Albion

Petitions due April 5 to run for Hoag Library trustee

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2024 at 8:09 pm

ALBION – Hoag Library has two trustee positions up for election on May 6.

People interested in serving as a trustee need to live in the library service area (central Orleans towns of Barre, Albion, Gaines and Carlton).

Petitions needs to be signed by at least 25 adults in the service area. Petitions have been available at the library service desk since March 14. They are due by 5 p.m. on April 5.

The election will be from noon to 7 p.m. with results announced that night during the library’s annual meeting.

‘Little Women’ takes the stage for Albion High School drama program

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2024 at 2:20 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Mallory Ashbery, center, is Marmee March, the mother of four daughters in Little Women. Marmee’s husband and the girls’ father is away in the Civil War, serving as a Union Army chaplain.

The girls include, from left: Danielle Wyant as Meg, Lily Brigham as Amy, Ella Trupo as Beth and Mallory Kozody as Josephine “Jo” March. They are at home in Concord, Mass. Mr. March sends a letter that he has contacted pneumonia. His wife prepares to go see him in Washington.

Albion performed the musical with shows on Friday at 7 p.m., and today at noon and 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium.

The show is co-directed by Elliott Michki, Kailey Winans and Kathy Winans.

Jo (Mallory Kozody) acts out one of her novels, “An Operatic Tragedy,” while sister Meg (Danielle Wyant) chimes in.

Jo aspires to be a great novelist. Her stories entertain her family but so far have been rejected by 22 publishers.

James Ruiz plays Mr. Laurence and Zackary Baron is Theodore “Laurie” Laurence. Mr. Laurence is upset that Jo cut down one of his trees.

Laurie becomes friends with the March sisters. He first proposes to Jo and is rejected, and later marries Amy, the youngest sister.

Sawyer Brigham plays Sir Braxton and acts out a scene Jo’s operatic tragedy, with Clarissa, played by Keria Zambito. She is fleeing Sir Braxton and is heroine of Jo’s operatic tragedy. Julia Button, right, is in the ensemble.

Jo (Mallory Kozody) comforts her sister Beth (Ella Trupo) who has been stricken by scarlet fever and would die from the illness, causing a great sadness in her family.

Gideon Pask plays Professor Bhaer, a German professor who falls in love with Jo. The two become engaged with plans of opening their own school. Pask sings “Small Umbrella In The Rain.”

Big snow alters course for Burlison 5K this morning in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2024 at 7:45 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: This portrait of Wayne Burlison was displayed on a tree along the course at Mount Albion Cemetery during the 2016 race.

ALBION – A big snow overnight has necessitated a course change for this morning’s 5-kilometer race in Albion.

The Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K is in memory of an Albion elementary music teacher who passed away at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.

The route usually starts on Clarendon Road by the elementary school and heads east on Route 31 to Mount Albion Cemetery for a loop there and then heads back on 31 to the school parking lot.

But with about a half foot of snow on the ground, the state Department of Transportation advised race director Bert Gallmon that Route 31 would be off limits for the race.

He was informed of the change Friday when the forecast called for significant snow. Gallmon and Albion school officials have come up with a modified course that includes three loops of about a mile in the school parking lots.

The race starts at 10 a.m. Participants can sign up this morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. inside the elementary school in the cafeteria. A post-race gathering with food will be at Dubby’s Tailgate.

With Albion school district under construction, budget vote will be at Hoag Library

Posted 22 March 2024 at 2:36 pm

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Things will look a little bit different for Albion Central School’s budget vote and Board of Education elections for the 2024-25 academic year.

Every May, the district asks the community to vote on the annual budget and board election for the upcoming school year. This year, the vote will happen on May 21at the Hoag Library rather than in the district’s conference room like in years past.

“With the increase of people on campus this year, due to the ongoing capital project, we made the decision to move the annual school budget vote and Board of Education election to the Hoag Library,” Superintendent of Albion Central Schools Mickey Edwards said. “We are excited for the opportunity to partner with the Hoag Library and we thank them for their support as we work to ensure a seamless voting process for the community.”

The annual district art show will also be on display at the library this year. In order to keep the food at the proper temperatures, voters that participate in the annual FFA barbecue dinner will still need to pick their meals up from Albion High School.

Please stop by on May 14 at 6 p.m. for the public hearing on the budget which will be held in Albion High School’s LGI. The budget vote and election will be May 21 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hoag Library.

For the most up to date budget information, click here.

Bennett top vote-getter in Albion, with Gabalski elected as write-in

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 March 2024 at 11:19 pm

ALBION – Village residents elected Greg Bennett and William Gabalski to the Village Board today.

Bennett received the most votes with 87 for a four-year term as a village trustee. He was endorsed by both the Republican and Democratic Party for the election. He works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He also has been a long-time youth baseball coach.

Jeff Holler was backed by the Republicans, but he was edged for a seat on the board by William Gabalski who ran as a write-in candidate.

Gabalski received 44 votes, with Holler at 38. Faith Smith also ran as a write-in and received 36 votes. (Kevin Doherty received a vote, too, as a write-in.)

Bennett and Gabalski will take the spots of Chris Barry and Dave Buczek, who didn’t seek election this time.

Gabalski ran a campaign saying Albion is becoming increasingly unaffordable due to rising taxes.

Bennett wants to build a strong Albion team, pushing people to put aside differences and animosity for the good of the community.

The new four-year terms start on April 1 with the most pressing task to have the village budget adopted by the end of April.

Albion braces for big increases in rates to pay for upgrades at water plant, infrastructure

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2024 at 2:37 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: The water tower by the Albion Correctional Facility on Route 31 is part of Albion’s water infrastructure. The correctional facilities are charged $4.35 per 1,000 gallons of water.

ALBION – The Village Board said an significant increase is needed in what it bills for water, but the board hasn’t determined just how the higher cost will be spread among village residential users and wholesale customers in the towns and correctional facilities.

The Village Board said a hike in the water rates and base charges will be necessary to pay the debt for more than $10 million in financing for upgrades to the water plant and distribution system.

“We need to do something and we need to do something something relatively soon,” Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley said about the higher water rates.

The village is looking at more than $16 million in water plant and system improvements. The village has been approved for two grants at over $6 million towards the projects.

One project, Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) 1, has a total cost of $5,241,440 with grants paying $1,949,00 with the village to potentially borrow $3,292,000.

The second WIIA has a total cost of $11,418,000 with grants covering $4,250,000 and borrowing for the other $7,168,500.

The village doesn’t start paying the debt for the first project until next year, and then faces another debt payment increase with the second project.

The first project is expected to result in annual debt payment of over $300,000, with the second project even more.

“We’re trying to beef up our water plant to make it more sustainable for the next 20-30 years,” Village Trustee David Buczek said at last week’s board meeting.

The water fund operates on a current $1.9 million budget.

The Village Board in 2022 changed its water charges for residential customers in the village. The rate was actually lowered from $3.61 to $3.39 per 1,000 gallons for the village residents and commercial customers. And the village eliminated a $5 quarterly administrative fee.

The big changes were the addition of a new base charge at $21 per quarter for residents with ¾” meter and how the village does a minimum charge. That was $28.16 for residents and most small businesses and included the first 5,100 gallons of water.

The new system put the minimum at $21.00 per quarter (the base charge) but doesn’t include any water usage. The village starts billing at zero gallons. The change resulted in lower water bills for customers that use less than average water each quarter.

The village is working with a consultant on calculating the new charges and rates. WaterWorth representatives last week presented a plan to raise the base charge by 60 percent in 2025 to $33.60, and then another 40 percent to $47.04 in 2026, and 15 percent more in 2027 to $54.10, with 3 percent increases to follow after 2027.

The water rates would go up 15 percent from $3.39 to $3.90 in 2025, and then 6.9 percent to $4.17 in 2026, another 4.6 percent in 2027 to $4.38 and then 3.0 percent increases to follow, according to the proposal.

The village pumps about 1.45 million gallons a day on average from its plant on Wilson Road in Carlton. The towns and prisons account for about 60 percent of that usage.

The village last year raised its wholesale rates to the towns of Carlton, Gaines, Barre and Albion by 40 cents to $3.34 per 1,000 gallons. (Most of the Town of Albion’s water comes through Barre’s water system and Barre bills most of the Town of Albion. Village water also goes to portions of Ridgeway and Murray, going through the Town of Albion system, with Gaines sending some village water to Murray.)

The correctional facilities, which are outside the village, are billed at $4.35 per 1,000 gallons.

With the towns and prison recently getting the rates increased, the WaterWorth proposal doesn’t show big increases for them.

Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said he would prefer to see the increases spread out among all users – wholesale in the towns and residential and commercial in the village.

Riley, the deputy mayor, agreed that she doesn’t want most of the new debt payments to fall on village residential users. She believes the towns and prisons should also see significantly higher rates to lessen the impact on the village and to spread out the higher costs.

Adam Rush, chief operator of the water plant for the village, said higher wholesale rates for the towns could lead to the local towns switching to the Monroe County Water Authority, where the out-of-county wholesale rates are $2.63. The MCWA is close to Albion’s water system, supplying Kendall and parts of Murray and Clarendon.

If some of the towns switch water districts to the MCWA that will shift more of the operational and debt costs to the village residential and commercial users, Rush said.

Riley believes the towns will stay loyal to the village, which she said offers prompt service if there are water leaks or other issues.

She compared the MCWA and Niagara County Water District to “big box stores” that may be cheaper but don’t provide the care and service to the Village of Albion.

“When the big chains come in, people say it’s going to be the death of the mom and pop stores,” Riley said. “We are the mom and pop store. We provide excellent service. ”

The village’s quick response should be valued by the wholesale users, Riley said.

“We’re in their backyard,” Riley said about the local town customers. “We’re available for service. When people call us, off we go. That is value you don’t get from the bigger counties.”

The board said it will work to finalize a plan on the water rates and base charges, and will have a public hearing soon on the new structure. It also wants a public meeting to go over the planned upgrades at the water plant and the distribution system.

Buczek said the village is in a difficult position where an increase is needed to pay for what he said are long overdue upgrades to the water plant.

He said the village has been living “paycheck to paycheck” with its water system, trying to keep the rates down and not take on big expenses.

“We need to think long-term and about resiliency,” he said.

He believes the public will support the increases in costs when they understand the value of the Albion water and plan to upgrade the water plant for the future.

“We need to change the perception of Albion water and make people aware of the services we provide,” he said.

Rush, the water plant chief operator, said Albion’s water rates are among the lowest in the region.

The Village of Fredonia in Chautauqua County, for example, just raised its rates by $2 from $4.95 to $6.95 per 1,000 gallons.

The city of Dunkirk next to Fredonia also raised the rate on water it sells to the North County Water District from $3.84 to $5.16 per 1,000 gallons.

300 enjoy ‘Sip N’ Stroll’ wine-tasting event at Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 March 2024 at 9:06 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Brigitte Schweigert, left of Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina, pours wine-tasting on Saturday at Brushstrokes Studios’ new location at 50 North Main St. in Albion.

Sandy Thaine, center, of Medina her glass for wine and her friend Jean Benson of Medina waits for her turn.

There were about 300 people on the wine-tasting with 16 stops in Albion. The event was the annual Sip N’ Stroll by the Albion Merchants Association.

Cherry Grove: The Yohe Family Farm of Holley Road in Albion offered rides on WNY Horse Drawn Pub Crawls. The horse-drawn ride has room for 16 people and offers wine-tasters a chance to rest their feet in front of a fire pit.

The souvenir glass had an image of Santa Claus. Albion was the home to a Santa Claus School from 1937 to 1966 and last year unveiled a bronze statue of Santa in honor of the late Charles W. Howard, who founded the Santa School.

These friends from Albion enjoyed the Sip N. Stroll. From left include Aliana Raines, Kelsey Osbourne, Mary Kibbe, Tammy Chase and Carlin Osbourne.

Laural and Chuck Prentice are in Morrison Realty to try wine served by Ken Kibler of Main Street Winery in Arcade.

Debbie Prest of Red Check serves Red Cat wine from Hazlitt Vineyards in Naples. Prest said the Sip N’ Stroll is great way to introduce people to the businesses in Albion.

She gave each person a sticker that stated, “ I had fun drinking wine at Red Check.”

“We wanted to make sure people remember us,” Prest said. “This is a fun event where I get to meet so many lovely people.”

Wine-tasters step off the horse-drawn ride to go sample wine offered at the downtown locations.

Albion Village Board makes formal request for PILOT funds from county for acquiring property in village

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Legislature last year bought the former Bank of America on South Main Street, pictured at left,  to be used by the treasurer’s office. The county also bought the former GCC building to be used for probation and the district attorney’s office.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2024 at 12:16 pm

ALBION – The Albion Village Board is making a formal request to the Orleans County Legislature to make up the loss in property taxes for the village after the county acquired three properties in the village last year.

The board on Wednesday evening passed a resolution, calling on the County Legislature to make up the loss of at least $11,000 in property tax revenue for the village through a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes).

The properties won’t come off the tax rolls until next spring when the village sends out its tax bills.

In September the County Legislature approved spending $250,000 for the former Bank of America site at 156 S. Main St. It will become the treasurer’s office. That building has a drive-through and is more easily accessible than the current office on East Park Street, county officials said.

The bank is assessed for $125,000, which accounted for $2,391.25 in village taxes in 2023-24, with a village tax rate of $19.13 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The county in October approved buying the former GCC building at 456 West Ave. Orleans paid $975,000 for the building owned by Herring Enterprises of Holley. The county intends to move the district attorney’s office and probation department from the Public Safety Building to the GCC site. The Public Safety Building will be reconfigured with more space to be used by the Sheriff’s Office.

The GCC site is assessed for $450,000. That building generated $8,608.50 in village property taxes in 2023-24 with the village tax rate at $19.13 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The Legislature also agreed to pay James Herring Sr. $500,000 for 25.7 acres of vacant land adjacent to the site with a lot off Allen Road. That vacant land is assessed at $23,900.

The Village Board is asking for a PILOT agreement in perpetuity with 3.5 percent annual increases.

Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said he would like the resolution to the Legislature be part of a larger discussion about the county sharing revenues with the village.

The board didn’t state whether the PILOT should be based off the assessed value of the properties or the sale prices.

The board discussed whether the request to the county should be in a letter or a formal resolution. The board chose a resolution, “because a resolution is stronger than a letter,” said Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley.

Village officials found a similar resolution the board made more than a decade ago when the Albion school district bought farmland from Dragan Farms, taking some property off the village tax rolls. The school district declined to make up the loss in tax revenue to the village, Village Board members said on Wednesday.

Albion Interact Club continues cultural exchange with students from East High

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 March 2024 at 2:30 pm

Photo courtesy of Tim Archer, Albion Interact Club advisor

ROCHESTER – Albion High School Interact Club students spent the day at East High School in inner city Rochester today as part of a “cultural exchange.”

The students learned about life in their respective rural and urban schools. East High students will come to Albion next fall to experience life “in farm country.”

Interact advisor Tim Archer said it was an enriching experience for both students and staff. This is the seventh year the two schools have participated in the exchange.

2 dogs complete obedience training at Albion Correctional

Staff Reports Posted 11 March 2024 at 9:17 am

Rogan and Aries available at PAWS, awaiting forever homes

Provided photos

ALBION – In collaboration with PAWS Animal Shelter, Albion Correctional Facility welcomed two rescue dogs, Rogan, and Aries, on Nov. 28.

Two teams of three incarcerated individuals then cared for and trained the dogs for approximately 12 weeks. They were under the support and supervision of community volunteer trainer, Dawn Spencer.

She is the owner of Eye of Oden K9 Training in Kent and has over 25 years of experience in dog training.

(Left) One of the incarcerated women is pictured with Rogan. (Right) Dawn Spencer is shown with Rogan and Aries.

Throughout the 12 weeks, the teams of incarcerated individuals served as handlers for the dogs.  Spencer visited the facility once a week to put the dogs through the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program. This training program consists of 10 skills that the dogs must be able to master and aims to train dogs the basics of good manners and obedience. Spencer instructed the incarcerated individuals on what skills to work on each week.

Rogan and Aries had a chance to show off the skills they have learned during graduation on March 4 and are both awaiting their forever homes.  If you are interested in adopting Rogan or Aries, applications are available at paws14411.com.

SpongeBob the hero emerges in Albion Middle School musical

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 March 2024 at 9:47 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Julia Graham is SpongeBob SquarePants, center, while Annabella Dusharm is Patrick, left, and Sophia Kozody is Sandy Cheeks.

The trio sings, “Hero Is My Middle Name.” They are determined to save their town of Bikini Bottom, which faces annihilation.

The Albion Middle School drama program performed the show on Friday evening and will be back with shows at noon and 7 p.m. today in the middle school auditorium. Tickets are available at the door.

YoHanel Harris is Eugene H. Krabs who runs a very successful Krusty Krab restaurant that SpongeBob hopes to manage some day. Eugene H. Krabs is very focused on amassing a fortune.

Thailer Seibert is Perch Perkins, a reporter who provides updates about the impending doom of the town. He says a tremor caused by the nearby Mount Humongous will cause the volcano to soon erupt. The news throws the town into a panic.

Rianne Hand plays the role of evil villain Sheldon J. Plankton while Kendall Puruzzini is Sheldon’s sidekick, Karen Plankton. They have a scheme to hypnotize the town’s residents into liking the food they serve at their restaurant, the Chum Bucket. They are singing, “When The Going Gets Tough.”

Nate Wehling, left, and Arian Fazliu are rockers in the band, Electric Skates.

Sophia Kozody is Sandy who develops an ingenious bubble device, the Eruptor Interrupter. They plan to throw it inside the volcano and save the town. Sandy, a squirrel, has her ideas rejected by the town because she is a “land mammal.”

The characters celebrate the town’s survival from doom and destruction.

Albion village shifts paving plan with bridge closed until September

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 March 2024 at 9:20 am

ALBION – With the reopening of the Main Street lift bridge pushed back a few months until September, the Village of Albion Department of Public Works is modifying its plan for street paving this year.

Jay Pahura, DPW superintendent, was planning to pave East Bank and Ingersoll streets, which have seen increased traffic, especially with heavy vehicles, due to the bridge being closed and traffic diverted to the Ingersoll lift bridge.

“That detour route has just been beat to death,” Pahura said this morning.

Those streets will continue to be in heavy demand until September. The DPW can’t shut down those streets for milling and paving because “there would be no where to put the traffic,” Pahura said.

The DPW will make some emergency repairs to those streets but an extensive repaving will have to pushed back until 2025.

The village this year will instead repave East Park Street from Main to Clarendon streets, and then side streets off East Park: Herrick, Temperance and Reynolds as well as repaving Orchard Street near the Lake Country Pennysaver. Orchard will have drainage added, too.

Pahura said the village uses CHIPS money from the state for repaving. Those streets with CHIPS funds need to hold up at least a decade. That’s why he didn’t have the East Bank and Ingersoll repaved before the bridge was closed. Those streets with new pavement would have quickly deteriorated and not held up for the 10-year threshold, he said.

The repaved streets will be milled with new pavement then put down. Pahura said the bids haven’t been opened yet for the materials.

The local towns and villages will coordinate a paving schedule for sharing equipment and scheduling the milling company and paver.

Albion students place in Regional Science Olympiad

Posted 5 March 2024 at 8:59 am

Photo and information from Albion Central School

ALBION – This past weekend, members of Albion Central School’s 6th-9th grade Science Olympiad team traveled to St. John Fisher University in Rochester to compete in a regional competition.

The team includes Brad Pierce, Payton Babcock, Charles Warren, Jalil McPhatter, Sophie Markle and William Fisher.

Purple Eagles placed in the following events:

  • Anatomy and Physiology – Brad Pierce and Payton Babcock, 6th place
  • Ecology – William Fisher and Brad Pierce, 4th place
  • Experimental Design – Charles Warren and Brad Pierce, 3rd place
  • Fossils – William Fisher and Charles Warren, 6th place

Mr. Petrus and Miss. Messmer want to thank everyone on the team for a nice season and a fun learning experience.

Albion bridge reopening delayed several months until September

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 March 2024 at 4:22 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge in Albion, shown this afternoon, won’t reopen to traffic until September, about five months later than expected.

The state Department of Transportation met with village officials last week to explain that some of the steel pieces for the bridge were slightly off size, and replacing them will result in a delay.

Some of those pieces were 2 inches off size, and that is enough discrepancy to require new pieces that are manufactured out of state.

Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley said the delay is disappointing for the village, especially the downtown merchants.

“A lot of people are feeling the sting,” she said about the bridge being closed to traffic since Nov. 14, 2022. “The people downtown are trying to survive.”

The bridge closed to traffic in November 2022 for what was expected to be an 18-month rehabilitation project. A similar effort started in April 2023 in Brockport.

The state DOT is paying $28.3 million to contractors for the two projects.

Albion native, a screenwriter in LA, writes for new Knuckles series

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 March 2024 at 9:54 am

Show will stream on Paramount Plus starting April 26

James Madejski works as a writer in the film and television industry in Los Angeles. He wrote one of the episodes of the new series, Knuckles.

ALBION – An Albion native will have his name in the credits for an upcoming series on Knuckles, a character from Sonic the Hedgehog. (Click here to see the trailer.)

Knuckles, an Echidna warrior, gets his own six-episode series that streams on Paramount Plus beginning April 26. He teaches a human the ways of being a warrior.

James Madejski, 34, wrote one of the episodes. He has been working in the film and television industry in Los Angeles for more than a decade.

He is currently writing for a Netflix show that will premiere its second season in 2025.

Madejski, the son of Sandra and Dr. Tom Madejski, graduated from Albion in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree in screen writing and play writing from SUNY Purchase, and then headed to LA.

“I am very fortunate on the amount of work I’ve done, and the people I’ve worked with,” Madejski said by phone on Thursday.

He has been able to work steadily, except for last year’s strike by the Writers Guild of America. But now the business is full steam ahead.

“It is an interesting time in Hollywood and an exciting time,” he said.

Madejski has done a variety of jobs in the film and television industry, with his goal to be a screen writer.

He started his career with four years at a studio, learning the business of screenwriting –“What sells and gets people excited.”

He was a writer’s assistant for a year on Shadowhunters. He felt like he landed his big break as a script coordinator for Doolittle, starring Robert Downey Jr. Madejski’s name appeared in the credits and he flew to London for part of the production.

He made connections with the creator of Knuckles through Doolittle.

Madejski said writers in Hollywood need to be witty with material that connects with an audience. They also need basic values such as dependability.

“Be personable and have a good attitude,” he said. “There are no bad ideas and you need to try to make everyone’s ideas as good as they can be.”

Madejski said the industry in LA fits the saying, “A lot of it is who you know.”

He has gradually built a network. He worked with his boss on Knuckles before. “He knew he could trust me,” Madejski said.

Knuckles is an unusual series with live-action animated characters and humans together on the screen. Madejski urges people to watch “a fun and silly show.”

He is grateful to be working in television and film, which he has loved since he was a kid.

“My goal is to continue what I’m doing now, and work my way up in writer’s rooms and maybe get a feature film,” he said. “Working in this industry is a roller coaster, but the highs are very high.”