Photos by Kim Pritt
KNOWLESVILLE – Several craft and collectibles vendors are at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds today for a show to give people an early start on decorating their home for the holidays and finding presents for friends and family.

The show started on Friday and continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lori Laine, left, and Cheryl Boyer are at a table that promotes being an organ donor.

The show is inside the Trolley Building at the fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville.

Photos by Tom Rivers
RIDGEWAY – This culvert pipe with a 4-foot diameter will be set in a trench being dug today on Mill Road in Ridgeway.

The Town of Ridgeway Highway Department cut a 7-foot-deep chuck out of Mill Road so the department could replace a rotting culvert. Tim Feldman is in the excavator and Pat Kelly is holding the measuring stick.

The culvert pipe needs to be set at a 180-degree angle, or perfectly flat, to allow for the water to drain easily, Ridgeway highway workers said. The culvert directs water under the road from Johnson Creek.

Ridgeway highway workers started the project this morning and expect to have it done today. In addition to Feldman and Kelly, highway worker John Olinger, right, is pictured at the scene late this morning. The culvert is just east of Murdock Road.

Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – The signs by Route 31 in Knowlesville say the bridge is closed. (This photo is actually on Knowlesville Road, just north of the canal.)

Motorists on Route 31 might assume the culprit for the closed bridge is the century-old lift bridge.

That historic span remains open. But just north of the lift bridge, Keeler Construction of Barre is replacing two culverts.

County Highway Superintendent said the project should be complete in early November, “depending on weather.”

The county approved Keeler as the low bidder for the project for $430,199.

A neighbor near the construction work told me he was grateful to have less traffic on the road.

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – Occasionally people will stop at Homer McPherson’s home on Horan Road and ask if he wants to give up the carriage step and two hitching posts in the front yard.

McPherson, shown sitting on his front porch, gives them a resounding no.

When construction crews were installing water lines along the road a few years ago, McPherson worried the equipment might bang into a hitching post and break it. So he insisted the contractors pay extra attention to the relics from more than a century ago.

McPherson enjoys sitting on his porch and taking in the scene on the front yard at 3587 Horan Rd. The property was owned by his late wife Ruth’s family. McPherson said the hitching posts are in their original spots.

“I don’t know how deep they are, but they’ve never moved,” he said.

Another Ridgeway family has a little garden with flowers by their hitching post at 3608 Knowlesville Rd., not too far south of the Erie Canal.

Brenda Busch moved to the house in 2004. She is delighted to have the hitching post out front by the road.

“I love it,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind going back to those days.”

Busch, third from left, is pictured with family members, including Norman Karcher Sr., Marilyn Karcher, and Busch’s son Michael.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A member of the Pyromancy Fire Performance Troupein Buffalo performs with fire before a big crowd on saturday night at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery.

Leonard Oakes held its annual Steampunk Festival and more than 1,200 people turned out, many in futuristic costumes with a Victorian theme.

The festival featured fire artists, belly dancers, a Frank Sinatra crooner, bands, hoop dancers, and a self-described “circus freak performer” who chewed glass and snapped a mouse trap on his tongue.

The event was a celebration of the release of the winery’s new steampunk hard cider.

Some of the costumed revelers chat at the winery on Route 104.

Maria Rola, a hoop dancer from Buffalo, is pictured with Arlowe Price, a self-described fourth-generation “circus freak performer” from Buffalo.

Price chewed broken glass, set a mouse trap on his tongue, and performed other outrageous stunts during the Steampunk Festival. He let people staple dollars on his skin and throw darts at his back.

Price was a little bloodied from some of his stunts. Here he set a mouse trap on his tongue.

Price has been a regular performer at the festival and has watched it grow from a few hundred people to more than 1,000.

“I brag about this event all summer,” Price said. “It’s a wildy growing festival. People enjoy the music and the Steampunk Cider.”

Many locals attended the event in futuristic costumes, including Albion residents Leanne Serrato, left, and Peggy Barringer.

This group includes Tammy Menz, left, her sister Lynne Menz and Terri Wood.

The band, Monkey Wrench Revolt from Cortland, performed on an outdoor stage at Leonard Oakes. The band includes, from left: Nate Francisco on mandolin, Ted Andrejko on bass, and Tom George on guitar.

Abel Zavitz, 16, of Medina sang two songs for the big crowd including “Come fly with me” by Frank Sinatra and “Everybody loves somebody” by Dean Martin.

A hoop dancer has a glowing hoop at the festival.

Members of Troupe Nisaa, a dance group based in Batavia, perform at the Steampunk Festival.

The fire artists from Pyromancy proved popular with the crowd.

Leonard Oakes promotes the event as “A Festival of Bizarre Proportions.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Dakota Morris, 7, of Holley swings at Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway on Friday, the last day of a five-week camp season.

Camp Rainbow is owned and operated by The Arc of Orleans County. There were 82 campers at the site this summer, enjoying swimming, special events, music, arts and crafts, nature study, sign language, cooperative games and athletics.

Makkiah Morris, 6, of Holley dribbles a soccer ball. He is the younger brother of Dakota.

The camp is open to children with and without disabilities. About 20 percent of the campers have developmentally disabilities and 30 percent have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. About half of the campers have no disabilities.

“We’re totally integrated,” said Pattie Kepner, the camp director.

Kennedi Howerton, 8, of Albion gets ready to hit a whiffle ball thrown by Dylan DeSmit, a member of the Arc staff.

James Trembley of Barre has fun on a scooter.

The sand box has been a popular spot during camp. The swimming pool is in the back.

Nick Pifer of Holley can hit the long ball.

The camp counselors share a laugh on Friday during lunch.

The Shenberger family donated property for Camp Rainbow on Townline Road in Lyndonville to offer children with disabilities the opportunity for fun with other children. Volunteers spent hundreds of hours clearing the land and building facilities.

The summer day camp was founded in 1970.

The property not only serves campers, but is available for other camps, retreats and functions.

Provided photo

RIDGEWAY – The Orleans County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education donated $852 on Thursday to Camp Rainbow.

Pattie Kepner, left, oversees the camp for The Arc of Orleans County, where she is director of quality and family services. Theresa Price presented the check on behalf of ABATE, which raised the funds from a recent golf tournament. The money will likely be used for a new solar cover for the pool at the camp.

Camp Rainbow serves about 100 children with and without disabilities in a 5-week summer program. The camp is located on Townline Road in Ridgeway.

ABATE has been a regular donor to The Arc since 1999, Arc officials said.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Law enforcement officers check the scene of a serious car accident this afternoon in Ridgeway on Horan Road. This photo shows the scene after the driver and a passenger were both transported by ambulance and Mercy Flight helicopter.

Press Release
Orleans County Sheriff
Scott Hess

RIDGEWAY – A man and a teenager are hospitalized tonight following a one-car crash late this afternoon in the Town of Ridgeway.

The incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m., in the 3500 block of Horan Road. A 2007 Hyundai 2-door sedan was traveling north when it crested a hill and the driver then apparently lost control on the down slope.

The vehicle crossed the center line and left the roadway on the west side. The car struck a mound of earth in the driveway of a private residence and became airborne. It continued approximately 60 feet in the air before striking a tree. It then spun 180 degrees and struck a second tree before grounding and coming to rest facing south.

The front seat passenger and registered owner of the vehicle is identified as Emmitt R. Weese, 50, of Holley. Weese was trapped in the wreckage for about 25 minutes before being extricated by Ridgeway and Shelby firefighters. He was flown by Mercy Flight helicopter to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo.

The driver of the vehicle is identified as Austin D. Winters, 16, of Medina. Winters was trapped in the wreckage for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. He was also extricated by firefighters and then flown to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Both individuals sustained what were described as “life-threatening” injuries.

Firefighters were assisted at the scene by Medina Fire Department Ambulance crews, who also transported victims to awaiting helicopters. A crew from Lyons Collision Service also assisted firefighters at the scene.

While the incident remains under investigation, it appears that excessive speed was a contributing factor. Both driver and passenger are facing charge(s) pending their recovery.

The incident was investigated by Deputy A.A. Breuilly, assisted by Sergeant G.T. Gunkler and Chief Deputy T.L. Drennan. Deputies were assisted at the scene by Medina Police Sgt. M.R. Borrell & Officer J.R. Frentz.

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – Two people were seriously injured in a one-car accident this afternoon on Horan Road in Ridgeway.

The car left the road and the back end crashed into a tree. The driver of the vehicle was pinned and it took firefighters and Lyons Collision more than an hour to free the driver, who was then taken by Medina ambulance to a Mercy Flight landing zone.

Firefighters work to free the driver from the wreckage.

The accident occurred at about 4:48 p.m. The passenger was also seriously injured and taken by Mercy Flight soon after the accident. The driver was freed from the wreck at about 6:20 p.m. Many long-time firefighters said it was one of the most difficult extrications they’ve done.

The car was wrapped around a tree and the dashboard had moved forward against the driver’s legs, making it difficult to release him.

The driver remained conscious during the rescue effort, and gave his grandmother a thumbs up that he was doing OK while a crew of about 40 people tried to get him out. Firefighters said his vital signs were good at the scene.

Authorities haven’t released the names of the driver or the passenger.

The accident occurred on a section of Horan Road, north of the village line where there are many bends and dips in the road.

The neighbor with the tree in her yard called 9-1-1 after hearing the crash. When she went out to her front yard, she said she started praying for the people inside.

“This is a nasty hill,” said the neighbor, who asked not to be identified. “The sound was something I never want to hear again.”

Another neighbor a few houses north said there are frequent accidents on the road. He would like to see a lower speed limit clearly marked north of the village line. He said people drive 55 miles per hour or faster, when the top speed should be closer 35 mph.

The road also doesn’t have shoulders and there are no center line markings.

The car left the road and its tire marks could be seen in the one neighbor’s front yard and driveway before hitting the tree.

Ridgeway, Shelby, Medina and Lyndonville firefighters all responded to the scene, along with Medina Police Department, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Mercy Flight and Lyons Collision.

RIDGEWAY – The canal bridge on Marshall Road will be closed for about two weeks while crews make repairs to some of the steel on the structure, Town of Ridgeway officials said today.

The State Department of Transportation advised Ridgeway of the work. The bridge was closed on Monday so repairs could be made.