By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2025 at 3:12 pm
Provided photos
ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke announced that Julie Vendetti, a long-time dispatcher, is the new communications coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office.
She succeeds Allen Turner who retired in October after a 33-year career with the Sheriff’s Office. Vendetti’s appointment is effective Oct. 28.
“I am confident that all members of our agency will work with Julie Vendetti to ensure that she has a smooth transition into his new role,” Sheriff Bourke said.
The Sheriff’s Office has 10 full-time dispatchers and four part-timers that receive about 40,000 calls for service each year. The dispatch center handles calls for fire, EMS, ambulance, police/law enforcement, animal control, and the coroner’s office.
Dispatchers also handle other non-emergency calls that brings the total call volume to about 61,000, Bourke said.
“The communications coordinator is responsible for assisting the sheriff with the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the many operating platforms that make the 911 center work,” Bourke said.
The center is currently doing a $1.1 million mandated upgrade to the Motorola/Vesta/Frontier 911 phone equipment as well as the computer-aided dispatch. The upgrade includes a new report management system (RMS), the sheriff said.
“The 911 center is an extremely important component to public safety and is the lifeline to our residents in Orleans County,” he said.
Allen Turner was celebrated by many of his co-workers, retired sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel during a retirement party last month.
BROCKPORT – Fidelis Care presented a $20,000 rural health grant on Thursday to Oak Orchard Health. The grant was presented at Oak Orchard’s community health center in Brockport.
Fidelis Care gave the “Here for Your Health” rural health grant in observance of National Rural Health Day. This grant is one of seven totaling $130,000 awarded to providers and community-based organizations that support innovative preventive care programs in rural communities across New York State, Fidelis Care said.
Fidelis Care is a statewide health plan with more than 2.4 million members in New York State. Fidelis Care offers coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life.
Oak Orchard Community Health Center, Inc. is a Federally Qualified Health Center and Patient-Centered Medical Home with 10 locations and two mobile units serving Orleans, Monroe, Genesee, Wyoming, and Steuben counties.
Oak Orchard serves a large population of low-to-moderate-income individuals who face significant obstacles to accessing preventive and other care. It plans to use the Fidelis Care Here for Your Health rural health grant to enable its team to personally contact low-income patients, ensuring they have the resources they need to visit the health centers and receive the care they deserve.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 21 November 2025 at 9:31 am
Contributed Photos – This trio of Orleans student athletes are now competing in their freshman season of collegiate wrestling. Holley graduate Hunter Jewell Smith, left, and Medina grad Brody Fry are both on the SUNY Brockport wrestling team. Medina grad Reece Senske, right, is a member of the Norwich University wrestling team. All three wrestlers enjoyed very successful high school careers including competing in the state championships where Senske was a two time place finisher.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 21 November 2025 at 9:22 am
Photos by Cheryl Wertman- Albion’s Kaiden Froman, left, and Jackson Snook have earned first team B2 Division honors.
Two Albion players – senior Kaiden Froman (LB/WR) and junior Jackson Snook (OL/DL) – have been named to the first team of the B2 Division All-Star squad.
Froman led Albion in tackles with 99 and had one interception.
Snook had 43 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a touchdown.
The Purple Eagles had a trio of second team honorees including senior Hunter Huscher (WR) and juniors Logan Kast (OL) and Jaxon Lynch (LB).
Albion also had three Honorable Mention selections senior Devonte Jones (DB) and sophomores Levi Coughlin (OL) and Elijah Doxey (RB).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2025 at 8:30 am
American Farm Bureau Federation created this chart showing a decline in the cost of the Thanksgiving meal.
The American Farm Bureau Federation said the cost for a Thanksgiving dinner is down 5 percent this year to an average of $55.18 for classic dishes for 10 people.
This is the third straight year the cost has gone down but it remains higher than four years ago. Last year the cost was $58.08, and it was $61.17 in 2023. In 2022, the cost was $64.05, according the Farm Bureau survey.
In the Northeast and New York the average Thanksgiving meal is higher – $60.82 for the Northeast region and $66.06 in New York.
“Here in New York, where prices are higher than both the national and Northeast regional averages, we continue to experience issues like labor shortages, rapidly increasing farm wages and rising production costs, which affect prices in the grocery store, as well as a higher-than-average cost of living,” said New York Farm Bureau Director of Communications Amanda Powers. “It’s also important to note that higher retail prices do not mean more money in farmers’ pockets. Farmers are price takers, not price makers. So, while we are encouraged by the overall national decline in Thanksgiving meal ingredients, food prices in New York remain higher for consumers in grocery stores — and farmers continue to struggle with increased expenses producing our food.”
This is the 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey where Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico visit their local grocery store to survey the prices of items used in a classic Thanksgiving feast.
They report local prices for turkey, cubed stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, frozen peas, fresh cranberries, celery, carrots, pumpkin pie mix and crusts, whipping cream and whole milk.
Farm Bureau reported that four of the items dropped in price this year – the main turkey dish, cubed stuffing, fresh cranberries and dinner rolls. However, five items – sweet potatoes, frozen green peas, a vegetable tray of carrots and celery, whole milk and whipping cream – rose in price. Pumpkin pie mix and pie shells remained virtually unchanged from 2024.
Prices for ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans were added to the survey in 2018 to reflect a wider variety of Thanksgiving favorites. When including the additional items, the meal cost rises to $77.09, or $7.71 per person. The updated Thanksgiving dinner is virtually unchanged from last year – only 28 cents cheaper than 2024 – due to increases in all three additional ingredients.
The cost for a 16-pound turkey is an average of $21.50, down 16% from 2024. Side dishes are up in terms of the share of the total basket. Price increases for fresh produce and key baking ingredients reflect higher costs throughout the supply chain, Farm Bureau stated.
“Farmers who grow the fruits, vegetables and potatoes for many Thanksgiving staples continue to face elevated expenses for fertilizer, fuel, machinery, labor and land, which tightens already narrow margins and limits production capacity,” according to Farm Bureau.
Persistent labor shortages and higher wage requirements have increased production expenses for growers of many fruits and vegetables, and these higher on-farm costs eventually factor into grocery store prices, Farm Bureau said.
“We lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low crop prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze farmers and ranchers,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and reliance on other countries for our food.”
Duvall continued, “We urge Congress to address the challenging economic conditions facing farmers to ensure farm families can continue growing the food we all rely on, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.”
Adam Yanicki, a senior, takes first in nation in the Environmental and Natural Resources
Photos courtesy of Roy-Hart FFA: Senior Adam Yanicki earned 1st place in the Environmental and Natural Resources event, making him a National Champion.
Press Release, Roy-Hart Central School
MIDDLEPORT – Seventeen students from the Royalton-Hartland Central School District returned from the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, the largest youth leadership and career competition in the country.
The event brought more than 70,000 students from all 50 states, competing in rigorous contests that prove agricultural, science, business, environmental systems, and public speaking skills.
And this year, Roy-Hart won.
Senior Adam Yanicki earned 1st place in the entire nation in the Environmental and Natural Resources event, officially making him a National Champion. He described the journey to first place as one of opportunity.
“It was my first time at nationals, and a new world was opened for me,” Yanicki said. “To prepare, we planned out our schedules on when we could get together, and we were practicing pretty much every day.
“We also studied individually for our solo pieces. I spent every minute I could studying. I competed against 171 other contestants—I knew I had the chance to be number 171 or number one. I had to do my best and keep my head up.”
Roy-Hart also garnered several additional top national finishes:
The Agricultural Sales Team earned a Gold Ranking and placed 12th nationally.
The Food Science Team earned Silver, with one student ranking 3rd in the nation individually.
Five Roy-Hart students earned the American FFA Degree, an honor achieved by less than 1% of FFA members nationwide.
Roy-Hart competed against teams from powerhouse agricultural states like Texas, California, and Indiana, and came home as national leaders.
The FFA’s national competitions require students to solve real-world problems, complete written exams, and present professional-level projects judged by industry experts. Winning takes years of preparation, countless hours of practice, and an extraordinary amount of teamwork and leadership.
“FFA cultivates strong, confident leaders by giving students real-world experiences, opportunities to problem-solve, and the chance to develop teamwork and communication skills,” said Principal Matthew Sweeney of the Roy-Hart Middle School. “We are incredibly proud of this year’s national results, which reflect the dedication, hard work, and talent of our students. Having a National Champion in a Career Development Event competition is an extraordinary accomplishment that puts our school district and FFA Chapter in the national limelight. Achievements like these not only highlight individual success but also demonstrate the strength of our agriculture programs here at Royalton-Hartland, reinforcing our commitment to preparing students to excel both in and beyond the classroom.”
Environment & Natural Resources CDE
The top individuals for Environment & Natural Resources CDE include Adam Yanicki – 1st Place in Nation; Fawn Elko – Silver Ranking; Judson Heck – Silver Ranking; and Shianne Barnes – Bronze Ranking.
Participants engage in various activities and practicums, working under challenging conditions to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in environmental and natural resources management. This includes soils, water, ecosystems, waste management, navigational mapping, and environmental monitoring skills through GPS.
Roy-Hart’s CDE Team earned a Silver Ranking. Shianne Barnes, a bronze-ranked competitor, reflected on her experience: “I found passion in FFA
over the summertime with livestock evaluation. I also did showing in 4H with poultry and goats, which was a lot of fun. At the convention, I had an overall great experience. Everybody was really friendly, you could ask anything to anyone. People were there from all 50 states, and we were all joined together.”
Agriculture Sales CDE
Roy-Hart’s Agriculture Sales CDE earned a Gold Ranking. The team members include Sean Labiak, Camden Vandenbosch, Mackenzie Diamond and Anthony Adams.
The agricultural sales event evaluates students’ sales and customer service skills through individual and team activities, including written exams, sales calls, and customer service scenarios. It fosters essential communication, problem solving, and relationship-building abilities for success in agricultural sales careers.
Sean Labiak earned 7th Place and a Gold Ranking in the individual competition.
Individually the Roy-Hart students placed high, including Sean Labiak – Top 10 Individual (7th Place, Gold Ranking); Camden Vandenbosch – 30th Place Individual, Gold Ranking; Mackenzie Diamond – Silver Ranking; and Anthony Adams – Silver Ranking.
FFA Chapter President and Silver-ranked Mackenzie Diamond shared the intensity of the competition: “The Agriculture Sales CDE is a competition where you are trying to be a salesperson. This year, we pretended to sell greenhouses, and it made me more aware of being a customer in agriculture by seeing what salespeople experience trying to accommodate us.
“I’ve done nationals three years in a row, and by my third year, I got the gist of things. For me, it was all about studying. I was up every single night leading up to it. I wasn’t worried about how well I would do because I knew my studying would reflect my performance. When the speaking portion came, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I was so happy to be there. The whole competition went amazing, and each time I heard someone from my team get awarded, I started bawling. To know that you have three people from your chapter placed in the top 10 with only three teams sent is incredible.”
Food Science CDE
Simon Fournier won 3rd Place and earned a Gold Ranking in Food Science & Technology.
The food science and technology event focuses on developing skills needed in the food science and technology industry through various individual and team activities. Participants are tasked with creating products based on scenarios provided, such as developing side dishes or snacks for specific markets.
Additionally, teams perform a food safety audit by evaluating given situations and identifying issues, corrective actions, and related policies. This event helps students gain hands-on experience and knowledge in food science, safety, and product development.
The CDE Team earned a Silver Ranking.
Roy-Hart’s Food Science CDE individuals also earned honors, including Simon Fournier – Top 10 Individual (3rd Place, Gold Ranking); Nico Schuster – Silver Ranking; Collin Nicosia – Silver Ranking; and Paityn Babiarz – Bronze Ranking.
Top-three Gold-ranked Simon Fournier shared what made the event memorable.
“Going into the competition, my strength was the math and chemistry parts, so that helped my team a lot,” Fournier said. “Teaching others helped me understand the content more. It was a lot of fun. We had to prepare a fake food product and advertise it to a panel of judges. It was so fun going up there, flexing my skills, and showing our hard work to them.”
American FFA Degree
Five from Roy-Hart earned American FFA degrees including, from left: Nicholas Armenia, Sophia Santella, Vanessa Grant and Cayla Burch. Joshua Kennedy isn’t in the photo but also earned the American FFA degree.
Less than 1% of the organization’s 1.4 million members earn this prestigious honor, including these five past graduates who returned to achieve it this year.
Roy-Hart FFA members are shown at the National Convention.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 20 November 2025 at 10:14 pm
Senior Center in Medina will host Hospice’s Light of Life on Dec. 9
(Left) Photo by Ginny Kropf: Carol Culhane designed, created and donated this Christmas ornament for Hospice of Orleans County. (Right) Provided photo: Brittany Dix, left, community outreach specialist at Hospice of Orleans County, accepts a Christmas ornament from artist Carol Culhane to kick off the annual Light of Life campaign.
MEDINA – The Light of Life fundraiser to benefit Hospice of Orleans County is now underway, with a new venue announced this week.
Light of Life 2025 will take place Dec. 9 at the Senior Center in Medina. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., followed by the program at 6 p.m.
This is the 28th year local artist Carol Culhane has designed and donated ornaments to benefit Hospice.
“It has been my honor and privilege to provide and personalize these ornaments every year,” Culhane said. “As a community, we all benefit from having our hospice service available.”
Culhane purchases special German blown glass ornaments every year, which she then paints with a different Christmas design and donates to Hospice. This year’s ornament is blue with a tree and its branches extending around the ornament. The branches are covered with tiny sparkling gemstones.
Brittany Dix, community outreach specialist at Hospice, said Culhane will discuss her intended design with Hospice or ask them for ideas.
The ornaments can be purchased for $50, or for $100 Culhane will personalize them. They can be ordered by picking up an order form at Hospice, 14080 Route 31; or calling (585) 589-0809. Payment may be made at Hospice or online at www.hospiceoforleans.org/event-links.
Everyone planning to attend the event Dec. 9 must also RSVP by calling Hospice at the number above.
Ornaments may be picked up at Hospice, the day of the event at Medina Senior Center or Hospice will mail them if address is provided.
Dix said there is one gentleman who buys five or six ornaments every year for his family. A wooden snowflake ornament with space for a photo can also be purchased for $15.
Dix said Light of Life is a family event, and children are welcome. People are also welcome to attend, even if they don’t purchase an ornament, but an RSVP is requested.
There will be a hot cocoa bar and sheets for children to color. They will then be given to Hospice patients to let them know they are being thought of, Dix said.
The program will feature a short message by the Rev. Randy LeBaron, songs and readings. Members of Hospice’s Care Team will also be in attendance to remember their patients.
“We want to remind people we are here and can be a resource for them,” Dix said.
Photos courtesy of Albion Police Department: These photos show the suspect who allegedly put a skimming device on a cash register at the Save-A-Lot in Albion.
Press Release, Albion Police Chief David Mogle
ALBION – On Wednesday at 3:44 p.m. the Albion Police Department received a report of a fraudulent credit card skimming device located at Save-A-Lot, 320 West Ave.
Through an investigation of the incident and reviewing of video footage, the investigation determined the skimming device was placed on cash register 4 (closest to entrance/exit) on Nov. 14 at 2:23 p.m.
A customer at the store had noticed the key pad on the credit card machine had “new” buttons. The investigation determined a white male, camouflage hat, black headband, brown jacket, gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and brown shoes entered the store and placed the skimming device unnoticed. These skimming devices are professionally handmade and can be very hard to notice.
The Albion Police Department would like to recommend all local businesses check their Point-of-Sale machines for credit card skimmers. One way to determine is to check for “new” looking buttons or lack of security of the machine pieces.
If you have shopped at Save-A-Lot between the dates of Nov. 14 and Nov. 19, we recommend you check your bank account for any suspicious activity. The Albion Police Department is investigating this incident thoroughly.
If you have any further information regarding this incident or any other similar incidents involving the suspect, please contact the Albion Police Department at (585) 589-5627.
Provided photo: Pictured left to right include Orleans County Chief Deputy James DiFilipps, Legislator Skip Draper, Undersheriff Donald Draper Jr., Nate Sanders of Elite Meal Prep, Logan Callara of Logan’s Landscaping and Sheriff Christopher Bourke.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office
ALBION – Two brothers who own businesses in Medina are once again stepping up to provide Thanksgiving meals for first responders who are required to work on the holiday.
Nate Sanders, owner of Elite Meal Prep and his brother Logan Callara, owner of Logan Landscaping, decided last year that they would provide meals to first responders who had to work on Thanksgiving. The effort was a huge success, leading the brothers to do it again.
“Last year we provided more than 150 meals to first responders across the county who could not be with their families because they were serving our community on Thanksgiving,” Sanders said. “It was our way of saying thank you to the women and men who protect our community. They were so appreciative of the effort that my brother Logan and I wanted to once again be there for the people who are always there for us.”
Meals will be provided to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County Sheriff’s Jail, Orleans County Sheriff’s Dispatch, New York State Police, Medina Police & Fire Department, Albion Police Department, Holley Police Department, and Mercy Ambulance for their personnel working on Thanksgiving. Meals are distributed through the kitchen at the Orleans County Jail.
“As I have often said, it is never easy for first responders to miss holidays and family events, but we all know that is the nature of the job,” said Orleans County Sheriff Christopher Bourke. “So Logan and Nate are not only providing a tremendous Thanksgiving dinner to our first responders, they are letting them know their commitment and dedication is recognized by the community.”
The brothers said they also intend to provide meals for first responders working Christmas Eve and Day.
About the businesses:
Logan’s Landscaping was started by Logan when he was 13 years old. He started mowing the neighbor’s lawn using a 3-wheeled bicycle with a homemade trailer attached to haul his lawnmower. Then he rented a storage unit at Lakewood Village to store his equipment and started mowing several more lawns at Lakewood Village. After obtaining his driver’s license Logan got an LLC for his business and started doing commercial work as well. His business has grown to approximately 500 regular customers and he is maintaining over 100 properties weekly. His business consists of several trucks, trailers, machinery and smaller equipment.
Elite Meal Prep (EMP) just celebrated its first anniversary. EMP was an idea of Nick Joy and Nate Sanders who wanted to offer healthy, affordable and high-quality meal options to patrons of Nick Joy’s gyms and other local businesses. Nick has since moved on to become a first responder and Nate is running the business on his own. Nate is currently providing anywhere from 200-500 meals a week to his customers, many of whom are first responders.
During the recent visit of Saudi leader Salman to the White House, a reporter asked Trump about the brutal murder of Washington Reporter Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. Trump’s reply was “….things happen.”
The CIA had concluded in late 2018 that Salman had ordered the murder of Khashoggi by luring him into a trap. At the White House, Salman stated “…we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again.”
Khashoggi was a US journalist and a U.S. citizen. Instead of outrage, we get “things happen.” It is a revealing statement by a narcissist who values self importance, and power over the welfare of US citizens whom he pledged to protect.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2025 at 11:26 am
Reginald Kendrick
MEDINA – A Medina man faces charges for criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (loaded firearm) and in the third degree for having a weapon when previously convicted of a crime.
Reginald Kendrick, 50, of 301 Park Ave., Apartment 3, in Medina was charged after a search warrant at his residence. The warrant was issued as part of a investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine in Medina, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.
Kendrick may face additional drug charges, pending forensic lab results, the Task Force reported.
He was convicted of selling cocaine in October 2016 and was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation as a first-time felon.
The search warrant on Nov. 12 was executed by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, Orleans County Special Response Team, the Sheriff’s Office and Medina Police Department.
Law enforcement seized a loaded unbranded polymer “ghost” semi-automatic 9 mm pistol with an extended 30-round magazine, scales and other drug paraphernalia, the Task Force said today in a press release.
Kendrick was arraigned in Orleans County CAP Court and was committed to the county jail on $1,000 cash bail. He is to appear in Ridgeway Town Court on Dec. 1.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 20 November 2025 at 10:17 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Holley senior Alexis VanAmeron has been named to the Genesee Region League All-Star volleyball team. On the season she had 122 spiking kills, 131 digs, 24 blocks and 24 assists.
