By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2019 at 12:18 pm
LYNDONVILLE – Medina and Lyndonville school officials will discuss shared programs and take questions from students and community members about the programs this evening during an open house at Lyndonville Central School.
The event begins at 6 p.m. and provides an opportunity for students and parents to meet coaches, athletics directors and school leaders from both districts.
The two districts starting sharing some programs six years ago, first with boys varsity soccer.
That has expanded to eight shared programs. Lyndonville hosts the boys volleyball, girls varsity soccer and the musical program.
Medina hosts a merged boys varsity soccer, varsity football, cross country, the marching band and swimming.
Both school districts in February approved new four-year agreements for the shared programs.
BATAVIA – The 13thannual David Millis Golf Tournament had 148 golfers on June 2, 50 additional dinner guests and raised $14,500. That brings the total to $164,500 over 13 years. The event was held at the Batavia Country Club.
The money was again donated to the Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund, which is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to assisting local families with their fight against cancer. The money is used to assist with prescriptions, medical insurance, nutritional supplements, hospital beds and many other needs.
The winning team, from left, includes Greg Weber, Ryan Dombrowski, Doug Dombrowski and Trevor Leach.
Greg Weber, Ryan Dombrowski, Doug Dombrowski and Trevor Leach won this year’s men’s tournament shooting 13 under par. Nino Carlino, Mike Fralick, Alexandra Novak and Tim Christopher won the co-ed/women’s tournament shooting 7 under par.
Golfers and dinner guests had a chance to find purple golf balls hidden throughout the golf course and banquet hall to help raise pancreatic cancer awareness, which Dave passed away from in 2006.
Anyone who found a golf ball throughout the day won a prize. More than 90 raffle prizes were given away during dinner.
Photo courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES: Graduates from the Orleans Learning Center are Carlito Sunday, Byron Gow, Bryan Palmer, Christine Cogar and Melanie Sweeney with their teacher Susie Zafrano.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
The Orleans/Niagara BOCES Life Skills program graduated 19 students at the Historic Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda. Graduates were Christine Cogar, Justine DeFranco, Byron Gow, Michael O’Shea, Bryan Palmer, Adam Rougeux, Carlito Sunday, Melanie Sweeney, Brooke Tesch, Mitchell Warnick and Andrew Wittlowski.
Administrators, teachers, staff members, family and friends celebrated with the graduates as they were handed their diplomas by the home district representatives.
The bell choirs from the Orleans Learning Center and North Tonawanda Learning Center performed for guests and then a party was held afterwards at the Gratwick Hose Fire Company #6.
Orleans/Niagara BOCES would like to thank all the parents, guardians and school districts for their continued support of the Life Skills program and to the Rivieria Theatre and Gratwick Hose Fire Company for letting them use their space for the students’ special day.
ALBANY – Coinciding with the 244th anniversary of the United State Army, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) had the privilege of unanimously passing an Assembly Resolution Thursday in Albany honoring Albion resident and United States Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia for receiving the Medal of Honor. The medal will be presented to him by President Trump on June 25 at the White House.
Staff Sgt. Bellavia will become the first living Iraq War veteran to receive the Medal of Honor after bravely rescuing his entire squad who had become trapped during the Battle of Fallujah. He then proceeded to engage the enemy, killing four and wounding a fifth, which ultimately led to the safety of three squads of the Third Platoon.
“Staff Sgt. David Bellavia is a true example of the American courage, bravery and heroics that have forged our great nation and he is beyond deserving of this tremendous honor,” Hawley said. “His willingness to put the lives and protection of others above himself during the Iraq War’s most intense battle is a priceless act of selflessness to which we should all emulate and, for that, he is an American hero. I am honored to recognize Staff Sgt. Bellavia for his service to our nation and thank him for his sacrifices in protecting our country and its citizens.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2019 at 8:36 am
More than 100 people are part of coalition which cites progress in declining teen drug and alcohol use
Photos by Tom Rivers: Pat Crowley, left, is director of the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition. She is joined by Dr. Dan Webb, co-owner of Catalyst Research in Depew, which does surveys of teen substance abuse for Orleans United.
KNOWLESVILLE – A federal grant that has funded a program to help prevent youth substance abuse in Orleans County expires on Sept. 30.
But that shouldn’t be the end of the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition. The coalition is expected to continue but leaders of the organization aren’t sure yet in what form.
The DFC grant funded the coalition’s efforts for 10 years, with the group securing funds in two 5-year cycles.
More than 100 people from agencies, school districts, law enforcement, churches and other community groups have been part of the coalition since it formed more than a decade ago.
Pat Crowley, director of Orleans United, said that valuable collaboration should continue. Some of the staff resources will be picked up by the prevention program at Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
Other coalition partners will be asked to continue programs, such as the free roller-skating at the YMCA over Christmas and spring vacation. The Medina Area Association of Churches has helped with that program.
The coalition met earlier this month to reflect on a decade of progress in reducing teen use of tobacco products, drugs and alcohol.
The grant funded staff, prevention programs, surveys of students on their drug activities and attitudes, and supported other coalition activities.
Pat Crowley, right, recognizes GCASA prevention educators – Diana Fulcomer, left, and Sherri Bensley – for their work in helping to reduce teen substance abuse.
Every two years the coalition has surveyed about 1,500 students in Orleans County. There will be another survey this fall of teens at Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina school districts. That survey will be paid for by the DFC grant.
The coalition has data on alcohol and tobacco use among students in grades 7 through 12 over 12 years. The surveys show a big drop in substance abuse, although students’ perceptions about risk are down, especially with marijuana use.
Some highlights form the survey in 2017 include:
• Alcohol use among students dropped from 28.1 percent in 2005 to 17.5 in 2017, a 37.8 percent decrease. (The survey asked if teens had used alcohol in the previous 30 days.)
• Tobacco use with cigarettes went down from 13.6 percent of students in 2005 to 5.4 percent in 2017, a 60.3 percent drop.
• Students since 2015 have also been asked about e-cigarettes. Orleans United added e-cigarettes after vape shops appeared in many communities selling flavors of products like they are selling candy. In 2015, 14.7 percent of students said they used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days. The survey in 2017 showed 14.0 percent of students used an e-cigarette recently.
• Marijuana use was at 10.4 percent in 2017, which is down from 12.1 percent in 2005. The rate hasn’t changed much in Orleans in the 12 years. Webb said the national rate is 14.5 percent, and other communities have seen a big increase in marijuana use among students.
• Orleans United started asking students about non-prescribed medications in 2013 and 2.7 percent said then they had taken non-prescribed prescriptions in the previous 30 days. That percent increased to 3.4 percent in 2015, and then dropped to 1.7 percent with the latest survey.
The coalition used DFC funds for billboards and other advertisements to warn about the dangers of substance abuse. Crowley said there won’t be funds for the large signs in the future.
She thanked the many coalition partners for their commitment to reducing substance abuse in the community. She said the coalition started with 10 active members and grew to 131.
The coalition’s cross section from the community and multi-year commitment is unusual, said Dr. Dan Webb, co-owner of Catalyst Research in Depew. His firm has done surveys every two years of local teens and their substance abuse. He credited Crowley for building a strong community network, and for securing the funds for the programs for over a decade.
“It’s not easy managing grants,” Webb said on June during a coalition meeting at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. “Pat has kept the money flowing for the county for 10 years.”
Pat Crowley recognizes DFC Coalition supporters including from left: Tom Robinson, Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson, Paul Fulcomer, Jan Albanese of ACT – Helping Youth ACT Responsibly, and Sue Metzo, of the Medina Area Association of Churches.
The coalition is working on the upcoming National Night Out at Bullard Park in Albion. Many local agencies and law enforcement departments will meet the public and run activities from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 6. About 1,000 people attended the event last year.
Crowley also said the coalition recently completed project Sticker Shock, where stickers were put on alcohol containers, warning stores not to sell the beverages to people under age 21.
The coalition also has been part of the National Prescription Take-Back Event, where 7,708 pounds of unused prescription medications have been dropped off in Orleans County since 2012.
Scott Wilson, superintendent of the Orleans County Jail, helps run the drug take-back program, which includes drop-off sites at the Orleans County Public Safety Building and the Holley and Medina fire departments.
The take-back event on April 27 yielded over 676 pounds of unused medication and sharps. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will continue to support future collection events with the purpose of safely disposing unused medications and to reduce the potential for criminal diversion.
The Drug Free Communities Coalition provides advertising and volunteers at each collection site.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 June 2019 at 9:29 pm
KENDALL – There is a new organization for graduates of Kendall Central School. The Kendall Alumni Association will hold a launch celebration and reunion party on June 22.
That happens to be the finale of the Kendall Fire Department Carnival, an annual event that brings many alumni to town.
The Alumni Association welcomes graduates to walk with a float for the parade at 7 p.m. on June 20. Kendall graduates can wear their varsity jackets or other Kendall clothing while they ride in a wagon or walk in the parade.
The Alumni Association plans to hold the annual reunion celebration during the carnival weekend. This year the carnival is earlier than usual so Kendall could accommodate the schedule for the amusement ride provider.
Kendall graduates are welcome to attend reunion events on June 22, beginning at 10 a.m. with coffee and donuts served to the classes of 1939, 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014.
There will be alumni softball and volleyball games. An alumni band also will play at 11:30 a.m.
The events are at the Kendall Junior-Senior High School, 16887 Roosevelt Hwy.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 June 2019 at 9:21 am
Jessica Schleede, 18, has been racing since she was 13
Jessica Schleede has her helmet on and is ready to race at the Batavia track.
BATAVIA – The mud is flying at the noisy track. When cars hit the turns, an avalanche of dirt is sent into the corner.
Jessica Schleede keeps her cool. She doesn’t panic at Genesee Speedway, racing adults in the Mini Stock Division.
Jessica, 18, has been racing at the dirt track in Batavia since she was 13. She raced in the youth division for three years before moving up to the adult Mini Stock division last year.
In 2018, she finished 10th in points among 40 other drivers.
She spends two to three nights a week working on her car, a Honda Prelude, with her father, Scott Schleede. He raced motorcycles for 35 years.
“This isn’t about NASCAR,” Scott said. “This is about making memories. This is a fun thing for us to do together.”
He said his daughter has taken to the sport and has the right temperament to excel on the track.
She first raced a Nissan Sentra, competing in the youth division. After the engine blew up in the Sentra, Jessica switched to a Honda Civic and raced that car for three years. This year is her first with a Honda Prelude. That car has a wider wheel base and stronger suspension.
Jessica is the class salutatorian at Albion for the Class of 2019. She is headed to St. Bonaventure in the fall with a dual major of elementary and special education. She plans to keep racing in the future.
Jessica Schleede is pictured with her parents, Scott and Tina, before the races at Genesee Speedway in Batavia on June 1. Jessica has been racing there since she was 13. Her father raced motorcycles for more than 35 years.
Before she races, Jessica checks to makes sure the lug nuts are on tight. She also checks the air pressure in all the tires. They should be 15 to 20 pounds. The tires should be softer so they have better traction. If there is too much pressure, the car has a better chance of sliding off the track on the tight turns. In Jessica’s first week of racing this week, she slid off the track.
“You want to run as soft as you can without them coming off the rim,” Jessica said. “If too much air, the tires don’t stick on the track as well.”
The Schleedes bring an air compressor with them, and a big box of tools. However, they can’t make any major repairs if there is a problem at the track. On June 1, they changed a tire in between the qualifier and the final because the car wasn’t handling well.
Scott Schleede checks to make sure the lug nuts are on tight. His daughter already went through with a wrench.
“I did it once already,” Jessica said. “He is double-checking. He gets a little nervous.”
Schleede said the pre-race and race can be tough on his nerves, but he is confident in Jessica.
“She has a level head,” he said. “She respects the equipment.”
Jessica is strapped in tight with a 6-point harness seat belt, which has head and neck restraints.
She also has a radio taped to her ear. That way she can hear the race director in the top booth who lets the drivers know if there is a yellow flag and drivers should slow down. During the race, the drivers are focused on what’s in front of them and might not realize if there has been an accident.
Jessica learned to drive a four-speed stick shift when she was 13 and started racing at Genesee Speedway.
Jessica stands for the national anthem with her boyfriend, Zach Petry of Medina. Zach, 20, works for Lyons Collision, doing body work and paint. He helps Jessica and Scott keep the car in racing condition.
Jessica Schleede, left, gets in position for the 8-lap qualifier. Zach Petry offers some last-second encouragement.
After the 8-lap qualifier, the top 25 cars advance to final race with 20 laps. The qualifier also determines the position of the cars for the bigger “feature” race.
Jessica Schleede races her Honda Prelude with other cars in the Mini Stock Division. Her car says, “Lil Bit,” which is her nickname from her grandfather. The track is 1/3-mile. Jessica competes in the Mini Stock Division with 20-25 cars on most Saturdays. Last year she came in 10th overall among 40 racers in the division.
Jessica didn’t like how the car was handling in the qualifier, so she is changing one of the tires.
Eric Weis helps change the tire. Jessica said she likes the camaraderie at the track and the friendly competition among the racers.
Jessica measures to see if the tires are perfectly upright. She also measured the back of the tires. She decided to change the tire after the qualifier.
Jessica became interested in cars when she helped her father restore a 1972 Ford pickup. She and her father spend 2-3 nights a week working on the race car, making frame repairs, checking the engine and other tasks.
She has had blown engines in races, and times when the wheels were hanging off. Scott doesn’t want to see the car towed off the track. He says with pride that Jessica has never been towed in a race. She always can get the car off the track and to the trailer.
“She is determined to do her best,” he said. “We fix the car and go back.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 15 June 2019 at 9:53 pm
Bruce Kirby will discuss his gardens, Bonsai during the event
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Bruce Kirby puts birdseed into birdhouses made from a white birch limb, which hang from a tree in his yard. Kirby will welcome visitors to his gardens during a Summer Solstice Soiree on Wednesday to benefit the Cobblestone Society.
GAINES – Bruce Kirby may have retired from a lifelong career in farming, but he has still found a way to keep his hands in the dirt.
Kirby, 69, grew up on the Densmore Road, where four generations of his family have farmed, and where he lives with his wife Edna Kriner-Kirby, whom he married in 1998.
It’s not surprising he should transfer his love of making things grow from fruit trees to flowers and shrubs, a love he and Edna share. Edna jokes she had to marry Bruce because he had a backhoe and could move her grandmother’s plants. He also loves to cook. His extensive gardens were developed piece by piece, he said.
When Shirley Bright-Neeper, a friend and member of the Cobblestone Society, asked the Kirbys if they would be willing to open their gardens for a Summer Solstice Soiree to benefit the Cobblestone Society, they were thrilled.
This Wednesday will be the third annual Summer Solstice Soiree and will have a focus on music, as well as art. The Renaissance Musicians, an Irish group from Hamburg, will entertain at 5 p.m. Local artists will include Tom Zangerle of Medina, who will be painting in the garden. Bruce’s cousin’s daughter, muralist Stacy Kirby, will also be on hand.
The Kirbys’ extensive Bonsai collection and interest in fairy gardens provided an added focus for the event, and led to a collaboration with fairy garden designer Betsy Marshall of Rochester. Marshall has created a special fairy garden out of cobblestones, which is on display in Bruce’s garden. She has also given the Cobblestone Society a collection of teacup fairy gardens which will be on display at the Soiree, and one visitor will get to take one home. Doreen Roth-Wilson, co-founder of Albion’s Strawberry Festival, is the fairy garden coordinator for the event.
These lupines line the driveway of Bruce Kirby’s home on Densmore Road.
Bruce became interested in Bonsai after attending the Lilac Festival in Rochester in 1990, where the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York had a show.
“They are the most active Bonsai group in the country, and I became fascinated,” Bruce said. “Now that I’m retired, I have more time to do these things.”
Bruce will give a talk on the art of Bonsai during the Summer Solstice Soiree.
Bruce Kirby of Albion checks the blooms on a giant weigela in his garden. A birdhouse peeks up through the leaves.
Bruce walks through the shaded paths of his gardens, and he knows every bloom, shrub and tree and when it was planted. His favorite spot and the one of which he is proudest is what he calls “Wisteria Alley.” He points out a weeping flowering peach, which amazed him when the pits from the peaches which fell on the ground re-seeded themselves. A tamarisk tree and curly willow tower over the end of his house.
Many of the blooms in his garden were not purchased, but just split from plants he already had, like the hostas. A row of black alders was moved from another farm and transplanted to make a border between the farm orchard and his gardens.
He was sad to see a 100-year-old black walnut in his yard looked like it has finally died. There is one sucker on it, which he is hoping will take hold and grow.
The peonies in his garden were started by his grandmother, he said.
Bruce has started putting a lot of his flowers in pots, which he displays on the steps of his porch and throughout his gardens.
Wine and light refreshments will be served. The Soiree begins at 4 p.m., rain or shine, Bright-Neeper said.
Tickets are available at Kirby’s Farm Market in Brockport, Rusty Relics in Holley, the Book Shoppe in Medina and the Cobblestone Museum in Albion.
3 raccoons and 1 horse have tested positive for rabies in Orleans County so far this year
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
Summertime is right around the corner. The anticipation of vacations, warm long days, and relaxation are just ahead. As we prepare to spend more time outside, Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of Genesee and Orleans counties, would like to share a message with the community.
“This is a good time to remind folks about the dangers of rabies and how to prevent humans and domestic pets from contracting this deadly disease,” Pettit said. “When spending time outdoors this summer, it is important not to feed, touch or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or cats. Rabies is almost always fatal but the good news is that it’s 100 percent preventable.”
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The virus is usually transmitted through a bite or scratch of an infected animal. Rabies is most often seen among wild animals such as raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes, but any mammal (human/ warm-blooded animal) can be infected with rabies. Pets and livestock can also get rabies if they are not vaccinated to protect them against the infection.
In Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties, there have been 37 animal specimens tested for rabies thus far in 2019. Of the 37 animals, 3 raccoons and 1 horse tested positive for rabies in Orleans County and 3 raccoons tested positive for rabies in Wyoming County. No animals have tested positive for the virus in Genesee County.
Although you cannot tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it, you may notice the animal acting strange. Sarah Balduf, Environmental Health Director of Genesee and Orleans Counties, shares what the common signs of rabies appear to be in animals.
“Animals with rabies may show a variety of signs, including fearful- ness, aggression, affection, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, paralysis and seizures,” she said. “Animals with rabies may lose their natural fear of humans, and display unusual behavior – for example, an animal that is usually only seen at night may be seen wandering in the daytime.”
There is no treatment once the clinical signs of rabies appear. Infected animals usually die within one week after showing signs of rabies. Rabies infection of an animal can only be confirmed after death, through microscopic examination of the animal’s brain.
In humans, rabies may take up to three months to fully develop. The virus presents itself as flu-like symptoms such as a fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and tiredness. Tingling, prickling, or itching around the bite area is also common. After a few days, neurological (brain/ nerve) symptoms develop including agitation, anxiety, confusion, hyperactivity, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, hydrophobia (fear of water), hallucinations, insomnia and partial paralysis.
If you are bitten, scratched or have contact with an animal you believe to be rabid, immediately wash the wound, seek medical attention and report the incident to your local county health department. A doctor or health department officials will determine if vaccination with rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (RPEP) is necessary. A person who is exposed and has never been vaccinated against rabies should get 4 doses of rabies vaccine; one dose right away, and additional doses on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days. People who have weakened immune systems may require a fifth dose of vaccine, as determined by their doctor.
Once symptoms of the disease develop, rabies is fatal. There is no cure, only prevention. Review these tips on how to keep you, your family, and your pets safe from rabies:
• Do not feed, touch or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or cats. This includes baby animals.
• Be sure your pet dogs, cats and ferrets as well as horses and valuable livestock animals are up-to- date on their rabies vaccinations. Vaccination protects pets if they are exposed to rabid animals. Pets too young (less than 3 months) to be vaccinated should be kept indoors and allowed outside only under direct observation. • Keep family pets indoors at night. Don’t leave them outside unattended or let them roam free.
• Don’t attract wild animals to your home or yard. Keep your property free of stored bird seed or other foods that may attract wild animals and tightly cap or put away garbage cans.
• Board up any openings to your attic, basement, porch or garage. Cap your chimney with screens.
• Be aware that bats have small, sharp teeth and in certain situations people can be bitten and not know it. Do not release a bat when found in a room with a person or pet sleeping or unable to speak. If you are able to safely capture the bat, bring it to your county health department where it will be transferred to the state for rabies testing. Click here to watch a video on how to safely capture a bat.
• Teach children not to touch any animal they do not know and to tell an adult immediately if they are scratched or bitten by any animal.
• If a wild animal is on your property, let it wander away. Bring children and pets indoors and alert neighbors who are outside. If possible, try to contain the wild animal.
• Anyone who has been bitten by any animal or who otherwise may have been exposed to rabies, needs to Capture and Call. If you can do so safely, being careful to not damage the head/brain, cap ture the animal and call your local health department or a doctor to report the incident. Capturing the animal is vital in order for it to be tested for rabies.
To protect your pets from rabies, please visit one of our upcoming anti-rabies clinics:
Genesee County: Thursday, August 15: Genesee County Fair Grounds, 5031 East Main Rd., Batavia, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Orleans County: Saturday, August 24: Town of Shelby Highway Building, 4062 Salt Works Rd., Medina, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Press Release, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County
KENDALL – Members of the Kendall Elementary-based 4-H Club and Kendall Elementary students joined forces last week to plant a school orchard.
The project was a joint effort between the school and the 4-H Club, which meets regularly during the school year, as a community service project.
“We proposed to idea to Sharon Smith, Kendall Elementary Principal, last year and she enthusiastically supported the project,” said Kristina Gabalski, Orleans County 4-H Program Coordinator. “School orchards provide educational and nutritional benefits to students by providing a place to learn about nature, grow plants and produce food. The orchard at Kendall Elementary will be a living classroom and a laboratory without walls where students can study everything from botany to art, as well as relax and be refreshed by its beauty.”
Principal Sharon Smith works with Kendall Elementary students to plant a tree in the new orchard.
The Kendall Elementary School orchard is located just outside the south wing of the school where it will be easy for students to access as well as care for the planting.
“The spot will also provide some protection from wind and receive lots of sun all year,” Gabalski said.
The orchard includes six trees: two Enterprise apples (a new disease-resistant variety); two Northern Spy apples (a heritage variety); one Blake’s Pride pear; and one Stanley plum.
The trees were donated by Sara’s Garden Center in Brockport, which has also enthusiastically supported the project. Additionally, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension received a $500 grant from Gro More Grassroots Grants presented by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening. Grant funds were used to purchase garden tools, mulch and additional supplies for the orchard.
Sharon Smith said she foresees the orchard having a prominent place in the Kendall community for years to come.
“The more children we involve in this, and the more families in the community who become involved in this, will mean that this orchard is valued and protected for many decades,” she said. “Students will take these skills and this love back home and apply it in their own gardens with their own families, and eventually with their own children as adults.”
Gabalski would also like to acknowledge the support and help of Dan Brundage, Kendall Elementary Buildings and Grounds Manager, and his staff for their guidance and enthusiasm in making the orchard a reality.
“We have an amazing relationship between Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H, and Kendall Elementary,” she said. “It is so exciting to be able to work together on projects like this that enhance the quality of life in our community.”
Members of the Kendall Elementary 4-H Club place trees before they were planted on June 7.
Kendall Elementary students are framed by foliage from one of the fruit trees while they work on planting another.
Students dug holes, planted trees and watered and mulched the new transplants.
The newly planted Kendall Elementary School Orchard with the school in the background.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 June 2019 at 12:04 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Jessy Cruz hugs Barbara Parker, the mother of the late Brandon Parker, who was 9 when he passed away on Feb. 23, 2011.
Jessy was awarded the Brandon Parker Memorial Scholarship during Class Night on Friday, when about $100,000 were presented to the Class of 2019.
Brandon was a member of the class. He also was a big wrestling fan. His family created the scholarship for a senior involved in the wrestling program.
Avalina Hand, the valedictorian of the Class of 2019, accepts the Jake Patterson Memorial Award, which goes to the top-ranked student in the class. Assistant High School Principal Katharine Waite presents the scholarship to Avalina.
Jay and Kelly Kovaleski, both teachers at Albion, presented two scholarships in memory of their son, Nicholas, who passed away in 2011 from leukemia. The Nicholas Kovaleski Memorial Scholarship goes to two seniors who demonstrate excellent character and citizenship. Tess Pettit accepts the award from Kelly Kovaleski and Bryce Pritchard accepts his from Jay Kovaleski.
This year’s class night included five new scholarships. The Albion Alumni Foundation manages $88,000 of the awards.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) and Congressman Peter King (NY-2) reintroduced the Renovate and Enhance Veterans’ Meeting Halls and Posts (REVAMP) Act. This legislation will grant organizations access to federal funding for maintenance and improvements to veteran halls and posts.
“American Legions and VFW Posts provide a place where veterans can come together to share their stories, get help with VA claims, and get involved in the community,” said Congressman Collins. “I would like to thank Congressman Peter King for once again joining me in introducing this vital legislation that ensures our veterans have the resources they need to maintain and improve their facilities.”
“Veterans organizations like the VFW and American Legion continually provide and open their facilities to our communities,” said Congressman King. “It is only fair that we provide them with the opportunity to upgrade and repair these facilities to ensure continued use.”
The REVAMP Act allows organizations who are classified by the IRS as 501(c)(19) non-profit organizations and comprised primarily of past or present members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their family members to be eligible for funding through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). This legislation uses existing CDBG funding to make veteran organizations eligible for that particular funding and does not add to the deficit
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 15 June 2019 at 9:15 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf
MEDINA – Parents, Scouts and veterans stand at attention as they prepare for their annual flag-retirement ceremony on Flag Day at the Scout camp on School No. 10 Road.
Demonstrating the proper way to dispose of the American flag has been a tradition on Flag Day for Cub and Boy Scouts in Medina for nearly a decade.
Steve Johnson from the American Legion, left, watches a Scout place flags in the fire during a flag retiring ceremony Friday night at the Scout camp on School No 10 Road.
Dozens of Scouts, their parents and members of the American Legion and VFW in Medina gathered at the Scout camp on School No. 10 Road Friday night to burn piles of worn and torn flags.
As Scouts unfolded one flag and demonstrated how the stripes were separated from the blue field of stars, they were reminded this was not a “flag burning,” but a “flag retirement.”
Piles of flags lay on the ground waiting to be properly disposed of Friday night by Scouts in Troop 28 and 35, and Pack 28 and 35 at their Scout camp on School No. 10 Road in Medina. Also participating were members of the American Legion and VFW. Talking in back are Gary Blackburn of Ridgeway and Dave Kusmierczak of Medina, a member of the American Legion and VFW.
This giant flag supplied by Veterans Services Agency Director Earl Schmidt was among the dozens of flags burned in a flag-retirement ceremony Friday night by Scouts and veterans in Medina.
Scouts separate the stripes on an American flag to demonstrate the proper way to dispose of it at a flag retiring ceremony Friday night.
Three of the Scouts who read the meaning of each part of the flag were Tyler Miller, Cade Miller and Jon Thomas. They explained the red stripe signifies the blood shed for our freedom; the white stands for the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons; and the blue field is for truth and justice, like the stars that fell from heaven. The stars also represent the 50 sovereign states of our union.
Dave Kusmierczak, a member of the American Legion and VFW, said he has been coming to this ceremony on Flag Day for at least eight years. He said they also retire flags at the Conservation Club on Memorial Day weekend.
Flags which have become too worn to use can be dropped off all year at the VFW on East Center Street, the American Legion on North Main Street, Ace Hardware on East Center Street or the Veterans’ Service Agency office on Route 31 in Albion.
Alicia Vanderwalker, chaplain for Troop 28 and Cubmaster of Pack 28, helps a Scout deposit a flag in the fire.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 15 June 2019 at 8:07 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 5, No. 23
Piroska (Barbara) Brown and her husband, Benoe (Benjamin) Brown, hold trinkets smuggled into the United States after the couple fled Hungary in 1949. Mrs. Brown intended to send this miniature piano to President Truman.
CARLTON – This photograph appeared in the November 22, 1956, issue of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle under the headline “U.S. Truly Land of Opportunity, Say Ex-Hungarians Now Citizens.”
The couple, in their early 50s, are holdings trinkets brought to the United States after their escape from the People’s Republic of Hungary. Standing on the right is Benjamin Baruch Brown, born March 12, 1903, at Fehergyarmat, Hungary as Benoe Braun. On the left is his wife, Barbara Brown, born April 9, 1904, at Fehergyarmat, Hungary; her given name at birth was Piroska. The couple wed on November 13, 1948 shortly before their departure from Hungary.
Benjamin Brown was known locally for his 430-acre farm located on Roosevelt Highway in Carlton, about 2.5 miles west of Two Bridges. Brown purchased the initial acreage from Ed Archbald, a property known locally as the Miller Farm, and later added acreage from the Lyell Kenyon Farm and the Myron Grehlinger Farm. He used half of the acreage for cherry and apple orchards while tomatoes, cabbage, and cucumbers occupied the remaining land.
In Hungary, Brown grew apples exclusively on a 96-acre farm known as Nagymezo, or “Big Meadow” in English. He later told a Democrat & Chronicle reporter, “[Communists] took everything, equipment, supplies, land, you had to just walk off and leave everything. And they didn’t pay you a penny for it, either. If the owner didn’t just disappear during the transaction he was just lucky.” An employee and active member of the local Communist Party informed Brown that the Hungarian government planned to send him to Russia to study collective farming. Upon completion, Brown was to return to Hungary and supervise a government farming program.
Benjamin and Barbara immediately fled their home on July 30, 1949, just days before the Communists assumed full control of Hungary. The Browns relied upon friends and the kindness of strangers to smuggle them out of Budapest, through Czechoslovakia, and into the U.S. controlled zone in Austria. Once in Austria, the couple travelled to the United States, arriving at the Port of New York on January 13, 1950. In total, they paid three smugglers $1,300 for the journey and shipped heirlooms and other personal belongings (including those in the photograph) to the U.S. by way of Americans and soldiers.
The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reported, “The Browns are mighty proud of their new country, and they said they wish they could tell the American people how much they appreciate a country where they could be received as they have, be given the opportunities provided them, and to effect the rehabilitation that they have experienced during the last six years. They initiated steps towards citizenship soon after their arrival and now are full-fledged naturalized citizens of the United States.”
The article featuring the Browns appeared in the Democrat & Chronicle in the weeks following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Soviet military forces entered Budapest on November 4, 1956, to suppress a massive revolt against the Communist government, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,500 Hungarians.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 14 June 2019 at 6:01 pm
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Brian Fry slides into third after banging out a game opening triple during the Mustangs state semifinal loss to Schuylerville this afternoon at Broome Commnity College. The Schuylerville third baseman is Nate Preston.
Outscored 6-2 over the last four innings, Medina dropped a 6-3 decision to Schuylerville in the semifinals of the state Class B baseball playoffs this afternoon at Broome Community College near Binghamton.
Medina did get off to a lightning quick start with a run in the top of the first inning as Brian Fry ledoff with a triple and Nate Sherman followed up with an RBI single.
The Mustangs made it 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning as Sherman doubled and came home on a sacrifice fly by AJ Seefeldt.
Nate Sherman bangs out an RBI angle in the first inning to give Medina a quick lead.
However, the Mustangs got only two more hits and just one more run the rest of the way.
Schuylerville rallied into a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning on a wild pitch and a fielders choice play as a hit batter and a single set up the opportunity.
The Black Horses then grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a burst of three straight singles by Ryan Yandow, Colton Weatherwax and Nate Preston.
Medina though quickly battled back to retie the contest at 3-3 in the top of the sixth. Fry leadoff the inning with a double and two outs later Seefeldt reached on a single. Fry and Seefeldt then perfectly executed a double steal play with Fry scoring the equalizer.
The deadlock though did not last out the inning as Schuylerville quicky regained the lead for good at 6-3 on a huge two out, bases loaded double by Weatherwax in the home half of the frame. A walk, a single and an intentional walk loaded the bases setting up the threat.
Schuylerville pitcher Matt McCarthy then quickly closed out the victory by striking out the side in the top of the seventh. He finished with a total of 10 strikeouts, 5 hits and 2 walks.
“Our kids battled back to tie it up on a real nice double steal play but they had one more hit that we did,” said Medina Coach Jon Sherman. “They made the adjustment at the plate and got the big hit when they needed it.”
Defensively both teams turned big double plays in the first inning. First Schuylerville turned it from Brady Eugair to Christian Petralia to Alex Valee then Medina turned one from Seefeldt to Zach Fike.
In making just their second ever appearance in the state semifinals, the Mustangs finish the season with a school record mark of 21-3.
Medina’s Brian Fry slides into home in the sixth inning on a double steal to tie the game at 3-3. The Black Horses catcher is Paul Harshbarger.
Medina’s Zach Fike completes a double play as Schuylerville’s Paul Harshbarger dives back to the bag.
