Provided photo: Jake Kenward, center, is shown with his fiancé Leigha Klopp and their son.

KENT – A Kent man was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on July 28 in Pembroke. Jakob Kenward struck a guard rail after hitting gravel on Stegman Road in Pembroke. He needed to be extricated from the guardrail and was then taken by Mercy Flight helicopter to Erie County Medical Center.

Kenward was in intensive care for six days. He has survived his injuries but has a long road to recovery with a broken hip, crushed pelvis, fractures in his spine and damage to his arm, said his mother, Lura Kenward.

The family has started a GoFundMe (click here), seeking support to help with medical bills and rehabilitation costs, rent and utilities, and day-to-day living expenses.

Kenward has a young son. He is engaged to Leigha Klopp.

Kenward works at Oatka in Batavia, but will be out of work for an extended period.

“Jake is a hardworking and dedicated individual who has always been there for others, but now he needs our support,” Klopp stated on the GoFundMe page. “The costs associated with his recovery are substantial, and with him unable to work, we are struggling to keep up with our day-to-day expenses, including rent, utilities and other essential bills.”

Klopp said any contributions are appreciated to help ease the financial worries during this difficult time.

“Together, we can help Jake get back on his feet and ensure he has the best possible chance for a full recovery,” she said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The band Tryst from Rochester closed out the Rock the Park 9 music festival at Bullard Park on Saturday night.

The band is performing “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind.

Tryst opened with “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.

The concert by Tryst capped two days of music at Bullard Park, which has been hosting the music festival as a fundraiser for the park and also to bring people to the park and Albion for a music-filled experience.

Tryst, shown singing “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” by Luke Bryan, made its debut at the Albion Summer Music Festival. Nine different bands performed on Saturday and three bands were on the stage for Friday.

Ron Albertson, one of the committee members, estimated 1,000 people attended the festival over the two days. Some rainy weather earlier on Friday may have deterred some people from attending, but Albertson said overall the weather was very ideal for the outdoor performances.

Ron Albertson, left, is joined on the stage by Scott Ryan, father of the late Dan Ryan, a long-time supporter of Rock the Park. This year’s festival’s is dedicated to Dan Ryan, who passed away at age 39 on June 23.

Scott Ryan pulled the ticket for the winner of a guitar and starter kit. Dan Ryan donated several refurbished guitars for previous Rock the Park events. Scott Ryan said the family will continue to donate a guitar for Rock the Park in the future.

The Zackstreet Boys performed early afternoon on Saturday. The band includes Zack Burgess, center, on guitar and vocals; Kole Moore on guitar, left; Mike Whiting on guitar, right; and Brian Domenick on drums.

Other performers on Saturday included Chris Moore, Ryan & Company, Distant View, Shotgun Pauly, driVen, The Who Dats, 7th Heaven and Tryst.

On Friday, the bands included Triple Play, Lonesome Road and Highway 31.

Bill Pileggi plays guitar and sings for Triple Play, which made its first appearance at Rock the Park. Pileggi, a retired Holley school principal, said he liked how the sound was all set up for the musicians and they were able to easily follow one another on the stage, with most of the concerts about an hour.

“We enjoy listening to each other,” Pileggi said about the showcase for so many bands. “For a small town we have a lot of talent.”

The crowd was close to the stage for Tryst, while many also enjoyed the music from under the tent.

Tryst had the crowd fired up for the show.

File photo by Tom Rivers: A caravan of about 500 vehicles were part of the first “Back the Blue” ride on Sept. 12, 2020 in Orleans County. Here they pass underneath a giant American flag on Route 31 in Holley.

MURRAY – A “Back the Blue” ride will cover 50 miles in Orleans County today, starting at David Paul’s property on Monroe-Orleans Countyline Road.

The ride shows support for law enforcement and is expected to include several hundred participants who will leave 3823 County Line Rd. at about 1 p.m. and go to Route 31 and then head west to Medina. They will turn onto Route 63 and go north to Route 104 and then head east to Monroe-Orleans Countyline Rd. The entire ride is about 50 miles.

Before the ride there will be a rally on Paul’s property with conservative talk show host Bob Lonsberry serving as emcee. The scheduled speakers include Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, State Sen. Rob Ortt and Murray Town Supervisor Gerry Rightmyer.

Monroe County Legislator Virginia McIntyre is expected to sing the national anthem.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Big Futch sings and plays the mountain dulcimer during a concert a Hoag Library in Albion today. Futch is shown singing, “John Henry was a Steel Drivin’ Man.”

Futch has been a professional musician for more than 30 years. He tours nationally and lives in Orlando, Fla.

About 50 people attended today’s concert at Hoag.

Jim Doyle, a librarian at Hoag and the music series coordinator, introduces Futch, who Doyle called “a super cool musician.”

Hoag started the concert series last year and Doyle has tried to line up musicians who haven’t performed in Orleans County before.

A state arts grant administered by GO Art! makes the concert series possible.

The concerts are free and begin at noon. The remainder of the lineup this year includes:

• Rochester Recorder Society on Aug. 17
• Alyssa Rodriguez on Sept. 14
• Muriel Anderson on Oct. 12
• Duo Tufekčić & Conant on Nov. 9
• Rochester Ukulele Orchestra on Dec. 7

ALBION – The D-R Smoke Shop has opened on South Main Street, selling tobacco, CBD gummies, cigars, non-nicotine vapes, creatine supplements, lighters and glass bongs.

Mohammed “Mo” Ayash was ready to open the business in early June but the opening was pushed back until July 22. The Village of Albion wanted Ayash to show seven dedicated parking spaces for the business, which is located in a former flower shop with apartments.

The Village Planning Board said Ayash would need a parking variance without the seven spots, but he was able to show seven marked spots for the business during the July 18 meeting. With that in order, the board and code enforcement officer approved the opening, Ayash said.

He has worked in different businesses with his family the past 15 years in Buffalo. He wanted to start his own enterprise and is happy with Albion, which he called “a beautiful town.”

The business is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Ayash said he is listening to customers and will build up the inventory in the store.

“We are here for the people,” he said. “We are trying to give them what they want.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – James Giarla portrays a teacher in a vignette “The Kindergarten Creed” during Friday’s performance of “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”

The play by Robert Fulghum returns for two more shows today at the Clifford Wise Middle School auditorium in Medina. The shows start at 1 and 7 p.m., with a $5 admission.

Giarla of Lyndonville is one of eight cast members in the production by the Lake Plains Players Summer Youth Theatre Program. Other students shown in the photo include, from left: Adam-James Horton of Lyndonville, Mady Elliott of Medina and Makenzie Cook of Albion.

Other cast members include Sarah Corser, Brigham Durrant, Ella Gardner and Ashton Huth.

The LPP expanded its summer program for youth after maxing out the summer musical in recent years. There are 60 cast members in next week’s production of Mary Poppins Jr. at the Roy-Hart High School Auditorium.

“We wanted to offer more programming for more students,” LPP President Gabrielle Montgomery said about the new play for youth performers.

She said the LPP summer theater programs are drawing on students from about 10 different school districts, mostly in Orleans and Niagara counties.

Adam-James Horton is one of eight students in the play. This is the first play by LPP in the summer youth program. The community theater organization wanted to give more young people a chance to shine on stage.

“All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” features several vignettes that are reflections on life. The play lasts about an hour.

Sarah Corser of Lyndonville offers a soliloquy during a vignette about “Cinderella.”

The play is directed by Danielle Cobb. LPP utilized the Medina middle school for the first time because Roy-Hart’s auditorium is being used for LPP’s musical production this summer.

Brigham Durrant, second from left, plays a pig in a vignette about Cinderella. The play imagines a role for a pig in the famous tale. The pig proves to be a trusty companion to Cinderella, played by Ella Gardner at left. Mady Elliott and Makenzie Cook are also shown in the photo.

Mady Elliott reflects on playing hide and seek in the fall, and how many adults often play hide and seek in real life, choosing not to share their struggles and fears.

In “The Bench,” Sarah Corser, left, and Makenzie Cook share how the bench has a long history of offering place to relax, offering a retreat for everyone.

Provided photo: Passengers disembark from Medina Railroad Museum coaches on a wine train to Spring Lake Winery in Lockport. The event will return on Aug. 17 when passengers will ride in three air-conditioned dining cars.

MEDINA – The Medina Railroad Museum is sponsoring a special rail adventure on Aug. 17 on a wine train to Spring Lake Winery in Lockport.

Passengers can step aboard the museum’s vintage rail cars, then sit back and relax in air-conditioned coaches during the 40-minute train ride to the winery. A complimentary bottle of water will be given out onboard.

After disembarking at Spring Lake Winery, passengers will savor the tastes of wine, beer and Sangria, served by the winery.

But it doesn’t stop there, according to Dawn Winkler, events coordinator at Medina Railroad Museum.

An open bar will be available for two hours, while passengers enjoy a buffet lunch, which will feature a Mediterranean Station with hummus, tzatziki and olive tapenade served with grilled flat bread pita and vegetables; in addition to seasonal soup, potato salad, Greek pasta salad, pulled chicken sandwich with herb aioli, Italian club sandwich of prosciutto, salami and capicola with provolone and herb oil and homemade macaroni and cheese.

As a memento of this unique experience, passengers will receive a commemorative Medina Railroad Museum wine or beer glass. Chocolates and a bottle of water are included on the return ride.

If someone is looking for a memorable romantic day out for couples, a fun meet-up with friends or an exciting office outing, this excursion will fit the bill, Winkler said.

She advises dressing for the weather, as the excursion will go on, rain or shine.

Passengers are asked to check in at the museum at 10 a.m., pick up their tickets and then take time to view the historic museum. Boarding will begin at 11:15 a.m. and the train will depart at 11:30 a.m. The train will return to the museum at 3:30 p.m.

ALBION – Orleans Community Health has announced a special event at the Albion Healthcare Center to support students of the Albion Central School District.

Between now and Aug. 17 the community is invited to join the Albion Healthcare Center in gathering essential school supplies for the upcoming school year.

The hospital and Albion Healthcare Center realize school supplies can often be costly expenditures, especially with all the other costs for going back to school.

“We’re hoping our team’s effort is able to help some families, even if just a little,” said Scott

Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach at Orleans Community Health.

Members of the community are encouraged to donate backpacks, folders, pens, pencils, colored pencils and notebooks and drop them off at the Albion Healthcare Center.

“Your generous contributions will help ensure that students in the Albion School District start their school year prepared to learn,” Robinson said.

On Aug. 17, the public and parents are invited to visit the Albion Healthcare Center between noon and 2 p.m., when some supplies will be distributed and tours given of the facility, offering an opportunity to meet with members of the Albion team. Items not distributed during the event will be provided to the Albion Central School District to be distributed as they see fit, ensuring that every donation finds its way to a student in need.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Highway 31 performed on Friday night from the amphitheater stage at Bullard Park. It rained hard earlier in the day on Friday, but the drizzle stopped in time for the bands at Bullard. This photo is taken looking through from under a big tent.

Highway 31 followed Lonesome Road and Triple Play. Today is the second day of Albion Summer Music Festival/Rock the Park 9. Musicians will be on stage from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The lineup includes Chris Moore and Ryan & Company, followed by bands Distant View, Zackstreet Boys, Shotgun Pauly, driVen, The Who Dats, 7th Heaven and Tryst.

Highway 31 includes Rich Nolan as the lead singer, Aaron Clark of Holley and Tim LaPorte Sr. on guitar, Clinton LaPorte on bass, and Timmy LaPorte on drums.

Rich Nolan, lead singer for Highway 31, kept the crowd entertained with ’90s music, contemporary country and some rock. Here he is singing “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw.

Sheri McIlvene, left, and Susan Oschmann are selling $5 tcikets for a chance to win beer and wine packages. Oschmann has been selling the tickets this summer as a fundraiser for pickleball courts at Bullard Park.

The winning tickets will be announced at about 8:45 p.m. today in between the performances by 7^th Heaven and Tryst.

Jill Albertson is selling tickets for a chance to win a guitar and starter kit. This year’s Rock the Park is dedicated in memory of Dan Ryan, who was a key promoter of the event.

Ryan passed away at age 39 on June 23. He donated refurbished guitars as a fundraiser for past Rock the Park events. Ryan also helped with the sound, worked security and played drums in bands that performed at the music festival.

ALBION – Orleans County will be 200 years old next year. The county was officially “born” on April 15, 1825, when the State Legislature recognized Orleans as its own county, approving a separation from Genesee County.

The Orleans County Legislature wants to celebrate the milestone anniversary next year and named members to a Bicentennial Committee to help coordinate information and events for the bicentennial.

County Historian Catherine Cooper will serve as chairwoman of the group.

Other members include:

• Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County
• Mark Bower, mayor for Village of Holley
• Doug Farley, director of Cobblestone Museum and Society
• Nadine Hanlon, Orleans County Clerk
• Melissa Ierlan, Town of Clarendon Historian
• Lynne Menz, Orleans County Tourism coordinator
• Susan Starkweather Miller, Village of Albion Historian
• Tom Rivers, Orleans Hub editor

The committee is to be dissolved on Dec. 31, 2025, legislators stated in a resolution.

Cooper welcomes the community’s participation in the 200th anniversary next year. She would like to see many of the existing festivals around the county in 2025 include the bicentennial as part of a theme in parades and celebrations.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature approved a new two-year agreement with the Albion school district to have a deputy from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office working as a school resource officer.

Matt Prawel from the Sheriff’s Office has been working as the SRO for Albion the past two years.

The new agreement runs from Sept. 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026. The Sheriff’s Office will be compensated $509.74 per day in the 2024 calendar year, $553.89 per day in 2025, and $601.99 per day in 2026.

Any additional hours requested by the school district for after-hours events will be an overtime hourly rate including incremental fringe expense rate of $60.73 per hour for the calendar year 2024, $66.02 per hour in 2025, and $71.81 per hour in 2026.

For the first two years of the agreement, the Sheriff’s Office was paid $502.10 per day in the 2022-2023 school year (about $91,000) and $510.26 per day in 2023-24. Overtime was $61.05 per hour the first year and $62.53 per hour the second year.

Press Release, Holley Central School

Mackenzie Swartz

HOLLEY – Holley Central School is thrilled to introduce Mackenzie Swartz as the new assistant principal of Holley Elementary School. She will be formally appointed by the Holley Board of Education at the Aug. 19 meeting.

Before working at Holley, Swartz was a teacher on special assignment (TOSA) in the East Irondequoit School District, providing strategic instructional support for elementary teachers.

She previously taught first grade at Kendall Elementary School and second grade at Ivan Green Primary School in East Irondequoit, where she also served as Literacy Leader and Equity Facilitator. She received her bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education and her master’s degree in Literacy from Roberts Wesleyan University. Swartz received her School Building/District Leadership Certificate from SUNY Brockport.

She is very excited to join the Holley community and share her passion for elementary education.

“I truly believe that I am a better person today because of all the students I have worked with,” Swartz said. “Elementary school is so special because you get to see students grow so much in their time with us. I am looking forward to learning from and with students here at Holley, and seeing all the unique qualities each student contributes to the school community. I know that this is an incredible community, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be joining the team.”

The district extends a very warm welcome to Swartz as she embarks on her journey at Holley.

“Mackenzie brings valuable and unique elementary experiences to our building, and we look forward to learning from and growing with her,” said Tim Artessa, principal at Holley Elementary. “We couldn’t be more excited for Mackenzie to be joining our school community. Her enthusiasm for elementary education is going to be very well received by both our students and staff, and I truly believe that her impact will be immediate as she is ready to hit the ground running!”

Provided photo: Makenzie McGrath accepts an award from Marlene Seielstad in honor of Seielstad’s parents, Marge and Jim Davis.

KNOWLESVILLE – Makenzie McGrath, 16, of Medina has received the first memorial award in honor of the late Marge and Jim Davis of Barre.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis were long-time 4-H leaders of the Moonlight Dreamers, teaching younger generations about heritage skills related to natural resources, agriculture and home economics.

The Jim and Marge Davis Memorial Award is for $100 and is presented to a 4-Her between the ages of 13 and 19 who is an Orleans County resident. The winner of the award achieves the highest overall point total in environmental education, personal development and leadership, special and unique exhibits, heritage art exhibit, sewing and textiles, and baking and recipe collections.

Makenzie McGrath donated the $100 award to the Church of the Abundant Harvest in Millville/Knowlesville, where the couple where members.

Julia Graham of Albion was the runner-up winner and received $50.

The $100 award was funded by Rebekah Green, who was a teen evaluator at the fair for Mrs. Davis as she judged fair exhibits. Marlene Seielstad and her husband Erik covered the cost for the $50 reserve award.

“She taught me a lot about how to look for quality items for both the home and kitchen,” Greene posted on the Orleans Hub Facebook page about Mrs. Davis. “It was a true privilege to visit with her and Jim many times after my 4-H years on Hemlock Ridge. They were both awesome natural teachers and good friends!”