The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for the annual business awards. The deadline to nominate a business or person is Sept. 7.
The categories include:
• Business of the Year – This award is presented to a business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.
• Lifetime Achievement – This award is presented to an individual with a long-term record of outstanding business achievements.
• Phoenix Award – This award is presented to an organization or business that has successfully adapted or re-used an existing facility.
• New Business of the Year – This award is presented to a business or organization that has opened in the past year.
• Community Service Award – This award is presented to a business, organization or individual that has provided meaningful contributions to the community in either professional or non-professional spheres.
• Agricultural Business of the Year – This award is presented to an agricultural business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.
• Businessperson of the Year – This award is presented to an individual who has had outstanding accomplishments within their own business/businesses and who has made notable contributions to our local business sector.
• Small Business of the Year – This award is presented to a small business th555at has experienced significant achievements/success throughout the year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2019 at 4:48 pm
Candidate says only 13 Republican women serving in House of Representatives
ALBION –Beth Parlato is joining what is expected to be a growing field of candidates for the 27th Congressional District.
Beth Parlato is pictured with Paul Lauricella, chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party.
Parlato, a former Darien town justice for 12 years, said she differs from the field in that she is a woman and isn’t a career politician. She announced her candidacy last month and said she will force a primary against Chris Collins if he remains a candidate for the Republican Party.
But Parlato, 52, expects Collins won’t be running again. His federal trial on insider trading charges is scheduled for February 2020, a time when candidates are working to get petitions signed and party support shored up.
“You need a representative in Congress you can be proud of,” she told leaders of the Orleans County Conservative Party on Tuesday evening at Hoag Library. “It’s unfortunate our congressman is in the situation he is in.”
Parlato was the second Republican candidate to declare a candidacy for the 27th. State Sen. Chris Jacobs was the first. State Sen. Rob Ortt may also enter the filed, and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw also is exploring a candidacy.
Parlato told the Conservative Party that David Bellavia remains a wild card, whether the recent Medal of Honor winner will run. If he does, she isn’t backing out of the race.
Nate McMurray, a Democrat who lost a very close race to Collins in November, announced he is running again for the seat.
Parlato said she is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump , especially his views on immigration, protecting the border with a wall and growing the economy.
“Trump is a disrupter,” she said. “Everyone hates it, the Republicans and Democrats.”
Beth Parlato, seated next to Jack Lusk, says many career politicians are eyeing the 27th Congressional District.
She works as a family law attorney in Erie County. She is concerned about the breakdown of families and “the crazy stuff going on in our culture.” She said she wants to take her passion as an advocate for children and families to D.C.
The House of Representatives only includes 13 Republican women. Parlato said the Congress needs more voices from strong, conservative women.
“We need to have a seat at the table,” she said. “Right now, we don’t.”
Parlato has been an occasional guest on Fox News the past 3 ½ years. She said she is a “conservative activist” with Moms for America, promoting traditional conservative values.
She said she supports term limits for elected officials, with no more than 12 years in office.
“It’s time for new blood,” she said. “That’s why we have a swamp.”
Paul Lauricella, Conservative Party chairman in Orleans County, said the party won’t be making an endorsement for a while. He appreciated Parlato meeting with the local party leaders.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2019 at 1:10 pm
ALBION – Charging stations for electric cars in the downtown business district could draw visitors to Albion, project an image of a progressive community, and also would be good for the environment, the Albion Village Board was told on Wednesday.
Representatives from the Albion Betterment Community said they want to put a dual-port charging station at the village-owned parking lot just north of the Presbyterian Church on Main Street.
The station would be mounted on a pedestal and could charge two vehicles at a time.
The state is offering incentives up to $4,000 per port or $8,000 for a dual station. That should be enough for the full cost of acquiring the station, Betterment Committee co-directors Joe Gehl and Gary Derwick told the Village Board.
The Albion Betterment is willing to front the money and wait for the reimbursement through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Gehl and Derwick asked the Village Board for assistance in installing the station, with the DPW putting in a concrete pad for the station and the village then assuming the ongoing electric bills.
The ABC met with Brockport village officials recently, where there are four charging stations that result in a $140 monthly bill, Gehl said.
The stations help local merchants because electric car owners will visit businesses and local sites while their cars are being charged.
“Business owners are looking for help on bringing people in,” Derwick told the board. “While they are getting their cars charged, they are looking for things to do.”
The Betterment Committee also urged the Albion Village Board to pursue a second charging station through the NYSERDA program. That would result in four stations total in the downtown, with two ports on each site.
That village station could be near the canal or another location to be determined.
The state has $5 million in incentives through NYSERDA for the stations and about half the money remains available, Gehl said.
Mayor Eileen Banker said she wanted to check with Brockport officials first about the ongoing cost of the electric stations and if they have been an asset to the business district.
Banker and other village trustees were open to the electric stations. Banker said it might be better to do one first at the village-owned lot by the church and then pursue a second dual-port station.
Trustee Stan Farone said it might be better to pursue two locations while the state is offering the incentives. He said electric cars are an emerging technology that isn’t going away.
Banker said she would check with the village’s grant writer, Jean O’Connell and Associates, about preparing an application.
“If the money is available through NYSERDA, why not go for it?” she said.
Two village trustees, Stan Farone and Gary Katsanis, will work with the Betterment Committee to work on the issue.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2019 at 12:25 pm
ALBION – A Medina man pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court this morning to felony driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Jessy Miller, 32, allegedly led police on a three-county high-speed chase on March 4. He admitted in court today to drinking alcohol before driving that day.
Miller had five shots of fireball, cinnamon whiskey, that day. His blood alcohol content was 0.15 percent, about twice the legal limit, said Joe Cardone, the Orleans County district attorney.
Miller faces a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison for felony DWI and AUO third. The time will likely be served with the sentenced in Genesee and Niagara courts.
Miller allegedly was driving a white Blazer on Main Street in Shelby on March 4. He was allegedly doing donuts in a yard on Main Street and hit a porch. He then took off with a passenger he refused to let out. He has to pay up to $2,797 in restitution for the damage to the porch.
Police followed him to Genesee County, where he was stopped. Miller refused to get out, but his passenger was able to get out of the vehicle. Miller then sped off, hitting the passenger with the door of the vehicle.
Miller then went to Niagara County, where he was found crashed on Mountain Road with injuries.
He is currently in Genesee County Jail on $25,000 cash and $50,000 bond.
Orleans is the first of the three county courts to accept a plea offer in the case. Miller will be sentenced in Orleans County on Oct. 24.
In other cases in County Court this morning:
• Kyle Allport, 34, of Medina was arraigned on charges of first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. Allport in August 2016 allegedly inappropriately touched a 6-year-old girl.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges today. The judge set bail at $10,000.
• Stephen W. Miles, 56, was sentenced to 1 ½ years in state prison for attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. Miles allegedly had cocaine.
Miles has struggled with drug addictions for many years and already has served four state prison terms and been in the county jail several times.
His attorney, Mark Young, said Miles has worked to change the direction of his life through treatment programs.
“He is making a concerted effort to refrain from using drugs and I hope he continues on that path,” said Cardone, the district attorney.
• Holly Bevins, 23, of Irondequoit was sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison for violating her probation by using drugs, missing probation appointments and leaving the county without permission of the probation department.
Judge Sanford Church urged Bevins to enroll in treatment programs in the state prison system.
• Kayla Rowling, 28, of Medina was sentenced to a year in the county jail for attempted possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree.
She admitted previously to having cocaine on Nov. 28, 2018. She is a first-time felony offender.
• Candido Candelaria III, 27, of Albion admitted to several probation violations including using cocaine, multiple times drinking alcohol and law enforcement contact on three occasions, including an arrest for aggravated harassment.
He faces up to 1 to 3 years in prison when he is sentenced on Oct. 3.
HOLLEY – The documentary, “I Am Rochester,” will film the climactic scene at First Presbyterian of Holley on Saturday.
This scene features a prominent historical figure of Rochester’s history, abolitionist preacher Charles G. Finney. The filming also includes a surprise historical celebrity whose identity will be revealed when the film is released.
“I Am Rochester” highlights the spiritual history and revival fires that burned in our region, once known as the “Burned-Over District,” an area made up of the six counties of the Greater Rochester Metropolitan Area of the Genesee River Valley.
The film presents rarely shown perspectives of local people who became global change agents of freedom and justice, such as Charles G. Finney, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Saturday’s filming will include more than 40 extras in costume, including local Civil War re-enactors. The story being filmed occurred on Sunday, Aug. 14, 1853, and tells the true story of a dire situation which ends in supernatural renewal.
The public is welcome to peek behind the scenes and attend a short prayer at 11:30 a.m. Major filming is a closed set and scheduled from noon to 6 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2019 at 8:00 am
BARRE – Representatives from the Town of Barre, Albion school district and Orleans County are expected to soon sit down with Apex Clean Energy to discuss a payment in lieu of taxes plan for how much revenue the wind-energy company will give the three tax entities to have 33 turbines in Barre.
The Town Board on Wednesday voted to invite representatives from the school and county to join the town in negotiating a PILOT with Apex. The Orleans Economic Development Agency will also be part of the discussion and will administer a PILOT if a deal is reached.
Sean Pogue, Barre town supervisor, said the vote was just an invitation to start negotiations and doesn’t mean the town is supporting the project. Pogue and Town Councilman Richard Bennett both said Apex needs to “put more money on the table” for the community.
The company wants to build 33 turbines that would peak at 650 to 680 feet high. The company has said it would pay $8,000 per megawatt annually in a PILOT. At 4.8 megawatts each per turbine or 158.4 MWs total for 33, that would add up to $1.27 million.
In a typical PILOT in Orleans County, the money is divvied up based on the percentage of the tax rates in the taxing entities. In Barre, in the 2019 the town tax rate is $9.18 per $1,000 of assessed property, while the county is $9.96 and the school district, $15.10. That is $34.24 total.
Barre represents 26.8 Percent of the total tax rate, with the county at 29.0 percent and the school district at 44.1 percent. Divvying up $1.27 million based on those percentages would result in $340,360 for the town, $368,300 for the county and $560,070 for the school district.
However, town officials say they are looking for a PILOT where Barre gets a bigger percentage of the revenue, where it isn’t shared based on the tax rates.
Kerri Richardson, president of Clear Skies Above Barre, urged the town to tax the turbines at full value and not do a PILOT where Apex pays the local governments at a discount.
Richardson urged the Town Board to not let Apex drive the process. She urged the board to insist on the standards in the local laws that limit turbines to 500 feet.
She said insisting on health and safety protections for residents won’t chase the developer away. She pointed to the towns of Somerset and Yates, which have stronger laws than Barre for setbacks and anti-turbine candidates in office. That opposition hasn’t caused Apex to cancel the proposed Lighthouse Wind. The company announced it isn’t submitting an application this year for the project, but it isn’t abandoning its plans for Lighthouse. Right now the company is focused on Barre.
The Town Board on Wednesday voted to accept $50,000 from Apex so the town can hire an expert to help Barre consider concerns about the turbines and what would be reasonable for height, noise and setbacks. The town will hire an expert without input from Apex, said Lance Mark, the town attorney.
Residents questioned if the vote had enough support on the board because two members, Larry Gaylard and Tom McCabe, abstained. That left only three voting members. Richard Bennett voted against the reimbursement agreement while Pogue and Lynn Hill voted for it.
Some residents questioned if only two votes in favor was enough for the motion to carry. Mark said it was two out of three voting members and was enough for a majority.
Robin Nacca, a town resident, said she would seek a legal opinion about the vote. She said three votes should be needed to pass a resolution on a five-member board.
She also said she is concerned about conflicts of interest among board member who are involved in the process when they should be fully abstaining. She thinks there should be a moratorium on any discussions until there are officials in place who don’t stand to benefit directly or indirectly from Apex.
Press Release, New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association
ALBION – An officer was elbowed in the side of the head and another spit on by an unruly inmate at the medium security correctional facility in Albion on Gaines Basin Road, according to a news release from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association.
Officers were conducting a cell frisk on Friday, Aug. 9, at approximately 10:45 a.m. An inmate was removed from the cell and was pat frisked. He became belligerent and unruly and would not listen to staff directions. Several officers grabbed the inmate in body holds and removed him from cell block. During transport, he took his left elbow and struck an officer in the right side of the head, NYSCOPBA said.
Once under control the inmate was placed in another cell. As an officer was closing the cell door, the inmate turned and spit directly into his face, eyes and mouth.
The officer who was struck in the head sustained minor abrasions to the side of the face. He was treated at the facility and remained on duty.
The officer who was spit on was treated at Rochester Medical Healthcare for exposure. He did not return to duty.
The inmate, 39, is serving a 14-year sentence after being convicted for criminal possession of a weapon in the 2nd and criminal sale of a firearm the 3rd degree in Sullivan County in 2012. He faces internal disciplinary charges.
“This type of incident is exactly why NYSCOPBA pursued legislation that would amend the current law that makes it a Class E Felony if an inmate throws any type of bodily fluid or contents of a toilet bowl onto an officer,” said Joe Miano, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President. “Spitting on an officer, especially in the face, eyes and mouth, can be extremely hazardous to the officer’s health and that act should be prosecuted as a felony and nothing less.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 August 2019 at 2:04 pm
MEDINA – Marty Busch is being praised for helping the Village of Medina implement several local laws and policies that have encouraged investment in the downtown business district, Maple Ridge Corridor and some of the struggling residential neighborhoods.
Busch had his last day in the office on Tuesday after 24 years as code enforcement officer. Medina Mayor Michael Sidari has declared Sept. 28 as “Marty Busch Day” in the village. That is Busch’s last official day working for the village.
In a proclamation on Tuesday, Sidari said Busch has made Medina a safer community by enforcing the instruction and building codes.
Busch helped Medina pass several local laws for property maintenance, sign standards and a vacant house registry, laws that Sidari said “will have a long-lasting positive influence on the village.”
Early in his career with the village, Busch was at a conference in Saratoga, where he was wowed by the community’s thriving historic business district.
“They passed historic preservation standards and they stuck with it,” Busch said.
He brought that message to Medina, and the Planning Board and Village Board implemented similar standards.
Buildings owners took on ambitious projects, breathing new life into buildings from the 1800s. The investments spurred more investments, and now the downtown is a destination and an envy of many small canal towns.
“People saw someone take on a building and bring it to its potential,” Busch said.
The community is fortunate to have many people with a vision for businesses and buildings, he said.
Marty Busch accepts a proclamation declaring Sept. 28 as “Marty Busch Day” in Medina. That is Busch’s last official day of work. The Village Board hosted a retirement for Busch on Tuesday afternoon, which was attended by Kathy Blackburn of the Medina Business Association and Jim Whipple, chief executive officer of the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
Busch has been the code officers while new businesses built in the Medina Business Park or along the Maple Ridge Corridor. Busch and the village officials often pushed chain stores to up the ante with their proposed buildings, going for brick and some extensive landscaping.
“We really do have a gem of a village,” Busch said at a retirement party on Tuesday at the Village Office. Our Main Street is second to none. We have outstanding parks. I think the best is yet to come. We’ll keep rolling and Medina will be incredible in a very short time.”
Mayor Sidari credited Busch with working well with property owners and businesses while they developed plans for projects, and then did the construction.
“Marty was the catalyst for the transformation of downtown Medina,” Sidari said. “Not only the downtown, but the entire village as well. Between the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, they brought several ideal laws to pass.”
Sidari said a recent law establishing a vacant building registry, which includes fines, has encouraged those property owners to either fix up the houses or sell them. It has reduced the number of vacant homes from about 80 to 45.
Busch admitted the codes officer is a job “where you never make everybody happy.” People usually don’t like being told what to do with their property, or if there are violations.
Cindy Robinson, the Medina Business Association president, said Busch was fair and helped people understand the zoning ordinances.
“If you did things right, there was never an issue,” she said. “Marty never scared anyone away (from investing) in Medina.”
Dan Gardner of Lyndonville is following Busch as code enforcement officer.
Medina firefighter Jeff Tuohey shakes Marty Busch’s hand on Tuesday, Busch’s last day in the office. Busch said h has had a great working relationship with Medina firefighters and police officers.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $16,183,329 in federal funding to expand high-speed, broadband internet access throughout Upstate New York.
The money goes to expand high-speed internet in 14 counties, but doesn’t include Orleans.
The federal funding was administered through the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Connect America Fund, which works to expand broadband deployment in underserved rural areas.
The number of locations that broadband internet will be expanded to 8,088 locations, including the following counties:
“To build the vibrant Upstate New York economy of tomorrow that creates and sustains the jobs of the future, we must invest in high-speed internet access today, so that every Upstate home, school or small business gets—and stays—connected. This federal funding is a major victory for rural communities across the state and the over 8,000 businesses and homes that will be served by it,” said Senator Schumer in a news release. “With this multimillion-dollar investment, rural counties Upstate will finally have the resources needed to close the far-too-large digital gap. I’ll always fight tooth and nail to secure funding that brings our rural economies Upstate into the 21st century.”
“Everyone deserves reliable and fast internet access,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Families, workers, and businesses who can’t access broadband are cut off from critical services and economic opportunities – it’s a necessity in the 21st century economy. I was proud to fight to make sure this funding to expand broadband access for our rural communities would stay in New York. This funding is great news and it will help give more communities throughout Upstate New York greater ability to get online and stay competitive. I will continue working to ensure our communities have the resources they need to thrive.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 August 2019 at 9:28 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Tony McMurtie is pictured in April 2015 during the annual Titanic Ball at The Pillars. He started the Titanic Ball on the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s fateful voyage in April 2012. The inaugural gala also launched the opening of the grand ballroom at the Pillars.
ALBION – The popular Ghost Hunters television series on Aug. 28 will feature The Pillars in Albion.
The paranormal detectors will try to find evidence of “the lady in the window” who seems to appear in some photographs, looking out from the attic.
A crew of about 25 spent two weeks in Albion and at The Pillars on West Countyhouse Road in May.
Tony McMurtie, owner of The Pillars, said he had lots of questions for the Ghost Hunters. He was stunned by their discoveries, although he said he can’t discuss it publicly.
“When you see this episode it will blow your mind away,” he said.
McMurtie restored the property with Scott Root and turned it into a business that hosted special events and parties for several years. The 7,000-plus square foot Victorian home is now just a residence.
“The Pillars is a hidden gem for Albion,” he said.
McMurtie said he has heard things in the house over the years. He sent his father a picture of The Pillars and Tony’s dad is the one who asked about a woman looking out the attic window.
The Ghost Hunters initially ran for 11 seasons on SyFy from 2004 to 2016. It is now on A&E, with the season premiere at 9 p.m. on Aug. 21. Click here to see a teaser of the episode on The Pillars.
McMurtie said he hopes the show will shine a positive light on the Albion community.
“It puts Albion on the map,” he said about the upcoming episode. “There hasn’t been a lot of focus on Albion.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 August 2019 at 7:55 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Medina Village Clerk Debbie Padoleski, left, and Deputy Clerk Jada Burgess are pictured with a Medina community sign that was recently installed by the Village Clerk’s Office at 119 Park Ave.
The sign was found in the third floor of City Hall in storage about a year ago. For many years it had been a gateway sign at the entrance of the village.
The sign was given a fresh coat of paint with the art work touched up by students in Jennifer Scott’s art class in Medina. It was a project as part of Make An Impact Day at the high school in May.
“The art department made it look brand new,” Padoleski said.
Once the sign was done, there was the question of how to hang it. The DPW heard the Ridgway Highway Department had a sign post that had been knocked over at the corner of Salt Works Road and West Center Street. That is a gateway to the village and where one of the Medina community signs used to be placed.
Joe Perry, DPW superintendent, and the DPW workers repaired the sign post and mounted it by the Village Clerk’s Office, with the sign.
It’s been up about two months and Padoleski said it has been popular with village residents, who are glad to see the sign back on the landscape.
Photo courtesy of Lynne Menz: The statue of a soldier will be dedicated on Sept. 7 in Medina. The soldier is atop the Company F Memorial outside the Orleans County YMCA in Medina, which was originally an armory used as a training site for soldiers.
MEDINA – After 13 years of planning, fundraising, constructing and more creating, the Company F Memorial Statue will be dedicated at a formal ceremony honoring the Company F soldiers that trained at the Medina Armory on Pearl Street in Medina from 1898 to 1947.
The statue dedication, which launches the 4th annual Orleans County Heritage Festival, will be held Saturday, Sept. 7, at 11 a.m. on the corner of Prospect Avenue and Pearl Street (on the grounds of the Orleans YMCA, formerly the Medina Armory).
A reception will follow in the YMCA featuring historical displays and a meet and greet with the sculptor, Brian Porter, and UB Foundry Director, Chris Siano.
The monument, a pentagonal shaped column made of Medina Sandstone topped with the 1,400-pound bronze statue, is a tribute to over 550 Company F war veterans that battled four major conflicts: the Spanish American War, Mexican Border Incursion, World War I and World War II.
The names of each of those local soldiers are inscribed on plaques attached to four of the walls of the monument. The 5th wall memorializes Company C leaders who trained at the Medina Armory during the Cold War era, some of whom served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. The monument also serves to honor all of our veterans and symbolizes our local military history.
Phase II of the monument, the Company F bronze statue was unveiled to the community in November 2018 when it lead Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas Festival’s Parade of Lights. Ironically, the parade route was opposite in direction to the route the young soldiers marched in October 1940— from the armory, down Main Street to the train station— as they departed for basic training prior to the outbreak of WWII. The Parade of Lights’ route symbolized the final homecoming, including a brief stop at the former armory. The statue was on display inside the YMCA’s original entrance during the winter and mounted to the monument in April 2019.
Company F Memorial Chairman Bill Menz, a former Company C National Guardsman (1953-58) and an original member of the Armory Action Committee (1978), then Medina Sandstone Society (2004), presented the need for such a monument to the Sandstone Society in 2006 and with their support, presented the concept to Company F WWII Veterans at their annual reunion. He and fellow contractor, John Fuller, built the sandstone structure which was dedicated in October 2008 with several WWII veterans in attendance.
Mr. Menz passed away in July 2018 before the completion of the statue. However, he was able to visit the foundry in early July to see some of the castings before it was assembled. The committee regrouped and completed Phase III of Chairman Menz’s legacy with the addition of 5 memorial benches encircling the monument, a flag pole for the American flag and lighting.
Attending the dedication ceremony will be family members of Company F veterans, local and state dignitaries, clergy, veterans, current members of the 108th Infantry, contributors and the group of devoted individuals who worked passionately to bring this monument to fruition. The public is invited to this event which will be held rain or shine.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 August 2019 at 5:17 pm
Roger Hungerford, right, a member of Medina High School’s Class of 1969, chats with Charles Slack during a get-together Saturday at the former high school, which Hungerford is restoring. Hungerford hosted the class in a reception and tour of the building.
MEDINA – The Class of 1969’s high school reunion last weekend was special in more than one way.
Not only was it their 50th class reunion and a time to discuss pains, operations and children, but classmates got to tour their old alma mater, which is being restored and repurposed by classmate Roger Hungerford.
After a get-together Friday at Fitzgibbons, Hungerford, who plans to turn the former Medina High School into upscale apartments called Mustang City, provided hors d’oeuvres, wine and champagne in the area which formerly housed Lee Whedon Memorial Library.
Before embarking on a tour of the building, classmates posed for a picture in front of the high school.
Gary Apps and his wife from Kalamazoo, Mich. try to attend his reunion every five years. After graduating from Medina High School, Apps attended Cornell University, Texas A&M, Western Michigan University and Cooley Law School. After receiving a law degree, his love of automobiles prompted him to pursue an automotive degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College, “so he could work on cars,” he said. He also owned Dan’s Cans in Medina until deciding to sell it this summer.
Bob Martin of Medina said this was the third reunion he had attended. He didn’t want to miss this one because it was “kind of a milestone,” he said.
John Pratt of Medina attended with his wife Sharlene.
“It’s so nice someone has such vision to restore the high school,” Pratt said. “So many of us graduated from this school and to see something positive being done with it is beautiful.”
The rooms which formerly housed Lee-Whedon Memorial Library at Medina High School were turned into a reception area for the Class of 1969 reunion Saturday. Here, chefs Jose Ocasio, left, and Lionel Heydel, who will run a new restaurant in Bent’s Opera House, arrange hors d’oeuvres for classmates, before a tour of the old high school.
“Our MHS Class of 1969 Reunion Committee, on behalf of the entire class, want to thank Roger for his generosity and hospitality in offering the tour of our high school, giving us an opportunity to once again walk our ‘Hallowed Halls of Ivy,’” said Sarah Christy Gibson. “We are grateful for his dedication to Medina and his efforts in restoring some of Medina’s historic properties. The tour was very informative, giving us all insight into his plans for the restoration and reuse of our beautiful old school.”
The Class of 1969 graduated 170 students, although 205 were listed as one-time class members. Some moved away prior to graduation and did not graduate with the class.
Hungerford’s memories of high school include the time he was chastised by his teacher, Vito Misiti, for not doing his homework.
“It was the fall of my senior year,” Hungerford said. “He asked what I was going to do next year. I had been early accepted into college and Vito asked how long I expected to stay there. I told him until I graduated. He said, ‘I give you three months.’”
The Class of 1969 poses outside their alma mater during a reception and tour of the building Saturday hosted by classmate Roger Hungerford, who is converting the high school into apartments. Hungerford is in the front row near the center in the pink shirt.
Brian Napoli, who said their class was the first ninth-grade class at Wise Junior High School, said he couldn’t believe it had been 50 years since they graduated.
“This building needs a lot of work, but it will be very beautiful,” he said.
The class was honored to have their Foreign Exchange student, Carlos Antonio Dantas De Oliveria from Natal, Brazil, attend his first class reunion.
He said this was such a special reunion, he had to come.
“The school has changed, but for the better,” he said.
Annette Strickland Allport, a member of the Class of 1969, talks with chefs Jose Ocasio and Lionel Heydel during a reception at the former Medina High School, hosted by classmate Roger Hungerford.
Annette Strickland Allport of Florida has previously attended the fifth, 20th, 25th and 40th reunions. After graduating from Medina High School, she majored in music at college and taught music for 20 years in Ithaca. She moved to Florida, where she transitioned into administration, then went back to teaching.
“I am so pleased with what Roger is doing,” she said. “I really appreciate his philanthropic efforts. It is great when someone can give back to their community, and that’s what he is doing. The things he is doing will have an impact on this community for 100 years or more.”
The Reunion Committee included, in addition to Gibson, Jim Heminway, John Misiti, Lisa South Misiti, Sue Bloom Kingsley, Rob Cook, Marcia Hellert Cook, Gloria Dubay Bath, Janet Hall Smith, Sue Hickey Slack, Brian Napoli, Patty Olinger Woodworth, Linda Schrader Paron and Arlene Wigley Pawlaczyk.
Brian Napoli of Medina, left, chats with classmates during a get-together of the Class of 1969 at the former Medina High School. With him are Gloria “Peachy” Dubay of Middleport; Gary Apps of Kalamazoo, Mich.; and Sarah Christy Gibson of Jonesborough, Tenn.
A dinner on Saturday evening at Shelridge Country Club for 49 class members concluded the reunion weekend. Class president John Misiti welcomed everyone and extended thanks to the Reunion Committee for putting the event together and to Hungerford for hosting the tour and reception at the high school.
Gibson has coordinated reunions and kept in touch with classmates for all 50 years. She came from Jonesborough, Tenn. to attend the reunion. During Saturday evening, the committee presented her with a print of the high school, which was originally given by John Misiti’s mother to the high school in memory of her husband, Vito. She had commissioned local artist Arthur Barnes to paint the picture.
“It is beautiful, and I am absolutely thrilled with it,” Gibson said.
The hallway at the old Medina High School on Catherine Street was lined with posters for the Class of 1969 reunion outlining the work class member Roger Hungerford is doing to restore several historic properties in Medina, including the high school. He has named the high school building Mustang City.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 August 2019 at 1:58 pm
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Kelly Shaw, left, director of the Senior Center of Western Orleans, and Lee Smith, vice president of the board, sell raffle tickets at their annual picnic Monday at Junior Wilson’s Sportsmen’s Club.
MEDINA – More than 40 members of the Senior Center of Western Orleans attended their annual picnic Monday at Junior Wilson’s Sportsmen’s Club.
The event featured a potluck dinner, hot dogs cooked by board president Lynn Creasey and entertainment by magician Stephen Ingraham of Greece.
Ingraham has been doing magic for 46 years and was named Magician of the Year twice – once in Seattle and another year in Rochester. In Seattle in 1977 he was up against Siegfried and Roy and Lance Burton. He has appeared at the New York State Fair 30 years in a row.
The afternoon ended with raffle drawings and several games of cards.
The picnic is sponsored by the Senior Center as a way to say thank you to the members for their support throughout the year.
The Senior Center is located at 615 West Ave. and is open during August from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and from noon to 4 p.m. Fridays for euchre. Any senior is invited to join.
Magician Stephen Ingraham from Greece enlists the help of Lee Smith of Lyndonville to perform one of his tricks at the Senior Center of Western Orleans’ annual picnic at Junior Wilson Sportsmen’s Club.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 August 2019 at 9:12 am
ALBION – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council welcomes feedback from the community about arts and cultural programming in Orleans County.
GO ART! board members and staff will be at the Hoag Library on Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to hear from community members.
GO ART! currently has a satellite art gallery in Albion and administers about $70,000 in grants annually for concerts and other cultural programming in the two counties.
