Photos by Sue Cook – Chris Keller watches the game while middle school librarian Jodi Brady has Claire Squicciarini and Logan Conlon roll the dice to pick their next books.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

ALBION – The Fizz, Boom, Read summer reading program continues in the Hoag Library. The program is designed to encourage reading through the opportunity to earn prizes, but Albion has a little extra incentive to draw in students.

Albion students that participate in the summer reading program earn the opportunity for extra credit toward their September English class.

Wednesday nights from 5 to 8 p.m. English Department Chair Chris Keller, along with Albion teachers and the middle school librarian, gather in the teen room at Hoag. Students are welcome to come play a monopoly-like board game which helps guide book choices or independently pick their own reading material. After completing a book, students earn tickets based on their goals to enter into drawings for prizes.

Goals are diverse and offer options for kids to be able to freely pick almost anything they would like to read. Sample goals include reading a newspaper or a book from a series.

“Our goal is to get kids to read,” said Keller. “We want this to be flexible and offer choices in a game atmosphere. The idea was to partner with the local library, raise the kids’ awareness, and turn up the volume on reading.”

The colored spaces offer kids a chance to read a book in the genre listed such as mythology (non-fiction), biography, science fiction or horror for two tickets. Players can also choose to ignore the space and pick a book outside the genre for one ticket instead.

“I love libraries,” Keller added. “I always say I grew up in the library. I am a relatively successful person and I attribute a lot of my success to my public library. It really was a great resource and helped me develop my love of reading.”

Besides just a refresher in reading, the program’s tie into Fizz, Boom, Read means that science and math are incorporated into the program as well. Students that play the board game are quizzed on the periodic table of elements, but also can answer questions about the Latin origin of the words, the history of the elements and the people who discovered them. Correct answers can lead to more prize tickets.

The library also offers opportunities to come in during the regular summer reading program hours on Mondays and Thursdays from 2 to 7 p.m. This gives more flexibility to parents who may not be able to bring their children during the Wednesday hours.

The program is a collaboration between the school and library, which is targeted mostly toward sixth through ninth graders, although any child in the middle or high school is encouraged to participate. Donated prizes to help entice young readers include Kindles, tablets, ice cream party and pizza party supplies, school supplies and gift cards.

The English credit that students earn is factored as extra credit into their Common Core grades. For students that may be struggling, this program could be the difference between pass and fail.

Keller explained that kids lose information over the summer. Reading helps to retain some of the information and can close the gap between children that have a socio-economic advantage over others. Students that have participated in the summer reading programs have shown better scores and overall reading ability when they return to regular classes.

“We knew we had to close the gap, but we also had to fight the summer drop-off,” said Keller.

“We need to get back into the idea that reading is a necessity,” he said, commenting that some homes don’t even have books in them. “Our students leave high school now and are not prepared for college.”

Students can join the reading program at any time. There are still a few weeks left to participate to receive credit toward English class and earn prize tickets. Even a student that only attends a couple of sessions can benefit greatly from the program.

Younger readers and adults can also take part in the library’s regular reading program. The entire program will conclude on Aug. 21 with an ice cream social for all participants.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Youngsters at Hoag Library this afternoon look over a ferret, one of seven animals brought to the library from seven continents.

Robin Sanecki of the Buffalo Zoo holds a screech owl during the “World Safari” program at the library. About 200 people attended the event.

Sanecki holds an armadillo, which showed its ability to curl up into a ball.

Company is recruiting employees; no opening date set

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The new Dunkin’ Donuts has signs on the building and the Main Street entrance, and company officials have been recruiting employees for the past month.

However, there isn’t a definite opening date set yet, a company official said this afternoon.

Dunkin’ will hire 25 employees for the 2,000-square-foot site at 153 South Main St. It also has a 230-square-foot freezer next to the building.

Dunkin’ had a warehouse taken down to make room for the new building. There will be 46 parking spaces and driveways on Main and Platt streets.

The company has recruiters at the Orleans Center for Workforce Development today at 458 West Ave.

ALBION – The board of trustees at Hoag Library in Albion will interview three finalists this evening for the library director position.

Any of the three could step in immediately and be an effective leader for the library, said Kevin Doherty, president of the board.

Doherty and the other board members will interview each of the finalists. A search committee narrowed an initial pool of 19 applicants to the three finalists.

“We want someone who is good at personnel and budget management, but who isn’t a bean counter,” Doherty said. “The director will need to also be an excellent media specialist and librarian.”

ALBION – Last week the Albion Department of Public Works installed two hitching posts and a carriage step next to the Presbyterian Church and a village parking lot on Main Street. On Thursday the DPW put up an interpretive panel that explains the historical relics.

Albion and Gaines have many of these artifacts from horse-and-buggy days. The stand up in front lawns on many side streets and along Ridge Road. (Medina also has many but it looks like Albion and the 14411 area can claim to be king of hitching posts and carriage steps.)

I helped facilitate this project with the Albion Main Street Alliance. Local residents pitched in and bought the two hitching posts – as well as two others – from Fred Pilon in Albion. The carriage step was donated by the Albion Free Methodist Church. The step went with a next-door house that was leveled about five years ago.

Another one of the hitching posts is planned for downtown in a sidewalk by Krantz Furniture. I am on the agenda for Wednesday’s County Legislature meeting at 3:35 p.m. I’m going to ask the group to accept the other hitching post and put it in the courthouse lawn next to the historical marker about a pioneer resident. That marker was installed last year and recognizes the pioneer family who built a log cabin where the County Clerk’s Building now stands.

The interpretive panel was designed by The Lake Country Pennysaver in Albion and manufactured by Takeform Architectural Graphics in Medina. A Main Street grant paid for the panel.

There is another one about Downtown Albion and the community’s historic districts that should be installed soon. That one will be in Waterman Park about a half block south of the canal.

Provided photos

ALBION – The Class of 1974 from Albion High School gathered for its 40th reunion last weekend with friends and family. The class dedicated a memorial tree by the elementary school in honor of 16 late classmates. (Classmate Becky Allen Prophet is pictured above.)

The class honored the following: John Beam, Kevin Campbell, Kathy Evans, Terry Hatch, Beth Hollenbeck, John Landauer, Jackie Marquart, Richard Newton, James Niederhofer, Cathy Pinson, Larry Pratt, Gary Ruhlen, Darlene Shuler, Denise Szklany, Celeste Ward and Gary Williams.

The reunion planning committee wanted to do something special for their classmates. Committee member Linda Hickein Roberts suggested the class purchase a tree and the group heartily endorsed buying a crab apple tree that was planted in the spring.

The symbolic empty chair and a table adorned with photos of the 1974 classmates being honored were displayed in front of the tree during the dedication. As each name was read, a bell was rung and a rose was handed out to a family member or friend who attended to represent each classmate.

The classmates gather for a group photo.

“We dedicated this tree as a living, growing legacy for the Albion High School Class of 1974,” said Kim Wright Pritt, a member of the class who spoke at the dedication. “Its beauty will live on as a symbol of the bonds we shared with our friends for many, many years to come.”

ALBION – A decade ago Albion village officials pushed to create a local development corporation that would focus on economic development and housing renewal.

In 2005, a board of directors was named to the LDC and the group was ready to pursue grant funding and partnerships. Ed Salvatore was the mayor at the time. In March 2006 he lost his re-election bid by 2 votes. The Albion Housing and Economic Development LDC lost steam and never got going.

Dean London was police chief back then and favored the LDC and its push to turn around vacant properties. London is now Albion’s newly elected mayor and he wants to activate the LDC. He met on Wednesday with some of the LDC board’s original members: Salvatore, Richard DeCarlo Sr., John Gavenda and Ron Vendetti.

London said the group needs to pursue 501c3 status to become eligible for more grants. The LDC also needs more board members.

“We’re in the initial stages of organizing the board,” he said after Wednesday evening.

He sees many vacant houses or homes that are in disrepair. Many of the sites require more investment in repairs than the houses could be sold for. The LDC could find housing grants that could be used to help offset some of those renovations, to make repairing houses financially feasible for homeowners.

The village worked with PathStone (the former Rural Opportunities) about a decade ago with some of these projects, where PathStone received the grant and upgraded houses, sometimes spending $20,000 to $40,000 on overhauls. The houses were then sold at a loss for the costs to renovate them.

However those projects resulted in owner-occupied homes and less blight in neighborhoods.

“We want to seek loans and grants and invest in housing,” London said about the LDC. “We could also pursue loans for business start-ups. The possibilities are endless. We just need to get it finalized.”

Provided photos – Albion Running Club leaders present a check for $1,000 to The Care Net Pregnancy and Family Center of Greater Orleans. Pictured, from left, includes Running Club leaders Brian Krieger, Jack Burris, Care Net nurse Sara Moore, and her husband Mark Moore, who is also one of the race organizers for the Strawberry Festival.

ALBION – Leaders of the Albion Running Club passed out checks to several local organizations, money that was raised from the June 14 Strawberry Festival 5k/8k.

The race had a record number of participants – nearly 300 – and that resulted in more money to give away.

Brian Krieger and Jack Burris present a check for $750 to the Rev. Randy LeBaron, pastor of the Free Methodist Church and Mike Neidert, who is going on the mission trip to Peru.

The Running club wrote five checks for $2,360 collectively. That topped the $2,100 given away last year when 274 runners and walkers completed the course.

The Running Club gave $1,000 to The Care Net Pregnancy and Family Center of Greater Orleans; $750 to support a mission team from the Albion Free Methodist Church that is heading to Peru for humanitarian work; $400 to the Community Kitchen at Christ Church; $160 to Hospice of Orleans; and $50 to Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance.

The race was dedicated to the late Wayne Burlison and Judy Christopher. Burlison was one of the Running Club founders and an Albion music teacher. He died from cancer on March 26 at age 36.

Christopher, former owner of Phoenix Fitness, organized the race for about two decades. She died from cancer at age 70 on Aug. 3, 2013.

Mark Moore presents a check for $400 to Faith Smith, manager of the Community Kitchen. Brian Krieger and Jack Burris join Moore for the presentation.

From the Parks:

By John Grillo, Albion recreation director

ALBION – In the third week of the Summer Parks Program in the Village of Albion, July 7-11, we had very nice weather for the parks.

The attendance was very good and the children had a great time. Arts and crafts are an important part of the summer program as our Arts and Crafts specialist Caitlin Francis was busy preparing crafts for the upcoming weeks. Caitlin did a wonderful job last week with all parks doing arts and crafts relating to the July 4th celebration.

The baseball camp was a success as over 20 youngsters each day enjoyed learning the fundamentals of baseball along with baseball lead-up games and activities.

On Monday the children enjoyed team games and activities. Tuesday was the same along with recreational games and activities. On Wednesday and Thursday the Orleans Health Department visited Bullard Park and Veterans Park to talk about friendship and proper nutrition. The Health Department conducted group games that brought out that message.

On Friday the ever popular Children’s Carnival took place at Bullard Park. Several hundred youngsters gathered at Bullard Park and were on hand to enjoy all the activities, food, games and prizes. Orleans Community Action and their staff did a great job of preparing a wonderful day for the children.

Each day the children arrive at their chosen park for a fun-filled day. Many activities such as kickball, dodge ball, whiffleball, table tennis, rubber quoits, carom pool, capture the flag, tag games, card and board games, playground apparatus, football, soccer, four square, parachute games, and many others take place during the week.
This will be full of several scheduled activities. GCASA will visit each park with fun activities and sending a great message to the children concerning making good choices.

On Tuesday the parks will be transported to the Albion Sportsman’s Club for a picnic, games, rowing, hiking and other activities. Arts and crafts will be offered all week as well.

On Friday, the parks will be transported to Brown’s Berry Patch to enjoy the many activities that they have to offer. Of course the children will have a chance to purchase their favorite ice cream.

We had several new registrations this week. There is still time to sign up. Just visit one of the three area parks and ask for the park supervisors in attendance for a registration sheet. Come and register your child so they will not miss out on the fun activities planned, including sports camps.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Megan Leight, left, and Courtney Bovenzi, members of the youth group at the Albion Free Methodist Church, pick up garbage along North Clinton Street this evening. Their group targeted trash along Beaver Street, North Clinton, Washington and West Academy streets.

About 20 volunteers filled a dozen bags with garbage during the community cleanup this evening.

Photos by Sue Cook – Diana Dudley stands with her drawings. She focuses mostly on human faces.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

ALBION – Three new artists are featured at Marti’s on Main art gallery at 229 North Main St. For all three, it is their debut show as artists.

Brandon Blount-Carpenter is a local photographer and sculptor that Kim Martillotta approached to ask about having space in the gallery.

“I saw some of his photography through a friend on Facebook, and I told him that I liked his stuff,” Martillotta said. She kept an eye on his creations.

“Last fall, I said to him ‘Perhaps you should sign up and have a show,'” said Martillotta.

Blount-Carpenter’s works focus on detail that people often overlook in nature. Brandon spends five or six hours in the woods at a time. He sets out looking for mostly fungi, but captures other photographs as he goes along.

A lot of his art stems from his time in the woods with his grandfather, the late Don Cook. His grandfather, a wildlife photographer, taught him patience and to look for the subtle. Blount-Carpenter captures things that he wants to share with the world.

“My photos are capturing not just the big picture, but also the little small-scale macro pictures, stuff that people overlook,” he said. “Within each of the images are tiny details that sneak out at you. It gives people an idea of what they can see if they just go for a walk, relax, enjoy themselves and really open their eyes and look.”

Brandon Blount-Carpenter stands with his photograph of fungi inside a rusted-out can. Fungi are his main focus, but he finds several other subjects to photograph on his trips into the woods.

Brandon uses items found in nature, such as wood, skulls or feathers, and incorporates them into sculptures.

“I reclaim a lot from nature,” he said. “Whatever I find I tend to use in my sculpture work. It’s sort of an ironic satirical take on how man treats nature and nature’s resilience and it’s ability to bounce back to kind of become something else that man didn’t think it really was.”

Diana Dudley brought Martillotta drawings to look at before. Dudley had been coming to the shows at Marti’s for six years, and it was suggested that she make a premiere show at the gallery. Dudley then suggested that her son Mark Robinson should also have his first show at the same time. Martillotta thought it was a great idea.

Dudley draws mostly people and faces, though she also has a select number of still-life pieces displayed as well.

“I was born with the ability to sketch people. I reproduce what I see. I have to be looking at something. I don’t do anything out of my head,” she said.

She added,” If you really take a look at faces, you notice how very different they are.”

Mark Robinson explains that this painting, “Monacelli’s Quarry” is located right here in Albion. He sees it when he walks his dog and enjoys the way the elements of light and water come together in the setting.

Mark Robinson draws and paints with a wide variety of subjects, both real and surreal. Most of his paintings are of landscapes.

“When you have a live figure to work from, it kind of juices you up,” he said.

“Landscapes can be the same way. Another thing that keeps people happy and alive is just to be in nature. If you go for a walk in the park, you get an immune boost that’s way above what you get walking on a treadmill. If you have a painting of an outdoor scene, it helps give you just a little of that boost.”

Robinson continued, “I draw my inspiration from people who are very competent like Albrecht Durer or M.C. Escher. Everybody alive today has the opportunity to learn from all these teachers of the past. You don’t have to limit it to your teacher or your class. The world is your class. Take your lessons there.”

Marti’s on Main does not have set hours. Instead, the public is invited to stop by during the day throughout the month to view the works.

ALBION – A big rally is planned for Saturday to register people to vote and support the Constitution. Several prominent people will speak at the event outside the St. Mary’s Athletic Club on 536 Moore St.

Several big names, including Lt. Gov. candidate Chris Moss, will address the crowd. Moss is sheriff of Chemung County, and the running mate for Rob Astorino. Moss will follow Conservative talk show host Bob Lonsberry, who will be the first speaker at 12:30 p.m.

Orleans County SCOPE (Shooters Committee on Political Education) took the lead in the planning the “Our Constitution & Voter Registration” rally.

SCOPE says it has a diverse lineup of speakers. In addition to Moss and Lonsberry, the following are scheduled to speak: Radio talk show host Melody Burns from Albany County, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, SCOPE President Steve Aldstadt, State Supreme Court Justice Donna Siwek, State Sen. George Maziarz, SCOPE Chairman of the Board “Budd” Schroeder, Orleans County Legislator Don Allport, Iraq War veteran and political advocate David Bellavia, New York Revolution leader Gia Arnold, NY Revolution representative Shawn Lembke, and Gary Berntsen, a Fox News contributor and director of Concerned Veterans for America.

SCOPE wants to see more people register to vote and be involved in the political process. Speakers are expected to address the importance of voting, while sharing their views on Common Core, Second Amendment rights and the SAFE Act.

The Band Dr. Moxy will perform several patriotic pieces beginning at 11:45. The speakers are scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. The rally will last until 4 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.