File photos by Tom Rivers: Inside the tower at Mount Albion Cemetery are nine marble tablets with 463 names of soldiers from Orleans County who died in the Civil War.

ALBION – When the Orleans County community built a Civil War monument in 1876 on a hill in the back of Mount Albion Cemetery, it included nine marble tablet inside the tower. The tablets list the names of 463 soldiers from the county who died in the war.

Some of the tablets are deteriorating and the names are hard to read, depending on how much exposure to the elements the tablets face in the base of the tower.

A Buffalo resident, with ties to the county, wants to have the tablets protected with a transparent covering. Donna Augspurger, whose grandfather is buried at Mount Albion, presented the idea to the Albion Village Board on Wednesday.

She is willing to pursue cost estimates for tempered glass and other options. The community may need to do a fundraising effort to pay for the project.

Mayor Elieen Banker said the village doesn’t have money in the budget, but she welcomed Augspurger’s interest in seeing the tablets preserved. Banker encouraged Augspurger to pursue quotes and plan for preserving the tablets.

Augspurger also suggested an interpretive panel be put by the tower to explain its history.

The tower was dedicated on July 4, 1876 as a memorial to the soldiers from Orleans County who died in the Civil War.

The tower is nestled in the southeast section of Mount Albion Cemetery. For 11 years after the Civil War, Orleans County residents pushed to raise money for a memorial to 463 county residents who perished in the war. Augspurger said there are about 35 to 40 other county residents who died in the war but their names aren’t included in the marble tablets. She said they should be recognized, too.

Quarrymen cut the stone and hauled it to the site. The community built a 68-foot-high tower, the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, that has endured for 142 years. An 84-step spiral staircase allows people to climb the tower, to enjoy a view above the trees.

The tower was built in stages. Several times, the community ran out of money for the immense project. But residents met a deadline to have the tower done in time for the country’s centennial celebration. The monument was dedicated on July 4, 1876, the 100th anniversary of the country.

Due to safety concerns, the tower in Albion was off limits in the early 1970s. A group of high school students attended a Village Board meeting when one trustee suggested the tower be torn down. The high schoolers were outraged and spearheaded a “Save a Tower” campaign that raised $30,000 to strengthen masonry joints and repair the staircase. The tower was rededicated on July 4, 1976, the country’s 200th anniversary.

The community raised $30,000 to repair the steps and masonry joints inside the tower in the 1970s.

Augspurger said it is an impressive memorial, but is showing signs of decay, especially with the tablets listing the names of soldiers killed in the war.

“Doesn’t that just seem sad,” she said about the deteriorating tablets. “We can do better by these boys.”

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Photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Albion will switch to energy-efficient lights for 433 cobra-head-style street lights, including this one on East Park Street.

ALBION – The Village of Albion will work with National Grid to have 433 street lights replaced with energy-efficient LEDs.

The Village Board approved the agreement with National Grid on Wednesday evening. The change will lower the village’s electricity costs for the street lights by $6,000 annually, said Jay Pahura, the superintendent of the Department of Public Works.

The village also will receive a check for $22,160 as a state incentive for using lights that require less energy. National Grid will coordinate having the high-pressure sodium lights replaced with LEDs, Pahura said.

The Village of Holley and Town of Albion have recently switched out their street lights to LEDs, he said.

“They will be brighter and cost a lot less to run,” Pahura told the Village Board.

In other action at the Village Board meeting:

• Approved a grant disbursement agreement with State Sen. Robert Ortt for a $300,000 grant to go towards buying a new vacuum truck to be used when the DPW does water and sewer repairs.

The board believes this is the last step in getting the grant through Ortt’s office. The money comes through the State and Municipal Facilities Capital Funding Program or SAM.

Once the village has the new vacuum truck, it will sell its current one. The sale of the current one may be enough to cover the difference for a new vacuum truck, which is about $375,000.

• Approved spending $2,346 for a GaGa Ball Pit at Bullard Park. The game with an octagonal pit is similar to dodgeball.

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Photo courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – This week the First Presbyterian Church of Albion and Pastor Susan Thaine received a surprise delivery of more than 20 food baskets from Albion High School drama students. These baskets will be distributed to needy families for Thanksgiving.

Cast members from “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” purchased food items with Drama Club funds and put the baskets together. They were used as props in a scene during the fall musical. Once the show ended, the students wanted to donate the baskets to an organization to help others in their community.

Pictured with Pastor Thaine are several cast members delivering baskets.  Kneeling (left to right): Sophia Zambito, Aubrey Boyer, Emily Mergler, Annaliese Steier and Leah Kania.  Standing: Molly Wadhams, Emma Tower, Chase Froman, Pastor Thaine, Myleigh Miller, Brennan Moody, Colby Ferchen, Nia Rodriguez and Kaylyn Holman.

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File photo by Tom Rivers: A beech tree is pictured on March 1, 2017 at the corner of Beaver and Liberty streets in Albion. The tree is one of the older trees in the village.

ALBION – The Village of Albion has been approved for a $38,260 state grant for a tree inventory and management plan. The funding was announced today by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, part of $2.24 million in grants for urban forestry projects to protect air quality, water quality and natural resources across the state.

The village doesn’t have to provide any local dollars for the project. An outside organization will do an inventory of all the village-owned trees in the community, including at parks and Mount Albion Cemetery. There will be hazard rating to identify trees that should be removed and spots identified for new trees to be planted.

The village will also be given a recommendation for diverse tree plantings that would thrive in the village. A variety of trees would also protect the village from losing a large percentage of trees to blight.

The grants are part of DEC’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, which helps communities develop and implement comprehensive tree planting, management, maintenance, and education to create healthy forests while enhancing quality of life for residents.

“Continued investments in New York’s urban forestry programs promote clean air, clean water, energy savings, and habitat creation,” Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a news release. “Thanks to Governor Cuomo, funding for these grants was made available through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund, providing crucial assistance for communities to manage their forests, particularly trees lost to the invasive emerald ash borer.”

The village also will soon be receiving a $300,000 grant with State Sen. Rob Ortt’s help that will pay for a Vactor or vacuum truck that can be used when the village Department of Public Works does water and sewer repairs.

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Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Lucy Rivers plays Pinkalicious in the Albion Middle School show, Pinkalicious the Musical, which will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday, and noon and 7 p.m. Saturday.

She is surrounded by bees that think she is a flower. The bees include, from left: Audrey Pask, Alexis Hess and Autumn Flugel.

Pinkalicious starts the show with blond hair but her hair turns pink after eating numerous pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. She is shown with her brother Peter Pinkerton (Kelsey Froman), who also loves pink. They are singing “Pinkatastic.”

Danielle Wyant, in back, plays their mother who stresses about housework.

Maia Pate plays Dr. Wink who examines Pinkalicious and declares she has a case of Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe. Pinkalicious is happy with the diagnosis because she loves pink.

Marli Thrash, left, and Lianna Flugel are birds that are confused when they see Pinkalicious. They bug her, thinking she is a flower.

There are 20 students in the cast and 22 in the crew in the Albion production. The musical is based on the book by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann.

The show is geared to elementary school students but would be enjoyed by people of all ages, said Carrie Kozody, the director.

“It’s a very high-energy show,” said Kozody, who is leading her 43rd production for the school. “There are over-the-top expressions and emotions.”

Pinkalicious keeps eating cupcakes and she turns red. The only way out of the predicament is to eat vegetables.

“Pinkalicious learns there is such a thing as too much of a good thing,” Kozody said.

The uptight parents of Pinkalicious also learn to not fret so much.

“The parents learn just because you’re an adult you don’t have to stop having fun,” Kozody said.

Meganne Moore is one of the dancing vegetables in the show. Pinkalicious is very reluctant to eat green food.

The stage crew makes some set changes during rehearsal on Wednesday.

Tickets for the shows on Friday and Saturday are available at the door.

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Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These members of the Albion High School Honor Society, Jessy Cruz and Kirk Ellison, rang the bell for the Red Kettle at Tops in Albion on Tuesday. The Honor Society is volunteering as bell ringers to help raise money through the Red Kettle campaign.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee manages the Red Kettle in Orleans County and has set a $25,000 fund-raising goal this year. The agency uses the funds to help low-income residents with emergency lodging, food, clothing, some medical expenses and to avoid having their water shut off. Each person is capped at $150 through the emergency fund.

Bell ringers are needed in Albion at Tops, Save-A-Lot and Wal-Mart; in Medina at Tops; in Holley at JP’s and in the Public Square by Sam’s Diner and the Eastern Orleans Community Center; and in Lyndonville at the E-Z Shop gas station.

Community Action also has countertop kettles at other spots in Orleans County. All of the funds from the Red Kettle drive are used to help people in Orleans County. For more information about volunteering, contact one of the coordinators. In Albion, contact Michelle Figueroa, case manager at Community Action, at (585) 589-5605; In Medina, call Ronnie Barhite at 585-233-7249. In Holley, call Rachel Escobar at 585-638-6395.

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Press Release, Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni

ALBION – The Albion Police Department is pleased to announce it has been awarded the 2018 Community Traffic Safety Platinum Award by the America Automobile Association.

This is the eight consecutive year that the Albion Police Department has received the Community Traffic Safety Platinum Award.

The nationally recognized AAA Platinum Community Traffic Safety Award is the highest award AAA can bestow on any Police Department. It’s awarded to departments that have developed and maintained traffic safety initiatives in their communities and who have shown success in those initiatives.

The Albion Police Department has used programs such as Buckle Up New York, Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, Stop DWI , Pedestrian Crossing Safety and Awareness, Targeted School Zone Patrols and the Child Passenger Safety Seat Program to enforce vehicle and traffic laws as well as to educate and assist motorists.

Throughout 2018 the Albion Police Department conducted several targeted details that focused on specific areas of safety for both motorists and pedestrians. These details were done in non-traditional ways to increase their effectiveness. Several more details are planned using techniques that have never been done in our area and will increase awareness and effectiveness with the end goal of making our community safer.

The Albion Police Department is dedicated to making our highways and streets safer for all who use them. Throughout the holiday season we will continue our efforts by adding more patrols and details and we urge motorist to make responsible decisions.

The Holley Police Department, which is under the Albion Police leadership, was awarded the Bronze Award for the department’s efforts in traffic safety.

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Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Leaders of the Albion Elks Club on Wednesday presented $500 grants to four local organizations, including Orleans – Recovery Hope Begins Here, a new organization that connects people struggling with drug addiction to local resources and mentors.

Pictured from left: Lynda Standish, esteemed lecturing knight for the Elks; Darryl Szklany, exalted ruler for the Albion Elks; Wayne Litchfield, treasurer of Orleans – Recovery; Kim Lockwood, fund-raising chairwoman for Orleans – Recovery; Tami Ashton, vice president; Don Snyder, president; Karen Ward, Elks grant coordinator and past exalted ruler; and Tim Keller, chairman of the Elks trustees.

Orleans – Recovery Hope Begins Here will open an office at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex in Albion on Dec. 1.

The Elks also presented $500 checks to the Warrior House and AYSAP, the Albion youth football and cheerleading program. The Warrior House provides a hunting retreat for wounded veterans in Shelby and other services for veterans and their families.

Pictured from left: Lynda Standish and Darryl Szklany of the Albion Elks; Ed Spence, director of operations for the Warrior House; Geno Allport, AYSAP commissioner; and Tim Keller and Karen Ward of the Elks.

The Elks also awarded a $500 grant to COVA, the local ambulance provider.

The Albion Elks has 277 members, making it one of the largest service organizations in the county.

The organization also gives out $2,000 in scholarships annually.

This year the Elks Club nationally is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding.

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Students recognized for competing in Empire Games for the Physically Challenged

Photos courtesy of Sue Starkweather Miller from the Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion Central School last week celebrated students who competed in the Empire Games for the Physically Challenged.

A special guest, retired NHL star Brian Gionta, attended the ceremony and presented the athletes with their awards. Gionta, a Rochester native, scored 291 goals in a 16-year career. He was also captain of the U.S. Olympic hockey team.

Gionta, top photo, is shown with Hayden, who is a big hockey fan.

The middle school band played musical selections as student athletes entered the elementary school gym to a cheering audience of over 1,000 students, staff, and family members. The elementary school chorus sang several musical selections. Students watched to a video presentation of the athletes participating in the Games at SUNY Brockport.

Morgan receives her medals from Brian Gionta.  Morgan was also recognized for reading a speech at the Brockport Games.

Gionta, a former captain for the Buffalo Sabres, distributed ribbons and medals to each student athlete.  After the ceremony he took numerous photos with the athletes and their buddies.

The Empire Games for the Physically Challenged took place on Oct. 12 at SUNY Brockport. School districts from all across the region participated in many events on the Brockport campus. Albion’s student athletes participated in the long jump, club throw, precision throw, distance kick, 40 meter race, 60 meter race, 100 meter race, slalom and the soft discus.

Each athlete had a high school “buddy” who attended the Games and assisted them through the day as they moved through their chosen events.

Hannah VanEpps was Analiah’s buddy during the Games. Every student had a special high school buddy to assist them and encourage them during competition.

Student athletes included:

• Asad Bacht
• Morgan Brower
• Hayden Button
• Dejeanna Conner
• Brook Drake
• Ethan Ferchen
• Analiah Figueroa-Fuentes
• Kaitlynn Figueroa-Fuentes
• Rebecca Fugate
• Nick Garcia
• Aubree Langmaid
• Keira Lemcke
• Tatiana Morales
• Misty Dawn Mullins
• David Musacchia
• Gabrielle Payne
• Adriana Pelligrino
• Emily Richardson
• Aliannah Snitzel

Adriana counts her medals.

Rebecca, Brook and Misty are all smiles as they pose for a photo with Brian Gionta. He spent time with the students after the ceremony and took numerous group photos.

Ethan and his uncle Greg Martillotta, middle school instrumental teacher, celebrate his accomplishment.

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ALBION – The Orleans County Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Program coordinator has scheduled a special event to help make the holidays a little brighter for veterans who cannot be with their families.

Catherine Schmidt has contacted Adam Johnson, a local veteran and owner of 39 Problems at 43 North Main St. in Albion. Johnson has agreed to open his doors from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 18 for a project called “Letters From Home,” when the public is invited to stop in and write a card or letter to a serviceman.

Anybody who has served, or knows someone who has served overseas understands how much mail call means, especially during the holidays, Schmidt said.

“We need the public’s help,” she said. “Stop in for a few minutes or all afternoon and make one card or letter or dozens.”

The Peer-to-Peer Program will send the mail so they reach the servicemen and women before the holidays.

Catherine’s husband, Earl Schmidt, is director of Orleans Veterans’ Service Agency. He said cards shipped by Nov. 30 will reach servicemen oversees by Christmas.

Complimentary fountain drinks, coffee and cookies will be provided to all participants, sponsored by 39 Problems to say “thank you for supporting those who support us.”

People may bring their own cards, pens or crayons, but there will also be some on hand.

The Albion Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution have committed to writing 10 cards each, Earl said.

“By the way, younger letter writers and artists have a very special way of putting a smile on a veteran’s face half a world away, and we welcome them, too,” Mrs. Schmidt said.

There are also collection boxes for cards at the YMCA in Medina and at the Veterans’ Service Agency in Albion.

The Peer-to-Peer program is funded through a state grant, in which Schmidt’s office received $52,500. Some of the money was used during the summer to fund a picnic at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds for veterans and their families.

The next events to be funded by the grant will be a train ride Dec. 22 at Medina Railroad Museum and future trips to the Buffalo Naval Park and Seabees Memorial in North Tonawanda.

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Photo by Tom Rivers

GAINES – The Albion Rotary Club on Thursday presented $7,900 to the Leadership Orleans program. Skip Helfrich (left), Leadership Orleans director and an Albion Rotarian, accepts a check from Charlie Nesbitt, an Albion Rotarian and member of the committee that planned a July 19 golf tournament.

Some of the proceeds from the tournament were directed to Leadership Orleans, a new leadership program that started in January with 25 people is nearing the conclusion for its first year, with a new class of about 25 to start in two months.

The debut class comes from a cross section of the community, including law enforcement, government department heads, farm owners, agency directors and other business leaders. The program picked residents who have demonstrated leadership abilities, interest in community affairs, and a commitment to Orleans County’s future.

Each month the group learned about a different sector of the community, including government, arts and culture, volunteerism and non-profit organizations, community health, tourism and recreation, agribusiness, economic & workforce development, and education.

Some of the July 19 golf tournament proceeds also went to the Leon Sidari Memorial Fund, which was established as a non-profit organization in memory of Leon Sidari, who was 4 ½ when he died on Christmas, two days after getting the flu. Leon’s Fund pays for flu vaccinations and an awareness campaign about the importance of getting vaccinated.

Leon is the son of Albion natives Laura (Lyman) Sidari and Tony Sidari. Leon’s grandfather is Nathan Lyman, who was a long-time member of the Albion Rotary Club.

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Provided photo

ALBION – Members of the Billies barbershop quartet got a surprise last Sunday when Amy Sidari, owner of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy and the Cabaret at Studio B, unveiled an 8-foot-long billboard of the four high school singers.

Pictured form left include Nate Grammatico, Jacob Ettinger, chorus teacher Gary Simboli, Enoch Martin, Amy Sidari and Evan VanAmeron.

Sidari has been upgrading the exterior of her building at the corner of Liberty and West Bank streets. The building has been the home of her studio for 21 years. She has replaced doors, awnings and repainted the building, and will be doing new signs and exterior lighting.

Photos by Tom Rivers

She wanted to add some pizzazz to the white wall on Liberty Street. She decided to add the billboards. The Cabaret at Studio B frequently hosts musicians and other entertainers. Sidari debated whether the 5-foot by 8-foot billboard should feature one of her professional performers. She decided to focus on the Billies and Simboli, the group’s director. The photo was taken by Bruce Landis of Photos by Bruce.

“It’s marketing what we are inside those doors,” Sidari said today. “ I also wanted to recognize Gary who resists any public recognition. He does so much for our community, the children and the families.”

The two spots for the billboards used to be plain white. Those spots used to bays for a garage. Sidari ordered industrial vinyl images for the billboards and she her father, Ace Caldwell, made the black frames.

The other photo shows her senior high dancers at a recital. The photo was taken on a phone by Ally Page.

“It shows so much love and excitement,” Sidari said.

She is pushing to have all of the exterior upgrades done by Nov. 24, when she is shooting a video on Bank Street in front of the studio. The street will be closed to traffic from Main to Liberty for the video which Sidari said she wants to use to promote Albion.

Many of her alumni dancers and other community members are coming for the video, from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 24.

Sidari said she will likely rotate images in the billboards. She said she has received good feedback about how the images enliven a section of Liberty Street.

“It is a spark,” Sidari said. “It’s just celebrating the great things that we do have.”

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ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge in Albion will be closed beginning on Wednesday for emergency repairs. The bridge is expected to reopen at the close of business on Friday, said Dale Banker, director of the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

The State Department of Transportation is closing the bridge, which is more than a century old, for needed work.

Traffic will be routed to use the Ingersoll Street lift bridge.

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Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Members of the Albion Elementary School PTA were presented a “Friend of Education” Award on Monday. Leaders of the PTA include, from left, Stacey Andrews, Crystal Hand, Heidi Pask and Rose Allen. They accepted the award from Margy Brown (right), the Board of Education president.

“This is a group that works tirelessly on behalf of students,” said Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent.

The PTA purchases books every year for all fifth-graders, puts on dances, provides gifts for teachers, and sponsors field trips for students to go to the zoo, Old Fort Niagara, to tour canal boats in Lockport, the Cobblestone Museum in Gaines, and the Genesee County Park and Forest in East Bethany.

The PTA also organizes a book fair in February.

“They have truly coalesced as a group of caring parents,” said Rachel Curtin, the elementary school principal.

The board on Monday also recognized two elementary school students. Braydon Blair was presented with a Leadership Award and Gabrielle Payne was recognized with the Character Award.

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The law enforcement agencies will increase patrol on Nov. 21 in a crackdown on motorists driving while intoxicated.

The Albion Police Department is hosting the county-wide detail, which is a collaborative effort involving the Albion Police Department, Medina Police Department, Holley Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and the Orleans County Probation Department, Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni said.

Law enforcement will be aggressively enforcing vehicle and traffic violations in search for impaired and intoxicated drivers, he said.

The Albion Police Department has hosted this detail for the past five years. All officers will meet at the Albion Police Department for a short briefing and each agency will then be operating in its own jurisdiction, with the Albion Police Department supervising the detail. Albion Lt. David Mogle and Nenni will be assisting all agencies with support and logistics throughout the night.

The officers have a briefing in Albion because many officers will be teamed up with probation officers, parole officers and possibly some federal agents, Nenni said.

Previous details have involved over 150 vehicle stops resulting in several alcohol and drug-related arrests, he said.

“We have seen over the years that our efforts are working and there has been a reduction of violators,” Nenni said. “We ask that everyone be responsible throughout the year, especially during the holiday season and to find alternatives to driving after consuming alcohol or engaging in drug use. The announcement of this detail and our combined efforts will hopefully save lives, as we are committed to this cause.”

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