HOLLEY – Holley’s Nights of Lights was Saturday and was bigger than in recent years. There were about 15 floats and fire trucks lighted up in a parade down Route 31 through the Public Square.
The top photo shows the first place winner, the First Responders Group through Holley Central School.
The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Company brought a ladder truck with a Minion on top.
Orleans County Sheriff Randy Bower and his confidential secretary, Clara Martin, added some holiday cheer to the parade.
The Holley DPW gave Frosty the Snowman a lift in the parade.
The Flow family and friends had a float with a message of “Peace on Earth.”
The Head Start program through Community Action of Orleans & Genesee joined the procession through the Public Square.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office gives a friendly snowman a ride in the parade.
The Hamlin Fire District decorated a truck for the event.
Santa rode in the bucket truck for the Holley Electric Department.
HOLLEY – The Village of Holley held a tree-lighting celebration this evening in the Public Square and for the second straight year lighted a blue tree in honor of first responders.
The tree was donated by Erie Way Tree Farm in memory of Ed Bower.
Mayor Brian Sorochty served as master of ceremonies for the tree lighting. Sorochty read a long list of names for the Memory Bulb ceremony. The tradition began in 1982 with community members purchasing “memory bulbs” in honor of deceased loved ones. All names are read before the tree is lit.
The mayor urged the community to thank the firefighters, police officers and other first responders for their sacrifice and service.
Holley also recognized its “Citizen of the Year.” That honor was started last year. This time the village accepted nominations from the community. There were 15 suggestions from residents. The Myron Holley Garden Club was picked for the award. Sue Persia, the club president, accepts the award from Mayor Sorochty.
The mayor said the club is in its 20th year and has been very active beautifying the Public Square with plants and flowers. The Garden Club last year also was instrumental in helping to start a community garden at a park on the east side of the village.
Community members have an opportunity to rent raised beds in the garden, and also tap into the knowledge of the Garden Club in growing plants, vegetables and flowers.
The mayor praised the group for bringing a passion to improving Holley.
Some of the Myron Holley Garden Club members include from left: Debbie Smith, Dee Langfitt, Diane Patterson, President Susan Persia, Joyce Potote and Greg Lawrence.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 1 December 2018 at 9:03 pm
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 47
CARLTON – While digging through a box of negatives, I discovered this image of the Oak Orchard River and Marsh Creek from the 1920s. Absent from the photograph is the Route 18 bridge that crosses over the Oak Orchard, so at this point in time the little hamlet pictured here was known as “Two Bridges.” Thinking about the origin of names, a letter within the Department of History’s files provides some insight into the source of the Oak Orchard name.
The letter, addressed to Samuel C. Bowen of Medina, is from Arthur C. Parker, the Secretary Treasurer of the Society of American Indians (and grand-nephew of Gen. Ely S. Parker). In the letter, he writes “Albert Cusick the Onondaga authority defines Ti-ya-na-ga-ru-nte creek as “Where-she-threw-a-stick-at-me,” which was the label for a river to the east of Johnson’s Harbor. Parker offers an alternative name for the creek; “two-sticks-approaching” from the Seneca name “Da-ge-a-no-ga-unt.” This name is recorded in other records, along with “Skano-dario,” the Mohawk word meaning “beautiful lake” and the origin of the name Ontario. It should also be noted that the Tuscarora gave this creek the name “Ken-au-ka-rent.”
Capt. Pierre Pouchot, the commandant at Ft. Niagara sometime between 1755 and 1757, labeled the Oak Orchard as “Riviere aux Boeufs,” which roughly translates to “Beef River” or Buffalo River. This name was shared with the French River near Buffalo, which was subsequently changed to Buffalo Creek while our Riviere aux Boeufs became “Oak Orchard Creek.”
Orasmus Turner, in his history of the Holland Land Purchase, notes that the first road opened in this area was surveyed by the Holland Land Company in 1803 and ran from Batavia to the mouth of the Oak Orchard. At this natural harbor, Joseph Ellicott anticipated the birth of a bustling port city called Manilla which never came to fruition. Earlier records of this location as indicated by Turner, suggest the name of the harbor as “Tonawanda Bay.”
Although there is no indication that the Oak Orchard was ever called Tonawanda Creek, an interesting correspondence between Aaron Burr and the Holland Land Company suggest that pre-1800 maps labeled the harbor as Tonawanda Bay. Poised to purchase a tract of land, Burr noted that his survey contained an indented bay, which was considered public land, and therefore should not be included in his $1.50/acre bill for the land. The lack of documentation of a purchase of said tract suggests that Burr and the Holland Company were unable to agree on this particular matter.
Despite these older references, the term Oak Orchard appears in documents as far back as the early 1810s as surveyors prepared a path for the Erie Canal. The name Oak Orchard itself has a logical origin story. It is believed that upon the arrival of the first settlers to the present township of Carlton, a large grove of oak trees grew upon the banks of this creek and resembled, in some ways, an orchard; thus Oak Orchard.
In October of 1913, a meeting gathered at Pt. Breeze with the purpose of addressing the term “creek.” A committee of Dr. Richard Bamber, Virgil Bogue, and H. L. Brown were placed in charge of pursuing a geographical name change with the U.S. Government. The following month the Orleans County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution following suit, forwarding the resolution to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, U.S. Senators from New York, and Congressmen in the hopes “…that they use their influence to effect such change in name.” The resolution proposed that the Oak Orchard Creek become the Oak Orchard River, in the hopes that the term “river” would attract more attention when seeking federal aid for improvement projects. The U.S. Department of the Interior still recognizes the name Oak Orchard Creek.
MEDINA – A Genesee Community College student, Theresa Gray of Medina, has been awarded a special one-time scholarship for $2,500 from the National Association of State Procurement Officers.
After graduating from Medina Central Schools in 2008, Theresa Gray (then Albone) worked for several years in early childhood education until she accepted an entry level position with Baxter Healthcare in 2010. She realized the significant career potential with the large, international company and decided to pursue an associate degree in Business Administration from Genesee Community College. Once she was in the program and taking classes at both the Medina and Albion Campus Centers, she was introduced to the online Supply Chain Management concentration and discovered that it would align perfectly with her interests in business forecasting and planning.
“My experience with Genesee Community College has been great,” Gray said. “The night classes at both the Medina and Albion Campus Centers, as well as online classes, made it easy for me as a working mother to attend college while maintaining my family and life. Working with my advisor, I’ve laid out a class plan that doesn’t take me out of work or away from my kids’ activities. I’ll graduate in the Spring of 2020 with my associate degree.”
One of the other benefits of Genesee Community College is the small class sizes with professors and instructors who know their students, appreciate their interests, and understand their unique challenges. When Dr. Rafael Alicea-Maldonado, GCC’s dean of the Math, Science and Career Education Division, and Dr. Lina LaMattina, assistant professor and director of the Business Programs, learned of the $2,500 NASPO scholarship they actively promoted the opportunity with their students. As a working adult student who was also juggling family responsibilities, Gray was an ideal candidate.
Established in Chicago in 1947, NASPO is a non-profit association comprised of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 United States of America, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories. NASPO helps members achieve success as public procurement leaders through promotion of best practices, education, professional development, research and innovative procurement strategies.
“Theresa’s experience at Genesee exemplifies the professional yet personal connections that our faculty members make with their students each and every day,” Dr. Alicea-Maldonado said. “First, we developed the online Supply Chain Management program which readily supports working adults as they advance in their careers. Second, we know our students and understand their personal challenges. Third, we stay current on industry trends and opportunities – sharing specific opportunities that our students can benefit from. It is truly a pleasure to help our students, people from all walks of life, achieve their dreams. Theresa is a perfect example of this.”
Gray’s scholarship award is part of GCC’s Recognition Matters series which highlights the accomplishments of GCC’s faculty, staff and students. Officials at GCC have embraced this series as a way to acknowledge not only the achievement, but the high quality of individuals who demonstrate GCC’s “beyond expectations” brand.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 1 December 2018 at 8:41 pm
MEDINA – Medina Memorial Hospital’s fifth annual Breakfast with Santa was a record breaker, with 225 children participating.
Cindy Perry, health, wellness and community outreach director with Community Partners, helped organize the event. She said this year’s number was more than double the 100 who attended last year.
In fact, there were so many, Santa and Mrs. Claus had to be moved from the lobby to another room in the hospital.
Children got their pictures taken with Santa, and then could go to the craft table where volunteers from GCASA helped them make picture frames. There was another area to decorate Christmas cookies to take home.
GCASA sponsored craft making at Breakfast with Santa at Medina Memorial Hospital. Volunteering are, seated from left, Sarah Stendts, assistant with GCASA, and program director Pat Crowley. Standing are Erin Mattison with Community Action’s ACT Program and her mother Colleen Mattison.
Santa’s elves handed each child a stuffed toy, packet of hot chocolate and a candy cane.
This was the second year Perry’s niece and husband Jamie and Jay Klotz brought their children Averi and A.J. to the event. Averi said her mom had her list for Santa Claus.
Averi and A. J. Klotz decorate Christmas cookies at Medina Memorial Hospital’s Breakfast with Santa.
Amanda Luckman of Lyndonville came with her children Madilynn, 5, and Daniel, 2. Madilynn was going to ask Santa for a dog she saw on TV, which comes with a Barbie Doll. She even cleaned her room in the morning, so Santa would know what a good girl she has been.
Daniel, who wore his best hat to greet Santa, was going to ask for trains, tractors and fire trucks.
GCASA offered to sponsor the crafts table, which was funded with help from the Leon Sidari Fund. Leon was 4 when he died from the flu last Christmas. His parents are Albion natives Laura (Lyman) and Tony Sidari. Leon loved Christmas and snowmen, Perry said.
Sarah Stendts with GCASA said it was a wonderful thing the hospital did for the children.
“It’s been fun,” she said.
Cindy Perry, wellness and community outreach director with Community Partners, has breakfast with her niece Averi, 5, during Breakfast with Santa this morning at Medina Memorial Hospital. A record 225 children participated in the event.
Amanda Luckman of Lyndonville brought her children Daniel, 2, and Madilynn, 5, to have breakfast with Santa.
The kitchen staff at Medina Memorial Hospital worked really hard at Breakfast with Santa Saturday morning. They even dressed for the event.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 December 2018 at 12:02 pm
RIDGEWAY – There were many first-time donors who gave blood Friday at a blood drive in honor of Glen Busch II, a Ridgeway firefighter who needed 178 units of blood after suffering a splenic artery aneurysm on Sept. 14.
Busch endured several emergency surgeries and survived the health scare, as well as a stroke, pulmonary embolism and a collapsed lung. Busch, 35, came home last week.
He and his wife Valerie are dedicated to the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company. Many local firefighters gave blood in Busch’s honor on Friday.
Lee Kistner of the Lyndonville Fire Department gave blood for the first time in about five years on Friday. He was one of about 70 donors.
“He is a fellow firefighter and I feel for him and his family,” Kistner said. “Plus it will help a lot of other people.”
Charlie Smith, a long-time member of the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, said firefighters wanted to do something in honor of Busch. Smith, a long-time nurse with 50 years in the medical field, had never heard of someone needing 178 units of blood. Those units saved Busch’s life.
Ridgeway fire hall hadn’t hosted a blood drive for several years, until Friday’s event in honor of Busch. Smith felt it was a fitting tribute for the firefighter.
“I’m very happy with the community response from the firefighters and the public,” Smith said.
He gave blood on Friday for the first time in about 15 years. His daughter, Lynn Cook, gave for the first time.
“I’ve always wanted to,” said Cook, 34.
Gretchen Russell, a collection technician for the American Red Cross, said the organization is pleased with the turnout.
“We had a lot of first-time donors today,” she said on Friday. “It’s definitely been one of our steadier blood drivers.”
There will be a basket raffle today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ridgeway fire hall on Route 104 as a fundraiser for the Busch family. There are more than 100 baskets available.
MEDINA – Santa Claus visited the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina on Friday evening for a pajama storytime. There were about 75 kids in attendance, who shared their Christmas wish list with Santa.
The library has hosted the Santa pajama storytime event for the past 36 years.
Jenna Snook, 5, of Albion shares a picture she colored for Santa.
Santa leads the group in some singing and exercises.
Zachary Smith, 4, of Medina was picked to hold one of Santa’s white gloves.
Santa reads ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Iszabella Eaton, 4, of Medina shares a wish list with Santa.
Santa asks the kids to leave out chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk on Christmas Eve.
Suzanne McAllister, the children’s librarian, passes out some Santa Dust for the kids to take home.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 November 2018 at 10:04 pm
An article posted on Nov. 28 about the two water samples in Lyndonville with elevated lead levels stated that they were from an outdoor hose bid and a Laundromat sink. The article misstated the sample was from a Laundromat and should have said it was taken from a laundry room sink.
The article has been corrected. To see it, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 November 2018 at 3:22 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Society of St. Vincent DePaul in Albion donated $500 to the Community Kitchen this afternoon.
Cas Pruski, left, is president of St. Vincent DePaul and Tom Noon, right, is a member. They presented a check to Faith Smith, the volunteer director of the kitchen which is based at Christ Church on Main Street.
The Community Kitchen serves about 500 meals throughout the month on Friday evenings. The effort is made possible through donations and volunteers.
“It helps us immensely,” Smith said about the $500 donation.
The food is prepared and served through volunteers. The first Friday, workers from Baxter Healthcare in medina team with Christ Church members in preparing and serving the meal, followed by The Lord’s House in Waterport the second Friday, Holy Family Parish the third Friday, the Albion Free Methodist Church the fourth Friday and the West Barre United Methodist Church the fifth Friday.
Smith said she welcomes more volunteers and donations. For more information, contact her at (585) 319-1578 or by email, mesilly12@yahoo.com.
Alice Mathes, center, has help with the turkey and gravy from her granddaughters, Lillian Mathes, left, and Allison Mathes. The West Barre United Methodist Church is preparing this evening’s dinner at the Community Kitchen. Meals are served from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 November 2018 at 1:55 pm
Martha Mitchell, new pastor at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, stands at the altar, which has been prepared for the church’s LaLaPoolaza Community Christmas Concert at 7 p.m. Saturday.
LYNDONVILLE – Retirement has afforded Martha Mitchell to follow a career path which has been a long-time dream – to become a pastor.
“The opportunity to serve here in Lyndonville and follow my second career is a real blessing,” said Mitchell, who has been called as pastor of the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church. “This is a calling I’ve had since I was young.”
Mitchell began her duties at the Lyndonville church Oct. 9, after the death of the Rev. Catherine Benjamin.
Mitchell grew up in Albion, where she was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Tom Gardner, pastor of the Holley Presbyterian Church, also grew up there with her.
After high school, she attended college and became a teacher at Albion High School, where the Rev. Sue Thaine, now moderator of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley and pastor at the Albion First Presbyterian Church, was a student of hers.
“We are a faith family, and after all these years it is wonderful to have the opportunity to do ministry together,” Mitchell said. “It’s a coming home.”
After retiring as a teacher, Mitchell attended Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. She did two internships, one in Batavia with the Rev. Roula Alkhari and the second with the Rev. Benjamin in Lyndonville.
She was preaching in Stone Church Presbyterian Church in Bergen when she got the call to come to Lyndonville.
Having done the six-month internship with the Rev. Benjamin, Mitchell said the people already knew her.
“They have been very welcoming,” she said. “I am very fortunate to step into such a vibrant ministry.”
The Lyndonville Presbyterian Church houses the Foodlink Food Pantry, which is run by the Lyndonville-Yates Ministerial Association. All the churches in the area collect food for the pantry, which will provide baskets of food and gifts for 80 families this Christmas. The Presbyterian church buys the turkeys.
“This church makes such a big difference in the community,” Mitchell said.
The first Saturday of every month, the church puts on a community breakfast, starting at 8 a.m.
She said it is her goal to grow the church, but with purpose.
“We will listen to how the Holy Spirit leads us forward,” the pastor said. “We want to be a welcoming, safe place for all people to worship.”
Photo and information courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Male staff members at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center have become a little more hairy during the month of November. It was for the annual event of Movember and its goal is to change the face of men’s health.
Pictured include teachers Matt Anastasi, Peter Jablonski, Mike Schultz, Dudley Gilbert and Bill Leggett.
Movember encourages participants to grow moustaches to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s suicide. Its aim is to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the numbers of preventable deaths.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 November 2018 at 8:52 am
ALBION — The Orleans County Highway Department built a 18-foot-long culvert that opened to traffic last week on Culvert Road in Ridgeway.
The project was a first for the Highway Department, which built the concrete slabs and did the work building the short span. Doing the project in house saved the county about $180,000.
The project cost $197,408 and that factors in the cost for county employees and equipment. (Take out the employee and equipment costs, and the county spent about $120,000.) If the project had been bid to a contractor it would have cost $379,000, county legislators were told on Wednesday by John Papponetti, an engineer with Labella Associates.
Papponetti has helped the county do an inventory of its culverts and bridges. His report about five years ago showed a daunting task for the county, particularly with its culverts.
“Orleans County is definitely behind the 8-ball when it comes to our infrastructure,” Papponetti told county legislators on Wednesday.
The county bought precast concrete blocks that the Highway Department set in place for the bridge abutments. Using the precast blocks meant a concrete wall didn’t have to be poured on site.
With bridges, there are often state and federal funds to help with those projects. Culverts, which are small bridges between 5 and 20 feet long, typically are funded solely by the county.
In Orleans, there are 87 culverts, and Papponetti said 60 to 65 “need attention.”
The projects can cost several hundred thousand dollars, without state or federal assistance. Orleans tried a new approach to culvert projects this year by doing the work itself with its Highway Department. The county employees made six big concrete slabs that became the deck for the new culvert. The department made the forms and poured the concrete for the six slabs, doing that work from March through May when the schedule allowed.
Then the Highway Department did the construction work, setting precast concrete blocks for the bridge abutments. The deck slabs were set on top, and the county then added a membrane on top, followed by asphalt, and then guardrails.
The county needed to rent a crane for a half a day to set the concrete slabs for the deck. It also rented a melting pot for the membrane. Otherwise, the county did the entire project with its own workers and equipment.
“This is a good start,” Papponetti said. “The workers did a good job. They were a great group of people to have out there.”
This photo shows the Highway Department making one of the six concrete slabs that were used as the deck of the bridge.
The culvert was closed to traffic for about three months and reopened last week. Papponetti and Jerry Gray, the county highway superintendent, deemed the work a big success.
“It’s open and it’s back to traffic,” Gray told county legislators on Wednesday. “It will probably be there for 80 years.”
Gray said the county learned from the experience and can find more efficiencies in the future.
He said the Highway Department is up for the challenge of doing the projects.
“This is the first one,” he said. “In the future, we can take some time off (the projects). You can take that money and get two bridges for the price of one.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 November 2018 at 7:29 am
The 314-page book tells the story of Medina’s cemetery that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
MEDINA – There’s no denying Todd Bensley’s fascination with history.
“As the Village of Medina historian and a history teacher at Medina High School, I guess you could say history is definitely my thing,” said Bensley, who has written a book on the history of Boxwood Cemetery.
Bensley will sign copies of his book Boxwood Cemetery: Where the Past is Present from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday the Book Shoppe, 519 Main St.
Bensley realized what a gem Boxwood Cemetery was when in 2015 he successfully wrote the application for the cemetery to be included on the National Register of Historic Places.
“As I delved into the cemetery’s history, I realized it is a great example of three movements in cemetery trends in the 19th and 20th centuries,” Bensley said.
These included being rural (on a hill), lawn/park areas and the memorial park.
For several years, Bensley brought his students to the cemetery to do research.
“It was most interesting how the cemetery reflects American history,” Bensley said. “People who are buried here made a name for themselves, locally, state-wide and nationally.”
Bensley said perhaps the most prominent person buried in Boxwood is S. Mainville Burroughs, who grew up and lived in Medina. He became involved in the pharmaceutical industry and his company became the giant GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.
In addition to his students’ essays, Bensley has included in his book hundreds of obituaries, a listing of veterans buried in the cemetery and a compilation of other information related to the cemetery which cannot be found anywhere else.
The 314-page book includes 50 photographs. The books sell for $25. All proceeds will go to the Friends of Boxwood – an organization dedicated to the upkeep and promotion of the local treasure.
While this is Bensley’s first book, he has some ideas for another, but nothing definitive yet, he said.
Provided photo: Front row, from left: Commander Mike Hanley of the American Legion in Lockport, Selena Williams, Nancy Williams, Paula Scheffer and Anthony Walker. Back row: Joe Conrad and Stephen Sattelberg.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – The Orleans/Niagara BOCES students at the Orleans Learning Center in Medina recently celebrated Veterans Day. Teachers Paula Scheffer, Susie Zafrano, Kim Wiley, Aimee Nicholas, Theresa Claus and Steve Kuehn spent the previous several weeks reviewing with their students the meaning of Veterans Day, the important role veterans play in our lives, and who is a veteran.
American Legion Commander Mike Hanley from Lockport Post # 410, and American Legion Auxiliary Department of New York 3rd Vice President, Nancy Babis, visited the school on Nov. 9 to present an assembly to bring history to life for the students.
Commander Hanley spoke to the students about his years of service in the United States Navy. His focus was his experience during the Vietnam War. The informative program allowed interaction between the students and the presenters. Students proudly shared their personal experiences involving family members who have served our country.
A flag folding ceremony was conducted by the Commander and Vice President while Paula Scheffer, American Legion Auxiliary member, read the meaning of each fold. Vice President Babis spoke of the importance of honoring the flag during parades and utilizing the proper etiquette of a right hand salute. Students talked about the importance of respecting the flag and our National Anthem.
A discussion of the history of the poppy was led by VP Babis. The students received a poppy to wear to display their patriotic nature. A presentation was made to Commander Hanley and VP Babis on behalf of the students and staff who made cookies for the Veterans Day post ceremony reception at the Lockport VFW.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 November 2018 at 3:38 pm
ALBION – An Albion man pleaded guilty to second-degree rape in Orleans County Court this afternoon and faces up to 4 years in state prison.
Christopher Pressley, 35, admitted to having sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old girl last December. Pressley was 34 at the time.
He was asked by Sanford Church, the county court judge, if Pressley knew how old the girl was.
“I thought she was 13 or 14,” Pressley responded.
He is a second felony offender with a previous assault conviction. He could have faced a maximum of 3 to 7 years in state prison. As part of the plea agreement, he will face a maximum of 4 years in prison, as well as five years of post-release supervision.
He also will be a registered sex offender.
Pressley also could be fined up to $5,000 and pay $325 in other court charges, as well as a $50 DNA fee.
In other cases this afternoon:
•Jason P. Muck, 41, of Medina was sentenced to four months of weekends in the Orleans County Jail plus five years of probation for felony driving while intoxicated.
He was charged on March 30 by State Police on Route 63 in the Town of Yates and registered a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.17 percent, about twice the legal limit.
Muck also was fined $1,000, and must pay a $300 court surcharge, $25 crime victim fee and $50 DNA fee. He also will need to use a interlock ignition device, which measures his BAC, when he resumes driving.
• Stacey Sheppard of Monroe County was sentenced to five years of probation for promoting prison contraband by bringing suboxone to the Albion Correctional Facility. She also needs to do 40 hours of community service and pay the $300 court surcharge, $25 crime victim fee and $50 DNA fee.
• Judge Church said the trial is on in the case against Collen Poole of Medina. Poole was in court today with his attorney, Robert Fogg.
Poole has rejected a plea offer to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, with a cap of five years in state prison.
He was charged on March 1 after police found cocaine, marijuana and pills identified as Hydrocodone and Ecstasy.
The trial begins with jury selection at 9:30 a.m. on Monday.
