New slate roof complete on Mount Albion chapel to match original from 1875

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 August 2026 at 8:49 am

Provided photo from Susan Starkweather Miller

ALBION – The new slate roof is shown on Mount Albion Chapel on Friday. Easton Specialties Inc. in Honeoye Falls put the new Vermont slate on the roof for the chapel, and it was done in a way that the pattern and colors match the original slate from 1875.

The new roof is part of an overall $225,000 restoration of the building.

Local mason Neal Muscarella last year repaired and repointed the chapel’s entire exterior. The most extensive damage was in the northwest section.

Easton also has rebuilt the northwest corner’s rafters and repaired the roof deck in spots where it has failed over the years. The company installed an ice and water shield, a copper drip edge and flashings.

Mount Albion will host a tour of the cemetery at 6 p.m. on Aug. 30, with the tour led by retired Orleans County Historian Bill Lattin and current Village of Albion Historian Sue Starkweather Miller. There is tour this evening beginning at 6 p.m. at the Otter Creek Cemetery with Town of Gaines Adrienne Kirby (13252 Ridge Road, Gaines).

There will be other substantial work to follow at the chapel including interior replastering of the north wall; electrical upgrades (wiring, outlets, internal and external lighting); heating unit for seasonal use; removal of old floor, repair subfloor and put in a new floor; and refurbish exterior doors and window trim.

The $225,000 for the chapel restoration was funded by donations from the community.

File photo by Tom Rivers: The chapel at Mount Albion Cemetery is shown in September 2024 before getting new mortar and a new roof.

State legislator brings ‘NY Fights AI Data Centers’ tour to Batavia today

Posted 23 August 2026 at 8:12 am

Press Release

BATAVIA – State Senator Kristen Gonzalez will bring her “NY Fights AI Data Centers” Statewide Tour to Genesee County today at 2 p.m. at Eden Cafe in Batavia, 242 Ellicott St Batavia.

The event is hosted by local residents of Genesee County who are concerned about the proposed STREAM US Data Center at the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing (STAMP) mega-industrial site in the town of Alabama.

Senator Gonzalez sponsored the Responsible Data Center Development Act (S.10642), which the NYS Legislature passed earlier this year. This event is one stop on the Senator’s statewide tour to learn from communities fighting existing and proposed data centers.

Residents plan to address a wide range of issues, including their experiences with local governments, the potentially detrimental consequences of a data center at STAMP, concerns about PILOT payments, transparency and accountability issues associated with the GCEDC, the public health and environmental impacts, and alternative visions for the future of the site.

The event will also include time for additional audience comments and discussion with the Senator. The event is open to the public, although in-person attendance is limited and requires an RSVP. The organizers will also livestream the event on zoom.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed Executive Order No. 62 on July 14, 2026, making New York the first state in the country to enact a statewide pause on new hyperscale data center construction. While the Executive Order marks a step toward protecting New Yorkers from the impacts of large-scale data centers, organizers of Sunday’s event hope that this listening session and the Senator’s tour will bolster advocacy efforts towards creating long-term regulations on future data center developments.

Senator Gonzalez’s legislation, the Responsible Data Center Development Act (S.10642), which passed both chambers of the Legislature with bipartisan support in June, codifies important regulations missing from the current Executive Order and ensures public engagement, labor agreements, and energy efficiency standards.

Local residents join advocates around NYS in urging Governor Hochul to sign the Responsible Data Center Development Act to protect New Yorkers after the current Executive Order – which is in effect for up to one year only – has expired.

Today’s listening session represents an opportunity for the downstate-based Senator, Chair of the Senate Committee on Internet and Technology, to hear firsthand how these projects affect rural communities.

People who wish to attend the event in person may RSVP using this link (click here). Those who prefer to watch the proceedings live may join via the Zoom link –https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84465170895.

Headlines in August 1945 declared end of World War II, and noted local sacrifice

Posted 22 August 2026 at 9:08 pm

This headline was gladly welcomed in the Albion Advertiser on August 16, 1945.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 23

ALBION – President Truman officially announced Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13, 1945.

The announcement of the ending of this war which had begun on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, was a welcome one. In Albion, factory whistles and bells sounded out the celebration.

Events on the world stage invariably have a local impact.

In that same issue of the Albion Advertiser, an article titled “Medina Man Gives Life in Pacific War” told of the death of Sgt. Stanley W. Dunn, killed in action over the Ryukyus Islands in the Pacific on July 18, 1945. He had served as a top turret gunner on a B-25 with the 405th Bomber Squadron, Fifth Air Force.

The son of Mr. & Mrs. William Dunn of Fletcher Chapel Road in Shelby, Sgt. Dunn was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His monument is in the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, the largest of the American overseas military cemeteries, it honors over 17,000 American servicemen

An unusual event, which occurred at the First Methodist Church in Medina on Sunday, August 12, just days before the announcement of the end of the war, was also reported in that issue of the Albion Advertiser. During a service which was being led by Rev. Webb Ayres, the congregation was startled by the sudden appearance of a white dove flying through the church. It perched on an organ pipe at the front of the church and later flew to another part of the church where it remained for the duration of the service. A white dove is generally recognized as the symbol of peace.

Severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 9 p.m. for Orleans, most of WNY

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 August 2026 at 6:16 pm

Garrett Knaak sent in this photo from 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday of a shelf cloud on Clarendon Road in Albion. This cloud is a low and a horizontal, wedge-shaped cloud that appears at the leading edge of a thunderstorm’s gust front. It signals sudden strong winds and a dramatic drop in temperature.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. for Orleans County and much of Western New York.

The Weather Service also issued a beach hazards statement from Sunday morning through Tuesday evening, warning that strong currents will create dangerous swimming conditions at beaches in Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, northern Cayuga, Oswego and Jefferson counties.

Green has even par round at Canadian Open

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 August 2026 at 6:08 pm

Contributed Photo – Melanie Green

Unable to keep the momentum from a red hot start, Medina’s Melanie Green finished with an even par 70 at today’s third round of the LPGA’s Canadian Open being held at Edmonton, Alberta.

Starting the day at 2 under after back to back rounds of 1 under 69 to open the tournament, Green quickly improved to 5 under after registering birdies on 4, 5 and 7.

However, just as was the case during Friday’s second round, the rest of this round would be a roller-coaster ride.

Bogeys on 8 and 9 set her back to 1 under for the day and 3 under for the tournament.

Green got that one right back with a birdie on 10 to go to 2 under for the day and 4 under for the tourney.

However, bogey trouble struck again on both 12 and 14 again putting her back to even for the day and 2 under for the tournament.

Green rebounded with a birdie on 15 but that advance was quickly wiped out by a bogey on 16 as she finished the day at even par 70 and at 2 under for the first three days of the tourney.

The tournament will conclude on Sunday.

Triennial hosting programs for youth on Sunday and Aug. 30

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 August 2026 at 12:11 pm

Photo by Alexandra Peracciny: Youth are shown in an activity during one of the youth programs held during the summer as part of the Medina Triennial. Here, they are building structures out of toothpicks and marshmallows to see how different materials hold up. They practiced using a variety of foraged and repurposed materials to see what was most sustainable. The final two programs are this Sunday and Aug. 30.

MEDINA – As the Medina Triennial enters into its final weeks, focus is being given to a series of youth programs, led by Medina School teacher and local photographer Alexandra Peracciny.

Peracciny has been leading the free programs throughout the summer, in which children and teenagers were introduced to the ideas behind the Triennial’s artworks through conversations, close looking and hands-on creative activities, said Kari Conte, creative director of the Medina Triennial.

Each workshop offered separate sessions for ages 5-10 and 11-18, allowing activities and discussions to be tailored to different age groups.

The programs encourage young people to think about art in relation to everyday life, community, local history, food, storytelling and the environment.

Participants received Triennial passports to use while visiting the exhibition’s 10 sites throughout Medina. The passports encourage families to experience the full exhibition and connect the individual artworks.

The Medina Triennial is a contemporary art exhibition presented across multiple sites in Medina. Its programs invite residents and visitors of all ages to engage with art and with ideas that relate to the region, its communities and the wider world.

The next program, titled “Nourishing Connection: A Workshop on food and Where it Comes From,” is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Medina Triennial Hub on North Main Street. The sessions for ages 5-10 begin at 2 p.m., followed by the program for ages 11-18 at 3 p.m.

Inspired by the works of Mary Mattingly and Michael Wang, participants will discuss where food comes from and how caring for their communities can encourage healthier habits. Each participant will then plant seeds to take home.

The final youth program of the summer on Aug. 30 is called “Reflection:” Who We Are and What We’ve Learned.” Sessions begin at noon for ages 5-10 and at 1 p.m. for ages 11-18. Participants will receive the Triennial passports they completed over the summer and reflect on their favorite artworks and the projects they created during the youth program. The closing activity will invite participants to make self-portraits and write descriptions expressing who they are as artists and who they hope to become.

Past programs, which began June 14 with “Everyday Stories,” introduced participants to works by Jean Shin and Tania Candiani. Young people considered how art can celebrate ordinary experiences and make space for many voices. They then created projects inspired by the discussion.

Future Forests on Aug. 9 explored sustainability and deforestation through works by James Beckett, Harun Farocki and FIBRA. Participants used recycled materials to construct structures of their own.

Collective Memory on Aug. 16 drew upon works by Futurefarmers and Gregory Halpern. Participants discussed how one place can contain many stories and perspectives, then created drawings through which they shared their own stories.

Pawlak is named Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Villa Maria College

Contributed Story Posted 22 August 2026 at 9:33 am

Contributed Photo – Joe Pawlak

Villa Maria College Press Release
Former Roy-Hart Coach Joseph Pawlak has been named the new Villa Maria College Head Women’s Basketball Coach, announced Villa Maria Athletic Director Chris Heximer.

“Coach Pawlak brings extensive experience coaching high school and college basketball with both women’s and men’s teams,” Heximer said.

“Further, he has been active in coaching travel basketball and has helped host numerous basketball camps in the WNY area over the years. Coach Pawlak is eager to share his core values, develop student-athletes, and promote their academic success. Please join me in welcoming him to Villa Maria College.”

Pawlak has nearly two decades of basketball coaching experience with both men’s and women’s teams. He spent six seasons at Medaille University in various roles, including Head JV Coach, Assistant Varsity Coach, Director of Operations, and Team Manager. In that role, he received the Men’s Basketball Team’s First Award for managerial excellence. During his final season at Medaille, Pawlak served as both Men’s Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach and Men’s JV Basketball Head Coach while completing his Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.

“I want to thank Villa Maria College for this incredible opportunity. My family and I are very blessed to join the Villa Maria community. This is a dream come true; God has a plan. We look forward to connecting with the college community and getting to work. Go Vikings! Quiet, unassuming, talented, and tough,” said Pawlak.

Pawlak comes to Villa after spending last season at Oakfield-Alabama High School as the Women’s Varsity Basketball Team’s Assistant, helping the Hornets win the 2026 Genesee Region League Championship.

Prior to Oakfield-Alabama, Pawlak served as the Men’s Varsity Basketball Head Coach at the Royalton-Hartland Central School District, earning numerous accolades, including the Niagara-Orleans League Championship, Section Champion Runner-Up, and the Niagara-Orleans Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Coach of the Year.

Pawlak has served as a basketball instructor at numerous camps and clinics at collegiate venues, including Niagara University, Daemen University, Canisius University, Medaille University, and Buffalo State University.

In addition to BCANY, Pawlak is affiliated with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the National High School Basketball Coaches Association (NHSBCA), and is licensed by USA Basketball (USAB) as a Gold-level Coach.

Pawlak and his wife, Gabriella, live in Medina with their three children, Michael, Julian, and Noah.

4 artists showcased at new Marti’s show in Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 August 2026 at 9:05 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Marti’s on Main art gallery in Albion held a reception on Friday for a new art show featuring Jan Kisiel, Jenna Papponetti, Paul Facklam and Sharon Stewart. The top photo shows Harriet Symons, 10, taking a photo of paintings by her grandmother, Sharon Stewart of Albion.

Sharon Stewart is shown with some of her acrylic landscape paintings. Some of them are from trips she went on to Italy and Greece.

Stewart is a retired math professor from a community college in Kentucky. She and her husband Brian moved to Albion to be close to their daughters and their families, including six grandchildren.

Stewart, 79, was an art minor at Houghton College. She has 21 paintings featured in the new show at Marti’s, which is located at 20 South Main St.

Jenna Papponetti, 26, of Albion has seven charcoal landscape drawings on display featuring the Erie Canal. Papponetti also has written and illustrated three books. For more information on her books and artwork, click here.

Paul Facklam is recently retired as an art teacher at Roy-Hart, working in the elementary, middle and high schools. Before his 27-year teaching career, Facklam worked 20 years as an illustrator.

He has paintings with marshmallows, which he said represent “that soft, sensitive part out us.”

The paintings by Facklam shows marshmallows with fishing lures, billiard balls, and a hammer and nails.

“The hammer and nails represent the difficult or painful things that happen to us,” he said. “The fishing lures symbolize the things that we can be drawn to that are not particularly healthy for us.”

Jan Kisiel, a retired event planner who lives in Holley, has 12 pieces in the art show. She uses egg tempera painting, mixing dry pigment, egg yolk and some water.

The top painting shows a lamb sticking out its tongue. It was inspired from the ‘Good Shepherd” stained-glass window at the Canalside Community Church in Albion, a former United Methodist church. That window shows Jesus as a shepherd with lambs. In the window, one of the lambs is sticking out its tongue.

Kisiel said being an artist and an event planner are similar in that both need a strong attention to details.

For information on Marti’s, click here or call 585-590-9211.

Candidate for county legislator welcomes chance to meet with residents

Posted 22 August 2026 at 8:07 am

Editor:

Let me introduce myself. My name is Marlene Seielstad and I am running for Orleans County Legislator at Large. I am asking for your vote this election day, November 3rd.

That in itself doesn’t tell you much about me. The reality is I would really like us to get to know each other. I would like you to follow me at facebook.com/Marleneforcountylegislator. I would like for you to check out my website Marlene4Orleans.com but most of all I want to meet you!!

I have two Meet N Greets scheduled for this week. One is today the 22nd from 3 to 5 p.m. at Medina Lanes and the second is Thursday the 27th from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Hoag Library. Stop in for 2 minutes or 2 hours, the choice is yours. 2026 is filled with choices come learn about one of them!

Regards,

Marlene Seielstad

Carlton

Republicans further their cruelty by raising costs, cutting access to SNAP

Posted 22 August 2026 at 7:56 am

Editor:

On Oct. 1st, 2026, every county in New York will face a steep increase in the administration of SNAP benefits, according to New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

The increase is the direct result of the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, Congressman Nick Langworthy, and the Republicans in Congress. This legislation reduces federal subsidies for SNAP benefits. Monroe County, for example, will need to increase its program costs by more than $3 million; Niagara County by more than $1.5 million; Livingston and Orleans by more than $300,000 and $200,000, respectively.

In addition to the cost of the program, counties will be required to increase monitoring and documentation of SNAP recipients. As NYSAC explains: “Counties are being asked to monitor more people, explain more rules, process more documentation, and preserve program integrity with less federal support.”

Republicans justify this increase in county cost and the suffering of their constituents by claiming they are stopping waste, fraud, and abuse of the system. However, the data they are using does not measure waste, fraud, or abuse. They are using Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM), which measures improper payments, and most of these are shown to be paperwork mistakes.

Having two jobs or variable hours or shifts with different pay schedules greatly increases filing errors. As NYSAC reports: “Many errors stem from wages, salaries, and missing reports. Those issues often reflect changing jobs, changing hours, delayed paperwork, inconsistent schedules, and difficulty documenting income in a timely way.”

However, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney cited PERM data in a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul “urging her administration to cooperate with the federal government to reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment errors, combat waste, fraud and abuse and protect New York taxpayers from unnecessary costs.”

Even the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recognizes that PERM does not identify fraud. Ms. Tenney and Mr. Langworthy are intentionally and knowingly misusing data to further Republican cruelty. And the cruelty is obvious.

The need for food assistance has not changed, especially with the rising cost of food and fuel. The bureaucratic changes will only restrict access, making food insecurity more of a problem, not less. Because of Ms. Tenney and Mr. Langworthy, counties will be forced to increase taxes, cut services, or both. The cruelty is in the Republican plan.

William Fine

Brockport

Holley man killed after colliding with farm tractor on Route 19 in Clarkson

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 August 2026 at 7:39 am

CLARKSON – A Holley man died on Thursday morning after an accident with a farm tractor on Route 19 in Clarkson.

Daniel Kernan, 60, of Holley collided with a tractor just before 6 a.m. on Lake Road in Clarkson. Kernan was driving a SUV.

Kernan was headed northbound near Lawton Road when he collided with a tractor towing a set of 17-foot discs, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Karnan was pronounced dead at the scene. The tractor driver wasn’t injured or impaired, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Green makes the cut at the Canadian Open

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 21 August 2026 at 8:53 pm

Contributed Photo – Melanie Green

Surviving a roller-coaster second round today, Medina’s Melanie Green has made the cut at the LPGA’s Canadian Open being held at Edmonton, Alberta.

The wild ride, which included five birdies and four bogies, earned Green her second straight 1 under par round of 69.

That two day total of 2 under 138 was enough for her to advance to the weekend as the cutline was even par.

Starting on the back 9, Green had a bogey on 11 but rebounded strongly with birdies on 12, 14 and 15 to go to 2 under for the day and 3 under for the tournament.

However, the front nine proved to be a bit more troublesome.

Green had bogeys on both 3 and 4 to slip back to even for the day and 1 under for the tournament.

Again though she rebounded strongly with birdies on both 6 and 8 to go back up to 2 under for the day and 3 under for the tourney.

Unfortunately, the roller-coaster round had once more costly dip as a bogey on the final hole ended her day at 1 under and put her 2 under for the tournament.

The tourney will continue on Saturday and conclude on Sunday.

Hawley leading 3 town hall meetings Saturday in western Monroe

Posted 21 August 2026 at 2:40 pm

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

BROCKPORT – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) will host a series of town hall meetings in the Village of Brockport & Town of Sweden, Clarkson and Hamlin on Saturday, Aug. 22.

The meetings provide residents with an opportunity to hear updates on state and local issues, ask questions and share concerns directly with their state representative. All members of the community are welcome to attend.

Village of Brockport and Town of Sweden from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at Sweden Town Hall, 18 State St., Brockport, NY 14420
Town of Clarkson from 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. at Clarkson Town Hall, 3710 Lake Rd. N., Clarkson, NY 14430
Town of Hamlin from noon to 12:45 p.m. at Hamlin Town Hall, 1658 Lake Rd. N., Hamlin, NY 14464

Holley welcomes participants for alumni soccer and flag football games

Posted 21 August 2026 at 2:28 pm

Press Release, Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley school district will host Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 2-3, and registration is now open until Sept. 8 for the annual Alumni Soccer and Alumni Football games.

The games are open to all Holley alumni who graduated from the district on or before 2023. Participants do not need to have played the sport while attending Holley to take part.

The Alumni Soccer Game will be held on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at Sander Soccer Field at The Woodlands. To register to play in the game, complete the registration form: Holley Alumni Soccer Game Registration.

Alumni cheerleaders are also invited to participate during the soccer game. To register to cheer for the game, complete the registration form: Holley Alumni Soccer Game – Cheerleading Registration.

The Alumni Flag Football Game will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4:30 p.m. at Hawk Stadium. To register to play in the game, complete the registration form: Holley Alumni Football Game Registration.

The Alumni Soccer Game will benefit the Interact Club and the Eighth Grade Washington, D.C., Trip Scholarship Fund. The Alumni Football Game will benefit the Holley JV/Varsity Wrestling teams.