By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2023 at 9:12 am
Photo courtesy of Lori Laine
ALBION – An Honor Tree Garden is now on display by the Orleans County Courthouse. Lori Laine pushed for the trees to be displayed and received permission last week from the Orleans County Legislature.
The trees will add to the Christmas atmosphere in Albion and also recognize organizations that serve the community. So far, the trees are in honor of Hospice of Orleans County, Pathstone, GLOW Arc, Donate Life, the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, UConnectCare Behavioral Health Services (formerly GCASA), Orleans Koinonia Kitchen, The Villages of Orleans, and Albion youth football and cheerleading – the Albion Youth Sports and Athletic Program (AYSAP).
Laine said the effort is part of a push for Albion to celebrate its Santa lineage as the home to a Santa School from 1937 to 1966 and also Christmas Park.
Volunteers working on the “Bring Christmas Back to Albion” committee are planning other new projects, including decorating lampposts, and caroling once a week during December in the community. The group will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday at Hoag Library.
“There are many ideas, many projects already being worked on for next year!” Laine said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2023 at 9:24 pm
ALBION – The Orleans Koinonia Kitchen at the Harvest Christian Fellowship Church will have 650 Thanksgiving meals ready for the community.
The meals will be available for free. People can eat in at the church at 560 East Ave., or they can be to go. The kitchen also will be making deliveries, said Faith Smith, director of the “OK” Kitchen.
The meals will be available from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Smith said the Thanksgiving meals will be made available through a partnership from the OK Kitchen with The Risen Café, the Oasis Church in Medina and Harvest Christian Fellowship.
The church typically serves between 375 to 400 meals each week on Thursdays.
“It’s all about the community coming together to support one another and that’s what the Orleans Koinonia Kitchen is all about,” Smith said.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The team from The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries and the Renovation Masonic Lodge are shown last Thanksgiving on Nov. 24, 2022 at the Masonic Lodge in Albion. They pose in the kitchen after they served 182 Thanksgiving dinners. Pictured in front from left include Lisa DeCarlo, Val Rush and Bonnie Johnson. Back row: Dan DeCarlo, Pastor Al Wilson, Ykeeta Wilson, Decklan Meiers, Nicole Horn and Jeff Holler.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2023 at 11:39 am
ALBION – About 200 Thanksgiving dinners will be served beginning at noon on Thanksgiving at the Masonic Lodge at 39 North Platt St.
The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries and Masonic Lodge will have the meals available to eat-in or take-out until 3 p.m. or until they are all gone.
Pastor Al Wilson said volunteers already have a list of people where they will make deliveries.
The church last year prepared and served 182 of the meals for free on Thanksgiving. Wilson said about 200 of the meals are ready for Thursday.
Wilson also leads a church in Buffalo, the Greater Royal Worship Center, that served 4,500 Thanksgiving meals on Tuesday.
“It’s my ministry, it’s not a job for me,” Wilson said today.
The church has other big events planned in Albion. It will be doing its third annual “Que In” for Christmas from noon until all 2,000 chicken dinners are gone on Dec. 9. Those dinners will be served as part of Albion’s Hometown Christmas event. The meals will be take-out only at the Masonic Lodge, 39 Platt St.
Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries also is organizing a Resource Fair on Dec. 8 at the Elks Lodge, 428 West State St.
There will be information on programs and services available in Orleans County from noon until 3 p.m. There will be free giveaways and food, as well as the chance to meet with local agency leaders.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2023 at 11:10 am
Rochester woman eyes 162 South Main St. for licensed cannabis retailer
ALBION – A Rochester woman has submitted paperwork with the Village of Albion that she intends to seek a license from the state to have a marijuana dispensary at 162 South Main St., unit 4.
That would be in the plaza that includes Subway, Family Dollar, Care Net of Greater Orleans, Rent-A-Center and Chia Sen.
Nicolene Sercu submitted a “Notification to Municipality” form to the village.
The Albion 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.
However, Village Trustee Chris Barry opposed having licensed dispensaries in the village then and said at the Tuesday board meeting he continues to be against it.
The Village Planning Board on Nov. 9 had a public hearing about marijuana dispensaries and said the sites would be limited to areas in the village 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.”
Village Trustee Tim McMurray said the board will keep a close eye on the process, which he said is largely dictated by the state whether the dispensary is approved.
“We’ll follow up and do our due diligence,” McMurray said at the board meeting on Tuesday.
ALBION – The Albion Elks Lodge rejoined the Albion Midget League program as a sponsor this season. The Elks helped support a 12U team with donations to help with costs of uniforms, bats, equipment bags, helmets, catchers gear, and other equipment.
Pictured are some of the players from different age groups that the donations went to, along with some of the board members: front (catcher) Ryan Coots; standing first row: Evan Coots, Kenny Draper, Stryker Sanders, Jackson Frasier, Linda Standish and Bonnie Draper. Back row: Dan Ward, Drew Boyce, Jake Haines, Gavin Boyce, Brett Boring and Ross Kaine.
The Elks Lodge looks forward to continuing their relationship with youth baseball in Albion this coming season and seasons to come by sponsoring one team from the Elks themselves and one team from the Elks Riders, a subdivision of the Elks that will enter into a sponsorship of a youth team of players from the Albion school district who will play in the GLOW league this coming spring.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2023 at 9:30 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers – The 1-million-gallon water tank on Route 98 will be replaced with a smaller tank at 750,000 gallons north of the village in the Town of Gaines. The village will have the 1-million gallon tank demolished. The new tank will keep the water drop design with “Village of Albion Water.”
ALBION – The Albion Village Board is moving forward with replacing a water tank on Route 98, north of the village in Gaines.
The current tank was built in 1962 and has a capacity for 1 million gallons.
The board voted to accept a construction bid this evening for a new tank that will hold 750,000 gallons. It will be a glass-fused steel tank, said Adam Rush, the village water plant chief operator.
The tank mostly serves the town of Carlton. Water is kept in the tank and backflows into the Carlton waterlines.
Statewide Aquastore from East Syracuse submitted the low bid of $1,369,000 for the project. Another bid for a concrete tank was $1,949,105.
The project will be funded with a state grant through the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA).
The board in September also accepted a $1,527,000 bid from STC Construction of Springville for the first phase of the project, which includes demolition of current tank, and installation of new piping, valves and a meter pit.
A $1,250,000 grant from the state will cover most of the cost for the first phase. That money is from the Community Development Block Grant program, with another grant from WIIA covering 60 percent of the remaining cost or $166,200. The village expects it will pay its share through the water rates in the water fund.
The first phase needs to be done by April 9, and then the new tank will be constructed in the spring or summer, Rush said.
The new tank will be smaller the current one because the village added more capacity with a 3 million gallon tank in the mid-1990s near the intersection of routes 98 and 31A.
The village also is close to completion with another project for its water system. Keeler Construction in Barre is on target to be substantially complete by Dec. 1 with a new building to store fluoride.
The village accepted a $388,000 bid from Keeler for a fluoridation building that is 14-by-14 feet, with mechanical (HVAC and plumbing) and electrical components and systems. Rush said fluoridation equipment will be moved in soon after Dec. 1.
That project is funded with $312,000 grant from the state Department of Health, with the other $76,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The village was previously keeping the fluoridation chemicals in the water plant. Rush said it was a subpar setup. The village hasn’t added fluoride to the water since the summer of 2021 but will start doing that again when the new concrete building is ready.
(Editor’s Note: This article was updated from an earlier version that had the wrong company listed as the low bidder.)
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Shown is a collection of some of the many ornaments Carol Culhane has painted and donated to Hospice of Orleans County. This year’s ornament is second from left, and depicts a farmhouse, keeping with Orleans County being a farming community.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 November 2023 at 11:02 am
ALBION – It is a longtime tradition for Hospice of Orleans to take time during the holiday season to honor and celebrate loved ones who are no longer living.
The community is invited to support Hospice and participate in their Light a Life celebration by purchasing an ornament, designed, painted and donated by local artist Carol Culhane.
Local artist Carol Culhane, left, presents Hospice director Marilyn Almeter-Milbrand one of the ornaments she painted and donated for Hospice’s annual Light a Life fundraiser and celebration, scheduled this year on Dec. 8.
The Light a Life Celebration is scheduled at 5 p.m. Dec. 8 in Hospice’s conference center.
Ornaments can be ordered by calling Hospice at (585) 589-0809 or logging on to hospiceoforleans.org/event-links/light-life. Residents can also stop at Hospice administration building at 14080 Route 31 West between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cost is $50 for an ornament or $100 if personalized. All proceeds fund Hospice’s patient care services, said Julia Alt, director of Advancement.
Culhane is a self-taught artist who grew up in Rochester. She said she could always draw and when she was in kindergarten, she came home from school one day with her school picture. She got a sheet of paper and laid down on the floor and painted her face. She won blue ribbons for her artwork in school, one for a dancing elephant in a tutu.
Her first professional job was painting campaign signs for Charles Nesbitt when he first ran for town of Barre supervisor. During her career she has painted boats, cars, ties, shirts and veterans’ memorials in Rochester, as well as the murals at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital in Rochester. She was drawn to Hospice through her job as a nurses’ aide, working with Joan Kent.
“I became familiar with death and dying,” Culhane said. “When Kent and Mary Jane Sahukar later founded Hospice, I knew both of them.”
After marrying Jerry Culhane, they owned a Christmas tree farm on Route 31A and she started painted Christmas ornaments. Since then, she estimates she has painted thousands, most of which she has donated – to wounded veterans at Walter Reed Hospital, Gold Star mothers and Hospice.
“Supporting them is a gift to me,” Culhane said.
When Hospice opened the Martin-Linsin Residence, Culhane donated her time and painted murals on the walls, depicting the four seasons.
Among the dozens of ornaments painted by local artist Carol Culhane is one of the Orleans County Courthouse, which she painted for the Governor’s Office.
“I wanted to do what I could to help Hospice, who dealt with people at the end of life,” she said.
Evana Daniels worked at Hospice at the time, and Culhane talked with her about what she could do. Culhane’s husband Jerry about that time had a friend who wanted an ornament with beer on it. That was in 1991 and it was the catalyst that spurred a decades-long relationship of supporting Hospice by painting and donating the ornaments for their fundraiser.
Her designs for Hospice have included doves, butterflies, cardinals and feathers – all designs that would be comforting to someone who had lost a loved one.
Alt said she got a call from a man in North Carolina who used to live in Orleans County and has collected nearly all of Hospice’s ornaments.
“He said he looks forward to Carol’s ornaments every year,” Alt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2023 at 9:25 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – This photo shows Butts Road near the Moore Street intersection in Albion.
The Albion Town Board last week agreed to use up to $60,000 of the town’s American Rescue Plans Act funds to install about 800 feet of waterline, with the pipe going on Moore Street from near the village line going east to Butts Road, and then a small section of Butts Road.
The project would go by seven parcels of land, which includes four houses with residents. The new waterline increases the chances for the vacant land to developed in the future, said Town Councilman Terry Wilbert.
The town will tie into the new waterline near the former Braley Street, now Riley Place on Moore Street. Highway Superintendent Mike Neidert said the town highway crew can install the line without a private contractor. He expects the project will be complete next spring or summer.
Neidert said the project will also include valves, hydrants, a meter pit and service connections.
The use of the federal ARPA funds is enough to cover the entire project so there won’t be any annual debt service charges like there are with a typical water district.
Albion has used some of its ARPA funds to put a new roof on the town hall, and have a new fence put on the baseball field behind the town hall, the Albion Midget League Field.
After the waterline project, Neidert and the Town Board said about $15,000 is left in ARPA which could be used to upgrade and repair the concessions building at the baseball field, and also do some work on the dugouts and bleachers at the field.
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.”
