By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2026 at 12:26 pm
ALBION/MEDINA – There will be a change in leadership today in Orleans County two largest villages.
Both Albion and Medina are swearing in new mayors as well as trustees on their village boards.
Each village will have swearing-in ceremonies at 6 p.m. Albion’s will be in the Village Office at 35-37 East Bank St. while Medina’s will be at the Shelby Town Hall at 4062 Salt Works Rd.
Tim McMurray was elected mayor in Albion on March 18, defeating Joyce Riley by seven votes, 209 to 202. Both had been trustees on the board for four years.
McMurray will be joined in taking the oath of office today by new trustees, Jami Allport and Kevin Sheehan Sr. Their terms are for four years.
In Medina, Debbie Padoleski is the new mayor after defeating Marguerite Sherman, the incumbent, on March 18 by a 489-405 vote. Padoleski was on the board as trustee the previous two years and also worked 41 years in the village clerk’s office, including the final eight years as the village clerk/treasurer.
She will be joined at the swearing in by trustees Mark Prawel and Jeff Wagner. In Medina, the terms are for two years.
File photos: Albion students played bingo with senior citizens and also joined them in rock painting on May 10, 2023 during Senior Citizens Day at the high school.
Press Release, Albion Central School
ALBION – Albion Central School District invites senior citizens, 55 and older, for our annual Senior Citizens Day on Wednesday, April 29th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Albion High School gymnasium.
The school district would like to thank the senior citizens in our community for all they have done to support our students, teachers, and staff throughout the years.
We have a limited number of seats available for this free event. Kindly RSVP by Friday, April 17th, to the High School Student Council Advisor, Mrs. Sawyer Green, at (585) 589-2040, ext. 8414. You can also email sgreen1@albionk12.org to secure your reservation. Please leave a message with your name, phone number, and the number of seats you’d like to reserve.
Mrs. Green will call you to confirm your participation. We look forward to having you join us for this wonderful event hosted by Albion High School’s Student Council!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 2:48 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers: Kids displayed breakneck speed in hunting down Easter eggs on March 30, 2024. There were about 12,000 eggs scattered on the lawn.
ALBION – An Easter egg hunt with more than 10,000 eggs scattered about the Orleans Courthouse lawn has been canceled due to the muddy conditions and more rain in the forecast for Saturday.
The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries was planning its fifth annual egg hunt for Saturday. The church teams with the Albion Masonic Lodge which serves up free hot dogs and fries.
The Masonic Lodge will still be offering free hot dogs, easter baskets and eggs full of candy to children beginning at noon on Saturday until they run out.
Jeff Holler, one of the leaders of the Masonic Lodge and the egg hunt, said there wasn’t enough time to secure an alternative site for the egg hunt. The land at other locations, including the school’s artificial fields, would need board approval and there isn’t enough time before the next board meeting.
Holler said Royal Body Shop and the Masonic Lodge will try to have a backup site ready in the future if torrential rains make the courthouse lawn off-limits.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 9:00 am
Photos courtesy of Guin Panek
ALBION – A section of Eagle Harbor Road in Albion, north of Route 31, has been undercut from the flood on Tuesday night.
Otter Creek flooded over the road last night. The road has been closed due to the damage.
Local highway departments are out assessing the condition of local roadways, said Justin Niederhofer, the Orleans County emergency management director.
Water is backed up on the west side of Eagle Harbor Road in the town of Albion, north of Route 31 and the railroad tracks.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2026 at 11:23 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Firefighters from the Kendall Fire Department are in Albion tonight helping to pump out basements after numerous calls for help from residents, especially on the west end of the village.
This photo is at a home on West Academy Street in Albion.
There have been numerous calls for assistance with flooded basements particularly in Albion, Holley and Clarendon. Firefighters in those communities are being assisted with crews from Kendall, Carlton, Barre and East Shelby.
Albion got an inch of rain this morning, then two more inches this evening. That rainfall has overwhelmed the storm sewer system with water shooting out of storm drains.
Part of Route 98 in Albion was flooded between Allen Road and Route 31A, prompting the road to be closed to traffic. This photo was taken about 11 p.m.
The Village of Medina Fire Department assisted the Medina DPW “responding to multiple calls tonight including downed trees, flooded roads, flooded basements and the usual emergency calls. Many departments across the county are also busy,” The Medina FD posted on Facebook.
“Use caution when driving, watch for hazards and do not drive through flooded roads. For non-emergency assistance, call the fire station at 585-798-1661.”
The Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company posted on Facebook last night that Ridgeway firefighters, as well as the majority of Orleans County firefighters were currently out fighting water in basements, flooding roadways and other hazards.
“Remember to check your basements for water & ensure your sump pumps are operational,” Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company stated. “If you need assistance please understand it could take an extended time to get to you as all agencies are inundated with incidents. Please use extreme caution in your travels if you must travel. Remember to never drive through a flooded roadway!”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2026 at 10:25 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Miguel and Adryan (Cheeseboro) Ruiz are shown at the Helpee Selfee Laundromat in Albion on Sunday afternoon. They are the new owners of the business after Jim Scibetta and his late father Harry ran it for 52 years.
ALBION – There are new owners of a longtime Albion business at 131 South Main St.
For 52 years the Scibetta family owned and operated the Helpee Selfee Laundromat. Adryan (Cheeseboro) Ruiz, a 29-year-old Albion native, and her husband Miguel have purchased the laundromat.
Sunday was their first day in business after closing the site for a few days for cleaning and some repainting. They also put new seals on the drying machines to make the clothes dry faster.
Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz commended Jim Scibetta and his late father Harry for their more than half century of service to the Albion community.
“It’s been an honor working with Jim and his family,” Mrs. Ruiz said on Sunday at the laundromat. “I grew up right here in Albion, and being able to come back and invest in this community means the world to me. This is more than just a business purchase for us — it is a chance to give back to the place that shaped who I am, and to keep an important neighborhood staple alive and thriving for the next generation.”
The new owners live in Miami, Fla., but they visit Albion often and Mrs. Ruiz has family in town to help run the operation.
Mrs. Ruiz graduated from Albion in 2015. The then Adryan Cheeseboro was an honors student at Albion who was a cheerleader and track athlete. She also sang in the school chorus and select choir. She worked at Crosby’s in Albion for her first job while in high school.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental policy and law from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. She was working in Miami when she met her husband, who works in quality insurance management and as a mechanic.
Mr. Ruiz also is an entrepreneur who owned a car wash and has long had a dream of owning a coin-operated laundromat.
He often checks out the laundromats when he travels. While visiting his wife’s hometown he was impressed by the laundromat.
However, it wasn’t for sale. For three years they kept in touch with Jim Scibetta, the owner, letting him know they were interested if he ever wanted to sell.
Scibetta recently let them know he was ready and reached a deal with Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz.
“This is a true legacy business — one that so many families in Orleans County have relied on for decades — and we are honored to carry that tradition forward,” Mrs. Ruiz said.
The laundromat opens daily at 5 a.m. and closes at midnight. There were people waiting outside when it opened on Sunday at 5 a.m. after closing for the cleaning, painting and some work on the machines.
Provided photo: Miguel Ruiz, front left, shakes hands with Jim Babcock. In back from left are Steve Babcock, Adryan Ruiz, Patricia Scibetta and Jim Scibetta. Steve and Jim are Patricia’s sons. They celebrated the change in ownership with this photo taken at Hoag Library.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 March 2026 at 12:30 pm
Photos courtesy of Crosby’s
ALBION – The remodeled Crosby’s convenience store reopened on Friday at 204 South Main St. This follows the remodeling of Crosby’s other store in Albion on North Main Street in May 2024.
Crosby’s, owned by the Reid Group in Lockport, has revamped the store at the intersection of routes 98 and 31. The company operates 86 throughout Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.
The celebration also was a kickoff to Crosby’s yearly partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in which various donation efforts will begin across all Crosby’s stores in service of CF and finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.
Crosby’s also donated $300 to Albion Central School District and $500 to Albion Fire Department.
The remodeled store has 16 employees. The store will offer Crosby’s food items including pizza, made-to-order subs and specialty drinks such as hot chocolate, 100% Columbian Coffee and slushies.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 March 2026 at 10:36 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from March 6 shows icicles on the bronze statue of Santa at Waterman Park on Main Street in Albion. A building in back in center is owned by the Albion Betterment Committee and will be turned into a Santa School Museum. Charles W. Howard ran the first Santa School in the world on Phipps Road in Albion from 1937 until his death in 1966. The school continues in Howard’s name in Midland, Mich. The Betterment Committee dedicated the statue, created by Brian Porter, during the Strawberry Festival in June 2023.
ALBION – The Albion Betterment Committee is a step closer in its goal of developing a Santa School Museum in downtown Albion.
The Betterment Committee has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Rochester Community Foundation to replace a front-arched window on the second floor of 128 North Main St. The window will be replaced with wood at the exact dimensions as the existing window which has rotted wood.
This is the first grant from the Rochester Community Foundation for the Betterment Committee, said Natasha Wasuck, one of the committee’s board members.
The committee purchased the building in November from the estate of Henri Pulley. The site is 6,600 square feet.
The Betterment Committee is working to turn the vacant two-story site into the Santa School Museum. It will pay homage to the late Charles W. Howard, who created the first Santa School in the world. He ran it on Phipps Road in Albion from 1937 until his death in 1966.
Howard continues to be revered among the people who portray Santa. The Santa School continues in his name in Midland, Mich. Howard also was well known as the Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1948 to 1965. Howard also was inducted as an inaugural member in 2010 of the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame.
The Betterment Committee wants to make the Main Street site into a tourism center that celebrates Santa. The group wants to develop an interactive tourism center with displays about the Charles W. Howard Santa School and Christmas Park, which Howard ran for many years near his farmhouse on Phipps Road.
The Betterment Committee envisions the first floor as interactive exhibits and displays, as well as room for a bakery and food operator. The site could also offer services, including showers, for canal boaters, cyclists and other visitors.
The second floor is envisioned to offer space for artists – painters, potters, and others in need of studio space. The second floor has large windows that let in natural light that would be ideal for artists, Wasuck said.
The group is seeking grants to help with building upgrades, especially a new roof that will cost an estimated $50,000. The Betterment Committee welcomes donations.
“The roof is the most important part,” Wasuck said about the building’s pressing needs. “We need to raise the money to replace it.”
The group is a 501c3 organization that accepts tax deductible donations. Donations can be sent to Albion Betterment Committee, P.O. Box 125, Albion NY 14411.
“This project is built on belief — in our history, our community, and the magic of what’s possible,” she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2026 at 1:49 pm
Participants braved cold, received many friendly horn honks and some middle fingers
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Orleans County today for the first time joined the “No Kings” protests around the country. Just over 100 attended the protest in Albion at the main intersection of routes 98 and 31.
They stood to send a message that oppose a president accumulating executive power while dismissing the roles of the legislative and judicial branches.
Over 3,000 protests were planned around the country today. The first “No Kings” protests were last year on the June 14, the birthday of President Donald Trump.
Protesters say Donald Trump has used his power to bring the United States to war with Iran, to arrest and detain people around the country without due process, to impose tariffs and issue numerous executive orders – all without following the democratic process that is a cornerstone of the country.
The war with Iran has sent gas prices soaring, with the price hitting $4.00 a gallon at the Crosby’s in Albion at route 31 and 98.
Protesters today said Trump campaigned on getting the U.S. out of wars but instead seems to relish military interventions and conflicts. And his actions are causing economic pain around the country and world.
Beth Wood helped organize today’s “No Kings” protest. She is secretary for the Orleans County Democratic Party. She wanted local residents to have a chance to gather to send a message about Trump and his move towards an authoritative government.
Wood said she is impressed by the turnout of more than 100 people, standing for two hours in 30-degree temperatures. And she appreciated the many positive horn honks which outnumbered the revving engines and middle fingers.
“A lot of people feel very alone and worried about the executive branch having so much control over so many things,” Wood said. “We want to support full democracy.”
Wood said the “No Kings” protest is non-partisan and she was pleased to see some Republicans and independents joining Democrats at the rally in Albion.
“This is an opportunity to take advantage of our Constitutional freedoms before they are disintegrated,” she said.
There were numerous home-made signs at the protest today in Albion.
Jim Renfrew, vice president of the Orleans County Democratic Party, said Trump is governing like a king, plastering his name and likeness of buildings. There will be a commemorative coin for the 250th anniversary of the country with Trump’s portrait, and the Treasury Department announced this week that paper currency will be bearing Trump’s signature.
The Kennedy Center, which was named as memorial for slain president John F. Kennedy, in December added Trump’s name and is now “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
Renfrew said “it’s very disturbing” to see Trump getting the king treatment with money and the naming of buildings in his honor, which ius out of the norm for a sitting and living U.S. president.
Renfrew was expecting about 30 people at the protest in Albion. The event went from noon to 2 p.m. By 12:05, there were 75 people at the intersection, holding signs. By 1 o’clock, there were about 120 at the rally.
Renfrew also went to a “No Kings” protest in the morning in Gates that he said was attended by more than 500 people.
“There is definitely something going on here,” Renfrew said about the movement.
Some protesters say Trump hasn’t been upfront about the rationale for bombing Iran, and still hasn’t made the goals clear.
Jeff Lewis, the Democratic Party chairman in Orleans County, said he saw people from all political parties at the protest.
“We want people here to know that they matter,” he said. “Democracy and the Constitution isn’t for just one person. It’s for all people.”
He said the local Democrats are seeing strong interest which he hopes can translate into more people running for local political offices. Too many elections have unopposed candidates.
“People need to know their vote counts,” he said.
Protesters say they see an attack on democracy from Trump and his enablers, and the people need to speak out.
Michael Plitt, Democratic Party chairman in Genesee County, attended the ‘No Kings” rally in Albion. He was in town to help gather signatures for political candidates.
He said Democrats are much more eager to sign petitions and help collect signatures than he has seen before.
They want a stronger say in their local government, which is dominated by Republicans.
“We just want to give people a choice,” he said. “So many of the elections are unopposed. People don’t realize you can run for office. There is no secret club or handshake. They should reach out to their local Democratic committee.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2026 at 8:55 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Neveya Barnes plays the role of Annie, here singing “It’s the Hard Knock Life” with orphans Sophie Kozody (Maggie), left, and Olivia Andrews (July).
Albion High School performed Annie on Friday night and there are two more shows today at noon at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the middle school auditorium.
The orphans sing about the hard life in the orphanage where they are forced to clean and live in deprivation. The musical is set amidst the Great Depression in New York City.
The orphans are played by, form left: Olivia Andrews, Chloe Mosele, Makenzie Cook, Sophie Kozody, Nicole Loney, Lily Brigham, D Johnson, Amelia Symons, Rianne Hand and Neveya Barnes.
Adelaide Pettit plays the role of Miss Aggie Hannigan, an orphanage matron who hates children but is very fond of alcoholic beverages. She sings about “Little Girls” and the frustration of being surrounded by children.
Annie (Neveya Barnes) gets a fashion makeover and joins Oliver Warbucks (Gideon Pask), a billionaire businessman, on a walk through the glamorous New York City. Then are headed to the movies. Warbucks is a stern businessman who opens his home and heart to Annie.
Phoebe Allen plays the role of Grace Farrell, Oliver Warbucks’ faithful secretary. Grace loves Annie right from the beginning. Drake, the head butler at Warbucks’ mansion, is played by Aniela Wilson. Grace and the staff of servants are singing “I Don’t Need Anything But You.”
The Boylan Sisters sing “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” on Bert Healy’s radio show. The sisters include, from left: Lily Brigham, Reagan Flor and Julia Graham. Annie and Oliver Warbucks went on the radio show to announce a $50,000 reward to a couple who could prove they are Annie’s parents.
When the $50,000 reward is announced, Rooster Hannigan gets an idea to pretend he and his girlfriend, Lily St. Regis, are the parents. Rooster is Miss Hannigan’s brother.
Here they are singing “Easy Street.” From left include Adelaide Pettit as Miss Hannigan, Bradyn Whittier as Rooster Hannigan, and Julia Button as Lily St. Regis. Rooster and Lily will pretend to be Ralph and Shirley Mudge, claiming to be Annie’s parents.
Four Albion teachers and Principal Jennifer Ashbery played the roles of Cabinet members for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. They are trying to think of how to improve the economy. Annie inspires them with her optimism.
Albion teacher Mr. Rich Gannon, lower left, really poured himself into the role of Harold Ickes. Bradyn Whitter, a senior, portrayed Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Other Cabinet members include, going left from Annie and Warbucks, Mr. Josh Green as Henry Morganthau, Mr. Bill Dambra as Cordell Hull, Mr. Chad Owen as Louis Howe, and Mrs. Jennifer Ashbery as Frances Perkins.
The teachers and principal soak up the applause at the end of the musical.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Devon Albone, left, and Rob Luff get the Albone Spray Foam booth ready on April 5, 2025 at the Home, Garden & Outdoor Show at Dubby’s Tailgate. Albone was one of 40 vendors at last year’s show.
Press Release, Orleans County Chamber of Commerce
ALBION – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome the community to the annual Home, Garden & Outdoor Show, taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Dubby’s Tailgate, 165 S. Platt Street in Albion.
This two-day event brings together local businesses, industry experts, and families for a weekend filled with inspiration, education, and fun. Attendees can explore a wide variety of home improvement and landscaping vendors, discover new ideas for spring projects, and connect directly with local professionals.
In addition to vendor exhibits, the event will feature two educational workshops led by Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners:
Dahlia Tuber Demonstration on Saturday at 1 p.m. Master Gardener Sue Starkweather Miller will demonstrate how to divide and pot dahlia tubers to extend the growing season and maximize blooms.
Partnerships in Nature – Commensalism Presentation on Sunday at 1 p.m. Master Gardener Erica Joan Wanecski will explore how plants, insects, and animals work together to create thriving ecosystems.
The Home, Garden & Outdoor Show is also designed with families in mind. Children can enjoy a variety of activities throughout the weekend, including a kids’ activity table, scavenger hunt, and special visits with the Easter Bunny (Saturday from 1:30-4, Sunday 1-4), making it a fun and engaging experience for all ages.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2026 at 8:57 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Albion village trustee Joyce Riley and mayor Angel Javier Jr. both are finishing four-year terms on the Village Board.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board meeting on Wednesday was the last one for Angel Javier Jr. as mayor and Joyce Riley as village trustee. They both are finishing four-year terms.
Javier, 36, didn’t seek re-election. He said he is moving outside the village and will be living in the Town of Albion. He wouldn’t have been eligible to be mayor.
Riley, 77, narrowly lost to Tim McMurray for mayor, 209 to 202, during the election on March 18.
Village residents also elected Jami Allport and Kevin Sheehan as trustees on the board with terms starting on April 1.
Riley, during Wednesday’s meeting, said she enjoyed the four years as trustee and has a deep admiration for the village employees.
“It has certainly been a learning moment,” Riley said about her time on the board. “Thank you for giving me these four years.”
With the election of McMurray, Allport and Sheehan, Riley said the village “is ready for a new look.” Her goal is the village will continue to offer all of its services, although “it may look a little different.”
The fire department, for example, now operates out of the Albion Joint Fire District rather than through the village budget with elected fire commissioners providing the oversight, not the Village Board.
Code enforcement officer Chris Kinter praised Riley for her work securing grants for the village. He also thanked Javier for his efforts as mayor.
John Grillo, the Albion recreation director, thanked both Riley and Javier for their service to the village.
After the meeting, Javier said he feels a sense of accomplishment during his four years as mayor.
“We brought in millions of dollars that is spread around through our water infrastructure and grants for the police and grants for our recreation department,” Javier said.
He also cited the land acquisition to allow for a future expansion of Mount Albion Cemetery. The village paid $250,874.58 to Patricia Nelson for the land that is next to Mount Albion’s southwest corner. That is about $7,000 an acre. The sale was finalized on Nov. 8, 2024 after about two years of effort.
A good chunk of Javier’s and Riley’s tenure involved the closing of the Main Street lift bridge. The bridge shut down to traffic on Nov. 14, 2022 for what was expected to be about 18 months for a major rehabilitation. But the project faced several delays and finally was complete on Sept.19, 2025.
The village dedicated the Erie Canal Park on Sept. 28, 2024. The new park includes a lamppost and a bench made from repurposed steel from the Main Street lift bridge when it was originally constructed in 1914. Bill Schutt, left, is the artist from Batavia who made the lamppost. A Go Art! grant paid for Schutt to make the lamppost. Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. is next to Schutt and then Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley is on the bench that was made by employees in the sewer plant, the Joint Pollution Control Facility. Village employees Ric Albright, Kyle Piccirilli and William Malone worked on the bench, which also includes a time capsule to be opened on Sept. 28, 2059. Albion students also were part of the day’s celebration which included the unveiling on a monument to the 15 people killed in the Main Street bridge collapsed on Sept. 28, 1859. A huge crowd gathered on the bridge that day to watch a tightrope walker.
Javier worries about the affordability in the village. He led a public hearing on June 11, 2025 to get a conversation started about possible dissolution of the village and consolidating many of the services in the village with the towns of Albion and Gaines. That idea has been seriously pursued at this point, but Javier said village residents might want to consider that in the future.
“I think it will be very difficult for any municipality at this time to operate,” he said after Wednesday’s meeting. “You’re really going to have to look at what your residents want. The residents are going to have to make a decision. If you want this it’s going to cost money. If you don’t want it, you’re going to have to tell the governing body.”
Javier said the village has been able to expand programs in youth recreation program through grants. He praised recreation director John Grillo for bringing in significantly more funding to expand that program. Other department heads also are being proactive pursuing grants, Javier said.
Overall, he counts many successes in Albion in the past four years.
“It was the village that did it, not necessarily me,” he said. “We all worked together to move forward.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2026 at 2:15 pm
ALBION – Crosby’s will unveil the grand reopening of its store in Albion on Friday morning at 204 South Main St.
The company has remodeled the convenience store and will have a grand opening celebration at 10 a.m. This follows the remodeling of Crosby’s other store in Albion on North Main Street in May 2024.
Crosby’s, owned by the Reid Group in Lockport, has revamped the store at the intersection of routes 98 and 31. The company operates 86 throughout Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.
The 10 a.m. celebration also will serve as the kickoff to Crosby’s yearly partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in which various donation efforts will begin across all Crosby’s stores in service of CF and finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.
In addition, Crosby’s will be donating $300 to Albion Central School District and $500 to Albion Fire Department.
“We’re proud to continue serving the Albion community,” said Lenny Smith, Vice President of Crosby’s and Reid Petroleum. “This was a major remodel and a significant reinvestment in the store. Our focus is simple — exceed customers’ expectations every day, every time.”
The remodeled store will have 16 employees. The store will offer Crosby’s food items including their freshly made pizza, made-to-order subs and specialty drinks such as hot chocolate, 100% Columbian Coffee and slushies.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 March 2026 at 6:22 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Ann More of Buffalo is in the last stretch of the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K in Albion on Saturday. She finished in 34:13.
There were 90 participants in the race which included a 10K option for the first time.
There were 25 finishers in the new 10K. Jacob Walsh of Buffalo won the 10K for the males in a time of 42:23, while Madison Vekich of Niagara Falls was the first female in a time of 48:25.
In the 5K, 65 finished the course with Harrison Flanagan of Holley the first male to cross the finish line in time of 20:02, while Julia Rohde of Lockport was the first female with a time of 22:05.
The runners are lined up on Clarendon Road near the driveway for the Albion Town Hall. The course then turned right on East Avenue (Route 31) and went to Mount Albion Cemetery and then back on Route 31 for a finish in the parking lot. For then 10K, the runners basically did a repeat of the course.
The race is named in honor of the late Wayne Burlison, an Albion music teacher who passed away from colon cancer on March 26, 2014. His wife, Lisa, addressed the runners at the starting line.
The annual Wayne A. Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness Run/Walk is a slightly longer 5K. A 5K is 3.1 miles. The Burlison race is 3.17 miles. That distance symbolizes the 3 months and 17 days Burlison lived from when he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer until his death at age 36 on March 26, 2014.
Some of the proceeds from the race go to Orleans Community Health to help with colorectal screenings and awareness.
Brian Cousins of Corfu crosses the finish line in 35:24. Runners passed through a large inflatable of a colon as they hit the finish line.
Wayne Burlison’s wife Lisa addresses the runners at the start of the race. Lisa is recently married to Tom Wink, who is holding a printout of her remarks. Lisa and Wayne’s son Adam is at right. He completed the 5K.
Lisa and Wayne were married for nearly 15 years. Wayne was a genetic carrier of Lynch syndrome, which most commonly leads to colon cancer but also increases the risk for several other cancers. About 1 in 297 people carry Lynch syndrome, yet around 95% don’t know they have it, Lisa said in her pre-race remarks.
She urged people to get checked for colorectal cancer, and to not ignore any symptoms.
“Wayne lived with deep integrity, strong faith, and quiet perseverance,” his wife said. “He loved Jesus wholeheartedly, as well as his family, music and running. Some of my favorite memories are of him running with worship music in his ears, finding freedom and joy in both faith and movement.”
Tom Hawkins of Williamson completes the race in 37:17
Wolfpack Multisports organized the race and also will be directing the Albion Strawberry Festival 5K/8K on June 13. Click here for more information on that race.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2026 at 5:26 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion Fire Chief Jeremy Graham, right, is shown during last week’s Albion Joint Fire District meeting at the Albion fire hall. From left include district treasurer Victoria Tabor, district chairman Al Cheverie, vice chairman Dave Buczek, and commissioner Derek Howes.
ALBION – The calls for the Albion Joint Fire District were at 140 the first two months of the year, putting the district on pace for about 840 calls. That is up from the 692 calls for 2025, Albion Fire Chief Jeremy Graham told the district’s board of commissioners last week.
Graham said a core of 10 to 12 firefighters respond to most of the calls. Most of them are officers.
The department has 98 members are the roster and needs more participation or the core group could get worn out. Graham said it’s not a sustainable situation.
He wants to see the district step up its recruitment and retention efforts.
He noted a new program will soon be offered by the Orleans/Niagara BOCES that could boost the ranks in the future.
The Orleans/Niagara BOCES center in Medina next school year will offer EMS and a fire science class. Incoming high school juniors are encouraged to sign up. It’s available for students in Albion, Barker, Lockport, Lyndonville, Medina, Newfane and Roy-Hart districts.
The program offers a rigorous and hands-on introduction to emergency services, which BOCES officials say could lead to a career or volunteer in emergency services.
