Photo by Tom Rivers: This tree snapped on Route 18 in Carlton near the intersection with Transit Road after a severe thunderstorm barreled through Orleans County on Aug. 4, 2017. It was one of several trees or big branches that was either blocking or partially blocking roads from the storm.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 September 2023 at 9:00 am
ALBION – A class to help prepare citizens for disasters will be offered on Tuesday at the Hoag Library.
Each family that attends the class will receive a preparedness kit. The participants will be advised on how to prepare for any disaster, including developing family emergency plan and stocking up on emergency supplies.
The NY Citizen Preparedness Training Program teaches residents to have the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions.
The Orleans County Emergency Management Office, Hoag Library and Governor’s Office are teaming to offer the class at no cost to the participants. Registration is required. Click here to sign up.
The state said it is offering the classes in response to severe weather events becoming more frequent and more extreme.
Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School
ALBION – Some of our Albion Middle School students last Tuesday were lucky enough to have a special guest from West Africa come and speak to their class.
Keith Ellenberger is a West African Christian missionary, currently visiting with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, and has spent his entire life in countries like Mali and Senegal. According to Ellenberger, his family has resided on the African continent for approximately 100 years working as missionaries.
According to Middle School Principal Brad Pritchard, Ellenberger’s visit comes as part of a series of enrichment classes being offered at the Middle School this year.
“We have many different enrichment classes this year covering a variety of subjects including art, health, PE/SEL and history,” Pritchard said. “In each of these classes, students will have the opportunity to connect with special guests, all from various disciplines, whose life experiences correlate to our students’ lessons.”
During his visit, Ellenberger spoke to some of Albion’s seventh and eighth-grade students in David Skrip’s Social Studies classes about what life is like in Africa, highlighting both the similarities and differences of the areas. Though they are an ocean apart, Ellenberger helped the students draw connections between Albion and West Africa especially through agriculture.
“These visits are important because they help our students connect and contextualize the curriculum they are learning to the real world,” Pritchard said.
According to Tim Archer, a service learning liaison, the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church has partnered with the district over the last several years by providing multiple missionary guests to share their experiences and bring a new perspective to our students.
As of now, there are many other guests and projects planned for the school year, including local history field trips and an Erie Canal project.
West Barre UMC, Salvation Army and Emma Reed Foundation give to agency
Provided photo: Pictured from left include Sharon Miller, a representative from the West Barre United Methodist Church; Renee Hungerford, Community Action’s executive director; Jeanette Worsley, Community Action case manager; and Melinda Daniels, Community Action’s executive assistant.
Press Release, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee
ALBION – Community Action of Orleans and Genesee has received generous donations from several local organizations to help support the Albion Emergency Services Department.
West Barre United Methodist Church – Thank you to the West Barre United Methodist Church. Your generous gift of $1,491 is sincerely appreciated. $465 will be used for school supplies and the remaining $1,026 will help support our food pantry.
The Salvation Army – Thank you to the Salvation Army for gifting brand-new backpacks to 100 students. Our school supplies drive could not have been a success without you.
Emma Reed Webster Foundation – Thank you to the Emma Reed Webster Foundation for your donation of $500. This was used to help purchase school supplies that helped 111 students prepare for a new school year.
The Albion emergency food pantry has seen an exponential increase in visitors this summer these past few months; providing emergency food to 625 people and supplying hygiene or household supplies to 187. If you or anyone you know is in need, call us at (585)589-5605 to schedule an appointment, or visit us at one of the locations below.
Albion: 409 E State St. and Batavia: 5073 Clinton Street Rd. – Walk-in service from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays and are closed daily for lunch from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Holley: 75 Public Square – Appointments are available Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 September 2023 at 11:16 am
Village imposing 35% hike on non-profit in Visitor’s Center
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jami Allport, director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, is shown on the third floor of the Albion Visitor’s Center, where the Ministry of Concern is a tenant. The village is raising the monthly rent by about $400.
ALBION – The Village of Albion is raising the rent for the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern by 35 percent or by about $400 a month.
That will be a hardship for the agency, and may mean the Ministry of Concern will have less money to assist people in need locally, said Jami Allport, the director for the Ministry of Concern.
She attended last week’s Village Board meeting and asked the board not to impose such a steep increase for an agency that is mostly funded by donations.
The board is raising the rent from $1,146.67 to $1,550.96 a month. That amount also includes utilities.
“We’re a great tenant,” Allport told the board. “We’re clean. We don’t rock the boat.”
Joyce Riley, the village’s deputy mayor, said the Ministry of Concern rate was well below market rate and what the village has been charging other tenants.
The Ministry of Concern uses 2,386 square feet on the third floor at the village-owned 121 North Main St. At $1,146.67 a month, that is 48 cents a square foot. With the new rate at $1,550.96, the square footage is 65 cents a month.
That is below the $1.65 a foot paid by Assemblyman Steve Hawley for 860 square feet on the first floor ($1,416.77 total); $1.30 by the Orleans Economic Development Agency for 1,686 square feet on the second floor ($2,196.06 total); and the $1.40 a foot for Darlene Benton of Paradise Healing Arts, who uses 289 square feet for $405 a month.
“In order to do right by everyone in the village we have to raise the rent,” Riley responded to Allport.
Riley said the village offers a fair price when the rent also includes the utilities, and some cleaning and other services by the village.
Allport said the new rent, effective in October, hits the agency as it prepares for an extra busy fall and holiday season, when it sees more demands for services.
She asked the board to consider a smaller incremental rate increase.
The Ministry of Concern has six staff working out of the space, and also has two employees that run a furniture program, picking up and delivering used furniture and appliances.
The agency assists people in emergency situations. It just finished helping 116 families with back-to-school supplies in Genesee and Orleans counties.
“We’re here to help people who can’t get other help,” she said. “We’re here to build the community up.”
Allport said the office space in the Albion downtown has been a good fit. But she said the agency will need to determine what it can afford.
“We don’t want to get in a financial situation where we can’t serve,” Allport said. “We like where we are but we have to look at what we can sustain.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 September 2023 at 9:33 am
‘We need to show a plan that we’re trying to revive this entity’
ALBION – The Village Board was urged to step up code enforcement on unkempt properties, and also to pursue state grant funds to add more housing options for residents.
Annette Finch, a long-time village resident, spoke during last week’s board meeting. She said many properties in the village are in rough shape, and it detracts on the entire community.
“We have skunks going up and down the street,” Finch said. “We want people to come into the Albion to live and do business. What’s going on? It’s absolutely disgusting for Albion to look the way it does.”
Janet Salvatore, a member of the Village of Albion Planning Board, also encouraged the board to pursue several different grant options to upgrade the housing stock in the village.
She said there are many programs that would add more quality homes and apartments in the village.
“There is money out there to be gotten,” Salvatore said. “But we need to show a plan that we’re trying to revive this entity.”
She said architectural students from the University of Buffalo could help develop a plan to better utilize upper level apartments in the downtown and other housing in Albion.
“We need to do something to stop the influx away from the village,” she said.
The village is working to submit a grant for the $4.5 NY Forward grant program that includes money to upgrade housing, especially apartments in the downtown.
Vinny Navarra of Albion also would like to develop smaller houses on 25 acres off Allen Road, in an area behind Tops, that could be targeted to senior citizens. The village grantwriter, Jay Grasso, said there are funding programs to help with a senior housing project in the village.
Salvatore said the village currently has a shortage of homes for people to buy. She said rehabbing the second and third floors in the downtown is one option for housing.
But the Main Street and Bank Street business area currently is not too appealing for residents and businesses. She said several properties on just being “held.” They are vacant with no apparent push to be utilized.
“There is a lot of work that needs to be done downtown to make it more attractive and friendlier,” Salvatore said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 September 2023 at 9:00 am
ALBION – Jeff Holler has been cooking for years at Bullard Park, bringing a grill to the site and making hamburgers, hot dogs and other food with the Masonic Lodge.
Other groups also bring grills to the park to serve food for other special events and festivals.
Holler would like to see a concession stand at the park near the football field. He pitched the idea to the Village Board last week.
The stand could also have space to store equipment for the youth football program. Right now those are kept in a resident’s garage.
Holler said the small building also could have a spot for an announcer with a PA system for the games.
Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said he is open to the project but he and other board members would like to see a rendering of the building.
Holler said he would work on getting more details for the building.
“This is just the beginning stages,” he said. “We didn’t want to pour money into it if the board isn’t interested.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 September 2023 at 9:25 pm
United Methodist Church steps up as key donor
The Wendel engineering firm did this rendering of the new proposed basketball courts at Bullard Park. They will be built along Route 31 at the former skate park area.
ALBION – A group working on building new basketball courts at Bullard Park has the funding lined up to complete the project.
The Albion United Methodist Church stepped up and agreed to pay 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.
Susan Oschmann is shown on the old basketball court at Bullard, which was in rough condition.
The United Methodist Church also recently paid for a three-wheel bike for Cycling Without Age to give senior citizens rides.
The church is trying to support projects that benefit seniors and also youth in the community, said Susan Oschmann, one of the leaders of the “Bounce for Bullard” project.
Sanford Church, the Orleans County Court judge, also is donating for two of the new hoops.
There is a chance the new setup could be ready next month, Oschmann said.
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.
The effort was still about $100,000 short until the recent donors came forward.
The top surface will be painted purple with white lines for the basketball courts, and yellow lines for the markings for four pickleball courts. There are portable nets for the pickleball courts. (Bounce for Bullard is paying for the lines on two of the courts through its fundraisers.)
Oschmann said there will be 3-on-3 basketball tournaments at the new courts, and basketball camps. There will be time too for people to use the space for pickleball, an emerging sport similar to tennis but in a smaller area.
That will have the basketball court effort nearly done. Oschmann said in the future more fencing could be added for all four sides, and the committee would like benches. The group would also like to see smaller quarter courts for basketball at the neighborhood parks in the Village of Albion.
She said many entities helped move the project along.
“Everybody is really putting helping hands together,” she said. “It is really amazing.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2023 at 8:48 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Firefighters check on any hot spots at a trailer on Phipps Road in Albion. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 6:15 p.m.
Lisa McGuire was home and used water from a garden hose to put out a small fire from a plug-in heater that was malfunctioning, said her husband Chris McGuire. Four children were also inside and everyone was able to get out safely.
Mrs. McGuire was checked out at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters from Albion, Barre, Carlton, Medina and Shelby responded, as well as Monroe Ambulance, the Orleans County Emergency Management Office and Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
(Left) This is the cover of a 44-page booklet about Charles W. Howard that was compiled by an Albion middle school students in 2021. The booklet will be available for sale on Sept. 23 during a program by Ken McPherson. (Right – Photo by Tom Rivers) Ken McPherson, a graduate of the Charles W. Howard Santa School, meets Weston Burgio of Albion on Dec. 2, 2019 at Hoag Library in Albion.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 September 2023 at 8:32 am
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Museum will celebrate the life and legend of Charles W. Howard with a special program by Ken McPherson of Medina, a friend of the Howard family and a graduate of Howard’s Santa Claus School.
The program on “Charlie Howard, the Santa Claus School and Christmas Park” will take place at 1 p.m. Sept. 23 at the historic Cobblestone Church on Route 104.
McPherson said he was “roped in” to being Santa by Dave Green when he was dating Green’s daughter Lisa.
“I stopped at their house one day when Dave was getting dressed to be Santa at the Millville Church,” McPherson said. “I was a junior in high school then. The more I learned about Charlie Howard, the more interested I got.”
In 1981 McPherson bought his first Santa suit from Elizabeth Babcock of Albion. Babcock lived just down the street from Christmas Park and made the Santa suits for Howard.
“Then I became friends with Charlie’s daughter and family, Gail Bergeman, a friendship which continues today,” McPherson said.
He graduated from the Santa Claus School and has continued in his Santa role ever since. He hopes his presentation at the Cobblestone Museum will spark a lot of interest.
“Charlie Howard and his love of Christmas should never be forgotten,” McPherson said. “I hope everyone gets bitten by the same bug and carries on the tradition.”
It was in the late 1930s when Howard realized how shabby and unprofessional some Santas looked, and he wanted to do something about that. He started to convert three large barns on his farm into what became Christmas Park and the world’s first Santa Claus School. This small attraction became well-known and brought visitors from all over the Northeastern United States.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Ken McPherson, a Santa portrayer, visited the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina on Nov. 30, 2018 for a pajama storytime. There were about 75 kids in attendance, who shared their Christmas wish list with Santa.
Part of Howard’s concept with Christmas Park was to give his Santa Claus School a working campus with a classroom, dressing rooms and extensive props to better educate the Santa students.
In 1948, Howard became Santa for Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City, which he continued until 1965. His Santa career led to appearances on television, in magazines and newspapers, including “What’s my Line,” “To Tell the Truth,” “The Tonight Show,” Life Magazine and The Saturday Evening Post.” He also contributed to “Miracle on 34th Street.”
McPherson will be showing memorabilia he has collected over the years, some from the late Mildred Baker of Medina. The former Mildred Wilson, she lived in a cobblestone house next to the Ward House for many years. She was a friend of Howard’s and ran the gift shop for him at Christmas Park.
The Cobblestone Museum also has a guest book signed by thousands of visitors to Christmas Park, which can be viewed during the presentation.
The event is free, but a free-will offering will be taken. Reservations are not required, but are appreciated.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 September 2023 at 11:52 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The bleachers for Albion’s side were near capacity for the debut of Albion’s new turf football field under the lights at Spierdowis Field on Friday night. Albion battled the Roy-Hart-Barker team and the Purple Eagles won the game, 36-14.
The ribbon-cutting included the varsity team sprinting through a ribbon held by Wayne Wadhams, president of the Board of Education. The team was led on the field by Blake Preston(2) and Auston Johnson (4).
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion coaches, district leaders, Board of Education members and representatives from the construction and design companies also were on the field for the ribbon cutting.
District Superintendent Mickey Edwards, a 1985 Albion graduate, played defensive back for the varsity teams in 1983 and ’84. The ’83 team won Sectionals and played at Rich Stadium.
Edwards said the turf field allows the team to practice on it, and not just be used for games. The players can better familiarize themselves with the lines and hash tags on the field.
“We don’t have to worry about the rain and the mud,” Edwards said.
When that happened in a game, the grass field was often torn up, and took a lot of work and expense to get back up to par.
“I’m excited for our kids to play on a field like they play on in Sectionals,” Edwards said. “It will be the same for our soccer and softball teams.”
Contractors are working to bring turf to those fields. If the weather allows, the softball field could be ready for the spring season. Soccer will be able to play on the new field in the fall 2023.
Albion coaches, District Superintendent Mickey Edwards (second from left), contractors and the Board of Education check out the soft new turf on the field.
Kirk Narburgh, CEO & managing partner at King & King Architects, worked on the design of the field and many of the recent Albion school construction projects. Narburgh is a 1982 Albion graduate and also played football for the Purple Eagles.
He said the turf field is nearly 100 percent maintenance field. The turf should last 12 to 15 years. It doesn’t need to be mowed, fertilized or have fresh paint for the lines.
“It gives you more play-ability,” Narburgh said. “You can get on it sooner in the spring. With the grass field you couldn’t get on it after it rained.”
Narburgh said the baseball team could practice on the field in the spring and get outside more in getting ready for its season.
The district had been considering a turf field for about 25 years, Narburgh said.
Air Raising Events added balloons for the festive game, including this décor in one of the end zone corners.
The Albion district welcomed representatives from the contractors that worked on the field, including Diehl Development, sitework; Blackmon/Farrell, electrical; Chenango Contracting, turf installers; and the Campus Construction Management Group.
Players from the Roy-Hart/Barker team are lined up in the Albion end zone after the national anthem.
Sarah Dumrese, great-granddaughter of Michael Spierdowis, was part of the ceremonial coin flip with her sons, Isaac and Ezra, and her nephew, Ben Allen. All three are the great-great-grandsons of Spierdowis.
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – The Spierdowis great-great-grandkids were part of the ceremonial coin flip just before the game.
Albion students dressed up neon construction outfits and had fun in the “De-Construction Zone.” The turf field is part of a major construction project throughout the school district.
Cheerleaders support the team during the season home-opener. They are standing in a spot where a new track will soon be installed.
