Marquis Harrell

ALBION – A man who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at the home of the mother of his children was arraigned in Orleans County Curt today on four different charges.

Marquis Harrell, 22, of Newfane, in the early morning hours on Aug. 1, allegedly was driven by an Uber driver to his ex-girlfriend’s. Police say Harrell threw a Molotov cocktail at the home, causing charring and siding damage.

Albion police officers were dispatched to the scene at about 3 a.m. on Aug. 1. Harrell’s ex-girlfriend said she received multiple threatening text messages and emails from Harrell, despite a stay away order of protection for him to not have contact with her.

The messages included threats to harm her and set her residence on fire by way of Molotov cocktail, Albion police said.

Harrell was arraigned in court today for attempted arson in the first degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and criminal contempt.

Harrell has been held in the Orleans County Jail since his arrest. Public defender Joanne Best asked that he be released on his recognizance but County Court Judge Sanford Church insisted that bail remain at $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond and $50,000 partially secured bond.

Best told the judge she requested a psychological evaluation be done on Harrell while his case was at the town court level but hasn’t received any results or updates.

Screen shots taken from debate on WROC-TV: Alissa Ellman, left, and Claudia Tenney debated on Monday night.

ROCHESTER – The candidates for the sprawling 24^th Congressional District debated on Monday night. Allissa Ellman and Claudia Tenney shared their views and at times traded barbs on the debate stage.

Ellman called Tenney “a nepo baby” while Tenney compared her challenger to “a carnival barker” who yells talking points from the far left.

Tenney was first elected to Congress in 2016. She is backed by the Republican and Conservative parties in a district we have a heavy Republican leaning. She said she is a serious legislator who brings money back to the district, posts rationale for her every vote in Congress, and is committed to keeping the country safe.

Ellman, a Democrat, is making her first run for public office. She joined the Army National Guard at age 17, and was deployed for 18 months in Afghanistan as a flight operation specialist.

Tenney, in the beginning of the debate, thanked Ellman for her service. Tenney also noted her son is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and an active duty Major in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Ellman, 42, of Lockport is a disabled veteran, getting diagnosed with a rare cancer associated with exposure to toxic burn pits in Afghanistan. Due to DOGE, she lost her job with the Buffalo Veterans Affairs Administration Office. That launched her more public political life. She was a guest of Sen. Charles Schumer at the State of Union on March 4, 2025.

Ellman said Tenney talks about support for veterans, but her votes often don’t match her rhetoric. Ellman noted Tenney opposed the PACT Act in 2022, which extended health coverage for veterans exposed to burn pit smoke and other environmental hazards that caused cancers and other illnesses during their service.

Tenney said she has a strong record of support for veterans. She voted no on the PACT Act because she said Democrats inserted other unrelated spending.

Tenney used some of her time to rail against Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, communism, and Ellman’s backing by the Working Families Party. Tenney said the Working Families supports an open border and Medicare for All which Tenney said who crush the state financially.

Tenney said she is a strong force against the “onslaught of taxes” in New York State.

Ellman said she isn’t Kathy Hochul and stands on her own convictions. Ellman said she is motivated to run to bring down the high costs of health insurance, and other cost-of-living expenses that she said have shot up due to Donald Trump’s tariffs and war with Iran.

“My name is Alissa Ellman and I’m running for rural New York and no one else,” she said.

Tenney, 65, is from Onedia County. Her father was a state supreme court justice. Tenney worked as an attorney and ran a community pennysaver.

Tenney said she doesn’t support all of Trump’s tariffs, but she said they have been effective in bringing back some supply chains.

She said she strongly supports Israel as an ally, and wants the United States to help Ukraine in fending off Russia. She called Vladimir Putin “an evil dictator.”

Ellman said she doesn’t see Israel as an ally right now, claiming the country is using American resources to commit a genocide in Gaza. Tenney said it’s in dispute if there is a genocide in Gaza, claiming the Hamas are putting out misinformation.

Tenney faulted the Biden administration for a persistent high inflation that has continued into the Trump second term. She praised Trump for his work in closing the border.

Ellman said a major overhaul is needed to the immigration system, which she said is overdue by 50 years. The country needs to allow a legal path for hard-working immigrants in the country.

Tenney supports expanded guest-worker programs for agriculture, including dairy farms, to ensure they have enough workers.

She stated her support for drilling shale to bring down natural gas prices, and stated her support for more nuclear energy. She spoke against the large industrial solar farms which she said have taken away thousands of productive acres of farmland.

Ellman said the 24^th District is suffering from higher costs due to Trump, and Tenney could pressure the president to reverse course. But Ellman said Tenney is too chummy with Trump, nominating him three times for Nobel Peace Prize and pushing to make his birthday a national holiday.

Tenney said she backed Trump for the Nobel due to the Abraham Accords in his first term.

Ellman said if she is elected she would make constituent services a top priority, hiring a staff of rural New Yorkers to help the district work through the federal bureaucracy.

Tenney said her staff is very effective in working through the channels to help people get Social Security and VA benefits, and resolve other issues.

Ellman disputed that, saying Tenney’s office provides AI-generated responses when people ask for assistance.

Tenney said she is a proven, experienced legislator who helped deliver tax relief on the federal side, including no taxes on tips, overtime or Social Security.

“I’m trying to make life more affordable and fight the downstate Democrats,” she said.

Ellman said Tenney is out of touch with the predominantly rural district.

“I’m a working class mom not a career politician like this lady,” Ellman said about Tenney, who was standing next to her on the debate stage.

Photos courtesy of Lyndonville Lions Club: The Bergholz band performed Bavarian and oompah music during Saturday’s Oktoberfest at the White Birch Golf Course.

Press Release, Lyndomville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions brought a small taste of Bavaria to Lyndonville on Saturday night as the club hosted it third annual Oktoberfest.

The Bergholz German Band filled the air with “Volksmusik,”  traditional German music.   This year the guests were again treated to several songs played on the alphorn, a large wooden horn measuring up to 13 feet long.

The evening saw attendees treated to beer, cheese and warm soft Bavarian pretzels followed by a traditional German buffet including pork, schnitzel and bratwurst.

Participants compete in the shot ski. 

The club has seen a steady increase in people attending this event with nearly 100 people in attendance for the evening’s festivities. This year the “masskrugstemmem” beer stein-holding contest was added to the evening’s entertainment. This competition pits guests against each other in seeing who can hold a beer stein full of Oktoberfest beer in their hand  with their arm fully extended for the longest time. Competitors must keep the stein extended in a fully outstretched arm and can not bend their elbow.

There also was a stein-holding contest on Saturday.

The royal court acknowledges the crowd after the naming of the king, queen, princess and prince.

The Lions have earmarked October 16, 2027 for next year’s event and would like to welcome all to attend this fun-filled evening. Information about next year’s event can be obtained by going to the Lions web page at lyndonvillelionsclub.org.  The club will ready itself for their up and coming events including truck or treat, the village tree-lighting event and the “Light up Lyndonville” event.

The Lions would like to encourage villagers to decorate their homes for Christmas. This event will have the main street fully decorated for the holiday season. The Lions will once again be awarding people for their efforts in decorating their homes for the season.

The Lyndonville Falls will also be illuminated in seasonal colors of red and green lights for the first time.

The club would like to thank all those  who attended the Oktoberfest. Please watch for information about the club’s “Snow Flake” bowling tournament coming in late January. The Lions would like to  wish all a safe and happy holiday season. May God continue to bless all of us as we move forward towards the upcoming holiday season.

There was a German buffet complete with schnitzel pierogies, bratwurst and sauerkraut for the Oktoberfest celebration.

Torrey Farms works 10,000 acres, including many vegetables in Orleans, dairy farm in Yates

Maureen Torrey Marshall

A long-time national agricultural leader based in Elba will be receiving New York Farm Bureau’s “Distinguished Service Award.

NYFB will present the award to Maureen Torrey Marshall on Dec. 3 during Farm Bureau’s annual state meeting in Verona at the Turning Stone Resort Casino.

Farm Bureau also is honoring State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, who is retiring. She represents a district in the Binghamton area. Lupardo, a Democrat, has chaired the Assembly Agriculture Committee since 2019.

Torrey Marshall is co-owner and vice president of Torrey farms based in Elba. The farm works 10,000 acres in Genesee, Orleans, Niagara and Yates counties. The farm grows vegetables in Orleans and runs a large dairy farm in the Town of Yates near Lyndonville.

Farm Bureau stated the following in a press release about Torrey Marshall:

Maureen Torrey is a member of the 12th generation of Torrey Farms, a diversified family farming operation in Western New York producing and processing fresh market vegetables and grains, in addition to maintaining dairy operations. She also operates a trucking company with her husband, Paul Marshall.

Throughout her career, Torrey has been a strong and respected voice for agriculture, providing leadership at the local, state, and national levels. She has served as chair of United Fresh, as a director of the Produce Marketing Association, and as the first chair of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee.

She also served for seven years as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Buffalo branch. She serves as a trustee of Genesee Community College and has held leadership roles with organizations including the National Council of Agricultural Employers, New York State Vegetable Growers Association, Erie and Niagara Insurance Association, and the New York State Agri-Business Child Development program.

A frequent speaker at agricultural conferences and industry events, she has dedicated decades to educating others, advocating for farmers and strengthening New York agriculture.

“I’m deeply honored to receive the Distinguished Service Award this year when there are so many deserving of it,” she said. “My New York Farm Bureau experience started over 60 years ago when I participated in the Youth Power program and was selected to represent New York Farm Bureau at the national meeting. Through the years, in different roles, I have been able to stay connected with the many opportunities NYFB offers for service to farming families and the public. That connection has fueled my passion.” 

Photos by Tom Rivers: Alissa Ellman, left, and Claudia Tenney will debate at 7 p.m. today on Channel 8 in Rochester.

ROCHESTER – Claudia Tenney and Alissa Ellman will debate tonight in Rochester. It will be broadcast on Channel (WROC) and livestream beginning at 7 p.m. on RochesterFirst.

They are seeking to represent New York’s 24^th Congressional District, which includes portions of 14 counties spanning from the North Country through the Finger Lakes and into WNY. The district includes Orleans County.

Tenney, an incumbent Republican, also has the backing of the Conservative Party. Ellman won the Democratic Primary in June and also is running under the Working Families line.

Tenney, 65, was first elected to Congress in 2016. Ellman, 42, is a US Army veteran making her first run for public office.

The hour-long debate will be moderated by Adam Chodak, the WROC’s evening anchor and managing editor.

Photo courtesy of Scott Bieliski, Medina village trustee

MEDINA – A nearly new ladder truck left Medina last week, taking a 600-mile journey to Wilmette near Chicago, Illinois.

The truck was loaded on a trailer and hauled away last Wednesday. The truck was being kept in Medina’s former compost facility on North Gravel Road, next to the dog park and just south of Boxwood Cemetery.

The Village Board on Sept. 8 accepted a $2.1 million offer from Wilmette for the ladder truck. Medina received the truck last December but never put it into service. It was declared surplus by the Village Board in February, with the majority of the board saying the truck, with a $1.8 million bond, was too costly.

It also needed a new bay at the fire station to accommodate it. The current fire hall is too small for the truck. The truck is about 13 feet high where the fire station bays only have a clearance of 10 feet, 6 inches. A one-bay addition would have been about $1.3 million more.

The Village of Wilmette has more resources than Medina. The Illinois community has about 28,000 people with a median household income of $190,662.

Medina has a population of 5,855, according to the 2025 population estimates from the Census Bureau. Medina’s median household income is $59,231, just a fraction’s of Wilmette’s.

Wilmette officials were in Medina on Oct. 5 and hand-delivered a check for $2.1 million. They also gave the truck a final inspection.

Wilmette wanted a new ladder truck, but ordering one now would cost about $2.5 million with a wait time of more than three years.

Press Release, Orleans Community Health Foundation

Provided photo: Pictured during the $2,000 check presentation are event organizer Ike Fuller Watts; Kim Grey, Chief Nursing Officer at Orleans Community Health; and Jason Watts, Ike’s husband and a volunteer for the event.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health Foundation recently received a generous $2,000 donation from the Fuller 155 Suicide Awareness Basket Raffle and 5K Fun Run/Walk. The funds will benefit behavioral health programs and patients receiving behavioral health services through Orleans Community Health’s primary care clinics.

The fourth annual event, held in September in memory of Erin Fuller, brought together community members, volunteers, and local businesses to raise awareness about suicide prevention, promote mental health, and encourage open conversations about seeking help. This year’s event saw its largest turnout to date and included a 5K Fun Run/Walk for the first time.

The donation comes at an important time as Orleans Community Health continues to expand access to behavioral health services throughout the community.

Behavioral health counseling services are now available within Orleans Community Health’s primary care clinics, providing patients with additional resources and support for their mental health needs. The organization is also preparing to introduce COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment), an evidence-based program designed to help adolescents and teens develop healthy coping skills to manage stress, anxiety, and depression. Orleans Community Health is also exploring opportunities to offer the program in local schools.

Orleans Community Health is also participating in ROOTS-NY (Rural Outreach, Organizing, Training and Suicide Prevention), a four-year, $1.6 million initiative announced by the New York State Office of Mental Health to strengthen suicide prevention efforts in five rural counties, including Orleans.

The initiative focuses on reducing social isolation, improving access to mental health resources, and strengthening community partnerships. Beginning November 1, Orleans Community Health plans to introduce services within its clinics focused on adults ages 55 and older who may be experiencing social isolation and loneliness. These efforts will include social prescribing, suicide screening and awareness, and support addressing depression and substance use.

“Access to mental health care is so important, especially in rural communities where resources can be limited,” said Megan Johnson, executive director of Orleans Community Health Foundation. “This generous donation will help us support patients who need behavioral health services while continuing to strengthen the programs and resources available right here in our community. We are incredibly grateful to the Fuller 155 organizers and everyone who supported this event for recognizing this need and taking action to make a difference.:

The Orleans Community Health Foundation extends its sincere appreciation to the Fuller 155 organizers, volunteers, donors, and participants for their dedication to suicide awareness and their generosity in supporting local behavioral health services.

About Orleans Community Health Foundation

Orleans Community Health Foundation supports the mission of Orleans Community Health by raising funds to enhance patient care, expand access to healthcare services, and provide essential resources for patients and families throughout the communities it serves.

Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) today applauded the signing of his co-sponsored legislation to increase New York State’s income tax credit for eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers from $200 to $800.

The legislation, A.6790-A, also increases the credit for eligible married couples filing jointly from $400 to $1,600 when both spouses qualify.

Hawley, a life member of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department, supported the legislation during the Assembly debate. The credit had remained unchanged since 2007. The increase is intended to recognize the commitment of volunteer emergency responders and help local departments recruit and retain the personnel needed to protect their communities. The new law also allows eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to receive the state income tax credit while benefiting from a qualifying local property tax exemption, providing additional financial relief to those who serve their communities.

“Volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers give their time and put themselves at risk to protect our communities, often while balancing jobs and family responsibilities,” said Hawley. “As a life member of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department, I understand the importance of supporting these dedicated volunteers, and increasing this tax credit is a meaningful step toward recognizing their service.”

Hawley said he will continue to advocate for policies that return money to the hard-working first responders in New York State.

Press Release, Medina Police Chief Corey Black

Christian Cooper, left, and Emily Niersberger face felony and misdemeanor charges.

MEDINA – On September 5, the Medina Police Department took a complaint from Emily E. Niersberger, age 24, and Christian A. Cooper, age 28.

Both stated that while walking with their 14-month-old child who was seated in a stroller an individual came up to them, assaulted Christian and then assaulted the child, resulting in injury to the child.

As officers began their investigation officers noticed slight differences in the account of Cooper and Niersberger’s description of the event. Further Investigation revealed that the stated suspect in this case was not in New York State at the time of the alleged occurrence.

The child who was treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Buffalo for minor injuries and was placed in a safe environment by Orleans County CPS during this investigation. As officers investigated this incident and compiled evidence it became clear that this explanation of the child’s injuries was clearly false.

Continued investigation revealed that Christian Cooper allegedly struck the child himself resulting in the child’s injuries and that Emily Niersberger conspired with Cooper in an attempt to conceal some of the details as to how the child was injured.

Christian Cooper was arrested on October 18 and transported to the Orleans County Jail for CAP Court arraignment.

He has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, class A misdemeanor; assault in the second-degree class D felony; forgery in the second-degree, class D felony; criminal contempt in the first-degree, class E felony; making a false written statement, class A misdemeanor.

Emily Niersberger was arrested October 16 and transported to the Orleans County Jail for CAP Court arraignment. She was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, class A misdemeanor; forgery in the second-degree, class D felony; and making a false written statement, class A misdemeanor

Photos and information courtesy of Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley Central School Class of 1986 recently marked a major milestone by celebrating their 40th class reunion during the district’s homecoming weekend on October 2-3.

The weekend kicked off with classmates gathering to watch the annual homecoming parade. Afterward, the group headed to the Woodlands soccer stadium for the alumni soccer game. Two members of the Class of ’86, Walter Bennage and Peter Lehning, suited up to play and were honored with team captain status for the game.

Following the game, 29 classmates and spouses gathered at the Holley firemen’s field to reminisce and catch up. The reunion drew attendees from across the country, with several classmates traveling from as far as California, Texas and Illinois to celebrate.

On Saturday, the festivities continued with breakfast at Sam’s Diner. This was followed by a guided tour of both the elementary and Jr./Sr. high school buildings, led by Holley School District Superintendent Karri Schiavone.

The tour held special significance for the attendees. The Class of 1986 was among the very first groups of students to occupy the current high school when it opened in the late 1970s. At the time, the building featured a trendy “open classroom” concept. The alumni found it fascinating to see how the physical spaces had evolved and noted the remarkable modern upgrades completed over the last 40 years.

A major highlight of the landmark weekend was a philanthropic effort by the self-proclaimed “Generation X” class. Both weekend attendees and classmates who could not make the trip combined forces to collect donations. In honor of their graduation year, they raised $1,986, which will be awarded as a scholarship to a deserving Holley graduating senior.

Press Release, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee

Provided photo: Don Sloper, president of ABATE in Orleans County, presents a  check to Renee Hungerford, Executive Director/CEO of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee thanks the members of ABATE of New York, Orleans Chapter, for donating $700, toys and books to support local children and families through the agency’s annual Holiday Toy Drive.

At ABATE’s October 18 meeting, members presented Community Action with $700 after voting to increase the $630 they had originally collected. Members also collected donations of an assortment of toys and books to help brighten the holidays for local children and families.

The donations will support Community Action’s annual Holiday Toy Drive, which helps provide gifts to children during the holiday season.

“On behalf of Community Action and the families we serve, I extend our heartfelt thanks to every member of ABATE and donors for this generous support,” said Renee Hungerford, Executive Director/CEO of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. “By voting to increase their contribution, ABATE members demonstrated the caring spirit they bring to our community. We are deeply grateful to Don Sloper, the entire organization, and every donor whose generosity will help make the holidays brighter for local children and families facing difficult circumstances this season.”

Support from local businesses, organizations, and community members makes Community Action’s Holiday Toy Drive possible and helps ensure that children throughout the community can experience the joy and excitement of the holiday season.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee sincerely thanks ABATE for its continued commitment to helping neighbors in need and for making this year’s Holiday Toy Drive brighter for local children and families.

About Community Action of Orleans & Genesee

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee is dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve greater economic security and improve their quality of life through programs and services that address poverty, housing stability, early childhood education, nutrition, transportation, energy assistance, and other community needs.

File photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from May shows the entrance of Veterans Drive being barricaded to prevent traffic from going through.

HOLLEY – Mayor Mark Bower said it will be costly to replace the culvert on Veterans Drive but he wants to start the process of getting a new small bridge eventually in place.

The culvert was badly damaged by a powerful storm on April 1 with flooding. The road and culvert are both crumbling.

The entrance has been blocked off to traffic. Bower doesn’t want to see the entrance stay closed long-term, saying that it hurts the VFW Post, a tannery business and the companies in the Holley Business Park.

Wendel, an engineering firm, has offered to do a preliminary engineering assessment for free for replacing the culvert. Bower said a new culvert and road repairs could be around $850,000. Wendel will be able to provide more specific numbers.

Holley could then pursue grant funding for the project.

This is a selection of burial permits from 1880 to 1910 for East Carlton/Kent Cemetery.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 28

EAST CARLTON – From “Acute melancholia” to “Whooping cough”, the burial permits for the East Carlton/Kent Cemetery contained in the leather pouch referenced in V6 No.27 provide an insight into causes of death in East Carlton from the 1880s to 1910.

The following is a list of the conditions cited on 120 permits. Each entry represents one case, unless otherwise noted:

• Acute melancholia
• Alcoholia (sic)
• Anasarca
• Apoplexy (6 cases)
• Asphyxia (1 yr. old)
• Blood poisoning
• Brain abscess
• Bright’s disease (4 cases)
• Cancer, breast
• Cancer, cervical
• Cancer, stomach
• Cancer, uterine
• Cardiac dropsy
• Cerebral hyperemia
• Cholera, infantile (3 cases)
• Chronic fibroid phthisis
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Consumption (7 cases)
• Convulsions
• Cystitis
• Degeneration of spinal cord
• Diphtheria (3 cases, aged 2,3 and 8)
• Dropsy
• Drowning, while bathing in Marsh Creek
• Dysentery
• Dysentery, bloody
• Dysentery, systemic
• Fibrosis
• Fracture of back and neck – (9-year-old boy, struck by a railroad train)
• Gangrene, senile
• General debility
• Heart disease (5 cases)
• Heart failure (5 cases)
• Hemorrhage (infant. 2 days old)
• Hemorrhage & peritonitis
• Hemorrhage in childbirth – (mother aged 16)
• Inflammation of bowels
• Influenza (2 cases)
• Intestinal obstruction (2 cases)
• Liver abscess
• Locomotor ataxia
• Lupus
• Murder (Emma Hunt, V6, No.27)
• Natural causes (2 cases)
• Nephritis (2 cases)
• Non-closure of foramen ovale – (infant)
• Old age, (6 cases)
• Overdose
• Paralysis (7 cases)
• Peritonitis (2 cases)
• Phthisis
• Phthisis pneumonialis (sic) (2 cases)
• Pneumonia (3 cases)
• Pneumonia, broncho
• Pneumonia, double
• Pneumonia exhaustion
• Pulmonary consumption (3 cases)
• Pulmonary edema
• Pulmonary tuberculosis (2 cases)
• Rheumatic e….itis (sic)
• Rheumatism (2 cases)
• Senile disability
• Tic doloreaux
• Tuberculosis (3 cases)
• Typhoid fever (4 cases)
• Valvular (mitral) disease of the heart (2 cases)
• Whooping cough and pneumonia – (infant, 1.5 months)

Some of the terms used may be unfamiliar. Apoplexy is now referred to as a stroke. Phthisis is a wasting disease. Tuberculosis is listed under a variety of terms: consumption, tuberculosis, pulmonary consumption, and pulmonary tuberculosis.

According to the Center for Disease Control/ Census Bureau Mortality Statistics, the leading causes of death for 1880 – 1910 were infectious and communicable diseases: tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza, and intestinal infections. The Carlton statistics reflect this:

CDC Leading causes of death from 1880-1910  (Carlton Statistics)

1. Pneumonia & influenza (12 cases)
2. Tuberculosis (14 cases)
3. Enteritis & dysentery (7 cases)
4. Diphtheria (3 cases)
5. Typhoid fever (4 cases)
6. Heart disease (10 cases)

Deaths caused by communicable diseases have since declined. Heart disease and cancer are now the two leading causes of death.

Most of the burial permits also list the undertakers. At that time, furniture stores also operated as undertakers since they had the ability to supply coffins on demand.

Albion firms were: B.C. Mathes, 79 Main St.; Onderdonk & Reed, 66-68 Main St.; Reynolds & Flintham, 113 Main St.; Nelson A. Stevens operated in Kendall; and Keys & Millard and Harry E. Turner were located in Holley, on the Public Square.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Medina Marching Band performed during halftime of the Orleans County Rivals football game on Friday night at Vets Park and culminated the show with a large patriotic banner. The merged Albion-Medina football team won its game, 56-6, against Amherst. The marching band performed its show, “We The People.”

Information courtesy of Medina Band Boosters

The Medina Mustang Marching Band traveled to Webster on Saturday for their fifth competition this season. It was a chilly night but a huge crowd turned out for 11 bands in competition in various classes.

Medina is in class in SS2 and finished in 1st place with a score of 81.45 followed by Le Roy in 2nd with 80.55 and Horseheads in 3rd with 78.15.

LS2 class had three competitors and Greece took 1st with 84.60, Lancaster 2nd wih 83.35 & Orchard Park in 3rd with 81.82.

East Irondequoit was the only competitor in SS1 & Webster the only National band.

Pioneer was the only SS3 band with 70.05. LS3 included Hilton in 1st with 72.75 and Rochester in 2nd with 70.30.

Medina’s next competition is Oct. 24th in Greece followed by the NYSFBC championships on Sunday, Nov. 1st in Syracuse.

The Medina band performs during Friday’s halftime show at Vets Park and its show celebrated the nation’s  250th anniversary with the music of Aaron Copeland.

The band consists of 90 students and is directed by Kyla Leno-Denise and Andrea Busch.  The band is performing in new uniforms this year.

Photos by Tom Rivers

GAINES – Connor Miller, right, and George Borrelli, left, both did blacksmith demonstrations on Saturday at Vagg’s Blacksmith Shop at the Cobblestone Museum.

They were among several skilled artisans showcasing trades that were popular and critical to the community in the 1800s.

This blacksmith shop was built in 1922 after a fire in 1921 destroyed the original blacksmith shop from 1842. Joseph Vagg operated the shop until 1956.

Harold Clark of Rochester was inside the blacksmith shop on a  chilly day doing chair caning. Clark has been a chair caner for about 35 years. He was featured at the Cobblestone Museum on Saturday for the fourth time during the annual open house in the fall.

“I enjoy the geometric pattern and watching it develop,” he said. “I enjoy restoring old furniture and keeping it in use.”

Georgia Thomas was outside Farmer’s Hall doing butter churning demonstrations. The process took about 20 to 25 minutes to turn heavy cream into butter.

“You shake it until your arms fall off,” Thomas said about the butter churning process.

Farmer’s Hall was originally constructed in 1855 in Kendall as a church. He later became the Kendall Town Hall. In 1978, the building was given to the Cobblestone Museum. The structure was deconstructed and then rebuilt on the museum grounds. It now serves as an exhibition hall for 19th and early 20th century farming implements.

Tom Zangerle makes an oil painting of the five-seat outhouse next to Farmer’s Hall. This Greek Revival outhouse originally was at a farm in Ridgeway on Culvert Road. That cobblestone farm was owned by Roy Goheen, who was the grandfather of Tom’s wife, Mary Zangerle.

The museum complex was open for tours on Saturday, including a display of more than 200 Victorian mourning art objects compiled by retired museum director Bill Lattin. This exhibit in the museum’s upper gallery takes a look at the various objects found in American art pertaining to death and loss.

Lattin said he first became interested in mourning art when he was in college during the mid-1960s. A college professor who taught photography had a collection of antique post mortem pictures from the 19th century and Lattin found them fascinating.

The first piece he purchased was a death mask of Dr. Roswell Park, who was the attending physician when President William McKinley was assassinated. An antique dealer in Brockport sold it to Lattin for $5.

The Victorians tried to make death a beautiful thing, as portrayed by the flowers and ornate decorations of many of the items, Lattin said.

Many in his collection are one-of-a-kind memorials made by hand. Others include manufactured knick-knacks and many memorial prints, as well as art made from hair in shadowboxes. One shadowbox holds a stuffed dove, crucifix  and wax flowers.