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Barker seeks first sectional softball title
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Madelina Pavlock, shown here covering first base, and her Lady Bulldogs teammates will face Chautauqua Lake the the Section VI Class C championship game on Friday at Olean.
Seeking a first Section VI softball title top seeded Barker will face No. 2 Chautauqua Lake in the Class C championship game at 5 p.m. Friday at Olean Middle School.
Barker brings a 17-5 record into the title contest while Chautauqua Lake is 16-3.
Barker has won a pair of thrillers to advance to the finals edging No. 8 Gowanda 3-2 in the quarterfinals and No. 5 Falconer 1-0 in the semis.
Gowanda has scored a pair of lopsided 13-1 wins over No. 7 Portville in the quarterfinals and No. 6 Randolph in the semis.
The victor at Olean advances to the Far West Regional of the state playoffs.
Barker last reached the Section VI Class C finals in 2016 dropping a close 2-0 decision to Cleveland Hill.
Bentley Brothers celebrates 100 years
Business has evolved, expanded to reach century mark
Photos by Tom Rivers: Bentley Brothers has reached 100 years in business and will have a celebration on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fairhaven Inn & Events at 14369 Ridge Rd. (the former Tillman’s Village Inn). Some of the staff are showed at Bentley’s Albion location. From left include Kevin Bentley, salesman; Lisa Ray, service advisor; Laura Bentley, owner and president; Hannah Wehling, marketing and advertising coordinator; Alex Murphy, Albion store manager and salesman; and Jim Puller, inventory control manager.
ALBION – Laura Bentley is proud of her family and employees for reaching 100 years selling tractors and other equipment.
Bentley, the owner and president of the business, is looking forward to a big celebration on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fairhaven Inn & Events at 14369 Ridge Rd. She has sent out 7,500 invitations for the event.
“It’s a huge milestone,” she said about the century mark. “It’s a celebration of my family and the people who have worked for us over the years. They’ve put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”
The business was started by her great-grandfather, Allen Bentley, in Barre in 1925. It was originally called J. Allen Bentley and operated out of the grange. He sold some of the tractors and Cletrac machines that drained and cleared the Elba mucklands, equipment on tracks instead of tires that would have sunk into the muddy soil.
The business became Bentley Brothers when Allen’s sons, Gerald and Walter, came back from World War II and started working there in the mid-1940s.
Allen died in 1951 and his sons continued to run the business through the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were joined by Dave, his brother Doug and cousin Donna. After Donna left in the late 1980s as a bookkeeper, Doug and David stayed on, with David as manager and Doug as mechanic. (David and Doug are Gerald’s sons, and Donna is the daughter of Walter.)
David had graduated from high school in 1974 and then worked part time at the business while attending Alfred State College. After graduating from there, he started full time at Bentley’s in 1980. He led the move from Barre in 1991 to Albion on Route 31, and also opened the Brockport location in 2010. He retired in 2020.
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Laura Bentley and her dad David are shown in September 2020, while standing next to a Kubota backhoe on the lot at Bentley Brothers in Albion. This was taken when David announced he was retiring.
His daughter Laura is now the fourth generation running the business which has grown to 21 employees at two locations – 13936 Route 31 in Albion and 5605 Brockport Spencerport Rd. in Brockport.
Laura returned to the area 20 years ago after living in Ohio and earning a degree in public relations. She worked a year at the Washington Mutual when she first came back to Orleans County. When she joined Bentley Brothers she attended numerous conferences for equipment dealers, and took accounting classes at Genesee Community College.
“It’s the family tie,” she said about the desire to come back home and join Bentley’s. “When I was in Ohio, I was missing it. I wanted to put down some roots.”
The business has expanded over the years, and endured some lean times.
Whenever agriculture struggled, Bentley Brothers felt their pain. The business was very focused on selling to farmers until 1980. That’s when Bentley added Kubota equipment, with tractors, lawn mowers, backhoes and other machinery geared to hobby farmers and people with big yards to maintain. Commercial landscapers and municipalities are also big customers, with zero-turn mowers very popular.
Bentley’s also became a dealer for Stihl chainsaws and handheld equipment at its Albion location, while Brockport sells Echo handheld equipment.
The business evolved during the years, from selling Cletrac, which was bought out by Oliver, then Oliver was bought by White, and White was bought by Agco.
Bentley Brothers primary customer area includes the four counties of Genesee, Orleans, Livingston and Monroe. It has been recognized by Kubota as an “elite dealer” for many years.
Bentley carries the following brands: Kubota, Land Pride, Ariens, Gravely, Scag, Stihl, Echo, Terrain King, Brillion, Kubota Generators, Bush Hog, Stinger and Wallenstein.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Laura Bentley wanted a Kubota similar to the ones Bentley Brothers had in 1980 when the business first started selling them. Last year she hunted down this 1979 Kubota B6100E in Ohio and had it restored by her employees. The 24-horsepower tractor with 2-wheel drive is on display at the Albion location and not for sale.
Laura has been very involved in the community, serving on boards for the Orleans County United Way, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Cobblestone Museum and the Leadership Orleans steering committee. She also is part of a business management program run by Kubota for select dealerships.
Bentley said she enjoys the camaraderie among the customers and her employees. Most of the employees live in Orleans County, including those at the Brockport store.
As part of the celebration on Saturday, there will be a $25,000 giveaway to someone who bought a tractor this month from Bentley’s. That winner will be announced at the celebration.
There will be many other discounts on equipment and machinery, as well as parts purchases.
There also will be live music with Bill Pileggi and Jimmy Aina in the morning, followed by Savage Cabbage in the afternoon. The first 500 to RSVP will get a free gift bag.
Tourism booth opens for new season of greeting visitors at Medina
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Volunteers at Medina’s Visitors’ Center celebrate opening day Tuesday of the tourism booth in Rotary Park. From left, Medina Tourism Committee chair Jim Hancock hams it up with volunteers Ruth Cleveland, Peggy Schreck, Orly the Ox, Janet Janneck, Barb Gorham and the Rev. Vince Iorio.
MEDINA – Medina Tourism Committee has announced the opening Tuesday morning of its tourist booth in Rotary Park.
On hand for the opening were volunteers Jim Hancock, also Tourism Committee chairman; Barb Gorham, volunteer scheduler; Ruth Cleveland, Peggy Schreck, Janet Janneck, the Rev. Vince Iorio and Dawn Borchert, director of Orleans County Tourism, with Isabella Zasa as Orly the Ox. Zasa studied travel and tourism in college and was a paid intern at Borchert’s office last year.
“Now she is a full-time employee,” Borchert said.
Volunteers Janet Janneck, left, and Peggy Schreck pose with the sign promoting Medina which indicates the Visitors’ Tourist Booth is open.
Several changes are taking place in operation of the tourist booth this year. First, the tourist booth will be open on Saturdays all through the month of September.
“We anticipate getting a lot of visitors with the special events planned for the canal’s bicentennial,” said Barb Gorham, who has taken over scheduling volunteers. “On Sept. 23 a bus load is coming from the International Canal Conference in Buffalo, and on the 25th the Seneca Chief will be making a stop in Medina. We have many events planned for their visits.”
Also new this year will be T-shirts and name tags for tourist booth volunteers.
“This will set us apart,” Gorham said.
The tourist booth has operated under the leadership of Hancock since it was established in 2009. For the first several years, it was located in the Chamber of Commerce office on Main Street, then moved to City Hall until relocating to Rotary Park in 2018.
The booth attracts more than 400 visitors every year, with 493 being the largest number. Last year, 438 tourists stopped at the booth from 38 states and eight foreign countries.
The Rev. Vince Iorio said he stepped up to volunteer because he enjoys seeing groups come into our town and greeting them.
“We get a lot of bikers and boaters,” he said. “This is my fifth year volunteering. When Jim first asked me to do it, I thought it sounded interesting.”
Hancock also talked Ruth Cleveland into volunteering.
“It’s hard to say ‘no’ to Jim,” she said. “And I thought it would be something different to do. This will be my third year volunteering.”
Hancock said they meet some really neat people from all over the world.
“They come by various means – car, bus, boats and bikers,” Hancock said.
Most are looking for places to eat, hearing local history and viewing the canal.
The tourism booth is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and currently, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, until a volunteer is found for the 1 to 4 p.m. shift.
Anyone interested in volunteering for a three-hour shift, especially for the 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, can contact Gorham at (716) 474-2734.
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Medina approves selling K9 to police officer, handler for $1
File photo: Medina police officer Jacob Reeves is shown in June 2020 when he and the department’s new K9, Phoenix, began a 14-week training program together before the dog went into service for the department.
MEDINA – The Village Board has agreed to sell the Medina Police Department’s K9 for $1 to Jacob Reeves, a police officer and the K9’s handler.
Reeves teamed with Phoenix, a Belgian Malinois, for nearly five years. Phoenix worked his last shift on Wednesday. The board as part of the 2025-26 budget voted to end the K9 program with the police department, citing costs. The K9 sees service outside the village and board members felt village taxpayers shouldn’t bear the full cost, especially with overtime for the K9 team.
The board also voted to end having two Medina police officers work in the school district as resource officers. Those officers will return full-time to the MPD for road patrol and other work within the department.
The board and Reeves always had the understanding he could buy the dog for $1 at the end of Phoenix’s service, which officially will be on May 31. Board members said that agreement was in his contract and is similar to what most police departments do when a K9 goes out of service.
The board last week also said any unspent donations towards the K9 program will be refunded after May 31. The board will wait until after May 31 in case there are any unexpected vet bills or other expenses.
Kendall ‘9’ earns Class C2 sectional semifinal victory in dramatic walk off fashion
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Sammy Conte gets congratulations from his Kendall teammates Colby Hughes, Jonny Conte and Vinnie D’Agostino after driving in the winning run in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning giving the Eagles a 3-2 sectional win over visiting Oakfield-Alabama.
Scoring a run in dramatic fashion with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, top seeded Kendall nipped Genesee Region League foe No. 5 seed Oakfield-Alabama 3-2 in the semifinal round of the Section V Class C2 baseball playoffs this afternoon at Kendall.
A single by Sammy Conte drove in the decisive run giving Kendall the thrilling walk off victory. A single by Mikey Colucci and two intentional walks loaded the bases setting the stage for Conte’s game winning hit.
Earlier, Kendall jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Eagles scored once in the first inning on back-to-back triples by CJ D’Agostino and Vinnie D’Agostino. That duo did it again in the fifth frame. This time back-to-back doubles by CJ D’Agostino and Vinnie D’Agostino plated the Eagles second run.
CJ D’Agostino finished with 3 hits and Vinnie D’Agostino 2 and a pair of RBIs.
Oakfield-Alabama battled back to knot the contest in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Hunter Tobolski.
Nic Cole went the distance on the mound for Kendall allowing only 3 hits, all of which came in the sixth inning, and striking out 10.
Improving to 21-1, Kendall will next face the winner of the No. 3 Gananda vs. No. 3 Genesee Valley-Belfast semifinal in the championship game which the Section V website has scheduled for Friday.
Nic Cole went the distance on the mound for Kendall.
Kendall catcher Colby Hughes makes a catch near the Oakfield-Alabama dugout.
Kendall’s CJ D’Agostino sprints to third base after banging out a first inning triple.
Medina Unified caps 7-0 season with win
The Medina Unified basketball team completed a 7-0 season by downing Grand Island 72-48 today.
Adam Weese scored 18, Jacen Kaiser 16, Matthew Kennedy 14 and Kamron Say 10 to lead the Medina offense as Xavier Moyer added 6 and Carolynne Schlegel and Lexi Lowery both chipped in with 4.
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Boxwood plans ‘Tea Time’ fundraiser on June 14 at historic cemetery
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Cindy Robinson, board member of Friends of Boxwood Cemetery, holds a poster promoting the annual Tea Time at Boxwood on June 14.
MEDINA – Friends of Boxwood Cemetery will kick off its 2025 year of fundraising with their third annual Tea Time at Boxwood Cemetery on June 14.
The event from 2 to 4 p.m. will feature low tea served with three types of tea, scones, tea sandwiches and sweets, said Cindy Robinson, board member of Friends of Boxwood Cemetery and owner of The English Rose Tea Shoppe, whose idea it was to sponsor the tea.
“In Victorian times, eating and relaxing among the dead was a national pastime,” Robinson said. “People would dress up in their fine clothing and fancy hats and get out of the city for picnic or tea to socialize in the fresh air. A cemetery was the perfect setting for parasols and fancy hats.”
The tea will take place at the back of the cemetery by the lake, where Friends of Boxwood will have tables set up. Attendees should bring their own tea cups and create their own Victorian table setting. The guest whose table is voted “Most Victorian” will receive a $25 gift certificate to The English Rose Tea Shoppe.
There will also be additional drawings for prizes and those attending will receive an entry for the drawings with the purchase of their ticket. Anyone who joins Friends of Boxwood Cemetery before the event will receive five additional entries.
The day will feature an informative program by Todd Bensley on the history of Boxwood Cemetery.
Robinson also reminds attendees June 14 is Flag Day and they are encouraged to wear their red, white and blue.
Rob Klino, president of Friends of Boxwood Cemetery, said the tea kicks off their 2025 year of fundraising, which also will include the annual Boxwood at Night later in the year. He explained the village of Medina isn’t allowed to do fundraising, so Friends of Boxwood Cemetery was formed by village historian Todd Bensley (now Friends’ vice president) and his wife Nicole to raise money to support projects for the cemetery.
Klino said they are raising funds now to purchase a marker or historic stone for Potters’ Field. Donation checks may be made payable to Friends of Boxwood Cemetery and mailed to Orleans Renaissance Group, P.O. 543, Medina.
Tickets for the tea are $20 for members of Friends of Boxwood Cemetery and $25 for non-members. They can be purchased at The English Rose Tea Shoppe at 527 Main St.
DAR commended for organization’s 100th anniversary in Orleans County
Photos by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Legislator Ed Morgan, right, presents a proclamation on behalf of the Legislature on Tuesday to Patrice Birner, left, and her sister Penny Nice, who are both active members of the Orleans County chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Birner served a state regent for DAR in 2019-2020, leading the organization in New York. She is currently vice president general for the National DAR. Nice is the state chaplain.
ALBION – A patriotic organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Orleans County.
The Daughters of the American Revolution continues to meet monthly and maintain the chapter house on North Main Street in Albion. The building at 249 North Main St. is on the National Register of Historic Places.
It was built around 1845. The pre-Civil War site is considered one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the region.
The DAR chapter maintains a local history museum at the site and a library of historical documents. The chapter has about 70 members.
The proclamation from the County Legislature on Tuesday notes the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was founded on October 11, 1890, by a group of women who felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings during a time that was marked by a revival in patriotism to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought to make this country free and independent.
“Over the past 130 years the DAR objective has been to be an organization committed to historic preservation, education and patriotism,” legislators stated.
Locally, the chapter formed on June 8, 1925 when 25 women met for a luncheon in the Town of Albion. An organizational meeting then followed to create the 156th Chapter in New York State.
“The Orleans County Legislature celebrates the Centennial of the Orleans Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 100 years of serving God, Home and County; and Proclaims June 7, 2025 as DAR day in Orleans County,” the proclamation states.
The DAR building was dedicated as the DAR chapter home on Sept. 17, 1929 and remains the DAR chapter headquarters and a historical museum.
Penny Nice, president of a Patriot House where the DAR chapter meets in Albion, is shown inside the building at 249 North Main St. Nice has been an active member of the local DAR for 20 years. Nice is shown during a tour of the Patriot House last September.
The Orleans County Chapter of the DAR submitted this history of the local and national organization:
Over the past 130 years of active service to the nation, the DAR objectives have remained the same. These objectives are Historical – to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence; Educational – to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, “to promote as an object of primary importance institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, thus developing an enlightened public opinion…”; and Patriotic – to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of American freedom, and to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for all mankind all the blessings of liberty.
Since its founding in 1890, DAR has admitted more than 1,000,000 members.
The organizing of the Orleans Chapter, NSDAR on June 8, 1925…
In 1925, Florence Beach Church, wife of Judge Sanford T. Church, put a notice in an Albion newspaper expressing the desire to form a DAR Chapter in Orleans County. On June 8, 1925 twenty-five women met for a luncheon at the Lone Star Inn in the Town of Albion. Mrs. Charles White Nash, New York State Regent, was guest of honor at the luncheon.
An organizational meeting followed at the Swan Library in Albion, and Mrs. Nash presented a talk on the work of the DAR. The Orleans Chapter was the 156th Chapter in New York State in 1925, and there were 2,082 chapters nationally.
Organizing Members: Gertrude Reed Andrews, Augusta Mosher Bennett, Florence Beach Church, Marjora Cole Coan, Georgia Kelsey Croach, Myra Posson Doolittle, Belle Simpson Fowler, Mary Pells Gray, Lulu Van Scoy Harris, Adelaine Perry Hazard, Ruth Webster Howard
Lois McAllister Larwood, Anna Andrews Newell, Mabel Young Perry, Verna Cornelia Posson, Carrie Pettingill Pratt, Harriet Fitts Ryan, Carrie Rowley Seward, Lois Patterson Small, Laura Cotton Tanner, Katherine Belle Rowley, Daisy Young Tills, Sarah Bloomfield Wilson, Cora Perry Woodford and Helen Banker Yahnke.
Mustangs will face familiar foe in B semifinal
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Kolton Fletcher, shown here sliding into third base, and his Mustang teammates will host Fredonia in the Class B semifinals at 7 p.m. Thursday at Vets Park.
Defending champion Medina will face a familiar foe in Thursday evening’s Section VI Class B baseball semifinal as the top seeded Mustangs will host No. 4 Fredonia at 7 p.m. at Vets Park.
It marks the second year in a row that Medina and Fredonia have met in the later rounds of the Section VI playoffs.
Last spring Medina nipped Fredonia 4-3 in the Class B championship game at Grand Island, a memorable contest that was interrupted in the seventh inning by a three hour rain delay.
Trailing 4-2, Medina regained the lead for good in the sea-saw contest by scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth inning as a single by Carter Woodworth drove in the tying run and Richard Keppler followed with a double to plate what proved to be the game winner.
Lighting and monsoon rains then halted play with one out in the top of the seventh. When play resumed three hours later Mustangs relief hurler Preston Woodworth quickly got the deciding last two outs registering a strikeout for the final out.
Medina brings a 19-1 record into Thursday’s semifinal while Fredonia is 12-8.
The Mustangs nipped Niagara-Orleans League rival Roy-Hart 3-2 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
The Hillbillies have advanced with a pair of shutout victories 11-0 over Newfane in the first round and 10-0 over Salamanca in the quarterfinals.
The victor will advance to Saturday’s Class B championship game which is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Frontier High School.
Lady Tigers will host Class D semi Thursday
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Alexa Robinson, shown here sliding into home, and her Lady Tiger teammates will host Fillmore on Thursday in the semifinals of the Section V Class D softball playoffs.
Having successfully cleared the first two postseason hurdles, top seeded Lyndonville will next host No. 4 Fillmore in the semifinals of the Section V Class D softball tournament at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The victor will advance to Saturday’s Class D championship game against the winner of the other semifinal between No. 3 Keshequa and No. 2 Avoca-Prattsburgh. The title contest is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Honeoye Falls-Lima.
Lyndonville brings a 19-2 record into the semifinals while Fillmore is 15-4.
Both teams have advanced with a pair of lopsided playoff wins.
Lyndonville defeated Hinsdale 16-0 in the opening round and Notre Dame 10-1 in the quarterfinals.
Fillmore bested Lima Christian 13-1 in the first round and Andover-Whitesville 15-0 in the quarterfinals.
BOCES celebrates literacy achievements of young writers in Orleans, Niagara
Photos courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES: These students are recognized for their literacy achievements.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
PENDLETON – On the evening of May 13, the Starpoint Fine Arts Center was filled with excitement and pride as over 400 students, families, and educators came together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of young writers at the annual Literacy Celebration, proudly sponsored by the Orleans-Niagara Teacher Center.
Each year, the Teacher Center—a New York State grant-funded organization dedicated to providing high-quality professional learning—hosts a literacy contest for students in grades K–8. This year’s inspiring theme, “Get Outdoors and Be Active!”, encouraged students to explore the joys and benefits of physical and mental wellness through outdoor activities.
Hundreds of imaginative entries were created, with students sharing personal stories about hiking with friends, sledding in winter, camping with family, biking through nature, and more. In total, 40 teachers from 10 school districts across Niagara and Orleans counties submitted their best students work, resulting in 147 exceptional entries.
Students were invited to showcase their creativity in a format of their choosing—ranging from essays and electronic books to digital comic strips and multimedia slideshows. Each entry demonstrated impressive storytelling, originality and writing skill.
The evening’s festivities began with an engaging keynote by local author and certified yoga instructor Mari Irwin, who captivated the audience with readings from her book “Yay for Yoga” and led the crowd in a series of calming relaxation techniques. Her interactive presentation set a joyful and reflective tone for the evening.
Following the keynote, students took the stage to proudly read their winning entries and receive certificates and prizes—including writing journals and creative design books. Their courage, enthusiasm, and talent were truly inspiring, and the room was filled with applause, laughter, and plenty of proud parents and teachers.
The Orleans-Niagara Teacher Center, under the leadership of Director Cheryl Herman and the Teacher Center Policy Board, extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this memorable event. Special appreciation goes to Mari Irwin for her inspiring keynote, the O/N BOCES culinary students for providing delicious refreshments, and to all the teachers and families who continue to nurture a love for writing, creativity, and outdoor exploration.
Thank you for helping us celebrate literacy and inspire the next generation of storytellers!
Top winners for each grade level are as follows:
K: Gianni Chuilli (Holy Ghost Lutheran), Joseph Falsetti (Lew-Port) and Violet Purinton (Lew-Port); 1: Phoebe Belliveau (Roy-Hart), Jasmine Jaeckle (Holy Ghost) and Damien Udell (Roy-Hart); 2: Amelia Milazzo (Starpoint), Emmett Miller (Starpoint), Estella Printup (Niagara Wheatfield), Amiya Riches (Barker), and Adeline Wahl (Barker); 3: Sophia Harshman (Holy Ghost), Lucy Heimiller (Newfane) and Abram Phipps (Sacred Heart Villa); 4: Andrew Fisher (Holy Ghost) and Lily Hockenberry (Holy Ghost); 5: Amelia Linkowski (Barker), Hope Rasch (Holy Ghost) and Avery Snell (Barker); 6-8: Lydia Atwater (Barker), Mathea Johnson (NT) and Hannah Monaco (Barker).
Solar projects consume too much precious land locally
Editor:
The push for solar energy is often framed as a victory for the environment. But here in rural New York, what’s happening on the ground tells a very different story. Many solar developments are quietly stripping our farmland for profit while hiding behind a “clean energy” label.
Here’s how the process unfolds:
1. Landowners are lured with lease offers—20–30 years of “passive income.” But the fine print often includes surrendering soil rights, which most landowners don’t realize.
2. Once signed, developers strip the land of its topsoil, the living layer essential for farming. In its place, they truck in engineered sand—crushed rock that supports panel installation but kills the biology beneath.
3. Solar developers then collect state and federal tax breaks, all funded by us, the taxpayers. Meanwhile, local resources are degraded.
4. The stripped soil isn’t just discarded—it’s sold. At $30–$50 per cubic yard, just 2,500 acres of topsoil can generate $75–$125 million in side profit for these companies. This isn’t renewable energy. It’s a resource grab.
5. Water runoff becomes a major issue. Engineered sand doesn’t absorb water like real soil. Rain now rushes off the land, causing erosion, flooding, and ecological damage across adjacent properties.
6. After 20 or 30 years, what’s left? Degraded, compacted land with no life in it. There is no guarantee of reclamation or restoration. The panels are obsolete, the companies are gone, and the land is ruined.
This is not a future we should accept. Solar, done right, can help us transition to sustainable energy. But what’s happening here in our region is nothing short of a soil heist—and it’s happening with our tax dollars.
We must demand better. That includes soil protection clauses in leases, local oversight of decommissioning plans, and transparency about what really happens to our land under solar projects.
If we lose our soil, we lose our ability to grow food, to hold water, to pass on land that’s worth something to the next generation.
Solar is a soul heist. Don’t let your legacy get stripped and sold off in the name of progress.
Gina L. Miller
Carlton, 100-acre land owner
County dedicates Medal of Honor Wall with 5 soldiers who received military’s highest distinction
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson speaks during the dedication of the Medal of Honor Wall in the second floor of the County Office Builing, outside the legislative chambers.
The wall was dedicated on Tuesday before the Legislature’s monthly meeting.
The county first introduced the wall on March 23, 2022 when a portrait was unveiled of David Bellavia, a Lyndonville native, being presented the Medal of Honor from president Donald Trump on June 26, 2019 at the White House.
The wall now includes all five recipients from Orleans County who received the nation’s highest military honor: Bellavia, Forrest Vosler of Lyndonville, John E. Butts of Medina, Thomas Wilbur Kates of Shelby and Charles D. Harris of Albion.
Takeform in Medina made the plaques and displays on the wall, including the Mystical wallcovering of a bald eagle and American flag. Hilary Misiti served as the project manager for Takeform. Nick Mroz, the Veterans Service Agency director, and Lisa Stenshorn, the clerk of Legislature, also spearheaded the project from the county’s end.
Charlie Nesbitt speaks during the Medal of Honor Wall dedication. Nesbitt is a retired state assemblyman. He also received the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, for rescuing an American soldier in a hostile enemy zone in the jungles of Laos, across the border from Vietnam. Nesbitt served in Vietnam from May 1968 to May 1969. He flew helicopters that teamed with special forces soldiers.
Nesbitt said the Medal of Honor Wall serves as inspiration to the community, and makes a statement that Orleans County values the commitment of those who serve in the military and the sacrifices of their families.
It is the small towns in places like Orleans County where many often serve on the front lines, making the difference for the country in battle, Nesbitt said.
The display includes an updated headshot of Bellavia (second from left) and portraits of Forrest Vosler of Lyndonville (second from right) and John Butts of Medina (center). Photos aren’t available of the other recipients Thomas Wilbur Kates and Charles D. Harris.
The five Medal of Honor recipients include:
• David Bellavia is the first living veteran from the Iraq War to receive the nation’s highest military medal. He was honored for his acts of valor on Nov. 10, 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq. Bellavia led an infantry squad clearing houses of insurgents, saving the lives of the members of his unit.
“That night, Bellavia single-handedly saved an entire squad, risking his own life to allow his fellow Soldiers to break contact and reorganize when trapped by overwhelming insurgent fire,” the U.S. Army states in Bellavia’s Medal of Honor recognition. “He then voluntarily entered and cleared an insurgent strong point, killing four and seriously wounding another. His actions stand as a testament to those who put everything on the line as they do the grim work required to keep each other safe and alive on the battlefield.”
• Forrest Vosler of Lyndonville was assigned as a radio operator and aerial gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress during World War II with the 358th Bombardment Squadron, 303rd Bombardment Group stationed out of England. On Dec. 20, 1943, Vosler’s fourth combat mission. The plane was under fire and had two engines knocked out with the aircraft windmilling out of control.
When a fellow aviator was knocked unconscious, Vosler maneuvered himself into the tailgun. Another 20-mm shell hit the aircraft, sending shrapnel into Vosler’s chest, face, and eyes. He continued to deliver defensive fire upon German aircraft until the attacks subsided. Nearly out of fuel and losing altitude quickly, the crew jettisoned every piece of equipment to lighten the plane.
Vosler, severely wounded and floating in and out of consciousness, begged the crew to throw him out of the plane to reduce weight. As the aircraft plunged into the frigid waters of the North Sea, Vosler crawled out of the aircraft onto a wing. A passing Norwegian trawler quickly picked up the crew and transferred them to a British rescue vessel. One of Vosler’s eyes had one of his to be removed, and the other required extensive surgery.
• John E. Butts of Medina is the only one of the five Medal of Honor recipients from Orleans County who received the honor posthumously. Butts was awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of valor in the Normandy invasion in June 1944.
Butts was in command of four squads in Easy Company of the 60th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Division charged with driving towards St. Colombe, France. On June 12, 1944, 2nd Battalion progressed so quickly towards their objective that the remainder of 9th Division thought the 60th Infantry was lost. In fact, 2nd Battalion had pushed forward through heavy German resistance and established a bridgehead at the Douve River. Butts was wounded twice, first near Orglandes on June 14th and then at the Douve River just two days later; he refused medical treatment on both occasions in order to remain with his men.
On June 23, 1944, the 60th Infantry led the 9th Division’s advance from the Cotentin Peninsula as part of the breakout from St. Lo. While moving towards Flottemanville-Hague, Butts and his men encountered a German stronghold atop a hill, well defended with tanks, machine guns, and mortars. Butts was struck in the stomach by machine gun fire while progressing towards the objective. Pulling himself into the shelter of a nearby hedgerow, he planned a flanking maneuver with his Sergeants.
One squad was to progress up the left flank, another up the right flank, and the third was to remain in reserve. Holding one hand over his midsection and the other grasping his carbine, Butts charged the hill alone. The might of the entire German stronghold fell upon him directly, Butts falling approximately 10 yards from his objective. The distraction allowed the two flanking squads to outmaneuver the Germans while the third squad hit the hill head-on.
Awarded on July 19, 1945 by President Harry Truman, John Butts’ Medal of Honor citation references the two painful wounds he received in the days leading up to the deadly assault on June 23, 1944. His citation concluded by stating, “By his superb courage, unflinching valor and inspiring actions, 2d Lt. Butts enabled his platoon to take a formidable strong point and contributed greatly to the success of his battalion’s mission,” President Harry Truman said in the citation for the medal, which was awarded on July 19, 1945.
• Thomas Wilbur Kates, born in Shelby on May 7, 1865, received the Medal of Honor for his actions in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, a nearly two-year uprising led by the Yihetuan (or Boxers) against foreign imperialists in China.
Kates accepted enlistment with the U.S. Marine Corps at New York City on July 21, 1899. Pvt. Kates and other Marines were dispatched to China on June 18, 1900, where they remained through October 10, 1900. According to his citation, Kates was awarded the Medal of Honor “…for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 1st Regiment (Marines), in action in the presence of the enemy during the advance on Tientsin, China, 21 June 1900. Private Kates distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.”
Maj. Waller wrote in a letter dated July 6, 1900, that “…of the men I wish to say, while all in the engagements we participated in, behaved in such a manner as to bring forth the highest praise from the foreign officers…Cpl. Thomas W. Kates.”
He continued, “…the specifically distinguished of these being Corporal Kates and Privates Campbell and Francis, with the Colt gun.” According to the Report of the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps dated September 29, 1900, these three men remained with Lt. Powell, holding a position with an M1895 Colt-Browning Machine Gun until all but Campbell and Powell were gunned down. They destroyed the gun to prevent it from entering enemy hands before they commenced their retreat.
• Charles D. Harris, who fought in the Civil War, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Apache Wars in 1869. The specifics of the engagement and the actions that warranted the awarding of the medal remain shrouded in mystery. After the war, Harris returned to Albion and lived a quiet life until his passing on September 6, 1895. He is buried at Mount Albion Cemetery.
(Editor’s Note: Former Orleans County Historian Matthew Ballard researched the four other Medal of Honor recipients from Orleans County. He shared the details in previous columns and presentations when he was historian.)
James Nudd, assistant director of the Veterans Service Agency in Orleans County, speaks during the wall dedication.
“This Medal of Honor memorial is not just a decoration; it is a symbol of all the courage, sacrifice and strength these heroes embodied in those moments, and throughout their service,” Nudd said. “But it is also a reminder of the many others who served alongside them, many of whom never made it home, and many of whom will never have their stories told.”
Nudd said the wall should inspire those who see it, sending a message that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act despite of it.
“Let it remind us that the true measure of a person is not found in what they seek for themselves, but it what they are willing to give for others,” he said. “And let it remind us that freedom, peace and security are never guaranteed, but are earned every day by men and women like these, who chose to put the needs of others ahead of their own, without ever asking for recognition.”
