By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2023 at 3:35 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Makenzie Cook, left, is Frog and Sophie Kozody is Toad in the Albion Middle School production of “A Year With Frog and Toad.”
There were performances Friday evening and at noon today with a final show this evening at 7 in the middle school auditorium. Tickets are $5.
The musical is over an hour and follows the woodland adventures of two amphibious friends, the worrywart toad and a perky frog. In the course of a year, they encounter many hopping, crawling and flying companions, including bees, a mouse, snail, turtle, lizards, squirrels and moles.
Julia Graham, center, plays the role of Snail. She is joined by the Snow Dancers (Nicole Loney, left, and Kendall Peruzzini.)
The Snail is happy after successfully delivering a letter from Frog to Toad.
Makenzie Cook (Frog) writes a letter to Toad after Toad said he has never received any mail.
Sophie Kozody (Toad) at right sings “Cookies” with two birds, Aniela Wilson, left, and Ayme Vallejo Morales.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 November 2023 at 8:13 am
Towns not choosing Mercy despite lower cost and higher level of service
Photo by Tom Rivers: A Mercy EMS ambulance is decorated with lights for Medina’s Parade of Lights
ALBION – Mercy EMS officials are puzzled they aren’t being considered for an ambulance contract in central and eastern Orleans County.
Barre and Albion have already voted for Monroe Ambulance for 2024. They are the first of the seven towns to approve a $300,000 total contract.
Mercy EMS is willing to provide ambulance coverage for $180,000. That’s with two advanced-life support ambulances dedicated to the county, 24-7. Monroe is committing to one ALS ambulance in Albion and a second basic life support ambulance that would be in Holley 12 hours a day, and then just outside the county in Brockport for 12 hours. Monroe also can draw on other ambulances as needed from Monroe County.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Scott Wooton, executive vice president for Mercy Flight. “We were excited and charged up to think we would be given a real shot at the contract.”
He has heard the towns are portraying Mercy as being slow to respond with a contract proposal, or submitting a higher cost than Monroe Ambulance. When the Albion Town Board voted 5-0 to approve Monroe on Monday, board members said they wanted at least a full year with Monroe to evaluate the call data and to better scrutinize Monroe’s performance.
Albion agreed to pay $155,820 to Monroe Ambulance in 2024, which is up from the $84,400 Albion paid the Rochester-based company in 2023. The towns are divvying up the shares of the $300,000 based on percentage of overall call volume.
Mercy was asked by the towns how much the contract would be if it also had a fly car with a paramedic as well as the two ambulances. That fly car would respond to EMS calls but can’t transport patients.
With a fly car and two ALS ambulances, Mercy submitted a proposal for $495,000 from the seven towns. If it’s one ALS ambulance, one BLS and a fly car, Wooton said the proposal is $405,000.
Taking away the fly car, Mercy has been consistent that the two ALS ambulances dedicated to Orleans would be $180,000. Wooton said he sent that proposal to the towns on Aug. 15, about three months ago.
One ambulance would be based out of the former COVA headquarters in Albion and the other likely in Holley at a location to be determined, Wooton said.
Mercy continues to operate the COVA base in Albion. It has kept most of the COVA employees on its payroll, responding to calls in Niagara and Genesee counties, Hamlin in Monroe, and some backup calls in the Albion area when Monroe is short-staffed or has its ambulances tied up.
Albion town officials said the block of seven towns is planning to do a formal request for proposals in mid-2024 for ambulance services in 2025 with the contract going to the lowest qualified bidder.
Wooton said Mercy would have liked that option for the 2024 contract, for a formal RFP with the providers brought in to detail their proposals in person. Mercy’s contract proposals were sent to the attorney for the Town of Barre who served as the point person for the seven towns. Wooton said none of the town officials called him directly.
“Their constituents could have better service at almost half the price,” Wooton said.
Mercy EMS took over the former COVA on Nov. 15, 2022. COVA sought some municipal support for years, but never was given any. The organization folded about a year ago.
Mercy then was the primary ambulance provider in central Orleans until Monroe was up and running on April 15, with an ambulance stationed at the Albion Town Hall.
Once Monroe took over in central Orleans, Mercy shifted those Albion-based employees primarily to Terry Corners in Gasport. Mercy had a contract to serve that area until Oct. 31, but is still assisting with ambulance services. Mercy also started a new contract on Nov. 1 to provide ambulance transports for the Catholic Health Service’s new hospital in Lockport.
The former COVA workers would prefer to be working in their home community. Mercy for now will keep the former COVA employees by responding to calls that are mostly outside of the Albion area.
“Mercy Flight was eager and excited to bring our people back to get back to do what they intended to do,” Wooton said. “We’re really disappointed.”
Provided photo: The team of Ron Ricker, Josh Bowman and Greg Daniels won the 9th annual PAWS Triples No Tap Tournament at Oak Orchard Lanes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 November 2023 at 12:20 pm
ALBION – Oak Orchard Lanes hosted 85 teams this weekend in the 9th annual PAWS Triples No Tap Tournament. The event on Saturday and Sunday raised $4,000 for the PAWS Animal Shelter in Albion.
This brings the total in nine years to about $30,000 for PAWS, said Randy Hanks, owner of the Oak Orchard Lanes.
The 85 teams, with some driving two hours to play, is the most since the tournament started. Most of the bowlers, however, are regulars at Oak Orchard Lanes in a league.
The team of Ron Ricker, Josh Bowman and Greg Daniels won the tourney’s grand prize of $700.
Each team could play three games per bowler with the highest average, including a handicapped score, used to determine the winner.
There was a basket raffle that raised $1,200 as part of the total for PAWS.
“We’re just animal lovers,” Randy Hanks, Oak Orchard Lanes owner, said about supporting PAWS. “We always want to give back to the community and the bowling center is a good way to do it.”
Hanks said Curtis Foss did a lot of the work in organizing the PAWs tournament.
Oak Orchard Lanes will host the Scott Whittier memorial tournament in late January, with proceeds going to $500 scholarships for Albion students.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 November 2023 at 11:45 am
Albion agrees to pay 52% or $155K of contract for 7 towns
Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion resident Jason Dragon shares concerns about a new contract with Monroe Ambulance which Dragon tells the Albion Town Board disproportionally burdens Albion taxpayers among the seven towns in the agreement.
ALBION – The Town Board voted unanimously, 5-0, on Monday evening to pay $155,820 to Monroe Ambulance in 2024, which is up from the $84,400 Albion paid the Rochester-based company in 2023.
Albion is one of seven towns in an agreement with Monroe Ambulance to be the primary ambulance provider in central and eastern Orleans.
The seven-town consortium is basing each town’s share on the percentage of calls in the seven towns. Albion accounts for just over half of the total calls, which is why Albion will be paying $155,820 or 52 percent of the total cost to have Monroe station an ambulance in Albion 24 hours a day, seven days a week and one in Holley for at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Monroe also will draw on ambulances in Monroe County if there is a need in Orleans County.
The Barre Town Board was the first of the seven towns to approve the contract. Barre voted last Wednesday to pay $13,740 in 2024, which is up from the $8,000 in 2023.
The seven towns didn’t have to budget any money for ambulance services until 2023. Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance sought municipal support for years but the towns declined. COVA has since folded with Mercy EMS taking over that base in Albion and keeping many of the COVA employees. Mercy responds to some calls in Orleans, but also provides ambulance services in Genesee County, Hamlin in Monroe County, and Niagara County.
Albion Town Supervisor Richard Remley said the seven towns plan to put out an RFP (Request for Proposals) next year and will take the lowest bid from a qualified ambulance provider. He anticipates the RFP will go out in mid-2024.
The seven towns wanted to stay with Monroe, which started operations in April 15, with an ambulance based out of the Albion Town Hall and highway garage. Remley said a full 12 months-plus of data will be available in mid-2024 to help the towns plan for the future with ambulance services and contracts.
Jason Dragon, an Albion resident, said Albion is disproportionately bearing the burden of the contract. He said it should be based on the taxable value of each town, which would then have Albion paying 18 percent of the cost, or by percentage of population, which would put the burden on Albion at about 25 percent.
Basing it on call volume, when Albion has a nursing home and two state prisons, is unfair to Albion, which Dragon said already pays far more of its share in local taxes, especially for the village property owners.
“I don’t see how assessing towns by call volume is the most fair way,” Dragon said at the Town Board meeting. “This is an undue burden. We’re making it more and more expensive for the people of the Village of Albion.”
The additional costs for the ambulance is a big factor in the taxes going up in Albion in the 2024 budget that was approved on Monday.
The tax rate for property owners outside the village will be will be $7.45 per $1,000 of assessed property, which is up from $6.27 in 2023 and $4.17 in 2022. For a $100,000 property outside the village, taxes will increase $118 next year and are up $328 in two years.
The town tax rate for village property owners will be $5.39 per $1,000 in 2024, up from $4.69 in 2023 and $3.09 in 2022. Towns taxes for village property with a $100,000 assessment will be up another $70 in 2024, and increased $230 in two years.
“I’m concerned about the rate increase,” resident William Gabalski told the Town Board.
The town tax rate actually went down from 2009 to 2020, he said, but has now doubled in four years.
“We have very high taxes,” he said.
Highway Superintendent Michael Neidert said the highway department is managing OK in sharing some space with Monroe Ambulance. He suggested the Town Board try to get some money from Monroe to help with the utility costs with the building. Remley, the town supervisor, said he would ask Monroe if the company would contribute to those expenses – heat, electric and other utilities.
“It is cramped,” Neidert said about the shared space. “It is an inconvenience to us and them.”
Here is what the Monroe contract calls for each of the seven towns to pay in 2024, with the amount they paid in 2023 in parentheses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 November 2023 at 11:27 am
New commander steps forward after loss of 2 longtime leaders
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Mike Donahue plays Taps as part of the Honor Guard on Veterans’ Day on Saturday at the American Legion post on Gaines Basin Road.
The Honor Guard observed Veterans’ Day at four other stops: The Veterans Service Agency in Albion, Orleans County Courthouse, memorial outside the middle school and the VFW post.
Rex Hults and other members of the Honor Guard fired three rounds in a 21-gun salute at each stop.
The Honor Guard is outside the American Legion on Gaines Basin Road The former clubhouse at Pap Pap’s Par 3 is now the home for the Legion. The veterans’ organization in the past year has put 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 organization has 120 members and welcomes more. They could be a veterans, son of a veteran, a member of the ladies auxiliary or a social member.
Brad Rouse, a Marine Corps veteran, is the new commander of the Legion. He was instrumental in the building improvements. Rouse also is recently retired from the Village of Albion in maintenance and as a mechanic at the sewer plant.
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.
His father Brad is an active member of the Legion in Albion. Jason Johnston, a specialist and paratrooper in the Army, is the only soldier from Orleans County to be killed in combat during the Afghanistan War.
The legion has added a display case with the Legion uniform for Kevin Christy, who was the group’s commander at the time of his death at age 72 on Nov. 16, 2022. Christy was a long-time leader of the local American Legion and also created the Sons of the American Legion for the organization in Albion.
Roger Ettinger made the display for Christy’s Legion and also the display case for the Army uniform worn by Gary Befus.
The uniform for Gary Befus also is in a display case at the Legion. Befus served with the Army during the Vietnam War. He died at age 76 on Oct. 3, 2022. He was involved for many years with the Legion and helped organize parades and the annual oratorical contest.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Save-A-Lot plaza on Route 31, which includes the vacant former site for Gordmans, is zoned general commercial and is far enough away from a church or school to be a possibility for a cannabis dispensary. No one has submitted a proposal for a dispensary.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2023 at 9:05 am
ALBION – The Village Planning Board agreed on Thursday to allow cannabis dispensaries at sites that are zoned general commercial – as long as they meet the regulations set by the state.
Those regulations keep dispensaries from at least 500 feet from a school and at least 200 feet from a church.
“We will use general commercial as an acceptable area but they still have to meet codes,” Karen Conn, the Planning Board chairwoman, said following a public hearing on the issue. “It’s up to them to find a spot and work with the code enforcement officer.”
No one has submitted a proposal for a dispensary in Albion. The regulations from the state would keep a dispensary away from the school on Route 31. It might also be hard to find a spot in the downtown area because there are several churches there.
Villages officials see the Save-A-Lot plaza on Route 31 and also the general commercial area on Hamilton Street as spots that could be considered for a dispensary.
The Village Board voted on Oct. 21, 2021 to opt in and allow legal marijuana dispensaries. Albion officials at the time said allowing the marijuana sites will make it easier for local residents to get the product in town, instead of driving to other communities and possibly putting others at risk on the roadways.
Village Board members also cited the potential tax benefits for the village. The state will have a 13-cent excise tax per $1 on the marijuana sales, and the village will get 3 of those cents per dollar.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The former Clover Hill Adult Residence in Albion will be turned into 18 apartments. The Village of Albion Planning Board approved the project on Thursday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 November 2023 at 8:38 am
ALBION – A former assisted living complex on Route 98 will be turned into 18 apartments – 14 that are one bedroom and four others that are studio apartments.
The Village of Albion Planning Board approved the site plan and a special use permit for the project at the former Clover Hill Adult Residence on Thursday.
The Planning Board said a vegetative screen will be needed by the parking lot between the north side and south sides of the property at 355 South Main St.
Resident Diana Reed lives next to Clover Hill on the north side. She said a fence would be unacceptable and pushed for arborvitae trees that would be about 15 to 20 feet high.
Planning Board chairwoman Karen Conn said the board could not specify which type of trees or vegetation be planted. But it can insist on the village code which states visual screening must have vegetation at least 4 feet high and spaced no more than 3 feet apart.
A second parking also is planned for the location on the south side. The developer doesn’t want to put that in yet and has been given two years to have an asphalt lot installed with drainage.
Clover Hill closed in March 2022 as an assisted living site. Realtegic LP in Amherst, led by president Ravi Prasher, wants to the turn the site into 18 apartments. Realtegic is working with Buildmore Corporation to convert the facility into apartments. Bilal Huzair of Carlton is CEO of Buildmore.
The current site has 19 parking spaces. The village code requires two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit so there would need to be at least 36 parking spaces.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 November 2023 at 11:05 am
Provided photos
ALBION – Representatives from the Elks Lodge in Albion presented a ceremonial check $3,480 to PAWS Animal Shelter. The Elks also gave $3,400 collected from a basket raffle on Oct. 21 during a jamboree and barbecue cook-off to benefit PAWS.
Pictured from left include April Flesch, Carol Williams and Lynda Standish from the Elks, and Donna Vanderlaan and Patty Coffee with PAWS.
There were five cooks or cooking teams for the competition, including from left: Melvin Artis and Cortlin Artis, Chris Winters (kneeling), Tony Newland, Lee Tisdale of Romyn’s Restaurant, Bert Mathes and Dan Monacelli.
Melvin and Cortlin came in 1st place with a trip to the 1000 Islands, Bert Mathes and Dan Monacelli won 2nd place and $200, and Lee Tisdale won 3rd with $100.
The judges sample the barbecue. They include from left: Orleans County Legislator John Fitzak; Scott DeSmit from The Daily News in Batavia; Elk chaplain, food manager and Bandera band member Bonnie Draper; Medina Mayor Mike Sidari; and Orleans County Undersheriff Don Draper.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 November 2023 at 9:10 am
Group has ideas to build on Santa theme for Albion
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A plaque has been added next to the bronze statue of a Santa Claus in downtown Albion at Waterman Park. (This photo makes it look bigger than reality. It doesn’t quite go waist high.)
The statue was dedicated during the Strawberry Festival on June 10. It was created by sculptor Brian Porter.
The project was led by the Albion Betterment Committee as a tribute to the late Charles Howard, who ran a Santa School in Albion beginning in 1937. He remains revered by the Santa community for helping to shape the look of Santa and how people should act while interacting with children.
The group wanted a plaque to provide a snapshot of Howard’s life and impact.
This photo shows Charles W. Howard with a Santa at Christmas Park in Albion. Howard operated the Park and a school for Santa Claus in Albion until his death on May 1, 1966.
The plaque reads:
CHARLES W. HOWARD (1896-1966)
“Charles W. Howard first portrayed Santa as a boy in a classroom play. As an adult he played Santa in a store front window in downtown Albion and then, Rochester and Buffalo. This experience encouraged him to perfect the role of Santa Claus.
“Charles was disheartened by the quality of Santa being portrayed in stores. He created a ‘school’ to teach the proper appearance and demeanor of Santa. He established the world’s first Santa Claus School in the fall of 1937. His school became so popular that it was eventually recognized world-wide.
“Charles converted his farm in Albion into Christmas Park with a Christmas and Santa theme. The park provided Santa’s Castle where he trained Santas in the off-season.
“He became the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Santa and retained that distinction for 18 years – until his death in 1966.
“One of Charles’s most famous quotes was ‘He errs who thinks Santa enters through the chimney. He enters through the heart.’
Albion Lions Club member
Santa Claus Hall of Fame Charter Member – December, 2010”
Other community members are trying to build on the Santa theme. Lori Laine put a post on Facebook and wrote a letter to the editor, encouraging people to attend a meeting on Monday evening to brainstorm Santa ideas.
The group has four projects for now, including a lighted holiday parade on Dec. 9.
“We need lots of floats, cars, wagons, golf carts all lit up!” Laine posted today on Facebook. “Don’t have a vehicle to light up? We can have marchers this year!”
Susan Oschmann is coordinating the effort and has applications for participants.
“The more the merrier, let’s light up the night!” Laine said.
The group also would like to adopt a light pole with Christmas decorations. Maureen Bennett is the person to reach out to for more information.
Laine also would like to see a tour of the churches in the historic Courthouse Square. “Many folks have never see the inner beauty of these historic churches,” she said.
The group also is planning weekly Christmas caroling in the community in an effort headed up by Karen Conn, an Albion music teacher and owner of a real estate business.
Some other ideas to promote the Christmas spirit: a 5K Santa run, sledding at Bullard Park with hot cocoa, and a “Santa Shanty” for people to meet Santa.
The group will next meet at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Hoag Library to discuss the projects.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 November 2023 at 9:19 pm
ALBION – The school district’s athletic department would like to add unified bowling in the 2024-25 school year, with the hope it leads to more participation in unified sports which include athletes with disabilities and student partners without disabilities.
“We have great kids here and it would be another opportunity for them,” Mariah LaSpina, the district’s athletic director, said during this evening’s Board of Education meeting.
The board would need to approve Albion’s participation, and also create a coaching position for the bowling team.
Unified sports are an inclusive program with an approximately equal number of athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without. They are on the same teams for training and competitions.
Currently in the Niagara-Orleans League there are three schools participating in unified bowling and basketball – Medina, Akron and Newfane. LaSpina said she has polled the other athletic directors with unified sports and they are very positive about the program.
“There are so many opportunities that come out of it,” she said.
Some of the student partners on the teams have gone on to pursue careers as special education teachers, she said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 November 2023 at 9:58 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Ella Trupo plays the lead role of Captain Louie in the high school drama department’s production of Captain Louie Jr. The first show was Friday. There are performances today at noon and 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door.
In the show, Louie is lonely after his family moved to a new neighborhood. He plays with a toy airplane he calls Red. Here, Trupo is singing, “Big Red Plane.”
The show is the directing debut in Albion for Kailey Winans, a third grade special education teacher, and Elliott Michki, the high school chorus teacher. Kailey’s mother, Kathy Winans, also is a co-director for the show. She has been helping to lead the production for more than three decades.
Kailey Winans said the show sends a message about welcoming change.
“We should be open to new opportunities,” Winans said. “Change can be hard but we should embrace it because you never know what is on the other side of that change.”
Louie gets transported to his old neighborhood, but finds none of his friends are there. Instead he is met by a sinister gang, including a flower (Mallory Kozody), a mouse (Mallory Ashbery), a broom (Danielle Wyant) and a cat (Neveya Barnes).
Louie eventually realizes the characters are his old friends in Halloween costumes.
Alexis Hand is the “Monster” and Zackary Baron plays the role of Jack, who is dressed as a baseball.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 November 2023 at 6:37 am
Ofrenda, crafts among activities as school welcomes Mexican tradition
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Albion eighth-grader Tra’Monie Walker and Spanish teacher Casey Flynn pause and reflect at an ofrenda during a Day of the Dead family night at the Albion Middle School.
The school hosted its first Day of the Dead observance. The Mexican Day of the Dead Celebration is a time of joyful remembrance of deceased loved ones, filled with an array of colors, scents, sounds and stories.
Josefino Paz (right), an ESL teacher at Albion, created the ofrenda in the school library. Paz made the display in memory of his late siblings, Felipe and Vicente.
An ofrenda is an altar created in Mexican homes to welcome the returning souls. An ofrenda typically features candles, wild marigolds, incense, photographs, mementos and loved ones’ favorite foods like fruit, tortillas, tamales, chocolate and bread.
Alondra Hernandez Rodriguez painted her face like a skull, a common tradition on the Day of the Dead. The face-painting represents a deceased loved one.
The middle school cafeteria hosted several activities to celebrate Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.
Brad Pritchard, the middle school principal, the school district has an increasing number of ELL students or English language learners who are learning to be fluent in English. The school wanted to make those students and their families feel welcome, and also host a fun family activity that was open to the entire school community.
“We want everyone to feel comfortable coming into the school,” Pritchard said.
Daisy Brave-Lopez, a seventh-grader, works on a flag in the middle school cafeteria. About 60 people attended the day of the Dead celebration in the evening.
Sophie Kozody , seventh-grader, decorates a sugar skull.
Photos and information courtesy of Albion Central School
ALBION — Some Albion eighth-grade art enrichment students went to Chautauqua Institution recently to see the Washed Ashore sculptures and participate in a few activities.
The students on the trip had learned about Washed Ashore when they took art with Mrs. Kamie Feder last year.
“Once we learned the sculptures were being displayed nearby, I knew we had to go see them,” Mrs. Feder said.
Washed Ashore is “Art to Save the Ocean.” Volunteers collect junk that has washed ashore on beaches and turn the collection into beautiful sculptures.
During the visit, students participated in a recycled self-portrait and STEAM poetry activity, involving exploring lake water through microscopes. The group also took an interactive tour around the grounds to view all of the pieces. Students were allowed to touch all of the sculptures and see the scale of these creations up close.
Now, the students are working on brainstorming, designing and creating an art piece that raises awareness about an issue in our building, district or community.
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Brown Street canal bridge is shown in the background of this photo on Tuesday afternoon. The leaves have changed to the color yellow, and many of the leaves are now on the ground.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 November 2023 at 8:48 am
The fall foliage spectacle has moved past its peak in Orleans County and throughout most of the state, according to the weekly I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report.
“New York’s colorful fall foliage season winds down this weekend as autumn’s peak colors reach their final destinations in New York City and on Long Island, as well as in a few remaining parts of the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley, according to the report issued on Wednesday afternoon.
The report states Erie and Genesee counties are about 85 to 95 percent color change, with many bare trees, according to volunteer spotters.
There are still lots of colorful leaves on the trees locally, but the leaves are dropping fast.
This is the eighth and final map of the 2023 I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report for New York State. Reports were issued every Wednesday afternoon.
The Butts Road canal bridge is shown on Tuesday afternoon with colorful leaves.
