Stormsong Hollow Minerals celebrates opening day on Main Street in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers: Chris Atwell and Trish Marciszewski celebrate the opening of their business, Stormsong Hollow Minerals, in downtown Albion today. Marciszewski has been collecting minerals since she was a kid when she won a chance to go to the Herkimer Diamond Mines and found a diamond. She has turned her passion for minerals into a new business.

ALBION – Trish Marciszewski jokingly blames her earth science teacher Steve McKenna for her passion for minerals.

When she was a student at Albion, she won a contest and a chance to go to the Herkimer Mines. She went and was the only one to find a diamond that day.

It kicked off a passion and deep appreciation for minerals, and their many colors and textures.

“I’ve been on fire for it ever since,” Marciszewski said today at her business, Stormsong Hollow Minerals.

Stormsong has many different minerals available, including Chalcopyrite “Peacock Ore” from Zacatecas, Mexico at left, and Amethyst from Veracruz, Mexico at right.

She celebrated opening day today for the business at 49 North Main St. Marciszewski, a former public safety dispatcher for the county for 10 years, outgrew the space at her garage and home. The business has grown since she started a TikTok page last November. She has 2,100 followers on TikTok for stormhollowminerals with live shows every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Marciszewski runs the business with Chris Atwell, who worked as a local EMT for 16 years. The TikTok customers will order some of the minerals in the videos and they are packaged and shipped by Marciszewski and Atwell.

They also have attended many local shows to build up the business. The demand has grown, overwhelming their home. They welcomed the chance to move the business to Main Street in Albion, where there is more space and gives them a chance to give the downtown district a boost.

“There’s a lot of really good businesses down here working hard to make it work,” she said.

Village of Albion Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley, right, presents a certificate of recognition to Chris Atwell and Trish Marciszewski during opening day for Stormsong Hollow Minerals.

Marciszewski said McKenna, her former earth science teacher, shared a love for minerals. He said each crystal or mineral is born in a storm within the earth.

Marciszewski said she has been passionate about minerals for the past 34 years.

“I’m just fascinated by science and that the earth makes these things,” she said.

None of the Crystal Buddies are exactly alike.

Marciszewski has amassed her own collection, and loves to help other people discover minerals. She said the popularity has grown as people embrace minerals for healing properties,  energy, good luck or simply to beautify a mantel.

Stormsong Hollow sells crystals and minerals in raw and polished forms. They are available in necklaces, pendants and bracelets, and as “Crystal Buddies.” Those buddies have faces, with eyes of Obsidian volcanic glass.

Storm Hollow has relationships with suppliers all over the world. The minerals have cards telling where they are from. Marciszewski and Atwell work with suppliers and miners all over the United States, and from China, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, France, Peru, Russia, Bolivia, India, South Africa, Egypt and other countries.

Marciszewski said mineral collecting used to be primarily for science buffs, but it has become far more mainstream. The internet has helped people learn about minerals. Storm Hollow is happy to help connect them to their favorites.

Storm Hollow is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Furious Robinson, Trish Marciszewski’s son, holds some of the Crystal Buddies for $10 that are very popular with customers.

Friendly competition for ‘Best Decorated’ and ‘Best Carved’ pumpkins

Contributed by Katie Oakes, Orleans County CCE Master Gardener Coordinator

KNOWLESVILLE – Master Gardeners will once again offer a fun pumpkin-themed event to coincide with the popular annual Lion’s Club Scarecrow Festival fundraiser on Saturday, October 12. The event is called “Pumpkinpalooza” and is free to the public.

The idea started last year with Master Gardeners Lisa Lancaster and Erica Joan Wanecski brainstorming ways for the public to showcase their pumpkin creations.

This pumpkin was the winner of the “Best Carved” category from Pumpkinpalooza 2023.

“This came out of a love for autumn, and wanting new ways to celebrate it,” Lancaster said. “We started thinking about the Scarecrow Fest and wondered if we could tie in a pumpkin centered event to the existing festival since the themes were so similar.”

The original Pumpkinpalooza event last year included a “Biggest Pumpkin” competition, but logistics of getting extra-large pumpkins to the event proved difficult.

This year’s event will host a friendly competition with prizes awarded for “Best Decorated” and “Best Carved” pumpkins. Anyone in the community can enter as many pumpkins as they’d like. Pumpkin entries can be dropped off at the Lartz Building of the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on Oct. 12 between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., and Master Gardener Volunteers will select a winner in each category by noon. Winners need not be present to win, however, all pumpkins must be collected at the end of the event at 3 p.m. that day.

Lancaster is the chairperson for the Master Gardener event, and she and the other MG Volunteers on the Pumpkinpalooza Committee wanted to enhance their event this year to include other fun activities beyond the competitions. So, new to Pumpkinpalooza this year, there will be a pumpkin carving demonstration ongoing throughout the event, free pumpkin painting for the first 30 children (while supplies last), and pumpkin-based food recipes available for people to take home. There is no pre-registration required for the Pumpkinpalooza event, and Master Gardeners are hoping that the free event will draw more people to the already popular Scarecrow Fest.

“We really just wanted to expand what the Scarecrow Festival was offering,” Wanecski said. “We are hoping that the Pumpkinpalooza activities will appeal to people who might want something new and different in addition to the traditional activities offered at the Scarecrow Fest.”

The Scarecrow Festival and Pumpkinpalooza events will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 State Rt 31 in Albion.  For questions about Pumpkinpalooza or other Master Gardener events, call 585-798-4265 ext. 125 or email klo54@cornell.edu.

Press Release, Office for the Aging in Orleans County

ALBION – The Orleans County Office for the Aging today announced it will be hosting several events for Medicare beneficiaries during the fall Annual Open Enrollment period which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.

Open enrollment is the time for Medicare beneficiaries to review plan information and make educated decisions on what they want their coverage to be starting Jan. 1, 2025.

OFA will be hosting two Medicare Vendor Fairs at the Hoag Library.  Representatives from Medicare Advantage Plans will be present to assist people in understanding changes in current plans and discuss any new plans for 2025. They can also help those interested enroll in a plan. Health insurance counselors from OFA will be available to answer questions, screen for possible benefits and provide unbiased information unrelated to any particular plan.

The events at Hoag Library will be held on Friday, October 18 and Friday, November 22 from 10 a.m. to noon. Hoag Library is located at 134 South Main St. in Albion. Attendees should bring their original Medicare Care and a list of both their prescription drugs and medical providers.

“Seniors are bombarded with information and solicitations for their healthcare insurance needs and with so many choices and potential program changes, it can get overwhelmingly very quickly,” said Melissa Blanar, Director of Orleans County OFA.  “The goal of these meetings is to really help people understand their choices and spend time answering questions so they can make the decisions that are right for them.”

In addition to the Medicare Vendor Fair, OFA will also be hosting two “comparison meetings” on October 23 and November 19 from 2 to 3 p.m. in Conference Room C of the Orleans County Administration Building in Albion. People can meet with an OFA health insurance counselor to review Medicare updates and get help in making their own comparisons between the different Medicare plans.

Those interested in attending any of these events are asked to register in advance by calling OFA at 585-589-3191.

ALBION – A Carlton man was sentenced this morning to a year of weekends in the county jail plus five years of probation.

Benjamin T. Hayes, 26, was sentenced for two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.

He was charged by state police on Nov. 2, 2023 with numerous felony firearms charges. Hayes at the time was working in the county’s IT Department.

He was found to be in possession of numerous illegal weapons including a privately manufactured ghost gun, 3-D printed pistol receivers, pistols, unregistered SAFE Act rifles, high-capacity magazines, body armor, ammunition and electronics involved in private manufacturing of gun parts.

He was sentenced this morning by County Court Judge Sanford Church.

In other cases in court today:

• Edward Dunn, 38, of Middleport was sentenced to 2 ½ to 5 years in state prison for third-degree burglary.

Dunn, who was convicted of a previous felony of second degree assault, acknowledged in court he went to a laundromat in Lyndonville on March 13, and entered a room that is off limits to the public. Dunn said he broke into the room with the change machine to get that money, knowing it wasn’t open to the public.

As part of the sentencing today, he has to pay $980 in restitution.

Dunn  apologized for his actions and said he takes full responsibility.

Joanne Best, the public defender, said Dunn has struggled with substance abuse and would benefit from treatment.

• Anthony A. Maisano, 36, of Lockport pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree.

Maisano admitted to drinking alcohol on Nov. 2, 2023, when he was stopped in Orleans County and registered a 0.21 BAC.

He faces 1 to 3 years in state prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 8.

• Joshua Ausman, 39, of Clarendon was arraigned for third-degree grand larceny for allegedly taking $4,976 without permission from another person from April 1 to May 17.

Community asked to do survey on Health Department’s lead prevention efforts

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

Did you know that the only way to find out if your child has lead poisoning is by testing their blood?

“Signs of lead poisoning are often hard to see, so testing is very important,” said Darren Brodie, Environmental Health Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Children should be tested for lead at ages 1 & 2, or more often if your doctor thinks it is needed.”

The Genesee County Health Department has a grant to prevent childhood lead poisoning in the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties (GLOW) area. One of the main goals of the grant is to encourage parents and guardians to get their children tested for lead at ages 1 & 2.

In 2024, the GLOW Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) used different ways to teach people about the dangers of lead poisoning. They put up educational billboards, bus ads, signs, and flyers to encourage lead testing. Program staff were on the radio and went to local events to educate residents directly. At two of these events, they provided free lead testing for kids 6 years and under.

We want to know what you think about our efforts this year to help us plan for the future.  Please take a short two-minute survey. (Click here for the survey): If you complete the survey, you can choose to give your address and you will get a coupon for a free dairy product.

For questions or more information, contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 or Health.GOlead@geneseeny.gov.  You can also visit GOHealthNY.org.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The dome of the Orleans County Courthouse is being illumined in purple at night for the first half of October for domestic violence awareness month.

Orleans County Department of Social Services had 294 cases reported to the Domestic Violence Unit in 2023, and 196 from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 in 2024. However, 90 percent of domestic violence goes unreported.

County legislators issued a proclamation about Domestic Violence Awareness Month, noting, “Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behavior that may include physical, emotional, psychological, economic, or sexual abuse, perpetrated by an intimate partner over another, to establish and maintain power and control.”

Domestic violence is the major cause of injury to women, resulting in more injuries to women than auto accidents, muggings and rapes combined, legislators said.

Chamber’s Business of the Year moved to bigger location, maintains focus on customer service

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Tom Laine, owner of Frontier Heating and AC Service, stands by one of their trucks at the base at 14530 East Lee Rd. The business has been named “Business of the Year” by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. Frontier will be recognized at the awards dinner Oct. 17 at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.                      

ALBION – The owner of Frontier Heating and Air Conditioning Service is honored to be named Business of the Year by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

“I was elated with the news,” said Tom Laine. “It’s nice to be recognized for the good work we’ve done over the years.”

Laine founded Frontier Heating and A/C Service in 1991 in his garage in Albion, after working for 11 years for other contractors, he said.

“We did business there until 1995, when my wife Lora (Lori)  and I purchased 115 East Bank St., where we did business for 27 years,” Laine said.

In March 2023, Laine moved his business to a new, bigger location at 14530 East Lee Rd. The new 12,000 square foot facility is more convenient for them to better serve their customers, he said. They have ample parking with a showroom to display the products they sell.

It’s a challenge to keep on the cutting edge of technology, Laine said.

The worst part of his business is “around the clock” service, but Laine knows it is important to his customers to have emergency service available at any time.

This facility at 14530 East Lee Rd. is the home of Frontier Heating and AC Service, the Orleans County Chamber’s Business of the Year.

They service all brands and sell Amana and Mitsubishi equipment, as well as boilers, water heaters, air conditioning units and heat pumps. In addition they install Generac and Honeywell generators, and  deal with all types of fuel, including natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and propane.

Laine, who will be 67 this year, is gradually letting his son Raymond and son-in-law Rex Harvey have more responsibility.

“I keep going, because I know the day will come when I can’t,” he said.

Frontier Heating employs 15 to 20 people at any given time, nearly all Orleans County residents. Over the years, their service area has expanded to include Orleans, Monroe, Genesee, Niagara and Erie counties.

Laine is proud of how his business has grown over the years.

“When I started, my wife delivered mail and would speak to her customers daily, giving out my business card,” Laine said. “That’s where I got my first lead for a furnace.”

Today Laine boasts a customer base of 7,000.

“I’m happy to say we still have that first client,” he said.

He says his job is making sure each and every customer has a good experience and is 100 percent satisfied.

“We’re looking for customers for life, and we’re not happy until you’re happy,” he said.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation to fight the addictive effects of gambling. Legislation S1550/A1118 requires all advertisements for gambling and sports betting to include warnings about the potential harmful and addictive effects of gambling.

The previous law states that each advertisement must clearly and conspicuously post a problem gambling hotline number. Legislation S1550/A1118 builds off the previous bill to clarify that mobile sports wagering advertisements are subject to the same conditions that apply to other gaming-related advertisements.

“Protecting New Yorkers from the dangerous and addictive effects of problem gambling and sports betting is vitally important for the prosperity of our great State,” Governor Hochul said. “I want New Yorkers to be able to safely enjoy the activities they love, while proceeding with caution when necessary. I’m confident that with the signing of this new bill, New Yorkers will have easier access to the safety resources they need to better protect themselves from the grips of addiction.”

Legislation S1550/A1118 Requires all advertisements for gambling and sports betting to include warnings about potential harmful and addictive effects of gambling; and requires the State Gaming Commission to cooperate with the Commissioner of Addiction Services and Supports to ensure that all advertisements for gaming activity provide a problem gambling hotline number.

New York State Gaming Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer said, “New York State recognizes the importance of responsible gaming practices and has strong safeguards in place to protect and educate bettors. While the Gaming Commission already requires sports wagering operators to include problem gambling messaging on all advertisements, we are encouraged that this common-sense measure has been codified into state law. By signing this bill, Governor Hochul continues to deliver smart and responsible gaming policies that help support our State.”

Problem gambling is often referred to as a hidden addiction since there are often no outward physical signs. It can result in financial, emotional, social, occupational and physical harm and devastating consequences for individuals, as well as their families and friends.

New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “More people than ever are able to access gambling, so as these opportunities increase, it is important that we continue our efforts to educate New Yorkers about the risks associated with problem gambling and where they can find help and support. With the signing of this bill, Governor Hochul is taking further important steps to safeguard New Yorkers and ensure that they can continue to gamble responsibly, while ensuring they can also readily access vital resources if needed.”

Press Release, Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc.

ALBION – Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc., is putting a call out to all members of the community to participate in a music video on Oct. 12 to help promote Bullard Park.

Anyone and everyone is invited – the more the merrier! People should meet at noon at the base of the sledding hill.

Participants are encouraged to dress in accordance with their interests and/or hobbies – jerseys, costumes, etc. are encouraged. We ask that no political or religious items be brought to the shoot.

A simple dance (the original Santa dance taught to Charles Howard for the Macy’s parade) will be taught that participants will perform, then a fun, freestyle moment will allow all to have some fun.

We ask all participants to fill out a waiver for video usage. Participants under the age of 18 must have the waiver completed by a consenting adult. Waivers are available online and will be available the day of the event.

The Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc. “G-ACRE” has a mission to create and provide for recreational activities, support volunteerism, and improve the quality of life in the greater Albion community.

George Lacey is shown on the roomy deck of his new store overlooking his slips and the Oak Orchard River at The Bridges.

WATERPORT – George Lacey has always considered Captain’s Cove a hidden gem.

And now everyone else will know it, too.

Captain’s Cove was recently chosen by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as a “Hidden Gem” with an influential role in promoting local tourism. Captain’s Cove will be recognized with other winners at the awards dinner Oct. 17 at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.

Lacey, 62, has been in business since he was 17, said the Niagara Falls native. In 1980, he started Lacey Heavy Equipment Repair in Lockport.

In 2015, he had the opportunity to buy Captain’s Cove on the Oak Orchard River at The Bridges, and he made the decision to sell the successful business in Lockport and put all his efforts into making Captain’s Cove “what it used to be.”

“I still see potential here,” Lacey said, referring to the Point Breeze area. “People come here from all over the country. Our fishing is second to none, not even Alaska.”

He has overcome several hurdles in achieving his goal for Captain’s Cove. Three weeks after he purchased it, his wife died by suicide. In 2017 the business flooded during a year of historic high water. Lacey responded to the flood by buying new floating docks, raising the parking lot and marina five feet and putting in new utilities.

He tore the original fishing store down and moved into a rental house on the hill above. In 2019, he was flooded again.

He recently put up a new, modern building for his new store, with improved parking on the upper level. He started in 2022, and it is almost complete, Lacey said. All the wood in the new building came from the trees up on the hill. He said Mike Elam of Albion planted those trees when his family owned the property in the 1950s.

He just got his beer license for the new store, and has groceries, any fishing tackle a person would need, live bait and hunting licenses.

The property also includes a 14-unit motel and 32 slips. They rent pontoons, fishing boats, kayaks and canoes. He has refrigerators available for fisherman to store their catch.

George Lacey sits by the counter in his newly constructed building on the Oak Orchard River.

The entire west wall of the new building facing the river is getting a new look. Mural artist Michelle Cryer of Clarendon is painting the wall, showing the lake and the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.

Samantha Tillman manages the business, and Lacey said she is a top-notch business person, just like her dad Mark.

He credits his employees for the Chamber’s recognition.

“All my people are the best,” he said. “They only call me when something needs to be fixed. It’s the people who work here who want it to grow and made it what it is. It’s a fun place.”

He said they try to do as much as they can to promote the county, and he praised Lynne Menz and Dawn Borchert for their efforts in promoting the area as a tourists’ destination.

Captain’s Cove opens in the spring on April 1 and this year is staying open two weeks longer than usual, until the end of November.

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds will be brimming with activity of a haunted kind when the annual Scarecrow Festival returns on Oct. 12.

For nearly 20 years, children and their families have attended the event to build their own unique scarecrow.

The Scarecrow Festival is sponsored by Medina Lions and has taken place in various locations around the village, until finding a home at the fairgrounds. Early festivals were at the YMCA, Roberts Farm Market, Forrestel Farms and the Canal Basin, but the fairgrounds has turned out to be the ideal location, said Lions president Tom Robinson.

There is ample parking and plenty of room for children to build a scarecrow or romp in the straw. The cost per child is $12.

The first step for children is to choose one of the stakes which Lions provide in two sizes. Then they pick out a face which has been painted by Medina High School art students and continue to the clothing area. Here, they choose from skirts, pants, shirts, blouses, belts, scarves and hats, donated by the MAAC Thrift Shop.

After dressing and stuffing their scarecrow with straw, they proceed to the “surgeons,” who sew up the scarecrow.

A new event this year will be pumpkin decorating contest from 9 a.m. to noon by the Master Gardeners. There will be a prize for the best pumpkin.

In addition, there will be a kids’ pumpkin painting activity and a carving demonstration.

Robinson stressed that adults will be available in all areas of the building to assist children. Students from Job Corps will also be on hand to lend a hand.

A food stand will have hotdogs, chips and beverages available.

Robinson said all money raised is used by the Lions to support non-profits in the community.

Many families return year after year, he said. Some say they save their creation each year and add it to their Halloween display the next year.

Robinson has visited Medina, Lyndonville and Albion school districts, leaving information on the event for all students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

But all children, even adults, are welcome to take part.

The Scarecrow Festival and Community Yard Sale in June are the Lions two biggest fundraisers, Robinson said.

Provided photos: These students are pictured with the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland. Pictured from left in back include Ahlyssa Miller, Jack Cecchini, Mason Eick, Adeline Castricone and Angel Mulchay. In front include Will Prest, Sawyer Kingsbury, Faith Baker-Austin, Morgan Zeiner, Liam Castricone, Nate Surdell, and Zach Lilley.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – Todd Eick, the Medina Junior-Senior High School FFA advisor, had been hoping to take his students on an international trip for several years now.  “I had been really exploring possibilities and then Covid hit and I had to let it go by the wayside,” he said.

This past summer his dream for himself and 13 students came to fruition.

“My daughter had just gone on a trip with Mrs. Peracciny, one of our Spanish teachers, to London, Rome and Paris and I was looking at the photos and thought why aren’t I doing this?”

Mr. Eick looked into different tours and found one focused on agriculture in Ireland.  Ireland’s agriculture sector is a key driver of its economy and is characterized by a focus on livestock production and exports.  There are roughly 135,000 farms in Ireland.

“For our first trip it was really perfect,” he said. “It is an English-speaking country and included farm tours, horticulture tours and aquaculture tours. It all fit.”

The FFA students were joined by a group of students from northern California bringing their total to 30 for the 10-day trip that went to Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Galway, back to Dublin.

“These students came from a very rural section of the west coast and it took them three hours to get to the airport from their town,” Mr. Eick said.  “It is much more rural than where we are from. It definitely added to the learning experience for my students hearing about their day-to-day lives.”

This photo shows the Medina and California students together. They spent 10 days visiting sites in Ireland. They are shown with the tour guide and driver.

The trip involved a lot of diversity for the students; everything from a pig farm, cattle farm, sheep farm, crop farms and oyster farms. They even observed the training of sheepdogs, which they all loved.

“I was very impressed with the farmers we interacted with and it was an amazing adventure for myself and the students,” Eick said. “They really got to experience farm life over there and the farmers were very energetic and very honest with the students about not only their livelihood, but their personal lives as well. One farmer shared with them his struggle with depression and how getting professional help really saved him. It was a great conversation for the students and I think made them aware that it is okay to talk about these issues. It was very impromptu and real and I think the students appreciated his honesty.”

The farmers did a great job engaging all 30 kids and making sure they experienced different things, Mr. Eick said.

“They learned a lot about the Irish culture and traditions as well,” he said.

One of Mr. Eick’s students, Morgan Zeiner, said the trip was a gift.

“My mom really wanted me to go and I have to say it was very cool,” Morgan said. “I loved learning about the history of Ireland and going to the farms was great. It was very hands-on and we milked cows, picked strawberries and helped to harvest oysters. We loved playing with the lambs. As we were walking through the cities and towns, I felt like I was walking through a museum. It was very historical and it was cool to learn about some of their laws too.”

One of those laws was about opening hedgerows where if they did that, they had to plant three times the amount elsewhere.

“The thought is to replace it with more than what you are removing,” Mr. Eick said.  “They have a very sustainable agriculture mindset there. I wish we did things like that here.”

Mr. Eick said the trip was very successful in exposing the students to a different culture and expanding their worldview.

“In 2026, I plan on taking a group of students to Costa Rica and Panama and I am very excited about being able to offer them that experience of seeing the rainforest and volcanos and learning about the flora and fauna,” he said.

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

LOCKPORT – Sportsmen will now be able to hunt big game by rifle in Niagara County with the signing of Senate Bill S.8382B by Governor Kathy Hochul.

The bill allows hunters to take deer and bear by rifle hunting throughout Niagara County except within the cities of Lockport, North Tonawanda and Niagara Falls. Any municipality that wishes to opt out has that option as well.

“Niagara County was one of only a few counties throughout the state where rifle hunting is prohibited – and I thank the Governor for signing this important bill allowing sportsmen to take big game by rifle,” said Senator Ortt. “I’d also like to thank our community partners, local electeds, and my state colleagues for working together to help bring this legislation to fruition. County residents requested their elected representatives to get this done, and I’m proud to say we delivered.”

“Despite being a largely rural county, Niagara County was excluded from the list of counties allowed to use rifles for big game hunting,” said Assemblyman Mike Norris. “As the representative of the eastern Niagara towns in the State Assembly, it was important to me this matter was addressed, and I would like to thank Senator Ortt and the governor for closing this loophole in state law in support of our local hunters and sportspersons.”

“The residents of Niagara County deserve the right to hunt big game by rifle just like many other counties in the state already do,” said Assemblyman Angelo Morinello. “This bill will allow more hunting opportunities for the residents and attract more sport hunting and fishing tourism to the county which can spur economic growth.”

“We appreciate Governor Hochul, Senator Ortt and Assemblymen Morinello and Norris getting this legislation done. Our Niagara County Gun Owners’ Rights Advisory was a huge proponent of this bill because it expands the hunting experience in our community and brings our regulations in line with the vast majority of counties in the state, including our neighbors in Orleans and Genesee,” said Niagara County Legislator Shawn Foti.

The bill went into effect once the Governor signed it, and simply amends existing conservation laws at no cost to taxpayers.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is teaming up with the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program as a part of its Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign.

Since 1980, the program, a project of the Adelphi University School of Social Work, has provided New Yorkers with information and emotional support as they battle breast cancer.

The campaign encourages individuals to take care of their breast health in three ways: getting a mammogram, learning about breast cancer programs in their community and talking to someone who can help. This year’s motto is “When Survivors Unite, Hope Ignites.”

The hotline, which is staffed by volunteers who are breast cancer survivors, directs callers to resources and provides a listening ear. The program can be reached by phone at 800-877-8077 or online at breast-cancer.adelphi.edu.

“I’m proud to be partnering with the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to spread awareness and increase support,” said Hawley. “Every year, more than 2 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer. This is why it is important to know the risk factors and get regular screenings. I encourage all residents of the 139th Assembly District to take advantage of these free resources as we continue to raise awareness this month.”

Press Release, Orleans County Youth Bureau

 ALBION – Thursday, October 10th will be the 10th annual Family Game Night in Orleans County.

This event is sponsored by the Orleans County Youth Bureau and the County Legislative Office.   The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Dubby’s Tailgate located at 165 South Platt St. in Albion.

This event will feature pizza, games to play, displays to visit and a new board game for every family.  The booths will provide information on a wide array of services for youth and families that are available in Orleans County.

The event this year is free for all families.  We will also have a couple drawings throughout the night.  Supporters of the evening are Dubby’s Tailgate, Subway, Medina Railroad Museum, Evan’s ACE Hardware & Building Supplies and Singelyn Enterprises – McDonald’s of Albion.

To register, or for more information, please contact the Legislative Office at 585-589-7053.