A tornado warning is in effect for Orleans, Niagara and Genesee counties until 7 p.m.

The National Weather Service said the affected areas include east central Niagara County, Orleans County and northwestern Genesee County.

“At 6:28 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Middleport, or near Medina, moving southeast at 35 mph,” the Weather Service said.

Locations impacted include Medina, Albion, Middleport, Oakfield, Holley, Ridgeway, Shelby, Clarendon, Gaines and Alabama.

“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter,” the Weather Service said. “Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is likely.”

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Orleans County, Western New York and much of upstate until 11 p.m.

“Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms with periods of heavy rainfall are expected today through tonight,” the Weather Service said. “Some storms may be severe with damaging wind gusts and hail, respectively. A tornado or two and localized flash flooding are possible.”

Two deputies at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will be back as school resource officers in Kendall and Lyndonville.

Jason Barnum will continue as SRO for the Lyndonville school district while George Barton will stay as the Kendall school resource officer.

The Orleans County Legislature last week approved new two-year agreements with the two school districts with SROs working this school year from Sept. 1 to June 30, 2027.

In Lyndonville, the school district will pay $615.29 per day for an SRO in 2026, then $673.54 daily in 2027 and $697.37 per day for 2028.

For any additional hours requested by the district for afterhours events, the Sheriff’s Office will be compensated at an overtime hourly including incremental fringe expense rate of $77.60 per hour for the rest of 2026, $86.53 per hour for the 2027 calendar year and $89.13 per hour for the spring semester 2028.

In Kendall, the contract calls for the district to pay $504.71 per day for the rest of 2026, then $551.85 per day in 2027, and $569.89 daily in 2028.

Any additional hours requested by the district for after-hours events call for the Sheriff’s Office to be compensated at an overtime hourly including incremental fringe expense rate of $76.57 per hour for the calendar year 2026, $84.44 per hour for the 2027 calendar year and $86.99 per hour for the spring semester 2028.

Kimberly Stawicki sent in this photo of the storm clouds descending on the area.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke

During this morning’s severe weather event, the Orleans County 911 Center experienced a significant surge in emergency and non-emergency activity. Between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., dispatchers handled a total of 159 telephone calls — an average of 53 calls per hour, or approximately one call every 68 seconds.

During that same three-hour period, the Communications Center documented 57 dispatched incidents involving law enforcement, fire departments and emergency medical services. Many of these incidents were weather-related, including numerous reports of trees and utility wires down throughout the county.

Of the 57 dispatched incidents, 42 involved either downed trees or electrical/power hazards. These two categories accounted for nearly 74% of all incidents dispatched during the period. The incident log also reflects EMS calls, fire-related calls, law-enforcement service calls and other public-safety matters occurring while the storm response was underway.

In addition to the incidents documented through the Orleans County 911 Center, local fire departments and highway departments responded to and handled numerous additional storm-related conditions throughout the county

Residents are reminded to use caution around downed trees and utility lines and to report immediate hazards.

Old Home Week Committee member Senator Irving L’Hommedieu’s residence at 219 West Center St.  was gaily bedecked for the occasion.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 24

MEDINA – It all started as a prank….

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Medina’s gala Old Home Week in 1906. We are familiar with the postcard views of the Main Street buildings bedecked with bunting, the parade scenes, the crowds, but we know little of the details of the week.

During a slow news period early in 1906, J. Barry Murphy, a Medina correspondent who supplied articles to regional newspapers, wrote a fully fleshed, totally fabricated, tongue-in-cheek article describing detailed plans for an Old Home Week celebration planned for Medina in August of that year.

The “Old Home Week” concept is ascribed to New Hampshire Gov. Frank Rollin who in the 1890s encouraged towns to invite former residents back to visit their hometowns and celebrate their connections and heritage. This idea proved popular and Old Home Week events were soon being organized in adjoining states and in New York.

Murphy named the members of the organizing committee, all prominent Medinians, and outlined the plans for the event. People thought it was a great idea and assumed that it was indeed a definite plan. The article was taken seriously and Murphy’s attempt at humor backfired. He had to approach the named committee members and ask them to co-operate. They agreed.

Judge Childs was named Honorary Chairman of the General Old Home Week Committee (apparently, he was not amused by Murphy’s humor). George A. Bowen was appointed Vice-chairman. Senator Irving L’Hommedieu, Mayor S.A. Cook, former Mayor W.B. Robbins, and Capt. S.A. Ross and Robert Mahar were the other committee members. Sadly, Judge Childs passed away on May 16, 1906. His daughter, Julia, was appointed as Secretary.

Despite this background, the Old Home Week committee did a stellar job in organizing the event. It established headquarters in the Downs-Kearney building, 108-110 West Center St.

A register of Medinians who had moved away was established at the Wright and Ross store and people were encouraged to supply names and addresses. The Buffalo Courier Express of July 24, 1906, reported that the committee had sent 750 invitations, many of which included whole families.

Soon, replies were pouring in from all parts of the country and the acceptance rate exceeded expectations. Even the reply letters reflect the excitement this event generated. People were so honored to be remembered, to be personally invited. The replies, some handwritten, some typed on company letterhead, are a study unto themselves, reflecting the circumstances of the correspondents and the economy of the times.

A sample of the letters received in response to Old Home Week invitations.

Old Home Week Events

Sunday, August 19 – Old Home Week began with appropriate services in all of the churches. In the evening, the S.A. Cook band gave a sacred concert at the High School park which was attended by over two thousand people

Monday, August 20 – Arrival Day. Showers and overcast sky. A registration office was set up by the train depot, visitors were encouraged to sign in and were given a badge, a pass and a program.

Pass provided to registrants of Old Home Week

Tuesday, August 21 – Registration Day. Clear skies. At 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Medina residents were awoken by a cacophony of sound – every whistle in Medina was blown and bells were rung, a cannon boomed, boys beat tin cans and yelled.  A salute of 81 guns representing the 81 years of the town’s history was fired. This noisy concert lasted for ten minutes and signaled the commencement of Old Home Week.

Members of the Automobile Club took visitors on tours of the village in the afternoon.

A sense of excitement was palpable as the town was thronged with visitors out renewing acquaintances and admiring the decorations.

In the evening, a formal reception was held at the Armory which was splendidly decorated in yellow and white. Mayor Seelye A. Cook presided. Senator Irving L’Hommedieu delivered the Address of Welcome to which former Medinian, Hon. John Ford of New York City, responded.

Homecomers representing prominent families of former days spoke: Frank Ellicott of Chicago spoke of the Ellicotts, perhaps the most influential families in WNY at one time, Harry Davis of Denver spoke of the Davis family and Harry A. Chase of Rochester delineated the connections of the Chase family. Representatives of the Brown, Hedley, Newell, Hill, Whalen, and Ives families also spoke. Professor Shea’s orchestra furnished the music.

Wednesday, August 22 – Church and School Day featured a dazzling parade of children dressed in white with colorful accessories. Each denomination vied with the other in putting forth its best efforts. St. John’s Episcopal Sunday school children, divided into classes, were first in line. The girls were dressed in white and wore orange sunbonnets, carried orange parasols and long garlands of sweet peas. Thirty boys dressed in white and wearing white caps, pulled a float representing the ship of peace.

The parade formed at the Baptist Church on West Ave. and marched from West Ave. to Park Ave. to Main St., then to Pearl St. Prospect to Center and back to West Ave. where it disbanded.

Methodist and Baptist children were also dressed in white, with purple and yellow accents respectively,

The marching children were followed by parade officers in carriages, a pony-cart Maypole and a float of children in swings.

In the evening, a crowd of several thousand attended a grand concert. A massed chorus of 200 voices led by Dr. Emily F. Swett performed, with orchestral accompaniment provided by Prof. Shea’s orchestra.

Thursday’s parade of floats

Thursday, August 23 – Clear skies. A Buffalo Times headline on 8/24 stated that “thirty-thousand visitors were in Medina yesterday”. It was a day crammed with activity. In the morning, two hundred and fifty supervisors and former supervisors held their annual reunion at the Armory. The 17th New York Battery held their annual reunion at the Grand Army Hall. Concerts and sporting events were held.

The parade approaches on the left, view from West Avenue, looking east.

The parade which began at 2:00 p.m. was the highlight of the week. The two-mile long procession, which formed on West Ave. was led by the Medina police and the 29th Separate Company of Medina. Mayor S.A. Cook and the village trustees followed in carriages.

The fire companies, the fire wagon and the steam fire engine followed. Then came the Knights of Columbus, the I.O.O.F. and employees of the Central Foundry. A host of local businesses were represented by colorful floats followed: O’Donnell Lumber, Wright & Ross, the Bignall Company, and A.J. Richards to name but a few.

Concerts were held at various locations. At 9:00, clubs and organizations held smokers and receptions in their rooms. The brilliant illumination provided by the Swett Electric Co. added to the atmosphere and people socialized well into the night.

The ambitious lighting display provided by the A. L. Swett Electric Co. contributed to the magic of Old Home Week.

Friday, August 24 – At 10:00 a.m., the 29th Separate Company gave a concert at the corner of Main and West Center Streets. Sporting events featured on Friday, with a lacrosse game in the morning and a football game in the afternoon. Later that evening “the finest display of fireworks ever seen in Medina” was followed by a masked carnival on Main Street and the jollity continued until morning

Saturday was set aside as a day for quiet visits, family reunions, picnics and excursions.

Though the event formally concluded on Friday, director George A. Bowen decided to carry through until Sunday, since there were so many people still in town. He also wished to end with a calmer note than the hilarity of Friday night’s carnival.

On Sunday evening, the S.A, Cook Band performed a sacred concert at the Four Corners. A select chorus under the direction of Dr. Emily F. Swett sang “Onward Christian Soldiers”, “Nearer my God to Thee” and concluded appropriately with “Home Sweet Home”.

(Material courtesy of Medina Historical Society.)

District will have 2 security staff on duty during school day

Photo courtesy of Albion Central School: from left include Kevin Parker, Joseph Fuller, Randy Hoke, Shawn O’Mara, Joe Robinson and Jeff Gifaldi.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion Central School is proud to share that it will be working with COP Security to oversee districtwide safety and security operations for the 2026-27 school year.

The COP Security team is composed of both retired and current law enforcement officers, as well as U.S. military veterans, bringing extensive experience and specialized training to enhance safety at Albion schools.

With the new partnership, campus security presence will increase from one to two security team members on campus during school hours. There are a total of six security team members assigned to the Albion district. They will be present at Back-to-School Night for students and families to meet and address any questions.

“As we head into a new school year, safety is always of highest priority,” said Mickey Edwards, Albion district superintendent. “We look forward to welcoming and working closely with our new security team to maintain a space where students and staff feel protected and at ease, allowing for their focus to remain on learning, leading and growing.”

COP Security, founded in 1998, takes pride in providing comprehensive security solutions, having served private and public area schools throughout the western New York area for 15 years.

“We understand that a secure learning environment for students and staff is paramount and we are committed to ensuring that their well-being is always at the forefront of our efforts,” said Shawn O’Mara, COP Security Director. “We thank Albion Schools for trusting us and look forward to building strong relationships and a welcoming atmosphere within the school community.”

The District previously utilized the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office for their School Resource Officer services, as well as Albion Police Department, and sincerely thanks them for their many years of trusted partnership.

Meet the COP Security team assigned to Albion schools:

• Kevin Parker – a U.S. Navy veteran and retired Orleans Correctional Facility employee, he is involved with several community organizations.
• Joseph Fuller – a retired Albion police officer, Fuller served as K9 handler, and Albion School Resource Officer for five years, and retired with the rank of sergeant. He holds several law enforcement certifications.
• Randy Hoke – a retired Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy, he served as community relations deputy, criminal investigator and retired with the rank of sergeant. Hoke holds several law enforcement certifications and is threat assessment certified.
• Shawn O’Mara – He has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience. O’Mara is a retired Gates Police Officer and has served as Director of Security for Holley and Wheatland School Districts as well as Trinity Private Schools. He is a federal instructor for active shooter training and holds several law enforcement certifications.
• Joe Robinson – a retired Greece Police Officer, he served in the supervisor role as first line sergeant. He currently serves as a part-time officer with the Avon Police Department. He holds several certifications under the NYS Department of Justice.
• Jeff Gifaldi – a retired Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputy, he served 25 years, holding titles of undersheriff and criminal investigator. He holds several law enforcement certifications.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A powerful thunderstorm this morning knocked down a tree that landed on 413 Park Ave. in Medina at about 7:45 a.m.

The house has three apartments and the six residents all need to relocate. None of them were injured. Medina Fire Chief Steve Cooley said they will be able to stay with other family and friends. The house next door also received some damage from branches.

The roof of the house at 413 Park Ave. was badly damaged and some of the windows were broken.

Pictured from left include Medina Fire Department Lt. Tim Miller, code enforcement officer Dan Gardner, Fire Chief Steve Cooley and DPW superintendent Jason Watts.

“It shook the whole house,” said Bryan Dimon, one of the residents. “I thought it was just thunder. It broke one of my windows.”

When he came outside to see the massive silver maple, laying on the house, he felt thankful.

“It could have been a lot worse,” he said.

The village Department of Public Works will work to remove the tree from the site. A section of the street will be blocked off to traffic.

The tree missed the power lines, which are located on the other side of the street and also fell between the power connections for the houses.

Another tree fell at 203 Erin Rd. in Medina and broke a window and torn off some facia.

Sue Wilson was standing on her porch with her dog when a maple tree fell very close to her house.

She heard a crash. The tree knocked glass inside her house from the broken window. She also is thankful it didn’t do more damage. Firefighters said she can stay in her home while the tree is cleaned up.

Sue Wilson is on the phone with her insurance company after a tree fell close to her house, causing some damage this morning.

Storm could bring golf ball-size hail, 70 mph wind gusts

Photo courtesy of Robyn Ottaviano: It was a dramatic red sky on Lake Ontario this morning at sunrise. It’s the calm before the storm. “Red sky at morning, sailors take warning!” Ottaviano said.

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 8:15 a.m. for Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, Monroe and Erie counties.

“Severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 12 miles west of Lakeside Beach State Park to near Newfane to near Sanborn, moving southeast at 45 miles per hour,” the National Weather Service said.

The storm could bring golf ball-size hail and 70 mile per hour wind gusts, the Weather Service said.

“People and animals outdoors will be injured,” the NWS said. “Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows and vehicles. Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings.”

The Weather Service said to remain alert for a possible tornado.

“Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms,” the Weather Service said. “If you spot a tornado go at once into the basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.”

Some village officials say hike from $35,000 to $135,000 for each town ‘not enough’

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mike Maak, a retired Medina firefighter who helped set up the ambulance service through the fire department in 2006, said it would be more fair for taxpayers if the service was billed through the county so one municipality, such as Medina, doesn’t bear the bulk of the cost. In back from left are Village Clerk/Treasurer Jada Burgess, Mayor Debbie Padoleski and Trustee Mark Prawel.

MEDINA – Village officials will be asking the towns of Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates to contribute $135,000 each in 2027 towards the ambulance service provided by the Medina Fire Department.

That is a significant jump from the $35,000 each town was paying in 2026. But Medina officials say, even with the big increase, the towns are still getting a deal compared to what the village taxpayers are spending for the service.

Yates Town Supervisor Jim Simon has publicly stated the $135,000 is too high for Yates. He has talked with Mercy Flight EMS to see if that agency would provide the service at a lower cost. Mercy Flight is contracted with the seven towns in central and eastern Orleans to provide ambulance coverage.

Medina Mayor Debbie Padoleski said the Village Board was trying for a multi-year contract with the three towns but now is looking at a one-year agreement. That should provide more data on the precise costs to the village for running the ambulance service.

Medina’s career firefighters also serve as EMTs and paramedics. About 90 percent of their calls are EMS-related.

Village Trustee Scott Bieliski said the ambulance service accounts for about $1.3 million of the village’s $3.96 million tax levy. The fire department expense outside of the ambulance is approximately another $400,000, he said.

“Paying $35,000 is now here nearly enough,” Mayor Debbie Padoleski said about the current town contribution. “We’re providing a service to them and we have to pay for that service.”

Trustee Mark Prawel said the $135,000 from each of the three towns is still too low and he wants them to pay more.

The other Village Board members agreed, but they opposed seeking more for now. Trustee Jess Marciano said it would appear to be in bad faith after telling the towns in the negotiations in recent months that the village’s requested number was $135,000.

Padoleski pushed to settle on that number so the towns can know what to expect as the town boards work to put together their town budgets for 2027. The towns are working on those spending plans now.

“I think it should be higher,” Prawel said during last week’s board meeting. “I think we shot too low.”

The seven towns in eastern and central Orleans County are in a three-year contract with Mercy Flight where that organization was paid $250,000 in 2025, $275,000 in 2026 and will be paid $300,000 in 2027.

The towns pay a share based on call volume. The Medina mayor said she opposes using call volume for a funding formula. The budget for the ambulance service doesn’t change for Medina if calls go up or down, she said.

‘There is no doubt this is an expensive service,” Padoleski said. “It’s going to be expensive no matter where you get it.”

If all three towns pay the $135,000 or $405,000 total, the village residents would still be funding about $900,000 of the cost.

“Medina village residents are paying a lot more for the ambulance,” Bieliski said. “It’s not even comparable.”

The Village Board also said they want to make sure the towns out the town expense for the ambulance in the outside-village fund so village residents don’t pay twice for the service in their taxes.

Bieliski said a one-year contract will give the village and town officials more time to digst the numbers and consider the future of the EMS services in western Orleans.

“The numbers are astronomical,” he said. “We get a great service. Everyone just needs to come together on the numbers.”

Mike Maak, a retired Medina firefighter, was part of the team that helped establish the ambulance service through the fire department in 2006. The Medina FD replaced Rural Metro for the ambulance service in western Orleans.

Maak said it would make more sense to fund the service through the county-wide taxes, similar to how the garbage and recycling is billed and paid for with an annual fee. That way, Maak said, the costs are spread out fairly without one entity bearing too much of the expense.

If the service continues through the Medina FD, there has to be significantly more buy in from the neighboring towns, he said.

“The can can’t be kicked down the road anymore,” Maak said during the meeting last week. “We are at the breaking point.”

Oak Orchard Ox to be dedicated at 11 a.m.

Press Release, Friends of Orleans County Marine Parks

POINT BREEZE – The Friends of Orleans County Marine Parks and community partners invite residents and visitors to spend a day along the Oak Orchard River at Pop-Up & Jam, a free community event featuring the “OONA Emporium” flea market, arts & crafts, food vendors, and live music on Saturday, September 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Orleans County Marine Park, 1110 Point Breeze Road, Kent, NY.

Pop-Up & Jam is reminiscent of the former Wooden Boat Festival held annually from 2001 to 2009, combining the fun of an open-air market with an afternoon of live entertainment at one of Orleans County’s most scenic waterfront destinations. Pop-up Coordinator Lynne Menz was one of a handful of event coordinators for the boat festival 20 years ago.

“I often hear how much the neighbors miss the 2-day boat festival that celebrated the character of Point Breeze and the Oak,” said Menz, who is a coordinator for the OONA Summer Concert Series, a board member of Friends of Orleans County Marine Parks and a core team member of Carlton Heart & Soul program. “This is a perfect fit to bring neighbors together for a community yard sale/swap meet and celebrate the end of the Summer in Point Breeze with live music.”

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. to dedicate the life-sized Oak Orchard Ox, a bicentennial project that was painted by local artist, Carol Culhane and recently installed by Orleans County in the Marine Park between the parkway bridges. The meticulously hand-painted ox traces the story of the Oak Orchard River from Lake Alice to Lake Ontario, celebrating both the history and natural beauty of Orleans County, New York. This project was made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program and administered by GO Art.

Besides browsing the Pop-ups: the OONA Emporium Flea Market and arts and crafts vendors, you can get a tarot card reading, enjoy offerings from food vendors, and stay for an afternoon of live music. Meet members of organizations such as Carlton Community Heart & Soul, the Point Breeze Yacht Club, Orleans County Tourism and OONA/Friends of Orleans County Marine Park.

Vendor space is still available. Registration for a vendor booth is open until Sunday, September 6th. The cost is $25 for a 10×10 vendor space and free for OONA members. Contact lynne@focmp.org or complete the form on our website (click here).

Live Music Schedule (“JAM”)

Live music will be continuous from noon to 6 p.m. utilizing both pavilions in the park as stages. These bands have never performed at the OONA summer concert series and we are excited to welcome them to our neighborhood.

• 12 noon – Tom Keefer & Celtic Cross performing Celtic Rock
• 2 p.m. – The Coupe de Villes performing R&B and Classic Rock
• 4 p.m. – The Eddie Joe Clark Band performing Country hits and originals

The event is presented by the Friends of Orleans County Marine Parks in partnership with Carlton Community Heart & Soul, Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association (OONA) and GO Art! This event is made possible with funds from the 2026 Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State legislature and administered by GO Art!

The Orleans County Marine Park is located along the Oak Orchard River at Point Breeze, just a short distance from Lake Ontario and off the Lake Ontario State Parkway in Point Breeze. Bring a lawn chair and your shopping bags!

Admission is free. This is a rain or shine event.

‘I’m a proud American, and I’ve always believed there’s nothing wrong with a little more American pride. So I figured, why stop at the Gulf? Lake America sounds a whole lot better.’ – Congressman Jimmy Patronis Jr.

File photo: The Lake Ontario shoreline is shown at Point Breeze with a full moon in distance.

A Florida congressman introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to change Lake Ontario’s name to “Lake America.”

Jimmy Patronis Jr., a Republican, represents Florida’s 1^st congressional district in the Western Panhandle. He introduced the bill following President Donald’s Trump executive order on Thursday that changes to lake’s name. Trump made that order unilaterally, without a prior vote by Congress.

Trump’s order directed the federal government to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, and gives the Interior Department 30 days to update the federal Geographic Names Information System. It also directs federal agencies to use the new name on maps, contracts, documents and other communications.

The president made the executive order amidst a trade dispute with Canada. Mark Carney, the Canadian primes minister, said Canada will always recognize “Lake Ontario” as the officially name.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the name remains “Lake Ontario” in New York State.

However, in Florida, it will be taught as “Lake America,” said Henry Mack, that state’s education commissioner.

Congressman Patronis on Monday introduced the “Lake America Act.” He said that President Trump’s official renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America has been met with strong support across Northwest Florida.

“President Trump put America back on the map. Now we’re putting America on Lake Ontario,” Congressman Patronis stated in a press release. “Canada can call it whatever they want, but here in America, I say we call it Lake America. I’m a proud American, and I’ve always believed there’s nothing wrong with a little more American pride. So I figured, why stop at the Gulf? Lake America sounds a whole lot better.”

The Lake America Act would:

• Rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”
• Replace references to Lake Ontario with “Lake America” across federal laws, maps, regulations, and official records.
• Direct the Secretary of the Interior and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to oversee implementation.
• Require federal agencies to update their maps and documents within 180 days.

“Representing Florida’s First Congressional District, including Destin and Pensacola, I saw firsthand the pride and patriotism that came with the Gulf of America,” Patronis said. “I love that energy, and I think this is another opportunity to build on it. This is another tool in President Trump’s toolbox to put America First and restore pride in our great country.”

Three Democrats in Congress introduced their own legislation on Monday to stop President Trump’s attempt to rename Lake Ontario and protect the historic names of all five Great Lakes.

Congressman Joe Morelle (D, NY-25), Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D, MI-06) and Congressman Tim Kennedy (D, NY-26) introduced the “Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act.”

The legislation would prohibit the President, Secretary of the Interior, or any other federal official acting under presidential authority from changing the official geographic names of Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie or Lake Superior.

Community leaders from 1800s featured on annual tour

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Sue Starkweather Miller, the village of Albion historian,  speaks on Sunday at the grave of Anthony Tripp Sr., a Revolutionary War soldier who enlisted three times. He first served in Rhode Island in 1777 at age 15 as a drummer for three weeks. In 1779, he served in New York for two months and then for three more months in 1780.

He settled in Albion in 1811. Tripp died in 1846 at age 84.

The fence at Mount Albion was purchased by his wife Polly who had saved her widow’s pension funds.

He was one of four Revolutionary War soldiers highlighted on Sunday’s tour of Mount Albion Cemetery. This was the fifth and final of the local cemetery tours organized by the Orleans County Historical Association. There have been annual cemetery tours at Mount Albion since 1994.

Mount Albion was the first site from Orleans County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 27, 1976. The 50^th anniversary of that designation is less than a month away.

About 100 people attended the tour which started at the chapel, a building from 1875 which just got a new slate roof to replace the original. The project was funded by donations from the community.

People were able to check the inside of the chapel, which will see major interior restorations beginning this winter.

The drop ceiling was recently removed to reveal a plaster and lathe vaulted ceiling.

The complete chapel restoration is a $225,000 project for the roof, exterior and interior work. Once it’s complete, Starkweather Miller said the chapel could be used for funerals, historical talks and other events.

People walk through the chapel including the area in the back where up to 16 caskets could be stored during the winter.

Upcoming work inside includes replastering of the north wall; electrical upgrades (wiring, outlets, internal and external lighting); heating unit for seasonal use; removal of old floor, repair subfloor and put in a new floor; and refurbish exterior doors and window trim.

Bill Lattin, retired county historian, co-led the tour with Starkweather Miller. He is holding a head board for Joseph White, a Civil War soldier buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Kendall. Lattin acquired the head board in the 1960s. It was in a janitor’s closet at the county courthouse.

Head boards temporarily were used until a headstone could be made and set.

Starkweather Miller shares about Howland Kimball, who entered the militia as private in Rhode Island and served for about six months. He lived to be about 95, dying in 1854. He was married to Hannah and had eight children.

William Butts, another Revolutionary War soldier, lived to be 85, dying in1841. He was originally from Rhode Island, and was a private, corporal and sergeant in Massachusetts. He served in 1775 to 1777, then again in 1779 and 1782. He and his family moved to Albion in 1835. He and his wife Rachel were married for 62 years.

The tour also featured Daniel Thurston, a Revolutionary War soldier who served in the New York militia. He died in 1829 at age 92. He was a farmer and a deacon in the Presbyterian Church for over 50 years.

Bill Lattin speaks by the grave of the Honorable Sanford E. Church, who served as lieutenant governor of New York, state comptroller and chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals. He died on May 14, 1880. His grave includes an elaborate marble canopy supported by red granite pillars.

The hitching post at far left is positioned in a stomping pad for horses. The pad helped to protect the dirt from the horses, Lattin said.

The tour included a stop at the grave for Michael Hanly, the first superintendent of Mount Albion Cemetery from 1862 to 1894. He lived from Sept. 4, 1821 to Sept. 11, 1907. He is buried next to wife Catherine.

Before there was a superintendent, people had to take care of their own plots, and not everyone kept them up, Starkweather Miller said.

The community has been very fortunate to have cemetery superintendents and employees so committed to the upkeep of the cemetery, she said.

“From the very first superintendent until now, I’ve seen nothing but dedication and care for this cemetery,” Starkweather Miller said.

Mount Albion opened in 1843. It was initially 25 acres that were purchased at $40 an acre or $1,000 total.

Daniel Cady, a lawyer and father of famed women’s rights activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, gave the dedicatory address on Sept. 7, 1843 from this park in the cemetery.

The speech began:

“We have met to provide a mansion for the dead! We have come out of our quiet homes and the bright sun light and the crowded streets, and all the garish show of life to this secluded spot, to set apart a last final resting place where the weary pilgrim – the wandered through life’s thorny maze, may come and lay down his burdened form – where families may gather together the forms of those, their loved and lost ones – and whose sire and son, blooming youth and any age, the beautiful and the gifted, may sleep in undisturbed repose till the morning of the Resurrection.”

The tour highlighted Ebenezer Rogers, a shoemaker and tanner who later became a farmer. His brick home on South Main Street, just north of Allen Road, is the oldest house in Albion.

Building began in 1816 and was completed in 1820 for Rogers, who helped start the Barre Center Presbyterian Church as well as the First Presbyterian Church in Albion. The Presbyterian Church in Albion had 16 members when  the society formed in 1826 and grew to 420 by 1853.

Starkweather Miller also highlighted Joseph Hart. She has lived in his house for more than 50 years on South Main Street.

That house  was constructed between 1820-23 in the federal style. It was built to replace a log cabin which Joseph Hart erected in 1811/12 as an early settler. In 1921, the home was moved to its current location at 323 South Main St.

Joseph’s Hart son, Elizur, was a banker and congressman. He left $50,0000 for the First Presbyterian Church of Albion, plus another $5,000 for its Sunday school.

He helped has the money to erect the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, a Civil War memorial for the nearly 500 soldiers from the cunty killed in the war. It was dedicated on the 100^th anniversary of the USA –  July 4, 1876.

Bill Lattin highlights the monument for John Proctor, a key leader among the pioneers. He helped settle the hamlet of Childs in Gaines. Proctor first came to this area in 1810 at the age of 23 after purchasing several large parcels of land from the Holland Land Office.

He built a cabin in what is now Childs and lived modestly for his first few years in the area, surviving on a few acres of corn, wheat, and potatoes.

Perhaps John Proctor’s most famous accomplishment is his role as the “Paul Revere of Ridge Road.” In December of 1813, Proctor’s nearest neighbor woke him in the middle of the night to bring word that the British were invading from Canada and had already burned the village of Lewiston.

Proctor owned the only horse in the area, and so he rode 15 miles from Childs to Clarkson to warn other settlers that the British were coming.

Proctor had a vision for the hamlet and began to sell and rent his land to settlers, businesses, and churches that were starting to spring up in and around what is now Childs. In 1834 he paid for the construction of a cobblestone church for the Universalist Society of Gaines, and later sold a house of worship to the Free Congregationalist Church, an abolitionist congregation. Proctor was such a notable figure that before he named the hamlet Fair Haven, it was colloquially referred to as “Proctor’s Corners.”

Although he was an outstanding member of the community, Proctor’s personal life was marked by tragedy. John was married four times and had to bury three of his wives, and while he had six children, only two of them survived to adulthood.

The Proctor family obelisk memorialize Proctor’s wives and children, several of whom died in a typhoid breakout in 1828.

An Albion girl changed the face of the American presidency. Grace Bedell wrote the letter to Abraham Lincoln urging him to grow a beard to improve his chances for getting electing as president.

Her parents, Norman and Amanda, are buried at Mount Albion.

Grace Bedell grew up in Albion, but briefly lived in Westfield. She mailed the letter to Lincoln, recommending he grow whiskers, when she lived in Westfield.

Grace Bedell’s father Norman attended a country fair in the fall of 1860 and brought home a campaign poster featuring Abraham Lincoln and his vice presidential running mate Hannibal Hamlin. Grace, 11, didn’t see how Lincoln could win, not with that face. He was too homely looking. But Bedell, who lived in a pro-abolitionist home, had an idea that would make Lincoln more appealing to the masses: Grow a beard. On Oct. 15, 1860, she mailed a letter to Lincoln.

The Bedell family had lived in Albion for 40 years before they moved to Westfield in 1859. They stayed two years before returning to Albion.

Press Release

Provided photo: Rylie Fox holds a Rev cuddle buddy. She will be selling lemonade on Wednesday so more Revs will be available at the Strong NICU.

KENDALL – A Kendall student is turning a school leadership opportunity into a chance to give back to some of the region’s youngest patients.

Rylie Fox, an incoming sixth-grade student at Kendall Central School, was selected to participate in the school’s Safety Squad, a program conducted in partnership between the Kendall Central School District and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. The program gives students an opportunity to demonstrate leadership while promoting safety, responsibility and service within their school and community.

Students entering sixth grade must apply and interview for a position on the Safety Squad. Those selected receive an acceptance letter during the summer, along with instructions to complete a community service project.

For her project, Rylie has decided to hold a lemonade stand  on Kendall Road on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. giving the opportunity for people coming home from work to enjoy an ice cold lemonade. The stand will be located on Kendall Road between Ridge Road and Creek Road.

Rylie will donate 100% of the proceeds to Healthy Highway, a nonprofit organization, to help provide “REV” cuddle buddies to children in the NICU at Strong Memorial Hospital.

Each REV costs approximately $25 to produce, and Healthy Highway relies on donations and community support to make the cuddle buddies available to children in need. Rylie is hoping her lemonade stand raises enough money to provide as many REVs as possible to children and families in the NICU.

The cause has a special connection to Rylie and her family. Her father James Fox, a chief with the Kendall Fire Department, began a partnership with Healthy Highway in June to bring REV to the Kendall Fire Department. After learning more about the program, Rylie knew where she wanted the proceeds from her community service project to go.

Rylie’s cousin spent an extended period of time in the NICU at Strong Memorial Hospital after he was born, and the care he received there helped save his life. Remembering what the NICU meant to her own family inspired Rylie to help other children who are going through similar experiences.

Her hope is that children who have spent their first days, weeks or months fighting in the NICU can eventually go home with a REV cuddle buddy of their own.

What began as a Safety Squad community service assignment has become an opportunity for Rylie to demonstrate exactly what the program is designed to encourage—leadership, compassion, safety and service to others.

Community members who would like to support Rylie’s project can stop by her lemonade stand Wednesday, September 2, from 4:30–6:30 p.m. on Kendall Road between Ridge Road and Creek Road. Every dollar raised will go toward helping put more REV cuddle buddies into the hands of children in the Strong Memorial Hospital NICU.

Photo courtesy of Isabella Zasa: Marti’s on Main is located in the former Cornell Cooperative Extension offices at 20 South Main St. in Albion.

Press Release, Marti’s on Main

ALBION – Marti’s on Main Art Studio in Albion will host its first annual Art Auction on Saturday, September 26, featuring original artwork donated by 35 artists.

The auction will provide art lovers and collectors with an opportunity to view and bid on a variety of original works while supporting the nonprofit art gallery and its ongoing programming in the community.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the 35 artists who donated their work and made this first annual Art Auction possible,” said Kim Martillotta-Muscarella, owner and curator of Marti’s on Main. “We’re excited to showcase their artwork and create an evening that celebrates the arts while helping support the future of Marti’s on Main.”

Artwork will be available for preview beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the live auction scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Todd Jantzi, owner of Bontrager Real Estate & Auction Service in Batavia, will serve as auctioneer.

RSVPs are required by September 17, and space is limited. To RSVP, call or text 585-590-9211 or complete the online registration form by clicking here. Businesses and organizations interested in sponsoring the event may email martisonmain@gmail.com for more information.

About Marti’s on Main

Marti’s on Main is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit classified under Section 509(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. The studio provides a space for artists to showcase their work and for people to experience and participate in the arts through exhibitions, workshops and events. Marti’s on Main relies on donations and membership fees to support its operations and continue its mission of supporting artists and making the arts accessible.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Marti’s on Main celebrated its grand opening on July 24, 2021 at the former Cornell Cooperative Extension building at 20 South Main St. About 125 people attended the three-hour open house. Marti’s hosts several art shows and classes each year. The building has been turned into art showcase by Kim and Neal Muscarella.