ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has doubled the size of a medical scholarship, from $36,000 to $72,000 over four years.

The county started offering the scholarship in 1966 to entice young physicians to work as doctors in the county.

The Orleans County Medical Scholarship Board recommended the scholarship be increased due to the increased costs involved in medical training.

“The Orleans County Legislature wishes to ensure that Orleans County is meeting the needs of our residents by securing physicians for our future health care needs,” the Legislature said last week in voting to increase the scholarship.

Orleans shows largest percentage decline in WNY in 2020 Census count

Photos by Tom Rivers – Albion Correctional Facility looms large at the end of Washington Street in Albion. The site is the largest women’s prison in the state. In 2020, Albion Correctional had 759 female inmates out of the 1,315 women incarcerated in the state prisons.

When the Census population counts came out in mid-August, the data showed Orleans County had the largest percentage decline in Western New York.

Countywide the population went down 5.9 percent, or by 2,540 people from 42,883 in 2010 to 40,343 in 2020.

Among the 10 towns in the county, Albion had the biggest percentage loss, down 829 residents or a 9.8 percent drop – from 8,468 in 2010 to 7,639 in 2020.

The two state prisons are in the town of Albion and there has been much news attention about the shrinking inmate population with bail reform and a push to reduce the inmate population due to Covid-19 concerns.

Orleans Hub submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in August.

Today we were given answers to our questions about how the local and state-wide inmate population changed from 2010 to 2020.

The number of inmates is down at the two prisons, but not at the rate experienced statewide among the incarcerated population.

Statewide the number of inmates declined 39.9 percent from 2010 to 2020, down by 22,824 from 57,229 in 2010 to 34,405 in 2020.

The inmate population saw its biggest decline from 2019 to 2020, decreasing by 22.3 percent in one year, or by 9,871 inmates – from 44,276 to 34,405.

State-wide, here is how the inmate population changed each year from 2010 to 2020:

• 2010 – 57,229
• 2011 – 55,979, down 1,250 or 2.2%
• 2012 – 54,865, down 1,114 or 2.0%
• 2013 – 54,142, down 723 or 1.3%
• 2014 – 53,103, down 1,039 or 1.9%
• 2015 – 52,344, down 759 or 1.4%
• 2016 – 51,466, down 878 or 1.7%
• 2017 – 50,271, down 1,195 or 2.3%
• 2018 – 47,459, down 2,812 or 5.6%
• 2019 – 44,276, down 3,183 or 6.7%
• 2020 – 34,405, down 9,871 or 22.3%

The Orleans Correctional Facility is lined with a razor-wire fence. The facility was built on Gaines Basin Road about four decades ago.

The two local state prisons include the Albion Correctional Facility, a women’s prison, and Orleans Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison for men.

Albion Correctional is down 147 inmates over the 10 years from 906 to 759, a 16.2 percent decline. Orleans Correctional is down 212 inmates in the 10 years from 985 to 773, a 21.5 percent drop.

The total decline of 359 inmates at the two prisons accounts for 14.1 percent of the county’s 2,540-resident reduction in the 10 years.

The data from the Census Bureau shows a population drop in nearly every Orleans County municipality. Yates was the only municipality to avoid a loss in residents, but just barely. The town grew by 8 people or by 0.3 percent.

One basketball and two wrestling tournaments will highlight the action for this holiday week of area high school sports action.

The lone basketball tournament is at Genesee Community College where Roy-Hart will take on LeRoy in the semifinals of the Large School Division at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Attica will face Batavia in the other semi.

The consolation and championship games in the Large School Division are scheduled for Thursday.

Lyndonville will be competing in the 10 team Bolivar-Richburg Wrestling Tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Albion, Medina and Roy-Hart/Barker will all be competing in the Akron Wrestling Tournament. The JV competition is scheduled for Tuesday and the varsity matches for Wednesday.

Two non league basketball games are also on tap. Lyndonville is scheduled to visit Medina in a girls game at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and Medina is slated to host Bennett in a non league boys contest at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Positivity rate dropping in Orleans, Genesee

New York State set a new pandemic record for most new Covid cases in one day with 49,708 positive tests on Dec. 24. That passed the record set the day before with 44,431 new positive Covid cases.

The state also had 36,454 new cases reported on Saturday, which was Christmas. Those new cases included 7 in Orleans and 14 in Genesee.

Although the total number of new cases was down, the percent of positive tests increased from 12.4 percent on Friday to 14.2 percent on Saturday.

The percentage of positive tests in the past 7 days is 11.70 percent state-wide. Orleans and Genesee, which were near the top for highest positivity rates only two weeks ago, now are below the state rate. In Orleans, the 7-day positivity rate ending Dec. 24, is 8.9 percent and Genesee is at 9.7 percent.

“As we come home from holiday gatherings, it is as important as ever to take precautions to limit the spread of Covid-19 this season,” Governor Hochul said in a statement today. “Wear your mask, wash your hands, and if you haven’t yet, get vaccinated and boosted. The vaccine is the best tool we have to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe as we head into the new year. Take advantage of having it readily available and get yours today.”

The state will be running a Covid testing clinic this week from Monday through Saturday at the GCC campus center on Route 31 in Albion. The GCC site will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Saturday.

The site will offer tests by appointment, as well as walk-ins. Upon launch, all sites will offer RT-PCR testing. Rapid antigen and rapid PCR tests will also be available within a few days of opening, Hochul’s office said.

Starting on Monday, New Yorkers can make an appointment for a Covid-19 test by clicking here.

The unemployment rate in Orleans County was at a pandemic low in November – 3.7 percent.

The unemployment rate was down from 5.7 percent in November 2020 in Orleans County. The number employed in Orleans is up from 16,200 in November 2020 to 16,300 last month, while the number unemployed has dropped from 1,000 to 600 in the same 12 months.

State-wide the unemployment rate has dropped from 8.3 percent in November 2020 to 5.5 percent in November 2021.

Orleans County hit an unemployment high of 16.8 percent in April 2020, when many businesses were closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The rate has been trending down most of the year in Orleans County from 7.3% in January, 7.6% in February, 7.1% in March, 5.6% in April, 5.1% in May, 5.5% in June, 5.7% in July, 5.6% in August, 4.2% in September, 4.1% in October and 3.7% in November.

Among the metro areas, New York City has the highest unemployment rate at 8.0 percent, while Ithaca is the lowest at 2.9 percent.

The rate among the rural GLOW counties include Genesee, 3.3 percent; Livingston, 3.1 percent; Orleans, 3.7 percent; and Wyoming, 3.6 percent.

File photo: Adam Kirby holds the trophy for winning the 2019 corn yield contest in New York.

ALBION – An Albion farmer has again topped other corn growers in the state for the highest yield.

Adam Kirby finished first with a yield of 293.1075 in the strip, min, mulch, ridge – till non-irrigated category. Kirby used Pioneer seed PO947Q.

Some other nearby farmers won in the New York contest. Henry Everman of Dansville won conventional non-irrigated with a yield of 290.3780 and Tom Jeffres of Wyoming had the top yield, 263.4521, in strip, min, mulch, ridge-till irrigated

Kirby has now won the past three years. In 2019, he finished first with a 277.0 bushel yield in the strip till, non-irrigated category.

He won another category in 2020 with a 271.8 bushel yield in the conventional irrigated category. In 2020, he also was second in the strip, min, mulch, ridge-till non-irrigated category with a 273.6 yield.

Kirby and other winners around the country will be honored in March 2022 during Commodity Classic in New Orleans, La.

ALBION – The Hands 4 Hope ministry has been bringing food and taking prayer requests the past six years.

The group alternates going to four locations the first four Saturdays each month. Today was the first time in the ministry’s history that the fourth Saturday fell on Dec. 25.

Jack Burris, leader of hands 4 Hope, considered taking the day off because it’s Christmas, not sure if there would be volunteers or people in the community who would stop by. He reached out to volunteers with Hands 4 Hope and they wanted to be out today at Lydun Drive Extension.

They were there from 10:30 a.m. to noon. A group of about 15 people quickly formed around the Hands 4 Hope truck at 10:30, with some of the local residents helping to unload the truck and set up totes with clothing and tables with food.

Hands 4 Hope also gave toys to children. The wrapped gifts were donated by the Albion Lions Club.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Hands 4 Hope volunteer team today includes in front: Kellie Mata and Jack Burris. Back row: Randy LeBaron, Kevin Lemcke, Kathy Samborski, Aggie Recco and Neil Samborski.

Kevin Lemcke has been a steady volunteer with Jack Burris since the ministry started. Lemcke is there nearly every Saturday. He also helps clean the truck on Mondays and fill the bags with food. Hands 4 Hope gives out about 30 “shares” of food each week with bags of rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce, green beans, corn, soap, toilet paper, crackers and peanut butter.

Hands 4 Hope was able to give out eggs, milk and veegtables that were donated by the Open Door mission in Rochester. Neil Samborski drove to Rochester to get those items.

Christine Bannister also stopped by this morning and donated Bannister beef from the livestock farm in Carlton.

The youth group at Grace Baptist Church in Brockport also filled 25 stockings for Hands 4 Hope to give to community members this morning.

“It’s a blessing,” Lemcke said about being in the ministry. “I love doing this and giving back. Every day I feel blessed.”

Kellie Mata drove from Batavia to volunteer today at Hands 4 Hope. She enjoys being part of the team of volunteers.

“They’re great people,” she said about the Hands 4 Hope volunteers. “It makes me have a smile on my face being around these guys.”

Signs on Lyndun Drive directed people to Hands 4 Hope.

The ministry also makes stops on Wednesdays from April through September.

Jack Burris said the truck today was hard to miss due to its loud exhaust. One local resident donated $60 to help fix the exhaust.

He thanked his understanding and supportive wife for her blessing in being out in the morning with Hands 4 Hope.

The Rev. Randy LeBaron, leader of Go Scatter Ministries, met with many residents, taking prayer requests.

He was impressed that so many of the people, despite the struggles in their own lives with poverty and health issues, were more focused on other people.

“They want to pray for others and help others,” LeBaron said.

For more on Hands 4 Hope, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – There is sparse traffic today on Main Street in Albion with rain and fog on Christmas morning. Today is forecast for a high of 46.

The First Presbyterian Church of Albion wishes people a Merry Christmas.

It looked like Orleans County would get a White Christmas after several inches of snow fell on Wednesday and Thursday. This photo shows downtown Albion on Thursday.

Much of that snow has since melted.

The forecast the next few days includes a mostly cloudy Sunday with a high of 38, followed by a high near 35 on Monday, and a high near 40 on Tuesday.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans – Vol. 1, No. 33

ALBION – Hanging their stockings with care on Christmas Eve in this 1955 photograph from the William Monacelli collection at the Orleans County Dept. of History are from left: Barbara (9), Eileen (8), Charlotte (7) and Patricia (5), children of Mr. & Mrs. Lee Ward.

The photograph was taken at the home of their grandmother, Celestina Galluce, at 214 West Bank St. in Albion.

Patricia remembers the occasion vividly. Now Patricia Farone, she lives in Albion, as does her sister, Eileen Whiting. Charlotte Mann lives in Rochester and Barbara Haynes lives in Delaware.

Albion Advertiser, August 1959. Photo Courtesy Orleans County Historian

By Doug Farley, Cobblestone Museum Director – Vol 2. No. 46

GAINES – In 1959, the Hamlet of Childs joined forces with a handful of other hamlets in the Town of Gaines to celebrate the town’s Sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of its first settler in 1809. Leading up to the festivities, a Sesquicentennial Committee had been hard at work preparing a written history, as well as organizing several community events and celebrations to take place throughout the year.

The Sesquicentennial Committee was comprised of Supervisor Lester Canham, Honorary Chairman; J. Howard Pratt and Cary Lattin, Co-Chairmen; Mrs. Gerald (Janice) Thaine, Executive Secretary; Dean Sprague, Treasurer; Curtis Lyman, Program; Rev. John Minott, Donald Miles and Edwin Weeks, Program; Mrs. Harry Wilder, Hon. Bernard Ryan, and Thomas Heard, Jr., Advisors; and Miss Katharine Hutchinson, Promotion and Publicity. Sixty other town residents worked on various tasks including Antique Cars, Historical Booklet, Gaines Landmarks, Dance Committee, Auction, Parade and Floats, Midway Entertainment, and much more.

Gaines Sesquicentennial Publication, cover sketch by Mrs. Walter E. Mack

The Historical Booklet Committee presented the following dedication to their 32 page Sesquicentennial Publication:

“We wish to dedicate this booklet to your pioneer fathers and mothers who came into the Town of Gaines when it was a trackless wilderness and carved from that wilderness, our roads, our schools, our churches, our farms, our civilization – a righteous heritage of which we should be justly proud.”

Harriet Fitts Ryan, wife of Bernard Ryan, Chief Judge of the NYS Court of Claims, was called upon to write the sesquicentennial book’s Foreword.  (The Ryan family is shown above in the 1930s with Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt who made occasional trips to Gaines to visit the Ryan family.) Mrs. Ryan, originally from Mobile, Alabama, served the Sesquicentennial Committee as Hospitality Chair. Her Foreword to the publication follows:

“On a hot Fourth of July in 1921, I first set foot in the town of Gaines. I had thought my new home was in Albion, New York. But I was told in no uncertain terms, ‘You live in the Town of Gaines.” It was some time before I began to understand that the Town of Gaines was a township and to realize the miles encompassed therein. Gaines Village, Childs or Fairhaven, East Gaines, West Gaines, Gaines Basin, Five Corners, Eagle Harbor – it was some time before I realized that all of these constituted the Town of Gaines. However, in short time I realized the beauty of the homes and roads and by-ways of Gaines and the fine character of her citizens; and I felt proud to be an adopted daughter.

The beauty of the homes and the roads of Gaines is a direct inheritance from those who made the long trek over hill and stream from Massachusetts and Connecticut and settled these parts. They were the ones who planted the trees that were to grow into stately beauty and make travel on the Ridge the delight it is. God made the Ridge – mere man could have never given us the Ridge – but it was the early settlers who had the vision to set out the trees that would give shade and comfort to their descendants.  They were the ones, also, who gathered stones from fields and lake and, with their own hands, erected the cobblestone houses of Gaines.

These cobblestone buildings, the fame of which has spread from coast to coast, are the pride of every resident of this vicinity, the envy of every passing traveler.  Men and women of strength and determination were those pioneers – strong enough to journey by oxcart into a far country, determined enough to settle that country and make it a fair land. Men and women of vision and courage – vision enough to look to the future, courage enough to face the present. I, who can claim no descent from those sturdy men and women, am proud of what they did in those far-away days, am proud of the Town of Gaines. I am proud that my husband has lived all of his life in Gaines and that my sons are her native-born.

This sesqui-centennial is a tribute to the men and women who dared all and braved all, who left to us a goodly heritage. Now, let us who have come after them be worthy. Let us strive to leave behind us a community fair to behold, rich in tradition, in which our descendants will rejoice and be exceeding glad, a community that will inspire right living and the development of fine character. We have an obligation to the past and to the future. Noblesse oblige! There is more to it than two words. Let us fulfill that obligation.”

Courtesy Orleans County Historian

In those days, no historical celebration was complete without a beard growing contest. Over forty men participated in this face-lifting project and were photographed together for the August 13th issue of the Albion Advertiser.

Taking part included: (Front row) William Woolston, Theodore Schoonover, Thomas Manning, Glen Woolston, Ralph Appleton, Maynard Bannon, Gerald Thaine, David Sanford, and Everett Hobbs.  (Middle row)  Richard Appleton, Herbert Morrison, Paul Chappius, Richard Peruzzini, Harold Peruzzini, Peter Ricci, Wesley Bennett, James Kerridge, Colonel Ball, Dominic Martillotta, Sortman Jordan, Clure Appleton and Howard Pratt.  (Back row) Jesse Downey, Carl Huthsteiner, Donald Bennett, Andrew Butz, Albert Neal, Jr., William Schuler, Terry Neal, Kenneth Drew, David Youngs, Wilbur Scroger, Royce Freeman, Wayne Rath, Gordon Miller, Arthur Gould, Richard Hill, David Vagg, Rev. John Minott, Whitney Howes and Clifford Allen.

Even registering for the beard growing contest involved some tongue-in-check humor. (Photo Courtesy Orleans County Historian)

On the day of the celebration, a gala parade took place from Childs to Gaines with floats, bands, horses, carriages and old cars.  There was a historical exhibit, a horse show, church smorgasbord, Grange Square Dance and Carolyn Reed was chosen as Sesquicentennial Queen.

By Gina L. Miller

Reed Miller graduated from the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in 1957.

CARLTON – Terry Miller, deemed  “Gramps” by our granddaughter Kendall, has a direct spiritual connection to the official Santa Claus who circles the globe on Christmas Eve to deliver toys to all the children in one night.

You may have asked yourself, “How in the world does Santa know what every child wants for Christmas?”

Quite ingenious really. Santa depends on the SIA, “Santa Informants Agency.”

SIA Undercover Santas, Agents, Special Ops and new recruits are dispatched across the globe listening and noting every child’s Christmas wish. SIA, Undercover Santas can be found in department stores, toy stores, Christmas festivals and parades. Even those Santas at grocery stores ringing bells for the Salvation Army are new recruits hoping to be selected to become full-fledged SIA agents.

That’s how Santa knows who’s been good or bad. Santa is available to every child by way of the SIA, a secret agency who serve to preserve the spirit of Christmas.

High-ranking SIA agents are required to complete a rigorous training program at the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, originally located in Albion, NY and now currently operating in Midland, Michigan. (To learn more about the school click here.)

While SIA agents gather toy requests for Santa at the North Pole, the elves are tirelessly working 24-7 on their computers, laptops, iPads, iPhones, smart phones, tablets, Kindles and portals, downloading texts, reading Twitter, IG, FB messenger and emails from all the SIA agents operating all over the world gathering children’s requests for Christmas.

So the rest of the Miller family Santa connection goes like this…..

“Gramps” had an Uncle Reed who was a high-ranking SIA agent and graduate of the original Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School during the 1950s, when the school was in Albion.

Uncle Reed served as an undercover Santa for the SIA at Edward’s Department Store in Rochester, NY and often walked in local parades and participated in SIA graduations from the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.

Gramps never saw his Uncle Reed in his full Santa regalia because he was but a wee lad when Reed passed. But there is this one photograph saved by Garland Miller, Gramp’s father and  Reed’s younger brother. We keep this photograph attached to the back of the sketch of Uncle Reed in uniform.

Terry Miller holds a sketch of his uncle Reed Miller that was drawn by the late Dianne Dengel.

This sketch was drawn by a blossoming young artist, Dianne Dengel, in approximately 1957 when Reed Miller was stationed at Edward’s Department Store in Rochester.

Dianne’s story is impressive in its own and to say she was a talented local artist would be a disservice.

She was a prolific artist with over 30,000 portraits, including some well-known subjects such as Fred Rogers and Oprah. To learn more about this amazing female artist, click here.

I hope you enjoyed our Miller Family Santa Connection.

Photo and information courtesy of FMC Middleport

MIDDLEPORT – Employees from FMC’s Agricultural Sciences Plant in Middleport, working with Local 1180 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and plant management, put together a special holiday gift package for a Niagara County veteran and family this Christmas season.

They worked with Jennifer O. D’Andrea, the president and founder of Support, Empower, Respect Veterans (S.E.R.V.) Niagara, in providing the package featuring toys, a scooter, clothing, Bluetooth speaker, drone, blankets, crockpot and a first aid/toiletry box.

Preparing the items for delivery are (from left to right) Robert Scharlau, site support services; Josh Walker, maintenance manager; Katie Russell, FMC plant manager; and Josh Jackson, maintenance electrician.

ALBION – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced there will be 13 new Covid testing sites run by the state, including one at GCC’s Albion campus.

The new state testing sites are aimed to address a Covid surge. There were 44,431 new positive Covid cases on Thursday, a new record for the state during the pandemic.

The percentage of tests that were positive on Thursday was 12.37 percent.

“To get through this winter surge and protect New Yorkers, we will use every tool at our disposal,” Governor Hochul said. “By mobilizing testing sites throughout the state, we will make sure testing is more accessible and convenient for New Yorkers. We will continue to expand testing availability to every corner of the state, evaluating where more capacity and additional sites are needed soon.”

The GCC site at 456 West Ave. will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Saturday.

Each of the 13 sites will offer tests by appointment, as well as walk-ins. Upon launch, all sites will offer RT-PCR testing. Rapid antigen and rapid PCR tests will also be available within a few days of opening, Hochul’s office said.

Starting on Monday, New Yorkers can make an appointment for a Covid-19 test by clicking here.

‘Fowling’ and ‘soccer pool’ among the activities at 10,000 square-foot warehouse in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Rebecca and Brian Alexander are shown with one of their new games – “soccer pool” – that will be offered at Dubby’s Tailgate at 165 Platt St. in Albion.

The couple has operated the popular Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza the past three years. They will continue to run that mobile business while starting a new venture next week.

Dubby’s Tailgate will open on Wednesday from 3 to 10 p.m. with many backyard or tailgate games at a 10,000 square-foot warehouse previously used by Helena.

Barret Alexander, 10, eyes the bowling pins as he gets ready to throw a football about 30 feet. “Fowling” combines football and bowling in one of the games offered at Dubby’s Tailgate.

There are nine sets of throwing lanes on the artificial turf. Cornhole will also be available.

Dubby’s Tailgate has Skeeball and four dart boards.

The Alexanders say the business will be “a house of competition” for people to have fun indoors.

They will have the games ready next week, with a restaurant offering pizza and alcohol in the spring. For now the food options will be snacks and soda.

Brian and Rebecca are Carlton residents. They looked at sites in Brockport and Batavia for the business but decided on Albion, where they said the community has been very supportive of their mobile pizza business.

“Albion is where we started,” Rebecca said. “The community has been so welcoming.”

Barret Alexander gets ready to throw the football in a game of “fowling” against his sister, Abigail, 11.

The person who knocks down all of the pins first is the winner.

Brian Alexander tries soccer pool, where players use a soccer ball to knock balls in the pockets. Players can do trick shots, kicking the ball over some balls to hit the target.

Alexander, a civil engineer, built many of the games and tables with some help from friends. He repurposed bowling lanes for tables at Dubby’s Tailgate.

Pinball machines are among the activities at the new business.

Dubby’s Tailgate charges a $5 admission and then different costs for games, although some are free. Soccer pool is $30 an hour for groups of up to six. Fowling is $10 for unlimited play.

The venue will have 17 televisions, including two giant TVs. The Alexanders also want to display faces of community members to create the feeling of being in an arena.

They also plan to use the large parking lot to host events, including truck shows where people are welcome to cruise in and stay with their tailgates down.