Albion and Barre host parades on Dec. 13

Photos by Tom Rivers: Clarendon’s lighted parade on Dec. 6, 2024 included this goat, shown rounding the corner from Route 31A onto Route 237.

There are three more lighted parades this holiday season in Orleans County following Medina’s Parade of Lights this past Saturday.

Clarendon’s parade is today starting at 7 at the fire hall on Route 31A. The route then goes through the town’s main intersection, takes a right turn onto Route 237, and then a left on Church Street to the Historical Society.

Santa will then greet people at the museum in Clarendon.

Barre also will be hosting its eighth annual lighted tractor parade at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. The parade starts on Route 98 at East Barre Road and goes north on 98 to the Barre Town Park.

Albion is hosting Charles W. Howard’s Hometown Parade at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. The parade starts and ends at Dubby’s Tailgate on Platt Street. The route goes on Route 31 heading west, turns right on Main Street, right on State Street and then right on Platt Street.

Santa rides on a trailer pulled by a tractor in last year’s Barre Tractor Parade.

‘Christmas in Lyndonville’ includes many activities throughout the day

Photo by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – The Village of Lyndonville will host many activities on Saturday as part of its community Christmas celebration.

The community has decorated 82 Christmas trees at veterans Park. The lights on the trees will be turned on at 5 p.m. by Santa.

The village started the tradition of decorating the trees in 2013 with 26 the first year. The number steadily grew reaching a record high of 98 in 2022. There continues to be a big response to decorating the trees with 85 in 2023, and 82 in both 2024 and 2025.

The trees stay lighted up until just after New Year’s Day.

There are nearly 20 activities throughout the day beginning with a community breakfast/basket raffle from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church. The Webber Cafe will host holiday cookie decorating station with crafts from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There will be caroling at Veterans Park from 4:30 to 5 p.m. just before Santa’s arrival and the lighting of the trees.

Afterward, Santa will be available to visit with kids from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.

The events conclude with a Christmas LaLaPalooza at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church. Click here to see the full schedule of activities.

Christmas in Lyndonville is sponsored by the Village of Lyndonville, Lyndonville Fire Department, Lyndonville Lions Club or the Lyndonville United Methodist Church.

Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Dec. 17, 2022 shows volunteers getting ready to place wreaths on veterans’ graves at Lynhaven Cemetery on Housel Avenue in Lyndonville. Volunteers placed 441 wreaths at veterans’ graves as part of the Wreaths Across America observance.

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville community will be placing wreaths on about 450 graves of veterans on Dec. 13. This will be the eighth year the American Legion will be holding a ceremony at noon and then joining volunteers to set the wreaths for veterans as part of Wreaths Across America.

The ceremony begins at noon at Lynhaven Cemetery. There will be other activities after the wreaths are set at Lynhaven, with others put at veterans’ grave sites at Yates Center Cemetery, Robin Hill Estate, the Greenman Road Cemetery, Lott Cemetery on Angling Road and a cemetery on Marshall Road.

“I want to remind visitors and volunteers alike in Lyndonville we are fortunate to have a memorial fund set up in memory of  Fred (Fotius), Peter, George Menel and Ernest Stelianou by their sister Anna,” said Steve Goodrich, commander of the American Legion in Lyndonville and coordinator of Wreaths Across America for Lyndonville. “All veterans (current & future) graves will receive a wreath at no expense to the veteran’s families.”

Any donations made to the Lynhaven Cemetery will be redirected to the Boxwood Cemetery in Medina to help support the wreaths’ effort there, Goodrich said.

There will be a complimentary volunteer appreciation luncheon at the Webber Café afterwards. Webber Café also will offer free crafts for kids, including rock painting and cookie decorating.

The Grinch will be at Sweet Tilly’s Mercantile on Main Street, offering ornaments for kids.

Pictured from left include Garner Light, Melissa Mance-Coniglio, Emma DeLeon and Betsy Black.

Press Release, Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

MEDINA – At its annual meeting Nov. 22, the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge elected a new member to its board and officers for the coming year.

Elected to the board was Garner Light of Gasport, the group’s past president. Emma DeLeon of Williamsville was re-elected vice president, Betsy Black of Lockport was re-elected treasurer, and Melissa Mance-Coniglio of Bergen was elected secretary.

“Congratulations to those elected by the membership,” said the group’s current president, Richard Moss of Medina. “I look forward to collaborating with them on initiatives like our popular eagle nest camera.”

Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is a 501(3)c nonprofit corporation that exists to support and enhance the 10,800-acre Iroquois refuge, operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The nonprofit’s main goals are public education, visitor services, and wildlife protection and management.

Photos from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office: These three dogs were found abandoned in Shelby. Two people are facing misdemeanor charges.

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke

 SHELBY –  The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division recently made two arrests for abandonment of an animal, under section 355 of the NYS Agriculture and Market Law.

On November 19, Sheriff’s Animal Control Officers charged Paula Neil of Gasport with one count of abandonment of an animal following an investigation into an incident that occurred on November 12. Neil allegedly abandoned a St. Bernard dog along Route 31E in the Town of Shelby. Neil is scheduled to return to the Town of Shelby Court in January 2026.

On December 3, Sheriff’s Animal Control Officers charged Amanda Russo of Middleport with two counts of abandonment of an animal following an investigation into an incident that occurred on Nov. 18. Russo allegedly abandoned two puppies on Niagara/Orleans County Line Road. Russo is scheduled to return to the Town of Shelby Court in February 2026.

This misdemeanor crime is punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of $500 to $1,000 or both.

Photos courtesy of Albion Central School: Albion students meet Brooklyn, a therapy dog at the school district.

Press Release, Albion Central School

ALBION – If you have visited Albion’s District Office recently, you may have had the pleasure of meeting its newest team member, Brooklyn.

Her four tiny legs and soft fur certainly sets her apart, but her curious eyes and gentle demeanor make her especially hard to forget.

Brooklyn is Albion school district’s new resident therapy dog. She is a 2-year-old, hypoallergenic mini Goldendoodle. As part of the district’s first Therapy Dog Program, Brooklyn began serving students in November following approval from the Albion Board of Education.

Her owner and handler at all times is Brad Lehman, Albion’s director of student services. They are both trained and certified through the RocDog organization. Brooklyn accompanies Mr. Lehman to campus 1-2 days per week and is available to help provide emotional support for classrooms or students in need throughout the school day.

“Brooklyn has had the opportunity to visit many classrooms thus far and has been given a very warm welcome,” Lehman said. “The smiles I see from students are infectious, regardless if they are in UPK or at the high school. It reminds me how important this program is.”

Brad Lehman, Albion’s director of student services, is Brooklyn’s handler and owner. He will bring the dog to school one or two times each week.

Many surrounding schools have introduced therapy dogs in their buildings in different capacities. The use of therapy dogs in schools can have many benefits that allow for personal growth and an overall improved learning experience.

They can be utilized as a proactive measure or to help support a student in specific need. Their presence provides comfort and companionship to those who may be feeling isolated, they can help foster social interactions, regulate emotions, reduce anxiety, alleviate stress, decrease feelings of depression, and improve overall well-being.

Albion school district is excited for students and staff to interact with Brooklyn and experience first-hand how beneficial her presence can be. If a student is uncomfortable for any reason, or if a parent/guardian does not want their child interacting with the therapy dog throughout the school year, they can opt-out of the program at any time by contacting their child’s main office.

ALBION – Three people were sentenced to state prison on Wednesday by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

A former Albion man received the longest sentenced of five years in state prison when he was sentenced on Wednesday.

Joel Prouty, 39, pleaded guilty in County Court to attempted course of sexual conduct in third degree. He now lives in Bethany, Genesee County. He admitted in County Court on Oct. 1 to having anal sexual contact at least twice with a victim between June 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. The victim was the ages of 9 and 10 when this happened, the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office said. Prouty was charged on May 21 by the Albion Police Department with course of sex conduct against a child in the 1st degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

He also faces up to 20 years of post-release supervision.

In other cases in County Court:

• Stanley Ivy, 42, of Albion was sentenced to four years in state prison for attempted sexual abuse in the first degree.

He allegedly had sexual contact with a 9-year-old between March and August 2023. Ivy already was a convicted sex offender.

He will also be on post-release supervision for 15 years. The judge also issued an order of protection for the victim of the crime for eight years, the longest possible.

• Troy Clarke, 28, of Brooklyn was sentenced to two years in state prison for attempted promoting prison contraband by having a black ceramic razor inside the Orleans Correctional Facility.

Clarke should have been sentenced 18 months ago but he failed to appear in court. Since then, he has been charged with two more crimes, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and a robbery. The sentencing on Wednesday doesn’t include the new crimes.

Clarke apologized to the judge and said he was unable to appear previously at sentencing because he missed a bus in New York City and had important family obligations, including caring for two children.

• Allan Bieber, 22, was sentenced to 10 years of probation for third-degree rape for having sex with a 15-year-old girl at St. Joseph’s Park on South Clinton Street on April 25. Bieber is a first-time offender.

He could be a registered sex offender for 10 years. That will be determined at a Jan. 21 hearing before Judge Church.

• Colton Palmer, 31, of Clarendon pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree and faces up to six months in the county jail and five years of probation. He will be sentenced on Jan. 28.

Palmer admitted in court that on Sept. 30, 2018 he gave a Kimber Micro 380 pistol that wasn’t his to another person. He didn’t have a license to possess or sell the pistol. Palmer needed to be extradited from Montana to resolve the case.

• Callin LeMon, 36, was arraigned on promoting prison contraband in the first and second degrees, and for criminal possession of a weapon.

LeMon, who is incarcerated at the Orleans Correctional Facility, on April 29 allegedly had a black ceramic razor blade and a leafy substance.

He is currently serving an 8- to 10-year sentence for criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon. He is from Ulster County.

20 bags filled with toys at Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas and Parade of Lights

Provided photos

MEDINA – The Canalside Tattoo Company held its ninth annual toy drive during Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas and the Parade of Lights on Nov. 29.

About 20 bags full of unwrapped toys were donated by community members at Canalside, at 627 West Ave.

Canalside owner Shawn Ramsey and his staff handed those toys over to the Medina Area Association of Churches (MAAC) and Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, which will distribute them to local families. The toys cover children of all ages and interests, Ramsey said.

County Historian to move to space next to Subway in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Central Hall building at 34 East Park St. will soon be vacated and put up for sale by Orleans County. The County Historian will move to a space next to the Subway.

ALBION – The County Legislature agreed today to a lease space in a plaza on South Main Street for the county historian, a move that will be made as soon as the space is ready.

The historian works out of the top floor of Central Hall at 34 East Park St. That building will become vacate once the historian and Department of History are moved to the plaza. County officials said the change is a cost-cutting move that could save $90,000 to $110,000 a year in maintenance and other expenses once the building is sold.

The change also will make the historian’s office more accessible to the public, county officials said. The space is on the first floor and people won’t need to climb stairs to access the building.

The county has owned Central Hall the past 45 years. It was used by the treasurer until September 2024 and used to be the offices for the Probation Department.

The County Historian and the Department of History’s artifacts will move to 2,000 square feet of space on the side of a plaza next to Subway. Most of this space is on the north side of the building. The historian and any visitors to the office can use a parking lot for the county treasurer.

Central Hall, a solid red-brick building, was a school from 1882 to 1934, and then was used as the post for the American Legion until the site was bought by the county in 1980.

The historian will move to 2,000 square feet of space on the north side of the plaza, facing the parking lot of the treasurer’s office. There will be a part of the historian’s office facing the main parking lot.

The county won’t have to pay to lease the building except for the cost of utilities and to renovate the site. The county also will plow the parking lot in the winter. The county is already plowing out the treasurer’s office and some of the spots in the lot that are used for the treasurer’s office.

The Buildings and Grounds staff for the county will be putting in an ADA-compliant bathroom and making other renovations to the site.

The lease agreement was approved by the Legislature in a 6-1 vote. Legislator Fred Miller cast the lone no vote. He thanked Lynne Johnson, the Legislature chairwoman, for her work on the lease but he didn’t agree with the relocation of the historian to the plaza.

“I don’t feel this is what the county should be doing,” Miller said during the Legislature meeting.

The Legislature approved the lease with Nomax Albion, LLC, which is owned by Noah Michaels. He reached out to the county about leasing the space in exchange for plowing the parking lot for the plaza.

The county doesn’t have a solid move-in date for the historian. It depends on when the space can be made ready by the Buildings and Grounds staff.

Photo courtesy of Hinspergers Poly

MEDINA – The employees at Hinspergers Poly Industries Inc. in Medina have donated in a big way to the red barrel toy drive by the Medina Area Association of Churches.

The employees at Hinspergers Poly in Medina hosted a red barrel for the first time and they filled it – and they filled three more bins to hold all of the donations.

The Hinsperger family then matched the employee effort. MAAC has 42 red barrels out in the community for people to donate gifts that will be given to families before Christmas.

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer

ALBION –  Albion eighth-graders Sutton Sanders, left, and Luci Borello are pictured with two of four new roadside markers that show local connections to the Revolutionary War.

The markers, valued at $2,050 each, were funded through the Pomeroy Foundation. The markers will be installed next spring at area cemeteries, including both the Annis Cemetery on Riches Corners Road and Tanner Cemetery in Albion on Route 31, across from Mount Albion.

This photo shows a headstone for Revolutionary War veteran Lott Swift, who is buried at the East Barre Cemetery. It will replace his broken headstone there. The Albion students applied for the new stone through the Veterans Administration in Washington, D.C.  In the picture are Patrice Birner (Orleans Chapter DAR), Luci Borello, Sutton Sanders, Barre Highway Superintendent Dale Brooks (who will install the headstone), Kirk Mathes (the cemetery was originally part of the Mathes farm and named the Roy Mathes cemetery), and Barre Town Supervisor-elect Steve Coville (the town helped with the application).

Patrice Birner and the DAR donated 14 new bronze flag markers for the Revolutionary War burial sites in the county that did not have one.

Luci Borello and Sutton Sanders place a new flag marker at the site of Revolutionary War veteran Anthony Tripp at Mt. Albion Cemetery.

The two students did research and work this past summer on gathering information on Revolutionary War veterans buried in the county as part of our country’s upcoming 250th anniversary, said Tim Archer, an Albion teacher helping to coordinate this effort.

The information will be shared with the local DAR and the county historian. More than 60 Revolutionary War soldiers can be confirmed, with another 45 unconfirmed.