Month: May 2020

Our Letters Policy

Posted 24 October 2023 at 3:00 pm

We appreciate input from our readers, and we publish letters to the editor without charge. The letters should be written by the person who submits the letter and not be “ghost written” by someone else. While open speech and responsibility are encouraged, comments may be rejected if they are purely a personal attack, offensive or repetitive. Comments are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Orleans Hub. Although care is taken to moderate comments, we have no control over how they are interpreted and we are unable to guarantee the accuracy of comments and the rationality of the opinions expressed. We reserve the right to edit letters for content and brevity. Please limit the length of your letter (we suggest no more than 500 words) and provide your name, telephone number, mailing address and a verifiable email address for verification purposes. Letters should be emailed to news@orleanshub.com.

300 pack house for concert at Pratt Opera House

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 April 2024 at 9:41 am

Largest crowd in about a century fills the third floor of historic venue in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Musicians performed at the Pratt Opera House to a full house for the first time in likely a century on Sunday.

There were 22 musicians on stage in the “Live at the Pratt” event in an opera house built in 1882 at 118 North Main St.

Erin Moody closes out a 2 1/2-hour show with “American Pie” by Don McLean. Moody and 21 other musicians played to a capacity crowd.

The 300 people at the performance on Sunday was biggest crowd to attend an event at the Pratt since at least 1930, when the theater closed, a victim of the Great Depression and emergence of movie theaters. The Pratt building was built in 1882.

Michael Bonafede, co-owner of the Pratt with his wife Judith Koehler, welcomes the crowd to Sunday’s performance. Bonafede also played the drums for more than two hours on Sunday.

The husband and wife purchased the Pratt and Day building in 2005. They have put on a new roof and made a series of other interior and exterior improvements to the building, which has several tenants on the first and second floors.

Just in the past few weeks they added 235 chairs that they bought at an auction from Holley Central School, and last week purchased 43 sets of double-auditorium chairs from Wells College. Those seats date back to the 1800s, Koehler said.

The Pratt was sold out on Sunday for the concert in the historic opera house. This photo shows people waiting to enter the building on Main Street.

There was a concert last June in a “test run” to see how the musicians liked the acoustics. They loved them and most of that group was back performing on Sunday, offering their services for free.

“It’s a nice place to play,” said trumpeter Brian Wilkins. “The acoustics are great.”

Bonafede said the Pratt performance venue can be used to promote Albion and the many other historic resources in the community, form the downtown business district, Courthouse Square, Mount Albion Cemetery, Cobblestone Museum and Erie Canal – all of which are either on the National Register of Historic Places. (The Erie Canal and Cobblestone Museum also are designated National Historic Landmarks.)

“We want to create a sense of vibrancy here,” Bonafede said. “We have a lot of unique assets to offer folks.”

The musicians played rhythm and blues, and many rock and roll classics.

From left in front include Brian Wilkins on trumpet, Michael Bonafede on drums, John Borello on Stratocaster guitar and Rich Simbari on Fender P bass guitar.

Bonafede also played with two of his bandmates from Black Sheep. Larry (Rose) Crozier played the piano and Don Mancuso is on the guitar.

Black Sheep, with also included legendary lead singer Lou Gramm before he went to Foreigner. Black Sheep broke up in 1976. But before that they performed in front of tens of thousands of people.

Black Sheep recorded two albums for Capital Records and shared the stage with Kiss, Aerosmith, REO Speedwagon, and Hall and Oates.

Ron Albertson gets a turn at the mic and sings, “Shake.”

Don Mancuso, a Rochester guitar legend, welcomed the chance to perform in Albion on Sunday with his Black Sheep band mate Michael Bonafede.

The Pratt is working on hosting another concert on June 23.

Man dies in fire in trailer at Oak Orchard Estates

Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion Fire Chief Jeremy Graham and firefighters from several departments responded to a fire at Oak Orchard Estates just before midnight.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 April 2024 at 2:08 am

ALBION – A 68-year-old man who lived at Oak Orchard Estates died on Sunday night when his trailer became fully engulfed in flames.

Albion firefighters were dispatched at about 11:45 p.m. to North Street for a trailer on fire with a person trapped inside.

Two neighbors tried desperately to kick in doors, and break into the back window to try to help the man get out. Albion Fire Chief Jeremy Graham, two Albion police officers and an Orleans County Sheriff’s deputy also tried to break into the trailer to get the man out but were unable to get inside in time.

The trailer was quickly consumed with fire and the man was in his bedroom.

The man lived alone with his cats. He was described by neighbors as a “nice guy” who was always happy to chat with people.

Albion Police Chief David Mogle said the department is trying to notify the man’s family members. He expects the man’s name will be released on Monday.

A state fire investigator, Rick Cary of Holley, is on scene to try to determine the cause of the fire.

The Albion Fire Department was assisted at the scene by firefighters form Barre, Ridgeway, Carlton, Kendall, Medina and Shelby.

Provided photo: Flames shoot out of the trailer on North Street just before midnight.

Driver of pickup truck that went into canal located, issued citations

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 April 2024 at 8:46 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Medina police officer Felicia Holtz takes photos of a red pickup truck after it was pulled from the Erie Canal on Saturday morning by Automotive Solutions of Medina.

The driver of the truck was not in the vehicle and there were no footprints from the shallow water of the muddy canal on Saturday morning. Officials at the scene weren’t sure where the driver was or if the person was injured.

Medina Police Chief Todd Draper said the driver has been identified and issued traffic citations. Draper declined to release the driver’s name. Medina Fire Department officials said the driver is safe.

The truck was headed south on Route 63 (North Gravel Road) but failed to negotiate a right turn onto the lift bridge. The truck went straight and plunged into the Erie Canal, which currently is drained.

Albion grandmother, a 2-time cancer survivor, needs prayers in latest health battle

Posted 14 April 2024 at 8:13 pm

Editor:

In this little town of Albion, there’s a champion. My mother raised me while fighting rheumatoid arthritis. It crippled her hands and her feet. There were many days growing up I would wake up to her screaming in agony from being in pain from it. She would take Tylenol and Ibuprofen to barely take the pain away before going off to work.

Later on she discovered a small lump that would ended up being early stages of breast cancer. She fought and went through radiation and was cancer-free in the early 2000s. That same cancer returned with a vengeance when she was diagnosed stage 3 in 2019.

She fought that battle undergoing a partial mastectomy in early 2020 before the pandemic, while also undergoing chemotherapy, radiation and chemo pills. She finished radiation the summer of 2020 and was declared cancer-free again in 2021. She had told me by the time of her partial mastectomy the cancer was slowing progressing into stage 4.

I tell her almost every day to be proud of the warrior she is and the fact for not just being a two-time cancer survivor is that she gets out on her three-wheeled bike and rides all over town. She goes from her home here on Butts Road at her age of 72 after dealing with cancer and fighting crippling arthritis that has severely affected both her hands and her feet. If anyone has seen her around town riding she is the little lady that rides the red and white three-wheeled bike with the basket on the back with the dark-colored helmet.

The end of this little story is that same warrior that is my mother is currently in the hospital at her age fighting a battle with sepsis and some other serious issues. She has been in United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia to being transferred to Rochester General. She needs all the thoughts and prayers she can get it so she can come home to a family that misses her including a 5-year-old little boy that misses his grandma.

She’s got a heart of an eagle, that always finds a way to survive.

Aaron Vosburgh

Albion

Eye glass clinic draws about 100 to Lyndonville for free glasses

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 April 2024 at 12:53 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – People check out some of the frames for glasses available at an eye glass clinic Saturday at the White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.

The Lyndonville Lions Club organized the event for the third straight year. Lions Club members from Medina, Lewiston, Kenmore, Tonawanda, Grand Island and Niagara Falls assisted in the event.

People were able to get a vision screening, fitted for glasses and a glaucoma screening.

Several optometrists and ophthalmologists were on hand to assist with the clinic.

Joe Shiah, a member of the Kenmore Lions Club, checks how a pair of glasses fits one of the people at the clinic. Shiah is a key leader in the Lions Club pop-up eye clinics in Western New York.

The frames were collected by Lions Club in Western New York, with some also given by the Lakes Plains Eye Center in Medina.

The lenses will all be new. The glasses are expected to be ready in about three weeks with pickup at the White Birch.

There were 80 people at the clinic in the first hour of the five-hour event, with people coming from Lyndonville, Albion, Gasport, Appleton, Middleport, Waterport, Kent, Kendall, Lockport, Barker. Newfane and Medina.

The Lyndonville Lions Club recently purchased a iCare 200 tonometry machine with support from the Lyndonville Area Foundation. That handheld machine measures intraocular pressure.

The tonometry machine will allow for glaucoma screenings. Glaucoma is one of the most common forms of preventable blindness in the United States.

The Kenmore Lions brought a trailer to help promote the eye glass clinic in Lyndonville on Saturday.

N-O baseball season opens Monday

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 14 April 2024 at 9:55 am

Niagara-Orleans League baseball competition is scheduled to get under way on Monday with defending champion Akron at Barker, Newfane at Albion and Roy-Hart at Wilson as Medina draws the bye.

Akron went 11-1 last spring to capture its first N-O title since 1975. Roy-Hart finished in the runner-up spot at 9-3 with Medina third at 8-4.

Coach Greg Bell’s  Tigers return a nucleus of five players who earned N-O All-League honors including first team honorees senior Dawson Stone (P/1B) and junior Vincent Consiglio (OF); second team selections juniors Aiden Romesser (P/SS) and Jack Julicher (P/3b/OF) and Honorable Mention pick junior Anthony Consiglio (C/P).

Rivals Holley and Kendall will also meet on the diamond this coming week with baseball at Holley on Wednesday and softball at Kendall on Friday.

Weekly Schedule
Monday
Baseball – Newfane at Albion, Roy-Hart at Wilson, Akron at Barker, 4:45 p.m.; Medina at Alexander, Holley at Oakfield-Alabama, Attica at Kendall, 5 p.m.
Softball – Akron at Medina, Albion at Barker, Newfane at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.; Roy-Hart at East Aurora, Kendall at Pembroke, 5 p.m.
Tennis – Holley at Pembroke, 4 p.m.; Albion at Barker, Akron at Medina, Newfane at Wilson, 4:40 p.m.; Kendall at Batavia, 5 p.m.

Tuesday
Baseball – Alexander at Holley, 4:30 p.m.
Softball – Barker at Newfane, Wilson at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; Lockport at Roy-Hart, Alexander at Lyndonville, Oakfield-Alabama at Holley, 5 p.m.
Tennis – Medina at Roy-Hart, Barker at Newfane, Holley at Byron-Bergen, 4:30 p.m.
Track – Newfane at Albion, Roy-Hart at Wilson, 4:30 p.m.
Lacrosse – Medina at Newfane, 5 p.m.

Wednesday
Baseball – Albion at Newfane, Wilson at Roy-Hart, Barker at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; Kendall at Holley, 5 p.m.
Softball – Barker at Elba, 4:30 p.m.; Wilson at Albion, Roy-Hart at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; Attica at Holley, Kendall at Oakfield-Alabama, 5 p.m.; Medina at Newfane, 7 p.m.
Tennis – Wilson at Albion, Roy-Hart at Akron, Medina at Newfane, Oakfield-Alabama at Holley, Kendall at Elba, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday
Baseball – Pembroke at Holley, Kendall at Elba, 5 p.m.
Softball – Finney at Lyndonville, Barker at Alexander, 5 p.m.; Holley at Medina, 7:30 p.m.
Track – Medina at Roy-Hart, Wilson at Akron, Barker vs. Newfane at Wilson, 4:30 p.m.
Lacrosse – Salamanca at Medina, 5:30 p.m.

Friday
Baseball – Medina at Roy-Hart, Barker at Newfane, Wilson at Akron, Pembroke at Albion, 4:45 p.m.
Softball – Albion at Medina, Newfane at Roy-Hart, Barker at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.; Notre Dame at Lyndonville, Holley at Kendall, 5 p.m.
Tennis – Albion at Medina, Newfane at Roy-Hart, Barker at Wilson, Kendall at Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday
Baseball – Elba at Kendall, 10 a.m.; Byron-Bergen at Albion, 11 a.m.
Softball – East Rochester at Holley, 10 a.m.

Chicken barbecues are hot-sellers for Orleans – Recovery Hope

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 April 2024 at 8:08 am

Organization offers Narcan training, other services

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Volunteers work to fill take-out containers with chicken barbecue dinners on Saturday in the Trolley Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

There were 500 dinners available as a fundraiser for Orleans – Recovery Hope Begins Here. Assistant District Attorney Susan Howard is in back, center, with Danielle Kujawa next to her at right and Kathy Hodgins at far right. Hodgins is director of treatment for UConnectCare (formerly GCASA).

The organization last year gave out about 500 Narcan kits. Orleans Recovery works to reduce the stigma of addiction or substance use, while providing support to those with substance use disorders and their families.

Danielle Kujawa joined Orleans Hope about two years ago. Her brother Zach Kujawa died at age 30 on Oct. 25, 2019, after an overdose.

“I joined to reduce the stigma,” Kujawa said. “Everyone struggles with their own battle.”

Mike Hoch cooks 500 chickens for Chiavetta’s BBQ at the Fairgrounds on Saturday.

Orleans Recovery sold 400 of the dinners presale with about 100 available during the event from 1 to 4 p.m.

The organization is based at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex at 243 South Main Street, Suite 190.

It is planning more pop-up events this year to give away Narcan kits that help to reverse a drug overdose. Orleans Recovery also wants to make the community aware of the other services provided by the organization.

For more information call (585) 210-8750 or email OrleansRecoveryHope@gmail.com.

Scott Schmidt, the county’s chief coroner, greets a driver at the fairgrounds pulling in for one of the dinners. Schmidt is joined by Don Snyder, a retired chaplain who is active with Orleans Recovery.

Schmidt is the group’s acting president. As coroner he said he had been called to many scenes following fatal overdoses in Orleans County.

“This is an epidemic,” Schmidt said. “It’s awful. There are so many people who have accidently overdosed while trying to deal with their pain.”

GLOW OUT! hosting youth conference April 19 at GCC

Posted 13 April 2024 at 9:10 pm

Press Release, GLOW OUT!

BATAVIA – The regional LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLOW OUT! is hosting a free, full-day conference focused on empowering and supporting youth.

At Genesee Community College in Batavia on April 19, community members and professionals who work with youth will gather for informative workshops, a panel discussion, and the keynote speaker, Ashton Daley.

The Youth/Young Adult Recovery Program Director for Youth Voices Matter NY, Daley holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work, and has volunteered for years in multiple roles supporting trans-identifying young people in the Capital Region of New York.

“We’re very excited to bring this event to Batavia,” said Sara Vacin, Executive Director of GLOW OUT! “This is helpful information for anyone working with youth, but especially important if those youth are LGBTQ+.”

Risk of mental health challenges and suicide ideation is a concern for all youth, but LGBTQ+ young adults are statistically more likely—more than four times as likely—to consider and attempt suicide than their heterosexual, cisgender peers. For transgender and/or nonbinary youth, mental health and suicide ideation can be particularly challenging – with many surveys reporting 40-50% of respondents seriously considering, or attempting, suicide. The Rainbow Resilience conference is sponsored by the New York State Office of Mental Health’s “Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Fund.”

Workshops focus on suicide risk factors and warning signs; dealing with difficult family members; knowing your rights and advocating for change; and understanding and overcoming mental health stigmas. The faith-based youth organization Beloved Arise will present, as well as Roger Rosen’s “Life on the Stage.” The panel discussion, titled “Envisioning Your Future,” features “LGBTQ+ inspirations” and aims to encourage youth to imagine life beyond their teen years.

“Showing the youth that we support them is so important,” Vacin said. “Just one adult – someone at home, someone at school, someone at church – that one supportive, caring adult can really help that child build a sense of resilience and strength.”

Self-care sessions will be offered throughout the conference on a variety of topics including art, yoga, spirituality, nature, journaling, mindfulness, and healthy eating.

Guests may still register (click here), although additional lunches will not be available. The conference is free to attend, and begins at 9:30 a.m. at GCC in Batavia.

Fast-moving fire destroys home in Shelby

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 April 2024 at 6:27 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

SHELBY – Firefighters work to put out a fire this afternoon at a trailer at 12523 West Countyhouse Rd. in Shelby.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 4:42 p.m.

Darryl Luxon was able to safely get out of the trailer along with his dog, his neighbor said.

The wind caused the fire to spread fast, said Debbie Taylor, chief of the East Shelby Fire Company.

The trailer also was an older model, where a fire tends to move quickly through the structure, she said.

East Shelby was assisted at the scene by firefighters from Shelby and Medina.

Taylor said the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.

Firefighters encountered heavy smoke while working to put out the fire, which was near the Albion and Barre town lines on West Countyhouse Road.

Residents should turn apathy into action by attending local government meetings, holding officials accountable

Posted 13 April 2024 at 3:34 pm

Editor:

Orleans County residents, your complacency has and will affect your wallets and mine.

I have been to County Legislature meetings and, God as my witness, said I am over-taxed. I put on record that I don’t agree with the purposed District Court, which I believe will raise taxes eventually.

I have been to my Town Board meetings and my town workshop meetings and expressed my desire for law & order and Conservative spending. I at least read my Village of Lyndonville meeting minutes and Orleans County minutes. Where are my neighbors?

Where are those that tell me they feel the same as me? In November 2023 was a chance to make a change in the Legislature and none was made, no change of the Town of Yates Board neither. Voter turnout  was low.

March 19, 2024 there were village elections and voter turn-out was again low and no change. You must judge your employees better. If they do things that you disagree with, vote them out of office.

It bothers me that I read and hear, “Well that does it. I moving out here.” I was raised that to the coward there is no glory or remembrance. Let us band together and demand lower taxes.

Let us make term limits if not by law then by the ballot box.

I am working on something that I will hold secret for now. Know this, fraud spoils everything. The truth always comes out. You can always tell a man or a woman’s character by their actions. Words are meaningless.

Join me at county meetings. Join me at town meetings. Join me at the polling station. Check every box for a candidate, if you don’t like one of them write in someone who shares your thoughts. Let your voice be heard.

June 25 is Primary voting. Don’t like the candidates, talk to other voters and pick someone who shares your values. Don’t keep voting for the same people, that is insanity. Obviously, they don’t care.

November 5 is the day for federal elections. Setting a time and date for grievances then not giving you a chance for grievances is unconstitutional. Public servants work for you.

First Amendment is the right to petition and state your grievances and demand redress of those grievances. We can also demand a grand jury to investigate suspected misconduct by public servants.

Join me, let us work together to fix our local governments and make Orleans County, NY great for families and businesses.

Steve Colòn

Lyndonville

Medina stickmen defeat Lockport

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 13 April 2024 at 3:20 pm

Snapping a brief two game losing streak, Medina downed host Lockport 12-1 in an inter divisional lacrosse game this afternoon.

Will Prest and Cole Callard both scored three goals for the Mustangs as Jacob Rissew, Dylan Lonnen and Liam Castricone each chipped in with two.

Medina built up a 4-0 lead at the half on a pair of goals by Prest and one each by Rissew and Castricone.

The Mustangs held a 7-1 lead over the Lions at the end of the third period.

Medina next visits Newfane on Tuesday for a Class D Division contest.

Mustangs down Hawks in non league contest

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 13 April 2024 at 3:14 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Julian Woodworth steals third base ahead of the throw to Holley’s Nolan Sullivan during the Mustangs win over the Hawks this afternoon at Vets Park.

Scoring in every inning, Medina posted an 11-1 win over Holley in a non league game at chilly, wind swept Vets Park this afternoon.

Medina scored two quick runs without the benefit of a hit in the first inning and added solo tallies in the second and third frames on an error and a hit bater.

Vinny Gray had an RBI single to cap a three run fourth inning as fielder choice plays plated the first two runs.

Preston Woodworth tacked on a two run single in the fifth inning and a sacrifice fly by Aidan Papaj and an error plated two more in the sixth to finish the run rule contest.

The Hawks run came in the fourth on a hit by Nolan Sullivan.

Julian Woodworth pitched the first four innings for the Mustangs striking out 8 and Papaj hurled the final two frames fanning 5.

Now at 3-0, Medina next visits Alexander on Monday for another non league contest.

Holley, which is 0-3, next visits Oakfield-Alabama on Monday for a Genesee Region League game.

Holley’s Gage Yockel tries to turn a double play as Medina’s Carter Woodworth is out at second base.

Albion FD sets open house for Sunday to welcome potential new members

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Courthouse dome is illumined in red as part of a “Fire Up NY Red” public awareness campaign about the need for more volunteer firefighters.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 April 2024 at 2:17 pm

ALBION – The Albion Fire Department will have an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday at the fire hall at 108 North Platt St.

There will be activities and information to help people see the role of the local fire department.

Applications will be available for people interesting in joining the department.

Pickup truck pulled from canal in Medina; No sign of driver

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 April 2024 at 10:39 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Automotive Solutions in Medina uses a heavy wrecker tow truck to pull a pickup from the Erie Canal in Medina this morning at about 10 a.m.

Officials at the scene believe the truck went in the canal during the night. There is no sign of the driver at the scene, or any footprints leading from the scene.

The Medina Police Department welcomes any information from the public about the driver.

Firefighters and local police were dispatched to the scene at 8:45 a.m. Fire Chief Matt Jackson said it is unusual to have a vehicle in the canal, but it does happen once every few years.

The truck was headed south on North Gravel Road and failed to make the right turn onto the lift bridge.

These tire tracks show where the pickup, a red Chevy S-10, left the road and went towards the canal.

Automotive Solutions has the truck strapped and starts to left it out of the muddy canal.

The spot before the lift bridge on North Gravel Road has a bend just before the bridge.