By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 2:48 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers: Kids displayed breakneck speed in hunting down Easter eggs on March 30, 2024. There were about 12,000 eggs scattered on the lawn.
ALBION – An Easter egg hunt with more than 10,000 eggs scattered about the Orleans Courthouse lawn has been canceled due to the muddy conditions and more rain in the forecast for Saturday.
The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries was planning its fifth annual egg hunt for Saturday. The church teams with the Albion Masonic Lodge which serves up free hot dogs and fries.
The Masonic Lodge will still be offering free hot dogs and bags of candy to children beginning at noon on Saturday until the supplies run out.
Jeff Holler, one of the leaders of the Masonic Lodge and the egg hunt, said there wasn’t enough time to secure an alternative site for the egg hunt. The land at other locations, including the school’s artificial fields, would need board approval and there isn’t enough time before the next board meeting.
Holler said Royal Body Shop and the Masonic Lodge will try to have a backup site ready in the future if torrential rains make the courthouse lawn off-limits.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 12:54 pm
ALBION – Zachary Natale, 32, was given the maximum 13-year sentence today by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.
Natale pleaded guilty to attempted arson in the second degree during court on Jan. 28 and admitted to setting a fire on Dec. 17, 2024 at 207 Bates Rd. That fire forced a mother and her 9-year-old son to evacuate.
That mother spoke in court today, saying she now constantly fears for her safety and doubts she will ever feel peace again after being forced to flee her home of 15 years.
Natale was ordered to pay $270,000 in restitution to an insurance company and also the $1,000 deductible for the damages from the fire.
Susan Howard, the district attorney, said Natale caused a “terrifying, horrifying ordeal” for the victims where they could have been killed, and also put local firefighters in danger.
Joanne Best, the public defender, said Natale is bipolar and schizophrenic and also was using drugs at the time of the crime. He spent nearly five months at the Rochester Psychiatric Center and has been restored, Best said. He has also spent 304 days in the Orleans County Jail.
She said Natale takes full responsibility for the crime, but she asked the judge to not sentence him the full 13 years. She asked for eight years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. The sooner he gets out of prison, the sooner he can pay towards restitution, Best said.
She said Natale has a young son and received an award from the County Legislature for helping save the life of a person incarcerated in the county jail on Feb. 10, 2025 when he alerted corrections officer to an inmate who hanging in his cell. COs were able to get to the inmate in time to save his life.
“He is also a very caring and compassionate individual,” Best said about Natale.
Natale in court today apologized to the victims of the arson, and also to the responding firefighters.
“I see the damage I did,” he said. “There really is no explanation for it. I’m trying to do the best I can. My son doesn’t deserve to be without a father.”
Judge Church gave Natale the full 13 years, plus 5 years of post-release supervision as well as the restitution. The judge said Natale has a criminal history and doesn’t seem to be taken full responsibility for the danger he put people in who were in the duplex.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 12:02 pm
BARRE – An Easter Bunny jump planned for Saturday in Barre has been cancelled. The Bunny was going to descend from the sky, and gently glide down to greet children at the Barre Town Park.
The Barre Betterment Committee announced today the event won’t be happening after all.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 9:00 am
Photos courtesy of Guin Panek
ALBION – A section of Eagle Harbor Road in Albion, north of Route 31, has been undercut from the flood on Tuesday night.
Otter Creek flooded over the road last night. The road has been closed due to the damage.
Local highway departments are out assessing the condition of local roadways, said Justin Niederhofer, the Orleans County emergency management director.
Water is backed up on the west side of Eagle Harbor Road in the town of Albion, north of Route 31 and the railroad tracks.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2026 at 8:13 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: The water from Otter Creek is brown and moving fast this morning by the Cobblestone Museum along Route 98 in Gaines.
A flood watch continues today until 8 p.m. for Orleans and many Western New York counties. That flood watch started on Tuesday morning.
Heavy rainfall throughout Tuesday resulted in many flooded basements in Orleans County, and water pushing past the banks of creeks and streams.
“Heavy rain yesterday produced widespread 1 to 2 inch rainfall amounts, with localized amounts of over 3 inches where thunderstorms repeated over the same areas, said the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “The heavy rain has ended, but water will remain high in low-lying areas, creeks, and rivers today.”
In Western New York, the flood watch continues in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Erie, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
“Most smaller creeks and low-lying areas will see improving conditions today as high water drains,” the Weather Service said. “Larger rivers and creeks will continue to run high today.”
These photos were taken at 7:35 a.m. today at the Cobblestone Museum.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2026 at 11:23 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Firefighters from the Kendall Fire Department are in Albion tonight helping to pump out basements after numerous calls for help from residents, especially on the west end of the village.
This photo is at a home on West Academy Street in Albion.
There have been numerous calls for assistance with flooded basements particularly in Albion, Holley and Clarendon. Firefighters in those communities are being assisted with crews from Kendall, Carlton, Barre and East Shelby.
Albion got an inch of rain this morning, then two more inches this evening. That rainfall has overwhelmed the storm sewer system with water shooting out of storm drains.
Part of Route 98 in Albion was flooded between Allen Road and Route 31A, prompting the road to be closed to traffic. This photo was taken about 11 p.m.
The Village of Medina Fire Department assisted the Medina DPW “responding to multiple calls tonight including downed trees, flooded roads, flooded basements and the usual emergency calls. Many departments across the county are also busy,” The Medina FD posted on Facebook.
“Use caution when driving, watch for hazards and do not drive through flooded roads. For non-emergency assistance, call the fire station at 585-798-1661.”
The Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company posted on Facebook last night that Ridgeway firefighters, as well as the majority of Orleans County firefighters were currently out fighting water in basements, flooding roadways and other hazards.
“Remember to check your basements for water & ensure your sump pumps are operational,” Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company stated. “If you need assistance please understand it could take an extended time to get to you as all agencies are inundated with incidents. Please use extreme caution in your travels if you must travel. Remember to never drive through a flooded roadway!”
Photo courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES – The honorable John Ninfo, a retired bankruptcy judge from Rochester, spoke with students at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES in Medina.
Press Release, Orleans-Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Judge John Ninfo, a retired bankruptcy judge from Rochester, was recently the guest speaker at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center.
Judge Ninfo started the national organization CARE (Credit Abuse Resistance Education) to educate young adults and others about the benefits of personal financial management and the consequences of credit abuse.
He and the other volunteers, which are comprised of professionals in bankruptcy, financial services, and business, volunteer their time by sharing true stories about financial distress and the impact it can have on one’s life.
He shared with the career and technical education students how a little over half of all adults are financially literate and how it has a profound effect on a person’s ability to save for the future and increases the risk of higher debt and less savings. He says that beginning financial education at an early age is critical to a young person’s long-term financial well-being.
Work-Based Learning Coordinator Susan Zola, who invited Judge Ninfo, says it was an impactful presentation.
“He talked to the students about financial security and how important it is for your peace of mind going forward as adults,” Zola said. “He gave them handouts with the top ten lessons on budgeting and told them cash is king and to avoid credit card debt. It was a very valuable lesson for them.”
ALBANY – Members of the Senate Republican Conference today sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul urging the inclusion of two pieces of legislation in the enacted budget that would provide real utility relief at a time when New Yorkers desperately need it.
The first piece of legislation, S.8461A, introduced by Senator Tom O’Mara would provide nearly $3 billion in bill credits to ratepayers using unspent funds collected from ratepayers by NYSERDA and utilities with PSC approval for green energy projects. The Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and Financial Plan for NYSERDA detailed that NYSERDA had a total net position of $2,045,624,000 at the end of 2025. There was also $770 million being held in escrow by utilities for requisition by NYSERDA at the end of 2025 per the Department of Public Service.
The second, S.8463, introduced by Senator Rob Rolison would establish a one-year utility bill tax and surcharge holiday and a two-year green energy gas tax holiday, which would provide real and meaningful relief to ratepayers that are paying residential electric rates 50% higher than the national average.
The call for the inclusion of these pieces of legislation in the final enacted budget comes on the heels of a recent report from NYSERDA warning of increases in utility costs in order to keep up with the green energy mandates laid out in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
“For years, the Senate GOP has consistently advocated for the repeal of the CLCPA because we see it for what it is – an unnecessary and extremely expensive burden on ratepayers,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “Given the chance to take action and provide real relief, Albany Democrats instead doubled down on their out-of-touch climate policies, favoring radical environmentalists instead of standing up for struggling New Yorkers. These initiatives to provide relief to ratepayers must be a priority in the final budget.”
MEDINA – The Medina Police Department reports the arrest of an individual following an investigation into a reported incident.
On March 25, members of the Medina Police Department arrested Taylor Valovic, 30, of Medina and charged him with:
Sexual Abuse in the First Degree (New York State Penal Law §130.65)
Endangering the Welfare of a Child (New York State Penal Law §260.10)
The charges stem from an investigation into an incident that was reported to law enforcement. Due to the nature of the case, no further details are being released at this time.
The defendant was processed and arraigned in Orleans County Centralized Arraignment Part and was released after posting bail.
The Medina Police Department reminds the public that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2026 at 10:25 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Miguel and Adryan (Cheeseboro) Ruiz are shown at the Helpee Selfee Laundromat in Albion on Sunday afternoon. They are the new owners of the business after Jim Scibetta and his late father Harry ran it for 52 years.
ALBION – There are new owners of a longtime Albion business at 131 South Main St.
For 52 years the Scibetta family owned and operated the Helpee Selfee Laundromat. Adryan (Cheeseboro) Ruiz, a 29-year-old Albion native, and her husband Miguel have purchased the laundromat.
Sunday was their first day in business after closing the site for a few days for cleaning and some repainting. They also put new seals on the drying machines to make the clothes dry faster.
Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz commended Jim Scibetta and his late father Harry for their more than half century of service to the Albion community.
“It’s been an honor working with Jim and his family,” Mrs. Ruiz said on Sunday at the laundromat. “I grew up right here in Albion, and being able to come back and invest in this community means the world to me. This is more than just a business purchase for us — it is a chance to give back to the place that shaped who I am, and to keep an important neighborhood staple alive and thriving for the next generation.”
The new owners live in Miami, Fla., but they visit Albion often and Mrs. Ruiz has family in town to help run the operation.
Mrs. Ruiz graduated from Albion in 2015. The then Adryan Cheeseboro was an honors student at Albion who was a cheerleader and track athlete. She also sang in the school chorus and select choir. She worked at Crosby’s in Albion for her first job while in high school.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental policy and law from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. She was working in Miami when she met her husband, who works in quality insurance management and as a mechanic.
Mr. Ruiz also is an entrepreneur who owned a car wash and has long had a dream of owning a coin-operated laundromat.
He often checks out the laundromats when he travels. While visiting his wife’s hometown he was impressed by the laundromat.
However, it wasn’t for sale. For three years they kept in touch with Jim Scibetta, the owner, letting him know they were interested if he ever wanted to sell.
Scibetta recently let them know he was ready and reached a deal with Mr. and Mrs. Ruiz.
“This is a true legacy business — one that so many families in Orleans County have relied on for decades — and we are honored to carry that tradition forward,” Mrs. Ruiz said.
The laundromat opens daily at 5 a.m. and closes at midnight. There were people waiting outside when it opened on Sunday at 5 a.m. after closing for the cleaning, painting and some work on the machines.
Provided photo: Miguel Ruiz, front left, shakes hands with Jim Babcock. In back from left are Steve Babcock, Adryan Ruiz, Patricia Scibetta and Jim Scibetta. Steve and Jim are Patricia’s sons. They celebrated the change in ownership with this photo taken at Hoag Library.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) announced his opposition to the $10.6 billion debt service budget bill (A.10002-A), citing concerns over excessive borrowing and the long-term financial burden it places on New Yorkers, especially future generations.
“While this bill fulfills legally required debt payments, it is part of a much larger and troubling pattern of overspending and over-borrowing,” said Hawley. “New York is already one of the most indebted states in the nation. Continuing down this path only deepens the hole we are leaving for our children and grandchildren.”
The proposal provides funding to cover principal and interest payments on the state’s existing debt, including general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and other contractual obligations.
Hawley pointed to the state’s growing debt load, which is projected to reach $72.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2027 and nearly $99 billion within five years as a clear warning sign.
“Instead of tightening our belts and prioritizing responsible budgeting, Albany continues to rely on borrowing to fund its agenda,” Hawley said. “More than three-quarters of these debt service payments are going toward interest alone. That’s money not going to taxpayers’ needs, but to servicing a growing mountain of debt.”
Hawley also raised concerns about the state’s reliance on public authority debt, which accounts for approximately 96% of state-related debt and is often issued without direct voter approval.
“This lack of transparency and accountability is deeply concerning,” Hawley added. “New Yorkers deserve to have a say when the state takes on massive financial obligations that will impact them for decades.”
While acknowledging the necessity of meeting existing debt obligations, Hawley emphasized the need for a shift toward fiscal discipline and long-term sustainability.
“We must break this cycle of borrowing and start making responsible choices today,” Hawley concluded. “If we fail to act, it will be our children and grandchildren who are forced to pay the price.”
Thus statement is from the New York State Association of Counties, New York State Conference of Mayors, and New York Association of Towns on proposed amendments to Tier 6 of the New York State and Local Retirement System.
As we approach the April 1st start of the new state fiscal year, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the New York State Conference of Mayors (NYCOM), and the New York Association of Towns (NYAOT) are closely monitoring for proposals to amend Tier 6 of the New York State and Local Retirement System.
The legal and fiscal impact of these changes warrant additional consideration by every state lawmaker.
Nearly 60% of county, city, town, and village employees participate in Tier 6, meaning any modifications will have substantial fiscal implications for local governments across New York. The timing of these proposals, alone, warrants serious attention.
The New York State and Local Retirement System determines employer contribution rates annually based on a variety of factors, including fund valuation as of March 31, as well as regular updates in actuarial assumptions related to retiree longevity, pension benefit changes, wages, and more.
The current employer contribution rate for municipal employees stands at 17% of payroll. While the pension fund had been projected to achieve double-digit returns that would stabilize employer contributions for 2027, recent stock market volatility has significantly altered that outlook. Current projections now anticipate single-digit returns, which will create additional upward pressure on employer contribution rates—pressure that local governments cannot easily absorb.
Our position is unequivocal: if the State of New York chooses to amend Tier 6, the State must fully fund all costs associated with those changes. This is not only a matter of fiscal necessity—it is a matter of law. Section 25 of the New York State Retirement and Social Security Law requires that the State bear the financial responsibility for pension benefit enhancements.
This provision was specifically enacted in recognition of the enormous fiscal liability pension enhancements create for local governments, which they have no ability to control. It further ensures the fiscal stability of the pension fund going forward while maintaining affordability for local taxpayers—goals that are undermined if the State shifts new costs onto localities. To ignore Section 25 now would be to disregard the clear legislative intent behind its enactment and to signal to every local government in New York that state commitments to fiscal protection can be set aside whenever they become inconvenient.
Counties, cities, towns, and villages already operate under severe fiscal constraints—the property tax cap, rising costs for essential services, and the growing burden of unfunded state mandates. Any increase in employer pension contribution rates resulting from Tier 6 amendments would force local governments to make impossible choices: cutting essential services, eliminating positions, or seeking property tax increases that local taxpayers cannot afford.
NYSAC, NYCOM, and NYAOT urge the Governor and Legislature to ensure that any Tier 6 changes are accompanied by a full state commitment to cover the resulting costs—and to resist the impulse to pass those costs on to local property taxpayers.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 31 March 2026 at 7:47 am
File photo: These volunteers painted picnic tables at Camp Rainbow during the “Day of Caring” on May 19, 2023. About 70 people volunteered for the United Way Day of Caring three years ago in Orleans County.
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans Community Connects, the new name adopted by United Way of Orleans County, has announced it will continue the former Day of Caring, in which volunteers offer their services county-wide to do projects for local non-profits.
May 8 has been designated as Community Connects Day and will begin with a kickoff breakfast at 8 a.m. in the pavilion at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12590 State Route 31. Volunteer projects will be launched at 9 a.m. at designated locations throughout Orleans County.
Community Connects Day reflects the spirit of connection and purpose through its theme, “Rooted in Community. Driven by Connections.” The initiative invites volunteers of all skill levels and backgrounds to assist nonprofits with meaningful projects that help strengthen the organizations that serve the community every day.
“We are excited to bring our community together for a powerful day of service,” said Dawn Winkler, event coordinator of Orleans Community Connects. “This event highlights what is possible when neighbors, organizations and volunteers connect to support causes that matter. Every project completed helps strengthen the foundation of the nonprofits who work tirelessly for our community.”
The event is made possible through generous support from our sponsor North Shore Networks, whose contribution helped fund meals, supplies and visibility for the initiative, Winkler said.
Local nonprofits are invited to submit project needs – such as minor maintenance, indoor cleaning, landscaping, painting or other identified tasks in order to receive volunteer assistance. Agencies can request the number of volunteers needed and provide descriptions of the work to be done. A nonprofit project form may be requested by e-mailing Events@OrleansCommunityConnects.org.
Press Release, United States Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, Western District of New York
BUFFALO – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Norman Kelly, 69, of Albion, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the case, stated that on October 20, 2023, Kelly arrived at the Port of Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan, on a flight from Incheon, South Korea.
During an inspection of his baggage, Kelly removed a cellular phone from his pocket, and had a computer bag, which contained a laptop computer, and four USB thumb drives. Due to a lack of eye contact during questioning, inconsistencies in his travel story, and nervous behavior, the devices were authorized to be examined.
A Customs and Border Protection officer examined the cell phone, laptop and one of the thumb drives and discovered what appeared to be suspected child pornography. Subsequent investigation determined that between March 12 and September 20, 2023, Kelly used his laptop computer to entice minors to engage in sexually explicit behavior for the purpose of producing images, which he would receive via the internet.
On March 12, 2023, Kelly received a sexually explicit image of a female child, approximately 10-12 years old. On July 20, 2023, he received a sexually explicit video file of an infant female, approximately 1.5 to three years old.
Kelly possessed approximately 475 image files and 377 video files of child sexual abuse material. Some of the images included depictions of violence against children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan.
