By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 August 2025 at 9:17 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: A hazy sunset is shown at the veterans’ section of Mount Albion Cemetery this evening.
The National Weather Service has issued an air-quality alert beginning at midnight and continuing throughout Monday in Orleans due to wildlife smoke from Canada.
The alert covers most of upstate New York and is due air-quality levels in the outdoor air predicted to be greater than an Air Quality Index value of 100 for fine particulates. The higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern, the National Weather Service said.
The State Department of Health recommends that people consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. The very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants, the Weather Service said.
It’s going to be a hot week ahead. The high temperature sin the forecast for Orleans County include sunny and 86 on Monday, mostly sunny and 86 on Tuesday, partly sunny and 87 on Wednesday, mostly sunny and 87 on Thursday, sunny and 88 on Friday, and mostly sunny and 90 on Saturday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 August 2025 at 10:58 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CLARENDON – A fast-moving fire this morning devoured a garage and badly damaged a house at 17195 Elizabeth Drive.
The residents of the home safely got out and no one was injured from the fire.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 9:30 a.m. for reports of an attached garage fire spreading to the house. The garage at right in photo was totally destroyed from the fire.
Elizabeth Drive is located off Hall Road on the eastern end of Clarendon. This home was about 800 feet off Elizabeth on a private drive.
Multiple fire departments responded to the scene including Clarendon, Murray, Brockport, Spencerport, South Byron, Barre and Kendall.
Orleans County fire investigators also are at the scene.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 August 2025 at 7:53 am
7th Heaven closes out annual Albion music festival
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The band 7th Heaven fired up the crowd to close out the 10th Rock the Park music festival at Bullard Park.
This was the third year the event expanded to two days. There were 10 musical groups that played over the two days.
The crowd was rocking for the concert. The organizers gave away 500 glow sticks to the attendees.
Performers at the festival included three band son Friday – Triple Play, V3 and Bad Sign.
On Saturday, the performers included Carson and Sam, Shotgun Pauly, Stanton, Mixed Experience, driven, BeatleMagic and 7th Heaven.
7th Heaven opened its set with “There’s Never Been Any Reason” by Head East, followed by Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” “Surrender” by Cheap Trick, and “You Give Love A Bad Name” by Bon Jovi.
The band includes from left: Albion native Michael Giarrizzo, guitarist and singer for the band; Terry K., lead singer; Phil LaTona, the drummer; Dave Quick, the bass player from Kendall; and Eddie Krysinski on keyboards.
BeatleMagic made its debut at Rock the Park. The band had the crowd dancing to “Twist and Shout.”
BeatleMagic has been performing popular Beatles songs since 1999. The band includes Russ Thomas as John Lennon, Nelson Starr as Paul McCartney, Mike Kiel as George Harrison and Chris Mattioli as Ringo Starr.
Dylan DeSmit sings “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. DeSmit and driVen performed for nearly two hours. The drummer is Travis Mackie. DeSmit has been part of Rock the Park since its earliest days.
Mike “Thunder” Warren, guitarist for driVen, enjoys getting the crowd going at concerts. DriVen played a four-hour concert the day earlier at Back Porch 585 Tavern in Brockport, a concert that included a lengthy tribute of music by Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy, the frontman for Black Sabbath, died at age 76 on July 22.
Warren, who plays in the band Savage Cabbage, said Osbourne has long been a musical inspiration for him.
Jake Stinson of the Albion Lions Club works the grill and gets a hot dog ready for June Persia of the Lions. There were several food vendors at the event.
Jim Doyle attended Rock the Park for the first time on Saturday. He was pleased to see several hundred people enjoying the music under the main tent, with many others on the main grounds near the amphitheater.
Doyle is a music teacher and coordinates a concert series at Hoag Library. The next concert there is Aug. 16.
Doyle said the Albion community has embraced musicians of all types. A Wednesday concert series in the summer has been drawing several hundred people, too.
“Music has the power to bring people together of all ages,” Doyle said. “There is something magical about music.”
Dave Quick, 7th Heaven’s bass player, gave a high-energy performance during the band’s two-hour concert to close out the music festival.
Rock the Park has been a fundraiser for Bullard with proceeds helping to push for many improvements at the park in the past decade, including the amphitheater.
7th Heaven has performed at Rock the Park before, including as the closer of the 2019 event back when there wasn’t an amphitheater and a stage needed to be set up for the concerts. Saturday, the band got the prime slot on the new stage. The amphitheater has been steadily used since its first concert on June 19, 2021.
Photo by Natalie Baron: Heather Hapeman, owner of Dance Reflections by Miss Heather, poses with some of her dance families in front of her studio in downtown Albion.
By Natalie Baron, Orleans Hub intern
ALBION – This September, Heather Hapeman celebrates 20 years of Dance Reflections by Miss Heather, of which she is the owner and sole instructor. Dance Reflections is located at 52 North Main Street in Albion.
Photo by Erin Townsend: Pictured, from left: Theresa O’Hearn (Heather’s mother), Miss Heather Hapeman, Megan Morton (Heather’s friend) and Coraline Hapeman (Heather’s daughter). They, along with Heather’s father Tom and her husband Jared help out with the office duties for Dance Reflections. Coraline also helps out with the baby classes.
Dance Reflections’ success is a testament to strong bonds in a small town. Regarding how the studio has reached so many people in a location like Albion, Heather explained that she believes it is due to “the relationships I’ve had for so long with friends I’ve gone to school here with, graduated from Albion. I was born and raised here, so I’ve known a lot of people for many years. I’ve had a lot of friends and family in this town, and then there’s word of mouth. One thing led to another, and now I have over 125 dance families and 140 dancers.”
Provided photos: Heather Hapeman with daughter Coraline after this year’s recital.
Also contributing to the studio’s longevity is the ability to adapt to a shifting dance world while continuing to run the studio with consistency. “The world is has changed so much,” Heather stated, “so I make sure that I stay up-to-date with the world changing and dance styles changing. I make sure I go to dance conventions and that kind of stuff, ’cause styles of dance change a lot. Really nothing much else has changed. I’m a creature of habit! Parents appreciate that, too, because there’s so much going on in everybody’s lives, that to have something stay constant, it’s just easier for the parents, as well.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Heather looked for ways to keep her dancers involved. She launched “Project Dance Reflections from Home,” where 141 dancers were featured in a video tribute. She decorated the front of the studio with hearts for the kids. In 2021, dance photos were taken outside, and the recital was held at the 4-H Fairgrounds.
At the end of this year’s recital, the seniors, including Al Hand (front left), take their final bow. Heather said the hardest part of her job is saying goodbye to graduating seniors, who have, often, danced with her from a young age.
Last year, Heather taught 132 dancers, which is around the studio’s average. “I would say last year was probably one of our biggest years. We had over 750 people attend our dance recital, and that’s been the biggest crowd we’ve had. Usually, we teeter around 600 for our recital.”
Photos by Natalie Baron: Heather Hapeman with students from dance families.
Heather runs her business with a genuine passion for dance and care toward every dancer. She has been dancing since she was 3 years old, learning from Spotlight Studio’s owner, Rhonda Steffen. Heather has gone on to be a dance instructor for 26 years. She teaches all dances at Dance Reflections and limits class sizes in order to provide personal attention to her students. Some of her former students now bring their own children to dance at her studio. Her dance families are incredibly important to her and keep her loving what she does.
Pictured, from left: Matt, Crystal, Al, and Rianne Hand.
Al and Rianne Hand have been dancing at Miss Heather’s since elementary school. Rianne started when she was 3 years old and Al at 7. Their sister, Sam, used to do hip hop before she graduated, beginning at 9 years of age.
Dance mom Crystal Hand said her family chose Miss Heather’s because friends of the family were dancing there. “They were friends all through elementary school, so we were like, let’s dance with our friends! When we came here, we were like, we’re not leaving. We’re very happy here.”
Al, who graduated this year, did soft shoe ballet, point ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and lyrical. In high school, Al partook in a dance team and as a senior, danced in the senior dance and performed a solo. Rianne does jazz, hip hop, soft shoe ballet, point, lyrical and tap. Now that she is in high school, Rianne hopes to join a dance team. The Hand family also did family dance for a couple of years.
Al and Rianne shared their favorite memories of dancing at Miss Heather’s. Al gushed, “I remember, two years ago, it was a hip hop class. It had four people in it, and we mixed so well! I loved that we made little catchphrases about our dance moves, and we worked with Miss Heather to add some stuff, like ‘moonwalking’ and ‘getting jiggy with it.’ It was such a good dance, and I loved it!” Rianne expressed, “I think it was this year that we were doing a tap dance, and we got to do so much more stuff. It was very exciting! We were all in a circle next to each other, and we just had a really great time.”
Dance mom Rebecca Francis with daughter Evelynn.
“We’ve known Heather a long time,” said Rebecca Francis, mom of Evelynn. “My husband worked with her father. We’ve had a long family-friend connection, there. This past year was Evelynn’s first year dancing, and she just loves Heather. She’s wonderful with her.” This year, Evelynn did ballet, tap and hip hop. Evelynn’s favorite memory is the big stage and recital.
“We heard very good things about her from around town,” Joliene Pritchard, dance mom to Danielle and Gabriella, stated about Heather. “We were new to the area, so we heard about her through people in the community.” Daniella currently does hip hop and ballet, and she used to do tap. Gabriella has done hip hop and ballet, and she is starting tap this year. Daniella’s favorite memory is her first dance recital. Gabriella’s is learning from, and spending time with, Miss Heather.
Dance mom Mindy Warne smiles with Leah, her daughter.
Mindy Warne brought her daughter, Leah, to Dance Reflections when Leah was three years old. “From there, she fell in love with Miss Heather,” Mindy said. “Even though I’d never danced with another studio my whole life, there was no changing. She just absolutely loved Miss Heather. She’s been going here for eight years now.” Leah does hip hop, ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical. Leah’s favorite memory is “Making my best friends from here, because this is the place I met all my friends!”
Pictured are dance mom Lisa Russell and her daughter, Brynlee.
Like Mindy Warne, Lisa Russell also used to dance at Miss Heather’s. Now Lisa’s daughter, Brynlee, goes there. “Before I started dancing with her, I just thought she was so talented, just as a dancer, herself,” Lisa recalled, “and then when I started coming, it was so peaceful in here and so relaxing. I was in sports, too, but coming to dance felt like a nice break to get away and stretch and be active. Then we moved to Florida, and, coming back, Brynlee was really interested in dance. Of course I was gonna come back to Miss Heather, just ’cause I knew she would be so good with the little ones.”
Lisa continued, “And she honestly is just so organized. It’s so easy for the moms. You’re not ever unsure of what you should be doing or where you should be going. It’s fun.”
Brynlee does ballet and hip hop, and next year, she is going to do tap. Brynlee’s favorite memory is loving dancing and having freedom up onstage. From a mom but former dancer’s perspective, Lisa relayed her favorite memory, that being “the dance team when I was a senior, and she gave us the creative freedom to make our own dance, which was really, really fun, and she would guide us along and give us that space for creativity.”
Dance Reflections focuses its efforts on giving back, not on monetary gain. Over the years, the studio has supported many community causes, including Hospice of Orleans, PAWS Animal Shelter, Community Action, Albion School District PTA and Drama Departments, Lyndonville School District Drama Department and CURE for Childhood Cancer, as well as donations to basket raffles, fundraisers and community events.
In 2023, Dance Reflections was named “Organization of the Year” by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council for artistic excellence and community involvement. Heather was nominated by a dance family and was selected out of 18 nominees from Genesee and Orleans County.
Open House for Dance Reflections by Miss Heather will take place Wednesday, August 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors will get to see the studio and meet Miss Heather.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 August 2025 at 8:38 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The band, V3, performed Friday evening at Bullard Park for the 10th Rock the Park/Summer Music Festival at Bullard. From left in photo include Jesse Neely on bass, lead singer Kole Moore and Alex Fitzak on guitar.
The band plays classic and modern 2000s. Friday was the band’s first performance in about two years after their drummer, Shelby Starr, had a baby. V3 used to be known as Vette.
Kole Moore of Albion was thrilled to be back on stage performing with his friends in V3. He said he enjoys entertaining the crowd as lead singer in the band.
The amphitheater at Bullard Park has been turned into a rock stage. V3 includes Jesse Neely of Henrietta, Kole Moore of Albion, Shelby Starr of Rochester and Alex Fitzak of Albion.
The lineup of musicians for today includes:
11 a.m. – Carson and Sam (acoustic stage)
1:30 p.m. – Shotgun Pauly
2:30 p.m. – Stanton
3:30 p.m. – Mixed Experience
4:30 p.m. – driVen
6:30 p.m. – BeatleMagic
9 p.m. – 7th Heaven
The band Bad Sign closed out Friday’s lineup of performers. Triple Play was the first group on the stage.
Bad Sign plays blues, rock and southern rock. The band includes lead singer Erika Horning of Batavia, guitarist Erick Horning of Batavia, bass player Clint Worthington of Holley, drummer Joe Maino of Pembroke, and keyboardist Ron Bordinaro of Batavia.
Erika Horning sings “Born in the Bayou” during Friday’s concert. Her husband, Erick Horning, plays the guitar.
The music continues today with admission $5. There are several food vendors on site. Rock the Park is a fundraiser to support Bullard Park and the village parks.
Eligible farmers can seek reimbursement for overtime paid since Jan. 1, 2025
File photo by Tom Rivers: These farmworkers pick cucumbers in August 2019 along Townline Road in Barre.
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that eligible farm employers may now apply for the Farm Employer Overtime Credit Advance program and receive reimbursement for eligible overtime paid to employees since January 1, 2025.
Now in its second year, the Farm Employer Overtime Credit Advance program is a part of Governor Hochul’s plan to support New York’s farmers through a series of new and increased tax credits and other initiatives and helps to ensure that farm employers can continue to support their workers while reducing their tax burden.
“Our farmers and farm workers are the backbone of New York, and I’m doing everything in my power to ensure that they can thrive in their essential work of bringing fresh, local products to communities across New York,” Hochul said. “The Farm Employer Overtime Credit Advance is a big part of that, reducing the tax burden for our farm businesses while helping them to continue supporting their hardworking staff, caring for animals and harvesting perishable products. I encourage all eligible farmers to learn more about this program and submit their applications now for a certificate of advance payment.”
The Farm Employer Overtime Credit is a refundable tax credit available for farm employers who pay overtime wages, based on the phase-in of an overtime threshold in New York State. Beginning today, farm employers may submit an application to the Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) for a certificate of advance payment of eligible overtime paid between January 1 and July 31, 2025 so they can receive reimbursement from the Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF).
Farms that used a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) in 2024 may also apply for certification for eligible overtime paid between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Applications must be submitted to AGM by September 30.
After eligibility review, AGM will issue a certificate of payment to each approved farm employer. With a certificate of advance payment, the approved farmer or business owners (for example, partners or shareholders) can then request their share of the payment from the Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF). This request must be made no later than November 1, using the online services account at DTF’s website.
Farmers can apply for this refundable credit if they or their business:
is/are an eligible farmer; and
directly employ eligible farm employees that were paid eligible overtime or indirectly pay eligible overtime via the services of a PEO.
AGM hosted a special webinar in July to help eligible farmers prepare for the launch of the program. A recording of the webinar is available on AGM’s YouTube page.
New York State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Farm labor is a critical issue, and we are working hard to ensure that farmers have the resources they need to support their workforce while meeting their food production goals. Last year, the Overtime Tax Credit initiative had a great start, and we are looking forward to continuing to grow the program and make sure that our farmers and farm workers have the support they need.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 August 2025 at 5:13 pm
MEDINA – Baxter Healthcare will be hosting a community safety day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Baxter parking lot at 711 Park Ave.
There will be free food and beverages, as well as kid-friendly activities.
The Safety Committee at Baxter is an employee-led group who is hosting the event, and this week the facility is focused on both workplace and at home safety, with it all culminating with the community safety day.
The Medina Fire Department, Orleans County Sherif’s Department, and the K9 unit will be at the event doing demonstrations and talks about safety, as well as car seat safety checks.
Someone will be doing car care demonstrations and will be available to answer general car questions. There will be cornhole and water balloons set up, as well as face painting and temporary tattoos, balloon animals, and a coloring station.
There will also be a basket raffle to benefit the fire department.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 August 2025 at 5:00 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Employees from Environmental Enterprises, Inc. of Cincinnati work at a household hazardous waste collection event in Albion on Aug. 12, 2023. EEI will be back on Aug. 16 to collect more household hazardous waste.
ALBION – There are still about 200 spots available for Orleans County residents to stop by a household hazardous waste collection event on Aug. 16.
The county has contracted with Environmental Enterprises, Inc. of Cincinnati for residents to safely dispose of leftover chemicals, batteries, tires, oil and solvents at no charge to residents. So far more than 300 spots have been taken.
Residents can register by calling (585) 589-3198 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Orleans County Department of Planning and Development may take registrations up until Aug. 15.
The event will be at the Orleans County Highway Garage on West Academy Street in Albion. The county will collect all acceptable items from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and then 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. is reserved for tire collection only.
Acceptable items include pesticides, motor oiler & filters, adhesives, antifreeze, solvents, tires (limit 10), batteries, fluorescent bulbs, aerosols, oil-based paints and empty propane tanks.
Items that cannot be accepted include explosives, pressurized tanks, ammunition, PCBs, radioactive waste, medical water, electronics, latex paint, tires on rims and commercial tires.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 August 2025 at 3:35 pm
Andre Robinson of Hilton, left, and Alexander Inman of Albion both face charges.
ALBION – Two people are facing felony charges after a lengthy investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine in the villages of Albion, Holley and Medina, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.
Andre Robinson of Marple Lane in Hilton has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, an A1 felony.
Alexander C. Inman, 39, of Beechwood Boulevard in Albion has been charged with 2 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, which are B felonies.
The Task Force along with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and Orleans County Special Response Team executed a search warrant on July 29 at Robinson’s residence in Hilton, a 2018 Ford F 150 pickup truck and on the person of Robinson, who is also known as “Moola.”
From this search warrant police seized a quarter kilo of cocaine with a street value of over $50,000, $900 in cash and a 2018 Ford pickup truck, the Task Force reported.
Provided photos: A search warrant directed at Andre Robinson resulted in seizure of a quarter kilo of cocaine with a street value of over $50,000, $900 in cash and a 2018 Ford pickup truck.
Robinson was arraigned in Monroe County CAP Court and was committed to the Monroe County Jail without bail due to the A1 felony charge and his criminal history of three prior felony convictions, two being violent, the Task Force said.
Robinson today was sentenced in Orleans County Court for a drug charge stemming from an arrest by the Task Force on Aug. 20, 2024. Robinson was sentenced to 4 ½ years in state prison by County Court Judge Sanford Church, the maximum under a plea agreement.
The Albion Police Department on July 22 executed a search warrant regarding Alexander C. Inman. Police seized over two ounces of crack cocaine and numerous plastic vials used to package cocaine, the Task Force said.
The Task Force was assisted in the investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET), the Albion Police Department K9 and the Holley Police Department. The Task Force said further arrests and charges are pending in this case.
BATAVIA — What does a small-town person with autism and the nine Greek goddesses have in common?
Together they wrote a book, “The Nine Lives of Autism” by Daniel J. Crofts.
Join Crofts 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12 at the Arc GLOW Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road in Batavia, as he shares his powerful memoir about life with Asperger’s Syndrome, an Autism Spectrum Disorder. From early sensory struggles and social anxiety to work as a support professional and battles with OCD, Crofts offers personal insight and broader reflections on autism’s history.
Structured around the nine Muses of classical mythology, his story bleeds imagination, memoir and meaning in a uniquely engaging way.
Book copies will be available for $13; cash or Venmo accepted.
Sign-ups open for Friends & Family 5K
Arc GLOW will be hosting its 21st annual Friends & Family 5K and Fun Walk on Saturday, Sept. 20.
It is an event which gives people of all ages and skill levels an opportunity to participate. It also welcomes and embraces the participation of the people Arc GLOW serves, aligning with their mission to support people with disabilities in partnership with their families and community.
Returning will be Taste of Country, the signature event within the Friends and Family 5K, which features a wonderful display of fruits and vegetables donated by area farmers. Runners, walkers, sponsors and volunteers can take the taste of the country home with them.
The Friends & Family 5K raises funds for Arc GLOW programs and services and the Mary Anne Graney Scholarship.
Registration can be done online at ArcGLOW.org. For questions or to register by phone, contact Sandy Konfederath, race director, at (585) 343-1123 ext. 1715 or PR@ArcGLOW.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 August 2025 at 9:24 am
Money provides operational support for museum in Childs hamlet
Photos by Tom Rivers: Doug Farley, executive director for the Cobblestone Museum, speaks during a July 6 patriotic service at the Cobblestone Church. The church is in an 1834 building and hosts a church service every year near the July 4th holiday.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Museum has received a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and the $10,000 award will goes towards operating support.
The museum is one of 32 non-profit organizations in Western New York receiving a total of $630,000 in funding from the Community Foundation.
Doug Farley, the Cobblestone Museum executive director, said the museum is grateful for the funding.
“There are not a lot of grantors that provide operating support,” he said. “This type of grant covers a lot of overhead expenses.”
Farley said Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo recently expanded its reach to include Orleans County organizations.
The Community Foundation said the 32 grants were awarded after a competitive process. The organizations have to support at least one of the Community Foundation’s four community goals:
Achieve racial/ethnic equity
Promote economic mobility through educational achievement for residents living in low-income households
Steward significant environmental resources in the context of climate resilience
Promote regional vibrancy through architecture, arts and culture
Bill Lattin, retired director of the Cobblestone Museum, led a tour on May 17 of the outhouses on the museum’s campus, including the outhouse in this phot that is next to Farmers’ Hall. This outhouse is the fanciest of a collection at the museum. The outhouse is a five-seater in a Greek Revival architectural style.
The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo 2025 Competitive Grants recipients include:
716 Squash – $15,000 for “Educational Achievement to Low-Income Students”
Advocacy Institute – $15,000 for “General Operations in WNY”
African American Cultural Center of Buffalo – $14,000 for “Long Layover, A New Theatrical Production”
Arts for Learning WNY – $20,000 for “Artworks: Hired to Create. Inspired to Succeed: Year 2 of 3”
Buffalo-Area Engineering Awareness for Minorities (BEAM) – $18,000 for “School Year and Summer Engineering Exploration Programs”
Buffalo Arts Studio – $15,000 for “General Operations”
Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology – $36,000 for “Expanded Arts and Career Readiness Programming”
Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy – $20,000 for “General Operations: Year 1 of 3”
Buffalo Prep – $38,000 for “General Operations”
Buffalo Urban League – $20,000 for “YOLO-Your Life Changing Opportunity”
Cobblestone Society – $10,000 for “General Operations”
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County – $22,650 for “4H Youth Community Action Network”
Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative – $10,500 for “Champion of Change Training”
Grassroots Gardens of WNY – $15,000 for “General Operations: Year 3 of 3”
Green Options Buffalo aka GObike Buffalo – $19,508 for “City-Wide Equitable Advocacy Committee Development”
Infinity Visual and Performing Arts – $20,000 for “Rooted in Creativity: Equitable Arts Access”
Just Buffalo Literary Center – $15,000 for “General Operations”
King Urban Life Center – $30,000 for “Parent Child PLUS Program”
Martin House Restoration Corporation – $15,000 for “General Operations”
MCC-DC dba West Side Community Services – $15,000 for “General Operations”
Mental Health Advocates of WNY – $30,000 for “Basic Emotional Skills Training (BEST)”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 July 2025 at 6:53 pm
Event helped spearhead transformation of Albion’s main park
Photo by Tom Rivers: 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 band will close out this year’s festival with a concert starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday. This time they will be performing on the outdoor amphitheater at Bullard, instead of the stage shown in this photo. 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.
ALBION – It was about a decade ago when a group of music lovers in Albion dreamed up a way to combine their passion of music with a desire to upgrade Bullard Park.
They started Rock the Park, a music festival. The bands first played at the Elks Lodge in Albion before shifting to Bullard the following year, performing at a dilapidated pavilion.
People showed up to hear a lineup of bands, and the profit from the festival was used to hire a grantwriter to go after big state grants to help with Bullard’s improvements.
It took a a few tries, but Albion got the grant – nearly $500,000. That dilapidated pavilion is long gone. The park now has a splash pad, new playground equipment, two new pavilions, new bathrooms, an amphitheater/performance stage, new basketball courts and other upgrades with more in the works.
Rock the Park returns for its 10th music festival on Friday and Saturday. Ron Albertson, chairman of the event, has been there since the first one.
He is grateful and very happy Rock the Park helped build momentum for the Bullard transformation, while providing a showcase for musicians and fun times for the community.
“We’re hoping for a big turnout,” Albertson said about Rock the Park. “We’re thrilled with the acceptance the community has given us.”
The 2-day performance schedule includes:
Friday
6 p.m. – Triple Play
7:30 p.m. – V3
9 p.m. – Bad Sign
Saturday
11 a.m. – Carson and Sam (acoustic stage)
1:30 p.m. – Shotgun Pauly
2:30 p.m. – Stanton
3:30 p.m. – Mixed Experience
4:30 p.m. – driVen
6:30 p.m. – BeatleMagic
9 p.m. – 7th Heaven
Albertson sees big crowds at Bullard for the Wednesday concert series throughout the summer. A July 3rd day-long celebration capped by fireworks attracted big crowds of people for several hours at the park.
Bullard also is being rented for weddings, birthday partis and other gatherings.
“We were able to get us started on grants for the park upgrades,” Albertson said. “It was a good idea with like-minded people. And then things started rolling.”
The Albion Lions Club, Masonic Lodge, Village of Albion DPW and government have been partners in the improvements. Albertson is part of a non-profit, the Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc. that helps drive many of the projects at Bullard.
New pickleball courts went in next to the basketball courts at Bullard this week. A fundraiser for a beer and wine basket at Rock the Park will raise funds for the pickleball courts.
Albertson said G-ACRE also wants to have a new concessions stand at Bullard, and revamp the baseball field in the northwest corner.
G-ACRE also wants to help upgrade some of the neighborhood parks in the village.
Rock the Park will continue to direct its revenue to Bullard. The event raised about $4,000 last year. Admission is $5 for each day of music.
“We’re trying to keep it a community event, a family event,” Albertson said. “We want to keep it inexpensive for the people in our village.”
