Medina Senior Center packed for Christmas dinner, music by A’Capella Select Choir
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Kelly Shaw, left, director of the Senior Center in Medina, received a Christmas gift from Carol Bellack on behalf of the senior members during the annual Christmas dinner on Monday. At rear is Lynn Creasey, president of the board.
Medina senior Natalie Herbert sings a solo “Noel,” during the A’Capella Select Choir’s visit to Medina Senior Center.
MEDINA – The Medina Senior Center was packed to capacity today for their annual Christmas dinner and entertainment by Medina High School’s A’Capella Select Choir.
The event began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer by Senior Center board president Lynn Creasey, followed by presentation of a Christmas gift to director Kelly Shaw by Carol Bellack on behalf of the seniors. Bellack shared the seniors’ appreciation of Shaw for all she does for the Senior Center.
Next was an announcement by Mike Randall, retired feature reporter for WKBW Channel 7, about a benefit he is doing Dec. 19 at the Medina Theater. Theater owner Joe Cardone is donating the theater for Randall’s performance of “Charles Dickens” to benefit the food pantries in Medina. Tickets are $10 and can be ordered through the Medina Theater’s website.
Everyone who brings a non-perishable food item will be entered in a drawing for various prizes. The doors will open at 7 and the A’Capella Choir will sing prior to Randall’s performance.
Entertaining at the Senior Center each Christmas is one of the A’Capella Choir’s favorite things to do, said director Rachel Trillizio.
“They love coming here,” she said.
The choir of 15 select members opened their program by singing “O Come All Ye Faithful,” followed by “Silent Night.” Next was “Cuckoo’s Christmas Gift” and senior Natalie Herbert singing “Noel.” The program concluded with the audience being invited to join the choir in singing “Joy to the World.”
Trillizio reminded the audience of the choir’s annual Christmas concert Dec. 14 at St. Mary’s Church with the Oak Orchard School Glee Club, directed by Andrea Busch. Doors will open at 7 p.m.
Any senior citizen in the area is invited to join the Senior Center of Western Orleans. Dues are only $10 per year and are being accepted for 2026. Benefits of becoming a member include access to day-old food from Tops bakery daily, exercise classes on Wednesday mornings, crafts and euchre on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons. Other events throughout the year include monthly luncheons and entertainment with drawings for prizes.
Rachel Trillizio, director of Medina High School’s A’Capella Choir, greets guests and introduces the choir at the annual Medina Senior Center Christmas dinner. The choir has been entertaining there for decades.
Threes spark Bulldogs to win over Tigers
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Anthony Taliaferro puts up a shot over Lyndonville’s Lyric Raduns.
Highlighted by a barrage of ten threes. Barker posted a 55-37 victory over visiting Lyndonville this evening in the Bulldogs non league season opener.
Anthony Taliaferro scored a game high 21 points to lead Barker. Jackson Prynn added 12, Donovan Hefferon 6, Carter DerSarkissian 5, Peyton Wagner 4, Carson Schwab 3 and Dominic Cimato and Caden Garcia 2 each.
Taliaferro and Prynn both hit four threes as DerSarkissian and Schwab each had one.
Lane Woodworth scored 15 and Colton Smith 11 to pace Lyndonville as Atticus Mank added 6 and Quincy McClinsey 5.
Barker led by 8, 23-15, at the half as Prynn had three threes, Taliaferro two and Schwab one over the first two periods.
The Bulldogs then broke the game open in the third period outscoring the Tigers 18-5 to pull away to a commanding 21 point, 41-20, lead. Taliaferro scored 8, including two threes to lead that surge.
Barker next visits Attica at 7 p.m. Wednesday for another non league contest.
Lyndonville, which is now 1-2, next host Houghton at 6 p.m. Friday in a non league game.
Lyndonville’s Quincy McClinsey tries for a layup as Carter DerSarkissian defends for Barker.
Barker’s Ashton Ark goes up to block a shot attempt by Lyndonville’s Atticus Mank.
Lyndonville’s Lane Woodworth goes in for a layup as Caden Garcia defends for Barker.
OONA distributes $7,000 in donations to community organizations
POINT BREEZE – The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association is sharing $7,000 in donations to local organizations.
The proceeds are from the OONA summer concert series. OONA donated to the following:
• $1,500 – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
• $1,000 – Hospice of Orleans
• $1,000 – Orleans Koinonia Kitchen
• $1,000 – Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern
• $1,000 – Carlton Fire Department
• $600 – Oak Orchard Lighthouse
• $500 – Orleans County Veterans Agency
• $400 – 50 Winks (Bowie Foundation)
“The tremendous support and generosity of our community enabled us to donate a total of $7,000 to these very worthy organizations,” said Pat Furlong, OONA treasurer.
Winter Weather Advisory for Orleans with 2 to 4 inches of snow expected
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Orleans County on Tuesday from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. with 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.
The advisory also included Niagara, Monroe, Genesee and northern Erie counties.
“The snow will peak in intensity during the Tuesday morning commute,” the Weather Service said. “Plan on snow covered and slippery road conditions with reduced visibility.”
Albion PD seeks info on missing teen, age 15
Hailey Elmer
ALBION – The Albion Police Department is seeking information on 15-year-old girl who was last seen by her family at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Hailey Elmer was last seen at the Albion Free Methodist Church and told her family she was going to a friend’s house.
She is white, 5 foot, 6 inches and 110 pounds. Albion police said her family has attempted to call her multiple times with no response.
Anyone with information about Hailey’s location should call dispatch at 585-589-5527 or email contact@albionpolice.com.
Youthful Albion wrestling squad returns a good veteran nucleus
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – The Albion wrestling squad’s veteran group includes, in front, Jaxon Lynch, Drake Schomske, Justin Mengs and Alakai Colmenero. In back are Jackson Snook, Stryker Sanders, Kaiser Allport and Corbin Piccirilli.
Under classmen dominate the lineup as the Albion wrestling squad begins tuning up for the Niagara-Orleans League season by hosting Byron-Bergen at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Freshman Stryker Sanders, who competed in the state championships last year going 34-6 overall including 2-2 at the states, heads the Purple Eagles veteran group.
That contingent also includes juniors Jaxson Lynch, Jackson Snook, Alakai Colmenero, Kaiser Allport along with sophomores Corbin Piccirilli, Drake Schomski and freshmen Justin Mengs. Lynch, Schomske and Mengs all had 20 plus win seasons.
“We’ve got good numbers and I think we’re a little stronger this year,” said Coach Mike Sanders. “We’re still building and we’re still young but weight class wise I think we’re pretty well spread out.”
The Purple Eagles will open the N-O season at Wilson on December 10.
Medina wrestlers prep for N-O opener
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran members of the Medina wrestling team include, in front, Jacob Duffina, Luke Duffina, Ryan Frentz and Cole Herman. In back are Tyler Raduns, Nolan Stanton, Frankie Stephens, Nate Surdel and Britten Brady.
Nine veterans anchor the lineup for the Medina wrestling squad which will begin tuning up for the Niagara-Orleans League season by visiting Churchville-Chili at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Senior Luke Duffina, who captured the N-O 131 lb. title last year, heads the Mustangs veteran contingent which also includes senior Frankie Stephens, sophomores Ryan Frentz, Tyler Raduns, Cole Herman, Nolan Stanton, Nate Surdel and Britten Brady and freshman Jacob Duffina.
The Mustangs key graduation losses included N-O champions Reece Senske and Brody Fry, who are now both wrestling collegiately, along with Austin Seefeldt and Ethan Carson.
“We lost some key guys but we do have some experience back,” said Coach Eric Gross. “However, our numbers are still pretty low and having the state add a 14th weight class doesn’t help us in filling all the weight classes.”
The Mustangs will also compete in the Byron-Bergen Tournament this coming Saturday before hosting Akron in the N-O opener on December 10.
Eagles focusing on defense and rebounding
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Leading Kendall into the upcoming Genesee Region League season will be this veteran quartet of CJ D’Agostino, Jonny Conte, Jonas Rhodes and Vinnie D’Agostino.
Seven returnees, including four regulars, anchor the lineup for Kendall which will open Genesee Region League competition at home on December 10 against Pembroke.
Leading the Eagles will be the quartet of seniors Jonny Conte, Jonas Rhodes, Vinnie D’Agostino and junior CJ D’Agostino. Also returning are senior Noah Morehouse, junior Caleb Opalecky and sophomore Sammy Conte.
CJ D’Agostino scored 190 points last year, Rhodes 188 and Vinnie D’Agostino 174.
The Eagles roster also includes seniors Brandon Barrett and Pablo Rosario-Reyes along with sophomore Ryan Gaeser.
“Our motto is ‘Better Together'” said Coach Kevin Rhodes. “They are all in on defense. They put all of their energy into defense and rebounding.”
The Eagles season will be highlighted by the Eagles annual tournament on December 29 and 30. The opening round matchups will have Northstar vs. Livonia and Roy-Hart vs. Kendall.
Kendall went 7-8 in G-R action and 9-12 overall last year.
Susan B. Anthony program closes out season for OC Historical Association
Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association
Dennis Carr
GAINES – The Orleans County Historical Association (OCHA) invites the public to their annual luncheon meeting and program at Tavern on the Ridge on December 6th at 12:30 p.m.
Dennis Carr, a founding member of the Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery, will be the guest speaker.
“We are fortunate to have Dennis as this year’s guest speaker,” said Sue Starkweather Miller, OCHA Trustee. “He will discuss The Arrest and Trial of Susan B. Anthony: Strategy, Tactics, and the Struggle to Vote. Dennis is an expert on this topic and has led tours for many years at Mt. Hope Cemetery, where Susan B. Anthony is buried.”
With the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, and its plain language implication that women, as citizens, had the right to vote, master strategist Susan B. Anthony decided to test the Constitution.
She, her sister Mary, and fourteen other Rochester women registered, and then voted in the 1872 federal election, resulting in Anthony’s arrest, trial, and conviction. The registrars and elections inspectors, the women who supported her by voting, the judge who issued the warrant, the arresting deputy U.S. marshal, and her attorneys are all permanent residents of Mount Hope Cemetery.
Front page news across the country, this real-life Rochester drama, gave Susan B. Anthony the deserved reputation as the most effective advocate and leader of the woman suffrage movement.
Lunch is $30 per person. Menu choices are vegetable lasagna, cottage pie or winter salad with chicken breast. Relish tray, beverage and dessert are included. To make your reservations, call Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper at 585-589-4174. You can pay at the door or send a check with your lunch choice to OCHA, 3286 Gaines Basin Road, Albion, NY 14411.
OCHA’s mission is to preserve, restore, and maintain what is significant to the history and antiquity of Orleans County, NY.
Kendall working to repair boiler system in elementary school
KENDALL – Students at Kendall Elementary School aren’t at school today due to heating issues caused by a malfunctioning boiler system.
Nick Picardo, the district superintendent, said Kendall staff and professional company are working to repair the boiler.
“We are hopeful and expect students in grades PreK-6 to return to school tomorrow,” Picardo said.
Government, including Tenney, should work to reduce energy costs, increase energy supply
Editor:
The nation needs more energy and something needs to be done. The current permitting process can take a decade to bring new energy sources online.
There are many solar, wind and battery storage projects waiting to be connected to the grid, but can’t be for lack of transmission capacity. Congress needs to update the permitting process through a comprehensive permitting reform bill.
This legislation would not increase the size of government, but it would reduce energy costs and increase the size of the economy by increasing the energy supply. I am hoping Congresswoman Tenney will co-sponsor a bill to do this.
We at Citizen’s Climate Lobby support real solutions that favor jobs, economic growth and enhance our global competitiveness.
As a lifelong Republican and a member of Citizen’s Climate Lobby, I know that Conservation is Conservative!
Rob Johnson
Medina
Free Art Library at Holley painted in Andy Warhol’s Pop Art style
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The Community Free Library has a Free Art Library outside the library at 86 Public Square. This is a project led by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.
Go Art! also has the free art libraries in Albion outside the Hoag Library and in Medina outside the Author’s Note book store.
At the free art library, people are encouraged to take an art book or art kit, leave an art book or art kit, and spread creativity.
The art libraries have been architecturally designed by Jeff Pasnik, and built and donated by members of the Carpenters Local Union 276. They are artistically painted by Jaylah Sherman.
The art library in Holley is done in a Pop Art style by Any Warhol with his famous painting of Marilyn Monroe and his tendency to do repeating prints.
GO Art! established the art library to make art supplies and resources more accessible to the community, fostering creativity and engagement in the arts. GO Art! wants the libraries includes art kits, coloring books and art books that are freely available for anyone to take and enjoy.
GO Health wants feedback to help people quit smoking, vaping
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) want to hear from you! We are working to make our programs better for people who want to quit smoking, vaping, or using tobacco. Your feedback will help us plan future classes, resources, and support for those who are ready to quit.
“We want our programs to meet the needs of our community,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health. “Whether you’ve tried to quit before, are thinking about quitting, or have already quit, your ideas can help us make our programs more helpful and easier to access.”
The online survey only takes a few minutes to fill out. It’s open to everyone in Genesee and Orleans counties, whether you smoke now, have quit, or are helping someone who wants to quit. Answers will be used to improve GO Health’s programs to help people stop using tobacco.
Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CessationFeedback
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and local support can make it easier. By sharing your thoughts, you’ll help GO Health offer programs that work better for our community.
For more information about GO Health Programs and Services, visit GOHealthNY.org or contact your local health department at:
- Orleans County: 585-589-3278
- Genesee County: 585-344-2580 ext. 5555
Cast of 89 at Wise Intermediate School to perform Elf in Medina
Photo courtesy of Celeste Balaban: Buddy played by Rayna Balaban and Santa played by Henry Dresser are “Happy All The Time” with the elves.
Press Release, Anna Ferlito, musical director
MEDINA – Medina residents will embrace their inner “elf” when Clifford Wise Intermediate students present their production of Elf The Musical JR. The show features 89 fifth and sixth grade students and will premiere on Dec. 4.
Clifford Wise Intermediate School will present Elf The Musical JR. on Dec. 4th and 5th at 7 p.m. at Clifford Wise Auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $3.50, and are available at www.cliffordwise.booktix.com. For more information about the show please call 585-798-2700 ext. 6204.
“Every year the 5th and 6th graders look forward to the musical, and last year when we announced we were doing Elf everyone was ecstatic” says Anna Ferlito, the musical director. “It’s a huge project to put on a show with this many kids, but it becomes a highlight every school year.”
(Left) Eliana Baity-Medina plays the “no nonsense” manager of Macy’s. (Right) Emily and her son Micheal Hobbs played by Charlotte Berry and Davante Major Dixon ask Santa for Walter Hobbs to spend more time with them.
Elf The Musical JR. is based on the 2003 New Line Cinema hit and features songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer) and Chad Beguelin (Disney’s Aladdin On Broadway, The Wedding Singer), a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone).
The musical tells the story of a young orphan who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is given the name Buddy and raised by elves in the North Pole. Buddy lives happily unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth.
With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list, and his stepbrother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of the holidays.
Buddy played by Rayna Balaban gets escorted out of Macy’s by security guards played by Shane Re and Vincent Moriarty.
