Art has a unique way of bringing a community together. In the Town of Barre, a new mural will hang as a reminder that even small towns can express big stories through creativity and pride.
The mural will be a community paint by number by local artist Stacey Kirby. It will reflect the history, character and spirit of the town. In a rural community like Barre, where generations of families have lived, worked, farmed and built their lives, the mural becomes a visual celebration of that shared identity.
When the artist contributes her talents, the mural will help shape the visual landscape of the Town of Barre and leave something meaningful for future generations.
This mural at the town hall is more than a painting on the wall. It is a statement that art belongs everywhere, including the heart of Barre.
This mural is sponsored by GO Art! and the Barre Betterment Committee.
“As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: How much money will it bring in?” – Alexis de Tocqueville, circa 1840
The French aristocrat de Tocqueville traveled around America in the 1830s and wrote the classic and still popular book, Democracy in America. After nearly 200 years the above quote is still relevant.
Today, a few ultra-rich corporations have a tremendous influence on our economy and culture. As every business student learns, the sole criterion for corporate success is the generation of wealth for the shareholders. That’s it. Anything else – equitable distribution of wealth, concern for nature and the environment, concern for employees and customers, basic human empathy – is only important if it helps increase shareholder wealth.
A consequence of this philosophy is the raw capitalistic ethos that dominates 21st century America: phenomenal wealth but savage inequalities, material well-being for some but hardship for many others, and emotional and spiritual desolation for nearly all. A change is needed.
A microcosm of the whole cultural picture is being played out locally, in the form of a proposed data center in Genesee County.
It will be huge, around 37 football fields.
It will use far more electricity than the combined total usage of Genesee, Orleans, Livingston and Wyoming counties.
It will cost over $19 billion to build, and will employ only 125 people.
The builder is asking Genesee County for over $1.4 billion in tax breaks.
It will be noisy – constant, 24/7 noise.
It will burn large amounts of polluting diesel fuel to run its backup generators.
Its wastewater will be handled by an awkward, heavily criticized plan to discharge treated waste into an already impaired Oak Orchard Creek.
It will be nearly surrounded by government protected land (e.g., the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and others) and by the Tonawanda Seneca reservation. Spills of diesel fuel or cooling fluid could cause great harm.
It will be used by an undisclosed corporation, almost surely for artificial intelligence computations.
If America can avoid a bubble-bursting AI crash, the data center could be immensely profitable. Where will the profits flow? Essentially all the profits will flow out of our area, most to fabulously rich high tech corporations on the West Coast.
Data centers are, in essence, extractive entities. They use resources like land and electricity, and do not return meaningful wealth to the area, mostly because they employ very very few people. Granted, PILOT payments and fees paid to the GCEDC stay local, but remember that there’s also the proposed $1.4 billion in abated tax revenues that the state and county will never see. Finally, to make the whole situation worse, residential electric bills will go up. Please ask yourself: Is this what we want?
Perhaps more important than the economic issues are the social and environmental risks that come with data centers. Those risks are all borne locally. The Big Woods of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation gets the unceasing noise, the diesel exhaust, and groundwater pollution from any spills. We believe that it is neither ethical nor moral to subject the Nation to such risks.
Moreover, the buildings themselves will lie along the border of the reservation – looming, noisy reminders to the TSN that for 250 years our government has taken advantage of them. Again, is this what we want?
Beyond the TSN reservation, the protected wildlife areas will be subject to pollution risks, the magnitudes of which are very difficult to quantify, but are not zero.
In summary, we contend that the local economic case for a data center in Genesee County is weak. We also contend that it is fundamentally wrong to base the decision on economics alone, and that arguments based on the lifestyles and well-being of local people and the health of the environment should be given more weight than they have been given. From humanistic and environmental points of view, the risks of the data center outweigh any benefits.
Though our culture tends to channel us toward a narrow view, the value of everything in our beautiful world cannot and should not be reduced to economics alone. If you agree with us, please consider making your voice heard. We urge you to come out explicitly against the data center. You can start by contacting your local and state elected officials. This is not just a Genesee County issue; it affects all of western New York and beyond. Other communities around the country have come together and successfully stopped data center projects. We can too.
Sister Dolores O’Dowd (Chairperson, Green Orleans)
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 17 March 2026 at 8:21 pm
Spring Soiree Gala raises nearly $25K for OCH Foundation
Provided photo: Dr. Arthur Mruczek shared his life’s joys at practicing ophthalmology while living in Medina for 41 years. He was honored on Saturday at the Spring Soiree Gala at Bent’s Opera House
MEDINA – Two long-time Medina citizens were honored by Orleans Community Health at their Spring Soiree Gala on Saturday night at Bent’s Opera House.
Barbara Waters and Dr. Arthur Mruczek were presented with Bowen Awards for their dedication and lifelong support of Medina Memorial Hospital. The Bowen Award, the most prestigious honor given by the hospital, is named for the hospital’s founder, George Bowen.
Provided photo: Barbara Waters was honored for her many years as a key supporter and leader of Medina Memorial Hospital. In 1971, she became the first woman to serve as board chair for the hospital.
The evening began with a welcome from Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health, who said it was always an honor to not only relay positive news and updates from Orleans Community Health, but to recognize two incredible individuals.
He called the gala a meaningful show of support for healthcare close to home, and thanked Baxter Healthcare for agreeing to be bar sponsor.
“We are coming off a very exciting, yet challenging year,” Shurtz continued. “While we celebrate our successes, they do not come easily. It is well documented that rural hospitals and healthcare systems are struggling. While more patients continue to choose us for care, the cost of providing that care is on the rise. This is a challenge we are facing head on.
“Last summer primary care services launched the recently-opened Medina Healthcare Center. While renovations and construction are on the horizon, we are going to be able to jump-start those renovations thanks to a $1.9 million grant. But we are going to need more to get over the finish line.”
At the end of last year, the hospital announced acquisition of Great Lakes Surgical Associates with Dr. Schratz and Dr. Hodge in Lockport.
“Not only does this move expand our geographical footprint, it also nearly doubles the monthly surgeries taking place at Medina Memorial Hospital,” Shurtz said. “We have not seen an increase like this in years.”
Shurtz added that many other services are on a strong trajectory, showing the true need for the hospital in the community and reinforcing that more families are choosing Orleans Community Health for their care.
“But growing and progress like this require partnership,” Shurtz said. “Philanthropy plays a critical role in ensuring we can continue to advance services, invest in infrastructure and respond to emerging needs, especially during challenging financial times for rural healthcare.”
He shared that just last year Orleans Community Health Foundation supported more than $100,000 in projects at OCH, including a new fuel tank to protect operations and critical surgical scopes needed for their expanding surgical services.
“These investments directly impact patient care and operational stability,” he said. “Your generosity truly makes a difference.”
Shurtz added his excitement at the opportunity to recognize Waters and Mruczek, whom he called “incredible individuals.”
“They both had remarkable careers and carried on the original desire of George Bowen to bring quality care into our community,” he said. “Barbara Waters and Dr. Arthur Mruczek invested much of their individual lives in the community. We have the privilege of knowing some of those contributions directly influenced the hospital.”
Dr. Mruczek is not only a well-respected ophthalmologist, he was medical director of Medina Memorial Hospital, Shurtz said.
“His leadership within the hospital and medical community has contributed meaningfully to advancing quality care close to home,” Shurtz said. “Generations of families in the region have benefited from his commitment to excellence and his steady, thoughtful guidance.”
Waters was recognized for her visionary leadership and enduring advocacy for seniors and community healthcare. As founder of The Willows Adult Home and Orchard Manor, she expanded essential senior living services in Medina, ensuring that older adults could remain in their community with dignity and support.
“A longstanding member of the Medina Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, Mrs. Waters’ impact on the aging community may simply be unmatched,” Shurtz added.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Orleans Community Health CEO Marc Shurtz, left, listens as Jeanne Crane, a retired nurse, reads a tribute to Barbara Waters, one of two hospital supporters honored at the hospital’s Spring Soiree Gala Saturday at Bent’s Opera House. (Right) Kassie Smith accepts the award for her mother, Barbara Waters, who was unable to attend Orleans Community Health’s Spring Soiree Gala Saturday night. Waters and Dr. Arthur Murczek each were recipients of the Bowen Award, named for the hospital’s founder George Bowen.
Jeanne Crane, a retired nurse, presented the Bowen Award to Kassie Smith on behalf of her mother Barbara Waters.
“Tonight we have the profound privilege of honoring a woman whose leadership helped shape not only this hospital, but the very fabric of healthcare in our community,” Crane said. “The Bowen Award recognizes those who see beyond the moment – who build for the future, and who ensure that quality healthcare remains accessible close to home. Barbara Waters was one of those rare visionaries.
“At a time when few women held leadership roles in business, let alone in healthcare governance, Barbara stepped forward with confidence and conviction,” Crane said.
Her leadership in the community did not end there.
“As comptroller of her father’s company, Frank J. Balcerzak & Son Construction, she helped shape the physical landscape of Western New York – building schools, churches, homes and commercial spaces that still stand today,” Crane said. “Her work helped build communities, quite literally from the ground up.”
In 1971, she became the first woman to serve as president of the hospital board – a historic milestone in itself, Crane said.
“But what defines her legacy is not simply that she held the title,” Crane continued. “It is what she did with it. She led during periods of financial instability and physician shortages. She understood that a hospital is only as strong as its medical staff, and she helped spearhead the recruitment of physicians who not only practiced here, but made Medina their home and raised their families here.”
One of Crane’s favorite memories of Barbara is the time when the hospital administrator was sick and Barbara took over as acting administrator.
“The nurses petitioned her to allow them to wear pant suits, and she agreed,” Crane said.
“While the challenges look different today, the foundation Barbara helped build – one of resilience, local stewardship, recruitment, innovation and unwavering community commitment – continues to sustain us,” she said. “Because of leaders like Barbara Waters, we are still here.”
Kassie Smith stepped to the podium to read her mother’s letter of acceptance and regret for not being able to attend.
“You know I always enjoyed a good party, and at 95 years of age, I still do,” Waters wrote. “Preparing these remarks gave me the opportunity to dig out my scrapbooks and remember the good, the frustrating and the rewarding times in my healthcare career – something I never really envisioned. You see, I had already committed to a career in construction with my dad, where I spent 25 years.
“I was involved with the hospital as a member of Tupelo Twig, and like other Twigs, we raised money for the hospital and volunteered our services,” Waters shared in her letter. “One example I will always remember is making diaper pads out of the Medina Daily Journal for babies in our nursery unit.”
Waters also told about her years on the hospital board, serving as acting administrator and making the decision to let nurses wear pant suits. She left the board after 17 years, having built Orchard Manor Nursing Home, which opened in 1972. She served as administrator until selling it to Medina Memorial Hospital in 1988 to build The Willows. In selling the nursing home she said it was important ownership stay in Medina.
In 1992, she returned to the hospital board and again became president.
“At that time, the hospital was facing financial challenges and our community lacked doctors – especially specialists,” Waters wrote. “Bringing in doctors became a top priority for the board. Our vice president Van Hungerford and I met with the Rochester Regional Council to obtain approval to establish a five-physician group practice. We were successful in recruiting several physicians.”
These included Dr. Rho, an OB-GYN; Dr. Ghaly, an anesthesiologist; Dr. Abbasey, a surgeon; Dr. Bath, an internist; and Dr. Madejski, a geriatric internist.
“All of these physicians made Medina their home and raised their families here,” Waters shared.
Board members even helped in the search for homes in Medina for the new doctors, and personally showed them around when they arrived, Waters said.
“Our board was active and committed – and raised $1.2 million for the hospital’s first addition,” Waters said. “These memories are a reminder of some of the struggles we faced – much like the challenges you face today in keeping Medina Memorial and Orleans Community Health viable, accessible and financially sound. Looking back, I’m glad I was involved – when I was, where I was, and for all that we accomplished in the community. Thank you so much for this honor.”
In introducing Dr. Arthur Mruczek, Kim Gray said that as a surgical nurse she had the privilege of working alongside Dr. Mruczek in the operating room for nearly 10 years before he retired.
“I can tell you, standing beside a surgeon day after day gives you a perspective that few people get to see,” Gray said. “Dr. Mruczek didn’t just practice medicine here – he chose Medina. After his training, he could have gone anywhere – to large cities and major medical centers, but instead, he came to a small rural community and built something extraordinary. He brought world-class ophthalmologic care to a place where people might otherwise had had to travel hours for it.
“In the operating room, we all knew something special was happening when Dr. Mruczek stepped up to the table. His hands were unbelievably steady, his focus unmatched and his memory incredible. But what stood out even more than his surgical skill was how much he cared about every patient who came through the door. As nurses, we saw the gratitude in patients’ eyes when their bandages came off and they realized they could see clearly again. We saw the relief, the smiles and sometimes even the tears.”
Two guests dressed in their finest ’50s outfits at the Spring Soiree Gala are Brandi Pasnik of Medina and Jeanne Crane, a retired nurse and presenter of one of the Bowen Awards.
Gray said anyone who worked with Dr. Mruczek knew that his impact wasn’t just clinical. He brought joy to the hospital.
“He had a laugh that carried down the hallway, a sense of humor that could lighten the busiest day in surgery and a warmth that made staff and patients feel comfortable the moment he walked into the room,” Gray said.
Gray added that Dr. Mruczek’s career has been filled with accomplishments – teaching in Poland, leadership in medical societies, awards, recognitions from colleagues and even presidents and meeting with two Popes.
“But I think the thing that matters most isn’t written on a plaque or certificate,” Gray said. “It’s the thousands of people in this community who see better today because of him. It’s the nurses, staff and colleagues who were lucky enough to learn from him. And it’s the lasting mark he left on this small rural hospital and this town that he chose to call ‘home.’”
In presenting Dr. Mruczek with the Bowen Award, Gray said, “Doctor, your surgical skill restored sight to thousands. Your kindness earned the trust of generations. And your presence helped shape the culture of this hospital. On behalf of our entire hospital family, thank you for choosing Medina, for caring for our community and for leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire all of us.”
In accepting his award, Dr. Mruczek said he was truly overwhelmed and deeply honored for the recognition.
“It means the world to me,” he said. “George Bowen was also known as ‘Doc,’ and I am humbled to follow in his footsteps.”
Dr. Mruczek acknowledged the unwavering support of his wife of 56 years, Donna, and introduced his son Arthur Jr. and wife Michelle and daughter Patty and her husband George Schlegel. He thanked the staff at Lake Plains Eye Care Center, which he founded. Three dedicated staff members were in attendance – Carol Bellack, his surgery nurse; Jackie Jurinich and Kathy McHugh.
He paid tribute to those who paved the way – Dr. Joseph Misiti, Van Hungerford, Dr. Ekran John Boulos and Roland Howell.
After completing medical school, Dr. Mruczek said the pressure was put on him to stay in Buffalo.
“The Buffalo Medical Group assured me I would be inactive in a small town like Medina,” Mrucek said. “They even pressured my wife Donna.”
Dr. Richard Cooper, whose parents were doctors in Albion said, “Don’t let him waste his talent in the boonies.”
Kim Gray, head of surgery at Medina Memorial Hospital, gives Dr. Arthur Mruczek a hug before introducing him at the hospital gala Saturday night.
But “Doc” and Donna toured Orleans County in 1975 and John Kennedy, who was mayor of Medina at the time, spent an entire day showing them the area.
“He highlighted Medina’s potential, the hospital and a bustling Main Street that felt vibrant and welcoming,” Dr. Mruczek said. “Honestly, I think he could have sold anything to anyone. Imagine a farm boy from Corfu, about to embark on a new chapter. We bought an Italianate villa on West Center Street, which reminded me of my home in Corfu. It became our home for 41 years, a place where our family grew and our roots deepened.”
He founded Lake Plains Eye Center adjacent to his home and built an office to serve the community’s vision needs.
“Medina truly became a wonderful place to live and raise a family,” he said. “Founding Lake Plains Eye Center was a milestone, but what truly shaped my experience here was the warmth of the people. This town welcomed us, celebrated our joys and supported us through challenges. That spirit has always made Medina feel like home.”
In concluding, Dr. Mruczek said Medina Memorial Hospital stands as a testament to those who supported its growth.
“Today we have medicines, advanced instruments and new protocols which save lives and improve quality of life,” he said. “In 1975, cataract surgery meant six days in the hospital with sandbags; now most patients achieve 20/20 vision by the next day.”
“While rural hospitals face new challenges, Medina continues to thrive, thanks to the resilience and heart of its people,” Dr. Mruczek said. “I’m happy Medina was our family home. It’s been a privilege to practice medicine in such a welcoming community. To all who are here tonight and everyone who has been part of Medina’s story, thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives. Serving this community has been the greatest honor of my career, and I look forward with hope that together we will continue to build a legacy of care, compassion and progress.”
The evening also included a buffet, 1950s music and silent auction. A special prize from an anonymous donor of a three-night stay at a home in Celebration, Fla. and four one-day passes to Disney Park was valued at $3,500 and auctioned off for $6,000.
“We are incredibly grateful to our donors, sponsors and community members who made this year’s gala such a success,” said Megan Johnson, director of the Orleans Community Health Foundation. “Raising nearly $25,000 in one evening is a powerful reminder of how deeply this community believes in local healthcare. It was especially meaningful to honor our Bowen Award recipients, Dr. Arthur Mruczek and Mrs. Barbara Waters, whose leadership and dedication have helped shape healthcare in our community for generations. Their legacy of service truly reflects the spirit of the evening.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 March 2026 at 7:25 pm
ALBION – Dubby’s Tailgate in Albion will be hosting a cornhole tournament with $5,000 in prizes to benefit the food pantries at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, said Ryan Lasal, director of Community Programming/Chief Programming Officer for Community Action.
The event on Saturday begins at 11 a.m. with registration starting at 9:30 a.m. The registration fee is $90 per team with room for 90 teams.
The teams will be divided into three brackets with four qualifying rounds in each bracket followed by a double elimination tournament for the prize money. Payouts will be made for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each bracket. A – $1300, $750, $500; B – $750, $500, $250; and C – $500, $300, $150.
All players must have an active account on Scoreholio with at least 50 matches for the top tier brackets. The venue has a full menu and food and drinks will be available. A 50/50 raffle and Airmail contest will be held between rounders and the double elimination tournament.
There will be a pre-tournament warm-up on Friday night so people can practice at the facility. That tournament is posted on Scoreholio as well.
Click here for more information about registering.
Press Release, Tobacco-Free Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming
Tobacco-Free Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming is proud to join communities across the country in observing National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) from March 16-22 to empower young people in our communities with science-based information about nicotine and addiction.
The organization is marking NDAFW through school-based educational sessions, interactive youth workshops and parent and caregiver outreach with a focus on the tobacco industry’s expanded reach through high-tech “smart” vapes, disposable e-cigarettes and flavored nicotine pouches.
“National Drug Facts Week is a good time to remember the horrific toll of tobacco industry marketing and nicotine addiction in our communities,” says Brittany Bozzer, Reality Check Youth Coordinator for Tobacco-Free Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. “Nicotine is considered as addictive or more than, heroin and cocaine, and is damaging to the developing brain.”
Despite progress in youth vaping in New York State from 18.7% in 2022 to 13.1% in 2024, overall youth nicotine use continues at a dangerous rate. And youth use of nicotine pouches doubled during the same time period.
An Evolving Nicotine Market
A 2026 Truth Initiative report shows that the nicotine industry has dramatically expanded its reach through high-tech “smart” vapes, disposable e cigarettes, and flavored nicotine pouches. These products are aggressively marketed to youth by using digital features, bright packaging, and fruity flavors. About 32% of youth who use e cigarettes reported using “smart” vapes in the past month, highlighting a growing trend that blends nicotine with interactive technology.
Sales of flavored oral nicotine pouches—such as Zyn, Velo, and On!—nearly tripled from 2023 to 2024, making them the fastest growing nicotine product category in the U.S. Flavored varieties dominate youth use.
These shifts reinforce the importance of Tobacco Free GOW’s mission to create environments where youth feel protected from targeted nicotine marketing and empowered to make tobacco and nicotine free choices.
Youth Nicotine Use: Progress Plus Persistent Risks
According to data from the New York Youth Tobacco Survey (NY-YTS) youth e-cigarette use has declined significantly – from 18.7% in 2022 to 13.1% in 2024 – yet overall tobacco use remains a concern. Cigarette use remained low at 2.4%, showing promising long-term progress toward reducing combustible tobacco use.
CDC data show that 88.2% of high school students who used e cigarettes in the past 30 days chose flavored products, demonstrating the industry’s continued reliance on flavors to hook young users.
Key Facts Regarding Nicotine To Remember During Drug & Alcohol Facts Week
NDAFW, led by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), unites schools, health organizations, and prevention leaders to dispel myths about substance use and provide teens with factual, accessible information that supports healthier choices. Tobacco-Free GOW stresses these key facts about nicotine:
• Vaping and Addiction: Many teens do not perceive vaping as addictive, yet nicotine products like JUUL and Zyn are highly addictive, and 55% of high school students in a 2023 survey did not see vaping as a high-risk activity.
• The “Gateway” Effect: Using nicotine as an adolescent can alter the developing brain and may increase susceptibility for addiction to other substances, including alcohol and cannabis.
• Brain Development: The teenage brain is particularly vulnerable to nicotine, which can disrupt brain development, affect memory and impact attention.
• Industry Tactics: Tobacco companies are increasingly using social media influencers to target youth with new nicotine delivery systems.
• It’s Not Just Cigarettes: While cigarette smoking is a major concern, the rise of vaping and oral nicotine pouches require a broader focus on all nicotine products.
Supporting NDAFW Through Local Action
Tobacco Free GOW will honor National Drug Facts Week through:
School based educational sessions highlighting the science of nicotine addiction
Interactive youth workshops designed to counter myths about vaping
Parent and caregiver outreach to support household conversations about nicotine
Community partnerships to promote healthy, tobacco free norms
NYS Quitline is available to help
Anyone who lives in New York State may contact the NYS Quitline by calling 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). They can also visit nysmokefree.com to reach a specialist through an online chat, request a call-back or order free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications. The NYS Quitline additionally offers a variety of free texting programs for those seeking help at their fingertips.
Learn2QuitNY and Vivir Sin Tobaco Es Vida (culturally tailored for Spanish-speaking communities) provide daily texts and weekly goals; text QUITNOW or DÉJELO YA NY to 333888 to register. The NYS Quitline’s latest texting service, DropTheVape, supports young people and young adults in their efforts to overcome nicotine addiction. Registration and more information is available at DropTheVape.com.
New York State’s pledge to reducing smoking-related death and disease
The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control funds TF-GOW to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. TF-GOW is a program of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Whether I’m writing an endorsement letter or a love letter to my community, this feels like the right time to share what I’m feeling as we enter another village election.
I didn’t grow up in Orleans County. But in 2020 as so many of us were passing each other on the sides of the roads (notably not the sidewalks!), I know I wasn’t the only one who suddenly found myself paying closer attention to the five miles or so closest to home.
Through that experience, and through the mentorship of Mayor Sidari, I was introduced to the people who quietly keep this village running: department heads, employees, volunteers, and neighbors who care deeply about this place.
Serving on the Village Voard has revealed the secret to the magic here: Medina works because its people work together. Our school district, village departments, surrounding towns, businesses, volunteers, and faith communities constantly collaborate to get things done. In a community our size, that kind of partnership is something special. It’s the delicate balance of those entities that keeps our community alive.
Some of those partnerships extend beyond the village – because imaginary lines don’t void out the need for life-saving responses. I’m not the first, and won’t be the last to talk about MFD.
However, I will use this opportunity to briefly say that the firefighters protecting this community, career firefighters and volunteers alike, care about making sure the folks keeping us safe have what they need to do their jobs. These folks have looked into the face of hell. They aren’t moved by the absolute fact that the village residents pay more than town residents for near-identical service. They know a lot of things I don’t know. They know what it looks like when the right equipment didn’t get there in time.
When I think about this election, I think about the representatives who will help keep our community safe, affordable, and connected. Our experts know what they need, but we can’t afford to send out blank checks. It’s our job to figure out those details.
We need to elect representatives who are prepared to share decision-making with the voters and are able to see a complete picture of what the majority of the residents need from the village.
For Mayor, that candidate is Marguerite Sherman. Marguerite cares deeply about Medina and understands the balance required to lead a community like ours. I trust that she will always act with the best interests of the village at heart.
For Trustee, the candidate with the most to offer is Courtney Henderson. Despite her briefer period of residency, Courtney has made it her mission to learn about our community. Her commitment to listening to residents and understanding issues before forming opinions is exactly what local government needs. Her website, Your Voice Your Village, is already set up for village residents to submit their thoughts and desires for the village’s future.
If you live within the village limits and have never voted before, I hope March 18 will be your first of many trips to the Senior Citizens Center to remind our village that every voice deserves to be heard. Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m., and the firefighters’ union is offering free rides to and from the polls to any resident who requests them, no ballot questions asked.
And I hope you’ll fill in the bubble for Marguerite Sherman for Mayor and write in Courtney Henderson for Trustee.
Tomorrow the village of Albion will vote for a new mayor and two trustees. I hope this election is decided by more than the approximately 200 to 400 people who always vote in each election. Some thoughts on the candidates:
Some say they have past experience on the board, however, previous administrations did a very poor job of planning for the future. They seemed to concentrate only on keeping the tax rate under the tax cap. This led to poor budget planning and no planning for future needs. We now find ourselves faced with higher water/sewer rates because of this lack of foresight. Kicking the can down the road does not help the village prepare for the future.
This lack of planning also led to the issue with the Albion police department. The correction attempted by the new board was not a “defund the police” issue but an issue of incorrect pay accounting by a previous administration. See Orleans Hub, July 18, 2022 article for complete explanation.
Now the two candidates for mayor, as well as the trustees, must contend with increasing the tax rate to bring the village back to a budget that includes planning for the future in a responsible, proactive manner.
Joyce Riley is the kind of mayor that Albion needs to get this job done. Joyce is not afraid of doing what is right and best for the village and its residents. She is not afraid to speak her mind on issues. The people of this village needs someone who is honest, straightforward and willing to do the hard work it will take to bring Albion back to the vital, vibrant community it once was.
Please vote for Joyce Riley for mayor and let her continue her good works for Albion. Remember to get out and vote tomorrow, March 18th, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Albion Village Hall, 35-37 Main St.
Photo from Hawley’s Office: Assemblyman Steve Hawley said the state prisons face a serious staffing crisis.
ALBANY – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) today attended a press conference in Albany alongside his legislative colleagues to announce a series of proposals aimed at improving safety and the ongoing staffing shortages in New York state’s correctional facilities. Hawley also announced that he has signed on as a co-sponsor of the legislation (A.10430).
The proposals follow recommendations from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) and the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), which have called for reforms to the state’s HALT Act and other policy changes to address rising violence and the ongoing staffing crisis within correctional facilities.
“Correctional officers report to work every day under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions, and they deserve to know the state has their backs,” said Hawley. “Right now, we still have members of the National Guard stationed in correctional facilities across New York at a cost of $50 million per month. That alone shows just how serious the staffing crisis has become. We need real, long-term solutions that support the men and women working on the front lines while also ensuring facilities are safe for incarcerated individuals.”
Some of the provisions in the legislation Hawley and his colleagues are proposing include:
Expanding misconduct and offenses eligible for segregated confinement.
Revising definitions to better align with penal law crimes, particularly violent felony offenses.
Permitting short-term segregated confinement for ongoing misbehavior not currently eligible for disciplinary confinement in the general population.
Reducing subjectivity in determining rioting or escape offenses.
Allowing short-term protective custody in segregated confinement when no safe housing alternative is available.
Providing DOCCS with greater flexibility in administering out-of-cell programming and managing repeat offenders.
Expanding considerations relating to good time allowances.
“These proposals are about restoring common sense to our correctional system and making sure our prisons are safe for everyone inside them,” Hawley added. “Our correctional officers deserve the tools they need to do their jobs safely, and we must also ensure a secure environment for incarcerated individuals.”
Provided photo: From left include Hunter Zambito (Albion), Bradyn Whittier (Albion) and Carina Hartigan (Royalton-Hartland) with their teacher Chef James Atzrott.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – The Orleans Career and Technical Education Center’s (OCTEC) Culinary Arts team of Carina Hartigan (Royalton-Hartland), Bradyn Whittier (Albion) and Hunter Zambito (Albion) took home first place at the New York State Restaurant Association’s (NYSRA) ProStart Invitational.
The competition was held at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and was sponsored by the United States Coast Guard.
ProStart is a two-year, industry-backed culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. The students, under the guidance of their teacher Chef James Atzrott, blew the judges away with their menu of daikon scallops with a fennel cream sauce and smoked paprika oil, sirloin steak with mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots and Brussel sprouts and a red wine reduction and a dessert of pistachio Frasier with a raspberry and chocolate sauce.
Genesee County has long struggled with water problems, including contaminated and insufficient groundwater and devastating droughts in 2023 and 2025. Despite piping water in through the massive, expensive Genesee County Water Supply Project, we still suffer persistent water scarcity. People in Pembroke and Bethany have dealt with dry taps in the past two years.
Yet the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) is considering a proposal for a hulking data center the size of eleven Walmart Supercenters in our rural Town of Alabama. This monster would be built at the STAMP (Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park) failing boondoggle, harming local public protected lands and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s territory with its noise and pollution.
The GCEDC will tell you the data center would use “only” 20,000 gallons of water per day. They will also tell you that it is needed to solve the County’s water problems– that data center proceeds will help fund the infrastructure needed to bring up to 10 million gallons of water per day to the County from Lake Ontario via the Monroe County Water Authority.
This nonsensical plan would hinge our water “solutions” to multinational corporations and their financial backers who have no care or concern whatsoever for Genesee County and its people. And we’d have to accept all the data center’s unacceptable energy, environmental, and aesthetic impacts.
There are other ways to fund water infrastructure that don’t hold Genesee County hostage to GCEDC and its for-profit tenants: for example, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Giving billions in tax breaks to a data center in order to generate far less for our water problems is dangerously short-sighted: taxpayers and local governments will be on the hook to maintain this infrastructure forever, long past the data center lifespan (10-15 years) and even the length of the proposed 30-year PILOT (Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes) agreement.
And how helpful will the data center be if it opens pipes to future thirsty industrial tenants at STAMP? Genesee County has already committed 200,000 gallons of water per day to STAMP, and claims this will have “no adverse impact.” But this would be 200,000 gallons going daily to STAMP instead of to people, households, and farms.
Who loses here? People suffering from water crises–the same people who will foot the big bills for much of this boondoggle. The $1.4 billion in taxpayer subsidies sought for the data center would dwarf what it ever would contribute to water infrastructure.
GCEDC also wants you to believe that agriculture and food industries are the real water gluttons in Genesee County, not data centers. Yet agriculture has long been top-priority for our economy and way of life. It’s simply unjustifiable to use any water for data centers, AI, and future far-flung STAMP Big Tech and multinational corporation tenants – instead of for people and food.
For all its massive demands and impacts, this data center would provide only 125 jobs –likely to include non-local construction laborers, given GCEDC’s history of local labor waivers. The per job public cost for each job? A shocking $11.4 million. GCEDC once promised that STAMP would create 9,000 advanced manufacturing jobs. An AI data center does the polar opposite: it would provide a pitiful number of jobs while guzzling 410,000 homes’ worth of electricity every year, and generate nothing of social value. This is more proof that STAMP is failing: that the site is untenable; and that GCEDC is desperate.
So, who wins? US STREAM Data Centers, financial backer Apollo Global Management (one of the world’s largest private equity firms, with ties to the Epstein Files), and the data center operator – a Big Tech company whose identity is secret thanks to a non-disclosure agreement. And GCEDC, which would make a sweet $145.9 million in fees from the deal.
We cannot allow any water to be siphoned away by developments like data centers, or be fooled by the GCEDC’s claims that a data center will solve our water problems. We call on Monroe County residents to oppose the data center, since Monroe County Water Authority supply and infrastructure would be tapped for STAMP. We encourage residents of Genesee County and Monroe County to weigh in on this plan: there is a legally required public hearing this Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Town of Alabama Fire Hall, and GCEDC is accepting written comments through March 31.
A mega data center complex is the polar opposite of a “savior” for the physical and financial realities of our dire water situation. It would hurt our rural and agricultural communities, and be a deep, deep injustice to the next-door Tonawanda Seneca Nation. And it is being leveraged to attract even more resource-sucking development to STAMP.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 17 March 2026 at 8:33 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s veteran group includes, in front, Mason Snook, Drew Pritchard and William Plummer. In back are Kaiden Froman, Nate Gibson, Gavin Boyce and Elliott Trapiss.
Seven veterans anchor the lineup for Albion which is scheduled to begin tuning up for the Niagara-Orleans League baseball season by hosting Tonawanda in a non league contest on April 1.
The Purple Eagles veteran contingent includes seniors Kaiden Froman (outfield/pitcher/catcher), Nate Gibson (catcher/pitcher/infield), Elliott Trapiss (infield/pitcher) and William Plummer (outfield) along with juniors Gavin Boyce (pitcher/infield), Drew Pritchard (pitcher/outfield) and Mason Snook (pitcher/outfield).
Gibson and Trapiss were both first team N-O All-League selections last spring while Boyce was a second team pick and Froman an Honorable Mention selection.
“We have most of our pitching returning so we should be ok on the mound and defensively,” said Coach Bruce Blanchard. “The key will be how well we hit.”
The Albion roster also includes juniors Logan Scott Grager (infield/outfield), Nick Luft (outfield), Kicker Wilson (infield/outfield), Alaka Colmenero (outfield/pitcher), Wesley LeFrois (outfield) and CJ Winters (first base).
The Purple Eagles graduation losses included Andrew Boyce (pitcher/infield), Seth Krening (pitcher/outfield) and Aaron Woodroe (outfield). Boyce was a first tam N-O All League honoree.
Albion is slated to open the N-O season at Roy-Hart on April 13.
By Katie Oakes, Orleans County CCE Master Gardener Coordinator
Provided photo: Master Gardener Sue Starkweather Miller shows a Dahlia tuber clump in a previous class on Summer Bulbs.
KNOWLESVILLE – Master Gardener and Dahlia aficionado Sue Starkweather Miller will lead a second Dahlia Clinic on Saturday, March 28th at 10 a.m. at the Orleans CCE Education Center.
Starkweather Miller offered a fall Dahlia clinic last November. This upcoming workshop will build on the skills she showed at the November class, and offer attendees a chance to see how dahlia tubers are divided and potted up to extend the season
“Dahlias are an investment in time and energy. The beautiful blooms make the time spent growing them worthwhile,” said Starkweather Miller. “I wanted to give gardeners an opportunity to ask all of the questions they have about these amazing plants so they can feel confident in growing them in their home gardens.”
Some of the questions Starkweather Miller says people regularly ask her are when to take tubers out of storage, how to know if the tubers are viable, when can the tubers be planted in the grounds, etc. Starkweather Miller will answer all of these questions and more!
Attendees are encouraged to bring in their own tuber clump to divide (if they have one), garden gloves, scissors or pruners, and any questions they might have.
All participants will learn how to pot up a divided Dahlia tuber to take home with them.
The Dahlia Clinic is offered for an optional donation of $5. The class begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 28th at the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center, 12690 State Route 31, Albion. To register, call (585) 798-4265 ext. 125 or email klo54@cornell.edu.
I don’t usually comment on the race for Mayor, and unlike some others, I’ve always preferred to keep a low profile on issues involving the Village. Many of you know me from my years teaching high school science at Medina High School and coaching baseball. One thing I always tried to instill in my students was that their voices matter. At a time like this, I feel it’s important that I use mine.
Marguerite and I have shared a life together for many years, and long before she ever held public office, I saw the kind of person she is. From the start of her career in education, she has always gone above and beyond to make sure things are done the right way and that people are treated the right way.
When the cheerleading team didn’t have a coach and it looked like the girls might lose their season, Marguerite stepped in to coach because she couldn’t stand the thought of those students missing out. She also took on class advisor roles so students would have someone guiding and supporting them.
Throughout her teaching career, both as a teacher and later as a department chair, she fought for special education students and their families. She believed deeply that those students deserved every service and opportunity available to them, and she worked hard to make sure they received it.
That same sense of responsibility is what led her into public service. Her involvement began on the Planning Board, where she spent years helping guide thoughtful decisions about our community. Following that, she continued serving Medina as a trustee and now as mayor, always focused on moving the village forward.
All of this happened while we were raising four children. She was there for band and chorus concerts, YMCA sports, Scouts, and high school athletics. Today she brings that same love and energy to being a grandmother.
We chose to buy our home in the Village of Medina 26 years ago because it was where we wanted to raise our family. Medina had everything we hoped for – great schools, a paid fire department and police force, and a walkable community with shops and restaurants nearby. It was a wonderful place to raise our kids, and in many ways it has only gotten better.
Elections can sometimes bring out the worst in people. I’ve read some of the comments and accusations, and they don’t solve the challenges Medina faces. What I know is this: Medina means the world to Marguerite. She has given countless hours of her time to this community because she truly cares about the people who live here.
I’m proud of the work she’s done, and proud to stand beside her as she continues working for the Village of Medina.
