By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 July 2026 at 4:25 pm
Town Board sees benefits of appointed officials; issue could go to voters in November referendum
Photos by Tom Rivers: Nadine Hanlon, the Orleans County clerk, speaks during a public hearing on Tuesday evening at the Shelby Town Hall. The Town Board held public hearings about changing the town clerk and highway superintendent positions from elected to appointed. Hanlon, who was also the Kendall town clerk and an elected Kendall Board of Education member, spoke in favor of keeping the positions as elected. She said the town clerk as an elected official is independent of the Town Board and answers to the people.
SHELBY – The Town Board is considering putting a referendum out to the community in November that would allow Shelby to change from having the town clerk and highway superintendent both be appointed rather than elected.
Town Supervisor Jim Heminway believes the town would be better assured of getting qualified people in those important jobs. Right now, the Republican Committee’s choices for the jobs typically get elected to positions around Orleans County, where Republicans have a 2-to-1 enrollment advantage over Democrats.
Town Clerk Darlene Rich is a rare Democrat holding an elected post in the county. She has been the town clerk for 18 ½ years and has held off Republican challengers in the past. Rich will be retiring after 2027.
Heminway says he is concerned her successor may not be the most qualified candidate if left to the political process. He would prefer the Town Board take job applications from the community for both town clerk and highway superintendent, with the board picking the person in those roles.
That didn’t go over well with many of the speakers during public hearings on Tuesday evening. There were separate hearings about changing the town clerk to an appointed position, and then another hearing about doing the same for highway superintendent.
James A. Dussing, president of New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways and Clarence town highway superintendent, speaks during a public hearing on Tuesday.
He said 90 percent of the town highway superintendents are elected among the 933 towns in the state.
He said there is more voter accountability with elected highway superintendents, over appointed ones.
“We are accountable 24-7 to the people who elect us,” he said. “If we are not doing our jobs they let us know. If we’re not doing our jobs they call us or vote us out of office.”
Dussing said he suspects appointed officials would be paid more, with more time off and benefits, and may be hard to remove if they aren’t meeting their job standards.
If the town puts the issue to a public vote, Dussing said he can nearly guarantee it will be rejected by the voters who will wait to keep the right to directly elect their highway superintendent. He said the Shelby Town Board is wasting a lot of time and energy by pursuing the issue.
Pictured from left include Shelby Town Clerk Darlene Rich, Town Councilman John Pratt, Town Councilman Larry Waters and Town Supervisor Jim Heminway.
Heminway said his preference to appoint the town clerk and highway superintendent is part of an overall effort to make the town government more cost effective.
He also wants to see the process for people in those positions opened up to more people in the community.
He said the Town Board would take written comments for two more weeks before deciding whether to put the issue to a referendum. All five board members said they favor going to appointments.
They noted the local Village Boards all appoint the village clerks and department of public works superintendents. The County legislature appoints the county commissioner of public works, and the Boards of Education all hire the school district superintendents.
Heminway said he favors a new process for choosing the town clerk and highway superintendent at Shelby. He doesn’t have anyone in mind for the positions.
Rich will be retiring after the end of her term on Dec. 31, 2027. Dale Root, the current highway superintendent, hasn’t told the Town Board whether he plans to seek re-election. He would be welcome to apply for the job if the town goes to an appointment process, Heminway said.
Currently the town clerk and highway superintendent operate on their own, and don’t need to follow directives from the Town Board, Heminway said.
“We don’t have any no direct control over the town clerk or highway superintendent,” he said.
One speaker at the meeting claimed Root attended a highway superintendent conference despite being told by the board not to due to budgetary concerns.
About 75 people turned out for the public hearings on Tuesday evening.
If the appointment process is approved by the voters, Heminway said the Town Board would work to implement measures to make the positions Civil Service and also protect the appointees from board meddling and any unjust firings.
Heminway said the town could require a super-majority vote to remove an appointed official.
John Pratt, a Shelby councilman, said residents can still have the power of their vote by choosing who is on the Town Board, who then will choose who gets appointed as clerk and highway superintendent.
“There will be better checks and balances where board interviews candidates to choose the best person,” he said.
Waters, Pratt, Heminway and Councilman Ed Zelazny all have been elected despite not having the Republican Committee endorsement. They mounted their own campaigns, securing signatures for petitions and pushing to get their message out.
Waters said it is an uphill battle to run without the Republican Committee’s endorsement, or to run as a Democrat or independent.
The appointment process turns it into a job interview where the Town Board makes the choice on who is the best candidate, Waters said.
He noted the Village of Medina appoints its village clerk and DPW superintendent.
“No one is at the Medina meetings up in arms,” Waters said. “Why? Because that’s the way it’s always been.”
Joe Sidonio, a former Murray town supervisor, commended the Shelby Town Board for the “courage” of proposing a different way to choose the town clerk and highway superintendent.
“I say give them a chance to put forth an idea,” Sidonio said about having the issue go to a public referendum. “It’s voters’ decision whether it goes forward or not.”
Sidonio urged the packed town hall to “leave friendly and warm and not divisive.”
He noted many of the key positions in the county, including the commissioner of public works, are appointed.
Sidonio said too many of the elected positions throughout the county go unopposed.
John Misiti, a lifelong Shelby resident, served as town supervisor for four months last year after the previous supervisor resigned.
Misiti said the town faces escalating costs with revenue that isn’t keeping up, putting more pressure on raising property taxes.
He supports appointing the town clerk and highway superintendent, saying “purposeful change is good.”
Misiti said the town clerk and highway superintendent positions have both become very complicated.
“This isn’t take away someone’s right to vote,” Misiti said. “It’s centralizing the organization. You can’t have three different people doing their own thing.”
Misiti said the change “is about streamlining things and getting into the 21st century. If we don’t adapt we’ll end up like Kodak. And that is something that is avoidable.”
Gerry Zinkievich, a retired Shelby Town Clerk, believes the Republican Committees are capable of screening candidates to see if they are a good fit for town clerk or highway superintendent.
She said there is a lot of expertise needed to be an effective town clerk. She doesn’t want it to be an appointed position, where the whims of a Town Board decides who serves in the important post.
Maureen Beach, the Barre town clerk for more than 30 years, said a change to an appointed town clerk and highway superintendent “will drastically change how your town operates.”
She said an elected system “provides important checks and balances.”
If appointed, the town clerk and highway superintendent will serve at the pleasure of the Town Board.
“They could be dismissed without voter approval,” Beach said. “Carefully consider the long-term impact.”
Tracy Chalker, left, is the Clarendon highway superintendent and Roger Wolfe, right, is the Yates highway superintendent. They both spoke of favor of having the highway superintendent be elected.
Chalker, who is president of the Orleans County Highway Superintendents Association, said switching to an appointed process leaves choosing the highway leader to the “good ole boys club.”
If the highway chief is appointed, there would be less accountability, he said.
“Being an elected person you are personally libel,” Chalker said. “That keeps you on your toes. I think an elected official puts way more pride in their work than an appointed person.”
Roger Wolfe has been the Yates highway superintendent for the past 41 years, and a Yates highway employee for 49 years.
He said many of the elected highway superintendents stay in the position long-term. He noted the county has had several leaders of the public works department over the years.
“There is no continuity over there,” Wolfe said.
George Phillips urged the Town Board not to pursue the change to an appointment process.
“If you have a problem with the Republican Party, go to the Republican Party and fix it, and don’t take away my right to vote,” Phillips said.
Another resident, Brian Wiesinger, noted apathy at the polls. He said only 14 percent of registered voters turned out in the last Shelby election out of 4,800 voters.
He still prefers having that 14 percent, about 550 to 600 people, choose the town clerk and highway superintendent over a five-person Town Board, which is one-tenth of 1 percent of the registered voters.
Marlene Seielstad, a candidate for a county-wide county legislator position, said the appointment process diminishes voters’ rights. Seielstad, a Democrat, said Shelby shouldn’t try to pass laws or do a public referendum when it’s targeting its highway superintendent.
Shelby would be the first town in Orleans County to go with appointing the clerk and highway superintendent if the issue goes to referendum and passes.
“This is a slippery slope,” Seielstad said. “Agreeing to this is putting the town in the hands of only five people, or really three. Three people could make decisions for 5,000 people.”
Wendi Pencille, a Shelby resident, said taking away the right of residents to directly pick their officials is a bad direction.
“Taking the voice away from the voters is not the right decision – find another way,” she said. “Your proposed solution will make this worse, not better.”
Pencille highlighted Rich has won several terms as a Democrat, one of the few in the county. If the position goes to an appointment, Pencille said the Republican-dominated boards wouldn’t back a Democrat for clerk or highway superintendent.
“You don’t make a new law to address a single personnel issue,” Pencille said. “You’re proposing fast and easy solutions for you, but they are not the right decisions.”
Mike Neidert, the Albion highway superintendent, urged Shelby to keep the highway leader as an elected position.
“To take that away from the people is not a good idea,” he said.
Neidert has run as a Republican and has been cross endorsed by the Democrats and Conservatives.
“I’m not working for a party,” he said. “I’m working for the people.”
Dale Brooks, the Barre highway superintendent, said highway department costs are going up with fuel, trucks and other equipment.
Changing to an appointed highway superintendent wouldn’t reduce the other expenses that are on the rise, he said.
“Our hands are tied when you talk about costs,” he said. “We operate under OGS (state Office of General Services) with contracts.”
Linda Limina and Ed Zelazny, both Town Board members, said they support moving to appointed positions for the two jobs at Town Hall.
“Right now you have three separate islands,” Limina said. “You have a Highway Department, a Clerk’s Office and a Town Board.”
The Town Board can only make suggestions with the town clerk and highway superintendent.
“We had a elected official spend money not authorized, but we can’t do anything about it,” Limina said. “I wish you would hold them accountable.”
Ed Zelazny said he would be focused on appointing whoever is best qualified for the job, regardless of their political affiliation.
He wants the issue to go to a public referendum.
“We’re putting it in front of the taxpayers and the voters,” he said. “It’s your decision.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as roughly 450,000 low- and middle-income New Yorkers lose their affordable health care coverage thanks to President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement:
“Donald Trump and Republicans chose to give billionaires tax cuts and launch reckless wars overseas instead of lowering healthcare costs for New York families. The consequences have been dire — nearly half a million New Yorkers now must worry about how they can afford to take their child to the doctor or get their medication. While Trump and Republicans in Congress continue to put the wealthiest Americans first as they make working families’ lives harder and more expensive, I will never stop fighting to protect New Yorkers’ healthcare and bring down everyday costs.”
President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law last summer, cut $7.5 billion in annual funding for the Essential Plan – New York’s affordable health insurance plan for low- and middle-income New Yorkers.
The Essential Plan offers $0 monthly premiums, no deductibles, and low co-pays for working families who meet certain income thresholds but do not qualify for Medicaid. Because of Trump’s cuts, an estimated 450,000 New Yorkers are losing access to their Essential Plan coverage as of today, July 1st, and will be forced to either purchase more expensive coverage or go without coverage at all.
Editor’s Note: The state Department of Health reports that 14,479 New Yorkers in the 24th Congressional District will lose their health insurance.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 July 2026 at 1:40 pm
ALBION – A Medina man was sentenced to five years in state prison today for having a gun. He also will have five years of post-release supervision.
Reginald Kendrick, 50, pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. He was charged after law enforcement on Nov. 12 seized a loaded unbranded polymer “ghost” semi-automatic 9 mm pistol with an extended 30-round magazine. District Attorney Susan Howard said the gun was tested by a Niagara County lab and determined to be operable.
Kendrick is a prior felon after being convicted of selling cocaine in October 2016.
His attorney, Christian Catalano from the Public Defender’s Office, asked Judge Saford Church not to give Kendrick the five-year maximum in prison. Catalano said Kendrick has three young children and is recovering from back surgeries.
Kendrick said he has changed from his criminal past, which also includes charges in Georgia.
“As a person I have changed,” he said. “I just want to spend time with my kids. I’ll never do this again.”
Judge Church cited Kendrick’s “extensive criminal history” in giving him the maximum as part of a plea agreement.
In other cases in County Court today:
• Richard Neal, 36, of Medina was sentenced to six months in the county jail plus five years of probation for felony driving while intoxicated.
He was charged by State Police on Aug. 25 after allegedly driving a motorcycle on Route 31 in Ridgeway while intoxicated and without a license. He registered a BAC of 0.10 percent, just above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. He has a previous DWI conviction on May 29, 2025 in the City of Batavia.
Neal’s attorney, Public Defender Joanne Best, asked that Neal be sentenced to weekends in jail so he can continue working full-time.
But Judge Church said Neal didn’t do a substance abuse evaluation and was driving with a revoked license as well as being intoxicated.
Neal also needs to pay $570 in court fees and surcharges.
• Mitchell Gardner, a former inmate at Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion, pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate, a misdemeanor.
Gardner, 24, allegedly threw a cup of urine at a corrections officer and hit the officer in the face with the urine while in the Albion prison on Dec. 20, 2023. Gardner said he intended to hit another inmate with the urine, not a corrections officer.
Gardner was originally charged with aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate.
Judge Church allowed him to plead to the misdemeanor and time served after being in the county jail for a few days. Gardner is now an inmate at Midstate Correctional Facility in Marcy, Oneida County. He is facing a felony charge there after allegedly biting a corrections officer.
He is currently serving an 8-year sentence for second-degree assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
• Glenn Quintern, 67, of Rochester was arraigned for second-degree grand larceny. The former Batavia resident allegedly stole a struck from Orleans Ford.
MURRAY – Town of Murray Historian Deborah Wood will be giving a history lecture today at 6:30 p.m. at the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Firehall, 3353 Hulberton Rd.
Wood’s presentation is titled, “Revolutionary War Veterans: Sharing Their Stories.”
The program is made possible with funding from the New York State Department of Education.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 July 2026 at 12:55 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers: Seanna Corwin-Bradley speaks during a July 28, 2024 celebration for a new Barker village hall and public library. Corwin-Bradley was the village mayor at the time. She also served as president of the Barker public library. Barker celebrated the new building which opened 5 ½ years after the village hall and public library burned down on Jan. 20, 2019.
ALBION – A former mayor of Barker in Niagara County was sentenced today in Orleans County Court to six months in the county jail and then five years of probation for felony driving while intoxicated.
Seanna Corwin-Bradley, 42, of Barker was charged on July 22, 2025 with a BAC at .193, more than twice the legal limit. She was in a car accident on Ridge Road in Ridgeway, where she allegedly crossed the center line and sideswiped a camper that was being pulled by a truck. She has a previous DWI conviction in Erie County in September 2024.
Corwin-Bradley was driving with a conditional license and was returning from a trip to the Thousand Islands. That conditional license didn’t allow her to drive that distance, County Court Judge Sandford Church said in court today.
Corwin-Bradley was very apologetic and tearful during the sentencing.
“As a former public official, I understand how important public safety is,” she said during sentencing. “I think about the people I could have hurt every day. I think God no one was hurt.”
Corwin-Bradley said she has learned to accept help and do the hard work of dealing with her alcohol addiction.
“I feel guilt every day,” she said. “I feel guilt every day. I don’t know if those feelings will ever go away.”
Corwin-Bradley said she is humbled by the support of her family and friends, her counselor and the community.
“No matter how far someone falls there is still hope,” she said. “It is possible to rebuild your life.”
Timothy Brooks, the attorney for Corwin-Bradley, said addiction is an “insidious, vicious disease.” He said Corwin-Bradley has been a very productive member of society. He asked that she just be sentenced to probation with no incarceration.
Judge Church said Corwin-Bradley has put others in danger with her drunken driving.
“You are a dangerous driver while drinking,” he said. “I need to do my best to protect society.”
In addition to six months in jail and five years of probation, Corwin-Bradley had her license revoked for a year, must use a inter-lock ignition device which measures her BAC and needs to pay $570 in court surcharges and fees.
Press Release, Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force
Savanah Bentley, left, and Nathaniel Bentley
MEDINA – Two people have been charged after an investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine in the Village of Medina, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.
The Task Force on June 23 executed a search warrant at 416 E. Center St., Apt. #1, Medina, N.Y. Police seized a quantity of crack cocaine packaged for sale, morphine pills, drug paraphernalia and $1,073.
Police arrested: Nathaniel Bentley, age 34, and Savanah Bentley, age 22, both of 416 E. Center St., Apt. #1.
Both were charged with 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, with intent to sell (Class B Felonies); 1 count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree (Class D Felonies); and1 count of Criminal Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree (Class A Misdemeanor).
Both defendants were issued appearance tickets due to the New York State bail reform laws and are to return to the Town of Ridgeway Justice Court on August 3 at 9 a.m.
Assisting in the investigation was Orleans County District Attorney Susan M. Howard, Medina Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Department of Corrections Office of Special Investigations.
Further arrests and charges are pending in this investigation.
Provided photo: The Lyndonville Lions Club lights the Lyndonville Waterfalls on Main Street in patriotic red, white, and blue as part of the community’s July 4th holiday celebration.
Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions Club has officially opened the extended July 4th holiday weekend with its “Light Up Lyndonville” campaign, part of the 52nd Annual Lyndonville Lions Club July 4th Celebration.
The initiative has transformed several municipal buildings along Main Street into a patriotic display of red, white, and blue lighting. One of the highlights of this year’s effort is the illumination of the Lyndonville Waterfalls, creating a striking tribute to our nation’s birthday.
The club also regrets to announce that there will be no military flyover preceding Saturday’s July 4th Parade. The Lions Club was informed that, due to current operations in the Middle East, regional United States Air Force bases capable of conducting the flyover have been placed on Operational Alert, making them unavailable for ceremonial missions.
The club is extremely proud of the military flyovers that have honored our community in previous years and hopes to once again welcome this special tribute in future celebrations.
During this Independence Day weekend, the Lyndonville Lions Club asks everyone to keep our military personnel and their families in their thoughts and prayers. As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, they will be standing watch around the world, protecting the freedoms we are privileged to celebrate.
All scheduled July 4th festivities will proceed as planned. The July 4th Parade begins at noon, with the Arts & Crafts Show, vendors, food, entertainment, and family activities on the Lyndonville Central School grounds.
The popular Firecracker Concert Series begins at 7 p.m. on the baseball fields at the school and will be followed by the Lyndonville Lions Club’s spectacular Salute to America Fireworks Display.
Advance tickets for the famous Chiavetta’s Chicken Barbecue are still available at the Town of Yates Hall through Thursday afternoon and at the Hojack Ice Cream Shack in Lyndonville through Friday afternoon. As always, tickets will also be available on the day of the event for walk-up purchases.
The Lyndonville Lions Club extends its sincere appreciation to the many sponsors, volunteers, community partners, and supporters who have helped make this year’s celebration possible.
The club warmly invites everyone to join them this July 4th as the community comes together to celebrate our nation’s independence and America’s 250th anniversary in true Lyndonville tradition.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 July 2026 at 8:04 am
Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values from 104 to 108
Photo by Marsha Rivers: The sun sets on Friday on the railroad tracks in Holley next to the Holley Cold Storage in this photo taken from the Route 31 overpass.
An Extreme Heat Warning has been issued for Orleans County from noon to 8 p.m. today, Thursday and Friday.
The National Weather Service said there will be dangerously hot conditions with heat index values 104 to 108 each afternoon. The very warm and muggy temperatures overnight will not provide much relief, the Weather Service said.
“Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities,” the Weather Service said.
Today is forecast to be sunny and hot with a high of 94 degrees and heat index values up to 107. Tonight there will be a low around 77.
Thursday will be sunny and hot with a high near 95, followed by a mostly sunny and hot Friday with a high near 94.
On Saturday, the Fourth of July, the high will be near 90 with a chance of showers between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m., the Weather Service said.
Proposed changes include allowing H-2A for dairy farms
Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today joined House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, legislation to modernize the H-2A agricultural guest worker program, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, provide greater certainty for farmers, and help ensure America’s producers have access to the workforce they need to keep the nation’s food supply strong.
For nearly 40 years, the H-2A program has remained largely unchanged despite the evolving needs of American agriculture. As labor shortages continue to challenge farms across the country, producers face increasing difficulty finding enough workers to plant and harvest crops, care for livestock, and maintain safe, reliable food production.
The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act would modernize the program by expanding eligibility for temporary agricultural work, including making dairy farms eligible for H-2A, creating a streamlined online application system, simplifying program requirements, and codifying recent reforms to provide greater wage stability and certainty for farmers.
“Farmers across New York and our nation work tirelessly to feed America, but too many are struggling to find the workforce they need to keep their operations running,” Tenney said. “Our outdated H-2A program has created unnecessary costs, delays, and uncertainty that hurt family farms and drive up food prices. For too long, critical industries like dairy have been locked out of the H-2A program.”
The legislation has earned endorsements from more than 385 organizations representing farmers, ranchers, agricultural employers, commodity groups, food producers, and businesses nationwide, including New York Farm Bureau, U.S. Apple Association, International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), and dozens of other leading agricultural organizations.
“We appreciate Representative Tenney’s sponsorship of the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act. This legislation includes long overdue improvements to the H-2A guest worker program, among other much-needed changes to the agricultural labor system. We value Representative Tenney’s continued leadership and support for New York farmers.” – New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher
“New York apple growers know firsthand that a reliable workforce is essential to keeping orchards productive. We appreciate Rep. Tenney’s leadership in advancing long-overdue H-2A reforms that will help ensure growers have the workers they need to continue growing apples in New York and across America.” – U.S. Apple Association President & CEO Jim Bair
“The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act represents the most significant reform to the ag workforce we’ve seen in decades. It’s particularly critical for dairy farmers, who have been effectively shut out of the H-2A program, the main U.S. farmworker visa. The bill would stabilize the dairy workforce by allowing H-2A contracts of up to 350 days and providing a targeted mechanism for current dairy workers to transition to a viable visa program. We thank Congresswoman Tenney for joining Chairman Thompson in the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, and we look forward to working with these congressional champions and all of agriculture to get this bill to the president’s desk.” – Gregg Doud, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation
“International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) thanks Representative Tenney for co-sponsoring the Securing Agriculture Workforce Act and supporting commonsense guestworker reform for U.S. dairy. Dairy farms and processors alike operate year-round and need access to a reliable workforce. Modernizing the H-2A program to meet the needs of year-round dairy farm operations moves the needle in the right direction by strengthening the dairy supply chain. Although dairy processors also need reforms that offer workforce support, the Securing Agriculture Workforce Act better positions all of U.S. dairy to ensure families continue to have access to nutritious dairy products.” – International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 June 2026 at 10:17 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jim Hancock, chairman of the Medina Tourism Committee, speaks during last week’s Village Board meeting.
MEDINA – The Medina Tourism Committee is looking forward to special events to celebrate the country’s 250thanniversary.
The committee is organizing a patriotic birthday concert on Sept. 6 at State Street Park with a jazz band led by retired Medina band director Jim Steele, Jim Hancock, the Tourism Committee chairman, told the Village Board last week.
Retired broadcaster Mike Randall will be reading the Declaration of Independence. There will be 250 birthday cupcakes with red, white and blue frosting.
The Sons of the American Legion is contributing funds towards the event, Hancock said. The VFW will be playing Taps as well.
The Tourism Committee asked the Village Board for permission to have a time capsule buried at Rotary Park with the container to be opened in 2076. The board approved the request for the time capsule, which will be in a circular area in front of the Santa House.
Hancock and committee member Barb Gorham said they expect the time capsule will be buried by the end of October. They said they are discussing what to have in the capsule. They would like a little bit of Medina Sandstone and news coverage of notable events during 2026.
“We’re open to any suggestions about what people want to see put into it,” Hancock said.
The committee wants to reach out to the school district and ask kids what they think Medina will be like in 50 years.
Hancock said the Tourism Committee looks forward to welcoming about 600 cyclists when they visit and stay overnight in Medina on Sunday, July 12. It’s part of the annual Cycling the Erie Canal trip from Buffalo to Albany.
The committee also is working on its second annual Building Brick event at Sacred Heart Club on Sept. 19. Last year there were about 350 people – kids, parents and grandparents – making creations from LEGOs.
The Tourism Committee last week welcomed the Seneca Chief boat to the Canal Basin. This was the third year the replica of the famed canal boat visited Medina.
Hancock said the Tourism Committee also is working on plans for the Parade of Lights and the Christmas celebration on Nov. 28.
The Tourism Committee for the 17th year also is staffing a visitor center during the summer. This year a team of about 15 volunteers is managed by Barb Gorham.
“We see a great number of people coming into the village,” Hancock said. “We try to provide information to them.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 June 2026 at 8:34 am
Extreme heat watch issued for Wednesday to Friday with heat index up to 105
Kimberly Stawicki sent in this photo of the Strawberry Moon from last night in Medina. This was the first full moon of the summer.
A heat advisory is in effect for Orleans County and most of New York State today.
The heat index values are expected to be in the upper 90s. From Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening, there is an extreme heat watch when heat index values could be as high as 105.
For today, the heat advisory is in effect from noon to 8 p.m. The high in Orleans County is forecast to reach 92. Then the highs are forecast for 94 on Wednesday, 95 on Thursday and 92 on Friday.
The National Weather Service advises people to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
“Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside,” the Weather Service said. “When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.”
Robyn Ottaviano took this photo of the Strawberry Moon last night.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 June 2026 at 11:19 pm
The average price for regular unleaded gas dropped in the past week – down 6 cents nationally to $3.86 today. One year ago, the price was $3.19, according to AAA.
The New York State average is at $4.12, down 11 cents from a week ago. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.21.
In Orleans County, the average price is down 8.3 cents from a week ago – from $4.396 to $4.313.
“Drivers continue to see relief at the pump as summer travel ramps up, with prices trending lower in recent weeks,” AAA said in a news release. “While motorists are benefiting from these declines, prices remain higher than they were this time last year, and New York continues to sit above the national average and rank among the more expensive states for gasoline, currently ranking 8th for the highest prices in the country.”
This morning, crude oil prices are trading in the high $60s to low $70s per barrel range, down from $75-$79 last week, AAA said.
“Crude oil prices have remained relatively steady, with global supply dynamics and ongoing geopolitical developments influencing the market,” AAA said. “While volatility remains a factor, recent stability in oil prices has helped support the gradual easing in gas prices.”
Here are the average prices in counties around Western New York:
Orleans, $4.313
Genesee, $4.201
Monroe, $4.250
Niagara, $4.274
Erie, $4.263
Wyoming, $4.338
Livingston, $4.332
Chautauqua, $4.227
Cattaraugus, $4.197
Allegany, $4.267
The highest price is in Tompkins County at an average of $4.380 while Nassau has the lowest price at $3.919.
