County has seen significant sales tax growth in recent years

Photo by Tom Rivers: Downtown Medina is shown in a recent photo. Medina’s Main Street is a vibrant business district.

ALBION – Orleans County continues to see growth in the local sales tax revenue, but not at the pace of the other rural GLOW counties.

The state comptroller has highlighted the sales tax revenue for the first half of the year among counties in the state, as well as the overall state growth.

Orleans County, in the first six months of 2026, is up by 2.8 percent or $340,000 from $12.41 million to $12.75 million.

Orleans is coming off a big sales tax year in 2025 when revenues jumped 9.3 percent or nearly $2.2 million from $23.42 million in 2024 to $25.59 million in 2025.

The revenue helps the county offset increases and helps hold down property taxes at the county level. The County Legislature also shares $1,366,671 with the 10 towns and four villages, a level that has been unchanged since 2001. The towns and villages collectively receive about 5 percent of the total.

The county has seen steady growth in sales tax in recent years. It has now gone up nearly $8 million from the $17.7 in 2019 to the $25.6 million last year.

Orleans County sales tax revenues

• $25.6 million in 2025
• $23.4 million in 2024
• $23.1 million in 2023
• $22.5 million in 2022
• $21.8 million in 2021
• $19.4 million in 2020
• $17.7 million in 2019

The comptroller’s office said overall inflation, including much-higher gas and fuel prices in 2026, are a factor in higher sales tax revenue so far in 2026, compared to 2025.

Aggregate sales tax collections for counties grew by 5.7 percent in the first half of 2026, year over year, with 52 of 57 counties outside of New York City experienced increases in first-half collections. More than half of those counties saw growth exceed 5 percent.

Among the GLOW counties, the growth in Orleans County is lagging behind.

• Genesee County is up 12.5 percent from $27.78 million to $31.26 million, an increase of $3.48 million
• Livingston up by 5.2 percent from $22.48 million to $23.64 million, an increase of $1.16 million
• Orleans up by 2.8 percent from $12.41 million to $12.75 million, up by $340,000
• Wyoming increased by 9.2 percent from $12.80 million to $13.97 million, an increase of $1.17 million

Neighboring Monroe County only saw 0.5 percent growth from $321.0 to $322.7 million, while another neighbor to Orleans, Niagara, is up 8.9 percent from $85.23 million to $92.78 million, according to the state comptroller.

Provided photos: The following are historic properties which have been selected by the Cobblestone Society to be recognized in the annual Cobblestone Museum Architectural Tour, scheduled Oct. 3 from noon to 5 p.m. Selected structures, all in Niagara County, are the Babcock House Museum in Appleton, Appleton Hall (Marjim Manor) in Appleton, Van Horn Mansion in Burt, First Baptist Church in Newfane, Alton & Arlene Schwarzmuller’s home in Wilson and the Wilson House Inn and Restaurant in Wilson.

The annual Tour of Homes sponsored by the Cobblestone Museum will have a new look this year when it takes place Oct. 3. Aptly named as the Cobblestone Architectural Tour, the event from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 will feature six structures in Niagara County,

Tickets are $20 for Cobblestone Society members and $25 for non-members. Tickets are available online at CobblestoneMuseum.org or by calling (585) 589-9013.

The first Tour of Homes took place in 1961, according to Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Museum. The 20 featured buildings that year were all cobblestone and were located on or near Ridge Road between Childs and Oak Orchard on the Ridge. Seven of the homes allowed indoor tours, while 13 were exterior only or drive-by. It was organized by Carl Schmidt and other early Cobblestone Society board members.

“These days, I work with a planning committee each year,” Farley said. “We pick a geographic area on which to focus to minimize the drive time between stops. We also have limited the tours to no more than six indoor tours to keep the timeframe manageable.”

The tours have also grown to include other types of construction, which explains the name change from Cobblestone Tour of Homes to Cobblestone Museum Architectural Tour this year. In 65 years, only a few annual tours have been missed.

The cobblestone Babcock House Museum at 7449 Lake Rd., Appleton, is owned by the town of Somerset Historical Society. The Greek Revival Babcock House was built in 1848 by Jeptha Bacock near the shores of Lake Ontario. He was a farmer, first postmaster in the town, supervisor of the town of Somerset and a New York State assemblyman.

A succession of owners eventually led to New York State Electric and Gas acquiring the property in 1982 as part of its 625 megawatt electric generating plant. An agreement was signed in 1987, allowing the town of Somerset Historical Society to operate the Babcock House Museum and Visitors’ Center.

The cobblestone masonry, using water washed stone from Lake Ontario, is typical to this area of Ne4w York, with most of these homes being erected prior to the Civil War. When one steps over the threshold, they enter a world gone by. A brick beehive oven and fireplace are focal points. The home is completely furnished with vintage antiques, china, light fixtures and pump organ. It is if the original owner is just outside in the impressive barn tending to his animals.

One of the largest barns in Niagara County, visitors can tour the old machinery inside and view the barn’s soaring architecture. The Somerset Historical Society holds square dances, storytelling and old fashioned pot luck meals inside the barn several times a year.

Appleton Hall (Marjim Manor) is located at 7171 Lake Rd., Appleton, where it is home to the Winery at Marjim Manor, woman-owned by Margo Sue Bittner.

The Marjim name comes from a blending of her first name with that of her husband Jim. It is a name they created 35 years ago when they began dairy farming.

The winery is truly a family affair. Margo Sue is president, and daughter Janet Walker assists with sales and marketing. The fruit comes from Bittner-Singer Orchards, where Margo’s husband is president. Their sons work full time there also.

The 9,500 square foot mansion has a unique appearance and history. Formerly called Appleton Hall, it is built of bricks imported from Italy by its original owner Shubal Merritt, who bought the property from the Holland Land company. The house was originally and Italianate villa style brick house. In the 20th century, a wrap-around enclosed porch was added.

Originally built in the 1800s as a farmhouse, it later became a summer retreat for the Sisters of St. Joseph Convent. It even has resident ghosts. Visitors to the Tasting Room hear the whole story. No recent sightings have been reported.

The Van Horn Mansion at 2159 Lockport-Olcott Rd., Burt, has a history that is both fascinating and a classic American story. A pioneer family earned riches from dreams and hard work, yet lived through plenty of hardships and heartaches. This can also describe their homestead, which was built by the first Van Horn to settle in Niagara County.

James Augustus Van Horn was born in New Jersey in 1770. He became a blacksmith and settled with his wife Elizabeth Hall and their three surviving children, moving to Seneca County around the turn of the century. In 1801, at age 31, James purchased 637 acres south of Lake Ontario from the Holland Land Company. As was the rule at the time, one could not take possession of property until it was paid in full, and James, like most new landowners of the day, would take many years to pay off the property and move.

In 1807, Elizabeth passed away and James, almost immediately, married his second wife Abigail Carpenter. Together they had six surviving children and two who died in infancy. James visited his new property for the first time in 1809, along with business partner Levi Ellis. Both arrived from Seneca County with plans to build a new water-powered grist mill along Eighteen Mile Creek and sell flour.

Construction began in 1810, around the same time James’ son Launey was born. Unfortunately, all the workers would become very ill with swamp fever. The project was abandoned before winter, leaving the men to return to their lives in Seneca County. James would not give up, however, and returned alone the next year to complete construction and put the mill into operation.

James decided that until the businesses were strong, his family would remain in Seneca County. One main reason may have been the wide-spread illnesses in Niagara County due to the large amount of swamp land at the time. The land was properly drained in 1832 by the state, eradicating the health problems.

When the War of 1812 erupted, many settlers left the area, but James Van Horn remained and began sending flour to support the American garrison at Fort Niagara. In December of 1813 the British headed to Eighteen Mile Creek, with orders to destroy all before them west of the creek. They burned homes, mills and factories, leaving the settlers to the mercy of the woods and harsh temperatures.

The British attacks spared most families and property east of the creek, but had orders to burn the Van Horn’s mills, which were considered “military targets,” since they were supplying Fort Niagara with flour. The mill was burned to the ground, yet the British spared James’ home, because (some believed) he was diplomatic to the invaders and supplied them with food and brandy.

In 1817, with the war over, James started over with a new partner and millwright, Ira Tompkins. They rebuilt the gristmill and the next decade added a brickyard, small general store and sawmill. He rebuilt the gristmill again after a fire in the 1830s. James also began plans to build a large home for his family, and by 1819, they were officially settled at their log cabin home in Newfane. That same year he began construction on what would become the first brick building in the area, known today as the Van Horn Mansion. The new brick home was an immense structure in Federal Greek style. It had two stories, plus basement with four fireplaces on each floor, a basement kitchen and an outdoor summer kitchen.

James, then in his 50s, owned 637 acres of property. The family business was known as Van Horn and Company, a business which grew with the addition of a wheat farm, distillery, wooden mill with a clothing shop and several other mills.

The First Baptist Church at 6047 East Ave., Newfane is built of cobblestone and was organized in 1829, five years after the town of Newfane was incorporated. The church, with its landmark cobblestone building, has been the spiritual home to generations from Newfane and surrounding communities for so long that no one today can remember when this house of worship did not exist.

Historical events in the church’s history include its founding May 27, 1829 as the First Baptist Church and Society of Newfane; It’s new house of cobblestone in 1843 – one of only a handful of cobblestone churches in the nation; extensive renovation completed in 1907, including building the bell tower and installed stained glass windows; constructing Memorial Hall to honor Newfane men who served in World War I; purchase of a used pipe organ, whose pipes today are a backdrop for a lighted hanging cross in the sanctuary; in 2004, the church’s acceptance for listing on the New York and National Registers of Historic Places; and celebration in 2015 of the church’s 186th anniversary.

The cobblestone home of Alton and Arlene Schwarzmuller at 2533 Wilson-Cambria Rd., Wilson was built for Captain Morgan Johnson about 1844-45. It was considered one of the most elaborate of Niagara County’s cobblestone homes. Morgan was captain of the ship “Milly Cook,” which caught fire and burned in Wilson Harbor.

The house is constructed with small water-washed stones with a very interesting herringbone design. It also features unique belly windows with grill facings ad two stone columns at the front door. It is also known as the “Anchor House” because of the500-pound anchor on the front lawn. The anchor was lost from the schooner Franklin Pierce during a story in 1840 and found near the Wilson pier around 1897.

The current owners purchased the home in 2001. The house had fallen into disrepair for several years and was even foreclosed on at one point. The Schwarzmullers saw the house for its potential and looked past the numerous blue tarps used to protect some damaged areas in hope of stopping further degradation.

Wilson House Inn & Restaurant is located at 310 Lake St., Wilson. Owner Kerry Atlas will offer a special menu for guests at the remodeled Luther Wilson family cobblestone home, originally built in 1844 on the site of the village’s first schoolhouse, which was erected in 1820.

In 1890, the home was the scene for the double funeral of Captain Luther Willson, 92, and his son Reuben F., 68. Later, it became the Wilsonian Club, a private club for area businessmen, with a bowling alley in the basement and a dance hall on the second floor. A large porch was added where musicians played and revelers danced in the street.

It eventually became a bar/restaurant in 1947 and has continued to be one, under several different managements.

Resident says many people can’t afford roof projects, other costly repairs

Photo by Tom Rivers: Tim Zeiner Sr. speaks during a recent Village Board meeting when the board said it was concerned about lingering property maintenance issues in the village. From left include Trustee Jeff Wagner, Trustee Jess Marciano, Village Clerk/Treasurer Jada Burgess and Mayor Debbie Padoleski.

MEDINA – A village trustee said he wants to see more progress in the village with property owners fixing leaking roofs, painting buildings and tending to other property maintenance.

Jeff Wagner, a Village Board member, says some roofs have been covered with tarps for years. It is unsightly and unfair to neighbors and other residents to have that blighting effect, he said.

“We have to figure out how we can take this village from a B to an A,” Wagner said during last week’s board meeting.

Tim Zeiner, a Park Avenue resident, said aggressive enforcement may not be the answer because many residents are cash-strapped and can’t afford a new roof that he said can top $30,000.

“I understand the cost is prohibitive,” Wagner replied.

Code enforcement officer Dan Gardner said he issues many citations a month and tries to be reasonable in working with people to address the issues.

“Many people are long-term residents on fixed incomes,” Gardner said.

He issues tickets and many go to court, and the cases can drag on for months, even years without resolution.

Some of the residents said Gardner could use more help with code enforcement. The village used to have three part-time staff that assisted the codes officer.

Mayor Debbie Padoleski said new Police Chief Corey Black can be part of looking at the codes and seeing if police officers can help with enforcement.

“We get a lot of complaints,” Padoleski said about some of the problem properties.

Wagner would like to see more improvements among the home and building owners.

“I’m not talking about throwing people in jail,” he said. “It’s about holding people accountable and doing what they should be doing.”

Press Release, Orleans County Emergency Management Office

The Orleans Aware App provides alerts on emergencies, and also other health and safety information.

ALBION – The storms that ripped through Orleans County this week, including the tornado in the Town of Shelby, point out the need for residents to be able to receive real time emergency alerts, according to Scott Buffin, Deputy Director of Orleans County Emergency Management.

Orleans County Emergency Management joined the National Weather Service (NWS) yesterday to complete a damage survey from the tornado. NWS reported the tornado had a rating of EF1 with an estimated peak wind of 105 mph, a path length of 1.20 miles and a width of 200 yards.  Orleans County volunteer fire departments answered nearly 200 storm-related calls during the weather events.

“First, we are very thankful that such serious storms, including the tornado, did not lead to any serious injuries or deaths,” said Buffin.  “We also want to recognize the great work of the county’s first responders and emergency personnel, including those in the Orleans County 9-1-1- Communications Center who fielded a tremendous number of calls and did a great job directing resources. This was a team effort that continues as we deal with the aftermath of the storms.”

Buffin said the county’s Emergency Management Director Justin Niederhofer has made direct communication with residents a priority of his office, recognizing the importance of sharing information quickly in emergency situations. That is what led to the development of the Orleans Aware app to their smartphones.

The app provides alerts and other real-time information during emergency situations while also serving as a resource for other health and safety information. The app is available by clicking here.

Buffin also encouraged residents to follow Emergency Management on Facebook (click here).

“These are free communication vehicles that allow us and other agencies to quickly push out notifications as situations develop and change,” said Buffin.  “Do yourself and your family a favor and download the app and follow us on Facebook so you are prepared for the next emergency situation.”

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its 28th annual business awards.

Nominations are due by Sept. 14 and can entered on a Google Form (click here).

The categories include:

• Business of the Year – This award is presented to a business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year. (Last year’s winner: Velocitii in Medina.)
• Lifetime Achievement – This award is presented to an individual with a long-term record of outstanding business achievements. (Rita Zambito received the award in 2025.)
• Phoenix Award – This award is presented to an organization or business that has successfully adapted or re-used an existing facility. (Newell Lounge/Shirt Factory in Medina won the award last year.)
• New Business of the Year – This award is presented to a business or organization that has opened in the past year. (Homestead Pest Control in Albion won last year.)
• Community Service Award – This award is presented to a business, organization or individual that has provided meaningful contributions to the community in either professional or non-professional spheres. (Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern won in 2025.)
• Agricultural Business of the Year – This award is presented to an agricultural business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year. (RLW Cattle in Lyndonville won the award in 2025.)
• Small Business of the Year – This award is presented to a small business that has experienced significant achievements/success throughout the year. (Bentley Brothers in Albion won last year.)
• Hidden Gem –This award is presented to a business that has made a positive contribution to tourism in Orleans County. (Hurd Orchards in Holley won the honor in 2025.)

ALBION – Two people were arraigned in Orleans County Court on Wednesday for felony drug possession and weapons charges.

Daniel Busch, 34, and Kayli Burrows, 28, both of Albion, were arraigned on two different indictments.

They both face charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree after being charged on April 30 for allegedly having 690 milligrams of cocaine as well as scales and baggies.

In a separate indictment, they face criminal possession of a weapon in the third and fourth degrees, as well as criminal possession of a controlled in the third degree allegedly for having on Sept. 14, 2025 a loaded handgun and 14-round large capacity magazine. Busch faces an additional charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree due to a prior conviction.

Both have been released on their own recognizance with conditions that they attend UConnectCare appointments and not break the law.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Construction has started on a new pedestrian bridge in Medina that will cross the Oak Orchard Creek.

RJT Construction Services in Rochester is the contractor for the project on Maple Ridge Road (Route 31A) in Medina. This area also will get about 2,000 feet of new sidewalks on the north side of the road.

The Medina Village Board on March 23 approved the $837,448 bid by RJT Construction Services to install the bridge and sidewalks. RJT was the lowest of four bidders when the bids were opened on Feb. 18.

The section of Maple Ridge Road by 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. (In this photo, the Mariachi de Oro Mexican restaurant is shown in the background.)

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).

In addition to the construction bid, the village has approved paying Barton & Loguidice $166,300 for construction services and inspections.

Crosby’s is the first business west side of the creek on the north side, near the approach to the new bridge.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado, with estimated winds of 105 miles per hour, hit East Shelby on Wednesday evening, the National Weather Service reported on Thursday.

Tornados from the powerful Wednesday evening storms also hit in Olcott, Niagara County, and in Alexander, Genesee County.

The East Shelby tornado started at 6:45 and ended at 6:47 p.m. The tornado had a path length of 1.2 miles and a path width of 200 yards.

This supercell thunderstorm snapped multiple trees with significant damage to trees across several residences, but only minor structural damage, the Weather Service said.

The agency said a severe supercell thunderstorm moved into western Orleans County, circulation tightened and a tornado touched down in a field east of Bigford Road and south of Martin Road.

“Several trees were toppled on the edges of this field before the tornado crossed over East Shelby Road causing significant tree damage across several residences on the east side of the road, along with minor structural damage to a home,” the Weather Service said. “The tornado then continued eastward through a forested area with numerous trees uprooted and few snapped. The tornado then lifted over an open field west of Townline Road.”

• Olcott tornado – The National Weather Service confirmed tornados in the hamlet of Olcott from 6:07 to 6:08 p.m., with a path length of 0.67 mile, with a maximum path width of 70 wards. The estimated wind speed was 105 miles per hour.

“A supercell thunderstorm, that previously produced a waterspout moved onshore producing damage from the shoreline inland.”

• Alexander tornado – The east Alexander tornado last six minutes, from 7:29 to 7:35 p.m. It had a path length of 3.78 miles and a width of 150 yards with maximum wind speeds of 110 miles per hour. It flattened a corn field and snapped multiple trees.

There were also confirmed tornados in Waterloo and Fayette in Seneca County in the Finger Lakes.

‘The president should stop the political games, get back to the negotiation table, and make a deal that lowers costs for New York families.’

File photo by Tom Rivers: Kayakers were out on Lake Ontario during a sunset on Aug. 4, 2018 in Barker.

Another bill will soon be introduced in Congress about the official name for Lake Ontario, as recognized by the federal government.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, announced she will be presenting legislation to nullify President Donald Trump’s executive order from a week ago that called for Lake Ontario to now be known as “Lake America.”

Trump’s executive order gave 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.

“President Trump’s inane executive order is a weak attempt to distract from the fact that the Trump administration has raised costs on hardworking families, caused gas prices to skyrocket, and cut the programs that Americans rely on to get healthcare and put food on the table,” Gillibrand said in a news release. “Instead of renaming Great Lakes for no good reason, the president should stop the political games, get back to the negotiation table, and make a deal that lowers costs for New York families. I am proud to announce this legislation to restore Lake Ontario’s original name, and I look forward to getting it passed.”

 Congressman Joe Morelle, a Democrat from Rochester, introduced legislation in the House of Representatives on Monday to ban the name change to Lake America.

A Florida congressman also introduced legislation in the House to change Lake Ontario’s name to “Lake America.” Jimmy Patronis Jr., a Republican, represents Florida’s 1st congressional district in the Western Panhandle.

“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.”

Morelle, in a statement today, said the naming controversy has created uncertainty for businesses.

“Communities like ours are asking Washington to focus on the challenges that actually affect people’s lives,” Morelle said. “Here in Rochester, we’ll keep calling it Lake Ontario. And in Congress, I’m working with my colleagues to make sure it stays that way.”

Gillibrand said she will introduce a bill in the next Senate working period that would prevent the executive branch from renaming any of the five Great Lakes. It would also nullify and prohibit the implementation and use of funds for the executive order that renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America.

Gillibrand also announced legislation to repeal all tariffs levied under Section 338 of the Tariff Act and refund Americans for all duties paid under this authority. This includes President Trump’s most recent 50% tariffs on Canada, which Gillibrand said will raise prices for New York families and hurt the local economy.

145 remaining without electricity; Yates has most without power

Photos by Tom Rivers

SHELBY – Crews work to restore power to a home on Oak Street in Shelby at about 6 p.m. The crew had the power back on and was headed to its next assignment.

During the peak of Wednesday’s power outages, there were 2,150 National Grid customers in Orleans County without electricity.

As of 6:29 p.m. today, there were 155 waiting for electricity to be restored. National Grid reports those remaining outages by municipality include: 38 in Barre, 4 in Clarendon, 1 in village of Medina, 24 in Ridgeway, 24 in Shelby, and 54 in Yates.

There were two different crews working in Shelby near the intersection of Chestnut Street and Oak Street. The Town of Shelby Highway Department also was busy in this neighborhood today cleaning up fallen branches.

Initiative showcases work by 39 artists at multiple sites

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Cora Goyette, left, and Bea Young of Medina inspect an exhibit on the bank of the Erie Canal in State Street Park created by Korean artist Anne Duk Hee Jordan for the Medina Triennial.

MEDINA – As the Medina Triennial goes into its final week, executive and creative director Kari Conte reflects with immense gratitude on the artists, partners, supporters, volunteers, residents and visitors who have brought the ambitious project to life.

The first time such an event has taken place in a small town, the Medina Triennial has brought thousands of visitors to Medina since the opening June 8. It’s final day is Sept. 7, Labor Day.

At the heart of the Medina Triennia is a vital commitment to accessibility, said Conte. The exhibition is free and open to everyone.

“We believe access to art should not depend on the ability to purchase a ticket,” Conte said. “Keeping the Triennial free allows people to visit spontaneously, return with friends and family, encounter new ideas and experience contemporary art within Medina’s distinctive cultural, architectural and ecological landscape.”

During the past three months, the Triennial has welcomed guests from 32 states and several foreign countries to experience more than 100 artworks by 39 artists across sites throughout the village. The response from critics and visitors alike has affirmed our belief that ambitious contemporary art can thrive outside usual cultural centers and create meaningful connections across generations and ideas, according to Conte.

In a recent Hyperallergic review, “Art as Infrastructure at the Medina Triennial,” Sue Reisman described the Triennial as “sprawling yet rigorously organized” and “beautifully curated,” highlighting the exhibition’s engagement with the systems that sustain our shared lives, Conte shared.

The theme of the Triennial is “All That Sustains Us.”

Also, to sustain the Medina Triennial and assure its return in three years as a free event, donations are imperative, Conte stressed. Donors may log on the Medina Triennial website and choose to make a one-time donation or monthly donations.

In addition, the Triennial may be supported by purchasing one of several limited edition artistic items.

Conte also shared a letter from former Medina resident Burton Thomas, who wrote, “Medina is my hometown, and it was a wonderful place to be as a kid. I returned today to visit the Medina Triennial, a truly wonderful world-class art exhibition. I have never been prouder of this charming village, and I am grateful to the organizers and curators of this wonderful exhibition. I could have spent several days viewing the beautiful and thought-provoking works of so many amazing artists. If you value art, history and the environment, you must experience the Triennial. My only regret is I did not visit it more this summer.”

The final weekend of the Medina Triennial features a talk by Buffalo-based artist Matt Kenyon at 4 p.m. Saturday; a curatorial tour with Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo at 2 p.m. Sunday in the historic Medina High School on Catherine St.; a conversation on James Beckett’s A Good Wall with Nicholas Bruscia, assistant professor of architecture at the University of Buffalo, at 4 p.m. Sunday on the front lawn of Medina High School; and a walk and talk with artists Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens at 2 p.m. Monday in Rotary Park on Main Street.

All 10 exhibition sites will be open from noon to 6 p.m. the last weekend, Thursday through Labor Day, including the YMCA.

Conte’s invitation is, “We hope you will join us during this final week and continue to be part of what comes next.”

The Triennial is scheduled to return to Medina in three years.

HOLLEY – The Holley community will have a celebration on Sept. 11 for residents who are 90 and older.

The event will be hosted by Holley Mayor Mark Bower, Clarendon Town Supervisor Marc Major and Murray Town Supervisor Gerald Rightmyer.

The village and two towns first started a special celebration for their residents who are 90 and older in 2022, and then another party in 2024.

The Sept. 11 event will start at 1 p.m. on the grounds of the American Legion with a reception to follow inside the Legion.

The honorees include:

• Village of Holley – Margaret Roggow

• Town of Clarendon – Marion Myers and Orren VanOrden

• Town of Murray – Betty Knight, Betty Rex and Roy Kenyon

In addition, three long-time former residents will be recognized – Mary Brocksopp, Dorothy Kenyon Freestone and Joseph Salvatore.

MEDINA – The Medina emergency food pantry will be closed today due to flooding in the basement.

“We have some water in the food pantry area as well as other parts of the church basement,” said Michelle Capstick of the food pantry. “All the food is safe but the floors are wet.”

The food pantry is at St. Peter Lutheran Church on West Avenue.  The pantry is usually open on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Medina was hit with two powerful storms on Wednesday, in the morning and then the evening that are requiring some cleanup at the church.