Julie Woodworth from Lyndonville among the leaders of the trip, first since 2015 for college

Provided photo: (Left) Students and professors from SUNY Niagara pose in the Piazza del Duomo in Florence, Italy, during a recent trip to Europe. (Right) SUNY Niagara students and professors also visited the historic Jesuitenkirche St. Franz Xavar Church in Lucerne, Switzerland.

SANBORN – Two local professors from SUNY Niagara recently took 11 students on a study abroad trip spanning four countries.

Professors Bridget Beilein of Wilson and Julie Woodworth of Lyndonville led the trip May 14-23 to Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Beilein teaches Spanish and French and Woodworth is a professor of nursing. Also accompanying them was Jordan Lindsay, a technical assistant at the college.

“The last study abroad was in 2015, so we have revived it with this trip,” Woodworth said. “We have another planned to Amsterdam and France in May 2025.”

Areas visited included Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in Munich, Murano and Burano Islands where they learned about glass blowing; historic guided tours of St. Marcos Square in Venice and Milano, Italy; the funicular ride at Lake Como with amazing views of the city; stops to view the Lion Monument, Kapelibrucke and Jesuitankirche St. Franz Xaver Church in Lucerne; concluding with a visit to Rigi Mountain in the Swiss Apls and a Lindt chocolate museum tour.

Food delicacies enjoyed included pork schnitzel, apfelstrudel, sausages, pretzels in Germany and Austria, pizza, pasta and gelato from Italy and cheese fondue and chocolate from Switzerland.

One student said, “The study abroadship impacted me by giving me a more open-minded view of the world.”

A student named Angela said her favorite part was the Alps in Switzerland at the top of Rigi Mountain.

“It was just amazing,” she said. “I can’t wait to go next year to Paris and Amsterdam with the school.”

“Germany is a beautiful country and was a real surprise,” Woodworth said. “Visiting Dachau was a real eye-opening experience for all of us. We were able to see that there were hundreds of concentration camps where Jewish people were tortured and killed after enduring horrible encampment conditions. The Germans are committed to remembering this terrible past and never forgetting this tragic regime of a leader with a specific agenda to create a superior race and eradicate all others. This is a concerted effort to never repeat that history. The experience was life-changing for us all.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Sierra Apicella and her brother Xander are asked to look into a body bag where their younger sister Jasmine was pretending to be dead. Jasmine had makeup on her face to look like blood.

Chief County Coroner Scott Schmidt is at right. Holley police officer A.J. Fisher is at left.

Holley first responders staged a driving while intoxicated accident in front of the junior-senior high school. There were six students who were in the accident. Five had injuries and Jasmine was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sierra Apicella, 22, is overcome with emotion after seeing her sister lying motionless and pretending to be fatally injured in a car accident. Her brother, 25, also said it was difficult to see their younger sister in such a state.

“It was shocking,” Sierra said after the simulation. “It was a lot more than we thought.”

Lance Babcock has a neck brace as he led to an ambulance. About 75 Holley students watched from bleachers in the parking lot.

Holley did the simulation this morning. The junior-senior prom is tonight at the Ridgemont Country Club in Rochester.

Students were strongly encouraged not to drink and drive, and to be careful in the upcoming season of graduation parties. That includes any distracted driving, including texting and being overly tired.

Holley and Clarendon firefighters take the windshield out of a vehicle to try to extricate two students inside.

Gallo’s Performance Auto Parts donated an Infinity and Mazda to simulate the crash. The Village of Holley DPW brought a loader over this morning to smash up the vehicles to make them look like there had been an accident.

Holley police officers have Noah St. John do a field sobriety test to see if he can walk in a straight line. The Holley officers Jacob Buzard is at left and AJ Fisher is at right.

St. John said he considered it an honor to be part of the simulation, showing the serious consequences that can occur from drunk driving.

Lorenzo Zaragoza is taken by stretcher to a Monroe Ambulance to be transported.

Before going outside to see the simulation, Holley students saw a video that showed where some of the students pretended to be at a party, drinking alcohol. One student tried to stop them from getting in a car and driving.

The video then went to black, and then there was a 911 call about a two-vehicle accident in Murray with serious injuries.

Murray Fire Chief Rick Cary told students to show respect and look out for each other. Cary said car accidents with teen-agers are very difficult for the volunteer firefighters, who often have children of their own. He said the accidents are often avoidable.

“Guys, it’s up to you,” Cary told the students.

Holley has doing the simulation around prom and graduation season nearly every year for about 25 years, Cary said.

There also was a court proceeding in the school auditorium where St. John was arraigned on charges of felony aggravated vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated, facing likely imprisonment when he is sentenced.

Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone acted as the judge with assistant district attorney Susan Howard, left, the prosecutor and Elizabeth Ogden, an assistant district attorney who served as public defender. Holley police officer A.J. Fisher is at right.

Event raises funds and awareness for Special Olympics

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Albion students in Sheri Berg’s life skills class carried the torch and were part of a law enforcement torch run today in a benefit for the Special Olympics. Here they head up the main driveway leading the high school after being on East Avenue.

This is the second year the torch run was held in Albion. The students ran the first half of the course.

Law enforcement from the Albion Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, State Police and DEC joined students on the run which went about 2.7 miles.

Albion Police Chief David Mogle holds the torch while the law enforcement officers gathered near the start line in the village’s municipal lot on Platt Street next to Dubby’s Tailgate.

Turnout was about 40 for the torch run, more than double the debut last year.

“We hope to get even more next year,” Mogle said.

Emily Lanham, an Albion student, takes a turn carrying the torch. She is surrounded by many of her classmates with local law enforcement right behind the students.

Alex Yankevich carries the torch while the group heads down Route 31 past the Cone Zone. Devin Pahuta, a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office, is in back at left.

This group, led by Michele Fitzwater with the torch, passes in front of the Middle School where many students and teachers lined the sidewalk to cheer on the group.

Jeff Wilson, a retired Border Patrol officer, carries the torch while the group runs on Main Street. Wilson is the Western New York director of the law enforcement torch run.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Erin Weese, a senior at Albion, holds the winning poster for the upcoming Albion Strawberry Festival. The 36^th annual festival will be June 7-8 and features a theme, “Out of the this World.”

The festival committee picked the theme as a tie-in to all the hoopla around the solar eclipse on April 8. Weese created a poster with aliens and a spaceship. The poster will be displayed around the community to promote the two-day event which includes live music, arts and crafts vendors, food, a parade and other entertainment.

Krystlin Platt created this poster that came in second place.

Brynn Dugan holds her poster that came in third.

The Strawberry Festival also named the royalty for the event. Pictured from left includes royalty chairwoman McKenna Boyer; Allyson Bruski, princess; Anthony Napoli, prince; Lucy Rivers, queen; and Julia Button, queen.

They will be part of the parade on June 8 and serve as ambassadors for the event. See New York With Us (a travel website headed by Peter Bartula of Waterport) sponsored the royalty. The royalty needed a character reference from an Albion teacher, and needed to list some of their activities at school, ways they help their family and the community, and also tell about a person who inspires them.

Anthony is a seventh-grader who plays soccer and tries to helps his neighbors. He said soccer star Lionel Messi inspires him.

Allyson is a seventh-grader involved in soccer, basketball, swimming and softball, as well as FFA, the Yearbook Club and Multicultural Club. She enjoys helping her family, and said her older sister inspires her.

Julia, a sophomore, plays varsity soccer and track and field. She is in the Drama Cub, Select Choir and is helps her family with chores and jumps in for community events, including the Easter egg hunt, church basket auction and modified track meets. She picked her brother Hayden as her inspirational figure.

Lucy, a senior, plays varsity soccer and tennis, and also has been involved in the drama program, Student Council as president, high school band, Girl Scouts, The Class of 2024 vice president and Rotary Interact president. She works at Walgreens, and helps her family and at community events, including annual garbage pickups along the railroad tracks. She said her brother Reuben is an inspirational person with a kind heart.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman cuts the ribbon to celebrate the opening of two new full-size basketball courts at Butts Park. She is joined on the court by many local kids and adults who were eager to shoot some hoops this evening.

Other key supporters of the effort joined for the ribbon-cutting.

The courts opened on Tuesday.

“This is a direct result of what can happen when we pool resources to fill a need in the community,” Sherman said.

The village contributed $110,000 towards the project with that money coming from par tof its federal American Rescue Plan Act money. The Town of Shelby (representing by Councilman Jeff Schiffer at the ribbon-cutting) contributed $10,000 in ARPA funds.

Melissa Valley from the Medina Sports Boosters sought bids and donations for the courts. The Sports Boosters gave $3,332 and Valley reached out to Shelby Crushed Stone. Tom Biamonte, owner of the business, donated 800 tons of stone valued at about $8,000.

The new courts are painted in Medina Mustang colors. The group gathered for a ribbon cutting after 6 p.m. today.

The courts were busy this evening. Melissa Valley, a Medina teacher and coach, has pushed the past four years for the courts. She said there weren’t outdoor courts in any local parks.

She was thrilled to see so many players on the courts today.

“This is what this was all about,” Valley said watching a fast-paced pickup game. “I knew they would play. It’s been busy since they went up. There are lots of smiles.”

Sherman, the Medina mayor, also commended the Village Department of Public Works for prepping the site with the stone from Shelby Crushed Stone.

Sherman said the hoops have adjustable heights. She expects to see some tournaments on the new courts. Mainly, she is happy to see the immediate use.

The courts were painted in the Median colors on Friday and then striped on Saturday. On Tuesday the nets were back and the courts open. (The nets were removed temporarily so the courts could be painted.)

Former President Donald J. Trump

A jury in Manhattan found former President Donald Trump guilty of falsifying business records on all 34 felony counts today. Trump is to be sentenced on July 11 and is the first former president to be found guilty of a felony. He also is the first major-party candidate to be convicted of a crime while campaigning for the White House.

Gov. Kathy Hochul issued this statement: “Today’s verdict reaffirms that no one is above the law. In preparation for a verdict in this trial, I directed my Administration to closely coordinate with local and federal law enforcement and we continue to monitor the situation. We are committed to protecting the safety of all New Yorkers and the integrity of our judicial system.”

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, a Republican elected in New York’s 24^th Congressional District, decried the “rigged verdict” in the Trump trial. She issued this statement:

“This trial was never about the rule of law, it was a shameless attempt to silence President Trump. Biden is engaging in clear election interference against his opponent who is beating him in the polls.

“As a member of the New York Bar and daughter of a New York State Supreme Court Justice, I am appalled by the unethical politically motivated antics of Judge Merchan. He imposed unnecessary and unconstitutional gag orders on President Trump, effectively silencing him and hindering his ability to campaign freely.

“Judge Merchan engaged in obvious and unethical bias in a rush to get a guilty verdict, not to ensure justice under the law. Our country was founded on the principle of blind justice, but the Left has weaponized our legal system, trampling this core principle of our nation. This alarming abuse of power underscores a deeply troubling reality: we have a politicized, two-tiered system of justice in America.”

Congressman Joe Morelle, A Democrat representing NY’s 25^th District, issued this statement:

 “Today’s conviction of Donald Trump makes crystal clear a fundamental truth of our democracy: no one—not even a former President of the United States—is above the law.

 “I am grateful to the jury of everyday Americans who demonstrated exactly how our justice system is intended to work. It is my hope this brings us closer to uniting our country and restoring America’s faith in truth, integrity, and accountability.”

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt made this statement on social media: “The political weaponization of our judicial system by Democrats is disgraceful. This trial was a disgrace from the beginning and will rightfully be appealed.

“It will backfire on them when Donald Trump and Republicans win at the ballot box on November 5th.”

Keith Palmer creates images from wood-cut printing; Lift bridge print is fundraiser for Care Net

Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion native Keith Palmer holds a framed print of the lift bridge on Main Street in Albion that he made using a micro-chisel to carve into wood. He has 20 of the limited edition prints for sale with the proceeds to be given to Care Net of Greater Orleans. He is shown in Care Net’s Long Haul Gallery which opened a year ago.

ALBION – Since he retired as superintendent of Elba Central School about five years ago, Keith Palmer has moved from Albion with his wife Diane to Washington, DC to be closer to their adult children.

Palmer also has explored his artistic passion that he had sidelined during an busy career in public education. He also was a principal at Kendall and Pembroke.

Palmer took a silk-screen class in Washington, D.C. and enjoyed the class but his apartment in D.C. is too small to have equipment for silk-screen printing.

He then tried a wood-cut printing class at the Smithsonian. Palmer found he had a knack for using a micro-chisel to carve into wood in an old-time artform going back many centuries. Wood-cut printing also can be done at his kitchen table so space isn’t an issue.

“You need a steady hand and patience,” Palmer said.

He was back in Albion on Tuesday to drop off a framed print of the Main Street lift bridge in Albion. It will be sold by Care Net of Greater Orleans as a limited edition fundraiser. A framed print is $450, with the 10-inch by 22-inch print $300 without a frame.

Palmer spent about 175 hours on the project, carving the tiny details, including the lines between some of the sandstone blocks near the lift bridge. Once Palmer is done delicately carving into the wood, he puts ink on the surface and then prints it on paper, using the back of a spoon to press the paper against the carved wood block.

Care Net opened the Long Haul Gallery a year ago and the art work is sold to benefit the center. Wende Swick, the Care Net director, said the gallery so far has raised about $4,000 for Care Net, while also displaying some impressive works by artists.

Palmer was asked by his friend Marc O’Hearn to create a piece for Care Net. Palmer already is building a reputation in DC for his prints. He has been featured in the Washington Printmaker’s Gallery at Georgetown. One of his prints of his son Ryan’s cat was featured to promote an arts festival in Georgetown.

Palmer graduated from Houghton College with a teaching degree, and minored in art. He said he is grateful to use his art to help a cause in Albion.

“We like the city, but Albion will always be home,” Palmer said.

The Care Net center offers pregnancy testing, education and limited ultrasounds. Besides pregnancy testing and support, Care Net also offers STI testing and parenting classes for both males and females. Care Net also gives out material aid such as diapers, wipes, blankets and clothing up to size 24 months, when available.

MIDDLEPORT – After being closed since 2020, the Middleport lab draw station will officially reopen to the public on June 3.

The lab draw station is located adjacent to the offices of Dr. David Stahl and Dr. Celeste Stahl-Balaban.

In a press release today, Orleans Community Health has announced the station is ready to resume its services for the community.

“Our team is dedicated to providing efficient and reliable lab testing services, ensuring patients receive timely and accurate results,” according to Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach at Orleans Community Health.

The public is advised that appointments are walk-in during their hours of operation and no advance appointment has to be scheduled.

Patients are reminded to bring their lab scripts or have them faxed directly to the lab at (585) 798-9348.

Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Middleport Lab Draw Station is committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and care, and looks forward to meeting the community’s lab testing needs with professionalism and a smile.

Orleans Community Health will also continue to offer lab draw services at Medina Memorial Hospital and the Albion Healthcare Center.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Tim Wendel gave two presentations on Tuesday to sold-out crowds at Author’s Note in Medina. Wendel wrote Rebel Falls, a historical novel about Civil War spies in Niagara Falls.

The book also includes some scenes in Orleans County. He also discussed the book during a presentation on Wednesday at Woodward Memorial Library in Le Roy.

Wendel, a Lockport native, now is a resident of Charlottesville, Va. He said independent book stores like Author’s Note have been critical in helping get the word out about his books.

Rebel Falls is fiction, set in the late summer of 1864 and based on actual, yet long-obscured events and people of the Civil War in the Niagara Falls area, including and Orleans and Niagara counties.

He became interested in the Civil War after reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals and Carl Sandberg’s Lincoln. Wendel discovered while most of the fighting was going on in the south, espionage and spying was taking place all along the Canadian border. At the center of it were two spies, John Yates Beall and Bennet Burley, whom President Lincoln had refused to pardon for their crimes.

Their goal was to seize the USS Michigan, the only warship left on the Great Lakes, and create enough dissension that people would blame Lincoln and he would lose the election, which was to take place the day after the spies planned crime. They also planned to bomb Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo.

Author’s Note tried a new system for Wendel’s appearance, selling tickets for $5 to reserve a seat at the presentation. The $5 was then be deducted from the cost of purchasing a book.

Julie Berry, owner of Author’s Note, welcomes Tim Wendel to the bookstore on Tuesday.

Provided photos: At left are some of prizes for the Kid’s Scavenger Hunt. (Right) Live music will also return to the summer market, sponsored by Medina Lumber and Hardware. Performing here is local favorite Steve Novak.

MEDINA – A sure sign of summer is opening of the Canal Village Farmers’ Market in its original location at West Center Street and West Avenue.

The market will reopen there on Saturday, celebrating its ninth season in Medina, with many of the old favorite vendors and some new ones, as well.

“Our winter market had a great season in the former NAPA building, but we are definitely looking forward to opening day of the summer season,” said Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market. “The Saturday morning gathering of vendors, musicians, food trucks and friends is a welcome sign of summer.”

While the market operates under the auspices of ORG, a local 501©3 arts and culture organization, many aspects of the market are dependent on generous local sponsorships. Once again, overall summer market operations will be underwritten by Takeform, a well-known, local architectural graphics company in Medina.

“For the past two years, we’ve been immensely fortunate to have our general market operations funded by a generous donation by Takeform,” Busch said. “Bill Hungerford, president of Takeform, has been unhesitatingly generous and supportive of what we do here every summer. We can’t thank him enough for his considerate assistance in keeping Medina’s community farmer’s market a viable, on-going asset to our village.”

Gail Miller has been manager of the market since it opened.

“All of us are looking forward to a great summer season for the Canal Village Farmers’ Market,” Miller said. “We’ll have a lot packed into the Saturday market – regular and rotating vendors, food trucks, kids’ scavenger hunts, crafters and more. We’re also hoping to do some food demos, too. As always, weekly updates will be posted on our Facebook page.”

Returning anchor vendors include Baker Farms, Bower Family Farms, Human Farms, Heartland Organics, LockRidge Apiary, Gardner’s Gardens and Dot’s Pantry (every other week).

Regular featured products are local beef, pork, chicken, garlic, garlic powder, eggs, mushrooms, cheese, numerous fruit and vegetable options, cut flowers, jams, fudge, barbecue sauce, herb blends, honey and many other seasonal items.

Making a return with wine, mead and spirits will be 810 Meadworks, the popular Black Button Distilling and other wineries, to be announced.

A great lineup of food trucks will be at the market this season, Miller said.

“There’s a nice variety for all tastes this year,” she said. “Food trucks will rotate in and out throughout the season. In addition to the weekly anchor El Gran Burrito, the market will welcome two additional regular food trucks.”

Miller said they are incredibly excited to welcome pitmaster Scott Gypson of Gasport with his TN Smoke House and NOLA Confections, who will be selling New Orleans style snow cones.

“A native of Middleport, Scott Gypson spent a number of years living in Tennessee, where he learned and mastered the art of smoking meat,” Miller said. “He uses nothing but the highest quality meats and we are super psyched to have his BBQ with us. His business was recently featured in a Hub article.”

TN Smoke House will be at the market on opening day and will appear numerous times throughout the season.

Organic mushrooms from Heartland Organics are works of art and nutritious to eat, along with farm-fresh produce from Human Farms and Greenhouse. They are among the vendors at Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market.

NOLA Confections’ snow cones are a sweet made with a mound of fluffy shaved ice flavored with sweet syrups and topped or stuffed with a number of mix-ins or add-ons. They will be at the market every Saturday with the same schedule as El Gran Burrito.

Other food trucks scheduled to visit throughout the season are Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza from Albion and Greenlief’s on the Go from Middleport.

Artisans and crafters appearing at the market include Katlyn Koch Crochet, Lucky Violet Color Co., Laurels by the Creek and others still in the planning.

“We’ve been contacted by quite a few artisans and crafters, and some spots are still available,” Miller said. “There will be more to announce soon.”

Live music will again be featured at the market this summer, sponsored by Medina Lumber and Hardware.

“We are thrilled for the music sponsorship from Medina Lumber and Hardware,” Miller said. “The summer market just wouldn’t be complete without it. It’s become a tradition. We are so grateful owner Tom Snyder has stepped up with a generous sponsorship to feature and support local musicians at the market. It really creates a festive atmosphere and our patrons thoroughly enjoy it.”

The ever-popular kids’ scavenger hunt will also return to the summer market. According to Miller, this is a “must do” activity for many kids, and they play every week.

Kids play by answering five market-related scavenger hunt questions to win a prize from a huge box of cool kids’ stuff.

“It’s great fun, and we have as much fun watching the kids enjoy themselves as they do playing,” Miller said.

The scavenger hunt has again been sponsored by Maureen Hungerford.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mrs. Hungerford for her sponsorship,” Miller said. “The scavenger hunt is such a popular attraction and kids absolutely adore the big prize box, which, thanks to Mrs. Hungerford, is always stocked with cool kid stuff.”

Another popular feature is the Community Tent.

“The tent is for community organizations, such as tourism, veterans’ organizations, health and wellness organizations, Master Gardeners, charitable organizations and the like,” Miller said. “It gives these agencies a helpful outlet to share information about services, etc.”

 Some appearances to watch for at the tent include the New York State Division of Veteran Services distributing Fresh Connect Checks to veterans on June 8. The Orleans County Veterans’ Association will be at the tent several weeks later to distribute them to veterans who could not make it on the 8th.

“Any community-oriented organizations who feel they might be appropriate for the market should contact us,” Miller said. “It’s a great opportunity to meet and greet the public.”

Miller said products available each Saturday are listed every week on the market’s Facebook page – Canal Village Farmers Market. Customers are encouraged to follow the page for up-to-date information.

The market will again have multiple options for making sales transactions.

“While most market transactions use cash, most all of our vendors now offer additional forms of payment, such as Square, PayPal and Venmo,” Miller said. “Payment options at the market have never been more convenient.”

The market also accepts Senior Coupons, WIC, SNAP and Fresh Connect Checks, and will soon be able to offer Double Up Food Bucks to SNAP recipients. More information will be available at the market manager’s tent.

“For SNAP/EBT users, each transaction makes the user eligible to receive the same amount spent in Fresh Connect Checks,” Miller said. “For example, a $20 SNAP purchase of market tokens means the user will receive $20 in Fresh Connect Checks, effectively doubling their purchase power.”

The market is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday. Market manager Gail Miller can be reached at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com or via Facebook Messenger.

File photo by Tom Rivers: David Warren of Kent plays Taps during a memorial service at Mount Albion Cemetery for the Albion Fire Department on June 6, 2019.

ALBION – The Albion Fire Department welcomes the community to attend the department’s annual memorial service at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Mount Albion Cemetery.

The service will be at the fireman’s memorial on the west side of the cemetery near the front by the koi fish pond.

The department will remember about 150 of its firefighters who have passed away since the department’s formation in 1831.

The memorial pond was dedicated to the Albion firefighters in 1983, when Donna Rodden was the mayor.

A bell will be rung when each name is announced.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Public Safety Building, which opened in 1998 at a former furniture store building, needs roof repairs and other upgrades.

ALBION – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney announced she is seeking $2 million towards repairs and upgrades of the Orleans County Public Safety Building.

That site needs a major repair to part of the roof, especially on the western side of the building, a former furniture store with a sizable flat roof.

The county is moving the Probation Department and District Attorney’s Office out of the building and into the former Genesee Community College campus in Albion. When the roof is fixed, the DA’s Office is expected to come back to the Public Safety Building.

The county is working on a full assessment of the Public Safety Building that would include the roof, the HVAC system, drainage and other issues with the building and site, said John Papponetti, the commissioner of the Department of Public Works for the county.

Tenney announced the roof work on the Public Safety Building as one of 15 projects she has selected to submit to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Community Project Funding process.

Tenney said those projects will benefit New York’s 24th District by improving water infrastructure, creating essential public facilities, supporting public safety, and promoting community revitalization.

The CPF process allows localities and non-profits to submit federal funding requests for high-priority community projects. Each application is subjected to a rigorous review process to ensure that it is a sound use of taxpayer dollars and that applicants have a clear and accountable plan to spend funds on targeted projects within a year, Tenney said.

“The Orleans County Public Safety Building is a vitally important epicenter for several functions of our government, housing the Sheriff, 911 Dispatch Center, District Attorney and Probation, so we are very appreciative to Congresswomen Tenny for making our project to upgrade this facility one the priority initiatives to be sent to the House Appropriations Committee,” said Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature. “Our DPW team has worked closely with Sheriff Bourke and DA Cardone to design a project that addresses critical structural issues with the facility in the most cost-effective manner possible while also helping improve the overall functionality of the building. This is not just a building project, it is an investment in our community’s safety and security.”

The full list of projects submitted by Tenney through the Community Project Funding process include:

• $4,528,000 for the Town of Phelps Sanitary Sewer Distribution Project
• $2,500,000 for the Cayuga County Lake Protection Plan Project
• $3,000,000 for the Village of Geneseo Water and Sewer Upgrades Project
• $3,500,000 for the Village of Waterloo Rock Storm Sewer Replacement Project
• $3,000,000 for the Town of Newfane Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades Project
• $1,500,000 for the Village of Mexico’s Water System Improvements Project
• $10,000,000 for the Genesee County Section 219 Environmental Infrastructure Project
• $2,250,000 for the Town of Torrey Water District #2 Project
• $2,000,000 for the Orleans County Public Safety Building Project
• $1,000,000 for the City of Oswego New Police Station Project
• $800,000 for the Town of Macedon Ambulance Relocation Project
• $5,000,000 for the Town of Lyons Revival and Community Empowerment Project
• $3,600,000 for Phase III of the City of Lockport’s Erie Canal Flight of Five Locks Rehabilitation Project
• $3,000,000 for the Wyoming County Silver Lake Dredging Project
• $4,050,000 for Jefferson County Installation of Runway 10 Omni-Directional Approach Lights at Watertown International Airport Project

Photos courtesy of Maarit Vaga: Bill Lattin welcomed guests to the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church during the first stop on the progressive organ tour Sunday to benefit the Cobblestone Society and Museum.

ALBION – The fourth progressive organ concert on Sunday to benefit the Cobblestone Museum was resounding success and a pure delight, said Maarit Vaga, chair of the event.

An audience of 72 was treated to musical selections highlighting the contrasts between three organs and a melodian in three different Albion area churches – the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, the First Presbyterian Church and the Cobblestone Church.

Scott Schmidt, organist and minister of music at the Barre Center Presbyterian Church, wove an engaging program of solo pieces and hymns, selected to demonstrate the range of each instrument, Vaga said.

“There were many opportunities for audience engagement as we sang familiar hymns, challenging ourselves to out-sing the organ and doing our best to provide four-part harmonies,” Vaga said. “The program’s interactive elements, along with Scott’s amiable approach made for a convivial afternoon of music and song.”

(Left) Organist Scott Schmidt sits at the William Johnson & Son organ in the loft of the Cobblestone Church, while concert goes fill the sanctuary. (Right) Kevin Gardner presents a short history of the Hook & Hastings organ at the First Presbyterian Church in Albion, while organist Scott Schmidt prepares to play.

The afternoon event began with a wine and cheese reception at the Pullman Church, and concluded with a scrumptious dinner at the Tavern on the Ridge, Vaga said.

“Maarit did a great job organizing the event,” said Cobblestone Museum director Doug Farley. “Our attendance was almost double what we had last year, so I am very pleased. We even had guests from as far away as Jamestown come up for the afternoon. The new Tavern on the Ridge was a pleasure to work with, and all 70-plus meals were prepared in very short order.”

Scott Schmidt demonstrated the historic melodian owned by former Cobblestone director Bill Lattin and loaned to the Cobblestone for Sunday’s Progressive Organ Concert.

Also at the Pullman Church, Bill Lattin, former Orleans County historian and director of the Cobblestone Museum, shared historical vignettes about the Pullman Church and the William Johnson & Son organ.

At the Presbyterian Church, elder Kevin Gardner presented a short history of their Hook & Hastings organ.

Farley provided a brief overview about the Cobblestone Church, saying prior to using an organ for services, the congregation sang to a melodian. On Sunday, Schmidt demonstrated the instrument loaned by Lattin, as they sang the familiar “Old Hundreth,” commonly called the “Doxology.”

Farley also described the Cobblestone’s organ, a 1904 Estey Reed organ, located in the loft of the church.

Several events are planned throughout the rest of the year, including a patriotic service at the Cobblestone Church at 11 a.m. July 7; “Back to the Garden – A Mid-summer Celebration: on July 10; a Flea Market on museum grounds July 20; Fall open house on Oct. 5; Preservation Banquet Oct. 25 at White Birch Golf Course; and “Simply Christmas” Dec. 7 at the Cobblestone Church.

Ongoing exhibits are Victorian Mourning Art, Historic Coverlets and 19th Century Orleans County Painters.

More information on any of these events can be found at www.CobblestoneMuseum.org or by calling (585) 589-9013.