Photos and information from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a string of larcenies from vehicles that occurred overnight from October 28th to the morning of October 29th that occurred across the towns of Gaines and Carlton.

Residents are urged to double check their vehicles and make sure they are locked during overnight hours, report any attempted larcenies, or any suspicious persons/vehicles.

The top photos are a person of interest the Sheriff’s Office is seeking to identify who was observed looking through a vehicle. Anyone with information or captures on home surveillance systems are urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office 585-589-5527, Deputy David Lauer or Deputy Brian Marsceill, reference case number 22-07969.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Costumed characters paraded in Holley’s Public Square today as part of Holley’s Fall “Hallow” Fest.

The weather cooperated with bright sunshine and temperatures at 60 degrees.

Rochelle Moroz, village trustee, passed out candy to many kids in the Public Square.

Olivia Klatt, 4, of Clarendon wears a cat costume while riding a pony named Aladdin with some assistance from Jayme Scheiber of JMC Training in Spencerport.

The event included horse and pony rides, face painting, wine and hard cider tastings and a baked sale with food vendors. The library also hosted a coloring contest and other activities. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church will have a trunk or treat in the church’s back parking lot.

Chloe Imbert-Stockton, 6, of Holley rides the horse named Princess.

Kids enjoy the bounce house at the playground along the canal trail.

Sullivan Sevor, 4, of Holley enjoys good old-fashioned fun on a swing. He is wearing a Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtle costume.

Charlotte Sevor, 5, could swing high next to her brother at the playground.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville elementary students are performing Moana Jr., a musical based on the 2016 Disney film Moana.

The first show was Friday night with another today at 1 p.m. at the school’s Stroyan Auditorium, 25 Housel Ave. Admission is free with donations accepted.

The top photo shows Moana (right) played by Madelyn Ingersol and Maui, played by Fatima Lieberman. In this scene Maui receives his hook as a gift from the goddess Te Fiti. Moana, right, sails the ocean looking for Te Ka.

There are 33 students in the hour-long production. The fifth- and sixth-graders have been rehearsing for about seven weeks.

“They are a great group of kids,” said Jennifer Trupo, director. “They have worked very hard.”

“Right Claw” Landon Buffin, Tomatoa as Adrianna Vanderbilt and “Left Claw” Thalia Heinsler perform in Moana. Tamatoa sings all about themselves “in song form.”

Maui (Fatima Lieberman) and Moana (Madilyn Ingersoll) to fight Te Ka.

Moana is an adventurous young Pacific Island girl who embarks on a daring mission across the Pacific Ocean to save her people. Moana, a princess, has always felt connected to the ocean. Despite her parents’ wishes, she follows her calling and sails out to sea in order to return the long lost heart of the goddess Te Fiti, the mother island.

Along the way she meets Maui, a fallen demigod with an ego problem. Despite his attitude, Maui agrees to accompany Moana on her journey. They sail far across the waters together and work through many tough situations, from the Realm of Monsters to the Demon of Fire, Te Ka. Through all of this they finally are able to complete their journey and return the Heart.

Harli Crawford, in green, portrays the The Goddess Te Fiti. In this scene Moana restores the heart of Te Fiti and Te Ka transforms into Te Fiti.

Villagers and Ancestors sing about setting a course, knowing the way and being wayfinders at the end of the production. Form left include Janelly Garcia Cruz, Liliana Nye, Harli Crawford, Robin Botsford and Emily Kroll.

Moana and her parents sing about being wayfinders. From left include Chief Tui (Leah Casanova), Moana (Madilyn Ingersoll) and Sina (Karalyn Klotzbach).

Provided photos: Alissa  Blount, left, and certified nursing assistant Ronnie DePaul display the pumpkins they created for Orleans Community Health’s first pumpkin decorating contest. They are in the hospital lobby, where visitors can vote on their favorite one.

MEDINA – The Orleans Community Health system is celebrating Halloween with its first-ever pumpkin-decorating contest.

Last week, Kristin Grose from Human Resources and Scott Robinson from Community Partners distributed 25 pumpkins to different Orleans Community Health departments and encouraged them to decorate them. This included the Albion Healthcare Center, dialysis centers in Batavia and Medina and the hospital’s different departments.

The pumpkins are now on display in Medina Memorial Hospital lobby, where the community is being asked to vote on their favorite pumpkin while visiting the hospital. The pumpkins have also been posted on the hospital’s Facebook page, where they can be voted on there through Halloween.

The winning department will get a pizza party, according to Alissa Blount, a nurse from the second floor.

Ronnie DePaul, a certified nursing assistant on the second floor, painted her pumpkin pink and created a pig with three piglets made from tiny butternut squash. Appropriately, pink is the color associated with October as breast cancer awareness month.

“Overall this is fun,” Robinson said. “We want patients to see something that’s a little more festive when they come for appointments. Internally, it’s an enjoyable competition for bragging rights.”

The winning pumpkin will be announced Monday on Halloween.

“This and other holiday related events are returning this year, such as breakfast with Santa in December,” Robinson said. “This seemed like a great way to kick off the fun.”

A row of uniquely decorated pumpkins on display in the lobby of Medina Memorial Hospital includes an “IV patient,” a patchwork pumpkin and a pumpkin pig with her butternut squash piglets.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Amanda Krenning-Muoio and others from the First Presbyterian Church of Albion hand out candy for Beggar’s Night this evening in Albion. Sue Thaine, the church’s pastor at lower right, dressed up for the occasion.

Several hundred kids wore costumes and collected candy. Downtown was closed off to traffic for the event.

Albion teacher Samantha Flansburg hands candy to Drake Neri, 4, who wore a green skeleton costume. Other teachers in the Albion Teachers Association spot included Meghan Kania, Jen Simpson and Bob Epperson.

A group of women dressed as witches and did a dance down Main Street.

Connie Boyd of Batavia joined in the witches’ dance.

The group of ladies pose for a photo at Marti’s on Main before their dance.

A group from Body by Summer in Brockport performed Michael Jackson’s Thriller in front of the Downtown Browsery. Some Browsery vendors joined in the dance of people dressed as zombies. Summer Torrance led the group in the dance.

A long line of kids stopped by Arnold’s Auto Parts for trunk or treat from the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries. The church gave out more than 1,000 pounds of candy. The Albion Free Methodist Church also did a trunk or treat with lots of candy given away.

Amy Sidari gives away candy at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy. Ray Keffer and Stephanie Yankevich brought their twins, Ryan and Evelyn, to the event. Sidari said she was impressed by the variety of costumes on the kids throughout the evening.

The Albion PTA did a trunk or treat at the village’s municipal lot on Bank Street. Angie Wolfe, an Albion teacher, was one of the stops with candy stashed in her trunk. Her son Caleb helped to give out the candy.

Liz Groat of the Downtown Browsery holds one of the gloves that was filled with candy. The Browsery filled 350 gloves with treats for the kids. Groat was happy to see so many kids and their parents come inside and walk through the Browsery, where there are more than 40 vendors.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Downtown Medina was busy this evening with hundreds of kids, and many of their parents, in costume for the annual Beggar’s Night, which is the Friday before Halloween.

Elizabeth and James Philipps of Medina joined their daughter Collins, 1, in wearing Care Bears costumes.

“We do everything for her,” said Mr. Philipps.

The couple said they are enjoying being parents to their 14-month-old daughter.

“She’s our first baby,” Mrs. Philipps said. “Why not have fun with it?”

Randy Ruhlman, owner of Fitzgibbons Public House, added some crazy hair while giving out candy to kids, including Mia Fitzsimmons, 4, of Medina who was wearing a Mermaid skeleton costume.

Cory Wispelaere hands out candy at the Mystic Dragon’s Lair and the soon-to-open Patriot Supply outdoors store. Most of the downtown businesses gave away candy for Beggar’s Night.

This youngster gets some help with his costume while hurrying to get in line for Beggar’s Night.

Carrie Ribbeck is dressed as a sloth at Avanti Pizza while giving away treats to sisters Kayla and Alex Verrantti of Medina. Ribbeck has worked for Avanti since it opened in Medina 22 years ago.

Sophia Kleeh, 5, of Lyndonville is happy to collect candy from the businesses, including a chocolate ball from Morgan Woodworth in the dalmatian costume for lily and sparrow.

Kingston Simons, 3, of Lockport has a SWAT costume on while making the rounds in the downtown. Here he receives a treat from Bernie Burger and Trisha Mathison of A Kut Above.

Angela Waldriff, owner of Ashlee’s Place in Medina, gives out candy with help from Brielle Lederhouse.

“It’s fun to see all the kids’ costumes,” Waldriff said.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

In recognition of Red Ribbon Week, Governor Hochul today signed legislation (S.3448A/A.4485B) that will require all public colleges in New York to have a supply of opioid antagonists in their housing facilities.

Opioid antagonists, such as Naloxone, are lifesaving medicines which reverse the fatal effects of an opioid overdose. In addition to ensuring all State University of New York and City University of New York owned or operated housing facilities stock this vital medicine, resident assistants and other designated employees of the colleges will be trained to administer these antagonists in the case of overdose emergencies.

“By signing this legislation, lifesaving overdose prevention medicine will be required in SUNY and CUNY campus housing, as well as trained staff on-site – leading to faster response times and helping prevent needless tragedies,” Hochul said. “My Administration will continue to work every day to fight the opioid epidemic and provide New Yorkers with further access to lifesaving resources, services, and care.”

This bill comes in response to the ongoing opioid epidemic crisis. Opioid overdoses have surpassed gun-related murders and car accidents as the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years old, with as many as 64,000 people last year estimated to have lost their lives. New York State is no exception to this crisis, experiencing over 2,939 fatally overdosed in 2019.

The risk of overdose deaths have continued to be high among all demographic groups and among residents of almost every New York City neighborhood. By having on-site opioid antagonists in schools and trained resident assistants capable of administering these antigens, these lifesaving medications are a common sense solution to preventing more overdose-related fatalities.

This signing is in recognition of Red Ribbon Week, part of the largest drug-abuse prevention campaign in the United States. The Red Ribbon Campaign serves to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families in its effort to keep communities safe, healthy and drug-free, through parent training, networking.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Mount Albion Cemetery is in its autumn glory. This photo was taken on Tuesday afternoon with lots of leaves still on the trees and many on the ground.

I Love NY reports most of the state has moved past peak fall foliage. Spotters in the Greater Niagara region report nearly complete leaf change and very brilliant yellow, orange and red leaves.

Trees are starting the shed their leaves, but the remaining colors are quite brilliant, I Love NY states on its weekly fall foliage report.

The weekly fall foliage report from I Love NY shows most of the state is past peak colors with the changing leaves.

Here are some more photos from Mount Albion, including the Civil War section with the cannon.

One of the disc golf holes is shown on Saturday at Lakeside Beach State Park in Carlton.

Provided photo: Janna Stirk of Albion gives a demonstration while her daughter Ava Jurs (Albion), Olivia Kroening (Medina) and Kenzie Hugaboom (Royalton-Hartland) look on.

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – The cosmetology students in Sue Lindke’s classroom at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center recently learned about brows from a local expert.

Janna Stirk, owner Marked by Janna at The Parlour in Albion, visited her daughter Ava’s class to talk about eyebrow mapping, tinting and waxing.

The students were excited about learning eyebrow artistry and took a lot of notes during her demonstration.

“I am always so grateful when local beauty specialists are willing to share their talents and time with my students,” said Ms. Lindke.  “The demonstration was awesome and I am very thankful that Janna for taking time out of her schedule to visit with us.”

ALBION – Registered voters can go to the polls early starting on Saturday. The county has one early voting polling place at the Board of Elections office at the County Administration Building at 14016 State Route 31 in Albion.

The early voting dates and hours include:

• Saturday, Oct. 29: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 1: noon to 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 2: noon to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 3: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 4: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 5: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 6: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The candidates and offices on the ballot include:

Federal elections

• U.S. Senator: Charles Schumer (Dem. and Working Family), Joe Pinion (Republican and Conservative) and Diane Sare (LaRouche).
• Representative for Congress 24th District (Towns of Albion, Barre, Clarendon districts 2 and 3, Ridgeway and Shelby): Steve Holden (Dem), Claudia Tenney (R, C).
• Representative for Congress 25th District (Towns of Carlton, Clarendon Dist. 1, Gaines, Kendall, Murray and Yates): Joseph Morelle (D, WF), La’Ron Singletary (R, C)

State elections

• Governor/Lieutenant Governor: Kathy Hochul/Antonio Delgado (D, WF) vs. Lee Zeldin/Alison Esposito (R, C)
• Comptroller: Thomas DiNapoli (D, WF), Paul Rodriguez (R, C)
• Attorney General: Letitia James (D, WF), Michael Henry (R,C)
• Justices of the Supreme Court (5 positions): Shannon Heneghan (D, WF), Tracey Bannister (D, R, C, WF), Craig Hannah (D, R, C, WF), Kelly Vacco (D, R, C), Gerald Greenan III (D, R, C) and Joseph Lorigo (R, C)­
• NYS Senate 62nd District: Robert Ortt, (R, C)
• NYS Assembly 139th District: Jennifer Keys (D), Stephen Hawley (R, C)

Local elections

• Albion Town Justice (2 positions): Gary Moore (D, R), Joseph Fuller (R)
• Carlton Town Justice: Michael Cliff (R)
• Carlton Town Councilperson, 1 year to fill vacancy: Brian McCue (R)
• Carlton Town Councilperson, 3 years to fill vacancy: Joshua Narburgh (R)

Trunk or Treat, ‘Spooky Night’ and other Halloween activities planned in Orleans

File photo: Sandi Beneway of Medina is Princess Leia from Star Wars and Lukin Szatkowski of Medina is a biker on Beggar’s Night in Medina on Oct. 27, 2017.

Halloween gets a jump start with many community activities today and on Saturday.

Albion and Medina are both hosting their annual Beggar’s Night this evening with businesses and community organizations handing out candy and treats in the downtown business districts.

• Medina will have Beggar’s Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The line will form in the parking lot between The Medicine Shoppe and The Print Shop, and wind around behind the businesses on East Center Street and Main Street.

• Albion will have Beggar’s Night from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be two starting points: the Five Star Bank parking lot, and the municipal lot on Main St. by the Presbyterian Church. In addition to businesses giving away candy, there will be three trunk or treat spots: the municipal lot across from the Village Office with the Albion PTA, Arnold’s Auto Parts parking lot with Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries, and the Albion Free Methodist Church.

• There will also be a “Spooky Night in Albion” on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the municipal lot at the corner of Bank and Platt street. Many businesses will also be offering activities, including a walk-through haunted house, Halloween bean bag toss, face painting, henna, $1 hot dogs for kids, homemade wreaths, cookie decorating, spooky drinks and games, candy and crafts, and a costume contest.

• The Barre Betterment Committee will have a “Trunk or Treat in the Park” on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. Last year about 150 kids attended the event at the Barre Town ark on Route 98.

• Holley will have a Fall “Hallow” Fest on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There will be a costume parade at noon around the Public Square. Participants in grades PreK to 5 should gather at the Historical Society Depot/Museum.

The museum will host a baked sale with food vendors. There will be activities at the library and Holley businesses including face painting, wine and hard cider tastings, pony rides and bounce houses. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church will have a trunk or treat in the church’s back parking lot.

Planning Board members voice concern about difficulty of right turn from entrance for tractor-trailers

Design by APD Engineering & Architecture in Victor – Hospitality Syracuse is proposing a 2,600-square-foot Taco Bell at 118 West Ave., next to McDonalds. The Taco Bell site would have 39 parking spaces and room in the drive-through lane for 12 vehicles.

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board is recommending the Village of Albion approve the site plan for a new Taco Bell on Route 31, and also give variances for the signs.

Hospitality Syracuse is the developer for the Taco Bell, which is proposed for 118 West Ave. at a vacant paved lot next to McDonalds.

Hospitality Syracuse would remove a 36-foot high steel water tank from the back corner of the lot, and make about 40 percent of the 1.33-acre lot green space with grass. That would be an improvement with drainage at the site over the current space that is nearly all asphalt, planners noted.

The project now goes to the Village Planning Board for a vote on the site plan, and the Zoning Board of Appeals for consideration of the variance. The ZBA has a public hearing at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 to hear from the public on the sign variances.

The developer is proposing four signs with three on the building and one on a freestanding pole. The village code calls for a maximum of two signs.

The developer is proposing the new Taco Bell go on this vacant lot next to McDonalds.

The freestanding sign would be 79.5 square feet, which is above the 48 square foot maximum.

Hospitality Syracuse also is seeking a pole height of 25 feet, which is 5 feet higher than the limit.

The company wants its pole for the sign to be set back 10 feet from the road to align with the sign at McDonalds. However, the village code calls for signs to be set back at least 15 feet.

The site plan shows vehicles will need to make a sharp turn left at the end of the drive-through. Planning Board members think it will be difficult for tractor-trailers to have to make that left turn and then turn right onto Route 31.

The total cumulative area of the signs is at 147.6 square feet, which is 44 feet over the Albion zoning.

The developer is seeking the additional building signage due to the unique “tower” aspect of the building design. A sign on each side of the tower provides architectural symmetry, and a sign over the door identifies the main entrance, Hospitality stated in the application.

The configuration of the drive-through does not allow for a pylon setback greater than what has been proposed.

County planning officials said the sign variances would not alter the neighborhood if granted because the Taco Bell would be in the general business district and adjacent to McDonalds.

“Signage and brand recognition are critical to quick-service restaurants,” county planning officials wrote in reviewing the proposal. “The consumer needs to quickly identify the business from a distance and safely navigate to the site. Larger directional signs aid in on-site circulation through the site.”

Planning Board members would like to see a sagging chain-link fence either repaired or removed. The fence at the back end is in good shape. That is along the property line backing up to the Orleans County Highway Department or the Department of Public Works off West Academy Street.

Planning Board members spent the most time at this evening’s meeting expressing concern over tractor-trailers being able to turn right from the property after making deliveries.

The big trucks will need to go through a lane next to the drive-through and then turn left, and then make a hard right, and then another right to get onto Route 31.

“There is no way you can make a right turn safely,” board member Tim Elliott said.

Jim Bensley, county planning director, doesn’t want to see the trucks out of their lanes on Route 31, disrupting traffic. That happens in several locations around the county when trucks are making deliveries.

Stephanie Albright, engineer for the project, said the developer sought two entrances from the state Department of Transportation for the site. There are already three entrances to the property, but the DOT wants it reduced to one entrance. The DOT told the engineer and developer the design allows for tractor-trailers to make right turns without a problem.

The County Planning Board recommended Albion village officials press for a wider entrance to make it easier for the big trucks to turn right.

Albright, the engineer, said Hospitality Syracuse is eyeing a spring construction start for the project.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Barker cross country team runs up the steep hill in Mount Albion Cemetery that leads to the Civil War Memorial Tower. The team made the 35-minute drive to Albion this afternoon to get in a hill workout in preparation for next Friday’s Sectionals in Alden. Barker is flat without any challenging inclines.

The Barker boys won the Niagara-Orleans League title on Saturday at Lakeside Beach State Park, and the girls team was third out of seven teams.

The team comes to Mount Albion twice a season for the hill workout, and also goes to Bond Lake Park in Ransomville to battle the hills.

Some of the runners rolled down the leaf-covered hills. Most of the team also climbed the 68-foot-high tower. That is an annual rite for all the seniors of the team.

Some of the runners toss leaves on Paul DerSarkissian, center, the Barker cross country coach.