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Month: December 2015
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12-year-old serves at OK Kitchen as part of year of giving back
Provided photo: Pictured form left include Brycen Potter, Blair Allchin, Matthew Schomske, Liam Skowneski and Tres Allchin.
ALBION – An Albion boy chose to spend part of his 12th birthday on Thursday serving food at the Orleans Koinonia Kitchen. Tres Allchin recruited helpers: his sister Blair, mother Courtney Henderson and friends Brycen Potter, Matthew Schomske and Liam Skowneski.
Tres wanted to give back instead of having a birthday party with his friends, his mother said. Serving at the kitchen is the beginning of a year-long “Tres takes 12” effort to help at different non-profit organizations at least monthly throughout the year.
“We were so thankful and blessed to have had Tres and his friends come and serve the community,” said Faith Smith, the OK Kitchen director. “They even stayed at the end and helped clean up, wiping tables down and then vacuuming. It was such a blessing to have this crew serving.”
The OK Kitchen served 690 meals on Thursday, and those meals were based on Tres’ favorite food of cornbread. The kitchen served BBQ chicken, pasta salad, cornbread and birthday cake, cupcake and cookies.
Tres and his friends want to come back to help at the OK Kitchen, Tres mother said.
“He understands that he has immense privilege and that unfortunately not everyone gets dealt that hand and he would like to help better other people’s lives in any way he can,” Henderson said.
Mustangs face key N-O season ending diamond series against Lakemen
Having already clinched at least a tie for the title, Medina will be looking to lock up the Niagara-Orleans League baseball championship outright as the Mustangs close out the regular season with a home-and-home series against Wilson on Monday (at Wilson) and on Tuesday (at Medina), both at 4:45 p.m.
The magic number is now one as the Mustangs enter the final week of the N-O campaign with a 9-1 record and a two-game lead over both Wilson and Roy-Hart, which are deadlocked in the runner-up spot at 7-3. Roy-Hart will wrap up with a home-and-home series against Barker on Monday and Tuesday.
The annual N-O All-League track meet will be held at Wilson on Wednesday.
Weekly Schedule
Monday
Baseball – Medina at Wilson, Albion at Akron, Barker at Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.
Softball – Lyndonville at Alexander, Holley at Attica, Kendall at Oakfield-Alabama, 5 p.m.
Tennis – Albion at Roy-Hart, Barker at Medina, Newfane at Akron, 4:30 p.m.
Lacrosse – Starpoint at Medina, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Baseball – Wilson at Medina, Akron at Albion, Roy-Hart at Barker, 4:45 p.m.; Pembroke at Kendall, 5 p.m.
Softball – Roy-Hart at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; Lyndonville at Notre Dame, 5 p.m. at GCC
Tennis – Barker at Roy-Hart, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Baseball – LeRoy at Medina, 5 p.m.; Section VI seeding meeting
Softball – Notre Dame at Albion, 4:45 p.m.; Section VI seeding meeting
Tennis – Akron at Albion, 4 p.m.
Track – N-O All-League meet at Wilson, 4 p.m.
Thursday
Baseball – Section V seeding meeting
Softball – Section V seeding meeting
Friday
Baseball – Roy-Hart at Kenmore East, 5 p.m.
Saturday
Baseball – Roy-Hart at St. Mary’s, Lancaster, 1 p.m.
N-O Standings
Baseball – Medina 9-1, Roy-Hart 7-3, Wilson 7-3, Newfane, 7-5, Akron 4-6, Albion 2-8, Barker 0-10
Softball – Barker 12-0, Wilson 9-3, Roy-Hart 7-4, Albion 6-6, Akron 5-6, Medina 2-10, Newfane 0-12
Tennis – Albion 10-0, Akron 9-1, Wilson 7-4, Roy-Hart 4-5, Barker 3-6, Medina 2-8, Newfane 0-11
George Kennan enthusiast travels from Arizona to Medina to honor the centenary of his death
Kennan chronicled difficult conditions in Siberia in 1865-’67
Livia Hamel placed flowers on the grave of George Kennan in Boxwood Cemetery.
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 4, No. 14
MEDINA – Livia Hamel travelled from Phoenix, Az. to Medina this weekend, specifically to honor the centenary of the death of her favorite author, George Kennan, who died on May 10, 1924.
The 23-year-old, who works at Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert laboratory in Scottsdale, Az., was suitably dressed for the occasion in a striking Cossack outfit.
A voracious reader and history enthusiast, Livia’s introduction to George Kennan resulted from a reading of the Dostoyevsky novel, Crime and Punishment.
Intrigued by the novel’s references to Siberia, Livia sought out additional reading material on the region and chanced upon George Kennan’s two-volume book, Siberia and the Exile System. Published in 1891, Kennan’s vivid, heartfelt, and unforgettable descriptions of the horrors of the treatment of political exiles and prisoners in Siberia generated a public outcry in this country and established Kennan as the foremost advisor on Russian affairs.
Livia then read Kennan’s Tent Life in Siberia, his lively account of his 1865-67 journey across the wilds of Siberia. He had been hired by the Russian American Telegraph Company as part of a team sent to survey the possibility of connecting North America and Europe by means of an overland cable route.
Livia was captivated by Kennan’s zestful retelling of the team’s many hair-raising adventures. They experienced extreme temperatures (68 degrees below zero), traveled along steep knife-edged precipices during blinding storms, encountered a variety of nomadic tribes, and sampled alcohol made from fermented toadstools.
By then, Livia was well and truly a George Kennan fan. She read and researched as much as she possibly could. She admires the energy of his written work, and the sincerity of his involvement with the Siberian exiles.
Kennan was born in Norwalk, Ohio in 1845, but came to live in Medina in 1871 since he needed employment upon his return from his Russian adventure. His brother, John, was president of the Union Bank in Medina at the time and George was hired as a bank teller there.
Livia was intrigued to walk in Kennan’s footsteps, from the home at 200 West Center St., where Kennan first lived with his brother to the Union Bank (currently Avanti’s). She also visited Bent’s Opera House, where Kennan lectured on many occasions.
“Welkenna” at 127 West Center St., the home of George and Emeline Kennan, was photographed in the late 1930s when the Post Office was being built.
George also met the love of his life on this West Center Street block. Emeline Rathbone Weld lived but a stone’s throw from John Kennan’s home, on the now vacant lot on the southeast corner of West Center and West Avenue. They were married in 1879 and then divided their time between the Weld home in Medina, Washington, DC, where Kennan was employed by the Associated Press, and a summer home in Baddeck, Nova Scotia.
Throughout his career, Kennan maintained a hectic pace of traveling, lecturing, and writing. Ill-health and advancing age forced him to slow down and the couple retired in 1920 to their Medina home “Welkenna.”
George “suffered two strokes of apoplexy” in early May 1924 and died on May 10, aged 79. Reporting on his death, the Buffalo Times described him as a “noted lecturer, traveler and adventurer.” The Medina Tribune published some of the many telegrams of condolence sent to Emeline, including one from the National Institute of Arts and Letters which commended “his glorious and immortal achievements.”
The Kennan gravestone includes an emblem designed by George and Emeline.
Dr. David Fairchild of Washington, DC, a prominent botanist, and son-in-law of Alexander Graham Bell, traveled to Medina for the funeral. He selected a burial site at Boxwood Cemetery for Kennan that peacefully overlooks Glenwood Lake. The grave’s flat marker was all but unreadable in recent years, until it was cleaned in 2023 by Friends of Boxwood organizers, Nikki and Todd Bensley.
It is gratifying to see a continued interest in George Kennan. Additionally, Gregory J. Wallance published a new book on Kennan in 2023, Into Siberia: George Kennan’s Epic Journey Through the Brutal, Frozen Heart of Russia. Wallance is another unabashed admirer of Kennan’s writings and adventures.
Accompanied on this trip by her parents, Robert and Grace, (Kennan devotees-by-proxy), Livia visited the Medina Historical Society and the Medina Railroad Museum.
Livia continues with a visit to New York, where she plans to access the Kennan papers at the New York Public Library and tour the Guggenheim Museum.
Incidentally, George Kennan performed a reading from Crime and Punishment at the home of Mrs. D.A. Acer at 212 Park Ave. in Medina, on November 3, 1922.
*The books referred to in this article are available for loan, free of charge, from your favorite library.
After 60 years in appliance business, Frenchy Downey to retire May 25 on 94th birthday
Photos by Tom Rivers: Everett “Frenchy” Downey has been selling and repairing televisions and appliances for the past 60 years in Albion. He plans to retire on May 25. He is shown in the showroom that he built in the late-1960s at 13576 Ridge Rd.
ALBION – Everett “Frenchy” Downey has been selling and repairing televisions, stoves, laundry machines, refrigerators and freezers for six decades in Orleans County.
He has loved the job connecting with people throughout the county, especially when he went to fix something.
Downey said in a way he felt like a doctor, reviving an ailing appliance. He acknowledges he is a child of the Great Depression, and felt giving extra life to a TV or other appliance saved his customers from buying new.
If they needed to purchase used or new, he kept a showroom with the leading brands – Magnavox, Zenith, Crosley, Speed Queen, Norge and many others.
Downey has had amazing longevity in a business that is dominated by much larger operations. But Frenchy will soon be retiring – on his 94th birthday on May 25.
Downey’s dog Herbie, a 12-year-old Shih Tzu, is a mainstay at Frenchy’s. He barks when people pull in. “He’s my buddy,” Downey said.
He hurt his back last year moving a freezer and doctors tell him to stay away from heavy lifting, or face severe consequences.
“I have loved what I’ve been doing every day,” Downey said today in the showroom at Frenchy’s at 13576 Ridge Rd. “I got to know a lot of people. I always have thought of my customers as my friends. I want to help them if I can.”
Downey has about a dozen appliances left to sell – a freezer, four electric stoves, one gas stove, and laundry machines.
Downey worked with his father on a tomato farm by their home on Ridge Road until he was 30. In 1960, the tomato processors closed their Albion plants, and the farmers “were left high and dry,” Downey said.
He then worked a year at the Ralston Purina plant on West Academy Street in Albion. He made $1.25 an hour and did every task imaginable in the plant, and even drove truck. But he never got a raise so he left.
He worked three years for the Marquart Furniture store in Albion, but the owner cut them to four days a week. Downey was married with children, and four days of work didn’t pay his bills, so in 1964 he ventured off on his own. He started Frenchy’s TV and Appliances on Bank Street, next to the police station.
At the time, Albion had parking meters, and the police wrote many tickets if Frenchy’s customers lingered a little too long. It was a big deterrent to his business, so after two years downtown he decided to build a showroom next to his house on Ridge Road.
Business immediately improved with the ample parking – and no tickets.
Frenchy’s has been a mainstay on Ridge Road. Not only his business, but a 2,000-foot grass air strip next door. Downey and his son-in-law Mike Troy have been flying planes on the airstrip for many years. For Downey, he started flying in 1968. He earned his pilot’s license and bought a 1946 Taylorcraft airplane that he still owns. He also built his own plane, as well as the hangars for the aircraft.
Frenchy Downey is shown with a 1946 Taylorcraft airplane, which he has had since 1968. Downey also built his own plane. He earned his pilot’s license in 1968 after his barbershop quartet broke up.
Downey was in a barbershop quartet, but the group split up. When it did, he had more free time and pursued a love of flying that he kept up until last year. The bad back has sidelined him from the skies.
Downey is often joined in the showroom by his dog, Herbie, a 12-year-old Shih Tzu that barks when cars pull in. Downey admits he is a little hard of hearing and the dog alerts him to customers. Herbie also is a great companion. “He’s my buddy,” Downey said.
For the first 40 years of his career in TV and appliances, Downey’s late wife Dorothy was with him, doing the dreaded bookwork that her husband despised.
After her death about 20 years ago, Frenchy has been doing all the ordering, the paperwork for warranties, the tax filings, insurance and everything else.
“The only thing I’m happy about with retiring is no more bookwork,” Downey said. “All of that paperwork isn’t up my alley.”
Downey said he kept working all of these years because he enjoyed the job, but also because it isn’t a lucrative business and he needed to keep going.
“There’s not a lot of money in it, and it’s difficult with all the costs to be in business,” he said. “All of those expenses, insurances and business costs, they bleed you death. People don’t understand what it costs to be in business. People get into it and think you’ll get rich, but you don’t.”
But Frenchy said the business has made him rich in other ways. He counts numerous friends from all over the county.
Bloomfield downs Medina in lacrosse contest
Scoring 4 of the last 5 goals, Bloomfield posted a 9-6 win over visiting Medina in a non league lacrosse game this afternoon.
Bloomfield, which is coached by Medina High graduate Joe Sidari, jumped out to leads of 2-0 at the end of the first quarter and 4-2 at the half.
Medina did battle back to tie the contest at 5-5 in the third period on a goal by Will Prest but could not gain the lead.
Bloomfield answered with a pair of goals to close the period to regain the lead for good at 7-5 and then used a 2-1 fourth quarter scoring edge to lock up the win.
Dylan Lonnen and Lucius Wagner both scored 2 goals for Medina as Prest and Kole Campbell each netted 1.
Bloomfield is now 7-7 and Medina 7-8.
Medina will close out the regular season by hosting Starpoint in an interdivisional game at 5 p.m. Monday at Vets Park.
Lady Eagles romp to non league victory
Erupting for a total of 14 runs over the first three innings, Kendall went on to defeat Northstar 17-3 in a non league softball game this morning.
Maggie Zastrow, Brooke Rodas and Grace Robb each had 3 hits and Isabella D’Agostino 2 to lead the Kendall offense. Rodas and Zastrow both had doubles among their hits.
In the circle, Danielle Offhaus pitched a 3 hitter with 10 strikeouts for the Lady Eagles which improve to 7-10.
Holley dropped a pair of games 32-10 to East Rochester and 12-9 to Byron-Bergen.
Desiree McCormack had 3 hits against ER including a triple while Leigha Walker and Alexis Vanameron both had a pair of hits against B-B.
Medina ‘9’ posts non league win over City Honors; Will East nips Roy-Hart
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lukas Grimes delivers a pitch for Medina during the Mustangs non league win over City Honors at Vets Park this afternoon.
Improving to 14-1 overall, Medina downed City Honors (11-2) 5-1 in a non league baseball game at Vets Park this afternoon.
Lukas Grimes went the distance on the mound for the Mustangs allowing 3 hits and striking out 9.
Medina grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Preston Woodworth singled and came home on a sacrifice fly by Richard Keppler.
The Mustangs later put together a decisive four run fifth inning scoring burst on an RBI single by Aidan Papaj, a passed ball and a two-run single by Brody Fry. A double by Ryan Pegelow ignited the key uprising.
City Honors’ lone run came in the seventh.
Medina next visits Wilson at 4:45 p.m. Monday as the Mustangs seek a win to claim sole possession of the Niagara-Orleans League title.
The Mustangs who are 9-1 in N-O action, have already clinched at least a tie for the title. The Lakemen and Roy-Hart, both at 7-3, are still in the title chase.
Medina will then host Wilson in the N-O season finale on Tuesday.
Williamsville East 5, Roy-Hart 4
Williamsville East nipped visiting Roy-Hart 5-4 in a non league contest as Carmen Panaro hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to earn the Flames the victory.
Roy-Hart had pulled ahead at 4-3 with a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Jake Gould.
The Rams also grabbed an early 3-0 lead by scoring twice in the first inning on a home run by Brayden Hy and once in the second on a passed ball.
Now at 10-6 overall, Roy-Hart next hosts Barker at 4:45 p.m. Monday in an N-O contest.
Independent voters, Haley supporters are keys to thwarting Trump and threats to democracy
Editor:
Donald Trump’s coalition of angry, paranoid, power-hungry, money-hungry, racist, and low-information voters is not going away.
Former RNC Chairman, Michael Steele (a host on MSNBC) points out that even after Nikki Haley dropped out her motivated voters made their dissatisfaction clear by turning out in meaningless primaries. They are partisan Republicans – tied by friendship, tradition and belief – but walked right across the MAGA line. Steele thinks Haley voters and independents are key to the election.
In the current Trump trial, the former president already appealed the gag order to stop threatening and intimidating witnesses. He can not stop himself. But it’s Mafia bosses who make threats, not innocent people or Presidents. Trump and MAGA mimic the mob. That is what good people hate and fear.
Trump is even welcoming back convicted felons with Russian ties to run his campaign. That is outrageous stuff but it’s happening. MAGA entertainers leave that news on the cutting room floor.
This New York trial is the least serious matter. A not guilty does not invite dictatorship. But with one juror who gets his information from Trump’s Truth Social, I suspect a hung jury. Even so if you look Fox is completely editing out damning trial evidence to keep it from voters. It’s keeping the fiction going. Trying to elect someone who will keep its ratings up.
On the other hand real history is instructive. Here are a few examples:
In the 1859 election the North rejected a “fixed” slavery oriented Supreme Court and threats of war by the South and elected a forward-looking country lawyer named Abraham Lincoln. Freedom won out.
The Tilden Hayes election in 1880 resulted in the counting laws which Pence followed on Jan. 6th. They secured the state certification process. Secure elections won out.
The Great Depression was fixed and WWII kept from spreading here by a crippled Franklin Roosevelt. He was elected to invest in labor and not the rich. That started the boom which continued through to the Reagan tax cuts which actually ignored labor with its fake “supply side” promises – fake economics. Roosevelt also sided with freedom’s friends, our friends, in the war and won. The best of democracy showed through.
This year we have to keep war in Europe, make sure the Mideast doesn’t blow up, and continue to bring our economy to a soft landing. And we have to stop Trump’s threats to impose rules and laws which can only happen under a dictator with the full immunity he demands.
(Meanwhile, speaking of dictatorship, Trump held a meeting last month with oil executives at Mara Lago illegally promising repeal of environmental laws in return for a billion in campaign contributions.)
Election season is coming and informed voters will find Biden does not talk like, expressly revere, or act like a Capone who demands allegiance from those who blindly support him – or express admiration for dictators who are the enemy of freedom.
MAGA will survive in some form. Our job is to talk freely and not let Trump and entertainers have the last word. All the news has to be discussed and we need to let those on line know that there are friends of democracy here to embrace them. That’s being a real American.
Respectfully,
Conrad F. Cropsey
Albion
Medina has 5 Spring Scholar-Athlete teams
Contributed Photos – SOFTBALL – The Medina varsity softball team has earned a New York State Public High School Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award by compiling a composite average of 96.26. In the front row are Natalie Herbert, Lilah Class, Samantha Heschke, Molly Cook and Eva Lacy. In the top row are Lorelei Sanders, Iyla Lilleby, Baleigh McAdoo and Sophia Goyette. Missing are Makenzie Alvarez, Breanne Demmer and Taylor Frentz.
BASEBALL – Compiling a composite average of 92.8965 the Medina baseball team has earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. In the front row are Ryleigh Culver, Richard Keppler, Henry Winters, Julian Woodworth, Brody Fry, Aidan Papaj and Camden Fike. In the top row are Vincent Gray, Ryan Pegelow, Lukas Grimes, Brady Christiaansen, Preston Woodworth, Kolton Fletcher and Brandon Christiaansen. Missing is Carter Woodworth.
GIRLS TRACK – Compiling a composite average of 92.221, the Medina girls track team has earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. In the front row are Neveah Moss, Aurora Owczaraczak, Emiliana Batista, Tatianna Maxon, Penelope Schalck, Rhoswyn Oakes and Gabriella Velez. In the top row are Faith Baker-Austin, Madelynn Rutledge, Madelyn Lewis, Ariel Smith, Payton Denniston, Madeline Mark, Cayla Seever and Cecelia Farruggia. Missing are Jayla Brady, Heyleigh Brewer, Katelyn Hilobuk and Saniyyaha Wilson.
LACROSSE – The Medina lacrosse team has earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award by compiling a composite average of 94.14. In the front row are Jack Cecchini, Tyler Kroening, Jason Beyer, Austin Seefeldt, Gavin Dahlhaus, Jake Dunn, Cameron Kenward and Sawyer Kingsbury. In the top row are Dylan Lonnen, Will Prest, Kole Campbell, Tyler Allen, Jackson Clute-Gilbreath, Cole Callard and Brennan Allen. Missing are Ethan Carson, Liam Castricone, Luke Duffina, Ayden Johnson, Xavier King, Jacob Rissew and Lucius Wagner.
TENNIS – The Medina tennis team has earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award by compiling a composite average of 91.1019. In the front row are Trey Kinne, Michael Clark, Talia Ruff, River Jones, Levon Fuller, Logan Trillizio and Devin Kinne. In the top row are Mackenzie Sword, Angel Mulcahy, Allie Smith, Bailey Lusk, Grace Smith and Maria Vasquez. Missing are Aydan Kichbush and Paisley Pasnik
Hospital continues brunch to recognize current and retired nurses
Photos by Ginny Kropf: A group of retired nurses share memories during the Nurses’ Recognition Brunch. Clockwise, from left, are Dorothy Casey, 42 years as an LPN; Mary Lou Tuohey, 10 years as a charge nurse and relief supervisor; Joanne Bracey, almost 29 years as an ER nurse; Paula Dresser, an RN with 30 years in OB, administration and surgery; Jeanne Crane, RN, infection control nurse and risk manager; and Cheryl Kozielski, almost 35 years in OB, med/surgery, ER, OR and supervision. About 50 active and retired nurses attended the brunch.
‘Each of you, whether currenting practicing or retired, has dedicated your life to the noble pursuit of caring for others.’
MEDINA – Last year Kim Gray, chief nursing officer at Orleans Community Health, came up with the idea to have a brunch to honor current and retired nurses during Nurses Week.
As Nurses Week ends this year, Gray is thrilled to announce the Nurses’ Recognition Brunch has become an annual tradition.
Approximately 50 retired and active nurses from all areas of the hospital attended the brunch Friday morning.
Gray greeted the full room, praising each and every one for choosing nursing as a profession.
“Each of you, whether currenting practicing or retired, has dedicated your life to the noble pursuit of caring for others,” Gray said. “Your incredible dedication to healthcare has left an immense mark on this hospital and the countless lives you’ve touched in this community. Your years of service to this hospital’s history is a testament to your commitment to healing and compassion.”
Karen Irwin, a retired nurse in risk management at Medina Memorial Hospital, and her grandson Langston, 3, attended the second annual Nurses’ Recognition Brunch Friday morning. Here, she chats with Paula Dresser, who was a nurse for 30 years at the hospital.
Gray encouraged each nurse to remember the lives they’ve helped save, the comfort they’ve provided and the hope they’ve instilled through the years to their patients and their families.
“I want to say ‘thank you’ from the bottom of my heart for coming out this morning to be here,” she said. “I pray we can keep this brunch an ongoing tradition to celebrate Nurses’ Week.”
Dorothy Casey of Medina was an LPN at Medina Memorial Hospital for 42 years, and thought the brunch was great.
“Working in a small rural hospital was the experience of a lifetime,” Casey said. “What you learned here gave you all-rounded experience, so anybody would hire you.”
Nurse Leighann VanAuker shared she was born at Medina Memorial Hospital, was treated there several times as a child and did her clinical training there.
Kim Gray, chief nursing officer at Orleans Community Health, talks with Mary Williams, retired human resources director; Elaine Smith, retired nurse; and her husband Charlie Smith, a semi-retired registered nurse who will have 35 years with the hospital in October.
Charlie Smith, an RN, is semi-retired, and plans to keep working until October, when he will have completed 35 years.
“He’s everywhere you need him,” Gray said.
Smith’s wife Elaine is also a retired RN.
The Smiths sat with Mary Williams, retired Human Resources director. Charlie and Williams went to nursing school together.
The nurses were asked to fill out cards on the tables listing any funny or meaningful stories from their careers, which they wished to share.
A gourmet brunch completed the morning get-together.
Gray said everyone seemed to have a good time, and she’s already looking forward to next year.
In addition to the brunch, nurses were recognized throughout the week with small gestures and gifts, said Scott Robinson, director of Marketing at Community Partners. One day flowers were handed out, bags of candy on other days and additional gifts throughout the week.
“The organizers really deserve a lot of credit for putting this all on,” Robinson said.
Northern Lights dazzle in night-time sky
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – A spectacle in the sky of the Northern Lights drew any onlookers to Point Breeze on Friday night. Social media started to lighting up around 10 p.m. with photos and exclamations about the wonder.
I headed down to Point Breeze around 11 p.m. The colors weren’t as brilliant as some of the photos I saw posted but it’s still an awesome sight.
These two were among the people taking in the Northern Lights around 11 p.m. at Point Breeze.
NASA said this was one of the more intense CMEs (coronal mass ejections) in nearly two decades.
Kerri Richardson sent in these photos taken from her home in Barre. Richardson said the sky “was sooo cool.”
Destin Danser of Adventure Ahead Photography shared this photo of the Northern Lights taken from the shore of Lake Ontario in Kendall.
Daniel Patrick Hurley sent in this photo of the Northern Lights from Lattin Road in Albion.
Pam Moore sent in this photo of the scene looking out from her home in Barre. “Well it took almost 62 years to see such beautiful lights like this in our area! God’s Masterpiece for sure!”
Chelsea Dumbleton sent in these photos from Lake Alice in Carlton.
Melissa Gailie of Albion took this photo of the Northern Lights over Lake Ontario.
Late surge earns Kendall 9 inning win
Kendall erupted for five runs in the ninth inning to outlast Oakfield-Alabama 11-6 in a Genesee Region League game this afternoon.
Three errors and a pair of fielders choice plays drove in the decisive runs for the Eagles as two walks and a bunt single by Sammy Conte ignited the uprising.
The Eagles had tied the game at 6-6 with a run in the seventh inning on an error after singles by Jimmie Swift and Nate Shaw and an error had loaded the bases.
Earlier, Kendall jumped out to a 4-1 lead as Swift had a two-run single in the first inning and Jonny Conte a two-run single in the second.
CJ D’Agostino finished with 3 hits for the Eagles as Vinnie D’Agostino, Jonny Conte, Louis Conte and Swift each had 2.
Shaun Alexander had 5 hits for Oakfield-Alabama.
Lady Bulldogs complete 12-0 N-O title season
Barker capped off a perfect 12-0 Niagara-Orleans League softball championship season with a 4-2 victory over Roy-Hart this afternoon.
Peyton Bradley hurled a 2 hitter with 12 strikeouts in the circle for the Lady Bulldogs.
Rachel Sutter had RBI singles in both the second and fifth innings for Barker which also got RBI singles from Macie May in the fourth frame and Madyson Flint in the sixth.
The N-O championship is the third for Barker which claimed the title outright in 2003 with a perfect 14-0 record and then shared the crown with Wilson in 2007 as the two teams finished with identical 9-3 records.
Akron 5, Albion 3
Breaking away from a 3-3 deadlock, Akron nipped Albion as Shannon Esmond hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
In the circle for the Lady Tigers, Sloan Jonathan gave up 4 hits and struck out 11.
Cami London hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give Albion the early lead.
Akron will close out the N-O season by hosting Roy-Hart on Tuesday.
N-O Standings: Barker 12-0, Wilson 9-3, Roy-Hart 7-4, Albion 6-6, Akron 5-6, Medina 2-10, Newfane 0-12.
Mustangs clinch tie for N-O diamond title
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Preston Woodworth hurled a no hitter as Medina scored a five inning run rule victory over Barker at Vets Park this afternoon to clinch at least a tie for the Niagara-Orleans League championship.
Clinching at least a tie for the Niagara-Orleans League championship, Medina romped to a 16-0 five inning run rule victory over Barker this afternoon at Vets Park.
Improving to 9-1 in N-O action, Medina holds a two game lead over runners-up Wilson and Roy-Hart, both at 7-3, with two games remaining.
The N-O title is the third in the last four years for the Medina which will close out the N-O season with a key home-and-home series against Wilson on Monday (at Wilson) and Tuesday (at Medina).
Preston Woodworth picked up the win on the mound for the Mustangs as he hurled a sparkling no hitter with 10 strikeouts.
Medina took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning on a leadoff home run by Julian Woodworth and an RBI sacrifice fly by Brody Fry which plated Aidan Papaj who had tripled.
The Mustangs then broke the contest wide open by exploding for 8 runs in the second inning highlighted by a two-run double by Carter Woodworth and RBI doubles by Papaj, Ryleigh Culver and Richard Keppler.
Medina also had a big 6 run fourth frame as Fry and Preston Woodworth both singled in a pair of runs.
During this recent title surge the Mustangs captured the N-O championship outright in 2021 by going 12-0 and then shared the crown with Roy-Hart in 2022 as the two teams finished with identical 10-2 records.
Medina’s Vinny Gray slides into second base as Barker’s Isaac Monaco gets the ball.
Roy-Hart 12, Albion 4
Trailing 1-0, Roy-Hart used a 4 run s econd inning to take the lead for good against visiting Albion as the Rams went on to down the Purple Eagles 12-4.
Sean Mettler had a two-run single in the second as Isaac Smith and Rem Albee both added RBI singles.
The Rams tacked on a pair of runs in the third as Dawson Draper homered and Ethan Kuzma tripled and came home on an error.
Albion rallied back to cut the deficit to 6-4 by scoring three times in the fifth on a single by Andrew Boyce, a fielders choice and a passed ball as singles by Elliott Trapiss and Nate Gibson.
The Rams finally put a lock on the win by scoring 6 times in the sixth inning highlighted by a three-run triple by Jake Gould.
Draper had 2 hits on the day as did Trapiss and Gibson for Albion which slips to 2-8.
Akron 4, Newfane 3
Akron pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by winning pitcher Jack Julicher to nip Newfane 4-3.
Newfane had tied the game at 3-3 by scoring twice in the top of the seventh on a double by Aiden Parry and a single by Jon Beiter.
On the mound, Julicher allowed 4 hits and struck out 12.
N-O Standings: Medina 9-1, Roy-Hart 7-3, Wilson 7-3, Newfane 7-5, Akron 4-6, Albion 2-8, Barker 0-10
