A Place for all the Old Timers to Get Together

The Pioneer's Club

The Pioneer’s Club Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 5  

May, 2008

Rick Meier was looking up some information about Rochester area individuals who were killed during that conflict, when he came across the name of Leonard A. Coles.  The article indicated that he worked for RG&E at Russell Station.

 

Rick searched the old issues of the RG&E News and found no mention of Leonard.

 

I contacted Ray Dunn, the Memorial Committee Chairman of the Vet’s Club , and asked him.  Ray indicated that he had worked with an Art Coles, in Appliance Sales, whose son was killed in Vietnam, but could offer nothing else.

 

Rick was able to add this information to the puzzle:

 

Leonard A. Coles, Webster, NY.  

Entered Service 0ct. 12, 1967.  U.S. Army.  

Left for Vietnam Oct. 29, 1968.  Died May 16, 1969.

 

If someone reading this could add something to this, we would like to hear from you.

 

If he was one of us, then we should be remembering him in our service.

Oops!

A Vietnam Veteran

Memorial Day Service

Friday, May 23, 2007 marks the day that we will honor our war dead.

 

A service of remembrance will be conducted at the flag pole in front of RG&E’s Scottsville Road facilities at 12:00.

 

The facilities are located at 1300 Scottsville Road, Chili, NY.  These facilities are directly across the street from the airport’s control tower.

 

We hope you will find time in your busy schedules to join us.  For it is because of the sacrifices made by these and others like them, that we enjoy the freedoms we  have today.

 

 

Last month I reported on Sam Roth’s Retirement Party.

 

I attempted to present a brief history of Sam’s career with RG&E.  In it I said that he worked for the Subway Department.  When actually he worked for Substations.

 

So I apologize for the error.  But I don’t know who I should be apologizing to, Sam or the Subway Department?

 

Anyway, I promise not so many beers in your humble reporter next time.

Web Site Stuff

Barry Nenno got all the pictures I had on the web site converted to a format that will load a lot faster for you guys.  I am hard at work replacing the pictures I had on the web site with these modified ones.

 

He also gave me a bunch of pictures from Customer Service Christmas Parties from 1969, 1970, and 1971.

 

This was my old department so it brought back a lot of memories.  I have created a section for Department photos in the photo gallery and added Customer Service, Meter Reading, and Purchasing to it.  These are the only department photos I have.  Now it’s up to all the rest of you to hunt around and share some of those memories with the rest of us.

Midtown Plaza's clock will get a new home

Long a symbol of downtown's indoor mall, the Clock of Nations will be moved to the Greater Rochester International Airport this summer, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks said Wednesday. Officials hope it will be up and running there by July 1.

 

The clock probably will be installed on the central observation deck near the food court, said Airport Director David Damelio. County officials are trying to figure out a way for passers-by without airline tickets to view it.

 

But this home will be temporary — for about three years.

 

In 2012, the clock will move to its permanent home at the Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong.

 

"It's a piece of living history in Monroe County," Brooks said. "It was such a special part of Midtown. We're taking something that was a part of our past, and we're celebrating it."

 

The clock, created by sculptor Dale Clark, was installed in 1962 when Midtown Plaza was constructed.

 

Twelve nations, one for each hour, are represented with small dioramas. On the hour, one country lights up, the figures move and the dozen dioramas rotate around the clock.

 

Parts of the clock are broken, Brooks said. LeChase Construction in Gates will oversee restoration of the clock, which will be removed from Midtown by the end of April, she said.

 

Midtown Rochester Properties LLC will donate the clock to the Monroe County Airport Authority, which will fund the restoration, she said.

 

After several years, the Airport Authority will donate the clock to Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, Damelio said.

 

This article was reprinted from the April 10, 2008 issue of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

 

For a picture of the clock on our web site, Click Here.

Retirement Party

Jay Harrington celebrated his retirement at MacGregor’s on Empire Blvd.

 

Jay had 34½ years of service at RG&E.  He started with the company in 1973 at Front Street in the Line Operating Department as a Groundman.  

 

He served with the trouble department for most of his career, but did work in the Line Department at Eastern Monroe for awhile. 

 

He achieved the rank of Chief Troubleman/Gang Foreman in the TM&R (Trouble, Maintenance & Repair) Department where he was when he retired.  

 

Jay and his wife Joan will be staying locally (so he can take an occasional trouble call ???), but have many upcoming travel plans, including Alaska this summer. 

 

Jay will also be filling his time with fishing, golfing and finishing restoring his home in Irondequoit.    

 

Fairwell Party

A going away party for John Sullivan was held at Perinton Park on Sunday, April 6, 2008.

 

John left RG&E for a new position at Lewis Tree.

 

I was unable to attend this party, but I was told that a great time was  had by all attending.

 

If you attended this party and took pictures, please share them with us so I can put them on the web site.

 

We wish John all the best in his new endeavors.

Rochester Picnic

I know this seems early to mention, but August is right around the corner.

 

Arnie sent me a tentative menu for this years picnic.

 

Hot dogs (Red & White)

Hamburgers

Grilled Chicken Breast

Rolls

Baked Beans

Cole Slaw

Potato Salad

Macaroni Salad

Milk, Tea, and Coffee

Dessert

 

Chips, pretzels & Peanuts at the bar

 

The food will be available from  12:30 – 3 PM

 

The price is yet to be set, but Arnie assures me that it will be less than $100.00 per person again this year.

If you have any suggestions for this year’s picnic, now is the time to voice them.

Just email Arnie by clicking here.

 

 

Russell Station

For those of you who no longer live in the Rochester area, I am posting this article on the possible fate of Russell Station.

 

It looks as if Russell Station will be sold if  the Energy East/Iberdrola buyout goes through.

Iberdrola SA vs NYS PSC

MADRID, Spain — Iberdrola SA said Monday it expects to decide in June whether to buy Energy East Corp., which means the long-running takeover proposal would be a year old when it's finally resolved.

The Spanish utility and Energy East, the parent of Rochester Gas and Electric, announced their $4.5 billion deal in June 2007, acknowledging that many approvals were needed for the transaction to go through.

While shareholders and several New England states where Energy East does business have approved the takeover, the issue has slowed to a near-halt before the New York Public Service Commission.

Iberdrola said Monday that it doesn't expect the PSC to set out its final conditions for the transaction until June. Iberdrola Chairman Ignacio Sanchez Galan said last week that the PSC's conditions could cause Iberdrola to rethink the deal.

 

The Spanish company has tried "repeatedly" to negotiate with the PSC, Jose Luis del Valle, strategy director of Iberdrola, said in Madrid on Monday.

 

"We expect a ruling in June," said del Valle. "If the conditions are reasonable, we will close the purchase in the same month."

 

New York is testing how badly Iberdrola, owner of wind power turbines on three continents, wants to grow in the world's largest energy market. The PSC staff insists that Iberdrola must sell its existing wind farm in the state, on top of five plants Iberdrola agreed to sell in March.

 

Separately Monday, Iberdrola said first-quarter operating profit jumped 66 percent.

 

This article was reprinted from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

This is another recent article on the Energy East purchase.  It seems as if we have to wait until June to find out if the sale is going to go or not.

 

From what I gather, the New York State Public Service Commission is the hold up.  (Well that does sound sort of familiar doesn’t it?)

 

I’ll keep you informed.

A Great Find!

While I was searching the Internet for information on Dale Clark, the creator of the “Clock of Nations”, I came across this video on YouTube.

 

It depicts the building of Midtown Plaza in downtown Rochester, NY in 1963!

 

And the real surprise is at the end.  It was produced by Rochester Gas and Electric Co.

 

I hope your PC and internet connection will allow you to view this video with sound.  It  only takes about 5 minutes to watch and will bring back a lot of memories.

 

Just click on the picture, sit back, and enjoy.

Obituary Page

I thought that I would publish this newsletter without the mention of the addition of a name to the Obituary page on our web site.

 

But I was saddened to learn of the death of another member, Benjamin F. Deck, when I read the Democrat and Chronicle’s Obituary page this morning, April 30, 2008.

 

His complete obituary may be read here on our web site.

 

He will be missed by all who knew him