Austin Seefeldt named Firefighter of the Year

Provided photos: Austin Seefeldt was named Firefighter of the Year at Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company’s banquet. From left are assistant chief Jerry Lewis; deputy chief Kristin McAdoo; Seefeldt; his father and life member Christopher Seelfeldt; and chief Tyler Luckman.

RIDGEWAY – The Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary held their 74th annual installation banquet Saturday night.

A welcome was given by secretary Marisa Gilbert and chief Tyler Luckman, followed by introduction of guests by master of ceremonies Justin Niederhofer. After the invocation by Pastor Dan Thurber, guests enjoyed dinner catered by Donna Eick.

The program began with special recognitions of firefighters and installation of officers.

Chief Tyler Luckman gave the Firefighter of the Year award to Austin Seefeldt.

Outgoing president Marisa Gilbert named Patrick Kelly as recipient of the President’s Award. Kelly, a 35-year member, was unable to attend because of work.

Ridgeway Fire Captain Jason Bessel was presented with a special award at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company’s installation banquet Saturday night. With him are, from left, assistant chief, Jerry Lewis, Bessel; deputy chief Kristin McAdoo and chief Tyler Luckman.

A special presentation was made to Jason Bessel for the great amount of work he did on the fire company’s Truck Committee.

“He has been involved with all our truck purchases for the last decade,” said Kristin McAdoo, deputy chief.

Fire company officers for 2026 were sworn in by Niederhofer, as follows: Chief, Tyler Luckman; deputy chief, Kristin McAdoo; assistant chief, Jerry Lewis; firematic captain, Jason Bessel; firematic lieutenants, Austin Mosher and Justin McAdoo; safety officer, Don Marchner; fire police captain, Paul Wengrzycki; fire police lieutenant, Kyle Brakenbury; EMS captain, Morgan Austin and EMS lieutenant, Page Smith.

Justin Niederhofer, Orleans 1 (the county’s emergency management coordinator), is at the podium and swears in officers for 2026 in the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department during their banquet Saturday night.

Executive officers sworn in were president, Greg Gilbert; vice president, Madison Austin; secretary, Marisa Gilbert; treasurer, Jennifer Thom; sergeant-at-arms, Justin McAdoo; director for 3 years, Morgan Austin; director for two years, James Ryan; and director for one year, Austin Mosher.

Members of the Ladies Auxiliary sworn in by Ridgeway Town Clerk Hannah Hill were president, Tracey Hendrick; vice president, Melissa Hansler; secretary/treasurer, Joelle Brown; and chaplain, Harriet Petrie.

It was announced that Ridgeway responded to a record number of calls in 2025 – 376, of which 218 were EMS. Other calls were for mutual aid – 19 (which included one water rescue; 12 fill-ins and nine working structure fires); automatic alarms – 10; structure fires – nine; good intent calls – eight; brush/grass fires – eight; water problems – five; vehicle fires – five; miscellaneous fire at a power substation – one; water rescue for kayakers stranded on the creek – one; and other calls, 12.

Top 10 responders in 2025 were Don Marchner – 283; his grandson Justin McAdoo – 273; Kyle Brakenbury – 186; Austin Seefeldt – 177; Greg Gilbert – 130; Andrew Austin – 127; Jerry Lewis – 125; Morgan Austin – 120; Kristin McAdoo – 105; and Mike Blue – 91.

The evening concluded with benediction by Pastor Thurber and music by disc jockey JT.

Hannah Hill, town of Ridgeway clerk, right, swears in Ridgeway Ladies Auxiliary officers at their banquet Saturday night. Officers are, from left, Harriet Petrie, chaplain; Joelle Brown, secretary/treasurer; and Tracey Hendrick, president. Absent is Melissa Hansler, vice president.

Provided photo: Baltimore Album Quilts, such as this example here, will be the topic of a virtual lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday to benefit the Cobblestone Society and Museum.

CHILDS – The Cobblestone Society and Museum will host its first fundraising event of 2026 on Wednesday. A virtual lecture will be presented at 7 p.m. on the topic of Baltimore Album Quilts, by quilt historian and collector Deborah “Debby” Cooney of Maryland, one of today’s leading experts on these historical quilts.

She and Ronda McAllen published “Baltimore Album Quilts: New Research,” in the journal of the American Quilt Study Group in 2017, in addition to other articles and essays, according to Sue Bonafini, assistant director of the Cobblestone Museum.

Cooney’s talk is titled “Baltimore Album Quilts: Their History and Major Styles.” Cooney shares that Baltimore Album Quilts, produced largely between 1842 and 1862, are among the most elaborate and accomplished examples of American quilt making.

Her presentation will explain the context of their development and the various design styles, largely in floral applique, that emerged from Baltimore’s talented needlewomen and its religious groups. Many images of the genre’s lavish creations will be discussed.

Registrations for the virtual lecture will be accepted at the Museum’s event’s page at Cobblestonemuseum.org or click here for more information.

Donations are accepted in exchange for the Zoom link to attend the program. Donors may choose their level of support on a sliding scale basis, beginning at just $5. Donations of $25 or greater allow individuals or businesses to claim the title of sponsor or support of the program. Town & Country Quilt Shop in Albion and Country Treasures Quilt Shop in Brockport are current sponsors of this event, as well as a few anonymous donors who offered additional financial support.

The Cobblestone Society owns a small collection of antique quilts and 19th century coverlets in their textiles collection. An exhibit of more than 20 coverlets is currently displayed at the Museum’s Thompson-Kast Visitors Center.

A full color catalog details each coverlet, used as a reference guide or for purchase by donation. Interested individuals can call (585) 589-9013 for an appointment to view this exhibit or for more information regarding Wednesday’s virtual lecture.

Provided photos: The varsity winterguard involves includes 14 students in grades 9 to 12 and their show is “Dreams.”

Courtesy of Medina Mustang Boosters

Medina opened its winterguard season  on Jan 17th with a competition at Marcus Whitman HS in Rushville, Ontario County.

Winterguard is a hybrid art form that combines elements of music, dance and military-like precision marching in a competitive arena for a total entertainment package. WG started about 30 years ago and involves the manipulation (spins, tosses, flips) of equipment (flags, rifles, sabers) while moving around the performance space.

Medina is sponsoring 2 guard units this season – junior varsity and varsity.

Both guards competed at Marcus Whitman on Saturday. The JV guard came in 1st in the cadet class. The varsity guard came in 2nd out of 3 in the A1 class.

Both will compete again on Saturday, Jan 24th at Orchard Park.

The junior varsity winterguard includes 14 members from 5th to 8th grade who started practicing in mid-November.  Three students have joined for the first time. Their show is “The Big Cheese” about a day at the races.

Republicans meet on Jan. 24 and Democrats follow on Jan. 27

ALBION – The Republican and Democratic parties will soon be holding their caucuses to pick their candidates in the upcoming March 18 village election.

The Republican Party will have its caucus at 2 p.m. on Jan. 24 in the Curtis Room at Hoag Library. The Democrats will have their caucus at 7 p.m. on Jan. 27 at Pullman Memorial Universalist Church.

The election is usually the third Tuesday in March, which would be March 17 this year. However, that is St. Patrick’s Day so the election has been moved back a day.

This year there will be four-year terms on the ballot for mayor (currently Angel Javier Jr.) and trustees (currently Tim McMurray and Joyce Riley).

Polls will be open on March 18 from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Office, 35-37 East Bank St.

Candidates also can run as independents and need to submit petitions signed by at least 100 registered voters in the village. Those petitions are due to the village clerk by Feb. 10.

Albion is the only village in Orleans County that has candidates run under the major party lines. Lyndonville, Medina and Holley don’t have the party lines in their elections. In those villages, all of the candidates run as independents.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No.1

MEDINA – The gusty winds of January revive generational memories of terror for one household in Medina. A news article in The Daily Press, Jan 10., 1889, gave a vivid description.

“Nearly all day yesterday, the wind blew a strong gale from the west…. About four o’clock (a.m.), a terrible crash that could be heard even above the roaring of the wind, shook the town. People who heard it awoke with fear and trembling, and it was soon learned that the Methodist Church spire had fallen, and that the residence of M. Cooper, situated about twenty feet directly east, was partly buried under the pile of debris.

“People began to collect and it was found that the spire had fallen in a northeasterly direction, just grazing the west wing, tearing the cornice off and completely crushing the woodshed. The yard is filled to a depth of some three feet with a pile of broken timbers, brick and slate, all of which are broken in fine pieces and the collapse could not be more complete.”

Medina businessman, Michael Cooper (1839 – 1899) had a narrow escape when the spire of the Methodist Church fell on his home on January 10, 1889.

The residence at 216 West Center St. had been built in 1850 by Sylvester Sherman. Michael Cooper purchased it in 1866 for $3,000. At the time of the steeple collapse, it was occupied by Michael Cooper, his wife Catherine and sons John and George.

Construction of the First Methodist Episcopal Society of Medina Church at 222 West Center St. was completed in 1876. A prior location on Main Street had been destroyed by fire.

A notable feature of the new construction was a 156-foot-tall spire. (The height of the spire was also described as 180 feet and at 235 feet.) Currently, the 175-foot–high spire of the Presbyterian Church in Albion is the highest point in Orleans County.

Whatever its exact height, the spire was not structurally sound. A high wind in May 1884 caused a three-foot-long crack in the brick work. Architect A.J. Warner of Rochester, who was hired by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Medina, described the spire as “unsafe and in a ruinous condition and liable to fall and do serious damage to life and property.” He recommended that it be taken down or “rendered entirely safe” without delay.

Architect William Morgan of Somerset agreed that it was unsafe but proposed that it could be made perfectly safe with new braces. He supervised the repair which was carried out by “a force of men” and “pronounced it entirely safe, in fact stronger than ever.”

The repair only lasted four years. The church was badly damaged by the collapse of the spire, the Cooper house was badly jarred, but “the family of Mr. Cooper had a very narrow escape and are receiving the congratulations of their many friends today.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Card players filled the Kendall Fire Hall on Feb. 5, 2025 for the Kendall-Hamlin euchre tournament. The three-day tournament provides some fun and camaraderie during the middle of the winter.

KENDALL – Card players are welcome to be part of the 71^st Kendall-Hamlin euchre tournament which begins this Wednesday in Hamlin at Merritt Hall at 6:30 p.m.

The action then shifts to Kendall at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the Kendall fire hall and concludes in Hamlin at Merritt Hall on Feb. 4 with the fish fry supper to follow at the Hamlin VFW.

The two towns have kept up the tradition for generations. Players can just show up, said John Becker of Kendall. There are usually about 60 players each night.

The tournament is open to residents in both towns. If one town has more players than the other, some of those players might play for the rival town to even out the players.

After the three days of card playing, the scores will be tabulated to determine the winner.

The event isn’t a fundraiser, but Becker said donations are made to the fire departments in both Kendall and Hamlin.

The tournament started in 1954 when a group of farmers from Kendall and Hamlin stopped to play cards after attending a farm show in Rochester.

They had so much fun playing cards and drinking beer that the euchre tournament became an annual event. It remains popular and has expanded from a one-evening tournament to being spread over three Wednesdays in the dead of winter.

The tournament still includes many farmers but it has opened up to the entire community. The players pay $10 each night and that includes beer or soda.

Photo courtesy of Marsha Rivers: The sun rises over a snow-covered Gaines Basin Road on Friday in a field across from Walmart.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Orleans, Niagara, Genesee and northern Erie counties from 1 p.m. Sunday until 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Those counties can expect 10 to 20 inches of snow, with winds gusting as high as 50 miles per hour. That will create blowing and drifting snow with whiteout conditions at times.

“Significant snow accumulation will occur Sunday night through Monday, and again Tuesday into Tuesday night,” the Weather Service said. “Whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening.”

The snowbands will oscillate with varying  intensities and snowfall amounts over the area, the Weather Service said. There will also be wind chill values zero to 10 below zero Monday night through Tuesday night.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Breakout Band performed on Friday night to about 125 people at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

The band plays many classic rock songs. From left include Gary Withey, Timothy Stoll and Alan Biano. John Lynch, not pictured, plays the drums.

Lee-Whedon has offered the “Finally Fridays!” concert series during the winter since 2002.

The season usually goes to early March but this year will only be during January due to the library’s expansion project that is under construction.

The Breakout Band kept the crowd entertained on a wintry Friday night.

The Creek Bend Band opened the series on Jan. 2, followed by Tom Keefer & Celtic Cross on Jan. 9.

There are two more concerts that begin at 7 p.m. with the Hennan Brothers on Jan. 23 and Doc’s Pocket Change on Jan. 30.

There is no charge for admission. The concerts received funding from the New York State Council on the Arts. Go Art! administers that funding for the state.

This group worked together on a puzzle while listening to the music. From left include Georgia Thomas and Barb Hancock with Fred Cavers at right. Thomas said sometimes “The Puzzle Group” can put together a 1,000-piece puzzle in an hour. This trip put together a 300-piece puzzle on Friday evening.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Ian and Claudia perform on aerial silks at the Clifford Wise Intermediate School. Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus did two shows on Friday at Clifford Wise with some of the proceeds going to the Orleans Community Health Foundation.

Ian and Claudia showcased strength, flexibility and balance in their performance on the aerial silks.

The circus is led by Billy Martin, who is now in his 49^th season of leading the circus. He and his group of a dozen perform go to about 150 schools each year. Their 2026 season started on Jan. 9 in Coudersport, Pa.

They have three more shows in Orleans County:

• Albion Elementary School on Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m.
• Holley Elementary School on Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m.
• Kendall High School Gym on Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

Children 12 years and younger are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.  Adults at the door are $20 each. Each school offers a special $5 discount on advance adult tickets, which reduces the cost to $15 per adult.

Sophia performs a juggling routine.

These kids are delighted watching a performer in the show ring.

Jake McPherson of Medina and his son Connor, age 9, get their photo taken with one of the circus’s stars, Slinko. This year marks Slinko’s 25^th season.

Tatyana Johnson, 9, gets her face painted as the Lady Bug character during intermission at the circus.

The Fudi sisters juggled hats, pins and hoops as part of their routine.

Photo courtesy of Marsha Rivers: A truck heads south on Main Street in Albion while it was snowing. More snow, possibly 7 inches or more, could hit Orleans by Wednesday.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a winter weather watch for Orleans and several Western New York counties from Sunday evening to Wednesday afternoon.

Heavy lake effect snow is possible, with potentially 7 or more inches in the most persistent lake snows, the Weather Service said.

“Winds could gust as high as 45 miles per hour creating blowing and drifting snow with very poor visibility,” the Weather Service said.

The advisory also includes Niagara, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

“Lake effect snowbands are expected to oscillate throughout this event with the greatest duration of lake snows likely from the Buffalo Metro area to Batavia southward,” the Weather Service said.

Brett Soberiaski runs 8 miles this morning with man on epic adventure to celebrate country’s 250^th anniversary

Photo courtesy of Brett Sobieraski: Brett Soberiaski of Carlton is shown this morning with Noah Coughlan. The two left Batavia and ran to Pembroke. Sobieraski, an ultra marathoner and endurance athlete, praised Coughlan who is on day 91 of a 260-day journey, running 5,500 miles across the United States.

BATAVIA – Brett Sobieraski is proud of New York State for showing such a big response to a man running across the country in an effort to stir a love for the flag and the United States.

Noah Coughlan is on day 91 of a 260-day journey, with plans to cover 20 states and conclude on July 4 in Hawaii. The trek is 5,500 miles on foot. Coughlan is a California native who most recently has been living in Nashville.

Coughlan made his way from Avon to Batavia on Thursday, and this morning left the Best Western Inn in Batavia and headed to Pembroke along Route 5. He is trying to get to near the Buffalo airport later today.

Coughlan usually runs by himself, and sometimes has a police escort like he did in Genesee County.

Sobieraski reached out to Coughlan about having a partner for part of today’s run. Sobieraski, a retired Rochester police sergeant, asked if he could join Coughlan for part of the journey today. Coughlan agreed.

Sobieraski in 2023 ran 50 marathons for 50 days, covering 1,300 miles from Florida to Rochester, NY. He did it as a tribute to Rochester police officer Anthony “Maz” Mazurkiewicz, who was killed in the line of duty on July 21, 2022. Sobieraski sought to raise $100,000 for Mazurkiewicz’s family, and passed that goal by reaching $110,000.

Today, cars honked their horns and people rolled down their windows to cheer on Coughlan, who turned 42 on Thursday.

When Coughlan reached the Pembroke Intermediate School, students were standing outside and cheering him on.

“He was really overwhelmed,” Sobieraski said about the Coughlan. “He said he’s never had a response like this. He can’t get over the reception from New York State.”

Coughlan started the journey on Oct. 18. He has been going about 18 miles a day, pushing a jogger stroller with an American flag mounted on the stroller. He has covered more than 1,700 miles so far.

Coughlan isn’t raising money for a charity, just trying to spur patriotism on the 250^th anniversary of the country.

“It’s non political,” Sobieraski said. “He isn’t running for any cause just the flag.”

Coughlan has done four previous ocean-to-ocean runs across the country. His “Run for America” started in the Midwest and covered about 950 miles in Kansas, South Carolina and North Carolina, states where had not run before.

Then, the journey goes 3,600 miles from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Oregon.

It’s not over yet. Coughlan plans to cross 900 miles across Alaska and then conclude in Hawaii on July 4.

For information on Run for America, click here.

This is a photo of a print out of a rendering of the proposed Dollar General store in Albion on East Avenue across from the high school.

ALBION – The Village of Albion Planning Board has set a public hearing for 5 p.m. on Feb. 12 for the site plan for the new Dollar General store at 327 East Ave. The meeting will be at the Village Office on East Bank Street.

The new 10,640-square-foot store would be across from the high school.

Tye Albion Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 9 approved a variance for the project, allowing Dollar General to have 35 parking spaces instead of the 53 required for a store that size. Albion’s zoning calls for one parking space for every 200 square feet of a retail store.

The Broadway Group is the developer of the new store. The company said having 35 parking spaces will allow for more green space on the site.

During a public hearing on Sept. 9 about the variance, several speakers said they didn’t think a Dollar General across from the school was a good fit. They also questioned if there was enough room on the lot for tractor trailers to make deliveries and then turnaround without backing out onto Route 31. The store is expected to have two deliveries a week, Broadway Group representatives said at the hearing.

The Planning Board will discuss traffic flow issues and truck turnaround as part of the site plan.

The store is proposed to be next to the Cone Zone ice cream business. The Broadway Group from Huntsville, Ala. proposes to demolish an existing building to the east of Cone Zone and put up the new store.

Press Release, Congresswomen Claudia Tenney

OSWEGO – Congresswomen Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today announced that her office is now accepting applications for 2026 United States Military Service Academy nominations.

Students from New York’s 24th Congressional District interested in attending one of these distinguished academies are invited to apply for a Congressional nomination through Tenney’s office.

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Tenney has the honor of nominating a select number of candidates to four of the five United States service academies. Appointment to a service academy provides a world-class education and carries a minimum five-year commitment to serve as a commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces.

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to the following service academies:

• United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
• United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
• United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
• United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY

If you, or a student you know, are interested in applying for a nomination to one of the United States Military Service Academies, please visit our website here to find application instructions, required forms, and additional details. All application materials must be received by Thursday, October 1, 2026.

“As the mother of a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, I understand the commitment, discipline, and sense of purpose required to attend a service academy,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “I am always encouraged by the exceptional young men and women across NY-24 who step forward to pursue this path of service. These academies offer an extraordinary education while preparing future leaders for our Armed Forces, and it’s a privilege to support students who are willing to serve our nation with integrity, dedication, and courage.”

For more information, contact Congresswoman Tenney’s Oswego District Office at (315) 236-7088 or visit her website by clicking here.