Photo provided by FMC: Royalton-Hartland graduating seniors Jamie Bower (left) of Middleport and Chloe Pilc of Gasport (right) were each recently awarded $1,000 scholarships from the FMC Middleport Agricultural Sciences plant based on their winning essay submissions on the theme: “Pick an experience from your life and explain how it has influenced your development.”
Press Release, FMC
MIDDLEPORT – FMC Corporation, which operates the Agricultural Sciences plant in Middleport, has honored two Royalton-Hartland High School graduating seniors with separate $1,000 FMC Scholarships from the local plant.
The scholarships were awarded to Middleport resident Jamie Bower and Gasport resident Chloe Pilc based on their submission of a 300-word essay with the main focus on “picking an experience from your life and explaining how it has influenced your development.”
“As a company dedicated to our local community, FMC is proud to honor these two outstanding graduates with scholarships and extend our best wishes for continued academic success in their future studies,” said Dr. Roberta Kloda, FMC Middleport plant manager.
Jamie Bower served as a captain of the school’s softball team and plans to study nursing at D’Youville College in Buffalo. Chloe Pilc is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and plans to study pre-med at Daemen College in Amherst.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.5685/A.4853.A) – or Brianna’s Law – to phase in requirements that all operators of motorized watercraft must complete a state-approved boating safety course.
Brianna’s Law is named after Brianna Lieneck, an 11-year-old Long Island girl who was killed in a 2005 boating accident. The Governor also directed State Parks to launch a boating safety promotional campaign to remind boaters of the new requirement to take a safety course.
There are nearly 439,000 registered powerboats in the state, according to the 2018 state Recreational Boating Report. The law does not apply to operators of sailboats, kayaks, standup paddleboards, rowboats or canoes.
“Boating has become much more popular and our rules and our laws really have not kept pace with it,” Governor Cuomo said. “There should be a basic level of knowledge that you have before you’re given the permission to go out there and operate a boat, and making a safety course mandatory is common sense. It protects the operator of the boat and everyone that operator could come into contact with, and it will make our waters safer. It took a horrific accident to make this situation real for people, but through this law Brianna is saving lives and her love lives on.”
The measure expands an earlier law signed by Governor Cuomo that requires boaters born after May 1, 1996 to complete a safety course before operating a motorized watercraft. Under the phase-in, all motor boat operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 must complete a safety course to operate a motor boat beginning in 2020.
Those born after Jan. 1, 1988 must complete a safety course beginning in 2022. Those born on or after Jan. 1, 1983 must complete a safety course beginning in 2023. Those born on or after Jan. 1, 1978 must complete a safety course beginning in 2024.
The requirement would extend to all motor boat operators beginning in 2025, regardless of age. Failure to comply could result in a fine of between $100 and $250 under the new law that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which administers the law, estimates that there are nearly one million boaters who will have to take the safety courses before the end of the phase-in on Jan. 1, 2025.
The law allows for the continued acceptance of State Parks approved internet-based learning and certification to meet this new demand. Classroom courses will also continue to be available. Information about both internet and in-classroom courses can be found on the State Parks’ website.
Governor Cuomo also directed State Parks to launch a boating safety promotional campaign to ensure that boaters are aware of the new requirement to take a course online or in person and to promote safety on our waterways, including radio and social media advertisements; distribution of informational materials to law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, marinas, boating education instructors and boating safety partners; and State Parks website updates.
State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “New York State offers some of the best boating and fishing adventures in the country. The best way to enjoy these adventures is to do so safely. It makes sense that for every boater to learn the basics of boating safety before operating a motor boat.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2019 at 10:35 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A crowd of about 1,000 people attended the National Night Out at Bullard Park in Albion this evening. One highlight was the “Battle of Belts.” Dillon Black, front right, and Dan Baase, both of the Albion Police Department, were part of a four-man team of law enforcement officers.
They topped two other adult teams with a time of 51.39 seconds. The teams compete to see who is the fastest getting into car and fastening their seatbelts. Each member then must switch seats and again fasten their seat belts. The time ends when each person has sat in each seat in the car and the horn is honked.
Alayna Flugel and Kasia Robinson, members of the Hip Chicks, are lined up at the start. Their teammates included McKinley Knight and Kaitlyn Viza. They were second among the youth teams in 58.61 seconds. Thy also won for best costume.
Danielle Ludwig and members of the Probation Department hustle to get to the next seat in a car in the Battle of the Belts. They completed the challenge in 52.37 seconds.
Doug Rich, a state trooper, served as one of the officials in the competition. He waits for one of the teams to finish before blowing the whistle.
Julia Knight and the Sassy Safety Girls were the fastest team in 41.68 seconds. Her teammates included Gina Sidari, Autumn Flugel and Liana Flugel.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley served as announcer for the Battle of the Battle of the Belts.
The Albion Fire Department served 800 hot dogs. From left include Janet Cheverie, Sue Papponetti and Dawn Marciszewski.
Albion police officer Karol Hughes, a member of the Orleans County SWAT team, showed the public an armored Humvee used by the team as well as a robot that is used to look at suspicious packages or check vehicles if someone is barricaded inside.
Jaxon Pallister, 8, of Oakfield rides in the bike rodeo under direction by officer Steve Gross of the Medina Police Department.
Rylee Tusing, 2 ½ , of Albion gets fitted for a new bike helmet by Medina Lt. Todd Draper. Rylee is held by her mother, Stephanie Corke.
Th Albion Walmart was among 75 businesses and agencies to participate in National Night Out. Th event was cut short when a downpour hit just after 7 p.m.
Patrick Holman of Medina performed card tricks and magic.
State trooper Kevin Bentley demonstrates a roll-over simulator.
Firefighters Fran Gaylord, left, and Fred Piano help kids through a fire safety house where they can practice a quick exit.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 6 August 2019 at 6:09 pm
Photos by Ron Green – Melanie Green in action today at the U.S. Women’s Amateur championship at the Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, Miss. Here she makes a long putt attempt.
Bettering her opening day score by five strokes, Medina’s Melanie Green fired a two under par round of 70 today to make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship being held at the Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, Miss.
Green, who shot a three over par 75 on Monday, finishes the stroke match portion of the championship with a one over par total of 145 total good enough to make the field of 64 for the match play portion which begins Wednesday.
“Mel did awesome today.” said her mother Melissa Green. “We are so proud of her and really excited.”
Green, who played the back nine first today, got off to a strong start registering birdies on both the 10th and 12th holes. Another birdie on 17 helped to offset bogies at 11 and 18 enabling her to finish the back nine with a one under 35.
Keeping the momentum on the front nine, Green birdied holes 2 and 3 to briefly pull even for the tourney. Bogeys at 4 and 8 put her back at two over but she finished strong. A birdie at 9 gave her a one under on the front at 35 and two under for the day at 70.
The field, which has now been reduced from 156 to 64, will play 18 holes of match play Wednesday after which the field will again be cut, this time to 32.
Seeded 41st for the round of 64 match play contest, Green will face 24th seeded Dylan Kim at 10:40 a.m.
Making the cut continues an outstanding year on the links for Green who this spring, as a junior at Medina High, won a third straight Section VI title and a second straight state championship. Then last month she tied for sixth place at the Girls Junior PGA national championship.
Here Green tees off on one of Old Waverly’s scenic holes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2019 at 4:31 pm
MEDINA – The Medina Board of Education last week set the tax rates for the 2019-20 year. Th $20.23 rat is down 89 cents from the 2018-19 school year.
The district has a $40,284,425 budget for the 2019-20 school year, including a tax levy of $8,641,861, the same as 2018-19. This is the eighth consecutive year Medina has either reduced taxes or held them in check, and the 11th out of the past 12 years.
Although the tax levy is the same, the rate will go down due to a rising assessed value in the district.
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library which sets its budget separately from the school district, has a rate of $1.28, down a penny.
Ridgeway, which is at 0.94 equalization, will have a rate of $21.52 and $1.36 for the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library. Shelby, which is at 0.98 equalization rate, has a school tax rate of $20.64 and $1.30 for the library, said Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.4524B/A.4950B) authorizing school districts to install stop-arm cameras on school buses in order to catch drivers who unlawfully pass a stopped school bus and ensure the safety of New York’s students. This measure was a key component of Governor Cuomo’s Justice Agenda.
“No parent should ever have to worry that their child’s bus ride to and from school is anything other than safe and easy,” Governor Cuomo said. “By signing this measure into law, we are providing school districts the tools they need to hold reckless drivers accountable and advancing New York State’s bold initiatives to keep our schoolchildren safe.”
In New York State, approximately 1.5 million students ride school buses to and from school every year, and out of concern for their safety, it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus.
However, Operation Safe Stop in April 2018, the one-day in which law enforcement targeted offenders passing a stopped school bus, exposed that hundreds of people ignore this law and over 850 people were ticketed. This amounts to someone passing a stopped school bus over 150,000 times in a 180-day school year, endangering the safety of schoolchildren in every corner of this state. The legislation will hold drivers accountable and continues the Governor’s history of leadership in student safety by ensuring that students are safe on their way to and from school.
Governor Cuomo recognizes that the safety of our children is our highest priority. Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to reinstate the speed camera program in New York City and expand the number of authorized school speed zones from 140 to 750. The bill also expanded the hours of the program to weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Additionally, in 2016 Governor Cuomo modernized the New York’s school safety laws to increase student safety. The updated laws required school districts to designate a point of contact in case of emergency, increase training requirements for faculty and staff and update safety drills to include a lock down event.
CSEA, representing thousands of school bus drivers and monitors across the state, applauded the signing of legislation allowing the use of cameras on school buses. This legislation will capture vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses and provide for increased penalties for violators.
CSEA President Danny Donohue said, “We hear from our school bus drivers every day about drivers who illegally pass their stopped buses, putting the children they drive at risk. Our bus drivers and monitors are constantly on the watch to protect them, but we can never be too safe. We applaud the Governor for signing this bill, which will give law enforcement a great tool to prosecute people who put our school children at risk.”
New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta released the following statement: “This law marks a significant step forward for student safety. With an estimated 50,000 motor vehicles illegally passing school buses every day across New York, bus drivers are constantly on the lookout for these reckless motorists while also keeping an eye on the children in their care. It is our sincere hope that school districts will work quickly to begin installing stop-arm cameras so we can better hold accountable those who show blatant disregard for our kids. We thank the governor and Legislature for putting our children first with this important legislation.”
Press Release, U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., Western District of New York
ROCHESTER – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Christopher Rivers, 23, of Holley, who was convicted of being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that during the early morning hours of January 25, 2019, the defendant fired a shotgun multiple times outside an apartment window at 1221 Affinity Lane in Greece, NY.
Rivers, an Albion native, was previously convicted of Criminal Possession of a Firearm in Orleans County Court, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.
PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick D. Phelan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2019 at 1:15 pm
ALBION – The tax rate for Albion Central School is $14.44 per $1,000 of assessed property for 2019-20, which is down $1.03 from 2018-19 school year.
In 2018-19, only Barker at $15.21 was less than Albion at $15.47 per $1,000 of assessed property.
The Albion Board of Education approved the tax warrant on Monday, setting the tax rate at 6.7 percent lower than the previous year.
Although the tax rate is down, the district will be collecting the same amount in property taxes, $8,449,094, as in 2018-19. This is the 11th time in the past 13 years the school district has either kept taxes flat or reduced them.
Th tax rate is down due to rising assessments in the school district following a reassessment in most of the towns that are in the school district. Ridgeway didn’t do a town-wide reassessment so that town’s tax rate for the Albion school district will be down by 12 cents to $15.35, instead of a drop to $14.44.
Those whose tax assessments increased by more than 6.7 percent from a year ago will actually pay a higher school tax bill despite the low tax rate. Those with assessments that dropped or increased less than 6.7 percent will pay less in Albion school taxes in 2019-20.
Derek Vallese, the school district’s business administrator, said Albion had the second lowest tax rate in 2018-19 among school districts in Orleans, Niagara and Genesee counties. The new rates haven’t been set yet by all of the districts.
After Barker at $15.21 and Albion at $15.47 in 2018-19, the rates in the three counties include: Niagara Falls, $15.71; Lyndonville, $16.35; Kendall, $17.02; Lewiston-Porter, $17.07; Pembroke, $19.00; Starpoint, $19.67; Pavilion, $20.43; Elba, $20.56; Roy-Hart, $20.83; Alexander, $21.15; Wilson, $21.42; Oakfield-Alabama, $22.16; Medina, $22.46; Batavia, $22.79; Holley, $22.79; Newfane, $23.36; Byron-Bergen, $24.11; Lockport, $24.74; and Le Roy, $24.83.
Linda Weller of the Albion Board of Education asked if Albion was offering less to students given the low tax rate.
Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent, said Albion has significant budget savings by contracting transportation and food services.
“We also run pretty tight contracts,” Bonnewell responded during Monday’s meeting.
The district includes many benefits for retirees, but not some of the more costly benefits, Bonnewell said.
He also said the district hasn’t had to cut programs in the past 10 years, while others with higher tax rates have reduced extracurricular activities and had big reductions in staff. Albion has gradually reduced some positions the past 15 years in response to a declining student enrollment.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo says a line of strong thunderstorms are headed to Orleans County early this afternoon.
Thunderstorms with winds in excess of 40 miles per hour by 1 p.m. will affect northeastern Erie, Niagara and Orleans counties, including Medina and Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2019 at 8:03 am
There is a new leader in the Rotary Fishing Derby, the third time the has been a change at the top since the derby started on Saturday.
Larry Duckworth of Corfu on Monday caught a 27-pound, 8-ounce Chinook salmon, to knock a 24-pound, 11-ounce salmon from the top spot. The biggest fish caught during the derby, which ends Aug. 18, wins a $4,000 grand prize.
There is $8,800 in prize money up for grabs in four divisions – salmon, rainbow trout/steelhead, brown trout and lake trout.
The Albion Rotary Club has been running the derby for more than 30 years. To see the leaderboard, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2019 at 7:28 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Gregg Boose Sr. signs the oath of office as new member of the Albion Board of Education during the board meeting in Monday. Derek Vallese, the business administrator and district clerk for Albion Central School, administers the oath for Boose, a retired corrections officer.
Joyce Riley also was sworn in as a new board member on Monday. Boose and Riley were both appointed to board last month with their terms starting on Monday.
They fill vacancies from the recent resignations by Steve LaLonde and Marie Snyder.
Boose and Riley both narrowly lost elections to the board in May. During that election Linda Weller had the most votes with 323 followed by 290 for Sidari. They were elected to five-year terms. Boose received 284 and Riley, 221.
Riley, a former board member more than two decades ago, worked as a registered nurse and later supervised an ambulatory surgical unit in Washington, D.C., overseeing 200 employees. When she retired, she moved back to Albion in 2015.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2019 at 4:23 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A contractor is removing three houses on Liberty Street to make way for a 40-unit housing project proposed by DePaul Properties of Rochester.
DePaul last week started demolishing three unoccupied houses on Liberty Street, between the railroad tracks and Beaver Street.
The three houses are behind the Hoag Library. This photo was taken from just outside the children’s library.
DePaul is planning to have 36 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units. The one bedroom units can have up to two people and the two-bedroom apartments have room for up to four people.
DePaul will have staff on site to oversee the apartment complex, and also to take residents to appointments with a DePaul van.
DePaul is designing the project to support people with disabilities, including senior citizens and veterans. The organization will do extensive background checks for credit, criminal and sex offender history and evictions.
Provided photo: Pictured from left include: Kenny Gold, Orleans Correctional Facility; Nickie Fazio, Lori Kurek & Sue Underwood of the Genesse Cancer Assistance; and Don Molino, Albion Correctional Facility.
Press Release, NYS Corrections Officers & Police Benevolent Association
ALBION – The Albion and Orleans correctional facilities held their first charity softball game at the QWL in Albion on Friday and raised over $7,000 for the Genesee Cancer Assistance.
Over 200 people attended the game that also included Cornhole games and auctions to raise funds for GCA.
Genesee Cancer Assistance, co-founded in 1993 by Mrs. Dorothy Schlaggel & Mr. Russ Romano, is a community-based, volunteer organization through which cancer patients and their families living in Genesee County have access to financial aid, including a variety of support services. Since its founding, Genesee Cancer Assistance has been fortunate to assist thousands of individuals – hundreds each year.
The softball game and additional events raised $7, 156 in total.
“I would like to thank all the participants, volunteers, and sponsors that helped make this game a success,” said Kenny Gold, correction officer from Orleans Correctional Facility. “I am proud of our members from Albion and Orleans that stepped up, working together to help a great cause. Our members, despite their demanding jobs, believe it is important to give back to the community and support great causes like GCA. The members recognize the important role GCA plays in helping families deal with the hardships that can occur when a family member is stricken with cancer.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2019 at 12:49 pm
Provided photos
KENDALL – The 36-foot-long brick wall for the Kendall War Memorial is done, and three flag poles are up. The wall includes granite rectangles that highlight wars including the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War 1, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War and the War on Terror.
There also are concrete medallions on the wall for the five branches of military service.
The project is a joint effort by four Boy Scouts each working to become an Eagle Scout.
Ryan Barrett, Noah Rath, Jayden Pieniaszek and Brian Shaw have joined forces in the project.
Six granite rectangles highlight wars where Kendall soldiers fought for the country.
Ryan led the first phase, which is complete and includes putting in the foundation for the wall, a stone memorial and three flag poles. Two of the poles are 30 feet high and one for the American flag is 35 feet. Barrett will be the first to receive his Eagle. His Court of Honor ceremony is Aug. 19.
Jayden Pieniaszek is leading the second phase which includes construction of the brick wall, which is 36 feet long, 3 ½ feet wide and 4 feet tall.
Noah Rath is heading up phase three which includes the medallions for each five branches of military. Rath will also lead the efforts to get the electricity set up so the memorial and sidewalk can be lighted up at night.
Brian Shaw is coordinating phase four which includes final grading and planting of cedar trees behind the memorial, which will provide a buffer for the neighbors and also enhance the site. Shaw also led the work to for the plaques on the memorial for the different wars where Kendall soldiers served.
Th Scouts have sold 120 memorial bricks which will go by the edge of the walkway for the memorial. Thy would like to sell 60 more bricks, which are $100 each, said Ken Spohr, the Scoutmaster. Click here to see the Facebook page for the memorial where there is a form about ordering a brick.
Most of the project is complete, Spohr said, with lighting and landscaping to done.
“To see where it is now is truly amazing,” Spohr said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of what they’ve done.”
Spohr praised the Scouts for working on the project this summer, while all have been juggling jobs.
Brian Shaw works on the landscaping, laying beds for bricks that will line the edge of the sidewalk, so people aren’t walking on the bricks. Nick Wolf, a local scout at right, helps with the project.
