Photos by Tom Rivers: Neeko Caterisano pops confetti at the end of the Holley’s commencement on June 28, 2025 in the school auditorium. Caterisano is one of 67 members of Holley’s Class of 2025. The Orleans Hub covers most of the local school graduations and many other activities around the county.

The Orleans Hub reached its 13^th anniversary on April 1. The online news site has been covering Orleans County, posting articles every day since it first started.

The Hub continues to report the news at a time when many larger news organizations have ceased operations or significantly cut back on reporting.

The Orleans Hub posts about 3,500 articles a year, or about 10 a day. This post is number 45,302.

We also have 30,000 followers on Facebook on the Orleans Hub News page and another 3,500 on Facebook through Orleans Hub Sports. We also have 3,150 following Orleans Hub news on Twitter and about 2,000 on Twitter through the Hub Sports. We recently started an Instagram page and have nearly 1,000 followers.

We’re trying to get the news out the public.

The Orleans Hub is owned by Brad London of Albion. He also is the advertising manager. He acquired the Hub when Karen Sawicz retired on Jan. 1, 2025.

We survive through advertising, and many of our advertisers have been with us since we started. We appreciate them. We also receive revenue by posting obituaries and the $80 we charge is much less than most news organizations.

We are focused on Orleans County, which hasn’t had a printed newspaper based in the county since The Journal-Register shut down on May 30, 2014. The weekly Albion Advertiser closed in May 2013. The Orleans Hub didn’t knock these papers out of business. They had been struggling for years.

The newspaper business has been a very challenging environment the past two decades, with more than 3,000 closing since 2005, according to the Associated Press. The papers have lost a good chunk of their advertising and classifieds, and also their paid subscription base. Another 136 closed or merged in the United States between July 2024 and September 2025.

While some communities are served by online-only sites, these publications like the Orleans Hub are hurt by an archaic state law that doesn’t allow them to be considered “official newspapers” for legal notices. Those notices must be in print newspapers with a “paid circulation.”

We would welcome the opportunity to carry these notices to better serve our readers and to receive some of that revenue. We don’t charge to access the site. We want the news to be available to everyone.

Most of the towns, villages, school districts and even Orleans County use The Daily News of Batavia to publish legal notices. The Daily News has some coverage in Orleans County, but not nearly what is posted by the Orleans Hub. We also consistently have 7,000 to 10,000 “unique visitors” or readers each day. Last year we averaged 7,500 unique visitors and were at nearly 9,000 the first three months of 2026.

The Orleans Hub welcomes local municipal leaders and our state legislators to advocate for getting legal notices to be an option in local online-only news sites. Let’s give the local government leaders the option to decide where these notices can be best be seen by the most people. Right now, the Orleans Hub isn’t a legal option.

It was quite a spectacle when this 200,000-pound, oversized industrial load passed through Albion on Sept. 25, 2025. The big load is shown headed north on Gaines Basin Road. The shipment was manufactured by Batavia’s Graham Corp. for the Navy and headed to the Erie Canal, where it was then taken by a very large barge.

File photos: Albion students played bingo with senior citizens and also joined them in rock painting on May 10, 2023 during Senior Citizens Day at the high school.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion Central School District invites senior citizens, 55 and older, for our annual Senior Citizens Day on Wednesday, April 29th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Albion High School gymnasium.

The school district would like to thank the senior citizens in our community for all they have done to support our students, teachers, and staff throughout the years.

We have a limited number of seats available for this free event. Kindly RSVP by Friday, April 17th, to the High School Student Council Advisor, Mrs. Sawyer Green, at (585) 589-2040, ext. 8414. You can also email sgreen1@albionk12.org to secure your reservation. Please leave a message with your name, phone number, and the number of seats you’d like to reserve.

Mrs. Green will call you to confirm your participation. We look forward to having you join us for this wonderful event hosted by Albion High School’s Student Council!

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Crosby’s in Holley in Route 31 at the Batavia Street intersection is just below $4 for regular unleaded gas on Sunday.

The price for regular unleaded gas fell by 2 cents in Orleans County in the past week (from $4.03 to $4.01) while the average price jumped 14 cents in new York State and 13 cents nationally.

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.12, up 13 cents from last Monday. This is the first time since August 2022, the national average is over $4, AAA said this morning. A year ago, the price was $3.26.

The New York State average is $4.07, up 14 cents from last Monday. The average was $3.930 a week ago, $3.228 a month ago and $3.139 a year ago.

Today’s average diesel price is at $5.914 in NYS compared to $5.750 a week ago, $4.390 a month ago and $3.941 a year ago, according to AAA.

Here are the average prices in counties around Western New York:

• Orleans, $4.008
• Genesee, $3.979
• Monroe, $4.044
• Niagara, $3.958
• Erie, $4.027
• Wyoming, $3.986
• Livingston, $4.033
• Chautauqua, $4.000
• Cattaraugus, $3.861
• Allegany, $3.977

A week ago, Orleans was the only WNY county above $4, but now five of those counties are topping $4 a gallon for regular unleaded. Hamilton County in Adirondacks has the highest price in the state at $4.366.

AAA released this statement today: “The national average for a gallon of regular exceeded $4/gallon last week for the first time since August 2022, and prices continue to rise. Today’s average of $4.12 is 80 cents higher than a month ago.

“Crude oil prices remain high, coming in at $108-$109 per barrel this morning, as the conflict in the Middle East continues. In 2022, gas prices remained elevated from March through August, after Russia invaded Ukraine, peaking in June when the national average reached a record of $5/gallon for one week.”

 “Demand is also on the rise as Easter travelers head to warmer destinations. While Orlando was the top destination for air travelers, many families were driving from New York to Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina based on local AAA bookings.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion once again is displaying more than 1,000 orange flags during the month of April to show the prevalence of sexual assault each day.

RESTORE Sexual Assault Services, a program of Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York, put the orange flags on the front lawn of the Pullman church at the corner of East park Street and South Main Street.

The flags are out in April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Restore notes that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds.

RESTORE serves Monroe, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming and Livingston counties. The RESTORE 24-hour hotline is available at 585-546-2777.

For more information on RESTORE, click here.

HOLLEY – A spectacular double rainbow appeared on Saturday evening in Holley.

Ken Verhagen took these photos on Powerline Road.

Photos and information courtesy of Lyndonville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions held their 5th annual Free Eyeglass Clinic on March 21 at the White Birch Golf Resort.  Participants received free eye examinations and fittings for eye glasses. Over 60 individuals were seen during the morning event.

The Lyndonville Lions Club extends its sincere gratitude to all who attended this event, and especially to the dedicated volunteers who contributed their time and effort to make it a success.

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We are deeply appreciative of our fellow Lions from surrounding clubs who, year after year, generously support this event. This year, we were fortunate to have assistance from Lions Clubs in Medina, Barker and Olcott.

A special thank you is extended to the Lions Clubs of Kenmore, Lewiston and Niagara Falls for their outstanding professional contributions. Their support, along with the expertise of optometrists and vision specialists, is essential in making this project possible and impactful.

In collaboration with the Lyndonville United Methodist Church the Lions participated in the annual community Easter Egg Hunt held at the Lyndonville Central School. The Club treated all attendees to grilled hot dogs and beverages following this event. There were over 150 children who participated in the hunt.

The Lyndonville Lions Club would like to remind the community of its upcoming Mother’s Day Rose Sale. One dozen red roses are available for purchase for $20, with orders being accepted now through May 1st.

All orders will be available for pickup at the White Birch Resort from May 6th through May 9th. Group purchases are welcome, and delivery arrangements can be made by the Lyndonville Lions Club for larger orders.

To place an order, interested individuals or groups may call 585-281-4646.

The Lions would like to wish all a joyous Easter season. We hope that God will continue to bless this great nation and watch over our men and women in our military during these most difficult times.

This screenshot from the livestream shows the two eaglets in the nest today at 8:40 a.m.

BASOM – This image taken from an eagle cam shows two eaglets. The first eaglet was spotted on Thursday morning and a second eaglet hatched on Friday.

The Friends of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge encourage people to check the livestream (click here) and see the eagles. There is another egg in the nest that could hatch anytime.

The first egg was laid at 5:06 p.m. February 20; the second at 5 p.m. February 23; and the third at 2:34 p.m. February 27.

Eagle eggs typically take 35 days or so of incubation before hatching.

This screenshot from the livestream shows the eagle in the nest tending the flock today at 8:32 a.m.

Kimberly Stawicki sent in this photo she took this morning while enjoying the sunrise over Glenwood Lake in Medina.

Friday the high temperature reached over 70 degrees and today is forecast for a high of 66 with showers and thunderstorms possible after 2 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall, the National Weather Service in Buffalo said, with three quarters of an inch to one inch possible.

The temperatures will plunge to an overnight low of 42, and a high of 47 on Sunday, which is Easter with a chance for another tenth to quarter inch of rain.

The highs are then forecast for 42 on with showers, 33 on Tuesday with snow showers likely, and 50 on a sunny Wednesday.

Photos courtesy of Rev. Randy LeBaron and Matt Caldwell

MEDINA – Matt Caldwell and his wife Rebecca carry the cross in the Canal Basin as part of today’s “Cross Walk” on Good Friday. The Cross Walk has been an annual tradition in Medina and is organized by the Medina Area Association of Churches and the Medina Clergy Fellowship.

The Cross Walk began at City Hall and then about 60 people proceeded to several stops in  the downtown area, Canal Basin and on West Avenue. At each stop, the group read a passage from the Bible and sang a hymn.

Mike Zaidel, a leader at Alabama Full Gospel Fellowship, carries the cross down the sidewalk on Main Street. They group was headed to Rotary Park.

Neil Samborski, a member at Glad Tidings Missionary Baptist Church, is dressed as a centurion, a Roman soldier.

The Medina area churches will have a sunrise service at 7 a.m. Sunday at Boxwood Cemetery with the Rev. Randy LeBaron from the New Hope Community Church leading the service.

Douglas Adams

MURRAY – A local resident has been charged with making a terrorist threat against the Palmyra-Macedon High School in Wayne County.

Douglas Adams, 18, lives at Countyline Mobile Home Park in Murray. He allegedly posted a photograph of the school with a caption showing a gun pointed at a school with a threatening message.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office was contacted at 8 p.m. on Monday by the New York State Intelligence Center about a reported threat made toward Palmyra-Macedon High School on social media, Sheriff Chris Bourke said today.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office immediately coordinated with the Palmyra Police Department, NYSIC, and the National Threat Operations Center, he said.

Orleans County deputies responded to a residence on Jay Drive in the Town of Murray. The investigation determined that there is no known credible or ongoing threat to the public or to Palmyra-Macedon High School at this time, Sheriff Bourke said.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office turned over evidence to the Palmyra Police Department which led to the arrest of Adams on April 1 by the Palmyra Police.

Adams was charged with Making a Terroristic Threat (Class D Felony) and Aggravated Threat of Mass Harm (Class A Misdemeanor).

This incident was investigated by Lieutenant Adam Hazel, Deputy Jeff Cole and Investigator Brian Marsceill.

“The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that all threats of violence are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly, regardless of intent,” Bourke said. “Anyone who becomes aware of potential threats is encouraged to report them immediately to law enforcement.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Sara Flansburg, owner of Blissett’s Bridal in Medina, is shown with wedding dresses last March during the debut Bridal Show at Fairhaven Inn. Fairhaven will host another bridal show on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Blissett’s will be offering a live runway show on Saturday.

GAINES – It was just over a year ago when Fairhaven Inn opened at the former Village Inn on Route 104 in Gaines. The venue debuted with a bridal show.

Fairhaven on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. will again be offering a bridal show with many local vendors at 14369 Ridge Rd W.

Provided photo: Jenna Bauer of BlueViola Creations paints on canvas and captures moments from the wedding. She will be among the vendors at the bridal show on Saturday.

“The Fairhaven Bridal Show is designed to give couples a true feel for what their wedding day could look like here while also connecting them with trusted local vendors who are offering exclusive, event-only promotions,” said Katie Stiegler, marketing director for Fairhaven and a wedding photographer. “It’s a really unique opportunity to plan, get inspired, and make meaningful progress all in one place.”

Couples will be able to make vendor connections, receive exclusive discounts, and realize a clearer vision for their wedding day along with the chance to secure their venue and key services early in the planning process, Stiegler said. Many of the vendors attending are offering a day of discounts. Admission is free. Click here for a link to RSVP.

“We wanted this to feel more like an experience than a traditional bridal show from the live runway to the giveaways and vendor interactions,” she said. “It’s about helping couples feel confident and excited about their next steps.”

Some of the vendors at the bridal show include:

• Lumenopia Photography by Katie Stiegler
• Blissett’s Bridal with Sara Flansburg
• Jenna Bauer of BlueViola Creations (live painting)
• Wild Flour Bakery (cakes and desserts)
• Capture That Photo Camper – DJ & Trevor Pettigrew
• Chase Entertainment (DJ services)
• Underhill Graphic Design with Stephanie Underhill (designed wedding paper goods)
• The Wed Shed with Julie Hess
• Tavern on the Ridge with Chad and Julia Pike
• Creekside Floral
• Nin Bogue Art
• Side Stage Events
• Blazing Beauty Aesthetics (Permanent Bracelets)
• The Creative Studio
• KREWE Bridal by HLW

Aurora’s Sweet Dream shares message of working through obstacles

Photo by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Debbie Patt of Clarendon holds a copy of her first children’s book, Aurora’s Sweet Dream. The book is targeted to children ages 3 to 8 and shows three friends – Aurora, a dog; Greenie, a parakeet; and Frankie, a kitten. They work through challenges in the kitchen to finally make a batch of Super Duper Fudgy Brownies.

Patt had a book release for Aurora’s Sweet Dream last Saturday at the Community Free Library.  Patt is a baker and operated Clarendon Cheesecakes for many years.

The book features her own pets. She staged them in photos and then used assisted AI for the illustrations in the 78-page book.

She brought her dog, Aurora, to Saturday’s book signing. Aurura is a miniature pincher-chihuahua mix.

In the book, Aurora wants to be a baker, but she has many mishaps in the kitchen. Her mixer breaks. She forgets the chocolate chips. But she perseveres.

“If you work hard, you will succeed,” Patt said about the message of the book.

Aurora’s Sweet Dream is available through Amazon and at the Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport. Patt expects to be at local festivals selling and promoting the book. A soft cover is $15 and the hard cover sells for $20.

Patt said she is working on other children’s books inspired by her pets.

Patt also is a finalist for “Entrepreneur of Impact” and could win $25,000 and be featured in Entrepreneur Magazine. Click here for more information.

Provided photo: Debbie Patt signs copies of her book during an event last Saturday at the Community Free Library in Holley.

ALBION – Four people pleaded guilty in Orleans County Court on Wednesday and will face incarceration or a lengthy probation when they are sentenced.

Stacey Moss, 36, of Albion pleaded guilty to criminal contempt in the first degree and attempted burglary in the third degree.

Moss admitted to going to the residence of a person he was supposed to not have contact with through an order of protection. He went to that residence on Nov. 14 and he acknowledged he tried to break down her door and threatened to kill her. He admitted to violating the order of protection.

Moss will be sentenced on June 17 as second-felony offender and faces 1 ½ to 3 years in state prison.

• Wilfred Barnes, 66, of Carlton pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated. He was stopped on Nov. 26 on Ridge Road in Gaines and registered a BAC of 0.12 percent, which is above the legal limit of 0.08. Barnes has a previous DWI in 2020.

He could face up to four months of weekends in the county jail plus five years of probation when he is sentenced on June 17. He could also have his license revoked and be fined up to $5,000.

• Alexander Senko, 31, of Holley pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree rape. Senko admitted to having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl in 2023 when he was 29.

As part of a plea agreement he won’t spend time in jail but faces 3 to 10 years of post-release supervision and could be on the sex offender registry. He will be sentenced on June 17.

• Seanna Corwin-Bradley, 42, of Barker pleaded guilty to felony DWI could face up to six months in jail plus five years of probation when she is sentenced on July 1.

Corwin-Bradley, the former mayor of Barker, was charged on July 22 with a BAC at .193, more than twice the legal limit. She was in a car accident on Ridge Road in Ridgeway, where she allegedly crossed the center line and sideswiped a camper that was being pulled by a truck. She has a previous DWI conviction in Erie County in September 2024.

She could also be fined $5,000 and have her driver’s license revoked for a year.

• In another case, Michael Savage, 37, of the town of Murray has declined a plea offer and his case will go to trial, beginning on June 22.

Savage was arraigned on Jan. 7 on charges of course of conduct against a child, two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree for contact in the vaginal area of a girl between the ages of 5 and 9, two counts of forcible touching and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. The crimes allegedly occurred between 2020 and March 2025, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

His attorney, Frederick Rarick, told the judge there could be potentially as many as 20 witnesses called to testify in the trial.

• In a case from last Friday, Jose Casiano, 69, of Gaines was sentenced to a year in state prison and one year of post-release supervision for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and driving while ability impaired.

Casiano was supposed to be sentenced last Wednesday but he was arrested twice after pleading guilty on Jan. 7. As part of the plea, he faced a split sentence with time in the county jail and probation.

But Casiano was charged on March 20 was charged with criminal possession of a controlled in the seventh degree and on March 24 was charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

After those arrests, the plea deal was rejected by the judge who sentenced Casiano to state prison.