Two people seek money from Crosby’s, north of the canal, on Monday night in Albion.
ALBION – The Albion Police Department is continuing to investigate the attempted robbery that occurred at the Crosby’s North convenience store on July 29.
In an attempt to identify the suspects involved, the Albion Police Department has released clips from the security camera footage of the incident.
The videos can be viewed on the Albion Police Department’s Facebook page by clicking here.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Albion Police Department at (585) 589-5627 or Orleans County Dispatch Center (585) 589-5527.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 July 2019 at 1:22 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Calvin Nichols sings classic rock songs with the Rock Soulgers during Rock the Park on Aug. 4, 2018. Four bands and five other acoustic acts will perform Saturday at Bullard from 3 to 11 p.m.
ALBION – Bands and acoustic performs will be rocking this Saturday at Bullard Park in the sixth annual Rock the Park.
The annual event has been rebranded to the Albion Summer Festival featuring Rock the Park. There will be food and alcohol vendors as well (and also nonalcoholic drinks). There also are many arts and crafts vendors.
Rock the Park was initially spearheaded by the Albion Lions Club in an effort to raise funds for upgrading Bullard Park. Contractors are currently working on $800,000 in improvements to the park, including a new amphitheater, splash park, pavilion and utility building.
The construction has shifted the musicians and vendors to the east side of the park. The amphitheater will be available for next year’s music event.
“With the construction going on people are seeing the results of what was the reason for doing this,” said Zack Burgess, co-chairman of the event with Ron Albertson.
Burgess has booked many of the bands and performers. He is a member of the band Zero, which performs at 5:30 at the 120-by-40-foot beer tent. Four bands will play in the beer tent from 3 to 11 p.m.
There also is a smaller tent, 40-by-20-foot, for five acoustic acts to perform from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All of the bands and acoustic acts have a connection to Albion or Orleans County, Burgess said.
“This will really be a celebration of the local musicians,” he said. “It is rare to see so many on the same stage on the same day.”
The committee for the festival wants to keep building on the event. Last year’s Rock the Park attracted about 500 to 600 people. Albertson and Burgess said donations are up this year from sponsors and the event’s social media pages have nearly doubled the traffic from last year.
“We’ve gained momentum, and you don’t want to slow down momentum once you got it going,” Albertson said. “I think we’ll have a fantastic turnout, I really do.”
Admission for Rock the Park is free, except for a $5 charge to enter the beer tent.
The full schedule includes:
11 a.m. – Festival opens
11 a.m. – Craft and artisan vendors open
11 a.m. – Food vendors open
11 a.m. – Gregg Albertson plays the acoustic stage
11:45 a.m. – Unorthodox plays the acoustic stage
12:30 p.m. – Highway 31 plays the acoustic stage
1 p.m. – Kids games open
1:15 p.m. – What About Jane plays the acoustic stage
2 p.m. – Burial Harbor plays the acoustic stage
3 p.m. – Beer Tent opens
3 p.m. – Shotgun Pauly plays the beer tent stage
4:15 p.m. – The Trellis Cooper Band plays the beer tent stage
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 July 2019 at 7:31 am
Two people seek money from Crosby’s employees on Monday night in Albion.
ALBION – Two people allegedly attempted to rob the Crosby’s North convenience store on Monday night. The suspects entered the store and displayed a handgun and demanded money from store employees.
The suspects then immediately left without getting any money from the store at 202 North Main St., Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni said.
The Albion PD was dispatched to store, just north of the canal, at 9:50 p.m.
Suspect descriptions are as follows:
• Suspect 1 is a white male wearing blue jeans, black hoodie with “ZOO YORK” in white bold letters on the front and two white stripes on the rear, with a black bandanna with sunglasses covering his face. The suspect described as having a lighter-colored receding hairline and missing teeth.
• Suspect 2 is a white female wearing black sweatshirt, black baseball hat, light-colored bandanna with sunglasses covering her face. She has short curly blonde hair with brown in it.
Both suspects were last seen eastbound on foot on Caroline Street.
If anyone was in the area of the store around the time of the incident or if anyone has information, they are asked to contact the Albion Police Department at 585-589-5627.
The suspects ran from the store and headed east on Caroline Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 July 2019 at 4:42 pm
Provided photos
ALBION – Students in grades 5 through 8 at Albion, Lyndonville and Medina sing in Thursday’s concert as part of the Summer Music Fest.
There were 209 students in the program, now in its sixth year. The three districts combine and run a music program for four days, to help students keep up with their music skills and connect with other students.
Jeanette Sheliga, a Medina music teacher, conducts the cadet band at the Albion Middle School Auditorium. Albion hosted the Summer Music Fest for the first time.
Music teachers at the three school districts have collaborated the past six years for the music fest, which started with 76 students the first year and set a new record with 209.
Amir Huzair of Lyndonville sings a solo, “This Is Me,” during the concert.
Lyndonville students are wearing orange, while Albion is in purple and Medina in blue.
This summer the program was expanded to include students going into the eighth grade.
Myles Kifner, Lyndonville’s new band teacher, made his debut with the school at the Summer Music Fest.
Three students play their clarinets, including, from left: Neveya Barnes (Albion), Teagan Balaban (Medina) and Jillian Robertson (Lyndonville).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 July 2019 at 12:19 pm
ALBION – The family of a mother and son killed in a Feb. 2 accident on Route 98 in Elba will celebrate their lives at two upcoming events.
Theresa Norton, 53, and her son, Thomas, 22, died in a car accident on a snow-covered section Route 98 between Edgerton Road and Batavia Elba Townline Road.
July 29 would have been Theresa’s 54th birthday. The family will be releasing balloons at 6 p.m. on July 29 at her house, 4779 Cushing Rd. in Barre. The balloons will be released in honor of the mother and son, said Kim Albanese, Theresa’s daughter.
Earlier that day, Kim will also be laying flowers at the crash site in honor of her mother and brother.
The family will have a celebration of life for Theresa and Thomas Norton at 1 p.m. on Aug. 3. That celebration will be at 317 West Academy St., Albion, at a relative’s home.
Albanese said family and friends are welcome to attend and are encouraged to bring a dish to pass.
Photos provided by Jaime Allport: Thomas Rhett takes a selfie with Madison Muckle during Friday's soldout concert at Darien Lake.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 July 2019 at 1:02 pm
Madison Muckle shares stage with singer, and gets a selfie
Madison Muckle created a poster, hoping to get Thomas Rhett’s attention during Friday’s concert.
DARIEN – Madison Muckle, 11, of Albion had a mission when she went to a concert Friday night to see her favorite singer, Thomas Rhett. Madison wanted to get on stage with Rhett and have a selfie taken.
Madison created a poster to let Rhett know she had checked two out of three boxes of some life goals. First off, beat cancer. Check. Secondly, go to Thomas Rhett concert. Check.
Third goal: Selfie with Thomas. That one wasn’t checked before the concert.
Thomas Rhett saw the poster during Friday’s sellout concert at Six Flags Darien Lake. He brought Madison on stage, hugged her and took the selfie.
“Oh my gosh, hold on two seconds,” Rhett said when he took a close look at Madison with her poster. “Get up here. Come here. We’re gonna check all these off.”
Photos and a video of Madison on stage with Rhett have been shared by the famous singer on social media. He has 2.4 million followers on Twitter and 3.7 million followers on Instagram.
“She is my new favorite human being on the planet,” Rhett told the cheering crowd.
Madison on April 10 marked 6 years of being cancer free.
Madison was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was 3 years old. The family received the diagnosis on Dec. 27, 2010. She endured 2 ½ years of chemo and treatment, including nine blood transfusions.
She just finished fifth grade and is active in dance classes and plays point guard in basketball.
Her mother, Jaime Allport, said Madison has been a big fan of Rhett for more than a year. When she made the poster, Madison put the title of one of Rhett’s most popular songs on top: “Look What God Gave Her.”
Thomas Rhett stopped his show on Friday to bring Madison Muckle up on stage.
Allport said several people helped Madison’s dream come true on Friday. People at the concert cleared the way so she could get in the front pit, where Rhett was more likely to see her. A tall fan named Connor then put her on his shoulders. That’s when Rhett saw Madison, read the poster and insisted she join him on stage.
Thomas Rhett gives Madison a hug.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think he would pull her up on stage,” Allport said today. “And he made such a big deal out of it.”
Rhett posted photos and message on his social media on Saturday, a day after the concert: “Madison, it was such a pleasure meeting you!” he posted. “May God continue to bless you and your sweet family??hope you had a great time at the show.”
Allport said the family is gearing up for the ninth annual Madisonation golf tournament on Aug. 25 at Hickory Ridge Golf Resort in Holley. The tournament started in honor of Madison. Her father, Kevin Muckle, organizes the annual event, which goes to organizations and families fighting cancer.
This year proceeds will go to the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation, which was established in 2007 in memory of Michael C. Napoleone, the 8 year-old son of Mark and Laurie Napoleone from Batavia. He died from Burkitts Lymphoma/Leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer. The not-for-profit Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation was created to help people in need while fighting cancer and to support research efforts in finding a cure for childhood cancer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 July 2019 at 10:13 am
This photo shows Charles W. Howard with a Santa at Christmas Park in Albion. Howard operated the Park and a school for Santa Claus in Albion until his death on May 1, 1966.
ALBION – A group that has been doing projects in Albion to honor the life of Charles W. Howard, the founder of a Santa Claus School, wants to name Route 31 in Albion in honor of Howard.
The Albion Betterment Committee would like there to be signs at each end of Route 31 in the Town of Albion, declaring that section to be in honor of Howard, who established the school in 1937 and ran it until his death in 1966. The school was located at the corner of Phipps Road and Route 31. (The school has been moved to Midland, Michigan, and still bears Charles Howard’s name.)
The Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday will vote whether to support the effort. The Legislature has a resolution on the agenda for the 4:30 meeting, which is in the new addition of the County Administration Building.
The resolution states:
“WHEREAS, Mr. Charles W. Howard was a resident of the Town of Albion for his entire life; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Howard was proud of his home town, county and country; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Howard brought national acclaim to himself and his home town by establishing the world’s first Santa Claus School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Howard portrayed Santa Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for 18 years;
WHEREAS, Mr. Howard passed away in 1966 without receiving from his local neighbors the proper recognition he deserved; and
WHEREAS, the Albion Betterment Committee (a not-for-profit charitable organization which was formed in 2003 with the intent to promote the area’s natural assets and to set the area apart from every other community in the country) is asking support to dedicate a portion of the NYS Route 31 in Memory of Charles W. Howard; now bet it
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Albion Betterment Committee had this sign honoring Charles Howard erected in 2015. It is on Route 98, on property owned by Gil and Donna Wolcott, north of Route 31A.
RESOLVED, that the Orleans County Legislature supports the Albion Betterment Committee in their request from the State of New York to have a portion of State Route 31 – when entering the Town of Albion (Northwest corner of Transit Road from the east to Southeast corner of Wood Road from the west) to be dedicated in Charles W. Howard’s name; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Legislature supports signage to be placed along that portion of Route 31 to read: THIS SECTION OF NEW YORK STATE ROUTE 31 IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLES W. HOWARD, A LOCAL FARMER WHO FOUNDED THE WORLD’S FIRST SANTA CLAUS SCHOOL.”
The Betterment Committee in recent years has put up a “Believe” in downtown Albion, replaced the Santa Claus School sign at Howard’s property (now owned by Robin and Jill Stinson), and erected a welcome sign on Route 98 that declares Albion is the home of Howard, founder of the Santa Claus School. That sign includes a cutout of Howard’s likeness in a Santa suit.
The Betterment Committee has also raised more than $30,000 for a monument in downtown Albion for Howard. The group also has been a regular participant in the Strawberry Festival Parade with a Santa and Mrs. Claus waving to the crowd.
This wouldn’t be the first time in Orleans County a state road was named in honor of people. Route 98 in Genesee and Orleans counties in 2014 was named the Genesee and Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway. A brown sign with white letters was unveiled on May 22, 2014. That sign is by the Orleans County Marine Park in Point Breeze. Click here to see photos of the sign unveiling.
The state also approved naming Route 104 in Orleans County as the “American Legion Memorial Highway in Orleans County.”
The Albion Rotary Club last year worked with artist Stacey Kirby to have a 24-foot-long mural of Charles Howard as Santa in a sleigh over downtown Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 July 2019 at 9:24 am
ALBION – Hoag Library in Albion today will stay open until 8 p.m., instead of the usual 5 p.m. closing time on Fridays.
The library is staying open longer to serve as a cooling station due to the excessive heat warning.
On Saturday, the library will be open its regular hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
An Excessive Heating Warning is in effect from noon today until 6 p.m. Saturday for Orleans, Niagara, Monroe, Wayne, northern Cayuga, Livingston and Ontario counties.
The high temperature today and Saturday will reach 92, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo. The heat index values could be as high as 105 to 108.
“Heat illnesses likely for those spending prolonged periods outdoors or in non-air conditioned locations,” the Weather Service said. “Prolonged heat is most dangerous for young children and the elderly. Vehicle interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Never leave children, pets or the elderly unattended in parked vehicles. Temperatures will remain very warm and muggy Friday night, preventing non-air conditioned buildings from cooling off.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 July 2019 at 9:10 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Chris Hammond, a retired Major League baseball player, poses for a photo with three brothers from Kendall: Louie, Sam and Jonny Conte.
They met with Hammond on Wednesday evening at North Point Chapel in Albion. The brothers are participating in a week-long baseball camp put on by North Point and NextLVL Sports Institute.
About 50 kids are practicing baseball and softball drills at the Barre Town Park with instructors from NextLVL Sports Institute in Georgia.
Chris Hammond signs a baseball for Aaron Sugar of Albion.
Hammond pitched 14 seasons in the big leagues with the Reds, Marlins, Red Sox, Braves, Yankees, A’s and Padres. He had his best season in 2002 with a 0.95 ERA with the Braves. He is only the third pitcher in the history of the Major Leagues to maintain an ERA under 1.00 for a full season.
Hammond shared his concerns about playing baseball year-round and the demands and costs of travel baseball. He only played baseball three months a year when he was a kid.
He thinks parents put too much pressure on some kids to be on a high-performance track, rather than playing for fun with friends.
Hammond also urged people to be “Christ followers” and not just “church-goers.” He said families and communities need more people who are following Jesus Christ.
Mike Outten, pastor of North Point Chapel, thanked Hammond and about 10 people from NextLVL Sports Institute for spending time in Albion. Outten said the church is committed to reaching youth in the community.
Hammond will lead drills at the sports camp at the Barre Town Park today and Friday. The players will do a demonstration on Friday evening at the park, showcasing what they learned this week.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 July 2019 at 7:37 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Stella Edward, 3, of Albion gives a generous coat of paint to a trinket box at Hoag Library during the summer reading program.
She was one of 70 kids who painted a box on Tuesday at the library.
Jim Babcock of Babcock Construction and his employees made the boxes out of wood. In previous years, Babcock made birdhouses and birdfeeders for kids in the summer reading program.
He cut and assembled the wooden pieces for the trinket boxes, and the kids then painted them.
Justin “Scoop” of Medina gives his trinket box a multi-colored look. He is part of the Little Leapers Childcare Center in Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 July 2019 at 12:56 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Veterans this morning at about 10:30 raised an American flag for the first time on the new flag pole that was erected last week at Hoag Library.
The veterans at the flag pole include from left: Earl Schmidt, director of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency; John Pera, commander of the American Legion in Orleans County and also in Holley; and Dave Kusmierczak, chaplain for the American Legion.
The addition of the flag pole follows the recent construction of a new digital sign to promote library events. With the sign and flag pole, the library has completed the projects that were part of the orginal blueprint for the a new library which opened in July 2012.
“It feels like the property is now complete with this flag,” said Betty Sue Miller, library director.
Veterans and library staff and supporters watch the trio get ready to raise the flag for the first time.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 July 2019 at 12:37 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A big section of a towering maple tree broke off about 10:30 last night on East Park Street. The big branch landed on a Jeep Liberty but the vehicle doesn’t appear to be badly damaged. There aren’t any broken windows.
Meghan and Stephanie Cox, two sisters, live at the house where the tree came crashing down. Stephanie is grateful no one was on the sidewalk when the branch broke.
“Nobody was there and nobody was hurt,” she said. “If someone was walking by they could have been severely injured.”
They are waiting for an insurance adjuster who they hope will approve having the big tree limbs removed and cover any damages to the Jeep.
Albion police officers and firefighters are on the scene at about 10:45 Sunday night They made sure people stayed back away from the live wires. National Grid also responded. The police and firefighters were at the scene until about 1:15 a.m.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Gary Simboli is pictured at the Cabaret at Studio B in Albion last week when accompanied Albion native Kailey Winans during her performance. Simboli has developed his own show featuring music and anecdotes from his 35 years of directing high school musicals at Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 July 2019 at 8:42 am
Gary Simboli on Tuesday was recognized with the Uplinger Award by Albion Lions Club President Ron Albertson in recognition of Simboli’s career leading school musicals and directing the high school chorus and choirs. Simboli and his students also perform at many community events. The Uplinger Award is given for distinguished community service.
ALBION – An Albion teacher who has directed nearly 70 musicals at the high school the past 35 years will be the headline performer in six shows this summer at the Cabaret at Studio B.
Gary Simboli will be performing a show featuring music from many of the musicals, as well as some funny anecdotes from leading the shows.
Six bus tours have already signed up for the matinee shows that are scheduled for July 24, Aug. 6, Aug. 7, Aug. 13, Aug. 27 and Aug. 29, with a 1:15 start time for the first five, and the time to be determined for the last show.
Simboli has accompanied many of his students and other musicians in the community. This time he will be the main attraction through his show, “Musicals and Mischief.”
“There will be stories and songs from specific shows,” Simboli said. “I hope they will find it funny.”
Amy Sidari, owner of the Cabaret at Studio B, said Simboli is a gifted performer in his own right. He has performed with Marcy Downey, who has a longstanding relationship with bus tour companies. She urged Simboli to develop his own show and vouched for him with the bus tour companies.
The first six groups will be coming from the Rochester area. There will be seats at the Cabaret for community members, too.
“Not only will these people love Gary, they will love Albion, too,” Sidari said. “I really see Albion on an upswing.”
She expects the people on the bus tours to visit the downtown, which has seen several new businesses open in the past two years.
Sidari opened the Cabaret at Studio B in her dance studio six years ago, with Marcy Downey the first performer on July 28, 2013. Sidari routinely sells out shows with a capacity of 80 seats.
She features local musicians, some top high school performers and increasingly out-of-town professionals such as jazz singer Erin Boheme (returning on Aug. 24-25) and Dakota Horvath, a jazz singer from Chicago (performing Oct. 19 in Albion).
Kailey Winans, 28, performed last week at the Cabaret at Studio B. Winans is an Albion native who now lives in New York City.
Albion native Kailey Winans kicked off the summer season at the Cabaret last Friday with her show, “Dare to Dare … Happily Ever After.”
Winans, 28, performs in New York City at the Don’t Tell Momma cabaret. Her full-time job is as a nursery school teacher at Rockefeller University.
She graduated from Albion in 2008 and credited Simboli for developing her passion for music.
“I’ve learned pretty much everything I have about being a performer from him,” she said. “He would do everything he could for his kids. He is very selfless.”
Simboli accompanied Winans during her show last week and sang a duet with her, “It’s Now or Never.”
Ace Caldwell, the father of Amy Sidari, works on improvements to new studio space at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy.
Sidari is working to upgrade a third studio room at 28 West Bank St., where she has had her dance studio for 22 years. That new room will be multipurpose for dance, a “green room” for the performers to get ready, and also can be space for pop-up shops.
Her grand plan is to renovate the top floor of her building for the cabaret, which would expand the seating from the current 80 to at least 125.
Simboli is planning to retire as a teacher in the three years. He would like to perform at the expanded cabaret and cook for people as part of the event space. The new cabaret would lend itself to bus tours, and would be a draw to downtown Albion.
The next show at the Cabaret is this evening and features Crandall, Wood and Main. The show calendar then includes Enoch Martin, a 2019 Albion graduate, on July 19. Kerri Lynn Slominski, a Kendall graduate, will do an operatic show on July 27.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Contractors have erected a new performing arts venue/amphitheater at Bullard Park.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 July 2019 at 11:22 am
ALBION – The Albion Village Board was asked on Wednesday to name the new amphitheater at Bullard Park in honor of Brennan Moody, an Albion High School senior who was killed in a car accident on June 18, 10 days before he was to graduate.
Moody, 17, was heavily involved in the school’s music program, performing with the band and chorus, and starring in the musicals.
Thom Jennings wrote a letter to the editor that was posted July 1 on the Orleans Hub. That letter has received lots of support in the community, with more than 3,000 people backing an online petition to name the amphitheater for Moody.
Jennings attended Wednesday’s Village Board with Jack Burris and Zack Burgess. They offered to help the board with making the amphitheater as a memorial for Moody. Jennings said they could help plan a dedication service that would be a celebration of Moody’s life.
Mayor Eileen Banker said she wants to first speak with Brennan’s parents, Erin and Rhiannon Moody, to see how they would feel about the amphitheater being named for their son.
“I want to make sure they are completely comfortable with whatever we decide to do,” she said.
Bullard Park will be under construction much of this summer with the new amphitheater, a splash park, a pavilion and utility building with bathrooms all being built.
The amphitheater is behind the playground and faces a softball field on the west side of the park.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 July 2019 at 6:04 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Marcus Coville, left, accepts a citation from Village Trustee Peter Sidari on Wednesday in honor of Coville’s father, the late Steven Coville, who volunteered for 40 years at Sandstone Park, where Sidari played Little League baseball. Last month, the field was named in honor of Coville.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board presented a ctation on Wednesday in honor of the late Steven Coville Sr., who volunteered for 40 years at Sandstone Park as a coach and groundskeeper.
The park is not owned by the village. A non-profit corporation oversees the baseball field on East State Street. Coville coached the team for 22 years and then served as groundskeeper and ran the concession stand.
Coville passed away at age 76 on Jan. 17. He loved helping the Little League team on East State Street.
The park’s leaders on June 22 named the field in honor of Steven Coville. A new sign with his name and picture was unveiled at the backstop for the field.
Sandstone Park is one of the original teams from when the Albion Midget League started in 1956.
Coville led the team from 1979 to 2001. He would also mow the expansive lawn and work on the field at Sandstone. He ran the concessions to raise money for the team to buy baseballs and other equipment.
“He impacted hundreds of youths,” Sidari said on Wednesday in presenting the citation to Coville’s son.
