By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 April 2025 at 9:09 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Middleport Community Choir director Ric Jones leads the choir during a rehearsal at the Middleport Community Church, in preparation for their annual spring concert May 4.
MIDDLEPORT – The Middleport Community Choir and the Middleport Bell Tones will celebrate the fading of winter, the spirit of spring and the promise of new beginnings at their annual spring concert, according to choir director Ric Jones of Medina.
The concert, titled “Arise: Songs of Spring and Renewal,” is scheduled at 4 p.m. May 4 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 133 Telegraph Rd.
“This concert weaves together harmonies of hope, rebirth and the natural beauty that blossoms anew each year,” Jones said. “Featuring a diverse repertoire, our program reflects the many faces of renewal – the thawing of frozen earth, the return of birdsong and the quiet strength that comes with change and growth. Let the music stir your soul like the first warm breeze of the spring and celebrate with us the eternal rhythm of seasons turning.”
Some of the songs the choir will perform are “Like a River in my Soul,” “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and “This is my Father’s World.”
The Middleport Community Choir was formed in 1999 by the late Herb Koenig to sing with a brass ensemble which was visiting from Germany. They had such a good time and formed such strong camaraderie they decided to keep the choir going. Jones has been its director for 22 years.
Mark Christensen, one of the original members, said Jones is a great director.
“He brings out the best of the voices in the choir,” Christensen said.
Ric Jones of Medina, director of the Middleport Community Choir, and accompanist Debby Clark of Lockport wait for the choir to get seated to begin rehearsing for the upcoming concert “Arise! Songs of Spring and Renewal” May 4 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Middleport.
Other original members are Carol Blumrick of Middleport, Kelly Eick of Medina and Joy Bohnet of Lyndonville. The Bell Tones director and choir accompanist Debby Clark has also been involved from the beginning.
“When Herb first founded the choir, I immediately joined, as I love singing,” Blumrick said. “I have been involved ever since. The thing I love most about being involved in the choir is the camaraderie with all the members. Some of us have traveled to Germany together and have diligently done fundraisers to keep the choir ‘afloat.’ We have members who may not be able to participate in every scheduled concert, but it is a testament to the group that folks keep returning for every concert they are able to perform in. All are made to feel welcome.”
“The Bell Choir has been a part of the Community Choir since the choir was established,” Blumrick said.
“They’ve packed up their bells and traveled to Germany with us when we went on tour there. Some of the Bell Choir members are also in the vocal choir, too, but having both groups allows for different talents to shine.”
Debby Clark has led the Bell Tones and accompanied the choir since its founding. She said it was started after someone donated a set of handbells to the United Methodist Church in Middleport. Currently there are positions for 11 ringers, but they average nine.
“When we are planning a concert, Ric gives me an idea of what the choir is planning to sing and I try to pick music that will complement his songs” Clark said. “I have to choose songs that use no more than three octaves.”
Two of the songs Clark chose for the upcoming concert are “Grace and Majesty” by Jason Krug and “The Peace of Christ” by Douglas Wagner.
The choirs rehearse separately – the Community Choir at the United Methodist Church and the handbells at the Lutheran Church – and then join for a final rehearsal the week before a concert.
Choir members come from Niagara, Orleans and Erie counties.
There is no admission charge to attend a concert, but a free will offering is accepted.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 April 2025 at 8:38 am
ALBION – Creating beautiful pictures and giving them away is nothing new to Carol Culhane.
A talented, self-taught artist, Culhane recently painted a poster to commemorate Orleans County’s 200th anniversary.
At the Orleans County Legislature’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Culhane presented the poster to Legislative chair Lynne Johnson and vice chair Bill Eick.
“It was an honor to accept artist Carol Culhane’s tremendous painting in honor of the Orleans County bicentennial,” Johnson said. “It really is quite beautiful with stunning detail. We look forward to having it on display at the county administration building for the public to enjoy.”
This wasn’t the first time Culhane has donated one of her artworks to the county. In 1990 she painted a poster depicting historical aspects of Orleans County and donated the design to Orleans County Chamber of Commerce for a coverlet.
Culhane has been painting since she was seven years old and came home from school one day and painted her portrait from a wallet-size school picture on a piece of onionskin.
“I’ve had so many blessings in my life, helping people and touching their lives with my art,” she said.
Her first professional attempt was painting a sandwich board in the early 1970s for Charles Nesbitt when he decided to enter politics and ran for town councilman.
She has never had an art lesson, she said, yet she can paint portraits (even Elvis), landscapes or animals.
The late Capurso, who was president of the Orleans County Historical Association, had the idea for the poster. Capurso often spoke of how a pioneer lived on the Courthouse Square. He pushed to have a historical marker on the lawn in 2013 for William McAllister and his wife, who were Albion’s first settlers in 1811.
Culhane’s father was a decorated Rochester policeman, and her first husband, now deceased was a Vietnam veteran, as is her current husband, Jerry Culhane. This has resulted in her having tremendous respect for police officers, military people and the injured or ill.
She has painted signs for extra money and names on boats. She has created commemorative coins and painted vehicles for members of Ducks Unlimited. Designing and painting Wounded Warrior ornaments for patients at Walter Reed Hospital and traveling there to present them became a passion for a number of years. Twenty-seven years ago, she began buying, painting and donating ornaments to raise money for Hospice of Orleans County.
In Rochester, a memorial paying tribute to Rochester area veterans lost in Vietnam is lined with their portraits painted by Culhane. She also has designed a Challenge commemorative coin for Lockheed Martin.
In spite of all the honors accorded her through the years, she is particularly proud of the poster she recently presented to the Orleans County Legislature. She explained the idea was the result of a meeting she attended in 2017 of the Orleans County Historical Association. Al Capurso was president and distributed his end-of-the-year annual report. On the cover was a simple image of a log cabin, dense forest, the Courthouse and the clerk’s building.
“He explained that before the county buildings were built there was just a cabin in the woods,” Culhane recalled. “After the meeting he approached me and said, ‘Some day I wish you could do a painting that shows the pioneer’s cabin to the present time.’”
Carol Culhane is hugged by Lynne Johnson after Culhane donated the painting to the county. It will be displayed in the County Administration Building.
In 2013, Capurso commissioned a historical marker for the courthouse lawn to commemorate the first settlers of Albion – pioneers William McAllister and his wife, who built the cabin in 1811, situated where the clerks’ building now stands. I kept his design all these years in hopes I would have the opportunity to recreate Al’s vision.”
Culhane explained Capurso was a kind and giving man who devoted his time and efforts to serve his community. Although he has passed away, his influence and love for history of this county lives on, she said.
Last fall Culhane learned there was a committee tasked with planning the county bicentennial.
“I thought this would be a great opportunity to share Al’s vision and finally fulfill his request,” Culhane said. “I presented the story to the committee and showed them the cover of the report. I suggested how fitting it would be to commemorate the bicentennial and Al’s legacy. The committee saw Al’s vision and agreed to allow me to do the painting.”
In creating the design, Culhane said it was obvious the majestic county courthouse and the fireproof clerk’s office would be perfect to spotlight the architecture displayed in many parts of our county. The cabin is the style built by the pioneers in the early 1800s, which includes the oxen. The animals were used by the settlers to pull their wagons as they traveled here to settle, and they were strong enough to use to build their cabins and work the land. The buildings are painted on a background of a streetscape of Albion in the mid 1800s, facing north.
Proceeds from the sale of prints of the painting will be donated to the Orleans County Historical Association to continue preserving the county’s history, Culhane said.
Culhane has 500 prints of the posters at 18 inches by 24 inches. They are $10 each. For more information about acquiring one, contact her at (585) 738-3016 or by email, cecjcculhane@gmail.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2025 at 4:11 pm
Photos courtesy of Isabella Zasa
HOLLEY – The Village of Holley this morning planted an Acer tree in the Public Square in honor of the 200th anniversary of Orleans County and the Erie Canal.
Pictured from left include Holley Mayor Mark Bower, County Legislator John Fitzak, Erie Canal Recreationway Commission member Ken DeRoller and County Historian Catherine Cooper. Bower, Cooper and DeRoller are all members of the county’s bicentennial committee.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2025 at 11:42 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – These students at the Oak Orchard Primary School helped plant a sugar maple tree at State Street Park thus morning.
The Village of Medina held its annual Arbor Day celebration this morning, and students from oak Orchard again were part of the planting process, shoveling dirt where the new trees are planted.
Medina will plant 49 trees in the village this spring. The locations include James Street and Main Street, Ann Street and West Center Street, West Avenue from James Street to Maple Street, State Street along the park and in State Street Park. Several of the trees are memorial ones that will have plaques.
Chris Dix, an employee with the Medina Department of Public Works, sets a sugar maple in the park this morning.
Medina has been designated a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation for the village’s commitment to planting trees every year. For the past 20 years, Medina has planted about 50 trees every year.
Even with those new trees, the village tends to be at a net negative each year, typically taken down more than 60 a year, including many ash trees in recent years, said Jason Watts, the DPW superintendent.
Mary Lewis, the Tree Board chairwoman, thanks the Oak Orchard Glee Club for performing at today’s celebration. Lewis is joined by Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman. They announced the Glee Club is this year’s recipient of the “Friends of our Urban Forest” Award.
The Glee Club, led by teacher Andrea Busch, has been performing at Arbor Day the past three years.
Nick Reese, a Medina senior, wrote a new song, “Oscillating Futures,” that was performed by the Glee Club. Reese is headed to Fredonia State College in the fall to major in music composition.
“I will be the future, the trees taller than me. I will be the future. We are the water, the earth and seed. It’s up to me. I will be the future, no fighting, no regret.
“I will be the future, would you believe in me? I will be the future, the trees taller than me. I will be the future. We are the water, the earth and seed. The future’s up to me.”
Serenity Chin, close to center with microphone, and other members of the Glee Club sang at this morning’s celebration.
These third-graders in Mrs. Zambito’s class help plant a sugar maple. The two with the shovels include Emma McGrath, left, and Alana Hoffmeister.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2025 at 11:10 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature approved $83,349 in youth programs. The money comes from the state through the Office of Children and Family Services under the Child and Family Services Planning Guideline.
The Orleans County Youth Bureau and Department of Social Services developed a joint plan for how to spend the money in the county.
The funding for Orleans is in three categories: Youth Development Program – $44,768; Youth Sports & Education Opportunity Funding – $20,000; and Youth Team Sports – $18,581.
The agencies will be allocated Municipal Youth Development
ARC GLOW Camp Rainbow – $5,000
GLOW Works, Inc. (GWYH: Healthcare) – $1,000
GLOW Works, Inc. (GWYH: Manufacturing) – $1,000
Hoag Library Summer Reading – $1,000
Lyndonville school district – ROAR Program – $2,500
Medina Joint Recreation Committee – $2,000
OC Cornell Cooperative Extension – $1,000
Orleans County Juvenile Adjustment Services – $16,000
Village of Albion Recreation – $4,553
Orleans County Youth Bureau Annual Awards – $2,000
Orleans County Youth Bureau Family Game Night – $ 2,000
Orleans County Youth Bureau – $ 6,715
The following agencies will be allocated Municipal Sports & Education Opportunity Funding:
Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy – $ 1,250
Town of Kendall Recreation Program – $ 2,500
Village of Albion Recreation – $16,250
The following agencies will be allocated Municipal Youth Teams Sports Funding:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 April 2025 at 9:06 am
ALBION – The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have joined an exclusive group for earning national accreditation.
The local health departments, GO Health, are among 17 of the 58 in the state with national accreditation. The local department also is now among 400 in the country out of 3,000 with the distinction.
The Orleans County Legislature this week commended public health director Paul Pettit and the staff for pushing for the accreditation, a process that started in 2019. He highlighted the efforts of Carie Doty and Kristine Voos for serving as co-coordinators for the accreditation process.
Accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board is awarded to health departments that meet or exceed a comprehensive set of quality standards and measures, Pettit said. As accredited health departments, GO Health will continue to prioritize evidence-based practices, innovative solutions, and strong partnerships to ensure a healthier future for the residents of Genesee and Orleans counties, he said.
“We’ve been able to provide and efficient and quality service to the residents of Genesee and Orleans counties,” Pettit said.
GO Health earned the accreditation on Feb. 27. The two counties worked together as a health department for 13 years now, with a joint board of health and other shared staff.
The two counties combined employ about 50 employees in public health. Each county has its own health department, but they share seven department heads, including Paul Pettit as the public health director.
One county can also pull from another county if there is a staffing need, such as a vaccination clinic. Working as integrated departments has allowed the two departments to better balance surges during the Covid pandemic with Covid testing, vaccinations and providing communications in a cohesive manner, county officials said.
The Genesee and Orleans Health Departments also have received joint county grants for public health initiatives in the two counties. The partnership has allowed the two counties to fill workforce gaps, drive efficiencies and look for innovative ways to advance the two-county collaboration, according to county officials.
ALBION – The Albion Central School District seeks nominations from staff and community members for the Educator of the Year award.
Each year, the Board of Education presents this recognition to a staff member during the Annual Board of Education Recognition Reception in June. We will accept nominations through May 9.
If you would like to nominate someone for this award who you feel is an exemplary ACS educator, please send the following information:
Name of educator you wish to nominate
Reasons this person should be awarded Educator of the Year. Demonstrate how this individual strives to demonstrate our Mission, Vision and Core Values.
Please include your name in case we need to contact you for more information.
SEND NOMINATIONS (either via email or hard copy) TO:
Press Release, Orleans County Job Development Agency
ALBION – The Orleans County Job Development Agency is now accepting applications for the department’s 2025 Summer Youth Employment Program.
In order to be considered for the program, an applicant must be a county resident between 14 to 20 years old (must be 14 at the time of application), coming from a household that meets certain income guidelines. Applicants in foster care or households that receive cash assistance, Medicaid, HEAP, SSI or SNAP are automatically eligible.
“Through this program, we strive to provide young people with the opportunity to earn money and gain meaningful work experience,” said Kelly Kiebala, director of the Orleans County Career Center in the Job Development Agency. “Participants are able to gain exposure to various career pathways while exploring their interests and developing their workplace skills that better prepare them for future job opportunities.”
Applications, income guidelines and additional information for the program are available from the Job Development Agency website (click here).
Priority for job placements will be given to applications received by April 30. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until May 31 or until all spots have been filled. Those with questions can call or text Peter Anderson at (716) 387-4081 or email OCSYEP@orleanscountyny.gov. Please note that submitting a completed application does not guarantee selection into the program or work site placement.
Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School
ALBION – Carl I. Bergerson Middle School inducted 25 students into the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) on Thursday, April 10.
The current members of NJHS led the ceremony, explaining that the organization is built on the four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership and character and that inductees must exhibit all four qualities and be recommended by a faculty member in order to be eligible.
The current members of NJHS include Madison Blount, Colson Braley, Stryker Braley, Aubrey Bruning, Kelsey Crawford, Blake Doty, Jax Gotte, Lena Grillo, Rianne Hand, Sophie Kozody, Carter Krull, Maddax Krull, Noah Latz, Nicole Loney, Adele Mathes, Logan Mayes, Mary McCormick, Brooklynn Miens, Tatiana Morales, Jane Nesbitt, Hannah Olles, Kamryn Peruzzini, Kendall Peruzzini, Brooklyn Pisano, Parker Roberts, Thailer Seibert, Scarlett Stambach, Oliver Stoffa and Caden Woolston.
Some of the current members were recognized with the Service Pin for completing 25 hours of service. Those members include Colson Braley, Stryker Braley, Kelsey Crawford, Blake Doty, Jax Gotte, Rianne Hand, Sophie Kozody, Carter Krull, Maddax Krull, Nicole Loney, Mary McCormick, Jane Nesbitt, Kamryn Peruzzini and Kendall Peruzzini.
Once the Service Pins were awarded, Mr. Greg Martillotta, the school’s band teacher, addressed both current and new members of NJHS as the night’s guest speaker.
The soon-to-be new inductees were then asked to stand and recite the NJHS pledge before crossing the stage to receive their certificates and sign the registry book. The newly inducted members of NJHS include Madysin Austin, Luciana Borello, Isabella Colonna, Annabella Dusharm, Jeffrey Echevarria-Saldivar, Avery Faskel, William Fisher, Madison Fraiser, Brody Furness, Robert Hickman, Amelia Klatt, Allyson McQuay, Brian Patten, Peyton Pisano, Kennedy Roberts, Sutton Sanders, John Michael Vivas, Caleb Wolfe, Logan Banister, Lucas Conner, LaDereon Griffin, Aaliyah Jones, Aubrey Marconi, Cindy Trejo Mandujano and Sophia Wendt.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2025 at 11:32 am
ALBION – The Albion Village Board is working on a budget for 2025-26 that will likely include a sizable tax increase.
The board held a public hearing on the budget on Wednesday. Although spending is up a modest 2.7 percent, the village is looking at a 13 percent tax increase.
The budget needs to be adopted by an April 30 deadline. There could be some additional reductions in spending and the in tax levy, but Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said there is little to cut in the budget.
The general fund expenses would increase by $126,976 or by 2.7 percent from $4,701,848 in 2024-25 to $4,828,825 in the new budget.
The tax levy, what the village collects in property taxes, would go up 13.2 percent or by $410,520 – from $3,117,813 to $3,528,333.
The budget for 2025-26 doesn’t include the fire department, which is now in its own taxing entity as a fire district. That new district sent out its first tax bills in January as part of the tax bill from the town and county, and the fire district doubled the fire department’s budget.
The village has increased the water and sewer rates, and the 2024-25 village budget imposed a 6.6 percent tax increase.
Mayor Javier said he is sensitive to the rising costs on taxpayers, and he thinks dissolving the village is worth considering to help better spread out the costs of services into the towns of Albion and Gaines. There will be a 6 p.m. public hearing on June 11 at the Village Hall to hear from residents about whether the board should pursue a dissolution of the village.
Albion faces rising costs for equipment, including two new dump trucks in the 2025-26 budget, and lots of other capital expenses in the coming years for water and sewer lines, and other infrastructure and equipment.
The board also is using about $200,000 less of fund balance which is a big factor in the proposed increase. The budget for 2024-25 included $261,150 in fund balance, while the proposed budget for 2025-26 only taps $64,000 in fund balance.
Jeff Holler, a local resident, urged the board to set aside more money in reserve funds for those costs in the future. But Javier said that would only jack up the taxes even more.
Javier said the village has tried to get an increase from the county in the local sales tax but has been rebuffed. The local towns and villages remain at the same level since 2001, while the county has been able to keep the rising sales tax revenue since then. The local sales tax totaled $23.4 million in 2024. The county kept all of it except $ 1,366,671 that is divvied up among the 10 towns and four villages. The Village of Albion will get $162,169 of the sales tax in 2025, less than 1 percent.
Trustee William Gabalski acknowledged the village is in a grim predicament of trying to prevent a tax increase despite the need to provide services and fund infrastructure projects, without a boost in outside revenue. The village taxpayers are bearing nearly the full burden, he said.
“We’re in a very difficult situation,” he said at the hearing, when asked about increasing the reserves. “I’d like to do a lot more, but when I look at where the tax levy is no one will be able to afford to live here.”
Trustee Joyce Riley said she favors an incremental approach to adding to the reserves, and also raising water and sewer rates to fund infrastructure.
A consultant gave the village a report last year, suggesting more aggressive rate increases for water and sewer, but Riley said that was an “outlandish” proposal due to the impact on residents.
“The entire village would have come in here and beat us with a broomstick,” Riley said about those steeper costs.
Riley said she doesn’t think dissolving the village will be the best answer for taxpayers, and for providing services.
“We need to explore all of the options,” she said. “We should use a surgical knife and not a hatchet. Melding into the towns may not be the answer.”
Village taxpayers will see a lower tax rate in the next budget, and that’s from reassessments in the village last year that increased the tax base by 42.2 percent or by $63.0 million – from $152,867,932 in 2024-25 to $215,893,938 in 2025-26.
The bigger tax base will have the tax rate drop from $20.40 per $1,000 of assessed property to a tentative $16.34.
The water fund budget would change from $2,069,406 in 2024-25 to $2,195,250 in the new budget. The sewer fund would increase from $1,412,000 to $1,487,250.
The board will meet again at 6 p.m. on Tuesday to discuss and try to finalize the budget.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 April 2025 at 10:21 am
Provided photos
MEDINA – The Sacred Heart Club delivered canned food and boxes of food to the St. Peter’s Food Pantry on Tuesday. Sacred Heart also gave $50, following a $250 donation last month.
Pictured in photo at left are Sacred Heart President JT Thomas, right and Sacred Heart member Cheryl Gavenda, left, presenting a check and food to pantry volunteer Robin Dubai. In the photo at right, Sacred Heart member Matt Backlas joins Thomas in presenting the check and food.
The Food Pantry welcomes donations, especially with rising food prices making it harder on local residents. The Food Pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sacred Heart gives to other local organizations including LOYAL, Wreaths Across America, the Orleans County 4-H Fair, National Night Out and also allows use of its hall on North Gravel Road for many community organizations and fundraisers.
Sacred Heart President JT Thomas and member Cheryl Gavenda bring the food into the pantry at St. Peter’s.
