Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: Albion students meet Brooklyn, a therapy dog at the school district.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – If you have visited Albion’s District Office recently, you may have had the pleasure of meeting its newest team member, Brooklyn.

Her four tiny legs and soft fur certainly sets her apart, but her curious eyes and gentle demeanor make her especially hard to forget.

Brooklyn is Albion school district’s new resident therapy dog. She is a 2-year-old, hypoallergenic mini Goldendoodle. As part of the district’s first Therapy Dog Program, Brooklyn began serving students in November following approval from the Albion Board of Education.

Her owner and handler at all times is Brad Lehman, Albion’s director of student services. They are both trained and certified through the RocDog organization. Brooklyn accompanies Mr. Lehman to campus 1-2 days per week and is available to help provide emotional support for classrooms or students in need throughout the school day.

“Brooklyn has had the opportunity to visit many classrooms thus far and has been given a very warm welcome,” Lehman said. “The smiles I see from students are infectious, regardless if they are in UPK or at the high school. It reminds me how important this program is.”

Brad Lehman, Albion’s director of student services, is Brooklyn’s handler and owner. He will bring the dog to school one or two times each week.

Many surrounding schools have introduced therapy dogs in their buildings in different capacities. The use of therapy dogs in schools can have many benefits that allow for personal growth and an overall improved learning experience.

They can be utilized as a proactive measure or to help support a student in specific need. Their presence provides comfort and companionship to those who may be feeling isolated, they can help foster social interactions, regulate emotions, reduce anxiety, alleviate stress, decrease feelings of depression, and improve overall well-being.

Albion school district is excited for students and staff to interact with Brooklyn and experience first-hand how beneficial her presence can be. If a student is uncomfortable for any reason, or if a parent/guardian does not want their child interacting with the therapy dog throughout the school year, they can opt-out of the program at any time by contacting their child’s main office.

Law enforcement issues 38 tickets with saturation patrols on Nov. 26-27

Joint Press Release by Albion Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office & New York State Police

ALBION – The Albion Police Department hosted and supervised a multi-agency Orleans County Wide DWI Saturation Patrol and 2 checkpoint locations last week beginning on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and ending at 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving.

This detail combined the Law Enforcement efforts from three law enforcement agencies in Orleans County along with the Orleans County Probation Department and NYS Parole.

The agencies involved consisted of the Albion Police, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, with logistical support provided by the Orleans County Probation and NYS Parole. While the Medina Police Department and the Holley Police Department did not participate in the checkpoint each agency conducted saturation patrols in their jurisdiction.

The detail results are as follows:

• DWI Arrests: 3 – 2 in the Village of Albion (Albion PD), one misdemeanor and one felony; 1 in the Town of Albion (Sheriff’s Office)
• Vehicles through the Checkpoint: 100-plus
• Traffic Stops: 68
• Tickets Issued: 20 by Albion PD, 4 by Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, 4 by New York State Police, 4 by Medina Police, and 6 by the Holley Police
• NYS Penal Law Arrests: 1 Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance 2x counts (Albion PD)
• NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law Arrests: 3 – 1 Felony (AUO 1st) 2 Misdemeanors (AUO 3rd & Suspended Reg)-Albion PD
• Agency Breakdown: Albion PD, 26 stops; Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, 7 stops; State Police, 6 stops; Medina PD, 16 stops; and Holley Police, 14 stops.

The Albion Police Department and the other law enforcement agencies are committed to making the roadways safe for all those who travel upon them.

Compared to previous years, this year’s detail had a comparable number of vehicle stops and vehicles traveling through the checkpoint as previous years, but the percentage of intoxicated or impaired drivers has decreased again from previous years.

The data from this year’s detail indicates that less than 5% of the motorists stopped were intoxicated and around 2% of all encounters were with intoxicated people, whereas in previous years we have seen data as high as 20% of the motorists stopped were intoxicated.

This is positive news in our efforts to reduce accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. The reduction of DWI arrests is a positive and motivating factor when these types of details are conducted.

Many believe that law enforcement want to make more DWI arrests during these details, however we like to see the opposite. Law enforcement had interactions with numerous individuals and found that an overwhelming majority were responsible and not under the influence of alcohol. We also encountered several intoxicated passengers with sober designated drivers.

Intoxicated drivers do not follow jurisdictional lines, so we decided that we would not either. The Albion Police Department and its partners are planning similar details for the future. We will continue to use every resource and tool available to create a reduction in offenders and arrest those who continue to endanger others by driving while intoxicated.

The commitment and dedication by the officers, deputies and troopers who worked the detail undoubtedly saved lives in Orleans County by making arrests and sending a clear message to deter others from drinking and driving.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Volunteers at the Orleans Koinonia Kitchen are getting a Thanksgiving feast ready for 500 people today. The “OK Kitchen” will be serving the meals from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Harvest Christian Fellowship, 560 East Ave. Volunteers also will be delivering take-outs.

Mary Delamarter, front, gets the celery and onions ready for the stuffing. In back, at left, are Kris Witkop sauteing the celery and onions and Cinthia Echevarria stirring the gravy for the turkey.

Joyce Fudge marks trays of green bean casserole. The fellowship hall is ready for people to have a Thanksgiving meal.

These volunteers are shown inside the kitchen at about 10:20 a.m. Some of them arrived at 8 a.m. today. The Ok Kitchen and volunteers have been working on the meal throughout the week.

From left include Dana Bolton, Mary Delamarter, Kris Witkop, Cinthia Echevarria, Joyce Fudge, Sandy Shingleton, Cindy Moore and Robin Zaczek.

Ricky Washburn has been working on cars since he was a kid

Photos by Tom Rivers: Ricky Washburn, left, gives this vehicle a tune-up. His father-in-law, Keith Davis, stopped by the shop.

ALBION – Ricky Washburn has been working on cars since he was kid, initially helping his grandfather.

Washburn has a knack for it, and about 15 years worked as mechanic before taking a job as a corrections officer.

Washburn added two lifts for his garage at 12694 Ridge Rd W, Albion. He is a registered repair shop with the state. He can handle just about any job for an automobile. He does brakes, suspension, exhaust, engine and transmission repair, tune-ups and computer diagnostics. He doesn’t do alignments or inspections.

He said there is a shortage of car mechanics. He started working for an independent shop in Niagara County for three years right out of high school, and then worked 12 years for dealerships before going into corrections.

Washburn worked 16 years as CO, but he left that career to start his own auto repair business in July.

Ricky Washburn is shown in his garage at Washburn Auto Repair, 12694 Ridge Rd W, Albion.

Washburn, 44, said he loved the job as a corrections officer the first 10 years. But the last few years the job became very difficult. He felt the prison was less safe with more drugs including fentanyl finding their way inside. Officers were very limited in using solitary confinement through the HALT Act, which Washburn said made it far more challenging to keep order and discipline inmates.

Many COs quit and new recruits weren’t eager to take their places, resulting in long shifts and mandated overtime.

Corrections officers went on strike in February to demand safer working conditions for COs, other staff and the incarcerated population. When the strike ended in March after 22 days, Washburn didn’t believe the issues had been addressed.

“The conditions only got worse,” he said. “The first 10 years were great. But after HALT, it was all downhill.”

Washburn worked at Orleans Correctional Facility, a medium-security men’s prison in Albion. He decided to step away from corrections and put his energy into his passion for fixing cars.

Washburn said many of his colleagues also didn’t return to the state prisons. Many have taken jobs in county jails.

“I just had enough of it,” he said. “What I’m doing now is healthier with far less stress. I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

Ricky Washburn opened his repair shop in July. The shop is just outside Albion on the eastern end of Ridgeway.

Washburn has been a race car driver and used his talents to keep his car running on the track. His 12-year-old stepdaughter, Laina Stewart, is a top go-kart racer in the region and state.

Washburn’s 4-year-old daughter, Parker, also has started racing. He is their crew chief.

As the owner of his own business, he doesn’t have to worry about mandated overtime where he could miss the races and other important family events. Washburn works until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on Thursday. He is done at 3 p.m. on Thursdays during the racing season so the family can compete at the track in Ransomville.

Keeler Construction apparent low bidder at $997,851

This photo from Sept. 12, 2022 shows Albion town highway employees blocking off traffic on the Phipps Road bridge, which was closed that day. Construction should start on a new bridge this spring. This bridge is on the west end of Phipps Road near Eagle Harbor Road.

ALBION – Four contractors bid on the Phipps Road bridge replacement over Otter Creek, and Keeler Construction is the apparent low bidder by more than $200,000.

Contractors were asked to submit proposals for a replacing the existing 19.5-foot-long bridge and replacing it with one that is 25 feet long.

The project includes the removal of the existing concrete culvert, and replacement with a 3-sided single span precast concrete span unit. The structure will be supported by micro-piles on spread footings, and associated highway approach work and stream work, according to a description seeking bids.

Keeler, a local company based in Barre, proposed to do the project for $992,851.75. That is less than the bids submitted by C.P. Ward of Scottsville at $1,221,503.75; Nardozzi Paving and Construction of Geneva at $1,207,593; and Mark Cerrone Inc. of Niagara Falls at $1,279,443.75. (The bids were opened today at 1 p.m. at the Town Hall.)

The town has been awarded a $1.038 million state grant for the project from the Bridge NY program.

Albion has been working with Ravi Engineering and Land Surveying in Rochester for design and bid specifications, as well as securing easements.

Rick Papaj, an engineer with Ravi, said the bid from Keeler is a “good price” for the town. The Town Board will review the bids and is expected to accept the low bid during its meeting at 5 p.m. on Dec. 8.

Papaj said construction should start in the spring.

The project also gave contractors the option for alternative cast-in-place system for the bridge onsite, rather than a precast structure. The alternates for that, however, were much more than the precast concrete bridge.

Keeler’s bid, for example, would have been nearly $300,000 higher with the cast-in-place unit.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Annabella Dusharm stars as Junie B. Jones in the Albion Middle School’s production of Junie B. Jones, The Musical. Junie B. is a first grader with friendly and bright personality.

She is shown in the opening number: “Top Secret Personal Beeswax.”

Friday was opening night. There also are shows at noon today with the finale at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Samiyah Sanders plays the role of Mrs. Gutzman, who is loved by the class for baking the best brownies and other treats. Samiyah and the cast are singing, “Gladys Gutzman Queen of Snacks.”

Sutton Sanders plays Lucille, center, who was Junie’s best friend but has ditched her for two new friends, Kinzie Rickner as Camille and Nadalee Ryan as Chenille. The three have rhyming names and Junie bemoans no other names rhyme with hers. This trio is singing, “Lucille, Camille, Chenille.”

Kenya N. Bennett plays the role of Miss Scary, the teacher. She instructs the class to choose a word from the list and draw a picture of it.

Junie tries on her glasses. Her teacher suggested she might need them when Junie struggled to see the chalkboard. Junie worries the kids at school will make fun of her because of her glasses, but they tell her she looks good in them.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – It’s been over five years that Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has been organizing a food distribution with Foodlink in Albion. These events have always been in the morning – until Friday when there was one beginning at 4:30 p.m. The top photo was taken about 5 p.m. when the distribution was halfway over.

Foodlink gave Albion an extra distribution due to the delays with getting SNAP benefits caused by the federal government shutdown.

Volunteers in one hour filled 200 boxes with food and placed them in the trunks of vehicles that were at the large Albion municipal lot at 165 South Platt St.

Community Action was grateful for the extra distribution on Friday but the agency wondered about having volunteers to help pack the food into boxes and deliver it to a parking lot full of vehicles.

Community Action had a big group of volunteers on Friday, with a group of 14 cheerleaders providing the most manpower.

Jami Allport is the Albion cheerleading coach and also executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. The cheerleaders also will be ringing the bell for the Red Kettle Drive to raise money for local residents in need.

There were people who haven’t been to a food distribution before due to the time later in the afternoon. The morning start time prevents many from those food distributions.

Ryan Lasal, director of community programming for Community Action, said the agency will reach out to Foodlink about alternating the times in the future, with a morning distribution one month and then the afternoon time the following month.

Jackie Dunham, chief operating officer at Community Action, was among the volunteers helping with the food distribution on Friday evening.

Other upcoming distributions in Orleans County include:

• Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, 12690 State Route 31, on Monday, December 1 beginning at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is strongly suggested. Those who pre-register will be assigned timeslots for pickup (12-12:30, 12:30-1, 1-1:30. 1:30-2 p.m.) Pre-register at 585-798-4265. Walk-ins may start at 2 p.m.
• Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St., on Friday, Dec. 5, beginning at 9:30 a.m. (No registration required.)
• Community Action at Albion municipal lot at 165 South Platt St. on Monday, Dec. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. (No preregistration required.) Community Action also has the schedule for the first six months of 2026: Jan. 12, Feb. 9, March 9, April 13, May 11 and June 8.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Village of Albion unveiled a new sign today on the eastern side of the village on Route 31 that highlights the community’s ties to Santa. The sign also spells out “ALBION” and local landmarks are painted within the letters.

Albion eighth-grade chorus students sang “Jingle Bells” and joined in a group photo with Village Trustee Joyce Riley, third from right, Village Historian Susan Starkweather Miller, second from right, and Mary Jo Whitman, the artist who created the sign.

The students from left include Ryalee Moyer, Zyann Pore, Kinzie Rickner, Nadalee Ryan, Kyalee Moyer and Kennedy Roberts.

Joyce Riley spearheaded the project for the village, securing a $5,000 grant administered through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The sign gives Santa Claus a prominent role. Albion was home of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School form 1937 until Howard’s death in 1966. The school continues in his name in Midland, Mich.

Susan Starkweather Miller shares about Howard, who continues to shape the way thousands of people portray Santa.

She noted the Route 31 in Albion has signs declaring it as the Charles W. Howard Memorial Highway. There is a bronze statue in downtown Albion of Santa, two murals celebrating Howard and the Sana School, and other efforts to promote the community’s heritage with the school and Christmas Park, which Howard operated in Albion bringing 80,000 visitors at its peak.

Howard urged people to give of their time and talents, and not be so focused on possessions.

The “ALBION” sign features the a boat on the Erie Canal with the lift bridge in back, the Civil War memorial tower at Mount Albion and the Orleans County Courthouse.

This shows, from left, Joyce Riley, a village trustee; Susan Starkweather Miller, the village historian, and Mary Jo Whitman, an artist from Batavia.

Whitman said the Santa was intended to be set lower on the back of the sign. If it can’t be adjusted, she said she would make some modifications and touch-ups.

She also is planning a mural in Holley for next year, but is waiting to see if the project will be funded by GO Art!

Photos courtesy of Albion Police Department: These photos show the suspect who allegedly put a skimming device on a cash register at the Save-A-Lot in Albion.

Press Release, Albion Police Chief David Mogle

ALBION – On Wednesday at 3:44 p.m. the Albion Police Department received a report of a fraudulent credit card skimming device located at Save-A-Lot, 320 West Ave.

Through an investigation of the incident and reviewing of video footage, the investigation determined the skimming device was placed on cash register 4 (closest to entrance/exit) on Nov. 14 at 2:23 p.m.

A customer at the store had noticed the key pad on the credit card machine had “new” buttons. The investigation determined a white male, camouflage hat, black headband, brown jacket, gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and brown shoes entered the store and placed the skimming device unnoticed. These skimming devices are professionally handmade and can be very hard to notice.

The Albion Police Department would like to recommend all local businesses check their Point-of-Sale machines for credit card skimmers. One way to determine is to check for “new” looking buttons or lack of security of the machine pieces.

If you have shopped at Save-A-Lot between the dates of Nov. 14 and Nov. 19, we recommend you check your bank account for any suspicious activity. The Albion Police Department is investigating this incident thoroughly.

If you have any further information regarding this incident or any other similar incidents involving the suspect, please contact the Albion Police Department at (585) 589-5627.

These photos show a credit card skimming machine.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kim Martillotta Muscarella, owner of Marti’s on Main, is shown inside the art gallery during an art show last month. She is pictured with a split leaf philodendron which she has had for 40 years.

Martillotta Muscarella has been organizing and hosting art shows the past 15 years. She announced that Marti’s has just been approved by the IRS an official non-profit organization.

She decided to have Marti’s be a non-profit to be in a better position to apply for grants to help with the building’s upkeep and for the programming at the site. Any donations will be tax deductible.

There is currently a three-member board for Marti’s with her son Jeremiah Knight as the president, her husband Neal Muscarella as vice president and Martillotta Muscarella as the treasurer.

Marti’s since 2021 has been at the former Cornell Cooperative Extension in Albion. Martillotta Muscarella and her family turned the building at 20 South Main St. into an art showcase.

The Muscarellas transformed the interior of the building into an art studio and gallery, painting the rooms in vibrant colors. Muscarella displays artwork throughout the building, including the hallways, staircase, even the bathrooms.

Martillotta Muscarella said the building needs more work, especially the windows. She is hopeful the non-profit status will secure funding through grants or other contributions.

Before it was Marti’s, the former Extension building was most recently used an outreach center for the Episcopal Church in Albion. The building was originally a house built in the 1830s.

Muscarella watched the site decline for many years, with little activity inside the doors of one of the prominent buildings in the historic Courthouse Square.

For about a decade she ran the Marti’s on Main art gallery and studio at her home at 229 South Main St. But that site, which was half of her house, was cramped to display art and accommodate groups of people.

Since 2021, Marti’s has hosted several art shows and classes a year, as well as two concerts.

The next class will be on Nov. 30 and is a chance to create one-of-a-kind ornaments with Fired Up Ready to Paint Ceramics. There will be sessions at noon and 2 p.m. Call or text 585-590-9211 or message Fired Up Ready to Paint Ceramics on Facebook for more information.

Martillotta Muscarella gives tours of the art gallery by appointment. She can be reached at (585) 590-9211 for more information.

ALBION – The Village Board voted to reduce the overnight parking fees at three village lots from $25 a month to $25 every three months.

These fees were raised significantly last year from $5 every three months to $25 a month.

Village Clerk Treasurer Tracy VanSkiver asked the board to look at the fees, saying the higher cost has resulted in a hardship for some of the downtown residents.

Board members said they didn’t realize there was such a steep increase in the overnight parking fees. They were approved as part of an update to the overall fee structure throughout the village.

The village has three municipal lots that allow overnight parking, as long as there is a permit from the village. The lots are on North Main Street by the Presbyterian Church, at the corner of Platt and East Bank streets, and behind the Albion Visitors Center at 121 North Main Street.

Usually about seven people take out permits for the overnight parking, VanSkiver said.

In other action at the Village Board meeting on Wednesday:

• The next village election was moved from the third Tuesday to the third Wednesday on March due to the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

The election will be on March 18 with voting from noon to 9 p.m. in the village office. The mayor’s position and two trustees are up for election.

• Approved spending $10,750 for a new salter for the Department of Public Works.

• Approved a special use permit for the Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade on Dec. 13. Portions of the following streets will be barricaded from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.: West Bank Street, East and West State Street, Beaver Street and Chamberlain Street. The board also approved use of the larger municipal lot on South Platt Street.

Site currently bottle redemption center with fuel; Legislator wants to add RV parking, launch for canoes/kayaks

Photos by Tom Rivers: This photo looking across the Erie Canal shows docks at 255 East Bank St. in Albion. John Fitzak has operated the Albion Redemption Center there for many years. The entrance was facing Bank Street but recently moved to the east side of the business. Fitzak has added a fuel service for boaters, the only site between Rochester and North Tonawanda.

ALBION – An Albion business owner is seeking to turn land along the Erie Canal on East Bank Street into a “mini marina.”

John Fitzak has operated the Albion Redemption Center at 255 East Bank St. for many years. He has recently upgraded that bottle redemption business, and has added fuel and a dock for boaters.

Fitzak, an Orleans County legislator, also has acquired adjoining properties and wants to expand the business to allow RV parking, and a boat launch for kayaks and canoes.

But Fitzak needs clarity and direction from the village about what is allowed at the property, which is zoned for general commercial and is currently mostly undeveloped.

The village code in one spot says no RVs should be parked on private property, but another section allows for up to two of them on a lot.

John Fitzak, an Albion business owner and a county legislator, addresses the Village of Albion Zoning Board of Appeals last week. Craig Tuohey, the chairman, is at right with Tony Wynn next to him at left. The ZBA is seeking a legal interpretation of the codes before making a decision. It also said the Village Board may need to clearly define the goals for the property in the village’s comprehensive plan.

Fitzak owns five lots along East Bank and East State. He is proposing to have RVs on three of the lots. He is asking the village for a variance from the maximum of six RVs, based on the max of 2 per lot. He wants to have eight on the property.

They would just be allowed to park there overnight. They wouldn’t have access to other services, except possibly WiFi. Fitzak would steer them to other businesses for food and services. If they wanted to use a bathroom or shower, they would be directed to the facilities at the Albion Visitors Center at the back of 121 North Main Street.

Fitzak met with the Zoning Board of Appeals last week, and that board didn’t take action, wanting to hear an interpretation of the village code from village attorney John Gavenda.

Fitzak then attended Wednesday’s Village Board meeting to state there are discrepancies in the code that are clouding what he can do with the property.

“Do you want progress and to see this place grow?” Fitzak asked the Village Board members. “I certainly do.”

He worries the project could face be mired in delays due to the uncertainties with the code and no determination yet on what is allowed.

“You need to update the codes if you want development and to see this town prosper,” Fitzak said.

Village Board members said they would see Gavenda’s opinion on the code. The village also has a new challenge with the ZBA in needing to fill vacancies among the board.

Craig Tuohey, the ZBA chairman, has stepped down from that board since the meeting on Nov. 3. Another member, Tony Wynn, is resigning on Dec. 31.

The 5-member board only had three members at its meeting last week and it may struggle to have a quorum to function. The Village Board said it will seek more members. They are paid $40 a meeting. The board meets as needed.

Chris Kinter, the village code enforcement officer, told the Village Board the code doesn’t allow a campground in the village.

Fitzak said it wouldn’t be a campground. There wouldn’t be water, sewer or electric services available. His property would just be a hosting site where people could park an RV.

He wouldn’t be offering permanent sites. “They’re in and out,” he said.

John Fitzak will have the “Mayfair Marina” ready for the next canal season, offering fuel and other limited services. He said the site will be a “mini marina.”

Fitzak also is seeking the ZBA permission to move three trailers that he uses for storage from one side of his property to the other side, farther east. The village code doesn’t allow those trailers, unless they are grandfathered in.

Fitzak has been allowed to keep them on site because the code was updated after he had them. The issue with moving them is they would go from one lot to another.

Craig Tuohey, the ZBA chairman, said the intent of allowing something to be grandfathered in that is out of compliance is to eventually rectify the situation.

Fitzak said he would like to eventually replace the trailers with a pole barn but first wants to see how the expanded business venture goes. He uses two of the trailers for the bottle redemption business and would use the other to store canoes, kayaks and other equipment.

“I’m not asking to do anything crazy,” Fitzak told the ZBA members last week. “This could be a catalyst for the downtown.”

He said he has other goals for the property, including allowing storage of boats over the winter. Fitzak said he would like to be allowed to have up to 20 boats on site for storage in the off season.

He also thinks his East Bank road frontage could turned into a board walk environment, with temporary structures for other small businesses.

Kinter said that although the property is in a commercial district, it’s also in a residential neighborhood and there could be impacts on the local residents.

Village board members, including Deputy Mayor William Gabalski, on Wednesday praised Fitzak for his investment in the properties and for a vision for the site.

“I love the idea,” Gabalski said. “We just want to make sure it’s done right.”

Fitzak said he awaits direction from the village on how to proceed.

“I’m willing to go through all the hoops I have to go through,” he said.