By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 12:14 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Alma de México does a folkloric dance on Oct. 26, 2024 during a Day of the Dead celebration at the Orleans County YMCA. After six years at the YMCA, the event will move to the Medina Triennial at 345 North Main St. on Saturday.
MEDINA – The Día de los Muertos Festival “Day of the Dead” will be on Saturday in Medina, and will be at a different location this year.
After six years at the YMCA on Pearl Street, the event is shifting to the Medina Triennial headquarters at North Main St. The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) continues as the main organizer of this event.
The celebration is reimagined this year as an exhibit-based cultural education program, keeping the traditions alive while helping to provide accessibility and safety, organizers said.
Some of the exhibits and features will include:
Large Ofrenda (altar): For community members and students to place battery-operated candles, photos and letters to loved ones.
Mojigangas: Giant papier-mâché or cardboard puppets, often 10–12 feet tall. They’re worn over a performer’s body with a harness or frame. The person inside sees through a mesh or cutout near the puppet’s neck or chest. Their purpose is to bring humor, liveliness, and visual spectacle to the celebration, a mix of satire and joy symbolizing the unity of life and death.
Storyboard Wall: Large, bilingual (English/Spanish) visual timeline introducing the history, meaning, and evolution of Día de los Muertos — from its Indigenous roots to modern-day traditions.
Video Screenings: Past festival footage and short documentaries played on screens.
“Catrina” figurines (cone dress, marshmallow head, tissue hat, pipe cleaner arms, Día de los Muertos designs).
Picture frame + remembrance letter project (for altar display).
Cultural Introduction: Brief introduction of Medina Triennial and Dia de los Muertos at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. by Federico Rosario, Community Engagement & Programs Coordinator of Medina Triennial.
To all Barre residents, we humbly request your vote on Tuesday, November 4th. The three of us have been volunteering for various boards in the town now for many years. We have also been endorsed by the Republican Party and would greatly appreciate your vote to continue serving the town as Councilmen and Supervisor.
This upcoming election is not about green energy or wind turbines. It is however about electing three new people to the town board who bring passion, dedication and open mindedness. Our goal is to serve the town of Barre and you the residents in the best way possible.
We thank you in advance for your support.
Please use this email to contact us with any concerns we may address as your future town board members: Barreny2025elc@gmail.com.
Press Release, NYS Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt
ALBANY – Members of the New York State Senate Republican Conference sent a letter to United States Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, urging them to set aside politics, prioritize the needs of the people of New York, and vote for the clean continuous resolution to reopen and fund the federal government.
The United States government has remained shut down for 30 days. The shutdown is having a domino effect throughout New York State, impacting childcare, heating assistance, nutrition assistance, housing programs, and veteran services while Federal employees and contractors go without pay.
A clean continuing resolution to reopen and fund the federal government has passed the House of Representatives but has failed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the United States Senate thirteen times, due to near-unanimous opposition from Democratic Senators.
“With no continuing resolution (CR) the government is at a standstill, and detrimental effects are already being felt by our dedicated federal workers who have gone close to a month without being paid,” Ortt said. “Equally concerning, the prolonged shutdown now threatens essential services that countless New Yorkers rely on, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Head Start preschool program, and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). These programs are lifelines for our most vulnerable citizens.
“Minority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand have the ability to end the devastating impacts of this shutdown, especially on the most vulnerable New Yorkers, by working with the members of their Democratic Caucus to vote on a clean continuing resolution to end the shutdown immediately,” Ortt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 9:45 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: This arch was set up at the start of Medina’s Beggar’s Nite a week ago on Oct. 24. The Print Shop is the starting point for the Beggar’s Nite, where many businesses in Medina’s downtown give out candy.
The four villages in Orleans County have set times for people to be out trick-or-treating this evening.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 31 October 2025 at 9:23 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall goalie Jonny Conte, shown here going high to make a save in Wednesday’s semifinal, and his Eagle teammates will face Naples for the Section V Class C2 title at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Honeoye Falls-Lima.
It will be a clash of unbeatens as defending champion Kendall faces Naples in the Section V Class C2 boys soccer tournament championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Honeoye Falls-Lima High School.
Top seeded Kendall brings an 18-0 record into the title contest while No. 2 seed Naples is 16-0.
Kendall advanced to the finals by downing No. 4 Gananda 6-1 while Naples blanked No. 3 Geneseo 4-0 in the other semifinal.
Both teams have had a huge scoring edge over their opponents this season. Naples has outscored its opponents 103-6 with 11 shutouts while Kendall has outscored its foes 76-7 with a dozen shutouts.
Pablo Rosario-Reyes has 24 goals and 25 assists to lead the Kendall offense as Brandon Barrett has 18 goals and 12 assists, Jonathan Esposito 14 goals and 10 assists and Brenden Eichas 8 goals and 14 assists.
Goalie Jonny Conte, who has made 111 saves and has a goals against average of 0.39, anchors the Kendall defense.
The Naples offense is led by the quintet of Connor Betrus (28 goals, 11 assists), Maddox Mannella (17 goals, 14 assists), Ricardo Izzi (16 goals, 5 assists), Oscar Austin (12 goals, 24 assists) and Isaac Ward (10 goals, 9 assists).
The victor will advance to next week’s Section V Class C state qualifier game against the winner of Saturday’s Class C1 title contest between No. 1 East Rochester and No. 6 Williamson. The C1 title contest will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Honeoye Falls-Lima.
Contributed Story Posted 31 October 2025 at 9:20 am
Contributed Photo – Lyndonville’s Ed Urbanik pitched the Rochester Red Wings to a pair of victories at the Men’s Senior Baseball League World Series in Arizona this past week. He first pitched a complete game in round robin play beating Fresno California 20-2 giving up 8 hits one walk 5 strike outs. He then came back and pitched a complete game win in the semi finals beating Salt Lake 9-2. The Red Wings dropped the finals 1-0 to the Milwaukee Rangers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 8:49 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Although the Brown Street bridge in Albion has been closed to vehicular traffic since 2012, the bridge has a walkway that is open to pedestrians. This photo was taken last Sunday.
A wind advisory is in effect for Orleans County beginning at 11 a.m. today and going until 5 a.m. Saturday. The advisory includes most of upstate New York.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo said there will be west to northwest winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 mph.
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, including Halloween decorations,” the Weather Service said. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.”
The highs in the forecast include 47 today, 49 on Saturday, 53 on Sunday and 55 on Monday.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 30 October 2025 at 9:13 pm
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Lauren Snyder spikes over Southwestern’s Gianna Sirianni during the host Lady Rams sectional win this evening.
Rebounding from an opening set loss, No. 3 seed Roy-Hart came battling back to down visiting No. 6 Southwestern 19-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-16 this evening in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B2 volleyball tournament.
Grace Pearl had 9 kills, Lauren Snyder, Raegan Kern and Kylie McOmber 6 each and Zoe Healy 4 for Roy-Hart.
Ryleigh Capen had 29 assists for the Lady Rams and Peyton May led the team in digs.
Roy-Hart will next host No. 7 JFK, a five set winner over. No. 2 DiVinci, on Monday at 6 p.m..
Roy-Hart’s Raegan Kern spikes between Southwestern defenders Madelyn Burnett and Caroline Churchill.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 30 October 2025 at 9:03 pm
Stung by a Medina touchdown in the opening seconds, Southwestern came roaring back to defeat the visiting Mustangs 48-7 this evening in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class C football playoffs.
Medina struck like lightning on the game’s first play from scrimmage as quarterback Preston Woodworth hooked up with Kolton Fletcher on a 61 yard touchdown pass play. Davi Mucoucah tacked on the extra point kick tom make it 7-0.
However, Southwestern answered right back on a 49 yard touchdown run by quarterback Trent Lewis. The Trojans though missed the extra point attempt leaving the Mustangs holding a slender 7-6 lead.
Keeping the momentum Southwestern quickly moved on top to stay to 20-7 before the opening quarter ended on two short scoring drives capped off first by a 17 yard touchdown run by Lewis and then by a 43 yard Lewis to Roger Markham TD pass.
Both of those scores were set up when Medina lost on fourth down gambles in their own territory first at the Mustangs 24 and then at the 33.
The Trojans upped the lead to 27-7 on a 4 yard touchdown run by Bradyn Fuller late in the second quarter.
Southwestern closed out the win by scoring once in the third quarter and twice in the fourth.
Southwestern advances to next week’s semifinal round with a 9-0 record while Medina finishes the season at 6-3.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2025 at 9:01 pm
Business offers wide selection of firearms, ammunition, apparel and accessories
Photos by Tom Rivers: Shawn Malark, owner of North Star Ammo & Defense, is shown inside the business with two of the employees, Corey Black and Eric Harling, who are both recently retired after careers as investigators with the Orleans County Major Crime Felony Task Force.
ALBION – A new business celebrated its opening today, and many of the customers and local officials marveled at the transformation of an old sandstone warehouse into the new North Star Ammo & Defense.
Shawn Malark worked for three years to create North Star, which offers firearms, ammunition, apparel and other accessories at 227 West Ave. To get to the store enter from the side of the building along Hamilton Street.
Malark is a Kendall graduate who has been running Orleans Pallet at the Medina sandstone warehouse in Albion since 2006. Part of the 1901 warehouse burned in a dramatic fire on Oct. 17, 2013. Malark was able to keep the pallet business going despite the devastating fire.
Malark has been wanting to branch out in a business to help people with self protection, to help them feel safer.
“We are committed to upholding the highest standards of safety, compliance and customer service,” he said. “Our team is dedicated to promoting safety, education and responsible gun ownership. We believe our business will be a positive addition to the area by serving the needs of local hunters, sporting club members, outdoorsmen and responsible citizens.”
Shawn Malark, his wife Kelly and their daughter Montana cut the ribbon outside North Star Ammo & Defense this morning during a ribbon-cutting celebration.
Several local officials attended the ribbon-cutting. Malark received commendations from the Orleans County Legislature, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and the offices of State Sen. Rob Ortt and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney.
The grand opening celebration continues on Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with giveaways and raffles, and a meet-and-greet with the team of experts.
The transformation of the warehouse for North Star shocked many of the local officials who attended the ribbon-cutting today. The warehouse was being used for storage but Malark has turned it into a retail store that also has computers for people to shop online at other vendors and distributors, giving them access to more than 144,000 items. Click here to see the North Star website.
North Star has three employees who are well known in the community for their long careers in law enforcement. Corey Black and Eric Harling are both recently retired from the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force. Black also worked for the Sheriff’s Office as a deputy and investigator. Harling worked 20 years with the Medina Police Department before joining the Task Force the past 11 years.
Dave Meyer also joined North Star after 31 years as a state parole officer.
David Meyer works with a customer today at North Star.
Black, Harling and Meyer worked together for many years, and they are happy to be together again on the job. North Star is far less stressful with only positive interactions, they said.
“This is a breath of fresh air coming from the career I was in,” Harling said. “Every engagement here is a positive one.”
Harling has been hunting since he was a kid. He and Black both bring extensive knowledge of firearms. Black for many years was the firearms instructor for the local law enforcement and taught the pistol permit class.
Black said he is eager to share his knowledge about firearms. He said there are many different types of guns that have different purposes.
He is grateful for the opportunity to work at North Star.
“This is a team environment,” he said. “The people that come in here are happy and they’re excited.”
He is impressed by Malark and his attention to detail and vision for the new business.
“Shawn is an amazing guy,” Black said. “He is go, go, go.”
Kelly Malark aims this 12-gauge Weatherby rifle that she won at a raffle at the St. Paul Boulevard Exempts Association in Rochester. The rifle had just been delivered to North Star, which has a Federal Firearms License. Eric Harling, left, and Shawn Malark are at the counter.
North Star would like to work with many fire departments and non-profits on gun raffles. If someone wins a gun and can’t pick it up at North Star in Albion, the gun can be shipped to another FFL closer to that person’s residence.
A group gathers at North Star today for a ribbon-cutting celebration. They stayed under a covered area by the loading dock due to the heavy rain.
Shawn Malark said he and his family were considering other names for the business until his daughter spoke her first words. Kendall was 5 ½ and watching a Peppa Pig video with a nursery rhyme called “North Star.”
She repeated “North Star” and her family burst into tears. Kendall is autistic and those first words were very powerful for her father and gave him even more drive to see the new business become a reality.
Malark said he is very confident in the North Star team of six employees. He wants the site to be of service to the community. He believes there is strong potential to build the North Star brand and have it become a bigger business beyond Orleans County.
“We want to do something special here and bring people together who want to feel safe,” Malark said at today’s ceremony. “That’s our commitment to the community.”
North Star has developed several of its own apparel items and other merchandise. The shirt of the left recognizes many first responders and those in law enforcement and the military. Shawn and Kelly Malark wanted to highlight the role of nurses, too, as first responders and people providing critical services to the public.
A North Star shirt is at right. The business has other shirts, hats, gun mats, frisbees and other products with its brand. Some of that merchandise will be given away on Friday during the grand opening celebration.
NY makes $65 million available in emergency food assistance
Photo by Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul: Gov. Kathy Hochul visits Common Pantry in Harlem in anticipation of the looming cut-off of SNAP benefits.
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today declared a state of emergency and announced new actions in response to the Trump administration stripping food assistance from 3 million New Yorkers come November 1.
As the GOP federal government shutdown continues, the Trump administration has refused to release billions in statutorily approved federal contingency funding that would address this crisis in states across the nation.
By refusing to release this contingency funding, the federal government is leaving millions of New Yorkers without critical assistance they rely on to feed themselves and their families.
Governor Hochul is stepping up by committing an additional $65 million in new State funds for emergency food assistance that will reinforce New York’s network of vital food bank and pantry partners and provide about 40 million meals to hungry New Yorkers. The Governor is also deploying Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps Members to support local food banks during this emergency period of increased need, and continuing to explore food hubs at schools.
“The Trump Administration is cutting food assistance off for three million New Yorkers, leaving our state to face an unprecedented public health crisis and hurting our grocers, bodegas and farmers along the way,” Governor Hochul said. “Unlike Washington Republicans, I won’t sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table.”
Since the inception of the program, SNAP benefits have been federally funded. New York administers approximately $650 million per month in federally funded SNAP benefits to nearly 3 million New Yorkers. Given the scale of the program, Governor Hochul along with governors across the country have repeatedly emphasized that no state government can replace SNAP benefits or backfill the program.
Here’s a look at what today’s announcement means for New Yorkers:
• $40 million in new funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides emergency food relief and nutrition services to food-insecure populations. HPNAP works in partnership with a network of about 2,700 Emergency Food Providers (EFPs), including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.
• $25 million in new funding for Nourish NY, which supplies surplus agricultural products (e.g., milk, apples, cheese, yogurt, cabbage, squash) to populations who need them through the State’s network of food relief organizations (i.e., regional food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and community-based organizations that provide food for free to persons experiencing food insecurity).
Deploying Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps Members to support food banks
Currently, hundreds of SUNY students serve as peer navigators, helping fellow students complete SNAP applications and assisting at campus and local food pantries.
The Empire State Service Corps will allow current members to expand their paid hours, enabling them to provide greater support at food pantries statewide. In addition, new short-term crisis response positions will be created to assist food pantries and food banks facing staffing shortages.
Today’s announcement comes as New York, along with 24 other states, sued the Trump administration on Tuesday to demand the release of emergency SNAP funds. The Governor also joined a letter alongside 20 other Governors to the President, calling for the Administration to reverse course and release emergency SNAP funds. Governor Hochul also fast-tracked $41 million in state funds for emergency food assistance earlier this week — today’s announcement brings the total of allocated state funds to $106 million.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2025 at 4:41 pm
Provided photo: Maci Manicki teamed with Mike Weldon to win first place at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Jackson, Ohio.
Maci Manicki,15, of Kent recently won first place at the Ranch Sorting National Championships Congress Super Sort.
Manicki teamed with Mike Weldon to take the championship among 179 teams in the rookie division. They competed as part of the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Jackson, Ohio on Oct. 17.
With Ranch Sorting, a group of 11 cattle are gathered into a 50-to-60-foot round pen. All but one of the cattle is tagged with a number from 0 to 9.
Riders compete as a two person team with the objective to sort the cattle, one at a time, away from the herd and through an opening between the pens. (Click here to see a video of Maci Manicki at the competition.)
It is a difficult challenge. The cattle must be sorted in sequential order according to the back numbers.
The arena announcer calls out a number, at random, between O and 9. As the first rider enters the pen with the cattle while the other rider guards the opening between the pens.
The sorter must start with the animal tagged with the announced number and work through the sequence. Any untagged animal is left in the pen.
The sort has a time-limit. The team with the most accumulated cattle in the least amount of time after the three rounds wins. Manicki and Weldon sorted 29 cattle in three rounds totaling 167.59 seconds.
Along with cattle sorting, Manicki has competed in the Pennsylvania and New York high school rodeo circuits, where she does barrels, poles, goat tying and breakaway roping. She has won multiple events including year-end “All Around Cowgirl” for her division. Manicki also competes in the Attica Rodeo and Show Association, running barrels and team penning.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2025 at 3:55 pm
Paul Fulcomer
ALBION – Paul Fulcomer, who was retired as Orleans County’s Veterans Service Agency director, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Wednesday afternoon.
Fulcomer was riding a motorcycle west on East County House Road when he entered the intersection at Route 98, failing to stop at the stop sign and then colliding with a northbound vehicle, according to a news release from Sheriff Chris Bourke.
Fulcomer, 78, was ejected from his motorcycle. Emergency life-saving measures were administered at the scene by Mercy Ambulance, Mercy Flight, and the Albion Fire Department, Bourke said. Fulcomer was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Orleans County Coroner’s Office.
The resulting collision caused both vehicles to leave the roadway, coming to rest on the lawn of a residence located on the northwest corner of the intersection.
The investigation is ongoing by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the New York State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit.
Fulcomer served as director of the Veterans Service Agency in Orleans County for 13 years, retiring in November 2015. He helped veterans and their families receive benefits through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
In his retirement, he continued to be active in veterans’ causes.
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today joined House Leadership and members of the New York Republican delegation at a press conference marking Day 30 of the Democrat Shutdown, calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to stop appeasing the far left and reopen the government.
Tenney highlighted the devastating consequences of the shutdown for American families, small businesses, and essential workers across the country, emphasizing that the crisis was entirely avoidable.
Tenney criticized Schumer and Jeffries as weak leaders who have surrendered to Marxist and anti-Israel activists driving the Democratic Party’s agenda. She pointed to figures such as Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Bernie Sanders as the new faces of a far-left coalition that has overtaken New York’s Democratic leadership and brought the country to a standstill.
“We are here to fight for the men and women who build, farm, serve, and raise families. They are the backbone of this nation and they deserve a government that works for them, not for the political insiders who created this mess,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “So my message to Schumer and Jeffries is simple: stop playing games, stop bowing to the mob, and reopen the government. Pay our troops, fund essential services, and start putting American families and New York families first.”
Tenney urged New Yorkers to speak out and reject the radicalism that has taken over their state.
