ALBION – Police and fire officials are investigating a fatal fire in Albion at the Nayman’s garage at 205 North Main St.

Albion fire officials confirmed a body was found inside the garage. Local police and the Albion Fire Department arrived on scene soon after dispatch put out the call for a structure fire at the location at 3:51 p.m.

State police and state fire investigators have joined local police and firefighters at the scene.

The name of the person who died hasn’t been released and investigators are inside looking for a cause of the fire.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Former Boy Scouts and their leaders in Troop 60 in Albion met for a farewell dinner at Hojack’s Bar and Grill tonight. The troop is turning in its charter next month.

Pictured, kneeling, include from left: Dale Adamo and Ben Metcalf. Standing, from left: Jonathan Doherty, Scout Executive Jess Markel, Dave Hollenbeck, past scoutmaster Mike Metcalf, and assistant scoutmaster Steve Yoder.

The troop formed in 1997 and was sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church. About 50 to 60 boys participated in the troop, with 12 attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

“It taught me a lot about character,” said Ben Metcalf, 26. ‘If everyone lived by the 10 Commandments and the 12 Scouting principles, we wouldn’t have any problems in the world.”

Ben and his brother Tom both earned their Eagle rank. Their father Mike was a long-time Scoutmaster and volunteer.

Some of the Scouts reminisced by their adventures, including winter camp outs, biking and canoeing trips along the Canal (all the way to Camp Dittmer in Phelps), the Pinewood Derby and other activities.

Troop numbers dwindled in recent years. There was one Scout left at the end of last June and he transferred to Troop 164 in Albion. There are two remaining troops in the Albion community, Troop 164 is sponsored by the Catholic Church and Troop 175 is sponsored by the West Barre United Methodist Church.

Many of the Scouts became leaders in the five-county Iroquois Trail Council by working at Camp Dittmer in the summers. Allen Sanford is among the recent Troop 60 Scouts who continues to be a leader at Dittmer.

Metcalf worked as a Scout Executive before joining Jim and Adam Kirby at their farm in Albion.

Steve Yoder has been an assistant scoutmaster for about 30 years, staying with the program after his son aged out. He started volunteering in Rochester, and was with Troop 60 from day one in 1997. Yoder has been paralyzed on the left side of his body since he had a stroke in his early 30s about three decades ago.

He didn’t let that stop him from sharing how to start fires in the wilderness and stay warm on winter camp-outs. His secret to staying warm in the cold: eat a lot of cheese.

“Everyone contributes something,” he said about the Scouting program. “It’s gratifying to teach them a skill and have them come back later and say, ‘You taught me that.'”

Jonathan Doherty is among the Eagle Scouts at Troop 60. He stayed on as an adult volunteer and will help at Troop 164. He organized the dinner tonight.

Troop 60 won’t be going away, even as it turns in its charter.

“You still have all these people,” said Jess Markel, a Scout Executive who attended tonight’s dinner. “Hopefully Troop 60 will be a phoenix and rise again.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Firefighters and police are on the scene at a fire at Nayman’s, a long-time business at 205 North Main St. The dispatch call went out at 3:51 p.m.

Orleans Hub will have more on the fire later.

Provided Photo – Albion Police Department members volunteered with the Red Kettle campaign today. He following are pictured, from left: Officer Jeff Gifaldi, Officer Brandon Annable, Officer Robert Wagner, Sgt. David Mogle, Lt. Thomas O’Hearn and Officer Karol Hughes.

Press Release
Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni

ALBION – Members of the Albion Police Benevolent Association volunteered their time today for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. Several Albion police officers donated their time to “ring the bell” and man the kettle at the Tops Market in Albion.

The Albion Police Department and Albion Police PBA hope that in some way they have helped a person in need. The job of police officers is to serve and protect. The term serve to a police officer can have many meanings. The Albion Police PBA feels that to serve goes farther than just enforcing the law.

File photo by Tom Rivers – Snell Realtors will list the former Swan Library at the corner of Main and State streets. For 112 years, the site was home to Swan Library. It was vacated in June 2012 when the library moved to the new Hoag Library.

ALBION – The former Swan Library is officially on the market. The Library Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday to hire David Snell from Snell Realtors in Albion to list the site, which was originally built as a mansion in 1851.

It became Albion’s public library in 1900 and stayed that way until June 2012. It was vacated when the library moved to a next site a couple blocks south on Main Street.

The library has received an offer for the Swan site. Board President Kevin Doherty said he can’t disclose the offer or who it is from.

A committee of trustees – Dele Theodorakos, Linda Smith and John Andrews – were assigned to handle the Swan sale. That includes a counter offer to the potential buyer.

The library retained David Snell to develop “comparables” for the building’s value, Doherty said. Other prospective buyers may also step forward once the site is listed.

Theodorakos is a real estate agent. She said the building has asbestos in the basement pipes. It also still has lots of “stuff,” some of value and others that could likely be trashed, she said.

The library used a matching grant last year to remove asbestos from the tiles in the building, but that project didn’t include the lower floor where it will cost $20,000 to $25,000 to remove asbestos. Rather than tackle that project, the library has opted to sell the building “as is.”

The site was eyed as a possible county museum, but Theodorakos said that effort failed to move forward. John Sawyer was leading the push, but he died from leukemia in October 2013.

“There was hope in the possibility but as time went on the probability was dim,” Theodorakos said about developing the site as a museum.

The Swan Library Association owns the building and has been spending $25,000 to $28,000 annually for maintenance, insurance and other costs for the former library, Doherty said.

The site has about 6,000 square feet. The new library has more than 14,000 square feet. The Swan site became too cramped for a modern library and patrons complained there were only a few parking spaces. It is air-conditioned and has an elevator.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Jeff Davignon, director of Hoag Library, outlines what he said are successes in the library during his first three months on the job. He spoke during Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

ALBION – In his first three months as director of the Hoag Library, Jeff Davignon has pushed to improve programming, signage and the environment at the library, trying to make the site more welcoming to people of all ages, particularly children, he said during Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

He believes the community has responded to the changes. He cited a door counter that tracked 9,311 people through the front door of the building from September through November, compared to 4,113 people during the same three months in 2013.

Davignon said the library has added children’s programming, including Minecraft and literacy efforts. The Minecraft game utilizes reading and science on a program where users interact with other players over the Internet.

“They are the future engineers of America,” Davignon said about Minecraft players. “The children are communicating, collaborating and learning STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).”

The Minecraft players are also future adults, as are the other children that use the library, Davignon said. Hoag has created “The Loft” on the second floor for teens to study.

Davignon was criticized at Wednesday’s board meeting by library user Donna Wolcott for not providing enough oversight to teens, who she said use foul language and have public displays of affection.

Davignon said the teen programs and how to engage them is “a work in progress.” But he said he wants to continue to reach out to the age group.

“Having teens in the library has added vitality,” he said. “We’re going to try. We’re going to make an investment and see if it pays off.”

About 40 people attended Wednesdays’ board meeting, the first since last month’s contentious meeting when several residents said they were upset about changes at the library, including the termination of a long-time employee and other resignations or retirements.

The board responded to many of the questions from a month ago with more detail on Wednesday. Trustee Carol Miller spoke about the library’s “progressive levels of discipline” that include three steps before an employee is fired, unless the director deems one offense enough for a firing.

Trustee Linda Smith shared that a committee reviewed 20 applications for the director’s job and narrowed that pool to nine people who were interviewed. Davignon was picked by the committee and the board as the top candidate. He started in late August and is on a six-month probationary period.

Former trustee Patricia Cammarata thanked the board for open dialogue at the meeting. She asked that community members be able to send letters confidentially to one trustee, who would then share that information with other trustees.

Cammarata said some residents have left letters that haven’t been acknowledged by the board or library staff. The board has created an email account – hoaglibrary@gmail.com – to take questions from the community. Letters can also be sent to Hoag Library, 134 South Main St., Albion, NY 14411. Attention: S.L. Board of Trustees.

Cammarata would like the letters to be received away from the library. Library Board President Kevin Doherty wants to check with legal counsel on how to best do that.

Ken Braunbach also addressed the board and said he is disappointed about “character assassinations” some library officials have made in the public about his wife, Mary Anne Braunbach, a former board member and current president of the Friends of the Library.

“You shouldn’t discredit the Friends,” Mr. Braunbach said. “They work very hard finding money for the library, which helps you.”

Mrs. Braunbach addressed the board and she questioned if counting people through the doors has been done accurately, especially with people like herself who make frequent trips to the library, going back and forth to retrieve items from their vehicles.

She also said circulation numbers are the best way to measure if the library is seeing more use.

The circulation numbers weren’t available at the meeting.

Davignon said the library is assessing its collection. He would like to weed out seldom used books and replace them with more popular items.

He would like to establish community focus groups in the new year to help chart the library’s future and its programming. In early 2015, Hoag will introduce a new website, a 3-D printing program, credit card acceptance, and a consistent schedule of interesting programs for children and adults, Davignon said.

He welcomes ideas from the staff and community.

“If it’s a good idea, we’ll do it,” he said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Students at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy practice for Saturday’s 5th annual Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas. Laiken Ricker, center in front, is among the dancers in an advanced jazz class taught by Claire Albertson.

They will be part of three performances on Saturday at Holy Family Parish Lyceum with shows at noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Albion will be busy on Saturday with many holiday events as part of the third annual Hometown Holiday sponsored by the Albion Merchants Association. There are events planned at 16 sites in the downtown and on Main Street.

Some new activities include breakfast with Santa at the Masonic Lodge at 39 Platt St. (Seating is limited. Call 331-7103 for reservations.)

A children’s penny carnival has been moved from the fire hall to Hoag Library. There will be plenty of games and prizes and 25-cent popcorn and hot chocolate. Sheets for a coloring contest will also be at the library and the entries will be displayed at Save-A-Lot.

File photo – Santa will be at Salih Studio from 1 to 3 p.m. for photos for $10.

Mrs. Claus will be visiting Knight’s Pride from 1 to 3 p.m. to enjoy cookies, crafts and cards. Other stores will have face painting (El Gallo), letter writing to Santa (Downtown Browsery), decorating an ornament (Empire Trading), cookie decorating and hot chocolate (Hazy Jade), a scavenger hunt (Main Street Store), and gift wrapping (Uptown Browsery).

In addition, holiday-goers can decorate a pillow (Flying Needle and Thread), create holiday gift tags (Mmim), taste wine (Plaza Liquor) and enter in raffles for a television and other prizes (Xpress Fitness and Tanning).

Pullman Memorial Universalist Church will also be open for an art show and tour.

Bindings Bookstore will also be hosting two book-signings: “The Grocery Man” with Donna Rhodey at 11 a.m. and “Josie and the Singing Butterfly” with Josie Waverly from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

“It’s a community event to bring the community together and bring people to the downtown,” said Carolyn Ricker, president of the Merchants Association.

The event coincides with the Hometown Holiday event at the lyceum. About 50 performers will be in the show, including newcomers Josie Waverly and Rachel Curtin, the Albion Elementary School principal. Waverly for the first time will also sing publicly with Marcy Downey, an Albion native and professional singer.

Proceeds from Hometown Christmas go to a memorial scholarship for Nicholas Kovaleski. He inspired the Albion community with his valiant fight against leukemia. He died at age 15 on June 29, 2011. He was a popular student at Albion, excelling at football, swimming and tennis. He would have graduated last June and likely would be a college freshman.

“The empathy and love the community has for him carries on,” said Amy Sidari, Gotta Dance owner and Hometown organizer. “We are living with purpose as he lived.”

For more information on Hometown Christmas, click here.

Provided photos

ALBION – Many local families touched by the loss of a loved one attended the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on the front lawn of Hospice offices on Saturday. The white pine tree was generously donated by Gerry Culhane. The tree was decorated with special memorial ribbons and ornaments in memory of family, friends and loved ones.

Craig Lape sang “I Believe There are Angels Among Us,” a song that speaks to the important role of comfort and support the staff and volunteers provide to those served and their families.

Following a short ceremony with reflections by Pastor Linda Haight, the Memorial Tree was illuminated. After a moment of silence and remembrance, the community joined with staff for a reception in the conference center.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The 70-member Genesee Chorale performs during the “Light of Christmas” concert this afternoon at the First Presbyterian Church in Albion.

Director Ric Jones has his back to the crowd.

Ric Jones, director of the Genesee Chorale, leads the group in singing “O Come All Ye Faithful” during the concert this afternoon.

Jones, a Medina resident, and the Chorale performed about dozen songs during today’s concert. The group also performed in Albion for a Christmas concert a year ago.

Albion students also performed in the concert. In this photo, John Flanagan plays “What Child Is This” with the Brass Ensemble up in the balcony.

Gary Simboli directs the Albion Women’s Select Choir in singing “O, Holy Night.”

Karen Jones is the soloist for the Chorale in singing “Away In A Manger.” Jones’s husband Ric is the Chorale director.

More than 350 people attended the concert in the historic Presbyterian Church.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Santa Claus makes eye contact with a youngster at the First Baptist Church in Albion today.

Santa visited children and their families at the church today in Albion. The visit was followed with a potluck lunch and a cake.

Each child sat on Santa’s lap and shared a gift request for Christmas. In this photo, Danielle Schmidt, daughter of the church pastor Aleka Schmidt, tells Santa she wants a ferret for Christmas.

Provided photos

ALBION – Another painted bench promoting Albion history has been completed. This one features Mount Albion Cemetery. The bench was painted by Albion native Stacey Kirby.

The top photo shows the arch leading into the cemetery, which was established in 1843 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kirby delivered the bench to the Albion Middle School on Thursday, but first stopped at the cemetery to get this photo.

The bench will spend the winter inside the school. It will be placed in Albion’s downtown next spring, joining 10 other benches that were painted to promote local heritage.

This scene shows the Ingersoll Fountain, which was added to the cemetery in 1914.

The bench was paid for with a state Main Street grant. The artist fee was covered with some of the proceeds from a “Ghost Walk” in September, when Albion drama students portrayed prominent residents in the cemetery. About 500 people attended that event.

Kyle Thaine portrays Rufus Bullock, who grew up in Albion and was a railroad official in George. Bullock was elected Georgia’s governor in 1868. He was instrumental in the reconstruction of Georgia after the Civil War.

John Lang

Jerry Walls

Vickie Hughes

ALBION – Three people have been arrested and jailed following a five-month investigation into the sale and distribution of prescription narcotics in the Village of Albion, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.

Police seized hundreds of prescription morphine and Hydrocodone pills, which were obtained through Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The Task Force worked with the Albion Police Department and Orleans County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation.

The following were arrested on Wednesday:

John B. Lang, Jr., 56, of 175 North Main St., Apt. 16 in Albion. He is charged with one of criminal sale and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance, both in the third degree. He also was charged with one count of CSCS in the fourth degree and two counts of CPCS in the fifth degree.

Lang was arraigned by Albion Town Justice Gary Moore and committed to the Orleans County Jail on $20,000 bail.

Lang is to appear in Town Court on Monday at 9 a.m.

Jerry L. Walls, 45, of 71 West Ave., Apt. 45 in Brockport. He was charged with two counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, eight counts of CPCS in the fifth degree and five counts of CSCS in the fourth degree.

Walls was arraigned by Justice Moore and remanded to Orleans County Jail on no bail, due to a previous criminal history, the Task Force reported.

Walls is due to appear in Town Court on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Vickie L. Hughes, 49, of 71 West Ave., Apt. 45 in Brockport. She was charged with two counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, 2 counts of CSCS in the fourth degree and four counts of CPCS in the fifth degree.

Hughes was arraigned by Justice Moore and remanded to Orleans County Jail on no bail, due to a previous criminal history.

She is due to appear in Town Court on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Walls and Hughes face additional charges regarding Medicaid and Medicare fraud, the Task Force reported.

Provided photo – The Genesee Chorale, led by Ric Jones, rehearses on Monday for their concert this Sunday in Albion at the First Presbyterian Church.

Press Release
Eastman at Albion

ALBION – The darkest day of the year approaches, and also the brightest one: Winter solstice is Dec. 21, with Christmas following four short days later.

Observing this juxtaposition, the Eastman at Albion Courthouse Square Series will host its annual holiday concert, “Light of Christmas,” at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church, 29 E. State St.

This year’s event features the Batavia-based Genesee Chorale, conducted by Medina musician Ric Jones. Select vocal and instrumental ensembles from Albion High School, led by Mike Thaine and Gary Simboli, also will perform.

Concert organizer and Genesee Chorale member Maarit Vaga explains: “The pieces on the program explore differing aspects of light: ‘Light in Darkness,’ ‘Light of Hope,’ ‘Light of Heaven,’ ‘Light of Christmas,’ and ‘Light of God.'”

Among the selections are “Let There Be Light,” by Craig Courtney, “Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre, “True Light” by Keith Hampton, and “Sure on this Shining Night” by Morten Lauridsen. Traditional songs and carols will round out the afternoon, which has become a popular tradition in the Albion community.

Vaga noted that some songs will encourage audience members to reflect, others to rejoice, and some to sing along. One number will be offered in remembrance of loved ones no longer with us for the holidays.

Several hundred people attend each year, and the planning committee keeps the admission price family-friendly in the spirit of the season. The event is sponsored by Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes. Proceeds benefit scholarships through the Albion High School Alumni Foundation.

Provided photo – Saint-Gobain Adfors presented an $1,100 check to Hospice of Orleans on Tuesday. Pictured, from left, include: Donna Atkinson, Saint-Gobain director of human resources; Nyla Gaylord, Hospice director of development; and David Fink, plant manager at Saint-Gobain in Albion.

ALBION Saint-Gobain Adfors officials surprised Hospice of Orleans with an $1,100 donation on Tuesday.

Saint-Gobain is the world’s largest building materials company. Each Saint-Gobain site in the United States is eligible to direct money from the Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation’s Community Gifts program. Funds can be used to target local needs and priorities. Saint-Gobain picked Hospice of Orleans.

“We know about the important work done by Hospice and are very happy to support Hospice of Orleans with this gift,” David Fink, Saint-Gobain plant manager, said as he presented the check to Nyla Gaylord, director of development for Hospice of Orleans.

“These funds will go to support the Transitions program, an in-home care program that serves seriously ill people,” said Mary Anne Fischer, executive director of Hospice of Orleans. “This largely volunteer driven, cost-effective program serves the families of Orleans County and was developed to meet the special needs of those neither ready, nor eligible, for Hospice care.”

Fischer said most of the people in the Transitions program have a life-limiting illness, and need assistance in accessing community and medical resources to manage their disease and the challenges it presents.

“We are truly grateful to Saint-Gobain Adfors for this unexpected gift which helps us meet a growing need in our community,” Fischer said.

Katrina Drake

ALBION – A Lockport woman has been arrested and jailed following a two-month investigation into the sale and distribution of prescription narcotics in the Village of Albion, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task reported.

Katrina L. Drake, 24, of 80 Genesee St., Apt. 3, was arrested on Monday in the parking lot at 301 West Ave. The Task Force and the Albion Police Department seized a quantity of prescription Oxycodone pills, cash and a small quantity of marijuana.

Drake was charged with two counts each of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.

She was arraigned by Albion Town Justice Kevin Howard and remanded to the Orleans County Jail on $20,000 bail. She is due to appear in court on Wednesday at 9 a.m.