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Flying school, Airborne Acres, takes off on Lakeshore Road in Yates
Photos by Ginny Kropf: A seasoned flyer glides to a landing in his paramotor after a short flight. The public is welcome to bring their lawn chairs and watch the flying activity most evenings.
LYNDONVILLE – A new flying school has gotten off the ground on Lakeshore Road, near Lyndonville.
Airborne Acres is a passion of Kayla “Kale” Browning, 28, who is a jet pilot, but recently became interested in paramotors.
“I grew up thinking aviation was not an option for me, because you either had to be rich or ‘know somebody’,” Browning said.” With more research, I found out a career in aviation was very possible. You just needed to get creative and be willing to work hard while staying consistent.”
Browning is from Williamsfield, an Amish community in Ohio, where after graduating from high school, decided she wanted some excitement in her life.
“I woke up one day, put everything I owned in my car and researched ‘cheapest flight school in America,’” Browning said. “One in Miami came up and I left. I made ends meet working three jobs while going to flight school. This was back in 2017.”
(Left) Kayla Browning sits in the hanger she outfitted with a classroom to teach people how to fly a paramotor. (Right) Kayla “Kale” Browning watches a paramotor in the air from a landing strip carved out of a farmer’s field on Lakeshore Road, Lyndonville. She opened Airborne Acres, a flying school, this summer.
Browning first flew in gliders and got her pilot’s license when she was 18. That would lead to a job flying a jump plane for parachutists, until she advanced to jet planes. She now flies jets for private owners, in addition to running Airborne Acres.
When she became interested in paramotors, 2-cylinder gas-powered flying machines that strap on the flyers back, she started looking for a place to start a paramotor school. A friend in Youngstown told her of the property at 10954 Lakeshore Rd., which already had an airstrip built by Robert Williams for his private plane.
She arrived here in April 2024, purchased the 38-acre property and started making improvements. She mowed the 3,000-foot landing strip, which took her three days, cleaned out the hangar on the property and built a classroom and shower. She also built a patio, dug the trench for water lines and put in water and electricity herself.
Instructor Chris Holbert straps Robin Boyle of Medina into a paramotor rigged to teach people how to fly one.
To get the word out, Browning began advertising the adventure on Facebook. Last November, she entered a float in Medina’s Parade of Lights. She had 11 students last year and this year her class has more than doubled. Her project has drawn attention from paramotor owners from around the country, including Chris Holbert, a paramotor instructor from Ohio who also has a school there.
“He is one of the best pilots in the world,” Browning said.
He sees the venture as a great way to get the community together. Friends and neighbors are invited to bring their lawn chairs and watch the activity, usually starting at about 6 p.m. most days.
“A paramotor is an incredibly unique way to fly,” Browning said. “It is the fastest and cheapest way to learn to fly.”
It’s possible to be able to fly in 10-14 days, at a cost of about $3,000, and own an aircraft for $8,000, plus $3,000 for wings, she said.
She has had students from Maine and Texas, and currently has one from Canada. Visitors have come from Tennessee, California and Norway, in addition to local visitors from all over Western New York.
Scott Julius of Hamburg also contributes to the success of Airborne Acres, as a discovery flight/tandem pilot. Tandem flights are available in a 55 h.p. aircraft.
On Friday night, Alexis Hyman of Strykersville came to take a discovery flight.
“My sister tried it a year ago and now has her own paramotor,” Hyman said.
It is possible to do aerobatics, including rolls, in a paramotor, as a pilot demonstrated Friday night.
“He is one of the best pilots in the world,” Browning said.
A paramotor is capable of flying to 12,000 feet, however, flights are usually no more than 1,500 feet.
Weather permitting, flying is usually going on early in the morning and after 6 p.m. The typical season is April to October.
Anyone interested in learning to fly a paramotor can contact Airborne Acres at (305) 923-4238 or at flyairborneacres@gmail.com.
A student comes in for a landing in his paramotor at Airborne Acres on Lakeshore Road.
Weekly High School Sports Schedule
Weekly Schedule
Tuesday
Boys Soccer – Park School at Medina, 6:45 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Holley at Pembroke, 5 p.m.; Kendall at Oakfield-Alabama, 7 p.m.
Field Hockey – Medina at Nardin, 5 p.m.
Golf – Akron at Albion,
Volleyball – Wheatland-Chili at Lyndonville, 6 p.m.; Notre Dame at Kendall, Holley at Pembroke, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Boys Soccer – Roy-Hart at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; Kendall at Lyndonville/Barker, 5 p.m. at Lyndonville; Albion at Newfane, 6:45 p.m.; Pembroke at Holley, 7 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Barker/Lyndonville at Pembroke, 4:45 p.m.; Akron at Roy-Hart/Medina, Newfane at Albion, 6:45 p.m.
Golf – Medina at Albion, Barker at Wilson
Volleyball – Newfane at Medina, Albion at Roy-Hart, Wilson at Akron, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday
Boys Soccer – Albion at CSAT, 5 p.m.; Kendall at Attica, 7 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Holley at Alexander, 5 p.m.
Field Hockey – Medina at Akron, Wilson at Barker, 4:30 p.m.; Roy-Hart at Kenmore, 7 p.m.
Volleyball – Newfane at Roy-Hart, Oakfield-Alabama at Lyndonville, Kendall at Elba, Alexander at Holley, 6:30 p.m.
Friday
Football – Lake Shore vs. Albion/Medina at Medina; Barker/Roy-Hart at Tonawanda, 7 p.m.
Boys Soccer – Kendall at Byron-Bergen, 5 p.m.; Lyndonville/Barker at Wheatland-Chili, 6 p.m.
Girls Soccer – Barker/Lyndonville at CSAT, 5 p.m.; Pembroke at Albion, 6:45 p.m.
Golf – Newfane at Albion, Barker at Roy-Hart
Volleyball – Pembroke at Albion, 6:30 p.m.; Roy-Hart at Hamburg Tournament
Saturday
Football – Avon at Holley/Lyndonville, 1 p.m.
Boys Soccer – Kearney at Kendall, 10 a.m.; Medina at Akron, 11 a.m.
Girls Soccer – Roy-Hart/Medina at Depew; Mercy at Kendall, 12 p.m.
Medina field hockey has a rebuilding task
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran members of the Medina field hockey team include, in front, Elaina Bruce and Isabelle Perez. In back are Madison Zeiner, Jenelle Stalker and Savannah Jo Thompson. Missing is Adelynne Lacy.
Looking to fill the holes from 10 seniors lost to graduation, Medina will tune-up for the Niagara-Orleans League opener at defending champion Akron on Thursday by visiting Nardin in a non league contest on Tuesday.
Medina’s veteran group includes seniors Isabelle Perez and Adelynne Lacy along with juniors Elaina Bruce, Jenelle Stalker, Madison Zeiner and sophomore Savannah Jo Thompson. Perez was a second team N-O All-League honoree last fall and Stalker an Honorable Mention selection.
The Mustangs graduation losses included first team N-O honorees Penelope Schalck and Sophia Castricone, second team pick Lilah Class along with Honorable Mention selections Tatiana Maxon, Emiliana Batista and Maggie Lonnen.
Coach Amber Cleaveland’s Mustangs went 6-6 in N-O action and 11-7 overall last fall.
Big crowds turn out for Italian food and fun at 51st annual St. Rocco’s Fest
Photos by Tom Rivers
HULBERTON – Lori Richardson, left, and Noreen Ford have chicken parmesan ready at today’s St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton.
There were big crowds for the event, with people showing up an hour early for the Italian food.
Ford co-chairs the food pavilion with her brother Bill Bower and his wife Rose Mary.
Ford graduated from the St. Mary’s School in Holley and has been at every one of the 51 festivals.
“We see a lot of people who we went to school with and their families,” Ford said.
The event is a fundraiser for the ONE Catholic Family of Churches.
Gail Christ works with other volunteers to get powered dough waffles.
The festival grounds were packed with people.
There were about 25 vendors selling arts, crafts and vegetables.
Chuck Maxon and Rachael Spychalski serve up spaghetti dinners.
Some of the spaghetti crew include from left Gary Maxon, Chuck Maxon, Rachael Spychalski and Jean Maxon.
Volunteers started preparing the food for St. Rocco’s on Tuesday.
They cooked 40 pounds of spaghetti, 45 gallons of meat sauce and 1,350 meatballs.
The volunteers also prepared 224 pans of eggplant with six servings a pan. The eggplant was donated by Vendetti Farms and Piedimonte Farms.
Jean Maxon is the overall festival chairwoman. She said the group promoted the festival more in the region. She was impressed by the big crowds.
There were 12 teams competing in the bocce tournament.
Enzio Molinaro, 1 ½ of Lockport, holds one of the bocce balls on an idle court. He was at the festival to watch his uncle and grandfather play.
Katie Robinson, a pianist and vocalist, performed hits from the 1970s and 1980s including Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Carole King, Seals and Crofts, Cyndi Lauper and James Taylor. Here she is singing, “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper.
Lady Hawks capture Hall of Fame Tournament title with a second straight 1-0 victory
Contributed Photo – The Holley girls soccer team celebrates after capturing the Albany Hall of Fame Tournament championship today with a 1-0 win over Frankfort-Schuyler.
Completing a very successful season opening weekend trip into the Mohawk Valley, the Holley girls soccer team edged Frankfort-Schuyler 1-0 this afternoon at Central Valley Academy in Ilion near Herkimer.
The victory capped a 2-0 weekend and earned the Albany Hall of Fame Tournament championship for the Lady Hawks which nipped Lake George by an identical margin of 1-0 on Saturday.
Freshman Philomena Arnold scored the game’s lone goal for the Lady Hawks with 18:20 remaining in the second half off an assist from eighth grader Alexa Mosier.
Goalie junior Zoey Warner and her defensive mates including junior Jayna Burris, sophomores Brianna Tomasino and Carsyn Mogle and freshman Emma Burne did the rest to preserve the shutout.
Warner had 6 saves on the afternoon including one big leaping stop of a direct kick shot in the first half and then two more huge saves in the second half with the later coming in the final two minutes.
“These girls fought to the end of both games this weekend. We have very few players on the bench, so most of the girls played the entire game,” said Coach Renee Wolf. “Our middle helped hold us all together this weekend and Zoey Warner came up with some great saves. It was great competition for us to start our season and I’m super proud of their grit and determination.”
Holley Village Board meetings will shift to Legion while front steps repaired at old school
Photo by Tom Rivers: The old Holley High School is shown on June 16. The front steps crumbled in spots and have been partially blocked off to the public.
HOLLEY – The Holley Village Board will be changing its meeting location for the next three meetings while repairs are made to the front steps at the old Holley High School.
The village is a tenant at the building and holds its monthly meetings in the former auditorium.
The monthly board meetings will instead be held at the American Legion at 1 Wright St., beginning on Tuesday and then on Oct.13 and Nov. 10.
The village offices moved from 72 Public Square to the former school beginning in August 2020.
Home Leasing turned the building, which was vacant for more than two decades, into 41 apartments and the offices for the village. It was a $17 million transformation to redevelop the property now called the Holley Gardens.
Home Leasing earlier this year notified the village that the old school and the majority of real estate properties have been sold to Pennrose Holdings, a Philadelphia-based firm.
Medina soccer team has large veteran group
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran members of the Medina boys varsity soccer team include, in front, Izzy Anderson, Gavin Dahlhaus, Aleks Seefeldt, Aidan Papaj, River Jones and Colvin Poole. In back are Cam Fike, Bryson Ford, Owen Sargent, Braden Lewis and Lathan McEwen-Miller.
Runners-up the last three years, Medina returns a good nucleus of 11 veterans with which to again challenge for top Niagara-Orleans League boys soccer honors.
Medina went 8-2 in the league (16-3 overall) last fall to finish second in the N-O title race to Wilson for the third year in a row.
Leading the Mustangs veteran group are first team N-O All-League honorees seniors Aidan Papaj and Aleks Seefeldt along with Honorable Mention selections juniors Izzy Anderson and Bryson Ford. Seefeldt had 16 goals and 19 assists and Papaj 15 goals and 5 assists last fall.
The Mustangs veterans also include seniors Cam Fike, Gavin Dahlhaus, River Jones, Lathan McEwen-Miller, Brayden Lewis and Colvin Poole along with junior Owen Sargent. Goalies Fike and Jones will anchor the defense.
“”We have a good group back but the key for us overall will be balance, especially on offense,” said Coach Steve Luksch. “Balance will be the key. We need several guys to pick up the offense.”
Medina will open the season by hosting Park School in a non league game at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday before beginning N-O competition at Akron on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Medina bookstore will welcome author of Stitched on Sept. 21
Book gives humorous insights into the cutthroat world of competitive quilting
Eli McCann will sign books and give a presentation on Sept. 21 at the Author’s Note in Medina.
MEDINA – A social media personality and humorist will visit Author’s Note this month to introduce his highly acclaimed new book.
Eli McCann will sign copies and discuss his new book Stitched at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at the book store. In addition, he will do presentations at 4 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Hollwedel Library in Pavilion and at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at Newstead Library in Akron.
Kirkus calls Stitched “Simply charming. McCann’’s prose is bursting at the seams with humor and genuinely tender, touching moments. Cal Crosby from The King’s English Bookshop describes the book as “One part Schilt’s Creek, one part Golden Girls and a whole lot of Eli McCann’s signature wit and charm.”
Stitched is the story of Betty Lou Dearden who has been a member of the Ogden Quilters Association for mor than 20 years, when it is announced that the biggest quilting competition in the country is coming to Utah. With the clock ticking and a chance to finally beat their long-time quilting rival quilting circle, the women welcome two young gay men to their group as they bicker their way to an award-worthy entry. It is with disarming humor and extraordinary heart that Eli McCann takes readers deep into the cozy but cutthroat world of competitive quilting and sometimes messy friendships that shape our lives.
In addition to being an author, McCann is a humor columnist, podcaster and lawyer. He writes a monthly humor column for The Salt Lake Tribune, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Huff Post and the BBC. He has a sizable and enthusiastic Instagram following. He lives in Salt Lake City with his husband, son and two naughty dogs.
Author’s Note anticipates a strong turnout for these events and suggests preordering copies of the author’s works at Author’s Note, 519 Main St., or online at authorsnote.com/events. Author’s Note may be contacted at (585) 798-3642.
Attica nips Albion for tournament title; Barker/Lyndonville wins consolation game
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Lena Grillo drives the ball toward the goal during this evening’s Purple Eagles Tournament championship game against Attica.
An early goal proved to be just enough to earn Attica a 1-0 win over the host Purple Eagles this evening in the championship game of the Albion girls soccer tournament.
Aleah Brauen scored the lone goal for the Blue Devils just 12 minutes into the opening half.
Consolation Game
Barker/Lyndonville 2, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 1
Barker/Lyndonville edged Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 2-1 in the consolation game of the Albion Tournament.
Alexa Robinson scored late in the first half and Abby Alexander early in the second half for Barker/Lyndonville. Robinson also assisted on Alexander’s goal.
Avalynn Buczek scored for Oakfield-Alabama/Elba late in the second half.
Tonawanda Tournament
Wilson 4, Roy-Hart/Medina 0
Wilson shutout Niagara-Orleans League foe Roy-Hart/Medina 4-0 in the championship game of the Tonawanda girls soccer tournament this afternoon.
Lilly Gurski, Lucy Madan, Abigal Labarre and Addison Elia each scored a goal for the Lakewomen.
Barker/Lyndonville’s Alexa Robinson battles for control of the ball with Allison Harkness of Oakfield-Alabama/Elba.
South Seneca tops Holley in football opener
Holley dropped a 36-6 decision at South Seneca this afternoon in a season opening non league football game.
Joey Tombari scored the touchdown for the Hawks.
Holley’s home opener will be next Saturday against Avon at 1 p.m.
