News for the week of
April 10, 2005

In Features:

Brockport CEO 'red tags' house
At the request of the homeowner, Brockport Code Enforcement Officer Scott Zarnstorff "red tagged" a property at 104 Monroe Avenue in the village. The property, owned by Nat O. Lester III, Town of Sweden's supervisor, sustained extensive damage to one of the apartments and led to its being deemed uninhabitable, Zarnstorff said. more

Brockport officials present preliminary budget
Village officials presented the proposed 2005-2006 budget to residents at the April 4 board meeting. More than a dozen residents turned up to see the slide presentation and pick up copies of the proposed spending plan. more

Brockport Symphony Orchestra prepares spring concert
The Brockport Symphony Orchestra is preparing its spring concert under the direction of Johannes Muller-Stosch. The program includes Bartok, Rumanian Folk Dances, Mozart, Flute Concerto 2 in D major and Haydn, Symphony No. 103. more

Contributions invited for
Brockport's new Welcome Center
Residents of the Brockport area are invited to donate bushes and trees to the landscaping planned for the new Welcome Center on the Erie Canal in Brockport. The end of April is the anticipated date for completion of the Welcome Center and a formal dedication ceremony will soon be announced. more

Counting birds along the shore ...
Braddock Bay Raptor Research as it is known today began in 1985 when local volunteers organized what was earlier an informal, volunteer activity monitoring annual spring hawk migrations as they passed over or near Braddock Bay. more

Hamlin gearing up for Wheel Fest
Organizers are putting together plans for the eighth annual Hamlin Wheel Fest scheduled for Saturday, June 4. more

Lakeside celebrates National Nutrition Month
Lakeside marked National Nutrition Month in March with a nutrition fair hosted by hospital nutritionists. more

Monroe County Workers' Compensation plan members realize savings
The Board of Directors of the Monroe County Municipal Workers' Compensation Plan (MCMWCP) announced a performance based refund to its eligible members in recognition of superior loss performance for the 2004 perform year. more

New postmaster welcomed in Hamlin
For the past 28 years, Alison Vandertang has traveled from post office to post office as a way to advance her career. Now as postmaster of the Hamlin Post Office, she hopes to remain in one place until she retires. more

St. Paul Lutheran School welcomes new administrator
St. Paul Lutheran Church & School in Hilton announces the appointment of Cliff Hummel as administrator of the Christian school. Hummel, who currently serves as interim principal at the school, has accepted the position of administrator of the Christian Day School. more

Sweden/Clarkson announces Person of the Year award recipient
The Sweden/Clarkson Recreation Department announced that Monroe County Legislature President Wayne E. Zyra will be the recipient of the 2005 Person of the Year Award. Zyra will be recognized during their Annual Community Awards Banquet on Friday, June 3, in the New York Room at SUNY Brockport's Cooper Hall. more

Troop 125 holds Courts of Honor
Boy Scout Troop 125 of Hilton hosted an Eagle Scout Court of Honor at the Hilton Firemen's Exempt Club on April 3. The Eagle candidates, Brian Allis, Phillip Heiler and Sean Smith, along with family and friends, enjoyed the ceremony and a punch and cake reception which followed. more

In Briefly:

Nominees sought for Century Farm program
Cornell Cooperative Extension is seeking nominations from farm families for consideration by the New York State Agricultural Society to be recognized as Century Farms at the society's annual Agricultural Forum. more

Springdale Farm hosts sheep shearing festival
Springdale Farm will host its annual Sheep Shearing Festival on Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 696 Colby Street in Ogden. Highlights will include sheep shearing and wool cleaning and dyeing demonstrations. more

Spring Into Fitness offered at new facilities
Hilton-Parma Recreation offers an Adult Fitness program beginning April 26 and running through May 26 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as Saturday mornings, for a total of 14 dates at the new Fitness Center at Hilton High School. more

Workshop offers hands-on tools for teachers
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County and Genesee Community College have partnered to host a Hydroponics Workshop for Teachers April 15. The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road in Batavia. more

Politically Speaking:

Orleans and Genesee Empire Zones to expand
According to Assembly Republican Leader Charles H. Nesbitt (R-139th District), changes outlined in the new state budget for the Empire Zone program include revisions to the Genesee and Orleans County Zones that will double their size and create new incentives for manufacturing and agriculture. more

Three seek election in Brockport under the People's Choice ticket
Two Village of Brockport Trustees, Norman Knapp and James Whipple, along with Knapp's son-in-law, Scott Hunsinger, are seeking election to the Village of Brockport Board of Trustees. The three are running under the newly formed People's Choice ticket. more

In Schools:

Brockport Middle School students
participate in All County Music Festival
Students from the Brockport Oliver Middle School and Hill School participated in the 2005 Elementary All County Music Festival April 1-2 at Eastridge High School in Irondequoit. more

Brockport students perform in music festival
The following Brockport Central student musicians participated in the Monroe County School Music Association's All County Music Festival at the Eastman Theater on March 12. Students were selected based on auditions and teacher recommendation. more

Hill students donate books
Brockport Hill Elementary School students sort books being donated to a Rochester City School. Students in Brandon Broughton's class sorted and boxed more than 400 books donated during a district-wide book drive sponsored by Brockport Teachers Association. more

Hilton jump rope event a success
One hundred thirty of Hilton's students participated in the annual Jump Rope-A-Thon for Heart along with their parents. A variety of aerobic activities were done by the students including jump-roping, jake the snake, pogo sticks, jumping with skip-its and hula hoops and dancing to help fight heart disease and stroke. more

Hilton Schools' Aquatic Center opens
Hilton School District's new $4.5 million Aquatic Center opened in late March to rave reviews. Located at the Merton Williams Middle School, 200 School Lane, the glistening, new facility will be a centerpiece of swimming for the district and the community. more

Holley fifth graders land on "Planet Word"
Holley fifth graders stirred their childhood memories when Todd Beers, guest poet with Young Audiences of Rochester, asked them to write an "I remember ..." poem. Beers helped students explore the art of poetry during his three-day workshop entitled "Planet Word." more

Music festival performers
The following Brockport Central student musicians participated in the Monroe County School Music Association's All County Music Festival at Spencerport High School on March 4 and 5. more

New superintendent of schools selected in Hilton
The Hilton Board of Education has selected Hilton High School Principal David Dimbleby as new superintendent of schools effective July 1. The announcement was made by Hilton Board President Daniel Wellington. Final contract negotiations are underway. more

SUNY Brockport alum donates to Physics Department
When Christopher Leichtweis ('83) was a physics major at SUNY Brockport, he was an inquisitive student intently interested in both the physics of the atom and the safety of the environment. more

The sweet taste of spring
Students in first and second grade at St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Spencerport made a springtime field trip to Maple Grove Farm in Holley to see how maple syrup is produced. more

Walk-a-Thon planned in Hilton
Students in Hilton High School's Social Awareness classes, taught by social studies teacher Deborah Wolkenberg, are holding a five mile Walk-A-Thon on April 29. The funds raised will be donated to the Golisono Children's Hospital for the purchase of items including medical equipment, special hospital beds and workbooks for children. more

In Seniors:

Brockport High School Varsity Club
presents the 10th Annual "Senior Citizen" Prom
The Varsity Club at Brockport High School will sponsor the 10th annual "Senior Citizen" Prom. This year's Prom will be at the Sweden Senior Center, 133 State Street, Brockport, on Saturday, April 30 from 7 until 9 p.m.

In Sports:

Area players chosen for Bowman Cup
Nine high-school aged hockey players from area schools have been selected to participate in the inaugural 2005 Scotty Bowman Showcase being held at HSBC Arena in Buffalo April 15. more

HAST Swim Club invites newcomers
Hilton Area Swim Team (HAST), a competitive swim club open to those 6 to 18 years of age from the Hilton area, invites newcomers to a five week instructional session. From April 25 to May 27, participants can learn and improve four basic strokes - butterfly, back, breast and freestyle. Interested swimmers can contact Risa Juergens at 392-6608 for information. more

Rangers win first-ever varsity lacrosse contest
Brand new varsity teams sometimes take several seasons to win their first game, but Spencerport shortened that time span ten-fold with a 9-5 boy's lacrosse victory over Gates Chili in the first regular season home game in the team's history. more

Top female athletes to be honored
at WHAM Local Sportswomen Awards
Fifteen of the top female athletes in the five-county area will be honored on Monday, April 25 at the 27th Annual WHAM Sportswomen of the Year Awards Luncheon. more