By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2019 at 2:07 pm
Officials will be at forum to discuss environmental issues, siting and construction
ALBION – Apex Clean Energy will have a community forum from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday to provide an update on its Heritage Wind project proposed for the town of Barre.
The meeting is at the Albion Middle School Auditorium, 254 East Ave. Doors open at 7 p.m.
This information session will offer a project update and presentations from experts to address topics including environmental, project design and siting, construction, decommissioning, shadow flicker and sound, Apex officials said.
Project information will be on display in the lobby prior to the start of the program, and an agenda for the forum will be provided for all in attendance. The program will be conducted by a moderator and include a panel comprising Apex staff and credentialed experts.
A Q&A session will be led by the moderator after the panel presentation. Audience members will have the opportunity to submit their questions before and during the program for the moderator to pose to panelists about the project. Questions that go unanswered due to time constraints will be answered and posted to www.heritagewindpower.com after March 28.
“We would like our panelists to be able to communicate about Heritage Wind in a professional manner to enable everyone in attendance to learn more about the project specifics,” Apex said in a news release. “Signs, banners, and disruptive behavior will not be permitted. Security will be present.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2019 at 12:17 pm
National Grid reports there are 2,977 customers in Orleans County without electricity as of 12:01 p.m. today. That is up from the 2,258 without electricity in Orleans at 5:30 this morning.
The company is working to restore numerous outages throughout the county.
National Grid has more than 3,600 workers in upstate focused on the outages. As of 12:01 p.m., the company had 38,240 customers without power in upstate.
Of those, 16,071 are in Erie County and 5,610 in Oswego. They are the only counties with more customers without electricity than the nearly 3,000 in Orleans.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2019 at 10:43 am
Facility on Densmore Street will be state-of-art after upcoming project
ALBION – A sewer plant that is four decades old soon will be tackling another significant upgrade, following a series of other improvements in recent years.
The Village of Albion in December was approved for a $600,000 state grant to install an ultraviolet disinfection system. The outcome will be to fully treat the effluent, which will kill bacteria.
“It will basically be like refined water when it is released into Sandy Creek,” said Aric Albright, the sewer plant’s chief operator. “I could hold up a glass of water and our effluent and you wouldn’t notice the difference.”
The disinfectant project will slow down how fast the water flows through the plant. The water will be slowed down with a weir and exposed to ultraviolent light.
Albion doesn’t do the ultraviolent system right now. The village will retrofit a chamber at the sewer plant, a part of the facility on Densmore Street that hasn’t been used since the 1980s.
That project follows several other significant upgrades in the past three years. The village has spent about $3.2 million to upgrade the controls, replace blowers and repair tanks and drives.
The improvements have the plant well positioned for the future to meet the village’s current needs and also if there are new sewer districts and industry. The plant currently treats about 2 million gallons a day, and that can increase to 3 million if there is a heavy rain or snow melt.
The sewer plant, known as the Village of Albion Pollution Control Facility, was built about 40 years ago. Albright said the recent improvements ensure the plant will continue as an important asset for the community.
“This is a good plant,” he said. “It will be in good shape for many years to come.”
Albright, 51, grew up in Albion. He joined the sewer plant after working 18 years for two local quarries. He started at the plant in 2001, working in maintenance. He became the chief operator in 2006.
“I was born and raised in Albion and I love the village,” he said. “I feel this is one way I can help keep the village thriving.”
Mayor Eileen Banker praises Albright for being a hard-worker who looks out for the best interests of the village.
Albright in the past five years also pushed the village to run the sewer plants for Holley and Elba, and Elba’s water plant. The agreements generate money for the village, and provide the trained personnel for the neighboring municipalities for their facilities.
Albright does the paperwork for discharge monitoring, reports that go to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Albion has a sewer employee at the Holley and Elba sites daily.
Albright said the village is fortunate to have dedicated employees at the sewer plant with Kyle Piccirilli, an operator in training; Brad Rouse, who works in maintenance; and Kevin Kelly, a part-time truck driver. (The village has a tanker that spreads some of the sewage sludge on farm fields, which provides fertilizer for local crops.)
“I would put my guys against anyone,” Albright said. “These three guys put the village first.”
Piccirrilli joined the sewer plant about a 1 ½ years ago after 8 years at St. Gobain in Albion. Piccirrilli likes the quietness of the plant and the challenges of the job.
“There’s a lot more to it than I realized,” he said.
One main goal is to create an atmosphere where bugs can thrive and eat the bacteria, a natural biologic breakdown of the sewage sludge.
Much of the upgrades at the sewer plant haven’t been visible to the general public because the upgrades have been inside the facility or the tanks behind the building.
There has been a much more visible project this winter at the plant. Nearly 4,000 solar panels are being installed.
The solar panels will generate 1.3 megawatts of electricity. It will be sold to National Grid, and is expected raise at least $80,000 a year for the village.
Contractors are expected to have the system constructed in March with it going online in May.
Russell Brilhart, an employee with Sole Contracting in Delaware, carries a solar panel on Feb. 4 that was installed by the Albion sewer plant on Densmore Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2019 at 5:50 am
Kelly Albone sent in this photo of a tree that was knocked down on North Gravel Road in Medina. Many trees toppled from the powerful winds on Sunday.
There are 2,258 National Grid customers in Orleans County without electricity this morning, as of 5:30 a.m. The outages include Kendall’s elementary and junior-tenor high schools.
The utility company has made progress restoring electricity in the county. There were about 4,500 customers without power at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday.
National Grid said it is assessing the condition of the outages in Orleans. The company has 31,914 customers without electricity in upstate, out of about 1.6 million customers.
As of 5:30 this morning, customers without electricity include 19,824 in Erie County, 4,397 in Niagara, 1,488 in Genesee, and 1,223 in Wyoming.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2019 at 5:24 am
Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina all announced school will be closed today. (The Orleans County Christian School also is closed today.)
Mark Kruzynski, the Medina school district superintendent, said he is concerned about the impact of the powerful winds on high-profile school buses.
Kendall doesn’t have power at its elementary and junior-senior high schools.
A high wind warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. today for Orleans and much of Western New York.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state will not hold it against school districts if they exceed their “snow days.”
“In the face of high winds that threaten to disrupt traffic signals and cause power outages, the Amherst Central School District has decided to close schools on Monday,” Cuomo said on Sunday night. “My administration has been in contact with the New York State Education Department and it has confirmed that the day will not be held against the school district or other districts requiring waivers due to insufficient available school days. There is no higher priority than the safety of our students, and I commend New Yorkers for their vigilance during this severe weather.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2019 at 6:30 pm
Photo by Henry Haibach: This tree fell against a house on Route 98 in Carlton
The fierce winds have knocked out power for 4,527 National Grid customers in Orleans County. That’s 23 percent of the utility’s 19,416 customers in the county.
National Grid said it is assessing the condition of outages and didn’t offer an estimated restoration time as of 6:15 p.m.
As a percentage of the National Grid customers, Orleans is currently the most affected in WNY.
Erie has 22,818 customers without power (out of 281,596); Genesee has 3,582 of 26,948 customers without power; and Niagara has 10,386 without electricity out of 82,528 customers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2019 at 6:21 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – One of the big topics at the Orleans County Courthouse this past week had nothing to do with a court case. A large bird’s nest was under construction in a corner up high on the building, above the columns and below the dome.
Some branches from the nest littered the steps during the week as a large bird was at work on the nest. I don’t have a solid identification on what type of bird is making this nest, but a deputy said it has a very large wing span.
In checking some of the damage around Albion late this afternoon, I made sure to see how the nest was holding up. I didn’t expect it would still be there at about 5:30, after several hours of lashing from the strong winds.
This side of the courthouse faces north, so the bird’s nest was spared a direct hit from the wind. I’m still impressed it has stayed intact.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2019 at 5:25 pm
Weather Service says flash freeze will make driving ‘particularly dangerous’
Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower has issued a travel advisory for Orleans County, urging extreme caution if people must drive.
The sheriff said widespread power outages are expected due to the powerful winds.
The winds will also cause flooding on the lakeshore, Bower said.
The National Weather Service warns that there will be dangerous winds and flash freeze until 8 p.m. today in Orleans County.
“This is a particularly dangerous situation,” the Weather Service said. “If you must travel be prepared for extensive damage and downed power lines. Always assume power lines are live.”
In addition the very strong winds, temperatures are dropping to below freezing.
“This will result in the rapid freezing of water on untreated roadways, leading to areas of ice that could make travel hazardous, particularly on bridges and overpasses. If you must travel, be sure to slow down and exercise caution.”
Provided photo: The wind damaged carport at Heritage Estates in Albion this afternoon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2019 at 4:03 pm
Several trees have been knocked down from the powerful winds this afternoon in Orleans County, and National Grid is reported that 408 customers are without power in the county, as of 3:45 p.m. National Grid is estimating power will be restored at 5 p.m. today.
Nearby counties have experienced wider power outages. Niagara has 6,988 without power, while 20,254 are without electricity in Erie County, and 1,018 in Genesee.
In Orleans County, trees have come down in Medina on State Street (landing on a house), on Church Street and on Prospect Avenue.
Trees have also come down in Holley on West Albion Street and in Carlton on Oak Orchard Road.
The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the Niagara County Office of Emergency Management have issued a travel advisory for all of Niagara County, effective immediately until further notice. The National Weather Service is forecasting continued high winds throughout this afternoon and into Monday.
A travel advisory is a strong suggestion but not a ban on travel. Drivers are encouraged to avoid all unnecessary travel due to numerous power poles, power lines and trees down in roadways across the County.
Niagara County officials are asking residents to use caution if they must travel over the next 24-48 hours as roadways may be blocked or obstructed with debris. Residents should also be ready to withstand power outages due to the wind damage.
The Sheriff’s Office has prepared the county 9-1-1 center for significant increases in calls for service and the Office of Emergency Management is closely monitoring the events and remains in constant contact with State and County officials in full preparation for this weather event.
HOLLEY – These members of the Holley Interact Club at the school helped the Holley Rotary Club serve 225 spaghetti dinners on Saturday evening at the VFW.
The proceeds each year are used to support local families in need because of illness, death or disaster. The club gave $1,000 each to two families. One was to help with immediate expenses when a husband/father died suddenly. The other was to a local family with a child fighting cancer.
The VFW was a busy place for the dinner. There were 14 members of the Interact Club helping the Rotary Club with the event. The Interact Club also receives a small percentage of the proceeds.
Holley Rotary Club member Jeff Martin works in the kitchen, ready to serve spaghetti.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2019 at 2:17 pm
The high winds have arrived and have already knocked out power for thousands in Western New York. In Orleans County, as of 2 p.m., there are no reported outages.
However, National Grid reports that 2,898 customers are without power in Erie County, 898 in Niagara County and 477 in Genesee.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo says the strongest winds expected between 3 and 6 p.m. in Western New York.
Sharon Gavenda sent in this photo of the storm clouds over Lake Ontario. She took the photo while out on a morning jog in Carlton with her husband, John.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2019 at 1:59 pm
ALBION – A meeting at 2 pm. today featuring Colleen Babcock of Horizon Health Services has been cancelled due to the strong winds. Babcock was the featured speaker in a presentation, “Want to do something about overdoses?”
The event was organized by Orleans – Recovery Hope Begins Here. The presentation was planned for the Arnold Gregory Memorial Complex, 243 South Main St., where Orleans – Recovery has an office.
The presentation has been rescheduled for March 17.
