Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson welcomes a crowd of about 125 people to today’s bicentennial celebration for Orleans County.

The county for its first 165 years was run by a Board of Supervisors with the town supervisors from the towns also overseeing the county.

This gavel was carved from a walnut tree planted in 1856.

The government structure changed to a seven-member County Legislature in 1980. The Legislature’s seats have always been arranged in a semi-circular pattern, Johnson said. She quoted Stan Dudek, who was chairman of the new Legislature in 1980 and the first chief administrative officer beginning in 1982.

“That we all share equally in the rights, responsibilities and power vested in us as legislators; the side-by-side arrangement symbolic of our duty and desire to work together, with one common purpose, not to run, but to serve the County of Orleans; and facing the public, indicating our desire for clear and complete communication with the public we represent.”

Johnson also noted a gavel made from a walnut tree planted in 1856. Cary W. lattin, father of retired County Historian Bill Lattin, carved the gavel and presented it to Dudek at the first meeting of the Legislature in 1980.

“That means the wood from this gavel is almost as old as Orleans County itself,” Johnson said. “And just like this gavel, our county is as strong as ever.”

Orly the Ox enters the main courtroom in the Orleans County Courthouse during today’s bicentennial celebration for the county. About 125 people attended the ceremony.

The county has embraced the ox as a mascot for the bicentennial. Oxen were critical for the pioneers to travel on rough paths and settle the untamed land 200 years ago. The oxen were also needed to clear land and plow fields.

Orly (Isabella Zasa in costume) is lifting weights in his entrance to show the oxen’s brawn in helping the pioneer settlers.

The ceremony began with the ringing of the bell in the courthouse dome and the bells at the churches around the county, including the Courthouse Square.

Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson, right, accepts proclamations for Orleans County’s 200^thanniversary today from Andrew Dugan, district director for State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, and Jayleen Carney, executive assistant for Assemblyman Steve Hawley. The two state legislators were in Albany for budget negotiations but secured a state legislative proclamation for the county’s bicentennial.

Ortt and Hawley’s proclamation noted Orleans County was officially established as a separate entity from Genesee County on Nov. 12, 1824 and commenced its operations on April 15, 1825. The county’s name may honor either Andrew Jackson’s victory in the Battle of New Orleans or the French Duc d’Orleans. It symbolizes a compromise among the county’s early leaders, the proclamation states.

The completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 played a “transformative role in the county’s development,” Ortt and Hawley stated. The inexpensive transportation fueled the local economy and supported Orleans County’s early agricultural success, he stated.

Orleans County today prides itself on in diverse farms that cultivate vineyards and orchards, grow vegetables, raise livestock and produce milk.

“The county is also known for its competitive sports fishing and diligent workforce for manufacturing agriculture and commerce,” the proclamation states.

Johnson also accepted proclamations from U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney’s Office, the Office of the Governor Kathy Hochul (presented by State Canal Commissioner Brian Stratton) and the County Legislature.

Mackenzie Poynter, a Medina High School student, sang the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Tara Thom, owner of the Town and Country Quilt Shop, spearheaded the creation of the bicentennial quilt. She speaks at the podium. She is joined by quilters Carrie Standish, Catherine Hooker and Brenda Radzinski.

Others who helped make the quilt include Kathryn DeMarco, Gayle Ashbery, Irene Henion and Susan Landis.

The quilt includes the 10 towns and when they were established and three foundational blocks of Farming, Faith and Family.

Carol Culhane also presented a painting for the bicentennial that she says honors the pioneers who tamed the land and lived modestly in log cabins. In her painting, she shows Main Street in Albion in the 1800s, and has images of a log cabin with livestock, and paintings of the County Courthouse and the Clerks’ Building.

Decades before the courthouse (built in 1858) and Clerks’ Building (constructed in 1888) were erected on the Courthouse Square, there was a log cabin there. A historical marker at the courthouse lawn notes the first settlers in Albion in 1811 built a log cabin where the Clerks’ Building stands. The late Al Capurso had that marker installed in 2013 to honor those pioneers – William McAllister and his wife.

A cake made by Peggy Bropst included a map of the county with the 10 towns: Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates.

Holley Mayor Mark Bower served as master of ceremonies and gave a welcome address and the closing remarks.

“Like many other places in our country, we have seen many challenges and successes, overcome adversity, and marched on due to the founders of our county and those who have followed since,” Bower said.

Four county legislators stand and present a proclamation from the County Legislature. From left include Ed Morgan, John Fitzak, Fred Miller and Lynne Johnson.

The proclamation notes the 10 towns in the county and four villages of Albion, Holley, Lyndonville and Medina.

The county is “richly endowed with natural resources from shores of Lake Ontario to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.”

The county has benefited from the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825, and continues to be a vibrant agricultural producer.

“Immigrants from many countries have found opportunity in Orleans County and made their homes here,” the proclamation states.

Many of those immigrants first cleared the land, dug the canal, quarried Medina sandstone, and labored in fields and factories.

Catherine Cooper, the current county historian, shared her admiration for the courage and heartiness of the pioneers who often suffered great hardship, losing young children to illness and enduring extreme financial stress.

“One wonders how they survived those early years,” said Cooper, who also heads the county’s bicentennial committee.

This display of portraits honors people who have served as Orleans County historian. County historians from left include Katherine Rowley, 1934-1938; Theta Hakes Brown, 1938-1944; Joseph Achilles, 1944-1957; Cary Lattin, 1958-1975; Arden McAllister, 1975-1978; C.W. “Bill” Lattin, 1979-2014; and Matt Ballard, 2015-2020.

Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County historian, shares how the County Courthouse was built in 1858 with the county committing to spend $20,000 on the building. It came in $153 under budget.

The ornate Greek Revival building was modelled after one in Wayne County. The Orleans County Courthouse remains in use as a courthouse.

Canal Commissioner Brian Stratton, left, is joined by JW Cook, Gov. Hochul’s Finger Lakes regional representative, in presenting a proclamation to Lynne Johnson.

Stratton said the Erie Canal, also celebrating its bicentennial this year, will continue to be an important resource for Orleans County for many years to come.

Sue Starkweather Miller, the Village of Albion historian and bicentennial committee member, said the community is fortunate to have so many first-hand accounts from the pioneers.

The Orleans County Pioneer Association formed in 1859 and a book of their experiences settling in Orleans County was published by Arad Thomas in 1871.

The county historians also have written many columns on local history, and the community has a deep database of older newspapers with local history.

Starkweather noted the Pioneer Association met in the same courthouse building in 1859.

Orleans County Court Judge Sanford A. Church speaks at the celebration today. Church comes from a lineage of lawyers and judges, including the portrait of the second man from left.

Church can trace his family ties to Orleans County back to 1835, when Sanford E. Church moved to Albion. Sanford E. later became county district attorney, assemblyman, state comptroller and lieutenant governor. His career culminated in service as chief judge of the Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court.

Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Lions Club on April 11 gave special recognition to several members for milestone anniversaries of service to the club.

Special guest and fellow Lion, Bill Robinson of Albion, serves as District 20-E1 Zone chairman. He presented three long-standing Lions with their achievement pin known as the Chevron Award.

Bruce Schmidt Esq. was presented with the 10-year Chevron service pin. Mr. Schmidt is a long-time resident of this area and a prominent attorney previously serving in the Buffalo area, and has a long history of service as a town justice in Gaines.

Mr. Schmidt was awarded the 10-year service pin and recognized for his significant and longstanding support of the Lyndonville Lions Club.

Mr. John Belson, a Lyndonville High School graduate and lifelong resident of the area, was given the 25-year Chevron service pin. Mr. Belson continues to reside in the area and serves as the Mayor of the Village of Lyndonville. He previously served as the Town of Yates Supervisor and continues his community service as he chairs many service projects undertaken by the Lyndonville Lions Club.

The third Lion to be honored was Mr. Russell Martino. A Medina native but transplant to the Lyndonville area, Mr. Martino has served for 45 years with the Lyndonville Lions. His career started as an educator, moved into school administration, and was followed by a long term as Town of Yates Supervisor. His wisdom, knowledge and history of the Lyndonville Lions has been invaluable to the junior members of the club.

Mr. Martino received his 45-year Chevron service pin and is the longest serving Lion in the Lyndonville Club.

The club wants to thank the above mentioned for their service and commitment to the Lyndonville Lions Club. The club could not be prouder to recognize these three gentlemen for they truly are representative of the International Lions Club motto “We Serve.”

In further Club business, the Lions are preparing for their 4th annual Eye Clinic to be held at the White Birch Resort in Lyndonville on April 26 at 9 a.m. Please see future announcements forthcoming in the Orleans Hub.

The annual Mother’s Day Rose Sale will take place on May 9-10. Pre-ordering for one dozen, long stem, red roses for $20 can be done by calling or texting to (585) 281-4646 or by calling (585) 765 3101. A limited supply of roses may be purchased as walk-in sales on the above-mentioned days at the White Birch. Roses can be picked up at the White Birch Resort on Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. both days.

In further news, the Lyndonville Lions accepted the “Supporter of The Year” award from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) during their annual Genean awards celebration at the Seymour Place in Batavia.

Lion Bruce Schmidt accepted the award on behalf of the Lyndonville Lions. The Lions were recognized for their efforts in organizing one of the largest fireworks displays on Independence Day for over 48 years.

GO Art! further commented on the club’s ability to bring people together with their community concerts, their farewell to summer street dances each August, and the club’s first ever Oktoberfest that will be an annual event for the Lions and community to enjoy.

The Lions would like to express their appreciation to GO Art! for this award.

The Lyndonville Lions hope that everyone has a joyous Easter Season. We hope that God will continue to show his mercy and grace on us and this great country we live in. Happy Easter from the Lyndonville Lions!

Public can comment on plan during meeting Wednesday

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Oak Orchard Lighthouse is shown on May 10, 2024 during a dazzling display of the Northern Lights. The spectacle in the sky has inspired the lighthouse’s board of directors to pursue a light show on the structure.

CARLTON – The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum wants to recreate the magic of the Northern Lights with a light show on the lighthouse in a 20-30 minute show around dusk on Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

The museum will have a public meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Carlton United Methodist Church, 1196 Archbald Rd., Waterport.

The museum’s board will present the plan for a light show. The project is funded with a $5,000 grant for the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!).

Cheryl Giacherio, a volunteer with the lighthouse and the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association, said the light show is inspired by the Northern Lights which put on a memorable display May 10, 2024.

She reached out to IlluminFx, a Rochester-based company with a national reputation. IlluminFx has lighted up the Alamo, a battleship in the Carolinas and many building facades and outdoor spaces.

The Lighthouse Museum needs to have the public meeting to hear from the community, and then share that feedback with the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which owns the land where the lighthouse stands next to the Oak Orchard River and Lake Ontario. The museum has already completed an environmental assessment form which showed no negative impacts to wildlife or the dark sky.

Besides the Friday through Sunday light shows, Giacherio said the museum would like to offer one special holiday show most months.

The museum is planning to have a song played at the beginning of the light show to announce the start of the event.

Chris Manaseri, the museum board president, said the light show should bring more people to Point Breeze, boosting local businesses.

Once the equipment for the light show is installed, it can be reused repeatedly over several years. There will be computerized equipment to project images and lights as part of the display.

Manaseri said he expects the regular schedule for the light shows would go from around Memorial Day in late May to Labor Day in early September.

The start for this year is uncertain because it depends on when the $5,000 will be made available from Go Art! Last year, the museum didn’t receive its grant from Go Art! until August.

Photos courtesy of Lyndonville Lions Club: Carla Woodworth welcomed the Easter Bunny to the Lyndonville school on Saturday in an egg hunt coordinated by the Lyndonville United Methodist Church and the Lions Club. The eggs were hidden in the gym.

Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club

LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville United Methodist Church continued its annual Easter tradition by holding its Easter Egg Hunt at the Lyndonville Central School on Saturday.

At 11 a.m. sharp, the doors swung open in both high school gymnasiums to allow young children to hunt for Easter Eggs and other surprises.

The congregation of the United Methodist Church and multiple volunteers spent hours filling the eggs with Easter treats and then hiding the eggs amongst obstacles and barriers which created unique hiding spots for the eggs.

The annual tradition saw over 150 children of all ages participate in this fun-filled event. The tradition started over 20 years ago and sees larger crowds every year.

As in years past, the church worked in collaboration with the Lyndonville Lions Club who supplied complimentary grilled hot dogs and refreshments to all attendees. The guest of honor, the Easter Bunny, again made a special early Easter stop at the event.

Many took the opportunity to get a photo with the Easter Bunny who is sure to be very busy this Sunday.

The United Methodist Church Congregation and The Lyndonville Lions Club would like to wish all a very joyous Easter. It is the comfort afforded to us and expressed in 1 Corinthians 6:14: “And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power” that brings comfort to all during this holiest time.

May God continue to bless everyone and this great nation we live in.

The children wait outside the gym for the doors to open for the egg hunt.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Photo by Don Pollard/Office of Governor – Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence released three reports on Monday which they said highlight the need to streamline New York’s discovery laws to protect the rights of crime victims.

ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) on Monday released a new package of three reports highlighting the importance of passing Governor Hochul’s proposal to streamline New York’s discovery laws to protect the rights of crime victims.

These reports reflect input from more than 1,400 people across the state, including survivors, their family members, community members, victim service providers, law enforcement and court personnel, and county governments. The summary and full package of reports can be seen by clicking here.

“These new reports make it even clearer: we need commonsense changes to New York’s discovery laws to protect the rights of crime victims, hold attackers accountable and make our state safer,” Governor Hochul said. “Throwing out entire criminal cases over minor paperwork issues prevents justice from being served — and when abusers can weaponize the court system, the consequences can be tragic. That’s why I’ll refuse any state budget deal that doesn’t fix this fatal flaw in our laws.”

The three reports released today include the Domestic Violence Regional Councils (DVRC), Survivor Listening Sessions (SLS), and the Domestic Violence Fatality Reviews (DVFR). The reports identify a common theme: Gender-based violence survivors in New York State need more support while navigating the criminal justice system.

In fact, the Fatality Reviews report shows that some abusive partners have weaponized the court system — a problem exacerbated by automatic case dismissals based on insignificant technicalities.

Governor Hochul proposed essential changes to New York State’s Discovery Law to ensure procedural fairness, shorten case processing times, reduce the length of pretrial incarceration and safeguard sensitive and personal information belonging to witnesses. These changes are designed to protect the rights of victims and help ensure that those who cause harm are held accountable.

Since New York State’s 2019 discovery reforms were passed, dismissals in cases involving domestic violence rose 26 percent in New York City. In 2023, about 94 percent of cases were dismissed in New York City and nearly 50 percent were dismissed outside of New York City. In many cases, automatic dismissal of cases has put survivors of domestic violence and other crimes at greater risk.

Without changing any of these essential features of the 2019 reforms, the Governor’s proposal to streamline discovery laws will prevent cases from being dismissed based on issues that do not cause any harm to the defense — a situation that is particularly high-stakes for survivors of domestic violence, as detailed in the OPDV reports released today.

For example:

• A domestic violence case was dismissed after the prosecutor did not turn over a handwritten command log, which is where the officer writes their name, the defendant’s name and the arrest information. This information is duplicated in numerous other police paperwork that was disclosed on time. Discovery was deemed incomplete, and the case was dismissed.
• A domestic violence case in which the defendant was charged with third-degree assault for punching the victim in the face and causing visible injuries was dismissed because the prosecution had not turned over body-worn camera footage from an unsuccessful attempted home visit to the victim’s home. Discovery was deemed incomplete, and the case was dismissed.
• A domestic violence and child endangerment case in which the defendant was charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child for punching the victim in the face, kicking her, and spitting on her in the presence of their children was dismissed because the prosecutor did not turn over an autogenerated document that contained irrelevant, duplicative information that the prosecution in good faith believed was not discoverable.
• A domestic violence case in which the defendant was charged with third-degree assault for pushing the victim to the ground and dragging her was dismissed when it was found that one of the body-worn camera footage videos had not uploaded properly. The prosecution had listed it in the inventory of discovery and attempted to upload it and was unaware it had not uploaded properly. Discovery was deemed incomplete, and the case was dismissed.

OPDV Executive Director Kelli Nicholas Owens said, “The three reports issued today paint a picture from the survivor’s perspective, the boots on the ground stakeholders like advocates, law enforcement and courts, and even those who have been killed by their intimate partner. All these people have their own perspective about how the system is or isn’t working. Discovery reform is one part of the solution. It will give survivors the voice and time needed to decide when to pursue charges. It is about survivors being able to trust the system in place to protect them.”

Additional findings of the three reports released include:

The 2023-2024 Domestic Violence Regional Council report reflects engagement with domestic violence response services providers and stakeholders statewide. Findings focus on how to create a more collaborative, survivor-centered, trauma-informed and culturally responsive gender-based violence service delivery system. The report identifies the following needs:

• Strengthening cross-systems communication and collaboration;
• Encouraging public safety systems to better understand and respond to gender-based violence; and
• Training judges and court staff on the dynamics of domestic and gender-based violence, coercive control, lethality assessments and the role of legal protections for victims. Specifically, the report identifies challenges obtaining domestic violence convictions, including due to dismissals unrelated to the merits of the case, which can leave victims without protection and embolden abusers who learn that there is no legal accountability for their actions.

The Sexual Assault Survivor Listening Sessions report summarizes the perspectives of survivors who shared the strengths and challenges of their experiences with the gender-based violence response system and the impact it had on them. The three most prominently discussed system partners were hospitals/medical providers, the criminal legal system and non-profit organizations serving victims and survivors. Survivors recommended:

• Always having a trained Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) available to perform forensic exams in all hospitals;
• Comprehensive training on survivor-centered, trauma informed and culturally responsive services for hospital/medical providers and law enforcement; and
• More access to education about rights and resources for survivors.

 NYS Domestic Violence Fatality Review report summarizes the work of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, which analyzes domestic violence deaths and near-deaths in a collaborative, in-depth manner to learn from these difficult cases and improve the response to domestic violence in New York State. Cases reviewed highlighted:

• Challenges with the timely sharing of information and data across systems;
• Disproportionate effects of intimate partner homicide on women of color;
• Weaponization of the court system by the abusive partner;
• Insufficient use of bail when abusers’ charges are bail eligible;
• Underutilization of criminal courts to issue Family Court orders of protection after hours;
• Inconsistent application of mandatory arrest; and
• Role of positive interactions with law enforcement in supporting victims to seek help.

Governor Hochul’s plan to streamline the discovery process and protect the rights of victims has already won bipartisan support from district attorneys and advocates. This includes religious leaders; business groups; domestic violence and victim advocates; and law enforcement and legal associations including the New York State Sheriff’s Association and the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orly the Ox, the Orleans County bicentennial mascot, poses by a banner celebrating the county’s 200^th anniversary. Orly visited the banner on the courthouse lawn on Monday evening.

The courthouse dome also was lit in red, white and blue for the county bicentennial.

Orleans County will have a bicentennial celebration at the courthouse today beginning at 11:45 a.m. with the bell in the courthouse to be rung for a minute beginning at noon. Churches around the county are urged to ring their bells at 12 p.m. to celebrate the county’s 200^th birthday.

The county was officially formed on April 15, 1825 when it was recognized by the State Legislature. Orleans split from Genesee County. A swamp made a long journey from Orleans to Genesee even more challenging 200 years ago. The newly established Orleans had the economic prospects of a new Erie Canal which was complete in October 1825.

Seating is limited in the courthouse for today’s ceremony. The event can be viewed online through the Orleans County Tourism Facebook page.

Orly the Ox started celebrating the bicentennial a day early on Monday. The mascot is serving as the county’s ambassador throughout the year.

Federal cuts have hit other food programs for needy

Photos by Tom Rivers: Volunteers and employees from Community Action of Genesee & Orleans get food ready this morning for about 200 households in the monthly pop-up food distribution in Albion. Vehicles start lining up in the municipal parking lot by Dubby’s Tailgate at about 6 a.m. for a distribution that usually starts around 8:30 a.m.

ALBION – Despite cuts by the federal government to emergency food programs, the pop-up food distributions are expected to continue in the near future.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee led a distribution this morning after a delivery by Foodlink in Rochester. Community Action and volunteers gave out about 200 boxes of food. Some of the cars were in the municipal lot on Platt Street at about 6 a.m. for a distribution that started around 8:30.

“It makes a big difference for them because of the price of groceries and everything else,” said Ricky Standish, facilities manager for Community Action.

He put in packages of applesauce at this morning’s distribution, while others sorted out fruit, vegetables and meat.

Community Action has been doing the monthly distributions for five years now. They started during the early days of the Covid pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently recently announced a $500 million cut to the emergency food system in the country. Foodlink said cancellation of “Commodity Credit Corporation” goods as part of The Emergency Food Assistance Program directly impacts 17 truckloads for its food bank – totaling about $655,000 worth of food and an additional $42,500 in funding.

Julia Tedesco, president and CEO of Foodlink, said the $500 million cut by the USDA comes at a time when food insecurity remains at an all-time high, and impacts more than 150,000 people in the Rochester region.

She said food prices remain high, “forcing families across our region to make impossible choices between purchasing food and other basic needs.”

Katrina Standish, director of Community Services & Reporting for Community Action, and Ricky Standish, facilities manager for the agency, carry boxes of food to put in the back end of a vehicle this morning.

Foodlink manages the pop-up pantries in the Rochester region. Foodlink covers the cost and fundraises for the program, which isn’t specifically tied to government funding, said Elisha Mykins, Rural Programs Coordinator for Foodlink.

“The USDA cuts that were recently announced, however, may impact how much food we can offer to our food bank members, which may have a ripple effect on the types and quantity of products available at PUPs (pop-up pantries),” Mykins said. “Foodlink is working on fundraising and getting funding from other avenues to make up for it so it doesn’t make a big impact on our network.”

The schedule for pop-up pantries in Orleans County through June includes:

Albion at 165 South Platt Street – managed by Community Action

Monday, May 12 at 9 a.m.

Monday, June 16  at 9 a.m.

Lyndonville at 107 North Main St. (Lyndonville Presbyterian Church)

Friday, May 2 at 9:30 a.m.

Friday, May 16 at 9:30 a.m.

Friday, June 6 at 9:30 a.m.

Friday, June 20 at 9:30 a.m.

Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension at 12690 State Route 31 in Albion (Knowlesville)

Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m.

Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m.

ONEONTA – Daisy Perez-Reyes of Albion was one of 42 first-generation SUNY Oneonta students who were inducted into the Alpha Alpha Alpha national honor society during a ceremony on April 12 at Morris Hall.

Perez-Reyes is studying Sociology and is part of the class of 2027.

Alpha Alpha Alpha, known as Tri-Alpha for short, was founded in 2018 to recognize and celebrate the hard work and academic success of first-generation university students. This was the fourth class of SUNY Oneonta students to be inducted into the national honor society.

Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria: The student has earned at least 30 credits/semester hours in the academic year toward an associate degree or baccalaureate degree; the undergraduate student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; and neither of the student’s parents, stepparents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.

SUNY Oneonta is a public, four-year university in Central New York, enrolling about 5,300 students in a wide variety of bachelor’s degree programs and more than a dozen graduate certificate and degree programs.

MEDINA – The Medina Police Department has released the name of a woman who was fatally struck while crossing the intersection at West Center Street and West Avenue on Saturday.

Kellie Staschak, 55, was struck by a pickup truck at about 11:40 a.m. Police and citizens providing first aid at the scene and then a Medina ambulance soon arrived to provide advanced treatment. Despite those efforts, Staschak was pronounced dead at the scene.

The preliminary investigation shows that Staschak walking eastbound through the crosswalk on the south side of the intersection. A pickup truck was traveling westbound on West Center Street and turning southbound onto West Avenue, said Medina Police Chief Todd Draper.

Following the incident, the intersection and surrounding streets were closed for approximately three hours for the on-scene investigation. The State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and is assisting with the investigation, Draper said.

“Witnesses confirm the pickup truck had a green light and law enforcement confirmed that cell phone use was not a contributing factor in this incident,” Draper said. “Further information is still being collected and the investigation is ongoing.”

The Medina Police Department would like to thank the Medina Fire Department, Medina Public Works Department, State Police and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance.

“We would also like to commend all of the first responders, dispatchers, and civilians who assisted in all stages of this tragic incident,” Draper said.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Rich Neal rings the bell at the First Baptist Church in Albion at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday.

Churches in Orleans County are urged to ring their bells for a minute at noon on Tuesday as part of a bicentennial celebration for Orleans County.

The bell in the courthouse dome will be rung for a minute at noon.

Orleans was officially formed on April 15, 1825 when it was recognized by the State Legislature, separating from Genesee County.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas has dropped 8 cents nationally to $3.18 and 3 cents statewide to $3.11 in the past week, AAA reported this morning.

A year ago, the national average was at $3.63 while the average in the state was at $3.51.

In Orleans County, the average price for regular unleaded is up 3 cents from $3.143 a week ago to $3.176 today.

“Prices at the pump are coming down even though this is the time of year when gas prices go up,” AAA said. “Supply and demand are the main reason for the dip. After OPEC+ announced it’s increasing oil production next month by more than 400,000 barrels a day – much more than expected – the price of crude oil has been falling. Oversupply coupled with tepid gasoline demand is resulting in lower pump prices.”

Here are the average prices in counties around Western New York:

• Orleans, $3.176
• Genesee, $3.131
• Niagara, $3.048
• Monroe, $3.090
• Erie, $3.068
• Livingston, $3.128
• Wyoming, $3.111
• Cattaraugus, $3.163
• Chautauqua, $3.324
• Allegany, $3.140

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced flags on state buildings will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, April 14, in honor of former Congressman John LaFalce, whose district included Orleans County and other parts of Western New York.

LaFalce won his first election to the New York State Senate in 1971, then moved to the State Assembly in 1973. He then won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served three different districts from 1975 to 2003.

His death at age 85 was reported on Saturday.

“John LaFalce had a profound influence on my early career, recruiting me from a large DC firm to serve as his Legislative Counsel on Capitol Hill and putting me on the path to a lifetime of public service,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “A true champion for Western New York, John cared deeply about his constituents and worked tirelessly to bring transformative projects home to the district he loved. My thoughts are with his wife Pat, his son Martin, and all who loved him.”

Program offers physical, occupational and speech therapies

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Gary Wakefield of Lyndonville is surrounded by personnel in Medina Memorial Hospital, where he is a patient in the sub-acute rehab wing. From left are Josh Hotz, physical therapy assistant; Amanda Luckman, admissions coordinator; Randi Ingersoll, director of care management; Wakefield; and Mackenna Fagan, certified occupational therapy assistant.

MEDINA – Not only is Medina Memorial Hospital celebrating its 100th anniversary during 2025, but it is also basking in the successful growth of its subacute rehab program.

According to Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communication and Outreach at Orleans Community Health, during 2024, Medina Memorial Hospital’s transitional care unit/subacute rehab doubled the number of patients served. In addition, the hospital has developed a very successful partnership with Orchard Manor which is providing dialysis patients with transportation, allowing them to get care close to home.

Amanda Luckman, admissions coordinator, said they had been able to double admissions and maintain that high census throughout the past two years. She explained a subacute rehab is able to offer three different therapies – physical therapy, occupational therapy (for daily living) and speech therapy.

“Our goal for subacute therapy is to get the patient back to their physical baseline,” said Randi Ingersoll, director of care management. “It is important for the community to know when they have an injury or illness and can’t do the things they did before, they can come here for subacute rehab.”

Luckman added the hospital now accepts most insurance plans. If a patient needs a longer stay than initially approved, they can work around that. She also explained a newly developed relationship with Orchard Manor means if a patient needs a long-term stay, the hospital will send them there.

Gary Wakefield of Lyndonville was recently admitted to Medina Hospital for rehab and praised the care he was getting.

“It is really great that I can get the rehab I need close to home,” Wakefield said. “The crew here are wonderful. I’d recommend this to anyone.”

Another important advance in care for the hospital and their relationship with Orchard Manor is offering medical transportation, which enables the hospital to transport Orchard Manor patients to Lake Plains dialysis.

“We have been able to continue enhancing our relationship with Orchard Manor by being able to send them more patients who are already on dialysis at our Lake Plains Center,” Ingersoll said. “It has made the discharge planning process smoother, as patients now do not have to worry about how they will get their treatments. It has been a relief to all of us involved in the patient’s care, as well as their families.”

Robinson said Orleans Community Health has two handicap accessible vans in service. Since last September one has been dedicated to dialysis patients.

Luckman said the hospital has been working closely with Rochester Regional Health to welcome even more dialysis patients.

“From an admissions standpoint, having a referral requiring dialysis can be more rigorous because of the issue of transportation,” she said. “Through our partnership with Lake Plains Dialysis, we are able to help more community members receive exceptional therapy and dialysis. We have even had cases from our Batavia dialysis site who were able to come to Medina while having rehab. It is comforting to know we are able to provide our own reliable transportation to and from dialysis.”

Ingersoll added it is important for people to know they can choose where they want to go for rehab.

“We have pre-registry, so if a patient knows they are having surgery and going to need rehab, they can call me and let me know they are going to need a bed,” Luckman said. “I like to tell people there are benefits to coming here for rehab. We have private rooms, intense but kind therapists and, being in a hospital setting, there is a doctor available 24/7. Another benefit is if a patient needs an IV or antibiotic, we can administer that.”

The staff is very proud of their growth during the past several years. When Ingersoll started working at the hospital in 2021, she said the average daily census in rehab was six. It has been 16 for the past two years. For the year, 122 patients were served, and that number for the past two years has doubled to 244.

“We are looking to grow even more,” Ingersoll said.

The rehab unit has the capacity to hold 22 patients.

The hospital has also developed a relationship with Hospice, which has temporarily closed or paused the Martin-Linsin residence in Albion.

“Since Hospice closed the Martin-Linsin residence, we have a contract with them and have designated two rooms for hospice patients,” Luckman said.

She said most insurance companies will cover their stay.

Diane Shiffer among ‘grandfluencers’ who are 60-plus with enormous followings

CBS Sunday Morning today featured Diane Shiffer of Albion who has about 1 million followers on both Instagram and TikTok. Shiffer’s uses the hashtag: “YourChubbyVintageNana.”

ALBION – CBS Sunday Morning today highlighted social media who are 60 and older with enormous followings. Diane Shiffer of Albion is among the “grandfluencers” with a massive following on both Instagram and TikTok.

Shiffer, 68, is a retired educator and social worker. She started to go viral on social media during the pandemic in 2020 when she posted short videos of her in daily life – baking, sewing, doing household chores, sharing words about kindness, and showcasing some of her vintage finds, such as potholders.

Shiffer told the story to CBS about how she first went viral. She accidently took a time lapse video of her doing her hair. She posted it on social media and amassed about 2 million views. She also suddenly had hundreds of thousands of followers.

Shiffer uses the hashtag: “YourChubbyVintageNana.” She speaks directly to her followers in her videos, calling them “my sweeties.”

Instagram: These screenshots from Diane Shiffer’s Instagram account show posts of her doing a household task of the laundry, left, and then her making an announcement she will be writing a book and welcomes title suggestions.

CBS correspondent Faith Salie said Shiffer’s “soothing voice and infectious laugh” are a big part of her appeal. Salie said about Shiffer, “spending time with her feels like a warm hug.”

Other “Grandfluencers” with a large social media following have used that to make big money by promoting products. Shiffer hasn’t done that. She announced she does have a book deal focusing on her messages of kindness to others and oneself.

Shiffer about a year ago did something out of the norm. She asked her social media followers to donate to a family in Medina that suffered a tragic loss. Those followers responded in a big way, donating $100,000 to a Medina family that suffered heartbreak with a miscarriage and then a hospitalization.

Click here to see the feature on CBS Sunday Morning.