Albion library will observe 126^th birthday of organization on March 17

Press Release, Hoag Library

ALBION – Hoag Library of the Swan Library Association is celebrating an important milestone this month. The library commemorates its founding on March 17, 1900, and in 2026 marks 126 years of service to the Albion community.

During the March 17 celebration, patrons are welcome to stop by for a cookie provided by the Friends of the Library.

As the library celebrates its long history of community support, it is also inviting residents to help shape its future. Three four-year term positions on the Hoag Library Board of Trustees will be on the ballot this year. Those positions are currently filled by Mary Witkop, Rachel Hicks and Linda Weller.

Community members interested in serving on the board may stop by Hoag Library and pick up a nominating petition at the Circulation Desk. Completed petitions must be returned by Monday, April 6 at 7 p.m.

To be eligible to run, candidates must reside within the Hoag Library service area, which shares the same boundaries as the Albion Central School District.

Voting will take place Monday, May 4 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hoag Library. The library’s annual meeting will follow at 7 p.m., at which time the election results will be announced.

The Hoag Library Board of Trustees plays an important role in guiding the library’s mission, policies, and long-term planning so that Hoag Library can continue to serve the educational, informational, and cultural needs of the community.

Anyone interested in learning more about board service is encouraged to visit the library.

Photos Tom Rivers: Brandi Zavitz is shown last August working on a 32-foot-long mural at Medina Dog Park. She painted portraits of 69 dogs, 3 cats and Orly the Ox (the county’s bicentennial mascot). The mural will get bigger this year with 50 more dog portraits to be added.

MEDINA – The portraits of beloved pets at the Medina Dog Park will be expanded this year to include 50 more dogs.

Brandi Zavitz, a retired art teacher, has agreed to paint more canine companions. People need to pay $150 and send at least two pictures of their dogs, which can be living or deceased. The project is a fundraiser for the Medina Dog Park. The mural also has received funding through GO Art! The grant is less than last year’s amount which is why the portrait fee increased from $100 to $150.

There was an overwhelming response to the mural after it debuted last year. Many people were amazed how Zavitz painted dogs as superheroes with capes, or doing their favorite activities – carrying sticks, playing with balls, eating ice cream or watching a Bills game.

An application to have a pet included on the mural is available on the Friends of Medina Dog Park Facebook page. People can submit photos by May 30 to brandizavitz@gmail.com or text her at 585-798-9780.

In the application, people will be asked to describe their dog’s personality – whether affectionate, goofy, etc., and to note activities the dog enjoys with family.

Kye, Medina’s K9 for nine years, is shown with his super hero cape. He passed away from bone cancer in February 2022. Kye was an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois that served the Medina PD from 2012 to 2021.

Davis and Zavitz wanted a mural to enliven the park. They were talking about it in 2024. Some of the dogs that were regulars at the park had passed away since it opened in September 2020.

Zavitz has painted other murals in the community. She envisioned a mural where she would paint some of those dogs, giving them angel wings. Zavitz has long painted portraits of dogs and she wanted show their personalities and activities they enjoy.

She gave them superhero capes, tutu dresses, a Buffalo Bills jersey and other features to show their character. One dog enjoys sailboat rides so Zavitz painted a sailboat on the mural.

The mural was initially planned to be 24 feet long and would include 50 dogs. But there was a big response last year from the community that Zavitz added another 8-foot-section.

The Medina Dog Park is at fenced-in area on North Gravel Road, next to the village’s former compost plant, just south of Boxwood Cemetery.

Charlie Monacelli, who was convicted of felony in 2000, says district violating his civil rights

Photo by Tom Rivers: Charlie Monacelli, who was elected to a five-year term as fire commissioner on Dec. 9, hasn’t been able to take office. He attended Thursday’s district meeting, and said the district is violating his civil rights.

ALBION – Voters in the Albion Joint Fire District on Dec. 9 made their voices heard: they wanted Charlie Monacelli to serve a five-year term as a fire commissioner.

Monacelli received 77 votes to the 58 for Derek Howes. However, the joint fire district isn’t allowing him to take office.

The district’s board of commissioners says Monacelli can’t take office due to a prior felony conviction. Monacelli in Dec. 18, 2000 pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the third degree. He would spend 4 ½ years in state prison. Monacelli then was on parole until 2009.

Kevin Mahoney, an attorney for the fire district, advised the district that the conviction and sentence in state prison “forfeits all the public offices” and Monacelli’s seat should be vacant.

Monacelli has retained an attorney who said the district’s position is a violation of Monacelli’s civil rights. Monacelli handed the fire commissioners Section 79 of the NY Civil Rights Law which states a person convicted of a crime and sentenced to state prison forfeits a public office only “during the term of the sentence.”

Al Cheverie, the chairman of the commissioners, said he would present the documents presented by Monacelli to the district’s lawyer. Cheverie said he shouldn’t comment on the issue publicly.

“Our attorney is dealing with this whole situation,” said Dave Buczek, one of the fire commissioners.

Richard DeCarlo Jr., a local resident and former town justice, attended the meeting and reviewed the paper handed out by Monacelli. DeCarlo urged the fire commissioners to get a second opinion from another lawyer or else the district could face significant liability if it continues to keep Monacelli from taking office.

Monacelli said arson is the only disqualifying crime to serve as a fire commissioner. The district when it posted a legal notice for the election on Dec. 9 stated all candidates for the district need to be residents of the joint fire district (which includes towns of Albion and Gaines) and also can not have any arson convictions.

Monacelli has been an active Albion firefighter for more than 30 years. He has been critical of the district’s budget, including its commitment for a new ladder truck at nearly $2.5 million. He thinks the fire district is spending too much money. He said he stance on spending may be factor in keeping him off the board of commissioners.

He said he could file an Article 78 lawsuit against the district but doesn’t want to spend an estimated $12,000 to continue a legal challenge.

Howes, who came in second in the election on Dec. 9, started as a commissioner in January after Craig Lane stepped down from the unpaid position. Howes was appointed to a one-year term with that spot up for election in December.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Two people check out the Holley Waterfalls on Tuesday evening.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a high wind warning for Orleans County from noon today until 5 a.m. Saturday. The warning also includes Niagara, Erie, Genesee and Wyoming counties.

Southwest winds from 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 60 mph are expected.

“Strong winds will blow down trees and power lines,” the Weather Service said. “Scattered power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.”

Today is forecast for rain and snow showers with a high of 41 with an overnight low of 27.

The highs then are forecast for 35 on Saturday, 50 on Sunday and 64 on Monday.

A bench stands out in the fog by a pond in Holley along the canal path.

This photo shows a printout of a Dollar General rendering of a proposed store on East Avenue in Albion, across from the high school.

ALBION – A new Dollar General received its final approval today from the Village of Albion for a new 10,640-square-foot retail store across from the high school.

Many nearby residents and other community members have expressed concerns about having the store in a congested area near the school where there are many kids walking to and from school.

Karen Conn, chairwoman of the Village of Albion Planning Board

But the Village of Albion Planning Board said they anticipate the store will have a small impact on traffic and pedestrians.

Karen Conn, the Planning Board chairwoman, said the site at 327 East Ave. is in the general business district. The store fits with the zoning.

The Broadway Group, developer for Dollar General, will demolish an existing building that previously was used for auto sales and a warehouse. Ridge Road Station parks school buses on the site.

“Honestly, I think it will improve the neighborhood, compared to what is there now, which is in rough shape,” Conn said.

The Broadway Group will also remove three underground tanks and do other site remediation to Department of Environmental Conservation standards.

The Planning Board worked with the company to improve the original proposed store design, which was more of a pole barn style, said Janet Navarra, a Planning Board member. She said the company is giving Albion its top design for the size of the Albion market.

The Planning Board approved the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) for the project and went line by line on potential environmental impacts. The board found the store would have small impacts or none on different environmental issues. There are no wetlands for example and the site isn’t in a historic district.

Board members expect to see a minimal impact on traffic. The store will be on Route 31, a state road.

The Orleans County Planning Board on Feb. 26 recommended Albion approve the site plan for the project, saying the store is consistent with a general commercial district and isn’t expected to have any significant negative impacts to the nearby residents or school.

The site is in a school zone with the speed limit at 20 miles per hour, and there is an ice cream business next to the site.

Delivery trucks will come outside of peak hours and will be limited to exiting from the east only. That was a stipulation by the state Department of Transportation.

The Village Planning Board members – Karen Conn, Samuel Robinson, Mike Massaro, Jeff Holler and Janet Navarra – were unanimous in approving the site plan.

Photos and information courtesy of VFW Auxiliary in Medina

MEDINA – David Berry, president of the VFW Auxiliary to Lincoln Post 1483 in Medina, presents two children’s books to Kristine Mostyn, director of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.

The Auxiliary participates in a youth program to promote patriotism through literacy.

The donated books include “Let Liberty Rise!” and “The Eternal Soldier.” “Let Liberty Rise!” tells how America’s schoolchildren helped save the Statute of Liberty. Th book was written by Chana Stiefel. “The Eternal Solider, by Allison Crotzer Kimmel, tells a true story of how a dog became a Civil War hero.

ALABAMA – Stream Data Centers is hosting an information session this evening to discuss its planned state-of-the-art data center campus at Western New York’s Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Genesee County.

Several company representatives will be on hand to discuss the economic, energy, environmental and communal benefits and impacts of the project, Stream said in a news advisory.

In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to share their concerns about specific site and project attributes and share their knowledge and insights of the nearby landscape.

Company representatives will also be available for one-on-one interviews.

 The meeting will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Alabama Fire Hall, 2230 Judge Road, in Basom. For more information, visit: https://streamwny.com.

Joshua Klotzbach from Medina, a member of the New York Army National Guard, has been promoted to staff sergeant. He is assigned to Bravo Company, 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion.

Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, announced Klotzbach’s promotion.

Army National Guard promotions are based on a soldier’s overall performance, demonstrated leadership abilities, professionalism and future development potential.

The New York National Guard is the state’s executive agency responsible to the Governor for managing New York’s Military Forces, which consists of nearly 20,000 members of the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mike Vendetti tells the Holley Village Board on Tuesday that a spike in electric bills plus high village taxes is hard on everybody in the village, including landlords who can’t easily pass on the bigger costs to tenants.

HOLLEY – Cheap electricity has long been one of the big pluses of the Village of Holley, which has its own department offering municipal electricity.

But those bills have skyrocketed since last month and many residents have expressed their concern to the Village Board and village office.

“No doubt, each one of us who opened our recent bill, got quite the shock,” Mayor Mark Bower said in a message to village residents last month. “To say that the office has received calls from angry, upset, confused electric customers is an understatement.”

He expects the rates will be high until the winter weather eases, with higher bills expected in March and April.

Bower said Holley gets additional electricity during intense usage from three sources – New York Power Authority, New York Municipal Power Authority and National Grid, and that comes at higher costs than the municipal rates.

During times of high electric usage, such as the recent bitter cold temperatures, the purchase power agreement rates have soared, and not only in Holley. Bower said his February bill was nearly $500 with $311.55 due to the purchase power agreement charges.

One local landlord, Mike Vendetti, attended Tuesday’s Village Board to share his concerns about the rising costs of living in Holley. In addition to the big jump in electric bills, Holley village taxes increased 10 percent in the 2025-26 budget.

Vendetti said the landlords can’t simply pass the higher costs on to tenants.

“We can’t just raise rents or we’re going to chase people right ut of this village,” he said.

The tax levy went from $1,078,527 in 2024-25 to $1,186,380 in the current budget, a $107,853 increase. The village’s tax rate is currently $19.54 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The Village Board needs to adopt a new budget for 2026-27 by April 30.

Bower said he is sympathetic to the higher costs on village taxpayers and residents.

“I hear your message,” he said to Vendetti.

Bower said the village has been able to secure grants for a new playground, and also for upgrades to a pavilion and the canal trail without burdening local taxpayers.

Group served as fun-loving arm of the American Legion to promote patriotic bonding

This photo published in The Buffalo News on Jan. 15, 1957, shows Miss Ola Burns of Holley, chapeau of the Orleans Petite Salon of the Eight & Forty, getting some tips on her new duties from a chapeau passe, Mrs. Francis Postle of Lyndonville. The group met once a month in the Albion Legion Building in Albion.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 7

ALBION – Naturally, we were intrigued by the above photograph since it references the “Albion Legion Building.” The Sheret Post #35 American Legion was located at 34 East Park St. in Albion from 1935 until 1980 when it was purchased by Orleans County for use as office space. The building currently houses the Orleans County Dept. of History.

The Orleans Petite Salon of the Eight and Forty (Eight and Forty) was the sister organization of the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses (Forty and Eight) who also met at the Albion Legion Building.

The Forty & Eight was organized by Joseph W. Breen in Philadelphia in 1920 as La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (The Society of Forty Men & Eight Horses) as an independent, invitation only, honor society of American veterans.

This name was a reference to the French railroad boxcars which had been used to transport soldiers to the Front during World War 1. The cargo capacity sign on each boxcar was Quarante Hommes/Huit Chevaux – Forty Men or Eight Horses. The French theme carried through humorously – members were referred to as Voyageurs Militaires (military travelers) and prospective members as Prisonnieres de Guerre (prisoners of war), the local unit was referred to as the “voiture” (car), while the initiation ritual was referred to as a “wreck.” The Society was intended to be the fun-loving arm of the American Legion, its goal was to promote fun, patriotic bonding and to support charitable causes, specifically child welfare and nurses’ training.

The railroad theme was featured in the terminology and visual images used by the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses.

The Orleans County branch of the organization was instituted in Holley on July 16, 1927, and was designated Charter No. 971. An initiation was held at the James P. Clark Post on East Center St. in Medina on September 7, 1927.

It appears to have been a fun event, in keeping  with the  society’s goals. A drum corps led a parade of candidates who exploded red flares as they marched. The costumes, make-up and antics of the Prisonniers de Guerre provided the onlookers with much entertainment. As reported in the Medina Daily Journal on the following day, the “wreck” began at 9:30 p.m. and lasted until 4 a.m., at which time the “prisonniers” were kneeling in front of the Monument Works, too tired to rise, but feebly saying prayers for the dead.” Initiations rotated to the other Legion Posts throughout the  county in subsequent years.

La Boutique des Huit Chapeaux et Quarante Femmes (The Society of Eight Hats and Forty Women) was organized in Indianapolis, IN in 1922 as the sister organization to the Forty & Eight. It also supported child welfare and nurses training and added “preventive tuberculosis” to its goals in 1932.

Logo of the Eight and Forty

The installation dinner for the newly chartered Orleans County Petite Salon of the Eight and Forty was held at the Sheret Post American Legion Building in Albion on February 27, 1951.Women who had been members in good standing of the American Legion Auxiliary for thirty-six consecutive months were eligible for membership.

Officers installed on that occasion included:

Chapeau: Mrs. Helen Van Stone, Albion, Demi-Chapeau: Mrs. Florence Bayne, Medina, Demi-Chapeau Premiere: Mrs. Arlene Tibbits, Albion, L’Secretaire and L’Caissiere: Mrs. Virginia De Palma, Fancher, L’Aumoniar: Mrs. Rowena Philllips, Albion, L’Concierge: Mrs. Alett Padaman, Holley.

A group of Orleans County members attended the Annual Convention held in Syracuse on July 23, 1959. Originally a subsidiary organization of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Eight and Forty became an independent veterans organization in 1960. It is still active nationally, as is the Forty and Eight, though their membership numbers have declined.

$2.5 million available to protect drinking water and sewer systems

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul announced nation-leading cybersecurity regulations and $2.5 million in grants to help communities affordably protect their drinking water and wastewater systems.

This comprehensive, unified approach equips drinking water and wastewater operators with the framework and tools to bolster their cybersecurity posture against increasingly sophisticated and dangerous cyber threats while strengthening services that millions of New Yorkers rely on every day.

“Cyber attacks on our water infrastructure can disrupt services and threaten public health and safety,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration is protecting New Yorkers by modernizing regulations and providing resources to adopt these important safeguards. There is nothing more important than keeping New Yorkers safe.”

Water infrastructure is essential to public health, safety, economic stability and national security, making it an attractive target for cyber attacks. As systems increasingly rely on digital and internet-connected technologies, the need for cybersecurity safeguards continues to grow.

The Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Health (DOH) developed minimum standards for wastewater and drinking water systems that are threat-informed, risk-centric, and cost-balanced. At the same time, the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) created grants and no-cost technical assistance to support local implementation. Close coordination helped streamline oversight, eliminate duplication and align with federal cybersecurity guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The new threat-informed, risk-centric, and cost-balanced minimum standards developed by DEC and DOH include:

• Mandatory cybersecurity training for certified operators
• Cybersecurity incident reporting requirements
• Risk-based tiered standards to protect critical operations and sensitive information
• Designation of a cybersecurity lead role at larger drinking water systems

To support implementation, Governor Hochul is launching the new $2.5 million Strengthening Essential Cybersecurity for Utilities and Resiliency Enhancements (SECURE) grant program, administered by EFC. Applications open today. Funding includes:

• Up to $50,000 for cybersecurity assessments
• Up to $100,000 to implement cybersecurity upgrades

EFC’s Community Assistance Teams are available to provide no-cost guidance and tools to help water and wastewater systems implement cybersecurity best practices. Communities can request one-on-one consultations, apply for the SECURE grant, and access centralized training and best practice resources on EFC’s Cybersecurity Hub.

Guidance and additional implementation resources are available on DEC’s Wastewater Cybersecurity Resources and DOH’s Cybersecurity for Public Water Systems webpages.

Photo by Tom Rivers: These younger kids hunt for eggs during last year’s Easter Egg Hunt on April 19 at the Courthouse lawn. Part of East State Street was closed to traffic for the event. The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries had 15,000 eggs on the Courthouse lawn. The event returns on April 4 with the hunt starting at noon.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board has approved special event permits for a range of activities.

The board on Wednesday approved permits for the following events:

• March 21 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness race with part of the course in Mount Albion Cemetery. The race starts at 10 a.m. from Clarendon Road near elementary school.
• April 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Easter Egg Hunt with East State Street closed to traffic from South Main Street to Platt Street. The egg hunt starts at noon.
• June 14 (all day) – Bounce for Bullard Youth 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Bullard Park, run by the Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events (G-ACRE).
• July 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. and July 18 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. – Carnival Days for Hospice at Bullard Park, with event run by Best of Tymes Party Rentals.
• Aug. 1 (all day) – Albion Summer Music Festival at Bullard Park, with event run by G-ACRE.
• Aug. 8 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Family Fun Day at Bullard Park. Event is run by Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion.

The board also set a public hearing for 6 p.m. on March 25 to change the zoning for two parcels from R-1 to light industrial. These parcels are by Penasack, a sheet fabrication business, on Sanford Street off Moore Street.

David Warren also was appointed chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, effective immediately.

Press Release, Orleans County Department of Social Services

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Social Services (DSS) will be launching a new AI-powered virtual phone assistant named EVA to better help residents who call Temporary Assistance.

EVA will be available during business to answer questions. DSS believes that having EVA handle calls for basic information will allow staff to spend more time directly helping families in need. The new system will operational this Monday, March 16.

“We have been testing this system as a way to better support and respond to residents attempting to reach Temporary Assistance,” said Cyndi Stumer, deputy commissioner of DSS. “EVA can quickly provide the necessary information to callers looking for things like office locations, hours, phone numbers and much more, without the caller having to navigate through multiple layers.”

Diane Kephart, director of Temporary Assistance in DSS, said one of the big advantages of the new system is that those who call can speak their native language and EVA will adapt accordingly.

“By automatically adapting to each caller’s native language, our new AI system ensures that Temporary Assistance services are easily accessible , removing language barriers, reducing misunderstandings, and empowering families to get the support they need,” said Kephart.

To reach EVA, call 585-589-7000, then press 4. EVA will then ask how she can help.

Tamage Faison

ALBION – A Rochester man was charged on March 4 for allegedly selling cocaine in the Village of Albion, the Orleans County major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.

Tamage Lavell Faison, 19, of Beach Avenue in Rochester has been charged with 1 count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, intent to sell (a Class B felony) and 1 count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree (a Class C felony).

The Task Force and the Albion Police Department on March 4 stopped a vehicle on West State Street in Albion. The Task Force had a warrant to search the vehicle and the driver.

Police seized a quantity of crack cocaine packaged for sale, the Task Force said, which resulted in the Faison being arrested on drug charges.

Faison was arraigned in Orleans County CAP Court by Gaines Town Justice Charles Prentice. Faison was released on his own recognizance and is due to appear in Albion Town Court on March 24.

The Task Force and Albion PD were assisted in the investigation by Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The Task Force said further arrests and charges are pending.