Photos by Tom Rivers: Kyle Holz, manager of a Lugia’s Ice Cream on Wheels, peeks through the service window today.

Holz made his debut this weekend with the ice cream truck at the Thomas the Tank Engine event in Medina. He will be back next weekend for Thomas in Medina and also will be at the Albion Strawberry Festival.

Holz, 30, is a Kent resident. His first job was at Brown’s Berry Patch. He went on to work for Walmart and was a co-manager of a store.

The new venture is a fun opportunity to work with the public. Besides community events, Holz will take the ice cream truck to birthday parties, graduation parties, wedding receptions and will be going to Buffalo neighborhoods.

LuGia’s is based in Spencerport and has nine food trucks. Holz is leading the push into Buffalo for LuGia’s.

For more information, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Thomas the Train Engine departs for a 25-minute train ride this afternoon. The Medina Railroad Museum is hosting Thomas for the 14th time this weekend and also next weekend. About 8,000 people are expected to the ride the train.

Thomas has been a big success for the Railroad Museum, said Dawn Winkler, the chief operating officer.

“Thomas put this place on the map,” she said.

There are about 40 Thomas events in the United States and Canada this year. Medina is the one in New York hosting the attraction.

Lynn Heintz, a conductor for the museum, checks on passengers before the ride.

Ginny Kropf, an Orleans Hub correspondent, is volunteering at the museum during the busy weekends with Thomas.

Pete Kaiser, a member of the Medina Lions Club, cooks hot dogs and hamburgers at the food booth run by the Lions Club.

Conductors and passengers wave as the train departs and heads west.

Sir Topham Hatt is director of the Sodor Railway. He is one of many characters from the Thomas the Tank Engine children’s book series created more than 70 years ago by the Rev. W. Awdry. Thomas has been developed into a television series and feature-length films.

A young rider waves to the crowd as the train returns to Medina.

The Railroad Museum hosts other popular events during the year, including a Blues and Booze ride in October, Fall Foliage rides in October, and the Polar Express train ride in November and December.

Photo by Tom Rivers: A boat passes by the Ingersoll Street lift bridge on Friday afternoon in Albion. Friday was opening day for the western end of the canal, including the section in Orleans County.

The Canal Corporation is waiving tolls again this year for recreational vessels as the state continues to commemorate 200 years of Erie Canal history. The Erie Canal was under construction from 1817 to 1825. This year is the canal’s 194^th season.

2018 also marks the 100th anniversary of the Barge Canal, when the expansion of the Erie Canal was complete in 1918.

The standard hours of operation for the 2018 season are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The lift bridges in Orleans County have extended hours until 10 p.m. from May 18 to Sept. 12.

The canal’s navigation season continues until Oct. 10.

Photos by Ginny Kropf

LYNDONVILLE – Georgia Thomas of Medina stands next to her wedding dress, which she wore in 1964 when she married the late Terry Thomas of Medina. Second from the right is the muslin wedding dress worn by Wanda Oakes’ mother-in-law Eloise at her marriage to Leonard Oakes in 1926.

At far right is Wanda’s gown of candlelight satin, which she wore when she married James Oakes in 1950. The gray gown and high button shoes at far left are from the Medina Historical Society and date back to 1870. The gowns were all on display for a luncheon and fashion show of antique wedding gowns Saturday at the First United Methodist Church of Lyndonville, at which Thomas was guest speaker, talking about wedding traditions.

Among the models wearing antique wedding gowns at a fashion show Saturday at the First United Methodist Church of Lyndonville are, from left, Carla Woodworth in the gown she wore at her wedding in 1975; Julia Goheen in the gown Sally Quintern wore at her wedding to Robert Quintern in 1967; Bridget Boland in the gown worn by Christine Pask at her 1985 marriage to Ed Urbanik; Rebecca Strickland wearing Laura Campbell’s gown from her 2002 wedding; Caelen Crowley in her grandmother Charlotte Owen Crowley’s wedding gown; Haley Shafer in the gown worn by Marilyn Kenyon in 1951; and Karen Brown in Pastor Beth Malone’s gown worn at her 1988 wedding.

Bridget Boland, granddaughter of Ruth Hedges of Lyndonville, models the wedding gown worn by Christine Pask at her marriage to Ed Urbanik of Lyndonville in 1985.

Caelen Crowley wears her grandmother Charlotte Owen Crowley’s wedding gown at an antique wedding gown fashion show Saturday at the Lyndonville United Methodist Church.

Rebecca Strickland models the wedding gown worn by Laura Campbell, right. Campbell was married in 2002 on 97 Rock with 97 couples.

Julia Goheen, left, models the gown worn by Sally Quintern at her 1967 marriage to Robert Quintern, while Haley Shafer is shown in the gown worn by Marilyn Kenyon at her 1951 wedding at the Lyndonville United Methodist Church.

GAINES – Dollar General wants a build a new store in Gaines in the historic overlay on Ridge Road, Town Supervisor Joe Grube said.

Store representatives met with the Town Zoning Board of Appeals on May 7 to discuss the plan. The company wants to build on wooded land just east of the Route 98 intersection, across from the cobblestone schoolhouse.

Town officials have shared their concerns that the typical Dollar General store isn’t a good fit at this location due to the historic nature of neighboring buildings. The Cobblestone Museum is a National Historic Landmark.

“Their normal box store isn’t going to cut it,” Grube said. “It’s going to get a very hard look.”

The open land is zoned commercial and a new store is an allowed use. The Town Board has authorized Chatfield Engineers, the town’s engineer, to do a site review for the proposed store. That cost will be paid by the developer, Grube said.

Dollar General has five stores in Orleans County. The fifth Dollar General opened Dec. 18 in Kendall. That new store is 9,100 square feet. Other stores are located on West Avenue in Albion, Route 31 in Holley, Maple Ridge Road in Medina and Ridge Road in Medina (just south of Lyndonville).

Photos by Tom Rivers

GAINES – The Preston family was joined by many local dignitaries at noon today for a ribbon-cutting of the new Preston’s Country Market at 14877 Ridge Rd.

Jim Preston and his mother Marie Preston cut the ribbon. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley joined the occasion as well as leaders of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. Marie’s grandsons, Blake and Boe, are at right. After the ribbon-cutting the two boys attended the kickoff celebration for the Albion Midget League. They play for St. Mary’s.

Marie Preston runs Preston’s Country Market. Her sons, Jim and Aaron Preston, run Preston’s Lawn Care & Landscaping, which is based on Zig Zag Road.

The new store sells nursery stock, garden stock and flowers. There is also a gift shop. Nadine Valentine is working at the counter.

Patrick Holman of Magicman Productions in Medina used space in the green house for a magic show.

The opening festivities also included Bad AsH BBQ, LuGia’s Ice Cream To Go, Honeymoon Trail Winery, custom wreaths and music from Al Capurso.

Community continues annual tradition since 1956

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Barre Cubs stand at attention for the National Anthem this afternoon at the Midget League Field behind the Albion Town Hall on Clarendon Road.

The Albion Midget League formed in 1956 and remains an annual tradition in the Albion community. Barre is one of the original teams. The Cubs have won the league title the previous three seasons, capped by an undefeated year in 2017.

Carlton is one of six teams in the league this year. Every player is given the microphone during player introductions. The Carlton team is led by Ben Narburgh.

Dennis Mathes of St. Mary’s introduces himself. This year’s team is led by coach Chris Kinter. St. Mary’s is an original team from 1956.

The Sandstone Park team has been runner-up to Barre the past three seasons. Dan Bartlett returns as coach. He has been in the role for more than a decade.

Xavier Byrd introduces himself for the Rotary-Lions team, where Greg Bennett serves as head coach.

The Vets have new uniforms this season. Coach Dave Nashburn hands the microphone to player John Bianchi.

Myles Beach, right, makes his introduction for the Barre Cubs. This year the team is led by head coach Mike Beach, who is Myles’ uncle.

Joe Sacco sings the National Anthem. He has done the honor on opening day for many years.

The season kicked off with Rotary-Lions playing Sandstone. Jacob Edwards fires in a pitch for the Rotary-Lions. The season continues until late July.

ALBION – Contractors have been a steady presence in recent months at 320 West Ave., the site of a Save-A-Lot for 15 years.

The Pawlak family closed the store in November. In January, John Hedlund signed a lease to take over the space and reopen a Save-A-Lot.

But first extensive upgrades would be done with new refrigeration, electrical – an overall transformation of the space, including new public restrooms and cases. The former video store in the front of the building has been changed to be a bagging area for customers.

“We’re bringing the newest, latest Save-A-Lot to this location,” Hedlund said on Friday.

The new Save-A-Lot will open at 8 a.m. on June 5. There will be a ribbon-cutting at 3 p.m. on June 4 with local dignitaries. Hedlund will have 25-30 employees working at the store, including 10 full-time.

Hedlund, a North Tonawanda resident, owns a Save-A-Lot in Salamanca and is co-owner of the stores in Batavia and Le Roy.

His other stores give him more buying power, which will help him offer customers a better price and better selection on groceries.

“There will be a synergy with the other stores,” he said.

Hedlund said he expects the store will be popular in Albion.

“We definitely look forward to coming to the community,” he said.

Cooperage of Charles Bennett at Eagle Harbor c. 1880

“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 20

When reflecting upon the various skills and trades that once existed in this area, it is amazing to see how much society has changed. We no longer rely upon the chair caner, the cobbler, or the blacksmith to produce the items we so easily purchase from the nearby department store. Yet a series of articles in 2015 indicated that the resurging bourbon industry could potentially lead to a barrel shortage and the need for coopers to produce the casks required for storing alcohol, so perhaps not all of these “ancient” trades have disappeared.

The production of barrels was significant to the establishment of Orleans County, not as a direct result of barrel construction but as a byproduct of the need for staves. Arad Thomas mentions the production and shipment of staves on several occasions in his book Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York. His most detailed account relates to James Mather of Gaines, who exchanged needed resources and tools with settlers for staves. The staves were then sent to the mouth of the Oak Orchard or Genesee River and shipped to Montreal where tools and resources were sent in return. Isaac Signor notes the significance of stave production to the development of numerous areas throughout Orleans County, calling attention to a sizable stave manufacturing operation established by Charles Simmonds on Church Street in Medina around 1859.

This particular picture shows a cooperage operated by Charles Bennett sometime around 1880 at Eagle Harbor. Based on information recorded on the reverse of the image, the outfit stood on the south side of the Erie Canal near the bridge. An 1875 map of Eagle Harbor shows a building labeled as C. Bennett & Co. near the south edge of the Canal just east of Eagle Harbor Road, but we also see a cooper shop marked at the end of Midway Road on the north side of the Canal. Standing on the far left is Henry Fountain, with C. Bennett sitting in the left window and Charles Bennett standing fourth from left with what appears to be a book in hand. This would indicate that Charles was in charge of this particular operation as the other men are standing with tools in hand.

One particular point worth drawing attention to is the span of ages present in the photograph. Older men appear alongside boys as an indication of how the trade was carried on over the years. Young men started their work as apprentices and learned the nuances of the profession from the journeymen and master coopers who, for some, had practiced the trade for decades. I often think back to the stories of my Great Grandfather, George Henry Ballard, who worked for Duffy Mott in Hamlin, NY as a barrel cooper. As a young man, he learned the trade by working with his father, Charles Ballard, who in turn had learned the trade from his step-father, Mortimer Clark. For some of the men, the profession was one filled with uncertainty as the ebb and flow of growing seasons could create a dearth of work at times.

Much can be said about the complexities of what seems like a fairly straightforward process, yet the trade of the cooper was one marked by precision and attention to detail. A cooper was not simply a cooper, as some specialized as “white coopers” or those who manufactured churns and pails, others specialized as “slack coopers” who manufactured barrels for dry goods such as grain and flour, and others specialized as “tight coopers” who produced barrels for storing oil, molasses, and alcohol. Each specialty required a familiarity with particular types of wood and processes for preparing the staves for assembly. As an example, the wet cooper produced barrels using staves cut from straight grain green wood, which would bend far easier and was resistant to rotting.

The men at this cooperage were slack coopers, preparing barrels for the shipment of agricultural products such as apples and grains. Perhaps one of the best features of this image is that it showcases the various stages of barrel making, though I would venture a guess and say that was not the intention. First the staves were cut with a drawknife and axe, and then allowed to dry to prevent shrinking after the barrel was assembled. Although some coopers performed this work, many farmers chose to produce staves and sell them to the cooper as a means for reducing the costs associated with purchasing barrels.

The cooper then used a shingle horse or shaving horse to carefully shave appropriate tapers and bevels to each stave. A young man sits near the center on a shaving horse and appears to be working with a stave. A stave with a larger taper resulted in a barrel with a larger bulge in the center, which was far stronger and fit for storing wet goods. The staves were set in a truss hoop at the bottom, as seen by the young boy standing five in from the right, and placed over a blazing fire to allow the staves to bend. The barrel staves were then drawn together using a cooper’s windlass and hoops were hammered into place using a hoop driver. Barrels for storing dry goods were manufactured using birch or cedar hoops as opposed to metal hoops.

After the hoops were set, the cooper trimmed the staves to equal length with a hand adze, the tool that looks like a hammer with a curved end, and the man standing in the center holds a sun plane that was used to smooth out the ends of the staves. A croze was used to cut a groove around the top and bottom of the barrel so that the barrel head could be installed.

The production of barrels was a time consuming process, one that required hours of physical labor and a well-trained eye. The piles of wood shavings strewn across the ground in this image show how much preparation was required before assembly of the barrels. The tattered leather aprons demonstrate the ongoing use of fire to bend and craft the curves within each barrel and the extensive number of men standing in front of the cooperage shows the significance of the barrel to agriculture in Orleans County.

Photos courtesy of Chris Busch

MEDINA – The Medina community has given famed journalist and Fox News regular Geraldo Rivera a big welcome this evening when Rivera and his brother Craig stopped at the Canal Basin.

Rivera and his brother are traveling the canal by boat, and ultimately are headed to Cleveland. They were among the first boats in Waterford near Albany on Tuesday, when the canal opened to boaters for the season.

Rivera is pictured at top with Kathy Blackburn, left, and other customers at Fitzgibbons Public House.

He also stopped at Mile 303, a new restaurant on Main Street.

Chris Busch, chairman of Medina’s Tree Board and also the Planning Board, was among the welcomers. Rivera told Busch the downtown is “incredible. This is like ‘It’s A Wonderful Life!’”

Busch knew Rivera and his brother were headed west on the canal from Albany after seeing news report. Rivera also posted about the trip on Twitter. Busch worked with Ken Daluisio, owner of The Print Shop, to have a sign made in the Basin, urging Rivera to stop by.

Wesley Askew facing about a decade in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 20

Wesley Askew

ALBION – An Albion man on trial for first- and second-degree assault after allegedly nearly killed another man accepted a plea offer on Tuesday, the start of the second week of the trial.

Wesley Askew, 50, pleaded guilty to attempted assault in the second degree. That charge carries a maximum of 2 to 4 years in prison.

However, Askew was on parole during the incident last June 9. He will be sentenced for seven years in prison that are remaining in his post-release supervision. Plus, the 2 to 4 years will likely be added to the sentence, meaning he could get 9 to 11 years in his sentence, said District Attorney Joe Cardone.

Askew has been in the county jail on $250,000 bail after he allegedly seriously injured another Albion man on June 9 during a late-night fight at 175 North Main St., an apartment building north of the Erie Canal.

Askew allegedly got into an altercation at 1:45 a.m. and allegedly punched another man several times, causing serious head injuries.

Joseph Julyan, 54, tried to intervene when Askew got in an argument with his girlfriend. Askew testified he was upset that Julyan didn’t mind his own business, Cardone said.

Askew allegedly punched Julyan five to seven times in the head. Julyan got to his feet, but fell and hit his head on concrete.

Julyan suffered a stroke and has some paralysis on his right side.

It is difficult, however, for a doctor to pinpoint if Julyan’s injuries were caused by the punches from Askew or when Julyan fell and hit his head, Cardone said.

The DA checked with Julyan and his family if they were OK with the plea deal and they said yes.

Askew will be sentenced on Aug. 20.

He was released from prison in late 2015 after being convicted in May 2009 for second-degree rape. He is a level 3 sex offender, the highest possible risk for re-offending.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Members of Garth Fagan Dance are pictured back stage this morning with Hoag Library Director Betty Sue Miller, back right, and Teresa Gaylord, the children’s library director, front right.

Garth Fagan Dance did two dance performances this morning at the Albion Middle School, first for middle schoolers and then for elementary students.

A donation from Xerox covered the costs to bring the dance troupe in from Rochester.

Hoag Library used the event to promote its upcoming summer reading challenge called “Libraries Rock!” Last year there were 1,550 participants in the program. Betty Sue Miller, the library director, challenged the students to top last year’s number.

The library will have numerous events during the six-week program with the kickoff at 11 a.m. on June 16. The challenge continues until Aug. 4 with a 3 p.m. ice cream social at the library.

There are almost daily events at the library during the program, including many with music and dance.

The Garth Fagan dancers stand and are applauded after their performance in front of elementary school students. Garth Fagan Dance is now in its 47^th season. Fagan’s ever-evolving dance language draws on many sources: sense of weight in modern dance, torso-centered movement and energy of Afro-Caribbean, speed and precision of ballet, and the rule breaking experimentation of the post-moderns, according to the Garth Fagan website.

Retired historian leads tour – ‘Here We Go Again’

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Cobblestone Museum director Doug Farley, left, and former director Bill Lattin stand by an outhouse at the Cobblestone Museum complex at Childs. This outhouse once belonged to Rufus Bullock, governor of Georgia during the Reconstruction after the Civil War. Outhouses will be the focus of a tour this evening called “Here We Go Again,” which Lattin will narrate.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent

CHILDS – They may not seem like a source of entertainment, but the outhouses at the Cobblestone Society Museum have proven to have a lot of history.

This evening the Cobblestone Society will present a tour called “Here We Go Again,” featuring the outhouses of the Cobblestone complex’s buildings.

In fact, one could say they’re “doing number two,” as this is the second year to have such a tour, after last year’s was a huge success.

Bill Lattin, former Cobblestone director for 40 years and retired Orleans County historian, will lead the walking tour, which this year will include new content, including a slide presentation.

“Actually, the oldest building in the Cobblestone Museum property is an outhouse,” said Doug Farley, director of the museum. “It was built in 1830 in the Federal style and was originally located at the first bank in Orleans County, which was located at the corner of routes 279 and 104.”

Another outhouse was once located on the property of former Georgia governor Rufus Bullock, who grew up in Albion and returned after he retired.

The water closet in the lobby of the 1834 Universalist Church also was for men only. One of the outhouses on the tour is a five-seater.

The tour begins at 6 p.m. Those planning to attend are asked to respond by calling 589-9013 or e-mailing www.cobblestonemuseum.org. Click here for more information about cost.

Press Release, Sheriff Randy Bower

MEDINA – Attention all parents and caregivers in Orleans County, Valu Home Center in Medina will host a Child Car Seat Check Point Event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 11270 Maple Ridge Rd.

According to data, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ranging from 1 to 13 years of age. Preventative measures, such as proper installation of car seats, boosters and seat belts can lower many deaths and injuries. Informing and instructing parents and caregivers on child safety and proper installation of car seats is critical to saving young lives.

Our Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will inspect your car/booster seats to assure that your child is in the correct seat for their size and age. If you have any questions, please contact Sgt. Kevin Colonna at 585-589-5527 or Kevin.Colonna@orleanscountyny.gov.

Orleans and Genesee have new numbers for a crisis hotline. The previous numbers through the YWCA will continue to work in the short-term.

ALBION – The Niagara County Mental Health Department will continue to operate a crisis intervention hotline for Orleans and Genesee counties, after Niagara stepped up in an interim based when the service ceased suddenly last month.

Niagara assumed Orleans and Genesee calls on a crisis hotline after the YWCA announced on April 2 it would be shutting down the crisis line.

The arrangement was formally approved on Tuesday after a final OK by the Niagara County Legislature. Orleans will reimburse Niagara at the same rate it did the YWCA, said Mark O’Brien, director of the Orleans County Mental Health Department.

The phone numbers for the Care and Crisis Helpline through the YWCA – Local: 585-344-4400 and Toll Free: 1-844-345-4400 – have been forwarded to Niagara County since soon after April 2.

O’Brien said new numbers are being introduced: 585-283-5200 and 741741 to text.

O’Brien said the mental health leaders in the three counties, including Ellery Reaves in Genesee and Laura J. Kelemen in Niagara, have been working hard to have a crisis helpline in place for Orleans and Genesee.

He praised Niagara County “for stepping up with this.”