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Memorial Day starts ‘100 Deadliest Days’ when fatal accidents rise for teens
Photo by Tom Rivers: During a simulation showing the dangers of drunk driving on May 16, 2024 outside Kendall Junior/Senior High School, Monroe Ambulance medics have Jimmie Swift on a stretcher. He was one of three students taken away by ambulance as part of the simulation. Gracie Robb and Lucas Jones also portrayed injured students who needed ambulance transport. The simulation was done the day before the prom.
Press Release, AAA
The “100 Deadliest Days” is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal teen crashes increase dramatically.
Across the country, 13,135 people have been killed in a crash involving a teen driver between 2019-2023. Over 30 percent of those deaths occurred during the 100 Deadliest Days between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to AAA’s review of crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In 2023 alone, the most recent year of complete crash data, 2,897 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver. A third of those deaths, 860, happened during the 100 Deadliest Days, a 21 percent increase from 2022.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing a disturbing trend,” said Marke Dickinson, AAA Western and Central New York President and CEO. “On average, eight people are killed per day in teen driving crashes in the summer, compared to seven per day during the rest of the year.”
New York State Police report a 13 percent increase in motor vehicle fatalities during the 100 Deadliest Days from 2023 to 2024.
“Teen drivers don’t have much experience, and they take chances,” said NYSP Troop A Public Information Officer James O’Callaghan. “I have a 16-year-old at home. I’m speaking to you as a parent, develop those good habits. We all strive to set our kids up for success, it should be no different behind the wheel.”
Due to their inexperience, teen drivers are at a higher risk of crashes. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Culture Index, about 72% of teen drivers aged 16-18 admitted to having engaged in at least one of the following risky behaviors:
- Driving 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential street (47%)
- Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway (40%)
- Texting (35%)
- Red-light running (32%)
- Aggressive driving (31%)
- Drowsy driving (25%)
- Driving without a seatbelt (17%)
AAA encourages parents to:
- Talk with teens early and often about avoiding dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment, and distracted driving. Serve as a role model for safe behavior.
- Always buckle up, and follow posted speed limits.
- Teach by example, minimize risky behavior; conduct at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving with their teen.
- Make a parent-teen driving agreement setting family rules for driving.
Veterans offer rifle salute at memorials, cemeteries in Medina
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Veterans line up around the Company F memorial in front of the YMCA (formerly the Medina Armory and home to Company F) to fire a three-gun salute this morning.
MEDINA – Memorial Day observances began early in Medina on Monday morning, with members of Medina’s Honor Guard firing three-gun salutes at all the veterans’ sites in the village and nearby area.
The Honor Guard, made up of members of Medina’s American Legion and VFW, met early for coffee and donuts at the VFW, before starting out with their rifles and flags.
Peter Huth, right, reads a prayer as the Honor Guard waits to fire a three-gun salute in the veterans’ section at Boxwood Cemetery.
Their first stop is always the Vietnam Veterans’ memorial in front of the American Legion on North Main Street, followed by the veterans’ sections at Boxwood Cemetery, St. Mary’s Cemetery and Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Then it was on to the Company F Memorial in front of the YMCA, formerly the Medina Armory. Next stop is the Korean War Memorial on Park Avenue, across from the Olde Pickle Factory; then the tank at Oak Orchard Elementary School; and, lastly, the Butts-Clark Memorial in Butts Park on South Main Street.
Flag carriers representing the five branches of the military stand at attention in Boxwood Cemetery as Ryder Jones, left, and his brother River, in the distance at right, play echo taps.
At each site today, the service began with a prayer read by Peter Huth, followed by the three-gun salute and ending with echo taps, played by brothers Ryder and River Jones, both Medina High School students and members of the Mustang Marching Band.
Jim Freas is the officer in charge of the volunteers, who says he can’t remember how long they’ve been providing this honor to veterans.
Bradley Nudd, a member of the firing squad, said he started in 1972, when his dad Al Nudd told him they needed younger men to step up. He has been participating ever since, sometimes stepping in as bugler.
Veterans from the VFW and American Legion enjoy coffee and donuts before starting out to fire three-gun salutes at veterans’ memorials in the area on Memorial Day. In front are Jim Freas, officer in command of the Honor Guard, Larry Szatkowski and Dave Wells. At rear are Marine Nick Fintak and Medina Mustang buglers River and Ryder Jones.
Medina has big turnout, solemn message for Memorial Day parade
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Medina Marching Band performs down Main Street in today’s Memorial Day parade. It was bright with sunshine for the parade after a rainy week.
The parade route was lined with people, especially on Main Street and East Center Street. Following the parade there was a service at the State Street Park.
These veterans in the honor guard carry the colors along the parade route which started at the Pickle Factory on Park Avenue, then onto Main Street and East Center Street to State Street Park.
Local veterans sent a powerful message with these flag-draped coffin and a headstone for “American Soldier.”
Shelby firefighters Zach Petry, left with American flag, and Rob Schaal, with the Shelby fire company flag, wore turnout gear and marched in the parade.
The Medina Marching Band brought a big presence and sound for the parade.
Kevin Bogan of the Knights of Columbus passed out candy along the parade route.
Tyler Meehan, 8, of Middleport assists his grandfather Bob Meehan in passing out flags. The Sons of the American Legion handed out more than 2,000 of the flags to people watching the parade.
These people along East Center Street were happy to receive flags given out by Tyler Meehan.
There were several community groups in the parade including Early Head Start.
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library promoted its upcoming summer reading program.
Alishia Foss, left, and Diana Baker carry the banner to highlight the Orleans County National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event will be outside at Wise Middle Intermediate School in Medina with free food and other activities with first responders and community organizations.
At the beginning of a service at State Street Park, the flags were raised. Veterans placed a wreath on the cannon from World War I.
Albion observes Memorial Day, remembering the fallen
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Veterans carry the colors and march in a parade this morning on Main Street in Albion. After the parade, veterans and the community joined for a Memorial Day service in front of the middle school.
Two brothers from Albion, Benjamin Langford (left) and Zane, hold American flags while a procession of fire trucks go by.
Al Hand plays Taps during the start of the Memorial Day parade while the honor guard holds the flags.
Three generations of the Pawlak family participated in the parade with the Knights of Columbus, sending a message, “Freedom is not free.” Joe Pawlak, front left, holds that sign while his son, Julian, age 9, holds the sign to “Remember those who gave their lives.” Joe’s other sons, Michael and Noah, also were in the parade, along with their grandfather, Jerome Pawlak.
Pino Aldaco, left, and Casimer Pruski, both long-time members of the Knights of Columbus, carried American flags during the parade.
Mallory Ashbery, a drum major for the Albion marching band, helps to lead the group during today’s parade. Mallory Kozody, the other drum major, is in back.
Nick Baxter plays the baritone saxophone for the band as its makes its way down Main Street.
Stryker Braley carries the American flag with other Scouts in Troop 164 in Albion.
These veterans, including Joe Gehl in back holding the flag, promoted the Veterans Medical Transportation Service run by the Joint Veterans Council.
Nicholas Herzog, left, and Angel Aldaco carry a banner for the Knights of Columbus.
Mustangs and Rams set to meet again in sectional playoffs; Eagles to host Hornets
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Set for sectional playoff action this coming week are, from left, Kendall’s Jonas Rhodes, Medina’s Ryleigh Culver and Roy-Hart’s Gavin Heideman.
A meeting in the sectional playoffs has just about become an annual event for the Medina and Roy-Hart baseball teams and this season is no exception.
The top seeded defending champion Mustangs will host the No. 9 seeded Rams in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B tournament at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Vets Park.
The game time is changed from its original 5 p.m. starting time.
This marks the fourth time in five years the Medina and Roy-Hart have met in the playoffs. Last year Medina trimmed Roy-Hart 3-1 in the Class B semifinals. Prior to that in both 2022 and 2021 the Mustangs topped the Rams in the Class B2 finals.
This spring the Mustangs scored a pair of early Niagara-Orleans League season wins over the Rams. However, the Rams rebounded from an 0-3 start to the league by going 7-2 to close the N-O season.
The victor of Tuesday’s contest will face the winner of the No. 5 Salamanca vs. No. 4 Fredonia quarterfinal in the semifinals on Thursday.
The Rams advanced to Tuesday’s quarterfinal by outlasting No. 8 East Aurora 12-10 in the opening round at East Aurora.
Medina is 18-1 on the season and Roy-Hart 10-6.
The N-O League is also represented in the other half of the Class B bracket as No. 3 Akron will host No. 6 Southwestern at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The victor will then take on the winner of the No. 7 Alden vs. No. 2 JFK quarterfinal in the semifinals on Thursday.
Kendall in Class C2 semifinals
Top seeded Kendall, which has a 20-1 record, will host Genesee Region League for No. 5 Oakfield-Alabama in the semifinals of the Section V Class C2 tournament at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The Eagles downed the Hornets 11-1 during the G-R season.
The victory will face the winner of the No. 3 Gananda vs. No. 2 Genesee Valley/Belfast semi in the championship game.
Kendall blanked No. 8 Perry 11-0 in the opening round while Oakfield-Alabama topped No. 4 Honeoye 11-4 in 8 innings.
Sectional softball semis next for Barker and Lyndonville; Kendall in quarterfinals
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Getting set for this coming week’s sectional softball contests are, from left, Kendall’s Brooke Rodas, Barker’s Naomi Bish and Lyndonville’s Isabella Groves.
Top seeded Barker will host No. 5 Falconer in the semifinals of the Section VI Class C softball tournament at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The victor will face the winner of the No. 6 Randolph vs. No. 2 Chautauqua Lake semi in the championship game on Friday at Olean.
Also on Tuesday, No. 5 Kendall will face No. 4 Bolivar-Richburg in the quarterfinals of the Section V Class C2 tournament at 5 p.m. at Fillmore.
On Thursday, top seeded Lyndonville will face No. 4 Fillmore at 5 p.m. in the semifinals of the Section V Class D tournament. That game is expected to be played at Lyndonville.
The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at Honeoye Falls-Lima.
Holley names new historian following Marsha DeFillipps’ retirement
DeFillipps served in role for Holley and Murray for 46 years
File photo by Tom Rivers: Raymond Santoro is shown in October 2023 with a copy of his book, “Haunted Holley – Tales of Ghosts, Miracles and Unexplained Mysteries.”
HOLLEY – Marsha DeFilipps has retired after 46 years as Holley’s official historian. DeFilipps also served in the role for the Town of Murray.
DeFilipps has been very active in the Holley-Murray Historical Society. She was influential in establishing the Murray-Holley Historical Society Museum in the old train depot and has led multiple talks and workshops and helped many residents trace their own familial roots.
The depot was constructed in 1907. It was moved in 1988 to Geddes Street Extension and was turned into a museum about local history.
One of the signature accomplishments during her term as historian was her creation of an Index of personal names in Landmarks of Orleans County. To do this, DeFilipps spent many months combing through and extracting every name mentioned in Isaac Signor’s 1894 publication, developing a permanent record of history.
The Holley Village Board accepted DeFilipps’ resignation on May 13 and appointed Raymond Santoro to the role.
“What can I possibly say to acknowledge the many contributions Marsha has made to this village over the course of 46 years of service?” Holley Mayor Mark Bower posted on the village website. “At every turn, with any and every request, or question, she was there to provide any of us the information we were seeking. To say Marsha was a ‘wealth of knowledge’ is simply an understatement.”
Bower during his five years as a village officials said he often turned to DeFilipps for historical photos or information, or for help with some of the village events. .such as research of Myron Holley family when his descendants were welcomed to Holley in 2023.
“Marsha was the driving force in establishing our village’s historical society, now the joint Murray-Holley Historical Society,” Bower said. “On behalf of the deputy mayor and trustees, I thank Marsha DeFilipps for her distinguished service. I thank her for how she advocated for our village and how, as historian, she represented Holley in the best of ways.”
Santoro, the new historian, has been active in the Historical Society since it was founded in 1985. In 2023 he wrote a book, “Haunted Holley – Tales of Ghosts, Miracles and Unexplained Mysteries.” The 144-page book shares some of the supernatural experiences Santoro has experienced or heard about in the Holley area.
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Historical Association sets schedule for summer cemetery tours
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Kendall community observed Memorial Day on May 30, 2018 at Greenwood Cemetery. The Orleans County Historical Association included Greenwood Cemetery in this summer’s cemetery tours. The cemetery is on Route 18, across from the Dollar General store.
The Orleans County Historical Association has announced the schedule of cemetery tours this summer.
The tours are conducted every Sunday at 6 p.m. during the month of August. The cemeteries on this year’s tours are:
- August 3 – Mount Albion Cemetery (Route 31, Albion) with Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County Historian and Sue Starkweather Miller, Village of Albion Historian.
- August 10 – Robinson Cemetery (Rt. 237 & Glidden Rd, Clarendon) with Melissa Ierlan, Clarendon Historian.
- August 17 – Millville Cemetery (East Shelby Road, Medina) with Alice Zacher and Mary Zelazny.
- August 24 – Greenwood Cemetery (Rt. 237 & Rt. 18, Kendall) with Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian.
- August 31 – St. Joseph’s Cemetery (E. Avenue, Albion) with Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian and Sue Starkweather Miller, Village of Albion Historian.
Go to orleanshistory.org for information on the tours as well as historical talks.
Medina Marching Band competes in Chicago at Music in the Park Festival
Photos and information courtesy of Medina Band Boosters
The Medina Mustang Band left for Chicago on May 22nd for its annual spring trip and competition. The top photo shows the band exploring Cloud Gate in Millennium Park. This sculpture, by Anish Kapoor, is of highly polished stainless steel reflecting Chicago’s skyline
Comprising of about 90 students, the Coach Bus trip included a combination of educational sightseeing and music competition at the Music in the Park 2025 Festival.
The Medina Marching Band took first place with a Superior rating in the Street Band competition.
The Band returned home late Sunday night and will perform in today’s Medina Memorial Day Parade.
The marching band, as well as the concert and jazz band, will complete their performance season on June 6 and 7 at the Sherburne (NY) Music Festival.
Akron wins, Barker bows in Class B sectionals
No. 3 seed Akron nipped Niagara-Orleans League foe No. 14 Wilson 2-1 in the pre-quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B baseball tournament this afternoon at Barker.
Akron will now host No. 6 Southwestern in the quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
A sacrifice fly by Vince Consiglio in the bottom of the fifth inning, which snapped a 1-1 tie, provided the margin of victory for Akron which then needed to get out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning to lock up the win.
In a Class C pre-quarterfinal, No. 7 Chautauqua Lake downed visiting No. 10 Barker 7-3.
Chautauqua Lake, which got out of a no out bases loaded jam without allowing a run in the first inning, erupted for five runs in the second to key the win.
Kendall will face Oakfield-Alabama
In a Section V Class C2 quarterfinal, No. 5 Oakfield-Alabama erupted for 8 runs in the top of the eighth inning to down No. 4 Bolivar-Richburg 11-4 and earn a trip to No. 1 Kendall Wednesday in the semifinals.
Sandstone nips Carlton in Midget contest
Sandstone edged past Carlton 7-6 in an Albion Midget League 12U Division baseball game this past week.
Trailing 6-4, Sandstone rallied for the win by scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth on two walks and a fielders choice play off the bat of Blake Brown.
Sandstone also scored four times in the second inning highlighted by a three-run double by Bryce Saxton.
Carlton took what proved to be a brief 6-4 lead by scoring three times in the top of the sixth highlighted by an RBI hit by Wyatt Ernst.
Nikko Russo had 3 hits and Saxton 2 for Sandstone.
Alex Piccirilli had 2 hits for Carlton.
Albion man invents light-weight portable easel for artists
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Wayne Dorpfeld of Albion has invented a unique portable easel for artists, which he calls Easely. Here, he holds the folded-up device, which weighs less than 10 pounds. (Center) Dorpfeld attaches the drawing board to his portable artists’ seat/easel, which takes barely a minute to set up. (Right) Dorpfeld holds a folded-up Easely (art horse) as he looks over the one he just assembled.
ALBION – A graphic designer/artist by trade, Wayne Dorpfeld of Albion has become an inventor.
While attending a plein air art show in Colorado, it became evident to Dorpfeld that artists were struggling with their art benches, also called donkey easels or art horses.
“Artists were complaining their art horses were too heavy,” Dorpfeld said. “The most popular ones weighed 30 pounds or more. They were all limited in functionality and their assembly required more time and effort than desirable.”
Dorpfeld’s formal education was a graphic designer and illustrator. He also taught commercial art at Attica Prison, and when he retired he did some painting.
After a fall two years ago, in which he injured his back, the difficulty in managing art benches became evident.
“I didn’t like any of the art horses I found, so I decided to design and make my own,” Dorpfeld said. “I bought a 3D printer and a CNC router, and after many hours of working in my shop, tweaking the prototype and consulting with friends, family and peers, I believe I’ve developed the ultimate donkey easel.”
He calls his invention “Easely” and claims “it is a real thoroughbred.”
There are eight or 10 models manufactured currently, only two of which are foldable. Dorpfeld said none can do what his does. No longer than a yardstick when folded up for carrying, his design weighs less than 10 pounds.
Dorpfeld said Easely can be set up in barely a minute. It is adjustable to suit any media at any angle or height and accommodates drawing boards up to 22” x 30”. Two snap-on trays hold collapsible plastic cups for water (for watercolor artists), brushes and paints.
Dorpfeld’s son Jacob is owner of Jacob C. Dorpfeld Custom Furniture and Cabinetry, and has the capability to build Easelys if the demand is there.
Anyone interested in more information or wishing to order one may find Dorpfeld’s contact information by logging on to www.easelyusa.com and click on “contact.”
Holley and Kendall have G-R track winners
Holley had two individual event winners and Kendall one at the Genesee Region League track championship meet held at Holley on Saturday.
Holley’s Alivia Wolf won the Pentathlon (2103 points) and Vinny Golisano the Triple Jump (40-2 3/4) while Kendall’s Leann Clay won the High Jump (4-6).
Kendall also had Brandon Barrett and Addison Kludt both place second in the Long Jump as did Holley’s Allison Merle in the 100 Hurdles.
