Daniel Quatro of Albion took this photo of a starry night with an Erie Canal bridge. The photo, entitled “Star Trails,” won second place in the “Classic Canal” category of the annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest in 2024.

Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

WATERFORD – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is calling for entries for its annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest.

Amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit up to three images that capture the canals’ beauty, vibrancy, and character. Winning photos will be featured in the 2026 Erie Canalway Calendar. Entries must be submitted or postmarked by Aug. 29.

Images will be judged in four contest categories: On the Water, Along the Trail, Canal Celebrations & Communities, and Classic Canal. Judges will select first, second, and third place winning images in each category, as well as 12 honorable mentions.

Submitted images must be horizontal format and taken within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, which spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York. It encompasses the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.

Download official contest rules and an entry form at www.eriecanalway.org/get-involved/photo-contest.

Jules Hoepting, formerly of Albion and now a Perry resident, received an honorable mention in 2024 for this winter scene of the Erie Canal in the Gaines Basin. Her photo is entitled, “Winter Sunset.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: The yellow grass on the lawn of the Orleans County Courthouse in Albion is shown on Wednesday.

Orleans County isn’t officially in a drought, despite sparse rain in the past month and scorching temperatures.

The U.S. Drought Monitor every Thursday morning updates the intensity of drought around the country. Orleans has been listed as “abnormally dry” in recent weeks and continues at that designation.

No where in the state is considered to be in a drought, even at the moderate level. Click here to see the map.

However, the abnormally dry conditions spread in New York State, from 9.9 percent of the land mass in the state last week to 23.1 percent in today’s map.

In the U.S., there are drought conditions out west and southern Florida.

Map from U.S. Drought Monitor: The areas in yellow are considered abnormally dry. In WNY, the abnormally dry conditions include Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Monroe, Niagara and most of Erie counties.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Hochul today released new data on the expected impact of President Trump’s trade war on New Yorkers’ wallets.

On the Aug. 7 tariff deadline, Trump is overseeing historic price hikes on everyday essentials, forcing families to spend an estimated $4,200 in additional federal taxes — all against the backdrop of a national affordability crisis.

“As Trump rings in his Aug. 7 tariff deadline, everyday New Yorkers know today is no cause for celebration,” Hochul said. “Consumers are bearing the brunt of his reckless and costly trade war, squeezing families’ wallets from the produce section to the back-to-school aisle.”

Here’s what New Yorkers are up against:

• New York State imported $160 billion of goods in 2024. Now, consumers face a new effective tariff rate of about 21 percent on most of these imported goods, according to DOB calculations.

• Consumers and businesses would need to pay nearly $33 billion in additional import taxes to continue buying the same amount of foreign goods with the tariffs rates announced as of July 30. This is nearly $4,200 in additional federal taxes per household in New York.

• New York imported $12.5 billion worth of computer and electronic products last year. A study by Yale university projects that prices for these products will go up by more than 18 percent because of tariffs.

• New York imported $10.8 billion worth of apparel and accessories last year. The same study projects prices will go up by more than 37 percent on everyday items like shoes and clothes, which are predominantly produced outside the United States.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “The level of cruelty being imposed by the federal government is truly alarming. While we have worked tirelessly to make New York more affordable, our progress has been undermined by the reckless tariffs enacted by the Trump administration. It’s time for New York Republicans to step up and truly defend our state. Instead, they continue to align themselves with Trump’s disastrous economic agenda, leaving hardworking families in New York to shoulder the burden while vital services are stripped away.”

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Residents of The Willows and their families enjoyed a picnic supper on Monday evening with a bounce house and ice cream truck, visible in the rear.

MEDINA – Residents and their invited guests enjoyed a picnic Monday night with a bounce house for young visitors, an ice cream truck, special bicycle rides and musical entertainment.

More than 100 RSVPs were received for the event, said administrator Jacquie Morgante. That is double last year’s attendance, she said.

Personal care aide Mary Ellen Donovan bends down to hug resident Joan Roberts at the Monday night picnic.

The 17 residents were allowed to invite family and friends, who enjoyed a buffet supper of chicken barbecue by Chiavetta’s, and  baked beans and cheesy potatoes prepared by The Willows cook, Mary Schaal.

“Mary has been our head cook for more than a decade,” said Jordan Banaszak, administrative assistant. “Before that she worked in catering. She is an amazing cook and we are lucky to have her.”

A food truck was also on site, providing ice cream for dessert.

A bounce house was set up to entertain the younger visitors, while the adults were treated to bicycle rides by Susan Walders of Albion, who leads Cycling Without Age in Orleans County. She started the organization more than a year ago, and it is a popular attraction at senior events. Her special bicycle seats two, while she pedals from behind.

The first picnic was organized last year by Morgante.

“She has great ideas,” Banaszak said. “It was a hit last year, so we were excited to do it again this year, amped up with more activities for the kids and the ice cream truck. We had double the turnout from last year, so that was amazing. The Willows family is growing. Our residents have been looking forward to it all summer and they all have said how lovely it was. Even a couple of resident’s family members we’ve seen since the picnic commented how fun it was. And everyone loved the music and the dancing.”

Mary Lou Blount has been a resident for three months. Her husband Bob and daughters Roberta “Gilly” Keirn and Shawna Baldwin also joined her for the picnic.  Baldwin said her mother is happy that they always have a lot of activities going on. Mary Lou likes the old-fashioned religious services with the old-time hymns, Baldwin said.

The evening’s entertainment was provided by Brian Beaudry of Nerds Gone Wild, who sang and played guitar.

Residents and guests also enjoyed lemonade and iced tea.

“We will continue to do the picnic annually and look forward to seeing it grow each year,” Banaszak said. “Our residents truly are our family, so having a family picnic just made sense.”

Bob Matthews and Joan Roberts, residents of The Willows, get a ride in a special bicycle pedaled by Susan Walders of Albion.

Mary Lou Blount, right, with her husband Bob is joined at The Willows’ picnic by her daughters Shawna Baldwin, left, and Roberta “Gilly” Keirn.

MEDINA – The Village of Medina has been awarded a $50,000 state grant to evaluate the current condition of the wastewater treatment plant to replace aging equipment.

The grant for Median was among $20 million in Clean Water grants announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday. The funding comes from two key programs that support clean water initiatives across the state: the Green Innovation Grant Program and Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grants.

This funding provides critical support to communities working to affordably modernize water infrastructure, protect public health, and enhance resilience to extreme weather. The awards are announced during National Water Quality Month.

The study of Medina’s sewer plant also will include a report to recommend and prioritize improvements, including resiliency and cyber security enhancements. Implementation of this project will provide further water quality protection measures for Oak Orchard Creek, stated a press release from the governor.

“Every New Yorker deserves access to clean, safe water, and we’re making that happen by investing in smart, affordable infrastructure upgrades,” Governor Hochul said. “From planning to construction, we’re supporting communities every step of the way so families across the state can count on reliable water systems for years to come.”

Close to Orleans County, the City of Lockport in Niagara County was awarded $1.4 million for Phase 2 of a streetscape improvement project that will incorporate green infrastructure to reduce combined sewer overflows and improve water quality in the Erie Canal.

Flotsam performs for 500 in Medina, headed east on Thursday to Brockport

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Flotsam River Circus performed from a ramshackle raft this evening to about 500 people in Medina. Many watched under umbrellas along the bank at the Canal Basin.

Flotsam will be performing at Erie Canal towns as part of the bicentennial celebration of the canal. The troupe of eight performers also will be performing at Hudson River communities in New York City as part of its tour which started Aug. 1-3 in Buffalo and ends in NYC on Sept. 14. On Thursday the group performs in Brockport at 6:30 p.m. at Harvester Park along the canal. Click here to see the full schedule.

Camille Swift, a Chicago-based circus artist, is among the performers for Flotsam.

Jason Webley (right), a musician based outside of Seattle, leads Flotsam. He performed today while wearing a fish costume.

“It’s a hard time for humans and a glorious time to be an invasive mutant fish,” he told the audience.

The floating circus started in 2019 and has performed in 13 states and traveled over 2,000 river miles. Last year Flotsam traveled the entire Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Paducah.

Webley said the group embraces being different.

“I think there should be more weird, amazing stuff in the world,” he said.

The troupe members this year include performers skilled as gymnasts, puppeteers, balance artists, hair suspension and aerial hoop, juggling, clowning, sword swallowing and playing music.

Webley played the accordion while singing and proclaiming during the show. Other members played the fiddle and trombone.

“Don’t eat the fish. All it takes is one bite for it to be a real long night,” Wembley told the audience.

Flotsam drew a big crowd to the Canal Basin to see an unusual performance from a floating circus. The show was slightly delayed and curtailed by the rain.

Danila Bim impressed the crowd with her fast spinning while suspended by her hair.

Some of the troupe members walked the plank and interacted with the crowd during the performance.

ALBION – A concert that was set for 6:30 today at Bullard Park has been moved back two weeks due to the strong likelihood of rain during the concert.

The Sky Cats will instead perform on Aug. 20, which was a rain date in case any of the concerts were cancelled during Albion’s summer concert series.

File photo by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley will rededicate its canalway trail on Saturday. The path was originally dedicated in honor of Andrew Cuomo, who was secretary of the federal Housing and Development in 2000 when the trail opened. HUD provided a grant to help create the canal path and park.

The village will rededicate the trail as “Holley’s Erie Canal Pathway” at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

The celebration will be near the historical marker by the Murray-Holley Historical Society Depot Museum. The brief ceremony will include remarks followed by a reception on the porch of the museum.

Holley Mayor Mark Bower said the two sandstone signs will continue to bear Cuomo’s name. The signs are at each end of the path. Cuomo visited the canal park with his family not long after it opened.

The trail was dedicated for Cuomo on Aug. 9, 2000. At the time Cuomo was secretary of the federal Housing and Urban Development. In that role, he pushed through a $300 million “Canal Corridor Initiative” for canal communities to upgrade public spaces and also assist some businesses.

Holley used nearly $1 million to develop the canal trail and a canal park that also includes a gazebo, docks, a paved path, public bathrooms with showers, a playground, pond and other amenities.

Bower said the canal projects have proven to be a big draw for the village, bringing in visitors while also being frequently used by local residents.

“It’s becoming bigger all the time,” Bower said about the village’s canal amenities.

Holley also will soon add a new playground along the canal path this fall, and a new kayak launch next year.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 4:38 p.m. for the Byron, Holley, Clarendon, Bergen and Barre Center areas. The warning is in effect until 5:45 p.m.

The thunderstorm could bring 60 mile-per-hour winds and quarter-size hail.

“Hail damage to vehicles is expected,” the Weather Service said. “Expect wind damage to roofs, siding and trees.”

Photos by Natalie Baron: Caspian Villegas of Medina high-fives the Safety Pup during National Night Out on Tuesday evening in Medina.

By Natalie Baron, Orleans Hub intern

MEDINA – On Tuesday, Medina hosted National Night Out for the third time. At NNO, visitors were encouraged to meet law enforcement, first responders and representatives from community organizations. Several hundred people attended the event at Clifford Wise Intermediate School on Gwinn Street.

Sidney from Medina poses with an emptied food trailer. He was one of the Boy Scouts, along with volunteers, who served hot dogs, chips, and water bottles to residents for free.

The dunk tank was, once again, a slam dunk with guests of all ages.

Law enforcement officers take off for Battle of the Belts. Participants entered a vehicle, buckled seat belts and threw their hands onto the car’s ceiling to indicate they had finished. They did so a couple of times, switching seats. Due to law enforcement’s hefty vests, they scored 5th with a time of 52.54. In 4th place was team Fire Red at 52.34, in 3rd was Froot Loops at 46.79, in 2nd was first responders, Ridgeway Water Rats, at 43.62, and in 1st was National Night Out volunteers at 43.07.

Braxton Hart, 5, of Medina hoses down fires in a prop building with some help from a Medina firefighter.

The County of Orleans Department of Mental Health brought free snacks and a fishing game to NNO. Pictured, from left: Patricia Urquhart, Melinda Rhim, Patrice Beadle, and Director of Mental Health Danielle Figura.

Melinda Rhim cheers on Audrey Pierce while she catches a fish. Noa Pierce watches the exchange. Medina Mental Health’s fish had positive words on them, including Happy, Excited, Smart, Love, Kind, and Brave.

Evelyn Strickland, 7, of Medina gets her face painted at the Pathstone stand. Face painting was open to all ages.

Cassandra Kinne smiles as she has her caricature done by Murray Mann.

The stand of the Medina Railroad Museum featured a game called Boxcar Brainiacs. Participants answered historical or strange train-related questions and threw balls into cups. Winners received water bottles. Renee Hemby, the events coordinator at the Medina Railroad Museum, ran the event for the museum.

One Church members pose with their stand. Their Vacation Bible school will be open to pre-k through grade 5 and will run from August 11-13 from 6-8:30 p.m.

Patrick Holman, a magician, performs a ball trick and other magical acts.

MJ Roman, 4, rides his bike as Alyssa Andrews, 9, cheers him on. Medina PD set up the bicycle rodeo again this year, allowing kids to test their bike skills.

Zach Blount wipes water away after being dunked in by Charlotte Pierce.

Provided photos: Law enforcement seized over 5 ounces of cocaine, over 12 grams of crack cocaine, mushrooms, various narcotic pills, a loaded beretta .25 cal. pistol, over $2,000 in cash, scales and other drug paraphernalia.

MEDINA/LOCKPORT – A Lockport man has been charged after a law enforcement investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine in the Village of Medina and the City of Lockport.

Theodore Patti

The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force and the Niagara County Drug Task Force stopped and searched a vehicle in the area of 7134 Rochester Rd. in Lockport late Tuesday night and arrested the driver on drug and weapon charges.

Police seized over 5 ounces of cocaine, over 12 grams of crack cocaine, a quantity of mushrooms, various narcotic pills, loaded beretta .25 cal. pistol, over $2,000 in cash, scales and other drug paraphernalia, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force said today in a news release.

 Theodore J. Patti, 37, of Dysinger Road in Lockport has been charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree (A 2 felony) and 1 count of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree loaded firearm (C felony).

Patti was arraigned in CAP court in the Lockport Town Court and was committed to the Niagara County Jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond. He is to return to Lockport Town Court on Friday for further court proceedings.

Assisting in the investigation were the Medina Police Department, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard and Niagara County Assistant District Attorney Peter Wydysh.

Further arrests and charges are pending in this case.

‘A prepared community is a strong and resilient community’

Press Release, Orleans County Emergency Management Office

Provided photo: Those who attend the class will receive a free disaster preparedness kit.

ALBION – Registration is now open for the NY Citizen Preparedness Training program classes that will be hosted by the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

Residents are welcome to register for either class and there is no cost to participate.  The first will be held on Thursday, August 14 at 6 p.m. at the Clarendon Recreation Hall, 16169 East Lee Road in Holley.

The second will be on Thursday, September 25 at 6 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Trolley Building, 12690 NY-31 in Albion. While the classes are free, registration is required.

“When we hosted this class in 2023, the demand was overwhelming and we had to limit participation,” said Justin Niederhofer, Orleans County EMO Director.  “In 2024, we moved to the Carlton Rec Hall for greater capacity and still filled it up. Given this tremendous response, the state has allotted two training classes to our community to ensure all those interested can sign up.”

The mission of these training classes is to give residents the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible.  The course provides an introduction to responding to natural or man-made disasters.  Participants are advised on how to properly develop family emergency plans and stock up on emergency supplies. Those who attend a class will be given a free NYS Disaster Preparedness Kit (one per family) containing key items to assist in the aftermath of a disaster.

“For our community, these classes are extremely beneficial in helping the everyday resident to prepare for the different weather events that impact us,” Niederhofer said.  “The classes are taught by the Army National Guard and offer a quick synopsis of various events experienced regionally, the impact they had and how individuals and families can take steps to minimize the impacts of similar events in the future.”

To register for the event, visit www.prepare.ny.gov and click on the training calendar to find the event you would like to attend.

 “Emergency Management has 5 emergency preparedness goals – prepare, protect, mitigate, response, and recovery,” said Niederhofer.  “The preparedness class gives the individual the information necessary to meet these goals. And as we always say, a prepared community is a strong and resilient community.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: This tree at Bullard Park is shown on Friday during the Rock the Park music festival. The grass at Bullard and much of Orleans County has turned yellow due to lack of rain and hot temperatures.

The haze from the Canadian wildfires is resulting in another air-quality alert for Orleans County and much of upstate New York. This is the fourth straight day for the air-quality alert.

The State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued the air-quality alert until midnight tonight due to an Air Quality Index of over 100 for fine particulates.

The State Department of Health advises people limit strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.

People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease.

The temperatures are going to be hot for the next several days in Orleans County with highs of 85 today, 86 on Thursday, 88 on Friday, and then a stretch of four days in the 90s – 90 on Saturday, 92 on Sunday, 93 on Monday and 90 on Tuesday.