News for the week of
November 7, 2004

In Features:

Adams Basin couple's interests
reach far into community life
Wil and Judy Hunter are as much a part of the fabric that makes up the small hamlet of Adams Basin as is the Erie Canal. It sometimes seems they've been there forever, but that's not the case, both are originally from small towns in Pennsylvania. more

Bergen seeks voter approval for new highway garage, town hall
Bergen is outgrowing both its highway garage and its town hall and in order to meet that growth it is putting forth referendums for two propositions to construct new buildings. more

Clarkson tax rate remains stable
For taxpayers in the Town of Clarkson, it's business as usual when it comes to the tax rates - and that's a good thing. This year, Clarkson town officials have prepared and presented a budget that could lower the tax rate five cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. more

Firefighters receive community safety grant
Brockport Firefighters recently accepted a grant developed for "Community Safety Partners" by the Wal-Mart Corporation. Manager Drew Coleman contacted the chiefs to let them know that the grant totaling $1,000 was awarded to the Fire Department by Wal-Mart and the firefighters could stop by to pick up the check. more

Murray building proposal defeated at the polls
The proposal to construct a joint municipal building for the Town of Murray and Village of Holley was defeated on November 2 by a margin of 615 against and 384 in favor of the construction. more

Parents' safety concerns grow at Spencerport's Taylor school
More than a month ago, the BOCES Therapeutic Day Treatment Program for middle school students opened in a separate facility at the Taylor Elementary School. It was a move that has upset some parents because they say they weren't notified of the district's decision prior to its taking place and, more importantly they say, because the move could potentially endanger the kindergarten through fifth grade students already housed in the building. more

Rotary seeks area professionals for goodwill exchange to Sweden
Rotarians of the greater Rochester area and District 7120 are seeking four outstanding professionals to visit Sweden in March 2005 as part of the Group Study Exchange program of The Rotary Foundation. more

Spencerport School Superintendent to retire June 30
Spencerport Central School District Superintendent Phillip W. Langton will retire at the end of the 2004-05 academic year. more

USDA Rural Development increases
maximum loan amount for home purchases
According to Patrick H. Brennan, State Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in New York, the maximum loan amounts for the Section 502 Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program increased effective October 1, 2004. more

In Briefly:

Brockport restaurant to offer free Thanksgiving dinner
Jimmy Z's Texas Hots will be serving a free dinner on Thanksgiving Day. more

Clarkson gazebo an Eagle Scout project
Bill Duff and son, Brian, holds a drawing of the new gazebo to be constructed in Clarkson's park. Brian took on the job of coordinating the construction of the gazebo as part of his effort to become an Eagle Scout. more

More than 35 area employers expected to attend job fair
More than 35 local employers plus several agencies that serve veterans, including the New York State Department of Labor and the NYS Division of Veterans Affairs, are expected to attend the Veterans Outreach Center's 4th Annual Veterans Job Fair on Wednesday, November 10. more

New officers installed for
Spencerport Kiwanis Club
Joanne Underwood (right), Lt. Governor of the Genesee Division, New York District of Kiwanis International, installed the new officers of the Spencerport Kiwanis Club recently at a dinner meeting held at Pineview Family Restaurant in Barefoot Landing. more

Teleconference focuses on downtown revitalization
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester will offer an interactive statewide teleconference on economic development and downtown revitalization on November 16 at 6:30 p.m. more

Tree of Memories lights up Sweden Senior Center grounds
The Sweden Senior Center will once again sponsor a "Memories of Love" tree during this holiday season. more

Winners chosen in Walk, Bike, Brockport Contest
Judges Helen Smagorinsky, Police Chief Daniel Varrenti, and Brockport Mayor Josephine Matela had a very difficult time choosing the winners from among the 123 entries in the Walk, Bike, Brockport Action Group's pedestrian/bicycle safety poster contest. more

In Schools:

B-B district receives Exxon Mobil grant
Byron-Bergen Central School District has received a $500 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program to support various secondary gifted and talented programs. more

BCSD collects hats for troops
In honor of Veterans Day and in support of the troops serving overseas, Brockport Central School has designated the week of November 8-12 as "Hats from Home" week. The district is collecting new, unworn baseball-style hats to send a piece of home to troops overseas. more

C-C student is National Merit Scholarship finalist
Churchville-Chili Senior High School student Robert Calvete (right) has earned designation as a 2005 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. He took the PSAT/NMSQT test in 2003 and received one of the highest scores in New York state. more

Exploring the World of Arachnids
Churchville Elementary students explored the world of Arachnids during a Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Project ADEPT (A Diversified Enrichment Program for the Talented) workshop. SUNY Brockport professor Jana Penders together with BOCES 2 resource teacher Elaine Berner presented the hands on workshop to 30 students. more

Model United Nations meets in Hilton Nov. 12-13
The 25th annual Hilton Model United Nations will be held November 12 and 13 at both Hilton's Merton Williams Middle School and Hilton High School. There will be more than 700 students from high schools across western New York state in attendance from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, November 12 and continuing at 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, November 13. more

Nursery school students enjoy Halloween celebration
Pre-k students from the Gates Chili Cooperative Nursery School, located in the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, enjoyed an early Halloween celebration with a visit to their neighbors at the Seabury Woods Senior Living Community. more

Planting promises
Holley sixth-grader Kealy Hargreaves shows off a worm
she unearthed while planting red tulip bulbs in front of
Holley Elementary School. more

Quest students vote in mock election
Students in Hilton's Quest Elementary School, including Joshua Buskey in teacher Andrea Moore's primary class, voted in a mock election on Election Day, November 2. Observed and counted by Student Council President Greg Haffen, the results were: 243 for President Bush and 108 for John Kerry. more

In Seniors:

Assisted living legislation signed into law
At a bill signing ceremony at the Levittown Senior Center in Nassau County, Governor George E. Pataki signed into law historic assisted living reform legislation sponsored by Senator George D. Maziarz (62nd district) that will provide New York's seniors with greater consumer protections and improved long-term care options. more

In Sports:

#1 Rangers advance on Farnsworth goal
Top-seeded Spencerport advanced to the semi-finals of the Section Five boy's soccer tournament by defeating Brighton in double overtime 1-0. Senior Chris Farnsworth drilled a one-timer into the net off Tom Graham's pass from the left wing to end the game. more

Brockport Varsity Cheerleaders celebrate season
Brockport Varsity Cheerleaders competed at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester in the Section V Cheerleading Classification AA competition on October 26 and, earlier in the month, hosted the 4th annual Spirit Fest Competition, as well as cheered the soccer and football teams on during the fall season. more

Cross Country team makes
strides against Breast Cancer
Rain and chilly weather couldn't stop the Spencerport Rangers Cross Country Team from participating in the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk on October 17. more

Two former area collegiate athletes to be
inducted into JP Morgan Chase Hall of Fame
The JP Morgan Chase Scholarship Basketball Tournament inducts its eighth class into the JP Morgan Chase Scholarship Basketball Tournament Hall of Fame January 11-15. more