By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2025 at 4:07 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Carol Culhane has created a painting for the Orleans County 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.
The painting will be featured in a program on April 15 for the county’s 200th anniversary. Orleans was officially recognized on April 15, 1825 by the State Legislature after separating from Genesee County.
Decades before the courthouse (built in 1858) and Clerks’ Building (constructed in 1882) 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.
Capurso, the former president of Orleans County Historical Association, in 2017 shared his idea with Culhane to have the courthouse and Clerks’ Building in the same painting with a log cabin to honor the pioneers.
Culhane, a member of the Bicentennial Committee, has been thinking about Capurso’s idea and wanted to make it a reality.
She presented the finished painting to the Bicentennial Committee today. She will have it made into prints. Culhane will have 500 of the prints made at 18 inches by 24 inches. They will be available for $10 each with proceeds to go towards celebrating the county’s bicentennial this year.
“I love Orleans County,” said Culhane, a former Gaines town supervisor. “It’s a privilege and an honor to do this.”
She wanted to include the Courthouse Square, a pioneer tribute and include Albion’s historic Main Street.
“One of the things I’ve always admired about Albion is the beauty of the streetscape,” Culhane said.
The bicentennial posters will be numbered from 1 to 500 and Culhane will sign them. She expects the posters to be available in about 10 days. For more information about acquiring one, contact her at (585) 738-3016 or by email, cecjcculhane@gmail.com.
Town switched software, which resulted in difficulties that have been remedied
Press Release, Shelby Town Supervisor Scott Wengewicz
SHELBY – Following up the Comptroller’s Audit Report from September 2024, the Town of Shelby retained Nichole Ruf with Drescher Malecki to reconcile the Town’s cash and fund balances for 2023 and retained Tina DeNigro from LGSS to bring all bookkeeping activity current and to reconcile the Town’s 2024 financials. This is a summary of their reports to the Town Board during the February 11, 2025 Board meeting.
Prior to 2023, the Town used KVS as its bookkeeping software. KVS was bought out and the Town needed to switch to a new software system. The Town Board in 2022 chose Williamson Law Books to replace KVS as its new bookkeeping software.
Ms. DeNigro advised that Williamson was a significant step back from KVS and had certain limitations. For example, at month end, once the month is closed, Williamson did not allow any more entries to be made to that month. In other words, any receivables (monies owed to the Town) that came in after month end or any errors that were discovered after month end could not accounted for in the month in which they occurred.
Instead, entries would have to be added manually to make any necessary adjustments. Other accounting software programs do not have that limitation.
It also appeared that the conversion from KVS to Williamson Law was performed with insufficient direction and oversight. When implementing a new software program, the beginning balances should always agree to the audited ending balances for the prior year, but that did not happen because the conversion was completed prior to the completion of the audit of the Town’s 2022 financials.
Additional issues were created as a result of the conversion to Williamson. For example, only the Town’s cash accounts were created in Williamson; no balances were carried forward for the accrual accounts, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, and unearned revenue. Accordingly, fund balances (total operating surpluses and deficits) were not established in Williamson.
The Town’s account structure also changed significantly during the conversion. Specifically, the Town’s computer account, which is the Town’s clearing and disbursement account, was set up as one general ledger account (record of all financial transactions for a specific account) in KVS. In Williamson Law this was set up as 18 different accounts.
Finally, the code structure of the funds changed so that the 204 accounts in KVS became the 200 accounts in Williamson, the 200 accounts in KVS became 201 accounts in Williamson, and 201 accounts in KVS became 202 accounts in Williamson.
Ms. DeNigro noted that given these issues, the conversion to Williamson would have been difficult for any bookkeeper to understand. Ms. Ruf noted it was clear that during the course of 2023, the process was starting to work better and fewer corrections were needed, but given the structure of Williamson, it was difficult to go back and make adjustments to previous months.
For year end 2023, Ms. Ruf noted that it was her opinion that there was “never anything that was intentionally done wrong.” There is a difference of approximately $3,000 to the positive, which means there is not any money missing (the Town’s bank accounts show $3,000 more than the Town’s books).
The year-end numbers for 2023 will be audited and then provided to Ms. DeNigro for LGSS to complete the Town’s financial reports for 2024. However, looking at 2024 as a stand alone year, the checking account and the payroll account have a discrepancy of less than $100 each.
Both Ms. Ruf and Ms. DeNigro identified issues with the Town’s utility payment software and procedures that will need to be addressed moving forward.
Both Ms. Ruf and Ms. DeNigro noted that in their opinions it would not be worth the Town expending additional funds and resources to go back to any previous years. The Town is in a good place moving forward.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2025 at 10:44 am
Photos by Marsha Rivers
Orly the Ox, the Orleans County bicentennial mascot, tries a maneuver on a sculpture by the Erie Canal in Medina.
These 23 precast concrete modules were dedicated on Nov. 17, 2023 at the Lions Park just east of the lift bridge on Route 63.
UB architecture students created the memorial to honor Sydney Gross, who is remembered for a vibrant personality. Gross was a student in the program who left a strong impression on her professors and the other students. She was a very social person who was friends with everyone. She was killed in a car accident in July 2009.
Orly the Ox is highlighting people, places and things in Orleans County in 2025 as part of the county’s bicentennial celebration. Orly encourages others to explore the sculpture. It can be a place to reflect, meet with friends and also try some daring climbing maneuvers.
(Left) Orly took a bite out of an apple while standing by The Big Apple in Medina. This 11-foot-high sculpture was created by artist Richard Bannister of Barre in 2000. It stands next to the Glenwood Avenue bridge. Bannister created the giant apple as a tribute to Western New York fruit growers. Orleans County is one of the top apple-growing counties in the state.
(Right – Photo by Isabella Zasa) Orly visited the Shoe Tree on Foss Road in Lyndonville, an attraction covered in hundreds of shoes. Local legend says that tying your shoelaces together, making a wish, and successfully tossing them onto a branch will make your wish come true.
Over the years, the Shoe Tree has gained widespread recognition, appearing on multiple websites and in the 2008 book “New York Curiosities.”
Orly has some ambitious fitness goals for 2025. He stopped by the YMCA in Medina and cooled down in the Silver Sneakers class with some stretches and movements. He also worked out on several exercise machines, including the stair climber and a rowing machine. He then lifted some dumbbells and a kettlebell.
Orly tried billiards and some of the other games at Dubby’s Tailgate in Albion, even making a behind-the-back shot playing pool.
Orly is on TikTok, and his adventures can be followed on the Orleans County Tourism’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College has named Orleans County to the fall Dean’s List. Students honored on the Dean’s List have maintained full or part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.50 to 3.74.
Provided photo: Pictured from left include Nancy Babis, vice president of Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight; Tom Petrie, president of Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight; and Valerie Wells of Lyndonville.
Valerie Wells of Lyndonville was appointed an Advisory Board member of the Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight at the February 2025 meeting.
BNHF serves seven counties in Western New York, as well as Potter, McKean, Erie and Warren, PA and Southern Ontario, Canada.
The organization is planning to recruit volunteers from Orleans County to make the community members aware of the services offered to veterans in our area.
Wells is currently involved with the Butts-Clark American Legion Auxiliary Board, VAVS Committee representative for the Batavia VA, 8th District historian for the American Legion Department of New York, and coordinator of Hometown Heroes in Lyndonville.
In addition, she is a member of Medina Area Partnership, Lyndonville Lions Club, Lyndonville Area Foundation and Leadership Orleans.
Wells plans to be available at informational booths at various venues throughout the county this summer including Blue Thursdays in Medina, OONA (Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association) in Carlton, 4th of July in Lyndonville as well as other areas around the county.
It is her hope to spread the word of the services BNHF offers to our veterans, especially those that served in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam.
Advertisement from the Directory of Orleans County, 1903
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 5, No. 8
Poland China? Ayrshire? Rambouillet? Are these familiar names?
They would have been recognizable to many Orleans County residents over one hundred years ago. Poland China swine, Ayrshire cattle, Rambouillet sheep were some of the many different breeds raised in the county according to the Directory of Orleans County, 1903.
This amazing publication (click here) is accessible online courtesy of the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County and is well worth downloading and perusing.
This Directory lists the residents of the county and their occupations, an ambitious undertaking. It was one of several such directories compiled by the George Hanford Company of Elmira, NY. So many aspects of social change are obvious when glancing through the pages.
Today’s column was prompted by the two-page listing of Livestock Breeders and Dealers in the Business section. Even a portion of the list illustrates the variety of livestock being raised at that time:
From the Directory of Orleans County, 1903
The list totals sixty breeders and dealers, some handled more than one breed. As we examine the variety of breeds represented, we are inferring that the prevalence of breeders for any one breed equated roughly with the breed’s popularity.
Cattle
Jersey cattle were first bred in the British Channel Islands and introduced to the U.S. in the 1850s.
It appears that Orleans County farmers favored Jersey cattle, with eight breeders listed. Jersey cows are small and noted for producing milk with a high butter-fat content. Ayrshire cattle, who also produce high-quality milk, were also raised, with just one breeder listed.
Two beef-producing breeds, Durham Shorthorns and Herefords were represented with two Shorthorn breeders and one Hereford breeder listed.
Sheep
Shropshire sheep are medium sized with dark faces and feet.
Raising sheep was a significant element of the farm economy in 1903. In the Town of Barre alone, fifty-nine farmers listed sheep among their holdings. A quick tally of the number of sheep in Barre came to 2,500.
Shropshire sheep were the most prevalent in the County in the early 1900s. Of the sixty breeders listed, ten bred Shropshire sheep. Several other breeds were also raised: Cheviot, Delaine Merino, Dorset, Merino, Oxforddown, Rambouillet, Southdown, Tunis, and Yorkshiredown. The Shropshire flocks were raised for meat, as were the Cheviots and Dorsets. Delaine Merino, Merino, and Rambouillet sheep were bred for wool.
Merino sheep yield very fine soft wool.
Pigs
A colorful variety of pigs were raised, the Chester Whites being the most prevalent. Originating from Chester County, Pa., these white pigs with droopy ears produced a high-quality meat. Seven livestock owners handled this breed.
The reddish-brown Duroc-Jersey pigs which were noted for producing very flavorful pork were raised, as was the distinctive Berkshire pig, which is black with a white snout.
Several farmers raised the quaintly named Poland China pig, the oldest American swine breed. Related to the Berkshire pig, the Poland China pig is also black but distinguished by its white face and feet and a white tip at the end of the tail.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 24 February 2025 at 8:00 am
MEDINA – Continuing a tradition which goes back decades, the Medina Area Association of Churches will again this year sponsor Lenten lunches in Medina.
This year’s Lenten lunches begin March 6 and continue every Thursday through April 10, at the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street.
Lunches begin at noon, with takeouts available at 11:45, according to Barb Hancock, a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and MAAC.
Participating churches provide lunch on a rotating basis, followed by a meaningful reflection.
The first lunch on March 6 will feature soup and sandwich by the First Presbyterian Church, followed by pulled pork on March 13 by the Alabama Full Gospel Fellowship, chicken and biscuits on March 20 by One Church, beef on weck March 27 by New Hope Community Church, sloppy joes April 3 by the Church of Abundant Harvest and scalloped potatoes and ham on April 10 by The Grove United Methodist Church.
Everyone is welcome to stop in and share the meal and fellowship, Hancock said. The program ends by 1 p.m.
A donation of $5 is suggested, with all proceeds going to Orleans County Meals on Wheels program and Albion’s Koinonia Kitchen.
Albion’s Lenten lunches start March 12 for five Wednesdays at noon at the Albion First Baptist Church, 30 West Park St.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 February 2025 at 7:53 pm
MEDINA – The Medina Historical Society will present a special program at its first meeting of the year, at 7 p.m. Monday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.
Board members will do a reading from the book Pioneer History of Orleans County, which has recently been reprinted. Copies of the book will be available to purchase. The book was written by Arad Thomas and originally published in 1871. It tells of the towns in Orleans County and the arduous journeys of the pioneers, said Historical Society president Reinhard Rogowski.
The evening’s program is organized by Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper.
The Historical Society invites anyone to attend and consider joining the society. A family membership will entitle the purchaser to receive a free copy of Georgia Thomas’ book of maple syrup recipes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 February 2025 at 4:32 pm
The state is upping the pressure on striking corrections officers to end their work stoppage and return to work.
The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said that COs who refuse to show up for their shifts will be considered absent without leave (AWOL) and will be docked pay every day on strike. They also will lose their health insurance.
Corrections officers have been on strike for nearly a week. The work stoppage started on Monday at the Elmira and Collins prisons, and by Tuesday had spread to more than 20 prisons including Albion and Orleans. The strike is now at 38 of the 42 prisons in the state. Because of the Taylor Law, corrections officers can’t legally go on strike.
A mediator will meet beginning Monday with representatives from the state and the union representing corrections officers. Corrections officers want the HALT Act rescinded, saying that law from 2022 has made prisons less safe for officers and incarcerated people. COs also say the prisons are understaffed.
Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order for the National Guard to help with the staffing shortfall during the strike. National Guard members have been at the two prisons in Albion since Thursday.
The Watertown Daily Times also is reporting Hochul is seeking permission to close five state prisons in the next fiscal year with only 90 days notice, rather than a full year’s notice.
Press Release, Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council
The Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) is thrilled to announce the opening of three new art exhibitions at 201 East Main St., Batavia.
There was an opening reception on Thursday to experience the diverse artistic expressions of Lorie Longhany and Bryan Wright and an engaging multi-artist show featuring artists of African heritage in honor of Black History Month.
Dive into the creativity of two remarkable local artists: multimedia artist Bryan Wright and painter Lorie Longhany.
Wright, drawing inspiration from his deep connection with the ocean and waters, presents another coastal-themed exhibition. His works, crafted with skills honed in graphic design and basic metal fabricating, encapsulate the mystery and intrigue of coastal elements found through his explorations.
Bryan Wright created “Angler Fish” which is part of a coastal-themed exhibition.
Longhany, a self-taught artist with a versatile palette of pen, acrylic, and watercolor, showcases a collection of artworks that resonates with the themes of solitude, contentment, and nostalgia. Her pieces range from medium and small paintings to bookmarks, but her very small pieces are affectionately referred to as her “happy paintings.”
Jackson’s Showcase of African Heritage through Arts and Crafts is the third exhibition with a special focus on Jamaican arts and crafts alongside select pieces from Africa. This multi-artist show not only highlights the rich cultural heritage and artistic vibrancy of African and Jamaican artists but also contributes to the celebration of Black History Month at GO ART!
We are pleased to bring these three distinct exhibitions under one roof, offering the public an opportunity to embark on this unique artistic engagement. From the reflective and personal works of Lorie Longhany and the coastal-themed creations by Bryan Wright to the rich tapestry of African heritage presented in the multi-artist exhibition, there’s an abundance of beauty and creativity to consume.
For more information, please contact GO ART! at (585) 343-9313 or check the website (click here).
Press Release, State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt
SANBORN – New York State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt on Friday hosted a roundtable discussion with Western New York manufacturers and businesses.
Among the top concerns raised by those in attendance was the increased cost of doing business because of New York’s detrimental Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
“When Albany Democrats pass legislation to fight climate change, they do it first and foremost to please their donors and activists, and they do it with absolutely no care for how their out-of-touch laws will impact the bottom line of New York businesses,” Ortt said. “What we heard is that between CLCPA, red tape, and overburdening mandates, regulations, and taxes, New York has made it more challenging than ever to sustain a successful manufacturing business.
“My conference has introduced multiple pieces of legislation to repeal devastating policies and support our businesses, but if Albany Democrats keep ignoring us and the needs of our business owners, we’re going to continue seeing record outmigration and the loss of our most important asset – our people,” Ortt said.
Members of the senate and Assembly GOP have long stood with small businesses and manufacturers. Efforts to assist them are highlighted in the Liberate NY Agenda that include revisions to the CLCPA, reducing taxes for small businesses, reducing bureaucratic red tape, and creating lasting affordable clean energy for New York that utilizes all available resources.
“Current government bureaucracy and red tape, high taxes and regulations already make the business climate in New York State challenging enough,” said Assemblyman Angello Morinello of Niagara Falls. “Radical green energy policies and proposals create a situation where energy companies have no choice but to drastically increase their infrastructure and production, which will lead to large increases in rates. Manufacturing industries operate on very small margins to begin with. Increasing energy costs will either force these companies to relocate to cheaper states, or put them out of business completely.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 February 2025 at 10:06 am
Jerry Shaffer, Rich McAdoo among leaders of new organization
Photo by JR Stein: Medina natives Rich McAdoo, left, and Jerry Shaffer are shown at a press conference on Jan. 31 in Clearwater, Fla. to highlight the Red Star Foundation. The organization has created a Red Star banner and a pin to recognize the service of a veteran or first responder who died of suicide.
A new organization, the Red Star Foundation, is honoring the service of veterans and first responders who die by suicide, and trying to offer support for the loved ones left behind.
Medina native Jerry Shaffer is co-founder and president of the Red Star Foundation and another Medina native, Rich McAdoo, is on the organization’s board as secretary. McAdoo, a Lockport resident, is a Ridgeway volunteer firefighter.
An average of 17.5 veterans die each day by suicide. Shaffer said the number is likely higher, 30 to 50, because many suicides are unreported or unconfirmed.
“Suicide is the biggest issue we have in the veterans community,” he said.
The VA reports there were 6,407 suicides by veterans in 2022 with 6,136 by men and 271 by women.
Photo by Kevin Crowsyn: Jerry Shaffer, a 1989 Medina graduate, speaks during a press conference on Jan. 31 in Clearwater, Fla.
Since 2001, about 150,000 veterans have died by suicide, Shaffer said. That is far more than have died in combat.
Suicide has a stigma, he said, and the loved ones of those who die by suicide often don’t get the support they should.
“We want to recognize their loss,” Shaffer said. “They should feel pride for their son’s and daughter’s service.”
The Red Star Foundation has a banner and a pin with a red star as the focus to be given to loved ones in a design similar to the banners for Gold Star and Blue Star families. Blue Star families have a loved one on active duty. A Gold Star family had a loved one killed in active duty.
The Red Star banners honor the service of veterans or first responders, and Shaffer said he believes the banner can reduce the stigma of suicide. He wants to help build a network of support among the families who have endured such a loss.
Many veterans suffer from depression and many have a post-traumatic stress disorder. When they leave active duty, their chances of suicide increase 50 percent, Shaffer said, because many feel a loss of a sense of identity and purpose, and a loss of their military community when they are no longer on active duty.
Shaffer, a 1989 Medina grad, is a former Marine. He enlisted right out of high school. He pushed the start the Red Star Foundation, which is an official 501c3 organization. It launched in July and right now is focused on a chapter in Tampa and Clearwater, Florida.
Shaffer would like to see chapters around the country, including in Medina where there already is an active group led by Ike Watts highlighting veterans’ suicide, and trying to provide a network of support for families.
“We’re at ground zero of the fight,” Shaffer said about veterans’ and first responders’ suicides. “We believe the Red Star Foundation is game-changing.”
The Red Star Foundation seeks to offer:
Grief and bereavement support, and peer-to-peer networking
Public awareness campaigns about the impact of suicides among veterans, military personnel and first responders
Advocacy for better for better mental health care and suicide prevention programs
Survivor advocacy training to empower families to become voices for change.
Educational workshops to provide insight into mental health challenges and how to support others.
For more information on the Red Star Foundation, click here.
Poland China? Ayrshire? Rambouillet? Are these familiar names?
