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ALBION – The American Legion in Albion has a new sign and exterior lighting at the post on Gaines Basin Road.

The former clubhouse at Pap Pap’s Par 3 has been the home for the Legion for several years now.

The veterans’ organization has been working on the building. Last year the organization put on a new roof and siding on the building, as well as electrical and lighting upgrades, and an installation of flags from each branch of the military.

The Legion also put in a new concrete front patio and placed seven spent rounds, and one live round. The live round is in honor of the military currently deployed, the seven other bullets represent the gun salute from the Honor Guard, with three volleys of seven rounds.

This tribute is in front of a memorial bench for the late Jason Johnston, who was 24 when he was killed by a roadside bomb on Dec. 26, 2009 in Arghandab, Afghanistan.

The Sheet Post is named in honor of two brothers from Albion who died on the same day of World War I.

James and Egbert Sheret both died on September 29, 1918.

A member of Co. F. 108th Reg., NY Volunteer Infantry, Sgt. James Sheret was killed in action during the attack on the Hindenburg Line. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for the bravery of his actions.

Pvt. Egbert Sheret, a machine gunner, was also killed in action that day.

Another brother, Andrew, was wounded in World War I, but survived. A fourth brother, John G. served in the Navy and survived the war.

Confection Connection opened in August, with bigger plans for future

Photos by Tom Rivers: Becky Harris, owner of Confection Connection at 223 South Main St., holds a plate of eclipse-themed cookies.

ALBION – Becky Harris embraces a challenge when she is in the kitchen, and she likes to put her talents to the test in celebrating a big event, whether it’s her wedding day or the upcoming eclipse.

Harris opened Confection Connection, a bakery with coffee in August at the corner of Meadowbrook Drive and South Main Street. She and her husband Adrian Harris moved from Lancaster to Albion so she could run the bakery out of their new home. The property also has space for him to grow vegetables as an organic farmer.

The Albion site is zoned commercial and was previously Paradise Healing Arts, and was once used by a dentist.

“Everybody has stories about this house,” Harris said.

Becky and Adrian married in 2016. One of Becky’s goals for the big day was to make her own wedding cake. She made several practice cakes leading up to her wedding, and shared them with friends and family.

“I kept practicing, and was getting better and better,” she said.

She developed devoted fans by sharing those “practice cakes.” They were so good, her friends urged her to consider opening a bakery.

Harris took their advice, and soon the bakery was taking up more and more of her Lancaster home. The Albion location has room for the bakery, a commercial kitchen and their home.

Harris said she has been baking since she was a kid under her grandmother’s tutelage. She continues to add new creations, whether an éclair or the new eclipse cookies. She wanted to help the community celebrate the total eclipse on April 8.

Vanilla buttercream frosting is in between eclipse cookies made with vanilla and chocolate dough.

She makes the eclipse cookies in a range of phases of the moon obstructing the sun. She cuts out portions of circles in vanilla and chocolate dough, and then pieces them together to create the cookies. She make them into a cookie sandwich by putting vanilla buttercream frosting in between.

“I wanted to do something and be a part of all the events going on this weekend,” she said.

Harris still has loyal customers from the Lancaster area. She wants to make the Albion business bigger. She welcomes in-store traffic to 223 South Main St., where she also sells coffee and cold brew drinks. She bought the coffee-making equipment from the Coffee Joint after it closed in downtown Albion.

She also sells her bread at Navarra’s, pies at the Downtown Browsery and makes rolls for the sandwiches at the Wild Flour Deli and Bakery.

Harris is looking to upgrade her food certificate with the Health Department from a food handler to food manager. She would like to offer a sit-down area and serve sandwiches, soups and salads – as well as the array of baked goods. Some of the items would include vegetables and produce grown by her husband in a “farm to oven” concept.

That expanded menu might be at a different location in Albion. Harris is looking for a shop to accommodate all of her goals.

For now, she encourages people to stop by the bakery at 223 South Main, which is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“I want to welcome anyone to come in,” Harris said.

She also welcomes ideas from customers on new flavors or creations.

“I never say no, which is a blessing and a curse,” Harris said. “But I’m up for a challenge.”

Agency moves from Visitor’s Center to Presbyterian Church

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jami Allport, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, sits at her desk in the agency’s new offices at the First Presbyterian Church. GOMOC moved from the Albion Visitor’s Center to the church with the first day open last Thursday at the church.

ALBION – The Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern has moved into its new offices in the First Presbyterian Church of Albion and the agency is thrilled with the welcome from the church.

GOMOC left the Albion Visitor’s Center after 15 years on the third floor at 121 North Main St. The agency moved after the Village Board raised the rent by 35 percent from $1,146.67 to $1,550.96 a month. The board felt GOMOC’s rent was too cheap at 48 cents per square foot. The board raised it to 65 cents per square foot.

Jami Allport, the GOMOC executive director, said that amount was too much for the agency, and would take away funds it needs to assist people in need.

The Presbyterian Church offered space in four rooms at the lower rate that GOMOC was paying before the rent went up. The church painted two of the rooms and added electrical outlets for the new tenants and also put a wall in. The other two rooms also were recently redone following a third floor water leak that caused some damage to the rooms.

“The church worked really hard for us,” Allport said. “They have been great and very welcoming.”

The offices are accessible on the back end of the church at the entrance to the church office. There is a church parking lot on Platt Street and sidewalks leading to the entrance.

There will be an open house for the community to see the new offices on April 25 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

The Ministry of Concern is known by many as “The Agency of Last Resort.” It provides services to many people in crisis, including working poor who are facing hardship.

The agency last year assisted 2,795 people with 2,192 in Orleans and 603 in Genesee.

Rose Friedl, left, and Jami Allport show one of the revamped rooms at the church which is now used by the Ministry of Concern. Friedl is the coordinator for the furniture program. Another employee, Nicole Brady, coordinates the Just Friends mentoring program.

The Ministry of Concern has in-house advocates who work on behalf of clients with utility companies, landlords and other entities as necessary. Eligible individuals and families can receive help with personal care items, short-term emergency housing and financial assistance with prescriptions. There is a room stocked with supplies named in honor of long-time board member and volunteer, Mary Grace Demarse.

The Furniture Program also accepts donations of gently used furniture and non-gas appliances which are subsequently delivered without cost to people in need. This in GOMOC’s most used program, assisting 945 people last year. Jayquan Brady and Kyle Woolston pick up furniture and appliances for GOMOC and deliver them to people who need them.

Allport has been working as the agency’s director since September. She said the agency makes a difference for many in the community.

She sees GOMOC doing even more. She has assisted some people with resumes to pursue jobs, and gave other help with health insurance and life skills. The break room also has air hockey and other games where teen-agers can come afterschool and hang out in a safe place.

Rose Friedl said she looks forward to coming to work at GOMOC four days a week. She coordinates the furniture program. She said many people get emotional when GOMOC can locate a bed, couch or even a recliner for them.

“This is a feel-good job,” Friedl said. “I put my whole heart into it.”

ALBION – The PAWS Animal Shelter on Gaines Basin Road has been awarded a $51,249 state grant to replace cat kennels, upgrade dog enclosures, upgrade HVAC systems, and replace a heat pump.

Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement this morning. The grant for PAWS is oart of $3.8 million awarded to 10 animal care organizations across the state through the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund, which is in its sixth round.

“New York State’s Companion Animal Capital Fund continues to make a real difference for our shelters and humane societies across the state,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will better equip these vital facilities with the tools they need to improve the quality of care for animals as they await a permanent, loving home.”

The Companion Animal Capital Fund program was started in 2017. It is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. The state has dedicated over $33 million to the program.

Competitive grants were awarded to shelters based on a need assessment, detailed project description, and reasonableness of cost.

Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget includes an additional $5 million for the continuation of the program.

“Through six rounds, it has been incredible to see our shelters across the state complete these projects that make life better for the animals in their care,” said Richard A. Ball, the state’s agriculture commissioner. “I’m proud that the funding announced today will continue to build on the great work of this program, helping New York’s animals stay happy and healthy as they await their forever homes.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Alex Nazaretski, a student of classical guitar and piano at the Eastman School of Music, performs at the Hoag Library today.

Nazaretski will graduate from Eastman in May. He kicked off a new season of concerts at Hoag. The events are free to the public and are on Saturdays at noon.

The lineup of concerts for the rest of 2024 include:

• Paul O’Dette, April 20
• Kinloch Nelson, May 18
• Bob Sneider, June 15
• George Collichio, July 20
• Rochester Recorder Society, Aug. 17
• Alyssa Rodriguez, Sept. 14
• Muriel Anderson, Oct. 12
• Duo Tufekčić & Conant, Nov. 9
• Rochester Ukulele Orchestra, Dec. 7

About 50 people attended today’s concert in the main meeting room of the library.

Hoag last year debuted the concerts. They are organized by Jim Doyle, an adult reference librarian at the library. He also has been running Jim’s Guitar Studio for 24 years in Albion, and is a founding member of the Rochester Guitar Club.

Doyle said he reaches out to musicians who generally haven’t performed in Orleans County before. He met Nazaretski when he performed at the Little Theater Café in Rochester.

Funds for the concerts at the Hoag Library come from the state Council of the Arts, with the funds administered by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kids displayed breakneck speed in hunting down Easter eggs at noon today in Albion. There were about 12,000 eggs scattered on the lawn, up from 10,000 last year.

The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries held its third annual Easter Egg Hunt today. Students from the Iroquois Job Corps Center helped set out the eggs.

About 300 children are lined up ready to go grab the plastic eggs which had candy inside.

Children were divided into three groups – ages 1 to 5, ages 6 to 9, and ages 10 to 14. There will be two golden eggs hidden per age group.

Benjamin Rowcliffe, 8, of Medina found one of the golden eggs.

Jayda Elsenheimer helps hand out some of the 600 Easter baskets. The Albion Rotary Club and Albion Lions Club donated to help buy the baskets.

The Catholic Daughters also bought 200 chocolate Easter bunnies, and the Masonic Lodge served food for free.

Pastor Al Wilson of the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries welcomes the kids to the egg hunt. Wilson said the church is happy to put on the event, and see so many families having fun.

“We just love the people,” Wilson said. “It’s about sharing the love of Jesus.”

These kids take off to pick up some of the Easter eggs. The golden eggs were in hard-to-find spots.

Two barbers gave free haircuts for three hours. Jeffrey Echevarria of Albion, left, gets a haircut from Carlito Lopez of Brockport while Amonte Mortensen of Medina, right, gets a trim from Maciel Gomez of Albion.

East State Street in front of the courthouse was decorated in chalk art.

The Albion Free Methodist Church was one of about 20 stops on an Easter Hop where kids could get candy.

ALBION – The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries will have its third annual Easter Egg Hunt today at noon at the courthouse lawn, 27 Platt St. in Albion.

Children will be divided into three groups – ages 1 to 5, ages 6 to 9, and ages 10 to 14. There will be two golden eggs hidden per age group.

The activities go from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free barber cuts, free food from the Masonic Lodge, and free face painting.

There will also be free Easter baskets while supplies last.

The Albion Merchants Association also has its Easter Hop today. More than 20 Albion businesses are participating in the event today from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Children can pick up a free Easter basket at Wild Flour Deli & Bakery, Confection Connectin, Pretty Sweet Bakery and Bloom’s Flower Shop. The baskets have a list of businesses where children can stop in and receive an Easter treat.

ALBION – Hoag Library has two trustee positions up for election on May 6.

People interested in serving as a trustee need to live in the library service area (central Orleans towns of Barre, Albion, Gaines and Carlton).

Petitions needs to be signed by at least 25 adults in the service area. Petitions have been available at the library service desk since March 14. They are due by 5 p.m. on April 5.

The election will be from noon to 7 p.m. with results announced that night during the library’s annual meeting.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Mallory Ashbery, center, is Marmee March, the mother of four daughters in Little Women. Marmee’s husband and the girls’ father is away in the Civil War, serving as a Union Army chaplain.

The girls include, from left: Danielle Wyant as Meg, Lily Brigham as Amy, Ella Trupo as Beth and Mallory Kozody as Josephine “Jo” March. They are at home in Concord, Mass. Mr. March sends a letter that he has contacted pneumonia. His wife prepares to go see him in Washington.

Albion performed the musical with shows on Friday at 7 p.m., and today at noon and 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium.

The show is co-directed by Elliott Michki, Kailey Winans and Kathy Winans.

Jo (Mallory Kozody) acts out one of her novels, “An Operatic Tragedy,” while sister Meg (Danielle Wyant) chimes in.

Jo aspires to be a great novelist. Her stories entertain her family but so far have been rejected by 22 publishers.

James Ruiz plays Mr. Laurence and Zackary Baron is Theodore “Laurie” Laurence. Mr. Laurence is upset that Jo cut down one of his trees.

Laurie becomes friends with the March sisters. He first proposes to Jo and is rejected, and later marries Amy, the youngest sister.

Sawyer Brigham plays Sir Braxton and acts out a scene Jo’s operatic tragedy, with Clarissa, played by Keira Zambito. She is fleeing Sir Braxton and is heroine of Jo’s operatic tragedy. Julia Button, right, is in the ensemble.

Jo (Mallory Kozody) comforts her sister Beth (Ella Trupo) who has been stricken by scarlet fever and would die from the illness, causing a great sadness in her family.

Gideon Pask plays Professor Bhaer, a German professor who falls in love with Jo. The two become engaged with plans of opening their own school. Pask sings “Small Umbrella In The Rain.”

File photo by Tom Rivers: This portrait of Wayne Burlison was displayed on a tree along the course at Mount Albion Cemetery during the 2016 race.

ALBION – A big snow overnight has necessitated a course change for this morning’s 5-kilometer race in Albion.

The Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K is in memory of an Albion elementary music teacher who passed away at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.

The route usually starts on Clarendon Road by the elementary school and heads east on Route 31 to Mount Albion Cemetery for a loop there and then heads back on 31 to the school parking lot.

But with about a half foot of snow on the ground, the state Department of Transportation advised race director Bert Gallmon that Route 31 would be off limits for the race.

He was informed of the change Friday when the forecast called for significant snow. Gallmon and Albion school officials have come up with a modified course that includes three loops of about a mile in the school parking lots.

The race starts at 10 a.m. Participants can sign up this morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. inside the elementary school in the cafeteria. A post-race gathering with food will be at Dubby’s Tailgate.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Things will look a little bit different for Albion Central School’s budget vote and Board of Education elections for the 2024-25 academic year.

Every May, the district asks the community to vote on the annual budget and board election for the upcoming school year. This year, the vote will happen on May 21at the Hoag Library rather than in the district’s conference room like in years past.

“With the increase of people on campus this year, due to the ongoing capital project, we made the decision to move the annual school budget vote and Board of Education election to the Hoag Library,” Superintendent of Albion Central Schools Mickey Edwards said. “We are excited for the opportunity to partner with the Hoag Library and we thank them for their support as we work to ensure a seamless voting process for the community.”

The annual district art show will also be on display at the library this year. In order to keep the food at the proper temperatures, voters that participate in the annual FFA barbecue dinner will still need to pick their meals up from Albion High School.

Please stop by on May 14 at 6 p.m. for the public hearing on the budget which will be held in Albion High School’s LGI. The budget vote and election will be May 21 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hoag Library.

For the most up to date budget information, click here.

ALBION – Village residents elected Greg Bennett and William Gabalski to the Village Board today.

Bennett received the most votes with 87 for a four-year term as a village trustee. He was endorsed by both the Republican and Democratic Party for the election. He works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He also has been a long-time youth baseball coach.

Jeff Holler was backed by the Republicans, but he was edged for a seat on the board by William Gabalski who ran as a write-in candidate.

Gabalski received 44 votes, with Holler at 38. Faith Smith also ran as a write-in and received 36 votes. (Kevin Doherty received a vote, too, as a write-in.)

Bennett and Gabalski will take the spots of Chris Barry and Dave Buczek, who didn’t seek election this time.

Gabalski ran a campaign saying Albion is becoming increasingly unaffordable due to rising taxes.

Bennett wants to build a strong Albion team, pushing people to put aside differences and animosity for the good of the community.

The new four-year terms start on April 1 with the most pressing task to have the village budget adopted by the end of April.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The water tower by the Albion Correctional Facility on Route 31 is part of Albion’s water infrastructure. The correctional facilities are charged $4.35 per 1,000 gallons of water.

ALBION – The Village Board said an significant increase is needed in what it bills for water, but the board hasn’t determined just how the higher cost will be spread among village residential users and wholesale customers in the towns and correctional facilities.

The Village Board said a hike in the water rates and base charges will be necessary to pay the debt for more than $10 million in financing for upgrades to the water plant and distribution system.

“We need to do something and we need to do something something relatively soon,” Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley said about the higher water rates.

The village is looking at more than $16 million in water plant and system improvements. The village has been approved for two grants at over $6 million towards the projects.

One project, Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) 1, has a total cost of $5,241,440 with grants paying $1,949,00 with the village to potentially borrow $3,292,000.

The second WIIA has a total cost of $11,418,000 with grants covering $4,250,000 and borrowing for the other $7,168,500.

The village doesn’t start paying the debt for the first project until next year, and then faces another debt payment increase with the second project.

The first project is expected to result in annual debt payment of over $300,000, with the second project even more.

“We’re trying to beef up our water plant to make it more sustainable for the next 20-30 years,” Village Trustee David Buczek said at last week’s board meeting.

The water fund operates on a current $1.9 million budget.

The Village Board in 2022 changed its water charges for residential customers in the village. The rate was actually lowered from $3.61 to $3.39 per 1,000 gallons for the village residents and commercial customers. And the village eliminated a $5 quarterly administrative fee.

The big changes were the addition of a new base charge at $21 per quarter for residents with ¾” meter and how the village does a minimum charge. That was $28.16 for residents and most small businesses and included the first 5,100 gallons of water.

The new system put the minimum at $21.00 per quarter (the base charge) but doesn’t include any water usage. The village starts billing at zero gallons. The change resulted in lower water bills for customers that use less than average water each quarter.

The village is working with a consultant on calculating the new charges and rates. WaterWorth representatives last week presented a plan to raise the base charge by 60 percent in 2025 to $33.60, and then another 40 percent to $47.04 in 2026, and 15 percent more in 2027 to $54.10, with 3 percent increases to follow after 2027.

The water rates would go up 15 percent from $3.39 to $3.90 in 2025, and then 6.9 percent to $4.17 in 2026, another 4.6 percent in 2027 to $4.38 and then 3.0 percent increases to follow, according to the proposal.

The village pumps about 1.45 million gallons a day on average from its plant on Wilson Road in Carlton. The towns and prisons account for about 60 percent of that usage.

The village last year raised its wholesale rates to the towns of Carlton, Gaines, Barre and Albion by 40 cents to $3.34 per 1,000 gallons. (Most of the Town of Albion’s water comes through Barre’s water system and Barre bills most of the Town of Albion. Village water also goes to portions of Ridgeway and Murray, going through the Town of Albion system, with Gaines sending some village water to Murray.)

The correctional facilities, which are outside the village, are billed at $4.35 per 1,000 gallons.

With the towns and prison recently getting the rates increased, the WaterWorth proposal doesn’t show big increases for them.

Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said he would prefer to see the increases spread out among all users – wholesale in the towns and residential and commercial in the village.

Riley, the deputy mayor, agreed that she doesn’t want most of the new debt payments to fall on village residential users. She believes the towns and prisons should also see significantly higher rates to lessen the impact on the village and to spread out the higher costs.

Adam Rush, chief operator of the water plant for the village, said higher wholesale rates for the towns could lead to the local towns switching to the Monroe County Water Authority, where the out-of-county wholesale rates are $2.63. The MCWA is close to Albion’s water system, supplying Kendall and parts of Murray and Clarendon.

If some of the towns switch water districts to the MCWA that will shift more of the operational and debt costs to the village residential and commercial users, Rush said.

Riley believes the towns will stay loyal to the village, which she said offers prompt service if there are water leaks or other issues.

She compared the MCWA and Niagara County Water District to “big box stores” that may be cheaper but don’t provide the care and service to the Village of Albion.

“When the big chains come in, people say it’s going to be the death of the mom and pop stores,” Riley said. “We are the mom and pop store. We provide excellent service. ”

The village’s quick response should be valued by the wholesale users, Riley said.

“We’re in their backyard,” Riley said about the local town customers. “We’re available for service. When people call us, off we go. That is value you don’t get from the bigger counties.”

The board said it will work to finalize a plan on the water rates and base charges, and will have a public hearing soon on the new structure. It also wants a public meeting to go over the planned upgrades at the water plant and the distribution system.

Buczek said the village is in a difficult position where an increase is needed to pay for what he said are long overdue upgrades to the water plant.

He said the village has been living “paycheck to paycheck” with its water system, trying to keep the rates down and not take on big expenses.

“We need to think long-term and about resiliency,” he said.

He believes the public will support the increases in costs when they understand the value of the Albion water and plan to upgrade the water plant for the future.

“We need to change the perception of Albion water and make people aware of the services we provide,” he said.

Rush, the water plant chief operator, said Albion’s water rates are among the lowest in the region.

The Village of Fredonia in Chautauqua County, for example, just raised its rates by $2 from $4.95 to $6.95 per 1,000 gallons.

The city of Dunkirk next to Fredonia also raised the rate on water it sells to the North County Water District from $3.84 to $5.16 per 1,000 gallons.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Brigitte Schweigert, left of Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina, pours wine-tasting on Saturday at Brushstrokes Studios’ new location at 50 North Main St. in Albion.

Sandy Thaine, center, of Medina her glass for wine and her friend Jean Benson of Medina waits for her turn.

There were about 300 people on the wine-tasting with 16 stops in Albion. The event was the annual Sip N’ Stroll by the Albion Merchants Association.

Cherry Grove: The Yohe Family Farm of Holley Road in Albion offered rides on WNY Horse Drawn Pub Crawls. The horse-drawn ride has room for 16 people and offers wine-tasters a chance to rest their feet in front of a fire pit.

The souvenir glass had an image of Santa Claus. Albion was the home to a Santa Claus School from 1937 to 1966 and last year unveiled a bronze statue of Santa in honor of the late Charles W. Howard, who founded the Santa School.

These friends from Albion enjoyed the Sip N. Stroll. From left include Aliana Raines, Kelsey Osbourne, Mary Kibbe, Tammy Chase and Carlin Osbourne.

Laural and Chuck Prentice are in Morrison Realty to try wine served by Ken Kibler of Main Street Winery in Arcade.

Debbie Prest of Red Check serves Red Cat wine from Hazlitt Vineyards in Naples. Prest said the Sip N’ Stroll is great way to introduce people to the businesses in Albion.

She gave each person a sticker that stated, “ I had fun drinking wine at Red Check.”

“We wanted to make sure people remember us,” Prest said. “This is a fun event where I get to meet so many lovely people.”

Wine-tasters step off the horse-drawn ride to go sample wine offered at the downtown locations.