By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 September 2025 at 9:53 am
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Sherry Tuohey Sipple, left, enjoys coffee and conversation with the new pastor of the Grove United Methodist Church in Medina, Barb Brewer.
MEDINA – The new pastor of the Grove United Methodist Church brings a bushel of energy and a ton of new ideas to the congregation.
Pastor Barb Brewer grew up in Lockport and graduated from Penn State with a degree in civil engineering.
“I spent 25 years as a civil engineer,” Brewer said. “Then I retired and opened a coffee house and café in Lockport.”
During that time, she said God was calling her and putting people in her way who led her to the ministry. She enrolled in United Theological Seminary.
Brewer grew up in the Lutheran church and attended regularly with her family. As a teenager, she became involved with Lockport Alliance Church.
“That’s when I accepted Christ in my heart and have carried on as a Christian all of my life,” Brewer said.
She started her duties at the Grove on Aug. 1, and since has instituted several new activities, including Christian Conversation and Coffee Thursday mornings at the Coffee Pot Café. She issues an open invitation for anyone to join from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The sessions feature small devotions and conversation.
“I was hired half-time, but am working full time,” she said. “I’m here to serve and I visit the sick and take them communion.”
In addition to several new activities at the church, she has more planned. Last Saturday they had a campfire at the church, with s’mores.
“Basically, I put fun into worship,” the pastor said. “I put humor into all my sermons.”
Before coming to Medina, Brewer served the Alden United Methodist Church and Brocton Tri-Church Parish, made up of two Methodist churches and an Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Brocton church suffered a devastating fire which leveled the church.
When the District Superintendent contacted Brewer, she told her, “Have I got an assignment for you.”
Brewer took to her new assignment in Brocton and put her engineering degree to good use, designing a new church and negotiated with the insurance company to get the money to rebuild.
Some of the things coming up at the Grove are a Tailgate Party after worship on Oct. 26; Trivia Night with a potluck supper on Nov. 15; and the Lunch Bunch from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, featuring cheese and crackers and dessert.
“I’m just feeling my way now,” Brewer said. “I believe if we show the community how active we are, the community will want to join us. God made a perfect fit when I came here. I needed this church as much as they needed me, and we are stronger than ever because of it.”
In addition to welcoming their new pastor, member Sherry Tuohey Sipple and Brewer want to take this opportunity to thank the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company for their response to several potential crises at the church.
At the back of the church property are motel units, which are now used for storage. In May, it had been very rainy and the motel basement flooded. The church called Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company and they responded, pumping 30,000 gallons of water out of the basement.
Tuohey said the motel units date back to the 1960s when the restaurant was open, and the church is considering other options for the building.
Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company responded again on several occasions when the motel’s fire alarms went off – sometimes in the middle of the night, for no apparent reason.
“We are thankful they were false alarms,” Sipple said. “We are blessed to have these volunteer firemen dedicated to service in our community.”
Ridgeway will be responding again soon with Medina and other volunteer fire companies to deliver the red barrels for the annual Christmas drive.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2025 at 8:37 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ABOARD THE SENECA CHIEF – Terry Abrams, Orly the Ox, Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman and Deputy Mayor Jess Marciano wave to people along the Erie Canal in medina on Thursday afternoon.
A replica of the historic Seneca Chief canal boat, the one that made the maiden voyage across the Erie Canal, is embarking on a commemorative trip over 33 days in honor of the canal’s bicentennial.
The Seneca Chief left Buffalo on Wednesday morning and stayed at Lockport that night. On Thursday, the boat travelled east to Medina.
Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers was on board the boat from Middleport to Medina. Here on some photos from that trip, which included many onlookers who were taking photos and welcoming the Seneca Chief. The boat is on a 33-day journey and will end in New York City on Oct. 26, the exact 200-year anniversary of the original voyage with Gov. DeWitt Clinton in 1825.
These people record the Seneca Chief working its way down the canal. This spot is just east of Middleport.
These cyclists wave to the Seneca Chief contingent.
Ginny Kropf, a long-time local reporter, didn’t want to miss the Seneca Chief as it came to Medina.
This group waves to the people on board the Seneca Chief.
Mark Prawel, a village trustee and mechanic, took a short break from working on cars to see the boat pass by near the lift bridge in Medina.
Some people are on the Glenwood Avenue bridge in medina to see the boat come through. The mural was created by Brandi Zavitz.
John Kucko, who has a very popular social media presence, was at the north wall in the Canal Basin to record the boat coming to Medina.
The boat approaches its destination at the Canal Basin. There were about 200 people there to welcome the boat and then get a tour.
The boat will be on the move going east today. It is expected in Albion around 11:30 a.m., Holley at 1:30 p.m. and then in Brockport around 3-3:30.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2025 at 10:52 pm
Replica of maiden canal boat recreating historic voyage from 200 years ago
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Mayor Marguerite Sherman of Medina pours water from the canal in Medina into a barrel that will collect water from each stop the Seneca Chief makes along the canal as part of a 33-day trip to New York City.
The “Gathering of the Waters” differs from the original “Wedding of the Waters” when Gov. DeWitt Clinton poured water from Lake Erie into New York Harbor in 1825, following the maiden journey along the completed canal.
Sherman is joined on the deck of the Seneca Chief by Paul Winnie of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, Medina Deputy Mayor Jess Marciano, and Terry Abrams, a Tonawanda Seneca and the curator of the Niagara County Historical Society.
Terry Abrams, a Tonawanda Seneca and the curator of the Niagara County Historical Society, collects water from the Erie Canal in Medina after the replica Seneca Chief tied up in the Canal Basin. That water was then added to the barrel that will gather more water along its bicentennial commemoration of the Erie Canal.
Water will be collected at each port in the commemorative trip and it will be poured on a freshly planted Eastern White Pine tree in NYC. As part of the commemorative trip along the canal, an Eastern White Pine is being given to each port stop.
Medina next week will plant its Eastern White Pine at State Street Park close to the Erie Canal.
Mayor Marguerite Sherman stands on the deck of the Seneca Chief and welcomes about 200 people who were at the Basin to welcome the replica boat.
About 200 volunteers with the Buffalo Maritime Center handcrafted the boat over four years. The replica boat is 73 feet long and weighs 44 tons.
It left Buffalo on Wednesday and is headed to New York City on Oct. 26, which is exactly 200 years from when DeWitt Clinton commenced the inaugural voyage.
The Seneca Chief will leave Medina in the morning and head east through Orleans County with its final destination for the day in Brockport.
It is expected to stop in Albion around 11:30 a.m. and in Holley at 1:30 p.m.
Terry Abrams shares how the Erie Canal opened up the state and the west, fueling Manifest Destiny. However, it displaced many Native Americans.
As part of the commemorative voyage, the Buffalo Maritime Center is acknowledging the impact on the Indigenous residents. It also is giving an Eastern White Pine to each port site. Those trees are the Great Tree of Peace in the Haudenosaunee culture.
Roger Allen, the master boatbuilder at the Buffalo Maritime Center, talks with crew members as they get close to the Canal Basin in Medina.
The bow of the boat is shown after the replica Seneca Chief left Middleport and headed to Medina. The lift bridge in Middleport is shown in the distance.
The Seneca Chief is shown in the countryside between Middleport and Medina. The replica packet boat is pulled by the tugboat, C.L. Churchill.
The Churchill and Seneca Chief’s location can be tracked by clicking here.
Paul Winnie was grateful for the opportunity to be on the Seneca Chief from Middleport to Medina. He stands on the deck of the Seneca Chief as it passes by the Glenwood Avenue canal bridge. Winnie spoke at the Medina commemoration and highlighted the planting of the tree as a sign of peace.
“The message is we all need to bury our quarrels and bad language under this tree so we can make this place better for the next generation,” he said.
About 200 people greeted the Seneca Chief as it pulled up at the Canal Basin. Orly the Ox, the county’s bicentennial mascot, was aboard as a special guest. Orleans County also is celebrating its bicentennial this year.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol provided an escort for the Seneca Chief as it approached Medina and the Canal Basin.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2025 at 6:48 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
BARRE – Staff of AES Clean Energy gather for a group photo this afternoon in Barre in front of the Baird Solar Project.
AES celebrated the completion of that project as well as the Laubacher Solar Project in Albion at 3858 Gaines Basin Rd.
The Baird project is on land owned by Josh Baird. The solar panels have a capacity to generate 4.5 megawatts of electricity. The project covers 27 acres at 4320 Oak Orchard Rd. The site allows AES to tap directly into a 13.2-kilovolt distribution line. The project doesn’t include battery storage.
There are 14,118 solar panels and they are surrounded with a 7-foot-high perimeter chain link fence as part of Baird Solar, which is on Route 98 in the northern part of Barre.
The company’s landscape plan includes 191 deciduous and evergreen trees along with 92 shrubs and pollinators.
Donna Laubacher, left, speaks during a reception today celebrating the completion of the two AES solar projects.
Laubacher said she hopes the project will make electricity more accessible for people in the community.
The Laubacher project is on 15.6 acres of land south of Allen Road in Albion. The 2.5 megawatt solar system uses about 8,100 solar panels.
The landscaping plan includes 470 deciduous and evergreen trees with 183 Northern White Cedars, along with shrubs and pollinators.
AES is working on two much larger solar projects with construction expected to start next year and be complete in late 2027.
AES is the developer of Hemlock Ridge Solar, a 200 megawatt solar project in Barre and Shelby that will be along Crane, Townline and Burns roads near the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Hemlock Ridge is about 5 miles southeast of Medina.
AES also is working to develop Somerset Solar, a 125 megawatt project in the Town of Somerset in Niagara County. Some of the facility will on the site of a former coal plant, Somerset Station.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2025 at 12:17 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A caravan of vehicles escort an oversize load down Gaines Basin Road in Albion this morning.
The 195,500-pound condenser was manufactured by Graham Corp. in Batavia and started is journey around 5 a.m. today. It reached the Erie Canal in Albion around 10 a.m.
It will be transported east to its destination at the Navy. This is at least the third condenser made by Graham that will be shipped by the canal for the Navy.
Previous trips went to Albany, then down the Hudson River to New York Harbor. From there the condensers have moved to an ocean-going-barge for the trip to the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.
The oversize load heads north on Gaines Basin Road, getting close to the Countyhouse Road intersection.
The permitted route of travel started on Harvester Avenue in the city of Batavia, proceeded west on Route 5 to north on Route 98. Then it was west on Route 31A to north on Gaines Basin Road to east on Albion-Eagle Harbor Road in Albion.
There were about 15 bucket trucks in the caravan with people holding wires high for the big load.
The load had an escort by the State Police and other officials. Here it is shown going north on Gaines Basin Road, past Countyhouse Road.
Many onlookers came out to see the dispenser get lifted by two huge cranes onto a barge in the canal. Ellie Quatro brought her three sons to see the big machinery. Two of the sons are home-schooled.
They also saw the cranes in action two years ago when Graham made a similar-size delivery to the canal for the Navy.
The cranes, barge and big tugboat are ready to receive the heavy load.
Graham also had similar loads on the canal on May 22, 2022 and then another Sept. 27, 2023.
The load on the barge will be pushed by the tugboat Edna A., which is owned by the New York State Marine Highway Transportation Company of Troy.
Many people gathered on both sides of the canal to see the heavy equipment in action. The Gaines Basin Road bridge is in the background.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2025 at 8:45 am
Donors have given $200K towards restoration of prominent Mount Albion building
File photos by Tom Rivers: The chapel at Mount Albion Cemetery, shown in September 2024, is getting new mortar and a new roof, with other upgrades as part of a $225,000 restoration. Donors have given $200,000 towards the project so far.
ALBION – The chapel at Mount Albion Cemetery will be getting a new slate roof. The building is a focal point of the historic cemetery for people who enter through the main arch.
The new roof is among several improvements for the structure that was built in 1875.
A committee led by Village Historian Sue Starkweather Miller set a $225,000 fundraising goal and raised $200,000 in about three months.
The Albion Village Board on Wednesday accepted a bid for $83,985 to remove the existing roof and replace all the Vermont slate. That was the lowest of three submitted bids. The others were for $111,875 and $114,220.
The mortar on the structure is currently being repointed and that was funded with a $5,000 grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation.
“I have been overwhelmed by the community support for the project,” Starkweather Miller said. “We are very excited about this.”
Other work includes:
Asbestos abatement on the roof
Interior replastering of the north wall
Electrical upgrades (wiring, outlets, internal and external lighting
Heating unit for seasonal use
Repair of plaster and vaulted ceiling
Remove old floor, repair subfloor and put in a new floor
Refurbish exterior doors and window trim
The committee that has been working on the project, identifying the needs and fundraising, includes Starkweather Miller, Tim Archer, David Snell, Toni Stark and Tony Wynn.
About 90 donors have contributed to the project so far. Tax deductible donations for the project can be sent to the Orleans County Historical Association, 3286 Gaines Basin Rd., Albion NY 14411. For more information, click here.
‘Murder and Mayhem’ fundraiser tour set for Oct. 4
Matt Ballard is shown leading 200 people on a tour of “Murder and Mayhem” on Sept. 13, 2019 in Albion. Ballard was the county historian at the time. He shared stories of high-profile crimes from the community’s past, and some other curious happenings. He will be doing the tour again on Oct. 4.
A fundraiser is planned for Oct. 4 for the chapel. Matt Ballard, the former Orleans County historian, will lead a “Murder and Mayhem Tour.” Ballard did this tour in 2019 and it attracted 200 people.
There is a $20 donation to be on the tour which starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Pullman Universalist Church. Parking in the lot across the street.
In the photo of Ballard above, he is shown speaking on the Courthouse lawn. He told about Albion leaders ploy in deceiving state officials to naming Albion the county seat, over Gaines, which was more developed in the 1820s due to the well-travelled Ridge Road.
Philetus Bumpus and Nehemiah Ingersoll led the push for Albion to become the county seat. They concocted a plan to have Sandy Creek dammed just before the state commissioners were in town. The water was then released to make it appear Sandy Creek was a much stronger stream.
What appeared to be a powerful stream was influential in swaying the commissioners to pick Albion over Gaines. Ingersoll would later donate land for the courthouse to be built.
Ballard has several other stories to share on the tour.
ALBION – The State Police will be assisting with an oversized load escort on Thursday morning which may disrupt traffic patterns beginning at 5 a.m. in the city of Batavia and ending in Albion.
The width of this load will at times obstruct oncoming traffic.
The height of this load will necessitate the lifting of most overhead wires and traffic control devices. The load will move into oncoming traffic to avoid overhead obstructions.
The weight of the load will keep speeds to around 5-10 mph with many stoppages.
The permitted route of travel will begin north on Harvester Avenue in the city of Batavia, proceed west on Main St. (Rt-5) to north on Oak St (Rt-98) to west on Rt-31A (Lee Rd) to north on Gaines Basin Road to east on Albion Eagle Harbor Road in Albion.
It is recommended that if you encounter this load, move to the shoulder of the roadway, into a driveway or parking lot or seek an alternate route of travel to your destination. Lower your window and follow directions from State Police or escort vehicles.
Thank you for your patience and drive safety.
Editor’s Note: There have been other oversize loads in recent years from Batavia to Albion. Graham Manufacturing built 200,000-pound condensers for a nuclear submarine. The part was delivered to Albion, where the condenser was lifted by crane and set on a barge on the Erie Canal.
It then headed east to be delivered to a Navy base. There was an oversize load from Graham on May 22, 2022 and then another Sept. 27, 2023.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 September 2025 at 1:14 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Village of Albion has a new 750,000-gallon water tank on Route 98, part of the Village of Albion water distribution system primarily in central Orleans County. The new glass-fused steel tank was built for $1,369,000 by Aquastore.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board expects to raise the water rates significantly, about 50 percent over the next three years.
The increases are needed to pay for upgrades to the water plant and aging infrastructure.
Village Board members will present the rates during a public hearing today at 6 p.m. at the Village Office. The new rates would take effect on Jan. 1.
Water users would face a 25 percent increase in the rates in the first year, then a 20 percent increase in year two, and then a 5 percent increase in the third year. The village would also raise an administrative charge by 55 percent the first year, then 40 percent and 5 percent.
The changes would raise rates for village of Albion residents and property owners by $3.90 per $1,000 gallons to $4.88 next year, $5.85 in year two and $6.14 in year three.
The average village water customer currently pays $92.10 every quarter. That would change to $125.21 next year, then $160.66 in year two, and then $168.70 in the third year, according to village.
The village also supplies water to several towns in Orleans County. They would see their rates go from $3.57 to $4.46 next year, and then $5.36 and $5.62.
The two correctional facilities would be increased from the current $4.65 per 1,000 gallons to $5.81 next year, and then $6.98 and $7.32.
Village Trustee Joyce Riley said the increases are necessary, but she worries some of the towns could switch to the Monroe County Water Authority, which would take away needed revenue for the water system.
The board during a Sept. 10 meeting considered making a 50 percent increase in the first year, but decided to do a staggered approach over three years.
The village is embarking a major capital project at the water plant on Wilson Road in Carlton. The village also replaced a water storage tank on Route 98 and needs to replace many of its transmission lines.
The Albion water fund has estimated expenses of $2,639,864 in the current fiscal year, but the current rates only will generate $2,195,250, forcing the village to use $444,614 in its fund balance. That will leave the fund balance at about $700,000.
The new rates and administrative charges would bring the revenues to $2,680,546 in 2026-27, while the expenses are at $3,021,857. (The expenses increase because the village needs to begin paying back a bond at about $400,000 a year.)
The second year, the revenue is up to $3,328,013 with expenses at $3,172,950. The third year, the revenue totals $3,494,414 with expenses at $3,331,597.
Village Board members said they will be working to develop a capital plan for the water plant and water distribution system.
Wendel, an engineering firm, presented a proposal on Sept. 10 for replacing some of the water lines on the east side of the village, a project that could top $13 million.
That project would include East State Street, from Platt Street to the village line (including Goodrich Street), Moore Steet (from the Butts/Caroline intersection to the village line, Brown Street and Knapp Street.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 September 2025 at 12:28 pm
ALBION – A Ridgeway man appeared in Orleans County Court this morning facing first-degree manslaughter charges for allegedly killing his mother after hitting her in the head with a hammer.
Curtis Schroth, 51, allegedly hit his mother with a hammer on Oct. 15, 2024 at her home on Rutherford Road in Ridgeway. Dolores Schroth died from those injuries at age 78 on Oct. 27, 2024.
Her son was living with her at the time of the crime, District Attorney Susan Howard said.
After seriously injuring his mother, Schroth went to the Albion Police Department on Oct. 15, and confessed to the crime, Howard said.
The case has been at a standstill because Schroth was deemed to be mentally incompetent. He has been in a psychiatric facility for several months but was brought to Orleans County this morning to appear in court after being found competent.
He was arraigned on first-degree manslaughter in County Court on Jan. 8, 2025. Public defender Joanne Best requested a mental competency exam on March 12.
Schroth was held in the county jail for several months before being transferred to a psychiatric facility. He is now back in the county jail. County Court Judge Sanford Church is continuing bail at $100,000 cash, $500,000 bond and $750,000 partially secured bond.
The charge of first-degree manslaughter carries a maximum of 25 years in prison. Howard presented an offer to Schroth today to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and face no more than 20 years in prison. Howard said she made the offer after consulting with Dolores Schroth’s other children.
Best, who is representing Curtis Schroth, has until Oct. 22 to file motions in the case with the motions to be argued in court on Nov. 5.
Best in court today said Schroth has an option of a plea of not criminally responsible, where a mental disorder or defect at the time of the crime makes defendants unable to understand the wrongfulness of their actions.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 September 2025 at 7:59 am
Photo from State Sen. Rob Ortt: Rob Ortt, the State Senate minority leader, speaks during a press conference on Main Street in Brockport on Tuesday, where businesses say they have suffered from reduced traffic due to the Main Street lift bridge being closed for more than two years.
BROCKPORT – Two local state legislators are rallying behind Brockport businesses who say they are suffering from a prolonged closure of their Main Street lift bridge.
Brockport, like Albion, has witnessed a major rehabilitation of its lift bridge go way past the 18 months the bridges were expected to be closed. Albion’s bridge reopened last Friday. It closed in November 2022, nearly three years ago.
Borckport bridge is expected to reopen in November – 2 ½ years after it was closed in May 2023.
State Sen. Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Steve Hawley have joined the businesses and village officials in seeking a relief fund, with the funds coming from fines to the contractor for going past the deadline for completing the bridge.
Ortt said businesses already are fighting to survive due to costly mandates and regulations in New York state that drive up their operating expenses.
“Here in Brockport, local businesses have faced even greater hardship because the Main Street Bridge has been out of commission for more than two years,” Ortt said. “It’s clear that there has been absolutely no sense of urgency here, and it’s past time for the Department of Transportation to cut through bureaucratic muck, safely complete this bridge restoration, and deliver real relief to the small businesses that have suffered from these inefficiencies.”
Many of the business owners say they have seen their revenue drop by up to 50 percent with the bridge closure, which has resulted in far less foot traffic to their stores. Some have closed and others are relying on on-line sales to try to survive.
Photo from Assemblyman Hawley’s office: Assemblyman Steve Hawley is asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to establish a relief fund for the Brockport businesses, which the money coming from fines assessed to the contractor each day the bridge is closed past the deadline.
Hawley has joined Ortt, Monroe County Legislator Jackie Smith and Mayor Ben Reed in a letter asking Hochul to establish a relief fund for the struggling businesses. Hawley would like to see Albion businesses also receive relief funds.
Hawley, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, highlighted the press conference in Brockport.
“We were stressing the need for Governor Kathy Hochul to assist the local Main Street businesses in both Albion and Brockport with remuneration for the lost business revenue caused by the unconscionable delay of opening the lift bridges in both communities,” he said.
The state has $254 billion budget. “Surely she can find $$ to assist our Main Street businesses who have been harmed by these delays by contractors hired by NYS,” Hawley said. “It’s time to walk the talk and support our communities’ local businesses.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2025 at 3:36 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Mayor Marguerite Sherman, center, leads a group in downtown Medina this morning after they saw the inside of the Bent’s Opera House, which has been dramatically transformed into a restaurant, hotel and event venue.
There were about 85 people in medina today as part of the World Canals Conference in Buffalo. The conference split up into four different field trips today.
Medina and Lockport were one stop with a focus on how history, preservation and the arts can lead to economic revitalization.
Sherman during her remarks to the group said many in Medina contribute to the community’s success. She said Medina is fortunate to have many committed downtown business owners, and civic groups that plan events and help beautify the business district.
This group visited the First Baptist Church of Medina, which was built from 1870 to 1873 and is one of 43 sites in the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.
The canal enthusiasts took a look inside the historic Baptist Church. While in Medina, the group of 85 split into four different groups.
The Medina Triennial was a stop on the tour. The Triennial will bring a major art initiative into the community in 2026. The Triennial building will serve as the “Hub” for cultural programming.
In the downtown, the group also toured the Shirt Factory building which has a café, boutique hotel and law offices.
Photo courtesy of Isabella Zasa: The tour included a stop at one of the marvels of the canal system, the Canal Culvert in Ridgeway. This is the only place where vehicles can drive under the canal.
The Orleans/Niagara BOCES recently named its Employees of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year.
Employees are nominated by their peers and a committee selects an awardee in each of these categories: Administrator, Clerical, Continuing Education, Custodial/Maintenance, Staff Specialist, Substitute, Teacher Aide and Teacher.
Rachel Ross is the Administrator of the Year. Rachel has worked for Orleans/Niagara BOCES for one year and is the principal of the Godfrey Learning Center and the Orleans Learning Center.
“My favorite part of the job is the people,” she said. “I feel so lucky to work with such great students and staff every day.”
Ross said she was shocked when her name was announced at the opening day celebration. “It hit me emotionally. I think it is clear indication that I am on the right path and doing the right things. There is no better feedback to guide and affirm your practice than this. I am grateful for the feedback.”
Penny Aikin is the Clerical Person of the Year. Aikin has spent 39 years in Continuing Education, five years as a Keyboard Specialist and the last 34 as a Secretary. She is also a certified TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) Test Administrator which allows her to test adult students part-time in the evenings at our Lockport Literacy Zone located at 50 Main Street. Penny loves working with adult students.
“Our Literacy Program offers adults in the community assistance whether it is someone who needs their GED, someone needing to learn English or students seeking to obtain their citizenship,” she said. “The work that I do as a Data Manager has helped to insure we are the number one literacy program in New York State. I love my job as it enables me to work directly with an awesome literacy staff and to interact frequently with students all having different goals and needs.”
Aikin said it is an honor to be recognized for the work she does each and every day.
Erica Kopp is the Continuing Education Employee of the Year. She has worked at Orleans/Niagara BOCES for 19 years and says her favorite part of her job is teaching and helping people move forward in their lives.
“Many of our students come in carrying regret or embarrassment about not finishing high school,” she said. “It takes so much courage and determination to complete the program. Supporting them through that journey is incredibly meaningful. I was truly surprised and very appreciative of my colleagues choosing me! We have so many dedicated teachers and I honestly could not believe I was selected.”
Donald Duncanson is the Custodian/Maintenance Person of the Year. He has been working at BOCES for 4 1/2 years.
“My favorite part of my job is meeting new people every day and solving and fixing problems,” he said. “I feel very honored to have been chosen. I work with great people and it makes my job easy and enjoyable.”
Laird Burkett is the Staff Specialist of the Year. Laird has worked at BOCES as a Computer Technician for eight years. He said his favorite part of his job is helping people do their best work.
“I listen to teachers and staff, simplifying the technology behind the scenes, and support our team so solutions last,” Burkett said. “When a classroom runs smoother because we planned together, that’s the most rewarding part.”
He said winning this honor was very humbling. “Any success I’ve had comes from bringing people to the table, hearing their needs, and doing the follow-through together.”
Jennifer Jourdain is the Teacher of the Year. Jennifer works at the Niagara Academy and is on her 21st year at ONBOCES.
“What I love about my job is that the students I work with have typically had nothing but negative school experiences at their home district,” she said. “When they enter our alternative program, I love seeing these students gain confidence in their ability and find success for themselves in school.”
She said she felt honored when announced as the teacher of the year. “It was great to receive this award following a year of feeling respected and valued by the organization I work for. I look forward to being part of the BOCES culture moving forward.”
Teresa Armstrong is the Teacher Aide of the Year. “I was shocked!” she said about the recognition. “It was a wonderful surprise to be recognized by my peers.”
Armstrong has been at Orleans/Niagara BOCES for 22 years and is at the Niagara Academy. “My favorite part of my job is making connections with not only the students, but also my colleagues as we strive to make a difference in our students’ lives.”
Ron Jackson was named the Substitute of the Year. Ron worked as a welding teacher at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center until his retirement in 2024. He filled in as a teacher in the welding program for part of the school year.
“I started on my birthday, February 18th in 2019,” he said. “I had to laugh, I’ve worked in power plants for 32 years and let’s just say, we didn’t get any snow days there! My first day teaching was a snow day. I hadn’t had a snow day since 1979!”
When asked what his favorite part of his job was, his answer was, “That’s hard to answer. It really wasn’t a job to me. It was the most rewarding opportunity I have ever had the pleasure of doing. So, I guess I would say it would be having the opportunity to pass on my life’s lessons to anyone who would listen.
“My passion has always been in welding, but my goal was to teach kids to be employable first and welding second. I do miss being part of something bigger than myself. It is the best job I have ever had. I am very honored to have received this and all I can say is from the heart, thank you for this wonderful opportunity to work with some of the most caring and dedicated people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2025 at 9:58 am
Photo by Aidin Bharti/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul – Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks on Monday during the opening of the World Canals Conference in Buffalo, which is during the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial year.
MEDINA – The World Canals Conference is in Buffalo this week, and today a group of about 85 people will be in Medina as one of four field visits with the conference.
In Medina, the group will visit the Medina Triennial headquarters, the Bent’s Opera House, Canal Culvert in Ridgeway, the First Baptist Church, Shirt Factory and downtown. The group will be on two buses and will head over to visit Lockport around noon.
The Medina-Lockport field trip has a focus on how art and history have helped spur downtown revitalization.
Other field trips include North Tonawanda and Lockport with a focus on waterfront revitalization and economic development; Niagara Falls and the Welland Canal with a focus on the Underground Railroad and freedom seekers who crossed the Niagara River to live in Canada.
A field session in Brockport and Fairport shows how those canal communities use the historic waterway for recreation, access, and accessibility.
The Seneca Chief, a replica of the Erie Canal boat that carried Gov. DeWitt Clinton across the canal for its maiden voyage in 1825, will depart Buffalo on Wednesday morning to recreate the governor’s famous trip from 200 years ago.
The Seneca Chief will embark on a 33-day journey that will end in New York City on Oct. 26, the official anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal. The boat will reach Medina on Thursday and stay overnight before continuing east on Friday to Brockport.
During remarks on Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted 2025 as the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial year. About 500 people are in Buffalo for the conference.
“The Erie Canal is more than a waterway; it is a symbol of perseverance and progress,” Hochul said. “Two hundred years ago, it stood as a marvel for innovation and determination fueling America’s growth and opening pathways of opportunity. Today, as we celebrate its bicentennial, I am honored to welcome the world to Buffalo, my hometown, for the 2025 World Canals Conference. Together, we will carry forward the Erie Canal’s legacy as a global symbol of connection, commerce, and possibility for the next century and beyond.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Seneca Chief is shown in Medina on Aug. 12, 2024. The boat is a reproduction of the original 73-foot-long Seneca Chief boat that opened the Erie Canal in 1825. It was the first boat to travel the canal from Buffalo to New York City. It will be back in medina on Thursday before heading east on Friday to Brockport.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 September 2025 at 8:45 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: A group walks down East Shelby Road on Oct. 7, 2023 for the 35th annual walk/run for the Knights-Kaderli Fund. The Knights and Kaderli families estimate that more than $1 million has been used from the fund since it was established, helping cover some of the utilities, co-pays and other bills for people fighting cancer in Orleans County.
MEDINA – For the past 37 years, the community has gathered for a walk/run to support patients living with cancer in Orleans County.
The Knights-Kaderli Walk/Run began when two families – those of Richard Knights and Sue Kaderli – decided to join their fundraising efforts in memory of their loved ones into one event.
“This year we are happy to celebrate our 37th annual Knights-Kaderli Walk on Oct 4,” said Stacey Knights Pellicano, Knights-Kaderli board member and daughter of Richard Knights. “This is our favorite time of year. We look forward to being with all of our supporters. If you have ever participated in our event, you understand the energy of that day. It gives us hope and unites participants.”
The walk/run will begin at 11 a.m. Oct. 4 at East Shelby Volunteer Fire Hall. Registration fee is $20 and participants are encouraged to ask their friends and neighbors for small sponsorship donations. Every dollar helps, Pellicano said. There is also a large basket raffle for the Knights-Kaderli Fund that morning at the East Shelby Firehall.
The 5K will continue as an untimed walk/run, so registrants can participate in a leisurely walk with family and friends, or set their watches for a 5K run. As always, participants and the community are encouraged to participate in their basket raffle. Lunch will be served immediately after the race and guests may eat outside under the pavilion. Everyone is urged to photograph their experience and tag Knights-Kaderli on Facebook and Instagram at #KnightsKaderli5K for some fun prizes.
Richard Knights and Sue Kaderli were both lifelong residents of Orleans County. Knights died from cancer at age 38 in 1984. Kaderli passed away from the disease at age 52 in 1989.
“They were both known for their spirit of community and we are honored to remember them in this way,” Pellicano said.
Funds are raised through annual events and various contributions made by individuals, organizations and memorials.
For more information or financial assistance, contact Mary Zelazny at (585) 746-8455, Melissa Knights Bertrand at (716) 983-7932 or Pellicano at (716) 998-0977.
Participants may register for the walk/run online (click here). Those unable to participate are asked to consider a direct donation through Venmo@knightskaderli.
