By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 November 2025 at 10:12 am
Kristina Gabalski has led local program serving 375 youths since 2018
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Kristina Gabalski accepts a “Special Recognition Award” from the Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday. She was presented the award from County Legislator Ed Morgan. Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, is at left.
Gabalski has led the 4-H program in Orleans County since 2018. It currenly serves 375 youths with 50 adult volunteers.
Gabalski recently was honored with “Achievement in Service” awards at the state and national levels by the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals.
Gabalski leads the local 4-H program and has expanded her responsibilities at the state and district levels, Batt said.
“She continually looks for ways to integrate new topics and methods of delivery that best meet the needs of Orleans County youth,” Batt said. “This includes Spark clubs that not only offer enrolled youth a chance to try something new but also entice unenrolled youth to join.”
He praised her for working with school staff and administrators to support 4-H clubs in schools.
“Most importantly volunteers, parents, and alumni trust and respect Kristina,” Batt said. “Her advocacy of the value of project records, and engagement with all these groups helps to strengthen the people power infrastructure of the county program.”
Gabalski, in accepting the award at the Legislature meeting, said the 4-H youth represent the county well, and not only at the annual 4-H Fair in late July every summer. 4-H’ers go to Albany to meet with state legislators, attend programs at Cornell University and SUNY Cobleskill, and also compete at the State Fair in Syracuse.
“The Legislature can be extremely proud of our youth in Orleans County,” she said.
Gabalski, as 4-H program coordinator, oversees all project areas of 4-H in Orleans County: Animal Science, Family and Consumer Science, STEM, Horse and Dog Program Development, Public Presentations and Civic Engagement. The Animal Science Program includes livestock, horses, and small companion animals and youth exhibits during the
Orleans County 4-H Fair. The 4-H rabbit club hosts an annual Rabbit and Cavy Day and 4-H Rabbit Show. Approximately 200 youth are engaged in animal science.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 1 November 2025 at 9:00 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Rindy Punch, a resident of the North Wing, hands out candy to a young visitor during Wednesday’s Halloween party. (Right) North Wing activities director Adrian Belson, left, and Anna Lewis, activities coordinator, pose in costume with Lewis’ Golden Retriever Billie at the annual Halloween party for residents of the residential wing at Medina Memorial Hospital.
MEDINA – Residents of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing showed their Halloween spirit on Friday morning at the annual party planned by Activities Director Adrian Belson.
Belson started the party seven or eight years ago, and it has grown into a Halloween tradition.
Each year, all the residents are dressed in costume, with help from staff and family. The activities department has an assortment of costumes, and families brought in items so all the residents were decked out for the occasion.
Residents of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing dressed in costume and lined both hallways during their annual Halloween Party. Here, in front, resident Pat Watson is visited by her daughters, Sue Weese at left and Ann Watson, right.
All 28 residents of the North Wing are dressed in a costume and given a bucket of candy to hand out to children who visit. This includes children of staff and friends and the P ‘Raising Day Care Center, who visit every year.
“Adrian has got this event down to a science,” said certified nursing assistant Tina Kelley. “She’s been doing it for years. The whole Activities Department does a wonderful job here. They also do a big celebration for Thanksgiving with staff and family members, as well as Christmas.”
(Left) Makenzie Muck and Kaitlyn Albone of Lyndonville are dressed as a chicken and duck for their visit to the North Wing’s Halloween party on Wednesday morning. Kaitlyn holds her daughter Nova, who will be 1 on Nov. 11. They said Anna Lewis told them about the party and they wanted to visit because their grandma used to be a resident there. (Right) Lindsay Wilston, a certified nursing assistant at the North Wing, was dressed in costume for the Halloween party for residents. Residents were given buckets of candy to hand out to visitors, which included children from P ‘Raising Kids Day Care.
One resident was Audrey Bieliski, who dressed as a nurse. It was a fitting costume, as Bieliski actually worked as a nurse in the hospital for 36 years, said her daughter Margo Sarchia.
“It’s amazing they do this,” Sarchia said. “It takes so much time but they always put the residents first.”
After children and other guests visited all the residents who lined the halls and got their candy, they were given punch and Halloween cookies.
Nicki Fredericks visits her brother Fulton Rogers there every day and thought the costume party was wonderful.
“It’s great they do something like this,” Fredericks said. “Every resident is in costume, even if it’s just a hat or a neckerchief. They do a good job here. It’s nice to see.”
Visiting Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing Halloween party were, from left, Tom Bloomer, North Wing administrator; Rebecca Mannella, director of nursing; and Cassie Maynard, charge nurse.
Audrey Bieliski dressed as a nurse, a fitting costume, as she was a nurse on the North Wing for 36 years. On the wall behind her is a picture of her in uniform with three staff members, taken in 1975. Friday morning she handed out candy with other North Wing residents to young children who visited, many from P ‘Raising Kids Day Care. Waiting for his candy is Jon Kirkpatrick, 2, of Lyndonville, whose mom Amber works in the unit.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 31 October 2025 at 8:51 pm
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) In addition to installation of a wheelchair-accessible lift outside the Knights of Columbus in Medina, council members raised enough money to put in new aluminum stairs at the back of their building. (Right) Jim Mirand, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus in Medina, takes a ride on their new lift with Medina mayor Marguerite Sherman and David Feltz, campaign chair, prior to cutting the ribbon celebrating completion of the lift on Wednesday.
MEDINA – A nearly year-long fundraising campaign was celebrated on Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting by Medina’s Knights of Columbus Council, recognizing installation of an enclosed wheelchair lift and new aluminum stairs at their rear of their building.
Participating in the ceremony were Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman, Grand Knight Jim Mirand, fundraising campaign chairman David Feltz and bar president Steve Winans.
Sherman and Mirand rode on the elevator to the second floor Council rooms, as he explained its purpose in providing access to wheelchair or handicapped individuals. He said it is designed for outdoor use and will not be affected by the cold.
“This will be a game-changer for us,” Feltz said. “This will allow access for anyone who wants to visit our Council but is handicapped.”
Mirand said they are also constructing a new unisex bathroom in their facility.
The lift project was completed because of a successful fundraising campaign that started in July 2024 and ended on Easter Sunday 2025, Mirand said. When the Knights were unsuccessful in obtaining grant money from the New York Forward project when the winners were announced in May 2024, Mirand said they were disappointed, but not defeated.
“The organization moved forward with an aggressive fundraising campaign,” Mirand said. “The campaign was spearheaded by myself and campaign chair David Feltz, along with Bar President Steve Winans, who played a significant role during the construction phase of the project.”
Mayor Marguerite Sherman, left, joins Knights of Columbus members Steve Winans, Bar President; Grand Knight Jim Mirand; and campaign chairman David Feltz in cutting the ribbon to celebrate the installation of a lift outside their council building on Main Street in Medina.
More than $140,000 was raised from donations received from more than 160 individuals, families and organizations. Donations ranged from $100 to $25,000. The Knights raised an additional $25,000 through raffles and dinners that were held during the same period. The balance of the funds came from savings and loans secured by the Knights.
A grand total of $230,000 was spent on the lift, along with a new set of aluminum stairs which meet ADA standards. Additionally, there was new electrical work completed and new air conditioning for the banquet hall, plus concrete and masonry work. A new entrance was also installed on the front of the building.
Medina Knights of Columbus Council 651 was founded on March 17, 1902. Although the history of the transaction is somewhat unclear, the Knights obtained the deed to their building at 418-422 Main St. in 1921.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s organization that was founded March 29, 1882 by Father Michael McGivney in New Haven, Conn. The Medina Knights was the 651st council to receive a charter, Currently, there are more than 17,000 Knights councils worldwide, with more than 1.5 million members. Medina’s council claims around 100 members.
The Medina Knights have a long and proud history of supporting the local community, Mirand said. They have sponsored a scholarship to a graduating Medina High School senior for the past 25 years. They proudly support local veterans through donations to Operation Honor and the patriot trip.
Each year they sponsor a member-driven food drive that benefits the Medina Emergency Food Pantry. They have held bowling, shuffleboard and golf tournaments for more than 30 years to raise funds to support their other charitable donations to the local community.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 6:55 pm
The many fallen trees, branches and wires have resulted in about 2,500 National Grid customers without electricity in Orleans County.
The trees are vulnerable due to the high winds and soggy soil.
The National Grid power outage map is currently unavailable, but the Orleans County Emergency Management Office provided an update on the outages.
The Town of Clarendon is affected the most with 1,545 National Grid customers without power.
The outages also includes 548 in Carlton, 218 in Murray, 169 in Barre, 37 in Albion, 36 in Kendall, 31 in Yates, 8 in both Shelby and Gaines, and 1 in Ridgeway.
The estimated restorations range from 7 to 10:45 p.m.
“These outages are also widespread across the region and manpower and resources are limited but fully engaged in restoring everyone’s power as quickly as possible,” the EMO stated in an update on Facebook.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 3:39 pm
Most candidates for town and county positions are unopposed
Town and county positions are up for election on Nov. 4, and 266 people have already cast ballots in the first five days of early voting.
The Board of Elections at the County Office Building in Albion is the lone early voting polling location. Registered voters could cast ballots there since last Saturday. Early voting continues today until 5 p.m. and then again on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Most of the positions up for election do not have opposition, but there are some races around the county.
Here are the positions that are up for election:
State
Supreme Court Justice, 8th Judicial District (2 positions) – Shannon Heneghan (Dem, Rep, Con and Wor) and Jorge deRosas (Dem, Rep and Con)
County
Treasurer – Kimberly DeFrank, Republican
County Legislator (at-large from west) – Merle “Skip” Draper of Medina, Republican
County Legislator (at-large from central) – Don Allport of Gaines, Republican
County Legislator (at-large from east) – Ed Morgan of Murray, Republican
County Legislator (District 1) – Bill Eick of Shelby, Republican
County Legislator (District 2) – Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville, Republican
County Legislator (District 3) – Fred Miller of Albion, Democrat
County Legislator (District 4) – John Fitzak of Carlton, Republican (Jeremy Ross has been endorsed by Democratic Party as write-in candidate.)
Town of Albion
Town Supervisor – Richard Remley, Republican
Town Council members – Arnold Allen and Sandra Bensley, Republican
Town Clerk – Kim Hazel, Republican
Town of Barre
Town Supervisor – Stephen Coville II, Republican and “Future for Barre”
Town Council members – Wesley Miller and David Allen, Republican and “Future for Barre”
Town of Carlton
Town Council members – John Olles and Charles Ricci, Republican
Town Council member (2 years to fill vacancy, pick one) – Marlene Seielstad, Democratic Party, and Ryan Woolston, Republican
Town Clerk – Deborah Yokel, Republican
Town Justice – Kevin Hurley, Republican
Highway Superintendent – Kurt VanWycke, Republican
Town of Clarendon
Town Supervisor – Marc Major, Republican
Town Council members (pick two) – Cecelia Pacheco Stevens, Democratic Party, and Christopher Caufield and Fred Seeman, III, Republicans
Town of Gaines
Town Supervisor – Tyler Allport, Republican
Town Council members – James Kirby and Kenneth Rush, Republicans
Town Clerk – Janet Cheverie, Republican
Town Justice – Charles Prentice Jr., Republican
Town of Kendall
Town Supervisor – Tony Cammarata, Republican
Town Council members – David Gaudioso and Jeffrey Kinne, Republicans
Town Clerk – Tina Palumbo, Republican
Town Justice – Debra Kluth, Republican
Highway Superintendent – Eric Maxon, Republican
Town of Murray
Town Supervisor – Gerald Rightmyer, Republican
Town Council members – Neil Valentine and Elaine Berg, Republicans
Town Council member (2 years to fill vacancy) – Scott Lang, Republican
Highway Superintendent – Dirk Lammes Jr., Republican (William D. “Bill” Bosley Jr. is mounting a write-in campaign.)
Town of Ridgeway
Town Council members – Cliff Barber and Jesse Cudzilo, Republicans
Town Clerk – Hannah Hill, Republican
Highway Superintendent – John Olinger, Republican
Town of Shelby
Town Supervisor – James Heminway, Republican, Conservative
Town Council members – Lawrence Waters Sr. and Edward Zelazny, Republican and Conservative
Town Council member (to fill 2-year vacancy, pick one) – John Pratt III, Republican, and Mark Wambach, Conservative
Town of Yates
Town Supervisor – James Simon
Town Council members – William Jurinich, Republican and Conservative, and Harold Suhr, Republican
Town Council member (to fill 2-year vacancy) – Steven Vann, Republican and Conservative
The following proposal will be on the ballot: Amendment to Allow Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County on State Forest Preserve Land. This would allow skiing and related trail facilities on state forest preserve land. The site is 1,039 acres. Requires State to add 2,500 acres of new forest land in Adirondack Park.
A yes vote authorizes new ski trails and related facilities in the Adirondack forest preserve, while a no vote does not authorize this use.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 12:14 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Alma de México does a folkloric dance on Oct. 26, 2024 during a Day of the Dead celebration at the Orleans County YMCA. After six years at the YMCA, the event will move to the Medina Triennial at 345 North Main St. on Saturday.
MEDINA – The Día de los Muertos Festival “Day of the Dead” will be on Saturday in Medina, and will be at a different location this year.
After six years at the YMCA on Pearl Street, the event is shifting to the Medina Triennial headquarters at North Main St. The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) continues as the main organizer of this event.
The celebration is reimagined this year as an exhibit-based cultural education program, keeping the traditions alive while helping to provide accessibility and safety, organizers said.
Some of the exhibits and features will include:
Large Ofrenda (altar): For community members and students to place battery-operated candles, photos and letters to loved ones.
Mojigangas: Giant papier-mâché or cardboard puppets, often 10–12 feet tall. They’re worn over a performer’s body with a harness or frame. The person inside sees through a mesh or cutout near the puppet’s neck or chest. Their purpose is to bring humor, liveliness, and visual spectacle to the celebration, a mix of satire and joy symbolizing the unity of life and death.
Storyboard Wall: Large, bilingual (English/Spanish) visual timeline introducing the history, meaning, and evolution of Día de los Muertos — from its Indigenous roots to modern-day traditions.
Video Screenings: Past festival footage and short documentaries played on screens.
“Catrina” figurines (cone dress, marshmallow head, tissue hat, pipe cleaner arms, Día de los Muertos designs).
Picture frame + remembrance letter project (for altar display).
Cultural Introduction: Brief introduction of Medina Triennial and Dia de los Muertos at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. by Federico Rosario, Community Engagement & Programs Coordinator of Medina Triennial.
Press Release, NYS Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt
ALBANY – Members of the New York State Senate Republican Conference sent a letter to United States Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, urging them to set aside politics, prioritize the needs of the people of New York, and vote for the clean continuous resolution to reopen and fund the federal government.
The United States government has remained shut down for 30 days. The shutdown is having a domino effect throughout New York State, impacting childcare, heating assistance, nutrition assistance, housing programs, and veteran services while Federal employees and contractors go without pay.
A clean continuing resolution to reopen and fund the federal government has passed the House of Representatives but has failed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the United States Senate thirteen times, due to near-unanimous opposition from Democratic Senators.
“With no continuing resolution (CR) the government is at a standstill, and detrimental effects are already being felt by our dedicated federal workers who have gone close to a month without being paid,” Ortt said. “Equally concerning, the prolonged shutdown now threatens essential services that countless New Yorkers rely on, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Head Start preschool program, and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). These programs are lifelines for our most vulnerable citizens.
“Minority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand have the ability to end the devastating impacts of this shutdown, especially on the most vulnerable New Yorkers, by working with the members of their Democratic Caucus to vote on a clean continuing resolution to end the shutdown immediately,” Ortt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 9:45 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: This arch was set up at the start of Medina’s Beggar’s Nite a week ago on Oct. 24. The Print Shop is the starting point for the Beggar’s Nite, where many businesses in Medina’s downtown give out candy.
The four villages in Orleans County have set times for people to be out trick-or-treating this evening.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 October 2025 at 8:49 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Although the Brown Street bridge in Albion has been closed to vehicular traffic since 2012, the bridge has a walkway that is open to pedestrians. This photo was taken last Sunday.
A wind advisory is in effect for Orleans County beginning at 11 a.m. today and going until 5 a.m. Saturday. The advisory includes most of upstate New York.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo said there will be west to northwest winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 mph.
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, including Halloween decorations,” the Weather Service said. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.”
The highs in the forecast include 47 today, 49 on Saturday, 53 on Sunday and 55 on Monday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2025 at 9:01 pm
Business offers wide selection of firearms, ammunition, apparel and accessories
Photos by Tom Rivers: Shawn Malark, owner of North Star Ammo & Defense, is shown inside the business with two of the employees, Corey Black and Eric Harling, who are both recently retired after careers as investigators with the Orleans County Major Crime Felony Task Force.
ALBION – A new business celebrated its opening today, and many of the customers and local officials marveled at the transformation of an old sandstone warehouse into the new North Star Ammo & Defense.
Shawn Malark worked for three years to create North Star, which offers firearms, ammunition, apparel and other accessories at 227 West Ave. To get to the store enter from the side of the building along Hamilton Street.
Malark is a Kendall graduate who has been running Orleans Pallet at the Medina sandstone warehouse in Albion since 2006. Part of the 1901 warehouse burned in a dramatic fire on Oct. 17, 2013. Malark was able to keep the pallet business going despite the devastating fire.
Malark has been wanting to branch out in a business to help people with self protection, to help them feel safer.
“We are committed to upholding the highest standards of safety, compliance and customer service,” he said. “Our team is dedicated to promoting safety, education and responsible gun ownership. We believe our business will be a positive addition to the area by serving the needs of local hunters, sporting club members, outdoorsmen and responsible citizens.”
Shawn Malark, his wife Kelly and their daughter Montana cut the ribbon outside North Star Ammo & Defense this morning during a ribbon-cutting celebration.
Several local officials attended the ribbon-cutting. Malark received commendations from the Orleans County Legislature, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and the offices of State Sen. Rob Ortt and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney.
The grand opening celebration continues on Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with giveaways and raffles, and a meet-and-greet with the team of experts.
The transformation of the warehouse for North Star shocked many of the local officials who attended the ribbon-cutting today. The warehouse was being used for storage but Malark has turned it into a retail store that also has computers for people to shop online at other vendors and distributors, giving them access to more than 144,000 items. Click here to see the North Star website.
North Star has three employees who are well known in the community for their long careers in law enforcement. Corey Black and Eric Harling are both recently retired from the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force. Black also worked for the Sheriff’s Office as a deputy and investigator. Harling worked 20 years with the Medina Police Department before joining the Task Force the past 11 years.
Dave Meyer also joined North Star after 31 years as a state parole officer.
David Meyer works with a customer today at North Star.
Black, Harling and Meyer worked together for many years, and they are happy to be together again on the job. North Star is far less stressful with only positive interactions, they said.
“This is a breath of fresh air coming from the career I was in,” Harling said. “Every engagement here is a positive one.”
Harling has been hunting since he was a kid. He and Black both bring extensive knowledge of firearms. Black for many years was the firearms instructor for the local law enforcement and taught the pistol permit class.
Black said he is eager to share his knowledge about firearms. He said there are many different types of guns that have different purposes.
He is grateful for the opportunity to work at North Star.
“This is a team environment,” he said. “The people that come in here are happy and they’re excited.”
He is impressed by Malark and his attention to detail and vision for the new business.
“Shawn is an amazing guy,” Black said. “He is go, go, go.”
Kelly Malark aims this 12-gauge Weatherby rifle that she won at a raffle at the St. Paul Boulevard Exempts Association in Rochester. The rifle had just been delivered to North Star, which has a Federal Firearms License. Eric Harling, left, and Shawn Malark are at the counter.
North Star would like to work with many fire departments and non-profits on gun raffles. If someone wins a gun and can’t pick it up at North Star in Albion, the gun can be shipped to another FFL closer to that person’s residence.
A group gathers at North Star today for a ribbon-cutting celebration. They stayed under a covered area by the loading dock due to the heavy rain.
Shawn Malark said he and his family were considering other names for the business until his daughter spoke her first words. Kendall was 5 ½ and watching a Peppa Pig video with a nursery rhyme called “North Star.”
She repeated “North Star” and her family burst into tears. Kendall is autistic and those first words were very powerful for her father and gave him even more drive to see the new business become a reality.
Malark said he is very confident in the North Star team of six employees. He wants the site to be of service to the community. He believes there is strong potential to build the North Star brand and have it become a bigger business beyond Orleans County.
“We want to do something special here and bring people together who want to feel safe,” Malark said at today’s ceremony. “That’s our commitment to the community.”
North Star has developed several of its own apparel items and other merchandise. The shirt of the left recognizes many first responders and those in law enforcement and the military. Shawn and Kelly Malark wanted to highlight the role of nurses, too, as first responders and people providing critical services to the public.
A North Star shirt is at right. The business has other shirts, hats, gun mats, frisbees and other products with its brand. Some of that merchandise will be given away on Friday during the grand opening celebration.
NY makes $65 million available in emergency food assistance
Photo by Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul: Gov. Kathy Hochul visits Common Pantry in Harlem in anticipation of the looming cut-off of SNAP benefits.
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today declared a state of emergency and announced new actions in response to the Trump administration stripping food assistance from 3 million New Yorkers come November 1.
As the GOP federal government shutdown continues, the Trump administration has refused to release billions in statutorily approved federal contingency funding that would address this crisis in states across the nation.
By refusing to release this contingency funding, the federal government is leaving millions of New Yorkers without critical assistance they rely on to feed themselves and their families.
Governor Hochul is stepping up by committing an additional $65 million in new State funds for emergency food assistance that will reinforce New York’s network of vital food bank and pantry partners and provide about 40 million meals to hungry New Yorkers. The Governor is also deploying Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps Members to support local food banks during this emergency period of increased need, and continuing to explore food hubs at schools.
“The Trump Administration is cutting food assistance off for three million New Yorkers, leaving our state to face an unprecedented public health crisis and hurting our grocers, bodegas and farmers along the way,” Governor Hochul said. “Unlike Washington Republicans, I won’t sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table.”
Since the inception of the program, SNAP benefits have been federally funded. New York administers approximately $650 million per month in federally funded SNAP benefits to nearly 3 million New Yorkers. Given the scale of the program, Governor Hochul along with governors across the country have repeatedly emphasized that no state government can replace SNAP benefits or backfill the program.
Here’s a look at what today’s announcement means for New Yorkers:
• $40 million in new funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides emergency food relief and nutrition services to food-insecure populations. HPNAP works in partnership with a network of about 2,700 Emergency Food Providers (EFPs), including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.
• $25 million in new funding for Nourish NY, which supplies surplus agricultural products (e.g., milk, apples, cheese, yogurt, cabbage, squash) to populations who need them through the State’s network of food relief organizations (i.e., regional food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and community-based organizations that provide food for free to persons experiencing food insecurity).
Deploying Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps Members to support food banks
Currently, hundreds of SUNY students serve as peer navigators, helping fellow students complete SNAP applications and assisting at campus and local food pantries.
The Empire State Service Corps will allow current members to expand their paid hours, enabling them to provide greater support at food pantries statewide. In addition, new short-term crisis response positions will be created to assist food pantries and food banks facing staffing shortages.
Today’s announcement comes as New York, along with 24 other states, sued the Trump administration on Tuesday to demand the release of emergency SNAP funds. The Governor also joined a letter alongside 20 other Governors to the President, calling for the Administration to reverse course and release emergency SNAP funds. Governor Hochul also fast-tracked $41 million in state funds for emergency food assistance earlier this week — today’s announcement brings the total of allocated state funds to $106 million.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2025 at 4:41 pm
Provided photo: Maci Manicki teamed with Mike Weldon to win first place at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Jackson, Ohio.
Maci Manicki,15, of Kent recently won first place at the Ranch Sorting National Championships Congress Super Sort.
Manicki teamed with Mike Weldon to take the championship among 179 teams in the rookie division. They competed as part of the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Jackson, Ohio on Oct. 17.
With Ranch Sorting, a group of 11 cattle are gathered into a 50-to-60-foot round pen. All but one of the cattle is tagged with a number from 0 to 9.
Riders compete as a two person team with the objective to sort the cattle, one at a time, away from the herd and through an opening between the pens. (Click here to see a video of Maci Manicki at the competition.)
It is a difficult challenge. The cattle must be sorted in sequential order according to the back numbers.
The arena announcer calls out a number, at random, between O and 9. As the first rider enters the pen with the cattle while the other rider guards the opening between the pens.
The sorter must start with the animal tagged with the announced number and work through the sequence. Any untagged animal is left in the pen.
The sort has a time-limit. The team with the most accumulated cattle in the least amount of time after the three rounds wins. Manicki and Weldon sorted 29 cattle in three rounds totaling 167.59 seconds.
Along with cattle sorting, Manicki has competed in the Pennsylvania and New York high school rodeo circuits, where she does barrels, poles, goat tying and breakaway roping. She has won multiple events including year-end “All Around Cowgirl” for her division. Manicki also competes in the Attica Rodeo and Show Association, running barrels and team penning.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 October 2025 at 3:55 pm
Paul Fulcomer
ALBION – Paul Fulcomer, who was retired as Orleans County’s Veterans Service Agency director, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Wednesday afternoon.
Fulcomer was riding a motorcycle west on East County House Road when he entered the intersection at Route 98, failing to stop at the stop sign and then colliding with a northbound vehicle, according to a news release from Sheriff Chris Bourke.
Fulcomer, 78, was ejected from his motorcycle. Emergency life-saving measures were administered at the scene by Mercy Ambulance, Mercy Flight, and the Albion Fire Department, Bourke said. Fulcomer was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Orleans County Coroner’s Office.
The resulting collision caused both vehicles to leave the roadway, coming to rest on the lawn of a residence located on the northwest corner of the intersection.
The investigation is ongoing by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the New York State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit.
Fulcomer served as director of the Veterans Service Agency in Orleans County for 13 years, retiring in November 2015. He helped veterans and their families receive benefits through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
In his retirement, he continued to be active in veterans’ causes.
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today joined House Leadership and members of the New York Republican delegation at a press conference marking Day 30 of the Democrat Shutdown, calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to stop appeasing the far left and reopen the government.
Tenney highlighted the devastating consequences of the shutdown for American families, small businesses, and essential workers across the country, emphasizing that the crisis was entirely avoidable.
Tenney criticized Schumer and Jeffries as weak leaders who have surrendered to Marxist and anti-Israel activists driving the Democratic Party’s agenda. She pointed to figures such as Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Bernie Sanders as the new faces of a far-left coalition that has overtaken New York’s Democratic leadership and brought the country to a standstill.
“We are here to fight for the men and women who build, farm, serve, and raise families. They are the backbone of this nation and they deserve a government that works for them, not for the political insiders who created this mess,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “So my message to Schumer and Jeffries is simple: stop playing games, stop bowing to the mob, and reopen the government. Pay our troops, fund essential services, and start putting American families and New York families first.”
Tenney urged New Yorkers to speak out and reject the radicalism that has taken over their state.
Press Release, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to demand the Trump administration stop cruelly withholding available funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
While Republicans continue to deny this vital assistance, despite having the ability to keep food assistance flowing, the senators announced they are pushing new legislation — the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 — to continue these vital food programs for working families during the GOP shutdown.
“For the first time in history, a president, Donald Trump, is refusing to fund SNAP during a shutdown despite the fact that he has the available funds to keep it going,” said Sen. Schumer.
SNAP is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States, providing an average of $187 per month in food aid to over 42 million people nationwide—including nearly 3 million New Yorkers.
Despite having billions of dollars ready and available to pay for SNAP in a contingency fund, the Trump administration is refusing to tap into this fund. Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand called on the administration to immediately make this money available to help keep SNAP benefits flowing until the government reopens.
“Trump is weaponizing hunger,” Schumer said. “He is using kids who rely on school meals, seniors on fixed incomes, veterans & families trying to get groceries as political pawns. If this administration can cough up $40 billion for Argentina, they can fund SNAP from existing funds to stop American families from going hungry.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had a plan to release SNAP contingency funds, but Trump forced the USDA to abandon their shutdown contingency plan, making this Saturday the first time in American history SNAP benefits will lapse for hungry children, veterans, seniors and other Americans.
“In refusing to fund SNAP during the government shutdown, the Trump administration is playing politics with my constituents’ lives,” Gillibrand said. “But for families that are already stretched thin, this decision is more than political—it’s a matter of survival.”
Schumer and Gillibrand are demanding Republican leadership allow the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 to come for a full vote, which would ensure that SNAP and WIC benefits continue uninterrupted during this Republican shutdown.
The legislation additionally requires the federal government to reimburse states for covering SNAP and WIC benefits for the duration of the shutdown. The senators also joined 44 other Democrats in a letter to the Trump administration demanding that they immediately release the billions of dollars at their disposal to fund SNAP.
Since the beginning of his term, Trump has targeted food assistance for hungry Americans. Earlier this year, Trump already gutted nearly $200 billion from SNAP in the Republican “Big, Beautiful Bill,” and canceled $1 billion in food assistance for schools and food banks.
