Page Sponsor
Forecast shows highs in mid 40s and above throughout the week
Kimberly Stawicki sent in this photo from Sunday morning at the Swallow Hallow Nature Trail off Knowlesville Road at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
The area won’t see snow accumulations yet this week with the forecast showing highs in the mid 40s and above, including one day with a high of 60, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
Today, the forecast shows a high of 51 with a chance of showers and an overnight low around 40 followed by a high of 60 on Tuesday with an overnight low of 41.
On Wednesday, which is Veterans Day, the high will be 55 with an overnight low of 39. That is followed by a high near 49 on Thursday with an overnight low around 34.
Friday will have a high near 44 with a low around 32, followed by a high near 46 on Saturday with an overnight low around 34, according to the Weather Service.
Our Letters Policy
We appreciate input from our readers, and we publish letters to the editor without charge. The letters should be written by the person who submits the letter and not be “ghost written” by someone else. While open speech and responsibility are encouraged, comments may be rejected if they are purely a personal attack, offensive or repetitive. Comments are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Orleans Hub. We reserve the right to edit letters for content and brevity. Please limit the length of your letter (we suggest no more than 500 words) and provide your name, telephone number, mailing address and a verifiable email address for verification purposes. Letters should be emailed to news@orleanshub.com.
Gas prices fall 16 cents nationally in past week to $4.00
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Speedway gas station in Pembroke was selling regular unleaded gas for $3.99 on Saturday.
The average price for regular unleaded gas is at $4.00 nationally today, which is down 16 cents in the past week, AAA reported this morning. A year ago, the average price was $3.06.
In New York State, the average is $4.25 today, which is down 9 cents in the past week. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.11 a gallon.
“Gas prices have been going down for nearly two weeks, as crude oil prices have dipped, but pump prices remain the highest they’ve ever been during this time of year,” AAA said in a news release. “Before 2026, the national average had never gone above $4 per gallon during the month of November. This morning, oil prices range from $89 to $96 per barrel compared to $99 to $108 one week ago.”
Diesel prices are down, though prices remain much higher than a year ago. The national average is $6.17, down 12 cents from last week, but up from $3.73 a year ago, AAA said. In New York, the average diesel price is $6.43 per gallon, down 5 cents from last week. A year ago, New York drivers were paying an average of $3.89 per gallon.
Here are the average prices among Western New York counties for regular unleaded gas:
- Orleans, $4.381
- Genesee, $4.276
- Monroe, $4.299
- Niagara, $4.240
- Erie, $4.310
- Wyoming, $4.378
- Livingston, $4.338
- Chautauqua, $4.343
- Cattaraugus, $4.263
- Allegany, $4.350
Hamilton County in the Adirondacks is the highest in the state at $4.57 gallon, while Chemung has the lowest average at $4.05.
Reporter grateful for paramedics, Medina’s ER during severe health emergency
It is by the Grace of God and the expertise of medical personnel at Medina Memorial Hospital’s ER that I am writing this column.
The night of Oct. 17 I thought a cough I had for a week was finally letting up. Then about 10 p.m., it worsened again. I had decided earlier in the day that after the weekend, I would go the ER. By midnight, I wondered if I could make it until morning and then I’d have to go then. I was coughing so bad I couldn’t get my breath.
At 2 a.m., I woke my daughter Robin and told her to take me to the ER. Phone already in hand, she called an ambulance. I protested, but she said they were on their way. I went out and sat in a kitchen chair by the door to wait for them.
It was only minutes before they were out front and two paramedics rushed in and immediately put an oxygen mask over my face and gave me a shot of what I was later told was Albuterol. Then they proceeded to take me to the ambulance.
At the ER, nurses came running at me on both sides with IVs and that is the last I remember. Until four hours later. I opened my eyes and the doctor asked if I knew where I was. I told him Medina Memorial Hospital, and he said, “If you hadn’t done just what you did, you wouldn’t be here now.”
I didn’t think much about that until later, when I learned if my daughter had taken me, I probably would have not made it to the hospital. I was in heart failure.
Then I tried to end it in the ER, they tell me. My blood pressure soared to 286 over something, a number unheard of to survive or not have a stroke. Robin said she heard them say, “We’re losing her,” and the doctor asked if I had a DNR.
Well, I’ve been told more than once I’m stubborn, and I don’t “get lost” that easily.
I was diagnosed with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure, with pneumonia. My lungs were filling with fluid and my heart was shutting down because of the strain from coughing.
I am indeed lucky and very grateful to be here.
And it’s due to those paramedics and the team in the ER at Medina Memorial Hospital.
I spent three days in the hospital and came home, a little shaky and with not as clear vision. As it turns out, the surge in blood pressure damaged my retina. Added to that, I was already dealing with double vision.
I can’t drive until I get my eyes straightened out, but I can cook, talk and write. How fortunate I am at 88 to have a job where I get to sit down, talk to people I love and write their stories.
And I have three friends who have stepped up offering to take me to my interviews until my eyes get straightened out. One can’t get much luckier than that.
***********
It was a coincidence I ended up in the ER at Medina hospital a few days ago. I had recently asked Scott Robinson, director of Marketing at Orleans Community Health, if he could gather some information for me on the ER, as I’d like to do a story on their increased number of patients and capabilities, not dreaming I would become one of those statistics.
More and more people are realizing the benefits of the ER at Medina Memorial Hospital. Robinson sent me information saying in July they saw 825 patients, the busiest month in years. Throughout 2025, they saw 8,473 patients. They are on track to see more than 8,600 this year, he said. Both of those numbers are at least 10-year highs.
Medina’s ER is not just a “stable and transfer” facility any more. Currently, the ER transfers only four percent of its patients. Those are ones they are able to stabilize before being transferred.
That brings to mind another time the ER at Medina Memorial Hospital came to my rescue. A little more than a year ago, I fell flat on my face at Hospice. My glasses cut my face above the eye, laying open the bone. Being on blood thinners, the blood was flowing. The ambulance driver asked if I wanted to go to Strong or ECMC, and I told him Medina. He said I needed to go to a hospital which had a plastic surgeon, as that was the nastiest wound he had seen. I insisted and he took me to Medina.
Today, there is no sign of a scar above my eye. It happened to be just under my eyebrow and a doctor in the ER at Medina Memorial Hospital glued it.
If it weren’t for Medina Memorial Hospital, the nearest facility to receive medical attention is at least 30 minutes away, and for many the outcome could be disastrous, Robinson said.
One such case is the Rev. Tom Gardner of Knowlesville. In late December 2014, he had a heart attack.
“My first stop was the ER in Medina, or I wouldn’t have made it to Buffalo General,” he said. “The long days and nights and weeks in the ICU, Buffalo General and rehab unit at Medina Memorial Hospital ended when I returned home on Jan. 13, 2015.”
The Rev. Gardner said in a sermon he preached Feb. 22, 2015, “I survived by the grace of God.”
And I’m sure another big factor was the ER at Medina Memorial Hospital – only minutes away.
NY offers final free fishing day of the year on Nov. 11
Photo by Tom Rivers: Donte Bovani, left, and his friend Dillon Williams made the 5-hour drive from Scranton, Pa. to fish in the Oak Orchard River on Oct. 11.
The final free fishing day of the year will be on Wednesday, Veterans Day, where anyone can recreationally fish the freshwaters of the state without a freshwater fishing license.
This offers an opportunity to try out fishing for the first time, get back into the sport after taking a break, or take a friend or the whole family along to fish, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.
Even though a license is not required, all fishing regulations apply. Click here for more on the regulations.
Lyndonville hosts Junior High Area All-State Music Festival with 300 student performers
This is first time in about 30 years an Orleans County school district hosted Area All-State
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – The Zone 2 Area All State Mixed Choir, featuring junior high students in the Rochester area, are conducted by Keith Ersing during a concert on Saturday at the Stroyan Auditorium in Lyndonville. In this photo they are performing, “Come and Go to That Land” by Brandon Boyd.
Zone 2 includes eight counties in western and central New York: Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca and Wayne.
Lyndonville hosted the Junior High Area All-State Music Festival which included 300 student performers and over 1,300 people in attendance for two concerts. Lyndonville’s auditorium holds about 700 people so the festival had to be split into two different concerts.
The first concert featured the Area All State Symphonic Band, followed by the Area All State Treble Choir.
The second concert included the Area All State Mixed Choir, followed by the Area All State Symphony Orchestra.
Members of the Zone 2 Junior High Area All State Symphony Orchestra perform “Marriage of Figaro” on Saturday in Lyndonville. These students on the double bass, cello and other symphony orchestra instruments are all from the Rochester region.
The students in the different groups all auditioned in the spring and needed to perform for a judge to be selected for Area All State. Their district teachers also helped prepare them for the concert.
Provided photos: There were six students from Orleans County who performed on Saturday, including (Left) Madelyn Ingersoll of Lyndonville, alto in mixed choir, and Emily Kroll of Lyndonville, clarinet in the symphonic band. (Right) Lillian Olsen of Medina, left, played trumpet and Lauren Allis of Medina played the clarinet in the symphonic band.
Oscar Lopez of Medina was a bass in the mixed choir and Amber O’Kussik was a soprano in the treble choir.
The students were at Lyndonville from for rehearsals from 2 to 6 p.m. on Friday and then beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The concerts were at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. This photo shows the Area All State Treble Choir led by conductor Maureen Reilly with Gary Simboli as the accompanist.
Amy Erhard conducted the Area All State Symphonic Band. Erhard leads the Buffalo Wind Symphony. She has twice been nominated for the Grammy Music Educator Award.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Lyndonville school district superintendent, Dr. Heather Lyon, welcomes the crowd to the second concert. She praised the student performers, including the Area All State Mixed Choir next to her for their high levels of engagement in pursuing excellence as musicians.
The Area All State Symphony Orchestra takes the stage at Lyndonville.
The group was conducted by Emily Greetham, who teaches orchestra at Orchard Park Central School. She also performs as a violinist in with Buffalo Opera Unlimited and other groups.
Keira Betz of Fairport sings a solo with the mixed choir as part of “My Days” from the ‘The Notebook.”
A group of students play violins in the symphony orchestra.
These singers in the mixed chorus perform “My Days.”
Kendall has 7 G-R soccer All-Stars
Contributed Photo – Kendall’s Genesee Region League soccer All-Stars. In front are Raymond Szymanski, Brenden Eichas and Andrew Cole. In back are Jersie Drake, Ryleigh Denning, Addison Kludt an Sophia Picardo.
A total of seven Kendall players have earned Genesee Region League All Star soccer honors including four on the girls team and three on the boys squad.
The G-R Division II champion Lady Eagles are represented by the quartet of seniors Addison Kludt and Sophia Picardo, junior Ryleigh Denning and freshman Jersie Drake.
Denning hd 32 goals and 11 assists, Picardo 17 goals and 16 assists and Drake 16 goals and 16 assists.
The Lady Eagles also hd a quartet of Honorable Mention selections including juniors Brynn Hardenbrook, Izzy D’Agostino, Teagan Shaw and seventh grader Mackenzie Cooper.
The Kendall boys are represented on the All-Star team by the trio of senior Brenden Eichas and juniors Andrew Cole and Raymond Szymanski.
Eichas had 12 goals and 1 assist and Cole 7 goals and 6 assists.
The Eagles also had sophomore Andrew D’Agostino receive Honorable Mention.
Green finishes Japan Classic with a 72
Contributed Photo – Melanie Green
For the second day in a row a combination of three birdies and three bogeys earned Medina’s Melanie Green an even par 72 Sunday (Japan time) on the closing round of the LPGA Tour’s Toto Japan Classic.
Green in fact registered 72’s on three of the four rounds to go along with a 5 under 67 on day two as she finished the tournament with a 5 under total of 283.
On the final round, after having a bogey on the first hole, she rebounded with birdies on 7, 9 and 12 to go to 7 under for the tourney.
However, bogeys on 14 and 17 cancelled out those gains as she finished the tourney at 5 under.
The LPGA Tour next returns to Florida for the Annika tournament November 12-15 which closes out the tour’s regular season.
Cobblestone Museum plans annual meeting on Nov. 14 with awards to be presented
GAINES – The Cobblestone Society and Museum has announced its winners to be honored at the annual meeting Nov. 14 at the Gaines Carlton Community Church on Ridge Road.
The luncheon will begin at 12:30 p.m. with invocation by the Rev. Marsha Rivers, followed by a toast by Bill Lattin, retired Cobblestone Museum director.
Lunch will be served at 1 p.m., after which guests will adjourn to the sanctuary for award presentations and the business meeting.
Guest speaker will be Todd Bensley, local historian from Medina, who will discuss the changes that have taken place at Medina’s historic Boxwood Cemetery over the years.
Following the business meeting, the Cobblestone Society and Museum will present its annual awards.
Winners are NBT Bank – Business Partner of the Year; Diane Furness, president of Gaines Carlton Community Church Women’s Fellowship, Community Partner of the Year; Marty Taber, for excellence in serving the museum as a former board member; and Collin Capurso, Intern of the Year.
New chorale in Medina will perform in concert Nov. 13
Provided photo: Members of the newly formed Medina Chorale meet for practice at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the Grove United Methodist Church. Shown here are, from left front, director Eddie Reeb, Nancy Hausman, Patricia Worrad, Jan Toale and Gary Lawton. Second row, Karen Hoart, Diane Odle, Mary Zangerle, Brenda Lindsay and Kristina Fuller. Third row, accompanist Tom Wenhold, Hal Goodwin, Paul Goodwin and Wendy Fuller.
MEDINA – Music is in the air, and its coming from the Medina Chorale.
The Medina Chorale is a new singing group of community-minded individuals who love to sing, said Barb Brewer, pastor of the Grove United Methodist Church.
The group will be performing a concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Grove United Methodist Church, located at 11004 W Center Street Ext.
The idea for a Medina chorus evolved when Pastor Brewer was walking downtown and heard the music over the loud speakers.
“We need a singing group,” she said to herself.
Shortly after, a group of individuals who expressed an interest in singing in a new chorale group met at the Grove United Methodist Church and made plans for their first concert.
Any community member is welcome to join the Medina Chorale, which rehearses at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the Grove United Methodist Church.
Nancy Hausman is a member of St. Mary’s Church, who saw information about the chorale on Facebook.
“I like to sing,” she said. “I also belong to the Middleport Community Choir. This one is closer to home.”
Hausman also remembers the original Medina Chorale which was directed by the late Jack Wheatley.
“I enjoy being with other people and getting together in a group,” Hausman said. “We were strangers when we met and now we have developed new friendships. These people give 100 percent. The chorale was Pastor Barb’s idea. She doesn’t sing, but she loves music.”
Tom Wenhold of Lyndonville, who is organist at the Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, is accompanist for the Medina Chorale.
“I have been playing piano since I was in eighth grade,” Wenhold said. “There is a lot of talent in this group. Eddie Reeb of Lockport is our director. We have been practicing for two months, working hard on the songs we chose. It is a well-rounded show, including contemporary music, show tunes and religious favorites. ”We are excited to do the show. No one will be disappointed with it.”
Brenda Lindsey of Medina used to sing in a choir years and years ago, and when she saw the Medina Chorale on Facebook, she was immediately intrigued.
“I love to sing and attended the first informational meeting,” she said. “It pleases my soul to be able to sing with other people.”
Director Reeb is a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan Music Program. He leads the chorale in singing four-part harmony, said Pastor Barb.
“The church is thrilled to allow the group to practice and hold concerts there,” she said.
