By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 January 2019 at 1:05 pm
(UPDATED at 9:32 a.m. on Jan. 21 to report that Apex is planning 33 turbines in Barre, and not 47.)
ALBION – Apex Clean Energy is working to submit its applications this year to the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment.
The company expects to submit the application this spring for 33 turbines in Barre as part of Heritage Wind, said Paul Williamson, an Apex project manager.
The company also is working on Lighthouse Wind, a project that proposes 47 turbines with 8 in Yates and 39 in Somerset. Apex has been working on that project longer than the one in Barre, but still has some environmental studies to do this spring. Once the company has those results, it can make the final studies for its application, which it hopes to submit to the Siting Board in the summer, Williamson said.
Provided photo: This group was outside the Apex office on Wednesday, distributing information about environmental concerns with industrial-size turbines.
Those applications could take 18 months to 2 years to review and will be subject to public hearings. The company also has to provide intervenor funds for the local municipalities and citizens groups to hire experts to review the application.
The Siting Board includes five leaders of state agencies – the chairman of Department of Public Service, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, commissioner of the Department of Health, chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and commissioner of Economic Development. There are also two ad hoc public members from the municipality where the project is proposed.
Apex sent a news release earlier this week seeking to clarify comments from Ben Yazman, the Heritage Wind project manager. He was quoted in the Orleans Hub last week after the Barre Town Board opted not to change its zoning for wind turbines, keeping the maximum turbine height at 500 feet and also not changing the setbacks. Apex would like to have the turbines tip height peak at 591 feet in Barre. Yazman last week said the company would pursue a waiver for the height through the Siting Board.
“Like other interested parties, we were surprised by the board action, and we share the goal of updating the law to ensure that it is reasonable, clear and protective of the health and welfare of all Barre residents,” said Neil Habig, senior director of Project Development for Apex Clean Energy.
The 2008 wind ordinance was passed more than 10 years ago and does not reflects the state of the modern wind facilities and does not benefit from advances in siting standards that have developed over the past decade, he said.
The company would like Barre to revise the law. Apex hasn’t decided if it will pursue a waiver for height.
“We feel it is very important for us to correct that misstatement,” Habig said. “It is our strong preference to continue working with the Town and Clear Skies Above Barre to update the existing wind ordinance to reflect modern wind technology and siting standards. We recognize that siting a wind facility can be contentious and complex, and we are committed to ensuring that the Town Board has the necessary resources at its disposal to make informed decisions if they can be persuaded to reconsider the wind law wind ordinance.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 18 January 2019 at 12:26 pm
MEDINA – As a 15-year member of Shelby Volunteer Fire Company and operator of Lyons Collision and Towing, Jeff Lyons has seen the need for special extrication equipment.
Many times he has responded to accidents involving motor vehicles or heavy equipment, as a volunteer firefighter or on a towing call, when someone was trapped and special equipment was needed.
“Getting involved in the fire department and being a tow truck operator go hand in hand,” Lyons said.
As a result, he has started a new business, Genesis Rescue Systems, to provide a local source of extrication equipment.
This includes Genesis tools, such as cutters, stabilization devices, jacks and lift/air bags.
When the fire company sent Lyons and several other firefighters to Crash Course Village in Dayton, Ohio, Lyons took every course offered relating to extrication in MVAs and heavy equipment, he said. The course was sponsored by Howell Rescue Systems and owner Todd Howell was very helpful, Lyons said.
Lyons Collision was started in 1978 by Jeff’s dad, Ancel. He added the towing service a year later. At that time, he had the only flatbed in the county.
Jeff has been involved since 1985, when he would come to the shop after school and work in the body shop. He started working full-time at the business in December 1987. His sister Kim Patterson runs the office and Jeff Stockwell runs the body shop. Jeff’s great-niece Elexa Murphy also works in the office. Ancel is officially retired, but is still there every day, Jeff said.
The business has expanded several times over the years, having bought the former Al Nudd’s garage at Orient and East Center Street in 2010, which they converted into the office. In 2012, they bought Russo’s Granite building and now own the entire complex from East Center Street to the railroad.
The new business represents a considerable investment, but one Jeff believes is much needed and well worth it.
Organization supports efforts in 8 counties, including Orleans
Press Release, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is accepting Letters of Intent for its 2019 competitive grant process through Feb. 4. Interested organizations should read the detailed guidelines/additional information before submitting a Letter of Intent. (Click here to see the guidelines.)
Additionally, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located within the eight counties of Western New York – Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.
In 2018, the Community Foundation awarded more than $500,000 to 23 Western New York nonprofit organizations through the competitive grants process. The Foundation is home to more than 900 named funds, totaling over $485 million in assets and is one of the region’s largest grantmakers.
About the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Celebrating its centennial year in 2019, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo was established in 1919 to enhance and encourage long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. For 100 years the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at www.cfgb.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 January 2019 at 9:51 am
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily reopened some Farm Service Agency offices during the government shutdown to help farmers process payments.
The FSA office in Albion remains closed, but Genesee County’s office in Batavia is open today and on Tuesday. Orleans County farmers are welcome to go there for any assistance.
The office is at 29 Liberty St., Batavia. Call (585) 343-9167 for more information. The FSA wants to help farmers close out the calendar year and process their 1099 tax forms.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that many Farm Service Agency offices will reopen temporarily in the coming days to perform certain limited services for farmers and ranchers.
FSA offices have been closed since Dec. 28 because of the lapse in federal funding. The USDA has recalled about 2,500 FSA employees to open offices yesterday, today and Tuesday during normal business hours. The offices will be closed for the federal Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday.
In almost half of FSA locations, FSA staff will be available to assist agricultural producers with existing farm loans and to ensure the agency provides 1099 tax documents to borrowers by the Internal Revenue Service’s deadline.
“Until Congress sends President Trump an appropriations bill in the form that he will sign, we are doing our best to minimize the impact of the partial federal funding lapse on America’s agricultural producers,” Perdue said in a news release. “We are bringing back part of our FSA team to help producers with existing farm loans. Meanwhile, we continue to examine our legal authorities to ensure we are providing services to our customers to the greatest extent possible during the shutdown.”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a proposal mandating full disclosure of tax returns by candidates for public office is included in the 2019 Executive Budget.
The proposal requires candidates running for statewide public office to disclose 10 years of federal and state tax returns, and requires candidates for the State Assembly and State Senate to disclose 5 years of federal and state tax returns as a condition of getting on the ballot for a general election.
“While this federal administration seems intent on operating in secrecy and darkness, New York State is working to provide the public with more information to better inform their choice at the ballot box,” Governor Cuomo said. “Mandating that this critical information be made public will shed sunlight and sunshine on potential conflicts of interest and increase the ethical standards of public officials serving New Yorkers.”
Under this proposal, a candidate for public office must disclose their tax returns to the New York State Board of Elections no later than 60 days before a general election and agree to public disclosure of their returns by the Board of Elections. The Board of Elections will make any redactions it deems appropriate or required by law, in consultation with the Commissioner of the Department of Taxation and Finance.
While full tax transparency has been the norm for individuals seeking public office, there is currently no requirement that elected officials disclose their past tax returns in New York State.
At the direction of Governor Cuomo, this historic measure will reassure New York taxpayers that candidates running for public office meet the ethical standards required of elected officials.
Additionally, this proposal will provide taxpayers valuable insight into the personal financial history of individuals seeking public office, shedding light on potential conflicts of interest and ensuring our leaders are working for the people and not for themselves.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 January 2019 at 8:08 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Courthouse and the First Presbyterian Church of Albion are picture at dusk on Monday.
‘Travel will be very difficult to impossible’
A winter storm is forecast to bring 10 to 14 inches of snow this weekend in Orleans County and all of Western New York.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning from 1 p.m. Saturday until 6 p.m. Sunday.
“Travel will be very difficult to impossible,” the Weather Service said. “Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The cold wind chills as low as 15 below 0 could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.”
Saturday the high temperature will be 16, and Sunday it is forecast to reach a high of 11.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 January 2019 at 10:33 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Byron Neal, 4, of Albion is excited to have a lighted sword at Billy Martin’s Cole All-Star Circus, which visited Albion High School this evening.
The circus returned to Albion with the cast performing many daring feats and some comedic routines at the high school gym. Some of the proceeds benefit the Close-Up program which takes students to Washington, D.C.
The circus was in Holley on Wednesday. Billy Martin’s has two shows (5 and 7:15 p.m.) in Medina on Friday at the middle school, and will be in Kendall at 7 p.m. on Jan. 25.
Ivan Arestov balances high on a tower of chairs 25 feet in the air. The Russian artist also juggled three-dimensional geometric shapes and provided some comic relief with a silly strongman character.
Sasha Arestov, Ivan’s brother, spins a hoop with his top hat. Sasha is a fifth generation hoop artist.
Elena amazed the crowd with many quick costume changes that seemed like magic. She had eight different costumes on, changing in only seconds.
Elena appears with another different outfit after Alex, in back, covered her briefly with a cape.
JP Toscano, a fourth generation circus performer from South America, provided some comedic relief, teaming with co-star “Jack.”
Wesley Williams. “The One-Wheeled Wonder,” rides a unicycle during in the show ring.
Ivan wore a strongman costume to the delight of the youngsters at the circus.
New York State’s minimum wage increased again this year to $11.10 per hour and Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) vocalized concern that sharp increases year-to-year are unsustainable for upstate’s struggling small businesses.
Employers already face the nation’s worst tax business climate and a state regulatory code that forces more outsourcing of jobs, transition to automated labor and loss of benefits for employees.
“Certainly we want to help the working poor and employees making minimum wage across the state but these sharp increases are like putting a band-aid on a broken leg,” Hawley said. “Misguided policies like these overlook the fact that small businesses will be forced to recoup these increasing labor costs and that could lead to massive layoffs and a cut to benefits for many employees – a regrettable consequence of the law’s intention.”
The Assembly Minority Conference has proposed wiser economic solutions such as allowing employers to pay a training wage to new employees that is more congruent with their skill sets. Many lawmakers have also come out in support of raising the tipped wage for workers such as servers, a proposal met with animosity by the tipped workers it is meant to help.
“The minimum wage was never meant to be a living wage and many employers are now mandated to pay higher costs for employees with less experience,” Hawley said. “Employees like restaurant servers rely on the quality of their service and dedicated work ethic to bring home larger tips and an elimination of this would remove the incentive to provide quality service for these workers.
“If we are to change New York’s awful business climate and stop our state’s embarrassing exodus rate it starts with tax and regulatory relief that mitigates the root cause of business struggles, not quick fixes and economic gimmicks,” Hawley concluded.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Chris Collins (NY-27) re-introduced the Denying Chinese Investors Access to U.S. Small Business Aid, a bill that would prevent citizens of the People’s Republic of China, who own a business, from accessing assistance offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) re-introduced the Senate companion bill late last week.
“SBA programs should be focusing on helping small business owners in communities like Western New York, and not aid companies whose profits go to China,” said Collins. “ I am proud to join Senator Rubio to advance this important legislation once again to encourage job growth and support small businesses here in the United States.”
“Amidst rapid technological advances, shifting global economic trends, and rising foreign adversaries, we must fight to protect America’s small businesses,” Rubio said. “Our bill will protect small businesses from Chinese interference and encourage American entrepreneurs to innovate, thrive, and grow so that we can keep our economy competitive on the global stage.”
Current law permits SBA to provide assistance towards Chinese-owned business who legally operate in the United States and qualify as a small business. These businesses are allowed to obtain a federally guaranteed loan, surety bonds, research and development grants, or disaster loans.
The Denying Chinese Investors Access to U.S. Small Business Aid would prohibit SBA benefits from being given to businesses headquarter in China. Under this bill, China based business who operate in the United States or businesses with at least 25 percent of their voting stock owned by Chinese investors will no longer be able to benefit.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 January 2019 at 3:05 pm
ALBION – Three people were arraigned in Orleans County this morning for driving while intoxicated.
Dominic Bennett, 27, of Batavia is facing charges of felony DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree.
He was in a one-car accident on Oct. 27 on Route 31 in Albion, and was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He has recovered from his injuries.
Michael J. Miller II, 44, of Medina was arraigned for aggravated felony DWI (BAC over .18) and two counts of felony DWI. He was charged on Sept. 22 on Townline Road in Yates and registered a .24 BAC, which is three times the legal limit.
William Shelhorse Jr., 53, of Albion was arraigned for AUO in the first degree and two counts of misdemeanor DWI. He was charged on Nov. 7 after being stopped on East Avenue in Albion.
All three entered not guilty pleas in court today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 January 2019 at 1:53 pm
ALBION – The Albion couple who were seriously injured in Wednesday’s fire at 5 Elmwood Ave. are in guarded condition in the burn unit at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, Police Chief Roland Nenni said.
Vincenzo Spampanato, 81, and Felicia Spampanato, 72, had recently moved into the house on Elmwood.
The Albion Police Department and Albion Fire Department were dispatched to the site at 6:21 p.m. after a report of heavy smoke coming from the residence and possible explosions.
The Spampanatos were found in the front yard suffering from burn injuries.
Vincenzo Spampanato was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight. Felicia Spampanato was transported by Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance (COVA) to Strong Memorial Hospital.
The initial investigation has revealed that Vincenzo Spampanato was performing maintenance on a gas heating appliance in the basement of the residence when an explosion occurred, ultimately resulting in the house catching fire and becoming heavily involved in fire.
The Investigation into the cause of the explosion and resulting fire is being conducted by the Albion Police Department, Orleans County Fire Investigation Unit, Orleans County Emergency Management Office, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG).
The investigation is ongoing at this time, Nenni said.
Mr. Spampanato is well known by many in Albion for his job working in the deli at the Albion Walmart. The couple moved from Carlton to the dead-end street in the village about a month ago.
Firefighters were at the 20-degree scene for several hours on Wednesday.
BATAVIA – With the healthcare industry ever-changing and many healthcare professions in high demand, Genesee Community College recognizes a substantial opportunity for students enrolled in the GCC’s Health Studies Certificate program to continue their education to earn a Health Studies Associate in Science degree, and potentially transfer for a bachelor’s or higher degree.
Upon hearing a full report by Dr. Kathleen M. Schiefen, GCC’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, the college’s Board of Trustees approved the next step in the development of a new associate degree in Health Studies, which would readily transfer to other colleges and universities for a degree in healthcare administration.
Dr. Schiefen explained the multi-phase process of introducing a new degree, which generally starts in GCC’s Academic Senate for a complete career and industry discovery effort and also the related curriculum development.
The proposal is then carefully reviewed by the college’s provost and president before being reviewed by the College’s Trustees. With Trustee approval, the proposal is then sent to both the State University of New York for a SUNY-wide peer and public review period, and once successfully vetted by SUNY, it is then sent to New York State Education Department for the final review and approval. If each step of the process meets with successive approvals, it is possible the new program might be available by Fall 2019 or early in 2020.
“This new program aligns with SUNY Brockport’s Health Care Administration Bachelor’s program, and also Buffalo State College’s Health and Wellness Bachelor’s program among others,” Dr. Schiefen noted. “It is an excellent health care transfer pathway.”
In other business Monday evening, the Board of Trustees:
• Approved the renewal of four-year continuing appointments for 15 members of the College’s faculty and staff: Charmayne Bloom, Campus Center Associate; Carolyn Caccamise, Director / Associate Professor of Veterinary Technology; Rebecca Dziekan, Director / Professor of HED & PED Studies; Karlyn Backus, ACE Programs Specialist; Tracy Ford, Associate Professor of English; Dr. Karen Huffman, Associate Professor of Biology; Thomas Kinsey, Reporting Analyst; Kenneth Mead, Professor of Math & Computer Information Systems; Tracy Merritt, Assessment Associate; Ebony Ross, Admissions Advisor; Skip Sherman, Student Athletic Assistant; Daniel Snyder, ACE Programs Specialist; Garth Swanson, Professor of History; Candice Vacin, Professor of Psychology; and Michael Von Schiller, Assistant Professor of Health & Physical Education.
• Approved initial four-year continuing appointments for six members of the faculty and staff: James Donsbach, Director of Grant Services; John Maloney, Marketing Communications Specialist; Brendan McCabe, Instructor of Biology; Melissa Miller, Nursing Lab Coordinator; Gregory Sharpe, Instructor of Food Processing Technology; and JoNelle Toriseva, Director / Associate Professor of English.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 January 2019 at 11:24 am
ALBION – Two people were sentenced to the Orleans County Jail today, including a Medina woman who allegedly stole $91,973 from the Medina Transportation Company.
Crystal Woodward, 32, pleaded guilty on Oct. 25 to third-degree grand larceny and agreed to pay $91,973 in restitution at $400 a month.
She apologized for the crime today, and said an opioid addiction fueled the larceny. She said she has been drug-free the past 10 months.
“I know what I did was wrong and I deserve punishment,” she told County Court Judge Sanford Church. “The opioid epidemic has hit my family hard. I’m sorry to those I hurt. The drugs took over my life and ruined everything I worked so hard to build.”
David Stalker, owner of Medina Transportation Company, spoke during the sentencing and said he owes thousands to the IRS and is working 80 to 100 hours a week to keep his business going. He said Woodward betrayed the trust of the Stalker family. His wife was close friends with her. Woodward used to call Mrs. Stalker, “Mom.”
The $400 in monthly restitution doesn’t come close to helping the business recoup the stolen funds, Stalker said. It would take nearly 20 years for Woodward to pay the restitution at $400 a month.
Judge Church sentenced Woodward to 4 months of weekends in the county jail. That way she can continue working full-time at an Elba farm and pay towards the restitution. She will also be on probation for five years.
The judge also issued orders of protection for the next eight years for Mr. and Mrs. Stalker.
“I wish I could do a re-do but I can’t,” Woodward said at sentencing. “I’m not that person anymore. I will never be that monster again.”
In another case this morning, Judge Church sentenced a Holley man to a year in the county jail. Jordan Herring pleaded guilty on Oct. 25 to attempting to making a terrorist threat.
While he was in the county jail due a parole violation on May 31, he was speaking on the phone and told the person he was speaking with that he intended to “shoot, cut and choke” police and parole officers, Cardone said.
Herring said he was upset because he was in the jail and not receiving needed medical attention.
Herring said he has struggled with mental health issues since he was 8. He doesn’t like his anti-depressant medication because he said it makes him tired, depressed and leaves him without an appetite.
Church urged Herring to pursue other medication or treatment.
Herring, who has already been in jail for eight months, said he has learned “to think before I speak.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 January 2019 at 9:16 am
Jacob Hebdon has worked with Tim Cooper since 2007
MEDINA – Cooper Funeral Home in Medina has a new owner who has been a steady presence at the site for the past dozen years.
Jacob Hebdon, 34, has worked as a funeral director alongside Tim Cooper since 2007. Cooper opened the funeral home at 215 West Center St. in 1987, when he was 26.
Cooper sold the business to Hebdon, with the deal closing on Dec. 27. The roles for the two have reversed with Cooper staying on as a funeral director and Hebdon’s employee.
Cooper said he wanted a reduced role. He also is confident the business is in good hands with Hebdon.
“We are lucky and Medina is lucky to have somebody with his talent and youthfulness who is staying in Medina and taking on the business,” Cooper said during an interview at the funeral home on Wednesday.
Hebdon has impressed Cooper over the years with his work ethic and commitment to the local families.
“He’s honest, he’s dedicated and he’s good with people,” Cooper said.
Jake Hebdon is shown on the second floor on the funeral home with a display of urns.
Hebdon was an architecture major at the University of Buffalo when he got a part-time job parking cars for a funeral home in Buffalo. That job led to a fascination and deep respect for the work at funeral homes. He switched his career path and graduated in 2006 from Simmons Institute of Funeral Service in Syracuse. He sent out letters to funeral homes in Western New York, seeking a job. Cooper gave him a call and the two have forged a strong working relationship.
“We’re a team,” Hebdon said. “We work in sync.”
Cooper appreciates the history of Medina and has a display of the hearse plates from the Gulinski, Thibault and Cleary funeral homes, which served the Medina community.
Hebdon grew up in the Batavia/Alexander area, and graduated from Alexander in 2003. He moved to Medina in 2007 and has been impressed with the community’s comeback, especially in the downtown area. He sees many people his own age running businesses and involved in pushing the community forward.
“I have lived here and been a funeral director in the Medina community since 2007 and have had the privilege of getting to know many families and to make personal bonds,” Hebdon said. “I am incredibly proud to call myself a part of such a vibrant and warm community. Medina is my home.”
When Cooper started the funeral home, there were four others in Medina. Now there are two. Cooper has a display at the funeral home, honoring the other sites that have since closed. The hearse plates for Gulinski, Thibault and Cleary funeral homes are prominently on display at Cooper.
Hebdon said Tim Cooper built a successful business, and has cared for a beautiful Medina Sandstone building, turning what was a doctor’s office with four apartments into the funeral home.
“I am excited and honored to continue the legacy that Tim has built here at Cooper Funeral Home,” Hebdon said. “I have learned a tremendous amount from him over the years and consider myself lucky to have had him as a mentor. I look forward to continuing the level of professionalism and compassion that we have had when caring for families in their time of need.”
Hebdon is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, Erie Niagara Funeral Directors Association and the Medina Business Association. The Cooper Funeral Home serves Orleans and eastern Niagara counties, and offers many funeral and cremation options.
“I am very privileged and honored to be able to do what I do for a living,” Hebdon said. “This is not just a job for me. It is what drives me, it is my passion, my life. I find great gratitude in what I do, knowing you can be the person for a family to lean on in their time of grief.”
Jake Hebdon and Tim Cooper are pictured in a gathering room. There are many Medina school yearbooks between them on the display case. C.H. Thomas M.D. used to have a doctor’s office at the site before it was a funeral home. The big picture behind Hebdon and Cooper shows some of Cooper’s family members when they operated a store on West Center Street in the late 1800s.
Hebdon and Cooper are both unusual in that they pursued being funeral directors even though the business wasn’t in their family. Cooper became interested in funeral homes while mowing the grass and doing yard work for a funeral home in Medina when he was a teen-ager.
Hebdon said his parents both have demonstrated a hard work ethic and commitment to caring for others. His mother Lori was a registered nurse in the maternity ward at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia and his father, Jodi, worked as a Genesee County Deputy Sheriff.
“They instilled in me a hard work ethic and sense of gratitude and fulfillment being able to help others,” Hebdon said. “Being the person for families to lean on during their time of grief, paying tribute to lives well lived, helping honor veterans who bravely served our nation, leaves me incredibly humbled and deeply honored.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 January 2019 at 7:34 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
(UPDATED at 8:55 p.m.)
ALBION – Two people have been seriously injured and taken to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester after a fire at their home, 5 Elmwood Ave.
The two people, an elderly couple, suffered burns and smoke inhalation, said Roland Nenni, the Albion police chief.
Neighbors said the couple just moved into the house about a month ago.
Elmwood is a dead-end street in the northern part of the village, off Linwood Avenue.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 6:22 p.m. Albion and many other local fire departments battled the fire, which spewed smoke into the neighborhood.
Albion police were first on the scene at 6:24 and discovered the couple in the front yard with their clothes on fire, said Nathanial Staines, an Albion place officer and the public information officer.
A man was taken by Mercy Flight. A second Mercy Flight helicopter was called, but it wasn’t immediately available so the woman was transported to Strong by COVA Ambulance.
Firefighters try to ventilate the smoke-filled house.
Investigators with the Albion Police Department and the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control are working with county fire investigators to determine a cause.
Staines said more information will be released to the public on Thursday.
