By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 October 2025 at 9:54 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: This leaf with some rain drops is shown on Tuesday in Carlton at the upper parking lot of St. Mary’s Archers Club off Clark Mills Road.
It’s peak fall foliage throughout most of Western New York, with Orleans County at “near peak” conditions, according to the I Love NY Fall Foliage update that was released on Wednesday.
Some parts in NY are past peak – the Adirondacks, Catskills, 1000 Islands and parts of the Chautauqua-Allegheny region.
An observer for Albion reported a 65% change in Albion “with a vibrant mix of fall hues.”
The fall foliage map for the state shows a range of progression around the state, but most areas are peak or past peak.
This is a spot at the Archers Club where there is a split in two ridges. It’s amazing how the trees stay upright.
This shows the canal looking east from Butts Road in Albion on Sunday evening.
Photo and press release from Brockport Elks Riders
The Brockport Elks Riders #2110’s dice run, led by Ricky Standish Jr., proudly donated $2,350 to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee County’s Holiday Program. Next year the group plans to continue their dice run and will donate to the Pirate Toy Fund.
The event brought together riders and community members to raise funds that will help provide holiday meals, toys, and essentials to families in need across both Orleans and Genesee counties.
The Brockport Elks Riders #2110 continue to serve their community through charitable rides and events that reflect the Elks’ values of giving and fellowship.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 October 2025 at 10:18 am
Carl Zenger wins national award for 22 years of dedicated service at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Photos by Tom Rivers: Carl Zenger holds up a certificate of commendation he received on Wednesday from a staff member for Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. Zenger received 2025 “Refuge Volunteer of the Year” award from the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Zenger has been a full-time presence at the local refuge for the past 22 ½ years.
MEDINA – There are 570 national wildlife refuges in the United States and many dedicated volunteers have been critical to educating the public, maintaining grasslands, nurturing wildlife and serving in other roles.
Of all the volunteers in the refuge system, Carl Zenger stands out among them all for his dedication at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, which covers 10,824 acres in the towns of Shelby and Alabama.
Zenger, 87, is up at 5:30 a.m. every day and make the 20-minute drive from Lockport. He is at the refuge by 7, typically the first one there.
He has kept a full-time presence at the refuge the past 22 ½ years, amassing 45,000 hours of volunteer service.
Zenger delights in mowing about 200 acres of grasslands each year, and along miles and miles of drainage dikes. He was instrumented in starting the Friends of Iroquois Wildlife Refuge in 2000, and has served as president, vice president and board member. That organization raises about $15,000 to $20,000 a year to support the refuge. Its fundraising has helped rebuild the Swallow Hallow Trail, extend the Cayuga Overlook Platform, install an accessible floating dock at the Ringneck Marsh, and sponsor youth fishing derbies and waterfowl hunts.
Tom Roster, the retired manager of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, spent just over 20 years with Zenger at the refuge. Roster praised Zenger’s commitment to the refuge and his willingness to serve in many roles at the site.
“Carl is a person of many talents,” said Tom Roster, who recently retired after more than 20 years as the refuge manager. “His volunteering has touched all aspects of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge daily operations including habitat management, wildlife population monitoring, maintenance, interpretive and educational programs, outreach and yes, we even got him to do some administrative work. We just didn’t call it that. We referred to it as safety or vehicle and facility maintenance!”
Roster was among about 100 people who celebrated Zenger and his distinguished award as national volunteer of the year during a luncheon on Wednesday at the Bent’s Opera House. Many other dedicated local refuge volunteers and staff attended the luncheon. (Due to the federal government shutdown, the refuge staff attended in regular clothes, not their refuge work attire.)
Zenger grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania and worked 42 years at General Motors. When he was nearing retirement from GM, he looked for a way to stay busy and give back to a worthwhile organization. The refuge was a perfect fit, utilizing his talents at a site with a long to-do list.
Carl Zenger said he has a great relationship with the refuge staff and other volunteers. “I did it because I wanted to be there,” he said about his volunteerism at the refuge.
Some of the projects Zenger has spearheaded, outside of routine maintenance, include:
• One of his first projects was establishing a bluebird trail with over 50 bluebird boxes along the trail. Zenger still coordinates the maintenance of this trail and has taught dozens of other volunteers and interns how to maintain the boxes, manage the program, monitor and band the birds.
• Zenger has worked to expand birding programs to include other cavity nesters like swallows, kestrels and purple martins.
“Carl’s interest in Kestrel grew as he saw that kestrel populations decline by 85% in New York State,” Roster said. “Carl has provided guidance on where and how to put up kestrel boxes on the refuge including switching over to his own pulley system that assists in lowering and raising nesting boxes for monitoring, thus eliminating the need for climbing up and down ladders. He ensures that monitoring is conducted every year.”
Those birding programs resulted in 130 bluebirds being fledged in the past year, 352 tree swallows and 71 house wrens, Zenger said, praising the refuge staff and volunteers. “Great job!” he declared from the podium at Bent’s Opera House.
Zenger is presented with the 2025 Refuge Volunteer of the Year Award by Wendi Weber, a board member for the National Wildlife Association and retired regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
After the success of the bluebird trail, Zenger shifted to establish a purple martin colony at the refuge. Carl worked diligently for several years before he started to see any response to his efforts, Roster said.
“Each year he would put out purple martin decoys and play the ‘dawn song’ to hopefully attract any lost martins that happen to be passing by,” Roster said. “There were finally a few takers, and over the years that has grown to multiple colonies on the refuge that annually produces over 700 fledglings.”
One colony is adjacent to the parking lot at the refuge headquarters, and provides a great opportunity to educate refuge visitors on conservation of the species and show the bird monitoring and banding techniques very easily, Roster said.
Zenger makes the added effort of ensuring that calcium is available to female martins that may be deficient after laying a clutch of eggs.
“He collects eggshells from his local community breakfast event, rinses and bakes them to remove any potential salmonella,” Roster said. “He then crushes them and adds them to feeders at twelve sites where purple martin females can obtain this essential mineral that is integral to their post laying condition survival.”
This year, there were a record 950 purple martins banded at the refuge and 700 fledges.
Zenger said he prefers to be low-key and out of the spotlight. But his dedication over so many years stands out – across the country.
He thanked the staff and other volunteers, and especially his family, including his late wife of 63 years, Phyllis. She often joined him at the refuge for projects, working in the welcome center and with public education programs.
Zenger is eyeing a goal of 50,000 hours of volunteer service at the refuge.
“If it’s God’s will,” he said about continuing as a very active volunteer. “I’m not quite done yet, but I may have to temper my pace a bit.”
Desirée Sorenson-Groves, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Association, congratulates Zenger on his award. Sorenson-Groves, who is based in Washington, D.C., said refuges across the country have seen a gradual reduction in their workforces over the past decade. Iroquois, for example, used to have two full-time maintenance positions that haven’t been filled.
“The way things are going, volunteers are the future of maintaining our refuges,” she said.
Zenger is joined for a photo with his grandchildren, Malia Keespies, left, and Mattison Zenger Hain.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 16 October 2025 at 8:42 am
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Dan DeCarlo, shown inside Arnold’s Auto Parts in Albion, has been recognized as the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year.
ALBION – Dan DeCarlo has been involved in the family business ever since his father purchased Arnold’s Auto Parts in 1968, back when Dan was eight years old.
After taking over the business when his father retired 10 years ago, he became a big supporter of the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministry. His business ethics and support of community have earned him the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s honor as Business Person of the Year.
Dan admits he is a low-key guy and doesn’t like to be in the spotlight.
“But it’s nice the Chamber gave me this award,” he said. “I was not expecting it.”
He and his wife Lisa first became supporters of the Royal Body Shop’s Outreach Ministry when the pastor came to town and asked if he could hold Friday night services in their parking lot.
Since then, the DeCarlos have allowed use of their property for various church functions and also agreed to have a refrigerator placed outside their door, which the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministry keeps stocked with food, free to anyone who needs it.
In addition, the DeCarlos have supported the Easter Egg Hunt, Wine Walk and car shows, among other events.
“The community has been good to us and we want to be good to the community in return,” Dan said.
Arnold’s is a full-service auto parts store, and recently started carrying marine parts, Dan said.
They are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday.
The store is located at 116 North Liberty St.
This photo is from March 2022 when community fridge was dedicated at Arnold’s Auto Parts. Village trustee at the time Stan Farone, left, participates in the ribbon cutting with Pastor Albert Wilson and his wife Ykeeta, center, Dan DeCarlo from Arnold’s Auto Parts and other volunteers including Kevin Lemcke and Jack Burris of Hands 4 Hope.
Provided photos: Pictured from left include Roger Ettinger, Sue Starkweather Miller, Stephen Hastings, Legion Commander Brad Rouse holding a painting of the Sheret brothers, Rick Ebbs, Tim Archer and David Polisoto. The fundraising campaign has topped $200,000 towards a $225,000 goal to put a new slate roof on the chapel and address other issues.
Press Release, “Save our Chapel”
ALBION – The American Legion family of organizations donated $1,500 to the “Save Our Chapel” campaign at Mt. Albion Cemetery. The Sons of the American Legion, Auxiliary, Legion Riders and the general membership groups collectively contributed.
Save our Chapel organizers Sue Starkweather Miller and Tim Archer met with members to thank them for supporting the chapel restoration project with their generous donation and to give them a tour of the chapel and view the progress that is being made.
A painting of Sergeant James A. Sheret and his brother, Private Egbert Sheret is on permanent display in the American Legion Sheret Post #35 building.
Sheret Post #35 is the oldest American Legion in Western New York. It was founded in 1919 under the direction of Judge Bernard Ryan in honor of Sergeant James A. Sheret who was killed in action on September 29, 1918 near Ronssoy, France while charging the Hindenburg Line. Sheret was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery and was considered “one of the hundred heroes of WWI” by General Pershing.
His brother, Pvt. Egbert Sheret was also killed that day. Their younger brother Andrew, the company’s bugler, was seriously injured but survived. All three brothers were part of the 27th Division of the American Expeditionary Forces, containing the 108th Infantry Regiment and Company F. The 108th and Company F were the only men to break the Hindenburg Line that day.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The gravesites for Sergeant James A. Sheret and Private Egbert Sheret are located in Mt. Albion Cemetery. This photo is from Dec. 14, 2024 during Wreaths Across America.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2025 at 10:40 pm
ALBION/MEDINA – Hoag Library in Albion and Lee-Whedon Memorial Library are both hosting representatives from the AMPED program for presentations about energy efficiency.
AMPED is part of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The AMPED reps have been invited by Green Orleans and will discuss energy efficiency and how it can make a difference in a home. There are local, state and federal grant programs that can help residents save money, increase home comfort and reduce their environmental impact, Green Orleans said in promoting the events.
The presentations and sharing sessions will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on October. 16 at Hoag library in Albion and then from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina. There will also be drop-in assistance from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on oct. 30 at Hoag Library.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2025 at 10:10 pm
Photo courtesy of Tim Archer, Albion Interact Club advisor
ALBION – The Albion Interact Club had a special visit from Orleans County Sheriff’s K( Odin and his handler, Deputy Jeff Cole.
They were joined by Deputy Ashleigh Stornelli who is the district’s school resource officer this year.
Odin is a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois that has been with the Sheriff’s Office for about a year. Before that, Cole worked as a handler with K9 Otto for eight years.
“The visit was part of the student club’s ongoing monthly series of presentations by community leaders,” said Tim Archer, the Interact Club advisor. “The Interact Club does numerous community service projects throughout the school year.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 15 October 2025 at 9:17 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Rita Zambito has been honored with the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
MEDINA – Receiving the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award next week is a surprise and an honor, said Rita Zambito, founder of Zambito Realtors and now co-owner with son Mark of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zambito Realtors. Their home office is located at 11228 Maple Ridge Rd.
Information on her website states she has built her business by providing consistent, top notch service regardless of sale price. By doing so, she would reach sales volumes previously deemed unobtainable in her market and build long-term relationships that would grow her business exponentially for years to come.
Zambito raised her three children in Elba, and moved to Medina in 1978 to work at Fisher-Price. She started selling real estate for another broker in 1995. At the age of 50, she decided to go into business for herself and started Zambito Realtors.
Her son, Michael Zambito, is the very successful restaurant owner of Zambistro on Main Street in Medina, and daughter Mandy Gotham is manager of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western New York Properties in Orchard Park.
As her business grew in addition to the Orchard Park location, Zambito opened an office in Lockport in 2019 (the same year they moved their Medina office to Maple Ridge Road), a Batavia office in 2022 and a Monroe County office in 2024.
In 2021, Zambito bought into the nationwide Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
She currently employs close to 89 sales associates and is one of the highest ranking realtors in the region.
“The secret is to take your eyes of yourself and help other people become successful,” Zambito said. “We are like a family, and I’m successful because of them.”
File photo: Rita Zambito is pictured with her son Mark and her daughter Mandy Gotham. They are shown in 2021 when Zambito Realtors connected with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
MEDINA – The Orleans County Career Center will be holding a job fair this Thursday, October 16, at the Orleans County YMCA in Medina. More than a dozen companies with open positions have signed up to take part.
“There are companies all across Orleans County looking to fill vacant positions and they are willing to provide training for those who lack experience if the candidate is reliable and dependable,” said Kelly Kiebala, director of the Orleans County Career Center. “So job seekers should come with their resumes and be prepared to be interviewed on the spot.”
The job fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Orleans County YMCA located at 306 Pearl St. in Medina. Participating companies come from several different industries including factory work, healthcare, food service, customer service and more. There is no registration or appointment necessary to attend.
“This event is for people of all skill levels, so whether you are not currently employed or looking to take your career in a new direction, our job fair is a chance to see what opportunities are out there that could be the right fit for you,” Kiebala said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 October 2025 at 9:27 am
Landmark Society official touts preservation for community identity, economic benefit
Photos by Tom Rivers: Winners of Preservation Awards from the Cobblestone Society & Museum include, front row, from left: Andrew Meier, Donald & Linda Prince, Cynthia Waters (regent for the DAR in Orleans County), and Sue Beamer. Back row: Rosalind Starkweather, Susan Starkweather Miller, Doug Miller, John and Melissa Gailie, and Henry Beamer.
LYNDONVILLE – The Cobblestone Society and Museum honored six local preservation winners for their many years of effort to maintain and safeguard important buildings in the community.
The Society and Museum welcomed just over 100 people on Friday for the annual preservation awards dinner at the White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.
The group also heard from Megan Hillyard, director of preservation service for the Landmark Society of WNY. She presented the keynote address on how preservation is important to community identity and pride, and also pays off with economic benefits through tourism and other initiatives.
This year’s nominees are:
Joseph Hart home of Rosalind Starkweather, and Dougl Miller and Susan Starkweather Miller at 323 S. Main St., Albion.
The Joseph Hart house was constructed between 1820-23 in the federal style. It was built to replace a log cabin which Joseph Hart erected in 1811/12 as an early settler. The home is situated on its third site, still on land purchased by Joseph Hart in 1811 from the Holland Land Company. This parcel was originally part of the town of Barre.
In 1921, the home was moved to its third and current location at 323 South Main St. The Joseph Hart home has been in the Starkweather family since June 1974, when it was purchased by Sue’s parents, Duane and Rosalind Starkweather.
Highlights of the home include a five-inch key to the original lock possessed by the family; wide board floors in the foyer, dining room and living room; an open, U-shaped staircase with landing and an additional staircase leading downstairs to the crescent-shaped breakfast nook in the back of the house; and glass-enclosed sunporch with a fieldstone floor and a floor-to-ceiling fireplace.
Roz Starkweather accepts citations for her home during a preservation awards banquet on Saturday. Her family has been caretakers of the house for the past 51 years. At right is Barry Flansburg, representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley. Hawley and the County Legislature presented commendations.
The Ebenezer Rogers house at 352 South Main St., Albion, which is the home of John and Melissa Gailie.
John and Melissa Gailie’s Ebenezer Rogers’ house is located at the southern edge of Albion and is the oldest house in the town. Building began in 1816 and was completed in 1820 for Ebenezer Rogers, who helped start the Barre Center Presbyterian Church as well as the First Presbyterian Church in Albion.
Rogers’ house is appealing through the beautiful brickwork, the welcoming front entrance and front door with its fanlight window, which opens to its original stairway and entry.
At each side of the hall and throughout the downstairs, Bible and cross double doors are unpainted originals, revealing the mellow color of the wood and Rogers’ love for his Christianity. In the living room, the early date of the house is displayed in the fireplace mantel and window trim. The delicately-scaled mantel has paired, reeded and columnettes which flank the firebox. The kitchen was remodeled in 2018, and still has the original fireplace and mantel to keep the historic feel of the house.
Melissa and John Gailie accept a preservation award on Friday from the Cobblestone Society and Museum.
The Orleans Chapter DAR house at 249 North Main St., Albion, was built circa 1845. Sitting on a spacious shaded lawn, the stately red brick Patriots House served as a residence for the Lee, Tousley and Church families until 1929.
At that time, it was purchased by Emma Reed Webster for the Orleans Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. The Orleans Daughters are proud caretakers of the Greek Revival building that serves as their chapter house and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Of note in the front hall are the hand-carved newel post and landing, supported by four Doric columns, a most unusual feature.
Cynthia Waters, regent for the DAR in Orleans County, accepts the preservation award on behalf of the organization.
Andrew Meier, a Medina native and local attorney, has long admired the Robert H. Newell building at 113 West Center St. Established in 1876 by Elizur Kirke Hart, a banker and U.S. Congressman from Albion, for 86 years, it was home to the Robert H. Newell Shirt Factory, which manufactured custom-made shirts, including many for famous customers, including Winston Churchill and Bob Hope.
The Newell company left the historic building in 2004 and moved to Maple Ridge Road. The business eventually closed in 2007. The village of Medina acquired the building after years of unpaid taxes. The three-story site had been neglected and was in disrepair. It was put up for sale in 2005 and Meier bought it. He was 25 at the time.
He set about the task of methodically renovating and preserving the 14,000 square-foot building, a site that was a hotel for its first 14 years before it became the Newell Building.
Meier has turned the site into commercial space for businesses on the first floor, and upper floors for boutique hotel rooms and a law office.
The oldest portion of home of Donald and Linda Prince was built of wood in 1825. A brick addition was added in 1850 to the house at 14050 State Route 31, Albion. This large house now has more than 5,000 square feet of space. Some of the early residents to call this home include the Hatch family, and later the Ricci and Perrizini families. Don and Linda acquired the home in 1986.
Hank and Sue Beamer are the third family to reside in the Shelp-Beamer House since its construction in 1836 at 10181 West Shelby Rd., Town of Shelby. The Beamers purchased the property in 1985.
This house is located just east of the Niagara-Orleans County line, near Dewey Road. It was built of field and lake-washed cobbles for John Shelp, and is one of six cobblestone structures in the town of Shelby, sitting on 145 acres.
It was built for Shelp, his wife Mary and her father Oliver Cone, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. In 2008, the house, two barns and a milk house on the grounds were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This three-story house is considered one of the finest examples of cobblestone masonry in Western New York.
About 100 people attended the preservation awards banquet at the White Birch.
Cobblestone Museum director Doug Farley provided an update on a new visitors center at the museum. Farley said construction could start in late October or November on the project which includes a new structure with a 99-person meeting space next to the historic brick house at the corner of routes 98 and 31. The brick house will also receive restoration work.
A garage at the brick house will be removed and an accessibility center added with restrooms.
Brenda Tremblay, an Albion native and classical morning host and producer at WXXI in Rochester, served as emcee.
She said many retirees from outside the area are choosing WNY small towns for retirement, and the historic feel of the communities is a big part of the draw.
Tremblay highlighted “the sheer grit it took to develop Orleans County. These cobblestone houses are such treasures.”
Megan Hillyard of the Landmark Society served as keynote speaker and touted the benefits of historic preservation.
Communities can identify their historic assets through a survey. The Landmark Society is doing that with a barn inventory in Victor and also the Genesee Valley towns of Perry, Mount Morris and Nunda as part of an effort to preserve farm land and agricultural resources in those communities, Hillyard said.
A historic resource survey can be the first step in getting a property or group of sites on the National Register of Historic Places. That can then lead to historic tax credits for projects to preserve and restore the sites, Hillyard said.
She also discussed the benefits of historical markers in bringing awareness to important sites in the community, and helping to develop an identity for the community and promote heritage tourism.
She highlighted organizations that have spearheaded preservation, including the Cobblestone Society that formed in 1960 to protect the Cobblestone Universalist Church and a cobblestone school on Route 104. The Cobblestone Society acquired many other properties and built a museum of many important artifacts from Orleans County.
ALBION – Citizens’ Climate Lobby will host a 6 p.m. meeting in Albion on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at Hoag Library in Albion.
The meeting is open to the public. Attendees will discuss how they feel about climate change.
We will discuss climate change, causes and effects of climate change, actions people can take to address climate change by advancing our policy agenda in the Congress and personal actions, too.
We welcome anyone who is serious about solving climate change as a volunteer. We work with members of Congress across the political spectrum to find common ground on climate change action. For more information contact robertdotjohnson@rochester.rr.com.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a national nonprofit organization with local chapters across the country. The group has been the primary catalyst for the energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. To learn more about our work, visit citizensclimatelobby.org.