It was an intense thunderstorm this evening in Orleans County, which pelted the landscape with hail.
The top photo was sent in by Rebeccah Demaray of Waterport.
Demaray also sent in this photo of hail all over her porch.
Jacob Delamarter took this photo of the sky lit up by lightning.
Aaron Vosburgh had hail all over his yard in Albion.
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Grace Pearl spikes over JFK’s Emily Swain during the host Lady Rams sectional semifinal win this evening.
Setting the tone at the outset by romping to a 25-9 win in the opening set, No. 3 seed Roy-Hart went on to complete a three set sweep of visiting No. 7 JFK by scores of 25-17, 25-15 this evening in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class B2 volleyball playoffs.
Peyton May served up points 1-8, Grace Pearl 13-17 and Raegan Kern 21-25 in the opening set to get the Lady Rams rolling.
Pearl had 10 spiking kills on the evening as Kylie McOmber had 7 and Lauren Snyder 5.
Roy-Hart advances to Wednesday’s B2 final at 5:30 p.m. at Cheektowaga against the winner of the No. 5 Springville vs. No. 8 Salamanca semifinal.
Field Hockey semis postponed
This evening’s Medina at Barker Section VI Class C field hockey semifinal was postponed due to lightning and has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The No. 5 Eden vs. No. 1 Akron semifinal at Alden was also postponed by lightning with Akron leading 2-1 in the second quarter. The contest is expected to be completed on Tuesday.
Roy-Hart’s Zoe Healey spikes over JFK’s Erica Reader. Moving in on the play for the Lady Rams are Peyton May, Raegan Kern and Ryleigh Capen.
Contributed Photo – Holley’s quintet of players on the GCC regional championship team includes, in front, Samantha Bates and in back Emma Brady, Bella Thom, Alexia Renner and Alivia Wolf.
Five Holley graduates have helped the Genesee Community College women’s soccer team capture the Region III championship.
The Lady Hawks quintet includes sophomores Samantha Bates, Emma Brady and Bella Thom along with freshmen Alivia Wolf and Alexia Renner.
GCC defeated Herkimer Community College 7-0 in the semifinals and Jefferson Community College 1-0 in the Region III championship game on Sunday.
Brady, Bates and Wolf each scored a goal in the semifinal win over Herkimer.
Bates then had an assist on the game winning goal in the championship game which was scored by Oakfield-Alabama graduate Piper Hyde who also scored twice in the semifinal.
Bates now has 14 goals and 13 assists on the season, Wolf 8 goals and 3 assists, Brady 6 goals and 14 assists, Thom 4 goals and 5 assists and Renner 1 goal and 1 assist.
GCC is now 12-2-2.
Editor:
To residents of Barre, please vote this election! I wanted to take this opportunity to respond to the “Republican endorsed candidates” stating that this election is not about Heritage Wind or renewable energy.
Did you know that the majority of the Barre Republican committee are lease holders or immediate family of lease holders? Did you know that when Dave Waters and I ran the first time, the Republican committee in Barre denied us an interview stating that they “always endorse the incumbent”?
Did you know that this time, when I reached out to seek their endorsement I was told that things have changed and they now required an interview and they went with the “new” candidates? I asked why, and was told that they were going in a “new direction.”
To me they are going in the same direction, endorsing candidates who support or are uninformed about large projects impacting our community, specifically the Heritage Wind project. This financially benefits the committee members and their immediate families’ own interest.
Now I ask you how your voice and opinion has been heard? Or is it a minority with their own financial interests directing this community? Steve Coville has a signed lease and has been and will continue to be paid by Heritage Wind as listed by Heritage Wind.
Wes Miller, as co-chair of the Planning Board, allowed lease holders to vote and discuss the proposed changes for the wind ordinance and at a public hearing. When concerns were brought up about the changes to the wind ordinance, he sat and listened and then read a pre-written note by the attorney that no changes would be made by the Planning Board and they would hand it off to the Town Board. (Did he actually care or listen or would he rather handoff the concerns?)
The endorsed candidates have disregarded the community’s voice. The current Town Board is stalling the new comprehensive plan, mainly trying to hide your comments and the results of the Town survey that shows a majority of the community being opposed to wind, solar, and battery in our community.
The Planning Board co-led by Wes Miller chose to bury the comments and survey results in the back of the “updated comprehensive plan,” going against the recommendation of the professional hired by the planning board from Labella, who shared that very few communities chose to do this of the many that she has worked with.
These individuals do not want your opinion, they have ignored your concerns, they have ignored or failed to investigate, or question the project. The candidates are being endorsed by the same people who endorsed candidates involved in a scam of our community by a University of Buffalo professor that supposedly worked for 16 weeks, 40 hours a week and was paid tens of thousands of dollars for a 7-page report that lacked substance to change our wind ordinance allowing this project to continue.
The endorsed candidates will tell you that this is not about turbines, or renewable energy. The reality is that it is, and their position or lack of position on the biggest thing facing our community actually shows the need for different leadership.
So yes this election is important for you. Please write in “No Turbines” for Supervisor, to make a statement. And please write in the names Iva McKenna and George McKenna for Town Councilmembers, so that we may serve you and protect all residents of our wonderful community.
I promise to continue my commitment to serve you in all Town matters, but to say that this election is not impacted significantly by the Heritage Wind project and renewable energy is deception.
As those candidates have done before them, if Iva and I do not win, these candidates will likely say that their being elected is the endorsement that says “yes, the Town of Barre is in favor of wind turbines.” We know that this is not the case, please help show them by writing in George and Iva McKenna’s names for Town Councilmembers.
George McKenna
Barre
ALBION – Orleans County had 425 registered voters cast ballots through nine days of early voting.
The general election is Tuesday and polls will be open in all 10 towns. But with early voting, there is one polling location at the Board of Elections office in Albion.
The totals included 54 on Oct. 25, 26 on Oct. 26, 58 on Oct. 27, 30 on Oct. 28, 48 on Oct. 29, 50 on Oct. 30, 66 on Oct. 31, 58 on Nov. 1 and 35 on Nov. 2.
The early voting total is down significantly from a year ago when 4,539 ballots were cast over the nine days. In 2024, the election featured the presidential race.
This time, the election is at the local levels and nearly all the positions are unopposed.
The only races among candidates on the ballot include:
Carlton Councilman – Marlene Seielstad, Democratic Party, and Ryan Woolston, Republican.
Clarendon Council members with three candidates for two positions – Cecelia Pacheco Stevens, Democratic Party, and Christopher Caufield and Fred Seeman, III, Republicans.
Shelby Councilman – John Pratt III, Republican, and Mark Wambach, Conservative.
There are some write-in campaigns as well. Jeremy Ross of Murray has been endorsed by Democratic Party as write-in candidate for County Legislator in District 4 against John Fitzak of Carlton, a Republican.
George and Iva McKenna are mounting a write-in campaign for Barre Town Board against Wesley Miller and David Allen, who have the Republican and “Future for Barre” lines.
In Murray, William D. “Bill” Bosley Jr., is seeking write-in votes to unseat Dirk Lammes Jr., a Republican, for highway superintendent.
The following proposal also is on the ballot: Amendment to Allow Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County on State Forest Preserve Land. This would allow skiing and related trail facilities on state forest preserve land. The site is 1,039 acres. Requires State to add 2,500 acres of new forest land in Adirondack Park.
A yes vote authorizes new ski trails and related facilities in the Adirondack forest preserve, while a no vote does not authorize this use.
Editor:
If you are looking for people who truly have your best interests in mind when they serve this community we ask you to please write in George and Iva McKenna.
We have been serving this community volunteering and professionally for decades. We have and will continue to give of our time, energy and resource to serve without being paid by a company that would put 28 of the 625-foot-tall monster fans in our community to put money in their own pockets! I must add with extremely little financially coming back to our community.
The candidates state that this is not about wind turbines or Heritage Wind, but that is because (at least one candidate) is being paid by Heritage Wind. The Heritage Wind project, along with the Hemlock Ridge Solar projects, are probably the biggest changes that will impact all of Barre during the upcoming term.
The Heritage Wind Project would destroy the landscape and beautiful birds we all enjoy, and the hard-earned investments we have put in our homes. Many of us Barre residents would have 6 wind turbines within 1 mile of their home, and they will have to be curtailed for many homes because the project is so poorly sited that homes are predicted to have over the state threshold of 30 hours of flicker (mainly in the morning and in the evening during the summer months when you may be trying to enjoy your home (ours is not one of them) but we have and continue to advocate for those of you who will be impacted)!
Additionally, the acres and acres of trees that are planned to be cleared for this project that help to keep our air clean and provide the oxygen that we need does not benefit anyone.
Yes, the wind turbines would be huge, but they are just the tip of the massive 500-foot blades of concern for our community. Issues of financial concern need to be considered and with the background both George and I have in owning our own business helps us to be financially alert and because of the way that previous boards agreed to the host community agreement, it is solely at the discretion of the Town Board how any funds (although only a fraction of what Heritage Wind had promised when they started pushing this project) are used.
By the way, do you know that for years we have been trying unsuccessfully to get the cost benefit analysis of the bottom line of how much the wind turbines would cost and how much they would earn? Seemingly, they would not save any money or make good amounts of power or the developer would be proud and make it well known!
Even our congressman cannot get the bottom line for us! Who do you think would pay for the cost of the industrial wind turbines….we would! In our power bills and our taxes!
When we started our business and needed a loan, we had to be able to justify the amount we needed to borrow to get the loan which is reasonable, but our government does not feel this is necessary. If you would like any documentation supporting what I have shared above please contact me at 716-474-1865.
Please write in George McKenna and Iva McKenna for the Town Councilmember positions.
Barre matters! You matter in this situation! You obviously do not have to vote for us. Thank God we live in a free country, but at least vote! Let your opinion matter. No matter how you vote we can still be good friends and neighbors.
Take care and God bless you and yours and this nation …..and Go Bills!
Iva McKenna
Barre
Editor:
Having served a 4-year term on the Shelby Town Board (2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023), I would be honored to be elected to work with the new board on the issues involving our town and to help move our town forward, keeping our spending and taxes down.
I am the endorsed Republican candidate for councilman in the Town of Shelby where I have been a resident for 37 years. I have attended board meetings and workshops for the last 10 years and have always had a great interest in our town.
I would like to thank everyone for the talks we had as I canvassed the town over the last few weeks. To those of you I didn’t get a chance to speak with, I am always open to your questions.
So Town of Shelby voters, as it comes to Election Day on Nov. 4, please exercise your right to vote and make things right in Shelby!!
Please vote Line B, the Republican Line, and choose Jim Heminway – Supervisor, Larry Waters – Councilman, Ed Zelazny – Councilman, and John Pratt – Councilman.
Thank you.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.
John Pratt
Shelby
File photos by Tom Rivers: The Elks Lodge in Albion dedicated this memorial for Jason Johnston on Aug. 17, 2019. The Albion Elks Riders have supported a memorial scholarship for Johnston that is given each year for an Albion senior who is pursuing a helping profession.
Editor’s Note: This article was corrected from an earlier version that said Route 98 in Albion would be dedicated in honor of Jason Johnston.
ALBION – A part of Route 31A in Albion, from Route 98 to Powerline Road, will be dedicated on Wednesday for Spc. Jason Johnston, who was 24 was killed by a roadside bomb during the Iraq War on Dec. 26, 2009.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley said there will be a dedication event at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of Route 98 and Route 31A.
Hawley said State Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt and other elected officials will be there for the highway dedication for Army Specialist Jason Johnston, who was born and raised in Albion.
Johnston enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006. His family always said Johnston had an eagerness to serve in the military and then attend Syracuse University after his term in the Army was completed, Hawley said.
Johnston was killed in action on Dec. 26, 2009, when his unit was bombed in Arghandab, Afghanistan.
“I’m honored to take part in this dedication honoring Army Specialist Jason Johnston, a hometown hero who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Hawley said. “His courage, commitment and love for his community and country embody the very best of Albion and Western New York. May this highway stand as a lasting reminder of his service and the gratitude we all owe to those who defend our freedom.”
The American Legion Sheret Post in Albion also unveiled a memorial bench in Johnston’s honor on Aug. 14, 2021. Johnston is the only Orleans County resident killed in combat during the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Aug. 17 was taken from the Ingersoll Street lift bridge looking west towards the Main Street bridge. The Main Street bridge reopened on Sept. 19 following a nearly three-year construction project.
ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge in Albion is closing for 4 hours tonight to replace gate arms, the state Department of Transportation said today.
The DOT is advising motorists that the lift bridge will be closed to traffic from 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4.
Motorists should anticipate travel delays during this time and are advised to seek alternate routes. Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions, the DOT said.
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Cyndi Stumer (center), deputy commissioner for the Orleans County Department of Social Services, accepts a proclamation from the County Legislature last week that declared November as “National Adoption Awareness Month.”
She is shown with Elizabeth Boring, foster care caseworker, and Legislator Fred Miller.
“Adoptive and foster care families open their hearts and homes, demonstrate great compassion and provide hope and love to children,” the proclamation states. “National Adoption Awareness Month helps to raise public awareness of the fact that there are children available who are waiting for caring families.”
Stumer said there are local children in foster care awaiting adoption.
“It is the desire of this Legislature and Orleans County Department of Social Services that all children awaiting adoption in Orleans County and beyond find permanent and loving homes,” the proclamation concludes.
For more information, click here to be directed to the Orleans County DSS.
Photo and information courtesy of Albion Central School
ALBION – The Albion High School National Honor Society inducted 21 new members into its ranks this school year. The ceremony was held in the middle school auditorium on the evening of Oct. 30.
The Albion NHS 2025-26 inductees (listed alphabetically): Olivia Andrews, Lily Brigham, Adam Burgio, Maddison Button, Dejeanna Conner, Shayla Cruz, Brooke Doty, Yaritza Fernandez Perez, Heidi Franco-Lopez, Loralei Gailie, Anna Grillo, Logan Kast, Jillian LeBaron, Nicholas Luft, Jaxon Lynch, Madison Muckle, Bradley Pierce, Carley Smith, Jackson Snook, Mason Snook and Ava Woolston.
Current members (listed alphabetically): Neveya Barnes, Nisi Beltran Roblero, Kaitlin Bennett, Elliot Beyrle, Julia Button, Lindsay Crawford, Kaiden Froman, Aubrey Gannon, Xzavier Gerow, Justin Kania, Hanna Kumalac, Nathaniel Miesner, Gideon Pask, William Plummer, Alondra Santana Gonzalez and Joshua Zayac.
NHS is built upon four pillars; scholarship, service, leadership and character. In order to be eligible, inductees must exhibit all four qualities, be recommended by a faculty member and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 90% or higher.
Current members led the ceremony and guided inductees through the NHS Pledge. After the inductees took the oath, they each accepted their membership pin and signed their names within the book that holds the names of all Albion members before them.
The ceremony included recognition of outstanding high school staff members, decided on by current NHS members. Four faculty members were chosen for exemplifying the four NHS pillars. Caton Conde received recognition for embodying scholarship, Mike Jones for service, Bridgette Varin for leadership and Kyle Syck for character.
Richard Gannon was honored with the Albion NHS Excellence in Teaching Award for his profound influence on his students. Gannon, who has taught history at Albion High School for 29 years, served as the guest speaker at the ceremony.
In his remarks, he congratulated inductees and encouraged members to try new things, even if it might make them a little afraid or uncomfortable. “Be willing to deviate from your original plan,” he said. “You never know how rewarding or educational it can be.”
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Brynn Thomas and her Lady Hawks teammates will face Byron-Bergen in the Section V Class C state qualifier game at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Caledonia-Mumford.
A berth in the state playoffs will be on the line as Holley faces Genesee Region League foe Byron-Bergen in the Section V Class C girls soccer tournament state qualifier game at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Caledonia-Mumford.
Holley, which is seeking its second trip to the state playoffs in three years, advanced by nipping Canisteo-Greenwood 2-1 in overtime in the Class C1 championship game.
Byron-Bergin edged Kendall 1-0 for in the Class C2 title in a repeat of last year’s final.
Byron-Bergen, which brings a 17-2 record into the qualifier, downed Holley twice during the G-R season by scores of 5-0 and 5-3.
Offensively, the Lady Bees are led by the quartet of Mia Gray (41 goals, 23 assists), Grace DiQuattro (28-24), Anastasia Kuszlyk (14-6) and Elizabeth Starowitz (13-20).
The Lady Hawks, which bring a 13-6-1 record into the contest, have been paced offensively by Ava Mosier (15 goals, 5 assists), Hanna Ostrom (6-5), Kyla Burne (5-4), Jayna Burris (5-9), Carsyn Mogle (6-6), Payton Preston (4-0), Brynn Thomas (3-5), Mia Thom (4-7) and Addison Bevins (3-1).
The victor will face Section VI Class C champion Wilson in the Far West Regional.
MEDINA – Medina’s Canal Village Farmer’s Market has found a new home for the winter – in the basement of the former NAPA building on North Main Street.
Previously, the market occupied the first floor of the building, but that is now home to the Triennial Hub, according to Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market.
The market’s new location from now through spring is in the lower, rear section of the building, with storefront access in the canal basin. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
The NAPA building had previously been owned by Craig Lacy and his family since 1925. He recently sold the building to Samantha Rae Hughes of Hughes Martin, LLC of Lockport, who is in the process of redeveloping the site.
“The new owner has been great to us,” said Gail Miller, manager of the market. “The Canal Village Winter Farmer’s Market will actually be located Canalside this year. We are incredibly grateful to Samantha for allowing us to use this beautiful space for the winter. Without it, there’d be no winter market.”
In years past, the canal basin space was occupied by Bob’s Electronics, but has sat empty for several years, according to Busch.
“We’re very excited to embrace the new spot,” Miller said. “There’s plenty of parking in the basin and plenty of room for our vendors, too.”
Plans are currently underway to redevelop the current summer market site at 127 West Center St. into an entirely new facility, on the site where once existed a Shell gas station, circa 1964, and later a drive-thru bank. The summer market operates there from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays from June through October.
In 2024, a successful grant of $4.5 million was awarded by New York State to the village of Medina, including $725,000 for an exciting and transformative redevelopment of the entire market site. The project will feature a new addition to the existing structure, affording more interior, year-round operating space, along with an entire redevelopment of this pivotal location in downtown Medina.
It will be the first truly impactful development on-site in more than 60 years, according to Busch.
To date, $750,000 has been secured toward the goal of $1.2 million to fully complete this transformative project as envisioned.
To that end, ORG continues to pursue every avenue of additional funding via grants, charitable foundations and private contributions, according to information provided by Busch.
Once completed, the new facility will provide the market with year-round conditioned space and the ability for expanded hours and offerings.
“We’re very lucky to have Canal Village Farmer’s Market year-round, but it takes generous volunteers and benefactors who believe in its importance to the community,” Busch said.
In addition to a dedicated core of volunteers, Busch said the market also benefits from generous community sponsorship from Takeform, Medina Lumber and Hardware and Maureen Sanderson, who lend financial support to the operation.
The market has operated at its summer site on West Center Street and West Avenue since 2015.
“It’s a great spot for a festive, open-air summer market, but the current facilities are tired,” Busch said. “We need our customers to hang in there and support us while we get through this project. Once the new facility is complete, it will be a game-changer, not only for the market, but for the site, downtown and the community. We envision a bigger, better, expanded market, along with a site that can support great community activities. It will be a hub for downtown.”
A start date for construction has not yet been set, but according to Busch,’ “It will be sooner, rather than later.”
Vendors at the newly-located winter market will include Human Farms and Greenhouse (assorted vegetables, spice blends and BBQ sauces), Stone Hollow Farms (fresh bread), Baker Farms (local meats, eggs and garlic), LockRidge Apiary (local honey and honey products), Bower Family Farms and Greenhouse (microgreens, pumpkins, mums and apples) and MBHERR (dog paw creams and moisturizers and seasonal crafts).
The winter market will also continue the Kid’s Tent, featuring crafts and a scavenger hunt with prizes.
Community groups continue to be invited to frequent the “Community Table,” a space for non-profits and groups to connect with the public.
Additionally, the market will serve as a canned/non-perishable food drop-off center for the Medina Emergency Food Pantry. No food will be distributed at the market, but can be obtained at the Emergency Food Pantry located at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1355 West Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Shoppers are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to help others in need,” Miller said. “People really require our help right now. Circumstances are especially difficult and the market is happy to be able to provide a collection site.”
Donations must be suitable for consumption, Busch said. No expired or damaged items will be accepted, or no broken boxes/bags.
Additional information about the market or any of its features is available by e-mailing Miller at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com or via FB Message.
Kimberly Stawicki sent in this photo from this morning from Marshall Road in Medina showing the Erie Canal at sunrise.
A wind advisory has been issued today for Orleans County from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with southwest winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 mph. The advisory also includes Niagara, Erie, Genesee, Chautauqua and Jefferson counties.
“The strongest gusts expected along the shoreline of Lakes Erie and Ontario, and then downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario,” said the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
Today is forecast to reach 53 degrees with showers in the forecast. Tuesday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 55 followed by a high of 55 on Wednesday with showers.
