Provided photo: Cory Lewis is director of Rehabilitation Services at Medina Memorial Hospital and Albion Healthcare Center. Orleans Community Health has announced the expansion of rehabilitation services at Medina Memorial Hospital.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the expansion of rehabilitation services at Medina Memorial Hospital and Albion Healthcare Center, providing patients with greater access to physical therapy,  occupational therapy and speech therapy in one convenient location.

Physical therapy services will continue to be available at both Medina Memorial Hospital and Albion Healthcare Center, ensuring patients throughout the community have convenient options for receiving care.

“This expansion is really about making rehabilitation services more accessible and convenient for our patients,” said Cory Lewis, director of Rehabilitation Services at Orleans Community Health. “By bringing occupational therapy to Medina, we’re creating a more centralized location where patients can access multiple rehabilitation services. At the same time, we’re maintaining physical therapy services in Albion to continue meeting the needs of that community.”

The move is part of reducing patient wait times, Lewis said. Wait times at local clinics have been long throughout this year, typically around three weeks, he added. A major goal of this expansion is to improve access and provide more timely therapy services for the community.

With staffing additions coming to PT in early November, OCH will be able to offer more appointments, later in the day. The Albion Healthcare Center will be treating patients until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, which should provide more options for those who have difficulty attending during traditional work hours.

“For many of our patients, rehabilitation is just one part of their overall path to getting healthier and stronger,” Lewis said. “Having these services located within the hospital allows us to work more closely with other departments and providers.”

Rehabilitation services at Orleans Community Health are designed to help individuals recover from injuries, surgeries, illnesses and other conditions that affect mobility, independence and everyday activities.

Physical therapy will be offered in Medina and Albion; occupational therapy in Medina and speech therapy in Medina.

This expansion reflects Orleans Community Health’s ongoing commitment to providing accessible, high quality healthcare services close to home.

“Our goal is to help patients get back to doing the things they enjoy and living as independently as possible,” Lewis said. “Whether someone is recovering from surgery, working through an injury or managing a chronic condition, we want to make sure they have the support and resources they need right here in their community.”

To make an appointment in Medina for PT, OT or ST, call (585) 798-0266; or for PT at the Albion Healthcare Center, call (585) 589-2273.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – New sidewalks are in along Maple Ridge Road in Medina. This photo from Monday shows the sidewalks looking east from Ricky Place.

About 2,000 feet of new sidewalks are going in along the north side of Maple Ridge as part of a project that is adding a pedestrian bridge over Oak Orchard Creek.

RJT Construction Services is the general contractor on the project after submitting the low bid of $837,448. Barton & Loguidice also provided engineering services for $166,300.

This section of Maple Ridge Road is looking west from Ricky Place. This section of Maple Ridge near the creek has become busier with a housing development, several new businesses and also the GCC campus center.

There are also about 200 available acres in the area being promoted for development by the EDA. (The sign for Mariachi de Oro Mexican restaurant can be seen in the distance.)

The new bridge and sidewalks have been several years in the waiting. The village in 2021 was awarded a $1,094,196 grant to construct the bridge and sidewalks as part of a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicycles. The funding was awarded by the state through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant.

That is covering 80 percent of the project. The remaining 20 percent will be paid locally from the village ($55,000), Town of Shelby ($130,000) and Orleans County ($97,500) using their share of funds from a now closed revolving loan fund through the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

The DeClerk family posted a picture on Facebook of Woody back home this afternoon in Albion after four days on the lam.

ALBION – Woody the wallaby is back home with the DeClerk family after about four days on the loose.

Woody was started during a thunder and lightning storm and took a high leap in his enclosure. He then squeezed through a window and took off from the DeClerk barn on Route 279.

Woody sparked a lot of comments on Facebook and social media as startled people on North Main Street and near the Five Corners seeing him in their backyards.

The Orleans Hub posted a story about Woody at 1:36 p.m. today. At around 3 p.m., Cary DeClerk, Woody’s owner was called by a resident at oak Orchard Estates off Route 98. He saw Woody in his backyard.

DeClerk headed over and could see Woody. He asked the man and his family to head inside. DeClerk got down on a knee. Woody eventually came close to DeClerk, who used a fishing net to catch Woody.

He then carried the 40-pound wallaby to his Jeep. Woody seemed happy to be back with DeClerk. He drove about a mile to their home on Route 279.

It didn’t take long for Woody to settle in for a long nap.

Woody joined a menagerie of other animals at the DeClerks, including two albino wallabies, and two red kangaroos.

DeClerk appreciates the community keeping a lookout for Woody the past few days.

“I can’t thank everyone enough,” he said.

Provided photo: The DeClerk family in Albion is missing their wallaby, which escaped during a storm four nights ago.

ALBION – A wallaby named Woody is a local a social media sensation, causing a stir and many double-takes by hopping around the northern part of Albion and the Five Corners in Gaines.

Woody is like a kangaroo. He escaped from his enclosure at the DeClerk family on Route 279 during a thunder and lightning storm about four nights ago. Woody is about three feet tall and weighs 40 pounds, said Cary DeClerk, Woody’s owner.

Woody must have been startled during the storm. He hopped above the feeder in his enclosure and squeezed through a 14-by-14-inch opening. He was then in the barn with other animals. DeClerk said a grandchild left the barn door open. There was some added excitement after baby piglets were born. Woody saw an opening and hopped off.

He has been spotted many times near the five corners intersection and in peoples’ backyards along Route 98, just north of the village.

DeClerk said Woody seems to be enjoying his freedom.

“He’s not aggressive,” DeClerk said. “He’s a very friendly animal. He’s carefree. He doesn’t cause any problems.”

If anyone sees the wallaby, DeClerk asked that they give him a call at 585-590-6566. If the animal sneaks into a backyard with a fence or into a garage or barn with a door, people could close the fence or door to hold him until DeClerk gets there.

Otherwise, Woody is difficult to corral.

 DeClerk worries Woody could eat a toxin, get hit by a vehicle or get attacked by a coyote. During winter, he might struggle to find food if he stays out in the cold.

DeClerk has two other albino wallabies, and two red kangaroos. He brought a wallaby to the Albion Fall Festival in 2025 as well as some of his other animals.

“I’m losing sleep over this guy being gone,” DeClerk said. “He is a personal friend of mine.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Cary DeClerk brough an albino wallaby to Albion’s Fall Festival on Oct. 4, 2025.

Heritage Award for Village of Medina, Western Orleans Senior Citizens for efforts maintaining railroad depot

Photos by Tom Rivers: Belhurst Castle in Geneva will be inducted into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame on Oct. 22.

MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Society will be inducting three more sites into its Hall of Fame on Oct. 22, bringing the total to 49 exceptional structures made of Medina Sandstone. The Hall of Fame started in 2013 and is located at City Hall in Medina.

The induction ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 in the meeting chambers of City Hall at 600 Main St.

The new inductees include the Belhurst Castle in Geneva, the Genesee County Jail in Batavia and the Titusville Presbyterian Church in Titusville, Pa. The Sandstone Society also will be presenting a Heritage Award to the Medina Village Board and Western Orleans Senor Center for their ongoing commitment to maintain the New York Central railroad depot, a Medina Sandstone building constructed in 1908.

Belhurst Castle – Geneva, NY

The inside of Belhurst Castle has thick walls made of Medina Sandstone. The site offers lodging, dining and event spaces.

Belhurst Castle in Geneva was built as a private three-story, nine-bay-wide mansion over four years from 1885 to 1889. It sits along the shores of Seneca Lake.

It was built with a rich brown Medina Sandstone. The site was a speakeasy and illegal gambling casino during the 1930s.

It was converted into a hotel, winery and spa in 1952, and offers overnight lodgings, dining, and event spaces. It has two restaurants, including one named the Stonecutters Tavern.

This historic 3-story Romanesque Revival stone mansion now hosts weddings and other major events. It has been named a “World’s Best Wine Hotel” by Wine Enthusiast, voted number three in USA TODAY’s Top 10 Wine Country Hotels, and voted one of the “Most Romantic Places” in New York State.

Belhurst was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

Genesee County Jail – Batavia, NY

The Genesee County Jail in Batavia was built from 1902-1903 in a Victorian Gothic and fortress-like structure made of Medina Sandstone. In the early days it served as the sheriff’s residence. It later was the offices for the Sheriff’s Department.

The jail on West Main Street features five turrets, quoins, and rusticated sandstone. The building was designed by Poughkeepsie architect William J. Beardsley, who also designed Attica State Prison.

The Genesee County Jail sits as a focal point in the Genesee County Courthouse Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The county sheriff and his family used to live in the front portion of the jail building until the 1970s. The jail originally had 10 to 15 cells. The county put a brick addition on the jail in 1985, increasing the capacity for 97 inmates.

The county built a new jail in 2024 at 3839 West Main Street Rd., but hasn’t neglected the sandstone site. The county in 2022-23 did a $2 million restoration on the old jail with lots of repointing and work on the sandstone and brick. The county repaired crumbling and deteriorated sandstone blocks, which were meticulously deconstructed, labeled and safely restored.

Workers then rebuilt the underlying foundation, concrete slab, and front porch walls before placing the historic sandstone back in position.

Titusville First Presbyterian Church – Titusville, Pennsylvania

Photo courtesy of David Miller

Titusville is the birthplace of modern American petroleum industry. Edwin Drake successfully struck oil on Aug. 27, 1859. The city’s population surged after the world’s first commercial oil well was drilled.

The earliest religious association in the Titus settlement was begun by the Presbyterians, and the congregation increased over the years, outgrowing four buildings before the current one was built of Medina red sandstone from 1887 to 1888 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style.

Rather than the conventional spire, the design called for a distinctive main tower topped by a belfry and dome. The wood of the interior is oak, and the pews are in a semicircular arrangement. The south-facing Emerson Chapel was added in 1907. The church contains a pipe organ and historic art glass windows designed by J & R Lamb Studios of New York City.

This church at 216 N. Franklin Street in Titusville is part of the Titusville Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Heritage Award – Village of Medina, Western Orleans Senior Citizens

The Sandstone Society is honoring the Village of Medina and the Senior Citizens of Western Orleans for their stewardship of the NY Central Depot, a Medina Sandstone building constructed in 1908, a site that continues as a social hub for older adults and other community events.

The site has been used as the Senior Citizens of Western Orleans since 1968. It started when a group of seniors got to thinking there should be a place in Medina for seniors to gather and enjoy camaraderie.

The village was approached about using the New York Central railroad depot on West Avenue, and an agreement was reached to allow use of the building.

The group at one time had 600 members. The Senior Center of Western Orleans now has about 250 members, and the center is still very active with euchre games, pinochle and luncheons.

There also are exercise classes on Wednesday mornings and one can expect to find a jigsaw puzzle in the works any time.

The center has a gift shop which is always full of unique gift items, puzzles, clothing, jewelry and hand-knitted and crocheted items.

The building has seen recent improvements with a new air-conditioner, exterior painting, and other upgrades.

Visitor spending in Orleans County sees steady increases

Photos by Tom Rivers

CARLTON – Donte Bovani, left, and his friend Dillon Williams both made the 5-hour drive from Scranton, Pa. on Sunday to fish in the Oak Orchard River.

The area is seeing its annual influx of visitors to the local Lake Ontario tributaries to try to catch big brown trout and Chinook salmon.

Fishing is the county’s top tourism draw. The county is seeing a steady increase in spending from visitors.

Donte Bovani and Dillon Williams could see the trout and salmon swimming updtream in the Oak Orchard River on Sunday.

Visitor spending in Orleans County

• 2025 – $44.7 million
• 2024 – $43.3 million
• 2023 – $41.9 million
• 2022 – $37.4 million
• 2021 – $30.9 million
• 2020 – $23.9 million

Source: Tourism Economics. Revenue from lodging, recreation, food & beverage, retail & service stations, transportation, and second homes.

The $44.7 million in tourism revenue breaks out to $2.7 million spent on lodging /accommodations; $7.9M spent on recreation/entertainment; $15.2 million spent on food & beverage; $5.9 million spent on retail goods and services; $800,000 on local transportation; and $12.1 million spent on vacation property/second homes, according to Tourism Economics.

This angler hopes for a bite from a Chinook salmon in the Oak Orchard River.

Chris Washington caught this brown trout on Sunday. He said the fish was foul-hooked on its side so he let it go.

Washington traveled five hours with his father and four of their friends from Mansfield, Ohio. They are spending the week in the county, trying to catch trout and salmon.

They have been coming here for 10 years.

“It’s relaxing,” Washington said.

Chris Washington has a Chinook on the line at the Waterport Dam.

Here are some more photos of the action at the Waterport Dam, one of the popular spots for the fishermen.

VICTOR – The Medina Marching Band competed on Saturday in Victor and won first place in its division, Small School 2, edging Le Roy with a score of 78.85 to 78.55.

This was the fourth competition of the season for Medina.

Their next competition is Oct. 17 in Webster followed by Oct. 24 in Greece with the season concluding in Syracuse at the Dome on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Other scores on Saturday include:

• SS3 – Marcus Whitman 72.20 and Falconer Frewsburg with 69.05.
• LS3 – Rochester 68.20
• LS2 – Greece, 82.35; Lancaster, 80.35; and West Seneca, 79.35
• SS1 – East Irondequoit, 85.1; Central Square, 81.65.
• National – West Genesee, 88.65; Cicero North Syracuse, 85.70; and Webster, 84.225.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: A group of students from Brockport Cheer Club volunteered at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday at State Street Park in Medina. The students cheered on the participants as they finished the 2-mile walk.

MEDINA – The annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Orleans County took place Saturday, starting and ending in State Street Park in Medina.

Donna Bushover places a flower in memory of her mother Izara Bauer in the Promise Garden which was part of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Saturday in State Street Park.

Prior to the walk, emcee Randy Bushover welcomed the crowd and shared facts relating to Alzheimer’s. A poignant feature of the event is the Promise Garden, in which loved ones plant a flower they have purchased to support the fight to end Alzheimer’s.

Flowers come in assorted colors, which each representing a different stage of the dreaded disease. A blue flower is carried by individuals currently living with the disease. A purple flower means they have lost someone to Alzheimer’s. Yellow means they are supporting or caring for some with Alzheimer’s. An orange flower signifies that person is supporting the cause and vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.

The white flower represents the hope for a future without Alzheimer’s disease. It is the symbol of the first person to survive Alzheimer’s.

Another feature of the day is the annual basket raffle sponsored by Mary Lou Tuohey, who lost both her parents to Alzheimer’s. When she owned Case-Nic Cookies, she displayed the baskets in her store window, and new owner Hans Rosentreter is continuing that. This year, tables were set up in front of the store with pictures of each numbered basket, to allow last minute supporters and walk/run participants to stop during their route to buy tickets.

Mary Lou’s daughter Nicole also continued her annual effort of making elephant links to join together and stretch down the block of Main Street. On Saturday, they were strung out on the lawn of State Street Park.

It takes a lot of volunteers to make the event successful, and this year they were fortunate to have students from Brockport State College come to help. The students in the Brockport Cheer Club attends sports and other community events, including Camp Good Days.

DJ Tom Shuh of Cheektowaga played music throughout the morning.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Medina raised at least $12,000.

Volunteers put up props for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday.

Denise Appleby works as a wildlife technician for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation out of the the DEC’s sub office at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.

By Douglas H. Domedion

BASOM – Overall it is the New York Department Of Environment (DEC) that manages our wildlife and environment lands and there is a lot of work to that.

Other outfits also get involved and one of the leaders is the New York State Conservation Council (NYSCC) which is our oldest statewide non-profit conservation organization (founded in 1933). It advocates for sound policies and practices to protect, restore and manage forests, wildlife, fish and scenic and recreation areas.

The Conservation Council represents over 300,000 sportsmen and women across the State which includes county federations, rod and gun clubs and affiliated groups. It works to protect the rights of individuals to hunt, fish, trap and own firearms. It is a volunteer-run, non-government organization that receives no state or federal funding. Members meet annually and with legislators and the DEC on environmental issues.

An outfit that is a member of the NYSCC is WNY Delta Waterfowl. They are dedicated to land conservation, habitat restoration and supporting waterfowl and hunters in Western New York. Locally they have put up and maintained many waterfowl nesting structures and even have trash pickup throughout our Alabama Swamp.

Every year the NYSCC awards folks who have done outstanding work towards their goals.  This year WNY Delta Waterfowl nominated an individual who is a DEC Wildlife Technical 3 that has done an outstanding job in her duties for many years at the four Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) in our area (Tonawanda, Oak Orchard, John White and Braddock Bay).

So what are the duties and responsibilities of a wildlife technician 3? There is not enough space in this column to list them all but here are a few.

• Duck and goose banding which is a dirty and rough job. Issuing trapping and waterfowl permits.
• Managing the water levels to provide the best conditions for wildlife and marsh maintenance.
• Bird surveys and monitoring which include eagle, osprey, waterfowl, shorebirds, marsh birds, grassland birds, prothonotary warblers etc.
• Fall pheasant stocking (twice a week) throughout the hunting season (another duty requiring a lot of endurance).
• Nuisance wildlife work (mainly deer and goose) which includes issuing permits and onsite visits and advise.
• Then there is the job of keeping track and coordinating removal of them which again be a very difficult job.
• Assist Operations (the part of local DEC that does grassland, dike and access road maintenance) with posting of boundaries and certain restricted areas.
• Maintaining the information on all the kiosks (over 10) in all the WMAs which contain a lot of information for the public.
• Come deer season there is the aging of deer at many butcher shops and the collection of deer parts for disease checking such as CWD and EHD.
• Then there is the periodic assigned regional phone duty and also at the local office phone too. This duty requires a vast amount of knowledge about wildlife and DEC regulations.
• Maintaining historical data of all marsh history and maintenance activities is a big and important job, too.
• Then there is the coordinated use of a couple hunting blinds on the WMAs. This is also the person who has to coordinate volunteers and supervise and train the local Wildlife Technician 2.
• There are often requests for information or appearances at sportsmen shows, fairs, field days and schools, too.

There are many more smaller duties but I’m running out of room! So who got this award for outstanding work in conservation field for performing all these duties? Why our own Wildlife Technician 3 Denise Appleby who works out of the DEC sub office at the INWR headquarters!

I have worked with this gal as a volunteer for 26 years and I can tell you no one deserves this award more than she does. I know how hard those duties can be out in the field and she has done them all in a very professional way and with great knowledge of what she was doing. Her dedication is top of the line.

One her pet projects was the coordination with Operations of the revamping of the Education Center on the Oak Orchard WMA.  Another has been the coordination of the spread of a special insect that has helped control the spread of the invasive Purple Loosestrife plant in our WMA’s. Congratulations Denise, you deserve this award for all the professionalism work you have provided us in the Alabama Swamps for all these years! Thank you!

Douglas Domedion is author of the Great Outdoors column.

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Mark and Jennifer Skurzewski of Batavia and their children, Sam and Patty, made a scarecrow on Saturday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The place was hopping with many families coming to make scarecrows in the annual Scarecrow Fest organized by the Medina Lions Club.

The Lions Club had enough straw, clothes, faces and other supplies for about 200 scarecrows.

Lions Club members Don Colquhoun and Julie Keller served at the operating table and stapled and tied the scarecrow together to give it some hardiness in the outdoor weather.

Clothing and accessories for the scarecrows are donated by the MAAC Thrift Shop. This includes shirts, blouses, hats, belts and pants.

Straw is donated by Ed Neal of Albion and Brian Dunham in Knowlesville.

The faces are made by Medina art students while Barden Homes donates the wood for the bodies.

Stormy and Paul Feitshans of Medina made a muscle-bound scarecrow with their children, Ry and Owen.

Dean Bellack and Pete Kaiser of the Medina Lions Club operated on a scarecrow, getting it put together for its outdoor duties in the fall.

Roman Solomon and Elizabeth Giarla of Lyndonville had fun making a scarecrow together.

The Orleans County Master Gardeners also had a station for people to paint and decorate pumpkins. River Cogovan of Lyndonville paints a pumpkin in a Frankenstein theme with some help from his cousin, Kenzie Muck of Lyndonville.

Elaine Clute, a master gardener, decorated this pumpkin with gourds for eyes, the stem for a nose and flowers for hair.

All of the pumpkins were donated by Panek Farms in Albion.

These pumpkins were carved and decorated by Alyssa Thomas, left, and her son Roen Thomas, age 9, on the right.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: The 30-Mile Point lighthouse at Golden Hill State Park will be decked out for the holidays today when Friends of the Lighthouse sponsor their annual Christmas at the Lighthouse.

BARKER – Christmas at the Lighthouse has been an annual event at Golden Hill State Park for more than 25 years.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, Friends of the Lighthouse will again open the lighthouse – decorated for the holidays – for tours by the public.

The day will also feature a barbecued pulled pork dinner, hot dogs and chili, as well as pop and coffee.

Renee Campbell, park manager, said she has been employed there 27 years and the event had already taken place for several years. It was an idea of Tom Harris as a fundraiser by Friends of the Lighthouse who were raising money to refurbish the landmark, Campbell said.

A basket raffle is also part of the day’s activities, and Santa is set to arrive about 1 p.m. The Gift Shop will be open and crafters and vendors will be set up on the grounds.

The lighthouse is a special place for Mike and Kathy Dreyfus of Medina, whose daughter was married there. Since then, they have been supporters of the lighthouse – especially Mike who makes magnets which are sold in the Gift Shop – just one of the many unique items to be found there.

All funds raised go back to continue upkeep of the historic structure.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Kyle Webb of Albion and his twin sons, Wyatt (in sunglasses) and Elias, near the finish line in today’s 2-mile walk in Medina to end Alzheimer’s. Webb’s older children, Colin and Keara Webb, also were part of the walk.

There were about 200 participants in the walk who raised at least $12,000 for the Alzeimer’s Association of Western New York.

Hayley Schmidt and her mother Beth Schmidt of Albion completed the walk. Beth is the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee for Orleans Committee. Hayley and Beth raised $2,175 for the Alzeimer’s Association. Nicole Tuophey was the top individual for fundraising, at $2,037.

The SUNY Brockport Cheer Club congratulated the participants for completing the 2-mile walk.

The Brockport Cheer Club formed a “Thank You Brigade” for the first time at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The walk started and ended at State Street Park.

There were about 30 Cheer Club members near the finish with signs, bells and loud cheers for the participants.

One of the last stretches of the walk was along East Center Street before a final turn at State Street Park.

Lynn Hughes, the staff walk manager for the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY, rang bells and thanked the participants for their efforts.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Officials and personnel of the Downtown Browsery in Medina gathered for a ribbon cutting on Friday morning to celebrate the store’s expansion. From left are Sharon and store manager Erik Sinkora; vendor Ruth Higgins; Medina mayor Deb Padoleski; vendor Julie Sanford; Dave Sevenski, member of the board and vendor; building owner, Tom Snyder; and Marlene Seielstad, candidate-at-large for County Legislature.

MEDINA – The Downtown Browsery at 413 Main St. celebrated the store’s expansion into an adjoining space with a ribbon cutting on Friday morning. Taking part were store manager Erik Sinkora and his wife Sharon; board member and vendor Dave Sevenski; Ruth Higgins and Julie Sanford, vendors; Deb Padoleski, Medina mayor; Tom Snyder, owner of the building; and Marlene Seielstad, candidate-at-large for county legislature.

Padoleski cut the ribbon, thanking Tom Snyder for his support and saying she and the Village Board are pleased with business in Medina.

“I am happy to see that the Browsery was able to add on to their business,” Padoleski said. “This establishment is a gem for our downtown – a favorite of Medina residents and visitors. This neat little shop is chock full of goodies – literally something for everything. Congratulations on your expansion.”

One happy vendor is Julie Sanford of Albion, who sells industrial lighting made by her husband, and vintage items.

“I like the community, the people of the town and the visitors,” Sanford said. “And I enjoy rescuing and repurposing items that would otherwise end up in a landfill.”

Tom Snyder, who also owns Medina Lumber, added his appreciation of business in Medina.

“It’s exciting that a local downtown business is expanding,” he said. “It’s a feather in our cap that we have a bustling Main Street.”

The expansion brings the number of vendors to the Medina location to 36, according to Sinkora. The Downtown Browsery started in Albion in 2004. The Browsery now occupies three store fronts in Albion. Between Albion and Medina, the stores now accommodate 75 vendors.

Jeff Radder takes over at microphone in new era of Rivals football

Photo by Cheryl Wertman: Alec Sherman is presented a plaque in appreciation for his 46 years at the microphone of Albion football games. Mickey Edwards, a former Albion player and now the district superintendent, presents the plaque to Sherman before Friday’s game versus West Seneca East. Sherman performed the honorary coin toss before the game.

ALBION – After 46 seasons as the voice of the Purple Eagles, Alec Sherman has retired from the position.

Hundreds of times over his tenure he called out, “The Eagle has landed!” when Albion scored a touchdown.

But it’s a new era of football with Albion and Medina fielding a merged team – the OC Rivals.

Sherman thought the timing was right to hand off the reins. Jeff Radder, a middle school science teacher and a DJ, is the new announcer at home games in Albion.

Radder introduced his own catchphrase for when the team scores a touchdown: “In for the paydirt!” The Rivals have two shovels as part of their logo to signify the building of the Erie Canal. Radder thought paydirt was a nice tie-in with the logo.

Radder was able to call out five touchdowns in Friday’s game for the Rivals. They lost a close one, 35-34, to West Seneca East.

Sherman said the crowd is in good hands with Radder.

“He knows the kids,” Sherman said. “He has the voice for it and the knowledge.”

Sherman was able to call many monumental games in his tenure, especially the hard-fought contests between Albion and Medina. Four times he was the announcer for Albion in games at the Buffalo Bills stadium. In those games, each team’s announcer called a half.

Sherman, an Albion grad, said he was always pulling for the Purple Eagles to win.

“The emphasis was on our side, but I tried to be fair,” he said.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jeff Radder, right in press box, calls out the action in Friday’s football game in Albion.

Sherman was honored before Friday’s game, the first home game in Albion for the new Rivals team. He performed the coin toss and was presented with a plaque from Mickey Edwards, the Albion district superintendent and a former Albion player.

Sherman graduated from Albion on 1968 and started working at the district as a teacher in 1977. He spent most of his career teaching U.S. history. In 1979, he called his first JV game for Albion and started doing the varsity games in the mid-’80s.

He also coached JV softball, and boys and girls basketball. Two of his girls varsity basketball teams won Niagara-Orleans titles.

Alec Sherman served performed the honorary coin toss before Friday’s game, which was homecoming in Albion.

Sherman is pleased to see the merged team off to a strong start, and to see a big crowd at Friday’s football game.

“It has always been a joy,” Sherman said about the role of announcer. “It meant a lot to be able to do it for my hometown, for the kids and the community. I never did it for myself, I did it for them. Now that we are entering into a new era with the new merger, it’s time to give somebody else a turn.”

Jeff Radder called Friday’s game from the press box and introduced his catchphrase for Rivals’ touchdowns: “In for the paydirt!”