Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Wayne Krull, center, recently received a commendation from the Orleans County Legislature for receiving the Douglas C. Zefting Award from the American Public Works Association Genesee Valley Chapter.

County Legislator Bill Eick is at left and John Papponetti, DPW commissioner for the county, is at right.

This award recognizes outstanding public service and achievement of an operational/maintenance level employee of a public works agency. Krull has worked for the county for 21 years.

He started his career with the Orleans County DPW in May 2001 as a motor equipment operator. In July 2015 he was promoted to Lead Motor Equipment Operator, and in January 2021 he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of the Public Works’ Highway Division.

“He has overseen several large culvert replacement projects,” said John Papponetti, the county’s DPW commissioner. “The most recent being the emergency replacement of the Yates Carlton Townline Road Culvert that collapsed as a result of a recent high water event. His drive and passion for his job sets the tone for our crews each day. Wayne’s positive attitude and willingness to learn on a daily basis is what earned him this award.”

Krull is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities and projects for DPW’s Highway Division. This includes project planning, project staffing, coordination with the towns and villages, coordination with vendors and contractors, and assisting the commissioner with planning highway capital improvement projects.

Wayne Krull is shown in an excavator in this photo from January 2020 when the DPW cleared trees, limbs, brush and debris from the original canal loop in Holley. The 2,000-foot long section is a rare remaining piece of the original Erie Canal west of Rochester. It is just west of Bennetts Corners Road and east of the lift bridge.

Pictured from left include Sophia Alexander (Barker), Camellia Higgins (Barker) and Diane Stamp.

Photo and information courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – Every year the Orleans/Niagara BOCES Business Office puts out a service guide to their component districts to describe the classes and services they offer.

Senior account clerk Diane Stamp likes to offer the Graphic Communications class a chance to design the cover.

“It gives us a chance to highlight the work of the students and gives them another piece to put in their portfolio,” said Mrs. Stamp.

Teacher Karen Krull collects the submissions and hands them over to Mrs. Stamp for consideration. This year she asked her co-workers to decide the winning cover and Barker student Camellia Higgins took the honors.

“She was very excited that she won,” said Ms. Krull. “She could not wait to go home and share her news with her family.”

Congratulations also go to her classmate Sophia Alexander, also a Barker student, who took first runner-up.

MEDINA – The community impact the United Way of Orleans County is growing every day, director Dean Bellack said, after welcoming a full field of golfers to the annual event last Friday at Shelridge Country Club.

There were 144 golfers for the tournament on a sunny day for golf, refreshments, raffles, food and prizes.

“Our golf event adds needed revenue which we return to our underfunded local charities, like Project Stork, which assists hundreds of mothers and children with basic needs which they cannot fit into their budgets,” Bellack said. “Most of the people impacted by United Way are the working poor.”

The golf event started with a welcome by Bellack, followed with comments from United Way’s board president Jackie Dunham, fundraiser and event planner Nyla Gaylord and Jenny Staebell, head of Project Stork.

Dunham said this was the 15th golf tournament she had volunteered at for United Way, and she wouldn’t miss it.

Staebell explained Project Stork was a community-based organization and a small charity which affects a lot of lives in the county.

“We support low-income families,” she said. “Each month we assist more than 235 families, 115 of them in Orleans County.”

She said the $10,500 they received from United Way helps with their programs including “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies” and “Baby on Board.”

Photo courtesy of Melinda Rhim: This group was the winning team in the tournament. Pictured from left: Tom Hungerford, Donnell Holloway, Brian Cline and Lionel Rhim.

Next to speak was Roosevelt Bouie, who grew up in the Albion area, graduated from Kendall and played professional basketball after a Hall of Fame career at Syracuse University. He went to Italy and played there for 16 years.

Gaylord said Bouie was a friend of hers and a year ago she was talking about the tremendous needs in the community, when Bouie shared some great ideas to help the community.

As a kid, Bouie used to go to Bullard Park to play basketball.

“We’d play until we dropped,” he said.

Recently he learned a friend wanted to take her grandkids there, but the old basketball courts were gone.

“I made some calls, and a friend said his company could donate $2,500,” Bouie said.

That contributed to the push for new courts at the park. He met with Gaylord and told her he could get friends to support it. He formed the Bouie Foundation, where a 501c3 is pending. He learned the Boeheim Foundation had money to give and contacted them. With the help of Gaylord and United Way’s grant writer Matt Holland, they applied for a grant.

Bellack said they are optimistically waiting positive news very soon.

As he headed for the golf course, Bouie’s parting remark was, “I do not play golf like I play basketball.”

Photo and information courtesy of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County

KNOWLESVILLE – In anticipation of the historic 75th Orleans County Fair, the Cornell Cooperative Extension sought and received a generous grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation to repaint the historic pie tin and replace the signage.

The pie tin was beginning to show signs of disrepair, so the Extension took steps to safeguard this piece of local history.

The giant pie tin at the 4-H Fairgrounds symbolizes a story that began long ago. Going all the way back to 1928 and 1929, Orleans County had been home to the world’s largest pie, thanks to Charles Howard, of Santa School fame.

However, in 1932, that title was usurped by a 2,260-pound mince pie baked in the UK. After 44 years, in 1976, Orleans County decided that the time was ripe to reclaim the title.

However, 1977 was not to be the year of victory in Orleans County. Despite the best efforts of many volunteers, the attempted 17,985-pound pie was not to be. The pan failed and half-baked pie covered the parking lot.

Unfazed by the prior year’s mishap, the Pie Committee determined that this would be the year that their plans would come to fruition. After, 5 hours and 58 minutes of baking, a record-setting and delicious apple pie was finally completed.

The County Fair runs from July 25-30 this year.

Press Release, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee

Renee Hungerford

ALBION – The hard work and dedication of the team at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee recognized this week by the New York State Department of State.

In a certificate of recognition issued as part of Community Action Month, Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez wrote: “Today we recognize and express our gratitude to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Inc, under the leadership of Renee Hungerford, Executive Director, for their extraordinary efforts and service to the State of New York and their contributions to the ongoing efforts and service to the State of New York and their contributions to the ongoing efforts to strengthen and enhance the success of the community action network.”

Hungerford joined the Community Action in 2020. Since taking the reins as CEO, she has worked tirelessly to identify the needs of residents in the two counties and to pave to new paths that meet those needs close to home.

Most recently, Hungerford has been the driving force that launched Community Action’s recently announced “Axis of Care” program, which will increase access to healthcare for homeless and housing insecure families across the county.

That will be based out of the Eastern Orleans Community Center in Holley as a telehealth hub to access healthcare services.

Provided photos: Chrissy, left, and Janet both were trained over eight weeks at the Albion Correctional Facility.

ALBION – Two more dogs are being trained by incarcerated women at the Albion Correctional Facility. That brings the total to 14 dogs who have been trained to be adopted out by families.

Albion Correctional partnered with a new community volunteer trainer, Dawn Spencer, who has over 25 years of experience in dog training.  She is the owner of Eye of Oden K9 Training in Kent.

The program is in collaboration with PAWS Animal Shelter in Albion. Janet and Chrissy, 5-month-old border collie sisters, started in the program on April 21. Janet and Chrissy will go through an 8-week training program.

This team is training two border collies through a partnership at Albion Correctional, PAWS Animal Shelter and Dawn Spencer, a dog trainer.

During the eight weeks, two teams of three incarcerated individuals will serve as handlers for the dogs. Spencer will visit the facility once a week to put the puppies through the AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Program.

S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsible owner – the pillars of getting puppies off to a good start. Spencer will instruct the incarcerated individuals on what skills to work on each week.

The graduation of Janet and Chrissy is tentatively scheduled for June 13 and the dogs will be ready to go to their forever homes.

For information on adopting Janet or Chrissy, applications are available at paws14411.com.

Photos courtesy of Marsha Rivers

CARLTON – It was a glorious sunset on Sunday evening with deep colors on the horizon and lots of activity in the water at Point Breeze.

The top photo shows a boat passing through the Oak Orchard Harbor.

This fisherman tests his luck and skill in catching a fish from the pier at the Oak Orchard harbor.

After rain on Monday, showers are likely this morning in Orleans County, with a thunderstorm possible after 2 p.m. The high temperature will be 69, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

The forecast in the coming days includes a partly sunny Wednesday with a high of 74, a partly sunny Thursday with some showers likely and a high near 70.

On Friday it is forecast to be mostly sunny with a high near 73, followed by scattered showers and a high near 70 on Saturday.

Provided photo

ALBION – Albion students in Albion’s AP biology and chemistry classes continued an annual tradition where students fill planters with flowers. They are shown outside at the DPW. The AP students have been providing this community service for several years. The flowers will be in Albion’s downtown.

Students study the importance of plants as well as structure and biological properties.

Pictured in front include Samantha Hand, Shelby Hagen, Audrey Pask, Ashton Preston, Aidan Smith, Ulises Ledesma, Belen Rosario Soto,  and Mrs. Borner, the AP chemistry teacher.

This may be the last time the classes do this with no AP science classes planned for next school year.

The $4.94 price today is all-time high for the state

The price of gas for regular unleaded went up an average of 6 cents a gallon since Monday to $4.940, an all-time high in New York state, AAA is reporting this morning.

The price of $4.88 on Monday was down 5 cents from the previous Monday, while the national price jumped 25 cents in the week.

The state price was down due to the state suspending its 4-percent share of the sales tax on gas. That knocked about 16 cents off the price.

But the cost has continued to go up. AAA said the price of crude oil is about $120 a barrel.

“Crude prices have increased amid supply concerns from the market as the European Union works to implement a 90 percent ban on Russian oil imports by the end of this year,” AAA said on Monday. “Crude prices were also boosted by increased demand expectations from the market after China lifted COVID-19 restrictions in Shanghai. Additionally, EIA reported that total domestic stocks decreased. As a result, the current storage level is approximately 13.5 percent lower than a year ago, contributing to rising crude prices.”

While regular unleaded is at an all-time high and jumped 6 cents since yesterday, diesel is at $6.295, down a penny from $6.306 on Monday and from $6.452 a week ago. (A year ago the average price in NY was $3.086 a gallon for regular unleaded gas and $3.244 for diesel.)

Orleans has the highest average price per gallon in Western New York at $4.852 a gallon and Cattaraugus is the lowest at $4.698, AAA said.

Several counties have average prices over $5 a gallon – Franklin, Clinton, Hamilton, Queens, Kings (Brooklyn), Richmond (Staten Island), New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Duchess. Westchester has the highest price at $5.148 a gallon for regular unleaded.

Hochul says legislation closes loopholes exposed in mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Photo by Don Pollard – Office of the Governor: Kathy Hochul speaks during a news conference today in the Bronx about new gun legislation.

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed a landmark legislative package to immediately strengthen the state’s gun laws, close critical loopholes exposed by shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde and protect New Yorkers from the scourge of gun violence that continues to infect our nation and endanger our communities.

Governor Hochul signed the bills at the Northeast Bronx YMCA flanked by Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Carl Heastie, partners in the legislature, Attorney General Letitia James and victims and survivors of gun violence.

“Gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing our country apart. Thoughts and prayers won’t fix this, but taking strong action will,” Governor Hochul said.

Signed into law less than one month after the tragic white supremacist act of terror at a Buffalo supermarket, this comprehensive ten-bill package will: ban the sale of semiautomatic rifles to anyone under 21 by requiring a license; prohibit the purchase of body armor by anyone not engaged in an eligible profession; strengthen the Red Flag Law by expanding the list of people who can file for Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) and requiring law enforcement to file ERPOs under a very specified set of circumstances.

The state also will make threatening mass harm a crime; require microstamping for new semiautomatic handguns; enhance information sharing between state, local and federal agencies when guns are used in crimes and strengthen requirements for gun dealers related to record-keeping and safeguarding their inventory; close the “other gun” loophole by revising and widening the definition of a firearm; eliminate the grandfathering of large capacity feeding devices; and require social media platforms to provide a mechanism for users to report hateful conduct.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “Today, New York is taking swift, comprehensive action to combat the gun violence epidemic that continues to take the lives of innocent Americans each and every day. Across the nation, loopholes, lax laws, and the inaction of public officials allow guns to proliferate in our streets and devastate our communities. With this new package of gun laws, New York will continue to lead in imposing reasonable gun laws that keep our people safe, and I urge other states to follow suit. The time for thoughts and prayers alone has long passed — now is the time for action.”

Press Release, Albion Police Chief David Mogle

ALBION – On Sunday night around 11:24 p.m., Albion police officers were dispatched to the area of the West Avenue and West Academy Street intersection for the report of a bicyclist down in the roadway, who was described as unresponsive.

The preliminary investigation has determined that the male bicyclist was traveling Northbound on West Academy Street and failed to stop at the stop sign located at West Avenue, causing him to collide with the side of a flatbed tow truck that was traveling westbound on West Avenue, with a vehicle in-tow.

The male bicyclist was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight and is currently listed in “guarded” condition. The identity of the male bicyclist is not being released at this time. The name of the tow truck agency and tow truck operator’s identity are also being withheld at this time, as this investigation is ongoing.

At this time, no charges have been filed and the tow truck operator and his employer are cooperating fully with the investigation. Anyone with information related to this accident is urged to call the Albion Police Department at (585)589-5627 or the Orleans County Dispatch Center at (585)589-5527 (911).

Albion police officers were assisted at the scene by the Albion Fire Department, COVA Ambulance, Mercy Flight, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department and the New York State Police.

ALBION – Ron Albertson has been dreaming and working towards Aug. 6 for many years. That is the day Albion’s outdoor stage hosts its first big event.

The new amphitheater at Bullard Park will be the stage for several bands that day for the seventh Summer Festival featuring Rock the Park.

The event was cancelled the past two years due to Covid-19 restrictions and concerns. Rock the Park used to rent a tent and stage for the all-day concert.

“After all the hard work a lot of us put in this will be the first major event at the park utilizing the outdoor amphitheater,” Albertson said.

The day includes acoustic acts to start the music festival, followed by several bands. There also will be arts and crafts vendors, activities for children, and a beer tent.

The acoustic stage will feature Mark Fantasia and then the Remediators.

The lineup of bands includes Zero, The Who Dats, Shotgun Pauly, Dave Viterna Group, Vette, Eclipse and the closing act, Nerds Gone Wild. The Nerds are new to Rock the Park. They play many popular party songs from the 1980s.

The Albion Lions Club is one of the main sponsors of the event and its members are key organizers for the music festival.

Anyone interested in being a vendor should contact Debbie by text at 585-590-7500.

For more information, check the Music Festival’s Facebook page by clicking here.

The band 7th Heaven capped a day of music at Bullard Park on Aug. 3, 2019 during the Albion Summer Festival featuring Rock the Park. The sixth annual event attracted about 1,000 people to the park. Michael Giarrizzo, left, plays guitar and sings for the band, while Terry K. is the lead singer and Dave Quick is the bass player from Kendall.