By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 February 2025 at 9:03 am
Kendall takes the title this year of tournament that started in 1954
Photos by Tom Rivers
KENDALL – Kendall and Hamlin capped a three-week euchre tournament on Wednesday when 74 card players gathered at the Kendall fire hall.
This group in front includes Bill Hardenbrook, right, and his son Brian Hardenbrook, second from left, who were on the Kendall team. They are playing Ken Jurs, left, of Hamlin and John Hurd, second from left.
The tournament started in 1954 when a group of farmers from Kendall and Hamlin stopped to play cards after attending a farm show in Rochester.
They had so much fun playing cards and drinking beer that the euchre tournament became an annual event. It remains popular and has expanded from a one-evening tournament to being spread over three Wednesday in the dead of winter.
“It’s just the camaraderie,” said Ken Jurs of Hamlin, who estimates he has been playing in the tournament for 35 years.
Jurs said many of the Kendall and Hamlin residents know each other quite well. His grandfather, Walter Jurs, was Kendall’s highway superintendent.
The tournament still includes many farmers but it has opened up to the entire community. The action alternated from Kendall to Hamlin and then back to Kendall again for the conclusion last night. The players pay $10 each night and at includes beer or soda. The first two nights it also includes a boiled Zweigle’s hot dog.
John Becker, left, is the chairman for the tournament for Kendall while Dave Leverenz serves as Hamlin’s chairman. Becker welcomes the players to Kendall and asks how many want to order a fish fry at The Grove 1848. The losing team had to pay the $10 charge for the fish fry for the winners.
Kendall emerged as the victor of the tournament after the results were tallied over the three weeks. Kendall defeated Hamlin by 158 points – 4437 to 4279.
All three nights of card playing brought out at least 70 people, which was up from the 50s and 60s last year.
There were 72 card players on Jan. 22, followed by 76 on Jan. 29 and 74 on Feb. 5.
John Becker thinks the tournament peaked with more than 80 players in the 1970s. He is pleased to see the tournament remains popular, and to see some younger people getting involved.
Becker has been part of the tournament since 1977, a year after he moved to Kendall and joined the fire department.
“Back in those days everybody played cards,” Becker said.
The tournament was sidelined one year, back in 2021 due to Covid restrictions. Otherwise the players keep coming back, year after year.
Becker doesn’t know of any other euchre tournament that has endured for so long that is a town versus town.
“It’s a fun evening,” he said. “They come here and we go there. It’s nice to see the two towns have a relationship and a friendship.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 February 2025 at 7:59 am
Wind advisory also issued from this afternoon to Friday morning
A winter weather advisory is in effect for Orleans County today from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mixed precipitation is expected with snow and sleet accumulations 1 to 2 inches, and ice accumulations around a few hundredths of an inch, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
That advisory includes Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, northern Cayuga, northern Erie and Genesee counties.
A wind advisory also has been issued from 4 p.m. today until 10 a.m. on Friday. There will be westerly winds 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 mph expected.
That advisory includes Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 February 2025 at 8:55 pm
HAMLIN – A Kendall High School student was killed this afternoon in a car accident on Roosevelt Highway.
Josh Peters, 16, was killed in a one-vehicle crash where he was eastbound, left the road and struck a utility pole, downing power lines on Route 18 near Drake Road, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Nick Picardo, the Kendall school district superintendent, shared with “deep sadness” that Peters died in a car accident.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and to all those who knew and loved him,” Picardo said in a message on the district website.
“Please know that we are here to help our staff and families through this grief,” Picardo said. “Our Crisis Response Team has been activated to provide support. Counselors will be available all day Thursday for students and staff members.”
For those who need additional support, Picardo said the district will have counselors on hand at the junior/senior high school on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.
“Thank you for your support and understanding in this difficult time,” Picardo said. “We once again will pull together as one family, one school, and one community.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 February 2025 at 5:21 pm
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature recently approved the following voting members to the Emergency Medical Services Council, effective Jan. 1, with all terms expiring Dec. 31, 2025.
• Albion Fire Department: Fred Piano (primary) and Emma Klaver (alternate)
• Barre Fire Company: Kara Smith (primary) and Terry Bentley (alternate)
• Carlton Fire Company: David Bertsch (primary) and Brandi Fisher (alternate)
• Clarendon Fire Company: Don Mosier (primary) and Karl Beidlingmaier (alternate)
• East Shelby Fire Company: Mike Fuller (primary) and Sue Behrend (alternate)
• Kendall Fire Company: Sue Maslyn (primary) and Stephen Balka (alternate)
• Lyndonville Fire Company: Anna Schuner (primary)
• Medina Fire Department: Jacob Crooks (primary) and Steve Cooley (alternate)
• Murray Joint Fire District: Mark Porter (primary)
• Ridgeway Fire Company: Kristin McAdoo (primary) and Austin Mosher (alternate)
• Shelby Fire Company: Jenna Simmons (primary) and Donnell Bennett (alternate)
• Orleans County EMO EMS Coordinator: Scott Buffin (primary) and Justin Niederhofer (alternate)
• Orleans County Public Health: David Bell (primary) and Cora Young (alternate)
• Orleans County Sheriff’s Office: Christopher Bourke (primary) and Don Draper (alternate)
• Orleans County Sheriff Dispatch: Allen Turner (primary)
• Orleans Community Health/ Medina Memorial Hospital: Dr. Richard Elman (primary) and Kerry Miller (alternate)
The following were approved as non-voting members of the Council:
• County Legislature: Lynne Johnson and William Eick
• Public Safety Chairmen: Merle Draper and John Fitzak
• Mercy EMS: Adam Wengrzycki and Michael Gugliuzza
• University of Buffalo Medical Doctors: Rob McCartin and Mike Shaw
CANANDAIGUA – Three students from Orleans County are among the 917 full- and part-time students named to the Dean’s List at Finger Lakes Community College for fall 2024.
To be named to the Dean’s List, students must complete 5 credits with a combined 3.5 grade point for the semester with no class withdrawals or incompletes.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 February 2025 at 2:01 pm
Provided photos
ALBION – These students in the Akron Interact Club filled backpacks with school supplies that will be delivered by Albion teacher Tim Archer to a school in a remote part of Honduras.
Archer is also the Albion Interact Club advisor. The two Interact clubs teamed to fill about 400 backpacks with notebooks, pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, rulers, bookmarks, stickers, wristbands, folders, maps, T-shirts and other supplies.
The Albion Rotary Club also id donating most of the proceeds from its March 13 St. Patrick’s ham dinner towards assisting the school. Archer has a connection to the school from when he was a missionary in this jungle area of Honduras.
Archer leaves on Sunday and will be gone for three weeks.
Some kids from the Honduras La Mosquitia region are shown at left. Archer will be visiting several small villages along the 200-mile Patuca River. Archer will be traveling by canoe with pastors in that region.
Photo by Tom Rivers
The two Interact Clubs also met today in Albion for a leadership conference. The people seated at the table were the featured speakers.
From left include retired State Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt, a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War; Craig Lane, Orleans County DPW commissioner, Holley Rotary Club president and a 20-year Air Force veteran; Albion Village Trustee Joyce Riley, a retired nursing supervisor; Steve Giroux, owner of seven pharmacies, including Rosenkrans in Medina and a Rotarian for 41 years; Pastor Jovannie Canales of Harvest Christian Fellowship; and Tim Archer, Albion Rotary Interact Club advisor.
BATAVIA – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) will be holding his 4th Annual National Pizza Day Police Appreciation Program on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Hawley will be providing pizza to law enforcement officers across his Assembly District. This gesture complements his ongoing efforts in Albany to advocate for policies that support and equip our law enforcement officers.
Pizza will be delivered to the following 11 departments:
City of Batavia Police
State Police – Troop A Batavia HQ
Albion Police Department
State Police – Troop A Albion Barracks
Orleans County Sheriff’s Office
Medina Police Department
Brockport Police Department
LeRoy Police Department
Corfu Village Police Department
Genesee County Sheriff’s Office
Holley Police Department
Hawley will personally deliver pizza to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police – Troop A Headquarters, and Batavia Police Department.
Run for office! Here’s what is still open/unendorsed by the Orleans County Democratic Party. It’s not too late to inbox and let us know you’re interested!
ORLEANS COUNTY
Treasurer – 4 year term
Legislature at Large – 2 year term (3 positions, West, Central, and East).
Legislature District 1 – 2 year term
Legislature District 2 – 2 year term
Legislature District 4 – 2 year term
TOWN OF ALBION
Supervisor – 2 year term
Town Clerk – 2 years (to fill vacancy)
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
TOWN OF BARRE
Supervisor – 2 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
TOWN OF CARLTON
Town Clerk – 4 year term
Town Justice – 4 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
Superintendent of Highways – 4 year term
TOWN OF CLARENDON
Supervisor – 2 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
TOWN OF GAINES
Supervisor – 2 year term
Town Clerk – 4 year term
Town Justice – 4 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
TOWN OF KENDALL
Supervisor – 2 year term
Town Clerk – 4 year term
Town Justice – 4 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
Superintendent of Highways – 2 year term
TOWN OF MURRAY
Supervisor – 2 year term
Town Clerk – 4 year term
Town Justice – 4 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
Superintendent of Highways – 4 year term
TOWN OF RIDGEWAY
Town Clerk – 4 year term
Councilperson – 4 year term
Superintendent of Highways – 4 year term
TOWN OF SHELBY
Supervisor – 2 year term
2 Councilpersons – 4 year terms
TOWN OF YATES
Supervisor – 2 year term
Town Justice – 4 year term
3 councilpersons – 4 year terms for two of them and the other is 2 years to fill a vacancy.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 February 2025 at 8:40 am
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board has adopted a 2-percent occupancy for hotels, motels, short-term rentals and other lodging establishments in the village.
The Village Board held a public hearing on the new tax last week and the board adopted it with no comments offered from the public. However, the village is still working through how the tax will be implemented. A start hasn’t been established for when the lodging establishments need to begin collecting the tax.
Village officials aren’t sure how much the 2-percent tax will generate. It is on top of a 4-percent occupancy tax collected by Orleans County. That “bed tax” raised $119,003 for the county in 2023 and is used to promote tourism to bring in more visitors to the county. (Both the county and village occupancy taxes are also in addition to the 8-percent sales tax.)
The 2-percent tax in Medina gives the village some new revenue at a time when it faces rising costs for a new fire truck and an addition to the fire hall, as well as overall operations. The village has tried in recent years for a boost in the local sales tax revenue and also more money from the state in Aid and Incentives to Municipalities or AIM, but has seen little change from the county and state.
The Village Board didn’t designate how the funds will be spent, except to specify the money will be “allocated at the discretion of the Medina Village Board for any Village purpose.”
Lodging establishments are to pay the village the occupancy tax in quarterly payments.
To see the local law on the occupancy tax, click here.
Press Release, Orleans County Office for the Aging
ALBION – The Orleans County Office for the Aging will welcome the Center for Elder Law & Justice to Hoag Library on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
This is a free event open to everyone, but targeted to those 60 years of age and older. The library is located at 134 S. Main St. in Albion.
The Center for Elder Law & Justice provides free legal services to older adults across a host of areas including health care advocacy, elder abuse, housing, consumer protection and more. This event will go into more depth of these services and help those looking for legal advice.
“Our older residents often have unique legal problems but do not seek assistance because they do not know where to turn or fear a lawyer will be too costly and beyond their means,” said Melissa Blanar, director of Orleans County OFA. “Thankfully, the Center for Elder Law & Justice is here to help our older citizens, and OFA is hosting this event to help spread the word on how they can help.”
Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by Feb. 14 to the Office for the Aging at (585) 589-3191.
Press Release, State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt
ALBANY – Senior members of the New York Power Authority (NYPA) held a public forum in Albany today to discuss raising the preference power rate in a series of rate hikes over the next four years.
NYPA says the increases are necessary to keep up with increased maintenance and operations costs. The proposed rate hikes would take effect as follows:
$17.61 for 2025
$21.66 for 2026
$26.72 for 2027
$33.05 for 2028
Municipalities, school districts, businesses and nonprofits across New York State benefit from NYPA’s current preference power rate of $12.88 per megawatt hour. These additional costs will not be absorbed by affected organizations – but passed on to consumers and residents in the form of increased product costs and taxes.
“New York is one of the worst states to operate a business in, and manufacturers in Western New York have been struggling to make ends meet. Many of the operations in my district rely on low cost power so that they are able to remain viable, and the proposed tripling of these rates are unwanted and absurd. This will surely lead to even more businesses closing their doors and leaving our state,” said Senator Rob Ortt. “Instead of sweeping millions of dollars every year into New York state’s general fund, NYPA should have been reinvesting the profits generated back into the power project. Thanks to NYPA’s mismanagement, they are now turning to the community to cover the cost of these infrastructure upgrades.”
“Across Western New York, working families rely on low-cost hydropower for their day-to-day activities. These proposed rate increases by the New York Power Authority will only intensify the burden on residents and deepen the affordability crisis across the region. I am calling on NYPA to reject these increases and return to a model that puts consumers and affordability first,” said Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
A public comment period is currently open and will end on February 24th. Comments can be submitted to secretaryoffice@nypa.gov. Senator Ortt will be submitting public comments on behalf of ratepayers in his district.
A final vote is scheduled to take place during a July 2025 meeting.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2025 at 2:27 pm
HOLLEY – The Village of Holley has been awarded a $75,000 state grant for an inclusive playground that will ADA-accessible.
“Nestled beside the Erie Canal, this addition reflects the Canal’s role in enhancing quality of life and creating welcoming spaces for all,” the Canal Corp. said in announcing the funding on Monday.
Holley has the matching funds for a project that will total about $150,000, Mayor Mark Bower said.
The village has $35,000 set aside for the playground and the Town of Murray has committed $25,000 towards the project. The Holley Department of Public Works also will provide in-kind services with excavating and site work, Bower said.
Community volunteers will also be asked to help construct the playground which will allow Holley to maximize the funding towards the equipment for children.
The village will soon seek bids from playground companies for the equipment. Bower is hopeful construction will start in April.
The playground will go where there was one previously along the canal path. That playground wasn’t accessible to people with disabilities, had fallen into disrepair and was removed in 2022, Bower said.
The mayor thanked the Orleans County Health Department for helping to secure the grant for the village.
Holley also recently was awarded a grant to put in a kayak launch and new decking and stairs at its canal park.
MEDINA – Representatives from Citizens’ Climate Lobby will be in Medina on Wednesday to lead a discussion about climate change and how to influence policies that are friendly to the planet.
The discussion will begin at 6 p.m. at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, contact robertdotjohnson@rochester.rr.com.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a national nonprofit organization with local chapters across the country. The group pushed for the energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
“We welcome anyone who is serious about solving climate change as a volunteer,” the organization said in a press release. “We work with members of Congress across the political spectrum to find common ground on climate change action.”
For more about Citizens’ Climate Lobby, click here.
ALBANY – Every year, the New York State Conservative Party releases its conservative ratings for elected officials across the state. Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia), who has been a strong advocate for conservative policies in Albany, received a 100% rating from the party for the year.
Throughout his time in the state Assembly, Hawley has promoted initiatives to lower taxes, support law enforcement, protect our second amendment rights and cut regulations for small businesses.
Hawley, along with Sens. George Borello, Joe Griffo, Pam Helming, Mario Mattera, Rob Ortt, Steve Rhoads, Dan Stec, Jim Tedisco and Alexis Weik, as well as Assemblymembers John Lemondes, Brian Maher and Chris Tague, received perfect ratings during the 2024 Legislative Session.
“I’m proud to have received this high honor from the New York State Conservative Party for my record of supporting common-sense policies in the State Assembly,” Hawley said. “It’s an honor to be named amongst so many of my colleagues in the state government who are fighting hard each day to bring our state back to the conservative principles we were founded on. I’m grateful for the work we were able to do during last year’s session, and I look forward to the progress we can make this year to bring common sense back to Albany.”
