By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Casey Costello, a tenor and recent graduate of Nazareth College in Rochester, sings “Danny Boy” during a Celtic celebration of music and dance today at First Baptist Church in Albion, part of the Eastman at Albion concert series.
Costello was given a standing ovation from the crowd after the song.
About 200 people attended today’s concert featuring the Striking Strings Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble, led by Mitzie Collins, and the Harmonious Harp Ensemble, directed by Roxanne Ziegler.
Three members from the Drumcliffe School of Irish Dance – Michael Dunning, Katie Jameson and Casey Stevens – perform during today’s concert.
The dancers have fast feet.
Casey Costello was the featured soloist for several of the traditional Irish melodies.
The Eastman at Albion series is now in its sixth year with the musicians performing in historic Albion churches. The Baptist Church hosted a concert for the second time since the series started.
Two members of the Harmonious Harps, Trevor Gauronski (left) and George Rogalskyj, are members of the group.
Members of the Striking Strings Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble of the Eastman Community Music School play next to the pipe organ at the Baptist Church.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – FFA students hold raffle items that were auctioned off to raise money for the Albion FFA program. The money will be used to send students for leadership training. Andrea Muoio is at left and Mackenzie Luft, third from left, wait to see which bidder won the items.
About 160 people attended the 17th annual Farmer to Neighbor Night at the White Birch Golf Course.
Abigail Maines, a junior at Medina, delivers a prepared speech that was nearly 10 minutes. Abigail recently finished in 4th place at the district competition for the speech.
Abigail advocates for the benefit of therapy animals. She and the Medina FFA would like to train llamas and alpacas as therapy animals that could visit elementary students, and residents at nursing homes and Hospice.
FFA advisor Todd Eick said the stduents plan to work with Pet Partners to train the animals.
Todd Eick, advisor of the Medina FFA, thanked the community and school districts for supporting the FFA and agriculture programs at Medina and Albion.
Both Albion and Medina have hosted the FFA State Convention (Medina in 2014 and Albion in 2013), a testament of the districts’ ag programs and the draw of the area around the state for students to see local progressive farms.
Adam Krenning, the Albion FFA advisor, is pictured with Medina and Albion FFA members. He praised the students for their hard work in FFA and their many community service projects. The Albion chapter coordinated a food drive last December that resulted in 27,000 pounds of food donated by farms to Community Action.
Sate Sen. Robert Ortt said agriculture is a big business in New York, a fact he said he will share with his colleagues in the State Legislature from New York City.
“We all know you can’t grow food on Wall Street,” Ortt said.
A recent report from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli counted agriuculture as a $40 billion business annually in the state.
Barry Flansburg, a member of the Albion FFA Alumni, served as emcee for the event. He is pictured behind Ortt.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley is a past president of the Genesee County Farm Bureau. He also serves on the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee.
He praised the farmers and FFA for their work ethic and commitment to the community.
“This is the lifeblood of the community and our No. 1 industry,” Hawley said.
Hawley said he expects legislation for overtime for farmworkers and the right to collective bargaining to again be pushed in Albany. Hawley dubbed that legislation “The Farm Death Bill.” He said he and Ortt will work to prevent its passage.
Jayne Bannister is the Orleans-NIagara dairy princess. She also is a member of the Albion FFA and the district president. She touted the nutritional benefits of milk.
Albion FFA members Allyson Graham, left, and Alexis Bentley recite the creed.
Allyson Graham recites part of the creed, alternating with Alexis Bentley.
The FFA students are pictured with Rob Ortt and Steve Hawley.
The Albion FFA Alumni, Medina FFA, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water Conservation District and Chamber of Commerce all work together planning and promoting the dinner.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Pamela Moore
SHELBY – Pamela Moore sent in these photos of a family of bald eagles at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
Moore spotted a family of four bald eagles, including two babies, last year at the refuge. She has been traveling through the refuge this week and spotted three bald eagles on Wednesday. The group grew to five bald eagles by Friday.
“A total of 5 and I was just in Awe!!” Moore said in a Facebook message.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Lydia Erakare, a member of the Albion FFA, sings the national anthem during the Farmer to Neighbor dinner on March 9.
LYNDONVILLE – They came to celebrate Orleans County’s top industry – the $100 million-plus generated annually by the local farm economy – and to be inspired by a new crop of future farmers.
About 200 people, including elected officials from throughout the county, attended the March 9 Farmer to Neighbor dinner at the White Birch Golf Course.
“Agriculture is very representative of Orleans County,” said David Callard, County Legislature chairman. “Agriculture represents a quality of life in Orleans County.”
FFA students from Albion and Medina shared the limelight at the event. The two chapters will take turns hosting the state FFA convention 1,200 students and 250 judges due in Albion from May 2-4 for the convention. Next year it will shift to Medina.
Each chapter convinced a panel from the state FFA that they had the right facilities, activities and farm community. The diversity of local agriculture – fruit, vegetables, dairy, maple and more – is one reason why the FFA chapters from around the state want to come to Orleans County, said Barry Flansburg, the Albion Alumni FFA president.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Alexis Maines, a seventh-grader from Albion, impressed 200 people when she recited the FFA creed during a dinner March 9 in Lyndonville.
He served as master of ceremonies during the March 9 event, but gladly shared the microphone with local FFA students. Alexis Maines, an Albion seventh-grader, recited the FFA creed in front of the crowd. Chantelle Kidney, a 15-year-old from Medina, delivered a speech about legislation that would ban youths under age 16 from using farm machinery.
Chantelle told the group the youths benefit from working with machinery, making a bigger impact on a farm. They use the tools with respect and care, she said.
Lydia Erakare of Albion sang the national anthem and other FFA students handed out items won in an auction.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Chantelle Kidney, a member of Medina FFA, delivered a speech advocating for youths under age 16 to be able to use farm machinery.
The students have been featured in the annual dinner since 2009, when Albion celebrated the 100th anniversary of its agriculture program. The response was so enthusiastic from the crowd, seeing the FFA students in their blue corduroy coats, that the students have been coming back. Attendance has nearly doubled since the FFA students were included in the annual celebration.
“It makes people see there is a future,” Flansburg said.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Barry Flansburg, president of the Albion Alumni FFA, leads an auction to benefit the FFA. Jenny McKenna of Albion holds one of the items up for bid.
During the dinner, the Orleans County Farm Bureau also honored long-time Daily News staff writer Ginny Kropf for her years of coverage of the farm community. Margo Bowerman, the 4-H team coordinator, also was recognized for her 13 years of service. She is taking a job with 4-H in Minnesota.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Brad Hudson, a member of The Arc’s mobile cleaning crew, sweeps in the former children’s library section of Swan Library on Friday afternoon. The site is nearly cleared out and should be turned over to its new owner, Chad Fabry, on a March 23 closing.
A dumpster is outside the former Swan Library site at the corner of Main and West State streets on Friday. Many of the items have been junked while other more valuable pieces have been put in storage, taken to the new Hoag Library or will be offered to local historical groups.
A piano remains in the main upstairs meeting room of the former library.
I had not been inside these rooms for nearly three years. It was an emotional feeling, seeing the library stripped of the tall shelves, the main desk, all of the books, videos and CDs.
This is the room on the second floor, behind the main desk. This spot used to have thousands of books.
This is the room that used to have many Civil War artifacts and also was used as work space for some employees.
Robert Greer, right, and Chris Hardie move some chairs in a spot that used to have a table with materials about events in the community and library. Hardie is standing near the elevator.
Heather Boyd created these paintings of churches and county buildings on the historic Courthouse Square. The paintings are in the stairwell leading from the second to third floors.
A door with a swan image is on the third floor.
The mobile cleaning crew – Brad Hudson at left, Bob Tower (supervisor), Robert Greer and Jonathan Doherty – head to the elevator to go downtstairs to work in the former children’s library.
I used to go to the Swan Library at least on a weekly basis for more than a decade, often with one of my kids who enjoyed riding the elevator most of all.
Good luck to Chad Fabry as he works to make the site available for offices. He’d also like to have a community meeting room in the building.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Kate Krieger plays the role of Kaa, a snake trying to prey on Mowgli (Sophia Zambito), during tonight’s opening performance of Disney “The Jungle Book.”
The Albion Middle School will also perform the show on noon and 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available at the door.
Zachary Moore plays the part of Baloo, a bear, during the show and Hannah VanEpps is Shante at right.
Kaylyn Holman is Bagheera, a black panther who looks out for Mowgli. In back are two members of the Vulture Committee, Omar Peterson and Dalton Wilkins.
Sophia Zambito plays Mowgli, “The Man Child.” Mowgli prefers life in the jungle.
King Louie, the leader of The Barrel of Monkeys, is played by Katelyn Spierdowis.
Mallory Kozody, daughter of musical director Carrie Kozody, makes her Albion stage debut as Hathi Jr., a baby elephant. Annalise Steier plays the elephant in back.
Arella Ives stars in the role of Shere Khan, a Bengal tiger that tries to hunt down Mowgli.
File photo by Tom Rivers – Zach Shaffer, an Albion High School student, waits for his cue to enter the stage when he played a waiter in “Follies,” a musical performed last October by the Lake Plains Players. The community theater group will receive $2,800 in grants from GO Art! this year for two different productions.
BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council will distribute grants for nearly 30 different cultural initiatives in the two counties during a celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. today in Batavia at Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St.
Several awards will be presented to arts efforts in Orleans County. The evening will kick off with a performance by the Genesee Chorale Children’s Chorus, a 2015 Reach Grant recipient.
Awards will be presented to all 29 grant recipients who have proposed artistic and cultural projects to occur within Genesee and Orleans counties throughout 2015.
Legislative representatives will be present from both counties to help present the awards. The evening will conclude with a musical performance by 2015 Ripple Grant recipient Bill McDonald and his wife Kay.
GO ART! approved $41,600 in state decentralization grants for 26 projects in the two counties. The agency also approved $5,000 in Ripple Grants to support local artists who wish to involve the community in their creative process.
GO ART! approved $2,500 in Ripple Grants to Alex Feig of Orleans Radio for a “Remembers Medina” music recording and video, and $2,500 to Bill McDonald of Batavia for the Travelling Towpath Troubadors, a concert series along the Erie Canal.
Albion native Stacey (Kirby) Steward was approved for a $2,000 Spark Grant for an arts project with Holley Central School students. Steward’s project is sponsored by the Orleans County Adult Learning Services.
“Seeing Like an Artist” will encourage students to see the world as an artist sees it – noticing details that many miss. Students will be introduced to observational drawing and encouraged to practice developing skills such as focus, patience and attention. Inspiration will be drawn from nature.
Third graders will have several sessions with Steward, including drawing sessions, scientific observations and sharing sessions. The project will culminate in a mural created by the students and Steward.
The decentralization grants for projects in Orleans County include:
Village of Albion, Concerts by the Canal, $2,530;
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, Finally Fridays concert series, $2,300;
World Life Institute in Waterport, Voice from the Earth, $3,440;
Bill Lattin, sponsored by Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, for Halloween Pictures and Pranks Show, $1,515;
Lake Plains Players, $2,000 for fall production and $800 for spring production;
The Cobblestone Society Museum for “The Lost Generation,” an exhibit about World War I, $2,300;
Yates Community Library, “More Than Just Books,” $2,800;
Lyndonville Lions Club for Concert Fun for the Summer, $1,500.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A sign is up on Clarendon Street at the end of East Park Street, telling motorists that contractors will begin demolition of the Clarendon Street bridge on March 20.
Keeler Construction of Barre submitted the low bid at $442,639 to tear out the bridge over the railroad tracks.
Besides removing the 50-year-old bridge, the highway embankments will be lowered and the street will be blocked off at a 90-degree angle at Crimson Drive. On the north side, it will also be blocked off with a turnaround spot near Childs Street.
The Village Board may pursue an at-grade crossing for the site in the future.
A bus carrying preschoolers drives up the bridge and heads to the elementary school earlier today.
