlton fire departments. The cause of the fire is under investigation by fire investigators from the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.
Both families at this duplex are being assisted by other family members at this time. Damage estimates are tentatively set at $15,000 to the structure and $10,000 to the contents.
There were no injuries to any civilians or firefighters at the scene.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 9 February 2020 at 2:46 pm
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Nate Dillenbeck and Elba’s Colton Dillon will lead their respective teams into Tuesday’s key Genesee Region League Division 2 game at Lyndonville. Albion will visit Newfane on Thursday in a key Niagara-Orleans League title showdown.
Looking to avenge a narrow (53-51) earlier season loss, Lyndonville will host Elba in a key Genesee Region League Division 2 boys basketball game at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Lyndonville and Elba are now both 4-1 in the division. The Lancers are 10-1 in the league and 14-3 overall which the Tigers are 7-4 and 10-6.
In the Niagara-Orleans boys basketball league front-running Albion (9-2) will visit runner-up Newfane (7-3) in a key regular season ending showdown on Thursday to determine if the loop will have an outright champion or co-champions. Newfane also has a game on Tuesday against Barker (0-10).
The Purple Eagles defeated the Panthers 53-45 in their earlier season meeting at Albion.
Weekly Schedule Monday Boys Basketball: Notre Dame at Kendall, Albion at Alden, 7 p.m. Girls Basketball: Kendall at YWCP, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday Boys Basketball: Roy-Hart at Wilson, 6 p.m.; Medina at Akron, Newfane at Barker, 6:30 p.m.; Elba at Lyndonville, Byron-Bergen at Holley, Wheatland-Chili at Kendall, 7 p.m. Girls Basketball: Wilson at Medina, 6:30 p.m.; Newfane at Albion, Barker at Roy-Hart, 7 p.m.
Wednesday Girls Basketball: Akron at Medina, 6:30 p.m.; Oakfield-Alabama at Albion, Lyndonville at Elba, Byron-Bergen at Holley, Kendall at Wheatland-Chili, 7 p.m.
Thursday Boys Basketball: Wilson at Medina, Albion at Newfane, 6:30 p.m.; Roy-Hart at Barker, Holley at Attica, Kendall at Elba, 7 p.m. Girls Basketball: Notre Dame at Kendall, 7 p.m.
Friday Girls Basketball: Newfane at Akron, 6:30 p.m.; Barker at Lyndonville, Attica at Holley, Kendall at Elba, 7 p.m.
Saturday Boys Basketball: Kendall at Albion, 11:30 a.m. Wrestling: Section V and Section VI state qualifier tournaments
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 February 2020 at 10:27 am
Jeremy Higgins urges people to keep working hard and not let setbacks discourage them
Photos by Tom Rivers
RIDGEWAY – Jeremy Higgins and his wife Amber are pictured on Saturday during a benefit dinner at the Ridgeway Fire Hall. About 400 people attended the Jeremy Higgins Road to Recovery Benefit which was organized by the Crusaders Motorcycle Club, where Higgins is a four-time track champion.
Higgins was badly hurt with a traumatic brain injury on Sept. 2 while racing at the Springfield Mile in Springfield, Missouri. He has made significant progress after being in a coma after the accident.
“He amazes us everyday,” said Brian Hazel, the Crusaders president. “He’s like a walking miracle. We’re all so happy he has come as far as he has.”
Higgins, during a speech at the benefit, thanked his wife for her steadfast support the past five months.
“It was a scary time for me,” Higgins told the crowd at the Ridgeway fire hall. “I can’t thank my wife enough. She has been my rock solid anchor. She has stood by me the whole time. She has been a rock star. I appreciate you being so strong.”
Brandi DiMatteo helps serve the dinners with Seth Karas at right. The Crusaders planned to sell 382 dinners. They wanted to cap it at 382, to represent Jeremy’s racing number of 82.
Higgins, 27, of Batavia started racing at the Crusaders track on Culvert Road in Medina when he was 3. He turned professional when he was 16 and has competed the past decade at the top tracks across the country.
The benefit on Saturday included two officials from the Welland Motorcycle Club in Ontario, Canada. Joe Montorani, the Welland president, said the racing community is tight-knit.
“Being here is supporting motorcycling any way we can,” he said.
Doug Herman helped cook the spaghetti for the big dinner.
There were 150 items in a basket raffle. Kerry Lonnen, a Crusaders volunteer, led the effort to collect donations for the auction. Many of the Crusaders members, Jeremy Higgins’ family and friends, and Crusaders riders also secured many donations for the event.
“He is such a nice guy with a nice family,” Lonnen said. “The racing community is such a competitive sport on the track. Off the track it’s friends and family.”
Jeremy Higgins drops a ticket for one of the items at the auction. His father-in-law, Darryl Baer, is back left laughing at a joke.
Higgins thanked the people at the benefit for their support since the accident. That has been a huge boost as he has tackled physical therapy. He said it has been a difficult journey, struggling with his balance and needing a walker during the early stages of his recovery.
“Once I set my mind to things, I was determined to get it done,” Higgins told the Crusaders crowd. “I did whatever I had to do to get the job done.”
Higgins told the crowd he feels nearly fully recovered – “I have a little bit of vision issues and a little bit of memory issues.”
He is grateful for the progress.
“I’m 99 percent to where I was before this accident,” he said. “Which is insane because the brain surgeon and everybody were blown away that I even woke up. They could not believe the injuries I sustained and was able to live with.”
Hazel, the Crusaders president, praised Higgins for working so hard on his recovery.
“This kid is amazing,” Hazel said. “He is not a quitter. He is going places.”
Higgins urged people facing their own challenges to not let setbacks discourage them.
“I’m no motivational speaker or anything like that,” Higgins told the crowd. “I have down times and I have up times. The biggest thing when you are facing a life challenge like I have your biggest enemy is you. If you put your head down and you put in the work, things will happen. You have to have faith in that and keep going for your targets.
“I don’t care if it’s pasta dinner on Wednesday night or racing grand national on Saturday morning, it doesn’t matter what you do just put all of you into it and things will happen.”
The Front Porch Pickers performed during the benefit on Saturday.
Dave and Rhonda Waters welcome people to the benefit on Saturday. Jeremy Higgins raced on the Waters Autobody Racing team for several years.
The Crusaders also presented their annual awards Saturday. Ryan Wells was named the 2019 Track Champion.
It looks cute enough don’t you think? Well watch out because Valentine’s Day is upon us and you might get bit by it!
What is it you might wonder…well I think the two Georges (Strait and Jones) summed it up best in a fun song they both recorded separately called “Lovebug.”
Love songs can be slow and romantic or they can be fun and make you want to leap with laughter. “Lovebug” is the second. I imagine that The Love Bug looks a lot like the above picture. Very non-suspecting with it’s heart ears, heart shaped wings and cute little smile. All the while camouflaged in red and pink.
George Jones first recorded this tune in 1965 and then George Strait recorded it in 1993. This tune has some valid points and is a cautionary tale about the trickery of The Lovebug. As the song begins we hear how the “Rooster” is pretty full of himself. Strutting around, ruling the roost with his head high in the air. He has all the chicks to himself! Oh geesh, really? That is when he recklessly shared a kiss and a hug with a “Chick” and The Lovebug got him. I can just picture this young “Rooster” clucking around arrogantly in his self proclaimed “good style.”
What he discovered is something that many of us are lucky enough to already know. You can’t run once The Lovebug has bitten you. You can not see The Lovebug, but you can feel it’s zap! Love is electrifying. Sometimes in life you are bitten only once or you can be bitten many times. I was bitten a few times before getting a zap that has electrified me for almost 30 years.
The power of the zap is not measured in years though, it is measured in voltage. If you are lucky the voltage will be enough to create some sweet memories. Love sure can make you do and say some interesting things – come’on you know what I mean. We have all done some pretty eye-rolling things in the name of love. I prefer not to be specific here on this post, Ha! But the main lyric a “Teeny weeny little thing called The LoveBug that has the whole world shook up” is so true.
People in love, revere love. People not in love either want to be in love, are sour on love or are indifferent. If you are in the latter two categories don’t give up. Be open to love. There is no sense fighting it. Because when The LoveBug finds you, you will feel the warmth of it’s zap from your head to your toes. And if The LoveBug has done it’s job, then you will create amorous memories to last a lifetime.
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone and keep a look out for The LoveBug! Valentine’s Day is not just a greeting card holiday, it is what you make of it. So make it special, YOLO. Take a listen to both versions for inspiration, fun and enlightenment. George JonesGeorge Strait
View My Blog live online at https://www.positiveperksposts.com. Like and Share Your Comments on how you will spend Valentine’s Day. Happy Perks to Everyone!
Truly,
Debbie Burgoon London
Your Sassy Small Town Missus from Albion
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 February 2020 at 9:41 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – The Senior High Chorus sings “Three Madrigals” this afternoon during the Orleans County All-County Music Festival at Stroyan Auditorium in Lyndonville.
There were 82 students in the chorus from the five school districts in Orleans County – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina.
The chorus was led by Dr. Daniel David Black, the assistant professor of vocal music & conducting and director of choral activities at Houghton College. He served as guest conductor for the All-County Music Festival, which is organized by the Orleans County Music Educators Association.
There were 270 students from the five districts selected for the music festival, with 112 in the elementary chorus, 76 in the junior high band and 82 in the high school chorus.
The festival was hindered by a snow on Friday for all five districts. That meant that couldn’t rehearse the day before the concert.
Many of the students received the music a month earlier and worked with their district music teachers on the learning the notes and rhythms. They then rehearsed for the first time together as a group this morning.
The high school chorus was accompanied by Jeremy Rath, a Kendall music teacher.
The high school chorus sang Three Madrigals, How Can I Keep From Singing, Sing Me to Heaven, and Praise His Holy Name.
The junior high band performed Letchworth Fanfare, On a Hymnsong of Philip Bass, and Eagle Mountain Overture.
Dr. Timothy McGarvey, professor of conducting, director of instrumental activities and the wind ensemble director at Houghton College, was guest conductor of the junior high band.
Photos courtesy of Jen Trupo: Evee Heinsler danced during the elementary chorus’s performance of Dance of the Willows. This was taken during rehearsal.
The elementary chorus was led by guest conductor James DesJardins, a music teacher at Frontier Central School. The group sang The Sailor, The Vine and Fig Tree, Dance of the Willow, and Seed to Sow.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 February 2020 at 11:13 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Avion Johnson, 11, of Medina holds an 11 ½-inch largemouth bass he caught on July 13 at Point Breeze in the first youth fishing derby organized by DC Outdoors. The derby will return on July 18.
CARLTON – After a successful first-time youth fishing derby last July 13 with about 60 kids participating, organizers at DC Outdoors are planning a second derby this year on July 18.
This time it will offer more prizes and raffle items at a picnic to follow the derby.
“We want to encourage kids and their families to experience the outdoors,” said Dan Conrad, one of the organizers of the derby and the leader of DC Outdoors.
Last year volunteers put together the derby on two month’s notice. This time they will be working on it for several months. They already have received donations from the Buffalo Bills, the Rochester Razorsharks, and outdoors stars such as Todd Huynh of Keeping It Reel and Jamie Hartman of the Bassmasters Elite Series.
The derby is open to kids 15 and younger. There are three age divisions for prizes. The awards include:
12-15 years of age
Heaviest fish – a charter for the child and 1 guest.
Longest fish – $50 gift card
Shortest fish – tackle box full of tackle
6-11 years of age
Heaviest fish – A day on the water at Captain’s Cove with family
Longest fish – $50 gift card
Shortest fish – tackle box full of tackle
5 years of age and younger
Heaviest fish – a new bike and helmet
Longest fish – $50 gift card
Shortest fish – tackle box full of tackle
The entry fee to participate in the derby is $5, and that includes a T-shirt and food at the picnic to follow. (The deadline to preregister to ensure getting a shirt is June 18.)
If you don’t want to fish, it’s $5 to go to the picnic and enjoy the food, music, face-painting and other children’s activities. DC Outdoors will also have fishing poles and tackle available at the derby for children who don’t have their own.
Conrad and DC Outdoors volunteers are also coordinating with Hoag Library to have a fishing clinic ahead of the derby to teach kids how to cast, put worms on hooks and learn different species of fish.
Conrad said proceeds from the derby will go towards a big goal of a rec center, perhaps at Bullard Park where people could take hunter safety classes and learn about the outdoors.
To sponsor the derby, volunteer or make a donation, contact Dan Conrad at (585) 590-1148, James Tokotch at (716) 266-3505 or David Twiss at (585) 332-6001.
Kids ages 6 to 10 fished at Point Breeze at the first derby, with many casting from the eastern pier.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 8 February 2020 at 8:20 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 6, No. 6
Babe Ruth is pictured during his first year with the New York Yankees in 1920.
MEDINA – February 6th marked the 125th birthday of George Herman “Babe” Ruth. After a stint with Jack Dunn’s Baltimore Orioles, Ruth’s contract was sold to the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1914 and once again to the New York Yankees in 1919 for $100,000. Those hardened baseball fans know the rest of the story, the superstitious “Curse of the Bambino” and subsequent Red Sox World Series drought.
Ruth made a visit to Medina on October 18, 1920, playing as a ringer for “Bing” Cleary’s Medina baseball club against Jimmy Mack’s Harrisons of Lockport. Playing at what is now Veterans Park along with Carl Mays, Fred Hoffman, and James “Truck” Hannah, the Medina club shelled out $2,000 to bring the quartet to Orleans County.
Cleary announced in the local papers that advanced-sale grandstand tickets were unavailable and that all sales would take place the afternoon of October 18th. After the close of the game, the ticket sales came up approximately $400 short of the needed $2,000. Local accounts indicate that the “Sultan of Swat” put on a home run exhibition before the game, launching 15 balls over the fence. Cleary was forced to step in and stopped the demonstration as Ruth threatened to knock all of the team’s balls out of the park before the game even started.
It was anticipated that Ruth would pitch for the game, but during a game at Binghamton the week prior he sprained his wrist. The Bambino played first base for the duration of the game, while Carl Mays took the mound and Hoffman played behind home plate.
Although Ruth was just beginning to establish himself as major hitter, he fanned on his first at bat for the game against Lockport’s Bert Lewis. It was “Fin” Whalen of Lockport who hit the first ball out of the park. Whalen later recalled, as he rounded first base, that Ruth remarked, “Beat me to it, eh Red?” Ruth later hit a home run and triple in Medina’s 6-2 victory over Lockport.
Ruth’s visit to Medina is legendary, although those who would recall first hand have since passed. Over the years, variations of the story have appeared in local papers, including notations that the game occurred in 1921 rather than 1920, occurred on October 19th instead of the 18th, and that Jeff Tesreau of the NY Giants played instead of “Truck” Hannah. Of course, Ruth’s connection to Orleans County was not limited to his visit in 1920. Carl Fischer, “The Medina Mauler,” struck out Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Sam Byrd consecutively during his time as a pitcher with the Detroit Tigers in 1932.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 February 2020 at 7:49 pm
Jeremy Higgins, a track champ at Crusaders in Medina, brings determination to recovery from brain injury
(Editor’s Note: There is a Jeremy Higgins Road to Recovery Benefit on Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Ridgeway Firehall, 11392 Ridge Rd., Medina. Doors open at 3 p.m. with tickets for raffles available from 3 to 6 p.m. A spaghetti dinner will be served from 4 to 7 p.m. The Crusaders Motorcycle Club will present awards and trophies from the 2019 season at 6 p.m. with raffle winners to be announced at 7 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $10 each.)
Photos by Tom Rivers: Jeremy Higgins and his wife Amber are pictured outside their home on State Street Road in Batavia. Higgins, 27, has made a remarkable recovery since being badly injured in a Sept. 2 race in Springfield, Ill.
BATAVIA – Jeremy Higgins was right where he wanted to be to start the race on Labor Day at the famed Springfield Mile in Illinois. Higgins was second in the heats and that put him in the front of 18 racers in the second qualifier. (He had the second fastest time for the mile lap, completing it in 35.3 seconds.)
But Higgins, 27, of Batavia got off to a bad start, and found himself behind several competitors after the first turn.
There had already been several laps from earlier heats on the track that day, and the track had lost some of its traction.
“At Springfield the surface changes fast,” Higgins said. “It got slippery.”
He was trying to get out of the pack after the second turn in the 8-mile race that would determine placement in the final main race, which was 25 miles.
After the second turn, Higgins was pinned between the wall and other racers. The front tire of his Kawasaki twin cylinder slightly clipped the back tire of a racer ahead of him. Higgins’ bike started to wobble and then crashed. He was going about 100 miles per hour when he fell, with the left side of the back of his head banging down on the track.
Concern after crash
Amber Higgins was on the other side of the track, about a half mile away, too far away to see what happened. She saw other racers slow up and come near the starting line. That is what they do when there has been an accident.
She looked for her husband, number 82. But he didn’t show. That’s when she knew he had been in the crash.
Jeremy normally has two or three accidents a year on the race track. “I would just get up and wipe off the dirt,” he said.
In the past he has broken his collarbone, his wrist and hand – “for a racer that’s insanely good,” he said.
On Sept. 2, Amber was driven to the back side of the track and she saw Jeremy laying on the clay surface behind an ambulance. She could see blood on his head. He was conscious, but combative, an indication of head trauma.
Amber is a nurse at Rochester General. She was by his side when Jeremy was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. He was in and out of consciousness.
At the hospital, a CAT scan showed significant bleeding on the left side of his brain. Doctors did surgery to relieve some of the pressure.
Early start in Medina
Jeremy Higgins started racing when he was 3 ½. His dad, Jack Higgins, taught him to ride a motorcycle in Bergen before he could ride a bicycle without training wheels.
His father grew up on a farm and didn’t have a chance to race when he was a kid. He wanted to give his son the opportunity.
“I just took right to it,” Jeremy said with a smile.
His first race was the Crusaders Motorcycle Club on Culvert Road in Medina. He has raced there every year since then, and has been the track champion several times.
Jeremy Higgins was nicknamed “Hollywood Higgins” early in his pro career when he had long blonde hair and wore earrings. Some people thought he looked like a surfer kid from California, and the nickname stuck.
He started on a PW50, a beginner bike. He had a knack for keeping his balance on the turns and didn’t shy away from the speed on the straight-a-ways, topping out at 70 to 80 miles per hour at the Medina track.
“I was just addicted to the speed and how precise you had to be,” he said. “But I struggled like a lot of kids just starting out in a new sport. What drove me is the self accomplishment.”
He became a crowd favorite, and was nicknamed “Hollywood Higgins.” Jeremy showed a flair at the races. When he won a race, he carried the checkered flag, doing a stand-up wheelie down the backside of the track for the crowd.
Higgins likes the track in Medina – “there is none other like it in the country.” The track has left and right turns, hills, a straight-a-way where riders can hit 70 mph or more. The stone dust track has loose dirt on top. There is always a big crowd at the races, with people backing up pickup trucks and campers along the track to watch the action.
“It’s a whole family atmosphere,” Higgins said.
The racers will share parts and expertise, to help each other compete.
“The whole scene at Medina is what made me want to get into racing,” he said. “We all help each other out. The flat track community is known for its hospitality. The racing community is absolutely incredible. I don’t know anything else like it.”
He was named the track’s champ in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
(The Crusaders are raising money to help Higgins with his recovery. There will be a spaghetti dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Ridgeway Firehall on Route 104.)
Cross-country competitor
Jeremy Higgins carries the checkered flag and does a stand-up wheelie down the backside of the track.
Higgins has been racing professionally for about a decade on the Waters Autobody Racing team based in Albion and owned by David and Rhonda Waters. Higgins became a professional racer at age 16.
The past 10 years he has spent many weekends in the American Flat Rack Series, which includes races at 18 different tracks around the country. He travels to most of the races in a motorhome, trips to Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia. It was an 800-mile ride to Springfield, Ill.
Higgins doesn’t have a super-rich sponsor. The Waters team competes on a much smaller budget, and relies on their own ingenuity to repair their motorcycles.
“I just wanted to compete and be considered one of the best racing against the million-dollar teams,” he said.
Jeremy appreciates Dave and Rhonda Waters for their support the past decade.
“They’ve watched me group up,” he said. “They have a love for motorcycle racing.”
Higgins won a race in Virginia the week before his accident. The Springfield Mile hosts big races each year on the Sundays before Memorial Day and Labor Day. (This year the race was moved to Labor Day after rain the day before.)
Higgins would train his body for the demands of the sport. In a race, he is crouched down to reduce the drag, cruising at speeds well over 100 miles per hour. He would train by riding a bicycle 50 miles around Genesee County, lifting weights, doing cross fit and cardio exercises. He would race at a trim 145 to 150 pounds.
“You can’t be out of shape when you’re racing a motorcycle on a flat track,” he said.
On a flight to California for a race in 2012, Jeremy sat next to Darryl Baer of Harrisburg, Pa. Baer is a flat track machinist. His sons also raced motorcycles.
Higgins and Baer spent a lot of time together that weekend. After that trip, Baer told his daughter Amber she might want to take a look at Higgins. Baer was impressed with him.
Jeremy and Amber had seen each other at the races. She was there to support her brothers. With her father’s nudging, Amber and Jeremy started talking more, and then dating. They were married on Oct. 13, 2018.
‘You keep fighting through, no matter what’
Photo by Tom Rivers: Toby the dog and Edgar the cat have been constant companions for Jeremy Higgins since he came home in late October after a serious motorcycle crash during a race in Springfield. Jeremy said the animals helped him to feel at home and to recover.
Higgins was in intensive care at an Illinois hospital for 3 ½ weeks before coming to Rochester to be at a neurological rehab facility at Unity Health for another 3 ½ weeks.
He doesn’t remember the accident or much from the first month in the hospital. His wife said he was “zombie-like.” She stayed by his side and did everything she could to help him recover, and also to stimulate his brain. She would massage his body, give him constant stimulation and range of motion exercises. With a traumatic brain injury, Amber said the first three months are the most important.
In late October, Jeremy was cleared to go home. He was given a big greeting by his Labrador retriever, Toby. The dog was his best man at his wedding and attends nearly all of his races. For the wedding, Toby wore a bowtie with a leather leash and collar. The dog is very popular at the race tracks. Jeremy adopted Toby as a rescue dog about six years ago.
Toby and Jeremy’s cat Edgar stayed close to him while he recovered on the couch. When he was home, Jeremy said he could feel himself making progress.
Big milestones in the beginning were walking to the end of the driveway to get the mail, and making his own coffee in the kitchen.
“Once I got back here with my animals, that’s when I started remembering, and things started to come back,” he said at his home during an interview.
When he came home after nearly two months in the hospital, Jeremy was down 30 pounds. He worked with a physical therapist and poured himself into regaining his strength. The therapist had Jeremy running and jumping, and he could do it.
His wife watched with amazement – and thankfulness.
“You keep fighting through, no matter what,” Jeremy said. “When I was doing the rehab, I would not quit.”
Jan. 7 – clearance
Jeremy Higgins pushes himself at a gym in Batavia.
Jan. 7 was a monumental day for Jeremy and Amber. That day he went to the neurologist. Jeremy had made tremendous progress, getting back on his feet, regaining his strength and stamina.
He wanted clearance to do more, especially to drive again. The doctor was stunned by his progress and gave him clearance to do more.
“I was bawling,” Jeremy recalled after seeing the doctor that day. “I was shouting. That was a huge day.”
He could drive again, as long as there was someone in the vehicle with him.
It was a big thrill for him to drive about 3 miles from his home to the Walmart in Batavia. He has a membership at the Planet Fitness gym in Batavia. He appreciates getting a sweat after working out.
He walks into his kitchen and makes his own coffee and meals, and feels a deep sense of gratitude for his recovery.
“I feel like my life is coming back to me,” he said. “I feel like I can call myself normal.”
‘I appreciate life so much more’
Higgins, a 2010 Byron-Bergen graduate, graduated from the Ohio Technical College, becoming certified as a power sports technician. He has worked as a mechanic for snowmobiles, motorcycles and ATVs. He worked as a technician for Harv’s Harley-Davidson in Macedon.
He is currently shadowing at a molding company in Gates, trying to ease back to work. He started that about a month ago and initially felt exhausted after a few hours. But now he can stay the whole shift. He is still early in his recovery, but is so thankful for his progress.
The couple acknowledges they have felt the gamut of emotions – sadness, anger and joy.
Jeremy has brought the same determination in being a top racer to his recovery.
“I saw this whole thing as a challenge,” Jeremy said. “You can choose to let it drag you down or you can buck up. I appreciate life so much more.”
Amber agrees. It was only about five months ago where doctors were very concerned about Jeremy’s condition and his prognosis.
Now, he is driving his wife out for dinner.
“It’s made us look at the little everyday things so much more,” she said.
HAMBURG — Nate McMurray, Democratic candidate for the 27th Congressional District, has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins and State Senator Tim Kennedy.
“I am proud to once again offer my endorsement to Nate McMurray in the special election to fill the NY-27 congressional seat,” Higgins said. “As a local leader, Nate has worked in a bipartisan fashion to bring much needed changes to his town and its government. Nate is tenacious and persistent, and will undoubtedly be a dogged advocate for Western New Yorkers. As a member of Congress, Nate will join me in working to deliver real results for the people of Western New York.”
“We need another voice in Washington that truly reflects the values and priorities of the hardworking families in Western New York,” Kennedy said. “Nate McMurray isn’t afraid to work hard or stand up for what’s right. I’m proud to stand with him, and I hope you will too.”
McMurray has the endorsement of the Democratic and Working Families parties in an upcoming special election, likely April 28.
“I’m honored to receive the backing of Rep. Higgins and New York Senator Tim Kennedy, two Democratic legislators I greatly respect,” McMurray said. “We have a lot of work to do, from making healthcare affordable to all Americans to improving what is one of the worst job markets in the country. But I know with the support of representatives like Senator Kennedy and Representative Higgins, we can start to make real improvements in the lives of people in NY-27.”
Editor’s Note: For the special election the Republican Party has endorsed State Sen. Chris Jacobs of Buffalo and the Libertarian Party is backing Duane Whitmer, an accountant from Hamburg.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 February 2020 at 1:28 pm
Monroe County Executive Executive Adam Bello has issued a travel advisory for Monroe County due to deteriorating road conditions. He said he made the decision after consulting with town supervisors and Sheriff Todd Baxter.
The travel advisory doesn’t restrict travel but people are strongly encouraged to avoid any unnecessary travel.
Bello urged people out traveling to use “extreme caution.”
Monroe, like Orleans, has a winter weather advisory until 6 a.m. on Saturday.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Some local onions from the Elba muck are shown in this photo.
Press Release, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are calling for investigations into unfair trade subsidies to Canadian growers, as New York State onion farmers struggle against an influx of produce, priced below the price of production, coming across the border.
“New York State is home to prime onion-producing land, yet our farmers are unable to sell their goods in a domestic market that is flooded by cheap Canadian exports,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Farmers across the country have been struggling to keep up with growing production costs, while Canadian exporters have been able to dump cheap onions onto the market at prices comparable to 30 years ago.
“Since Canada has similar production costs, the only way this could be happening is through some type of government subsidy that is lowering their costs,” Gillibrand said. “This would amount to an unfair trade practice and needs to be immediately investigated. I stand with the National Onion Association in calling on the U.S. International Trade Commission and the United States Trade Representative for a full review of Canadian pricing, subsidies and exporting practices.”
New York State is home to Orange County’s famous “Black Dirt” Region, one of the premier onion-producing regions in the nation. Yet, New York farmers, including those who grow highly-prized black-dirt onions, are being forced to sell produce at market prices comparable to the 1980s.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that Orange County onion growers received between $5.25 and 5.75 for a 50-pound bag of medium yellow onions, which would amount to around $13.00 or $14.00 today. Today, those farmers are offered only $7.00 per 50-pound bag, less than $2.00 more than what they were paid nearly 30 years ago.
“Some of the best onions in the country come right from Orange County’s Black Dirt region, as well as from other upstate counties,” Schumer said. “However, due to Canada’s suspected unfair pricing practices, cheap Canadian onions are flooding United States markets and leaving New York onion farmers at a steep competitive disadvantage.
“As costs of production, labor, and equipment continue to rise, it’s time for the US International Trade Commission and US Trade Representative to immediately investigate Canadian onion exporters’ pricing practices along with the Canadian government’s trade regulations and level the playing field once and for all, allowing New York farmers to finally harvest the massive potential of their onions.”
Gillibrand’s and Schumer’s push for an investigation into the onion industry will help identify which factors contribute to unfair prices and ensure increased market transparency.
The two senators from New York sent a letter on Feb. 6 to the U.S. International Trade Commission and the United States Trade Representative.
In their letter, the senators asked for the following:
1. Initiate a fact-finding investigation into the alleged unfair pricing practices of Canadian onion exporters, including:
a. A review of any potential anti-competitive pricing practices, including the sale of Canadian onions in the U.S. market at prices below the cost of production;
b. A comparison of U.S. and Canadian tariffs and nontariff trade regulations that apply to onions; and
c. A review of Canadian government subsidy programs that support reducing the costs of shipping, fuel, imported seed and farm inputs, or crop price guarantees relating to onions through either country-wide or provincial-level support, or any other market-distorting practices;
2. Keep their offices apprised of any findings that result from such an investigation; and
3. Work in tandem with other relevant U.S. government entities, including the Office of the United States Trade Representative as the agency moves to implement and enforce obligations as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and other international trade agreements, to address and rectify any discriminatory pricing or other unfair trade practices relating to Canadian onion imports.
