By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 February 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – For the first time in 36 years, The Albion High School Jazz Band Dinner Dance is changing its venue, moving from the high school gym to the Cabaret at Studio B inside Gotta Dance by Miss Amy on West Bank Street.
Michael Thaine, the AHS Director of Bands, wants to recreate the intimacy and atmosphere one would experience at a real, Big Apple jazz club.
“Jazz was originally created for an intimate setting where the audience sits very close to the musicians. Even the most famous NYC jazz clubs like the Cotton Club, Blue Note and the House of Blues are not big venues,” Thaine said.
The Jazz Band will perform two shows on April 5. There will be 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. concerts.
Thaine and the Jazz Band have prepared arrangements to the theme of “An Evening at the Club with the Rat Pack.” Songs of Sinatra, Davis and Martin will be featured. Students participating in Gary Simboli’s musical/vocal programs will assist patrons during the concerts.
Seating is limited. For information about tickets, call the Cabaret at 585-354-2320 or visit the web site by clicking here.
In this picture from the 1930s we see the Exchange Hotel, which was located on Main Street in Albion.
Next to it was a barber shop and next to that building was the Liberty Diner. In the 1940s, these buildings were torn down. A gasoline station was built where the hotel was and a restaurant where the other two structures are in this picture.
The building to the far right was removed in the last few years. The land is now owned by the village and serves as a parking lot. The roof on the Presbyterian Church shows in the upper right corner.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Wind chill advisory issued as temps drop
March is two days away but Orleans County and Western New York are still in the hard grip of Old Man Winter.
Today will only reach a high of 15 degrees and temperature could fall to 1 below tonight, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a wind chill advisory, effective at noon today for Orleans and several WNY counties. The advisory lasts until 10 a.m. on Friday. Wind chills could reach 15 to 24 degrees below zero.
It’s also expected to snow 2 inches today across the Niagara frontier.
Tomorrow temperatures are forecast to peak at 13 degrees. Saturday it will warm up to a high of 35 degrees, according to the Weather Service.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – It is snowing hard in Orleans County, causing whiteout conditions at about noon today. We’re forecast to get hit with 2 inches of snow.
Shortly after noon it was coming down sidewalks. The photo above shows a fire hydrant on East Park Street in Albion near the Temperance Street intersection. The bottom photo shows East Park Street, looking west near Platt Street.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for Orleans County, effective from noon today until 10 a.m. on Friday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Big roadblock removed for redeveloping property
Photo by Tom Rivers – This house at 136 Liberty St., and the one next door, have been sitting mostly vacant for more than a decade. The unpaid taxes were forgiven on the property today to help spur a redevelopment of the site.
ALBION – Orleans County legislators voted today to forgive about $60,000 in back taxes for two run-down houses in Albion, a decision that removes a roadblock for getting the houses knocked down and the site redeveloped.
The two houses, at 134 and 136 Liberty St., are in a spot that could be potentially attractive for development, Mayor Dean Theodorakos said.
The land is right across from the new Hoag Library, and many businesses are within walking distance.
“It’s appealing because it’s all walkable with the library, Tim Hortons, Ace Hardware and the churches,” the mayor said this evening.
The county voted to forgive the taxes, and would like to see the houses demolished so the land could be reused. It isn’t the norm for the county to forgive the taxes. The property is owned by the county and will be transferred to the village. The county can forgive taxes if the property is owned by a municipality, the EDA or a non-profit.
The village has obtained two bids from licensed asbestos contractors for a controlled demolition. It would cost $64,975 for the demolition.
Theodorakos said the village doesn’t have that in it’s budget in the immediate future.
He would welcome a scenario where a developer would pay to remove the two houses and add a residential project. He thinks the site would be ideal for a senior citizen complex given the close access to so many businesses and other services.
He thanked the county for forgiving the taxes today. That made a redevelopment $65,000 cheaper for a developer.
“We felt like they were in a no-win situation,” Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer, said about the rundown properties. “It’s difficult for the villages to decide what to do with properties that are challenged.”
Nesbitt and David Callard, the Legislature chairman, are hopeful a new building or complex is built at the Liberty Street site soon.
“We want to see it return to a productive use,” Nesbitt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 February 2014 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Albion Lions Club President Bill Robinson, left, presented John Keding with an award on Tuesday for his 45 years of service with the Lions Club.
Keding also was recognized by the Lions International for his role as secretary with the Albion club. He has a 100 percent rate in filing monthly “members and activities” reports to International. Keding has served as club secretary for at least 25 years.
Keding is a past president of the local club. The members refer to him as “Mr. Lion.”
“I enjoy the camaraderie with the guys,” said Keding, who has owned Keding’s Automotive in Albion for 40 years. “We do things for the community without getting paid for it.”
The club is preparing for two upcoming fundraisers. It will try to sell 200 dozen of roses for Mother’s Day. It also sells geraniums around Memorial Day. Those fund-raisers help the club give back to the community, including scholarships for graduating Albion seniors.
The club has offered five $500 scholarships annually but will change that this year to three $1,000 scholarships. Members said college has become more expensive and $1,000 will make a bigger impact for the scholarship winners.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 February 2014 at 12:00 am
3 school districts will give memorial to Lisa Husung
Provided photo – Kristopher Moseley is pictured with Lisa Husung. The two planned to marry July 2015. Mr. Moseley is pushing to create a memorial scholarship for his fiancée, who died Jan. 2 from complications from Lupus.
MEDINA – Lisa Husung wanted to be an ambassador, working with international students. But ultimately, she decided the best way she could make a difference was in a one-on-one setting, working with students to read and learn.
Husung, 23, was close to earning a master’s degree at the University of Buffalo to become certified to teach reading and English as a Second Language. Her life was cut short on Jan. 2 when she died from complications from Lupus.
The community has rallied around her family, and is working to establish a memorial scholarship in her name. Each year the Albion, Medina and Roy-Hart school districts will give a senior a $200 scholarship in Husung’s name. There will be a fund-raising event from 4 to 10 p.m. on March 22 at Medina Theatre. There will be a magician, DJ, food and a silent auction as part of the scholarship fund-raiser.
Lisa attended school at Albion until the fourth grade. She graduated eighth in her class at Medina in 2008. She was an honor student despite early struggles learning to read.
The scholarship at Albion and Medina will go to a graduating senior who needed academic intervention services, or who is an ESL speaker or a refugee. In Roy-Hart the scholarship will go to a student pursuing the teaching profession.
“The three communities came out to support us in her death and they will support us in the scholarship,” said Lisa’s mother Janet Husung.
Carl and Janet Husung hold a picture of their daughter Lisa from her graduation day from Oswego State College. The Husungs are raising money for a memorial scholarship in their daughter’s name that will be awarded to a senior each year in Albion, Medina and Roy-Hart school districts.
Lisa grew up in a household with teachers. Her mother is a kindergarten teacher at Albion. Lisa’s father Carl is a high school reading teacher at Roy-Hart. Growing up, Lisa helped her father with the AYSO soccer program both in Medina and Roy-Hart.
After earning a bachelor’s degree at Oswego State College, Lisa worked as a substitute teacher at Albion and Medina. This past summer she taught children of migrant farmworkers at Lyndonville. Lisa didn’t want to be a teacher in a large classroom setting. She enjoyed working with ESL students, where there was more one-on-one interaction.
“She loved her kids,” her father said. “She was the kindest person you’d ever meet.”
Lisa has enjoyed working with children since she was a teen-ager. In high school she volunteered at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, running Lisa’s Craft Corner for children. She worked as an AmeriCorps employee for two summers in the library and for five years would be called to fill in when staff went on vacation or for maternity leave.
“She was a joy, a gem,” said Catherine Cooper, the library director. “She was always happy and pleasant. She was an A-student and an A-person.”
At Oswego, Lisa met her fiancé, Kris Moseley. The two got engaged on Jan. 25, 2013. They were planning a July 2015 wedding at Vizcarra Vineyards.
Moseley is working as a long-term substitute teacher for a sixth grade class in Medina. He met Lisa during an education class at Oswego. The two saved each other seats and studied together while their relationship blossomed. Moseley is helping to organize the scholarship fund-raiser.
Provided photo – Lisa Husung works with a student at Lisa’s Craft Corner at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina. Lisa worked there over five years.
The community already is working to raise money for the scholarship and to honor Lisa. This past Saturday, the Medina Winterguard dedicated its show in Medina to Lisa, who was active in the marching band and colorguard as a student.
She also started dancing with the Dancenter in Medina when she was 2 ½ and was in the ballet class right up until around Thanksgiving. The Dancenter will dedicate its spring recital to Lisa.
Tickets for the March 22 event are available at Blissetts in Medina, Bindings Bookstore in Albion, the Middleport Library or at the door the day of the event. They can also be purchased online at www.medinatheatre.com.
Donations can be made directly to the Lisa M. Husung Memorial Scholarship at any Key Bank branch or mailed to Key Bank, 514 Main St., Medina, NY 14103.
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Central School District is planning a special celebration at graduation ceremonies on June 27.
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of L.A. Webber High School, members of the Lyndonville Central Class of 1964 are invited to participate in graduation ceremonies.
Class of 1964 Valedictorian John Woodworth and Salutatorian Connie Maines will be offering comments at the ceremony.
If you are member of the Class of 1964 or know someone who is, please contact Diane Thurber at 765-3122.
(Editor’s note: The State Assembly passed a bill Tuesday to give financial aid to students whose parents are illegal aliens. The issue now goes to the State Senate.)
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) voted against the DREAM Act on Tuesday, citing concerns that working-class families are disregarded in favor of illegal immigrants.
He noted the similarities between the DREAM Act and Gov. Cuomo’s plan to give a free college education to incarcerated felons. In both cases, lawbreakers would be receiving college tuition assistance and law-abiding families of students would be spending their life savings and borrowing to obtain an education, Hawley said.
He issued the following statement:
“The DREAM Act is wrong for the hard-working families of upstate New York who have played by the rules and are still burdened with crushing student loan debt. It’s particularly troubling to pass this exactly one week after the governor rolled out his ill-advised plan to give free college to convicts. Families who are trying to give their kids a better life need and deserve student aid and illegal immigrants and convicts do not.”
KENDALL – A Canandaigua man is hospitalized after falling from the operator’s platform on a hydraulic boom truck this morning.
The incident occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m., in the 900 block of West Kendall Road. Allen L. Harter, 62, had climbed up to the platform and was preparing to sit down in the boom operator’s chair when he lost his footing and fell to the ground, a distance of between 7 and 8 feet.
Harter was transported by Kendall FD ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He is employed by J.F. Electric Inc., of Edwardsville, Ill. The company leased the truck from Global Rental Co., in Indianapolis, Ind.
The incident was investigated by Deputy M.C. Mele.
