By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 September 2025 at 12:46 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Firefighters and law enforcement officers responded to a U-Haul that plunged into the Erie Canal, just east of the Bennetts Corners Road canal bridge. The body of a man who drowned was recovered by the dive team from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
A Monroe County man has been charged with second-degree manslaughter after his passenger in U-Haul truck drowned in the Erie Canal last night.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said Ryan S. Armstrong, 43, recklessly caused the death of his passenger.
Armstrong was driving the U-Haul box truck with Arizona license plate and attempted to evade law enforcement, topping 85 miles per hour.
Armstrong and his passenger were allegedly stealing items from the Walgreens on Main Street in Brockport and loading the items into the U-Haul. The passenger’s name hasn’t been publicly released yet.
Brockport Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies both attempted to stop the U-Haul, but Armstrong refused to stop and recklessly attempted to evade law enforcement, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stated in the felony complaint filed against Armstrong.
He was arraigned this morning by the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and is being held in the Orleans County Jail without bail.
Armstrong also drove into a field to evade law enforcement. After successful deployment of spike strips in the area of Bennetts Corners Road, deflating the left rear tire, Armstrong kept driving at a high rate of speed, the felony complaint states.
He turned down an Erie Canal service road and turned sharply to the left, plunging the vehicle into the water at about 7:16 p.m. Armstrong and his passenger both escaped from the cab of the U-Haul. Armstrong was able to swim ashore across the canal while the passenger drowned.
The numerous reckless actions by Armstrong led to the passenger’s death, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stated.
Armstrong was located and detained after deputies formed a perimeter on the north side of the canal between Bennetts Corners and Countyline roads. A drone picked up a heat signature to help law enforcement locate Armstrong, said Chief Deputy Michael Fowler of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 September 2025 at 8:54 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Mia Thom paints “2026” on the windows of a car this morning before the start of her senior year. About half of the class was treated to breakfast by parents at the Holley Firemen’s Field before they drove to school in a parade of seniors.
HOLLEY – Seniors are starting their final year at Holley Central School with much fanfare. The seniors were treated to breakfast pizza, Timbits and other snacks before the start of the school day. Then they decorated cars with “2026” messages before lining up in parade to the school parking lot.
It’s an annual tradition that goes back a decade or so. The seniors’ parents make the breakfast at the Holley Firemen’s Field. The seniors then decorate their cars and head to school for their final first day.
“It gets everyone together to start the year,” said senior Mia Thom. “It’s the beginning of the end.”
Cadence Lujan was up extra early today for the senior breakfast and the parade to school.
Chelsea Bowen drives to school with “2026” painted on her car window. She welcomed the chance to be with her friends before the start of the school day. The Holley Police Department provided an escort to start and end the parade.
Cassidy Bowen puts some window paint with a message celebrating the start of her senior year.
Many of the seniors, including Kohle Pachla (center), have their parking spaces decorated for their senior year at Holley.
The vehicles carried messages to celebrate the Class of 2026 and highlight students’ passions at Holley Central School.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 September 2025 at 9:47 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Firefighters and law enforcement officers in rescue boats search the water just east of the Bennetts Corners Road bridge in Murray this evening.
Law enforcement detained one person who fled on foot north of the canal. Another person is presumed to be drown and first responders are attempting to recover the body.
The two fled in a U-Haul truck in the chase that went from Brockport to this spot on the canal between Bennetts Corners and the Monroe-Orleans Countyline roads.
There are rescue boats from Murray, Brockport and Kendall fire companies and the marine boat from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office searching for the drowned person. The Monroe County Dive Team and an underwater drone also have been deployed.
There were also K9 teams and drones from the Orleans and Monroe County Sheriff’s Departments that searched for the person who fled the scene.
UPDATE at 6:17 a.m.: WHAM in Rochester reports the body of the passenger was recovered last night.
The two men were allegedly stealing items from the Walgreens on Main Street in Brockport and loading the items into the U-Haul. After a high-speed chase with law enforcement, the driver of the U-Haul intentionally drove the U-Haul into the canal, and then swam across the canal, WHAM reported.
The passenger was unable to swim and struggled to stay afloat and went underwater, WHAM reported. The passenger’s body was recovered by the dive team from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office will be working with Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard on determining charges in the case, WHAM reported.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 August 2025 at 4:56 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HULBERTON – A “50” display of balloons is set up at the food court at the St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton today.
The annual event, now in its 50th year, is always the Sunday before Labor Day and features lots of Italian food.
A crowd of people enjoys Italian food, a large basket raffle, and other fun at the Italian Festival. There was also a bocce tournament and other activities.
The event is a fundraiser for the St. Mary’s Catholic Parish.
The event today included a special tribute to the immigrant quarrymen. Hulberton was home to several large quarries.
This cutout was made by Stacey Kirby. Allyson Skeehan, 22, and Karl Biedlingmaier, 22, tried the cutouts. The two have recently got engaged.
Father Mark Noonan, the parish priest, said he is pleased to see the festival grow and build on the heritage of the Italian immigrants and Saint Rocco.
Roxie’s Accordion Band from Batavia played a concert during the festival. The band include eight accordion players.
They performed in a “Legacy Tent” that also included a documentary on the quarrymen from Hulberton. Christine Zinni of Batavia prepared that video about the local Italian immigrants and the Hulberton quarries.
Sara Mendonca, left, and Rachel Maxon were busy serving eggplant parmesan and spaghetti. Volunteers had 225 meals ready.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 August 2025 at 10:18 am
Photo courtesy of Medina Fire Department: Medina is using a fire engine from the Murray Joint Fire District.
MEDINA – With two of its fire trucks out of service, the Medina Fire Department is borrowing a fire engine from the Murray Joint Fire District.
Medina’s ladder truck has been out of service since June and won’t be returning to operation. A new ladder truck is expected to be delivered in December.
Due to emergency repairs, a Medina fire engine is out of service until next week. Medina fire officials reached out to Murray about using a fire engine until Medina 11 is back in service. Murray Fire Chief Rick Cary and the Murray Joint Fire District agreed. The Murray truck will supplement fire responses with Medina’s other fire engine – Medina Engine 10.
“If you see a Murray Joint Fire District engine responding in the Village of Medina, rest assured, it is supposed to be there,” the Medina FD posted on its Facebook page. “Thank you Murray Joint Fire District.”
Cary said fire departments will sometimes share a truck while one is out of service. Murray borrowed Clarendon’s ladder truck, for example, for about a week recently while Murray’s was getting tested.
Murray won’t be paid for loaning out its fire engine from 2007. Cary said it is a truck in reserve for Murray.
“They’re an extremely busy department,” Cary said about Medina. “It’s the right thing to do.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 August 2025 at 9:11 am
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Carol Culhane holds the special poster she created for St. Rocco’s 50th annual Italian Festival, scheduled for Aug. 31. She presented it on Friday to Amy Engert, left, chair of the festival’s Legacy Tent, and Jeanne Maxon, right, who chairs the festival with her husband Chuck.
HULBERTON – St. Rocco’s Italian Fest scheduled Aug. 31 is shaping up to be one for the record books.
This will be the 50th anniversary of the event, which will not only feature the traditional Italian foods and famous bocce tournament, but will focus on the legacy of St. Rocco’s and the quarrymen who immigrated to Orleans County.
“The Local Legacies Project was the cornerstone of the Library of Congress bicentennial celebration in 2000, which was an unprecedented collaboration of the U.S. Congress, the Library and people from all walks of life, who have documented America’s cultural and historical heritage in every state, trust, territory and the District of Columbia,” said Jeanne Maxon, who chairs this year’s festival with her husband, Chuck
In honor of this special year, a Legacy Tent chaired by Amy Engert will be set up, where videographer Christine Zinni of Batavia will be available all day showing a video she created on the immigrants and quarries. Zinni, whose grandfather worked in the quarries, was involved with the original documentation for the Library of Congress.
In honor of the 50th anniversary, Jeanne Maxon contacted local artist Carol Culhane in May and asked if she could create a design to be used on commemorate ornaments, clothing and glassware.
Realizing the possibility they would not know what souvenirs would be most popular and having a lot of merchandise left over, Culhane suggested a commemorative poster. The Maxons agreed and Culhane set about designing an appropriate poster, which was backed with a grant from Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.
“I am honored I could paint a lasting tribute to this event,” Culhane said. “My first husband’s grandfather immigrated from Italy to work here in the stone quarries, so I was familiar with their history. I knew I wanted St. Rocco to be a focal point.”
She incorporated an area in Italy famous for its wine and where many immigrants came from, quarrymen, the nine young men from Holley who died in the Vietnam War, the St. Rocco’s church, the tarantella dance and traditional Italian food.
On Friday morning, Culhane met Jeanne Maxon and Amy Engert at the Print Shop where she presented them with the posters, which will be sold at the festival.
“In essence, the St. Rocco’s Festival represents a lasting legacy of Italian heritage, community spirit and a commitment to preserving local traditions and supporting the St. Mark’s and St. Mary’s Catholic Parish,” Culhane said.
The festival on Aug. 31 will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the festival grounds at 3415 Hulberton Rd.
Traditional Italian foods will include eggplant parmesan, meatball subs, pizza fritta, pasta fagioli and more.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Last year’s bocce tournament had 10 teams. The goal is to be the closest to the small ball. The winning team is the first one to 16 points, and the team has to win by at least 2 points.
Events featured will be a bocce tournament, which attracts teams from across Western New York; a basket raffle, vendor booths, live entertainment and more.
St. Rocco’s Festival first began in 1976 to celebrate the American bicentennial and the reopening of St. Rocco’s Church, after being closed for 15 years. The festival soon became a community tradition.
“Although there were concerns about sale of the property by the Diocese, the festival remains a ‘labor of love’ for volunteers and a beloved homecoming event that draws many former residents back to the area each year,” Culhane said. “The festival reflects the community’s strong ties to the church and its heritage.”
Some of St. Rocco’s parishioners have been involved in the festival for all 50 years, according to Maxon.
They are now accepting pre-sale orders for pans of eggplant parmesan, meatball subs and pizzelles by e-mailing https://www.onecatholic.org/about-3.
Teams wishing to register for the bocci tournament may also do so at the above web site.
Spaghetti and eggplant parmesan dinners will be served in the dining hall, while the Italian pavilion will serve up meatball subs, eggplant parmesan, shells in meat sauce and pasta fagioli.
Offerings from the grill will include Italian sausage with peppers and onions, chicken parm sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, fried ravioli and mozzarella sticks.
Joe Morlino was among many volunteers cooking food at St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton last year on Sept. 1. The event has been a big fundraiser for the St. Mark’s and St. Mary’s Catholic Parish. Morlino has been volunteering at the festival for 20 years. He is cooking French fries, ravioli and mozzarella sticks.
Dessert options will include pizza fritta, fried dough, cannolis, Italian ice and popcorn.
In the baked food booth, pizzelles, meatball cookies, Grandma’s lemon drop cookies and more will be for sale.
The fenced-in beer tent will be open from noon to 5 p.m.
Basket and cash raffles and a silent auction will take place, with drawings starting at 4:30 p.m.
In the Boutique Booth at the entrance to the grounds t-shirts, aprons commemorative prints and homemade craft items will be for sale. Cash or checks will be needed for purchases.
A new feature this year will be Bocce for beginners and families on regulation courts six and seven. Participants are encouraged to challenge friends and neighbors to this classic Italian sport.
Roxy’s Accordion Band from Batavia will play Italian style music at 1 p.m. in the Legacy Tent.
Also in the Legacy Tent, Christine Zinni will present a program documenting Italian festivals, community traditions and musicians. The program will include local Italian-American cultural heritage throughout the region, with a special emphasis on quarrying sandstone, local families’ ancestors who came to America and preserving the legacy.
Culhane will be available in the Legacy Tent to meet and greet visitors. Her commemorative print, which she donated for this special festival, is a beautiful tribute and accurate reflection of the local Italian heritage, Maxon said.
Festival events go on, rain or shine, with activities protected from the elements in a dining hall and four tents for visitors’ comfort.
Admission is free and there is plenty of free parking, with a large handicapped section near the entrance. Shuttles will run throughout the day to avoid long walks. Pets are not allowed on the festival grounds.
Sarah Beckler competes in FrogTape Paintover Challenge
Photos courtesy of FrogTape Paintover Challenge: Sarah Beckler did this patio makeover with a Mediterranean flair. She painted a checkerboard floor and incorporated textured walls to create a Mediterranean-inspired oasis.
Press Release
Sarah Beckler of Holley is a popular DIY influencer with about 70,000 followers on Instagram.
HOLLEY – Sarah Beckler of Holley is among 10 finalists in a do-it-yourself makeover challenge.
The contest challenges participants to transform their spaces using just $1,000 and FrogTape painter’s tape for a chance to win a $5,000 cash prize and a donation to the charity of their choice. Beckler picked the ARC Glow as the recipient if she is the winner.
From now until September 3, the public can cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award for their chance to win a $1,000 sweepstakes. Additionally, the new GOAT Award – “Greatest of Advanced Tape,” will be given by the brand for the project that demonstrates top craftsmanship.
The contest started as a friendly challenge among DIY influencers and has become a decade-long celebration of colorful creativity. This year, the FrogTape Paintover Challenge is bigger, bolder and ready to crown its first-ever “GOAT.”
Now in its 10th year, the contest invites 10 popular DIY influencers to transform their spaces using just $1,000 and FrogTape painter’s tape for a chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes, aligning with the 10 year anniversary.
The winning influencer will take home a $5,000 cash prize and a $5,000 donation will be made to the charity of their choice.
“For 10 years, we’ve been inspired by the painting perfection from the top DIY influencers around the country,” said Patti LaPorte, Director of Marketing at Shurtape Technologies, LLC, which markets FrogTape brand products. “We’ve been wowed by wainscoting and stunned by stripes – year after year, the Paintover Challenge has proven that you don’t need a big budget or fancy tools for an impactful makeover – just paint, good painter’s tape and a great imagination.”
Participating DIYers shared a room makeover project they think best represents their work for a chance to win. And the submissions are as varied as the influencers and charities of choice. From linen closet glow-ups and textured stair takeovers to spare bedroom makeovers and even a patio floor flip, the influencers put their heart and soul into these projects.
“The inspiring designs and impeccable execution go beyond the paint projects,” LaPorte said. “The charitable component fuels the friendly competition as each influencer strives to donate to a non-profit organization that’s dear to them. Potential charity donations include everything from children’s mentoring programs and dog rescues to suicide prevention and cancer support groups. We’re thrilled that FrogTape can champion such inspiring projects – both in design and in truly impactful causes that make a difference.”
To see all of the 10 finalists and to vote, click here.
HOLLEY – Holley Central School District is hosting homecoming weekend on Sept. 26-27. There are two alumni games scheduled for that weekend and registration is open now for for graduates from the district before 2022.
The Alumni Soccer Game will take place on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Sander Soccer Field at The Woodlands. To register to play in the game, complete the registration form (click here).
The Alumni Flag Football Game will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 4:30 p.m. at Hawk Stadium. To register to play in the game, complete the registration form (click here).
Alumni cheerleaders are also welcome to participate in both alumni games. Please contact Heather Kelley for details.
The alumni games are fundraisers for the district, benefitting Interact Club, the Eighth Grade Washington, D.C. Trip Scholarship Fund and Holley Sports Boosters. A voluntary $3 donation will be collected at the entrance from spectators. Concessions will be available. Cash only.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2025 at 7:12 pm
Provided photo
MURRAY – Organizers and volunteers of the Murray Tractor Pull this afternoon presented a check for $13,000 to the Ronald McDonald House, which provides hospitality for families with children fighting a serious illness.
The Christ family and a group of volunteers have been running the tractor pull for many years on a course they built on Groth Road. The setup includes a track, concessions stand and parking. This year’s pull was on July 19 and attracted more than 1,500 spectators.
The $13,000 for the Ronald McDonald House is up from the $10,000 in 2024, and the $8,500 donated in 2023.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2025 at 5:37 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The Village of Holley will rededicate its canalway trail on Saturday. The path was originally dedicated in honor of Andrew Cuomo, who was secretary of the federal Housing and Development in 2000 when the trail opened. HUD provided a grant to help create the canal path and park.
The village will rededicate the trail as “Holley’s Erie Canal Pathway” at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The celebration will be near the historical marker by the Murray-Holley Historical Society Depot Museum. The brief ceremony will include remarks followed by a reception on the porch of the museum.
Holley Mayor Mark Bower said the two sandstone signs will continue to bear Cuomo’s name. The signs are at each end of the path. Cuomo visited the canal park with his family not long after it opened.
The trail was dedicated for Cuomo on Aug. 9, 2000. At the time Cuomo was secretary of the federal Housing and Urban Development. In that role, he pushed through a $300 million “Canal Corridor Initiative” for canal communities to upgrade public spaces and also assist some businesses.
Holley used nearly $1 million to develop the canal trail and a canal park that also includes a gazebo, docks, a paved path, public bathrooms with showers, a playground, pond and other amenities.
Bower said the canal projects have proven to be a big draw for the village, bringing in visitors while also being frequently used by local residents.
“It’s becoming bigger all the time,” Bower said about the village’s canal amenities.
Holley also will soon add a new playground along the canal path this fall, and a new kayak launch next year.
