Photos courtesy of Medina Lions Club: from left include new Medina Lions Club president Mark Irwin, Melvin Jones Award recipient Carol Bellack, and Jason Cogovan, the Lion of the Year.

Press Release, Medina Lions Club

MEDINA – The Medina Lions Club recently celebrated the end of the 2024-2025 program year with a fantastic turnout at the Junior Wilson Sportsman’s Club. The evening was filled with joy and excitement, as we gathered to honor many of our esteemed members.

Pete Kaiser installed the 2025-2026 board members, ensuring a smooth transition of leadership. The president for the upcoming year is Mark Irwin, who is taking the reins of the club for the second time, a testament to his proven leadership and commitment.

Carol Bellack, a true pillar of our club, was awarded the prestigious Melvin Jones Award, the highest honor a Lion can receive. Her dedication to managing our poinsettia sales and her seven-year tenure as the Club secretary are truly remarkable. She is an inspiration to us all.

Jason Cogovan was honored by outgoing president Thomas Robinson as the Lion of the Year. Jason is genuinely committed to the Medina Lions and assists in various areas, including the Medina Medical Loan Closet, Medina Lions Park cleanup, and the community yard sale, among others.

Our outgoing president, Thomas Robinson, concluded the evening by presenting the Lions Club scholarships to Josephine Pollock and Sofia Gagliard.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Thomas for his leadership and look forward to his continued support as a valuable resource to the Lions! GRRR!

Thomas Robinson, the club’s outgoing president, presents scholarships to Josephine Pollock and Sofia Gagliard.

‘This hurts a lot of people, and overall the economy. Because you have a bunch of people going home without a job, homeless and about to be not beneficial to society or themselves.’ – Unique Weeks

Photos by Tom Rivers: These Job Corps students include from left: Sienna Jack of Rochester, Unique Weeks of Bronx and Austin Show of New Hampshire and later Holley.

SHELBY – On May 29, the federal Department of Labor made an announcement that has threatened 99 Job Corps centers around the country, including the one in Orleans County in Shelby.

The DOL put those centers on “pause,” effectively shutting them down, claiming the centers were not successful – graduation rates were too low and incidents of violence too high.

DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced the 99 Job Corps would be suspended by the end of June. She said the centers haven’t been fulfilling their mission.

The DOL said the graduation rate nationwide at the centers is at 38.6 percent, with the average cost per student a year at $80,284. The average cost per graduate is $155,600, according to the DOL.

The National Job Corps Association countered that the DOL skewed the data, using information from 2023 when centers were still impacted by Covid restrictions.

Job Corps is currently operating at about half of its capacity because the DOL hasn’t allowed centers to do their own background checks on students. Since the DOL took over that duty in March, students haven’t been admitted.

The Job Corps graduation is historically closer to 60 percent, not the 38.6 percent from July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024, the association said. Job Corps said that prior to Covid restrictions in 2020, the average cost per Job Corps graduate was $57,312.

Three Iroquois Job Corps students and two of the center’s leaders spoke with the Orleans Hub recently.

Unique Weeks, 24, is from the Bronx. He recently completed the carpentry program and was planning to do the advanced training program at the Grafton Job Corps in Massachusetts. His younger brother also just started in Job Corps.

Weeks said he will try to find employment as a carpenter now that the advanced training program has been put in limbo.

He was working a “dead-end job” at a 7-11. He arrived at the Iroquois center on a cold day in Feb. 21, 2024. It was snowing.

Weeks learned to appreciate the setting of the Iroquois Job Corps in a wildlife refuge.

“It’s peaceful, it’s quiet,” he said. “It’s very therapeutic for city kids.”

Austin Shaw, 21, has been in the electrical program at Job Corps the past year. The New Hampshire native was living in Holley when he rode his bike to the center for a tour. He has embraced the program, on a path to a career after being homeless and making money stealing copper. He was slated for the advanced training program in Westover, Mass.

Shaw said he is grateful for all the training at Job Corps, which was at no charge to him. The students have access to power tools and other equipment, under the watchful eye of committed instructors.

“This place gave me discipline,” he said. “I was nervous and my life was chaotic. I was homeless and a copper thief.”

He said he will go back to New Hampshire and try to find a job or perhaps join the Navy. “I don’t really know,” he said.

He said the center is safe with very few fights. The incidents cited in the media and the DOL report “make it out to be way worse than it actually is.”

Sienna Jack, 19, of Rochester has been at the Job Corps for four months in the painting program. She said she will return to live with her family.

She said the Job Corps program has a 60-year track record of success.

“This is a free program that’s been around a long, long time,” she said.

Eric Seppala, left, is the center director of the Iroquois Job Corps in Shelby and JT Thomas is the director of operations.

Eric Seppala is director of the Iroquois center. He started as the security manager. He said the center has to “over report” incidents, including fender benders and damaged Chromebooks.

Job Corps has a “zero tolerance” policy for violence. Any incidents and the student misbehaving is out of the program.

The center was scrambling in early June to help students earn as many credentials as possible. Many won’t be able to fully complete their training program, based on the DOL order, but Seppala said they can still earn credentials such as being a flagger at a work or construction site, operating a fork lift, knowing customer relations, and other skills including OSHA credits.

Many students also are working towards earning their high school diplomas.

A lawsuit has paused the Job Corps directive from the DOL until June 25. The DOL ordered the 99 centers to close by June 30. The directive told the centers to send all students home by June 6. Although the lawsuit “paused” that order, Iroquois leaders said many students had already gone home by June 6.

The local Job Corps set up a “transition team” to help students get their paperwork in order, create resumes for job searches, and also to connect many with their Department of Social Services in their home counties. Many of the students were homeless before enrolling in Job Corps.

“We’re trying to give them every tool they need,” said JT Thomas, the director of operations and a 17-year employee at the Job Corps.

Thomas started at the Job Corps as a teacher, helping students with reading and to earn their high school diplomas. He was the academic manager before the operations director.

The following question and answer interview was conducted at the Iroquois Center on June 4:

Question: If you were the reporter what would you be asking about the Job Corps program?

Austin Shaw: I would be asking why are we really closing? What benefit does it provide to close all of this? Because we are giving people, who otherwise have little or no opportunities – people like me who were thriving off of copper theft or people that were in very bad home environments – a free opportunity.

We’re always being told to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, make something of yourself. Well, we came here to do that. Now look what just happened. People can’t do that anymore. And that is the real question. What benefit is there to closing this? Would you rather your tax dollars go somewhere else?

Unique Weeks: I think it will become like the college situation. It was free and now it’s not. People won’t be doing it because they won’t be able to afford it. There are plenty of trade schools that can do it already, but they are somewhat unattainable or they require a certain amount of years done. This one (Job Corps) you can come without your high school and still get a trade done and get your education.

Maybe they don’t want to give that to people for free. Maybe they want people to pay for it. But they are endangering society by that because they are taking away people’s livelihoods and the opportunities to get jobs. There may be more jobs but there is not a lot of people who can take them because they refuse to train them and there are few schools that do this inside of a school.

In 2024, there were more people going into trade schools than any other. This generation, they are calling us the blue-collar generation right now. This hurts a lot of people, and overall the economy. Because you have a bunch of people going home without a job, homeless and about to be not beneficial to society or themselves.

Austin Shaw: They’re back to where they were at the start. Even the wealthy states, and I’m from a wealthy state in New Hampshire, there is that underbelly of people who can’t get out of that. The average trade school there is like $3,000 to $4,000. That’s a substantial amount of money.

Sienna Jack: My biggest comment would be you’re taking away opportunities for people, especially the underprivileged people of color, the young students. You have to look at the homeless population and where do those kids go.

Question: JT, what have you enjoyed about your career here?

JT Thomas: The success of the students. The students come in with pretty much nothing. They tell you their stories. When I was their high school instructor, one of their projects was to write a story about themselves. The obstacles they had to overcome just to get to the center is impressive. My first speech to them is, ‘You guys inspire us to do our jobs.’ They inspire us. They are overcoming everything. They may say Job Corps does it for them, but Job Corps is just an avenue for them to do what they can do. We’re just there to support them. It’s the students that do it.

When they say only 38 or 40 percent graduate, these are kids who are coming from being homeless and from the streets. If you have 10 students come here, and 4 or 5 students get a job making more than I do, and people don’t see that as a success? All these other students would be on the streets still  or on social programs. People would be paying for them. They would either be in jail, homeless or living off of local or state programs.

It’s the students that we are here for.

‘The students come in with pretty much nothing. They are overcoming everything. They may say Job Corps does it for them, but Job Corps is just an avenue for them to do what they can do. We’re just there to support them. It’s the students that do it.’ – JT Thomas

Question: Eric you’ve been here for how long?

Eric Seppala: It’s about 6 ½ years. Before that I worked in a store and before that I had 22 years as a Genesee County deputy sheriff, and as a night supervisor and afternoon supervisor.

Question: Why Job Corps for you?

Eric Seppala: I was familiar with the program. Years ago they had us as law enforcement come out and we’d be here on pay days for students because they were paying them in cash. They would have one of us out here. We would escort the guy who was getting a considerable amount of cash and bring it back for all the students.

I knew what the program was and it’s close to home. When I had a chance to really look into it, I was really interested. It’s the way it changes peoples’ lives, the students. We’ve had them come from literally living under a bridge for four years and they come here and are as rough and as awful as you can be and by the time they leave a year later, they are walking out and they’re stepping into a job making $25 an hour as an apprentice.

Two years later you hear about them getting their journeymen’s papers and they’re making $40 an hour and they’re doing fantastic. Now it’s not every student but our students do do that. Our students leave here and they’re able to go to work and provide a better living for themselves and their family. That’s what this whole program is about.

Question: How did you tell them the news, that the government was viewing this as a failing program?

Eric Seppala: What they did is they played with the numbers. They pulled one year that was a bad year. They talked about there being 500 sexual assaults in one year. Well there’s 125 Job Corps sites, so that’s maybe 4 per center. We don’t have that many. We have very few.

You compare these numbers to where these kids come from and it’s so much safer.

That Transparency Report (from Department of Labor) was a bunch of garbage. The numbers in there were skewed. They did whatever they could to make it look worse.

A significant incident here, if someone knocks over a $5 plastic dispenser for napkins in the dining hall, that is a significant incident because it is government property and we have to report it.

JT Thomas: An adult student who is 18 or 19 they can leave the program, but if they leave without putting a pass in, that is an unauthorized exit and a significant incident report.

Question: Why do you think they (DOL) presented the report like they did? Are they against Job Corps?

Eric Seppala: If you look at the whole thing, with first of all them pausing the students from coming in. They stopped the background checks. They stopped them from coming in, and then the next thing that happened is this Transparency Report. Then the next week there are articles about how bad the Job Corps is.

They shut off our students. Then with every student we lose the cost-per-student goes up because we have the same staff in place.

Question: If Job Corps can continue through a court injunction or by Congress, how hard will it be to restart this program and bring students back?

JT Thomas: Every student going home is filling out a needs report. We’re getting all their contact information. If there is a restart, we have told them we will call them back. We will do that if we are given the opportunity.

Eric Seppala: Unless they get rid of the ban on the background checks, it wouldn’t matter. We would have students for up to a year but there wouldn’t be new students coming.

Question: Do you know how many graduates each year for all the Job Corps?

Eric Seppala: When we’re running almost full our numbers are close to 35,000 to 40,000.

JT Thomas:  Since the inception of Job Corps, there have been over 3 million graduates.

Question: This center would normally graduate how many?

JT Thomas: It depends on our on-board strength because they have been taking some things away. Last year we had about 150 to 160 on the list of students who graduated or who were graduating. It varies with that. We’ve had 200 to 300.

Question: Would you do two graduations a year?

JT Thomas: We used to but we haven’t since Covid.

Eric Seppala: It’s one and it’s in August. It’s open for students who graduated during that previous year and ones who are on center and who are going to. Last year we had 48 or 50 who walked in it. Once they leave here, I understand it’s hard for them to come back especially for our New York City students but they are welcome to come.

Question: Do you know how many Orleans County students you have?

JT Thomas: That varies. We have room for non-residential students. We have about 8 to 10.

Question: And those would be Orleans and Genesee?

JT Thomas: We have Niagara too.

Question: Where do most of the students come from?

Eric Seppala: Rochester is probably our biggest area. The way it’s broken down is Cassadaga (in Chautauqua County) they’ve been given Buffalo. Ours starts in Niagara County. So we have Niagara County, Orleans, Genesee and we go east to Wayne County. We also get students from New Jersey and New York City. We have partners that we work with that are recruiting down in New York City and New Jersey who are coming here for our trades. They try to connect them to a Job Corps with those trades.

Question: Do you feel like this is the end for Job Corps or it will work out?

Eric Seppala: We’re fighting for it.

JT Thomas: I’m optimistic. Schumer has been a supporter. Gillibrand has been a supporter. Tenney has been a supporter. All of our people have been supportive. Our community is supportive.

For our Congress, we just hope they continue the support.

Question: It must have been difficult to see that report, for how Job Corps was presented?

Eric Seppala: I was reading it and after the second paragraph I could tell it was lies and manipulation. The National Job Corps Association has put out a rebuttal to it.

They are trying not to be political because this is a program for everybody. It’s not a Democratic program or a Republican program. We want everybody to support it because it’s a great program.

Press Release, Delta Kappa Gamma

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.

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.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

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.”

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.

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.

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.

Mike Thaine directs the 70-member band last week.

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.

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 3^rd
• July 3^rd 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.