By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Leslie Allen (in orange) leads a group of senior citizens in an exercise class today at the former Albion Grammar School on East Academy Street.
ALBION – Leslie Allen has run an exercise class for senior citizens on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. She mixes in lots of humor and banter, as well as gimmicks, including “Crazy Sock Day,” which was today’s theme.
Today was also Allen’s last day on the job. She is retiring after leading the class for six years for the Office For the Aging.
Allen has a steady group of about 20 senior citizens. She makes the class fun, while leading the group in free weights, cardio, isometrics with an exercise ball and a cool down. It’s part of the OFA’s efforts to improve balance and strength, to help seniors with fall prevention.
That may sound like a chore, but Allen has made the class enjoyable, said Ann Batt, a regular in the class.
“It’s just fun,” Batt said. “We’re like a family.”
Allen shows off the sock she wore for “Crazy Sock Day.”
Allen and the group have holiday parties and other days with costumes. (Batt dressed up as Harry Potter for Halloween.)
Batt and other class members said they wish Allen well in her retirement.
“She will be missed,” Batt said. “We’re happy for her.”
Allen said the class members have been successful in improving their balance. She sees many other benefits to the program.
“We’ve become a family,” she said. “They keep in touch with each other, sending each other cards and staying connected.”
Leslie Allen joins some of the class members for a photo on “Crazy Sock Day.”
The class will continue with Michele Sargent hired as the new leader of the low-impact exercises.
Allen thanked the class today for their friendship.
“They’ve taught me how to age gracefully and to do it with humor,” she said.
ALBION – Several Rotary Interact members recently visited East High School in Rochester as part of an “urban/rural cultural exchange.” The Albion students visited classes, toured the school, and discussed life in an urban setting.
The students all agreed that despite the many outward differences, they were alike in many ways. East High students will visit Albion next fall. Albion students included Kyle Smith, Dom Dicureia, Emily Blanchard, Mariah Elsenheimer, Desiree Barber, Matilda Erakare, Ally Graham, Clara Stilwell, Makenzie Donahue and MacKenzie Luft.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 May 2015 at 9:46 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Firefighters were called to Fischer’s News Stand this morning after glass shattered from one of the second-floor windows and fell on the sidewalk.
The building was inspected for electrical problems, but none were found.
Firefighters are pictured at about 9 a.m. this morning at Fischer’s.
After speculation the building may have shifted, causing the window to break and fall out, Code Enforcement Officer Ron Vendetti said the building may need to be inspected by an engineer to make sure it is structurally sound.
Vendetti said it may just have been a tight window or a bird could have caused the problem.
Fischer’s owner Gary Withey had a new roof and other building repairs made in 2009. The building at 105-107 North Main St. was built in 1828 and is one of the oldest on Main Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 May 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature and Albion Village Board are both pressing state officials to update a law for recycling TVs and other electronic waste.
The state on Jan. 1 began banning curbside disposal of older TVs with cathode-ray technology. Many residents have upgraded from those televisions, switching to popular flat screens. Many of the older TVs have been dumped in ditches along rural roads, local officials said.
Municipalities would like to help residents properly get rid of the older televisions without it being an expensive burden. The state said manufacturers were supposed to take back older TVs, but the state capped the amount of discarded material companies have to accept each year.
Manufacturers have been hitting that cap midway through the year, Orleans County legislators said. Once the cap is hit, “cash-strapped” local governments are left to bear the burden, county legislators said.
“The issue is exacerbated by the fact that electronics currently sold today are much lighter than the obsolete CRT devices that make up about 70 percent of the weight of e-scrap generated, which are cost intensive to responsibly manage,” according to a resolution passed by the County Legislature and also the Albion Village Board.
“As a result, may local governments across the state have grappled with the burden to fund or cease e-scrap collection, which has been particularly difficult in rural communities that do not benefit from retail collectors or economies of scale,” according to the resolution.
The County Legislature and Village Board are asking Gov. Cuomo, the State Legislature and State Department of Environmental Conservation to work towards a long-term solution for electronic waste recycling for both urban and rural areas.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Emma Wadhams, an Albion Girl Scout, carries the American flag while leading Scouts down East Avenue in this morning’s Memorial Day parade in Albion.
The parade started on Main Street near the Courthouse and headed to Route 31 where it concluded at the Middle School lawn for a ceremony that included speeches by County legislator Don Allport and former State Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt, who served in the Vietnam War as a pilot.
Veterans from Albion carry the flag and other colors down Main Street in this morning’s parade.
The Knights of Columbus march in the parade.
Some members of the Albion Marching Band, including Jared Hollinger (with eagle), perform for the crowd.
Char Olick, a drum major, is one of the leaders of the marching band.
Logan London, left, and Nita Bela are members of the color guard in the marching band.
Kennedy Allport takes in the sights and sounds of the marching band while being held by her grandfather, Mark Webster of Albion.
Scouts from West Barre head down Main Street. John Schreiner is holding the American flag, while Ben Hickman carries the troop flag (center), and Tristan Lusk holds the pack flag.
Nathan Olmstead, an Albion Boy Scout, carries the American flag during the parade.
This group of Brownies in Albion includes from left: Sophia Albanese, Liana Flugel, Autumn Flugel and Julia Knight.
Albion firefighters Greg Marston, left, and Steven Papponetti join the parade processional.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 May 2015 at 4:26 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers – Main Street in Medina is pictured this afternoon with a banner, American flag and hanging basket. Medina is ranked No. 18 in a report of best towns to raise a family in New York.
The Medina and Albion communities both are in the top 20 of best towns to raise a family in New York, according to a report from Niche.
Niche has an on-line database that determines the ranking, using public education, safety, housing, community involvement and access to family necessities including grocery stores and libraries. Those factors measure how good an area is for families, Niche states.
Medina was ranked 18th overall of the best towns, which doesn’t include suburbs and cities with more than 100,000 people. Albion was ranked 20th.
Mount Hope Town in Orange County was the top ranked community in New York. East Aurora, at No. 3, was the highest ranked in Western New York with Geneseo at No. 5, Fredonia at No. 8 and Batavia at No. 17.
To see the report and the data on Medina and Albion, click here.
File photo by Peggy Barringer – Peggy Barringer took this photo on Jan. 15, 2014, of the moon looming over the Orleans County Courthouse and the County Clerks Building in Albion. Courthouse Square is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Linda Logan, a music teacher in Albion for 34 years, directed her final concert this evening, leading 117 students in the third and fourth grade chorus.
Logan and many of her students wore western and cowboy outfits. The sang folk song and cowboy medleys, including “Shoo Fly,” “Old Dan Tucker,” “Home on the Range,” “Git Along Little Doggies,” Grandma’s Feather Bed” and others.
“These are songs every kid should know,” she said before the concert.
Logan said she tried to pick fun songs throughout the year. She thanked her students and their parents, many of whom she taught a generation ago.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Elijah Martin shakes hands with members of the Albion Board of Education during Monday night’s academic honors convocation dinner, when 33 students were recogizned for graduating with grade point averages at 90 or higher.
Each honor grad received a certificate noting their achievement.
HOLLEY – Albion Central School honored 33 students who will graduating with cumulative grade point averages at 90 percent or higher. The students and their families were treated to dinner on Monday at Hickory Ridge Country Club.
Bill Lattin, an Albion graduate and a former Albion art teacher, was picked to address the students. Lattin recently retired as county historian. He did that job for 36 years and also worked 40 years as the part-time curator at the Cobblestone Museum.
Lattin urged the students to have open minds and not let differences get in the way of their work and service.
“Don’t be rigid in your thoughts,” Lattin said. “Let your mind be expansive.”
Bill Lattin addresses the honor grads during Monday’s program.
He urged the students to take time to enjoy simple pleasures in life, which could be smelling the peonies flowers.
When Lattin worked at the Cobblestone Museum, the organization held several ribbon-cutting ceremonies for buildings that were rededicated or relocated and saved. Lattin always invited Congressman John LaFalce. There was at least one Republican on the Cobblestone Board who didn’t want to see LaFalce, a Democrat, invited to the ceremonies. But Lattin insisted the congressman be welcomed.
LaFalce attended the celebrations. In 1993, the Cobblestone Musuem tried to get the Cobblestone Universalist Church from 1834, a central point of the museum, declared a National Historic Landmark. State officials said the museum would need the support of its congressman. Lattin made a call and LaFalce backed the effort. The Cobblestone Church is the lone National Historic Landmark in the county.
“Don’t burn your bridges,” was Lattin’s advice to the students. “Don’t be afraid especially in politics to reach across the aisle. We need more of that today.”
Nita Bela, one of the honor grads, is congratulated by Michael Bonnewell, superintendent of Albion Central School.
Lattin was thanked by Margy Brown, the Board of Education president, for working with students though the years on many service learning projects.
The students were praised for their years of hard work in the classroom. Many juggled their school work with busy schedules with extracurricular activities and part-time jobs.
Kyler McQuillan is graduating number 3 in the class. He is thankful he doesn’t have to give a speech at commencement. Kyler’s advice to students: “Do your work.”
Kyler McQuillan is congratulated by his parents, Brenda and Sean McQuillan. Mrs. McQuillan presents her son with his honor cord.
Kyler often stayed up late to get his homework done and to study, often after soccer and tennis matches. He insisted on getting enough sleep so his body wouldn’t wear down.
He will major in chemical engineering at the University at Buffalo this fall. He said Albion offers rigorous courses that helped him gain acceptance at UB’s engineering program.
Kyler took advanced placement classes in calculus, chemistry and physics at Albion, classes he needed to get into the UB program.
Dyer Benjovsky kept up his grades while playing golf, hockey and tennis. He took AP classes and also earned 38 college credits while in high school.
His advice to students: “Do your homework.”
He said the honors students had a friendly rivalry, pushing each other to excel in the classroom. He is headed to UB to study aerospace engineering.
Morgan Seielstad is congratulated by Albion Board of Education members Dean Dibley, Margy Brown and Marie Snyder, left.
Students who are graduating with a cumulative grade point average at 90 percent or higher include:
Andrea Aman, Drake Arnold, Jayne Bannister, Nita Bela, Monica Benjovsky, Theodore “Dyer” Benjovsky, Alex Bison, Mallory Broda, Adryan Cheeseboro, Peiyi “Aaron” Chen, Madyson Coville, Amanda Covis, Nicholas Ettinger, Morgan Ferris, Laura Flanagan, Brittany Francis, Elijah Martin, Sara Maxon, Kyler McQuillan, Sara Millspaugh, Dakota Monno, Justice Nauden, Kellie O’Hearn, Charlyne Olick, Carol Pritchard, Cristal Quintana Aragon, Ryan Reed, Kerry Rice, Morgan Seielstad, Jacob Squicciarini, Gabriell Struble, Benjamin Vanacore and Crystal Zayac.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Kelsee Soule, a member of the Albion FFA, puts a special sauce on the chicken barbecues that were prepared today. The FFA had 1,300 meals ready as part of a school budget vote tradition.
ALBION – Albion voters in a wide margin approved a $14.3 million capital project in a vote today. The school budget also sailed through.
The capital project includes work at the three school buildings as well as the bus garage. It was approved in a 313-55 vote.
The project will address numerous maintenance issues, infrastructure upgrades and safety improvements
The $14,370,548 project will be 91 percent covered by state funds. The district has its 9 percent share, $1,286,000, already in a local reserve fund, school officials said.
The project would replace half of the roofs, upgrade parking lots, improve drainage on athletic fields, resurface the track, and add some exterior lighting and utilize more LED lights.
The District Office, currently housed in what was intended to be a temporary metal building in the 1964, would be demolished and those offices would shift to existing space at the middle school.
At the high school, the 1,200 high school lockers that are less than 9 inches wide would be replaced with 800 lockers that are a foot wide. The bigger lockers would allow students to better store their thick backpacks and winter coats.
The capital project would also include stronger doors at school entrances and card access controls.
The fire alarm would be replaced with a new system at the elementary school, which would also see a relocated flag pole to the front of the building, HVAC upgrades, additional exterior lighting, and a new playground on west side.
The elementary school would also receive a shading system on the south side to reduce solar heat gain in the warmer months.
The work at the elementary school adds up to $5,249,261.
The capital project also will replace some single-pane windows in the middle school with more energy-efficient windows, upgrade the sound booth, improve the boiler and heating system, add exterior lights to northeast side of the school, widen the sidewalk by bus loading zone and replace decaying steel hand railing with aluminum ones.
The middle school work would cost an estimated $5,730,265.
The high school library would also be repurposed with new technology to meet the needs of the 21st Century.
The high school track would also be resurfaced and better drainage would be added to the football field.
The high school improvements would cost an estimated $2,851,885.
The capital project would also include work on the bus garage, adding an emergency generator, and new doors and lighting at an estimated $539,137.
The proposed $33,240,940 budget passed in a 313-55 vote. The budget reduces spending by $310,111 and the tax levy will drop by 1 percent to $8,355,939.
A proposition to spend $460,000 for buses passed 314-51. The proposition for $680,411 for Hoag Library passed 241-125.
There were two candidates for two five-year terms on the Board of Education. Incumbent Marie Snyder received 311 votes and Chantelle Sacco received 292.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Sara Millspaugh leads organization with 4,000-plus members
Photos by Tom Rivers – Sara Millspaugh will serve as president of the FFA in New York in 2015-16. She has been president of the FFA chapter in Albion the past two years.
ALBION – An Albion student who has helped the Albion FFA chapter organize food drives, banquets, chicken barbecue dinners and other community service projects is the new leader of the state-wide FFA organization.
Sara Millspaugh wants to bring some of the successes from the Albion chapter to chapters throughout the state, while encouraging each student to pursue their potential through the many opportunities in FFA.
More than 1,000 FFA students gathered at Morrisville State College for the state convention from Thursday through Saturday. Millspaugh was elected the new state president on Friday.
“It’s about giving back to the organization,” Millspaugh said the Albion High School today.
She joined the FFA as a freshman. She didn’t grow up on a farm. But the FFA is more than traditional farming. The organization remains rooted in agriculture and teaching those skills, but it has transitioned to train students for leadership, community service, business and many other skills.
“I’m not the traditional FFA student,” said Millspaugh. “I didn’t come from a farm background.”
Her father Sam Millspaugh owns Sam & Sons, a construction company.
Sara Millspaugh, left, is pictured with Jayne Bannister. Both earned their Empire Degrees, the top honor in the FFA at the high school level.
The new FFA president is heading to Cornell University in the fall to major in agricultural business management.
She and the five other state officers will go to Camp Oswegatchie in the Adirondacks next week for five days to prepare for next school year.
Millspaugh believes her college schedule will be less demanding than in high school, where students have multiple classes each day while juggling sports and other activities.
Millspaugh and the five other state officers were interviewed for 2 ½ days last month in Syracuse by FFA delegates and adult advisors. Millspaugh emerged as the leading candidate for president.
She spoke to the 1,000-plus students during the closing ceremonies on Saturday.
Adam Krenning, the Albion FFA advisor, said Millspaugh has proven she is up for the challenge.
“She carries herself well and she includes everyone in what’s going on. Those are among her best qualities,” Krenning said. “She works well under pressure.”
The FFA chapter is busy throughout the year. It organizes a food drive each December that results in nearly 30,000 pounds of produce being donated by local farms and delivered to Community Action and other food pantries.
The chapter organizes a citrus sale and also puts on a mini-farm at the school where students can see livestock and farm machinery. The chapter also helps plan the annual Farmer to Neighbor dinner in Lyndonville, and runs other events and competitions. FFA members are busy today preparing for Tuesday’s chicken barbecue dinner with 1,300 meals.
“There are many passionate people in FFA,” Millspaugh said. “It’s an organization where you can discover yourself.”
She also earned her Empire Degree during the state convention and was awarded a gold in proficiency for an ag education focus. She job shadowed Krenning, and created workshops and lesson plans that she shared with some of the classes. Krenning said she would make a good ag teacher.
Jayne Bannister also earned her Empire Degree with a gold in proficiency for her beef and swine production. She raised the animals and tracked her expenses and assets with the livestock.
Bannister served as a district president this past year. Clara Stilwell, another Albion student, was picked for that post in 2015-16.
Bannister is heading to Kansas State University next year with a double major in animal science and ag education.
She would like to return to area and teach agriculture and lead an FFA program someday. Bannister said she is grateful for the opportunities in FFA, working with the local community and travelling throughout the state and making trips to the national convention in Louisville and Indianapolis.
“It has been amazing,” she said. “It has been experiences I will never forget that have shaped me.”
Millspaugh is the third Albion student elected among the top leaders of the FFA in the past decade. Anna Metcalf served as president in 2007-08 and Paige Levandowski was vice president in 2012-13.
“We have great kids that are motivated to get the most out of themselves,” Krenning said.
There are about 100 FFA chapters in the state, and Krenning said some nearby school districts may start programs. Albion students have met with some of the schools to help start FFA chapters.
“The FFA is producing great leaders for our country and state and more school districts are noticing that,” he said.
Provided photos – The Medina Mustang Marching Band performs in Saturday’s parade at Seneca Falls.
SENECA FALLS – The Albion and Medina marching bands both competed in the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands on Friday and Saturday with Medina taking the top prize as grand champion champion.
Albion won first place in the marching band category.
There were 16 bands from western and central New York competing in jazz, concert band, color guard, twirling, percussion and parade. The schools are placed in classifications based on the size of their enrollment.
Medina’s Color Guard took first place.
In Jazz, Medina took first place in the Senior High B class, with Solvay coming in second and Albion in third. In Senior High Concert Band, Medina took first against Akron. Medina also was awarded first place in Twirling, Color Guard, Percussion and Parade.
The Medina band leaves for Ohio on May 21 and will be back to perform in the Memorial Day parade on May 25.
Logan London, right, and the Color Guard from Albion lead the marching band in the parade.
Albion was first in Marching Band with an 89 score and third in Jazz Ensemble with a 96.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 May 2015 at 12:00 am
File photos by Tom Rivers – The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church includes this stained-glass window of “Christ the Consoler.” It is an early work by the famed Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company.
ALBION – Historic churches around the state this weekend are opening their doors to showcase the architectural wonders inside the buildings.
There are 125 churches on the “Sacred Sites” tour, including two in Albion: First Presbyterian and Pullman Memorial Universalist. This is the fifth annual “Sacred Sites” tour in New York, an event aimed to raise public appreciation for the churches as community treasures with stained-glass windows, pipe organs, ornately carved pews, decorative paintings and murals.
The New York Landmarks Conservancy is spearheading the Sacred Sites tour. The organization provides grants to churches in New York. The two Albion churches are among the recipients of Sacred Sites awards.
Sacred Sites offers New Yorkers the chance to experience the beautiful religious art and architecture throughout the area. The event is also intended to assist religious institutions in promoting their history, cultural programming and social services.
The First Presbyterian Church in Albion recently completed a $300,000 renovation and restoration of its interior, including work on the rose window.
The Pullman church is located at 10 East Park St. and will be open for tours today and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The church was built in 1894 with money from railroad manufacturer George Pullman, who grew up in Albion. The building is an excellent example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, the NY Landmarks Conservancy stated. The church has 41 Tiffany stained-glass windows including one of “Christ the Consoler” that was featured in Tiffany brochures in 1898.
The First Presbyterian Church will be open from noon to 3 p.m. both days at 29 East State St. The Presbyterian Church was built in 1874 and includes a 175-foot-high spire, the tallest structure in Orleans County.
For more information on “Sacred Sites,” click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A new memorial for veterans from Albion was unveiled this morning in a ceremony at the Albion Town Hall. The memorial shows a metal sculpture of a battlefield cross.
Jeff Benfer, a local welder and artist, created the sculpture as a donation to the community. The pieces were all cut and shaped by hand.
Jakes Olles (left), an Albion town councilman, said there is more work to be done on the memorial. He is pictured next to Benfer by the Town Hall on Clarendon Road.
Olles wants a large piece of Medina sandstone behind the sculpture with the names of local veterans who have died while serving their country.
Jason Johnston is the most recent Albion resident to die at war. He was killed in Afghanistan on Dec. 26, 2009. His family attended the memorial unveiling today. Johnston and Benfer are cousins.
“There isn’t anyone from Albion who hasn’t been affected by a war,” Olles said.
Olles sought to include Medina sandstone pieces for the memorial. The Albion Town Highway Department set up the sandstone pieces and did other site work.
Steve Coville, a veteran from Albion, carries the American flag while joined by Tyler Umlauf, 9, and Nevaeh Umlauf, 11. Jason Johnston is their uncle.
The Honor Guard from the Attica Correctional Facility is in the background.
Coville raises the flag at the Albion Town Hall.
The Honor Guard from Attica Correctional Facility attended today’s memorial unveiling and did a gun salute. Olles is a sergeant at the prison in Wyoming County.
“If we’re asked, we try to go,” said Lt. Scott Markowski, a member of the Honor Guard that attends many funerals for people who served as corrections officers.
Olles said he expects there will be a bigger dedication service when the memorial is complete later this year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 May 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – The classic cars, giant parade, food vendors, live bands and other favorites from the Strawberry Festival will be back. But this year’s 29th annual festival will have some new additions with a fishing pond in downtown Albion among the highlights.
With a fishing theme – “Hook, Line, and Strawberry!” – for this year’s festival on June 12-13, the planning committee decided to give people a chance to fish. A 14-by-22-foot tank will be set up on West Bank Street and will be stocked with about 250 rainbow and brook trout.
“It’s a fun thing for the kids,” said Ron LaGamba, a member of the Albion Rotary Club and chairman of the fishing pond event.
He is working with Western North Carolina Mountain Trout Fishing on the project. Participants will have to pay for a chance to catch the fish. The rod, reel and bait will all be provided. Any caught fish will be returned to the tank in a catch and release program.
“It’s for the thrill of fishing and for learning to fish,” said Michael Bonafede, chairman of the festival planning committee.
The tank has 14 spots for sponsors. Bonafede and LaGamba hope to make the fishing pond a staple of the festival for years to come.
Bonafede said the two-day festival, now in its 29th year, includes new vendors, an enlarged farmers’ market, new games and a demonstration tent sponsored by Ace Hardware. That spot could feature artisans and other exhibitors.
The parade will also include an extended route to the Erie Canal and prizes will be awarded in several categories.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 May 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Sandy Climenhaga, Albion AP biology teacher, and student Katelyn Perry work together in planting flowers this morning.
Students in Albion’s AP biology class put flowers in 17 planters that will head to downtown Albion next week. The students worked with three volunteers from the Albion Merchants Association on the project.
Lisa Stratton, Debbie Grimm and Paula Brooks helped with the effort from the Merchants. The Merchants and Town of Albion paid for the flowers with additional sponsors from 17 businesses. This year there will also be 16 hanging baskets in the downtown, Stratton said.
Climenhaga said her students try to help with a flower planting project each year in the community. They expect to help plant flowers next week at Bullard Park.
“The kids like going by and seeing their work,” she said. “It definitely gives them pride in the community and we want to help the businesses who are already busy working at their shops.”
The bio students learn about flowers as part of their class. They study photosynthesis and dissect flowers to learn about plants.
Jordan Deskins helps with the flower planting effort this morning. Other AP students who helped include Ryan Reed, Jacob Squicciarini, Andrew Hollenbeck and Katelyn Perry.
