By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Judy Manley, right, shows Cheryl Mowatt some of the Depression glass for sale at the Hoag Library. The sale continues until 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Depression glass was distributed by many food manufacturers during the Great Depression. The glass was included in boxes of food as an incentive for purchase. It has become a popular collectible.
Library patrons look over some of the Depression glass for sale at the Hoag Library. July Manley, Bill Lattin, and René Schasel discussed the history of Depression glass on Thursday at the library. The Friends of the Library is selling more than 100 pieces of the glass that were donated to the Friends to raise money for the library.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Update : Bella was reunited with the Zeiner family this morning.
Provided photo
MEDINA – Three weeks ago Bethany Zeiner got a 2-year-old Pomeranian for her daughter’s birthday. The dog slipped through a fence on Walsh Alley today.
Zeiner welcomes the public’s help in finding the dog, which weighs about 12 pounds. The dog is named Bella. It has tags and was registered in Ridgeway.
For more information, contact Zeiner at 585-284-9992.
ALBION – The Albion Police Department is currently investigating a missing person case involving Lynnette Schumacher, who was last seen on Wednesday evening at about 10 p.m.
She left 128 Day St. in the village and police believe she then headed to the “REZ” in Genesee County. Police believe she left the Albion area operating a black Suzuki 4-door car with an unknown license plate number. The vehicle is said to have a sticker in the rear window that says, “Princess On Board.”
Schumacher has a history of mental health issues. Information was given to the Albion Police that Schumacher may have been in the Interstate 490 / Brown Street in the City of Rochester on Thursday afternoon needing gas money.
Schumacher is described as follows:
Age: 24
White Female (light skin tone)
Brown Hair
Brown Eyes
5’09” Tall
225 lbs
Numerous Tattoos
Last Seen Wearing: Black sweatshirt, Pajama Pants with Skulls on them.
If anyone has information as to Schumacher’s location, please contact your local 911 center or the Albion Police at 585-589-5627.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – The four main characters in The Wiz become close friends, relying on each other in the Kingdom of Oz. The group includes the Lion (Steven Stass), Dorothy (Lydia Erakare), Scarecrow (Josh Raymond) and Tinman (Kyle Thaine).
The Wizard (Zach Shaffer) will only grant their wishes if they kill the Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West. The Albion drama department created the Wizard’s throne room to have a psychedelic feeling with lights, smoke, and pyrotechnics.
ALBION – Dorothy thinks Kansas is boring and just wants out of the place, to go anywhere else. Then a twister hits, and she finds herself in the Kingdom of Oz with Munchkins.
In a foreign land, Dorothy wants to go home. She misses her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.
Lydia Erakare plays the role of Dorothy in Albion High School’s production of “The Wiz” tonight and Saturday at the middle school auditorium. Erakare is a senior and she admitted right around January she was eager to leave small-town Albion. She will be a student beginning June 30 at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, College of the Performing Arts, in New York City.
“Dorothy leaves home and realizes how good she had it,” Erakare said. “She better appreciates her family and friends.”
Dorothy (Lydia Erakare) is eager to get out of Kansas. She is pictured with her Aunt Em (Jenna Reigle) and Toto (Maxwell Thaine).
Some of the munchkins include Joe Madejski, center, and Nathaniel Trembley.
Erakare said college will be like a trip to Oz, making special friends along the way, but she said her heart will always be in Albion. The musical concludes with her singing “Home.”
The Wiz slightly varies from the popular film. Dorothy has silver shoes, for example, rather than ruby slippers. There are two good witches in the musical: Glinda and Addaperle. The Wicked Witch of the West, Evillene, doesn’t have green skin or a big ugly hat.
Angela Tarricone plays Evillene. She wears what she called a jazzy and sparkly outfit. However, she brings a bossy persona to the stage.
“It’s really fun,” Tarricone said about the role. “I love being the opposite of who I really am.”
The show includes some special effects, with Evillene and The Wizard using flash pots to represent a magic spell. There are strobe lights, confetti canons and the stage crew rigged up fog for when Dorothy tosses water on Evillene, and she melts.
Evillene (Angela Tarricone) melts after being doused with water by Dorothy.
The stage crew didn’t have to create a robotic dog as Toto. The show includes a real dog, with Maxwell Thaine making its stage debut. The dog is owned by High School Band Director Michael Thaine and his family.
Musical director Gary Simboli wanted an ensemble show to highlight several strong leads. The show also features “an amazing group of dancers,” he said. They do 13 dance numbers.
The show carries a powerful message, Simboli said.
“It’s about believing in yourself,” he said. “You have everything inside you, you just have to believe in yourself.”
The Lion (Steven Stauss) appears on stage and tries to scare everybody, singing “(I’m a) Mean Ole Lion.”
The main characters realize that when they go to The Wizard. Ultimately, he can’t grant their wishes, but he shows them they already have the heart, brains and courage they were looking for.
Steven Stauss plays the Lion. Stauss is going to college on a football scholarship. He has been active in the drama program in high school.
“I just love performing on the big stage, whether it’s in the theater or on the football field,” he said.
He said he was grateful for one last chance on the theater stage in high school, and do it with some of his close friends. The four main characters have a strong camaraderie, he said.
“This is a story of friendship,” he said.
Madeline Fournier plays a good witch, Addaperle. Albion made all of the costumes for the show except the Tin Man’s outfit, which was rented. Karen Dibley and Kathy Winans made most of the outfits.
Albion’s musical typically receive many awards from the Stars of Tomorrow program through the Rochester Broadway Theatre League. Erakare, who is pursuing musical theater in college, said Albion’s high-caliber shows have prepared her for college.
“I’m lucky to be in a high school where theater is important,” she said.
Shows are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a noon performance on Saturday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Provided photo
ALBION – Two village leaders were treated to a cake and fanfare on Wednesday when both Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheehan, left, and Mayor Dean Theodorakos attended their last board meeting as current elected village officials.
Sheehan served as a village trustee for eight years. He was unable to run for re-election because of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from running in partisan elections. Sheehan was recently hired as a maintenance mechanic for the VA in Batavia.
Theodorakos was the village mayor the past five years. He chose to not seek re-election citing the demands of a full-time job in Rochester as a senior accountant for Kodak. He also wants more time with his grandchildren.
The mayor and deputy mayor both said the village has made progress updating old infrastructure. The village has upgraded its sewer plant, sanitary and storm sewers, and overhauled some roads, most notably at Meadowbrook Drive, McKinistry Street, East State Street and Crimson Drive.
Theodorakos said the village has experienced a lot of recent investment, including in the downtown, and along routes 31 and 98. Some local merchants have invested in the village, and some national chains – Kentucky Fried Chicken, Advance Auto Parts and soon Dunkin’ Donuts – have picked Albion for businesses.
Dean London, Albion’s former police chief, will become mayor effective Tuesday. Two other new trustees – Stan Farone and Gary Katsanis – also will join the board. Farone will take Sheehan’s spot while Katsanis fills the vacancy created when Fred Miller became a county legislator on Jan. 1.
Press release, GCC
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College is pleased to announce Michele Bokman has been named May 2014 Employee of the Month. Michele has worked at GCC for nine years.
She is director of operations for the Albion and Medina Campus Centers and is also an adjunct instructor, having taught the Career and Education Planning course for the last six years.
In her role as director of operations, Michele oversees day-to-day activities at both of GCC’s Orleans County campus centers. She handles everything from facility needs to course planning.
“Her oversight of the day-to-day operations of both centers is extensive and involves every aspect of the operations,” GCC officials noted in naming her Employee of the Month. “Michele has a can-do attitude, and she sets a positive tone for staff and the students.”
Michele played an instrumental role in establishing the Orleans County Advisement Team. She also contributes to the college community through service on the joint advisory committee for the centers, the College Assessment Committee and on the All-advisor Committee.
Prior to GCC, Michele was the field support manager covering Albany and New York City for a large national property and casualty insurance company. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Syracuse University in French Language and Culture and a Master’s in Liberal Studies from The College at Brockport.
She loves the “unique work environment” at GCC. “I have the privilege of working with a group of people who value teamwork, innovative thinking and challenge each other to be the best.”
Michele lives in Albion with her husband Brad and their four children: Natalie, Chelsea, Matt and Mitch. Outside the College she serves on the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension board. She loves international travel and hopes to experience as many cultures as she can. “Water activities, snow skiing and a great book make me happy!”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Cameron Morgan – By Tom Rivers, editor
MEDINA – A Medina High School senior has been named a special mention to Business First’s 2014 All-Western New York Academic Team. That designation puts him in a group of the top 100 high school seniors in eight counties of Western New York.
Morgan is the fifth-ranked student in his class. He has been active in the school musicals, as drum major in the marching band and as Student Association president. He plans to attend either the University of Rochester or Columbia University to major in political science with a minor in human rights.
Business First said the Academic Team program is designed to spotlight students who pursue excellence both in and out of the classroom. The committee chose this year’s winners based on their records of academic achievement, school leadership and community involvement.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Cameron Morgan, Medina’s drum major, directs the 130-member band in the pouring rain on Sept. 21 during the Fall Festival of Bands.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
Members of “Concerned Citizens of Orleans County,” including Adolf Genter of Albion, again picketed along Main Street on Wednesday during the Orleans County Legislature meeting. About 20-25 people stood in support of keeping The Villages of Orleans as a county-owned nursing home. The Legislature in February voted to transfer ownership of the facility to a local development corporation, which is working to find a buyer for the 120-bed facility on Route 31 in Albion. Concerned Citizens have since picketed outside the Legislature meetings the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, and each meeting time has featured nasty weather, either freezing cold or a downpour.
Photos by Sue Cook – The Witch (Heather Mufford) places a curse on The Baker (Cameron Morgan) and his wife (Rebekah Hoffee) so that they can’t have children.
By Sue Cook, staff reporter
LYNDONVILLE – The story of a fractured fairy tale comes to the Lyndonville auditorium stage as Lyndonville and Medina schools join efforts for the third year to give students a chance to perform and shine.
Medina cut its musical program due to budget constraints after the 2010-11 school year. That left no opportunity for the student performers in drama. However, administration from the two schools agreed that coordinating efforts would be a great opportunity for students from Lyndonville and Medina.
“I work with the music teachers at Medina, primarily Lisa Roeseler, and principal Mark Kruzynski,” said Jennifer Trupo of Lyndonville. She is both the overall director and the vocal director. “They help send messages and make announcements to their students.”
Cinderella (Hannah Albone) pleads to go to the festival, but her stepsisters, Florinda (Madison Boyle) and Lucinda (Madison Holland) and her stepmother (Briana Bellan) stop her. Seated on the steps during the practice was the narrator, seventh-grader Roy John Follman.
Kristina Best, Lyndonville band director for 7th to 12th grade, is the pit conductor for the second year in a row. She said the musicians practice as much as the cast and crew do. In the background Jack (Thomas Follman) is singing.
The schools also found that declining student enrollment meant a two-school production would have a bigger and better cast, crew and orchestra. The musical for this year is “Into the Woods.”
“There’s a spin to it,” Trupo said. “It’s several fairy tales combined into one.”
A baker and his wife want to have a baby, but a witch placed a curse on them, causing them to be barren. They must lift the curse in order to have a family. The witch requires four items to be collected on the third midnight from that day. The couple must find a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as pure as gold.
The items are found throughout the story with the appearance from the fairy tale characters of Jack of the tale Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Cinderella. Together, the baker and his wife attempt to get the items which are reluctant to be surrendered.
After the audition process, there would normally be call-backs to narrow down the roles for the students, but Trupo said that this year call-backs weren’t necessary and that each ended up cast in a part that was declared perfect based on individual strengths.
“The kids speak for themselves,” Trupo said. “They are very well suited for their roles.”
Cinderella’s Prince (Nate Pace) and Rapunzel’s Prince (Joseph Mangiola) sing about each of their chosen princesses and how magnificent the two women are.
The Wolf (Christian Hahn) is attempting to lure Little Red Riding Hood (Regan Stacey) into being eaten in the woods. The two perform an energetic dance number together as Red tries to escape his clutches.
Anyone who wants to participate is welcome. There was so much interest in the musical that an ensemble song was arranged to accommodate a large number of characters. Many characters that are not normally a part of this production were pulled from other “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” stories such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
The cast includes 41 students, with 14 in the crew 14, and eight students in the pit orchestra joined by music teachers. Trupo said the whole group is a good mix of Medina and Lyndonville students from seventh grade through the seniors.
The Medina students all carpooled together to rehearsal performances, as no alternative transportation is provided by the school. The rehearsals are also scheduled by Trupo as best as she can manage around the schools’ sports schedules.
Medina senior Deanna Mangiola plays Jack’s Mother. She is overbearing and insists that Jack (Thomas Follman) sell his cow Milky White (Devon Allen), his best friend in the whole world. “I had laryngitis during auditions,” Mangiola said. “Luckily, the week before we had a workshop and I got the nerves out.” She performed at the auditions anyway and was much more prepared and had a sense of confidence with her.
Senior Heather Mufford is a Lyndonville student cast in the role of The Witch. Mufford has been in theater since she was 11, and has been performing in any high school musical she possibly could, but still felt nervous when she went in for her audition.
“I went in with confidence after practicing the voice and scream of the witch,” said Mufford. She is looking to minor in theater in college. “I think I will always be doing community theater.”
Rapunzel (Jenna Brien) sings in her tower which alerts a prince to her presence.
As for the two schools working together, Mufford commented,” There is no school rivalry. I have some closer friends from Medina than Lyndonville.” She says that many of the students from both schools will meet to hang out outside of the performance season because they have bonded so well together.
The stage crew is also enthusiastic to be part of the performance. Lyndonville ninth-grader and first-time crew member Michael Busch is one of the students responsible for moving props between scenes. “I’m excited,” he said. “I was going to audition, but I was too busy the two days of auditions. I wanted to be on crew then because then I know I can still sort of be on the stage.”
Trupo is also excited that the school will have adjudicators from the Rochester Broadway Theatre League in the audience rating students on their acting, singing and dancing.
The students with the highest scores will receive Tony-style awards. The schools with the highest scores are given the opportunity to perform at the Rochester Auditorium Theatre, which is used for professional Broadway performances.
There will be three performances of “Into the Woods” this coming weekend in the Lyndonville school auditorium. On Friday and Saturday, the show will be at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, the performance will be at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available at the door. The school is located at 25 Housel Ave. in Lyndonville.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Wayne Burlison, 36, dies from colon cancer
Photo courtesy of Howard Owens/The Batavian – Wayne Burlison directs the Batavia Concert Band in this photo from June 23, 2011. Besides teaching Albion students, Burlison was involved in many community musical groups.
ALBION – An elementary band teacher who inspired the community with his courage while fighting colon cancer died on Wednesday night. Wayne Burlison was 36.
His death has saddened the school district and his many friends in the community. In addition to teaching Albion students, Burlison played with several groups, including the Batavia Concert Band, The Hit Men and the Mark Time Marchers in Kendall.
Burlison was also a leader of the Albion Running Club and led a Run for God program that prepared people to run a 5-kilometer race. He played in the praise band at the Albion Free Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife Lisa and their son Adam, 7. Mrs. Burlison is a second grade teacher at Albion.
“Mr. Burlison has served since 2002 as a much loved member of our music staff, teaching most recently in the elementary school and working with the high school jazz and district marching bands. He will be greatly missed,” District Superintendent Michael Bonnewell and Elementary Principal Rachel Curtin wrote in a letter to parents.
Grief counselors and psychologists have been at the school today and will meet with students in the elementary band on Friday.
Photo by Tom Rivers – Burlison plays with a band last year during a banquet for the Care Net Center of Greater Orleans.
Bonnewell talked with Burlison several times since his diagnosis in December. Burlison shared he was concerned about his students with their emotional well-being and instruction when he was so sick.
“It speaks highly of him as an educator and as a person that in the midst of his illness he was so worried about his students,” Bonnewell said. “I told the staff today that it is our turn to look after his kids.”
Burlison will be honored during the high school musical on Friday and Saturday. He played in the pit orchestra for many years, playing the saxophone, trumpet or euphonium. The orchestra will leave Burlison’s seat open for the shows, with a blue cloth to symbolize colon cancer.
Students, including the performers on stage, will wear blue ribbons on their wrists. When marching band season starts, band director Michael Thaine said the uniforms will include stickers that say “Mr. B.”
“It’s a very sad day for us,” Thaine said. “There has most definitely been a lot of tears from the kids.”
‘He was very good at relating to the elementary students. He was very caring and nurturing, which you need at that level.’ – Mike Thaine, Albion High School band director
Burlison worked with students at all three school buildings. He taught the elementary levels and helped those students get a solid start, which was important for them to succeed in band at the middle and high school levels, Thaine said.
“The elementary band teacher is the most critical of the three band positions,” Thaine said. “Everything builds off the early foundation.”
Burlison won over students with a “quirky” sense of humor, Thaine said. Their teacher wasn’t a pushover. He insisted on practice and had a way with honing their enthusiasm.
“He was very good at relating to the elementary kids,” Thaine said. “He was very caring and nurturing, which you need at that level.”
Photo from Burlison’s Facebook page – Wayne Burlison started running in 2008 and completed a marathon and several half marathons
The district the past seven years has been recognized by the North American Music Merchants as a “Best Communities for Music Education.” Burlison had a big role in promoting music in the schools, and encouraging students to pursue excellence, Thaine said.
“The high school music teachers get a lot of the credit but it’s really those elementary teachers that are a critical part of the program,” Thaine said.
Burlison was the assistant marching band director and assistant jazz band leader.
“He was my right hand man,” Thaine said. “I didn’t look at him as the assistant director. We were the co-directors.”
Burlison inspired many in the community to exercise and eat better foods after he lost nearly 150 pounds in 2008. Burlison was about 300 pounds before he started losing weight through the Wii Fit game.
He ran early in the mornings and became a long-distance runner, completing a 26.2-mile marathon and several half marathons.
Two years ago he and two friends from church, Brian Krieger and Jack Burris, organized a 12-week running program that would culminate with the 5k at the Strawberry Festival in June.
Burlison wasn’t sure what to expect, if people would give running a try. Forty would complete the first race through the Run for God program, with Burlison one of their biggest cheerleaders.
Last year he motivated many of the runners while he rode along on a bike. The Run for God group grew to 80 a year ago. Burlison asked his friends to keep up the program and it debuted on Sunday, with about 30 people running in 20-degree weather.
“He acted with grace and calmness and assurance,” said Burris. “That was how he carried himself. There wasn’t an ounce of pretension to him.”
Provided photo – Wayne Burlison, back row fourth from left, helped start a running revolution in Albion. This Run for God group posed for a picture at the Strawberry Festival in Albion.
Burris visited Burlison often while he was home, fighting the disease since his diagnosis about three months ago. Burlison had a stack of cards from people in the community. He was surprised by the outpouring of well-wishers and the many prayers.
“He didn’t realize the impact he had on people,” Burris said.
Burlison left an imprint that will last for years and generations with his students and others in the community, Burris said.
“This story isn’t done,” he said. “It’s only just beginning.”
Jason Smith, the Lyndonville Central School superintendent, played in the Batavia Concert Band and Mark Time Marchers with Burlison. Smith, when he worked at Albion as an assistant principal, also was on the hiring committee that picked Burlison, who previously taught music at Kendall.
“Wayne was a talented and skilled musician, who often would advocate at his concerts of the great benefits and joys of listening to live music,” Smith said. “I recall one of his favorite pieces to play and conduct was ‘America The Beautiful.’ He will be sorely missed in our community bands, but thanks to his teaching and passion for music, his influence will last for years and years.”
The family will receive friends at the Albion Free Methodist Church (corner of Platt and State streets) Monday from 1 to 5 p.m. Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral service at the Albion First Presbyterian Church (corner of Rt. 98 and E. State St.) on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
