Photo courtesy of Arc GLOW: Lisa Bors, vice president of public relations and development for Arc GLOW, thanks Albion Subway owner Walt Breese and his employees for their support of a fundraiser for Arc GLOW on March 19.
Press Release, Arc GLOW
ALBION — Arc GLOW wants to extend its deepest gratitude to everyone who celebrated Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March with a special thank you to Albion Subway.
On March 19, the Albion Subway held a food fundraiser to help raise awareness for Arc GLOW services as well as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the communities in which they live.
“We’re so incredibly grateful for all the support everyone has given us,” said Lisa Bors, vice president of public relations and development at Arc GLOW. “I want to give a special shout out to Walt Breese and his team for graciously holding a food fundraiser to not only help raise awareness of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, but to support Arc GLOW programs and services.”
Arc GLOW is a non-profit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties. To learn more about their programs and services, visit ArcGLOW.org.
The Albion Subway also held a fundraiser on April 2 for the Albion Fire Department.
Image taken from Pixcams: This picture shows a bald eagle feeding a freshly caught fish to the remaining chick. A livestream of the bald eagle nest has seen a nig increase in traffic in the past week, including 144,000 views on Facebook.
Press Release, Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
BASOM – One of the eaglets being watched by a camera at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge has died, the refuge Friends group announced today.
“It’s so easy and natural to develop parental instincts for these chicks if you watch them for any length of time,” said Richard Moss, president of the Iroquois Friends group. “That makes a development like this hard to process. It’s a difficult lesson that observing nature is not a place for sentiment.”
The eaglet was knocked out of the nest bole proper by its mother’s foot on Monday morning and never made it back to get warm. The chick’s thermoregulation had not developed enough yet to allow it to survive outside the bole.
The six-day-old chick, the first eaglet to hatch, appeared healthy before the incident, was the largest and had been getting the most food.
The adults seemed largely oblivious that anything was amiss, despite the eaglet still being in the larger part of the nest and very close to the bole.
“This is quite rare,” said Emma DeLeon, vice president of the Friends group. “It can be tough to watch nature in action, but we observed some unusual behaviors today that we were able to share with some eagle experts.”
The second eaglet to hatch, INWR 2, still looks strong, the parents are behaving normally with it, and the Friends group is still hopeful that the third egg may hatch soon, Moss and DeLeon said.
You can watch the nest camera streaming through a link at the Friends website, FINWR.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 April 2026 at 9:36 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Debbie Padoleski takes the oath of office as Medina mayor on Monday evening while her husband Tom Padoleski holds the Bible. Village Clerk-Treasurer Jada Burgess administers the oath in the Shelby Town Hall.
MEDINA – Mayor Debbie Padoleski took the oath of office and presided over her first meeting as Medina mayor on Monday.
Padoleski said the Village Board will be working on the budget this month and developing plans to address issues in the village.
She congratulated Jeff Wagner and Mark Prawel for their victories as village trustees. Both joined her in taking the oath of office on Monday.
“I am committed to accountability and transparency with the public and with each other,” she told the board members on Monday.
She said it will be a team effort among the board members. “We need to use our individual strengths and talents towards a more affordable village,” she said.
Mark Prawel takes the oath for another two-year term as village trustee. His wife Tina holds the Bible while Padoleski administers the oath.
Some of the appointments approved at Monday’s meeting include:
Deputy Mayor – Scott Bieliski
Fair Housing Officer – Jess Marciano
Village Historian – Todd Bensley
Clerk-Treasurer – Jada Burgess
Deputy Clerk-Treasurer – Miranda Herbert
Registrar and Deputy Registrar – Jada Burgess with Miranda Herbert as the deputy
Three appointments to Planning Board with five-year terms – Chris Goyette, Mary Lewis and Richard Moss with Dean Bellack as an alternate
Member of Tree Board for three-year term – Lisa Tombari
Member of Boxwood Cemetery Commission for three-year term – Jacob Hebdon
Member of the Minimum Standards Appeals Board for five-year term – Chris Busch
Three appointments to Parks Committee for two-year terms – Brooke Beatty and Randall Reese
Four appointments to Tourism Committee for two-year terms – Jim Hancock, Kelly Kiebala, Janet Smith and Barbara Gorham
Village Attorney – Matthew Brooks
Mayor Debbie Padoleski led her first meeting as mayor on Monday evening. She has attended numerous meetings over the years as the former village clerk-treasurer and the past two years as a village trustee.
Padoleski approved the following trustee liaison committee assignments:
Fire/Ambulance – Scott Bieliski
Police – Mark Prawel
Code/Planning/Zoning – Jess Marciano
DPW – Jeff Wagner
Employee Relations – Scott Bieliski, Mark Prawel
Clerk/Treasurer – Debbie Padoleski
Town of Ridgeway – Mark Prawel
Town of Shelby – Jeff Wagner
Orleans County – Scott Bieliski
Parks Committee – Jess Marciano
Boxwood Cemetery – Debbie Padoleski
Joint Recreation – Jess Marciano and Jeff Wagner
Tourism Committee – Debbie Padoleski
Waterfront Development Committee – Jess Marciano
Jeff Wagner is congratulated after taking the oath and joining the Village Board as a trustee for the first time. Padoleski, left, administered the oath while Jada Burgess held the Bible.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 April 2026 at 8:35 am
Photos courtesy of Geno Allport
ALBION – A new team of Albion Village Board members took the oath of office and began their four-year terms on Monday.
The top photo shows the new Albion mayor, Tim McMurray, who is holding his granddaughter Celia. McMurray is joined at the swearing in by his daughter Kali, his girlfriend Erin Gallagher, and uncle Ron Albertson.
McMurray was elected on March 18. He previously served as a village trustee for four years. He is a Marine Corps veteran.
(Left) Jami Allport is a new village trustee. She took the oath of office while standing with her husband Geno and their daughter, Hensley. Mrs. Allport is executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. (Right) Kevin Sheehan took the oath of office and was joined by his three grandchildren – Charlotte, Wrenyn and Jack. Sheehan is a retired plumber and pipe fitter and has served an Albion trustee, deputy mayor and code enforcement officer. He also is a commissioner for the Albion Joint Fire District.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2026 at 9:57 pm
Fish will spend nearly month in pens, growing and imprinting on famed fishery
Photos courtesy of Isabella Zasa: The pipe provides a pathway for small Chinook salmon and steelhead from a DEC truck to pens in the Oak Orchard River.
POINT BREEZE – The state Department of Transportation delivered some precious cargo today to the Oak Orchard River: 165,000 fish that will be nurtured over the next month.
Charter boat captains and other fishing stakeholders will keep tabs on the little fish that will be fed while kept in pens at the Oak Orchard by Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina.
The volunteers have been leading the pen-rearing project at the Oak Orchard since 1998. It was the first on the southshore of Lake Ontario and now there are many, including one at Sandy Creek in Hamlin, the Genesee River, Sodus, Olcott and the Niagara River.
The fish will spend three to four weeks in the pens, growing in size which will increase their chances of surviving when they are released. They will be a little less likely to be eaten by other fish or predators when they are released from the pens.
They also will “imprint” on the Oak Orchard, and be more likely to return when they are fully grown and looking to spawn.
It will take about three years for the little fish to reach full size. For some of the Chinook that will be over 30 pounds. A good-size steelhead can weigh 15 pounds.
The DEC stocking plan for Orleans County includes:
150,000 Chinook in pens
35,000 Steelhead into the Oak Orchard River with 15,000 in pens plus another 20,000 direct.
6,000 Steelhead direct to Johnson Creek
22,500 Coho salmon direct at Oak Orchard River
37,100 brown trout direct at Lake Ontario
Some additional lake trout and Atlantic salmon at Lake Ontario
The DEC has team with the local community for the pen-rearing project since 1998. It was the first one on the southshore of Lake Ontario. Now there are several.
215 DOT crews will fill 175,000 potholes on state roads this month
Photo by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul: Governor Hochul, center, today joined NYS Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez (left) and Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare in Albany to announce a statewide road improvement effort after a brutal winter caused numerous potholes.
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced an unprecedented state effort to fill potholes and repave roads across New York State, following one of the coldest winters in recent memory.
This month, State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) forces will conduct a statewide push to address potholes on state roads. In April, 215 crews will place more than 8,000 tons of asphalt to fill an anticipated 175,000 potholes statewide. Plans are in place to fill hundreds of thousands more as the weather permits over the months ahead.
“We’ve had an unforgiving winter this year in New York, and the frigid cold and heavy snowfall can take a toll on our roads,” Gov. Hochul said. “That’s why we are stepping up with an unprecedented state effort to repave hundreds of miles of roadway and fill hundreds of thousands of potholes in the next few weeks alone. Our outstanding DOT and Thruway crews will not rest until every pothole in this state has been repaired.”
In addition, Governor Hochul highlighted that this week is the official start of paving season in New York, as NYSDOT crews commence the most ambitious year of road improvements in state history. Last October, the Governor announced record state investment to dozens of vital state roadways across New York State during the 2026 construction season. Leveraging the $800 million secured in the FY26 Executive Budget to augment the final two years of its five-year Capital Plan, NYSDOT will invest more than $600 million in more than 180 paving projects across the state to be completed in the upcoming paving season.
These projects, which total almost 2,150 lane miles, are in addition to the paving initiatives already scheduled as part of NYSDOT’s core programs and, taken together, represent the most ambitious annual road resurfacing program conducted in state history, totaling more than 4,000 lane miles of renewed pavement to give New York drivers a smoother, safer ride.
The Governor’s announcement today comes as statewide asphalt plants come online, with paving season beginning in most regions of New York.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Our crews have worked tirelessly this winter keeping our roads clear for New Yorkers during a brutally cold, snow and ice-filled winter. Now, as the weather transitions, we are moving from fighting snow and ice to carrying out one of the most robust construction programs in recent memory – anchored by record infrastructure and paving investments from Governor Hochul. Our forces are ready to kick construction into high gear in the coming months, with thousands of miles of smoother rides ahead for people in every region of the state.”
Last year the Department of Transportation forces filled more than 1.3 million potholes on state highways from Long Island to Buffalo and every area in between. From mid-February through April 1, 2026, DOT forces have already laid down more than 1,400 tons of asphalt on state roads across New York, filling more than 28,000 potholes during that period.
Many areas of New York experienced some of the coldest winter seasons in recent memory, with the downstate region seeing its snowiest winter in at least a decade, contributing greatly to the freeze-thaw cycle that forms potholes on roads across New York State. Crews have been out for many weeks now, balancing continued snow and ice response efforts, which began in October, with pothole repairs as the weather has allowed them to do so.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Christopher Bourke
ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of multiple individuals following a series of investigations conducted in conjunction with the Department of Social Services into alleged public assistance fraud.
As a result of these investigations, several subjects were charged with offenses including Welfare Fraud, Petit Larceny, Grand Larceny, Filing a False Instrument, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing.
It is alleged that the individuals collectively received $37,562.20 in public assistance benefits to which they were not entitled.
The following were charged: Jessica Andrako, Cassandra Beck, Desiree Plucknette, Cheryl Jett, Bradley Acker, Alicia Ford, Angela Walker, Briahna Milot, Tricia Belcher and Launey D’ambra.
All subjects were issued appearance tickets and are scheduled to appear in the Albion Town Court at a later date.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely with the Department of Social Services to investigate and prosecute fraud-related offenses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2026 at 12:26 pm
ALBION/MEDINA – There will be a change in leadership today in Orleans County two largest villages.
Both Albion and Medina are swearing in new mayors as well as trustees on their village boards.
Each village will have swearing-in ceremonies at 6 p.m. Albion’s will be in the Village Office at 35-37 East Bank St. while Medina’s will be at the Shelby Town Hall at 4062 Salt Works Rd.
Tim McMurray was elected mayor in Albion on March 18, defeating Joyce Riley by seven votes, 209 to 202. Both had been trustees on the board for four years.
McMurray will be joined in taking the oath of office today by new trustees, Jami Allport and Kevin Sheehan Sr. Their terms are for four years.
In Medina, Debbie Padoleski is the new mayor after defeating Marguerite Sherman, the incumbent, on March 18 by a 489-405 vote. Padoleski was on the board as trustee the previous two years and also worked 41 years in the village clerk’s office, including the final eight years as the village clerk/treasurer.
She will be joined at the swearing in by trustees Mark Prawel and Jeff Wagner. In Medina, the terms are for two years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2026 at 10:18 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Neeko Caterisano pops confetti at the end of the Holley’s commencement on June 28, 2025 in the school auditorium. Caterisano is one of 67 members of Holley’s Class of 2025. The Orleans Hub covers most of the local school graduations and many other activities around the county.
The Orleans Hub reached its 13th anniversary on April 1. The online news site has been covering Orleans County, posting articles every day since it first started.
The Hub continues to report the news at a time when many larger news organizations have ceased operations or significantly cut back on reporting.
The Orleans Hub posts about 3,500 articles a year, or about 10 a day. This post is number 45,302.
We also have 30,000 followers on Facebook on the Orleans Hub News page and another 3,500 on Facebook through Orleans Hub Sports. We also have 3,150 following Orleans Hub news on Twitter and about 2,000 on Twitter through the Hub Sports. We recently started an Instagram page and have nearly 1,000 followers.
We’re trying to get the news out to the public.
The Orleans Hub is owned by Brad London of Albion. He also is the advertising manager. He acquired the Hub when Karen Sawicz retired on Jan. 1, 2025.
We survive through advertising, and many of our advertisers have been with us since we started. We appreciate them. We also receive revenue by posting obituaries and the $80 we charge is much less than most news organizations.
We are focused on Orleans County, which hasn’t had a printed newspaper based in the county since The Journal-Register shut down on May 30, 2014. The weekly Albion Advertiser closed in May 2013. The Orleans Hub didn’t knock these papers out of business. They had been struggling for years.
The newspaper business has been a very challenging environment the past two decades, with more than 3,000 closing since 2005, according to the Associated Press. The papers have lost a good chunk of their advertising and classifieds, and also their paid subscription base. Another 136 closed or merged in the United States between July 2024 and September 2025.
While some communities are served by online-only sites, these publications like the Orleans Hub are hurt by an archaic state law that doesn’t allow them to be considered “official newspapers” for legal notices. Those notices must be in print newspapers with a “paid circulation.”
We would welcome the opportunity to carry these notices to better serve our readers and to receive some of that revenue. We don’t charge to access the site. We want the news to be available to everyone.
Most of the towns, villages, school districts and even Orleans County use The Daily News of Batavia to publish legal notices. The Daily News has some coverage in Orleans County, but not nearly what is posted by the Orleans Hub. We also consistently have 7,000 to 10,000 “unique visitors” or readers each day. Last year we averaged 7,500 unique visitors and were at nearly 9,000 the first three months of 2026.
The Orleans Hub welcomes local municipal leaders and our state legislators to advocate for getting legal notices to be an option in local online-only news sites. Let’s give the local government leaders the option to decide where these notices can be best be seen by the most people. Right now, the Orleans Hub isn’t a legal option.
It was quite a spectacle when this 200,000-pound, oversized industrial load passed through Albion on Sept. 25, 2025. The big load is shown headed north on Gaines Basin Road. The shipment was manufactured by Batavia’s Graham Corp. for the Navy and headed to the Erie Canal, where it was then taken by a very large barge.
File photos: Albion students played bingo with senior citizens and also joined them in rock painting on May 10, 2023 during Senior Citizens Day at the high school.
Press Release, Albion Central School
ALBION – Albion Central School District invites senior citizens, 55 and older, for our annual Senior Citizens Day on Wednesday, April 29th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Albion High School gymnasium.
The school district would like to thank the senior citizens in our community for all they have done to support our students, teachers, and staff throughout the years.
We have a limited number of seats available for this free event. Kindly RSVP by Friday, April 17th, to the High School Student Council Advisor, Mrs. Sawyer Green, at (585) 589-2040, ext. 8414. You can also email sgreen1@albionk12.org to secure your reservation. Please leave a message with your name, phone number, and the number of seats you’d like to reserve.
Mrs. Green will call you to confirm your participation. We look forward to having you join us for this wonderful event hosted by Albion High School’s Student Council!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 April 2026 at 8:51 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Crosby’s in Holley in Route 31 at the Batavia Street intersection is just below $4 for regular unleaded gas on Sunday.
The price for regular unleaded gas fell by 2 cents in Orleans County in the past week (from $4.03 to $4.01) while the average price jumped 14 cents in new York State and 13 cents nationally.
The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.12, up 13 cents from last Monday. This is the first time since August 2022, the national average is over $4, AAA said this morning. A year ago, the price was $3.26.
The New York State average is $4.07, up 14 cents from last Monday. The average was $3.930 a week ago, $3.228 a month ago and $3.139 a year ago.
Today’s average diesel price is at $5.914 in NYS compared to $5.750 a week ago, $4.390 a month ago and $3.941 a year ago, according to AAA.
Here are the average prices in counties around Western New York:
Orleans, $4.008
Genesee, $3.979
Monroe, $4.044
Niagara, $3.958
Erie, $4.027
Wyoming, $3.986
Livingston, $4.033
Chautauqua, $4.000
Cattaraugus, $3.861
Allegany, $3.977
A week ago, Orleans was the only WNY county above $4, but now five of those counties are topping $4 a gallon for regular unleaded. Hamilton County in Adirondacks has the highest price in the state at $4.366.
AAA released this statement today: “The national average for a gallon of regular exceeded $4/gallon last week for the first time since August 2022, and prices continue to rise. Today’s average of $4.12 is 80 cents higher than a month ago.
“Crude oil prices remain high, coming in at $108-$109 per barrel this morning, as the conflict in the Middle East continues. In 2022, gas prices remained elevated from March through August, after Russia invaded Ukraine, peaking in June when the national average reached a record of $5/gallon for one week.”
“Demand is also on the rise as Easter travelers head to warmer destinations. While Orlando was the top destination for air travelers, many families were driving from New York to Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina based on local AAA bookings.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 April 2026 at 1:49 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion once again is displaying more than 1,000 orange flags during the month of April to show the prevalence of sexual assault each day.
RESTORE Sexual Assault Services, a program of Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York, put the orange flags on the front lawn of the Pullman church at the corner of East park Street and South Main Street.
The flags are out in April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Restore notes that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds.
RESTORE serves Monroe, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming and Livingston counties. The RESTORE 24-hour hotline is available at 585-546-2777.
