Niagara falls man charged with robbery in Medina
Press Release, Medina Police Department
MEDINA – The Medina Police Department announces the arrest of Javon J. Presley, 37, of Niagara Falls, in connection with a robbery that occurred on February 14, 2026, in the Village of Medina.
Following an investigation by Sgt. Reeves and Officer Meredith, Presley was identified as a suspect. On April 16, 2026, he turned himself in to the Medina Police Department pursuant to an arrest warrant.
Presley has been charged with:
- Burglary in the Second Degree (New York State Penal Law §140.25[2])
- Robbery in the Third Degree (New York State Penal Law §160.05)
- Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree – Credit Card (New York State Penal Law §155.30[4])
- Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation (New York State Penal Law §121.11)
Presley was processed and transported to the Orleans County Jail pending arraignment.
The Medina Police Department reminds the public that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Mustangs down rival Purple Eagles
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Aidan Papaj dives into second base ahead of the throw to Albion’s Viktor Snyder during the Mustangs win over the Purple Eagles this evening at Vets Park.
Defending champion Medina capped off a 3-0 week to open the Niagara-Orleans League baseball season by downing rival Albion 7-0 this evening at Vets Park.
Preston Woodworth hurled a one hit shutout with 9 strikeouts to lead the way for Medina which scored in five different innings.
Medina moved on top to stay by scoring a quick run in the first on an RI single by Aidan Papaj.
The Mustangs tacked on another solo run in the second on a fielders choice play off the bat of Jacob Duffina. A single by Jimmy Dieter followed by bunt singles by Ryan Pegelow and Lathan McEwen-Miller loaded the bases to set up the threat.
McEwen-Miller also had an RBI single in the fourth inning an an error plated a run in the fifth.
The Mustangs closed out the win with three runs in the sixth on a single by Duffina, three walks, a balk, a hit batter and a wild pitch.
Nate Gibson had Albion’s lone hit in the first inning.
Albion is now 0-2 in N-O action.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at Albion but soggy field conditions there caused the game to be switched to Medina.
The Mustangs and Purple Eagles are scheduled to meet again on Monday.
Medina’s Jimmy Dieter sprints to first base beating the throw to Albion’s Mason Snook.
Roy-Hart and Kendall score diamond wins
Scoring in five different innings, Roy-Hart bested Barker 12-2 in a Niagara-Orleans League baseball game this afternoon.
Evan Poeller set the tone for Roy-Hart by belting a solo home run in the first inning.
The Rams quickly tacked on three runs in the second inning on a single by Sean Mettler, a ground out and a fielders choice play and three more in the third on doubles by Poeller and Isaac Smith, a single by Hank Snyder and a sacrifice fly by RJ Townsend.
Gavin Heideman later hit a two-run homer to highlight a four run sixth inning which locked up the win.
Smith finished with 3 hits as Poeller, Heideman and Will Bundrock each had 2.
Drew LaGreca had a pair of hits for Barker.
Jared Hy earned the win for the Rams scattering 4 hits and striking out 9 in 5 innings of work.
Roy-Hart is now 2-0 and Barker 2-1 in N-O action.
Kendall 13, Pembroke 2
Improving to 8-0, Kendall scored in 6 different innings to defeat Pembroke 13-2 in a Genesee Region League game.
Jacob Abrams and Andrew D’Agostino both had 3 hits for the Eagles as Vinnie D’Agostino, Sammy Conte and Andrew Cole each had 2.
CJ D’Agostino picked up the win on the mound allowing 3 hits and striking out 8 in five innings of work.
Kendall scored two quick runs on errors in the first inning and then pulled away with four tallies in the second on RBI singles by Andrew D’Agostino and Vinnie D’Agostino and a two run error.
Wilson 10, Newfane 3
Wilson downed rival Newfane 10-3 as Wyatt Sherman banged out 4 hits and Logan Held allowed only 2 hits and struck out 12 in 5.2 innings of work on the mound.
Wilson is now 1-2 and Newfane 0-1 in N-O competition.
Roy-Hart downs Albion in N-O softball
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Grace Pearl bangs out a hit and Abby Fox delivers a pitch for the Lady Rams during this afternoon’s win at Albion.
Jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead in the first two innings, Roy-Hart went on to down host Albion 14-1 in a six inning run rule Niagara-Orleans League softball game this afternoon.
The Lady Rams erupted for 6 runs in the first inning and 2 more in the second as Brooke Corser had an RBI single in the first inning and a two-run single in the second.
Grace Pearl also had 3 hits, including a double, for the Lady Rams as Abby Fox picked up the win in the circle allowing 2 hits and striking out 5.
Aaliyah Jones and Kaitlin Bennett had hits for Albion as Bailey Hickman notched 6 strikeouts in the circle.
Roy-Hart is 1-0 and Albion 0-3 in N-O action.
N-O Tennis
Akron downed Albion 4-1 in a Niagara-Orleans League tennis match as Jillian LeBaron won at second singles for the Purple Eagles.
Albion Albion catcher Lux Froman takes the throw to get an out at home on Roy-Hart’s Millie Owens.
Green surges into top 5 at the halfway point of the LPGA Tour’s L.A. Championship tourney
File Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green
Putting together a second straight strong sub par round, Medina’s Melanie Green has surged into the top five at the LPGA Tour’s L.A. Championship Tournament at Los Angeles.
Green fired a 4 under par round of 68 today to increase her two day total to 9 under and move into a tie for fourth place with part of the field still on the course.
Green, who opened the tourney with a sizzling 5 under par 67 on Thursday, quickly moved to 7 under with birdies on 1 and 3.
However, back-to-back bogies on 6 and 7, erased that gain.
Rebounding, Green quickly battled back with a birdie on 8. Keeping the momentum she registered three birdies on the back 9 on 12, 14 and 16 to finish the day at 4 under 68.
The tournament continues on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday.
Author from Holley featured in latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book on laughter
David Hull has been prolific contributor to the series
(Left) This is the cover of the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book, I can’t Stop Laughing, which featured 101 humorous tales and feel-good stories. (Right) David Hull, shown in a file photo from 2018, has been featured in about 30 of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
HOLLEY – David Hull has written another story that is featured in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
The newest book will be released on April 28 and features 101 stories over 320 pages. The book – “I Can’t Stop Laughing” – includes a story by Hull.
In “It’s All Behind Me Now,” Hull shares a story about sitting on an M & M and having it smear on the back of his khaki pants. He had to give a presentation at parent’s night assembly while he was working as a teacher. He was then invited to a fancy dinner afterwards with members of the school administration.
Hull continues to be a prolific contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He has written stories that are featured in about 30 of the books.
Hull is a retired preschool teacher. He grew up in Brockport. Hull has said he checks the Chicken Soup website for future book themes and also gets emails from them about topics. He sends in submissions and said he is accepted about 50 percent of the time.
“If you get rejected you have to try again,” he said in a previous interview.
The most popular Chicken Soup books tend to be humorous ones, and books about pets, Hull said.
Hull studied English in college and earned a degree in education. He worked 28 years as a teacher at the Brockport Child Development Center at Brockport State College.
The Chicken Soup for the Soul series debuted in 1993 and now has published 400 titles and sold more than 100 million copies. The books have been translated into more than 40 languages. For more information on Chicken Soup for the Soul, click here.
Medina business will welcome authors for independent bookstore celebration on April 25
Provided images: Local author Wendi Pencille and her dog Crush will be at Author’s Note Bookstore on April 25, where she will join several other artists in signing books to celebrate the store’s fifth annual Independent Bookstore Day.
MEDINA – Medina’s independent bookstore, Author’s Note, will join more than 2,000 bookstores around the country in celebrating Independent Bookstore Day on April 25.
In addition to games, activities and giveaways, the day’s festivities between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. will include visiting authors, Ed Ashton, Kate Hosford, David Neth and Wendi Pencille, who will sign books and greet readers.
Children’s author Kate Hosford of Brooklyn will sign books between noon and 1:30 p.m. She is author of seven picture books and two poetry collections, garnering awards such as an American Library Association Notable Book, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book.
Children’s author Kate Hosford will sign books at Author’s Note.
Her books have been published in eight languages. Her newest title, You and I are Stars and Night, celebrates the love between children and their caregivers through a magical bedtime adventure. In addition to her appearance at Author’s Note, Hosford will do a presentation at Royalton Hartland Community Library at 6 p.m. April 23, and at 5 p.m. April 24 at Author’s Note, following visits to Oak Orchard Primary School in Medina and DeSales Lower School in Lockport.
Ed Ashton has written several novels, including The Fourth Consort.
Ed Ashton, a celebrated speculative fiction author of Mickey 7, the novel on which the movie Mickey 17 was based, will sign books from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Ashton is also the author of the novels Three Days in April, The End of Ordinary, Antimatter Blues, Mal Goes to War and The Fourth Consort, as well as short stories which have appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog and Fireside Fiction. He lives in a cabin on the shore of an inland sea, where he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students and whittling. His newest novels, After the Fall and the Fourth Consort released earlier this year.
David Neth has a new book out, This Time Around.
Author D. Allen, aka David Neth, is a local school librarian who will sign books at the bookstore between 10:30 and noon. D. Allen writes heartfelt small-town romance, such as the Montana Beach and Small Town Christmas series. He also writes urban fantasy and superhero fiction under his own name. A school librarian with more than a decade in the book world, he lives in Western New York with his family. His newest novel, This Time Around, released this week.
Wendi Pencille is a local author who will sign books with her dog Crush from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Crush is the main character, cover model and inspiration for Pencille’s new book Crush Finds His Place. P
encille has spent the past 25 years as a therapy dog volunteer, working with children and adults with special needs. As the human sidekick to Crush, a remarkable St. Bernard and certified therapy dog, Pencille will admit he is the star of the team, while she is primarily the chauffer and treat dispenser.
Over the years, her eight therapy dogs have formed very special bonds with the people they visit. It is one of those relationships that was the inspiration for her first children’s book, Crush Finds His Place. Pencille shares her home in Medina with her family, four dogs, a cat and usually a foster dog or cat as well.
All of the visiting author’s books are available now for purchase or online order from Author’s Note. Reserving copies in advance is strongly recommended.
Independent Bookstore Day spotlights the vitality and creative richness that locally-owned independent bookstores bring to readers, authors and neighborhoods in ways chains and e-commerce sites cannot replicate, said owner and author Julie Berry.
This will be the fifth annual Independent Bookstore Day for Author’s Note and the 13th anniversary of the event sponsored by the American Booksellers Association. In 2025, more than 1,600 bookstores celebrated Independent Bookstore Day. This year, the number jumps to more than 2,000, signifying the ongoing flourishing of independent bookstores nationwide, Berry said.
“Every year, Independent Bookstore Day gets bigger and better,” said American Booksellers Association CEO Allison Hill. “It feels more meaningful than ever this year to celebrate what indie bookstores represent – human connection, diversity and inclusivity, independent thought and independence and the power of community and truth.”
Author’s Note self-chosen theme for the day is “Bookstore Joy,” celebrating the genuine happiness bookstores infuse into the life of their communities by sharing stories and fostering real connection and community.
“The love people feel for Author’s Note and the way they light up when they walk through the door is the beautiful surprise I couldn’t have predicted before I owned a bookstore,” Berry said. “Every day I see anew how deeply our customers care for us. They’re glad we’re here. They feel at home here. They add so much joy to our lives. We hope, on this day especially, to reflect even more of that love and joy back to them.”
Throughout the day, in addition to meeting the authors, customers will share in games, including hunting for a Libro.fm Golden Ticket that will entitle the winner to a year of free audiobooks; crafts with children’s author Kate Hosford and a chance to pet Crush, Pencille’s therapy dog. Customers can win gift cards Author’s Note T-shirts and gift baskets. Several IBD-exclusive items supplied by the ABA will be available for sale or giveaway that day only.
Independent Bookstore Day isn’t only about the intangible benefits indie bookstores bring, but about tangible economic benefits, Berry explained. Local bookstores return two and a half to four times as much revenue to their local economies as chains do, while keeping jobs and revenue local and boosting local sales tax volumes.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the rise in online bookselling, chain stores and e-readers caused many people to predict the death of the independent bookstore, Berry reported. Yet, between 2009 and 2018, the number of independent bookstores rose nearly 50 percent. Harvard Business School researcher Ryan Rafaelli, in a landmark 2020 entitled “The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores,” explained that indie bookstores thrive in an online-heavy book market by differentiating themselves along three lines: Community, Curation and Convening.
Berry continued to explain, “Community” refers to how local bookstores strengthen local economies and add vitality to shopping districts. “Curation” underscores how local book-buyers can select inventory that reflects the tastes and preferences of local shoppers, while “Convening” emphasizes the ways bookstores foster a shared sense of community amongst book-lovers by creating book-friendly spaces and hosting events, such as book clubs, story times and author readings to draw readers together.
For more information about Independent Bookstore Day festivities at Author’s Note, 519 Main St., or to reserve copies of the visiting authors’ books, visit AuthorsNote.com, e-mail info@authorsnote.com or call (585) 798-3642.
Care Net unselfishly has served the community for past 35 years
Editor:
Every community has its rays of light – people and organizations that unselfishly serve its citizens for good.
The Care Net Pregnancy Center in Albion is one such group. It has been a stalwart fixture in Orleans County for thirty-five years, providing comfort and counseling to women and families through fertility care, pregnancy confirmation, testing for sexually transmitted infections, ultrasounds, parenting classes, and pregnancy education and support.
Its mission statement is clear: “The Gospel message is freely presented, human life valued, marriage and family celebrated, and every child, made in the image of God, welcomed with unconditional love.”
In our culture, life and death issues, from abortion to euthanasia, even definitions of family and gender, stir up strong feelings and societal division. Amidst these conflicting worldviews, Care Net, without hesitation, says all human life matters, from conception to death. No exceptions.
Gratefully, Care Net stands for something concrete and lasting: for ultimately our community’s well-being is not found in a politician or philanthropist or new idea, but in something perfect—God Himself. Only He can lead us to an enduring “culture of life” that values, protects, and serves us all.
With that, and our community, Care Net proudly stands.
Tim Archer
Albion
Albion student will graduate a year early and with college degree
Bradley Pierce started taking college classes in the 6th grade
Photos by Tom Rivers: Bradley Pierce will graduate from Albion High School on June 26, a year ahead of schedule. He will receive his degree from Genesee Community College on May 16.
ALBION – Bradley Pierce was in sixth grade when he took his first college class. He earned an A in computer information systems at Genesee Community College.
In the past five years, he has completed 63 college credits and will graduate from GCC on May 16. About six weeks later on June 26, he will graduate from Albion High School. The 16-year-old is headed to Rochester Institute of Technology to major in software engineering with a minor in AI.
Bradley is pulling off a rare feat of graduating a year early and having an associate’s degree before his high school commencement.
He has been precocious since a young age, even reading his father’s old college textbooks about computer science when Bradley was in elementary school.
During the Covid pandemic in 2020, schools turned to online learning due to the restrictions on having students in person at school. Bradley didn’t find the assignments challenging. He was bored and frustrated.
His parents, Kandace and Nick Pierce, shared their concerns with the Albion Middle School leadership. The principal suggested Bradley audit a college class.
The Pierce family talked to GCC, which was willing to try Bradley in the ACE program (Accelerated College Enrollment), which allows high school students to enroll in college-level courses and to earn college credits. GCC let Bradley try one course, not wanting to overwhelm him. Bradley had no problems, attaining a very high A in that first class, which was in the spring semester of sixth grade.
He took one or two GCC classes every semester after that, from seventh to 11th grade, with a couple classes also last summer. (Bradley was considered a junior to start this high school year.) All of the college classes have been online, except for five that were taught by Albion teachers in person at the high school, allowing Bradley and his classmates to earn dual credits.
“I preferred the online classes because they are more intense,” he said. “I can go at my own pace.”
Bradley Pierce has used an accelerated schedule to complete a course load through high school and also Genesee Community College. He will attend Rochester Institute of Technology to major software engineering.
Bradley is finishing up his last GCC class this semester in discrete math, which is about theories, proofs, logical math and their applications to computer programming.
He has managed his academic demands while also working three or four days a week at Save-A-Lot in Albion. He also had a job with the Village of Albion last year digitizing old public records. He is in the National Honor Society, Student Council and Yearbook Club at Albion.
“Bradley is a renaissance man,” said Tina Burgett, one of his teachers at Albion. “He is interested in many things and he is excellent at many things.”
Burgett first taught Bradley in fourth grade as his art teacher. She has also led his art classes in the middle and high schools.
She praised him for bringing a passion for learning in all of his subjects, including a pottery class were he made an exceptional bust.
“Art can be scary for someone who is focused on math and computers,” she said. “But he cares about the end product. I think he has an infectious excitement for the things he cares about. It’s been a blessing to be his teacher.”
Nick and Kandace Pierce knew their son Bradley was precocious when he was a little kid. He started cracking the Wi-Fi signal at age 8. He was reading college-level computer science textbooks in elementary school, and was writing his own computer programs. He also found security gaps in some on the popular online computer games, and he let operators know about those vulnerabilities, which he said were resolved.
Bradley made his own computer programming language, Scrybe. He created games on his graphing calculator in high school, including Tetris. He developed a Spanish conjugation program that is now available for other students.
Bradley’s father has a computer degree and is a self-described “electronics nerd.” He does electronics repair and works at Ace Hardware. Bradley’s mother is an intensive care nurse at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.
Bradley has a brother Jacob who is in fifth grade and also enjoys computer programming, and loves chess.
The Pierces are from Oklahoma City. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were on a vacation to Niagara Falls when they fell in love with Western New York. They moved to WNY in 2016, impressed with the quality of schools, the relatively low-cost living and the many healthcare options.
“We liked the old Victorian homes,” Mr. Pierce said. “There are no tornadoes and we like the agricultural landscape.”
Strong start for Green at L.A. Championship
File Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green
Getting off to a strong start, Medina’s Melanie Green fired a sizzling 5 under par round of 67 today on the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s LA Championship Tournament at Los Angeles.
Starting on the back nine, Green rebounded strongly from her only bogey of the day on No. 12.
She registered birdies on 14 and 16 to make the turn at one under par.
Keeping the momentum, Green then put together a key run of birdies on the front nine.
She registered a birdie on No.3 to go 2 under and then finished strong notching three straight birdies on 6, 7 and 8 to improve to 5 under.
Her round of 67 has her four shots back of the leader.
The tourney’s second round will be held on Friday after which the field will be cut.
Barker completes diamond sweep of Wilson
Barker completed a sweep of Wilson by downing the visiting Lakemen 13-8 in a Niagara-Orleans League baseball game this afternoon.
Trailing 5-2, Barker took the lead for good by erupting for 6 runs in the fourth inning on doubles by JJ Prynn and Carson Schwab, 4 errors and a wild pitch.
Prynn, Logan Flint and Drew LeGreca each had a pair of hits.
Barker also downed Wilson 6-5 in the N-O season opener on Monday.
N-O Softball
Akron 18, Newfane 16 (9)
Akron outlasted Newfane 18-16 on a two-run single by Ashley Koziej in the ninth inning.
Akron is now 2-0 and Newfane 0-2 in N-O action.
Albion begins defense of its N-O boys track title with a rainy victory at Akron
Photos by Tom Rivers: Hunter Huscher runs the final leg of Albion’s winning 4-by-100 relay team in today’s meet at Akron. Huscher also won the 100 meter and 200 meter races for Albion.
Albion opened defense of its Niagara-Orleans League boys track championship by posting a rainy 99-18 victory over host Akron this afternoon.
The Purple Eagles were led by a trio of individual event double winners including Tristian Tilbe (1600 and 3200), Adam Burgio (110 Hurdles and 400) and Hunter Huscher (100 and 200)
Akron earned a split on the day by winning the girls meet 83-22 as Madison Reagan doubled in the 100 and 400 and Abby Bower in the 1500 and 3000.
Newfane and Wilson split
Rivals Newfane and Wilson split as the Panthers won the boys meet 71-66 and the Lakewomen took the girls meet 82-57.
Payton Wrightman was a double winner for the Newfane boys in the Pole Vault and High Jump.
Wilson’s Ryan Hough was a quadruple winner in the 100, 200, 110 Hurdles and Long Jump while his teammate Brock Lepsch was a triple winner in the Shotput, Discus and Triple Jump.
In the girls competition, Sophia Jones was a double winner for Wilson in the 100 and 200 while Eden Hillman was a quadruple winner for Newfane in the 800, 1500, 3000 and Pole Vault.
Barker sweeps Medina
Host Barker downed Medina 43-31 in a girls meet as Julia Kalyaycz doubled in the Shotput and Discus and Jordyn Kinne in the Long Jump and 100 Hurdles.
Talia Rupp was a double winner for Medina in the 1500 and 3000.
Barker also won the boys meet 78-62 as Luke Fay doubled in the 800 and 1600 and Anthony Taliaferro in the Long Jump and Triple Jump.
Bryson Ford won both the 110 Hurdles and 400 Hurdles for Medina.
(Left) Adam Burgio is shown sprinting in the 400 meter race, which he won for Albion. Burgio also was first in 110 meter hurdles. Most of the hurdles and the pole vault were cancelled due to the slippery and wet conditions. (Right) Cierra Johnson carries the baton as the first leg of the 4-by-100 for Albion’s girls track team.
Charles Warren runs the 1,600 meter race for Albion in a major downpour at Akron.
Salamanca stickmen shutout Medina
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Building up a huge 13-0 half-time advantage, Salamanca went on to shutout Medina 17-0 in a D Division lacrosse game at Vets Park this evening. Here Medina’s Teagan Meland works to get around a Salamanca defender. Medina is now 1-2 in the division and Salamanca 2-1.
Sponsored Post
Gillibrand introduces legislation to ban sitting presidents from putting their likeness on federal property, currency
Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Treasury United States Mint: The Commission of Fine Arts on March 19 approved a design of a commemorative coin for the country’s 250th anniversary with an image of President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, with 1776 on one side and 2026 on the other.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) formally introduced new legislation to stop President Trump’s absurd practice of putting his face and name all over government property.
The Halting Unilateral Money and Building Labeling by Egotistical (HUMBLE) Presidents Act would bar the use of a sitting U.S. president’s name, image, likeness, or signature to decorate or designate federal property, assets, or currency. Gillibrand initially announced that she would be introducing this legislation on last month’s No Kings Day of Nonviolent Action.
“The president of the United States serves the people, not the other way around,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Right now, working families are struggling to afford groceries and sky-high health care bills. They want their president bringing down costs and putting money back in their pockets, not spending time and taxpayer dollars on self-promotion. The HUMBLE Presidents Act would force our leaders to focus on the issues that truly matter to American families, not their own personal brand, and I will work to get it passed through Congress.”
The HUMBLE Presidents Act would include prohibitions on actions such as hanging banners with a sitting president’s face on the side of federal buildings; naming a class of warships after a sitting president; tacking the sitting president’s name onto the name of an existing federal building; depicting a sitting president on a federally issued commemorative coin; or placing a sitting president’s signature on U.S. paper currency.
Specifically, the bill would:
• Prohibit the name, image, likeness, and signature of a sitting president to be used to designate or name any federal property or buildings, U.S. currency, and other federal assets.
• Prohibit the name, image, likeness, and signature of a sitting president to be used to decorate the exterior of any federal property or buildings, U.S. currency, and other federal assets.
• Prohibit federal funds from being used for either of the above activities.
