Provided photo: Former Vice President Joe Biden joined Nate McMurray at a campaign stop on Thursday at The Olive Tree in Buffalo.
BUFFALO – Nate McMurray, the Democrat and Working Families Party candidate in NY-27, was joined on Thursday by Vice President Joe Biden at The Olive Tree, where the two greeted voters and talked about McMurray’s campaign for Congress.
Vice President Biden is the most high-profile leader to stump for McMurray, who has been gaining momentum as two recent polls showed a virtual dead heat following the incumbent Chris Collins’ indictment.
“I grew up with people very similar to the residents of this district, not that far from here,” said Vice President Biden. “Hardworking middle class families who just want leaders who understand their challenges and work to make their lives better. It’s about creating jobs that the working families of New York can live on. Making sure their kids have safe streets and good schools, and the opportunity for a decent life. Folks here put country before party because they know that it’s the right thing to do. And that’s why I’m proud to support Nate, because he’ll fight for those families, every day, and give them the kind of Representative they deserve.”
With less than two weeks to go, McMurray’s campaign has generated excitement across New York and the country as he takes on the incumbent Chris Collins, who was indicted in August on insider trading charges and remains in the election on Nov. 6. Last week, the race was added to the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” list as two polls confirmed that it is neck-and-neck.
“Vice President Biden is a prime example of a leader who has dedicated his life to serving our country, and always standing up for working and middle class families like ours,” McMurray said. “It’s an honor to have his support.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 October 2018 at 7:26 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The old Holley High School will be transformed into senior housing and also the village offices for Holley.
HOLLEY — Home Leasing LLC, the Rochester company leading the renovation of the former Holley High School, will have a “preservation celebration” on Nov. 20 to kick off the construction project which has been years in the making.
The 2 p.m. ceremony will be at the school at 1 Wright St.
The adaptive reuse of the former Holley High School into a mixed-use facility will create 41 homes for seniors age 55 and up. The existing school auditorium will be renovated for use by the Village of Holley as meeting space and administrative offices.
The site will be known as Holley Gardens. The former school is in the heart of the Village of Holley and residents will have easy access to local small businesses and amenities.
Home Leasing LLC has been working on the $17 million renovation for several years, lining up financing, including some state assistance. Home Leasing is working along with Edgemere Development, Glasow Simmons Architecture L.L.P. and Marathon Engineering – all Rochester-based firms – on the project.
“We at Home Leasing are truly honored to be part of bringing this historic landmark back to life,” Nelson Leenhouts, chairman and CEO of Home Leasing LLC, said in May. “Holley Gardens will provide housing opportunity to area seniors and updated and accessible Village offices to the community. We are thankful for the unwavering commitment of the Village of Holley, the County of Orleans, Governor Cuomo, New York’s Homes and Community Renewal and Senator Schumer to the revitalization of this quaint canal side Village.”
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By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 October 2018 at 10:07 pm
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health Foundation’s annual Treasure Island fundraiser got a big boost this week with a $1,000 donation from the hospital’s medical staff and MSL, a division of Generations Bank.
The donation of $500 from the bank and $500 from the medical staff will fund Treasure Island’s annual cash raffle.
Representing the bank were Brad Jones, chairman of the board of MSL/Generations Bank, and Menzo Case, president of the bank.
Generations Bank is headquartered in Seneca Falls, and Jones said he loves the Medina area and is just learning about all the events here.
“I know how important this event (Treasure Island) is and we are happy to be part of it,” Jones said.
The check from the hospital’s medical staff was presented by Dr. Vincent Lee, a doctor of internal medicine at Orleans Community Health.
The checks were accepted by Angela DiRosa, director of Orleans Community Health’s Foundation; Cindy Hewitt, a longtime employee of MSL/Generations Bank and member of Twig; and Dawn Meland, a member and former president of the Twig Association. The three women are all working to plan the signature event, which is scheduled Nov. 3 at Sacred Heart Club.
Only 300 tickets are sold for the cash raffle and may be purchased from any committee member.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 October 2018 at 4:25 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Kathy Bogan, an attorney, dressed as the scary clown from It during Beggars Night in Medina on Oct. 27, 2017. Her husband Kevin Bogan, a local funeral director, wore a shirt that declared him the undertaker. Their dog, Roscoe, is a rescue dog from Puerto Rico.
Downtown business owners in Albion and Medina are ready for several hundred children to visit on Friday. The businesses and other organizations will be handing out treats to kids in costume.
Medina has the event from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with participants lining up in the parking lot near the Medicine Shoppe on East Center Street.
The Albion Merchants Association starts its Beggars Night at 6 p.m. with participants beginning at the firehall on Platt Street.
The Albion Free Methodist Church will also host a “trunk or treat” party party from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with candy, games and a bounce house at 25 South Platt St.
The Light of Victory Church and Care Net of Greater Orleans also are teaming up for trunk or treat from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Care Net’s parking at 168 South Main St., the same lot used by Subway and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 October 2018 at 2:47 pm
ALBION – A Rochester man admitted in Orleans County Court today to selling fentanyl.
Giovanni M. Serrano, 19, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. As part of a plea agreement, he will face a maximum of six years in prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 29.
The charge could have resulted in a maximum of 25 years in prison. Serrano was allegedly part of a four-person drug ring that was arrested in May. The four allegedly sold an extremely lethal fentanyl that resulted many overdoses in Orleans County.
An informant with the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force bought the fentanyl from Serrano on Feb. 28, District Attorney Joe Cardone said. It was one of several drug transactions involving Serrano, the district attorney told Judge Sanford Church.
In other cases in County Court today:
• Jordan Herring of Holley pleaded guilty to attempting to making a terrorist threat. While he was in the county jail due a parole violation on May 31, he was speaking on the phone and told the person he was speaking with that he intended to “shoot, cut and choke” police and parole officers, Cardone said.
Herring said he was upset because he was in the jail and not receiving needed medical attention.
As part of the plea today, he will face up to a year in jail when he is sentenced on Jan. 10.
• A Medina woman pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny and agreed to pay $91,973 in restitution.
Crystal Woodward, 32, of Medina could be sentenced to up to six months in jail on Jan. 17.
She allegedly took $91,973 from Medina Transportation Company and needs to repay that money, at least $400 a month until it is paid back.
• Two inmates at the Albion Correctional Facility were each sentenced to an additional 1 ½ to 3 years in prison for promoting prison contraband.
Gabriella Allen-Reiter and Danielle Rowe asked people to bring Suboxone into the prison. Suboxone is a prescription narcotic that is used for pain and can be used to help with opiate withdrawal.
The two inmates each also have to pay a $300 court surcharge, $50 DNA database fee, and $25 crime victims’ fee.
• A Waterport resident was arraigned on two counts of third-degree burglary, one county of third-degree grand larceny and petit larceny.
Justin Chaplin, 34, allegedly broke into garages in Carlton and took tools and equipment. The judge set bail at $10,000.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) is hosting a series of town hall meetings on Saturday and encourages the public to attend so they can learn more about his efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our state government.
All the meetings will be Saturday in four towns throughout Orleans County.
The sessions include:
• 9:30 a.m. – Ridgeway Town Hall, 410 West Ave. in Medina
• 10:30 a.m. – Lyndonville Village Hall, 2 South Main St. in Lyndonville
• 11:30 a.m. – Gaines Town Hall, 14087 Ridge Rd. in Albion
• 12:30 p.m. – Clarendon Town Hall, 16385 Church St. in Clarendon
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 October 2018 at 11:51 am
ALBION – Two Lockport men were sentenced today to incarceration after pleading guilty to a robbery at State Street Park in Medina on March 8.
Deandre Reed, 20, received the longest sentence – 5 years in state prison. He allegedly displayed a weapon in taking money and a cell phone from two strangers at the park. The weapon turned out to be a toy gun.
District Attorney Joe Cardone said the confrontation in a village park “was extremely concerning and alarming.” The DA urged Judge Sanford Church to send Reed to state prison.
Reed pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in the first degree and faced up to five years in state prison as part of a plea deal.
“I apologize for what I did,” Reed told the judge during sentencing this morning. “I need help.”
Judge Church gave Reed the maximum. The judge said Reed has had many opportunities for help, but continues to break the law.
The plea deal could have been rescinded and Reed given more time in prison because he was recently charged with felony assault and felony criminal mischief for an altercation in the Orleans County Jail.
Dominic Saraceno, Reed’s attorney, said Reed was defending himself in the jail. That case is now in town court and will be handled separately from the incident at the Medina park.
A codefendant in the Medina case, Robert Holmes, was sentenced to a year in the county jail today. Holmes, 19, pleaded guilty to petit larceny and faced up to a year in jail.
When Holmes was sentenced, Cardone asked for the maximum.
“It’s very alarming,” he said. “The two victims were in a village park when the co-defendant pulled a gun on them. It’s not the kind of crime we’re used to in Orleans County.”
Judge Church gave Holmes the maximum as part of the plea. The two victims in the crime were given orders of protection from both men sentenced today. The order for Reed lasts for 13 years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 October 2018 at 9:10 am
Cast of 24 will perform ‘She Loves Me’ Oct. 26-28
MIDDLEPORT – The Lake Plains Players are ready for their biggest show of the year, a full-production musical with a cast of 24, a stage crew and pit orchestra.
She Loves Me will be performed Friday through Sunday at the Roy-Hart High School Auditorium.
“This is an incredibly charming show with beautiful music,” said director Gabrielle Montgomery.
The theme of the musical is familiar, similar to You Got Mail in 1998 with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
In She Loves Me, Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash both work in the perfume shop. They are consistently at odds with each other at work. However, they are unaware they are pen pals, sending each other notes through lonely-hearts ads.
Jason Mussachio of Lockport plays the lead role of Georg Nowack, a shy assistant manager of the shop. Brian M. Wilson, right, is Ladislav Sipos, one of the salesman. In the LPP production, the characters keep their Hungarian names.
Sarah Hill, left, of Medina is Amalia Balash, who shares about her pen pal. Hilda Myer-Post, right, of South Buffalo plays Ilona Ritter.
Hill, 27, has been a regular in LPP productions the past five years, first performing in the group for Les Miserables in 2013.
“That changed everything for me,” she said about that show. “It gave me a community to express myself.”
Joe Kusmierczak, a former Medina resident who lives in Chili, plays Steven Kodaly, a villain in the show. He is having an affair with Ilona Ritter.
Kusmierczak works as a seventh grade science teacher in Le Roy. He has been performing with the LPP for several years. The Players have been putting on musicals for about four decades.
“This is the group I grew up watching,” Kusmierczak, 41, said during rehearsal on Wednesday night. “They have a reputation for putting on quality shows. They are really wonderful generous people.”
Michael Flanagan of Lyndonville portrays Arpad Laszio, a delivery boy for the perfume store.
These customers of the perfume store include, from left, Paige Huth, Theresa M. Jones and Jennifer Neroni-Trupo.
Ted Anderson, right, is part of the ensemble. Anderson, formerly of Albion, has been performing in the Lake Plains Players shows for about 40 years. He currently lives in Batavia after being an Albion resident for 70 years. Anderson, 77, is a retired science teacher from Pembroke. Two years ago he retired as a science educator at Buffalo State College.
He enjoys being a part of theater. He has been on the stage in Middleport since 1975, when the Middleport Rotary was doing shows. The Lake Plains Players formed after the Middleport Rotary ceased with its musical productions.
“It’s a challenge,” Anderson said. “You’re working with a bunch of people on a common goal. There is no business like show business that I know of.”
The shows are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Click here for information on tickets.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will once again participate in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This is a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Justice – Drug Enforcement Administration, the Orleans County Health Department and the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA).
This is a great opportunity for the public to surrender unwanted and/or expired medications for safe and proper disposal. Events such as these have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, as well as increasing awareness of this critical public health issue. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative has been very successful and has resulted in 4,800 pounds of unused medications being collected from the residents of Orleans County who have participated in this program.
The following are collection points:
• Orleans County Public Safety Building – 13925 State Route 31, Albion
• Holley Fire Department – 7 Thomas Street, Holley
• Medina Fire Department – 600 Main Street, Medina
Special thanks to the Holley and Medina FDs for providing space within their facilities for this event.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 October 2018 at 3:38 pm
Photos courtesy of Diane Valentine: Evan Valentine was up and playing in the teen center at Golisano Children’s Hospital this morning. He received his fourth chemo treatment today since being admitted to the hospital on Friday.
HOLLEY – Evan Valentine, 15, was battling some digestive issues last week. But it didn’t keep him out of school or off the soccer field.
The sophomore plays center defense for the Holley Hawks varsity team. He was excited about Saturday’s Sectional game.
But after getting his blood drawn on Friday morning, doctors were concerned about the presence of blast cells. Evan was diagnosed with leukemia and was admitted to Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong on Friday evening.
He has had four chemo treatments with six more to go.
He has also been inundated with love from his classmates and teachers. There are many cards, signed by hundreds of students and staff, in his hospital room. He and his family have seen the social media posts, showing the school community wearing orange T-shirts in his honor on Monday.
“We can’t thank the community enough for what’s going on,” his mother Diane Valentine said by phone this afternoon. “We’re just so grateful for everything the community has done.”
Many of Evan’s friends and teachers have visited him in the hospital. The text messages also keep coming, offering kind words and encouragement.
“It has been overwhelming and amazing and so moving,” Valentine said.
Evan didn’t have any symptoms of leukemia. There were no bruises or fatigue.
His mother considers it a blessing from God that the leukemia was detected early, and Evan is receiving high-quality care at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
Evan is a laid back kid, she said, and isn’t complaining about the chemo and the side effects. He has been sick from the treatments, but knows he needs the chemo to get better, his mother said.
Evan is an altar boy at St. Mary’s Parish in Holley. The youth group had a prayer vigil for him on Sunday night.
After 10 straight days of chemo, he is expected to be in the hospital for another two to three weeks.
He looks forward to getting back to school. In the meantime, he is making new friends at the hospital.
“We’ve met some amazing people here,” his mother said.
The family appreciated seeing a rainbow on Tuesday, when Evan was sick from the side effects of chemo. “I think God was sending His love to Evan,” his mother said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 October 2018 at 2:11 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Marty Taber, right, talks with volunteers during a rehearsal for a Ghost Walk earlier this month at the Cobblestone Museum. The Ward House, built in the 1840s, was part of the tour.
GAINES – The developer working on a new Dollar General store in Gaines will meet on Nov. 1 with representatives of the Cobblestone Museum.
Zaremba Group has proposed building the store on a wooded lot across from the Cobblestone Schoolhouse on Ridge Road. The schoolhouse is part of the museum’s cobblestone buiidlings from before 1850. They are part of a historic district that was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Cobblestone Museum officials, as well as the State Historic Preservation Office, have asked Zaremba and Dollar General to find an alternative site for the proposed store, outside of the historic district.
The 4 p.m. meeting on Nov. 1 at the Cobblestone Church will be open to the public. Those attending from the developer are Gary Hough, senior director of Development, and Mary Ann Wervey, vice president of Retail Development, for the Zaremba Group.
Doug Farley, the museum director, said he will present nearly 1,200 petitions signatures and hundreds of comments opposed to the project.
Farley and the museum supporters want to know why Zaremba and Dollar General are determined to go with the site across the street from the historic schoolhouse, especially when other alternatives on Ridge Road have been presented, including the corner of routes 279 and 104.
“Why is this site a good pick?” Farley said about the spot across from the schoolhouse. “It will hurt the historic ambiance. Why haven’t they looked at other sites outside of the historic district?”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 October 2018 at 1:20 pm
Provided photo
ALBION – Last night was the first time new LED lights were on in the front windows at the Albion Middle School to promote Purple Eagle pride.
The windows had a purple outline this morning when students arrived to the school. Many have speculated the purple glow was to celebrate the Albion girls’ varsity soccer win on Tuesday, 2-0 over East Aurora, to advance to the Sectional finals on Saturday.
“It was a happy coincidence that they appeared the same night as the one we celebrate the girls’ win!” Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent, said in an email.
The lights can be either purple or white. They will be on each night to highlight the front of the Middle School building, an Art Deco structure built in the 1930s.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 October 2018 at 11:19 am
Editorial
Local service clubs take great pride in helping to boost their local communities, by helping put on festivals and many other family-friendly events. The local service clubs also raise money and give the bulk of that to local efforts, often supporting youth sports teams, families in crisis from an unexpected medical challenge, or they take the lead with a public arts project, just to name a few.
However, many of the service clubs are part of world-wide organizations, such as Rotary International or Lions Clubs International, and some of the annual dues and other fundraisers go to support humanitarian efforts around the globe.
Orleans County has three Rotary Clubs, and today Rotary International is celebrating World Polio Day, which recognizes a 30-plus year effort by Rotary to eradicate polio. Rotary has spent $1.8 billion bringing the vaccine to 2.5 billion children in 122 countries around the world and is nearly complete in its fight. This year, there have been 16 new polio cases identified in Afghanistan and four in Pakistan.
When people in developing countries receive the vaccine, they dip their pinkies in purple to show they have been immunized.
Today at 7 p.m. the Peace Bridge will be lit up in purple to signify the success of Rotary’s polio campaign. The bridge over the Niagara River connects Buffalo to Fort Erie, Canada.
Rotarians in Albion, Holley and Medina can feel a sense of pride for helping in this effort. Polio, about two generations ago, was a scourge in the United States, often resulting in paralysis and death. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the former president, was diagnosed with polio when he was 39 and was paralyzed from the waist down.
Today it is worth taking a moment to reflect on the power of service organizations and the good they do when they unite in a common cause around the world. Rotary, the Lions Clubs and others are able to transcend politics, national boundaries, religious differences and other obstacles that can get in the way of important humanitarian work.
Provided photo: State Sen. Rob Ortt accepts the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York’s Guardian of Civil Justice Award on Tuesday in Albany at the alliance’s fifth annual meeting.
ALBANY – State Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) on Tuesday was awarded the Guardian of Civil Justice Award by the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York for his role in sponsoring legislation that would reform the state’s lawsuit lending landscape.
Sen. Ortt is the sponsor of Senate Bill 3911A, which would reform New York State’s lucrative lawsuit lending industry. Currently, the practice of lawsuit lending is unregulated, which has led to horror stories involving shady business practices. The absence of any regulation regarding personal lawsuit loans has created instances where interest rates reached upwards of 124 percent. This rate is nearly five time the limit set by New York State for criminal lawsuits.
“New York State already has a reputation as one of the most litigious states in the country,” Ortt said. “By encouraging lawsuits with these questionable funding practices, lawsuit lenders are creating further congestion in our state’s courtrooms for their own personal gain. While there are certain situations where the lending of these loans is necessary, in many cases, the consumer ends up being taken advantage of by the lender. This legislation is aimed directly at addressing that.”
Sen. Ortt’s legislation would see the interest of lawsuit loans capped at 18 percent while outlining interest guidelines in an effort to protect consumers entering loan agreements.
“This industry shouldn’t be exempt from oversight or consumer protection,” Ortt said. “This isn’t the wild west. As legislators, we have a duty to step in and protect residents when they are being taken advantage of. We must find a balance between allowing an industry to operate freely, while also placing just enough regulation on it to protect consumers who may be in a vulnerable situation.”
This year, Senate Bill 3911A passed the Senate. However, Democrats in the Assembly did not act upon it.
“I want to thank the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York for awarding me this year’s Guardian of Civil Justice Award, and I look forward to continuing our work to get this legislation passed through the Legislature and to the governor,” Ortt said.
LYNDONVILLE — The New York State School Boards Association sets Oct. 22-26 as School Board Recognition Week. This is a time to promote awareness and understanding of the important work performed by school board members.
Lyndonville is joining all public school districts across the state to celebrate School Board Recognition Week to honor local board members for their commitment to Lyndonville and its children.
“It takes strong schools to build a strong community, and these men and women devote countless hours to making sure our schools are helping every child learn at a higher level,” said Jason Smith, the district superintendent. “They make the tough decisions every month and spend many hours studying education issues and regulations in order to provide the kind of accountability our citizens expect.”
Smith said the key work of the school boards is to raise student achievement by:
• Creating a shared vision for the future of education
• Setting the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance
• Providing accountability for student achievement results
• Developing a budget that aligns district resources to improve achievement
• Supporting a healthy school district culture in which to work and to learn
“School board members give the Lyndonville citizens a voice in education decision making,” Smith said. “Even though we make a special effort to show our appreciation in October, their contribution is a year-round commitment.”
The members serving our district and their years of service are as follows:
