By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 October 2021 at 7:10 pm
Bigfoot and Spiderwoman Grandma among the characters
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – About 20 scarecrows were made on Saturday during a fall festival put on by the Albion merchants Association. Those scarecrows, including the top one of Elsa and Olaf, are decorating Main Street this month.
Toyz n Kandy hosted pumpkin painting at the store on East Bank Street.
Matt and Crystal Hand and their daughters made the Bigfoot scarecrow, which may be moved to alternate locations throughout the month.
“Hawaiian Man” is among the scarecrows on Main Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 October 2021 at 9:03 am
Albion has by far the most with 76 while Lyndonville fewest with 3
In the first month of the school year, 165 students at the five school districts in Orleans County have tested positive for Covid-19.
Albion has by far the most cases with 76, while Lyndonville has the fewest with 3, according to the state’s COVID-19 Report Card, which was last updated on Friday.
Here is the breakdown of cases per school district in Orleans County:
• Albion has had 76 students test positive, plus six teachers and five other staff for 87 total in the school district. That includes 46 students in the high school, 7 in the middle school and 23 at elementary.
• In Holley, 36 students, two teachers and one staff member have tested positive for Covid. The students include 22 in the junior-senior high school and 14 in elementary school.
• Kendall has had 17 students, no teachers and two staff members test positive. The students include 10 in junior-senior high and 7 in elementary school.
• Lyndonville is reporting by far the fewest cases with 3 students — all in junior-senior high — and one staff member.
• Medina has had 33 students who have tested positive, no teachers and two staff members. The students include 21 in junior-senior high school, 9 at intermediate/middle school and 3 in elementary.
Here are the number of students, teachers and staff who tested positive during the 10 months of the previous school year in 2020-21.
Albion (enrollment 1,768 students) had 86 students test positive (75 were in-person students and 11 remote-only). Those students included 33 in high school, 26 in middle school, and 27 in elementary school. There were 26 teachers/staff that tested positive.
Holley (enrollment 902) reported 45 students who tested positive last year, including 43 in-person students and 2 who were remote-only. Those students included 34 in junior-senior high and 11 at elementary school. The district also had 17 teachers/staff test positive.
Kendall (enrollment 698) last school year reported 37 students tested positive for Covid with 35 on-site and 2 as remote-only students. That included 19 at junior-senior high school and 18 at elementary school. Kendall also had 4 teachers/staff test positive.
Lyndonville (enrollment 639) had 20 students test positive for Covid (15 in-school and 5 remote) and 13 teachers and staff. The Lyndonvile students included 17 in junior-senior high school and 3 at the elementary level.
Medina (enrollment 1,396) had 87 students test and the state database says 4 were in-person students and 83 were off-site students. Those students included 43 in high school, 27 at intermediate/middle school, and 14 at elementary school. The district also had 31 teachers/staff test positive for Covid.
ALBION – The Albion Police Department was recently awarded two separate grants from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to participate in the “Police Traffic Services Program” and the “Child Passenger Safety Program.” The statewide initiatives run from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
The first grant awarded to the Albion Police Department totals $2,288.00 and will allow the department to participate in the statewide “Police Traffic Services Program.” This grant enables the department to conduct traffic details, check points and saturated patrols in areas where speeding and aggressive driving have been observed.
This grant also allows for the Albion Police Department to participate in the Buckle Up New York initiative in May-June of 2022. The goal of the Buckle Up New York campaign is to increase the usage of seatbelts and to educate the public on the importance of wearing your seatbelt.
The second grant awarded to the Albion Police Department totals $1,900 and allows the department to participate in the statewide “Child Passenger Safety Program.” This grant will not only allow the Albion Police Department to educate citizens on the proper use and installation of child safety seats in New York State, but it will also allow the department to provide limited child safety seats to families in need that could not afford to purchase a proper child safety seat otherwise.
Through these two grants, the Albion Police Department seeks to educate the public on safe driving techniques and proper safety procedures while operating a motor vehicle. With the cooperation and assistance of the community, the Albion Police Department hopes to further reduce traffic crashes and injuries related to those crashes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 September 2021 at 9:23 am
Provided photos: Orleans County Chamber of Commerce and Village of Albion officials joined Dan Conrad, owner of Toyz n Kandy, in celebrating the grand opening of the store on Monday on East Bank Street. Pictured from left include Conrad’s daughter Ryleigh, Chamber director Darlene Hartway, Conrad and his son Carter, Mayor Eileen Banker, Trustee Stan Farone and Conrad’s niece Eleana Coley.
ALBION – A toy and candy store has relocated to East Bank Street in downtown Albion after being open for four months at the Arnold Gregory Office Building on South Main Street.
Dan Conrad, owner of Toyz n Kandy, said the store is off to a good start and looks to grow more with the location on East Bank Street.
He is running the store full-time and sells lots of sweets and old-fashioned toys such as whoopee cushions, Friendship Bracelets, toy harmonicas, chalk and game balls. Conrad offers other activities – without electronics – for kids. The site has air hockey and foosball tables and the space is available to be rented out for parties.
Conrad has expanded his merchandise in the new location. He is offering deals on bundles of Halloween candy.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 September 2021 at 7:31 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Ashley Roesch, an employee with Circle B Winery, sells some of the fruit wines from Circle B on Sunday in Albion. Pamela Jenks of Pretty Sweet Bakery is in back at left. They are among about a half dozen vendors at the Albion Farmers Market.
The market, which debuted on June 13 in the downtown, has moved south to the Main Street Store parking lot across from Hoag Library.
The vendors on Sunday said the new location is working better, with more people stopping by. The site has easier parking and is more visible.
“It’s not tucked in as much,” Roesch said.
Amanda Mrzywka and Katie Mann, right, of Navarra’s Farm Market & Greenhouses were selling a variety of fruits and vegetables. This was the second week at the new location.
Mrzywka likes that the new spot has wheelchair accessibility and more parking.
The market continues on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Oct. 17.
The Albion Merchants Association is the organizer of the market.
Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: Dee Robinson, the archivist at Hoag Library, shares a folder of news clippings and magazine articles about the late Charles W. Howard, who founded a Santa Claus School in Albion in 1937 and ran it until his death in 1966. The school continues in his name in Midland, Mich.
Press Release, Albion Central School
ALBION – Four seventh grade school students recently spent a day researching the life of Albion’s famous Santa Claus, Charles W. Howard.
Olivia Andrews, Brooke Doty, Grace Nesbitt and Ava Woolston visited Mt. Albion Cemetery and met with Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper, Hoag Library Archivist Delia Robinson, former Christmas Park employee Jack Miles and former historian Bill Lattin.
The students, along with others in Tim Archer’s Service Learning class, are working on a booklet about Howard. Once finished, the booklet will be distributed to local libraries. It will be unveiled on December 10 at the Hoag Library.
Community members are welcome to attend, and anyone with artifacts from the former Christmas Park can contact Mr. Archer or the Hoag Library to showcase their items at the event in December.
Jack Miles, who is retired as Town of Albion highway superintendent, used to work at Christmas Park. He shows the students the fireplace at the former site near the intersection of Phipps Road and Route 31.
Photos courtesy of ACS: The Homecoming Court consisted of from left: King Jahmeek Riley and Queen Leah Pritchard, Prince Pom Siebert (missing from photo) and Princess Hannah Moyer, Duchess Sophia Albanese and Duke Finn McCue, and Lady Mackenzie Snook and Lord Seth Krenning.
Press Release, Albion Central School
ALBION – Homecoming week was back in full force last week at Albion Central School District. Students in the high school participated in dress up days, hall decorating and pep rally games all week while the Purple Eagle athletes were busy in action on the court and the field.
Monday’s character day winner was Emily Graham. Throwback Trends on Tuesday was done best by Adrian Kingdollar while Camryn London won best dressed for Wednesday’s Holiday Day. On Thursday, each class was assigned a color to wear. Freshman Julia Knight, Sophomore Autumn Flugel, Junior Alexis Hess and Senior Leah Kania donned their colors the best. Friday’s Spirit Day winner was Kira Zambito while the all-around winner of the week was Ethan Ferchen.
The Hall Decorating competition went strictly by class: Seniors in first, juniors in second, sophomores in third and freshmen in fourth. Seniors also won the musical spots competition while juniors provided the upset in hungry hippos. Faculty prevailed over the seniors in both male and female tug of war.
The Purple Eagles battled in volleyball Friday night while football capped off an exciting spirit day with a 42-16 victory. Super Soccer Saturday featured a raucous crowd to cap off a successful 2021 homecoming week.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2021 at 4:08 pm
Shannon Brett, a certified personal trainer, offers many classes from beginner to advanced
Photo by Tom Rivers: Shannon Brett has opened Project: U in the second floor of 116 North Main St., Albion. Some of the classes include spin, Tabata (high-intensity interval training), Silver Sneakers, boot camp, strength workout, Barre (combining ballet, yoga and Pilates), yoga and TRX suspension training.
ALBION – It was about a decade ago when Shannon Brett was inside the Orleans County Courthouse when a teen bolted from the building.
Brett, an investigator with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, took off running after the person. She didn’t have to go far before the teen was apprehended. Brett was gasping for air.
“I could barely breathe,” she said. “I was coughing and hacking. I realized how out of shape I was.”
Brett signed up for a gym membership in Brockport, and the beginning was “horrible.” Her body didn’t like the exercise and she didn’t like the atmosphere, with lots of tough guys and not a lot of instruction on how to use the machines.
Brett learned how to use the different exercise machines, and found herself helping a lot of new people at the gym. She got in better shape and took that experience to help others embrace a more active lifestyle.
Brett became a certified personal trainer and an instructor at The Whole Approach in Holley. On Sept. 7, she opened her own fitness studio – Project: U – in Albion at 116 North Main St., in the second floor of what was once a dance studio.
The floor mat from that studio works well for the group exercises at Project: U. Brett also has 7 stationary bikes for spin classes and TRX suspension straps.
Brett, 44, expects to retire next year from a law enforcement career. She started 19 ½ years ago with the Sheriff’s Office. She said fitness is a passion and she wants to share that with others.
“The project is you and your project starts here,” she said today in the studio. “I want to bring in people to work on their fitness journey.”
She and her two instructors offer classes at beginning, intermediate and more advanced levels. As a certified personal trainer, Brett also can work one on one with people to develop a plan for fitness goals whether building strength, cardio or losing some weight.
Her classes are welcoming and nonjudgmental, with the members offering encouragement to each other. Most of the classes are smaller with up to 10 people. But she also will work with people individually.
“Not everyone feels comfortable walking into a gym or a fitness studio,” Brett said. “With some one-on-one training, they can build that confidence.”
Project: U will celebrate its grand opening on Sept. 25 and the public is welcome to stop by and try a mini session of the classes. The schedule that day includes: Tabata at 10 a.m., Pound at 10:30, Yoga at 11, Spin at 11:30, Barre at noon and TRX at 12:30. Click here for more information or email projectualbion@yahoo.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2021 at 8:46 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Becky Karls (left), one of the organizers of a July 15 golf tournament for the Albion Rotary Club, presents a $4,500 ceremonial check to Melissa Blanar, director of the Orleans County Office for the Aging on Thursday at the OFA office.
The funds will support a volunteer transportation program that was started in 2019 by the OFA. That program is seeing more demand since Community Action ended a transportation program on Sept. 1 for senior citizens citing a deficit with CATS. Communtiy Action would take local seniors to appointments, including to see doctors out of county.
CATS provided 5,388 rides for seniors in 2020, and transported 2,759 seniors this year through July 31, according to data from the Office for the Aging.
Blanar said the local seniors are “facing a transportation crisis.” She has reached out to other providers and they are much more costly than CATS.
She said the volunteer program is seeing more demand, but there aren’t enough drivers. That program helps adults over age 60.
“The demand we are seeing now is more than we can handle,” Blanar said.
Those drivers, who receive a mileage reimbursement, will take people to medical appointments, grocery stores, nursing homes to visit loved ones and other appointments.
The volunteer program peaked with 18 drivers and currently has 12. Blanar said all drivers must be 18. There is a strong need for drivers will to take seniors to appointments in Monroe, Erie and Genesee counties.
Last year, the volunteers did 252 rides for 12 months. This year, in the first six months of 2021, the volunteers were already up to 236 rides, Blanar said.
The agency suggests riders make a $5 donation for trips within the county and $15 outside Orleans, but that isn’t required. The Office for the Aging also is encouraging seniors to try the RTS public transportation but that agency is often locked into a schedule and it can be difficult to link up with other buses for trips out of county.
For more information about the volunteer program, either as a driver or rider, contact the OFA at (585) 589-3191.
The Rotary Club also shared $1,000 for the July 15 tournament with the leadership Orleans program.
ALBION – The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the bridge carrying Allens Bridge Road over the Erie Canal in the town of Albion near Eagle Harbor will be closed starting Wednesday, September 15, to facilitate bridge repairs on the structure.
Alternate routes to cross over the Erie Canal can be found at Presbyterian Road and Eagle Harbor Road.
Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 September 2021 at 9:12 am
ALBION – The school district is awaiting guidance from the Department of Health about a new state mandate requiring unvaccinated staff to be tested weekly for Covid-19.
Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, said 83.8 percent of Albion Central School staff are vaccinated and don’t need to be tested weekly.
The other 46 employees will need to be tested for Covid. Edwards said the district is waiting on guidance from the DOH on how the tests should be administered, whether at the district and if employees could get tested on their own and then submit the results.
“It is working out the logistics of it,” Edwards said this morning. “It is determining when and who is doing the testing.”
The unvaccinated staff will need to do the tests weekly “or they can’t come to work,” Edwards told the Board of Education on Monday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Aug. 31 announced the testing requirement for school employees statewide.
In other action during the Board of Education meeting,
• The board accepted a $5,000 donation from the Albion Alumni Foundation to be used as the “Superintendent’s Discretionary Fund,” which assists students in need during the school year.
The estate of Kathryn Mahany Kerrigan provides the funding. Kerrigan was a certified primary care nurse practitioner and nurse midwife.
• The board accepted 2,150 masks in adult and youth sizes at a value of $1,309.35 from BMP America in Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 September 2021 at 7:55 am
Synthetic turf at football field, host of security improvements, other projects at 3 school buildings and bus garage
File photo by Tom Rivers: The project would replace the 9-inch wide lockers in the high school with ones that are either 12 or 15 inches wide. The lockers are considered too small by many students to fit in a backpack full of books and often clothes for an after-school practice. The district’s declining enrollment means fewer lockers are now needed and could be replaced with ones that are wider.
ALBION — The school district is looking to put a $26,690,000 million capital project before voters on Dec. 14. The project would be 97 percent funded by state aid, and would include improvements at all three schools, the bus garage and synthetic turf at the football field, varsity soccer and softball fields.
The Board of Education on Oct. 4 expects to vote on the project, and finalize the scope of work and the financing. It expects to put the $26,690,000 project before district voters on Dec. 14.
King & King Architects of Syracuse went over the project with the Board of Education on Monday. Kirk Narburgh, King & King CEO, is an Albion graduate and led the presentation from King & King.
If the project is approved by district voters, King & King would work on the design and construction documents for about eight months, with a four-month approval process then expected by the State Education Department. Bidding would be in January-February 2023, according to a timeline present by Narburgh.
Construction would be April 2023 through December 2024, with two summers of construction phased in. The project’s final punch list and close out would be January through March 2025, according to a timeline presented by Narburgh.
The project includes many improvements, but does not include new air conditioning throughout the school buildings, which Narburgh said would be a $10 million expense per building or $30 million total. (Editor’s Note: The original article said air conditioning would be $10 million throughout the three school buildings, but district officials said this morning it would be $10 million per school or $30 million total.)
“It’s been on the list and it will continue to be on the list, but it fell below the priority list,” Narburgh said about district-wide AC.
The project addresses the most critical and prioritized infrastructure issues identified during the 2020 building condition survey and building tours. It addresses safety and security building systems (such as access controls) identified in the Armored One security assessment of all buildings.
It would provide year-round accessibility through the installation of synthetic turf surfaces for the soccer/softball complex and the football stadium.
Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, said the synthetic fields could be used by gym classes, and also the baseball team, allowing baseball to get outside earlier in the spring for drills when the grass field is often too wet. The synthetic fields also have much less maintenance costs for the district.
“We don’t have to water, fertilize or cut,” Edwards said.
The synthetic fields last about 15 years, Narburgh said.
The capital project also will modify the drop-off area at the middle school to allow more vehicles on the district’s driving lanes. Right now there is often a long line of vehicles in the morning and afternoon that stretches out on Route 31.
The project also meets a district goal of having no additional tax impact on the community, Narburgh said.
A breakdown of the project includes:
Middle School ($9,990,000)
Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
Refinish gym floor, replace gym HC lift, new wall pads, ceiling and lighting
Replace auditorium air conditioning
Provide parallel pool pump and replace hot water heaters and storage tank
Miscellaneous mechanical upgrades including original building wing unit ventilators
Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring, upgrade building system controls to digital (from pneumatic) and miscellaneous panel board and switchgear upgrades
Miscellaneous site work to include parent drop-off loop, renovate playground at east side, and multi-purpose surface at soccer/softball complex
High School ($9,975,000)
Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
Replace gym floor, resurface folding partitions, replace bleachers, ceiling/lighting, ventilation system and new wall-mounted scoreboards. The main center scoreboard would be removed.
Renovate locker rooms and replace recessed corridor locker with wider 12-inch (or possibly 15-inch). The current hallway lockers are 9 inches wide.
Replace hot water heaters, add redundant boiler, and replace heating line
Integrate CO monitoring, upgrade building system controls to digital (from pneumatic) and miscellaneous panel board and switchgear upgrades
Miscellaneous site work to include new accessible sidewalks, tennis court reconstruction, and multi-purpose surface at football stadium complex, etc.
Elementary School ($6,025,000)
Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
Refinish main gym floor and replace folding partitions and divider curtains
Reconfigure entry vestibule and finish renovations to district office
Replace some plumbing fixtures that have aged out and domestic cold water/hot water, sanitary and storm piping in 1955 building
Miscellaneous mechanical upgrades including original building wing unit ventilators
Integrate CO monitoring, upgrade building system controls to digital (from pneumatic) and miscellaneous panel board and switchgear upgrades
Miscellaneous site work to include sidewalk replacement, east side loop drop-off loop
Bus Garage ($700,000)
Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
Replace large overhead doors at 1997 maintenance bay addition
Replace roof on 1997 maintenance bay addition
Integrate CO monitoring and miscellaneous panel board upgrades
Miscellaneous site work to include extension of paving at bus parking and dumpster pad
The district also plans to use $1,995,000 from the State Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014 for a new public address and visual notification system, which includes $780,000 in elementary school, $645,000 in the middle school and $570,000 in the high school.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 September 2021 at 5:38 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Jake Stinson, right, and Mark Johnson cook sausage today outside the former Keding Automotive, 309 East Ave. The sausage sales went towards a memorial scholarship in honor of John Keding, who owned the auto repair shop for 46 years at the location and also was a long-time member of the Lions Club.
Today’s event also was an opportunity for people to share memories of Keding, who passed away at age 85 on January 18, 2021.
The Lions Club members, friends and family wore buttons with Keding’s photo.
The sausage sold out, and Lions also cooked many hot dogs for customers. Many people stopped by to make donations for the scholarship that will go to someone pursuing a career as a mechanic or in the trades.
Dan Conrad, left, and Kevin Howard take a turn on the grill. Keding was a member of the Lions Club for 52 years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 September 2021 at 5:08 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – An 8th annual car show was held today at Bullard Park in a benefit for Supportive Care of Orleans County, formerly known as Hospice of Orleans County. The top photo shows at 1971 Chevelle with a skunk theme.
There were 77 cars, many of them vintage models, in the car show which also included live music, a 50/50 raffle, food and a cash cactus.
Becky Karls organized the event, which include Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes as a major sponsor.
This 1981 Delorean had a “Back to the Future” theme, including a life-size model of Dr. E. Brown or “Doc” from the famous movie series. Doc was the inventor of the first time machine, built out of a 1981 DeLorean sports car.
Ed Doran of Medina brought a 1968 Chevy Pickup that he has painted and decorated as a tribute to the 343 firefighters who were killed during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Doran used to be a firefighter for Medina, Shelby and East Shelby. Mark Weld, an Middleport artist, did the artwork on the truck.
The older cars were shined up for the car show, and many included whimsical stuffed animals or other decorations, including this panther resting on an engine.
Many of the vehicles also displayed American flags on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 September 2021 at 9:23 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: John Keding is shown outside Keding Automotive in Albion when he celebrated his 80th birthday on Sept. 2, 2015.
ALBION – The Albion Lions Club will be serving sausage on Sept. 11 at the former Keding Automotive at 309 East Ave. with the proceeds going towards a new scholarship in memory of John Keding.
The scholarship will go to a graduating senior pursuing a career in the trades. Keding worked for 70 years a mechanic and owned Keding Automotive for 46 of those years.
He passed away at age 85 on January 18, 2021. He retired in August 2020.
Keding also was a member of the Albion Lions Club for 52 years. He enjoyed cooking sausage with the Lions at many community events, including the Strawberry Festival. Many of the Lions will be tending the grill from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 11, outside the former auto repair business on Route 31.
The event will also be a chance to celebrate Keding’s life. His daughter, Christine Buongiorne, encourages the community to “bring your appetites and your stories!”
The Lions Club expects the scholarship will become an annual award for a graduating senior.
