A Place for all the Old Timers to Get Together

 

The Pioneer's Club

The Pioneer’s Club Newsletter

Russell Station is closing after 60 years of service to our Customers. A dinner is being held to recognize those employees for a job well done.

 

The dinner will be held at the Crescent Beach Hotel on July 23, 2008 with appetizers being served at 6:00 PM and a buffet dinner at 7:00 PM. 

 

The ticket cost is $25.00 per person.

 

The cut off for tickets was June 26, 2008, which is why I sent out a flyer to everyone. 

 

The attendance is limited to the first 350 individuals with priority given to active F/H employees

 

Tickets may still be available by calling Darla at 585-724-8300.

Russell Station

Volume 2, Issue 7  

July, 2008

It’s Not Your Father’s RG&E Anymore

In our last newsletter, I mentioned some of the changes that are a part of our former employer no longer.

Here is another one.

When I was researching the pictures for the web site, I came across one called the “Dance of the Dying Coke Ovens”  It was celebrating the anniversary of the   closure of the coke ovens. In the article, RG&E bragged about finding jobs for all the coke oven personnel within the company.

I personally remember when East Station closed and all the employees at that plant were relocated.

It’s not the same anymore.  I understand from friends at Russell Station, that a lot of the employees there, will be losing their jobs.

Children’s Christmas Party

Last month, in my rant, I mentioned that the “Children’s Christmas Party” was no more.

 

Well I’m glad to say, I was wrong!

 

I got an email from Roberta Holahan that the “Children’s Christmas Party”  is alive and well.  And she should know because she is in charge of it.

 

I can’t provide you with any details on next year’s  Party. It’s way too early.

 

But I can provide you with this information.  The party has limited funding from  RG&E.  Because of this limited funding, the attendance is severely limited.

 

So don’t plan on bring all the grandchildren, they just don’t have the money.

 

 Let’s leave it for those active employees and their children. So that they can share the Christmas feelings and goodwill.

A Retiree’s Remembrances

My history with the closing all fossil fuel generation stations come to an end with the closing of Russell Station. It also ended with selling off Ginna Station.

 

I started at Station 3 - Beebee Station on February 9, 1960 as a "runner" in the old house, worked as an operator of the feed water treating plant, turbine operator, old house boiler 2, 3&4 and 7&8 boiled. Moved over to Unit 12 as a auxiliary operator  and runner.

 

While with the Research and Sciences Environmental lab I was involved in:

 

1. The installation, repair, maintenance and calibration of the stack emission monitoring systems at Stations 3, Beebee, Stations 8 & 9 and Russell.

2. Researched and planned how to measure and record the inlet/outlet water temps at all stations

3. The research, planning, assembly, maintenance and operating Station 7's aqua-culture study of black bull heads and rainbow trout.

4. Installed electrical shock equipment in the boat for identifying fish species and their migration.

5. Researched, designed, and built the test module made up of cubicles in which an equal number of zebra mussels were housed to test mortality rates under different applications of treatment. This lead to an inventor's award from RG&E

6. Assisted in shore walks, counting fish species and their mortality rate around the Stations 7 & Ginna.

 

Thirty of my thirty four years with RG&E from February 9, 1960 through my retirement on February 1, 1994 with RG&E were spent working in and around of the fossil fuel plants. I have many good memories of the friends I met over these years.

 

I'm 72 years old now, retired for 14 years and miss all my friends especially those who have gone on before me.

 

We were a big family then!

After sending out the announcement of Russell Station’s closure, I received this email from Harry Taft.  He shares, with us, his history with the F/H  division of the company.

 

His last sentence expresses it all for me and I hope all of you.

Way to Go Iberdrola!

This article was reprinted from the June 4, 2008 issue of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

The Florida Picnic is Up to You!

Bill Goodman is going in for surgery on his leg this winter.  He will be unable to do his usual superb job organizing the Florida Picnic for 2009.

 

This is where you come in.  We need someone to step up and volunteer to organize the 2009 Florida Picnic.

 

You will be responsible for finding a suitable location (one that doesn’t want ridiculous fees) and  coordinating the various committees.

 

Bill has a list of volunteers, who help him every year, which he is willing to share with you, as well as point you in the correct direction.

 

If you would like to step up and be “the man”, just email Bill at goodmanny@aol.com or me by clicking here.

 

We’ll give you all the help we can.

 

(Arnie won’t pay for me to  go down there and organize it, so it’s all up to you.)

 

This picnic is too great a winter tradition to let die.  So until someone “steps up” you will see a lot about it in this newsletter.

Post Card Party

The Annual Post Card Party was a great success! We licked and sticked, (actually affixed) about 1300 postcards with names, address, and information about the Rochester Picnic.

 

These post cards are sent out to all our members thanks to RG&E.  They supplied the labels, post cards, and postage. We supplied the labor.

 

We only have email address for about 350 individuals, so this is the only way we can hope to reach everyone. 

 

The team met in the 10th floor conference room at 89 East Ave. to do the deed.

 

I’d like to thank the following individuals for all their help: Bill Goodman, Ron Saar, Ron Johnson, Fred Walvoord , Carm Vaudo, Sue Ritzenthaler, Jim Camp, Tom Powell, Bill Winfield, Ken Kuzia, Bill and Dot Fredenburg, Mike Adams, Pat Francis, and Roberta Holahan.

 

Here are some snapshots I took of the group hard at work (except Arnie).

Obituary Page

I found myself updating the Obituary page again last month.

 

William H. Ward died on June 12, 2008 at the age of 86. Bill was a retiree from Russell Station.

 

Thomas F. Phelan died on June 18, 2008.  He was a retiree from F/H Maintenance.

 

Glenn K. Losey died on June 20, 2008 at the age of 85. He was a retiree from the Lakeshore District

 

They will be missed.

Beebee Station

I added a brief history to the web site about this “Grand Old Lady” that was sent to me by Terry  Schaap. 

 

I also posted some pictures of how the station looks inside now.

 

Please be forewarned that these pictures will be upsetting to anyone who worked there.

 

For a direct link to them, Click Here

The RG&E Big Band performed its first concert of the 2008 season at the Shire at Culverton on Culver Rd the evening of June 12th.  

 

The large dinning room was full of residents and guests enjoying the music played by the RG&E Band.  

 

Playing for the Shire has become somewhat of a tradition for the Band, as this was the 33rd year in a row that the Band has played for what has become their “Senior Ball”.  

 

Jesse Schrier, the activity director for the facility, chose a “Patriotic Theme” for the evening. 

 

Jim Candela, formerly of the Men’s RG&E Chorus, joined the Band for the first time as a vocalist singing Sun Rise Sunset.  

 

The RG&E Big Band is almost completely booked for a very busy 2008 schedule and is looking forward to a wonderful year of providing a public service to our community.

The Big Band

I was unable to attend this event so there will be no pictures for your enjoyment, unless someone else attended.

 

(Dave Payne, the bands director, furnished me with this write-up.  I would have asked him to take pictures too, but he was too busy playing!)

 

For their 2008 schedule, click here.

The Law Judge Rules?

This article was reprinted from the June 16, 2008 Democrat and Chronicle.

Ginna

I don’t want you to think that I’m picking on the new RG&E.  The “new thinking” is prevalent elsewhere also.

 

For example, I tried to get the Pioneer’s Picnic Poster posted (say that one fast after a couple of beers!) at Ginna.

 

My thinking was that since they were a part of the RG&E family for so long, maybe someone out there would like to come to the picnic.

 

I was informed that Constellation     Energy has a policy to keep all bulletin boards the same across their company, so individual posters are not allowed.

 

So anyway, if you know anyone who works at Ginna or retired from Ginna, let them know about the picnic.

 

Since Ginna is no longer a part of RG&E, I’m pretty sure that no recent retirees got a post card about the picnic. It’s up to us to let them know.

 

I know I harp about email address, but this is an another example of why we should each have one.

 

I managed to get Barry Nenno locked in the basement again so we have a lot of new content scanned in for the web site.

 

We were presented with some memorabilia by Sue Ritizenthaler. Her father was an RG&E retiree from Transportation.  He attended some Pioneer Picnics and got the hats and beer mugs they were given. You can view them by clicking here.

 

Bill Mitchell and Ken Mullen let us borrow some of their souvenirs from all their years at RG&E.  Barry has gotten some of them scanned in and I have put them up on the web site.

 

Thanks to Bill and Ken we have new information on the History page, the Retirement page, the Department page, and two new issues of the RG&E News concerning the Ice Storm. 

 

For your convenience, the underlined sections will connect you to that part of the web page.

 

And best of all, Barry’s not done scanning them in yet! So there’s more to come.

 

I also added an RSS feed to the News page.  This way if you use an RSS News Reader, you will be alerted to any changes I make on it.

Web Site

A Special Anniversary

I got a note from Ken Mullin about a very special anniversary.

 

Harry Buss (Electric Distribution) and his wife,  Margaret are celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary on July  10, 2008.

 

Their children are hosting a dinner for them in Post Mills, Vermont where his daughter lives.

 

Harry’s email address is: hwbuss@earthlink.net, in case you wish to send him a note of congratulations.

 

I’d like to personally wish them all the best on this wonderful achievement.

The Picnic deadline is rapidly closing in on use.

 

So lets get those checks in the mail to     Arnie right away.

 

You won’t want to miss this. 

It’s our 70th Anniversary!

The Spanish company that wants to buy the parent of Rochester Gas and Electric Corp.

promised Tuesday to spend $2 billion on renewable energy facilities in New York if

state regulators approve the takeover.

 

Iberdrola SA is known as the world's leading developer of wind farms, and it wants to build more of them in New York over the next five years.

Joined by several politicians for a news conference at the Capitol, company officials sought to sway the state Public Service Commission, whose approval is needed for the $4.5 billion purchase of Energy East Corp.

Some of the elected officials were directly or indirectly critical of the PSC, whose staff has recommended against the deal.

"It is imperative that companies willing to invest in New York do not meet numerous bureaucratic roadblocks like the ones experienced by Iberdrola," said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman James Alesi, R-Perinton.

"We're at a crossroads here," said Senate Energy Committee Chairman George Maziarz, R-Newfane, Niagara County. "This is about billions of dollars in investments."

Assembly Energy Committee Chairman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, Ulster County, wasn't at the news conference. He said later that he neither supports nor opposes the deal and wants to see what the PSC decides before considering legislative action.

As for Iberdrola, an official of the company made clear that it plans to invest somewhere in the United States. "We don't need to do this in New York, but we'd like to do this in New York," said Pedro Azagra, director for corporate development.

The PSC staff has expressed concern about Iberdrola's plans to own both power generation and distribution facilities and wants the company to provide more benefits for consumers. The staff said Iberdrola should provide $644 million in rate cuts and other benefits, while the company offered $200 million.

Energy East is the parent of both RG&E and New York State Electric and Gas.

Iberdrola said it wants to build about 1,000 megawatts of additional wind power facilities in New York. That drew praise from Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who has been following the Iberdrola deal closely.

"Iberdrola is stepping up to the plate in a real way that can reduce costs to New York energy consumers and create jobs by investing in clean technology like wind power," Schumer said in a statement. "The Public Service Commission ought to get out of the way when it comes to investing in renewable power, and instead concentrate on making sure consumers don't get burned by rate hikes as a result of this merger."

PSC spokesman James Denn said state regulators were "pleased and encouraged by Iberdrola's announcement that it wants to make future investments in New York."

Denn said Iberdrola could make the investment plan a part of the formal proposal that the commission is considering.

The case currently is in the hands of PSC Administrative Law Judge Rafael Epstein, who   conducted public hearings around the state earlier this year. He is to make a recommendation to the five-member commission.

The state Public Service Commission should reject the proposed takeover of Energy East Corp. by a big Spanish utility, an administrative law judge said today in a much-awaited recommendation.


The Department of Public Service law judge, Rafael Epstein, picked apart the proposed $4.5 billion deal between Iberdrola SA and Energy East, writing that the commission should disapprove the transaction “on the ground that it does not satisfy the ‘public-interest’ requirement of Public Service Law.”

But if the commission does approve the sale of Energy East, there are pre-conditions that should be met, he wrote.

They include forcing Iberdrola to sell its wind power plants in New York; to agree to $646 million in public-benefit adjustments; and to abide by safeguards and rate proceedings as proposed by the PSC staff.

Iberdrola officials had earlier said they would walk away from the deal, which has been   approved by other affected states and the federal government, if New York demanded they sell their wind power farms.

Epstein's recommendation sets the stage for the parties in the case to respond -- they have until July 1 to do so -- and then a vote by the PSC.