Free solar-viewing glasses also will be available

Provided photo: Hoag Library will be distributing solar-viewing glasses on Saturday for free. The cost is covered by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Space Science Institute, through its Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries (SEAL) program. The program is providing 5 million solar-viewing glasses to 10,000 libraries.

Dr. Michael Richmond

ALBION – Hoag Library will welcome a speaker at noon on Saturday about the upcoming solar eclipse. Orleans County is in the path of totality on April 8, when the moon will fully block out the sun from about 3:18 to 3:22 p.m.

In Western New York partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. with the partial eclipse over at 4:32 p.m., according to NASA. Just before the near darkness approaches, the shade of the moon yields a sliver of light.

Dr. Michael Richmond, a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, will discuss the significance and rarity of the total eclipse during a presentation at Hoag. Richmond teaches both physics and astronomy courses and runs the RIT Observatory.

Map courtesy of I Love NY and shows a path of totality for the solar eclipse on April 8. A map of the contiguous U.S. shows the path of the 2024 total solar eclipse stretching on a narrow band from Texas to Maine.

ALBION – An Albion man was charged with third-degree robbery, a Class D felony, this morning.

Donovan J. Conner

Donovan J. Conner, 36, of Beechwood Apartments in Albion was at the McDonald’s on East Avenue this morning at about 8:30. Conner allegedly became upset because he believed he had been shorted on his change, Albion Police Chief David Mogle said.

Conner then argued with a manager, who advised Conner several times to leave the site.

“During the argument the customer pushed the manager of McDonald’s and entered the area behind the counter,” Mogle said. “The customer then took money from the cash register and left.”

Conner, in addition to robbery, also was charged with two counts of harassment, a violation; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree, unlicensed operator and trespass.

Conner was transported to the Albion Police Department for processing and then taken to the Orleans County Jail awaiting to be seen by a judge for an order of protection. Conner was issued appearance tickets for all the charges.

The Albion Police Department was assisted by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, and the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.

Greg Bennett, left, and Jeff Holler

ALBION – Two candidates were backed this evening at the Albion Republican Caucus for village trustees.

Greg Bennett already had the Democratic Party backing last week for the one of the trustee posts. Now he has the Republican Party’s support as well.

Republicans also backed Jeff Holler for the other trustee position in the March 19 election.

The caucus drew less than 10 Republicans in a small turnout that was similar to the eight who voted at the Democratic caucus last week.

Former Village Board member Kevin Sheehan said Albion should move away from the two-party system for village elections. He would prefer to see Albion follow Holley, Lyndonville and Medina and have the village elections be run on independent party lines, without Republican or Democrat next to the name of the candidates.

Sheehan said he has run and been elected to the Village Board a Democrat, independent and Republican. He doesn’t think at the village level party politics is much of a factor. He nominated Bennett to be endorsed by the Republicans even though Bennett just secured the Democrat line.

“It’s not about left or right or a political party,” Bennett said at the caucus at the Masonic Lodge on Platt Street. “It’s about doing the best for the village.”

Bennett, 47, of Chamberlain Street works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina.

Bennett is well known in Albion as a long-time coach in the Albion Midget League. He also is an assistant with the Albion varsity baseball team. He also coaches youth baseball teams in the summer and fall.

Bennett during the Republican caucus said the board needs to communicate more with village residents about the issues facing the board and community. He would like to see quarterly town hall-style meetings where the board takes questions from the community and updates residents on projects.

Holler, 57, lives on East State Street. He worked as an executive chef for 25 years, and then head cook for 13 years at the Orleans Correctional Facility. Since he retired in 2014, he has been a very active member at the Masonic Lodge. He also has been a busy volunteer for the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries, especially with the efforts to cook Thanksgiving meals and also an Easter egg hunt and prize giveaway.

Holler said he would like to see local service clubs and organizations work together more for programs helping youth and also to help with a more vibrant downtown.

Holler said Albion needs more industry, but he doesn’t necessarily want more chain stores that drive out local small businesses.

“I think I can make a difference and fight for the community,” he said.

There is still time for other candidates to file an independent petition or mount a write-in campaign for the March 19 election.

Holler and Bennett are running for four-year terms for positions that are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed last month by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.

Photo courtesy of Maggie Stewart, Albion Central School: Sgt. First Class Michael Landauer embraces his daughter Nova after seeing her in the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School today. Landauer is back home after a year-long deployment in Iraq.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Sergeant First Class Michael Landauer reunited with his daughter, Nova, today after he was deployed overseas for the past year.

Landauer helped organize a surprise for Nova, a first-grader at Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School. Mr. Epperson read a story about how to handle “worries” and led a discussion about people the students’ missed. After Nova shared she was worried about her dad and would give him a bear hug when she saw him again, Mr. Epperson asked if anyone else had something to share and Landauer stepped through the door saying he “missed his little girl, Nova.”

“It has been a very hard year,” Landauer said. “It’s the first time I have been away from her [Nova] for that long since she was really little, it means a tremendous amount to be able to spend time with her.”

Provided photo: Sgt. First Class Michael Landauer serves with CH-47F Chinook heavy helicopter platoon. Here he is with 1st Platoon Al Asad Iraq, operation Inherent Resolve.

Landauer left home Jan 22, 2023 for Fort Hood before being deployed to Iraq, where he served as platoon sergeant, overseeing operations of a CH-47F Chinook heavy helicopter platoon for nine months. For the last 14 years, he has served in the National Guard with Bravo Company 3rd Battalion, 126 Aviation Regiment. He has been deployed three times, one of which was in 2017 and he had to request emergency leave so he could be home when Nova was born.

Currently, Landauer is on leave through mid-March when he will begin his new job with the 42 Combat Aviation Brigade in Albany.

“Being gone has been hard for me and hard for her [Nova],” Landauer said. “With this brigade, it is less likely I will be deployed as often so I’ll be able to be here for her more.”

Welcome home, Sergeant First Class Landauer, and thank you for your service.

Saul Harrison greeted by more than 1,000 people in a benefit to help him in battle with cancer

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A crowd of several hundred people are shown at Dubby’s Tailgate in a benefit for Saul Harrison this afternoon. Harrison is battling myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells. He is getting chemotherapy and has had a mass removed from his spine and a lesion from his hip.

Harrison, 50, is still remembered as a powerful football player for Albion. But the 1992 graduate these days is known for his mild manner and gentleness as a youthcare worker for the county and a deacon at the Shiloh Church.

Holli Nenni, the county’s DSS commissioner, was among many in DSS at the benefit. Harrison, a 15-year county employee, is well-liked by his peers and the residents.

Harrison, besides working with youth, also is assists elderly residents. He shows lots of patience and understanding, Nenni said.

“He is a very dedicated employee,” she said. “He is an inspiration to our youth.”

Saul Harrison greets people at a benefit for him and his family today to help with medical costs and other expenses while he fights cancer.

Harrison shook many hands and received many hugs. He said the outpouring of support is very humbling.

Some of the foster kids he’s worked with attended the benefit and hugged him, so did some of the senior citizens he’s worked with.

His wife Connie thanked the community for the “amazing” show of support.

A large bobblehead of Snoop Dogg, an actor and rapper, was among the big-ticket items at today’s benefit. There were 130 baskets, many valued at $100 to $150, plus the 10 big ticket items valued at $300 or more.

Debbie Prest, one of the organizers of the benefit, said people responded in a big way today, spending money on the tickets and putting together so many baskets.

“Everybody knows Saul,” Prest said. “From his work with the county to helping coach youth sports.”

There were 500 chicken barbecue dinners and they were a quick sell out.

Laisha Harrison, left, is Saul Harrison’s daughter. She is served by, front to back: Jami Allport, Abby Kincaid, Micky Stowell, Jamie Allport and Crystal Botello.

Many of Harrison’s friends and family sold 50/50 raffle tickets and helped put on today’s event.

Trellis Pore, pastor of the Shiloh Church, has been a long-time friend of Harrison’s. The two grew up in the church together.

Harrison has a strong faith in God and long been a leader at the Shiloh Church.

“Saul is a solid individual,” Pore said. “For this cancer battle, they couldn’t have picked a tougher individual, physically and spiritually.”

Pore said “test” is part of a Christian’s testimony. God never said the road would be easy without challenges, Pore said.

He spoke while waiting to get into Dubby’s. The line to get inside was out into the parking lot. Pore marveled at the crowd. He has seen it many times in Albion and the local small towns, a big turnout to help a family facing a crisis.

“In a small town you have a sense of community,” Pore said. “That’s the greatest thing about it. This small town steps up. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

Provided photo: Saul Harrison is joined by his children, from left in back: Jamaur, Laisha and Noah.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Haley Black opened Rise & Grind last month, a coffee shop in downtown Albion at the corner of East Bank and North Main.

Black, 23, already has a devoted customer base, from teen-agers to senior citizens. She opened the business after 2 ½ years at Batavia Downs, working as a server and then a supervisor at the Fortunes restaurant.

Haley Black makes a specialty coffee for a customer this afternoon at Rise & Grind.

She wanted to be in her hometown, and run a business where people could unwind and relax.

“We already have our regulars,” Black said this afternoon at Rise & Grind. “I’m people person and I’ve already made so many new friends.”

Her mother Marilyn Black has been a downtown mainstay for more than 30 years as the owner of Hair Fantasy next door. Haley’s father Corey Black did many of the renovations inside Rise & Grind, which previously was the Coffee Joint. Haley picked the colors and the look of the place are her ideas.

The result is a homey and inviting place that includes a sofa, many tables and chairs, and games and puzzles for people to enjoy.

Haley feels confident Rise & Grind has a long future at 63 North Main St. Besides coffee, tea and cold drinks, she has many sandwiches, as well as bagels, muffins and baked goods. She has partnered with other local businesses for some of the food items, but makes her own paninis, and eggbites with sausage and cheddar.

Black has impressed customers with the repertoire of drinks and a growing menu. Her father believes she will make the business a success, and give the downtown a welcoming space.

“She has the work ethic and the personality,” he said.

Haley said she has lots of other ideas for the site, including outdoor seating in the summer.

Rise & Grind is closed on Sundays. It’s open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Wednesday through Saturday.

Haley and her father Corey Black are outside the new coffee shop in downtown Albion. Black and his wife Marilyn own the building, which also has Hair Fantasy next door. The Rise & Grind sign went up on Sunday.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Albion village trustee Tim McMurray and Jami Allport, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, walk along the railroad tracks in Albion between Main Street and West Academy Street. They are among several agency and government leaders out today trying the measure the homeless population in the community.

Allport also is offering gift cards to Tops, as well as snacks, blankets and gloves.

McMurray said most people drive by people who are homeless or see them in stores or the public library and don’t pay them much notice. He recently saw a homeless man at the Walmart in Albion washing his clothes in the bathroom sink.

Allport said there is more public awareness of a growing homeless crisis in the county, especially since an overnight warming center open last month at Christ Church, the Episcopal congregation on Main Street in Albion. Hoag Library is a warming center earlier in the day.

A “code blue” is declared when the temperature hits 32 degrees or colder and the warming center opens as an option for people who are homeless.

The Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, Community Action of Genesee & Orleans, Hands 4 Hope ministry, and Independent Living Center all have people out today trying to measure the homeless population.

The data will be sent to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York. Allport said she is hopeful the Homeless Alliance will put more resources into Orleans County, including opening a shelter to help the local homeless people.

The Orleans County Department of Social Services reported the homeless population soared in 2023. The placements were at 90 in November, with DSS staff trying to find motel rooms or other temporary housing for homeless.

Jami Allport stands outside Hoag Library today. The library serves as a warming center when it is open.

Allport said there are many misconceptions about people who are homeless. Some of them have jobs but don’t make enough for a down payment and to cover rent and other expenses.

People will sleep outside often are in makeshift tents made out of tarps, carrying a change of clothes and their possessions in bags or a backpack.

Allport admires the ingenuity of people who are homeless, who are constantly pushing to survive.

“They are working 24-7, figuring out where they will sleep and eat,” she said. “They are far from lazy.”

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer

ROCHESTER – These Albion students in the Interact Club spent three hours today at Foodlink in Rochester, bagging apples. From left include Gideon Pask, Shania Mathes, Heidi Franco-Lopez and Hailey Lonnen.

The students filled about 500 bags with 5,400 apples total. Foodlink serves families in need in a 10-county area that includes Orleans County.

Tim Archer, the Interact advisor, has been taking students to Foodlink to help pack food for about 15 years.

Hailey Lonnen, left, and Heidi Franco-Lopez volunteer at Foodlink today.

Gideon Pask and Shania Mathes get apples bagged for Foodlink.

ALBION – The Albion Democratic Party held its caucus this evening and backed Greg Bennett, a youth baseball coach for nearly three decades, to run for a trustee on the Village Board.

Greg Bennett

Bennett, 47, works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina.

Bennett is well known in Albion as a long-time coach in the Albion Midget League. He also is an assistant with the Albion varsity baseball team. He also coaches youth baseball teams in the summer and fall.

As a trustee, he said he would be focused on a building a strong team for Albion, pushing people to put aside differences and animosity for the good of the community.

Bennett said he is “level-headed” and will hear out opinions and all sides of an issue before reaching a decision.

“I’m a straight-shooter,” he told Democrats at the caucus at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.

Bennett was backed for one of two open positions on the Village Board. The election is March 19.

The four-year spots are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed last month by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.

Buczek intended to run for a full four-year term but said this evening he won’t be running in the election. He said he will remain involved in the village but not on the board.

Bennett said Albion is a safe community, but he would like to see more opportunities for people of all ages.

He was born in the former Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion and believes Albion is a great place to live, but the community leaders should work to make it even more appealing.

“We have to make sure these kids have a reason to stick around,” he said.

Bennett lives on Chamberlain Street with his fiancé. He has a son and stepdaughter.

The Democrats are open to backing a second candidate. For more information contact Sandra Walter, the Democratic Party chairwoman, at (585) 589-9058.

The Republicans also will be having a caucus on Monday.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Chris Forrester, a volunteer at this morning’s food distribution in Albion in the Platt Street municipal parking lot, carries a chicken to a car with two senior citizens.

Forrester said she has been volunteering at the monthly distributions for about a year. She tries to be high energy in greeting the people.

“Everyone deserves a smile,” she said.

Foodlink brought a truck of food from Rochester. Foodlink also does distributions at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville and in Lyndonville at the Presbyterian Church.

The distribution started at about 9 a.m. but people were in the parking lot for hours before that with the first there at 5 a.m., said Katrina Chaffee, director of Community Service and Reporting at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

Community Action runs the distribution in Albion, and Chaffee said there has been a big increase in people seeking food with prices rising and people feeling a strain financially. About 150 vehicles typically are there for the distributions, and some vehicles include more than one family.

Ernie Gursslin, a maintenance worker for Community Action, gets boxes ready at the distribution. It was 20 degrees at the start of the distribution.

Today the boxes included macaroni and cheese, tomatillos, grapefruit, bags of Honeycrisp apples, potatoes, onions, cabbage, rolls and chicken. Chaffee said the value of the food is about $100.

Ricky Standish, a Community Action employee, opens up boxes with frozen chickens.

The distributions are funded by the state and will continue until at least June. The distributions started during the Covid pandemic in the spring 2020.

The schedule for the upcoming distributions in Albion at 165 South Platt St. includes:

• Monday, January 22 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, February 12 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, March 11 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, April 8 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, May 13 at 9 a.m.
• Monday, June 10 at 9 a.m.

The schedule at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St., includes:

• Friday, February 16 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, March 1 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, March 15 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, April 19 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, May 17 at 9:30 a.m.
• Friday, June 7 at 9:30 a.m.

The Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension also hosts a distribution at the fairgrounds, 12690 State Route 31, Albion, NY.

The next one will be Monday, February 5, beginning at 10 a.m.

The Albion and Lyndonville distributions don’t require registrations, but the Extension strongly encourages that. Those who preregister will be assigned timeslots for pickup (12-12:30, 12:30-1, 1-1:30, 1:30-2). Preregister at 585-798-4265.

Elaine Kovaleski (left), age 86, has been volunteering at the distributions in Albion for about a year. She sorts the food and tries to spread them out evenly in about 150 different boxes.

“It’s amazing how many people need food,” she said.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the Albion distribution can call Community Action at (585) 589-5605.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These kids wave their light-up swords and souvenirs during Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus this evening at the Albion High School Gymnasium.

More than 500 people attended the show.

The circus has started its annual swing in the region. The other upcoming local performances include Medina Wise Middle School on Friday with shows at 5:15 and 7:15 p.m.; 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Holley Elementary School; and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26  at the Kendall High School Gym.

Elena Aristov dazzled the crowd with a series of quick costume changes that looked like magic. She is joined in the show ring by her husband Alex, who also did a very quick suit switch. Their two sons, Ivan and Sasha, also are performers with Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus.

Sasha Aristov juggles a suitcase with his feet in his routine.

James Miller, 4, gets his face painted to look like Spider Man. Elena Aristov is the artist. She was painting faces before the start of the show. James’ mother Porshe Taylor said she has been coming to circus for many years, going back to when she was a kid.

Ivan Arestov displays his skill with Cyr Wheel acrobatics.

Angela Martin wears a blacklight outfit that glows in the dark while she does her aerial artistry up high in the gym.

The performers debuted new costumes, some new music and modified their routines from past shows.

The Albion performance also was a benefit for the Close-Up program which takes high schoolers to Washington, DC.

National Grid, Tompkins Community Bank kick off new service with donations

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has announced a new service – free hats and mittens to those in need. Here, CAOG’s executive director Renee Hungerford, Main Street Thrift Store manager Cassie Healy and case manager Jeanette Worsley fill a box in front of the store with hats and mittens, free for the taking.

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee announced a new service to the community – free hats and mittens to anyone who needs them.

The idea came from Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action, who mentioned it to Jackie Dunham, director of operations.

“I said, ‘We’ve got to make that happen,’” Dunham said.

Hungerford spoke with facilities manager Rick Standish, who indicated he could build a suitable box to hold a supply of hats and mittens. Within a few days, he had completed two boxes, one in front of the Main Street store, and the other behind Community Action’s headquarters on State Street, with the agency’s mini food pantry.

While discussing the new project with Patrick Weissend, manager of Tompkins Community Bank, he asked if Hungerford would like him to run a mitten drive for them. Within two weeks, he had a huge box collected.

“We expect to get people from the new warming center, who will need hats and mittens to keep warm,” Hungerford said.

Another box full of mittens was donated by National Grid.

“There definitely is a need, not just for food, but for warm clothing,” said Jeanette Worsley, case manager at Community Action.

Hungerford said having the boxes available to the public assures those in need can access them any time.

“Obviously, we can’t have staff available 24/7,” she said. “This way, warm hats and mittens are available all the time.”

The public or any organization who would like to make donations of hats and mittens for all ages can drop them off any time in one of the boxes or bring them to the office during business hours or the Main Street Corner Thrifts, Gifts and More from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday or from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Kevin Sheehan says mayor didn’t acknowledge letter seeking to fill vacancy

ALBION – Kevin Sheehan says he has a 40-year track record of service to the Albion community, from time on the Village Board including a stint as mayor, to many years with the Knights of Columbus, VFW, youth sports and as the current Planning Board chairman for the Town of Albion.

Kevin Sheehan

Sheehan sent a letter to Mayor Angel Javier Jr., offering to fill a vacancy on the Albion Village Board when Zack Burgess resigned as trustee in October after moving out of the village.

Sheehan said his letter was never acknowledged. Javier chose to fill the vacancy last month with David Buczek, a supervisor for National Grid. The position is up for election on March 19

Sheehan said the village never communicated with him about his letter or the process. He told the board during Wednesday’s meeting there was no communication with him, or with Tom O’Hearn, a retired Albion police lieutenant who also sent in a letter asking to be considered for the vacancy.

Filling the vacancy is a mayoral appointment. Javier told Sheehan he wasn’t considered for the spot.

“None of the letters that came in were considered,” Javier said during Wednesday’s meeting. “You have an election in two months. You have all the opportunity that you want.”

Javier said he didn’t interview Buczek to fill the vacancy. Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley met with him, but she said filling the position was the mayor’s choice.

Trustee Tim McMurray said he was left out of the process to fill the vacancy and said Javier does not share information with him. McMurray said he learned of the appointment in a text message from Riley.

Sheehan said the process is slight to long-time residents with a track record of service to the community. Sheehan said Buczek is largely unknown to village residents. He moved to Albion two years ago.

Sheehan and O’Hearn have been publicly critical of Javier in his first two years as mayor, especially with a dispute over pay with police officers that was settled in favor of the police department. Sheehan also briefly was the village code enforcement officer at the start of Javier’s term.

Sheehan said his letter of interest in serving as trustee should have at least been acknowledged by the mayor.

“If you don’t like me, fine you don’t like me,” Sheehan said. “But why wasn’t there any communication?”