Photos by Ginny Kropf: Cars are on display at Medina’s Canal Basin. A volunteer is needed to lead the weekly summer cruise nights.

MEDINA – A tradition of nearly 30 years in Medina may come to an end, with Dave Green’s announcement he is retiring as organizer of Medina’s Friday night cruise-ins in the canal basin.

“It’s time somebody else does it,” Green said. “I hurt my leg and it’s hard to walk anymore.”

Green has been involved in the summer cruise nights since they began nearly 30 years ago, when he, Donna Mruczek and Donna Bushover headed the Friday night events.

Dave Green is shown here with Donna Bushover during a Super Cruise in one of the early years of cruise nights in Medina. Former Medina resident Donna Mruczek also was a dedicated volunteer in the weekly events.

Also retiring is DJ Hank Nevins, who has provided music for most of those years.

United Way has been the sponsor of the cruise-ins for many years, and interim director Nyla Gaylord said she hopes someone will step up to take them over.

The cruise-ins have been a popular event all the years, for car owners and the community. Green said drivers brought their vehicles from all over Western New York, including Amherst, Batavia, Niagara Falls, Clarence, Akron, Rochester and the Southern Tier. Regular Friday nights drew 80 to 100 vehicles, while the final Super Cruise on Main Street often brought 300.

The cruise-ins always featured 50-50 drawings, which netted a donation to United Way, as well as the winner.

This year’s profits were lower, as the event was canceled four times because of rain.

It had become a tradition for the cruise-in to move to the 4-H Fairgrounds on the Friday of fair week, and on Main Street for the final cruise on the third Wednesday of August, featuring Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald.

Green said he couldn’t have done what he did all those years without the help of several dedicated volunteer helpers. Rick and Rita Soule, Nick and Karen Adams, Gerard and Carrie Wittmyer, Brad Shelp, Vera Wetherbee and Terry and Liz Gallo were on hand every week to help with checking in cars and selling 50/50 tickets.

A big thanks also is due to the Medina Police Department, DPW and downtown businesses for their support.

Green said he feared the event would eventually die a “natural death,” as many of the car owners are getting elderly.

The job as organizer involves soliciting donations from Medina businesses, many of whom have been regular supporters of cruise nights. Donations pay for prizes for vehicle owners and the DJ.

It is hoped an individual (individuals) or an organization will step up to take charge of keeping the cruise night tradition alive. Green has said he will work with anyone who takes it over.

United Way extends its heartfelt thanks to Green for all the years he has given up his Friday nights, and many more hours, to lead the car shows.

Besides a new organizer, the events could also use a local DJ to play music for a couple of hours.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Terry Buchwald, an Elvis Presley impersonator for more than 30 years, arrives in downtown Medina on a motorcycle (with a license plate, “ELVIS”) during the Super Cruise on Aug. 28, 2019. Buchwald performed for two hours on a stage. About 250 to 300 cars are featured in the Super Cruise, with part of Main Street blocked off to traffic for the event.

Memorial observances are planned on Sept. 11 in Albion and Brockport for the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The service in Albion will be at 6 p.m. on the courthouse lawn near the Sept. 11 memorial.

Scott Schmidt will again serve as the keynote speaker at the observance. Schmidt spent three weeks with a federal team – U.S. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) – and assisted in collecting and identifying remains, and interviewing family members searching for loved ones. He left for New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was there for 20 days, including a week at Ground Zero.

Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, is scheduled to give the welcome address for the event and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Don Snyder, a chaplain with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, will offer an invocation and benediction. Orleans County EMO Director Justin Niederhofer will read the timeline of events from Sept. 11, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people were killed when four airplanes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a rural field in Shanksville, Pa.

Doug Egling will play a rendition of America the Beautiful on his EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) and members of all Orleans County American Legion and VFW Posts will fire a rifle volley and play Taps.

Many local, county and state law enforcement personnel as well as firefighters and EMS personnel also are expected to attend the service.

A contingent of DMORT personnel from around the state that responded to NYC will be in attendance as well.

In Brockport, the 22nd annual September 11th vigil will be held at the Brockport Fire Department Station #4 at 237 S. Main St., where there is a Sept. 11 memorial. There will be an opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m., followed by a ringing of the bell at 8:47 a.m., a “Ring of Gold” observance at 6 p.m. and closing ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Taco Bell employees celebrate the opening of a new Taco Bell in Albion this morning. Ashlie Buzard, with scissors, is general manager for the new restaurant at 122 West Ave.

Autumn Zona, at left, is the assistant manager and Junior Morales, right, is a shift supervisor. They are among the 32 employees at the site, which is looking to add about 20 more workers.

The Taco Bell opened at 7 a.m. today. It starts at 7 every morning and is open until midnight from Sunday through Thursday, and 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

The group cuts the ribbon on the new Taco Bell on Route 31 next to McDonalds.

Co-owners include Matt Prouty, fourth from left, and Wahid Akl, third from right. They are part of Hospitality Syracuse which now owns 106 Taco Bell restaurants.

Akl said many Albion and Orleans County residents asked for a Taco Bell in Albion when they visited nearby Taco Bells in Brockport and Batavia.

“A lot of people have been requesting we come to Albion,” Akl said just before a ribbon-cutting at about 10 a.m. “The community has been very welcoming.”

Many of the Albion employees received training at the taco Bells in Brockport and Batavia. They also worked Tuesday evening in a VIP celebration for employees and their families.

The Albion restaurant is led by Ashlie Buzard, the general manager. She also was the GM for the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Albion. When that site closed in May she reached out to Hospitality Syracuse.

She hired the team for the Taco Bell, which includes seven former employees of the KFC.

“I’m really excited to be here,” Buzard said after the ribbon-cutting. “We’re open early and we’re open late.”

Eileen Banker, chief of staff for Assemblyman Steve Hawley, presents a citation of congratulations to some of the Taco Bell team, including from left Janet Lalone, training manager; Marc Stout, area coach (district manager); and Ashlie Buzard, the general manager.

Matt Prouty, one of the co-owners, said he is grateful for a talented team of employees to open the new Taco Bell.

“We’ve had a ton of applications,” he said.

He encourages more people to apply for a job at the Taco Bell.

Hospitality Syracuse has three more Taco Bells under construction: on Mount Hope Avenue in Rochester, in Watertown and in Queensbury near Glens Falls.

The Albion site accepts mobile orders, and will soon offer DoorDash delivery.

Most of the customers are expected to use the drive through. There are also 46 seats to dine inside.

Taco Bell currently receives about 10 percent of orders through the mobile app as a company, and about 15 percent of its orders are delivered, a company representative said today.

The Albion location has four kiosks inside for people to place their orders and make their decisions without the pressure of standing in a line with other people, Prouty said.

Lalone, the training manager, said the tacos, burritos and other items on the menu are all made to order.

“There isn’t a microwave in the building,” she said. “Everything is made fresh. Nothing is pre-made.”

14 bronze statues honor canal workers from late 1800s

Photos by Tom Rivers

LOCKPORT – The top photo from July 1, 2021 shows the first two phases of a bronze statue tribute to canal lock tenders from the late 1800s. The full tribute is now complete with 14 statues.

Susan Geissler, an artist from Youngstown, created the statues of the tenders. The final grouping includes five more of the lock workers as well as a statue of the girl who is the daughter of one of the tenders.

Lockport will celebrate the completion of the monument with a 10 a.m. ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 16 in the Lockport Locks.

By summer 2021 there were seven statues of the tenders and the photographer, Frank B. Clench.

The 14-piece monument is based off a photograph from 1897. That image depicts a dozen lock tenders, a young girl and a photographer.

The statues, except for the photographer, are installed on the stairs in the Lockport Locks where the tenders were photographed nearly 125 years ago.

The Lockport Locks Heritage District Corp. commissioned Geissler to create the bronze figures.

The group met its goal ahead of schedule. It wanted the 14-piece monument by 2025, which will be the bicentennial of the Erie Canal’s opening.

The tenders were part of a 20-person workforce at the locks in 1897. The lock tenders were picked in the 1890s from the eight wards in the City of Lockport. The ones in the photo are local residents who worked in the same spot on the steps where the bronze figures are located.

“It was difficult backbreaking work, with very few making it a career,” according to an interpretive panel at the site. “Those that did were tough as nails indeed.”

The lock tenders worked 12-hour days and were responsible for opening and closing the locks so boats could pass through safely. They also worked on maintenance at the site.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The new Taco Bell is shown at about 6:50 a.m., 10 minutes before opening its doors to the community for the first time this morning.

The new 2,600-foot restaurant opened following about four months of construction.

Hospitality Syracuse is the developer for the project next to McDonalds and across from Freeze-Dry Foods.

Hospitality Syracuse will have a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. today.

These three Albion freshmen were among the first customers at the Taco Bell, stopping in before the start of the school year. They include from left: Ayden Coston, DeAvion Bloom and ChrisJen Winters.

Winters said he was ordering a Cravings Box and a Cinnabon coffee.

“We wanted to get the school year off to a good start,” Winters said.

Bloom said he often goes to the Taco Bell in Brockport and is glad to have the new place close to home.

Coston wanted to be among the first customers “just to show support.”

The three students are joined inside by Chris Quackenbush of Albion, who placed the first order: a Breakfast Box and Cinnabon coffee.

“I’m just glad there is something here that is good,” Quackenbush said.

Some other high school students also came in just before school, while the drive-through was also busy.

Isaac Sugar, 15, of Albion wanted to get a burrito before started his sophomore year at the Cornerstone Christian Academy.

A heat advisory has been issued for Orleans County for the third straight day today. The heat index values are expected to reach the upper 90s.

The advisory from noon to 7 p.m. includes the following counties: Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, northern Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis.

People are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

If going outside, people should reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening, the National Weather Service advised.

Thursday should offer some relief from the heat with the high temperature at 83, followed by highs of 78 on Friday, 75 on Saturday and 72 on Sunday.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) has joined 47 other Assembly Republicans in calling on Gov. Hochul to convene an extraordinary legislative session to address the influx of migrants across the state.

Over 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York and communities and localities are struggling to face the issue, Hawley said.

He believes a special session would help to implement much-needed reforms such as instituting background checks for incoming immigrants and giving municipalities the ability to choose whether they want to take in migrants.

“Right now, our state is experiencing one of the largest migrant crises in the country, with little support from the federal government,” Hawley said. “Migrants are being shipped upstate from the city and our communities are helpless to do anything. A special session is needed to provide relief for our state and hold our leaders accountable.”

The letter from the Assembly members to Hochul includes their proposals, such as:

• Require the state Comptroller to examine and audit all state and federal funds received and appropriated for humanitarian aid in New York City or any municipality (A.7508, Ra);
• Require New York state to register all migrants in order to assist with background checks and monitoring refugees seeking asylum in the state (A.7319-A, Slater);
• Protect counties and municipalities from “Right to Shelter” confusion by requiring local governing bodies in New York state to opt-in to accept migrants from other jurisdictions;
• Ensure funding is not used to shelter migrants in schools, daycare centers, or community- based organizations;
• Reverse the Executive Order of 2017 that prohibits law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration law. This would end New York’s status as an illegal immigration sanctuary;
• Adopt a resolution calling on the federal government to provide financial assistance to the state and properly address the border crisis it created.

“We believe that effective solutions to New York’s migrant crisis must involve these and other legislative proposals,” according to the letter. “During this unprecedented crisis, we must act and correct the mistakes that have brought us to this point. Twenty million New Yorkers we represent deserve nothing less.”

Photos and information courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – The Albion school district invites the community to join in celebrating the opening of Spierdowis Field with a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the Purple Eagles’ home opener on Friday, Sept. 15. The district has replaced the grass surface with a new turf field.

The ceremony will take place before the game at 6:45 p.m., at the football stadium behind the District Office at 324 East Ave. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and parking will be available next to District Office.

“Celebrations like these reaffirm our dedication to investing in the success of our students and our community as a whole,” District Superintendent Mickey Edwards said. “We are excited to share the re-opening of Spierdowis Field with the Albion Community this fall.”

By Mike Pettinella, GCASA Publicist

ALBION – Providing a safe and secure place to live for women battling substance use disorder, including those with children, is yet another vital phase of the mission of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse to offer a wide spectrum of care.

“This project is only one of maybe three similar facilities west of Syracuse,” said GCASA Chief Executive Officer John Bennett, speaking of the agency’s 25-bed women and children’s residence that will be located on Butts Road in Albion. “We will serve Genesee and Orleans counties, primarily, and also the Western and Finger Lakes regions.”

Part of the wooded 9-acre lot just outside of the Albion village limits is being cleared to make way for the construction of the building frame and roof this fall, Bennett said. The home – which will take on a woodsy look of green siding and black window trim – is expected to open around October of next year.

“Once open, it will include an early childhood learning center, walking paths in the woods, a large playground, a small workout area for residents, an area for arts and crafts, and more,” he offered. “We continue to find ways to break down barriers for individuals to enter and remain in treatment services. We currently offer extra services such as our drop-in daycare, transportation, case management, recovery services, and a 24/7 peer hotline, as well as our core services.”

GCASA has expanded its programs exponentially under Bennett’s guidance, with its workforce tripling in size over the past 15 years. The women’s and children’s residential facility in Albion fills a great need in substance use treatment, he noted.

“Since 2015, we have seen a significant increase in our female (client) population,” Bennett said. “It used to be 75 percent men and 25 percent women. Now, with opioids – pills – becoming more popular among women, the need in the community to serve women has multiplied.

“One of the barriers for women entering a residential program is, ‘Who will care for their children?’ In our program, women will be able to have their children (under school age) with them while in care.”

Bennett said the Albion location will provide services to women 18 and older during their recovery, with five of the 25 units set up to accommodate women with children younger than kindergarten age. Up to two children can live in those units.

GCASA will operate the facility, with staffing at all hours, seven days a week, Bennett said. A grant from the New York State Department of Health has covered $4.6 million of the $5.2-million cost of construction.

“We looked at buying the Clover Hill Adult Home building in the village but it really wasn’t set up appropriately for the project. It would have taken much to convert and to rehab it,” he said. “When we did purchase the property on Butts Road, the Town of Albion was incredibly welcoming. It’s near to the village but provides privacy for the residents.”

Responding to questions from citizens in the area, Bennett said that only a small part of the land is designated as wetlands and that area will be left untouched, and that GCASA will put in plantings along the driveway upon completion to provide privacy for those living along Butts Road.

“GCASA always strives to be a good neighbor,” he said. “All of our buildings are well-kept.”

The agency is working with the firm of Fontanese Folts Aubrecht Ernst Architects, P.C., of Orchard Park, the same company that has contributed design expertise for seven other GCASA projects. Whitney East, Inc., based in Le Roy and Rochester, is the general contractor.

Bennett said that once operational, the women and children’s residence will enable GCASA to make the Atwater Community Residence in Batavia a “male-only” facility.

“When this is done, we’ll have significantly expanded our bed capacity for all – providing stabilization, rehabilitation and re-entry into the community,” he said.

Provided photo

POINT BREEZE – Members of the Albion Class of 1949 celebrated their 74th anniversary reunion on Saturday at the Black North Inn.

Pictured from left, front row: Joan Sullivan Palacios and Lorraine Sledzik Fortune.

Back row: Joseph Ciarico, Betty Kirby Kenyon, Robert Paganelli, Ronald Miller, Gus Revelas, Ronald Ayrault and Dolores Chatfield Wolfe.

ALBION – The annual tax foreclosure auction in Orleans County typically concludes with a big net loss for the county coffers, with most of the properties not selling above what is owed in back taxes.

But at the auction on Aug. 22, 17 of 27 properties sold above the delinquency amount in taxes for $310,924 in profit.

The other sales, however, were below what was owed in back taxes in fines. (One of those sites on South Main Street in Holley has been in limbo for about 20 years after the Diaz Chemical leak in January 2002. The site sold for $40,000 at the tax auction, well below the $321,572 in unpaid taxes.)

The 10 properties that sold below what was owed in taxes had a cumulative loss of $416,723. That looks like a net loss for the county of $105,796 when the profitable sales are included.

The county has always been able to use the profits from the sales that were more than the unpaid taxes to help may up for the losses with the other sales.

But a recent Supreme Court ruling says governments can’t take in more than what is owed. County Treasurer Kim DeFrank told county legislators on Aug. 22 she is waiting for guidance on what to do with the money from sales that were above the amount of back taxes owed. Those funds may be put into a trust until there is a determination on how those funds should be directed.

For the county that would be a loss of $416,723 from what would have been profitable sales from the auction.

Altogether, the 27 sites sold for $644,000, but the total delinquency for the properties was at $749,796. The county also assumes the unpaid taxes for the villages, towns and school districts.

For the second straight day a heat advisory has been issued for Orleans County.

The advisory is from noon to 7 p.m. when heat index values in the mid to upper 90s are expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued the advisory for the following counties: Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, northern Cayuga, Genesee, Livingston and Ontario.

The hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. The Weather Service advises to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

If outside, take extra precautions, including frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments.

Today is forecast to be sunny and hot with a high of 91, followed by a mostly sunny Wednesday with a high near 90.

Then the high is 85 on Thursday, 80 on Friday and 75 on Saturday.

Provided photo: Jim Bonafini, left, and Bill Lattin greets visitors watching the blacksmith in Vagg’s Blacksmith Shop at the Cobblestone Museum Complex. A blacksmith will be among the artisans demonstrating their trade at the open house Sept. 9.

CHILDS – The Cobblestone Museum’s campus will be buzzing with activity during their annual Open House Sept. 9.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature live demonstrations by volunteers in the blacksmith and print shops. Activities in other museum locations will be scheduled throughout the day.

“Volunteers have kindly accepted our invitation to demonstrate their skills associated with crafts that would have been popular in the 19th century,” said Sue Bonafini, assistant director of the Museum. “Visiting artisans from the Genesee Country Lace Guild will bring a try-it pillow for those who would like to experience the bobbin lace technique, and a seasoned volunteer will invite guests to help make butter from cream at Farmer’s Hall, where our butter churn collection is displayed.”

Other activities scheduled for the day include chair caning, basket weaving, quilting and weaving on a portable loom.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Georgia Thomas shows young children how to make butter at last year’s open house at the Cobblestone Museum.

All campus buildings and exhibit rooms will be open for public viewing free of charge with a complimentary wrist band. Current exhibits feature Victorian Mourning Art and Sundries and a historic coverlet collection made by Orleans County weavers in the 1800s.

A food tent will offer a barbecue chicken meal with salt potatoes, baked beans and dinner roll from 58 Main BBQ in Brockport for al fresco dining or takeout. Chicken will be available from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. or sold out. Presale tickets are $17 for a $2 savings per meal. Fruit pies from Partyka Farms in Kendall will be sold by the slice.

To top off the day, fiddlers from the Fiddlers of the Genesee will play toe-tapping old-time fiddle music in the Cobblestone Church at 3 p.m. Free will donations will be accepted. For additional information or to purchase chicken barbecue tickets, call (585) 589-9013.

The Fiddlers of the Genesee perform during last year’s open house in the Cobblestone Church. They will be back for another concert on Saturday.

Cycling Without Age uses 3-wheeled bike to go at slow and steady pace

Photos by Tom Rivers: Susan Walders rides a tri-shaw bike down the sidewalk along East Avenue on Saturday. She practicing as a “pilot” with the new bike. She looks forward to soon giving senior citizens rides on the bike, which has space for two people in front. There will be a demonstration at Bullard Park this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for people to try out the bike as either pilots or riders.

ALBION – Susan Walders is eager to take local senior citizens out for a bike ride.

Walders pushed to create a chapter of Cycling Without Age in Orleans County and the group’s new tri-shaw, a 3-wheeled bike, arrived after being shipped from Denmark.

The bike has a padded seat in front for two people. The “pilot” pedals in back on the electric bike. Walders has been practicing as a pilot since the tri-shaw arrived about two weeks ago.

Susan Walders pushed to open a chapter of Cycling Without Age in Orleans County. She wants to make the cycle available to residents at nursing homes, assisted care sites and other care facilities, including those with developmental disabilities.

There will be a demonstration this Sunday, Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bullard Park in Albion for people to get rides or to be pilots.

Walders and Cycling Without Age want to make the bike available to residents at nursing homes, assisted care facilities and other “care” sites, including those serving people with disabilities.

The launch party at Bullard will offer rides about every 15 minutes. It takes about 6 to 8 minutes to complete the crusher-run walking/jogging trail at the park.

“We want to show people what this is all about,” Walders said on Saturday at Bullard.

She has been training on the bike to build up her endurance and get comfortable with maneuvering it. She said it is very sturdy. The goal is to go on slow rides so the seniors and other passengers can enjoy the scenery.

“We want to get people out of their rooms and into the community and nature,” Walders said. “They can feel the wind in their hair. Getting outside on this bike will improve mood and socialability.”

Walders, 57, lives in Albion. She is a customer service representative for Yahoo! in Lockport, although she is able to work from home.

Her mother, Janet Ridley, is a resident at The Willows, an assisted care residence in Medina. Walders said she was researching ways to enrich her mother’s life as a resident of a care facility. A Facebook page popped up about Cycling Without Age.

Walders was intrigued by the group which started in 2012 by Ole Kassow in Copenhagen, Denmark. His focus was to get elderly and disabled people out for bike rides that are free. Kassow wanted people to feel less lonely and build a bridge between generations.

The organization has grown to chapters in more than 40 countries. The chapter in Orleans County is the first in Western New York. (Click here to see a map and information about the chapters in the United States.)

Susan Walders said the electric bike is pretty easy to maneuver. She welcomes more volunteers to be “pilots” to pedal and steer the bike.

Walders started working on forming a chapter about 18 months ago. The group has a board of directors.

The process went faster than she expected due to a donation from the First United Methodist Church of Albion.

The bike cost $12,000, with $2,500 to have it shipped. There also were legal fees to form the organization and insurance to offer the service. Walders said the United Methodist congregation agreed to cover the bulk of those expenses. Walders also secured other donations and sold items that she crocheted and knitted.

“We wouldn’t be here without the First United Methodist Church,” she said.

Now she needs people willing to be given rides, and pilots to do the pedaling. That’s why Cycling Without Age will be doing the launch arty and demonstration at Bullard on Sunday.

“This might be our first bike because I really want this to grow,” Walders said. “We could do group rides in the future.”

She said the tri-shaw could be taking to care facilities, or residents could be brought to a location with a safe path to go biking. Walders really likes the canal towpath as an option. The route could include a stop to get ice cream.

 Cycling Without Age may set up a rotating schedule for residents in the local care sites. She said she may also take the bike to other nearby counties if there is a demand.

The bike was made by Copenhagen Cycles in Denmark. It was shipped to Lake Breeze Bicycle in Lyndonville, where it was assembled and inspected. Walders and Cycling Without Age have had the bike for about a week.

“I can’t wait to give my mom a ride on this and some of her friends,” Walders said.

For more information, check the Facebook page for Cycling Without Age in Orleans County or the group’s website (click here).