Photo by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce held its 28th annual awards dinner this evening at the White Birch Golf Course. About 80 people attended the event.

Pictured from left, front row: Erin Hackenberg, owner of EH Collectives in Holley, New Business of the Year; Brandon Johnson, owner of Dance Theater Premier Performing Arts in Medina, Phoenix Award; Shannon Blount, leader of Cat by Cat Inc.’s Medina Team, Community Service Award; Jennifer Thom, owner of JLThom CPA in Medina; Small Business of the Year; Kim Martillotta-Muscarella, owner of Marti’s on Main art gallery in Albion, Hidden Gem; and Kerry Panek of Panek Farms in Albion, Agricultural Business of the Year.

Brian Christiaansen, owner of three Mark’s Pizzeria locations and Tapped on main in Medina, Businessperson of the Year; Bill Bixler, owner of Seaway Insurance Associates and Albion Agencies as well as active in many community organizations; Lifetime Achievement Award; Rollin Hellner, owner of The Walsh in Medina, winner of People’s Choice Award at Taste of Orleans in August; Dana and Eric Watson of the Watson Construction Group, Business of the Year; Alan, Philip and their father Jim Panek of Panek Farms, the Agricultural Business of the Year.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Martin Stirk, an Orleans County sheriff’s sergeant, accepts the Employee of the Year award today from Katie Harvey, the county’s director of personnel and self insurance.

ALBION – An Orleans County sheriff’s sergeant was recognized today as the county’s “Employee of the Year” for applying a life-saving tourniquet on a man with a severe cut to his upper legs.

Martin Stirk was working on June 1 when he heard the call on the scanner. It wasn’t a call for law enforcement. It was an emergency medical situation.

The call was at Heron Falls in Clarendon. Stirk keeps a tourniquet by the front pocket of his uniform. He wasn’t sure how quickly an ambulance crew could get there so he headed to the scene.

He encountered a man bleeding profusely after being cut with a circular saw. Stirk put on the tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

That action likely saved the life of the man, by keeping him from bleeding out, said Sheriff Chris Bourke.

Stirk has worked for the Sheriff’s Office for 11 years. He said all the deputies are trained in CPR and first aid. He has used tourniquets before while on duty.

He was praised during the county’s employee recognition luncheon today for staying calm under pressure, and taking decisive action.

“This employee’s commitment to the community, willingness to take initiative, and professionalism reflect the high standards of public service within Orleans County,” said Katie Harvey, the county’s director of personnel and self insurance. She was also emcee at today’s luncheon.

The county also recognized employees of the month since last October. Those employees include:

• Marilea Greean (Social Services) for October 2025
• Seymar Roman (Sheriff’s Office) for November 2025
• Donald Mack (IT Services) for December 2025
• Krista Bacon (Social Services) for January 2026
• Brett Sobrieski (District Attorney) for February 2026
• Dana Goetze & Jeffrey Ashbery (Sheriff’s Office) for March 2026
• Terra McGaffick (Social Services) for April 2026
• Jennifer Hammons (Social Services) for May 2026
• Pamela Boyer, Danielle Derisley, Maritza Nieves, Amber Skrip and Kasey Sprester (County Clerk-DMV) June 2026
• Linda Karp (Mental Health) for July 2026
• Martin Stirk (Sheriff’s Office) for August 2026
• Tanner Ferris & Hayli Kuellertz (Sheriff’s Office) for September 2026

Some of the employees of the month honored today include, from left to right: Marilea Greean, Donald Mack, Brett Sobieraski, Dana Goetze, Jeff Ashbery, Linda Karp, Martin Stirk and Hayli Kuellertz.

The county also honored the following retirees: Dawn Allen in Real Property, Della Fisher in the Office for the Aging, Judy Gress in Department of Social Services, Tammy Kendrick in the Sheriff’s Office, Holli Nenni in DSS, Christine Ryan in DSS, Marty Sanders in the Sheriff’s Office, Julie Sanford in DSS, and Allen Turner in the Sheriff’s Office.

Lynne Johnson, the County Legislature chairwoman, thanked all of the county employees for the work they do every day.

“Across every department, you play an important role in keeping our county running, and providing the services our residents depend on,” she said. “Much of what you do happens behind the scenes, but it makes a real difference in the lives of the people we serve.”

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: Introducing the Albion NHS 2026-27 class of inductees: Front (Left to Right): Peyton Dimatteo, Julia Graham, Makenzie Cook, Sophia Bouchey, Chloe Mosele, Tra’Monie Walker, Aniela Wilson and Abigail Faskel. Back (Left to Right): Kasia Robinson, Alivia Dumrese, Adelaide Pettit, Nathan Wehling, Drake Schomske, Alex Yankevich, Lilian Fisher and Sadie Money. Missing from picture: Cordelia Rivers.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion’s Charles D’Amico High School National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 17 new members into its ranks this school year. The ceremony was held in Albion’s middle school auditorium on the evening of Oct. 29.

Founded in 1921, the NHS is built upon four pillars; scholarship, service, leadership and character. In order to be eligible, inductees must exhibit all four qualities, be recommended by a faculty member and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 90% or higher.

Current members led the ceremony and guided inductees through the NHS Pledge. After the inductees took the oath, they each accepted their membership pin and signed their names within the book that holds the names of all Albion members before them.

The ceremony included recognition of outstanding Albion staff members, decided on by current NHS members. The following individuals were chosen for exemplifying one of the four NHS pillars:

• Scholarship: Kathy Winans, High School Special Education Teacher
• Service: Christina Snook, High School Secretary
• Leadership: Valerie Pettit, High School Counselor
• Character: Sherry Zayac, High School Career and Technical Education Teacher

Middle school teacher Patrick Uveino was honored with the Albion NHS Excellence in Teaching Award for deeply embodying what it means to be a Purple Eagle. Students selected him for his unwavering dedication and his ability to strongly connect with students and empower them to be the best versions of themselves.

Uveino, who has taught health and coached various sports at Albion for 27 years, served as the guest speaker at the ceremony. In his remarks, he congratulated inductees and dared them to dream big and stay relentless in the pursuit of their goals. He emphasized that above all else, it is their character that defines them at the end of the day.

“Step outside your comfort zone, follow your heart, and embrace the uniqueness of others,” he said. “True character isn’t about standing above others, but about using your values to lift others up.”

Current members: Front (Left to Right): Lorelei Gailie, Maddison Button, Anna Grillo, Yaritza Fernandez Perez, Brooke Doty, Lily Brigham and Carley Smith. Back (Left to Right): Ava Woolston, Mason Snook, Nicholas Luft, Adam Burgio and Olivia Andrews. Missing from picture: Jaxon Lynch, Jackson Snook, Logan Kast, Heidi Franco-Lopez, Jillian LeBaron and Shayla Cruz.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: These four Medina firefighters came to the Grove United Methodist Church on Wednesday morning to deliver 42 red barrels to local establishments, kicking off MAAC’s annual Christmas Present Program. From left are Lt. Adam Fisher, fire chief Steve Cooley, firefighter Steve Baxter and Lt. Tim Miller.

MEDINA – The Medina Area Association of Churches annual Christmas Present Program got underway Wednesday when Medina firefighters picked up and delivered 42 red barrels to local businesses, churches, schools and the library.

Fire chief Steve Cooley was accompanied by Lt. Adam Fisher, firefighter Steve Baxter and Lt. Tim Miller, and they loaded the barrels in ambulances and pickup trucks – to be filled by the community with toys and gifts for local families.

The red barrels evolved from the Medina firefighters who years ago collected old toys and refurbished them for delivery to Medina children.

“It was in the early 1930s with the Depression hitting the area hard that firemen collected toys which some children had outgrown or toys that were broken,” said fire chief Steve Cooley. “The toys were collected, repaired and or repainted and then Social Services redistributed them to those in need. It was considered one of the greatest community endeavors.”

With more toys changing to plastic and less firemen working in the 1970s, MAAC took over the program of collecting food, clothes and toys, Cooley said. The Medina Fire Department handled the logistics of getting out the barrels, collecting them and delivering the gifts.

“Currently, we receive assistance from Shelby, East Shelby and Ridgeway fire companies on gift delivery day,” Cooley said.

(Left) Lt. Tim Miller loads MAAC Christmas barrels on his pickup on Wednesday at the Grove United Methodist Church. Delivering barrels to local establishments is a tradition which goes back to the 1970s. They will pick up the filled barrels and return them to the church on Dec. 2, where toys and gifts will be sorted and packed into Christmas boxes for local families. (Right) Medina fire chief Steve Cooley, left, and Lt. Tim Miller discuss delivery of the MAAC Christmas barrels with Sherry Tuohey, who coordinates the annual Christmas Present Program.

Lt. Adam Fisher eagerly joined the effort on Wednesday, delivering the barrels into the community.

“I grew up here,” Fisher said, when asked why he was happy to help. “I was a scoutmaster, and this is my community. I’ve had family members who were helped by this program.”

When the full barrels are returned to the church on Dec. 2, volunteers begin the enormous task of sorting the donations into boys or girls, age appropriate and separating the clothing from books and games, said Sherry Tuohey-Sipple, who is in her ninth year of overseeing the program.

In addition to boys and girls up to 18, the program provides gifts for as many as 35 seniors. Gifts sought for seniors include puzzle books (especially large print), lap throws, socks, hats and gloves, and boxes of cookies.

Tuohey-Sipple said they are fortunate to have a lot of volunteers who help with this task and with packing the boxes. In addition to gifts for the children, each family gets food for Christmas dinner, including a ham.

She said there are six people on the Christmas Present Program, who are shopping all year.

“We are constantly looking for bargains,” she said. “We are blessed to have The Grove to store the barrels and use of the Fellowship Hall to sort donations and pack boxes.”

MAAC is always happy to accept cash donations, to help with the items they have to buy, to assure every child has a gift. Checks should be made payable to MAAC and sent to 536 Orient St., Medina, with a notation it is for the Christmas Present Program.

Information on how to apply is sent to all the schools, day cares and BOCES, Tuohey-Sipple said.

Families must apply during the second and third weeks of November at one of two locations – St. Peter Lutheran Church, 1355 West Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 and 17; or at The Vine at 11031 Maple Ridge Rd. Medina, from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 12 and 19.

Families must show proof of eligibility by providing the following – proof household, proof of residence (must be in the Medina school district) and proof of income.

5 of 62 counties, including Orleans, topped 70 percent support for Blakeman

Photo by Tom Rivers: Bruce Blakeman speaks at a “Ride for the Blue” rally on Aug. 16 on Countyline Road in Murray. About 150 people attended that rally. He was joined from left by Virginia McIntyre, a Monroe County legislator who ran for Congress against Joe Morelle of Rochester; State Sen. Rob Ortt; Joe Hernandez, candidate for comptroller against Tom DiNapoli; and Todd Hood, the lieutenant governor candidate and Madison County sheriff.

Kathy Hochul received about 60 percent of the vote in her re-election for governor but some counties gave very strong support to her challenger, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman.

Orleans County was overwhelmingly in favor of Blakeman, one of five counties to top 70 percent for the Republican candidate.

Orleans voters backed Blakeman with 71.3 percent of vote. Lewis County had the highest percentage of support for Blakeman at 76.3 percent, followed by Wyoming County at 75.8 percent, and Allegany County at 72.9 percent. Herkimer County, at 70.5 percent, also topped the 70 percent mark.

Hochul topped Blakeman by more than 1 million votes – 3,499,396 to 2,349,047, with some votes still to be counted.

She received more than 80 percent of the vote in two New York City boroughs: Bronx at 83.2 percent and Manhattan, 82.2 percent.

Provided images: Mylisa Larsen will be in Medina on Monday giving presentations about her books, including Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t be Better.

MEDINA – On Monday, acclaimed author Mylisa Larsen will visit all three of Medina’s schools, presenting her works to more than a thousand students, before coming to Author’s Note to discuss and sign several of her youth titles, ranging from picture books to middle grade novels.

Larsen will visit Oak Orchard Primary School and Wise Intermediate School in the morning, and Medina Junior-Senior High School in the afternoon.

“I am excited for my students to meet Mylisa Larsen, because they are currently enjoying her novel Playing Through the Turnaround,” said seventh grade English teacher Mindy Hill. “Her presentation a few year ago after the book’s release was dynamic and engaging. Students identified with her characters and appreciated her willingness to answer questions about them.”

Larsen’s newest middle grade novel is Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t be Better, which has received five starred reviews. It is full of humor and sharp insight, capturing the distinctive voice of a young teen forced by his mother’s unstable mental health to recalibrate his outlook and build a new life with a found family. Booklist calls it “An amazing story told with deep understanding and touched with humor. Buy it, read it, talk about it and share the love by passing it on.”

Larsen will be at Author’s Note, starting at 6 p.m., where she will do a presentation discussing her works for all ages. Afterwards, her books will be available for signing and purchase. At 7 p.m., she will do a workshop activity with teens as a program for Author’s Note’s Teen Advisory Council.

Larsen has been telling stories for a long time. She says this has caused her to receive gimlet-eyed looks from her parents, her siblings and later, her own children, when they felt that certain stories had been embellished beyond acceptable limits. She now writes children’s books where her talents for hyperbole are actually rewarded. Larsen is also the author of the award-winning novel Playing Through the Turnaround. She has lived in nine states and two countries and has loved things about each of them. The first place she always finds is the library.

Author’s Note suggests preordering copies of the author’s works at Author’s Note, 419 Main St., or online at authorsnote.com/events. For more information, contact Author’s Note at (585) 798-3642.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Carlton firefighters, Andrew Niederhofer, left, and Evan London spray water on a fire Tuesday morning in Waterport.

WATERPORT – The man who died in a fire on Tuesday morning in Waterport has been identified as Franklin Miller, age 68.

He was located deceased inside a double-wind trailer. Fireifghters were dispatched to 1763 Waterport Rd. just before 9:30 a.m. after a neighbor reported smoke coming from the residence.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Carlton Volunteer Fire Company, multiple mutual aid fire departments and EMS responded to the scene.

Two Orleans County deputies, John Doyle and Ashleigh Stornelli, suffered minor injuries when they attempted  to enter the residence in an effort to rescue Miller. They broke windows and forced open a door but were unable to enter the residence due to heavy smoke and heat, said Sheriff Chris Bourke. They were treated at Medina Memorial Hospital.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and Orleans County fire investigators.

Neighbors say Miller was retired from doing maintenance work, including lawn mowing, at a nearby state park.

This is the second fatal fire in Orleans County in less than two weeks. David Greene, 68, was killed in a fire in Knowlesville on Oct. 22.

Friendly dog, antique Chevy trucks and Sasquatch part of farm ambiance

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Valerie Collins, an artist from Clarendon, is shown with a picture of a Sasquatch in an apple orchard. Collins has this painting and two others on display through November at Hoag Library in Albion.

She created three paintings at local farms and wanted to highlight an unusual feature that the farms use to connect with the public.

At Robert Farms Market in Medina, the family has two very big Sasquatch statues at the market, 11170 Maple Ridge Rd. The Roberts family has a sense of humor. They also make their own apple cider and sell 20 varieties of apples, other produce and flowers from their garden center.

Valerie Collins on Wednesday hangs a painting of a 1950s Chevy truck at Panek Farms on West County House Road in Albion. The Panek family has several classic trucks and vehicles on display at site, where they sell pumpkins, strawberries, Christmas trees and other products.

The old trucks are in great shape and featured in the Albion Strawberry Festival parade each June.

Lenny, a German Shepherd, is a fixture at the Gardens of Colehill in Holley. Alana and Chad Fabry welcome families to the farm for blueberry picking. They strive to not use any pesticides at the farm, where they also produce honey and garlic. The farm is located at 3569 North Main Street Rd.

Collins received a state grant administered through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council for the project, which she calls, “Keepers of the Land.” She wanted to highlight family farms that she said are the backbone of the community.

“This is one of the nice things about Orleans County,” she said about the agricultural landscape. “We’re still rural and we have family farms.”

She worries about the loss of farmland to solar facilities and the potential impact of data centers on agriculture.

She will have a reception at the library from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday if people want to meet her and hear more about the oil paintings, which are 16 by 20 inches.

Collins retired in April as the coordinator of the Ogden Senior Center in Spencerport. That has given her more time for her paintings and artwork.

She also has paintings featured in upcoming art shows at the Gillam Grant Community Center in Bergen and Eli Fish in Batavia.

Collins said she enjoys unwinding in the evening by working on her paintings.

“There is a drive to make it look like what’s inside my head,” she said. “It’s like magic.”

Collins said she would like to do more paintings of farms in Orleans County, focusing on ones in the northern part of Orleans.

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Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bill Lattin is like clockwork with a weekly duty: watering the plants at Hoag Library and winding an antique clock.

Lattin took on the tasks when Hoag Library opened in July 2012. The clock and most of the plants were moved from the former Swan Library, which had been Albion’s public library from 1900 to mid-2012.

Most of the furnishings at Hoag Library were brand new. But some old bookshelves and the clock made the trip a few blocks south to the new library on Main Street.

Lattin estimates the clock is from the late 1880s to early 1890s. It’s not a grandfather clock and it doesn’t chime or have bells. The Swan Library staff wanted a quiet clock. He thinks the clock was on the wall when Swan first opened. He has seen in some old photos of the library’s earliest days.

He climbs on a small ladder every Wednesday afternoon and winds the clock, but not too tight or it won’t keep time perfectly. Wind it too much and it could be off a few minutes when he’s back the following week.

Lattin had some added work today because the clock needed to be set back an hour. He was a few days after the fact with clocks falling back an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday.

After winding the clock, Lattin fills a container with water. He gets the big plants upstairs first then checks the ones in the lounge area by the magazines.

He is steady every week in what he calls “wind and water” day.

“It gives it consistency,” he said.

He knows how the clock can be delicate duty and he thinks the plants respond better to watering the same time, every week. He tries not to saturate the soil with too much water. He feels the dirt first to get a sense of how much water the plants need.

Lattin, who is retired as the county historian and Cobblestone Museum director, has quietly gone about the tasks at the library without much notice. But I saw him today and was impressed by how committed he has been to this unglamorous chore.

Bill latin checks the soil to get a feel for how much water to give the plant at Hoag Library.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The leaves are falling at a precipitous pace on the trees near the Ingersoll lift bridge in Albion in this photo taken on Tuesday.

It’s over for peak fall foliage throughout most of the state. There are still peak colors in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, offering one last opportunity to enjoy optimal colors this year, I LOVE NY said today in its final weekly update about fall foliage conditions.

In the Greater Niagara region, nearly all the leaves have changed colors with significant droppage, I LOVE NY stated.

This map released today from I LOVE NY shows most of the state has moved past peak fall foliage.

Provided photo: Merle Fredericks, founder of the Bow Bending Believers, poses with a deer he downed with bow and arrow. He and his wife Mitzi will be teaching an 8-week class for youth on bow hunting, beginning in December.

MEDINA – The Bow Bending Believers chapter of the national Christian Bowhunters of America has announced its fifth eight-week NASP/Centershot archery glass, according to instructor/founder Merle Fredericks.

The eight-week class is scheduled to begin Dec. 7 at the indoor range located in the basement of the Medina YMCA, 306 Pearl St. The class will be from 6 to 8 p.m. every Monday through Jan. 25. The class is limited to 12 students (boys and girls) in grades four through 12.

Students will learn how to shoot a Genesis compound bow and compete with their peers, with emphasis on good sportsmanship. Trophies will be awarded to the top three archers.

In addition, the class will also include archery-related Bible devotionals, developing new friendships and snacks.

To register, call (585)765-2839 or e-mail FredericksMerle1979@gmail.com.

The sport has been a passion for Fredericks since he was introduced to deer hunting by his father at 11 years of age.

“That year, my father harvested his best whitetail buck ever, an eight-pointer that scored 238”,” Fredericks said. “I have been hooked on hunting ever since. Back then, you could not hunt deer in New York state until you were 16 years old. When I turned 16 in 1977, I became a deer hunter and I have hunted every deer season since then. In 1977 I married my wife Mitzi, and a few years after we were married, she took up deer hunting as well. She has been blessed to have harvested many nice whitetail bucks since then. In 2014 her first buck with a bow was a Pope and Young record book buck that scored 144”. She has taken a few nice ones since then.”

In 1985, Fredericks decided to give bow hunting a try, and he has now been bow hunting for 41 years. In 2005 he became a New York certified bowhunting education instructor, and is currently a master instructor.

“I have been blessed to hunt many big game animals all over the United States, and harvest many whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and black bear, with both archery equipment and firearms. Mitzi has also been a certified hunter for almost 15 years.”

After almost 25 years in law enforcement and retiring as sheriff from the Orleans County, he became a member of the Christian Bowhunters of America, and started a local chapter called “Bow Bending Believers.” Since then they have hosted game dinners at Oak Orchard Assembly of God Church. They brought in big name speakers, who presented a hunting seminar and shared the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“My passion is to ‘win souls for Jesus Christ,’” Fredericks said. “Since 2003, we have hosted three national shoots, many 3D shoots and some youth events.”

In 2014 Fredericks was appointed by the board of CBA to serve as the executive director, a position he has held for 12 years. In 2011 he became an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In 20-21 he approached Jesse Cudzillo, then director of the YMCA in Medina, saying he was interested in hosting a youth archery event there. It took place in March and 20 kids learned how to shoot a bow and arrow and seven of them became Christians. Cudzillo was so impressed he asked Fredericks if he would be interested in doing more ministry at the YMCA. Cudzillo showed Fredericks the basement of the YMCA, a former Armory. The basement was the former indoor rifle range.

“He told me the range was ours if we cleaned it up, painted it and made it our own,” Fredericks said. “It took several months to clean it out and a local painter donated his time and paint. Since then they have been teaching boys and girls the National Archery in the Schools Centershot/Archery in the churches curriculum.”

In May 2024, Fredericks and Mitzi, Jeff Robinson and John Curtin all became certified.

To date they have taught four eight-week NASP classes. They teach basic archery skills and good sportsmanship and have a friendly competition, where the top three archers are awarded a trophy. Also, about a half an hour of the two-hour class is spent learning the Bible.

Provided photo

LOCKPORT – Representatives from Fuller 155 presented a $2,000 donation to OpOverwatch, an organization based in Lockport that serves law enforcement officers, correction officers, dispatchers, military personnel, firefighters and EMS personnel.

Pictured from left include Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke, Fuller 155 volunteer Savanna Watts, OpOverwatch founder and executive director David Budz, Fuller 155 volunteer Jason watts, and Scott Buffin, deputy director of the Orleans County Emergency management Agency.

The donation is part of the proceeds from the fourth annual Fuller 155 Suicide Awareness Basket Raffle on Sept. 20. That event supports suicide awareness and prevention in memory of the late Erin Fuller, a deputy sheriff who died by suicide on Sept. 12, 2015.

Taylor Valovic

ALBION – A Medina man was sentenced to five years in state prison this morning by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

Taylor Valovic, 30, pleaded guilty o July 29 to first-degree sex abuse. He admitted in court to putting his hand on a girl’s private parts for his sexual gratification. The victim is under age 11.

Valovic was already on probation for a previous sexual offense. His attorney said Valovic has completed courses and has been working on his mental health while in the county jail. The lawyer asked for no more than 2 years in prison.

District Attorney Susan Howard asked for five years, the maximum in a plea agreement.

Judge Church opted for the maximum, noting Valovic was already on probation when he committed the most recent crime.

Valovic also will have 10 years of post-release supervision when he is released from prison.

He apologized for the crime when he was given the chance to speak during sentencing.

“I am sorry for what I did,” he said.