ALBION – The Albion school district’s proposed 2026-27 budget will again be holding the line on property taxes, the 18^th time in the past 20 years without a tax increase.

Registered voters in the Albion school district will go to the polls on May 19 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Hoag Library, 134 South Main St. A district art show will also be on display at the library during the vote.

“We are proud to once again propose a tax levy with no increase, continuing our long-standing effort to either reduce or maintain the levy whenever possible,” said Linda Weller, the Board of Education president. “While rising operational costs and uncertainty in state and federal funding continue to present challenges, we remain committed to balancing fiscal responsibility with meaningful investment in our students and programs.”

The district is proposing a $45,615,036 budget, which is up 1.93 percent or $864,551 from the current budget.

The tax levy will stay at $8,449,039, which is $359,906 under the district’s tax cap.

“Our priorities include maintaining small class sizes, strengthening student support services, enhancing technology and ensuring our facilities remain safe, functional and well-maintained,” Weller said the district’s budget newsletter.

School officials will discuss the budget during a public hearing at 6 p.m. on May 12 at the LGI in the high school.

The vote on May 19 includes proposition one for the budget and proposition two to allow spending $1.5 million for buses. Proposition three allows the district to collect $687,760 for Hoag Library.

There are also three candidates for three seats on the Board of Education. The incumbents – Trellis Pore, Kurt Schmitt and David Sidari – all are not seeking re-election.

The two candidates with the most votes get five-year terms while the candidate with the third most votes gets a one-year term.

The candidates include:

• Kaitlyn Panek – A farm office manager, Panek is an Albion graduate. She said she brings organizational and financial expertise as well as a personal commitment to the district.

“My top priority is maintaining a high-quality, safe environment where every student has the resources to succeed,” she said. “I am invested in having transparency between the community and district to ensure budgets are clear and accountable.”

• Jaime Allport – A court clerk for the Town of Albion, Allport is a lifelong Albion resident who said she understands the community’s values, strengths and challenges. She has been a long-time volunteer, especially with the Albion youth football program.

“My perspective, combined with a proven record of service, will help guide thoughtful decisions that benefit both current students and future generations,” she said.

• Michelle Waters – The owner of the Tree House School of Play in Albion, Waters said strong schools are built through open communication, thoughtful decision-making and a willingness to listen.

“My goal is to help shape schools that keep students at the center, while supporting teachers and staff who show up for them every day,” Waters said.

Albion public library will seek $687,760 in May 19 vote, up from $657,560 for 2025

Photo by Tom Rivers: Betty Sue Miller, director of Hoag Library in Albion, goes over the library’s budget during the annual meeting on Monday.

ALBION – Hoag Library has a new trustee following Monday’s election with Jessica George eking out a victory over Rachel Hicks with 26 votes to 25. Voters also re-elected Linda Weller with 32 votes and Mary Witkop with 29.

The trustees then met and again named Weller as board president and Witkop as the vice president. Dawn Squicciarini will serve as board secretary and George was picked to be the treasurer, a spot that was filled by Hicks.

There were 51 voters for Monday’s election. The trustees were elected to four-year terms.

The library also held its 126^th annual meeting. Weller said the library has proven to be an important part of the community, offering far more than just loaning out books.

“The Hoag Library of Albion continues to stand as a vibrant cornerstone of the community,” she said. “Its success is not by chance – it is the result of dedication, care and collaboration of many people who believe deeply in its mission.”

Weller commended the staff for offering a variety of programs and making the library a welcoming place for everyone. She said the trustees have been committed to being good stewards of the budget and making the library “sustainable, forward-looking and responsive to the needs to today – and tomorrow.”

Hoag has a $721,550 overall budget for 2026 with $687,760 in the school district vote on May 19. That is up from the $657,560 through property taxes approved a year ago.

Other areas of the library funding include $2,790 from the county, $18,000 in contributions and donations, $9,000 in library services and fees (Fax, copier and book fines), and $4,000 in state library aid.

The library budget would be $75,000 higher if it still had a mortgage. But that was paid off in 2022 when Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay gave a final $200,000 donation to the library. The couple has given $1 million to the library, including an initial $250,000 to help get it built in 2012. Their donations after the first $250,000 have allowed Hoag to pay off the mortgage well ahead of schedule, saving $75,000 a year. The mortgage was planned to go to 2035.

Betty Sue Miller, the library director, said the library continues to receive donations from the community. She noted Conrad Cropsey gave a large table and desk from his law office. He closed his office in downtown Albion and continues to work as a lawyer from his home in Barre. The table is up in the loft at the library and many people use it to play games or study. Cropsey’s desk is used in the local history room.

The Friends of the Library used its funds to buy a 3-D printer that is available to the public.

The circulation for 2025 includes: physical items – 29,775 books, 6,993 non-books, 62 HotSpots and 36 laptops. Digital items – Hoopla, 6,912 and Libby, 5,370. There were 1,777 new physical items.

Other highlights: 564 library programs and community outreach efforts; 827 notarized documents; 5,446 items borrowed through Nioga inter-loan; 4,253 items loaned out through inter-loan; 838-plus learning and support sessions at library for GED, ESL, tech advisor and other literacy programs; 1,480 public meeting room uses.

Miller said she is amazed how busy the three rooms are for meetings, concerts, events and smaller sessions.

“Imagine if this building had not been built with that space,” Miller said about the meeting rooms. “The people who built this were very forward-thinking.”

Photos courtesy of Hoag Library: Four candidates will be on the ballot on Monday for trustees for Hoag Library. Voting is from noon to 7 p.m. at the library.

ALBION – Voters in the Hoag Library service area will cast ballots on Monday for candidates for the library’s trustees.

There are four candidates with three positions up for election. The terms are for four years.

Three incumbents – Linda Weller, Mary Witkop and Rachel Hicks – are seeking re-election. Jessica George also is running for trustee.

The election is from noon to 7 p.m. at the library, with the library’s annual meeting to follow at 7 p.m.

Voters must be 18 and older and live in the Hoag Library service area, the same area as the Albion school district.

Mary Covell has been a trustee the last four years, acting as vice president for all four. She also has been chair for the Personnel committee and the Planning committee. She has worked as an accountant the past 19 years.

“My family and I utilize the Hoag Library regularly,” she said in a candidate statement on the Hoag website. “Our experiences with the services provided by the library have been wonderful. In addition to the base level library hard copy book borrowing, the inclusion of Senior Citizen informational courses, Hoopla online services, and the community’s use of the library meeting rooms have been exceptional!”

Jessica George is a lifelong Orleans County resident and a library user since she was young, using the library for research long before the age of Google.

“I attend the library every week with my daughter (who calls the library her ‘favorite place in the whole world’) as a volunteer with the Friends of the Library bookstore every Monday night,” George said.

George has 10 years of experience on a board with the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, including seven years as the board chair. She is a licensed therapist who specializes in working with trauma and providing care and support to victims of crime.

“The library holds a central place in our lives, which has influenced my decision to run for a board position,” George said. “As someone that has utilized library services consistently, I feel it is time for me to give back to the library through assisting as a board member and helping the library to be a central community resource for other individuals and families in the coming years.”

Rachel Hicks, a current trustee, has used the library for many years, including while studying for her bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Economics, I utilized the library, and then when she had a son and would bring him to the children’s library area.

“My family actively participate, as well as deeply appreciate, the efforts behind so many of the fun events that take place at the Hoag Library for children and families,” Hicks said.

She has worked at Albion Agencies Insurance for the last 12 years in insurance sales, agency management and accounting.

Hicks also has been active with the Albion Merchants Association, Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, and Albion Joint Fire District.

“I feel the library provides services and opportunities a lot of local community members haven’t even realized yet,” she said. “The weekly programs for different learning opportunities, provides a wealth of learning opportunity from ages of young to old.”

Linda Weller has been a trustee for the library since 2019, including the past five years as board president.

“During this time, I have been committed to supporting the library’s mission and ensuring it remains a vital resource for our community,” she said.

She also is the board president for the Albion Board of Education and recently joined the board of Community Action.

“I believe strongly in building a stronger, more connected community, and I am passionate about the role our library plays in that effort,” Weller said.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The chapel at Mount Albion Cemetery, shown last week, will be getting a new Vermont slate roof, as well as other repairs to the building that was constructed in 1875 from Medina Sandstone.

ALBION – The slate has arrived in Albion and work should soon begin on replacing the roof at the Mount Albion chapel.

The building is a focal point of the historic cemetery for people who enter through the main arch off Route 31. The new roof is among several improvements for the structure that was built in 1875.

Local mason Neal Muscarella has already completed some repointing of mortar on the building. A drop ceiling also has been removed that revealed a vaulted ceiling had been covered up.

The new roof will be a comparable Vermont slate. The Albion Village Board in September accepted a bid for $83,985 to remove the existing roof and replace all the Vermont slate. The roofer should be on site this spring to work on the project.

There will be other substantial work to follow including interior replastering of the north wall; electrical upgrades (wiring, outlets, internal and external lighting); heating unit for seasonal use; repair of plaster and vaulted ceiling; removal of old floor, repair subfloor and put in a new floor; and refurbish exterior doors and window trim.

A committee led by Village Historian Sue Starkweather Miller has raised $225,000 for the chapel restoration. That met the initial goal but there are some additional expenses with the vaulted ceiling.

Tax deductible donations for the project can be sent to the Orleans County Historical Association, 3286 Gaines Basin Rd., Albion NY 14411. For more information, click here.

Once the project is complete, Starkweather Miller said the site will again be able to be used by the public for events.

May 16 event at pioneer cemetery in Hulberton will include unveiling of roadside historic markers

Photo from Albion Central School: Albion eighth-graders Sutton Sanders, left, and Luci Borello are shown late last year with two of the new roadside historic markers that will soon be unveiled, showing local ties to the Revolutionary War.

Photos and information from Albion Central School

HULBERTON – Albion Middle School students will share findings from their Revolutionary War research project and unveil two new roadside markers on Saturday, May 16 at 10:30 a.m. at Pierce-Smith Pioneer Cemetery.

That pioneer cemetery is located at 3960 Hulberton Rd, Holley, NY 14470.

The ceremony is student-organized and they invite the community to join them in celebration of the 250th anniversary of our country and honor those who have served. Both Revolutionary War and Civil War re-enactors will be present.

This service learning project was accomplished in partnership with Orleans County.

Two of the students, Luci Borello and Sutton Sanders, partnered with Orleans County historian Catherine Cooper to spearhead a Revolutionary War soldier research project. With guidance from their teacher, Tim Archer, they worked to obtain cemetery roadside markers, gravestone flag markers and replace a damaged headstone.

In completing these tasks, students were able to expand their knowledge of local history, meet local dignitaries, and familiarize themselves with interconnectivity of county and state-run organizations.

NYS roadside markers indicate areas of historical significance in the county. To be granted these markers, valued at $2,050 each, the students had to submit an application to the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, a nonprofit committed to preserving community history. The application process is lengthy, requiring detailed primary source documentation and proofs. This did not intimidate Luci and Sutton.

They began their research in the summer, which entailed collecting data of all Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Orleans County using state, federal, military and census data. Their research was not confined to the library, it also relied heavily on field work.

There were four roadside markers granted; one indicating that Revolutionary War veterans and other notable citizens are buried there, and three indicating a Revolutionary War soldier is buried there. Two of them have a special insignia on them indicating partnership with the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).

The project didn’t stop there. While conducting field research, the students discovered a damaged headstone that belonged to Lott Swift, a Revolutionary War soldier who is buried at the East Barre Cemetery. With support from the Town of Barre, students were able to apply for a new stone through the Veterans Administration in Washington, D.C.

While researching, students discovered 14 graves in the county of soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War that were not currently marked. Students presented their findings to the Orleans Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), who then generously provided a donation of 14 new bronze flag markers, one for each soldier’s grave.

In total, they discovered about 65 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Orleans County. Many headstones are gone or indecipherable, so the findings are approximate. The results will be shared with the county, DAR, SAR, local historians and Hoag Library for their records.

Students from East High and Albion High School pose for a group photo on Thursday at Panek Farms in Albion.

Photos and press release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Students from East High School in Rochester recently enjoyed a full day of activities in Albion as part of a student exchange program to help challenge cultural stereotypes and promote understanding and friendships among teens of different backgrounds. Albion Interact Club members visited East High on April 15.

The day began with guest speaker Ayesha Kreutz addressing the over seventy students.

Kreutz is a nationally recognized activist, chaplain, author and organizational leader. She serves as Operations Director and Board Member of the Frederick Douglass Foundation and Frederick Douglass Freedom Alliance.

Kreutz appears on numerous national media platforms and has been invited to the White House many times in recognition of her work and influence.

Following a brief tour of the school, the teens visited community sites to “get a feel” for Orleans County.

Kathy Jurs and Kasey Neal of Poverty Hill Farms give students a tour of the cows at the dairy farm in Albion on Thursday.

Jody Neal and Kathy Jurs from Poverty Hill Farms explained the different aspects of the dairy farm industry. Students enjoyed seeing the life and “smells” of dairy cows and “touching them for the first time.”

From there they traveled down the road to Panek Farms. Jim Panek and his son Phil showed them a variety of large farm equipment and allowed the excited students to sit in the cabs of tractors, combines, and tractor trailers.

Following lunch and games at Dubby’s, the day culminated with a trip to Mt. Albion Cemetery to climb up the 68-foot tower for an aerial view of the community.

“We had a great time with the Albion students,” East High teacher Laura Delehanty said. “Our students have gained a greater respect and appreciation for their Albion peers.”

(Left) Jim Panek shows students some of the farm equipment at Panek Farms. (Right) Students were welcomed to climb inside a combine.

Jody Neal showed East High students around the farm, including a barn for the calves.

Tim Archer, Interact Club advisor for Albion, introduces Ayesha Kreutz, the guest speaker who addressed the group of about 70 students.

(Left) The students were happy to greet a calf at the dairy farm. (Right) Students check out the milking parlor.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Nicholas Goluses performs on Saturday in the Hoag Library concert series. Goluses, a professor of guitar at the Eastman School of Music, opened the concert on Saturday with “Fantasis our guitare seul, Op. 58” by Fernando Sor.

Goluses followed that “The Five Preludes” by Heitor Villa-lobos.

Goluses performed for about 50 people in Saturday’s concert. He has played around the world as a soloist, with an orchestra and as a chamber musician. He has a new album, “Across the Horizon,” which was released in the fall by Parna/Albany Records.

Goluses praised the acoustics at Hoag Library during Saturday’s concert.

“I love the sound in this room,” he said. “It’s very nice. Sometimes you play in places and it’s as dead as a doornail. Here, it’s very alive.”

He performed as part of the third concert series at Hoag. The concerts are at noon on Saturdays. The series started on March 28 with Medusa Quartet.

The remainder of the schedule includes:

• Striking Strings Ensemble – May 23 at 12 p.m.
• The White Hots Jazz Trio – May 30 at 12 p.m.
• Matthew Ardizzone – June 27 at 12 p.m.
• Lynn McGrath – July 25 at 12 p.m.
• Adrianna Noone – August 22 at 12 p.m.
• Muriel Anderson & Kinloch Nelson – Sept. 12 at 12 p.m.
• Evie Ladin & Keith Terry –October 10 at 12 p.m.
• O’s Pipa & Fiddle Witch Duet – Nov. 7 at 12 p.m.
• Rochester Ukulele Orchestra – Dec. 5 at 12 p.m.

All performances are free and open to the public. The Hoag Music Series is aimed at bringing unique music experiences to Albion from artists who do not frequently perform in Orleans County.

The events are possible with funding from the New York State Council on the Arts that is administered by GO Art!

‘Grandpa Ace’ assisted in many renovations at Gotta Dance, cheered on performers

Photo by Tom Rivers

Photo by Marsha Rivers: A seat in the front row was reserved in honor of “Grandpa Ace” for Saturday’s dance recital in the Albion Middle School Auditorium.

ALBION – The recital at Gotta Dance Performing Arts LLC included a tribute to the late Waldo “Ace” Caldwell Jr., the father of Amy Sidari.

Three seniors in the dance program – from left Ava Ludwick, McKinley Knight and Kaitlynn Basinait – did a senior dance together and dedicated the performance to Caldwell, who passed away at age 93 on April 16.

Caldwell was a fixture at Gotta Dance during the 28 years it was owned and run by his daughter, Amy Sidari.

The two teamed to overhaul the building at 28 West Bank St., transforming a building that was used for a plumbing business into three dance studios, a cabaret venue, and a piano studio.

Caldwell was a carpenter for decades, putting in kitchens, bathrooms and tackling other projects in the community.

“Grandpa Ace”  attended the cabaret shows and dance recitals, and was loved by the hundreds of dancers over the years.

The three seniors – Ava Ludwick, McKinley Knight and Kaitlynn Basinait – have been part Gotta Dance for more than a decade.

The studio for the first time this past year was run by Danielle Schmidt following Sidari’s retirement. Schmidt thanked Sidari on Saturday for building a strong dance program in the community and for trusting Schmidt to lead the studio in a new era.

There were about 100 dance performers during the recital on Saturday, which included 48 different dances.

Photos by Tom Rivers: These Santas and some elves are shown in April 2015 in Albion as part of a group photo with about 200 Santas who were in town for a Santa convention. A group of Santas will be back in Albion in August 2027 celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.

Group will be in town to celebrate 90^th anniversary of Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School

The logo for the upcoming Santa gathering from Aug. 6-8, 2027 in Albion and Lockport. The event will be based in Lockport at the palace theater with the group visiting Albion, where Charles Howard ran a Santa School from 1937 to 1966.

ALBION – The Santas will be coming back to Albion in Auust 2027 for a 90^th anniversary celebration of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.

There were about 200 Santas in Albion for convention in 2015 and a smaller group in 2010.

The gathering next summer could have 400 Santas and other Christmas entertainers, said Phillip L. Wenz, a recently retired professional Santa who organized the 2010 and 2015 events in Albion. Wenz worked at Santa’s Village in east Dundee, Ill, near Chicago and serves as a Santa historian.

“We are planning upwards of 400 Christmas performers for all over North America,” Wenz stated. “We would like to have as many local people participate in the events as well.”

Charles Howard started the first school for Santas in Albion in 1937 and kept it going for nearly 30 years. He passed away on May 1, 1966. The school continues in his name, now run by Tom and Holly Valent in Midland, Mich.

The Santa School celebration will host activities in Albion and at the 1,100-seat Palace Theatre in Lockport.

Christopher Parada is executive director of The Palace Theatre. He also built a Christmas cottage in Lockport and he has portrayed Santa there since 2010, welcoming about 10,000 children every Christmas season. Parada, a Medina native, also owns the New York Santa Claus Suits & Equipment Co., replicating Howard’s style for suits.

Parada is pleased to be hosting the event next year that is expected to bring many Santas to the community. Lockport has the hotels and accommodations for the visitors, as well as the spacious theater to host presentations.

“Bringing this historic event to the Albion and Lockport, New York areas is a truly meaningful opportunity to celebrate and honor 90 years of the Santa Claus School and the enduring legacy of Charles W. Howard,” Parada said.

The Santas will see a bronze statue in honor of Charles Howard that was unveiled on June 10, 2023 during the Strawberry Festival and also a 24-foot-long mural depicting Santa flying in his sleigh over Courthouse Square and downtown Albion. That mural was created by Albion native Stacey Kirby Steward was unveiled in June 2018. The Albion Betterment Committee also is working to open a Santa School Museum on Main Street in Albion.

Many of principles taught by Howard continue to shape the look and actions of Santas. Howard remains a revered figure among the Santas, 60 years after his death.

“As the founder of the original Santa Claus School, Howard established a standard of authenticity, professionalism, and heartfelt spirit that continues to define the portrayal of Santa Claus today,” Parada said. “As a lifelong resident, I take great pride in seeing our local communities serve as the backdrop for such an important milestone—one that highlights both our regional heritage and a nationally recognized tradition rooted right here in Western New York.”

Parada has led the theater in Lockport through multi-million-dollar upgrades. That theater opened in 1925.

“The Historic Palace Theatre provides an ideal home base for this celebration, offering a unique and immersive setting for presentations, programming and shared experiences,” Parada said. “Its theatrical atmosphere will help foster a sense of community, connection, and camaraderie among attendees.”

The August 2027 event is still in the planning stages. Wenz said discussions have been made with the Howard family, friends and other special guests to take part in the programs and activities. As in the past events, there will be no event fees. For more information e-mail Wenz at santaclausproductions@msn.com.

One trustee pushed for 1% increase, but mayor said that would have taken too much from fund balance

Photos by Tom Rivers: (Left) Albion Mayor Tim McMurray speaks during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting when he said the village budget is beyond bare bones with any additional cuts into “bone marrow.” (Right) Trustee Kevin Sheehan wanted the board to take $50,000 more from the fund balance to lower the tax increase to 1.0 percent.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board adopted the 2026-27 village budget on Wednesday that will increase taxes by 2.5 percent.

One trustee, Kevin Sheehan, sought to use $50,000 from the village fund balance which would have reduced the tax increase to 1.0 percent. But Mayor Tim McMurray said that would have left the village with too little of a cushion for any unanticipated expenses in the new fiscal year that starts June 1.

The mayor said Albion has old waterlines, infrastructure and equipment, which could result in a big bill if something breaks and needs to be replaced.

The 2.5 percent increase follows a budget from a year ago that raised taxes by 11 percent, and that was when the fire department was moved out of the village budget into its own taxing entity with a fire district.

The new budget totals $9,371,115 with the General Fund at $4,890,354, the Water Fund at $2,927,243 and Sewer at $1,554,518.

The water and sewer funds are self-supporting through water and sewer bills. Property taxes go towards the General Fund, which increased by 2.7 percent or $126,399 – from $4,763,955 to $4,890,354.

The village’s tax levy will go up by $85,221.61 or 2.5 percent from $3,463,463.38 to $3,548,685. The tax rate will increase 2.4 percent or 38 cents from $15.99 to $16.37 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The owner of an house assessed for $140,300 would see an increase in village taxes by $53.28 from $2,244.09 to $2,297.37, village officials said.

Chart data from Albion Clerk/Treasurer Tracy Van Skiver. Note: The fire department is out of the village budget but the village still owns the fire hall and is responsible for its maintenance.

The budget is only taking $5,900 from the fund balance. In many past budgets in recent years, the budget was able to tap into $200,000 or more of fund balance which lowered the tax rate. (The village in the current 2025-26 budget used $64,000 in its fund balance compared to $261,150 in 2024-25.)

The village currently only has $242,000 in fund balance. McMurray said the state comptroller would like to see Albion with about 20 percent of the general fund as a fund balance, or nearly $1 million to help weather emergency expenses. Albion also has $250,000 in reserve funds to help with future equipment needs.

Sheehan sought to take $50,000 more out of the fund balance which would have put that fund below $200,000.

“That will bring the rate down,” he said. “I’m all about lowering taxes.”

But McMurray said reducing the fund balance only sets Albion up for big tax hikes in the future. He said previous village boards dwindled the fund balance down far too low, leaving the more recent board in a difficult position with the budget.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting new results,” he said.

Sheehan was on some of those boards when the fund balance was bigger and used to help hold taxes at minimal increases.

“I take offense when you say ‘previous boards,’” Sheehan responded to McMurray. “I was on three boards. There’s ways to get through it.”

Sheehan said state grant programs can help the village with some of the equipment needs.

Sheehan opposed the budget as presented on Wednesday, while McMurray, and trustees William Gabalski and Jami Allport voted yes.

The village’s tax base barely grew in the past year after seeing a huge jump a year ago after reassessments. The village’s taxable valuation went up 41.6 percent or by $63,666,806 – from $152,867,932 to $216,534,738 in 2025.

However, this time the tax base grew by less than 0.1 percent or $182,846 from $216,534,738 to $216,717,584.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – George Graham of Oakfield holds a stone sculpture he made called the “English Rose” that is featured at the Marti’s on Main art gallery. Graham’s piece is made from Indiana limestone. Behind him on mantel are two more of his sculptures: “Floppy Disk” made of alabaster and “Mobius II” made from Pink Wonderstone.

Graham and Richard Bannister will be featured sculptors at Marti’s which kicked off a new season of art shows on Friday. The gallery at 20 South Main St. also is having an open house today from noon to 4 p.m.

Kim Martillotta Muscarella, the gallery’s owner, has an expanded lineup of shows this year, up from six last year to eight in 2026. This is Marti’s 16th season of doing art shows in Albion.

These paintings were created by Dr. Athena Nichols, an Albion High School art teachers. Marti’s is displaying artwork by Nichols and five of her students – Hanna Kumulac, Aubrey Gannon, Nerik Santiago Franco, Lindsay Crawford and Mickhale Meyer-Lane.

The schedule and the opening celebations on the third Friday each month include:

• April 17 – Albion High School Seniors Show and Tony Barry
• May 15 – Becky Winans, Cindy Meal and Mark Weld
• June 19 – Arthur Barnes, Marco Rodrigues, David Burke and Rosie Patronski
• July 17 – Kim Martillotta, Richard Della Costa, Nancy Radzik and Rebecca-Berry Kent
• Aug. 21 – Jan Kisiel, Jenna Papponetti, Paul Facklam and Sharon Stewart
• Sept. 18 – Jennifer Hecker, Jeff Watkins, Jill Gussow and Rosanne Mascari
• Oct. 16 – Sam Roskowski and Susan Cameron-Duffy
• Nov. 20 – Shirley Nigro, Elizabeth Cooper, Paul Martin and Geoff Harding

For more information on the gallery, call Martillotta at 585-590-9211.

Artwork by Hanna Kumulac

Photography by Mickhale Meyer-Lane

Artwork by Aubrey Gannon

Kermit and giraffe artwork by Lindsay Crawford and artwork at right by Aubrey Gannon

‘Madam George’ expected to be entered in film festivals

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Maja Korsika, a filmmaker and student at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, is shown in the Pratt theater in downtown Albion on Saturday. Korsika is the writer and director of a short film, Madam George, which she described as an absurdist comedy.

Korsika and a team of about 20-25 people will be spending four days in Albion working on the 12-minute film.

Korsika was looking up photos of the Pratt Center in New York City when she came across photo of the Pratt theater in Albion on the internet. Those photos by Walter Jakubowski showed the opera house in Albion as an authentic theater from about a century ago.

Crew members getting ready to shoot a scene inside the Pratt Theater on Saturday. The crew arrived in Albion about 2 a.m. Saturday and will be busy making the film this weekend.

The Pratt Opera House was built in 1882 by a local farmer, John Pratt. The Pratt was largely unused after 1930, until Michael Bonafede and his wife Judith Koehler worked to save the site over the past 20 years at 114-120 North Main St.

When Korsika saw the photos online of the Pratt Theater, she went to the Pratt website and contacted Bonafede to ask if she could see the theater. She and two others from her team drove from New York City in early March and toured the opera house.

She was convinced the Pratt would be an ideal backdrop for her film.

“I like the rawness of the this theater,” she said. “There is so much imperfection that makes it so cinematic.”

The brick walls and wooden floors are better than a sterile “black box” studio for making the film, she said.

The Pratt stage needed to be cleared out to accommodate the filmmakers. Bonafede had drums and percussion equipment on the stage from concerts in 2024, as well as historic wall hangings and amplifiers. He was able to mobilize a group to move all of those items last week.

He is hopeful the film will allow more people to see the Pratt theater and Albion, which has many historic resources besides an authentic opera house. Albion is home to five districts on the National Register of Historic Places – Courthouse Square, downtown Albion, Mount Albion Cemetery, the Cobblestone Museum and Erie Canal.

“This will shine a good light on the community,” Bonafede said about the film.

Korsika said she and her team will do the coloring and sound design after the filming in Albion. She plans to enter “Madam George” in film festivals with a premiere in late summer or early fall.

Korsika is thankful for the accommodations and hospitality of the Bonafede family and the Albion community.

Photos courtesy of Taylor McCabe

In one scene on Saturday, West Bank Street needed to be closed briefly to traffic. The Albion Police Department was able to block off the street for about 20 minutes beginning around 10:30 a.m.

The group is shown with dancers in the GAR room, which used as a gathering place of Civil war veterans from 1884 to 1930. The GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) room is on the third floor of the Day and Day building next to the Pratt.

The film crew is expected to shoot scenes today at the Pratt and on Beaver Alley.

Photo by Tim McMurray

ALBION – It was a big haul of trash today with 342.5 pounds picked up along the railroad tracks in Albion. That is a new record high since the Albion Rotary Club and Rotary Interact started the annual cleanup in 2021. This year students from the Albion National Junior Honor Society joined the effort and helped set the new record, eclipsing the 307 pounds from last year.

Photos by Tom Rivers

The trash was picked up as part of the Erie Canal Cleanup efforts around the county and state today.

Three high school students – Gideon Pask, Nisi Beltran Roblero and Julia Graham – are picking up garbage near the railroad tracks close to West Academy Street.

The volunteers filled about 25 big trash bags in area just east of Platt Street going along the railroad tracks to West Academy Street.

Rotary Club members Mike Schmackpheffer and Sandra Walter work on an area east of Platt Street.

Tim Archer, the Interact Club advisor, teams with students Ayme Vallejo-Morales and Cordelia Rivers in getting trash along the tracks.

Albion mayor Tim McMurray helped haul about 25 bags of garbage to the drop area by Tinsel/The Lockstone where it will be picked up by Canal Corp. workers.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Gregory Hallock, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, presents a “Lifetime Achievement” award to Lynne Menz on Friday at GO Art! in Batavia. Menz received the award for her many years of working on arts and cultural events in Orleans County.

BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council has recognized an organization and a long-time community member for their efforts to add cultural programs to Orleans County.

GO Art! each year presents Genean awards to people and organizations that are committed to cultural life in Genesee and Orleans counties. The awards were presented on March 28, but Lynne Menz, the Lifetime Achievement winner from Orleans County, was unable to attend the program that evening.

On Friday, when GO Art! was announcing its grants to cultural programs for 2026 in Orleans County, Menz also was presented with her Genean Award.

Menz, a Point Breeze resident, worked for many years with the Orleans County Tourism Department, and has been a very active volunteer with the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association, Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park, Oak Orchard Lighthouse Association and Medina Sandstone Society.

Menz helped her father, the late Bill Menz, raise community support for a bronze statue of a soldier outside the YMCA in Medina, which formerly was used as the Medina Armory to train soldiers.

She is doesn’t with her projects. She is leading the Friends of Orleans County Marine Park in hosting a popup and jam on Sept. 12, a marketplace at the park on Route 98 with vendors and music.

There will also be a new fisherman selfie sign at the park for anglers to pose with fish.

Provided photo: Jodi Fisher, program director for GO ART!, presents the “Organization of the Year” award to the Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events Inc., a not-for-profit organization. This award was presented on March 28 to G-ACRE leaders, including Ron Albertson, center, and John Grillo, Albion’s recreation director for the past 50 years.

G-ACRE runs the annual Rock the Park – Albion Summer Music Festival, featuring bands and performers all day in an August celebration.

G-ACRE also has been a fundraising arm for recent improvements at Bullard Park, including new basketball and pickleball courts, a spray park, pavilion, disc golf course and other improvements.

The full list of Genean Awards includes:

• Lifetime Achievement in Orleans County: Lynne Menz
• Lifetime Achievement in Genesee County: Maryanne Arena
• Supporter (of the Cultural Sector) of the Year: Raeann Engler
• Individual Artist of the Year: Bill Schutt
• Honorable Mention: Lily Renz
• Organization of the Year: Greater Albion Community Recreation & Events, Inc. (G-ACRE)
• Volunteer of the Year: Andrea Hofmaster

Bradley Pierce started taking college classes in the 6^th grade

Photos by Tom Rivers: Bradley Pierce will graduate from Albion High School on June 26, a year ahead of schedule. He will receive his degree from Genesee Community College on May 16.

ALBION – Bradley Pierce was in sixth grade when he took his first college class. He earned an A in computer information systems at Genesee Community College.

In the past five years, he has completed 63 college credits and will graduate from GCC on May 16. About six weeks later on June 26, he will graduate from Albion High School. The 16-year-old is headed to Rochester Institute of Technology to major in software engineering with a minor in AI.

Bradley is pulling off a rare feat of graduating a year early and having an associate’s degree before his high school commencement.

He has been precocious since a young age, even reading his father’s old college textbooks about computer science when Bradley was in elementary school.

During the Covid pandemic in 2020, schools turned to online learning due to the restrictions on having students in person at school. Bradley didn’t find the assignments challenging. He was bored and frustrated.

His parents, Kandace and Nick Pierce, shared their concerns with the Albion Middle School leadership. The principal suggested Bradley audit a college class.

The Pierce family talked to GCC, which was willing to try Bradley in the ACE program (Accelerated College Enrollment), which allows high school students to enroll in college-level courses and to earn college credits. GCC let Bradley try one course, not wanting to overwhelm him. Bradley had no problems, attaining a very high A in that first class, which was in the spring semester of sixth grade.

He took one or two GCC classes every semester after that, from seventh to 11^th grade, with a couple classes also last summer. (Bradley was considered a junior to start this high school year.) All of the college classes have been online, except for five that were taught by Albion teachers in person at the high school, allowing Bradley and his classmates to earn dual credits.

“I preferred the online classes because they are more intense,” he said. “I can go at my own pace.”

Bradley Pierce has used an accelerated schedule to complete a course load through high school and also Genesee Community College. He will attend Rochester Institute of Technology to major software engineering.

Bradley is finishing up his last GCC class this semester in discrete math, which is about theories, proofs, logical math and their applications to computer programming.

He has managed his academic demands while also working three or four days a week at Save-A-Lot in Albion. He also had a job with the Village of Albion last year digitizing old public records. He is in the National Honor Society, Student Council and Yearbook Club at Albion.

“Bradley is a renaissance man,” said Tina Burgett, one of his teachers at Albion. “He is interested in many things and he is excellent at many things.”

Burgett first taught Bradley in fourth grade as his art teacher. She has also led his art classes in the middle and high schools.

She praised him for bringing a passion for learning in all of his subjects, including a pottery class were he made an exceptional bust.

“Art can be scary for someone who is focused on math and computers,” she said. “But he cares about the end product. I think he has an infectious excitement for the things he cares about. It’s been a blessing to be his teacher.”

Nick and Kandace Pierce knew their son Bradley was precocious when he was a little kid. He started cracking the Wi-Fi signal at age 8. He was reading college-level computer science textbooks in elementary school, and was writing his own computer programs. He also found security gaps in some on the popular online computer games, and he let operators know about those vulnerabilities, which he said were resolved.

Bradley made his own computer programming language, Scrybe. He created games on his graphing calculator in high school, including Tetris. He developed a Spanish conjugation program that is now available for other students.

Bradley’s father has a computer degree and is a self-described “electronics nerd.” He does electronics repair and works at Ace Hardware. Bradley’s mother is an intensive care nurse at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

Bradley has a brother Jacob who is in fifth grade and also enjoys computer programming, and loves chess.

The Pierces are from Oklahoma City. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were on a vacation to Niagara Falls when they fell in love with Western New York. They moved to WNY in 2016, impressed with the quality of schools, the relatively low-cost living and the many healthcare options.

“We liked the old Victorian homes,” Mr. Pierce said. “There are no tornadoes and we like the agricultural landscape.”