By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 September 2019 at 10:11 am
Déjà Vu Ballooning in Gasport provided tethered hot-air balloon rides on Aug. 31 at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds for the Steampunk Festival. Déjà Vu will have a balloon at the upcoming Walk for Life on Sept. 29 in Albion.
ALBION – The Walk for Life, a fundraiser for Care Net of Greater Orleans, is going to be at a different location this year, and will offer tethered hot-air balloon rides for the first time.
Walk for Life is usually at Mount Albion Cemetery. That location didn’t have a big enough open spot for Déjà Vu Ballooning in Gasport to offer the tethered balloon rides.
Care Net has moved the Sept. 29 to Albion Central School with the balloon rides in front of the track/football stadium.
“I thought it would add a nice fun dimension to the walk,” said Wende Swick, Care Net’s executive director.
Tickets are $25 for a ride in the tethered balloon. The top 2 fundraisers for the walk will get a full ride in the balloon.
The Walk for Life will include a 1-mile route in the nature trail/woods. If it’s muddy or rainy, the course will shift to the track.
Participants can walk or run the course as individuals or as a team. Swick encouraged youth groups, Bible study groups or families to be part of the event, which goes from 5 to 8 p.m.
There will be prizes for the teams with the best costume, most spirit, largest team, and in other categories.
Care Net has set a $15,000 fundraising goal for the event. For more information, call Care Net at 589-7505, or click here.
Care Net Center of Greater Orleans provides free services which include pregnancy and STI testing, limited ultrasounds, classes in parenting, Bible study and life skills, material aid, an earn while you learn program.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 September 2019 at 9:36 am
Albion DPW will repair road, while DOT works on bridge this week
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Crews from the Village of Albion Department of Public Works work on a section of Route 98, just north of the Main Street lift bridge, this morning.
The village is working this week to restore the road which had to be torn up in January after a water main leak.
With the road closed for the repair, the state Canal Corp. is using it as an opportunity for maintenance on the bridge, keeping it in the upright position so boats can pass through.
The bridge is expected to be closed to traffic for approximately five days.During the closure, vehicular traffic will be detoured using East State Street, Ingersoll and Caroline Streets.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Fred Miller moves a dolly at Family Hardware in Albion this morning. He has owned the store for the past 33 years at 58 North Main St.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 September 2019 at 3:54 pm
Fred Miller has owned the store for 33 years
ALBION – A downtown mainstay, Family Hardware, will soon be closing. Fred Miller has owned the store the past 33 years, and worked there for five years before buying it.
An ad posted on the Orleans Hub this morning informed the community the store was closing, with a 30 percent off sale next week. Miller will be selling the inventory, and then he expects there will be an auction to sell the shelves and fixtures.
The store was once a bustling place, with customers lined up before the doors opened at 8 a.m., Miller recalled today.
He once had 8 to 10 employees. On a typical day he would make 50 keys for customers.
Miller, 65, has been running the place mostly by himself in recent years. He is often joined by his dog, Max, a German Shepherd.
“It was a wonderful past,” Miller said today.
He was thankful for the 38 years in the business, for the chance to get to know many community members. His children grew up working in the store. Kevin is now 37 and Janet is 32. They are coming home next week to help their father with the going-out-business sale.
Fred Miller helps the driver from True Value Hardware unload a truck this morning, in what Miller expects will be the last hardware delivery for the store.
Miller said it is a challenge to succeed as a small business owner. He has watched many businesses come and go in downtown Albion. He felt the loss when Fischer’s Newsstand closed in August 2015. That business, like the hardware store, had been a fixture of the downtown for about a century.
Many of the Fischer’s customers would stop by the hardware store to grab a few items.
Miller ran for local elected office about a decade ago over concerns about taxes and the small business environment. He was first on the Albion Village Board and then was elected to the Orleans County Legislature. He is the lone Democrat on the Legislature, and he is well-liked by the Republicans. The party didn’t endorse any one to challenge him in the election.
“The people of this I’ve always loved,” Miller said. “That’s why I got into politics. But I’m not a politician. I’m a business owner.”
Miller said the store was given a boost through e-commerce, where local people could order from the Family Hardware website and then pick up the products at Miller’s store.
He has been wanting to retire anyway. He hasn’t been able to take vacations over the years with his wife Betty Sue.
Without employees to run the store, He has had to close Family Hardware early to make meetings as a county legislator.
This spring he had to close a few hours each day so he could get radiation treatments for prostate cancer. Miller said the treatments have been successful.
He had hoped the building would stay a hardware store, but that won’t be the case. Miller said someone has an option to buy the building.
Doug Bower stopped by the store today to pick up a water heater from Miller. Bower, a plumber, has been one of Miller’s most dedicated customers over the years.
Doug Bower, an Albion plumber, has been one of Miller’s most loyal customers. He stops by each morning around 7:30 for coffee, just before the doors open to the public. He is usually joined by Joe Baker and Richard Nenni, two other dedicated customers.
Bower said Miller kept the store going long after most others would have stopped.
“It’s hard to stay in business against the Home Depots and the Lowe’s,” Bower said.
Miller said the big box competition wasn’t the culprit in the store’s closing. Ultimately, he said there are far fewer do-it-yourselfers these days. Many local residents either hire out work around the house or neglect home improvement projects.
“People used to do more projects,” he said. “We used to have people lined up here at 8 in the morning. They knew how to do things with their hands. They could do projects – faucets, toilets, outlets, plumbing and electrical.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 September 2019 at 3:15 pm
Village DPW needs to make road repair from Jan. 1 water leak
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Department of Public Works had to dig down on Main Street, just north of the Erie Canal lift bridge, to fix a water leak on Jan. 1, 2019. The Village DPW next week will repair the section of the road to state Department of Transportation standards. The DPW did a temporary restoration in January.
ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge will be closed to traffic beginning Monday so a full road restoration can be made just north of the bridge. The bridge could be closed to traffic until Friday.
The Village of Albion Department of Public Works on Jan. 1 was forced to cut into the road and dig down to a water main after a big leak was discovered.
The Village DPW will dig down again about 6 to 7 feet next week, and will check on the water main to make sure the fix is holding, said Jay Pahura, the DPW superintendent.
The DPW then needs to restore the road the state Department of Transportation standards, with layers of sand, crusher-run and flowable fill, topped by 14 inches of pavement.
The DOT is bringing in a saw to cut through the 14 inches of pavement. The County Highway Department will help haul material to the site.
The DPW also needs to reset granite curbing and sidewalks at the site.
Pahura said there is a chance the work won’t take five days and the bridge could reopen to traffic sooner. The bridge will remain operational for any boat traffic during the week.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 September 2019 at 8:14 am
Provided photo
ALBION – Some members of the Albion Rock the Park Committee on Wednesday presented a $5,000 ceremonial check to Albion Mayor Eileen Banker, left, for projects at Bullard Park. Other sin the photo include committee members: John Grillo, Bernie Baldwin, Kim Remley and Ron Albertson.
The committee organized the Albion Summer Festival featuring Rock the Park on Aug. 3. It added children’s games and welcomed vendors for the event.
The sixth annual event attracted about 1,000 people to the performance tent where five bands performed from 3 to 11 p.m.
Next year, the bands will play from a new amphitheater that has been under construction this summer, along with a spray park and other improvements.
The Rock the Park Committee would like the $5,000 to go towards the amphitheater with $2,000 for electric work, and $3,000 for side slats that can be rolled up. The amphitheater is on a slope and some of the $5,000 from the committee could also be used for drainage, said John Grillo, one of the committee members and Albion’s recreation director.
The committee wants to add more vendors and children’s games and activities for next year’s festival.
Press Release, Orleans County Department of History
ALBION – The torch-lit tours of historic downtown Albion scheduled for Friday and Saturday will gather at Tinsel, 160 N. Main Street, north of the Canal (instead of 34 E. Park Street). The tours will conclude at Courthouse Square.
Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian, will lead guests on a night-time tour of downtown Albion at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Come hear the stories of the disappearance of William Morgan, Nehemiah Ingersoll’s crafty plan to secure the county seat, the murder of Pierpont Dyer, Albert Warner’s theft of thousands from the First National Bank of Albion, the murder of Alice Wilson, and many more. Guests are encouraged to bring a flashlight and to wear comfortable shoes.
The tours are free and open to the public, no advanced registration is required. Tours will take place rain or shine (unless thunderstorms are forecasted), so bring an umbrella or jacket in case of inclement weather.
Tinsel will host food options for guests on both evenings and offer a special discount to tour participants. Guests are encouraged to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to support local businesses and to grab a bite to eat before the tours: Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza, on Friday, starting at 5 p.m.; The Chuck Wagon, on Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.
A special thank you to Tinsel, Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza, The Chuck Wagon, and the Downtown Browsery for their support!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 September 2019 at 10:33 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Thaddeus Nauden of Waterport removed his hat for the Pledge of Allegiance during a Sept. 11 memorial observance this evening at the Courthouse Square.
Many local firefighters and law enforcement officers attended the service. They are standing near the Sept. 11 monument by the flag pole.
About 3,000 people were killed during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks including 343 firefighters, 60 law enforcement officers, and eight EMTs.
The Honor Guard does a 21-gun salute at the service today.
Scott Schmidt speaks in front of the 9/11 monument which shows an outline of the World Trade Center towers.
Scott Schmidt, the Orleans County chief coroner, served as keynote speaker for the service. Schmidt is a member of the U.S. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team and deployed to New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He spent 20 days in NYC at the Twin Towers scene.
Schmidt recounted a timeline form that day. At 8:46 a.m., the North Tower was struck. At 9:03, a plane hit the South Tower. At 9:37, the Pentagon was struck. At 9:59 p.m., the South Tower fell. At 10:07 a.m., Flight 93 crashed in rural Shanksville, Pa. At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower collapsed.
Schmidt assisted in the recovery, removal and identification of the dead along with the office of the chief medical examiner’
Besides the nearly 3,000 killed that day, 6,969 U.S. military personnel have died in Global War on Terror, and 2,100 people have died as a result of illness post-Sept. 11, Schmidt shared.
There was community remembrance a few days after the 9/11 attacks, and more than 2,500 attended the event, filling East State Street in front of the Courthouse.
Schmidt recalled seeing photos people sent him from Orleans County, with American flags on display everywhere.
“Those are the actions of a unified people and of a country that supports our right to be a free nation,” Schmidt said.
The nation won’t forget the first responders who charged into the buildings, and the many others who responded to help in the days and weeks that followed.
“We won’t forget the countless volunteers who cared for the injured, the dying, the dead, and the responders, as well as caring for each other,” Schmidt said. “We won’t forget the strength of America and of Americans.”
Don Snyder, a chaplain with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, gave the opening and closing prayer. He thanked God for first responders who put their own lives in peril to help others.
He urged community members to consider volunteering with their fire departments.
Jim Hollinger of Albion plays Taps near the end of the service. He is a member of the Marine Corps League.
A resident salutes while Taps is played during the memorial service.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2019 at 8:43 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers: Local veterans were part of the memorial ceremony on Sept. 11, 2015 outside the Orleans County Courthouse by the 9-11 memorial.
ALBION – There will be a Sept. 11 memorial observance at 6 p.m. on Wednesday by the 9-11 monument near the Orleans County Courthouse.
The service is being put together by Scott Schmidt, the Orleans County chief coroner, and Dale Banker, the Emergency Management Office director for the county. They stepped up to plan the service when none was scheduled for the 18th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Schmidt is a member of the U.S. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. He left for New York City on Sept. 11, 2001 to help collect and identify remains. He was there for 20 days, interviewing family members and helping to carefully catalog human remains.
The service on Wednesday includes an opening prayer by Don Snyder, chaplain for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Banker will also speak about the community’s appreciation for first responders, while Schmidt gives the memorial address, sharing some of his experiences in New York City after the World Trade Center towers were toppled.
The Honor Guard also is expected to be at the service.
Staff Reports Posted 10 September 2019 at 12:18 pm
Photos courtesy of Mindy Warne of MAWS Photography
WATERPORT – This weekend the Albion Class of 1969 celebrated 50 years since graduation. Friday was a great evening, courtesy of Joe & Debbie Martillotta, with music by Mike McCauley. On Saturday we had a tour of the school graciously led by Superintendent Michael Bonnewell, followed by an evening at the St. Mary’s Archer’s Club in Waterport.
Sitting from left: Ross Thompson, Rita (Long) Carlton, Bonnie (Hudson) Bowman, Davette (Pawlaczyk) Sanborn, Marcia (Piatek) Goff, Mark Chamberlain (teacher), Hugh Dudley (teacher), Dave Ragusa (teacher/coach), Patricia (Kirby) Macey, Darlene Benton, Sherry (Peters) Bernreuther, Neal Muscarella and Kim (Eddy) Remley.
Standing from left: Mona Fitzwater, Jeanette Riley, Karen (Furmanski) Lawrence, Larry Williams, Judy Ward, Linda (Williams) Kabelac, Sue (Davis) Arnesen, Terry Schmackpfeffer, Brenda (Brown) Mufford, Pam (Kast) Dovidio, Jim Theodorakos, Sharon (Chattin) Dent, John Leddon, Jeanne (Scharping) Nenni, Joanne Miceli, Jesse Babcock, Susan (Nenni) Ernst, William Wittman, Kevin Christy, Dianne (Stackwick) Eddy, Linda (Andrews) Christopher, Dana Gavenda, Debbie (Snowdon) Cook, Richard Cook, John Knight, Cynthia Roberts, Frank Sidari, Joe Martillotta, Mark Hudson, Connie (Quarantello) Ragusa, Jim Dragon, Suzanne (Swiercznski) Swindon, Sam Martillotta and Linda (Bailey) Chrzan.
This group played on the Albion varsity football team as seniors. They include, from left: Jim Theodorakos, Frank Sidari, John Leddon, Richard Cook, Coach Dave Ragusa, Joe Martillotta and Mark Hudson.
The reunion committee includes, from left: Linda (Bailey) Chrzan, Judy Ward, Joe Martillotta, Cindy Roberts, Jim Dragon, Kim (Eddy) Remley, Darlene Benton and Ross Thompson.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2019 at 11:20 am
District will bring in technology specialist to consider some options
ALBION – The school district will bring in a technology specialist to help pinpoint projects that would be funded through the $2.2 million approved for Albion five years ago through the Smart Schools Bond Act, a $2 billion fund approved for school districts state-wide.
Other districts in Orleans County have used Smart Schools funding for laptops for students, server upgrades, high-definition security cameras, expanded wireless internet access and other improvements.
Albion already had an upgraded computer system, well beyond the expectations for a school district when the Smarts Schools funding was approved, said Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent.
The district has expanded wireless access on campus, and in July purchased 540 new Chromebook laptops for students. The district spent $119,700 for the Chromebooks, which also includes 18 charging carts.
Instead of using the Smart Schools funding, Albion used its own district dollars.
Bonnewell said the Smarts Schools funds often comes with a year delay from when districts apply to draw down on their allocation. If a new version of technology comes out or a updated laptop, districts then have to modify their technology plan submitted to the state to access the funds.
The district in 2017 formed a technology committee with teachers and administrators to try to prioritize how to spend the Smart School money. That group hasn’t reached a conclusion because Albion already meets many state objectives with the funds.
Other criteria for the money aren’t applicable at Albion, such as replacing a temporary classroom with a permanent one. Albion replaced temporary classrooms in the elementary school with a capital project more than a decade ago.
The state also allows Smarts Schools funding to boost community connectivity, and some schools have done that to add high-speed internet at a local library. In Albion, Hoag Library already has high-speed internet.
The district has brought in Archi-Technology Services which works with many school districts at utilizing technology. Bonnewell said Archi-Technology will meet with school officials and technology committee to consider some options for the funding.
Linda Weller, a Board of Education member, urged the district to identify projects with the funds.
“This district is techno-phobic,” she said at Monday’s Board of Education meeting.
“The district is not techno-phobic,” Bonnewell responded.
Elissa Nesbitt, another board member, wants to see Albion utilize the Smarts Schools funding.
“This is a really big opportunity,” she said. “We need to think big. This could be a systemic change.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 September 2019 at 9:41 am
ALBION – The Board of Education has mixed views on the school district having an official Facebook page to share news and information about the district.
Board members Elissa Nesbitt and Linda Weller said many other nearby school districts have Facebook pages that are popular in their communities.
“It’s the currency of today,” Nesbitt said at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. “A lot of parents are on Facebook.”
Weller said the district could post info on open houses, and other events.
“I’m all for it,” she said. “Let the community be more informed.”
Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent, has reservations about Facebook, mainly due to the comments that can be posted. He worries teachers and students could be harshly criticized, and the post might stay up for a while before a district employee sees it. By then it could have been shared and seen many times on the district’s official Facebook page.
“Social media is a world of faceless and sometimes lawless individuals who are sometimes not intent on doing the right thing,” Bonnewell said.
Board member David Sidari said the district has a revamped website that is loaded with information and a calendar of events.
However, Nesbitt said she doesn’t think the website gets much traffic. She said Facebook would be more popular for sharing information.
“I think that’s how people communicate now,” she said. “We can use it to our advantage if we do it right.”
Many of the Albion school programs and sports programs already have their own Facebook pages. Bonnewell said that is different from an official Facebook page for the district. He said the board needs to consider who would be in charge of posting on the page, how frequently, and who would monitor the comments. If a comment is removed the district should have a policy in place for that.
Board member Margy Brown said she has checked other districts’ Facebook pages and they often aren’t updated frequently.
“Someone needs to keep it up to date or else it’s useless,” she said.
If Albion went that route the district should consider hiring a media specialist to run the page. Otherwise it will pull away from the work of current school employees, Brown said.
She said the district has stepped up its efforts to communicate with the public with the improved website and with text alerts.
The board formed a committee with Nesbitt, Weller and Brown to look at the district having an official social media presence. The committee will reach out to other districts to see their policies and how they handle posting, and comments.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 September 2019 at 5:45 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – This 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird is owned by George Rockman of Holley. It was one of 104 vehicles at a car show Saturday at Bullard Park to benefit Hospice of Orleans.
The turnout was the most since Becky Karls starting organizing the event in 2013. Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes is the main sponsor for the car show.
Karls said she expected the event will net $3,500 for Hospice.
Ed Doran of Medina is pictured with a 1968 Chevy Pickup that he has painted and decorated as a tribute to the 343 firefighters who were killed during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Doran used to be a firefighter for Medina, Shelby and East Shelby. Mark Weld, an Middleport artist, did the artwork on the truck.
Ed Doran holds a flag made of empty bullet shells. His truck won the award at the car show for “Best Looking Under the Hood.” There were 22 awards given out at the car show with the participants picking the winners.
The Masonic Lodge cooked hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage, French fries and sold beverages. The organization donated the proceeds, $757, to Hospice. This group includes, from left: Glen Busch of the Masons, Josh Mitchell of Christopher Mitchell, Mike Gillette of the Masons, Becky Karls, and Tim McGee of the Masons.
This 1934 hearse owned by Scott Schmidt won the award for best vehicle from the 1920s to 1940s.
Josh Mitchell announces the winners at the car show.
There were two new memorial awards at the car show. Sherri Carter, right, presented the Clayton Carter Memorial in honor of her father to John Magnum, owner of a 1923 Model T.
Louise Mana presented an award in memory of her husband, Mario Mana, to Sam Sanfilippo, owner of a 1931 Hudson Essex.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Ben DeGeorge of the DeGeorge Property Group sits on a couch in the front room of the Arnold Gregory Office Complex. In back is a snack shop that is run by the Arc of Genesee Orleans.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 September 2019 at 11:20 am
Site resembles a mall with professional offices, retail and non-profits
There many tenants in the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street.
ALBION – The former Arnold Gregory hospital in Albion continues its transformation as an office building. The site has added new tenants recently who say the building now functions as a mini-mall with professional offices, retail and space for non-profit organizations.
Ben DeGeorge and the DeGeorge Property Group bought the building five years ago from Lissow Development. They also bought Lissow apartments – the former Waterport Elementary School, Canal Towns Commons and an apartment building in Holley.
DeGeorge praises Ray Lissow for turning the former hospital into offices and an asset for the community. DeGeorge has picked up where Lissow left off, adding a business incubator with shared space for small businesses, and trying to accommodate other needs for tenants.
“It’s a community that wants to work with each other,” said DeGeorge, who is based in Monroe County. “The tenants, the local businesses and the local officials, everyone is so easy to work with.”
Arnold Gregory now has nearly 30 tenants, from medical services, a dog groomer, coffee shop and many others. DeGeorge has three maintenance workers devoted to Arnold Gregory and the three apartment buildings.
Theresa Pawlak is the office manager, in a suite with several small businesses sharing space in a business incubator. That shared space helps keep their costs down for rent, and still gives them a professional office.
Pawlak was born at Arnold Gregory. She then worked in the building as a prekindergarten teacher’s aide for a decade at the Rainbow Preschool.
“It’s nice to have someone outside the community invest here, someone who is young,” Pawlak said.
Theresa Pawlak works as the office manager at the former hospital, now owned by the DeGeorge Property Group.
DeGeorge, 32, said the Arnold Gregory Office Complex is a source of personal pride.
“Walking through this building is always exciting,” he said. “It’s such a neat place. This building is doing something. It’s such an important part of the community.”
DeGeorge said he is willing to work with startup companies and new organizations.
Beth Schorer, owner of Beth’s Sewing Box, does tailoring and other projects at her business, which also is a dry-cleaning stop. Robin Lewis is in back working on a quilting project.
Beth Schorer, owner of Beth’s Sewing Box, started in a small space down the hall in the first floor about 1 ½ years ago. It was an affordable entry to having an office. Her tailoring and alterations business grew, and she moved to a bigger space in the building.
“He gave me a chance,” Schorer said. “There is so much in here that people don’t see. It’s not a hospital anymore. It’s like a mall.”
Schorer moved into the bigger space in March. It gives her a dressing room and about double the area for her sewing equipment and to display dresses.
“She is one of our success stories,” DeGeorge said.
The building has about 50 original works of art on the walls, painted on canvases by former employee Rebekah Lee. DeGeorge worked with the Arc of Genesee Orleans to open a coffee and snack shop in the main lobby about three years ago. DeGeorge also added a conference room and a gym for the tenants.
He estimates about 100 people work in the building, and many clients and customers pass through the doors each day.
Cindy Eibl, owner of the Corner Gift Boutique, stands by the business at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street. Eibl said the building is business with tenants and their clients.
Cindy Eibl and Tina Page noticed the building is a busy place. Last holiday season near Christmas they intended to run the Corner Gift Boutique in the building from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. They are a retail business, selling new and vintage gift items, and hand-crafted merchandise. They have stayed in the building this year because of the foot traffic inside.
Tina Page, co-owner of the Corner Gift Boutique, sells many gift items at the store.
“It was supposed to be seasonal,” Eibl said. “We were just looking to have a holiday shop.”
Many of the customers are other workers in the building, or their clients.
“There are a lot of people in here,” Eibl said. “I call it Albion’s little mini-mall.”
Orleans Recovery Hope moved into the building in December. The organization started in 2017. It is a peer organization that works with recovering addicts and their families. The office allows Orleans Recovery Hope to have a drop-in center and offer trainings. It also runs a grief group.
Wayne Litchfield is a volunteer, peer recovery advocate and a board member for the organization.
“It’s centrally located,” he said about Arnold Gregory. “It’s accessible to people. The nice part is the community is finding out about us.”
Wayne Litchfield said the Arnold Gregory location has been a good fit for Orleans Recovery Hope, where he is an active volunteer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 September 2019 at 3:08 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Albion Rotary Club today named Becky Karls, center, as a Paul Harris Fellow, the highest honor given by a Rotary Club.
Karls is joined by Rotarians Cindy Perry, left, and Don Bishop, right.
Bishop called Karls “the secret ingredient of the Albion Rotary Club.” She is instrumental each year in many of the club’s fundraisers, including the St. Patrick’s Ham Dinner, the Turtle Race at the Strawberry Festival, the golf tournament and the fishing derby.
Karls also is active with many other community efforts, including organizing a car show this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Bullard Park in Albion. That car show is a fundraiser for Hospice of Orleans County.
The Rotary Club also recognized Fred Nesbitt, a retired fruit grower, for reaching the second level as a Paul Harris Fellow.
The Rotary Club today was visited by Anna Kangasluoma of Finland. She was a Rotary exchange student at Albion in the 2007-08 school year. She now works as a nurse. She is pictured with Bruce Landis, a member of the Albion Rotary Club.
ALBION – The Orleans County Health Department is seeking help in finding the owner of a dog that bit a pedestrian in the Village of Albion on Thursday, Aug. 29, at approximately 7:15 p.m.
A pedestrian was bitten by a small yellow/white dog with big ears being walked by four children. The dog was on a leash and is described as beagle/cocker spaniel size. The children and dog were walking eastbound along the Erie Canal just east of the Ingersoll Bridge when the dog bit the westbound pedestrian.
“The purpose in locating the owner of the dog is to make sure the dog is up-to-date in its anti-rabies vaccine,” said Sarah Balduf, Environmental Director of Genesee and Orleans Counties. “If the owner cannot be located, the individual will have to go through unnecessary treatment.”
Anyone with information on the dog and/or dog owner is asked to contact the Orleans County Health Department at 585-589-3278.
ALBION – The Board of Education has mixed views on the school district having an official Facebook page to share news and information about the district.
