Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Betty Garcia Mathewson of Albion speaks during a protest today on Main Street in Albion focused on many local people being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The protest also was timed by nationwide “No Kings” rallies speaking out against executive overreach by President Donald Trump and an erosion of democratic principles and rights in the country.

Mathewson has long been an advocate for farmworkers. She said many of those workers in Orleans County recently have been detained by ICE.

“This is not the America I grew up in,” Mathewson told a crowd of about 30 people carrying signs. “All people deserve due process.”

Mathewson said the ICE arrests are disrupting families and dividing the country, falsely blaming immigrants for economic hardships.

“The people they are taking have been our neighbors for years,” she said.

Some of the protestors had signs against “No Kings” to highlight opposition to Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and expansion of executive powers.

Gary Kent holds a sign, “Democracy Dies In Silence.”

Many of the “No Kings” rallies urged people to use early voting in the upcoming midterm elections and try to empower a new Congress to rein in the president’s powers.

Trump has expanded ICE in his second term, with ICE officers more than doubling from about 10,000 when Trump’s second term started in January 2025 to over 22,000 now. The daily ICE detention population is up from about 40,000 at the start of Trump’s second term to about 70,000 people now.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed in July 2025 infused tens of billions of dollars into immigration enforcement, authorizing an additional $45 billion specifically for detention through 2029.

Librada Paz of Brockport has been outspoken for many years about labor rights for farmworkers. In 2012, she received the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Award for her work to improve the lives and working conditions of farmworkers.

Paz said ICE has stepped up raids in Albion and the surrounding communities in the past two months. She said people are being picked up by ICE at the laundromat, while waiting at farm fields, and at their housing in the community.

She said they are often held at the federal detention facility in Batavia before being transfer much farther away, where it becomes more difficult to fight their cases legally because they are away from a  support system.

“The citizens of Albion may not realize that a lot of people are being taken,” Paz said.

Betty Garcia Mathewson and her daughter Sienna stand near the intersection of Main Street and East Park Street to show their support for immigrants.

Garcia Mathewson said the country has long failed to update its immigration policies putting many people in vulnerable position even if they have no criminal record and years of contributing to the community.

She said many families are mixed with one spouse having legal standing to be in the country while others were kept out of the legal system.

“We are here telling the immigrants that there are people who care and are pissed off they are doing this to you,” she said about the ICE enforcement actions.

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer, Albion Interact Club advisor

ROCHESTER – Albion students in the Interact Club spent part of Thursday volunteering at Foodlink in Rochester, sorting and packing 11,500 pounds of food, which will eventually serve over 9,500 needy families in the western New York region.

The students include Kinzie Healy, Annabella Dusharm, Allisyn McQuay, Sutton Sanders, Luci Borello, Izabella Kingdollar, William Fisher and Skye Austin.

Upon returning to Albion, they visited Faith Smith and the Orleans Koinonia Kitchen in Albion, which receives food items from Foodlink for the OK Kitchen’s weekly dinner for local families. The kitchen is located at Harvest Christian Fellowship at 560 East Ave.

The Orleans Koinonia Kitchen is one of hundreds of community partners Foodlink works alongside to address food insecurity.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – There are 30 scarecrows lined up along the fence of the basketball courts at Bullard Park. The scarecrows were created during Albion’s Fall Fest on Oct. 3.

The Albion Merchants Association has a contest among the scarecrows and asked people to fill out a ballot with their name and then their choice for the spookiest scarecrow, the most humorous, the most traditional and best scarecrow name.

“The scarecrow’s name appears on the white tag that is pinned/stapled to the front of the scarecrow,” the Merchants Association stated. “Please write the scarecrow’s name. Only write a description of the scarecrow if there is no tag on site.”

Completed ballot should be turned in to the Albion Downtown Browsery or Rise & Grind by Friday, October 23. Questions should be directed to Kim Remley at 589-5053 (leave message).

The winners will be announced in the Oct. 31 Lake Country Pennysaver Entertainment Section.

Photos courtesy of WALL\THERAPY – Justin Suarez works on his mural on the northside of The Lockstone in Albion at 160 North Main St. This is one of four murals in the Rochester region funded by the by Governor Hochul’s CHARM Initiative and supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.

Press Release, WALL\THERAPY

ROCHESTER – WALL\THERAPY is proud to announce the completion of four new public art murals throughout the Finger Lakes region. The works are part of the Cultivating Havens for the Arts through Regional Murals (CHARM) program, an initiative from Governor Kathy Hochul and administered by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The new murals include:

“Starbright” by Pamela Carvalho and Justin Suarez aka Aerosol Kingdom, at Rio Tomatlan in Canandaigua. This mural depicts the figure of a woman calmly gazing forward as vibrantly-colored stars swirl around her.

Pamela Carvalho has been tattooing since 2013 and it is a job that she cherishes more every year. Having the opportunity to give someone something that they can admire forever is a privilege she does not ever plan on taking lightly, or for granted.

“Sanctuary” by Sarah C. Rutherford – Located at Dutch Creatives’ Collaborative in Rochester. Surrounded by electric pulses emanating from the figure, the mural portrays a person getting lost in music.

For the past 18 years, Sarah C. Rutherford (she/her) has worked in her chosen community of Rochester as a muralist, painter, educator and community-based artist. She is the co-founder of THE YARDS Collaborative Art Space and the creator of the mural project Her Voice Carries, featuring local women who lift up the voices of others. Sarah was also awarded a Creative Rebuild NY grant in partnership with Willow Domestic Violence Center to expand her multifaceted public art project, Stories of Strength, which directly engages and works alongside survivors of domestic violence.

“Take Care” by Francheska Diaz and Callisto Daly at Lyell Branch Library in Rochester. This mural features five vignettes, two designed by Callisto Daly and three by Francheska Diaz celebrating themes of nature, community and intergenerational relationships.

Roc Paint Division youth and alumni artists assisted with the installation.

Francheska Diaz is an artist based in Rochester. Her work showcases themes of emotion, identity and human connection. Her artwork creates a bridge between her nostalgic inner world and her audience. She develops her dream world through painting; a colorful place full of flowers, plants, fruit, and sunshine.

As a Puerto Rican, family is a huge part of her culture and she honors this by using old family photographs as inspiration for her paintings. Incorporating her family in the work makes her feel connected to them while also connecting her to the viewer through a shared experience.

In addition to her artwork, she co-leads a youth mural arts employment program, Roc Paint Division. She mentors and teaches teenagers in the city about mural work, drawing, and painting. Creating a space for the youth to harness their skills as both an artist and a human.

Callisto Daly is a youth educator and alumnus of Roc Paint Division.

“Blossom” by Justin Suarez aka Aerosol Kingdom at The Lockstone in Albion. This mural celebrates local plants and pollinators, featuring a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Swallowtail Butterfly and Bumblebee, along with zinnia, purple coneflower, dahlia, and sunflowers.

Justin Suarez aka Aerosol Kingdom is an artist, educator, and co-founder of Roc Paint Division, with two decades of experience in creating public art. He has painted murals throughout much of the United States, with a particular emphasis on showcasing wildlife and natural species. Through his mural work, Justin aims to engage communities and inspire a greater commitment to environmental conservation and stewardship.

The 2026 CHARM program has led to the creation of 42 works of art in 31 counties, building on last year’s initial program of 56 murals across 21 counties.

“Murals cultivate civic pride, spur community engagement, and become destinations to attract visitors that spark economic development,” said Erika Mallin, Executive Director of the New York State Council on the Arts.

“NYSCA is proud to continue this successful program into its second year, supporting more and more public art throughout New York State.”

“We are honored that WALL\THERAPY and Roc Paint Division have been selected to continue with the CHARM initiative in its second year,” said Erich S. Lehman, curator of WALL\THERAPY. “Having our longstanding efforts supported at the statewide level is incredibly meaningful, as it directly allows our programming and impact to evolve through both the murals we produce and the mentorship of our young artists.”

About WALL\THERAPY

WALL\THERAPY is an art and community intervention project in Rochester, using public murals as a means to transform the urban landscape, inspire and build community.

WALL\THERAPY murals have transformed walls, buildings, and neighborhoods. This transformation has sparked inspiration in individuals and communities alike. The murals have become part of the local conversation, the local identity, and the fabric of the city. Local art classes and schools tour the murals as part of the curriculum. Local professionals change their route to the murals as part of their drive home. Local artists, young and old, find inspiration in the works.

WALL\THERAPY mural project is now recognized worldwide. People from 2,000-plus cities in 104 countries have visited the WALL\THERAPY site to learn more. New mural artists from around the world ask about painting Rochester, for the first time or for another time.

About Roc Paint Division

Roc Paint Division is a youth employment and development program. Designed for high school-aged artists of all skill levels, the program offers hands-on training in researching, designing and producing large-scale public murals.

Through a supportive artistic environment, youth participants develop creative skills and build critical life competencies — including teamwork, time management and accountability. Whether participants go on to pursue careers in the arts or other fields, Roc Paint Division fosters pride, confidence and a lasting sense of community impact.

Since its inception, Roc Paint Division has employed more than 60 youth muralists and produced 48 public murals throughout the city. Each mural represents a unique collaboration between young artists, lead staff and guest muralists from across New York State and beyond. Roc Paint Division is made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts.

About the New York State Council on the Arts

The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. The New York State Council on the Arts will award more than $161 million in FY 2027, serving organizations and artists across all 10 state regions. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit arts.ny.gov.

The DeClerk family posted a picture on Facebook of Woody back home this afternoon in Albion after four days on the lam.

ALBION – Woody the wallaby is back home with the DeClerk family after about four days on the loose.

Woody was startled during a thunder and lightning storm and took a high leap in his enclosure. He then squeezed through a window and took off from the DeClerk barn on Route 279.

Woody sparked a lot of comments on Facebook and social media as he shocked people on North Main Street and near the Five Corners.

The Orleans Hub posted a story about Woody at 1:36 p.m. today. At around 3 p.m., Cary DeClerk, Woody’s owner was called by a resident at Oak Orchard Estates off Route 98. He saw Woody in his backyard.

DeClerk headed over and could see Woody. He asked the man and his family to head inside. DeClerk got down on a knee. Woody eventually came close to DeClerk, who used a fishing net to catch Woody.

He then carried the 40-pound wallaby to his Jeep. Woody seemed happy to be back with DeClerk. He drove about a mile to their home on Route 279.

It didn’t take long for Woody to settle in for a long nap.

Woody joined a menagerie of other animals at the DeClerks, including two albino wallabies, and two red kangaroos.

DeClerk appreciates the community keeping a lookout for Woody the past few days.

“I can’t thank everyone enough,” he said.

Provided photo: The DeClerk family in Albion is missing their wallaby, which escaped during a storm four nights ago.

ALBION – A wallaby named Woody is a local a social media sensation, causing a stir and many double-takes by hopping around the northern part of Albion and the Five Corners in Gaines.

Woody is like a kangaroo. He escaped from his enclosure at the DeClerk family on Route 279 during a thunder and lightning storm about four nights ago. Woody is about three feet tall and weighs 40 pounds, said Cary DeClerk, Woody’s owner.

Woody must have been startled during the storm. He hopped above the feeder in his enclosure and squeezed through a 14-by-14-inch opening. He was then in the barn with other animals. DeClerk said a grandchild left the barn door open. There was some added excitement after baby piglets were born. Woody saw an opening and hopped off.

He has been spotted many times near the five corners intersection and in peoples’ backyards along Route 98, just north of the village.

DeClerk said Woody seems to be enjoying his freedom.

“He’s not aggressive,” DeClerk said. “He’s a very friendly animal. He’s carefree. He doesn’t cause any problems.”

If anyone sees the wallaby, DeClerk asked that they give him a call at 585-590-6566. If the animal sneaks into a backyard with a fence or into a garage or barn with a door, people could close the fence or door to hold him until DeClerk gets there.

Otherwise, Woody is difficult to corral.

 DeClerk worries Woody could eat a toxin, get hit by a vehicle or get attacked by a coyote. During winter, he might struggle to find food if he stays out in the cold.

DeClerk has two other albino wallabies, and two red kangaroos. He brought a wallaby to the Albion Fall Festival in 2025 as well as some of his other animals.

“I’m losing sleep over this guy being gone,” DeClerk said. “He is a personal friend of mine.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Cary DeClerk brough an albino wallaby to Albion’s Fall Festival on Oct. 4, 2025.

Jeff Radder takes over at microphone in new era of Rivals football

Photo by Cheryl Wertman: Alec Sherman is presented a plaque in appreciation for his 46 years at the microphone of Albion football games. Mickey Edwards, a former Albion player and now the district superintendent, presents the plaque to Sherman before Friday’s game versus West Seneca East. Sherman performed the honorary coin toss before the game.

ALBION – After 46 seasons as the voice of the Purple Eagles, Alec Sherman has retired from the position.

Hundreds of times over his tenure he called out, “The Eagle has landed!” when Albion scored a touchdown.

But it’s a new era of football with Albion and Medina fielding a merged team – the OC Rivals.

Sherman thought the timing was right to hand off the reins. Jeff Radder, a middle school science teacher and a DJ, is the new announcer at home games in Albion.

Radder introduced his own catchphrase for when the team scores a touchdown: “In for the paydirt!” The Rivals have two shovels as part of their logo to signify the building of the Erie Canal. Radder thought paydirt was a nice tie-in with the logo.

Radder was able to call out five touchdowns in Friday’s game for the Rivals. They lost a close one, 35-34, to West Seneca East.

Sherman said the crowd is in good hands with Radder.

“He knows the kids,” Sherman said. “He has the voice for it and the knowledge.”

Sherman was able to call many monumental games in his tenure, especially the hard-fought contests between Albion and Medina. Four times he was the announcer for Albion in games at the Buffalo Bills stadium. In those games, each team’s announcer called a half.

Sherman, an Albion grad, said he was always pulling for the Purple Eagles to win.

“The emphasis was on our side, but I tried to be fair,” he said.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jeff Radder, right in press box, calls out the action in Friday’s football game in Albion.

Sherman was honored before Friday’s game, the first home game in Albion for the new Rivals team. He performed the coin toss and was presented with a plaque from Mickey Edwards, the Albion district superintendent and a former Albion player.

Sherman graduated from Albion on 1968 and started working at the district as a teacher in 1977. He spent most of his career teaching U.S. history. In 1979, he called his first JV game for Albion and started doing the varsity games in the mid-’80s.

He also coached JV softball, and boys and girls basketball. Two of his girls varsity basketball teams won Niagara-Orleans titles.

Alec Sherman served performed the honorary coin toss before Friday’s game, which was homecoming in Albion.

Sherman is pleased to see the merged team off to a strong start, and to see a big crowd at Friday’s football game.

“It has always been a joy,” Sherman said about the role of announcer. “It meant a lot to be able to do it for my hometown, for the kids and the community. I never did it for myself, I did it for them. Now that we are entering into a new era with the new merger, it’s time to give somebody else a turn.”

Jeff Radder called Friday’s game from the press box and introduced his catchphrase for Rivals’ touchdowns: “In for the paydirt!”

Bruce Pritchett, a middle school social studies teacher, holds a sign demanding a fair contract for Albion teachers. About 30 teachers attended Monday’s board meeting, with several holding signs and most wearing T-shirts in support of the teachers’ union.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Two members of the negotiating team for the Albion Teachers Association, Josh Green at left at podium and Chris Keller, address the Board of Education during Monday’s board meeting.

The teachers have been without a contract since June 30, 2025. An impasse has been declared and a mediator will have his first session on Oct. 20 with the negotiating team of the ATA and district officials.

Green and Keller were limited to a 3-minute comment period during the board meeting. They said the district has been underspending its budget by about 25 percent the last three years or by about $10 million a year.

They said the teachers’ request for higher pay could easily be accommodated by the district if it spent the budgeted amounts for teachers.

Keller is a middle school English teacher and Green works in the high school as a social studies teacher. Green noted a 2022 report from the state comptroller that said the district had amassed reserves that were too high. AT that time the district’s reserves were about $17 million. Green and Keller said the reserves now top $50 million.

The two sides are $1.4 million apart in a five-year contract or about $300,000 a year.

Albion teachers are seeking raises that the ATA said reflects the cost-of-living increases and also the extra workload as the district demands more time each day for teachers to be in the classroom. (The first year of the contract would be an extra 10 minutes, and then 20 minutes from years 2 to 5.)

Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, told the Orleans Hub in a  recent interview that the needs to allow the district to stay within the state-imposed tax cap of about 2 percent annually. The new contract will set the floor for future contracts and the commitment from local taxpayers, Edwards said.

“My hope is we reach a conclusion that is fair and fiscally responsible for both parties and the community,” he said. “It’s about sustainability and being fair to the community.”

Bruce Pritchett, a middle school social studies teacher, holds a sign demanding a fair contract for Albion teachers. About 30 teachers attended Monday’s board meeting, with several holding signs and most wearing T-shirts in support of the teachers’ union.

Albion hasn’t increased what it collects in property taxes in 18 of the last 20 years. The district has benefitted from steady increases in state aid, but Edwards said there is no guarantee that will continue in the future with the state.

The teachers have been without a contract for over a year. They still get their regular step increases and all other benefits while there isn’t a contract except teachers on the highest step of 24 because there isn’t a step increase for them. The district said the steps are an average of 3.8 percent (ranging from 2.6 to 10.6 percent).

The district is proposing in the new contract the regular pay hikes with step increases, plus additional raises of 6.9 percent in the first year, 3.3 percent in the second year, 3.5 percent the third year, 3.3 percent the fourth year and 3.4 percent in the fifth year. The total increase over the 5 years would be 22.1 percent or $2,742,032.

The ATA is seeking a contract that would be about $1.4 million over what the district is offering. The ATA is seeking the usual salary steps plus a 4.8 percent increase the first year, and then 10 percent the second year, 5.7 percent the third year, 4.7 percent the fourth year and 4.7 percent the fifth year.

The district wants teachers to work more instructional time because the district currently is close to the 990-hour minimum for the elementary school and 900-hour minimum for secondary levels, Edwards said. If there is a snow day or other emergency, Albion is cutting it very close to meet the minimum standard, Edwards said.

That added time represents 4.7 percent more time in the classroom for teachers. The ATA said the contract should reflect that additional workload, as well as the cost-of-living increases that the ATA is putting at 3.5 percent annually.

Board of Education will decide on scope of project on Oct. 26 with 3 options ranging from $33.4 million to $47.3 million

Photos by Tom Rivers: This slide presented at the Albion Board of Education meeting on Monday shows a conceptual rendering of a new greenhouse and renovated ag shop at the high school. Rick Recckio II, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance, is at lower right in the photo.

ALBION – The school district plans to put a capital project to a public referendum in mid-December, with the project ranging from $33.4 million to $47.3 million.

The Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 26 to determine the scope of the project. It could go to a public vote on either Dec. 15 or Dec. 17.

During Monday’s board meeting, four representatives from Campus Construction Management Group went over options for the project after meeting with district stakeholders in recent months. The Campus Construction team included Jason Benfante, vice president; Kevin Donoghue, executive vice president; Kory Hunsinger, principal; Michael Ferreri, senior project manager.

Campus Construction assisted Albion with the recent $26.7 million capital project that was approved by voters December 2021, with construction starting in 2023. Part of that project included the new turf fields for the football field, softball and soccer. That project also included work on all three schools, as well as the bus garage.

The new project also includes work at all three school buildings as well as the bus garage. The price varies depending on the scope of work in the elementary school.

School districts in New York State are required to do a Building Condition Survey every five years for all normally occupied student buildings. The survey identified areas for a new capital project with state aid covering the majority of the expense. The local share from Albion already would be covered in the district’s capital reserve fund, Board of Education member John Kast said during Monday’s meeting.

“Throughout our meetings with stakeholders, these are the things that rose to top,” said Kory Hunsinger, a principal with Campus Construction.

The new project includes some elements that were considered for the previous project, but were removed, Hunsinger said.

The project could include the following:

High School

This slide was presented during the Board of Education meeting and shows the concept of turning the art foyer at the high school int a fitness center.

• Renovate Ag, IT and wood shop – $6.1 million
• Greenhouse addition – $1 million
• Renovate LGI – $3 million
• Renovate counseling suite – $1.2 million
• Renovate art foyer into fitness center – $1.6 million
• Digital athletics/arts wall of fame – $200,000
• Replace areas of damaged roofing – $100,000
• Remediate sewer odor in athletics vestibule – $100,000

Middle School

The auditorium in the middle school would be renovated while preserving its Art Deco character.

• Renovate auditorium, including seating, lighting, rigging and sound – $7.5 million
• Replace areas of damaged roofing – $600,000
• Replace exterior window sills – $300,000
• Provide security film on at-grade windows – $200,000

Elementary School

The scope of work for new ventilation systems, cabinets and windows would vary in the elementary school, ranging from $6.2 million to $20.1 million

• Replace east playground at $2 million
• Replace west playground surfacing at $800,000
• Renovate main entrance courtyard at $300,000, with $200,000 to add snow melt
• Provide security film on at-grade windows at $200,000
• Replace classroom ventilation system, adjacent cabinets and windows; replace classroom flooring, ceilings, caseworks, lighting and upgrade classroom toilet rooms wings A, B, D, G, I, J. This option would be $20.1 million.

Limiting the work to wings A, B, I, and J would reduce the cost to an estimated $12.1 million for Option 2.

Option 3 would be $6.2 million to replace classroom ventilation system, adjacent cabinets and windows in wings A, B, D, G, I and J.

Transportation building

• Replace trench drain in storage and service bays at $200,000
• Replace areas of damaged roofing, $30,000

If the project is approved by voters, Campus Construction would need to finalize the design and get State Department of Education approval. Once State Ed gives the final OK for the project, bid specifications would be prepared with bids likely to be sought in the winter of 2028.

Construction could start in the summer of 2028, and it could take three summers to get all the work done, Campus Construction officials told the Board of Education.

The cost estimates represent about a 21 percent increase from the current construction prices. Campus Construction is estimating a 7 percent price increase in construction each year. If the work is done in two to three years, the company is estimating a 21 percent escalation in construction costs.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The band, Yacht Club, gave a high-energy performance on Saturday night at the Elks Lodge for “Rocktoberfest.”

The Albion Recreation Committee welcomed the band with proceeds from the event going to Albion’s July 3rd celebration with music, fireworks and other activities at Bullard Park. There was a $5 admission charge and the Elks served food and refreshments.

Yacht Club touts itself as “Western NY’s Premier Yacht Rock party band covering all your favorite Yacht Rock Classics from the ’70s and ’80s.”

The Elks hosted the concert that filled the lodge on West State Street.