By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2017 at 9:18 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Holiday decorations are pictured on one of the Main Street lights in Albion.
A winter weather advisory is in effect today in Orleans County and Western New York until 7 p.m.
The combination of ice this morning and snow this afternoon will result in difficult travel conditions. Snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches and ice accumulations of around one tenth are expected, the National Weather Service in Buffalo said.
Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibilities. Slow down and use caution while driving, the Weather Service said.
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 23 December 2017 at 9:01 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Volume 3, Issue 52
Another year has passed, and another volume of Overlooked Orleans has concluded. To write another article about Charlie Howard and his Santa Claus School is perhaps cliché for the Christmas season. Those years of perfecting the spirit of Santa, dating back to his childhood days when as “a short fat boy” his mother sewed a suit for him to play the role, brought about a more meaningful understanding to the holiday season. A man whose passions rested with the children, who anticipated the abundance of gifts and dolefully observed the quick passing of this festive time of year.
While perusing old issues of the Orleans Republican, I was drawn to a column which appeared during the month of December in which the newspaper accepted letters to Santa Claus for publication. The short notes written to Kris Kringle during the Great Depression reflect a gentle consciousness of the hardships associated with the time. Amidst the friendly but firm requests for the latest toy or the nicest doll came appeals for family support and gifts for siblings. I thought it might be worth sharing some of those stories this year.
“Dear Santa Claus, I am a little girl 2 ½ years old. I have long curls and blue eyes. Dear Santa, please bring me a big doll, a doll buggy and a choo choo train and some aggets. Thank you very much. Don’t forget my brother Junior, my cousins Bobby and Richard DeCarlo. Your pal, DeLois Marie DeCarlo, 63 West Ave.” (1936).
“Dear Santa Claus, I am writing my letter to you for Christmas. I bet you are very busy and some of your little elves…I am going to ask for a nice little type writter and a real one too. And I want a sled. That is all I want because you have other children that want and need them…My name is Eleanor Louise Brooks and my age is 11 years old.” (1936)
“Dear Santa Claus, My name is Leona Marcks I am 11 years old. I have been a good girl and help my mother. I want shoes rubber gloves, my sister Frances is 8 years old. She want shoes rubber gloves, my brother Edward is 10 years old he want a hat, gloves. Peter is 5 years old he want a suit and stocking. Stanley is 4 years old and want suit and stocking. My baby brother Valentine is 1 ½ years old and want shoes and a suit and he want an orange. Thank you very much. Yours truly, Leona Marcks.” (1931)
“Dear Santa, We always rite you at Xmas but we wonder why you don’t bring us what we ask for, so this year I’m going to ask you again if you can find a doll buggy will you bring one for my little sister Marjorie she wants a buggy real bad also some shoes and rubbers size 12 shoes…please Santa try and think of us if you possibly can because Daddy has been sick so he can’t work and he don’t have enough money to buy us things at all now. We like oranges and candy too if you have some to spare…With love from Evelyn Durrant” (1933)
One can only imagine little Evelyn’s frustrations that her requests for gifts appeared to go unnoticed; thankfully she did not realize the impact of her father’s illness and work situation on the family’s Christmas plans. This is a season for being thankful for everything we have!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2017 at 5:24 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A Kendall second-grader collected three big bags of hats, mittens and scarves. Makayla Bentley, 7, is pictured with her mother Ashley Hawkins at the Main Street Thrift Store in Albion.
Makayla has been collecting the items for about a month at the Gaines Carlton Community Church on Route 104. Church members made some of the hats, scarves and mittens and also bought many new ones.
The Main Street Thrift Store will have the items available for free. Makayla wanted to collect the winter clothes after seeing some of her classmates without hats and mittens.
“She is a fantastic girl with a heart of gold,” Makayla’s mother said. “She is definitely one of those girls who thinks of others before herself.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2017 at 3:24 pm
Three local state legislators are among the 172 elected officials named to New York Farm Bureau’s “Circle of Friends.”
State Assembly members Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, and Michael Norris, R-Lockport, both made the list and so did State Sen. Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda. Hawley’s district includes all of Orleans except Shelby, as well as Genesee and western Monroe. Norris’s district includes Shelby in Orleans, as well as parts of Niagara and Erie counties. Ortt’s district includes all of Orleans, Niagara and western Monroe.
New York Farm Bureau has released its annual “Circle of Friends,” naming 172 New York State Legislators to the distinguished list. The award is an indication of the individual lawmaker’s support of New York agriculture and Farm Bureau, NYFB said.
The “Circle of Friends” is not an endorsement, and this distinction only recognizes the 2017 legislative session. The honor is based upon each legislator’s voting record on issues of agricultural importance as well as other evidence of legislative support, including sponsorship of bills that New York Farm Bureau has either supported or opposed during the most recent legislative session.
“New York Farm Bureau selected these Senators and Assembly members because of their commitment to the hard-working farm families in New York,” said David Fisher, President of New York Farm Bureau. “We appreciated their support on a whole host of bills and budget items this year, and we look forward to collaborating with them as a new session is about to begin. It is imperative that we work together to support local food production and the agricultural economy that benefit all New Yorkers.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2017 at 1:33 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Members of the Albion High School Select Chorus are making many stops in the community today, singing Christmas carols. This photo shows part of the group in the Orleans County legislative office in the second floor of the County Clerks’ Building. The singers include, from left: Miranda Smith, Alanna Holman, Annalise Steier, Emily Merger, Brennan Moody, Casey Starkweather and Camry Raymond.
The carolers stopped in the Orleans County Real Property Tax Services office and sang to Dawn Allen, director of the that county department.
The chorus visited businesses and county government offices on Main Street before heading to Hoag Library and later at The Village House. The chorus also sang at Rainbow Preschool, Clover Hill, The Villages of Orleans and the Nutrifare site.
Here are some of the carolers singing at the County Clerk’s Office. Alanna Holman, second from left, and Miranda Smith are up front with Santa hats.
County Clerk Karen Lake-Maynard and her staff give the singers a round of applause.
The singers joined together in a larger group to sing at Hoag Library.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2017 at 11:30 am
Provided photos:
LYNDOVILLE – The Thompson family at 14 South Main Street is one of Spirit of Christmas award winners for their outdoor decorating.
The Lyndonville Lions Club named the winners of the annual Spirit of Christmas awards. Plaques were presented to the following families who exhibited extra special Christmas spirit in their outdoor decorating this year.
The Seaman Family at 1559 North Lyndonville Road
Gary and Cindy Newman at 1545 North Lyndonville Road
Terry and Carla Woodworth at 106 South Main Street
Mr. Julio Tice at 8 Eagle Street.
“Thank you to all Lyndonville residents who do such a beautiful job of showing their Christmas spirit,” said Anne Marie Holland, president of the Lyndonville Lions Club.
Provided photo: Front row, from left: Ariane Wachob and Angela Wachob, both from Lyndonville. Back row: Lisa Taibi of the Red Cross, Malik Abdulghani of Lockport, Nick Anderson of Royalton-Hartland, Elijah Sones of Medina and Heaven Flood of Lyndonville.
Press Release, Orleans-Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Over 150 SkillsUSA students at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center recently partook in a community service activity for military personnel and their families.
The students took some of the proceeds from their annual craft fair and chose to use the money towards two Red Cross-sponsored activities, “Holidays for Heroes Comfort Kit Program” and “Activity Kits for Military Children.”
Suggested items for the comfort kits were toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, shaving cream, nail clippers, toothpaste, combs, razors and gum. For children’s kits they recommended coloring/activity books, crayons, colored pencils, washable markers, stickers, puzzles, books, craft kits, fruit chews, hand sanitizer and games.
SkillsUSA Advisor Kara Kirktook took the senior chapter officers shopping and said she was impressed with the students’ skills.
“They spent a lot of time at the Dollar Tree looking at labels on the hygiene products and toys for the children and trying to figure out what was appropriate,” Kirktook said. “They were also trying to get the most bang for their buck, so they would have more to give.”
After the SkillsUSA officers’ shopping excursion, all the SkillsUSA students spent a day making Christmas cards and packaging their purchases into kits at the Orleans CTE Center. SkillsUSA officer,
Heaven Flood said the event put everyone in the holiday spirit. “It made us all feel very happy to be helping out members of our Armed Services and their families. You look around and everyone was smiling.”
Elijah Sones said it put everyone in the holiday spirit. “It was a lot of fun and made us all feel good.”
Malik Abdulghani said he hopes that when the kits are received they will know how much everyone appreciates what they do for our country. “We want them to know someone cares about them.”
Lisa Taibi, who is in charge of the Services to Armed Forces and International Services for the Red Cross, said she was impressed with the number of kits the students donated.
“The comfort kits will be distributed to veterans and their families in VA hospitals, during various homeless stand downs, valor days and other military fairs and gatherings across Western and Central New York Region during the holiday season and throughout the year,” she said. “The activity kits will be distributed to military children at Yellow Ribbon events, family days or anything military related. They are geared towards keeping children occupied while mom and dad attend trainings or informational meetings. We are so grateful to what the students here at BOCES have done for our veterans.”
Ms. Taibi was also presented with a $300 check from fundraisers held at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center and the Orleans Learning Center for Hurricane Relief.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2017 at 10:04 am
LYNDONVILLE – Town and village officials are working together to pursue grant funds to help with downtown business development.
The Village of Lyndonville and Town of Yates each contributed $1,500 to hire LaBella Associates to pursue grants for Main Street. LaBella assisted Medina with its recent Main Street grant.
The town and village are first pursuing a $20,000 state grant to help with a downtown development plan. If that grant is successful, the village and town want to then pursue a Main Street grant from the state that would likely be several hundred thousand dollars.
The target area for the grants is both sides of Main Street from Riverside Street – north of Johnson Creek – to Eagle Street. John Belson, mayor of Lyndonville, said several of the buildings are vacant and a grant would help the building owners with repairs and renovations.
The village and town are first going after the smaller $20,000 planning grant, hoping that would help them put together a stronger application for the bigger Main Street grant.
“Maybe if we get this one it will open the door up to some others,” Jim Simon, Yates town supervisor, said about the grant.
The applications may also have a better chance of funding because the town and village are applying together, rather than one municipality taking the lead.
The village reached out to the town on the application. Simon said town officials support the effort to revitalize the downtown.
“Anything that is good for the village is good for the town,” Simon said.
ALBION – Caleb Pettit is the recipient of the 2017 Orleans County DAR Good Citizen Award. He competed with student representatives from Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina.
His winning 550-word essay was entitled “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It: How Has America Advanced the Cause of Freedom in the Rest of the World.” Caleb read his essay during the DAR’s December meeting. DAR member Nancy Good presented him with a scholarship in memory of her mother, Margery Knapp. Caleb’s winning essay will now advance to the District level.
The DAR Good Citizen Award and Scholarship Contest reward good citizenship qualities such as dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in home, school and community. Caleb was selected by his teachers (based on these qualities) to represent Albion High School.
Caleb is an Eagle Scout and all-star lineman for the football team.
MEDINA – Students and staff at the High School have been getting into the holiday spirit with their annual Snowcoming. Working on the scene include at top, Toby Kiebala, left, and Christian Hahn with Sarah Cochrane on the bottom.
The weeklong event is a lot of fun for the students as they engage in traditional winter activities and various theme days. It’s a great way to bond before the winter break.
The following decorate a tree: Alyssa Beyer, teacher Gianna Sargent, Shelby Green, Madison Kenward, Kristi Oliver, Gianna Greco and Lilly Carpenter.
Shelby Green, Kevin Lasky (Assistant Principal) and Dave Sevenski (BOE President) are pictured by the tree which was donated by Sevenski.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 December 2017 at 8:12 pm
After seeing $25K decline from 2013 to 2017, county formula gives villages $3K more in 2018
The four villages in Orleans County will get a little more in the local sales tax next year, according to the 2018 apportionment approved by the County Legislature on Wednesday.
The villages saw their share take a hit by $25,000 from 2013 to 2017, falling from $404,661 in 2013 to $379,265 for 2017. Next year the four villages – Albion, Holley, Lyndonville and Medina – will collectively receive $382,240.
The county receives about $15 million in sales tax annually, and shares $1,366,671 with the four villages and 10 towns. They have been frozen at that level since 2001.
Once a decade that share is set based on local population. However, each year after that the share is modified based on the assessed values of towns with villages. If a town with a village grows its tax base faster than the rate in a village, that town will get more sales tax – by taking some of the village’s.
That is what has been happening almost every year since 2001. Most of the new development is just outside the village borders.
The villages this time were able to pass the rate of assessment growth in the towns.
Here are how much the villages will receive in sales tax in 2018:
Albion – $167,203 ($164,617 in 2017) and $180,457 in 2013.
Holley – $45,878 ($45,671 in 2017) and $47,595 in 2013.
Lyndonville – $15,349 ($15,316 in 2017) and $15,626 in 2013
Medina –$153,811 ($153,661 in 2017) and $160,988 in 2013.
Here are the town shares for 2018:
Albion – $122,468 ($124,978 in 2017) and $111,754 in 2013.
Barre – $64,536 (no change because no village)
Carlton – $95,418 (no change because no village)
Clarendon – $116,261 (no change because no village)
Gaines – $87,858 ($87,933 in 2017) and $85,317 in 2013.
Kendall – $86,813 (no change because no village)
Murray – $113,089 ($113,295 in 2017) and $111,372 in 2013.
Ridgeway – $128,868 ($129,171 in 2017) and $123,488 in 2013.
Shelby – $102,913 ($102,760 in 2017) and $101,116 in 2013.
Yates – $66,206 ($66,239 in 2017) and $65,929 in 2013.
The villages received more back in 2001, when the amount was frozen collectively to the 10 towns and four villages. The village share peaked at $211,669 for Albion in 2004 (down $44,466 to $167,203 in 2018). Medina dropped $19,781 from $173,592 in 2002 to –$153,811 in 2018.
Holley hit a high of $62,549 in 2002 – 16 years later it’s down by $16,671 to $45,878. Lyndonville was at $18,592 in 2002 and has slid to $15,349 in 2018.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 December 2017 at 10:14 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday voted to continue a tax exemption for Cold War veterans. The exemption was due to expire on March 31, 2018, but no longer has an expiration date.
The county enacted the exemption 10 years ago and it was due to sunset. The exemption is good for up to 10 percent or a maximum of $4,000 off the assessed value of a property.
With a county tax rate of about $10 per $1,000 of assessed property, the maximum exemption would save a Cold War veteran about $40 in county taxes.
There are about 100 veterans in the county currently receiving the exemption, said Dawn Allen, the county’s director of Real Property Tax Services Department.
Earl Schmidt, the director of the county’s Veterans Service Agency, has been pushing county officials to renew the exemption. During a public hearing last month, Schmidt said some counties may have a gap in the exemption due to it expiring. He doesn’t want that to happen in Orleans County.
The exemption is good for eligible veterans who served in the military from Sept. 2, 1945 to Dec. 26, 1991.
The exemption also includes up to $20,000 off the assessment value for property owned by disabled veterans.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 December 2017 at 9:56 am
48 are complete or under construction with much work to be done in 2018
Pilon Construction has created this path to move heavy equipment to the shoreline to install a new breakwall in Kendall.
KENDALL – Pilon Construction went about the tricky task of getting heavy equipment in a narrow lane on Lomond Shores West in Kendall on Wednesday. The company put in swamp pads and steel plates to move an excavator and dump trucks to the shore, where about 600 tons of stone will be placed to protect property.
Pilon has put in 30 breakwalls this year and expects to do at least that many next year.
“We’re trying to give the residents some peace of mind,” Spencer Pilon said on Wednesday, when waves pounded the shoreline.
The historic flooding from Lake Ontario this year has chewed away large chunks of backyards along the shoreline. Spencer Pilon has been heading the breakwall effort for Pilon Construction. In some cases this year, he gave an estimate for a homeowner and had to come back a couple days later after more feet of property was lost.
He and a crew from Pilon have been building break walls full-time since May. While they were working, detached decks and other large lumber sometime floated by.
Pilon said his father and grandfather put in many of the breakwalls on the shoreline about 40 years ago. This year the lake has been punishing the shoreline since April, prompting a “state of emergency” declaration by the towns of Kendall, Carlton and Yates, as well as Orleans County and New York State.
The State Legislature approved a $15 million fund to provide assistance for lakeshore homeowners with property damage, capping the grants at $50,000. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is looking to increase that amount due to demand.
In Orleans County, about 500 applications have been approved. The governor has said all of the approved applications should be funded.
So far, 48 projects are complete or under construction in the county, said Chris Raymond, deputy for Housing Rehabilitation Programs for the PathStone Corporation. PathStone has been hired by the state to administer the program in Orleans County.
In addition to the 48 projects, 57 homeowners paid for their projects with their own money or loans and are waiting for additional funding from the state for reimbursement, Raymond said.
The top photo shows a property on Lomond Shores West in Kendall without a breakwall. Pilon Construction has the site prepped for about 600 tons of stone. The bottom photo shows a complete breakwall that Pilon recently put in.
Of the applications submitted, 10 were denied. The state set a threshold for income if the damaged property was a secondary home. If the total annual income of the occupants exceeded $275,000, they weren’t eligible for a grant.
The state has given priority to funding for senior citizens and disabled residents, with higher emphasis given if the projects involved septic systems or flooding in the house. Damage to the shoreline is considered less of a priority.
Many of the houses are located on narrow roads like Lomond Shores. The houses are close together and the yards are muddy. That makes it difficult to move the heavy equipment needed to do the jobs.
“Half the battle is getting in,” Pilon said on Wednesday.
The swamp pads and steel plates create a temporary path that helps to minimize damage to the yards and septic systems, while allowing the excavator and trucks to get near the shore.
Pilon brings in some big boulders that are 3 to 6 tons each. Those are used as the exterior wall and as the base. Smaller rocks then fill in the breakwall. Pilon doesn’t just aimlessly drop big stones by the edge of the lake. He said the tiered approach – big stones on the exterior wall and as the base with smaller stones on top – help the wall to absorb the hits from the waves.
Pilon said the company expects to be busy with the breakwalls in 2018 and perhaps beyond.
PathStone said there are many properties awaiting work.
“It looks like a year-plus to address every property,” Raymond said. “PathStone is presently concentrating our efforts and the state’s money on properties close to the lake with no/minimal shoreline protection, low lying homes or eroded, undercut cliffs.”
The deadline to apply for the residential projects passed in September, but there is still time for businesses and non-profits to seek state and federal assistance for damages from the flooding. Click here and here for more information.
Big stones are part of a new breakwall at left in Kendall.
