By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2025 at 11:48 am
Volunteer finds buried memorial brick for Florida woman, one of 400 around the country
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – This brick is one of about 400 that are placed at lighthouses around the country in honor of Emelee Arbuckle of Melbourne Beach, Fla., who died at age 23 on Dec. 29, 2013 from complications following a motorcycle accident.
Arbuckle was the top coxswain on her high school rowing team. She was also an artist who wanted to teach art to disabled children.
Arbuckle’s family placed the bricks at lighthouses, putting them near iconic buildings that stand close to the water. They are inscribed with her name and nickname, “Bean.”
At the Oak Orchard Lighthouse, the brick was buried near the southwest corner of the 32-foot structure, where the light is shown in this photo.
On Aug. 7, a group of volunteers were digging four holes in rock hard dirt at the lighthouse. Drought conditions made for difficult digging.
The volunteers dumped some water on the dirt, to try to ease the shoveling. They needed to dig the holes for four cannisters that would be part of a new light show display at the museum.
Cheryl Giacherio was digging at the southwest corner when she found the brick with Arbuckle’s name. Museum volunteer Kim Charron cleaned the stone and did some research online about Arbuckle. One article said about four or five of the bricks have been discovered at lighthouses, including one in the water at New Bedford, Mass.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum intends to keep the brick on display inside the museum where there are brochures and merchandise available about the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.
The lighthouse now has a nightly 30-minute light show that starts a half hour at sunset. In addition to the four cannisters on the ground at the corners, the top of the lighthouse has 192 lights for the show.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2025 at 9:30 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Village of Medina has been offered a vacant lot at 115 Pearl St. The site is next to the Hometown Wellness Center.
MEDINA – The village has been offered a 100-by-132 foot vacant lot at 115 Pearl St.
The village can have it for free. It is being offered by 415 West Avenue LLC, which is owned by Dr. Syed Shah, a cardiologist.
Dr. Shah initially offered the land for the Medina Fire Department but that lot isn’t a good fit for the fire department, Mayor Marguerite Sherman said. The village instead could use it as a municipal lot.
The site used to have a structure on it, but that building was taken down several years ago.
The lot is between the Hometown Wellness Center at 119 Pearl St. and MDS Consultants at 105 Pearl St.
The village is doing a deed and title search on the property at 115 Pearl Street to ensure there isn’t a lien on it. That should cost less than $1,000.
The land about a decade ago was owned by Vincent Cardone and the Cardone Family Trust. The lot is currently assessed at $10,200.
The Village Board agreed to not have any citations go to the owner for tall weeds and grass while the property is in the process of being acquired.
The village is doing a title search to make sure there are no liens on the property.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 19 August 2025 at 7:59 am
Ahmed has put on weight, made progress in past year
Provided photos: (Left) Ahmed Cherif, left, and his friend Basheer, son of World Life Institute volunteer Noori Bibi, spend time in a local park. (Right) Ahmed Cherif, a 10-year-old boy from Tunisia, is shown at a benefit for him last year at the Orleans County YMCA. A second “fun”raiser is scheduled there on Sept. 13, organized by the World Life Institute’s Project Life.
MEDINA – World Life Institute’s Project Life has planned a second “Fun”raiser in support of a young boy from Tunisia who is being treated in Western New York for a multitude of health problems.
The Family “Fun”raiser in continued support of 10-year-old Ahmed Cherif is scheduled Sept. 13 at the Orleans County YMCA, 306 Pearl St.
The event, from 1 to 5 p.m., will feature face painting, sit and paint, a bake sale, henna art, international food, a bargain boutique and more, according to Linda Redfield Shakoor, deputy director of Project Life.
Ahmed was born with a club foot and left facial paralysis. He is non-verbal and developmentally delayed. He suffers from allergies and digestive ailments. Growth delays mean he is shorter and weighs much less than typical children his age.
Ahmed Cherif sits on a seat of a Christmas display at Bent’s Opera House during last year’s holiday season.
He and his mother came to the United States in early 2023, seeking medical care that was unavailable in his home country of Tunisia. Since arriving here, Project Life has been supporting them.
“Our ongoing fundraising efforts are focused on raising the funds that are needed to improve all aspects of Ahmed’s quality of life,” Shakoor said.
Since arriving in Western New York, Ahmed has been assessed by many medical specialists and has undergone an array of tests and treatments. It has been determined his difficulties cannot be defined as a single condition or even one isolated syndrome.
In the 12-month period from August 2024 to July 2025 he has seen 25 doctors representing 15 different specialties. His mother has learned his short stature and low weight are caused by rumination syndrome, a digestive condition that makes it very difficult to retain food, leading to malnourishment. Since medications and dietary changes have been implemented, Ahmed has gained 20 pounds and has grown 4 1/2 inches.
In 2024, he went to the dentist for the first time in his life. He had to have his teeth repaired and, in some cases, extracted due to his partial facial paralysis. He is being treated for his allergies and asthma that often prevent him from getting a good night’s sleep.
Overall, Ahmed is much better, said Shakoor. He no longer wears leg braces, and he has grown taller and gained weight. His comprehension in English is better, according to Aspire school in Buffalo. He still does not sleep through the night and cannot speak. He remains under the care of Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong and receives medical care from numerous doctors.
He clearly has made progress, Shakoor said. Ahmed and his mom will be at the fundraiser, and although his mother’s English is improving, she will be accompanied by a French translator, Marie Delobbe Scott.
The community is encouraged to come and meet Ahmed and his mother and support World Life Institute’s efforts in restoring the little boy to better health and a normal life.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2025 at 1:57 pm
High-energy Highway 31 drew a crowd to Bullard last week
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Highway 31 had Bullard Park rocking on last Wednesday evening during the Village of Albion’s summer concert series.
The series started on June 4 and included 15 different musical groups. The series closes on Wednesday with the Sky Cats. They were originally scheduled for Aug. 6 but some stormy weather cancelled that concert.
Highway 31 performed on the amphitheater, and played ’90s music, contemporary country and some rock.
The band members include Rich Nolan of Gasport as lead singer, and the guitar trio of Aaron Clark of Holley, Clinton LaPorte of Le Roy, and Clinton’s dad Tim LaPorte Sr. of Batavia. Timmy LaPorte of Elba, Tim’s son and Clinton’s brother, is the drummer for the band.
About 400 people attended the concert with the majority bringing their own lawn chairs. Several food vendors also have been at the concerts.
Tim LaPorte Sr., right, performs with his sons, Clinton LaPorte (left) and Timmy LaPorte on drums.
Images celebrating ‘America 250’ will be given special emphasis
The cover of the 2025 Orleans County calendar features “July 4th Sunrise on Lake Ontario” in Lyndonville by Robyn Ottaviano.
Press Release, Orleans County Tourism Department
ALBION – Orleans County Tourism has opened its annual call for photographers, inviting submissions that capture the county’s unique character, events and natural beauty.
This year’s call places special emphasis on photographs that celebrate America 250, the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
Photographers are encouraged to showcase scenes, events, landmarks and moments that reflect the spirit, history and culture of Orleans County as part of this historic anniversary.
Orleans County Tourism may use submitted photos in the 2026 calendar, travel guide, fishing calendar, social media and other promotional materials. Photos that are used will receive appropriate credit.
In addition, photographers whose work is chosen to represent a month in the 2026 calendar or appear on the travel guide cover will receive a swag bag of Orleans County merchandise. Photographers who submitted images that are featured on a particular month in the 2026 calendar will receive 5 copies of the calendar.
Entries must be submitted by Nov. 2, via email or mail. The official rules and entry forms can be downloaded by clicking here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2025 at 10:15 am
Photos courtesy of Susan Starkweather Miller
SHELBY – About 50 people attended Sunday’s evening tour of the Millville Cemetery in the Town of Shelby. Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper is shown leading the tour of the cemetery.
Millville is one of four cemeteries in Orleans County named to the National Register of Historic Places.
The most prominent monument marks the grave for Asa Hill, a Civil War soldier and prominent local farmer. His family put up the large monument, where local lore suggests he is looking towards Sanderson Road, keeping watch on the family farm.
Catherine Cooper and Alice Zacher, retired Shelby historian, are shown inside the chapel at the cemetery. Zacher helped get the cemetery listed on the National Register in 2007.
The Millville Cemetery was established in 1871 on East Shelby Road. The monuments and Victorian funerary art reflect the prosperity of the community back when it was home to three sawmills, gristmill and turning mill, according to the description of the site on the National Register.
The wood frame chapel has a Medina Sandstone foundation. It was built in 1894 into a hill and also served as a receiving vault and office.
Many prominent local residents are buried at Millville, including this large grave marker for Arnold Gregory, who left money to start a hospital in Albion. Some of the names of the family plots, such as Dresser and Pask, are names of roads in the community.
The Orleans County Historical Association has two more cemetery tours at 6 p.m. on Sundays in August:
The tour on Aug. 24 Greenwood Cemetery, 16670 Roosevelt Highway/Route 18, Kendall, will focus on the first Norwegian settlement in the United States in 1825 in Kendall. Orleans County historian Catherine Cooper will lead this tour.
Aug. 31 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 581 East Ave., Albion, will conclude the series of tours. Catherine Cooper and Sue Starkweather Miller will lead the tour, which will include a visit to the chapel to view the beautiful interior stained glass windows, and stops at several prominent gravesites.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2025 at 9:03 am
Money goes to Cat by Cat Inc. that works with feral cat problem in Orleans County
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Caturday volunteers Shannon Blount, Ellen Blanc and Kelsey Dreisbach are shown at the Caturday fundraiser on Sunday where 184 baskets were up for raffle.
The event raised $29,000 for Cat by Cat Inc., which eclipsed the $24,000 from a year. Canalside has now hosted the fundraiser four years, raising $10,000 in 2022 and $18,000 in 2023.
Blount leads the local Cat by Cat Inc. that is trying to rein in the feral or community cat problem in Orleans County.
Cat by Cat seeks to humanely “TNVR” cats through targeted trapping. Cat by Cat focuses on a TNVR model – Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return.
The team in Orleans County cares for about 150 cats a year. The last four years the local Cat by Cat has tended to 600 to 700 cats and adopted out about 100 a year.
“It’s a quality of life issue not only for the cats but for the community as well,” Blount said. “Nobody wants 100 stray cats wandering around.”
There were 184 gift baskets up for raffle. There were so many, the basket raffle was moved from outside Canalside Tattoo to a tent for the raffle.
That is up from the 150 baskets a year ago. Blount said many local businesses and residents contributed baskets to help support the cause.
Feral or community cats are a big problem all over the county, Blount said.
“Until you get the cats neutered and vetted, the cycle just continues,” she said.
The Caturday fundraiser will help pay for veterinarian costs, cat food, litter and other supplies.
Once a week Blount and volunteers take cats to vets in Blasdell and Hamburg for spay and neutering services, which is done at a deep discount.
“We absolutely need more volunteers to help drive,” Blount said.
Canalside had 13 tattoo artists doing tattoos on Sunday for $100 each. They would do about 125 tattoos.
Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo, works on a Buffalo Bills tattoo for Chris Barrett of Lockport. Barrett was at Canalside for the first time on Sunday and was impressed with the atmosphere of the place, and the push to raise money for a cause in the community.
Barrett believes the Buffalo Bills will win the Super Bowl for the first time in their history this season.
‘This is the year,” he said. “It’s gonna happen.”
Shawn Ramsey, who is engaged to Shannon Blount, praised the tattoo artists for volunteering their time on Sunday. Canalside has six tattoo artists on staff, and seven other visiting artists were part of the day, as well as piercers and Marked. by Janna doing eyebrow wax and shaping.
C.J. Cruickshank, one of the tattoo artists at Canalside, works on a tattoo for Olivia Miller, 21, during Caturday. Miller also got a tattoo a year ago on Caturday. That raccoon tattoo has prompted by smiles and fun conversation in the past year, Miller said.
On Sunday, her new tattoo was of a cat falling asleep while reading a book. Miller said the tattoo was a birthday present from her father.
“It’s fun getting a silly animal tattoo,” she said.
Miller also wanted to support Cat by Cat which has helped her family with two cats.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2025 at 7:12 pm
Provided photo
MURRAY – Organizers and volunteers of the Murray Tractor Pull this afternoon presented a check for $13,000 to the Ronald McDonald House, which provides hospitality for families with children fighting a serious illness.
The Christ family and a group of volunteers have been running the tractor pull for many years on a course they built on Groth Road. The setup includes a track, concessions stand and parking. This year’s pull was on July 19 and attracted more than 1,500 spectators.
The $13,000 for the Ronald McDonald House is up from the $10,000 in 2024, and the $8,500 donated in 2023.
Photos provided by Mary Ellen Ashley with permission: Mary Ellen Ashley has enjoyed a long career in show business. Albion native Patrick Riviere produced a documentary about her life, “Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley.”
Press Release, Patrick Riviere
The award-winning short documentary film about the life and career of Mary Ellen Ashley (Broadway: The Innocent Voyage, Annie Get Your Gun with Ethel Merman and Yentl) is now available to screen on YouTube.
After a long film festival circuit run in which the 24-minute film was nominated at 14 festivals, won eight awards including five Best Documentary Short Awards (Art of Brooklyn, Chain Film Festival, Oregon Documentary Film Festival, Upstate NY Film Festival and New York Long Island Film Festival), Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley is now available on YouTube. The film was also invited to be part of the permanent archives at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (TOFT).
Patrick Riviere, an Albion native and Niagara University graduate, interviews Mary Ellen Ashley.
“We had been talking to folks at BroadwayHD and several other cable outlets but decided anyone and everyone who wants to see the film should be able to see it easily for free,” said Mary Ellen from her home in Los Angeles where she recently tap danced on Let’s Make a Deal and had Wayne Brady in stitches and is now featured in the film, Thump, which recently screened at the prestigious Raindance Film Festival.
The short documentary, directed by award-winning actor, playwright and filmmaker Patrick Riviere, follows Mary Ellen’s storied career from her Broadway debut in An Innocent Voyage at the age of seven, to being in the original cast of Annie Get Your Gun and growing up with the show for its entire run and then going on to star in radio and early television (cast as the Tootsie Roll Sweetheart on The Tootsie Hippodrome TV show).
She then opened for stars in Vegas and ultimately performing some of the biggest roles in the musical theater canon in National and International Tours, Off-Broadway and the best known regional theaters in the country from Maine State Music Theatre and Walnut Street Theater, to Paper Mill Playhouse and the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre, to ArtPark (where she starred as Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly and also graced the ArtPark stage in Carousel and George M!) and American Musical Theatre of San Jose to name a few. And that includes starring in over 12 productions of Hello Dolly!
“It is extraordinary that Mary Ellen is 89 and still going strong,” Riviere said. “She is a shining example of what it means to persevere and continue to share your light with others. We need that now, more than ever. And releasing this film so that everyone can see her positivity and infectious joy and energy is the icing on the cake to the success we’ve achieved with my freshman film.”
Riviere himself has had a successful career on the stage and in front of the camera (which began at Albion High School and continued on at Niagara University and ArtPark) and he most recently filmed a supporting role in the upcoming feature film Pointing Fingers, a first of its kind to star two minimally verbal autistic actors.
Indie Shorts Magazine had this to say about the film: “Ashley is instantly likeable. Her flair for drama blends with humour to produce excellent theatricality as she recounts the story of how she got her start. “Picket Fences”, the sequence that delves into a conflict between career and parenting, best showcases the film’s ability to throw in lower tones into the narrative’s colorful carousel and have it be richer for it.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2025 at 8:35 am
Photos courtesy of Susan Starkweather Miller
CLARENDON – Melissa Ierlan is shown leading a tour of Robinson Cemetery on Route 237 near Glidden Road last Sunday.
The tour was sponsored by the Orleans County Historical Association.
Some of the notable burials at Robinson Cemetery include:
Chauncey Robinson (1792-1866): Veteran, War of 1812; Abolitionist
William Lewis (1787-1826): First Sheriff of Orleans County
John Dodge (1749-1830): Veteran, American Revolution
Samuel Milliken (1752-1842): Veteran, American Revolution
Thomas McManners: Escaped Slave; Veteran, American Revolution
Shubael Lewis (1785-1861): Colonel, New York State Militia
Melissa Ierlan, the town of Clarendon historian, served as the guide of the tour at Robinson Cemetery on Aug. 10.
The Orleans County Historical Association has tours every Sunday evening beginning at 6 p.m. in August. Mount Albion was the first to be featured on Aug. 3, followed by Robinson on Aug. 10. The tours are free with goodwill donations accepted.
The remaining schedule includes:
Millville Cemetery today at 4394 East Shelby Rd., Medina. Highlights will be a visit to the wooden chapel/memorial vault and a tour of some of the impressive monuments, including the gravestone of Asa Hill, a Civil War soldier who suffered amputation of a leg, yet returned to run the family farm a few short miles west of the cemetery.
The tour on Aug. 24 Greenwood Cemetery, 16670 Roosevelt Highway/Route 18, Kendall, will focus on the first Norwegian settlement in the United States in 1825 in Kendall. Orleans County historian Catherine Cooper will lead this tour.
Aug. 31 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 581 East Ave., Albion, will conclude the series of tours. Catherine Cooper and Sue Starkweather Miller will lead the tour, which will include a visit to the chapel to view the beautiful interior stained glass windows, and stops at several prominent gravesites.
