Provided photo: Pat Turner, co-president of Alpha Theta, presents the Alpha Theta Woman of Distinction Award to Nelda Callard.
MEDINA – Every other year Delta Kappa Gamma Chapters recognize a Woman of Distinction. A Woman of Distinction is a woman who stands out and is recognized for her achievements, leadership and positive influence.
This woman is a chapter member who embodies what it means to be a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. She is involved in all phases of the chapter and makes significant contributions to education.
Nelda Callard of Medina is a retired teacher from Royalton-Hartland Central School. She was an outstanding teacher and continues to foster education and learning in our society and the community.
Nelda is presently the Treasurer for Apha Theta and a treasured member of Delta Kappa Gamma.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 June 2025 at 8:56 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – Karl Driesel, past president of the Barre Volunteer Fire Company and a former scoutmaster in Barre, puts part of a flag in a fire on Tuesday evening behind the Barre fire hall.
The fire company led a flag retirement ceremony. Boy Scout Troop 175 used to do the flag retirement ceremony each year in Barre near Flag Day, but the troop disbanded not long after the Covid pandemic in 2020, facing dwindling numbers.
The Barre Volunteer Fire Company decided to lead the effort on Tuesday. Flags that were worn out, tattered and faded were dropped off at the Barre Town Hall, fire hall or given to firefighters.
About 20 flags were given a dignified retirement on Tuesday.
Bert Mathes cuts a flag, separating the stripes from each other. The 13 alternating red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies. The stripes were set in the fire individually, and so was the corner with the 50 stars.
A small fire was used to retire the flags. From left include Karl Driesel, Barre Fire Chief Josh Jurs, Bert Mathes, Mark Farone, and Farone’s grandson, Aiden Narburgh.
Barre firefighters urged the community to leave worn out flags at the fire hall, town hall, Ace Hardware in Albion or the American Legion Post in Albion.
The group observes a moment of silence before the flag is retired at the beginning of the ceremony on Tuesday.
Dylan Parker, the fourth lieutenant for Barre, sets part of a flag in the fire.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), alongside Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), introduced a resolution reaffirming the United States’ steadfast support for Israel as it works to dismantle the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities and defends its citizens from ongoing Iranian attacks.
Additional cosponsors of this resolution include Representatives Don Bacon (NE-2), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-5), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-10), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6), Chris Smith (NJ-4), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-5), Randy Feenstra (IA-4), Tom Barrett (MI-7), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Maria Salazar (FL-27), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Robert Aderholt (AL-4), and Elise Stefanik (NY-21). The resolution was also supported by FDD Action, JINSA, AJC, AIPAC, and Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI).
For decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has actively pursued a nuclear weapons program in direct violation of international agreements while funding terrorism, threatening the existence of Israel, and fueling instability throughout the Middle East. Despite bipartisan diplomatic efforts across multiple U.S. administrations, Iran has consistently obstructed inspections, expelled international monitors, and advanced its uranium enrichment to levels dangerously close to weapons-grade. On Friday, June 13th, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared Iran in breach of its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
This resolution underscores the United States’ full support for Israel’s recent targeted actions to degrade the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, which protects not only Israel but also the United States and the free world. It reaffirms the vital importance of the U.S.-Israel alliance and makes clear that the pursuit of a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated.
“This bipartisan resolution reaffirms the United States’ unwavering support for Israel’s right to self-defense and for its bold, courageous efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program once and for all,” Tenney said. “The U.S.-Israel partnership remains unshakable, and this resolution sends a clear and unified message: we will work together to ensure the Iranian regime is never able to obtain a nuclear weapon.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2025 at 10:02 pm
Sharon Narburgh
POINT BREEZE – Sharon Narburgh, one of Point Breeze’s staunchest and most dedicated promoters, has passed away at age 83 on June 14, about two years after she closed Narby’s Superette & Tackle.
Narburgh ran the business for 58 years. She and her late husband Bill were the first business to sell fishing licenses in the state. Before, only municipalities sold the licenses. The Narburghs became active in promoting the local fishing industry, attending many sportsfishing trade shows on behalf of Orleans County, urging people to come to Orleans County and fish Lake Ontario and the tributaries.
Mr. Narburgh died unexpectedly in 1992. His wife would run the business another 31 years.
“She was definitely an icon around here,” said Ron Beirstone, the county’s sportfishing promotion coordinator and owner of Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge. “She was one of the earliest proponents and supporters of the fishery.”
Narburgh volunteered her time and attended many sports shows for the county, promoting the local fishery and amenities.
For 30 years she also compiled a daily fishing report. Narburgh listened to the fishing stories from her customers and local charter boat captains, and managed to compile their observations in a fishing report that became a go-to for local and out-of-town anglers. She stepped back from that duty in 2010, and received a citation from the County Legislature for doing that report for three decades.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Sharon Narburgh, owner of Narby’s Superette and Tackle, is shown in October 2020 for a news article about how local fishing-related businesses adapted during the Covid pandemic. Narburgh said Narby’s was busy during Covid. “We’re getting more people who were stuck at home and haven’t fished for years,” she said then. “They want to be out of the house.”
She was a big cheerleader for the area, and helped rally the community to land the “The Ultimate Fishing Town” designation for Point Breeze in 2013 from the World Fishing Network. Point Breeze topped 700 other fishing communities for the title and a $25,000 prize.
“I love this area,” Narburgh told county legislators in 2010 when she was honored by the group. “The potential for this area is just astronomical.”
The Albion Rotary Club in 2016 honored Sharon Narburgh as a Paul Harris Fellow, the club’s highest award. She is shown with Dick Pilon, left, and Bill Downey of the Rotary Club. Narburgh was recognized by the Albion Rotary Club for her long-time commitment to the club’s fishing derby. Narburgh sold more than half of the tickets for the fishing derby, which was last held in 2019.
Bierstine marveled how Narburgh ran a convenience store and gas station that also catered to tributary and lake fishermen. She kept up with a demanding business for more than 50 years.
“She did it all,” Bierstine said. “Narby’s was front and center for lake and tributary fishing. She was part of the earliest scene down here and she endured through all those years.”
Narburgh announced the closing of Narby’s in March 2023. In a Facebook post, she thanked her customers for their kindness, loyalty and friendship.
“Your loyalty and support have meant the world to me and I am truly humbled by the relationships we have built over the years,” Narburgh stated. “Although Narby’s Superette & Tackle may be closed, the memories and friendships forged within its walls will always remain cherished.”
The Albion Rotary Club in 2016 presented Narburgh with a Paul Harris Fellow, the club’s top award, for her many years helping with the annual fishing derby. Narby’s was a weigh station and Sharon regularly was the top ticket seller for the derby.
Calling hours will be held at Christopher Mitchell Funeral Home at 21 West Ave. in Albion from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25. A memorial Mass will immediately follow at the same location.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2025 at 3:47 pm
Prison officials say facility remains in ‘recovery phase’ after strike, trying to fill many positions
Photos by Tom Rivers: Melinda Samuelson, superintendent of the Albion Correctional Facility, gave a tour last week to about a dozen community members, including County Legislator John Fitzak at left, who is retired as a corrections officer next door at Orleans Correctional Facility.
ALBION – The Albion Correctional Facility last week gave community members a tour of the women’s prison. This is the third year the facility has let in some local business owners, clergy, elected officials and others for the tour.
Prison leaders said the facility is hiring, seeking to fill many civilian positions and more than 100 jobs as corrections officers.
The tour highlighted educational and vocational training opportunities for the incarcerated population.
“We’re very proud of what goes on inside the prison walls,” said Melinda Samuelson, the Albion Correctional superintendent. “We have a desire to help. We want them to leave on track and better prepared.”
She said many of the staff choose to stay at Albion long-term for their careers, with some even driving well over an hour each way. Some employees have left to work at other prisons and returned to Albion.
Greg Bennett, an Albion village trustee, works in the prison as a locksmith. He was on the tour last week. He said he wished he had taken a job at the prison sooner. He said there are good benefits and pay, and plenty of room for advancement.
Albion Correctional, besides needing to fill many corrections officer positions, also is hiring for keyboarding, mail, licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, vocational instructors, teachers, library clerk, recreation program leader, production control supervisor, administrative assistant and cooks. For more information, contact personnel at (585) 589-5511, ext. 3600.
Danielle Hodges (left), first deputy superintendent, walks with Se Starkweather Miller, the Albion village historian on the tour at the correctional facility, which several said would look like a college campus if there weren’t fences with razor wire on the perimeter.
The state’s prison system dominated the news with a 22-day strike by corrections officers that started Feb. 17 and ended March 10. About 2,000 corrections officers were fired when they didn’t report to work by a March 10 deadline. Staffing statewide at prisons dropped from about 13,500 before the strike to about 10,000 with many officers choosing to resign.
Corrections officers said the prisons have been short-staffed since long before the strike, resulting in far too much forced overtime, and COs said the prisons were less safe due to the HALT Act, which limits solitary confinement in prisons.
At Albion Correctional, the facility is about 130 officers short of being fully staffed and continues to have a National Guard presence. There are about 36 soldiers from the National Guard at Albion Correctional, down from 90 during the strike.
Albion Correctional should have 394 corrections officers to be fully staffed and currently is at about 260. (The facility also has 160 civilian jobs.)
The prison also has about 500 inmates, even though it was a capacity for 1,200. If the prison was at full capacity, it would need 463 COs and sergeants to be fully staffed, prison officials shared on the tour last week.
“We are in the recovery stage from the strike,” Samuelson said at the QWL building during a discussion before the tour. “Many have returned but we are still short. We are constantly recruiting.”
She said the administration strives to make the prison safer for staff and the incarcerated population. The COs have used body worn cameras since 2017 to record any of their interactions with inmates. There are 570 other CCTV cameras on site, and Samuelson said another 6,000 cameras are going in throughout the prison.
The prion’s top administration met with about a dozen people at the QWL building before heading out on a tour of Albion Correctional Facility.
Samuelson said the prison is doing more regional hiring. It used to be corrections officers and civilian staff often had family and friends that worked in a prison. But she said many COs no longer recommend the job.
Albion Correctional started doing the tours for the community in 2023 to try to shine a light on careers within the prison, she said, and the facility is doing more work fairs and listing positions on Indeed.
The administration also is trying to show staff more appreciation. One of the display boards had pictures of staff and thanked them for keeping the facility afloat during the recent strike and the continued staffing issues.
Albion Correctional has been holding steady at about 500 incarcerated women the past several years. She doubts the prison will get back near the 1,200.
Although the inmate population is much lower than its capacity, Samuelson said today’s incarcerated population often struggle with many challenges. More than 80 percent of the population has a diagnosed mental health issue, and many come to Albion plagued with drug addictions. About 130 of the inmates are on methadone treatment to help them with their opioid addictions. She said the prison reflects society with an increasing disrespect for others.
She praised the staff for teaching the incarcerated population new skills, better ways of dealing with anger and strategies for mental health challenges.
On the tour, the community members saw inmates making garbage receptacles and metal furniture. They were welding and painting bins that are prevalent at state parks.
Jeff Benfer leads the vocational program at the prison where inmates learn metal fabrication, welding and painting. He said 32 inmates recently earned more than 250 occupational ed credits as the program rebuilds after the Covid pandemic.
During Covid, the metal fabrication and painting was shut down so inmates could bottle sanitizer. The shop was transformed into a bottling site with 48 inmates working two shifts each day.
Benfer, the industrial superintendent, also oversees a section where inmates use CNC lasers to engrave name plates for park police, state troopers and corrections officers. They also make numerous plaques. Benfer said the group is trying to get caught up on back orders.
A culinary café prepares breakfasts and lunches for staff. During the 22-day strike, the café served 4,500 meals for staff, including making deliveries.
The café serves breakfast burritos with home fries, monster sandwiches, French toast, sausage and cheesy grits. For lunch, there are cheeseburger with fries, chicken finger poutine, chicken dip, meatball sliders, fried bologna sandwich with chips and a pickle.
Mike O’Conner has been the horticulture program instructor the past 10 years. He teaches the incarcerated women in the program to grow and care for flowers and vegetables. The program has a competition among the residence halls to see which ones can best display their flowers. O’Conner, center, is shown chatting with Sue Starkweather Miller, the Albion village historian and also a master gardener through the Cornell Cooperative extension.
Troy Hopson, left, was on the tour. He is director of a juvenile program in Auburn for incarcerated girls.
Some of the produce grown by the horticulture program has been donated to Community Action in Albion.
Melinda Samuelson, the prison superintendent, and Sue Starkweather Miller take a close look at some of the flowers grown in the greenhouse. Starkweather Miller also is a master gardener through the Cornell Cooperative Extension. She said there are opportunities for the horticulture program to partner with the community.
Albion Correctional is one of only three women-only prisons in the state. The other two, Bedford Hills and Taconic Correctional, are on the other side of the state in Westchester County. Albion and Taconic are both medium-security while Bedford Hills is a maximum-security site.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is looking to possibly close five prisons in the coming year. Samuelson believes Albion Correctional is in a good position to stay open as the only women’s prison in the western part of the state, and the many successful programs offered at the site.
The chapel at Albion Correctional Facility is one of the oldest structures remaining from the original prison complex built in the 1890s.
The site initially was established as the Western House of Refuge in 1890, with construction beginning in 1891 and operations starting in December 1893. The chapel was part of the initial complex.
The site has been a women-only prison since 1986.
The inside of the chapel shows where church services are held for the incarcerated population. Albion Correctional is trying to find a specialist to fix one of the old stained-glass windows above the pulpit.
ALFRED – The Spring 2024 Dean’s List features 755 Alfred State College students including several from Orleans County. To be named to the Dean’s List, students had to take a minimum of 12 credit hours of course work and earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0.
“I’m continually impressed by the dedication our students show in both the classroom and the labs,” commented Vice President for Academic Affairs Carrie Cokely, PhD. “Congratulations on achieving this milestone—keep pushing forward in your pursuit of academic excellence!”
The students from Orleans County on the Dean’s List include:
Lorelei Dillenbeck of Lyndonville, majoring in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Owen Hirschman of Kendall, majoring in Welding Technology
Alex King of Kendall, majoring in Business Administration
Xavier King of Medina, majoring in Welding Technology
Ethan Kuhn of Kendall, majoring in Health Sciences
James Salvatore of Albion, majoring in Motorsports Technology
Jacob Wilson of Lyndonville, majoring in Elec Cons & Maintenance Electrician
BUFFALO – The following students from Orleans County graduated from the University at Buffalo.
• Jylees Bermudez of Albion graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in health and human services from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Brooklyn Brown of Medina graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in public health from the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
• Amaya Cancino of Holley graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in health and human services from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Thomas Costello of Medina graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
• Ethan Creig of Medina graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history/social studies adolescence education from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Nathan Dillenbeck of Lyndonville graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
• Matthew Drum of Medina graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
• Anthony Gagliardo of Medina graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the College of Arts and Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in physics from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Ej Lloyd of Albion graduated with a bachelor’s degree in cognitive science from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Allison Lyndaker of Holley graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Elizabeth McCarthy of Medina graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
• Jaklin Mofardin of Lyndonville graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the College of Arts and Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Chris Shabazz of Albion graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geographic information science from the College of Arts and Sciences.
UB is New York State’s flagship and the largest and most comprehensive institution in the State University of New York system. The university awarded over 10,100 degrees across 18 school-based degree-conferral ceremonies held May 1-18 and earlier in the academic year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2025 at 10:25 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Mike Thaine directs the Albion High School concert band in the debut of “Freshly Baked Cookies.”
ALBION – The final concert of Mike Thaine’s career as a band teacher had an extra special element last week: an original composition that was played publicly for the first time.
Thaine’s wife Susan and their children, Abigail and Kyle, commissioned Stephen Shewan to write a piece that could be played in Thaine’s final concert of a 34-year career in public education.
Provided photo: Mike Thaine, left, and Stephen Shewan are pictured after the concert on June 10 in Albion.
Shewan, a Shelby resident, went to a band rehearsal last October. He noticed a strong camaraderie between Thaine and his students. After the rehearsal, about 20 students stayed after. The teacher had baked cookies and shared them with the kids. That day was close to Halloween and the cookies had candy corn in them.
“The cookies captured the love and joy that permeated this group of students and their director, somewhat like an informal breaking of bread,” Shewan wrote in the Albion concert program about the song. “It was evident the students and director had a special bond built upon mutual respect, love and appreciation.”
The six-minute piece, “Fresh Baked Cookies,” made its world debut on June 10 in the Albion Middle School Auditorium.
Shewan created a piece that he said is playful and youthful in spirit. He also wanted a few sleigh bell cameos to highlight Albion’s heritage as the home of a Santa School run by the late Charles Howard from 1937 util 1966.
Thaine is an Albion graduate. He worked in Steuben County, first a year at Greenwood and then seven years at Prattsburgh before returning to his alma in 1998 as the elementary music teacher, introducing third- and fourth-graders to musical instruments. He worked in that role for nine years before becoming the high school band and music teacher.
He has led multiple groups – the marching band, jazz band, pit orchestra and many smaller ensembles.
Thaine said he started baking cookies and breakfast casseroles for students about four or five years ago.
“I just think the world of the kids,” he said. “A lot of the kids like to stay and have lunch.”
He is pleased with Shewan’s composition and the title. The band started rehearsing with the music in February. Thaine said it is a challenging piece to play, which is what he wanted.
“I couldn’t have been happier,” Thaine said about the newly created music.
Villages, towns, cities and counties seek higher threshold, from $35,000 to $50,000
Press Release and joint statement from New York State Association of Counties, New York Association of Towns, and New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials
Local governments across New York State are grappling with significant workforce challenges across all areas of public service.
The ability to recruit and retain qualified employees for positions ranging from public health nurses to assessors and municipal finance officers has become increasingly difficult, particularly in rural areas where specialized expertise is at a premium.
The current $35,000 earnings cap for retired public employees seeking to return to government service has become a significant barrier to addressing these staffing shortages. This limitation, which has been adjusted only once since 2007, has not kept pace with inflation and no longer provides sufficient incentive for experienced professionals to continue contributing their invaluable knowledge and institutional expertise to public service.
S.6956-B (Ryan)/A.8720-A (Stirpe) would increase the earnings limitation from $35,000 to $50,000, providing local governments with the flexibility to address urgent staffing needs while ensuring that seasoned professionals can afford to return to public service roles without devastating impacts to their retirement benefits.
This legislation represents more than just a salary adjustment—it is an essential step toward addressing local government staffing challenges that will enable counties, cities, towns, and villages to recruit experienced professionals for hard-to-fill positions in specialized fields like public health, finance, corrections, and social services.
It will preserve institutional knowledge by allowing retiring employees to share their expertise to new workers, reduce recruitment costs and training time, and maintain high-quality public services during challenging workforce transitions.
The importance of this reform was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when an Executive Order temporarily removed the earnings cap to support staffing continuity. This temporary measure proved vital to maintaining essential services, but it expired in 2023, leaving local governments once again constrained by the outdated $35,000 limitation. Notably, the Legislature has already acted to suspend the cap for retirees working in schools and BOCES through 2027—recognizing the urgent need to expand the public workforce. This bill would extend that same flexibility to counties, cities, towns, and villages facing similar staffing challenges.
Local governments cannot afford to wait another year to address these pressing workforce challenges. We commend the Senate for passing this legislation and urge the Assembly to act swiftly to advance this bill before the end of the 2025 Legislative Session.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2025 at 8:02 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion’s park counselors for the upcoming season include, front row, from left: Ezra Bloom, Noah Harrison, Makyell Walker, Keira Zambito, Faith Bennett, Semaj Miller, Cierra Johnson, Sophia Albanese, Mia Prinzing and McKinley Knight. Back row: Mayzair Walker, ChrisJen Winters, Hailey Crawford, Dylan Baxter, Bri Dugan, Kendall Derisley and Paige Derisley.
ALBION – The Village of Albion summer park program kicks off a 6-week season on June 23 with a full slate of programs as well as free food for children every day. The season ends on Aug. 1.
The village has teamed with Foodlink to have lunches, snacks and beverage from Mondays through Thursdays, while the Masonic Lodge and the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries will provide meals on Fridays, usually pizza or tacos in the bag.
There will be park counselors at Bullard from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will lead children in games, arts and crafts and other activities.
The first couple days of the park program include registration. Children should have a list of their immunization records, said John Grillo, who is leading the summer program for Albion. Grillo has been the village’s recreation director for about 50 years.
Grillo said the options for the program have expanded with the recent additions of the basketball courts, splash pad, new pavilions, GaGa pit, walking trail, disc golf course, new playground apparatus.
Some highlights in the season include:
Tennis clinic from June 30 to July 3rd
July 3rd celebration later in the day, including fireworks
Wrestling and tennis camps from July 7-11
Baseball camp from July 14-18
County Park Fun Day on July 16 with bounce houses, food vendors
Volleyball camp from July 21-25
There are also outings planned including a trip to Dubby’s Tailgate on July 9, Cone Zone for ice cream on July 10 and 11, and bowling at Oak Orchard Lanes on July 24.
MEDINA – The Medina Police Department was dispatched to the 700 block of Church Street on June 12 for report of a man with a gun.
Upon arrival witnesses described that the man had displayed the gun in a threatening manner and fled the area prior to the patrols arrival.
The suspect was identified on scene and officers began searching the area. The suspect fled into the area of North and South Avenue where he was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit. A loaded .380 semi-automatic handgun matching witnesses’ descriptions was located along the path that the suspect fled.
Based on this incident, the following arrest was made:
Quincy Casanova, 29, of Medina who was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, Class C felony; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Class C felony; criminal use of a weapon, Class C felony; and second-degree menacing Class A misdemeanor; and endangering the welfare of a child, Class A misdemeanor.
Casanova was transported to Orleans County jail for centralized arraignment.
These types of incidents highlight the dangers that our law enforcement officers face all across the country, along with the bravery that they display when responding to help others.
The arresting officers from the Medina PD were Tanner Ferris and Brandon Brown. The Medina PD also would like to thank the Orleans County Dispatch, Sheriff’s road patrol and State Police for their assistance.
Local governments across New York State are grappling with significant workforce challenges across all areas of public service.
