Photos and article by Natalie Baron, correspondent

ALBION – The Albion jazz band, led by director Matt Confer, kicked off the Village of Albion summer concert series on Wednesday evening at Bullard Park. Their performance was a strong start to the concert series.

Lily Brigham (left) and Phoebe Allen (right) enthusiastically provided vocals during one of the songs.

The crowd was a lively one, giving a warm applause after each song. Audience member Al Hand gushed, “I think this is a really cool event, and I’m glad this town has events like this where we can all come together and enjoy music.”

Vendors like Jeff Holler were hard at work serving up delicious food. Renovation Lodge #97 for the Albion Masons sold Italian sausage, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, French fries, taco fries, tacos in chip bags, beef on weck, cheese fries, fried dough, and noodles and vegetables with teriyaki sauce, which customers could add their own protein to. They also had available snow cones and lemonade, both of which had watermelon, strawberry, grape, and blue raspberry flavoring options.

There were several other vendors who set up shop that evening. The Webber Café by Sav’s Event and Catering Co. from Lyndonville sold charturie boxes, chicken salad, and broccoli salad. The bakery Confection Connection from South Main Street on Meadowbrook Drive in Albion had loaded stuffed cookies, brownies, muffins, and breads, including sourdough. Also present were Ouie’s Pizza and Last Call Cocktail Company, a mobile bar caterer.

Odd Rodz Car Club was at the concert, showing off their interesting rides. Their goal is to make a car show. Lee Thompson (left) stands by his Blue 2008 Ford Mustang GT. Jerry Stanton (right) is pictured next to his Red 73 Dodge Charger. Thompson will be in the Strawberry Festival’s parade and the festival’s car show. Stanton will appear at the car show, most likely with a different car.

Kids of many ages had a lot of fun at the splash pad. It was a great way to beat the heat that evening.

After the Albion Jazz Band, Sam Kingbury sang and performed country songs on acoustic guitar. Kingbury has been on an acoustic guitar journey over the last two years. He routinely performs at concerts and in bars. He is a 2022 graduate of SUNY Brockport.

The evening was a smash hit with the audience and was only the start of what this summer concert series has to offer.

The 2026 concert lineup at Bullard will feature:

• June 17: Stanton
• June 24: Real News
• July 1: Savage Cabbage
• July 3: 4 p.m. – Ryan & Company; 6 p.m. – Feedback, Side Doors, Road Less Traveled; 7:45 p.m. – The Who Dats
• July 8: Mixed Experience
• July 15: One and Done
• July 22: Coupe de Villes
• July 29: Sky Cats
• August 5: The Dave Viterna Group
• August 12: Highway 31
• August 19 & 26 Rain Dates

Diane Shiffer will sign copies of her book, ‘The Smallest of Joys’ which urges patience without yourself while encountering life’s challenges. She also encourages people to “embrace your inner weirdo.”

ALBION – Hoag Library will be hosting a book signing event today by Diane Shiffer, a senior citizen with more than 2 million followers on social media where she is known as the Chubby Vintage Nana.

Shiffer has a new book out that is published by Hay House LLC. The 256-page book came out in hardcover on April 14.

“The Smallest of Joys” is an invitation to slow down and embrace yourself. Shiffer brings messages about:

• Embrace your inner weirdo
• Be patient with yourself through life’s changes
• Keep a tidy home without overwhelm
• Develop a positive body image
• Heal from heartbreak
• Connect with others through gratitude
• Find everyday magic in the simplest moments

“Whether you’ve been following Diane for years or are just meeting her now, this book is like a warm teacup in your hands and a soft blanket around your shoulders,” Amazon states in promoting the book. “A modern antidote to hustle culture and self-criticism, it’s a reminder that kindness—especially toward yourself—can be a powerful way to live.”

Shiffer is a retired educator and social worker. She started to go viral on social media during the pandemic in 2020 when she posted short videos of her in daily life – baking, sewing, doing household chores, sharing words about kindness, and showcasing some of her vintage finds, such as potholders.

She speaks directly to her followers in her videos, calling them “my sweeties” and “my dears.”

The book talk will be at 5 p.m. today at Hoag, 134 South Main St.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Chantea Mitchell poses in a garden at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County at the 4-H Fairgrounds, where she has announced the founding of PlantHERPurpose, a non-profit organization she founded to serve justice-involved women, survivors of domestic violence and women in recovery.

KNOWLESVILLE – Founding a trauma-informed garden education and healing program designed to serve justice-involved women, survivors of domestic violence and women in recovery has been a vision of Chantea L. Mitchell for years.

She has just announced the launch of a new non-profit organization on June 16 at UConnectCare in Albion.

Through hands-on gardening, peer support, wellness education and partnerships with local organizations, participants will gain practical skills, strengthen support networks and develop healthy pathways toward healing and personal growth, Mitchell said.

The program empowers women to heal and grow through trauma-informed garden therapy, peer support and community connection, Mitchell explained. The program provides a safe and supportive space for women who may be navigating trauma, domestic violence, recovery and justice involvement.

During the first session, participants will complete orientation, review program expectations, begin building community and take part in healing-centered and garden-based activities. Over the course of six weeks, participants will engage in guided journaling, peer circle discussions, hands-on gardening activities, wellness education, safety planning and connections to local community resources.

As a lifelong Orleans County resident with more than 20 years of experience in criminal justice and human services, Mitchell developed PlantHERPurpose to address the need for safe, supportive and healing-centered opportunities for women facing significant challenges.

The inaugural six-week cohort will be held in Albion and will include collaborations with such community partners as Cornell Cooperative Extension, Orleans County Department of Social Services’ Domestic Violence Program, RESTORE Sexual Assault Services, UConnectCare and Orleans Community Health.

“This program highlights a grassroots effort to support local women through community partnerships, education, wellness and recovery,” Mitchell said.

More information on the program is available by e-mailing plantherpurpose@gmail.com.

Niki Smith is the creator of the book, “Midsummer Sisters.”

MEDINA – Author’s Note, Medina’s independent bookstore, will welcome a double-talented duo of graphic novel-author-illustrators on June 16.

Julie Berry, Author’s Note owner and New York Times Best-selling Author, has announced the visit of Niki Smith and Katie Risor, who will join in conversation together at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss and sign their acclaimed new titles, Midsummer Sisters and Welcome to the Forest: The Lake Trip.

“With graphic novels, the fastest growing segment in market share and popularity among youth literature, the opportunity to host not one, but two author-illustrators, each with their own new releases, is a particularly exciting opportunity for Author’s Note and for Medina,” Berry said.

From Munich, Germany, award-winning cartoonist Niki Smith delivers a stunning story set during a summer of change, Berry said. Filled with gorgeous and expressive illustrations, Midsummer Sisters is a celebration of the beauty of wild horses, as powerful as the unbreakable bond between sisters. Midsummer Sisters has received five starred reviews on Publishers’ Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Shelf Awareness, School Library Journal and The Horn Book Magazine.

“Smith’s loose, expansive artistic style offers plenty of room for emotional expression – a bittersweet ode to family bonds worth fighting for,” Berry explained.

Katie Risor is author and illustrator of “Welcome to the Forest: The Lake Trip.”

Welcome to the Forest: The Lake Trip by Katie Risor from Syracuse, is the long-anticipated sequel to Welcome to the Forest: The Harvest Party. The quirky, lovable creatures of the forest return in this heartwarming and beautifully illustrated graphic novel, perfect for beginning readers, English-language learners and fans of cozy comics, according to Berry. With gentle storytelling and endearing forest friends, Katie Risor’s Welcome to the Forest series is a heartfelt invitation to slow down and savor the small wonders of the world.

Smith and Risor will each present and read from their new works, sign books purchased at the event and answer questions during their visit on Tuesday to Author’s Note.

Smith is also the author and artist of the Lambda Literary Award-nominated graphic novel The Deep & Dark Blue. Her book The Golden Hour was a Kirkus, SLJ and NYPL Best Book of 2021. When she’s not drawing comics, she’s collecting embroidery hoops and zines and learning to draw boats. She currently lives in Munich with her wife and two bilingual cats.

Risor is an illustrator, author and graphic novelist making books for kids. In 2021, her illustrations for Month of the Military Child won a Texas Advertising Award, and her debut author/illustrator early reader, Welcome to the Forest: The Harvest Party, was published in August 2025, the first in a four-part series.  Risor grew up in Texas, but now lives in Syracuse with her partner, three cats and the groundhog who lives under her porch.

Author’s Note expects a large turnout for this special event and strongly suggests preordering copies of both authors’ works at Author’s Note, 519 Main St., Medina, or online at authorsnote.com/events.  For those unable to attend, signed books can be ordered for pickup or free shipping at authorsnote.com. Contact Author’s Note at (585) 798-3642 for more information.

Photo courtesy of Marsha Rivers: Horses at Bokman Farms at Route 31 and Long Bridge Road in Albion check out a visitor by their fence last year when the sun was setting.

A heat advisory has been issued for Orleans County between noon and 8 p.m. on Thursday. The National Weather Service in Buffalo said heat index values in the mid 90s are expected.

The heat advisory also includes Niagara, Monroe, Wayne, northern Cayuga, Livingston and Ontario counties.

The hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat-related illnesses to occur, the Weather Service said.

“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the Weather Service advised.

The forecast for the next few days calls for highs of 87 on Thursday, 86 on Friday, 85 on Saturday and 79 on Sunday.

Photo and information courtesy of Medina Marching Band

MEDINA – The Medina Mustang Band, along with staff, parents, supporters, and friends met at the Shelby Fire Hall on June 7 to recognize the Bands’ many accomplishments over the past year.  There were scholarships awarded and many members received recognition awards.  Dinner was prepared and served by the Shelby Fire Dept. Auxiliary.

Students, shown above, were named to fill leadership duties for the coming 2027 Season which will include the NYS Field Band Fall Competition Show, “We the People”, which will musically and visually represent our nation’s 250th anniversary.

All of the students who participate in this program enjoy and contribute to the family atmosphere.  Everyone has a role, a part to play and they help each other out when needed.

Front Row:  Grace Keppler, Band Manager; Lillian Maynard, Flute Section Leader; Arabella White, Assistant Drum Major; Madison Voss, Uniform Manager; Madison Scribner, Uniform Manager;  Zoey McKinney, Trumpet Section; Kira Lake, Tuba Section Leader.

2nd Row:  Hailey Moore, Band Manager; Harrison Ribbeck Farley, Baritone and Trombone Section Leader; Cadence Mariano, Secretary/Librarian; Payton Denniston, Saxophone Section Co-Leader; Teagan Balaban, Front Ensemble Section Leader; Sofia Lopez, Drum Major; Carmen Stalker, Assistant Drum Major; Grace Smith, Band Manager; Sophia Cherry, Saxophone Section Co-Leader; and Rachel Herbert, Band Manager.

Back Row: Britton Brady, Band Manager; Elise Olsen, Secretary/Librarian; Gabriella Wilson, Guard Captain; Ella Crooks, Colorguard Manager; Raelynn Baker, Guard Captain; Jackson McGrath, Band Manager; River Jones, Assistant Drum Major; Aiden Jackson, Head of Percussion; Adler Class, Band Manager; Madelyn Elliott, Mellophone Section Leader; Trent Ingerson, Clarinet Section Leader; and Cole Herman, Band Manager.

Library hosting many outdoor programs, summer reading challenge and concerts

Photos by Natalie Baron: Heather Rutherford has done a lot for the Lyndonville community. From being a board member and director for Lake Plains Players to her role as Yates Community Library’s director, she keeps busy, working hard and passionately.

By Natalie Baron, correspondent

LYNDONVILLE – There are many upcoming activities and items to discover at the Yates Community Library under its new director, Heather Rutherford.

The Yates Community Library recently received a grant, titled “From Shore to Sky: Supplying Our Community’s Outdoor Experience.” The program is funded through the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s Rural Library Grant Program. It provides support for rural public libraries and library systems, recognizing them as key community hubs. The Foundation is providing $1.5 million in support over three years, from 2026 to 2028, in Western New York.

The grant enables the Yates library to supply patrons with equipment that supports outdoors exploration. There will be backpacks from DEC containing a set of binoculars, a small book for bird and critter identification, and brochures discussing where to go in NY for birdwatching.

The establishment will also be receiving a Stream Ecology Kit that tests water outside, as well as sets of binoculars and other items so that educators have enough for all children during lectures. Some of the binoculars available for checkout are to be there thanks to the I Bird NY program.

Additionally, the library was recently accepted into the I Fish NY Fishing Rod Loaning Program, allowing patrons to check out a fishing rod, as well. The library will be purchasing a shed for storage of these various outdoorsy materials.

This summer, Penn Dixie will be working with the library for several programs, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge will be helping with stream ecology activities with kits the library is purchasing, Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve with DEC will assist with a birding program, the Department of Environmental Conservation will teach visitors how to use the items in the backpacks, and Vernon Fonda, a conservation officer with the DEC, will host fishing instruction. The library is also hoping to start nature walks.

Rutherford said, “A lot of people are like, ‘Well, I don’t read.’ We have magazines, we have newspapers, we have video games, we have board games, we’re about to have binoculars. We have so many other things that you can check out besides a book if you don’t want one. We want to feature those things so that people understand what they can get when they come.”

Saturday, June 20 marks the beginning of the Summer Reading Program. There will be sign-ups, face-painting, games, and activities. Additionally, kicking off the adult Summer Reading Program, seven local authors are going to be at the library, where they will be selling their books, signing their works, and discussing future plans. This event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The activity is a drop-in, so attendees can show up, walk around, and talk to whomever they would like to chat with. Rutherford will also be there as a “Get to Know the New Director” and is open to questions.

Along with these various activities, there will be summer reading challenges. These are open to everyone, from kids to teens to adults, and everyone, regardless of age, plays against everyone else. Participants form their own goals that they share with the library for both time spent reading as well as number of books read. As goals are met, prizes are earned. Whatever parents read to young children counts toward the children’s totals.

For the Adult Summer Reading program, the library has paired with Orchard Manor, which is taking over some of the prizes to give to adults there, so that they can also join, even though they cannot come into the library. There will be a party for those who met their goals.

There are several bookmarks to Track Your Reading based on participants’ reading goals. One tracks monthly reading and has a calendar on it. Another is a 700-minute reading challenge where you color in circles with 10, 20, and 30 inside of them. A third bookmark features a drawing of books with the directions Read a Book, Color a Book. A fourth lets you track your reading by coloring in a picture while you are reading, going up to a total of 50 separate times.

Participants will also receive a bigger bookmark and must color in images on their bookmark for every 30 minutes of reading. Youths will have eggs to color in, and teens and adults will have fossils. If the bookmark is returned on Aug. 21, participants will be entered to possibly win a prize.

If a participant tells a clerk about a book read via an oral report, the participant will retrieve a brag tag, which is a plastic tag on a keychain with cute pictures on it. There are options for brag tags, some featuring the prehistoric theming of this year, along with brag tags from previous years.

“Some adults come in and talk to us about their books already, but some of them don’t really talk to us, so we’re hoping to get a little bit more conversation,” Rutherford said. “We like to make that connection, and then we know how we can help, what books they’re reading, and what we need to buy for our library so that it offers what the community wants.”

Many events are taking place at the Yates Community Library this summer. The beautiful establishment is surrounded by nature.

Another event with the Summer Reading Program, which will run for the same amount of time, is called Unearth Lyndonville. It will be a scavenger hunt, where participating businesses will hide dinosaurs. Every week, participants need to find the item of the week on social media from a zoomed-in photo cluing participants in on what the item is. They must snap a photo with it. Most of the businesses that will put a dinosaur in their location have donated a prize toward a gift basket for whomever wins the most points. Not only should this activity help to support the library, but also the various businesses Lyndonville has to offer.

Unearth a Story will feature a third activity, a passport program. Participants can visit libraries under the Nioga System in Niagara, Genesee, and Orleans counties. They can pick up a library passport, show the passport at every library they attend, collect stickers to form a scene from prehistoric times, and fill out one raffle ticket per library. By the end of the passport program, raffles will take place for children, teens, and adults.

The library is hosting several additional activities over the summer. There should be garden walks, and the library will likely be putting up memorials. Growing Up Wild, a training for educators, homeschoolers, and scout leaders, is entirely free with registration and is taking place on July 8, occurring from 9 am until noon.

The training is coordinated by the library and Project WILD. Lace Up for the Library on Saturday, August 29 with a 5K run/walk. Check-in is at 8 am, and the race begins at 9 a.m. and starts and ends at Yates Town Park on Morrison Road. Everyone, regardless of age, is welcome. All proceeds go toward the library as a fundraising effort. There will be refreshments. The top finishers will earn awards. Professionals are to be timing the race and servicing the finish line.

An arrangement has recently been made with the pre-k in Lyndonville to have a library staff member go to the classroom to teach a lesson. The library is attempting to restart the Homebound Program, which would have volunteers go to and from the library for those who physically cannot reach it on their own. The establishment is also working to improve their social media presence, with staff doing funny reels in Instagram and Facebook. A link to these pages can be found on the website. The library is also hoping to improve business connections. One idea Rutherford would love to develop is doing a road scholar activity, during which those who signed up would go on a field trip and learn how to make something.

Rutherford expressed, “I’m still learning. I’m learning what we need here, and I’m also learning what I can do in the time I have in a day, because it is limited. We aren’t one of the bigger libraries.” She does multiple jobs in one. She writes grants, orders books, does the payroll, and more. “So, I have to manage how much I can do with what I can fit in in a day.”

Before becoming the director for the library, Rutherford was an educator, mostly teaching 2nd and 4th grades. Right before becoming the director, she had been working with the school and being an elder caregiver. Since 2021, Rutherford has co-directed with Jennifer Trupo for Lake Plains Players with the Summer Theater Program.

Rutherford joined Lake Plains Players as an actor in 1988, and over the years, she has been in and has choreographed shows. This summer, Rutherford will be co-directing Finding Nemo Jr. with Evan and Annaliese Steier of Albion. Rutherford has also been a part of the board for Lake Plains Players as their grant writer since around 2016.

“I love how Lake Plains Players lets everybody into the show,” Rutherford said. “I really support what they do, how everyone works together, and how everyone feels like a family. It’s not a competition. I think it’s a wonderful program for kids and adults. We’ve had a lot of people come through Lake Plains Players where it was on their bucket list to be in a show one time, and they just want to try it, and they might not come back, or they might decide it’s the most wonderful thing they’ve ever done and they’ll come back every year. It’s really interesting.”

Trupo and Rutherford have also been co-directing the high school musical, separate from Lake Plains Players, since 2019.

Rutherford gushed, “I have been an avid reader for a long time. I read 200-250 books a year, usually. I fly through my books, and so I know books. I love books. I’m constantly in here, and I’m in the Medina library all the time, so I know and love libraries. My job has been a lot of talking about books, a lot of making sure that the community is getting what they want from the library: any education that they need and any resources that they need. I love working with my staff; I have a great staff. I’ve been told that I don’t need to be pushing myself as hard as I am, but I really want to make sure that everyone loves the library as much as I love the library. That’s what I’m trying to convey when people come in.”

Events Calendar for June 2026:

• Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: Library is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday: Library is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday: Library is open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., but it will be closed during July and August. Wednesday and Sunday: Library is closed
• 1000 Books Before Kindergarten: Kids aged 0-5 are applicable to sign up for this program, which lets them earn one prize per 100 books they read or are read. Sign up online and stop by the library to pick up a packet.
• As part of Unearth a Story, Unearth the Wonders in Lyndonville will be a scavenger hunt occurring throughout Lyndonville all summer long, from June 20-August 21.
• Thursday, June 11: Free Tech Help from 1:30-4:30 pm. Read to Golden Retriever (registration required) from 4-5 pm.
• Friday, June 12: Brush & Giggles Art Class (registration required) from 4-5 pm.
• Saturday, June 13: Author Storytime & Activity “The Perfect Color” by Paula Banks Dahlke at 11 am.
• Tuesday, June 16: Learning Google Office apps with Nioga’s Sara Taylor from 5-7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 20: Summer Reading Kick-Off Party: Local Authors Unearth Their Stories from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sign-ups for the Summer Reading Program will occur the entire week after.
• Thursday, June 25: Orleans Health Insurance Coordinator from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free Tech Help from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.
• Monday, June 29: Barker Community Band concert at 6:30 p.m. for the Summer Concert Series with Go ART!
• Tuesday, June 30: Teen Calm Crafting & Audiobook from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. Adult Calm Crafting & Audiobook from 6-8 p.m.

The library will also be hosting a Concert on the Lawn during the Summer Concert Series.

2026 Concert Lineup:

• June 29 at 6:30 p.m. – Barker Community Band Marches
• July 6 at 6 p.m. – Carnival Steel Kettle Orchestra (CKSO) at Yates Town Park
• July 13 at 6 p.m. – The Who Dats
• July 20 at 6 p.m. – Doc’s Pocket Change Band
• July 21 at 11 a.m. – David Stockton
• July 27 at 6 p.m. – Sam Kingsbury
• Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. – Celtic Spirit
• Aug. 10 at 6 p.m. – The Old Hippies
• Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. – Adrianna Noone
• Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. – Eddie Joe Clark Band
• Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. – Blue Sky

There are many other prospective events in July and August. In July, there will likely be a Dino Sleepover with a Dino Storytime the following day, a Growing Up Wild training for educators, Fossils, Fossils Everywhere with Penn Dixie, Gentle Yoga for adults, Stream Ecology with INWR, How Chickens Evolved from Dinosaurs, Birding, and more. In August, the library should have, a Craft Table, and Nature’s Recyclers. Both months will feature Words with Birds – reading to a dinosaur (chicken), Bilingual Storytime, Read to Golden Retriever, and Calm Crafting for teens and a similar event for adults. Check out the July and August schedules once they roll out for finalized activity dates and times.

Rutherford said, “You can support the library just by walking in the door. We have to submit to the state the number of patrons we serve, and even if people just walk in the door, they will be counted. People will come in to read the newspaper and walk back out. We don’t know if you read the books you check out, but it helps our circulation, and it helps us know what you’re interested in, so that we continue to buy things that are related to what people want to see more of.”

She added that she thinks the library is gorgeous. “Just being able to look outside, we’ve got baby wood ducks right now, we’ve got baby Canada geese, we’ve got our swan. It’s such a great resource for the outside.”

Governor Kathy Hochul announced nearly $140 million in federal funding is available to support counterterrorism and emergency preparedness efforts across the state, with $56,260 headed to Orleans County for counterterrorism and $17,611 for the county’s emergency preparedness efforts.

The funding, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its FY 2025 Homeland Security Grant Program and its Emergency Management Performance Grant, supports regional homeland security preparedness efforts, including planning, organization, equipment, training and exercise activities which are critical to sustaining and improving community prevention, protection, response, and recovery capabilities, the governor said.

The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services manages these programs in close coordination with local stakeholders.

“Threat landscapes are constantly evolving, and it is vital that our communities are prepared for anything that may come their way,” Governor Hochul said. “With this funding, we’re making sure our partners at every level of government have the training and resources needed to keep New Yorkers safe. We are grateful to our federal partners for their assistance in securing these grants to help make New York a safer and more secure place for all.”

FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program is comprised of three separate risk-based grants aimed at assisting state, local and tribal efforts in preventing, preparing for, protecting against and responding to acts of terrorism. Those programs are the State Homeland Security Program, the Urban Area Security Initiative and Operation Stonegarden.

The breakdown in funding includes:

• State Homeland Security Program – $38.2 million. The State Homeland Security Program provides funding to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic disasters.
• Urban Area Security Initiative – $92.2 million. This funding is awarded to jurisdictions in the New York City metropolitan area under the Urban Area Security Initiative grant. The region will use this money to sustain and enhance their critical anti-terrorism programs.
• Operation Stonegarden Grant Program – $2.7 million. This grant provides critical funding to enhance cooperation and coordination between federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies through the support of joint operations which are conducted along the northern border.
• Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) – $6.6 million. This federal funding was awarded to county emergency management agencies in New York State to support planning and operational readiness for disaster response.

Concerts will be offered Monday through Friday at spots around the county

ALBION – A busy summer concert season gets started today with the Albion Jazz Band playing at Bullard Park beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Bullard will be hosting Wednesday concerts until Aug. 12, with rain dates on Aug. 19 and 26.

The Village of Albion Recreation Department plans the events, which include food vendors and a car cruise each event.

The 2026 concert lineup at Bullard includes:

• June 10: Albion Jazz Band
• June 17: Stanton
• June 24: Real News
• July 1: Savage Cabbage
• July 3: 4 p.m. – Ryan & Company; 6 p.m. – Feedback, Side Doors, Road Less Traveled; 7:45 p.m. – The Who Dats
• July 8: Mixed Experience
• July 15: One and Done
• July 22: Coupe de Villes
• July 29: Sky Cats
• August 5: The Dave Viterna Group
• August 12: Highway 31
• August 19 & 26 Rain Dates

The Yates Community Library Concerts on the Lawn start Monday June 29 at 6:30 p.m. and continue through August. 31.

OONA and Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park have concerts on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginning June 23 at the County Marine Park in Carlton on Route 98.

The Village of Albion’s concerts at Bullard Park will be on Wednesdays from June 10 to Aug. 12.

Blue Thursdays starts next week on June 18 in Medina at State Street Park with musicians playing the blues. Concerts are from 6 to 8 p.m. and go until Aug. 6.

The Village of Holley’s concerts at the gazebo on the Erie Canal will be on Fridays, beginning July 3 and going to Aug. 28. The concerts are from 6 to 8 p.m.

District says budget with 2.5% tax increase keeps up with inflation, provides students with opportunities

Photos by Tom Rivers: Dan Dragula, Lyndonville’s school business administrator, goes over the district’s 2026-27 budget which goes for a revote on June 16. Dragula said cost-of-living increases and inflation require a tax increase of 2.5 percent, which he said is below the 4.0 percent for the district’s tax cap.

LYNDONVILLE – The school district will try again on June 16 with a public vote on the 2026-27 school district budget.

The district is presenting the same spending plan that was voted down on May 19 – with 172 opposed and 129 votes in favor. The voting on June 16 will be from noon to 8 p.m. in the Stroyan Auditorium Foyer.

The $19,194,000 budget would increase spending by 9.8 percent or by $1,719,670  from the $17,474,330 in 2025-26. However, most of that increase is driven by a capital project which is funded by the state, said Dan Dragula, the school’s business administrator.

The tax levy would increase by 2.5 percent from $4,758,692 to $4,877,659. The budget with a 2.5 percent tax increase is already below the district’s allowable tax cap of 4.0 percent.

If the budget is voted down again, Lyndonville would have to adopt a contingency budget would mean reducing spending by another $266,495 to get the budget to $18,927,505.

Bill Jurinich, a former Board of Education member, said the district should have reduced some costs from the budget that was voted down by the community on May 19 with 172 opposed and 129 votes in favor. The budget presented on June 16 is the same as the one on May 19. Jurinich said the steady tax increases over the years has made it unaffordable for many in the community, especially senior citizens on fixed incomes.

Some community members want the district to reduce spending in the budget revote. Bill Jurinich, a former board member for nine years, attended a Tuesday evening meeting on the budget.

He told the school officials they should have made some more cuts after the budget was defeated. However, he said even a 1 percent increase would likely be voted down by the public.

“People are tired,” he said. “It’s been one increase after another.”

He also questioned some of the capital project expenditures, even if the state is footing the bill. Lyndonville put in a new synthetic track as part of the current capital project.

“We need that track like a hole in the head,” Jurinich told Dragula in the school’s foyer.

 Jeanne Crane spoke during the public comment opportunity at the Board of Education meeting. She acknowledged she is a senior citizen at age 86.

She said the Lyndonville district provided a great education for seven of her grandchildren, who have all graduated. She said the 2.5 percent tax increase would raise her taxes by $60, which she said doesn’t buy a tank of gas and barely covers two meals out in a restaurant.

“I’m speaking from the heart,” Crane said. “Every penny we spend on a child is worth it. Our children are our future.”

Dragula, in a budget presentation, said the district is facing cost of living increases, including $116,745 more for gas, electric, water and diesel. Lyndonville needs to pay $102,820 more for contributions to Social Security and pensions.

There is also a 2023 capital project loan payment of $888,678 which is funded by state, but makes the district’s expenditures jump significantly.

Lyndonville has been paring costs, Dragula said, well before the 2026-27 budget was presented to the public. He said the district didn’t replace three retired teachers in math, English and tech which reduced spending by $280,000. Lyndonville also ended  a special education pre-K program with one teacher and three aides, reducing expenses by $132,000.

The school budget is a statement of values, Dragula said.

“We value quality education where students have more than the minimum required opportunities,” he said. “We support the arts, athletics and technology beyond the state minimum. We offer electives and college courses to offer more exposure and learning.”

The district acknowledged concern by some in the community over reassessments that have resulted in some people paying more in taxes.

The district includes the town of Yates (taxable value of $244.7 million) and portions of Carlton ($107.5 million), Ridgeway ($55.1 million) and Gaines ($2.4 million).

The towns have assessors that determine the assessments. The school district is not involved in that process. Just because the assessed values are up, Dragula said the district isn’t seeking a big tax increase.

The tax levy is distributed through the overall tax base. The reassessments can shift what different properties are billed at, but the overall tax levy is proposed to increase by 2.5 percent.

For more on the budget revote, click here to be directed to the school district’s website.

Provided photos

ALBION – The VFW Post 4635 awarded two $750 scholarships on Tuesday. Recipients were chosen from essay submissions. The scholarship winners were voted on by Post members.

The top photo shows scholarship winner Julia Button, joined from left to right by her father Jacob, Post Commander Mike Donahue, brother Hayden, Post Senior Vice Commander Joe Marvin, mother Casey, and Patrick Walders, fiancé of Julia’s mother.

Wesley Olles received the other scholarship. Pictured from left include Wesley Olles, Mike Donahue, father James, and Joe Marvin.

Officials praise village in Orleans County as a model for blending historic resources with vision for future

Photos by Tom Rivers: Saturday was a big day for the Medina Triennial with a grand opening celebration. Pictured from left during a ribbon cutting for the Medina Triennial outside the former Medina High School on Catherine Street include: artist Victoria-Idongesit Udondian; Joseph Kessler (in back), executive vice president and chief operating officer of New York Power Authority; Debbie Padoleski, mayor of Medina; Ben Walsh, director of New York Canal Corp.; Aaron Ott (in back), Medina Triennial board member and curator of public art for Buffalo AKG Art Museum; Heather Hungerford, supporter of the Triennial; Kari Conte, executive director and co-artistic director of Medina Triennial; artist James Beckett (in back); Karin Laansoo, co-artistic director of Medina Triennial; and Angelyn Chandler, vice president of planning for New York State Canal Corporation and New York Power Authority.

MEDINA – The primary supporters of the Medina Triennial, which debuted last weekend in Medina, see the village is Orleans County as a model for other small towns in the state and country, showing you can find new ways to utilize historic resources to lay a foundation for the future.

The Triennial features 39 artists with exhibits and works at 10 main sites in Medina.

An arts triennial is typically in a larger city. But the New York Power Authority and NYS Canal Corp. committed to bringing an international arts exhibition to Medina, a village of about 6,000 people.

The idea first emerged in 2021 when then Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was in Medina with then Canal Corp. director Brian Stratton. Then were promoting kayaking and hydrobiking on the Erie Canal. The Canal Corp. and Power Authority officials also were in town to see the damage to the concrete wall on the north side of the canal. The wall was crumbling in spots and still needs attention. The Canal Authority said it will be repaired soon.

These people relax on a bench inside the historic Medina High School, where many of the art exhibits are located. In back are some of the sculptures that were made by beavers. Artist AKI INOMATA entitles this piece as “How to Carve a Sculpture.” Based in Tokyo, INOMATA traveled to five zoos in Japan providing material for beavers to create these gnawed-wood sculptures. The smaller sculptures were made by beavers and the bigger ones were machine-carved versions on a larger scale.

Right after that visit in 2021 to the Canal Basin, the Canal Corp. and Power Authority officials met with local leaders for a discussion. The state leaders wanted to hear how the canal could spur further revitalization in Medina, which is already the envy of many villages with its vibrant downtown and strong manufacturing base.

The question was raised of using contemporary art as a catalyst for the canal. The group wanted to make it happen and would go on to line up more support and advisors from the NYS Council of the Arts, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester as well as leaders from Medina, regional arts organizations and philanthropists.

The result: about $2 million raised and committed for the Medina Triennial, which has formed its own non-profit organization with a board of directors. The group is committed to bringing the arts exhibition to Medina every three years, bringing artists from around the world to share a powerful message.

Ben Walsh, the Canal Corp. director and former mayor of Syracuse, praised Medina as an “authentic community.” He commended generations of residents for their contributions to the village, for keeping and caring for the historic resources while keep an eye on the future.

He said the preservation efforts in Medina, the downtown resurgence and now an international arts showcase deserve a big spotlight.

“What we have here is worthy of the attention of the world,” he said. “What we are doing here in Medina will be a model not only for other communities on the canal but communities around the state and country.”

The Erie Canal last year marked its bicentennial. The canal is now in its third century, Walsh said.

“We are proud of our history, but history alone can’t sustain us,” he said. “We have to look to the future.”

Kari Conte (left), executive director and co-artistic director of Medina Triennial, and Karin Laansoo, co-artistic director of the Triennial, speak at a grand opening celebration on Saturday for the Triennial. They are part of a team that has put in 80 hours a week the past 18 months to make the exhibition a reality.

Conte said the artists committed to the Triennial despite some uncertain conditions and evolving sites. More than 100 people have contributed to the project, she said.

Conte also thanked Roger and Heather Hungerford for making the former high school at Catherine Street available for the Triennial and for their recent upgrades to the building.

“Small towns are part of the conversation about the future,” Conte said.

She said the arts should be part of the fabric of a community.

“Culture is civic infrastructure,” Conte said.

The debut of the Triennial has a theme: “All That Sustains Us.” Conte said the theme grew from a question: “What does it take to keep things going?”

She wanted the exhibition to explore what labor, what knowledge, what commitment is required to sustain civic life, ecological systems, and built environments—especially when those systems are under strain.

She praised the hospitality of the Medina community, with residents opening their homes to artists and sharing their insights. Some even contributed plants to Mary Mattingly’s floating garden in the canal.

The Triennial will be open Thursdays through Sundays until Sept. 7 and all the exhibits are free to visit.

There are 10 sites with artwork: the Medina Triennial Hub at 345 Main St.; the Erie Canal behind the Hub building; Orleans County YMCA at 306 Pearl St.; the former Sacred Heart Church at 208 Ann St.; Medina Memorial Hospital at 200 Ohio St.; Medina Railroad Museum grounds at 530 West Ave.; Medina Theater at 603 Main St.; Rotary Park at 507 Main St.; and State Street Park at 325 East Center St.

Victoria-Idongesit Udondian, a native of Nigeria, speaks during the grand opening celebration. She has work exhibited in the high school gym and in room 212 of the former school. She said her work “is a labor of love.”

“Art brings communities together to engage in conversation,” she said.

Victoria-Idongesit Udondian creates works that reflect on global labor economies and on migrants who attempt sea crossings. Many of them do not survive.

In “Mme Anam Utom” she attached used coats to the floor with an epoxy resin to invoke fallen bodies. The installation links the migration crises of the present with those of the past.

Victoria-Idongesit Udondian also created a piece with metal, life-cast hands and second-hand clothes. She collaborated with a textile art center in Buffalo to create the piece that explores colonialism, migration and underpaid labor in global textile markets.

These Triennial visitors view work from Ash Arder of Detroit, Mich. She takes a dissembled car door from a 1987 Cadillac Sedan de Ville which she got from a junkyard and created a refuge and a listening chamber. The doors are wrapped in a gold vinyl. This artwork houses a multichannel video and sound installation. Some of the sound is from the Medina Waterfalls.

James Beckett created “A Good Wall” on the front lawn of the old high school. Beckett is based in New York City and Amsterdam. This is his largest project in North America to date. He worked with students from the University of Buffalo to examine the role of stone in contemporary building practices.

Beckett used reclaimed sandstone in the piece. Sandstone defined Medinas prosperity. The quarries produced stone that was shipped along the Erie Canal.

James Beckett focuses his art pieces on industrial heritage and said he was drawn to the Medina Sandstone industry. He is hopeful the Medina Triennial show “will build bridges during these polarizing times.” His mammoth piece served as the backdrop of Saturday’s celebration.

Taysir Batniji, a Palestinian artist based in Paris, has 120 photographs on display in an exhibit, “Just in Case #2.” Each photo centers on a key or keyring that belonged to someone displaced from a home in Gaza that was later destroyed.

DPW superintendent said many contractors, others outside Medina have ‘abused’ the site

Photos by Tom Rivers: Piles of brush are shown in the compost site for the Village of Medina on May 21. The village has since closed the gate to not allow any dumping, but soon will make it available to village residents only.

MEDINA – The Village of Medina expects to soon reopen its composting facility for brush dumping by village residents only.

The village Department of Public Works recently made any dumping off limits after the site was overwhelmed by people dumping brush, construction debris, old decks, fences and other materials.

“It’s been abused,” Jason Watts, the DPW superintendent, told the Village Board on Monday during their board meeting. “The contractors have been abusing the heck out of it. It’s supposed to be for village residents only but it brings people from all over Orleans County.”

The board decided it wants to keep the option available for village residents to dump brush, grass clippings and leaves only. The dumping area is by the former composting facility on North Gravel Road, just south of Boxwood Cemetery.

Medina will put a sign on a gate stating the dumping site is for village residents only. The dumping will be limited to brush, grass and leaves and it will only be available during DPW work hours from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

Those wanted t dump at the site will need to get a key to the gate from the village office. The key will require a $50 refundable deposit and people will be charged $100 if they don’t return the key.

The Medina compost site has been overwhelmed with people from all over the county dumping brush, construction debris and other materials.

Watts said he wants to continue allow residents to use the site as a convenience to them. It also lightens the DPW load. The DPW picks up brush the first Monday each month.

The DPW has been burning the brush piles, but Watts acknowledged there have been complaints. Limiting the brush dumping to village residents should keep the brush piles to a manageable level.

Watts convinced the board to not open up the dumping to people outside the village and to any construction materials.

“If we open it up again to the way it was before it’ll just start all over again,” he said about the big piles of debris. “You could expect a trail of dump trailers.”

The compost site is expected to reopen to village residents once a sign is posted on the gate noting it’s for Medina residents only and the dumping is limited to brush, leaves and grass.

Couple committed to sustainability taking small boat from Buffalo to New York City

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Richard Scotten explains to Cora Goyette of Medina what “GENNY-DELIGHT” means on his collapsible solar-powered boat. His wife Jennifer graduated from Geneseo State College. They later learned the area was also the home of “Genny” beer. By logging on to the site, viewers can watch a video of their progress.

MEDINA – Cora Goyette of Medina was out for a walk Monday afternoon when she spotted an unusual watercraft docked in the canal basin.

Walking over, she met Richard and Jennifer Scotten of New York City, who are spending the next four weeks traveling the canal from Buffalo to New York City in a collapsible solar-powered boat he built.

After welcoming the couple to Medina, Goyette learned how their trip came about.

Richard, owner of a software company, and Jennifer, a classical singer, had been living in an apartment in New York City when their lease ran out, and they decided to move into their fifth wheel. Recently, after two and one-half years of living in their fifth-wheel, they learned it had to have warranty work, which would take six weeks.

“We had to decide what to do for six weeks,” Richard said. “We had two options. First, was to go to England. Second, we could build a collapsible solar-powered boat and travel the Erie Canal.”

 Cora Goyette of Medina, left, was out for a walk Monday afternoon when she spotted this unique craft docked in the canal. Here, she welcomes Richard and Jennifer Scotten of New York City to Medina. The couple is making a four-week trip down the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York City.

The couple loves to travel, combining work with pleasure. They have traveled across the United States and Canada, seeing the sights, while pitching their software to new clients and visiting old ones.

“New York is our favorite state,” said Richard, who comes from California. “Last year we spent all summer and fall in New York and loved the Erie Canal. We visited the Canal Museum in Syracuse.”

Richard said they had been interested in boating and he had already done a complete solar re-build of their RV for off-grid camping.

“We call it ‘boondocking,’” he said.

Richard and Jennifer Scotten of New York City are traveling the Erie Canal and living on this small collapsible solar-powered boat he built. Here, it is docked in Medina for the night, covered with the camping tent he retro-fitted to provide privacy.

Richard started building their boat in January, complete with electric motor.

“There is a lot of interest now in electric vehicles, with gas prices rising,” he said. “I thought it would be interesting to build an electric solar-powered boat. I had seen a guy at an RV show selling inflatable boats you could pack up and take with you.”

He already had solar panels from his RV and acquired a bimini (collapsible tubing with attached covering) used as boat canopies.

“I bought two from Amazon and cut them down so I could fit solar panels on top,” Richard explained. “I built all the electronics which tied it all together.”

He also had to construct a steering wheel and throttle, as there is no tail rudder for steering. This also had to collapse at night, like the rear seats in a car, which then becomes the base for the pump-up air bed, Richard told Goyette.

To cover the boat at night, they bought a camping tent, in which Richard cut out the bottom and tailored the tent to fit the boat. An inflatable mattress, non-perishable food and minimal clothing are their luxuries for the next few weeks.

Richard Scotten of New York City kneels by the collapsible solar-powered boat in which he and his wife Jennifer are calling home as they travel the Erie Canal for the next four weeks.

Jennifer said she had wanted to go to London, but Richard convinced her to experience the Erie Canal.

“London would have been easier and more comfortable,” he said. “This trip is much more difficult, complicated and uncomfortable. People had told us the Erie Canal was a death trap.”

Regardless, the Scottens wanted to experience the legendary Erie Canal.

They had dropped their RV off in Indiana for repairs and drove to Buffalo, where they spent five days at a marina, preparing for their trip down the Erie Canal.

They started their journey where Lake Erie funnels into the Niagara River, and the currents and eddies are strong.

“We were told not to do it, but we had no problem,” Richard said.

Jennifer said they plan their “necessary” stops to places along the canal, like Medina, where there are showers and bathroom facilities.

Goyette, who has joined the Medina Triennial as a guide, wasted no time in informing the Scottens where to visit while they were spending the afternoon and evening in Medina.

“Their’s is a great story, given their commitment to a lifestyle of sustainability,” Goyette said. “It’s a great tie-in to our Triennial.”

The Triennial theme for its arts exhibition: “All That Sustains Us.”