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By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 5 September 2024 at 9:44 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s large veteran volleyball group includes, in front, Grace Pearl, Lila Brigham, Lauren Snyder and Ella Martillotta. In back are Brooklyn Schumacher, Raegen Kern, Aubree Parker and Emily Livergood.
Finishing in the runner-up spot last year, Roy-Hart returns its lineup almost intact as the Lady Rams take aim at making a strong run for top Niagara-Orleans League volleyball honors this season.
Roy-Hart will tune up for Tuesday’s N-O home opener against Wilson by visiting Lyndonville this evening at 6:30 for a non league match.
Seniors Ella Martillotta and Lila Brigham and junior Raegen, who all earned first team N-O All-League honors last fall, along with senior Emily Livergood and junior Grace Pearl, who both received Honorable Mention, head the Lady Rams veteran group.
The Lady Rams other returnees include seniors Brooklyn Schumacher and Aubree Parker; juniors Ryleigh Capen, Peyton May and Kylie McOmber and freshman Lauren Snyder.
Roy-Hart went 8-2 in N-O action last fall finishing just behind champion Akron (9-1) and just ahead of Wilson (7-3) in a close three-way title race.
Those standings make next Tuesday’s opener against Wilson more interesting as it was a season opening loss to Wilson which ended up costing Roy-Hart a share of the N-O title. The Lady Rams split their two matches with Akron which swept Wilson to claim the title outright.
Contributed Story Posted 5 September 2024 at 9:38 am
Contributed Photo – Many years of service umpiring high school and youth league baseball games was recognized and honored as Tim Pierce was presented with the Lockport Umpires Association’s Joe Kibler Award at the Association’s recent banquet. Here Pierce receives the award from Dan Barrancotta, Association Treasurer, Michael Stover Association President and Mark Sobierski, Board member.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Strand in Brockport will host a free showing on Sunday of an inspirational film about a small church in Texas where members adopted 77 children in the local foster system.
The Orleans County Department of Social Services’ Safe Harbour program announced it is sponsoring a free showing of the movie Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, this Sunday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Brockport Strand Theater, located at 93 Main St. in Brockport.
Tickets are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot is the true story of Donna and Reverend Martin and their tiny church in East Texas. The Martins adopted two hard-to-place children from the foster system and encouraged others to do the same. The result was that 22 families adopted 77 children from the local foster system, igniting a movement for vulnerable children everywhere. The movie was released earlier this summer.
Cynthia Stumer, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, said the theater is reserved for the Orleans County Safe Harbour program for this showing. While the tickets are free, individuals are responsible for their own transportation and any concession stand purchases. The movie is rated PG-13. All youth must have a chaperone to attend.
“We are very pleased to provide this free showing of a truly inspirational film and hope people will take full advantage of this opportunity and join us,” said Stumer.
While tickets are first come, first served basis, preference will be given to Orleans County residents.
Those wishing to attend should please email safeharbour@orleanscounty.gov with the number of tickets that you are requesting for your immediate family, including how many youth & how many adults.
For the purposes of Safe Harbour, a youth is an individual under 21 years of age. Therefore, if you have a 20-year-old that is attending, please count them as a youth.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 5 September 2024 at 7:52 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health Foundation has announced the appointment of three new members to its board of directors.
They are Matt Backlas, Barbara Outten and Jennifer Buondonno. Backlas is a web developer with Websystems. Outten is owner of Maple Ridge Storage and Buondonno is assistant branch manager of Tompkins Community Bank.
All bring a set of skills that will help to future the foundation’s efforts to strengthen health services to the community, said Scott Robinson, director of marketing, communication and outreach at Orleans Community Health.
“I am very happy to welcome our new board members,” said Jeanne Crane, board president. “New members bring new ideas and new energy.”
Executive director Megan Johnson added they are thrilled to welcome the three to the Orleans Community Health Foundation board.
“Their diverse expertise, community involvement and passion for our mission will be invaluable in fundraising to advance the care and services provided by Orleans Community Health,” Johnson said.
The Orleans Community Health Foundation looks forward to the contributions of its new board members and their role in supporting the Foundation’s mission to enhance community health and well-being.
The new members join Crane, Foundation vice president Gloria Brent, treasurer Clark Godshall, secretary Pam Canham, governing board chair Shannon Blount, OCH president/CEO Marc Shurtz, Matthew Kennedy, Nicole Goyette and Scott Robinson.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 September 2024 at 8:24 pm
Lyndonville returned to boys varsity soccer competition after a year’s absence this evening as the Tigers dropped a 3-0 decision to host Attica in a season opening Genesee Region League game.
Breaking away from a scoreless contest, Attica broke the game open with a lightning quick two goal scoring burst in the first four minutes of the second half. The Blue Devils other goal came seven minutes later.
Lyndonville will next open the home portion of the season by hosting Newfane at 5 p.m. Friday in a non league contest.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 September 2024 at 8:16 pm
Improving to 3-0, Akron downed Albion 214-257 in a Niagara-Orleans League golf match this afternoon at Hickory Ridge.
Cam Wild took medalist honors with a 37 for Akron as Brodie Hill added a 41, Aiden Romesser a 42 and Thunder Hallett a 43.
Oliver Beach shot 46 and Owen Spencer and Viktor Snyder both had rounds of 49 for Albion in what was the Purple Eagles season opening match.
In the other N-O matches Barker downed Newfane and Roy-Hart bested Wilson both by forfeit wins as neither the Panthers or Lakemen had enough players to score as a team.
Nate Popovich led Barker with a 47 while Newfane’s Caleb Rivera took medalist honors with a 42.
Isaac Smith and Blake Snell both shot 45 and Evan Poeller 49 for Roy-Hart while Wilson’s Ben Meyers earned medalist honors with a 44.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2024 at 4:24 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Orleans County Treasurer’s Office opened Tuesday at the former Bank of America branch at 156 South Main St., next to Subway.
Pictured from left this afternoon at the front window include Roxie Basinait, senior account clerk; Kristen Snell, senior account clerk; Alisha Richardson, principal clerk; and County Treasurer Kim DeFrank. Missing from the photo include deputy treasurer Melynda Brown and Susan Proietty, a part-time account clerk.
The Treasurer’s Office is at the former Bank of America site, which has a drive-through and is handicapped accessible with no stairs to climb for the general public.
County Treasurer Kim DeFrank praised the county Department of Public Works for moving the office from a historic building at 34 East Park St. just in time for school tax collection season. The Treasurer’s Office collects the taxes for Albion, Lyndonville and Medina school districts.
Treasurer Kim DeFrank sits in her new office today. She said the public has been positive so far about the drive-through and not having to go up any stairs to get inside.
The office was on East Park Street for 44 years. The Orleans County Legislature last September voted to pay $250,000 to buy the former bank site, which had been vacant since the bank closed the branch in Albion on Aug. 15, 2017.
There is still some finishing touches to do on the building, including signage and some interior touch-ups.
The county is tentatively planning a ribbon-cutting after the 4:30 p.m. Legislature meeting on Sept. 24.
The staff members are shown inside the Treasurer’s Office with the drive-through window in back. From left include Roxie Basinait, Kristen Snell, Alisha Richardson and Kim DeFrank.
The interior has been repainted with new carpet added. The cubicles and other office furniture were moved over beginning early last week.
The Treasurer’s Office still operated on East Park Street up to 5 p.m. on Friday, with 2 staff members using folding tables and a printer.
On Tuesday at 9 a.m., the office opened at the former bank site, a day after the Labor Day holiday.
DeFrank said she didn’t want the office to close to the public while it was being moved to 156 South Main.
“We didn’t miss a beat,” she said.
The building also includes a basement where many old records are stored, with tax rolls going back to 1994.
The Treasurer’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The drive-through should be entered through the adjoining plaza’s parking lot.
For tax payments, the office accepts cash, check and VISA, Mastercard and Discover cards, with an additional fee for credit cards.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2024 at 2:43 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
RIDGEWAY – Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper leads a tour last month at the West Ridgeway Cemetery on Route 104 at the Marshall Road intersection.
The cemetery opened in 1810 when the area was still under jurisdiction of Genesee County. (Orleans County became independent of Genesee in 1825. Next year is the bicentennial of Orleans.)
Catherine Cooper highlights some of the early settlers who are buried at the cemetery.
The first burial was in 1810 after a 12-year-old girl died from rabies after getting bitten by a dog. She is in an unmarked grave.
The first marked grave was in 1814.
The site was known as the Barrett Cemetery until 1870, when it became the West Ridgeway Cemetery.
Cooper said the early pioneers needed to tame a wilderness. Seymour Murdock is one of the pioneers in the cemetery. He camped for six weeks in a wagon while building a house. It also took him 2-3 days each way to get to Batavia and the Holland Land Office to buy land for $2 to $2.50 an acre, Cooper said.
Those early settlers were drawn by the prospect of cheap land. Others were refugees from the War of 1812 who had their homes burned out by the British and then moved east into Ridgeway and Orleans County, Cooper said.
Catherine Cooper talks with Gordon Grimes, president of the cemetery association that oversees the active cemetery. Grimes said there is typically about 11 burials a year at the cemetery, but that is down to three this year with two cremations.
The tour on Aug. 4 started at a chapel in with windows in a Gothic architectural style on the back side and Romanesque in front. The building was constructed in 1899. From left include Catherine Cooper, retired county historian Bill Lattin, and Todd Bensley, Medina historian.
Catherine Cooper shared about some recent community leaders in the cemetery.
Charles R. Owen, a staff sergeant in the Army during World War II soldier, was a recipient of Purple Heart and a prisoner of war. He shared his POW experience during community talks, including with local schools. He died at age 90 on Nov. 21, 2012
Richard Knights, who died of cancer in 1984 at age 39, continues to be honored by his family as part of the Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund that supports families battling cancer in Orleans County.
Richard’s father William C. Knights (1917 to 1973) also is buried at the cemetery. He was elected to the State Assembly and died from injuries in a car accident on Feb. 5, 1973, just a few weeks into his term.
Warren P. Towne, a principal at Medina, was a leader of a school after centralization in the 1950s. Medina named one of its school buildings in his honor.
Milford Phinney, who led the Phinney Tool & Die company in Medina, also is at West Ridgeway. He was a prominent community leader with the Boy Scouts, Lions Club and Shelridge Country Club.
The Mason monument is one of the most striking at the cemetery. Cooper shared how Oliver and Martha Mason endured the loss of three young daughters to sickness. Their son Theodore died at Great Bend, Nebraska on Nov. 28, 1874 at age 24. Martha travelled by train to Kansas to bring his body home. She went about 3,000 miles in seven days.
The tour on Aug. 4 was one of four of local cemeteries last month organized by the Orleans County Historical Association.
ROCHESTER – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced support for legislation to better protect kids’ privacy and safety online.
Rep. Morelle was joined by educators in support of the Kids Online Safety (KOSA) Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection (COPPA 2.0) Act, bipartisan legislation that will address the student mental health crisis by cracking down on Big Tech’s ability to promote dangerous and predatory content to children.
“We are at a critical inflection point in our relationship with the internet and its impact on our everyday lives. The evidence is clear on the direct harm social media and Big Tech is having on our children—we have a moral obligation to take action before it gets even worse,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “As kids go back to school, this issue is top of mind for parents and grandparents everywhere. I’m proud to support bipartisan legislation to address this crisis head on and protect children from data collection, harmful content, cyberbullying, stalking, and other exploitative actions and practices online. The internet should be a positive resource and safe place for everyone, which is why I’m working tirelessly to pass these bills into law.”
There has been a recent rise in suicide attempts and negative mental health reports among students in the United States. The National Institute of Mental Health officially considers suicide to be a “major public health concern” and reports suicide as a top three leading cause of death among Americans aged 10-34.
In Rochester, according to the 2023-2024 Monroe County Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nearly one out of every four students reported feeling “so sad or hopeless… that they stopped doing their usual activities” and 11% of students reported seriously contemplating suicide.
There is research to link this decline in mental health to a rise in social media prevalence and usage. According to the U.S. Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), up to 95% of 13-17 year old Americans report using at least one social media platform, with nearly one-third of that group reporting “almost [constant]” usage. HHS also reports children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety and 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse.
The legislation Rep. Morelle co-sponsors seek to limit the influence of social media on young people, all while giving parents more transparency and control over what their children see online.
Specifically, the Kids Online Safety Act would:
Outline a set of harms to minors—including the promotion of suicide, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and certain unlawful products for minors like narcotic drugs, tobacco products, gambling, and alcohol—and require tech companies to take reasonable measures to prevent and mitigate them;
Require social media companies to enable the strongest possible privacy settings for kids by default and provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features, and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations;
Give parents new controls to help protect their children and spot harmful behaviors, and provides parents and educators with a dedicated channel to report harmful behavior and require platforms to substantively respond in a timely manner;
Empower parents and inform policymakers about individual social media platforms’ efforts to reduce risks to kids;
Direct covered platforms to implement controls to protect against stalking and exploitation of children;
Additionally, COPPA 2.0 would:
Build on the original COPPA, which created protections for children under 13 years old, by prohibiting internet companies from collecting personal information from users who are 13 to 16 years old without their consent;
Ban targeted advertising to children and teens;
Create an “Eraser Button” by requiring companies to permit users to eliminate personal information from a child or teen when technologically feasible; and
Establish data minimization rules to prohibit the excessive collection of children and teens’ data.
To learn more about the Kids Online Safety Act, read the full text of the bill (click here), and to learn more about the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, read the full text of the bill (click here).
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 September 2024 at 9:54 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Getting set for Friday’s season opener on Barker’s new artificial turf field, Roy-Hart/Barker quarterback Tysen McCaa hands off to Wyatt Sherman as Jackson West, Jake Munn and RJ Townsend get set to block.
It will be a special season opener as the Roy-Hart/Barker Bulls host the Medina Mustangs in a C North Division game at 7 p.m. Friday to christen Barker’s new artificial turf field.
Prior to the game there will be a tailgate event from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with games and food trucks.
Friday’s other openers will have Albion at Olean in a B3 Division game and Holley at Bolivar-Richburg in an 8 Man Division contest.
The Roy-Hart/Barker offense is led by quarterback Tysen McCaa, running backs Wyatt Sherman, Ronan Klug and Carter Dersarkissian and wide receivers Anthony Adinolfe and Braden Ricker as Jackson West, Jake Munn and RJ Townsend anchor the offensive line.
Preston Woodworth and Hadrian Batista look to share the quarterback duties for Medina with Christian Moss, Elijah Doxey and Jayzon Wills at running back, Kolton Fletcher and Jerrell Neely at wide receiver, Carter Woodworth at tight end and Frankie Stephens, Brody Fry, Matthew Jacobs, Avion Johnson, Ethan Carson and Braydin McEwen-Miller along the line.
Leading the offense for Albion will be quarterback Jonah Elsenheimer, running back Cencere Lowe, receivers Noah Harrison, Kyle Radder and Peyton Robinson with Luke Bell and Seth Krenning anchoring the line.
Veteran quarterback Destin Kuyal, running back Hunter Jewell-Smith and receivers Mason Moyer and Vinny Golisano lead the offense for Holley.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 September 2024 at 9:44 am
Kendall and Albion will both host season opening soccer tournaments beginning on Thursday.
Kendall will host a boys tournament with Albion facing Holley and the host Eagles taking on Rochester Prep both at 5 p.m. The consolation and championship games will be held at 5 p.m. Friday.
Albion will host a girls tournament with Medina facing Alexander at 4:45 p.m. and the host Purple Eagles facing Pembroke at 6:45 p.m. The consolation and championship games will be held on Saturday.
The Holley girls will be competing in the Wheatlnd-Chili Tournament as the Lady Hawks will face Caledonia-Mumford in Thursday’s opening round.
The Medina boys squad will have a busy opening weekend as the Mustangs will visit Pembroke at 5 p.m. Friday and then host Cardinal O’Hara at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The Lyndonville boys squad will have their home opener at 5 p.m. Thursday against Newfane.
The Lyndonville/Barker girls will open with a non league game at CSAT at 5 p.m. Friday.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 4 September 2024 at 9:41 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville will tune up for the upcoming Genesee Region League volleyball season by hosting Roy-Hart in a non league match at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Veteran members of the Lady Tigers team include Olivia Belgiorno, Addison Dillenbeck, Elena Barry and Emma Freas. Missing are Madison Davis and Alyssa Prine. All are seniors except Barry who is a sophomore. Lyndonville will begin G-R competition at Wheatland-Chili on Monday.
As the days wind down before the November Presidential election, Americans are once again faced with a choice. The choice is not about who the most likable candidate is, but who will do the best job.
For the most part, we can no longer trust mainstream media for the truth. They have evolved into an amoral institution; no longer able to meet the standard of excellence of just telling the truth. Instead they serve their own interests and a culture of lying has been born as Paul H. Weaver states in News and the Culture of Lying: How Journalism Really Works, Paul H. Weaver (The Free Press, 1994).
Both the media and government are married to a ruthless network of manipulation and egotism. As a result of this decadent union, the need to create crises to arouse the interest of the public has emerged. Journalists capitalize on this as the government, in turn, follows suit to showcase their role as protector. Many times these so-called crises are purely joint concoctions to lie to the public instead of telling us what is true and preventing the government in ruling accordingly.
Many Americans are now faced with a conundrum – who to believe?
As for me, I have established my own criteria to help me make the best decision. Having been vigilant over the last four years has allowed me to see the light, to weed out the smokescreens – so I can get to the truth.
It is vital that our freedom of speech and religion always be a given for all of us and future generations.
As a former teacher, it is imperative that teaching math, history, and science return to the classroom instead of indoctrination of our children.
Peace in the Middle East and returning our troops from foreign countries to end America’s involvement in foreign conflicts must start. Focus on what needs to be cleaned up here in our own nation: the domestic war of homelessness, drugs, poverty, a broken welfare system.
Instead of outsourcing a lot of jobs overseas, keep jobs in America to rebuild our economy and add credibility to the label: American Made.
Securing borders and legal immigration is a must.
The police need to be respected once again. They are on the line every day to risk their lives to protect us. Again, the media has done extensive damage to these men and women. Dramatizing one part of an incident only shows one part of the story.
Law and order must be maintained everywhere. Looting, violent protests, burning businesses and cities should carry the highest penalties, so these violent acts are stopped in their tracks. Criminals being put back on the streets is nothing short of insanity.
The military and veterans who fought for this country should be afforded the greatest honor and respect.
The Constitution and the Bill of Rights must be protected.
For me, these standards define a better America, and I will vote for the candidate who has repeatedly upheld them, along with our national security and the Constitution.
