HOLLEY – The Holley Central School District is proud to announce that all dual enrollment courses offered at Holley Jr./Sr. High School will now be available to students tuition-free, eliminating any cost burden for families.
Through the district’s continued partnership with area colleges and universities, and as part of the Early College Access (ECA) program through Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES, students who have completed prerequisites and are currently registered for college courses will no longer pay tuition beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
Holley students currently take dual enrollment classes at Brockport State College and Genesee Community College. The new policy from the school district doesn’t include students in the 3-1-3 program at Brockport.
Dual enrollment courses allow high school students to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously, enhancing their academic readiness for higher education while helping to reduce the overall cost of a college degree.
“Investing in dual enrollment is an investment in our students’ futures,” said Brendan Keiser, Director of Teaching and Learning. “By removing the financial barrier to college-level coursework, we are empowering our students to earn college credit and take confident steps toward their postsecondary goals.”
“This initiative reflects our commitment to the goals outlined in our Strategic Action Plan and our Portrait of a Graduate,” said Karri Schiavone, Superintendent of Schools. “By making dual enrollment tuition-free, we are ensuring that more students have access to challenging academic experiences that build confidence, expand opportunities, and prepare them for success in college, careers, and life.”
The Holley Central School District remains committed to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education characterized by rigorous, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences that challenge students, foster their growth, and inspire them to reach their full potential.
For more information, families are encouraged to contact Principal Matthew Feldman at (585) 815-5459.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2026 at 12:37 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Firefighters work to put out a fire in a storage building at 15959 Bridge Rd. in Kendall.
Flames were shooting out from the building and melted some of the siding at a barn next door, but the fire was largely contained to the storage shed. The sandstone smoke house next door also acted as a fire wall and kept the fire from spreading.
Tom Munzert said he was burning weeds with a torch around the shed this morning. He kept a close eye on them and everything seemed fine. He was working outside on a lawnmower when a passerby alerted him to the fire.
The storage building had ATVs, lawnmowers and a mattress inside that were owned by a former tenant, Munzert said.
Kendall firefighters were dispatched to the scene around 11:30 a.m. They were assisted by firefighters from Carlton, Murray, Clarendon and the Hamlin-Morton-Walker Fire District.
Take out the AI boom and the US economy is already in recession. That is a hidden fact.
The Fed resisted raising interest rates but since our bonds sold for less this in effect raised the cost to pay them off just as much as a rate raise would have. 12% of our bonds are held by buyers in the Cayman Islands haven of secret tax-free accounts.
Rich tax cheats have increasing power to manipulate our finances. (Truthfully though the only way to afford to cut taxes is to have the Treasury print money which foreigners buy as debt instruments. Our debt is a monstrous amount and we depend on them to keep buying. We very much need want friends as creditors at this point.)
FinCEN just announced it will end reporting beneficial ownership interests in organizations involved with fentanyl sales. Talk is cheap when at the same time you make it easier to hide and profit.
Current Commerce regs require in return for R&D funds the government in return takes equity interests in the corporations doing the research. (Definitionally that is socialism). MAGA, not progressive capitalists, are socialist culprits.
Our ships near Iran are unharmed they can not be repaired or restocked as our ports in the Mideast were targeted instead. Iran is playing for the long haul while my grocery bills and fuel bills are still going up. And Iran refuses to negotiate with real estate moguls we sent instead of diplomats.
Muslim lists are not being proposed again, like they were 2017, but a high school football star (with a MD and PhD) is being called the central figure in a “jihadist” plot to take the Senate. (Loose words like that must be reserved for our true enemies!)
My point is that there is stuff going on which is being hidden by headline grabbing daily rants. When the Iranian press irritatingly proves to be more accurate than the Secretary of Defense we have a self-defeating problem with credibility. When the President demands neither he nor his family can ever be prosecuted for “tax fraud,” it’s clear thoughts about inflation and how we are doing are things he “really doesn’t care about.”
This is not the US I grew up in and love. Regular people need to turn out to vote and take it back from elite scoundrels. Short of seizing ballot boxes, turn out will make it harder to steal the election.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 18 August 2026 at 10:35 am
Provided photos: These inflatable bounce houses are away the items in the carnival zone on Saturday at Bullard Park.
ALBION – A fundraiser will be Saturday at Bullard Park to benefit Hospice of Orleans. The event was originally planned for July 18 but severe weather that day forced organizers to reschedule the event for this Saturday.
Christina Nenni and Michelle Wiseman of Best of Tymes Party Rentals are leading the event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
A $5 wrist band gives access to all of the bounce houses and games, including the foam pit. There will be face paintings, basket raffles, a 50/50 raffle and other activities.
More than 30 vendors will be there, along with a food truck and Best of Tymes Party Rentals, who will have all their new inflatable games set up with Rowdy Rentalz bounce houses for all ages. As a special bonus, Spiderman will arrive around 1 p.m. to hang out with the kids.
Key Bank is going to match what they raised up to $2,000.
“Hospice is such an amazing organization and is near and dear to my heart and Michelle’s,” Nenni said.
Nenni said her grandmother was served by Hospice in the residence on Route 31. The family is very grateful for the care of her grandmother by Hospice.
“I wouldn’t have survived without them,” Nenni said.
Wiseman said Hospice cared for her mother, with nurses coming to her home and providing exceptional care.
Contributed Story Posted 18 August 2026 at 10:28 am
Contributed Photo – Banes celebrates the playoff championship victories. In front are Rileigh McCabe Sue Seefeldt, score keeper Samantha Heschke, Connie Heschke and Lindsay Chatt. In back are Amy Lavender, Morgan Allis, Teri Schrlau, base coach Bruce Seefeldt, Patti Page, Kathy Allen, Jami Chatt and base coach Mark Allen. Missing from the photo are Sophia Goyette and Krissy Schrlau.
Banes captured the Medina Women’s Softball ‘A’ League playoff championship by sweeping a doubleheader from Jr. Wilson by scores of 14-1 and 10-5 Monday evening.
Banes 14, Jr. Wilson 1
Banes erupted for 10 runs in the first inning to key the win over previously unbeaten (in the playoffs) Jr. Wilson to force a second game for the championship.
Batting around the decisive first inning uprising included singles by Connie Heschke, Jami Chatt, Kathy Allen and Patti Page; RBI singles by Lindsay Chatt, Sue Seefeldt, Amy Lavender, Rileigh McCabe, Heschke, Jami Chatt, Lindsay Chatt and a double by Teri Schrlau.
Banes capped off the win with 4 runs in the fifth on a double by McCabe, singles by Schrlau and Page and RBI singles by Heschke, Jami Chatt and Lindsay Chatt.
Jami Chatt finished with 4 hits as Heschke and Lindsay Chatt both had 3,
For Jr. Wilson, Jessica Rosenbeck and Lizzy Hazel both had 2.
Banes 10, Jr. Wilson 5
Both teams scored 2 quick runs in the first inning. Banes tallied on singles by Heschke, Jami Chatt, Lindsay Chatt and Morgan Allis and Jr. Wilson on a triple by Alyssa Robarge and singles by Hazel, Rosenbeck and Jaclyn Rodriguez,
Jr. Wilson then jumped out to a 5-2 lead by scoring 3 runs in the second inning on singles by Connie Hornquist, Chasity Chinn, Hazel and a triple by Robarge but would not score again.
Banes closed the gap to 5-4 by scoring twice in the fourth inning on an RBI single Rileigh McCabe and a double by Teri Schrlau
Banes then took the lead for good at 7-5 by scoring 3 in the 5th inning on singles by Jami Chatt and single Lindsay Chatt a 2 RBI triple Morgan Allis and an RBI single Kathy Allen
Banes capped off the title clinching win with one run in the sixth on a double Schrlau and RBI double by Page and 2 in the seventh on singles by Allis and Allen and an RBI double by Lavender.
Banes pitcher Sue Seefeldt then made a double play to end the game.
Multiple hitters for Banes were Morgan Allis with 3 including a triple and Schrlau with 3 include 2 doubles.
Playing well defensively were Lindsay Chatt and Morgan Allis in the outfield.
Multiple hitters for Jr. Wilson included Hazel with 4 including a double, Robarge 2 including 2 triples and Rosenbeck 2.
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Rileigh McCabe of Banes gets the out on Lizzy Hazel of Jr. Wilson at third base.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2026 at 8:31 am
Basket raffle on Saturday at Lockstone goes towards museum
Photo by Tom Rivers: The bronze statue of Santa at Waterman Park is shown recently while traffic moves along Main Street. The Albion Betterment Committee is working to develop a Santa School Museum in the brick building in the middle across the street.
ALBION – The Albion Betterment Committee has been awarded a $10,000 grant towards a new roof for the Santa School Museum. A new roof for the building at 128 North Main St. could be at least $70,000.
The Betterment Committee continues to pursue grants and raise money for the roof and the museum. There will be a basket raffle on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Lockstone, 160 North Main Street. Proceeds go to the Santa School Museum.
The event also will include drinks from Cold Brew Coffee, treats from Sav’s Creekside Café, a photo backdrop from The Wed Shed. Jesse Colmenero photography will be there to take photos of families and children. Gary Simboli will be performing music from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. To donate a basket contact Lori Laine at mailgirl2159@yahoo.com.
The $10,000 grant was awarded by the Rochester Area Community Foundation. That organization also approved a $5,000 grant in the spring for new windows at the building.
The Betterment Committee purchased the building in November from the estate of Henri Pulley. The site is 6,600 square feet.
The Betterment Committee is working to turn the vacant two-story site into the Santa School Museum. It will pay homage to the late Charles W. Howard, who created the first Santa School in the world. He ran it on Phipps Road in Albion from 1937 until his death in 1966.
Howard continues to be revered among the people who portray Santa. The Santa School continues in his name in Midland, Mich. Howard also was well known as the Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1948 to 1965. Howard also was inducted as an inaugural member in 2010 of the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame.
The Betterment Committee wants to make the Main Street site into a tourism center that celebrates Santa. The group wants to develop an interactive tourism center with displays about the Charles W. Howard Santa School and Christmas Park, which Howard ran for many years near his farmhouse on Phipps Road.
The Betterment Committee envisions the first floor as interactive exhibits and displays, as well as room for a bakery and food operator. The site could also offer services, including showers, for canal boaters, cyclists and other visitors.
The second floor is envisioned to offer space for artists – painters, potters, and others in need of studio space. The second floor has large windows that let in natural light that would be ideal for artists.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2026 at 7:37 am
The average price for regular unleaded gas was up 5 cents nationally to $4.06 on Monday, compared to a week earlier, while the average price dropped 3 cents in New York State to $4.13, according to AAA.
In Orleans County, the average price went down a cent from $4.30 to $4.29 a gallon.
A year ago the national price was at $3.14 while the average in New York was $3.16, AAA reported.
Diesel prices are up again this week, with the national average at $5.45, compared to $5.30 a week ago. The New York average for diesel fuel is $5.62, up 2 cents from last week, and up from $3.91 last year.
“The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is back on the rise though regional prices remain down,” AAA said on Monday. “While gasoline demand is down, crude oil prices are keeping pump prices higher than normal for this time of year. So far, this is the highest August on record when it comes to the national gasoline average.”
Here are the average prices on Monday in counties around Western New York:
HOLLEY – Come hungry and discover a new local favorite. The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce will host Taste of Orleans on Thursday, August 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Holley Canal Park, bringing local food businesses together for an evening of tasting, live music and community.
Rather than choosing just one restaurant for dinner, Taste of Orleans gives attendees the opportunity to sample their way through Orleans County, enjoying tastings from participating restaurants and food businesses in one location.
Guests are welcome to arrive anytime between 5 and 8 p.m., making the event an easy after-work dinner, date night, family outing or evening with friends.
Admission is just $10 per person and tickets are available by presale only.
In addition to plenty of local flavors, attendees can enjoy live music from V3 throughout the evening, creating the perfect soundtrack for a summer night along the Erie Canal.
Participating food businesses will provide tasting portions for guests, with select vendors also having additional dishes or products available for purchase.
Whether attendees stay for the entire evening or stop by for dinner and music, Taste of Orleans is designed to offer a relaxed way to eat local, discover local and support the Orleans County business community.
For those who prefer to purchase tickets in person, tickets are available at convenient locations throughout Orleans County: Cuppa Joe in Medina, Sourced in Medina, Roots in Albion, and Red, White & Moo in Holley. Tickets can also be purchased online through Eventbrite (click here).
The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce extends a special thank you to: Ticket Sponsor – Cobblestone Federal Credit Union; Band Sponsor – George Bidleman; Event Sponsors – ClearSource, Takeform and Zambito Realtors.
Matthew Ballard’s recent letter (“Use real data, rather than emotions, in spending tax dollars to address crime,” Aug. 3) attempts to dismiss community concerns over criminal justice reform as mere “appeals to emotion.”
However, in his eagerness to champion academic models over local realities, Mr. Ballard overlooks the concrete operational costs, fiscal burdens, and logical fallacies embedded in today’s reform environment. My final reply. We are of completely different mindsets.
First, Mr. Ballard relies heavily on the concept of “victimless” or “quality-of-life” offenses, arguing they should not be met with punitive measures. But no crime occurs in a vacuum. When low-level offenses and repeat shoplifting are left unaddressed, the harm does not disappear—it is simply transferred to local small businesses and taxpayers.
Furthermore, Mr. Ballard completely ignores the massive hidden costs imposed on rural municipalities by New York’s Criminal Procedure Law (CPL 245) discovery mandates. Gathering, redacting, and cataloging digital files, body-cam video, and paperwork under strict statutory deadlines requires dedicated compliance staff, software licenses, and extensive officer overtime. When local law enforcement and district attorneys are forced to expend limited county tax dollars just processing paperwork for repeat offenders, taxpayers pay a very real price. That is not an emotional anecdote; it is an administrative and fiscal reality for rural counties like Orleans.
Second, Mr. Ballard presents a flawed comparison when he attempts to benchmark Second Amendment rights against violent crimes such as rape, incest, or child molestation. This analogy breaks down on basic legal and moral principles. Crimes of violence are committed by willful actors who actively choose to disregard the law and violate another person’s fundamental rights. In contrast, exercising a constitutionally protected Second Amendment right is the lawful act of a responsible citizen.
Conflating the actions of bad actors who break the law with the rights of law-abiding citizens shifts focus away from individual personal accountability. Society must punish the criminal who chooses to commit a heinous act, rather than restricting the rights of peaceful citizens or minimizing the harm caused by those who defy the law.
Data and academic research certainly have a seat at the table. However, when “data on paper” is used to downplay local municipal budget strains, small business losses, and basic standards of personal responsibility, it isn’t superior policy—it’s simply ignoring the total cost of the equation.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 17 August 2026 at 7:03 pm
Photos by Charyl Wertman – The Albion/Medina OC Rivals varsity runs through a play during this afternoon’s first fall preseason practice session at Albion.
Preparations began in earnest for the fledgling Albion/Medina OC Rivals football team’s debut season with the start of fall preseason practices this afternoon at Albion.
After a series of summer camp sessions over the last couple of months, this three week preseason, which will include a scrimmage on August 29, will get the squad set for the OC Rivals historic first game on Thursday September 3 at Akron on the Tigers new artificial turf field.
“I’ve been coaching for 30 years and this is a super exciting chapter,” said Head Coach Eric Valley. “I’m very excited and have very high expectations of what we can have with this team. It’s a challenge but I know our coaches are up to it.”
“Everything has been going good,” said quarterback Preston Woodworth. “Everybody knows each other which really helps.”
“It’s really been going good,” agreed lineman Jackson Snook. “Everyone has the same goal and that goal is to win.”
“It looks like we have a lot of kids who can compete for spots and they have been picking up our system very well,” said Valley who points to the importance of having larger numbers on the merged squad. “Safety is always paramount and having larger numbers than if we had separate teams makes for a better team. Now you don’t have to put kids in positions they are not ready for.”
The OC Rivals Varsity, JV and Modified teams will be practicing at Albion this week and at Medina next week.
Albion/Medina becomes the 15th merged schools team among the 62 Section VI football squads.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2026 at 4:18 pm
Canalside Tattoo has now raised more than $100K in 5 years for Cat by Cat Inc.
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Dawn Dyson, left, of Middleport gets a Buffalo Bills tattoo on Sunday by Melissa Freebern as part of the Caturday fundraiser at Canalside Tattoo in Medina.
The fifth annual event raised just over $30,000, topping the $29,000 from last year. In five years, Caturday has now raised over $100,000 for the Medina team of Cat by Cat Inc.
The organization is trying to rein in the feral or community cat problem in Orleans County. Cat by Cat seeks to humanely “TNVR” cats through targeted trapping. Cat by Cat focuses on a TNVR model – Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return.
Dawn Dyson, 58, got her first tattoo 11 years ago. She said a Buffalo Bills tattoo has been on her list.
Freebern traveled from lake George to be part of Caturday where 14 tattoo artists donated their time and talent. The tattoos were $100 each and the artists did about 100 altogether.
Ellen Blanc, front left, and Kim Desantis greeted people at the gift basket auction where 180 baskets were available.
Shannon Blount, leader of the local Cat by Cat, thanked the community for donating so many quality baskets. She also appreciated the big crowd of people that bought tickets for the gift baskets.
Shannon Blount checks in on some cats that were available for adoption.
The fundraiser will pay for veterinarian costs, cat food, litter and other supplies.
Cat by Cat’s Medina team last year was able to TNVR 150 cats in the community. The organization took in 130 cats and adopted out 90 cats last year.
So far this year Cat by Cat has taken in 107 cats and adopted out 56, Blount said.
“The need is great but the resources are scarce,” she said.
The local group has about 10 volunteers who drive cats to vet’s appointments in Blasdell and Hamburg for spay and neutering services, which is done at a discount. There also is a network of about 10 foster homes for the cats while they are waiting to be adopted.
Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo, puts a Buffalo Bills tattoo on Marissa Stanley of Gasport. She went to her first Bills game on Saturday, a preseason win over the Carolina Panthers, 29-14, which was the first home game in the new Highmark Stadium.
Stanley said she adopted a cat “Opie” through Cat by Cat. She wanted to support the organization at the fundraiser and also get a new tattoo.
Ramsey and five of the Canalside tattoo artists were joined by eight visiting tattoo artists for Caturday. The 14 in total was up from the 13 last year.
Ramsey said he appreciated the big response from the community to support Cat by Cat.
Shannon Blount and Shawn Ramsey, who are engaged, turned Canalside Tattoo into a festive atmosphere for Sunday’s fundraiser.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2026 at 3:58 pm
State Police are reporting that a missing teen-ager from Orleans County has been located and is safe.
State troopers out of Albion on Sunday asked for the public’s helping in locating Carmella Rowe, age 16. This afternoon, the State Police reported she has been located.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2026 at 9:02 am
Candidates for governor, state offices campaign in Orleans
Photos by Tom Rivers: Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive who is running for governor, speaks at the Orleans County Republican picnic on Sunday at the Clarendon Historical Society. Behind him are Assemblyman Steve Hawley, left, and Todd Hood, right, who is Blakeman’s running mate for lieutenant governor. Hood is the sheriff of Madison County.
MURRAY/CLARENDON – The Republican candidate for governor made two campaign stops on Sunday in Orleans County and blasted the state’s top leadership for putting New York on a pathway to ruin due to excessive taxes, high utility bills and an embrace of socialist principles.
“Our state is in a death spiral,” said Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive.
He is challenging Kathy Hochul, the incumbent. A Siena poll last week showed Blakeman is gaining. Hochul has the edge, 49 to 39 percent. In a June poll, he trailed 52 to 32 percent among registered voters.
“Kathy Hochul is the most pro-criminal governor in the United States of America,” Blakeman said.
Bruce Blakeman speaks at a “Ride for the Blue” rally on Sunday afternoon on Countyline Road in Murray. About 150 people attended that rally. He is joined from left by Virginia McIntyre, a Monroe County legislator running for Congress against Joe Morelle of Rochester; State Sen. Rob Ortt; Joe Hernandez, candidate for comptroller against Tom DiNapoli; and Todd Hood, the lieutenant governor candidate and Madison County sheriff.
Blakeman faulted Hochul for supporting bail reform and Raise the Age that that raised the age of criminal responsibility in New York to 18 for non-violent offenses, putting most 16- and 17-year-old offenders into family court rather than adult prisons. Hochul also backed the HALT Act, which many correction officers opposed enough to go on strike at prisons throughout the state. The HALT Act limited how prisons could punish inmates with solitary confinement.
Blakeman said the changes have tipped the scales with criminals and prisoners gaining more rights and power over law enforcement officers.
He called Hochul “Comrade Kathy” for her support of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, he was elected as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Other members of the DSA have recently won Democratic primaries in Buffalo, Syracuse and New York City.
“We are in a battle for the soul of New York State,” Blakeman said about the rise of the DSA. He worries there will be a shift away from capitalism to socialism.
“She has aligned herself with Mamdani the Commie,” Blakeman said.
He faulted Hochul for providing state aid to illegal immigrants and said he would work closely with ICE to remove undocumented immigrants from the state.
Blakeman also said he embraces tapping into the natural gas in the Southern Tier. The Marcellus Shale could bring tremendous prosperity to the Southern Tier while bringing down utility bills, he said.
“When I become governor it’s ‘Drill baby, drill!’” he said at the Republican rally at Clarendon.
Joseph Hernandez, a son of Cuban immigrants, is running for state comptroller against Tom DiNapoli. Behind him are State Sen. Rob Ortt, left, and Bruce Blakeman.
Hernandez fled with his family from Cuba when he was 7. Hernandez went to Florida public schools, and then earned degrees from the University of Florida, Yale University and the University of Oxford. A biotechnology entrepreneur, he has founded 12 companies.
Hernandez said he would aggressively pursue fraud in Medicaid and any abuse of tax money.
“Albany is not an honest place,” Hernandez said. “I will bring a blow torch to it.”
State Sen. Rob Ortt urged people to get out and vote for Republicans. Ortt is the Republican conference leader of the State Senate. He said Democrats only need to flip one seat and they would have a veto-proof majority.
Ortt’s district includes Orleans, Niagara and part of western Monroe counties. He said he will be very busy campaigning for Republican candidates across the state for the Senate.
“I’m going to bust my ass,” he told a crowd of over 100 people at the picnic in Clarendon.
Ortt said Hochul, despite being a Western New Yorker from Hamburg, has lost touch with the local community. He said she has yet to meet with families in Niagara County with properties contaminated by radioactive waste. Blakeman has met with them in person.
“If it happened in Westchester County or Manhattan, you bet your ass she would be there,” Ortt said.
He said leadership is about showing up and Hochul hasn’t done that for the families in Niagara County.
During the “Ride for the Blue” rally, Ortt said he continues to be amazed that such a ride is needed. But he said Democrat policies have painted law enforcement as the bad guys.
“I’d like to get in a place where our elected officials back the blue,” Ortt said. “Kathy Hochul doesn’t have law enforcement’s backs or ICE’s back. Bruce Blakeman will work with ICE.”
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley said more extreme Democrats are winning primaries and poised to go to the 150-member Assembly. He sat near Mamdani when the NYC mayor was an assemblyman. He said Mamdani has “a fake smile” and is pushing socialism.
He said Hochul, who once represented WNY in Congress, “has lost her way” by supporting Mamdani and other far left politicians.
Hawley accompanied Blakeman to other campaign events on Sunday in Batavia and then in Pike for the Wyoming County Fair.
Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke spoke against “crazy” pro-criminal legislation.
“It’s probably never been a tougher time to put on the uniform than it is right now,” Bourke said at the Ride for the Blue rally. “There are issues with morale. You got out and make a great arrest and the judge doesn’t have the ability to consider dangerousness (of the individual).”
Bourke said the criminal justice state legislation “have been devastating to victims, to communities, to law enforcement and in many times the defendants who would be better sitting in a cell and getting some treatment.”
He urged support for Blakeman and the Republican candidates.
“These crazy socialist Democrats, listen, they are riding high on their supply, if you know what I mean,” Bourke said.
Virginia McIntyre, a Monroe County legislator, is running for Congress against Joe Morelle of Rochester. McIntyre said Morelle has embraced big money donors and lost touch with the district.
She said she would lead the Republican Party in being more connected to the City of Rochester.
She regretted there has been a portrayal of police officers as bad guys.
“Law enforcement are the ones who can help you when you’re exploited,” she said. “Local police are our neighbors, our brothers and our sisters.”
After the political speeches, there was about a 50-mile Ride for the Blue. These vehicles are lined up near a large American flag at the start of the ride at David Paul’s property.
