By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2025 at 12:15 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Annabella Dusharm stars as Junie B. Jones in the Albion Middle School’s production of Junie B. Jones, The Musical. Junie B. is a first grader with friendly and bright personality.
She is shown in the opening number: “Top Secret Personal Beeswax.”
Friday was opening night. There also are shows at noon today with the finale at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.
Samiyah Sanders plays the role of Mrs. Gutzman, who is loved by the class for baking the best brownies and other treats. Samiyah and the cast are singing, “Gladys Gutzman Queen of Snacks.”
Sutton Sanders plays Lucille, center, who was Junie’s best friend but has ditched her for two new friends, Kinzie Rickner as Camille and Nadalee Ryan as Chenille. The three have rhyming names and Junie bemoans no other names rhyme with hers. This trio is singing, “Lucille, Camille, Chenille.”
Kenya N. Bennett plays the role of Miss Scary, the teacher. She instructs the class to choose a word from the list and draw a picture of it.
Junie tries on her glasses. Her teacher suggested she might need them when Junie struggled to see the chalkboard. Junie worries the kids at school will make fun of her because of her glasses, but they tell her she looks good in them.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 November 2025 at 9:35 am
Contributed Photos – Orleans players on the GCC women’s basketball squad include, from left, Samantha Bates, Alivia Wolf, Madison Hughson and Julia Knight.
This season’s Genesee Community College women’s basketball team lineup includes four Orleans County players.
That quartet included Albion graduates sophomore Madison Hughson and freshman Julia Knight along with Holley grads sophomore Samantha Bates and freshman Alivia Wolf.
Bates and Wolf also both played on the GCC women’s soccer team which captured the Region III championship and went on to place fourth at the national championship tournament.
The Niagara-Orleans League is also represented on the GCC squad basketball by sophomore Sloan Jonathan from Akron.
Four former Genesee Region League players are also on the GCC squad including freshman Seneca Calderon and sophomore Elle Peterson from Pembroke, freshman Janessa Amesbury from Byron-Bergen and freshman Sydney Reilly from Elba.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2025 at 9:34 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – It’s been over five years that Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has been organizing a food distribution with Foodlink in Albion. These events have always been in the morning – until Friday when there was one beginning at 4:30 p.m. The top photo was taken about 5 p.m. when the distribution was halfway over.
Foodlink gave Albion an extra distribution due to the delays with getting SNAP benefits caused by the federal government shutdown.
Volunteers in one hour filled 200 boxes with food and placed them in the trunks of vehicles that were at the large Albion municipal lot at 165 South Platt St.
Community Action was grateful for the extra distribution on Friday but the agency wondered about having volunteers to help pack the food into boxes and deliver it to a parking lot full of vehicles.
Community Action had a big group of volunteers on Friday, with a group of 14 cheerleaders providing the most manpower.
Jami Allport is the Albion cheerleading coach and also executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. The cheerleaders also will be ringing the bell for the Red Kettle Drive to raise money for local residents in need.
There were people who haven’t been to a food distribution before due to the time later in the afternoon. The morning start time prevents many from those food distributions.
Ryan Lasal, director of community programming for Community Action, said the agency will reach out to Foodlink about alternating the times in the future, with a morning distribution one month and then the afternoon time the following month.
Jackie Dunham, chief operating officer at Community Action, was among the volunteers helping with the food distribution on Friday evening.
Other upcoming distributions in Orleans County include:
Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, 12690 State Route 31, on Monday, December 1 beginning at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is strongly suggested. Those who pre-register will be assigned timeslots for pickup (12-12:30, 12:30-1, 1-1:30. 1:30-2 p.m.) Pre-register at 585-798-4265. Walk-ins may start at 2 p.m.
Lyndonville Presbyterian Church, 107 North Main St., on Friday, Dec. 5, beginning at 9:30 a.m. (No registration required.)
Community Action at Albion municipal lot at 165 South Platt St. on Monday, Dec. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. (No preregistration required.) Community Action also has the schedule for the first six months of 2026: Jan. 12, Feb. 9, March 9, April 13, May 11 and June 8.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 November 2025 at 9:23 am
Photos by Cheryl Wertman and contributed – Akron’s honorees Madigan Regan, Morgan Tomporowski and Marissa Brege.
Medina’s Penelope Schalck and Barker’s Kaylee Stoll.
Five Niagara-Orleans League field hockey players have been named to both the All Western New York first team and to the Class C All State squad.
N-0 champion Akron is represented by the trio seniors Marissa Brege and Morgan Tomporowski along with junior Madigan Regan. Brege has also been named to the Class C state playoffs All Tournament team.
Tomporowski scored 49 goals and Regan had 4 goals and 18 assists while Brege made 50 saves in goal and had a 0.29 goals against average.
Barker has placed senior Kaylee Stoll who had 2 goals and 8 assists.
Medina is represented by senior Penelope Schalck who had 23 goals and 8 assists.
Three N-O players have also been named to the All WNY second team including Akron juniors Madison Gates and Alexis Salmon and Barker senior Madelina Pavlock.
The N-O also has two All WNY Honorable Mention selections in Medina senior Sophia Castricone and Roy-Hart junior Adella Dukes.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 21 November 2025 at 7:17 pm
Newfane romped to a 75-12 victory over Avon (Section V) in the Class D Far West Regional this evening at All High Stadium in Buffalo.
Newfane built up a commanding 36-12 first half lead as quarterback Mac Capen scored five touchdowns on runs of 14, 3, 40 and 1 yards and a 97 yard interception return.
Capen added his sixth touchdown in the third quarter on a 66 yard run.
The Panthers also got second half touchdown runs by Camryn Stover, Aiden Cronkhite, Camlo Flowers and Jayson Cole.
Improving to 12-0, Newfane will next face Tioga in the state Class D semifinals next weekend at Cicero-North Syracuse.
Tioga (Section IV) downed Lowville (Section III) 28-14 in the Central Regional.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2025 at 5:44 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Village of Albion unveiled a new sign today on the eastern side of the village on Route 31 that highlights the community’s ties to Santa. The sign also spells out “ALBION” and local landmarks are painted within the letters.
Albion eighth-grade chorus students sang “Jingle Bells” and joined in a group photo with Village Trustee Joyce Riley, third from right, Village Historian Susan Starkweather Miller, second from right, and Mary Jo Whitman, the artist who created the sign.
The students from left include Ryalee Moyer, Zyann Pore, Kinzie Rickner, Nadalee Ryan, Kyalee Moyer and Kennedy Roberts.
Joyce Riley spearheaded the project for the village, securing a $5,000 grant administered through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.
The sign gives Santa Claus a prominent role. Albion was home of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School form 1937 until Howard’s death in 1966. The school continues in his name in Midland, Mich.
Susan Starkweather Miller shares about Howard, who continues to shape the way thousands of people portray Santa.
She noted the Route 31 in Albion has signs declaring it as the Charles W. Howard Memorial Highway. There is a bronze statue in downtown Albion of Santa, two murals celebrating Howard and the Sana School, and other efforts to promote the community’s heritage with the school and Christmas Park, which Howard operated in Albion bringing 80,000 visitors at its peak.
Howard urged people to give of their time and talents, and not be so focused on possessions.
The “ALBION” sign features the a boat on the Erie Canal with the lift bridge in back, the Civil War memorial tower at Mount Albion and the Orleans County Courthouse.
This shows, from left, Joyce Riley, a village trustee; Susan Starkweather Miller, the village historian, and Mary Jo Whitman, an artist from Batavia.
Whitman said the Santa was intended to be set lower on the back of the sign. If it can’t be adjusted, she said she would make some modifications and touch-ups.
She also is planning a mural in Holley for next year, but is waiting to see if the project will be funded by GO Art!
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.
