Provided photos: These dancers will be performing Saturday at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy on East Bank Street in Albion, where many performers from the community will be doing three shows for the ninth annual Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas. These dancers include, from left: Evee Heinsler, Sierra Kast, Gina Sidari and Miranda Gebo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 December 2019 at 4:59 pm
ALBION – It will be a busy weekend in Albion with many events to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season.
After a taking a break last year, Gotta Dance by Miss Amy has put together the ninth show for Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas. It features many dancers, singers and some comedy in three shows – noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The later show is already sold out. (Click here for ticket ionfromation.)
Amy Sidari is the organizer of the event at her dance studio and cabaret at 28 West Bank St. The Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas is a showcase of community talent, and also has raised about $20,000 for a scholarship in memory of Nicholas Kovaleski. The scholarships are given annually to graduating high school seniors who “Live with Purpose.”
Nicholas inspired the Albion community with his valiant fight against leukemia. He passed away at age 15 on June 29, 2011. He was a popular student at Albion, excelling at football, swimming and tennis.
These children, ages 5 to 16, practice the opening number for the Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas. Amy Sidari, owner of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy, said the opening number begins the show with “unbeatable energy and joy.”
The Albion Merchants Association also has many activities planned in the downtown on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a coloring contest, bake sale, brunch with the Grinch, caroling, donuts and pizza with the Police Department, letters to Santa, Christmas movies, cookie decorating, watercolor painting and an ugly sweater party.
Click here to see the full schedule from the Merchants Association.
Sunday the First Presbyterian Church is hosting the annual Home for the Holidays Christmas concert at 3 p.m. The concert is organized by the Albion Alumni Association and includes Albion students and adults from the community, including an 80-person community choir.
Tickets are $5 with the proceeds going towards scholarships for Albion High School seniors.
Performers at the concert include Gary Simboli, Gwen Martillotta Ferchen, Mike Thaine, Kailey Winans, Travis Klossner, Eric Deiboldt, Janet Miller, Mike Grammatico, Kyle Thaine, Karen Kenney Conn, Shannon Broda, Alec Sherman, the Albion High School Percussion Ensemble (led by Mike Thaine), Albion High School Select Choirs (led by Gary Simboli), Community Brass Ensemble, Community Christmas Choir and a trio that includes Aleka Schmidt, Sue Boring and Sue Thaine.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 December 2019 at 5:56 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Village of Albion has a new vacuum truck from the Vactor that will be used when there are waterline breaks, plugged sewers and other work on the water and sewer lines.
Jay Pahura, Albion’s superintendent of the Department of Public Works, shows the new truck to Mayor Eileen Banker, State Sen. Robert Ortt and one of Ortt’s staff members.
Ortt and his office helped secure $300,000 in state funding for the $380,000 vacuum truck. It replaces a Vactor from 2003 that has been declared surplus and will be sold.
Albion will use the vacuum truck to assist other nearby municipalities if they have waterline breaks or clogged sewers. Medina and Carlton also have vacuum trucks in the county.
Mayor Eileen Banker, DPW Superintendent Jay Pahura and State Sen. Robert Ortt are pictured today with a new Vactor in the Albion DPW garage on Washington Street. Ortt is giving Pahura the keys to the vehicle.
Albion applied for the funding through the State and Municipal Facilities Capital Funding Program or SAM. Once the money was approved by Ortt and the State Legislature, the village needed to work with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.
State Sen. Ortt said the vacuum truck would have been costly for village taxpayers to pay for on their own. He said it is an ideal project for the SAM grants, especially because Albion will use the Vactor to assist other municipalities.
Ortt praised the DPW and highway workers would are often out in extreme cold or heat to fix waterline breaks or clogged sewers and culverts.
“They’re out there doing the work when it is 20 degrees and the water is flying,” Ortt said.
Ortt, who is no longer in the majority conference in the State Senate, said he has less funding than he did when Republicans were in control. He still urged local municipalities to seek SAM funding by identifying needed projects or capital expenses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 December 2019 at 12:25 pm
ALBION – The Town Board on Monday gave final approval to set a 15-ton weight limit on Gaines Basin Road. The weight limit includes the section of Gaines Basin from the south entrance of Walmart, going south to the Barre townline, which is between West County House Road and Route 31A (West Lee Road).
Town Highway Superintendent Michael Neidert pushed for the weight limit because he said many big trucks and tractor trailers were using Gaines Basin to bypass going through the village.
Neidert said routes 98 and 31 are better suited for the heavy truck traffic.
The town had a public hearing on the weight limit in November. Albion previously didn’t have a weight limit for the road. Neidert said keeping the heavy trucks off Gaines Basin Road will help the road to last longer without needing major maintenance.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 December 2019 at 9:08 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Dave Burke of Bergen and his daughter Fiona Burke look over the artwork on display at the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council’s gallery in Albion. The Salih Studio at 24 E. Bank serves as a gallery space for GO Art!
Burke painted an acrylic on canvas of “Sax Man.”
The arts organization is having its first juried art show at Albion. Artists were invited to submit pieces with a holiday theme.
Chris Manaseri of Kent won first place and $75 with this oil painting of “Christmas at Kuerner’s.”
Lori Laine, right, and Courtney DePalma check out the artwork. Laine is a member of the GO Art! board of directors.
Gregory Hallock, GO Art! director, hosted an opening reception for the exhibit. The gallery is open from 4 to 7 p.m. on Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 December 2019 at 4:15 pm
District wants time to consider metal detectors, added safety measures
Photo by Tom Rivers: Kathy Harling, president of the Albion Board of Education, said the district is evaluating its response to a threat at the Albion Middle School, and is bringing in a firm to look at the security of the campus and the district’s procedures in responding to threats.
ALBION – School leaders will meet with a security firm on Dec. 16 that is offering to do a safety assessment of the district campus, including a review of school procedures in responding to threats.
Armoured One is based in Syracuse and has offered to do the assessment for free. The firm works with school districts, governments and businesses and focuses on preventing active shooter attacks.
The firm was recommended to Albion by King & King Architects in Syracuse, a firm that has helped design several recent security upgrades at Albion school entrances. Kirk Narburgh, an Albion graduate, is one of the leaders of King & King.
Tom Czyz, a former SWAT team operator and homicide detective, is Armoured One’s CEO. He will do a campus safety audit of Albion on Wednesday and then will meet with Albion school leaders on Dec. 16 in a closed-door session to discuss Albion’s security system and response.
Three middle school students from Albion were charged with second-degree conspiracy on Nov. 8 after an alleged plot to bring guns and explosives to the school to harm students and staff.
Those students have been suspended and their cases are being handled in Family Court.
During a community forum on Nov. 19, some parents asked the district to put metal detectors in the school.
Albion has reached out to the New York State School Boards Association, Erie 1 BOCES and other groups for information and policies about installing metal detectors.
The Albion Board of Education wants to review that information before discussing if metal detectors should be added at the school.
The NYS School Boards didn’t submit a policy from its organization, but offered some starting points in a discussion about the issue. NYSSBA urged Albion to have its attorney review a policy before it is adopted by the board.
Hand-held wand metal detectors can be used to search students’ book bags, purses and other personal belongings “in appropriate circumstances,” the group said.
Some districts use unscheduled random screenings that are effective in detecting and deterring possession of weapons. A district can do “as needed screenings” on days chosen to address particular safety concerns (such as recent violence in a neighborhood) or on days with special events (such as athletic competitions), NYSSBA said.
Some other suggestions to consider:
• Daily random screenings can involve searches of randomly selected segment of the entire student body attending a school.
• If a metal detector activation results in the discovery of contraband, such activation and discovery shall be timely documented in accordance with the District’s Code of Conduct, as well as applicable state laws and regulations.
• Districts can have metal detectors at entryways or with wands that take reasonable steps for student safety and also respects the Constitutional rights of students and visitors.
• School administrators can direct a search under “reasonable suspicion that weapons are or will be on school property.”
• Signs need to be posted to inform students and visitors entering the school that they are subject to a screening of weapons as a condition of entry.
• Schools don’t have to screen everyone to avoid delays and a backlog of people, but must screen on a predetermined random basis or allow predetermined number of people to enter without being screened, then resume screening all persons.
• “Under no circumstances may school officials single out a particular individual or individuals to be searched, unless there is reasonable suspicion to believe that such person or persons are in possession of a weapon.”
• With metal detectors, screening should be by school officials of the same sex as the individual seeking admission to the building. Scanning will not be done by “in-house” police officers except at the discretion of other police officers.
• Prior to screening, individuals will be asked to place bags, parcels or coats on a table and to remove any metal objects (which will set off scanner) from their pockets and place them in a tray. Bags, backpacks, parcels and coats will also be scanned.
• If the detector is activated while scanning a bag or parcel, some schools request the owner to open the bag or parcel and remove any remaining metal objects which set off the scanner. The school official will then to a second scan. If a second scan activates the scanner, a school official will then examine the contents for weapons. Reasonable efforts shall be made to protect student privacy by not emptying the contents of bags and backpacks in plain view of other students and visitors.
Groups warn against armed presence, metal detectors in schools
Albion is reviewing information from the American School Counselor Association, National Association of School Psychologists, School Social Work Association of America, National Association of School Resource officers, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and National Association of Secondary School Principals.
These groups say a comprehensive school-wide approach is needed with access to mental health support for children.
“We caution against seemingly quick and potentially harmful solutions, such as arming school personnel, and urge policy leaders to support the following guidance to enact policies that will equip America’s schools to educate and safeguard our children over the long term,” the groups said.
The advocate for fully integrated learning supports – behavioral, mental health and social services.
“Balance physical and psychological safety to avoid overly restrictive measures (armed guards and metal detectors) that can undermine the learning environment and instead combine reasonable physical security measures (locked doors and monitored public spaces) with efforts to enhance school climate, build trusting relationships, and encourage students and adults to report potential threats,” the groups stated. “If a school determines the need for armed security, properly trained school resource officers (SROs) are the only school personnel of any type who should be armed.”
Albion reached out to the Erie 1 BOCES for a policy on metal detectors, but Erie 1 does not have a policy on those.
Erie 1 sent a message to Albion, saying use of metal detectors is “a very complex issue involving searches and privacy issues.”
Metal detectors are very common at airports, courthouses and other public buildings, and are accepted “by and large” from the general population
Erie 1 said hand-held wand metal detectors can be used to search students’ book bags, purses and other personal belongings “in appropriate circumstances.”
Some districts use unscheduled random screenings that are effective in detecting and deterring possession of weapons, Erie 1 said in a message to Albion officials.
Press Release, Roland Nenni, police chief for Albion and Holley police departments
The Albion Police Department is pleased to announce being awarded the 2019 Community Traffic Safety Platinum Award by the America Automobile Association.
The nationally recognized AAA Platinum Community Traffic Safety Award is the highest award AAA can bestow on any Police Department. It’s awarded to Law Enforcement Agencies 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 motorist.
Throughout 2019 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.
This is the ninth consecutive year that the Albion Police Department has received the Community Traffic Safety Platinum Award.
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 under the Albion Police Leadership was awarded the Bronze Award for their efforts in traffic safety.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 December 2019 at 2:12 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Icicles hang on a bench by the Erie Canal in Albion near the fire hall around noon today.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has extended a winter weather advisory until 11 a.m. on Monday for Orleans, Niagara, Genesee and northern Erie counties.
Total snow accumulations of up to 2 inches and ice accumulations of up to one quarter of an inch are expected. The Weather Service warns of very poor travel conditions. Some power outages and tree damage is possible due to ice accumulation.
Icicles seem to be everywhere, even on the historical marker in downtown Albion at Waterman Park with the Santa mural in the background.
This is sign on East Bank Street, notifying there is a weight limit of 6 tons for trucks.
A “sold” sign is getting buried in ice on the sidewalk on East State Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 November 2019 at 5:30 pm
Provided photos
ALBION – The family of Justin Swanger on Tuesday handed out 24 basketballs to boys who participate in a basketball program run by a group of the local churches through PACT – Pastors Aligned for Community Transformation. Matt and Sharon Sugar oversee the program at the Albion Middle School.
Swanger was a high-scoring 3-point shooter for the Albion varsity basketball team. He died in his sleep at age 22 on Nov. 28, 2014. Tuesday was near the fifth anniversary of his passing.
His mother, Paula Canne, attended the open shoot basketball program on Tuesday and gave the boys basketballs in honor of her son.
Paula Canne, wearing the Albion basketball jersey, gives away basketballs on Tuesday.
Justin’s basketball coach Tim Archer and Sheriff Randy Bower both spoke about their experiences with Swanger, who was a hard worker and was well liked for sense of humor.
He was a key member of the Albion basketball team. He had a scrappy playing style and a knack for hitting long 3-pointers. He graduated with the Class of 2010.
