By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2025 at 3:36 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Mayor Marguerite Sherman, center, leads a group in downtown Medina this morning after they saw the inside of the Bent’s Opera House, which has been dramatically transformed into a restaurant, hotel and event venue.
There were about 85 people in medina today as part of the World Canals Conference in Buffalo. The conference split up into four different field trips today.
Medina and Lockport were one stop with a focus on how history, preservation and the arts can lead to economic revitalization.
Sherman during her remarks to the group said many in Medina contribute to the community’s success. She said Medina is fortunate to have many committed downtown business owners, and civic groups that plan events and help beautify the business district.
This group visited the First Baptist Church of Medina, which was built from 1870 to 1873 and is one of 43 sites in the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.
The canal enthusiasts took a look inside the historic Baptist Church. While in Medina, the group of 85 split into four different groups.
The Medina Triennial was a stop on the tour. The Triennial will bring a major art initiative into the community in 2026. The Triennial building will serve as the “Hub” for cultural programming.
In the downtown, the group also toured the Shirt Factory building which has a café, boutique hotel and law offices.
Photo courtesy of Isabella Zasa: The tour included a stop at one of the marvels of the canal system, the Canal Culvert in Ridgeway. This is the only place where vehicles can drive under the canal.
The Orleans/Niagara BOCES recently named its Employees of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year.
Employees are nominated by their peers and a committee selects an awardee in each of these categories: Administrator, Clerical, Continuing Education, Custodial/Maintenance, Staff Specialist, Substitute, Teacher Aide and Teacher.
Rachel Ross is the Administrator of the Year. Rachel has worked for Orleans/Niagara BOCES for one year and is the principal of the Godfrey Learning Center and the Orleans Learning Center.
“My favorite part of the job is the people,” she said. “I feel so lucky to work with such great students and staff every day.”
Ross said she was shocked when her name was announced at the opening day celebration. “It hit me emotionally. I think it is clear indication that I am on the right path and doing the right things. There is no better feedback to guide and affirm your practice than this. I am grateful for the feedback.”
Penny Aikin is the Clerical Person of the Year. Aikin has spent 39 years in Continuing Education, five years as a Keyboard Specialist and the last 34 as a Secretary. She is also a certified TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) Test Administrator which allows her to test adult students part-time in the evenings at our Lockport Literacy Zone located at 50 Main Street. Penny loves working with adult students.
“Our Literacy Program offers adults in the community assistance whether it is someone who needs their GED, someone needing to learn English or students seeking to obtain their citizenship,” she said. “The work that I do as a Data Manager has helped to insure we are the number one literacy program in New York State. I love my job as it enables me to work directly with an awesome literacy staff and to interact frequently with students all having different goals and needs.”
Aikin said it is an honor to be recognized for the work she does each and every day.
Erica Kopp is the Continuing Education Employee of the Year. She has worked at Orleans/Niagara BOCES for 19 years and says her favorite part of her job is teaching and helping people move forward in their lives.
“Many of our students come in carrying regret or embarrassment about not finishing high school,” she said. “It takes so much courage and determination to complete the program. Supporting them through that journey is incredibly meaningful. I was truly surprised and very appreciative of my colleagues choosing me! We have so many dedicated teachers and I honestly could not believe I was selected.”
Donald Duncanson is the Custodian/Maintenance Person of the Year. He has been working at BOCES for 4 1/2 years.
“My favorite part of my job is meeting new people every day and solving and fixing problems,” he said. “I feel very honored to have been chosen. I work with great people and it makes my job easy and enjoyable.”
Laird Burkett is the Staff Specialist of the Year. Laird has worked at BOCES as a Computer Technician for eight years. He said his favorite part of his job is helping people do their best work.
“I listen to teachers and staff, simplifying the technology behind the scenes, and support our team so solutions last,” Burkett said. “When a classroom runs smoother because we planned together, that’s the most rewarding part.”
He said winning this honor was very humbling. “Any success I’ve had comes from bringing people to the table, hearing their needs, and doing the follow-through together.”
Jennifer Jourdain is the Teacher of the Year. Jennifer works at the Niagara Academy and is on her 21st year at ONBOCES.
“What I love about my job is that the students I work with have typically had nothing but negative school experiences at their home district,” she said. “When they enter our alternative program, I love seeing these students gain confidence in their ability and find success for themselves in school.”
She said she felt honored when announced as the teacher of the year. “It was great to receive this award following a year of feeling respected and valued by the organization I work for. I look forward to being part of the BOCES culture moving forward.”
Teresa Armstrong is the Teacher Aide of the Year. “I was shocked!” she said about the recognition. “It was a wonderful surprise to be recognized by my peers.”
Armstrong has been at Orleans/Niagara BOCES for 22 years and is at the Niagara Academy. “My favorite part of my job is making connections with not only the students, but also my colleagues as we strive to make a difference in our students’ lives.”
Ron Jackson was named the Substitute of the Year. Ron worked as a welding teacher at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center until his retirement in 2024. He filled in as a teacher in the welding program for part of the school year.
“I started on my birthday, February 18th in 2019,” he said. “I had to laugh, I’ve worked in power plants for 32 years and let’s just say, we didn’t get any snow days there! My first day teaching was a snow day. I hadn’t had a snow day since 1979!”
When asked what his favorite part of his job was, his answer was, “That’s hard to answer. It really wasn’t a job to me. It was the most rewarding opportunity I have ever had the pleasure of doing. So, I guess I would say it would be having the opportunity to pass on my life’s lessons to anyone who would listen.
“My passion has always been in welding, but my goal was to teach kids to be employable first and welding second. I do miss being part of something bigger than myself. It is the best job I have ever had. I am very honored to have received this and all I can say is from the heart, thank you for this wonderful opportunity to work with some of the most caring and dedicated people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.”
For too long, primary care parents in Orleans County have been railroaded by a family court system that claims to serve justice, yet routinely operates in secrecy, without medical expertise, and with little regard for the real impacts on children and families.
Until COVID, Judge Sandy Church held family court proceedings in the large, public courtroom upstairs—where the community could witness the decisions that shape lives. Today, those cases are pushed into a smaller, first-floor courtroom, out of sight, away from the eyes and accountability of the public. Why hide, if there’s nothing to hide?
Even more alarming: prior to the pandemic, Judge Church had the benefit of a mental health advocate who sat in on court sessions. That advocate would meet with him in chambers after hearings to provide context, education, and a professional perspective on mental health and addiction.
This safeguard helped ensure that families weren’t dismantled by a lack of understanding. Now, that safeguard is gone. Families are being judged—and too often punished—based solely on one man’s opinion, without medical guidance, without professional input, and without accountability.
We cannot allow a system that decides the fate of children and parents to operate in darkness. Family court should not be a place where stigma outweighs science, or where ignorance of mental health is allowed to destroy lives. It should be transparent, informed, and accountable to the public it serves.
Our community deserves better. Orleans County deserves a family court that prioritizes the well-being of children, respects the rights of parents, and seeks professional expertise before issuing life-altering decisions.
Until then, every parent who enters that courtroom is at risk of being failed—not because of their ability to parent, but because of a system designed to silence and control rather than support and understand.
It’s time for change. And it starts with us demanding it.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2025 at 9:58 am
Photo by Aidin Bharti/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul – Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks on Monday during the opening of the World Canals Conference in Buffalo, which is during the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial year.
MEDINA – The World Canals Conference is in Buffalo this week, and today a group of about 85 people will be in Medina as one of four field visits with the conference.
In Medina, the group will visit the Medina Triennial headquarters, the Bent’s Opera House, Canal Culvert in Ridgeway, the First Baptist Church, Shirt Factory and downtown. The group will be on two buses and will head over to visit Lockport around noon.
The Medina-Lockport field trip has a focus on how art and history have helped spur downtown revitalization.
Other field trips include North Tonawanda and Lockport with a focus on waterfront revitalization and economic development; Niagara Falls and the Welland Canal with a focus on the Underground Railroad and freedom seekers who crossed the Niagara River to live in Canada.
A field session in Brockport and Fairport shows how those canal communities use the historic waterway for recreation, access, and accessibility.
The Seneca Chief, a replica of the Erie Canal boat that carried Gov. DeWitt Clinton across the canal for its maiden voyage in 1825, will depart Buffalo on Wednesday morning to recreate the governor’s famous trip from 200 years ago.
The Seneca Chief will embark on a 33-day journey that will end in New York City on Oct. 26, the official anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal. The boat will reach Medina on Thursday and stay overnight before continuing east on Friday to Brockport.
During remarks on Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted 2025 as the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial year. About 500 people are in Buffalo for the conference.
“The Erie Canal is more than a waterway; it is a symbol of perseverance and progress,” Hochul said. “Two hundred years ago, it stood as a marvel for innovation and determination fueling America’s growth and opening pathways of opportunity. Today, as we celebrate its bicentennial, I am honored to welcome the world to Buffalo, my hometown, for the 2025 World Canals Conference. Together, we will carry forward the Erie Canal’s legacy as a global symbol of connection, commerce, and possibility for the next century and beyond.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Seneca Chief is shown in Medina on Aug. 12, 2024. The boat is a reproduction of the original 73-foot-long Seneca Chief boat that opened the Erie Canal in 1825. It was the first boat to travel the canal from Buffalo to New York City. It will be back in medina on Thursday before heading east on Friday to Brockport.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 23 September 2025 at 9:35 am
Contributed Photos – Local players competing in collegiate soccer this season is this trio of, from left, Holley graduate Chris Mosier who is a freshman forward at Genesee Community College, Roy-Hart grad Peter Martillotta who is a junior forward at Russell Sage College majoring in Physical Education and Holley grad Cameron Bates who is a junior midfielder at Keuka College majoring in Sports Management.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 September 2025 at 8:45 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: A group walks down East Shelby Road on Oct. 7, 2023 for the 35th annual walk/run for the Knights-Kaderli Fund. The Knights and Kaderli families estimate that more than $1 million has been used from the fund since it was established, helping cover some of the utilities, co-pays and other bills for people fighting cancer in Orleans County.
MEDINA – For the past 37 years, the community has gathered for a walk/run to support patients living with cancer in Orleans County.
The Knights-Kaderli Walk/Run began when two families – those of Richard Knights and Sue Kaderli – decided to join their fundraising efforts in memory of their loved ones into one event.
“This year we are happy to celebrate our 37th annual Knights-Kaderli Walk on Oct 4,” said Stacey Knights Pellicano, Knights-Kaderli board member and daughter of Richard Knights. “This is our favorite time of year. We look forward to being with all of our supporters. If you have ever participated in our event, you understand the energy of that day. It gives us hope and unites participants.”
The walk/run will begin at 11 a.m. Oct. 4 at East Shelby Volunteer Fire Hall. Registration fee is $20 and participants are encouraged to ask their friends and neighbors for small sponsorship donations. Every dollar helps, Pellicano said. There is also a large basket raffle for the Knights-Kaderli Fund that morning at the East Shelby Firehall.
The 5K will continue as an untimed walk/run, so registrants can participate in a leisurely walk with family and friends, or set their watches for a 5K run. As always, participants and the community are encouraged to participate in their basket raffle. Lunch will be served immediately after the race and guests may eat outside under the pavilion. Everyone is urged to photograph their experience and tag Knights-Kaderli on Facebook and Instagram at #KnightsKaderli5K for some fun prizes.
Richard Knights and Sue Kaderli were both lifelong residents of Orleans County. Knights died from cancer at age 38 in 1984. Kaderli passed away from the disease at age 52 in 1989.
“They were both known for their spirit of community and we are honored to remember them in this way,” Pellicano said.
Funds are raised through annual events and various contributions made by individuals, organizations and memorials.
For more information or financial assistance, contact Mary Zelazny at (585) 746-8455, Melissa Knights Bertrand at (716) 983-7932 or Pellicano at (716) 998-0977.
Participants may register for the walk/run online (click here). Those unable to participate are asked to consider a direct donation through Venmo@knightskaderli.
Photos courtesy of Friends of Boxwood: The Burroughs family plot is shown at left. Shawna Baldwin recites Edgar Allan Poe (right).
Press Release, Friends of Boxwood Cemetery
MEDINA – The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery, in Medina, are excited to announce the fourth annual, “Boxwood at Night: See the Cemetery in a New Light.”
This year’s event will be on October 4. Tickets cost $20 and there will be two time slots: 7 to 8 p.m. and 8 to 9 p.m. The time slots are when you can enter. Once you are checked in, you are welcome to stay until the event ends at 9:30 p.m.
Tickets are limited to the first 300 people so you will want to get your tickets before they sell out.
“Guests will take a leisurely walk through the cemetery at their own pace in a relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere,” said event co-chair, Nicole Bensley. “I’m especially excited by the new entertainment and the partnership with Paradise Fest NY to provide even more dramatic lighting to the cemetery.”
This is the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery’s biggest fundraiser of the year and the funds will go to completing the Potter’s Field memorial.
Tickets are available during business hours at the English Rose Tea Shoppe and Thistle Ridge – both places are on Main Street in Medina. Tickets will also be available at the Canal Village Farmers Market in Medina on Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. As an added convenience, you may also purchase tickets using a credit card by going online.
Raffle tickets will also be available to purchase at the Farmers Market booth and again at the event.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO Art!
“We are proud to partner once again with GO Art! to make this a special event for the community,” said Robbie Klino, president of the Friends of Boxwood Cemetery. “It is through their generous support, and the support of businesses and individuals throughout the community that will allow us to put on a spectacular night of entertainment featuring several local artists.”
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 September 2025 at 9:18 pm
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Lillian Maynard works to get around Akron’s Rilyn Snyder during this evening’s Niagara-Orleans League game at Vets Park which was won by the visiting Lady Tigers.
Seven players scored goals as Akron blanked Medina 9-0 in a Niagara-Orleans League girls soccer game this evening at Vets Park.
Rilyn Snyder and Kylie Karmazyn both scored two goals for the Lady Tigers as Olivia Novak, Brooke Warren, Hannah Liss, Clara Bogdan and Naomi Romesser each netted one.
Akron is now 2-2-1 and Medina 0-3 in N-O action.
Roy-Hart 2, Newfane 1
Roy-Hart improved to 4-1 in N-O action with a 2-1 win over Newfane.
Maria Trombley scored both goals for the Lady Rams as Ruth Walker and Kaylie Churchill had the assists.
Stephanie Chunco scored Newfane’s goal on a penalty kick.
Wilson 7, Albion 0
Front running Wilson shutout Albion 7-0 to improve to 4-0.
N-O Boys Soccer
League leading Wilson improved to 4-0 with a 12-0 win over Albion which slips to 1-2-1 and Roy-Hart lost to Newfane 4-1.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 September 2025 at 8:49 pm
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Emily Dill serves up a point during the host Lady Tigers 25-22, 25-17, 26-24 Genesee Region League volleyball loss to Attica this evening. Dill had 4 kills on the evening, Hannah Fox 6 kills and 2 aces, Leah Kenyon 5 kills, Ainsley Vann 3 kills and Elena Barry 1 ace. In another G-R match Oakfield-Alabama downed Holley 25-23, 25-17, 25-17. For O-A, Kendall Newbould has 7 aces, Chloe Luttrell 6 kills and Bella Andrews 3 aces. For Holley, Ali VanAmeron had 6 kills and 4 aces and Desiree McCormick 5 kills.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 September 2025 at 8:36 pm
Getting back onto the winning track, Medina rolled to a 6-0 win at Akron in a Niagara-Orleans League boys soccer game this afternoon.
Aleks Seefeldt scored two goals as Luke Duffina, Caden Kingsbury, Aidan Papaj and Izzy Anderson each chipped in with one for Medina which bounced back from last week’s 4-1 loss to front running Wilson.
Seefeldt, Anderson, Kingsbury, Vinny Gray, Owen Sargent and Colvin Poole each had an assist.
River Jones earned the shutout in goal as Duffina, Sargent, Ryan Pegelow and Jimmy Dieter anchored the defense.
The Mustangs are now 3-1 and the Tigers 1-2 in N-O action.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 September 2025 at 8:24 pm
Roy-Hart scored a straight set 25-8, 25-23, 25-22 win over Lockport in a non league volleyball match this evening.
Grace Pearl had 11 kills, Lauren Snyder 8 kills and 4 aces, Zoe Healy 4 kills, Peyton May 6 aces and Ryleigh Capen 25 assists to lead the way for the Lady Rams.
Byron-Bergen 25-25-25, Albion 18-10-8
Byron-Bergen bested Albion 25-18, 25-10, 25-8 in another non league volleyball match.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 September 2025 at 4:25 pm
Provided photo: Those who attend the class will receive a free disaster preparedness kit.
KNOWLESVILLE – There is still time to register for citizens preparedness class set for this 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Trolley Building of the Cornell Cooperative Extension on Route 31.
September is National Preparedness Month, and the Emergency Management Office in Orleans County is working to educate the community on how to prepare.
The class on Thursday is free, but registration is required – simply to ensure that National Guard can bring enough emergency kits to distribute to those who attend.
The mission of these training classes is to give residents the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible. The course provides an introduction to responding to natural or man-made disasters.
Participants are advised on how to properly develop family emergency plans and stock up on emergency supplies. Those who attend a class will be given a free NYS Disaster Preparedness Kit (one per family) containing key items to assist in the aftermath of a disaster.
“For our community, these classes are extremely beneficial in helping the everyday resident to prepare for the different weather events that impact us,” said Justin Niederhofer, the county’s emergency management director. “The classes are taught by the Army National Guard and offer a quick synopsis of various events experienced regionally, the impact they had and how individuals and families can take steps to minimize the impacts of similar events in the future.”
To register for the event, visit www.prepare.ny.gov and click on the training calendar to find the event you would like to attend.
