Archives for 2012- January

(Covering 2000 - 2009)

ARCHIVES - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2012

LOCAL NEWS - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Municipalities, not-for-profits encouraged to apply for assistance

Applications are now available to eligible municipalities and not-for-profit organizations to compete for funds through Preserve New York, a grant program of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on the Arts (NSCA).

A total of $83,674 is available for historic structure reports, historic landscape reports and cultural resource surveys. Grants are likely to range between $3,000 and $10,000 each. The application deadline is May 7 of this year.

Examples of eligible projects include: historic structure reports for cultural institutions and public buildings; historic landscape reports for municipal parks; and cultural resource surveys of downtowns and residential neighborhoods.

In 2012, the Preservation League especially encourages projects that advance the preservation of neighborhoods and downtowns that qualify for the NYS Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit; identify and protect buildings and cultural landscapes at risk due to technological, transportation and energy developments; and continue the use of historic public buildings for cultural, interpretive and artistic purpose.

For Preserve New York Grant Program guidelines, visit the League’s website at www.preservenys.org. Prospective applicants should contact the Preservation League to discuss their projects and to request an application form.

The Preservation League of New York State is a private, not-for-profit organization that works to protect and enhance the Empire State’s historic buildings, landscapes and neighborhoods. The Preserve New York Grant Program is made possible through funding from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Organizations and municipalities receiving grant awards in 2011 included Monroe County: The South Wedge Planning Committee, Inc. and approximately 20 others.

Provided information

2/12/12

Bridge removal in Spencerport to be underway by end of month

Necessary permits issued to allow three railroad overpass demolitions

by Kristina Gabalski

Union Street, SpencerportSpencerport Mayor Joyce Lobene says she has been informed the CSX railroad bridge over Union Street (Route 259) in the village will be taken down by the end of February.

Lobene says she was informed that the final New York State DOT permit was issued on Friday, February 3.

Three bridges are being removed as part of the project and Mayor Lobene says the Manitou Road bridge will be taken down first, followed by the bridge in the village and then the Washington Street bridge.

Manitou Road, OgdenIn the village, only the bridge will be removed over Union Street. The village has agreed to keep and maintain the two abutments, Lobene says.

She adds that the abutments will be cleaned and the village hopes to work with the Spencerport Central School art department to paint murals on each side.

Village officials say they will let the public know as soon as an exact time table becomes available, Lobene says.

Washington Street, Adams BasinThe canal bridge will also be closed at times in the near future for repair work, the mayor advises. Lobene says the bridge will be closed for three weeks and the DOT will coordinate their time tables so that both bridges will not be worked on at the same time. She asked that the traffic signals be put back up on the Martha Street bridge so residents on the north side of the village will not have to deal with long detours. The signal lights were installed last week.

2/12/12

Long-term plans in place for Cupola site’s future

by Kristina Gabalski

The Town of Clarkson and Lakeside Health System officials say long-term plans are in place in regards to the former Cupola Nursing Facility on West Avenue.

Lakeside’s Bill Beideck says Lakeside plans to demolish the former nursing home and construct a state of the art medical office facility in its place.

“It’s a long-term goal and part of the (3-5 year) strategic plan for the health system,” Beideck says. “There are costs associated with this.”

Beideck and Clarkson officials say the cost of demolition is expected to be $300,000 because of asbestos abatement that will need to be a part of the process. Lakeside has been working with a developer on the project, Beideck says.

Lakeside has also been working closely with the Clarkson building department, Beideck adds, to make sure the building is kept secure and safe and that it meets town code requirements.

Utilities have been removed from the building, Beideck notes, and the hospital, “... has worked to prevent access to the building. The Town of Clarkson and the Brockport Fire Department are aware of how to deal with a situation if they had to enter the building.”

Clarkson Supervisor Paul Kimball says he is aware that holes have begun to develop in the roof of the building and that he has been in contact with hospital officials. “We have been working with Lakeside to keep the building safe,” he says.

2/12/12

Area churches launch Hispanic outreach

The United Methodist Church of North Chili and Rochester: Emmanuel United Methodist Church are launching a Hispanic outreach into the Chili, Gates, Churchville, and Spencerport areas. The effort is part of the church’s overall aim to be a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic church for all peoples and will begin with a series of bilingual Spanish-English family-oriented movie nights, February 26, March 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 5 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of North Chili, 2200 Westside Drive, Adam’s Fellowship Hall. Refreshments will be served. Each movie will be followed by a discussion about the Hispanic ministry. The order of movies are February 26, “Chestnut;” March 4, “Fireproof;” March 11, “Diaries of a Mad Black Woman;” March 18, “Facing the Giants;” and March 25, “My Family aka Mi Familia.”

The churches plan to hold the first worship services at the North Chili facility, a Celebration of Christ’s Passion, April 1 and a Celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, April 8 at 5 p.m.

The project is being led by the Reverend Dr. Wilfredo J. Baez, Pastor of the United Methodist Church of North Chili and Ruth Rosa, Lay Missioner from the Rochester: Emmanuel United Methodist Church. People willing to be part of the project can contact Rev. Baez at the United Methodist Church of North Chili, (585) 594-9111 or revwillbaez@gmail.com.

Provided information

2/12/12

Congresswoman Hochul visits Churchville dairy business

During a visit to Zuber Farms in Churchville February 6 to discuss her opposition to burdensome government regulations for farmers, like the recently lifted ban on the wintertime application of manure, Congressman Kathy Hochul announced she has joined the bipartisan House Dairy Caucus to better represent the farmers in New York’s 26th Congressional District.

“Dairy farms play an important role to the New York State economy, making up nearly half of our state’s $4.5 billion agriculture industry and yielding more than 12 billion pounds of milk annually,” said Congresswoman Hochul. “Fighting against burdensome regulations, like the ban on the wintertime application of manure, and fighting to give them the workforce they need, by supporting an expansion of a temporary guest worker program, are some of the reasons why I joined the House Dairy Caucus. We must continue to support common sense initiatives that provide our farmers with the proper resources and right opportunities to grow and continue to be driving factors in the Western New York economy.”

With nearly 35,000 farms, most family-owned, New York’s agriculture industry is one of the state’s largest small business industries. New York currently ranks fourth in the nation in milk production, and Wyoming County, in the middle of New York’s 26th District, leads the state with almost 200 dairy operations.

Joining Congresswoman Hochul on the tour at Zuber Farms were Kim and Eric Zuber, co-managers of Zuber Farms; Scott Page, president of the Genesee County Farm Bureau, and seven other local dairy farmers from throughout Western New York. Kim is also the former President of the Monroe County Farm Bureau and a member of the Executive Committee for the New York Farm Bureau’s Western New York Regional Advisory Committee. Eric is currently a member of the New York Farm Bureau.

Zuber Farms is a dairy farm in Monroe County, home to 1,000 head of young stock. The 10 farmers present represented more than 10,000 head of cattle.

Provided information

2/12/12

Monroe County village mayors and officials gather for annual association dinner

Mayor Nancy Steedman, Churchville; Mayor Fritz May, Fairport; Mayor Joyce Lobene, Spencerport; Peter Baynes, NYCOM; Mayor Joe Lee, Hilton; Mayor Peter Elder, Webster; Mayor Maria (Connie) Castaneda; Mayor Robert Corby, Pittsford; Mayor Rick Milne, Honeoye Falls. Provided photoThe Monroe County Association of Villages Annual Dinner Meeting took place on Saturday January 21 at Midvale Country Club. This year’s event was hosted by the Village of Brockport.

The Assocation of Villages is an organization of participating Monroe County villages that provides a forum to identify and discuss common issues and to facilitate cooperative action. Through the sharing of information and ongoing collaboration, the Association strives to enhance the quality and efficiency of our individual operations and services as well as the success of their shared mission to improve life in Monroe County. The 203 in attendance were primarily government officials and staff from the ten Monroe County villages.

At the head table were Brockport Mayor Maria (Connie) Castaneda, association president, and her friend Norm Giancursio, Trustee Kent Blair and his wife, Rachael, and Trustee Dr. Margaret Blackman and partner Ulpian Toney. They were joined by Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and her husband and this year’s guest speaker, Peter A. Baynes and his wife. Baynes is the Executive Director of the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM), a membership association representing more than 590 city and village governments. Mr. Baynes is a native of East Rochester but now lives and works in Albany. Baynes provided the village representatives an update on various legislative issues facing Association leadership in the upcoming session.

Also in attendance from Brockport were Village Manager Mike Giardino, Village Clerk Leslie Morelli and her husband, John, DPW Superintendent Harry Donahue and his wife, Robin, David Moore and his wife, Scarlet, Linda Baker and her husband John, and Village Attorney Rob Leni. Also in attendance and showing his support was Monroe County Legislator Robert Colby.

Provided information

2/12/12

GCC offers free income tax preparation

For the third consecutive year, volunteers at Genesee Community College are providing free income tax preparation services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the 2011 tax season. Working collaborative with Genesee County Department of Social Services (GCDSS), interested participants have access to walk-in sessions at GCC’s Batavia Campus or appointment-based services at DSS.

The walk-in sessions at the GCC Batavia campus are Tuesday, March 6; and Thursday, March 22, each from 4 to 7 p.m. in room T204. The appointment-based services available at the Genesee County DSS at 5130 East Main Street, Batavia are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. by calling 344-2580 ext. 6552.

Through VITA, IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation to community members with low to moderate-income. The certified volunteers have undergone rigorous online training to be able to help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations.

The services are available to anyone whose household income is below $50,000 and does not require the filing of Schedule C or D. Business tax returns or complicated capital gains transactions cannot be completed through the VITA program. Each client leaves with a copy of his or her return that has been prepared. GCC is pleased to be working with Mark Castiglione from the Department of Social Services, who is the site coordinator.

Participants must bring all their necessary documents including W-2 (wage and earning statement(s) from employer(s), W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc (interest and dividend statements from banks) forms; social security cards for all persons listed on the tax return; and a copy of last year’s Federal and State returns, if available. In addition, bank account routing numbers and account numbers are also needed for direct deposit. Other information participants may need to provide includes total annual payment for daycare providers plus the daycare provider’s tax identifying numbers and address. Lastly, for married-filing joint tax returns, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

Provided information

2/12/12

Souper Bowl raises funds for Lakeside

Front l to r: Chef Stephen DeSantis of Stephen's Loft, Michelle Spagnola, chair of the Prairie Fire Twig, and Chef Paul Kraaijenbrink, from The Garland House, following award presentations. Provided photoWinners and participants in the 2nd annual Souper Bowl Competition sponsored by the Prairie Fire Twig of Lakeside Memorial Hospital held January 29 at the Sweden Farmer’s Museum helped raise funds for a new digital mammography machine for the hospital.

In the Best Restaurant Chili category, the winners were: The Garland House Restaurant - Sirloin Chili (Chef Paul Kraaijenbrink) and Jimmy Z’s (Chef Jimmy Zisovski). The Best Restaurant Soup/Stew category was won by Stephen’s Loft with their Braised Veal and Vegetable Stew with Garlic Bread (Chef Stephen DeSantis). Honorable Mention goes to 2 Brothers Family Restaurant (Chef Nichols Tasanis) for their Avgolmondo, The Garland House entry of Seafood Bisque (Chef Paul Kraaijenbrink), and Stephen’s Loft (Chef Stephen DeSantis) for their Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. The best individual soup/stew category went to the Spagnola family, for their Tortellini Soup.

The Town of Sweden provided the venue, Jimmy Z’s donated the paper products/spoons and EcoVis Incorporated donated all of the trophies for the event.

Provided information

2/12/12

FEATURE STORIES - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Dunn’s Furniture: 100 years and three generations on Main Street, Brockport

by Leisa Strabel

John Dunn in front of Dunn's Home Furnishing, February 2012. John says, "Being a part of the community is a highlight of our business, giving the customers an option from the big box store." His response when asked to note a memorable moment: "Making a delivery to a cottage on an island in the St. Lawrence River." Photograph by Walter Horylev.If there is one thing that the Dunn family men have in common, it’s that they tend to go away to school or training, but they always come back to Brockport. Actually, three generations of Dunn men – George Sr., George Jr. and John have much more in common than that – they’ve shared a business and commitment to customer service that spans 100 years.

Dunn’s Home Furnishings is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a Main Street, Brockport business – the only retail business in continuous operation during that period. While most residents and visitors probably picture Dunn’s where it has been located since 1956 – the home furnishings store actually had three other Main Street locations before George Sr. and Jr. constructed the showroom in its present location.

George Dunn, Sr., was born in Brockport in 1890. After high school graduation, George could have attended the University of Rochester on scholarship, but his father, James, was a harness maker who didn’t believe that the college degree was the best pursuit for his son. Instead, George, Sr. spent a year learning about the business world in the offices of Armour and Company in Chicago. Dunn soon decided there would be more opportunities working for himself, so in 1912 he came back to Brockport and opened a home furnishings and mortuary business with partner E.W. Allanson.

John's father, George, joins his son at the store for a photo. After being involved for 50 years in the family business, George, now 86, retired in 2000. "I think too much of my son to come down to the store to help him," George said when asked if still involved in the Main Street business. Home furnishings and mortuary business? According to George Jr., it wasn’t an unusual combination. He mentions that the Fowler family also ran a home furnishings store and funeral home in Brockport; as did the McNalls’ in Albion. George said he’s heard a couple of theories about why the seemingly dichotomous businesses would go hand-in-hand. The theory he believes is most creditable is that home furnishing stores were an outgrowth of cabinet making which would have included caskets.

In any case, George Sr.’s partner soon left to open another business and Dunn was on his own. The partners had opened their store in the Main Street building now known as Seawards Candies. In 1914, Dunn moved to 1 Main Street, currently home to the Stoneyard restaurant, and stayed there until 1943. At that time, George Sr. purchased 15 Main Street and kept his business there for 13 years.

George Jr. (older brother James was killed in World War II) headed off to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor to study engineering. He switched his major to business and after graduating went to work for Sears Roebuck, the largest retailer in the world at the time. After marrying and starting a family, George Jr. decided that Brockport was a much better place to raise a family than Detroit and he came home to join his father in the business.

George Jr. knew at least a bit about his father’s business. As a youth and a teenager, his parents encouraged his attention to his studies and his participation in school sports, but if there was any free time, it was to be spent working at the store – not hanging out getting into trouble. “There was always something to be done,” George Jr. says, “helping on the truck, unpacking, keeping cleaned up.”

When he returned to the business as a partner, George Jr. studied for his mortuary license also. The Dunn’s continued to be in the funeral business until constructing their new building in 1956.

“We were Catholic,” George Jr. explains, “so we did all the Catholic funerals. The Fowlers were Presbyterians, they did all the Protestant funerals. It became apparent over time that Brockport’s population was going to be more Protestant. It wouldn’t matter if I had the nicest funeral home in New York State, I was only going to have a small share of the business.”

Dunn's on Main Street, Brockport, circa 1957For those who think of Dunn’s as a furniture store – for a very long time it was actually a home furnishings store. The Dunns sold paint, draperies, domestics like linens and towels, house wares and gifts. “When we built this building in 1956, less than 20 percent of our business was furniture,” George Jr. says.

But changing with the times has been what has kept Dunn’s Home Furnishings in business for a century. As the dynamics of the home furnishings business changed, so did Dunn’s. If the chain department stores could offer linens and draperies in a more convenient and cost-effective way, then Dunn’s could do something big box stores can’t do well – display and sell furniture.

Unlike some other types of retail businesses, there are still a good number of independent furniture stores, George says. Part of it is the personal touch – many people don’t want to buy furniture from a stranger; many people also don’t like the high-pressure sales tactics of the chain furniture stores.

The store George Sr. and Jr. built in 1956 was designed to attract foot traffic, with the gift merchandise right up front on Main Street. George Sr. was quite talented at draperies and that was an important part of the business. George Sr. stayed active at the store until his death in 1970.

Dunn's, Brockport, 1994. Sketch by Donna KelseyAs the business changed to more furniture and less furnishings, the third generation of Dunns was growing up. John remembers well working in the store as a youth – “it was an opportunity I didn’t appreciate at the time,” he says.

John followed in his father’s footsteps to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. But like his father and grandfather before him, he eventually returned to Brockport, joining his father in the business in 1985. “He was a real mentor,” John says of his father, “I learned the ropes from him.”

Most Brockporters probably consider Dunn’s the anchor of the downtown shopping district. It is not only the oldest retail business, but the largest in terms of square footage. The Dunns hope that their relationship with the other Main Street businesses is symbiotic – they all benefit from each other’s presence. “Any amount of traffic downtown is a benefit to all the stores,” John says.

from the Brockport Republic-Democrat newspaper May 1929George Jr. stopped playing an active role in the store in 2000, but he’s still interested in the dynamics of the business – he recently read about how other industries have tried to consolidate furniture making and selling into just a few powerhouses, but the effort has failed.

For John, steering the business into its second century of operation, it’s all about the customer. He keeps a copy of a quote, which he has adopted as his own personal mantra on his desk – “we must always be responsible to the people who allow us to exist.”

He is grateful to all the customers who have remained loyal to Dunn’s over many years, through recessions and Main Street construction projects. He is also grateful to long-time employees like Sue Arican (33 years) and David Reed (23 years).

John and his wife, Wendy, have 12 year-old twins. Will one of them be the fourth generation of Dunn’s Home Furnishings? It’s impossible to tell at this point. But based on the store’s enduring success, it’s a possibility the community would love to embrace.

2/12/12

Hilton Apple Fest Logo contest underway

The Hilton Apple Fest is holding a contest to select this year’s festival logo. The winning entry will be applied to sweatshirts, tee shirts, and other memorabilia. The winner will also receive $100 and a sweatshirt featuring the chosen logo.

The logo must be an original creation, and cannot be copyrighted. Entries should emphasize the value of the Hilton Apple Fest to the artist and the community in its entirety. The theme is limited only by your imagination, and experienced Apple Fest patrons may have plenty of memories to create from. Multiple entries per person are encouraged.

Logo designs must be submitted via post mail. All entries become the property of Hilton Apple Fest. All submissions must be received no later than Wednesday, March 14. Send entries to: Hilton Apple Fest, Att: Logo Contest, P.O. Box 1, Hilton, NY 14468.

Further details about this year’s Apple Fest and an archive of the past 22 winning entries are available online at www.hiltonapplefest.org.

Provided information

2/12/12

One man’s dream came true

Franklin Adams, better known as Mike is a quiet unassuming man who had a dream he has brought to reality.

His love of the Ford Motor Company and his appreciation of business as it was in years past gave him the idea to build his own garage one day. Somewhere in the mix, after having had the opportunity to work for Ray Badge at the dealership known as Badge Motors, he decided that not only would he like to have his own garage, but he also wanted to dedicate it to two Ford dealerships, Cabic & Badge and Badge Motors.

Cabic & Badge first opened their doors in 1931 at 3570 Latta Road in North Greece.That Ford dealership owned by Ed Cabic and Ray Badge flourished for over thirty years.

The building consisted of a small showroom, office, parts room and the work areas in the back. The dealership quickly became well known for their high quality of service and workmanship. The friendly atmosphere created a great spot for men to chat with friends while waiting for their cars.

n those days, everyone knew each other so taking the car to the garage took on a social air as well. Mike smiled as he remembered taking his 1957 in for inspection. While he was waiting, the fire whistle blew. All the men were firemen so as they dashed by Mike, they hollered, “Don’t forget to close the door when you leave.” No car inspection that day. Yes, those were the good old days without a doubt.

In 1964, Cabic and Badge on Latta Road closed with Ray Badge re-opening a short time later at a new location on Lake Avenue in Hilton. Badge Motors operated at that location from 1964 until 1971. It was during that time that Mike had an opportunity to work directly with the men he admired. Familiar names such as Ken Speer, Dave Griffin and Bill Stark were tossed around as Mike related stories of working there.

It was not unusual to arrive at work to see several farm trucks waiting to be tuned up for the coming season. The men would arrive to pick them up, making payment, but in addition on any given fall morning, bushels of all sorts of produce would mysteriously have been delivered before daybreak.

In 2006, Mike’s son, David, built the dream garage behind their home in Parma. When one enters the spotless building, aside from all the modern day tools, one takes a step back in time. The garage is filled with old tools and memorabilia acquired from gas stations or dealerships of the past as well as the many donations by family and friends. Mike knows the history of each and will happily relate their origin to you. As you look around one expects to see Ed Cabic, corn cob pipe in hand, or Ray ‘Bub’ Badge or Ken ‘Senator’ Speer, stick their head out from under a hood to see if they can help you. Time seems to stand still.

Franklin, “Mike” and his wife, Anne “Rocky” Adams are life-long residents of Parma. They belong to several antique car clubs. It is not at all unusual for Mike to pick up several first place awards at the Hilton Apple Fest car show. He has restored several cars receiving national recognition through magazine articles, one of which featured his 1937 Ford Station Wagon, a “Woodie,” on the cover. His latest venture is a Model A Tow truck built to honor the Cabic & Badge dealership, a true expression of love and admiration by one guy for a couple of men who crossed his path and made a difference.

Writers note: My dad, Jack Lowden, bought my first typewriter from Cabic & Badge for $5 in the mid-forties. How I wish I still had it - I would give it to Mike Adams.

Submitted by: Marilyn K. Wright, Hilton

2/12/12

Chili Webelos learn about first aid

Members of the Chili Volunteer Ambulance helped Webelos Dragon Den of Pack 292 in North Chili and their siblings learn about first aid, emergency preparedness and helped the scouts complete the Webelos “Readyman” activity pin.

The boys in the den finished earning all 20 of the Webelos activity pins and earned the last part of their “Arrow of Light” award by completing this activity.

Provided photos

2/12/12

Share your memories of Eastman Kodak Company

E-mail your memories of the Rochester photo giant to

editor@westsidenewsny.com

Please include your name along with your address & phone number (address & phone number not for publication).

The memories will be compiled on this website.

1/22/12

Memory by Walter Horylev...

I spent 33 years of my life at Kodak and I do have a lot of fond memories, like:

•Spending noon hours playing competitive Bridge or Gin Rummy (5 per side) or Hearts.

•Spending part of my lunch hour perusing sale items in the tool section of the nearby Sears store on West Ridge Road.

•Going to the homes of fellow workers in our group for a Friday lunch and trading the location weekly. That came to a screeching halt when we were over 45 minutes late coming back from Brockport.

•Playing Christmas music with the Off-Beats, fellow musicians from CP&P and Photo Technology, during lunch time in the cafeteria of B-69 and having everybody joining in on the carols.

•Watching explosions going off from an office window in B-65 when they were forming a base for the foundation of B-69 next door.

•The Friday afternoon rush to get to Lake Shore Country Club and dressing while driving; it was first-come, first-up on the tee and with a late starting time you might not get 18 holes in.

•Walking all over Kodak Park East to meetings; rain, snow or shine.

•The noon hour basketball games in B-28. We even had girls playing eventually and they looked slightly nervous when we said we were ‘shirts’ and they were ‘skins’.

•The long hours, even Saturday and sometimes Sunday, spent on making the Instant program technically successful. Although it failed for other reasons this project generated a whole new cadre of engineers who learned that the good old days of less urgency were over. It was inspiring to see so many people from different divisions working together, even the brass coming in on the weekend, for a common cause.

•The time I was tricked into leaving my office ostensibly to have a photo taken in B-28 and coming back to find it decorated by my basketball buddies.

•The feeling that you could talk to so many experts in various fields to find out information about almost anything. They were the Google® of that time.

•All the training sessions that were provided to engineers, new and old. It was a great way for me to get up to speed in learning a new technology, photo science, back when this wasn’t a college course.

•The long coffee breaks, morning and afternoon, and the same people always sitting at the same tables with the same companions, day after day for years, like in church pews.

•B-28 was a home away from home with a magnificent stage where on special nights speakers gave presentations and gifts, especially power drills, were given away, an excellent cafeteria, a rifle range, bowling lanes, basketball courts (the evening leagues were great fun, I only sprained my ankle once in 30 years), a running track, a pool that was used for drying Coloramas, a gift shop and plenty of darkrooms for color and B&W processing and printing.

•The Kodak Camera Club held numerous photo competitions and classes that provided a tremendous learning experience for me and many others; these activities helped create a number of personal friendships and produced some outstanding photographers. (Every employee of Kodak Park was a member of the Camera Club but, of course, most did not participate).

•My least fond memory: The day when B-65 and B-69 were imploded. I was with a large crowd slightly northeast and two blocks away from the buildings when the huge cloud of dust and debris from the blasts was carried right at us, engulfing us in a blinding brownish fog, as if to say: “You were a part of me, now I’m a part of you.”

Walter P. Horylev

Hilton

2/5/12

Memory by Den and Mary Eichas-Gavigan...

Kodak employment began February 14, 1964

All five of us remember February 14, 1964, the day that Ken began employment at Eastman Kodak Company, full time, reliable, you could count on, work. This meant grocery money every week. Additionally, every March, Kodak shared profits by distributing a bonus.

Each year on Dividend Day, the three children and I (JoAnn, Victoria and Christopher) made a snowman announcing our joy. This year, 1969, as a bit of humor, we hung a pail because as a five year employee, Ken would get a full, 100 percent bonus. Wearing Ken’s hat, gloves, and holding one of our maple sap buckets, we displayed our gratitude and appreciation - and waited for ‘Dad’ to bring the check home. Some of the money stayed at Kodak, saved, and this year the part coming home would help pay for JoAnn’s orthodontic braces.

Because of this consistent Kodak employment, we were able to give our children educational travel experiences, sports programs, educations, and weddings. This gave Ken and I tremendous satisfaction.

God bless George Eastman and his Kodak for all it made possible for us.

Ken and Mary Eichas-Gavigan

Parma

2/12/12

Memory by Maisie Rife Strassner...

Living the Kodak life

I am 95 years old, and my family goes back with Kodak Park, to about 1912.

I lived on Steko Ave. off Dewey Ave. for about 60 years (have seen changes). My memories are some good ones, plus what my parents told me. When I was small, it was Lewiston Ave., not Ridge Road. During WWI, Kodak supplied workers with small lots and seeds for gardens. During the Depression, instead of laying off workers, they divided workers into groups. One group worked three days a week, the other two days, then the next week they rotated.

Also, instead of not giving a dividend, they just reduced it. At least we got something. Dad always said it was a blessing and no one went hungry.

I remember when I was little, once a year the workers put on a minstrel show - how great it was.

Friday night was basketball, in old Building 28, with dancing after, then free ice cream in the old 28 cafeteria. Jackie Brightman was the basketball man then. My father managed the Kodak Park soccer team for many years and all the trophies were on display in the Building 28 show case. Leigh Rife was his name. Shifty Gears was our baseball great.

As children, when we were hurt, we went to Kodak medical and Dr. Slater took care of us.

…the five o’clock whistle … the big coal pile on Ridge Road … George Eastman started Kodak Park School, now #41 … Sunday dinners in both old 28 and new 28. Then new Building 28 was built, with new bowling lanes, Camera Club, the auditorium, for movies and plays … I could go on and on -- wonderful memories.

Maisie Rife Strassner

Victor Lane

Hamlin

2/12/12

Memory by Mary Lou Rockow...

Kodak Memories

My grandfather, James A. Noble, was an Eastman Kodak executive who rose from office boy to an assistant manager at Camera Works and worked for Kodak for 45 years. He was credited with a number of technical developments at the plant including a lacquer formula he devised in 1914 that was still in use at his retirement in 1953. He also designed a camera bellows and equipment to manufacture bellows. In a newspaper article written at his retirement he was quoted as saying: “One of the most rewarding aspects of my career was the opportunity for encouragement of young employees. I have always told young people who have come to me for advice to put forth every helpful idea they get, for it all aids in gaining plant management recognition.”

James Noble was a Kendall native and through night study he completed a New York Central course in telegraphy, served as manager of the Pinnacle Club in Rochester and worked for a Cleveland electrical firm. At Kodak, he began in the Camera Works spool department and rose to the position of foreman and head of several departments. In 1938 he was named superintendent of process and became superintendent of manufacturing in 1944, general superintendent of manufacturing in 1946 and assistant manager of the plant in 1952.

I remember the summer home that he and my grandmother had on Conesus Lake and the wooden Chris-Craft inboard he would give us rides around the lake in when we visited.

One of my first jobs was as a “mail girl” (only young girls were hired for the job at that time) at Eastman Kodak. There was a large group of young people who would sort and deliver the mail throughout the building on State Street. I did the 19th floor. We would sort the mail for our area and organize the mail in a large cardboard box we would carry with shoulder straps. We’d race against one another to see who could get their mail delivered first. We’d run up the stairs instead of using the elevator!

On Lomond Shores on Lake Ontario, where I live now in a family home, there were many early cottages built with materials from Kodak Salvage. Cypress wood used for shipping by Kodak and discarded after use was reclaimed from Salvage and used to build many of the early cottages along the lake. Other discarded items such as electrical lights removed in building renovation were reclaimed by Kodak workers and re-purposed for domestic use.

One very big and special memory I have of working there reflects the Kodak philosophy to encourage workers to share their ideas for innovation and facilitation of work tasks. Workers in the mail room had to scan the incoming mail envelopes. The set up to scan items only allowed for one person to work at a time. I suggested that if the light on the scanner were raised, two people could access the light mechanism. The suggestion earned me $500!

Mary Lou Rockow

Kendall

2/12/12

COLUMNS

Westside News Inc’s Family Guy

Does love have a timeline?

by Mark Ball

As I walked the card aisle searching for the perfect Valentine, I started reminiscing about my courtship with Leslie. It seems like it was over in the blink of an eye.

We dated for six months, were engaged for six months, got married and then all that silly romantic stuff took a back seat to the wild adventures of life together with a house full of kids. I can remember going to my parents to tell them that I planned to pop the question. They were excited for me and pleased with my pick, but they asked the question, “Are you moving a little too fast?”

“No!” I responded with confidence, but as I sat back on their couch for a moment to catch up on other news in the world, I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Was I moving a bit too quickly?

Not a chance. I jumped up off the couch, headed right for the phone and dialed my soon-to-be mother-in-law. I stuttered my way through asking for her blessing on my proposal. She shrieked, and then there was an awkward pause. Finally, she spoke again.

“What’s her middle name?” she asked.

My puzzled look must have communicated clearly through the phone.

“You can’t be ready to marry her if you don’t know what her middle name is,” she explained.

How ridiculous! How insulting! Of course I knew the middle name of my beloved soon-to-be bride.

“Ummm… hmmmm… ummmmm,” I filled time while my head raced to think of her middle name. Does she really have a middle name? Is this some riddle that her mother had been planning since her birth? Finally, her middle name danced through my brain.

“Ummmm… Ann?” I said as if I was asking an uncomfortable question.

“You got it. I know you two will be happy together. Congratulations,” she answered.

Who can set a timeline on when true love is true? For my mother-in-law it was the middle name test that determined a perfect match. But for our children, how will I know when is the right time to give my blessing?

Sadie, our 5-year-old, was barely even walking when we realized that she would be that child. You know, the child you love dearly but you swear that if she had been born first you would have thanked God for giving you all that you could handle.

One summer afternoon I was sitting at the kitchen table going through a stack of work when Leslie came through the door holding tightly to Sadie’s hand. They took a few steps together toward me then Leslie stopped and firmly guided Sadie in my direction.

“Go ahead and tell Dad what happened,” Leslie guided.

Sadie’s head dropped straight down and her hands folded discreetly behind her back.

“What’s going on, Dear?” I asked trying to coax out a confession.

“I accidentally fell today at daycare,” Sadie said with a sniffle.

My jail warden stare softened up as I replaced it with a genuine look of concern.

“Are you okay, Sweetie?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“Well then, that’s all that matters,” I concluded in a happy, family sitcom kind of way.

Sadie’s head popped back up in relief and she started up the stairs to her bedroom. She didn’t even get her foot on the first step, when her mother’s cold-as-ice voice chimed in.

“Tell him where you fell,” she led with all the cunning of a prosecuting attorney.

“On another boy’s lips,” Sadie said as her head dropped again and her legs scurried her up the stairs and into the safety of her room. I looked to Leslie for clarification.

“Twice!” is all Leslie said.

Apparently when confronted by a teacher for sharing uninvited affection with one of her classmates, Sadie explained that her sneaker got caught in a crack of the sidewalk propelling her forward and into the arms of a preschool prince. The kind and caring teacher went with Sadie’s explanation the first time, but the second coincidental love fall was a little hard to believe.

Our night ended with a talk about how it was too early in her young life to share such serious affection with a friend.

“But Daddy,” she protested while batting her eyelashes.

Try as she might, I was not hearing it. After all, she doesn’t even know the boy’s middle name.

2/12/12

SPORTS NEWS - WEEK OF FEBURARY 12, 2012

BROCKPORT

Parrino in spring training with major league

by Kristina Gabalski

In a Proclamation presented January 10, the Brockport Village Board recognized the achievements of native son Andy Parrino, a 2004 graduate of Brockport High School who is now in spring training with the San Diego Padres. Provided photoIt’s been an exciting six months for Andy Parrino, a 2004 graduate of Brockport High School and son of Tony and Sue Parrino of Brockport.

After four years in San Diego Padres’ minor league organizations, Parrino was called up to the majors last August and is currently back in Phoenix getting ready for spring training.

Parrino was honored by the Village of Brockport on January 10 during a visit home, with a proclamation presented by the village board recognizing and congratulating him for his achievements.

“I was truly honored to have received the proclamation from the Brockport Village Board when I returned home this off-season,” Parrino told the Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald via email. “I don’t spend much time home anymore, mostly just for the holidays to spend time with my family, but it’s always nice to come home and be recognized and be a role model for kids in the area and show them to have a good work ethic and not give up on their dreams.”

Parrino says being called up to the majors last season gave him a chance to get his feet wet at the most competitive level.

“After my ‘cup of coffee’ in the big leagues last season, I was able to use that time to learn so much about the speed of the game,” Parrino explains. “I was able to learn a lot about the game from veterans on the team and how to let the game come to me and try to stay confident and relaxed which was difficult at the beginning because I was a little overwhelmed at times.”

“Last season when I got called up to the major leagues, I found myself at times trying to do too much, especially at the plate, which got me in some bad situations and (I) didn’t always have quality at bats. It was a surprising yet exciting transition from the minor leagues to the major leagues because the guys I was playing against were the best in the world and it takes a lot of focus and determination to play at that constant competitive level of baseball day in and day out,” he says.

Heading into the 2012 season, Parrino says he has the opportunity to make the opening day roster as a utility player.

“I have played shortstop, second base, third base, right and left field at the major league level,” he says and notes it’s always an advantage to be versatile, especially on a National League team.

What does Parrino miss most about Brockport?

“This might sound weird, but I miss the pizza,” he says. “I can’t find a good piece of pizza out West too often. I miss the changing of the seasons, too. I think my blood has gotten a little thinner because I tend to spend less and less time at home now because of the cold weather, but I do love seeing snow.”

When he is home, he enjoys giving back to the community that gave him so much while he was growing up, Parrino says.

“This past off-season, I was able to visit Golisano Children’s Hospital and Bishop Kearney High School and interact with kids who have dreams and aspirations which I had as a kid. I also was able to help out the Brockport High School baseball team when they had off-season workouts. On the weekends when I’m home, I run baseball camps and private lessons at The Battery in Gates for boys and girls ages 5 through 18.”

Parrino especially thanks his parents for believing in him and sacrificing for him so that he could fulfill his dream of becoming a major league baseball player.

He also thanks Fred Tillinghast, “who gave me countless hours of instruction and taught me how to play the game the right way. My high school coach, Brian Jones, who gave me the opportunity to play varsity baseball as an eighth grader and was always there for me throughout my career. My college coach, Steve Owens at Le Moyne, he always kept me on track and told me if I wanted to make it to the major leagues, there was going to be sacrifices I had to make in life to keep from veering off track and letting outside factors influence my decisions.”

Parrino also thanks his brother, Nathan, “for always being there when I was a kid, even though I’m sure he didn’t want to at times. Being able to practice with someone who was also great at baseball made it easier for me to get good quality work in at home with him and my father.”

2/12/12

25th ranked Eagles beat RIT

by Warren Kozireski

The College at Brockport’s nationally ranked wrestling team defeated RIT 32-12 in Brockport’s only home dual meet of the season. They followed that with a first place finish in the John Summa Invitational held at Baldwin Wallace College four days later.

Sophomore Tyler Marlow began the meet with a first period fall in 1:57 at 125 lb. Junior Rocco Rosso followed with a 4-0 decision at 133 lb. and Elijah Golding pinned his man in 1:25 at 141 lb. Sophomore Robert Troy scored an 18-5 major decision at 149 lb.

Brockport High grad Justin James celebrated his final regular season home meet with a tough 6-4 decision at 165 lb. before junior Wheeler Brunschmid registered a 5-2 decision at 184 lb.

Spencerport grad and former high school state champion Paul Glover picked up a 20-7 major decision at 197 and sophomore John Wilkinson finished the match with a 6-2 decision at 285 lb. as Brockport finished off their undefeated, 6-0 season.

Brockport will play host to the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Championships February 25th. The NCAA Division III Championships follow at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse March 9-10.

2/12/12

KENDALL

Kendall Eagles silence Tigers

by Warren Kozireski

Kendall set a season’s best mark with 83 points as they trounced Lyndonville on Senior Night for the boys basketball team.

Senior Michael Nauden celebrated his final home game as one of four players scoring in double figures with a team high 16 points.

The Eagles led 15-8 after the first quarter with Dan Kelly accounting for nine of those points, but broke the game wide open in the second quarter with 23 points to lead by 17 at the half.

They bettered that in the third with 24 points of offense to push their lead to 27 and added 21 more points in the fourth with the nonstarters getting considerable playing time including Garrett Love scoring seven of his game total of 12 points. It was Love’s second varsity game of the season since being called up.

Eagles senior Preston Vick had a team-high ten rebounds, Kelly finished with 15 points, Love had nine rebounds and four blocks, Mookie Nauden had 12 points with nine assists and brother Mike added five rebounds to his point total.

The win was just the third of the season for Kendall against 13 losses, but with the offense clicking could be a dangerous draw in the Section V tournament in two weeks. The team last won a title in 2000 and have six others in school history including five consecutive from 1972-73 through 1976-77.

Seniors who played in their final home game were Justin Lane, Mike Nauden, Ralph Reis and Vick.

2/12/12

SPENCERPORT

Locals inducted into Wrestling Hall

by Warren Kozireski

Spencerport Ranger great Jason DeBruin and two others with local ties were among six inducted into the Section V Wrestling Hall of Fame February 8 in a ceremony held at the Brook House Restaurant.

DeBruin took first in the Class A Sectional and SuperSectionals before winning the state title in the 135 lb. weight class in 1997. He also won a Class A Sectional and SuperSectional title in 1996 and won the Class A Sectional crown in 1995.

Fellow inductee John Alessi won two Monroe County individual titles in 1962 and 1963 at Pittsford before he wrestled at The College at Brockport winning the 1964 SUNYAC title at 191 lb. and taking third at the 1966 SUNYAC Championships at 177 lb. He graduated in 1967.

And Tom Kressly is one of the current assistant coaches at Brockport after a 25 year coaching career at Hammondsport High School.

2/12/12

SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2012

BYRON-BERGEN

Poetry Out Loud at Byron- Bergen High School

This year's participants in Poetry Out Loud included (l-r) Melissa Watson, John Tomidy (faculty advisor), Haley Howard, Emily Bowman, Brittany Merrell, and Christine Burke. Absent from picture: Chad Bobzin.The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation have joined together to create Poetry Out Loud, a program that encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation.

Participation in the program has grown at Byron-Bergen as well. For each of the last five years, over two hundred high school students were involved in the program, twenty of whom were selected from classroom performances to compete in the school level memorization/recitation competition held on January 11. Byron-Bergen freshmen Chad Bobzin, Emily Bowman, and Melissa Watson, sophomores Brittany Merrell and Christine Burke, and senior Haley Howard scored highest in the contest. The next step in Poetry Out Loud will be the Western Regional competition which will be held at Amherst High School on February 16. The State level competition will be held on March 24 in Albany, and the final National Competition is scheduled for May 13-15, in Washington, D.C.

Provided information

2/12/12

CHURCHVILLE-CHILI

Forsett finishes first with Modernized Macbeth at C-C Shakespeare Competition

The top three finalists at a Shakespeare competition held at Churchville-Chili High School were (left to right, first to third) Myles Forsett, James Wezelis and Madeline Jones. Provided photo Freshman Myles Forsett was crowned Churchville-Chili’s first-place finisher at the school level of the National Shakespeare Competition, sponsored by The English-Speaking Union of the United States.

Forsett, a freshman, brought a new tone to a monologue from Macbeth to capture the title. He moves on to represent Churchville-Chili at the Rochester competition on Saturday, March 3 at 1 p.m. at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center (MuCCC) on Atlantic Avenue.

“I feel great,” said Forsett. “My practice and hard work paid off. Now, I am going to practice, practice, practice for the city competition.”

Forsett prepared thoroughly for Saturday’s competition, performing for family and friends. He even posted the monologue in one of his most frequented locations.

“I put the monologue on my fridge at home,” said Forsett. “I figure I’m there a lot and I need to practice so it was perfect.”

At the city level event, Forsett will perform a sonnet, in addition to his monologue, while competing against students from Rochester and the surrounding area. The last time that a Churchville-Chili student advanced to the national level was four years ago when Jennie O’Leary made the trip. O’Leary was one of this year’s three judges.

Ten Churchville-Chili students from grades 9 through 12 performed a Shakespeare monologue of 20 lines or less without the use of props, costumes or affected speech. Second-place finisher and Chruchville-Chili junior Jamison Wezelis performed a monologue from one of Shakespeare’s comedies, “The Tempest,” and had the audience in stitches.

“It was definitely difficult deciding between Jamison and Myles,” said O’Leary. “Jamison has brilliant comedic timing and his body language was flawless. Myles did a great job bringing a different attitude and flavor to Macbeth, which can be quite dry at times.”

Madeline Jones’ performance of Isabella from “Measure for Measure” earned the lone senior in the competition third place.

“Madeline as poised and sweet. She really charmed us judges,” said O’Leary.

Also competing in the event were freshmen Lauren Burr, Allison Crist and Christian Johnson; sophomore Skye King; and juniors Courtney Kuhn, Samantha Longfellow and Alexa Turton.

The Rochester winner will go on to compete in April in New York City at Lincoln Center against student from across the United States. The U.S. winner will be awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to study acting in Shakespeare’s homeland, England. Monetary prizes will be given for the second and third place national finishers, $1,000 and $500, respectively.

Provided information

2/12/12

HILTON

Hilton students reach out to help in Nicaraguan school

School supplies on their way to Nicaragua from Hilton - "This is fantastic!" said Ciudad Herman volunteer Tim McMahon, left, of the pallet of school supplies collected by Hilton High School students now on its way to the town of El Sauce, Nicaragua. Since December students have collected school supplies and the 18 cartons were shipped in late January. From left are: volunteer Tim McMahon, Jessica Marengo, Katherine Wroblewski, Emma Steinmetz, Nadia Wallace, Mark Romig and Hilton High School Principal Brian Bartalo. Provided photoSince the early 1970s there have been various outreach groups which have linked the Rochester area to a remote village in the Segovia Mountains of Nicaragua and its struggle for clean water, sturdy housing, medical and school supplies. Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in Central America and the village of El Sauce is no exception.

In January, a group of International Baccalaureate (IB) High School students led by Hilton High School Principal Brian Bartalo decided to make a difference. A volunteer himself in Nicaragua in the early 90s, Bartalo remembers the village. “We collected supplies from students at Merton Williams where I was then a teacher,” he said. “I brought all I could. The supplies were so well-received there and I was so moved by that experience, I promised that I’d remain committed to doing it again.”

Designated as a “SisterCity” for many years, the connections in the Rochester area continue to expand according to Bartalo. “We have plans this spring to start a fundraising project sponsored by the IB students to raise enough money to support the building of a new home for a needy family,” Bartalo said. “According to the ‘4 Walls’ organization in Rochester, this takes approximately $2,000. In US dollars, this wouldn’t pay for much, but in Nicaragua it will fund the basics for new home construction.”

Among the Hilton CSD connections in El Sauce is 2006 Hilton High School graduate Ashley Sullivan who is currently teaching English in an elementary school. Merton Williams and Quest Elementary schools have already reached out and Skyped® with Ashley and plan to do several fundraisers in their schools. Ashley is the daughter of Hilton CSD Learning Through Technology Teacher Patricia Sullivan.

Provided information

2/12/12

Hilton High School inducts 58 into National Honor Society

Hilton High School inducted 58 juniors and seniors into the Hilton High School Chapter of the National Honor Society on Sunday, January 29 at the High School. NHS Advisors are Hilton High School teachers Rebecca Houghton and Ruth Hurysz.

Inductees and their grade are: Makenzi Adams, 11; Claudia Aghaie, 12; Stephanie Ashodian, 11; Rachel Berg, 11; Lindsey Bierworth, 11; Victoria Bourret, 11; Daniel Bowers, 12; Jillian Branciforte, 11; Kirk Carbone, 11; Allison Cerone, 11; Hannah Cliff, 11; Noah Cole, 11; Jessica Dauvergne, 11; Victoria Farrell, 11; Anai Flanagan, 11; Ryan Fowler, 11; Ellie Garno, 11; Gillette Gartland, 11; Bryce Gebhardt, 11; Vanessa George, 11; Taunce Graham, 11; Morgan Graus, 11; Victoria Grisdale, 11; Benjamin Harper, 11; Daniel Hogestyn, 11; Maria Jackson, 11; Eric Jensen, 11; Sydney John, 11; Sarah Johnson, 11; Amanda Jones, 11; Sarah Jones, 11; Dustin Logory, 11; Jennifer Lohrmann, 11; Christopher Marciano, 11; Nicolas Mattle, 11; Taylor McHenry, 11; Monica Messina, 11; Derek Milgate, 11; Alex Milliken, 11; Emma Monfiletto, 11; Jenelle Mucher, 11; Briana Neale, 11; Jordan Ott, 11; Mikael Pelkey, 11; Ross Pirnie, 11; Carleen Rutherford, 11; William Ryan, 11; Julianne Schwallie, 11; Ashley Shaw, 11; Allison Shields, 11; Ashley Shtoyko, 11; David Siciliano, 11; Andrew Steiger, 11; Anne Taylor, 11; Nigel Walker, 12; Zach Werner, 11; Hannah Wheater, 11; Sadie Wolters, 11.

All students in grades 11 and 12 are initially screened to determine if they have a cumulative grade point average of at least 90 percent through the end of the second semester of the preceding academic year. A list of all academically qualified students is presented to the entire faculty for rating in the areas of leadership, service, and character. All academically eligible students are furnished information defining the next steps of the selection process. Membership is not automatic on basis of scholarship alone. Students are judged on the basis of the four categories of scholarship, leadership, character, and service.

Provided information

2/12/12

Hilton High School hosts Yellow Jackets

“Sing-Off” semi-finalists, the U of R Yellow Jackets, a men’s a capella group, performed for a sold-out audience February 3 at the Hilton High School auditorium.

The event was a fundraiser for the Class of 2015, according to teacher Vicki Newman.

Provided photo by Brittany Oliveri

2/12/12

Hilton kindergarten registration in February and March

The Hilton Central School District kindergarten registration takes place in February and March. Children whose fifth birthday fall on or before December 1 following the start of the school year in September are eligible to attend kindergarten. Kindergarten in the Hilton School District is full-day. Informational letters from the Hilton Central School District to all eligible district families are mailed by the HCSD Office of Census/Central Registration. If a family does not receive a letter by mid-March, they can call the Census/Central Registration Clerk Dawn Blodgett at 585-392-1000 ext. 7031.

To register, bring: original birth certificate, proof of residency, proof of immunizations and custody or guardianship papers if applicable. Information about preschool screening (birth to age five) for possible developmental delays is available by calling the Hilton School District Office of Learning Support Services (Special Education) at 585-392-1000 ext. 6054.

Entering kindergarteners are eligible to attend the Quest Elementary School, a school of choice, regardless of residence in the Hilton School District. Applications for entrance to Quest Elementary School were due February 3. Only those accepted to attend Quest in the fall may register on February 27 and 28.

For information about Quest Elementary, call 585-392-1000 ext. 6102. The Hilton School District elementary school attendance boundary line is Route 261 (Manitou Road). All Greece residents attend Northwood Elementary School, 433 North Greece Road, and all residents west of the town line (Parma, Clarkson, Hamlin) attend the Village Elementary School with the exception of some private drives.

•Quest Elementary School Kindergarten Registration at 225 West Avenue, Hilton February 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and February 28 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

•Village Elementary School Kindergarten Registration at 100 School Lane, Hilton March 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and March 13 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

•Northwood Elementary School Kindergarten Registration at 433 North Greece Road, Greece March 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and March 13 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

2/12/12

OBITUARIES - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2012

BERGEN

•Greenman, Rodney H., February 6, 2012, at age 53. Survived by his father, Clinton Greenman of Sun City, Arizona; his wife Amy (Istvan) Greenman of Stafford; three children, Alex (Sara) Greenman of Omaha, Nebraska, Emily Anne Greenman and Kenneth Jacob Greenman, both of Stafford; two sisters, Nancy (Ron) Wyse of Warsaw and Susan Sherwood of Arizona; nieces and nephews. Mr. Greenman was awaiting the birth of his first grandson.

A Celebration of Life was held February 11 at The Club House at Godfrey’s Pond, Bergen. Contributions can be made to Godfrey’s Pond, P.O. Box 217, Batavia, NY 14021 or Wilmot Cancer Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 704, Rochester, NY 14642 in his memory.

BYRON

•Colopy, Deborah A., age 55, died February 6, 2012 at Unity Hospital in Rochester. She is survived by her husband Craig K.; daughters Amy L. and Melissa A. Colopy, all of Byron; brother Richard (Diane) Stafford of Oakfield; sister Kathy Sprague of Batavia; many nieces and nephews.Predeceased by her brother, Charles Stafford. She was born June 24, 1956 in Batavia to the late Charles (Katherine Besaw) Stafford. Mrs. Colopy worked at Lakeside Beikirch Care Center in Brockport as a nurse. She took great pride in caring for people. Deborah was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church.

Funeral Services were held February 10 at Calvary Baptist Church, Batavia. Interment, Calvary Baptist Cemetery, Batavia. Contributions can be made to the family in her memory.

CHILI

•O’Callaghan, Thomas Patrick, February 5, 2012. Born on March 7, 1949, Tom was an avid hunter, fisherman, and family man. Originally raised in Natick, Massachusetts. Tom was a veteran of the US Navy. He is survived by his beloved wife of 31 years, Peggy (Naughton) O’Callaghan; children, Thomas O’Callaghan of Rochester, Katherine O’Callaghan of Framingham, Massachusetts; mother-in-law, Peggy Naughton; his brothers, John and wife Linda, William and his wife Marjorie; sisters, Margaret and her husband John McCarthy, Sheila and her husband, William Leporati, Mary O’Callaghan Jackson; sisters-in-law, Margaret O’Callaghan, Maureen O’Callaghan, and Mary Gilda O’Callaghan; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Kevin and Elaine Naughton, Michael and Peggi Naughton, John and Wendy Naughton, James and Susan Naughton, Mary Murray, Eileen and Robert Merberg and Patrick and Kathleen Naughton; many beloved nieces and nephews. Tom is predeceased by his parents William and Bridget O’Callaghan; brothers, Michael, Gerald and Daniel; brother-in-law, Loring H. Jackson; nephew Paul Leporati; and his beloved father-in-law, Michael Naughton.

Funeral Services were held February 11 at Leo M.Bean and Sons Funeral Home, Chili. Private interment. Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society in his memory.

CLARENDON

•Buck, Gilbert W., 96, died February 6, 2011 at his home. He is survived by devoted grandson and granddaughter-in-law, William Jr. (Doreen) Buck; granddaughter, Jennifer Cannazzaro; brother, Charles Buck; daughter-in-law, Sandy (Neil) Buck-Fleming; six great-grandchildren; stepson, Howard (Loretta) Bartlett; numerous step grandchildren; nieces, nephews. He was predeceased by wife Rosie Bartlett-Buck; son, William C. Buck Sr.; brother, Donald Buck. He was employed as a Machine Operator at GM in Rochester for 27 years before retirement.

A Memorial Service was held February 11 at the Merrill-Grinnell Funeral Home, Holley. Interment, Mt. Albion Cemetery. Contributions can be made to the Clarendon Fire Company in his memory.

GREECE

•Bachmann, Catherine Tutty, died February 3, 2012 at age 96. Catherine is predeceased by her sisters, Lois and Margaret. She is survived by her nieces, Patricia, Ellen and Elaine; nephews, Charles, Craig, Robert and Brian; and several grandnieces and nephews. Catherine was retired from Delco.

Private Services were held. Donations can be sent to Lifetime Assistance Foundation, Inc., 425 Paul Road, Rochester, NY 14624 in her memory.

HAMLIN

•Jones, Barbara, February 3, 2012. Predeceased by her husband, Karl W. Kandt. Survived by her husband, Donald L. Jones; children, Kathy (Richard) Holden, Paul (Dianne) Kandt, Nancy (Randy) Reiss, Linda Pickering, Cynthia (John) Sorel, Robert (Judy) Jones; grandchildren, Cale Holden, Kaitlin Reiss, Joel and Marinela Kandt, Carrie (Steve) Gramick, Kallie Pickering, Eric Sorel, Jason Sorel, Colby Jones; two great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Barbara was a nurse at Lakeside Hospital for 22 years and an organist at St. Paul Lutheran Church for over 50 years.

A Funeral Service was held February 6 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hilton. Private interment. Contributions can be made to Aurora House or St. Paul Lutheran Church in her memory.

•Swanger, Richard L. Sr., On January 27, 2012 at age 73. Predeceased by his parents Russell and Pauline. He is survived by his loving wife Patricia; children Richard Jr. (Dawn), Debra Swanger and Sheri Whiteside; brothers Russell Jr. (Carol), William, James (Sheila); grandchildren, Tyler, Matthew, Ashton and Ariel Swanger, Jena, Cesler Whiteside; one great grandson Aiden Christ; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services were held February 7 at the Fowler Funeral Home Inc., Brockport. Interment at the convenience of the family. Contributions can be made to Aurora House, 2495 Union Street, Spencerport in his memory.

HILTON

•Cosman, Ethel (Panarites), February 4, 2012, age 92. Predeceased by her parents, Kosmos and Mary (Vlahakes) Panarites; her husband, Albert E. Cosman; sisters, Kula and Connie (Peter) Pataccoli; brothers, Nicholas and James (Evelyn) Panarites. Survived by her brother, Manuel (Mary) of Columbus, Georgia; nieces, Linda (Rick) Sweeting of Brockport and Marlane (Tom) Boyle of Bethlehem, Georgia; nephew, Stephen (Jane) Panarites of North Salem, Indiana; several cousins and many good and loyal friends.

Ethel was a life-long resident of Hilton, where she worked along side her family at The Hilton Candy Kitchen for many years.

At Ethel’s request, all services will be held at the convenience of her family. Contributions can be made to Hilton Ambulance Corps in her memory.

•Harris, Margaret J., February 1, 2012, age 93. She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Ralph Harris. She is survived by her sons, David (Maralyn), Richard (Elaine), Robert (Carol), Brian (Sandra) and Ronald Harris; her brother, Jack (Maralyn) Exton; 14 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Also predeceased by her grandsons, Angel Harris and Brian Harris Jr.

Funeral Services were held February 9 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hilton. Interment, Fairfield Cemetery. Contributions can be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church Memorial Fund in her memory.

•Yuill, Alice, February 4, 2012. She was predeceased by her husband, Frederick. Survived by her children, Geraldine (Edwin) Barnhart and John (Pauline) Yuill of London, England; four grandchildren, Holly, Michelle, Daniel and Cyndi; sister, Freda Hope of Edinburgh, Scotland. Alice was a veteran of the British Royal Navy and was a nurse at Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham, England.

Funeral Services were held February 6 at Thomas E. Burger Funeral Home Inc., Hilton. Contributions can be made to Kathleen Anne Tenny Animal Shelter, 62 Gorton Avenue, Hilton 14468 in her memory.

HOLLEY

•McDowell, Kathleen J. Groves, of North Carolina, formerly of Holley, died January 2, 2012 at age 68. She is survived by her daughter, Terri Shergill; sons, David (Heather) Moy of Holley and Jeffery Diedrick of North Carolina; grandchildren, Ashley and Jeffery Diedrick; Autumn, David Jr., and Dawson Moy; great-grandson Talon Robinson; sister Marilyn Hollenback of Hamlin; brother Charles Groves of Kendall; sister-in-law Betty Groves of Tennessee.

A reception/memorial will be held February 19, 2012 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Hamlin Exempts Hall, Route 19, Hamlin, NY. Burial services to be held in private at a later date.

KENDALL

•Stiegler, Christine, February 8, 2012, at age 54. Predeceased by her father, Jim Taylor. Survived by her husband, Steven; her children, Katie, Mark and Evelyn Stiegler; her mother, Joan Taylor; two brothers, Art and Brian Taylor; a sister, Sue Muller; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services were held February 11 at the Kendall United Methodist Church. Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, Lakes Region, 1400 Winton Road North, Rochester, NY 14609 in her memory.

•Weed, Florence E. (Phelps), age 94, died February 2, 2012 at Medina Memorial Hospital. She was predeceased by her husband Ward in 1960. She is survived by her children, June (Dale Umstead), Ward, Leland (Maxine), Larry (Joan); several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Lillian Knapp, Claire Graham; nieces, nephews. She was a member of the Kendall Senior Citizens and a former employee of Duffy Motts in Hamlin.

Her Memorial Service was held February 11 at the Christopher Mitchell Funeral Home, Inc., Albion. Spring interment, Lakeview Cemetery. Contributions can be made to the Kendall Ambulance in her memory.

SPENCERPORT

•DeGuglielmo, Frank J., February 2, 2012 at age 86. Predeceased by his wife, Angie; and brother, Mario. Survived by his three sons, Michael (Sue), Joseph (Debbie), Frank (Debbie); 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; brother, Albert (Donna); and several nieces and nephews.

His Funeral Mass was held February 7 at St. John’s Church, Spencerport. Interment, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society in his memory.

ARCHIVES - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 5, 2012

LOCAL NEWS - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 5, 2012

Unity defends pursuit of Brockport facility

by Kristina Gabalski

Unity Health System continues to move forward with plans to open a new 18,000 square feet facility near the Wegmans Plaza in the Town of Sweden, as it awaits state approval of its Certificate of Need (CON) application.

In response to a recent resolution by the Brockport Village Board opposing Unity’s CON application, backlash from community members and Lakeside Health System’s ongoing effort to fight the project, Unity Health System’s Patrizia Corvaia provided the Suburban News and Hamlin Clarkson Herald with updated details about Unity’s plan and the services it currently provides to the Brockport community.

“Unity has been providing health care in the Brockport community for ten years,” a statement says. “Our new Brockport office location will enable us to continue to provide services requested and needed by community residents.”

Unity Health states in a detailed fact sheet that the designation of Brockport as a Health Professions Shortage Area for Primary Care by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, was made in October of 2010 and included in the September 2011 update.

“Unity, Lakeside and affiliated physicians receive a ten percent Medicare bonus for providing primary care services in this designated area,” Unity says.

Unity also contends a high proportion of Brockport residents are active patients of Unity Health System physician practices.

“As of November 2011, 5,664 Brockport women (in the 14420 zip code) were active patients of one of our 32 owned physician practices,” Unity says. “Of these, 1,463 used our Unity Ob-Gyn at Brockport practice. The additional thousands of women who use Unity Ob-Gyn at Brockport travel from as far away as Medina, Batavia, Fairport and Webster.”

“Additionally, over 4,500 Brockport residents have utilized one of Unity’s three ACM Medical Laboratory patient service centers in Brockport (6565 Fourth Section Road, 80 West Avenue, 300 West Avenue) at least one time in the past two years,” Unity states.

“Our expansion is in no way a competitive action against Lakeside or any organization,” Unity says. “In fact, a number of physicians who will work at this site currently provide coverage at Lakeside.

“We continue to believe that where patients get their health care is a matter of personal choice and convenience.”

The County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency approved Gallina Development for property tax breaks of $465,295 for the construction of the $3.1 million building that Unity at Brockport will lease. Projected benefits are $1.1 million, the Unity statement says.

Unity also says Gallina Development was selected based on a competitive bid process. “Gallina Development specializes in commercial and industrial real estate, managing over 1.4 million square feet of office and warehouse space throughout Monroe County,” Unity says. “Among them are two medical complexes: South Point Landing Office Park in Greece and Cambridge Place in Brighton.”

According to the Unity fact sheet, “COMIDA continues to provide incentives for the completion of significant health care projects in our community. Recent among these are: $6 million to Rochester General Health System, $15 million to Highland Hospital, $35 million to Unity Health System, $36 million to Strong Health/University of Rochester and $30 million for the renovation of the former Genesee Hospital.”

Unity also provided additional information about its CON application:

“Administrative level CON approval is required for Unity at Brockport,” Unity says. “Because Unity at Brockport involves the operation of an existing primary care site, it is eligible for an administrative CON review. Public Health and Health Planning Council review is not required.”

Unity maintains its history of collaboration to meet community health needs, officials add.

“In 2008, noting the under-utilization of Lakeside Hospital and its proximity to Unity Hospital, the 2020 Commission of the Finger Lakes Health System encouraged collaboration between Unity and Lakeside,” Unity states. “Unity stated publicly that this recommendation had merit and was worthy of review. Subsequent formal and informal discussions initiated by Unity between Lakeside administrators, trustees and physicians have not been met with any interest.”

Unity says the new office facility will offer several speciality services, ranging from infectious disease and diabetes care, to neurology, pulmonology, and nephrology. One or two family medicine physicians will be added in the future.

“Again, for patient convenience, laboratory (provided by ACM Laboratory), x-rays and mammography (provided by Borg & Ide Imaging), and physical therapy services will be provided here as well,” Unity states.

Lakeside CEO James Wissler has stated that Unity plans to bring services into the community that are already offered at Lakeside and which will result in redundancy of services, increase cost and jeopardize the viability of Lakeside and the services it provides to the area.

2/5/11

Brockport mayor proposes renaming playground

by Kristina Gabalski

Brockport Mayor Connie Castaneda has proposed naming the Barry Street Park/Playground in honor of village resident John Lessord.

The mayor read her proposal into the record during the January 24 regular meeting of the Brockport Village Board.

Castaneda described the efforts of Lessord, who moved to Lyman Street in the 1960s, to clean up contamination of a creek that runs by his home.

Lessord initially noticed unusual colors in the creek water and notified the village. After a pumping station was built by a nearby factory, the problem cleared up. Then, in the 1990s, Lessord noticed foul odors coming from the creek and after notifying authorities eventually ended up contacting environmental attorney Erin Brockovich. A lawsuit led polluters to take some measures to clean up the contamination, the Mayor said.

Lessord and his son then continued their investigation into the extent of the pollution. “After studying many maps of the area, and using a metal detector, they were able to locate a lost manhole,” Mayor Castaneda said. “They called the village to inspect it. After the village inspection, it was determined that the water in the manhole contained pollutants and that the pollution had extended to Oxford Street and across the canal to East Avenue.

“As a result of this man’s vigilance, hard work and determination, the pollution was discovered and remediation is ongoing even today,” the Mayor said.

Lessord’s long-time efforts were instrumental in the village acquiring $64,000 to spend on the restoration of the Barry Street playground, the mayor said. She described additional ways Lessord has served the Brockport community, including serving with the volunteer fire department for 26 years, as fire chief for two years, as assistant fire chief for four years, as a volunteer at Nativity Church for 14 years and as a volunteer with Little League Soccer for four years.

“I propose to name the Barry Street Park/Playground in his honor, to show our gratitude for the many services he has provided to our community,” she said.

The mayor said she hoped the village board would consider her proposal at the next regular meeting, February 14.

The topic of creating a naming policy for venues/buildings is on the agenda for the next village board work session February 7.

Trustee Carol Hannan told the Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald that the mayor’s suggestion was a complete surprise to her.

“I think it would have been much more appropriate for her to bring the subject up at a workshop first, rather than announce a particular person to honor, not knowing how any of the other board members felt about the subject,” Hannan said. “We all knew about the re-naming suggestion for the Utica Street playground before it became public.”

Hannan says she believes that before the board considers re-naming any other buildings or village entities, trustees should get input from the parks committee, the museum committee and past/present historians to establish written guidelines.

“Other municipalities have done that,” Hannan said, “they’ve established a standardized process.”

The village has a number of parks that already have names with special significance. Harvester Park, which the village website notes is located on what was the site of the oldest reaper factory in the world; Sagawa Park was presented to the village in memory of Dr. Hidetaka Sagawa, a former president of Lakeside Memorial medical staff and chief of surgery. Corbett Park is located on land once owned by the Corbett family, Hannan says, “the newly designated Monika Andrews Park - a novel idea which she conceptualized and saw through to completion; the police department building, which is named for a former long-time chief and we have some streets named after people/families.”

“Certainly in this community, where service is and has been important to so many residents, honoring every deserving individual is probably impossible,” Hannan adds, “which is why we should put a policy in place before we make any decision on this or any other specific proposals.”

2/5/12

Spencerport Area Chamber of Commerce holds Awards Dinner

The Spencerport Area Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards dinner at the Plantation Party House on January 27.

Recipients of awards at the dinner were (left to right in photo) Steve Enos, owner of Kronys Pizza, Etc. and Businessperson of the Year; Helen Moore, Clyde W. Carter Citizen of the Year and Linda and Ted Rauber, owners of Spencerport Insurance and 360 Financial and recipients of the Civic Beautification Award for their building and surrounding property located at 117 South Union Street in the Village of Spencerport.

Provided photo

2/5/12

Spencerport Fire District 2011 call totals

2010: 778 total calls

2011: 862 total calls

2011 - Details

•Fires (building, chimney, car, grass, etc.) 58

•Rupture, Explosion, Overheat 1

•Rescue and EMS 273

•Hazardous conditions (no fire) 146

•Service call (water problem, public service, etc.) 119

•Good intent call 120

•False alarm and false call 145

•Severe weather and natural disaster 0

•Special incident type 0

TOTAL 862

Provided information

2/5/12

Dogs need to be licensed annually

New York State requires that all dogs over the age of four months be licensed by the local municipalities. Licensing is done to be sure that all dogs have current rabies vaccinations, protecting the dog, their owner, and the rest of the community.

New licenses may be obtained either in person at the Town Clerk’s Office or by mail. Ogden’s clerk’s office is located at the Ogden Community Center, 269 Ogden Center Road, Spencerport 14559. Hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To license by mail submit the following information: proof of a current rabies vaccination, proof of spaying or neutering, a check payable to the Town of Ogden for the appropriate amount. Make sure the dog’s type, color, name and birth year are included in the information.

The annual licensing fee for an unneutered or unspayed dog is $17 and $9 if spayed or neutered. The Town of Ogden offers senior residents 65 and older a reduced license fee $11.50 for unneutered or unspayed dog and if spayed or neutered, $3.50.

Monroe County Dog Parks require that all dogs be licensed in order to make use of the parks. The on-site registration times at the new Greece Canal Labor Center are February 8, 13 and 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. Before coming to the park on these dates you need to bring copies to be kept on file of your current rabies certificate and dog license. They accept checks or money orders only. The cost is $24 per dog. Checks are to be made payable to “Monroe County Parks Department.”

For information visit www.ogdenny.com Town Clerk’s Department or call 617-6111.

Provided information

2/5/12

Rose Burgen celebrated her 95th birthday on January 25 with her family and friends in the community room at Ehr-Dale Heights Apartments in Churchville.

Rose was entertained by the Churchville musical group, “Just for Fun.” She was one of the first tenants to move into Ehr-Dale Heights Apartments when it first opened.

Provided photo

2/5/12

FEATURE STORIES - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 5, 2012

Great Backyard Bird Count perfect for new birders

Tthinkstockhe results of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) provide a snapshot of the whereabouts of more than 600 bird species.

Anyone can participate in this free event and no registration is needed. Watch and count birds for at least 15 minutes on any day of the count, February 17-20. Enter your results at www.birdcount.org, where you can watch as the tallies grow across the continent. The four-day count typically records more than 10 million observations.

The 2011 GBBC brought in more than 92,000 bird checklists submitted by participants from across the United States and Canada. Altogether, bird watchers identified 596 species with 11.4 million bird observations.

Although it’s called the Great “Backyard” Bird Count, the count extends well beyond backyards. Lots of participants choose to head for national parks, nature centers, urban parks, nature trails, or nearby sanctuaries. For information, including bird-ID tips, instructions, and past results, visit www.birdcount.org.

The count also includes a photo contest and a prize drawing for participants who enter their bird checklists online.

The stylized graphic above depicts some of the birds that could be seen on a winter day -- from left, cardinal, red-winged blackbird, purple finch, goldfinch, cedar waxwing, blue jay, red headed woodpecker and in center on tree trunk, a nuthatch. Other common winter’s day sightings could include chickadees, juncos, titmice, hawks, geese, crows and starlings.

2/5/12

Mills honored for volunteer service

Left to right: Holley Fire Chief Pete Hendrickson; OFVPA's Sergeant of Arms James Way; Recipient Secretary/Treasurer Howard Mills; President Larry Petrie; Vice-President Emerson "Tinker" Young; and Holley Fire Company President David Knapp. Provided photoHolley Fire Company’s Fire Police Officer Howard Mills is the recipient of the Orleans County Volunteer Fire Police Association’s Fire Police of the Year 2011. This award was presented to Mills at the annual meeting on January 18 by the Orleans County Volunteer Fire Police Association.

Howard Mills is a member of Orleans County Volunteer Fire Police Association, the Volunteer Fire Police Association State of New York and member of New York, and Volunteer Firemen’s Association of the State of New York.

Holley Fire Company’s Life Member Howard Mills started his firefighter career by joining Holley Fire Department in June 1975 as a fireman. He is a past member of Holley Emergency Squad with 10 years as a member, a driver, and a first aid responder.

Mills joined Holley Fire Department’s Fire Police Squad where he is currently providing his volunteer service since 2002. He also became the Secretary/Treasurer of the Orleans County Fire Police Association in 2002.

Provided information

2/5/12

Historically significant general store ready for owner to restore it

by Kristina Gabalski

Those working to save the 1836 Clarendon stone store say significant progress is being made in their efforts.

The Clarendon Town Board recently agreed to sell the stone store, located at the intersection of Route 237 and Route 31A for one dollar to the person who presents the best plan meeting their criteria. Town board members also authorized the Old Stone Store Preservation Committee (OSSPC) and the Landmark Society to begin marketing the property.

“I’m pleased that the town board is willing to make this possible by cooperating with anyone who comes forward with an appropriate plan,” Clarendon resident and OSSPC chair Erin Anheier says. “The Landmark Society is working with us to market the building and I am hoping we reach the person who is willing and able to bring the building back to use. I like to say that this building isn’t empty, it is filled with opportunities.”

The stone store, which contains approximately 3,200 square feet, operated as a general store until 1975. It was then used as an apartment building and has been vacant since 2007.

Landmark Society officials say it is one of the oldest structures in the town and a unique surviving example of an early 19th century commercial building, executed in Medina sandstone.

“There are very few buildings like this left in our entire region, let alone in Orleans County,” Caitlin Meives, a preservation planner with the Landmark Society says. “It’s an important part of the community’s history and culture. It served as a general store and social gathering spot for the hamlet for almost 150 years. It sits at a prominent, heavily traveled intersection and, because of its historic character, really has the potential to serve as a unique marketing tool for the town/hamlet.”

Anheier says the town has already lost the beautiful stone Universalist Church, the stone school house, the stone blacksmith shop, the stone mill - all within the hamlet. “The more I learn about this building and the varied and important roles it has played in the history of Clarendon, the more I am convinced it should be saved,” she says. “If the building is demolished, it will be an irreversible and sad moment. Clarendon will have lost its most well-known landmark and people in the future will forget, or never know, how important it was to the growth of our community.”

The town owns the building and plans were made to demolish it, but in July 2011, the town board granted local citizens in partnership with the Landmark Society one year to market the property and find a new owner to rehabilitate it and bring it back to the tax rolls.

Since last July, the OSSPC has spearheaded local efforts to clean out the building, make immediate necessary repairs and have the property surveyed. With a $500 donation from the Landmark Society and funds raised by OSSPC, Bero Architecture, PLLC, was hired to prepare a report of the building’s condition and recommended repairs.

Meives says Anheier and Town Historian/Code Enforcement Officer, Melissa Ierlan, “have been absolutely instrumental in rallying the troops to get things done and bring increased attention to this property.”

“I am gratified that many residents came forward last July to tell the Town Board that they felt the stone store was important to them,” Anheier says. “Since that time, I have spoken to so many people who don’t live in Clarendon but have driven by the building. It has made an impression on them and they tell me they also hope it will be saved. A small group of volunteers have given countless hours to help reach that goal.”

With assistance from the Landmark Society, OSSPC members also completed the research and paperwork for a nomination to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The nomination has been submitted to the NY State Historic Preservation Office and is pending approval by the NY State Review Board, which meets in March.

“I am very optimistic that the building will be placed on the State and National Register of Historic Places,” Anheier says. “The tax credits this will make accessible can make the rehabilitation of the Stone Store more attractive from a financial standpoint. But mostly, I hope to see the building rehabilitated so that it will once again be a focal point of the hamlet, and remind people of our proud past.”

For a plan to be considered by the Clarendon Town Board, it must include the planned use of the building, details of the rehabilitation plan and the timeline for the completion of the plan. It must return the front facade to a more historically appropriate appearance and restore the building to a condition allowing a Certificate of Occupancy, officials say.

The town board will give preference to a plan which includes commercial space or offices on the first floor and the same or storage on the second floor. Commercial or office space on the first floor and an owner occupied apartment on the second floor would be an alternate use. Town board members say it will also consider conversion of both floors to a single family home. Multiple apartments will not be considered.

The Landmark Society will assist with marketing the property, Meives says, through its own outlets and also through a national website that markets historical properties and will also lend expertise as the town considers offers from potential buyers.

2/5/12

Local Marine remembers Iwo Jima

by Rick Stacy

Bergen resident John Conlon, a Marine Private First Class at the battle of Iwo Jima, holds open a page from Eric Hammel's book "Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle: United States Marines at War in the Pacific" showing a group photograph taken on Mt. Surabachi by Pulitzer prize-winning photographer Joe Rosenthal. The photo was taken after Rosenthal's iconic flag raising image. Conlon is fourth from the right. Photograph by David Knox.It’s March 18 and John Conlon is celebrating his twenty-first birthday. The year: 1945. The place: the black, volcanic sands of Iwo Jima. He hasn’t bathed, shaved or had a hot meal in almost a month. He has already charged up Mt. Suribachi, whose summit was the site of a flag raising that became the iconic symbol of Marine’s victory for all time. Conlon had watched it go up.

“My outfit, Fox Company, was already up there,” recalls the eighty-seven year old Bergen resident. “They decided that the flag they had raised up first wasn’t big enough so they got a bigger flag. After they put the flag up, Rosenthal, the photographer, said, ‘Come on now boys, gather around and get your picture taken. The people back home like to see what the boys are doing.’ And that’s the way I got in the picture.” This picture of Conlon and others from Fox and Easy Companies in front of the famous flag was taken right after it was raised. Conlon is fourth from the right, with his rifle raised. Most of the men in that picture never made it home.

“On the third day the flag was raised,” says Conlon. “Everybody clapped and everybody yelled. But there was a lot of war going on after that. We were supposed to take the island in 72 hours. It took 36 days! Before we went in, the Navy blew the place. The Air force blew the place. But the Japanese, some 22,000 of them, were down in the ground. There was forty miles of tunnels. They just watched us in there and laughed at us. From all the bombing they killed two hundred men at most.”

On Ship

Conlon wrote his mother while still on the ship and said he didn’t know if he’d live to be 21 or not. His general gave him some advice: ‘John,’ he said, ‘when you get off the ship I want you to look right straight ahead and don’t turn around, just keep right on going. Don’t stop to help anybody. Don’t make any buddies because when you do, you help your buddy and lots of time you’re gonna get killed with them.’ And that’s what I did on Iwo Jima,” says Conlon. “I never got close to anybody. I did what I was told. And to this day I’ve never had a (close) man friend. But I lived.”

But on the ship, Conlon had a friend in his platoon, Les, who was from Niagara Falls. “He was close to me, this fella,” says Conlon. “When we were climbing down the ship’s ladders to the Higgins boats to get to the beach, he said to me: ‘John, I’m never gonna live through this. I want you to go to Niagara Falls and see my parents when you get home.’ I said, ‘Oh what are you talking about. You’ll be fine.’ Well, the flag was raised on the third day, and Les was killed on the sixth day on the beach. He stepped on a mine. The beach was loaded with mines. It blew him into a million pieces.”

About ten years ago all the bodies that were buried in Iwo Jima were exhumed and brought back home. Les’s body was brought back to Niagara Falls to be buried. Conlon was one of his pallbearers. “I did what I told him I’d do,” says Conlon.

Hitting the Beach

Marine Pfc. John Conlon in 1945. Bergen resident, John Conlon, a Marine Private First Class was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division at the battle of Iwo Jima.Conlon doesn’t recall why he chose to become a Marine. “I just don’t know to be truthful about it,” he says. “I was working in a slaughterhouse in Byron with my dad butchering cattle and I hated it. I just wanted to get away. And my mother took me down to Rochester and I enlisted.”

But slaughtering took on a new meaning for Conlon on Iwo. It was some of the fiercest fighting of the Pacific theater of the war with more casualties than the total Allied casualties on the D-Day invasion. Over 19,000 Marines were wounded and almost 7,000 killed taking the island.

Conlon landed with the 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, and was the fourth or fifth wave in. “We went in on Red Beach One. That’s right at the foot of Mount Suribachi. There was some shooting going on but nothing much. From there on, things were quiet in the morning –real quiet. I lay there on the beach, all morning. The general of the Japanese had gone to school in our country,” Conlon says. “He told his men not to fire. ‘Let them all come in the beach and when I give the word you open up,’ he said. When noon came they opened up on us and you never saw so many dead bodies in your life. They killed thousands of Marines that first afternoon.”

“There was a Marine that came over from the states. He had all kinds of hashes and stripes on his uniform. A big, handsome man,” Conlon recalls. “He was so gung-ho. Boy he rode our ass on the ship. He’d put a white pair of gloves on and inspect your rifle and if there was one spot on it he made you clean it for a week. He was so mean. He’d say: ‘If the Japs don’t kill me my own men will.’ He knew that he wasn’t doing right. I felt so sorry for him that he had to be like that. Well, when we hit the beach who do you think was the first guy I seen up in front of me that was dead? It was him. He had a bullet right there (points to forehead). Do you know I cried? I lay beside him for three hours because the shooting was so bad. He was in the way of the bullets. He was protecting me. I put my arm around him and I laid there until the bullets slowed and then I moved. I opened his pocketbook and he had a picture of his wife and a little boy and girl. I said, ‘He’ll never see them again. Daddy’s not coming home any more.’ That was so sad. I never felt anything that hurt so.” Even these many decades later, Conlon pauses, overcome by the poignant emotion of that memory. “Why couldn’t he have been nice?” he says. “Why couldn’t he have been nice. He had had a diamond ring on him that was a big as his whole finger. It just sparkled. Well somebody had come along and cut that finger right off. It was gone.”

Moving up Mt. Suribachi

Marine Pfc. John Colon's favorite photo of himself taken during the battle of Iwo Jima is on the cover of Eric Hammel's book "Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle: United States Marines at War in the Pacific." Photograph of book cover by David Knox.During Marine training at Camp Pendleton, Conlon had scored second highest in his outfit on the machine gun. “Course there were others better than me. They were all crack shots,” he says. On Iwo Jima he was a rifleman. “I went in with a M-1 (Garand) . They weigh about eight pounds.” Conlon pulls out a large book on Iwo Jima and points to the cover which shows an alert Marine crawling up Mt. Suribachi. “That’s me on the cover,” he says. “The sand was probably two feet deep all over the island from the volcanic ash. Of course your shoes are all full of sand. And the island was so hot. No matter where you put your hand on that island it was hot. You could take your hand and scoop out a hole and set your C-ration can in it and it’d warm it right up.”

“You see the guy behind me (He points again to the book cover.) He was killed. I took his rifle and threw the other one down. He had a Carbine and his had a lot more ammunition in it. It was lighter and you could throw it right over your shoulder and get away from all that weight. After the shooting started I got rid of my pack, it weighed seventy pounds. I got rid of everything,” says Conlon.

At first he wasn’t catching any fire because he was down low. “The bullets were going right over me. But the closer you went in the more fire you got,” he says. What was going through his mind at that point? “I don’t know what I was thinking. I know I was darn busy, but I never had the fear of death. I believe the Lord was walking right beside me. I really believe this.”

“My buddy Pete and I were going up the mountain and all of the sudden he dropped down. He had a bullet almost cut his right ear off. My shoulder was right next to his. It only just missed me. It threw his helmet on the ground and ripped his ear right off. The Navy Corpsman was right there and he patched him up and that was it, he went back on the ship, the lucky dog. The Corpsman who helped him was John Bradley, one of the ones who raised the flag,” Conlon says.

“The Italians were the best fighters we had with us, them and the Indians,” recalls Conlon. “There were only four Indians but they were Cracker Jacks. They have a certain gift. I had one Indian in my battalion, Ira Hayes, a little Indian. He’s in the big monument (in Washington, D.C.). He’s the one that raised the flag.” Conlon didn’t like the movie about the flag raising ‘Flags of our Fathers’ because it wasn’t true to form. “The portrayal of Ira Hayes was not true. He was only about five foot high. Very humble. He was quiet, real quiet. Then he got drunk and you couldn’t shut him up. But he enjoyed life. We were over in Hawaii on Maui, that’s where we were before we went to Iwo Jima. Ira Hayes would go out every Sunday and get drunk downtown. Then he’d get on the four corners and start directing traffic, a crazy guy. The MP’s would put him in jail and the guys would have to go down and pick him up. But he was a peach of a guy. You know what the best movie was? It’s the one with John Wayne (Sands of Iwo Jima). That was just about the way it was.”

Burial Duty

After a few days Conlon was put on burial duty. “Right away there were bodies all over the place. They had to get them in the ground. They gave me forty Marines to bury. We had to go out and pick up the bodies in an Amtrak. We had to go all over the island to get them, up on the mountains, everywhere. I was in charge of that. We buried them in mattress covers –a great big cemetery. They had a bulldozer dig a trench and they laid them there side by side,” Conlon says.

“There’s so much work to that,” he says. “You take their rings off and all their possessions and everything was put in bags. The bodies all had to be finger printed. Then they spray them with a spray you know because it was so hot and there were the maggots. You know what I couldn’t understand? They claimed there was no bugs or bees or anything on Iwo Jima. There wasn’t a tree or anything. So how could you get maggots on a body with no flies? But every time you picked up a body, maggots would just drop right off, if it lay there very long.”

“There was a guy called John Basilone. Basilone was the greatest hero that ever lived. At Guadalcanal, I forgot how many Japs he killed. He got the Congressional Medal of Honor. One day while on burial detail, I’m standing there and they come over and they put a body right at my feet. They said, ‘John, do you know who this is?’ I said, ‘No not really.’ ‘That’s Basilone,’ they said. ‘Oh My God,’ I said, ‘you mean to tell me that he got killed?’ He was one of the first ones to hit Iwo Jima on Red Beach 2. He had a baseball hat on and carried a 45. He had said, ‘There ain’t a Japanese bullet that can pierce my body.’ Well, it wasn’t a Jap bullet but it was something worse. When they landed, Basilone said, ‘We’ve got to get the guns off the beach.’ Well it was just a matter of minutes and up he went. He was hit by a mortar. It blew him all to hell with four or five other Marines."

“There were so many mines,” Conlon recalls. “We’d go around and try to find them. Once, I was walking along the beach and this guy was hit by one. He was right in front of me. It took his right leg completely right off. On his leg was half his rear end. It lay over there like a hind quarter of beef. We put twenty packages of sulfa on his wound to stop the bleeding and everything. He said to us: ‘At least I’m gonna get the hell out of here.” I often wondered if he survived. They’d take the wounded to hospital ships, two or three great big ships out in the ocean. I mean you are talking about thousands of guys wounded. Thousands! There was just a stream of guys headed down to the beach walking toward the ships –if they could walk.”

Claiming the Island and Clearing Caves

Cave by cave, tunnel by tunnel, Conlon and his fellow Marines took control of the Island. Sometimes they used dogs to flush out the Japanese. “When you were asleep, that dog was awake. But you don’t sleep,” adds Conlon.

Conlon ate and slept, when he could, in the field. “I was pretty scrubby looking. All I ate was C-rations and K-rations. I had nothing. I got rid of my pack right on Red Beach One. All my clothes were in it. Everything was in it. I was trying to save my life. I didn’t need all that excess,” Conlon says. “All hell is breaking loose all the time. The bullets never stop. At night they throw up those little parachutes with flares to see. But the Japanese were so sneaky. I’d hear them hollering: ‘Hey Joe, Hey Joe.’ They were trying to draw you over. It was always ‘Joe.’”

“One night, this Marine got way ahead of us. I don’t know how the hell he got there, but they got him. He probably stepped in a cave to get out of the rain. But he screamed and yelled all night. We tried to get to him up there. We were sitting on one side of a cliff, the water was dripping down on top of us, a creepy place. But you could hear him in the distance screaming and yelling. Three or four other Marines tried to get to him. One was killed and another was wounded trying to get to him. He screamed and screamed all night. The next morning we went up and went in the cave and there he lay, on his stomach. They had taken a bayonet and cut big chunks of meat out of his butt and his back. Big chunks of meat! They took his wrist and they twisted it right off until it just hung down. Tortured him terrible. He had red hair. I would say he was probably twenty. The poor thing. And then they put a bullet in him right there (points to head), to give him a break from the pain. That poor thing went through hell. After that we never took anybody prisoner. We killed everybody. Before we used to let them surrender if they wanted to surrender. After that we killed everybody. That was it. There was nobody going to be left alive when we got done,” says Conlon.

“I probably killed about thirty-seven Japs, that I know of,” says Conlon. “That’s not a lot, not when there’s twenty-two thousand there. I never liked killing anyone. If I didn’t have to, I didn’t. He had a mother too. In other words, if I didn’t have to kill him, I let somebody else do it. I’d kind of look the other way. I mean, I could kill anybody, but it’s just the idea of the thing, you know? After all, he was just there doing a job. And as for that guy that was tortured, that was just an incident. It kind of fired everybody up. Everyone didn’t see him lying there with chunks of meat missing. It was just five or six of us. There are so many things that happen in war. That was the first war I was ever in.”

Flame-throwers were used to flush the Japanese out of the caves. “They even had flame-throwers on the tanks,” says Conlon. “A guy had a flame thrower on his back and was clearing out a hole and he just missed me. It was pretty hot. It really scorched me.” Conlon pulls up his sleeve revealing the scars on his arm.

They went through the caves only once. “We’d find all kinds of barrels of sachi, and kimonos left there from the prostitutes that had been there. The prostitutes had left before we got there. But toward the end they were all hungry and there was no water and they were happy to come out. They just surrendered. They about had it. They were happy it was over,” he says.

Bringing in the Planes

Once the island was coming under control, the planes that were returning from their bombing runs were able to land. “The Navy Seabees (Construction Battalions), they did a lot of work on the island. They took care of the airfields and everything. They built all that. They were the best. They were working right there under fire. They had to get the airfield done because that was what the fighting was all about,” says Conlon. “One day a guy was running a small bulldozer up on the beach. He hit a mine. It took that bulldozer and put it upside down. The guy on the seat got thrown right off and he lay there, blood was coming right out of his eyes. I don’t know if he lived or not.”

“There was always four Mustangs that would follow a B-29 and one would land at a time. Boy they were a great plane,” Conlon recalls. “Some of those B-29’s coming in crashed and burned. One guy came in and landed his plane and said, ‘Thank God for the Marines,’ because the ocean was full of B-29’s and Mustangs that didn’t make it back. They ran out of fuel or were shot up and their plane was damaged. They needed Iwo Jima to land on. We took Iwo Jima so they could land there short.”

“The B- 29 crews, when they landed, they put up their tents. We had just gone back to the ship. The Japanese came out and got after the pilots at night and chopped them all up with swords and cut all their tents up. We had to come off the ship again and clean that up. That was a mess. You see, your not going to kill all those Japs, there were so many tunnels. There’s gonna be some left there. There probably is today,” Conlon adds with a smile.

Upon reflection, Conlon feels they should have never taken the Island in the first place. “When we got back into Hawaii, there was only a half a dozen of my company that was left. It came over the radio that Franklin D. Roosevelt had just past away. Well then Truman was put in. Truman was tough. Truman used the atomic bombs. If they had waited just a little bit longer, see, Iwo Jima would’ve never had to be taken at all, cause that ended the war. It was really a tough thing, but it ended the war,” he says.

Saddle Up

“They dropped the atomic bomb and that ended the war, otherwise it’d probably still be going yet,” Conlon says. “That’s when they sent us to Japan. I was there for a year. Got things all straight over there. The first thing, we pulled in with the train loaded with Marines and right beside us was a Japanese train. We reached out and shook each other’s hands. They were happy the war was over.”

“We took over a Japanese camp over there. They built a nice little building and six of us took that building over and we all took turns taking care of the boiler. It was good duty. Every day there was ten Japanese that came in and picked up all of the papers, cleaned the showers and did whatever needed to be done. Nice guys. They thought the world of me. They loved the American soap, they’d always grab a hold of that,” he says.

“Then there were the guys who fell in love with some of the Japanese girls. I tell you, some of them Japanese girls were beautiful and they could speak good English. Frank, a little Italian guy, he went with this Japanese girl and she was absolutely beautiful. And they were in love. I remember when it was time for us to leave, she said: ‘Bye Franky, don’t leave me, don’t leave me.’ And that’s the last he ever heard of her. I stopped down to see him one day when we were back and I never saw anyone so depressed. I mean, why didn’t he send over for her?” Conlon says.

“But there were a lot of girls who were pregnant from the (American) guys, from the Marines and the Army. And that’s always the way, in Germany, in France, that always happens,” he says.

While in Japan, Conlon became friends with some Japanese who had a stable of horses. He has always loved horses. “I raced horses for years,” says Conlon. “I had 16 horses racing at one time. In fact I have good one racing now His name is Yankee Ben. Boy he can trot,” he says.

“These Japanese had some beautiful horses,” Conlon recalls. “They had everything. They had a regular stable, saddles and everything. Since I had this nice job taking care of the boiler, and I had all these other men to help, I could go out everyday and ride horses. I had a couple horses I taught to jump over there.”

“You know it’s been a lot of years since I was there,” says a thoughtful Conlon. “But all the time I was in Japan I never saw one thing out of the way, by either one of us. With the Japanese we got along just fine – with everybody. I never saw anything that went so smooth.”

2/5/12