Photo by Tom Rivers: Jonathan Doherty walks in Holley’s parade in June 2016 with the Self Advocate All Stars. In 2016 he was named Volunteer of the Year for the western region of the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State.

ALBION – A tree will be planted at Bullard Park in memory of Jonathan Doherty, a much-loved local resident who died at age 38 on May 5, 2022.

Ingrid Lamont of Albion agreed to pay for the tree and a plaque in honor of Doherty. The Village Board approved the offer with Lamont to work with Jay Pahura, the DPW superintendent, on selecting the tree and its location in the park.

Doherty graduated from Albion in 2003. He was an Eagle Scout and active in many civic organizations in his community, selling numerous fundraising tickets for over 20 years. He was part of the Bullard Park restoration, pushing for upgrades at the park along Route 31.

He was a member of the Albion Lion’s Club, an employee of the ARC Cleaning Crew and a substitute cleaner at Albion Central School.

He also was a founder of the Self-Advocacy All Stars for the local Arc, and attended statewide and national meetings on behalf of his differently-abled peers.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Billy Witherspoon, left, and Gary Kent pose with the bronze statue of Santa in honor of the late Charles W. Howard after they planted small trees and shrubs at Waterman Park this morning.

The statue was dedicated on June 10 in a project by the Albion Betterment Committee.

Kent is a member of the ABC and that group paid to have six dwarf Alberta spruce trees, three burning bushes and one dogwood tree added to Waterman Park on Main Street where the bronze state is located.

The spruce trees should max out at 6 feet tall, Kent said. The Betterment Committee in recent years has planted about 40 dogwood trees in the village.

The new trees and shrubs are mostly on the north side of the lot where there is more sun during the day.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Employees with Super Seal in Macedon have been a Bullard Park today putting down a colorful coating on the new basketball courts. They are using squeegees to spread about 800 gallons of paint on the new courts.

Super Seal expects to put another coating down, and then add the lines for the basketball court as well as pickleball next week.

The Village Department of Public Works installed the new hoops last week.

The Albion United Methodist Church is paying for two of the new hoops, a final top coat, the painting and lining of the courts, fencing on the south side and concrete barriers to keep vehicles from driving on the courts.

Sanford Church, the Orleans County Court judge, also paid for two of the new hoops.

In June, Keeler Construction put down the first layer for two full-size outdoor basketball courts. That was funded with a $40,000 grant from the James and Juli Boeheim Foundation.

The Greater Albion Recreation and Events, Inc., a non-profit organization, secured the funding with assistance from the Orleans County United Way.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Fire Department has been testing the fire whistle on top of the Village Office this afternoon. It is expected to go off again at about 3:30 this afternoon after being activated earlier in the day, said Fire Chief Jeremy Graham.

The fire whistle has been inactive for more than a decade after some of the downtown business owners complained the siren was too loud.

The Fire Department would like to make operational again to use only for big emergencies, such as structure fires and other community emergencies, Graham said.

ALBION – Zack Burgess, one of the youngest elected officials in Orleans County, resigned from the Albion Village Board on Monday after he moved out of the village.

Zack Burgess

Burgess, 34, was elected to a three-year term on the board in March 2021. He leaves about six months left on his term.

Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said the vacancy will be filled by a mayoral appointment, but he isn’t looking to fill the post immediately. He said he expects to fill the position with someone who intends to run for the position in the upcoming March election.

Burgess, in a Facebook post today, said he remains concerned about the vacant buildings in downtown Albion. He favors a law similar to the one in Medina. That village has a vacant building registry, with annual fees assessed for vacant buildings and a plan needed for how to utilize them.

Burgess has been active in the village, serving as co-chairman of the Rock the Park Music Festival at Bullard Park. He works as a sales representative at Bentley Brothers and also performs at many local venues with his band, the Zackstreet Boys.

“I’m grateful for the support over the course of my term as well as during my election campaign,” Burgess said in a Facebook post.

He plans to remain active with Rock the Park.

Aniyah CM. Hyde, age 14, has not been in contact with her family since running away on Oct. 12.

ALBION – An Albion teen has been reported missing after not being in contact with her family the past five days, the Albion Police Department said this morning.

Aniyah CM. Hyde, 14, is Black with brown eyes and hair. She is 5 foot, 2 inches and about 140 pounds.

The Albion PD said Aniyah’s family reports she ran away at about 9 a.m. on Oct. 12 and has not been in contact with her family since then. It is unknown what Aniyah could be wearing at this time.

Anyone with any information regarding Aniyah’s whereabouts is urged to contact APD at (585) 589-5627, or through the Orleans County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (585) 589-5527 or 911.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ryan and Katelyn Pearl are shown with a table full of presents and gift cards during a birthday party this evening at Dubby’s Tailgate for their late son, Maddox Pearl, who would be 6 tomorrow.

Maddox passed away on Sept. 30, 2023 after battling DIPG, a rare brain tumor.

Ryan and Katelyn said they appreciated the community’s support for the past year, and they said they feel thankful for the Albion community’s love and generosity.

“We live in a community where when you ask for help they’re there to help you,” Ryan, 32, said during the gathering this evening at Dubby’s that was attended by more than 100 people.

These gifts will be given to organizations that assist children with serious health issues.

Katelyn, 30, said the family wanted to celebrate Maddox’s birthday, and pay it forward and help the organizations that were there for them. They will give the presents and gift cards to three organizations: Compassion Net, C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association in Rochester, and the Willoughby Foundation that assists children with life-threatening health issues.

Compassion Net sent nurses to provide palliative care for Maddox. That allowed him to be home and not in a hospital. The C.U.R.E. seeks to provide emotional, social, financial and educational support to a child with a chronic sickness.

The Willoughby Foundation provided a tablet to help Maddox communicate and a large mattress for Maddox and his parents to be together in the living room. That foundation will distribute some of the gifts at Maddox’s party to other children in hospitals who are battling serious illnesses.

Dubby’s hosted a benefit for the Pearl family last Nov. 22 with more than 200 gift baffles up for raffle. Other organizations in the past year helped raise money for the family.

Katelyn said Albion is a close-knit community that rallies for people in a crisis. That isn’t the case in many communities, she said, especially in cities and big towns where the people aren’t as well connected to each other.

Katelynn and Ryan say they may make Maddox’s birthday party an annual community event, with presents and gift cards to be collected and given to organizations that help children with serious health challenges.

Many of the gifts given had train themes. Maddox loved trains, especially The Polar Express and Thomas the Train Engine.

“He watched The Polar Express every day, from Christmas to the next Christmas,” his father said.

Ryan and Katelyn are going to spend tomorrow, Maddox’s sixth birthday, on a train at the Arcade and Attica Railroad for a ride in honor of their son.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Barre firefighter Gary Rowley lets Albion kindergarten Ethan Dona spray water at a target in the elementary schoo, parking lot today to conclude Fire Prevention Week at the school.

Firefighters visited classrooms from prekindergarten to grade 5 earlier in the week. Today about 800 students went to different spots in the parking lot to see fire trucks, a fire rescue boat, and see some of the tools and equipment used by firefighters.

Carter Klips, a kindergartener, checks out the inside of the Albion ladder truck. He is shown some of the gear by Rob Conner, a past fire chief for Albion. Carter was impressed there was a small refrigerator in the truck.

Aubrey Stinson, below, and Amelia Fisher crawl through a room simulated to have smoke. They are third-graders. (This week is also homecoming at Albion and Aubrey has on some face paint.)

The smoke simulator is in a fire safety training trailer owned by the Orleans County’s Emergency Management Office. It has a fog machine to simulate smoky rooms. Students were urged to “Stay Low and Go.”

These third-graders climb on the Carlton rescue boat.

Mark Farone of the Barre Volunteer Fire Company assists Maisyn Stirk with spraying water at a target.

Charlie Monacelli, an Albion firefighter, shows some of the tools used by firefighters. Monacelli took the day off from work today and volunteered to help with fire prevention week. He has a kindergartener at Albion.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Rotary Club last week presented a ceremonial check for $4,300 to support transportation and respite programs for the Office for the Aging.

The golf tournament was held on July 20 at Shelridge Country Club in Medina.

Pictured from left include Bill Downey, a member of the Rotary Club; OFA Director Melissa Blanar; Becky Karls, Albion Rotary Club member and OFA employee; and Cindy Perry, Rotary Club member.

Blanar said the funding will help with a transportation program where volunteers take senior citizens to appointments in Orleans County and surrounding counties. There were 432 requests for transportation from Sept. 20, 2022 to Oct. 1, 2023.

The nine volunteer drivers traveled 7,716 miles, Blanar said. They receive mileage reimbursement for the trips which are often to medical appointments, the pharmacy, the bank, hairdresser or to see a loved one in a nursing home.

For more information about the volunteer program, either as a driver or rider, contact the OFA at (585) 589-3191. Drivers can specify if they only want to do trips within Orleans County.

Blanar said some of the funds from the golf tournament will also help with a new respite program being developed by the OFA. That program provides activities for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia and can provide respite for caregivers.

This group of long-time firefighters gathers last week at St. Mary’s Athletic Club on Moore Street for a monthly meeting.

Photos and information courtesy of Chuck Norman

ALBION – Did you know the original four departments of the Albion Fire Department still meet the first Wednesday every month?

Several years ago, Active Hose graciously asked the separate departments to join together for meeting and fellowship. Those departments included Dye Hose, Hart Hose and Hook & Ladder.

The meeting is held at the St. Mary’s Club in Albion and a meal is served to those in attendance.  The October meeting meal was a stuffed porkchop with mashed potatoes and green beans, and dessert of ice-cream and a mini-donut.  The meal was prepared by local renown chef Theresa Schmackpfeffer.

This month’s meeting was brought to order by Darryl Szklany (Active Hose 1969) and the pledge to the flag was recited. The minutes from the prior meeting were read and accepted.  Old business, new business, birthdays and next month’s food committee was elected; motion for adjournment was made and seconded.

Fuzzy Norman of Dye, right, and Ace Caldwell of Dye, left, show their appreciation to Theresa Schmackpfeffer for last week’s meal. All three are 91 years old.

Fuzzy has been a member of the Dye Hose since 1950, while Ace has been a member since 1952.

Other members in attendance at the recent meeting include:

Dennis Stirk – member of Active hose since 1969

Dennis Smith – Active Hose since 1968

Ed Norton – guest – Barre Center 1971

Mike Stirk – Active Hose 1965

Darryl Szklany – Active Hose 1969

Bill Basinait – Active Hose 1974

Micky Pilon – Die Hose 1960

Bert Mathes – Active Hose 2010

Francis Dibley – Active Hose 1971

Missing from the photo, Chuck Norman – Dye Hose 1973; and Willie Culverwell – Active Hose.

Darryl Skzlany, back left, and Bill Basinait listen to the conversation at the meeting.