Santa visits the Roy-Hart Learning Center

Kudos to the Pendleton Lions Club who made the holidays such a special time for the Orleans-Niagara BOCES students at the Roy-Hart Learning Center in Gasport. The young lady's smile says it all.

New Year's Eve in Gasport

Looking for a New Year's Eve related shindig close to home? Here's what's happening in Gasport leading up the ball drop...as you will notice, Gasportians like to party.

Canalside Inn: It's a weekend long party at the home of the best beef on weck in WNY. They have music on Friday with Carl (of the Gitdrum Bros) and Saturday with Dave Viterna & Church. Sunday night will be standard fare. The Facebook event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1580952198619862/

Chop's Shop Bar & Grill: On Sunday night, Gasport's newest dining destination will have a complimentary wing buffet from 9pm-11pm. They will also have music by DJ NRG (Seth Luckman) from 10pm to 2am.

Becker Farms: They won't be having a New Year's Eve party, but they will be having a New Year's Eve Eve party on December 30th from 4:00 till 8:00. Enjoy live music by Carl Motyka. Bring 4 people and get a free pizza with the purchase of a pitcher of beer. The Facebook event page is here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/131846267491807/

Carolyn Joldos Named EHS Manager at FMC Middleport Plant

Carolyn Joldos, a resident of North Tonawanda, NY, has been named Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) manager at FMC’s Agricultural Solutions plant in Middleport.

Ms. Joldos has more than 10 years experience in leading quality initiatives at manufacturing plants, and for the past four years has served as quality supervisor at the FMC Middleport Plant.

She is the recipient of a Bachelor of Science degree in forensic chemistry from the State University College of New York at Buffalo.

Christmas Eve at Becker Farms

If you'd like to attend an always memorable and cozy Christmas Eve service, head over the old barn at Becker Farms on Sunday for a 4:00 service led by Pastor Rod Klinzing of Zion Lutheran Church. It's just over a half hour featuring the scripture of Jesus's birth mixed with holiday songs. It's always an interesting place to reflect on the reason for the season. This picture shows one of the warmer winters -- which this is not: Be sure to dress for the weather.

If being outdoors in a barn isn't your cup of tea, Pastor Rod will be leading indoor services at Zion at 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM Sunday.

Excellent article on Justice Bass

The Lockport Union Sun & Journal offers this excellent look at the career of Justice Bass, who was on the bench for 28 years in Royalton:

http://www.lockportjournal.com/long-serving-royalton-justice-hears-his-last-case/article_60c745c0-e53a-11e7-8e6a-cfe4e5dfe3cd.html

Many want to lead Roy-Hart

Roy-Hart's superintendent search has proven to be incredibly popular. 21 people have applied for the position. That's pretty amazing for a small school district:

http://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/roy-hart-fields-applicants-for-superintendent-s-post/article_29c8d19e-a172-5ee9-863e-bcb9185965f6.html

Canalside Inn Christmas

The Canalside Inn will be having a Christmas Party on Friday, December 22nd from 6:00 till close. They will have presents every half hour until midnight for lucky patrons and specials all night long. Here's their Facebook event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1757996587585894/

Nels Ross at HBC

On Wednesday, December 20th, the Hartland Bible Church at 8110 West Ave. will be holding a fun family-friendly event from 5:15 until 7:30. It starts with a pizza party in the gathering hall and then the action moves upstairs where everyone will be entertained by Nels Ross, the beloved comedian, performer and juggler who is sure to leave you laughing and also inspired. Following the show everyone is invited back down to the hall for cookies and treats. HBC is also encouraging all who attend to where their craziest Christmas outfit or ugliest sweater.

Here's the Facebook event page: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1873730319594077/

NCSO update on yesterday's accident

From the Niagara County Sheriff's Office...

Update to MVA on Hartland Road Hartland, NY

The driver of the southbound vehicle involved in the injury accident on 12/12/17 at 16:13 hours, has been identified as Jennifer Ross, 48 years old, from the Town of Royalton. She is listed in critical condition at Strong Memorial Hospital.

The driver of the northbound vehicle has been identified as Andrea Mason, 56 years old, and her passenger, 14 year old grandson, from Lancaster, NY. Mason and her grandson were treated and released from Erie County Medical Center.

The investigation is continuing by the Niagara County Sheriff's Accident Investigation Unit.

Zion Lutheran Christmas program

Zion Lutheran Church's Christmas pageants put on by the Sunday School are always such an entertaining and engaging way to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This year's program will take place this Sunday, December 17th at 10:30.

NCSO press release on Hartland accident

MVA Hartland Rd Hartland, NY - On December 12, 2017 at approximately 16:13 hours the Niagara County Sheriff's Office received a 9-1-1 call reporting a head on motor vehicle accident with multiple injured parties.

The initial investigation shows a northbound box truck crossed the center line causing a head on collision with a southbound vehicle. The southbound vehicle continued off the roadway into the ditch on the west side of the road.

The driver and passenger of the box truck were transported to ECMC by Tri-Town Ambulance. Fire personnel on scene had to use the Jaws of Life to extract the driver and sole occupant of the southbound vehicle. She was transported by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

The names of the occupants are being withheld at this time pending notification of the family. The investigation is continuing by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office Accident Investigation Unit.

3 hurt in head-on crash

3 people were hospitalized after a head-on crash on Hartland Road last night (note: the news story shows a photo of the wrecked car if that is something you don't want to see)

http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2017/12/13/niagara-county-crash

Citizens of the Year: The Royalton Bicentennial Committee

2017 was a special year for our community. The town of Royalton celebrated its 200th birthday. The celebration was huge and it lasted all year.

That party would not have been possible were it not for all the hard work put in by the Royalton Bicentennial Committee. For that, they deserve to be designated as Gasport's "Citizens of the Year."

"THANK YOU" to the committee for helping the community celebrate in style! 

Rebecca Schweigert, Jen Gillings, Julie Maedl, Jennifer and Jesse Bieber, Christa Lutz and Linda Drum

We can't say enough about how awesome these folks were in putting together such an amazing series of events!

Here's their look back at the Bicentennial activities that happened this year -- their report features their "thank you" to the various people and organizations that gave them a hand...


April 8th, 2017: Kick off Dinner at the Niagara Orleans Country Club. Attended by 102 people. Proclamations came from Newfane, Cambria, Wheatfield, Lockport, Hartland, Middleport, NC Leg, US Congress, NYS Governor, NYS Assembly and the NYS Senate. Thanks to Donna Aiken, our logo contest winner who helped make all our merchandise and logos look so amazing!

July 4th, 2017: Veterans and First Responders Breakfast. This was held at Gasport Chemical Hose and we served exactly 200 people for our 200th Birthday of the Town! All Veterans and First Responders ate for free and everyone else was asked to contribute through a free will offering. Thankful for Trinity Lutheran Church of Wolcottsville and the Boy Scouts of Gasport who stepped up and made the day a true success.

July 22, 2017: Royalton Summer Sizzler 200 was held at the Terry’s Corners Fire Company grounds. We had over 3500 people attend with 7 bands, featuring long time Sizzler bands Dirty Blond, Jonsie, Dave Viterna and Last Call. We were also very lucky to have artist Carl Dixon of the Guess Who, Strictly Hip and Nerds Gone Wild! We had a dozen food trucks for lunch and supper, something to satisfy everyone’s taste. Thanks to Tim Durfy and Nick Baes who became an honorary members of our committee and without them this event wouldn’t have happened.

August 27th, 2017: Royalton Community day was held at the Royalton Ravine with a Non-Denominational church service and a craft show. All our Local Fire Companies and the NC Sheriff’s Command Center participated for tours and information on joining. The Lions grilled out hot dogs and sold Chicken BBQ’s. Thanks to Jim Luckman for his help in making it all happen. There was also a basket raffle. Thanks to Pastor Rod for coordinating all the churches and the service.

September 9th, 2017: Royalton Community Picnic was held right down the middle of Main St. in the Village of Middleport. We had a few hundred people come out and have lunch, also with a good will offering accepted. Nickle City reptiles did two shows and had animals set up for a good 3 hours for all of Royalton to see and touch. We also had rides, all free of charge, from 3PM to 8PM. Even the adults took time to go down the slide and take a ride on the swings. In the evening we had food and beverages at the Middleport fire hall with a DJ.

October 21, 2017: Our Closing Ceremony was held at the Terry’s Corners Fire Hall. We had about 100 VERY SURPRISED guests who attended our dinner that ended up being absolutely free, all money for tickets was refunded at the door. We had music along with food by Donna Eick and an enormous give away of local restaurants and businesses gift certificates and merchandise. No one went home empty handed. We had beautiful glass mugs engraved with our Bicentennial Logo made by Quality Engraving for everyone to take home as a keep sake along with small Swiss Army knives.

NONE of these events would have been possible without the generous donations from SO MANY sponsors including Grigg Lewis, Niagara County Legislature, Royalton Historical Society, Drum Oil, Town of Royalton, Village of Middleport, Sunrise Doors, KJ Motorsports, All Metal works, Chops, Sunrise, Basket Factory, Petunias, Brigham Concrete, Standish Jones, Bad Ash BBQ, Darrell’s Place, Middleport Family Health, Village Pizza, Schwabs Markets, Maedl Woodcraft, Gasport Welding, Gasport Lions, Seaway Insurance, Middleport Tractor, Confer Plastics, A Superior Concrete Inc., Brigham Construction, Wolf Maple Products, Howell Motors, Boy Scout Troop 18 and 23, Rapids, Wolcottsville, Gasport, Terry’s Corners and Middleport Fire Companies.

Save the date: Cabin Fever Reliever

Save the date for Terry's Corners' Cabin Fever Reliever featuring Nerds Gone Wild. It will take place at the fire hall's banquet facility on Friday, February 23rd from 8:00 PM to 11:45 PM. The Facebook event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1912759282385106/

Why the Erie Canal is full again

Many are wondering why the Erie Canal filled back up with water. That is the Canal Authority's way of checking the success of repairs and maintenance on various culverts. It's a sort of lesson learned from the 2016 situtaion when the Hulberton culvert received a needed repair in June (something should have been inspected and addressed earlier in the year). That repair closed the canal for an expanded period and it had a major impact on local communities during the Canal's tourism season.

Breakfast with Santa: December 9

Light up Gasport & Christmas Party

Light up Gasport & Christmas Party

Free Fun for the Whole Family

When: Sunday, December 10, 2017
Place: Gasport Firehall
Time: 4:00pm

Festivities will include: Santa Claus, Music, Caroling, Decorating and Lighting of Community Christmas Tree, Basket Raffle, Hot Chocolate, Christmas Cookies, Apple Cider and Sleigh rides!

All proceeds go to the Gasport Beautification Committee to help support this event and decorating of Main St. Gasport.

For more information about this committee please contact committee member Debbie Babcock at 417.0718.

11th annual Mitten Tree

When you’re out and about shopping for Christmas, please extend your giving beyond your family. Please buy a gift for a needy child in Gasport.

The Mitten Tree is up and you have until December 14th to donate.

This is the eleventh year for this awesome program that is run by the Gasport Lions Club.

Here’s how it works…

The tree is located out front of the Gasport post office at the corner of Main Street and Route 31. (There is also a tree at the Middleport post office).

Take a mitten from it and give a gift that is appropriate to the age/gender of the child noted on the mitten.

Attach the mitten to the unwrapped gift and drop it off at Absolut Care or Drum Oil (they have drop boxes) or at the Elementary School (under the tree in the lobby). The Lions Club will distribute the gifts in time for the holidays.

Please participate and make Christmas a little better for a child – maybe even your neighbor – who is in need. That’s what the holiday is all about.

Looking for photos of any Ruthven Kill paintings

The late Ruthven "Bud" Kill took up painting when he retired from farm & orchard work and he painted many pictures of Gasport scenery, including this of my house, done when he was was in his 80s in the 1980s. I'm curious how many other locals might have farm scenes and Erie Canal scenes that he painted. If you have a Kill original,email me a photo that I can share here. My email is bobconfer@juno.com

RIP Steve Harrington

Earlier this week, Steve Harrington passed away while deer hunting off Royalton Center Road in Gasport.

The news of his passing is saddening. Steve was one of the really good guys. I know that sentiment is thrown around a lot when people pass but it certainly rang true with Steve. His love of life -- and people -- was outstanding and contagious.

I enjoyed his visits to my office a few times a year when he'd be out and about looking for sponsors, and then giving updates to those sponsors, for the Erie Canal Derby. He always brightened up the day with his smile and that hearty laugh of his.

It was that Derby that showed how special Steve was. His goal with the event the past 27 years was to do everything he could to get families outdoors together. Where better than the Erie Canal -- a body of water that was instrumental in our history and one that has an unprecedented amount of accessibility. He saw the value of that public asset in getting kids interested in the outdoors and in spending quality time with their parents, making a lifetime of memories. The Derby has been a success because Steve put his heart into it.

The community has lost a wonderful man.

RIP, Steve.


Here is Steve's obituary:

http://obituaries.lockportjournal.com/obituary/stephen-harrington-1948-2017-1006477951